Podcasts about Royal London

Kimberley Dondo speaks to Ricky McKinney, UK Risk & Compliance Director at Royal London, about how outcomes-based regulation and the Consumer Duty are reshaping financial advice. They explore key findings from the Meaning of Value research, insights from the FCA's AGBR Policy Sprint, and the practical steps advice firms can take to embed value, demonstrate good outcomes, and use compliance as a competitive edge.   Discover more tools, research, and resources to support your Consumer Duty journey from Royal London today! Listen to the previous episodes in the series here.

In this episode, the team breaks down the positive developments for renewables in Europe, from Equinor JVs' €6bn debt package for its offshore wind duo in Poland to Sweden ratifying the bill that will guarantee subsidies for new nuclear plants.We also go over Royal London's acquisition of Dalmore Capital and Grenergy's battery storage ambition in Europe.Checking in on the other side of the pond, we analyse the implications of US President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" and the detrimental impact it will have on the renewables sector if passed into law.Hosted by:Maya Chavvakula – Head of NewsAshkenaz A.L. – Senior ReporterMathilde Dorbessan – Junior ReporterSend us a textReach out to us at: podcasts@inspiratia.comFind all of our latest news and analysis by subscribing to inspiratiaListen to all our episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other providers. Music credit: NDA/Show You instrumental/Tribe of Noise©2025 inspiratia. All rights reserved.This content is protected by copyright. Please respect the author's rights and do not copy or reproduce it without permission.

As the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, presents her Spring Statement, Money Box Live sifts through the details about what it all means for your personal finances.Changes to the welfare system have already been announced. It will be harder to claim a disability benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) under plans which the government says will get more people into work. We'll analysis any new details on that.The Spring Statement comes ahead of big plans already announced in last year's Autumn Budget such as changes to stamp duty for home buyers and an increase to National Insurance Contributions for some employers, so as well as dissecting new announcements we'll also remind you what else coming in and when.Felicity Hannah is joined by Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance Specialist at pensions company Royal London; Elsa Littlewood, Tax Partner at the accountancy firm BDO and Mike Brewer, Chief Economist and Deputy Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Reporter: Emma Smith Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday 26th March, 2025)

In this episode of the Money Marketing Podcast: Protection and Pensions series in association with Royal London, Kimberley Dondo is joined by Justin Corliss and Fiona Hanrahan from Royal London's technical team. They unpack the far-reaching implications of the April 2025 changes to employer national insurance, explore how salary exchange could ease the burden, and clarify key updates around the abolition of the lifetime allowance and upcoming IHT changes for pensions. Whether you're an adviser looking to help clients stay ahead of tax and regulatory changes or wanting to sharpen your understanding of pension death benefits and IHT planning, this episode is packed with timely insights and actionable takeaways.  

Over 1.4 million pensioners unexpectedly received a tax bill last year, according to exclusive data shared with Money Box. The mutual life, pensions and investment firm Royal London says its research suggests more than two thirds of those who'd retired paid tax on their pension income last year. But, also, that 1 in 7 of those didn't expect to do so. Pensioners can pay tax on anything that counts as income if it goes over the personal tax free allowance of £12,570 a year. We'll discuss how that works.A record number of people in England and Wales who were overwhelmed by their debts took out what is called a debt relief order last year. DROs freeze people's debts for 12 months and then write them off. They're a cheaper, more straightforward alternative to bankruptcy although there are serious financial implications and strict criteria about who can apply for them. We'll find out more about what's behind that rise.Savings rates are still high but there's £300 billion in bank accounts earning nothing, what's behind that?And, unexpected mobile and broadband mid-contract price rises are now banned after a change by the regulator. What does that mean?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 25th January 2025)

Podcast hosts Caroline Blair and Chris Paterson welcome two exciting guests to the pod. First, an in-depth chat with new Scottish Rugby Performance Director, David Nucifora. David talks through his impressions of the role so far, what he hopes to acheive in his position and the challenges and opportunities ahead for rugby in Scotland.    Then, the pair are joined by Edinburgh Rugby Women's team Head Coach for the upcoming Celtic Challenge, Claire Cruikshank. Claire steered Edinburgh to an impressive second placed finish in the team's inaugural season, and will now take on the role in a full-time basis as part of the Scottish Rugby Female Performance Pipeline, funded by Royal London's Level the Playing Field programme, enabled by the British and Irish Lions.

The insurance company Royal London entered the Irish market in 2011 when it took over Caledonian life but it's been around for more than 150 years. It now sells life insurance products and is one of the fastest growing insurers in the market. But how does it grow in a much smaller market and how does it compete with the bigger boys such as Irish life? Noel Freeley is the chief executive of Royal London Ireland and joined Joe this morning in studio.

Right trusty and well beloved, we greet you well! On the 16th November 1272 Henry III died after a 56 year reign. His rule spanned the better part of the 13th century, and took England from the disaster that was King John to the conquering macho that was Edward I. Neatly sandwiched in between these two vastly different kingships is Henry III, the man who gave us Westminster Abbey , peace with France and Scotland; and Parliament, as a regular place of meetings for government officials. Henry may not have the best posthumous PR, but we're here to fix that. Please welcome to the podcast Matthew Lewis, historian, author and podcaster. Matthew's Henry III Book:https://www.amberley-books.com/henry-iii-9781445686530.htmlGet Matthew's Other Books:https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/the-survival-of-the-princes-in-the-tower/ https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Stephen-and-Matildas-Civil-War-Hardback/p/16734/aid/1238 https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Rebellion-in-the-Middle-Ages-Hardback/p/20243/aid/1238 https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Richard-III-Paperback/p/15933/aid/1238 https://www.historyhit.com/author/mattlewis/https://www.facebook.com/MattLewisAuthor/https://www.mattlewisauthor.com/If you would like to join Natalie on her Reign of London walking tours, please follow the links:Royal London:https://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/london-the-royal-british-kings-and-queens-walking-tour-t426011/https://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/royal-london-georgian-and-windsor-monarchs-walking-tour-t481355 Naughty London: https://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/london-unsavory-history-guided-walking-tour-t428452/ For more history fodder please visit https://www.ifitaintbaroque.art/ and https://www.reignoflondon.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textIn this episode of Financial Planner Life, Chris Ball, CEO of Hoxton Wealth, interviews David Kneeshaw, Group Chief Executive of International Financial Group Limited (IFGL). With over two decades of experience in financial services and leadership roles, David shares his insights on career development, building resilient teams, and strategies for growth in the international financial landscape.Career Journey & Leadership PhilosophyDavid's path has taken him from Times Newspapers, where he worked with Rupert Murdoch, to becoming a marketing director at Swiss Life and ultimately the CEO of IFGL, managing over £20 billion in assets under advice. He emphasizes the importance of structured, objective decision-making and maintaining a client-centered approach, saying, “If you care about what you do and people see that, they'll forgive you quite a lot.”Key Insights on Team BuildingDavid believes in hiring based on attitude and intelligence, underscoring the need for leaders who can communicate and collaborate effectively. His advice to young professionals is to “choose your boss wisely,” as early mentorship profoundly shapes career growth. He's built his own team on these values, creating a culture where long-term loyalty and growth are prioritized.Navigating Private Equity & International GrowthDavid discusses the challenges and rewards of IFGL's management buyout from Royal London, highlighting the importance of aligning with investors who share the company's values and vision. He also explores IFGL's expansion into new regions and the vital role of technology in delivering efficient, client-focused services. According to David, technology is essential in today's financial services to ensure seamless service and maintain a competitive edge.This episode is rich with advice for aspiring leaders in financial services, offering lessons in leadership, adaptability, and strategic growth. David's practical insights on leadership, team-building, and navigating private equity make this a must-listen for those looking to grow in the financial industry.Begin your financial planning career journey todayWhether you are looking to become a paraplanner, administrator, mortgage and protection adviser or financial planner, the Financial Planner Life Academy is for you. With limited entry-level job roles, giving yourself the best financial planning career education, will not only kick start your financial planning journey with relevant qualifications and skills, but it'll also help you achieve success much faster.&nbsBe sure to follow financial planner life on YouTube for extra content about a career within Financial Planning HIT THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTON! If you're looking to start your career in Financial Planning, check out the Financial Planner Life Academy hereReach out to Sam@financialplannerlife.com in regards to sponsorship, partnerships, videography or career development.

Join Digital Content Manager Kimberley Dondo as she speaks with Shelley Read, Senior Protection Technical Manager at Royal London, on everything income protection (IP). Shelley answers key questions: What exactly is IP? Why is it critical for financial resilience? And how can advisers ensure clients are properly covered? From navigating underwriting to understanding client needs, this episode covers practical guidance for advisers on IP and reducing the risk of unpaid claims. In association with Royal London, tune in to explore how IP can safeguard lifestyles against income loss. And if you'd like any further resources or support to help grow your business and deliver value for your clients, visit: adviser.royallondon.com/PeoplePowered

The fourteenth episode in this series sees Jessica speaking with Piers Hillier, Chief Investment Officer at Royal London and Matthew Guest, Consulting Partner at Deloitte, to discuss one of the biggest challenges of the green transition – financing it!

For Sickle Cell Awareness Month, our sickle cell Patient Voice Group discuss their lived experiences with sickle cell, shedding light on how organisations need to be considerate when engaging with patients. They emphasise the need for genuine engagement and transparency from researchers, while highlighting the importance of building trust within communities that have historically been overlooked. The discussion looks to the future, advocating for more personalised support, better treatment options and a stronger focus on the diverse experiences of those affected by sickle cell. Marie Nugent, Community Manager for the Genomics England Diverse Data Initiative co-hosts this episode with Natasha Gordon-Douglas, sickle cell patient advocate for the Genomics England Diverse Data Initiative and Lead Mentor at the Sickle Cell Society. They are joined by Oleander Agbetu, who cares for her son with sickle cell, and is also a member of the Solace sickle cell and thalassaemia support group board, and Jayson Kupoluyi, sickle cell advocate and volunteer for the Sickle Cell Society. The episode also features insights from some of the other members of the Patient Voice Group; Hazel Attua, Samuel Chuku and Zainab Garba-Sani. The Patient Voice Group are a group of people affected by sickle cell who share with Genomics England their expertise, based on their lived experience, to inform our sickle cell programme within the Diverse Data Initiative.   "If we as parent/carers and advocates and all the rest of it can even make a little slight difference to someone's care, that's what I want to do. That's why I'm here."   You can read the transcript below or download it here: https://www.genomicsengland.co.uk/assets/documents/Podcast-transcripts/How-can-organisations-support-those-living-with-sickle-cell-1.docx  Marie: Welcome to Behind the Genes.  Natasha: I think the fact is that people do want to hear from patients, and they do understand that actually you need the patient's voice in order to make things better, and not just be in a room where you've got all board members that think, “Okay, this is what is good for the patient.” No, actually, they've got the patients there to help support that voice, and saying, “Well actually, this is the reality,” rather than what you think might be the reality.  Marie: My name is Marie Nugent and I'm the community manager for diverse data at Genomics England. I'll be co-hosting today's special patient takeover episode of Behind the Genes with Natasha Gordon-Douglas, who is a member of our sickle cell patient voice group. On this episode, we're going to be speaking to two people who are also part of our patient voice group, Oleander Agbetu and Jayson Kupoluyi. Today we'll be discussing what it's like to live with sickle cell, and how organisations who wish to engage with patients need to be considerate of what is going on in people's lives, and what good advocacy and support for patients who want to be involved in research looks like. If you enjoy today's episode, we would love your support. Please like and share, and rate us on wherever you listen to your podcasts.  Welcome everyone, thank you very much for your time today to talk about the patient involvement and engagement work we've been doing as part of our sickle cell and genomics programme at Genomics England. My name's Marie, I'm the community manager for the diverse data initiative, and I am really involved in doing the sickle cell engagement work. I'm going to pass straight to Natasha now, who's going to be my lovely co-host for this podcast. So, over to you, Natasha.  Natasha: Thank you, Marie. I'm Natasha. I would say my background is nothing to do with the medical side. My background is in marketing and the corporate world. That's how actually I got introduced by John James, because I actually got him into our workplace to do a podcast about sickle cell. So, you know, just – I'm working in an environment, which obviously – it's about people understanding about my illness, so I actually got him in speaking, and then he mentioned about a project, “Oh, you might be interested in this.” So, that was kind of the introduction I got from John James. But as I said, doing patient work and engagement stuff was completely new to me, so this is my – I'm a rookie, I should say. But I feel like now after the two years, I know now, I understand [laughter]. But yeah, that's kind of a quick background. And how I got introduced to Marie is from John James at the Sickle Cell Society.  Marie: Great, thank you, Natasha. So, coming straight to you now, Oleander, I think it's a bit different for you. So, you joined this particular group not too long ago, but from what I know, you've been doing this kind of advocacy work and engagement work for quite a while. So, tell us a bit about yourself.  Oleander: Well, I'm a parent/carer of a teenager, young man with sickle cell, and I think I've been part of the Solace sickle cell and thalassaemia support group board for more than ten years now. And what we do is we support patients through our WhatsApp group, as well as through inviting different people to come and talk. We've had doctors, nurses, etc. And I have supported people who have called me personally to ask me questions, from advice, for help. Also written a letter to the hospital, which we are now working on with the hospital itself, to try and get things moving and make improvements for the patients who are actually patients there at Homerton Hospital and Royal London Hospital.  Marie: And then over to you, Jayson. So, similar to Oleander, you joined this group fairly recently actually, but just tell us a little bit about the kind of work that you've done before.  Jayson: My name's Jayson Kupoluyi. My background is totally different from the sickle cell background. Because of the plight that I have with my health, I now decided that I wanted to make a change, so I – unbeknown to me – I didn't know what advocacy was. I just – when I meet people, I ask them questions, and, you know, thankfully enough, they really try and help and support in terms of advising me and those kind of things. So, I took that advice on board, and through the years I've met fantastic people, i.e. Oleander and her son. I met her son during a trip – we took the kids to a trip for a week for self-discovery, self-awareness, teaching them how to cope, and probably to see where – you know, try to make them open up.  So, I now decided to volunteer for the Sickle Cell Society and give them seven years of my time, in which I've met fantastic kids and fantastic people. And through that, I've learnt to be able to teach people and the kids under 16 – well, I'm teaching from 26 year olds down to 13 year olds on how to advocate for themselves in hospital now. I teach the adults how to fill in application forms for PIP. I also write complaint letters and help them deal with complaints. And I also – sometimes I have the chance, from Royal London and Queen's Hospital, to enter and view the situation, and ask information from the patients, from the nurses, carers and things like that, to be able to compile my own findings. And all in all, it's been rewarding, because I just wanted to give back.  Marie: That's incredible, you know, because something that we've been talking about more recently as part of our sickle cell patient voice group is this idea of advocacy, and I'm just reminded that I'm with a great group of people to actually explore this because of the experience that you've got, so this is wonderful. Now, you've all just said you've got varying like degrees of previous experience of being part of advocacy work. Natasha, I'll come straight to you, what were your initial expectations as to what it would mean or look like to be part of like a patient voice group?   Natasha: To be honest, very sceptical [laughter]. I was like, “What are they really going to – are they really going to take our voice on board, and is it just another tick box that they could say, “Okay, we've funded a group for you to – with sickle cell,”” and I was very, yeah, sceptical. But actually I would now advocate for everybody to be part of a patient voice group. I think it's so important. And the collaboration that happens with all these different organisations as well that you open up your mind to – ‘cos I didn't know – you know, especially for this particular project that we're working on, you've got the James Lind Alliance, never knew this organisation existed. I think the fact is that people do want to hear from patients, and they do understand that actually you need the patient's voice in order to make things better, and not just be in a room where you've got all board members that think, “Okay, this is what is good for the patient.” No, actually they've got the patients there to help support that voice and saying, “Well actually, this is the reality, rather than what you think might be the reality.”  So yeah, I would definitely champion anybody regardless, even – yeah, you've got sickle cell, of course, but any kind of illness, if there's any kind of projects, trying to get involved, to really be able to try and shape what can happen. Because, you know, I guess what we're working on at the moment, the opportunities for development within sickle cell are endless. And yeah, it's just being part of that steering group, part of that voice to actually make change, especially with sickle cell. You know, it's one of the ones that has never had anything – hasn't had change for I don't know how many years - I'm going to give away my age, for at least 40-odd years, I'll say [laughter]. But yeah, so from what I can see, it's slowly now changing and we're in that wave, and I'm so excited to be part of that.  I know Oleander, so you with your son, you've obviously seen the kind of – if there has been change for you. I guess for me as a patient, I might see it slightly differently, whereas you as a carer, a parent, you might see it completely differently. So I guess for you, what would you say for a person who might be considering joining a patient group or a parent/carer group?  Oleander: I too was sceptical at first, but at the same time I can say that I'm really happy that I have been involved, because it means that all the information that I find out about that might be relevant to other parent/carers, I can pass that on, and vice versa. Any questions that they might have or issues that they might be going through, I can also get those considered. And I just think that it can be quite sad when a patient goes into hospital and they are on their own, they don't have anyone with them. And so for me, for example, when my son was in paediatrics, and I'm sure the two of you would also know that, the treatment is just very different to when you become an adult. I could see from my son's face, he just was not impressed with the adult care at all. And he more or less says, “Mummy, I'm not coming back to hospital unless it's really like a dire situation. I just don't want to go back.” And that's quite sad because really we're supposed to be able to support our loved ones in hospital. When they need the care, they absolutely need the care.  I actually spoke to a parent today of a young man in hospital right now. His PCA was failing, which is, you know, the pump that gives the medication, right? And they actually asked her, “Is he still in pain?” If he's been put on a PCA, how can you ask that question? So, you know, it's so good that she was there to advocate on his behalf. He couldn't even talk. And, you know, I know for my son also, when he's in really, really deep pain, he stops talking, just doesn't talk. And if he's there by himself, it's a real issue. And so, you know, I think from that point of view, all of these kinds of stories are really important to bring to forums like this, so that people can understand that of course, yes, it first affects the actual patient themselves, but it has a knock-on effect for the families, and the carers and the people that are involved with that person's care. So, if we as parent/carers and advocates and all the rest of it can even make a little slight difference to someone's care, that's what I want to do. That's why I'm here.  Marie: Thank you so much, Oleander. I think that's a really powerful story as well, and it just shows so – I couldn't help but think, as you were talking there, about this idea of – we use the word community quite a lot in this kind of engagement space, but I must admit, you know, I've been working in public engagement with health and research for well over ten years, and I must say that I really felt the sense of community in this sickle cell space, particularly with patients and the wider sort of community, and that feels like it's a really important part actually. And it kind of speaks to what Jayson mentioned about, you know, he's now reached this point in his own life where he wants to be actively kind of contributing back to the community. So, I'll come to you now, Jayson. Again, what was your expectations about joining a group like this, and what were you thinking when you joined? And how has that maybe transformed now? Or potentially not? How has your experience been so far?  Jayson: It's been great actually, pleasant people, likeminded people working towards a common goal. When I first heard about this group, I said to myself, “Do I have space for another WhatsApp group?” It's not because I don't have space on the phone. It's because getting calls in the middle of the night at the same time – and you can't turn it down sometimes, especially if it's in the family, ‘cos I have these people – I have - you know, it's in our family and it's very, very rampant. And when you say community, you can have a mother of your nephew, your niece call you, knowing fully well that you've gone through that, this sort of thing, what's going on, blah-blah-blah, “Okay, this is what you need to do. This is what you need to do.” Then getting to the hospital is another ballgame, do you understand? And you just have to say, “Okay, you know what, if I take a moment of my time and say, “I'll see you in the morning…”” I've had two incidents that I didn't make it, and it's a guilt trip to me, because I was thinking, “Hold on, if I had gone…” And then I was okay – if I wasn't feeling okay then, yeah, but I was okay. I was just tired.   And when I started, I was a one-man band, and I realised the last 20 years that it's definitely not going to work, hence the community comes in. And the time I tapped into this community, I met people – “Okay, so, you could help me out, you could help me out, you could help me out.” And the more I meet people, the more my voice goes bigger, louder and reaches more people that I want to reach. So, when I first met Hazel, she was in pain, so I called her and I was like, “Madam, you don't know me, but I know that you're in pain, are you okay?” And she goes, “No, I just wanted to sit down.” I just sat down beside her, didn't speak to her, just sat down, and she didn't utter a word, but she came to a conference and I'm thinking, if you're in pain, you know, okay, I'm the same – I just started explaining myself to her, “I have this, I've gone through this,” blah-blah-blah, and she was looking at me and she was like, “You don't look like (inaudible 0:15:54).”   So, meeting and coming to this group, my expectation was a bit elevated actually because, when I was speaking to Hazel, she said, “No, Jay, seriously, you need to be in this group because we need the other…” And I was like, “Not another one,” and blah-blah-blah. Hazel said to me, “Can you join the Solace group?” I was like, “Who's in it?” She goes, “Oleander.” I was like, “Oleander's good.” And everybody keeps on calling me, and I do appreciate that people want my advice sometimes, but this health is very precious to us. I am looking forward to greater things with this group. I am looking forward for us to reach some targets, some funding, some people out there, to be able to change so many things. And any time I see a sickle cell person in good health, no pain, no nothing, I give myself thumbs up. You don't want to see anybody in that kind of pain, and people don't recognise or have that empathy to share or say, “Just another sickler.”  Sickler, that's a word, hmm, I don't like it. So, whenever I go to hospital, Queen's or Royal London, they know, “Jayson, are you here to cause problem?” “As long as you answer the question, I will be fine. As long as we're okay, I'll be fine.” And, you know, we're now friends. In the midst of adversity, we're now friends.    Marie: There is just so much I think in what you've just said, and I think that again something that I'm really struck by – so obviously, you know, I don't come from any lived experience. I didn't have people in my life that I knew that had sickle cell before starting to work on this as part of my job. And something that I'm really struck by is, first and foremost, from the No One's Listening Report, the quite staggering evidence that, as a community of people, people living with and affected in some way by sickle cell are very neglected, and there's all sorts of complex layers of like challenges and difficulties that people have to deal with, and it seems to come from all sorts of places and all sorts of kind of parts of life.  I was just really struck by this really daunting situation actually to be put in. As someone who's part of, you know, let's be honest, quite a sort of – maybe quite far down the road in terms of direct benefits, like piece of work – so we're here, I'm part of an organisation that is interested in supporting research and providing good quality research data, and research is a really important part of this whole system, but again it's something that maybe will take five, ten-plus years before you're seeing any direct benefit from in terms of the data that we're creating.   But something that I'm really struck by is this idea of, if we know that there's going to be maybe a bit of a delay in the kind of benefits that we can bring to patients through the data that we're generating, how can I try and build in as much benefit right now for the people that we're engaging with and we can bring into this work right now? And that's something that we've talked about and we're about to initiate a bit of a project around exploring a bit further, but I just wonder if I can now come to you all and get your thoughts on what can organisations like Genomics England or other research based organisations – what in your view does being a good supporter or a good advocate for people living with sickle cell – what could that look like from a research organisation in your view? I'll come to you first, Oleander.  Oleander: I think a really massive thing is to support the removal of barriers. There's so many people who would love to get involved with this, that and the other, but actually the barriers are there and the barriers are real. Even like from a personal point of view, the thing I was interested in attending, I can't. It's just not within my means. So, things like that are really important, because most people who are living with sickle cell, we are from marginalised groups. We're from groups that are not known to be flushed, and we need the support from – you know, if you really want our help in terms of research and so on, we absolutely need your support and your help to provide you with that research and that help. So, it's real. Giving someone a £20 voucher is nice and dandy, but actually if they've had to pay for whatever, accommodation or travel costs and all these things, they're out of pocket before they even start.  Marie: Yeah, this is something that we've been talking about recently, isn't it? I know that organisations like ours do want to do better, but sometimes there's just that not quite as good an understanding as to what these barriers really look like for people. Over to you, Natasha, what do you think about that?  Natasha: There's a couple of things I wanted to pick up on. One is definitely, yeah, the barriers. It's funny, I was at a hospital this morning and I was talking to one of the consultants. He asked me the question, which I thought was quite weird, but he asked me, “Why do you think that sickle cell patients have to pay for prescriptions?” Like that alone, prescriptions, we're on medication forever, you know, from the moment you're diagnosed, which for me was at six months, so in my entire life, and you're paying for prescription, that's going to keep happening over and over, and you're just – you know, there's people, because of their sickle cell, they can't work. There's, you know, barriers of not being able to work. And then you've got potential – you apply and say your disability, and sometimes that's not even taken on board either. So, you've just got these barriers in place that just make living day to day so exhausting, so tiring, and basically you're fighting those barriers at every – you think you've passed one, you've come onto another.  And I guess also the research side, which – it's funny because I would say, when it comes to research, it's fantastic, yes, that organisations like yourself are looking into it, but actually sometimes it's not even – you can't make the change where it's going to matter immediately. It's literally the frontline, you go into hospital and A&E, that's your first barrier is trying to just get some pain relief or get any treatment. You're sitting there for four hours. Four hours in pain for a person with sickle cell, that can really, you know, make things worse. And that's the kind of – you kind of want the immediacy – like the frontline, those kind of things to change. And of course, yes, we do want more research and we do want people to take part, but it's those things where you might not necessarily have the power to make those changes immediately that people will be willing to take part in research like this, because you can't even just get the treatment that you need from the moment you step into a hospital.  That's kind of what I was thinking of as you are speaking about this. I'm like, you know, yes, this is great, but we just need sometimes just going into hospital to make it easier. Like what Oleander said, it's unfortunate that the persons being asked about their PCA, if they're in pain – well, what do you think? Like that's just the basic [laughter], you know. It's kind of like, how can you ask that question and you're a healthcare professional being on the frontline? And that's the worst. It's the frontline staff sometimes which actually need the education. So, some of this research, it needs to go to education in these staff actually, you know. That's maybe an area that needs to be sorted.   Marie: For me, I completely have a whole new deeper appreciation for almost seeing people as the whole, how you work with the person. And it's never been clearer to me - as I say, you know, in ten-plus years' experience of doing this kind of work, it has never been clearer to me how important that is than now I work on sickle cell and how important that is. And I think that actually you've touched on a really important point there, which is that, you know, I know for sure that there's incredible work going on through NHS England, through the inequalities workstream and in response to the No One's Listening Report. There seems to be, you know, a huge increase in sort of focused action being taken to address a lot of these challenges that are being brought up in our conversation now.   But actually, what you said, Natasha, did kind of really hit the nail on the head a little bit for me, which is that actually we kind of still look at this as kind of separate organisations, like, “Well, this is my bit and that's your bit, so you stay over there.” And I think that something that we're trying to start working towards through the Sickle Cell Society is actually how do we bring together a better sort of alliance of work and of people who are across research and healthcare, because these things feed into each other, right? So, how can we do better to sort of show that we are all aligned, that there isn't just this one person or one group over here looking just at this little bit and then there's a completely separate group, that we are all actually united in our, you know, intentions here to really improve the lives of people that are living with this condition. But of course, there's just so much work to do, isn't there? I think that's another overwhelming thing, that everything needs to be better when it comes to sickle cell.  Oleander: The thing I wanted to just add to this whole talk about what researchers can do in terms of supporting advocates, etc. Two things, understand that there is an issue for trust from our communities, because we've been burnt. And the second one is, we need transparency. So, be real when you talk to people about the information you're gathering, what you're going to do with it, how it's going to impact the research, timetable of whatever's happening, all of those things which will help people to gain more trust.  Natasha: Yeah, Oleander, that's so – yeah, I think definitely, that's been echoed throughout this whole project, hasn't it? It's always about gaining that trust, because it is a case of, is this another where we're going to have support and we're going to be let down, or, you know, lied to, whatever you're going to find out. And trust is a huge part of that, definitely, yeah. I think, yeah, definitely. Thanks Oleander for saying that, it is.   Marie: Yeah, thank you all. So again just to say that I'm always blown away by just how generous you all are actually with what you say and with what you share, and with the messages that you're ultimately trying to get across. And it's very humbling, you know, to be able to work with you all, ‘cos you all are so incredibly passionate and driven, despite so many challenges, and it is nothing but inspiring. So, I can see absolutely why, you know, people living with sickle cell, for example, are called warriors, because you need to have that sort of fighting spirit to just keep going, and I have nothing but, you know, boundless like respect and admiration for people who are able to do that and contribute to the community in the ways that you all do.   And I just think that again, you know, so talking now back to this idea of how research is set up, you know, I myself am part of an initiative that's been, you know, initiated and only kind of guaranteed funding for this kind of iteration, for three years. It's very difficult to sort of initiate and establish really good long-term relationships, and have like a longer term strategic sort of way in which you're bringing in people and taking that long sort of like approach to building relationships, but it's something that I've tried to be really mindful of actually, and to address a lot of the things that you just mentioned.  You've heard us refer to other members of our patient voice group. Let's now take a moment to hear from them.  Samuel: Hello, my name is Samuel and I'm from Leicester. I have had the great privilege of working with some amazing people in Genomics England over the last few months, to hopefully one day be a part of something that takes down this condition that I struggle with known as sickle cell. Since John James of the Sickle Cell Society introduced me to Marie from Genomics England, there has been a door opened where the voice of a person dealing with the condition matters and holds weight, to help know what is required to further improve matters for people dealing with said condition. Hopefully, after reading the blog and hearing this podcast, you will know more about the work we've been doing, and feel as encouraged as we do. We don't just want to stop here. There's a long way to go, and we need all the help we can get to reach our goal together.  Hazel: Hi everyone, I'm Hazel. I hope you enjoyed the podcast. Now we're not done just yet. Keep your eyes out for our sickle cell and Genomics England patient takeover blog, where Natasha, Sam and I take you through what we've been up to and the future of genomics.   Zainab: Hi, my name's Zainab and I co-chair the Genomics England diverse data advisory board. I also have the pleasure of being part of the patient engagement group for this important piece of work. I've been a sickle cell advocate since before I even knew what advocacy was. As a child with sickle cell, I was exposed to different ways to help the community pretty early on, and have loved working with others to transform care for the better. Today, I hold a number of advocacy related leadership positions, including being a trustee of the Sickle Cell Society, chair for NHS England's patient advisory group for sickle cell health inequalities improvement, and a member of faculty for Medscape's committee on rare diseases. I also contribute to global sickle cell policy, practice and research.  I'm super excited about the work we do with Genomics England because I think they're a blueprint for what good patient centred work really looks like. My background is in health policies specifically related to research and innovation, so to see sickle cell being prioritised in this space is really special to me. We have an incredible opportunity to advance equity through research and innovation, especially related to genomics, and I myself am lucky to experience the transformative power of regenerative medicine. I'm excited for this group to continue to advocate for and enable better access for such incredible science.  Marie: We're very lucky to have such a wonderful group of people who are part of our patient voice group, and I hope you enjoyed meeting them. Just going back now to sort of what can be achieved, and if we, say, come back together in a year's time, knowing the kinds of things that we've just talked about briefly that we maybe want to look at – we've mentioned things like doing more family sessions, looking at how we can engage young men in particular, doing what is needed to kind of give that really strong message about how you support people to be part of these kind of patient advocacy roles. But what would you really like to see that we've achieved together by say this time next year? I'll come to you first, Jayson, this time.  Jayson: Thank you very much. Going straight to the point, I would like us to have more one to one with the patients and family in terms of – mainly I think to move towards the male, because, you know, I'm a living experience of some of the things that's happening, and put the awareness out there, and let them know that – not to scare them, but to give them adequate information to be able to arm and tool themselves for a better life for themselves, a better respite for themselves, and a better understanding of the situation. I know if sickle cell patients have enough time at work, at uni, at school, during their exams, they will achieve great results, and I would want that to be one of the forefronts of this campaign, to make sure that, you know, the male side – I do know a bit of the female side but I'll leave that to Oleander and Natasha, but the male side of what they should expect, and how to – if I could put this in (inaudible 0:33:59), I am making myself a role model for them, because I have leapt over barriers and over so many expectations, and if I could do it, with the science and the support we have now, they can double it, they can triple it, they can do more. My journey hasn't ended yet, but before it does, I want to tap into every organisation to hear more voice, to just give me five minutes to hear my voice.  Marie: Thank you so much, Jayson. I can't think of a better role model for young men who are dealing with this than you, so it's brilliant to see your dedication to that. Over to you, Oleander, what would you like to see – if we're here together in a year's time, looking back on what we've done over the last year and what's been achieved, what would you really like to see?  Oleander: I'd like to see sickle cell actually being taken seriously, that people don't make assumptions that, “Oh, it's just a small, you know, blood thing, it's nothing that deep, nothing that big,” whatever. Because the reality is, for a lot of indigenous people here, the majority ethnicity in this country, sickle cell is spreading because more people are mixing, more people have come over, refugees, economic migrants, etc, and mixing, and so they will find that actually it isn't just a tiny minority of people. We're told it's 17,000 people in the UK, but actually that number's going up. So, you know, it is a bit of a shame that it takes it to affect the ethnic majority in this country that anything would change, however this is the reality we live in. So for me, that's what I would like to see, that sickle cell is taken seriously, that we're not just stuck with one or two authorised drugs for people living with sickle cell, and actually one of them is not even a sickle cell specific drug.  So yeah, we want sickle cell to be taken seriously, and so that people can actually trust the process and trust the people who are genuinely trying to research issues to do with sickle cell, so that we can make the difference that we need to make for people's lives.  Marie: Thank you, Oleander. That just reminds me that, you know, hopefully – so, one of the projects that you are also involved in that we're doing is – and that's been already mentioned, the James Lind Alliance and the Sickle Cell Society partnership that we've got, the priority setting partnership. Hopefully, one of the things that's part of doing that is that we do create that sort of focused priority areas, and that's really strongly centred on the voices of people living with the condition, supporting people with the condition, whether they're parents, carers, healthcare professionals. So yeah, I completely agree, you know, really putting it on the map, taking it seriously, raising the understanding, raising it as a priority, I think that would be great to see in a year's time for sure. So of course, last but not least, over to you, Natasha.  Natasha: Well, Oleander has literally taken the words out of my mouth. That is exactly what I would want to see in the next year, and to me, it can be done. There should be no reason why it can't be, with all the technology, with all the advancements that's happening. There is no reason why sickle cell should not be leaps and bounds with the information, with the project, of getting this information from sickle cell patients. It should come to a point where actually no one has to suffer from sickle cell because, you know, the – what's it called, the medication, that one that's recently come out, that's way overdue. I can't even believe it's taken this long to just come up with that one, you know. The stem cell treatments and what they give as an alternative, it's not good enough basically. And, you know, we had this new one come out – I say new one, but this hydroxycarbamide, it's like that wasn't even for us. It was all by mistake that, “Oh actually, this might help sickle cell, let's see.” And that's what's the afterthought, and we shouldn't be an afterthought. It should be a priority.   And yeah, having that priority setting that we're doing with the James Lind Alliance – it's funny, ‘cos I remember, we had a call in our patient voice – I think he mentioned – I think it was something about maybe the questionnaire that we were going to give people, or – I can't remember the particular thing which I said to you, you're having trouble – you know, we're underrepresented, there's no data on us for a reason, and you had a template, and it's like this template's not going to work, because you have to approach it differently. Like you have to literally rip it up and start from the very beginning, because what you've tried to do in the past hasn't worked, or, you know, the majority of people, especially in the European world, it works for them, great, but you're coming to an underrepresented community and you're thinking, “Oh actually, we can just use that thumbprint and put it on this.” No, you've got to start again.  And I think it brings the importance of actually taking part in things like this, is that without actually knowing this, you would have thought, “Oh actually, people just aren't interested, you know. Patients don't want to know. They don't want to give any information over to us.” But it's like, well no, it's not that at all, it's just that you need to approach us differently. You need to, you know, understand what actually we're going through before you can then try and fix anything or provide information, or get, you know, medication advancements. Like these things need to be done and the groundwork first, and not thinking, “Oh okay, we can just put a little plaster and that'll heal that.”  So for me, definitely, more options when it comes to treatment. And, you know, that we're not the minority when it comes to data. Because especially with sickle cell, it affects different people in so many different ways, and they're just trying to understand, “Oh, why does it affect this person this way but it hasn't done it in this person?” And it's just like, great, you're asking these questions, but now let's move it forwards. Like let's not keep talking and let's start the action. And that's probably one of the other things is, I want to see the action. It's the action now. You know, of course, if you want us to talk, we'll talk, you know. We won't stop, and we can keep going. But ultimately let's actually have some movement. Let's have an action that you're – I say you as in you as an organisation, but wider, everybody that's part of the process comes and says, “Look, this is what we've been able to achieve.” And, you know, then you know you have been listened to. A bit like Jayson said, you know, still not listening. Actually, now you can say, “Yes, we've heard and now this is what's come from it.” So yeah, that's probably I think for me the biggest utopia is that actually sickle cell just won't exist. It's done. They've been able to sort it out [laughter], it's no longer an issue at all. But yeah, we won't get to that next year, but, you know, hopefully eventually down the line there is that cure or change that they can do.  Marie: I think for me, it kind of just brings me back to this point that there needs to be a united front in terms of like dealing and addressing with this. And also importantly, it needs to come from the community itself in terms of setting the priorities of what is done now, what is immediately needed to be done now, what can be looked at maybe a little bit later down the line, as there's maybe a bit more information, a bit more understanding, a bit more knowledge to kind of maybe base some things on. But yeah, every time I hear, you know, people speak about all the various challenges that, you know, of course, come from their own lived experience and having to see how this affects their community, and yes, there are steps being made in the right direction, but I think we all probably agree that we could all probably be doing more to just improve the way we're uniting this work, and we're doing it in a way that is really coming from the community themselves and saying, “We want this to happen now and in this way, and this is what we want you to look at addressing.”  We'll wrap up there. Thank you to my co-host Natasha Gordon-Douglas, and guests Oleander Agbetu and Jayson Kupoluyi for joining me today as we discussed engaging people with lived experience of sickle cell in research and advocacy. If you'd like to hear more about this, please subscribe to Behind the Genes on your favourite podcast app. Thank you for listening. I've been your host, Marie Nugent. This podcast was edited by Bill Griffin at Ventoux Digital, and produced by Naimah Callachand. 

In the third episode of Royal London's pensions and protection podcast, Ken Scott, Head of Investment Solutions, discusses how advisers can balance insurance and investment to support their clients. He emphasizes the importance of insuring against uncertain events and planning for retirement, highlighting the benefits of starting early and using pound cost averaging to manage market volatility. Ken also talks about the importance of diversifying investments, transitioning to lower-risk options as retirement nears, and managing sequencing risk for a sustainable income. In later stages, he recommends considering annuities and long-term care insurance. For more, visit adviser.royallondon.com/PeoplePowered.

Money Box can reveal that the government is recouping more than £250m pounds from over 100,000 carers who it says broke the earnings rule and should have lost their carer's allowance. The numbers came from a Parliamentary Question this week asked by the chair of the work and pensions select committee, Twice as many women as men are being chased for these overpayments.We hear from a carer who has around £5000 worth of debt as well as finding out more about rights for carers affected.The Department for Work and Pensions told us, “The total amount of Carer's Allowance overpayments includes historical debts which the department is seeking to recover. In comparison, Carer's Allowance expenditure is forecast to be £4.2 billion this year alone.” “Carers across the UK are unsung heroes who make a huge difference to someone else's life, and we have increased Carer's Allowance by almost £1,500 since 2010.” Also on the programme, a report by spending watchdog the National Audit Office has revealed callers to HMRC helplines were on hold for a total of 789 years in 2022/23. Are we saving enough for our retirement? Pensions and investment mutual Royal London gives Money Box exclusive figures.And how do you spend a £50 note? We get to the bottom of what shops are allowed to accept.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Sandra Hardial Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Sarah Rogers

Join us in this episode as we explore the Adviser Incubator programme, developed by the Verve Foundation to support new and early-stage financial advice firms. Hayley Rabbets, Head of the Verve Foundation, and Chris Kane, Strategic Partnerships Manager at Royal London, discuss the programme's goals, structure, and successes. Learn how this initiative is helping to bridge the advice gap, attract fresh talent, and provide essential support to advisers. Discover why Royal London is backing this programme and hear inspiring testimonials from participants. If you'd like to find out more about the programme, visit Adviser Incubator – The Verve Foundation  

Join us for the first episode in our new series of Royal London's informative pensions and protection podcasts. In this episode, Rory Marsh, Customer Life Stage Director at Royal London, discusses how advisers can provide value and long-term financial resilience for workplace clients' pension savings.   Topics covered include: Financial planning decisions for the new tax year Engaging customers and driving pension participation Addressing the unique needs of younger savers Employer trends in financial support for employees Strategies for advisers to enhance their service offerings Tune in for expert insights and practical tips to help financial advisers navigate the evolving landscape of workplace pensions. Visit: adviser.royallondon.com/PeoplePowered for additional resources and support.

April is a big month for our finances, some bills go up and one or two even come down. A big relief for many households will be the that energy prices are dropping, but one bill that is still going up is rent.UK rent prices rose 9% in the 12 months to February.Research shared exclusively with Money Box Live has revealed you're more likely to be in your overdraft if you're a renter compared to people with mortgages. You're also less likely to have savings to fall back on in an emergency.Meanwhile government plans to scrap no fault evictions for tenants in England have been delayed. Neither tenants nor landlords are happy with the current position.Felicity Hannah is joined by Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance specialist at Royal London, Dan Wilson Craw, Deputy Director at Generation Rent UK, and Richard Donnell, director of research at the property platform Zoopla.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Neil Morrow and Sarah Rogers Reporter: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast on the 3rd April 2024)

In this episode of V-FM Pensions, hosts Darren and Nico chat to Royal London's Director of Policy Jamie Jenkins. As well as being a star billiards player, Jamie is a bit of a pensions legend having led the policy charge at Standard Life and now Royal London. Jamie is a PPI trustee, PLSA policy board member, and was one of three reviewers looking at how to improve auto enrolment back in 2017. We chat dashboards, at retirement, earth day, adequacy, and all the topics you would expect us to cover in just over an hour's worth of V-FM chat. In another V-FM first, we also find out a bit about billiards.  

Royal London's Jamie Jenkins (Policy, Communications and External Affairs Director) is joined by Clare Moffat (Head of Technical and Marketing Compliance) from Royal London, Mike Barret from The Lang Cat, and Ben Alcock from Continuum, as they discuss Royal London's latest research “The Meaning of Value”. Looking into what consumer's value, how they define it and what's important to them in the decision-making process. The report also explores adviser's opinions and what they believe their clients value from them.

Izi Hutchinson is Senior Account Director at VCCP, an international integrated communications agency. Listen as Kate gets to the bottom of what Izi's job looks like. They cover the breadth of roles within advertising, the highs and lows of account management, the importance of mindset and attitude and what the future of advertising could look like. Izi's Bio Izi's most recent piece of work was relaunching Lotto (The National Lottery flagship game). She has also worked on client accounts for Maynards Bassetts, Nationwide, British Red Cross, McLaren, Saga, Royal London, Macmillan, Avis (EMEA) and MoreThan. Izi is deputy lead of the VCCP entry level scheme - The Table. The scheme is designed to find future leaders in the industry. Izi is a graduate of the University of York where she studied History. Transcript and links

We hope you have enjoyed the month of L-O-V-E: our chats to various historians and our contemplating all the ways that Royals can come together, be it through arranged marriage, secret engagements or chance meetings. We Found Love Right Where We AreOn this, the last episode of our Valentines series, we're focussing on the theme of Arranged Marriages and those couples who managed to find love within one. There will be several episodes with this theme, this time it's the Tudors and Stuarts edition.To help us get to know there couples better, we invited Nathen Amin, Leah Redmond Chang and Carol Ann Lloyd.Please find Nathen Amin's books here:https://www.amberley-books.com/author-community-main-page/a/nathen-amin.htmlPlease find Leah's book here:https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/young-queens-9781526613424/ in the UK andhttps://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374294489 in the USA.See Carol Ann Lloyd's book here:https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Tudors-by-Numbers-Hardback/p/23448/aid/1238 .For more history fodder please visit https://www.ifitaintbaroque.art/ and https://www.reignoflondon.com/To book a walking tour with Natalie and talk more about the medieval Royal London, please visithttps://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/london-the-royal-british-kings-and-queens-walking-tour-t426011/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us this month and explore the love stories of the past.This February we're sharing our chats to various historians and covering all the ways that Royals can come together, be it through arranged marriage, secret engagements or chance meetings. Strange Bedfellows.. On this episode of our Valentines Series, we're looking at couples, where the couple didn't take to each other and in the world of Royal Tinder, it resulted in a Swipe Left kind of situation. Let's see how these couples tolerated each other's forced presence in their lives: today we talk about Empress Matilda & her hubs Geoffrey of Anjou, Henry VIII & Anna of Kleves, Mary Queen of Scots & her second (but not last) hubs Lord Darnley, andCatherine the Great & Peter III.How do I Loathe Thee? Let Me Count The Ways...We've invited historians Chris Riley, Clemmie Bennett, Leah Redmond Chang and Catherine the Great (sorry, Catherine Curzon).Please welcome our experts!Chris writes for The Historians Magazine, please find it here:https://thehistoriansmagazine.com/Please find Clemmie's debut Tudor novel here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-Tree-Clemmie-Bennett-ebook .Please find Leah's book here:https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/young-queens-9781526613424/ in the UK andhttps://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374294489 in the USA.Our favourite book of Catherine's when it comes to the Georgian era; it covers most of the courts of Europe and connects the royal dots in most surprising of ways. P.S. If you love your Romanovs or Marie Antoinette, this is a must!https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Life-in-the-Georgian-Court-Hardback/p/12109/aid/1238 .For more history fodder please visit https://www.ifitaintbaroque.art/ and https://www.reignoflondon.com/To book a walking tour with Natalie and talk more about the medieval Royal London, please visithttps://www.getyourguide.com/s/?q=supplier:252243 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us this month and explore the love stories of the past.This February we're sharing our chats to various historians and covering all the ways that Royals can come together, be it through arranged marriage, secret engagements or chance meetings. Only Love Can Hurt Like This.. On this episode of our Valentines Series, we're looking at couples, where an arranged marriage of a monarch led to unforeseen consequences: feelings, but unfortunately, unreciprocated.We've invited historians Leah Redmond Chang and Andrea Zuvich to talk about the unrequited feelings of Catherine de Medici towards Henry II of France and Catherine of Braganza's toward Charles II.Please find Leah's book here:https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/young-queens-9781526613424/ in the UK andhttps://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374294489 in the USA.Andrea has written several books on the Stuarts, please find below:https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Sex-and-Sexuality-in-Stuart-Britain-Paperback/p/17131/aid/1238https://www.amberley-books.com/a-year-in-the-life-of-stuart-britain.htmlhttps://www.amberley-books.com/the-stuarts-in-100-facts.htmlFor more history fodder please visit https://www.ifitaintbaroque.art/ and https://www.reignoflondon.com/To book a walking tour with Natalie and talk more about the medieval Royal London, please visithttps://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/london-the-royal-british-kings-and-queens-walking-tour-t426011/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us this month and explore the love stories of the past.Over the next few weeks we'll be sharing with you our chats to various historians and we'll be covering all the ways that Royals can come together, be it through arranged marriage, secret engagements or chance meetings. My Heart Flies to Your Service... On this episode of our Valentines Series, we're looking at couples, where a monarch or a senior royal made a match against society rules and definitely against convention of the day.To help us get to know there couples better, we invited Chris Riley & Catherine Curzon.Chris tells us about three medieval couples, or rather one king with a series of boyfriends, and two couples whose stead-fast yet unlikely unions produced Henry VII. Love was in the air? Love was writing the rules.Catherine the Great (sorry, Catherine Curzon) tells us all about Catherine I, second wife to Peter the Great, and Alexander II of Russia, who made a morganatic marriage to a much younger woman, but which union turned to love. Or did it?Chris writes for The Historians Magazine, please find it here:https://thehistoriansmagazine.com/Our favourite book of Catherine's when it comes to the Georgian era; it covers most of the courts of Europe and connects the royal dots in most surprising of ways. P.S. If you love your Romanovs or Marie Antoinette, this is a must!https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Life-in-the-Georgian-Court-Hardback/p/12109/aid/1238 .For more history fodder please visit https://www.ifitaintbaroque.art/ and https://www.reignoflondon.com/To book a walking tour with Natalie and talk more about the medieval Royal London, please visithttps://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/london-the-royal-british-kings-and-queens-walking-tour-t426011/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us this month and explore the love stories of the past.Over the next few weeks we'll be sharing with you our chats to various historians and we'll be covering all the ways that Royals can come together, be it through arranged marriage, secret engagements or chance meetings. I Would Not Wish Any Companion in the World but You...On this, the third episode of our Valentines series, we're focussing on the theme of marriages and unions that happened based on an unlikely choice. One is a monarch, and their partner (married or not) was with them only because of the love they shared.To help us get to know there couples better, we invited Chris Riley, Clemmie Bennett and Catherine Curzon.Chris shared the stories of the unions between Harold Godwinson and Edith Swanneck, as well as Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville.Clemmie spilled the mead on a couple that wasn't technically together but definitely belongs on this list: Elizabeth I & Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Did or didn't they? ...Catherine the Great (sorry, Catherine Curzon) tells us all about the love affair and the 'open marriage' between the famous Russian Empress and her most famous favourite.Chris writes for The Historians Magazine, please find it here:https://thehistoriansmagazine.com/Please find Clemmie's debut Tudor novel here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-Tree-Clemmie-Bennett-ebook .Our favourite book of Catherine's when it comes to the Georgian era; it covers most of the courts of Europe and connects the royal dots in most surprising of ways:https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Life-in-the-Georgian-Court-Hardback/p/12109/aid/1238 .For more history fodder please visit https://www.ifitaintbaroque.art/ and https://www.reignoflondon.com/To book a walking tour with Natalie and talk more about the medieval Royal London, please visithttps://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/london-the-royal-british-kings-and-queens-walking-tour-t426011/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us this month and explore the love stories of the past.Over the next few weeks we'll be sharing with you our chats to various historians and we'll be covering all the ways that Royals can come together, be it through arranged marriage, secret engagements or chance meetings. We Found Love Right Where We AreOn this, the second episode of our Valentines series, we're focussing on the theme of Arranged Marriages and those couples who managed to find love within one. There will be several episodes with this theme, this time it's the medieval edition.To help us get to know there couples better, we invited Chris Riley and Gemma Hollman.Chris will tell us about the love between William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders, as well as Edward I and Eleanor of Castile. Gemma will tell us about Edward III and Philippa of Hainault, the oft-forgotten couple.Chris writes for The Historians Magazine, please find it here:https://thehistoriansmagazine.com/Please find Gemma's book on Edward III and Philippa (as well as Edward's later mistress) here:https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/the-queen-and-the-mistress/9780750993692/For more history fodder please visit https://www.ifitaintbaroque.art/ and https://www.reignoflondon.com/To book a walking tour with Natalie and talk more about the medieval Royal London, please visithttps://www.getyourguide.com/london-l57/london-the-royal-british-kings-and-queens-walking-tour-t426011/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Working to Live: Finding the Balance with Rob Regan What's the most important thing to you in life? Most people would say something like friends, family, or living comfortably. But how much of your time goes to those things? More often than not, 'successful' people spend almost all their days in their careers, unable to be with the things they say are the most important.  This episode delves into the concept of "working to live" as we explore Rob Regan's journey. He describes the three most powerful years in his life and how they all involve the most important things to him: family, rugby, and work. Most executives get completely stuck at the office, but Rob has found the balance between work and the rest of his life.  As for how he did it, sometimes we really have to take a terrifying step away from what we've been doing all our lives. If you're wondering how to get back to what you love the most while still managing your career — and, frankly, the rest of your life — then this episode is for you. Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode: Discover the art of working to live. Learn what it means to be genuinely vulnerable — no matter how tough you seem. Uncover what it means to become who you are and return to what's most important to you, even if you've lost touch for a while. Resources  Contact Rob on LinkedIn Coaching with Angela Cox Listen to The Mindset Mentor Meets Episode Highlights  [01:43] Rob's Balancing Act Rob tries to balance his life around family, rugby, and work. His wife, Nicola, might disagree on his priorities, but he does his best to keep things equal. He admits that he doesn't do much outside those three things. Rob also questions himself often: can he say he's proud of himself, or is he proud of what he's done? [03:31] First of the Biggest Years: 2010 Rob's biggest years and proudest moments involve the birth of his daughter, Amy, in 2010. Rob and Nicola had difficulty having Amy and needed to undergo IVF. But Amy came into this world successfully. 2010 was also a big year for him and rugby. Rob admits that he doesn't have a talent for rugby, but his skill in the sport — like at work — comes from tremendous effort to build himself up rather than innate talent. He captained the Bromley RFC's third team at 35, leading them to a big win over their rivals in a high-scoring game. [08:56] A Story of Childhood Sweethearts Nicola and Rob got together at 14 and stayed together for nine years. Rob admits that he wasn't a good partner at the time — and even says that he ticked every box on how not to be a great boyfriend. They eventually split up in their early twenties and got married to different partners but returned to each other much later on. [10:32] Second of the Biggest Years: 2020 In 2020, Rob experienced the COVID lockdown. It was tough for Amy, as she had joined several clubs that required being physically at the club. Rob is particularly proud of how his family, particularly Amy, worked together to overcome the challenges of being in a lockdown. On his end, Rob was about to sell his company, which made his work life extremely difficult. Rob didn't feel that he was working at home. Instead, he felt that he was living at work. While his proudest moments in 2020 were the excellent outcomes for Amy, Rob is also glad that he learned to prioritise himself and his family over work. [17:31] Becoming Who You Are, Again 2020 was a period of enormous changes for Rob, between leaving Royal London, selling the business, and the looming pandemic. Rob said that he'd been struggling with a complete loss of identity. His raison d'etre had been work for so long and nothing else. [20:10] Third of the Biggest Years: 2023 In 2023, Amy played the part of Miss Honey in Matilda. On the last night of the performances, a little girl asked Amy for her autograph. Amy was somewhat nervous and anxious growing up but being in theatre boosted her confidence. 2023 was also about mental health for Rob and Nicola. Nicola's healthier now after receiving a cancer diagnosis back in 2018. On Rob's end, the Principality Building Society has a healthy culture that takes employee well-being seriously. He ended up telling his life story during a lunch and learn session. [25:37] What It Means to Be Vulnerable Many people, particularly executives, view vulnerability as a tick-box exercise. However, true vulnerability is raw honesty. Being vulnerable, according to Rob, is unsettling and scary. He admits he's been a bit of a control freak all his life, so being vulnerable feels utterly alien. 2023 was a year of real enlightenment for Rob — it's taught him to recognise his flaws better. He's always felt out of his depth when it comes to work. Rob describes himself as the electrician who, somehow, ended up running a £17b investment business. [32:28] This Is What Matters Your job, titles and promotions matter less than you might think. Rob spent so much of his life chasing his career but found that his family was far more important than anything at his job. Rob has a few regrets, one of them involving how he treated people. He believes there's no excuse for that — you have to accept responsibility, even if you don't know how badly you acted at the time. [35:22] The Definition of Success Rob's secret to success is about defining success for yourself first. The environment most people live in is relentless, thankless, and in some work cultures, ruthless, making resilience a critical core trait. However, Rob's question about success is, ‘Are you comfortable with yourself and your own skin?' Rob's advice is to learn to like yourself without sounding too arrogant — you won't always please everyone. 5 Powerful Quotes [04:18] 'I'm not a great rugby player. My rugby life and my work life are very similar, which is: bags of effort, and no talent.' [16:22] ‘I finally realised that doing the right thing for yourself and your family was much more important than work — and it was absolutely terrifying. But I stepped away and decided I was going to retire.' [24:48] ‘I could never imagine me: thick-skinned, cauliflower ear, Welsh rugby bloke being able to say stuff that would help people and make a difference in our space.' [27:06] 'Every day is still a school day. I've got all the same flaws I've always had, but I'm getting better at recognising them.' [34:14] 'I wasn't always the best version of myself; I didn't always treat people the way that they deserve to be treated. I tried to correct some of that later on with some individuals, and they kind of look at you a bit, "Well, shame you didn't think of that 10, 15 years ago, but you can't change the past," and what I'll do is do a better job. About Rob Rob Regan is the CEO of the Principality Building Society, a multi-billion pound building society. Rob has worked as an executive in multiple companies, including the Lloyds Banking Group, Royal London, and Ascentric. However, at the end of everything, he discovered that family is the most important thing in life. You can connect with Rob through LinkedIn. Enjoy this Podcast? What's the most important thing to you? Defining success is all about what you want from life. Some people wish to have high-powered careers. Others might like a quiet life. Rob prefers his family. All these goals — and more — are valid gauges of success. If you learned something new from today's The Mindset Mentor Meets episode, hit subscribe and share it with your friends! Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast episode, share your thoughts with us online. You can also share it to help your family and friends achieve massive outcomes. Have any questions? You can contact me through LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. Thanks for listening!  For more updates and episodes, visit my website. You can also tune in to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or PodBean.  To meeting inspiration, Angela  

This week we're tackling the cost of the festive season and looking at how to avoid scams. The cost of Christmas is up almost a quarter over the last three years according to the The Centre for Economics and Business Research. What can you do to keep costs down?And as figures from UK Finance, the trade body for banks, suggest nearly £100m will be stolen from around 200,000 people through fraud and scams over the Christmas period we'll discuss what you can do to avoid them.With Felicity Hannah today to go through your questions and comments we have Sarah Pennells, consumer finance specialist at Royal London and Professor Sharon Collard, Research Director at the University of Bristol's Personal Finance Research Centre.We'll also be hearing from Paul Askew a chef and the owner of the Art School restaurant in Liverpool and he'll be giving us some tips on how to cut the cost of Christmas Dinner.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Kath Paddison Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 13th December, 2023)

Cooking, cleaning and ferrying children about. According to a recent survey by insurers, Royal London this kind of work done by stay-at-home parents is worth a salary of almost €55,000 a year. Do stay-at-home-parents deserve to be remunerated for their work? To discuss we spoke to Jen Hogan, Journalist, Columnist, and Mother of 7.

This week the team is live at a community centre in Lancaster to look at all things housing.It's one of the biggest financial stories of the year. Rising interest rates led to hundreds of mortgage deals being pulled earlier this year before being replaced by costlier versions. This week the Bank of England will decide where they'll go next.Exclusive figures for Money Box have revealed a third of people with a mortgages are overdrawn or have to borrow at the end of the month, meanwhile monthly rents average £1,304 a month.To answer your comments and questions, Felicity Hannah will be joined by Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance Specialist at Royal London, Dr Hilary Ingham, Professor of Economics at Lancaster University and Kim Howarth, Branch Manager of Entwistle Green estate agents in Lancaster.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Produced by: Sarah Rogers & Kath Paddison Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast 3pm Wednesday the 1st of November, 2023)

"she danced up the Grand Staircase at Buckingham Palace"

In this conversation we will examine the principles of coagulopathy and novel approaches to coagulopathy within pre-hospital care. We will examine the utility of fibrinogen concentrate, the distinct features of fibrinogen concentrate with cryoprecipitate, its longevity of use compared to other blood products, how you constitute fibrinogen concentrate for use in the pre-hospital environment amongst other topics.    To do this I have Ross Davenport with me, Ross is a Consultant Trauma & Vascular Surgeon at the Royal London hospital in the UK. He is also a Senior Lecturer in Trauma Sciences and has previously worked in prehospital care for both London and Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. His research has focused on trauma-induced coagulopathy, acute response to injury and the treatment of major trauma haemorrhage. His work in traumatic coagulopathy and massive transfusion, inflammation and organ dysfunction has had international renown. In the episode we examine: ·      Coagulation and the pre-hospital evidence  ·      Are we getting a handle on hypothermic induced coagulopathy  ·      What is fibrinogen concentrate and its mechanism of action? ·      How it differs from cryoprecipitate and whether we still need cryoprecipitate. ·      What the initial empirical research shows from CRYOSTAT 2 research. ·      It's robustness within pre-hospital environments and how you reconstitute it for pre-hospital use.  ·      Current trials with Fibrinogen concentrate and early indications of effectiveness.  ·      ROTEM/thromboelastometry markers of effectiveness  ·      When to give it in the patient journey?  Please enjoy this episode.

Trevor Greetham is Head of Multi Asset at Royal London Asset Management - a £150bn fund. Prior to joining Royal London in 2015, Trevor was asset allocation director for Fidelity Worldwide Investment, where he was responsible for implementing tactical investment decisions across a wide range of institutional and retail funds including the Fidelity Multi Asset Strategic Fund. In this podcast we discuss framework for multi-asset investing, falling inflation and rising growth, w hen to add and remove factors, and much more.    Follow us here for more amazing insights: https://macrohive.com/home-prime/ https://twitter.com/Macro_Hive https://www.linkedin.com/company/macro-hive

The 13th interest rate rise in a row has piled on the pain for many homeowners. Money Clinic host Claer Barrett has assembled a team of experts to talk through the options for managing the hit on overstretched wallets. Sarah Pennells, consumer finance specialist at Royal London, Adrian Anderson of mortgage brokers Anderson and Harris, and the FT's Chris Giles offer analysis, strategies and solutions. Want more?Banks must play fair as mortgage rates riseQ&A: What should I do about my mortgage?For details on the latest government support for mortgage holders see hereMentioned by Claer in the podcast: https://debtcamel.co.ukIf you would like to talk to Claer on a future episode, please email the Money Clinic team at money@ft.com with a short description of your problem, and how you would like us to help. Say hello on social media: You can follow Claer on Twitter and Instagram @ClaerbPresented by Claer Barrett. Produced by Philippa Goodrich. Our executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Simon Panayi, with original music from Metaphor Music. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Maggie Andi is a Dental Practice Owner, Holistic Dentist, Life Coach, and passionate Youth Football Coach. She joins Oma today on Power in Diversity to talk about her career in dentistry, the different hats she wears as a life coach and football coach, and her wonderful attitude when it comes to tackling obstacles and seeing them as opportunities to grow and give.  KEY TAKEAWAYS From a British Nigerian family, Maggie is a working mum with three young children, one of whom is a West End award winning actress, one is a busy netballer and another a youth pro footballer. Her husband is a surgeon so the get up and go attitude extends to the whole family.  Maggie overcame dyslexia to make the transition from modelling to footballing dental student in 1998. She didn't make the grades on her offer but with her drive and social skills she convinced them to let her study anyway. Maggie qualified in the top 10 in her year 2003 at age 22. There is a massive untapped potential within the brains of every human being. Maggie sees this every day when coaching youth football, if you tell them they can do it and show them how to practise, then that sponge like brain can learn to do anything.  The worst thing that will happen is nothing. If you try and it doesn't work, then the worst place you can be is right back where you started, only with a little more knowledge of what to do next time.  BEST MOMENTS ‘I remember thinking for the first time in a long time, it is possible to try'  ‘I can't handle sick children and dying people, so that ruled out medicine' ‘Sometimes you just fall into something and you know if it's right for you' ‘The world will move in a certain way when it's ready for something' EPISODE RESOURCES  Maggie on LinkedIn Mill Hill Dental Practice Maggie Data Andi (@maggietheholisticdentist) • Instagram photos and videos Dr Maggie Data Andi BDS MJDF RCSEng MFDS CGDent UK (@maggie_andi) / Twitter ABOUT THE GUEST  “I qualified from St Barts and the Royal London, Queen Mary school of medicine and dentistry in 2003, aged just 22. It's been a tremendous learning journey since I have embarked on several post graduate courses and gained certification in various fields of restorative dentistry. I was extremely proud to receive my prestigious Membership of the joint dental faculties of Surgery and General Practice.  I love so many aspects of my profession, and as such have never specialised as I would rather not be limited to one niche, or indeed one profession! I inherited my fierce, stubborn entrepreneurial spirit from my father who, not content with being a Professor, is now fulfilling his ambition of building a university!” PODCAST DESCRIPTION Power in Diversity Podcast is a space where professional women from diverse backgrounds, eager to grow as leaders, come to be inspired and gain wisdom from other leaders. As my guests share their journey, I hope that it will give you; an aspiring or established female leader; meaning to your journey, illuminating your path and equipping you with a greater understanding of how to carve and navigate your success pathway with greater ease.  Power in Diversity Podcast is also designed to equip not only individuals but, crucially, organisations who must learn to create diverse and inclusive organisations practically and not merely as a tick box exercise; especially now in this ever-changing world, everyone's diverse insight is vital to solving world issues. I hope that this podcast allows organisations to appreciate the real barriers female and ethnic minority groups face in stepping into leadership, barriers sadly I and many others have faced, and many continue to face.  I'm proud to be British and proud of my African Heritage, my tribe, part of the Benin Empire. I feel blessed to be a woman. This is a non-judgmental space, but a space to learn and to become aware of the gifts and Power in Diversity. ABOUT THE HOST Dr Omo Akoje Okonkwo is a practising Cosmetic Dental Surgeon working in Private Clinics in Surrey. Her passion for empowering her patients and team led her to Transformational coaching to bring about significant change in others.  Her many skill sets and ability to motivate people quickly opened leadership roles for her, including Director of Health care Projects and Clinical Lead and Senior Tutor at the prestigious King College Dental Hospital. Along her journey, she faced numerous setbacks despite her passion, academic background and experience.  Notwithstanding, her passion for excellence and growth led her to embark on an MBA at the Renowned Warwick Business School. Her desire to empower women steered her to conduct qualitative research exploring Gender, Leadership, and Identity. Her findings revealed what she had always sensed, the leadership labyrinth for female and ethnic minority leaders that exists. It is now Dr Omo's mission to educate and equip individuals, organisations, and countries on the necessity, mindset, and steps to create inclusion at all levels of society. CONTACT METHOD  IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.omo_uk/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-omo-okonkwo-65b8a542/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/omo.okonkwo  This show was brought to you by Progressive Media

A woman who was stalked by her husband and then placed into witness protection with a new identity to escape him, says she feels like she's the one being punished. She's complained to the police about the way her case was handled after being told she failed an assessment and was no longer being supported by them in her new life. She spoke to our reporter Melanie Abbott, and says she felt completely cut adrift. We hear her story of how she had to uproot her two children and start a new life with a new job in a new town, while her husband is free to live wherever he likes. Academic Rachael Wheatley from the university of Derby tells Anita how she is training police to be better at dealing with stalkers and how victims need better support. A new report by the Trade Union Congress has highlighted a gender pension gap between what men and women are living on in retirement. The estimate it's currently running at 40.5%, which is more than double the current gender pay gap. Nuala talks to Nikki Pound from the TUC and financial expert Sarah Pennells Consumer finance specialist at Royal London - pensions insurance provider about the issues facing women and possible solutions. You can't read a tabloid newspaper without some form of cheating scandal filling the headlines. But what makes someone lie to the person they love? Nuala asks Natalie Lue, a boundaries and relationships coach about the big and little lies we tell in relationships. Writer and Podcaster Jackie Adedeji speaks to Nuala about her new Channel 4 documentary UNTOLD: My Big Boobs, a look into the impacts of having big boobs and the rise in breast reduction surgery. Sarah Ditum also joins to discuss the cultural trends of breasts through the years. Dr Edna Adan Ismail is known as the ‘Woman of Firsts'. She's Somaliland's first trained midwife, first female Minister of Foreign Affairs, and former First Lady. And now she has added another first to her title. She is this year's winner of the Templeton Prize - making her the first black African woman to receive the honour. She has been awarded the £1.1 million prize for her contribution to women's health. In 2002 she sold everything she owned to build The Edna Adan Hospital and University which has played a crucial role in cutting maternal mortality rates in Somaliland. She still lives and works within the hospital. Edna Adan Ismail explains what life is like for women in Somaliland, and what will she spend the prize money on. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Hanna Ward

When Rebecca Perry was growing up, she competed nationally and internationally as a trampolinist.  She went on to become a published poet and has now ventured into non-fiction with a beautifully written  memoir, On Trampolining.  She joins Nuala in the studio. A new report by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has highlighted a gender pension gap between what men and women are living on in retirement. The estimate it's currently running at 40.5%, which is more than double the current gender pay gap. Nuala McGovern talks to Nikki Pound from the TUC and financial expert Sarah Pennells Consumer finance specialist at Royal London - pensions insurance provider about the issues facing women and possible solutions. A new Channel 4 documentary out today, A Paedophile In The Family, looks at the life of Emily Victoria and how she carried the weight of being sexually abused by her father throughout her childhood. Following the release of her father from prison, she decided to reach out to those who knew her - teachers, family friends and her mother - to try and understand how the abuse she experienced from the age of two to eighteen remained hidden for so long. Emily joins Nuala in the studio. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

This week, the Office for National Statistics employment data showed that one reason behind the increase in the number of people in work is the growth in self-employment. Though the total numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels, more people are now starting a new business. We'll hear from four entrepreneurs about their experiences and have some advice for anyone thinking about doing so. Money Box has learned more than 1,100 people have reported having had a total of £1.3m stolen from them in the last year by criminals using so called "hi mum" or "hi dad" scam messages. The figures from Action Fraud peaked in the run up to Christmas but the scam is still very active with hundreds of thousands of pounds being stolen in the first three months of this year alone. What should you look out for? We often talk about the cost of living and the effect of rising inflation on lower income households, but this week there is new evidence of how it is hitting people earning between £40,000 and £80,000. We'll hear from Royal London whose research found over a third of people had gone overdrawn or borrowed in other ways - some even taking out expensive payday loans. And a new report suggests tens of millions of pounds belonging to about 80,000 young people without mental capacity to make financial decisions could be locked in trust funds. What does that mean for families and what is the government's response? Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle (First broadcast 12noon Saturday 22nd April, 2023)

In Episode 39 of The Legal Genie Podcast, your host, Lara Quie is in conversation with Anthony Carroll, Practice Director at Twenty Essex barristers' chambers in London.Ant has over 20 years experience at the English bar working with barristers from junior clerk up to Practice Director.He shares his career journey and the importance of having an interest outside the legal profession.Ant also shares about Retinoblastoma a rare type of eye cancer that can affect young children, usually under the age of 5. His daughter was diagnosed with this cancer when she was only 20 months old and has been receiving treatment at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital and Royal London. You can find out more about retinoblastoma and its symptoms here: https://chect.org.ukAnt and his family also have a fundraising page where you can donate and sponsor him on his Three Peaks Challenge in August 2023 in aid of the Bart's Charity and Childhood Cancer Trust, Bright Eyes: https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/bright-eyesTo connect with Anthony, you can go to his LinkedIn page here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyjamescarrollSupport the show Also: · If you liked this episode, please rate the show, and leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts to help the Legal Genie reach a wider audience. · Look out for the next episode coming soon. You can connect with Lara Quie: · On LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/laraquie · Website: https://www.laraqassociates.com · Or Email at Lara@LaraQAssociates.com

Published in 2001, ‘The Secret Life of Bees' was a New York Times bestseller for more than 125 weeks and was made into an award-winning film starring Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys in 2008. Now the book has been adapted by Lynn Nottage, a playwright and screenwriter, for the stage. It is on at the Almeida Theatre in London and Anita Rani talks to Lynn Nottage, the only woman to have won the Pulitzer prize for drama twice, about her adaptation. New research by the pensions and investment company, Royal London, shows that women are being hit harder by the rising cost of living than men and are facing higher monthly costs on a lower average income. Women are more likely to have made cutbacks in day-to-day spending to cope and around one in three say they could only afford an unexpected bill of up to £500 from either their income or savings. Anita Rani is joined by Clare Moffat, a Finance Expert, to go through the figures and Amber Proctor, youth and community worker at Hexham Youth Initative in Northumberland. A rise in popularity of gel nail products is leading to increasing numbers of people developing allergies that can affect their future healthcare options, according to dermatologists. Some imported products are thought to contain high levels of chemicals known as acrylates, which can be harmful in liquid form. The allergies can prevent people having medical procedures such as joint replacement and cataract surgeries. Dr. Emma Wedgeworth, Consultant Dermatologist and Lucy Tucker, a nail technician working in the film industry discuss the issues. Author, Liv Little, founder and former editor of gal-dem, the award-winning online and print magazine for women of colour, publishes her debut novel today. Called Rosewater it introduces us to Elsie; a sexy, funny and fiercely independent 28-year old poet living in South London. Liv joins Anita in the Woman's Hour studio. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt Studio manager: Bob Nettles

Paris Hilton, reality TV star, so-called 'inventor of the selfie,' and business woman, joins Anita to talk about her new book 'Paris: The Memoir.' The former socialite first appeared on-screen in the early noughties with her hit reality TV show, The Simple Life.  Now she's opening up about her life in the spotlight. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has unveiled the contents of the Spring Budget in the House of Commons. What has changed for women? Anita is joined by Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance Specialist at Royal London and Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor at the FT to discuss the Chancellor's plans to tackle the cost of living crisis, reform childcare, pensions and benefits. Some NHS maternity units in England have suspended the use of gas and air, also known as Entonox, in labour wards, after air quality tests showed unsafe levels of nitrous oxide on some maternity wards. Gas and air has been used for decades to help women in labour reduce their pain. But air quality tests have raised the risk of long-term effects for the midwives, nurses and doctors who are exposed to it for a long period of time in often-unventilated labour wards. Gaby Hinsliff, The Guardian columnist has been looking into this developing story. Nearly 30 years after she last donned her legendary jumpsuit, TV presenter Anneka Rice is back on TV screens with a new series of Challenge Anneka. The original programmes aired in the late 1980s and early 1990s and saw her working on more than sixty huge scale projects, including renovating an orphanage in Romania and building a suspension bridge in Cornwall. She joins Woman's Hour to explain how this work changed the image of women on TV, and to discuss some of her fresh, epic challenges.

The problem of debt is never too far from the headlines at the moment. This week a group of charities - Citizens Advice, Step Change and Christians Against Poverty - told the BBC they're seeing record numbers of people coming to them for help with problem debt. Why is that and what can people who're worried about debt do? We'll also look at the "Buy Now Pay Later" industry as the government looks impose regulation on the sector for the first time. And we'll talk about when credit can be used in the right way. All that and more with our panel of experts, Sarah Pennells, a consumer Finance Specialist at Royal London and Richard Lane, policy Director at debt charity Stepchange. Presenter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Sarah Rogers Researchers: Jo Krasner and Star McFarlane Editor: Jess Quayle (First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 15th January, 2023)

In this session we will examine the fundamentals of the pre-hospital airway from airway assessment all the way through to the difficulties posed in practice. We will also look at the management from a stepwise concept all the way through to the use of invasive surgical techniques to manage the airway. We will also examine some of the optimal methods used to monitor the respiratory effort and when and when not to intervene. We will also examine the current utility and debate around Direct Laryngoscopy (DL) and Video Laryngoscopy (VL) and whether VL is around to stay within practice. To do this I have with me John Chatterjee. John is a consultant anaesthetist with an interest in pre-hospital care and difficult airway, thoracic and high-risk anaesthesia. He has worked with and educated clinicians around the world in various ambulance and hospital services including places like New Zealand, Sydney, Liberia, Ethiopia, Ukraine and in the UK where he has worked with HEMS and BASICS. John is as an anaesthetist at Guys and St Thomas', and a Consultant with London's Air Ambulance at the Royal London. In the episode we examine: The challenges of the pre-hospital airway How to assesses the difficulty of an airway from sight and brief assessment Declaration of the findings and plan VL vs DL and where VL is going from a SOP and utilisation tool. Stepwise management and understanding where to come in on the management plan. Assessment of respiratory effort Thoughts on RSI compared to retrospective practice. Tips on surgical airways Seminal airway research in the last 10 years – Impact Brain Apnoea Seminal cases that John has learnt a lot from Final thoughts from John and take-home messages. John mentions these two papers within the conversation: Difficult Airway Society (DAS) 2015 guidelines for management of unanticipated difficult intubation in adults: https://aimeairway.ca/userfiles/26556848_Difficult_Airway_Society_2015_guidelines_for_management_of_unanticipated_difficult_intubation_in_adults.pdf Observational study of the success rates of intubation and failed intubation airway rescue techniques in 7256 attempted intubations of trauma patients by pre-hospital physicians https://academic.oup.com/bja/article/113/2/220/1745948 My thanks to John for an insightful and engaging conversation.

The surge in inflation is hitting wide and hitting deep, impacting everything from energy and fuel, to food and everyday household goods. With inflation this high, the effects are leading to significant changes in the way lives are being lived – well beyond those on low incomes. In practice, rising costs of almost everything has meant large swatches of Britain's working households having to make material cutbacks, people's disposable incomes being wiped out and donors of foodbanks becoming users. We hear from some of those people having to make changes to their spending. The experts on the panel are Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance Specialist at Royal London, Colletta Smith, BBC News Cost of Living Correspondent and Callum Hewitt, Deputy Manager at The Sanctuary Trust Limited (charity). Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Amber Mehmood Editor: Clare Worden Researcher: Star McFarlane

In this episode, Mary is joined by Fergus Speight, General Counsel at Royal London, and Jenny Hacker, Head Of Operations - Legal & CoSec at Royal London, to talk about how they created and innovated a legal ops department before it was an established industry.   Fergus explains how he started to see problems in the legal processes at Royal London but lacked the creative thinking to come up with innovative solutions. So he looked to his team and saw Jenny, who has a mind for innovation and the ability to bring ideas to life.   Jenny discusses how she came up with ideas for change and how she and Fergus started legal ops in their company long before anyone knew what legal ops was. She explains how they went about making these changes and what they did to make sure that their whole team was on board.   To finish off, the pair compare the legal ops industry and tech in the UK with that of the US.   If you enjoyed today's show, please leave a 5-star review. You can find more information, as well as the resources mentioned in this episode, at ironcladapp.com.

"Wigs and fur-lined gowns and capes and swords and halberds and buckled shoes and stockings and flaring garters of lace"

In this latest podcast in our Pensions and ESG series, Head of Responsible Investment at Royal London Asset Management (RLAM), Ashley Hamilton-Claxton joins our Pensions Professional Support Consultant, Tim Smith to discuss recent ESG developments and how Royal London and its clients are responding to these. In this podcast, Ashley discusses: • how the measurement of ESG related risks is evolving during what she describes as its tumultuous 'teenage years' and the challenges this presents • how RLAM is responding to the need to assess the extent to which portfolios are aligned with the Paris Agreement goals • what 'net zero' means and the limitations of net zero targets, and • practical tips for trustees who are grappling with how to implement an effective ESG risk management strategy. To receive future podcasts in this series direct to your inbox subscribe http://hsfnotes.com/pensions/subscribe/ to our UK pensions blog https://hsfnotes.com/pensions/. To view our other pensions podcasts, including the other podcasts in this series, click here: http://hsfnotes.com/pensions/?m=podcasts. Contacts If you would like to discuss any of the topics covered in this podcast speak with your usual HSF adviser or contact one of our specialists.

We are issuing this replay of Sally Bridgeland's podcast - Sally featured in the first series of The Fiftyfaces Podcast in August 2020. Sally Bridgeland needs no introduction in London institutional investing circles. Following a long career as an actuary, investment consultant and investor, culminating in a role of CEO at BP Pension Trustees for the 19 BN GBP BP pension fund, she has pivoted to an extensive portfolio career. Since 2014 she has held roles at Nest, USS, Lloyds Banking Group, Avida International, RAF Central Fund, Nesta, the Nuclear Liabilities Fund, the Local Pensions Partnership, Impax Asset Management and Royal London.  Her portfolio is a very full one, but she still finds the time to commit to her passion for education in mathematics through the Royal Society and Loughborough University and is Honorary Group Captain in the Royal Air Force, No 601 Squadron. Our conversation discusses Sally's journey into investment, the role that learning maths had in her story, and her lifelong passion for ensuring that maths is taught effectively and in a way that conveys its beauty. We also discuss her investment beliefs and lessons learned through a career in consulting and then as an asset owner.

Toyin Alalade's last role was as a Senior Strategy Manager with Royal London. She previously worked in a range of financial and marketing roles at Standard Life and Moody Monday. She recently left Scotland and  returned to her home country of Nigeria, and it was a moving Linked In post that she wrote that led me to her. Our conversation starts with Toyin's upbringing in Nigeria and what led her to university and the first part of her career in the UK.  She describes how she settled there and eventually made Scotland her home.  We talk about graduating with an engineering degree into a bleak job market and how she stumbled upon a career in finance and investing almost by accident.  We discuss the ups and downs of a career in finance, the importance of seizing opportunities and the need to be flexible and adaptable as the industry's opportunities ebb and flow. Moving then to what prompted her move back to Nigeria just this summer, we learn of the confluence of professional and personal opportunities that enabled it and Toyin's initial impressions of returning to Nigeria as a professional and her assessment of the opportunities in store. We take a short detour into another one of Toyin's passions - interior design - what sparked that and how it may be more and more relevant to how we build our workplaces going forward.Finally we turn to what inspires her - to a discussion of her parents and other key people (including many women) who have inspired her in the workplace.  We refer to a creed, which is "whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might", which captures Toyin's commitment to doing her best at whatever she finds in front of her.  It is an uplifting and life-affirming message. 

With a background in psychology, hypnosis, entertaining and influencing, Rob and Kennedy, owners of https://get.emailmarketingheroes.com/l (The )https://get.emailmarketingheroes.com/league?utm_source=EMH-Blog&utm_medium=Menu&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=league (League of Email Marketing Heroes )are no strangers to the membership world. In fact, they both run successful memberships for their diverse range of businesses.  In this week's episode of Behind The Membership they're sharing the story of https://get.emailmarketingheroes.com/league?utm_source=EMH-Blog&utm_medium=Menu&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=league (The League), a membership that teaches entrepreneurs how to turn their marketing emails into profits using psychology.   During the episode they tell us how they've taken ownership of the email marketing space, growing their membership successfully starting with little to no audience, why they choose to send psychology driven daily emails and how 95% of their member conversions come via email.  Plus they share how they manage their time effectively while running all of their businesses, why they've chosen not to adopt the closed-door enrollment model and how their top lead magnet isn't actually a lead magnet… And much much more.  This episode is packed with a lot of value!  About Rob and Kennedy:  Rob Temple, Hypnotist, Marketer and Penguin LoverBorn in London before moving to Sunderland in the North East of England as a young child, Rob always wanted to be one of the cool kids.So he took up learning Magic as a hobby. Go Rob! Despite not understanding why this kept him from the popular tribe, he went on to win multiple awards as Young Magician of The Year at The Magic Circle. After performing close up magic at weddings and children's parties he saw a hypnosis show and convinced his Dad to pay the hypnotist for mentorship. This lead Rob to moving to the Greek island of Kos for a number of summer seasons where he hypnotised and entertained thousands of tourists in his infamous shows. Realising that these gigs won't keep knocking on his door, Rob decided to apply his skills to marketing himself which lead to him performing all over the world in places like The Seychelles and for events for royalty. While sitting around the pool waiting to perform, Rob started accepting offers from marketing companies and coaches to help them apply his skills to their businesses and quickly saw the results he was getting for them. Kennedy, Psychological Mind Reader, Creative and Theatre LoverRefusing to do PE at school, Kennedy spent extra curricular time in anything and everything to do with the theatre. Amateur dramatics where he played parts in the likes of The Railway Children and Oliver meant that whenever there was a choice in school, he'd choose the theatre. His mother discovered his entrepreneurial flare when she emptied out his school trousers to find the 50p coins he'd been collecting from the other kids in exchange for writing excuse notes so they could skip. school. Naughty Kennedy. After seeing someone on TV memorise a deck of cards, Kennedy became obsessed with the potential of our minds and this lead him to study influence, body language, micro-expressions, misdirection and memory. He combined these skills with his natural wit (or as his mother calls it, his ability to ‘think his way out of anything' into an after dinner show. Since many of the clients who booked him were large corporations like Yahoo!, Mars, Tarmac and Royal London he spent a lot of time in departure lounges and hotel rooms waiting to perform. He used this time to coach other entertainers on how to grow their businesses by applying his skills to marketing. Key Quotes “One of the things that we do is we make it so that we have automations, which sell our membership every single day.” “I would say 95% of the conversions happen through email.” “There's no...