If you're stuck for a Bank Holiday activity for this weekend, pop down to Yorkshire Sculpture Park and witness sculpture - live.
Artist Florence Peake is coming to Yorkshire to conduct the live build and then deconstruction of a monolithic structure before the eyes of a live audience. The build/performance begins at 17.00, is FREE to attend and will last for about an hour, with refreshments available (theatre-style).
http://www.ysp.co.uk/events/florence-peake-make
I’m not the biggest shopper in town, but do enjoy a wander through the Victoria Quarter (in Leeds) and the occasional rummage around the sales. One place I do enjoy shopping is the Designer Outlet just outside York. This is where I bought my wedding suit, from Paul Smith, so I’ll never forget it. When you’re there, if you brave the ranks of discount shoe stores, you’ll be rewarded with some real gems, like Margaret Howell, Daks and The Kooples.
My visit on Saturday was blessed with another fantastic discovery, a Phaidon outlet store. Can you believe that? The outstanding British publisher of arts, culture and design books, with a consistently amazing level of quality, has an outlet store! And it located less than 40 minutes from where I live. Now that’s what I call a find.
The shop is relatively small, but is packed to the ceiling with a combination of photography books, travel guides, art collections and some of the best design books ever written. I picked-up a selection by Alan Fletcher and John Pawson, and could have done some serious damage to the bank account if I hadn’t been dragged out.
The best feature of the store is their ‘Hurt Sale’. This is what others call the bargain bin. These are books that are not in mint condition, and its usually just the cover that has a few marks. Once inside the experience is just as good as always. These titles have been seriously discounted and its such a lovely way to find a new home for them. Its as if they have not had the best of lives so far, but can still be special to the right type of owner.
What a great way to sell ‘slightly soiled’ stock, in a very human and meaningful way. Great idea by Phaidon and great news for the design community of Yorkshire. Get yourselves along there and help to keep the shop in business, for all of our benefits, including the poor old shabby books.
(Image – PROTEIGON from BURAYAN on Vimeo)
If you're anything like us, at this time of year we're inundated with cards, calendars and choccies - most of which will end up in the bin or landfill site... So last year, in the vein of saving the planet and keeping you entertained, we created a Christmas-themed blog and packed it full of Christmas-themed posts that would either inspire, instruct or just generally entertain.
It went so well it looks to have become a new favourite festive tradition of ours - and so for 2011 we've turned blue, gotten crafty and sexist, shared secret recipes, put together an abridged TV run-down and much more. Pop over just for a quick stop and we're pretty sure you'll find something to amuse or assist, whatever your tastes!
Merry Christmas from the Team at Thompson.
...was a roaring success! Of course it was - it was organised by a Christmas genius (me).
We went trekking in the Dales, had an awards ceremony and nibbles in a lovely wee room at the Red Lion in Burnsall, toasted lightly in front of an overly stoked fire (thanks to coal-happy Jonny Whiteoak), had a very lovely Christmas dinner before returning to the fire for ill-advised Secret Santa, board games and nibbles. We even got some snow! Here's a couple of snaps of us in the great outdoors...
1. The boys and their excellent outdoorsy gear and stances...
2. Nick, Liz and Ian in the very beautiful Dales
3. Stopping for lunch and flasks of coffee.... In the snow.
Well done to everyone for being such good sports - until next year!
Rach x
Some of us are eating carbs like we've never heard of Atkins, some stretching like Black Swan auditionees and others (like me) are just trembling in their trainers...
Why? Well, this Sunday come rain or shine the most dedicated members of the Thompson team will be taking part in the annual Age UK 10k, The Abbey Dash.
We're running in aid of a fantastic cause, the NET Patient Foundation - a charity close to our hearts. The charity is the only one in the UK to offer advice and support to sufferers and families of those with NETs (neuroendocrine tumours), a relatively uncommon group of cancers. Symptoms are often confused with more common complaints such as IBS, meaning NETs are frequently diagnosed incorrectly or missed completely.
The money you help us raise will enable the NET Patient Foundation to continue their amazing work offering up to date support and advice, raising funds for vital research projects and increasing awareness of this little known illness. Read more here: NET Patient Foundation
So please dig deep for Sarah, Guy, Jonny, myself and the NET Patient Foundation and help us to hit our target of £1,000. And if we do, we promise to take share lots of pictures of Jonny's goosepimply legs.
Thank you! x
Walker Morris, the leading UK law firm which counts Tesco, RBS, Ministry of Sound, NSPCC and National Grid amongst its clients, has appointed Thompson Brand Partners to help refresh its branding.
The appointment follows a competitive pitch, which Thompson won in June 2011. The first major outputs of the new relationship will be a graduate recruitment campaign, which breaks at the beginning of October 2011 and includes a new website, exhibition materials and marketing literature. The scope of the appointment also extends to a wide range of communications materials and the design and build a new firm website.
With continuingly challenging market conditions, Walker Morris feels the time is right to increase the levels of investment in its brand and embark on this new relationship in order to support its fee earners and their new business activities. Thompson is working with Numiko, one of its established partners, to deliver the digital aspects of the relationship.
Caroline Black, Head of Marketing at Walker Morris, says of working with Thompson: “Given the prevailing economic conditions, our various markets continue to be extremely competitive and our brand needs to work as hard as it can for us. In Thompson, we believe we have chosen a team with the creativity, experience and service levels to ensure our brand not only competes, but helps us come out on top.”
Nick Ramshaw, MD at Thompson is delighted to secure the law firm as a new client. “Everyone I have spoken to knows Walker Morris and the firm already has a fantastic reputation, so it’s a great name to add to our client list. We believe we can work with Caroline and her team to refresh the brand and help secure more success going forward.”
...but I got there in the end!
Yesterday, I had a FABULOUS morning running the 5th ever Leeds 10k Run For All - and I'm now feeling very proud!
Over 9,000 runners took part, despite the astonishingly bad weather (apparently it's the first time in the 5 years that it's rained...), and as my first 'proper' race it was really something to be part of! My only target was to finish without stopping and not only did I do that, I also did quite the sprint finish. Unfortunately, according to the official photos, I look like a complete idiot when I sprint...
Here are my vital statistics:
Time: 1 hr 16 mins 41 secs
Position: 5691st
Blisters: 2
Money raised: £182.00
Thank you to all those who sponsored me - Cancer Research UK will be very happy indeed.
Rach x
