As I write, I'm looking at some very grey skies and a very wet garden. Even so, we don't need to be professional meteorologists to see that this summer is already hotter than last year - and 2022 was, if any of us need reminding, the warmest year on record. Things in the UK may not, of course, be as extreme and as damaging to life or property as the heatwaves which continue to bring such discomfort to mainland Europe. Nevertheless, we should remember that change in the patterns of the passing seasons has an increasingly important bearing on the

It wasn't too long ago that the quiet whisper of electric car engines on the nation's roads was still drowned out by the steady chug of petrol and diesel equivalents. However, the latest vehicle sales' figures illustrate how traffic is now very much different compared to what it was only a few years ago. In fact, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), just over half of all new car registrations are electric or hybrid. A closer look at the data reveals more detail about Britons' current driving preferences. There are, for instance, three times more hybrid

One look around the roads of any town or city will illustrate how the popularity of cycling has transformed the UK's transport infrastructure in recent years. Many organisations - cultural, environmental, sporting and political - have realised that a rise in the number of individuals opting for two-wheels instead of four has enormous benefits. In fact, back in 2020, the Government led by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, himself a keen cyclist, announced a £2 billion initiative to encourage even more people to follow his lead. The venture was, said the then Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps,"a once in a lifetime

Cyber crime may seem like a relatively recent phenomenon. In fact, using technology either to access information or hold an organisation's corrupted systems to ransom has been happening for decades. Last July, one of the world's leading IT companies, IBM, published the 17th edition of its authoritative report tracking data breaches across the globe. It revealed that the average cost of such attacks was £3.5 million - up almost 13 per cent in the space of only two years as the volume of major incidents has increased. Just months later, the Harvard Business Review assessed that the risks associated with

Many psychologists over the years have remarked upon the very real impact which the change in seasons has on our physical and mental well-being. However, even those who would not consider their lives to be blighted by the condition known as 'Seasonal-Affected Disorder' would acknowledge a tendency to behave differently in the depths of winter compared to the height of summer. Better weather tempts us from our homes to the great outdoors. Lighter evenings encourage socialising or a post-dinner stroll. That such activities do not go unnoticed by others is something which occurred to me as I looked over fresh

That the world of business moves quickly is surely not in doubt. Anyone requiring any proof need not cast their minds back decades. Just three years ago, the nation was subject to the first phase of lockdown in an effort to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Even so, whilst the pandemic has cost more than 222,000 lives in the UK alone, the country seems to have rapidly returned to normality since the last restrictions were removed in March last year. Having said that, there there are number of impacts arising from the world's experience of coronavirus which look like being

Not too many years ago, the idea of living a so-called 'double life' would have raised eyebrows. Now, of course, a considerable proportion of the UK population do so, with one foot planted firmly in actuality and another online, as regular users of social media. According to one recent estimate, for instance, just over 31 million Britons had accounts on one of most vibrant platforms, Instagram, in December last year. Instagram is popular, in part, not just because of a high volume of cute cat videos but due to glossy lifestyle-related content. Images of exotic foreign holidays, haute couture, handbags

One of the insurance industry's most dynamic businesses is set to experience an unfamiliar fall. However, award-winning Broadway Insurance Brokers is keen to point out that it's all for a good cause. Client Executive Lauren Winstanley has volunteered for her first parachute jump in May to raise funds for an organisation helping former service personnel adjust to life after a career in the armed forces. She will be one of 15 individuals taking part in the skydive in aid of the charity Veterans into Logistics in Lancaster in May. Lauren said: "During the working week, I'm part of a team

We get to know Joseph Hooper​ - Corporate Client Executive at Broadway Insurance Brokers. How do you like to start the day? Getting out for a run, then giving the Nespresso Machine a seeing to. Doesn’t always happen, but it’s the ideal start! Where did you grow up? Rochdale until I was 11, then Northwich for a few years. My accent is all over the show. What’s your greatest fear? Failure. Then Spiders. Who inspires you? Peter Manchester, of course. What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? Me and my step brother decided it would be a good idea to get

Broadway Insurance Brokers has crowned a "remarkable" year by picking up a prestigious insurance industry award. The firm, which launched less than three years ago, collected the Commercial Lines Specialist Broker of the Year title at the National Insurance Awards. It comes only weeks after Broadway revealed that it had doubled the number of employees and clients in the space of a year and increased the amount of Gross Written Premiums (GWPs) which it generates more than threefold over the same period. Martin Lilley, Broadway's Director of Corporate Clients, said that the latest recognition illustrated the kind of momentum which has

We get to know Matt Rawsthorne - Private Client Executive at Broadway Insurance Brokers. We recently welcomed Matt Rawsthorne to Broadway’s Private Clients team as Client Executive. Matt arrives at Broadway after eight years at the Reich Insurance Group, and with this, brings a unique insight from both corporate and private insurance divisions. We sit down with Matt for 20 quick-fire questions…   How do you like to start the day? A run followed by breakfast with my son, Louie.   Where did you grow up? Stockport   What’s the best part of your job? Getting to know clients, building

Few things have the capacity to stir the soul like culture. Music, film or fine art can move us to a state of exhilaration or despair but can also touch our bank balances too. It is something counted on by the leading museums and galleries at home and abroad. The latest figures show that the world's 100 leading art institutions attracted 71 million visitors between them during the course of 2021. There are seemingly plenty of people with the means and the motivation not just to gaze in awestruck fashion at works by famous artists like Botticelli, Basquiat and Banksy

We get to know Jacqui Shaw - Client Executive at Broadway Insurance Brokers. Earlier this year, we welcomed Jacqui Shaw to Broadway's Private Clients team as Client Executive. Jacqui brings with her over 37 years of experience in the insurance profession as a renowned private client specialist. We sit down with Jacqui for 20 quick-fire questions... How do you like to start the day? Taking our 2-year-old energetic boxer dog Luna for a walk Where did you grow up? Macclesfield What’s your favourite book? The book of lost names What’s your favourite song of all time? Pink ‘So What’ What

We get to know Karen Waugh - Client Executive at Broadway Insurance Brokers. How do you like to start the day? With a hug from my husband. What’s the best part of your job? Meeting people whether that be clients, insurers or introducers. What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? Booked a cruise whilst watching Cruising with Jane MacDonald on TV! How would your friends and family describe you in three words? Loyal, fun and sparkly! What’s your favourite song of all time? My Way by Frank Sinatra as it reminds me of my dad Who’s your favourite movie

You don't necessarily need me to tell you that we live and work in a world which is, in some senses, very much different to that which existed only three years ago. Many of our long-established patterns were completely and perhaps irrevocably changed by the pandemic. However, certain familiar elements - including some which are decidedly unwelcome - have gradually returned. Take crime, for instance. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published crime figures for England and Wales covering the 12 months to September last year. They are comprised of what the ONS describes as the first face-to-face interviews

Before any journey of any real length, it's always necessary to devote at least a few moments' thought to some priorities. Where are we heading and why? How do we plan to get there and how quickly do we intend to arrive? Along the way, it might even be useful to stop and check that we're on the right track. That can be particularly important to reassure those who are going with us, who we might have left behind or for those individuals who we plan to meet at our destination. Setting out or revising an intended direction of travel

Of all the personal possessions which we might own over the course of our lives, arguably few carry as much significance as a watch. Beyond their basic function of telling the time, they can be loaded with sentiment and status - often, for instance, being among the most cherished objects handed down to successive generations. Buying a designer watch is also a relatively common way for men and women to reward themselves for personal or professional success: a way of showing themselves and the wider world that they have achieved anything notable. Whatever the reason, watches are of value and,

  Over the last two decades, the international delivery industry has undergone something of a paradigm shift. The advance of short-form electronic communication, such as texts, e-mails and even video calls, has led to a steep decline in the number of letters handled by national postal services around the globe. Last month, the Universal Postal Union - the United Nations' agency which co-ordinates the worldwide postal system - issued figures showing just how severe the drop has been. They detail how, in 2021, Royal Mail saw 22 per cent less mail than the year before. Royal Mail's own latest annual

The start of the New Year is when we traditionally set our personal and professional targets for the 12 months to come. Many readers will no doubt agree, however, that sticking to resolutions becomes progressively more difficult as the weeks and months elapse. Establishing a strategy is a key ingredient but not the entire recipe for success in itself. What is important is how a company and its preparations copes with the actual challenges placed before it Or, as the former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson put it, "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth".

Technology has presented us with immense benefits for our home and work lives. The most important arguably include convenience and connectivity. Tasks which once might have been costly in terms of time or expense, such as interacting with friends and family, attending meetings, shopping or watching movies, can now be completed in seconds from the comfort of our armchairs. However, being so connected to individuals and organisations who might be half a world away has its downsides too. It means that we leave a digital footprint, traces of our personal information which can be of great value to criminals. Back

There's little doubt that we're in the middle of what is an extremely challenging time for many households across the UK. A combination of circumstances has hit many families squarely in the pocket. Last month, the Bank of England announced that it expected the UK to enter the longest recession in history and one which might result in half a million people losing their jobs. Two weeks later, new figures published by the House of Commons' Library revealed that rising food and energy prices meant inflation was 11 per cent higher than last year. Recession and inflation might sound relatively

Although we're nearing the time of year when we crane our necks to catch sight of a certain sleigh and reindeer above snowy rooftops, we know that it's not just Santa who likes to give gifts at Christmas. In spite of economic conditions which may mean that festive spending is rather more restrained than usual, there is plenty of evidence that people are still likely to splash out on presents for friends and family. One forecast has already suggested that the cost of Christmas for UK households this year will be almost two-thirds more than 12 months ago. Some of

As I write, there's now less than a week until Christmas Day. For many people, it's a time to switch off and enjoy the festivities with family and friends. However, there are other individuals apart from Santa for whom the holiday period doesn't necessarily mean a chance to put their feet up. The emergency services work hard all year 'round, of course. Even so, the National Health Service (NHS) is this year preparing to use what have been described as "war rooms" during what it believes might be the busiest winter on record. Whilst the insurance industry might not be

As the World Cup currently taking place in Qatar heads into the final stages, we have a little more clarity about which team will emerge as the overall winners. Some would say that's particularly welcome, given that this tournament has arguably been the strangest in the history of the competition. Before the matches began in earnest, it seemed that the event would be dominated by controversy about the fact that it was taking place in middle of the season, complaints about the choice of host country and efforts by organisers to control what players and spectators said and even wore.

20 Questions with Andrew Thorn We sat down to talk to Senior Underwriter Andrew Thorn from Brit, London.    How do you like to start the day?  Exercising if possible, it’s great for the mind. This has reduced following baby number 2…..   What’s the best part of your job?  Delivering results, working closely with brokers, and developing and maintaining relationships. Working in a friendly, fun team.   What’s your favourite object in your office? The internet now! A nicer comfier chair compared to home.   How would your friends and family describe you in three words? Hopefully funny, caring