SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR 7TH OCTOBER MEETING

At today's meeting, Debbie Austin of Utility Warehouse gave a presentation entitled "Less is More!"

Debbie gave a short presentation on what she does, how she can help people save money with their household bills. She also showed how the Utility Warehouse can help you save money when shopping at major retailers (also helping cut spending), thereby making it easier to budget. In fact, the Utility Warehouse can benefit anyone who is interested!

Debbie can be contacted through www.cleversavings.info

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR 2ND SEPTEMBER MEETING

TODAY'S MEETING

Today's talk was given by our friend, Steve Bowkett, Hypnotherapist. He spoke about, and demonstrated 'Self-Hypnosis and the Creative Mind'.

As Steve explained prior to his presentation:

"The subconscious is an incredible resource of memory, experience and creative energy that complements the logical, reasoning part of the mind. Especially in today's society most people try to rely solely on conscious thinking abilities to solve problems and make decisions. But harnessing the subconscious complements and empowers the conscious mind so making it far more effective.

This workshop will demonstrate how the mental state of self-hypnosis can help you achieve this. Steve will run a group relaxation session for those who want it, and then work with Kate Jackson on an individual basis so you can see the techniques in more detail."

As always, Steve was happy to answer questions after his presentation (of which there were plenty!) I think we all learned a lot about hypnosis and self-hypnosis and some of us found it quite upsetting to have to remove ourselves from such a tranquil state!

Steve aims to carry out another workshop for HAHA members at his home practice very soon. I can't wait!

Steve can be contacted at steve@sbowkett.freeserve.co.uk

HAHA MEETING 5TH AUGUST 2010

This morning was the August meeting of HAHA. We were, alas, very thin on the ground since so many of our (luckier) members are sunning themselves on beaches around the globe!

The meeting was attended by Kate Jackson (Provision TLC), Steve Bowkett (hypnotherapist), Wendy Bowkett (Unique craft shop) and Phil Shepherd (Harborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce) and, of course, myself. I'm very grateful to those who came along, especially Kate and Wendy as Kate didn't have her usual (other) networking event afterwards (so made a special journey into town), and Wendy is recovering from illness! So, thanks, girls!

It was disappointing that Phil attended when the numbers were so low. However, despite that, we chatted amongst ourselves for quite some time and learned more about the work the Chamber of Trade and Commerce does. Which, I must say, is quite extensive!

I am attending a networking meeting tomorrow morning with Phil so will post some feedback on this and the HAHA blogspots.

Jane.

Ah... sunshine again!

Well, it's nice to see the sun back! I was beginning to think the summer had been and gone!

So, we are all into garden mode! I am working in my garden office with the doors and windows wide open and it's absolutely lovely and VERY tranquil! I drove into Market Harborough yesterday and spared a thought for those cooped up in offices - I remember only too well what that was like!

Guy and the boys are still working in London right now, but hope to be putting up wooden garden offices in the Midlands again very soon! It's encouraging to see how the work-from-home message finally seems to be spreading through the country. It seems to be quite an accepted practice in the South East, but here in the Midlands with all those road links, people seemed to miss the point a little bit.

However, the media seem to be pushing the message and, as a Telegraph reader, there are often features about working from home or from a shed in the garden. It's all very encouraging, both from the perspective of Work Shacks and the planet!

So, let's all spread the word: you no longer have to GO TO WORK! GET A WORK SHACK and let work come to you! You can even work in your PJs!

Jane.

Where has the sunshine gone???

Well, was that it? Surely summer hasn't passed us by already?!

I can't believe I've spent the last couple of days in my garden office listening to the rain on the roof and the water running down the windows! Fortunately, I was dry and happy!

I would like to mention the interesting evening I had in Market Harborough on Monday. I had been invited to the book launch of The Ideal Marketing Company's Alastair Campbell. I have spent a lot of time with Alastair and have never failed to be motivated by his ideas - I can only hope I carry them out to their full potential (but I have a niggling feeling I may not quite always do so!)

With Guy currently working in London, I am Bunty-No-Mates, so was delighted to see three members of the Harborough Area Homeworking Alliance there - Wendy and Steve Bowkett and Karen Waugh. The room was packed and everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy Alastair's short seminar which was very informative and gave a brief idea of the topics covered in his book (which I'm looking forward to reading).

The evening also gave me the opportunity to have a chat with a few people and I was thrilled to be able to meet up with an old school friend who I hadn't seen for years (apart from quickly spotting him at a Parents' Evening!). It was Martyn Dimblebee of Advanced Building Chemicals of Market Harborough (sales@advanced-b.c.co.uk) with whom I had spent many a happy hour as a kid! It appears he now deals in adhesives (which could be very useful to a business like ours that deals with wooden structures). I shall keep his card for future reference and drop him an e-mail very soon!

It was also a pleasure to meet another couple of friendly chaps - Paul Bishop of Fractal Telecom Services (paul@fractaltelecom.co.uk/) was a real giggle to chat with and, having checked out his website, sounds as if he could do us all a good telecommunications deal!

Also, it was a pleasure to talk to Ian Guyler of Pedigree Filbert Business Consultants (ianguyler@pedigreefilbert.co.uk). An interesting man who clearly knows a lot about business!

So, all in all a great evening - thank you, Alastair!

Don't forget, news of HAHA presentations can be found by clicking on the 'HAHA' link on this website. A schedule for the August meeting will be posted in the next week or so.

Well, I think it's time for a cuppa. Not far to go, as I brought the kettle and milk up with me (how lazy is that?!). Then it's the school run and the end of the working day for me! So, back to the house at that point (oh no - the mess! That's why I love working in my Shack!).

Bye for now, all!

Jane.

SHEDWORKERS GET THEIR 15 MINUTES OF FAME!

I was alerted to a brilliant piece on the BBC1 Breakfast programme on Wednesday:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10458072.stm

The article covers the ever-growing numbers of homeworkers who are working in sheds and shacks in their gardens!

Now, some of us have thought this is a brilliant idea for quite a long time now, but for some, it's still a relatively new concept. But, it's a concept that's getting there!

For a long time now, the little wooden hut has been a kind of sanctuary for the creative elite. Writers such as George Bernard Shaw and Philip Pullman have celebrated the small-but-distinct space between the world of domesticity and the world of make-believe! And, they're now not alone!

In the clip, author and illustrator, Ted Dewan, speaks of how he is able to escape the modern, tech-filled world when he is in his shed. In fact, it was Philip Pullman who gave the shed to him as a gift - with the proviso that it be used for creative purposes! Indeed, writer, Penelope Thompson, is also clearly passionate about her very upmarket shed! The humble garden shack has clearly become the location of choice!

The clip also talks about the latest exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum which is all about small spaces and hideaways. This would seems to be a very fast-growing concept indeed!

So, all those with a Shack - pat yourselves on the back for being cutting-edge without being corporate! And all those yearning for a Shack - give us a call on 0845 234 0674 or speak to Guy directly on 07950 935917.

HAHA MEETING 1ST JULY 2010

I have only just found time to publish this blog following today's successful HAHA meeting.

Our speakers today were Wendy Aspland of Smart Cat, and Kate Jackson of Provision TLC.

Wendy and Kate are two independent Personal Development Coaches who come from quite different professional backgrounds. Today, they pooled their knowledge to present a very thought-provoking, fun, interactive talk.

In the exercise they gave us, we all had to stand in a circle around Wendy. Kate then announced what she could see when she looked at Wendy (ie, two eyes, two hands and two feet). As we moved around the group, people saw less of Wendy's eyes, hands and feet and then others saw more as we moved round to those facing her. The point being made here was that the subject remained the same but we all saw different things according to our particular perspectives.

We were then asked to interact with others in the group to complete a questionnaire aimed at finding things in common. This was a great deal of fun, and very useful to the more introverted of the group who aren't quite so comfortable with striking up conversations. They were grateful for the opportunity to 'go up to someone' in this way. Most useful!

Thank you, Kate and Wendy, for a most enjoyable and highly effective presentation!