Image Consultant Lynda May shares her tips, to accompany our MiniGuide series

"It's a real pleasure for our staff to receive the recognition they deserve, it brings a real uplift to the work that we do every day.  It meant a lot to be invited to Manchester Town Hall for the Dignity in Care Award presentation - Cllr Glynn Evans made us feel welcome with tea and cakes all round." Maretta Patten a Manager of Outreach Community & Residential Services

2012 has brought some well-deserved recognition for Outreach Community & Residential Services staff with the receipt of two awards.  Level 1 PQASSO (Practical Quality Award System for Smaller Organisations) focuses on the overall quality of the care and support given to service users and the Dignity in Care Award recognises and commends the level of attention individual members of staff put into frontline health and social care.

It is widely recognised that a great deal of effort is needed from those supporting service users in order to achieve a dignified quality of care.  It's about creating an environment that not only provides support for service users but also respects the individuals so that they are treated and supported in a way that meets their particular needs.  This means  staff deciding not just do their job, but to do a wonderful job in what can be difficult circumstances. 

And the impact on a service user can be immense.  For example, staff worked with one lady to build up her confidence in getting out and about as she was worried about being too unsteady on her feet.  She is now able to engage with a wide variety of activities and to really enjoy a new-found sense of freedom. 

For more information about Outreach services and areas of work please visit www.outreach.co.uk or contact Chief Executive Akilah Akinola email akilah@outreach.co.uk or telephone 0161 740 3456

Outreach works in the Jewish and wider community providing a range of services to adults with a learning difficulty and/or mental health need. It has been providing support since 1977 so has a wealth of experience at meeting need.

Guest Blog by the Wardrobe Angel: 

When I was a graduate trainee at M&S I had a tongue piercing, sported a huge quiff in my hair which rivalled Elvis, wore bright pink shoes and ties. Immediately I was marked out as ‘creative’ but I still had to adhere to the company dress code and wear a suit. I had three suits from Next and I hated wearing them. Hated it. And I have never worn a full suit since; the thought literally brings me out in a cold sweat. So when I wrote my Dress Code Policy for The Wardrobe Angel I was very careful to include the words, “I will never wear a suit” because it is not reflective of who I am or what I do. I also wrote a Dress Code Policy for Lisa and her team at Raynes Architecture Ltd and she invited me to blog about it! So here we go…

The book, The E Myth Revisited, offers a revolutionary approach to business centred on standardizing each component – how your business will act, how it will deliver, what your business will look like. You have sorted your marketing plan, logo, twitter name but what about the way you look? What about your Dress Code?

 “Is it any wonder that McDonalds, Federal Express, Disney …and many more extraordinary companies spend so much time and money on determining how they look? It pays!” (E Myth Revisited)

Clothes offer a unique way of communicating our personality, our power and our brand. Whatever the size of your company it is really important to think about how it looks – about how you – look. Start thinking about how your business looks – everything has to fit with your brand. Start thinking about clothes as part of your business not an afterthought.

What are the advantages of writing a Dress Code?

1. Brand consistency – your clients and customers know what to expect each time they see you.

2. Sets the standard for your business and your brand. No more thinking “that’ll do” as you pull your top from the dirty clothes basket and Febreeze it!

3. You are prepared for growth – if you decide to take on employees you already have a written document you can refer them to when they ask what they should be wearing for work.

4. Shopping with a purpose – take my Dress Code for example: I shop for dresses, not suits. This will also save you time.

5. Always have something to wear – when you know what to wear for work and you have written it down as your company policy, you should never be stuck for things to wear again.

I see a range of clients as The Wardrobe Angel, including business owners. One of the first things I say to them is “YOU are your business.” While I am in their wardrobe looking at what they wear to work, looking at what they wear when they greet clients, looking at what they wear to networking events and I say it again “YOU are your business” they get it: the penny drops. If you run your own business YOU are the face, body, wardrobe and image of your business and your brand. This is part a quote from one of my clients who owns Adamsons, an award nominated building firm in Cheshire. 

“As you pointed out we are an award nominated business and my attire should reflect the thought, quality and style that I put into the showroom and put the same consideration into my wardrobe. This was a bit of a light bulb moment for me and I cannot thank you enough for opening my eyes to it.”

Creating a business image which is just as much as part of your business plan as your logo can help to build your brand: everything has to fit.

The Wardrobe Angel
Stephanie Roper

Time saved, money made ...always something to wear with The Wardrobe Angel

Phone me: 07542825740
Email me: info@wardrobeangel.co.uk 
Visit me: www.wardrobeangel.co.uk
Twitter me up: @wardrobe_angel 

Raynes Architecture collaborators Toby Savage Design have been celebrating their involvement with the Tatton Park Biennial 2012.

A series of sculptural artworks are displayed in the parkland, mansion and formal gardens at Tatton Park.

The Biennial theme is ‘Flights of Fancy’, and many of the works celebrate different aspects of flight, and their connections with Tatton and the surrounding area.

Among those TSD have provided engineering support to, are:

Olivier Grossetete’s ‘Pont de Singe’, an amazing attempt to create an unattainable bridge supported by helium balloons

Hilary Jack’s ‘Empty Nest’, a rook’s nest on a giant scale

Tom Dale’s ‘The Mars Society’, a cold-war era rocket brought back to life

David Cotterrell’s ‘In Other Worlds, I Love You’, a planetarium in the woods with live feeds from Jodrell Bank

Charbel Ackermann’s ‘Tinkerer’s State’, broadcasting the last Earl of Tatton’s enthusiasm for radio from the treetops

Dinu Li’s ‘Vex’, a crashed UFO with an unlikely pilot

The Biennial runs from May 12 to Sep 30 this year, at Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6QN.

http://www.tattonparkbiennial.org/

If you visit, do let us know what you thought!

Toby Savage, Toby Savage Design
http://www.tobysavagedesign.com/ 

Guest Blog by Sarah King, Raynes Architecture: I work at Raynes Architecture and as much as I enjoy my work, I couldn’t resist a trip to Mexico to visit my good friend where she had been living for the past 4 months.

I desperately needed to inject some colour into this gloomy summer and what better destination! The first journey during my fortnight’s holiday in central America started with a flight to Guatemala City from Mexico City with Interjet for $150 US dollars, which was surprisingly very comfortable! From there I caught a local bus (which are actually brightly decorated old American yellow school buses) to Lake Atitlan, formed in the valley of the surrounding volcanoes. 

Staying in the village of San Marcos meant I woke up to beautiful views of the San Pedro mountain opposite. It was well worth staying slightly further from the village at Kaivalya Yoga Hostel for the view, since it was only an extra 5 minute walk and the lush foliage gave a feeling of being in the jungle. After five days relaxing by the lake I moved on to Mexico. See below for my top trip tips:

1. San Cristobal: Take a private shuttle bus to San Cristobal in Mexico for 300 quetzal, you should not pay more than this, we got a few quotes but this was the best and we had no trouble on the journey

2. Palenque: Day trip to the Mayan ruins of Palenque via Cascada Agua Azule and Misol-Ha (two spectacular waterfalls). Definitely hire a guide when you get to the ruins as they really know their stuff and explain everything really well

3. Oaxaca City: Try an authentic temascal which is a ritualistic sauna in a purpose built outside structure so you enter in the dark. A shaman will then talk you through the exciting experience that involves patting yourself with delicious smelling bunches of herbs and cacao!

4. Oaxaca City: Sip on drinks in the zocalo where musicians freely play and set the backdrop to a lovely ambient evening

5. Mexico City: Visit Frida Kahlo’s House which is now a museum for her and her husband’s work and learn about their turbulent relationship (entry is 70 pesos)

6. Mexico City: Take an organised tour to Teotihuacan as it is much easier and cost effective than doing it out yourself (tours are available from Amigo Suites youth hostel at 350 pesos)

Sarah King, Raynes Architecture 

On Tuesday 19th June 2012 I ran my first event directed at architects setting up, surviving or growing in practice. The event was held at the RIBA Hub on Portland Street, and was supported by the RIBA as part of the Love Architecture Festival.

The event was an overwhelming success and attracted a variety of architects, form those just setting up in business, to  established solo practitioners and from large practices. Also attending were landscape architects, a structural engineer and a CDM coordinator.

We had 3 speakers talking about customer facing: Christian Hill of Project Simply about web design and optimization, Alex of Go Social about social media, and Isla Wilson of Ruby Star Associates about successful networking. Rounded off by networking over lunch by Create Catering the award winning social enterprise.  

Here are my top tips that I took away....

1. Keep one step ahead of Google
Use and optimise Google Places- upload photos, videos. Google owns You Tube so videos. Don't use inbound links from dirty sites- google will devalue your site Link from peer sites

2. Find your differential- you are not selling to everyone. You want people you meet to remember you and your specialism and refer you. 

3. When you present your business, use testimonials, give examples of previous clients and use numerical evidence or stats

4. Linked In is a gold mine. Make sure it's working for you. Put a picture of you in your profile, have at least 3 recommendations and use in mail to target your prospects.

Raynes Architecture have designed this pop art inspired Student Common Room for Opal, Arkwright Hall in Bradford. Due to open September 2012. We are delighted that Opal have used this video as part of their marketing. For more information about booking your place in the Halls click here