<![CDATA[Skylark Activities - Paul's Blog]]>Fri, 24 May 2013 06:14:17 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Starting 2013 netwalks with some exciting Firsts]]>Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:59:52 GMThttp://www.skylarkactivities.com/2/post/2013/01/starting-2013-netwalks-with-some-exciting-firsts.htmlPicture
Being the First gives a nice feeling of achievement, especially so when starting a new year.
It is also satisfying to get a good balance of delivering a netwalk for regular customers and to try new venues and locations.

The FIRST netwalk is at Moira which has become a popular  location with a great friendly group of regular customers. 
Date : Tuesday 29 January 2013
Time : 8.30 am 

It is encouraging to be able to collaborate with a large organisation like the National Trust to hold the FIRST netwalk on one of their property at Hardwick Hall 
Date : Monday 11 February 2013
Start Time : 8.30 a.m. 

Trying new locations produce an element of excitement and the FIRST for Leicester will be at Bradgate Park 
Date : Wednesday 27 February 
Time : 8.30 a.m.

All designed to provide an opportunity to network whilst walking in fantastic surroundings and at fine venues.


]]><![CDATA[Take up walking - Discover Dovedale]]>Sun, 29 Jul 2012 07:25:53 GMThttp://www.skylarkactivities.com/2/post/2012/07/take-up-walking-discover-dovedale.htmlOne of our aims is to introduce more people to Walking.We've created a programme of Netwalks for business people and now we are developing a series of leisure walks.At the weekend I did a recce of Dovedale in Derbyshire which is a superb example of a great place for anyone wanting to take up walking. Fantastic scenery and lots of interest, and all from good paths as can be seen in the picture in my photo albums on Facebook and Google+
The show the variety that can be experienced and that there are places out there if you want to take your first steps.

Do you need places like this to walk through or any help at all to start walking ? 



]]><![CDATA[Walking and Talking]]>Tue, 29 May 2012 13:15:29 GMThttp://www.skylarkactivities.com/2/post/2012/05/walking-and-talking.html My aim when starting to lead netwalks was to get people to mingle whilst enjoying fresh air and green scenery. So far its turned out pretty well as most people are oblivious to the scenery and I don't get many requests to provide information like a Tour Guide ! Thankfully taking in the fresh air is a natural body function and luckily it seems as though the talking starts when the walking starts. However I have a challenge coming up to lead netwalks for two organisations in Nottingham for people who may not have done any networking before or who don't relish the thought of striking up conversations with strangers.
I've previously posted a blog giving a tip to have some questions prepared for networking and listing 10 generic questions. One of the netwalks is on behalf of TheBIgWheel.org  and is aimed at retailers so I thought it might be worth reiterating the tip to have some "stock in trade" questions ready to take with you.See this Blog post
I've also tried to put a retial slant on these questiosn by spoken with our good friend and retail consultant  Anna Brown of  Anna Brown Consulting  . These are what I've come up with
  1. How long have you worked for your company ?
  2. How did you get involved with that job ?
  3. What do you love most about it ?
  4. What separates your company from the competition ?
  5.  "Many of our famous name retailers are struggling at the moment, or indeed leaving the High Streets/Shopping Centres altogether. How does this make you feel?" "How do you rally together to keep your morale, and that of your teams, high?"
  6.  "What are the challenges facing you at the moment, and how can you work together more collaboratively to keep your own, and your business, performance strong in these harsh economic times?" "What is it you can do to delight your customers and retain their loyalty and spend?"
]]><![CDATA[Top 5 Tips x 3 ]]>Tue, 01 May 2012 06:16:41 GMThttp://www.skylarkactivities.com/2/post/2012/04/top-5-tips-x-3.htmlTop 5 Tips from Netwalking for YOU

5 Top Tips for Walking : Paul Hunt

Stress Proof Your Life: top tips : Frances Taylor

5 Top Tips for Weight Loss and Weight Gain Prevention : Christine Tilbury


5 Top Tips for Walking

These top tips for walking are broad points intended to help you achieve the most from  walking and to give you some ideas to reflect on. Walking is affected by many, often inter-related, factors and very dependant on your own preferences and experience.
 
1.  Wear good footwear that is well fitting and comfortable for your route ... will help you to avoid tired,sore feet and blisters and can assist your progress.

2.  Respect others and the environment you're walking in; you'll contribute to a better society.

3.  Be comfortable with the route, distance and with the clothes you wear. Resist being too ambitious with your walk but if you want to make a fashion statement thats OK.

4.  Have a reason to walk. If you have a purpose like seeing scenery, catching a moment of peace, absorbing local customs or getting fit, you will enjoy it more.

5.  Treat yourself. Whether its a picnic stop, pub visit or buying a souvenir to complete the feel good factor.

I hope you find these useful if you're just getting in to walking or flirting with the idea. Even if you're an experienced walker they might refresh your aims and goals. The secret is to be comfortable, have enjoyment and be individual. Paul hunt

Stress Proof Your Life: top tips.

1. Smile Smiling is the first line of defence against stress. It’s quick, easy, and free! When you smile your body releases feel-good hormones, while the stress hormone, cortisol, is reduced. Smiling helps you feel calm and in control. It lowers your blood pressure and makes you feel good about yourself.


2. Get enough rest and sleep Taking a rest isn’t only about not doing anything. A rest from work can mean putting the emphasis on what you do in your leisure time – hobbies, holidays, sport – to counterbalance work or everyday stress. In addition, we all need sleep for energy, good concentration, general health and body repair. Chronic sleep-deprivation can affect your performance at work, which can then be a key factor in raising stress levels.

3. Positive thinking Changing your thoughts is not as difficult as you think. Try to adopt an outlook on life that stops you seeing external events as determining your happiness. Instead, see your thoughts as the determiner of your happiness. It takes practice, but if you can do this, you will reduce the negative tension that leads to much of the stress in your life. For those of you that are ‘worriers’, try to change the worry word to concern, issue, problem, dilemma or challenge instead.

4. Achieve a good work-life balance Don’t let work dominate your life. No matter how ambitious you are, it’s important to make time for relaxation and fun. That might mean reducing the number of hours you work, or ensuring that you have several evenings a week where you don’t work. Learn to use time-management techniques to ensure you are more productive during normal working hours, rather than continually staying late at the office.


5. Actively monitor your health and wellbeing and take action to nip stress in the bud. Prevention is better that cure.  If you feel that despite all your efforts, stress is getting the better of you, consider getting specialist help.

Nutrition
5 Top Tips for Weight Loss and Weight Gain Prevention

1.  WATER:  Drink 2 litres of water a day.  Drink small sips frequently throughout the day. Big drinks will simply go straight through you and fill your bladder before the water has been utilised throughout the cells of your body.  Remember to always carry water with you.

2. PROTEIN: Protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer, so make sure the balance of your meals is more protein than carbohydrate.  Always include protein in your breakfast rather than just having cereal or toast.


3. CARBOHYDRATE:  Reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat and ensure the ones you do eat are wholegrain.  Carbohydrates convert into energy (glucose) quickly.  If you do not use this energy up because you are sitting at a desk or driving for example, the glucose is stored as fat.  If you are hungry between meals eat low fat protein.


4. FRUIT: two to three pieces of fruit a day is recommended as part of your ‘five’ a day.  Remember though, that fructose is a natural sugar and if you do not use the energy it provides, the sugar will be stored as fat.

 
5. EXERCISE:  Walking is great exercise.  Try parking further away from the shops to get extra exercise.  An extra 10 minutes each way to and from the car 3 times a week adds up to an extra hour’s exercise a week.  Walk briskly to ensure you are a little out of breath.  Of course, include Netwalking in your networking life.
]]><![CDATA[Netwalkers ambushed by meerkats]]>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:50:11 GMThttp://www.skylarkactivities.com/2/post/2011/12/netwalkers-ambushed-by-meerkats.html_ Its a relief when netwalks turn out well despite grizzly weather at this time of year. Especially so when using a new venue and when have new netwalkers attending. Fortunately the weather behaved itself as did the meerkats.

Strelley Hall proved a good choice of venue. Its rural setting on the edge of Nottingham gave a direct turn in the countryside for nine “intrepid explorers”. The cold and sometimes muddy conditions didn't dampen the cheery networking or spoil the long distance views from the “catch my breath” stop. Post – walk nourishment was provided by Marian's bacon rolls, fruit and yoghurt and the meerkats were on cue to entertain us.

Great to provide an event for regular netwalkers to catch up and pleasing to provide a platform for new businesses and netwalkers.

Thank you all for coming – Yvonne of Hewitt Card  who needs meerkats to make accountants look fun and interesting , Alison of Alison Yule Textiles  always giving her best shot with snow balls, Phil of Wide Sky  initiating new venue

Andrea of Andrea Palmer Photography  for showing us how the professionals pose, Catherine at Virtual Law  hope there was enough traction for you, Rena from Geldards - how did you keep your trainers so clean, Mark from The Derby Conference Centre  - forging new relationships and Aaron and Alex from A3 Media (UK)  for venturing out and pioneering spirit.

And special thanks to Phil and Chris of Wide Sky for training the meerkats !

Picture
]]><![CDATA[Netwalking with WIRE and Matlock Business Club]]>Wed, 27 Jul 2011 05:27:34 GMThttp://www.skylarkactivities.com/2/post/2011/07/netwalking-with-wire-and-matlock-business-club.htmlGreat to be working with Catherine Doel of Henmore Marketing to arrange two netwalks in August for Matlock Business Club and WIRE. On the 8th we're starting from Brakendale Spa for a walk that will take in Carsington Water.

On the 19th August is the first Netwalk in Staffordshire; we'll be in the Churnt Valley. where you might catch sight of a steam train like this one ...steam up the Churnet Valley ]]><![CDATA[10 Questions for Networking]]>Fri, 22 Jul 2011 07:37:43 GMThttp://www.skylarkactivities.com/2/post/2011/07/10-questions-for-networking.htmlWhat do you ask when you meet someone ?  What do you say if there is a lull in the conversation ?

If you've never done something before you often need help to get started. This applies to many aspects of life and is the same in business. No more so than when meeting people to build your networking of contacts. We've also collated some tips that we hope will make it easier for you to make a start. This post is the first tip and gives you an idea of some questions you could ask when meeting someone new or if there is a lull in the conversation.

1. How did you get involved or started in your business….. ? or what made you decide to go into the ..business ?

2. What advice would you give someone if they wanted to be successful in your line of work ?

3. What do you love/enjoy most about what you do ?

4. How are you different from your competitors ?

5. What one thing would you do if you knew you were guaranteed to succeed ?

6. What have you found to be an effective way to promote your business ?

7. What do you do in your spare time ?

8. What would make someone the ideal employee for your business ?

9. How do you think we can work together for mutual gain ?

10. How shall we stay in touch ?


Can you think of any more ? What do our experienced networkers think - do you use any "stock in trade" questions ?


]]><![CDATA[Top netwalkers -- you'll go far]]>Sun, 17 Jul 2011 17:05:21 GMThttp://www.skylarkactivities.com/2/post/2011/07/top-netwalkers-youll-go-far.html Some of you certainly appear to have got the bug to Netwalk. The top netwalker being Des Rennels Des Rennell Recognition Expressof Recongition Express with 6 walks to his credit. Sorry there's no reward Des…. couldn't think of anything you've not already got !

Closely followed by Catherine Winstanley of Park Plaza Hotel Nottingham – well done you deserve a cup cake;  the very sociable Kaye Booth of SocialMyna and Aiming High is Chrissie Bedwin.
]]><![CDATA[Netwalking with Matlock Business Club]]>Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:22:03 GMThttp://www.skylarkactivities.com/2/post/2011/06/netwalking-with-matlock-business-club.htmlReally pleased to be doing a netwalk jointly with Matlock Business Club and from such a great starting location.

Come and join us for an afternoon's netwalk with Matlock Business Club on Thursday June 30 and explore an unusual part of Derbyshire. Refreshments are included.
Rendezvous at the secluded Cliff Farm (Peak Serenity) with walking shoes laced up for 4.30 pm. Take in the fantastic views and explore the surrounding area with its woods, stone circles and mock beggars hall. We'll return to Cliffe Farm around 5.45 pm for refreshments and to carry on networking.
After a welcome briefing we'll walk 2.5 miles along well defined paths and country lanes over typical Derbyshire hill farm country and through woods. A few styles will be encountered but these shouldn't pose a barrier as you'll be in a group that helps each other and that's determined to see the points of interest in this part of Derbyshire.

Location and Directions : Cliff Farm is on the lane between Elton and Alport.
Directions : Post Code for Google Maps and satnavs : DE45 1LL

There is a small charge of £5 ,which includes refreshments, and is payable on the day to Catherine Doel or Catherine Gordon of Matlock Business Club.
To Book : email : info@colemanbradshaw.co.uk
Distance : 2.5 miles / 4 Kilometres
Terrain : Hill farm countryside of grassed fields and woodland. Well defined paths and country lane; some wooden styles and some squeeze styles.
Points of Interest : Cratcliffe Rocks, Hermits Cave, Robin Hood Stride, Nine Stone Close Standing Stones , Harthill moor and woods


]]><![CDATA[Wildlife experience]]>Mon, 02 May 2011 20:17:17 GMThttp://www.skylarkactivities.com/2/post/2011/05/wildlife-experience.htmlYou can always be sure of a suprise whilst out walking. Imagine my delight to capture the antics of this fox on Friday last; partly because I'd got my camera ready for once ! and mostly because nature produced a special moment
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