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jonsterckx.co.uk

Tabla Percussion World Music Workshops. Samswara Indian Music, Sitar & Tabla, Stroud, Devon & South West UK Jon Sterckx is a tabla player & innovative percussionist with 30 years experience of working with world percussion & World Music. He studied tabla in UK with Harjinder Singh Matharu and in India with Shivanand Bandhari at the Naadashree Arts Institute in Kumta, Karnataka, and with Kailash Nishad in Benares (Varanasi). Jon has performed twice at TED events, and his performance at TEDxWarwick was selected from over 10,000 TED events globally for inclusion in the TED Global Music Project. Jon plays a range of percussion instruments and has worked across a wide range of musical styles, from Indian classical music and other traditional world music to contemporary experimental & ‘fusion’ styles, theatre & dance collaborations, and his solo multi-percussion Live Sampling / Live Looping performances – Drumscapes. Jon is available for percussion performances, Tabla and percussion tuition in Stroud & Gloucestershire, world rhythm workshops across UK and as a session musician anywhere in the world, through remote recording sessions. Jon has delivered Tabla, World Music, Indian Music & World Rhythm workshops to schools, colleges, universities & festivals for over 20 years. Contact for more information & booking details. Jon is a Tutor and Mentor for South West Music School, an Associate of Wiltshire Music Connects and a partner of Swindon Music Service. He also runs weekly tabla classes in Swindon. Jon has performed with various artists and groups including Indo/Arabic instrumental duo Taaliqa, Fusion group Dhani, Balkan Folktronica duo Arhai and Drumscapes – his unique solo multi-percussion live sampling performances which he has performed at WOMAD, London International Arts Festival, Beautiful Days, Pulse festival, Drum Camp, Tribe of Doris, World Music Workshop Festival and at most of the UK’s main world music festivals & Melas. Jon’s Drumscapes work has also been featured twice by music software company Ableton in the Ableton blog. Jon was a selected performer at the National Celebration of British Asian Live Arts in 2008, and his sitar & tabla duo Samswara were voted ‘Best Group in South West & South Wales’ in the MTM South Asian & Ethnic Minorities Awards 2014. Jon has recorded for Grammy winning composer Christopher Tin on his album ‘The Drop That Contained The Sea’, Grammy nominated producer Arun Shenoy on the track ‘Bliss’, BBC Music Folk Award winners Phil Henry & Hannah Martin album ‘Singing The Bones’ and Americana folk artist ‘Mean’ Mary James amongst many others. Jon has been commissioned by the music creation software company Bandlab to produce content for their platform. Jon has produced sample packs in Bollywood Percussion, Tabla and his own ‘Jon Sterckx Signature’ pack. Tuition &Training: Jon’s tabla tuition began in Cardiff with Harjinder Singh Matharu from Birmingham. Harjinder gave Jon a good solid foundation in tabla playing between 1994 – 1998 as well as the encouragement & inspiration to commit himself seriously to the instrument. In 1994 / 1995, Jon returned to India where he learned from Shivanand Bhandari at the Naadashree Arts Institute in Kumta, Karnataka, India. In 1998 & 1999, Jon returned to India and studied with Kailash Nishad in Benares, (Varanasi) in North India, a city renowned for the study of North Indian (Hindustani) music. In 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2005 Jon organised performances & workshops for Kailash in the UK, where he delivered workshops in universities & performed Tabla solos at Arts Centres & venues in the South West UK. During these month long visits to the UK, Kailash stayed with Jon in Devon and continued Jon’s tabla tuition. They also gave performances together, with Taaliqa playing the first set & Kailash performing tabla solo in the second. In 2005 they also performed together in a collaborative finale. Jon’s other musical studies include a BA ( Hons ) Music degree from Dartington College of Arts in 2000, where his main subject was in composing music for live performance.

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safe hearts

Waltham Cross

In 2015, with a mission, passion and dedication to empower business owners, managers, entrepreneurs, staff and individuals with high quality education, training and professional development on both a local and national scale - Safe Hearts Training Ltd was established by Sherry Diaz-Thompson. Having witnessed first-hand the devastation that underlying illnesses, workplace-related injuries, accidents and other diseases can cause, Sherry wanted to help, in fact she needed to help and make an impact by providing impactful training that is different, focused on companies and individuals needs whilst using all the experience, knowledge, skills, qualifications and expertise of carefully selected qualified instructors to help make a difference to people's lives – giving them the confidence they needed to take action when emergency may strike. This is extremely personal and important to Sherry because at 19 years old she was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), an inherited condition affecting the red blood cell and various organs in the body, which causes severe pain and hospitalisation. Without treatment, people with SCD may die in childhood but, even with treatment, it can still cause serious or life-threatening problems. Sherry firmly believes that the more people train, the better it is for individuals, families, workplaces, communities, healthcare and the social care sector. As there is a known chain reaction that happens when health or safety incidents strike – it affects everyone! Safe hearts training a registered training provider we run various BLS, ILS, PILS, AED, Medical Emergencies, Infection Control, Health and Safety and Safeguarding Courses to dental and healthcare professionals, businesses and individuals across the UK; providing training solutions that comply with current UK and International legislation.. We pride ourselves on supplying high quality, effective and affordable training ensuring Safe Hearts Training plays a vital role empowering people with the right knowledge, skills, strategies and confidence across the UK – Ultimately, saving lives, saving money, improve productivity and reducing workplace related accidents and injuries; creating a safe, happy and fulfilling working environment. Apart from our training division we are also suppliers of first aid kits, healthcare equipment, defibrillators and safety supplies for both the workplace and home. Adding Value! We are passionate and believe 100% in making our training a fun, interactive and a stimulating experience - our aim is to add value, build confidence and increase productivity. Safe Hearts Training is committed to tutor led theoretical and practical instruction by people who are experts in the industry and have real experience of relevant work environments. All our courses are accredited by the UK and Europe's # One Awarding bodies - Protrainings and TQUK complete with Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Credits for each learner. If you've ever been forced to sit through a boring, standardised training course, then you will understand our motivation for creating a more impactful and hands-on approach. We believe people learn best when they're able to participate, have fun and remain engaged throughout their learning experience. With a dedicated network of like-minded, experienced instructors we can provide the best learning experience ever without breaking the bank. Our Passion Our passion is to save lives and change mindsets through education by reaching potentially millions of people through educational and life-saving training anywhere in the world with our e-learning and video based courses – making our vision of global training a reality. EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION Giving back to our community is part of our responsibility and so with our awarding body we can do can this the best way we know how by empowering the next generation with training that matters. Check out our FREE first aid training for school children throughout the UK. With thousands of children trained to date, we're making a great impact securing the world as a safer place for you, your children and for future generations.

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innerwiser

London

At innerwiser, we are passionate about self-development. We believe that personal development is not for broken people; it’s for people who want a better life. Our Vision, Mission & Values Vision – Our vision is to be an organisation that inspires and supports individuals and professionals in their journey of becoming a better version of themselves every day! We aspire to bring about a change in the educational landscape in a humane manner of dealing with families and professionals. Mission – We aspire to create outstanding professionals and individuals that promote educational excellence, character development and wellbeing of themselves, organisations and the community at large. Values – We believe in every individual and their potential. We respect their believes and choices. We prioritise making knowledge and quality services accessible to all, especially to the busy professionals and parents out there who might feel alone in their journey. We are here to support people turn their dreams into a reality! Meet Nikita Phadnavis Soft Skills & Emotional Intelligence Trainer (Master of Business Administration & Economics) Parenting & Life Design Coach (Early Years Professional and a Certified Life Coach) Global Thought Leader, GFEL 2019 & Entrepreneurship Award winner, Santander 2020 Nikita's Story Nikita is a polyglot who has over 15 years of experience working in 7 different countries. She has worked on government, and United Nations-backed projects with delegates from over 72 countries, has hosted television shows to raise social awareness in Japan and Ukraine and co-founded a charity in India to bring about reforms in education. She has travelled to almost 60 countries and takes a keen interest in the lives and cultures of people. Nikita recently received recognition for her work in the field of education and training as ‘Top 100 Leaders in Education’ from the Global Forum for Education and Learning. She has worked with people of all backgrounds, cultures and ages – right from babies to adults. Her wealth of experiences enables her to engage with people from all walks of life. Nikita works in London as an Educational Consultant providing training and advice to international schools and private and voluntary sector institutions. She has transformed ‘inadequate’ rated schools into ‘good’ (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills inspection in England). She genuinely cares about the families she works with and uses creative ways to meet their unique needs. For example, at one of the schools, Nikita created a bespoke software to enable the staff to accurately track children’s progress and communicate it with their parents, while reducing unnecessary paperwork. In her spare time, she volunteers in orphanages and charities supporting underprivileged children in Romania. Nikita delivers corporate staff training on the very contemporary topic of Emotional Intelligence and Wellbeing. She firmly believes that as adults, we need to think of our wellbeing, to benefit ourselves and to enable us to support people in our care. Nikita also trains parents and teachers on this very topic, which is also a topic of her doctoral research. She firmly believes that it’s never too early or too late to think of emotional literacy. Nikita has a master’s degree in business and economics and is a qualified teacher with post-graduate qualifications in Froebelian and Montessori philosophy and psychology. She has done several other pieces of training in the field of education to support children with special needs. She is trained as a forest school leader, a first aider and as a safeguarding lead. She is a certified Life Coach, and a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and Nero-Linguistic Programming practitioner. She feels passionate about education, and her vision is to help people attain their potential by connecting with their own emotions and having healthy relationships. A value that Nikita strongly believes in is ‘Emotional Growth’ and self-trust.

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monkey music east grinstead & reigate

Reigate

Autumn term bookings are now open and are showing to be very popular. We are also pleased to say that classes with be running again in Reigate on a Monday from the 7th Nov.CloseThere are so many proven benefits that music is good for our children and it’s an absolute privilege to be able to provide a stimulating, fun packed music and singing class for your little ones.At Monkey Music we are proud to be part of your child’s musical journey from the age of 3 months to 4 years, meaning it is suitable for babies, toddlers and kids & I am delighted to be able to offer this fantastic experience to you and your children.I played the violin as a child and sang in the school choir, in my teenage years, I was always listening to music wherever I went.Now as an adult the radio is forever on and I love a good sing song.After I had my first child, I decided I wanted to share my love of music with her. She was only a few months old and I wasn’t sure where to start. We went along to quite a few different baby and toddler music classes and groups, but when Monkey Music was recommended to me by a friend, from the very first class we were hooked and never looked back. I was impressed with everything about the class, the structured lesson plans, the progressive musical curricula and a wonderfully caring teacher.Very soon my little girl loved her sessions so much we had to have a collection at home of the Monkey Music songs, books and of course Monkey and Mo so she could perform her very own classes.Because the curricular is progressive by nature, it often means that families stay with Monkey Music and even bring their new additions along, (I’m now attending with my second child).The four levels of Monkey Music are specially developed around the capabilities and interests of your child, at that specific time in their lives. You will hear traditional nursery rhymes as well as some of the 500 original Monkey Music songs that have been specially written to support the curricula and your child’s development. To aid this we will use an extensive kit of carefully selected instruments, sensory and colourful props with lots and lots of activities and actions. All of the above will certainly help your child with their Social, Physical and Language Skills. It has been scientifically proven that music has great advantages and health benefits for children. One of those benefits is Music helps to improve brain power and memory. Students who were exposed to music while growing up excelled better academically than those who were not. Music helps in stimulating the part of the brain that is responsible for reading, mathematics and emotional development. Music also helps with a child’s development of social skills.Being part of a Monkey Music class will help your child relate to others, feel part of a group and eventually listen to instruction. You will watch their confidence grow and they will certainly be rewarded with praise and will feel a great sense of achievement. I have undergone extensive training to ensure I can provide a fun packed but professional class for your family.I am fully CRB checked and paediatric First Aid trained. Our classes will allow you to share precious time together, meet like-minded people and for your children to make Musical friends, so why not book your complimentary class so you can experience Monkey Music for yourself and I’m sure you too will become part of the Monkey Music family.

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the socent connection

London

Our mission is to promote social enterprise to people and give them the opportunity to connect with the many amazing companies within the sector. We want to inspire the next generation of change makers, whether as consumers, employees or entrepreneurs. Commited to Growth 100 % Passionate 100 % Friendly 100 % The Founders Story Meet Anthony Veluz The journey so far… Summer 2012- National Citizen Service EBP My social enterprise journey started in 2012. At the end of my Law and Business degree, I worked as a Mentor on the National Citizen Service (NCS) for their summer programme. I supported and coached a group of young people, through a programme of personal and social development, which culminated in a social action project in their local area. This programme consisted of team-building activities at an outdoor activity centre and skills development week at a University. For social action, my group carried out a project in their local community, providing a positive impact. Although NCS encompasses social impact, I wasn’t aware of social enterprise at the time. I didn’t even realise that the NCS provider I was working for, The Education Business Partnership (EBP), was a social enterprise themselves. It was only during the following year that I realised EBP were a social enterprise. I worked for them on NCS as a mentor across 13 different programmes over the years. 2013 – Elephant Branded It was during my Masters that I came across Elephant Branded, the first social enterprise I actually knew about! I had an interest in ‘good business’ and it was whilst I was watching ‘Be your own Boss’ on BBC3 that I discovered Elephant Branded. They make these amazing products out of recycled material, which in turn funds school kits in Africa and Asia. They also support the communities who make these products. I researched them online and discovered they had a student rep program. This is where the journey began. I started doing events on campus such as talks, lectures, pop-up stands, promoting Elephant Branded online and offline. This caught the eye of James Boon, Elephant Branded’s founder who offered me further opportunities across the country. Opening doors to lectures, talks, workshops and events in places such as Nottingham, Boston, Cardiff, Surrey and London. I really enjoyed what I was doing. I was able to meet many other social enterprises at events and learn more about social business. I gained new contacts, new skills and newfound confidence. Working For Other Social Enterprises Elephant Branded got the ball rolling. Other social enterprises were seeing what I was doing which led to me promoting them. I started working for GiveMeTap and LSTN Sound Co in addition to Elephant Branded. The skills I obtained with Elephant Branded were transferred to my newly appointed roles. I was offered a unique opportunity to represent all three social enterprises on the NCS programme, which I had previously mentored on. I delivered the Business Challenge on NCS across the East Midlands and Yorkshire, representing Elephant Branded, GiveMeTap and LSTN. It was The Apprentice meets Social Enterprise meets NCS. I had great fun promoting social enterprise to the young people on NCS. The challenge encouraged them to think about social enterprise ideas in their local areas and pitching new business ideas. During Global Entrepreneurship Week, again I represented all three social enterprises at an event hosted by Enterprise Zone and UnLtd at Boston College, celebrating social enterprise, Go Social. It was at this event I met people from UnLtd and discovered they funded social enterprises. I looked into this and eventually pitched for both pre-start-up funding and start-up funding. In between, I also successfully pitched for start-up funding from my University in Lincoln, leading to the next piece of the puzzle, setting up The Socent Connection.

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angel of education

London

We create innovative web-based applications to help all levels of the education sector, from pupils, teachers and school leaders right through to local authorities and large academy chains. Our tools are used nationwide, as well as internationally. We Believe… Everyone deserves a quality education; Freedom & creativity breed innovation; Excellence should be noticed & rewarded; Life is better with some fun & personality; Greatness comes from always knowing that you can be better; Angel is not its employees, but our beliefs. Those will live forever. The Angel Circus At the beginning of 2012, we converted our offices into a Circus so that our surroundings could reflect the personality and innovation that takes place within the company. Why a circus? Because the circus is a place where talented performers train hard and work to entertain and thrill their audience. In the same way, we want to wow people with our software, customer service and support. We love seeing visitors’ faces when they come to meet Team Angel at our circus. There’s a Big Top and gypsy caravan for creative meetings, a grandstand (complete with ball pool) for presentations, a full-wall blackboard for ideas and inspiration, plus fairground mirrors, a popcorn machine and plenty of other circus curiosities for fun. Most of our staff have even learnt to juggle! And really, it’s our staff who reflect the Angel Solutions DNA more than any props ever could. How We Encourage Creativity… Beyond the circus, creativity and innovation is central to how we work. We give staff plenty of opportunities to promote and showcase their talents, whether work-related or not, and place a high value on ongoing learning. Most importantly, we always strive to celebrate effort and creative thinking in our team, just as much as we celebrate their successes. For example, our staff might… Introduce a new work process to try to save time Trial a new technology inside one of our products Teach a skill or share an idea at a lunchtime smorgasbord session Work with a totally different team on an innovation day Run a staff training session to share their knowledge Do an online course to learn something new No matter how busy we are, it’s important to us to carve out precious time like this. We hold Innovation Days every month and encourage as many people as possible to pause what they’re working on to take part. During that time, teams can mix up and people have an opportunity to work on whatever they want! At the show and tell sessions at the end of these days, presentations are always met with the sound of applause and cheering, whether or not they worked out! Our Performers More than anything else, our company culture is genuinely reflected in the wonderful people who make up our staff team. Lots of our staff have been with us a long time now — some since graduating from university — and their hard work, dedication, expertise and creativity is rewarded. Take a look at our jobs page for more on the benefits we give our team, or see our Flickr photo gallery for a flavour of what it’s like to work at Angel. Want to Visit the Circus? We love it when schools, authorities and other current or potential stakeholders come to visit us here, and are always welcoming to the office groups of students or people from other sectors who want to come and meet our team. Only here at our circus can you get a true feel for who we are and what makes our products and services so special. Simply get in touch if you’d like to pay us a visit. We are hiring! Join Team Angel If you think you’d fit in well in our team and have skills to offer, head over to our jobs page to find out more! WORK WITH US About us Our Team The Board Our Charity Work Awards Recruitment How to find us

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the university of huddersfield

London

Whatever you aim to do in life, it pays to get a good education. And with high standards of teaching and learning and excellent facilities that's exactly what our students can expect from the University of Huddersfield. Based right in the town centre and at the heart of the local community, we help thousands of people, from school leavers to those returning to education after a gap, achieve their goals each year. Why do nearly 20,000 students choose to study at Huddersfield? Excellence The University of Huddersfield is a growing centre of research and excellence and we always push the boundaries of knowledge. The University of Huddersfield achieved a Gold Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) award in June 2017. This award expired in June 2021 and the scheme is currently being revised. We look forward to being reassessed when the awards are re-opened in 2023. We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017). Triple proof of teaching excellence; our staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2022). So, you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best. We are joint first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 20 since 2008 (2022 data). We've world-leading applied research groups in biomedical sciences, engineering and physical sciences, social sciences and arts and humanities. The University of Huddersfield became the Times Higher Education University of the Year in November 2013. Judges highlighted the University’s outstanding record for student satisfaction and employability with the University placed in the top ten in the country in both categories. We asked our staff and students why they thought the University of Huddersfield won the University of the Year award. Here's what they said. Employment We have an impressive record for graduate employment, with 96.5% of our undergraduate and 96.6% of postgraduate students in work or further study within fifteen months after graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20, UK domiciled, other activities excluded). The University places a great deal of importance on industry experience and therefore 100% of our undergraduate students have the opportunity to undertake professional work experience during their studies. Enjoyable Since 2008, £156 million has been spent on campus development making sure our students have access to some of the best facilities in the country. Our campus also has a vibrant social scene and we have a very active Students’ Union with more than 110 clubs and societies. Enterprising The University is growing its reputation as a leader in the field of enterprise. In 2012 the University was awarded the prestigious Times Higher Education Entrepreneurial University of the Year and followed this up in 2013 and 2022 when it was awarded a Queen’s Awards for Enterprise: International Trade. Professor Liz Towns-Andrews, 3M Professor of Innovation, also received an individual Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion. Then in 2019 our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan, won the Examiner Business Person of the Year award. We have helped a number of graduates to set up their own successful businesses and have a fantastic Enterprise Team who are here to help students get their business ideas off the ground. The Enterprise Hub, housed in the 3M Buckley Innovation Centre, is a great hub for students who wish to set up their own business and provides a great opportunity to network with other students and local businesses.

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allison maxwell

London

Allison Maxwell was first introduced to the great benefits of yoga 26 years ago while studying at university. She was pretty hyperactive, had frequent headaches and difficulty sleeping. A friend suggested she should try yoga, so they both joined the local College of Further Education class in Oxford. After just one course Allison was hooked and made it her priority to get to her weekly yoga class. Since then Allison has tried just about every type of yoga on offer and since qualifying as a teacher some 15 years ago has developed her own style that reflects her personality. Picture Picture Qualifications Allison's teaching qualification is from the British Wheel of Yoga (BWYDip) where she holds a diploma, which she completed in 2000. The British Wheel of Yoga is the UK’s largest yoga community and is renowned for it’s 500 hour yoga teacher training courses that are also accredited with the Yoga Alliance and take approximately two years to complete. Following this she trained to teach yoga to mother and babies and obtained a certificate from Cambridge Active Birth in 2002. She then went on to train to teach yoga to children studying with the Calm for Kids institute and completed this in 2005. As a qualified BWY yoga teacher Allison maintains a current First Aid certificate, is fully insured and attends regular CPD training days. The Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs Teacher Training course (YHLB-R), is accredited as a Recognized Centre of excellence in training and standards by The British Wheel of Yoga (the national governing body for yoga for Sports England and Sports & Recreation Alliance UK) - view www.yogaforbacks.co.uk. How yoga helped me - Allison's own words " During my role as Health Clinic Manager in a busy private clinic in central London, my health started to suffer. I often worked 12-hour days, managing staff, dealing with clients and meeting press deadlines. The one aspect of my life I never gave up was my regular yoga classes and I found that yoga was an escape from my busy schedule enabling me to 'recharge my batteries' for the next week ahead. With so many of my high flying clients suffering with addictions to alcohol and anti-depressants, I was so glad I found yoga as my release from stress! Following this I decided to study for a Master's degree at Southampton University. On completion of my MSc in Public Health Nutrition I decided to treat myslef to a yoga retreat in South India. I had no idea of the impact it would have on my life and it was life changing in many ways. Firstly, I had been plagued by almost daily headaches for over fifteen years, since suffering a neck injury from a trampolining accident at school. On my return to England my headaches has disappeared. Despite spending a fortune on other therapies over the years it was yoga that got rid of them! Also I felt more in control, happier and focused for the first time in my life. The positive impact yoga had on my life inspired me to train to be a yoga teacher. The first yoga class I taught was for Lewisham Council in London, for a group of people suffering stress and anxiety. I was thrown in at the deep end and it was a memorable experience. However, I was delighted at the benefits enjoyed by many members of the group. After moving to Berkshire I then taught in a variety of venues in Marlow, Wokingham and Reading, including Reading University (staff and students), schools, nurseries and exclusive health clubs and spas. In 2008 we moved to Colwall and shortly after we arrived I set up my first yoga class in my home and now offer two classes a week and one-to-one sessions. I also teach at three further classes in Malvern and run regular retreats at The Clover Mill Spa."

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3d cakes glasgow

Midlothian

In 2007, at the age of 22, David Duncan gave up a secure job in the IT industry and took the first steps to make an old dream come true. David has always had a strong creative streak; from helping his grandmother bake and decorate the most beautiful cakes in her kitchen when he was a little boy, to sculpting in clay in his school’s art department – the seeds were sown that would eventually grow into the highly successful and award-winning 3D Cakes. From a humble start in 2005, making spectacular wedding cakes for friends and friends of friends in his kitchen, things accelerated quickly to an ever-expanding business. David is now one of Europe’s most renowned cake designers, most famous for his fashion-inspired cakes. David and his team have been honoured to design and create cakes for HM The Queen, HRH The Prince of Wales, J.K Rowling, Prince William, Bon Jovi, Crowded House, and high profile brands including Dior and Chanel. 3D Cakes Edinburgh won the VOWS (Voted Outstanding Wedding Supplier) ‘Cake Designer’ Award in 2008 & 2009. In 2010 a selection of 3D's wedding designs featured in the summer issue of VOGUE magazine in the UK. Later that year, David changed his focus to a previously unfounded niche in the UK market – creating realistic sculpture cakes. In 2011, the company's fashion inspired designs were showcased at Copenhagen Fashion Week. In 2012, David expanded into the field of cake master classes, with 3D Cakes having tutored in excess of 32,000 students to date at the David Duncan Sugarcraft School. A highlight of 2012 was creating a giant cake (a map of Scotland) for Holyrood Palace depicting HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Tour Route. In April 2013, the team created a cake for the Royal Yacht Brittania’s 60th Anniversary celebrations, with the cake being displayed on board the Yacht, in the magnificent State Dining Room. In September of that year, David was honoured to design a cake for Prince William, whom gifted the cake to Yao Ming for his birthday and rhino conservation work. In February 2014, 3D Cakes Edinburgh won both ‘South East Wedding Cake Designer of the Year’ and the overall ‘Scottish Wedding Cake Designer of The Year’ at the Scottish Wedding Awards. 2014 was to be a big year for the team, with their expanding online tutorial service and the brand new ‘David Duncan Cake Supplies’ online store launched in summer 2014 - click here to visit the site, this also coincided with the launch of the 3D Cakes 24 Hour Deals website. In March 2015, 3D Cakes again won both the "South East Wedding Cake Designer of the Year" and the overall "Scottish Wedding Cake Designer of the Year" at the Scottish Wedding Awards 2015 and were thrilled to again win ‘South East Wedding Cake Designer of The Year’ at the Scottish Wedding awards in February 2016, were again finalists in the 2017 awards, as well as Runner-Up in The Confetti Awards 2017. In April of that year, the decision was taken to split the business with Alannah taking over the Edinburgh business, rebranding as 3D Cakes Edinburgh, and David starting a new venture in Glasgow, 3D Cakes Glasgow. In December 2017, the 3D Cakes Edinburgh team were honoured to create a replica of HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier which David presented to HM The Queen at the commissioning ceremony for the ship in Portsmouth. 2018 saw the David Duncan Masterclass Tour begin in Copenhagen, with future tours planned for Paris and Milan. In early 2019, 3D Cakes Edinburgh were finalists in the Confetti Awards and again won both the "South East Wedding Cake Designer of the Year" and the overall "Scottish Wedding Cake Designer of the Year" at the Scottish Wedding Awards.

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love is in you

Often we credit the feeling of being “in love” to another person: someone who supposedly ignites that flame. I have come to understand that the feeling of being in love is actually our natural state of being, and that it is possible to access this state whatever circumstances might prevail in our lives… It is out of this experience that the desire to share what I have learnt was born. For many years from my late twenties, I struggled to make sense of my life. I was well-educated, had good friends, a loving family, a fulfilling love life and success at work – all the things I was supposed to want; the things that should make me happy. At times I was happy. And yet somehow it was never enough; on some level I felt I was never enough. Something was missing, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. Then in summer 1999, lying on a beach in Cape Cod, I experienced a kind of epiphany while reading the book Conversations With God by Neale Donald Walsch. I didn’t grow up with much religion. The God I was told about at school left me with the image of a man holding a book of rules, and if you didn’t follow them there’d be no happily-ever-after for you! And if you were reading from the ‘wrong’ book, you were also in trouble… Not surprisingly, I decided to stay well clear of anything ‘religious’. Even now, I don’t quite know what drew me to a book like this one. But in it, Walsch doesn’t talk about the God I was taught about at school.Instead he speaks of a very personal experience with a benevolent force that manifests itself as pure, unconditional love – and that exists within each of us. He describes this force as the foundation of our being and believes we are in direct contact with it whenever we are in touch with our most altruistic loving qualities. Everything we do, he says, comes from a place of either fear or love, and whichever we choose reflects back our own life experiences. Within these pages I discovered a truth that resonated so deeply that I had an experience of direct knowing. I knew that I was more than I had perceived myself to be. You might call it soul, higher consciousness, Buddha-nature, life force, chi, awareness, love… even the entire universe. No words can fully express the depth of this personal revelation. I felt, for the first time ever, in a state of deep peace, and utterly comfortable in my own skin. I knew this feeling as love – unconditional and total. A blissful moment of surrender. And then… life carried on, as it does. Happy times, sad times, and everything in-between. But that experience in Cape Cod had changed me forever. I realised in that moment of revelation that everything I needed in order to be happy was already there within me. During the years that followed I launched myself into a journey of self-inquiry, both physically and spiritually. I’ve studied many teachings – with many teachers – from various disciplines. But those that I continue to use within my life daily are the transformative techniques of kundalini yoga, A Course In Miracles and thus the work of Marianne Williamson, Gangaji and Eckhart Tolle, as well as the principles of Kabbalah and Tantra. And, what I have come to believe is that for every one of us, within the core of our being there is a still, quiet centre that is totally at peace with whatever is happening in every single moment of our lives. And in every single moment we have a choice: to discover the truth, or run from it.

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