Congratulations to my friend from Uni and his wife who have recently launched a new business,
thesweetiestop.co.uk. In the face of the economic 'blip', it is encouraging to see new ventures, especially when it is such a sweet tasting enterprise!
The online store stocks a variety of sweets, chocolates and toffees, to be delivered to your chosen destination. This, I must confess, is rather dangerous for me as I am struggling to find motivation to stick to weight watchers, and chocolatey goodies are just distracting me. My childhood favourites, the Icy Chocolate Cups are there, the sweet melt in the mouth goodies in foil cups, as well as white chocolate fish & chips, and the chocolate tool kits!
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Other new ventures are a partnership with Peel Media and SIS who have signed a 10 year agreement to provide the production and technical services to the BBC at Media City UK in Salford. As a former employee of 3sixtymedia (the production/technical team at The Manchester Studios/Granada TV/ITV), I had been following the progress of the site, with anticipation, trepidation and a great deal of hope, that 3sixty would play a part in the service provision. I had dreams of us all moving over there, into plush offices, to run the brand spanking new studios, with all our expert production crew, resources department, Coronation Street and all.
Since leaving 3sixty I have seen many of my colleagues be made redundant, a sign of the times, it is not just factories or banks that are affected by the recession. The BBC has a new recruitment process, whereby the applicant submits all their details. Once job positions are opened, those in the system will automatically shortlisted, for only the roles for which they are deemed most suitable.
In that most of my friends and family are employed by the creative media industry, most of them have been getting their profiles submitted.
I'll admit I have dropped off the radar since moving from television into teaching, so I am not sure what this new partnership with Peel and SIS means for the future of 3sixty, or indeed ITV, and it's employees at the historic site on Quay Street in Manchester. The recent removal of the iconic Granada TV sign, was perhaps symbolic of other changes.
The talent at 3sixty and Granada are the true assets of the company, so I am sure that regardless, they will continue to be successful in their career's, be it as a 3sixty employee, or as freelance over at Media City. I was so very proud to work at Granada, so would be gutted should it not flourish from the BBC's move up North.
That being said, more than anything, I hope that my friends, family and former colleagues benefit, rather than suffer any hardships, in the light of this news.. after all there are only so many superstars needed, and they are all stellar!
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And finally, on a lighter note, if not bizarre revelation. I had a dream about Terry Wogan the other night, and now am unable to watch the Nintendo DS advert, without feeling a wee bit uncomfortable and a bit ashamed, it's like fancying your mates Dad.
