As we start to slowly emerge from the Coronavirus pandemic, there's work to be done to get the North West back on its feet. Corporate partner Richard Robinson sits down for a (virtual) coffee with Napthens CEO Shru Morris to discuss the effect the pandemic has had on North West businesses (including Napthens) and the challenges facing business leaders as they look to bounce back. This is the first in a new series which will feature Napthens people as well as key business players from across the region. We would love your feedback.

According to charity Mind, at least one in six workers experiences common mental health problems including anxiety and depression, with ‘work’ the biggest cause of stress in people’s lives – more so than debt or financial problems. ACAS agrees, and reports health in the workplace is no longer just about health and safety, and minimising physical hazards. Instead, employers are rightly placing more emphasis on physical and mental fitness. In the latest edition of the Brief Conversation podcast, Jenny Heyes, people consultant at Napthens meets Jonathan Bowyer, director at leadership and coaching facilitator 'View from Here' to discuss issues ranging from whether stress is simply a part of modern working life and should be accepted as such, to whether workplaces are treating the issue seriously enough and how it can affect a business’ bottom line.

It happens to us all and there’s no escaping it. As a nation though we’re unlike many cultures where death is embraced and celebrated. There’s also been attempts by a range of organisations to bring death out in the open and to talk about it. The Co-op famously launched its top ten songs played at funerals and explained why people have chosen them. By bringing humour to the subject, they thought it could break the taboo and get us to think about our final resting place. So why don’t we talk about the one thing we all have in common?

With over 2,163 sq miles and a population of around 498,000 people, Cumbria is a place where thousands of people visit to experience its breath-taking countryside and in particular the Lake District. Napthens Head of Cumbria, Jamie Allison sat down with Gill Haigh, managing director at Cumbria Tourism, and John Houghton of A Lamb Associates, a construction consultancy based in Kirkby Lonsdale, for a brief conversation about the key challenges and opportunities for the county.

In the first episode, Head of Leisure and Licensing, Malcolm Ireland sat down with David Bremner, marketing director at Robinson's Brewery, to discuss the hospitality and leisure sector, and the challenges and opportunities it faces.