Following on from their inaugural event last November, Knutsford's Get Up & Glow team, returned at the end of March with a fabulous evening of style, self-care, fitness and confidence-boosting tips. SMOOK, The Vibrancy Hub, Debbie Ellis Nails & Beauty and Elevate Personal Training hosted a second Knutsford event, this time in the amazing space of Apus Peak.
Working collaboratively, the four Knutsford-based businesses were determined to build on the success of the first event and show local women how to regain their confidence and look and feel their best.
"After the last event, we received some incredible feedback from attendees, who felt empowered, enlightened, inspired and more confident, which is exactly what we wanted to achieve," commented high street designer and Knutsford-based stylist, Laura Davies of SMOOK, the driving force behind Get Up & Glow.
The first event, which was held at Dexter & Jones on 19 November, was a complete sell-out with a waiting list, so this time the four businesses decided to opt for bigger venue and switch to an evening to accommodate those who couldn't make it in the autumn due to work and childcare commitments.
"Kay Tierney from Apus Peak approached us about hosting a second Get Up & Glow event," said Laura. "We went to have a look around, with the intention of using the back room, but were blown away by how gorgeous the main space is. We loved the idea of serving woodfired pizza and Prosecco and creating a wonderful social atmosphere, while also celebrating ourselves and our beautiful hometown."
Katy Brown of wellbeing coaching specialist, The Vibrancy Hub, opened the evening with an inspiring talk about reclaiming identity, learning to say 'no' and gaining clarity on 'what's next' in life. She also shared mindset and meditation tips and some useful hacks for living a joyful and more fulfilling life.
Adding fitness into the equation, Elevate Personal Training's Clare Millington explained how to incorporate exercise into daily life, without feeling pressured to smash it in the gym every day. Clare specialises in helping women feel fitter, stronger and more body confident.
Debbie Ellis of Debbie Ellis Nails & Beauty gave a fabulous demonstration of eyebrow threading, dispelling the myth that it hurts. She also spoke passionately about self-care and explained why she loves helping women to look and feel their best.
"Beauty is a huge passion of mine, as well as being my career. Delivering treatments that help women to feel uplifted makes my job so worthwhile. We're all guilty of not setting time aside for self-care and that includes me! The difference I see in clients after they've had a treatment is considerable; it's amazing what an hour of pampering, chats and hot coffee can do for the soul."
Laura Davies ended the evening with some brilliant styling advice. As well as explaining how to create a spring capsule wardrobe, Laura talked about the Four Steps to Personal Style and showcased some gorgeous, seasonal outfits from retailers such as Knutsford's Cocaranti and Mint Velvet Manchester. She also shocked (and delighted) the crowd with the news that bootleg jeans are back!
"As a personal stylist I have worked with so many women this year who have lost their way when it comes to style and confidence. My job and absolute passion in life is to help women feel their best through clothing. Style is for everyone and doesn't have to be hard work. I'm here to help women dress for their body shape and use colour to celebrate their unique personalities. It has a huge impact on how you feel and I'm excited to share this concept with more women."
Laura is also passionate about supporting local businesses and wanted to include as many Knutsford retailers as possible to showcase what the town has to offer.
"I was thrilled that so many businesses wanted to get involved. We had goodie bags full of special offers and lovely giveaways, including exclusive discounts from Mint Velvet Manchester. There were also some fabulous raffle prizes from local retailers such as Morgan Edwards, Cocaranti, Kiwi Bottles, Gusto, Petit Pomme, Cheshire Quality, Apus Peak and Pulse of Perfumery.
"I would like to say a big thank you to local photographer, Sadie Sherran of Whitrigg Photography, who did a beautiful job of capturing the event, and to the amazing team at Apus Peak for serving up a storm," added Laura. "The Prosecco flowed freely, and everyone agreed that the woodfired pizza and cake were utterly delicious. Here's to the next event!"