The Steeple Times

Tag: mother

  • Hero of the Hour 2023 – Oscar Award Winning Actor James Martin

    Hero of the Hour 2023 – Oscar Award Winning Actor James Martin

    As the modest ‘An Irish Goodbye’ actor James Martin wins an Oscar, we join those celebrating his truly deserved success and his becoming the first star with Down’s Syndrome to win at the Academy Awards

    Many readers of The Steeple Times are big fans of the North Yorkshire born television chef James Martin and one of our readers, Gary Hazell, is involved in distributing his eponymous gin. 50-year-old farmer’s son Mr Martin brings joy to many every Saturday on ITV1 and his “silky smooth, flavor rich gin” most definitely goes down a treat; his passion for cars both classic and modern is also clear and he is most certainly just the kind of role model the nation needs.

     

    After winning a BAFTA in February for his role in the short film An Irish Goodbye and last night – on the very day of his 31st birthday – adding to that with an Oscar at the 95th Academy Awards, another James Martin is now also making waves. Here, indeed, is a Northern Irishman most definitely headed to becoming one of the best-loved and most deserved luminaries of 2023.

     

    This particular James Martin is a rising star actor whose career began when he was a guest on his father Ivan Martin’s U105 radio show on Father’s Day and Christmas Day in his youth.

     

    Of this in December 2014, the radio presenter remarked of his son: “I never look at my son James and think: ‘There’s James and he has Down’s Syndrome.’ I just think: ‘There’s James.’ It has always been that way… James is a remarkable young man and I admire him so much. He has never let his disability hold him back. He is an ambassador for Mencap and he has spoken at the European Parliament and to the Assembly at Stormont.”

     

    Responding about his father in the same interview for the Belfast Telegraph, the undoubted star of last night’s ceremony in Los Angeles added: “My dad and I are very close… We have great craic and a lot of banter… Dad is also supportive of my acting… I love to act and want to be a good actor.”

     

    The 23:29-minute film was the second collaboration between co-directors Tom Berkeley and Ross White. It was released on 4th March 2022 and of his son’s success winning an Oscar for it, Ivan Martin today told BBC Radio Ulster: “All I ever wanted was for James was that he’d be happy and, I tell you what, he’s happy now… It’s been a journey. You get to the Oscars and everybody keeps saying the prize is getting there, but, truth to tell, you want to win and I had my doubts about it because one of the opposition films was a Disney film and they had it in the last week… They had really been ramping up the promotion for it, but, calm heads win the end… A film we can all be proud of… It’s just crazy. There were a few tears shed, but what an achievement. Just delighted.”

    Subsequently James Martin appeared in the BBC’s Ups and Downs and starred opposite Anna Friel in ITV’s Marcella and last night he was well and truly celebrated. Speaking ahead of An Irish Goodbye being named the Best Live Action Short, Martin shared:

     

    “The timing of it has been just perfect. You know, you can’t plan somebody’s birthday to be on the Oscars. So, it’s a big day, [but] I just want to enjoy it really, just enjoy the experience.”

     

    “I was just in the airport going down the escalator and [I heard some say:] ‘Well done An Irish Goodbye.’ ‘I’m just thinking to myself: My God this is amazing.’”

     

    “I always say to people, never judge a book by its cover. Not just getting a BAFTA, but going to LA is a big deal… It’s just nice to be included.”

     

    Later, after his win and having had the 3,000 audience sing Happy Birthday to him, the modest-to-his-core actor told BBC News: “We’re just so proud to be representing Northern Ireland. To be on that stage in front of all of our cinematic heroes – it was a special moment.”

     

    An Irish Goodbye – which was written and directed by Tom Berkeley and Ross White and also stars Seamus O’Hara, Paddy Jenkins and Michelle Fairley – has been described as a “black comedy following the reunion of estranged brothers Turlough and Lorcan following the untimely death of their mother.”

     

    Going further in an 18-page press notes release, the 23:29-minute film’s production team added:

     

    “Under the watchful eye of odd-ball parish priest Father O’Shea, the brothers’ pained reunion is worsened by the fact Turlough must now make new care arrangements for Lorcan, who has Down Syndrome.”

     

    “A robust and dedicated farmer, Lorcan’s dream of continuing to work the land he grew up on is thwarted when Turlough decides he’s sending him to live with their aunt on the other side of Ireland.”

     

    “But when the brothers discover an unfulfilled bucket list belonging to their late mother, Lorcan senses an opportunity: he’ll only agree to leave the farm once he and Turlough have themselves completed every single wish on their mother’s list… All one-hundred of them.”

     

    Today, we join all those saluting the actor James Martin and urge readers to join us in raising a glass to his latest award with a snifter or two of the chef of the same name’s London Dry Gin. Cheers!

     

    The full film can be watched on BBC iPlayer by clicking here.

     

    Editor’s Note – Unlike as is the case in many publications, this article was NOT sponsored or supported by a third-party.

     

    Oscars 1
    ‘An Irish Goodbye’ is a short film written, produced, and directed in 2022 by Tom Berkeley and Ross White. The film stars James Martin, Seamus O’Hara, Paddy Jenkins and Michelle Fairley and is set on a farm in Northern Ireland.
    James Martin and Ivan Martin
    The award-winning actor with his radio presenter father, Ivan.
    Oscars 2
    On-stage to collect their award; the team behind the film used their acceptance speech to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the star-of-the-show. Co-director Ross White also stated: “Deary me, thank you so much the Academy for this incredible, incredible honour. Thank you to our fellow nominees, all the nominees for your work, and your work it inspires us so very, very much. Thank you to everybody back home and Northern Ireland who helped us make this film. We wish we had the time to list you all here, but you know who you are.” He then continued: “There’s something very important we’d like to speak about as well. This award is actually the second most important thing about today, because it’s this man’s birthday. He’s out here in Hollywood, wearing a leopard print suit jacket. We’d love to use the rest of our time up here to sing for James.”
    James-Martin-Motors-Into-Gin
    The actor’s English namesake… ‘The Steeple Times’ reviewed ITV1 ‘Saturday Morning’ presenter James Martin’s London Dry Gin in January this year and lauded it as showcasing “tradition with a twist.” To purchase a bottle, click here and do join us in urging the pair to team up for a joint tellybox appearance; it’d make for great viewing.
  • Mother Maxwell

    Mother Maxwell

    Matthew Steeples suggests Jeffrey Epstein treated Ghislaine Maxwell like a “mother figure”

    With unnamed commentators telling The Sun that Jeffrey Epstein was “initially funded by [the] tycoon Robert Maxwell” rather than, as has been generally suggested, Leslie Wexner, his relationship with the all-round figure of grubby ghastliness Ghislaine Maxwell begins to make a hell of a lot more sense.

     

    Mucky madam Maxwell rather reminds me of a woman I know with an equally vast address book. This childless individual, known for stalking parties collecting business cards, has a devotion to her boss that is quite beyond putrid in its obviousness. She fawns on this frankly vile man as if he’s a God and one can see ‘Bouncing Bob’s’ bitch of a daughter treated evil Epstein in the very same manner.

     

    With the woman I know, the ‘love’ goes completely unrequited and he, in fact, just treats her as the ultimate skivvy. With Ghislaine Maxwell, it was likely just the same with the one-time teacher turned megalomaniac utilising her clear ability to inveigle her way through society to further his deviant desires.

     

    Jeffrey Epstein, however, plainly found ‘Mother Maxwell’ a dull lover and that is why their relationship, just like with the aforementioned Londoner I mention, never moved to marriage. Here, instead, was a woman whom this monster viewed to be the mother he never had.

     

    Elsewhere on Twitter, “sex slave survivor” Kirby Sommers this morning tweeted: “Ghislaine worked for her father at his flagship paper The Daily Mirror, and was disliked by the employees for her “insufferable arrogance.” One of her father’s former secretaries complained: “She’d ask for a cigarette and walk off with the packet.”

     

    Facebook: @TheSteepleTimes

    Instagram: @TheSteepleTimes

    Twitter: @SteepleTimes and @M_Steeples

     

    Mother Maxwell – Ghislaine Maxwell viewed as Epstein’s mother figure – Matthew Steeples suggests Jeffrey Epstein treated Ghislaine Maxwell like a “mother figure.”
    Mother Maxwell – Ghislaine Maxwell treated both her father and Jeffrey Epstein as if they were God-like figures in her life. They respectively actually treated her like dirt, but that didn’t stop her worshiping these mendacious megalomaniacs.
  • Ask Charlie – Rhubarb & Ginger Gin

    Ask Charlie – Rhubarb & Ginger Gin

    Charlie Gray of ‘Ask Charlie’ shares her recipe for rhubarb and ginger gin; here is a recipe that everyone will enjoy making

    I am not a big drinker, but lockdown, home schooling and adjusting to this new ‘normal’ has made me turn to the bottle rather more frequently than I would normally do at home.

     

    With an abundance of rhubarb in the garden and the children sick of the sight of it, I decided to make something that I would get most pleasure out – rhubarb and ginger gin. It is so easy to make and the hardest part is waiting three weeks for it to brew.

     

    My recipe for Rhubarb & Ginger Gin follows:

     

    • 500g of chopped rhubarb – the pinker, the better as it gives colour to the liquid.
    • 2-inches of fresh ginger, cut into a couple of chunks.
    • 80g of granulated sugar (caster sugar turns the liquid cloudy).
    • 500ml of gin, I personally used Gordon’s as it is my grandmother’s favourite.

     

    Pleace the chopped rhubarb and ginger in a large jar and add the sugar. Put on a lid and leave for 48 hours, shaking occasionally.

     

    Next, open the lid and pour in the gin. Put the lid back on and shake gently once a week for three weeks.

     

    When the time has passed, place a muslin in a sieve (baby ones are the best as they have a finer weave) over a large bowl and pour out of the content of the jar into the muslin. Leave it to drip, bottle and then enjoy.

     

    I serve with Mediterranean Fevertree tonic and ice, but for some it’s just perfect on the rocks.

     

    Sussex based mother of three and lifestyle blogger Charlie Gray shares ‘homegrown skills’ and practical advice on her website Ask Charlie. Watch her videos on YouTube by clicking here.

     

    Facebook: @TheSteepleTimes

    Instagram: @TheSteepleTimes

    Twitter: @SteepleTimes

     

  • Susie Steiner

    Susie Steiner

    “I’m sorry I still love him” unabashedly declared author, journalist and “stationary addict” Susie Steiner of Tony Blair on Twitter during the coronavirus lockdown whilst amusingly adding of Boris Johnson: “If only I could retreat to Chequers.” Registered fully blind and a mother of two, this former Guardian commissioning editor did a “little one-page feature, showing the ‘Keep Calm’ poster as one of her favourite things” in 2005. “After that, all hell broke loose,” according to Stuart Manley, co-owner of Barter Books of Alnwick, and what Steiner terms a “message of stoicism and patience” went viral. She thinks “it’s had its day now” and after publishing her first novel, Homecoming, in 2013, this West Hampstead based Londoner signed “significant six-figure” deals for her subsequent works. “Susie is a joy to publish” remarked Suzie Dooré of Borough Press, whilst she herself gave away the secret to her much deserved success in a 2016 interview with The Hampstead & Highgate Express: “I’m very disciplined about my work… The daily-ness is what matters; it’s being in contact with it all the time that keeps the work alive in your mind. Your mind is doing it even when your trogging up the hill from school or waiting in the hairdressers. It fingers it like a pebble in your pocket.”

     

    Susie Steiner – Journalist turned best-selling crime author; she loves Tony Blair – Registered blind former ‘Guardian’ commissioning editor Susie Steiner helped ‘Keep Calm’ go viral in 2005 and became a novelist in 2013. This Londoner’s best-selling works include ‘Missing, Presumed.’
  • The Collapse of Chelsea Character

    The Collapse of Chelsea Character

    Matthew Steeples celebrates the nicknames of Chelsea’s characters but regrets that the area itself is rapidly being stripped of the very character that made it so appealing

     

    In Chelsea well-known barflies and lavish lunchers have long been given wacky nicknames. Amongst my friends and acquaintances are ‘Steve the Lunch’ (known for planning where to lunch next wherever he’s currently lunching), ‘Charles the Horse’ (known for his prowess on the horse racing betting circuit) and ‘Tony the Suit’ (he was once in tailoring).

     

    Such monikers reveal not only the personalities of the individuals but also illustrate something about the places these bon viveurs frequent. Yesterday, in The Times’ obituary of the legendary restaurateur Michael Proudlock, mention was made of how his customers “had schoolboy nicknames such as ‘Mental,’ ‘Dwarf’ and ‘Mother’ and this reminded me of what this once great area of London has now lost: Character.

     

    Proudlock, Richard Kay of the Daily Mail recalled in this excellently written tribute, “dined out every day, twice a day, seven days a week,” but now, sadly for the most part, such a lifestyle has gone to pot. Disappeared are the likes of Nigel Dempster, Keith Floyd, Sir David Frost and Alan Whicker and gone also are the enclaves that brought so much pleasure. In March 2017, with the closure of La Brasserie – due to the greed of the building’s selfish landlord – an era ended.  The customers of “Chelsea’s answer to Cheers” dispersed and what was once a “community of fun loving reprobates” became displaced.

     

    With Poissonnerie de l’Avenue and Como Lario also biting the dust, what is now left? A Kings Road that could be a high street in any town and things like a vegan restaurant on Pavilion Road ridiculously called Wulf & Lamb. How very sad: A place that used to be the haunt of the “cultural cognoscenti” has now been reduced to this.

     

    Facebook: @TheSteepleTimes

    Instagram: @TheSteepleTimes

    Twitter: @SteepleTimes and @M_Steeples

     

  • Moron of the Moment – Killer Cyclist Charlie Alliston

    Moron of the Moment – Killer Cyclist Charlie Alliston

    Irresponsible cyclist whose out-of-control fixed gear bike killed a mother of two in London deserved to be jailed; the law must now change

     

    Perhaps also an ‘Aggressor of our Age’, our ‘Moron of the Moment’ just had to be a reckless cyclist whose actions resulted in the death of a mother of two.

     

    On 12th February 2016, former McDonald’s worker Charlie Alliston chose to ride an illegal for road use Olympic style fixed gear track bike with no front brake on Old Street, East London. He crashed, at a speed of 18 miles per hour, into 44-year-old Kim Briggs causing “catastrophic head injuries” that resulted in the human resources executive’s death a week later.

     

    Jailed on Monday for a paltry 18 months after being convicted of causing bodily harm by wanton and furious driving under an archaic piece of legislation used to prosecute horse and carriage drivers in the 19th century, what is especially shocking is that this 20-year-old showed utterly no remorse.

     

    In various online posts after the accident, Alliston also wrote such heartless and disgusting comments as:

     

    “That in way whatsoever was this my fault… She ignored me… I can put my hands up and say this was not my fault.”

     

    “I warned… Get the f**k outta [sic] my way, which she didn’t.”

     

    “Yes it is her fault… Hopefully it is a lesson learned on her behalf… She put not only hers, but my life in danger. But as usual theres [sic] always the odd w**er that has to blame the cyclist.”

     

    “I’ve already had a lot of s**t from it already.”

     

    “Eventually she got carted away, I had to sit in the van for several hours waiting for an officer to come and take pictures of the situation.”

     

    “I was not recklessly riding, riding fast.”

     

    “F**k me and my health, I can heal and recover. The bike cannot!”

     

    “At the end of the day if you know the flame will hurt you, you still proceed to put your hand over it and get burnt. Its [sic] your fault, I refused to accept any responsibility in this whatsoever. She saw me and acknowledged my presence yet still carried on it. Its [sic] not my fault people think they’re invincible or just have zero respect for cyclists… Why the f**k did she stop in the middle?”

     

    We very much hope this vile and callous horror has a most pleasant time in prison. Charlie Alliston also provides an example as to why cyclists should be forced to be insured and the outcome of this case also provides proof as to why the law should be updated to reflect the damage and destruction that cyclists do sometimes wreak.

     

  • Hero of the Hour – Farhad Neda

    Hero of the Hour – Farhad Neda

    Farhad Neda rescued his disabled mother from the 23rd floor of the Grenfell Tower; they are the only survivors from the penultimate level of the building

     

    Whilst others headed upwards tragically wrongly thinking a helicopter would rescue them, 23rd floor resident of the Grenfell Tower 24-year old Farhad Neda realised the best course of action was to get his disabled mother out.

     

    Ignoring the advice of his neighbours, Neda – a mechanical engineering graduate and former hotel receptionist originally from Kabul, Afghanistan – hoisted his mother above his shoulders and completed a 240-foot descent to safety. He had to negotiate bodies in the stairwell and on reaching safety, both he and his mother lapsed into comas.

     

    Neda – whose father sadly died after jumping from the burning inferno – told Channel 4 News last night that it was a “miracle” that he and his mother were the only people to survive from the level of the 24-floor building where they lived. He is a genuine hero and should be saluted as such.

     

  • Enzina Fuschini – What’s on your mantelpiece?

    Enzina Fuschini – What’s on your mantelpiece?

    A 20-question interview with artist, ceramicist and designer Enzina Fuschini

     

    The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

    God. I am a Christian and I believe in what is good and honourable.

     

    “Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

    To forgive and forget.

     

    Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2017?

    A lack of support for mental health.

     

    Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

    Human justice and my childhood home.

     

    What might you swap all your wealth for?

    One more day with my mother and grandmother. Both have sadly passed away.

     

    Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the state of the financial system?

    It is a disaster. The financial target is to control and depopulate humanity. The rich want to get rich at any cost and they want to create an elite race.

     

    What phrase or word do you most loathe?

    I loathe swearing in any context.

     

    In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

    I support charities associated with my faith and congregation at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB), Knightsbridge.

     

    The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?

    Mobile phones are useful but people are addicted and these devices cause them to become anti-social.

     

    What’s on your mantelpiece? The Steeple Times conducts a 20-question interview with London based artist and designer Enzina Fuschini.
    Enzina Fuschini exhibited at the 508 Kings Road Gallery in Chelsea, London, SW10 in June 2017

     

    If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

    People not fortunate enough to be able to afford this experience that work hard and would deserve it.

     

    If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

    I wouldn’t want to eat anything as I would be too scared about death.

     

    What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

    At lunchtime with friends.

     

    A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

    A dry martini.

     

    Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

    Those given by family and friends that celebrate the achievements of life.

     

    Who is the most positive person you know?

    My daughters are the most positive people I know.

     

    What’s your most guilty pleasure?

    Apple tarts. The best one I’ve ever had was at The Botanist on Sloane Square.

     

    If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

    A tattoo could not sum me up as I do not like them.

     

    If you were a car, what marque would you be?

    A Jaguar.

     

    Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

    When you get to know me, you will know. I’m not giving away my secrets.

     

    What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

    An antique mirror and a vase of white roses.

     

    Enzina Fuschini is a London based artist, ceramicist and designer. She was born in Matierno, Italy and aside from exhibiting internationally, has also produced luxury collections for and to be sold by amongst others The Dorchester, Harrods and Sunseeker Yachts. Her style has drawn comparisons with the ‘wit’ of Picasso and the vitality of Kandinsky, Klee and Miro.

     

    Follow Enzina Fuschini on Twitter at @FuschiniEnzina.

     

  • Hannah, Soleil and Winter Strafford-Taylor

    Hannah, Soleil and Winter Strafford-Taylor

    Narcissist and “yummy mummy” Hannah Strafford-Taylor describes herself as “Instagram’s most stylish mum” to her 8,600 followers. Mocked as a “plastic clichéd fool using her bizarrely named daughters [Soleil and Winter] as accessories”, Mrs Strafford-Taylor told the Mail Online: “My husband says I have my own unique currency of holidays. I compare everything to the price of a holiday. My favourite place in the world is the Maldives” in January 2017. Of her one commentator remarked: “Well, she loves herself a bit too much” whilst another concluded: “Another bragging Brit, we can all do that”.

     

  • Louise Rowntree – What’s on your mantelpiece?

    Louise Rowntree – What’s on your mantelpiece?

    A 20-question interview with public affairs and communications consultant and Liberal Democrat candidate for Chelsea & Fulham Louise Rowntree

     

    The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

    Treat others the way you want to be treated.

     

    “Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

    You’re not living unless you take risks.

     

    Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2017?

    Theresa May.

     

    Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

    Time to ‘mong’.

     

    What might you swap all your wealth for?

    Being the fastest swimmer in the world.

     

    Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the state of the financial system?

    It was going quite well in Britain until Brexit.

     

    What phrase or word do you most loathe?

    “How are you?” instead of “hello”.

     

    In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

    With three children, a small business and the General Election, I am conscious that I don’t do enough to help out in the local community currently. Locally, I’m ambassador for the Fulham Cricket Club – which gives free cricket training to children whose parents wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it, and has linked up with a number of charities including Hammersmith & Fulham Refugees Welcome. More generally, I donate (a modest sum) to Save the Children each month.

     

    The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?

    My late father always said: “You can tell who’s important. They’re the ones without a phone”. When on a train take calls in the corridor, try to avoid taking them when with others but – if you must – ask permission first. Never put your phone on a table if with others.

     

    If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

    Vincent Cassel, Nancy Wake (‘The White Mouse’), Ian Hislop, Michelle Obama, Mick Jagger, Amy Schumer, Guillaume Canet, Diana Ross, Jimmy Fallon and the entire cast of Saturday Night Live.

     

    If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

    Chinese dim sum, on a boat on the River Thames going through Chelsea and Fulham.

     

    What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

    Any time, as long the occasion fits and you can handle your drink.

     

    A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

    A Negroni, but in a glass, not from the bottle.

     

    Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

    Ours: Because my husband DJ’s and we always have to threaten to call the police at 4am.

     

    Who is the most positive person you know?

    Jessica Arora: Fashion guru, co-founder of NotSuchAModelMum and a good friend.

     

    What’s your most guilty pleasure?

    Eating a whole box of salt and vinegar Pringles whilst drinking wine in bed and watching American TV series’.

     

    If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

    A rowan tree: I’m a descendant of Vikings who invaded York over a thousand years ago and took their name from the local rowan tree – which morphed into ‘Rowntree’: Rooted, earth, strong, proud – it sums up both my Yorkshire ancestors and me.

     

    If you were a car, what marque would you be?

    A Lada: Old fashioned, rare, traditional and scrubs up surprisingly well with a bit of polish.

     

    Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

    I was taught how to fight at the age of five, but thankfully have only once had to.

     

    What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

    A Mappin & Webb clock my late father was given when he retired from the bank he ran, a couple of Delft vases from a Belgian flee market, a Limoges egg which belonged to my late grandmother, and my son’s Grade 2 Music Theory certificate.

     

    Louise Rowntree is a lawyer-turned-public affairs and communications consultant who grew up in Chelsea and lives in Fulham. She is married to Raphael, a Belgian lawyer, has three sons and is standing as the Liberal Democrat for Chelsea & Fulham in the 2017 General Election.

     

    Louise worked for several years in Brussels – where she ran Hill & Knowlton’s Trade & Competition department. In 2012 she founded her own, niche, consultancy Rowntree & Associates and moved back to London soon after. She has personally advised heads of state, ambassadors, ministers, multinationals, NGOs and law firms.

     

    Follow her on Twitter at @louise_rowntree.

     

    Photograph by Micki Scupin Rogers.