IN Good Company
These are the people we know and love. We have worked with them, we trust them, we recommend them.
Kieran Riddiough
Kieran is better known as founder of Nice Swan Creative, a London-based design studio that has worked with some truly incredible clients.
Kieran is better known as founder of Nice Swan Creative, a London-based design studio that has worked with some truly incredible clients.
We’ve worked with Kieran on a number of projects, of various scales, across all of our businesses. He is a man at the top of his game.
Under the Nice Swan Creative name, Kieran has built up a reputation that now sees him working with internationally renowned companies such as Adidas, Sony Playstation and ITV, whilst also helping to build identities for the next wave of business and music prospects.
Kieran has particular interests in the music and sport industries.
Some good people and businesses for you to meet…
Jamie Brogan
Jamie is a landscape and urban photographer based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Jamie is a landscape and urban photographer based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Jamie is a landscape and urban photographer based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
We recently commissioned Jamie to shoot some imagery to support an upcoming article for Some Good Ideas.
Some good people for you to meet…
Anthony Oram
Graphic designer, print designer, logo designer and product designer.
Graphic designer, print designer, logo designer and product designer.
Anthony Oram is a graphic designer, logo designer, print designer and product designer.
We have worked with Anthony across all of our sister businesses and cannot recommend him highly enough. Not only is he very skilful, but he’s an exceptionally nice man. Anthony is also the founder of Auxiliary Works.
Image: Tom HullSome good people for you to meet…
The Glynne Arms
A 200-year-old, award-winning pub and restaurant in the centre of Hawarden village
Our sister business. An award-winning pub and restaurant set in the centre of Hawarden village.
The Glynne Arms is our sister business.
The Glynne Arms is a 200-year-old, award-winning pub and restaurant in the centre of Hawarden village. The driving force behind the pub is our desire to serve the most delicious, fresh, local and organic food and drink possible.
Some good people for you to meet…
Hawarden Castle Pavilion
Our sister business; a beautiful wedding and events venue set in historic parkland.
Our sister business. A beautiful wedding and events venue set in historic parkland, in Hawarden, North Wales.
Hawarden Castle Cricket Pavilion was built in the 1920s on what has often been described as ‘Wales’ most beautiful cricket pitch’.
With its views of two castles and set in rolling historic parkland it’s easy to understand why the pitch was so loved by the Hawarden’s cricketers, but in 2016 the club moved to a new site half a mile away.
The Pavilion has now been beautifully renovated to become one of Wales’ most unusual and beautiful events spaces and wedding venues. With two large events rooms, amazing views, full access to 2.75 acres of cricket pitch, a fully-equipped kitchen, a separate bar in the score hut and brilliant showers and loos the venue is available for hire.
Hawarden Cricket Club was established in 1865 with Prime Minister William Gladstone playing his first match in 1867. In the early days of the cricket club a tent was used as a pavilion which was soon replaced by a corrugated iron structure. In the 1920s the current building was built by the Gladstone family and given to the club.
The building has been renovated to the very highest standards without losing any of its storied past and is a place that your guests will never forget.
Image: Department TwoSome good people for you to meet…
Hawarden Estate Farm Shop
Our sister business; an award-winning Farm Shop.
Our sister business. A Farm Shop, cafe and restaurant on Hawarden Estate.
Hawarden Estate Farm Shop is another of our sister businesses.
Hawarden Estate Farm Shop sits within thousands of acres of working farmland, providing world-class food and drink via a traditional butchery, deli, café and food hall laden with the very best, locally-sourced produce – much of which is grown and produced in the orchards and fields that surround the shop.
Some good people for you to meet…
The Good Life Society
Our sister business. Intimate events in some of the most beautiful locations in the UK.
Intimate events focusing on the great outdoors, community, food, craft, culture and music in incredible locations.
The Good Life Society is our sister business. At The Good Life Society we run intimate events focusing on the great outdoors, community, food, craft, culture and music in incredible locations on two of Britain’s most beautiful private estates. Each of our events aims to be the most friendly and inspiring anywhere.
Currently we run The Good Life Experience which is an annual festival for around 2000 guests on the storied Hawarden Estate in North Wales. We also run Camp Glen Dye, an occasional event for around 30 guests on the Glen Dye Estate in Kincardineshire. And now we have Summer Camp too, which is an annual two week event for up to 60 guests on the Hawarden Estate.
Each of our events helps our guests to live The Good Life. Each is different in scale and focus but they all bring people together to learn new skills and savour new experiences with proper experts. These are events that will change your life. Expect learning, excitement, fun, new friends, amazing food, knock-out drink and in the most beautiful countryside anywhere.
Image: Heather BirnieSome good people for you to meet…
Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages
Our sister business. Luxury accommodation set in the heart of the Highlands.
A sister business to Some Good Ideas. Luxury cottages and cabins in an amazing place. Hot tubs, camp fires and 30,000 acres of freedom.
Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages was founded and is run by our co-founders Caroline and Charlie Gladstone. Glen Dye is a magical place, it pulls you in and wraps you in a warm, gentle, inspiring embrace. That’s easy to write, but it’s true. The Cabins and Cottages sleep 2-7 people, depending on where you book.
Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages is where The Good Life Society hosts Camp Glen Dye.
Image:Department TwoSome good people for you to meet…
Isabella Tree
Award-winning author who is running a re-wilding project of nearly 20 years.
Award-winning author and travel writer, who has run a re-wilding project for nearly 20 years.
In 2002 Isabella Tree and her husband Charlie made a controversial decision to surrender their 3,500-acre estate to nature. Almost twenty years later, the land has been transformed entirely from its struggling conventional farming past into natural wilderness, teeming with life. In response to the huge success of her book Wilding, a beautifully descriptive telling of "the return to nature of an English farm", Isabella is currently writing The Wilding Handbook.
Image:Department TwoSome good people for you to meet…
Vivienne Rickman
Artist, educator and outdoor swimmer.
Artist, educator and outdoor swimmer.
Viv is an artist, educator and outdoor swimmer who has lived in the mountains of Snowdonia for 15 years. Her project #swimsnowdonia was listed amongst 'The 10 most inspiring adventures' in The Guardian and has been the focus of several short films including a music video for the band Elbow. Her film 'Afterglow' won Best Woman in Adventure Gold Award at Sheffield Adventure Film Festival.
Viv is a long time friend of our sister businesses The Good Life Society and Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages, and has taught many of their guests and customers the joys and tricks of outdoor swimming.
Image:Department TwoSome good people for you to meet…
Department Two
A creative agency: campaign and creative direction, photography, film, design, marketing, print and consultation.
A creative agency: campaign and creative direction, photography, film, design, marketing, print and consultation.
Department Two is a creative agency with offices in Sheffield and London. We work on strategic projects for brands that have a story to tell. Our services include campaign and creative direction, photography, film, design, marketing, print and consultation.
Arran and Fern at Department Two come highly recommended by us, and all of our sister businesses. They continuously deliver photography and creative ideas that are extremely high. They are the photographers in residence at our sister business The Good Life Society, and at Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages. We can’t recommend them highly enough.
Image:Jim MarsdenSome good people for you to meet…
Reasons To Be Cheerful
An inclusive collection of blogs, talks, conversations.
An inclusive collection of blogs, talks, conversations.
Run by the Shayler family, Reasons To Be Cheerful is an inclusive collection of blogs, talks and conversations.
The website has one brief: give them reasons to be cheerful.
The Shaylers are friends of our co-founders the Gladstones and nboth families have worked together and continue to do so.
Image: Department TwoSome good people for you to meet…
Mark Shayler
Visionary, public speaker, author and innovation and environmental consultant.
Visionary, public speaker, author and innovation and environmental consultant.
Mark Shayler a visionary, public speaker, author and writer who runs an innovation and environmental consultancy called Ape. He is the author of Do Disrupt: Change the Status Quo Or Become It. Mark also runs Reasons To Be Cheerful with his family.
Our sister businesses have worked with Mark for several years. The Shaylers have hosted a Reasons To Be Cheerful series and Mark has spoken at our sister business festival The Good Life Experience.
Image: Department TwoSome good people for you to meet…
Roger Phillips
Roger Phillips is a mushroom maestro and one of the most respected foragers in Great Britain.
A mushroom maestro and one of the most respected foragers in Great Britain.
In 1975 he began his life’s major work, photographing an encyclopaedic collection of world plants and he has since written 20 additional volumes with combined sales of 4.5 million copies worldwide.
We’ve worked with Roger for years. He’s the very best there is.
Image: Patricia NivenA few good articles on The Great Outdoors.
Franchi Seeds
Heritage seeds, grown in Italy.
Heritage seeds, grown in Italy.
Franchi Seeds of Italy sell heritage, endangered and ethical varieties of seeds.
They are one of the oldest seed company in the world, established in 1783 in Bergamo Italy. The company is still run by the Franchi family.
Some good recipes for you to try…
Businesses of The Great Outdoors.
Sapling Vodka
100% carbon neutral vodka.
100% carbon neutral vodka.
Sapling Vodka, founded by Ed Faulkner and Ivo Devereux, is 100% carbon neutral vodka made in London.
There are two things Sapling loves: great spirits and the natural world. When you choose Sapling you will enjoy both a delicious homegrown vodka and making the world a better place.
Made in the heart of London, Sapling use local ingredients to reduce transport emissions. It is four times distilled from 100% British wheat with charcoal filtered, de-ionised water. The high starch content of the wheat leaves the fresh finish and a hint of natural sweetness that makes Sapling so easy to drink.
The team at Sapling ran a bar for our sister business’ festival The Good Life Experience in 2019, which was a very popular spot serving great cocktails and playing good music.
Image: Sapling VodkaSome good recipes for you to try…
More food related businesses.
Sandy Kenneway
Sandy Kenneway has around 25 years of experience in the world of quality drinks, from managing Scotland’s largest wine shop to helping with the opening of Harvey Nichols in Edinburgh and striking out with his own businesses 10 years ago.
Sandy Kenneway has around 25 years of experience in the world of quality drinks, from managing Scotland’s largest wine shop to helping with the opening of Harvey Nichols in Edinburgh and striking out with his own businesses 10 years ago.
Sandy is passionate about promoting Scotland’s amazing whiskies – with gins, cocktails, rums, beers and all other things fermented close behind. Sandy hosts fun, informative tasting events across Britain, including the hugely popular ones at Camp Glen Dye and The Good Life Experience.
Image: Department TwoSome good recipes to try.
Harriet Coleman
Harriet was an international model, working in the fast paced fashion world for over 10 years. She yearned for a more sustainable lifestyle and a slower way of living. So she turned her career towards becoming a herbalist.
Harriet is a Herbalist and founder of West Apothecary.She hosts workshops and runs herbal consultations encouraging a reconnection with nature and the seasons.
Harriet has a deep understanding of the plant world that enables her to utilise botanical combinations for their effective results.
From the ancient art of Herbalism to contemporary interest in conscious living, Harriet created West Apothecary to provide a direct link to a more natural world.
Image: Patricia NivenEnjoy a recipe by Harriet Coleman.
Good businesses of the great outdoors.
The Wild Bushcraft Company
Provider of outdoor, bushcraft and survival skills courses and activities.
Provider of outdoor, bushcraft and survival skills courses and activities.
Sheena and Jamie Corry are the couple behind The Wild Bushcraft Company, as well as The Forge. This is a unique combination offering both bushcraft activities and luxury glamping accommodation in the heart of beautiful North Wales. As well as the usual luxury camping facilities, guests are encouraged to engage in a wide range of bushcraft activities, ranging from lighting their own campfires to wild food foraging and star gazing, all with the aim of helping people step off from the modern world and find a deeper level of relaxation and purpose. Jamie has over 20 years’ experience working in the outdoors as a countryside ranger, deerstalker and bushcraft instructor and is passionate about wild, sustainable food. Sheena combines her love of the great outdoors with a corporate career in Diversity and Inclusion and loves to see the benefits that nature and being out in the wild can have for people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Sheena and Jamie have come to our sister business’ festival The Good Life Experience for many years to show and teach their skills.
Some good people for you to meet…
The Forge
Luxury glamping accommodation in the heart of beautiful North Wales.
Luxury glamping accommodation in the heart of beautiful North Wales.
Sheena and Jamie Corry are the couple behind The Forge, as well as the Wild Bushcraft Company. This is a unique combination offering both bushcraft activities and luxury glamping accommodation in the heart of beautiful North Wales. As well as the usual luxury camping facilities, guests are encouraged to engage in a wide range of bushcraft activities, ranging from lighting their own campfires to wild food foraging and star gazing, all with the aim of helping people step off from the modern world and find a deeper level of relaxation and purpose. Jamie has over 20 years’ experience working in the outdoors as a countryside ranger, deerstalker and bushcraft instructor and is passionate about wild, sustainable food. Sheena combines her love of the great outdoors with a corporate career in Diversity and Inclusion and loves to see the benefits that nature and being out in the wild can have for people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Some good people for you to meet…