I’m in Birmingham for a week. It’s going to be a hard and long road but I have a feeling it’ll be OK. Why am I there? One of the two key trade shows where we introduce our new range to our customers is this week. Today we’ve set out our stand, making sure that we show off our beautiful critters in the best possible way, to the retailers who will sell them for us.

How do I know that it’ll be OK? Experience from my past life tells me that business travel can be transformed by the people that you are on the road with. Somehow I know, when I look into the warm, smiling faces of Ellie and Keeley, it’ll be all right. They will make great travelling companions. We’re just about to go out to eat after a 250 mile journey and a hard afternoon setting things up.