Personal image consultant Valentina Saggese studied fashion and personal shopping at the Luxury Academy of Milan and has several years’ experience at show rooms and high-level clothing shops. She and her partner Alain Mehada, who has been a stylist for more than 15 years, offer their services in a broad range of situations for both […]

Would you like to discover all the tricks of the trade that will enable you to work effectively for more than one boss at a time? Then you need to book on to Angela Garry’s session at the next PA Life training day in June. With more than 17 years’ experience as an assistant, Angela […]

How To Deal With Difficult People: smart tactics for overcoming the problem people in your life – Gill Hasson (Wiley, £10.99) As a person who hates confrontation, I thought this would be a good read and I wasn’t disappointed. The definition of a “difficult” person is hard to narrow down, so the author spends the first […]

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake – Aimee Bender (Windmill Books, £6.99) There is an age-old adage that food cooked with love tastes better. Rose Edelstein, a seemingly normal girl discovers her “gift” at the tender age of nine – the ability to taste the feelings of the people who make the food she eats. From […]

Not Just An Admin – Peggy Vasquez (Turning Point International, £12.99) This book takes you through the author Peggy’s personal and professional life, from starting out in her career to her current role as a chief executive assistant. The section on the power of partnerships is written in an easy-to-digest manner and the author covers all […]

A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini (Bloomsbury, £5.99) It was only after reading this book that I had an insight, an understanding as to why our military forces were stationed in Afghanistan. This is a brutal and uncomfortable read. It’s the story of two particular Afghan women whose lives are unquestionably far removed from the […]

Wine Matters was set up to deliver wine and whisky tastings for corporate events of all types. Each session is individually tailored to your specific requirements and the company can either use supplies available at the venue, or source its own. A typical tasting lasts an hour and a half and features six to eight […]

Continuing professional development can be just the boost your career needs, but what are the essential trends within training that PAs need to be aware of? PA Life Editor Colette Doyle quizzes the education experts “The 21st-century office has witnessed a dramatic transformation in working practices brought about by changes in technology and developments in […]

We are pleased to announce that Julie Davies of the Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group is the winner of a VIP stay for two at a Village Urban Resorts property of her choice (pictured above). In addition to Julie’s luck, Cynthia Casey of EVP Warner Bros gets a hamper of Heathcote & Ivory beauty products, […]

Butlin’s Conference & Events has launched a brand new booking incentive for 2015. PAs who book an event for more than 100 delegates between 1 January and 28 February will receive free styling to help them theme their corporate function from leading event stylist Table Art. Table Art, headed up by Dragons’ Den favourite Hilary […]

With its stunning mountains and dramatic coastline, Ireland’s County Donegal offers a breathtaking setting for corporate retreats. Molly Dyson is your guide If anyone has ever questioned Ireland’s nickname of “the emerald isle”, they obviously haven’t been to Donegal. Lush green fields stretch as far as the eye can see, breathing life into the fitting […]

Luxury corporate gift company Thomas Lyte has been granted a Royal Warrant as goldsmith and silversmith by Her Majesty the Queen. The warrant is granted for a five-year period to the firm’s silversmith, Kevin Williams. Thomas Lyte is a modern British luxury brand specialising in leather accessories and silverware. It is renowned as an expert […]

Whittlebury Hall Conference, Training Centre and Hotel is kicking off 2015 with updated guest rooms and faster broadband throughout, as well as a special offer for its corporate rewards members. The new-look guest rooms complement the existing flexible corporate event spaces – from training suites and comfortable syndicates to large areas for up to 500 […]

Failure to keep on top of clutter at work means that the average UK office desk is weighed down by almost a stone of workspace-related paraphernalia. Research suggests that this can lead to stress, spats and even official warnings from bosses. That’s why Product & Solutions Manager at Brother UK Andy Johnson has come up […]

Avery Rewards is an in-pack promotion that rewards PAs for choosing Avery products. To celebrate its 2015 launch, the company is looking to thank some of the unsung heroes in UK offices. The Avery Rewards team has created seven awards to recognise superstars in the work place. You can nominate a colleague, friend, or even […]

Personal image consultant Valentina Saggese studied fashion and personal shopping at the Luxury Academy of Milan and has several years’ experience at show rooms and high-level clothing shops. She and her partner Alain Mehada, who has been a stylist for more than 15 years, offer their services in a broad range of situations for both […]

The London Irish Village at Twickenham will make its return in 2015 at the England versus Italy match and for the remainder of England’s home 6 Nations fixtures throughout February and March. The venue has a range of ticketed and non-ticketed hospitality options available, with prices from £299 per person. The London Irish will be […]

When you’re faced with a long commute to a job you’ve fallen out of love with, it can be tempting to set up your own business as a virtual assistant. Before you make the leap, take time to consider the pros and cons, advises Susan Moore Freedom to chooseRunning your own business is hard work, […]