Andrew Barrow
Dip CII
What is your life philosophy? To be happy, successful and not to worry about anything other than what’s important. To treat everyone around you as you wish to be treated
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? Having a wonderful family, children and running a successful business
What is your favorite book? Treasure Island as a child
What is your favorite film? The Color Purple
What is your favorite Album or song? I haven’t really got a favorite album
What is an ideal weekend for you? Fridays is football training with the kids, Saturdays is socialising with family and friends then football with my friends on a Sunday followed by a Sunday roast and chill out with the family. When you have family its more of a practical weekend depending on what plans the kids have
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? I’ve been to the pyramids in Egypt, been to Rome and seen the Colosseum & St Peters Square in the Vatican City
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? I did a reverse bungee in Ibiza
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? I would take 12 months out and travel across the world and make no plans, simply look at a map and just go as long as it was within budget
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? A diary & pen, memory box, football, return ticket
Peter Lycett
Chartered Insurance Broker ACII
What is your life philosophy? Improve each day, even it’s its only by 1%
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? Being captain of my Lads ‘n’ Dads football team (for those out of the area that is a Junior Football team) – first season we lost every game, the last season we won a league and cup double
What is your favorite book? The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson – life changing!
What is your favorite film? Robin Hood Prince of Thieves – seen it hundreds of times!
What is your favorite Album or song? Tricky – I’ll say Bring It On by Gomez, probably the first ‘proper’ music I bought and didn’t like it at first but kept listening to it because I didn’t want to waste the money I’d earned to buy it from my paper round. Now it’s my go to album. They are the first band I saw live
What is an ideal weekend for you? A cottage in the middle of no where with my dogs, with a good homely restaurant nearby
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Yes I’ve been Skiing
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Skiing – with very little skill on a very hard slope. I’ve never been so scared in my life!
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? I’d definitely go back and see the Beatles, and other bands of the time
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? 1) My Dogs (counts as one!) 2) I’d need Music – so it would have to be a wind up radio I suppose 3) A boat – I’d explore other islands 4) And a book – probably “1001 Things to do Whilst Stranded on a Desert Island”
Mark Jones
Cert CII
What is your life philosophy? “The best way to sell something : don’t sell anything! Earn the Awarenness Respect and Trust from those who might buy”
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? Becoming a Dad! The only motivation I need is to remember everything I do I am doing it for my little girl. (And my wife)
What is your favorite book? Leading by Sir Alex Ferguson
What is your favorite film? Robin Hood- Prince of Thieves – I used to re-enact the scenes with my brother in the woods with my grandad playing the role of The Sheriff!
What is your favorite Album or song? The Stone Roses – This Is The One
What is an ideal weekend for you? Watching plenty of football, quality family time, and enjoying good food
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? We went to Dubai for our honeymoon. The best food and location I have ever seen. We cannot wait to go back when Esme is old enough
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Completing a 20mile mud run! The pain wasn’t fun but it was something I never thought I was capable of achieving
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? Other than the birth of my little girl, I would go back to 26th May 1999 and I would be at the Nou Camp, Barcelona. “Oh what a night. Late in May in 19-99, Ole scored a goal in injury time! What a feeling, what a night!”
Jenny-lea Birchall
Cert CII
What is your life philosophy? Don’t hold grudges – life is too short
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? Being a good auntie
What is your favorite book? A romance novel
What is your favorite film? A romantic comedy
What is your favorite Album or song? I listen to a variety of music but favorite genre is indie
What is an ideal weekend for you? Visiting a wildlife park/ zoo with family and then cooking a Sunday roast while watching films
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Visiting Las Vegas
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Flying in an helicopter when I visited Vegas
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? Being at the birth of my nephew
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? My bed, solar powered lamp as I don’t like the dark, pots to cook with and a spare set of clothes.
Jessica Jackson
Cert CII
What is your life philosophy? Be Happy, Be Bright, Be you
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? Being a mum to my two children
What is your favorite book? I don’t really get much chance to read but I enjoy reading stories such as the Jolly Postman
What is your favorite film? Matilda – It never gets old
What is your favorite Album or song? There’s too many to list
What is an ideal weekend for you? A perfect weekend is spent in the garden with friends and family or watching Oliver play football in torrential weather
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Swimming with Dolphins in Mexico is one of the best things I’ve done
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? Back to when I was at school, wishing I would grow up quickly or to see my Grandparents again
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? My Dog, Antibac Wipes, Hairbrush & Hammock
Jack Edge
Chartered Insurance Broker ACII
What is your life philosophy? He who dares, wins
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? Back to back fantasy football champion for my football team
What is your favorite book? I don’t read much so I’ll go for a childhood favourite – The Very Hungry Caterpillar
What is your favorite film? The Dark Knight
What is your favorite Album or song? Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
What is an ideal weekend for you? With my mates, in a sunny beer garden, watching football
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Going to Paris to watch the EUROs
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? I did a 150ft zip line in Cancun – that was pretty wild
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? I think I’d just go back and see my Nan again!
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? 1) Football 2) iPad loaded with Peter Kay shows/ stand up 3)Unlimited supply of ice cream 4)Bali Bed
Sian Bevins
BA (Hons) Cert CII
What is your life philosophy? Live for the moment. I believe in living for today
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? Being the youngest female manager within Marstons’ PLC (I was 22 at the time)
What is your favorite book? The Magic Faraway Tree – Enid Blyton
What is your favourite film? Don’t make me choose!! I’m a huge Rocky fan so it would be wrong if I didn’t reply Rocky… but also I love Aliens, Terminator, Star Wars, The Goonies… I could go on…(My dad had a video shop when I was younger, so I love all 80s action films)
What is your favorite Album or song? Soundtrack to Rocky IV
What is an ideal weekend for you? Spending time with my family, anywhere as long as we are together!
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Buying a house and starting a family
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Not really an adrenaline junkie really, sorry! Both feet on the ground!
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? Egypt, before tourism ruined it!
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? Bikini, my kindle and my son!
Lesley Davies
Chartered Insurance Broker ACII
What is your life philosophy? Knowledge is good – you can never have too much
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? My three daughters
What is your favorite book? Lots to choose from but I’ll go with the children’s book, Pass The Jam Jim, as it reminds me of the fun we had reading it when my girls were young
What is your favourite film? Erin Brockovich or A Few Good Men, I can’t decide
What is your favorite Album or song? I have an eclectic taste in music, my go to album is Ladies and Gentlemen; George Michael
What is an ideal weekend for you? A West End theatre break
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Taking my daughters to Florida, the highlight being Discovery Cove
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? I love team sports, so whenever I’m playing or watching my daughters play, and it’s a really close game, especially when the end result is in our favour!
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? To when I was a teenager, knowing what I know now!
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? A ball, a pair of trainers, a book and a never ending supply of music
Dawn Cotton
ACII
What is your life philosophy? Treat others as you’d like to be treated
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? My lovely kids and winning the Mum’s race when they were at primary school
What is your favorite book?The Little Women series of books by Louisa May Alcott, I’ve read them all many times since the age of 11
What is your favourite film?Mamma Mia 2 – love a sing-a-long
What is your favorite Album or song? Anything up beat – I have hundred’s of songs on my Spotify playlist. I’m not a big album fan but Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf is one I enjoy listening to all the way through
What is an ideal weekend for you? Seeing friends and family, eating, drinking and laughing
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Completing a high ropes course (on jelly legs) with my son and finally visiting Rome in 2019 after many years of waiting
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Completing the high ropes course is definitely up there – I’m not a thrill seeker
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? To the pyramids in Egypt so I can see how they were built
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose?A wind-up radio, a sharp knife, Gin and Tonic
Vanessa Proctor
Dip CII
What is your life philosophy?To be happy with what you have achieved and not think about what if
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? The person I have become today thanks to my children
What is your favorite book? One of my A-Level studies. Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
What is your favourite film? Bridesmaids
What is your favorite Album or song?Acoustic songs by James Arthur
What is an ideal weekend for you? DIY! Love to improve/change things around the house
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? To push myself to do well in life and to have and to have a family of my own
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Definitely getting married!
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? I do love watching Peaky blinders, so maybe 1915-1930’s
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? Hair brush, jet ski, a watch, lots of tea
Mark Shaw
Cert CII
What is your life philosophy? Live each day like it’s your last because tomorrow is not promised
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? Witnessing the birth of my daughters and embracing fatherhood
What is your favorite book? Stark by Ben Elton
What is your favourite film? The Shining
What is your favorite Album or song? There Is Nothing Left To Lose, the album started my love affair with Foo Fighters and favourite song is Aurora
What is an ideal weekend for you? Spending quality time with friends/family, preferably in the sun with music and food involved!
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Visiting family in Australia
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Riding roller coasters and ‘white knuckle’ rides…. so far!
If you could fo back in time, when would you travel to? Ancient Rome
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? Mobile phone (for Spotify and Kindle), suntan lotion, sunglasses and flip-flops
Alec Henderson
Cert CII
What is your life philosophy? Looking to the future only works if you’ve learned to let go of the past
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? My serious answer would be getting 7’s and 6’s in my GCSE’s but I’ll never forget the time I packed Prime Pele on Fifa 22 (one of the best moments I’ve had whilst gaming).
What is your favorite book? For me, I’d have to go with Mister Creecher by Chris Priestley. Not read it in a while but when I have read it in the past, I’ve loved the alternative take on the story of Frankenstein.
What is your favourite film? The one film I’ve watched the most times is ‘The Pianist’ so I’d have to say that.
What is your favorite Album or song? My favourite album has got to be ‘Encore’ by Eminem, not necessarily his best work but it’s the first album I ever listened to back to front so it holds some significant value. If I had to narrow it down to one favourite song, It’d have to be between ‘Carribean Queen’ by Billy Ocean or ‘In a Big Country’ by Big Country.
What is an ideal weekend for you? Probably staying inside for most of the day, playing on my console. And then, going out with my mates in the afternoon to play football.
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Not made a bucket list yet, but I’m assuming riding Oblivion (one of the fastest rollercoasters in the UK) would have been on there
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Performing some music in front of a live crowd, granted it was only people from my year group at High School, but there was a lot of them so it counts in my book.
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? I’d have to go to Ancient Greece. I’ve always been intrigued by the culture surrounding it so I’d love to experience it myself and maybe prove some of the philosophers wrong.
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? An MP3 Player with unlimited songs, Some headphones, Solar Panels to charge the MP3 player, and one of those Lamps with a Genie inside (in case I decide I need a bit more help surviving)
Steven Conliffe
Cert CII
What is your life philosophy? Be yourself; everyone else is already taken
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? My family
What is your favorite book? The Dark Tower series by Stephen King
What is your favourite film? Too many to choose from!
What is your favorite Album or song? Hozier
What is an ideal weekend for you? At the beach with the family
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Seen the pyramids in Egypt, Grand Canyon, The Eiffel Tower and rode a Harley on Route 66
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Riding a Harley
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? Hammock, Bucket, Spade and a white flag
Isobel Galloway
Cert CII
What is your life philosophy? To be kind, be thoughtful and to treat others how I would like to be treated.
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? I’m the most proud of my little boy, he makes me proud every day.
What is your favorite book? The Witches by Roald Dhal, I have spent many hours reading this as a child.
What is your favorite film? Probably, ahh this is a hard one, probably would be The Lion King, its a classic and doesn’t matter how many times I watch it, I always cry when Mufasa dies
What is your favorite Album or song? Carry on up the Charts by The Beautiful South
What is an ideal weekend for you? An ideal weekend would be spent with my friends and family.
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? I don’t have a bucket list as I would probably loose the list haha
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? My biggest adrenaline rush would have to be becoming a Mummy.
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? I would go back to either the 1930’s/1940’s to when my grandparents were younger, just to see how they were and how the times were back then.
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? I would take, my favourite album, my favourite book and my friends and family haha
Paul Steele
Cert CII
What is your life philosophy? “Never Give Up” and “Onward & Upward”
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? Starting my own family, best player awards & captaining various football teams and completing the Tough Guy competition
What is your favorite book? Not a huge fan of books but I do enjoy Chuck Palahniuk’s work
What is your favorite film? Fight Club
What is your favorite Album or song? Too many to mention, genre wise EDM, 80’s Hairband Metal, Indie, the odd bit of Punk and Post Rock
What is an ideal weekend for you? Take the fiancée and daughter to Old Trafford to watch M.U.F.C, go for a nice meal at Rosso, couple of drinks in the Ivy (soft drinks for the daughter) then off to a live event at the AO Arena
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Starting my own family
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Thrill rides, Motorbikes/E-Motorbikes, assault courses, the birth of our daughter and Ole’s last minute winner Barcelona ’99
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? The moment in time we transitioned from prey to predators and the 70’s to get to see Hendrix, The Stones, Motley Crue, Guns ‘n’ Roses etc… live and in their prime
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? A hammock, a jet ski, a football and an axe
Tracy Prince
Dip CII
What is your life philosophy? Don’t worry over things beyond your control
What is it that you are most proud of in your life? My beautiful daughter
What is your favorite book? Not really a reader, but enjoyed the few biographies I’ve read
What is your favourite film? Bridget Jones
What is your favorite Album or song? Stars – Simply Red
What is an ideal weekend for you? Relaxing in the sun
Have you ticked off any part of your bucket list? Seeing Port Vale win at Wembley
What has been your biggest adrenaline rush? Being on the front row of the Smiler at Alton Towers
If you could go back in time, when would you travel to? Ancient Greece
You are stranded on a fictional desert island and can only have four items, what would you choose? Sun Cream, Lip Balm, Sun Glasses & Ipad
About us
Want to know more about us? Here are 10 facts to get you started.
1) We’re independent brokers based in—where else?—Staffordshire. Newcastle-under-Lyme, to be precise.
2) We moved from Stone to our grand old building Wolstanton in 2011 and never looked back.
3) The grand old building, the place we call home, was designed by renowned architect, Absalom Reed Wood, in 1890.
4) We’re built on four pillars; Professional, Approachable, Meticulous and Swift. Everything we do rotates around these pillars.
5) Charity is close to our hearts. Donna Louise Hospice, Help Appeal, Air Ambulance and Alice Charity are just some of the charities we work with.
6) We love a good chinwag. Talking to our clients is what motivates us most.
7) We also love a good oatcake and they’re usually found around the office on Fridays (though not for long).
8) If you visit us on a Friday, you’ll notice that we employ a dress-down day. Mind your eyes though, there are some debatable fashion choices here in the office.
9) The office radio keeps us moving swiftly. We can jive to any tune.
10) We believe in allegories. There’s wisdom to be gained from The Tortoise and The Hare. Come and visit us and we’ll explain why.
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