Close to the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake and sitting right next door to Armathwaite Hall, the park is set in 24 acres of grounds and is home to over 100 species of animal. From its roots as a farm park it has grown up and now has rare and endangered animals. Well known for their keeper talks and their amazing Bird of Prey displays, the park has expanded to include breeding rare species as part of the European Zoo Breeding programme. Home to a Red Panda, a herd of Zebra and several families of Lemurs, plus a mob of Meerkats and an excellent collection of reptiles, there’s plenty for the family. You can also try the unique animal experiences. From Hawk Walks (flying birds around the park), to Meet the Meerkats and Lemur Encounters – I simply love the Lemurs.

Elegant, timeless and best of all – one of the few places you can get BRITISH made furniture. The choice of fabrics is amazing, the style range – far reaching, with contemporary and classic suites, cool chairs, comfy sofas – but best of all the accessories keep you hanging round for hours. Four generations have run the shop – all called John. And he’s still there, John the younger, with the help of a team. The shop is an Aladdin’s cave – deceptive beyond belief. There is a second huge showroom at the back – if you wander past the shop too quickly there’s a chance you’ll miss it.

There are now seven hotels, ranging from the Kings Arms in Keswick – a 17^th century coaching inn, to the prestigious four star, two AA Rosette Inn on the Lake at Glenridding. Great food, comfortable surroundings and a commitment to continually improve their guest experiences. Great for a short breaks or a night out – but which one to go to? Over 280 bedrooms to choose from! And the food…Kings for Mussels, Lodore for puds, Inn on the Lake for a fine experience, Borrowdale – well I’ll always have a soft spot for this lovely hotel.

For the love of coffee! This duo are the cream and sugar. Fanatical about superb tasting coffee, Angharad and Gareth at Carvetii Coffee Roasters in Embleton are trailblazing the way for quality coffee in Cumbria – and further afield. They go beyond Fair Trade, knowing exactly which farms their coffee comes from. Did you know coffee beans are seasonal? Their espresso blends change regularly to max out on the best flavours in season at the time. If you are a restaurant or café wanting to use their coffee – they’ll train you to get the best out of these special beans when grinding and brewing. Their coffee tasting events should be added to you bucket list.

The Lakes Free Range Egg Company supplies free range and organic eggs to some of the most discerning food retailers. They have a strong ethical ethos which focuses on sustainability, environmental provenance and the best animal welfare possible. The source of their eggs? Local family farms who share the same philosophy. No wonder McDonald’s have been a customer for almost a decade. They supply successful local businesses like Cranston’s, regional food retailers like Booths and national supermarkets including Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Laid With Love and The Lakes are their two leading brands. They richly deserve the national acclaim they’ve achieved for their sustainable model.

TIS Cumbria Limited (TIS) is West Cumbria’s leading fabrication, welding and NDT specialist capable of taking concepts from design, through to production, installation and inspection. They are proud to be truly West Cumbrian, home grown and with a reputation for quality, efficiency and reliability.

After moving to new offices their plans for growth continued and just recently they launched a massive manufacturing facility that is being well utilised by the nuclear sector. John Bragg and Tony O’Pray have won industry awards for their work with apprentices – they are passionate about growing the local workforce and it is paying dividends. In the last five years we’ve created plenty of noise and action.

BEC has a mission of transforming Allerdale and Copeland (West Cumbria) in to diverse, resilient and low carbon economy. They provide businesses with the support and infrastructure they need to capitalise on a potential £90 billion investment in the local nuclear industry and exploit opportunities in high-growth Clean Technologies. They also provide business support, inward investment and managed workspace and are owner and operator of Westlakes Science & Technology Park. Their 2014 results have been remarkable: upskilled over 350 businesses increased or safeguarded £12+ sales and helped their 1000th start up business launch. It’s great to be a tiny part of that support.

Eden Housing Association does just that – provides affordable housing, mainly in Eden. They are very much focused on their tenants and the communities in which their homes are located. Envied for the quality and quantity of their community development work, they have a real handle on what people need. With an ever increasing older population they have developed the innovative Eden Independent Living Service for which they have won national recognition. The staff are a dedicated bunch and I have been known to get goose bumps when I hear about what they do.

Bull semen on-line is not your every day job, but having a dairy farming background did help on this one! Farm visits, photography (and Photoshop out weeds), creating case studies and attending events. When asked for a quote I received three. For a bit of fun I chose this one:

“Despite Tracey’s ability to drink copious amounts of whisky, she manages to deliver occasional pieces of material for our company, weeks after the deadline. In between rehab sessions she has moments of inspiration which are worth waiting for.” (Just so you know, I don’t drink whisky!)