If you’ve never been to the National Self-Build & Renovation Centre in Swindon you’ve missed a treat. It’s an Aladdin’s Cave of information and displays on how to renovate or build your own home. They even run courses.

In the middle of this vast warehouse is a Show Home, and our Swindon Connections networking evening took place in this. So it was very comfortable, and lent itself well to enjoyable and relaxed conversation over good drinks and nibbles.

It was good to meet again some of our friends and followers (thanks for being there) and to make new relationships. All this builds well our vision of increased availability of good coaching for organisations based in or near Swindon.

Our vouchers offering our free coaching taster sessions were well received. If you’d like one yourself, email or phone us.

According to an ICF Client Survey 98.5% of coaching clients said their investment in a coach was well worth the money. Other statistics included:
• A higher level of self-awareness: 67.6%
• Smarter goal-setting: 62.4%
• A more balanced life: 60.5%
• Lower stress levels: 57.1%

(From International Coaching Federation’s (ICF) Client Survey. © Copyright 1997-2000 – International Coach Federation. http://www.coachfederation.com/ Download full results here.)

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.

We continue to attend popular places and events to give people an opportunity to find out how they may benefit from coaching and experience a taster session. If you’d like to offer us a venue, perhaps so your employees may benefit from free coaching during their lunch hour, then get in touch.

Our upcoming events in September are:

Wednesday 22nd September at the Swindon Connections meeting in the National Self-Build Centre in Swindon from 6:00pm to 8:30pm. Cost is £10+VAT which includes light refreshments: for venue and to book go to event page. Those of you who attended the last one of these in July will know the added benefit of great networking and good visiting speakers.

On Wednesday 29th September we are doing a lunch time drop in event again at the popular Old Bank wine bar in Wood Street Swindon SN1 4AB between 12 noon and 2pm. Drop in anytime. No need to book, and no cost except the drinks you buy!

See you there!

Many of our coaching business clients receive grants of hundreds of pounds from Train to Gain’s Leadership and Management Advisory Service, because the coaching helps them to develop leadership skills.

I was pleased to be invited to a gathering of Train to Gain’s advisers in Swindon this week, to meet up, share information, and help develop this service.

The advisers stay in touch with the firms they have helped, so it was encouraging to discover that they had received good feedback about the coaching we have given, and wanted to connect further clients.

(This grant is due to end early in 2011, so if it is of interest to you get in touch now. email Richard here )

It’s easy to imagine that everyone is away in August. The roads are quieter in the rush hour, but not everyone is tied to the school holidays. We’re finding continuing requests are coming in from people who’d like support for their business or a clearer sense of direction for their life.

As a team we’re planning more events for September onwards. Watch this space.

If you’re in a more reflective mood when the weather is warmer, maybe now is the time to take a step back from what you are doing to talk your hopes, plans and goals through with a friendly local coach?