Our Bombus team is a very talented bunch...

They do a lot more than you think...

As well as working at Bombus, almost all of our team have another pursuit. This can be a small business, or an entirely separate career!

This isn't because working at Bombus isn't enough for us, it really is. But as part of the Bombus team we are actively encouraged to be creative! And creativity usually means we need to express ourselves in as many ways as possible. We are lucky that working at Bombus gives us the opportunity to do just that.

So in a series of blogs, I am going to introduce you to our Bombus team! And tell you all about their amazing accomplishments.

Meet Amie

Studio Manager

Last year Amie qualified as a
Registered Nutritional Therapist DipION, mBANT, CNHC

Impressive isn't it! We've learnt A LOT from Amie when it comes to what we should be eating, and as a result the whole Bombus team are better for it. She genuinely knows her stuff. I would recommend anyone who wants to make a positive and healthy life change to look her up and book in for a consultation.

https://www.amiebutlernutrition.co.uk/

What made you want to train to be a nutritionist? 

My journey into the world of nutrition began quite simply by reading a book. I bought Amelia Freer's book Eat, Nourish, Glow and found it so compelling that I read it cover to cover in one sitting. The moment I read that book, something changed. I knew I wanted to know and learn more about the the role that nutrition plays in human health and wellbeing. So I made the decision to enrol at the prestigious Institute for Optimum Nutrition and spend 4 years studying the science of nutrition.

How did you find studying for your course at the same time as working full time at Bombus? 

I won't sugar coat it, working full time and studying was incredibly tough! Every evening and weekend for 4 years was spent studying and writing assignments! The course at ION is really rigorous so I would advise anyone who is looking to learn about the science of nutrition to really decide if they have the time and dedication to study it. 

What does the future hold for you, in terms of working as a nutritional professional? 

At the moment I am focusing on building my practice and client list. As a nutritionist there is a lot of scope for working in various different fields, my particular interest is weight management and gut health.  Gut health and the microbiome (our bodies mini eco-system) has received a lot of research in the last decade and has been linked to a multitude of health complaints, from obesity to anxiety. Gut health may be the future of medicine!

What is the one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to improve their health through nutrition? 

I would say really be mindful of what you put into your body as the food we eat ultimately influences our health. Dr. Mark Hyman expresses this really well " The fork is your most powerful tool to change your health and the planet; food is the most powerful medicine to heal chronic illness.”

How do you feel the current pandemic has affected the country, in terms of access to healthy food and good nutrition? 

The pandemic has really highlighted that taking care of our health is of paramount importance. A wonderful thing to come out of lock down was that it gave a lot of people the gift of time to either spend in the garden growing vegetables or in the kitchen experimenting and cooking their meals with their family. I know in my household there was a lot of sour-dough being baked! 

What does being part of the Bombus team mean to you? 

Working for Bombus means the world to me! (excuse the map pun)  I love my job and I feel incredibly lucky to work with an amazing and fierce team of talented women every day! 

What's one recipe anyone can cook at home, to boost their overall immune system?

A large proportion of our immune system is actually in the gut. So a really simple recipe to help support gut health is my ayuvedic inspired stewed apples. 

Not only is it highly nutritious and an ideal breakfast dish, but the fiber, pectin, found in the apple skins may help to maintain and repair the intestinal mucosa lining in the gut. I often suggest this as a simple but effective recipe to help clients who have sensitive gut or need microbiome support.

https://www.amiebutlernutrition.co.uk/stewedapples

Meet Esther

Freelance Studio Assistant

Esther has just gained her Postgraduate Diploma of Photography (with Merit) from the British Academy of Photography.

Esther is a colourful, bright, and lively member of the Bombus team. She is extremely creative and brings a keen eye to production, never letting anything be sent out to a customer unless it is 100% perfect. Her photography skills are really quite something, and we've used her for all sorts of projects (most recently a series of portraits of our staff!)

Why Photography?

After leaving art college, where I focused on film and photography, I took a year out trying to decide what I wanted to do. After realising I didn’t want the ‘Uni experience’ I decided that a home study diploma course suited me much better. I chose photography because - without trying to sound big headed- I'm good at it, I enjoy the art documenting a frozen moment in time and I wanted to learn more.

What was the most useful thing you learnt on your course?

I think what I have found the most useful, and it may sound really basic but in my first assignment I learnt how to shoot photos on a manual setting.  Before this, even in my photography GCSE, I was always told to shoot on automatic as it was implied that what I was photographing was what was important not the stages before it get to achieve a final image. Learning this skill has now taught me so much and I have been able to use this knowledge to shoot with analogue cameras. 

What is your favourite genre of photography?

I actually ask myself this question a lot, I love photojournalism and portraiture but every time I think that one of these is my favourite genre, I end up going back to fashion photography. I picked up my first copy of Vogue when I was thirteen and since then the images in fashion magazines have always inspired me. The artistic nature of these images, I believe is the reason why my favourite genre never changes even though I may doubt it sometimes! 

What is the one piece of advice you'd give someone wanting to take their photography to the next level?

Research. I mentioned in the earlier question I’m very lucky as I was quite young when I realised I loved fashion photography so I spent years flicking through fashion magazines when i was at school and gathering inspiration through these. however when i got to starting this course i realised that not all inspiration came from just photos and fashion. It came from colour palettes, art, music, films and just everyday life. by researching these different aspects you start to gather a knowledge of what you love and it’ll start to motivate you to make images you also love. once this starts to happen your images are uniquely yours and something you can be proud of without just copying something you’ve seen in the pages of a magazine, which we’ve all done!You can never do enough research about what inspires you.

How has being a member of the Bombus team helped you during your studies?

I started working at Bombus a couple of months after I started my course so my little Bombus family have been there through it all, and have provided me with so much encouragement and support. They have also given me the opportunities to help with product shoots at the studio where I gained experience that I later used in a product related assignment. 

Did lockdown and the pandemic affect your studies?

Because I shielded at home from March until July in the beginning the forthcoming weeks seemed very daunting. After finishing five books in the first two weeks of lockdown I realised that I should be putting my head down and finishing my course as I only had until the end of June to complete. I had to adapt my photoshoots to be able to take in and around my house but this was the only complication i found so after a lot of 1am essay writing, 4pm snack breaks and a daily dose of ‘I CAN’T DO THIS’ I finally handed in my final assignment on June 26th. So really, for me in this horrible time, I’m seeing the pandemic and lockdown as a blessing as I would not have been able to submit the amount of work I did had the world been functioning as normal. Lesson learnt: Try to have better time management skills in future. 

What is the best memory you have made being part of the Bombus team? 

The best memory I have made whilst working at Bombus would have to be my 21st birthday. We love a birthday at Bombus, the bunting goes up, we always have cake at lunch and you can guarantee an awkward gift giving ceremony at the end of the day. However the day before my 21st was unlike anything else, as well as a huge stack of vegan brownies made by Amie and bunting round my desk, I was given a HUGE cardboard sandwich board with the biggest 21 in the middle complete with a beautiful gold crown. By the end of the day I had shed my sandwich board but grown accustomed to my new headwear, so much so that when the postman arrived in the afternoon to collect what had been packed for the day it wasn’t until he strangely asked me if it was my birthday that I realised that I was still wearing it. A true birthday queen and a memory that will stay with me forever. 

What a remarkable pair!

And that's not all...

The rest of the team are made up of artists, weavers, seamstresses, and more... tune in soon for the next chapter in our Meet the Team series!