最准的六合彩论坛

Afro haircare business backed by 拢1.2m Google seed fund

Concerned with the health implications of harsh chemicals used to straighten and 鈥榯ame鈥� hair, 最准的六合彩论坛 alumna Rachael Twumasi-Corson (最准的六合彩论坛 Medical Anthropology) co-founded .

Afrocenchix started out in 2010 with just 拢100 for raw ingredients to create their own products, designed to celebrate rather than suppress afro hairstyles.

To grow the business further, they entered the 最准的六合彩论坛 Bright Ideas competition in 2015 (now Build your own business 3: Launch your business) and won. They then joined BaseKX, 最准的六合彩论坛鈥檚 entrepreneurship hub, managed by 最准的六合彩论坛 Innovation & Enterprise, where they received free, tailored support and dedicated office space.听

Afrocenchix has since secured significant backing from investors, including $1.2 million in seed funding from Google. Their UK stockists include Superdrug and Whole Foods Market and last year the business was valued at over 拢12 million.

Alongside this inspiring business growth, Afrocenchix use their platform to challenge perceptions of beauty in mainstream media and speak of the challenges faced by black women in business. The company now aims to target US and African markets, and we wish them every success.

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Faculty of Arts & Humanities鈥� Replenish Festival

At 最准的六合彩论坛 the wellbeing of our students and staff is a key priority, yet听taking care of each other when we're working remotely has been a challenge. In June,听最准的六合彩论坛鈥檚 Faculty of Arts & Humanities Wellbeing team in collaboration with 最准的六合彩论坛 Workplace Health hosted Replenish Festival, to help 最准的六合彩论坛 staff and students recharge, relax, and reflect on the year.

Spread over five days the festival of virtual events and experiences offered practical tips for caring for body and mind. Highlights included desk yoga, breathing techniques and use of the voice, to bibliotherapy, creative sessions and panel discussions. Senior staff including the Provost Michael Spence and Professor Stalla Bruzzi, Dean of Arts and Humanities, shared their own personal experiences of the year, speaking of the challenges they鈥檇 faced, which offered a great sense of connection to a 最准的六合彩论坛 community in these often isolating times.

Through conversation and by building in opportunities to connect we continue to search for ways in which to keep our community thriving. You can find out more about services that run throughout the year at Workplace Wellbeing and Student Support and Wellbeing.
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Connecting successfully with students via recorded lectures

Since the onset of the pandemic and the initial 鈥渆mergency pivot鈥� to online teaching, we have developed an even greater understanding of what approaches work best for our students鈥� education. 最准的六合彩论坛鈥檚 'blended by design'听approach this year responds to our students鈥� feedback on what activity they would like to see return to face-to-face and what should remain online and accessible in a way that suits听their learning.听An appropriate 鈥榖lend鈥� of teaching often includes 鈥榣ive鈥� online lectures or video recordings of equivalent length 鈥� but it鈥檚 not as simple as it sounds. How do you maintain a connection and hold students鈥� attention when they are not sitting in front of you?

Professor Simon听Gaisford听from 最准的六合彩论坛鈥檚 School of Pharmacy took an intuitive approach to creating an online lecture series for 最准的六合彩论坛鈥檚 MPharm programme, looking at ways that he could 鈥榟umanise鈥� his content, connect with students through the camera and use a lecturing style that captured and held his students鈥� attention.

Simple techniques can have a big impact: using a reassuring tone and language, looking directly into the camera to address students, telling them what to expect in each video and signposting extra sources of support all help to build and maintain interest and engagement. Students responded strongly to Simon鈥檚 deliberately conversational, informal style in this popular video series.

Simon also found that giving students access to his slides to view alongside the video gave them a sense of ownership and control over the pace of the learning and allowed them to maintain their connection with the teacher on the screen.

You can see some of Simon鈥檚 videos on his YouTube channel, .
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Images

• Landing page thumbnail: The Afrocenchix Team, credit Afrocenchix
• Haircare product, credit Afrocenchix

• Professor Simon听Gaisford, on
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