Teenage athlete and fell running sensation from Yorkshire, Charlotte Rawstron, talks to Jane Hunt about her progress through the world of athletics and the fascination of running up the seemingly impossible steep fell at Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show - and back down again! Jane discovers how Charlotte got into running up hills and why it's something she loves to do, despite the commitment involved.  She learns of her successes to date and which triumphs have really stood out in Charlotte's athletics career so far. She also discovers more about Charlotte's future goals over the next fe ..read more

Jane Hunt homes in on the delights of a formal English garden in the summer months, by talking to the head gardener of Levens Hall and Gardens, in the Lake District, Cumbria. This amazing garden was first established by the French gardener, Monsieur Guillaume Beaumont, in 1694 but has been under the care of current head gardener, Chris Crowder, for the past 38 years. Whilst best known for its topiary garden the oldest in the world which does come into the conversation, the Levens Hall garden has so much more to offer. Jane explores the various parts of the garden, with Chris's help, focusing o ..read more

If you can’t head off to Italy this year, you simply have to bring the tastes of the Mediterranean to your own home and what could be better than a tasty woodfired pizza, bubbling with cheese and with a beautifully charred base worthy of any pizzeria in Naples?  Maybe a pizza  - or even better, another recipe concoction, rustled up in your own garden oven? But how do you top that?  Maybe by serving up that pizza from an oven you’ve built yourself, so it comes with a big topping of self-satisfaction? Jane Hunt interviews Andrew Manciocchi, the Anglo-Italian and man ..read more

With the worldwide phenomenon that is World Topiary Day just around the corner, the creator of the multi-award-winning gardening awareness day, Jane Hunt, managing director of Catapult PR, talks to Patrick Salembier, President of the European Boxwood and Topiary Society in Europe. Jane discovers why the award-winning idea is a huge hit in France but also in the USA, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and other far-flung places and not just in the UK where it has put Levens Hall and Gardens, the founder of the day and the world's oldest topiary garden, at the top of the topiary tree.   Jane explains ..read more

It's so easel!  That sums up the forthcoming 2024 season at Levens Hall and Gardens in the English Lake District,  as Jane Hunt discovers when interviewing self-taught artist, Bob Sutcliffe OBE.   Jane learns how first a diagnosis of epilepsy, and then a heart attack 10 years later, resulted in Bob picking up a tin of watercolours and painting for the first time, using art therapy to manage his health condition.  She also finds out how this has subsequently led to an incredible charity fundraising journey, significant sums being raised and the award of an OBE for charity wo ..read more

Jane Hunt gets on the scent of a historic and traditional canine sport that is largely these days confined to the beautiful countryside of Cumbria, or as some people may better know this  part of the UK - the Lake District.   Jane discovers all there is to know about the dog-focused sport of houndtrailing, which involves trail hounds following their noses, to race to the finish line, having expertly followed a trail of aniseed and paraffin across what can be tough Cumbria fellside terrain, with many an obstacle en route to the prize money and trophy. By talking to various members of ..read more

  Jane Hunt explains the motivation that drove her towards a visit to the Viking Ship Museum, in Roskilde, Denmark, having been to a meeting, as part of her travel PR work, in which the need for DNA testing around Hadrian's Wall become evident and where the arrival of a DNA testing kit was as exciting for the recipient as a knock on the door by Axl Rose would have been for Jane!  Jane describes her own DNA journey and Viking roots and explains how this not only led to a trip to Copenhagen, but a journey to Roskilde, to find out what the Viking Ship Museum had to offer.  Jane fir ..read more

Jane Hunt talks to Sarah Miller, a passionate tour guide at English Elizabethan Hall, Levens Hall and Gardens, in the northwest of England, and discovers why just visiting the gardens would be a real case of missing out.  Jane discovers the history of this unique historic property and the perils of gambling, as she finds out how the Hall changed hands.  She also learns of the wonderful decor within the Hall and some of the incredible items that visitors can see, if they take a tour.  Hot on the trail of all things Napoleon, following the launch of the Napoleon movie, she also he ..read more

How difficult is it to come up with a name for a dog and what are the most popular choices?  What could inspire a choice of name for a dog and what examples do we have in the celebrity, movie and TV world?  What are the real no-no rules when it comes to a name and what name should you choose if you want your doggy to respond to you?  After spotting a dog named Axel, rather than Axl, and having pet owner research at her fingertips, Jane talks through all of this, as well as providing details of some other research findings that suggest some dog owners didn't put enough thought in ..read more

Jane Hunt talks to Janan Leo, founder of women's footwear brand, Cocorose London, about the second major innovation of her career - the creation of a collection of vegan, sustainable cactus leather trainers range for UK women and those whom the brand can reach through exporting. Jane asks Janan about this plant-powered alternative to leather, discusses the brand’s sustainable principles, delves more into the world of cactus leather and shoe manufacturing in the UK and in Portugal and discovers why cacti are eco superheroes.  She hears about the new Kew collection of 5 plant-powered traine ..read more