Team news – February 2026

Published on February 17, 2026 by Blackstone

February has been one of those months where the diary’s felt full in all the right ways: a few lovely family moments, a bit of live-music excitement, and (for a couple of us) more time than we’d like thinking about knees.

Kicking off the New Year – expectations, then a reset
Back in January, we held our first team meeting of the year to set expectations and get properly organised for 2026. 

Alongside the usual planning and priorities, we also did something a bit different: a meditation and Reiki session in the afternoon, kindly led by Gareth’s wife, Nicola. It was a really helpful reset; a quiet moment to clear the mental clutter, before diving back into the practical stuff. We returned to our desks feeling more serene than usual!

A big “happy birthday” to Franklin
On 10 February, Louise Hebson’s son Franklin turned two. A brilliant age, full of opinions, energy, and a suspicious ability to locate the one thing in the room they shouldn’t touch.  

Wembley bound… with daughters in tow
Completely independently of each other, Clare and Sheneen have both managed to get tickets to see Harry Styles at Wembley this summer, and they’re both going with their daughters. They’re looking forward to making memories with quality time, a big night out, and proof that perseverance (and perhaps a decent Wi-Fi connection) pays off.

Clare’s birthday break at Stonehenge and Woodhenge
Mid-month, Clare escaped for her birthday and took in Stonehenge and Woodhenge. I must confess that no one in the office has heard of Woodhenge before, and by all accounts it was very much an anti-climax compared to Stonehenge, and apparently no surprise that it’s not as famous! 

A dodgy knees update
On the “real life” front, Gareth is recovering from ACL surgery in January. Progress is steady, and he’s pretty much off the crutches, and walking around nicely. Meanwhile, Sheneen is due to undergo major knee surgery later this month and is expected to be off for quite some time while she recovers. We’re all rooting for a good, uncomplicated recovery.