Killing Kittens founder seeks £500k for growth By MARK SHAPLAND Updated: 21:52 GMT, 23 November 2024 e-mail View comments A mother-of-three who founded the UK's most glamorous sex party brand is looking to raise funds to expand her business around the globe. Emma Sayle, 46, who attended the same Downe House School in Berkshire as Kate Middleton and was spotted with the future Princess of Wales during her brief break-up with Prince William in 2007, founded London-based Killing Kittens 20 years ago. The company that claims to allow women to 'feel in control' and able to 'explore their sexuality' has become an established part of London's nightlife. Now Sayle has plans to expand the business overseas. Killing Kittens wants to raise £500,000 from retail investors through the crowdfunding platform Seedrs – giving the business a valuation of £10.5 million – according to documents seen by The Mail on Sunday. The money will be used to pay for a permanent venue, cruise ship tours, a gay male venture and to stage events in LA, Lisbon, Venice and Paris. Overseas ambitions: Killing Kittens claims to allow women to 'feel in control' The company has seen its popularity soar since the end of the pandemic, with 12,000 people attending its events last year. Revenues this year rose to £1.9 million, up from £1.6million last year. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Taxman to profit from sex party firm set up by friend of the... Battered High Street pins hopes on Black Friday Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account Sayle said: 'A lot of people sat inside during the pandemic and thought to themselves: 'I only have one life. I'm in a stale relationship, let's go and explore and do something hedonistic.' ' Expansion plans: Emma Sayle Killing Kittens throws luxurious events that include oysters and champagne in grand houses and Mayfair clubs, often stipulating guests wear formal attire. Guest lists are vetted and there is a ban on men approaching women they don't know – women make the advances instead. It is planning to move into cruises, with a maiden voyage planned for 2026. Sayle says this has already generated £350,000 in room revenues in the first eight weeks on sale. 'We'll stop for tourist excursions, do some wine tasting – all the usual stuff. Then in the evening there will be striptease tutorials and sex parties.' The group is searching for its first dedicated venue in London in a bid to save costs. Sayle has recently launched a gay and bisexual male venture called KK Homme. She told the MoS that the company will look at options including a possible sale or flotation on the Alternative Investment Market in the next 18 months. DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS AJ Bell AJ Bell Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Learn More Learn More Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas Learn More Learn More interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Learn More Learn More Saxo Saxo Get £200 back in trading fees Learn More Learn More Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Learn More Learn More Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence. Compare the best investing account for you Share or comment on this article: Killing Kittens founder seeks £500k for growth e-mail Add comment Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence. More top storiesJoin Sam McKewon and Amie Just as they dive deep into the Husker sports scene — rationalizing, analyzing, and summarizing as only they can! In the latest episode of The Showdown, Sam McKewon and Amie Just break down a jam-packed week for Nebraska Athletics. The open with the football game between Nebraska and Wisconsin, how the Huskers' can come out victorious in the matchup and the weird comments from Luke Fickell about who will be the Badgers' play caller. They move onto the doubleheader between both Nebraska and Creighton basketball teams, including the loss of Natalie Potts and how Creighton's difficult schedule can help the Husker women. The duo also talk the Husker men's chances against the Bluejays and Ryan Kalkbrenner. They close out with Nebraska volleyball's upcoming match against Wisconsin on Senior Day and the looming match against Penn State. Subscribe to HuskerExtra.com
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Offering patients an injection is more effective than the current care of steroid tablets and cuts the need for further treatment by 30%, according to a study. Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets specific white blood cells, called eosinophils, to reduce lung inflammation. It is currently used as a repeat treatment for severe asthma at a low dose, but a new clinical trial has found that a higher single dose can be very effective if injected at the time of a flare-up. The findings, published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine, included 158 people who needed medical attention in A&E for their asthma or COPD attack (COPD is a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties). Patients were given a quick blood test to see what type of attack they were having, with those suffering an “eosinophilic exacerbation” involving eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) being suitable for treatment. Around 50% of asthma attacks are eosinophilic exacerbations, as are 30% of COPD ones, according to the scientists. The clinical trial, led by King’s College London and carried out at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, saw patients randomly split into three groups. One group received the benralizumab injection and dummy tablets, another received standard care (prednisolone steroids 30mg daily for five days) and a dummy injection, and the third group received both the benralizumab injection and steroids. After 28 days, respiratory symptoms of cough, wheeze, breathlessness and sputum were found to be better in people on benralizumab. And after 90 days, there were four times fewer people in the benralizumab group who failed treatment compared with those receiving steroids. Treatment with the benralizumab injection also took longer to fail, meaning fewer visits to a GP or hospital for patients, researchers said. Furthermore, people also reported a better quality of life on the new regime. Scientists at King’s said steroids can have severe side-effects such as increasing the risk of diabetes and osteoporosis, meaning switching to benralizumab could provide huge benefits. Lead investigator Professor Mona Bafadhel, from King’s, said: “This could be a game-changer for people with asthma and COPD. “Treatment for asthma and COPD exacerbations have not changed in 50 years, despite causing 3.8 million deaths worldwide a year combined. “Benralizumab is a safe and effective drug already used to manage severe asthma. “We’ve used the drug in a different way – at the point of an exacerbation – to show that it’s more effective than steroid tablets, which is the only treatment currently available.” Researchers said benralizumab could also potentially be administered safely at home or in a GP practice, as well as in A&E. First author Dr Sanjay Ramakrishnan, clinical senior lecturer at the University of Western Australia, said: “Our study shows massive promise for asthma and COPD treatment. “COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide but treatment for the condition is stuck in the 20th century. “We need to provide these patients with life-saving options before their time runs out.” Dr Samantha Walker, director of research and innovation at Asthma and Lung UK, welcomed the findings but said: “It’s appalling that this is the first new treatment for those suffering from asthma and COPD attacks in 50 years, indicating how desperately underfunded lung health research is.” AstraZeneca provided the drug for the study and funded the research, but had no input into trial design, delivery, analysis or interpretation.ATLANTA — On Jan. 18 and 19 the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will be held at State Farm Arena in advance of the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 20. The star-studded lineup was announced Thursday at a news conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Performances will include Lil Wayne and GloRilla on Saturday; and Camila Cabello, Myles Smith and Knox on Sunday. On game day, the Allstate Championship Tailgate, taking place just outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Home Depot Backyard, will feature country acts on the Capital One Music Stage, including global superstar Kane Brown and iHeartCountry “On The Verge” artist Ashley Cooke. The concerts are just two of the festivities visiting fans can enjoy in the days leading up to the big game. The fan experience for both ticket holders and the general public has been a focus for event planners. All weekend long, an estimated 100,000 people from across the country are expected to attend fan events preceding kickoff. “It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about, and you don’t have to have a ticket to the game to be a part of it,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP in a press release. “We’ve worked closely with the Atlanta Football Host Committee to develop fan-friendly events that thousands will enjoy come January.” On Saturday, Jan. 18, Playoff Fan Central will open at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. The free, family-friendly experience will include games, clinics, pep rallies, special guest appearances, autograph signings and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. That day, fans can also attend Media Day, presented by Great Clips, which will feature one-hour sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each of the College Football Playoff national championship participating teams. ESPN and social media giants X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will be taping live broadcasts from the event. On Sunday, Jan. 19, the Trophy Trot, both a 5K and 10K race, will wind its way through the streets of downtown Atlanta. Each Trophy Trot participant will receive a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Participants can register at atlantatrackclub.org . On Sunday evening, the Georgia Aquarium will host the Taste of the Championship dining event, which offers attendees the opportunity to indulge in food and drink prepared by local Atlanta chefs. This premium experience serves as an elevated exploration of local cuisine on the eve of the national championship. Tickets to the Taste of the Championship event are available on etix.com . Atlanta is the first city ever to repeat as host for the CFP national championship. The playoff was previously held in Atlanta in 2018. “We are honored to be the first city to repeat as host for the CFP national championship and look forward to welcoming college football fans from around the country in January,” said Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council and Atlanta Football Host Committee. “This event gives us another opportunity to showcase our incredible city.” The College Football Playoff is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games — the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year’s quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, while the semifinals will be Jan. 9-10, 2025. The CFP national championship will be Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!
It won't be long before NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger becomes a legitimate household name in every city. Breidinger made her NASCAR debut in 2021, becoming the first Arab-American woman to ever compete in the sport. At 25 years old, she already has 27 top-ten finishes under her belt in the ARCA Menards Series. She placed fourth in this year's ARCA Series championship. In addition to becoming a really good stock car racer, Breidinger is expanding her brand by working with iconic brands. Earlier this week, she was unveiled as the newest rookie model for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. "Toni Breidinger traded in her signature black-and-white sporty racing suit for stunning swimwear on the shores of @thebocaraton while posing for the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue as our newest athlete," SI Swimsuit said. "The stock car racing driver is the first female Arab-American driver to participate in any NASCAR national series event and has quickly risen to become one of NASCAR’s most prominent figures as a history-making competitor, a trailblazer for women in the male-dominated sport, and a burgeoning influence in the fashion and modeling industries." A few weeks before this announcement was made, Breidinger left people speechless in a stunning black dress. It was such an impressive look that her Instagram post didn't even need a caption. View the original article to see embedded media. Breidinger has already worked with a plethora of marquee brands, such as GAP, Raising Cane's and Victoria's Secret. She actually joined the Victoria's Secret family in 2022. "Little me is crying. growing up I struggled a lot with body confidence," Breidinger wrote on Instagram . "This past year I focused on my mental and physical health over appearance. I’m honored to be part of @victoriassecret family. Thank you for letting me feel confident in my own skin." Marleen Moise/Getty Images If you're not already on Breidinger's bandwagon, you better hop on before it's too late. At this rate, 2025 is shaping up to be the year of Toni Breidinger. Related: NASCAR Driver Poses For Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Photo
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SALT LAKE CITY — Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 122-103 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. Jokic scored 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting in the first quarter alone to rally Denver from an early 12-point deficit. Jamal Murray added 22 points, eight assists and four steals for the Nuggets. Michael Porter Jr. had 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Christian Braun finished with 18 points and seven boards. Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 26 points. Keyonte George scored 23, including five 3-pointers. Walker Kessler chipped in with 16 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Utah played without injured starters Lauri Markkanen and John Collins. Denver broke open a close game behind a 21-4 run extending from the middle of the second quarter into the third. With three baskets apiece, Murray and Porter fueled the spurt, which gave the Nuggets a 70-53 lead. Utah trailed by double digits the rest of the way. Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun looks to pass as Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton, middle, and Utah Jazz forward Drew Eubanks, right, defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Salt Lake City. Credit: AP/Rick Egan Takeaways Nuggets: Jokic proved too much for the shorthanded Jazz to handle. His efficient offense helped Denver turn a sluggish start into a blowout victory. Jazz: Micah Potter and Svi Mykhailiuk made their first starts of the season. They combined for 16 points, and Potter grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds. Key moment After George tied it on a 3-pointer midway through the second quarter, the Nuggets held the Jazz to two baskets during an eight-minute stretch spanning the second and third quarters. Key stats Denver scored 28 points off 18 Utah turnovers. Takeaways also helped the Nuggets tally 33 fast-break points. Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun is guarded by, Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Salt Lake City. Credit: AP/Rick Egan Up next The Nuggets play at the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, while the Jazz host the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.