Thousands of buses and taxis will be made greener and cleaner after the Transport Secretary confirmed a £290 million investment to support low emission vehicles today (29 November 2016).

It reiterates the government’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions from transport and is a major step towards our aim for nearly all cars and vans to be zero emission by 2050.

Improving air quality is a priority for this government and we are determined to cut emissions. We will invest £150 million in cleaner buses and taxis, which will include putting new, less polluting buses on the road as well as retrofitting engines to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOₓ) emissions.

The government has also pledged £80 million to improve charging infrastructure for electric car owners. The Workplace Charging Scheme(WCS) is now open for applications.

The £290 million funding will be invested in a number of projects, including:

A further £100 million will support our plans to develop and test connected and driverless vehicle technology.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

Poppy Welch, Head of Go Ultra Low, said:

Retrofitting refers to all or part of an engine being modified to reduce NOₓ emissions. This can range from:

Since 2013 the Department of Transport has awarded over £27 million to retrofit and clean up almost 3,000 of the oldest vehicles.

Details and information on how to apply for grant schemes for electric car charging infrastructure.

Press enquiries020 7944 3021

Out of hours020 7944 4292

Public enquiries0300 330 3000

As the New Year approaches, Cardiff based GB Marketing Enterprise has been reviewing their plans for significant growth and shared some of their goals for 2017.

Located in Cardiff GB Marketing Enterprise is a leading force within the outsourced direct marketing sector. Providing businesses with in person, engaging marketing campaigns the firm help brands to reconnect with their target audience and secure stronger customer relationships. By focusing on the customer experience the company work with their clients to create campaigns that effectively represent their brand mission and values. The firm then launches these campaigns in person, meeting with customer face to face to deliver a personalised brand experience that gets to the crux of individual consumer issues and offers tailored solutions. This approach not only improves customer loyalty but helps to create a more positive brand reputation and drives in an increase in weekly ROI.

About GB Marketing Enterprise: http://www.gbmarketingenterprise.com/about-us/

The firm's marketing services have been met with growing demand throughout 2016, with the company launching their clients' campaigns in a number of new locations and increasing their market reach far beyond Cardiff. GB Marketing Enterprise is eager to keep this momentum going in the coming year and recently revealed their 12-month growth strategy. At their current rate of growth, the firm is on track to expand into four new markets in the UK in 2017 – helping to take their clients' brands nationwide and reach a broader range of consumers. However, the firm's managing director Graham Buchanan revealed last week that the company's ultimate goal for 2017 is to expand the business stateside, with the aim of taking the company to the USA by next October. Not only will this create an exciting opportunity for their UK based clients looking to enter the U.S market, but will create opportunities for the firm to diversify their client base and start working with new clients in America.

To ensure this future expansion will be a success, GB Marketing Enterprise hopes to embark on a number of trips across the pond with a selection of contractors to form connections with the country's leading sales and marketing experts, and to understand the needs and demands of American markets.

GB Marketing Enterprise is hugely motivated by these growth plans and has noted a significant rise in morale among their contractors since revealing these exciting strategies. The firm is keen to involve their contractors in these developments as much as possible, as any future expansion is set to create new opportunities for contractors to progress within the industry and take greater steps toward their individual professional goals.

Marking its 30th year in history, globally famous Sylvanian Families who are loved and played in more than 50 countries are giving back to the community. Photo submission will end on December 10, 2016, Saturday.

Save the dates!

The Sylvanian Families Global Holiday Photo Contest

(http://sylvanianfamilies.net/global/photocontest/2016holiday/) is open to everyone who has an Instagram account and a creative mind. Here’s how to get involved:

Keep in mind that the theme of this year’s photo contest is “Sylvanian Families Holiday”.

Set up your Sylvanian Families collection and take your best shot.

Do not forget to include the hashtag “#SylvanianHoliday”

Winners will be announced on December 10, 2016. The best photographs will be released on the official Sylvanian Families website and the official Sylvanian Families Instagram account.

It’s the upcoming Holiday season for our Sylvanian Families. It’s up to you how you can make your shot unique and totally awesome! The fun and entertainment must be captured. It all depends on your creativity! The goal is to connect all the Sylvanian lovers and enthusiasts out there to share and spread fun of Sylvanian Families in a global scope.

“Sylvanian Families live in a world surrounded by nature. They make the childhood memories of many children more lively and beautiful. ”

Sandi Bogle from Channel 4’s Gogglebox has teamed up with 15-year-old singer-songwriter, Jack Rose, to release a brand new single for Christmas.

The 15-year-old from Kent has been singing since he was very young and has always wanted to try and raise some money for a good cause.

So, back in June, Jack approached Sandi, who loved the idea of doing a song with him, and the two joined forces to release their own version of the Christmas classic, “White Christmas”, made famous by Bing Crosby.

Obviously, the cost of producing a single does not come cheap, so Jack contacted Kevin Thorpe at Big Jam Studios, who agreed to record the track; musician, Ricky Patel, who plays the acoustic guitar; Mastering Engineer, Shane The Cutter; and renowned artist, The Doodle Man, who has created the single cover - all of whom offered their services for free.

The single, which is available to preorder on iTunes now and will be on general release from the 23rd of December, is expected to help raise some money for a great cause.

The single can also be pre-ordered from the following URL: http://www.christmas-song.co.uk

Both Jack and Sandi are hoping that the single will do well and are proud to be supporting Great Ormond Street Hospital.

For more information, please contact GOT PR on 020 3397 7000 info@gotpr.co.uk or DeeVu Records http://www.deevu.co.uk on 020 7043 23 24 management@deevu.co.uk

2016 is set to be the hottest year on record with preliminary data indicating global warming reaching 1.2oC. As we get perilously close to the 1.5oC limit agreed at the Paris climate summit, Climates social network is calling on people to focus on food to help limit climate change and make their New Year’s resolution to go climatarian.

‘If you make just one New Year’s resolution for 2017, pledge to go climatarian,’ says Biba Hartigan, Director of Climates. ‘Just a simple diet shift can have a really big impact. If everyone in the UK went climatarian it would cut 10% of the UK’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. It’s the easiest way for people to help the climate and it’s good for your health too.’

Simply swapping beef and lamb for pork and poultry in your everyday meals knocks a whole tonne off your annual carbon footprint. That’s equivalent to the emissions from driving 3,500 miles or six short-haul flights but much easier to achieve. You don’t have to change your lifestyle or even your cooking habits. Reducing consumption of red and processed meat has been proven to lower the risk of heart disease and cancer.

The latest meteorological data reveals that climate change is now an acute problem. It needs to be addressed with urgency at every level, government, business and individual. Food causes 24% of global greenhouse gases which is comparable to all the emissions from electricity and heat (25%) and far more than transport (14%). Food is where individuals have a significant role to play as a small change in diet can have a surprisingly large impact.

According to the World Meteorological Organisation, 2016 is set to be the hottest year on record with global temperatures even higher than the record-breaking temperatures in 2015. 16 of the warmest 17 years on record have occurred this century. Long term climate change indicators are also continuing to break records:

Urgent action is required now to reduce emissions and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees to prevent dangerous and irreversible climate change. The easiest and most effective action for individuals is to go climatarian. It’s not all or nothing. Even if you go climatarian half the time you’ll still be making a real difference.

Pledge to go climatarian at www.climatarian.com and watch your carbon savings grow day by day.

ENDS

For more information: contact Liz Sutton, hello@climatesnetwork.com, telephone: +447931614893 www.climatarian.com, www.climatesnetwork.com,

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Beef and lamb have five times the climate impact of other meats. See www.climatarian.com for more information on the relative impacts of different foods and the rationale for the climatarian diet.

2. The diet is informed by research and analysis from the International Panel on Climate Change, Oxford University, The Cary Institute, The University of Minnesota, University of California, The Environmental Working Group, The UN Environment Programme and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation among others. For full references see www.climatarian.com.

3. The calculation is based on average UK meat consumption of 110g/day and replacing beef and lamb in day to day meals throughout the year. Average meat consumption in the USA is 156g/day. Therefore, the CO2e (Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions) savings per head are potentially significantly more than one tonne a year in the USA. The average carbon footprint in the Uk is 10 tonnes CO2e per year. In the USA it is 19 tonnes of CO2e per year.

4. Large studies have revealed links between eating red and processed meat and an increased risk of heart disease and cancer. Red meat includes ruminant and pig meat, and processed meat includes bacon, sausages, ham and salami. While eating a small amount of red meat has been shown to be beneficial, studies agree that processed meats raise the risks.

5. Climate change statistics derived from World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) report Provisional Statement Status of Global Climate 2016 published for COP22 Morocco, November 14.

i) Arctic sea ice extent was well below normal throughout the year. The seasonal minimum in September was equal-second lowest extent on record after 2012.

ii) Global temperatures for January to September 2016 were approximately 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels.

iii) Global sea levels rose about 15 millimetres between November 2014 and February 2016 as a result of El Niño, well above the post-1993 trend of 3 to 3.5 mm per year, with the early 2016 values reaching new record highs.

iv) Annual average global carbon dioxide concentrations in 2015 reached 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time. Initial observations indicate new records in 2016. At Cape Grim (Australia), CO2 levels in August averaged 401.42 ppm, compared with 398.13 ppm in August 2015. At Mauna Loa (Hawaii), mean weekly concentrations of CO2 as of 23 October were 402.07 ppm, compared with 398.50 ppm at the same time in 2015, whilst the May 2016 value of 407.7 ppm was the highest monthly value on record.

‘Childminders provide higher quality services than other daycare of children services’ is one of the key findings in the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Statistics 2015 Report, published today (30 November) by the Care Inspectorate. The report states that 44% of childminders were found to have grades of very good and excellent compared to 41.5% of daycare services. Other key findings include:

Commenting on the statistics, Maggie Simpson, CEO of SCMA said: “It is really pleasing to know that the quality of Early Learning and Childcare which childminders provide has remained high over the past year and remained better than any of the other types of service registered with the Care Inspectorate, including nurseries. Childminders are registered under the same legislation and meet the same standards as all other Early Learning and Childcare providers. They simply deliver the curriculum in a different way and report against the wellbeing indicators. Their quality and low adult to child ratios are particularly important to raising attainment and to support families with their home learning environment. These results are first class for childminders and SCMA will continue to work with our membership to ensure the continued delivery of quality services.”

During inspections, the Care Inspectorate assesses ‘quality themes’ which cover the main areas of a service’s work. How well the service performs in these areas will indicate how good the service is. The four quality themes are:

Each of the themes is evaluated using a six point scale:

6 – excellent5 – very good4 – good3 – adequate2 – week1 – unsatisfactory

“The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the entitlement of funded Early Learning and Childcare to 1140 hours per year by 2020, and high quality will be at the heart of this provision” added Maggie. “Currently, with very few local authorities engaging with childminders to deliver quality childminding services, there is work to be done to ensure that childminders remain a viable option for the future and we do not lose these high quality services.”

The building control approval for the Hinkley Point C nuclear site and the ancillary workers campuses and enabling work is being carried out by a private Corporate Approved Inspector, Regional Building Control Ltd.

Their appointment by edf (NNB) covers all the buildings which are not directly either regulated by the Office of Nuclear Regulation or are exempt buildings.

RBC have previously worked with edf on the construction of their nuclear training facility at Cannington Court, near Bridgewater.

The ancillary campuses and the park and ride facilities will provide accommodation and facilities for the construction workers for the main power station.

RBC Managing Director, Colin Jackson explained that being engaged in the construction of a major nuclear power station is a first for a private Building Control body and is a reflection of our expertise, professionalism and management skills. We are immensely proud to be a part of this project.

British public opinion of business behaviour has fallen.

Tax avoidance remains the top issue business needs to address.

The British public’s opinion of business behaviour has fallen dramatically, according to the latest survey conducted for the Institute of Business Ethics.

The survey, published today, shows that the public’s general opinion about ethical business behaviour has fallen for the first time in four years, with only 48% saying they think British business behaves ethically.

Since the survey began in 2003, the British public’s opinion has consistently leant more towards judging business as behaving ‘ethically’ than ‘not ethically’. However, in 2016, public opinion has fallen significantly, down 11 percentage points compared to 2015. It is now back to 2012 levels, just a percentage point higher than when the survey began, with less than half (48%) believing that business behaves ethically.

Corporate tax avoidance remains the top public concern about business behaviour for 2016.

Philippa Foster Back CBE, IBE’s Director, said: “This result should serve as a wake-up call to British business that it must do more to restore public trust. The fact that the number of those who are concerned about corporate tax avoidance has increased and remains the top public concern is an example where business is not doing enough to address ethical issues.”

The top 3 issues that the public think business needs to address remain unchanged for a third consecutive year.

Tax avoidance has been one of the top two issues since it was first introduced in the survey in 2012, with 43% considering this an issue that needs to be addressed, a rise of 9% from last year (34%).

Philippa Foster Back CBE said: “Tax is a difficult and complex issue, but it isn’t going away. Companies need to do more to address public concern or risk losing even more public trust. Internal engagement is needed around the decisions and circumstances behind the tax positions companies decide to take, and then communicated externally, as will become the case under HMRC proposals.”

Executive pay continues to be an issue, with 28% of the public thinking this still needs to be addressed (up from 25% last year).

Philippa Foster Back CBE commented: “It is disappointing that, despite some high profile positive cases, business is not doing enough to change public opinion on this issue. While the workforce and the country are being asked to tighten their belts, the disregard of the public’s opinion on this issue continues to harm corporate reputation of self-interest.”

Exploitative labour* continues to rise as a concern. The introduction of the Modern Slavery Act last year has raised awareness of this as a corporate issue.

Work-home balance for employees enters the top 5 for the first time since being introduced 11 years ago, with 21% raising this as an issue of concern.

Philippa Foster Back CBE said: “As technology blurs the lines between work and home life, we are seeing this becoming more of an issue. This, coupled with the financial pressures which a post-Brexit economy is putting on employees and employers alike, means this issue needs to be addressed before we reach burn-out.”

Protection of customer data/data privacy (introduced in 2015) also becomes a top 5 issue of concern for the first time, with 16% citing this as a problem. Philippa Foster Back CBE said: “Addicted as we are to our smart phones and social media, consumers are becoming more aware of how vulnerable their personal data is, and are looking to business to protect and reassure them. Business needs to address this as a matter of urgency, as we see this as being potentially the biggest threat to corporate reputation in the coming years.”

#IBESurvey

ENDS/

EDITOR’S NOTES

Attitudes of the British Public to Business Ethics – 2016 Survey

Free Infographic download from www.ibe.org.uk

Published: 01 December 2016

Simon Webley and Guendalina Dondé will discuss the findings of the latest survey in a webinar on 01 December at 10:00 – http://www.ibe.org.uk/forthcoming-events/56/48

About the Survey

Since 2003, the Institute of Business Ethics has commissioned Ipsos MORI to carry out an annual survey asking British adults their opinion on the ethical behaviour of British business and the issues that most need addressing. This briefing considers the findings over these 13 years.

The two questions asked are:

Q1: How ethically do you think British business generally behaves?

Q2: In your view of company behaviour, which two or three of these issues most need addressing?

*In 2014 ‘Sweatshop labour’ was changed to ‘Exploitative labour’.

Research methodology: The research is conducted on behalf of the IBE by Ipsos MORI. This year the study moved from face-to-face interviewing to online surveying. In 2016, a total of 2000 respondents completed an online survey between 21st September and 27th September 2016 and data has been weighted to reflect the adult population (18-65) in the UK in terms of age, gender, region, class, ethnicity, housing tenure and working status [2015 base = 1130 GB Adults 16+ asked face-to-face].

This survey moved from face-to-face interviewing to an online surveying in 2016. Studies suggest online surveys elicit more ‘don’t know’ responses compared to face-to-face surveys, as respondents are considered to be more comfortable in saying they are unsure about something when not responding face-to-face

About the Institute of Business Ethics

The Institute of Business Ethics is a registered charity established in 1986 to promote high standards of business behaviour based on ethical values. We help organisations to strengthen their ethical culture through the sharing of knowledge and good practice.

www.ibe.org.uk

National charity The Sick Children’s Trust will host its sixth Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday 14th December in a bid to raise over £10,000 so it can support families across the UK with seriously children in hospital this Christmas.

The Sick Children’s Trust, which runs free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation for families with sick children in hospital, will host a Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday 14th December at St Marylebone Parish Church, London. Guests will enjoy readings from a star-studded line up including, national treasure Dame Barbara Windsor, British Comedy Award winning comedian Katy Brand, much loved Gavin and Stacey star Alison Steadman, Antiques Roadshow’s Eric Knowles, TV Presenter Alice Beer and BAFTA nominated Anne Reid.

Guests will get into the festive spirit with favourite carols, and back by popular demand is renowned Irish Soprano Margaret Keys and the Boutcher Primary School Choir giving musical performances. The charity’s Chief Executive, Jane Featherstone, will also take centre stage as she performs a solo to raise further funds for families with seriously ill children to mark her tenth year at The Sick Children’s Trust. Wine and mince pies will follow the service to continue the Christmas merriment. Special Events Manager, Hannah Ellis, says:

“This year’s Christmas Carol Service is one not to be missed with some incredible celebrity guests and performances. For many of us, Christmas is about spending time with family. Unfortunately, for the families staying in our ‘Homes from Home’, this Christmas will be a difficult one as they care for their seriously ill child in hospital. But The Sick Children’s Trust will be there, ensuring that they can be there when it matters most. This is only made possible because of our fantastic and dedicated supporters who attend our events such as the Christmas Carol Service.”

Last year, the Christmas Carol Service saw over 500 guests attend, raising a record £12,000 which went towards running the charity’s ten ‘Homes from Home’ across the country. Although the support is provided free of charge to families in need, it costs the charity £30 to support a family with a seriously ill child for one night. The Sick Children’s Trust relies entirely on voluntary donations to meet this cost.

Hannah adds: “This is a much-loved event and we expect this years’ service will be extremely popular. Tickets are £15 and are available from the website, or please do give us a call on 0207 337 2213. We hope to see you there!”

For further information on how to get your tickets, please visit: http://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/Get_involved/Special_Events/ChristmasCarolService2016/index.html

Celebrity animal advocate and television presenter, Wendy Turner Webster, has joined forces with animal welfare charity, Naturewatch Foundation, to highlight the problems with buying a puppy during the festive season.

We all know the mantra ‘a dog is for life, not just for Christmas’, yet impulse puppy buying continues to happen in the holiday season. It’s time to ask: why is this still happening?

The online marketplace has made it easier than ever to purchase a puppy, from online classified sites to Facebook groups. These places are hotbeds for unscrupulous puppy farmers and their traders. The Great British Puppy Survey revealed that 45% of surveyed new puppy owners located their puppy through online classifieds. And 1 in 5 reported health or welfare related problems with their puppy after bringing them home, with 60 per cent of those saying their new pup became sick within the first month, sometimes resulting in hefty veterinary bills.

Over half the puppies purchased in the UK each year – around 400,000 – come from cruel puppy farms where animal welfare is disregarded in order to maintain low overheads and maximise profits.

Naturewatch Foundation’s newest celebrity patron, Wendy Turner Webster, commented:

“Enough is enough. It’s a shocking hypocrisy that we, a nation of dog lovers, are literally ‘loving’ dogs to death with our desire for quick and easy puppies on tap. Dog ownership is a huge commitment and should be given as much consideration as inviting someone new to become a member of your family. We need to stop retailing puppies as though they are tables or chairs, available at the click of a button, and we need to end puppy farming forever.”

Naturewatch Foundation and Wendy are calling on every UK dog lover to be a Christmas Canine Campaigner and help end puppy farming. Naturewatch Foundation Campaign Manager, Joanna Randall says:

“Being a Christmas Canine Campaigner simply means using your voice to stop someone buying a puppy farmed pup before it’s too late. Listen out for friends or family members talking about buying a puppy for Christmas, and politely explain why this is not a good idea for either the puppy or the gift recipient.”

Visit www.naturewatch.org for simple steps you can take to become a Christmas Canine Campaigner and help prospective puppy buyers identify puppy farmers before making a purchase they may soon regret.

Saturday 3rd December marks the annual UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). Now in its 24th year, the chosen theme for 2016 is ‘The Future We Want’ and will build on the momentum of the Sustainable Development Goals. Also referred to as the SDG’s, these goals were launched one year ago with a commitment from the global community to eradicate poverty, combat inequality and realise human rights for all.

Fighting for a world in which people with disabilities are fully included in all aspects of life, Bristol based mobility charity Motivation exists to transform the quality of life of some of the most marginalised of our global society. In addition to a wide range of high-quality, affordable wheelchairs for people living in developing countries, Motivation also offers practical training courses to empower both wheelchair users and their support network to live happy and fulfilled lives.

This December, the launch of Motivation's Christmas appeal coincides with the IDPD. With 25 years of experience, the charity’s approach has undoubtedly played an instrumental role in ensuring that the disabled people they support feel both empowered and valued and are able to play an active role in their society. Joanna Hall, Head of Fundraising at Motivation, explains:

This Christmas, Motivation has chosen to turn their attention to older people– and for good reason. Today 62% of people over 60 live in developing countries and by 2050, this number will have risen to 80%. A ‘Global Age Watch Index’ by Help Age International ranks countries in relation to the quality of life experienced by its older population – people who are aged over 60. Malawi ranks 95 out of the 96 countries on the list making it one of the most challenging places in the world to grow old. Not only do older people in Malawi face more health issues, but their average life expectancy is lower than any other country - disabled people like Etta (pictured) fair even worse.

In addition to providing practical support to people with disabilities, donations made to Motivation’s Christmas appeal will enable the charity to work with governments, humanitarian organisations, and other partners across the sector, to influence best practice and ensure that everybody gets the chance to benefit from economic prosperity, inclusive education or fairer access to healthcare.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Joanna Hall email: hall@motivation.org.uk tel: 01275 464012

Madelaine Turner email: turner@motivation.org.uk tel: 01275 464012

Notes to Editors:

Appendix:

Etta, 86, lives with her husband and 7 grandchildren on the outskirts of Blantyre. In 2007, she suffered a serious stroke which left her unable to walk. Discharged from hospital with no support, incredibly she survived without owning a wheelchair for several years. When Motivation met Etta seven years after her stroke, they were able to assess her condition and explain that not only did she urgently need an appropriate wheelchair to help her to be independent, but she deserved one too. Today, Etta cherishes her Motivation wheelchair and takes great pride in keeping it in pristine condition. Not only is she able to carry out daily chores and cook for the whole family, she can also attend social gatherings – an integral aspect of upholding her position and responsibility as a respected elder in her community:

[See photo attached]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MYJAR have recently been announced as finalists for a further three awards for responsible lending and use of financial technology, following previous Award nominations for Best Customer Outcome and Vulnerable Customer Support Initiative. This brings the total to shortlisting for 5 awards in the space of just a couple of months.

The new nominations are from the Credit Strategy F5 and CICM British Credit Awards for the highly-coveted titles of Best FinTech Lender, Responsible Lender and Responsible Approach to Consumers.

Stuart Sykes, Group Customer Operations Director of MYJAR said: “We are extremely proud to see that our flexible loan product is being recognised as the best choice for customers. We pride ourselves on being a responsible lender that people can trust.”

MYJAR have supported thousands of customers with their online loan and reduced the daily interest rate for 6 and 12 month loan durations while increasing the upper loan limit available to eligible customers.

Customers have shown a preference for larger, longer term loans and MYJAR responded to this by offering loans of up to £3,600 along with tapering interest rates and terms of up to 3, 6 and 12 months having developed risk assessment technologies that match ability to pay with loan size and duration.

Their product options provided are flexible and straightforward, and customers are able to configure their loans online. MYJAR are committed to being a responsible lender to all their customers, where they only lend amounts that customer can comfortably repay.

Rouken Glen Park has been named the UK’s Best Park, as voted by YOU! 2016 after a search by national charity Fields in Trust to find the country’s favourite local green space. The win was announced at the Fields in Trust Awards Ceremony last night at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.

The East Renfrewshire park won the public vote ahead of three other shortlisted local green spaces to take the 2016 title. A total of 214 parks across the UK were nominated by park users with over 10,000 votes cast in the search to find the nation’s favourite.

The Fields in Trust Awards, now in their fifth year, are a celebration of the achievements of individuals and organisations who have worked over the last year to ensure that everyone has access to protected outdoor recreational space.

Rouken Glen Park was described in its nomination for the Award as ‘a place for people and nature’. Opened in 1906, visitor numbers last year reached nearly 1,000,000. The park is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, has been awarded Green Flag status and has received investment from Heritage Lottery Fund grants.

Councillor Vincent Waters, East Renfrewshire Council’s Convener for Environment, said: “Rouken Glen Park is a special place to many people in East Renfrewshire and beyond. It is the heart of the community in Giffnock, and visitor numbers reached nearly 1,000,000 last year.

“The park has a rich diversity of habitats, including gorge, river, meadow, woodland, pond and amenity grassland. It is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest, due to the interesting geology found in the gorge, which dates back 350 million years. It supports a range of wildlife including otter, badger, roe deer and fox, as well as a high number of bird species such as kingfisher, dipper, buzzard and goldcrest.

“Rouken Glen Park is just coming to the end of a £3m project involving the Heritage Lottery Fund which helped to transform and develop a number of areas within the park. Thanks to this project there is a new play park, forest walk, renovated walled garden, improved pond and a refurbished visitor centre.”

Rouken Glen Park was one of four parks from across the UK shortlisted for the Award. Castle Gardens in Antrim, Pontypool Park in Torfaen and Preston Park Rockery in Brighton had also been in the running and were named the best park in Northern Ireland, Wales and England respectively at the Awards Ceremony.

The Award was presented by former international footballer, and trustee of Fields in Trust Graeme Le Saux and TV sports broadcaster Jill Douglas. Collecting the Award, East Renfrewshire Council Parks Manager Donnie McManus said: “We would like to thank everyone who voted for the park. Also a big thank you to all the staff who work tirelessly keeping the park up to a very high standard. This award shows that the public of East Renfrewshire and the many visitors to the park hold it in such high esteem.”

The competition asked members of the public to nominate their favourite parks, with any local green space across the UK eligible, followed by a three week public vote between all those parks nominated. A total of 214 nominations were received across the UK with over 10,000 votes cast.

Helen Griffiths, Fields in Trust Chief Executive, said: “Many congratulations to Rouken Glen Park on being named the winner of our UK’s Best Park, as voted by YOU! 2016 award. It’s a beautiful green space and well deserving of the accolade. The number of parks nominated this year and the votes cast across the competition show just how much the public cherish their local green spaces.

“The Fields in Trust Awards help recognise the role that parks play in our communities, bringing people together and creating a safe outdoor environment that everyone should have access to no matter where they live. We believe that as a nation it is time to revalue these green spaces and consider the positive impact they have on our physical, mental and social health and well being and the savings to the public purse they represent in terms of preventative medicine.

“The UK’s Best Park Award is unique in that it is open to any green space regardless of whether or not it is protected in perpetuity with Fields in Trust. The people of East Renfrewshire have sent a clear message that they love their local park and I hope that East Renfrewshire Council will recognise this by working with us to safeguard Rouken Glen Park as a place for community sport, play and recreation forever.”

Rouken Glen Park becomes the second recipient of the UK’s Best Park accolade. Last year Telford Town Park in Shropshire beat 121 other nominated parks to be named UK’s Best Park, as voted by YOU! 2015 in the award’s inaugural year.

Fields in Trust is a national charity whose mission is to ensure that everyone – young or old, able-bodied or disabled and wherever they live – should have access to free, local outdoor space for sport, play and recreation.

-- ENDS--

For media enquiries, please contact Richard McKeever, Fields in Trust Communications Manager, e: richard.mckeever@fieldsintrust.org, t: 0207 427 2117, m: 07940 072832

NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT FIELDS IN TRUST

Fields in Trust is a national charity that operates throughout the UK to safeguard recreational spaces and campaign for better statutory protection for all kinds of outdoor sites.

Founded in 1925 as the National Playing Fields Association by King George V, their mission is the same now and as it was then: to ensure that everyone – young or old, able-bodied or disabled and wherever they live – should have access to free, local outdoor space for sport, play and recreation. These spaces are vital to building happy and healthy communities and sadly continue to be threatened by all kinds of development.

www.fieldsintrust.org

A new report by the Gardens Trust rings alarm bells over the increasing risk to public parks from continuing budget cuts. Written by the University of Leicester academic Dr Katy Layton-Jones, it highlights both what has been achieved over the last twenty years and how much has been undone in the last six. The Heritage Lottery Fund’s 1996 launch of its Urban Parks Programme heralded a renaissance in parks, and over the last twenty years some £850m has been invested, but the report pinpoints the austerity cuts introduced in 2010 as the beginning of the end for that renaissance.

‘It’s not entirely straightforward,’ says Dr Layton-Jones. ‘Parks budgets were still under pressure throughout the golden age of Lottery funding, but the general trend is clear. As a result of austerity cuts, we will have more parks in declining condition in 2020 than we did in 1998. That is a terrible indictment of what government policy has done to parks.’ ‘In the past six years, cuts of 40% or more have shredded staff numbers both on the ground and at management levels. While local authorities put on a brave face and accentuate the positive, we felt it was important to speak up and say this situation is not sustainable: we cannot keep doing ‘more for less’. Parks are embarking on a catastrophic spiral of decline which must be stopped.’ The report, which is a successor to the Garden History Society and Victorian Society report, Public Prospects: the historic urban park under threat, 1993, includes among its recommendations:

The report follows Dr Layton-Jones’ appearance for the Gardens Trust at the Select Committee public parks inquiry on 14 November, and will be submitted to members of the Committee as supplementary evidence. The report is available to download at http://thegardenstrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/uncertain-prospects-2.pdf The Gardens Trust The Gardens Trust was created in July 2015 following the merger of The Garden History Society and the Association of Gardens Trusts. The combined membership of the Gardens Trust and the County Gardens Trusts is around 8000. The GT’s main aims are:

The Sick Children’s Trust, which supports families with seriously ill children in hospital, will host its second Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday 14th December in a bid to raise £500 so it can continue to support families with free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation.

The charity, which runs two ‘Homes from Home’ supporting Sheffield Children’s Hospital, will host its Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday 14th December at St Mary’s Church, Bramall Lane. Yorkshire Presenter Stephanie Hirst, Paralympian Susan Gilroy MBE and Footballer Stephen Bywater will entertain the audience with Christmas readings.

Guests will also get into the festive spirit with favourite carols, and back by popular demand is The Voice UK star Janine Dyer and the Sheffield Community Choir, alongside Ashdell Preparatory School, who will be giving musical performances. Wine and mince pies will follow the service to continue the Christmas merriment. Sick Children’s Trust Regional Fundraiser, Laura Leverton, says:

“After last year’s success, we had to do another Christmas Carol Service for our supporters, families and friends and this year’s will certainly not be one to miss! For many of us, Christmas is about spending time with family. Unfortunately, for the families staying in our ‘Homes from Home’, this Christmas will be a difficult one as they care for their seriously ill child in hospital. But The Sick Children’s Trust will be there, ensuring that they can be there when it matters most. This is only made possible because of our fantastic and dedicated supporters who attend our events such as the Christmas Carol Service.”

The charity’s ‘Homes from Home’ in Sheffield – Treetop and Magnolia House – are provided free of charge to families in need, however it costs the charity £30 to support a family with a seriously ill child for one night. The Sick Children’s Trust relies entirely on voluntary donations to meet this cost.

Laura adds: “Everyone who attends our Sheffield Christmas Carol Service will be making a difference to a family with a sick child in hospital this Christmas. Tickets are £8 and are available from The Sick Children’s Trust website. We hope to see you there!”

For further information on how to get your tickets, please visit: http://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/Get_involved/Special_Events/Sheffield_Christmas_Carols/index.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MYJAR have recently been announced as finalists for a further three awards for responsible lending and use of financial technology, following previous Award nominations for Best Customer Outcome and Vulnerable Customer Support Initiative. This brings the total to shortlisting for 5 awards in the space of just a couple of months.

The new nominations are from the Credit Strategy F5 and CICM British Credit Awards for the highly-coveted titles of Best FinTech Lender, Responsible Lender and Responsible Approach to Consumers.

Stuart Sykes, Group Customer Operations Director of MYJAR said: “We are extremely proud to see that our flexible loan product is being recognised as one of the best choices for customers. We pride ourselves on being a responsible lender that people can trust.”

MYJAR have supported thousands of customers with their online loan and reduced the daily interest rate for 6 and 12 month loan durations while increasing the upper loan limit available to eligible customers.

Customers have shown a preference for larger, longer term loans and MYJAR responded to this by offering loans of up to £3,600 along with tapering interest rates and terms of up to 3, 6 and 12 months having developed risk assessment technologies that match ability to pay with loan size and duration.

Their product options provided are flexible and straightforward, and customers are able to configure their loans online. MYJAR are committed to being a responsible lender to all their customers, where they only lend amounts that customer can comfortably repay.

MYJAR.com pride themselves on being one of the few online lenders that support Payplan. They provide funding and work alongside them in a bid to support their vulnerable customer support initiative. Together they devise the best plan to help support customers in financial difficulty and the steps they can take to get back on track financially.

FYLDE’S JULIE NORMAN NAMED FIELDS IN TRUST COMMUNITY CHAMPION FOR WORK AT PARK VIEW 4 U

Park Ranger wins award for her work engaging young people with nature Ten awards announced at Fields in Trust Ceremony

QEII Park View Playing Fields’ Park Ranger, Julie Norman, has been recognised at the Fields in Trust Awards for her work engaging young people with nature. The Lytham green space worker was named Fields in Trust Community Champion at a ceremony at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.

The Fields in Trust Community Champion Award celebrates the efforts of those who go the extra mile to champion their local green spaces through encouraging others to get involved and enhancing the spaces for users.

Julie was nominated for the Award following her years of tireless effort improving the park for the local community. As part of her work she regularly coordinates and runs school visits, introducing the children to nature through nature walks, bug hunts and a myriad of other fun and exciting activities. Julie also runs nature-based sessions for a local day care group and a weekly health walk in the park, as well as a variety of clubs including a gardening club, herbalist club and a Wildlife Watch Club.

Julie’s work has helped the park’s aims of increasing social cohesion and encouraged the idea that physical activity can be fun. She is always keen to demonstrate the diverse range of activities available at the park and to promote ‘natural’ play for children who visit.

Speaking after receiving her Award at the Ceremony at Lord’s Cricket Ground, Julie Norman said: “I am absolutely delighted and quite overwhelmed to win this award. I am very happy to accept it on behalf of the community of Lytham and Park View who are the most enthusiastic people to work with. I love my job and feel proud to play a small part in the fantastic work that Fields in Trust do. Park View will be there for the community forever.”

Fields in Trust Chief Executive, Helen Griffiths, said: “The work of Julie, and the hundreds more like her across the county, is vital to ensuring local green spaces remain true community assets. The Fields in Trust Awards help recognise the role that parks and other green spaces play in our communities, bringing people together and creating a safe outdoor environment that everyone should have access to no matter where they live. We believe that as a nation it is time to revalue these green spaces and consider the positive impact they have on our physical, mental and social health and well being and the savings to the public purse they represent in terms of preventative medicine.

“Congratulations to Julie on her well deserved award and thanks to her and all those outstanding individuals across the UK who go the extra mile for their local green spaces.”

Also shortlisted for the Fields in Trust Community Champion Award were Elaine Kite and Anne Slough from Mile End Park in Tower Hamlets, Roger Thomas from Loughor Rovers AFC in Swansea and Peter Watts from Modbury Association of Recreation & Sport in Devon.

Fields in Trust Community Champion was one of ten awards given out at the Awards Ceremony. Rouken Glen Park in East Renfrewshire was named UK’s Best Park, as voted by YOU! 2016 following a public vote which saw over 10,000 votes cast for more than 200 local green spaces nominated by their users. Other awards included Best Athletics Project on a Fields in Trust Site, supported by England Athletics and parkrun, Fields in Trust Young Champion, supported by Groundwork and Most Improved Fields in Trust Site.

The Fields in Trust Awards, now in their fifth year, are a celebration of the achievements of individuals and organisations who have worked over the last year to ensure that everyone has access to protected outdoor recreational space.

Fields in Trust is a national charity whose mission is to ensure that everyone – young or old, able-bodied or disabled and wherever they live – should have access to free, local outdoor space for sport, play and recreation.

-- ENDS--

For media enquiries, please contact Richard McKeever, Fields in Trust Communications Manager, e: richard.mckeever@fieldsintrust.org, t: 0207 427 2117, m: 07940 072832

NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT FIELDS IN TRUST

Fields in Trust is a national charity that operates throughout the UK to safeguard recreational spaces and campaign for better statutory protection for all kinds of outdoor sites.

Founded in 1925 as the National Playing Fields Association by King George V, their mission is the same now and as it was then: to ensure that everyone – young or old, able-bodied or disabled and wherever they live – should have access to free, local outdoor space for sport, play and recreation. These spaces are vital to building happy and healthy communities and sadly continue to be threatened by all kinds of development.

www.fieldsintrust.org

The key factor that
separates the successful from the unsuccessful is their dedication to
continuous learning, states Jordan Matthews, Managing Director of Visual Connect, a direct sales and marketing firm in Liverpool.

About Visual Connect: http://www.visualconnect.co.uk/#about

The most successful
people read on average 2-3 hours a day and belong to organisations that
encourage learning the most current information and sharing of ideas. The
ability for an individual to expand their mind and strive for lifelong learning
is critical to success.

Mr Matthews suggests
there are three kinds of education that a person can acquire; maintenance
learning, growth learning and shock learning.

The Managing Director
of Visual Connect expands on each type below.

1. Maintenance Learning

This involves an
individual keeping up to date with current trends and knowledge within their
chosen field or industry. Maintenance learning is essential because it keeps a
person up to date, on track and prevents them from falling behind everyone
else.

2. Growth Leaning

This type of learning
will add knowledge and skills that were not present before. Growth learning
helps to expand the mind, and the newly acquired information means that a
person can do things that they couldn't do previously.

3. Shock Learning

Shock learning will
contradict or reverse a piece of knowledge or understanding that a person
already has. The ‘shock’ will give someone an insight that can enable them to
either take advantage of a significant change or to protect against it. Because
most people are creatures of habit, most unexpected changes are ignored; but
one should never be afraid of change, it should be embraced.

Event marketing
specialists, Visual Connect create face-to-face marketing campaigns that
generate new customer relationships for their wide client base. Located in Liverpool, Visual Connect has a
diverse marketing team that understands the ever changing demand for unique
marketing ideas. The firm takes a personalised approach, and can relate
first-hand what it is that consumers want, and can adapt to market changes by
analysing results.

The firm is committed
to continued learning to stay at the top of the industry and ahead of the
competition. Visual Connect host regular
workshops and seminars to promote this continued education and the Liverpool firm
also encourage their contractors to learn through reading and networking
opportunities continuously.

###

Source:
http://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/expand-your-mind-importance-of-lifelong-learning-and-continuous-education/

Following a successful launch earlier this year, sales and marketing agency, Syrac Inspirations hosted a seminar on personal development and achieving success on Monday, 28th November. The seminar was intended for employees, suppliers and contractors but was also open to other businesses who are based in same commercial office space.

About Syrac Inspirations: http://www.syracinspirations.com/

The seminar inspired by Napoleon Hill’s 13 principles of the “Philosophy of Achievement”, first focused on visualising your goals. Managing Director, Rachel Robinson encouraged the idea of setting personal goals, stating that goals “like a compass, keep us headed in the right direction.”

Much of the focus of the seminar was given to Hill’s suggestion that while you are visualising your success and positive outcomes you must also see yourself complete that task. Ms Robinson ended her talk with the idea of serendipity, “once you begin to visualise your goals clearly, the law of attraction begins to take place, and certain people and resources will be drawn to you.” Research suggests that visualising a personal objective can increase the chances of a successful outcome by 94%.

The second half of the 90-minute seminar, emphasised the importance of taking the next step past visualisation. The managing director of Syrac Inspirations said, “continuing to work towards personal goals is just a necessary as the first stage, many plans end up breaking away from their route because people stay in the ‘dreaming’ stage.” Once the motivation has been created through visualisation that initial momentum needs to continue. One tip given was to make the vision tangible, for example on a board, in a diary or as a picture, so there is something to mark progress against.

The agency which utilises face-to-face marketing to engage consumers used similar techniques within the company to promote employees’ professional growth with visualisation demonstrations and peer discussions throughout the event. Syrac Inspirations goals were mentioned during the seminar. Like the book the seminar was based on, Syrac Inspirations believes their personal development coaching can be applied to many other aspects of life and have committed to offering training and coaching to all staff, suppliers and contractors in the future.

Syrac Inspirations plans to offer more workshops and seminars over 2017, along with a weeklong professional development event next November.

For more information of Syrac Inspirations, please visit http://www.syracinspirations.com/

Carcodeal is an online platform that connects over 200 used car dealers with sellers to provide instant online quotes.

It has been one year since brother Ali and Iman Samizadeh launched Carcodeal.com at Web Summit Dublin and to celebrate they are heading to TechCrunch on 6th December.

Sellers simply enter their town or postcode, registration number and mileage, along with how far they wish to travel, to receive instant bids valid for 72 hours. No fees for sellers. No need to provide personal details to receive quotes. No need to post pictures or additional information. Sellers can review dealers’ profiles, cash and part-exchange offers instantly.

There is no fee for the seller to pay and currently the site is free to use for dealers too. Dealers will pay a membership in the future and can currently set their parameters to automate their bidding and second-hand car buying preferences.

Dr. Iman Samizadeh, Carcodeal co-founder and CEO, said: “Carcodeal is here to completely overhaul and radically improve both the private seller and car trader user-experience. It not only cuts out the middlemen, but raises the car-selling bar by firmly moving away from hidden fees and often unfairly-low vehicle valuations. And it’s both equitable and fair for all users.

We estimate an optimistic gross margin over the industry average. We will be successful because of the unique idea and the excellent team we have assembled, as well as the drive and determination of the owners. Our future sits within dominating used car market sales by providing a service to both vehicle traders and private car sellers who are not internet savvy, or want to move from traditional methods of selling their vehicles online. Carcodeal.com will be expanded to motorbikes and commercial vehicles trades in the coming years, and providing service to other high demand markets such as the US, Germany and the Netherlands.”

When dealers sign up they gain access to an online control panel to bid on specific types of makes and models of used cars. Dealers can tailor their bids further by age, MOT status, Service history and mileage. The dealers receive email and text message notifications when the system automatically bids for a car to contact the seller.

Notes to editor

Carcodeal

Over 200 dealers and car dealerships

Launched at Web Summit Dublin in November 2015

Owned and run by brothers Iman and Ali Samizadeh, Iman has a PhD in Computational Intelligence and Ali is the marketing search engine geek with a degree in CGI.

For further information please contact laura@carcodeal.com.