An exhibition dedicated to the history of hairdressing and the design of hairstyling is set to tour the world and will make its international debut in Yorkshire in February 2018. The Civic in Barnsley, is delighted to announce that it is to become the first venue for people to view this fantastic, interactive and sensory exhibition created by renowned celebrity hairdresser Andrew Barton in partnership with Donna Bevan, co-curator and fashion research consultant, and the curator of the Civic and now curator of visual arts for the Hull UK City of Culture 2017, David Sinclair. Through this unique collaboration the exhibition will integrate the key innovations in the hair industry, salon environments, technological breakthroughs and the influence of popular culture. “Hair is often the forgotten link when it comes to charting cultural changes in fashion and I have been thinking about how it could be recognised and globally appreciated for all it’s worth for a number of years. In this hair focused exhibition we have decided to turn fashion on it’s head. ” Says Andrew. “I am thrilled that we have been able to create a partnership with Andrew on this subject. The exhibition takes visitors on a fascinating hair journey throughout the gallery space, bringing to life how hair fashion as been shaped by revolutionary techniques and innovations all related to hair.” Says David. Entitled "Beehives Bobs and Blow-dries”. This multimedia exhibition celebrates the creation of iconic hairstyles and showcases hair artistry. While also charting the cultural and economic shifts which have influenced significant hair styles since the 1950s onwards and the hairdressing salon being the pillar of the community. Using archival material, trends and influences are explored and the advancement of hairdressing charted along with the importance of hairdressers in a community and the meaning of hair as a form of self expression. Charting the advancements in design, evolution and technology the exhibition celebrates all things hair and gazes into the salon, its creativity and its future. Spearheaded by celebrity hairdresser Andrew Barton who was born and bred in Barnsley, and a patron of Yorkshire. This exhibition is a celebration of his outstanding contribution to the global hairdressing industry over 3 decades, winning numerous awards, mentoring talent and flying the British hairdressing flag around the world. Showcasing his iconic styles through a gallery of his back catalogue of imagery and iconic status as a celebrity hairdresser. In celebration of the exhibition opening, the Civic is planning a dedicated fundraising dinner to support The Princes Trust charity of which Andrew is one of their Celebrity Ambassadors along with various local initiatives.

Beehives Bobs and Blow-dries is at The Civic from 17 February to 7 April 2018.

THE TOP LINES ARE:

Feminist and environmental leaders, including Natalie Bennett, to outline how both movements need to work together in a new series of campaigning events

PRESS RELEASE – For Immediate Release

FEMINIST AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS, INCLUDING NATALIE BENNETT, TO OUTLINE HOW BOTH MOVEMENTS NEED TO WORK TOGETHER IN A NEW SERIES OF CAMPAIGNING EVENTS

The WEN Forum, is set to put Women and the Environment firmly on the agenda. Launching at the London School of Economics on January 26th 2017, a new series of events will kick off with ‘What’s feminism got to do with the environment?’ featuring keynote speaker Natalie Bennett (Former Party Leader of The Green Party of England and Wales) and other leading figures, collectively exploring how the feminist and environmental movements can work together to engender equality and environmental sustainability.

This forum could not be more timely, with Brexit and the forthcoming Trump presidency. As Caroline Lucas, Co-Leader of the Green Party and Ambassador for Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) explained, “I know that women in the US, and people of colour, migrants, LGBT people and many others fear for the future of their country. Indeed, Trump’s election is a painful reminder of the deep prejudice that remains in our societies. For those of us who are concerned about climate change – and that should be every single one of us – Trump’s election is a potential hammer blow to the work we’ve been doing – and it is likely to affect women worst”.

Kate Metcalf, Co-Director of the charity, Women’s Environmental Network, explains “Globally, women are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to their different and unequal social roles and status. In a nutshell, women contribute less to climate change, are impacted more by it, and have less say in decisions about the problem. Women are not represented equally in policy making”.

Many NGOs and governments are now waking up to the link between gender and the environment and this event will dig deep to find ways of putting it back on to the agenda globally and nearer to home. The WEN Forum is taking place on the 26th January 6.30pm at the London School of Economics. Full details and ticket: www.wen.org.uk

**Ends**

Animal charity WVS (Worldwide Veterinary Service) has been awarded the accolade of ‘Animal Welfare Charity of the Year 2016’ at the Global Health and Pharma Awards.

The awards aim to acknowledge those who have gone beyond their duty of care to improve the welfare, care and health of animals.WVS (Worldwide Veterinary Service) is a UK-based animal welfare charity that provides veterinary care to animals all over the world. From dog shelters in Thailand to wildlife veterinary clinics in Zambia, WVS are in action worldwide, providing veterinary care, running sterilisation and vaccination programmes.

WVS also provides an emergency response to animals that have been affected by natural disasters, sends veterinary parcels to animal charities worldwide containing essential veterinary supplies. WVS also provides training and education to veterinary workers to help provide a sustainable veterinary resource.

WVS Marketing Manager, Emma Harrison said, “We are delighted and honoured to receive this prestigious award from Global Health & Pharma and I accept this on behalf of our incredible team of staff and volunteers. Our aim is always to champion the welfare of animals all over the world and to be on the frontline of animal welfare.”

Many Santa’s Participated for a Variety of Reasons……

Local Charity, Alzheimers Dementia Support (‘ADS’) held their Annual Santa Fun Run on Sunday 11th December 2016 (at Dorney Lake, Eton Dorney), and the 380+ participants, (all dressed as Santa’s), took part for a huge variety of reasons.

As David Jannetta Chairman of ‘ADS’ explained: I am delighted that so many families could come together to run, jog, walk, ride (in buggies and wheelchairs) the 5km course in support of loved-ones living with Dementia, in support of people in their community whom they know are living with Dementia and in memory of those lost to the disease.

Faced with managing the disease, most people feel totally helpless and so the ‘ADS’ Santa Fun Run gives them an outlet through which they know that their participation will offer practical help to those in need.

One participant stated, “It’s a wonderfully cathartic experience. I walked the course with my brother; sister, daughter, nephew (and my dog) and we used the quality time we had together, to talk about my Mum and Dad, both who passed away with Alzheimer’s. We laughed, cried and revealed special memories of them and although some of our memories were sad, we had the opportunity to share them, as a family. Too many families don’t share their experiences, frustrations and fears and that’s sad. At Christmastime, the ‘ADS’ Santa Fun Run provides the perfect environment for families to get-together with nothing more to do but walk and talk”.

‘ADS’ hopes the success of their 4th Annual Santa Fun Run will raise those additional funds needed to continue the process of increasing their wide range of services in support of people living with Dementia, their Carers and families, in our local community. Thanks for the support provided by our Sponsors Mortgage Required, Hale and Company and Lewis Chambers, which also helped to make the day so successful.

David said, “as a volunteer-led’ local charity, we can guarantee that all monies raised will be spent locally in support of our 900+ members, in need of our help”.

To learn more about ‘ADS’ and the many services they offer, visit their website at: www.alzheimersdementiasupport.co.uk

For Editors:Event Date Sunday 11th December 2016 Alzheimers Dementia Support, established 2011, Registered Charity Number 1143867What we do & why we do it: Alzheimers Dementia Support 'ADS' is a predominately Volunteer-run charity which offers constructive practical Support, Guidance, Information and a wide range of Exciting Services designed to help people within the LOCAL community whose lives are directly or indirectly affected by Dementia. We strive to make a difference by helping those affected cope better with their problems whilst giving them the opportunity to experience a little joy and laughter in their difficult lives. We also offer Dementia Awareness Training and Carers' Awareness Training to all in the RBWM including group bookings for businesses, groups and schools etc.

Who we help: There is an ever growing number of People with Dementia, dependent on their Carers and families within our local Communities of Windsor, Ascot, Maidenhead, Slough and Langley (and all points in between), who can benefit from our wide and varied range of services. We use any and all forms of communication to increase the awareness of 'ADS' and what we can do to help.

For further information please contact:Nicky Connell - Administrator & Events CoordinatorAlzheimers Dementia Support 'ADS'nicolaconnell@alzheimersdementiasupport.co.uk

A British publisher, Karl Sabbagh, has launched a scathing attack on the way the Israeli lobby in the UK sabotages attempts to present the Palestinian case against Israel. He described organisations like the Board of Deputies, the Israeli Embassy, and Zionist bloggers as ‘enemies of truth, determined to ignore the facts, in case people understood the true merits of the Palestinian case.’ He also criticised Theresa May’s support this week for a new definition of antisemitism which, he said, made the British government like an arm of the Israeli Embassy PR department. The irony of calling antisemitic anyone who criticises “a Jewish collectivity” is that the Israel government, with a population of Arabs, Muslims, Christians and Jews insists that it is “the Jewish state’, thus making it by definition uncriticisable, whatever it does.

Sabbagh’s speech was at a private meeting in the House of Lords on Wednesday, December 14th, hosted by Baroness Jenny Tonge, whose remarks on Israel and Palestine have been attacked by the Israel lobby in the past. At a meeting chaired by her in October, a rabbi made barely coherent anti-Zionist comments which were misreported in the media as coming from the official speakers, for which Baroness Tonge, as Chair, was accused of being responsible by the complainants.

The occasion for Wednesday’s meeting was the launch of a book, State of Terror by Thomas Suárez, published by Skyscraper Publications, on the role Jewish terrorism played in the transformation of Palestine into Israel.

In his introduction, Karl Sabbagh, whose father was Palestinian, pointed out that long before internet trolling, anyone who wrote in public in support of the Palestinians would face an organised barrage of hostile and abusive letters or emails, often expressed in identical terms and quoting from Israeli embassy propaganda. He quoted three specific examples of medical journals which published pieces about Israeli violence against Palestinians and were subject to abuse from the Israel lobby and pressure placed on proprietors to fire editors. In one case, World Medicine, the onslaught led to eventual closure of the magazine.

Sabbagh said: “This book, State of Terror, is a detailed account of relentless Zionist violence against Palestinians, the British, and even Jews who disagreed with using force to turn Palestine into a Zionist state. It uses official British archives, quoting reports by police, the Foreign Office, the Palestine government of the time, and other newly revealed documents. Michael Gove, one of the most vociferous supporters of Israel, poured scorn on ‘experts, in his role as Education Minister. But it is experts like Israeli, American and British historians who are revealing the truths that Gove and others deny, about Zionism’s Hundred Year War on the Palestinians.”

CEO of Evoque Innovations, Tom Gilday recently gave an insightful speech at an important industry event for young leaders.

Evoque Innovations recently attended an important industry event in Birmingham which aimed to encourage development as well as celebrate recent successes within the industry. Evoque Innovations feels that this event was designed to not only be motivational and educational but inspiring for future young leaders in the sales and marketing industry.

About Evoque Innovations: http://www.evoqueinnovations.com/

Tom Gilday of Evoque Innovations was invited to the event as a guest speaker and offered his advice on the topic of attacking opportunities with 100% effort. The business owner feels that this was an incredibly important topic as it encourages individuals to give everything they have in order to reach their own personal goals as well as professional goals. Evoque Innovations actively encourages their contractors to give everything they have and commit 100% to becoming a success at every given task, therefore Mr. Gilday was able to speak passionately about the topic and give motivating examples of effort and success.

The industry event was designed to help encourage and motivate young leaders as sales can be a tough industry, and requires 100% commitment to success. Evoque Innovations believes that keeping up and coming business professionals motivated is vital for the sales and marketing industry as whole in order to produce new top talent and keep the industry thriving. Evoque Innovations highlights how this will also benefit the economy as the more the industry grows the more positions become available, meaning that more people are earning money and consumer confidence grows.

The event was also a good networking opportunity for all of the young leaders involved to connect with like-minded industry professionals who have already achieved what they wish to achieve in the industry. Evoque Innovations feels that this is very important as it helps business professionals to seek advice and overcome any obstacles they may have been facing.

Evoque Innovations is an outsourced sales and direct marketing firm based in Leicester. The firm specialises in a unique form of marketing which allows them to connect with their clients’ ideal consumers via face-to-face marketing strategies. This personalised interaction with consumers helps to drive long-lasting and personal business relationships between brand and consumer. In turn, this often leads to increased customer acquisition, brand awareness, and brand loyalty, as well as a high return on investment for their clients.

Brands are finding it increasingly difficult to secure a loyal customer base. In response, Emora Ltd are confident they have the have the secret to improving brand loyalty.

With markets becoming saturated, consumers are able to pick and choose products at the click of a button. This automation of services has led to brands becoming dehumanised as a whole, as the consumer looks to simplify their processes and create a simpler lifestyle that frees up time for their busy lifestyles. Emora Ltd are keen for brands to look for alternative ways to bring brands back to life and restore loyalty amongst consumers. Big brands including M&S, Disney and the BBC are paving the way on data analysis and how this can assist brands in their pledge to restore brand loyalty.

About Emora Ltd: http://www.emoralimited.co.uk/

Ryan Davies, M&S’s head of CRM and loyalty is confident that the key to their success is their Sparks card, as they offer rewards to the customer which also allows them to build individual profiles of each consumer and their buying activity. By understanding a customer’s journey, they will be able to develop a personalised strategy to communicate with said customer and maximise their consumer experience. Consumers are keen to feel valued and want to feel important to the brand. By tailoring communication, it can boost positive emotion surrounding the brand, whereas bulk marketing can cause consumers to disengage regardless of product interest.

Another avenue for brands is to use CRM to provide an entertainment outlet purely for social media. The BBC believe engagement is key for success here, building their brands personality and creating an aura of positivity that they believe will encourage consumer activity to remain positive during down time.

Disney believes objectives need to be developed that support the brands culture. Disney, for example, claims their key to success is treating all data collection in a way to create a character in a story. Develop a personality, image and achieve a way in which their storyline can be created. Once this has been achieved a marketing strategy can be developed to make their customer experience magical to boost loyalty to the brand.

Emora Ltd are brand marketing specialists, and by opening up brands to the consumer, they are able to interact on a face-to-face basis to provide a proven service that promotes brand loyalty.

Emora Ltd. is an outsourced sales and marketing firm based in Nottingham. The firm specialises in a personalised form of direct marketing which allows them to connect with their clients’ ideal consumers through face-to-face marketing strategies at unique pop-up events. This one-to-one interaction with consumers helps Emora Ltd. to drive long-lasting and personal business relationships between brand and consumer. In turn, this often leads to increased customer acquisition, brand awareness, and brand loyalty, as well as a guaranteed high return on investment for their clients’ brands.

Source: https://www.marketingweek.com/2016/11/03/ms-disney-and-the-bbc-on-why-data-is-key-to-loyalty/

Organizations recognising the need for an emergency communications plan in order to initiate secure and reliable communications to geographically dispersed staff during a crisis

Caversham, UK – 14th December 2016: In our globally connected world, most organizations have staff that travel overseas, making it more important than ever for those organizations to have an effective emergency communications plan in place in order to contact geographically dispersed staff during a crisis. This is especially important given that the latest Emergency Communication Report, published by the Business Continuity Institute, revealed that one out of three organizations (32 percent) report their employees travel to ‘high risk’ countries.

The Emergency Communications Report, supported by Everbridge, a global software company that provides critical communications and enterprise safety applications, did however deliver the encouraging news that most organizations (84 percent) do have some form of plan in place, although it did highlight that for those that don’t, two thirds (64 percent) felt that only a business-affecting event would incentivise them to develop one – most people would consider this too late.

With increasing physical security challenges experienced by organizations due to rising levels of concern surrounding workplace violence and acts of terrorism, as identified in the BCI’s latest Horizon Scan Report, being able to communicate effectively with staff may have the added advantage of increasing safety.

Further findings from the report include

Patrick Alcantara DBCI, Senior Research Associate at the BCI and author of the report, commented: “A robust emergency communications capability is a crucial, often life-saving, component of incident response. This becomes more important considering ever changing threats which often impact on the physical safety and well-being of employees and customers. This timely study affirms how organizations strive to improve their emergency communications capability, as well as look at opportunities to ensure reliable messaging and response.”

Imad Mouline, Chief Technology Officer at Everbridge, commented: “This year’s findings indicate that global businesses are increasingly aware that true resiliency is a company-wide initiative that involves taking accountability for the safety of all staff—whether they are located in the office, at home or on the road. While it’s not surprising to see shared interest in emergency communications across business continuity, IT, security, facilities and other disciplines, it’s clear that organizations are still seeking solutions to optimize their response plans for a mobile workforce, and for the growing frequency and complexity of critical events and security incidents.”

Training, education and exercising are good ways to improve emergency communications plans, yet many organizations still have gaps in their training and education programmes related to emergency communications plans which serve as a barrier to embedding this capability. There are also gaps in exercising these plans.

The human element of emergency communications has a significant role in its success. Lack of understanding from recipients is the top reason in failing to deliver effective emergency communications. There is a need for organizations to plan their messages and deliver these in a concise and sustained way in order to raise response levels and direct recipients to perform required actions that may save lives during an incident.

---ENDS---

For more information please contact the Senior Communications Manager at the Business Continuity Institute – Andrew Scott MCIPR CBCI – by emailing andrew.scott@thebci.org or by phoning +44-118-947-8241.

Notes:

About the Business Continuity Institute

Founded in 1994 with the aim of promoting a more resilient world, the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) has established itself as the world’s leading Institute for business continuity and resilience. The BCI has become the membership and certifying organization of choice for business continuity and resilience professionals globally with over 8,000 members in more than 100 countries, working in an estimated 3,000 organizations in the private, public and third sectors.

The vast experience of the Institute’s broad membership and partner network is built into its world class education, continuing professional development and networking activities. Every year, more than 1,500 people choose BCI training, with options ranging from short awareness raising tools to a full academic qualification, available online and in a classroom. The Institute stands for excellence in the resilience profession and its globally recognised Certified grades provide assurance of technical and professional competency. The BCI offers a wide range of resources for professionals seeking to raise their organization’s level of resilience, and its extensive thought leadership and research programme helps drive the industry forward. With approximately 120 Partners worldwide, the BCI Partnership offers organizations the opportunity to work with the BCI in promoting best practice in business continuity and resilience.

The BCI welcomes everyone with an interest in building resilient organizations from newcomers, experienced professionals and organizations. Further information about the BCI is available at www.thebci.org.

About Everbridge

Everbridge, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVBG), is a global software company that provides critical communications and enterprise safety applications that enable customers to automate and accelerate the process of keeping people safe and businesses running during critical events. During public safety threats such as active shooter situations, terrorist attacks or severe weather conditions, as well as critical business events such as IT outages or cyber incidents, over 3,000 global customers rely on the company’s SaaS-based platform to quickly and reliably construct and deliver contextual notifications to millions of people at one time. The company’s platform sent over 1 billion messages in 2015, and offers the ability to reach more than 200 countries and territories with secure delivery to over 100 different communication devices. The company’s critical communications and enterprise safety applications include Mass Notification, Incident Management, IT Alerting™, Safety Connection™, Community Engagement™, Secure Messaging and Internet of Things, and are easy-to-use and deploy, secure, highly scalable and reliable. Everbridge serves 8 of the 10 largest U.S. cities, 8 of the 10 largest U.S.-based investment banks, all four of the largest global accounting firms, 24 of the 25 busiest North American airports and 6 of the 10 largest global automakers. Everbridge is based in Boston and Los Angeles with additional offices in San Francisco, Beijing and London. For more information, visit www.everbridge.com, read the company blog, http://www.everbridge.com/blog, and follow on Twitter and Facebook.

With non-stop action on snow, mud, tarmac and gravel, the FIA World Rally Championship radiates adrenalin – and next year it will be seen for the first time live on Red Bull TV. The premiere takes place at Rally Monte-Carlo in January, ushering in a new era of unique coverage from Red Bull TV and bringing the breath-taking action to more fans than ever before.

Presented by Mike Chen, Red Bull TV will be broadcasting live on Saturday from each event and will host three stunning new daily highlight shows that feature all the action. Co-presenting the action will be some of the biggest personalities in motorsport, lending a unique perspective to every rally. The first guest will be former F1 and Le Mans driver Mark Webber in Monaco.

All of the programmes will be free-to-air, and will include dedicated 20 to 30-minute highlights shows on the Friday and Saturday evenings of WRC events direct from the service park and a 30-40 minute Sunday evening wrap.

In a groundbreaking new introduction, there will also be a 75-minute Saturday midday special featuring a live stage. This will enable viewers to enjoy unprecedented levels of exhilarating footage as they follow the action in real time from both inside and outside the cars, from the snow-lined speed tests of Monte-Carlo and Sweden to the high-altitude elevation of Mexico and the gruelling gravel forest tracks of Finland, Australia and Wales.

Engaging and informed presenters, news, interviews and gossip will set new standards in WRC broadcasting and bring fans closer to the high-octane action than ever – and heading into an exciting and unpredictable new era of faster and more powerful cars, myriad driver changes and the return of an ultra-successful WRC stalwart in the shape of automotive giant Toyota, the timing could not be any more apposite.

“It’s really exciting that the WRC will be broadcast on Red Bull TV next year,” enthused long-time Red Bull athlete Sébastien Loeb, the most successful driver in the history of the sport. “Fans will now have chance to see the very best coverage of some of the best motor sport in the world entirely for free and at a time that suits them. There’s always a feeling of innovation and excitement around Red Bull, and I’m sure that this will be the case for the new TV package as well.”

The action will rev into life in glamorous Monte-Carlo in January, with the oldest and most prestigious event on the WRC calendar certain to serve as a baptism of fire for the new generation of World Rally Cars. Co-presenting the action throughout the season will be some of Red Bull’s biggest motor sport stars – beginning with former Formula 1 and sportscar star Mark Webber – alongside anchorman Mike Chen.

The first dedicated WRC programme on Red Bull TV is 9pm on Friday 20 January following the end of leg one of Rally Monte-Carlo. All shows will remain available to watch on-demand on Red Bull TV once the rally has finished.

Red Bull TV is available to watch entirely free of charge online at redbull.tv and via mobile, laptop or smart television, or on the dedicated Red Bull TV app, available both for iPhone and Android.

[Ends]

The parents of a ‘miracle’ baby will celebrate their first Christmas together after being told this day might never come.

Jade Peachey and Peter Whittlesey both 32 from March, Cambridgeshire, thought they would never have their much-desired baby. Seven years ago, Jade was diagnosed with cervical cancer and, despite having a pioneering fertility preservation treatment, she was told it would be unlikely she would have a child.

The couple decided their last hope was IVF, but remarkably just before their appointment they found out they were expecting a new addition to the family. Sick Children’s Trust Ambassador, Jade says:

“When I was 25, I went for my first smear test and found out I had cervical cancer. When you are told news like that, it’s hard to know what to think. Over the following months, I had numerous cancer treatments, but nothing worked. I was losing hope so my consultant and I had a frank conversation about my options. I decided to go for a pioneering fertility preservation treatment called Radical Vaginal Trachelectomy but even so, the team made it very clear that it would be incredibly hard for me to become pregnant.

“For the first couple of years after my operation and recovery I remained positive. But as I approached 30 I noticed that I started to become very negative, losing hope that I would ever become pregnant. I wouldn’t be defeated though. I’ve never wanted something so much in my life, I can’t describe the feeling, and I just yearned for a baby. Peter and I tried for years before eventually deciding to find out about IVF, so we booked an appointment, but then found out we were pregnant.”

The couple were overjoyed, but then at 27 weeks pregnant Jade’s waters broke and within hours of arriving at The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, she became seriously ill with a high temperature and suspected sepsis. As a result, baby Effie was delivered by emergency caesarean but had severe complications. Sick Children’s Trust Ambassador Peter says:

“Everything happened really quickly. Effie had to be resuscitated four times and was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We were told that Effie would need to be kept at The Rosie Hospital until her due date because she was so poorly – but this was 13 weeks away.

“I started to worry about what would we do and how I would be able to support my family. I had my baby daughter in NICU, my partner on the ward and I really didn’t want to leave either of them. I looked at nearby hotels but they were extortionate. I felt hopeless and was so worried that I wouldn’t be able to be with them.”

However, soon after Effie was born, Peter was told about The Sick Children’s Trust, a charity which runs free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation across the country supporting families with seriously ill children in hospital. The Sick Children’s Trust gave Peter and Jade a room in its Chestnut House, just minutes from Effie’s neonatal cot. Peter continues:

“I just burst with relief. Chestnut House was located inside the hospital – literally minutes from where Effie was. Jade and I stayed at Chestnut House while Effie recovered which meant I didn’t have to leave my family at all; we could all be together and fight this battle as one.”

Amazingly, after four weeks Effie was discharged from the specialist centre to be treated at her local hospital, Hinchingbrooke. Now she is back home and is coming on leaps and bounds. Jade adds:

“We didn’t know if we would ever get pregnant, and now this year will be our first Christmas with our miracle baby. She’s not just a miracle because of we never thought we’d never have her, it’s also because she survived the odds set against her.”

“Thanks to my amazing care team I got my baby and was able to start my family. Please don’t ever give up, I hope by sharing my story it will give you some hope.”

Sandi Bogle from Channel 4’s Gogglebox has teamed up with 15-year-old singer-songwriter, Jack Rose, to battle for the 2016 Christmas number one, against favourites Matt Terry, The London Hospices Choir, Friends of Jo Cox, Zayn Malik and Taylor Swift.

The duo joined forces in June of this year to work on their very own version of the Christmas classic, “White Christmas”, in aid of the Great Ormond Street Hospital, a children's charity that provides world-class care and pioneers new treatments and cures for childhood illnesses.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with such a talented and professional young man. Jack and I are proud to be supporting Great Ormond Street Hospital” said Sandi.

Jack also 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, in the spirit of Christmas, offered their services for free.

The 15-year-old from Kent has had a passion for singing since he was very young and is really excited about supporting and raising awareness for GOSH.

“Ever since I was small I have wanted to do something cool for charity, and being able to work with Sandi has been so much fun. We just hope and pray that our donation will help to put a smile of the faces of the children that have to spend their Christmas in hospital this year.”

The single is available for preorder on iTunes now, will be on general release from the 22nd of December, and is available here: www.christmas-song.co.uk

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

Twitter:

Jack Rose: @jackrosereal

Sandi Bogle: @gogglebox0

END

Study reveals local business performance in relation to central London Tube lines

Bakerloo line identified as top-performing line in both annual turnover and growth

DueDil, the data intelligence company that helps businesses find, verify and monitor their business relationships, has identified the top-performing Tube lines in Zone 1 based on business turnover and growth.

The study reveals that companies on the Bakerloo line represent both the highest average annual turnover and average growth rate when compared to businesses adjacent to other lines.

Every Tube line achieved an average annual growth rate of at least 15%, and averaged 18.69% across the lines. This compares favourably businesses across the rest of the UK, which have an average growth of 13.64%

Among individual stations, Waterloo has the highest average turnover and Bayswater has the highest average growth rate.

Companies included in the study were required to have a reported annual turnover in excess of £5 million and have a registered trading address in central London. The 11,475 companies that fit these criteria were subsequently mapped to their closest Zone 1 Tube station using latitude and longitude information from Postcode.io.

The Waterloo & City line is excluded from the results as it consists of only two stations, which does not offer a fair comparison with other lines.

Waterloo has the highest average annual turnover at £2,536,771,284 (£2.53 billion). It is followed by Paddington (£783 million), Victoria (£575 million), Cannon Street (£447 million) and St. Paul's (£283 million).

The high average turnover of companies local to Waterloo is primarily due to the presence of Royal Dutch Shell Group PLC and its subsidiary, Shell Trading International Limited. Both companies rank in the top three for annual turnover among all businesses included in the study.

Bayswater has the highest average growth rate at 77.75%. The station is followed by Gloucester Road (66.72%), Embankment (44.73%), Warren Street (35%) and Mansion House (33.84%).

-ENDS-

Appendix

Top 10 tube lines on average annual turnover:

Tube Line

Average Annual Growth Rate

Average Annual Turnover

Bakerloo

22.14%

£286,296,440

Jubilee

20.96%

£284,694,426

Victoria

20.24%

£222,234,973

Central

19.92%

£160,804,167

District

19.61%

£195,400,550

Piccadilly

19.22%

£151,464,664

Northern

18.08%

£236,620,467

Circle

17.43%

£175,930,727

Hammersmith & City

15.81%

£151,951,931

Metropolitan

15.71%

£149,739,703

Top 10 tube stations on average annual turnover:

London Tube Station

Average Annual Turnover

Average Annual Growth Rate

Waterloo

£2,647,903,496

19.63%

Paddington

£802,683,733

16.59%

Cannon Street

£471,020,077

21.05%

Victoria

£414,670,193

17.18%

St. Pauls

£302,938,326

18.53%

Warren Street

£297,364,303

35.00%

St. James's Park

£291,774,931

20.09%

Charing Cross

£275,336,090

22.67%

Barbican

£264,484,093

14.29%

Pimlico

£262,488,052

11.80%

Top 10 tube stations on average annual growth:

London Tube Station

Average Annual Growth Rate

Average Annual Turnover

Bayswater

77.75%

£27,918,956

Gloucester Road

66.72%

£31,929,199

Embankment

44.73%

£56,382,996

Warren Street

35.00%

£297,364,303

Mansion House

33.84%

£132,340,696

Earls Court

33.39%

£32,022,039

Bond Street

26.62%

£152,846,021

Piccadilly Circus

26.58%

£139,209,382

Oxford Circus

25.02%

£96,892,314

Marylebone

24.78%

£32,228,651

Top 10 companies on annual turnover:

Company

Annual Turnover

Annual Growth Rate

Closest Station

Royal Dutch Shell PLC

£183,000,000,000

-37.08%

Waterloo

HSBC Holdings PLC

£61,642,441,860

-3.35%

Tower Hill

Shell Trading International Limited

£47,113,500,415

-42.66%

Waterloo

Audible Limited

£43,664,011,000

48.23%

Barbican

Unilever PLC

£41,366,671,843

9.98%

Notting Hill Gate

Prudential Public Limited Company

£41,305,000,000

-31.30%

Cannon Street

Societe Generale

£34,450,453,195

-37.84%

Tower Hill

Glencore Energy UK Ltd

£33,118,512,817

-31.17%

Green Park

BHP Billiton PLC

£30,120,790,877

-31.97%

Victoria

Barclays Bank PLC

£29,753,000,000

-1.02%

Tower Hill

Top 10 companies on annual growth rate:

Company

Annual Growth Rate

Annual Turnover

Closest Station

CMEGroup International Market Data Limited

992.77%

£158,539,000

St Pauls

BG South Asia LNG Limited

935.99%

£679,702,102

Waterloo

SFDC EMEA Data Centre Limited

923.69%

£11,679,474

Liverpool Street

Abbeygate Helical(C4.1) LLP

918.31%

£6,276,769

Oxford Circus

Close Brothers Finance PLC

887.57%

£11,637,755

Liverpool Street

Interhealth Canada (UK) Limited

887.41%

£6,074,114

Gloucester Road

Aberdeen Infrastructure Investments (No 5) Limited

878.85%

£7,115,751

Mansion House

Greenland (United Kingdom) Investment Limited

878.73%

£17,870,042

Moorgate

Citigroup Capital UK Limited

874.81%

£63,665,000

Tower Hill

Beit Halochem UK

866.18%

£7,522,445

Marylebone

Top 5 companies for annual turnover on the Bakerloo Line:

Company Name

Annual Turnover

Annual Growth Rate

Royal Dutch Shell PLC

£183,000,000,000

-37.08%

Shell Trading International Limited

£47,113,500,415

-42.66%

Astrazeneca PLC

£18,271,093,692

-69.30%

BAE Systems PLC

£16,787,000,000

87.90%

BG Energy Holdings Limited

£11,941,137,322

-16.28%

Top 5 companies for annual turnover in Waterloo:

Company Name

Annual Turnover

Annual Growth Rate

Royal Dutch Shell PLC

£183,000,000,000

-37.10%

Shell Trading International Limited

£47,113,500,415

-42.70%

BG Energy Holdings Limited

£11,941,137,322

-16.30%

BG Global Energy Limited

£5,621,828,000

404.20%

Shell U.K. Limited

£4,600,000,000

-31.50%

Top 5 companies for annual growth in Bayswater:

Company Name

Annual Growth Rate

Annual Turnover

Woodsford Litigation Funding LTD

783.44%

£7,147,000

Paul Elliot LTD

184.00%

£6,044,268

Reward Gateway (UK) Ltd

18.12%

£171,699,318

Planet Organic Limited

16.57%

£24,226,437

Kingsridge Limited

8.97%

£10,333,020

About DueDil

DueDil is about intelligence: for every team, in every company, in every industry, that does business with other businesses.

DueDil helps solve the two biggest problems faced by companies – how to find new customers and avoid the risks associated with dealing with these businesses.

We help teams to identify the right companies to sell to, get insights into their business, and make a sale. But that’s only one part of the equation: dealing with the wrong business can severely damage a company. We provide the intelligence to prevent this.

At DueDil, we believe that one person’s risk is another’s opportunity and every team in every company should have the power to make intelligent decisions.

Since 2011, the London-based financial technology company has raised nearly $30m from respected investors in the US and UK, including Oak Investment Partners, Passion Capital and Notion Capital.

http://www.duedil.com

Contact details

Amelia Henderson

DueDil

amelia@duedil.com, (07) 8507 63009

Sales and marketing specialists Utopia Creations is raising awareness for a strong cause by embarking on a special Christmas mission.

Leeds-based Utopia Creations have decided to take part in the Christmas Shoebox appeal and will be spending time over the next few weeks filling shoe boxes with toys, colouring equipment, and other fun things in order to send to poorer children in other countries to help them celebrate Christmas. When Utopia Creations heard about the cause they immediately decided to take part and feel passionate about helping the appeal.

About Utopia Creations: http://www.weareutopia.co.uk/about-us/

Utopia Creations is incredibly passionate about helping the cause as they feel like Christmas is an important time of year. The firm wishes to help these poorer families across the world to celebrate Christmas as they would. Utopia Creations highlights how helping to support others is a fundamental of their company culture and therefore wishes to spread this globally this Christmas.

Utopia Creations is encouraging their contractors to fill as many shoe boxes as possible and is encouraging generosity throughout their firm. As the firm’s company culture is so deeply centred on supporting others, helping each other to develop and mentoring, Utopia Creations believes that their contractors have a great mindset and are all willing to do everything they can to support the Christmas Shoebox appeal.

The firm also feels that this will be a strong team activity and encourage their contractors to develop a generous attitude and willingness to help others which are skills vital for success in the sales industry. By doing something so important as a collective, Utopia Creations believes this will really motivate the firm as well as really add to the cause.

Christmas is an incredibly important time of year for Utopia Creations as they work exceedingly hard in the run-up to the big day and are then able to enjoy some well-deserved time off to spend time with family. The firm understands how this short break and spending time with loved ones can help to re-energise and re-motivated their contractors so that they will achieve big things in the New Year.

Utopia Creations is an outsourced sales and marketing firm based in Leeds. The firm specialises in a personalised form of direct marketing which allows them to connect with their clients’ ideal consumers on a face-to-face basis. This one-to-one interaction with consumers helps Utopia Creations to drive long-lasting and personal business relationships between brand and consumer. In turn, this often leads to increased customer acquisition, brand awareness and brand loyalty for their clients.

London-based sales specialists, AJG Direct has revealed the 5 traits every entrepreneur needs to be a huge success.

Sales and event marketing professionals, AJG Direct understands the importance of developing positive traits and habits. The firm outlines how a number of positive attributes can help lead an individual to success no matter their industry. However, particularly in entrepreneurship, AJG Direct feels that it is vital to possess a number of key traits.

About AJG Direct: http://ajgdirect.co.uk/about-us/

AJG Direct is an avid supporter of entrepreneurship and offers a unique business development opportunity to help aspiring young entrepreneurs develop key skills for success. The firm runs regular motivational workshops which help business professionals to develop successful skill sets in key areas such as sales, leadership, marketing, management, public speaking, and more. By offering hands-on experience and mentoring opportunities, AJG Direct can help ambitious individuals become successful business owners in the sales and marketing industry.

Here, AJG Direct has outlined the 5 traits that they believe are necessary for success as an entrepreneur:

Ability to take risks Entrepreneurs need to be able to take a risk. There is a big difference between low risk and high risk, and between gambling and medium risk, outlines AJG Direct. The firm is confident that entrepreneurs must have the ability to take risks, pushing the bar higher each time.

Learn from experience and make course corrections Entrepreneurs fail if they are not agile and mobile, reveals AJG Direct. The firm is confident that in order to be a success, an entrepreneur must recognise mistakes and make quick course corrections.

Drive businesses with purpose, not profit Profit should be the outcome and purpose should be the driving force, shares AJG Direct. The first thing an entrepreneur must keep in mind when starting a business is the purpose. Focusing on profit leads to cutting corners which often results in bad decisions, bad service and a short-term business mindset.

Resilience Entrepreneurs have to be able to bounce back or stick it out in adversity, highlights AJG Direct. The firm highlights how entrepreneur Steve Jobs is a perfect example of this. Jobs was thrown out of his own company at the age of 30 but bounced back to make a second company equally as big, and gets called back to his old company at the age of 52.

Celebrate failures as much as successes Being able to demonstrate passion and engage employees by celebrating success is crucial for entrepreneurs. However, entrepreneurs must also heed the lessons of failure, outlines AJG Direct.

AJG Direct is an outsourced sales and event marketing firm based in London. The firm specialises in a personalised form of direct marketing which allows them to connect with their clients’ ideal consumers at unique pop-up events. By offering a one-to-one interaction with consumers, AJG Direct is able to drive long-lasting and personal business relationships between brand and consumer. In turn, this often leads to increased customer acquisition, brand awareness and brand loyalty for their clients.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/286185

MYJAR have been announced as the winner of the Responsible Lender Award at the prestigious Credit Strategy F5 awards this week. The flagship awards scheme is organised by Credit Strategy as part of the new F5 Awards and Conference held in London.

MYJAR is an innovative financial services company that provides simple, straightforward loans of up to £3,600 online for up to 12 months. The award recognises that MYJAR lends to customers responsibly in a transparent way while ensuring stringent checks are conducted before the lending decision and that the customer’s interests are at the heart of the MYJAR business. Each MYJAR loan is tailored to individual customer needs using the ‘MYJAR ladder model’ that is designed to ensure that loans are affordable for customers.

The judges commended MYJAR for being, ‘open and frank about their rates and charges’, and that they ‘clearly outline what a customer will be borrowing, for how long, and how much they will need to pay back’. This is a key factor in why thousands of their customers have voted via the independent review site, Trustpilot resulting in a score of 9.4 out of 10.

The Responsible Lender award demonstrates that MYJAR not only put their customers first, but also look after their well-being. The team at MYJAR are delighted with the award. Stuart Sykes, Group Customer Operations Director said: “We are extremely proud to see that our hard work has paid off, every person in the business has worked very hard to ensure our product is right for our customers. We pride ourselves on being a responsible lender that people can trust.”

The competition for Responsible Lender was tough, with some well-known brands competing for the title. But MYJAR came out on top, having also been nominated as a finalist in the category for Best Fintech Lender. This brings the total to shortlisting for 5 awards in the space of just a couple of months. Previous award nominations include Best Customer Outcome and Vulnerable Customer Support Initiative.

Check out www.myjar.com for more information about MYJAR and their loan product.

Sales and marketing firm Roar Ambition has revealed their top tips for achieving top results through successful marketing this holiday season.

Businesses must outdo their competition at every stage in the year, however, Roar Ambition feels that particularly at Christmas the pressure is on for businesses to stand out amongst competitors and deliver extraordinary customer service and marketing techniques.

About Roar Ambition: http://www.roar-ambition.co.uk/about-us/

Roar Ambition outlines how marketing can either be a huge success and really resonate with consumers or can be misinterpreted and not appeal to consumers at all and shares how this could have a huge impact on sales throughout the business. Roar Ambition highlights how Christmas marketing has become a massive deal with businesses producing bigger and better marketing campaigns every year. For example, the success of John Lewis and Sainsbury’s Christmas adverts over previous years have inspired a number of businesses to produce heartfelt, meaningful campaigns.

Roar Ambition has outlined their tips for Small Businesses trying to produce inspired marketing campaigns this holiday season:

Don’t Make Assumptions Roar Ambition urge businesses never to assume that customers delight upon hearing Christmas greetings. “Be sensitive to the beliefs of others and don’t force your celebration down their throats,” outlines a spokesperson for the firm. “At the same time, know your demographic. Understand who you are, what you represent and who your customers are.”

Go Where the People are “Make sure you’re using the right outlet for your message,” shares Roar Ambition. It’s important to know where the target market is online and where they will see the marketing campaign to have the most impact.

Make the Most of Old Traditions Don’t be afraid to capitalise on current traditions. “Put up a Christmas tree, or plan a marketing campaign around one. People recognise this symbol and immediately develop associations with your campaign,” shares Roar Ambition.

Start your own Traditions There’s always room for new traditions. One of the best examples of a new tradition that has swept the nation is Elf on the Shelf. “People are excited about Christmas and willing to accept new traditions,” highlights Roar Ambition.

Use Word of Mouth The holiday season brings people together and often the topic of conversation is the products they’re using or what gifts they have bought. Roar Ambition encourages Small Businesses not to overspend and to capitalise on this by making a memorable campaign that’s worth talking about.

Roar Ambition specialises in personalised marketing which allows them to talk to consumers on a face-to-face basis and personalise each consumer experience. The firm reveals how this often resonates with consumers as they leave the experience feeling valued and appreciated which helps to encourage brand loyalty.

Roar Ambition is an outsourced sales and marketing firm based in Liverpool. The firm specialises in a personalised form of marketing which helps to drive long-lasting and personal business relationships between brand and consumer. In turn, this often leads to increased customer acquisition, brand awareness and brand loyalty for their clients.

Source: https://smallbiztrends.com/2016/11/holiday-marketing-tips-for-small-businesses.html

PRESS RELEASE

16th December 2016

A new report by Localgiving has found that fewer than half of local charities are confident they will still be operating by 2021. Escalating demand for services, coupled with ongoing volatility in the funding landscape has left many groups fearful for their long term survival.

The Local Charity & Community Group Sustainability Report 2016 is the result of a survey of 598 representatives from the local charities and community groups from across the UK.

The report finds that:

Read the full report here

Stephen Mallinson, Chief Executive of Localgiving said:

“Our second annual Local Charity and Community Group Sustainability Report illuminates key issues facing the local voluntary sector. While most groups are confident about their short term survival, fewer than half retain this confidence over 5 years.

At present the sector lacks both the time and resources required to invest in their future. Rapid staff turnover, reductions in workforce size and an over-reliance on volunteers are major concerns - inevitably affecting the quality, continuity and durability of services.

We welcome the launch of Local Charities Day as an important step towards increasing public awareness of the work and needs of local charities. However there is more to do and time is short, if we are to ensure that these groups can continue their vital work.”

This report has already been recognised by a number of key sector bodies:

"...a powerful insight into the world of local charities... smaller voluntary organisations continue to be disproportionately affected by the current economic climate" - Gillen Knight, Head of Marketing and Membership at NCVO

"...an important benchmark of the sector [that] reflects the wider picture we are seeing…We need to take action based on these findings." - John Barrett, Chief Executive of the Small Charities Coalition

"...a timely reminder of the challenges that smaller charities face in securing support for the essential work they do for the wellbeing of local communities" - Ceri Edwards, Director of Policy and Communications at the Institute of Fundraising

"[The results] very much reflect what our 5,000 + member charities are reporting… Small charities are under enormous pressures as they seek to support those who are most vulnerable in our society" - Pauline Broomhead, Founder and Chief Executive of The FSI

As part of Local Charities Day Localgiving is matching 1,000 x £5 donations made to local charities via Localgiving.org today. It’s #GiveMe5 match-fund campaign is co-funded by the Office for Civil Society and a private philanthropist. Donations will be matched at random and people can make as many £5 donations as they wish before midnight - each with an equal chance of receiving match funding.

Find out more about Local Charities Day here and #GiveMe5 Here.

For more information about the Local Charity & Community Group Sustainability Report 2016 or

Localgiving’s #GiveMe5 campaign, please contact Localgiving at: help@localgiving.com / 0300 111 2340.

- ENDS-

London-based sales and marketing firm, Monarch Movements state that a good morning routine is pivotal for a highly productive day. The firm recently hosted a tutorial for their staff and contractors, outlining their 5-step guide for a successful morning routine.

About Monarch Movements: http://www.monarchmovements.co.uk/about-us/

As a young company with big goals, Monarch Movements recognise that the key to achieving maximum productivity is a good morning routine. The firm frequently host seminars and tutorial to educate their staff and contractors, progressing their business development and helping them to navigate the road to success.

During the hour-long tutorial, Managing Director Damian Crofts outlined 5 key elements to integrate into a morning routine.

1. They maintain a positive mindset

At Monarch Movements, one of the main attributes they look for when seeking new talent is a positive, “can-do” attitude. The firm believes that success starts in the mind of a business person and that a positive mindset attracts positive results. During the tutorial, the firm stated that successful people wake up in a good mood and look forward to starting another day of triumph.

2. They eat a balanced and healthy breakfast

“One thing that is often overlooked when it comes to a good morning routine is a balanced and healthy breakfast,” said MD Damian Crofts. In the tutorial, Mr Crofts explained that food needs to be viewed as fuel and without it, someone’s mind and body is void of nutrients to power them through the day. The firm stated that successful people don’t skip out on a balanced breakfast, they make it a priority.

3. They plan for success

“Successful people don’t stumble upon it by accident; any success has been carefully planned and worked towards.” Said Mr Crofts. The firm argues that successful people stick strictly to daily habits and rituals, with planning and scheduling being a key part of their day. Mr Crofts stated that successful people have a plan for every minute of their day.

4. Exercise

While the health benefits of exercise are obvious, Monarch Movements believe that a healthy body means a healthy mind. It has been proven that a morning workout boosts brain endorphins leading to a positive mood. Most crucially, exercising before work can boost creativity, energy and productivity as well as lowering stress levels which can only be a good thing.

5. They maintain motivation

Starting the day off right will give people the motivation to stay ahead of the competition claims Monarch Movements. The firm claims that motivation is the driving force of success and that successful people achieve and maintain it to drive them towards their goals.

“Starting the day right is half the battle to a highly successful day.” Said Mr Crofts. The firm promotes the philosophy that success is the result of rituals and habits carried out daily. They believe providing people with an outline of a good morning routine, will help to boost productivity and drive the firm towards a big end to the year.

Monarch Movements is a dynamic and cultured sales and marketing firm based in Angel, London. The firm specialises in customer acquisition through face-to-face promotional marketing and sales campaigns. By understanding their clients’ customers and target markets, as well as long and short-term goals, Monarch Movements can develop unique marketing campaigns which deliver quality results and build brand loyalty. At Monarch Movements, they are committed to the development of their staff and contractors, and they frequently provide educational and motivational workshops to help progress their business development and set them on the path to success.

###

SOURCE: http://www.success.com/article/8-morning-secrets-of-higly-successful-people

Arthritis Care has responded to the government’s decision to allow councils to bring forward already announced increases in the ‘social care precept’, a rise in council tax which must be used to fund social care, and to make available £240 million for social care resulting from changes to the New Homes Bonus.

Nikki Hill, Director of Policy, Communications and Information at Arthritis Care, said:

“Arthritis Care welcomes the government’s recognition that something must be done to address the rapidly growing crisis in social care. Today’s announcement was a step in the right direction, but a long-term and sustainable solution is urgently needed.

“Social care services in England have faced cuts of £4.6 billion in just five years, taking into account growing demand and rising prices. Raising the social care precept is not the answer to this challenge. Less affluent areas, where there is often the greatest need for publicly funded care, raise the least amount of money. The additional £240 million is welcome, but it will not solve the care crisis.

“The severe underfunding of social care services has knock-on costs for the health service when people cannot be cared for in the community. Nearly one in ten beds is being used by someone medically well enough to be discharged.

“More and more of us are living longer with conditions such as arthritis, and we should all be able to live with dignity and remain independent for as long as possible. The funding announced today will go some way towards plugging the gap, but falls far short of the solution that is needed.”

Dementia Adventure (www.dementiaadventure.co.uk) is delighted to announce even more dates, holidays and respite breaks for people living with dementia, and their carers, in 2017 thanks to the continued support of players of People's Postcode Lottery.

Next year will see the charity deliver 24 holidays in 13 different locations across the UK. As well as the ever-popular holiday destinations like Devon, Isle of Wight, Cornwall, Kielder Water and the Lake District, there are new destinations on offer: a sailing holiday along the South Coast from Poole, glamping in Suffolk and a canal boat cruise along the rivers of Essex and Hertfordshire. So, whether you enjoy walking, love being by the sea or just taking in the beautiful countryside that the UK has on its doorstep, there’s something on offer for everyone!

People living with dementia, and their loved ones, can often feel that holidays, travel and outdoor activity are no longer available to them. However, supported holidays enable people to enjoy time away together by removing the barriers that can make taking a break difficult. They offer one-to-one assistance for both carer and person with dementia – someone who has been trained in understanding and managing the needs of a person with dementia. With all the logistical arrangements taken care of and an itinerary created that suits everyone's needs, both the carer and person with dementia can concentrate on themselves and each other.

Dementia Adventure’s own research shows that the short-breaks are having a positive effect on the well-being of people living with dementia (and their carers) for a considerable time after they have ended:

Lucy Harding, Chief Operations Officer, says “Everyone with dementia is different, but why should someone with dementia not need and benefit from some time out the same as everyone else, especially if they have enjoyed holidays all their lives up to the point where they got this disease? With careful planning, we can be sure that the facilities we offer people are what they need, and with the right kind of sympathetic support then we can minimise any disruption.

In addition, we do not want the ability to afford respite to stop anyone from taking advantage of the service we offer, and so are extremely grateful for the continued support of players of People's Postcode Lottery, which underwrites the cost of these small group, "life changing" holidays. Our success has been in no small part thanks to the support of players. With the generous £400,000 funding received to date, players directly help us to keep the cost of short-breaks affordable for more people and allowing them access to the outdoors in a meaningful way.”

Wendy Bibby, who has been on several supported holidays with Dementia Adventure since her husband Ron was diagnosed with dementia in 2010, says: “It’s just great to feel normal. Being with the other couples and the team is invaluable, we help each other, sharing and supporting. We felt really understood by the team who were very patient and enthusiastic and went out of their way to ensure we had the best time possible. Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone – face the fear and do it anyway, I say!”

For more information about Dementia Adventure holidays and short breaks including itineraries, pricing and booking information please visit http://www.dementiaadventure.co.uk/holidays or call 01245 237548.

NOTES:

Dementia Adventure Dementia Adventure is an award winning social enterprise and registered charity committed to helping people living with dementia get outdoors, connect with nature, themselves and their community, and retain a sense of adventure in their lives. www.dementiaadventure.co.uk Through training, research, and consultancy services it enables care providers and organisations to take advantage of the natural resources on their doorstep to enhance the lives of people living with dementia and the people who care for them. The organisation is currently expanding the benefits of its nature-based, positive-risk taking approach with local and national partners through its social licence product Dementia Adventure in a Box in order to increase the choices of outdoor activities available for people with dementia. Its legacy will be to create an ever-growing network of dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable individuals and organisations, all receiving in-depth support from the Dementia Adventure team. Dementia Adventure also designs, plans and delivers bespoke, small-group holidays and short-breaks for people living with dementia and their carers to enjoy together. It supports people with trained staff and volunteers, and offers this as an alternative to traditional respite.

People’s Postcode Lottery People’s Postcode Lottery is a charity lottery. Players play with their postcodes to win cash prizes, while raising money for charities and good causes across Great Britain and globally A minimum of 30% goes directly to charities and players have raised £129.9 Million for good causes across the country £10 for 10 draws paid monthly in advance with prizes every day. For further prize information visit: www.postcodelottery.co.uk/prizes Maximum amount a single ticket can win is 10% of the draw revenue to a maximum of £400,000 Players can sign up by Direct Debit, credit card or PayPal online at www.postcodelottery.co.uk, or by calling 0808 10-9-8-7-6-5 Postcode Lottery Limited is regulated by the Gambling Commission under certificate nr 000-000829-N-102511-011 and 000-000829-R-102513-010. Registered office: Titchfield House, 69/85 Tabernacle Street, London, EC2A 4RR People’s Postcode Lottery manages multiple society lotteries on behalf of a range of charities including sixteen grant-giving trusts. For details on which society lottery is running each week, visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk/society

For press enquiries, further information or to set up a review/request product:

Jo Lambert Smith

jo@dementiaadventure.co.uk

01245 237548