For the last four decades, the Resource Centre has been helping small community groups to make a big difference to Brighton & Hove. The Centre is holding an exhibition to celebrate its 40 year legacy from 16th to 22nd January in the foyer of the Jubilee Library.

The Resource Centre is proud to provide information, advice and resources to help the thousands of volunteers who work together to make Brighton & Hove a vibrant, diverse and exciting place to live. The exhibition will include a look back at the Resource Centre’s beginnings, how it has changed over the years, and the work the Centre does to help community groups today.

The exhibition will include space for visitors to add their own stories, memories and suggestions for the Centre’s future. Everyone is warmly invited to drop in and share your experiences of the Centre and ideas about its future.

The Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Pete West, will launch the exhibition on Monday 16th January. The Resource Centre is one of the Mayor’s 27 chosen charities this year. The Mayor has this to say about the Centre:

"The Resource Centre is, in my book, the biggest unsung hero in our city. Without the printing services, the advice services, help with finding funding and the event equipment store, and all else you do, I truly believe we would not have the richness of community activity in the city we enjoy today.”

Tinnitus Support offered in Chiswick

9 January 2017 A new group to support local people with tinnitus is being formed by Deepak Jagota,

Hearing Aid Audiologist at Hearing Well on Chiswick High Road. The first meeting will take place on Friday 20th January 2017, 5.30-8.30pm at The Catholic Centre, 2 Dukes Avenue, Chiswick, W4 2AE.

Dave Carr, BTA Volunteering and Engagement Manager comments: “Being among people who have the problem, listening to their experiences and how they have managed to handle things, is a tremendous help for the individual. I witness this first hand when attending group meetings. It is amazing seeing the difference it makes to people, especially those who have recently been diagnosed.”

Tinnitus is defined as the experience of sounds with no external source, most commonly ringing or buzzing, but sometimes experienced as whooshing, clicking or even music. Many people aren’t troubled by sounds they hear, but for around 10%, the condition has a significant impact on their quality of life, often linked to stress, anxiety or sometimes depression.

Dave adds: “Tinnitus can be an isolating condition, with friends and family struggling to understand how it feels to adapt to the presence of loud or persistent noises. Some people choose to bring a partner or family member to the meetings, which can often help both parties understand more about the condition and the experiences or behaviours it can bring.”

Deepak Jagota comments,“The BTA is a sound source of information regarding tinnitus, however there is a lot of misinformation out there which can be very damaging to someone experiencing tinnitus, I hope that by working together and offering support and information we can make a positive difference to people struggling with tinnitus in our local community.”

If you would like to find out more, please contact Deepak on 0208 994 6966 or at deepak@hearingwell.co.uk

Ends

Editors Notes

The British Tinnitus Association (BTA) is an independent charity which supports thousands of people who experience tinnitus and advises medical professionals from across the world.

The BTA is the primary source of support and information for people with tinnitus in the UK, facilitating an improved quality of life. They aim to encourage prevention through its educational programme and to seek effective treatment for tinnitus through a medical research programme.

The support the BTA offers to 335,000 people per year who are affected by tinnitus is reliant upon the generous donations of their supporters and fundraisers. They receive no government support and need to raise half a million pounds each year to continue their UK wide support. Donations can be made via www.tinnitus.org.uk

Not an illness or disease, tinnitus is a term that describes the sensation of hearing a noise in the absence of an external sound. The noise can have virtually any quality. Ringing, whistling, and buzzing are common, but more complex sounds may also be reported. Troublesome tinnitus can be very distressing for the affected individual, and issues may arise with sleep, concentration and mood. However, in many cases, subtle changes in people’s environment can address these issues, and improve quality of life.

The experienced team at the BTA understands the impact that tinnitus can have on the lives of those who experience tinnitus and those who live with them, so seeks to provide the most appropriate and expert advice and information free of charge – via a confidential freephone helpline on 0800 018 0527 and online at www.tinnitus.org.uk. The BTA can also post printed and audio information and advice.

Visit the BTA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishTinnitusAssociation and follow the BTA on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BritishTinnitus

For more information

Nic Wray, Communications Manager

nic@tinnitus.org.uk

01449 771384

Skype:nicwray20

Emily Broomhead, Projects Manager

emily@tinnitus.org.uk

0114 250 9933

British Tinnitus Association

Ground Floor, Unit 5 Acorn Business Park

Woodseats Close

Sheffield

S8 0TB

Being mugged, bad accommodation and losing your passport are common worries of the British holidaymaker. But, believe it or not, what Brits fear the most when abroad is traveller's diarrhoea.

The poll of 4,000 British adults, commissioned by www.parkat.co.uk, found that 54 per cent were most terrified of getting traveller's diarrhea while on holiday. Surprisingly, being mugged was not a worry for 89 per cent of respondents and only 31 per cent worried about losing important travel documents such as their passport.

A vain 22 per cent claimed to be unhappy with their body image, making them constantly worry and fearful of enjoying their holiday.

Michael Hope, marketing director for Parkat, said: 'We are known as a nation of moaners and this is especially true before a holiday. More so for places not explored before.'

'The majority of locally prepared food such as salad, rice and meat will contain bacterial enteropathogens, which will be harmful for Brits, but locals will have built immunity from birth.'

'A bad dose of food poisoning could put travellers out of action for five days, ultimately ruining the holiday. But if symptoms persist longer and you cannot keep down fluids, we recommend consulting a health professional as soon as possible. In all cases it's common sense to get proper advice.'

'A lot of travellers will have experienced an upset stomach of sorts while abroad. In most cases it can be a horrible experience.'

So if you're travelling further afield, in particular to developing countries such as Brazil, Morocco, Egypt, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, you should be very careful. One way to completely avoid an upset stomach while aboard is to eat canned food.

It’s not all doom and gloom though. Many holiday destinations are fairly safe and only pose a small risk. Using your common sense and avoiding stagnant salad bars, ice cubes in drinks, buffets, pop-up hot dog stands and simply just washing your hands can keep you in good health (and off the toilet).

- ENDS -

Press contact”

Michael Hope, marketing director, pr@parkat.co.uk

About:

Parkat is for the savvy traveller. They compare car parking options at every UK airport in real time from hundreds of suppliers and travel companies.

Legs4Africa,
a UK based charity who collect and send redundant mobility equipment to
Sub-Saharan Africa, is looking to raise £6,000 to furnish
The Wheelchair Centre, that supplies the whole of The Gambia, with
wheelchairs, parts and tools as well as the nearby physiotherapy
department with essential equipment.

The
Gambian government employs skilled technicians who customise and repair
wheelchairs and other mobility devices for the use of the Gambian
people however, there is currently a distinct lack of parts, tools and
materials leaving hundreds struggling to be mobile and resulting in
isolation of many disabled individuals.

“This
shipment can make so much difference for so many people.” Says Tom
Williams, founder of Legs4Africa. “This is part of our ongoing work in
countries such as the Gambia to remobilise people, reduce isolation and
increase inclusion for disabled people in their local community.”

Legs4Africa
is harnessing the power of crowdfunding where individuals may donate
money to achieve a series of goals. The campaign can be found here:

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/200-wheelchairs-shipped-a-the-gambia-hospital

With
a far higher rate of amputation in developing Africa than Europe, and
the lack of support services for disabled individuals, the need for
equipment is very real. Legs4Africa is committed to changing this by
recycling equipment from the UK which would ordinarily be thrown away,
and giving it a new lease of life and thereby improve the lives of
thousands of disabled Africans. To date Legs4Africa has shipped out
over 4,000 prosthetic legs along with other mobility equipment such as
wheelchairs, walkers and crutches.

“We believe that disability should no longer be an issue, irrespective of wealth and location.” Says Tom Williams.

Manchester based sales and marketing firm,
Future Generation Marketing understands why it is important for business owners
to broaden their learning through regular reading. Here, the firm has reviewed
the best business books of all time, as recommended by millionaires.

Future Generation Marketing offers a Business
Development Program and through this understand the importance of knowledge for
both personal and business development. Reading is a great source of
information and can provide an endless opportunity to learn, something Managing
Director Adam Smith firmly believes.

About Future Generation Marketing: http://www.futuregenerationmarketing.co.uk/

Research conducted by the Book Trust UK revealed
that 76% of adults claim that reading has helped them improve their life and
attitude. The Guardian discussed that over 4 million adults in the UK never
read for pleasure and over 12 million have picked up a book less than twice in
6 months.

Here, the sales and marketing experts have
reviewed the top 3 books that every entrepreneur should read.

“Re-work.”

Written by entrepreneur and founder of Basecamp
project management tool, Jason Fried explains what every small business owner,
entrepreneur or those looking for a change of career will need in their
business ventures. The book outlines and
defines the key factors in launching a business and focusing on the
easy-is-better approach. Through experience, Jason Fried explores which tools
are essential and those that can be left behind to help start a business with minimum
stress.

“Inbound.”

Founders of Hubspot marketing software and
keynote talkers Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah are the authors of a book
which outlines how to stop pushing your message out and start pulling your
audience in. Discuss topics such as being found through Google, social media
and the world of blogs; the book focuses on how digital marketing tools can be
beneficial to a business', something that Future Generation Marketing claims is
essential today.

“Think and Grow Rich.”

A book read by both millionaires and
billionaires, written by Napoleon Hill, an American author considered to be one
of the best writers on the topic of success, discusses the secrets that could
bring you a fortune. Based on the stories of such people as Andrew Carnegie,
Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and other millionaires of his generation, the book
aims to promote personal development and self-improvement. Readers of the book
explain it as something to be absorbed chapter by chapter as it introduces
wisdom into your life.

Future Generation Marketing firmly believes that
by reading as much as you can as often as you can will provide you with not
only the tools and knowledge to succeed but the much-needed motivation and
desire to do so. Our managing director Adam Smith recommends to start by
reading one book per quarter, and then over time increasing this.

Future Generation Marketing is a motivated and
ambitious direct sales and marketing firm based in Manchester. The firm
believes in personal development through their Business Development Program
which is tailored to provide those with the skills, knowledge and attitude they
need to succeed in the world of business.

###

Sources:

• http://eventualmillionaire.com/10books/

• http://www.booktrust.org.uk/usr/library/documents/main/1576-booktrust-reading-habits-report-final.pdf

•
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/feb/14/4-million-uk-adults-never-read-books

For more information Follow@FutureGenMktng on Twitter and Like them on Facebook.

EVA Air ranks third worldwide for economy class, and seventh best for

Elite Class premium economy

EVA Air, Taiwan's leading independent airline and Star Alliance member, has been recognised by AirlineRatings.com as one of '10 best of the best' airlines for 2017, with the carrier's Economy Class ranking third while its Elite Class premium economy ranks seventh. EVA Air earned the website's top seven-star rating by consistently demonstrating excellence across the board, through in-flight product, service, innovation and flawless safety records and standards.

AirlineRatings.com – the world's best one-stop airline safety and product rating review website, led by editors recognised worldwide for their expertise in the airline industry – praised EVA Air for leadership in Taiwanese aviation and innovation in the field; recognising the carrier's launch of the industry's first premium economy cabin in 1992. For 2017, EVA Air ranked among the world's top-10 airlines for a fourth consecutive year, being identified by AirlineRatings.com as an airline of choice for business and leisure travel, with high standards for both comfort and service. Other evaluation criteria included seat pitch, width and design.

Priding itself on high quality service and strong connectivity, EVA Air's routing within Asia is among the industry's best. With one stop in Taipei, travellers can connect onward aboard 132 flights throughout Southeast Asia and 155 in Northeast Asia. EVA and affiliate UNI Air operate an additional 113 weekly flights to 27 destinations in Mainland China and fly to Guam, Korea, 8 major cities in Japan and more major gateways throughout the region. EVA operates more flights from North America to Taiwan, connecting to more destinations in Asia than any other airline.

Extending its network to nearly 1,330 destinations in 192 countries, the airline code-shares with a number of international airlines, including Air Canada; Air China; All Nippon Airways; Asiana Airlines; Avianca; Bangkok Airways; Hainan Airlines; Hongkong Airlines; Air India; Shandong Air; Shenzhen Airlines; Singapore Air; Thai Airways; Turkish Airlines; and United Airlines

In 2016, SKYTRAX awarded EVA Air with its prestigious 5-star rating, recognising the carrier amongst only nine carriers worldwide to hold the elite distinction. SKYTRAX and Travel & Leisure also rank EVA Air amongst the world's 'Top-10 Best International Airlines'.

For more information please visit www.evaair.com, or contact EVA Air on 0207 380 8300.

- Ends -

About EVA Air:

EVA Air, a Star Alliance member, was formed in 1989 as Taiwan's leading independent airline. It is part of the respected Evergreen Group and a sister company to global container-shipping leader Evergreen Line. It flies to more than 60 international destinations throughout Asia, Oceania, North America and Europe where gateways include London, Paris, Amsterdam and Vienna. It operates daily nonstop flights from London Heathrow to Bangkok that continue to Taipei where passengers can easily connect on to every major city in Asia, including close to 30 gateways in Mainland China. It has a reputation for innovation, warm, friendly service and an impeccable safety record. EVA Air launched the industry's first premium economy cabin in 1992. Named Elite Class, this cabin was voted Best Premium Economy in an annual SKYTRAX poll. SKYTRAX also rated EVA Air as one of the World's Top-10 Best Airlines and No. 1 for Cleanest Cabins for 2015.

For more information, please visit: www.evaair.com

China on Jan 11 issued a white paper on policies related to Asia-Pacific security cooperation, which also clarified the nation's stance on issues of regional concern.

The white paper, 'China's Policies on Asia-Pacific Security Cooperation,' was released by the State Council Information Office.

Outlining China's concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, the white paper explained the Chinese approach to achieving peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

The policy package includes the promotion of common development; the building of partnerships; improvement of existing multilateral frameworks; rule-setting; military exchanges; and proper settlement of differences.

Noting the role that major countries in the region play in maintaining peace and development, the white paper urged them to reject the Cold War mentality, respect others' legitimate interests and concerns and to pursue positive interactions.

'Small- and medium-sized countries need not and should not take sides among big countries,' the white paper said.

All countries should work toward a new dialogue system instead of confrontation, and pursue partnerships rather than alliances, according to the white paper.

China said it supported the creation of international and regional rules set through discussion with all countries concerned rather than being dictated by any particular country.

Rules of individual countries should not automatically become 'international rules,' and countries should not be allowed to violate the lawful rights and interests of others under the pretext of rule of law, according to the white paper.

China is prepared to take on greater responsibilities for regional and global security, and provide more public security services to the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large, it said.

Giving customers greater control over their accounts, Ooredoo recently updated the Ooredoo Oman self-care app to provide greater simplicity and more convenient access to Ooredoo services. The new app allows users to manage their data use, choose detailed or summarised overviews of their accounts, access the Nojoom loyalty programme, pay bills or recharge their lines, among other new features. Transforming the mobile experience, it gives customers an effortless mobile experience that gives them control to do what they want, when they want.

Ooredoo's Johan Buse, Chief Commercial Officer, said: 'The smartphone is the gateway to access and control of everything in a customer's digital life. By enabling a richer experience through their phones, we are delivering the most simple, straightforward mobile-first experience which will give customers what they have told us they want; more simplicity and control right in the palm of their hands.'

'With the launch of the new Ooredoo app, we have responded to customer feedback; removing the uncertainty of, for example, exceeding bundle limits or not being able to manage their accounts on the go. It is designed to reflect the significant growth in individual data use', added Buse.

The app, now with over 250k users, has had several enhancements in this latest release. In addition to allowing customers to manage their accounts, some of the new features include the ability to manage multiple phone numbers under one account, manage international credit transfers and receive updates on promotions. Customers can also access detailed real-time billing information and obtain personalised products and services. Plus, Ooredoo have announced that new features such as on-demand support and the ability to connect with social media will be brought online soon.

Available for both the iOS and Android operating systems free of charge, it has allowed users to handle day-to-day tasks with ease. To download the app, simply visit the Apple Store or Google Play and search for 'Ooredoo Oman'.

Batelco will demo its latest digital solutions at key annual event

Batelco, the Kingdom of Bahrain's leading digital solutions provider has signed a sponsorship agreement with BTECH (Bahrain Technology Companies Society) that will position Batelco as the Strategic Partner for MEET ICT & BITEX 2017. The leading annual ICT event organised by BTECH and Worksmart is scheduled to take place from February 7 to 9, 2017, under the patronage of H.E. Eng. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications. The theme of the 2017 event, which will be held at the Gulf Convention Centre, will be Smart World Through Digital Transformation.

Batelco Bahrain CEO Eng. Muna Al Hashemi and BTECH Chairman Mr. Ubaydli Ubaydli signed the agreement during a meeting at Batelco's Hamala headquarters.

Mrs. Al Hashemi said that Batelco was very pleased to join hands again with BTECH and Worksmart following the success of the 2016 event.

'Through its support for this key technology conference and exhibit, Batelco reiterates the alignment of its goals to those of the Kingdom of Bahrain and emphasises its support towards the ICT industry and to the digitisation drive in Bahrain,' she added.

Mr. Al Ubaydli said that BTECH's strategic partnership with Batelco will be a great benefit for the MEET ICT event due to Batelco's vital role in the telecommunication and ICT industry.

'Batelco's participation will add great value and interest and we look forward to working alongside them and other leading organisations as we prepare for next year's event,' Mr. Al Ubaydli said.

'Through this agreement with Batelco, we reaffirm our commitment to further developing the exhibition and developing the ICT sector as a whole in the Kingdom of Bahrain with the aim of making it a key contributor to the national economy, diversifying income sources,' he further added.

The MEET ICT Bahrain event, established since 2009, is being organized with a variety of activities that aim to enhance the experience of the participants and enable them to exchange knowledge and ideas on different platforms. It will be a gathering of the top business and ICT professionals in one venue, sharing knowledge and exchanging insights on what's up and what's new in the field.

BITEX, a technology exhibition held alongside the MEET ICT Conference will bring all ICT companies under one roof to display the latest trends in their field. It also aims to bring together the ICT community for business building as well as researching the opportunities for more powerful solutions in the sector.

11 January 2017

Batelco will demo its latest digital solutions at key annual event Batelco, the Kingdom of Bahrain's leading digital solutions provider has signed a sponsorship agreement with BTECH (Bahrain Technology Companies…

7 January 2017

Ithmaar Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Batelco, Bahrain's leading telecom provider, and Arab Financial Services (AFS), one of the region's leading electronic payments…

2 January 2017

Training Part of Batelco's Community Outreach Programme Batelco's Health and Safety Section, has provided fire safety training for The Children's House Montessori Nursery School, as part of the Company's Community…

'This is great news for iCrossing. Guy is an industry giant who I'm excited to work with in 2017. Our ambition is to become the marketing agency for a modern world and I'm confident that Guy's deep digital marketing expertise and extensive industry relationships will help us achieve this vision. It's going to be a great year.' said iCrossing's UK CEO Mark Iremonger.

Commenting on his appointment, Guy Phillipson said, 'This is a very exciting time for me to be joining iCrossing, which boasts an impressive offering for today's marketer. There are valuable opportunities for innovative partnerships with Hearst UK, as well as the recently acquired content marketing specialist, Mediablaze. I'm very much looking forward to helping the agency's management strengthen their powerful agency brand. Over the last decade, I've enjoyed a bird's-eye view of the UK's maturing digital media marketplace and I know progressive clients are demanding the integrated services iCrossing delivers so well.'

Phillipson joins iCrossing on a part-time basis and reports to global CEO Nick Brien, who said 'Guy is an experienced veteran of the UK advertising industry and I'm delighted he's joining us to broaden iCrossing's leadership team in the UK. Guy's a proven driver of marketing transformation, whether through the lens of digital media or technology innovation whilst providing vital strategic thinking for transforming brand marketing across all industry sectors.' iCrossing is an integrated digital marketing agency that offers digital strategy, impactful content creativity, performance media and technology activation.

The appointment of Guy Phillipson comes hot on the heels of iCrossing's acquisition of a stake in Mediablaze, a world-leading content marketing agency. iCrossing provides a compelling, results-driven service for major brands including M&S, Barclays and L'Oréal.

Mail.Ru Group's DBMS Tarantool to Help Yota Interact with Its Customers

Mobile broadband services provider Yota has announced the start of commercial usage of Tarantool, a database management system developed at Mail.Ru Group. For Yota, this means faster access to billing data and more interactive customer experience. The company is also planning to use Tarantool to offer tailored mobile services to its clients.

Yota has been among the first telecommunications companies to appreciate the advantages of Tarantool: high speed, rich feature set and ease of use. Using this DBMS for online data processing will help the company significantly cut licensing and server hardware costs.

'Before bringing it to the market, we've been using Tarantool quite extensively in our in-house projects for many years. The expertise we gained helped us deliver the polished product to our partners. Our DBMS is perfect for businesses with a complex infrastructure, and for telecommunications companies in particular. We're happy that Yota has appreciated what Tarantool has to offer', said Denis Anikin, Technical Director of Email & Cloud Services at Mail.Ru Group.

'Adopting Tarantool will significantly speed up access to billing data, boost customer experience (including our mobile app and access to the user profile) and allow us to provide our clients with services and solutions tailored to their usage patterns', says Konstantin Gorelik, Head of Technical Support & Implementation Department at Yota.

The Tarantool DBMS is an in-house product developed by and for people at Mail.Ru Group. It has been used for internal needs for almost nine years now. Tarantool combines high transaction processing speed typical of caching solutions (like Memcached or Redis) with the reliability of such systems as Oracle, MySQL and PostgreSQL. It is open-source software distributed under the BSD license. Internal benchmarks run by Mail.Ru Group show that Tarantool is capable of processing one million transactions per second on the cheapest single-core commodity server. According to Mail.Ru Group's internal report, one server running Tarantool can substitute 30 servers running a regular DBMS. Being an open-source prduct, Tarantool boasts a number of successful implementations by some of the largest Russian and international companies including Badoo, Avito, QIWI and Wallarm.

Rogue engine tuners who use cloned tools in an attempt to boost a car’s performance are wrecking thousands of engine ECUs a year with repair and replacement costs setting owners back up to £2,000 each.

The warning has been issued by the UK’s leading engine remap services provider, Viezu, who is providing drivers with a series of top tips to help them avoid such damage.

“Responsible engine remapping is a fantastic way for drivers to modify the performance of their vehicle so that they can lower their fuel costs, reduce their emissions or enhance its driveability,” comments Paul Busby, CEO of Viezu Technologies, who has been responsible for successfully remapping thousands of vehicles in the UK and overseas. “However, the problem is that a fake or cloned tool looks exactly like the real thing, but the result of them being used on your car, can be disastrous and very costly.”

While cloned or fake tuning tools can look identical to genuine tools, under the surface there can be a considerable difference. Cloned tools often run on very old, out of date or hacked software causing instability or incompatibility issues for the user. However, perhaps more importantly this can result in the tool crashing (or ‘bricking’) where it locks up during the tuning process and the car simply will not start again.

In some instances it is possible to recover an ECU that has lost communication but if the ECU has been bricked it is often not possible. In many cases like this, the vehicle owner will simply take their vehicle to a garage or main dealer who will diagnose a replacement ECU as the most economically viable solution as the intricacies of identifying specific software issues could take months to resolve with significant labour charges. Replacement engine ECUs normally cost owners in excess of £1,000 each.

“The horror stories are always the same; ‘Someone came out and tuned the car on my driveway,’ with no business card and only a mobile number or email address. Getting hold of a rouge tuner when something has gone wrong is impossible,” adds Busby. “There are many legitimate tuning Companies around so make sure you chose the right one using genuine tools in licence.

“When things go wrong, it’s not unusual for cowboy tuners to run for the hills and never be seen or heard from again and this really gives our industry a very bad reputation. Drivers should remember these guys are often carrying out work without any insurance, warranty backup or technical support from the genuine tool manufacturer so you really can be taking a major risk by using one of these unscrupulous operators. However, thankfully by taking just a few careful precautions and asking some simple questions it’s actually quite easy to avoid this potentially costly mistake and safely get the modified performance you were hoping for.”

To ensure an engine tuner is reputable, has the appropriate back-up and genuine tools, Viezu is recommending drivers ask these five simple questions before handing over their car keys:

1. What tuning tool are they using and is it genuine? Ask the tuner to provide proof of this and ask the tuner to show you their tools software information screen. Take a screenshot and send it to Viezu if in doubt who can verify if the tool is genuine, within license and very importantly who it’s registered to.

2. Is the tuning tool still in licence? The real software will show its licence expiry date. It is not advisable to use software that is out of license due to potential compatibility issues.

3. Ask to see the insurance policy that covers not only the workmanship, but also the tuning service. If there’s no insurance, quite simply, don’t book. If you’re in doubt about the insurance policy, call the insurer to check that the policy number is real.

4. If your tuner claims to have a warranty ask to see proof of this. Don’t be fooled by a fake glossy booklet. Ask to see the details of the real warranty policy underwriter and again, call them directly if you are in any doubt.

5. Finally, ask to see the training certificates of whoever will be carrying out the tuning service to ensure they have been appropriately trained by a reputable Company with the right credentials.

With all of its top UK dealers trained to IMI standards, equipped with genuine tools running licenced software and full insurance backup, Viezu is committed to responsible remapping.

Drivers wishing to get more genuine advice on how to avoid rogue operators or to know more about its remapping services can contact Viezu on 01789 77444 or visit www.viezu.com.

NotesQueens’s Award winning Viezu Technologies is one of the world’s leading providers of vehicle tuning and remapping services with a network of more than 600 dealers located in 64 countries around the world.

Its team of in house engineers have developed an extensive range of engine ECU remap files and services which range from fuel economy tuning for light commercial vehicles and cars to high end performance tuning for the more spirited driver. Viezu is probably best known for its fuel economy tuning BlueOptimize utilised by many fleet operators on the UK road, helping users reduce their fuel bills, lower their emissions, including rev and speed limited. Indeed, since its inception in 2008 the company has helped drivers reduce their CO2 emissions by more than 300,000 tonnes.

Useful Links

Homeless choir charity celebrates the power of singing together in new fundraising campaign…

The Choir with No Name, a charity running choirs in the UK for people who’ve experienced homelessness and marginalisation, are excited to launch ALL TOGETHER NOW!, their new fundraising campaign celebrating the power singing together has to change lives.

Members of The Choir with No Name face many challenges, including mental and physical health problems, relationship breakdown and social isolation, and drug or alcohol addiction. The Choir with No Name knows that singing together can lift members from these circumstances and make them feel good. The benefits of singing on health and well-being are well documented, and means that our choirs have a long lasting impact on members' lives. Singing together also enables members to form long lasting, genuine friendships, builds confidence and skills, and provides a safe and welcoming community in which members can re-establish their place in the world and move away from homelessness.

To acknowledge the power singing together can have to change all our lives, The Choir with No Name are calling on choirs, vocal groups and individuals across the country to host All Together Now! fundraising events in Jan – March 2017, to celebrate singing together and help raise much-needed funds to ensure they can continue to run their choirs for years to come.

Choir concerts, sing-a-thons, karaoke parties, open mic nights, you name it – if it involves people coming together to sing, then it gets the All Together Now! seal of approval.

Money raised from this campaign will help the Choir with No Name continue their life-changing work supporting people affected by homelessness, such as CWNN Liverpool choir member, Gareth:

“I first started going to choir whilst I was in a hostel and not in the best place mentally. The choir has saved my life without them even knowing it, because they helped lift me out of a dark place with their joyful, non-judgmental attitude and amazing friendly atmosphere. They helped me take my mind off everything and have no worries one night a week.”

The Choir with No Name General Manager, Heather Knight, says: “We’re so excited to launch All Together Now! this spring, because every week we see the profoundly positive effect singing together has on our choir members and we want to celebrate that fact with choirs and singers across the country.

“Singing with others is hugely beneficial for mental and physical health, and one of the most effective ways to form lasting friendships, all of which can give someone affected by homelessness the tools and confidence to find their feet in the world once more. Watching the transformation from a member’s first rehearsal, when they are often isolated and defensive, to their first performance and on to the pride in their first solo is humbling and inspiring.”

How to get involved in All Together Now! 2017:

Visit www.choirwithnoname.org/alltogethernow and register to download the FREE All Together Now Fundraising Tool Kit, which provides all the info and tools you need to put on a spectacular All Together Now! event in Jan – March 2017, as well as tips on other ways you can join in, sing and fundraise for The Choir with No Name.

#ATN2017 @choirwithnoname facebook.com/choirwithnoname

NOTES TO EDITORS

CONTACT: Rachel Clare | rachel@choirwithnoname.org |t: 0207 202 6648 | m: 07528 099172

CWNN staff and choir members are available for interview on request.

About The Choir with No Name:

The Choir with No Name (CWNN) runs choirs for people who have experienced homelessness and marginalisation. We rehearse weekly, followed by a free hot meal together. Our aim is to enable our members to make friends, build their confidence and skills and find or re-find their place in the world. Whether they have been homeless, have a mental health problem or are otherwise struggling, we give them a safe, positive and supportive environment in which to sing away their worries, have fun and flourish as individuals.

Our first choir – in King’s Cross, London - was founded in 2008 by Marie Benton, a professional musician and at the time also a senior project worker at a homeless hostel. That first choir became a huge success, and since then we have established three more choirs, one in Birmingham, one in Liverpool and another in London.

For more info visit www.choirwithnoname.org

Pollinating the Peak – an initiative to transform the Peak District and Derbyshire into a flagship of action and knowledge for bumblebees and wild pollinators – has won funding of £25,000 in the national Aviva Community Fund competition.

The judges announced the Bumblebee Conservation Trust-led project as winner on 10 January, scoring it highly against very strong competition. Pollinating the Peak reached the finals by securing more than 13,500 votes in an online public vote last autumn.

“This is fantastic news for our project to make the Peak District and Derbyshire a bumblebee haven and a centre of knowledge about our vital wild pollinators. Local support during the online vote was amazing – huge thanks to everyone who voted!” said Sally Cuckney, Pollinating the Peak Development Manager.

Pollinating the Peak aims to inspire people and communities to get involved to create bee-friendly habitats, help monitor bumblebees, and learn conservation skills. Secondary schools will be able to take part in an innovative educational programme, and the project will include a focus on the iconic but rare Bilberry bumblebee.

Improvements to gardens and habitats will benefit people too, including by increasing opportunities to enjoy wildlife and nature, and by boosting awareness of the region’s natural heritage.

Bumblebees pollinate many of our crops, but their populations have crashed with some species already extinct or fighting extinction. Loss of flower-rich habitat is the biggest threat to bumblebees’ survival, with 97% of the UK’s wildflower meadows lost since the Second World War. Climate change, disease and pesticides, including neonicotinoids, may also be major threats.

Partners in Pollinating the Peak are Chatsworth, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Little Green Space, Moors for the Future Partnership, Peak District National Park, and Visit Peak District & Derbyshire.

Aviva Community Fund supports and recognizes important causes in local communities. “We’re delighted to finally reveal the winners. With a total of over five million votes cast, the competition between projects was really tough,” said the organisers.

For more details about Pollinating the Peak, which is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, visit bumblebeeconservation.org, email ptp@bumblebeeconservation.org and follow @BuzzingPeak on Twitter.

Ends

Sales and marketing firm, PG3 reviews the leading sales trends that are expected to drive success in 2017.

PG3 is confident that when planning for the New Year it is vital to set goals early on so that a plan can be put in place for how to reach them. Therefore, PG3 has been focusing on setting their own unique goals which include working closely with new clients, attracting new top talent to their firm and expanding into new locations by the end of 2017.

About PG3: http://www.pg3london.co.uk/about/

London-based PG3 believes that for those struggling to set their own goals understanding the upcoming trends of the year can help to determine goals and actions that will need to be taken. Here, the firm reveals the upcoming sales trends that are expected to drive success in 2017:

Evolving sales roles Today there are three roles in sales which include: the order taker, the salesperson, and the subject matter expert. The first role, order taker, is someone who simply takes orders and fulfils customer requests. A salesperson is someone who believes their job is to sell what their company offers to anyone who will buy it. However, the subject matter expert will have enough expertise that a consumer would be willing to pay for a meeting with them. PG3 feels it is important to develop all salespeople into subject matter experts.

Subject Matter Experts become the new rainmakers Subject Matter Experts bring high credibility and high integrity but sometimes struggle in the follow through process. This is where businesses must support their subject matter experts with a team who can manage the sales process. PG3 states that businesses must implement systems to guide subject matter experts through the sales steps.

The sales process has changed for buyers The sales process works differently for buyers; in between every step and interaction with sales teams they are performing their own research. This may bring up concerns for the buyer. “If you are not addressing these concerns and not answering the buyers’ questions then be prepared for one of your competitors to do this. This will have a huge impact on their decision-making process,” revealed PG3.

PG3 is an outsourced sales and marketing firm in London. PG3 is a trading name of AJG Direct. PG3 specialises in a personalised form of direct marketing which allows them to connect with consumers on a face-to-face basis. This one-to-one 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 for their clients.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ianaltman/2016/12/28/leading-sales-trends-expected-to-drive-success-in-2017/#56af559e2b76

For more information follow @PG3_London on Twitter and 'like' them on Facebook.

#SleepEasyLincoln2017 is YMCA Lincolnshire's annual fundraising event, where we challenge you to spend a night sleeping rough, so others' don't have to...

The event, to be held at Lincoln Cathedral on 3rd March 2017, encourages individuals to ‘spend a night sleeping rough, so others don’t have to.’

Participants will be invited to experience a night on the streets, raising sponsorship in support of Lincoln’s homeless and The Nomad Centre project.

YMCA Lincolnshire has hosted Sleep Easy nights since 2010, with last year’s event raising over £10,000. Money brought in has helped YMCA Lincolnshire and The Nomad Trust, which works with the most vulnerable people in our society.

The Nomad Trust, Part of YMCA Lincolnshire, is looking to improve the support they provide, through a new direct access and supported accommodation project – The Nomad Centre. Funds raised through Sleep Easy will go directly to supporting the new build.

YMCA Lincolnshire provides various services throughout the county, including housing, health and fitness, youth work, day-care and corporate services.

YMCA Lincolnshire is one of 133 local YMCAs in England and Wales that, together, support more than 200,000 young people every year.

It is hoped this year’s event will help YMCA Lincolnshire raise even more funds, as the numbers of rough sleepers of all ages continues to rise and pressures mount on the housing market.

“We are calling on the local community, old and young, to sign up to our Sleep Easy to help us support young people in our services today and into the future.” says Malcolm Barham, CEO of YMCA Lincolnshire.

“One night out can make a lifetime of difference.”

Are you interested in taking part in YMCA Lincolnshire’s Sleep Easy event?

Find out more by visiting www.lincsymca.co.uk/sleepeasy

Managing Director at Blue Branch, Rania Noumaan has announced the growth goals of the events promotions firm, revealing the primary focus being brand expansion.

About Blue Branch:http://www.bluebranch.org/about/

Celebrating their second business anniversary and breaking the company’s all-time sales record, 2016 was a big year at Blue Branch. This year the Edinburgh-based marketing specialists are focusing on growth with one of their primary objectives to establish the firm as a market leader, and a go-to company for brands looking to increase their market share and brand awareness.

“To successfully grow a business it requires some necessary fundamentals, “ states Rania Noumaan. The entrepreneur and business owner shared her top tips for successful business expansion.

1/ Build a strong and diverse team

“You don’t build a business – you build people – and then people build your business.” – Zig Ziglar

Ms Noumaan advocates the importance of building and developing people. At Blue Branch, they are committed to the development of the people they work with, investing a tremendous amount of time into education, through one on one coaching and mentoring sessions. Ms Noumaan believes a strong team is crucial for business success, but that diversity should not be overlooked. “It’s key to have people with different abilities, experience, and skill-sets who bring different ideas to the table.”

2/ Focus on quality and quantity

At Blue Branch, their attention to detail and commitment to delivering excellent customer service is their USP, and Ms Noumaan believes it has been the secret to their success. “Get customer service right, and the rest will follow.” Said Ms Noumaan. With their pledge to deliver an outstanding customer experience, Blue Branch can deliver both quality and quantity customer acquisitions for their clients. Ms Noumaan is encouraging firms not just to focus on sales, but also customer service.

3/ Preparation

Scaling a business requires extensive research and preparation. There are many risks in growing a business, and Ms Noumaan believes that preparation is crucial. Benjamin Franklin said it best “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

Blue Branch promotes the importance of development opportunities to attract and retain top talent. At Blue Branch they offer unique business development opportunities, offering ambitious and driven individuals the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skill-set by undergoing extensive coaching and mentoring. Managing Director Rania Noumaan takes a hands-on approach, being actively involved in the day to day coaching and mentoring of the firm’s staff and contractors.

“I am an advocate of entrepreneurship, and I get a real sense of accomplishment from mentoring young professionals and seeing them develop.” Said Ms Noumaan.

Blue Branch has become one of Edinburgh’s leading event promotions companies. The firm’s unique marketing campaigns are delivered personalised on a face-to-face basis, focusing on building strong relationships with the company’s clients and consumers. Based on their on-going success, Blue Branch has recently been asked by their clients to expand into further UK markets and represent them nationwide within the next two years.

For more information follow @Blue_Branch and 'like' them on Facebook.

Amy Hill, newly appointed Technical Project Surveyor at Coastline Housing (and busy mum of twins!), speaks about her career to date in an industry that is still heavily dominated by men.

I started work at Coastline Housing as an admin assistant on the reception desk. After studying admin at college, it seemed a logical next step and a reasonably interesting job.

For four years, I worked as a Customer Service Advisor, learning about the company’s functions from the grass roots and gaining a breadth of knowledge about what each department did.

When an opportunity arose for a Junior Surveyor in the Technical Services department, I jumped at the chance. I was the first female to join the team in such a role, but I found it absolutely fascinating. I studied the Chartered Institute of Housing maintenance courses levels 2, 3 and 4, as well as the ILM Project Management course to back up what I was learning from colleagues on the ground at work.

Now, a recent promotion has seen me take on the role of Technical Project Surveyor, working on both our responsive repair and planned maintenance programmes which, while extremely busy, is also extremely enjoyable.

I work in a team of male surveyors who have been incredibly supportive of me from the start as I began to learn the ropes. As a team, we’ve discovered that there are some situations where a female surveyor can make more progress with certain vulnerable customers. Particularly customers who may be suffering with anxiety problems, or those who have been victims of domestic abuse in the past. These customers are much more comfortable inviting a woman into their home to undertake surveys and kitchen or bathroom plans than they would be a male, and that's completely understandable. As a busy mum of twins, I can relate to other busy mums too!

If you had asked me 10 years ago whether my career would end up here, I would probably have looked at you in confusion. The housing industry and the many careers it can offer up is rarely one that’s talked about at schools or colleges yet it can offer a multitude of rewarding and innovative career paths for many.

There is always going to be a need for affordable housing and that need is continuing to grow. Being a part of a company that provides first class homes to customers and continually pushing to go that extra mile in giving customers more choice and flexibility makes for a busy surveying department.

Life is certainly never dull, and I’m extra lucky being based in Cornwall – it’s a beautiful part of the world to be out and about visiting customers or undertaking property blitz days.

I’m now fortunate enough to do some work with a few of our inspiring futures work placements, who come to Coastline for an 8 week period to get a taste of the sort of careers we can offer. Many of these placements are customers of ours looking to get back into the workplace, or enter the workplace for the first time. It’s incredibly rewarding to work with them and see the transformation as they realise just what goes on within the housing industry and what a hive of activity it can be.

It’s madness sometimes, but it’s all good fun and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

• Manchester airport becomes first carbon neutral airport in the UK

• From 1st April 2018 it is unlawful to rent a property with poor energy efficiency rating• Mason Street uses low-carbon tech to be one of the city's most energy-efficient properties (Surrenden Invest)

After a decade of striving to significantly reduce its energy usage and investing more than £7.5 million in efficiency projects, Manchester airport has become the first carbon neutral airport in the UK.

By installing more than 25,000 low energy LED lights throughout the airport, including the first on any UK runway, and saving the same amount of energy as used by 10,000 homes each year, Manchester airport has been awarded carbon neutral status (Level 3+), certified by the independent carbon management programme Airport Carbon Accreditation.

Ken O'Toole, CEO of Manchester Airport commented, “At Manchester Airport we are committed to being one of the leading European airports when it comes to environmental management. As an organisation we recognise that climate change is an important global challenge. This achievement demonstrates the lengths we go to ensuring we balance our role as economic generator, alongside caring for the environment.”

And now this sentiment of protecting the local environment through energy efficiency is emerging as essential within the UK property market, and more importantly to its investors. New legislation, due to take effect from 1st April 2018, will make it unlawful to rent a property with a poor energy efficiency rating.

With properties currently graded from A to G, any property rented out in the private rental sector will require a minimum energy performance rating of E on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). However, there are opportunities arising within Manchester city centre that provide energy efficient solutions to investors, making the impending legislation a redundant worry.

Property consultancy Surrenden Invest's most recent development in the heart of Manchester, Mason Street, uses modern low-carbon technology to ensure the building is one of the city's most energy-efficient.

Jonathan Stephens, Managing Director of Surrenden Invest, comments,

“This expected change to legislation for buy-to-let landlords will cause savvy investors to seek out opportunities that already meet the new requirements, a future-proof investment. With a Band A energy efficiency rating, Mason Street is win-win, allowing investors to benefit in terms of enhanced rental yield and a “future-proof” investment and ultimately its residents to profit from significantly lower running costs.”

Located in the historic New Cross neighbourhood and just a short walk from the Northern Quarter, Mason Street will provide a new lease of life for one of Manchester's heritage buildings as it is transformed into luxury, contemporary living spaces.

This modern, low-carbon property will host 10 high end apartments from £170,000, with a 2 year guaranteed net rental return of 6%.

For more information, visit www.surrendeninvest.com or contact Surrenden Invest on 0203 3726 499.

EIT Digital is launching a new Innovation Activity to develop Rapidly Deployable Network solutions for manmade or natural disaster situations. The Innovation Activity joins the resources of top EIT Digital Partners from Finland, France, Germany and Italy in a bid to support communities across Europe by developing a rapidly deployable secure and robust wireless communication solution for emergency situations where the standard public network is compromised or not sufficient.

'Current network systems cannot guarantee communications in manmade or natural disaster situations, especially when it comes to internet communications requirements. The capability to rapidly deploy local communication capacity in disaster situations is needed in our increasingly Internet of Things dependant societies', says Ari Hulkkonen, Senior Manager, Research and Technology at Bittium Wireless Ltd, and the EIT Digital Innovation Activity leader for Rapidly Deployable Networks.

The Rapidly Deployable Networks innovation activity aims to provide a deployable wireless communications solution that is flexible and comprises automatic configuration and self-organising-networks. The end goal is to produce user-friendly services with minimum configuration needed, flexible interfaces to user equipment and connections to other systems such as public safety and tactical networks and even commercial mobile phone networks.

'An operational communication network is a dramatically valuable asset for authorities and rescue organisations struggling often in extreme conditions to save lives and property. As the rapidly deployable network configures itself according to the available resources and the environment, and selects the best connections, best routes for data and voice and re-configures itself automatically - as necessary - it will deliver this asset', Mr. Hulkkonen explains.

In addition to the primary target of the rapidly growing public safety communications market, the resulting Rapidly Deployable Network technology will also be applied to special applications such as tactical communications, industrial applications plants, and the mining and energy sectors which will increase the activity's business potential. The concept will be further developed to provide bespoke products to meet individual customer requirements.

In addition to Bittium Wireless Ltd (Finland), other EIT Digital partners participating in the Rapidly Deployable Networks Innovation Activity include: Technische Universität Berlin (Germany), Green Communications SAS (France), and STMicroelectronics Srl (Italy).

EIT Digital seeks to generate significant innovations from top European research. As such, they focus their investments on a limited number of innovation areas known as Innovation Action Lines, that they have selected with respect to their European relevance and leadership potential. Each Innovation Action Line comprises a portfolio of activities including:

EIT Digital's innovation activities deliver new products or services, create startups and spinoffs to commercialise outputs from projects, and encourage the transfer of technologies for market entry.