Award-Winning Entrepreneur And 'Upcycler' Mat Dusting Of M-24

August 5, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Luxury Moroccan Hotel Appoints Kallaway As UK PR Agency

≪ Previous: Source Marketing Direct’s MD Hector Montalvo Speaks at Business Development Event

$

0

0

Tuesday 6 August, 2013
Farmer's son Mat Dusting has catapulted onto the up-cycling scene, his innovative use of lorry tarpaulins and reclaimed seatbelts grabbing the attention of ski and snowboarders.

Since obtaining an initial Prince's Trust start-up loan for £2,000, Mat's business is now working at full capacity to meet orders - operating entirely out of an 8 mile radius in the British countryside.

Other funding bodies have sat up and taken notice too: Mat has also been awarded a local council grant for reducing landfill, Shell LiveWIRE's Grand Ideas Award, and a bursary from South West Manufacturing
for new product development.

While growing up on his father's farm, Mat discovered that the discarded lorry tarpaulins that were used to transport produce were either dumped in landfills, or burned. He discovered ways to clean and re-use the product - 'upcycling' - and M-24 was born. Mat has created a stylish product that is 100% waterproof, with a retro aesthetic.

Launched at the national Ski and Snowboard Show at Earl's Court in 2012, the business has thrived ever since. Initially focused towards winter sports fans, M-24 is now attracting the attention of the design and fashion world, with a recent market stall at London's trendy Spitalfields Market and a week-long pop-up shop on the iconic King's Road, funded by StartUp Britain.

The lorry tarpaulin used is durable, weatherproof and designed to withstand punishing long journeys but few see the material when it's cleaned and transformed into stylish and functional items. Each piece, handmade in Somerset, is completely unique.

Mat is available for interview to talk about the ideas behind M-24, his thoughts on upcycling and sustainability, his plans to launch in London and what the future holds for this entrepreneurial farmer's son and his ambition to make M-24 a well-known British brand with a big personality.

For more information visit www.m-24.co.uk

-Ends-

FAQs
Where does the name M-24 come from?
It is a combination of Mat and 24 - the age at which Mat started the business. It is also meant to sound like it could be a British Motorway, as all the products are sourced from our roads. Material is sourced from companies such as Eddie Stobart, (their many fans have also started to buy M-24 products.)

How sustainable is the brand?
The seat belts are sourced from scrapyards, all cleaning takes place in an old refurbished milk dairy parlour in Somerset where local people are employed. A local stitching company is employed as well as local freelance leather experts to make prototype designs. It is a thoroughly British brand! The whole manufacturing process is based within an 8 mile radius.

Press contact:
Joanne Hunt
E: freelancejh@gmail.com
T: 07814 267 444

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

---

Luxury Moroccan Hotel Appoints Kallaway As UK PR Agency

August 5, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Skyline Marketing Contributes to British Economic Growth

≪ Previous: Award-Winning Entrepreneur And 'Upcycler' Mat Dusting Of M-24

$

0

0

Tuesday 6 August, 2013
Kallaway PR’s travel team has been appointed to handle the UK public relations for Fellah Hotel (www.fellah-hotel.com), a unique Moroccan luxury boutique hotel that is also home to a UNESCO World Heritage arts and cultural centre, and supporter of local education and literacy centres in its ancient village, at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. The Fellah Hotel will celebrate its Grand Launch in September, following a soft opening phase.

The Fellah Hotel, located 14 kilometres from Marrakech, includes 10 villas (with 69 rooms), swimming pool, a giant cactus garden, two restaurants, a spa and yoga centre. The Hotel is also home to Dar al-Ma'mûn – a non-profit arts centre dedicated to bringing international contemporary art and culture to Morocco, and the only cultural centre in North Africa and the Middle East to be recognised by UNESCO. The Hotel also works in conjunction with the Casablanca-based Zakoura education foundation and Libraries Without Borders - a French NGO - with a percentage of its profits contributing to the centres. Fellah Hotel’s unique positioning is further enhanced by its support for local artisans in the village in which it is located, with many local products being used throughout the hotel.

Redha Moali, Founder, Fellah Hotel, said: “We have an unusual offering that provides guests not only with a luxury stay, but also the opportunity to both enjoy and help support a unique cultural project, which brings new and exciting art and artists from across the Middle East and North Africa region.

“We are looking forward to working with Kallaway on the official launch of Fellah, as well as promoting the Fellah lifestyle brand in the UK. We believe that culture and creativity lie at the heart of authentic travel experiences, and we were drawn to Kallaway because of their expertise across the travel, luxury lifestyle and cultural sectors. We were also really impressed by the enthusiasm and creativity shown by Kallaway and look forward to getting started on the campaign.”

William Kallaway, Director, Kallaway said: “I am delighted the Fellah Hotel has selected Kallaway to run its opening and UK PR campaign. We understand the power of culture in shaping a destination and Fellah has a unique and inspiring approach. We look forward to working with the team and positioning the Fellah as a standout hotel for the discerning traveller.”

The account will be led by Senior Account Managers Daniela Marchesi and Susannah Glynn.

Kallaway (www.kallaway.com) is an independent sponsorship and public relations agency specialising in travel and tourism, arts & lifestyle and luxury.

ENDS


For further information:

Daniela Marchesi
E: Daniela.marchesi@kallaway.com
T: 0207 221 7883

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Skyline Marketing Contributes to British Economic Growth

August 5, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Ventas Central Target the North of England as Potential New Market

≪ Previous: Luxury Moroccan Hotel Appoints Kallaway As UK PR Agency

$

0

0

Tuesday 6 August, 2013
As the importance of small businesses to the local UK economy is ever increasing, Managing Director Jamie Talbot of Skyline Marketing , reflects on how a small business, such as Skyline Marketing, contributes to British economic growth since the recession.

Birmingham based Skyline Marketing, is an outsourced sales and marketing firm that represents British brands and trades with local suppliers; it is the most sought after company in the West Midlands when it comes to sales and marketing campaigns. Reinvesting back into the local economy has remained a top priority for the firm according to Managing Director Jamie Talbot.

It has been widely identified that small businesses such as Skyline Marketing make a significant contribution to the UK economy through stimulating the local economy. Extensive research by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) found that a significantly larger proportion of the money spend by local authorities with small businesses is re-invested back into the local economy. For example, 63p out of every £1 spent with a small or medium sized business was re-spent in the local area, compared to 40p in every £1 spent with larger businesses.

While small businesses may not generate as much money as large corporations, they are a critical component of and a major contributor to the strength of local economies. Small businesses such as Skyline Marketing help rouse the local economy by bringing growth and innovation to the surrounding community. Small businesses tend to attract talent who invent new products or implement new solutions for existing ideas. Many small businesses also possess the ability to respond and adapt quickly to changing economic climates. This is due to the fact that small businesses are often very customer-oriented. At Skyline Marketing, the firm focus on building strong relationships with their customers so in the midst of an economic crisis, most customers will maintain their loyalty.

Larger businesses often benefit from small businesses within the same local community, as many large corporations depend on small businesses for the completion of various business functions through outsourcing. Skyline Marketing is an example of how a small business can help a larger organisation through the outsourcing of business functions. On behalf of the firm’s clients, Skyline Marketing offers direct marketing to potential customers in order to generate sales, build customer relationships and raise brand awareness; all through providing face to face presentations that deliver the client’s message and achieves their goal. As a highly sought after customer acquisition firm, Skyline Marketing identify quality potential customers for their clients with the establishment of a solid rapport as the essential component within the customer acquisition effort.

At Skyline Marketing the firm value providing quality service to their clients and customers to help support the local economy. ‘We are proud to be among the many SME’s that are assisting with the UK’s economic recovery,’ says Jamie Talbot.



Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Ventas Central Target the North of England as Potential New Market

August 5, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: EA Worldwide Acquisitions Foster Entrepreneurship and Innovation

≪ Previous: Skyline Marketing Contributes to British Economic Growth

$

0

0

Tuesday 6 August, 2013
Event sales and marketing firm, Ventas Central announce plans to invest in market research to aid their expansion into the North of England.

Ventas Central plan to test marketing campaigns in the North of England over the next 3 months before deciding which city is best for their expansion into the North. The research will include travelling to towns, starting with Northumberland, Westmorland, Durham, Newcastle and Sunderland.

Josh Peace Managing Director for Ventas Central has successfully expanded his business model into 12 UK markets to date and has stated that, “by spending time in these towns in the North of England prior to potentially expanding into these regions we aim to gain an understanding of which elements influence consumer buying decisions, how competitive these markets are and how much demand there is for the event services we supply.”

Effective market research can reduce unnecessary expenditures, by understanding the audience and launching market campaigns that are more appealing to customers based on their individual needs. ‘Location can play an important role in marketing. Behaviours definitely differ by county so by running some test campaigns in various towns we can get a clear picture of which sales and promotional tactics work best in each individual town,’ states Josh Peace of Ventas Central.

The North of England is currently a great place to expand a business. The Rural Development Programme for England have set up the Small Business Growth Fund, a grant designed to boost enterprise and small business growth across much of rural Northumberland, County Durham and Gateshead. The ‘Small Business Growth Fund’ complements other support available in the North for Entrepreneurs and is seeking to support over 30 micro enterprises in 2013.

Ventas Central will complete the research in 3 phases and plan to expand their business model into at least 1 of the 5 towns considered in this research project.

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

EA Worldwide Acquisitions Foster Entrepreneurship and Innovation

August 6, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: The Marketing Evolution: MJ Experia Marketing Compare Marketing Strategies in 2013 to Last Decade

≪ Previous: Ventas Central Target the North of England as Potential New Market

$

0

0

Wednesday 7 August, 2013
Increasing numbers of University leavers are stepping into the word of self-employment and entrepreneurship. In response, Josh Cote , successful entrepreneur, examines why entrepreneurship and innovation should be an integral component of every region’s economic policy.

There is an emerging global consensus that fostering entrepreneurship should be an integral part of every region’s economic policy. EA Worldwide Acquisitions’ Managing Director Josh Cote agrees. There is a feeling amongst successful entrepreneurs, such as Josh Cote, that city leaders need to communicate a coherent message to the city’s ‘elite’ about how important entrepreneurs are to the future and sustainability of the city. At the same time, the influx of ambitious, highly educated, opportunity-seeking entrepreneurs may risk creating social segregation. This can be countered with a strong message to entrepreneurs that they need to play a role in community building and contributing to the growth of local economies.

For many years, EA Worldwide Acquisitions have promoted entrepreneurship and self-employment as a way for individuals to emerge from the economic wreckage of the recent financial crisis. A recent report by freelancer website PeoplePerHour has found that over the last 12 months the number of new graduates signing up to their website has increased by 105%. This is because many young people are now shunning the more traditional routes of employment: instead of venturing out into the world of self-employment and entrepreneurship as a way to become successful in business. ‘We are living in a time when entrepreneurship and self-employment is more and more appealing to young people. Here at EA Worldwide Acquisitions we have seen a growing number of ambitious graduates who aren’t daunted by the prospect of venturing out on their own,’ said Managing Director Josh Cote.

Entrepreneurship doesn’t only reap tremendous rewards for individuals but also helps contribute to local economies. A growing body of research has revealed that the traditional economic development model that is emphasised on recruiting or attracting businesses to an area is no longer sufficient enough to grow sustainable and successful economies. A new model, supported by Josh Cote and EA Worldwide Acquisitions suggests supporting local entrepreneurs as an economic development strategy. ‘Local communities can become more prosperous by leveraging local assets to support local entrepreneurs,’ said successful entrepreneur Josh Cote. ‘Local assets, potential partners and technical resources just need to be identified; and this is where entrepreneurs can apply their skills,’ added Josh Cote.

Josh Cote supports entrepreneurship as a way to generate economic growth, with the associated outcomes of wealth generation, work opportunities, innovation and philanthropy. ‘When a region’s economic growth has been generated via entrepreneurial activities, there are a number of positive knock-on-effects that appear,’ said Josh Cote. ‘And these positive effects are not only for the region, but also for the communities who benefit as a result,’ added Josh Cote.

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

The Marketing Evolution: MJ Experia Marketing Compare Marketing Strategies in 2013 to Last Decade

August 6, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Sean Hepburn Ferrer becomes Rare Disease Day Ambassador

≪ Previous: EA Worldwide Acquisitions Foster Entrepreneurship and Innovation

$

0

0

Wednesday 7 August, 2013
According to an article by Geoffrey James published on inc.com, the marketing landscape has drastically changed. Matt Wassall , managing director of outsourced sales and marketing firm MJ Experia Marketing recommends marketers to adapt to those changes.

Marketing has changed enormously compared to ten years ago. Matt Wassall at MJ Experia Marketing says: “We live in a constantly changing world. Brands that cannot adapt will end up falling by the wayside.”

A decade ago, business courses and marketing books recommended companies create a product or service that appeals to a large number of consumers. Marketers were told to reach a large audience with a message that looks attractive to as many potential buyers as possible. Businesses were asked to create a recognisable brand name that could be extended into additional product categories (inc.com). “It seems like the previous marketing rules have changed within the last decade,” says Matt Wassall. Large companies such as Coca Cola or Sony made a name for themselves, but would they be successful today using the same strategy?

These days niche marketing strategies are the norm, marketers create products for a specific target audience (inc.com). Matt Wassall at MJ Experia Marketing says: “This is what we do, and it works amazingly well.” MJ Experia Marketing raises brand awareness, promotes and sells products and services on behalf of clients. “Our clients ask us to target a specific audience, according to their research results,” explains Matt Wassall. “Sending out more specific and personalised messages addresses potential customers directly and makes them feel that the brand may offer exactly what they need,” adds Matt Wassall.

With regards to the brand name, marketers are now recommended to involve the audience in the selection in order to define the brand and any future offerings (inc.com). “Nowadays, we love to engage with consumers and listen to their opinions. This is amazing because in the end, brands create products so that people will buy them. If we know what consumers want, it is easier to satisfy them and have them return,” summarises Matt Wassall.

From ‘broadcast’ to ‘narrowcast’, from reaching the masses to targeting a specific audience and from having the brand decide about its destiny to customers who have the full control about a company’s success (inc.com). Things have definitely changed within the last decade. However, it seems to work well. MJ Experia Marketing have a great track record of increasing their clients’ customer retention through their approach towards a specific target market. MJ Experia Marketing’s clients have now asked them to cover further locations within the UK by the end of 2013.

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Sean Hepburn Ferrer becomes Rare Disease Day Ambassador

August 6, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: FCA Appoints Four Directors to Lead Key Areas of its Supervision Division

≪ Previous: The Marketing Evolution: MJ Experia Marketing Compare Marketing Strategies in 2013 to Last Decade

$

0

0

Wednesday 7 August, 2013
Sean Hepburn Ferrer has become a Rare Disease Day Ambassador for EURODIS, the European organisation for rare diseases. Sean Ferrer's mother, the actress Audrey Hepburn, died from pseudomyxoma peritonei. He was nominated for the position by Pseudomyxoma Survivor's Dawn Green.

Sean Ferrer commented: "On January 20, 1993, my mother, Audrey Hepburn, passed away from a rare type of cancer – Pseudomyxoma adenocarcinoma. When we found out that the only tentative treatment was a chemotherapy (5 fu leucovorin) available since the 60s, we, her family, truly connected with the fact that this disease was not a priority for Big Pharma. The most precious person we knew could not be saved.

"So, when Dawn Green, CEO and founder of the ‘Pseudomyxoma Survivor’ Charity and herself a one in a million cancer survivor, nominated me to be the ambassador for rare disease day 2014, I knew that, not only did she have this rare cancer but also a rare ability to transform darkness into light and smile in the face of adversity.

"‘Rare’ is a word most often used to convey the same values as ‘precious’… unique… valuable. And if one adds up all of us precious beings that suffer from a ‘rare’ disease, the number is staggering – 60,000,000 and counting. The way each of us deals with what ails us is always unique and therefore, I feel it is quite easy for any of us to relate to ‘rarity’… that rarity that comes in those moments when we must truly face life and adversity by ourselves."

Pseudomyxoma Survivor is a UK based charity which aims to raise awareness of the condition and to provide emotional and practical support to those affected by the disease, worldwide. Pseudomyxoma Survivor founder and CEO, Dawn Green added: "We are excited that Sean has taken up this ambassadorship and will be collaborating with both Pseudomyxoma Survivor and EURODIS to raise awareness of pseudomyxoma peritonei and other appendix cancers, as well as rare diseases more generally."

-----------------------------

Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a rare cancer that usually starts as a small growth (adenoma) in the appendix comparable to a polyp. This adenoma will eventually break through the appendix wall and into the peritoneum (abdominal cavity lining). The tumors secrete a jelly-like mucus in the abdomen, which causes the abdomen to swell and compress other vital organs.

If left untreated, this mucin will engulf the abdominal cavity producing a characteristic "jelly belly". It is this build up of mucin that generally causes symptoms.

PMP is not like other types of cancer in that it is seldom spread through the blood stream or lymphatic system, it generally remains contained within the abdomen and spreads along inner surfaces. Presently, it is thought to affect between one and two million people worldwide per year.

PMP symptoms usually appear after some time and are caused by the build up of resulting mucus within the abdomen. Some sufferers do not show any symptoms for some years.

Symptoms are often initially misdiagnosed as a hernia or ovarian cancer and include but are not limited to:

- Changes in bowel habit
- Loss of appetite
- Pelvic pain or pain within the abdominal area
- Appendicitis
- Swelling of the abdomen
- Weight gain and or increase in waist size
- Bladder discomfort

These symptoms can be caused by a variety of medical conditions which are not necessarily PMP. However, due to the nature of this cancer it is imperative to rule out PMP as a cause. Any unexplained symptoms should always be discussed with your doctor.

Pseudomyxoma Survivor is a charity established primarily to provide emotional and practical support to those affected by the disease but also to raise awareness and to raise funding to support research. Pseudomyxoma Survivor is completely dependent on voluntary donations. It is too small to have offices or staff; the charity is run entirely by volunteers.
http://www.pseudomyxomasurvivor.otr

EURORDIS is a non-governmental patient-driven alliance of patient organisations and individuals active in the field of rare diseases, dedicated to improving the quality of life of all people living with rare diseases in Europe.
http://www.eurodis.org






Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

FCA Appoints Four Directors to Lead Key Areas of its Supervision Division

August 6, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Bulgaria: Leeds based Solicitors to deliver aid to the poorest children in the EU

≪ Previous: Sean Hepburn Ferrer becomes Rare Disease Day Ambassador

$

0

0

Wednesday 7 August, 2013
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has appointed four directors to lead key areas of its Supervision division. These appointments complete the senior structure in Supervision, and are the final step in implementing a new structure for the division. This structure, which was created in April 2013, aligns the FCA's forward-looking and pro-active approach to firm supervision with the markets the FCA oversee and the products consumers buy.

The appointments are:

- Karina McTeague as director of retail banking;
- Linda Woodall as director of mortgages & consumer lending;
- Nick Poyntz-Wright as director of long-term savings & pensions; and
- William Amos as director of wholesale banking & investment management.

Nick, William and Linda have been acting directors in their roles since April 2013 and their permanent roles take immediate effect. Karina McTeague will join the FCA from Lloyds Banking Group in November 2013. All four of the new directors will report to Clive Adamson, who remains director of Supervision at the FCA. Clive said:

"I am delighted to have appointed Karina, Nick, Will and Linda to the Supervision division. They bring a wealth of industry and regulatory experience and will strengthen the leadership of the organisation. These appointments also provide more management depth to help us take forward the FCA's agenda in the diverse sectors that they will lead."

The FCA's Supervision division has four sub-divisions and three main specialist departments. The sub-divisions are: retail banking, wholesale banking & investment management, mortgages & consumer lending, and long-term savings & pensions. The specialist departments are: general insurance & protection led by Simon Green, event supervision led by Susan de Mont, and prudential supervision & specialists led by Gerald Sampson. More information on the FCA's approach to supervision can be found on our website.

- Ends -

Biographical Notes:

William Amos: Has been acting director of wholesale banking & investment management since April 2013. William was previously a Head of Department in Enforcement responsible for taking action against large firms. Before joining the FCA's predecessor, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) William was an economist at the Bank of England. Approximately 3,400 firms including investment banks, fund managers and hedge funds, are supervised by the wholesale banking & investment management division.

Nick Poyntz-Wright: Has been acting director of long-term savings & pensions since April 2013. Nick joined the FSA as Head of Life Insurance in September 2011. Previously he served for 6 years as Chief Executive of Skandia UK, which became part of the Old Mutual Group in 2006. The long-term savings and pensions division is responsible for supervising the long term savings sector, including life insurance and pensions, wealth management services and investment intermediaries.

Linda Woodall: Has been acting director of mortgages & consumer lending since April 2013. Linda joined the FSA in 2001, following completion of an MBA and leadership and management roles within a variety of sectors, including manufacture, logistics, healthcare and accountancy. Linda's area supervises the UK mortgages sector, as well as building societies, credit unions and other smaller lenders. This division will also be responsible for consumer lending once we are handed responsibilities in April 2014.

Karina McTeague: Karina will join the FCA from Lloyds Banking Group, where she has held a breadth of risk, policy and general counsel roles and recently returned from just over two years as chief risk officer, North America. The retail banking division is responsible for the largest and most complex retail banking groups in the UK.

Notes to Editors:

On the 1 April 2013 the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) became responsible for the conduct supervision of all regulated financial firms and the prudential supervision of those not supervised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) The FCA has an overarching strategic objective of ensuring the relevant markets function well. To support this it has three operational objectives: to secure an appropriate degree of protection for consumers; to protect and enhance the integrity of the UK financial system; and to promote effective competition in the interests of consumers. You can find more information about the FCA, as well as how it is different to the PRA, on our website.

For more information please contact:

Lara Joseph
T: 0207 066 3430 / 07795 351 956 (out of hours)

Karlie Nicholls
E: Karlie.Nicholls@fca.org.uk

www.fca.org.uk


Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

---

Bulgaria: Leeds based Solicitors to deliver aid to the poorest children in the EU

August 6, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: KIDS IN DRIVING SEAT WHEN IT COMES TO FAMILY HOLIDAYS

≪ Previous: FCA Appoints Four Directors to Lead Key Areas of its Supervision Division

$

0

0

Wednesday 7 August, 2013
The campaign faces most difficult year to date

For children in a country where 1.6 million people earn less than £100 per month, life is a constant battle. But next month, 2 ladies from Simpson Millar LLP Solicitors will join an annual convoy that brings aid and hope to children who are deprived of the most basic items. But the prospect of setting off with a jam-packed delivery of essential goods is starting to look bleak.

Bulgaria is in a precarious position. Behind the political headlines and the shocking statistics are the real victims of Bulgaria’s troubles; the children. Almost 60% of Bulgaria’s children are deprived of what UNICEF considers elementary for a healthy childhood.

Back in the UK and a coalition of companies, led by the Communication Workers’ Union Humanitarian Aid organisation (CWUHA) , is preparing to deliver desperately needed aid to those children most in need.

The aid delivery takes the form of a ten-lorry strong convoy manned by volunteers from Royal Mail, BT, Simpson Millar LLP and other supporters. The precious cargo of sorely needed humanitarian aid will be delivered directly to schools, single-parent hostels, hospitals, orphanages and families in desperate need. As such, donors and supporters have a rare guarantee that their contribution will not fall into the hands of self-interested 3rd-parties.

Allison Chatto is a senior professional at Simpson Millar LLP and a Labour councillor for Gateshead. This year marks the second time the Dunston resident has volunteered for the convoy.

She explained: “The lorry and all the aid carried inside it is funded by Simpson Millar LLP and private donations. By personally delivering it all we can guarantee that those in most desperate need benefit from the kindness of businesses and individuals alike. I even take pictures en-route to show what a real difference a teddy bear or new pair of shoes can make."

"This has been the most difficult year for us so far in terms of drumming up support for the convoy. With just one month to go, our lorry is only half full and we have to pull out all the stops to make sure not even a single sq ft sits bare by the time we leave."

Talking about the challenges presented by the arduous 4000 mile round trip, Ms Chatto added, “There can be long days; sometimes you can be driving from 7am until 7pm. However, you are instantly reminded of the reason you are doing it when you reach the final destination and come face to face with some of Europe’s poorest children. It can be quite harrowing and disturbing; these children really do not have much. The biggest and strongest men are sniffling wrecks by the time the mission is over. Of course it gets to me and I really miss my children when I’m away. They themselves are keen to get involved and would probably stowaway in the back if they could!”

Allison is the proud mum of 2 boys and soon-to-be Grandma. About her motivation to volunteer for this year’s convoy, she said: “The poverty in Eastern Europe is really quite severe and those poor children so desperately need toys, medical supplies and other things that we simply take for granted.”

For over 15 years, Simpson Millar LLP Solicitors, support staff and even the firm’s managing partner, Peter Watson have featured among the annual crop of courageous convoy volunteers. Amanda Davis, who is based in the firm’s Wimbledon office, will be joining Allison behind the wheel this year.

Peter commented: “Having made the journey as part of the convoy myself, I have seen first-hand how the faces of children light up when they catch a first glimpse of the convoy. The aid that the CWUHA delivers is absolutely invaluable and as a firm we will continue to throw our support behind the campaign. It is a charity that we are firmly committed to and I wish Allison and Amanda all the best of luck on this year’s journey,” Peter added.

The convoy is due to depart from Dover on 6 September, so there is still plenty of time to help the cause.
For more information, and to make a donation to the convoy, visit Amanda and Allison’s JustGiving webpage .

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

KIDS IN DRIVING SEAT WHEN IT COMES TO FAMILY HOLIDAYS

August 6, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: The Dorchester Elevates Quintessential British Tradition With Seasonal Afternoon Teas For 2013

≪ Previous: Bulgaria: Leeds based Solicitors to deliver aid to the poorest children in the EU

$

0

0

Wednesday 7 August, 2013
A major hotel chain has launched a package to put kids in the driving seat following research showing three quarters of parents now seek their approval before booking the family holiday.

To make sure it’s a summer holiday to remember, Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza’s 12 London hotels have launched the VIK (Very Important Kids) package which, along with free stay and meals, includes a dedicated kid’s room service line giving them mocktails, kid’s snacks and films on demand.

Launched at the start of the hottest summer for a decade, the package also celebrates the rise of the staycation, with the hotels already reporting a 58% rise in bookings compared to the same periods in 2011 and 2012.

Jon Beecroft, General Manager at Holiday Inn London Kensington Forum, said: “Children no longer take a back seat when it comes to decision making and with parents feeling the pressure to juggle a busy work and family life, I’m sure the extra help with decision making is extremely welcomed.

“We think it’s great that kids are making sure their summer holiday is fun and wanted to celebrate by putting them in the driving seat – literally. British families are embracing the capital more than ever this year, and with so many attractions to keep them entertained, it comes as no surprise.”

To find out more or to make a booking please visit: http://www.tophoteloffers.co.uk/vik0813

Ends

* http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1648550&show=html

Kids Week is running throughout August and offers all children free entry to top London shows http://www.kidsweek.co.uk/

Notes to editor
IHG UK & Ireland Managed Estate
IHG UK & Ireland Managed estate is an owner managed estate which offers guests great branded hotels in prime locations, which are perfect for business and leisure as well as meetings and events.
With over 65 Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotels throughout the UK & Ireland you really will be spoilt for choice. The hotels are perfect for a much needed break or a fun weekend, whether you're travelling with the whole family or just the two of you, IHG have everything you need for a relaxing and comfortable stay.

About Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn offers today's business and leisure travellers a dependable, friendly service and modern attractive facilities at excellent value for money. You'll find them throughout the world – in small towns and major cities, along quiet streets and near bustling airports – because Holiday Inn hotels are always conveniently located.
Holiday Inn provide guests with the services business travellers need, while also offering leisure travellers a comfortable, casual atmosphere where they can relax and enjoy amenities such as restaurants, room service, swimming pools, fitness centres and comfortable lounges. And to help your holiday go further, kids eat free at all Holiday Inn hotels.

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

The Dorchester Elevates Quintessential British Tradition With Seasonal Afternoon Teas For 2013

August 7, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Which? Response To The Department For Work And Pensions Research On Auto-Enrolment Schemes

≪ Previous: KIDS IN DRIVING SEAT WHEN IT COMES TO FAMILY HOLIDAYS

$

0

0

Thursday 8 August, 2013
Dorchester Collection's iconic British hotel, The Dorchester, offers seasonal variations on its award-winning afternoon tea service throughout the year at The Promenade. Ice Cream Tea puts a modern twist on the traditional cream tea for summer, the Mad Hatter's Tea Party with English National Ballet charms children through October half term (Fall mid-term) and nowhere captures the magic of a traditional English Christmas like Festive Afternoon Tea with choir sung carols at the end of the year.

Ice Cream Tea until 1 September 2013
Putting a modern twist on the traditional cream tea, The Dorchester's Ice Cream Tea is a flight of mouth-wateringly delicious, home-made ice creams in four quintessentially English flavours - Elderflower sorbet, Cox apple, English honey and Earl Grey tea - served on a perspex arch in miniature cones. Ice Cream Tea at The Dorchester is available at five sittings each day and is priced from £41.00 per person.

Mad Hatter's Tea Party - 28 October to 1 November
Inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, and performed by English National Ballet School's young dancers, the annual Mad Hatter's Tea party returns to The Promenade at The Dorchester for the sixth year. Children will be captivated by dancers dressed as The Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Dormouse and Alice herself, whilst tea includes a selection of Alice in Wonderland inspired cakes, homemade scones and pastries. Available at 2:15pm and at 4:45pm, and are priced at £51 per adult including a glass of Champagne and £31 for children (Ages 5-11). For every Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea that is ordered, £1 will be donated to Cancer Research UK.

Christmas Carols Afternoon Tea - 23 November to 22 December 2014
Served when The Promenade is adorned with traditional English festive season decorations and accompanied by the resident pianist and children's school choirs, Christmas Carols Afternoon Tea at The Dorchester will offer guests the ultimate Christmas experience. Featuring a selection of finger sandwiches, freshly baked raisin and plain scones from our own bakery, festive pastries and mince pies, is available at 2pm and 4:30pm on weekends, and is priced from £65 per adult including a glass of Champagne, and £35 per child (ages 5-11).

All afternoon tea prices are inclusive of VAT and exclusive of a service charge of 12.5%.

Out of town guests can book accommodation packages during themed afternoon teas, with prices starting from £510 inclusive of VAT and breakfast.

For more information, please visit thedorchester.com

Editor's Notes

The Dorchester
The Dorchester is situated in the heart of London's Mayfair on Park Lane, with rooms and suites affording expansive views of Hyde Park. The Dorchester Spa opened in May 2009 after a multimillion transformation to offer indulgent pampering in a glamorous art deco setting. A wide range of dining is available to guests in The Promenade, The Bar and The Grill. China Tang offers traditional Cantonese cuisine, while three Michelin star Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester is one of London's finest contemporary French dining experiences.
High resolution images can be downloaded from: leonardo.com/dorchestercollection

Dorchester Collection
Dorchester Collection is a portfolio of the world's foremost luxury hotels in Europe and the USA, each of which reflects the distinctive culture of its destination. By applying its unrivalled experience and capability in owning and operating some of the greatest individual hotels, the company's mission is to develop an impeccable group of the finest landmark hotels through acquisition as well as management of wholly-owned and part-owned hotels, and to enter into management agreements.

The current portfolio includes the following hotels (in order of them joining the group): The Dorchester, London; The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills; Le Meurice, Paris; Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris; Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan; Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles; Coworth Park, Ascot, UK; 45 Park Lane, London; and Le Richemond, Geneva.


For further press information, please contact:

Olivia Johnson or Arabella Wentworth Waites at Peretti Communications
Telephone: 020 7244 1930
Email: olivia.j@peretti.com Arabella.w@peretti.com

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Which? Response To The Department For Work And Pensions Research On Auto-Enrolment Schemes

August 7, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Tesco Unveils Brand New Shopping And Leisure Destination

≪ Previous: The Dorchester Elevates Quintessential British Tradition With Seasonal Afternoon Teas For 2013

$

0

0

Thursday 8 August, 2013
In response to the Department for Work and Pensions research on auto-enrolment schemes, a Which? spokesperson said:

"It's extremely positive that few people are opting out of auto-enrolment pension schemes, but we still need to see new, minimum standards for workplace pensions as soon as possible. Consumers need to be confident that the pensions industry is looking after their money and they're being enrolled into high quality, good value schemes."

- Ends -

Background:

1. In March 2013, Which? surveyed 891 UK working adults (18-65) who earn enough to be eligible for auto-enrolment and found that 35% of people who have opted out, or say they will opt out, do so because they do not trust the pension industry to look after their money, and 22% because they are concerned about the quality of the scheme.

For more information please contact:

Robyn Margetts
Press Officer, Which?
T: 020 7770 7697
M: 07738 737 290
E: robyn.margetts@which.co.uk


Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Tesco Unveils Brand New Shopping And Leisure Destination

August 7, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Flu diagnosis set to be revolutionised by Enigma ML system

≪ Previous: Which? Response To The Department For Work And Pensions Research On Auto-Enrolment Schemes

$

0

0

Thursday 8 August, 2013
Tesco will unveil a brand new shopping and leisure destination in Watford on Monday 12th August, following a huge renovation of its 80,000+ sq. ft. Extra store.

As one of Tesco's largest stores in the UK, Watford Extra showcases the very latest in retail innovation and is the first time that new food concepts including Giraffe, Harris + Hoole, Euphorium and The Bakery Project have come together under one roof. The redevelopment of the store follows Tesco's acquisition of Giraffe in March and its investment into other food businesses, as part of its strategy to develop the space in some of its larger stores.

Watford Extra features some brand new concepts that are currently being trialled by Tesco, including a new-look general merchandise area focusing on Homeware and Cook and Dine, a community space that customers can use free of charge for events such as yoga, baby gym and cookery classes, and a stylish new F&F concession with a boutique look and feel. Some of the other features at the store include:

- A revamped Tesco store built around our 'Food First' philosophy; with a new fresh fruit and veg section and fresh counters.
- Popular food concepts including Giraffe, Harris + Hoole, Euphorium Bakery and The Bakery Project.
- Nail Bar in a revamped Health & Beauty department, offering beauty treatments from £5.
- Convenient services including a Pharmacy, Opticians, health shop Nutri-Centre, Click & Collect.
- New 'Tesco Loves Baby' area.

Chris Bush, UK Managing Director, comments, "We've spoken a lot about our vision to create compelling retail destinations in our larger stores; places where customers come to spend time and meet their friends and family. Watford is the first store where many of our innovations and ideas have come together and it's great to see it all under one roof.

"Watford represents a fundamental change in the way that people are doing their shopping. More and more of our customers are shopping for leisure; they want to browse for clothes, eat a meal or grab a cup of coffee, as well as do their weekly shop. It offers us a glimpse into what stores of the future might look like and we're really excited to be sharing that with our customers."

- Ends -

For more information visit tescoplc.com/Watford

Notes to Editors:

Watford Fast Facts:
Opened in 1988
Store is over 80,000 sq ft.
Over 600 colleagues work at Watford
Open 24 hours, 6 days a week

More information on the Community space:

Size: approx. 600 sq ft. Available for all groups and organisations to hire free of charge Can be booked for regular bookings or ad hoc meetings and events Space is available to use daily morning, afternoon or evening. Free tea and coffee making facilities. To make a booking, customers should contact Jane Ross, Watford's dedicated in-store Community Champion on watfordextra@communityattesco.co.uk or tweet @TescoWatford

Some of the events already booked in for August/September include:

Parent Gym
Parent Gym is a programme of bite-size sessions that build skills and confidence in parents of 2 - 11 year olds. Run by an expert facilitator and packed with tools and tips for parents to use in their own homes. Will run a five week course every Wednesday from 10am - 12pm.

Sign Post Counselling
Signpost is a charity that offers free and confidential counselling to 11-25 year olds in Watford, Three Rivers, Hertsmere and surrounding areas. They will be holding a weekly session from 7pm-9pm.

Tiny Talk
Largest baby signing classes company in UK and Ireland. Holding classes every Monday at 11.30am. It will support low income families who are often priced out of the market for this kind of activity.

For a virtual tour of the store click here

For more information please contact:

Tesco Press Office
T: 01992 644645

We are a team of over 530,000 people in 12 markets dedicated to bringing the best value, choice and service to our millions of customers each week. Our core purpose is 'we make what matters better, together'.



Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Flu diagnosis set to be revolutionised by Enigma ML system

August 7, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Alan Titchmarsh creates sensory oasis garden for blind young brother and sister on ITV's Love your Garden

≪ Previous: Tesco Unveils Brand New Shopping And Leisure Destination

$

0

0

Thursday 8 August, 2013
Enigma Diagnostics Ltd, the spin-out company of Ploughshare Innovations, has successfully completed its analytical and diagnostic verification of its FluAB-RSV diagnostic assay on the Enigma® ML system, which looks set to benefit many patients in the future.

The organisation – which specialises in developing next generation rapid molecular diagnostic instrument platforms for decentralised and point-of-care settings – completed the verification at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, and is set to finalise validation and CE marking of the test this year.

Enigma installed a series of mini laboratory (ML) instruments at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ for use at the Trust’s Centre for Clinical Infection and Diagnostics Research (CIDR). Over the last few months, hundreds of clinical samples obtained from respiratory disease patients in Africa, were processed on the Enigma® ML system and compared with data from the Luminex xTAG respiratory viral panel. The results highlighted comparable sensitivity and specificity between the two systems with the Enigma® ML achieving negative predictive value (NPV) and positive predictive value (PPV) values of 100 per cent for the FluB and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) components of the assay. The system also achieved NPV and PPV of 97 per cent and 100 per cent for the FluA component of the assay.

The Enigma® ML system is able to deliver PCR-based results from a raw sample over a time period of around one hour and the organisation is also working on the development of a series of multiplexed assays for the Enigma® ML – including panel tests for respiratory viruses, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and other respiratory infections – in addition to the FluAB-RSV test.

Chairman of Enigma Diagnostics, John McKinley, said that the organisation was “delighted to be collaborating with such a prestigious and influential clinical centre.”

“Having achieved such an exceptional diagnostic performance on our Enigma® ML system with the FluAB-RSV assay, we are now ready for validation and CE marking,” Mr McKinley went on to say.

Consultant Microbiologist and Head of the Centre for Clinical Infection and Diagnostics Research at Guy’s and St. Thomas’, Dr Jonathan Edgeworth, said that the hospital was extremely pleased that Enigma had chosen it as its partner to test the performance of the Enigma® ML system.

“This will provide an opportunity to influence the development of a testing system that has potential to benefit patients in the future,” Mr Edgeworth concluded.

-Ends-

Notes to the Editor:

Ploughshare Innovations Ltd

www.ploughshareinnovations.com
Ploughshare manages the commercial licencing to industry of Intellectual Property developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). Ploughshare’s goal is to give clients a competitive edge, by lowering technology risk, reducing R&D costs, speeding time to market, and maximizing the business opportunity. It provides leading edge, application focused technology, backed up with the assurance of advanced IP support and protection. Ploughshare is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dstl. Dstl maximises the impact of science and technology for the defence and security of the UK. It supplies sensitive and specialist science and technology services for the UK Ministry of Defence and wider government, saving lives in the UK, overseas and on the frontline.

Enigma Diagnostics Limited

www.enigmadiagnostis.com
Enigma works to provide cost-effective, straightforward molecular diagnostics at the point of need and specialises in developing next-generation rapid molecular diagnostic instrument platforms for laboratories and decentralized point-of-need settings. Enigma’s innovation and proprietary technologies combine the speed and sensitivity of real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) with the simplicity needed for decentralized and point-of-need testing providing results from a raw sample in under 60 minutes.




Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Alan Titchmarsh creates sensory oasis garden for blind young brother and sister on ITV's Love your Garden

August 7, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Indie artist ‘Sir. O’ to release his début Single “Please Stop Talking”

≪ Previous: Flu diagnosis set to be revolutionised by Enigma ML system

$

0

0

Thursday 8 August, 2013
**Invitation for interviews**

Alan Titchmarsh transforms garden of blind young brother and sister into sensory oasis on ITV’s Love your Garden.

8 August 2013

Last night Alan Titchmarsh’s ITV show Love your Garden featured RLSB nursery children Harvey, 4, and his younger sister Megan, 1, after their garden underwent an incredible makeover to create a sensory haven for the two tots.
Harvey and Megan Webb, together with their parents Louise and Andy, were nominated by RLSB (Royal London Society for Blind People) for the show, which set out to transform the backyards of some very special people in the UK.
Harvey and Megan both have a very rare genetic eye condition called Achromatopsia. They suffer from ‘day blindness,’ and their depth and clarity of vision is also affected. The condition can be described as like looking at a fuzzy black and white TV screen.
The Webbs used to worry about the safety of their largely concrete and unadapted garden, and avoided letting the children play outside. RLSB challenged Love your Garden to create a safe haven for Harvey and Megan, tailoring the space to their unique requirements.
Harvey and Megan both attend RLSB’s specialist nursery in Kent, where they and their parents are supported by experts in the development of vision impaired children. The garden has been designed specifically so that the two tots can play safely and explore. It features a special shaded pergola area, a living wall, sand and water pits and straightened lines. Maggie Bindon, Head of RLSB Early Years Services, featured on the show, advising the team what to consider in terms of sight impairment when planning the garden.

The Love your Garden team clearly relished the challenge of creating a special garden for the Webbs, and during the show Alan commented: “It’s clear that Andy and Louise are determined that their children should have as normal an upbringing as possible. But what’s also clear is that there’s no where outdoors where those children can go and feel free, and yet safe. This garden has got to be that place.”

After days of graft by the Love your Garden team, Alan brought the Webbs back home for the big reveal. On seeing their new garden for the first time, Louise and Andy exclaimed: “Oh my gosh! It’s amazing!”

RLSB’s Maggie Bindon commented: “We’re so delighted that the Webbs have benefited from Alan’s show. Sensory stimulation is crucial to the development of young vision impaired children, so for Andy and Louise to know that Harvey and Megan can come home from the nursery and continue to play, learn and explore in their own garden is absolutely fantastic.”
RLSB’s Early Years programme provides expert support to vision impaired toddlers and their families. They offer a range of specialist services including a nursery, family drop ins and parent support groups. RLSB’s early years services are helping to transform the lives of young blind and partially sighted people like Harvey and Megan across London and the south east.

The Webb family episode is available to watch on ITV Player: https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/love-your-garden/series-4/episode-7

____________________________

ENDS


NOTES

Schedule:
The Webb’s episode of Love your Garden aired on Tuesday 6 August at 8pm on ITV, and will be repeated on Sunday 11 August at 12.30pm.

Interviews are available this week with mum Louise and RLSB Early Years expert Maggie Bindon.

To book and interview or for any other press enquiries, please contact Claire Kidman on
0207 808 6114 / claire.kidman@rlsb.org.uk
To find out more about RLSB, the Webb family and the show, people can visit www.rlsb.org.uk/alan.
RLSB (Royal London Society for Blind People) exists to empower blind and partially sighted young people to live life without limits. Through an expert blend of education, sports, creative and developmental services, we help the people we work with live and learn for the life they want. Please see attached media pack for more information about RLSB.
Louise & Andy Webb are the parents of Megan and Harvey, who are both registered blind. Louise is a full time mum who loves looking after the little ones and Andy is a recruitment consultant working in London. They are assisting with an Achromatopsia research study to help find a potential cure for the future.
Megan, 1, and Harvey, 4, both have a very rare genetic eye condition called Achromatopsia. They suffer from ‘day blindness’ as they cannot see in bright light. They only have black, white and grey vision and find it difficult to focus. Harvey and Megan both attend RLSB’s specialist nursery.
Alan Titchmarsh presents ITV’s Love your Garden, where he and his team of gardeners transform the backyards of some very special people.

Maggie Bindon is RLSB’s Head of Early Years, co-ordinating RLSB’s services for blind and partially sighted children of 0-5 years together with their parents and families. Maggie and her team run nurseries, family drop ins and hospital and family support workshops across London and the south east.

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

---

Indie artist ‘Sir. O’ to release his début Single “Please Stop Talking”

August 7, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Consult Zee focus on Customer Service Techniques

≪ Previous: Alan Titchmarsh creates sensory oasis garden for blind young brother and sister on ITV's Love your Garden

$

0

0

Thursday 8 August, 2013
Indie Singer Songwriter 'Sir. O' to release a catchy rock single, asking you all to “…please stop talking, let’s start feeling…”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

London, England, 8 Aug, 2013 -- Sir. O will be celebrating “Please Stop Talking” début single release with a special gig with Absent Kelly at Brixton Jamm, 7 September, London, supporting an acoustic show from The Subways frontman Billy Lunn.

Please Stop Talking is an upbeat, dance friendly song, intertwining a picked electric guitar alongside a pop-ish singing. The hugely catchy track pounds along energetically, and along a lush production - brings together all the layers perfectly to make it a fun song.
Written and recorded in the hills overlooking the Sea of Galilee, Israel, alongside producer Yogev Samina of Lool

Records, Please Stop Talking is a product of Sir. O’s dedicated musical career and is part of his upcoming début album “Forever Plus a Day”.

Taking influences from Britpop to Rock, fellow singer-songwriters, Sir. O has managed to craft his own distinct sound. His commitment, shows through Please Stop Talking, signals Sir. O as an exciting new prospect and is set to capture the attention of pop/rock fans everywhere.

After releasing "someone you're thinking of", a three track EP, in April with a stunning headline set at the O2 Islington, Sir. O will be publicly releasing "Please stop talking" to National Radio stations, and to iTunes on 16 September.


For more information please contact:

Media download requests: single@Sir-O.com
Other PR inquiries: info@Sir-O.com
EPK: Sir-O.com

Social:
Twitter - @SirORocks
Facebook - Sir.Omusic link to launch event and festivals
Youtube - SirOofficial

#######

Media:

• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/embed/eTX8NM8BfNQ
  

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Consult Zee focus on Customer Service Techniques

August 7, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Pledging to stay road safe.

≪ Previous: Indie artist ‘Sir. O’ to release his début Single “Please Stop Talking”

$

0

0

Thursday 8 August, 2013
By encouraging positive customer service at all times, Consult Zee has seen that their strategy has paid off when it comes down to increasing their sales figures.

Customer service is quite an in-depth process. It is the provision of the service, before, during and after the sale, designed to acquire customer satisfaction and meet expectations. Providing excellent customer service will ensure a business outshines its competitors. What can customers get that they can’t get elsewhere? Knowing the answer to this, will help differentiate a firm from their competitors in today’s saturated market.  

Consult Zee are an outsourced direct marketing firm who always aim to give more than what is expected from their customers. Consult Zee ensure their customers feel they are the most important and have the firm’s full attention.  Retaining existing customers and rewarding them for their loyalty will ensure Consult Zee Ltd maintain a competitive advantage with the outsourced sales industry. No matter how much a customer may like a product, research showed 30% of people who feel they are not treated as a valued customer take their business elsewhere. Satisfied customers will always contribute to the growth of sales, not only by giving their on-going custom but simply by marketing the company by their own word of mouth. On average a loyal customer can be worth up to ten times as much as their first purchase.

Treating customers as individuals and making them feel appreciated will enable businesses to build a trusting relationship with their customers. This will instigate customers with a positive desire to do business with the company. Of course promoting a product or service will get a certain amount of sales, but the most important component in making that sale, is most certainly the customers themselves. Affy Hussain MD of Consult Zee believes the level of service he provides is equalled by the suppliers and contractors that the company trade with. Examples such as greeting clients and visitors enthusiastically, being polite, and taking an interest in other people will set an example of how a customer should be treated.

Consult Zee is an outsourced direct marketing company who aim to ensure their customers’ needs and requirements are always met.  

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Pledging to stay road safe.

August 8, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Ramsgate’s answer to Jamie Oliver?

≪ Previous: Consult Zee focus on Customer Service Techniques

$

0

0

Friday 9 August, 2013

A team of Fixers in Magherafelt is urging young people to wise-up to road safety as road accidents take the life of a young person every 22 days in Northern Ireland.

Fixer Joanne Evans, 20, from Aughnacloy, lost her cousin to a car accident at the age of 15, just before Christmas in 2012. Together with friend Michael Bradley, she is leading a team, urging young people to be safer on the road.

Working with Fixers, a charity which supports 16 to 25 year olds to ‘fix’ the future, the team have created a pledge and will be urging young people to sign it at the Cool FM Road Safe Road Show in Magherafelt this Autumn.

The Fixers campaign will be the subject of a broadcast on UTV News Live on Thursday, August 8 from 6pm.

Joanne was incredibly close to her cousin, while Michael was her best friend. They were shocked when they heard the news of her tragic death.

Joanne said: “Me and my cousin were very close, she was more like my little sister because I’m an only child.”

“When I first found out it was devastating, it really hit home. Losing her made me more aware of road safety in general, especially with young people on the roads.”


Michael said: “We were best friends from a young age, around eight. We were like brother and sister.

“It’s just so hard, it’s like an emptiness. It’s hard to explain in words, really, knowing that you’ll never see her again.”

The pair met through a youth club in Magherafelt. After their loss, the youth club members became more aware of road safety issues and more determined to raise greater understanding of it amongst young people.

Working as a team, they came up with the idea of creating a pledge, to act as a young person’s code of conduct on the road.

Joanne said: “I got together with my cousin’s friends from Magherafelt and Fixers are helping us on creating a pledge for road safety. It will be like a code of conduct for the road for young drivers to stick to.”

The team met with Chief Inspector Sam Donaldson, Magherafelt Area Commander for the PSNI. He supports the project and feels the voice of young people will be more effective in getting such an important message across.

He said: “The message to get across to young people is much better coming from young people.”

“If these Fixers are taking messages out which say ‘slow down on the roads’, ‘be careful as a driver, be careful as a passenger,’ it becomes a much stronger message for fellow young people.”

The Fixers hope that their pledge is signed by as many young people as possible, but more importantly, leaves an important message with them that road safety should be taken seriously and can save lives.
Michael said: “I want young people to become more aware that driving can be dangerous. A simple accident can affect not just your life but everyone’s life around you, including friends and family.”

Joanne said: “I hope that people who sign the pledge will maybe be more aware of things that will affect their lives if they don’t take precautions on the road.

“If at least one person comes away with a better mind-set and it saves them the heartache that my family and friends have had to go through it would be brilliant.”

Fixers is a charity which supports thousands of young people across the UK to take action and change things for the better, addressing any issue they feel strongly about.

How each Fixer tackles an issue is up to them – as long as they benefit someone else.

The award-winning Fixers project has already supported around 8,700 young people across the UK to have an authentic voice in their community.

Now, thanks to funding from the Big Lottery, Fixers aims to work with a further 19,000 young people over the next three years.

“Fixers started in 2008 as just an idea… an idea given a voice by some 8,700 young people over the past five years,” says Margo Horsley, Chief Executive of Fixers.

“They have reached thousands of people with their work, on a national stage as well as in and around where they live. They choose the full array of social and health issues facing society today and set about making their mark. Fixers are always courageous and their ideas can be challenging and life-changing, not just for themselves.”

Frank Hewitt, Big Lottery Fund’s NI Chair, said: “The Big Lottery Fund is extremely proud to be supporting Fixers to engage with more young people to change things for the better. Fixers has a tremendous potential – one young person’s initial idea can be transformed into reality, spread across a community and make a positive influence on a wide range of people. There are thousands of young people campaigning to make improvements in their neighbourhoods and Fixers provides a platform to highlight their voluntary work and many achievements.”

Two pictures attached. Captions:
Image 1: Joanne Evans, 20, from Aughnacloy
Image 2: Joanne Evans and Michael Bradley

For images, interviews or more information, please contact Jatin Patel in the Fixers Communications Team by email jatin@fixers.org.uk or phone 01962 810970.

There are lots more stories about young people doing great things on the Fixers website, Twitter and Facebook pages:
www.fixers.org.uk
www.twitter.com/FixersUK
www.facebook.com/FixersUK

Notes to editors:

• Fixers started in England in 2008. Now with a £7.2 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund, Fixers is extending into Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. To date, around 8,700 young people across the UK have become Fixers and created more than 1,040 projects.
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Ramsgate’s answer to Jamie Oliver?

August 8, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: Fighting for Change!

≪ Previous: Pledging to stay road safe.

$

0

0

Friday 9 August, 2013
Jamie Olive is one letter, a shelf full of best-sellers, and several million pounds short of being a celebrity chef - but he still has a passion for food.

The 16 year old from Ramsgate wants to inspire other young people to learn skills in the kitchen to put leftovers to good use, saving them money and simultaneously saving the environment.

Working with Fixers, a charity which supports 16 to 25 year olds to ‘fix’ the future, Jamie is launching a cooking app, aimed at helping students understand how best to store and re-use leftovers.

Jamie’s Fixers campaign will be the subject of a broadcast on ITV News Meridian on Thursday, August 8 from 6pm.

The teenager has been a cooking enthusiast since taking lessons in his first year of secondary school. When he saw the amount of food going to waste he decided he wanted to campaign to prevent this.

Jamie said: “At the moment people’s attitude to food wastage is really shocking, they just throw it away. They don’t have the imagination to reuse it or just don’t know how to reuse it.
“I got involved with Fixers to raise awareness that on average, each household wastes £500 worth of food each year. The food that is chucked away will end up in landfill.”

Jamie understands that cooking isn’t easy for everybody, so is targeting students, in hope that they keep the skills and knowledge for a lifetime.

He said: “My project is to educate university students on how to reuse leftovers.”

“I hope to make a cook book or a cooking app to then teach them how to cook for themselves and save money at the same time by reusing the leftovers.”

Jamie also feels that people can often forget about food they have stored for re-use or are unaware of the different ways they can do so.

He said: “A lot of people intend to reuse food but forget that it’s in the fridge so they leave it there, it then goes out of date and goes off so it ends up thrown away.

“They should think of freezing their leftovers. Even if it’s just a small amount, you’ll then be able to reuse it at some point, to make a soup or another meal.

“I encourage people to reuse leftovers but if you’re not going to freeze them, reuse them within three days and just for safety only reheat any leftovers once.”

Emma Marsh from ‘Love Food, Hate Waste’ feels Jamie’s approach is ideal and can change young people’s attitudes.

She said: “Jamie’s app will be brilliant because it will give people inspiration. It’s so important that we help students to really get the cookery skills and the cookery confidence to be able to enjoy their food and not waste it.”

Jamie hopes his project can have an impact on young people and the environment.

He said: “At the end of this project I hope that people will know how to reuse their leftovers.

“There is a lot of Britain that’s covered in landfill and I find that really shocking that people are still throwing away food.”

Fixers is a charity which supports thousands of young people across the UK to take action and change things for the better, addressing any issue they feel strongly about.

How each Fixer tackles an issue is up to them – as long as they benefit someone else.

The award-winning Fixers project has already supported around 8,700 young people across the UK to have an authentic voice in their community.

Now, thanks to funding from the Big Lottery, Fixers aims to work with a further 19,000 young people over the next three years.

“Fixers started in 2008 as just an idea… an idea given a voice by some 8,700 young people over the past five years,” says Margo Horsley, Chief Executive of Fixers.

“They have reached thousands of people with their work, on a national stage as well as in and around where they live. They choose the full array of social and health issues facing society today and set about making their mark. Fixers are always courageous and their ideas can be challenging and life-changing, not just for themselves.”

Peter Ainsworth, Big Lottery Fund UK Chair, said: “The Big Lottery Fund is extremely proud to be supporting Fixers to engage with more young people to change things for the better. Fixers has a tremendous potential – one young person’s initial idea can be transformed into reality, spread across a community and make a positive influence on a wide range of people. There are thousands of young people campaigning to make improvements in their neighbourhoods and Fixers provides a platform to highlight their voluntary work and many achievements.”

One picture attached. Captions:
Image 1: Jamie Olive, 16, from Ramsgate

For images, interviews or more information, please contact Jatin Patel in the Fixers Communications Team by email jatin@fixers.org.uk or phone 01962 810970.

There are lots more stories about young people doing great things on the Fixers website, Twitter and Facebook pages:
www.fixers.org.uk
www.twitter.com/FixersUK
www.facebook.com/FixersUK

Notes to editors:

• Fixers started in England in 2008. Now with a £7.2 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund, Fixers is extending into Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. To date, around 8,700 young people across the UK have become Fixers and created more than 1,040 projects.
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/

Fighting for Change!

August 8, 2013, 5:00 pm

≫ Next: William Hill Signs Agreement to Acquire Tom Waterhouse For £459 million

≪ Previous: Ramsgate’s answer to Jamie Oliver?

$

0

0

Friday 9 August, 2013
Bournemouth Fixer Chandos Green, 18, held a mini music festival aimed at bringing down barriers between disabled and able bodied people.

Chandos suffered from brain cancer as a small child and, as a result of the operation to remove the tumour, he was unable to regain full use of the left side of his body, leaving him isolated during his early school years.

Working with Fixers, a national charity which supports young people to ‘fix’ any issue they wish, Chandos held an event to bring young people together, showcase their talents and bring down barriers.

Chandos’s Fixers campaign will be the subject of a broadcast on ITV News Meridian on Thursday, August 8 from 6pm.

Chandos said: “My Fixers project is to help bridge the gap between able bodied and disabled people, saying we can work together to build a better community through music.

“I was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of three and it came back at the age of six.

“As a result of my tumour I was left with a weakness down my left side. It has affected my balance, my coordination and I have a limp in my left leg.

“After my operations school was always quite hard. I was kind of pushed to one side and told I couldn’t be friends with other kids or play with them in the playground.

“People saw me as the one who had something wrong and that they were going to catch it or become immediately ill themselves.”

Often hiding his disability, Chandos turned to music as a way of becoming more confident.

He said: “I didn’t want to look like I had a disability so I kind of hid away. I started writing lyrics when I was eleven.

“It has helped me to get through some really like dark days. I’m stronger now and I’m able to build upon my own strengths. For me music is something that everyone can connect with.”

Chandos’ event, called ‘Fighting for Change,’ aimed to provide an equal platform for young people which attracted over 100 guests.

Paraplegic Motorcycle Racer, Simon Thomas attended as a guest speaker.

Simon said: “What Chandos is doing is fantastic. It makes other people with disabilities realise how to go on to achieve stuff, realise their potential while also reminding people we are still people and should be treated like anyone else.”

Chandos is glad his event went well and hopes it has a positive impact on the way people treat each other.

Fixers is a charity which supports thousands of young people across the UK to take action and change things for the better, addressing any issue they feel strongly about.

How each Fixer tackles an issue is up to them – as long as they benefit someone else.

The award-winning Fixers project has already supported around 8,700 young people across the UK to have an authentic voice in their community.

Now, thanks to funding from the Big Lottery, Fixers aims to work with a further 19,000 young people over the next three years.

“Fixers started in 2008 as just an idea… an idea given a voice by some 8,700 young people over the past five years,” says Margo Horsley, Chief Executive of Fixers.

“They have reached thousands of people with their work, on a national stage as well as in and around where they live. They choose the full array of social and health issues facing society today and set about making their mark. Fixers are always courageous and their ideas can be challenging and life-changing, not just for themselves.”

Peter Ainsworth, Big Lottery Fund UK Chair, said: “The Big Lottery Fund is extremely proud to be supporting Fixers to engage with more young people to change things for the better. Fixers has a tremendous potential – one young person’s initial idea can be transformed into reality, spread across a community and make a positive influence on a wide range of people. There are thousands of young people campaigning to make improvements in their neighbourhoods and Fixers provides a platform to highlight their voluntary work and many achievements.”

Two pictures attached. Captions:
Image 1: Chandos Green, 18, from Bournemouth
Image 2: One of the live acts at ‘Fighting for Change’ event

For images, interviews or more information, please contact Jatin Patel in the Fixers Communications Team by email jatin@fixers.org.uk or phone 01962 810970.

There are lots more stories about young people doing great things on the Fixers website, Twitter and Facebook pages:
www.fixers.org.uk
www.twitter.com/FixersUK
www.facebook.com/FixersUK

Notes to editors:

• Fixers started in England in 2008. Now with a £7.2 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund, Fixers is extending into Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. To date, around 8,700 young people across the UK have become Fixers and created more than 1,040 projects.
• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.

Media:

Distributed by http://www.pressat.co.uk/