Martyn Edwards is no ordinary fundraiser. Martyn, from Hereford, was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2016 which had spread extensively to his liver and was inoperable at the time. Yet earlier this month, this incredible man not only organised but participated in, a thrill-filled Treasure Quest encouraging family and friends to take part in their respective cars, traversing across the five counties of Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Powys, raising over £8,000 for the Little Princess Trust.

Following his diagnosis, Martyn endured 16 sessions of chemotherapy and 12 sessions of an antibody drug. During this time, Martyn adopted a strict anti-cancer diet, focused on work and positivity. Part of this positive focus manifested itself as a desire to do something life-changing for other people.

Martyn explained: ‘I lost my hair as part of the treatment process and thought how difficult it would be for a child to do the same, hence how I found out about the great work that the Little Princess Trust does for children who lose their hair. I decided that I had to do something for this charity.’

The CT and MRI scans throughout Martyn’s treatment showed massive reductions in the tumours. Eventually Martyn was in an operable position. In May this year, 20% of Martyn’s liver was removed. Amazingly the liver consultant reported no cancer cells in deposits that had been removed and the bowel tumour had also been destroyed. This is known as a complete response to treatment, and had only been seen by Martyn’s consultant in 6 patients out of 1,250 over 5 years. In essence a very rare, complete response, the cancer in both cases eliminated.

Buoyed by his diagnosis, Martyn found the energy to organise his Treasure Quest. Participants competed in a selection of classic motorbikes and modern and vintage sports cars, to find the expertly hidden clues whilst notching up points. One guy even completed the 100 mile journey by push bike. The teams all ended up at the Baskerville Hall Hotel, Hay on Wye after a brilliantly fun day.

Monica Glass, Charity Manager, said: ‘It has been a privilege to get to know Martyn through his organising of the Treasure Quest challenge. We are all staggered and very grateful at how much he and his friends and supporters have raised. It is enough for the Little Princess Trust to purchase a further 16 wigs for sick children. On the day, it was clear that all those that took part were enjoying a lot of fun and laughter. Definitely the best way to fundraise!’

Martyn added: ‘I would like to thank our official sponsors Level Peaks Associates, PBS Enforcements Agents, Chrysal, Middleton Jones Property Recruitment and Colliers International for their kind support. A big thank you also to Speed The Plough, Tibberton and The Baskerville Hall Hotel Clyro for their hospitality. We hope to make this an annual event, roll on Treasure Quest 2018!’

ENDS

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and Global Arbitration Review (GAR) have teamed up to publish an ‘index’ of the world’s arbitral seats.

To be released next year, the index will be based on the “AAA, AA, A…” system pioneered by credit rating agencies. It will be assessed on the basis of CIArb’s London Principles, a series of ten principles comprising the elements of a safe seat for international arbitration developed in 2015 for CIArb’s centenary year by a committee led by Lord Goldsmith QC and CIArb companion Professor Doug Jones AO.

The first ratings will be published next year and will cover Hong Kong, London, New York, Paris, Singapore and Switzerland (both Geneva and Zurich). Further seats will be added in future GAR editions.

The index will be based on the submissions of members of the GAR and CIArb community and ratings will be decided initially by an assessment panel consisting of Francísco Cossío (González de Cossío Abogados), Daniel Kalderimis (Chapman Tripp), Sae Youn Kim (Yulchon), Larry Schaner (Schaner Dispute Resolution) and Nathalie Voser (Schellenberg Wittmer), all convened by Professor Janet Walker (Arbitration Place).

The GAR-CIArb index will be published Spring 2018.

Ends.

For further information, please contact:

Nikki Nang Nilar

PR & Communications

E: nnangnilar@ciarb.org

T: 020 7421 7481

W: www.ciarb.org

The blockchain student jobs marketplace aims to help place crypto ATMs on University campuses around Canada.

BitJob, the first global marketplace for student employment to be built on the blockchain, has announced a new collaboration with Canadian bitcoin brokerage Bitcoin Brains. The partnership will leverage the student community, which BitJob aims to engage in cryptocurrency-related employment, to expand the country’s network of bitcoin ATMs and introduce a new generation of people to the benefits of digital cash.

Decentralised student employment

The mission of BitJob, which is currently holding its token sale, is to facilitate a new peer-to-peer labour market for students around the world – whilst simultaneously stimulating interest for, and building skills around, blockchain and its associated suite of new technologies.

The initiative connects businesses with students seeking gig work in the digital cash economy, distributing rewards as StudentCoin (STU) tokens. This not only gives them valuable employment and money to spend, but does so in a way that also provides vital experience in a fast-growing sector and the connections that will help them gain their first jobs after leaving university. Businesses, meanwhile, will benefit by improved access to developers and others working in the digital economy.

Whilst workers can accept pay directly, in the form of STU tokens – with incentives for doing so – they can also opt to convert this to fiat and be paid via PayPal. As the ecosystem grows and more organisations and individuals use the bitJob platform, demand for STU will increase. Students never pay fees for using BitJob, making it far more efficient than other jobs platforms, as well as being more flexible and targeted directly at the student community.

Cashing in and out

The new partnership will help to introduce students to the world of cryptocurrency, and give them new options for moving money into and out of the crypto world. Bitcoin Brains, Alberta’s first bitcoin brokerage, now has 10 ATMs in five cities around Canada: Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Winnipeg and Toronto. The new partnership could see these numbers significantly increase over the coming months and years as the BitJob programme gains traction – and with it, demand for fiat-to-crypto services.

‘The vision of spreading cryptocurrency ATMs together with BitJob all over Canadian universities is becoming a reality, starting in Q1 2018! Our focus is on educating Canadians about the amazing power that cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and StudentCoin, and blockchain technology, put into their hands. We also want to make it as easy as possible for anyone in Canada to buy cryptocurrency hands-on.’

- Dave Bradley, Bitcoin Brains Founder

Tokensale

BitJob is selling up to 128 million STU, which take the form of an ERC20-compliant token on the Ethereum network. The project’s minimum funding goal of 2,250 ETH (around $675,000) has already been reached, with current participation standing at around 6,400 ETH. The crowdsale will continue until 13 October at 1700 UTC.

For more information or to participate in BitJob’s token sale, visit bitJob.io.

Age Does Not Define Us

That's the title of the talk being given by this year's Guest Speaker, Dr Jonathan Collie, co-founder of The Age of No Retirement.

In today’s world, the labels of ‘age’ and ‘generations’ that have for many years been used to understand who we are as people, have become increasingly irrelevant. In fact, they have become downright dangerous. They undermine our sense of self-worth, cause division in our society and they hold us back.

The Age of No Retirement is a movement for social change, and a great deal more. We are part design lab, part research unit, part network and part storyteller. We are also full-time collaborators, and 100% committed to creating a world where our age, and how many birthdays we have, no longer matters.

We work with corporations, small businesses, the media, government, third sector organisations and people of all ages and backgrounds to create products, services and environments that challenge the boundaries of age and that work for all of us — however young or old we are.

We facilitate debate and discussion around the value that an intergenerational society brings to us — as citizens, as consumers, as workers — and the positive impact this has on the products and services we interact with every single day.

Jonathan is a passionate social entrepreneur. The greater the challenge, the greater the opportunity. Jonathan began his career as a doctor in the NHS before moving into health IT via an MBA at the University of Edinburgh.

In 2011, Jonathan entered and won a national challenge, run by the Design Council and funded by the Department of Health. It was here that he was first introduced to design-led thinking and came to appreciate that every problem, no matter how large or complex, could be solved by design and innovation.

In 2014, Jonathan launched Trading Times – the online service that connects people over 50 with local employers for flexible, paid work. As a direct result of insights gained through the prototyping, piloting, developing and launching of Trading Times, Jonathan became committed to changing the narrative of Age, from one of dependence and decline to one of exploration and optimism.

Jonathan was born in London and grew up in South Africa. He lives in London with his wife Robinne, daughter Ruby, and son Tyler.

And following Jonathan, we invite you to join us for lunch!

More information: http://mysocial.london/celebrating-age/#!event/2017/10/17/age-uk-lambeth-agm-public-meeting

Ultra-Secure Multi-Cryptocurrency Trading System to Launch Globally in 2018

October 10, 2017 - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia – Blockbid Pty. Ltd. has announced that its ultra-secure cryptocurrency trading platform will launch in early 2018. However, investors don’t have to wait, as its Initial Coin Offering (ICO) will officially launch on October 22, 2017. The exchange will be the first of its kind in Australia to operate under the guidelines of the AML/CTF Act, and will aim at facilitating the highest volume of trades from most cryptocurrencies, on a single platform. Blockbid is based on the Ethereum blockchain, a similar system to that of bitcoin.

Blockbid tokens are exchanged at current market rates using the ICO value of 1 Ether = 300 blockbid tokens, available through a commission-free marketplace. Each token can be purchased directly through the ICO. For each token purchased, the buyer receives a 100% discount off the 0.1% flat fee in the first year, and 50% discount thereafter – tokens can be used to facilitate as much trading as the user wishes during a 30-minute window. However, more tokens can be used to extend trading time. Early participants in the ICO will also receive 8% - 20% bonus Blockbid tokens.

Simplifying Cryptocurrency Exchange

The Blockbid exchange solves the issue of having cryptocurrencies scattered across multiple exchanges. Rather than signing on to multiple platforms, users can use a single account to faciliate all of their trades. The new exchange platform offers a system that users can trust while saving time because funds do not have to be transferred between different platforms.

Emma Hoffman, Blockbid CMO, said, “Blockbid is being designed to help traders overcome three main issues; the inconvenience of needing to sign up to multiple exchanges, the unease associated with having coins scattered across multiple (and potentially untrustworthy) exchanges, and missed investment opportunities caused by time lapses in transferring funds between different platforms.”

The Blockbid Platform Is Set to Grow

Users will be able to trade most cryptocurrencies on the platform. Transaction fees are low, and all crypto-assets are insured against potential cyber-attacks. Scalable to up to 1 million transactions per second, the crypto-coin platform is expected to raise the proceeds needed to fund expansion and further development.

Blockbid operates in accordance with Australian Financial Services License guidelines. The product is in line with the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act of 2006, which applies international best practices to deter these malicious activities in Australia. Therefore, the platform will be safe and secure, while being positioned for growth in a high-demand market.

Why Blockbid?

The Blockbid cryptocurrency exchange operates on the world’s fastest exchange network, with direct datalink connecting over 180 co-location facilities on 5 continents. A user-friendly front-end enables users to engage in cryptocurrency trading on the same user interface designs used by Facebook, Netflix, and Dropbox, while back-end interfaces are similar to those implemented by websites such as PayPal, eBay and LinkedIn.

With the October 22 ICO launch and exchange to be unveiled in early 2018, Blockbid is expected to undergo future development, enabled through the proceeds raised by user participation and growth. An in-wallet payment platform for all blockchain assets is anticipated. Once it is established, users will be able to access their digital currency from any location at any time. The Blockbid wallet will also support a decentralized exchange, further serving the burgeoning market for cryptocurrency trading.

Market Demand – Past and Future

The total market cap in this industry is now $120 billion USD (peaking at $180 billion), up from $11.3 billion just about a year ago. This demonstrates 1,265% market growth over that time. There has been a 600% increase in new users over the past four months alone – an average of 2,500 new signups per day!

Given the popularity of blockchain technology amongst users and financial institutions willingness to test it, Blockbid’s ICO launch is sure to appeal to numerous market segments. Other drivers of growth include the rate at which e-commerce businesses are adopting cryptocurrencies. So far, 1% of the population has invested in them, demonstrating the potential for additional market growth.

Learn more about the company and participate in the ICO or sign up for early access to participate in beta testing, go to www.blockbid.com.au. Visit Blockbid on Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram. Read the Whitepaper here.

About Blockbid

Blockbid is an ultra-secure cryptocurrency trading platform that allows users to trade all forms of cryptocurrencies on a single exchange, via a single login. Compliant with the Australian AML/CTF Act, it offers low transaction fees and operates on the world’s fastest exchange network to offer users speed, convenience, and trust. The Blockbid team consists of industry leaders in ASX trading, brokerage, blockchain technology, legal advice, and stock market research.

###

Emma Hoffman

emma@blockbid.com.au

+61422158638 or +972559809075

www.blockbid.com.au

London, United Kingdom – 11

Independent think-tank Localis has today issued a collection of essays from leading political experts and analysts exploring themes of place, identity and national renewal in the context of the political uncertainty unleashed by Brexit and the outcome of June’s general election.

Entitled ‘Neo-localism – rediscovering the nation’ the collection includes contributions from Philip Collins, chief leader writer and columnist for The Times, The Guardian newspaper’s political columnist Rafael Behr, constitutional expert Professor Vernon Bogdanor, Claire Fox, director for the Institute for Ideas and Ryan Shorthouse, director of the think-tank Bright Blue.

Introducing the essay collection, secretary of state for communities and local government, the Rt. Hon. Sajid Javid said: “In this era of unprecedented connectivity, an increasing number of voters see politicians as more and more disconnected from ‘real life’.

“We’ve seen the results in polls, elections and referenda around the world; here in Britain, the simple yet understandable desire to “take back control” was made abundantly clear in the summer of 2016.

“This matters because, as Liam Booth-Smith argues in the introduction to this excellent collection of essays, the political process forms part of a golden thread that runs through us all, helping to hold the nation together. Allow that thread to fray, and the consequences won’t just be lower turnouts at elections. It could damage – even destroy – cohesion at every level of society.

“Preventing that from happening is a task that should occupy all of us in government and, as this paper shows, the best place to start the fightback is at the local level.”

Localis chief executive, Liam Booth-Smith said: “When taken as a whole this collection says a great deal about where Localis is heading intellectually, becoming a think-tank which focuses on the idea of ‘place’ and why it matters to politics and policy.

“Brexit means the shedding of one identity, that of EU member, but it also means the rediscovering of some old ones.”

ENDS

Press enquiries:

Jonathan Werran, Head of News and Events, Localis 0870 448 1530 / 07967 100328 / jonathan.werran@localis.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

The essay collection ‘Neo-localism – rediscovering the nation’ can be downloaded here:

Essay contributors

About Localis

Who we are

We are an independent, cross-party, leading not-for-profit think tank that was established in 2001. Our work promotes neo-localist ideas through research, events and commentary, covering a range of local and national domestic policy issues.

Neo-localism

Our research and policy programme is guided by the concept of neo-localism.

Neo-localism is about giving places and people more control over the effects of globalisation. It is positive about promoting economic prosperity, but also enhancing other aspects of people’s lives such as family and culture. It is not anti-globalisation, but wants to bend the mainstream of social and economic policy so that place is put at the centre of political thinking.

In particular our work is focused on four areas:

What we do

We publish research throughout the year, from extensive reports to shorter pamphlets, on a diverse range of policy areas.

We run a broad events programme, including roundtable discussions, panel events and an extensive party conference programme.

We also run a membership network of local authorities and corporate fellows.

www.localis.org.uk

Habitat Apartments has been announced as “Spain’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand 2017”.

This year’s award is Habitat Apartments’ fourth consecutive victory.

World Travel Awards celebrates its 24th anniversary this year and is acknowledged across the globe as the ultimate travel accolade. The World Travel Awards recognizes and awards the excellence and quality of the global tourist sector.

Founded 15 years ago, Habitat Apartments started out with only four employees, who supervised eight apartments in Spain. Over the years, the company expanded up to 25 employees and more than 500 apartments in eight different cities, Barcelona, Madrid, Amsterdam, Rome, Venice, Florence, Valencia and Marbella.

The combination of their core values - excellent customer service, focus on quality management, and professionalism - as well as a carefully selected variety of apartments, Habitat Apartments elevates itself from competitors.

For Habitat Apartments this fourth consecutive award of “Spain’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand 2017” is momentous and we want to thank all of our customers during these 15 years.

Thank you to all of you! Without you, our guests, this would never have been possible.

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, OCTOBER 11, 2017 — Investors seeking exposure to the price movement of ether, the native token of the Ethereum platform, just got a new, but familiar option: two Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs) which track the price of Ether - Ether Tracker One (COINETH:SS) and Ether Tracker Euro (COINETHE:SS).

XBT Provider by CoinShares, the issuer behind the world’s first bitcoin ETNs, is announcing that the first Ether ETNs are now available for trading on Nasdaq Stockholm.

“The listing of these two Ether ETNs is a major win for European investors who have been requesting these products for over a year now. As of today, if investors want hassle-free exposure to the price movements of ether, they simply call their broker or trade on their normal brokerage platform - that’s truly remarkable. We are thrilled to be able to deliver on investor demand via a safe, familiar route in Nasdaq,” says Laurent Kssis MD of XBT Provider by CoinShares.

The two ETNs, COINETH and COINETHE are denominated in SEK and EUR respectively. In similar fashion to the group’s bitcoin ETNs, the ether ETNs are structured to track the price of ether, as determined by an index rate comprising the average of the 3 most liquid of a select group of exchanges, daily. The ETNs are traded during normal market hours on Nasdaq Stockholm.

“We are happy to be able to provide investors with this new investment opportunity. Given the high interest we have experienced for the previous listings from XBT Provider it is exciting to now expand the offering into this unique exchange traded certificate. While it is important to acknowledge that exposure to an asset in its early stage of development, such as a digital currency, comes with a risk, trading Ether on Nasdaq Stockholm provides investors with the protection provided by a regulated infrastructure, well-known marketplace and accessibility through their ordinary brokers,” says Helena Wedin, head of ETP Services Europe at Nasdaq.

This is the second major crypto-asset ETN Nasdaq has listed for the CoinShares group, noteworthy as this listing makes Nasdaq Stockholm the only European exchange to offer investors exposure to two of the leading crypto-assets (bitcoin and ether) in a familiar structure.

“Today is a historical moment for Ethereum and ether as an asset; and for the future of crypto-assets. It was a little over two years ago that the bitcoin ETNs began trading – offering investors exposure to bitcoin via an established exchange for the first time. Today, we are able to bring ether to the market and mark another major first. It is important to remember how far and how fast the space has matured in the less than 8 years since this revolution began,” says Ryan Radloff, Co-Principal at CoinShares.

CoinShares, which has been called the ‘iShares® equivalent for Crypto-finance,’ now represents six professional grade crypto-investment vehicles, all of which are pioneering products in their category. With the addition of ether to the platform, CoinShares represents the most diverse investment product line-up available in professional crypto-finance; and notably, the only way for European investors to add ether to their portfolio via an established exchange.

“We’ve stated before that as a group, CoinShares is committed to delivering world-class research and professional-grade access to crypto-assets. Today marks a critical step in delivering on that mission. This launch is the result of a tremendous amount of hard-work from the CoinShares team, key partners and our counterparts at Nasdaq. We could not be more proud to bring this latest set of pioneering product to the market,” says Daniel Masters, Co-Principal at CoinShares.

###

For More Information please contact: Fitch Carrere | fitch@coinshares.co.uk

XBT Provider AB (Publ), a CoinShares company, is the Swedish-domiciled issuer of Bitcoin Tracker One and Bitcoin Tracker Euro (COINXBT:SS, COINXBE:SS, respectively) and Ether Tracker One and Ether Tracker Euro (COINETH:SS and COINETHE:SS). These trackers are designed to mirror the return of the underlying asset, bitcoin (in Swedish Kronor and Euro, respectively). In 2015, Bitcoin Tracker One became the first bitcoin-referenced security available on a regulated exchange when it listed on NASDAQ in Stockholm. In 2017, Ether Tracker One became the first ether-referenced security available on a regulated exchange when it listed on NASDAQ in Stockholm. All four certificates are available in 179 countries and are traded in the same manner as any other share or instrument listed on the Nasdaq exchange in Stockholm. The Issuer’s Prospectus is approved by the Swedish FSA (Finansinspektionen) and its products are listed on Nasdaq Nordic in Stockholm. XBT Provider AB (Publ) is not a licensed financial advisor. The views presented in this release are the opinions of the Board of XBT Provider AB (Publ) and no other party. Bitcoin and ether are volatile assets and their prices (and the price of securities that are referenced to them) can move quickly. Prospective investors in the Issuer’s certificates should carefully consider the suitability of such an investment and, in connection with such a determination, should carefully read the Issuer’s latest Prospectus (including, in particular, the risk warnings set out therein).

A former Redruth rugby player who became
a wheelchair user following sudden onset health problems, has settled into a
new lifetime home thanks to the DIY SOS–style efforts of social landlord
Coastline Housing.

James Ball, since losing his mobility,
had suffered years of unsuitable housing in the private rented sector, meaning
that he was unable to gain access to the upper floor of his own home to do
simple things like read his children a bedtime story and kiss them goodnight.

His plight to find a suitable home
continued in a downward spiral as landlord after landlord told him that
properties could not be adapted for his needs until, eventually, he requested a
meeting with the Lettings Team at Coastline to see if some sort of out-of-the-box
solution could come into play.

James explains: “Each house that I got
turned down for over the years felt like quite a punch. It seemed that, within
the standard system, we didn’t stand a chance of ever getting allocated a home
that would suit my needs. Until, that is, I met with the Lettings Manager at
Coastline and explained exactly what my requirements were. She said ‘do you
know what? Let's see if we can actually do this!’ I couldn’t believe it was
actually happening.”

So began a
herculean effort by the Coastline Lettings and Development Teams to take a
new-build house in Camborne and adapt it for James’ needs as quickly as
possible.

Jo Morris, Lettings Manager at Coastline
Housing, said: “After meeting with James and his family and hearing exactly
what they needed from a home, we knew we could call in exactly what was needed
to make things happen for them. Alongside Coastline Services, the Occupational
Therapist and other contractors, we worked hard to ensure that we considered
all aspects of the property – doorways that were accessible for James's
wheelchair, grab rails where he needed them, accessible worktop space in the
kitchen, a specialist shower in the bathroom and decking all along the back of
the property to enable James to go out and enjoy the garden with his
family. It was also important for me to listen to the family's needs as
well as James' and to enable him to have independence within the family home.”

Most important of all, the landlord
arranged for a stair lift to be installed so that there was no part of the
house James couldn’t access.

James says: “It’s made a massive
difference to our life as a family. Before, I’d just sit in my chair and was
depressed and in quite a dark place. Now it’s changed our lives completely and
the whole family has come together again. The fact that I can now get upstairs
to read my daughter a bedtime story and kiss her goodnight is just massive.
It’s made the world of difference to us.”

James will be known to many people
locally as a former semi-professional rugby player who played at County level
and was a builder by trade, owning his own company locally. A routine visit to
the doctors about some knee trouble soon revealed problems with his hip joints
too, and resulted in five operations over the space of a few months as doctors
battled to save his leg.

He adds: “From being such a very
physical person to being in the chair has obviously had a big impact on my
mental health too. As a family, we’ve had some dark days, but now the future is
looking bright. This home has helped me gain back some of my independence and
I’m excited about the life we’ll enjoy together here as a family.”

The project, which is co-founded by former Executive Director and Founding Board Member of the Bitcoin Foundation Jon Matonis, aims to scale Bitcoin economically in order to become a truly useful currency of global trade and settlement.

11th October, 2017, Gibraltar, Institutional Bitcoin exchange Globitex, which is currently in limited beta, is holding a token sale to scale up operations with the aim of making Bitcoin a truly global currency. The exchange already offers institutional level FIX API for direct market access for algorithmic traders, paving the way for the virtual currency to become a universal medium of exchange across the full breadth of the international financial and commodity markets.

Bitcoin’s biggest problem: liquidity

Whilst the Bitcoin protocol has been undergoing concrete steps for Bitcoin’s technical scaling, Globitex’s founders recognise the chief issue holding back its wider use is liquidity. Bitcoin is still relatively thinly traded, with low volumes by conventional market standards. Despite being the ideal currency for international settlement across the spectrum of the financial and commodities markets, it cannot serve this purpose without a step-change in market depth and trading volumes.

If Bitcoin is to become mainstream, it must be used both as a unit of account and medium of exchange for large international trades - goods and services that make up our reality.

- Liza Aizupiete, Managing Director of Globitex

By scaling up the exchange’s capacity and developing new markets, Globitex aims to increase Bitcoin’s liquidity by orders of magnitude. The purpose of Globitex is to facilitate Bitcoin price stability by enabling its use as a direct currency of settlement for commodities, money markets and other financial instruments. Ultimately this would allow traders to price goods in Bitcoin, using it as the reference currency.

Interest rates are the price of money and they are the lifeblood of a modern economy. As capital markets for Bitcoin mature around the world, Globitex will be providing a common reference rate similar to LIBOR.

- Jon Matonis, Chairman of Globitex and former Executive Director and Founding Board Member of the Bitcoin Foundation

Globitex token (GBX)

Globitex’s token sale will fund the scaling of its existing exchange infrastructure. The cryptocurrency funds collected will allow the team to access new markets for Bitcoin, including commodities, global money markets and derivatives – all with Bitcoin as the unit of account.

The GBX utility token will take the form of an EIP-20 (previously known as ERC-20) compliant smart contract on the Ethereum platform. GBX will be used to pay fees for settling trades on the Globitex exchange, feature in loyalty programmes, and participate in future success of the company, helping to align interests between the exchange, its users and contributors.

GBX token sale
Globitex will open its token sale on 8 November 2017 and run it until 7 December 2017, or until 72 hours after the soft cap of 500 million tokens sold is reached. The standard token price will be EUR 0.10 equivalent, with discounts up to 15% for early investors. GBX will be offered in exchange for Bitcoin (XBT), Ether (ETH) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH).

For more information about Globitex product visit https://Globitex.com. To participate in the token sale visit www.GlobitexICO.com.

Mark Allen Group has announced its intention to acquire the UK’s leading brand for social work professionals.

MA Education, a part of the Mark Allen Group (MAG), has agreed to purchase Community Care, from Reed Business Information (RBI), part of RELX Group.

There are four major elements to this highly respected brand. Community Care is first and foremost a digital, subscription-based resource for social workers, through its two platforms: Community Care Inform Children and Community Care Inform Adults. It provides content and tools to aid professional development and good practice. Communitycare.co.uk delivers up-to-date and breaking online news on the social care scene. Community Care Jobs is the place social workers turn to when looking at career opportunities. And Community Care Live has separate events every year in both London and Manchester, that reinforces and enhances the training needs of care staff.

For Mark Allen himself Community Care has come full circle. He was the launch editor in 1974 of what was then a news-orientated and jobs-based magazine. Subsequently, he became the magazine’s publisher.

He said: “This really is a dream come true. RBI launched Community Care at exactly the right time and it rapidly became a well-respected, award winning and highly profitable magazine. Editing Community Care at a young age was a pivotal moment in my career from which I have prospered. I never thought that one day I would own this outstanding brand.

However, this is not for me a sentimental trip down memory lane. Community Care is a totally different proposition to what it was when I was the launch editor more than 40 years ago. The Community Care team that we will be inheriting has created an amazing online resource, which has plenty of scope for further development.”

Chief Executive Officer Ben Allen concurred: “This is a superb opportunity for us. As a major online brand, Community Care vastly enhances our digital presence and fits very well with Children & Young People Now, which we acquired from Haymarket a few years ago. Two years ago, we bought Optician from RBI and this has proved a major asset for the company.”

During the past seven years MAG has been on an extensive acquisition trail which, with recent purchases, will see revenues rise to nearly £45 million at the end of this financial year, net profits approaching £6 million and EBITDA to £8 million.

Community Care is the third acquisition the group has made this year. A few months ago, MAG purchased the largest special educational needs exhibition, TES SEN Show, from TES Global Ltd.

In June the company scooped up Unity Media and Unity Exhibitions, which has a number of magazines and a major exhibition, the RCI Show, in the built environment.

RBI Managing Director Edward Dimbylow said: “The sale of Community Care reflects our continuing strategic priority of focusing on our core subscription-based data and analytics businesses. Mark Allen Group is a great home for Community Care and will provide the team and brand with a secure future”.

About Mark Allen GroupMAG is a progressive publishing and events business, which owns a diverse portfolio of 85 brands in the healthcare, education, manufacturing, engineering, business-to-business, aviation and leisure sectors. MA Education’s portfolio includes Nursery World as well as Children & Young People Now. MAG currently employs more than 350 staff based across its four offices in Herne Hill, Dartford, Guildford and Wiltshire. MAG’s headquartered office is in Herne Hill, London.www.markallengroup.com

About Reed Business Information Reed Business Information provides information, analytics and data to business professionals worldwide. Our strong global products and services hold market-leading positions across a wide range of industry sectors including banking, petrochemicals and aviation where we help customers make key strategic decisions every day. RBI is part of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. www.reedbusiness.com

A further announcement will be made after completion.

Contacts Mark AllenT: 020 7501 6700Ben AllenT: 020 7501 6725W: www.markallengroup.com

Jane BaldwinT: 020 8652 8018W: www.reedbusiness.com

The family of a little boy who sadly passed away last year have raised £8,000 in his memory for three charities which supported them.

The Lavric family, from Cleethorpes, have been on a fundraising mission for The Sick Children’s Trust, TOFs and The Children’s Hospital Charity as thanks for supporting them throughout their son Reuben’s life.

When Reuben was born, he was diagnosed with a birth defect called tracheoesophageal fistula / oesophageal atresia (TOF/OA) where there’s an abnormal connection between the oesophagus and trachea. At a week old, he was admitted to Sheffield Children’s Hospital for surgery to repair the connection. Three years later, Reuben was readmitted to the specialist hospital – over 70 miles away from home – after being diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) – a rare condition where the body makes too many activated immune cells. Despite courageously fighting for many months, Reuben passed away in August 2016.

While he was in hospital, his family – parents Peter, Annis and brother Isaac – were supported with free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation run by The Sick Children’s Trust. The charity’s ‘Home from Home’ is located on the top floor of Sheffield Children’s Hospital and is just a lift ride away from the wards. During the last few weeks of his life, Reuben’s family were only ever minutes from his hospital bedside because of the free accommodation. And over the last year the family have raised £4,223 alone for The Sick Children’s Trust. Dad Peter, who has just completed the Great North Run for the charities, says:

“The Sick Children’s Trust, TOFs and The Children’s Hospital Charity are the three charities that really helped Reuben and us as a family. We were supported by The Sick Children’s Trust’s Treetop House for months and it really helped relieve some of the stress you experience when your child is so poorly in hospital. By having Treetop House, we didn’t have to make the 90 minute journey to the hospital and back home every day – we didn’t have to leave Reuben when he really needed us to be there. And it also meant that Reuben’s brother could come to visit and stay over – which meant we could ensure he got to spend some time with his brother alongside us.

“Since Reuben passed away, we have put a lot of effort into thanking these amazing three charities for their support. Earlier this month I did my first half marathon – something that I never thought I’d do. But I did it. It was really emotional and whenever I struggled I thought of my son, who fought so bravely.

“Last year, Isaac who was only six years old at the time, did a 20 mile sponsored walk over two days which raised over £4,000, and my wife Annis has also been doing lots, including the Great North Swim and holding a Big Chocolate Tea party for The Sick Children’s Trust.

“We have also had a lot of help from people we know. My employers, who were so supportive during Reuben’s time in hospital, selected The Sick Children’s Trust as charity of the year which has meant so much to our family. And Scartho Nursery School, which Reuben attended, held a Minion’s Day in his memory as he absolutely loved the Minions! Everyone got involved and raised £1,050. The nursery even received a donated wooden boat from Newby Leisure, a company who design playgrounds, in Reuben’s name which is very special.

“Both TOF/OA and HLH are very rare and we want to do what we can as a family to raise awareness of these conditions and the charities which supported us. We hope that by doing so, families who are going through a similar situation will get the support and help they need.”

The Sick Children’s Trust’s runs ten ‘Homes from Home’ across the country, supporting families with seriously ill children in hospital. In Sheffield there are two – Treetop and Magnolia Houses – which give families with sick children at Sheffield Children’s Hospital free, high quality accommodation close to their child’s hospital bedside. Treetop and Magnolia Assistant House Manager, Rachel Yates, says:

“On behalf of all the families we support and everyone at The Sick Children’s Trust we’d like to thank Peter, Annis and Isaac for supporting us during this time. With thanks to all of Reuben’s friends and families who have been fundraising in his memory, hundreds more families have been able to remain close to their seriously ill child.”

For further information about The Sick Children’s Trust, please visit http://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/

The travel industry is often complex when it comes to digitization. Startups or companies that do not specialize in travel often find it difficult to enter the market, as direct access to the offers of airlines, hotels and other service providers would require negotiations with every single player. Currently, few intermediaries dominate the market. A brake pad for the innovative further development of the distribution of travel offers.

As a pioneer of innovative distribution solutions and digitization, Lufthansa Group is always looking for forward-looking partners who share the vision of a new distribution landscape. The Lufthansa Group is therefore now working closely with the Switzerland-based startup Winding Tree.

Winding Tree has dedicated itself to the reorganization of travel distribution. With a decentralized B2B marketplace system powering blockchain-based travel booking transactions, startups and companies will be able to gain direct access to travel service providers' offerings without the inefficiencies given by a setup with many intermediaries. Simply put, in the future, airlines, hotels and other travel service providers will offer their services on Winding Tree's platform, and companies interested in content will only connect to the B2B blockchain-distributed digital marketplace to present specific offers tailored to their customers' needs. This will result in a large number of new apps for travelers, who will then be able to book Lufthansa Group flights via the offer that best suits their preferences.

“Lufthansa Group has engaged in the development of APIs, for instance supporting IATA NDC standard, to offer a direct access to its offers to customers and distribution partners", said Markus Binkert, Senior Vice President Distribution & Revenue Management Lufthansa Group Airlines. "By integrating these APIs with Winding Tree’s public blockchain Lufthansa Group enables all innovative partners who develop cutting-edge travel applications to access these offers via a decentralized and intermediate-free travel marketplace." In order to finance the initial development and facilitate acceptance by suppliers, Winding Tree is launching a token sale of its cryptocurrency "Líf" on the 1st of November. To reinforce its confidence in the new technology, Lufthansa Group is participating in the presale after regulatory clearance from Swiss authorities.

“The partnership with the Lufthansa Group will allow us to build blockchain-based travel apps which not only adhere to the requirements of airlines but we will be able to test these with Europe's largest airline, further validating the efficiency and scalability of the platform. Lufthansa Group is setting an example for the travel industry,” said Maksim Izmaylov, Founder and CEO of Winding Tree.

The contact to Winding Tree was established via the Lufthansa Innovation Hub. “As the digital spearhead of Lufthansa Group in the global startup ecosystem, the Lufthansa Innovation Hub is continuously on the lookout for startups and new technologies with the potential to significantly improve the way we travel tomorrow,” explains Dr. Christian Langer, Chief Digital Officer of Lufthansa Group. "To us, Winding Tree is a strong candidate to turn todays understanding of distribution upside down."

Deutsche Lufthansa AGLara MatuschekT +49 69 696-2999http://newsroom.lufthansagroup.com/Follow us on Twitter: @lufthansaNews

Winding TreeMedia Relationspress@windingtree.com

Lufthansa Innovation HubChristina Walkechristina@lh-innovationhub.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reB_oLQhIgU

A little boy who spent January fighting for his life in a hospital far away from home has raised over £1,500 for The Sick Children’s Trust by holding a Pyjama Party.

One year old Max, from Chingford, organised the Pyjama Party at Asquith Nursery to say thank you to The Sick Children’s Trust for keeping his family by his side when he was rushed to The Royal London Hospital for lifesaving treatment.

Max was initially diagnosed with adenovirus at the family’s local hospital, Whipps Cross, and was put on a life-support machine before being transferred by ambulance to the paediatric critical care unit (PCCU) at The Royal London Hospital. Throughout his treatment, his parents Emma West and Miller Evans were supported at Stevenson House, free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation run by The Sick Children’s Trust. Mum Emma, 36, says:

“Stevenson House made it possible for us to be by Max’s hospital bedside without any difficulty. During such a distressing situation, The Sick Children’s Trust took care of the practicalities of everyday life.

“Initially we had booked into the nearby hotel but we wouldn’t have been able to maintain the costs indefinitely. The Sick Children’s Trust took the weight off our shoulders by providing a base close by to sleep, shower and safely leave our belongings in a comfortable, private room away from the hospital ward.

“The support provided by this incredible charity minimised some of the uncertainty you experience as a parent with a seriously ill child in hospital. Because of The Sick Children’s Trust, we could focus solely on being there for Max.”

Max, who is now doing really well and making lots of friends at nursery, wanted to say thank you to The Sick Children’s Trust, along with his parents, for its support and raise awareness by getting involved in its Pyjama Party fundraising campaign. Emma adds:

“Everyone at Max’s nursery got involved in the Pyjama Party and had so much fun getting sponsored to wear their pyjamas for the day! It was a great way to give something back to The Sick Children’s Trust to show them our appreciation for all their support.”

The Sick Children’s Trust’s Pyjama Party runs from Monday 16 October to Friday 20 October and encourages children to be sponsored to wear their pyjamas for the day and take part in various creative, active and educational activities. The charity runs ten ‘Homes from Home’ across the country, supporting around 4,000 families every year and relies on donations to keep its houses open. Vicki Roots, Community Fundraising Officer at The Sick Children’s Trust, says:

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to Max, his family and everyone at Asquith Nursery who joined in the Pyjama Party. As a charity, we rely entirely on voluntary donations to keep our ‘Homes from Home’ running and by raising over £1,500 Max will be keeping hundreds of families together when their child is seriously ill in hospital.”

If you’d like to take part in Pyjama Party, please email pyjamaparty@sickchildrenstrust.org or call 020 7283 4066 to request your free fundraising pack.

With the obligatory New Year resolutions about to get underway, Yakult and Double Olympic Silver Medalist – Jazz Carlin, announce a new #SwimWithJazz campaign that will change four peoples’ lives forever and encourage the great British public to get into the water.

Swimming is considered a life skill and inspired by Jazz’s story, Yakult is seeking four people who cannot swim to take up the challenge to learn to swim with Jazz in just 4 weeks! The #SwimWithJazz campaign is open to non-swimmers over 18 years old who can enter from New Years Day, 1st January 2018 by visiting www.yakult.co.uk/jazz explaining why they would like to learn to swim, what stopped them up until now and why they would like to embark on this challenge. Entrants will be shortlisted, before four winners are selected by Jazz Carlin to receive this once in a lifetime opportunity. They will then learn to swim with a personalised training program, receive support and expert advice from dedicated coaches, Yakult’s own nutritionists, and of course Jazz Carlin. A grand finale will be held in London where each participant will undertake a final swimming challenge to showcase what they have learnt.

As participants embark on their own New Year challenge, Jazz will continue to work towards her ambitious goal to become the first Britain and Female Olympian ever to win a medal in both Open Water and the pool events during the Olympics Games in Tokyo 2020.

“It is great to motivate the Nation once again to take up the great sport. I am genuinely excited to be able to play a part in this challenge to help people learn a life skill changing their lives for the better, forever.” Said Jazz Carlin.

“The #SwimWithJazz campaign is a unique chance for those who always wished they could swim and learn this life skill but previously never had the opportunity. If anyone can inspire the Nation it is Jazz, as she undertakes her own awe-inspiring challenge in and out of the pool. It’s never too late to learn how to swim and by doing so also become an inspiration to others.” Commented Reshma Patel, Marketing Manager, Yakult UK Ltd.

Although, there will only be 4 lucky winners, Yakult will also launch the campaign on social media and its’ website, highlighting exclusive swimming tips - ‘swim bites’ - from Jazz Carlin to help everyone improve their swimming.

Entrants must be available and in London for the whole process which is scheduled February-March 2018

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About Yakult

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For further information including media interviews with Jazz Carlin please contact: charlotte@thepressoffice.info / 07904 153596

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The father of a premature twin boy who became seriously ill at three days old has been raising money for The Sick Children’s Trust as thanks for supporting his family whilst his son received lifesaving treatment in hospital.

Nick Smith, 35 from Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire, has raised over £630 for the charity by running the Hatfield Forest Half Marathon on 17 September and taking on a 12,000 ft skydive in Cambridge the following weekend.

Nick and his partner Harriet Banham, 34, faced every parent’s worst nightmare when they were told there were serious complications with their twins during pregnancy and Harriet was diagnosed with twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). The couple were told that one twin, to be named Aubrey, was receiving more blood than the other, Rafferty, and it was unlikely he would survive.

Rafferty and Aubrey had to be delivered by emergency caesarean at 32 weeks, weighing a combined weight of 7lbs 2oz, and were immediately placed in the Special Care Baby Unit at Whipps Cross University Hospital. At three days old Rafferty became seriously ill and contracted the deadly bowel disease necrotising enterocolitis, which causes the tissues in the gut to become inflamed and die. He was rushed to The Royal London Hospital where doctors removed 30cm of his bowel during an emergency operation. And although Rafferty was able to go back to Whipps Cross Hospital and join his brother after several weeks, he continued to suffer from very sensitive bowels. At four months old, Rafferty’s condition deteriorated and he was readmitted to The Royal London Hospital, where he remained for a further two and a half months. Dad Nick says:

“When Rafferty was readmitted to The Royal London Hospital it was really difficult for us because Harriet and Aubrey were back at home in Wanstead and I was sleeping on hospital chairs in the waiting room at night and then going to work in the daytime. Looking back I am not sure how we even coped.

“After a month of living in this awful situation, away from my partner and other baby, sick with fatigue, somebody mentioned a house that was run by The Sick Children’s Trust where I might be able to stay. It was a total lifesaver and for the last month of Rafferty’s stay in hospital we were given a room at Stevenson House.

“It was such an oasis of calm and normality and meant that we could be a family after such a long time apart. My partner and I had been like passing ships. I would come back from work to the hospital to be with Rafferty overnight only for her to leave after being with him during the day. I felt I wasn’t able to bond with Aubrey and missed him terribly, plus our baby boys were not together. Stevenson House allowed us to heal as a family and as Rafferty slowly improved, we were even allowed to take him outside and stay at Stevenson House – the four of us. It was something we will never forget.”

“The half marathon was really challenging because it was very muddy and slippy and I had to jump over ditches and try not to fall over, but the skydive was the real assault on the senses. I was very relieved when I got back down to earth and was reunited with my boys and Harriet!”

Rafferty and Aubery are now five years old and are both doing really well. Since their stay at Stevenson House, the family have been fundraising for The Sick Children’s Trust over the past few years by taking part in the charity’s Big Chocolate Tea campaign and earlier this year raised over £200 for the charity by holding a chocola-tea party. Mum Harriet adds:

“We have nothing but positive words for The Sick Children’s Trust who were there for us in our most desperate time. Now the twins are older they understand what their dad is doing for the charity and we were all there cheering him on during the race. The twins couldn’t quite believe it when they saw their dad jump out of a plane. Jospah, our 19 month old son, was so excited when he spotted his dad parachuting towards earth!”

The Sick Children’s Trust runs ten ‘Homes from Home’ across the country, giving families with seriously ill children free accommodation just minutes from their child’s hospital bedside. Whilst the accommodation is provided free of charge, it costs the charity £30 per night to support a family. Stevenson House manager, Alan Booth, says:

“It was so lovely when Nick and Harriet were able to take Rafferty out of hospital and bring him to Stevenson House. The time they spent with us as a family was so important for them and I am so glad we were able to support them when they needed it the most.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to Nick for his ambitious fundraising challenges – as a charity we rely on voluntary donations so we can continue to run our ten ‘Homes from Home’ across the country, supporting families with seriously ill children in hospital. Whatever Nick raises from the half marathon and skydive will make a huge difference to many families who need our support.”

To find out more about Nick’s fundraising challenges, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nickwins

#1 Knowledge is power

#2 Lived experience is key

#3 Ongoing support ensures our education is a success

Managing-Bipolar is a not for profit organisation. We provide a comprehensive education and ongoing support for people suffering with Bipolar. We have not had any funding from local government sources for over a year and are at risk of having to stop helping those in dire need. We therefore need YOUR vote. Voting for the Aviva Community Fund runs from 9:00 on 24 October to midday on 21 November 2017.

Please watch our video on our Homepage http://www.managing-bipolar.org.uk/

We want to start working in Brighton and Hove running a weekly group and doing 1 to 1 sessions preventing the devastation that Bipolar causes. There are over 3,000 people living in Brighton & Hove who have the diagnosis of Bipolar. Our programme is very successful with over 200 beneficiaries since January 2014, plus their family and friends.

There are those that feel strongly about the austerity measures and our economy. Who understands ‘The Revolving Door Syndrome’ (RDS)? Lack of funding for Mental Health is inadequate. All too often people need to be in crisis before they get help from the NHS, some don’t get help even then. Alas, with the shortage of funding for Mental Health, patients are being discharged before they should be. Bipolar is a chronic illness so people suffer repeat bouts of depression and manic episodes. Worse still, there is no cure. It causes devastation, not just for the sufferer, but those closest to them. Some take their own life.

Managing-Bipolar has striven to develop a comprehensive education. We know that people can learn how to manage their symptoms but they need ongoing support. There is no quick-fix. Without the support, the education can be wasted. Then people do relapse. Then they are in crisis. Then they need even more expensive treatment. Worst of all is the increased level of suffering and not just for the patient but their loved ones and the community they live in.

We need to continue running our groups, start new ones and save the taxpayer even more money. Much more to the point is that we prevent the suffering. Our vision is “Everyone can have a more rewarding life”.

We need your support. Please email us now at tim@managing-bipolar.org.uk or text to 07946 783 913 so we can send you the link to vote for us from 24 October. Additionally, we are looking for sponsors and donations; please get in touch or use the donate facility on our website. Thanks for your time in reading this - please help!

Twitter, powered by Niche’s powerful global content creator network, and Cybersmile are partnering up to kick-off #TweetForACause, Twitter's first-ever pro bono creator initiative. The inaugural campaign will drive awareness around Cybersmile's mission to combat cyberbullying and online abuse.

Twitter is launching its first #TweetForACause campaign tapping into the powerful voices of Niche’s global creator network, which the company acquired in 2015. The #TweetForACause initiative will be the first in an ongoing semi-annual series. Future NGO partners will be selected based on their alignment to Twitter for Good’s philanthropic mission, and each activation will be powered by Niche’s global creator network. As part of its inaugural campaign, Niche creators will be driving awareness for Cybersmile’s efforts in preventing cyberbullying and online abuse.

“We couldn’t think of a better partner than Cybersmile to kick off Niche’s #TweetForACause pro bono initiative, particularly as we continue to honor Bullying Prevention Month in October. We are humbled to be a part of their mission to combat cyberbullying through the voices of our most influential and trusted content creators,” Leah Feygin, Sr. Brand Strategist, Twitter.

As a creator-first network, Niche has seen firsthand how creators have had to deal with issues relating to cyberbullying and aims to have a positive impact by sparking conversation around Cybersmile's mission, particularly during Bullying Prevention Month.

“We are honored and excited to be included as the launch partner for Twitter’s new bi-annual #TweetForACause initiative. With the inclusion in Twitter’s new #TweetForACause initiative, awareness of Cybersmile and our work will be raised to millions of new people around the world - potentially changing and even saving huge numbers of lives in the short and long term,” Scott Freeman, CEO, The Cybersmile Foundation.

Starting on October 12th, content creators from the U.S. and U.K. will utilize the collective power of the Twitter platform to create and share original content that encourages internet users to support and promote Cybersmile’s work around the world. Creators include:

Make sure you follow along on their handles and @CybersmileHQ - and get involved using #TweetForACause!