Meet Your Wardrobe (MYW) releases free consumer wardrobe usage tracking and sustainability analytics functionality. You can now easily use wardrobe tracking as a way to become more sustainable, more ethical and show more empathy when making fashion-related decisions.

It is time to empower consumers to make more sustainable and ethical decisions. This is a game changer that allows anyone to see the impacts of their buying and usage decisions.

All core functionality will be available to use with the free personal account to ensure making sustainable decisions based on data are accessible to everyone. We want to ensure cost is not a barrier to getting these insights.

We encounter people all the time who either want to be more sustainable but don’t know where to start or believe sustainability is important but don’t think individual change makes a difference. This product empowers them and shows them a way to not only begin their journey but also the impact that they can make as an individual.

Most if not all of the focus so far in the market has been on manufacturers and sellers, but nothing significant for the end consumer. How can the end consumer make better decisions from a sustainability and ethical perspective…

Sustainability and being cognisant of the impact of what we wear needs to play a role in how we make purchasing decisions and indeed lead our life. The way in which this is achieved varies depending on who you talk to, but a common approach is to pursue the companies that make the products we consume, be it in the fashion or beauty industries. This is a valid and worthy approach, and indeed to effect change many pieces on the board need to move. However that said, something that is not commonly talked about is how we as individuals don’t hold ourselves to the same high standards we expect the companies we buy from to hold. We need to continually challenge ourselves to make better decisions, not only with regards to what we buy but also with regards to how we use what we buy. That is one of the reasons why we developed this functionality.

For example, it’s important to hold brands to account and highlight that wasting 1000s litres of water creating garments is not ok. But it’s equally important that we realise that using your washing machine multiple times a week using close to 100 litres of water per wash is equally wasteful and damaging.

So how do you start on this journey? An important starting point when it comes to ethics or to sustainability, in general, is data.

Why? Because how do you know how to improve or indeed where to improve if you don’t know where you currently are? What most people don’t realise is that the simple act of using a product generates a significant amount of data. The amount of data grows so quickly and with such intensity that it turns into noise. Our minds are not built to process all this and abstract all this information away, and as a result, we lose the significance and implications of our actions.

The average person doesn’t have the tools to break the noise into understandable signals.

In principle that sounds great, and you might be thinking that wardrobe tracking sounds like it involves a lot of work. If you were using a spreadsheet (as our co-founder started with which led to the development of this product) or noting things down on paper, indeed it does take a while, not only to constantly fill out the details but do all the calculations and make those calculations usable.

That is where Meet Your Wardrobe comes in. It gives you a deep insight into not only what you wear, but how products that you wear are related to each other in your wardrobe and what the impact of wearing them is.

Once you have added your products to your virtual wardrobe and filled out the required product details, all you need to do is click on Wear or Clean and add the respective date of the action i.e. every time you wear or clean them… that’s it. A couple of seconds at most!

To find out more about the analytics and reports available, please follow the link below:

Francis House Children’s Hospice has received a donation of £1,000 thanks to GMI Construction Group’s response to a fundraising appeal.

Francis House, which is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary year, is looking for 30 businesses to each raise £1,000 with the aim of raising £30,000 to help towards hospice running costs.

With offices based in Manchester, GMI, one of the largest independent construction companies in the North and Midlands, has made the generous donation to kick start what is hoped will be a busy fundraising partnership extending well into 2023.

Francis House has been providing care to North West children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and support to their families since 1991. Based in Didsbury, Manchester, the hospice employs 75 members of staff and relies on charitable donations to fund the majority of its £12,900 daily running costs.

Lee Powell, the company’s chief executive officer, added: “GMI is committed to supporting causes and organisations in the regions where it operates. We not only work to enhance communities with our construction projects but, as a socially responsible business, we want to make a difference to the lives of people in those communities.”

GMI Construction Group supported Francis House in 2019 with the charity’s Easter Appeal and is keen to get involved in a range of fundraising events on offer including the annual Christmas Ball and Festival of Trees.

“Francis House has doubled in size in recent years, and we now support many more teenagers and young adults than we did a decade ago in our state of the art seven bedroom facility Francis Lodge.

“It’s important to emphasise that Francis House cares for the whole family not just the sick child or young person, and families come to us from across the whole of Greater Manchester and Cheshire. The support of businesses like GMI is vital in helping us to continually expand and develop our services and we look forward to working with them.”

For more information on Francis House visit www.francishouse.org.uk

There is no question that the Stirling Highland Games organisers are feeling the pinch just like all the other official highland games in Scotland. It’s been a tough 3 years for all small events providers, not just having to deal with the pandemic but now having to navigate their way through securing sponsorship as well as dealing with the massive hikes in event supply chain costs.

With so much at stake this year for these important sporting cultural events, Stirling’s President Matt McGrandles explains why.

“It’s a real balancing act just now as we bring the event back to life this year. We are hugely appreciative to our funders that are supporting the event as without them we simply wouldn’t be able to deliver it. Add in the benefits that businesses in Stirling will start to see again from the additional spend from visitors attending and it’s a win win. It’s encouraging to see that over 90% of the new Grandstand tickets being bought are by visitors from overseas and I expect these to sell out before the end of the month.”

Stirling has managed to hold onto its faithful supporters including Specsavers Stirling and Active Stirling but the support from EventScotland is allowing it to add additionality with grandstand seating, encouraging more opportunities for the organisers to attract a different demographic.

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, said: “EventScotland is delighted to support the Stirling Highland Games through our National Events Programme to facilitate their grandstand seating for 2022. Scotland is one of the best places in the world to experience events and it is most encouraging to see international visitors snapped up tickets for such a uniquely Scottish event.”

Back in 2019 when the event attracted 5500 visitors, almost 50% of the tickets were snapped up by people from the US, Canada and across Europe including Germany and France. The event offered a full day and evening experience however there will be no live music in the evening this year so although the organisers have had to tweak the schedule, the great experience offered to visitors during the day remains a key priority.

If you manage to secure a ticket then you can expect a full day of highland games competitions including highland dancing, heavyweights, track and field as well as the new para-athlete competition and The Bruce Challenge which is exclusive to Stirling.

There is a new Traders Village Marquee planned with up to 30 arts, crafts, food and drink producers all showcasing their products under canvas, and great to shelter in if it rains.

Stirling is one of Scotland’s best known historical cities and visitors to the city will help the tourism sector with a much-needed economic boost. As Stirling’s leading outdoor cultural sporting event, there is so much available for visitors to enjoy throughout the weekend.

Neil Christison, VisitScotland Regional Director, said: “The Stirling Highland Games is always a highlight of the local events calendar, attracting visitors from near and far. As well as a host of exciting sports, visitors can also sample the very best local food and drink, while at the same time supporting the strong charity ethos which sits at the heart of this exciting event.

Highland Games are an important part of the rich tapestry of Scotland’s cultural identity and are a popular draw for international visitors. More than that, they provide a welcome boost to local economies, with accommodation providers, shops, restaurants and local businesses all benefiting.

“Tourism is an important part of the Forth Valley economy. Major events like this help support the industry’s recovery from the pandemic supporting local jobs, businesses and communities as part of a wider ripple effect.”

Matt also added, “Highland games across Scotland really need their local’s support. Ticket prices are usually for a whole day of entertainment, making these events some of the most affordable attractions. I hope people can get behind their local games and buy a ticket. It will greatly boost the morale of what is sometimes a thankless job.”

Stirling Highland Games is a member of the Royal Scottish Highland Games Association and since 2014 has been delivered on the 3rd weekend of August as part of Scotland’s highland games schedule. This year’s date is Saturday 20th
August with gates opening at 10:30 and the final pipe band performance closing the event off just before 17:00.

Tickets can be bought online in advance via the event website www.stirlinghighlandgames.com

The set times have been released for the LooseFest music festival. Headliners include the Black Eyed Peas and Mabel and over 80 of the world’s biggest artists who will perform at the iconic UK event.   International artist Mabel will be performing her new chart topping single said; “Good Luck’ is the empowering song you need when getting ready to go out: when you’re feeling low about someone, and your friends will take you out to get that person off your mind.”

The line-up includes Patrick Topping, Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Clean Bandit, Wilkinson, AJ Tracey, Dimitri From Paris, Roger Sachez and Joel Corry,following his recent performance on Love Island.With huge festival production, artists will perform across seven all-weather stages at the two day music event, with festival goers further enjoying a big top, carnival, ferris wheel, fairground, food village, ‘posh toilets’ and iconic instagram ready installations. Dean Saunders, a director of the team behind the event said “The team has worked tirelessly to make sure that we deliver a music festival to be proud of. We can’t wait for everyone to come down and enjoy not just the music, but the whole LooseFest experience all weekend long! We want this to become THE annual event in everyone’s calendar”.

www.LooseFest.co.uk

LINE UP

SATURDAY 30TH JULY

Open Air Arena: Black Eyed Peas, Clean Bandit, Example, Jess Bays, Low Steppa, Paul Woolford, Shane Codd, Young T & Bugsey and special guest Joel Corry.

Glitterbox: Dimitri from Paris, DJ Spen, Mousse T., Roger Sanchez, Sophie Lloyd, Spiller, with local support from Peverell.

Kaluki: Patrick Topping, Alisha, Manda Moor, Pirate Copy, Solardo, Sorley, Waff, Yousef.

Lovedough/Dvotion Megadome: French the Kid, SwitchOTR, Kenny Allstar, Jbee, Simba, Bl4ckstar, Cee, Cueball, Dawkins, Etchells, Jamal, Mwangi, Sourboy, Belters Only, Alex Collins, Charlie Hepworth, Chris Shaw, Dan Stafford, El Chappo, Fryer, Hoolz, Isolate, Max Hales, Sandwich, Woolard, Visualize.

SUNDAY 31ST JULY

Open Air Arena: AJ Tracey, Disciples, Ferreck Dawn, Jonas Blue, Luude, Sigala, and special guest Mabel.

Repopulate Mars: Jamie Jones, Alan Fitzpatrick, Christoph, Detlef, Latmun, Lee Foss, Maine.

Worried About Henry: Wilkinson (DJ set ft. AD-APT), Hybrid Minds ft. Tempza, Bru-C, Kings of the Rollers & INJA, Bou & Haribo, K-Motionz & IC3, AMA & IC3, Kara, Kaz, GH B2B JTD;

Mixtape/Utopia Megadome: Tinchy Stryder, Andy Whitby, Flip n Fill ft. MC Keyes, Ian Van Dahl, Joey G, Olly James, Phats & Small, Ultrabeat (stage hosted by MC Finchy, Silkey & Lukey P).Bassjamz, Eurasia, Felix Leiter, Jack Diamond, Jerome Price, Joe Ponente, Josh Weekes, Ladebare, Mac Pearson, Michael Walls, Nath Brown, Thomas Hannett, Verner.

Follow all the latest LooseFest updates on their social channels:

Instagram - @loosefest

Facebook - @loosefestuk

Twitter - @loosefest

TikTok - @loosefestuk

Spotify - https://loosel.ink/spotify

Web – loosefest.com

National Allotments Week started in 2002 as a way of raising awareness of allotments and the role they play in helping people to live healthier lifestyles, grow their own food, develop friendships, and bolster communities. The campaign week is still thriving 20 years later and interest in growing your own fruit and vegetables has never been stronger since the WW2 Grow for Victory campaign.

Marking its 20th year, National Allotment Week 2022 - running 8th-14th
August- looks to the future and how we can conserve allotments for the next generation through education and engagement of children and young people. 

This year's National Allotments Week theme is Bugs, bees and broccoli and acknowledges the importance of gardening with nature in mind.

An allotment plot is a complex web of plants, micro-organisms, fungi, insects, and animals that not only produces food but also supports eco-system services such as pollination and offers a refuge for wildlife in urban areas.

Although allotment plots like pollinator ecologist Nadine Mitschunas' beautiful wildlife allotment garden (winner of Gardeners World magazine, 2021 Garden of the Year award) are few and far between there are thousands of plot-holders endeavouring to reduce pesticide and herbicide use, encourage beneficial insects, small mammals and amphibians and tolerate losing a few crops to achieve a balance eco-system on their plots.

Plot holders can take part in a bug survey that will help inform the work of Buglife and the conservation of insects. Gaining a better understanding of creepy crawlies on allotment sites in the UK will guide how the organisation preserves them.

Paul Hetherington of BugLife said:

‘Bugs are so important to the healthy functioning of our allotments. As gardeners we tend to focus on the ‘pests’ and ignore all the great work the other bugs are doing for us, but if they were not, we would miss them be it pollinating our fruit and veg, controlling our pests or improving our soil they are vital to healthy growing.’

As part of National Allotments Week young people aged 2-12 can take part in The Big Bug Hunt with their school or learning community!

Being outside has such a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of children and the summer holidays are the perfect time for them to have fun outdoors, learn a bit about their surroundings and how they can protect the creatures that live there.

Pupils at schools and early years settings taking part can email a picture or a scan of their finished worksheet with their name, the school's name and address to natsoc@nsalg.org.uk by 14th August.

The school or setting that has the MOST bug hunts returned in their region will win a prize to help them grow their own veg in the classroom.

The grow your own veg boxes and seeds are sponsored by Chris Knott Insurance and will encourage young people to engage with the process of how and where their food comes from.

NAS PR and Marketing Co-ordinator Lauren Lawless said:

‘It is vital to the preservation of allotments that we work to engage and educate young people about the importance of these green spaces and the creatures that live there. A lot of our members remember spending time on the allotment as a child and that passion for growing things has stuck with them. Not every child has access to an allotment but if we can work with schools and early years settings to help children learn about growing their own food and the benefit to the environment, we will hopefully inspire a new generation of plot holders’

Chris Knott added: ‘Chris Knott Insurance is delighted to sponsor the prize for the National Allotments Week Big Bug Hunt 2022. It's a fantastic way to get children out of the house while nurturing their interest in the natural world. We can't wait to see how many children get involved!’

The NAS have sent bug hunts to 125 school in 11 regions up and down the UK but there are plenty more- schools and nurseries can email marketing@nsalg.org.uk for a copy of the bug hunt and more information.

Whilst most of us will agree that TV is dead and digital marketing is the way forward, the decision to implement online outreach strategies is not always so straightforward.

For many business executives, trying to understand the world of digital marketing requires skills that live somewhere between the world of dark magic and having a master’s degree in digital science. It seems increasingly impossible to fully comprehend and understand the ROI on, yet at the same time, statistics show that digital spending is imperative to the success of businesses globally.

In a study by Gartner in 2022, 72.2% of businesses marketing spend is now allocated towards digital channels. In addition, the same CMO Survey found that online video represented the highest growth category, with the anticipated investment more than doubling between 2016 and 2021. In addition, social media advertising investments are still
on the rise, with a 17% annual compound growth rate for the same period.

Someone who is no stranger to the well-documented, meteoric rise of the digital world is the Founder of Shoreditch based Activation Studio, Osaka Labs, Sam Gormley.

Gormley is a (very) vocal spokesperson against the dirty tactics and ‘smoke and mirrors’ approach often undertaken by marketing agencies. Instead, Sam uses his position to help educate his clients about data science, with the company's goal to ‘bring data out of the dark.’

Sam explains, “Many early marketing agencies were built on dirty tactics - lying to clients about what results were being achieved, and not being transparent on what they were actually doing. Many of these agencies STILL use people's data in the wrong way, scraping stuff off the internet and plugging into lookalike audiences, then selling things to an audience unfairly.”

He continues, “This type of business is simply unethical and encompasses a myriad of poor practices. This sort of behaviour is exactly where "marketers" have gotten their "bad name. Let’s face it, lying to clients is an entitlement issue, focusing only on the agency's short-term success… certainly not in the client’s best interests.”

Sam believes that it all comes down to mutual respect. He says, “Like any other B2B relationship, respect goes both ways; the greater the respect the stronger the relationship.”

Osaka Lab’s transparent, educational approach doesn’t just sound good, it actually works and has been embraced by some of the UK’s biggest brands who have given control of their online marketing presence to his team’s capable hands.

Osaka Labs have achieved 16x growth over the past two years due to increased contract size of their existing client base, working with brands such as Yamaha, Pedigree and Fortnum & Mason, helping to educate the brands’ executive teams on data science, metrics, and analysis of campaign statistics.

As the internet continues to rapidly mature, Gormley asserts that educating brands and business owners will build a stronger, more trustworthy internet for consumers - something he believes is fantastic for us all.

Below are Sam’s top 3 ‘best practice principles’ he believes marketing agencies across the board should implement, and the bare minimum that clients should demand of their agencies.

1.    Bring the data out of the dark - share it and discuss it regularly!

It’s obvious that the more eyes you have viewing the real-time results of your work, the more you’re going to be held accountable for the work you’re doing. Rather than being scared of this, we believe it helps our team strive for better results.

At Osaka Labs we don’t hide any of the data, even that which could be seen as “bad news” - all data is important and all results form part of our development. We’ve seen how excited clients are when we explain how to read results and then they view their data for the first time. We show them exactly what we see, which in turn helps to build a level of trust and understanding.

Rather than shying away from the work, openly discussing results (the good and the bad) means the client can understand, learn and win more often.

2.    Simple explanations avoid dangerous territory

With tech and data, everything is constantly changing, so unless you have formal training every other month you probably won’t be up to speed with how the digital world has changed in respect to your business and be equipped to make informed decisions about your campaigns.

Since the world that we operate in is constantly evolving, agencies should do their utmost to provide regular explanations to clients, partnered with full transparency. Empowered clients are those that understand, but also who receive ongoing support in that understanding. Instead of leaving out ‘tricky information’, agencies should respect their clients enough to properly educate them on what is happening - and this is an ongoing process.

By removing technical jargon and explaining terminology in a digestible way, it shows Osaka Labs’ clients exactly what we are doing for them (which in turn lets them see where their money is going)

3.    Flexibility is effective, there’s no other way

The real world is not stagnant, and neither are effective campaigns. Osaka Labs build campaigns that are real world centric - this means they work with how the real world works, rather
than how we would like the world to be.

What we have found (and what should be quite obvious) is that not everyone in the world will react to content the same way on the same platforms. It’s impossible to precisely predict this, meaning you won’t know how things work until you’ve set up campaigns.

When Osaka Labs builds campaigns, it’s done with all available information at the current time including client data, competitive data (current market), and trends data - but we have one core difference. The ability to adapt.

We build our campaigns in 2 phases. Phase 1 encompasses a linear strategy - where we plan, produce and go live. Then, Phase 2 has a reactive marketing approach (which has been adapted by our own methodology) which allows us to be wrong and adapt. This is precisely why Osaka Labs’ services are second to none.

About Osaka LabsFounded in 2017, Osaka Labs is a Content Activation Studio based in Shoreditch built for future-thinking businesses. The infamous team of young talented masterminds such as 25-year-old Head of Digital, Shannon Osborne, develops remarkable and trackable digital brand experiences from social to purchase. Osaka Labs pushes industry boundaries by giving their dynamic staff a platform to preach individualism. The thriving studio has worked with some of the nation’s most well-known and trusted household brands such as Pedigree, Wrigleys Extra and Mars.

For more information, or to speak with Sam Gormley, please contact The Atticism.

Renae Smith - DirectorThe Atticism PR -renae@theatticism.com+44 73 6656 5213www.theatticism.com

World’s first online writing for wellbeing community invites people to share their own experiences of what #writingcan do

WriteWell, the online writing for wellbeing community, is inviting writers and ‘non-writers’ alike to take part in its campaign to celebrate the power of the written word. The final result will be a book that draws on real-life experiences to show what #writingcan do to enrich our daily lives.

Writing has long been used by individuals as a way to support mental health and wellbeing, whether through diaries, stories or poetry. Now, a growing body of evidence demonstrates the wide variety of ways that writing can have a positive impact on our minds, bodies and lives - from stressed out students to overworked nurses to anyone dealing with change or trauma. *

While many published authors and poets are already familiar with writing’s wellbeing benefits, it can be just as beneficial for people who may not consider themselves to be ‘writers’ in the traditional sense. From gratitude lists and positive affirmations, to heartfelt letters, pros & cons lists, journalling, morning and more, writing can be used in many different ways.

Kate McBarron, writing for wellbeing practitioner and tutor at WriteWell, says:

 ‘I’ve been really touched by some of the feedback we’ve received so far. People are using writing to make sense of tricky situations, to solve problems, to bring relief and to connect with loved ones. Simple writing activities can make such a difference. It’s wonderful to read people’s experiences and thoughts on how writing has helped.’

WriteWell is inviting anyone who has found writing to be beneficial for their wellbeing, in whatever way, to get in touch**. Individuals can send in as much or as little detail as they like, from just a sentence about the value of writing to a longer example of how writing has helped them. There are a range of ways to send in feedback. In this first stage, submissions will be used to develop core themes for the #writingcan book.

Christina Bunce, Director at WriteWell, comments: 

‘Over the years, we’ve seen how writing can support people’s wellbeing through our courses at the Professional Writing Academy. Now we are seeing people who have never written anything achieving real benefits so we want to spread the word even further. Writing is affordable, accessible and can be used in a huge variety of ways. There are so many reasons for people to include writing in their wellbeing toolkit.’

BENEFITS OF WRITING CASE STUDY:

Paul is a mental health professional who’s also recently completed a doctorate in mind body medicine through Saybrook University in the US.

How has writing (of any sort) made a difference to your own mental wellbeing?

"The art and practice of writing have been a cornerstone of my own mental health for over 20 years. I was introduced to this in secondary school when I took a creative writing class with an amazingly passionate teacher. She inspired me to fall in love with laying my thoughts and feelings on paper.

I was encouraged to be as expressive as I wished, and such freedom was unknown to me until then. I did not realise how healing it could be to experience the joy of allowing my thoughts to spill forth unencumbered. Through short stories, journaling, and poetry, I was able to discover myself. You see, I never felt comfortable or welcomed to be myself within my family of origin, so writing was a particularly meaningful gift.

To this day, I have the various journals I kept over the years. It started with recording my vivid dreams and throughout the journals are a plethora of poems inspired by both life and dreams. Using this medium granted me the opportunity to explore my life’s purpose more wholly. Poetry facilitated self-expression in a way that thoroughly guided me to the process of individuation.

I only trusted a few people at a time to read and experience my writing, but despite that everyone I allowed in was incredibly respectful. They were often surprised at my ability to craft words and stories, as well. I was never a highly articulate teenager so the practice of writing helped me to feel as though I could finally share my perspective with the world in a safe, controlled, and contained fashion.

Had I not had this outlet, I can only imagine where I would be today with my own mental wellbeing. The art of writing lends me the opportunity to buffer against the trials and tribulations inherent in this mortal coil. I will remain eternally grateful for having been exposed and supported to expressive creative writing."

TESTIMONIALS FROM WRITEWELL MEMBERS (MORE ON REQUEST)

"I have found it's not always easy to find enough time in the day to focus and write but I absolutely love it when I do. I have found the prompts so helpful and the sense of having a task that I need to complete also really helpful, as it's making me do something I have thought for so long about doing but never got round to!"Elizabeth - Week 2 Fiction course

"I work in an emotionally demanding job and have found writing for well-being absolutely transformative in dealing with the impact on my psychological health."Ange

'Wow, just the act of putting pen to paper has opened up a new and exciting avenue on my journey to embrace my changed life, thank you.’ - Amanda

"WriteWell offers an eclectic collection of writing prompts, courses and events in an approachable, and easy-to-use format that will be sure to help anyone on their own writing journey no matter their experience level." Hannah

"I really enjoyed this warm up - I ended up in the Swiss alps, breathing in fresh air and just listening to the birds and insects. No background traffic noise in the distance and so easy to switch off from the busy hustle of every day.Really looking forward to revisiting my postcard to take me out of the day to day circle of life. I am now going to get crafty and create a postcard that I can pin up beside my desk in the home office to use daily for relaxation breaks."Christine - postcards creative warm-up

-Ends-

Notes for editors:

*For more information about the science behind WriteWell, visit: https://www.writewellcommunity.com/the-science/

or read our briefing paper Ready, Steady, Flow here: ​​https://www.writewellcommunity.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Ready-Steady-Flow.pdf

**To take part in WriteWell’s campaign, visit: https://www.writewellcommunity.com/writing-can/

WriteWell is a wellbeing initiative from the Professional Writing Academy. From diaries to letters, emails to shopping lists, texts to social media, many people write on a regular basis. WriteWell is about tuning into the power of writing and creativity for self-care. Through its online platform, individuals can add simple but effective strategies to their wellbeing and recovery toolkits. There are everyday activities for those finding their way with writing alongside bitesize classes and longer courses. Plus, there is a weekly writing group, monthly workshops with writing and wellbeing experts, a Book of the Month and a library of online resources. For more information visit: https://www.writewellcommunity.com

Professional Writing Academy (PWA) was the UK’s first online writing school. It offers a wide portfolio of writing courses where would-be authors can come to learn regardless of their background, level of experience and location — at a time of the day or night that suits them. We offer a learning path that allows writers to make their own map and navigate to different destinations as they progress. PWA run courses around fiction writing, academic writing, writing for wellbeing, and writing for business. To date around 5,000 learners from 84 countries have completed PWA courses. https://www.profwritingacademy.com

WriteWell Contact:

Christina Bunce, Director, christina@writewellcommunity.com

London, UK: Following the success of their previous two puzzle books, Last Atom Studios announces the upcoming launch of their new kickstarter, Destroy the Deep State. This narrative-driven puzzle book has a unique and appealing art style inspired by classic graphic novels. As the name suggests, Destroy the Deep State leads you on a satirical journey through a web of popular conspiracy theories to discover the truth about the Deep State and their plans. As you progress through the book you scan QR codes to hear a narration of the story and use the solutions to each of the 50 puzzles to access secret audio files.

Puzzle Designer and founder of Last Atom Studios, Tom Farnell, said "We have been working hard to create new challenging puzzles and believe integrating them with a QR Code - Audio system adds an exciting new dimension. We use the system to reveal what happens next when the correct solution is entered, but if you get stuck at any point, puzzles can be skipped without missing out on the main narrative." Petru Rey, Story Creator, had this to say, "Over the past few years we have seen belief in conspiracy theories is on the rise, from COVID-19 vaccine microchips and deadly 5G to old classics like Area 51. We are fascinated by the absurdity of these conspiracy theories and the contradictions between them. Imagine if all conspiracy theories were true at once! We thought this would be an hilarious premise for a satirical story, and that's how Destroy the Deep State was born. The first 14 pages of the book, including the first 3 puzzles, are available as a FREE ebook for anyone to try.

The Team:

Tom Farnell, Puzzle Design & Kickstarter Coordinator;

Sam Grundy, Illustration & Social Media Manager;

Petru Rey, Story, Audio & Web Design;

About Last Atom Studios: A puzzle book brand based in London, UK. Previously raised $20,000 on Kickstarter to bring two puzzle books to life. The campaigns are known for intriguing puzzles and beautiful add-ons. After Tom's last puzzle book, Blackbeard's Journal, raised $15,000 on Kickstarter, he decided to collaborate with friends to attempt a more ambitious project with a new art style and integrated audio narration.

DDS FREE ebook Sample

Previous Puzzle Game: Blackbeards Journal

A community consultation that will help decide whether beavers are reintroduced to Glen Affric has been launched in the Scottish Highlands, led by Trees for Life.

The rewilding charity is carrying out the consultation on behalf of four private landowners and Forestry and Land Scotland, who all manage land that has habitat capable of supporting a beaver population.

If the proposal is successful, it would be the first official release of beavers to the north-west Highlands since the species was driven to extinction some 400 years ago.

Trees for Life has long campaigned to protect beavers in Scotland, advocating for relocation to suitable habitat over culling when beavers have unwanted impacts on agricultural land. Beavers are a protected native species which were first reintroduced to Scotland in 2009.

The results of the six-week consultation, which runs from Monday 25 July, will be submitted to the Scottish Government’s nature agency NatureScot in September as part of the beaver licence application.

“Studies show that beavers can bring extensive environmental and economic benefits.At the same time, understanding the views of the local community – from other landowners to angling clubs – is akey step in deciding whether to go ahead with any proposed beaver release. Like us, the landowners making this proposal really want to hear what people think,” said Alan McDonnell from Trees for Life.

“Proposals such as this can excite a lot of opinion – supportive, opposed, or somewhere in-between – so it’s important that as broad a range of stakeholders as possible get in touch with Trees for Life to take part in the conversation and make their views known,” said Joan Cumming, North Region Environment Advisor at Forestry and Land Scotland.

If NatureScot approves the licence, up to three pairs of beavers could be relocated to Glen Affric from lower Tayside before the end of the year. The releases would be spread out over two to three years, with the Beaver Trust carrying out the translocations, and would take place around Loch Affric and Loch Beinn a’Mheadhain.

Alex Grigg, one of the landowners involved in the application, said: “I’d welcome the return of this keystone species to our area. They have a unique ability to re-engineer our depleted ecosystem. Trials in other parts of Scotland, the UK, Europe and the USA have shown beaver dams improving water quality and reducing destructive spate flooding – a particular problem for us, causing destructive erosion and loss of habitat, including for farmers.

“Beavers could help create a more stable and sustainable habitat for salmon – as they did for millennia before their extermination. Their pools can create important refuges for fish during drought, with the area beneath lodges providing the highest level of safety from predators such as herons. Unlike human dams they are porous, allowing salmon to pass. I think their return to the glens would be strongly beneficial. But of course it’s vital that there’s an informed debate and all voices are heard.”

Following its change in approach to beaver management last year, the Scottish Government now actively supports relocations to suitable locations across Scotland, and the publication of Scotland’s first National Beaver Strategyis imminent. NatureScot now also operates a Beaver Mitigation Scheme, which provides advice and funding to landowners and farmers to manage beaver impacts.

Full details on the Affric beaver release proposal can be found on the Trees for Life website. Anyone who would like to share their views on the proposal, or ask questions, should visit

treesforlife.org.uk/beaverproposalor email beaverproposal@treesforlife.org.uk.

Ends

Oslo, Norway, July 2022

This month sees the first release of paintings from Norwegian inventor and writer, George Manus. After retiring from his family company – formally created by his acclaimed stepfather Max Manus, George took to writing.

After publishing 20 books over the last 5 years in English and Norwegian, he now releases his first paintings. This first series reflects on Human identity and uniqueness as well as his love of geometry and precision – clearly George is a man who uses both sides of his brain.

Having received positive reactions from people in different countries and of all ages, George’s art is now being made available as framed canvas prints, giclée print posters and t-shirts. “When I realised other people were enjoying my art I wanted to share it so I decided to make it available online”, George Manus.

Having been inspired and motivated by the greatness of his stepfather Max, George adds to the legacy of creative thinking, inventions and reflective writing, that runs through his family. “At first, it was me just enjoying painting – to also share it with other people is another enjoyment too!”, George Manus. I think, like most artists, George underestimates his ability to impress.

www.maxmanusinnovation.com

For more information or to arrange an interview:Max Manus Marketing & PressCONTACT

Download Press Release & Images

July 2022

Startups in the UK only have a few days left to enter The Pitch, giving them the chance to access one-to-one pitch coaching, win a £5k grant for their business, and pitch to a panel of leading investors.

This year leading investors backing the competition include Redrice Ventures, Mercia Asset Management, Creative UK, Mission Ventures, Impact X Capital, and The Purposeful Project.

Tom March, Founder and investor at Redrice Ventures, says:

“Redrice invests in consumer brands, platforms and related tech solutions. Past investments include The Pitch alumni fashion rental App By Rotation. I'm looking for founders looking to define popular culture not just reflect it and can't wait to meet this year's cohort.”

Simon Squibb, investor and entrepreneur at The Purposeful Project, says:

"It's amazing to see the different ideas that come through The Pitch every year. I'm looking to invest in founders that have a real passion about the impact their business can have - and are fun to work with!"

The Pitch is the UK’s largest competition for startups, with regional finals being held at Huckletree in London and Manchester, Origin Workspace in Bristol, Alpha Works in Birmingham, and the competition’s first ever trip to Edinburgh – with the location to be announced soon.

Successful founders will also join the competition’s judging panel to offer their expertise and advice, including Louise Hill, founder of GoHenry, and Romina Savova, founder of PensionBee

Speaking about why she is supporting The Pitch, Louise Hill says:

“I decided to support The Pitch because helping other entrepreneurs succeed is something that matters to me, it’s very close to my heart. Schemes like this are really important, because the road to being a startup is quite a lonely one and people might not have access to business advice elsewhere.”

As a seed investor in companies like Seen on Screen, Romina knows what she’s looking for in startup founders. She says:

“It’s incredibly important for founders to feel that they have a sounding board in other entrepreneurs who have been through the same journey. I’m hoping I can provide some input and advice, and ultimately stay connected to early-stage businesses.”

The Pitch, run by Inkwell Agency in Bristol, helped its 2021 finalists to raise more than £1.3m.

This success is supported by the competition’s partners, who offer ongoing business and investment advice to those who enter. This year Sage, Crowdcube, Fiverr, Agora Talent and Avamae have all supported The Pitch, helping to reach more than 7,000 entrepreneurs.

Darren Westlake, co-founder and CEO of Crowdcube will also be judging the competition. He says: "I’m really looking forward to hearing everyone’s pitches, and I’m particularly interested in founders who want to help their community and make a positive impact. At Crowdcube we help businesses raise money through their community and ours. We’re making investment something that everybody can access, democratising the process for both startups and retail investors."

If you’re a startup looking to nail your pitch, gain access to investment, and join a thriving and supportive business community, there’s still time to enter The Pitch. Find out more and apply now.

Subject: Media Invitation Press Conference – Royal Speakers Confirmed

Date: Sunday 31 July 2022 Time: 5:15 – 6:00pm Event: 22nd World Congress of Soil Science Place: Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Exhibition Way, Glasgow G3 8YW, United Kingdom, Room: M3

The British Society of Soil Science is proud to cordially invite you to our Press Conference at the 22nd World Congress of Soil Science, on Sunday 31 July 2022 from 5:15 – 6:00pm at the SEC, Glasgow, room M3.

In an interactive forum we will be sharing key scientific findings, the latest policy debates and topical news angles. A media preview of His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales’s pre-recorded address to the 22nd World Congress of Soil Science in Glasgow (embargoed until Thursday 4 August at 6:30pm) on the importance of conserving our soils will be shown at the Press Conference.

“There is an amazing amount that can be done. It is a combined responsibility of all of us, the public sector, private sector and civil society to work in harmony, rather than in conflict, with nature.” His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales.

Straight after the press conference, we would love you join us at the Opening Ceremony, where His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester KG, is set to open the congress. In his speech, His Royal Highness will be highlighting the importance of soil health to mankind and share his thoughts on conservations, farming, cutting-edge land management, international collaborations and food security.

Soil health has a major impact on all our lives: your support in in this unique endeavour is very important, and we hope to welcome you and your colleagues at the 22nd World Congress of Soil Science in Glasgow.

The Congress marks the Society’s 75th anniversary and we have been the go-to organisation for the media, policymakers, government, stakeholders and educators on soil science related issues during that time. We will be at hand during the press conference to answer any questions, provide key stats, evidence-based data, quotes and to set up interviews with industry leaders.

Alternatively, if you would like to join us on our Soil Policy Day on Tuesday 2 of August, drawing together an expert group of invited speakers to discuss the complexities, challenges and opportunities of soil policy and governance, receive information about our post conference policy report, or attend the Closing Ceremony, please also get in touch.

As spaces are limited, please confirm your attendance, media@soils.org.uk

Thank you

Ann

The unwelcome news that the energy cap is to rise to over £3850 later this year is going to significantly affect those on fixed and low incomes including older people, disabled people and those who are chronically ill.

In France, the government capped energy price increases at 4% and it is expected that this measure will be extended into next year. This decisive action is precisely what the UK Government should have taken in order to keep people safe.

A combination of per unit price increases and the unprecedented hikes in the standing charge will leave people in the cold and dark this winter. It isn’t an overstatement to say that those who already struggle will be put in danger and are at risk of severe harm or freezing to death. The highest price this winter will be paid by those with the least.

The UK government and the UK’s ever-somnolent energy regulator OFGEM have been asleep at the wheel and what little support offered thus-far has been nowhere near enough to make any meaningful difference. We join a chorus of other non-profit organisations calling on the UK government to introduce the measures detailed in the Commons Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee’s report published on Tuesday 26th June.

Failure to act swiftly and decisively will result in the darkest of winters in living memory for many.

Darren Banks, Welfare Scotland Board Member, Edinburgh.

EDITORS NOTES:

Welfare Scotland is a non-profit organisation which lobbies the UK and Scottish Government’s to deliver real and meaningful reform of the social security system to better meet the needs of disabled people and those who are chronically ill. In addition to this, Welfare Scotland provides a range of advice and support services primarily to disabled people, people who are chronically ill and those who support them.

The Welfare Scotland board consists of five members, all of whom are disabled.

Queries from the press should be directed to darren@welfare.scot. It should be noted that Darren has autism and he requires questions to be submitted via email rather than on the telephone.

(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE)

The Anjool Maldé Memorial Trust takes great pleasure in announcing its 2022 Awards – another extraordinary year of some great achievements especially in the aftermath of Covid demanding considerable readjustments. The Trust, set up in 2010 as a legacy to Anjool Maldé (1984-2009), makes annual awards with prize money to a selection of UK’s talented best young individuals with a special edge to their achievements. This year's Winners:

WINNER: Chamiah Dewey https://chamiahdeweyfashion.com

Photo 1 Chamiah Dewey, photo courtesy Self

Judge Tom Latchford (Chairman, Localgiving Foundation): I was so impressed by Chamiah's unique blend of creativity and social conscience. Her stunning fashion designs are already empowering an under-represented group to feel beautiful and dignified. With her men's collection due for release, and plenty of fashion shows and festivals on the horizon, the future looks bright for Chamiah Dewey Fashion, as well as the short stature people this brilliant business helps to celebrate!

Chamiah: As social entrepreneurs, we often work alone, without much guidance or assistance, so to be recognised for my extensive work for the short stature community is what keeps me going! Until now, the short stature and Dwarfism community has been forgotten about and ignored by the fashion industry: we at Chamiah Dewey Fashion are here to change that, and with awards such as this one we are able to continue our work to improve social equality and produce positive representations of little people to the mainstream media. I am so thrilled to be awarded the Anjool Maldé Young Social Entrepreneur award 2022!

WINNER: Mihir Sheth for his enterprise Inspiritus Health.(www.inspiritushealth.com) Photo 2 Mihir Sheth photo courtesy Self

Judge Maggie Dugan (Founder/CEO Inclusive Innovation): Selecting one from among this group of curious, ingenious, dedicated, and passionate innovators was the hardest task I’ve encountered in a while. Selecting Mihir as winner she said: Innovation stems from asking the right question, and Mihir did just that by reframing the challenge to 'How might we get patients OFF the ventilator?'. I am inspired by his desire to bring under-represented voices; we absolutely need to hear more from minorities, and the patients are critical in health care innovation.

Mihir: I am incredibly honoured to have been selected by the Anjool Maldé Trust as the Young Innovator of the Year 2022. I would like to thank my fellow Young Innovators, without whose wholehearted, kind, and inspiring support, I may not have overcome the challenges of this last year. Winning this award is a huge vote of confidence in the ethos of Inspiritus Health, which follows the principles of need-led innovation to address a pressing problem in healthcare - Mechanical Ventilation.

Emily Nott (Head of Diversity & Inclusion Programmes at Innovate UK): Innovate UK is proud to be working with the Anjool Maldé Trust on the Young Innovator of the Year Award 2022. This award is very well deserved, and we're excited to see where Mihir’s inspiring journey will take him next. Please join us in congratulating Mihir as well as all the Young Innovators who applied. It is through initiatives like these, and with the generous support of partners like the Anjool Maldé Trust, that we will ensure innovation knows no limits by continuing to inspire, involve, and invest in the next generation of diverse innovators.

WINNERS: Weronika Galka (Jurisprudence, 2019), Solace Hussein (Engineering Science, 2018), Krzysztof Kropidlowski (PPE, 2019) and Abigail MacBain (Earth Sciences, 2019).

Photos 3, 4, 5, 6, photo courtesy St Peter’s College - winners as above flanked by Professor Judith Buchanan, College Master, and Gemma Shaw, friend and supporter of the Trust.

Professor Judith Buchanan (Master, St Peter's College, Oxford): In remembering Anjool, this excellent scholarship scheme brings both significant encouragement and material support to young lives at a crucial point in their studies and we are delighted, year on year, to see the attributes and achievements that it recognises and the real difference that it makes. And to present this year’s fine awardees with their certificates in the presence of Anjool’s parents and friends was particularly special.

WINNERS: Debbie Todd (Fine Art), John Mannick (Commercial Art)

Photos 7, 8, 9, 10

7: Winner Debbie Todd with work portfolio, photo courtesy NSA

8: Debbie Todd artwork 'Keep your hands to yourself', photo courtesy Self

9: Winner John Mannick with work portfolio, photo courtesy NSA

10: John Mannick artwork 'Penshaw Monument', photo courtesy Self

Judge on Debbie Todd: Debbie’s work is layered and open-ended, setting all sorts of questions running. The treatment of the white-wall space as the wood-panelled room of a museum or stately home, evoke the sort of still-life and portraiture collection that connotes status and assumed beauty.

Debbie: I am thrilled to receive this prestigious award in recognition of my photography project. Being recognised at this is amazing. The award will not only help me continue with my work financially it also inspires me to continue developing my practice and career.

Judge on John Mannick: There are a lot of commercial photographers producing dramatic landscapes and capturing beautiful conditions of light and weather. John’s work slots easily into this genre and has the potential to be commercially successful. Getting beneath the obvious, playing with layers, perhaps avoiding the distracting allure of colour, these point toward a strand of John Mannick’s image making that has exciting and distinctive potential.

John: I am overwhelmed by receiving this award. I feel very honoured and grateful to the Anjool Maldé Trust. This means a great deal to me and my confidence as I continue to develop my photography.

JOINT WINNERS: Yilin Cao, Fangzhou Yang, Ya Li for their Documentary 'The Gift Tree'

Photo 11: Winners as above with Dr Kurt Taroff (Head of School of Arts, English and Languages) and Frank Delaney (Subject Lead for Broadcast Production). Photo courtesy QUB.

Frank Delaney (Awards Convenor & Subject Lead for Broadcast Production, Film Studies & Broadcast Production, QUB): The Gift Tree is a documentary that is timely and addresses an issue that is current and important globally. The judging was unanimous, and the panel recognised the quality of the students’ project both technically and narratively.

Winners: The Anjool Maldé Journalism Award brings important value to the three of us. Our documentary – The Gift Tree - tells the story of Belfast's 'One Million Trees' environmental programme against the backdrop of Net-Zero Carbon Belfast plan. We made this documentary with the hope that it can reflect the value of a Net-Zero Carbon city and the need to protect the environment, thus calling on everyone to contribute to environmental protection. The Award is proof of the results of our efforts, a testament to the value of this work, and a huge motivation for us.

WINNER: Tom Potter (Jazz Drums) Photo 12 Winner Tom Potter being presented his award by Professor Jonathan Vaughan (GSMD Principal)

Jules Jackson
(Assistant Deputy Head of Jazz at GSMD): Not only was Tom’s recital on a truly exceptional level, the musicality and rhythmic feel with which he plays the drums is of a standard to be expected from the most internationally recognised and respected musicians. With everything I’ve heard him play, jazz or otherwise, he brings out the best in the musicians around him and has the audience transfixed on every note

Tom: I’m so delighted to receive the Anjool Maldé Jazz Prize after an amazing 4 years of studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. I’m very grateful to have been chosen and I plan on using the award to invest in my own project to help further develop my career as a musician.

CLOSING STATEMENT (AMMT TRUSTEES): Another year of great achievements for which we extend our warmest congratulations to all the Winners. In the words of one of our Judges, Maggie Dugan, “What an amazing collection of young entrepreneurs and innovators! What spirit!”. We thank all our friends, supporters, sponsors, co-hosts and judges, all of them doing so much for the Trust. A special thank you too to St Peter's College for hosting the excellent 10th Anniversary Event commemorating the Anjool Maldé Endowment at SPC Oxford.

-ENDS-

NOTES:

Jazz Dept GSMD (www.gsmd.ac.uk/music/principal_study/jazz/

Betting Gods Survey Reveals Interesting Facts About Gambling Habits & Horse Racing In UK

Following a survey of it's membership in July 2022, 621 UK punters responded with some fascinating stats and revelations:

Over 50% of horse racing fans are avoiding attending UK racing events due to the current cost of living crisis.

79% of racegoers still prefer to bet on course rather than elsewhere.

72% of UK punters keep their betting a secret, with 5% betting while using the toilet.

Bangor has been ranked the lowest racecourse in the UK, with Ascot coming out top.

Further Questions

More information and data about this survey is available from https://bettinggods.com/betting-stats/Queries may be directed to darren@bettinggods.com

Breakroom, the people-powered job board, has today released its CEO pay comparison tool enabling users to easily compare their pay to that of a well-known CEO. The tool takes some of the UK’s highest profile CEOs and enables users to compare their salaries and discover how many times more the CEO is being paid. The You vs a CEO tool also compares the salary of well-known CEOs with that of their own employees. The results are shocking with CEO earnings ranging from 12 to over 14,000 times that of their frontline hourly employees. Breakroom looked at the 2021 earnings of CEOs from well-known companies and compared this with their data on the average frontline hourly workers’ pay from the same company to reveal how much higher the CEOs' pay is. For example, Bet 365 CEO, Denise Coates took home a staggering £298,600,000 in 2021, meaning she was paid 14,244 times more than her own frontline workers. NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, took home £260,000, being paid 12 times more than her own workers’ pay. Whilst, Simon Roberts the CEO of Sainsbury's who is currently under pressure to pay all staff the Real Living Wage took home 202 times the average Sainsbury's hourly workers' pay.

Anna Maybank, Co-Founder and CEO of Breakroom, commented:

“Exorbitant CEO pay is one of the major contributors to rising inequality in the workplace, and it needs to be tackled.Right now employers are facing the worst candidate shortage in history at the same time employees are facing a massive cost of living crisis.No CEO should be earning hundreds or thousands of times their own workers' pay and it’s unjustifiable that on average it takes just four days for a FTSE 100 CEO to earn the equivalent of a UK frontline worker's annual salary. CEO pay has bounced back post-covid but the pay for frontline staff who kept businesses operating during the pandemic have seen their pay flounder. Our members have told us that low pay mixed with the cost-of-living crisis is the number one reason they are currently looking to leave and change jobs. If businesses want to keep and attract talent they are going to have to start filtering down their profits to frontline workers.”

Breakroom has conducted the largest ever survey of over 300,000 UK frontline workers, asking them about the things that really matter to them, like pay, flexibility, team, and management. Using this data to produce an objective rating of more than 2,300 UK employers.

Harlow, UK – 28th July 2022 – Haag-Streit UK (HS-UK), the leading manufacturer and distributor of gold-standard diagnostic and surgical devices and instruments for ophthalmologists, optometrists, and orthoptists, is pleased to announce that Haag-Streit will be hosting the ‘Eyestar Swept-source OCT - Cutting-edge Diagnostics for Cataract & Refractive Surgery’ Satellite Symposium at the 40th Congress of the ESCRS.

Haag-Streit invites ESCRS delegates to join its distinguished Faculty for the one-hour Satellite Symposium on the Eyestar 900’s versatile diagnostic tools for both cataract and refractive surgery. The Symposium will address the benefits of the Eyestar 900’s swept-source OCT technology and will cover personal experiences and best practice.

Haag-Streit’s exclusive Satellite Symposium will be moderated by Douglas Koch, Professor and Allen, Mosbacher, and Law Chair in Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. The illustrious Faculty includes:

The Symposium will feature an engaging and stimulating series of lectures, the program includes:

The Symposium will take place at 9:30AM on Sunday 18th September 2022 in Space 4 Session Room, MiCo Milano Convention Centre, Milan, Italy.

Places are on a first come, first served basis. To guarantee a place, delegates are encouraged to arrive at the Space 4 Session Room between 9:00AM-9:15AM.

Conrad Energy continues to enable the UK’s energy transition with the announcement of a groundbreaking ceremony held yesterday at their battery storage site in Midsomer Norton, Somerset. The largest flexible power producer and energy services business in the UK broke ground on the project in a ceremony attended by the Mayor of Midsomer Norton, Councillor Lynda Robertson, alongside cabinet member for Climate and SustainableTravel and deputy leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, Councillor Sarah Warren.

The battery storage project marks a big step forward in the realisation of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s net zero strategy. 

“The role of battery storage in our future energy mix is increasingly important as we strive both as a nation and at the local level to balance the rapid growth of renewable energy sources as we accelerate towards net-zero carbon emissions,” said Chris Shears, Conrad Energy’s Chief Development Officer. “The project fits with Conrad Energy’s strategy to support the energy transition through owning and operating resilient and flexible power generation and storage assets that provide vital grid services particularly at times of low wind production and when demand is high. We will have 200MW of batteries operational by the end of this year and plan to deploy 1000MW in the coming years to support our vision for Conrad Energy as a full-service power solutions provider, supporting both the grid as well as commercial and industrial customers.”

Councillor Sarah Warren, deputy leader and cabinet member for Climate and Sustainable Travel, said: 

“We are very pleased to be playing host to this significant new battery storage facility from Conrad Energy and applaud the role it will play in creating the smarter and more flexible energy  we need to get us to net zero 2030.”

Breaking ground on the project marks the start of a three month program to construct the site which will incorporate Tesla Megapacks which will supply power equivalent to the average power needs of nearly 14,000 homes for two hours as well as providing grid stability services to the National Grid and Western Power Distribution. The scheme is anticipated to be fully operational in November 2022.

Education for Everyone (Registered Charity 1172424) has launched an equestrian themed online auction ahead of its fundraising day at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday 13th August. Lots include a morning with Olympian Carl Hester and his team learning how he trains his horses; two annual passes to Newbury Racecourse; tickets to The London International Horse Show; equestrian themed homewares as well as tack and riding boots. In addition, there are several non-equestrian themed staycations and unique experiences up for grabs. All proceeds from the auction will go towards launching the Charity’s Rangers Riding Ranch project. The lots may be viewed by visiting https://app.galabid.com/partyinthepaddock/items
and bids must be placed no later than 23.59 on the 13th of August.

Chairman of Education for Everyone Dean Brockway said “We are delighted to be working with Newbury Racecourse for a second year and hoping to build on the success of our fundraising there in 2021. We decided to move the auction associated with the day online to enable more people to place bids with a view to raising a larger amount in support of our work. We are incredibly grateful to all the companies who have donated items for this auction.”

To find out more about Education for Everyone please visit www.e4echarity.org. Information on the Rangers Riding Ranch project may be found at www.rangersridingranch.org.

First Solution, an MSP 501 ranking managed IT service provider, today unveiled the rebranding of First Solution (and its innovation-focused sister company, First Digital) to Emerge Digital, introducing a new visual identity and website.The new brand is a culmination of the last three years of business development and innovation. The rebranding consolidates both First Solution Group brands; First Solution and First Digital, better reflecting the organisation’s pioneering approach to client relationships. Emerge Digital now offers a full suite of technological solutions including Outsourced IT Support, Cloud Services, Cyber Security, IT Infrastructure, and digital innovation/digital transformation services.

At the core of the rebrand is Emerge Digital’s unique technology process – a carefully designed framework that takes clients on a technology journey, tailored to enable business growth. This framework is the main visual component in the rebranding and is an inspiration for the logo. The name highlights one of the company’s missions – to help clients emerge as digitally-enabled businesses, powered by innovation.

For more information on Emerge Digital, connect with us at emerge.digital or on LinkedIn. 

ISS Group Limited trading as ISS Aerospace (ISS) is pleased to announce that it has received investment from the principal shareholders of CE Turner (engineers) Limited, a company associated with multi-capability precision engineering and manufacturing and with a keen interest in defence and aerospace.

Commenting on this announcement, ISS CEO Ryan Kempley said “Having enhanced our uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) platforms over the past year and with an upsurge of interest in our customer value propositions we are well placed to provide clients with highly integrated platform, sensor, and software solutions. This investment allows us to follow through with our growth plan”.

Chairman of CE Turner, Jeremy Rowson added, “We have been hugely impressed with the achievements and capability of ISS and see great opportunities for significant growth in an exciting, and specialised sector. Our engineering and manufacturing experience coupled with ISS’s exceptional skill in integrating systems is an ideal match.”

About ISS Aerospace

ISS Aerospace (www.issaerospace.com) is an established, UK-based company specialising in advanced, autonomous UAS with applications in wide-area surveillance in energy, defence & security and utilities markets.

As a highly adaptive developer of disruptive technology ISS has several world firsts to its name and has contracts with major clients in both public and private sectors. These include producing UAS powered by hydrogen fuel cells, integrated with novel sensor technologies and using advanced on-board sensor data processing to enable autonomous missions to be flown to deliver actionable intelligence at pace. This is evidenced by the recent award of ISS’s sixth contract by the MoD/Dstl’s Defence and Security Accelerator.

About CE Turner (engineers) Limited

Established in 1950, CE Turner (engineers) Limited is a high-precision engineering company based in Leicestershire, UK specialising in the machining, welding and fabrication of components and complex assemblies for the defence, aerospace and nuclear sectors. Customers include the principal contractors for the UK’s MoD and the company is also branching out into supplying the electric vehicles and robotics sectors.

Redhills, the miners' hall in Durham, may be among only the 900 global sites of UNESCO world heritage status.

They include the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal.

And, if a bid by an international consortium is successful, it could mean that Durham City becomes one of the few places to have two World Heritage sites.

Durham Cathedral and Castle already hold UNESCO status.

Redhills has been selected as one of eight ‘workers assembly halls’ to be put forward for the prestigious UNESCO world heritage status.

These buildings had the common goals of community, welfare and democracy and to preserve this unique heritage and provide a source of reflection for future generations in shaping their world.

The consortium includes similar halls in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Finland and Canada.

The Workers Museum in Copenhagen is spearheading the bid and hopes that UNESCO will consider it in 2024.

There were originally 74 applications to join the group, and it is a testimony to the importance of the Durham miners’ history, heritage and culture that it has been chosen to be among those who represent the best in the world.

Durham Miners Hall, known as Redhills, opened in Durham City in 1915. It was paid for by two hundred thousand working miners, the hall was a democratic hub and the heart of the Durham Coalfield. From Redhills, collective decisions were made, transforming the cultural and social fabric of County Durham; homes for aged miners were commissioned, healthcare for sick and injured miners provided, and welfare halls and reading rooms were built. It provided these services to the people of the coalfield a generation before the national welfare state was established.

Redhills is Grade II listed, with its ‘Pitman's Parliament’ named by Historic England as one of its '100 irreplaceable places. It is ranked alongside the Palace of Westminster as one of the country's top ten landmarks in England's power, protest and progress history.

Redhills charity CEO Nick Malyan said: “To be considered for UNESCO World Heritage recognition is a demonstration of the international significance of Redhills. The Miners’ Hall embodies English working-class democracy, telling a powerful story of struggle and collective achievement. While the nomination and judging process will take time we welcome the opportunity to ensure the Durham coalfield’s story is heard on the global stage it deserves.”

The charity has teamed up with Durham University’s Prof Robin Coningham to progress the UK leg of the bid. Prof Coningham, holder of UNESCO’s 2014 Chair on Archaeological Ethics and Practice in Cultural Heritage, said: “Redhills and all it stands for is hugely significant. The Durham miners were social reformers on a scale rarely seen across the world.

Their memory and achievements should be recognised as being of world heritage status. It will be a privilege to work with the Redhills team to bring this to reality.”

As the project develops, a steering group for the local community will be formed; anyone interested in joining can sign up for project updates at https://redhillsdurham.org/signup/

After spending 17 years of dedication to the Children’s Heart Federation (CHF) and children with congenital or acquired heart conditions, Chief Executive Officer Anne Keatley-Clarke is retiring and will be enjoying some much-earned time with her family and friends.

CHF has benefitted from Anne’s expertise and determination over the last 17 years during which time she is proud to have represented the views of many parents leading to improvements in the outcomes for and care of children with congenital heart disease.

Anne explained about the most rewarding aspects of her role as CEO since taking on the position in 2005.

“Foremost is seeing the extraordinary medical advancements in children with heart conditions; for example, a child who previously would not have been expected to live beyond the age of ten years old, may now go on to have children of their own.

“It has also been a huge privilege to hear the stories shared by parents and carers, these have been used to support our lobbying to make changes to national policy. Parents have shared with us often very tough, heart wrenching stories but these allowed us to make a significant difference.

“Finally, my feelings are of pride in seeing confidence grow in the parents and carers we support giving them the ability to have a voice in their children’s care.”

Chair of trustees, Julie Wootton expressed her thanks to Anne.

“Anne has always been great to work with. She has maintained her drive and enthusiasm for children with heart disease unwaveringly. On a personal level, I can’t thank her enough. I feel we have formed a very good relationship between us and Richard Preedy, our treasurer; these things are vital.

Anne will be missed by us and within the groups and committees where she has had so much influence. We are also fortunate that Anne has agreed to remain with us on a short-term consultancy to mentor Rajwant Kaur-Singh, the new CEO, and bring her insights to the cardiac world.”

About the Children’s Heart Federation

CHF is the leading UK children’s heart charity and works with individuals and organizations concerned with children and young people with health and educational needs due to acquired or congenital heart conditions.

Further information

CHF was registered with the Charity Commission in 1988 and is administered and managed by a board of trustees.

www.chfed.org.uk

Further information or photographs:

Email Joanna Heath joannah@chfed.org.uk or phone 0300 561 0065

Edinburgh Marina Development today endorsed the idea proposed by Fergus Linehan chief of Edinburgh Festival that in future the Festival could be be expanded to Granton. The Edinburgh Marina Development company confirmed today that the area around the new 429 berth Edinburgh Marina had recently been redesigned to provide additional fully-serviced public open space which would be available for arts and leisure.

A spokesperson for the developer said today “We have always believed that Edinburgh Marina, being so close to the city centre, would make an ideal location for the expansion of the Edinburgh Festival.”

Will Gunn Managing Director of Wilson & Gunn Architects (WGA), the developer’s architect said today “The Edinburgh Marina development is a fantastic opportunity for Edinburgh to enhance its renowned cultural and leisure offering to the city and its visitors. The development will elevate both well-established events and deliver creative space for new exciting programs." 

RE-LAUNCH:

LIAM MCPHEE AND THE THIEF OF LAUGHTER

398 pages

A story with a Scottish heart.

“A magic tale that offers fun for young readers, but
skews toward adults in scope.” Kirkus Book Reviews

“The plot which revolves around the magical
Dunvegan Cup of Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of
Skye, is as straight-forward and colorful as a soccer
match.” Kirkus Book Reviews

“Especially recommended for young adults who enjoy
multi-book and winding fantasy sagas, Liam McPhee
& The Thief of Laughter is refreshingly original tale,
well-steeped in Scottish atmosphere and culture, and
replete with enough unexpected twists and turns to
make it a top pick for all ages”. Midwest Book Review

M.Evangeline is a poet, novelist, and scribe
continually in search of the next word, thought, or
expression that brings language to life.

mevangeline.com

B09K9SKH67. KINDLE
978-1737730729. PAPERBACK
Request Review Copies: odes90265atyahoo.com

Celtic Light Press, llc, 30 Gould St.
Sheridan Wy 82801

UK marketing teams are now spending significantly on technology — to achieve bigger results from smaller teams that have been impacted by budget cuts and talent shortages. However, few marketers are taking advantage of analytics to shape their campaigns, according to new industry research.

Despite a widespread squeeze on budgets, tech now accounts for around 25% of spending, reports a martech trends 2022 study from Mediahawk, which quizzed over 60 marketing leaders in healthcare, the automotive sector, IT, retail, education, manufacturing, trade, professional services, and marketing agencies.

In one surprising finding, the report notes that the vast majority of marketers (88%) use analytics in an "overly passive" way, predominantly to monitor campaign performance. Only 27% are using insights to shape their marketing plans and just 6% are identifying critical customer behaviour trends, says the martech trends 2022 study.

"Despite teams having fewer people and budgets being streamlined, martech stacks are getting bigger — as companies strive to increase conversion rates and pursue growth," says Michael Morrell, CEO at Mediahawk. "But relatively few marketers are unearthing the gold buried in their analytics, through tools such as call tracking. With a few deft moves, marketers could identify the entire customer journey in a meaningful way, spot the most critical touch-points, and flag up clear opportunities to optimise their next campaigns. Savvy marketers will be making this a priority in the next 12 months."

Research in "The state of marketing analytics technology 2022" covers the top objectives and challenges for UK marketers today. Intriguingly, the study also reveals the top six tools that marketing teams favour the most, showing the popularity of each.

Other topics featured in this free Mediahawk report include recruitment, the size of budgets, martech trends, and five top recommendations for marketers wanting to achieve more from their tech stack.

About Mediahawk
Mediahawk are pioneers in call tracking technology and marketing attribution of calls. They work across an ever growing range of sectors, including healthcare, automotive, finance, legal, care homes, technology, and marketing agencies. Mediahawk is trusted by businesses around the world to take the guesswork out of their marketing performance and drive more sales.

Broadway Lodge, Britain’s longest established abstinence-based rehab located in Weston-Super-Mare, are running supportive online Zoom courses for anyone who is affected by a loved ones addiction. It’s a day-and-a-half online course held once a month to help educate, support and improve the wellbeing of people affected by someone else’s addiction. Specialising in the treatment of addiction, Broadway Lodge knows how invaluable education and talking in a safe space can be for anyone who is affected by it.

Head of Treatment and Counselling at Broadway Lodge, Markkus Trew, says “Addiction is an illness that can turn lives upside down and tear families apart. It doesn’t just affect the person with the addiction, but often those closest to the individual will become a victim too, caught up in the chaos and devastation it causes. The mental and emotional wellbeing of loved ones can nosedive after suffering with stress, worry and fear for the person that they love and just want to help them and see them well again. One of the topics we talk about is the enabling cycle. Family members usually try to help their loved one in any way they can by providing whatever it is the person with addiction asks for. But this is enabling behaviour that just lets the addiction manifest further and it actually does more harm than good.”

He says that through the family programme, attendees will feel less isolated and feel empowered with the confidence to move forward and know what they need to do next. Attendees will get to really understand addiction, understand the unhelpful patterns of behaviour they are exhibiting, and very importantly, learn healthy behaviours. They will learn how to ‘let go’ and how to recover from the traumas of addiction in the family as well as what they can do to improve their own wellbeing.

The Broadway Lodge Family Programme is held over two separate days, currently the last Thursday and Friday of the month. The first session is an all-day session from 9.30am – 4.30pm and focuses on various topics, so is designed to be educational. The second session, held the following day from 9.30am – 12.30pm, involves group therapy and discussion between all participants. It is led by senior counsellor Chrissy at Broadway Lodge via Zoom and there are usually no more than 10 participants. The next Online Family Programme is being held on Thursday 25th
August (09.30am – 4.30pm) and Friday 26th August 2022 (09.30am – 12.30pm).

Although Broadway Lodge is located in Weston-Super-Mare (North Somerset), as it’s delivered online, attendees can join from anywhere. To participate in the Online Family Programme costs £49 for up to two people sharing a screen. Further details along with booking instructions can be found on the events section on their website at www.broadwaylodge.org.uk/events/

Nobody wants to be the business that ups its prices just for profit. In a time of controlled consumerism, where the public and businesses are more wary of spending on anything that is non-essential, business owners and leaders are cautious of losing any more business than what is already happening.

Finding a sustainable and socially conscious way of creating savings without cutting back on quality is a hard line to walk. People want to pay the right price for the right product, but as prices start to rise, buyers inevitably start cutting back themselves. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have found that the price of low-cost grocery products have increased at a faster rate than more expensive goods. The ONS noted that between April 2021 and April 2022 in particular, that some everyday items rose 15% or more – with pasta leading the charge with a price increase of 50% during this time.

The quality of services provided however is not the only problem that business owners and leaders face in a potential recession. Small and medium businesses (SMEs) especially are often the lifeblood of any community. They not only provide services, but jobs – livelihoods. As prices on essential items (such as groceries) continue to rise, people inevitably start weighing up the cost of asking for a fair pay rise from their employers.

For SME’s, it is hard to compete with the larger companies due to a lack of buying power. When the decision comes down to whether to cut back on hours or to look for cheaper suppliers (and therefore cheaper product), the moral choice is not always clear. Most businesses at this point are looking for any way in which to reduce costs, but there is one place that is relatively untouched.

Business rates are often the last thought on any commercial property owner/tenants mind, but as inflation soars, business owners and leaders are looking for any way to create savings.

Currently, local authority’s keep 50% of the income from the business rates they collect. The other 50% goes to central government, where it is supposed to then be divided into grants for other local authorities across the UK. On average, business rates raise around £25 billion per year across England and Wales , and this figure is expected to rise to £30 billion in the coming years.

The current Rating List – the list of commercial properties Rateable Values (RV) held by central/local government during a specific period of time – is coming to a close, and generally that would mean that the time for business owners and leaders to see about getting a reduction in their business rates is closing. However, given the post-Covid economy, the government have continued to revise business rates for the next Rating List beyond the Antecedent Valuation Date (1st April 2021). This has included that ratepayers can continue an appeal against their business rates in the previous Rating List (1st April 2017 to 31st March 2023) beyond the end date, as long as the first stage of the Check, Challenge, Appeal (CCA) process has been confirmed.

This decision has sparked more calls for regulation with the upcoming revaluation – one of which is that the 2023 Rating List will only run for three years.

Some believe however that the government could do more with business rates to help businesses. The Treasury has come under recent pressure to pursue a reduction in business rates, with organisations such as the CBI calculating that the tax on commercial properties in the UK are 50% above the G7 average (as a proportion of GDP – Gross Domestic Product) .

“A fairer business rates tax system is the ultimate goal,” said Anthony Hughes, Managing Director of business rates reduction specialist RVA Surveyors. “We have found that 50% of the properties that engage with us could achieve a reduction in their business rates. But the government need to do more than just schedule rates reviews. Businesses are coming out the other side of the pandemic to higher costs across the board. Some relief schemes are ending soon and with that, a lot of help for the businesses that are struggling the most.”

The number of reliefs available to business owners and leaders is dependent on relative eligibility criteria. Reliefs in England and Wales can be applied to any manner of business, and for a comprehensive list and possible eligibility, RVA Surveyors suggests checking the VOA website. While reliefs can be an unexpected boon to commercial property owners and tenants, the life-expectancy of them is shaky at best as central government often change or abolish them completely.

“With the political landscape as it is, candidates for conservative leadership need to commit to helping businesses navigate rising inflation and the cost of living crisis.” Anthony Hughes commented.

“Focusing on just slashing taxes is not going to help in the long-run. What the UK economy needs is business owners and leaders that are able to grow and invest not only in their own businesses, but also their local communities.”

With experts widely predicting that UK business rates will increase by as much as 12% in the new Rating List, business owners and leaders need to start investigating potential reductions in their business rates as soon as possible. A report compiled by Centre For Cities highlighted four key problems that commercial property owners and tenants found with business rates: business rates are too complex, they discourage investment, they do not reflect local economic realities, and finally, that business rates do not boost local growth.

Insolvencies across England and Wales have increased by 81% between April-June 2022 when compared with this time last year , it is clear that the government needs to take a long hard look at what else can be done to help businesses and stimulate the economy.

The APC delivery network - the largest independent parcel delivery network in the UK - is today celebrating its first female driver to successfully pass her HGV driving exam. Ann Male, who joined the business in January 2020 as a Warehouse Operative, has successfully passed her Class 1 HGV test and this month will transfer to The APC’s transport department, where she will become The APC’s first employed female HGV driver.

Since joining the business, Ann, with the support of The APC, has worked hard to progress through the company; being offered the role of warehouse trainee supervisor just nine months after she joined the business, before being promoted to warehouse supervisor in March 2022. When the business advertised its ‘warehouse to wheels’ scheme in August 2021, Ann applied for the course - and through her determination, gained the necessary practical, technical and legal knowledge needed to successfully pass within six months of starting on the course.

Jonathan Smith, Chief Executive at The APC, said: “Ann is a fantastic example of how hard work and dedication can put someone on a wonderful career path. Employees like Ann are the future of our business and I really hope her journey will inspire others to build a rewarding career in logistics. In the past year we have responded to industry-wide issues of recruiting HGV drivers, implementing our ‘warehouse to wheels’ scheme, to attract and train a new generation of drivers. Since launching the scheme we’ve been encouraged by the unprecedented levels of interest seen within the business, with 30% under the age of 30, and 12% female, indicating that the scheme is developing a more diverse pool of HGV drivers.”

With reports showing that just 1% of the UK’s HGV drivers are women, and with women still only accounting for 20% of the workforce across the UK logistics industry*, The APC remains committed to investing in career opportunities for women.

Across the business The APC has continued to review its processes and practices to ensure flexible working is well supported and promoted, whilst investing heavily in learning and talent initiatives to support career development across its workforce.

Latest data from the business shows that the representation of women in its workforce has increased four years running - from 23% in 2018, 24% in 2019, 26% in 2020 and 27% in 2021 - with many teams and management roles seeing a sharp increase in female employees. Within the executive team, The APC has a 50% female representation, whilst in the Day Operations team 55% of positions are held by women. 19% of women within the business also hold a supervisory role or management position, with 32% of female workers also proudly accomplishing over five years’ service in the business, and 7% achieving over 10 years’ service.

Corina Forman, HR Director at The APC, said: “At The APC we look to provide long-term career prospects for people, providing training and upskilling opportunities to not only ensure staff continue to feel recognised for all their efforts and maintain a sense of job security, but also to help grow the next generation of leaders. We’ve been delighted by the sheer determination and aptitude to learn that so many of our female colleagues have shown in the last couple of years - 40% of colleagues completing an apprenticeship qualification are female, and 13 female colleagues have, or are completing, a professional qualification, supported by the business.”

Jonathan Smith, continued: “Now more than ever, we need ambitious people across the country to answer the call to join the evolving logistics sector, taking advantage of the fantastic training and lifelong career opportunities the industry can offer. The world is still changing and our business is building for the times. With that comes so much opportunity for people to forge a successful and rewarding career in logistics.”

*https://www.womenintransport.com/

Paula Craig MBE will attempt to become the first person with a complete Spinal Cord Injury to swim the 22 miles of the Channel without a wetsuit, taking on the challenge to mark the 21st anniversary since she was injured. She will swim as part of a relay channel swim team for Aspire, the national charity that supports people with Spinal Cord Injury. Her previous swimming challenges include the Solent in 2014 and The Dart 10k in 2019. An attempt at swimming the Channel with the team last year was thwarted by bad weather.

In May 2001 Paula, an elite marathon runner training for the GB national triathlon team and a serving police officer with the Metropolitan Police, was knocked off her bike whilst training. Following the accident Paula was supported by Aspire and says, “The support and opportunities provided by Aspire in the days and months after my injury were invaluable both in terms of my mental and physical health.” She subsequently went on to compete in the London Marathon in a wheelchair (making her the only person to have run and pushed the London Marathon), and came second to Tanni Grey-Thompson. She also competed as a wheelchair triathlete at an international level and continued working as a policewoman, becoming a DI and working in the murder squad, internal affairs and counter terrorism. In 2005 she was awarded the MBE for her services to policing.

Asked about the impending swim Paula reflects, “21 years ago this year my life changed in an instant when I was hit by a car whilst out cycling, leaving me paralysed from the waist down. As a police officer and marathon runner, I had no idea what the future would hold but, thanks to Aspire and the amazing work they do, I was able to return to both and to live life to the full. To mark the anniversary of the accident and to celebrate my achievements of the past 20 years, I will be taking on the waves, the cold water and the jellyfish to raise much-needed funds so that Aspire can continue its vital work helping those affected by Spinal Cord Injury."

The team of six, known as the Aspire Mutts in recognition of Archie, Paula’s cockerpoo and constant companion, will be leaving Dover at 01.30 am 4th August.

Find out more and sponsor Paula: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/paulacraig