Games such as ‘i-spy’, traditionally used to help pass the time on long car journeys with children, could soon be a thing of the past as more and more children turn to phones and tablets for entertainment on the road, according to new research among parents planning to drive on holiday this year from Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Less than a third of children (31%) now play i-spy in the car. Instead, 45% play games on phones or tablets, while 36% watch TV shows on their technological devices.

When asked what keeps the children amused for the longest time in the car, over half (51%) of parents now say phones and tablets are the runaway winner, and just one in ten (10%) think i-spy or ‘other car games’ (9%) are effective.

This shows a marked increase in the use of technology among children in just the last two years – in 2015 Enterprise conducted similar research which showed over a third of parents (36%) still found car games to be an effective way to keep children entertained.

Four in five parents (79%) say that their children play on phones or tablets for ‘hours on end’, and a third of parents (32%) say they ‘never limit’ how long their children use them. Almost a third of parents (29%) also say their children can use their ‘phones and tablets how they want to’ and they don’t control what content the children have access to.

This includes use of social media; 76% of all parents, including 71% of parents with children aged 10 and under, allow them to access social media – despite age restrictions which are supposed to prevent children under 13 from using most social media platforms. Among the under 10s, YouTube is the favourite social media platform (44%), followed by Facebook (32%), Instagram (22%), and Snapchat.

While some parents are relaxed about their children using phones and tablets for extended periods of time – 22% say ‘they aren’t bothered at all’ and 16% say they ‘don’t care as long as it keeps them quiet’ – others have concerns. When questioned, 20% of parents said they would rather their children engaged with other people in the car, nearly a quarter (22%) say they wish they would play traditional games instead, and almost one in five (18%) are worried this level of tech usage could be bad for their general health.

Tech in the car can also cause friction. Four in ten (40%) parents say phones and tablets cause arguments in the car, with 16% saying arguments are due to their children being glued to it, while 13% say they argue over who gets to use the phone or tablet.

However, no amount of technology is sufficient to stop children saying the dreaded words ‘are we there yet’ and ‘I need the loo’. On average, children now ask ‘are we there yet’ only 37 minutes into the journey and say they ‘need the loo’ after only 44 minutes – making the 37 to 44-minute period of a car journey the ‘seven minutes of doom’ when parents need to rush to find a suitable place for a break.

The research – which was conducted across several European countries – showed British children to be the most impatient in Europe. German children ask, ‘are we there yet’ on average after 45 minutes; French children after 44 minutes, Spanish children after 41 minutes and Irish children after 38 minutes.

On most occasions (64%) parents will wait until the next service station to allow their children to answer the call of nature, although 15% say they pull into the hard shoulder, and a strict 8% make their children wait until they reach the final destination.

It is hardly surprising then that many parents admit to the odd ‘fib’ ahead of a lengthy car journey – half of parents (50%) say they have told their children that a long car journey would be shorter than they expected it to be.

Ben Lawson, Vice President of Rental for Europe, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, says: “I have fond memories of playing games like i-spy in the car when I was a child. And like other parents, I still make the effort to play these games with my own children now, even though I also let them use tablets and phones once we’ve exhausted the amusement potential of car games.

“Our research shows that nine out of 10 people find it stressful to drive abroad on holiday – so keeping the children amused on longer trips means the parents can concentrate on the road – and of course, on finding that vital location for a loo break within 45 minutes!”

The UK’s largest hearing loss charity, Action on Hearing Loss, is urging GPs and other health and social care practitioners in Ythe West Midlands to ensure that the 433,500 local residents who are deaf or have hearing loss receive the right communication support.

The call comes as a review by NHS England published today (date)  found that almost a year since the Accessible Information Standard became law, more than half of patients who responded to a survey have not noticed any improvement in getting accessible information or communication support from NHS services.

The Standard, which was put into force on August 1 2016, requires all publicly funded health and adult social care organisations to meet the communication needs of people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss, including the one in six people living with hearing loss and deafness.

The review found that more than two-thirds of patients had not been asked about their information and communication needs by NHS services over the last six months. Almost a third of patients also reported that they do not usually get or have never received the communication support they need from NHS services. Many people with deafness and hearing loss still struggled to contact GP and hospital services when they needed to, and felt that staff did not know how to communicate with them.

The release of the review comes ahead of Care Quality Commission (CQC) plans to incorporateadherence to the Accessible Information Standard into its inspection criteria. This is due to come into effect in October.

Roger Wicks, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Action on Hearing Loss, said: “The Accessible Information Standard was an important milestone – for the first time, health and social care organisations have been required by law to record and meet the communication needs of people with hearing loss. It is clear, however, that more work is needed to ensure it is consistently implemented and enforced.

“People who are deaf or have hearing loss have long been denied the fundamental right to have equal access to the full benefits of our healthcare system and we believe that the Standard, properly implemented, will have a great impact. While we know that some patients have seen improvements, it’s vitally important that all patients with communication needs are experiencing tangible, positive change.”

One patient with hearing loss who responded to the survey said, “I am unable to use the phone and my GP and NHS hospital services are unable to communicate with [me] in any other way, SMS, live chat, email, etc. so booking appointments, getting test results, and getting advice from a GP on the phone is impossible. [It is] the same with the NHS 111 service.”

Another patient, who is deaf and has had a positive experience, said, “In the last six months the service has improved with more communication support at the hospital, they always ask if we need British Sign Language support, and I always say yes.”

The charity worked with NHS England on the development of the Standard to address the fact that prior to its implementation, more than a quarter of patients with hearing loss did not understand their diagnosis after visiting their GP and two in three British Sign Language (BSL) users did not get an interpreter.

A year after it opened to the public on August 4, 2016, British Airways i360 will mark its first anniversary by thanking its customers and the city for their support.

As part of the celebrations:

• All customers taking a flight on the British Airways i360 pod on August 4, 2017, will be offered a birthday cupcake. A live band will perform on site in the afternoon and there will be free face-painting for children.
• Customers on the 2pm flight on August 4, which marks the moment the attraction opened to the public last year, will also be welcomed with free drinks from the Nyetimber Sky Bar.
• Any customers born on August 4 will be given a free flight on their birthday, subject to availability*.
• The attraction's 26,000 Resident Members will have their membership extended free of charge, meaning they can continue to enjoy half-price tickets for another 12 months**. Time restrictions on usage have also been lifted so that Resident Member discounts apply at any time of day, year-round.
• In addition to the 39,000 free tickets given to the city's school children in the last year, British Airways i360 will send free tickets to children starting reception classes in Brighton & Hove state schools in autumn 2017.
• The Belle Vue restaurant at British Airways i360 closes today (July 24) for a refit, and will re-open under a new name – the West Beach Bar & Kitchen, in time for the first-year anniversary. Celebrated local neon artist Andy Doig is creating a bespoke piece for the bar area and artwork by other Brighton artists will be displayed for sale year-round. Please see supplementary press release w/c July 31 for full information about the West Beach Bar & Kitchen.

“As we mark our first birthday next week, everyone at British Airways i360 will be celebrating the enormous achievements of the past year and the benefits the project has brought to Brighton & Hove. Most importantly, we will be thanking the city and our customers for their fantastic support.”

British Airways i360 was conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects, and was part-funded by a capital loan from the Public Works Loan Board via Brighton & Hove City Council. The council earns around £1m a year from interest on the loan, plus additional income from business rates and 1% of BA i360 ticket sales in perpetuity.

British Airways i360 Chairman David Marks said: “Over the last year, British Airways i360 has paid £2.6m to Brighton & Hove City Council in loan repayments, money the council is now using to regenerate the seafront. British Airways i360 has created 150 new local jobs, given away 39,000 tickets to the city's school children and won eight prestigious awards for design and innovation.”

Following the fatal stabbing of Troy Paul, in Birmingham, in July, a special prayer concert has been organized in his honour and to pray for the city, and support the families whose sons, brothers, nephews and other family members who are victims of knife crimes -100% of the funds raised there going direct to the families.

This comes after the visit of Pastor Samuel Jonathan, who attended a vigil held in memory of Paul – an experience which he found especially moving, which was compounded by the fact that his death was the fourth knife-related killing in Birmingham within one week.

Furthermore, the person charged with the murder of Troy (23), a father of a 10-month-old child, was only 15.

The other knife-crime victims were named as: Alexander Leonard (aged 22), 65-year-old Philip Rolph and Daniel Baird (26).

Seeing prayers change and transform communities around the world, Pastor Jonathan has organised prayer concerts in Atlanta, London and Accra and he firmly believes that prayer can bring godly change - hence the ‘Birmingham Prayer & Benefit Concert,’ a free event featuring an inspiring fusion of live music, poetry, sculpting, fine-art painting, choreography and prayer, to be held at the Sparkbrook Community Centre, on Grantham Road, on Saturday August 5.

Donations are welcomed and will go towards the support of the families.

This is the only organised concert and prayer gathering in memory and honour of the four fatal knife-crime victims!

To donate towards the hosting of the concert, volunteer or further information, visit -www.BirminghamPrayerConcert.org

Pupils from dozens of local schools were honoured for their creative talents at a glittering awards bash.

The annual Digital Learning Awards – The Digis – took place at the Grand Theatre earlier this month and celebrated the achievements of children and young people and their teachers in film and digital media creativity.

Around 500 entries were submitted into a range of categories by pupils from schools across Wolverhampton, including animation, publication, music, short film, audio, artwork, photography and design. There were also awards for the best computer game or programme, most innovative practice and a collaborative online writing project.

Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Elias Mattu, who opened the awards ceremony, said: "The Digis has once again highlighted the immense talent we have in our City's schools.

"We had excellent and deserving winners across all age groups and I know the judges had a tough time selecting them as all the entries were impressive.

"The students, and their teachers, worked hard for their awards, and it was a real pleasure to be part of such an uplifting event."

Councillor Claire Darke, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Education, added: "ICT is a very important part of the curriculum and pupils and staff in our schools have access to a range of fantastic software which enables our children to be wonderfully creative, producing animations, artwork, films and podcasts.

"I am delighted to see the hard work of young people and teachers recognised in this way and everyone concerned should feel rightly proud of their efforts."

Among the winners and finalist winners in Early Years and Key Stage 1 were pupils from D'Eyncourt, Perry Hall, Bilston CE, Villiers, Wilkinson, Dunstall Hill, West Park, Oak Meadow, St Stephen's CE, St Alban's CE, Merridale, Stowlawn, St Alban’s CE, St Michael’s CE, Loxdale, Graiseley, St Luke’s CE, St Anthony’s Catholic, Eastfield and Merridale primary schools, Phoenix Nursery, Penn Fields and Green Park schools and Broadmeadow Special School.

Winners and finalists at Key Stage 2 to 5 included pupils from St Stephen's CE, Bilston CE, Dunstall Hill, D'Eyncourt, Dovecotes, Berrybrook, Merridale, Oak Meadow, Wilkinson, Eastfield, Trinity CE, Green Park, Palmers Cross, St Alban's CE, St Luke's CE, Goldthorn Park, St Anthony’s Catholic, West Park, Graiseley, St Michael’s CE, St Patrick’s Catholic, Long Knowle and St Paul’s CE primary schools, Highfields School, The Royal School, Heath Park School, St Matthias, St Edmunds Catholic, The King's CE School, Penn Hall School, Penn Fields School and Tettenhall Wood.

With so much beautiful countryside up and down the UK, exploring the great outdoors can be enjoyed by everyone, parents, children and even your canine companions. What better time to do this than during National Parks Week, this annual family celebration runs from 24th-30th July and aims to highlight everything that is wonderful about Britain’s breath-taking spaces.

There are 15 National Parks across the UK all of which are free to enjoy and they include many free family events. Responsible dog-walkers are all welcome, so your furry family friends needn’t be left at home. Lintbells, manufacturer of premium natural pet supplements including YuMOVE, the UK’s No. 1 joint supplement; believe in choosing an active life for both dogs and owners and exploring the wonderful spaces on offer at a National Park is a great way to do this.

From Exmoor to North Yorkshire Moors, the UK’s beautiful National Parks can be found across the country, so you and your family don’t have to travel too far to your nearest one. Covering a whole range of landscapes, including moorlands and coastal walks there is plenty of variety for dogs and families to enjoy.

As with many other public walking areas, there are a few important things to remember to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Here are a few simple tips and things to bear in mind when enjoying the National Parks.

• When exploring the beautiful open land, dogs should be kept close by, under control and in sight at all times.
• On open access land in particular, owners should use a short lead, no longer than 2 metres.
• A lead should also be used near farm animals, particularly sheep as they can be sensitive to dogs, and many footpaths cross their grazing land. It’s vital to respect all wildlife and livestock as you are in their habitat, your pooch may be harmless and just excitable but don’t let them chase or disturb the nearby animals.

To keep these wonderful outdoor spaces in the same condition as you found them, please ensure the whole family, pets included, respect the land. This means clearing up after your dog, taking all litter home with you and sticking to designated footpaths where possible.

Alethea Maillard, Marketing Manager at Lintbells said, “We know that it can be hard to think of ways to not only keep the kids entertained during the school holidays, but to keep them (and your furry four-legged friends) active as well. There is so much beautiful land that is free to enjoy across the UK, and National Parks Week is a great way of highlighting this. It encourages parents to get their children and dogs outside exploring the great outdoors this summer. We strongly believe in choosing an active life, for both humans and animals alike, and a trip to a National Park is perfect for this.”

For those dogs that are leading an active life YuMOVE supplement can help support their joints and mobility ensuring they can enjoy adventures for many years to come.