Health & Wellbeing

What’s romance without a bit of banter, competition and fun?

As romantic as it might be to book a candlelit dinner at a fancy restaurant, or to buy the usual bouquet of flowers, or chocolates, that can make Valentine’s Day celebrations super predictable. Why not quit being conventional and surprise your other half with an exciting alternative? A trip to The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience!

If you’re a couple that prefers not to spend the 14th February doing the usual mushy activities, are die-hard fans of the iconic 90s show, or if you just enjoy a challenge and taking the micky out of each other, then this is the perfect way to celebrate this Valentine’s.

To share the love The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience is also offering 15 couples who have been married more than 15 years, and therefore celebrating their Crystal anniversary, the chance to win a pair of free* tickets to its attraction in Manchester or London.

Whether you’re a couple seeking alternative ways to have fun this Valentine’s, or a group of mates trying to avoid all things hearts and romance, teams of eight will be lead around the maze’s four themed zones: Aztec, Medieval, Industrial and Futuristic, by a charismatic Maze Master.

Inside each zone are different challenges: skill, physical, mental and mystery and it’s up to your team captain to decide who takes on which challenge with the ultimate goal of winning a crystal. Each crystal won means more time in the iconic dome, where the aim is to catch enough golden tickets to bag yourself a spot on the coveted leader board!

Spend this Valentine’s lost in The Crystal Maze rolling around with laughter, running and even crawling to get to the Crystal dome at the end as the whole experience is hilariously entertaining from start to finish.

With news of the flu being a hot topic right now, Hallfield School in Edgbaston put on a special assembly teaching youngsters all about germs and the importance of hygiene.

This morning, school nurse, Mrs Florance, took over the Pre-Prep assembly to talk about germs, where they are, and how we can stop them from spreading.

They discussed the importance of washing your hands and a number of volunteers assisted in explaining the steps on how to do it thoroughly.

Mrs Florance rounded off the assembly with a song ‘If you’re happy and you know it wash your hands.’

Speaking of the assembly, Mrs Florance said: “The flu has affected a lot of people across the country this year so we thought it was crucial that we teach our younger children how to stay safe by preventing germs from getting into out bodies.

“Washing hands regularly with soap and warm water could limit the spread of germs and reduce the risk of catching the flu.

 “This winter’s outbreak is reported to be 16 times more severe than last year’s so it really is worrying.”

Aussie flu is on the rise in the UK with Government data showing 4,128 people being struck down across England last week, compared to 3,044 new cases the week before.

Anne Oliver, Head of Pre-Prep at Hallfield School, said: “It's not just parents who cultivate habits of cleanliness in children, we realise that teachers have a responsibility to teach and reinforce hygiene habits too.

“It's vital that children understand the importance of hygiene and washing your hands so they can lead healthier lives.”

National estate agents Leaders has confirmed Teenage Cancer Trust as its new charity partner for 2018 and announced it plans to raise £50,000 for the good cause.

The property firm will work with Teenage Cancer Trust over the next 12 months to fundraise and raise awareness of its invaluable work in supporting the thousands of young people in the UK aged between 13 and 24 who are diagnosed with cancer each year.

Teenage Cancer Trust provides expert staff and specialist units across the UK to care for young people diagnosed with cancer. Currently, almost half of young people with cancer are not treated in Teenage Cancer Trust units, so the charity is building a wider nursing and support service within the NHS to help all young people, wherever they receive treatment.

Allison Thompson, managing director at Leaders, says: “Every day, seven young people aged between 13 and 24 are diagnosed with cancer and it is only thanks to the work of Teenage Cancer Trust that they have specialist support, advice and care available to them.

“The unique support the charity offers makes a huge difference to the young people they help, and their families, but unfortunately there are still some young people they simply cannot reach. I know all our staff at Leaders are ready to get behind Teenage Cancer Trust and use their imagination and hard work to fundraise on its behalf in 2018 and hopefully we can go a small way towards helping the charity realise its aim of ensuring no young person has to face cancer alone.”

Sian Cooper, regional fundraiser at Teenage Cancer Trust, says: “Right now, for every young person that we reach, there is another that we can’t. We’re determined to reach every young person with cancer in the UK and with Leaders’ help, we can get steps closer to making this happen. We can’t thank the staff enough for choosing to support us in 2018 and we’re so excited to be working with them and see the amazing ways they get involved to support young people with cancer.”

With Teenage Cancer Trust set to receive Leaders’ support in 2018, it marks the end of the company’s previous partnership with Together for Short Lives that saw it raise approximately £150,000 for the children’s hospice charity in the last three years.

It’s not too late for people to get protected against flu and help themselves Stay Well This Winter, with free vaccinations available to people from at risk groups.

A mix of flu types, including the strain dubbed Aussie flu which first appeared last winter in the UK and then in Australia, are currently in circulation in the region, and people who have not yet had their vaccinations are being urged to do so as soon as possible.

Dr Helen Carter, Deputy Director at Public Health England (PHE) West Midlands, said: “Our data shows that more people are visiting GPs with flu symptoms and we are seeing more people admitted to hospitals with the flu.

“The vaccine is the best defence we have against the spread of flu and it isn’t too late for people to go to their GP or pharmacist and get vaccinated – especially those in risk groups including those aged 65 and over, pregnant women, young children or those with a long-term medical condition.”

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “Several million people get flu each winter, and while for most healthy people, recovering from flu can take roughly a week, for those who are more vulnerable it can be very dangerous and even life-threatening.

“The message is clear; please get the flu vaccine now because it’s better late than never.

“The vaccine is free if you are in one of the at-risk groups, and even if you are not, you can still arrange to get your vaccination for a small charge from many local pharmacies.”

Symptoms of flu include the sudden onset of fever, cough, sore throat, aching muscles and joints. The best advice is to rest, keep warm and drink plenty of water. Health chiefs also recommend people take paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower high temperatures and relieve aches if necessary.

People suffering from flu-like symptoms should catch coughs or sneezes in tissues and bin them immediately, wash their hands regularly with soap and warm water and frequently clean surfaces to stop the spread of flu.

It is also important that people with symptoms of flu avoid unnecessary contact with others. Anyone concerned about their symptoms should instead stay at home and contact their GP or call NHS 111 to seek further advice.

Providing flu vaccinations is part of the Stay Well This Winter campaign, a joint initiative from NHS England and Public Health England to help the public ward off common winter illnesses. Please visit www.nhs.uk/staywell for more information.

Health chiefs are encouraging families in Wolverhampton to help children reduce their sugar intake by choosing healthier snacks.

It comes as new data shows youngsters in England are eating nearly three times the recommended amount of sugar.

Half the sugar children and young people consume comes from snacks and sugary drinks, and too much can cause serious health problems, painful tooth decay and harmful fats building up inside the body.

To help people reduce the amount of sugar their children are consuming and choose healthier snacks while shopping, Public Health England’s Change4Life campaign has this week unveiled a simple mantra: "Look for 100 calorie snacks, two a day max!".

Parents can sign up to the Change4Life website – www.nhs.uk/change4life – to receive money-off vouchers for healthier snacks and helpful tips, while primary school age children will receive a leaflet over the next few weeks packed with healthier snacking ideas and fun activities.

An updated Change4Life Food Scanner app is also being launched, bringing labels to life and showing just how much sugar, salt and saturated fat is inside everyday snacks, foods and drinks. It can be downloaded for free from the iTunes store or Google Play.

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “We have a well-documented issue with weight problems among children and young people – as well as adults – in Wolverhampton.

“Just over a quarter of our 10-year-olds are classed as obese compared to just under a fifth nationally, and this is something the council and its partners are determined to address.

“While eating well and in moderation is ultimately down to the individual, it is the responsibility of parents and carers to ensure their children enjoy a balanced, healthy diet and to reduce the amount of sugar they are consuming.

“I welcome Public Health England’s latest Change4Life campaign; it will help families make healthier choices and I’d urge parents to try out the free tools and resources which are available online."

The fry up is getting a makeover as Waitrose launches new meat sausages which are also packed with up to 35% fruit, vegetables or pulses. The sausages have been developed for shoppers looking to reduce their meat intake. Added ingredients include lentils, cauliflower and kale.

The range is one of the supermarket's new healthier food launches for 2018 which also includes sandwiches made with omelette in place of bread, edamame noodles and miso balls, all of which add protein to your diet.

The products will also carry the new Waitrose 'Good Health' label which has been designed to make it easier for shoppers to make healthier choices, and which is being introduced across a range of products from this week.

Along with the sausages (which include a Pork, Butternut Squash & Kale flavour), shoppers' midweek favourites - meatballs and mince - have been boosted with nutritious ingredients too.  Recipes include Harissa Chicken, Cauliflower Rice & Chickpea Meatballs which provide a source of fibre.

For those not wanting to stray too far from the traditional, the retailer is also launching Cumberland Chipolatas and Beef Mince, but with added mixed pulses including pinto beans and green lentils).

High protein foods are fast growing in popularity with gym goers. And Waitrose has revamped its sandwich range to include a wrap which, in place of a normal tortilla, uses omelette. The egg means the sandwich is high in protein which helps muscles grow, as part of a healthy balanced diet. The Protein Power Chicken and Chorizo Wrap sits alongside two new vegan sandwiches -  Vegan Mean Greens and the Sweet Potato and Chipotle Sandwich - helping to meet the growing demand for vegan food.

Healthier twists have been given to the Waitrose stir fry range, too. Shoppers can now swap regular noodles for edamame ones, which have five times the fibre and three times the protein of a standard egg noodle.  They follow the trend for customers wanting easy yet healthier swaps for traditional ingredients.

Waitrose is also offering Mushroom and Miso Stir Fry Bites, which will appeal to vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians. They can be added as a meat replacement in Asian dishes and are a source of fibre and high in protein.

Nathalie Winn, Waitrose Senior Nutritionist says, “We've recently found that a third of shoppers* find it difficult to know which foods to choose for a healthy diet. Our new label will help busy customers find the healthier options on our shelves.  Introducing more creative options to your diet such as meat sausages packed with veggies will keep mealtimes interesting and help keep healthy resolutions on track.”

The new 'Good Health' label will show on many of the supermarket's own-brand products, from fresh produce, juices and smoothies to store cupboard essentials including pulses and grains. Every product carrying the Good Health label has been assessed by a team of nutritionists and meet strict criteria based on government guidelines for fat, saturated fat, added sugar and salt, and so won't appear on products with red traffic lights, apart from where the fats and sugars are naturally occurring.

The nutritional benefits of the products will be clearly signposted on packaging, including claims such as whether they're high in, or a source of, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients - as well as information on how this in turn benefits health.

Indicators such as 'high in fibre', 'Source of Vitamin D' and '1 of your 5 a day' will help customers to make healthier choices.

As part of a wider approach to help colleagues and customers on health, Tesco has today stepped up plans to help make healthier choices a little easier for shoppers by backing the first Public Health England Change4Life campaign to promote healthier snacking for children.

Building on the success of Tesco's 2017 'Little Helps to Healthier Living' campaign which saw the biggest monthly increase in the healthiness of their customers' baskets, the new initiative will help parents, shopping in-store and online, choose affordable healthier snacks that are 100 calories or less.

The campaign, which runs for the month of January, will appear in all Tesco stores and online at Tesco.com. It includes in-store point of sale promotional materials of healthier kids' snacks featuring Change4Life branding. The snacks – which include Pink Lady Apple Snack Packs, Goodness Strawberry Cereal bars and Tesco Pineapple Pieces in Juice 120g – will be available at everyday low prices.

Online, Tesco will use innovative technology in partnership with SpoonGuru to allow customers to quickly and simply find 130 healthier snacks containing 100 calories or less.

Support for the Change4Life healthier snacking campaign is part of Tesco's integrated approach to help colleagues and customers at a time of the year when healthier eating is front of mind. Other key initiatives include:

• Helpful 'little swaps' – at the front of all large stores a helpful basket comparison will highlight ten 'little swaps' that are lower in sat fat, salt and sugar. Taken together the ten little swaps will be 18% lower in price than the less healthy alternative basket. Additionally, 60 healthier alternatives will be highlighted under a 'Helpful Little Swaps' banner in-store and online.
• Weekly Little Helps – each week in January Tesco will offer lower prices on fresh fruit and vegetables in store and online, including apples, avocados and salad tomatoes.
• Food Love Stories advertising – Tesco will promote the recipe for 'Nana's Magic Soup', offering 2 of your 5 a day per portion, on TV and offer 25% off all ingredients – alongside other Food Love Stories spanning all meal occasions, offering inspiration on healthier cooking.
• Free Fruit for Kids – increased communication of Tesco's pioneering Free Fruit for Kids scheme in stores which has seen kids enjoy over 32 million pieces of fruit since launch in 2017.

“We know that our customers want us to help them eat more healthily and it can be particularly difficult to encourage children to eat healthy snacks. By promoting a wide range of snacks, aligned with Public Health England's campaign, we hope to make it easier for families to make a healthier start to the year. This is part of a wider programme to help our colleagues and customers stay healthy.”

Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of Public Health England, said:

“Half of the sugar children eat and drink is coming from unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks. The Change4Life campaign is our way of giving parents a helping hand to make healthier choices for their children. We highly value Tesco's support for Change4Life and its wider efforts to make it simpler to eat healthily.”

Over-40s are turning to healthier lifestyles with more than half rating themselves as more health conscious than they were in their mid-20s, according to new research¹ by life and pensions giant Prudential.

Nearly one in five (17 per cent) of working over-40s say they are physically fitter than they were in their mid-20s, the nationwide study shows. And the fitness bug even applies to older age groups with 11 per cent of over-65s reckoning they are physically fitter than in their mid-20s.

The nationwide study asked over-40s to rate themselves now compared with their mid-20s and found 53 per cent believe they have a healthier general lifestyle now. However, being happier with their lifestyle than in their mid-20s does not necessarily translate into all aspects of their lives according to the research which asked about career, finances and relationships.

Just 45 per cent of over-40s feel happier about their financial planning for retirement than in their mid-20s while a worried 36 per cent admit to feeling less positive about retirement planning than in their mid-20s. Over-40s are most positive about financial security and relationships now compared with in their mid-20s.

Kirsty Anderson, retirement expert at Prudential, said: “Growing older means changing attitudes and it is striking that more than half of over-40s believe that they are healthier now than in their mid-20s, with nearly one in five claiming to be fitter.

“As they earn more and save more it is good to see they feel more financially secure but it’s worrying that so many are less positive about retirement planning especially as many will be fast approaching retirement.

“Taking control of finances is not as daunting as it seems if people focus on a range of small steps such as saving as much as possible, and if people can adopt healthier lifestyles over-40 they can do the same with their retirement plans.”

The commitment to healthier lifestyles does not always translate into taking exercise – around 30 per cent admit they either rarely if ever exercise for 20 minutes or only do it once a month. However, a committed 22 per cent say they exercise for 20 minutes every day.

New Change4Life campaign encourages parents in the West Midlands region to “Look for 100 calorie snacks, 2 a day max” to cut children’s sugar intake.

Public Health England (PHE) is helping parents in the West Midlands take control of their children’s snacking by launching the first Change4Life campaign promoting healthier snacks. This is because half of children’s sugar intake, currently around 7 sugar cubes a day^[1], comes from unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks^[i], leading to obesity and dental decay.

Recent data show childhood obesity has reached alarming rates, with 24.2% of 4- to 5-year-olds (Reception Year) overweight or obese in the West Midlands region, increasing to 37.1% in 10 to 11-year olds (Year 6).²

Each year children in are consuming almost 400 biscuits; more than 120 cakes, buns and pastries; around 100 portions of sweets; nearly 70 of both chocolate bars and ice creams; washed down with over 150 juice drink pouches and cans of fizzy drink.¹ On average, children are consuming at least 3 unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks a day, with around a third consuming 4 or more.¹ The overall result is that children consume three times more sugar than is recommended. ^[ii]

The new Change4Life campaign encourages parents in West Midlands region to    “Look for 100 calorie snacks, 2 a day max” to help them purchase healthier snacks than the ones they are currently. Parents will be signposted and given special offers on a range of healthier snacks, including fruit and vegetables at selected supermarkets. They can also get money-off vouchers to help them try healthier snack options, including malt loaf, lower sugar fromage frais, and drinks with no added sugar.

Many of the unhealthy snacks children consume regularly are high in sugar and also typically high in calories, for example:

• an ice-cream contains around 175 calories
• a pack of crisps contains around 190 calories
• a chocolate bar contains around 200 calories
• a pastry contains around 270 calories^[iii]

Dr Lola Abudu, PHE West Midlands Director of Health and Wellbeing, said: “Changing our children’s snacking habits can be a real challenge and we want to make it easier for families to find healthier options. By asking parents to Look for 100 calories snacks, two a day max, we’re helping them to give heathier snacks, while giving them less frequently.”

Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said: “The true extent of children’s snacking habits is greater than the odd biscuit or chocolate bar. Children are having unhealthy snacks throughout the day and parents have told us they’re concerned. To make it easier for busy families, we’ve developed a simple rule of thumb to help them move towards healthier snacking – Look for 100 calories snacks, two a day max.”

PHE’s improved Change4Life ‘Food Scanner’ app also shows parents how many calories, sugar, salt and saturated fat is in their food to help make healthier choices easier. It can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

With a third of children leaving primary school overweight or obese⁴, tackling obesity requires wider action and is not just limited to individual efforts from parents. PHE is working with the food industry nationally to cut 20% of sugar from the products children consume most by 2020, with work to reduce calories due to start in 2018.

Families can get tips for healthier snacking when Public Health England’s (PHE) Change4Life roadshow comes to the West Midlands in the New Year, as part of a nationwide tour taking in 30 supermarkets and 14 shopping centres. The roadshow will start by visiting Walsall on Monday 8 January, then Dudley on Tuesday 9 January, followed by Sandwell on Wednesday 10 January – with more dates to follow though into February.

The roadshow will encourage parents to “Look for 100 calorie snacks, two a day max” and provide demonstrations of the new Change4Life ‘Food Scanner’ app, which works by scanning barcodes and helping bring food labels to life by highlighting the number of calories, as well as how much sugar, saturated fat and salt is in everyday food and drinks children consume.

During the roadshows families will also be shown how to swap to healthier snack options using front of pack ‘traffic light’ labels. On the day, parents can sign up to Change4Life for additional support and money-off vouchers to help them try healthier snack options, including malt loaf, lower sugar fromage frais, and drinks with no added sugar.

An 80-year-old woman's life took a turn for the better thanks to an intervention by a team of doctors, nurses and physiotherapists at Health City Cayman Islands.

Cayman Islands resident Zoe Bodden was still dealing with the effects of the pulmonary embolism she suffered in August 2016. Struggling with her mobility and relying on an artificial oxygen supply, Bodden felt weak and was not hopeful about her chances for improvement.

Previously an active person who regularly worked out at a local gym and swam in her backyard pool, Bodden had become dependent on external oxygen, confined to a wheelchair, and unable to withstand any physical exertion.

In fact, doctors agreed that left unchecked, her condition would certainly kill her, while also diminishing her quality of life in the time she had left.

Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil, Chief Cardiac Surgeon at Health City, however, was optimistic that she could be saved. He wholeheartedly believed he could successfully help Bodden by performing a pulmonary thrombo endarterectomy (a procedure done during open heart surgery) to correct her chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

"I told her, 'Looking at your face I can tell you you'll be okay, I will do the surgery on you.' After years of experience looking at some patients...there is no scientific basis, but looking at somebody, you know, 'Okay she's going to make it,'" he said.

Winter has definitely arrived, with dark nights and snowy skies sending us scurrying for blankets and hot chocolate. Many of us will turn to our pets for comfort, opting to stay in with our furry friends instead of bracing the bitterness outside, and new research suggests that there are lots of good reasons for doing so.

A recent study, conducted on behalf of online bed specialist Time 4 Sleep, found that nearly half of Brits (43%) feel that their pet has a positive impact on their stress levels.

Sarah Mackie, Writer and area co-ordinator at Pets as Therapy, believes that spending time with pets can really benefit people and help them feel more comfortable during the Winter months.

“It comes as no surprise to pet owners around the country that pets positively affect our mental health. Pets rely upon us to feed and take care of them, providing an innate sense of purpose and giving loyalty and affection in return – an exchange that is well documented will lead to a longer and more fulfilled life.

“Our primal need for the feeling of a safe place is often filled by a pet, whose steady heartbeat and lack of personal space provide the perfect conditions for calm.”

It is perhaps unsurprising then that over a third of Brits (37%) seek the warmth and comfort of their pets’ presence even when in bed, allowing their cat or dog to sleep in bed with them on a night. Women were found to be the most likely to have such snoozy snuggles (42% of women, 30% of men).

Sarah believes that sleeping alongside your pet can be beneficial in the right circumstances.

“Whether sleeping with your pet is a good idea or not is a complex question. A married couple sharing their bed with anything larger than a spaniel is, in my opinion, akin to sharing with a sprawling toddler – all bony bits and wriggling! However, for those people who might otherwise sleep alone, then an animal takes the place of a teddy and, as such, can aid a very restful sleep indeed.”

Such ‘wriggling’ could well account for some people’s reluctance to share their beds, with many pet owners insisting on keeping their sleeping spaces animal-free. More than one in five (21%) of people in the UK stated that they have never allowed their dog or cat to sleep in or on the bed and a further 21% revealed that they are completely against the idea.

It’s possible that these people refused to share their bed because of their pet’s misbehaviour, with the research also revealing some of the naughtiest and most embarrassing things they’ve got up to! The most common acts of mischief were found to be:

·         Eating their owner’s food without permission (32%)

·         Weeing indoors (31%)

·         Humping a guest’s leg (17%)

·         Eating a guest’s food (15%)

·         Eating their own poo (12%)

Jonathan Warren, director at Time 4 Sleep, said: “No matter what pets get up to, it appears Brits will always hold them close to their hearts, even allowing them to sleep in or on their own beds.

 “It’s clear to see that our pets have a positive effect on our mental health so you can understand why so many people are happy to spend their nights alongside their furry companions.”

To read more about the pros and cons of allowing your dog to sleep in your bed, click here: https://www.time4sleep.co.uk/blog/allowing-your-dog-to-sleep-in-bed/

Calls have been made to ban the Coca-Cola truck from Liverpool this Christmas, but the city is welcoming healthier alternative Green Cola.

Green Cola will arrive in Liverpool on Monday December 4th with samples available in one the world's longest bicycle trailers, which will be festooned with Christmas lights.

Liverpool's Liberal Democrat leader Richard Kemp, who wrote a letter to the managers of Liverpool One shopping district setting out his opposition to the Cola-Cola truck visit, which he labelled a 'cynical event', is pleased to welcome Green Cola to the city.

“I am delighted that Green Cola will be visiting Liverpool,” he says. “Their visit promotes a product that is much healthier than their rivals. They are also a small UK company whose profits are recycled in this country.

“A council's role in public health is not to ban products or to wag fingers, but we need to encourage healthier lifestyles and better eating and drinking habits. We do our best to draw attention to better ways and new products like Green Cola.”

Mirna Juarez, Liberal Democrat for Allerton and Hunts Cross who will be hosting Green Cola during their visit, adds: “I am really happy that Green Cola, a healthier alternative, is coming to Liverpool. We have high obesity levels among adults and children here and I believe sugary drinks are part of the problem.”

Green Cola contains NO sugar, NO calories and unlike other diet colas, NO aspartame, NO preservatives, and NO phosphoric acid. It is sweetened with Stevia and caffeinated with caffeine from green coffee beans. And it tastes great!

The drink is available from Ocado, Amazon, Tesco cafes, artisan food stores and independent cafes.

“There is nothing else on the market like Green Cola and we hope that the people of Liverpool will choose us as their preferred cola,” says Paul Woodward, CEO of Green Room Brands, the Surrey based company that has introduced Green Cola to the UK.

Derbyshire children’s charity Treats has been donated almost £10,000, after a successful fundraising event held by ECA, the leading electrotechnical and engineering services trade body.

A cheque was handed over just days ago by ECA members to Treats, a local charity in operation for 30 years, who rely entirely on donations. During this time they have delivered dream-come-true gifts, gadgets, trips, toys and medical equipment for children in need.

Vicky Ashton, Treats Vice Chair, commented:

“Without the support of organisations such as ECA we would simply not be able to do what we do. We are very grateful for this generous donation and it will make a big difference to a lot of children in Derbyshire.”

The evening fundraiser was recently hosted by ECA at Derbyshire Cricket Club. The event saw a record number of over 200 guests from across the Midlands come together. Attendees, who included electricians, wholesalers and manufacturers, gave generously to the charity.

The event was made possible through the support of the leading manufacturer Schneider Electric and electrical wholesalers Edmundson Electrical and Newey & Eyre.

Mike Ratcliffe, Chair of the ECA Derbyshire & Burton Branch and an event organiser, said:

“We are delighted with the response we had from ECA members and our friends at Schneider, Edmundsons and Newey & Eyre. We raised a huge amount of money for a very worthy charity and had a great time in doing so. Thank you to all those who helped make it possible.”

ECA members looking to get involved in next year’s charity event won’t have long to wait. Preparations have already begun and the date has been confirmed for Saturday 16 June 2018.

The co-owner behind one of Liverpool's most talked about restaurants Izakaya has revealed how the business has spurred on another flourishing company.

After just a few months of the widely acclaimed launch of the Japanese cuisine-inspired venture in Castle Street, highly regarded Liverpool chef and entrepreneur Harry Marquart was approached by North West Academies in Cheshire seeking help to run a school dinners service in the region.

Harry explained: “We'd received a lot of praise around Izakaya's opening and highlighted the emphasis in our menus and marketing on how keen we were to help improve the region's record on health through the Japanese style of eating.

“We were then delighted to be approached to demonstrate our expertise and have the opportunity of making an impact within the education sector.

“We were offered an initial budget to feed pupils a 2 course lunch and through the help of local suppliers wanting the help to back the project, the service has been an unparalleled success. The pupils are now eating locally sourced produce of high quality and all the positive feedback has led to some great referrals for the business.

The office Christmas party is a highly anticipated annual event in the calendar, with workers across the nation using it as a chance to get dressed up and let their hair down with colleagues.

But, what happens when it all goes a little too far, and colleagues are left embarrassed by their antics or too hungover to make it into work the next day?

A new survey of 1,000 UK workers, conducted by the UK’s largest indoor go-karting company TeamSport looked into the best, worst and the simply bizarre excuses UK workers have made when calling in sick the day after the office Christmas party.

Of those who admitted to calling in sick, a staggering 60% admitted it was because they were simply too hungover.  

Interestingly, the reasons for calling in sick were very different for male and female respondents. Women didn’t want to attend work the next day, as they had embarrassed themselves at the party (12% versus 6% of men), or they argued with a colleague (10% versus 6% of men). Whereas, for the men, they felt they needed time to recharge their batteries (23% versus 14% of women) or they didn’t want to face work commitments such as meetings (6% versus 2% of women).

The actual stories used to explain to the boss why they couldn’t come in that day included being stricken down with food poisoning (16%), feeling sick (11%), a sudden case of a stomach bug (5%) and a broken down car (3%).

Other amusing excuses included:

• “I forgot to put the washing machine on, I’ve no clean clothes”
• “I won’t be able to make it to the office this morning, I’ve bruised my brain”
• “Sorry I can’t come in today. I’ve swallowed a spider”
• “I won’t be in the office today; my ears are sore from the music at the party last night”

The report also considered the differences between industries, highlighting the worst culprits for calling in sick. These were:

• Information technology (24%)
• Business, consulting and management (19%)
• Creative arts and design (18%)
• Property and construction (12%)
• Engineering (12%)

It seems that workers in the property and construction industry are the most promiscuous, with nearly one in three (29%) admitting to getting intimate with a colleague at the party, and this being the reason they didn’t want to face work the next day.

With a thriving, 24 hour nightlife, it’s no surprise that workers in the capital were the biggest offenders for calling in sick, (17%), followed by the West Midlands (13%) and the North West (13%).

Dominic Gaynor, managing director of TeamSport Indoor Karting said: “Our research into the best and worst excuses for calling in sick is rather amusing. It’s particularly interesting to take a look at the differences between each industry.  

“It can be difficult to drag yourself out of bed the day after a huge work party, and that’s why we’re encouraging businesses to consider other ways to celebrate Christmas with their employees. Exciting days out such as a day at the go-karting track are not only great team-building exercises, but they’re also really fun. Plus, avoiding a party fuelled by alcohol means there is less opportunity for workers to come up with these bizarre excuses and call in sick.”

A new initiative has been launched to help ensure care home residents in Wolverhampton receive safe and effective support when they need to go to hospital in an emergency.

The "red bag scheme" will see poorly residents given a transfer bag which will be with them from the moment they leave their care home until the time they return from hospital.

The bag includes medication, belongings, standardised paperwork and personal and clinical information about the resident which will assist ambulance and hospital staff and ensure the resident’s admission and journey to and from hospital is as comfortable as possible.

It is based on a successful scheme introduced in the London borough of Sutton to address gaps in the care and support network – both clinical and socially – for poorly residents who needed to go into hospital, including paperwork not being standardised and belongings and medications going missing.

The red bags should help speed up the transfer between home and hospital and cut the time residents have to spend in hospital, with evidence elsewhere suggesting the length of stay could be reduced by up to four days. It could also save nursing staff up to 40 minutes per shift which would otherwise be spent chasing documents, personal items and toiletries.

The red bag scheme was officially launched by the Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Elias Mattu at an event at Linden House attended by representatives from the City of Wolverhampton Council, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group, West Midlands Ambulance Service and 11 local care homes who are taking part in a six-month pilot.

Mayor Councillor Mattu said: "The red bag scheme is a great example of partnership working across health and social care which will ensure patient safety and improve their experience if they have to go to hospital.

"We have seen elsewhere the benefits that transfer bags can bring; in many cases, they will help significantly reduce the time people have to spend in hospital, and also free up the time of healthcare professionals by ensuring they have all the information they need about their patients to hand.

“Even simple things like ensuring patients have their own toiletries with them will save nursing staff time and money sourcing these items."

David Laughton CBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: "This initiative will ensure the nursing team has everything they need to care for and treat the patient as soon as they arrive on the ward, reducing the time they have to wait for vital information. It will help to speed up the discharge process and get them back into their own environment as quickly as possible.”

Eleven local care homes are taking part in the six-month pilot, with the bags being rolled out to as many of the City's 76 care homes in due course.