Martin Cid's Blog: Martin Cid Magazine, page 1037

Child Friendly Villas Direct Launches With World’s First ‘Teddy Travel’ Service To Combat Holiday Headaches

Founder Sarah Davies and her daughters

• One in three Brits are expected to book their winter getaway in January and February to beat winter blues

• Nearly half of UK holidaymakers consider ‘teddy tantrums’ to be the number one cause of holiday headaches (45%)

• Surprisingly, teddies ranked higher than tech troubles, with only 40% citing this as an issue

With one in three holidaymakers set to book their summer getaways in January and February , a new family holiday website has launched to offer parents an easy ‘one stop shop’ for choosing some of the best family friendly villas across Europe and North Africa.

Launching in January 2017, Child Friendly Villas Direct – (www.childfriendlyvillasdirect.com) – is the first website to put parents in touch directly with a wide range of independent villa agents and managers providing greater information, with the ultimate goal of providing the most cost effective, stress free solution to the perfect family holiday.

Featuring more than 100 hand selected villas across Europe and North Africa, the site features easy to use visual icons to help parents select the most appropriate villa for their family, ranging from baby friendly facilities to attractions for young travellers. The business aims to have at least 300 villas listed on the site by the end of 2017.

As part of its offering, the company is launching the World’s First ‘Teddy Travel Service’ for VIBs (very important bears), after research conducted by Child Friendly Villas revealed leaving a child’s comforter at home is one of the most stressful things parents encounter on a trip.

Research of 1,000 parents carried out by the website Child Friendly Villas Direct has revealed that despite the ‘iPad generation’, forgetting a child’s favourite teddy or comforter is the number one cause of holiday headaches for almost half of British families (45 per cent). As a result, the company is providing a service to return any special furry friends left at one of the villas free of charge.

Surprisingly, teddies ranked higher than their modern tech counterparts in the list of family holiday essentials, with only 40 per cent of parents saying forgetting a tablet device or mobile phone would cause them a holiday headache and just five per cent saying forgetting a favourite DVD would cause friction.

Sarah Davies, who founded Child Friendly Villas Direct, said: “We want to provide a new service for parents to help them with the process of finding and booking the perfect family villa, making it as easy as possible. The idea stemmed from our own problems searching for a family friendly villa – a process we found time consuming and frustrating. One size doesn’t fit all for family holidays and most sites don’t provide ready access to information regarding child friendly options, bury features in the fine print or simply concentrate on holidaying with babies.”

“We believe that child friendly holidays shouldn’t be demoted to just a filter, but should be a treasure trove of information, filled with all the knowledge and advice you need to book a family friendly villa with confidence.

“With Child Friendly Villas Direct we wanted to create a user-friendly place where busy parents can quickly discover their perfect family villa holiday, linking them directly with independent villa agents and managers to access the most cost effective deals available.”

Throughout the site families can determine which child friendly features are important to them and choose a villa to suit their individual needs, as well as benefitting from local knowledge and advice from villa agents and managers themselves.

Sarah Davies had the idea for the business while on maternity leave from her job as a solicitor. After planning a family villa holiday in Spain and struggling to find the information they needed, they arrived to find it was not suitable for a young family.

One of the first villa groups to work with Sarah was Fawakay Villas in Marrakech. The company was set up in 2005 by Dawn Boys-Stones, who, like Sarah, gave up her job to start a new commercial venture and now runs the complex of three large, sand-coloured villas in 3.5 acres of garden, perfect for family holidays.

Dawn said: “After 25 years of stockbroking in London, my husband and I had a rush of blood to the head and decided there and then that we’d leave that life behind. We brought our four children to Marrakech and created a new life here that meant we could be more of a family.

“It’s for that same reason that we’re happy to partner with Sarah and list our villas through her service. Her ethos is ‘from one family to another’, and that’s how we see our business too.”

To find out more about the villas listed on the site go to www.childfriendlyvillasdirect.com

Rarely Seen Silkscreen Prints by Jacob Lawrence at the Phillips

Exhibition Showcases Lawrence’s Collaboration with Master Printmaker Lou Stovall  

WASHINGTON—Opening on January 7, The Phillips Collection presents an exhibition featuring 15 rarely seen silkscreen prints created by American artist Jacob Lawrence between 1986 and 1997. The series portrays the life of Toussaint L’Ouverture (1743–1803), the former slave turned leader of Haiti’s independence movement. L’Ouverture led the fight to liberate Saint-Domingue from French colonial rule and to emancipate the slaves during the 1791 Haitian Revolution, the first successful campaign to abolish slavery in modern history.

Lawrence had explored the same subject more than 40 years earlier in a series of paintings of the same title (now in the Amistad Research Center, New Orleans). The celebrated paintings, which were featured prominently at the Baltimore Museum of Art in 1939, laid the groundwork for Lawrence’s lifelong interest in the human quest for freedom and social justice.

While he based these later prints on the earlier paintings, Lawrence distilled the story to 15 works from the original 41 panels and significantly expanded their scale. He worked closely with DC-based master printmaker Lou Stovall to translate the colors and fluid movement of the original tempera paint to each composition.

In the print series, the narrative follows L’Ouverture from his birth to his rise as the commander of the revolutionary army to his eventual capture by Napoleon’s men. In the original painted series, Lawrence continued the story through the death of L’Ouverture as a prisoner of war in 1803, just one year before Haiti declared independence with the crowning of Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines.

In highlighting the life of the courageous leader Toussaint L’Ouverture, Lawrence invites us to reflect on Haiti’s transformation from an enslaved French colony to the first black Western republic. At the same time, the series reminds us of the country’s ongoing struggle to overcome poverty and political instability.

Since acquiring 30 panels of Lawrence’s epic Migration Series (1940–41) in 1942, the Phillips has been dedicated to celebrating the life and furthering the legacy of the artist. Presenting works by Lawrence on loan from the collection of Di and Lou Stovall, this exhibition is on display while The Migration Series is on loan at the Seattle Art Museum for a reunion celebrating the 100th anniversary of Lawrence’s birth. Learn more aboutThe Migration Series at lawrencemigration.phillipscollection.org.

Jacob Lawrence: The Life of Toussaint L’Ouverture is on view January 7 through April 23, 2017.

ABOUT JACOB LAWRENCE

Jacob Lawrence was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1917. The son of southern migrants, he moved with his mother and sister to Harlem in 1930 at the age of 13. During his participation in community art workshops there, Lawrence quickly discovered his love for art through the encouragement of such teachers as painter Charles Alston. Throughout the 1930s, Lawrence’s art was inspired by the cultural visionaries of the Harlem Renaissance. In 1938, Lawrence had his first solo exhibition at the Harlem YMCA and started working for the WPA Federal Art Project. In 1940, he received a grant from the Julius Rosenwald Fund to create a 60-panel epic, The Migration of the Negro(now known as The Migration Series). The following year, when the series was exhibited at Edith Halpert’s Downtown Gallery, the then 23-year-old artist catapulted to national acclaim.

In the following decades, Lawrence continued to create paintings drawn from the African American experience as well as historical and contemporary themes, such as war, religion, and civil rights. He taught with Josef Albers at Black Mountain College in North Carolina in 1946 and later at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine. He moved to Seattle in 1971, teaching at the University of Washington until 1983. During his later years, Lawrence worked in a variety of media, including large scale murals, silkscreen prints, and book illustrations. Until his death in 2000, Lawrence honed a unique visual language of abstraction that remained steeped in the human condition.

ABOUT LOU STOVALL

Lou Stovall was born in Athens, Georgia, in 1937 and grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts. He studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and at Howard University. Since 1962, he has lived and worked in Washington, DC. His drawings and silkscreen prints have earned him grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Stern Family Fund. Stovall’s own prints and drawings are part of numerous public and private collections around the world. He is also passionate about archival framing and furniture construction.

Stovall’s studio, adjacent to his home in Cleveland Park, is a hub of his artistic energy. Under his direction, Workshop, Inc., founded in 1968, has grown from a small but active studio primarily concerned with community posters into a professional printmaking facility. Through Workshop, Stovall builds unity among artists in Washington, DC, and encourages service in the community.

AIIM Reflects on Strong 2016 After Peggy Winton’s 1st Year at the Helm

Peggy Winton, President, AIIM

• Her role as President & CEO is formalized as the global content management membership organization sets its 2017 strategy

• Winton’s rich marketing technology and automation experience will be instrumental in deepening membership engagement and social networking

• Marketing’s representation at CEO level signals a broader shift as all organizations address the need to transform and innovate

Silver Spring, Maryland, January 3, 2017 – As expected, AIIM’s Board of Directors has confirmed Peggy Winton in the role of President of the global information management membership association, at the conclusion of a very strong year for the organization. Crucially, Winton has leveraged her deep experience in marketing and community development which she believes is critical to AIIM’s long-term success and a sign of the times as presidents and CEOs across a wide range of industries are called to be more innovative, creative, and technologically savvy.

Over the last 12 months, AIIM has achieved the best net financial performance in many years – testament to Winton’s strong vision and operational focus in delivering the next stage in the Association’s development. During that time she has refocused AIIM’s work around industry standards, led a successful restructuring of AIIM’s internal IT systems, and invested the savings in new innovation including a bold overhaul of AIIM’s web site and networking activities.

“We launched a brand new web site in May, which went extraordinarily smoothly – thanks to our choice of partner, and the integral involvement of business leads as well as a broad spectrum of members,” she said. “What we have now is a very strong web site with user-driven navigation, which serves up very relevant, personalized content.”

Other new initiatives include a mentorship program and a VIP lounge where premium members can get the ‘inside track’ on the latest industry developments and opportunities. “We’re introducing a range of new ways of connecting,” Winton explained. “I see AIIM acting almost as a matchmaker for projects, making it easier for people to find the right advice, skills, and solution partner.”

Winton, who was already active in the President role in an interim capacity, took over the reins when John Mancini moved into a business development and author/speaker role as Chief Evangelist early in 2016. Winton, previously AIIM’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), and Chief Operating Officer has been with the organization for almost 15 years.

Over the last year she has also spearheaded an internal reorganization, integrating IT people more closely into the wider organization, and empowering events, marketing and membership departments so they can continue to enrich the membership experience. She is also very clear about AIIM’s agenda for 2017.

“Instead of debating whether we need to redefine ‘AIIM’, or terminology such as ECM [Electronic Content Management], we’re going to focus on growing our community: identifying their needs and providing solutions on their terms. That’s how we’ll continue to thrive in this crazy, evolving industry!”

She added: “We’re seeing the fruits of this labor already – with immense growth since the start of 2016, and a social reach that has exploded and is now converting. People are commenting that we look and act like a real business rather than a non-for-profit, so we’re clearly on the right track.”

Commenting on Winton’s achievements, Dan Antion, who assumes the role of chair in January (from his current position as vice-chair), said, “AIIM had an excellent year in 2016, and the Board is delighted that Peggy accepted the challenge to lead the Association and with what she has achieved. Her marketing-oriented perspective is a timely fit for the Association, given the way whole industries are moving – towards digital transformation. Peggy is an excellent choice for President and I look forward to working with her as she continues to establish the Association’s vision – for leading in an age of technology-enabled transformation – and for guiding information professionals as they put information to work in their organizations.”

Since joining AIIM in 2002, Winton has developed a rich, year-round event, content, and education portfolio spanning research, virtual events and publications. She built AIIM’s first B2B sales and marketing system to support the new product lines, and has expanded the membership community from a subscriber base of 35,000 to 148,000 active members currently – 10,059 of which have joined AIIM in the last year.

About AIIM

AIIM has been an advocate and supporter of information professionals for 70 years. The Association’s mission is to ensure that information professionals understand the current and future challenges of managing information assets in an era of social, mobile, cloud and big data. Founded in 1943, AIIM builds on a strong heritage of research and member service. Today, AIIM is a global, non-profit organization that provides independent research, education and certification programs to information professionals. AIIM represents the entire information management community, with programs and content for practitioners, technology suppliers, integrators and consultants.

Documentary Beware the Slenderman debuts Jan. 23

BEWARE THE SLENDERMAN, A CHILLING LOOK AT THE INFAMOUS CASE OF TWO 12-YEAR-OLD WISCONSIN GIRLS WHO STABBED THEIR BEST FRIEND TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE FICTIONAL INTERNET LEGEND SLENDERMAN, DEBUTS JAN. 23 ON HBO

The news horrified the world: Two 12-year-old American girls lured a friend into the Wisconsin woods and stabbed her 19 times in an effort to appease a faceless mythical entity known online as Slenderman. But there’s more to the story than the dark headlines it generated.

Delving deep into this shocking crime, the sobering documentary BEWARE THE SLENDERMAN examines how an urban myth could take root in impressionable young minds, leading to an unspeakable act, when it debuts MONDAY, JAN. 23 (10:00 p.m.-midnight ET/PT) on HBO.

The documentary will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

Directed by Irene Taylor Brodsky (HBO’s Oscar®-nominated “The Final Inch”), BEWARE THE SLENDERMAN covers all sides of this unusual ongoing case, drawing on an eerie array of Slenderman-inspired art, games and self-produced video, all culled from the Internet, along with heart-wrenching, unprecedented access to the two girls’ families, courtroom testimony and interrogation-room footage.

On May 31, 2014, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, a 911 call reported a chilling crime. A girl had been stabbed and was found by the side of the road near the woods. The national news media quickly picked up on the story: Victim Payton (“Bella”) Leutner had been brutally stabbed and left for dead. The suspects were her friends Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier. All three were 12 years old.

In separate interrogation rooms, Morgan and Anissa both explained to detectives that they were compelled to kill their friend in order to become proxies of Slenderman, a fictional Internet character they believed was real.

Bella recovered from her injuries, and Morgan and Anissa were charged with attempted first-degree murder. By Wisconsin law, they would be tried as adults, though their lawyers appealed to have the case moved to juvenile court. While the girls awaited the judge’s ruling in a juvenile detention center, their baffled parents struggled to understand what happened.

Morgan and Anissa discovered Slenderman on the Internet and came to believe he would hurt their families unless they killed Bella to appease him. Usually depicted as a tall man in a black suit with a featureless white face, Slenderman first appeared on the Internet as part of a 2009 Photoshop contest, lurking behind children in two black-and-white photos. Seen as both a malevolent figure and a guardian angel, Slenderman soon spread to all platforms of the Internet, spawning fan fiction, artwork, games and videos around the world.

Eventually, conspiracy theories about the origins of Slenderman multiplied, and he became a viral meme, with a historic mythology. His character tapped into universal fears, with roots going back to stories by The Brothers Grimm and legends like The Pied Piper of Hamelin.

Anissa and Morgan were particularly susceptible to believing in Slenderman, in part because of their isolation. Anissa’s teacher, Tom Haynes, says she was a social outlier who often cried because she didn’t have friends. Without a peer group of other girls, the pair became more and more obsessed.

Critically, experts testified during a hearing that Anissa has characteristics of a delusional disorder (the inability to distinguish real from not real). This diminished ability can be found in many people to varying degrees. Psychologist Dr. Michael Caldwell, Psy.D. states, “Adults may have simply eccentric religious or spiritual beliefs or conspiratorial beliefs or things like that, and live out their life with no problems at all.”

Additionally, psychiatrists diagnosed Morgan with early childhood schizophrenia, a mental illness also afflicting Morgan’s father. Morgan’s mother comments that she knew one of their children might also develop schizophrenia, and admits there were signs with Morgan. Yet she never imagined something like this could happen.

A year later, citing the premeditated nature of the crime, the judge ruled the girls were to be tried as adults. Having spent more than two years incarcerated and with their trial date still pending, Morgan and Anissa’s saga has now become part of the Slenderman Internet myth.

BEWARE THE SLENDERMAN features interviews with experts who help put the girls’ mental state and the Slenderman myth in context, including: digital folklorist Trevor J. Blank, Ph.D.; Brad Kim, editor-in-chief, KnowYourMeme.com; evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, Ph.D.; literary critic Jack Zipes, Ph.D.; neurodevelopmental psychologist Abigail Baird, Ph.D.; and psychologist Jacqueline Woolley, Ph.D.

Ultimately, the film reveals how adolescent isolation, mental health issues and the nebulous reality of the Internet created a chilling mandate for two young girls, with life-altering consequences.

BEWARE THE SLENDERMAN was directed and produced by Irene Taylor Brodsky; produced by Sophie Harris; director of photography, Nick Midwig; edited by Gladys Mae Murphy; original score, Benoit Charest. For HBO: senior producer, Sara Bernstein; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

The Year Ahead is Crucial to Our Success, Says Teapot Trust Founder

Laura Young MBE

After its busiest and most productive year ever, the Teapot Trust’s founder Laura Young MBE considers what can be done to improve the charity’s offering in 2017 and ensure that it reaches and helps more chronically ill children than ever before.

The Teapot Trust, based in East Lothian, Scotland, provides art therapists for sick children in medical settings across the UK, with a particular focus on children suffering from rheumatological conditions. Art therapy can give children an alternative way to communicate their emotions, a distraction from their conditions, or even just a chance to have fun while waiting for appointments and medication.

The charity was founded by Laura and Dr John Young in 2010 after seeing the gaps in the care of their daughter Verity, who suffered from Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) and also cancer before her tragic death at the age of eight, in 2009.

The Teapot Trust is one of the UK’s largest employers of art therapists with 17 art therapists, running 22 projects in 11 towns and cities. It has recently expanded into England, with two projects running for children at hospitals in London.

Laura Young MBE said, “The Teapot Trust is dedicated to providing art therapy to children with long-term medical conditions.

“One of the most difficult things for many children is expressing themselves verbally. The great thing about art therapy is that it provides an alternative, yet profound, medium of communication.

“This builds confidence, which helps children cope with their conditions. If children are worried about being in hospital, art therapy is used to help them to relax.

“I am so pleased that, even in uncertain economic times, the Teapot Trust is continuing to grow to provide more one-to-one art therapy, and that we are able to help more children each year.

“We’re looking forward to 2017 and trying to find ways to expand our services and help more chronically ill children. We’ve started a pilot scheme at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals in London and hope to make that permanent next year.

“Last year, we helped 5,885 children across Scotland and in London. However, we also welcomed Dr Catherine Calderwood, Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO), to our Open Group project in Edinburgh in November, and she was extremely impressed.

“We then had the pleasure of co-hosting an awareness-raising event at the Scottish Parliament with Iain Gray MSP, spreading the word that art therapy is worth every penny to sick kids and we need all the funding we can get.

“For just the cost of a cup of tea, you can contribute to the support that we give to children suffering with chronic illnesses and their families across the UK.”

When Scotland’s CMO Dr Catherine Calderwood visited Teapot Trust projects in Edinburgh, she said, “Art therapy has been shown to make a real difference for children and their families. It allows a young person to be in charge of what they are doing at a time when they might feel – as someone with a long-term medical condition – that they have very little say, or control, over what is going on. The Teapot Trust art therapists always give a warm welcome to children, parents and carers.”

Support from the children’s parents

Hannah, the mother of Annabelle, said, “It makes a huge difference to my children’s visits. There’s a wide variety of art materials suitable for all ages and it’s a very welcome distraction for the children here. It takes the children’s minds of things that are going to happen and calms them when our heads are full of worries. The children really enjoy it. I think it’s a wonderful service and it’s well-used at the hospital. It’s a simple charity that can make a huge difference.”

Another mother of a child helped by the Teapot Trust said, “It was amazing. Matthew’s self-esteem was really low and he was really struggling, and the rheumatology team suggested that he might benefit from a weekly therapy session with the Teapot Trust.

“Thank you to the Teapot Trust – they make a huge difference to these children’s lives.”

The Teapot Trust receives no funding from the NHS but offers its services to 12 different NHS Trusts. Jim Crombie, Acting Chair of NHS Lothian, commented that NHS Lothian was very lucky to have the Teapot Trust’s flagship projects running within the CAMHS unit at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, augmenting the psychological services on offer.

The Teapot Trust is expanding its services in the forthcoming year and as a result of this increase it has moved to a new, larger capacity, office in Eskmills Park, Musselburgh.

Useful links:

Teapot Trust: http://www.teapot-trust.org/

Independent Medical Examiners Explain the Scientific Solution to Fraudulent Insurance Claims

There are 1500 whiplash claims a day

It’s difficult to believe there are over 1,500 whiplash claims made in the UK every day and often they are the result of road traffic accidents.

Although there is no clear and precise definition of whiplash, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) says it accounts for more than 20% of the average motor insurance premium. Perhaps because of its ambiguous nature – and because some lawyers are keen to encourage motorists to make claims – whiplash is strongly associated with insurance fraud which costs the UK over £3Billion a year. The ABI says that fraud accounts for at least an extra £50 a year per person in increased premiums.

Interested parties have until Friday 6 January 2017 to give their feedback on the Ministry of Justice consultation paper ‘Reforming the Soft Tissue Injury (‘whiplash’) Claims Process’. The weighty 82-page document outlines plans to scrap the right to compensation or at the very least put a cap on the amount people can claim for minor whiplash injuries. There is a view that compensation will be paid out if a medical report is provided as proof of injury. Whiplash claims are 50% higher than a decade ago. Insurers have pledged to pass on savings from any proposed changes to drivers that could be worth a total of £1Billion.

Beacon Independent Medical Examiners is the only UK firm that provides evidence-based medicine reports to the insurance industry. Their CEO Phillip Kizun says, “We’ve completed our submission to the Ministry of Justice and sincerely hope that our feedback doesn’t fall on deaf ears.

“The most important reform needed is the overhaul of the standard of medical reporting in the UK. There is no good reason for people to continue to simply rely upon ‘medical expert opinion’ based on a claimant’s story or an individual doctor’s own experience.

“The evidence-based medicine (EBM) model is a proven effective tool for settling claims more accurately and giving stakeholders the key facts needed to weed-out exaggeration and fraud. Evidence-based medicine is used to settle insurance claims in other advanced jurisdictions such as Australia, Canada, and the United States. Why not here in the UK?

“Disappointingly we at Beacon Independent Medical Examiners do not believe that evidence-based medicine is used to qualify insurance claims and it is not being considered seriously. This is in spite of the huge savings on offer.

“The fundamental issue is that the current UK claims system reinforces exaggeration and fraud. In the vast majority of low-value claim medical reports a doctor’s opinions is based on the claimant’s history, which is taken as reliable, in spite of financial incentives to provide false information. Doctors take the claimant’s word when they attribute severe symptoms to a minor collision such as whiplash occurring following a decision. The doctor is paid to produce a report, confirming the subjective claims made by the individual. This practice of accepting the doctor’s experience and personal opinion as sufficient to support a medical claim, ignores objective assessment of the claims made using the latest medical science.

“Current evidence-based and peer-reviewed medical literature should inform the doctor’s opinions regarding expected recovery from the conditions in question. Evidence-based medicine improves decision-making by emphasising the use of evidence from well-designed and conducted research. Using this methodology, fair and objective conclusions can be drawn about the claims made.

“Dealing with the medical elements of a personal injury claim has been marginalised and undervalued for far too long. Gone are the days when a range of medical opinions are relied upon when documenting an injury. By using opinion based on science to both document an injury and then to qualify a claim using the same science, everyone with a legitimate claim wins. Those looking to take advantage of current weaknesses in the system lose.

“If the Ministry of Justice started to take evidence-based medicine seriously this would have a radical and positive impact on insurance claims. We would see premiums reduced considerably in the future and help millions of motorists save their hard-earned cash.

“There are many shades of fraud and realistically it would be difficult to eradicate completely, however, evidence-based medicine would make the most significant measurable difference in the shortest space of time.”

Links:

Beacon IME Website: https://www.beaconime.co.uk/

Association of British Insurers: https://www.abi.org.uk/

Ministry of Justice: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-just…

Insurance Fraud Taskforce Report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/insurance-fraud-t…

Christmas Eve Boom in Coupling

Mairead Molloy, Berkeley International

A recent survey of 10,000 people conducted by event organisers ChilliSauce* shows that 31 per cent of people think that Christmas Eve is the most romantic day of the year to propose, followed by News Year’s Eve, that’s preferred by 19 per cent.

These figures chime with the surge in matchmaking businesses experienced in the months leading up to the holiday season. Psychologist and global director of elite matchmaking agency Berkeley International Mairead Molloy (http://www.berkeley-international.com/) explains why Christmas is an important time in the dating calendar.

Mairead Molloy says, “There is no escaping the fact that Christmas is one of the most romantic times of the year. When the temperature begins to drop into the minuses there is nothing better than spending a night in the company of someone you love. You can’t ignore that the festive season is special.

“As well as more people becoming engaged, a Facebook study* revealed more new relationships appear between November and March. December 24 sees 28% more new relationships than breakups whereas December 25 sees an increase to 34%.”

Mairead continues, “What’s fascinating is that all these figures chime with our matchmaking enquiries pre- and post-Christmas. We see member applications rise by 55% in December compared to a typical month. We then see a further rise of 65% in January, which is our busiest time of the year.

“A relationship should be a carefully thought out decision. If you are looking for something long-term then step away from the dating apps and don’t rush. You should take time to get to know someone. You won’t be able to know someone’s true personality with a seasonal fling. If Christmas is traditional, then why not dating?

“The discretion we provide at Berkeley International makes dating feel intimate, special and old-fashioned in a positive way. We take care to bring people together whose outlooks are compatible. We always make sure that our members are using our services for the right reasons and will meet someone who is like-minded.

“Unlike dating apps, all of our client activity is totally offline. Our website is simply a brochure. We introduce members to each other based on their personalities and values through written profiles. People who come to us are looking for a long-term relationship and a healthier love life.”

Berkeley International is a leading introductions agency for the world’s rich and famous. Their members include bankers, lawyers, CEOs of billionaire businesses, actors and celebrities. Based in London with offices worldwide, including Melbourne, Milan and Paris, their expert team seeks the best possible partners for their exclusive members.

Links:

Berkeley International Website: http://www.berkeley-international.com/

*Chillsauce Survey:

http://www.chillisauce.co.uk/news/marriage-proposal/

*Facebook Relationships Study:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-data-science/the-rig…

CXC Global announces MBO of recruitment agency business in UK and Europe led by Michelle Reilly

6CATS logo

Agency Service Business rebrands as 6CATS

CXC Global, the world’s leading contractor management outsourcing provider, is divesting its recruitment agency service business in the UK and EMEA to its existing management team, led by CEO Michelle Reilly as of 1st January 2017.

The agency service business, rebranded as 6CATS, will concentrate on working with recruitment firms in the UK and EMEA, as well as in the rest of the world with CXC Global support. The MBO will allow CXC Global to focus on servicing its corporate clients, while also allowing 6CATS to service agencies for CXC Global in the EMEA region.

The creation of 6CATS – whose name derives from its six person management team and the acronym of the service lines of Compliance, Advice and Tax Solutions, will ensure that the highest level of expertise is applied to compliance consulting and management services for the recruitment sector.

Commenting on the MBO, 6CATS CEO Michelle Reilly, said:

“My team and I are passionate about servicing the recruitment agency sector and between us we have almost 100 years’ experience providing compliant contractor management solutions. I am extremely grateful to Dave Thomas and CXC Global for the opportunity and experience they have provided, and we will continue to support each other’s success.”

CXC Global CEO, Dave Thomas, commented:

“The opportunity to divest our agency business to such a great team led by Michelle is a win/win solution for CXC Global and 6CATS, providing them with an opportunity to focus on their core expertise and CXC Global to grow the corporate market without compromise or conflict of interest. We are extremely excited for both teams and look forward to supporting the mutual opportunities this will present.”

Redhill Business Cycles to Lapland

Account Manager Emma Begins Her Cycle

The employees of Stocksigns Group, based on Ormside Way, Redhill, have embarked on the monumental challenge of cycling the distance to Lapland to raise money for charity. The 2,493-kilometre journey will be completed by the employees of Stocksigns, MessageMaker and First Call Signs on a static bike in Stocksigns Group’s head office. All proceeds will go to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Brighter Beginnings appeal.

Stocksigns is one of Britain’s leading providers of signage and digital printing, with over 60 years of expertise. It provides signage for all situations and has made many bespoke pieces for places such as Gatwick Airport. So far, the team has covered 773.6 kilometres on the specially decorated exercise bike and are powering towards their target before Christmas. The challenge was organised by Stocksigns’ Nicolle Kane and Emma Stevenson, who are aiming to raise £470.

The donations will go to RoSPA’s Brighter Beginning appeal to help make life safer for young children. A recent survey by RoSPA revealed that nearly a third of parents in Great Britain have never received or sought advice or information about keeping their children safe from accidents. When asked, 55% of the parents agreed there should be more information and advice about keeping children safe. RoSPA is currently celebrating 100 years of working to prevent accidents.

Emma Stevenson said, “It’s been fantastic to see everyone get stuck in and raise money for such a great cause. We’ve seen the hardcore cyclists turn up in full cycling gear and commit to one hour slots to help us reach our target. The early on support has been great and we’re powering towards our goal!”

Nicolle Kane added, “We have been working closely with RoSPA for eight years and are proud to support their great work. Brighter Beginnings is an important appeal which will be beneficial to new parents and give little ones a safer start in life. Every week nearly 60 under-fives are hospitalised because of a burn or scald and over 100 children visit A&E following accidental poisoning. Charities such as RoSPA can reduce these statistics and we are excited to be supporting this wonderful appeal.”

To support the Stocksigns Group you can visit their Just Giving donation page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Stocksigns-Group-Lapl….

Links

Stocksigns Website: https://www.stocksigns.co.uk/

Stocksigns Twitter: https://twitter.com/Stocksigns

Stocksigns LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stocksigns

MessageMaker Website: http://www.messagemaker.co.uk/

MessageMaker Twitter: https://twitter.com/messagemakerLED

MessageMaker LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2584108?trk=tyah

First Call Signs: http://www.firstcallsigns.co.uk/

First Call Signs Twitter: https://twitter.com/FirstCallSigns

RoSPA: http://www.rospa.com/

RoSPA Brighter Beginnings: http://www.rospa.com/campaigns-fundraising/current/keeping-k…

London College Of Garden Design launches innovative new design courses

Courses at the LCGD

The London College of Garden Design has launched it’s 2017 short course schedule with the aim of promoting different ways of looking at garden and planting design. The new courses include subjects ranging from designing gardens for children in their earlier years to designing for dementia.

Andrew Fisher Tomlin who leads the College’s innovative new Planting Design Diploma said “There is an incredible volume of research that is going into the value of green space and we wanted to reflect this in promoting new skills for professional garden designers and landscape architects as well as the keen gardener”

The College is uniquely placed to offer these courses through it’s partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society at Wisley Garden. Some of these courses are supporting the RHS’s own campaigns for schools gardens and health.

Fisher Tomlin added “I am particularly pleased that we are able to offer a course on designing gardens for dementia. It’s an area that is becoming even more important but with people staying at home with this condition there has until recently been very little support to show how you might design gardens for keen gardeners who have got dementia in later life. This course will go some way to address that.”

The courses run throughout 2017 and can be accessed at www.lcgd.org.uk

About the London College of Garden Design

The London College of Garden Design aims to offer the best professional garden design courses available in the UK. Over the past 6 years LCGD graduates have won all but one of the Society of Garden Designers Student Awards and have gone on to win ‘Future Designer’ Awards and RHS medals at some of the Royal Horticultural Society’s main shows.

The College is one of Europe’s leading specialist design colleges and offers professional level courses including the one year Garden Design Diploma which is taught from the Orangery Conference facilities at the world famous Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. In 2016 they launched Europe’s first specialist planting design course aimed at professionals that is taught over two terms from January to July.

Short courses are offered at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, RHS Garden Wisley and Regent’s University in central London.