Author Archives: Catherine Balavage

MUMS-TO-BE WASTE £158 MILLION EACH YEAR ON BABY PRODUCTS THEY WILL NEVER USE

Posted on by

A survey of British mothers shows that the average new mother wastes more than £200 on items such as baby DVDs, room humidifiers and changing bins.

Useless baby products to appear in the top 20 list of never-used buys include air purifiers, Video monitors, car seat covers and baby bath stands.

Interestingly, items that some children might enjoy – such as baby swings and baby walkers –aren’t rated as particularly useful by mums.

Sally J. Hall, product champion for Bounty.com, which conducted the research said: “It’s hard to know what to buy for a baby if you haven’t had one before. You can listen to advice from other mums, friends and family and swot up with books and the internet, but the fact is, each mum has a different lifestyle and income – and should choose to suit herself rather than blindly follow an off-the-shelf ‘baby list’”

“Each child is different too – if you have a placid, calm baby that sleeps through the night you might not be as concerned about checking the temperature of the room and the air purification every five minutes.”

The survey shows that the majority of mums (86%) started to stock up on baby products long before they even had the child – but 43% say they totally over-bought on what they needed. The average new mother admitted to spending nearly £700 in total on baby products and 14% of women got into trouble with their partner for over-spending on things they didn’t strictly need for the baby.

Nappies, baby clothing, wet wipes, prams and bottles all featured highly as essentials that mums should buy, while basic furniture such as cots, highchair, nursery furniture and Moses baskets are considered essential for British mums.

Sally continues; “We commissioned this research as the current economic climate has seen families having to tighten their belts. Having a baby is already an expensive business and we wanted to understand from new mums themselves which products they found really essential – and which they could have definitely done without.

“New parents generally have less disposable income, through taking maternity leave and having to get by on one salary – but to look round some of the shops, you’d think that babies couldn’t manage without endless accessories.

“When it comes down to it, all babies need are to have their basic needs met – to eat, be kept clean and warm – and to be loved – something parents should keep in mind if they’re watching their spending.”

Bounty has used the information to launch the answer to this dilemma. The Bounty Baby Product Guide will be distributed to around 96% of all first time pregnant mums at the beginning of their third month of pregnancy – just when they are making these important decisions. It shows pregnant women how to buy sensibly for their income and lifestyle and recommends products that will save them money and give them more time to spend with their new baby.

TOP 20 LEAST USEFUL BABY BUYS

1. Air purifier

2. Video monitor

3. Baby DVD

4. Room humidifier

5. Designer pram / pushchair

6. Changing bin

7. Room thermometer

8. Feeding pillow

9. Sound and movement monitor

10. Baby bath stand

11. Top and tail bowl

12. Baby shoes

13. Bath thermometer

14. Round rubber baby chair

15. Car seat cover

16. Brand name nappies

17. Bath seat

18. Baby swing

19. Baby walker

20. Soft cuddly toys

TOP 20 MOST USEFUL BABY BUYS

1. Nappies

2. Baby grows

3. Wet wipes

4. Pram or pushchair

5. Baby vest

6. Bottles

7. Cot

8. Changing mat

9. Bedding

10. Car seat

11. Steam steriliser

12. Bibs

13. Baby blankets

14. Clothing

15. Highchair

16. Baby bath

17. Nappy bags

18. Nursery furniture

19. Stair gates

20. Moses basket / crib

VEHICLE VENGEANCE: CHEATED WOMEN PLOT REVENGE ON PARTNERS’ CARS

Posted on by

~ More than half vow retaliation on unfaithful lovers, Autoglass® survey reveals ~

One in 10 women say they would smash up the car of their cheating partner in revenge for an affair, a new survey reveals.

More than a quarter (27%) would consider damaging the paintwork if the car was his most prized possession with 13% vowing to slash the tyres and 9% targeting the windscreen. A further 26% would sell the vehicle on eBay for 50p, according to the Autoglass® poll.

Six out of 10 (59%) say the aim of revenge would be to humiliate their unfaithful boyfriend or husband although 18% would gain satisfaction just from seeing them lose their most treasured belonging.

The approach to Tiger Woods’-style “Vehicle Vengeance” is different depending on the age of the women. Those aged 22-25 would smash the windscreen to get even, 19-21year-olds would damage the paintwork first, while 31-35 year olds are the most likely to sell the car.

Overall, a quarter (24%) would attack the lovecheat himself to settle scores with a further 24% opting for the silent treatment. However, 6% say they would broadcast the infidelity on Facebook or Twitter.

More than half (59%) in the poll of 3,000 men and women said they would launch some form of retaliation if their other half embarked on an affair. Wales was top of the vengeful chart, with as many as seven out of ten (67%) vowing revenge – and almost a third of these would go for the car first – the highest number in the UK.

1. Wales

2. West Midlands

3. East Midlands

4. Yorkshire

5. Scotland

6. N Ireland

7. London

8. North West

9.North East

10. South West

The most placid people and the least likely to take action are those living in East Anglia while the Scottish are the most prepared to physically attack their partner to settle scores.

The Welsh take the top slot when is comes to targeting cash, with 18% of those questioned admitting they would take their partner’s money compared to a UK average of 11 per cent. Other popular ways of hitting back by both sexes include destroying clothes, revealing intimate secrets to parents, putting laxatives in food and going on credit card funded shopping sprees.

Matthew Mycock, managing director of Autoglass®, said: “Clearly, many Britons are prepared to take revenge if their other half is unfaithful – and cars are one of the things which are likely to bear the brunt of their anger.

“Vehicle Vengeance is a very real threat with women saying they are determined to target what is most precious to their partner to get their own back if he cheats. Men who are tempted to stray should think twice – especially if they love their cars!”

Apprentice Felicity Jackson Gives Frost the Low-down on ‘Surviving Actors’.

Posted on by

Felicity Jackson has been known in the acting industry for years now thanks to her awesome Surviving Actors convention. This year she also came to the attention of Alan Sugar, becoming one of his apprentices. She gives us the goss on business, acting and her apprentice experience.

1) What was the idea behind Surviving actors?

Surviving Actors was a initially going to be a recruitment fair for actors to find those “in between” jobs. We then added the two other key areas to the event – Develop and Create. We believe that all three areas are important to a successful career!

2) How did you make surviving actors a success?
Surviving Actors was a success from our first event because I made sure that I spoke to as many actors as I could to form an event that would be useful to all those involved. We also gained support from Fourth Wall Magazine who were a huge help with our website and marketing.

3) The last surviving actors was a resounding success, everyone I knew was there, how does that feel?
It was an incredible feeling – the event doubled in size, and the response was phenomenal. It definitely inspired me to carry on running my events and to work on what I have already achieved.

4) What is your background?
I went to Drama School to train as an actress which I enjoyed immensely. After graduating I was fortunate to work in a couple of tours, and also did various “in between jobs” which is where I gained a lot of my contacts that I share with the Surviving Actors visitors. I then came up with the idea to set up my own business, and now that is what I do full time!

5) What is the most important thing you have learned in business?
I’ve learnt that in order to maintain a successful business you must build good relationships with other similar companies who are the same stages – you really can help each other out!

6) What is the most important thing an actor can do to help their career?
I believe that planning for those ” in between ” times is extremely important – finding well paid work that utilises your acting skills. I also believe in taking chances, putting your own work on and not sitting back and waiting for the phone to ring!

7) How was your Apprentice experience?
Wow – it’s hard to summarise it in just one sentence! It was a crazy and surreal experience, but I loved every second of it! The board room is pretty scary – no amount of auditions can every prepare you for those nerves! I was inspired by the other candidates I worked with, and learnt from all the tasks I was involved in! My favourite point was when we were doing the graphic design for “Ampi Apps” – it was refreshing to use my creative skills!

8) How can companies get involved with Surviving Actors?
Companies can become involved by exhibiting at our next convention in Manchester on July 23rd. It’s a great chance to meet actors who could benefit from the services that they offer. The day is well thought out, and always keeps the actors needs at the fore front of every decision. It’s created by actors, for actors!

9) What’s next?
Well our next event is at Manchester University, Renold Building on July 23rd 2011 – you can register for a free e-ticket here @ http://survivingactors.com/register.html
We are back in London in January 2012!

Thanks Felicity

PASSING THE PARCEL OF WISHES; Make-A-Wish Foundation UK marks its 25th anniversary

Posted on by

PASSING THE PARCEL OF WISHES

Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK marks its 25th anniversary with an attempt to break the world record for the biggest ‘Pass the Parcel’

Residents in the capital witnessed the arrival of the world’s biggest Pass the Parcel attempt, as the charity Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK celebrated its 25th birthday in style.

Celebrity supporter and former S Club Seven band member Hannah Spearritt waved off the parcel on a large 7.5 tonne flat bed truck, as it set off on a magical ten-day tour, granting 25 special wishes to young people who are fighting life-threatening illnesses and the hospitals that care for them.
The enormous parcel, wrapped as a gigantic present, measures 3.35m length, 2.44m breadth and 1.88m depth – a total of 15.37 cubic metres – and features the following amazing features: –

· It is made from 120 metres of sustainable wood – the length of a full-sized football pitch

· It is made from 740.5 square metres of specially printed wrapping material

· The wrapping features 7000 Make-A-Wish stars

· The parcel weighs in at an immense 460 kilos, which is 72 stone!

· The size of the parcel will beat the current world record by 40%

The parcel will tour towns and cities across the UK from 7th June to 16th June 2011, covering an estimated 1,680 miles, plus approximately 180 nautical miles, during its epic expedition. The parcel must complete a giant circular tour of the UK in order to beat the world record. At each stop, a layer will be peeled off by the child or hospital staff to reveal the gift. The exciting journey began at Evelina Children’s Hospital in London; the first of 25 wish-granting stops in the UK.

Neil Jones, Make-A-Wish Chief Executive, comments: “This June, we are celebrating a wonderful milestone in the history of Make-A-Wish; 25 years of making wishes a reality. Since 1986, we have had a single purpose: to grant magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses, and we want to rally as much support as we can to help us on our wishgranting journey over the next 25 years.

“The Pass the Parcel tour is a fantastic way of delivering a wish in a very special way to children, hospices and hospitals around the nation. It’s our way of saying thank you to all those people who have helped and, of course, put the smiles back on the faces of the young people who have been through so much.

“We hope that the tour will encourage everyone to follow us on our journey and support us by donating whatever they can to help make our 25th anniversary year our best year ever.”

If you would like to make a donation or discuss a child or young person who may be eligible for a wish , please call 01276 40 50 60.

Follow the Pass the Parcel Tour and keep up to date with Make-A-Wish activities by visiting www.make-a-wish.org.uk, follow us on twitter at twitter.com/#!/makeawishuk (@MakeAWishuk) and become a fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/makeawishfoundationuk, where regular updates about our activities will be shared.

The Duke Of Cambridge And Prince Harry Head-To-Head at Sentebale Polo Cup Sponsored by Royal Salute

Posted on by

The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry demonstrated polo at its finest today, with the Duke’s team coming out on top, in front of a star-studded crowd at The Sentebale Polo Cup sponsored by Royal Salute.

Neve Campbell, Dougray Scott, Claire Forlani, Ellie Goulding and Greg James, were hosted by the luxury Scotch whisky Royal Salute, as they overlooked a spectacular game of polo at Coworth Park just outside London. The exclusive invite-only event raised funds for Sentebale, a charity co-founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, who also attended the event.

Prince Harry said: “I’m delighted to be at the second Sentebale Polo Cup in the glorious setting of Coworth Park. While my team didn’t finish as champions, it’s encouraging to see the level of support here today for this great cause that gives hope and help to the children of Lesotho.”

Christian Porta, Chairman and CEO, Chivas Brothers says, “Royal Salute is honoured to be associated with polo and more importantly today, with Sentebale, a very special charity that is helping and changing the lives of many in Lesotho. It’s been such a privilege to watch this incredibly historic and skilful game in the beautiful surroundings of Coworth Park.”

The exclusive Royal Salute Dinner and After Party, attended by The Prince, the Duke of Argyll, models Karolina Kurkova and Tallulah Harlech, model and actor Douglas Booth, and actors Toby Kebbell and Sally Hawkins, further treated VIPs to a special viewing of Tribute to Honour, Royal Salute’s finest and rarest limited edition expression of only 21 bottles. Adorned with over 400 black and white diamonds, Tribute to Honour is a collaboration with Garrard, the royal jeweler and fellow supporter of Sentebale.

The Sentebale event, sponsored by Royal Salute included an auction to raise vital funds for the charity, set up five years ago by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, in support of the neediest and most vulnerable people of Lesotho.

The Sentebale Polo Cup sponsored by Royal Salute further highlights the whisky brand’s growing commitment to international polo, with sponsorships of some of the world’s most prestigious polo events currently spanning China, India, Dubai, Brazil and the UK.

Royal Salute World Polo Series continues on the 18th June 2011 at a charity event held at the Beaufort Polo Club in Tetbury, Gloucestershire and closely followed by The Foundation Polo Challenge, at Santa Barbara, California, to raise funds for the American Friends of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry on 9th July 2011.

For further information
http://www.chivasbrothers.com

World’s first ever ‘wireless leash’ to help prevent loss of mobile phones

Posted on by

Mother of three helps keep ‘dog and bone’ safe by inventing an award-winning ‘wireless leash’

An award-winning ‘wireless leash’ for mobile phones called ZOMM (www.ZOMM.co.uk) invented by a mother of three, is now available to buy in the UK. Laurie Penix and her husband Henry unveiled the gadget at CES, the world’s largest consumer electronics show, earlier this year. They beat some of the world’s largest technology companies to scoop the award for ‘Best Innovation’ at the show.

Using Bluetooth® technology, ZOMM prevents users from losing or misplacing their mobile phone by vibrating, flashing and sounding an alarm every time users walk away from their phone and reach a set distance. ZOMM is slightly larger than a £2 coin and is designed to be attached to key-rings. In addition to this, ZOMM also features call notification, works as a fully functional speakerphone and a personal safety device. ZOMM is the ultimate, multi-functional accessory for any Bluetooth-enabled phone.

Henry Penix, CEO and co-founder of ZOMM comments, “Everyone can relate to either losing or forgetting their mobile phone, so we created ZOMM to help prevent people from experiencing the exasperating and expensive process of getting a replacement. And it’s not just the phone – it’s the pictures, contacts and other personal information that’s so important.”

With call notification, ZOMM will flash, vibrate and sound an alert for incoming calls when the phone is out of sight – in a purse or bag. The speakerphone features a built-in, noise-cancelling microphone that allows users to answer calls with their ZOMM with just one press of a button. To send calls to voicemail, users simply press the multifunction button on the ZOMM twice.

As a personal safety device and only one press of a button, ZOMM enables users to sound a panic alarm deterring ‘would be’ attackers and notifying others nearby that they are in distress. By continuing to hold the multifunction button through the alarm, ZOMM will call local emergency assistance from anywhere in the world.

“ZOMM not only protects a mobile phone and the personal information kept on that device, but it can also help keep you and your family safe,” said Laurie Penix, ZOMM‘s co-founder. “With kids in school, it gives me peace of mind to know they have a panic alarm that will deter a would-be attacker, and the ability to call for emergency assistance in any situation.”

Key features:
– ‘wireless leash’ helps prevent mobile phone loss
– fully functional speakerphone with a noise-cancelling microphone
– personal safety device
– customisable distance for the ‘wireless leash’ so users can chose to be alerted from 9m to 20m away from their mobile phones
– ability to mute the ringer and other sounds on the mobile phone using the ZOMM
– ability to adjust the ZOMM volume from the user’s phone
– customable emergency number for ZOMM to dial
– re-chargeable lithium-ion battery lasts up to three days with normal usage before needing to be recharged with the included micro USB wall charger
– comes with a micro USB cord that connects to any computer for charging the battery, activation and firmware updates, and an optional belt clip for additional functionality

Henry Penix, CEO of ZOMM comments, “Purchasing individual products to match each of the key features the ZOMM provides would cost more than £125 plus monthly fees; ZOMM wraps everything into one sleek device for £69.95 with no monthly fees. This makes ZOMM the must-have gift this Christmas for anyone who owns a mobile phone.”

ZOMM is available in both black and white colour options

Lily Allen Married and Pregnant

Posted on by

Lily Allen is celebrating a double dose of good news, she’s married and pregnant. After two miscarriages, Allen is on her way to domestic bliss. Allen’s vintage Chanel 1920’s wedding dress had a resemblance to Kate Middleton’s wedding dress.

The singer, 26, married decorator and business owner Sam Cooper at St. James the Great Church in Gloucestershire, England, on Saturday.

Actor Keith Allen proudly gave his daughter away and Cooper revealed that Allen was pregnant, seven months after her tragic miscarriage

Cooper popped the question over Christmas and the wedding took place in the village of Cranham in the English countryside.

Frost wishes them all the best.

Pippa Middleton Splits From Boyfriend Alex Loudon.

Posted on by

27 year old Pippa Middleton has reportedly split from her boyfriend, former England cricketer and businessman Alex Loudon. Pippa has not been seen with Alex in public since the Royal Wedding in April.

“It is common knowledge in their close circle of friends that Pippa and Alex have recently split up,” a source told the Sunday Times. However, Pippa was recently seen holidaying in Madrid with her ex-boyfriend and close friend George Percy, son of the Duke of Northumberland.

They were also spotted at the French Open in Paris and dining out at some restaurants in London. Pippa and George have known each other for ten years and met at Edinburgh University, where they became a couple.