Time To Take A Break? Get Out Of Your Chair, It’s Killing You

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If you think working overtime, skipping your lunch hour and staying chained to your desk will make you more productive, you need to cut yourself some slack and take a break.

Working non-stop without taking a break can increase your chances of weight gain, heart disease and worse. Staring at a computer screen for more than 2 hours per day can cause Computer Vision Syndrome, a real affliction, which causes blurry vision, headaches, dry eyes and can lead to long-term nearsightedness. However, getting up and away from your desk for just 5 minutes can alleviate eye strain and reduce fatigue in addition to making you feel better. The mere act of standing at your desk instead of sitting at it can help you burn up to 2500 calories per week. Not bad for just standing around.

Work hard and break hard; doing so will make you a healthier, happier and more productive employee.

Take A Break

Take A Break by LearnStuff.com

Chillbox, the UK’s frozen Greek yoghurt, hosts a not-so-secret Saturday giveaway!

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Free stuff alert!!

Chillbox, the UK’s first ever frozen Greek yoghurt, hosts a not-so-secret Saturday giveaway!


This Saturday 10th November, 1pm – 3pm

 
Behind a refrigerated doorway, hidden in the vibrant food hub of Brixton Market, sits Chillbox – the UK’s first ever frozen Greek yoghurt concept.
Completely unique in its taste, the result of using Greek yoghurt and being chilled rather than frozen, Chillbox’s Greek frozen yoghurt is far softer and creamier than any of its competitors.
To celebrate its arrival, Chillbox will for one day only be giving everyone the chance to taste this delectable Greek frozen yoghurt with up to two toppings. The giveaway will take place this Saturday 10th November, between 1pm and 3pm only.
Choose between natural yoghurt, chocolate yoghurt or both, and then personalise with a huge selection of indulgent toppings – from caramelised Aegean almonds, slow cooked Morello cherries, to Oreo Cookies, Lemon Pie to name but a few. Sounds yummy.
Spread the word, come on down. #ChillboxSaturday is happening!
Terms & Conditions:
Offer to run on Saturday 10th November from 1 – 3pm only. Only one Chillbox per person and a maximum of two toppings allowed. No other products are allowed in this promotion. Toppings on the day may vary. Promotion offered on a first come, first served basis. Christmas toppings are not included in this offer.
Further information:
Chillbox
14 Market Row, Brixton Market, SW9 8LD
Opening times: Tues 10 – 5pm / Wed – Sun 10 – 10pm
For Chillbox updates follow:
Twitter – @Chillbox_uk

A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Theatre

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream

 

Lazarus Theatre Company – www.lazarustheatrecompany.webs.com

27 November – 15 December

 

A Spell-binding and Striking Re-Imagining

 

Lazarus Theatre Company returns to the Blue Elephant to herald in Christmas with a touch of magic and enchantment.

One of Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is transported to a frozen forest by a company whose work is “a superb lesson in how to adapt an old classic for a contemporary audience” (Spoonfed).

High in the mountains, four young lovers find themselves far from home, following romance at all costs. With the fairies at hand to weave their spells, nothing is quite as it seems until confusion gives way to happy-ever-after.

“If you know anyone unsure of Shakespeare then take them to see this and have them fall in love!”    

Dave Jordan, WhatsonStage on Macbeth

 

Director and Designer: Ricky Dukes

Composer: Phillip Ryder

Lighting Designer: Alex Musgrave

Costume Designer: Rachel Dingle

 

Cast: Benjamin Archer, Michael Bagwell, Alice Brown, Lucy Fyffe, Julie Gilby, Sheila Grant, Cameron Harle, Alexandra Harman, Ewa Jaworski, Angela Jimenez, Danny Lawrence, Stuart Mortimer, Jen Painter, Sian Stephenson, James Taylor Thomas & Joseph Tweedale.

 

Dates: Tuesday 27 November – Saturday 15 December (Tuesday – Saturday only)

Times: 8pm (Wednesday matinees at 4pm on 5 and 12 December)

Tickets: £15 (£10 conc. and previews Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 November), £9 Southwark residents

 


Venue: Blue Elephant Theatre, 59a Bethwin Rd, Camberwell, SE5 0XT (entrance on Thompson Ave)

Nearest tube: Oval (Northern Line)

Wheelchair accessible

Box Office: 020 7701 0100/084 4477 1000

www.blueelephanttheatre.co.uk

info@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk

Twitter: @BETCamberwell


Reality stars face UK’s biggest charity plunge

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The UK’s highest bungee jump awaits a group of reality TV stars as they join a national campaign which will see them risk their lives to help raise vital funds for sick and disabled children in the UK.

 

Frances Wood, who shot to fame on ITV’s ‘The Voice’ and X Factor duo, Poisonous Twin, are the latest to join Reality Relief, a campaign supported by an ever growing list of celebrities from hit reality TV shows which has already raised over £10,000 to help provide life-changing support for disabled youngsters.

 

The fearless celebrities will be plunging 300ft towards the ground at Tatton Park, Greater Manchester on Saturday November 24th, as the latest in a series of sponsored challenges which have tested the nerve of contestants from hit TV shows such as Big Brother, The X Factor, The Voice and The Only Way is Essex.

 

Launched by national charity, Caudwell Children, in 2011 Reality Relief aims to help new found stars thrust into the media spotlight use their fan base to help raise funds and make a real difference to the lives of others.

 

Frances said: “Reality Relief is a fantastic opportunity to help raise the profile of Caudwell Children, the charity behind the campaign, and their crucial work helping change and save the lives of disabled children.

 

When I heard about their Reality Relief bungee challenge I jumped at the chance to get on board and take part.

 

I hope people will really get behind the bungee jump and help us make it as successful as possible.”

 

Poisonous Twin member Stephanie added, “We have never done anything like this before but this is a really fantastic opportunity to help raise vital funds that will help change the lives of disabled children.”

 

Trudi Beswick, Chief Executive of Caudwell Children, said “These new stars are not only taking on an incredibly brave challenge, they are putting themselves forward to help raise awareness about the additional support desperately needed in the UK for those with disabilities or life threatening conditions.

 

Sadly it’s a common misconception that specialist equipment such as powered wheelchairs for disabled children are available on the NHS, when in fact families are expected to pay up to £20,000 for the additional support they need.

 

There are also a number of treatments that save lives, but come at an incredibly high price for families already facing the trauma of their child’s illness. We help these families get the treatment they need to keep their child alive.

 

Reality Relief aims to help new found stars make a real difference and we are thrilled to have them join the campaign.

 

We would really like to take this opportunity to wish them the very best of luck and ask that people honour their bravery by supporting their fundraising.”

 

To support Frances visit http://www.justgiving.com/FrancesW or text FRAN49 £(amount) to 70070.

To Support Poisonous Twin visit www.justgiving.com/Poisonoustwin or text TWIN73 £(AMOUNT) to 70070.

 

Uggie, Hollywood Canine Superstar, releases “My Story”.

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On the 30th of October 2012 Uggie attended his book launch at the London Kensington Waterstone bookstore.

‘My Story’ is a must read book, autobiography of ‘The Artist’ Oscar winning film canine star Uggie which went from originally abandoned and later adopted dog to spoiled celebrity Hollywood Icon.

 

Credit: Tenee Attoh


Uggie, recently retired from movies work, is the first dog in history that had his own paws put in cement at the historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, planting him next to the handprints of Hollywood’s royalty.

 

Uggie – adopted by animal trainer Omar von Muller, which is also Uggie’s manager -wrote his book with the human help of, English celebrity biographer, Wendy Holden.

 

Credit Simone Lezzi

The book, published by HarperCollins, has been sold to America, France, England (where it can be found in Waterstones and WH Smiths bookshops) and, in 2013, will be published also in Italian.

 

Since Uggie was adopted and became a star, he wants to let people know they should

adopt a dog rather than buying one. Even if the dog will not became a big star on the

screen, he will still be a big star in the house, within the family. If you need to buy, buy a book, Uggie says!


Find out more about the book writer at: www.wendyholden.com/

Find out more about Omar von Muller at: www.miamioffleash.com

 

Article written by Paola Berta
Photography by Simone Lezzi and Tenee Attoh

 

 

Price Comparison: Now & Then…

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We’ve all been there; as we’re doing our weekly shop, or treating ourselves to a little luxury item, we often find ourselves gasping: “How much!?”

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that life can be expensive – it seems that the prices of items we use in our everyday lives, continue to creep up each time we go to buy them.

I’m sure I’m not alone in finding that as I mutter, “How much?” at an item I regularly buy, it’s often followed by the phrase: “I remember when they used to be such-and-such price!”

Well, you’re right. Because, those lower such-and-such prices we seem to remember paying have somehow become sky high now we’re in the 21st century.

And, just to show you how expensive things have become, here’s a little run-down of how much normal everyday items cost us now, in comparison to 50 years ago, in the 1960’s:

Food & Household Groceries

Although plenty of our favourite supermarkets today claim that they offer the cheapest day-to-day products in comparison to their rivals, their prices still don’t come close to the prices that were around in the 1960’s.

Take a small pint of milk for example. In the 1960’s, one of these would have cost you a mere 3.3p. Hard to believe, isn’t it? And you thought that milk was cheap anyway, right? Well, compared to that price, milk now costs an average of 51p – which totals to a staggering rise of 1545% in the last 50 years!

Bread is also another everyday item that’s rocketed in price. Back in the day, a standard loaf of bread would have cost you 5p. Yes, that’s right…5p! With a 2000% increase, the same loaf now costs us a whole £1.

Lifestyle

Aside from the weekly food shop, a lot of us may have already noticed that other items that we purchase for our regular lifestyles, have also increased.

Starting with your very own bricks and mortar. The average price for a standard family home currently stands at a staggering £226,887. However, if you’d bought the same home 50 years ago, it would have cost you an unbelievably £2,530. That’s an amazing 8967% increase between 50 years ago and now. It’s no wonder so many people are desperately searching for the best payday loan in order to help them keep up with such payments.

A price that I always seem to notice is a little high, is stamps. Just a little first class stamp to send off your little letter, costs an unbelievable 60p today. Wouldn’t it be great if we could travel back to the days when this tiny item only cost you 1.2p?

Entertainment has risen significantly too: One cinema ticket would have cost you 60p 50 years ago, whereas today one costs an average of £8.00.

If you’re an avid Manchester United Fan, you also won’t be pleased to hear that the price of your beloved season ticket has risen a staggering 6258% in the same amount of years. what now costs you around £532 to see Alex Ferguson’s team play, would have cost you only £8.50.

A pack of 20 cigarettes used to cost 25p, and at an average of £6.57 today, that really is a saving that you could do with today!

A pint of beer has been on the up too. What would have cost you 5p for a standard pint has now risen 1545% to £3.00. So, you’ve popped to the pub for that after-work-Friday-night drink and now you’re off to the chippie to get the Friday night fish and chips. Well, if you’d done that 50 years ago, a regular portion would have cost you 6p – extremely cheap compared to the price of £3.30 today!

Cars

We all know cars are money drainers. From buying the car, they then need their MOT’s, their servicing, their tax and the petrol to run them. A little mini that’d set you back around £12,000 today, would have only cost you an average £470 back in the 1960’s!

And to run it? Well, with a litre of petrol now costing £1.30, that’s seen a staggering rise of 3939% in comparison to 50 years ago, where the same volume would have cost you only 3.3p.

However, it has to be said that although we’ve seen an incredible rise in everyday items since the 1960’s, the average income per annum has also risen dramatically. With an average increase of 2679% from £948 a year back then, to around £25k today, which would you prefer?

Calendar Girls | Theatre Review

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Tim Firth’s phenomenally successful Calendar Girls has been performed on stage and movie screens across the globe but its run at the local Ealing theatre hut, Questors, is where the drama really comes to life.

Even without Helen Mirren or an expendable budget, the Questors simple props and am-dram cast came together to offer a moving, personable, and simply fantastic adaptation.

After all, simple props such as baked buns and flower-pots were the only items used to protect the women’s modesty for the calendar photo shoot.

From the opening scene of the Women’s Institute partaking in tai chi to the moment they decide to strip for the famous Yorkshire charity calendar, the bonds of friendship are evident both on and off the stage.

Despite the different personalities, from loud Cora, to life-experienced Jessie and the snobbish Celia, once Annie’s husband dies from Leukaemia, they harmonise to raise money for a communal sofa for the hospital which looked after John Clark.

And as the group debate the morality of an artistically ‘nude’ calendar (as opposed to the more common ‘naked’), we shared their every musing from lack of confidence, embarrassment to final empowerment and financial success.

Hannah Whiteoak who plays Ruth was a particular treat to witness.

Her slightly timid, introverted character was played out to comedic effect which balanced the heavier plot of illness and death.

And just when you’re not sure whether she’ll take part in the photo-shoot, she outshines all the ladies as she confidently stretches out her body on the table as fruit envelopes her humility.

Directed by Rachel Knightley (her first production), there were two scenes which really impressed.

In a sombre moment when John’s dying, the women all group together and stand around his wheelchair.

As his lines fade and the lights are dimmed, Annie’s lines overlap John’s as he slowly walks away into the shadows of the stage. It was very touching.

Another clever use of the set was when the WI received all the fan mail after sales of the calendar rocketed both in Yorkshire and abroad.

Letters were dropped to the floor from stage scaffolding above which was very novel.

Despite its amateur status, this is a fine production from Questors and a promising start for new director Rachel Knightley. It had me laughing and caught me crying at all the right moments.

Calendar Girls is running at Questors till Sat 10 Nov. To book tickets, visit: http://www.questors.org.uk/event.aspx?id=364

All photos are by Richard Mead.

Ways To Get A Little Sun This Winter

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Ah, the great British winter. The season of dark nights and bitter cold temperatures, has somehow managed to creep up on us for another year.

Now I know what you’re thinking, just where has the time gone, right? It only feels like yesterday that we were enjoying the summer sun, and suddenly some how we’re now donning our thickest coats, wooliest jumpers and cosiest boots.

I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that rather than relishing what the great British winter has to offer, all I associate it with is sneezing, colds, rain, rain and more rain. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just hibernate for the whole season, or run away to a hot country somewhere? Well, it’s exactly what some fellows do when it hits this time of year (the hot country bit, not the hibernating bit).

Jetting off to a corner of the earth where the sun still shines during the winter is a great way to catch some winter rays.

So, if you’re seriously considering booking yourself on the next plane in order to do so, then here’s a little guide of short-haul, mid-haul and long-haul options to help you on your way.

Short-Haul

If you’re simply looking to step out of the dreary winter and into something just a little bit brighter, than a trip into Europe may be what you’re looking for.

Locations such as the French and Italian Rivieras, Sicily, Majorca and Portugal are perfect if you’re after simply a brighter winter. Although these locations don’t boast scorching heat in the winter months, they do offer reasonable temperatures, sunny days and beautiful surroundings that’ll give you a whole different meaning to the word ‘winter’.

Whether you opt for a hotel stay or prefer to hire out a villa, such as a Portugal property for your short break, you’ll be amazed at how far you can be from the British weather, without having to travel to the other side of the world to get it. With flight times of less than 4 hours, they’re perfect for both week-long stays or long weekends.

Mid-Haul

If you are looking for temperatures a little higher than what Europe has to offer for this time of year, then there are a vast array of mid-haul options that’ll help you escape.

By hopping on a plane ride of 5 hours, you can find yourself in the beautiful Cape Verde, situated off the coast of Africa. Cape Verde offers average temperatures of between 22 and 29 degrees in the winter months, and with the area boasting stunning surroundings, you really can’t go wrong.

Egypt is also a popular choice with holidaymakers looking to get away for some winter sun. With a flight time from the UK of around 5 hours again, you can experience a city break in Cairo or take a River Cruise up the world famous Nile. What’s guaranteed is that whatever you choose to do, you’ll feel a million miles from the British winter weather.

Long-Haul

So, you’ve been saving up your annual leave days all year in hope of one thing as the end of the year approaches; a well-deserved holiday soaking up the scorching hot sun.

If this is you and you’re really looking to travel far to escape the winter weather, then the Caribbean is definitely for you.

From locations such as the Maldives, the Seychelles or Barbados, all with a flight times of around 8 hours, it’s time to don that bikini, take a dip in the ocean and take long strolls along the beautiful white sandy beaches. With temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius, what was all that moaning about winter again?