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Independent Bookshop Week 2024 Announces Ambassadors and Early Initiatives

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The Booksellers Association (BA) hasIndependent Bookshop Week 2024 Announces Ambassadors and Early Initiatives announced this year’s official campaign spokespeople and initial plans for Independent Bookshop Week (IBW), the annual celebration of independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland. It will take place between 15-22 June 2024 with Hachette UK returning as the headline sponsor.

This year, renowned broadcaster and author of Murder at the Monastery (6 June 2024), Rev Richard Coles, celebrated journalist and author of Everything is Everything: A Memoir of Love, Hate and Hope, Clive Myrie and award-winning novelist and author of In The Shadow of the Wolf Queen, Kiran Millwood Hargrave will be participating in IBW as official ambassadors. They will also be appearing at bookshop events all across the UK – with more details and venues to be revealed.

Independent Bookshop Week 2024 returns with a packed line-up of exciting initatives from the inaugural Big Book Club to the sixth year of High Five for Bookshops supported by National Book Tokens and many more.

EXCLUSIVE POEM

With the success of poems created by Brian Bilston, Hollie McNish and Dean Atta, critically acclaimed spoken word performer George Mpanga, known for his artistry as George the Poet, has created a bespoke Independent Bookshop Week poem to support the campaign. The poem will be shared on social media at 6pm on Wednesday 19 June.

HIGH FIVE FOR BOOKSHOPS

High Five for Bookshops, the successful national giveaway from National Book Tokens, is back for a sixth year. The giveaway supports indie bookshops across the UK and Ireland to reward their most loyal local customers.

Bookshops participating in Independent Bookshop Week each receive 100 vouchers with unique codes, which customers can use to claim a £5/€5 National Book Tokens e-Gift card to spend instore.

Since its launch, High Five has continued to grow year-on-year, with 92,000 vouchers sent to indies in 2023 – a 200% increase since 2019. The giveaway is a valuable, footfall-driving asset to the annual Independent Bookshop Week celebrations.

BIG BOOK CLUB

Launching this year, the Big Book Club strand of IBW will celebrate the role of indies in bringing people together via a shared love of reading. The Big Book Club will see indie bookshops across the UK and Ireland holding book club evenings on the same day, on Wednesday 19 June. Participating bookshops confirmed so far include: The Beckenham Bookshop, Booka Bookshop (Bridgnorth), Booka Bookshop (Oswestry), Book-ish (Abergavenny), Book-ish (Crickhowell), Hungerford Bookshop, Jaffé & Neale, The Mainstreet Trading Company, and Wantage Bookshop.

BOOKSHOP CRAWLS

All booklovers are once again invited to organise their own Bookshop Crawl to celebrate IBW. The Bookshop Map on the homepage of the Books Are My Bag website is a useful resource to find your closest local indies and plan your route.

INDIE TWINNING

With its success making it a firmly established strand of IBW, Indie Twinning returns for a fifth year, with independent publishers and independent bookshops teaming up to develop bespoke programmes of activity across the country. Look out for special offers, exclusives, social media take-overs, bespoke bookshop windows and much more.

GUEST BOOKSELLING

Authors, poets and illustrators are invited to get involved with IBW with Guest Bookselling. Allowing guest booksellers to learn more about a new side of the booktrade and supporting local indies, and an exciting opportunity for bookshop frequenters to have a chance encounter with authors, poets and illustrators, this is a win-win for all!

BOOKSHOP.ORG FREE SHIPPING

Bookshop.org, the online bookshop with a mission to support and celebrate indies in the UK, will again be offering free shipping on any purchases made on the website the last weekend of IBW, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June 2024.

Rev Richard Coles, said: “Booksellers around the market towns and cathedral cities of the UK have been so very genial and welcoming to me as I’ve spent many an enjoyable day visiting them to talk about Canon Daniel Clement, parish murders and dachshunds. I wouldn’t be in the wonderful position that I now find myself in – crime writer! – without their considerable efforts and support, so I am hugely grateful. It all began for me with an independent bookseller, The Oundle Bookshop, in Northamptonshire where, when I was 8 years old, my grandfather bought me my first proper book – The Complete Sherlock Holmes Short Stories – and without knowing it set me on this gilded path.”

Kiran Millwood Hargrave, said: “Independent bookshops are like treasure troves staffed by the most erudite and lovely dragons. Each knows their hoard inside out and I feel so lucky whenever I get to visit and ask for their recommendations, coming away with hidden gems and glittering storytelling riches. I love the high ceilings of Forum Books in Corbridge, the gorgeously-painted windows of Booka Bookshop, the pitch perfect curation at Porty Books and of course the dazzling array at my local, Mostly Books. But every shop I visit is distinct and precious, and offers an experience as unique as the people who run them – and that is what makes indie bookselling such a vibrant and vital part of the book world.”

Hazel Broadfoot, President of the Booksellers Association, said: “This is such a wonderful celebration of indie bookshops, and everything they bring to their local communities. Bookshops are not just about selling books – they connect people with books and authors – and each other! Independent Bookshop Week is an opportunity to shine a light on their hard work and creativity that brings so many cultural benefits to their high streets. In my bookshop, Village Books Dulwich, we have our planning under way – we’ll be joining in the fun and hosting lots of events for our customers of all ages to celebrate the power of books and reading.”

Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the Booksellers Association, commented: “Independent Bookshop Week is one of the highlights in the book industry calendar. Throughout the week, we aim to celebrate not only the vital role the independent bookshops play in their local communities, but also the work of individual booksellers. We are thrilled to have the support of so many parts of the book trade; it’s a joy to see everyone brought together by the joy of books and a love for independent bookshops. This year’s programme of events, initiatives and exclusives is sure to be better than ever, and we’re very excited to kick off the celebrations in June!”

David Shelley, CEO Hachette UK, said: “We’re proud to continue our headline sponsorship of Independent Bookshop Week, an integral part of our happy and important partnership with the Booksellers Association. Independent bookshops are the beating heart of our industry, and this is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the vital work that they do, up and down the UK and Ireland, getting our author’s books into the hands of readers with such passion and dedication.”

Follow the latest developments via social media: #IndieBookshopWeek @BooksAreMyBag

Marriage rate at record low: 10 risks we take when we live together

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  • The marriage rate of opposite sex couples was the lowest on record in 2018, with 20.1 per 1,000 unmarried men and 18.6 per 1,000 unmarried women.
  • In the previous 10 years, marriage rates had fallen most among those under the age of 20: down 57% for men and 63% for women.
  • The average age to get married is rising – in opposite-sex couples, men married at an average age of 38.1, and women 35.8 years.
  • There were 234,795 marriages in 2018 – down 3.3% from 2017.
  • Since 1972, the annual number of opposite-sex marriages has fallen 46.5%.

The Office for National Statistics has published marriage statistics for 2018 today.

wedding planning, wedding, weddings,

Sarah Coles, personal finance analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown

“Marriages hit a record low in 2018, as more people decided it was better to live with their partner first for a few years than live with a bad decision forever. But as more couples move in together for longer without tying the knot, they need to understand the ways it can make them vulnerable.

Separate ONS statistics show that among those under 30, more than two thirds of couples are living together without getting married, along with one in five couples in their 40s and one in ten people in their 60s.

There are all sorts of reasons why people choose to marry or live together, and nobody would suggest marrying for money. However, if you are living together you need to understand the financial risks you face. You could be in for a horrible surprise if you split up, or fall foul of rules you never knew existed if your partner was to die.

The good news is that you don’t have to rush into marriage to protect yourself, because there are steps you can take to cut your risks, whatever your marital status.

10 risks of living together

  1. If one of you dies without a will, the other could get nothing. If the home is in their name, you could lose your home too, because everything passes to your partner’s children. If they have no children, everything in their name will pass to their parents instead.
  2.  If you have a pension which is meant to pay out to a spouse when you die, some pensions don’t allow this to be left to an unmarried partner. Some will allow you to complete a ‘nomination of beneficiaries’ form, to ask for anything to pass to your partner, but if you don’t complete the form there are no guarantees that this will happen.
  3. If you have children, the father isn’t on the birth certificate, and the mother dies, the father doesn’t automatically have a right to care for the child.
  4. If one of you dies and leaves everything to the other, in a marriage or civil partnership this would all be free of inheritance tax. If you’re not married and you breach the inheritance tax nil rate band, there could be tax to pay. In some cases, this could mean you can’t afford to stay in your home.
  5. There are no inheritable ISAs. If your spouse holds an ISA on death, you will get an additional ISA allowance – called an Additional Permitted Subscription, which essentially means ISA assets they leave you can all be wrapped up in an ISA again without affecting your allowances. If you’re not married, you don’t get this extra ISA allowance.
  6. If you split up and one of you owns the house in their name, the other may have no right to live in it or to a share of the property.
  7. On the flip side, if the property belongs to one of you entirely, but the other has contributed towards it in some way – including paying a share of the bills or helping with home improvements, they can claim an ‘interest’ in it, and go to a court for a share of the property. It means couples who move in together may have made a bigger commitment than they appreciate.
  8. If you split up, and one of you has sacrificed their career for caring responsibilities, they have no right to spousal maintenance. On average, women’s pay falls 7% for each child they have – so without maintenance to make up the difference, this could leave them thousands of pounds worse off each year.
  9. In the event of a split, if one of you has a sizeable pension and the other has nothing, there’s no compulsion to share.
  10. There are tax disadvantages. We all have a personal allowance that’s not subject to income tax, a personal savings allowance, a dividend allowance and a capital gains tax allowance. Married couples can share assets between them to take advantage of both people’s allowances, and the lower taxpayer can hold the balance. If unmarried couples try to do this, sharing the assets could trigger a tax bill.

How to protect yourself

Make a will

The only way to ensure an unmarried partner inherits is to draw up a will so that your assets are left exactly as you want them. While it’s vital that everyone makes a will, the stakes for unmarried partners are even higher.

Think carefully about how all assets are owned

If one of you moved in with the other, and the home remains in their name, have you contributed financially? Financial contributions can be reflected by switching to own the property as tenants in common. This allows the financial contribution to be reflected accurately in the proportions of ownership. Also think before taking on any debt: if the loan is for the benefit of both of you, it should be in both names. And consider your savings, if you’re saving together, it should be in both names.

Consider a co-habitation agreement

This will lay out all kinds of things, from how you manage money between you to who owns what in the relationship. It can also iron out what will happen in the event that you split up.

Ensure both parents have parental responsibility

Fathers can protect themselves by being there when the birth is registered, and being on the birth certificate. If it’s too late for that, you can agree parental responsibility between you and complete the form . If you can’t agree, you may need to go to court.

Take out life insurance

Both of you should have enough insurance to ensure the children are provided for in the event you die. After a split, the resident parent should have cover and if one of you is paying child support, they should have cover that will replace it in the event of their death.

Build a nest egg for your child

One of the best ways to protect your child against whatever the future holds is for them to have savings and investments in their own name. The Junior ISA can be a really sensible option. Nobody can access the money until they are 18, and at that point it belongs entirely to the child. While the money is saved or invested it grows free of tax, and there’s no tax to pay when it’s withdrawn either.”

  • There were 6,925 marriages between same-sex couples, of which 57.2% were between female couples.
  • 803 same-sex couples converted their civil partnership into a marriage.
  • 21.1% of opposite-sex marriages in 2018 were religious ceremonies, the lowest on record.

 

Working adults in their thirties are on track to be the wealthiest generation

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Working adults in their thirties are on track to be the wealthiest generation – after research found they earn the highest salary, save more and have the most disposable income.

A study into how much money the average person ‘has’ in each decade of their life revealed those aged 30 to 39 earn an average of £32,561 a year, and typically save £309 a month.

They also have the most disposable income – an average of £382 a month – and have less debt than 50-somethings – £7,196 compared to £8,315.

The study of 2,000 adults, commissioned by Equity Release Supermarket, also found that those in their thirties have an average of £10,326 stored away in savings.

Mark Gregory, founder and CEO of Equity Release Supermarket, said: “Our study revealed that while those in their thirties are impressively thrifty in their approach to money and savings, adults aged 40-49 who have had more time to save are slogging along with just £11,039.

“We know first-hand that many parents and grandparents would like to support their younger family members in their later life, whether that be with university fees, property, or other financial support.

“However, the research highlights that this may not be possible for several people in their 40s, 50s and 60s, which is where equity release could come into play as one potential solution.”

The study also found that regardless of how much is in the bank, the ability to be ‘good’ with money seems to improve with age.

Of those aged 60 and over, eight in 10 believe they are good at handling their money compared to 69 per cent of those in their twenties and 73 per cent of people in their thirties.

But 59 per cent of 20-somethings reckon they are good at saving, compared to 61 per cent of adults aged 60+.

The most common reasons people aged 60 and over believe they have good money habits simply comes from knowing how much is in their account (68 per cent) and knowing exactly where they spend their money (72 per cent).

It also emerged that when it comes to breaking down exactly what each age group splashes their cash on,  those in their twenties are most likely to spend their money on clothes, streaming services, takeaways and going out for dinner or drinks.

But adults aged 50 and over are more likely to be forking out for their energy bills, paying for petrol, the weekly food shop and insurance.

Despite having a healthy attitude towards finances, 53 per cent of those aged 60 and over still worry about money.

More than four in 10 put it down to the fact that they don’t want to get into debt, and a fifth agreed it’s because it’s one of the most stressful things in life.

Although a quarter worry about their income and outgoings because they enjoy living a comfortable lifestyle, and don’t want that to change.

But three in four adults aged 60+ believe they will always have some worries about money, no matter how much or little they actually have.

And 77 per cent admitted they find themselves fretting over how much they have pocketed for their retirement, according to the OnePoll findings.

Half of people aged 60 and above have money for the future put away in their pension and cash savings, while a fifth are relying on investments to keep them going in later life, and 14 per cent are considering downsizing.

Mark Gregory, from Equity Release Supermarket, added: “You spend your entire life building up savings – whether that’s in your pension, cash savings or investments like property – just so you can relax and enjoy your later life retirement years.

“But that doesn’t stop people worrying about money throughout this entire cycle.

“There are plenty of ways to give yourself that added bit of reassurance and equity release is just one option.

“Many people don’t understand the features and benefits of equity release as a possible solution to support retirement, enabling them to subsequently fulfil their financial wishes.

“When we’ve worked so hard to put money away, it’s always good to know there are other options available.

“While it’s not the only option to raise capital for an enhanced retirement, equity release could be beneficial and should always be considered with the right financial advice.”

Breakdown of ‘wealth’ by decade:

Current cash savings

20s – £7,232.11

30s – £10,326.33

40s – £11,039.59

50s – £16,704.68

60+ – £20,588.30

Salary

20s – £23,920.13

30s – £32,561.51

40s – £32,175.52

50s – £28,771.27

60+ – £25,771.91

Debt

20s – £15,950.99

30s – £7,196.98

40s – £7,017.62

50s – £8,315.31

60+ – £4,654.33

Disposable income per month

20s – £269.49

30s – £382.85

40s – £364.25

50s – £362.64

60+ – £382.58

Money put away in savings each month

20s – £243.73

30s – £309.36

40s – £282.28

50s – £259.60

60+ – £264.17

RNA announces contenders for 2020 Joan Hessayon Award

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The Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) has announced the 2020 line-up for its prestigious Joan Hessayon Award for new writers.

The contenders for this award are all authors whose debut novels have been accepted for publication after passing through the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme. Each year 300 places are offered to unpublished writers in the romantic fiction genre. As part of the scheme, they can submit a complete manuscript for critique by one of the Association’s published authors as well as attend RNA events which offer opportunities to meet and network with publishers, agents and other published authors.

This year’s debuts show the wide range of stories encompassed by the romance genre, from the ever-popular romantic comedies, to fairy tale romance, romantic suspense, historical stories and paranormal thrills. From the house just down the street to the sun-soaked beaches of Italy and that different world that is the past, these books deal with themes we all recognise and hold close to our hearts.

Commenting on the contenders for 2020, Alison May, RNA Chair, said, ‘The New Writers’ Scheme is at the heart of the RNA’s commitment to nurturing romantic authorship and the celebration of the Joan Hessayon shortlist is a highlight in the Association’s year. This year has been different for so many reasons, but we’re still delighted for all these debut novelists and excited to announce our Diamond Joan Hessayon Award winner in this, our 60th Anniversary year.’

Imogen Howson, RNA Vice Chair, who previously co-ordinated the New Writers’ Scheme, commented, ‘In the midst of uncertain times, it’s immensely encouraging to see a record number of contenders this year for the Joan Hessayon Award. It speaks so well, not only of the hard work and talent of the authors themselves, but of the continuing health of the publishing industry.’

The Award will be announced on 5th September 2020 in an online presentation.

The Joan Hessayon Award is generously sponsored by gardening expert Dr. David Hessayon OBE, in honour of his late wife, Joan, who was a longstanding member of the RNA and a great supporter of its New Writers’ Scheme.

The full list of contenders for 2020 is:

Zoe Allison, Impervious, Totally Bound

Jan Baynham, Her Mother’s Secret, Ruby Fiction

Laura Bambrey, The Beginner’s Guide to Loneliness, Simon & Schuster

Victoria Garland, Finding Prince Charming, DC Thompson

Rosemary Goodacre, Until We Meet Again, Hera

Annette Hannah, Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Cafe, Orion Dash

Stephanie Harte, Risking It All, Aria

Stefania Hartley, Sun, Stars and Limoncello, Totally Bound

Kirsten Hesketh, Another Us, Canelo

Sharon Ibbotson, The Marked Lord, Choc Lit

Emma Jackson, A Mistletoe Miracle, Orion Dash

Lynn Johnson, The Girl from the Workhouse, Hera

Nina Kaye, The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating, Orion Dash

Lucy Keeling, Make it up to you, Choc Lit

Ruth Kvarnström-Jones, Halleholm – Lovisas Choice, Printz Publishing

Mairibeth MacMillan, The Viking’s Cursed Bride, Tirgearr

Melissa Oliver, The Rebel Heiress and the Knight, Mills and Boon Historical

Maggie Richell-Davies, The Servant, Sharpe Books

Jacqueline Rohen, How to Marry Your Husband, Arrow

Kathleen Whyman, Wife Support System, Hera

Fiona Woodifield, The Jane Austen Dating Agency, Bloodhound Books

The New Writers’ Scheme has been run by the RNA since 1962 and is unique among professional writing associations. It aims to encourage fresh talent in the writing of romantic novels that reflect all aspects of love and life, contemporary or historical.

Manuscripts submitted under the scheme are from unpublished authors and are read by an experienced writer or editor who provides invaluable feedback. Any manuscript that is subsequently published as a debut novel is eligible for the Joan Hessayon Award. All eligible books are judged by a panel of experienced RNA members who are already published authors, and this year the final round judges are Rhoda Baxter, Author and Chair of Authors North, and Thorne Ryan from Hodder and Stoughton.

Coping with Hyperemesis Gravidarum – mums speak out on severe morning sickness

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As news of the Duchess of Cambridge’s third pregnancy makes waves across the nation, we are reminded of the realities of morning sickness and its level of severity in some rare cases.  The UK’s leading support resource for mums to be Emma’s Diary, (verified by the RCGP – Royal College of General Practitioners), has spoken to several mums suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum (which affects 1 in 100 pregnant women) about their experiences, in a series of candid interviews.

Around 80% of pregnant women suffer from morning sickness (and despite its misleading name, it doesn’t just happen in the morning).  For some, like the Duchess of Cambridge, extreme vomiting triggered by pregnancy can be severe, even life threatening for those diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). In a bid to share their stories and raise awareness of this less common condition, these mums have spoken out to warn others that if you believe you are suffering from extreme sickness, not to be fobbed off by suggestions that ‘it’s normal’, because it might not be the case:

Bella Drew from Norwich in Norfolk said:

“My baby is due in just over two weeks time. The moment I first found out I was expecting, my heart filled with excitement but that was soon to be diminished a week later.  My experience of so-called ‘morning sickness’ started at around three weeks, I couldn’t keep anything down but I was told that was normal.  As my suffering worsened I was put on medication which didn’t really help in my opinion.  I had lost around two and a half stone, had sustained haemorrhages within my eyes from the straining while being sick. 

I was being sick every 15 minutes throughout the day and night.  I was bedridden and eventually I gave up.  I couldn’t cope anymore and I was admitted to hospital diagnosed with HG. Despite all of the recent media attention the condition is still massively misunderstood. I wouldn’t wish this debilitating illness on anyone and we really need to spread more awareness of the impact and symptoms of HG.” 

Emma Eaton from Gosport in Hampshire said:

“I am pregnant and am currently suffering with HG; I was also hospitalised for two weeks in my last pregnancy having almost died from starvation and dehydration.  I have been in and out of hospital numerous times during my current pregnancy to have IV fluids and IV anti-emetics to help control the symptoms. I have to take two different types of tablets to help prevent me from being sick as I have been physically passing out and collapsing – also knocking myself out in the process. I believe there needs to be much greater awareness of this life-threatening condition amongst pregnant women and those who are planning to have children.”

Gemma Edwards from Walsall in West Midlands said:

“I was diagnosed with HG with all three of my pregnancies which has left me with some long term health problems. I am losing my teeth due to the impact of the stomach acid because I was vomiting anything from 20 to 50 times a day. I was also hospitalised for weeks on end with ketoneuria (ketones in my urine – a sign of dehydration) and my veins kept collapsing, this condition made me very ill and my kidneys went into pre-failure meaning my life was at risk and also that of my children.  This is a very serious condition and more awareness of the long term health risks it poses is much needed.”

Many women who are diagnosed with HG say they can’t keep anything down. They can also lose a lot of weight and fluids and sometimes have to be admitted to hospital for re-hydration treatment as well as require antiemetic medication to stop the vomiting.  In terms of adverse effects on the baby, experts say there are usually very few unless weight gain continues to be poor during the second half of pregnancy; or indeed the symptoms are more severe over a sustained period of time.

Sufferers of HG reported:

  • Extreme fatigue
  • Muscle weakness
  • Weight loss
  • Depressed mood
  • Tooth loss
  • Kidney failure
  • Severe dehydration (with ketones present in urine)
  • Disturbed salts in the blood
  • Eye haemorrhages
  • Long term health issues

Dr Shauna Fannin FRCGP, Chair of the Editorial Board at Emma’s Diary said: “Every pregnancy is different and whilst pregnancy sickness is extremely common, Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) only affects 1% of pregnant women and is a condition at the extreme end of the pregnancy sickness scale. HG sufferers will vomit frequently and can become dehydrated very quickly so it is very important to seek urgent medical advice.”

Faye Mingo, mum of two and Marketing Director at Emma’s Diary said: “It’s really brave for these women to speak out and share their experiences with others.  What is apparent is a desire to build greater awareness on the topic of HG and to dispel any myths about what is considered to be ‘normal’, the message from most of the mums we spoke to is to trust your instincts and to keep pushing for medical support if you believe you or your pregnancy might be at risk.”

 

University Is Too Expensive and a Waste of Time, Say UK Graduates

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BY ASTRID HALL

One in four graduates now regret having gone to university, according to research.

A survey found the most common reasons to rue time spent in further education are paying too much for their degree, wasting their time and making bad choices such as not choosing subject or institution more carefully.

The study of 2,000 graduates also revealed nearly half work in a job where they could have reached the same level through a trainee or apprenticeship scheme.

And although an overwhelming 93 per cent said they enjoyed their experience of freedom away from their parents, nearly half agree their current job is in no way related to their degree.

Recent graduates are in over £18,000 of debt after a three-year course and stuck in an underpaid job unrelated to their degree.

Joe Crossley, Business Development Director, of Qube Learning who commissioned the study, said: “It’s natural for a lot of graduates to finish their degrees expecting to jump on the career ladder almost immediately, but this is often far from the truth.

“Many students feel the pressure to achieve a high grade otherwise they feel they risk being unemployable but when they finally secure a job, their qualification becomes redundant.

“It’s also surprising how few undergraduates are advised on alternative routes to university studies. With the amount of debt now accompanying higher education, other options, like Apprenticeships, need to be made more clearly available to people looking to pursue a chosen career.”

More than four in five agree there is an emphasis on achieving either a 2:1 or first classification with a third admitting they don’t even get asked about their degree in job interviews.

The research found just a fifth were made aware of apprenticeships as an option in place of undergraduate university studies following A Levels, with less than five per cent told about distant or online learning.

One quarter graduated without any qualifications useful to their career, with just under half admitting they could be where they are now without a degree.

The study found a list of degrees that Brits think are a ‘waste of time’ with Fashion, Drama and Media Studies appearing in the top ten.

Nearly two thirds of respondents who graduated with qualifications considered ‘pointless’ admitted their degree didn’t help them to secure their current job.

It was also revealed the university degrees that the nation believe to be the most useful, with 88 per cent agreeing a degree in Medicine beats a degree in Law or Engineering.

However, just under half of those who have studied a degree in Medicine said they could have gotten the same job through an apprenticeship scheme or something similar.

One in five said because of their studies they are now behind either those who did apprenticeships or those who went straight into work.

Two in five said they feel they are underpaid in their current job despite having a degree with less than one in ten using skills developed during their degree on a weekly basis.

One in ten have since changed careers since graduating and are now investing their time in new qualifications.

One in five admits to working in an unpaid role in order to get their current job with more than one in ten never using skills developed during their degree.

Half of respondents said time management was one of their most treasured takeaways from their experience compared to 29 per cent whose most valuable skills were the ones bespoke to their chosen career.

If given the option to go back and do it all again, nearly one quarter of grads would go down an alternative route to university studies such as an apprenticeship, online qualification or learning a trade.

Over half agree their university experience did more for their social life than their education, with nearly one in five leaving university having met their partner.

A sixth of graduates admitted to wasting their time at university and a further one third of respondents said the ability to make new friends was a key skill gained from their experience.

Joe Crossley, from www.qube-learning.co.uk continued: “It’s imperative that people from as young as 16 years old should be made aware of the educational choices that are out there for them. It does not have to be a traditional path of A-Levels and University, there is a huge amount of scope for individuals to learn a trade, through Trainees and Apprenticeships, whilst being educated at the same time.”

TOP TEN MOST ‘POINTLESS’ DEGREES ACCORDING TO RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY QUBE LEARNING

1. Acting

2. Outdoor adventure and environment

3. Office skills

4. Film studies

5. Dance / choreography

6. Drama studies

7. Celtic and Anglo Saxon Studies

8. Fashion merchandising

9. Media studies

10. Religious Studies

 

 

Shop Skincare Launches: The New Beauty Site You Will Love

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Very exciting beauty news indeed: a new website for beauty lovers has launched. shopskincare.co.uk are a team of like-minded beauty lovers who love a beauty recommendation. However they describe themselves as a cynical bunch who try every product before it makes its way onto the site to make sure it is good enough. Shop Skincare lets you try something new from a brand you love, experience a new brand or give a gift. If that was not enough each order over £40 receives a free beauty box which contains full size products from the brands on the site.

There is over 200 products on the site from the biggest and best brands. What are you waiting for? Dive in….

shopskincare.co.uk

Are you an aspiring make-up artist or beauty blogger? Do you love trying out new beauty products?

Shop Skincare the exciting new online beauty retail site launches July with a panel of beauty, health and wellbeing experts, the search is on for a makeup artist / beauty blogger to join the team.

We are looking for someone who loves to try out new make-up and beauty products who we can support with free products for them to review as well as feature them on our blog and social pages. We’d love you to share this with your readers, as it’s a great opportunity, or you might want to enter yourself!

How to enter:  

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Screening programme reduced life-threatening infection in newborn babies by over 80%

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breastfeeding, benefits of breastfeeding, mum, baby, what age to stop breastfeedingA leading London hospital dramatically reduced the rates of a life-threatening infection in newborn babies thanks to a simple screening test.

New research published today from a pilot study[1] at Northwick Park Hospital reports that screening pregnant women for group B Strep (GBS) reduced the rate of these potentially deadly infections in their newborn babies by 83%.

The results, published in the prestigious BMJ Open come just days after the National Screening Committee said there was “insufficient evidence” to introduce GBS screening for mums-to-be in the UK.

Yet in countries that have introduced antenatal GBS screening – recognised internationally as best practice – rates of these infections have fallen by significantly, by 70-90%.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS or Strep B) is the UK’s most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies, causing sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis, and claims the life of one baby a week.

Previously Northwick Park Hospital had one of the highest rates of group B Strep infection in newborn babies in the country, almost three times the national average, despite following national guidelines.

To combat this worrying figure, Dr Gopal Rao, Consultant Microbiologist at Northwick Park Hospital, decided to set up the screening programme in his busy UK multi-ethnic community to see whether this would help reduce the rate of group B Strep infection in newborn babies.

Over 6,000 pregnant women chose to have the test. This involved taking two simple swabs (which the majority of women chose to do themselves at 35-37 weeks of pregnancy) – after being given information about GBS.

 

[1] Outcome of a screening programme for the prevention of neonatal invasive early-onset group B Streptococcus infection in a UK maternity unit: an observational study. Rao GG, Nartey G, McAree T, O’Reilly A, Hiles S, Lee T, Wallace S, Batura R, Khanna P, Abbas H, Tilsed C, Nicholl R, Lamagni T, Bassett P. BMJ Open 2017;7:e014634. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014634.