South Londoners look forward to an ISLAND lifestyle

IYLO, now known as ISLAND, has had something of a rough ride since its first apartments began construction in 2007. Due to be completed in the Olympic year of 2012, construction at IYLO was brought to a halt when the takeover of HBOS by Lloyds put the project's funding in doubt. Thankfully, after a few stop-start attempts, construction has resumed fully at IYLO, and with progress proceeding apace, the now-renamed ISLAND has been given a revised completion date of 2015.

Now under new ownership, ISLAND is finally starting to show much of what it had promised in the early days of its construction. The iconic blade-like structure was always at the heart of Croydon’s redevelopment, but IYLO was, unfortunately, becoming known to locals as an eyesore after construction stopped in 2009. However, with the new developers at the helm, it looks set to deliver on the initial parent company’s goal of helping to make this London borough a truly international destination.

Putting Croydon on the world stage

The dream of making Croydon a global hub would have seemed fanciful not so long ago, but it is now on course to become a reality. With the rejuvenation of the area in full swing, Croydon is now a prime location for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs alike. The ease with which one can reach the centre of the capital from here is obviously a huge attraction, but it should also be remembered that Croydon has plenty to offer itself. As an established town there is a wealth of amenities to be enjoyed here, and with a host of first class schooling nearby, it is easy to see why the area is becoming so desirable.

Iconic vision

The promise of contemporary city living is soon to be realised with this sophisticated structure. The former IYLO’s current parent company not only has the resources, but also the vision to improve the living standards of Londoners. By rescuing a residential skyscraper that will undoubtedly become one of the capital's landmarks in the future, the new owners are participating in an exciting era for the area. Not only will the building give its residents a stunning place to live, it will also give the whole capital something to be proud of.

Editor’s Note: ISLAND (http://www.islandcroydon.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Why you shouldn't hesitate to invest in events video

Think back to when you were a child, and your parents recorded your birthday party, with all of those special memories, such as blowing out the candles on your cake. Or what about all of the smiles of your graduation ceremony, or even just that random video of a party filmed on your smartphone? Events video is a powerful thing... and with the help of our production expertise here at Visual Arena (http://www.visualarena.co.uk), you can really make the most of it to the end of improved revenues.

Chances are that you remembered all of those aforementioned events (if they applied to you!), but you'll probably also have images etched on your mind from unforgettable international news stories down the years, or even just of that conference, trade show or lecture that you weren't able to get to in person. This brings us nicely onto the benefits of event video production for your business.

If your company held or was in attendance at a special event, what's the best way of making your target customers really feel like they were there? The answer is to have a suitably professionally produced corporate video on your website, blog or even another site - such as a video-sharing platform like Vimeo or YouTube. One particular advantage of the latter, of course, is the ability given to visitors to easily comment, 'like' and share the video.

Events video is engaging, in a way quite beyond text. Yes, if a representative of your company is speaking at a high-profile industry event or product launch, a combination of text and still images can tell the website visitor a lot about what happened. But will they bother to read the text, or necessarily pay much attention to the images? Remember that online, people tend to have short attention spans.

But what are people with such short attention spans often perfectly willing to do? Watch a video. They don't have to make the same kind of effort to watch a two or three minute video, after all, and the highest video production standards of a company like Visual Arena allow those watching to feel like they are in the room where the event is taking place.

Events videos aren't just about showing what may be an exciting and interesting event. They aren't even merely there as a means of flaunting your company's products or services. That's because they're also highly effective in communicating your firm's most sincerely held values and beliefs. They shed so much light on the kind of company that you are - whether the event in question is a charity event, major announcement or networking session.

Visual Arena (http://www.visualarena.co.uk), consisting of a diligent and passionate team helmed by Graham Precey, knows how to get every element of your event video production just right, from the lighting to the content and camera angles, to create the best possible impression of your firm. Contact us now to find out more.

Editor’s Note: Visual Arena (http://www.visualarena.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Why, as a wedding venue in Berkshire, Regency Park Hotel cannot be overlooked

There's little question that Berkshire is home to some of the United Kingdom's loveliest towns and villages, and that there is also no shortage of fine venues for a memorable wedding here. Across such settlements as Ascot, Bracknell, Eton, Reading, Windsor and - of course - Thatcham and Newbury, between which Regency Park Hotel can be found, there are many prestigious, practical and befitting wedding venues.

However, there are also many sound reasons why love-struck couples should not overlook Regency Park Hotel itself as a wedding venue in Berkshire. First of all, there is the simple tranquillity of the hotel's location, making it the perfect place to celebrate a loving and what is hoped to be long lasting bond, without the distractions of traffic or other frenetic nearby activity.

There is also the undoubted highly contemporary nature of the establishment that has led so many couples to place their trust in our wedding venue in Berkshire and its associated hospitality. Our suites, for example, are all unashamedly chic and modern in their interior design, making for a stylish and special celebration.

One of these suites, the Parkland suite, has its own entrance and is able to accommodate as many as 140 guests. It is highly individual in character, but also offers all of the spaciousness that one would desire from a suitable suite when you have a long guest list. An exclusive bar, entrance hall and lounge area only add to the sense of warmth and atmosphere here when people start to filter in on the big day itself.

However, any good wedding venue in Berkshire is also likely to have a smaller space available for those who desire a more intimate ceremony - and so that is the case at the Regency Park Hotel, with the Paris Suite able to welcome up to 70 guests. It is a place that feels fresh and vibrant, in part thanks to the doors that lead out to the conservatory and allow in plenty of natural daylight. If you don't desire either a lavish church ceremony or the local Registrar's office, this could be the ideal setting.

However, no wedding venue in Berkshire is ever summed up by its buildings, rooms and decor. For so many couples, what really matters on their special day is the most exacting service, from venue staff who really value the most exceptional attention to detail. This, after all, is the bare minimum required if your special day really is to be the best day of your life. The Regency Park Hotel's professional Wedding Planner is more than up to the task of professionally catering for everything from menu planning to the right choice of entertainment.

Get in touch with Regency Park Hotel today for more information about our many wedding and civil partnership packages, which can be further tailored to ensure that your wedding lives up to your very highest expectations.

Editor’s Note: Regency Park Hotel (http://www.regencyparkhotel.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Why you really shouldn't be without a Kipling Garan bag

The Kipling Garan bag is just so useful for the modern girl about town. Sure, it makes a great bag for stowing shopping or books from class. Yet it also has an iPod pocket, meaning that you can rock out to your favourite tunes with a convenient place for your music collection. There's even a mobile phone section.

You can keep your keys safe on the hanger. What's more, there's a small zipped pocket for essentials like mints. In other words, it has space for all the things you can't live without, so your pockets won't bulge and ruin your look. The Kipling Garan bag comes with an adjustable shoulder strap, too. That saves your back big time, and you'll also find the crinkle nylon fabric light to carry, unlike some leather bags.

But let's talk colour for a moment. There's a style to suit anyone in the Kipling Garan bag range, from Classic Black to Funky Monkey Mania, the latter a print with multicoloured primates. What is it with Kipling and monkeys? At any rate, each bag comes with a cute monkey on a key-ring that's sure to be a talking point with friends. They're so collectible, everyone will want one.

A Kipling Garan bag is great for the budding student. It has three compartments for pens, and a spacious main area for bundles of books. The shoulder strap lets you slide it off easily to sit down. It also means there's no awkward slotting your arms through backpack straps every hour or so. Moreover, you won't make a huge noise opening it in class. The Velcro fastening offers a 'pull once and done' sound rather than a long slow zip noise, if you need to get at something while the teacher is talking.

The Kipling Garan bag, an essential of the student wardrobe, is part of the new collection. So if you like what you see, make sure you check out the other great Kipling bags that are available right now. After all, you might want a handbag for going to the cinema, and luggage for trekking off on your holidays.

Of course, Kipling handbags, luggage and backpacks do come with a free monkey. You'll know you're hooked if you get the whole lot just for the key-rings - even if there are a few more reasons than that to get a Kipling Garan bag!

Editor’s Note: RTherapy (http://www.rtherapyclothing.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

The major functionalities that Oriel Systems offers for oil and gas telemetry

Just when a business is tempted to conclude that they can put off that expenditure on a fire extinguisher service for a few more months, comes a reminder of the potential consequences of failing to keep up with the very highest fire safety standards - or rather, several reminders. The truth is that fire can strike at the least predictable of times, with differing levels of risk to life and property. If one needed any evidence of that, they only needed to read the news for the last few days alone.

Across the UK, more fires have been causing widespread damage and loss, although mercifully, injuries and deaths appear to have been kept to a minimum. One only needs to look to Norfolk for an example of just how unforeseeable a fire can be, with an actual fire engine and fire station having been destroyed in a blaze overnight in Downham Market. In a demonstration of how even the fire services themselves aren't immune to fire affecting their own property, this conflagration started in the bay housing the station's fire engine, and needed to be tackled by crews from other areas. Although nearby houses were momentarily evacuated, nobody was hurt.

Another reminder of just how vital a fire extinguisher service can prove was a fire that broke out in an Essex church, causing the evacuations of homes and leaving five people in need of treatment for the effects of smoke inhalation. The fire was out by 05:38 on Monday morning, less than an hour and a half after it was reported, although that was still sufficient time to damage a quarter of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Northview Drive, Westcliff-on-Sea.

Meanwhile, in Burscough in west Lancashire on Tuesday morning, reports emerged of a large fire at the empty Burscough Mill in Mill Lane. Although the fire was out by breakfast time, having broken out at around 03:00 GMT, it still required the attention of more than 60 fire-fighters, in addition to the evacuation of some 100 homes.

At the opposite end of the country, meanwhile, in Dartmouth, Devon, an almost 70 year old pleasure boat sustained damage in a fire on an estuary. Putting out the fire on the 51ft (15.5m) charter vessel in the Dart Estuary was a big job, forcing the attendance of Dartmouth fire crews, coastguard rescue teams and two lifeboats, particularly as in the words of Dartmouth harbourmaster Rob Giles, "It kept re-igniting. It had 700 litres of diesel on board and it's a wooden vessel."

Clearly, then, fire safety remains a vital priority as businesses and private individuals of all kinds head towards the summer. Triple Star Fire is happy to assist such firms by providing the most extensive fire safety services and products, including the most suitable fire extinguisher service.

Editor’s Note: Triple Star Fire (http://www.triplestarfire.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Spate of fires in recent days demonstrates unpredictable threats to safety

Just when a business is tempted to conclude that they can put off that expenditure on a fire extinguisher service for a few more months, comes a reminder of the potential consequences of failing to keep up with the very highest fire safety standards - or rather, several reminders. The truth is that fire can strike at the least predictable of times, with differing levels of risk to life and property. If one needed any evidence of that, they only needed to read the news for the last few days alone.

Across the UK, more fires have been causing widespread damage and loss, although mercifully, injuries and deaths appear to have been kept to a minimum. One only needs to look to Norfolk for an example of just how unforeseeable a fire can be, with an actual fire engine and fire station having been destroyed in a blaze overnight in Downham Market. In a demonstration of how even the fire services themselves aren't immune to fire affecting their own property, this conflagration started in the bay housing the station's fire engine, and needed to be tackled by crews from other areas. Although nearby houses were momentarily evacuated, nobody was hurt.

Another reminder of just how vital a fire extinguisher service can prove was a fire that broke out in an Essex church, causing the evacuations of homes and leaving five people in need of treatment for the effects of smoke inhalation. The fire was out by 05:38 on Monday morning, less than an hour and a half after it was reported, although that was still sufficient time to damage a quarter of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Northview Drive, Westcliff-on-Sea.

Meanwhile, in Burscough in west Lancashire on Tuesday morning, reports emerged of a large fire at the empty Burscough Mill in Mill Lane. Although the fire was out by breakfast time, having broken out at around 03:00 GMT, it still required the attention of more than 60 fire-fighters, in addition to the evacuation of some 100 homes.

At the opposite end of the country, meanwhile, in Dartmouth, Devon, an almost 70 year old pleasure boat sustained damage in a fire on an estuary. Putting out the fire on the 51ft (15.5m) charter vessel in the Dart Estuary was a big job, forcing the attendance of Dartmouth fire crews, coastguard rescue teams and two lifeboats, particularly as in the words of Dartmouth harbourmaster Rob Giles, "It kept re-igniting. It had 700 litres of diesel on board and it's a wooden vessel."

Clearly, then, fire safety remains a vital priority as businesses and private individuals of all kinds head towards the summer. Triple Star Fire is happy to assist such firms by providing the most extensive fire safety services and products, including the most suitable fire extinguisher service.

Editor’s Note: Triple Star Fire (http://www.triplestarfire.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

15 per cent year-on-year rise in demand for rental properties

Potential investors in a deposit replacement warranty like that offered by Advanced Rent may have received the final encouragement that they required to start a rental property portfolio or expand an existing one, with the news that new tenancies across the UK have jumped by 15 per cent over the last year. This was accompanied by an 8 per cent rise in monthly rental prices to around £758.  

Those are the findings of the latest index from the lettings group Sequence, and although rent growth was not so pronounced in London, the capital's deposit replacement warranty policyholders could at least take heart in a 1 per cent rise in rents across the city since January 2013. This brings the capital's average monthly rent to £1,395.

However, London did compare better to the rest of the country in terms of the number of new tenancies, with a 17 per cent rise having been recorded on an annual basis. There was also a 17 per cent increase in applications for a buy-to-let mortgage over the past year. This suggests that many holders of a deposit replacement warranty are acting on the positive signs of the rental market and the economy as a whole to boost their investment in property.

Sequence's head of lettings, Stephen Nation, observed: "The rental market across the country has started the year with renewed vigour and increasing levels of demand. We have seen a surge in the number of new tenancies this month, up 15 per cent annually across the UK and 17 per cent in London as tenants compete to secure their property at the start of the year."

Nation attributed such a high level of activity to "the sheer volume of new tenants coming into the market", as he pointed to a 6 per cent annual increase in new tenant applications across the UK, a figure that rose to 10 per cent in London. He described the UK-wide picture as one in which supply was continuing to keep pace with demand, as the last 12 months had seen 6 per cent more new rental properties, although he warned of a shortfall in the capital, where a 4 per cent decline had been recorded.

Of the heightening in the number of mortgage applications over the last year, Nation added: "The pipeline of new investors we are seeing will continue the flow of properties onto the market and appease the demand, which should in turn, keep rents stable." By enquiring about a deposit replacement warranty now, current and prospective landlords alike can soon take maximum advantage of such positive figures.

Editor’s Note: Advanced Rent (http://www.advancedrent.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Some of the vital products for the smaller animal

Pets obviously come in all shapes and sizes, and there's certainly plenty of charm to be found in the pocket-sized pet like a hamster, rabbit or guinea pig. Such pets provide for an extremely rewarding ownership experience, but of course, they do also desire and require maximum love and attention. That can be partly provided through such products as hamster, rabbit or guinea pig food, bedding, bottles, bowls, cages, hutches, runs, toys and treats, as should be stocked by any complete and reputable pet store.

Certainly, rabbit, hamster and guinea pig food is among the best-selling food of such online pet stores as Broadfeed in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and the lovers of small animals have plenty of choice in this area, with represented brands including Allen & Page, Burgess Excel, Chudleys, Dodson & Horrell and James Wellbeloved. Among Broadfeed's highly regarded guinea pig food, for example, is Spillers Guinea Pig Muesli, which has been formulated for guinea pigs with added vitamin C, pure dried grass and herbs. Meanwhile, owners of rats seeking food suitable for all ages may appreciate Reggie Rat Premium Complete food for Rats, which contains chicken as a low fat source of protein. It also doesn't contain the nuts and seeds that can cause skin and coat problems.

If there is one other extremely important purchase for the care of a smaller animal alongside hamster, rabbit, rat or guinea pig food, it is surely an appropriate bowl, accompanied by a water bottle. A good pet store will offer a sound choice of both, with ceramic, plastic and stainless steel bowls all widely available. There are many health and hygiene products that are also routinely vital for the smaller animal, including the likes of Johnsons Eye & Ear Wipes and Beaphar Rabbit/Guinea Pig Shampoo, the latter perfect for pre-show preparation or simply for keeping flies and fly-strike at bay.

Another obvious buy for the smaller animal is the right cage, hutch or run. That could take the form of an especially premium, tongue and groove timber clad rabbit hutch, complete with a removable ladder and trap door. The option to close such a door to shut off an under-run could be the ideal security measure at night against predators. Potential features of a good rabbit or guinea pig cage, meanwhile, could include a door in the top for easy access, a hay feeder and an easy to clean plastic base.

But no blog on the essential investments for smaller animals can be complete without reference to the most appropriate bedding, which could take the form of shredded waste paper, part of a hale bay or even fluff, to name just some of the options. Toys and treats, too, are available to keep your smaller animal happy and occupied, from Beaphar's Exotic Nibbly Bitz to Rosewood's Corn on the Cob and Johnsons Fruity Sticks. Such treats can add real variety to a smaller animal's life and help to give them an even more fulfilling life.

Editor’s Note: Broadfeed (http://www.broadfeed.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Combination of hash oil and e-cigarettes could bring new need for family intervention in Miami

If there is one substance among many that should certainly concern families looking to encourage the best habits in their children to avert the need for appropriately tailored family intervention in Miami, it is hash oil. As a byproduct of marijuana, hash oil is a more than familiar problem substance among the addiction experts at Family Recovery Specialists, and a new report from elsewhere in the country has now drawn attention to a fresh threat: the potential use of hash oil with e-cigarettes.

According to NBC San Diego, hash oil is causing increasing concern among agents at San Diego's Drug Enforcement Administration Office, with electronic cigarettes becoming an increasing focus. In theory, e-cigarettes should be a source for good when used by teens and young adults who might have otherwise used traditional cigarettes. The liquids with which these battery-powered cigarettes are filled may turn into vapor, but this unfortunately only increases their effectiveness for those attempting to use them to get high. 

That's because, according to the Assistant Special Agent In Charge with the San Diego DEA office quoted in the NBC story, Gary Hill, the way these cigarettes work results in a highly diminished odor. This raises the possibility of parents failing to realize the true extent of the need for some form of family intervention in Miami from a program like Family Recovery Specialists, given the decreased likelihood of even being able to smell the odor on their child. As Mr. Hill warned, "that doesn't necessarily mean their kids aren't using."

However, the report also quotes a representative of a San Diego electronic cigarette manufacturer as expressing concern, suggesting that the problem isn't merely being recognized by law enforcement agents. In the words of Christine Gentry, chief operating officer for Vapure, "If it wasn't made for it, don't put it in there. You're dealing with batteries, you're dealing with heat, potentially if it's hot enough - flames or fire." Vapure's six stores in the county make clear through signage that customers are not permitted to discuss with employees the prospect of using their products with illegal drugs, with persistent enquirers being asked to leave.

The NBC story adds that according to Mr. Hill, people have been discovered utilizing the vaporizers with hash oil, producing a much more intense high than traditional pipe or cigarette smoking could manage. These words should be of concern to any parent looking to avoid the need for family intervention in Miami. Furthermore, with highly volatile Butane gas commonly being used for the extraction of hash oil from marijuana, heightened demand for hash oil can lead to a greater number of fires and explosions at San Diego extraction labs.

It has been claimed by some makers of electronic cigarettes that the thickness of hash oil prevents it working in their products. Despite this, for the parent looking to avert any requirement for family intervention in Miami, the lesson is clear: they need to educate their children to minimize the risk.

Editor’s Note: Family Recovery Specialists (http://www.familyrecoveryspecialists.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

In a boundary dispute, is there an alternative to the fast sale of the property?

There is a wide range of issues that can give rise to a boundary dispute between neighbours, from the ownership of a fence or the thickness of a hedge to driveways, party walls and shared drainage. If you are in disagreement with your neighbour about your property boundaries, is there an alternative to the fast sale of the property?  

Land in England and Wales is generally registered with general, rather than exact boundaries, as the latter can be expensive and complicated to work out. On the registration of a property with Land Registry, a drawing called a 'title plan' is created, and unless exact boundary information was supplied by the previous owners, this will probably only show the general boundaries of a property.

If you disagree with a neighbour about the exact boundary, it is better to first seek legal advice rather than immediately attempt a fast sale of the property. After all, it isn't always obvious who is right or wrong. A wooden fence that has moved slightly every time it is replaced or a diverted water course can cause changes in a property's boundary over time. If possible, you should always try to solve a boundary dispute amicably, to avoid legal costs that would only further strain relations. Alternatively you could appoint a chartered surveyor whom will be able to inspect the property and boundaries to commission a measured survey. 

You can better work out the exact boundary of your property by gathering information from a wide range of documentation, including the title plan and registry documents. It's a good idea to agree on any unclear areas with your neighbour, and if you can, sign an agreement with them. A surveyor can then draw up a detailed plan that can be sent to Land Registry, along with the fee, 'Form DB - Application to determine the exact line of a boundary' and any agreement that you have reached with your neighbour.

If Land Registry receives the forms without a signed agreement, they will check your neighbours' happiness with the plan. If exact agreement on the boundaries still isn't forthcoming at this stage, you ultimately have the following options: resolution of the dispute by the independent Adjudicator to HM Land Registry or in court, or the fast sale of the property. The latter can be done by Dream House Buyer, which guarantees a cash offer for your property, regardless of what caused the dispute.

Dream House Buyer (http://www.dreamhousebuyer.co.uk/) is a family owned property company that considers all types of property, and we buy property with sitting tenants too. We will make an instant cash offer for any property in the UK, regardless of the size, location, condition or value.

We will buy any property that you might consider a problem - including property with sitting tenants, flats with short leases, problem tenants, unmortgageable and structurally damaged property. We also buy ground rents and portfolios. If you think we can help, then please invite us to make you an immediate cash offer for your property.

Contact us on 0800 1577 497 or email us info@dreamhousebuyer.co.uk

Dealing with pressure sores when caring for someone with dementia

At Bramble Home Care, we recognise the complexities of caring for someone with dementia and are well equipped to help you or your loved one to manage the debilitating effects that the condition can bring. As leading specialists in domiciliary dementia care at all stages, our home care agency in Gloucestershire understands that dementia sufferers experience a variety of social and physical difficulties as the illness progresses.

Despite being a lesser known problem of those with dementia, the workers at our home care agency in Gloucestershire appreciate the need to be vigilant when it comes to pressure sores. Also known as bed sores, or pressure ulcers, pressure sores can develop if someone spends a long time lying or sitting in the same position. Immobility can cause pressure sores as a lack of bodily movement limits the flow of blood to a certain area of tissue, starving the tissue of oxygen and making the skin sore, raised and often red.

Although not a direct result of the disease, those with dementia often lose motivation and can develop physical problems. This may lead to prolonged periods of inactivity, which in turn may contribute to the formation of pressure sores. If the event of a diagnosis of dementia, the right home care agency in Gloucestershire can help to ensure that the service user remains physically mobile.

As much as pressure sores can be very problematic, these ulcers can be easily prevented when spotted at an early stage. The dedicated workers at our home care agency in Gloucestershire are encouraged to look for the initial signs of pressure sores developing and have a range of methods at their disposal to reduce the likelihood of pressure sores worsening. Routinely checking the skin, ensuring good hydration and nutrition and helping our service users to keep clean, dry and comfortable are all key priorities of our care team workers. Our careful adherence to these crucial steps and others greatly reduces the chances of our service users developing pressure sores in our care.

The workers at our home care agency in Gloucestershire, having been specially trained in communicating with dementia sufferers, are skilled at directing activities that increase mobility, encourage a healthy blood flow and allow for safe movement. This means that our carers are often able to spot signs of pain or discomfort at an early stage in our service users, so that the likelihood of pressure sores developing in the first place is reduced.

Managing and understanding the symptoms that dementia can bring is vital when caring for someone with the condition and restricting the chances of the individual experiencing any unnecessary discomfort. Limiting the chances of pressure sores developing and managing the problems that can arise if they do is just one of the ways in which our experienced home care agency workers can help dementia suffers to live the comfortable life they deserve.

You can find out further information on this subject here.

Editor’s Note: Bramble Home Care (http://www.bramblehomecare.co.uk) is represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Key areas in which to sharpen your in-house recruitment in 2014

If you'd like to spend 2014 less dependent on recruitment firms and with a more effective in-house recruitment process to take advantage of the relevant talent continually entering the market, you'll need to focus on various aspects of how you recruit within your company - including having the appropriate brief, ensuring the right character fit and many more vital steps.

When writing a job specification, for example, it is essential to fully understand what your business requires at this stage of its development. The desired recruit's technical skills, character and development potential will all need to be factored into the final job spec, and the offered salary will also need to be competitive with the market. If it isn't, you'll need to consider areas in which you are willing to compromise in terms of the quality of candidate, potentially training and developing a candidate internally.

Recruitment firms know that as a company evolves, there will be a need to target different types of people in their advertising. Good 'small company' people are those who can quickly learn new skills and take responsibility for a range of tasks as part of a disparate team. But with the company's continual growth, there will be a greater emphasis on processes and procedures that can feel restricting to those more suitable for smaller firms.

Also appreciated by good recruitment firms, but not necessarily by too many in-house recruiters, is just how crucial it is to look in the right places for the best candidate. Advertising plays a central role in attracting those who are actively seeking a new challenge, but many of the best people are too busy doing a great job for their companies to put themselves on the market - necessitating more proactive methods to lure them, potentially encompassing social media.

Employer branding should be another key consideration for in-house recruiters. After all, an affinity with an employer's brand can be enough to attract and retain talented workers even if they are not rewarded as highly as they ought to be, whether in financial or non-financial terms. You can also significantly lessen your recruitment costs by creating your own talent warehouse, made up of those who may not have been the best technical fit when they first got in touch with you, but who may nonetheless be the perfect match for a later-available role.

The interviewing, offer and on-boarding processes also need to be right, and can be refined by the most diligent in-house recruiters in so many ways. Your interviews, for example, should reflect an in-depth understanding of what you want the eventual recruit to deliver in the role, rather than a dependence on what may be ill-informed 'gut instinct'. The best recruitment firms would also advise in-house recruiters of the need to make the new employee feel welcome, from the moment it is decided that they will join the business, such as by sending out the contract promptly.

Editor’s Note: Webrecruit (http://www.webrecruit.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

What should your expectations be from a water storage tank?

Is there anything much that a water storage tank hasn't been used for when it comes to harnessing water for all manner of domestic and commercial applications? Whether you're a homeowner interested in harvesting rainwater or simply having the necessary water for washing or gardening readily available, or you instead require such a tank for any of a vast range of commercial, agricultural, industrial, irrigation or horticultural purposes, the right supplier - like Tuffa - can give you plenty of choice.

A broad product range allows you to choose a tank that perfectly matches your most specialised requirements, whether you need a potable water tank, a non-potable water tank or a rainwater harvesting tank. But it's also vital to ensure that the manufacturer is a trusted one, with a record of producing the strongest, most durable, most practical and easy to install tanks over a decades-long period. The given manufacturer should even have the background and expertise to provide you with a more bespoke solution, should it be needed.

For example, when you enquire about a plastic potable water storage tank - which is a tank suitable for the storage of drinking water - you should ask whether there is a range of capacities available, as small as 1350 litres or as large as 20,000 litres or more. Are the basics, such as a vent and inspection lid, present, correct and of a high standard? Also, is the water storage tank UV stabilised, weatherproof and resistant to corrosion? Another big factor in the tank's durability and strength is simply the material from which it is made, which in the case of Tuffa's renowned plastic tanks, is recyclable polyethylene.

The effectiveness of a water storage tank isn't just about the basic design, with optional extras - such as 1" and 2" bottom outlets, extra inlet and outlet connections, filter kits, ball valves, float valves and pumping kits - also having a role. Optional extras available for rainwater harvesting tanks, meanwhile, may include a rainwater collector with leaf separator. Colour, too, can be a key consideration in selecting your water storage tank. A Green and Stone effect rainwater tank, for example, may blend much more convincingly with its intended surroundings.

Finally, a good manufacturer will almost certainly also give you the option of ordering a truly bespoke water storage tank. That is certainly the case at Tuffa, which routinely produces steel tanks for clients in order to maximise longevity and reliability and minimise required maintenance. Such customised touches can help to make your chosen tank even more cost-effective in the long run. Contact us for more information about a water tank that could make a big difference to your home or business.

Editor’s Note: Tuffa (http://www.tuffa.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Friction between Australians and Japanese over World War II 'sex slaves' statue

As proud as we are, here at Big Statues, when our custom bronze statues make a big impression on those that view them, we thankfully can't recall a time when they've been the cause of genuine tension between residents of different countries. That's not something that can be said of a planned statue in Australia honoring hundreds of thousands of women made sex slaves by the Japanese army during the Second World War, however.

The ladies, known as 'comfort women', were largely abducted from China and Korea prior to being made to work in brothels. If Australian-based campaigners are successful, those women will soon be commemorated by a statue in the city of Sydney, in the western suburb of Strathfield. 

However, it has been reported that the group - the United Chinese Korean Alliance Against Japanese Warcrimes - has since been overwhelmed by Japanese correspondence against the statue's erection. Sang Ok, Strathfield's deputy Mayor, said that "dozens of opposition emails" were being received by councilors each day.

He continued: "We are bombarded every day. It is really disturbing. It is actually disturbing our official works as councilors. At least 40 or 50 emails we are receiving every day." Thankfully,  this isn't a situation that faces anyone that commissions one of our custom bronze statues, and in fact it's amazing to think that a statue could cause such outrage in the 21st century.

Sang Ok added that he was among the prospective statue's supporters, with another being the Dutch-Australian octogenarian Jan Ruff O'Herne, who herself was forced into a military brothel after being abducted from an Indonesian prisoner of war camp at 21 years old. Her daughter Carol Ruff said that she had read many of the letters that Strathfield Council had received in relation to the statue plans.

"They were really nasty and vindictive," she commented, adding that "when I think that my mother and the other 200,000 other comfort women suffered at the hands of the Japanese military in the enforced slavery, for them to be written off as voluntary prostitutes, paid women, it's an insult."

Nonetheless, more than 10,000 signatures have been attracted for a petition against the statue started by Japanese Women for Justice and Peace. Such controversy follows a similar situation in the city of Glendale in Los Angeles, where another statue paying tribute to 'comfort women' sparked fresh debate over this longstanding issue.

Whatever your position on this story, it certainly demonstrates what an impact on other people something as seemingly straightforward and unassuming as a statue can have. We’re happy to say that at Big Statues our custom bronze statues are memorable, rather than controversial!

Editor’s Note: To contact Big Statues, visit the website at http://www.bigstatues.com or call (1) 801-358-9739.