Monthly Archives: November 2023

Children and Childcare, Health, Mental Health, Wellbeing News

The Special Christmas Toy Aiming To Help Those Struggling This Festive Season

IT’s the most magical time of the year – and the season most children look forward to more than most.

But for some children and teenagers and their loved ones , Christmas can also present huge challenges.

A report by The Children’s Society estimates half a million children are worried about their feelings: but they’re not asking anyone for help.

Mental health expert and author Lynn Crilly says these “disturbing” findings underline the importance of early intervention – and in securing help before things reach crisis point.

And Lynn, who has supported her own daughter Samantha through an eating disorder, OCD and mental ill health, says Christmas can be a bittersweet time for many young people and their families.

She said: “The reality is that some children will find Christmas a struggle and for those who might be experiencing mental ill health or an eating disorder, it can be a real challenge. What makes it harder is that many services which offer support aren’t as readily available as they are at other times of the year. Schools and clubs close as well, which for some young people can be a really important support network.”

Lynn’s own concerns about the struggles some children are facing has inspired her to develop and release a new teddy bear called the TroubleMuncher – that helps young people “cuddle” their fears away.

Through play writing or verbal communicationLynn and Samantha, who helped design the toy, appeared on TV earlier this year to talk about the benefits the toy can bring.

The toy comes with a notepad, and kids who own one are encouraged to write down what’s troubling them then pop the note into a rucksack on the bear’s back.

The bear is also linked to a free to download app, which lets the child communicate directly with the TroubleMuncher bear.

In the app an animated version of the bear listens to the problem and then munches their troubles away.Lynn said: “It encourages children to express their feelings and to communicate because a lot of them now are becoming quite introverted and losing the confidence in physically socialising and feel that they can’t share their troubles.”

Daughter Samantha added: “Many children don’t find it easy to say how they feel so they’ll put the thought in there. Then when they leave for school, the thought will be there for their parents to come and look at and it can help to be the first step towards them getting support.

Samantha has also penned a poem to explain how the bear can help. It reads: “When your head is overflowing, with all the thoughts and worrying, the Trouble Muncher will be there, for you to write down and share, as it munches them away, allowing you to have a clearer brighter day.”

To learn more, please visit: www.lynncrilly.com 

Finance and Banking, News

New comparison platform Compare + Invest makes investing more accessible*

Investment just got easier thanks to a new tool called Compare + Invest which offers unbiased advice on investment platforms and helps people find the right investment platform for them based on functionality, service and price.

Founded by Bella Caridade-Ferreira, the founder of Fundscape and Finscape who has 25 years of experience in the investment industry, Compare + Invest has just launched and is fast becoming one of the leading platform comparison tools.

“A few years ago, I was trying to find the right investment platform and I was doing all the comparisons on a spreadsheet. I had the advantage of years in the financial industry and wondered how consumers coped when they may not understand the terminology and jargon. It was an impossible task,” says Bella.

She began by creating a site called Comparetheplatform and when advice platforms heard about it, they wanted to be included too. She explains: “For a while the site was for both advisers and consumers. But we took it to the next level by scaling the business and giving each one a unique identity and feel, so now there is one for consumers and another for advisers.”

Compare + Invest and Comparetheplatform.co.uk are part of Compare Investments Group Ltd.

Bella explains: “Now you can go onto Compare + Invest as a complete novice, have access to impartial advice and find the right investment platform for your specific needs, whether you are looking for low fees, a high level of customer service, or the most comprehensive range of investment products.

“I am not doing this to help the rich get richer, I am doing it so that people like my immigrant parents (who came to the UK from Portugal) can get their money to work harder for them. I believe that everyone should have access to affordable and transparent investments and our goal at Compare + Invest is to make it easier for people to find the investment platform that best suits their goals.”

* Compare + Invest encourages responsible investing. You should only invest if you have spare money at the end of each month, do not have bad debt to pay off (i.e. credit cards) and aren’t saving for a big event/purchase, such as a house, wedding, etc.

What is an investment platform?

An investment platform, sometimes called a fund supermarket or an online brokerage, allows investors to buy and hold a range of investments in one place online. They are designed for those who want to make their own investment decisions but will often provide recommended fund lists and baskets of funds. It is safe to hold all your investable assets in one place thanks to robust regulation.

About Compare Investments Group Ltd 

Compare Investments Group was founded by Bella Caridade-Ferreira in May 2022, launched Compare + Invest in July 2023 and relaunched Comparetheplatform.co.uk

News, Property

Property Market Set For Pre-Christmas Boost As Expert Says: “People Are Looking To Buy Again”

THE housing market could be set for a pre-Christmas boost, according to a leading property association.

The National Association of Property Buyers say there are “positive signs” about the remaining few weeks of 2023.

And spokesman Jonathan Rolande said prices may buck the trend of recent falls. 

He said: “Despite what many people think, the run up to Christmas can be a good time for the property market. It’s true that the number of people who start looking to buy or sell reduces in the early winter months but there is good news too.

“Those committed to moving will be focused on getting to the all-important completion day in time for Christmas.

“Don’t expect the increased activity to reflect in house price data though, the rush to complete is for property sold many weeks before, meaning new sales will be few and far between until January.

“When figures for the final quarter are released, they may show sufficient activity to have supported prices that have prevented another drop – that is about the best we can hope for as we see out the year.

“If that trend continues into 2024, many in the property industry will breathe a huge sigh of relief – it could have been a lot worse.”

Outlining why there are reasons to be positive he continued: “There is some cautious optimism around too. I hear talk of landlords looking to buy again, tempted back by higher rents – sadly, what’s bad for tenants is good for them. Interest rates have quite possibly peaked, making ‘cash in the bank’ a less attractive option for many who will be tempted to put their nest egg into a home for themselves, a relative or buy-to-let.”

Mr Rolande also thinks a looming election might benefit the market.

He added: “An election may lend a boost to the market as the government tries to create a ‘feel-good factor’ to boost their chances. Fuel bills have dropped and if the winter is mild, we will all spend less of our income keeping warm this year, compared to last. Some will see an increase in their pay packet following the reduction of National Insurance in January and a rise in the minimum wage in April will help many. But these ‘wins’ are dwarfed by the cost of goods, food and services that have rocketed in the last two years and whilst they are going up more slowly now, they are not falling in price. The economy is in a fragile state with many still on the very edge of affordability for everyday expenses.

The property market may have scraped through this year, but there are still many things that could blow it off course again so we shouldn’t take anything for granted.”

News

Law firm opens new city centre office to meet demand in the North West

A PROMINENT legal practice expanded its North West operation to meet demand.

Mackenzie Jones Solicitors has increased its Chester-based team to eight staff and opened a new two-storey office on Grosvenor Street in the heart of the city.

Director Andrew Foley-Jones said growth across the company’s portfolio – including its sites in St Asaph and Menai Bridge – led to the business relocating to bigger premises.

And with Mackenzie Jones now employing up to 30 people that trend looks set to continue into 2024.

“We have seen a rise in clients across all areas, and with us taking on more staff there was a need for a larger office here in Chester,” said Andrew.

“The change has also allowed us to forge new partnerships and relationships in Cheshire and across the wider region, given our rising profile in the North West, built on the foundations we’ve laid in Wales over the last two decades.”

He added: “On the commercial and commercial property sides, the sale and purchase of businesses, as well as conveyancing, clinical negligence, divorce and wills and probate, we have seen an increase in demand and more walk-ins given the busy location.

“Since opening in Chester we have had a warm welcome and strategically it’s been a very positive decision, so thanks to everyone who has shown us so much support.”

Fellow director and solicitor Sara Parry says the larger site will allow them to better serve clients nationwide.

“We are seeing an increase in enquiries from all over the country, notably on the commercial side,” she said.

“It’s been an incredibly busy year and this switch across the city to a fantastic building in a prime location will help us to capitalise on that.”

The firm, again listed in the prestigious Legal 500 rankings, is also exploring plans to open another office in north west Wales.

For more information, visit www.macjones.com or call 0800 328 4466.

Alternatively, follow Mackenzie Jones Solicitors on Facebook and LinkedIn at @macjoneslaw.

Cardiff, Driving Tech, Tech, Technology

Major tech company relocates to Cardiff headquarters

The UK’s fastest growing private hire technology platform, Veezu, has underpinned its rapid expansion by moving its headquarters to the heart of the Welsh capital.

The major employer will be situated on the lively St Mary Street in Cardiff, growing its business and welcoming new recruitment opportunities to push the brand even further within the technology market.

Veezu is an award-winning company with 550 employees, partnering with more than 12500 self-employed driver-partners across the UK to help more than 3 million unique passengers each year. Whilst many people in Wales recognise its Dragon Taxis brand on a local level, nationwide it has begun rolling out its Veezu brand across Yorkshire, the Midlands and the southwest.

It’s commitment to expansion and innovation has recently been acknowledged at the prestigious Taxi Summit Awards where, after being shortlisted for eight categories, they came away with the Consolidator of the Year prize.

The relocation from its head office in Newport to the prestigious Hodge House, Cardiff, which recently underwent a £17 million refurbishment to transform the 110,000 sq ft office building, marks a significant milestone in the growth of the company and firmly cements its position as one of Wales’ cherished tech champions.

Nathan Bowles, Chief Executive Officer at Veezu, said: “We’re delighted to relocate our head office to a vibrant, modern and sustainable space in the city centre as it reflects our values as a business.

“As we look to continue expanding through acquisitive and organic growth, we also look to provide more employment opportunities in our communities. Our job roles at Veezu may surprise candidates. They include legal professionals, performance marketing specialists, quality and training, business analysts, and data engineers.

“This trajectory means we must also invest in the business’s infrastructure. The move to Hodge House reaffirms our commitment to our Welsh roots yet allows us to create an open, inclusive, and diverse organisation, that is easily accessible and where all team members belong.”

For more information contact Catrin Powney at Effective Communication: cpowney@effcom.co.uk

News, Wellbeing, Wellbeing at Work

Global survey: UK employers are still not taking employee wellbeing seriously

  • 6 out of 10 (61%) of employees do not regularly discuss their wellbeing with their manager
  • And just over half (53%) say their employer does not invest in their overall wellbeing
  • Of the 50% of UK respondents who have talked to their employer about their stress, 26% did not get the support they needed to feel better again
  • 19% of the respondents in the UK are still uncomfortable talking about mental health within their company

More than half of UK employees are not talking about wellbeing with their manager, according to the digital learning provider, GoodHabitz. It conducted a survey of 24,235 employees across the UK, Europe, Latin America and Australia, including 1,585 responses from employees in the UK. Respondents were asked about the impact of mental health and wellbeing on their work.

Despite mental health and wellbeing moving up the corporate agenda, 53% of workers say their employer still does not invest in their overall wellbeing. More worryingly, 26% of those that do let their employer know they are struggling do not get the support they need to feel better. However, 77% of UK employees believe a positive connection with their manager and co-workers benefits their wellbeing at work.

Martin Coles, Customer Success Coach at GoodHabitz, explained:

“Over the past year, workers across the globe have struggled with stress and burnout, underscoring the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to mental wellbeing. Among these individuals, approximately half chose to confront their difficulties in isolation without seeking support from their supervisors.

“This unspoken crisis emphasises the need to foster environments where open conversations around mental health are not only welcomed, but actively encouraged. However, this isn’t solely about talk; it’s about arming people with the skills and resources they require to have understanding and compassionate discussions.” 

Creating an environment that supports good mental wellbeing at work is a top priority for 60% of employees who say the right culture would help improve their happiness at work.

Employees say personal development opportunities would also help their wellbeing, with 60% of employees saying they would help improve their happiness at work. They say that being able to develop the following skills would have the most positive impact on wellbeing:

1 Stress management skills

2 Coaching, management and leadership skills

3 Productivity skills

4 Teamwork skills

5 Communication skills

6 Digital skills

7 Time management skills. 

Sandrien Boogaard, HR Director, GoodHabitz summarised:

“This new report shows us that nurturing personal development fosters a vibrant work culture and makes employees feel happier. The numbers reflect what I witness in my function as an HR professional: I believe that progressive companies must recognise the intrinsic link between the overall wellbeing of their employees and their work happiness. It is essential for managers to undergo training to effectively address and support this connection, fostering a positive and thriving work environment.”

 

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About GoodHabitz

GoodHabitz, founded in 2011 in the Netherlands, is a leading European provider of E-Learning solutions. By offering engaging and fun online courses, from soft skills to digital skills and languages, GoodHabitz contributes to the personal development of every employee. Various engaging learning formats make sure that the content is accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Coaches help to establish learning cultures in the organisation and all that for one fixed price. Currently, more than 2,500 companies, like Puma, ADAC or DEKRA upgrade their workforce with GoodHabitz. More than 400 employees are working for GoodHabitz in offices all over Europe. Please visit the website www.goodhabitz.com for more information.

Automotive, Awards, Commercial Vehicles, News, Vehicle Finance

Hawkstone Commercials named as “Start-up Entrepreneurs of the Year – Wales” at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2023.

Held Monday evening at the iconic Grosvenor Hotel in London with over 1,500 in attendance, Hawkstone Commercials secured the most prestigious business award in the UK in being named at Start-up Entrepreneurs of the Year.

Previous winner James Watt, founder of BrewDog, said that winning was “better than winning the World Cup.” Steven Bartlett has gone as far as to dub the awards as “The Grammys of Entrepreneurship,”

With a turnover approaching £20 million in the first eighteen months of trading, 14 fulltime employees on boarded and multiple awards success in 2023, Hawkstone is one of Wales’s trailblazing businesses.

Oliver Lewis, Co-director of Hawkstone Commercials said,

“The past 18 months have been a bit of a whirlwind. With a target of £150,000 and 2 fulltime employees, we have shattered all expectations. To win at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards is something we could only have dreamt of a few years ago. Winning this award signifies that we have done something unusual for a start-up, especially in the midst of the most difficult of economic headwinds.”

 

Paul Ricketts, Co-director says,

“As a team we are delighted to have won on Monday evening. However, Monday evening leaves the business at a crossroads. We’re going to take the final few weeks of the year to review the business and exactly where we are. It’s apparent to us that we are well on course to become THE van and commercial vehicle leasing agency in the UK. The question we need to answer is how far we progress; do we look outside of the UK towards Europe or beyond over the coming year or two.” 

With a stellar year behind Hawkstone Commercials and some big decisions on the horizon, 2024 is set to be a crucial year for the business.

 

News

Platina expands globally with key US and European partnerships

PlatinaTM, a distinguished name in the world of skin therapy, celebrated for its top-notch medical-grade products, is progressing into a fresh stage of expansion. The brand has recently disclosed strategic partnerships and distribution agreements in the United States and Hungary, while similar agreements in the UK are on the horizon.

Platina, the trading name of Skincare Logistics, was founded by entrepreneurs Kevin Smith and Marc Clement, alongside specialists Professor Peter Bjerring, Dr. Dianne Quibell, and Panagis Voutsinas. It has recently disrupted the skincare industry with its innovative range of premium, medical-grade, professional skin therapy products.

Building upon its successful launch in the US and UK, the company is now setting its sights on further expansion. This includes the formation of an exclusive partnership with Love Beauty Pro & Medical, serving as its distributor in the United States.

Additionally, Platina has inked a deal with a distributor, Perfect Skin, in Hungary, further expanding its global reach. The brand is also currently in advanced discussions with two prominent distributors in the UK, poised to strengthen its presence in this key market.

The strategic partnerships and distribution agreements demonstrate Platina’s commitment to global expansion and accessibility to its innovative skincare solutions. These developments highlight Platina’s strong position in the industry and its appeal to international distributors seeking premium, clinically proven skincare products.

What sets Platina apart from its competitors is the accessibility of medical-grade skincare. This represents a significant shift for consumers accustomed to the complexities of dermatologist appointments and gives them direct access to medical-grade products for the first time. This unique selling point has garnered considerable interest within the skincare industry and with consumers, resulting in significantly increased engagement across all its media channels and positive reviews in prestigious industry publications.

Now, as Platina celebrates these significant milestones, the brand has announced a further opportunity for investors to join Platina on its journey to the next level, supporting the brand’s ambitious growth plans and its commitment to transforming skincare experiences worldwide.

Krisztina Garai – Solymos, Managing Director at Perfect Skin, said:

“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Platina as its exclusive distributor in Hungary and be part of this amazing brand’s innovative journey. Platina’s commitment to providing premium, clinically proven skincare aligns seamlessly with our own dedication to offering excellence in the beauty and skincare industry. This collaboration reflects our shared vision of delivering exceptional products to our customers. We look forward to a successful partnership and contributing to Platina’s continued success in Hungary and beyond.”

 

Kevin Smith, CEO of Skin Logistics, said:

“We are thrilled to have had extensive industry interest following our UK launch, which builds on our success overseas, with Love Beauty Pro & Medical as our exclusive distributor in the US.

“We are now expanding our footprint with key partnerships in Hungary and the UK, and with additional funding, this will enable us to solidify these relationships and take our brand to the next level.”

For more information about Platina’s revolutionary skin therapy system, the Platina Club, and upcoming events, please visit platinaskin.com

AI, Business Software

Computer Vision Modelling for Businesses

In an AI driven world, digital functions are blending with real-world environments to not only streamline the way many businesses operate, but also to tackle issues in a fast, safe and intuitive manner. Computer Vision modelling is where software programs are trained to identify and address object detection through image and analysis. When there are issues with visibility or navigation, modelling can not only determine the location of objects, but also the type of structures that may be in the distance.

Innovative solutions

There are many sectors that can leverage the capabilities of predictive modelling programs and innovation will be key in the coming months. It’s going to be extremely important for businesses to utilise model monitoring tools to intuitively tackle issues by performing visual inspections, detecting defects, providing live analysis and more as part of a complete MLOps stack. This is where solutions like Picsellia are striving to connect technical teams with highly functioning CV pipelines via a complete MLOps platform that has been crafted exclusively for Computer Vision projects.

How Computer Vision software applies to object detection

Implementing a real-time AI system will help users estimate an array of factors and provide solutions with little input or risk. Using an array of visual analytics, Computer Vision modelling will be able to provide automatic diagnostics and actionable warnings. The typical processes include:

Experiment tracking

This provides users the ability to track and compare relevant experiment-related information that can then be correlated into metadata. These results provide modelling software everything it needs to generate experiment scripts, performance visualizations, model weights, evaluation metrics for machine learning protocols, example predictions and even environment configuration files.

Data management

Data consistency can be key in an ever-changing environment, so choosing a platform that has centralised and intuitive labelling where teams can filter, search, store and annotate data in one place can be imperative.

Model deployment and monitoring

Software with robust infrastructures and native monitoring will provide automatic model deployment, allowing users to generate detection solutions that are scalable and boast a serverless API end-point. This can then be monitored in real-time, so that potential failures can be identified via modelling and addressed with a focus on minimised risk.

Automated pipelines

One of the most important functions of CV solutions is the fact that Computer Vision life cycles can be converted into workflows with automatic triggers that are based on any event to allow for direct visualisation and extensive reviews of potentially harmful situations.

All Computer Vision providers will have a standardised approach to providing Computer Vision AI operations, but some will have better applications when approaching the most actionable solutions. With Picsellia in mind, users can rely on a next-gen MLOps stack that comprises:

  • Data management via datasets and a data lake, including data annotation
  • Model operation using an AI laboratory and model management
  • Model deployment and observability with a serverless endpoint, model monitoring and continuous training and deployment

Training models will take images from a target or test environment and will curate a host of insights based on a number of factors. In typical instances, there can often be issues with resolution, lighting (which can include low light, oversaturation and even backlighting) and distortion that can be caused by a camera’s focal length and lens shape. AI steps in to take away the potential for human mistakes and will be pre-set with a host of templated images to curate the best possible modelling processes. In this respect, data training will be essential in the solutions chosen.

All of these features combined bring a comprehensive approach to preparation when dealing with everything from unpredictable weather conditions to live sports analysis and even markers in urban transportation.

Utilising MLOps for Computer Vision operations

Technical teams will need to leverage Computer Vision pipelines to increase data quality and minimize faults, all while transforming the delivery of analytic models and intelligence systems. In 2024, there should be a focus on remarkable solutions that simply perform, and there are processes that only an MLOps platform will be able to provide. The main goal will be to create a better flow and synergy between a myriad of operations, including IT, data analytics, quality assurance and even engineering.

News, Technology

Prototypes for Humanity 2023 To Showcase 100 of The World’s Most Innovative Projects.

UK Innovations for positive impact: a heat and humidity-regulating roof tiles and smart badges to enhance personal security

A visual aid enhancing focus, a heat and humidity-regulating roof tiles and smart badges to protect you in the dark are among the university innovations being displayed at Prototypes of Humanity, an annual programme that trawls the world for the most innovative academic projects addressing problems affecting people and the planet.

12 UK and Irish entrants are among the 100 projects featured at the Prototypes for Humanity programme which engaged with thousands of students and professors across 710 universities in 108 countries and within 200 different research fields this year. The resulting 100 shortlisted projects were developed by graduates from universities including: Yale, Stanford, Oxford, Princeton, Berkeley, MIT, Harvard, Cambridge and UCL will be present at the exhibition in Dubai, alongside supervising professors, and team members. $100,000 in prizes will be presented at The 2023 Prototypes for Humanity Awards Ceremony to projects across 5 categories that reflect key priority areas from the COP28 agenda.

 

The UK innovations include:

Innovative visual aid enhancing focus,inspired by ADHD research Oasis University of Limerick, Ireland

Global innovations include:

 

Tadeu Baldani Caravieri, Director, Prototype for Humanity comments: “As we gather at the 2023 edition of Prototypes of Humanity, where ingenuity knows no bounds, we bring to the forefront an impressive array of academic projects by students in global academic institutions, alongside leading universities in developing countries. Among the many complementing faces of social impact, health (including safety and emergency response) emerges unsurprisingly as a key area of concern – and one where technology, science and creativity is being channeled by academic talent from around the world. Through our participant’s research, we often encounter problems that are still not sufficiently voiced, and the solutions that offer a glimpse into the future of healthcare.”

 

The event is open to the public, at Emirates Towers (The Boulevard), Dubai prior to COP28 on Wednesday 29 November and Thursday 30 November 2023. This year, the assessment of submission relied also on AI, used to establish connections, and assess the relevance of the projects compared to large databases of published research in their respective fields. The 2023 Prototypes for Humanity Awards Ceremony will be held at COP28 on 2 December

The breadth of the solutions on display also reflects Prototypes for Humanity’s growing reach and community is at the heart of Dubai’s future-looking ecosystem, thanks to a new milestone partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation. The projects carry many of the underlying technologies necessary to achieve the ambitious goals that will be discussed by global leaders a few days later at COP28 in Dubai.

The Prototypes for Humanity programme also seeks to help solutions go to market, by bringing together three key components, under a novel model: (i) academic IP (ii) venture studios and (iii) industry partnerships.

During the 2023 programme in Dubai, participating graduates will take part in workshops, round tables and discussions with startup and industry experts, as a first step towards entering Prototypes for Humanity structured venture-building programme – a new initiative that aims to directly support selected projects to create a viable business model and go to market.

 

Image captions:

Header image: Indoor navigation system for those that are deaf or blind PolarisMaps PolyU School of Design, China