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Introducing Plumlife Homes’ new Shared Ownership resale agency

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16/12/2022

Introducing Plumlife Homes’ new Shared Ownership resale agency

The opening of Plumlife Move, a resale agency specializing in Shared Ownership homes, represents a major milestone in Plumlife Homes’ ambitious growth plans.

Whilst this new agency sits amongst high-street estate agents in South Manchester, Plumlife Move’s branch sets itself apart in many ways. This welcoming space will act as a customer hub for all of Plumlife Move’s clients across the North West, it will also be an open door for anyone who wants to learn more about the Shared Ownership model or buy a Shared Ownership home.

For over 20 years, Plumlife Homes have been helping buyers with affordable homeownership and the introduction of Plumlife Move will take this help, one step further. While the concept of Plumlife Move was introduced online a few months ago, the launch of this high-street presence and customer hub took place on Thursday 15th December and the team’s Shared Ownership specialists gathered to celebrate.

Not only will Plumlife Move resell Shared Ownership properties on behalf of Plumlife Homes’ customers but also for anyone who is looking to sell their Shared Ownership properties. While the initially focus has been on the North West and Yorkshire based customers, Plumlife Move’s services will be offered further afield.

Unlike most high-street sales agents who deal with all manner of property sales, Plumlife Move specialise in Shared Ownership. The team, as part of the wider Plumlife Homes operation, already sell hundreds of Shared Ownership homes a year, meaning they understand all of the nuances around this scheme and they also have a large database of soon-to-be Shared Ownership home owners, who are ready to take their next step.

As well as individuals, the Plumlife Move team will also work with housing providers as the preferred partner, helping to sell their customer’s Shared Ownership properties and aiming to improve customer satisfaction, while reducing transaction times and ensuring more homes are kept within the Shared Ownership ecosystem for those who most need them.

Suzy Hollins, Head of Sales at Plumlife Homes, said:

“There’s a real need for Shared Ownership resellers to have more choice and Plumlife Move will give homeowners, regardless of where they bought their home, a specialist estate agent built to serve their unique needs.

“Shared Ownership is becoming increasingly popular in the current market but many customers ask how easy it will be to resell their home? We hope that our Plumlife Move service will offer many homeowners across the North West, some reassurance about this.”

Phil Robinson, Sales Agency Manager at Plumlife Move, added:

“The creation of the agency sees us providing an innovative solution to the Shared Ownership industry. Despite being based in South Manchester, the newly formed Plumlife Move team will also travel across the North West and Yorkshire, and beyond, to best serve our diverse customer base.

“I’m really excited to say that Plumlife Move is part of a profit-for-purpose organisation that reinvests profit into local communities, by choosing to partner with us, customers won’t just help themselves but others too.”

The Foundry and the Hunters welcome Santa and The Shire Horses

News Desk

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16/12/2022

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The Foundry and the Hunters welcome Santa and The Shire Horses

The Foundry and The Hunters are excited to confirm that Santa will be visiting on the beautiful Thwaites Shire Horse Cart. He will travel around the local villages, before returning to the pubs to meet and greet the children!

Get set for a special Christmas experience, Santa is swapping his reindeer with shire horses, and you have a chance to meet the man in red himself.

The teams at both of the local pubs promise it will be a memorable experience for families in the area that you’ll never forget.

One of the areas that they recently travelled to have a horse menage installed by Horse Menage Construction, who are a specialist horse arena installation company based in Manchester and were voted the best horse menage surfacing company in 2023.

Dates and timings are as follows:

The Foundry: Monday 19th December 2022

10am: Shire horses depart from The Foundry

11am: Shire horses return to The Foundry with Santa onboard

The Hunters: Friday 23rd December 2022

11am: Shire Horses depart for a stroll around village

12noon: Shire horses return to pub where the kids festive entertainment takes over.

Limited places are available so don’t miss out and book your space today by emailing festive@foundry-blackbun.co.uk or festive@hunters-preston.co.uk

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE TRAVELLING THROUGH MANCHESTER AIRPORT THIS CHRISTMAS

Travel

News Desk

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16/12/2022

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE TRAVELLING THROUGH MANCHESTER AIRPORT THIS CHRISTMAS

Manchester Airport is expecting its busiest December for three years, with more than 1.7m passengers expected to travel through this month.

The festive period is always particularly hectic, with travellers jetting off to spend time with family and friends, and this year many will be looking forward to a first Christmas together since the pandemic restrictions that kept them apart were lifted.

Being prepared for your journey is always important, but there are some specific considerations that passengers should be mindful of at this time of year, and the northern hub has issued step-by-step guidance to help travellers with their plans.

Check which terminal you’re flying from before arriving at the airport

Many of those flying out of Manchester Airport at Christmas might only travel once per year, when they go to visit relatives living overseas – and, as the airport is now fully operational, as opposed to last year when Terminal Three remained closed – the terminal that your airline is operating from may be different to last year.

Be sure to check which terminal your flight departs from before setting off, to avoid any mishaps on arrival.

If you or someone in your party has reduced mobility, book any assistance you require in advance.

Assistance services at Manchester Airport are run by a specialist provider and can be booked in advance through your airline. Demand is always high at busy times of year so please do book in advance to avoid the risk of a lengthy wait for assistance when you arrive.

Leave plenty of time for your journey (particularly in bad weather)

Wintry weather can be beautiful but is also very disruptive to transport. This year there is also some planned industrial action on the transport network. Make sure you have planned your journey to the airport, whether by road or rail, and ensure you have a Plan B in the event of disruption.

Remember the liquids, gels and pastes rule for hand luggage…

Ensure products in your hand luggage containing liquids, gels or pastes are in a clear, resealable bag and don’t exceed 100ml each.

This includes items that you may take away with you at this time of year for a taste of home or as a gift for a loved one – such as perfume, aftershave, make-up, condiments such as jams, butter and marmite, beverages and snow globes. If these exceed 100ml, pack them in your hold luggage.

…and remember that certain foods contain liquids!

Solid food in sealed packs is allowed through security, but if a food item contains a liquid, gel or paste, then the regular hand luggage rules may apply.

Mince pies and yule logs are fine, but Christmas puddings are very dense and can sometimes be flagged by our security scanners as a result, which means your bag would require a manual search. They are technically permitted in your hand luggage, but we advise they are packed in your hold luggage, for this reason.

If you want to take Christmas crackers – check with your airline

There is no hard-and-fast rule on taking Christmas crackers on board an aircraft – some airlines will let you take one or two sealed boxes, whereas others ban them altogether. In many cases this is dependent on the rules in the country you’re travelling to.

If you’re planning to take Christmas crackers with you, check with your airline in advance as to whether they will be permitted.

Do not bring wrapped presents

If your bag is selected for secondary screening during the security process, wrapped presents may need to be opened by a security officer for inspection, whether in your hand luggage or hold luggage. Wrap presents once you have reached your destination wherever possible.

Take off coats / jackets and other winter wear before reaching security

Our security colleagues will always do their best to get you through as quickly as they can at peak periods, and more than 97% of passengers are now getting through security in under 15 minutes.

However, you can help keep waiting times down by removing outer layers before you reach the front of the security queue, having them ready to put straight into a tray.

Do also try to be as efficient as possible with how you use your trays – so long as items are not covering each other, multiple winter wear items can go into the same tray. Passengers going through security will, on average, use more trays at this time of year than in summer – because of their additional outer wear – and the conveyor belts in each security lane have a limited capacity so using more trays than you need to can slow the process down for those behind you.

Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming the 1.7 million passengers who will travel through our airport over the festive period. This is a special time of the year for many, and we’re determined to make sure our guests get their Christmas off to the best possible start with a smooth and enjoyable journey through the airport.

“Being prepared is vitally important though, and we realise that, for some, this will be their first trip since before the pandemic. I’d encourage everyone flying out of Manchester over the Christmas period to check for road and rail disruption in advance of their journey to the airport, and to familiarise themselves with the current security rules.”

To find out more visit https://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/.

UK Trailer company help people to realise their dreams by building houses on wheels!

News Desk

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16/12/2022

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UK Trailer company help people to realise their dreams by building houses on wheels!

Neil Hall-McLean and Leo De Watts – two inspiring individuals – observed a need within society for wider access to affordable, sustainable and transportable homes. In seeking to fix this need, they built their first Tiny House on Wheels – “the NaviHo Apex”

The project almost failed at the first hurdle as it was next to impossible to source road-legal trailers that were of a high enough standard to build on. The trailers needed to be lightweight, long-lasting, strong, durable, and capable of carrying significant weight. The problem wasn’t going to solve itself, and soon after realising there were others looking to solve a similar need Neil and Leo set up HM-D Trailers. The company exists to provide tiny house trailers that can be built on, where the builder or designer can create structures to meet a range of requirements.

Leo states that success has come from centering their business around their customers’ needs. “Our customers are the foundation of our business. We invest time in talking with customers to understand their requirements, and in doing so, we are able to offer advice on build techniques that are specific to building on trailers.”

Neil states that HM-D’s tiny house trailers provide a mobile foundation that gives customers the freedom to create and build almost any mobile structure or building imaginable. “A mobile structure can function either as a place to live, a place to work from, or as a means to produce additional income. Selecting the right trailer is the most important step of the design and build process.”

HM-D Trailers have supplied tiny house trailers to customers who have built a range of structures. One instance is where a young couple who were just starting out were unable to afford their own home.

Instead, they were able to utilise some space alongside a house belonging to one of their parents. They built a tiny house on a trailer and sited it alongside the house to function as an annexe. Another customer built a mobile office on an HM-D Trailer, and sited it down one end of their garden to maximise their view while they worked, but it has also enabled them to separate their work-life from their home-life.

In both instances, having a separate building gives the young couple (and the parents) their own independence and privacy, and the work-from-home-client is able to work free from distraction and can now conduct video conference calls without interruption. Given that most people’s circumstances will change at some point, these mobile spaces can be transported to wherever these customers might move to in the future, or they could be onward sold.

While annexes and home offices may be the obvious choice for a mobile building, there has been a surge in popularity in creating beautifully unique holiday lets. The HM-D Trailer base affords more floor space than a shepherd’s hut, meaning that the buildings feel a lot bigger and often include far better appointed kitchens and bathrooms. HM-D Trailers supply trailers to a number of companies who specialise in building tiny houses on wheels for end-customers, as well as to individuals who rent tiny houses out for holiday-lets. Neil and Leo actively look to support their customers, and have believed in some of them so much that they have even invested in them.

Aside from accommodation, the HM-D Trailers are utilised by customers who run mobile businesses, and have included a mobile fishmongers, a portaloo rental company, event exhibition sales kiosks, mobile gin bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes. They have also had enquiries from customers looking to set up mobile churches and libraries.

If you’re wondering about the towing characteristics then the HM-D Trailers are road-legal in the UK and in Europe, and their suspension affords them a smooth ride. With regards to durability the trailer chassis are double-dip galvanised to prevent corrosion and come with a 5 year warranty. With regards to price then all up-to-date pricing, as well as dimensions, can be found on the HM-D Trailers website, www.HMDtrailers.com where you’ll also find that HM-D Trailers are available to buy through staged payments and also with insurance. The team at HM-D Trailers are always enthusiastic to hear about their customer’s projects and to give advice where needed.

MANCHESTER BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT SECURES NEW FIVE-YEAR TERM

Business

News Desk

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16/12/2022

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MANCHESTER BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT SECURES NEW FIVE-YEAR TERM

Businesses across Manchester city centre have voted in support of continuing the city’s Business Improvement District (BID) for another five-year term.

Manchester BID’s new term, alongside the recently announced Manchester Accommodation BID, will see an additional £6million a year invested into the city centre from 2023.

In a resounding statement of support for the organisation and its work over the last ten years, 42% of the total electorate voted with a majority of the existing membership voting positively. Voting was also expanded this year to incorporate 200 offices, growing the BID’s footprint in the city, and evolving its cross-sector membership.

In recent years Manchester BID has played an instrumental role in the city’s recovery post-Covid and brings city centre businesses together with key authorities including Manchester City Council, Marketing Manchester, Transport for Greater Manchester, and Greater Manchester Police – alongside many delivery, creative and media partners.

As well as funding a team of City Hosts (Tourist Information Officers), the BID has developed, and now annually delivers, some of the city’s most exciting public events, driving additional footfall, spend and positive PR for the city centre. Events include the recent Festive Sundays, Manchester Flower Show, Halloween in the City, student shopping events in partnership with Manchester Arndale, and the city’s popular Chinese New Year celebrations in collaboration with the Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester (FCAM).

In its next term, which will commence in April 2023, the BID will continue to support businesses through its operational and lobbying services, attract visitors, shoppers, and workers into the city centre through its annual events calendar, and continue to deliver regional, national, and international promotional campaigns.

The BID will also deliver on a substantial regular programme of street cleaning and environmental improvements to continue to enhance the city centre, and with its expanded membership will now represent the whole central business community and work in its best interests.

BIDs are defined geographical areas where businesses work together and invest in agreed services, initiatives and special events and are financed by a levy made based on rateable value. They operate in most cities and towns across the UK. In its new term, Manchester BID, which is managed by The City Centre Management Company, CityCo, will bring together 600 businesses including retail, hospitality, and offices, spanning Deansgate, King Street, Cross Street, St Ann’s Square, Market Street, New Cathedral Street, Manchester Arndale, Spring Gardens, Fountain Street and more.

Vaughan Allen, Chief Exec of CityCo and Manchester BID, said: “Manchester BID has been key to the recovery of the city post-Covid, with events like Manchester Flower Show, Halloween and our recent Festive Sundays driving the city centre visitor economy forward. These events, alongside our major programme of street cleaning and general uplift of the public realm, have been well received.

“We have also co-secured the new Manchester Accommodation BID, and so have been instrumental in developing new revenue streams worth nearly £6 million a year to Manchester city centre from 2023.

“It shows the commitment of the private sector to ensuring Manchester remains the most vibrant, interesting, and compelling destination in the country. We’re delighted to have played our part in developing and delivering all of this for Manchester city centre.”

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester Business Improvement District is helping to add to the vibrancy of our city centre, attracting visitors through events such as Halloween and Chinese New Year celebrations and supporting jobs and other opportunities. We look forward to continuing to work with the BID over the next five years as we strive to make our internationally-recognised city centre even more exciting and inclusive.”

Jane Sharrocks, Manchester BID Chair and General Manager of Selfridges Exchange Square, said: “We’re delighted to continue the BID’s work for a third term which will allow us to build on our popular calendar of events whilst delivering more operational services for our members to enhance the city centre trading environment. The BID has created a real sense of community for our retailers and hospitality businesses, enabling us to work collectively to help make Manchester a vibrant and exciting city to visit, work and live.”

More information can be found at manchesterbid.com.

Exciting Creative Activities for Kids

Blog

Danielle Trigg

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16/12/2022

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Creativity with kids (2-3 years old)

The kid is interested in everything around them. Unquenchable curiosity and craving for experiments feed creativity like nothing else.

2 to 3 years is an excellent time to get acquainted with the embodiment of creativity: music, dance, acting, building with blocks, word creation, and writing.

Children will not sit still for a few minutes at such a young age. But even these moments of passionate, creative pursuits are critical.

Finally, there is a worthy use for all flyers and brochures – we will make them bright and original pictures

You need:

Non-toxic markers or wax crayons
Cardboard sheet
Advertisements thrown in your boxes (flyers, brochures, envelopes)
Non-toxic white glue (PVA glue; used only under parental supervision)
Safe children’s scissors
Create with your baby! Let everyone create their collage from scraps and scraps of colorful flyers and complement it with drawings made with felt-tip pens, pencils, or crayons.

Fun Games For Kids

Put the box in a large room or take them outside and offer the child how to play: build a turret out of the boxes on each “floor” on which the toys will “live” – let them sit in boxes. Or line up the package. Now let the kid play on his own. What house did he build? Who will he put there?

Fairy Tale Game

To compose an exciting story, a piece of paper is enough on which only one word is written!

You need:

Paper
Pencil
Basket

Think of ten words or themes that form the basis of the fairy tale’s plot, and write them on pieces of paper. You can also draw something on each sheet or stick a small photo or picture. Fold the leaves in half and throw them into the basket. You can share with them easy-to-follow guide on how to draw comic book characters, and they will learn how to draw the characters. It will be easy and enjoyable for them, as they can learn drawing skills and at the same time have fun.

Fun Game For Preschoolers (3-5 years old)

Three, four, and five years old are great for various creative pursuits. At this time, role-playing games and acting skills come to the fore. Children love trying new materials. They like to play with the constructor. They also listen carefully when they are told funny stories and read children’s books. They are attracted to music and dancing.

There is so much you can do to develop your preschooler. Spend more time with him, listen to music, tell stories, put on puppet shows, draw and design. Over time, creativity becomes something familiar, and after many years your efforts pay off a hundredfold!

Dolls on a stick

Take a wooden stick, attach a drawing of your favorite character to it, and make a costume for him – the doll on a stick is ready

You need:

Markers or wax crayons
Cardboard
PVA glue
Fabric scraps
Woolen threads
colored paper
Glue with glitter
Safe children’s scissors
Insulating tape
Wooden stick (for example, from ice cream)

Sit next to each other and make your own doll. Draw some characters on the cardboard. Decorate the drawing with fabric, woolen threads, and colored paper. Use glitter glue to paint the details and add glitter!

When the drawing is ready, carefully cut it out along the contour. Attach a wooden stick to the back of the picture – you get a chrysalis on a stick. Then put a puppet show on the kitchen table (for example, you can act out your favorite children’s fairy tale).

After completing the exercise, children can make a scrapbook in real life with their drawings and pictures. They will need the same supplies to create their scrapbook and then keep the book as a childhood memory.

Poster “My family.”

Children love making large colorful posters with letters and pictures. It is also dedicated to the family.

Poster “My family.”

Illustration from The Book of My Family

You need:

Large sheet of thick colored cardboard
Photos of families of families (or with other families)
Glue or tape
felt-tip pens

Let the child choose their favorite photos of relatives and friends, lay them out on a large sheet of cardboard, and stick them. You can come up with funny captions for pictures together. For older children, help write a name under the photo. Afterward, you can take pictures of their designs, collect them on your laptop, and design a photo book in minutes. You can share photo books with their parents or print and distribute them.

Fairy tale basket

Ask your child to take a piece of paper out of the basket. Make up a short children’s story or story (2-3 minutes) using the word, picture, or story that comes up. The story can be funny and unpretentious, about events and actions that are understandable and familiar to kids from everyday life.

Accompany the story with facial expressions and gestures. Attract interest to the voice: make non-scary sounds, cover them in a whisper, and speak in a high voice or bass.

Final Words

Keep a positive attitude, remember that the main thing in any business is the pleasure of the process itself, and be ready to help correct small design flaws.

Let the kids enjoy the process and feel the boss of their games does not interrupt them during the game, and let them find the way of joy!

Where Manchester Businesses are Escaping the City for Christmas Parties

News Desk

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16/12/2022

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Where Manchester Businesses are Escaping the City for Christmas Parties

Are you working for a company in Manchester and tasked to organise your office Christmas party? If you need ideas on where to host the party, here are the best places to consider in the UK. These places are only a few hours’ drive from Manchester and offer the perfect setting for an enjoyable and fun-filled office party.

The Cotswolds

The Cotswolds are some of the most picturesque areas of the UK and get even prettier during the Christmas season, where you’ll find cute cottages decked with twinkling lights. Only a three-hour drive from Manchester, the Cotswolds would be an ideal choice for your Christmas party.

While it’s possible to come here on a day trip from Manchester, consider staying overnight for your party. You can book some of the lovely country houses in the Cotswolds and have your party there. Look for a property with enough space to accommodate your group.

The Scottish Highlands

Scotland exudes a festive atmosphere in December, making it an ideal place to host Christmas parties. With its subtle charms, you and your colleagues will enjoy your time here.

Make your party even more enjoyable by staying in one of the castles in Scotland, the perfect place to hold parties for large groups. Exuding grandeur and comfort, the castle hotels have all the amenities you need to organise a fun party. You can have an outdoor party in the garden or in one of its lavish rooms if you prefer an indoor setting.

Norfolk

Lying on the east coast of England, Norfolk is about a four-hour drive from Manchester and a great place to celebrate Christmas with colleagues. Although it’s more famous for its beaches, Norfolk is also home to pretty market towns and villages that look even more magical during Christmas.

What’s great about hosting your Christmas party in Norfolk is you’ll find many great party houses here. You can continue your celebration at cosy pubs for a more exciting work Christmas party.

The Yorkshire Dales

The stunning Yorkshire Dales is another fantastic option for your work Christmas party. It has loads of pretty villages and offers many fun things to do in winter.

You will find a variety of accommodations in Yorkshire Dales, giving you plenty of options to host your party. If you want something unique, you can have it on a glamping site, surrounded by stunning views. After your party, you can enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and mountain biking.

Snowdonia

Snowdonia hosts plenty of Christmas parties and events, making it an ideal place to escape Manchester for work Christmas parties. Winter in Snowdonia is enchanting, making your event even more special. It has spectacular scenery with several miles of rugged coastline, majestic mountain ranges, and festive forests.

After your party, you can bond with colleagues at one of the many welcoming pubs of Snowdonia. For a more memorable experience, enjoy stargazing across Anglesey and the Llyn Peninsula.

Manchester-based agency Embryo ends 2022 on a high with new client wins

News Desk

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16/12/2022

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Manchester-based agency Embryo ends 2022 on a high with new client wins

The Manchester-based digital agency, Embryo has revealed that they are ending 2022 on a high with their latest client partnerships. The multi-channel agency shared that they’ve partnered with a wide range of brands, including Direct2Florist, Open Space Concepts and Dowsing and Reynolds.

After recently winning Best Use of Search Retail/Ecommerce at the UK Search Awards and Best In-House Team at the UK Social Media Awards, the agency has revealed that they will be having a Christmas party this week to celebrate the agency’s growth over the last 12 months.

Managing Director of Embryo, Ross Green, said that winning the two awards with the UK’s most credible body is a true testament to how well Embryo has grown and developed into an industry rivalling agency.

The digital marketing company that specialises in paid and organic search, paid social, and digital PR, regularly continues to secure new clients and award wins due to their successful marketing campaigns and outstanding digital strategies.

They plan to continue growing in the new year with a series of positions being recruited for. This recruitment drive is just one step being managed by Strategy Director, Lloyd Morris-Fletcher will be working closely with Ross Green to help the business to continue to grow and be seen as one of the best agencies in the UK.

Ross Green said: ‘2022 has been a great year for Embryo, I’m very proud of everything the team has achieved. Based on our accomplishments, we’ve set incredibly ambitious targets for next year, but I am very confident our team will achieve them and continue to deliver phenomenal results for our valued clients. I’m looking forward to the new year and can’t wait to see what 2023 brings.’

Lloyd Morris-Fletcher added: ‘2022 once again saw Embryo deliver on our promise. Hitting all internal objectives, achieving our highest growth period on record and capping it off with more nationally recognised awards. 2023 promises to be no different. The preparation and foresight that’s gone into next year ensures the team are already well ahead of the curve. As with every year in digital marketing, there’ll be some seismic changes which we’ll be ensuring our clients are able to take advantage of. We won’t rest on last year’s success. Everyone is ready to go again as we prepare for what the next 12 months have in store.’

57% of Brits Planning to Re-Gift Presents this Christmas!

News Desk

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16/12/2022

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57% of Brits Planning to Re-Gift Presents this Christmas!

In the words of George Michael: “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart but the very next day, you gave it away” – but it’s not just hearts being passed on this Christmas. More than ever before, people are re-wrapping and re-gifting their unused Birthday and Christmas presents in an attempt to save pennies this festive season.

In a new survey by online fragrance retailer Perfumedirect.com, more than half (57%) of people in the UK are planning to re-gift presents this Christmas. This is around 35.5 percent higher than last year according to research¹

Top reasons respondents gave for re-gifting were:

To save money (58% said it was to cut down on spending)
To reduce waste (12% of people are also doing it to be more socially responsible)
It’s something they always do (6% said they always save previous gifts to re-gift)

Interestingly, presents AREN’T regifted just because the recipient doesn’t like them; indicating that it’s more of a frugal decision. Only a third said they re-gifted an item because they didn’t like it.

Others took the decision because they didn’t need it (23%), they already had it (9%), they want to save money by re-gifting nice things (27%) and because they know the person who gave the gift won’t know if they don’t use it (7%).

51 percent donate UNWANTED Christmas gifts (that they don’t like) to charity, while 19 percent sell them, 15% bin them and 10% put them in the loft.

So is re-gifting acceptable?

The survey of 1,899 UK adults found that giving away presents is more acceptable than ever – 55 percent believe that it is now more socially acceptable to re-gift than ever before.

Only 33 percent said that re-gifting is an absolute no, no.

What is more, almost half (48%) said that they would have no problem in receiving a present that had been re-gifted, as long as it was still thoughtful and something they would appreciate.

On average each household is planning on giving up to three re-gifted presents over the festive period. A third (33 %) said that over the past 12 months they had consciously put gifts aside to give as Christmas presents.

Women are more likely to re-gift gifts given to them than men, according to the research. 78% of proclaimed re-gifters identify as women compared to just 19% of people who identify as male.

And what are the gifts to look out for?

Health and beauty products are the most regifted types of items.

Within this, bath sets came in number one.

Body lotions are number two and the third most popular item is fragrance.

Alcohol – such as champagne – is another frequently regifted item, especially if it’s boxed. Followed by chocolates.

The least regifted category of item was clothing, including the obligatory Christmas sock gift.

One in ten people admitted that they have made the social faux pas of giving back a gift to the same person that the received it from.

Jonny Webber, from PerfumeDirect.com, said: “Whilst a few years ago re-gifting was something people didn’t really talk about, it is fast becoming a savvy way to approach your Christmas present giving – helping to save money and reduce the amount of unwanted gifts that can easily end up landfill or gathering dust.

“Increased acceptability has likely been swayed by this year’s big focus on pre-loved fashion. Ebay’s sponsorship of Love Island helped to reinforce messaging that rather than discarding items, for some products it can make sense to give them a new lease of life with a different owner.

“Re-gifting isn’t about passing on a used items though, it’s about thinking about how we can all save money if we don’t need an item or have put something away in case it can be re-gifted. It’s more about over consumption and being more conscious about opening something that you don’t really need or that someone else you know would be more grateful of. There is an etiquette around it.

“Similarly, we hear more and more about consumers buying discounted products to keep in a gift drawer – buying a bargain when they see it and keeping it for gifting. This is a really good idea. As we’ve just seen with Black Friday, many retailers only offer such high discounts once a year – so stocking up and then keeping these products as gifts across 12 months or for Christmas makes good practice.

“Fragrance is ideal for this as it’s not something that is massively trend-led, many of our best sellers are classic fragrances that are popular year after year, and they don’t have short use by dates.”

Jonny added: “Regifting with the right intention and with integrity is for us, and the majority it seems, totally acceptable – often it’s about reducing waste and giving the gift to someone else who might appreciate it more than you do.

“It’s wise though to keep a log of who gave you the gift so as not to return it back to them, and to ensure the person who gave the gift and who you’re giving it to aren’t in the same social circles to avoid hurting anyone’s feelings!”

STAGECOACH MANCHESTER CELEBRATE WITH WIGAN ON ITS 10TH BIRTHDAY

News Desk

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16/12/2022

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STAGECOACH MANCHESTER CELEBRATE WITH WIGAN ON ITS 10TH BIRTHDAY

The Wigan depot, in Ashton-in-Makerfield, was taken over by Stagecoach in December 2012 and has since played an essential role in the local community, proudly serving over 81.8 million passengers who have travelled over 31.5 million miles over the decade.

To mark the 10 year milestone, the depot is celebrating the staff who help to make the depot a special place and a vital part of the local community.

Many of Wigan’s employees come from the borough and were introduced to Stagecoach by family members. Strong family connections run deep throughout the depot, with different generations often working together, building a strong sense of community within the team.

Mike Gaskell, Depot Operations Manager at Wigan said: “I’ve only been with Stagecoach Wigan for twelve months but, as someone who was introduced to the industry by my father over twenty years ago, the environment here immediately stood out to me. We have a great workforce – the team really create a family atmosphere and they are a true pleasure to manage.”

Father and daughter, Stuart and Hermione Kendrick are an example of generational recruitment, with both currently working at the depot. Stuart, who joined the Wigan Depot as a driver almost 40 years ago inspired his daughter, Hermione, to make a huge career change from her previous role in a local nursery.

Dad, Stuart, has experienced many changes during his decades at the depot, with technology completely changing the way the bus services run. The introduction of contactless payments in 2017, the Stagecoach Bus App, enabling customers to plan journeys, track their bus and buy tickets on their mobile, and smart tickets have made travelling by bus easier for the local community and are developments Stuart is happy to have been part of. Stagecoach has also invested greatly in improving its fleet when it took over the depot by adding £12 million of new vehicles, and reducing some popular fares by 50%

Driver, Hayley McLean, is yet another staff member with family connections in the industry. Hayley is a third-generation bus driver, having taken inspiration from her grandfather and both parents, who were in the bus industry. Hayley met her partner Darren whilst working at the Sharston depot, and the pair rely on the flexibility at Wigan to allow them to manage family life with their young family.

Hayley said: “The flexibility on offer here is brilliant. Sometimes Darren and I are like passing ships, but our work allows us to be there for our little girl and maintain family life.”

Husband and wife, Jamie and Chloe Sinclair, are also both bus drivers who met at Stagecoach in 2001 and now have two children. Chloe’s mother, Joyce is also a driver at Wigan and has recently been rewarded with a Long Service Award for her 21 years of service.

Lee Wasnidge, Managing Director at Stagecoach furthered these sentiments, adding: “Congratulations to Stagecoach Wigan on its 10^th birthday. Throughout the last ten years whole depot team’s hard work, community-minded spirit, family-focused approach and commitment to excellence has allowed us to deliver amazing customer service for all of our customers. I look forward to watching the continued success within the region and hopefully, welcoming more great people to the team.”

Creativity with kids (2-3 years old)

Fun Games For Kids

Fairy Tale Game

Fun Game For Preschoolers (3-5 years old)

Dolls on a stick

Poster “My family.”

Fairy tale basket

Final Words

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