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The Furniture Recycling Group is set to transform mattress recycling

Partnerships

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01/11/2022

The Furniture Recycling Group is set to transform mattress recycling

RetourMatras invests in TFR Group to triple mattress dismantling capacity and grow circular mattress services in the UK

UK’s leading mattress recycling and circular economy specialist, The Furniture Recycling Group (TFR Group) has secured an investment from Netherlands-based mattress recycling company RetourMatras. The partnership will enable TFR Group to grow its dismantling capacity to 1.5 million mattresses per year in England. Transforming discarded mattresses into reusable materials, that would otherwise go to waste.

The investment will support TFR Group in addressing the number of disposed mattresses in the United Kingdom, which has grown significantly over the last five years. By leveraging the combined experience and knowledge of the companies, TFR Group can create economies of scale, further increase material recoverability and realise significant carbon emission savings.

The Furniture Recycling Group doubled its sales and workforce over the past four years and, has recycled more than 3.5 million mattresses since 2012, with 30,000 tons of material flowing back into the economy. The company also rejuvenates mattresses, underpinning their commitment to key circular economy principles. Using their bespoke rejuvenation process, TFR Group can ensure that all rejuvenated mattresses are of as-new quality, based on the criteria set with customers. Rejuvenation prevents valuable mattresses from ending up as waste, giving them a second life and keeping them in circulation.

Nick Oettinger, CEO and founder of TFR Group, says: “We are constantly looking for opportunities to further our capabilities and are delighted to be partnering with RetourMatras. The investment is another step in the evolution of our business and will be instrumental in optimising and growing our recycling and rejuvenation processes. The investment will enable us to provide broader coverage of our services, as well as accelerating business growth and fast tracking our automation plans, ultimately driving down the cost of mattress recycling for our customers.”

RetourMatras dismantles mattresses and prepares the materials for reuse in the Netherlands. A self-developed, state-of-the-art automated process makes mattress recycling feasible and enables RetourMatras to substantially contribute to the recycling targets of the Netherlands. The company is actively seeking opportunities to expand their impact.

“We are very excited to be partnering with TFR Group as it enters its next phase of growth. TFR Group is a great example of entrepreneurship in the circular economy. By working together with players throughout the value chain, I truly believe that we can recycle more mattresses. We can further transform mattresses into valuable raw materials by taking the best practices and unique processes pioneered by both, TFR Group and RetourMatras. I look forward to growing the business together with Nick and his team, and jointly developing opportunities to make the mattress value chain circular.” says Chico Van Hemert, Managing Director of RetourMatras.

Alongside expanding recycling capacity in the United Kingdom, the parties are eager to work together to make mattress recycling more efficient by looking at optimising transport, dismantling and material recoverability – ultimately working towards a fully circular mattress value chain.

For more information, please visit: www.tfrgroup.co.uk

Consensus creates stylish interiors at Orega’s new Manchester offices

Business

Sam Allcock

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01/11/2022

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Consensus creates stylish interiors at Orega’s new Manchester offices

Consensus Workspace has helped Orega complete its fourth Manchester workspace, delivering flexible office interiors for its Balloon Street site, which has now officially opened.

The Altrincham-based office interiors specialist has worked with Orega a number of times now, having previously provided fit outs for the national co-working office provider in Leeds, Glasgow, Bristol and London as well as Manchester.

The family businesses worked closely with the Orega team to complete the 26,000 sq. ft flexible workspace, fitting over 450 workstations over three floors, as well as creating open plan and private collaborative areas. The design style reflects nature throughout, with natural materials such as wood and stone, and earthy dark green and light beige colours used on the surfaces. Extensive biophilia continues the theme of the outdoors to encourage a feeling of wellbeing for all users of the office space, which includes on-site shower and changing facilities, an outdoor roof terrace, secure bike storage and unlimited barista-quality coffee for its users.

Andy Plastow, director of Consensus Workspace says, “Orega’s workspace interiors are always sympathetic to their surrounding areas and this is no exception, with Balloon Street’s offices reflecting a healthy approach to a city centre work-life balance and the new outdoor park close by. It’s always a pleasure to provide Orega’s fitouts as they cater for the growing demand for co-working offices across the UK, but it’s particularly special to be working with them here in our home city.”

Lynsey O’Keefe, Chief Operating Office of Orega added, “Orega is a leading provider of flexible office space and now have 20 sites across the UK. Our new workspace in Manchester is designed to be a modern, flexible base for the city’s booming tech, finance and creative businesses. We thank Consensus for their hard work and efficiency in meeting the brief for our design fit out, enabling us to deliver a high standard product ahead of schedule. “

2022 Logistics Take Up in North West Region on Track to Outperform 10 year Average says CBRE

News

Sam Allcock

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01/11/2022

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2022 Logistics Take Up in North West Region on Track to Outperform 10 year Average says CBRE

2022 logistics take up for big box (100,000 sq ft+) space in the North West region is on track to outperform the 10 year average take up figures and is on par with 2021 which was a record year, according to the latest research from global real estate advisor CBRE.

Logistics take-up year-to-date in the region now sits at 4.7m sq ft. The post pandemic trend of higher levels of speculative take-up in the North West continued with 3 speculative deals in Q3. 0.8m sq ft was under offer at the end of the quarter, the lowest level since Q3 2020.

Nationally take-up of logistics space totalled 7.67m sq ft for Q3 2022. The aggregate for the first nine months of 2022 stands at 30.25m sq ft, which equates to 95.8% of 2021 and 92.1% of the record-breaking year of 2020 for the same period, signalling the sector’s resilience.

This represents a decrease of 30% compared with Q3 2021, which saw take-up reach 10.9m sq ft. A total of 29 deals have completed this quarter, a decrease of 25.6% compared with Q3 2021, which saw 39 deals complete. Speculative schemes accounted for almost half of total take-up at 46.9%, followed by build-to-suit at 34.7% and secondhand accounting for the remaining 18.4%.

Third-party logistics dominated at a sector level, accounting for 56.3% of total take-up for the quarter. This was followed by retail at 21.3%. The remaining 22.4% was split across supermarkets, manufacturing, motor and other, demonstrating that demand for logistics space is wide-ranging and that competition for units remains strong.

Take-up was widespread across the regions for the quarter. Yorkshire & North East led the way at 27.1%. This was followed by West Midlands at 20.7%, East Midlands at 19%, South East at 16.3%, North West at 9.3% and the South West at 7.5%.

Availability in the North West grew to 2.9m sq ft, up 214% QtoQ, driven by the big uptick in speculative space under construction. The vacancy rate rose to 1.01%, from 0.23% in Q2, due to 3 secondhand units coming to the market and some speculative space completing. However, it is still the lowest vacancy rate of any UK region. North West prime rents increased in Q3 to £8.25 psf, up 10% YoY. Prime big box yields moved out by a further 75 bps to 4.50%.

Nationally, vacant available space increased from 5.73m sq ft at Q2 2022 to 6.51m at Q3 2022. This was due to a number of speculative buildings reaching practical completion during the quarter. However, with only 21 built speculative units available, there remains a significant under supply. The increase in completed units resulted in the UK vacancy rate increasing fractionally from 1.18% to 1.32%.

Paul Cook, Senior Director, CBRE Manchester commented:

“Occupational demand continues to remain strong in the North West region, but with limited supply of existing space and likely slow down in speculative development we are possibly going to see a further increase in rents moving into 2023. Big box take up in 2022 (100,000 sq ft+) is on track to outperform the 10 year average take up figures and is on par with 2021 which was a record year.”

Jonathan Compton, Senior Director, UK Logistics at CBRE said: “Despite the ongoing economic uncertainty, the logistics occupational market remains strong with a wide range of occupiers securing space across the country. The decrease in take-up this quarter points to a degree of normalisation in the market following a prolonged period of record-breaking numbers, however the under-offer pipeline signals towards another robust year for the sector.”

Annabel Nash, Senior Analyst, UK Logistics Research at CBRE added: “We have seen a significant shift in the type of occupier taking space following a dominant display from online retail. Third-party logistics providers are now leading the pack, accounting for more than a third of total take-up year-to-date. Ongoing supply chain and shipping disruptions are resulting in longer lead times, driving retailers to extend their stock profile in the UK. Therefore, companies that do not have the sufficient infrastructure are turning to third-party logistics providers for fulfillment on their behalf.”

Co&co Hires Ex Vita Group Experience Expert As It Enters New Chapter Of Growth

Appointments

Sam Allcock

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01/11/2022

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Co&co Hires Ex Vita Group Experience Expert As It Enters New Chapter Of Growth

Manchester based Marketing Consultancy, co&co, has bolstered their team and agency offering with the appointment of ex-Vita Group Community & Experience Marketing expert Sophie Kimmance as a Director.

The appointment comes in-line with co&co’s plans to grow its offering and client base in the experiential marketing and brand activation space. Working with clients across the UK, it will now offer brand experiences and activations, as well as employer branding and event services, using Sophie’s decade worth of award-winning experience.

Sophie, who worked at Vita Group for almost a decade, was the driving force behind Vita Student’s residential experience strategy for the past seven years, working with teams across the UK and Europe to grow communities of loyal customers that saw the business become the leading name in student and residential accomodation and win numerous awards for its dedication to customer experience.

Sophie will now head up this new area of the business, offering huge added value for current clients, whilst she works to grow the client base in this area.

Speaking on her new appointment, Sophie, said: “With competition at a record high across all industries, consumers are looking for something extra, the ‘what’s in for me’, added bonus. Because of this, experiential marketing has become a key part of engagement and retention, and I am delighted to be able to bring my knowledge and skills to the table for co&co.

“We have got exciting things planned for the future of the agency and now with the added services of customised brand experiences, specifically designed brand and space activations, experience strategies, wellbeing support and event services, I can’t wait to see what this new exciting chapter brings.”

Founder of co&co Jordan Stachini, who worked with Sophie when heading up marketing at Select Property Group, the sister brand to Vita Group, added: “Having Sophie join the team is a fantastic milestone and an unbelievable opportunity for co&co. Our slogan is that ‘we make sh*t happen’ and Sophie joining us takes us to the next level. The experience, knowledge and understanding that Sophie has of this specialist area is second to none.

“She has a track record of turning destination marketing into a profitable, ROI generating channel – which at co&co is what we are all about. The value she will be able to add to current clients, and new ones across sectors, is a very exciting prospect over the next couple of years of growth for our agency.’

Manchester’s Custard appoints new Managing Director

Appointments

Sam Allcock

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01/11/2022

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Manchester’s Custard appoints new Managing Director

Manchester-based digital marketing agency, Custard, has appointed a new Managing Director.

The agency’s former Head of Delivery, Alex Duthie, will take up the new role acquiring a 25% stake in the process.

Duthie joined the agency as Head of SEO in October 2017 and has held a number of roles over his tenure with the business, having previously worked at agencies such as McCann and PushOn.

Chris Smith, previously the sole owner of the business, has moved into the role of CEO.

Smith said: “I’m delighted that Alex is taking over as Managing Director at Custard after 5 years of excellent work. The agency will continue to achieve great results across an expanding scope of work with Alex at the helm.”

Duthie added: “We’ve got an excellent client base which keeps growing so it’s a really exciting time to be taking over as Managing Director. The agency has been achieving excellent results for our clients, but we’re not looking to stand still and are continually evolving our offering to ensure all clients receive best in class digital marketing.”

Contact Originators reaches ‘zero waste to landfill’ landmark

Sam Allcock

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01/11/2022

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Contact Originators reaches ‘zero waste to landfill’ landmark

Dukinfield based packaging origination and flexographic plates manufacturer, Contact Originators, has now reached ‘zero waste to landfill’ status.

Partnering with waste recovery specialist B&M Waste Services (‘B&M’), Contact now sends 100% of its site waste to be either reused, recycled or recovered at a dedicated ‘waste-to-energy’ plant, supporting the company’s drive towards circular and sustainable waste pathways.

The announcement marks the next important step on Contact’s long-term sustainability journey, as it aims to be the most ecologically sound business of its kind in the reprographics sector and support its print and packaging customers in new ways.

Jo Grundy, Quality & Systems Manager at Contact Originators, commented: “We are thrilled to announce that we have reached zero waste to landfill in our operations – this is an enormous step for our team at Contact! With the support of leading business waste specialist B&M, we have fundamentally changed how we do business. Our class-leading service and product range remains, but now our corrugated and flexible packaging customers can also rest assured that all our waste is managed responsibly and that our work contributes to a cleaner supply chain. A siloed approach to print and packaging sustainability simply doesn’t work. It’s about the bigger picture and seeing the supply chain as a connected whole, which of course includes prepress.

“Reaching zero waste to landfill has an enormous impact on our carbon footprint, but we know that our journey’s not over. Contact Originators is a business that’s unafraid to lead and is never satisfied with ‘average’ – just ask our customers! Targeting carbon neutrality is one thing, but we’re aiming for carbon negative as our end goal.”

Rebecca McKew, Account Manager at B&M Waste Services added: “We are delighted to be working with Contact Originators to help in their journey to becoming carbon negative. We look forward to finding further ways to improve their waste management in the future to help them achieve their goal.”

Contact Originators, which today supplies origination services and high performance flexo plates to the corrugated and flexible packaging sectors, has previously affirmed its commitment to ethical packaging reprographics by signing up to UN Global Compact.

The world’s largest sustainability initiative, UN Global Compact is focused on 10 key operating principles in areas such as human rights, environmental impact and anti-corruption.

Jo added: “In all aspects, we are putting supply chain sustainability at the heart of our business. Solid UN Global Compact principles guide our activities and development, and it’s a great demonstration of who Contact is as a business.

“We can, and do, provide class-leading service to our printer customers, but it’s about going above and beyond. As a business, we are responsible, resource efficient and ethically sound. Achieving zero waste to landfill is just the latest evidence of this as we continue to evolve.”

To find out more about Contact Originators and its range of products and services to packaging printers and brand owners, please visit contact-group.co.uk.

easyJet’s renowned Fearless Flyer course returns to Manchester this November

Transport

Sam Allcock

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01/11/2022

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easyJet’s renowned Fearless Flyer course returns to Manchester this November

Autumn course to help aerophobics overcome their fear of flying now on sale
Experience flight taking off from Manchester Airport on 12^th November
VIP package including a dedicated Captain to guide you through the experience flight also available to book now

easyJet is bringing its Fearless Flyer course back to Manchester on Saturday 12^th November, to help nervous flyers take control and overcome their fears.

Over the last 10 years, the course, which has helped more than 10,000 phobics to date, continues to be one of the best-priced aerophobia courses in the UK, starting at just £89 per person.

Featuring a virtual element of the programme that was introduced earlier this year, easyJet’s Fearless Flyer course is divided into three main parts:

A virtual ground course, where top phobia expert Lawrence Leyton and a senior easyJet captain will explain the unfamiliar sounds and sensations customers feel onboard an aircraft and teach them a unique set of mind techniques to manage their nerves. This session lasts approximately two and a half hours.
A pre-flight one-hour ‘Meet the Team’ online Zoom session, where participants will be walked through the airport experience and what to expect. There will also be a participant Q&A session where phobia expert Lawrence Leyton and an easyJet pilot will answer any last-minute questions.
And lastly, a special one-hour experience flight from the course airport, where customers put their new skills to the test whilst listening to a live commentary of the flight from the Fearless Flyer team.

In addition to the standard course, a VIP course is also on offer and includes extra exclusive benefits including a dedicated Captain who will guide you through the experience flight day, a pre-flight private video call with a pilot and the Fearless Flyer team, VIP check-in process, security and boarding for the experience flight, guaranteed upfront seats, and lifetime access to additional course materials.

A limited number of spaces on the courses are now available at fearlessflyer.easyjet.com

Captain Chris Foster, Fearless Flyer Lead Pilot at easyJet, said:

“We’re delighted to be relaunching our renowned Fearless Flyer course for this coming winter with courses now available to book in Manchester and across the UK. The course is suitable for anyone who is a nervous flyer, whether they experience slight anxiety or they have never flown before and with a success rate of more than 95%, we would encourage anyone wishing to overcome their fear to take part.”

Mark Wein, easyJet’s Fearless Flyer Course Director, commented:

“Around one in six people have a fear of flying, stopping many from travelling abroad on holiday, visiting friends and family or even flying for work, so why wait to join so many who have already overcome their fears through our renowned Fearless Flyer course? We’re excited to help many more people get flying fearlessly on our courses over the coming months – the results are truly life-changing.”

Ann Cobbe, who took the course in the summer and hadn’t flown for 30 years, said:

“This is a brilliant course. I was sceptical when signing up but by the end of the flight I really was a ‘fearless flyer’. The online course is amazing and explains everything in detail. The coping mechanisms includes 4 different techniques, each very achievable by all. The zoom meeting with the Fearless Flyer Team a couple of days before the flight meant you could ask any questions you wanted and put my mind at ease. The flight experience was fantastic. The team were with us the whole way, reassuring us all throughout the process. During the flight the Pilot explained everything to us including the sounds, the changes in engine noise, turbulence etc. At the end of the flight a group of very happy ex-phobics left the plane. I just wish I had done this years ago. I’m so glad I can now fly anywhere I wish to and I really recommend this course to everybody who wants to enjoy ‘fearless flying’.”

The online course is available right now, and the experience flight will take place on Saturday 12th November at Manchester airport.

For further information, please contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252, log onto www.easyJet.com or follow @easyJet_Press

BRUNTWOOD SUBMITS PLANS FOR UK’S LOWEST CARBON NEW BUILD WORKSPACE

Construction

Sam Allcock

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01/11/2022

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BRUNTWOOD SUBMITS PLANS FOR UK’S LOWEST CARBON NEW BUILD WORKSPACE

Following a period of public consultation, Bruntwood has today submitted plans for the development of the UK’s lowest carbon new build workspace, The Ev0 Building. Situated at Didsbury Technology Park in South Manchester, the £31m development will provide 82,000 sq ft of sustainable office space, leading Manchester’s workspace offering towards a net zero future.

As the UK’s lowest carbon new build workspace, Ev0 will:

Achieve net zero in both construction and operation
Meet the LETI 2020 design target for upfront carbon, the RIBA 2025 performance targets on whole life carbon, and the UKGBC Paris Proof target on operational usage
Follow the UK Green Building Council’s net zero carbon framework
Target NABERS 5.5 stars and BREEAM Excellent ratings
Be 100% electric and generate 94% of total energy demand on-site, with the remainder sourced from Bruntwood’s cooperatively owned wind farm in Ayrshire

Ev0 features a unique mass timber frame, employing the process of sequestration to capture and store carbon, in the same way as a tree. Significantly reducing the building’s energy consumption, the facade is designed to minimise solar gain and overheating on the southerly and westerly elevations and to maximise solar gain on the northerly and easterly elevations. It will also use minimal low carbon concrete in its construction.

Bruntwood’s transparency with Ev0’s carbon data leaves the developer in no doubt that this is the UK’s lowest carbon new build workspace, with full figures available on the Ev0 website.

Bruntwood Works – the workspace, retail and leisure arm of the Bruntwood Group – will design, develop and deliver the scheme, with construction scheduled to begin in summer 2023 and completion expected in autumn 2024.

Ciara Keeling, CEO of Bruntwood Works, said: “In submitting our plans for Ev0, we are proud to provide yet more meaningful contribution to Manchester’s ambition of becoming a carbon neutral city by 2038. Since becoming the UK’s first commercial property company to sign the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment in 2018, we have strived to lead the way in the market, placing sustainability at the heart of everything we do.

“Ev0 is the culmination of all our work to date, taking everything we have learned to create the UK’s lowest carbon new build. And as part of this, we will continue to be fully transparent about presenting data and assessments to ensure that we stay true to our commitments and to allow Ev0 to become a blueprint for net zero construction in the industry.”

The project is supported by a number of strategic partners, including architect Sheppard Robson, MEP, structural and sustainability consultants Ramboll, landscape architects Layer Studio, and planning consultants Deloitte Real Estate. JLL and CBRE will act as agents for the building, bringing their extensive knowledge of the sustainability credentials customers are looking for.

Find out more at theEv0building.co.uk.

How Financial Literacy Can Help You Live a Better Life

Thought Leaders

Sam Allcock

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01/11/2022

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How Financial Literacy Can Help You Live a Better Life

Financial literacy is more than just being able to know when to spend and on what. It is a concept that defines one’s life, a very crucial concept that can improve your everyday life if done well. A greater percentage of the world’s population doesn’t know what financial literacy is or why they should have it. On the other hand, those who know what it is, are not sure why being financially literate is so important.

Being financially literate helps you make informed decisions when it comes to your finances. For instance, you know whether to trade digital currencies or whether investing in stocks is the better option for you. Essentially, being financially literate through financial literacy programs help you save for the rainy day and avoid costly mistakes. If you’re curious about how financial literacy can help you live a better life, keep reading.

First and Foremost: What Is Financial Literacy?

Before we discuss in detail how financial literacy, like knowing how to buy Dogecoin, can help you live a better life, let’s understand this concept. Financial literacy refers to the ability to grasp and efficiently use various financial skills such as budgeting and investing.

In simple terms, financial literacy refers to the ability to manage one’s personal finances and avoid costly financial mistakes. Financial literacy is not something you learn at once; it is lifetime learning and requires a conscious, deliberate effort.

The need to be financially literate cannot be overemphasized, given how important finance is in modern society. To put it bluntly, lacking financial literacy poses a threat to one’s financial life and can damage one’s long-term financial success.

Unfortunately, according to research, the percentage of financial illiteracy in the world trumps that of financial literacy. For instance, the Financial Industry Regulation Authority (FINRA) attributed financial illiteracy to 66% of Americans.

The good news is that you can go from financial illiteracy to financial literacy in days if you put in the work. There are now resources available at your fingertips for those who want to educate themselves about the finance world. These resources include the government-sponsored Financial Literacy and Education Commission where you can get several courses for free. Financial literacy can ultimately protect you from becoming a victim of financial fraud, which has become commonplace in society today.

Why Does Financially Literacy Matter So Much?

Lacking financial literacy skills can result in various pitfalls, including accumulating more debts than one can afford to have. This can be caused by either a lack of long-term preparation or unpalatable spending decisions.

Consequently, an individual lacking financial literacy may find themselves facing bankruptcy, poor credit, and housing foreclosure, among other things. Financial literacy helps you avoid these pitfalls because you are equipped with the knowledge that helps you manage your finances wisely.

Financial literacy is vital to managing factors ranging from daily expenses to long-term budget forecasting. If you’re working, saving toward retirement is the wise thing to do to ensure you are not stranded. However, financial literacy goes beyond just saving; it also involves avoiding high levels of debt that can result in hardships. Unfortunately, reports show that more than one-fourth of Americans don’t have retirement savings; less than 40% are confident in their retirement decisions.

More so, the low rate of financial literacy has left Millennials unprepared for a serious financial crisis. More so, even those who know something about financial literacy cannot explain fundamental financial concepts accurately.

Unfortunately, this set of individuals carries huge amounts of mortgage debt and student loans more than they can possibly bear. While these may seem like personal problems, they inadvertently affect the entire population more than we think.

Financial literacy is crucial not just because it helps one make informed decisions, but because of increasing financial responsibilities. Once upon a time, employers managed employees’ retirement accounts; today, each employee assumes more responsibility through self-directed retirement accounts. Additionally, consumers now have more choices, thanks to the broadened scope of financial products and more widely accessible credit.

How Can Being Financial Literacy Improve Your Life?

There is a lot one stands to gain from being financially literate, and this is more than simply knowing how to balance a checkbook. Managing your cash flow and generally planning for your financial future seems like hard work until you become financially literate. If you’re an investor in the cryptocurrency market, for instance, financial literacy is one thing you want to learn. For one, it helps you know what to invest in and what to avoid, and it protects you from fraud.

Below are some of the top benefits of having financial literacy skills:

You Understand the Relevance of Money

Financial literacy informs you on what money can and cannot buy; it helps you understand the relevance of money. Also, you learn to differentiate between good and unhealthy spending habits, their outcomes, and how to control your expenses.

To put it more bluntly, financial literacy makes you financially smarter; you learn the best ways to invest money. Financial literacy plays an important role in empowering individuals with the knowledge they need to make smarter, future-impacting decisions.

When you are financially literate, you will be smarter in your financial choices. You will understand debts, manageable and unmanageable, and you will know what to do before making financial decisions.

It Makes You More Independent

Financial literacy instills a level of confidence in you that makes you independent. As a student, for instance, you can plan for college and make sound decisions concerning financing options like student loans. By understanding the basics of finances, you will be able to set clearer and more meaningful long-term goals. Financial literacy skills give you a good understanding of budgeting and its importance to your future.

It Prepares You for the Future

Financial literacy equips you with the know-how, confidence, and skills you need to build a secure future for yourself. Even if all you have are basic financial literacy skills, they are enough to make you self-sufficient and give you financial stability. More so, basic financial literacy skills help you understand the importance of managing your personal finances.

Financial literacy is another core skill, alongside critical thinking and creativity, needed to thrive in society – education or business. Thus, whether you are a student or are approaching retirement, you need these skills to be able to make informed financial decisions. These include knowing how to make a personal budget and differentiate between wants and needs. If you’re a student, financial literacy helps you plan for college and the likely expenses.

It Ups Your Living Standard

Financial illiterates are always thinking about how to spend an extra dollar or two, ruminating on what to buy. However, financial literates know how to optimize their finances, and these are those with better chances of succeeding in life.

By making good decisions early in life, financial literates can better handle their finances; they have stronger backbones in financial crises. When a retiree has learned financial literacy early in life, he or she can afford to spend more when retired.

It Gives You Peace of Mind

There are some things that money cannot buy, and peace of mind is one of them. That may sound cliché to you when you don’t have debts running into thousands of dollars hanging over your head. Financial literates calculate their expenses and make the most of them in order to live a better, debt-free life. They live within their means, thanks to a well-constructed budget; thus, they never have to worry about excessive bills.

You Are Free to Dream Big

As a student, having financial literacy skills is everything; it helps you live a better college life. When you do get a job, you will be able to picture how much you’ll be earning when you turn a certain age. As such, there is an assurance within you and the freedom to dream big and aim for more.

When you understand the basics of financial planning, you will become aware of the many possibilities the future brings. Then, you will work hard and plan on your future aspirations, with financial literacy skills making you more ready than ever.

Conclusion

Financial literacy teaches you how to manage personal finances, prepare a budget, and, overall, make smart decisions with money. Essentially, financial literacy skills equip individuals with the ability to make smarter decisions and be more responsible for their finances. An improvement in financial literacy will undoubtedly impact you and your ability to provide for your future. While becoming financially literate is not a walk in the park, it can improve your lifestyle tremendously when mastered.

Youth mental health referrals on the up as cost-of-living crisis hits Liverpool hard

Charity

Sam Allcock

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01/11/2022

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Youth mental health referrals on the up as cost-of-living crisis hits Liverpool hard

Liverpool youth development charity, Positive Futures are warning of the increasing impact the cost-of-living crisis is having on mental health related referrals for children as young as 8.

Based in Liverpool, Positive Futures provide a Targeted Support Service to young people and their families who are finding life hard and are reporting that last year’s already high level of 46% of referrals being related to mental health is already increasing, with poverty, fueled by the cost-of-living crisis, a major contributor.

Clare Corran, CEO at Positive Futures highlighted: “We see first-hand how poverty and wealth, or lack of, affects the mental health and wellbeing of young people. Mental health concerns including anxiety, depression, low mood, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and disordered eating accompanied by the added pressure of low income and rising costs, and pressures that places on young people and their families is truly heartbreaking. We’re so pleased to be able to help, but our waiting list is growing and we desperately need funding to appoint further dedicated Mental Health workers, as we don’t want young people thinking there is nobody they can turn to.”

Each young person helped has a different story, take Connor for example, who used to spend all his time in his bedroom and was referred to Positive Futures with extreme social anxiety. Over a 9 month period he was encouraged out of his bedroom to 1-2-1 sessions in his lounge, which progressed to coming to the Positive Futures activity centre with his mum initially, then growing in confidence he started attending activity and 1-2-1 sessions without his mum. He now attends a few nights per week, has made new friends and even took part in summer holiday activities including a trip to London. An absolutely amazing transformation thanks to the support of the charity.

Another success story is Josh, who after meeting Tom from the Positive Futures Targeted Support Team started a boxing programme to improve both his mental and physical strength. He went on to ask for 1-2-1 support, attended sessions including skiing and snowboarding – first at Manchester’s Chill Factore, then in France, and over the last couple of years has overcome mental health issues to firstly volunteer and now become an Apprentice Youth Development Worker with Positive Futures to help other young people.

Positive Futures have launched their Big Give Christmas fundraising campaign ‘Mental Wealth support for young people’ which provides matched funding for all donations received between 29^th November and 6^th December. Every penny counts and the charity are asking businesses and individuals alike to ‘save the date and the link’ to their fundraising page to donate during this period, when every £1 will be doubled by The Big Give. They have an ambitious £40k target which will be used to obtain much needed additional mental health resources to support the growing list of young people needing this help.

Positive Future’s approach of working with young people at the right time, right place, for as long as they need, so they are empowered to achieve their potential provides a unique blend of individual, family, and activity based sessions to hundreds of young people aged 8-25 across Liverpool.

First and Foremost: What Is Financial Literacy?

Why Does Financially Literacy Matter So Much?

How Can Being Financial Literacy Improve Your Life?

You Understand the Relevance of Money

It Makes You More Independent

It Prepares You for the Future

It Ups Your Living Standard

It Gives You Peace of Mind

You Are Free to Dream Big

Conclusion

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