Wednesday, 9 November 2022
That's Food and Drink: Devon Stands Out in World Cheese Awards
That's Food and Drink: Devon Stands Out in World Cheese Awards: Devon's cheese-makers have scooped top awards and again gained major recognition at this year's World Cheese Awards, hosted in Newpo...
Deer Park Country House Host The Great South West Scone-Off Gift Drive in Aid of Operation Rudolph
The entry price is one gift per person, which will be donated to someone who could do with a pick-me-up this Christmas.
350 tickets are available for guests to enjoy a South West cream tea, consisting of homemade scones prepared by some of the South West's top patisserie chefs. In return, guests are required to donate an unwrapped brand new gift - perhaps a toy for a child, or something to lift an adult's spirits (worth at least £10), which will then be wrapped-up by a team of volunteer elves and distributed to young children who will benefit most from them this Christmas.
This event is organised in partnership with community interest group, Inspiring Connections. Last year, Inspiring Connections organised over 100 hot meals on Christmas day, supported 120 families with gifts and provided 78 meat boxes. Operation Rudolph is a global project, which started in 2020 and aims to support families during what is often a difficult period. Through donations and fundraising, individuals and families are provided with Christmas hampers and presents.
Mark Godfrey, who is the MD at Deer Park Country House says: “All children deserve the magic of Christmas and something special to unwrap under the tree. As we head into a hard winter, we wanted to support our local community and help ease the pressure on those who might need it this festive season.”
Sharon Thorne, the founder and director of Inspiring Connection says: “Honiton Foodsave has indicated that demand has increased 50% compared with this time last year. There is real concern about how families will manage and the decision of 'heat or eat' is a real everyday issue for many.
“With Operation Rudolph, there are no complicated forms or means testing, just a simple sign-up for applicants to indicate what support is needed. It's all free of charge and we know that once our customers are in a stronger position, they will give back when they can.
“We are always looking for volunteers to support Operation Rudolph within roles before the 25th December. Even a few hours will make a huge difference to our communities. We urge people to consider their neighbours over the festive period - perhaps invite them over for Christmas dinner, share company and spread the good community vibes for all.”
Dozens of volunteers and numerous supporting businesses will play an essential role in bringing the event together. Trewithen Dairy are donating 24kg of their award-winning Cornish clotted cream to complete the cream tea, and Waterhouse Fayre are providing strawberry jam.
Trewithen Dairy director, Francis Clarke commented: “As a family-run dairy, this project is close to our hearts. Making a child smile this Christmas is something you can't put a price on. We're keen to support Operation Rudolph and help spread the wonder and magic of the festive season.
Two sessions are available for The Great Scone-Off Gift Drive at Deer Park Country House; 2:30-3:30pm or 4:00-5:00pm. Booking is essential via info@inspiring-connections.org or 0300 365 4545.
Mustard x Wordbits Introduce Number Magnets Mustard in time for Christmas
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Wordbits Numbers are small but they are mighty! Each lightweight number has a rare earth magnet that’s strong enough to hold a greeting card. The perfect accessory to your locker, fridge and makes a great stocking filler!
Mustard is so proud to collaborate with the amazing Wordbits team to bring you two exclusive colourways, Blush and Mustard.
“When it comes to dream collaborations, this is exactly the kind of thing we were always hoping for,” said Becca Stern, who is Co-Founder and Creative Director at Mustard Made.
She went on to say: “We're so proud to have partnered with female-founded, magnet lovers Wordbits to bring you our oh-so-exclusive collaboration in the new Numbers range.”
Mustard and Wordbits have teamed up to give the signature Wordbits Number magnets a Mustard glow-up in Blush and Mustard (of course)! Wordbits Number Magnets are also available in Bone and Black. Find Wordbits and Wordbits Numbers at www.mustardmade.com
Product Details:
30 numbers in each set (3 x numbers 0–9)
Each number is 3cm tall
Designer typeface
Quality magnets
BPA and phthalate free
Post-consumer recycled plastic
Available in the following colours: Mustard, Blush, Bone and Black.
Tuesday, 8 November 2022
Boxlist. A new way to sort out your TV viewing over Christmas and beyond
But how do you sort out the wheat from the chaff, to coin an ancient expression?
Well, fret no more! Because Boxlist is here. And what's Boxlist? It's Social Entertainment Discovery.
Boxlist takes into account our individual tastes, likes and preferences to connect us with TV and films that directly match our individual or joint tastes.
What ticks your boxes?
Ever been irritated or frustrated at not knowing what TV or films you'll like? Maybe you've spent half an hour browsing Netflix, given up, and ended up watching a rerun of Friends?
Or perhaps you've tried to contact friends over social media to ask for recommendations, only to be met with a list of 25 ideas, and yet you still don't know what of those (if any) you might enjoy?
Well, your precious downtime deserves better, and there is a new solution in the form of Boxlist.
What is it Boxlist? Boxlist is an AI powered social network for entertainment discovery and your new go-to place for discovering TV and film recommendations across all streaming services, and sharing these with friends, too.
With Boxlist, you take a fun five min ‘taste test' to find out your film and TV preferences to discover your ‘viewing personality type’. You can then connect with people and content uniquely matched with that type.
Founder Greg Vartoukian is very excited to launch Boxlist after months of careful work and development.
Greg explains the concept behind Boxlist: “We're not all the same, but we're all fed entertainment content in exactly the same way.
"This subjectivity is what makes us all wonderfully unique, but can also be frustrating when trying to find something that a group of friends or a whole family will enjoy watching together.
"Boxlist takes into account our individual tastes, likes and preferences to connect us with TV and films that directly match our individual or joint tastes. We’ve worked hard and agonised over perfecting our algorithms, so you can make the most of those precious spare minutes of downtime in today’s increasingly cluttered world."
Boxlist is the perfect place for any film or television fanatic, who is seeking a one stop shop for all their entertainment tastes. The basic platform is completely free to use, and you can join a growing community of already 4,000 members from over 80 countries.
And remember! Boxlist's not just for Christmas! It's designed to help us sort our viewing out for the rest of the year, too!
Enjoy a genuinely alternative family Christmas event at Butser Ancient Farm!
Butser’s magical experimental archaeology site is opening to the public this winter, honouring nature and introducing a festive twist in their new family trail
Butser Ancient Farm is opening to the public over this Christmas season and it's opening a warm invitation to families to slow down, reconnect with nature and explore the ancient folklore of winter.
As an exciting alternative to the traditional Father Christmas experience, Butser’s Ancient Winter Magical Adventure is honouring the balance of the masculine and feminine energies as the season turns.
They are inviting The Deer Queen and Holly King into their magical, ancient houses to greet families and help them celebrate the turning of the year.
The Deer Queen will be summoning back the light in The Horton House, Butser’s reconstruction of an excavated Neolithic building dating to 3800-3600 BC. The addition of a feminine character to the festivities is a nod to the idea of the rebirth of the sun at midwinter.
Science tells us that our beloved Rudolph is actually female, as in fact all of Santa’s antler-laden reindeers are. Males drop their antlers in November, leaving them without antlers until the following spring, while females keep their antlers through the winter ready to protect their calves in the spring.
Since the Stone Age the deer has been honoured. Her image was painted on cave walls, antlers adorned shrines and were buried in ceremonial graves. Deer were etched in stone, turned into head-dresses, and even tattooed onto skin. In ancient and modern folklore her antlers were frequently depicted as the tree of life, carrying animals, the sun, moon, and the stars. Butser’s Winter Adventurers will be able to meet the Deer Queen and make a special gift to bring back the light.
The Holly King is the personification of winter in various folklore and mythological traditions. He battles endlessly with The Oak King of Summer, reflecting the seasonal cycles of solar light and dark, crop renewal and growth.
The Holly King regains power at the Autumn equinox, peaking during Midwinter. Our trail goers can meet him in the Saxon House.
Their second Anglo Saxon building was finished earlier this year and is based on the foundations uncovered during excavations close to the neighbouring village of Chalton. It's believed the house originally stood somewhere around 700AD.
Despite its humble beginnings as a research site some five decades back, Butser Ancient Farm has become one of the South East’s top visitor attractions welcoming over 50,000 visitors a year including over 30,000 schoolchildren who learn about the lives of our ancient ancestors from the Stone Age through to the Anglo-Saxon periods.
As a not-for-profit, independently operated Community Interest Company they rely entirely on the support of many organisations and individuals, plus their own fundraising efforts, to make their research and education work possible.
Therese Kearns, Experimental Archaeologist at Butser Ancient Farm explains: “The importance of the winter sun is a recurring theme in British prehistory, manifested in the many sites with clear evidence of celebration at this time of year.
"The erection of massive monuments like Newgrange in Ireland and Stonehenge in Britain demonstrates the importance of marking this time of year which would have been crucial for early farmers.”
Kristin Devey, Events coordinator at Butser Ancient Farm added: “We're thrilled to be able to open the farm to the public this Christmas, so more people can experience the wonder of Butser at this special time of year. Families will be able to take away knowledge of the folklore of Winter, plus some lovely crafts and magical memories.
“The addition of a Deer Queen to our activities this year is an important balance to the Holly King tradition. Although it's not possible to know exactly how ancients celebrated the feminine as Winter reached its peak, we know the Venerable Bede wrote in 725 AD about ‘Modraniht’, or the Night of the Mothers.
"Some scholars believe it was an Anglo-Saxon festival that took place on the eve of Winter Solstice, or Christmas Eve. Representing the balance between the feminine and masculine, with our powerful Deer Queen and Holly King, is an exciting twist. They will enthral children and adults alike!”
The trail is running from 10am to 3pm on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th December 2022, then again on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th December 2022.
https://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk.
Butser Ancient Farm
Chalton Lane
Chalton
Hampshire
PO8 0BG
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Thinking of placing a TV on your Christmas gift list? Then it needs to be a Mitchell & Brown one!
Dan Brown, who has the very enviable job of Operations Director at the UK’s favourite home-grown TV brand, Mitchell & Brown, told That's Christmas: "This Christmas there's never been a better time to upgrade your TV to a modern 4K model."
And Dan can back up this with Dan’s top five reasons to upgrade your TV, just in time for Christmas. movie marathons.
Available content
“There's been a massive growth of 4K broadcast content available across all TV channels and all platforms. High Dynamic Range technology is being incorporated into major TV shows and films and can be enjoyed by all.” (NOTE: So that's what HDR means? Thanks Dan!)
Get a better SD and HD picture
“Incredible 4K upscaling technology in today’s TVs makes SD and HD content look spectacular. Content producers and filmmakers are employing ever-better cameras, even for SD and HD content, so a 4K TV will make the most of this increased picture quality.”
They have much-improved sound
“Old flat-panel TVs assumed you'd use your own soundbar, so onboard TV sound was always quite poor. However, today’s 4K TVs have great sound systems, and often have subwoofers and Dolby surround sound-built in.”
They are easier to use
“Smart TV interfaces are now super-simple to use, and the operation can even mimic your mobile phone. Remote controls have also become cleaner and easier to use with direct access buttons for key channels and platforms.”
It can save you money
“Today’s TVs, especially QLEDs, use far less energy than older LCD or plasmas TVs, so cost less to run. With global prices increasing, TV prices will only go one way in 2023 – up!”
Mitchell & Brown TV is one of the most innovative and reputable British brands in consumer electronics
They only offer the latest technology and great designs at affordable prices. Mitchell & Brown TV’s are manufactured by Europe’s largest TV manufacturer, created by people with a passion for quality and service."
If you would like to know more about Bolton-based and family-run Mitchell & Brown’s great British success story in a TV market dominated by overseas brands and internet retailing please visit their website at https://www.mitchellandbrown.co.uk ot give them a call on 01204 377 693.
Look on their site for your nearest local dealer, or if you operate your own local, independent TV business, get in touch to see about working with them.
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