Alone this Christmas? No need to be lonely!

Many people will spend Chirstmas alone this year. But there's no need to be lonely. There are radio phone-ins to participate in, for example.

Also you can have Facebook calls, Zoom or Google Groups calls, etc, with friends and family members no matter where they are in the world.

If you feel that you cannot cope The Samaritans are always there. The local number will be listed in the phone book or the online phone directory.

Mind has a list of services that can provide help to people who require it. You can check it out here:

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/crisis-services/helplines-listening-services

Services listed are: The Samaritans (English or Welsh services are available) SANEline, National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), Shout (text only service if you'd rather not talk to anyone, but do require help to cope) The Mix (for those who are under 25) Papyrus HOPELINEUK, Nightline, Switchboard (for those identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender), C.A.L.L. (If you live in Wales), Helplines Partnership, Urgent mental health helplines (England only).

The NHS 111 service can also provide help to people who have mental health issues you can call them on 111 or visit https://111.nhs.uk/guided-entry/mental-health-help.

You can also "chat" to other people on Twitter, Facebook, etc., who may very well also be on their own at Christmas time.

(Image courtesy of  Wokandapix and Pixabay)

Rishi Sunak thanks British military protecting global peace and security at Christmas

The UK Prime Minister has today paid tribute to the professionalism and bravery of UK Armed Forces in an unprecedented year of global instability.

Addressing military personnel in Tapa, Estonia, he told British troops their service and dedication would not go unnoticed this Christmas, and their selfless commitment was instrumental to keeping the UK and our allies safe.

Around 6000 marines, soldiers, sailors, and aviators will be deployed across the world this Christmas, serving on 33 military operations in 28 countries. They will be supported by dedicated merchant sailors from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and civilian staff.

More than 1000 of those Armed Forces will be on Op Cabrit across Estonia and Poland, including the King’s Royal Hussars, from Catterick Garrison in the Prime Minister’s constituency in North Yorkshire.

The Prime Minister thanked those troops personally today, and, alongside Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, served Christmas lunch to NATO forces. He also shared mince pies with UK military personnel after dinner, hearing first-hand about their experience as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence across the Baltics.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "This year, we have seen a full-scale war return to our continent, and I am immensely proud of the selfless dedication and bravery of our Armed Forces who responded to that threat to keep the UK and our allies safe.

"As thousands of our military personnel prepare to spend Christmas on deployment, I know that this year of all years we will not take their sacrifice, or the sacrifice of their loved ones, for granted.

"Christmas, after all, is a time for peace, and as alongside our allies, we’ll continue to support our Ukrainian and European friends in pursuit of a return of that peace.

"This year, partly in response to the invasion of Ukraine, over 12000 UK military personnel have been deployed across Europe, from Cyprus in the Mediterranean to Norway within the Arctic Circle, across land, sea and air.

"In Estonia, the UK temporarily doubled its footprint in response to rising tensions, underlining our commitment to NATO and wider European security. We have since bolstered the lethality of the deployment with multiple rocket launch systems and short range air defence, allowing force numbers to be reduced and redeployed in other areas of the world.

"The UK’s contribution to European security has not just been on land in 2022, with the Royal Navy deploying on nine different operations across Europe, involving 31 ships and submarines, six Naval Air Squadrons and 1750 Royal Marines.

"And the UK played a leading role in protecting European skies, with around 1900 UK military flights patrolling,  gathering intelligence and providing essential transport and resilience across the region this year.

"From January 2023, UK Apache and Chinook helicopters will deploy to Estonia. This additional surge capability into Estonia will include an aviation task force of three CH47 helicopters, followed by a deployment of four AH64 and two Wildcat Helicopters."

RAC says: "This Christmas is set to be most expensive ever"

This Christmas is set to be the most expensive ever on the roads with petrol and diesel both at record highs for the festive period.

Petrol is currently being sold for an average of 152.96p a litre which is 7p more than it was on 22 December 2021 (145.66p). 

Diesel, however, is a shocking 27p more expensive on the nation’s forecourts than it was a year ago (148.95p) at 175.75p, which was previously the most expensive Christmas ever for drivers.

A tank of petrol for a family driving to see family and friends now costs nearly £4 more at £84 than it did last Christmas (£80). For those travelling in diesel cars it’s even worse with a fill-up now costing nearly £97 – almost £15 more than last year (£82).

But disturbingly, this Christmas shouldn't actually be hurting drivers’ pockets as much as it is, as the wholesale price of petrol has now fallen to just 106p a litre. The same price it was this time last year. 

And more worryingly, this year’s price includes the Government’s 5p fuel duty discount which was introduced in March to ease the pain of rising fuel prices caused by Russia invading Ukraine. The wholesale price of diesel has dropped to 126p a litre which is only 14p more expensive than just before last Christmas (112p).

The RAC calculates that the average price of petrol should be around 138p – 15p cheaper than it actually is, and that diesel should be around 160p a litre – 13p cheaper than it is now.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “With the cost-of-living crisis making this one of the toughest Christmases ever, it's even more galling to know drivers are being heartlessly overcharged for fuel, making this the most expensive ever festive getaway on the roads.

“The big four supermarkets, which dominate UK fuel retailing, have robustly refused to significantly lower their forecourt prices to reflect what’s happened with the substantial reduction in the price of wholesale fuel they are enjoying.

“We now have a bizarre situation where many smaller independent retailers are charging far less for their fuel than the supermarkets. The trouble is after years of the supermarkets being the cheapest place to fill up many drivers automatically assume this is still the case and may lose out as a result.

“We urge all supermarkets to properly cut their petrol and diesel prices to give drivers the Christmas present they deserve. Sadly though, having seen a similar situation last year where the biggest retailers failed to pass on much lower wholesale costs, we’re not holding out much hope they will do the right thing this year. We suspect they’re just going to try to tough out all our calls for price cuts in the hope the price of oil will go back up in the new year.

“The only consolation for drivers is that both petrol and diesel have fallen a long way from their summer highs of 191.5p for unleaded and 199.09p for diesel.”

(Image courtesy of Rudy and Peter Skitterians and Pixabay)

WaterAid's Christmas appeal

WaterAid is asking community groups, churches and schools throughout the UK to support its Water Means Life appeal this Christmas and help bring clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to healthcare centres worldwide. 

The international charity’s appeal aims to raise £2.5 million between November 2022 and February 2023. Funds raised will bring water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities to healthcare centres in Mozambique and across the world.  

Currently one in four healthcare centres has no clean water on site and almost half of healthcare centres have no basic handwashing facilities, putting staff and patients at a risk of ill-health. 

Maria, who is a nurse at Posto de Saúde de Napacala health centre in Niassa Province, Mozambique said: “We use the water from the well for patients’ laundry, delivering babies and washing our hands between appointments.” 

“The situation is very difficult. And when our well runs dry we can't wash our hands. We have in total 16 communities around the health centre in desperate need of water. Water for me is life and without it there is no life.” 

By fundraising for WaterAid this Christmas, congregations and community groups can help tackle the global hygiene crisis in healthcare centres across the world. Patients are dying needlessly; nurses and doctors are at risk and there is a higher threat of future pandemics. 

Wanji Wambari-Kairu, Supporter Exploration and Influencing Lead at WaterAid, who saw the situation faced by health centres in Mozambique first-hand, said: “Nurses, cleaners and doctors go above and beyond to treat their patients, but it’s not enough. When dirty water is the only option you have, every effort to heal risks bringing harm. It’s heart-breaking that 3.85 billion people use or work in a healthcare facility without basic hygiene services.” 

“By joining WaterAid’s appeal your church can start working with nurses like Maria and local communities to bring clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to health centres like Posto de Saúde de Napacala and around the world. This will make a lasting difference and save lives.” 

WaterAid has produced a range of free fundraising resources, including Sunday School session and fundraising ideas ranging from bauble decorating competitions to wreath making, a presentation on Maria’s story and a poster. Churches can even book a free WaterAid speaker to come and talk to their congregation about the campaign. 

Access these resources and learn more about the Water Means Life appeal at wateraid.org/uk/christmas.

“STEM” into Christmas: Nottingham schoolchildren get a taste of engineering at annual festive lecture

Hundreds of schoolchildren from all over Britain were learning about ‘The Future of Transportation” as part of the Faculty of Engineering’s Christmas Lecture at the University of Nottingham.

Hosted by a different department every year, the Christmas Lecture aims to inspire the next generation of students to continue with STEM subjects and, eventually, pursue a career in the industry.

The day was hosted by Professor James Bonnyman from the university’s Electrical and Electronics Department. He said: “We need people to help us solve difficult challenges we’re facing around decarbonisation, the impact of transport on air quality, the balance between public and private transport, and ensuring we design transport systems that suit the needs of everyone.

"All fields of engineering, from electrical engineering to transform the way we deliver and distribute power through to mechanical systems to design future vehicles, and everything in between, are critical to delivering the transport systems of the future, and we need to engage the next generation of engineers to be able to realise these ambitions."

Over 250 secondary students from eight schools attended the event, where they also had the opportunity to engage with a variety of interactive STEM activities, including a VR experience hosted by Rolls Royce.

Students were provided with an insight into the real-life applications of STEM at Rolls-Royce, through an interactive jet engine build challenge, hands-on activities from their submarines business, and an immersive virtual reality experience to explore their amazing jet engine architecture, all led by STEM ambassadors from the company.

Sarah Sharples, Professor of Human Factors at the University of Nottingham and Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport, delivered the lecture. She said: “I’m delighted to have hosted this year’s Engineering Christmas Lecture. Transport technologies are undergoing major changes that will transform the way we live and travel, and we need the best science and engineering expertise to help us.

Sarah Sharples, Professor of Human Factors at the University of Nottingham and Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport said: "I always enjoy talking and hearing about new forms of power, new methods of transport, and thinking about how, when, and why we travel. I hope some of those who attended are inspired to think about ways they can use their science and engineering expertise to help us design the transport system of the future."

Louise Caunt, Careers and Employer Engagement Lead at South Nottinghamshire Academy, said: “South Nottinghamshire Academy is keen to offer a range of STEM experiences, both in and out of the classroom, and we encourage our students to learn more about higher education and where it can lead. We are passionate about engaging with inspirational leaders from the world of work, who can share their knowledge and help to develop career ideas, because STEM never sleeps, and futuristic STEM jobs are the exciting vacancies of the future for our young people to consider.

“This event for our year nine students provides an excellent follow on from their year eight STEM Week, which took place earlier this year. An opportunity to stretch curiosity and actively develop interpersonal and collaboration skills, to help them develop through life. It's important to keep talking about STEM, it teaches critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills and instils a passion for innovation that fuels success across a variety of tasks and disciplines.

“As we head into the holidays, what better time to take students out of school to experience a great event at a prestigious university? I’d like to thank the University of Nottingham for having us.”

British Retail Consortium releases Christmas trading statement

Responding to the latest CPI inflation figures which shows headline inflation at 10.7%, and food inflation at 16.4%, Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “It will undoubtedly be a challenging Christmas period for many households throughout the UK. 

"Not only are the costs of food and gifts up on last year, but bills are up 27% too. Unfortunately, the war in Ukraine continues to put pressure on energy and food prices, meaning there's little sign inflation will ease significantly soon.

“To combat inflation, retailers are investing hundreds of millions into lower prices for the future, as well as finding ways to keep the cost of Christmas down for their customers. This includes freezing the price of many essentials, offering discounts to vulnerable groups, raising pay for their own staff, and expanding their value ranges.”

"Keep up the great recycling work this Christmas" says WRAP

Christmas can be pricey at the best of times, and this year budgets are likely to be tighter, so Love Food Hate Waste is sharing festive food waste prevention tips that can help save you money by making your Yuletide food go further.

Delicious new meals can be easily made from Christmas leftovers. Last Christmas the UK’s most searched for recipe was Boxing Day bubble and squeak.

Recycle Now tackles the most common Christmas recycling niggles to rid your home of packaging and wrapping responsibly.

Climate action NGO WRAP is using the run up to Christmas to help us save money by avoiding food waste, and have a greener Christmas via its Love Food Hate Waste and Recycle Now citizen campaigns, across social media.

Each year in the UK, something like 6.6 million tonnes of food go to waste from our homes over the twelve months. This is by far the most significant amount of food waste overall, with 70% of the UK’s total food waste coming from our own homes. 

This costs households around £14 billion a year, or £730 for an average family. It produces 25 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, and what’s more, a whopping 4.5 million tonnes is food that could have been eaten. 2 million tonnes of which wasn’t used in time.

Of this annual total food waste, the amount of poultry thrown away in one year could make 800 million Boxing Day curries. Enough potatoes are binned annually to make roasties for Christmas Day for the whole country, for 48 years. And the amount of carrots thrown away every year by UK homes could feed Santa’s nine reindeers a carrot a day, for nearly half a million years!

Each Christmas, thousands of households take time during the festive break to log on to Love Food Hate Waste to look for a tasty recipes to stop leftover festive foods going to waste, and for tips on how to freeze and reuse uneaten food items with the annual Ultimate guide to Christmas food planning.

Boxing Day is the busiest day for home chefs who are looking for inspiration to transform leftovers into tasty stomach fillers. Searches range from recipe ideas to use up classic Christmas staples, to guidance on freezing leftover meat. 

The Love Food Hate Waste Portion Planner can help save money by guiding people towards the best number of parsnips and other trimmings to serve, no matter the number of guests. The A to Z Storage Guide is the best Christmas present in terms of helping to keep any food in top condition for as long as possible, with WRAP showing earlier this year that fresh produce can stay fresher for longer in the fridge. With refrigerated apples lasting two and a half months longer than those in a fruit bowl!

Poultry is number eight in the top ten most wasted foods in the UK. 100,000 tonnes of poultry end up in the bin every year. Most is chicken, the nation’s favourite meat, but at Christmas it is all about turkey. Leftover turkey can be stored in the fridge for up to two days, but turkeys usually produce more than a couple of days’ worth of leftovers. Freeze the excess turkey and defrost either in the fridge or using the microwave on the defrost setting directly before re-heating. The golden rule? Only re-heat once.

Fresh vegetables and salad are the most wasted food group in the UK. We waste a horrifying 1.3 million tonnes of perfectly good fresh veggies and salads every year, costing £2.7 billion. Swapping highly wasted fresh foods for frozen options (’swaptions’) could help to reduce food waste. They last for months and you can use as much as you need when you need it. Frozen vegetables (including your brussel sprouts) can be cooked from frozen. Top tip - when preparing fresh veg for freezing, blanch in boiling water for a few minutes and plunge into cold water before freezing them.

With the festive season upon us, there are lots of culinary treats to be enjoyed this month and local produce is still coming in fresh from the fields during December. Christmas vegetables will need to be used up so read the latest blog for festive seasonal meal planning inspiration What’s good to eat this month? – December.

Christmas WRAPping

During the festive period – and on any day of the year – you can find out EXACTLY what can and can’t be recycled in your area using Recycle Now’s Recycling Locator. This is the best way to manage the influx of Christmas packaging and wrapping and help Recycle right this Christmas.

Visits to Recycle Now and searches for the ‘twelve most commonly queried items’ rise significantly between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, showing that as a nation we like to have our recycling sorted nice and early in the New Year. By far the most queried Christmas questions is what to do with your Christmas tree, then decorations and packaging, and finally the faulty Christmas lights? Recycle Now expects the same high volume of visits to its Recycling Locator this year, for advice on what and where to recycle – anywhere in the UK.

Top tips for Christmas recycling

Do the wrapping paper scrunch test to see if you can recycle it. If it springs back, it contains plastic and can’t be recycled. Paper and Christmas cards covered in glitter are NOT recyclable. Remember to also remove ribbons, bows, batteries, and other adornments before recycling. 

If you buy a tree that still has its roots attached, you can plant it out in the garden so you can enjoy it throughout the year as well as for future Christmases. If you don’t have space for it, or if you’ve bought a cut tree that no longer has its roots, your local council is likely to have a collection point or may even pick up your tree from your home in the New Year (check your local council’s website). 

Trees can be recycled into wood chips or shredded and composted. If you have a fake tree, this can’t be recycled, but they can be reused! Charities, care homes and so on will often take artificial trees, and if they’re in good condition, they could also be resold at a charity shop or online.

Flatten cardboard boxes to make more room in your recycling bin, bag or box. 

Empty, rinse and squash plastic bottles and pop the lid back on. 

Buy recyclable Christmas Crackers and avoid single use plastic gift crackers and those covered in glitter as these cannot be recycled. 

https://wrap.org.uk

Christmas trainspotting special on Channel 4

Earlier this year, Channel 4 sensationally hit the rails with trainspotter and viral sensation Francis Bourgeois as he and some of Britain’s favourite celebrities embarked on a wild trainspotting adventure across the UK.

Now Francis is back in tome to celebrate the festive season aboard the locomotives in this one-off digital original, produced by Untold Studios.

Joining for some Christmas cheer is Olympic champion diver Tom Daley who’ll be swapping the diving pool and knitting needles for the railways as he joins Francis for a magical and heart-warming Christmas expedition.

They’ll be thrown into an eye-opening adventure across London that will lead them into all sorts of mischief, from space hopping through Clapham Junction to spreading joy with railway inspired gifts to and a festive finale at Waterloo Station, resulting in one of the most embarrassing moments of Tom Daley’s life so far.

There’s even better news for fans of the series – it has also been extended by a further three episodes, with Francis’ celeb explorers yet to be announced.

The Christmas special of Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois will be available to stream on Channel 4’s YouTube on 22nd December.

Charlie Hyland said: “We’ve been absolutely blown away by the success of Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois, so we couldn’t be more delighted we’ve commissioned a festive special with Tom Daley airing this Christmas, alongside a brand-new bunch of episodes that will air in the new year. I can’t wait to see who else will be joining Francis on his travels”

Executive Producer Jonathan Levene said: “There is never a dull moment when you’re trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois. His unapologetic outlook and ability to find joy in the most unexpected of places is charming and hilarious, and we can't wait to get back on the railway for more adventures in 2023! We’ve got some exciting surprises planned for Francis’ guests, but in the meantime, we can’t wait to share Francis and Tom Daley spreading some festive joy in the Christmas special.”

Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois was created and Exec Produced by Francis Bourgeois, Jonathan Levene and Iona Goulder at Untold Studios and commissioned by Charlie Hyland, Channel 4’s Digital Commissioning Editor, Comedy.

How to reuse Christmas trees

We are being offered advice on how to reuse and make the most of their real Christmas tree after holidays are over. 

Experts at Gardening Express have looked into the creative and eco-friendly ways that dried out Christmas trees can be put to good use at home and in the garden. 

Many real Christmas trees find their way to landfill after the festivities are over, but there are a number of better ways the needles, branches and wood from the tree can be repurposed and reused. 

From mulch to decorations, upcycling the dying tree will have many beneficial uses around the garden and home. 

Chris Bonnett, the founder of Gardening Express said: “There’s so much more that can be done with your real Christmas tree besides merely throwing them away. 

“Once the tree has fulfilled its festive purpose, it can be recycled and used for gardening, supporting wildlife or even raft projects.

“Extending the life of your Christmas tree won't only allow you to make the most of it, but it’s also good for the environment, too.”

Here are seven ways to reuse Christmas trees from the team at Gardening Express: 

Make mulch

Take advantage of all the organic matter from the Christmas tree by turning it into natural mulch. Pine wood and needles are excellent mulch-making materials. Let the tree dry, put the branches into a shredder and let the wood chips rot before using them to mulch around trees and shrubs. If you don’t have a wood chipper then pine needles work well also since they dry quickly but decompose slowly. 

Use wood chips for paths

If you shredded the tree into wood chips for mulching then you can also save some to fill in the garden paths. A layer of wood chips will keep away weeds, hold moisture in the soil and create texture in the garden. 

Use branches as insulation

Pine branches can be used to protect tender plants from the frost. Chop large branches from the tree and lay them on the soil to provide insulation and limit the thawing and freezing of the soil.

Create a wildlife shelter

You can attract and support wildlife by letting the tree sit in the garden over winter. This will provide a shelter for little animals and birds to nestle in during harsh weather conditions. You can also hang bird food, slices of fruit or seed cakes on the branches to provide some snacks for the wildlife. 

Make garden and home décor

There are countless of DIY decorations you can craft using different elements of the tree. For example, you can make a beautiful wreath from the branches that can be hung on your door all year long. You’ll just need some binding wire, scissors, glue and any extra decorations you’d like to see on your wreath. 

Make fragrant sachets

The needles from your Christmas tree have a fresh, wintery scent, making them excellent additions to fragrant sachets. Just add the fallen needles to small bags and tie a ribbon around the top. The sachets could be placed in wardrobes and drawers for a fresh scent, they’re also great gifts to give to loved ones. 

Use branches as plant stakes

Strip the branches of needles and use them to support tender and young plants during winter winds and frosts. To prevent injuring the roots, plant the stakes about 2 to 3 inches from the plant's stem. Keep in mind to set the stake at an angle to give the plant more protection from winds. 

https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk.

From Giles Hurley CEO – Aldi UK and IRE

Dear Customer,

With Christmas nearly upon us, I am writing to let you know what Aldi is doing to help make the big day special this year.

Unbeatable value

We know that lots of our customers are worried about the rising cost of living, so we have been working hard all year to keep prices as low as possible and do all we can to support our customers, colleagues and communities.

But don’t take our word for it – consumer champion Which? recently revealed that the traditional Big Four full-price supermarkets – Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons – are 16% more expensive than Aldi on a basket of 48 everyday grocery items.

For the main event this year, Aldi has once again cut the price of our fresh turkeys. Whole birds are available from £3.99 per kilo, meaning you can get a delicious, 100% British turkey for as little as £7.98, while prices for fresh, Class A British turkey breast crowns start from just £7.64.

We also offer amazing value on Christmas dinner veg essentials. This week’s Super 6 deal includes potatoes for just 15p, with carrots, brussels sprouts, parsnips, swede and cabbage at 19p each.

We are thrilled to be named Best Christmas Retailer at the Quality Food Awards, too.

Store opening times   

This week our stores will be open for longer to make it even easier for you to pick up what you need during the festive period.

And, as always, we close on Christmas Day and Boxing Day to make sure our amazing, hard-working colleagues can celebrate and enjoy time with their own families and loved ones.

Supporting communities during the cost-of-living crisis

Our thoughts are with those who may be struggling this Christmas and Aldi has launched an Emergency Winter Foodbank Fund worth £250,000 to support charities, foodbanks and community groups across the country.

We will also once again be donating surplus unsold food to local charities and foodbanks once stores close on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, as part of our long-established partnership with Neighbourly.

I want to take this opportunity, on behalf of everyone at Aldi, to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Giles Hurley

CEO – Aldi UK and IRE