Friday, 2 December 2022
That's Food and Drink: Vegan Society launches baby and toddler version of...
That's Food and Drink: Vegan Society launches baby and toddler version of...: Available to buy online from now on, VEG 1 Baby and Toddler is a new liquid multivitamin supplement designed specifically with vegan babies ...
Sustainable Christmas ideas: 5 ways to make your festivities forest friendly
Our small choices as consumers can make a big impact on the planet, and with a bit of planning, it is possible to have a more sustainable Christmas. The FSC have put together some tips below on how to make sure your festivities are forest friendly.
1. Use responsibly sourced and recyclable wrapping paper, gift bags and gift tags
That shiny, glittery wrapping paper may look pretty but it’s not environmentally friendly, it can’t be recycled and glitter is a microplastic. Opt for plastic-free gift wraps, bags and tags, which are recycled and recyclable. Just remember to ensure they are FSC-certified so you can spread Christmas cheer with a clear conscience, knowing that the products are made with materials from well-managed forests and/or recycled sources.
2. Send responsible Season’s greetings
It is estimated UK consumers send 1 billion Christmas cards every year. Choose FSC-certified Christmas cards when you shop to ensure that your season’s greetings come from a responsible source and do not contribute to deforestation.
To help spread even more Christmas cheer, you can buy FSC-certified charity Christmas cards to raise funds for good causes. As with gift wrap, avoid any Christmas cards containing glitter or other unrecyclable decorations. Lots of cards now come without wrapping to help further reduce waste.
3. Give eco-friendly Christmas presents
Every year, UK citizens spend £700 million on unwanted gifts so take some time to think about what your friends and family really want. For a greener Christmas, look for gifts made from sustainable materials with minimal packaging (and make sure any packaging is recyclable – and preferably FSC certified!) and remember that it is ok to re-gift!
For forest-friendly Christmas gifts, keep in mind that it’s not just wood and paper that can be FSC-certified. Viscose textiles, rubber, bamboo, and cork can be certified. You can find the FSC label on books, yoga mats, board games, clothes, wellies, hairbrushes, and bird boxes, to name just a few.
You can also help to support charities whilst Christmas shopping; you can find a range of sustainable Christmas gifts online from the WWF, Woodland Trust, Oxfam and the RSPB, for example.
4. Choose environmentally conscious Christmas Crackers
On Christmas Day, about 40 million Christmas crackers are anticipated to be thrown away. The sparkly crackers, the small gifts, the shiny ribbons and the snap usually can’t be recycled. If you want your Christmas dinner to start with a bang, choose plastic-free crackers that are recycled and/or recyclable.
If you enjoy some Christmas crafting activities, instead of buying Christmas crackers, you could make your own ones using FSC–certified paper and card or using fabric and a loo roll tube! A quick search online will bring up many tutorials to show you how to do this.
5. Reuse and recycle
After the big day is over, remember to reuse and recycle what you can to extend the life of forest resources for as long as possible. When it comes to your gift bags, these can easily be re-used and, if you haven’t enthusiastically torn into your presents and the wrapping paper is still in one piece, you can roll it up to re-use next year.
If you’re not able to re-use your wrapping paper then make sure you remove any Sellotape and ribbons and carry out a ‘scrunch test’ to check if it is recyclable. Scrunch the paper into a ball; if it remains in a ball it can be recycled. However, not all councils accept wrapping paper; whether it passes the scrunch test or not, click here to check your local authorities’ guidelines.
Shockingly, only one out of every four Christmas cards is recycled. When the time comes to take your Christmas decorations down, remember to recycle your cards; just remove any unrecyclable parts/decorations first. If you’re feeling crafty, you could always cut up your Christmas cards to make your own gift tags for next year.
Where to shop? Here are some festive FSC-certified products and where you can find them:
FSC-certified wrapping paper/gift bags
Paperchase – Kraft trees village wrapping paper and Christmas forest wrapping paper
Marks and Spencer – Woodland wrapping paper
WWF – Panda wrapping paper
Hallmark – Red & gold Christmas gift wrap compendium
Oxfam - Kraft Christmas wrapping paper - robin design
FSC-certified Christmas Cards
Woodland Trust – Festive robin Christmas cards
Tache – Christmas card collection
Paperchase – Charity Christmas cards
WWF – UK nature Christmas cards
Oxfam – Premium Woodland Christmas card pack
Hallmark – Colour in Christmas cards for kids
Card Factory – Photo frame Christmas card
FSC-certified Christmas Gifts
Lululemon – The Mat 5mm FSC-certified rubber yoga mat
Tea Pigs – Christmas bundle
Oxfam – Plants for free (book) by Sharon Amos
Hunter – Balmoral classic wellington boots
Clarks – Tor Run shoes
Masai – Along scarf
Toys and Games:
Jojo Maman Bébé – FSC-certified wooden toys
Brio – Toys and games
RSPB – Birds trivia game
Ginger Fox –Taskmaster card game
Orange Tree Toys – Peter Rabbit stacking cubes
Le Toy Van – Sophie’s wooden dolls toy house and Wooden tool bench toy
Big Jigs Toys – 100% FSC-certified kids tepee
Hobbycraft –3D wooden whale puzzle
WWF – The tiger who came to tea gift box
FSC-certified Christmas crackers
Marks and Spencer – Guessing game Christmas crackers and Trivia game Christmas crackers
Sainsburys – Robin dinner crackers
Some other places you can find FSC-certified products
Co-op
Sainsburys
Tesco
John Lewis
Marks and Spencer
Next
Flying Tiger
WLM launches its Christmas 2022 campaign
A spokesman for WLM said: "At WLM, we believe nobody should be without a fair chance. The chance to talk; the chance to turn their life around; the chance to contribute to society.
"In the current cost of living crisis we’re all experiencing, the need for fairer chances in a broken system is more important than ever. At WLM, we’ve always provided places of safety and belonging for those who’ve been let down by the system.
"Over the last year, our community, counselling and criminal justice services have seen many challenges as people in the communities we work in face multiple hurdles to getting the chances they need to achieve their potential.
"Our cost of living workshops at WLM St Luke’s community hub are well attended, as global and economic insecurity, and financial downturn, have a significant impact on people in work, as well as those who are unable to work. Our residential services include those which prevent homelessness, providing quality and supportive spaces for people leaving the armed forces, or those completing prison sentences. Demand for our residential support is high.
"Our low-cost counselling centre has a growing waiting list as the need for mental health support continues to grow significantly. For 136 years, WLM has been a consistent and constant provider of services that attempt to address systemic failures resulting in homelessness, and redress the lack of opportunity people in our communities need to thrive.
The demand for our work, which increased unprecedentedly during the pandemic, is yet to recede during the cost of living crisis. We’ll continue to use our spaces to respond to the current cost of living crisis, and work with people’s strengths towards growing their financial resilience.
This Christmas, with the help of those that support us, we can keep offering people the fair chances they need. To improve their prospects. To become valued members of their communities. To make amends. To realise their goals and ambitions for a better life.
#chance2change
Below is an example of an inquiry from a man ready to start therapy with a fee of £22/session, as agreed in his initial assessment appointment by our counselling service, and based on his individual circumstances. David (that’s a pseudonym) needed to delay starting his sessions as he received some concerning news about his health. When David was able to return to WLM Highbury Counselling Centre (HCC) after three months, his circumstances had changed considerably, and he wrote to us with his concerns:
'Unfortunately I’m now in a difficult position financially due to increases in council tax and huge increase in my energy bills which have gone from £61 to £300 a month. My only income is my state pension. I really only feel able to pay £10 a week towards therapy and I really do understand if you cannot help me at this time. Although I still feel I am in need of therapy, I would not like you to think that I am taking advantage of the service.'
Of course, our service is for people like David, and he continued his therapy with us.
Find our #chance2change campaign on our website by visiting https://www.wlm.org.uk/Appeal/chance-2-change."
Registered charity number 1133739
WLM has been empowering people to make positive changes in their lives since 1887. They are part of the Methodist Church and proud of their Christian roots and history, offering support to individuals of all faiths and none, inclusively.
In the last 12 months we’ve worked across our community, counselling and criminal justice services to provide support to over 256 people, preventing homelessness and giving them the skills they need to thrive.
7 in 10 are concerned about the cost of Christmas
Concerns are so drastic nationally, 62% of those surveyed said they'd be stopping some-kind of Christmas tradition to try and cut costs. Of these 62%, ¼ are not buying luxury advent calendars, 19% won’t send Christmas cards, and 14% won't buy a Christmas tree.
With cost a major factor in people’s minds this Christmas, food waste is a key concern when it comes to money-saving. Not only are we aiming to spend less on food this Christmas, but 46% are concerned about the amount of food they'll waste over the festive period, with a majority (55%) citing it being a waste of money.
An average of 19% more food waste is produced over Christmas than any other time of the year. But this latest survey suggests 2022 may be different, as Brits are rethinking some of their usual festive food traditions in a bid to minimise costs.
Almost a third of UK adults (31%) are planning on reducing the overall amount of food they would normally buy and consume over the festive period, whether it be purchasing fewer traditional or limited-edition Christmas treats i.e. sandwiches or mince pies, cooking food from scratch as opposed to buying pre-made items, or cooking smaller portions at home.
A further 12% will change their traditional turkey Christmas Day lunch in favour of a cheaper option. Other food habits Brits are changing in a bid to save money including cutting out meat, buying more local produce and prioritising recipes that repurpose leftovers.
Jamie Crummie, Co-Founder of Too Good To Go, the organisation behind this data, said: "This research sadly shows Christmas may be particularly challenging for many of us amidst the rising cost of living. But we can also see that people in the UK are increasingly finding new ways to help keep costs to a minimum, particularly when it comes to food waste.
"Tackling food waste, -something which usually increases over the festive period, can't only be helpful for our planet, but it can also be a hugely beneficial and simple way to save money. That’s why at Too Good To Go we’re proud that our food-saving model can help people access quality food for a more affordable price.
"We’ll also be sharing easy tips and zero-waste recipes on our social media and blog to help minimise food waste at home for a low-cost Christmas.”
Too Good To Go is the free app that lets consumers buy surplus food and drink from retailers, restaurants, cafes, pubs and producers to stop it from going to waste. Businesses simply update the app to show how much surplus food they have to sell. Customers then search the app for local stores, purchase their bag of food for a fraction of its original retail value, and collect at the pre-set time to take home and enjoy.
Find out more at www.toogoodtogo.co.uk or @toogoodtogo.uk on Instagram.
How you can make a difference locally by spending £10 locally this Christmas
Local retailers are having a tough time of it this year, as are we all. However, you can make a difference and all for only £10.
What That's Christmas would like you to do is to take £10 and spend it at a local retailer in the run-up to Christmas.
What type of shop? The local baker, the delicatessen, the off licence, the craft shop, the cake shop, a local pub, the artisanal person who has a stall in the local market who produces awesome handmade goods, a cheesemonger, the shop who sells bottles of beer, cider, etc, the florist, the wool shop, etc, etc.
Just visit them and spend £10 with them.
But don't just do it yourself, please forward this blog post to your family and friends and also send it to your social media groups and see if you can get other people to promise to spend an extra Tenner with your local retailers.
(Image courtesy of InspiredImages and Pixabay)
Back by popular demand! Aldi's sell-out bonded haircare range for winter
And you'll save up to 88% (£73.53) compared to Olaplex.
Aldi’s cruelty-free health and beauty brand, Lacura, is returning its luxe range of hair-bonding products from as little as £3.49. Specially formulated with premium ingredients including Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid and Hydrogenated Castor Oil, the Bonded range proved to be a solid fan favourite following its initial launch selling out in less than one week!
We feel that this will make a fantastic Chirstmas gift for the haircare expert in your life.
The influencer approved Shampoo, Conditioner and Pre-Wash Treatment returns to stores as the trend for #Skinification continues to grow and beauty lovers approach haircare with quality and skincare-grade ingredients[2]. Promising to hydrate, nourish and repair broken bonds for healthy, frizz-free and visibly smooth locks, shoppers can achieve a premium salon finish at an affordable price tag.
Available to pre-order online from 4th December and in stores on 8th December, while stocks last.
Achieve stronger, shinier locks with the Lacura Pre-Wash Hair Treatment (£3.49, 100ml). With extracts of Jojoba Seed Oil and Panthenol, this concentrated pre-shampoo treatment nourishes and conditions to strengthen hair and reduce damage. Apply weekly from root to tip for 10 minutes prior to shampooing for beautifully shiny hair.
Deeply cleanse and rebuild with the Lacura Bonded Shampoo (£3.49, 250ml). With added Glycerin, Castor, Banana and Pomegranate Extract, the formula promotes healthy hair follicles, adding proteins that repair from the roots down. The Lacura Bonded Shampoo (£3.49, 250ml) also comes paired with the Lacura Bonded Conditioner (£3.49, 250ml) madeto fortify damaged locks with the help of Avocado and Argan Oil, resulting in a frizz-free finish.
Beauty lovers looking for a salon-finished look can bag themselves a hair-raising saving of up to 88% compared haircare brand, Olaplex.
Shoppers urged to support UK’s biggest food drive this Christmas
Generous Tesco shoppers are being asked to donate to the UK’s biggest food donation drive this weekend as charities warn of increasing need for food.
The 10th annual Tesco Food Collection, which takes place in every Tesco store from December 1st to 3rd, comes as charities the Trussell Trust and FareShare expect to provide food to 1.2million people in the UK this winter.
During the collection shoppers are being encouraged to donate long-life food items at their local Tesco store. The donations will support food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network to provide emergency parcels to people in crisis and help FareShare supplement fresh food donations to thousands of frontline charities.
The items most badly-needed by local foodbanks and charities will be highlighted in store, and shoppers at large stores will also be able to pick up pre-filled donation bags containing items that food banks and local charities have chosen. During the collection Tesco customers can also round up their bill at the till to make a small donation to the charities or donate Clubcard vouchers online, with Tesco matching their vale.
“Our customers have been incredibly generous during our decade-long partnership with the charities and have helped to donate more than 100 million meals worth of food to date,” said Tesco CEO Ken Murphy.
“This is going to be a difficult winter for food banks and charities and every can, packet or jar our customers donate to this weekend’s Tesco Food Collection will make a difference. We will top up all those donations with 20% in cash to support the charities.”
Lindsay Boswell CBE, Chief Executive at FareShare, said: “Ten years on, the Tesco Food Collection has never been more important. The ongoing cost of living crisis has forced millions of people into food insecurity.
“This event is crucial in helping to collect long-life food and we are immensely grateful to Tesco for their continued support which will help us to continue getting food where it is most needed. If you’re able to donate just one item at your local store, you’ll be helping to provide a meal for someone facing economic hardship this winter.”
“We are extremely grateful to Tesco for the invaluable support that they have provided to food banks across the UK over the last decade,” said Emma Review, CEO of the Trussell Trust.
“Tesco and its customers are the biggest single source of food donations for the Trussell Trust’s network of food banks but our partnership has also offered far more than just food.
“Now, at a time when food banks are facing a tsunami of need created by the soaring cost of living, we would like to share a heartfelt thanks to Tesco for their ongoing commitment to helping the Trussell Trust provide people with access to essential items, while we work to create a future where everyone is free from hunger for good.”
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