Newton Articles

Afternoon tea has been around for many years and continues to grow in popularity as people look for a new way to treat themselves.

So it’s about time to find out where afternoon tea originates from and how it compares to afternoon tea these days.

Afternoon tea is thought to have originated in England in the 1840’s. At that time, the different classes of people had a divergence of eating habits with the upper classes eating lunch at midday and dinner at 8pm or later. The lower classes ate lunch at about 11am and then a light supper at 7pm. Afternoon tea therefore filled the gap in between those two meals. It proved popular and soon spread throughout the British Empire.

This tradition became less popular as changes in social customs and working hours meant that people didn’t have time to stop for afternoon tea or simply took smaller snacks in the afternoon instead.

Tea was traditionally brewed as loose tea leaves in a teapot and served with milk and sugar. This provided a welcome pick-me-up for the hard-working lower classes that needed the sugar and caffeine to get them through the day. A small sandwich or scone was often eaten too, especially by labourers. This was often prepared for them in the mornings before they headed off to work.

For the more privileged, afternoon tea included sandwiches with fillings such as cucumber, egg and cress, fish paste, ham or smoked salmon, as well as scones with jam and cream, cakes and pastries such as Battenberg, fruit cake or Victoria sponge.

There aren’t many better locations to take afternoon tea than the Lake District. The quintessential experience of afternoon tea in the Lake District can be enjoyed is various stunning Lake District Hotels throughout the county.

The relaxing atmosphere in Lake District hotels makes them the perfect place to enjoy afternoon tea. Choose from the cosy atmosphere of the lounges with their roaring fires where it is a wonderful spot to indulge in a luxury afternoon tea during the winter months. Or in the warmer months Lake District hotels with conservatory’s or gardens are a bright alternative with beautiful surroundings to look at whilst you are eating.

In today’s environment cycling to the workplace or school is a healthier way of travelling. Providing bike shelters in a commercial or educational establishment not only assists with healthy living but also gives the added benefit of helping the environment.

The physical and mental benefits of cycling daily for the individual are widely recognised. Some of the positive effects of regular cycling include a stronger immune system, increased physical fitness and improved ability to cope with stress – all of these lead to a healthier, happier workforce or student population, which of course in turn benefits schools and workplaces.

Some benefits for businesses
It is fantastic that a company can have a fit and healthy workforce which provides its own benefits to the company but there are also benefits from a business point of view. A few examples of this are:
•    Freeing-up Space: More people cycling to work means they will need less space than car drivers. This will save you space and money.
•    Happy Cyclists: Providing good facilities to those that are already cycling to working could reduce staff turn-over therefore reducing recruitment costs.
•    Corporate Image: Encouraging people to cycle will also improve your corporate image and may help you obtain ISO 14,001 status for its environmental management system.

What you need to know about cycle shelters. When looking to add cycle parking to business premises here is a mini guide to help you understand what works.
Cycle shelters should:
Read the rest of this entry »

Treeby & Bolton of Keswick, Cumbria are please to announce a special Moorcroft event is being held in their store in June.

On Saturday June 23 2012 between 12noon and 3pm, Kerry Goodwin a Moorcroft Pottery designer will be introducing her special Treeby & Bolton Moorcroft piece Home Town.

Home Town – 99/8 will be retailing at £360 and available from Treeby & Bolton of Keswick.

Hand made in Enlgand, Moorcroft pottery is a delight for collectors or purely as a special gift. Stunning designs, bright and vibrant glazes makes Moorcroft a popular choice amongst pottery lovers. Treeby & Bolton stock a wide range of Moorcroft pottery vases and lamps.

Choosing a hotel that excels with its cuisine is getting more and more popular. The combination of high quality accommodation and food is the perfect recipe.

Windermere in the English Lake District is a destination for many foodies. The rich landscape and plethora of artisan produces and suppliers makes for the perfect combination for those wishing to combine a scenic holiday with fine dining.

The beautiful scenery doesn’t just entice guests but also high quality chefs. With chefs working in Windermere hotels that have worked under some of the best chefs in the United Kingdom and in some of most high profile restaurants, it isn’t hard to imagine how good some of the food is in the Lake District.

Many hotels in Windermere with restaurants are combining the latest culinary techniques with locally sourced produce to create show stopping dishes that guests from all over the world are impressed by. For guests from further afield, the ability to experience local produce to the Lake District area, whether that be cheese, air dried ham to rival any prosciutto or Cumberland sausage is a real treat.

In terms of meat production, the Lake District has some of the best quality beef and lamb found anywhere in the UK. For chefs in Windermere hotels it is heaven and why some of the best restaurants in the Good Food Guide and have been for many years.

For many visitors, having the luxury of being able to get ready for dinner and know that downstairs, high quality dining is on offer is highly exciting. No need to hunt around for a restaurant to go to. Do they have a table? What will it be like? Do we need a taxi? Leisure, luxury and first class service is always on offer in the finest Windermere hotel restaurants.

To add to the already long list of Windermere’s attributes and lures comes luxury. Windermere has some of the most stunning buildings with many of the larger residences being luxury hotels. In recent years, some of the luxury hotels have taken their attention to detail to another level. They have refurbished, redesigned, added on, decorated and paid even more attention to detail than before. Windermere now has some of the best hotels in the country and more than rival some of the famous hotels in the south of England.

So you really can have it all when staying in Windermere hotels. The scenery, walking, relaxation and for foodies, some of the best cuisine in the United Kingdom

The roll of a health and safety advisors is varied from fire risk assessments to RIDDOR reporting.

Manual Handling Awareness Training
Specialized health and safety advisors are able to provide you with comprehensive manual handling training to help you avoid, assess and reduce the risk to your employees. These sessions are available to run with up to 12 delegates making it highly cost effective and can be held either on your own premises or at our head office with refreshments provided.

Course Content:
•    Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.
•    What is manual handling?
•    Related injuries.
•    Risk assessments.
•    Risk reduction planning.
•    Basic rules and good handling technique.
•    Risk assessment in the workplace.

Lifting and manual handling is likely to be one of the biggest risks in you work place so it’s essential to inform your staff about safe lifting and manual handling basics. Booking a Manual Handling Training course will ensure that not only are you are compliant with the Manual Handling regulations, it will also help to keep your workforce healthy and reduce absence levels and costs.

What is RIDDOR?
The RIDDOR regulations place responsibilities on employers to report certain matters to the Health and Safety Executive. The confusing thing is knowing what to report and in what time-scales.

RIDDOR – Notifying the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
If there is an accident connected with work and an employee, self-employed person, or even a member of the public are injured, then you may need to contact the HSE to advise them of the situation. However, you are then likely to come under investigation with Inspectors demanding to see your H&S Management System and not just a file on the shelf. They will want to see that it has been implemented and then will certainly want to interview your workforce.

Would you be confident that your staff would be able to confirm that they are working in line with what the Risk Assessment says?

RIDDOR Reporting
Failure to report a major injury, three day injury, reportable disease or dangerous occurrence to the HSE within 10 days can lead to prosecution. With fines running at a lower court maximum of £5000*, having a Health and Safety Management System to manage and minimise risks is essential. Consult specialized health and safety advisors for further information and advice.

The systems, people, their training, and technical capabilities of a UKAS accredited laboratory are regularly and thoroughly examined and tested by UKAS auditors, each of them specialists in their field. It is an expensive and time consuming process, but our ongoing accreditation and fulfilment of the requirements of ISO17025 means you can rest assured that we have the competence, impartiality and performance capability necessary to consistently deliver technically valid calibration results each and every time.

A UKAS temperature laboratory uses a range of reference platinum resistance thermometers, noble metal thermocouples, stirred liquid baths, specially designed isothermal calibration furnaces and black body sources to provide a comprehensive facility for cost effective thermometer calibration over the range -35ºC to 1,200ºC.

Both contact thermometers such as thermocouples, prts and dial thermometers; and non-contact infrared thermometers and thermal imaging cameras are covered. We can even calibrate temperature sources such a dry block calibrators or calibration baths.

The temperature calibration service company will also be able to offer stand alone UKAS calibration of digital thermometer readouts. As these are essentially an electrical instrument they are calibrated in the calibration services electrical laboratory.

The calibration uncertainties detailed below are typical examples of our best calibration and measurement capability for a reasonably repeatable thermometer. The final uncertainties quoted on the calibration certificate will include an allowance for the actual repeatability of the thermometer under test during the calibration. If the thermometer was submitted with its own readout and hence calibrated as a system, then an additional allowance will be included in the uncertainty budget to cover the resolution of the thermometer readout.

Indicating Thermometer Calibration (thermometer with readout, calibrated as a system). The device under test may be an electronic display with an attached probe. All thermometer probe types are covered, including PRT, thermistor or thermocouple. Dial thermometer and chart recorder type devices are also covered. The basic calibration uncertainty will be a little better than the uncertainties achievable for 4 wire PRTs, plus allowances for repeatability of the device under test and resolution of its readout.

Calibration of Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera (Thermal Imager)
Thermal imaging cameras that are able to display a measured radiant temperature should be calibrated. Our temperature ranges and uncertainties for UKAS calibration of a thermal imager will be similar to those quoted for an infrared thermometer calibration.

Healthcare interiors whether within nursing homes, care homes or just waiting rooms should be carefully thought out and furnished.

Using a company that specialises in this very specific sector of interior design is a must. The healthcare industry is demanding and it is vitally important that the correct products are selected to suit your project needs be they Care Home, Nursing Home, Village, Hospice or Hospitals.

The interiors of nursing and care homes require a varied range of furnishings, interior design styles and thought. Nursing home furniture can come in the form of as small a detail as occasional tables right through to sofas, suites and beds.

A care home equipment specialist will have to create interiors, supply and fit the furniture in all the rooms of the nursing or care home facility. That will start with the reception through to dining areas, lounges and other communal areas, bedrooms, cleaning and laundry areas and even office and meetings rooms for staff and managers.
Read the rest of this entry »

The Cotswolds, often called the “Heart of England” and lying mainly within the counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.

There isn’t a better way in which to explore the Cotswolds than on foot. For walkers or amblers, the Cotswolds has some of the most beautiful scenery in England. The rolling hills, historical buildings including castles, manors and abbeys are interspersed with quintessentially English villages and hamlets. Having been given the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status way back in 1966, this area has been a haven for lovers of the outdoors for decades.

Its location makes an ideal getaway destination with excellent transport links due to its position north of Bath and west of Oxford. Popular with visitors from London but equally those further north, the Cotswolds are such a world away in terms of pace of life and character. Even though it is the slower pace of life visitors are after when staying in the Cotswolds, they want to be able to get there as quickly as possible!

It is a typically English so overseas visitors flock to experience a slice of this culture. This area has such a high concentration of quaint villages and architecture which is unique to the Cotswolds, even the British feel like it is a step back in time. For food lovers, the fertile landscape makes for fantastic produce such as cider, cheese, meat and honey. The Cotswolds really is at teh forefront of British regional cuisine.

With staycations on the rise and people lives overloaded, a complete getaway for a holiday or even just a short break is now more important than ever. For the ultimate in getting away from it then holiday lets in the Cotswolds are hard to beat. From thatched cottages to grade ll listed Georgian houses, the choice of high quality luxury Cotswold cottages is now better than ever. Many of these holiday cottages have a wealth of character such as wooden beams, flagstone floors, exposed walls and fireplaces but combined with all the modern conveniences expected and required by guests.

For everyone, a holiday is an extremely happy and special occasion but a Cotswold cottage offers that bit more. The experience of staying in a property that many could only dream of owning and located amongst the rolling hills of the Wolds.

Since 1966, First in Service Ltd has been helping customers all over the UK look after their building and its environment. This includes air conditioning servicing, heating, ventilation, electrical, catering, coffee and refrigeration equipment servicing and building services.

First in Service will design and install air conditioning and ventilation systems, and electrical equipment and installations. Their helpdesk is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call. Their planned, preventative maintenance contracts are available across all disciplines to ensure that your equipment is kept in peak condition. All our Engineers are employed by the company and are CRB checked.

If you are looking to save energy or utility costs within your business First in Service can help you by installing energy/utilities meters, and they can assist in your application for an interest free loan from the Carbon Trust to help you install new equipment that will save energy.

For more information about First in Service, or any of their servicing, installation and maintenance services please visit www.firstinservice.co.uk.

When thinking of a destination that caters for just about all tastes then Dublin is hard to beat. From the extensive arts and culture, to sporting events and music festivals, Dublin has it all. For group travel, it really is the destination of choice.

Universities, schools, brides and grooms to be, family and friends are all feeling the effects of the economic downturn. These groups are having to be more aware of costs for group travel.

You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a great time in Dublin and Cork – there are lots of things to do, see and experience and we can help you to plan and book the best of them at the cheapest group prices. Many of Dublins top attractions are located within easy access of a large selection of Dublin hostels.
Read the rest of this entry »

Peter Rabbit and Friends is a collection of books written by Beatrix Potter in the early 1900’s and popular worldwide.

Peter Rabbit and the other Beatrix Potter characters have been firm favourites with children right from 1902 when the first story was published and even now in the present day. Beatrix Potter books are known throughout the whole world and none more so than in Japan. From a very early age, Japanese children are given Beatrix Potter books to help them learn English. Their love for Peter Rabbit and the other Beatrix Potter characters is enormous and thousands of Japanese tourists flock to the Lake District to the home of Beatrix Potter and to visit the many buildings and attractions associated with her. It is really quite special that a story book has united nation’s right across the globe.

Bowness On Windermere is home to The World of Beatrix Potter attraction which is an extremely comprehensive guide to Beatrix Potter, her life and all 23 of her stories. Both indoor and outdoor activities can be experienced along with a tea room. Nearby is an official Peter Rabbit Shop selling Peter Rabbit clothing, collectables and other merchandise.
Read the rest of this entry »

Using a professional house clearance or office clearance company takes all the hassle of clearing a property or business premises. In terms of business use, the minimisation of disruption is paramount.

As with many professional services such as office and house clearances, the company has years of experience and can carry out the service in a quick and efficient manner. Other services that a house clearance company normally provide are transportation, removals, waste disposal, probate valuation and antique and collectables valuations.

Each house or office clearance job is different and is required for different reasons so it is important to use a well established house clearance company that can take care of all the matters concerning the clearance from valuations to the recycling of waste.

Many people are very aware of the need to reduce waste and preserve resources. When using a house or office clearance company, responsibility of both the client and service provider to be committed to recycling and re-using the items that are cleared. You should check the environmental policy of the company you are using and ensure all possible steps are taken to recycle or send items to be re-used.

The transportation of waste to responsible recycling facilities should be carried out. Items that can be re-used or re-sold can be taken to a wide range of businesses and charities to sell as second hand goods. This means items are being re-used so benefiting the environment but also money made from sales benefits charities.
When carrying out house clearance and office clearance work, items that simply cannot be reused (perhaps broken / damaged / faulty) are recycled. The waste is sorted into separate recycling streams (paper, metal, glass) at Waste Transfer Stations (tips). This enables up to 75% of these materials to be recycled. Whilst recycling is less efficient in terms of CO2 than reuse, it preserves virgin resources. So there is a far smaller environmental footprint when recycled materials are used in the manufacturing process.

All Licensed Waste Carriers transport waste to Waste Transfer Stations (WTS), who then recycle some and landfill the rest. However, if the waste is not pre sorted by the carrier into different waste streams, the WTS will send much more of that waste to landfill. The reason is simple. Responsible WTS have separate areas to deposit recyclables such paper, metal, plastic, and biomass. Waste that contains mixtures of these materials has to be deposited in a general waste area. Only 40% of this general waste gets recycled compared to 85% in the specific materials areas. Pre-sorting the waste achieves a far higher recycling rate than would otherwise be the case.

Another service associated with house clearances is probate valuation. Probate is often a distressing and difficult process and a house clearance company can work closely with solicitors and private clients providing probate valuation services. Services provided include written probate valuations, insurance valuation and the advice on selling antiques, collectables and art etc. From then the same house clearance company can clear the property leaving it clean and tidy ready for sale or transfer.

Dee began her career as a graphic designer working in design studios for over 10 years. She began printmaking 3 years ago and is now a full time print maker hand printing all her own work from her small printmaking studio in the Peak District Derbyshire.

Many things including nature, animals and plant forms inspire her work. She also loves the pattern and colour of vintage Scandinavian folk art that is often reflected in her work.

At the moment most of her prints are produced on a Japanese Print Gocco. Print Gocco is small self-contained tabletop screen-printing machine first produced in Japan in the 1970s. The process is very similar to screen-printing and at one time a Print Gocco was found in most Japanese homes.

Dee has exhibited in a small selection of UK galleries and currently has a selection of her prints published on note cards by Attic Art Publishing London.

Design Supremo supply limited edition prints, art posters, wall art and screen prints.

Steel partitions provide a tough yet flexible way of dividing your workplace as an alternative to more traditional stud and board or block-built partitioning systems.

Just as modern building techniques trend towards prefabricated buildings, the industrial steel partition and steel partitioning sections are created (and painted to the colour of your choice) in a factory. They arrive ready-made and are simply bolted to existing industrial steel partitioning wall panels on site, in situ. No wet trades, no plasterboard dust and no decorators – it’s simple, quick and easy. You’ll hardly know installation has ever happened (well, other than the fact that you have new great looking offices made from our steel partitions ready to use).

Industrial steel partitioning is highly flexible and offers the following benefits:
o    Double skinned steel partitioning can be fire rated to one hour and beyond.
o    Industrial steel partition walls can be used to divide tall buildings, in excess of 10m, with proven balustrade loadings on the edge of mezzanine floors. Steel partitions are strong and resilient to damage.
o    Half glazed, fully glazed, double glazed, wire glass, toughened glass and pyroc glass options are all available in our steel partitions.
o   An industrial steel partition can be painted to match your corporate colours.
o    Creates dust-free, easy wipe down Cleanrooms environments manufactured off site in steel partitioning.
o    Industrial steel partitions can take ceiling spans from roof sections in excess of 7 metres.
Read the rest of this entry »

From 2012, changes to pensions law will affect all employers with at least one worker in the UK. This document is a summary of these changes, including what employers must do and how they might set about getting ready.

We have published a series of guidance that explains the new employer duties in detail and how they should be implemented. The guidance is available for download from our website: www.tpr.gov.uk/pensions-reform

The changes in a nutshell

Employers will need to:
• Automatically enrol certain workers into a pension scheme
• Make contributions on their workers’ behalf
• Register with The Pensions Regulator (‘the regulator’)
• Provide workers with certain information about

When are the changes happening?
The new employer duties will be introduced in stages over 4 years, starting in 2012. Each employer will be allocated a date from when the duties will first apply to them, known as their ‘staging date.’
This date is based on the number of people in an employer’s PAYE scheme. Employers with the largest numbers of workers in their PAYE schemes will have the earliest staging date.
Employers can check their provisional staging date on our website: www.tpr.gov.uk/staging
To allow some flexibility, employers can choose to bring forward their staging date, provided the regulator is informed. However, employers cannot choose a later date than the one they are allocated.
Finding out when the staging date is likely to be is the first thing an employer should do, so they can plan what they need to do to be ready in good time.

What will employers need to do?
• Assess their workforce
• Identify who to automAtically enrol
• Choose a pension scheme – i.e. National Employment Savings Trust – NEST Pensions
• Register with the regulator
• Make contributions
• Process any opt-out notices
• Process opt-in or joining requests
• Avoid inducements and prohibited activity
• Keep accurate records
• Provide workers with information about changes

What should employers do now?

Employers should:
• Look up their provisional staging date at www.tpr.gov.uk/staging
• Plan for when they might need their pension scheme in place and take action if necessary – including planning when and how they will assess their workforce
• Budget for these changes
• Look out for further information and guidance from the regulator. This can be done by signing up to the regulator’s free news-by-email service www.tpr.gov.uk/news

PiciScan, based in Kendal is an independent negative, photo and slide scanning service, working for customers throughout the UK.

Do you have a large number of photographs, tucked away in cupboards, the loft or just piled up somewhere? Do you have slides that you barely look at any more? Perhaps you have negatives tidied away in envelopes that you’re no longer sure what they are. Or maybe you have precious memories kept on home videos that are beginning to show signs of wear.

PiciScan can help! We scan all sizes of photograph up to A4 and all sizes of mounted slide and photographic negative. We also convert a variety of different video formats to DVD, including the transfer of VHS to DVD.

Just call 01539 741418 or visit our online scanning service shop to order your scanning directly.

What you can expect from PiciScan:

* Personal, friendly and helpful service.
* High resolution scans carried out by hand with colour correction.
* Free return delivery on all orders to mainland UK.
* Free secure courier, home collection service on all orders over £45.
* Every order comes with a DVD, personalised with your choice of text and image.

Preserve your memories today.

Week off work…check, beautiful vistas required, the English Lake District…check, want to see as much as possible, camper van…check!

With such vast, varied and breathtaking scenery as in the Lake District, it is far too difficult a task choosing one destination for a holiday or short break. Great driving roads+breathtaking scenery=the perfect recipe for camper vans.

Camper vans give you:
The opportunity to visit and experience numerous locations in one trip.
Give you the freedom to stop off when and where you like and for what duration.
No need to worry about there not being a hotel or guest house available in the area.
You are protected from the elements unlike camping.

You’ll never tire of driving on the roads in the Lake District and Cumbria which has some of the most scenic roads in England. In particular, Hartside Pass which The AA and Top Gear list in their top 10 driving roads in England. Other great driving roads include the Kirkstone Pass, the A591 which passes through Ambleside, Grasmere and onto Keswick and not for the faint hearted Hardnott and Wrynose passes.
VW camper vans are particularly suited to the roads in the Lake District. They are compact and allow you to drive on the stunning, narrow roads which other, larger camper van and mobile homes would not be able to.

Camper vans have seen a renaissance in recent years both in terms of new camper vans and mobile homes but especially the popularity of the classic VW camper van. Their iconic status continues to grow and excite young and old. Driving around in the VW camper van is guaranteed to turn heads and makes a holiday even more special.

A mobile holiday is the ultimate in economical holidaying. The cost of parking up on a camping or caravanning site is nominal and sometimes areas can be found that are free. You can self cater as much of the meals as you wish although the Lake District has some fantastic eating houses that really should be visited.

Many people simply can’t justify purchasing a VW camper van for themselves due to lack of annual leave and other commitments. A camper van has to be used regularly both for economy and for the wellbeing of the van. The perfect solution is in the form of hiring. Now you ca rent a WW camper van in the Lake District and enables those who want to experience a camper van holiday but that do not want to purchase one. Volkswagen camper van hire is also great for those thinking of purchasing a van to gain knowledge of driving one. Camper van hire in the UK, sorted.

FitFlop shoes, sandals and boots they have a higher price point than standard footwear. As a result of this higher price tag, Cloggs.co.uk customers often have lots of questions that they would like answered before they make a purchase. To help aid your decision making process we have brought together all of the most Frequently Asked Questions in one convenient place.

Q. What are the benefits of wearing FitFlops?
A. The FitFlop has an innovative midsole that almost works like a wobble board – they destabilize your feet, forcing your leg and bum muscles to work harder when you walk. This helps to improve your posture, tone your legs and bum and burn more calories than you would do when you walk in normal shoes. Thousands of FitFlop customers have also stated that the improved posture that the shoes force also provides relief from ailments like chronic back pain and sciatica.

Q. What is Microwobbleboard™ technology?
A. This is the patent-pending technology installed inside the sole of the FitFlop. It is basically three densities of EVA (the heel being thick to absorb shock, the toe area is mid density and the midsole is soft centre). This all aims to create a slightly unstable surface on which to walk. Although you will never notice this, it actually tricks your brain into thinking that your shoes will make you fall over. The brain then corrects your posture and makes your leg and bum muscles work much harder throughout every step, thus giving you a workout while you walk.

Q. Can I work out/ jog/cycle in FitFlop footwear?
A. It is only recommended that you wear FitFlop whilst you walk (hence the companies slogan “Workout While You Walk”). They are biomechanically engineered to make your muscles harder when you walk, not during physical exercise like jogging or sprint cycling. There are other more protective and suitable shoes that you can purchase for such sports activities. That’s not to say that The FitFlop may design some form of exercise shoes in the future though. Cloggs will be sure to be the place to get them, so watch this space!

Q. How long will my FitFlop footwear last?
A. Just like any pair of shoes that you own, how long FitFlop footwear last depends upon how often you wear them, what kind of weather you wear them in and just how you take care of them. We strongly advise against putting any form of footwear in the washing machine, instead to make them last longer carefully hand clean them to make them last longer. It is recommended that you buy a new pair at the start of every year to ensure you benefit from the maximum efficiency of the Microwobbleboard™ technology. You could even upgrade to a pair of FitFlop Boots.

Q. How long will it take me to get used to wearing FitFlop?
A. For the first two to three days wearing FitFlop sandals for example the FitFlop Positano or FitFlop Floretta may feel slightly strange – after all you will be walking on a slightly unstable surface to make your leg and bum muscles work harder with every step you take. However you will soon get used to it and whether you have chosen sandals, shoes, mules or boots they will be incredibly comfortable. In fact, many people report that they are totally hooked on the sensation of wearing The FitFlop and the forget the fact that they are getting exercise whilst they walk. You will not want to take your FitFlop footwear off your feet.

Acolyte Home & Gifts are pleased to announce the full launch of their website and online business.

Operating from the Georgian town of Whitehaven in Cumbria, Acolyte Home & Gifts specialises in unusual and unique items for the home including solid wood furniture from the Kudos and Mobel ranges along with gifts from the European design company, Gisela Graham.

The team at Acolyte have, for many years, enjoyed seeking and finding unusual items both for their own home, and as gifts for family and friends. Now that it is possible to source products that at one time would have been seen as specialist or exclusive due to their location, Acolyte are able through their extensive network of contacts to offer an impressively wide choice to customers.

Acolyte is an ethical company. The brainchild behind Acolyte Home & Gifts Barbara Adams, explains their concept:
“We ensure that the products we offer are produced from sustainable sources and that our suppliers` employees are treated with dignity, respect and are paid fairly. We believe that our suppliers not only meet these exacting requirements, but offer products that are unique in the marketplace and stand out in terms of quality.”

In addition to ensuring that their products are ethically sourced, the Acolyte team also supports a number of charities including The Friends of the Samaritans of West Cumbria and The Dogs Trust. Details of these charities and the work that they do can be found on the Charities page of the website.

For more information on Acolyte collections including Gisela Graham products, Mactan Stone furniture, oak bookcases and dog treat gifts, visit http://www.acolytehomeandgifts.com/

The Castle Inn Hotel Bassenthwaite are pleased to announce the hosting of a special murder mystery evening.

Saturday 8th October 2011 will see murder at The Castle Inn in the form of a murder mystery evening. Picture the setting, its 1928 and you have been cordially invited to attend the wedding reception of Georgina-Willoughby-Mott to Binky Brinkley in the grand Best Western Castle Inn Hotel. But alas this special occasion takes a turn for the worst when traces of death linger in the air. Can you solve the Murder at the Castle?

Come and join the team at The Castle Inn Hotel Keswick for an evening of love, laughter and mysterious goings on. The evening includes a delicious three course wedding breakfast, a complimentary glass of bucks fizz and canapés and entertainment supplied by Murder Most Horrid and all for only £34.00 per person.

Should attendees wish to make a night of it and stay over at The Castle Inn Hotel Lake District then a special rate of only £50.00 per person per bed and breakfast is being offered.

Set overlooking some of England’s highest fells and Bassenthwaite Lake, the Castle Inn Hotel Lake District is in a beautiful location, just 8 miles from Keswick. Ideally situated for those wishing to explore Bassenthwaite, Keswick and the Lake District, the Best Western Castle Inn Hotel is one of the finest Keswick Hotels offering a warm welcome and the ideal location for relaxing after a busy day discovering the beauties of the Lake District.

Booking is essential for murder mystery evening so please call the Castle Inn events team on 017687 76401 or visit http://www.castleinncumbria.co.uk. Be very careful who you trust!

Spas date back to Roman times where relaxation, rejuvenation and healing were sought through hot mineral spring water.

Still today, spas offer many of the same services offered at spas in Roman times and they still stand for the same, relaxation, rejuvenation and healing.
Combining a spa treatment with a holiday or weekend away is becoming more and more popular and thankfully now, you do not have to go abroad and spend a fortune in order to do so. With the stresses of work and family life, the ability for total relaxation and making the most out of a much deserved weekend break is a must and places such as Surrey have seen high quality spas hotels opening recently.

Spa’s located within hotels are the most convenient and give the most relaxation as the guest can simply come down from their room and within a matter of seconds be in having a spa treatment, no need to get in a car or walk for miles.

Spa treatments can be anything from a variety of massages to facials, tanning, waxing, manicures, pedicures, anti-ageing, eye treatments, facials and bridal treatments. With the popularity of having a civil ceremony in a hotel, a Surrey spa hotel offers ultimate pampering for the bride and her friends and family.
No destination hotel would be complete without a destination spa. A life spa environment within a hotel can reflect the perfect balance between cutting edge design and classical therapies, such as wet and dry treatment rooms, his & her steam rooms and saunas, outdoor hot tubs, a meditation room with gentle warming water beds and super-chic relaxation areas.

Even the treatments within spas are becoming more luxurious and being tailored to a guest’s specific needs and requirements. A number of highly quality hotels and spas now have exclusive signature treatment menus.

Some of the beauty industry’s most enchanting brands are now creating ranges and therapies for spas. Some of which can only be found of the cream of the world’s beauty salons, for example:

Facials by Lubatti – created by the celebrated and legendary facialist Tracey Malone, sister of Jo Malone and daughter of 1970s’ London society skincare expert Eileen Malone.

Massages and body treatments created by Jane Scrivner – a contemporary treatment designer with more than 20 years experience, and the originator of hot and cold stone massages in this country.

Manicures and pedicures by Butter LONDON – the new face of the nail industry. With a colour range covering catwalk inspired shades, the sexy, the classic and everything in between, manicures and pedicures have never been so on-trend.

A spa really does cater for every pampering and rejuvenation requirement. For the more active spa guest, personal trainers in state of the art gyms can be arranged for those who require detailed instruction and motivation. Equally a spa can be for complete relaxation in the form of beauty treatments, also mind and body treatments such as hot stone treatments and meditation. Men are also now seeing the benefits of visiting a day spa in Weybridge with specialized male spa treatments and remedial procedures perfect for sportsmen for example.

The beautiful Rydal valley is in the heart of the Lake District.

Ambleside hotels in the Rydal Valley are ideally placed for walking or sightseeing with almost all areas of the Lake District being reachable within an hour’s drive. There are many walks in the immediate area, from the Fairfield Horseshoe at over 2600 ft to low level walks alongside lakes and tarns in the valley. Several detailed walks in the area can be found our bedroom folders, from books in our two lounges and in local booksellers.

Ambleside has grown over the years to a thriving village that has many wonderful shops, restaurants and cafes. One of the largest garden centres in the UK is 20 minutes walk away, with the Cinema and Park less that 15 minutes. Ambleside hotel and bed and breakfast owners will happily recommend places to eat. Waterhead, which is 30 minutes walk or a 5 minute drive away, is the jumping off place for catching the ferries that will take you to Bowness and Lakeside on Windermere Lake.

Beyond Grasmere lies Keswick, the gateway to the Borrowdale Valley. A more rougher scene is set out before you as this is the setting for many of the highest mountains in the Lakes. Continuing through Borrowdale will take you over Honister Pass and down towards Buttermere and Crummock Water.

To the east lies Ullswater, a beautiful scenic drive over Kirkstone Pass will take you down along its shores and to Aira Force, where the impressive waterfalls thunder down into the lake. To the West is Hawkshead and Coniston, where there are wonderful walks to be had amongst the forests and woods with Coniston Old Man being a popular favourite.

Windermere and Kendal are south of us, with Kentmere Valley providing some lovely walks with a real sense of being tucked away. Around Winster and Newby Bridge can be found some great low level walks which take you away from the crowds and into some beautiful valleys and villages that are hidden from the tourists.

This brief description shows just how ideally placed Ambleside bed and breakfast venues are for walks, shopping and scenic drives within the Lake District.

Cockermouth, one of the most attractive market towns in Cumbria, sits along the River Derwent eight miles from Keswick.

Set at the confluence of the rivers Cocker and Derwent, Cockermouth is a quaint market town, which although dates back to medieval era the main period of growth was during the Georgian period of the early eighteenth century.

The town is eight miles north-west of Keswick hosts a number galleries, river walks and places of historical interest. Cockermouth is the birth place of poet William Wordsworth.

This gem of a town with ample galleries, river walks and historic Cockermouth Castle. Lots of pubs, specialist shopping and restaurants. Close to Bassenthwaite Lake there are so many other things to do and see in Cockermouth, making it the perfect family location but equally as suited for a romantic weekend. Cockermouth also does not suffer overcrowding of some of the more central Lake District towns and has a choice of Cumbria self catering properties.

In addition to the galleries and places of historical interest the town has a range of traditional stores and some more popular national stores. The town also has a large number of bars and restaurants, many of which are located on the newly re-developed Market Place and Main Street.

An interesting way to explore the town is the Cockermouth Trail. The trail takes you around a fascinating walk through the town’s history, exploring nineteen of the famous landmarks and some lesser known landmarks of the town. Maps can be obtained from the Tourist Information Centre.

As the main period of growth for Cockermouth was during the Georgian period much of the road layout and buildings were developed during this time; with a great number of buildings retaining their original features, each year to celebrate the Georgian influence, the town holds a Georgian Fair.

The River Derwent flows behind the Main Street and Wordsworth House. There are pleasant footpaths and seats along the banks of the make for a delightful walk along the river. There is also a large car park next to the river with access into the Memorial Gardens and over the bridge into the Main Street. The river can be flowed into the brewery and then into Market Place.

Cockermouth has a number of popular visitor attractions such as: Wordsworth House, The Sheep and Wool Centre, the Castlegate House Gallery, the Kirkgate Centre and Jennings Brewery; which produces ‘real ale’ and has been located in the town centre since 1828. Visitors can also take a guided tour of the brewing facilities and discover more information about this 175 year old process and even sample and take home the finished product from their on-site shop.

All of this makes Cockermouth the ideal place for both a quiet and relaxing Cumbria cottages break and a hectic sight-seeing holiday. Choose from self catering properties including Cumbrian cottages to apartments, lodges and town houses.

Summer is calling so get thinking about summer footwear.

There may still be a chill in the air and it’s not quite shorts and t-shirt weather yet but the daffodils are almost out, the days are getting longer and the smell of spring is well and truly here.

It’s about now that any fashion savvy fashionista has one thing and one thing only on their minds……their summer wardrobe. London Fashion Week has been prompting people to think about fashion and clothing after the long, dark winter and all the fashion magazines are beginning to feature summer fashion tips and advice.
As much as any fashionista loves wearing boots and let’s face it, there were stunning ones around this winter, it has been long since many have seen their toes! It’s been too cold to have toes uncovered for any longer than it takes to have a shower and thick socks have ruled.

Footwear is an excellent place to start when first thinking of a summer wardrobe. The summer styles are in all the shops both on the high street and online, the styles are fresh and the full range of sizes are available so no disappointment. Close your eyes and think of sandals, holidays and sand between your toes! And think about all the festivals coming up. The UK does see its fair share of rain at these events so take your Hunter Wellies but also your sandals.

A staple of any fashion savvy individual and a firm favourite amongst the festival fraternity is a pair of Birkenstock’s. The word timeless doesn’t even begin to describe Birkenstock footwear. Established in the 18th century in Germany, Birkenstock Sandals have certainly been around for a while. Birkenstock Sandals was founded by Johann Adam Birkenstock of Langenberg, Germany. Birkenstock Sandals are still producing great quality sandals and shoes today. Birkenstock Sandals started off with the Birkenstock family making sandals and shoes with special foot bed insoles. The merits of these insoles were such that during World War I, Birkenstock were hired by the military hospital orthopaedic departments to provide specialist footwear for wounded soldiers. From then on Birkenstock sandals and shoes started to become extremely popular with the demand for Birkenstock leading to the brand to expand. In proceeding years, Birkenstock patented their signature foot bed in many countries. Birkenstock have gone on to further develop the orthopaedic foot beds and introduce new styles and nurture classics. Birkenstock are synonymous with their quality craftsmanship and high grade materials.

So then we go to retro classic flip flops. The Havaianas brand hailed from Brazil back in 1962. Throughout the centuries, Havaianas flip flops have become more and more popular. Numerous celebrities, sport stars and public figures have been spotted wearing Havaianas flip flops. Havaianas flip flops have seen fantastic exposure in the media, in magazines and televisions, contributing to the huge success of Havaianas flip flops.

Havaianas flip flops has not stood still with time and the brand always innovates with new themes and styles. There has even been the introduction of baby and kids Havaianas flip flops. One of the greatest and most successful styles for Havaianas in recent times is the Havaianas Brasil Logo flip flops. The Brasil Logo style was released to commemorate the 1998 Football World Cup and is now one of the most worn styles of Havaianas globally.

One of the most recent ventures for Havaianas was the introduction of Havaianas Slim, one of the latest styles of Havaianas. The Slim is a slimmed down, modern take on the classic flip flops. The straps are thinner and more elegant and feminine, a new favourite for many women.

In terms of both mens and womens sandals and flip flops, the rise in comfort footwear is very much welcome. The summer is chilled out and about having fun so sandals  from Birkenstock and Havaianas flip flops give that super chilled vibe.

Torque Wrench Calibration – Torque Tool or Meter Calibration

Torque Tool Calibration Overview
Why get your torque wrench or torque tool calibrated?

If you care about the reliability of your products, about how well they’re put together, about your customers’ safety. And you care about the reputation of your company. You’ll know that regular torque wrench calibration or torque tool calibration is an essential part of your quality assurance activities. It may even be a legal requirement.

Let’s face it, most torque tools get a lot of abuse in service. Yet most people expect them give reliable, accurate performance day after day, month after month.

An established UKAS torque calibration laboratory will have been providing torque calibration services to customers throughout the UK for many years so quality and reprutation is guaranteed. A UKAS certified laboratory have their systems, people, training, and technical capabilities of a UKAS accredited laboratory are regularly and thoroughly examined and tested by UKAS auditors, each of them specialists in their field. It is an expensive and time consuming process, but our ongoing accreditation and fulfilment of the requirements of ISO17025 means you can rest assured that they have the competence, impartiality and performance capability necessary to consistently deliver technically valid calibration results each and every time.

Although the work is usually performed in an accredited UK laboratory. If you have a large quantity of air or electrically operated torque tools such as screwdrivers for instance, which are difficult to remove from site, a torque calibration service provider can perform torque screwdriver calibration on your premises.

In addition to torque wrench calibration and torque tool calibration we also calibrate closure meters, watches and analysers and a host of other torque tools and gauges.

With every calibration that the calibration laboratory will perform, they will issue you with a certificate quoting full measured results at no extra cost.

UKAS torque wrench calibration, torque tool or screwdriver calibration
Range Covered…  0.2Nm to 1,000Nm