PUT A BLANKET IN YOUR BOOT TO HELP SAVE YOUR LIFE
In a bid to rid the country’s hard shoulder of shivering motorists and keep them safe, RAC has teamed up with the British makers of the Military Forces endorsed Mediwrap® blanket to provide some much needed technological relief from the cold.

Available to the UK public for the first time, the reflective RAC Mediwrap® products are designed to stave off the effects of even the harshest of weather by maintaining core body temperature, keeping drivers warm, safe and visible at all times. Used by the UK’s emergency services, they are particularly lightweight and even considered part of a standard First Response kit by British Medics and the Army.

The new RAC Mediwrap® blanket is available in stores nationwide and online. For further details on this product or information on Halfords ‘Be safe, be seen’ campaign visit http://www.halfords.com/.

For more information on this ground-breaking technology, visit http://www.keepingbritaincosy.co.uk.

RAC advice on winter essentials to stock in your boot

RAC Mediwrap® blankets or ponchos to protect against wind, rain and cold in the event of a breakdown

Windscreen scraper or de-icer to remove ice from vehicle

High energy food, water and thermo flask filled with a hot drink

First aid kit

High quality torch

Spare fuel can

Warning triangle

Fire extinguisher

Mobile phone charger

Light bulb kit and fuse range

Other advice because of the snow, also suggests carrying a spade in your boot, wearing sensible footwear and clothing, and ideally staying in unless the journey is essential. For regular updates on the weather, http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

THE WORLD’S FIRST 3D VIRTUAL FARMERS MARKET HAS LAUNCHED SET TO REVOLUTIONISE THE WAY WE SHOP FOR FOOD & DRINK ONLINE

http://www.vfmuk.com/

The first ever interactive 3D Virtual Farmers Market (VFM) introduces an innovative new concept in online shopping, combining a 3D world with a traditional online retail website to enhance user experience.

Using the latest in 3D games technology, the VFM is a virtual take on the traditional Farmer’s market that will allow consumers and specialist food & drink producers to interact in a 3D environment without stepping foot outside their front doors. The VFM programme allows the shopper to ‘stroll’ freely around over 45 market stalls where they can view products, interact with the producer and buy the same high quality artisan produced food & drink they might find in a real-life Farmers market, and they can shop at the VFM 24/7. The unique thing about the VFM is that it allows people to ‘meet’ the original producer first hand, which is often not even possible at a real life Farmers market.

From a commercial perspective, the VFM is revolutionary in that it gives smaller specialist food & drink producers and Farmer’s the opportunity to reach new markets, and extend the scope of their business, without the need to go through the multiples. The VFM allows them 24/7 access to the already massive and growing online home shopping market.

In 2009 the online grocery market is worth £4.4bn and in 2014 it’s expected to be worth £6.9bn - a growth of 57% from 2009*. The VFM is well placed to take advantage of this growth and answers some of the concerns consumers face when shopping online. 83% of consumers* like to touch & feel what they buy, and the VFM can help overcome this concern; this new way of cyber-shopping works to install trust in the consumer by adding a human element to the online shopping experience, it enables the shopper to ‘meet’ the producer via a video stream that allows them to give a brief description of the goods for sale, tell the story of how their food & drink has been produced, what ingredients have been used and where they have been sourced. Once satisfied, the shopper can add products to a virtual shopping basket for home delivery in temperature-controlled boxes.

The VFM is designed to be used as a ‘top-up’ for the regular household shop, where consumers can add exquisite products to their weekly shop that can’t be bought at any supermarket.

In addition to the 3D virtual experience, a 2D version of the VFM will also provide all information for consumers, allowing them to view all products, along with descriptions & images, and watch videos of the different producers before they add products to their virtual shopping basket for check-out.

The VFM is the brainchild of Marcus Carter, Managing Director of Carter Food House. Marcus saw the commercial viability of bringing the Farmer’s market experience direct to peoples homes, allowing consumers to purchase Farmer’s market quality food & drink online, all from one website. The VFM offers convenience to people that don’t always have time, or are not able, to visit a real life Farmer’s market.

Marcus took his idea to Roger Saunt, Managing Director of Digital Presence Solutions Ltd, a UK display technology firm. Digital Presence Solutions Ltd, based at Coventry University Technology Park, teamed up with two other SMEs and Coventry University’s Serious Games Institute (SGI) to create the VFM, originally hosted in the biggest global virtual environment, Second Life. Digital Presence upgraded the programme to give it its own 3D platform, a move that will, from January 2010, allow users of new technology such as iPhones and other mobile devices to access the site.

Roger Saunt, Managing Director of Digital Presence, said: ‘The DP team has created an authentic Farmer’s market experience. We have created a concept market with around 45 stalls in a market place environment.

‘The initial response to the VFM project has been encouraging and its commercial viability appears strong. It is inevitable that all e-commerce will drift in this direction as broadband becomes the standard in most homes, but we are the first to develop the means for local producers to sell their products to customers worldwide in a realistic 3D space.

Marcus Carter comments, ‘The VFM gives consumers the opportunity to buy direct from the producer. Seeing the face behind the food is more important today than it has ever been. To be able to connect remotely by using the internet, with the people who make what we eat, enables consumers to get a sense of trust before buying.’

The VFM opens up the world of specialist food & drink shopping to those who otherwise cannot attend Farmer’s markets, such as shift-workers and those with other commitments that clash with the timings of their local Farmer’s market.
*Mintel Research. Report: Online Grocery Retailing, September 2009

BBC WORLDWIDE ANNOUNCES GOOD FOOD HEALTHY RECIPES APP NOW AVAILABLE FROM THE APP STORE

BBC Worldwide announced this week its BBC Good Food Healthy Recipes App is now available from the App Store. The app aims to help iPhone and iPod touch users stick to their New Year’s healthy eating resolutions. The Good Food Healthy Recipes App is packed with 120 expertly selected recipe ideas that include different courses, meals under 200 calories, and healthy twists on classic favourites like chicken korma and chocolate brownies to see you through the year. Each recipe has been triple-tested by BBC Good Food’s expert cookery team.

BBC Worldwide’s Digital Publisher, Alex White commented, “We could all do with a bit of help when trying to stick to resolutions, especially when it comes to food! Thankfully, the brand new Good Food Healthy Recipes App is the perfect companion to help you stick to those resolutions as you’ll always have healthy recipes to hand – even when you’re at the supermarket doing the week’s shopping. We really hope this app, with its fool-proof recipe ideas and easy-to-use features, will prove to be a practical and inspiring tool when it comes to healthy eating advice.”


The app includes instructional videos to help improve basic cooking skills using healthy ingredients such as how to prepare fresh fish or grill peppers, as well as tips on how to include healthy ingredients in your diet. Users can search by ingredients they already have by simply putting them into the search function, making it that much easier to decide what to cook. Users can also add recipes to a favourites list for quick reference or choose to share recipes with a friend.

The BBC Good Food Healthy Recipes App was developed by agencymobile for BBC Good Food and follows the recent launch of the Good Food Festive Recipes App. Like Good Food Festive Recipes, the Healthy Recipes app comes with the same consistent and iconic stunning photography and easy to follow how-to information that BBC Good Food is known for. Thousands more triple-tested recipes can be found on http://bbcgoodfood.com/.

The Good Food Healthy Recipes App is available for £2.39 from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at http://www.itunes.com/appstore/.

* based on a Nielsen survey August 2009 showing http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/ to have the highest online growth in its sector.

THE ICE DANCE CRAZE TAKES OFF AT SOMERSET HOUSE IN WINTER OLYMPICS YEAR

Coinciding with the new series of Dancing on Ice on ITV, Skate School 2010 at Somerset House starts this week, with opportunities to improve fitness and learn an exciting new skill, ahead of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Skate School at Somerset House, under its Honorary Patron, Jayne Torvill, teaches hundreds of people of all abilities how to skate each year in the glorious setting of the 18th century Courtyard. From courses for beginners to intermediate level, ice dancing, the Penguin Club for under 8s, wheelchair sessions, Skate School at Somerset House has led the way in encouraging participation and building skills in a fun and healthy outdoor sport, previously only available in indoor rinks. All the teachers are specially qualified and accredited to the National Ice Skating Association (NISA).

Skating for under 8s, called the Penguin Club, has become one of the most popular programmes in Skate School at Somerset House. The penguin skate partners are designed to glide safely across the ice giving a stable platform for children to learn basic ice skills, before they start to skate independently.

Jayne Torvill, Honorary Patron, said: “Somerset House Skate School will fulfill the dreams of many people who have experienced the exhilaration of ice skating and now want the opportunity to develop their skills.”

For full details of the timetable for Skate School at Somerset House and how to book for lessons, go to the Somerset House website on:

somersethouse.org.uk/ice_rink

MAYOR BORIS JOHNSON ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO ‘GET INTO LONDON THEATRE’ THIS JANUARY

· Over 55 top London shows
· 1000s of discount theatre tickets
· FREE activities and exclusive workshops
· Get into London Theatre from 1 January-12 February 2010

New Year’s resolutions can now be more fun as Get into London Theatre (GILT) offers unbelievable ticket deals to over 55 top London shows, giving you the perfect GILT-free excuse to try something different and enjoy the magic of London theatre in 2010. This year, the promotion is bigger and better than ever and appeals to theatre fans of all ages. With a record-breaking 20,000 tickets already sold, this is an offer you cannot afford to miss so book today at http://www.getintolondontheatre.co.uk for amazing ticket deals, exclusive workshops and free activities from 1 January to 12 February 2010.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson says; 'In the first wintry weeks of the year, Get into London Theatre is a brilliant fillip. With discounts to fantastic shows plus theatre workshops, it's a terrific sampler of what makes London the theatre capital of the world. And after the curtain comes down take your cue - explore the amazing variety of London's stages from the big West End shows to the smaller theatres around the city.'

With Get into London Theatre there’s something for everyone as tickets are available at £10, £15, £25 and £35 for a choice of musicals, plays, opera, dance and entertainment. The sensational selection of shows include popular musicals Billy Elliot The Musical, Jersey Boys, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Sister Act, and plays such as The 39 Steps, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

New for 2010, you will have the unique chance to embrace your creativity through a range of activities and workshops, including acting, singing and dance classes run by West End professionals exclusively for adults. Plus, don’t miss the opportunity to take part in a free Theatreland Walking Tour or discover the secrets of some of London’s most iconic theatres.

It’s not too late to book tickets, log on now to http://www.getintolondontheatre.co.uk/ or call the Get into London Theatre ticket hotline on 0871 230 1548 and make it a spectacular start to the new decade.

RESOLUTION TO TRY SOMETHING NEW IN 2010? ANGELA MALIK HAS THE ANSWER!
Try something new this year and spend a day with hot new Asian cook, Angela Malik, at her new cook school in London. A first for the London Asian food arena, the West London based cookery school brings those looking for something different this year a spicy alternative.
Expand your cooking repertoire for 2010 and learn to create the perfect Indian dinner, demystify Thai food or perfect your Dim Sum making skills. The Angela Malik cook school offers a wide range of packages for every skill set so everyone from foodies to novices are catered for.

Standard classes include: Indian Express Lunch, Real Vietnamese Cooking, How to Create the Perfect Indian Dinner, Thai Food Made Easy, Brilliant Cocktails and Canapés, A Taste of Morocco and Simple Chinese Cooking.

Be entertained whilst cooking with Angela’s stories and facts about the origins of the spices and learn all about her unique approach to Asian food with the five tastes - hot, sweet, salty, sour and umami and how a delicious balanced meal can be achieved by including elements of all of these.
Angela’s classes are 100% hands on, making for a fun day out and a fully interactive experience. At the end of the day enjoy the meals you create with a glass of wine matched to your dishes.

Angela realised there was a gap in the London Asian cookery market and was delighted to launch the Acton cookery school. Her passion for educating people and simplifying cooking is commendable. “For me the best cooking in the world demystifies and encourages, it allows everyone to experience sensual pleasures of the excellent ingredients with passion and flair. My cooking takes flavours of the East and combines them with fantastic British ingredients to create a new style of Eastern inspired food” says Angela. “Cooking to stimulate all our five tastes, is something I’m passionate about” she adds.

For further details please visit www.angelamalik.co.uk.

EDINBURGH CITY BREAK THIS JANUARY
ROOMS FROM JUST £99 AT THE SHERATON GRAND HOTEL & SPA
Beat the January blues and head to Edinburgh, one of the UK’s most picturesque cities. The prestigious Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in the heart of Scotland’s capital is offering a special rate of just £99 per room, per night during January, when booked online at http://www.sheratonedinburgh.co.uk/

Visitors to the city can enjoy a range of activities and events in January including a true Scottish celebration of Burns night.

On Saturday 23 January Blackwell bookstore in the centre of the city will be hosting a Burns for Bairns storytelling session where narrator Alastair McIver will bring the nation's favourite poet to life to a younger audience.

Enjoy a traditional Burns Supper on 25 January at the Scottish Malt Whisky Society on Queen Street, Edinburgh. Experience the time honoured "Address to the Haggis,” a hearty dinner of haggis, neeps and tatties and some Burns poetry.

Other events in the city include musical extravaganzas such as We Will Rock You playing until 9 January and the lavish production of Sound of Music from 19 January to 20 February both at the Edinburgh Playhouse.

Those in need of some retail therapy can bag a bargain in the January sales on Edinburgh’s famous Princes Street just a short stroll from the hotel. Alternatively relax and unwind in Europe’s most advanced city spa, One Spa at the Sheraton Grand. Experience Escape at One the unique top floor facilities which include a 19m infinity pool, aromatic Cleopatra Baths, luxurious Thermal Suite and mineral-rich Rooftop Hydropool. The Thermal Suite features a series of heat treatments inspired by the bathing rituals of ancient cultures. For those wanting to work off the festive excesses there is a state-of-the art gym, fitness and Kinesis studios.
Guests staying at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa can also choose from a selection of dining options such as the contemporary Italian restaurant, Santini, the Terrace restaurant with its beautiful views of Edinburgh Castle or the laid back comfort of The Exchange serving sumptuous afternoon teas.

For more information or to make a booking visit http://www.sheratonedinburgh.co.uk/

* Room rates start from £99 per night, room only during January when booked online at http://www.sheratonedinburgh.co.uk/. Subject to availability.

LOOKING FOR A LOVE NEST?
- ENGLISH HERITAGE HOLIDAY COTTAGES OFFER THE ULTIMATE VALENTINE’S BOLT HOLE -

Whisk your partner away for a special Valentine‘s treat to one of English Heritage’s luxury holiday cottages. Located in stunning historical sites around the country - ranging from the majestic Dover Castle to Kirby Hall, one of England’s greatest Elizabethan houses – they guarantee you’ll have a weekend to remember.

For added decadence, couples staying in an English Heritage property on the 14th and 15th of February will receive a complimentary bottle of champagne as part of the sumptuous welcome hamper that awaits every guest.

As well as the romantic settings, staying at an English Heritage Holiday Cottage offers you the unique opportunity to explore some of England’s finest properties away from the crowds. You will be guaranteed out of hours access to the grounds of the estates so there will be plenty of opportunities for romantic gestures!

In all there are 15 spectacular cottages. And with prices starting from just £235 for three nights, what are you waiting for?

What’s more, stays taken at Kirby Hall, Mount Grace Priory or Witley Court before March 31st will receive a 20 per cent discount on the published rates.*

* Bookers will need to quote HKMW20 to get the special rates. The discount is valid on stays of any length.

Three of the most romantic hideaways:
Northamptonshire
Tucked away in the vast historic grounds of Kirby Hall, Peacock Cottage offers the perfect romantic retreat. Spend your time walking through the deserted courtyard of Kirby Hall and the romantic gardens (complete with peacocks!). Situated at the end of a long drive that cuts through the meadows and onto horse chestnut lined avenues, the beautifully converted cottage has a private garden and glorious views of the great lawns leading up to Kirby Hall.

North Yorkshire
Prior’s Lodge at Mount Grace Priory offers one of the most beautiful settings of any English Priory. Ideally placed for romantic walks across the North Moors and Cleveland Way National Park, Prior’s Cottage is the perfect Valentine’s escape. The Priory grounds are yours to enjoy in private until the gates open to the public. The Lodge provides breath-taking views over the lake to the front and the church and the cloisters to the rear. Snuggling up in front of the log burner with those views stretched in front of you would be hard to beat!

Cornwall
The Custodian’s House at Pendennis Castle offers sweeping views of Falmouth bay, an advantage when it was first built to defend the country, but now the stunning panorama is there for everyone to enjoy. The Custodian’s House sleeps two, making it a perfect place to spend Valentine’s Day. Spend your time taking romantic strolls along the coastline, visiting some of the quaint local villages or cosying up in the cottage.

For reservations call 0870 333 1187. Full details, prices and availability for the entire holiday cottage portfolio can be accessed at http://www.english-heritage.org/

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