Writing a Will

Writing a Will is one of the most important things that you should do in your life.

 It will smooth the process for your family at a time of great emotional upset. Furthermore, a Will is the cornerstone of asset protection.

There are a number of ways, using trusts, to mitigate Inheritance Tax and to protect property, especially the family home, from 'attack' by divorcing children, remarriage and Long Term Residential Care Fees assessment.

Casey & Associates has assisted clients in protecting assets worth hundreds of millions of pounds. You might wish to consider other legal documents, such as a Lasting Power of Attorney, which gives your family the legal right to run your affairs if ever you lose capacity through accident or illness.  All of these legal documents give you and your assets protection.

Casey & Associates, based at the Fircroft Business Centre in Edenbridge, Kent, has consultants throughout the South East. Each consultant is trained to give you the best advice for your circumstances.

Please contact us on 08700 203 553 if you would like to book an initial 'free of charge' consultation which is carried out in the comfort of your own home. Don’t delay - act today!

Optimus Prime - biggest anaconda in the UK?

Keepers from Paradise Wildlife Park and Amey Zoo are throwing down the
challenge, “Is this the biggest anaconda on exhibit in the UK?”. They
believe that they have the largest anaconda on exhibit anywhere in the U.K.

Optimus Prime - biggest anaconda in the UK?

The snake in question, a green anaconda called “Optimus Prime” was measured
on the 31st January at a massive 373cm  long and a hefty 62 kilos in weight.
She needed 12 able-bodied keepers to control her incredible strength. This
equates to one keeper every one foot of snake! The most frightening thing
is, she's still nowhere near fully grown!

Mark Amey, owner and reptile expert at Amey Zoo said, “Anacondas can quite
easily live until they are 40 years of age in captivity. Optimus is only 11
years old, so she has a lot of growing left to do. In the wild they have
been known to grow up to 6 metres long and weigh up to 150 kilos.”
Green anacondas originate from the marshes and swamps of South America.
Optimus, and her smaller mate Megatron are fed on a healthy diet of small
mammals such as rats and mice, but in their natural habitat they would
normally eat capybara and caymans.

Lynn Whitnall, director at Paradise Wildlife Park said, “We believe we have
the largest Anaconda on exhibit at any zoo in the country, but we can't know
for certain. We're inviting any other zoos in the community to come forward
and rise to the challenge!”.

Optimus Prime is currently on exhibit at Paradise Wildlife Park in
Hertfordshire. If you know of any other anacondas that might be bigger than
her, then please get in touch with them at info@pwpark.com or call 01992
470490 www.pwpark.co.uk

Mac's Farm & One Good Egg - Open day Sunday 29th April 2012

Spellbound Forest

For one weekend in May, a partnership between Wild Rumpus and the Forestry Commission is bringing a fairy-tale world to life. Families can explore three paths of the naturally beautiful woodland, each telling the story of a traditional English fairy-tale. Families can follow Tattercoats on her journey from rags to riches, see how they fare against the quest of The Three Heads in the Well and become enchanted by the plight of The Earl Mar’s Daughter.

All the stories are now available online to read or listen to, so that families have an opportunity to discover what’s in store before they arrive to journey to the King’s Ball at the centre of the forest. Incorporating theatrical performance, music, visual art and dance, this new event from Wild Rumpus aims to create an enchanting adventure that won’t soon be forgotten.

Along the way, the audience will help to create their very own new Fairy Tale, with help from the Manchester Children’s Literature Festival, and will create a marvellous nest sculpture that will live on in the forest long after the magic has faded. Partnerships with Northern Rail and Creative Tourist mean when families travel to the event by train, their adventure will begin with activities weaving some magic on the trains from Manchester and Chester.

Tickets for the Spellbound Forest are on sale now

The benefits of using a nanny agency

The benefits of using a nanny agency

by Lucy Howell and Clare Plumb, Polkadot Recruitment

www.polkadotrecruitment.com

and Sarah-Jane Butler, Parental Choice

www.parentalchoice.co.uk

"A nanny's job is priceless, such precious minds to reach

A job done out of compassion and love for the ones they teach."

(Sarah from BC www.carerrnanny.com/quotes.html )

What do Katie Price, Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow all have in common? They all hire nannies. But having a nanny isn't just for the rich and famous. A nanny can provide the perfect childcare for anyone who doesn't work a standard nine to five day and wants their child to be cared for in a secure home environment, with focused one to one attention and care. In many cases, hiring a nanny can prove to be a more cost effective and flexible way of managing your childcare, especially if combined with other forms of day care as the children get older. However, finding a perfect nanny can be a daunting and time consuming process. 

Juggling family life and work means that you may not have the time to fully commit to the interview process needed to find the right nanny for your family. In addition checking each potential nanny's references and obtaining criminal record bureau (CRB) checks on each one can be a very laborious task. A nanny agency can help you focus and save time throughout the hiring process. Nanny agencies interview many candidates and have a large pool of people to choose from, they know what to look for and strive to make the perfect match between the family and the nanny. 

A first rate nanny agency will undertake a stringent registering process including a face to face interview, where all documents are checked and gaps in employment explored. A nanny agency will check for correct qualifications and relevant experience, as well as making sure the nannies are first aid trained and CRB checked. References are also taken up to gain a thorough understanding of the person's character and work ethic. Moreover, a good nanny agency will discard those potential nannies which are not exactly suited to your requirements.

As well as saving time and effort a nanny agency will be able to offer advice on what to do after a suitable nanny has been found. A standard nanny agency will be able to give you a list of companies that can provide payroll services and even a standard template employment contract. 

However the ideal nanny agency is one that takes away all of the administrative hassles for you from start to finish. That means one that not only carries out all the necessary reference checks and takes the time to match the right nanny to your family, but one that also can, or has a direct relationship with a company that can, not only provide the payroll services but also a bespoke employment contract tailored to your needs, whilst also being there on hand to offer advice on any of your employment obligations, including insurance throughout your nanny's employment with you. Once you have found your perfect nanny, there is a list of legal and financial obligations which you will need to take on board in you capacity as her employer. A nanny agency that is able to be there throughout your nanny's employment and guide you both at the beginning and the end of the contract is of enormous benefit and relief.