Sussex business gets a boost from Theo!

Chichester based business The Lunchbox Store, got a much sought after boost from ex Dragons’ Den Star and retail guru Theo Paphitis on Monday night by winning an SBS award! The SBS award is a weekly Twitter phenomenon that Theo Paphitis started in October 2010 as his way of helping promote and encourage small businesses across the country.

On Sunday night along with nearly 1000 other businesses, Barry Smyth owner of The Lunchbox Store tweeted the famous entrepreneur in the hope of gaining a magic ‘re-tweet’ and joining the ever growing network of SBS winners.

On Monday evening Barry’s goal finally came to fruition when Theo Paphitis re-tweeted his winning tweet to his army of over 330,000 followers:

@TheoPaphitis Providing a One Stop Shop with exquisite customer service for all things Lunch on the Go www.thelunchboxstore.co.uk #SBS #bizitalk

Barry says of his win “From very small beginnings we are aiming to be the UK's number one destination for lunch-on-the-go products. Social media has played a key part in our growth, and we are hoping that our SBS win and the support of Theo Paphitis, will push us to a significant increase in business over the coming months.”

The Lunchbox Store was born after Barry was made redundant from his 20 year career in the newspaper industry in 2010. Using the redundancy to reassess what would be best for his young family, he and his wife who was already enrolled on ‘return to teaching’ course, decided that Barry would start the business alongside his new ‘stay at home’ dad role!

It has been a fantastic decision so far, as not only is The Lunchbox Store growing steadily, Barry has started a second business www.kimochis.co.uk which sells educational toys designed to help children better understand their feelings and emotions.

Now, with this acknowledgement from such a well-known retail entrepreneur, 2013 is shaping up to be very interesting for this enterprising dad of four!

Veggie Event sees massive rise in interest since Horseburger Scandal!

 

One of Europe’s biggest veggie events, VegfestUK Brighton, held at The Hove Centre on March 16^th and 17^th, has seen a massive rise in interest since the breaking of the Horseburger scandal, with all stall space sold out a month before the event; website hits have more than tripled year on year, and Facebook and Twitter activity has gone through the roof as vast sectors of the UK look towards veggie options to replace processed meat and ready meals.

‘It’s incredible’, say the organisers of this weekends’ event. ‘Literally since the day the news broke about what they were finding in the food chain, we have seen a surge of interest in every way. There are especially a lot of new businesses springing up that cater for veggies and it seems most of them are sensing an opportunity to reach more potential customers very quickly right now, which would explain why we have sold out of all available stall space for the first time ever – and that was a month ago.’

‘We are expecting capacity crowds at the event and especially a big rise in the ‘meat reducers’ – those looking for veggie options but not necessarily wanting to go veggie – just ditch the horseburgers and get some decent healthy options instead. VegfestUK Brighton is the right event for people like this right now. You can sample the best, for free, and buy at discount prices, whilst accessing cookery demos, talks and a host of other information about the veggie lifestyle, in a friendly, relaxed and fun environment. Vegfest rocks!’

The show is opened by BBC Radio 2 presenter Janey Lee Grace, and other celebrities including Sara Jane Honeywell (CBeebies), Roxy Shahidi (ex Emmerdale actress) and Dean Howell (Fleetwood Town FC) will be joined by a host of other top speakers and performers, including comedy hours each day with Andrew O’Neill and Sarah Pascoe. Admission to the public is completely free, and you can access more information about the event by downloading the free event programme here http://brighton.vegfest.co.uk/programme

VegfestUK events continue during 2013 with their tenth birthday party at Bristol in May, with the Happy Mondays and Caravan Palace, and a new show in London at Olympia in October with comedians Dave Spikey and Jamie Kilstein – see www.vegfest.co.uk for more information about both these shows.

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE!

Forget splashing the cash on expensive perfume or flowers this Mother’s day, as simple quality time with the family is the one thing mums want most this year.

A family day out came out top in a poll of over 3,000 British mums, with a quarter of women preferring to spend time with their loved ones over more traditional Mother’s day gifts like flowers or chocolates. In fact, ‘the best things in life are free’ seems to be mums’ mantra overall with a lie in coming second place followed by a housework free day, and breakfast in bed being fourth favourite.

 Lisa Penney, spokesmum for Bounty Parenting Club, which carried out the survey said: “With today’s lifestyles more hectic than ever it’s understandable that all time-poor and cash-strapped mums really want is quality time spent with their families as opposed to gifts.” “The results just go to show it’s the thought that counts – and this is what mother’s day should be all about, showing mums they’re appreciated and loved.” “And the great news for dads is that things like letting mums have a lie in or helping out with the housework is easy on the pocket too!”

Rather surprisingly, expensive perfume actually makes third place in the Mother’s day least wanted list – perhaps because mums are conscious of the money ‘wasted’ on frivolous gifts in these times of financial restrain. And unfortunately for dad it looks like ‘the best things in life are free’ mantra doesn’t ring true where romance is involved – with only 3% of mums choosing sex on a Sunday morning as their mother’s day treat!

MOTHER’S DAY MOST WANTED

1.      A family day out
2.      A lie in until I’m ready to get up
3.      No housework/chores
4.      Breakfast in bed
5.      A bouquet of flowers

MOTHER’S DAY LEAST WANTED

1.      A gadget free day
2.      Pyjama day
3.      Perfume
4.      Sex
5.      A day to myself

The ChildLine Schools Service needs volunteers in Sussex

Following its national launch at the end of last year, ChildLine is now rolling out a new programme in Sussex, to help younger children’s understanding of abuse and how they can stay safe. Using assemblies and workshops delivered by volunteers, ChildLine will help children recognise situations where they may need help and tell them how to access support. Sessions are sensitively tailored to ensure topics are covered in a way which children understand.

All children have the right to be happy and safe, but many suffer abuse in silence, unable to speak out. The ChildLine Schools Service is aimed at primary age children, particularly focusing on nine to 11 year olds, and aims to help them understand what abuse is,including bullying, how to protect themselves and where to get help and support if needed.

The ChildLine Schools Service needs volunteers to deliver assemblies at local schools followed by an interactive workshop a week later.

The presentations and messages delivered at schools have been developed alongside children, parents, carers and teachers. They are sensitive, age appropriate and engaging. The Service is provided free of charge and focuses on primary school children, aged nine to 11 years old.  By 2016, the ChildLine Schools Service aims to visit every primary school in the UK at least every two years.  

Full volunteer training and support is provided by ChildLine, alongside the opportunity to make a real difference to local children as part of a committed team. Interviews will take place in Brighton on 17 and 18 April and training will start for successful applicants on 22 May.

Amanda Rocca, ChildLine Area Co-ordinator for Sussex, said: “Research undertaken by the NSPCC shows that the majority of children who contact ChildLine for advice, information and support are over 11 years old.  However we know that the majority of children who are subject to a child protection plan are under the age of 11. 

“These younger children are not connected so much with the outside world. In fact, their world is quite small. So if abuse is happening to them at that age, then it’s very difficult for children to speak up. That’s why we want to educate children earlier and ensure they know how to keep themselves safe or seek help if they need it.”

In keeping with ChildLine’s long history of volunteering, the schools service will be led by volunteers. They will be trained to deliver safeguarding assemblies and interactive workshops. All materials will be provided and volunteers will be given regular training and support. 

Amanda Rocca continued: “What’s key about our Schools Service is that we need a great team of volunteers. It is very much about mobilising the community and to make child protection everyone’s responsibility.”

First piloted in 2010, there are two phases to the new service. The first is a school assembly that provides definitions of abuse, places to go for help and an introduction to ChildLine.  The second phase takes place one to two weeks later and is an interactive classroom-based workshop where the messages are reinforced.

  

Find out more…

For more information about volunteering for the ChildLine Schools Service, please visit www.nspcc.org.uk/schoolsservice, or view the latest recruitment video at www.nspcc.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer-your-time/help-in-schools/schools-service-volunteer_wda85310.html.