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Property consultancy Vail Williams has hired a senior surveyor directly from looking after Windsor Castle. Historic buildings specialist Chris Bailey has been appointed in the firm’s Thames Valley regional office in Reading as an Associate to bolster the Building Consultancy team. Chris, who also previously worked at Cluttons, Knight Frank, Savills and the National Trust, joins from the Royal Household Property Team where he worked as a senior building surveyor at Windsor Castle. He has in-depth experience in technical due diligence, design and contract administration, project management and historic building conservation, working across both the commercial and residential sectors. Chris, who qualified as a chartered building surveyor in 2016, has worked for clients ranging from high-net-worth individuals, landed estates, banks and building societies. He said: “I am very pleased to have joined such a progressive firm as Vail Williams. It is the ideal time to join a major firm to challenge myself further." “I hope to use the skills I have gained in my previous roles to continue to provide clients with the exemplary service they have come to expect.” Thames Valley Regional Managing Partner David Barden said: “We welcome Chris aboard as an experienced operator whose extensive historic buildings knowledge will add additional expertise to our already established building consultancy team." “Our strategic and geographical growth – particularly the opening of our new Oxford office last month – continues at pace and our hard-working team is expanding to match the market opportunities." “Chris, who has quickly become an appreciated member of the team, is tasked with helping to grow the building consultancy offering across the Thames Valley area." “There is huge growth potential across the region and we are determined to benefit from these opportunities and deliver expertise, support and successful outcomes for our clients.” Vail Williams’ full-service property advice includes commercial agency, investment and development advice, building consultancy, property valuation, planning, lease advisory, property asset management, business rates and occupier consultancy.

Experienced business leader, Jamie Tinsley has been appointed as chief executive officer (CEO) of Leeds-based golf mental performance coaching company, Underpin Sports. As CEO, Jamie will draw on his leadership and commercial acumen to provide strategic oversight and enable the firm to benefit from the experience gained during his successful career as a trusted CEO, investor and business leader across several multinational organisations. With Underpin Sports providing mental performance coaching to elite amateur and professional golfers across the globe, Jamie aims to engage and grow its corporate network of 72 Club members and help scale the business further throughout the UK. Each member of the 72 Club, which includes Blacks Solicitors, C&C Healthcare and Sagars Accountants, benefit from bespoke golf and business events through to commercial networking opportunities. They also gain a unique insight into the world of elite sports performance and help Underpin’s portfolio of players achieve their full potential at the very highest level of the professional game. Jamie, formerly a director of one of the world’s largest paper, print and packaging suppliers, will along with his role at Underpin Sports, maintain his full-time commitments as CEO of business consultancy firm, Touchstone Global and the chairman of Burnley-based marketing company, +24. Commenting on his appointment, Jamie said: “What really resonates with me is the opportunity to support Underpin and be part of an extremely dedicated team that shares such an ambitious vision for the business." "There is a genuine passion for the sport of golf and the development opportunities for both players and corporate partners are endless. It’s giving back to the wider golfing community and future stars of the game, by creating better, stronger, happier and higher performing humans." “The role combines my love of golf with an exceptional network of corporate partners that are integral to our future business growth.” Stewart Clough, managing director for Underpin, added: “To bring someone of Jamie’s calibre on board is a major coup for Underpin. We have ambitious aims for the company and feel his commercial acumen and pedigree within the companies he has worked for can only benefit us in the journey ahead." “He shares our philosophy of developing elite golfers, not just as players but as people as well, creating a solid platform for them to excel at the highest possible level. Everyone connected with Underpin has been energised by his arrival, and we’re looking forward to utilising his experience to take the business to the next level.”

Researchers at the University of Glasgow and Lancaster are on a mission to inspire the next generation of plant scientists with educational resources that transform existing plant science curriculum into an engaging and interactive subject for classroom learning. The Sci-Seedlets project – led by a multidisciplinary team from the University of Glasgow – aims to educate school age children on the importance of plant physiology and plant science research using a mix of traditional and digital STEM-led educational resources, including an interactive game resource which launched at Knightswood Primary School in Glasgow this week. The new Sci-Seedlets educational kits for classrooms combine traditional, experiment based, interactive-gaming and digital STEM-led educational resources to enhance learning outcomes for pupils. The resources are designed to be sustainable, accessible, and affordable; designed to provide tasters into plant science research and its importance in solving global problems by drawing upon plant science research at the University of Glasgow. By supporting educators to teach plant science in the classroom, the ultimate goal is to influence future career decisions of children by making them fully aware of the potential of plant science. By integrating a range of cross-disciplinary partnerships, the Sci-Seedlets project has evolved over a decade to better understand the needs for engagement and learning. The team have participated in science festivals, conducted school trials, held workshops, worked with teachers, and shared the individual resources, also translated into Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish for wider accessibility, with over 20,000 people and educators worldwide. The Sci-Seedlets’ first of its kind virtual game “Thaliana: Quest for Gene X” – developed in collaboration with Human Computer Interaction scientists at Lancaster University – now includes new STEM diversity character designs and opens the world of plant science to children through an interactive game where children can perform virtual molecular plant experiments, embark upon adventures in a plant science laboratory, and unlock fascinating facts about plants and plant growth, while sparking their curiosity and improving their knowledge about plants. By gamifying plant science, the team hope to encourage children around the world to learn not just about molecular plant science, but the importance of molecular plant research’s role in developing new strategies to engineer crops to be healthy and resilient to climate challenges for global food and water security. Dr Rucha Karnik, Senior Royal Society University Research Fellow and Sci-Seedlets developer and project lead, from the University of Glasgow’s School of Molecular Biosciences, said: “We are so excited about the rich engagement experience we have gained over the years culminating in the development of the Sci-Seedlets educational kits." "As a team, we want to not only communicate our science, but also to enthuse a fascination for the subject and encourage more children and young people to pursue plant science. This is best served by understanding the needs of the pupils and educators to help facilitate teaching of the subject in the classrooms.” Mrs Rhona Martin, Principal Teacher at the Knightswood Primary school at Glasgow, who has supported Sci-Seedlets resource developments from an educator’s perspective, said: “We believe the Sci-Seedlets projects has the immense potential to impact public interest in plants and empower younger generations to pursue plant science.” Dr Abe Karnik, Senior Lecturer HCI at Lancaster University, and developer of Thaliana said: “Sci-seedlets is a unique opportunity and challenge for a cross-disciplinary team of scientists to make complex science interesting and attractive to a young audience." "We transformed complex concepts into simple game mechanics that retained the scientific accuracy while delivering a playful experience. To us, Sci-Seedlets is an exciting new direction for experiential learning for STEM and grounded in game design and interactivity research.” Sci-Seedlets resources include new designs for scientist characters in the learning activities to promote concepts of equality, diversity, and inclusion in science. Dr Tim Peacock, Lecturer in History and Co-Director of Games and Gaming Lab at University of Glasgow’s College of Arts and Humanities, who helped develop the characters, said: “Our UofG Games Lab contribution to this innovative project has included graphic design of the game characters, informed by research-led historical study of how people from diverse backgrounds have represented themselves in different art media and video games." The Sci-Seedlets project is realised through support from SMB, MVLS Innovation team, funding from BBSRC, The Royal Society, Glasgow Knowledge Exchange Funding and the University of Glasgow.

The UKs leading supplier of gritters and winter maintenance vehicles is celebrating its female employees today as the world marks International Women’s Day.   Yorkshire-based Econ may operate in what many regard as a male-dominated engineering and manufacturing world, but its ethos of equal opportunities continues to promote diversity within its workforce.   Figures from the Women’s Engineering Society released in 2022 revealed how women now make up 16.5% of all engineers in the UK, compared to 10.5% reported in 2010, representing a six per cent increase in the proportion of women in the workforce.   This year’s International Women’s Day message is to ‘inspire inclusion’, and Econ is keen to ensure opportunities at its Ripon factory are there for everyone… no matter your gender.   Econ director, Katie Sharman, said: “Econ is a family run business which looks after its staff as though they were part of that family. Being a woman should not, and does not, prevent you from doing any job that you wish to take on, and here at Econ we make sure there are equal opportunities for all our staff." “International Women’s Day is important as it raises the profile of women workers in a wide range of sectors and industries, helping to break down the barriers that may have previously blocked female applicants.”   With an 85% share of the market, Econ prides itself in providing the vehicles and machinery needed to keep our nation’s roads open and our streets safe.   Whether sold or leased to councils and contractors, the Econ vehicle stands for British manufacturing excellence and durability… and equality.   Finance Director, Beverley Shepherd, said: "International women’s day is really important to Econ because it celebrates the achievements of our hard-working staff and promotes equality within the workforce.” Clare Hope, Hire Desk Manager and Office Manager, added: "I believe that days like International Women’s Day really do help to stamp out any inequality and stop discrimination across the workforce.   To  ensure that Econ has a more diverse workforce, all opportunities within the business are open to everybody, not only men, helping women to grow and to develop their skills.”   And Chrissie Gargett, Hire Desk Administrator at Econ, added: “The types of women who inspire me are those who challenge the industry and those who go against the grain."   “There are barriers within the industry because it is traditionally seen as a male dominated industry and it can be regarded as quite difficult for women to climb the ladder… but it is not impossible.”

Leicester Pride are thrilled to announce that Zander Murray – one of only FIVE out LGBTQ professional footballers IN THE WORLD – has been ‘signed’ to co-host Leicester Pride, as it makes its colourful return to the city on August 31st, 2024. Zander will co-host the main stage at Leicester Pride 2024 - which celebrated its 15th anniversary last year with its biggest ever event – as it returns to the city’s Abbey Park once again, bringing the city together to celebrate Leicester’s diverse LGBTQ+ community. Zander achieved worldwide ‘fame’ overnight, when he became only the third actively playing footballer in the world to come out back in 2022. He now plays successfully for Bonnyrigg Rose – a Scottish Professional Football League club – using his profile off the pitch to benefit LTBTQ+ charity, Stonewall, where he is an Ambassador. He regularly works with ‘Time for Inclusive Education.’ He not only devotes time to the sport he loves, but shares his passion with workshops in schools, football academies and even the Hong Kong Gay Games. In 2023, he was named by Attitude Magazine as one of the LGBTQ trailblazers changing the world and the football shirt he scored his 100th goal wearing was placed in the Scottish Football Museum – testament to his record-breaking goal scoring achievements in one season. Since coming out, Zander has shared his story on many TV shows including Lorraine (ITV), Good Morning Britain and Sky Sports, as well as many BBC shows including the BBC documentary, Out On The Pitch, where he explored what is being done to tackle homophobia in football and follows him as he discovers how the sport can be made more inclusive. Simon Harrison, Event Manager of Leicester Pride said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming Zander Murray to our hosting team – such a high profile and inspirational out pro footballer. We hope that Zander’s involvement in Leicester Pride 2024 will not only inspire our community, but show the world that sport is changing and can be a welcoming and inclusive space for all sexualities. He’s a true icon changing the face of football.” Zander Murray comments; “I’m absolutely ecstatic to co-host Leicester Pride. I’ve seen the footage of last year and it looks amazing. I’ve got family in Leicester and friends, but more importantly, I think there has to be more crossover with football and LGBTQ+. Celebrations like this can only help this.” He continues; “I’m well aware of Foxes Pride – LCFC’s LGBTQ+ group for members and allies – and have had many interactions with them. I can only hope that my involvement with Leicester Pride encourages closeted people in general to be their authentic self, as I came out at the first Pride event I went to. I’d strongly encourage anyone struggling with their sexuality getting yourself down to Leicester Pride as I have no doubt, you’ll have THE best time ever! And, of course, I’m co-hosting it, so what better way to get yourself down. It’ll be an amazing day”. Leicester Pride will take place on Saturday 31st August, with the parade starting at 12pm outside Curve before heading through the city to Abbey Park

One of Scotland’s leading hospitality groups Buzzworks is raising a glass in celebration after being shortlisted for four industry-leading awards. The Ayrshire-based bar and restaurant operator – which has 19 venues across Scotland – has been announced as a finalist in the ‘Best Managed Pub Company’ category at the annual Publican Awards. Described as one of the “biggest awards in the business”, the annual event celebrates the very best managed companies currently operating across the UK. Buzzworks is the only Scottish operator of its kind to be shortlisted in the category, with the winner set to be announced at a glittering ceremony at the Evolution London venue on 27 March 2024. Kenny Blair, managing director at Buzzworks, said: “It’s an honour to be recognised among some of the UK hospitality industry’s biggest players on one of the most hotly-anticipated awards nights of the year." “We are incredibly proud to be the only Scottish company nominated for this prestigious title, and are excited to wave the flag for Scotland’s dynamic hospitality sector on a national stage." “This nomination is a testament to the outstanding people who work in our business, as well as our commitment to delivering a superb customer experience to our guests throughout Scotland’s towns and suburbs. I’m looking forward to meeting the other finalists in March and celebrating the very best talent our industry has to offer.” Meanwhile, the family-run hospitality company has also been nominated for two separate categories at the Scottish Hospitality Awards in Glasgow on 22 April. Scotts Greenock, which opened last year at Greenock Ocean Terminal, has been nominated for the ‘Best Dining Experience’ award, while The Corner House in Kilwinning has been named as a finalist in the ‘Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year’ category. Additionally, Scotts Greenock has also been shortlisted for ‘Family Restaurant of the Year’ at the upcoming Scottish Restaurant Awards on 18 March. Kenny added: “We are consistently striving to provide great dining experiences and culinary excellence in each of our venues right across Scotland. I am thrilled this has been recognised by our guests and we couldn’t be more thankful for their continued support.” Buzzworks is renowned for its commitment to the wellbeing and development of its team, as well as its staff benefits, ongoing training, flexible working and career progression. The group was recently named one of the ‘Best Companies to Work For in the UK’ for the eighth year in a row, gaining an ‘Outstanding Levels of Engagement’ accreditation thanks to employee feedback.

To mark B Corp month, Edinburgh-based organic Lind & Lime Gin has announced it has achieved the globally recognised B Corp accreditation, solidifying its position as a leader in ethical business practices within the spirits industry. Founded in 2018, Lind & Lime joins only 19 gin distilleries worldwide that hold the title, becoming only the fourth Scottish gin distillery to attain the certification, alongside Botanist Gin, North Uist and The House of Botanicals. Ian Stirling, Co-Founder of Lind & Lime said: “The B Corp certification felt crucial for us. It validates our commitment to sustainable and responsible business practices but perhaps more importantly, it provides us with a credible and recognised framework to measure our social and environmental impact.. ‘Being a B Corp aligns with our core values and mission, serving as a guiding principle for everything we do". "It's not just about being a profitable business; it's about using our platform to drive meaningful change and contribute to a better future for all.” The accreditation bolsters Lind & Lime's ongoing commitment to sustainability and ethical standards, with the independent distillery always adhering to organic practices, becoming certified organic in April 2023. Samuel Travers, Head of Gin at Lind & Lime added: “B Corp certification has a significant impact on our day-to-day operations by embedding sustainability and social responsibility into every aspect of our business. It influences decision-making processes, from sourcing materials to interacting with stakeholders." "It guides our choices in selecting suppliers who share our values of ethical sourcing and responsible production. ‘It also affects our internal policies and practices, such as employee well-being initiatives and waste management strategies. Overall, being a B Corp shapes our organisational culture, driving us to continually improve and innovate in ways that benefit both people and the planet.” B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials. The company behind Lind & Lime, Muckle Brig, was founded by Edinburgh locals Ian Stirling and Paddy Fletcher, with the intention of restoring the rich history of distilling in Leith. The team are also behind the UK’s first vertical distillery, Port of Leith which opened in October 2023, designed by fellow B Corp, Threesixty Architecture.

Emily Wragg, CEO of children’s cancer charity Candlelighters, has been shortlisted for the Public and Third Sector Leader in the Yorkshire Leadership Awards. Candlelighters is a charity which for over 45 years has brought comfort to families affected by childhood cancer across Yorkshire, by providing emotional, practical, and financial support, as well as investing in vital research to save lives and reduce the suffering of children with cancer. Each year, over 150 children in Yorkshire are diagnosed with cancer. Emily has played a crucial role in Candlelighters’ expansion and success over the years. One of her early milestones was the opening of the Candlelighters Family Support Centre, The Square, providing families with a space close to the hospital to receive support including talking therapy, massage and other well-being services. Emily also spearheaded the establishment of The Candlelighters Cottage, a four-bedroom house that provides a home-from-home environment for families traveling to receive treatment for their child. She has expanded Candlelighters’ services to be accessible across the county by introducing a community model to widen support from the hospital to across Yorkshire. Last year, Emily led the creation of a £1 million Candlelighters Supportive Care Research Centre in collaboration with the University of York, which will focus on research tackling the potentially life-threatening side effects of cancer treatment for children. This will see internationally crucial research being led from Yorkshire to help save lives, reduce suffering, and bring hope for children diagnosed with cancer. Emily's leadership style is characterised by trust, flexibility, and empowerment. She believes in removing barriers to success, fostering a non-hierarchical structure that encourages collaboration and innovation. Every member of Candlelighters is encouraged to contribute their ideas, without fear of failure, making Candlelighters a safe and creative space for testing and learning. Emily's leadership was put to the test during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her decisive actions, transparent communication, and unwavering support for both staff and families ensured that Candlelighters not only weathered the storm but emerged stronger. Commenting on her nomination, Emily says, “I’m so grateful to have been shortlisted for such a prestigious award. I feel incredibly humbled to lead such an important charity and to be a part of both what we have achieved, and what we will achieve in the future." "Families are affected by childhood cancer, not only throughout treatment, but beyond – whether their child has long-term side effects, or the family are sadly bereaved. Being able to provide vital support for these families during an extremely traumatic journey is at the core of everything we do.” Georgia, mum to Albie says: “Candlelighters get people through the hardest of times; without them, many parents would break. Cancer literally tips your whole world upside down and Candlelighters holds your hand through it, and supports families in ways that you don't even think of.” The ceremony for Yorkshire’s Leadership Awards will be held on Thursday 21 March 2024 at The Queen's Hotel in Leeds city centre.

A porcupine family at the UK’s largest zoo has grown from three to four, with a spiky new baby joining the prickle – with the little one starting to venture outside just in time for Mother’s Day. Mum Kimya, gave birth to the baby, known as a porcupette, at 3.34AM on February 13 at Whipsnade Zoo. Zookeepers won’t know whether the porcupette is male and female until the tiny tots first health check with the veterinary team, so in the meantime keepers have named the three-week-old Dakari, which is a Zimbabwean name meaning rejoice. Porcupines are pregnant for 94 days, and this is Kimya’s second baby to be born in six months, with her last infant Oti, arriving in August 2023. Keeper Felicity Ball said: “Kimya should be awarded ‘Mother of the Year’, not only has she been caring for her six-month-old Oti, but she also now has a tiny new baby to care for as well. Thankfully Dad, Winga, has been helping with the young." In the wild Cape porcupines (Hysteix africaeauastralis) often live solitarily, before coming together to breed and rear their young, remaining monogamous for life. While porcupettes do have quills when they’re born, luckily for Kimya they’re soft at birth, but become hard and prickly a couple of hours after the baby is born. Felicity added: “It was an incredible surprise for the team to see Dakari curled up next to Mum, Dad and their older sibling Oti the next day.” “While Oti is quite shy, Dakari is very confident, pottering around the family's cosy indoor den following Mum everywhere she goes. They’ve been trying out new things each day, like nibbling on a bit of sweetcorn, one of the family's favourite snacks. While visitors may see the group having their ‘breakfast’ in our afternoon, they’re most active at night”. Felicity explains Cape porcupines are nocturnal rodents, native to central and southern Africa. They are the largest of all the porcupine species and Africa’s second largest rodent. “The Cape porcupines usually venture out when the sun starts to set, but thankfully our night vision cameras help us to monitor the prickle – which is a group of porcupines – when we’re not on the ground,” she said. As expert foragers and diggers, Cape porcupines are considered ‘ecosystem engineers’, however increasingly they can face threats of habitat destruction and hunting. As well as working to protect threatened species around the world, scientists and conservationists from ZSL, the conservation charity behind Whipsnade Zoo, work with communities to protect and preserve healthy ecosystems around the world.

The Tank Museum in Dorset has been playing a role in Ukraine’s war with Russia – by digging out old manuals and parts for Cold War-era vehicles. Both Ukraine and Russia are using ageing tanks that are suffering damage in the current fighting, often driving over mines and losing their tracks. As part of the Government’s support to Ukraine, companies have been asked to assist with replacement parts and upgrades to vehicles – and this included replacement tracks. However, the technical specifications have been hard to source and the Ukrainians are understandably busy. So when asked to support the project, David Willey, curator of the award-winning museum, looked in the extensive archive and found manuals and drawings for the tanks being used by President Zelenskyy’s forces. These have helped Cook Defence Systems re-engineer new tacks, some of which have just arrived in Ukraine and will help the country’s army keep fighting. With the war more than two years old there is a requirement to keep as much hardware as they can on the battlefield. The MTLB, BMP1 and T72 armoured vehicles were originally in service when Ukraine was part of the USSR, and it is these that are back in action. Mr Willey said: “When we were asked to help we immediately went and looked for anything that might be of assistance." “UK’s defence companies are very keen to assist but in some cases the people from the Cold War era are no longer around and the knowledge has gone in some areas. Details such as the angles, pitch and tension required for the new tracks were sought and our archive was able to provide them." “We also found examples of the actual items required such as T72 tracks and pins from one of the vehicles in the collection. The new parts could then be made accurately, some for the very first time in the UK." “Part of the museum’s role is to help retain corporate memory and it’s surprising how many issues for defence contractors, designers and of course the actual soldiers, come back again and again. We also have Ukrainian soldiers training here at Bovington and they visit the museum and just as with the current British Army, the collection is used for training." “This goes back to the beginnings of the museum which was created as a teaching collection for the first Tank Corps soldiers at the end of the First World War. It has been an honour to play a small part in helping our allies in their war against an aggressor." “And there are many other ongoing projects with UK companies and organisations that are all doing their bit too.” Cook Defence Systems, headquartered in Sheffield, can trace its history as the manufacturer of tracks for British armoured fighting vehicles back to 1941. It develops and makes a range of tracks, including those for the Challenger 2 tank. Major challenges to the project remained even after the museum’s plans were provided; these included the development of new steel alloys to match the original Russian specifications, and re-designing forged and welded components as castings to suit the new manufacturing process. About The Tank Museum The Tank Museum at Bovington in Dorset brings the story of tanks and tank crews to life. With over 300 tanks from 26 nations, The Tank Museum holds the finest and most historically significant collection of fighting armour in the world. These range from the world’s first ever tank, Little Willie, through to the British Army’s current Main Battle Tank, Challenger 2. Ten powerful exhibitions tell the story of armoured warfare spanning over 100 years of history. As you explore the Museum’s seven large halls, you come face with face to face with tanks and hear incredible true stories from the last century.

Commercial e-waste specialist Intelligent Waste Management Ltd (iWaste) has reported growing demand for a unique direct-to-customer service as consumers continue to seek environmentally-friendly ways of destroying sensitive data and disposing of unwanted small electricals. The popularity of the Arborfield Cross company’s Send & Destroy service comes as the domestic electronic waste mountain continues to grow and the UK is this year set to overtake Norway and become the world’s largest contributor to e-waste. It also coincides with new Government proposals which would see producers and retailers taking responsibility for financing the collection of old electronic goods from households, starting in 2026. The Send & Destroy scheme involves customers sending small electronic items – such as tablets, mobile phones, hard drives, memory cards, CDs and RAM sticks – to iWaste which destroys sensitive data, recycles components and returns a Certificate of Destruction to confirm the work has been carried out. iWaste Operations Director Sam Mountain said there had been a dramatic increase in demand for Send & Destroy, which he put down to a growing awareness of how e-waste affects the environment and of the dangers of valuable information getting into the wrong hands. He said: “Computing or data storage equipment is regularly being renewed as the requirement for more speed or storage evolves. Businesses and households have often paid very little or no thought to the end destination of old, broken or obsolete models." “That is very worrying because personal data, home and family videos, photos, friends’ names and numbers, banking information, internet information, website history and school/university work is all contained on domestic equipment." “For businesses, the list is endless and includes strategic business plans, financial information, customer lists, confidential contracts, pricing information, firewall configuration files and encryption keys." “Every email you have ever sent, every password to every system you use, every website ever visited and every document you have ever created are all easily available in today’s sophisticated world of cyber thieves." “Take the experts advice – the only way to ensure complete data destruction is to physically destroy these items.” Sam, whose company is certified by B Corp, known as the gold standard for sustainability, as well as off-setting its carbon emissions through a tree-planting partnership with Forest Carbon, said green issues were also behind the increasing demand for Send & Destroy. He added: “We have all seen the extremes of weather across the world brought on by climate change and more people are waking up to the fact that we must do something to save our planet." “Even if recycling valuable components from electrical items may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, all we can do is take one step at a time and ensure we are giving it our best shot – if everyone does the same we will see change.” Independent not-for-profit organisation Material Focus says more than half a billion small ‘FastTech’ electricals – everyday small electrical items, from headphones to cables, decorative lights to mini fans and even single-use vapes – were bought in the UK in 2022 with 471 million items binned. Material Focus’s mission is to stop electricals being hoarded and thrown away, and ensure they’re reused and recycled instead, especially precious materials contained in small electricals, including copper, lithium and stainless steel, through its UK-wide Recycle Your Electricals campaign. The London-based organisation says more than 100,000 tonnes of waste electricals are thrown away every year and 880 million electrical items (of all kinds) are lying unused in UK homes – that’s 30 items gathering dust in the average household. Material Focus estimates that 2.8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions – equivalent to taking 1.3 million cars off the road – could be saved should all of the small electricals being hoarded or thrown away be returned to the economy. Online comparison and switching service Uswitch says the UK is set to overtake Norway and become the world’s largest contributor to e-waste this year, with current level at 23.9kg of e-waste per capita, just behind Norway’s 26kg. A study by the firm also reveals that IT and telecoms e-waste has nearly doubled in size since 2008, with projections suggesting that e-waste in the UK could rise as high as 55,000 tonnes by the year 2030. Government plans that would see producers and retailers taking responsibility for financing the collection of electronic goods from households, starting in 2026, is currently at the consultation stage. According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) the new plan will allow consumers to have the option to either schedule pickups for electrical waste (e-waste) from their homes or conveniently drop off items during their weekly shopping trips. The purpose of the consultation is to seek views on reforms to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013, which are intended to drive up levels of separately collected WEEE for re-use and recycling. It also sets out detailed proposals for reforms relating to the provision of collection infrastructure for household WEEE, ensuring producers and distributors finance the full net cost of collection and proper treatment of products that end up as waste. iWaste, established in 2013, has invested heavily in infrastructure, vans, people and a new bespoke, cloud-based management portal which has driven an ambitious move to a paperless operation. Last year iWaste, which employs 35 people, also celebrated its 10th anniversary and moved to bigger premises outside Reading to facilitate strategic business growth.

Sports teams from Dundee’s two universities will go head-to-head in a series of matches and challenges as they battle to take home the Varsity cup. The University of Dundee, current holders of the Tay Varsity Challenge Trophy, will take on Abertay University, on March 20. More than 600 student athletes will compete in 24 sporting events at various venues across the city, and it is hoped that many more will join the crowds in support. Spectators armed with foam fingers, bang-bang sticks and red or blue t-shirts will be encouraged to cheer on their team – and everyone is welcome from current and former students, to members of the public. Sporting events range from football and rugby to tennis and archery, and are all free to attend. There will also be cheerleading and dance performances and the day will be topped off with an awards ceremony and free pizza. The University of Dundee Sports Union President, Alice Saville said, “Varsity is always a day packed full of fun, whether you are participating or a spectator. I’m looking forward to seeing both universities from Dundee compete and making some lasting memories.” This is the 15th time the sporting event has taken place and it is the biggest amateur sporting event in the city’s calendar. As the smaller university, Abertay has called themselves the ‘underdog’, but say that has not dampened their enthusiasm to win, adding that ‘everyone loves and underdog success story’. Michael Devlin, Sports Development Officer at Abertay University, said, “Varsity’s the highlight of the student calendar, marking the exciting culmination of both league and cup seasons." “Anticipation runs high as we eagerly await the potential for thrilling upsets throughout the event. We're looking forward to a bit of friendly rivalry and hoping to snatch the trophy from Dundee!” Sports include football, rugby and hockey games, all of which will be held at Riverside between 12pm and 5pm. Basketball, netball, volleyball, tennis and badminton matches will also take place, all at the University of Dundee’s Institute of Sport and Exercise (ISE), off Hawkhill, between 12pm and 6pm. An archery contest will also take place at ISE at 10am and there will be swimming galas between 2pm and 4pm at ISE’s swimming pool. Athletics events will be held at the Regional Performance Centre at Caird Park, Dundee, from 1pm to 4pm. Pool matches will start at 1pm at Shotz Pool and Snooker Dundee, Douglas Street, and golf will take place from 11am at Scotscraig Golf Club, in Tayport.