Possitive Parking Changes to be Introduced

Did you hear the news last week that drivers will soon be given 10 minutes grace on their car parking before a fine is issued?  What great news for shoppers and hopefully it will help our high streets too!

Occasionally we all lose track of time, or have an unexpected hold up, so this new allowance comes as a welcomed lenience.

Did you know that this is not the only change that’s being introduced? 

Soon CCTV systems designed to record your entry and exit of a car park, which are used to issue automated parking tickets are to be banned.  So there will be no more blanket parking tickets being issued.

Another measure being introduced are new powers for parking adjudicators which should give drivers protection against parking fines being issued when there are issues such as poor signage in council run car parks.  Also councils will not be able to issue parking fines at metres that are out-of-order when there is no alternative method to pay for the parking.

There is even a new right coming in that will allow residents and local businesses to demand that the council reviews the parking in a certain area.  This right enables people to challenge parking charges and even the use of yellow lines.

For a change it feels like measures are being introduced to help the public rather than penalise them, surely this can only be a positive thing!

Smoking Ban in Cars Carrying Children

The UK Government have recently released their second-hand smoke campaign to draw attention to the dangers that second-hand smoke in vehicles and homes can cause to children’s health.

This campaign was launched at the same time as new laws were announced stating it will be illegal to smoke in private vehicles whilst carrying passengers under the age of 18 will be banned.  This law will be enforced from 1^st October 2015.

There is no questioning that these new laws will protect children from the health risks associated with passive smoking, but perhaps this will offer a further incentive for those looking to stop smoking too.

The NHS have a widely known ‘Smokefree’ service (www.nhs.uk/smokefree), which comprises of a range of free support and advice on quitting smoking.  But in addition to these there are other alternative methods to stop smoking, such as hypnosis or acupuncture.

How Adventurous are Your Pancakes?

I love Pancake Day!  But how adventurous are you when it comes to the filling?

We ran a quick CSM poll of pancake favourites and it would seem we are a traditional lot here, with the classic lemon and sugar being a firm favourite with the vast majority, with only two differences being lemon and honey and blackcurrant jam.

It was really interesting to hear that all the answers came back with sweet toppings, but I quite like to make a meal of the day, quite literally!

I think little beats a savoury pancake!  How about these as a few ideas?

Savoury Pancake Favourites

Ratatouille and Cheese – think roasted courgettes, peppers, aubergine and soften onions in a rich slightly herbed tomato sauce, topped with melted cheese all wrapped up in a delicious pancake bundle.

Or how does garlic mushrooms and gruyere cheese sound?  There is something quite special about this combination; I think it’s the sweet slightly nutty flavour of the cheese that makes this work so well.

A great option for children is baked bean and grated cheddar cheese, ok not just for children, it’s a winner at any age!

Care to try a ham, cheese and pesto pancake, you can spread a thin layer of pesto on the pancake and top with cheese and ham, wrap it into a little parcel and you’re away.

Sweet Pancake Options

Here are some alternatives for our sweet toothed CSM staff, how about…

Chocolate spread and sliced banana, this is a quick easy options, and goes a treat with a spoon of ice-cream.

One firm favourite sweet pancake filling for me has to be apple and cinnamon, softened apples in a sweet maple syrup sauce with the warming favour of cinnamon.

Who has mini marshmallows in the cupboard?  How about a twist on a hot chocolate with marshmallows.  Why not try a chocolate buttons and marshmallow pancake, make sure you melt the chocolate and marshmallows until they are gloriously gooey before you eat it.

Right that’s it, I hope I’ve given you a few ideas, but now I must go and get the frying pan out!

Martyn Joseph Up Close and Amazing!

I was lucky enough to be a face in an intimate crowd listening to the thought provoking words of Martyn Joseph last night.

The gig was held in a village hall in Wiltshire, where Martyn gave a captivating performance.  In such a venue there is no place to hide, and it was incredible to see such a talented guitar player up so close.  It’s certainly an experience that will stay with me for some time to come.

I hold my hands up and admit that I wasn’t too familiar with his work before the performance, but my eyes are open to the strong messages he projects and the points he raises, with such power and feeling it was an awesome thing to witness, although I must say that I have rather a soft spot for the light-hearted number he played on the ukulele!

But that’s not where it ends, it is profoundly heart-warming to hear that Martyn has set up a charitable organisation called Let Yourself Trust (www.letyourself.net) where he brings awareness to “some very beautiful and life giving projects” in the UK and abroad.  He spoke passionately about the of the works of Project Somos (www.projectsomos.org) in Guatemala which his organisation has recently supported and raised a considerable amount towards.  The trust will now be working towards raising awareness and funds for Zac’s Place (www.zacsplace.org), a largely volunteer led organisation who offer a safe haven for vulnerable rough sleepers in Swansea.   

It’s not every day you come into contact with someone who promotes such compassion, but this man did, and I felt humbled as well as thoroughly entertained.

Thank you Martyn, you’re an inspiration.

Source of Image - www.martynjoseph.net/media/

Safe Urban Driving Awareness

As a business we are continually looking at ways to improve, we frequently look at streamlining our services, adding new options and features for customers, but that’s not where it ends.  We also look at ways of promoting a positive and safe way of working, and as such we are in the process of raising our driver’s road safety awareness through training.

Our drivers will soon be taking part in the Transport for London’s Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) ‘Safe Urban Driving’.  This is a course that is designed to bring awareness to the best practices that should be used when around venerable road uses, such as pedestrians, cyclist and motorcyclists.

Part of the course is designed to give drivers a cyclists’ perspective of riding on busy roads, which I would imaging, would stay in the memory especially for those who do not cycle.

The course is run by a not for profit workers’ co-operation called Cycle Training UK – www.cycletraining.co.uk who also offer a wide range of training for both cyclists of varying abilities as well as for schools and organisations.

Since when have Winter Storms been Named?

I’ve been hearing reports of the winter storm Juno over the last couple of days, and am pleased that it has caused less disruption than was expected, although anyone expecting a delivery on the East Coast of America should be aware that there are likely to be delays.

I like the name Juno, not only as it reminds me of the 2007 film, but I think it’s rather hippy vibe to it, but since when have winter storms been named?  I know that hurricanes are given names as in certain parts of the world, the Atlantic Basin for example; it is common for multiple storms to reach tropical strength in one area at one time.  The naming would go to help identify each weather system, which helps avoid confusion between each hurricane, but his is the first time I’ve been aware of a winter storm being named.

So I thought I would have a look into why the storm was named.

After a little research it seems that this is a convention started by in the US, more specifically by The Weather Channel, a cable TV station.  The Weather Channel have been giving identifying names to these winter storms since 2011.

It would seem that The Weather Channel have caused a fair bit of controversy over the years by naming such storms and the names are not recognised by the wider weather service bodies and organisations.

Personally, I don’t see the harm in giving a weather system a “pet” name, it’s rather endearing, and makes listening to weather reports a little more engaging.

Advantages of Access Points

Like many people these days I have many roles to play during a typical day.  I have a young family, a fantastic job working from home and plenty of items that have either been out grown or that we have fallen out of love with, so I have a small eBay store where these things can find a new home.

I spend quite a lot a time online, and make the occasional (and sometimes not so occasional) purchases, you know what it’s like, some things are just too tempting to leave.  So I find deliveries going in one direction or the other are often in my thoughts.

My Consumer Experience

As a consumer, I find nothing quite as frustrating as waiting in for a delivery.  I have often dedicated the best part of a day to this curtain twitching activity.

But there are times in the day that you just can’t be confined to quarters, the school run, for example.  I try to play this one as tactically as possible – leaving at the last possible minute, then “persuading” my little darlings to hurry home at top speed with a promise of a small treat to eat when we arrive back.

I don’t know if you do the same, but if I have had to leave the house when I’m expecting a delivery, I find that as I get closer to the house I start a military like scan of each road and side roads in search of anything resembling a delivery van.   Then, having a warming sense of optimism when there’s no sign of van, only to reach the house, open the door and have that heart dropping feeling of disappointment when you see that small card lying on the door mat.  “Sorry we missed you…” Great!

And now for the hassle of rearranging the delivery, with the prospect of waiting in another day, or having to traipse all the way to the depot, which for me is the other side of town.  It’s far from ideal!

My Business Experience

The other side of the coin, sending parcels doesn’t come without it’s share of hanging around either.  I have an online account with my courier where I enter all the parcel details, print a label and book a collection.  The small bonus between sending and receiving  parcels is that when I book the collection I can ask whether the pick-up can be made after the school run and often it can - which is great, but then after that time the waiting game begins AGAIN! 

Using Access Points

Well, all this is set to change for me, I’m taking back control of MY time!  I have recently found out about parcel access points.  These are ordinary shops, often convenience stores, where you can drop parcels you are sending off, and have parcels for you sent to allowing you the freedom to choose when you pick up or drop of a parcel. 

You can go to these shops at any time during opening hours and drop off or collect a parcel.

From what I gather you need to double check what time you are dropping off a parcel, as there are cut off times for sending items, but once you know the timings you can plan your time accordingly.  When collecting items you will need to show two forms of ID, so you have peace of mind from a security point of view.  These access points are growing in number rapidly, so there is bound to be convenient locations for most of us.

I’m certainly going to use these access points in the future, and will spread the word to my ebay customers too.

So as far as I’m concerned, waiting in for deliveries is a thing of the past. I feel liberated!