Author: James Anderson, FRSA, CMgr MCMI

The BOOST (Bishop’s Organisation for Outstanding School Transformation) initiative was officially launched this month at Bishop Wordsworth’s Grammar School. The BOOST initiative is a school-wide project aimed at enhancing and rejuvenating the school’s buildings and grounds to create a more welcoming environment. The launch weekend saw staff and students give up part of their weekend to work on the project. Some of the activities included planting bulbs to ensure a burst of colour in the seasons ahead, adding greenery to outdoor spaces, and painting classrooms with bright new colours. The initiative was led by staff members Nikki Mesnard and Helena…

Rachel Reeves has dealt a crushing blow to Britain’s beleaguered farmers by refusing to scrap her inheritance tax raid and offering only the tiniest concession, a farming activist has claimed. By pressing ahead with her inheritance tax raid, offering only a limited spousal transfer concession and refusing to raise the £1 million cap on 100% agricultural relief, the Chancellor’s second Budget – delivered yesterday amid chaotic scenes after key Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts were accidentally leaked 30 minutes early – confirmed the 20 % effective rate on farm assets above the threshold from April 2026.Gloucestershire farmer Liz Webster, founder of…

Summit of industry heads calls for urgent intervention to improve uptake, suggesting training loans, credit guarantees and independent guidance Heating manufacturers, merchants and trade groups are urging the Government to act now if it is to “restore momentum” to heat pump installation targets. The warning comes ahead of the Autumn Statement and in anticipation of the government’s forthcoming Warm Homes Plan, which industry leaders fear will not go far enough to unlock mass-market adoption. A summit of industry heads at InstallerSHOW 2025 resulted in a plan to accelerate mass-market adoption of the technology. Without it, the group said the target…

Meghan Markle raised eyebrows in her latest glossy magazine interview with an unexpected move regarding her title – but it might not have been all as it seemedThe Duchess of Sussex (Image: Variety via Getty Images)Meghan Markle may have made a string of revealing bombshells in her latest big move magazine interview. But it seems an unexpected moment written by the interviewer as she arrived to quiz the Duchess of Sussex is what has really got people talking.In the chat with glossy magazine Harper’s Bazaar, Meghan gushed over husband Prince Harry, revealing she was drawn to his “childlike wonder and…

There are some items you will need to choose early on in a design process, ideally before the builder even starts on site. One of those items is tiles. Tiles can be underrated but they form part of the foundation of the interior design of your home. They can also be difficult to replace.As a consequence they can be one of the most significant interior design decisions you make and it’s important to get it right. Jacqueline Walsh from TileStyle knows more than most about avoiding common pitfalls when buying tiles.QuantityThe most common early error is not ordering enough tiles…

A car has flipped on to its side during the rush hour in a West Sussex town.Sussex Police said it received a report of a car crashing into a parked vehicle in Wallace Avenue, Worthing, shortly after 08:00 GMT.A 26-year-old man, from Worthing, was arrested on suspicion of drug driving after the crash, according to officers.West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said firefighters “made the scene safe” and left by 09:00. A car has flipped on to its side during the rush hour in a West Sussex town.Sussex Police said it received a report of a car crashing into a…

In Kent, Canterbury City Council, external is offering free parking in Herne Bay on 7, 14 and 21 December, and in Whitstable on 4, 11 and 18 December.Director of place Bill Hicks said: “We have carefully chosen the dates in order to have the maximum impact and help as many shoppers as possible.”Everybody knows how special Christmas is in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable.”Dover District Council, external is offering free parking for the Christmas lights switch-ons in Sandwich on 30 November and Dover on 7 December, and is also offering a free hour to anyone buying at least an hour…

Firefighters tackled the blaze in the yard of a business on the Granby Industrial Estate which caused ‘a lot of smoke’. Businesses in the immediate area were urged to keep their doors and windows shut. Two fire engines were called to the Weymouth Scrap Company site on the corner of Cambridge Road and Albany Road. A fire engine parked outside the Weymouth Scrap Company on Cambridge Road (Image: Andy Jones) A police van was also at the scene with three police officers directing traffic. A spokesperson for Weymouth Fire Station said: “We are currently dealing with a skip fire at…

AMAZON has been forced to stop selling an electric blanket they were due to a serious safety concern. An urgent recall notice outlined a “high risk” of the product setting beds ablaze. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! An electric blanket has been urgently recalled from Amazon The plug on the L’Agraty Electric Blanket has been flagged as a potential fire hazard The L’Agraty Electric Blanket has been removed from the website due to the plug posing a risk of sparking. The plug’s dimensions mean it cannot make a secure connection with the socket. Safety concerns This leaves…

UK regulators are tightening their approach to liquid waste offences in 2026, with the Environment Agency warning that businesses could face unlimited fines for improper storage, discharge or disposal. Recent guidance confirms that companies are increasingly liable for civil penalties and criminal sanctions if they release contaminated liquids into drains, soil or waterways, even unintentionally. The warnings come as part of a wider push to reduce pollution incidents across England and Wales. Regulators say that many cases stem from poor waste classification, leaking containers, untrained staff and the use of unlicensed carriers. With environmental enforcement under renewed scrutiny, the financial…