UK Supermarkets ‘Bag for Life’

With recycle week approaching next month and stern warning from Gordon Brown, retailers are beginning to cut down the distribution of the plastic carrier bag by introducing a ‘bag for life’.

Marks & Spencer is the latest to get on the bag for life bandwagon. Within the past month 15 million reusable, ‘bags for life’ have been given away free to UK customers, this is the biggest single giveaway by any retailer of reusable and recyclable bags.

Stuart Rose, M&S Chief Executive said: “M&S customers have certainly responded extremely positively to our bag for life giveaway and we hope that they will bring the bags with them each time they shop with us.”

Asda will also be joining the change from the 1^st of June but theirs will be with a twist. Where as the other leading supermarkets are offering the choice of a bag for life or opt for the usual carrier bag Asda will not be offering this choice.

Paul Kelly, Corporate Affairs Director for ASDA said: "We are the first major supermarket to take this bold step and completely remove carrier bags from our checkouts. Between now and June we will be retraining all our checkout colleagues, talking to our customers about the changes, and installing new units for the reusable and 'bags for life'.”

The bag for life makes it easier for the public to do their bit for the environment.

Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket, although not joining M&S and Asda, they give away on average four billion biodegradable plastic bags each year. Even though these bags are biodegradable Tesco have been trying to cut down the distribution by rewarding points to the shoppers who refuse them and online shoppers can choose bag-free delivery.

Customers of M&S from Tuesday 6^th May will have to pay 5p for plastic bags and the original price of 10p for their bags for life. The money raised will be going to an environmental charity.

 

www.asda-bagforlife.co.uk/

www.marksandspencer.com

www.tesco.com

RollerDisco Mayhem

An extra and unexpected tune was put on the playlist at the Superfunk RollerDisco when the fire alarm sounded putting the breaks on the night.

Described as ‘the ultimate revival of the 70’s and 80’s’ the Superfunk RollerDisco came to 53 Degrees, Preston yesterday, only for the party-goers to be graced with the ringing of alarm bells at 9pm.

The skaters were ushered quickly out of the fire exits into the car park behind the venue whilst security staff attempted to find the cause of the alarm being triggered.

Fifteen minutes later everyone was allowed back in 53 where the night continued and so did the alarm bell, the night ground to a halt once again.

A security guard at the event said: ‘firstly we did not know what the problem was, but then we saw a helium balloon on the ceiling and realised that it was covering the smoke and heat sensors causing the alarm to go off. We did not, however, see this until we allowed everyone back into the venue. The reason the alarm kept sounding after this was because it had tripped itself out causing it to continue ringing.’

Although given an added half an hour to compensate for the problem that occurred, the waiting around for the night to continue caused some people to leave the event early.

Despite the drama in the middle of the night the Superfunk RollerDisco seemed to be a hit with the majority of the party-goers. People rolled on down in their 70’s and 80’s gear, and skated the night away to all the cheesy tracks of the era.

Helen Langford, a student at the university said: ‘In regards to the fire alarm, the DJ managed to keep everyone’s spirits up when the alarm repeatedly went off, the downfall was the 53 Degrees team not realising a lot earlier what caused the problem. Apart from this mishap, I thought the RollerDisco was a big success. It was organised well and was a lot of fun.’

Hopefully Superfunk RollerDisco will be rolling back again soon for some more fun and popping tunes and lets hope the fire alarm keeps silent! 

http://superfunkrollerdisco.com/

www.53degrees.net/

Look stylish, come rain or shine at this years UK music festivals.

It’s nearly that time of year when we grab our festival clobber and head on down to all the buzzing music festivals the UK has to offer. With the UK weather on a yo-yo and the summer months dawning we begin to wonder what we’re going to wear at this years festivals.

Come rain or shine us girl’s want to look good. Here’s a guide to some of the fashion essentials you girls may want to take!

Keep your femininity in all weathers by wearing a skirt or dress not forgetting the essential tights. Teamed up with a pair of wellies if its muddy or flip-flops if its not this will give you that boho look that’s out this summer. If you want that added touch wear them with an oversized cardigan if your cold and a piece of this years must have wooden jewellery.

Wearing jeans is a recommended no, no as they’ll only end up caked in mud and they’re so much harder to deal with when going to the smelly porter loos.

When the sun decides to come out protect your eyes in style with a pair of shades. Forget last years black rims opt for something bright and funky like these heart shaped ones from Topshop for £15.

Don’t end up with a lobster red face if the sun decides to shine, make sure you get yourself a hat to complement your outfit. Straw hats are quite a popular choice or there is the latest Panama Hat that celebs Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan and Ashlee Simpson are all fans of.

For the night of drinking you may want to consider an outfit change in case you end up with your legs in the air and your entire underwear range on show! Opt for a pair of cute denim hot pants and for that nightly chill get a glitzy pair of tights on the go and keep your top half warm with a cosy jumper.

Lastly I recommend a satchel or saddle bag like these from New Look at £15 and £6. Worn across the body it will stay in sight all day and will be big enough for your belongings but small enough for all that dancing you’ll be doing.

 

Safe and Secure

Bright and Funky

 www.topshop.com

www.newlook.co.uk

www.efestivals.co.uk

Rafferty's Rules

An Interview with Rafferty's Rules

They’ve played at the famous Cavern in Liverpool, tackled Fight for the Night at 53 Degrees, Preston and are beginning to get quite a loyal fan base. Rafferty’s Rules may just be the next up and coming band exploding out of the Lancashire new music scene.

The five-piece band consisting of, Amie Dolan (vocals), Will Thompson (guitar), Leigh Harrison (guitar), Matt Weston (bass) and Mark Penman (drums) formed around 18 months ago when they all met at University of Central Lancashire.

The band began from a jamming session between Leigh and Will in the pub. A random night out found them drummer Mark and a bassist was found in Matt, a friend of Leigh’s. A few months in with no singer, Matt asked fellow flat mate Amie to do vocals and then they were Rafferty’s Rules.

When asked on the origin of their name, ‘Rafferty’s Rules’ the reply was, ‘we found it really hard to come up with a name so this one came straight out of the dictionary. Rafferty's Rules means, no rules/no holds barred.’

All their individual influences have made up their no rules/no holds barred name. With Will liking Aerosmith, Leigh with his blues rock, Amie admiring Tom Waits, Mark a big Modest Mouse fan and Matt, Rage Against the Machine for their political views couldn’t allow them to get much different. They show that they’re not afraid to mix it up.

With their influences producing a Funk rock, blues edge with injections of dance and indie, just shows how they don’t conform to one genre or style.

Bassist Matt says: ‘I guess not following what is in the charts and us writing the music that we feel comfortable doing and enjoy is what we feel makes us unique to the other bands out at the minute.’

The band has played many great venues, especially over the past year. Their biggest yet was at the Cavern in Liverpool, famous for The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks and many more. Their most recent gig was on home soil in Preston when they battled against other bands in, Hyper-Wire’s, Fight for the Night where many critics have said, although they did not win Rafferty’s Rules were the true winners, as they showed the most talent.

The best memories however, seem to come from gigs in Amie’s hometown of Warrington. Matt explains: ‘when we do the gigs in Warrington we always spend the whole night out drinking and partying before crashing out in Amie’s mums living room.’

But most of all Rafferty’s Rules say: ‘we love having this experience, it’s not something we will get every day so we are taking it as it comes because we are doing something we love.’

Their university years are coming to an end, so what is left in store for the Preston formed band?

‘We are certain that the end of our uni life is only going to make us stronger as a band and bigger on the music front.’ With a demo already produced that will hopefully be flying into local shops very soon and more recording on the way this may just be true.

By the time October hits they are hoping nothing will be able to stop them!

www.myspace.com/raffertysrules

www.cavernclub.org

www.53degrees.net/

http://www.hyper-wire.com/index.php

Film Review

National Treasure (2004)

As the follow up to National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets has just hit our cinema screens in the UK I thought it was about time I watched the first one to find out if it is worth making that trip to the cinema.

In the second of the two films we will see Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage) attempt to discover the truth behind the assination of Abraham Lincoln, so how did all his adventures start?

A treasure story that has been passed through the generations in Ben Gates (Cage) family results in him going on a treasure hunt to find it.

The film begins with Ben being told the story as a child by his grandfather which then filters into his present life with a team of helpers and himself finding the answer to the first clue to explode into a magnificant adventure.

Successfully Nicholas Cage gives us something to laugh about, a reason to sit on the edge of our seats and leave us wanting more in the first of these two films.

Battling along in a traditional Disney film way, the goodies versus the baddies still doesn't get old and gives us an exciting watch that a Disney film does to you when you were a child!

National Treasure Official Site

National Treasure: Book of Secrets Official Site

Amazon UK Buy National Treasure

imdb Nicholas Cage

Welcome to my Blog

This blog has been created as part of my Journalism module, Reporting for the Web.
It will be teaching me how the web works within the Journalism society and how to report for the web through many mediums.