The Chairman of East Northamptonshire Council (ENC) has officially crowned the recipients of an award scheme set up to recognise the unsung heroes of the district.

The East Northants Chairman Champions awards were launched in August 2020 and Cllr Helen Howell, ENC’s final Chairman, has now had phone and Zoom calls with all the recipients of awards to congratulate them and find out more about the work they have been doing.

The winners of the awards in each of the categories are:

Business/Organisation:

• Cafe@25, Irthlingborough
• The Woodpecker, Raunds

Community Organiser

• Rob Giddings
• Anne Gilbert
• Linda Gretton
• Mike Herring
• Camilla Sherwin
• Charles Tomalin

Good Neighbour

• Colin Godfrey

Helping in the Community

• Cathryn Brightwell
• Tarot Crick
• Richard Lattimore
• Florence Muzvaba
• Cheryl Tompkins
• Joanne Vissian
• John Wooding

Voluntary Group

• 1st Raunds Scout Group
• East Northants First Responders
• Raunds and Thrapston Area Volunteers
• Support@Titchmarsh

Volunteer

• Damian Stiles
• Katie Sorrell

Young Person

• Lily & Maisie Howe

Cllr Helen Howell said:

“When I originally launched the awards, I hoped we would be able to meet in person to hand over the awards, but sadly this couldn’t happen. However I was delighted to still be able to congratulate the recipients of my Chairman’s Champions awards, some via Zoom and some on the phone.

“I was truly inspired by their commitment to this community, its environment, and the ways they have provided support, mentoring and companionship throughout the pandemic and before.”

To find out more about the awards and the winners, please visit www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/ENChampions

A new generation of long-term homeworkers created by COVID-19 is at risk physically and mentally through inadequate employer support.

Research reveals employees are already feeling the negative effects of a home environment often ill-equipped for the working day. The company behind the research, EIZO, warns there may be a rise in ‘Homeworking LOSERS’, or ‘Laptops On Sofas and Employment Rights Shelved’.

Almost forty per cent (39%) of people are functioning without any additional, employer-provided equipment such as a laptop, mouse, keyboard, monitor or desk chair. And staff who are receiving some form of extra kit for working at home make up – at most – just over a third of the total polled (37% receiving laptops).

While employers might be doing their best to support staff by providing laptops, a mouse (33% of total) and keyboard (27% of total), this lack of appropriate equipment – and low provision of desk chairs (17% of total) – can lead to physical effects on homeworking staff.

The problem is exacerbated by only a third of people having a dedicated home office space and even 12% claiming to work from a sofa with a laptop on their knees.

Colin Woodley, CEO at EIZO, said: “As many of us are facing new lockdown restrictions, more people working from home is inevitable. Even when restrictions start to ease we understand many organisations may offer a more flexible way of working in the future.”

“This increases the risk of creating a nation of ‘Homeworking LOSERS’ – in other words, ‘Laptops On Sofas and Employment Rights Shelved’. Employers need to understand their duty of care to employees extends to their homeworking technology and furniture requirements.”

According to Health and Safety Executive guidance on long-term homeworking and display screen equipment, employers should ensure “full workstation assessments” and “provide workers with appropriate equipment and advice on control measures”.

According to the research, employees are already suffering the ill-effects of homeworking issues: back strain (28%) and neck strain (20%) feature among the top five working from home issues currently experienced. Back strain places second after “interruptions in the home”, with working longer hours in third place (26%) and “negative impact on mental health” (24%) coming in fourth.

Colin continued: “We know homeworkers want their employers to take action on these issues: almost a third (32%) who responded to our research would like them to provide more equipment, better equipment (25%) and discuss needs with employees on an individual basis (28%).

“At a minimum, this should include a desk and chair for posture, neck and back health plus a monitor for eye and neck health, space saving keyboards and computers with adequate audio-visual equipment to support the increasing number of online meetings.”

For more information and the full research overview, visit www.whereareyouworking.co.uk 

I’m a big fan of herbal and fruit teas, but they have to be the right ones.  How many times have you smelled delicious raspberry, blackcurrant or strawberry only to realise the tea has no taste at all, or been courted by the marketing of ‘sleep soundly’ or ‘have more energy’ only to discover the herbal concoction tastes like lawn mower clippings.

Too harsh?  Maybe so, but so many big brand fruit teas are just chemical mush or just don’t have the taste to back up the fragrance.

Along came Small & Wild, two mums Kate and Becky, who wanted great tea for their little ones to enjoy.  Well move over tinies – I found them delicious!  Will the tinies get a look in in our house? I very much doubt it.

Lots of tea manufacturers add in licorice herb as a natural sweetener.  I’m afraid I think it’s far too sweet and some how tastes artificial too.  These teas for tinies don’t have that.

I’m currently enjoying Jolly Croc – a blend of strawberry, banana and apple.  The others are;

Snoozy Fox – camomile, lavender and spearmint, this smells divine and I intend to try it tonight

Happy Toucan – rooibos, cinnamon and vanilla

Merry Tiger – mango, pear and raspberry

I can’t wait to try them all!

Also, the makers of Small & Wild, award-winning herbal tea for kids, will be launching a limited run of its popular tea sets for sale this Christmas; featuring a perfectly child-sized, silk-screen printed mug, along with the popular children’s tea, beautifully presented in a gift box.

For more information

www.smallandwild.com

Facebook @Smallandwild

Insta @small_and_wild_company