Health and Safety Courses Now Offered with Risk Based Safety’s e-Learning

A range of online accredited one-on-one courses now available on Risk Based Safety’s new learning platform

February 14, 2019 20.02 GMT time

BRIGHSTONE, ISLE OF WIGHT – With the recent launch of RISK BASED SAFETY’S new website, customers are being offered a range of affordable online Health and Safety courses. Risk Based Safety offers a range of courses from Level 2 Food Safety to Legionella and is designed to go at each individual’s pace. Each course has been fully approved by various approval bodies to ensure standards are of the highest quality. In addition to this, some of the courses are officially recognised by OFQUAL and appear on the National Register of Regulated Qualifications.

 “We work with our clients to develop health and safety solutions that are sustainable because they are pragmatic and effective. Our online training courses, in particular, are designed to go at the pace of each individual learner. And each course provides an opportunity to go over the learning content as many times as needed, so every learner gets the best learning experience,” says Fern Alexander, Marketing Director for Risk Based Safety.

Priding themselves on being affordable for companies and individuals alike, Risk Based Safety are now offering customers 25% off their courses with the code RBS1.

Visit https://riskbasedsafety.co.uk/health-safety-online-training/ for more information about the wide range of courses on offer. Risk Based Safety offers free trials of most of their products and is happy to do discounts for groups or people making multiple purchases.

About Risk Based Safety:

Risk Based Safety are a company based on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. They specialise in document production of policies and safety plans, particularly in the work place. As well as this, they also provide Health and Safety related mentoring and training. For more information visit: https://riskbasedsafety.co.uk.

A Technicolored Extravaganza...

On Saturday, I was lucky enough to watch the Wight Strollers production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.


It’s no secret that I’m slightly critical when it comes to this particular musical. After all, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has held a special place in my heart ever since I donned my scraggly black wig and pranced around as an Egyptian girl for Brighstone Primary School’s amateur production. The Wight Strollers, therefore, had the difficult job of not only impressing my adult self—but also my eight-year-old inner child.

Despite being almost 40 years old, Joseph remains just as popular today as it was decades ago. The musical is a Bible story which is bursting to the brim with light-hearted satire, catchy show tunes and a variety of different musical styles almost as great as the number of colours on Joseph’s iconic technicolored coat.


Thankfully, the Wight Stroller’s production of Joseph did not disappoint. Visually stunning and vocally impressive, Joseph was a treat to the eyes and ears from curtain up to curtain down.


With a stunning array of different colours, gigantic staircase, and an impressive Egyptian painted backdrop, it was clear that the Wight Strollers had pulled out all of the stops for their first musical.

Amazingly, their technicolored dreamcoat contained over 150 different colours, each of which had been painstakingly stitched together by talented seamstress Geraldine Tulloch.


For anyone who doesn’t know, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat tells the story of Joseph, the 12th and most favoured son of Jacob, who is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers.


Slipping into that famous coat and filling the title role was 25-year-old Nick Weightman, who added a charming and endearing innocence to the part of Joseph. A real highlight was Joseph’s slapstick lipstick lush love-scene with Potiphar’s wife, who was played by the stunning Beth Batchelor. And John Woodford’s horrified reaction, as Egyptian millionaire Potiphar, was just as priceless.

Nick Weightman singing Close Every Door to Me

Nick’s deliverance of the musical’s most iconic and chillingly captivating Close Every Door to Me solo was almost hauntingly beautiful at times.


While the show focuses predominantly on Joseph, it’s the Narrator who barely has a chance to draw breath throughout the production. Since the Narrator seldom leaves the stage and sings in virtually every song, any actress playing the part has the monumental task of regaling the tale energetically in a variety of different musical styles—whilst still interacting with the cast.

Emily Scotcher as the Narrator

Emily Scotcher played the part of Narrator perfectly; rattling off song after song with ease as she effortlessly led us through the story of Joseph.


A hush descended upon the audience from the moment Emily opened her mouth; her powerful voice reaching the furthest corners of the theatre and sending shivers down the spines of the enraptured audience.


From concealing Joseph from sight as he attempted to wave a white flag at his brothers, to failed attempts at cheerleading, Emily Scotcher ensured the audience was never short of chuckles when she was onstage.

Brad Barnley also impressed with his strong voice and extensive vocal range as the Elvis-inspired Pharaoh, leaving the audience in stitches as he gyrated and thrusted through each song. His futile attempt to regain the adoration of the Egyptian girls from Joseph in Stone the Crows was extremely amusing.

Brad Barnley singing in Song of the King

The ensemble cast and chorus—complete with delightful children’s choir—delivered an energetic and seamless production. And there was plenty of tongue in cheek humour with giant inflatable bananas and stretchable prison cell bars.


Adding to the strength of the production were all of the well-known favourites, like Any Dream Will Do and One More Angel in Heaven, which were backed by the lovely chorus and children’s choir. Musical Director Kim Ball did a magnificent job of arranging the music and the live band made the atmosphere electric.


The musical was expertly directed and co-produced by Sarah Scotcher, who had clearly dedicated a lot of time into creating a faultless production. Sarah also had a cameo role as the doomed Butler, in what was one of my favourite moments in the entire play.


A quartet of talented young dancers were on hand to provide extra glitz, glam, and magic to the exceptional show. A special mention must be made to Cheryl Rudd, who choreographed some excellent dance sequences—especially during Those Canaan Days, when Izzy Rudd paired up with the depressed French-clad brothers.

Izzi Rudd dancing in Those Canaan Days

The eleven brothers provided light-hearted relief and a good dose of satire in One More Angel in Heaven, as they broke the news of Jo’s “demise” to their grief-stricken father. Brian Whitewood played the part of distraught Jacob convincingly, and his devastation was perfectly offset by the brothers exaggeratedly wiping at their dry eyes with handkerchiefs.


A real highlight was the catchy Jamaican-inspired Benjamin Calypso song, which saw Michael Mullin, as Judah, take to the stage to proclaim Benjamin’s innocence. In particular, his energetic ‘yellow bird’ wing-flapping had the audience howling with laughter.

The show was polished to perfection, easily rivalling many of the professional musicals seen at places like the Mayflower Theatre—and arguably even the West End.


From the moment the curtain went up, all eyes were glued to the stage. Joseph was so mesmerising and absorbing that time flew-by, and the curtain calls came only too quickly.

Jacob (Brian Whitewood) with his eleven sons (David Kast, John Woodford, Tim Smith, Patrick Barry, Rob Jones, Steve Sutcliffe, Stuart Egan, Marc Phillips, Alex Riley, Ches Checkley-Hill and Michael Mullin)

After the final scene, the cast had the entire audience clapping and singing their way through a medley of songs from the show. As the show drew to a close, the cast and crew received a well-deserved standing ovation from the enamoured audience. On the whole, an impeccable production well-worth the bargain £10 ticket!

Five Tips for Sleeping Better at Night

As someone who tends to get insomnia easily, I've tried a range of different exercises and methods to help my brain relax enough to allow me sleep. When I was younger, I can remember my father telling me to "count sheep" before bed until I dozed off, but, unfortunately, this really didn't do anything except remind me that I can count well! As I've grown older, however, I have stumbled across many methods which supposedly aid sleep—some of which seem to work.

For anyone who is struggling, I have compiled a list of tips to combat that dreaded insomnia. I hope they work for you guys as they've definitely been helpful in regulating my sleep patterns.

1) Pick a set bedtime and keep to it:

Ideally, getting to sleep before 10pm is the most beneficial for your body. Studies have shown that the best time for your body to get optimum rest (and heal itself) are those crucial couple of hours before midnight. Our brains thrive on routine and a set bedtime will mean that your brain will start to differentiate between when it should be relaxing...and when it should be thinking! At first, it might be tricky to break the habit that your brain has developed, in terms of not sleeping, but please do not be tempted to get up if you can't sleep. Stay in bed and keep your eyes closed. If you do this for a couple of weeks then your brain will start to recognise when it should be sleeping and establish a new routine.

2) Increase your magnesium and calcium intake:

Often, sleep deprivation is caused by calcium and magnesium levels getting too low. If you want to ensure a restful night's sleep, either take foods that are rich in magnesium (like dark leafy greens, pine nuts, sesame seeds, fish etc) and calcium (like cheese, milk, yoghurt etc) or pick up some tablets from your local health food store.

3) Breathing exercises:

A really handy exercise for relaxing your body enough to sleep is to breathe in for six seconds, hold for three, and then release for seven seconds. Keep doing this until your mind quietens and you get into a nice relaxed sleep.

4) Turn off all laptops, phones, consoles etc at least an hour or so before bed:

Bright artificial lights, in general, are well-known to decrease sleep quality and duration. If you want to ensure that you get a restful sleep, you need to turn off all of these screens an hour before bed—and keep them away! (Do not be tempted to reach for that mobile!)

5) Keep your bedroom tidy:

An untidy bedroom often equals an untidy mind. Your thoughts are far more likely to be calmer and more collected in a tidy environment, rather than in a messy room. Eliminate clutter physically and you're subconsciously telling your brain to eliminate clutter from your life internally, too—and often that will have a powerful effect in helping you to feel more peaceful.

Extra tips:

As a general rule, lay off heavy meals or sugary snacks/drinks before bedtime, too. If too much sugar or carbs are in your bloodstream, you body will end up with an excess of unused energy and struggle to relax. As a general rule, a nice glass of milk and honey before bed can do wonders.

Recently, I've also discovered that if I eat a banana in the day then I sleep much better, too. The banana regulates the blood sugar levels and stops them from spiking in the evening, which gives me a much better chance of getting some sleep!

Hope this helps. If you have any added tips, please feel free to leave them in the comments below!

F x

Happy January: Introducing the Standard Blog of Goals for 2016...

Sorry for the delay in posting, my workload has been quite intense recently and I'm afraid I've not had many opportunities to put pen to paper! With the start of a fresh year, I have, however, come up with a list of all the things which I want to accomplish by the end of 2016! I've been fairly gentle with myself—setting relatively obtainable goals—so that I know that some items will be ticked off by the end of the year!

By the end of the year, I want to:

• Visit somewhere new
• Go to a Supernatural convention (preferably with Em)
• Finish my novel
• Finish editing my last NaNoWriMo novel
• Increase my cookery skills (particularly with savoury food) 
• Try out Laserquest
• Read at least one new book per month (I love reading so this will help me to do more of the things I enjoy)
• Watch one new film and one TV series per month.
• Double gaming score on the Xbox. 

I know that a couple of the items on this list might be quite hard to accomplish but I feel quite confident that I'll manage some of them. The book I have picked for this month is Maze Runner by James Dashner and it is a cracker! I've raced through the whole series and loved every single moment, even if The Death Cure (which is the final book in the trilogy) did make me cry!

I chose Crimson Peak as my film for the month. I have to say that I was a little disappointed after watching this film, possibly because I'd expected more of a chilling story centred around ghosts and hauntings. In any case, I thought the CGI in Crimson Peak was quite poor, giving the ghosts an almost laughable cartoon quality. Although the premise of the film was actually quite good, reminding me vividly at times of the fairytale "Bluebeard" (but with some added creepy twists), the film let itself down by placing most of its emphasis on needless gore, rather than on building tension and fear. I'm not sure I'd watch the film again; however, I have learnt that I should probably read the blurbs on films before watching them!

Gluten-Free Cheese Biscuits

It's a little well-known secret in our household that Christmas always includes a family baking session. Every year, mother and I get together to bake some festive treats for the holidays—and cheese biscuits are always top of the list.

After being diagnosed with celiac disease, I had some trepidation about making cheese biscuits this year because we'd already perfected the wheat recipe...and I was worried gluten-free cheese biscuits wouldn't be quite as tasty. Thankfully, the gluten-free recipe we have created makes delicious biscuits, too.


Ingredients:

225g (8oz) plain gluten-free flour
1/2 tsp of xanthan gum
1 small egg
175g (6oz) of butter
175g (6oz) of grated strong or extra mature cheese (Taw Valley Tickler Cheddar from Morrisons is fantastic for this recipe)
A pinch of dry mustard and cayenne pepper

Method

1) Preheat oven to 230°C (or 450°F), gas mark 8.
2) Put flour, xanthan gum, grated cheese, cayenne pepper, mustard and butter into blender and mix.
3) When the mixture starts to look like breadcrumbs, slowly add in the egg until dough is formed. (It's important that you do this slowly, as the mixture can become quite runny so you may not need to add all of the egg!)
4) Place sheet of baking paper onto tray
5) Take a strip of cling film and place across work space to stop the dough from sticking
6) Roll dough out to roughly 6mm in thickness
7) Cut dough into roughly 5cm rounds and place on tray 
8) Put in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until golden.

We also used some of the dough and rolled it out into mini sausages so that we could have thick cheese straws. They tasted incredible when they came out of the oven.

Happy Christmas Eve! x

Getting in the Mood for Christmas: Of Christmas Songs and Island Voices...

With only a few days until Christmas is upon us, I wanted to share with you a good technique to get excited about Christmas. Every year, if my mood is sinking slightly, I find that one of the best ways to pep up my Christmas spirit is listening to a good dose of festive music.

Living on the Isle of Wight makes Christmas quite special.  Not to sound like Yoda, but the community vibe is strong with the Island...and there's always so many exciting events held around December time.

One of these events is Carols at Quarr, which is the annual carol service held inside Quarr Abbey's serene chapel. (For anyone who doesn't live on the Isle of Wight, Quarr Abbey, originally founded in 1132, is a working monastery which is home to a small group of Benedictine monks.) Tranquil gardens surround the architecturally stunning Abbey, which remains opens to members of the public most of the year.

On Sunday, led by Linda Filby-Borrett, the Voices of the Isle of Wight held their annual Christmas concert at Quarr Abbey. The fundraising event reportedly went extremely well and the group raised a whopping £860 in collections! Even better, all proceeds went towards maintaining the beautiful and historical Abbey.

After hearing such wonderful feedback from friends about the concert, I was extremely anxious to hear Voices of the Isle of Wight perform their Christmas showcase. Thankfully, as part of a fundraising initiative, Linda Filby-Borrett had produced a CD containing 23 different Christmas tunes—and featuring both the Voices of the Isle of Wight and the monks of Quarr Abbey.

I received my copy of An Island Christmas this morning and have been listening to the CD on a loop ever since. The music is hauntingly beautiful and sends shivers down my spine every time I listen to the talented choir. In particular, O, Holy Night and In the Bleak Midwinter were favourites, eliciting goosebumps and almost moving me to tears. Special mention should be given to Emily Scotcher, whose stunning voice shone out chillingly during her solo piece In the Bleak Midwinter.

I've always had a soft spot for Gaudete and the Voices of the Isle of Wight definitely did the song justice, raising a smile and stirring fresh feelings of excitement towards Christmas. The sensitive orchestral accompaniment throughout each song perfectly balanced the truly magnificent singing from the choir. I was also impressed with Nancy Borrett, the violinist for Away in a Manger, who delivered an exceptionally beautiful instrumental.

Truly, this sort of music is perfect for those in need of a little Christmas spirit. If anyone reading this blog wants a boost, it's worth purchasing a digital download of some uplifting Christmas hymns—or even attending a local carol concert. 

Christmas is for everyone...and so is happiness. May your Christmas be a joyeous one.

F x

N.B. An Island Christmas CD can be purchased for £12 (including postage) from their website. All proceeds go towards maintaining the Grade I listed church at Quarr Abbey.

A Festive Meal - with ALL the Trimmings!

On Monday the 14th of December, as part of our yearly tradition, my friends and I enjoyed a Christmas feast at a local pub! For years, we've been gathering every December to exchange presents and share in a little holiday spirit with each other (before inevitably stuffing our faces with delicious goodies).

Organising the event this year was a little rocky in places, with some last minute cancellations from friends causing a few issues, but I'm pleased to say that the meal was still great fun anyway!

We went to Table Table (Medina Quay) in Newport for our Christmas meal and we weren't let down! The staff at Table Table were extremely kind and understanding about the last minute changes to table numbers and bent over backwards to make us feel at home.

Em and I—it's not Chrismas without a festive photo of us together!

The portion sizes were incredible and the food was excellent value for the price. I wasn't able to try the set Christmas meal, due to having celiac disease, but the staff worked really hard to offer me a meal which was just as appetising—and looked just as festive!

My celiac-friendly chips, peas and cauliflower cheese!

Table, Table outdid themselves with portion sizes, presenting thick cheesecake slices, which looked like door stop wedges, and large plates filled to the brim with tantalisingly tasty treats. Amazingly, we were able to get three whole courses, with generously-sized portions, for just £15.99! For anyone with smaller appetites, two-course meals were also available for just £12.99. I would definitely consider going there again next year as the staff made the whole process so easy and were so friendly!

Domi with her delicious cheesecake!

For anyone looking to jazz up their Christmas meal, I'd also recommend the use of photobooth props. We were kept entertained for ages with fake beards and elf ears, as you can see from the photos below!

Of course, you need to be a certain level of 'silly' to use the photo props kit...but thankfully, my friends are only happy to pull funny faces in front of the camera in the name of fun!

When all else fails, turn your beard into a beak...

We used the 'Elf Yourself' Photo Props Kit, which was £4 and included elf hats, beards, ears, spectacles, holding sticks, a picture frame and even one bald elf head! It's worth shopping around to see what else is on the market though, as you never know what gems you might find for a bargain!

Whatever you're doing to celebrate Christmas this year, I hope it's magical and fun—with just a hint of 'silly'.

F x

Brighstone Christmas Tree Festival

 Every December, for the past nineteen years, Brighstone has held its special Christmas Tree Festival and welcomed guests in from near and far to view the spectular assortment of Christmas trees. Over the course of the past nineteen years, over £90,000 has been raised for various charities because of this superb event—and nothing gets me in the mood for Christmas more than the festivities held around the little village of Brighstone!

With carol concerts, musical ensembles, nativities, bands, festive food and much more, Brighstone Christmas Tree Festival is never short of festive fun. This year, there were over 190 decorated Christmas trees placed around the seven different venues (located in Brighstone and the neighbouring village of Mottistone).

Last Friday, Domi and I wandered across to Brighstone for another one of our random adventures. We were just in time to catch the IW Village Society performing some crackin' Christmas tunes at the Wilberforce Hall. It did not take us long to spot the festive food and drinks stall—nor did it take long for Domi to snag a small slice of stollen for an afternoon snack!




Whilst we were eating, the IW Village Society sang a host of the traditional favourites and encouraged audience participation.

There's something rather warming about singing along to carols with other cheerful members of the public, and it reminds me of how lucky I am to live on the Isle of Wight. Our quaint little diamond-shaped island is so friendly and homely, and I couldn't have asked for a better place to live.



After we had finished belting out carols, Domi and I got a chance to look at some of the beautifully decorated trees. People had gone to such trouble to decorate their trees, so it really was a joy to visit the different venues and look at each painstakingly adorned tree.

Please excuse the picture quality—my mobile phone doesn't take great photos!

There were lots of different trees to view; however, I've just posted up a couple of favourites so that you can get a flavour of the experience. I don't know if you have ever visited similar festivals but I think it's a lovely way of bringing the community together— and I'd definitely recommend the event for anyone visiting the Isle of Wight next year!

Domi next to her favourite Christmas tree in the Wilberforce Hall

I particularly loved the 'Minions' tree, which had been decorated by Brighstone and Shorwell Brownies!

 

 

 

Finally, Domi and I took a walk around the village of Brighstone, admiring all of the pretty Christmas lights outside the houses and shops. Everywhere looked so beautiful and we couldn't help but smile at the magical setting.

I plan to post a few more blog posts in the run-up to Christmas—but, in the mean time, please accept my warmest wishes for the Christmas period. May your Christmas be blessed with lots of happiness and laughter!

F x

December, Hope, and an Overdue Blog Update!

In all the hustle and bustle of work and writing for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), I'm afraid I've somewhat neglected this blog over the past month. I'm really sorry for not blogging in a while but I will do my best to post more frequently over the next few weeks.

The good news is that NaNoWriMo is finished for the year! The bad news is that I've got an extensive editing job on my hands before I decide what to do with my newest work of fiction. I'm not going to lie, a part of me wants to tidy this one up and publish it because I think a lot people would identify with the content—even if, at times, the story makes for slightly uncomfortable reading!

Anyway, I have a lot of exciting blogs planned for the pre-Christmas run-up and I hope you'll enjoy them! There's gluten-free recipes, a list of the best festive films, ideas for Christmassy events, tales of festive frolics...and much more on the way to you so stay tuned!

Also, for anyone who wasn't following me last year, feel free to check out some of my old festive blogs: Top Ten Festive Quotes, Christmas Spirit: The Non-Boozy Kind, A Little Christmas Hope and Love and Christmas Magic.

In the mean time, though, I shall leave you with a festive quote and a little message of hope. Wherever you are, no matter how bleak things seem sometimes, there will always be a flicker of a flame which will help guide you out of that dark tunnel. That flame belongs inside of you and is your own inner strength. You're stronger than you think and you can achieve your dreams. Part of that strength is about remembering that you can ask for help, too—whether from friends, family, or by drawing on your own faith. Often the most successful people become that way from simply believing that they can do it. You can do it, too.

Happy December to all of my wonderful readers!

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas."

—Calvin Coolidge
F x

Autumnal Walks and Neolithic Stones...

Yesterday, I took a lovely stroll across the countryside with one of my closest friends, Domi. Domi and I have known each other since primary school so there's something very special about our friendship. She's seen me at my worst, comforted me through the sad times, berated me during the silly times, and stuck beside me for all of the fun times. There's never a dull moment with her and we both enjoy being outdoors around nature.

The Isle of Wight has some of the loveliest walks you could imagine. The air is so fresh and you cannot help but feel rejuvenated when you trek through the forests, listening to the sound of copper leaves crunching beneath your boots.

I've always been a country girl and I find walking extremely soothing. On this particular occasion, our aim was to reach the Long Stone in Mottistone, which is on the south-west coast of the Isle of Wight.

The only thing about undertaking walking adventures with me is that I tend to stray off the path sometimes...and this has varying degrees of success. For example Domi was not too thrilled by the fact that—after I'd taken something of a detour from the path—she was faced with no other alternative than to slide down this hill.

The lovely thing about walks around the Isle of Wight is that you can have a panoramic view of forests and bracken one side of you, whilst also having stunning views of the sea on the other side.

Of course, as is the usual way, Domi and I decided to do some outdoor yoga exercises. I have to say, doing yoga in jeans is very unforgiving and I don't recommend it! However, I was able to do a few simple positions.

When we were finished with the yoga, we attempted to do a few jumping photos. Our timing was off - and I can't work out whether my photographer for this was either good or terrible as a result! Either way, Domi and I had a good laugh at our attempts to take some 'cool' photos.

We eventually reached our destination for this particular adventure: Mottistone Long Stone. The walks up to the Long Stone are fantastic and there's something rather mysterious about this Neothilic stone. No one exactly knows what it was for or how it was used—but we do know that it's the oldest stone recorded on the Isle of Wight. The Long Stone sort of reminds me of the Isle of Wight's equivelant to Stone Henge and I think it's quite special that we have something which is 6,000 years old so close our homes.

According to legends, St. Catherine and the Devil once had a contest to see who would have control over the Isle of Wight. The tallest segment of the Long Stone, which stands impressively at over 4 metres high, was said to have been thrown with great stamina by St. Catherine all the way from the eastern Down. In contrast, the Devil's stone, which measured just 2.9 metres high, fell short and he subsequently lost. As a result, the two stones came to rest in their current positions, with St. Catherine's standing regal and proud above the Devil's meagre stone. It is said that this is symbolic of goodness triumphing over evil.

Sadly, the area surrounding the stone has been damaged over the years and it's thought that the stone was moved from its original resting place during the Saxon times.

People believe the stone was used for gatherings during the Saxon period. Apparently, the Saxon word for meeting was 'moot' so many people think that the village of Mottistone's name was actually derived from the term 'meeting stone'.

The Long Stone is said to have been built on a ley line, which apparently means it has special energies surrounding it. Being around a ley line is meant to be uplifting and very positive—so I had a touch of the Long Stone to see if I could feel any energy pulsing from it.

Of course, whilst we out and about around the Long Stone, we also couldn't resist basking in all of the autumnal beauty surrounding us—and having a little fun with all of the fallen leaves!

Thank-you, as ever, to all of the wonderful people who have taken the time to read this post. May your day be as magical as mine was yesterday.