"They are creative and sensitive to our business needs, concerned with checking back that their suggestions fulfilled our goals. Their integrity and empathy, as well as their creative skills, are at all times impeccable. I cannot fault the service."

 

New range of "pre-health and safety" toys launched

Wicked Uncle - 27 July 2010

 

A new range of toys, including pea shooters and slingshots that put boys back in touch with their inner caveman has been launched by gift service wickeduncle.co.uk.

 

The new range is launched as part of Wicked Uncle’s bid to get outdoor play back on the agenda of sofa-dwelling kids.

 

“We’re fed up with the amount of pointless, weedy toys that are given to kids these days and we’re equally sick of the scourge of video games which waste away the imaginations of kids”, said Mike O’Shea, founder of Wicked Uncle.  “Kids should be out climbing trees, crawling through brambles and making dens.  They can search our online arsenal, where they’ll find peashooters, slingshots, catapults, boomerangs, bows and arrows, guns, tanks, water pistols and more.  It’s a Fotherington-Thomas and couch potato-free zone.”

 

Recent Health and Safety decisions that are destroying childhood include:

  • Bans by some councils on traditional playground games such as handstands, tag, conkers, yo-yos, skipping and running.
  • Chopping down conker trees to stop children climbing the trees and potentially injuring themselves.
  • A school ban on primary school children making daisy chains in case they pick up germs from the flowers.
  • A recommendation to avoid balloons because they can trigger latex allergies.
  • A ban on taking suncream to school in a heatwave in case it sparked allergies in other pupils.

 

When Richmal Crompton wrote the Just William books, a boy was expected to roam the countryside shooting catapults and kicking footballs through windows. Today Health and Safety has taken over from self-reliance - and even letting your children cycle to school gets you reported to the council.

 

Mike O’Shea added: “I can still remember from my own childhood pea shooters, catapults, homemade bows and arrows whittled from sticks, penknives were almost a compulsory item in every boy’s pocket and 10 year olds would wander the fields with air rifles shooting tin cans. We have replaced a world in which you could hear mothers shouting on their doorsteps at dusk for their kids to come home with one in which the kids are all up in their rooms playing computer games.”

 

- Ends -

 

More information:

 

About Wicked Uncle

Wicked Uncle (www.wickeduncle.co.uk) wants to make sure that you never miss another birthday. Getting cool gifts for kids will impress the hell out of everyone and get the small people eating out of your hand (worrying concept if you have ever been there at tea-time...).

 

At Wicked Uncle, we do the work for you by doing the research, finding out what kids are into and pre-selecting a small group of cool gifts for kids of that age group.  That way, you don't have to trawl through the shops on a Saturday with everyone else's squealing little ankle biters, or spend time on the Internet trying to decide if that strange dinosaur present is for the right age. And our 1-Minute Gift Finder makes it all so much faster.

 

We have put together the best selection of cool gifts for kids that we can find and we keep looking for interesting and unusual suppliers from the mountains of Peru to the beaches of Madagascar.   If we get it wrong and you end up buying something that he/she really doesn't like, then return it to us (for free) and we will either refund you, or replace it with something else.

 

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FOI request reveals burgeoning cost of "tripping tax" for local authorities

itsmyclaim - 22 July 2010

 

  • Data reveals that in five years Local Authorities have paid out an average of £1 million each in compensation for pavement trips before legal costs
  • “Actual cost of tripping tax is ten times that amount and urgently needs to be kerbed” says itsmyclaim.com

 

Information received via a Freedom of Information request supplied to ethical consumer claims service itsmyclaim.com reveals that Local Authorities have paid out on average nearly £1m each in compensation for tripping claims between 2004 – 2009 with the top five councils combined paying out over £30m over the same period.   Itsmyclaim.com estimates that this is around a tenth of the total price tag for local government, with the additional costs arising from legal fees, referral fees and other disbursements.   Combined, the price tag for compensation claims to Authorities for the last five years could be as high at £1.5 billion – easily enough to buy a hospital or a fleet of ambulances.

 

 

The figures come at a time when the coalition government are writing to all six million state employees in the country, asking for their help in identifying potential savings that would limit job losses.   

 

Commenting, Mark Brickles, CEO of itsmyclaim.com said; “Ambulance chasers are literally tripping over themselves to win the lucrative custom of personal injury victims, with some paying middlemen up to £1,000 as a referral fee. With huge spending cuts on the horizon, which themselves will no doubt impact highway repairs and improvements, this figure is only set to rise. Effectively, taxpayers will find themselves in a position where their taxes will be spent on rising volumes of claims with 90% of the money going to Ambulance Chasing sharks.”

 

Itsmyclaim.com circumvents expensive legal costs in 9 in 10 personal injury claims by providing a safe, fair and fast way for claimants to get the money that they deserve. The service reduces the ‘cost of claim’ by removing legal costs, speeding up the process and allowing the claimant to move forward with their lives.

 

Itsmyclaim.com allows the claimant to make a direct claim against the offending party thereby speeding up the process, providing early settlement of compensation and being less of a stain on the state.  

ENDS

 

About Itsmyclaim.com

Itsmyclaim.com enables consumers to take control of their personal injury and faulty product claims and liaise directly with the defendant company.  The service is free to use and seeks to reduce the disproportionate legal costs currently impacting on the retail, leisure and public sector.

 

Itsmyclaim.com was founded by Chief Executive Officer, Mark Brickles who secured funding for the business from a high profile investment team at a North West Business Angels event.

 

About Mark Brickles, CEO, Itsmyclaim.com

Mark has worked within the insurance, legal and technology sectors for the past decade including major corporates, law firms and entrepreneurial dot coms. He has a strong knowledge of the insurance, legal, technology and consumer sectors and is an innovative thinker and creator of the Itsmyclaim idea.  His expertise enables him to provide strong support businesses that are responsible and embrace consumer/organisation relationships.  Through creating the Itsmyclaim.com business, Mark aims to promote transparency and fairness in the personal injury environment.

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Unusual new breakfast juice blend 'beets' stress

Pomegreat - 19 July 2010

 

A new juice blend which combines beetroot and pomegranate looks set to become the breakfast drink of choice for stressed workers.  The juice hits the supermarket shelves this week after new research suggested drinking a glass of beetroot juice lowers blood pressure.

 

The blend, from pomegranate juice specialists Pomegreat, has a 13 per cent beetroot content but is surprisingly sweet and may prove more palatable for people who don’t like the vegetable’s rather earthy taste. It offers a double benefit because pomegranates themselves are rich in nitrates and antioxidants, adding to the potential stress-busting properties of the mix. The pomegranate content is 20 per cent.

 

So frazzled workers will be gulping down a glass with their cereal and toast at the start of yet another hectic day.  About 16 million Britons suffer form high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, strokes and heart attacks and is also linked to diabetes and kidney disease.

 

The research, published this week in the US journal Hypertension, discovered that blood pressure is significantly lowered within 24 hours in people who drink beetroot juice or take nitrate tablets. The higher the blood pressure, the greater the impact of the nitrates.

 

Adam Pritchard, owner of Pomegreat, said:  “We were looking for a new breakfast combination that packs a healthy punch and liked the idea of including beetroot.

 

“Increasing the antioxidant hit in our drinks is hard to do as pomegranates are already full of them, but beetroot brings its own goodness to the mix. Although this is an unusual fruit-vegetable mix, we were amazed at the taste and I’m confident that we have an unlikely breakfast winner on our hands.”

 

Amrita Ahluwalia, author of the study and professor of vascular pharmacology at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry said: "We showed that beetroot and nitrate capsules are equally effective in lowering blood pressure, indicating that it is the nitrate content of beetroot juice that underlies its potential to reduce blood pressure.”

 

Cardiovascular disease kills over 110,000 people in England every year.  More than 25% of the world's adult population is hypertensive, and it has been estimated that this figure will increase to 30% by 2025.

 

The new pomegranate and beetroot juice is available from Morrisons and Waitrose at £1.39 rrp for a litre carton.

 

ENDS

 

More information / samples:

Tracey Harrison

07708 044671

tracey.harrison@1238kmh.com

 

Hamish Thompson

07702 684290

hamish.thompson@1238kmh.com

 

 

About Pomegreat

At Pomegreat we are passionate about pomegranates.  Pomegranate juice is all we produce so we make it our priority to do it very well.  In fact we spent well over a year perfecting Pomegreat Original but we believe the result was well worth the wait. Our passion for the pomegranate and obsession with quality is reflected in every delicious drink we produce.

 

Adam Pritchard, founder, CEO and pomegranate expert, ensures only the best quality pomegranates are squeezed into each carton of Pomegreat, so that you can enjoy the healthy goodness of this ruby red and refreshing fruit drink.  For more information, visit our website, www.pomegreat.com, or follow us on Twitter @pomegreat.

 

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"A holiday at Ourgate": Five rooms and a verandah for less than £10,000

Screwfix - 5 July 2010

 

Screwfix celebrates national shed week with a Finnish Log Cabin for £9,599

 

To celebrate National Shed Week, Screwfix is offering homeowners to fulfil their second home fantasies with a five room Finnish Log Cabin for less than £10,000.  The Little House on the Prairie-style residence will enable homeowners with gardens to create the near-equivalent of a second home within yards of their back door.

 

 

Lower construction costs, fewer planning restrictions and the growth of homeworking are creating a buoyant market for outbuildings, sheds, log cabins and garden offices according to tradesmen polled by Screwfix.

 

Analysis of Google Earth images of suburban streets throughout the UK carried out by Screwfix suggests that there may be as many as 30 million outbuildings in Britain, eclipsing the total number of UK households.

 

Sales of sheds are booming as economy-minded households have met their living space expansion needs via lower-cost outbuildings.

 

Screwfix has sold thousands of sheds and log cabins in the last four months, on some days at the rate of one every two minutes.  Screwfix sales in the last four months alone have created around 90,000 square metres of additional garden living and working space.  In May, Screwfix sold four times the number of sheds it had sold in March, reflecting the accelerating trend.

 

Alex Johnson, shed expert and author of the newly-published book ‘Shedworking’, said: “Sheds feed into the pioneering instincts in all of us.  There is something about having a log cabin in the wild.  Whilst most British gardens can’t really compete with the Wild West nor our pets with Wilderbeast, there is a lot to be said for getting away from the bricks and mortar – and in my view that’s why sheds are so popular.”

 

“Our tradesmen are telling us that their customers are investing in sheds, log cabins and other outbuildings as a way of increasing the size of the domestic living space,” said John Mewett from Screwfix.  “Our study of Google Earth images across the UK confirms just how many outbuildings there are in the UK these days of all shapes and sizes.  We estimate that there are more sheds than homes, possibly for the first time ever.” 

 

Neither Planning Permission nor Building Regulation approval is required provided that:

  • Sheds and greenhouses do not cover more than half of the area of the garden; not including the area occupied by the house.
  • It contains no sleeping accommodation and the floor area does not exceed 15 square metres.
  • No point is less than one metre from a boundary.
  • It is not more than 3m high for a flat roof, or 4m with a ridged roof.
  • No part projects beyond any wall of the house that faces a road.
  • The outbuilding is for use only by those who occupy the house.

 

Building Regulations do state that structures built of combustible material (i.e. a wooden shed) must be at least 2 metres from the main house.

 

ENDS

 

About Screwfix

Recognised as being “where the trade buys” and promising a fast, reliable service, Screwfix is the UK’s leading multi-channel supplier of thousands of high quality screws, fixings, hand tools, power tools, plumbing and electrical supplies. Combining trade prices and a massive range of leading brand name items, Screwfix offers over 18,000 products and is fully committed to customer care and support. Each item is supplied with a 30-day money-back guarantee and can be accessed 7-days a week via a call to Freephone 0500 414141, a click onto screwfix.com, or a visit to one of the growing UK network of Trade Counters (full address details can be found at www.screwfix.com/tradecounters).

 

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New device for condensing boilers, condenses heating bills by a further 20%

Zenex - 5 July 2010

 

Invention pays for itself in three years and increases boiler efficiency to 98%

Government  urged to review domestic boiler regulations and save 8 million tonnes of CO2 per annum

 

 

Condensing boilers, widely believed to be a highly efficient means of heating your home, are wasting at least 20 per cent of the heat they produce, according to specialist independent energy consultants. However, they say that a new device called the Gas Saver, which utilises the wasted energy, can save the average home-owner hundreds of pounds every year. For businesses, the savings are even more marked.

 

Carbon Limiting Technologies, which works with the Carbon Trust and advises small to medium-sized green businesses to help them attract investment, is throwing its weight behind the Gas Saver developers Zenex.  Zenex, a company focused on energy conservation, say their device brings boiler efficiency up to 98% - a figure which means big savings in both energy and money for the consumer. This claim has been verified by independent energy efficiency analysts, house builders, householders and the owners of commercial premises.*

 

The Gas Saver currently retails at £600.  Savings as a result of installation recovers its cost in as little as three years.  Such an investment would provide an attractive 33.3% rate of return and far exceeds anything the banks have to offer.** Other emission saving alternatives such as solar power take at least twenty years to recover their initial cost.

 

Dr Mark Lawrence, from Carbon Limiting Technologies, said: “It seems absurd to us that consumers are losing at least 20% of their heat by the hot flue gases escaping into the atmosphere.  As though this wasn’t enough, energy prices could well go up by 25% over the next five to ten years.  Making small adaptations now could save home-owners considerably more down the line.”

 

Tony Billett, of Zenex Technologies, added: “It’s a scandal that out of every 6,000 boilers installed, only 20 have a Gas Saver. That means that each of the other 5,980 boilers are burning at least 20 per cent more gas than they need to. All that wasted CO2 and money going up in smoke!”

 

The Gas Saver device is attached to the top of a domestic boiler and works by capturing waste heat from the exhaust gases to heat the water in its tank. The heat from this water preheats the cold water entering the boiler.

 

Loughborough householder Lorraine Riley is totally convinced by the benefits of the Zenex technology.  She had a Gas Saver installed in March 2008 to complement her “A”-rated condensing boiler. “I am keen to do my bit to be green and, with a family of six, our heating bills have been huge. We considered solar panels, but in my opinion these don’t achieve real savings in energy and costs. Since installing the gas saver, we’ve used far fewer units of gas and, even though the price of wholesale gas rocketed, our household gas bills went down. A welcome spin-off was also that the quality and quantity of our hot water has improved immeasurably. I don’t understand why all boilers aren’t supplied with a Gas Saver as standard.”

 

For businesses the savings have been dramatic. At Plymouth Pavilions, where twelve Gas Saver systems have been installed, the annual gas bill has been reduced from £140,000 to below £70,000 whilst also providing hot water faster and reducing water consumption.

 

Zenex, supported by CLT,  have been approaching government bodies with a view to making the technology a required feature of new boilers.  One or two leading manufacturers such as Alpha, Baxi and Potterton  do now install them,  but there are still many who do not. With around 5,000 boilers fitted in the UK every day, the environmental savings as well as those experienced by home-owners would be significant.   Zenex estimate a typical household would avoid emitting about half a tonne of carbon dioxide.  If the device were fitted in every home in the UK, this would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 8 million tonnes per annum.

 

 *Gas Saver Performance Test Report carried out ahead of new house building project by Antler and on behalf of Alpha Boilers

 

**

£600 investment

Saving/Return after  3 years on £900 average annual gas bill

 

Saving/Return after 6 years

Saving/Return after 9 years

Installation of £600

Zenex Gas Saver device

£540

£1080

£1620

Reasonable rate of bank interest 2.5% (taxable) on £600 investment

£45

£90

£135

 

More information about Carbon Limiting Technologies: http://www.carbonlimitingtechnologies.com/index.html

 

More information about Zenex:

 www.zenexenergy.com

On the Gas Saver: http://bit.ly/92BDUJ

For further details please contact: Hamish Thompson hamish.thompson@1238kmh.com / 07702 684290

 

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Launch of Maternitree campaign

Twig - 1 July 2010

 

Mums and Dads to-be should plant a tree, says Kent businessman

 

‘Maternitree’ warden appointed to act as “campaign midwife”

 

Campaign endorsed by Woodland Trust president, broadcaster Clive Anderson

 

Plant experts have branched out into midwifery with the launch of a new campaign for mums-to-be. The family-owned landscaping company, The Twig Group, are calling on family and friends to plant a tree for newborns and young ones. Twig, whose work makes conservation a key priority, have launched what they call a Maternitree campaign to raise awareness of the link between population and our environment.

 

“Cut back on the plastic and the throw-away toys you give your baby and plant a tree that lasts for life instead,” says Twig’s managing director, David Eyre. “Mums and dads can plant a sapling tree in their garden, or in a pot and watch the tree grow with the baby. It’s a great way of putting children – and their families - in touch with the rhythm of nature, tending to the young trees.”

 

“More than 700,000 babies are born in England and Wales a year* and if every newborn’s family plants a tree it would be the equivalent of a creating a 1,000 hectare forest every year, “ says David, who has worked out that over ten years, the scheme would plant enough trees to remove 7 million tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere.

 

David Eyre says parents of older children shouldn’t feel left out. Neither should grandparents, as it’s never too late to plant a tree. He believes the Maternitree campaign has many benefits. “As well as helping the environment, it reconnects a lost link between humans and plants and it encourages children as they grow to observe, care for and nurture other living things,” said David.  “so, whether you have access to a large space and plant a native sapling oak or beech or have a tiny space only to plant a small hawthorn it will be a benefit, “ said David.

 

 

Twig have their own new dad who is overseeing the campaign. He is the company’s horticulture specialist, Dave Davis, who has been designated the role of “Maternitree Warden,” acting as midwife for the scheme.  Dave will be on hand to take calls and advice from mums and mums-to-be on tree planting. Dave, his wife, Sarah, and their baby daughter, Aurelia, have got together with friends from their local branch of the National Childbirth Trust to support the Maternitree campaign.

 

Twig’s Maternitree scheme is launched as the national charity, the Woodland Trust, embarks on a UK-wide tree-planting campaign spearheaded by the writer and broadcaster Clive Anderson. He described Twig’s Maternitree plan as innovative and exciting. “We strongly support Twig’s imaginative way of putting the Woodland Trust’s ‘More Trees, More Good’ campaign into practice. “

 

For more information or to arrange interviews with Dave Davis or David Eyre, please contact Dave Davis at dave@twiggroup.co.uk;

David Eyre at david@twiggroup.co.uk

or call: 01892 890098

or try Miranda Eyre’s mobile: 07896 121873.

 

For information of the Woodland Trust’s campaign, please visit: www.moretreesmoregood.org.uk

 

Twig’s tips for Maternitree planting:

 

Best to go for a young and native UK specimen, as these thrive best. We would suggest

-          for the larger garden – Oak, Ash

-          for the medium garden – Wild Cherry, Silver Birch

-          for the small garden – Rowan, Hawthorn

 

Twig is selling Maternitree starter kits that include a sapling tree, tree guard, Maternitree instructions for planting etc and retail for £12.95.   50p is being donated to the Woodland Trust.

 

About The Twig Group

 

David Eyre founded the company in 2002 to fulfil his love of the landscape and the environment we live in. Having grown up and worked on the family farm he felt it was the most natural thing to do.

 

He quickly identified that his ideal of countryside management with conservation in mind tapped into the public mood and met the commercial and aspirational needs of an increasingly environmentally conscious society.

 

In the last year, Twig’s team planted some 20,000 trees during their work. The company that started as a one-man band has almost doubled in size year on year for the last three years. David currently employs 10 people and expects to take on 4 more staff in the coming months. The company’s growth has coincided with the development of its ecological expertise, along with larger domestic and commercial landscaping and maintenance tenders.  Its compliance with environmental legislation and development of procedures has enabled it to compete for larger contracts that previously were out of its reach.

 

David said he was particularly proud of Twig’s education projects.  The company have been designing new grounds for Sissinghurst primary school, in Kent, including performance areas, outdoor classrooms, wildlife walks and vegetable plots. 

 

Twig have created a sensory garden at a school for children with special educational needs in Gravesend; while in Berkshire they built a beach-themed play area complete with a Loch Ness monster rising from the ground, boat and beach hut – a design that originated in drawings provided by the pupils themselves. In Essex Twig are developing a wildlife area, vegetable and flower-growing area for a large primary school.

 

For more information, please contact Dave Davis at dave@twiggroup.co.uk or Miranda@twiggroup.co.uk or call: 01892 890098

or try Miranda Eyre’s mobile: 07896 121873.

 

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Promotional frenzy amonst ambulance chasers will lead to record £7.5bn personal injuries claims "Injustry" this year

itsmyclaim.com - 14 June 2010

 

  • Poll of claims processors finds that most believe that huge advertising budgets supporting Ambulance Chasing will create more claims that treacherous Winter, icy conditions and potholes combined
  • Cost of Ambulance chasing “injustry” now equal to £1 a day for every household in the UK before a penny of compensation is paid out

 

The personal injury claims “injustry” in the UK will be worth £7.5 billion this year before a penny is paid in compensation to victims according to ethical claims service, itsmyclaim.com.  A poll of leading insurance professionals responsible for handling claims finds that 78% believe that ambulance chasing practices will increase the volume of claims being processed this year.  In comparison only 36% believe that the appalling winter weather and the impact of potholes will increase claims.  Most claims assessors agree that ambulance chasing promotions lead to an increase in fraudulent claims.

 

Commenting on the poll, Mark Brickles, CEO of ethical claims business, itsmyclaim.com, said: “Ambulance chasers are tripping over themselves to win the lucrative custom of injury victims when the reality is that there is no need for their expensive services in nine in 10 cases.  The promotional pressure has become so intense that we have seen refurbished Ambulances parked in supermarket car parks promoting ambulance chasing services.”

 

Itsmyclaim.com has reviewed promotional techniques within the personal injury sector.  Spot checks at hospitals reveal that most feature ads promoting ambulance chasing services – or more correctly ambulance greeting services.  In some hospitals leaflets designed to give injury victims advice are sponsored by ambulance chasers and large illuminated signs promote their services. 

 

Analysis of Yellow Pages books from a dozen UK locations reveals that an average of 74% of ads for law firms either lead on personal injury services or feature personal injury services as a key point within the advertising copy.  Nine in ten full page display ads focus on personal injury services.

 

The cost per click of the Google adword, personal injury, can now be as high as £14, itsmyclaim.com notes.

 

In-house insurance teams at 30 major UK organizations also indicated that they have seen an average uplift in the number claims in the first quarter of 2010 of 63%, with some reporting a tripling of claims.

 

Eighty one percent of respondents said that for claims below £5,000, legal representation adds to the cost of the claims process but has no impact on the value of the settlement received by claimants.

 

The rise in claims is likely to have a significant hidden effect on household running costs, with businesses and public sector bodies having to find ways of passing the cost on to consumers or cutting services.

 

- Ends -

 

About Itsmyclaim.com

Itsmyclaim.com enables consumers to take control of their personal injury and faulty product claims and liaise directly with the defendant company.  The service is free to use and seeks to reduce the disproportionate legal costs currently impacting on the retail, leisure and public sector.

 

Itsmyclaim.com was founded by Chief Executive Officer, Mark Brickles who secured funding for the business from a high profile investment team at a North West Business Angels event.

 

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"Eureka moment" leads to simple invention that will safeguard the millions of over-the-phone credit card transactions

Veritape - 14 June 2010

 

  • Device will protect consumers and banks from £ hundreds of millions lost each year through fraud and ensure call centres comply with industry regulations

 

Theft of customer payment data exchanged over the telephone could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a simple device developed in less than two months by British company Veritape. Security industry sources have told Veritape that there have been ten major audio data thefts in the last year alone.  This data can easily be searched, to find card numbers and security codes.

 

The “CallGuard” device solves what has appeared to be a near-insurmountable technical problem for call centres, with other solutions taking months or years to implement and potentially costing millions of pounds. CallGuard can be set up within hours.

 

Industry rules make protection and non-storage of credit card details a mandatory requirement for call centres, but despite this, most call centres are in breach of the guidelines.  A recent study by Veritape identified 93% non-compliance amongst UK call centres due to the complexity and cost of compliance. 

 

“The eureka moment came during a company away-day, amidst the flip charts and whiteboards,” said Cameron Ross, managing director of Veritape.  “Businesses have been searching for a solution to the problem of protecting customer data given in over-the-phone transactions for years, without a massive overhaul of processes and systems. We’ve worked out a simple and affordable way of achieving that. This is especially relevant where a company has already invested thousands of pounds in a call recording system, only to later find that it does not comply with Payment Card Industry (PCI) regulations. The beauty of Veritape CallGuard is that it is ‘plug and play’ technology, there is no complicated or expensive integration with current systems, it simply ‘bolts on’ to the existing set-up.  In pre-launch discussions with several leading call centres, all have virtually committed to buying our product. We believe that there will be a global market for our new box of tricks.”

 

CallGuard works by doing two key things.  Firstly, it detects and blocks the ‘DTMF’ tones, the sounds produced when keying in a number.  By doing so it prevents any storage of the numbers being communicated by the customer.  At the same time it automatically enters these card details into password style fields, which themselves are obscured with asterisks or similar.  The technology is built into a box the size of a large shoe box with an additional small USB device per workstation. It can also work internationally, protecting calls made to off-shore call centres.

 

Veritape have taken the concept from idea to implementation in just two months.  

 

Cameron Ross added: “Data theft is literally an everyday occurrence, costing billions worldwide every year and yet an amazing 93% of companies operating call centres are currently non-compliant with industry standards on the exchange and storage of credit card details.  CallGuard plugs a very large hole in data security and removes any risk to the customer by shielding the data from potential fraudsters.”

 

CallGuard is fully compatible with any call recording system.  It ensures that recorded telephone conversations are fully compliant with the PCI regulations.  The PCI Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) are the international guidelines governing credit card transactions. For larger call centres, introduction of the new technology could also have a positive commercial impact in securing them lower/discounted charges with their banks for operating a PCI compliant environment

Ends -

More information:

Hamish Thompson / hamish.thompson@1238kmh.com / 07702 684290
Veritape Marketing Team / marketing@veritape.com/ 08458 99 55 00

 

About Veritape

 

Veritape makes call recording simple and we pride ourselves on our fresh, no nonsense approach. Our core product is call recording software, which is sold through a low-risk rental model. This offers a cost-effective, flexible alternative to traditionally expensive fixed hardware solutions. As well as recording millions of calls each day, our software also collects and interrogates data from the conversations within them. You could say that Veritape acts as a powerful telephone search engine.

 

Veritape also provides Veritape CallGuard, a simple but powerful solution to PCI DSS compliance. If your business takes credit card payments over the phone, Veritape CallGuard allows you to record all calls while fully complying with PCI DSS regulations on the storage of sensitive data. Veritape CallGuard works with any call recording system (not just our own).

 

Veritape’s software is trusted every day to help improve the operations of:

 

The UK’s largest retailer · major UK travel companies · finance and insurance companies of all sizes · local and regional government, including Regional Trading Standards · pharmaceuticals businesses and major suppliers to the NHS · three of the UK's five largest outsourced call centres.

 

Our clients regularly realise a range of concrete business gains, such as up to 30% reduction in staff costs, between 30 to 40% increases in productivity for sales managers, up to 90% reduction in disputed transactions, and significant increases in lead conversions. Read what our clients say about us.

 

PCI SSC Participating Organisation

Veritape is the only call recording system accredited by the PCI Security Standards Council as a Participating Organisation. This means that Veritape is the only call recording company which has the opportunity to influence the future direction of the PCI standards as applied to call recording.

 

 

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Screwfix to shift opening times to "British Football Time" during World Cup

Screwfix - 19 May 2010

 

  • As World Cup fever begins to build, Screwfix calls on other businesses to follow suit and open at 6am on days with crucial England matches

 

Screwfix, the UK’s leading supplier of building tools, fixtures and fittings to the trade, will shift its store opening times to British Football Time on June 23rd to coincide with the England World Cup match scheduled for 3pm BST that day.  Screwfix trade counters will open an hour earlier at 6am to enable tradesmen to extend their working day and work around the crucial match.  A drive-in style fast-track order and collection scheme will also be in place to avoid queues.

 

The last World Cup was held in Germany in 2006 and Screwfix saw a surge in customers early in the day as tradesmen sought to get their work done before matches aired.

 

Screwfix will be on red alert for the remainder of the tournament.  In the likely event that England makes the finals, trade counter hours will be shifted to British Football Time for any days on which an England match takes place during trading hours.

 

John Mewett from Screwfix said:  “It’s fitting to shift opening hours for this important fixture.  Most of our tradesman customers are football fans who will be following the World Cup closely and there will be huge interest from many in England games.  We’ll remain open during any afternoon games to cover any emergencies.”

 

Dedication to football is so intense amongst Screwfix customers that the business runs a football forum on its website for tradesmen to exchange views on teams, matches and football news throughout the year.  This year, Screwfix is also looking for a team of lookalike footballers to form the Screwfix England B squad, on hand to help with any fixtures if a problem arises.  Screwfix is also distributing fixture lists through all of its outlets to help tradesmen schedule their work and their viewing.

 

John Mewett said:  “No other sport generates the same level of national pride as football.  We’re supporting football fans all the way and we would encourage other businesses to take our lead and change their hours to suit.”

 

- Ends -

 

About Screwfix

Recognised as being “where the trade buys” and promising a fast, reliable service, Screwfix is the UK’s leading multi-channel supplier of thousands of high quality screws, fixings, hand tools, power tools, plumbing and electrical supplies. Combining trade prices and a massive range of leading brand name items, Screwfix offers over 18,000 products and is fully committed to customer care and support. Each item is supplied with a 30-day money-back guarantee and can be accessed 7-days a week via a call to Freephone 0500 414141, a click onto screwfix.com, or a visit to one of the growing UK network of Trade Counters

(full address details can be found at www.screwfix.com/tradecounters).

 

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Milton Keynes rebrands as the romantic capital of Great Britain

MK Borough Council - 28 May 2010

 

  • - Poll finds that 93% percent of local residents “love” living in Milton Keynes compared to national average of 20% percent
  • - Romantic short story competition seeks entries that evoke “Love amongst the concrete cows”
  • - England World Cup bid underdog Milton Keynes plans new visitor marketing campaign

 

Milton Keynes, one of Britain’s most famous boroughs, is embarking on a brand relaunch based on research carried out amongst local residents and visitors.  The marketing reboot will have at its heart Milton Keynes’ claim to the title of the romantic capital of Britain. 
 
Created in 1967, Milton Keynes boasts more bridges than Venice, 250 million daffodils, 150 restaurants, 62 hotels, 44 florists, and 22 acres of green space, as well as continental-styled avenues with resonant names such as Midsummer Boulevard and 120 miles of dedicated pedestrian and cycling paths ideal for romantic strolls.
 
Milton Keynes also contains 4,000 acres of parks, 40 million trees and 400 acres of lakes.
 
Forty-five percent of Milton Keynes residents are married and the population is expected to grow by 100,000 by 2031.
 
Fresh from Milton Keynes’ success in being included in the England 2018 FIFA World Cup™ bid, despite being the underdog from all competing cities, tourism body Destination Milton Keynes is keen to emphasise the life-affirming aspects of living in ‘MK’, as locals know Milton Keynes, with the new marketing launch.
 
A new logo that features a blue and green M and K, underlining MK as ‘the city in the country’ and a communications programme designed to attract visitors to Milton Keynes will launch today.

 

 
The borough is so confident of its romantic prowess that it is launching a national romantic short story competition to be judged by members of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, including RNA chair and best-selling novelist Katie Fforde, author of Wedding Season, A Perfect Proposal and Love Letters.  Stories of 1,000 words will need to be set in Milton Keynes and the winner will receive a cash prize and a romantic weekend for two in Milton Keynes.  The competition will be promoted by an army of romantic novelists on Twitter.
 
“We were struck by the deep affection that many local residents have for Milton Keynes,” said Carys Underwood of Destination Milton Keynes.  “It’s true that home is where the heart is and nowhere is that truer than in Milton Keynes.  What inspires that love is the city’s ambiance, its culture, restaurants and green spaces.”
 
Carys Underwood added: “In some senses, this is a fight back.  A global hotel booking service, Mr & Mrs Smith, recently suggested that Milton Keynes is the least likely location for a romantic break.  We beg to differ, as do the vast majority of residents of our wonderful city.”
 
Mayor of Milton Keynes, Debbie Brock added:   “Even if you’re not convinced Milton

Keynes is the most romantic place around, we’re certainly well known for our adventure sports, for drawing millions of shoppers every year to our brilliant shopping facilities, and of course we’re home to the most successful theatre in the UK outside London. There are lots of reasons to consider Milton Keynes for a day out or longer.”
 
Bestselling novelist Katie Fforde, who will lead the judging panel, said:  “All of us look for romance in our lives and love can arise in the unlikeliest of places.  I have many happy memories of my visits to Milton Keynes and I think it’s great that they’re tackling misconceptions and showing a softer side.”
 
Entries for the short story competition will need to be submitted by August 1st and the judging panel will include an illustrious panel of writers, agents and local dignitaries.  The winner will be announced in mid-August, when British atmospheric conditions are at their steamiest.  Full details of the competition, the prize and an email address for submissions can be found at www.amazing-mk.co.uk/home/romance

28 May 2010
More information: Hamish Thompson 07702 684290 hamish.thompson@1238kmh.com

 

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Twig offers a taste of the good life

“Grow your food inches from your door, not miles”

Twig - 20 May 2010

 

Gardeners in Kent and Sussex are being offered expert help to grow their own fresh food. Horticulturist Dave Davis, of the landscaping company, Twig, based in Lamberhurst, Kent, is running bespoke new “Plot to Plate” courses.

 

The courses teach people all they need to know about growing vegetables, fruit and herbs from scratch.

 

The day-long courses cover all the basics, from propagating seeds right through to harvest, and are tailored to the needs of the individuals attending. As Dave Davis says: “We cater for gardening novices as well as people who are confident about growing flowers but who’ve not yet branched out into growing fruit and veg.”

 

He and Twig’s other experts are running the courses at customers’ own gardens or allotments. They also host classes at two of their own sites in Kent.

 

“You don’t need a large garden to benefit from “Plot to Plate” classes – there’s plenty of scope for growing your own on a patio or even a balcony, “ says Dave, who trained as a lecturer to Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) standards and is a former Hadlow College teacher. 

 

The craze for the Good Life shows no sign of abating as people enjoy the fresh taste of their own food. Recent research shows that 45% of gardeners intend to grow fruit, vegetables, salads or herbs at home this year.

 

However, not everyone knows where to start, which is where the “Plot to Plate” courses come in. They will guide the “pupils” – who might be individuals or groups of friends - through the whole process, from buying a packet of seeds to growing on, planting out and nurturing plants until their fruits are ready to pick and eat.

 

Twig, which is Kent Business of the Year 2010, launched the classes after being approached for advice by some of their landscaping customers. “Many of us are realising the benefits of being outside growing our own produce.

 

“The food tastes fresher and better, we know where it comes from – and, as it’s grown on your doorstep, it’s a case of travelling food inches, not food miles,” says Dave.

 

For more information please contact:

Miranda Eyre, Twig

01892 890098/ 07896 121873

 

Notes to editors:

Courses start from £200 plus VAT for a maximum 6-hour day, with up to four people attending.

Twig Trading was named Business of the Year at the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2010.

  Survey by the Horticultural Trades Association, May 2010

 

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Lagan Technologies Ltd preliminary unaudited results 2009/10

Lagan Technologies - 26 April 2010

 

Technologies Ltd, the global leader in Government to Citizen (G2C) technology, today announces preliminary unaudited results for the 2009-2010 financial year:

     

    Financial highlights:

  • - Revenue up 13% to a record £17.1 million (US$26.4 million) (2008/09: £15.1 million (US$23.3 million))
  • - Income from new licenses and on-going support and maintenance up 34% year on year
  • - Fifth consecutive EBITDA profitable quarter
  • - Group consolidated EBITDA for the year £2.5m (US$3.9 million)
  • - Very strong fourth quarter - the strongest on record - with 9 major new customers signed, including: Sheffield City Council, UK; Cobb County, GA; City of Pasadena, CA; South Northamptonshire Council, UK, and multiple extensions to existing contracts
  • - Positive outlook for 2010/11 with strong (and strengthening) pipeline of new business opportunities

     

    Operational highlights:

  • - A series of new business wins throughout the UK and North America
  • - Lagan innovations now enable governments worldwide to serve the needs of 60 million citizens
  • - Launch of Citizen Connect, a mobile application that enables citizens to register GPS-tagged requests with local government
  • - Launch of LaganOnDemand, a cloud-based CRM option, offering governments and authorities a low cost entry route to CRM
  • - Collaborative Open Source project with the City of San Francisco enabling citizens to connect with government via social media platforms including Twitter
  • - New business engagements include systems to support Adult Social Care, transport initiatives and housing.

 

Des Speed, CEO of Lagan Technologies, commented: "It has been an outstanding year for Lagan, with record sales and profits, a record number of new business wins in the UK and North America and a strong pipeline of innovation."

 

"We strengthened our leadership position in our market and we broadened our business base to include several new substantial areas of local government service delivery where technology delivers several important benefits, including improving service and compliance. Lagan innovations now serve the needs of 60 million citizens worldwide."

 

"This performance took place against the backdrop of a challenging period for the global economy when governments sought to achieve cost reductions whilst improving services. Our model of low-cost, fast-track implementation combined with our global knowledge base makes Lagan the logical technology partner for local, state and regional governments worldwide."

 

"We continued to innovate, with the development of cloud-based applications, mobile phone applications and new enhancements to our 311 (non-emergency service) technology, which is now installed in several leading government organisations across the US and Canada. During the year we completed our largest 311 implementation to date for the City of Toronto. We were delighted to have our work in partnership with the City of San Francisco on an Open 311 standard cited as a strong example of Open Government by the White House CIO."

 

"We will soon be bringing Citizen Connect, our mobile phone-based application that enables citizens to send GIS-tagged reports to local government, to the UK after a very positive reaction to its launch in the City of Boston."

 

"Looking ahead, we are confident that our market will continue to grow and we anticipate strong business growth as local governments worldwide focus on the delivery of better services at lower cost. Our Omnibus polling confirms to us that there is a healthy appetite amongst citizens across the age and demographic spectrum for technologies that enable them to access public services in a more efficient manner. Market conditions and citizen demand play to our strengths. In the year ahead, we will continue to innovate and we will investigate opportunities to enter new territories."

 

- Ends -

 

About Lagan

Lagan Technologies is the global leader in G2C (government to citizen) technology. Lagan software connects government and citizens worldwide. It enables governments and citizens to communicate online, on the phone and on the move. With approaching 200 public sector customers worldwide - from Toronto to East Timor and from Bolton to Boston - Lagan helps local governments serve the everyday interests of approaching 60 million citizens.

 

Lagan Enterprise Case Management ( ECM ) has been designed to streamline the service delivery functions of government, enabling improved efficiency and more citizen-centric public services. Lagan ECM manages the interactions between citizens and government and provides full CRM support for a wide variety of government service delivery processes. Lagan ECM has proven utility for state and local governments and offers a range of flexible delivery methods: on-premise, on-demand and hosted.

 

For more information, visit www.lagan.com or email info@lagan.com.

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"Ambulance Chasing Tax" costs every UK household £183.33 per annum

 

Costs incurred in managing, fighting and defending personal injury claims are adding an average of an astonishing £183.33 in invisible costs to the running a UK household, according to analysis by ethical claims advisors, itsmyclaim.com.

 

Of the £10 billion estimated by the Association of Actuaries each year on personal injury claims, £4.4 billion is paid out in costs to ambulance chasers, claims harvesters and solicitors.

 

"The cost of sourcing and marketing these claims to the legal profession places a hugely unnecessary burden on all of us," said Mark Brickles, CEO of itsmyclaim.com.

"Organisations that face claims must inevitably recover those costs through higher prices or through insurance claims. The net effect on the average household is higher costs to the tune of £180 per annum."

 

Counter-intuitively, it is the smaller claims that carry the greatest levels of associated cost according to analysis by itsmyclaim.com. Claims with a value of less that £5,000 attract on average 93p in the pound in costs, compared to 44p in the pound for claims worth more than £5,000. Eighty percent of claims are worth less than £5,000. A recent claim that resulted in a pay-out to the injured party of £1,750 came with a costs bill of £102,000.

 

Mark Brickles added: "We all need to understand that these costs must be made up in other ways and the disappointing news is that the burden per household, whilst invisible, is very high indeed. Ambulance chasing is a scourge that ought to be outlawed."

 

Itsmyclaim.com bypasses claims harvesters, ambulance chasers and solicitors by putting claimants with small claims directly in touch with the organization responsible. The process safeguards the rights of the claimant and ensures a speedy settlement within three months compared to the two years that claim can typically take when handled via a solicitor. If a claim is complex, itsmyclaim.com will automatically recommend that the claimant seeks legal representation.

 

- Ends -

 

About Itsmyclaim.com

Itsmyclaim.com enables consumers to take control of their personal injury and faulty product claims and liaise directly with the defendant company. The service is free to use and seeks to reduce the disproportionate legal costs currently impacting on the retail, leisure and public sector.

 

Itsmyclaim.com was founded by Chief Executive Officer, Mark Brickles who secured funding for the business from a high profile investment team at a North West Business Angels event.

 

About Mark Brickles, CEO, Itsmyclaim.com

Mark has worked within the insurance, legal and technology sectors for the past decade including major corporates, law firms and entrepreneurial dot coms. He has a strong knowledge of the insurance, legal, technology and consumer sectors and is an innovative thinker and creator of the Itsmyclaim idea. His expertise enables him to provide strong support businesses that are responsible and embrace consumer/organisation relationships. Through creating the Itsmyclaim.com business, Mark aims to promote transparency and fairness in the personal injury environment.

 

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Reaction from Lagan Technologies to expected government proposals for web pages for all UK citizens

PRLT0510 MORE INFORMATION:
22 MARCH 2010 HAMISH THOMPSON 07702 684290

 

Commenting on weekend reports that the government is planning to announce web pages for all UK citizens, Des Speed, CEO of Lagan Technologies, said:

 

"We welcome the intentions of both major political parties to use technology to deliver better services to citizens. We note weekend reports that the Government is planning to announce a roll-out of a web interface for every citizen in the UK. It is important to note that individual web pages, whilst eye-catching, are not a panacea, unless they form part of a more coherent service management and delivery strategy. A two-dimensional page needs to be part of effective three-dimensional service provision.

 

There are risks, for example, that bottlenecks and false expectations can be created. In our experience, any government to citizen implementation must be designed with the benefits in mind before any decision is made about the tools. We have developed tools that help citizens get a better service from government via the web, via the telephone and via mobile smartphones. Each of these mechanisms can form an important part of the 21st century relationship, improving service delivery to citizens and reducing cost.

 

Our experience as global leaders in government to citizen technology worldwide, including 130 local council engagements in the UK, is that technology can deliver better, faster services at lower cost, especially at local level. The key is in effective end to end design.

 

There are clear imperatives, too. Our research tells us that it is the 55+ age group of elderly adopters from whom there is the biggest demand for next generation services.

 

There is a great deal that central governments can and are learning from local government and specialist providers worldwide. Projects with Lagan involvement at local and regional level in the US, for example, have attracted the attention and support of the Obama administration. We would welcome the opportunity to work with the next government and officials and apply our experience in translating manifesto commitments into successful service improvements."

 

- ENDS -

 

About Lagan Technologies

Lagan Technologies are the global leaders in G2C (government to citizen) technology. Lagan software connects government and citizens worldwide. It enables governments and citizens to communicate online, on the phone and on the move. With more than 180 public sector customers worldwide - from Toronto to East Timor and from Bolton to Boston - Lagan helps local governments serve the interests of more than 40 million citizens.

 

Lagan Enterprise Case ManagementTM ( ECMTM ) has been designed to streamline the service delivery functions of government, enabling improved efficiency and more citizen-centric public services. Lagan ECM manages the interactions between citizens and government and provides full support for a wide variety of government service delivery processes. Lagan ECM has proven utility for government at all levels - local, regional and central - as well as the wider public sector.

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New ClearPlay technology puts an end to "Look away now kids" home film censorship

 

- Electronic film filter software enables families to watch off-the-shelf DVDs with the bad bits screened out

- Technology opens up a whole new world of films to viewers

 

A new service that automatically screens out content unsuitable for children from DVDs launches in the UK this weekend.

 

The service, ClearPlay, uses patented technology integrated into the next generation of DVD players to filter out violence, language and other material unsuitable for a general viewing audience. ClearPlay seamlessly skips and mutes undesirable content based on seven categories that can be set to meet viewing preferences. The system works with hundreds of films already released and new ClearPlay Filters are made available within 48 hours of a popular DVD or Blu-ray disc release date.

 

A family may, for example, want to watch a film rated 15 and find themselves unwilling to do so because 8 year olds want to watch the film with them. ClearPlay solves the problem by rendering the film appropriate for all viewing audiences. A filter for a film is downloaded to the player from ClearPlay and content that is not suitable for children is masked from the film without affecting the artistic integrity.

 

ClearPlay's seven filter categories also enable viewers to screen out content for religious reasons or to exclude sexual content, putting an end to those "not knowing where to look" moments when parents and teens find themselves watching on-screen passion together.

 

ClearPlay International CEO Andrew Duncan said: "We're very excited about the launch of ClearPlay after several years of careful development work. What we know from our research is that parents are concerned about inappropriate content but don't like the conflicts around censorship at home. One of the biggest disputes over TV choices comes from arguments with kids about whether something is suitable for watching or not. ClearPlay effectively ends the important but tiresome debates and enables families to get on with more important debate about who makes the popcorn."

 

DVD players with ClearPlay technology have just become available in France and will appear on the market in the UK by the summer.

 

 

The technology is also adaptable to video on demand services and ClearPlay is currently in talks with digital TV operators in the UK about a potential launch on their platforms. The first ClearPlay enabled DVD player will be on sale in the UK in July. A demonstration of the ClearPlay Filter system is on display in the Home of the Future at the Ideal Home Exhibition from Saturday. The display will demonstrate ClearPlay working with Star Trek 2009, courtesy of Paramount Home Video.

 

A team of ClearPlay editors work behind the scenes to develop filters for each film. The filters are carefully tested and coded and material, including images, inappropriate language and violence are carefully masked from the film. The viewing experience is unaffected and families can watch movies with a ClearPlay filter with complete confidence.

 

ClearPlay director Skip Riddle added: "Cleary there are some films that don't lend themselves to filtering but the vast majority do. Often the aspects of a film that give it a 15 certificate are connected with a few very short sequences or a bit of bad language. ClearPlay is perfect for these films."

 

- ENDS -

 

More information:

http://www.clearplay.eu
ClearPlay International was founded in 2006 and is responsible for delivering the home entertainment service to families in Europe, Middle East, Asia and Latin America, together with licensees and video distribution partners. Today, we are entering those countries where evidence exists that consumers and opinion leaders are actively concerned about 'offensive' content and where families want more choice and control. The unique ClearPlay Technology is protected extensively by international DVD and VOD patents.

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Banksy beware: New mobile app from Lagan Technologies set to clean up Britain's streets


. Free application enables residents to report potholes, graffiti, streetlight failures, uncollected rubbish and more direct to responsible council officials
. Successful trials in the US point to better, faster service, cost savings and cleaner streets

 

Lagan Technologies, the Belfast-headquartered World leader in technologies that connect governments and citizens, is in talks with a number of local authorities in the UK about the launch of trials of its Citizens Connect iPhone application.

 

Citizens Connect enables local residents to pinpoint nuisances on the move and report them direct to the desktop or mobile device of the council worker charged with resolving the problem.

 

Potholes, broken lamps, missing signage and graffiti are amongst the many things that the application enables residents to report. The camera in the phone takes an image of the problem and a GPS reference is attached to it before it is sent to the local council.

 

Citizens Connect was launched recently in Boston, Massachusetts, where locals have used it to great effect. Recently, for instance, local residents fed back details of a spate of graffiti incidents to the City of Boston. The team responsible for cleaning up graffiti were alerted direct and despatched cleaners to remove it. Local law enforcement officials can also receive data on incidents overlaid on a map using GIS , creating a guide from which to potentially determine where culprits are likely to strike next. As soon as the request is fulfilled residents receive a confirmation direct to their phone.

 

The feedback from local residents has been very positive. One local resident commented: "My graffiti picture is going to the dude who's going to fix the graffiti. Directly to the dude! And that feels good."

 

"The use of mobile devices to communicate with local councils is something we expect to soar in the years ahead. We already work with 180 local governments worldwide - from Toronto to East Timor," said Des Speed, CEO of Lagan Technologies. "In many cases those governments are looking at ways in which mobile technology can create a closer link between local residents and the people directly responsible for service delivery."

 

According to industry analysts Gartner, by 2013 mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common Web access device worldwide. Gartner estimates that the total number of PCs in use will reach 1.78 billion units in 2013. By 2013, the combined installed base of web-enabled phones will exceed 1.82 billion units.

 

The Lagan Citizens Connect application includes the following features:

. Government-branded iPhone application available to citizens as a free download in the iTunes App Store
. Available for iPhone and other mobile devices
. Seamless integration with local authority systems
. Intelligent case routing based on report fields and location - getting requests to the right people more quickly and providing authority management with an overview of performance and service delivery.

 

Speaking at the launch of the service in Boston, Mayor Thomas Menino said: "The Citizens Connect iPhone application is a great example of new urban mechanics. We are using the latest technology to make government even more accessible and more responsive to our constituents. We are excited for residents and visitors to use this application and help us keep Boston beautiful."

One of the many benefits of the application is the ease with which in engages a younger generation communicate in the process of communicating with local government.

 

- Ends -

 

Notes to editors:
More information, images, Lagan spokespeople:
Hamish Thompson / 07702 684290 / hamish.thompson@1238kmh.com

 

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Federation of Small Businesses poll points to increased business confidence and better job prospects

 

TWO THIRDS OF BEDFORDSHIRE SMALL BUSINESSES ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR 2010, ACCORDING TO FEDERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES STUDY

 

Poll to coincide with the launch of Bedfordshire Small Business Awards points to better news on job creation and a surge in small business confidence levels

 

A survey of the views of 8,000 Bedfordshire-based small businesses points to growing confidence about the prospects for 2010 in the county. The poll, the largest recent snapshot of business confidence in Bedfordshire, was carried out to coincide with the launch of the FSB Bedfordshire Small Business Awards. The poll paints a rosier picture of the prospects for businesses throughout the region this year. Ninety-five percent of businesses employ fewer than 50 people and are classified as small businesses by the FSB .

 

Two-thirds of the 8,000 businesses polled said that they believe that 2010 will be a better trading year than 2009 and 76% of businesses are confident about their prospects.

 

Nearly half of those polled (49%) indicated that they have already won new business in 2010, only three weeks into the new year.

 

Damian Cummins from the Federation of Small Businesses said: "The results of our poll are very encouraging. Our message to small businesses is that there is no better time to enter an award to add further momentum to your business."

 

Of those polled, only 13% have entered awards. Of those that have, an impressive 81% have won on at least one occasion. Academic research points to awards having a significant impact on the performance of businesses, with winners achieving an average uplift in revenues of around 30%.

 

There is also good news on the jobs front for Bedfordshire, with evidence that the tide is turning for jobseekers: whilst 9% of small businesses indicated that they are likely to reduce their headcount, 26% said that they are likely to take on new staff this year.

 

This is the inaugural year for the FSB Bedfordshire Small Business Awards and businesses with a headcount of fewer than 50 people are eligible to enter irrespective of whether they are FSB members or not. More details on the awards and the simple application process can be found at http://www.fsb.org.uk/bedsawards. Entries close on April 15th.

 

- Ends -

 

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Reaction from Lagan Technologies

to new strategy for UK government

IT procurement

 

Commenting on the publication of the new UK Government strategy for IT procurement, Des Speed, CEO of Lagan Technologies, the global leader in technologies that connect governments and citizens, said:

 

"All political parties in the UK are considering significant changes to the way in which government IT will be procured in future. Lagan Technologies very much welcomes this. Central government IT procurement worldwide has been a victim for too long of languid timelines and bloated budgets. Much can be learned from the approach adopted by local governments around the world - manageable innovation, rapid deployment, measurable impact on citizens and relatively modest investment."

 

"The political parties are rightly moving away from decade-long IT projects with multi-billion-pound price tags. In our view, the upper limit of project timeframes should generally be three years and in most cases even the largest budgets for services ought to be expressed in the tens of millions of pounds. Our experience in working with more than 180 local governments worldwide is that it is entirely possible to achieve a great deal of measurable benefit for a relatively modest investment."

 

- ENDS -

 

About Lagan Technologies

 

Lagan software connects government and citizens worldwide. With more than 180 public sector customers worldwide - from Toronto to East Timor and from Bolton to Boston - Lagan helps local governments serve the interests of more than 40 million citizens.

 

Lagan Enterprise Case ManagementTM ( ECMTM ) has been designed to streamline the service delivery functions of government, enabling improved efficiency and more citizen-centric public services. Lagan ECM manages the interactions between citizens and government and provides full support for a wide variety of government service delivery processes. Lagan ECM has proven utility for government at all levels - local, regional and central - as well as the wider public sector.

 

Lagan Technologies is backed by several of the world's leading venture capital firms including lead investor DFJ , which has more that $6 billion under management worldwide.

 

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"Goodbye map and compass" says RoadTour

 

IS THIS THE END FOR THE TRADITIONAL MAP AND COMPASS?
BRITISH INVENTOR LAUNCHES SAFEST WALKING DEVICE EVER

 

New gadget removes all risk of getting lost by putting hikers inside a detailed virtual map of their surroundings

 

Application will help the 71% who have resolved to walk more in 2010 and the 55% of ramblers who admit to getting lost even with a map

 

It's an experience that has spoiled millions of walks - the guide says "At the pub, take the higher of the two paths and cross the stile on the left after 100 yards", but neither the higher path nor the stile are to be found. Despite having some of the best maps in the world, more than half (55%) of British walkers are unable to keep on course even when they have their maps with them.

 

Now an ingenious piece of software called OutDoors, designed to work on the iPhone even beyond the range of a mobile network, puts walkers into a virtual version of Britain's famous Ordnance Survey maps, adjusting the map to take account of direction. The maps offer hundreds of times the level of detail found in other navigation aids such as Sat-Nav and will soon be developed for other Windows and Google software-based devices.

 

The software locates the user within the map, enabling him/her to make sense of their surroundings. Importantly, it is not reliant on a mobile phone signal and instead makes use of the free satellite navigation technology built in to iPhones to register the user's location on the detailed maps that are stored on the device. This means that walkers have a reliable and highly detailed guide, even in Britain's most remote locations. The invention will be of huge benefit to the 71 percent of Britons who intend to commit to walking or cycling more in 2010.

 

Inventor Daniel Taylor of RoadTour who developed the product said: "OS maps are the most detailed and accurate in the world and they are stunning creations. The beauty of our product is that it extends the experience and places the user within the map so that he or she can follow a route with confidence. Suddenly the word 'lost' simply no longer applies and even total beginners can explore much more of Britain's countryside in safety."

 

Despite the impressive level of detail in Ordnance Survey maps, 55% of walkers have been lost on a walk even with a map in their pocket according to a poll for RoadTour. More than a third (36%) have found themselves a mile or more off course and one in 20 has ended up more than 5 miles off the beaten track. Four percent or nearly one in 20 of those polled said they had been forced to take shelter overnight. The poll also found that disputes centred on interpretation of the map and choices over which direction to take were the things most likely to spoil a good walk, outstripping even rain or snow.

 

Digitised versions of the OS maps are built into the software and users can search the maps for any single location, including a quarter of a million UK place names. The maps cover all 250,000 sq km of the UK, including all British National Parks which span an area of 22,000 sq km.
Aside from the pleasure of simple stress-free navigation, the new software offers huge safety benefits for walkers. The maps are rich in detail, a far cry from the simpler maps on car-based satellite navigation equipment. They also contain data on terrain, cliffs and hazards that connection-dependent services like Google Earth cannot match. In 2006, the last year for which Mountain Rescue statistics are available, there were 729 incidents involving people trekking in the British wilderness, of which one in four incidents were reported as 'lost', 'benighted' or 'overdue'.
Users of the software will be able to pinpoint their location at any time and, OutDoors' creators hope, be less of a strain on Mountain rescue services. The cost of running the rescue service in England and Wales is around £6 million per annum.

 

Mark Salter, from Ordnance Survey said: "Britain's countryside is incredibly diverse and offers many possibilities with much variety. With so many people taking the opportunity to enjoy life outdoors, we're delighted that RoadTour is bringing our highly detailed maps to the iPhone. This innovation should encourage a whole new group of people, particularly the young, to experience the countryside with confidence, armed with accurate and dependable Ordnance Survey maps".

 

Daniel Taylor added, "Walkers until now have been faced with a choice between maps or a GPS device. Some have even tried to use online map providers which can be quite dangerous since overhead satellite photos and road-maps miss 95% of the detail of an OS map and can therefore give a walker or cyclist a false sense of confidence in what to expect. Also, online maps simply don't work in large parts of the UK."

 

OS mapping for the whole of the UK is available on iTunes including what is expected to be the most popular product, the UK's National Parks and RoadTour have further plans to launch more products in Europe. The product can be purchased on iTunes for £24.95 per region or just £1.99 for OutDoors Lite, which offers the whole UK road network. RoadTour has plans to develop the product for other devices and for other countries. -

 

- Ends -

 

For images and samples

call Hamish Thompson on 07702 684290 or email hamish.thompson@1238kmh.com.

 

For detailed product information visit http://www.roadtour.co.uk/iphone/iphone_outdoors.php

 

About RoadTour
RoadTour (www.roadtour.co.uk) has a history of innovative high-tech touring products. In 2007, the company launched an audio tour guide for Sat-Nav devices which it called "1066-and-all-that-Nav", and in 2008 it developed another Sat-Nav software product called "Tot-Nav", designed to help parents navigate to child-friendly locations.

 

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