The Spoon Drawer

Source: unsplash.com via Pexels 2012 was a great year for cycling; Bradley Wiggins, Victoria Pendleton and Laura Trott all won gold at the London Olympics. It brought about a new wave of interest in cycling and more than ever, people of all ages wanted to ride a bike. The ‘cycle to work’ scheme, which aims to promote a healthier lifestyle and reduce the negative impact on the environment, has been around since 1999, but it saw renewed interest following Britain’s success in London. Even some of the sports attire for cycling has become popular – sales for casual cycling clothing are ever increasing. There has been a big rise in the trend of ‘athleisure’; the concept of sports-meets-causal clothing which can be worn in either scenario. More and more brands are creating lines, many partnering with celebrities, like Beyonce’s Ivy Park collection with Topshop. This, of course, has been contributed to by the ‘clean eating’ trend which floods most social media feeds these days (

Like many of my fellow Brightonians, my August Bank Holiday weekend is well planned in advance and could be considered by some to be somewhat lacking in variety. However, if you have been to the Notting Hill Carnival, then I am sure you are able to understand my attraction to the colourful carnival which continues to draw millions of revellers from all corners of the world. The History The Notting Hill carnival remains the largest street festival in Europe and can trace its roots back to 1964 as an outlet for the African-Caribbean communities to celebrate their cultures and traditions in a country which was not as racially diverse and tolerant as it is today. The carnival can trace its roots all the way back to Trinidad and the street carnivals of the early 19 th century, which celebrated the end of slavery and the slave trade. The story goes that the very first Notting Hill Carnival consisted of the steel band musicians who played in Earls Court every weekend. As the b

Source It was revealed last week that social care for the over 65s was the latest victim of the Tory-led funding cuts. The report, which was released by the King’s Fund and Nuffield Trust, paints an ever depressing picture of the state of local authority care providers in the UK. The cuts, coupled with an increasingly ageing population, has created a perfect storm, which has left the current system almost at breaking point, with many care homes predicted to go bust as the ripple effect is felt across the market. With local authority spending on care falling by 25% in the five years leading up to 2015, the report makes it crystal clear that the existing system is neglecting the over 65s and leaving vulnerable people at risk. A reported 4 in 10 people in care homes are now covering the cost themselves, as the current means-tested system is leaving less and less people with support from local authorities. This method has left care providers increasingly concerned, as care is

Leaving university often feels like something of an anti-climax; you work flat out for 3 years, well OK, 2 years, and then all of a sudden, it is all over. You are left with nothing other than a feeling of emptiness and thousands of pounds of debt to your name. There is also the prospect of having to enter the world of work, which leaves you with a feeling of dread. Source What if I told you that leaving university doesn’t have to be the end of your life as you know it?  There are ways in which you can escape the monotony of the rat race and continue to learn about yourself and the world around you, all you need is a bucket load of courage and determination to see you through. How to survive the current situation With the recent news that UK graduates are struggling to find skilled work and more than one in three are employed in low-skilled jobs. Official figures have recently exposed the fact that there has been a 2.2% drop in the number of 21 to 30-year o