While the figures and statistics surrounding poverty are changing all the time, it is accurate to say that over 1.3 billion people around the world live in a state of extreme poverty, which means that they survive on less than $1.25 per day. There are more than one billion children living in poverty worldwide, and UNICEF figures state that 22,000 children die every single day due to the effects of the condition.

This statistic alone should be enough to make world leaders and individuals want to act against poverty, but many more negative factors also come into play regarding the issue. For these reasons, there is growing concern about the impact that poverty has on people and the global economy.

As you would expect, a number of groups and initiatives are working to end poverty. One report, Investments to End Poverty, was launched in the autumn of 2013 and supports the Zero Poverty 2030 campaign. While the name may suggest that a movement is in place to completely eradicate world poverty by 2030, the project actually carries the aim of lowering the number of people living in poverty to 342 million by the year 2030. Currently, the largest volume of people classed as living in poverty is found in India, but this region is expected to receive the most support and assistance in the near future. This means that by 2030, it is expected that the African continent will host the largest proportion of people affected by poverty.

The Zero Poverty 2030 movement has been lobbying the United Nations to offer its full support in challenging global poverty while delivering relevant and tailored information about the problem. Many similar organizations are also keen to emphasize that poverty is about more than just income, and aspects such as access to water, education and housing are equally as important when it comes to moving people out of this dire living condition.

Given the problems associated with poverty, it is no surprise to see that there are many charities around the world focusing on what can be done to eradicate it. Some of the most recognizable charities dealing with poverty include:

• ActionAid
• CARE International
• Oxfam
• Save the Children
• UNICEF
• World Vision

These are all well-known charities with a very strong presence, and they receive significant donations and support each year. All of these individual charities claim to be bringing genuine changes and benefits to people’s lives.

The food supply is essential to the impact on poverty

When it comes to improving the global food supply, a good starting point involves thinking of basic changes and outcomes that would improve the supply and then focusing on how to positively impact on these matters. Regarding the global food supply and its relation to poverty, the following issues are crucial:

• Improving the volume and quality of food produce
• Removing or improving trade restrictions and barriers
• Placing limits on food markets utilized by speculators
• Encouraging eating habits that evolve from solely eating meat

In order to care for the global food supply and provide it with the platform to develop and prosper, it is necessary to create greater consistency and help farmers in poorer areas minimize the problems that can blight their production output. There are a number of major companies and influential people involved in this process, and the work led by Jai Shroff is a great example of how the international agricultural market is being improved.

Affordable, dependable and reliable products such as fumigants and herbicides allow for a better standard and higher volume of crops to be produced on an annual basis. This can help increase the production of food in countries dealing with poverty, thereby providing the masses with food and encouraging these nations to export their produce to other countries. In turn, these actions create employment opportunities that offer individuals regular income and bring more money into the country as a whole while also raising the level of assistance that can be provided to people suffering from poverty-related issues.

There have been many great strides made in tackling the issues associated with poverty, and additionally, more is now known about the problems facing many people and nations. This has fostered a greater sense of desire to bring aid to all those affected. The war on poverty is one that virtually everyone can get behind, and it is likely that there will be sustained improvement and development in this area for years to come.

If you often find yourself tossing and turning in the night, you’re not alone. Having trouble sleeping is a common problem experienced by many people, but if your quality of sleep has been bad for a while, it can greatly impact your health, wellbeing and ability to function throughout the day. Thankfully, with the right planning and preparation, you can prepare your mindset and train your body for a restful sleep night after night.

Think about food and drink

What you eat and drink before bed can greatly impact your sleep quality. Food with high sugar levels can cause a spike in your blood sugar, giving you too much energy to settle down for sleep. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks should also be avoided if you’re in need of some rest. Since caffeine can stay in your system for up to 8 hours, limit your last coffee of the day to at least 6 hours before you’re hoping to sleep in order to avoid any jittery feelings.

If you’re in need of a night time snack, bananas and almonds are among some of the best foods to help you sleep as they help calm the body and aid in muscle relaxation. Sipping some chamomile tea has also been shown to help calm an anxious mind, which can play a big part in your ability to drift off.

Create a cosy sleeping environment

The decor and atmosphere of your bedroom can affect your sleep quality in ways you might not be aware of. According to feng shui experts, elements such as having technology or large plants in your room can disrupt the energy that’s needed for a relaxing sleep. The colours you paint your room can also have an impact, with warming pastel’s being among some of the best shades to choose.

Making your bed as comfortable as possible is another key factor to consider. Check the quality of your mattress, since worn out mattresses with loose springs can make for an uncomfortable bed. Consider investing in a new, high quality healthbeds mattress with memory foam to help you relax and drift into a peaceful night’s sleep in no time.

Do some exercise

Getting your blood pumping earlier on in the day can improve your chances of getting some rest at bedtime. When your body begins to cool down after exercise such as cardio, your brain is signalled to release the hormone melatonin which helps you sleep. This stage usually happens around 4 hours after physical exercise, so you should try and time your last workout to be long enough before you plan on hitting the hay.

Stick to a bedtime ritual

One of the most important steps in planning a better night’s sleep is to create a bedtime ritual, and stick to it. Schedule some time in your evening for more active tasks, like preparing your lunch, ironing tomorrow’s clothes, and showering and brushing your teeth. Once that’s out the way, then comes the pre-sleep portion of your routine. Remember to try and avoid technology in this part of your night – it can be tempting to turn on your favourite show as a way to unwind, but evidence shows that this can do more harm than good. Instead, dedicate the rest of your night to relaxing in bed with a good book, some soothing music and a herbal tea, and you’ll find yourself dozing off in no time!

Following the shock of Brexit and Trump, it appears that two thirds (64%) of Brits are set to bet on another electoral earthquake: Jeremy Corbyn walking through the front door of 10 Downing Street on the morning of 9^th June.

Analysis of betting patterns – as well as the odds being offered – by Casinopedia, the world’s leading casino encyclopedia, discovered that a majority of bettors are backing the Labour leader to win the UK general election.

Casinopedia analysed all bets* placed through four of the UK’s major high street bookmakers – Betfair, Sky Bet, Paddy Power and Betfred – and revealed that close to half of all punters (44%) are defying the opinion polls and putting their money on a Labour majority on 8^th June.

Surprisingly, Casinopedia revealed that three quarters (75%) of all bets placed on a majority win with bookie, Sky Bet have gone in favour of Labour, while nine in 10 (87%) bets on the next Prime Minister with Irish Bookmaker, Paddy Power have been placed on Corbyn.

“The past year has delivered some seismic political shocks and many Brits are clearly betting on another one next month,” said Jake Fox, CEO of Casinopedia.org

“While the opinion polls scream Labour whitewash, up and down the land, people are putting real money on an electoral redwash.”

The Casinopedia study found that punters are not so willing to put their money on Theresa May and the Conservative party. Just 15% are backing May to win on June 8^th, while only one in five (21%) have bet on a Conservative majority.

It should be noted, however, that this could be attributed to a reluctance on the part of punters to bet on such short odds.

“The polls and perhaps common sense suggest that Brits are barking mad but for many people a small bet on an outrageous outcome creates a bit of a thrill and adds to the drama,” said Fox. “It’s like betting on a 200-1 shot at the Grand National. It’s unlikely to win but just imagine — imagine — if it did.

“Jeremy Corbyn has been written off many times, but he remains in it to win it. Our research shows many Britons are putting their money where his mouth is, by backing him to pull off the upset to end all upsets.”

Andy Black Associates has been awarded and officially listed as a G-Cloud 9 (G9) cloud hosting service provider for its suite of digital services for Parish Councils and local government. G9 services became available on the Digital Marketplace on 22^nd May 2017.

The digital transformation of Parish Councils has begun. Parish Councils originated in medieval times and are community centric, local and the first level of government for UK citizens. Andy Black Associates provide Parish Councils with a low-cost, easy-to-use and fully customisable hosted WordPress website template, specifically designed for Parish Councils, that enables Parish Councils to improve their engagement with the local community, comply with the 2015 Transparency Code and provide a better service for parishioners. The hosted website is also fully responsive when viewed on a mobile device.

The hosted cloud software-as-a-service for Parish Councils also includes monthly backups, data storage, data security, support and access to a streamed video e-learning library that enables Parish Council members to easily learn how to customise their sites, enabling value added services such as how to add the minutes of meetings, how to create an email newsletter, how to integrate social media or how to add YouTube content.

The service is currently being rolled out by the Hereford Association of Local Councils where over 50 Parish Councils have already successfully adopted the cloud service. Some “early adopters” in this group are starting to develop their Parish Council websites into community hubs.

Google Maps integration allows virtual walk-troughs of building applications

Lynda Wilcox, the Chief Executive of Hereford Association of Local Councils, said “The Parish Councils in Hereford using the service have already noticed an increase in the number of parishioners attending meetings, more engagement with older parishioners by email and also more younger parishioners turning up at meetings wanting to get involved in local democracy.”

Mark Millmore, ABA Director of Hosted Services, said “Our low-cost and easy-to-use hosted website template and hosted cloud service can be easily rolled out to any of the 8,356 Parish Councils in England and G-Cloud will be an important route for us to reach these government organisations. Our software-as-a-service (SaaS) business model will not only enable Parish Councils to improve their service to the local community, but will also allow significant savings to be made from the Central Government budget allocated to Parish Councils for their on-going IT and website developments. As such, we are delighted to have been awarded a place on the G9 Agreement, the latest iteration of G-Cloud, and can’t wait to take advantage of the many opportunities that the initiative offers for both suppliers and government bodies.”

G-Cloud is a Crown Commercial Service (CCS) initiative to encourage public sector adoption of cloud services by connecting government organisations with providers of all sizes in a secure and open environment. The CCS acts on behalf of the Crown to drive savings for the taxpayer and improve the quality of commercial and procurement activity across both local and central government.

To qualify for inclusion in G9, organisations need to prove that they are a suitable and secure potential partner for government technology projects. They must be prepared to list the capabilities of their products, along with indicative pricing. As a result, G9 provides public sector bodies with an open, secure and transparent digital marketplace in which to search for cloud solutions.

It also provides new business opportunities to businesses that pass the checks required to qualify for G9 status. Crown Commercial Service suppliers are given an opportunity to advertise their services to a wide range of interested public sector bodies in a competitive environment. Since it became available in 2012, UK government organisations have placed billions of pounds’ worth of orders through the service with most orders being won by SME’s.

Since their immaculate ‘misconception’ in 1997 The Pocket Gods have recorded over 40 albums, 20 eps and 30 ‘odd’ singles! Mixing genres at will – Country, Indie, Psyche Rock, Prog and Folk, frontman Mark Christopher Lee who writes all the songs has been heralded a genius by Billboard and by others as the UK’s very own Daniel Johnston.

Discovered by the late John Peel and championed by the likes of DJs Huw Stephens and Tom Robinson, the Pocket Gods also feature in the current Guinness Book of Records alongside Justin Bieber for their 100×30 album, which holds the record for the most tracks on a digital album and was also featured in Billboard, on TV and BBC Radio 5. The new album Jesus and Mary Chain is released to celebrate the bands 20th anniversary of making indie pop records.

The Curse of The Pocket Gods
Rumour has it, there is a curse around the band; Shortly after discovering them, first John Peel and a few years later Tony Wilson of Factory Records both died! More recently the band were managed by ex MTV star Steve Blacknell who had a near fatal asthma attack a few weeks after taking them on!

On a lighter note… The plaudits keep coming… In 2007 the band won the first ever BBC Radio 1 ‘Gods of The Pod’ award having been asked by Huw Stephens to record a podcast on how to record a demo – it was subsequently hailed as classic radio by Radio1.

The Pocket Gods live in a small village outside St.Albans and hail themselves as the 3rd biggest band in the village after 60’s rockers. The Zombies and Dappy. They are also stars of their own Nub TV music show on Sky TV in the UK – where they are the house band and have played with legends such as Joan Armatrading,
Junior Giscombe and even Paul ‘Nu nu nu nu 19’ Hardcastle.

The Jesus and Mary Chain
The new album’s lead track is about the time Mark actually played bass very briefly for the Scottish Indie legends. Other songs reveal a search for truth, love and God in an increasingly baffling fraught and troubled world and deal with the bands never-ending love affair with the paranormal and esoteric matters!

The album release will be available on download, streaming, CD and Vinyl LP The Jesus and Mary Chain July 28th 2017 “Genius out of the box thinker” Billboard Magazine “Musical visionary” Seymour Stein – VP of Warner Music “Willful maverick”Tom Robinson BBC 6 Music

https://www.facebook.com/thepocketgods
https://twitter.com/thepocketgod
nubcountryrecords@gmail.com 

Europe has long been considered to be one of the most fascinating and culturally diverse places on Earth. From its incredible architecture, rich history, delicious cuisine and awe-inspiring landscapes, there are few places in the world that can rival its appeal to tourists who are looking to lose themselves in a brand new experience. The great thing about visiting any European country is that within each city or area of wildlife you will not ever share the same experience twice there. Why not use our selection of the most scenic places in Europe guide you to finding a brand new place to explore this year with your friends and family?

Colmar in France

Often referred to as the ‘Little Venice’ of France, Colmar dates back all the way to the 9^th century and is as picturesque today as it was all those years ago. It’s charming waterways meander through and guide you along medieval streets and offer countless opportunities to soak up the tastes and smells of the wine district capital. Here you will also find the perfect balance between French and German influences, from its food to its architecture.

Goreme in Tukey

Situated in the midst of the impressive rock formations in this part of Turkey hides the glorious town of Goreme, dating all the way back to the Roman era. The rock here offered the perfect foundation surface for the town to grow and develop and the buildings here are still as sturdy as they have ever been. The town’s spectacular beauty truly has to be seen to be believed, with some of its churches being carved intricately into the rock. Witness the breathing splendour of the town at sunrise for a truly memorable travel experience.

Manarola in Italy

Made famous by its impressive Instagram-ability, the 5 coastal towns of the Cinque Terre are often found at the top of the bucket list for travellers on the hunt for scenic destinations. Manarola is one of those towns that offer everything from the sun and sea to stunning rainbow coloured cliff top houses that are what helped to make this part of Italy so famous. This particular town is famous for its incredible local wine and for being popular with fishermen. Manarola also offers travellers the chance to enjoy a break away from traffic, cars and horns as the area is protected from becoming overly modernised in the push to hold on to its vintage charm.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany

Situated in the stunning Bavarian mountain resort you will stumble upon Garmisch-Partenkirchen, less than two hours away from Munich by train. The town was once split into two- one town being Teutonic and one Roman- after which the Winter Olympics in 1936 caused them to come together as one. The town dates back to 15AD and offers tourists the chance to explore a place that has remained very much untouched by the changes of time.

Bled in Slovenia

Edwardwexler at English Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Regardless of which of the aforementioned European holiday hot-spots you choose to pay a visit to this year, make sure that you get hold of an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) to take with you on your adventures. It will ensure that you are always available to qualify for free or significantly reduced cost healthcare whilst abroad.

While women were once seen as the weaker sex when it came to gaming, the tables are beginning to turn in a dramatic fashion. According to recent research, some 52% of gamers are now women, ensuring a far stronger female demographic across the board. Thanks to games such as free puzzles and trivia games, women are leading the market over men. Meanwhile, the age of the average gamer has also increased to 35 years for men and 44 years for women.

It’s vital that games developers and retailers understand the similarities and differences between male and female gamers. Being able to interpret such knowledge enables the industry to keep abreast of the latest trends, and appeal to all demographics successfully. While there’s nothing to say that men and women can’t enjoy the same kinds of online games, researchers have noticed certain trends emerging among the two genders. Of course, there will always be gamers who subvert these trends, but for the most part, it’s possible to see how the gaming behaviours of men and women is shaping the video and online gaming industries.

The main differences between the gaming habits of men and women include:

The gaming platforms that they access

Recent research indicates that more men enjoy PC and console games than women, and these statistics certainly fit with the stereotype of a gamer. However, when it comes to the most popular gaming platform, mobile gaming, the genders are evenly matched in terms of the time that they spend accessing content. Men may choose to play on a console or PC more often than their female counterparts, but women are just as keen on picking up their phones or tablet devices and entertaining themselves with a game.

The types of games that they play

There’s a tendency to assume that women prefer social, roleplaying, edutainment and puzzle games, while men would rather enjoy an action adventure, strategy or sports game. While this is certainly true for many players, women are just as happy to play the top titles for each platform, including Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, as men. One thing that individual researchers agree on, though, is that women are far more drawn to online casino and arcade games than men. Female players are more likely to play online slots and bingo in particular, and they are also more likely to investigate each new online casino and the social side of casino gaming than men, driving the market in a completely new direction.

How they discover games

As a rule, women are social gamers, picking up their recommendations from friends, family members and social media platforms. Men, meanwhile, usually look to more official routes to find new games to play – online video channels, gamer sites, social media reviews and games magazines provide male gamers with their fix of the latest titles. The roles of television adverts, magazine coverage and app store rankings appear to make little difference to either gender.

In-game behaviours and habits

Perhaps the biggest difference between male and female gamers occurs when it comes to gaming habits and in-game behaviours. More men than women view gaming as their primary hobby, while more female gamers admit to dipping in and out of gaming as a means to fill their spare time. It’s easy to see from such habits why mobile gaming has become so popular, particularly among the female demographic. Online casinos and mobile apps tend to demand less time and focus and can be accessed during a lunch break, commute or spare afternoon. This difference means that women are less likely to pay for gaming extras than men, choosing to limit themselves to the free versions of browser games and apps.

Of course, there are similarities in the ways that men and women game, including both genders’ propensity to choose mobile gaming over any other platform and the titles that they choose to access from various genres. While the similarities and differences between male and female gamers alter fairly regularly, it’s clear that the industry’s ever-changing landscape has much to do with the genders’ gaming habits.

Weather forecasters across the UK have been a thunder and rain-laden start to the month of June. Spells of intense rain can expose any structural flaws in your home, and to combat this: it is always better (not to mention less expensive) to take precautions before disaster strikes rather than adjust for it after it happens. Penetrating damp, freeze-thaw weathering and frost damage are the three most likely processes to cause damage to your home. To give you an understanding of how they can prosper, and how to combat them, we have assembled this guide on preparing your home for bad weather before it’s too late.

How weather can damage your home

Penetrating damp

Particularly relentless deluges of rain are can cause your walls and ceiling to darken and thicken with water – this is penetrating damp. Caused, generally speaking, by structural flaws in the home’s exterior, water is allowed to seep through walls and ceilings. Anything from faulty guttering, to cracked walls, to missing roof tiles can be responsible.

Freeze-thaw cycles

When the weather is particularly cold overnight, the water that has trickled into gaps in roof tiles or brickwork freezes and expands, making the gap greater in size. When temperatures rise during the day, the ice melts and forms liquid again. When night returns, the process repeats itself. This repeated expansion and contraction can cause significant structural damage over time.

How to protect your home from damage

Weather-Check Façade Cream

The application of weather-check façade cream, using a spray, brush or roller, can coat any masonry with a waterproof layer. By infiltrating the pores of the walls comprehensively, the cream reduces the porosity of the surface, not only making it less susceptible to penetrating damp and freeze-thaw cycles, but it also makes your home better insulated. So not only is your home better equipped to deal with weathering, it is also better equipped to deal with the cold itself.

Double Strength Water Repellent

Whilst it is applied in very much the same way as weather-check façade cream, water repellent is an altogether different substance. Water repellent uses polyoxo aluminium stearate in an aliphatic solvent, whilst check facade cream is a viscous emulsion composed of silane and siloxane. After the brick water repellent has been applied to an at-risk area, it will form a hydrophobic barrier that will repel water – perfect for keeping penetrating damp and water out during trying weather conditions. Vapours will still be able to pass through unaffected, allowing the wall to breathe.

Sovereign Stone Sealer

Perfect for at-risk tiles in the kitchen or the bathroom, Sovereign Stone Sealer is a multi-purpose protectant for both the external and internal surfaces of the home. Without altering the appearance of the stone, the sealer is able to repel all of water, oil and dirt. In this way, Sovereign Stone Sealer allows you to retain the delicate appearance of stone whilst preventing damage sustained from leaks from heavy rain.

Seismic moment in music history, the day John Lennon met Paul McCartney is being recreated 60 years on!

It was one of the key moments in pop history – even if neither of them realised it at the time.

On July 6, 1957, teenagers John Lennon and Paul McCartney were introduced to each other at St Peter’s Church Fete in Woolton, where 16-year-old John was playing with his band The Quarrymen.

Now, to mark the 60th anniversary that day is being recreated by Cavern City Tours – owner of the Cavern Club, in collaboration with St Peter’s Church and Bishop Martin School.

The Quarrymen are set to play at the Thursday, July 6 event, which will include an afternoon fete, followed by a ticket-only Grand Dance in the church hall.

The fete includes:
• The Quarrymen performing from the back of a flatbed lorry, with original driver Doug Chadwick on the wheel, as it travels on a circular route around Woolton village.
• The crowning of the Rose Queen.
• A children’s fancy dress competition judged by John Lennon’s sister Julia Baird who attended the 1957 fete as a child.
• Traditional stalls, games and crafts, along with refreshments and a barbecue.
• Live music throughout the afternoon.

The Grand Dance takes place in the church hall from 7.30pm and will feature a musical line-up, which includes a finale by the original Quarrymen.

The Cavern Club is also celebrating its 60th birthday in 2017.

Cavern City Tours director Bill Heckle said: “The day John met Paul was in essence the birth of the Beatles.”

“Without this key meeting between two schoolboys in a leafy Liverpool suburb, there would have been no Beatles as we know them.

“We’re delighted to be able to recreate this moment in the history of music. And we hope people get in to the spirit of the occasion – we’d love to see everyone turn up in 50s-style outfits to really turn back the clock.”

Admission to the afternoon fete is by £2.50 programme on the day.

Tickets for the Grand Dance cost £20 and are available from the Cavern website: www.cavernclub.com

Hydrofluoric acid is used in many industrial processes. From refining oil to working metal, hydrofluoric acid plays an integral role. Whilst it is useful in this capacity, it can be extremely dangerous and even deadly if it comes into contact with the human body. For this reason, it is vital to know what the first aid procedure is to treat a hydrofluoric burn. After all, it can be the difference between life and death.

Primary response

Because interaction with hydrofluoric acid can be potentially fatal, it is important that the first people to react to the injury are properly kitted out with appropriate personal protective equipment. Once necessary precautions have been taken, the first responders need to assess the affected person for any kind of response. If they are unresponsive, carry out advanced life support, and call an ambulance as quickly as possible. If the patient is breathing, administer 100% oxygen.

Decontamination

Even before any hospital treatment, if the patient is responsive, you should immediately attempt to decontaminate the patient. In the first instance, the affected area should be doused in fast flowing water for a maximum of one minute.

Once the full minute has expired, any contaminated items of clothing should be removed. Whilst wearing neoprene gloves, massage calcium gluconate gel into the affected area. Continue applying gel and massaging the affected area until fifteen minutes after the pain in the affected area is relieved. The application of C gel can take place en route to the hospital if necessary.

How does C Gel work?

Calcium gluconate gel reacts very quickly with hydrofluoric acid to form harmless non-toxic calcium fluoride. The harmful free fluoride ions that are responsible for penetrating the skin and destroying the tissues deep within the body are neutralised by the addition of calcium gluconate.

Arriving at the hospital

Upon arriving at the hospital, you should ensure that both the nature and severity of the burn are clear to the receiving doctor. Also, if possible, the Manufacturer’s Safety Data sheet should accompany the patient to the hospital, to alert the receiving doctor of all the chemicals involved.

Precautions

If the extent of the contamination is excessive, you need to be aware of the possibility that it has been inhaled inadvertently. In which case, administer 100% oxygen. Additionally, all affected clothing and equipment should be disposed of.

Delayed effects

You need to be conscious of the fact that the onset of pain from interaction with hydrofluoric acid can be delayed drastically. Because the acid interferes with nerve function, small burns might not be painful initially. That is why it is important everyone involved goes home with a tube of calcium gluconate gel for pain relief.

You may know, or not know that online gambling has quite literally exploded in the last few years. In 2016 alone, over £4.6 billion in revenue was generated from individuals in the UK logging on to their smartphone or laptop, and spinning the wheels and reels of success. The industry owes part of its success to the proliferation of mobiles and tablets. Did you know, that by 2020, it is estimated that there will be 75 billion devices connected to the internet, throughout the world? It is no surprise that gambling on the go has become the next big thing.

If you are considering giving it a go, you need to find a popular, reputable, and fun provider such as All Jackpots casino slot games– they offer a super range of slots, progressive jackpots, and video slots to keep you entertained. You can pick from popular slots such as Beautiful Bones, Tarzan, and Candy Dreams just waiting for you to log on and try your luck! But it is not as simple as just logging on and picking a site at random. Whilst All Jackpots is an excellent site, not everyone is quite as honest. If you are new to the game, take these tips onboard before you play and you will be off to a roaring start!

• A great range of games from well-known names.

When you pick a provider, always check out the range of games that they have on offer. Not just because you want to play the best games with the best prizes, but because making sure that your provider has games from the big developers such as NetEnt, Microgaming, and Playtech gives you some reassurance that you are playing with a top-quality provider.

• Payment methods from well known third party providers.

Don’t be so quick to hand over your card details to anyone that asks- any casino or slots site that is worth its salt will give you the option of paying through a third-party provider such as PayPal. Paying in this way means that your details are never revealed to the operator, and your transactions are protected, should anything go wrong.

• Check who they are regulated by.

It is always worth doing a little bit of groundwork to see which regulatory authority has given the online casino or slots operator, a license to provider their services. Some authorities are more reputable than others because they have strict codes of conduct, ongoing monitoring, tough regulations on privacy, as well as various rules on payouts that all work in your favour! The Malta Gaming Authority are one of the most reputable, with the British equivalent offering a similar level of protection.

So with all of this in mind, it is time for you to head off and explore the wonderful world of online casinos and slots!

A trip to the beach is supposed to be a blissful and relaxing break away from it all, and often in our excitement to plan that much awaited trip, we forget to pack certain essentials. These are the things that we all know we need and still somehow end up forgetting a few of them for some strange reason. In order to make sure that you don’t make such packing mistakes which could end up marring the quality of your experience at the beach, we have listed the following must have essentials.

Sunscreen

You need sunscreen, there’s just no way around it. It has been proven that under the current solar conditions on our planet, just a few bad sunburns in our entire lifetime are enough to increase the chances of developing melanoma by more than 60%! Apart from sunburn and the chance of developing cancer, overexposure to the sun will also lead to premature aging as you will develop wrinkles, crow’s feet and well… more wrinkles! So, do not forget to bring your sunscreen! Be sure to try a few products in advance so that you know what works best for your skin, and what SPF factor you need.  This is especially important where children are concerned.

Beachwear/Swimwear

Don’t forget to pack that special bikini to show off the summer body you have been working for since the winter; if you forget to bring it, you will feel heartbroken because quite frankly, where else are you going to wear it anyway? If you’re planning a family trip with your children, you don’t want your little girl to feel left out either, so buy some cute looking girls swimwear and pack that for the trip as well. You should also bring along a beach dress, a handy piece of clothing that will help you to cover yourself up whenever you need to. It could be that the sun is too hot or maybe you just need a quick change of swimwear; whatever the situation is, the beach dress will serve you well.

Water

Preferably, you should visit the beach when it’s not particularly hot, but even then, dehydration is not uncommon. You should always bring ample bottles of water to the beach, especially if you are traveling with children. Don’t be shy in trying coconut water either because it’s one of the healthiest and fastest natural rehydrating drinks known to man. Besides, coconut water is also an excellent cure for the hangover you probably have from last night’s beach party.

Shades

We wear shades (or sunglasses as many like to call them) because we cannot apply sunscreen to our eyes! Our eyes need protection from the harmful UV rays too, and if it’s hot enough, the sun will give you wrinkles around your eyes faster than you may imagine. Also, being on a beach without your favorite shades on is the most “uncool” thing ever. There are plenty of brands and shade styles to choose from as well, so you’re sure to be able to find a pair that suit your face and the look you’re aiming for.

Music

When you are lying on a beautiful beach with your shades and biking on, an awesome playlist to get you into the mood and fully relax you is a must have. Bringing your own music also ensures that you don’t have to listen to anyone else’s tunes while trying to relax. In fact, the importance of bringing the playlist goes even beyond the beach. You should always bring your favorite music with you while on any vacation; just make sure that you have an entire dedicated playlist which suits the theme of your destination.  Alternatively, download a few podcasts or audio stories to listen to.

As long as you bring the five things mentioned on this list, your bases are covered on any beach in the entire world, but it isn’t really an exhaustive list by any means. Depending on who you are and where you are going, it might also be a good idea to bring some snorkeling gear or a surfboard with you. For the purposes of safety, having a first aid box handy could be useful too, especially if you have children running around. At the end of the day, it’s you and your family who are going to be the ones on the trip, so feel free to customize and supplement this list as necessary.

Looking up from a gruelling uphill ascent and grimacing as a cyclist whizzes past you with a humiliating lack of effort. In your exhaustion-induced stupor, you may be inclined to venture that you have just seen Chris Froome. In reality, you have actually encountered an e-bike.

The name is relatively self-explanatory – e-bikes are simply bicycles with an integrated electric motor. Of course, the motor gives you a distinct edge in performance. The extent to which its propulsion relies on pedalling or the motor itself is dependent on the model you purchase as well as the setting you select. If you are considering delving into the dark arts of electric bikes, here are 5 things you need to know.

Cost

The initial outlay required to acquire an e-bike can seem like a lot, but over time, it will actually save you money. The price point of e-bikes remains relatively high compared to their purely pedal-powered counterparts yet there have been attempts to crowd fund cheaper alternatives and the gulf in price has continued to close. As with anything though, a higher price is generally indicative of quality – and e-bikes are no exception.

If you adopt an e-bike as your primary mode of transport, the savings are enormous. In the absence of parking fees, car insurance and petrol costs, e-bikes liberate you from the day-to-day costs of running a car. Over time, you will more than re-coup the fee you paid for the e-bike.

Safety

Unlike their relatives – the moped and the motorcycle – e-bikes do not require any kind of license to operate. Accordingly, there are some concessions when it comes to making e-bikes road legal in the UK. You have to be at least 14 years of age in order to ride an e-bike and speed of the electric motor tops out at 15.5 miles per hour.

Charging

Typically taking around three to four hours to charge fully, the motors in e-bikes typically last around 50 miles. If you do happen to misjudge the battery life on your e-bike, it isn’t like being stranded in a car with a flat battery, you can simply pedal away.

Fitness

The appeal of e-bikes is undeniably rooted in their ability to make you feel capable of competing in the Tour De France. Whilst this may not be music to the ears of cycling purists, you can’t help but admire how e-bikes have allowed those who thought their cycling years were long behind them to become re-acquainted with the sport. Ailments and old age are no longer a barrier to enjoying cycling.

The commute

E-bikes have the rare ability to make the commute seem like an altogether more feasible task. Most are deterred by the thought of turning up to work exhausted and sweating through their shirt. With the helping hand offered by the e-bike, you are more of a passenger than an active participant, allowing you to tackle uphill ascents with ease and enter the office rejuvenated and fresh.

Environment

Because it is purely electric, the e-bike is more environmentally friendly than almost any other transport option – including public transport and carpooling. E-bikes are classed as Zero Emission Vehicles, but there are technically emissions caused by the generation of electricity needed to charge them. Even then, their contribution to environmental issues is essentially negligible.

If you are eager to get your hands on one of these innovative modes of transport, look no further than a giant e-bike.

When you think of reality TV audiences, do you tend to think of people watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians or Jersey Shore as a guilty pleasure? Certainly, the success of these shows is generally down to the outrageous antics of the people on the shows and the drama in each episode, however these examples may be an unfair representation of the whole reality show genre. Here are three other reasons why people enjoy reality TV, which are perhaps a little less frivolous:

They Want to Spot Stars of the Future

Some reality shows are already about famous people, but others are about people who are just beginning their careers. Some people enjoy watching things like America’s Next Top Model or The Voice because they want to see if they can pick out the celebrities of the future from all of the soon to be forgotten people who participate. Whether you fancy yourself as a talent scout or not, the truth is that very few people who first appear on reality and talent shows actually go on to have major careers in entertainment, so it is fun to try and pick out the ones who seem to have the talent to survive when the initial attention fades!

They Want to Learn About What Goes on In a Certain Other Lifestyle

A lot of the things on reality TV are exaggerated for the cameras, but that doesn’t mean it is all fake. Reality shows that focus on industries or careers can actually teach you quite a lot about the lifestyles associated with them. A good example is the reality show My Hollywood, which is about people who are trying to make careers in the entertainment business. This show is produced by Michael David Palance, who has a good history in the entertainment business himself having worked as an actor for many years. When shows are developed by people like Michael Palance who understand the industries they are portraying, you can bet there are some useful insights in there among the dramatic moments!

They May Be Interested in a Specific Topic That Reality TV Covers Surprisingly Well!

Some people enjoy certain reality shows because they actually provide some very good coverage and information about a topic they are interested in. Whether you want to learn about antiques, cars, motorcycles or cooking, you can often find a lot of interesting stuff within reality shows based around those themes, and this can make them great viewing for hobbyists and even other professionals in the same fields as the people on the shows. While the shows are formulated to be fun to watch and entertaining, they also give you some genuinely good information and tips from real experts.

So, as you can see, there is really a lot more to reality TV than watching cat fights and drama. Look past the scripted moments and unbelievable personalities, and you can often find some real value in the content of some reality shows!

Free Cosmetic Testing is a fantastic new website, giving customers the chance to test and receive free cosmetic products.

Members of FCT are invited to participate in short and simple surveys, which match their profile. Each time a survey is completed, respondents are rewarded with survey points which vary from 400-3,500 points, depending on the survey they complete. The points you earn are exchangeable for the amazing beauty products in the cosmetic shop.

The cosmetic shop features well-known beauty brands such as L’Oréal, Clarins, Garnier, NYX, Maybelline, Bourjois and many more. They are currently looking to publicise more beauty brands so members have an even wider range of products to choose from. The products in their cosmetic shop include day-to-day items such as moisturizers, lipsticks, eyeliner, eyeshadow and many more.

Free Cosmetic Testing launches online surveys in order to collect market research from its members.

It is important for participants to complete ALL their profile questionnaires to ensure that they receive the maximum number of surveys, which they can answer anonymously (personal information is not shared with our clients). The surveys are matched to the information you provide.

There are many advantages of using Free Cosmetic Testing. One of which is receiving cosmetic products absolutely free! Every two weeks respondents are ALSO able to participate in prize draws!

Once participants have tested the product, a following up survey is sent, to evaluate the product. Free Cosmetic Testing also posts their very own makeup tutorials, which are advertised on YouTube as well as on their website. They use the products that are advertised in the cosmetic shop to create these makeup/hair tutorials.

FCT gives out free make up to members who are eligible and meet the criteria. This enhances FCTs’ brand image by always giving back to members who invest their time into the surveys.

As a way of saying thank you, FCT are giving away 15 ‘Simple’ face wash samples, which is the UK’s number 1 facial beauty brand. The first 15 people to register to Free Cosmetic Testing will receive a free moisturising facial wash (150ml).

Businesses and Local Authorities spend thousands of pounds on branding, buildings and attractions, to encourage customers and footfall, yet they are marred by chewing gum litter. If you (like us and countless others before us), have fallen foul of stepping on chewing gum which has been carelessly discarded on the street, you will know of the aggravation that follows…. Gum on your carpets at home, on car mats (not to mention the mess it creates on the underside of your shoe)! Time is then wasted trying to clear it up, using any one of several methods to scrub, freeze and tease it off every surface.

Not only does gum litter make an area look downtrodden and unattractive, it has harmful effects on the environment too:
• Birds and other animals who ingest chewing gum, cannot digest it and sadly die as a result.
• Littered gum can also make its way into the food chain, and has been found in fish, and can cause an accumulation of toxins over time.
• Manufacturers who use flavouring isoamyl acetate (a bee pheromone) can disrupt bee behaviour when littering occurs.
If this isn’t enough to convince people to dispose of chewing gum properly, consider this – discarded gum is also a hotbed for bacteria – it’s all been in someone’s mouth after all – so it is even creating an unsanitary environment for us too.

Local Councils throughout the British Isles are taking up the challenge to not only clean up the mess it creates, but also on education to discourage littering. Chewing gum litter is the second most prolific form of littering after cigarette butts, an estimated 92% of urban paving stones have gum stuck on them. Prior to a recent technological development, this has resulted in Local Authority funds spent on many hours cleaning up the mess.

Worldwide, we humans chew about 560,000 tons of gum each year, a lot of which ends up on our streets. In the run up to the Olympic games in London 2012, Local Authorities encouraged visitors to the area by ensuring it was looking its best, cleaning up over 300,000 pieces of gum in the process. With the technology available at the time, it took over 3 months to complete, costing up to £2.30 per piece to clean.

Over the last few months, a new series of initiatives have commenced to help clean up our streets. Across Ireland, the Gum Litter Taskforce is campaigning to reduce gum litter by changing disposal behaviour. From Cork, to Dublin, Ennis and Bray, 27 local Councils are joining the country wide campaign and encourage people to “bin your gum when you’re done”. The campaign includes TV, print and online advertising as well as an educational program for children which includes actor led workshops supported by materials and tools to be integrated into lesson plans, with almost 40,000 students having taken part in the program.

Local Authorities in Scotland are also preparing their teams for battle against gum litter, through the charity Keep Scotland Beautiful initiative, and Londoners walking down Oxford Street have had gum litter highlighted in a rather unusual way, with yellow circles painted around each piece of gum on the pavement, hitting home the unsightly mess created on a daily basis. Cities and towns across the UK are keen to eradicate the problem from their streets.

Supporting these initiatives are technological developments in cleaning equipment, which have vastly reduced the cost of removing gum from public places & venues. Engineers at British owned company, Steam-e have designed and manufactured a unique, battery operated, gum removing machine, which uses an environmentally friendly solution based on sugar-beet to remove gum from all surfaces. When combined with the steam generated by the machine, it removes a piece of gum in seconds, maximising staff productivity and keeping operational costs down.

Co-Founder, Jared Brading of Steam E Limited says “we saw a need to really tackle the problem of gum litter in an environmentally friendly way. Our machines are not only effective, but they are less disruptive to public spaces when in operation.”

The ingenuity is not only in the battery which lasts up to 3 hours of constant operation, but in the generation of steam. Rather than heating up a container of water to create steam (similar to boiling a kettle – a method most steam cleaners use), it feeds the water based solution through to the nozzle and creates the steam there in less than 15 seconds after switching on. The result is less time wasted by employees waiting for the machine to be ready for use, and a more energy efficient machine which is both portable and requires only 1 person to operate it.

“You don’t have to cordon off streets, pump lots of water onto pavements or hire a team of 6 to operate machinery which needs to be hooked up to a power supply. The Steam-e Gum Remover makes light work of cleaning gum from any surface and with it being battery powered, it can be used anywhere, any time” Says Co-Founder Martin Whitbread.

The masterminds behind the invention (https://www.steam-e.com/patent pending) are providing support to Local Authorities, Rail Networks, Hotels, Restaurants and Shopping Centres across the Country, reducing the operating cost of gum removal to less than £0.01 per piece – that’s a huge saving against previous methods and makes gum removal a simple, quick and cheap operation which businesses and Councils can no longer ignore.

As part of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s street cleansing priorities, they have purchased four Gum Removers from Steam-e to clean chewing gum. These will be used as part of the annual deep cleanse of Blaenau Gwent town centres including Abertillery, Tredegar, Blaina, Brynmawr, and Ebbw Vale. The gum removers are environmentally friendly and battery operated, which keeps inconvenience to members of the public at a minimum.

Cllr Garth Collier, Executive Member for Environment said: “The deep cleanse we are planning will make a real difference to the way our residents and visitors feel about where they live and work. Being free from gum litter means that our town centres will be clean and attractive places for people to visit and spend time. From a Councillor’s perspective, knowing we have been able to remove gum litter efficiently and effectively is key, and to do so in an environmentally friendly and safely way is reassuring.”

Joining forces with local Councils against the Nationwide battle currently being waged on gum litter, the team at Steam-e are supporting the clean-up by launching a challenge to businesses and members of the public to identify a place near them which they would like to see cleared of chewing gum litter. This could be outside a shop, building, monument or local attraction. Wherever you feel the worst offending areas are, take a picture and tell us why its important to you to see it cleaned up by sending it to our twitter account: @thesteam-e The team will pick 3 entrants and will visit the area (after obtaining permission) to clear the gum, returning an unloved public spaces & venues, back to a pleasant one.

Shalamar are pleased to announce a huge UK tour from October through to December 2017 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the bestselling “Friends” album. With 21 dates already scheduled, this will be the largest tour that Shalamar will have undertaken since the 1980’s.

A new single “The Real Thing” will add spice and be the group’s first release in over 30 years to feature Howard and Jeffrey and the first with Carolyn. The single is produced by Leon Sylvers III – the original producer for Shalamar and the man attributed to creating the “Sound Of Los Angeles”.

“Friends”, the platinum-selling album, featured four top twenty hit singles – “A Night To Remember”, “Friends”, “There It Is” and “I Can Make You Feel Good”. The album gained impetus from the legendary Top of the Pops performances by Jeffrey Daniel who demonstrated the first moonwalk on European TV screens. Shalamar are regarded as one of the most influential bands of their time, injecting their unique style, energy and passion into sounds that have commanded dance floors the world over. “Friends” is the album that helped to cement their place in musical history.

Shalamar also perform classic songs such as “Take That To The Bank”, “The Second Time Around”, “Make That Move”, “I Owe You One”, “Dead Giveaway”, “Right In The Socket”, “Full Of Fire”, “Sweeter As The Days Go By”, “Over And Over” and “This Is For The Lover In You”. With 25 million record sales under their belts, Howard and Jeffrey, along with the newest member Carolyn Griffey drive audience’s crazy with a dynamic blend of funky feel good music.

Shalamar are fronted by 3 dynamic individuals:

Jeffrey Daniel – the man who taught Michael Jackson the moonwalk and introduced body popping to Europe and the UK. Jeffrey co-choreographed and featured in the “Smooth Criminal” and “Bad” videos during a creative partnership with The King of Pop that spanned twenty years. The YouTube video shows the first ever moonwalk in the UK in 1982.

It was then known as the backslide before MJ renamed this infamous move. JD gained recognition on the US TV program Soul Train before presenting the UK version of the show – the 6.20 Soul Train. He went on to star in the original West End cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express, playing Electra. A legendary performer and style icon.

“First I would like to thank all the Shalamar Friends for hanging with us over the years and enjoying all the “Big Fun” we’ve had the honour of delivering to you. This year commemorates the 35th anniversary of our “Friends” album release and my iconic solo dance performance on Top Of The Pops. So, what better way to celebrate it all than with a Friends 35th Anniversary Tour! We are very excited about this amazing event and are looking forward to bringing you the best of our legacy of hits and good times. We are equally excited about our new single “The Real Thing” produced by our original producer Leon Sylvers III, our first group studio recording together since the ’80’s. Looking forward to seeing you all and of course dancing with you too”.

Howard Hewett – a Grammy award-winning artist voted one of the world’s top ten soulful singers of all time. With a tremendous back catalogue of solo work to complement his Shalamar activity, Howard has also collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, Anita Baker, LaToya Jackson, Stanley Clarke, Deniece Williams, Rick James, Johnny Gill, Joe Sample, Babyface, LL Cool J, and George Duke to name but a few.

“35 years! What’s that old saying: “Time flies when you’re having fun!” And I’ve been having a blast! We’re looking forward to spending this 35th anniversary with our UK and European Friends! See you soon!”

Carolyn Griffey – in addition to performing with Shalamar is a former member of the group Absolute and heir to the Solar Records dynasty – the Sound of Los Angeles which brought classic RnB acts onto the world stage including Shalamar, The Whispers, Dynasty, Lakeside, Midnight Star, Klymaxx, Calloway and Carrie Lucas (Carolyn’s mother).

“Being the biggest fan of Shalamar as a child growing up, never did I think in a million years that I would get to be a part of the legacy. I am blessed and honoured to continue not only my family’s legacy but the legacy of one of most amazing soundtracks to my life. The saga continues….”

Full venue details and pricing can be found at: www.shalamar.info/info/tickets/

Connoisseurs of real art are invited to attend the 2nd Annual Austria International Film Festival on August 4th, 2017 in Vienna (Austria) !

The Austria International Film Festival will be held at the UCI Kinowelt Millennium City, “James Dean” Hall.The Austria International Film Festival is an event that will let the audience experience vivid emotions and will make an unforgettable impression. Cinematographers from all over the world will be invited to the contest. The winners will be the ones who, according to the jury, have the most unique artistic views of the world in cinema.

Austria is a country, from where each corner has prepared its own “tasty morsel” of art and culture. Fans of classical music and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart go to Salzburg, for the cleanest lakes and hot mineral springs, tourists go to charming Carinthia, and lovers of opera, attractions, architecture and good cinema – of course, go to the capital of Austria – Vienna.

Those planning to attend are invited to familiarize themselves with the award categories for which participants will compete: Audience Award, Best Narrative Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Documentary Short Film, Best Entertainment, Best Music Video, Best Student Film and  Best Experimental Film.

The Austria International Film Festival is a must visit event! In attendance there will be people who live for art and people who will open the audience up to new and wonderful worlds, the likes of which have never been experienced before. This event will bring together talented people from all over the world. Every year the number of participants increases, and the work that they demonstrate becomes more interesting and professional.

It is guaranteed that the Austria International Film Festival will broaden horizons!

The jury of the festival are looking for filmmakers with a free spirit, new ideas, an independent point of view and new approaches to the world of film. The budget of the films is not important, it is all about the talent! The perfect end to the festival will be an informal exchange between the filmmakers and audience in the company of the invited local and international directors, producers and actors. All those present will have the opportunity to communicate and network with each participant of this event. After all, the festival opens the doors for professional and non-professional filmmakers. The atmosphere of the event will allow each viewer to live all the stories that will be displayed on the screen. Big impressions, lively discussion and new and interesting acquaintances will make this evening unforgettable.

Discover a whole new world at the Austria International Film Festival!

04.08.17 Internationales Austrian Film Festival from VR Movie Experience on Vimeo.

Festival’s Website: http://austriainternationalfilmfestival.com

Submission page: http://worldfilmpresentation.com/Festival/austria-international-film-festival

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustriaInternationalFilmFestival/?fref=ts

There are now so many beauty products on the market that it is hard to keep up with the latest products and trends. While many still favour luxury treatments, home beauty trends remain popular and seem to constantly change from season to season. In case you missed them, here’s some of the latest home beauty trends.

Teeth Whitening Kits

A bright, white smile doesn’t have to cost you the earth anymore. In the past, laser teeth whitening was one of the biggest trends. It is now possible to achieve those expert results by using an easily accessible kit. Tooth whitening from home simply involves applying a whitening strip to your teeth for the required time period. It can take weeks or even a month before you notice the difference, but the results will be worth it. The benefit of using a home kit is that you can decide how white you want your teeth to be and you can make the change gradually, which will give you more natural results.

Charcoal Face Masks

It might sound like an unlikely ingredient to put on your face, but charcoal face mask are one of the biggest home beauty trends of the year. They come in a number of different varieties, the sticky peel off kind which will help to remove blackheads and the thick mud type masks which help to draw out impurities. Charcoal is an amazing ingredient with lots of skin care benefits, although we don’t recommend using a homemade mask like the ones which have been seen in viral videos across the internet! This could do more damage than good, so invest in a good quality mask from a beauty shop.

Leave-in Conditioner

Leave-in condition is hardly a revelation; it has been around for a few years now. However, one of the latest hair trends is leaving your hair completely natural and avoiding using heat styling products completely. This means that leave-in conditioner is essential. It helps to moisturise the hair and keep it frizz-free and under control all day long. There are also deep conditioning treatments available which help to repair damaged hair.

Cider Vinegar

Cider vinegar has been hailed as a cure to just about everything recently. You can drink a small amount of it to cure almost any ailment, apparently! Whether or not you believe in consuming vinegar is another matter, but it is great for helping to clean your hair effectively. It has been recommended that people who suffer with a build-up of shampoo or a dry and irritated scalp apply cider vinegar to their scalp before they shampoo their hair. It has also been suggested that cider vinegar can be splashed on the face after cleansing to help tighten up pours. However, it is important to avoid getting it in your eyes!

Clean Beauty

You have probably heard of clean eating, but have you heard of clean beauty? This latest trend is the use of natural products which aim to combat the impacts of pollution on your skin.

As we stand, at the height of summer, there is still the meat of the 2017 golf season to look forward to. Two majors are still to be contested, and we will also see the conclusions of the PGA and European Tours. So, which events should you be looking out for over the next six months?

The Open Championship, 20-23 July

The Open Championship, also known as the British Open, will take place at Royal Birkdale this year for the tenth time. The Open is one of golf’s four majors, a jewel in the crown of any top contender, and 2017 marks the 146th time the competition has been held.

Among the favourites, who will be competing for a prize pot of well over £1 million, are Henrik Stenson, the Swede who currently holds the title, Justin Rose, a former US Open winner, and the British Rory McIlroy, who’s going for his second Open triumph.

The Open is an inseparable part of the British sporting summer, and whether you are watching it on TV, or as a VIP thanks to The Open golf hospitality 2017 packages, it simply cannot be missed.

The US PGA Championship, 10-13 August

The US PGA Championship represents the final major of the year – the last chance for players to claim one of the top four prizes in the sport.

The latest era of golf is an intriguing one, with no players seemingly able to put their stamp on this period in time. While the likes of McIlroy and Luke Donald show in flashes why they are great players, nobody can put together a run of majors in the same way Tiger Woods did in the last decade.

For this reason, the majors have become a real lottery in terms of who the winner will be – and for the spectator, this translates into a thoroughly watchable event. So, make sure you don’t miss the US PGA Championship, which will take place at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Tour Championship, 20-24 September

The Tour Championship represents the crescendo of the US PGA Tour: a top golf series which attracts the best players stateside, as well as a galaxy of stars from across the pond in Europe and around the world.

It is one of the most lucrative events in golf, as the winner stands a chance of topping the table of the FedEx Cup, the rankings race which accompanies the US PGA Tour, and scooping a cool $10 million in prize money.

It all comes to a conclusion at the Tour Championship, when players will be putting with literally millions on the line, so make sure you tune in for some high stakes drama.

There’s our pick of the top three golf events to tune into over the final half of 2017. There is nothing like a Sunday when the leaderboard is constantly changing, and the nerve of the planet’s top players is tested to the max.