
Christmas gift For All
FOR THE HOMEMAKER WHO LOVES BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS
he Driftwood Designs’ offering of beautiful objects was born from Lizzie Spikes’ passion for creating colourful illustrations that can be translated to all sorts of homewares. From oven gloves, chopping boards, aprons, cushion covers, lampshades all the way to clocks. Catering for any budget, stocking fillers or Secret Santa gifts; such as fridge magnets, notebooks, coasters and keyrings; can all be purchased for under £5.00. While they are low on price, they are high on style!
Looking mid-range, there are some really stunning household products with beautiful designs that look as lovely in a cosy cottage as in a grand drawing room or kitchen. Some designs are replicated across all or some of their product series. Colourful hearts to cheerful daffodils, from landscapes of woodlands to beaches, from summer meadows to autumn mushrooms, glittering fish to woolly sheep, and so much more besides. There are designs that will suit any mood or colour scheme – and all inspired by Lizzie’s passion for creating a beautiful environment to live in. Website: https://driftwooddesigns.co.uk/
FOR THE OUTDOORSY NEW MUM OR MUM-TO-BE
Grow Wild Outdoor wear is a range of outdoor clothing and accessories specifically designed for pregnancy and early motherhood. The range was created by Clare Winton, who has always loved outdoor activities and wild places. When she became pregnant, she found it impossible to find quality clothes that could keep up with both her pregnancy and her love of the outdoors. If this sounds like someone you know, check out the super-soft bamboo maternity and breastfeeding tops ; the durable and comfortable heavyweight Outdoor Maternity and Postpartum Leggings and the stylish, functional and ethically-made Mamalila Softshell Maternity and Babywearing Jacket, which transforms from a maternity jacket to a front and back baby wearing jacket. Website: https://www.growwildoutdoorwear.com
A LIFECHANGING GIFT FOR A LOVED ONE WITH A PHOBIA
BOOK: ‘Face Your Fears: 7 Steps to Conquering Phobias and Anxiety’
This innovative book from Harley Street phobia specialist Christopher Paul Jones is the book for anyone who needs to overcome their fears, phobias and anxieties.
Having overcome debilitating phobias himself, Christopher started on the path to becoming a therapist and coach, so he could do for others what he had done for him. He now has over 20 years experience and, with the launch of this book, readers can gain the benefit of his knowledge to overcome their own fears.
‘Face Your Fears: 7 Steps to Conquering Phobias & Anxiety’ is a practical guide to taking control of your mental wellbeing and treating common phobias, including (but not limited to) fears of flying, spiders, public speaking and heights, as well as claustrophobia, agoraphobia and anxiety.
Website: https://christopherpauljones.com/product/face-your-fears-book/
FOR THE CYCLIST WHO WANTS TO BE SAFE, STYLISH, AND CYCLE SUSTAINABLY
If your loved one loves to cycle but doesn’t want an unattractive or cumbersome helmet, Dasel offers a stylish alternative, which is also sustainable and, of course, safe.
Dashel’s cycle helmets are slim, ventilated, lightweight and designed and manufactured in the UK. They are stylish, with a distinctive urban feel, and appeal to those looking for an alternative to the ubiquitous ‘sporty’ helmets, instead wanting something chic that doesn’t compromise on safety. Dashel Helmets have low impact at the point of manufacture, and produce very little waste. They are portable, and sold packaged in a handy rucksack that means there is no superfluous packaging.
Dashel’s latest range is a new charity collaboration helmet with Sea Shepherd, a marine conservation organization that engages in direct action campaigns to defend wildlife and conserve and protect the world’s oceans. This collaboration means all helmets in the new range will feature a ghost net loop –a loop made from discarded fishing nets, which are found and removed from our oceans by Sea Shepherd. Dashel and Sea Shepherd then work in co-ordination with Bracenet, which turns the old nets into loops. These loops are fixed to the rear of the Dashel helmets and are perfect for attaching lights to the helmet and improving cyclist visibility out on the roads. The new helmets come in both adult and child sizes.
Website: https://dashel.co.uk/
FOR THE ONE WHO JUST HAS TO PUT PEN TO PAPER
The new CAUSEBOOK range of notebooks is designed to inspire mindfulness, self-expression and creativity. So, whether your loved one is a list maker and organiser, a journal or diary keeper, an artist or a doodler, there is bound to be the perfect CAUSEBOOK for them. CAUSEBOOK uses high quality, carefully selected materials to ensure both quality and aesthetic appeal. The notebooks look and feel great, in order to awaken the senses and inspire their users.
CAUSEBOOK recently launched two flagship collections; The Legacy Collection and The Blossom Collection. Proudly designed and manufactured in Bristol, UK, ensuring high standards of quality and supporting local craftsmanship. The ranges include books with plain, dotted or lined inner pages, with various binding techniques and papers providing a different feel, quality and colours. So, whatever your loved one is like when expressing themselves on paper, there will be a CAUSEBOOK for him or her. Website: https://www.cause-book.com/
FOR THE BUDDING PROPERTY DEVELOPER
Teach them everything they need to know to make money as a small-scale property developer
propertyCEO – This is a nationwide property development training company that specialises in training new, small-scale developers. So, if your loved one has always dreamt of buying somewhere dilapidated and restoring it to its former glory or converting an old industrial property into residential, and you are looking to get a BIG present, you could treat them to a three-day Fast Track Small-Scale Property Development workshop (held via Zoom), for £1497 +VAT.
If that’s a bit outside your budget, you may want to opt for one or more of their three books on the subject: ‘Industrial to residential conversions: The essential guide to converting industrial buildings for profit’, ‘Your own personal time machine’ or ‘The guide to small-scale property development: and the rise of the landlord developer’.
Website: https://propertyceo.co.uk/
https://pceofasttrack.co.uk/infopage/
https://propertyceo.co.uk/books/
FOR BIG THINKERS, READERS, AND ANIMAL LOVERS
A choice of books to challenge traditional thinking about animals
If you have a loved one that likes an insightful and challenging book to get their teeth into, where better to turn than the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. The Centre has a wide range of books covering a variety of topics related to animals, animal protection and animals’ place in society, including:
Animal Theologians looks at the relationship between religion and animals. It delves into the writings of theologians, of numerous religions, who have looked at the relationship between God and animals.
Price: £25.99
Website: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/animal-theologians-9780197655559?cc=gb&lang=en&
Images for all the books: https://passionfortheplanet.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/Ep1dg7OcCXVHpjihG0WE8ioB9LIgpLWmi1E4c-lzH2flUg?e=Lqc0va
Get 30% off with discount code: AAFLYG6
Animal Ethics and Animal Law has contributions from academics world-wide, exploring ethics and law in relation to animals and how law can (and can’t) protect animals from cruelty and abuse.
Price: £92.00 hardback / £35.00 e-book
Website: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781666924145/Animal-Ethics-and-Animal-Law
Get 30% off with the code: LXFANDF30
An Ethical Critique of Fur Factory Farming looks at the multimillion-pound fur trade worldwide, which kills over 100 million animals in fur farms annually. The book examines the assurances that the industry gives about why this is acceptable and takes them apart one by one.
Price: £23.99 Website: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-10621-7 /
Why Animal Suffering Matters argues that the rational case for extending moral solicitude to all sentient beings (i.e., to include non-human animals) is much stronger than many suppose.
Price: £23.49 Website: https://academic.oup.com/book/3603 Get 30% off with code: AAFLYG6
Ethical Vegetarianism and Veganism argues in terms of our relations with animals, it is difficult to think of a more urgent moral problem than the fate of billions of animals killed for human consumption. The protest against meat eating may turn out to be one of the most significant movements of our age. Price: £29.59
Website: https://www.routledge.com/Ethical-Vegetarianism-and-Veganism/Linzey-Linzey/p/book/9781138590991 Get 25% off with code: OCAE25
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By Penny McCarthy
Penny McCarthy is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Parents News UK, a pioneering publication launched in 1993 to serve the needs of busy parents in Southwest London. Alongside her husband, Fergus McCarthy, Penny played a crucial role in the rapid expansion of the printed edition, which grew from a local startup to a widely circulated monthly publication with a reach of 192,000 copies across Kent, South London, and beyond. Under Penny’s leadership, Parents News quickly became a trusted resource for families, providing valuable information on education, entertainment, sports, and family-friendly events. Her vision helped the publication extend its influence with franchises in Northern Ireland and Cornwall, catering to a growing demand for accessible, family-oriented content. In 1997, recognising the importance of digital media, Penny spearheaded the launch of Parents News UK Online. The website initially mirrored the content of the printed editions and has since evolved into a comprehensive online resource for parents, achieving significant popularity with up to 700 daily hits. In 2017, the publication transitioned fully to an online platform, continuing to inform and engage families across the UK. Today, Penny remains deeply involved in the ongoing success of Parents News UK, focusing on innovative advertising opportunities and future growth plans. Her dedication to supporting families through accessible and practical content has made Parents News a cherished name in households across the country.
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