Do your children want to spend the festive holiday sprawled on the sofa watching Christmas films?
Don’t despair: those old familiar favourites can be educational. Yes, really! Former primary school teacher Laura Steele of education resources experts PlanBee shows how to turn passive screen time into an active learning experience
 

Father Christmas
Based on the book by Raymond Briggs, this short animated film takes a look at what Father Christmas does on the other 364 days of the year.

• Ask your child to choose one of the destinations Father Christmas visits on his holidays and put themselves into his shoes (or boots!) and write a postcard home, explaining everything he saw and got up to there.
• Father Christmas doesn’t enjoy all the visits he makes. Encourage your child to write him a letter, suggesting where he should go next year, and why he might like it better than his holiday this year. 
• Father Christmas spends time organising presents for us, but what present would like to receive? Ask your youngster to draw a picture of the gift they would get for him, and write a short explanation of their choice.
  Download FREE Father Christmas activity sheets here

• The boy and the Snowman never speak to each other, but if they did what would they say? Children could write an imagined conversation between them, or even act it out.
• We see the boy building the Snowman step-by-step. Encourage your child to draw pictures and write instructions for each of the different stages of construction.
• Ask them to design their own snowman! Ask them to label what they would use for his eyes, nose, mouth, buttons and so on.
• If you watch the film carefully, you will see many different animals. Can your child spot them? As an extra challenge, they could choose an animal to research and perhaps make a poster or write a report about it.
  Download FREE Snowman activity sheets here

The Snowman
Also based on a Raymond Briggs book, in this film a young boy’s snowman magically comes to life, and takes him on an adventure to meet Father Christmas.

 Elf
Elf focuses on the character of Buddy, a human who has been raised by elves at the North Pole. On discovering that he is not actually an elf, Buddy travels to New York in search of his father

• Buddy is given a snow globe of New York City. Children could design and draw their own snow globe, showing where they live.
• Challenge them to describe and draw the film’s funniest, happiest and saddest moments.
  Download FREE Elf activity sheets here

The Grinch
Based on the 1957 book by Dr Seuss, a creature named the Grinch hates Christmas and everything to do with it. He devises a wicked plan to ruin the festive season for the town of Whoville.

• Children could write a character description of the Grinch, detailing his appearance, his personality, what he does, and how he changes by the end of the film.
• Ask children to draw a picture of, or describe, Whoville at Christmas. Would they like to live there? Can they explain why?
• Ask your child to step into Grinch’s shoes, and describe or act out their thoughts about Christmas both at the beginning of the film, and then at the end, and discuss how they differ. 
  Download FREE Grinch activity sheets here

The Polar Express
A young boy who is beginning to lose his belief in Father Christmas boards a to the North Pole and has amazing adventures, makes some special new friends, and regains his belief in the magic of Christmas.

• Ask your child to design a ticket for the Polar Express. Who would they give it to, and why? Which two letters do they think The Conductor would cut out on it, and why? Which full word would be created on reboarding the train?
• In the film, the symbol of Christmas spirit for the Boy is the bell he receives from ‘Mr C’. Ask children to draw and explain what represents the Christmas spirit for them.
• At one point, the train passes the Northern Lights. Encourage children to research exactly what this phenomenon is. They could also create their own artwork depicting the scene. 
   Download FREE Polar Express activity sheets here

Klaus
A young postman who is not very good at his job is sent to serve an unwelcoming, frozen town in the far North. When he meets an old toy maker, Klaus, and together they begin delivering presents to the children of the town, things begin to change…

• Ask children to imagine that they are one of the children living in Smeerensburg. Challenge them to write their own letter to Klaus, telling him how they have been good, what gift they would like and why.
• In the film, Klaus has carved alcoves into a tree trunk for a family of figurines. Ask children to draw or make their own version of this, complete with everyone that is special to them.
• Klaus says: ‘A true selfless act always sparks another’. Ask children to name the selfless acts in the film. Have they made any selfless acts themselves in the past? Are there any that they could make in the future?
   Download FREE Klaus activity sheets here

Arthur Christmas (2011)
Santa’s rather accident-prone son, Arthur, sets out on a mission to deliver a present that was left at the North Pole on Christmas Eve

• Encourage children to draw, and write a short description of, each member of Santa’s family: Santa himself, Mrs Santa, GrandSanta, Steve and of course, Arthur. What characteristics do they each have? How are they similar? How are they different?

Arthur is particularly fond of his slippers. Unfortunately, he loses them during his adventure. Can your child design a new pair for him?

• Challenge your children to design and make their own version of ‘Christmas: the Board Game’. What will the board look like, what’s the aim of the game and how is it played? Will they need any extra items such as counters or question cards?
  Download FREE Arthur Christmas activity sheets here

Fun activities for ANY Film
Set one of these fun challenges to give a new dimension to your youngster’s watching habits, whatever their chosen film:

• Turn the sound off and challenge your child to describe what is happening in the film. Ask children to imagine that they are helping a blind person experience the film so they need to use as much detail as possible for each scene. You could play a few short scenes using Audio Description to get them started: as a cartoon strip, a digital book, as a written account, as a series of drawings, or as a storyboard.
• Challenge your child to write a review of the film. How many stars out of five would they give it? What was the best bit? Who was their favourite character? Or what about recording a vlog review giving their opinion to share online with friends and family?

• Good Move reveals searches for burglary prevention services increase throughout December
• Devon, Cornwall, Dyfed-Powys and Norfolk have the lowest theft and burglary rates in the UK overall
• West Yorkshire, London, South Yorkshire, Cleveland and Humberside are the least safe areas in the UK for theft and burglary
• Tips on protecting your home this festive period

With Christmas fast approaching, Google search data reveals that burglary related searches peaked throughout November and December 2019.

Burglary and overall crime rates are a huge contributing factor to where we choose to live, and new research, conducted by regulated property buyers, Good Move has also revealed the areas in the UK with the highest, and lowest theft and burglary rates in the UK.

Google search data reveals that searches in the UK for ‘burglar alarms’ jumped by 144% and queries for ‘keep home safe’ increased by 120% from early November to mid-December 2019.

What’s more, searches for ‘burglaries near me’ attracted the highest amount of searches from the 24^th-30^th November, and again after Christmas, while people were looking for ‘safety alarms’ more on the 17^th-23^rd November and 8^th-14^th December than any other time in 2019.

Spikes in searches for ‘burglary prevention’ also peaked between the 8^th and 21^st December.

With so many Brits searching for ways to keep their home safe over the festive period, Good Move looked at theft and burglary rates¹ from across the UK to determine the safest and least safe places to live for this crime.

Having collated the data, the areas with the highest theft offences (rate per 1,000 people), are:

1. London (51)
2. Cleveland (41)
3. West Yorkshire (39)
4. South Yorkshire (38)
5. Humberside (35)

At the other end of the scale, the areas with the lowest theft offences, (rate per 1,000 people), are:

1. Dyfed-Powys (15)
2. Devon and Cornwall (15)
3. Cumbria (18)
4. Norfolk (19)
5. North Yorkshire (20)

And looking at burglary rates, the areas with the highest burglary offences (rate per 1,000 people), are:

1. South Yorkshire (10)
2. West Yorkshire (9)
3. Cleveland (9)
4. London (9)
5. Humberside (9)

While the areas with the lowest burglary offences, (rate per 1,000 people), are:

1. Devon and Cornwall (3)
2. Dyfed-Powys (3)
3. Norfolk (4)
4. Wiltshire (4)
5. Staffordshire (4)

Interestingly, London, Cleveland, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Humberside were the five regions that both marked the highest for the amount of theft and burglaries in the UK, making them the least safe areas in the UK.

Similarly, Dyfed-Powys, Devon and Cornwall and Norfolk are the safest areas in the UK based on theft and burglary rates. Wiltshire and Staffordshire have the lowest burglary offences and Cumbria and North Yorkshire have the lowest theft rates in the UK.

If you’re worried about theft or burglaries this festive period, Managing Director for Safe, Anthony Neary: suggests:

1. Be vigilant

Being vigilant and not letting your guard down across winter is key. It’s easy to become relaxed when working from home as people assume that their property is naturally protected because they are in it. Be sure to look out for any suspicious activity whether it is day or night. If you feel action needs to be taken, don’t hesitate to report it to the police.

2. Home security systems

Invest in home security systems for peace of mind. Our recent survey that revealed 68% of people in Britain don’t even have a standard burglar alarm fitted. Adding an alarm, CCTV or security lighting could be the difference between being burgled and not.

3. Join or start up neighbour watch groups in your area.

Whether it’s a Facebook group, email thread or weekly meet up, keep people informed with any suspicious activity and share any CCTV footage to keep the area alert. It’s important to pull together and make the properties on your street difficult for burglars to break in to.

Commenting on the findings, Nima continues: “When looking to move home, there are many important factors to consider, and crime rates are one of the most important things to think about when you’re moving your family to a new area. It’s upsetting to see how much searches for ways to prevent burglaries soared throughout November and December 2019, and it shouldn’t be the case.

“Hopefully our research will help those looking to move to a new area to see the different theft and burglary rates across the UK, and for anyone living in the least ‘safe’ areas to find ways to prepare and protect themselves against theft and burglaries this festive season.”

To find out more about the data, alongside other top places to live based on important factors, go to: https://goodmove.co.uk/the-uk-reimagined/

By Alex Tofts

As the UK prepares for a second lockdown, Broadband Genie surveyed hundreds of teaches across the country to see what impact a school closure would have on pupils.

Teachers were polled on how the previous lockdown affected pupils progress and how the economic and learning setup of those students affected their ability to learn.

Key findings

95% of teachers surveyed believed that further school closures would have a material impact on pupils’ prospects, and of those, nearly half (49.5%) stated that they were “very concerned” about this impact.

95% stated that access to better technology (computers, laptops, broadband) significantly influences the student’s ability to learn from home.

During the first lockdown, when most schools and colleges were shut, teachers believed that 80% of pupils made less progress in their learning than they would have in class. This is despite 94% of teachers providing resources and setting work to try to keep students learning at a normal pace.

A significant worry was that those teaching students preparing for their GCSE’s (82%) were the ones showing the most concern about the progress pupils had made.

Areas of significant concern for teachers

We asked what the teacher’s main concern was if we again shut our schools, given what they had seen from the effects of the first lockdown. These are some of the problems they raised:

• “Social skills affected”
• “Pupils falling behind”
• “Not all children will have access to a computer/good internet connection to be able to access learning materials that would benefit them. Children from lower-income families will be disproportionately disadvantaged.”
• “Lack of interaction”
• “Very limited opportunities to monitor the progress of pupils online. Formative assessments in class are hard to implement over the web”
• “Not enough engagement from pupils”
• “Some children do not have internet access within their home, therefore they are unable to continue working if it is forced online due to another lockdown. This then causes the children to be caught behind in the work and it is unfair to them.”
• “the struggles of the children’s mental health”
• “Lack of interaction”
• “Children will fall further behind but be expected to complete end of key stage assessments as if it’s been a normal year”
• “Creating a bigger gap between those who have the support and resources to work at home and those who do not.”
• “Pupils not being able to complete the amount of work they normally would in class and falling behind.”
• “Attendance. Physical barriers to learning such as not having enough equipment. Not having broadband at home”
• “Children falling behind who are not able to access laptops/computers all day”
• “Students will fall behind and won’t have a fair chance at passing exams next year”
• “That some pupils will not have access to technology and fall further behind”
• “Some pupils are unable to connect or log in due to various reasons, Some have poor internet connections some do not have the proper equipment.”
• “Poor students will be left behind even more as they don’t have technology resources or settled home life and parental engagement”
• “That disadvantaged pupils will suffer the most”

It’s clear from the responses that we saw some key themes in most teacher’s concerns.

• Access to the right technology has a significant influence on whether pupils can learn.
• Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds will suffer disproportionately. 
• Lockdown significantly impacted pupil engagement and interaction.

Digital poverty 

The impact on disadvantaged pupils has been a significant worry for teachers since the first lockdown. The government pledged to provide laptops to underprivileged pupils who are at home because of coronavirus and do not own a computer. However, last week some schools were told the number of laptops they were promised had been cut by 80% after the government allocation process changed.

Not only are students from poorer households often without access to suitable computers, but also access to fast reliable broadband is a significant problem for online learning.

Alex Tofts from Broadband Genie said: “Access to decent broadband and technology is essential for home learning. With public libraries set to close, some pupils will have no way of accessing online resources.

“Some schools will be able to provide a limited number of laptops but many pupils will have to be set work that can be completed offline, putting them at a disadvantage. If Schools close for this lockdown, the Government must step up and provide the resources for pupils to continue their education.”

About our survey 

Teachers surveyed were classes from reception through to A-Level.

And across a wide variety of subjects (with more teachers responding from key core subjects like English and Maths).

• Regulated property buyers, Good Move share five tips on how to avoid gazundering when selling your home

Gazundering, or the process of a buyer lowering their initial offer on the previously agreed-upon sale price, is a scary concept for sellers, but how do you prevent it from happening?

Below Nima Ghasri, Director at regulated property buyers, Good Move offers five helpful tips on how to minimise the risk of gazundering when selling your home.

Set a date for exchanging

Although not all purchases can work like this, it’s always advisable to get a potential date in place for exchanging contracts. This way, everyone has a date to work to, and it will help encourage buyers and solicitors to move quickly.

Get the survey done quickly

If you know what’s likely to come up in your house survey, it’s always a good idea to get it fixed before selling your home to help speed up the survey process. I’d also advise getting your survey out of the way as soon as you can. If your buyers are selling too, apply some pressure for them to get their survey done quickly too, so everything can move smoothly and quickly.

Be realistic and honest

You should never inflate the value of your home and you should always be honest and realistic about any repairs or damages to your property. A survey will highlight any issues, anyway, so always be upfront to help speed up the process. What’s more, if you set your asking price above where it should be, there’s more chance that a buyer might lower their offer, so be realistic about the price to help prevent gazundering.

Look out for warning signs

It’s not always easy to spot, but there are certain warning signs to look out for to prevent gazundering. For example, if a buyer offers significantly over your asking price, this can be a red flag as they might be planning to knock down that price the closer you get to exchange. Although it may seem like you’re missing out, accepting a more realistic offer can prevent you from being gazundered and losing more money later on.

Move quickly

Obviously, everyone would prefer the process of buying and selling to be quicker but to avoid gazundering you should always try to move as quickly as possible. Make sure that your solicitors can move fast and that they have all of the information they’ll need from you ahead of time and stay in regular contact to make sure they’re pushing through the sale.

Nima concludes: “Gazundering is sadly a common problem in the housing market, but there are ways of going about it and dealing with it effectively. If you’re in the unfortunate position of having an offer on your home lowered, make sure you speak to a financial advisor or your estate agent before you make any moves.

“If you think that the offer is unfair and that the buyer is just pushing their luck to see if you’ll accept a lower offer, you could try standing firm on your agreed-upon price. Alternatively, if your survey has turned up some issues with your property and your buyer thinks the property’s initial price was too high considering this, you can always offer to renegotiate the asking price. Hopefully, these tips will help anyone selling their home to avoid being gazundered.”

For further tips on this topic, head to https://goodmove.co.uk/blog/what-is-gazundering/

• A new report by thortful.com reveals scariest horror films
• Alien ranked the scariest movie with the Shining coming in second place
• Prom Night ranked least scariest film

With the spookiest day of the year nearly upon us, a new report by thortful.com uncovers the top 10 scariest (and least scariest, if you’re a bit of a wimp, easily scared), films of all time…

After crunching the data on IMDB, thortful can reveal the scariest film is… Alien! Surprising, huh? The 1979 sci-fi flick directed by Ridley Scott, is set in outer space, and follows a crew who are terrorised by a deadly and aggressive alien.

This is followed closely by classic horror film The Shining, featuring Jack Nicholson. Other cult classic horror films that have made the top 10 are The Exorcist, and Halloween, the franchise that features iconic serial killer, Michael Myers.

The top ten scariest movies are:

According to the research, the least scariest film is Prom Night. Starring Brittany Snow, the film shows an obsessed teacher released from jail, who kills Snow’s friends on (you guessed it!), her Prom night. Several supernatural films feature in the bottom 10, including The Devil Inside, Annabelle Comes Home, Boogeyman, The Unborn, and Ouijia.

Classic thriller film Jaws has been voted as the third least scariest horror film of all times, with the killer shark clearly not as scary as it was back in the ‘70s and ‘80s!

The top ten least scariest movies are:

For more details, go to: https://www.thortful.com/blog/top-10-scariest-movies-revealed/

• Good Move unveils tips to prepare your home for the chillier months

As we’re officially in Autumn, there is no time like the present to prepare your home.

Below Nima Ghasri, Director at regulated property buyers, Good Move offers five simple tips to get your house ready for the chillier months and save yourself time, money, and stress.

1. Clear gutters and drains

It is nobody’s favourite job, but maintaining your gutters and drains is an essential part of getting your home ready for autumn and winter. Check for obvious cracks or damage and make time to clear your gutters of debris like leaves, moss, and mud before the wet and windy months start. Autumn leaves are lovely to look at, but they can easily cause a blockage – and come heavy rain or snow, you risk leaks or even greater damage if water cannot drain away from your house.

2. Protect your pipes with lagging

A little investment in the milder months can pay off when the temperature drops – and one of the things you can do now to save you time and money come autumn and winter is to lag your pipes. Lagging simply refers to foam insulation tubes, which are inexpensive to buy and easy to install – just slip the foam tubing over external pipes (particularly plastic pipes) to reduce heat loss from your system. This will make your heating more efficient, helping you to save on energy bills – and lagging will also protect your pipes from freezing and bursting in cold weather.

3. Check your roof and chimney

Your home’s roof is one of those things that you do not think about – until there is a problem. Water leaking in from an improperly maintained roof or chimney can damage your home, discolour your walls, and in the case of a bad leak, could mark or spoil anything you may keep in your attic. Even if everything seems fine now, all it takes is a heavy snowfall or a bad spell of wind and rain to dislodge tiles or mortar, allowing draughts and water to sneak into your home. Save yourself some stress come winter – check that your tiles are still firmly in place and that any flashing and pointing is still in good condition, or get a roofer to have a look if you don’t have easy access.

4. Winter-proof your windows

If you have wooden window frames or windowsills, they might need a little bit more care and attention during autumn and winter. Wet weather and freezing temperatures can make untreated wood expand and even rot, so ahead of time, make sure you fill in any cracks, check that any sealant is still firmly in place and holding a good seal, and top up any paint if needed. 

5. Get your boiler serviced

It is easy to put off a boiler servicing – it can be expensive, and if your boiler is tucked away in a closet or airing cupboard it is a case of out of sight, out of mind. But the very last thing you want is for your boiler to stop working in the dead of winter, leaving you and your family shivering. Not to mention, in the colder months you may struggle to find someone who can fix your boiler right away – and you may also end up paying more due to out of hours rates or emergency callout prices. Even if you have cover for your boiler, most policies may not pay out if your heating system has not been properly maintained – so get your boiler serviced now and enjoy a cosy autumn with fully-functional heating.

“The autumn and winter months may be cosy, but if your house isn’t prepared ahead of time, you may find that the cold weather brings plenty of stress – and extra expense,” Nima explains.

“Hopefully, our helpful tips will help homeowners beat the cold temperatures, rainy days, and blustery winds.”

For further tips from Nima, head to: https://goodmove.co.uk/blog/selling-advice/six-ways-you-should-prepare-your-home-for-autumn/ 

• Noise (28%), parties (26%) and overgrown trees (19%) revealed as the main cause of arguments with neighbours
• Wales unveiled as the location where most neighbour disputes take place 
• A quarter (24%) of Brits still have unresolved issues with neighbours

We’re all guilty of having a little moan when our neighbour does something out of place, however, according to new research by regulated property buyers, Good Move two-thirds (64%) of Britons have had arguments with their neighbours.

Good Move delved into Britons relationships with their neighbours to determine the reasons why they have had disputes. According to the research, the top ten reasons are as followed:

1.       Playing music loudly (28%)

2.       Having loud parties (26%)

3.       Plants/trees overgrowing into their property (19%)

4.       They park over their driveway or in their spot (17%)

5.       They put their rubbish in their bin (16%)

6.       They cut their trees down (15%)

7.       They don’t take their bins out (15%)

8.       They keep knocking things into their garden (13%)

9.       They won’t pay for their half of the garden fence (13%)

10.   Noisy children (13%)

Other reasons include having loud sex, smoking drugs in the garden and howling dogs. One respondent even said: “They are just a pair of scruffy tramps who live in the dirtiest house in the street.” Awkward!

Delving further into the research, Good Move can also reveal the locations where Brits have had the most disputes with neighbours. The top five are as followed:

1.       Wales (72%)

2.       Northern England (70%)

3.       South West England (69%)

4.       South East England (63%)

5.       Scotland (60%)

When respondents were asked whether they had resolved issues with their neighbours, 76% said they had meaning a quarter (24%) still have festering problems.

Commenting on the research findings, Nima Ghasri, director at Good Move says: “It’s interesting to see just how many people have had disputes with their neighbours across the UK and the factors that caused these arguments.

“If you’re experiencing issues with your neighbour, I’d always advise to try and discuss the problem with your neighbour first. If you’re worried about approaching them, maybe write a letter and explain the problem clearly. If, however, the problems become serious, I’d recommend making a formal complaint to your local council.”

To read more about the research, head over to: https://goodmove.co.uk/blog/these-are-the-uks-biggest-neighbour-disputes-and-the-worst-regions-for-it/

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Inflatable furniture, toilet seat covers and wallpaper boarders

The interior design trends we would all like to forget

• New report by Wren Kitchens has revealed the worst interior design trends of all time
• The 1970’s has been revealed as the worst decade for interior design styles
• Inflatable furniture and taxidermy top the list of trends we wish we could all forget

What goes around, comes around – or it certainly does for does for interior designs.

What was once deemed the most desirable feature/style to have in your home can be easily replaced a few months later. Furthermore, design trends can often come back into fashion as consumer preferences continually change.

However according to a new study by Wren Kitchens there are some interior trends we would all like to forget!

The best and worst decade for interior design

The study of 2000 UK homeowners asked for their opinions on which decades were the best (and worst) for interior trends.

Asked to rank the following decades in preference (1 being the best) the results revealed that the 1970’s with its earthy tones, dark cabinets and wooden features was revealed as the worst decade for interior style

The retro 1950’s with its soft shades, coloured appliances, and statement black and white floor tiles weas revealed as the best decade for interior style.

Full list can be seen below:

The best and worst interior design trends of all time

When asked for the best and worst interior design trends of all time it appeared that the UK has fallen out of love with inflatable furniture and taxidermy, whilst barn doors and painted open brick continue to stay loved.

Asked to rank the following trends on a scale of 1-10 (1 being disliked) the study revealed the best and worst trends for interior style. Full list can be seen below:

• Moggie cat crowned as the most disastrous pet breed
• Labrador takes top spot as the naughtiest dog breed
• Hilarious (but super cute) pictures of pets caught in the act

There’s no denying that a pet makes a house a home, and nearly half (44%) of households agree¹. But, as sweet as they are, they can wreak absolute havoc on your home – as new research by regulated property buyers, Good Move reveals².

Good Move spoke with pet owners across the country to determine the pets that are causing the most damage in their home.  According to owners, the ten most destructive pet breeds are:

1. Moggie cat (9.3%)
2. Labrador dog (8.0%)
3. British Shorthair cat (6.3%)
4. Border Collie dog (3.0%)
5. Parrot (2.8%)
6. Beagle dog (2.7%)
7. Cocker Spaniel dog (2.6%)
8. Staffordshire Bull Terrier dog (2.6%)
9. English Springer Spaniel dog (2.4%)
10. Bengal cat (2.3%)

And the damage these little rascals have caused is as followed:

1. Dug up flowers/grass in the garden (35%)
2. Ripped furnishings including sofas, chairs, and cushions (29%)
3. Urinated/pooed on furnishings including sofas, beds, and carpets (28%)
4. Scratched furnishings including doors and cabinets (28%)
5. Chewed their owners favourite shoes and clothes (26%)

Some owners even revealed that their furry friends had ripped wallpaper off walls, chewed wood panelling and opened the kiddies Christmas presents. What’s more, some little devils have even left rodent entrails on carpets!

Considering the research findings, Good Move also put a call out for pet owners to name and shame their naughty four-legged friends. Here are some caught in the act:

Caption: Mario, Cavachon, destroyed his mum’s plants and got mucky paw prints everywhere.

Caption: Miya, British Shorthair cat, pleased with herself after destroying the Christmas tree.

Caption: Darcy, Boxer dog, stole her human sisters bedding off her bed and made a snowstorm. 

Caption: Bear, Malinois dog, literally tearing apart everything he can get his paws on.

Caption: Magic, Dwarf Lop rabbit, chewed through her owner’s Apple MacBook laptop wire whilst it was still on charge (now that could have been fatal!).

Commenting on the research findings, Nima Ghasri, Director at Good Move, says: “It’s no secret that we all love our furry companions, but the little devils can cause damage to our household contents, as our research has revealed.

“If you’re looking to purchase one of the slightly “naughtier” pet breeds, be sure to keep valuable items out of their way to ensure nothing gets damaged. A lot of the time, when a pet acts out, it’s usually because they’re bored. So, take them for a walk, or grab their favourite toy to play with. After all, you don’t want your brand-new sofa, or freshly laid carpet to bear the brunt of their mischievous behaviour!”

For more information on the research and for Good Move’s advice on selling your home, go to: https://goodmove.co.uk/blog/revealed-the-pet-breeds-causing-havoc-to-households/

People across the country have been reporting that supermarket shelves are stripped bare of disposable nappies and feminine hygiene products as panic buying has set in for these necessary items.

As a result, many are turning to renewable nappies when their disposable nappies have run out.  TotsBots, the reusable nappy company, have reported a 600% hike in sales in the past few days alone.

The same is happening for Bloom & Nora, an ethical reusable sanitary pad company, that’s also seeing a huge spike in sales at this time. Not only are they a sustainable alternative to disposable pads, but they contain no toxins, dioxins, carcinogens and can washed and reused again and again. Perfect for when supermarket shelves are bare.

TotsBots started selling their reusable nappies at 440 Boots stores nationwide in February. With the increase in panic buying due to Covid-19, parents are stocking up on reusable necessities instead of disposables.  “It’s a smart choice,” says TotsBots co-founder Fiona Smyth, “disposable nappies and sanitary pads end up in landfill, cost more in the long-run, but at times like this it’s good to know you won’t be stuck if disposable items disappear from the shelves.”

Reusable nappies like TotsBots contain no nasty chemicals, are easy to wash and quick drying, and come in various styles and sizes for new-born babies to toddlers.  There are nappies for daytime and more robust nappies for night-time as well as a range of accessories to makes sure babies bottoms stay covered if disposables run out.  For parents self-isolating and keeping kids indoors, it’s a safe and reliable solution.

TotsBots award winning reusable nappies and Bloom & Nora reusable sanitary pads are made in the UK. You can pick up TotsBots at most Boots nationwide, or there is FREE UK shipping on orders over £50 from www.totsbots.com.  Similarly, Bloom & Nora can be purchased online www.bloomandnora.com/