Summer 2018 is shaping up to be one for the history books. The weather has been truly spectacular – the long, hot, sunny days have endured for weeks now, perfect for barbecues and time spent in the garden with friends and family long into the evening. Though very warm and stuffy here at Showcase HQ, the sunshine always puts a smile on everyone’s faces, and although the gardens and hedgerows are all looking a little parched I am sure holiday makers have been counting their blessings for choosing the UK! Autumn and winter are approaching, so I am sure we will all appreciate the beautiful summer sunshine while it lasts.
Another highlight of course has been the summer of sport, particularly the World Cup. We have been hooked here, and our sweepstake is still going strong! Who would have ever predicted England to do so well? We are incredibly excited for Wednesday evening, and I am sure we are all behind the whole squad.
Our website has been updated across the past month and new features to highlight include:
- Our “About Us” page now has our beautiful photos on it! Now you can put a face to a name – important for those a tad nervous to meet us for the first time.
- Blogs are updated regularly, with our topic of the month this time being Mental Health Awareness.
- Short Courses can be found under the Courses menu, so have a look to see if any take your fancy
Our updates include our brand new Safeguarding Course at Level 3. Aimed at Childcare practitioners and those working directly with children and vulnerable adults, this course is designed to: give you confidence when identifying signs of vulnerability; help you to know how to seek help and report concerns; and, importantly, learn how to safeguard yourself from harm.
Over in Apprenticeships, we are continuing our Learner of the Month awards and this time around we say congratulations to Jazzmin for achieving her full Childcare Apprenticeship at Level 3! Her hard work has been really inspirational to us here and has paid off greatly for her. Jazz now moves forward in her Childcare career and we wish her all the very best for such a bright future. All nominees are put forward for the overall Apprentice of the Year Awards due to be held in March 2019 to celebrate National Apprenticeships Week so we look forward to inviting a number of our learners to our ceremony!
Finally, with the glorious weather in mind, we thought we’d share a few top tips to stay cool this month. Have a go and let us know which ones work best!
☀ Choose cotton! Lightweight, comfortable, and absorbent, cotton is breathable and great for ventilation and airflow to help stay cool.
☀ Keep a bottle of water in the freezer to take to work the following day; it will melt by lunchtime, but will be beautifully cool and will act as an ice pack – bonus!
☀ Hot water bottles can be placed in the freezer too! Remember to wrap in a tea towel or sheet to prevent cold burns on the skin.
☀ Place a box of ice in front of a fan so that cool air is blown around the room.
☀ Keep curtains closed during the hottest part of the day (around 12pm-3pm) and/or during times when the sunlight streams through. This will help to prevent the room from warming up too much, especially when you are out all day with no windows open.
☀ Ensure you remain topped up with suncream! This one is a MUST. Go for a 30+SPF and double check the UV star rating on the back. Purchase new suncreams regularly to ensure its effectiveness does not expire.
☀ Drink plenty of water – it is recommended to drink 1.5-2 litres of water a day, but make sure you drink a little more in the summer to account for perspiration.
☀ Turn off your lights to save the heat being generated and warming up the room; hang washing on a clothes horse or washing line to save a tumble dryer being used and also warming the room. Electricity saved and costs reduced as a bonus!
☀ Use the warm weather as the perfect excuse for a lovely salad! Cooking over a hot stove is not the most attractive pursuit at this time of year, so get creative. How about trying this Chicken, Avocado and Bacon salad by Mary Berry? (Please note: this link will take you to the BBC website).
We hope you all enjoy your few weeks in the sun and look forward to catching you up with all our news next month. See you then!
Team Showcase