Protect yourself from the sun

Sun Safety

In the UK, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are the strongest between 11am and 3pm from mid-March to mid-October. During this time, the sun may be strong enough to cause damage. Take extra care to protect your skin, especially if you get sunburnt easily by:

• Spending time in the shade, especially between 11am and 3pm in the UK. • Covering up with clothes, a wide-brimmed hat and UV protection sunglasses. • And using a sunscreen with at least SPF15 and 4 or 5 stars. Use it generously, reapply regularly and use together with shade and clothing. • Find out who is most at risk of sunburn, and what you can do to protect yourself

How to enjoy the sun safely. Find shade, umbrella icon. Cover up, icon of a loose, long-sleeved top, a hat and sunglasses. Icon of a sunscreen bottle- Use plenty of sunscreen with at least SPF 15 and a 4 or 5.

Shade Spending time in the shade is one of the best ways to protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays.

Create shade: Take a break under trees, umbrellas, canopies or go indoors. Not only will it help protect you from the harmful UV rays, if it’s hot, you’ll get a break from the heat, too.

Structures made from material such as shade sails often show the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) on the label. This tells you how good the protection is against UV rays. UPF can be reduced if the material is damaged or weathered. Some shade protects you more than others. Trees can be convenient, but remember that when the wind blows, gaps in the branches and leaves can let UV through. UV rays can also get through some fabrics and reflect off the ground, so think about clothing and sunscreen, too.

The sun moves Remember that the sun moves across the sky throughout the day, and shadey spots move with it. Be sure to check where the shade is so that you’re still protected.

The weather Even on cloudy or foggy days you can still get sunburned. Up to 80% of UV rays pass through cloud or mist, so be sure to still find shade, cover up and use sunscreen on the areas you cannot cover.

Covering up with clothing, hats and sunglasses Protect your skin from the sun with clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and UV protection sunglasses.

Clothing Clothing should cover your shoulders and have long sleeves. The more skin that’s covered by your clothing, the better the protection.

Choose clothing that’s loose-fitting and darker in colour: Look for materials with a close weave- as a guide you can hold the material up to the light to check you can’t see through the fabric. Hats: Choose a wide-brimmed hat that shades your face, ears and neck for the most UV protection.

Sunglasses: Sunglasses can protect your eyes from UV rays. When choosing sunglasses look for one of the following: ‘CE Mark’ and British Standard UV 400 label and 100% UV protection written on the label or sticker. Protection at the side of the eye, for example, wraparound styles, sports glasses or bigger sunglasses.

Sunscreen Sunscreen doesn’t protect us completely from sun damage on its own. However, it can be useful for taking care of the parts of skin we can’t shade or cover. This is why we recommend using sunscreens together with shade or clothing.

We recommend buying sunscreens with a: Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 (UVB protection) High star rating with 4 or 5 stars (UVA protection) UVA protection can also be shown by the letters ‘UVA’ in a circle. This means that it meets the EU standard.

No sunscreen, no matter how high the factor, can provide 100% protection. Sunscreen shouldn’t be used to extend your time in the sun, and it doesn’t make tanning safe. In fact, you could be more likely to get sun burn and skin damage if you use sunscreen to sunbathe.

Tips for using sunscreen properly It’s important to use it properly to get the level of protection it says on the bottle: • Make sure you put enough on – people often put on much less sunscreen than they need to. Apply sunscreen evenly and thickly.

Make sure that you’re putting enough on if using a spray or roll on sunscreen. • Reapply sunscreen regularly throughout the day including ‘once a day’ and ‘water resistant’ products. Sunscreen can rub, sweat or wash off – even if it’s supposed to be waterproof. It’s especially important to put more on after toweling dry. Reapplying also helps avoid missing bits of skin. • Check the expiry date on your sunscreen before you use it. Look for a symbol with the letter M and a number that shows how many months the sunscreen will last after opening.

Sun safety for children Sun safety is important at all ages. Protect children’s skin using a combination of shade, clothing and sunscreen. Encourage them to spend time in the shade particularly between 11am-3pm when the sun is strongest, you can read more about this in the above section. Covering skin with clothing helps to reduce UV rays reaching the skin, perhaps wearing a t-shirt in the paddling pool or a hat when at the park. Remember sunglasses and hats are a great way to protect the eyes and face, too. Children and teenagers might need a reminder or a helping hand but setting a good example yourself is a great way to help them learn good habits. The NHS recommends(link is external) that children under 6 months should be kept out of direct sunlight. n

A neuroma is a benign swelling / lump on a nerve, and they are quite commonly found in the feet between the base of the toes and the joints that make up the balls of the feet (the metatarso-phalangeal joints - MTPJs).

Morton’s neuromas are specifically located in the 3rd interspace (between the 3rd & 4th toes / MTPJs), with those found in adjacent areas having different names - Heuter’s, Howser’s, Iselin’s, and Joplin’s neuromas. Patients with neuromas are commonly given the diagnosis of “metatarsalgia”, but that isn’t a real diagnosis of a specific problem. It means pain around the metatarsal area of the feet (so a broad descriptive term similar to saying “headache”). Possible specific diagnoses for that include neuromas, synovitis, capsulitis, tendonitis, plantar plate injury, stress fracture, and fat pad irritation.

Neuromas can be frustrating. On some days in some footwear during some activities, they can be painless. On other days in other footwear during other activities, they can cause intense radiating pain. They can also cause pins & needles in the forefoot or a feeling that your socks are rucked up in your shoes. They do not show up on X-rays, but can be seen on ultrasound & MRI scans, although they are fairly indistinguishable from bursae which are deep fluid-filled sacks associated with the joints. Indeed scan reports will often state “neuroma / bursal complex found”. NHS guidelines on the treatment of neuromas advise 3 stages to resolution. First line treatment is the use of metatarsal pads on the foot or in footwear integrated with special insoles (orthoses / orthotics) if necessary. Second line treatment is steroid injections with or without ultrasound guidance. Third line treatment is removal of the neuroma and affected nerve which results in permanently numb areas on your toes.

However, there are other treatment options available privately with differing success levels including toe spacers (off-the-shelf or bespoke), joint mobilisations / manipulations, high intensity laser therapy, cryosurgery, alcohol injections, and nerve decompression surgery.

So what about the costs of neuromas? As always, these can be split into 3 categories:

Physical costs - To avoid pain associated with neuromas, people often walk differently with what healthcare professionals call an antalgic gait. If this continues over a period of time, then new problems can arise associated with altered / reduced physical activity such as weight gain or additional musculo-skeletal issues.

Emotional costs – Like other painful foot conditions, there is the effect that intermittent pain can have on mental health as it can be draining and lead to depression.

Financial costs - Before a patient seeks help for their neuroma(s), they often spend quite significant amounts of money on home remedies and footwear. NHS treatments are free, but they are limited as explained above. If you want to explore the other available treatment options then private healthcare will be the route to go. The fees charged by good Podiatrists would range from below £100 to above £500 depending on the intervention(s) required. Other healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths etc. may have similar costs associated with their treatment packages. Surgical interventions would then be more expensive.

As with all foot-related problems I have discussed in this series of articles, there really is no need to suffer or put up with pain in your feet. Just see a good Podiatrist who will be able to help you back to comfort to do the activities you enjoy. To find out more about what good Podiatry is, then listen to this podcast I was invited to record: www.bit.ly/PodLegends150

Jonathan Small, Lead Podiatrist, Health First Foot & Gait Clinic www.healthfirstsoutham @healthfirstsoutham

Quality care in Stratford-upon-Avon you can trust

When a family is thinking about care for a loved one, they want the best - they want to know that the care home they choose will put their loved one’s safety, happiness and wellbeing first.

Care UK’s Ambleside care home in Dodwell provides residential, dementia and nursing care, giving families peace of mind that their loved ones can stay living at the home should their needs change. Living at Ambleside is all about quality of life.

Every colleague in the home is passionate about enabling residents to enjoy a fulfilling lifestyle, tailored around their unique needs and preferences. The lifestyle team organises a huge variety of group and one-to-one activities, with plenty going on each day.

Often families are so caught up in the day-to-day care of their loved ones that the personal relationship they share can take a step back. Once their relative has settled into Ambleside they are able to focus on spending quality time with them again just enjoying each other’s company.

With the extra support that our care home offers, new residents are often surprised at what they can do, whether that’s being able to continue with an activity they’ve enjoyed in the past, or even discovering new hobbies with our daily activities.

Whether your loved one enjoys a quiet cup of tea in bed before starting the day, loves going for strolls in nature, or enjoys a chat over a beer, the team at Ambleside will spend time to enable them to continue living life the way they want to.

Ambleside is part of award-winning provider, Care UK – one of the UK’s most successful care home operators* with over 35 years’ experience of delivering high quality care to older people. Ambleside care home, Dodwell CV37 9TG care.uk.com/ambleside Email: gary.hulme@careuk.com Tel: 01789 863750

*As rated by the Care Quality Commission in England and the Care Inspectorate in Scotland. n

Socially excluded and too old to help?

A critical report launched in June by Age UK and The Salvation Army shines a light on the specific challenges experienced by people who are socially excluded in later life. The report explores the issues facing people living with poverty, homelessness, drug or alcohol addiction, severe mental illness and/or who are ex-offenders.

The report ‘Too old to help’ found that while social exclusion was incredibly difficult at any age, ageing magnifies the challenges and the stigma which socially excluded people already face, while at the same time often reducing the support which is available.

• Health services not asking older people about their alcohol consumption or drug use because they presume that these problems are an issue experienced by younger people. • Services are not adapting to meet the needs of people living with cognitive impairment. For example, communications can be long and complicated and support isn’t provided to help people to remember their appointments. • Older people are expected to attend services in the same spaces as younger adults, which can be intimidating, particularly if people are being disruptive or violent. When accessing group services, they may also find it hard to relate to younger people or feel ashamed and embarrassed if they are older than other service users. • That many services that support socially excluded people often centre on finding employment, which isn’t necessarily relevant for people who are state pension age. Rehabilitation services may also offer distraction activities which aren’t suitable for older people living with long-term conditions or in poor health, for example sports. • Or staff who may be ill-equipped to support older people with long-term health conditions, or disabilities, and similarly for those who require personal care, such as help with washing or toileting.

Sadly, the research found that ageist attitudes and assumptions also play a role. It found some professionals were deterred from providing support for older people as they felt they were ‘too old to change’, or because they believed that resources were better invested in helping younger adults. “The thing is, you get to an age where you know that you’re destined to be alone.” Stuart, age 56. “I contacted the GP as I have a list of things that I wanted to check in about, but they told me the only way was to go online. I can’t do that at the moment so there’s no way around it for me now.” Nehala, age 60.

Andrew Wileman, The Salvation Army’s Assistant Director of Older People’s Services, said: “Many older people who The Salvation Army works with have struggled to get the support they need whether that be accessing mental health support, help with debt, help to tackle addictions to drugs or alcohol, or assistance to find a permanent home. For many, this is exacerbated by financial difficulties which can mean they don’t have access to the internet or a phone. For some, the social isolation imposed by lockdowns due to the pandemic has made this even worse.

The recommendations in the report call for: • More tailored services to help older people who are experiencing social exclusion. • For local authorities and health service systems providing services to improve their understanding of older populations. • Stereotypes to be broken down to make sure services are accessible and inclusive of all age groups. • To provide high quality information and advice so that older people with complex needs have access to independent information and advice. • Offer greater financial support for groups approaching State Pension age who are unlikely to be able to work again.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: “Our new report shows how tough life often is for someone in their fifties and beyond who is challenged by poverty, addiction, housing, or mental health issues – or a combination of these problems. The fact that the support available to them is often single issue in nature doesn’t help. We also know that age tends to exacerbate the difficulties socially excluded people face, but it was depressing to discover some ageist attitudes among professionals and a sense that it was not worth investing scarce resources in an older person who they felt was incapable of positive change. We need to do more to persuade professionals that while it is certainly never too early to help someone who is socially excluded, equally it is never too late.” n

Disadvantaged pupils twice as likely to have fallen behind during the pandemic

New Teach First research reveals that disadvantaged pupils may be twice as likely as their richer counterparts to have fallen behind because of the pandemic. The survey from education charity Teach First found that just under a third (30%) of teachers at schools with the poorest pupils believe most of their pupils are behind in their attainment compared to this point in a normal year, compared to just 15% of teachers at schools with the most affluent pupils.

When asked what would make the most difference to support students in the future, the most popular choice from teachers was funding and access to social and mental health services (61%).In addition, four in ten (42%) said all households to have access to Wi-Fi and digital devices, a similar figure (39%) said teacher and leader development, while 52% said funding to reduce teachers timetabled hours.

When asked what the greatest barriers to engaging in long term planning for their school, the responses highlight the gaps between pupils from the poorest and richest backgrounds. 62% of teachers at schools with the poorest pupils said it was addressing the immediate gaps in pupils’ knowledge, compared to 51% of teachers at schools with the most affluent pupils 50% of teachers at schools with the poorest pupils said supporting their pupils’ emotional and social wellbeing, compared to 38% of teachers at schools with the most affluent pupils. 60% at schools with the poorest pupils said it was workload, compared to 64% of teachers at schools with the most affluent pupils. Despite teachers across the country working in immensely challenging conditions for the past year, there are changes made to the education system some teachers would like to remain. 43% of all teachers would like to see the increased use of technology to stay, 46% would like the option of remote working (at least some of the time) and 45% would like increased national attention on the attainment gap to stay.

The survey comes as Teach First launches a proposed manifesto which sets out their draft recommendations on what action they believe needs to be taken to ensure every child has the chance to thrive in a post-pandemic world. The charity will now be seeking feedback on the manifesto proposals from schools, teachers, leaders and partners, as they seek to build the final manifesto with insights of those working on the frontline of education.

One proposal Teach First is putting forward is a minimum five-year targeted increase in funding for schools serving disadvantaged communities. The charity is also seeking feedback on a number of other ideas, including: increased support and development for aspiring school leaders from underrepresented backgrounds; mental health and social services around schools to be sufficiently funded; and every household and pupil to have access to the internet and a digital device

Russell Hobby, CEO of Teach First, said: “The pandemic has widened gaps between the advantaged and disadvantaged. We need to tackle that, but we also need to ask why those gaps existed in the first place. The best way we can build a fair education system is by getting to root causes. This is a chance to do things differently – to reform as we recover. While these findings are deeply worrying, we strongly believe that by creating the right environment for schools, teachers and pupils to thrive, no child need be held back as result of the pandemic. If we want our country and economy to bounce back, we must unlock the talent, ideas and skills of every single young person. We look forward to engaging with people across the education community on our manifesto proposals in the coming months to ensure that what we’re calling for is based on the best possible evidence of those working on the frontline of education.”

Nathan D’Laryea, Assistant Principal at Loreto High School in Chorlton said: “We had no idea of the extent of lost learning the pandemic would cause, and how much lockdown would affect our pupils and staff. Many students were concerned about their education, while others almost needed to learn how to socialise with their peers again. It’s seen our remarkable pastoral team work even harder to identify and tackle these issues, while our teaching staff have continued to accept the disruptions and work incredibly hard to get our pupils back on track. Now more than ever, schools need the right support to fully recover from the pandemic. This means overarching support in closing the attainment gap, access to pastoral and social services, and ensuring teachers have everything they need to empower their pupils to thrive.”

Enrol on a part time course for adult learners

Give yourself a new focus by learning a new skill at your local WCG (Warwickshire College Group) College, based in Royal Leamington Spa, Rugby, Warwick and Moreton Morrell.

From part-time leisure courses to professional qualifications, there is something for all adult learners to enjoy this September. WCG knows that their range of lifelong learning programmes are essential to strengthening communities and making sure that local people can succeed in their personal goals and career aspirations.

There are a wide variety of adult part-time subjects on offer across all WCG Colleges, including:

• Animal Welfare • Art, Design & Crafts • Accounting (AAT) • Blacksmithing • Construction • Counselling • Engineering • ESOL • Floristry • GCSE & Functional Skills • Hair, Barbering & Beauty • Health & Wellbeing • Hospitality & Catering • Human Resources (CIPD) • IT • Languages • Marketing (CIM) • Motor Vehicle • Multimedia & Video • Personal Trainer • Teaching & Learning • Plus much more!

All course delivery is currently adhering to strict COVID-19 guidance and could include both face-to-face and remote delivery elements.

Don’t forget, WCG also has over 50 short courses available to study now from the comfort of your own home. Subjects include: Writing; Nutrition; Animal Health Care and much more! Visit wcg. ac.uk/distancelearning

For more information on how to enrol on an adult part-time course at a WCG college, visit wcg.ac.uk/adultlearning or call 0300 456 0049. n

Spirit and Splendour - Important Collection of Sculptures up for Auction

The title of the auction at Cotswold Auctioneers Kinghams on July 8th captures the essence of this private collection of thirty-eight important 20th Century sculptures. The one-off auction is devoted to the master creators of chryselephantine (bronze and antique ivory) figures that capture the spirit and decadence of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods spanning the 1900’s to the 1930’s.

Revered names such as Ferdinand Preiss, Demetre Chiparus, Paul Philippe, Marcel Bouraine, Otto Poertzel and Claire Colinet are all represented. The auction showcases some great rarities such as the large size Ankara Dancer by Colinet standing over 63cm high. This figure is sometimes seen in bronze but it is very hard to source with carved legs, arms and face. The Kinghams example is in beautifully preserved condition.

There are also some top examples of models by the Austrian designer Ferdinand Preiss (1882-1943) including the Bat Dancer, Spring Awakening and the iconic Flame Leaper that capture the freedom of expression for women in the Art Deco period. There are works by master Romanian sculptor Demetre Chiparus (18861947 including Tender Promises, Orilla and Bayadere, and some of the best models ever created by French artist Paul Philippe (18701930), including the ravishing Fan Dancer, the stunning Girl with Parrot and his masterwork, the triple female group - Round Dance.

All of these sculptures radiate an exuberance and splendour that only these leading master sculptors of the period can capture. With estimates starting at £2000, there are affordable works as well as the top of the range showstoppers such as Lot 35, Colinet’s Ankara commanding a £90,000-120,000 estimate. The entire auction is expected to realise in excess of £800,000 and interest from worldwide collectors and investors will be strong.

The fully illustrated page turning e-catalogue can be viewed here https://issuu.com/jammdesign/docs/k-027_sculpture_ listing?fr=sNjA4NzMzNDQ0OTU and real-time online live bidding is available on five different auction platforms or direct via Kinghams.

For further information, please contact Adrian Rathbone, Associate Director on + 44 (0)1605 695695 or email adrian@ kinghamsauctioneers.com n By Mark Oliver, Consultant, Kinghams Auctioneers & Valuers, Moreton-in Marsh, Gloucestershire. Lot 29: Ferdinand Preiss, Flame Leaper, circa 1925. Est £30,000-35,000

Lot 30: Paul Philippe, Round Dance, circa 1925. Est £50,000-70,000 Lot 24: Demetre Chiparus, Orilla, circa 1925. Est £25,000-30,000

Lot 35: Claire Colinet, Ankara Dancer, circa 1925. Est £90,000-120,000