September 27, 2021

Award-winning company appointed to lead £750m Swansea regeneration

Proposals worth £750m to further transform Swansea city centre and develop new homes and attractions along the coast and riverfront have taken a major step forward. Swansea Council has now appointed award-winning regeneration company Urban Splash as its preferred development partner for a number of key sites, including the Civic

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Council Declares a Housing Crisis

Due to a number of factors, including the lack of rented accommodation which is available for longer than six months, an excessive rise in house prices due to second home-owners, the conversion of properties to Airbnb’s and people moving into the District since the pandemic: South Hams District Council says

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The Skills Centre Appoints New Marketing Manager

The Skills Centre Appoints New Marketing Manager

Clara Edwards has been appointed as Marketing & Communications Manager for leading construction skills and training provider, The Skills Centre. As the marketing lead within the business, Clara will advise on strategic marketing development, as well as managing all its communications and promotions planning, brand development, internal communications and digital

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Foundation Repair Services

Whether you have to address major structural issues on a residential building or a multi-level commercial building, you still can rely on dependable, innovative foundation repair services that are sure to last for many years to come. You can trust such services because they’re backed by advanced technology that makes

Read More »

Making Your Kids Room A Gamer’s Paradise

Just a few decades ago, gaming was restricted to a couple of well-known consoles and hundreds of discs or gaming cartridges that you’d usually find in your older siblings’ bedroom. Fast forward to 2021 and gaming is bigger than ever! With more console and gaming options than ever before, as

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3 Tips In Organizing Outdoor Events

Unlike tropical countries, warm weather only comes around a few months annually in regions blessed with four seasons. Considering this, most people would maximize this time to enjoy a plethora of physical activities and soak in the sun’s rays outside. The period is also a perfect time to invite people,

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7 Outdoor Project Ideas Using Wire Mesh

As a homeowner, the idea of sprucing up your home is always enticing and worth a try. The only problem is, you may lack the proper materials or the time to do so. However, if you find the time, you can turn your home’s interior and exterior to match your

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Latest Issue
Issue 324 : Jan 2025

September 27, 2021

Caddick Construction appointed to deliver £15.7million speculative development in Ellesmere Port

The North-West office of family run business, Caddick Construction, has been appointed by Redsun to deliver AVIATOR Phase II, which comprises two new build warehouses with integral mezzanine offices. Caddick Construction successfully completed phase one in February last year, delivering a 125,000 sq ft warehouse which was let to Survitec Group on a 20-year lease just after reaching practical completion. It was subsequently acquired by Arrow Capital Partners, who will be funding Phase II of the Development as part of its €3bn Strategic Industrial Real Estate (SIRE) joint venture with Cerberus. This latest phase responds to the significant rise in demand for quality industrial accommodation and will see two warehouses of 200,000 sq ft and 80,000 sq ft delivered, alongside service yard, parking and landscaping, on a 15-acre plot. The Caddick Construction team will start on site next month, with completion expected in summer 2022. The client, Redsun, is behind the AVIATOR project, which will ultimately provide up to 450,000 sq ft of industrial space. The popular site is already home to DHL, Jaguar Land Rover and Vauxhall Motors assembly plant. Nick Wightman, director at Redsun, said: “We worked collaboratively with the Cheshire and Warrington LEP on the first phase and it was a huge success. This second phase will help plug the chronic gap in high quality stock in the region. This thriving location, close to the motorway network, will appeal to both occupiers and investors.” Ian Guildford, contracts manager at Caddick Construction, said: “The first phase of development was a huge success and the team is delighted to be working with Redsun again. It is testament to our vast experience in delivering high quality industrial premises and we looking forward to starting the two warehouses next month.” Located off North Road, the 22-acre site forms part of the Cheshire Science Corridor and benefits from the enhanced capital allowances towards fit out costs offered by its Enterprise Zone status. Just five miles from Junction 12 of the M56, 24 miles from the M6, AVIATOR is also within easy reach of Liverpool Superport and Manchester Airport. The project team includes Fletcher Rae Architects, Muir Associates and Crookes Walker Consulting. B8 Real Estate and M1 Agency are joint letting agents. The Caddick North West team employs more than 70 staff and operates from offices in Warrington and Cumbria. The team has successfully delivered a range of projects including the £154m Angel Gardens’ Scheme in Manchester, a flagship car showroom at TraffordCity, Liverpool Shopping Park and a range of industrial developments including Mere Grange and Central 23 in Merseyside on behalf of Network Space.

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Award-winning company appointed to lead £750m Swansea regeneration

Proposals worth £750m to further transform Swansea city centre and develop new homes and attractions along the coast and riverfront have taken a major step forward. Swansea Council has now appointed award-winning regeneration company Urban Splash as its preferred development partner for a number of key sites, including the Civic Centre, Swansea Central north and a plot of land running alongside the River Tawe in the St Thomas area of the city. Early ideas for each site have been proposed, which will now be worked up in more detail before plenty of opportunities for local people to give their feedback and help shape the plans. To be delivered by the private sector, the early proposals include: •       The transformation of the 23-acre seafront Civic Centre site into a new city waterfront district for Swansea. A mixed-use destination anchored by the beach is proposed, with new homes and a strong leisure and hospitality focus, generous civic spaces and plenty of greenery. Other proposals include a new walkway to the beach and a mix of permanent and seasonal uses and events to create an all-season visitor destination. •       New office buildings, new apartments for residents and shared workspaces on the 5.5-acre Swansea central north site located at the former St David’s Shopping Centre site. Capitalising on the major growth across the UK in demand for craft-based goods, space for small creative businesses to make and sell their products could also feature.  •       A residential-led regeneration of a 7.5-acre riverfront site in St Thomas, featuring family homes, apartments, new public spaces and a new terraced river walk providing direct access to the river for the first time in over 150 years. The council’s appointment of Urban Splash follows an extensive search for a preferred development partner as part of the Shaping Swansea initiative. The council’s appointment of Urban Splash follows an extensive search for a preferred development partner as part of the Shaping Swansea initiative. Urban Splash will deliver future plans with the support of partners including mixed-use developer Milligan Ltd who will work in joint venture with Urban Splash on the St David’s site, together with Pobl Housing Association, Coastal Housing Association and Swansea Council. Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “The appointment of Urban Splash is a significant private sector vote of confidence not just in Swansea’s enormous potential, but also in the huge amount of regeneration work led by the council that’s already happening in the city, including our £135m Copr Bay phase one district. This work has acted as a catalyst to attract a company of Urban Splash’s quality and experience, and is part of a £1 billion regeneration story unfolding across Swansea that’s transforming the city into one of the UK’s best places to live, work, study and visit.  “The regeneration of these three key sites will help take Swansea to the next level by creating thousands more jobs for local people, hundreds more new homes for local families and a mixed-use, vibrant city centre destination with the footfall it needs to thrive. “Although subject to consultation in future to ensure people’s views are taken on board, the early proposals will help realise these goals, while also giving the stunning Civic Centre site on our world class bay back to Swansea people and visitors to the city. “We look forward to working with Urban Splash on further developing these exciting proposals for the people of Swansea to consider, along with ideas on how best to regenerate other key sites forming part of our Shaping Swansea plans.” Urban Splash have developed over 60 regeneration projects throughout the UK in the last 25 years. These include the Royal William Yard project in Plymouth where the company has transformed a collection of Grade I and Grade II Listed waterfront structures into apartments, workspaces, galleries, bars and restaurants.  The company is also undertaking the redevelopment of the Grade II Listed Park Hill in Sheffield into a mixed-use cultural quarter, featuring hundreds of homes and workspaces – many of which are complete and fully occupied. Jonathan Falkingham MBE, Urban Splash co-founder, is an award-winning architect who helped establish the regeneration company in 1993. He said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working alongside Swansea Council and all of the partners involved in this fascinating project.  “I’m have a longstanding affiliation with this brilliant city, attending school here in my younger days. I’m pleased to be back in Swansea to help deliver such an exciting new era for the city. We have plans for a world class environment of great architectural quality, that recognises and enhances the existing historic fabric of the local area and its beautiful location. We hope to achieve this through multi-authorship and partnering with brilliant designers to evolve the most appealing and sustainable designs for each area of this new neighbourhood.” Tom Bloxham MBE, Urban Splash Chairman, said: “For almost three decades now, Urban Splash has worked hard to transform the fortunes of towns and cities, breathing new life into places through applying great design ideas, and working with the local community to create beautiful buildings and spaces that are sustainable for all.  “We have been really impressed with the ambition and vision of Swansea Council and look forward to working in partnership with this amazing city on the beach using our experience, capital and resources to strengthen their vision and deliver exceptional living, working and leisure spaces to help more people live well by design.”  Further proposals in future will also cover opportunities to develop other key sites across Swansea.

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Public demands action on alternative energy sources as government blamed for gas crisis

In an exclusive opinion poll, conducted on behalf of the not-for-profit trade association Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), in the middle of the current energy crisis, the public have blamed the government for the current gas crisis and have demanded the fast-tracking of alternative energy sources to heat their homes. The 2,000 respond representative sample of the UK population when asked who was to blame for the current crisis, said the government and energy suppliers shared responsibility, with 26.4% blaming the energy suppliers; 24.9% the government; 12.9% the regulator Ofgem. 40.5% of respondents blamed all three. Overwhelmingly, three out of four people asked (74.4%) agreed that the government should keep the price cap for energy bills in place, placing a limit on bill increases, rather than allowing the market to determine the price for energy. What’s more, two-thirds of those asked (66.1%), confessed to being worried about being able to afford to keep warm this winter and 64.9% believe any increase in household energy bills above £10 a month was unacceptable. Crucially, UK homeowners are now looking for government action on energy to prevent a repeat of the gas crisis. More than nine in ten (95.8%) thought it important for the government to invest in alternative sources of energy such as zero carbon hydrogen and only one in four (24.6%) wanted to see gas central heating removed from homes to be replaced with electric appliances. Commenting on these results, Mike Foster the CEO of Energy and Utilities Alliance said: “These results are shockingly clear. The government cannot be comfortable knowing that two-thirds of people are genuinely worried about being able to keep warm this winter. “But consumers don’t want to pay higher energy bills and are blaming the government and energy suppliers for the problems they now face. Any increases above a tenner a month are seen as unacceptable.” “There is also a very clear message being sent about future energy policy. Consumers expect, actually they are demanding, that the government invests in alternative sources of energy, such as zero carbon hydrogen, to avoid a repeat of what we are going through. When 96 per cent of the public support something, politicians had better listen.” “The current crisis is further proof that we need to decarbonise our gas network, using zero carbon gases such as hydrogen and keep costs down by adopting hydrogen-ready boilers. “What our politicians must avoid at all costs is a ‘dash for electricity’. These results clearly show that there is real concern over electricity prices and the consequences for consumers if we try and convert homes from gas for heating. What’s more, the electricity grid will not be able to withstand the extra demand being placed upon it in winter months.” For more information on renewable heating and to see the EUA’s latest report, Too Close to Home, visit: https://eua.org.uk/too-close-to-home/

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Council Declares a Housing Crisis

Due to a number of factors, including the lack of rented accommodation which is available for longer than six months, an excessive rise in house prices due to second home-owners, the conversion of properties to Airbnb’s and people moving into the District since the pandemic: South Hams District Council says it has no choice but to declare a Housing Crisis.  The District does have a five-year supply of land for housing, an adopted Joint Local Plan with Plymouth and West Devon, and an adopted Housing Strategy that they consulted on last year, but local leaders say that due to recent events, there is just not enough properties for local people and those people wanting to work in the District.   Cllr Judy Pearce Leader of South Hams District Council Said: “We are all very aware of the problems that have been created this summer, because so many properties have been turned into Airbnb’s. We have every sympathy with people wanting to come and visit the South Hams, but we have to look at the sustainable future of our district and if people can’t afford to live here for work, then the system is going to break down. We can’t have innumerable tourists here if there is nobody here to service the businesses that they are using. “We do have the Joint Local Plan, it is working well, but it has been drawn up on government guidelines, and whilst we are building the right number of houses, we are not building the right kind of homes that are needed in the South Hams. It is becoming more and more evident that the housing policy which is promoted nationally is not working in areas like ours.   “That is why, with Cllr Bastone, I brought a motion to the Council. It has a number of actions in it, which are complemented by and are in addition to our plan “Better Lives for All” and our housing strategy. This is a list of actions and I am suggesting that we do not do a lot of talking, but we get on and take action.”    At a meeting of their full Council, Cllr Judy Pearce, Leader of South Hams District Council and Deputy Leader Cllr Hilary Bastone, laid out ten actions that they asked the Council to take urgently in order to address the crisis; two further actions were added during the meeting. They are: 1. The District Council will lobby government, through MPs and the Local Government Association, to allow a Council Tax charge on housing plots with planning permission if they have not been built after a specified period of time. This would encourage developers to get on and build their sites without delay. 2. They will also lobby Government to review all holiday accommodation. This would ensure that it is properly regulated, complying with local planning policies and taxes. This could include an extension of the 90-day short let legislation, a proper planning class for short lets and proper licencing for them. This would prevent people finding loopholes in the taxation system and prevent too many local homes being converted to holiday accommodation. 3. The Council should also immediately review all holiday letting in the District to ensure that the owners are paying the correct amount for the removal of waste and recycling. Businesses should not be on the normal domestic recycling and waste collection. 4. South Hams District Council will also ask the Joint Local Plan project team to review the amounts of affordable housing in the Joint Local Plan and see if this can be increased, so that the percentage of “First Homes” on a development is in addition to the existing requirement for 30% affordable housing. 5. The District Council already runs a letting agency to encourage landlords to make properties available for local families in need. There should be further promotion of this and regular landlord forums to encourage more properties to become available. 6. The District Council works closely with registered providers on many housing projects across the District; they will now be working with them to ensure the best use of those properties, such as to encourage tenants to downsize where possible and make larger properties available for larger households. 7. In addition to this, the District Council is proposing to use some of the affordable housing revenue to increase payments made to those tenants downsizing to make the move more attractable and affordable. 8. The Council are committed to using Section 106 affordable housing contributions as soon as possible, to help fund developments anywhere in the District where the terms of the Section 106 agreements will allow. 9. The Council also wants to campaign for changes to the Broad Market Area, to better reflect the costs of rents in the South Hams. 10. The Council would encourage the development of an exemplar site of low carbon modular housing such as ZEDpods, to show that developments like this can be both stylish and great to live in. 11. South Hams District Council also agreed to actively seek opportunities to invest in Council owned social housing with highly sustainable specification. 12. To lobby Government to allow local councils to be able to charge 200% Council Tax on second / holiday homes, as they do in Wales. Cllr Hilary Bastone, South Hams District Council’s Deputy Leader added: “It is so very important for our residents, their families and their future generations that we tackle this problem now and do everything in our power to enable local residents to have a decent home. If people move away because they cannot afford to live here or they cannot find affordable rented properties, then our towns and communities will collapse. “I am pleased that our motion was passed by full Council, but now is the time for us to stop talking and take action.” 

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Work set to get underway on two multi-million-pound affordable housing projects in Glasgow

Work will shortly begin on two multi-million-pound affordable housing developments in Glasgow. Housing provider Home Group Scotland appointed Cruden Building West, part of the Cruden Group, to deliver two key housing developments at Kennyhill Square in Dennistoun and in East Balornock (Phase 6). The contracts have a combined value of £12.5m. The new £6m Kennyhill Square development will provide much-needed mid-market rental housing in Glasgow’s East End with 36-, one- and two-bedroom apartments built on the site of a former nursing home. The development, which has been designed by Grant Murray Architects, offers energy-efficient, high-quality homes and many of the properties benefit from a terrace with stunning views overlooking Alexandra Park.  Cruden Building West was also awarded a £6.5m contract by Home Group to develop the latest phase at East Barlornock – creating 35 highly sought-after affordable homes at the site on Broomton Road. Home Group Scotland and Cruden Building West have been working with Glasgow City Council on this development which has been built over five phases to date, and this marks the beginning of phase six of this £50m regeneration of the East Balornock area. Allan Callaghan, Managing Director of Cruden Building East said:  “We are delighted to begin working on this exciting new development at Kennyhill Square in Dennistoun which will bring all important sustainable, affordable homes to the area.  We will also begin work on phase six of building the East Balornock development – a significant milestone as we get closer towards delivering this landmark regeneration which will create around 320 new homes in total. As is the case with all our projects, we are committed to giving back to the local area by providing significant community benefits, work placements and apprenticeship opportunities.” Stuart Dixon, Head of Development at Home Group Scotland, said: “Over the past few years Home Group has played an integral part in helping to energise parts of Glasgow through its development programme. The next phase of East Balornock and the development at Kennyhill Square in Dennistoun are a continuation of that programme, with more to follow. Working with Cruden Building West, we know these developments will deliver exactly what we and our customers want.”

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The Skills Centre Appoints New Marketing Manager

The Skills Centre Appoints New Marketing Manager

Clara Edwards has been appointed as Marketing & Communications Manager for leading construction skills and training provider, The Skills Centre. As the marketing lead within the business, Clara will advise on strategic marketing development, as well as managing all its communications and promotions planning, brand development, internal communications and digital activity. “This is an ambitious business with a genuine purpose at its core. I am already in awe of the positive impact it has on each local community it operates within, and the tangible difference The Skills Centre continues to make on the lives of the people within those communities,” said Clara of her appointment. “I hope to be able to properly tell these amazing success stories in these areas and beyond, encouraging key construction stakeholders to continue to engage with us and to attract more and more people on to our programmes. The work of The Skills Centre is truly transformational for many, and it is an inspiring place to be.” The Skills Centre is headquartered in Cardiff and provides construction training opportunities at its six centres located around London, including at Earls Court and Olympic Park, as well as a recently opened skills centre in the West Midlands. It partners with major developers and contractors such as British Land, Transport for London, JCB, Lendlease, Mace and others to offer training with direct pathways to jobs, for those looking to start a career in the construction sector. New developments include centres also being planned in the North East of England, Liverpool, the South West and in Wales; which also involve partnerships with major contractors and leading developers to help attract and up-skill the next generation of workers in the construction sector. “This is a new role for The Skills Centre at a time when it is experiencing exceptional growth. We have the opportunity to really maximise what has already been achieved and to leverage its hard-earned reputation to energise people and the sector as a whole – I couldn’t be more pleased to be here,” added Clara. The Birmingham City University marketing graduate joins The Skills Centre after working as Publicity & Events Co-ordinator for the Centre of Excellence in Emerging Tech at the University of South Wales; and has also had previous marketing roles at DevOps Group, Cerebral Palsy Cymru and Conscious Solutions. “Clara brings a wealth of experience to The Skills Centre, and we are delighted she has joined the team. She will help deliver our marketing plans with a clear vision aligned with the overall strategic vision of the business, and I’ve no doubt she will be a huge asset to our teams around the UK,” said CEO of The Skills Centre, Jon Howlin.

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Foundation Repair Services

Whether you have to address major structural issues on a residential building or a multi-level commercial building, you still can rely on dependable, innovative foundation repair services that are sure to last for many years to come. You can trust such services because they’re backed by advanced technology that makes sure that your buildings don’t suffer from future safety hazards. In the past, repairing foundations was a daunting task, and many people gave up on the idea because they weren’t sure if they could afford it or if it was even worth the effort. Foundation Repair Services: What Do They Do However, professional foundation repair services are well versed in how to repair different types of structures, such as basement walls, asphalt, concrete slabs, wooden pier foundations, and much more. It doesn’t matter what kind of structure you have to deal with because they can fix almost any problem. Foundation cracking caused by weather conditions or soil conditions can be improved through the use of quality products. Dearth inducing cracks can be addressed using innovative technology and then repaired using services that can ensure the problem won’t bother your family or your business in the future. Types Of Services That Are Provided One of the many services you can count on when hiring foundation repair services is a-1 concrete leveling. A-1 concrete leveling involves creating a highly customized, durable base utterly free of flaws and artificial depressions. This type of foundation repair service is perfect for basement walls, driveways, porches, patio entrances, and much more. Not only will it provide a permanent solution to any structural issue or problem, but it will also create a beautiful, flawless surface that is free of imperfections. Solid footing is an essential component of foundation repairs, especially for buildings with basements. If you have a basement wall that’s cracked or you have problems with soil conditions inside your building, a professional foundation repair services company can help. The process begins with a comprehensive inspection of the walls, floors, ceilings, and more to develop an exact plan for repairing your walls and repairing the foundation problems. Cracks and other problems can happen to any part of a structure no matter what kinds of materials were used to build it. For instance, a small crack can appear anywhere when a wooden floor is not installed correctly. A-1 Concrete leveling can eliminate large sections of level ground that would otherwise be unsightly and difficult to fix. Basement walls can crack, and driveways and porches may become off-road when soil conditions aren’t ideal. With a well-designed foundation repair, any foundation problems can be eliminated before they become serious issues that your family or employees cannot fix. Regional Foundation Repair The average cost of regional foundation repair isn’t much. Most homeowners around America pay hundreds to thousands of dollars to fix the foundation of their house each year. In some regions, the annual cost can be double or triple the average annual household expenditure. Foundation repair is one of those things in life that costs more when you don’t need it and less when you do. In many cases, homes need just a superficial layer of cement to keep them standing for years, but local governments often require additional maintenance that ultimately adds costs. Conclusion Hire a professional contractor with years of experience in all types of construction and basement repair services. They will assess your structure to ensure that there are no underlying structural issues that need attention and design a plan to fix any structural or environmental issues. From custom-designed retaining walls that blend in with your landscape to grading and paving the area around your home, these basement remodelers can take good care of your project. You can be confident that your contractor will create an attractive, practical design that will maximize the value of your home while preserving its integrity.

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Making Your Kids Room A Gamer’s Paradise

Just a few decades ago, gaming was restricted to a couple of well-known consoles and hundreds of discs or gaming cartridges that you’d usually find in your older siblings’ bedroom. Fast forward to 2021 and gaming is bigger than ever! With more console and gaming options than ever before, as well as live streaming, online gaming platforms, influencers and professional gamers making the industry popular and appealing to boys and girls of all ages and abilities – gaming is no longer a pastime that was once reserved only for teens, it’s part of everyday life and even influences the career choices of our children who want to work within the industry full time as gamers, designers, storyboard creators or even testers. So, if your child is serious about gaming, whether as a career choice or just for fun, turning their bedroom into a gamer’s paradise can help them make the most of this fascinating and fast-paced industry. Read on for some amazing gamer-bedroom ideas. A New Bed Did you know that a gaming bed for kids is something that really exists? It’s true! These incredible sleeping options house the gaming area underneath the high sleeper unit, with cable tidies for wires, LED lighting, and a chair bed that converts from a sitting area to a sleeping space for visitors, gaming beds are the perfect addition to any little gamers room. Not only will they keep their gaming paraphernalia tidy, but it also prevents their rooms from becoming cluttered with big desks and heavy furniture. The gaming area is also tucked away underneath the bed, which means they’ll be able to settle peacefully without being distracted by flashing consoles or charging lights keeping them awake. A Gaming Chair If you’re sticking with the traditional desk and chair option, then it’s worth upgrading their seating options to support their back and neck, and ensure that they’re comfortable when playing. Adding a gaming chair gives you plenty of options to work with, including chairs with surround sound built-in, chairs with charging ports and storage or something simplistic with their favourite character on will also look great. Install Some Good Lighting LED strip lights are always a good choice for gaming areas and can really enhance the experience by backlighting their equipment. You can purchase LED lighting that sticks to any surface and if you choose one with smart technology, you can find lights that sync with monitors and screens for a reactive experience. Add Some Fun Accessories Whether you have a young boy gamer just getting started, or your tween girl is a fully-fledged gaming enthusiast, decorating their room with some fun gaming accessories will look great. Try some themed pillows and bed linen, wall stickers of their favourite characters and logos, figurines and fun shelving, even wall art and themed storage options. Final Thoughts… Gaming is a great hobby that could be the start of an interesting and rewarding career! Even if they don’t have big plans for the future just yet, upgrading their bedroom into a gamers paradise will certainly get a thumbs up! 

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3 Tips In Organizing Outdoor Events

Unlike tropical countries, warm weather only comes around a few months annually in regions blessed with four seasons. Considering this, most people would maximize this time to enjoy a plethora of physical activities and soak in the sun’s rays outside. The period is also a perfect time to invite people, organize, and host large outdoor events. The Pros And Cons Of Outdoor Events The outdoors can offer unique opportunities that can energize your guests, complement your planning efforts, and accommodate flexibility. For example, it allows you to be innovative with your catering and entertainment options. Since summer is the perfect time for outdoor grill sessions, you can certainly offer your guests or clients a fun BBQ treat. However, the outdoors also presents a set of concerns that have to be tackled ahead of the actual event date. For instance, if you’re organizing a large conference, you need to choose among different industrial tents that’d be able to cater to your expected number of participants and provide them with the necessary ventilation for maximum comfort. An Organizer’s Guide: Tips To Achieve Outdoor Event Success  While this may discourage you, these challenges can actually spark creativity, help you make informed choices, encourage collaborative effort, and the like. Whether you want a nature-inspired or a festival themed party, your outdoor event can be successful with proper preparation and collaboration. You’ll need to seek help from a caterer, professional photographer, and event organizer to ensure everything will flow smoothly according to plan. To jumpstart the preparation process, below are three tips for organizing outdoor events that you can go with. 1. Monitor The Weather As mentioned, there are advantages associated with outdoor events. But there are also inevitable problems, such as poor weather, that can potentially spoil all of your efforts if not dealt with properly. Considering this, make sure to be updated on weather reports as your event day approaches. Also, have spare longterm tent structures that you can set up immediately and other solutions that offer adequate coverage for your vendors, sponsors, clients, and equipment in the event that the weather turns bad. The weather can be unpredictable even if you keep a close watch on the latest weather news. It’s a must to prepare for the big day with emergency measures. For instance, an outdoor wedding venue can continue in the rain if you erect a marquee or a large tent before the event. With it, you can continue all your other activities inside while protecting your guests from rain and other elements. With these alternatives prepared beforehand, you don’t have to cancel or postpone your event. Instead, you can easily move the event indoors and instruct the other organizers to lead and guide the event attendees. These portable solutions can also double to offer shade for guests who start coming in late in case of a sunny day.  Moreover, make sure to learn about the insurance options and expense liabilities if the weather has caused certain damages to the equipment, furniture pieces, and the like. This may be helpful in getting some of your money back.  Talk to an event insurance agent to determine the best plans available. Then, choose one within your budget and specific event needs. Before you sign a policy, check the coverage, deductible, and restrictions that may apply. 2. Prioritize Your Guests’ Comfort When hosting indoor events, you might wonder how you can squeeze in your seating options, tables, podiums, and furniture items in awkward corners and tiny stations. Gladly, with outdoor settings, you don’t have to worry about partitions. You can have a spacious area to play around with the decorations and to designate areas. With this, make sure not to limit your cozy seating choices to invite guests to hang around and start to socialize. Make sure to have enough lights to illuminate the space. If you have the budget, you can have different colors and light fixtures placed to cover the event area. Lights can directly transform the ambiance of the room, which influences your guest’s level of comfort. However, for worry-free outdoor lighting installation, make sure to hire licensed lighting experts in your locality. If you’re hosting the event in a pavilion, make sure that an electrical team is around if the air conditioning units start to fail. Alternatively, make sure that you have electric fans, cooling stations, and mist devices available to combat the outdoor humidity. Have a steady supply of clean, drinking water and food throughout the area, especially if more guests and clients come. Apart from this, situate your sanitation facilities away from the food area. In case of emergencies, make sure there’s a response team around or a pest control service that you can call immediately.  3. Designate Responsibilities Another surefire way to organize a successful outdoor event is to clearly assign roles, delegate tasks, and collaborate among your fellow organizers. As the leader of the organizing committee, you’re responsible for managing your team, preparing them for their responsibilities, and designating them to their assigned zones. During the preparation stages, assign ahead who are the ushers, who are responsible in the registration corner, who’ll check in with the food vendors, who’ll work closely with the press, and more. Make sure everyone knows each other’s assignments to make it easy for them to reach out to one another, especially if there are contingencies. It’d also be best to instruct them of the people to contact in case of unforeseen situations.  If you can, require your fellow organizers to learn basic first aid to injuries such as shocks caused by electricity and the like as you’d want your guests to feel safe during the entire event. Furthermore, set a few ground rules to ensure that everyone is in sync during the event. For example, no chitchats when clients are around or that someone should tackle a fellow organizer’s tasks if they’d want to use the bathroom. Creating a safety and security protocol with the help of professionals, like security

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7 Outdoor Project Ideas Using Wire Mesh

As a homeowner, the idea of sprucing up your home is always enticing and worth a try. The only problem is, you may lack the proper materials or the time to do so. However, if you find the time, you can turn your home’s interior and exterior to match your style, desire, and dream. One way to improve your exterior appeal is by setting up different projects such as the garden, lawns, fences, and gazebos. Mostly, the materials used in the outdoor project should be durable because they’re constantly exposed to harsh elements. So most homeowners opt for materials such as metal mesh on most of their projects. The best part is that there are so many project ideas using wire mesh that you can try. Wire Mesh Ideas Wire mesh is so versatile that there are many DIY projects you can do to improve your home. Here’s a list of some outdoor projects to try with wire mesh: 1. Fencing Fencing is the most common use of wire mesh, especially for people who want to keep animals out or inside the home. The design of wire mesh makes it perfect in restricting small animals like chickens and dogs, which makes it perfect for garden fencing and home fencing. Once you plant your garden, you can use stainless steel mesh to protect the area against people and animals. Another reason wire mesh is perfect for garden fencing is that you can still perform regular maintenance such as irrigation through the mesh without stepping into the garden, protecting your plants. 2. Bird Feeder If you’re a bird lover or you keep chicken at your home, then using wire mesh to create a bird feeder is a perfect choice. A bird feeder made from wire mesh is easy to use and clean. Once you fed the birds or your chicken, you can gently tap the feeder to remove any debris remaining. Making a bird feeder using wire mesh is also a simple DIY project as you’ll only need wood to hold the mesh. 3. Protect And Train Plants If you want to protect a plant such as a tree or a flower, especially if they’re not in groups, you can use wire mesh to protect them. The flexible nature of wire mesh makes it possible to enclose the plant within and protect it from external threats. Also, the wire mesh will train the plant to grow in a particular direction. 4. Stair Rail Guards  Though staircase accidents are rare, they can still happen, especially when children play on the stairs. Accidents can happen when children fall off the stairs from the space between the stairs and the stair handles. Using wire mesh on wooden and DIY staircases is becoming popular as it helps in preventing such accidents. When children are playing on outdoor stairs, there’ll be no risk of them falling off. 5. Chicken Coop Keeping chicken can be distressing if you let them roam as they can eat the grass on the lawn or the vegetables in the garden. However, that shouldn’t deter you from keeping them because a wire mesh can solve that problem. Wire mesh can be used to build chicken coops, allowing you to control your birds and only let them out when you want to. You can also use the mesh to build cages for other small birds and rabbits. Just ensure the cage is safe for the birds or small animals to stay in. 6. Outdoor Chandelier  Outdoor lighting is one of the most creative ways to spruce up the exterior of your home. It gets much better if you bring the chandelier out and illuminate the night. Because a normal chandelier wouldn’t have enough protection outdoors and can easily get damaged, you can use wire mesh instead to protect the bulbs. Even with ordinary bulbs, you can hang them using wire mesh so that they appear like a chandelier hanging from trees and other outdoor spaces. 7. Kitchen Utensil Rack  Once in a while, you’d want to place your utensils outside to dry in the sun. Instead of taking the utensil rack from the kitchen to the backyard then bringing it back, which is too much work. You can build an outside rack; a combination of wire mesh and wood, metal, or plastic can make a durable outdoor rack. After washing the utensils, the wire mesh allows the water to drain from the utensils, achieving perfect drying. Conclusion Having wire mesh at your home is an excellent addition as it allows you to try different outdoor ideas to improve your curb appeal. A wire mesh is flexible and can be bent and joined with other materials such as wood, making it a versatile material. The outdoor projects discussed in this post are part of the many others you can try with a good quality mesh.

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