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Friday, February 9, 2018

shower-spares.co.uk | Website Review for shower-spares.co.uk

Read article : shower-spares.co.uk | Website Review for shower-spares.co.uk

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High impactEasy to solve

Shower spares, shower parts and new showers | ShowerSpareParts.com

Length: 66 character(s)

Your HTML title tag appears in browser tabs, bookmarks and in search result pages.

Make your title tags clear, concise (50-60 characters) and include your most important keywords.

Check the title of your website

High impactEasy to solve

The UK's best shower spares and replacement shower parts specialists and stockists. We distribute over 30 top brands, such as Mira, Aqualisa, Triton, Grohe, Galaxy, Bristan, Rada, Trevi and more!

Length: 195 character(s)

Meta descriptions allow you to influence how your web pages are described and displayed in search results. A good description acts as a potential organic advertisement and encourages the viewer to click through to your site.

Keep it short and to the point; the ideal meta description should contain between 70 and 160 characters (spaces included).

Ensure that each of your web pages have a unique, straightforward meta description that contains most important keywords. These keywords are especially important because they appear in bold when they match the user’s search query (See the Google Preview below).

Check your Google Search Console (Search Appearance > HTML Improvements) for any warning messages to identify meta descriptions that are too long/short or duplicated across more than one page.

Improve the Meta Description

Shower spares, shower parts and new showers | ShowerSpareParts.com

www.showerspareparts.com/

The UK's best shower spares and replacement shower parts specialists and stockists. We distribute over 30 top brands, such as Mira, Aqualisa, Triton, Grohe, G...

This is a representation of what your Title Tag and Meta Description will look like in Google search results.

Search engines may create their own titles and descriptions if they are missing, poorly written and/or not relevant to the content on the page and cut short if they go over the character limit. So it’s important to be clear, concise and within the suggested character limit.

Medium impactEasy to solve

<H1>	<H2>	<H3>	<H4>	<H5>
1	0	0	16	0

and 14 more.

Great, your website is structured using HTML headings (<H1> to <H6>).

Use your keywords in the headings and make sure the first level (<H1>) includes your most important keywords. Never duplicate your title tag content in your header tag.

While it is important to ensure every page has an <H1> tag, only include more than one per page if you're using HTML5. Instead, use multiple <H2> - <H6> tags.

Add the important keywords in <H> headings

This Keyword Cloud provides an insight into the frequency of keyword usage within the page.

It's important to carry out keyword research to get an understanding of the keywords that your audience is using. There are a number of keyword research tools available online to help you choose which keywords to target.

Medium impactEasy to solve

	Keywords	Freq	Title	Desc	<H>
	shower	30
	spares	11
	showers	9
	brands	9
	mira	8

	Keywords (2 words)	Freq	Title	Desc	<H>
	shower spares	9
	brands aqualisa	4
	aqualisa bristan	4
	gainsborough galaxy	3
	stuart turner	3

Keyword consistency is the use of keywords throughout the different elements of the webpage. Consistent keyword use helps crawlers index your site and determine relevancy to search queries.

The table above highlights the most frequently used keywords on your page and how consistently you're using them.

Be more consistent with your keywords

Medium impactEasy to solve

We found 133 images on this web page.

No ALT attributes are empty or missing.

Alternative text allows you to add a description to an image. Since search engine crawlers cannot see images, they rely on alternative text attributes to determine relevance to a search query. Alternative text also helps makes an image more likely to appear in a Google image search and is used by screen readers to provide context for visually impaired users.

It looks like most or all of your images have alternative text. Check the images on your website to make sure accurate and relevant alternative text is specified for each image on the page. Try to minimize the number of alt text characters to 150 or less (including spaces!) to optimize page load times.

Set a name for all your images

High impactEasy to solve

Great, a redirect is in place to redirect traffic from your non-preferred domain.

Redirect non-www to www

Medium impactEasy to solve

http://www.shower-spares.co.uk/robots.txt

A robots.txt file allows you to restrict the access of search engine crawlers to prevent them from accessing specific pages or directories. They also point the web crawler to your page’s XML sitemap file.

Your site currently has a robot.txt file. You can use Google Search Console's Robots.txt Tester to submit and test your robot.txt file and to make sure Googlebot isn't crawling any restricted files.

Add a robots.txt file

Medium impactEasy to solve

We checked shower-spares.co.uk but couldn't find an XML sitemap.XML sitemaps contain the list of your URLs that are available to index and allows the search engines to read your pages more intelligently. They can also include information like your site’s latest updates, frequency of changes and the importance of URLs.

Your site is currently missing an XML sitemap. We recommend you generate one for your site and submit it through both Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
Normally, your XML sitemap would be found at shower-spares.co.uk/sitemap.

Make sure to only include the pages you want search engines to crawl, so leave out any that have been blocked in a robots.txt file. Avoid using any URLs that cause redirects or error codes and be consistent in using your preferred URLs (with or without www.), correct protocols (http vs. https) and trailing slashes. You should also use your robots.txt file to point search engine crawlers to the location of your sitemap.

Add and Optimize your XML sitemap

Good, the URLs look clean.

URL parameters are used to track user behaviors on site (session IDs), traffic sources (referrer IDs) or to give users control over the content on the page (sorting and filtering). The issue with URL parameters is that Google sees each unique parameter value as a new URL hosting the same thing - meaning you could have a duplicate content problem. Sometimes, it’s able to recognize these URLs and group them together. It then algorithmically decides which URL is the best representation of the group and uses it to consolidate ranking signals and display in search results. You can help Google recognize the best URL by using the rel=”canonical” tag.

Use the URL Parameters Tool in Google Search Console to tell Google how your URL parameters affect page content and how to to crawl URLs with parameters. Use this tool very carefully - you can easily prevent Google from crawling pages you want indexed through overly restrictive crawling settings, especially if you have URLs with multiple parameters.

Rewrite your URLs and clean them up.

Low impactHard to solve

We found underscores in this URL and/or in your in-page URLs.

and 110 more.

Using underscores in your URL makes it hard for search engines to determine your site's relevance to a search. Google sees hyphens as word separators while underscores are ignored. So the search engine sees http://www.showerspareparts.com/delivery_options/ as all one word. Use hyphens in your URLs instead: http://www.showerspareparts.com/delivery-options/.

We've detected underscores in your URLs. Change underscores to hyphens to maximize your SEO.

Medium impactHard to solve

Frames:No

Medium impactHard to solve

We have not found a Blog on this website.

In a crowded digital marketing world, content is king. Publishing your content on other sites is beneficial, but publishing it on your own site is much more effective. One of the best ways to do this is through a blog.

We recommend you start a blog on shower-spares.co.uk to engage with your audience and improve your online visibility to attract qualified traffic from a variety of new sources. Use our tips to get the most out of your blog.

If you don't think a blog would work for your site or business, consider publishing other forms of evergreen content such as guides or whitepapers.

Consider starting a blog

Mobile

Usability

shower-spares.co.uk

Length: 13 character(s)

Keep your URLs short and clean and avoid long domain names when possible.

A descriptive URL is better recognized by search engines. A user should be able to look at the address bar and make an accurate guess about the content of the page before reaching it (e.g., http://www.mysite.com/en/products).

Keep in mind that URLs are also an important part of a comprehensive SEO strategy. Use clean URLs to make your site more "crawlable" by Google™.

Resource: Search for a good domain name. If no good names are available, consider a second hand domain. To prevent brand theft, you might consider trademarking your domain name.

Favicons are the small icons that appear next to your site’s name or URL in a browser. They can be displayed in the address bar, a browser tab title or bookmarks. Make sure it is consistent with your brand.

Here is a way one company used a special favicon to improve user experience.

Favicons are the small icons that appear next to your site’s name or URL in a browser. They can be displayed in the address bar, a browser tab title or bookmarks. Make sure this favicon is consistent with your brand.

Here is a way one company used a special favicon to improve user experience.

Add a Favicon

Medium impactEasy to solve

Declared: Missing

Detected:English

Your website hasn't specified a language yet. Use the META Language Attribute to declare the intended language of your website. We've detected that your website is currently in English.

Here are some tips for multilingual websites:

Declare the language used

and 1 more.

Technologies

88.208.233.251

Server location: Gloucester

Your server's IP address has little impact on your SEO. Nevertheless, try to host your website on a server which is geographically close to your visitors. Search engines take the geolocation of a server into account as well as the server speed.

Use DNSstuff for comprehensive reports on your server.

Get to know the technologies used for your website. Some codes might slow down your website. Ask your webmaster to take a look at this.

Medium impactEasy to solve

The Doctype is used to instruct web browsers about the document type being used. For example, what version of HTML the page is written in.

Declaring a doctype helps web browsers to render content correctly.

Low impactEasy to solve

Great, language/character encoding is specified: UTF-8

Specifying language/character encoding can prevent problems with the rendering of special characters.

Crawl Errors

Promote

Backlinks

Local

Measure

Keyword Tool

Visitors

[YML:set_or_create_twitter][YML:field_placeholder_twitter]Set

Monday, March 12, 2018

Woman, 24, is electrocuted after dropping charging iPhone in bath | UK | News

Read article : Woman, 24, is electrocuted after dropping charging iPhone in bath | UK | News

Evgenia Sviridenko, 24, had been looking at her social media page when she dropped the mobile. It is believed that she was electrocuted.

Her fl atmate Yaroslav Dubinina, 23, found her lifeless body in the bath after becoming concerned about the long period of silence in the bathroom.

It has not yet been established why the phone charger failed to cut out as licensed Apple products are designed to do.

Speaking from the Moscow apartment the women shared, Miss Dubinina said: “I noticed that she had been gone a while. “When I couldn’t raise her I opened the door and saw her floating on the water looking really pale.

“I saw her phone which was on the charger and at the bottom of the bath.

“I unplugged it and pulled her out … her body was still shaking from the shock.”

Police are now investigating the death and refused to disclose whether it was a licensed Apple product.

Miss Dubinina said her friend had recently arrived in Moscow from her home in Omsk, in south-western Siberia, about 1,400 miles from Moscow.

They decided to share a flat together as neither of them could afford one on their own.

Miss Sviridenko’s death comes days after another Russian girl, aged 16, died after taking her charging iPhone into a shower.

In August, Chinese media reported a teenager was electrocuted when she plugged her iPhone into an unofficial charger.

The victim was Wu Weyuan, 18, a student from Korla, in Xinjiang province, western China.

She was found by her sister, who noticed a burning smell when she came home from work.

Apple has previously released statements on its website warning users of the dangers of cheap unofficial chargers.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Akron Ohio News - West Side Police News & Notes

Read article : Akron Ohio News - West Side Police News & Notes

8/24/2017 - West Side Leader
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By Staff Writer

WEST AKRON: Burglaries were reported in the 800 block of Lawton Street Aug. 16; the 1700 block of Dominion Drive Aug. 17; the 300 block of West North Street Aug. 18; the 400 block of Bacon Avenue Aug. 19; the 1700 block of Cromwell Drive Aug. 19; the 900 block of Mull Avenue Aug. 19; the 700 block of Work Drive Aug. 19; the 400 block of Bacon Avenue Aug. 20; the 100 block of Charlotte Street Aug. 20; the 1100 block of Hardesty Boulevard Aug. 21; the 800 block of Storer Avenue Aug. 21; and the 1800 block of Cromwell Drive Aug. 22.

On Aug. 16, an officer driving on West Market Street past Casterton Avenue noticed a man sticking up both middle fingers at him as he drove by and in view of children on the sidewalk and people dining nearby, according to the police report. The officer stopped and advised the man his actions were offensive to those around him, and the 30-year-old West Market Street man said he did not like police and asserted it was his right to make the gesture. He did it again, and the officer charged him with disorderly conduct and issued a court summons.

A 23-year-old Mercer Avenue man was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle Aug. 17. He was driving on a suspended license when officers stopped him for a traffic violation at Norway and Beechwood drives. When he was placed under arrest, officers found a loaded handgun in his jacket pocket.

Officers were on foot patrol in the parking lots of Weathervane Lane bars Aug. 17 due to a recent increase in drug and alcohol violations and crimes of violence when they came across occupants in a parked car who had an open bottle of tequila in plain view. Officers also said they smelled a strong odor of marijuana. After the driver, a 25-year-old South Akron man, appeared to reach for a gun, officers ordered him to show his hands and removed occupants from the car. When officers patted down the driver, they discovered he had more than 8 grams of fentanyl and no weapon, and he was charged with trafficking in and possession of drugs and taken to the Summit County Jail. One passenger, a 23-year-old Greenwood Avenue man, was charged with possession of drugs for having two Percocet pills in his pocket and also taken to jail. Two other passengers were not charged.

A 41-year-old Cleveland man was stopped at a Summit County OVI checkpoint at West Market Street and Bryden Drive Aug. 19. He had an open bottle of beer in a cup holder and a bottle of brandy in the driver’s side pocket and was driving under suspension. Officers also found marijuana and a grinder in the car. He was booked into the Summit County Jail.

A 35-year-old Goodyear Heights man was arrested Aug. 19 on warrants for abduction, domestic violence and theft stemming from a July 26 incident that occurred in the 300 block of Noah Avenue.

On Aug. 20, a gas station in the 1600 block of Copley Road was robbed. An employee said a man with a gun entered the gas station and demanded that money be put into a plastic bag. Once he had the money, the man ran around the side of the building, got into a vehicle and fled. Officers are seeking a black male, 15 to 25 years old, who was wearing a white mask, blue hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490.

A 25-year-old Kingsley Avenue man was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, having weapons under disability and obstructing official business Aug. 20. The man was standing outside a parked car in Downtown Akron as officers drove by and noticed something in his hand. They ordered him to stop and show his hands, but the man ran from them and threw the handgun down. He was soon apprehended.

BATH: Employees of a North Cleveland-Massillon Road residential facility reported Aug. 12 an elderly patient had walked away. Officers searched the Montrose area, located the man at a cemetery in Fairlawn and returned him to the facility.

Following a traffic stop on Ira Road Aug. 12, the driver was arrested for driving under multiple license suspensions and released with a court summons. The vehicle was released to the owner.

An off-duty Norton Police Department officer notified police of a suspicious vehicle at a Medina Road gas station Aug. 13. The driver pulled the vehicle, which had a flat tire and front-end damage, into the gas station from Springside Drive, nearly struck the building and remained inside the vehicle, yelling. Police responded and ordered the driver to exit the vehicle. He was reportedly extremely agitated, sweating profusely and unable to respond to officers’ questions. He was evaluated by EMS after police determined he exhibited signs that he was under the influence of an unknown drug. The man reportedly admitted he had ingested kratom, an herb that is legal in Ohio but under investigation by the FDA. Police located a plastic bag containing a substance believed to be kratom and sent it to a lab for testing. The driver was placed in the back seat of a cruiser and continued to rant and spit out the vehicle window. He experienced a panic attack and was taken to the police station and arrested for DUI. His vehicle was towed.

Police were called to a Montrose store Aug. 13 after two females reportedly concealed items and left the store without paying for them. An employee reported she confronted them outside the store and demanded the merchandise. One female reached into a large purse and gave her two shirts. The second suspect reached down her pants, pulled out a T-shirt and returned it to her. They both fled in a dark-colored Lincoln SUV. Police gathered information from employees and witnesses and were able to get the vehicle license number.

On Aug. 14, employees of a Medina Road hotel reported a woman had been in the lobby for an extended period of time. Police arrested her on a warrant and released her to the Munroe Falls Police Department.

COPLEY: Police were searching an area of Bender Lane for a red Ford Focus Aug. 11 after a man reported he and his brother were walking along the road and the driver of the vehicle struck him with the car and left. The victim was evaluated by EMS and declined transport to a hospital.

On Aug. 11, the Silver Lake Police Department arrested a man wanted on a Copley warrant for trespassing. He was charged and taken to the Barberton Jail.

A woman staying at a Rothrock Road motel was arrested for prostitution Aug. 11 and released with a court summons.

Police investigated the theft of a trailer and Kubota tractor from the parking lot of a Rothrock Road motel Aug. 12.

Officers responded to a disturbance at a Terrier Drive residence Aug. 13 after a woman reported her ex-boyfriend and a male acquaintance attempted to break in. Police located the men in a vehicle outside the residence and arrested them for attempted burglary. The driver was additionally charged with improper handling of a firearm while intoxicated after a loaded gun was found in the vehicle and taken to the Summit County Jail. The passenger was released with a court summons.

On Aug. 13, a Karl Drive man reported a DeWalt air compressor was stolen from his garage.

A Westview Drive man reported Aug. 15 someone shot a pellet gun that damaged an upstairs window of the home.

Police responded to a report of a dog at large at a South Cleveland-Massillon Road residence Aug. 16, cited the dog owner and advised her of ways to control the dog.

Following a traffic stop on Earhart Avenue Aug. 16, police arrested two men for improper handling of a firearm in a vehicle and took them to the Summit County Jail after a K-9 officer indicated the presence of contraband in the vehicle and police recovered a revolver. Neither the driver nor the passenger would admit possession of the weapon, and they were both charged.

FAIRLAWN: Detectives are investigating an Aug. 4 report that two males attempted to cash fraudulent checks drawn on the account of an Embassy Parkway business.

An Akron man reported he went to a West Market Street parking lot Aug. 11 to sell an iPad for $450 to a man he contacted via a social media website. The man was in his 20s, with dark hair and eyes. He pulled up beside him in an older model beige vehicle with a Florida license plate, handed him a roll of money and took off with the item. The victim determined the roll contained only $28, and he has been unable to contact the man.

Police arrested an Akron man for criminal trespassing Aug. 11 after he was located on mall property despite being banned indefinitely. He was released with a court summons and again advised to stay off the property.

Two Akron males ages 15 and 16 were arrested for theft of headphones worth $600 from a mall store Aug. 11. They were taken to the Summit County Juvenile Detention Facility.

Officers reviewed video surveillance of a jewelry counter following a reported theft Aug. 12. A man allegedly stole diamond earrings worth $2,200 and left in an older model GMC Jimmy with tinted windows.

Employees of a West Market Street store reported Aug. 16 an intoxicated female was staggering in the store and falling, exposing her buttocks. The Akron woman was evaluated by EMS, charged with disorderly conduct and taken to a detoxification center.

A Kenridge Road man reported Aug. 17 he found a dog in his yard and called a number on the dog’s tag to advise the owner. He stated the owner was too intoxicated to come for the dog. Officers went to the dog owner’s address on Morewood Road to ask that he retrieve his dog, but he appeared to be intoxicated and incoherent. Police retrieved the dog, returned it to him and cited him for having a dog at large.

A 16-year-old Akron female was arrested for shoplifting merchandise worth $114 from a mall store Aug. 17. She was banned from the store and taken to the Summit County Juvenile Detention Facility.

NORTON: A Neitz Drive woman reported Aug. 9 two juveniles threw a homemade slime concoction onto the roof of her shed. Police located the youths and spoke to their parents.

Police responded to a report of suspicious activity in the parking lot of a Newpark Drive business Aug. 10 and found an employee sleeping on his motorcycle. He was arrested for felony possession of drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia after officers located methamphetamine in his possession. He was taken to Barberton Municipal Court.

On Aug. 10, police went to a Hametown Road residence to serve a felony warrant on a man and spoke to his girlfriend, who told them several times he wasn’t there. Officers found him hiding inside the home, arrested him on the warrant and released him to the Twinsburg Police Department. The woman was charged with obstruction of official business and released with a court summons.

A Caroline Street woman reported Aug. 11 someone entered two vehicles the previous night and stole her wallet and an ignition key from one of them. The wallet was recovered in a neighbor’s yard, but the key is still missing.

Police stopped an erratic driver on state Route 21 Aug. 11. He appeared to be under the influence of a substance, failed a field sobriety test and was charged with DUI. A urine sample was sent for testing and additional charges were pending those results.

Officers responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence on Union Street Aug. 12. A male and female at the residence gave conflicting information about the incident and the parties were separated for the night.

Following a traffic stop on Interstate 76 Aug. 12, a woman was charged with drug abuse and released with a court summons after she reportedly surrendered marijuana to officers who questioned her about the odor of marijuana in the vehicle.

A driver stopped for speeding on Hametown Road Aug. 12 was arrested for consuming beer in a motor vehicle and released with a court summons.

RICHFIELD: An employee of a Kinross Lake Park business reported vandalism to her vehicle, which was parked in the lot while she worked. On Aug. 4, she reported the front emblem of the vehicle had been pried off and on Aug. 7, she discovered the passenger side of the vehicle had been scratched.

On Aug. 9, a Galloway Drive woman reported a package delivered to her address by UPS on Aug. 2 was stolen.

A woman reported Aug. 9 that her child’s father failed to return her daughter following a visitation and she was unable to contact him.

A Hawkins Road man reported Aug. 10 that his girlfriend moved out of their residence and took a vehicle they shared and some other items.

Police were called to a Townsend Road residence Aug. 10 by a man who reported a small plane has been flying low, just above his tree line, and he provided information regarding the date and time of each incident. He asked that police document the information.

An erratic driver speeding on Interstate 77 Aug. 11 was stopped by the Independence Police Department. Richfield officers arrested him for driving under suspension and released him with a court summons, and the vehicle was towed.

An employee of a Streetsboro Road business reported Aug. 12 he paid $300 for tickets to a concert at Blossom Music Center sold by an unknown male on Craigslist. The exchange took place at the business, and he later found the tickets were fraudulent. He also told police the seller may have been photographed by the business’ surveillance system, and police asked that he forward any photos or video to them.

Police responded to a disturbance at a Brush Road residence Aug. 13 and spoke to a woman who said she is the ex-girlfriend of one of the residents. She went to the residence with her girlfriend to get some of her belongings and she said her boyfriend’s father began yelling at her and opened her car door when she tried to leave. Officers spoke to the man, who stated the woman is welcome to come for her belongings when someone is home, but she showed up with people he didn’t know and he was upset. Police remained at the residence while the woman and her ex-boyfriend sorted through some boxes she was taking.

Officers located the owner of an iPhone 6 found on the ground during a community event on Broadview Road Aug. 13 and returned the phone to him.

The Akron police reports were compiled by Ariel Hakim and the remainder by Maggie DeMellier.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Molton Brown Templetree Body Wash

Read article : Molton Brown Templetree Body Wash

Anyone who casts their eyes over my little blog on a regular basis may have seen me write up my thoughts on Molton Brown Black Peppercorn Body Wash will know that I loved the manly fragrance and the fact that it banished BO (body odour). I was impressed, so when that ran out and a bottle of Molton Brown Templetree Body Wash appeared I couldn’t wait to try it out.

I was so eager to try it that once again I committed the cardinal sin of beauty blogging by using it before taking photographs from several thousand angles - you would have thought I would learn but…..

Anyway, a small 100ml bottle of Templetree appeared, spookily a day after I had commented on a picture of it on Instagram saying I wanted to try it. Not spooky really, I could probably pick fifty random beauty products and the missus will have it somewhere. Needless to say, you don’t have to fear that my opinion has been influenced in any way.

If you want to pick this up for yourself you can get a 300ml bottle direct from Molton Brown for £18 here.

Like my last post, it could be me being tight with money or just because I have no idea how much things cost nowadays but £18 seems a lot to pay for a body wash. Go on, say it, I’m tighter than the rear end of a fish..….

This is what they say about Templetree over at the Molton Brown website:

‘A blissful bath and shower gel blended with moisturising algae extract and purifying templetree flower extract.

The fragrance
Top note: fragrant jasmine.
Middle note: fruity Rose.
Base note: sandalwood.

Formerly known as Blissful Templetree’

Well, I now know what it used to be called, and the way my brain works I’ll retain that useless fact until the day I expire!

Like other Molton Brown body wash this lathers up really well even when using only a little. If you look at the bottle in the pictures you can see how much has been used - that is after I had used Templetree for three days, so a little goes a long way, and in fact this what I consider small 100ml bottle will last for ages.

The fragrance is the clincher for me when I thought about whether I would recommend this. The jasmine and rose give this an incredibly strong aroma that is only magnified by the hot water of a shower. The lather retains it’s rich texture for ages and as it is absorbed into the top layer of skin you really start to just pull out the rose notes.

While a lovely fragrance not that manly - so I was pleased that like an aftershave, once dried it took on a warmth as the rose was replaced by subtle hints of the sandalwood. For me, once dried off the fragrance is perfect for both sexes, not too feminine and not too masculine.

But does it banish BO? Yes, yes it does, and even better, once it has helped wash the stink off it does have a positive effect on my skin, it does feel smoother - it’s not groundbreaking but there is an obvious difference.
Like most things I suppose, it depends upon your own personal preference, but if you like subtle floral fragrances with a solid warm base that will help clean away your sins in the shower then this baby is for you. Personally, and considering I’m tight I will buy this when the current body runs out. Hell, a 300ml bottle would probably last me for months!

Try it, I think you’ll like it.

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Sunday, March 4, 2018

With Bathroom Bill Dead, Houston-Founded Pastor Council Looks To Future Fights

Read article : With Bathroom Bill Dead, Houston-Founded Pastor Council Looks To Future Fights

Dave Welch speaks during a press conference in favor of a bathroom bill at the Texas Capitol near the end of the special session on August 14, 2017.

A day before the Texas Legislature ended its special session this week, a session that included a high-profile fight over a “bathroom bill” that appeared almost certainly dead, David Welch had a message for Gov. Greg Abbott: call lawmakers back to Austin. Again.

For years, Welch, executive director of the Texas Pastor Council, has worked to pass a bill that would ban local policies that ensured transgender individuals’ right to use restrooms in public schools and government buildings that match their gender identity. The summer special session, which was quickly coming to a close, had been Welch and other social conservatives’ second chance, an overtime round after the bill — denounced by critics as discriminatory and unnecessary — failed during the regular session that ended in May.

But with the Texas House unlikely to vote on a bathroom bill, Welch gathered with some of the most conservative Republicans in that chamber to make a final plea. The bill, they argued without any evidence, would prevent men from entering bathrooms to sexually assault or harass women.

“If this does not pass during this special session, we are asking for, urgently on behalf of all these pastors across the state of Texas, that we do hold a second special session until the job is done,” Welch said at the press event, hosted by Texas Values, a socially conservative group.

Though the group of lawmakers, religious leaders and activists were still coming to terms with their failure to get a bill to Abbott’s desk, for Welch’s Pastor Council, the years-long fight over bathroom restrictions has nonetheless been a galvanizing campaign.

The group, which Welch founded in 2003, has grown from a local organization to a burgeoning statewide apparatus with eyes on someday becoming a nationwide force, one able to mobilize conservative Christians around the country into future political battles. If Abbott doesn’t call lawmakers back for another special session to pass a bathroom bill, the group is likely to shift its attention to the 2018 elections.

“Our role in this process shouldn’t be restricted just because people attend church,” Welch told The Texas Tribune. “Active voting, informed voting, is a legitimate ministry of the church.”

A pastor for pastors

Welch has made a career out of mixing the religious and the political. Before founding the Pastors Council, he spent time at the Christian Coalition and Vision America, a controversial national evangelical group led by Rick Scarborough, a Texas pastor. And just before he founded the Pastor Council, Welch briefly worked as the executive director of the Republican Party in Harris County, where he would get to know many of the politicians that would animate his later campaigns. Welch said he has known Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, one of the most outspoken proponents of a bathroom bill in state government, since he was a radio host in Houston.

But it was with the Pastor Council — at first a small group of Houston pastors — that Welch would begin to make his deepest mark in Texas politics.

“We formed the Houston area pastor council in 2003 as a group of 12 pastors, across racial and denominational lines, to engage together on a variety of social moral cultural issues,” he said.

That initial group has since expanded into two additional entities, the Texas Pastor Council and the US Pastor Council, though the distinctions between the groups can be murky. Welch — who himself no longer preaches, instead referring to himself as a “pastor for pastors” — leads all three groups, and the main phone number for the US Pastor Council is a direct line to Welch.

The group, according to Welch, has taken on a range of issues, from criminal justice reform to child foster care. But over the course of his career, Welch and the group have had a decided preoccupation with attacking LGBT rights, what Welch describes as “the continued tide of the radical political LGBTQ movement trying to work to undermine traditional marriage and traditional family.” On the US Pastor Council website, the only “current issue” listed is “Woman’s Privacy Protection,” a page that features a number of talking points in favor of a bathroom bill.

“They have made anti-LGBT activism their primary focus,” said Dan Quinn, communications director for Texas Freedom Network, a liberal watchdog group. “They’ve had their most public efforts trying to defeat anything that protects equality for LGBT Texans.”

Over the course of several years as a columnist for World Net Daily, a far-right website known for hosting conspiracy theories, Welch railed against same-sex marriage and legal protections for LGBT individuals. In a 2009 post titled “When the Wicked Rule,” Welch attacked a new federal law that protected LGBT individuals from hate crimes as condoning “every possible form of sexual deviancy.” He denounced the “radical sexual-deviancy jihad” in a post called “My Gay America” in 2010.

“Lesbian Mayor Annise Parker has gone above and beyond to now extend protection through executive orders to ‘gender identity’ and ‘gender expression,’” he wrote at the time. “Keep your wives and daughters out of Houston city restrooms.”

That rhetoric against Parker – the first openly gay mayor of a large American city — and legal protections for LGBT individuals in Houston would eventually become talking points against the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, which would have made it illegal to discriminate against someone based on 15 different “protected characteristics,” including sex, race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity.

During that fight — which concluded with Houston residents voting overwhelmingly to strike down the nondiscrimination ordinance — Welch played a leading role in both the electoral and legal campaigns against the city. Jared Woodfill, one of the lead organizers against the HERO ordinance in Houston, said that Welch and his organization were “extremely instrumental” in gathering the signatures that would ultimately prompt the lawsuit and referendum overturning the ordinance.

Indeed, organizing and mobilizing voters is a key part of the Pastor Council’s mission. Its website boasts pages titled “Every Christian Votes” and the “AMERICA plan.” Under the “AMERICA plan,” pastors are encouraged to communicate with congregants about political issues, distribute voter guides and register “every eligible adult” to vote.

In other words, Welch had already established an infrastructure for turning out voters before the HERO referendum — a battle that helped elevate his organization and its platform. Randy Wilson, national field director for Church Ministries for the Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council, which has worked with the Pastor Council, said this is easier said than done.

“Dave has to have an established and billed credibility with the pastors, a very untrusting demographic, really,” he said.

That credibility and visibility would only grow when the city issued subpoenas for sermons and other statements Welch and other members of the Pastors Council had made in support of a 2014 failed petition drive aimed at repealing HERO. That incident drew national attention, energizing conservatives across Texas and the country and landing Welch on national media. (In response to that incident, the Texas Legislature passed a lawearlier this year shielding pastors’ sermons from government subpoena power.)

“It certainly escalated some elements of what we do to a much higher level because of the visibility of that Houston battle,” Welch said. “That achieved national attention.”

With that momentum, Welch, Woodfill and other conservative activists began to look to the the Legislature as the next battleground for the issue. Welch would begin to use tactics that had worked in Houston — hosting workshops to educate pastors, blasting out emails on the issues and hosting rallies — on a statewide level.

“The network of churches that has become involved in this issue has become very, very important,” Woodfill said.“The same model is being used across the state of Texas.”

But that model has had its limits. In the Legislature, efforts to pass a bathroom bill have failed against stiff opposition from the House, in particular that of House Speaker Joe Straus.

Despite those setbacks, the US Pastor Council itself has continued to grow, Welch said. According to tax documents on a database maintained by ProPublica, the US Pastor Council, which is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization and does not disclose its donors, saw its revenue more than double from $329,696 to $833,749 between 2014 and 2015, the last year for which data is available and the year of the HERO ordinance vote in Houston.

Welch said the group does not buy large ad campaigns, instead focusing resources on hosting workshops and organizing among pastors.

“There aren’t many religious groups that overtly have this partisan affiliation or policy preference as pronounced as the Pastors Council,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston. “That’s been a major change we’ve seen since 2013 or 2014.”

With primary season approaching, members of the Pastor Council are preparing to take their campaign to the ballot box and unseat Republicans who did not do enough to challenge Straus’ opposition to a “bathroom bill.”Steve Riggle, a pastor to a congregation of more than 20,000 at Grace Community Church in Houston and a member of the Pastor Council, said he and others are talking about “how in the world do we have 90-some Republicans [in the 150-member Texas House] who won’t stand behind what they say they believe.”

“They’re more afraid of Straus than they are of us,” he said. “It’s about time they’re more afraid of us.”

“This is not over”

In early August, in the midst of the special session, Welch and dozens of other pastors descended on Austin. Hundreds of pastors had signed a letter in support of the bathroom legislation, and before heading inside, the group that had made the trip gathered on the Capitol steps for a brief rally.

Throughout his campaign for a bathroom bill, Welch has enjoyed easy access to the state’s elected officials. He hosted a policy briefing in February that featured, among others, Patrick and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The August rally, which the Texas Pastor Council had promoted as a response to “opponents of God’s created order,” was no exception.

State Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, and state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, the authors of bathroom bills in their chambers, both spoke to the importance of the bill as Welch acted as the effective emcee of the event, leading the crowd in chants of “Let the House vote.”

“We’re going to take this letter to the House as the voice of the state of Texas and our churches today,” Welch said.

But even as he represents pastors across the state, Welch and his work enjoy far from unanimous support from Christian and other religious leaders. During the regular session, about 50 faith leaders of various denominations lined the stairs outside the Texas House in protest of bills targeting LGBT Texans.

And just days before Welch arrived in Austin for the rally this month, dozens of religious leaders gathered in the very same spot to denounce the bill as discriminatory and hypocritical. In front of a crowd of more than one hundred supporters, an imam from Austin, as well as pastors and rabbis from across the state spoke about how their faith led them to oppose the legislation.

For Steve Wells, a self-described conservative pastor at the South Main Baptist Church in Houston, the campaign for the “bathroom bill” represents “bad theology.” He says he wishes that Welch and other like-minded pastors would focus more on the common dignity granted human beings.

“You will never in your lifetime meet someone who was not created in the image of God,” he said.

And in July, leaders of the national Episcopal Church sent a letter to Strausasking him to remain “steadfast” in his opposition to the legislation, also denouncing it as discriminatory.

Terri Burke, the executive director of the ACLU in Texas, described the “bathroom bill” as the latest frontier for far-right groups opposed to LGBT rights. Now that sexual orientation is largely protected under the law, she said, gender identity has become a target.

“I think those who want to discriminate have figured out LGB are hard to discriminate against, so they’ve pulled the T out,” she said.

To Welch and his fellow members on the Pastor Council, though, the group’s positions are is well in line with the teachings of the Bible. And even if the death of the “bathroom bill” in the special session represents the loss of a single battle, the broader war continues.

“This is not over,” Riggle said.

Disclosure: The Texas Freedom Network has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors is available here.

Monday, January 15, 2018

Rental Warrant of Fitness for Wellington

Read article : Rental Warrant of Fitness for Wellington

Thursday, 17 August 2017, 8:40 am
Press Release: Wellington City Council

Thursday 17 August

Rental Warrant of Fitness for Wellington

Wellington City Council is partnering with the University of Otago, Wellington, to launch a voluntary Rental Warrant of Fitness for minimum housing standards in Wellington, Mayor Justin Lester has announced.

“We want to lift rental standards in our city and make better accommodation available for people. Every Wellingtonian deserves a warm, dry home," says the Mayor.

“We’re pleased to announce the first Rental Warrant of Fitness in New Zealand, alongside public health experts from the University of Otago.

“We’re partnering with the University and will be launching an app that will allow tenants and landlords to check their house against minimum health standards designed by experts, and allow landlords to request a full inspection by a professional to be certified as meeting the standard.

“This will give landlords the chance to promote their house as being warm and dry, and give prospective renters an assurance the home they are looking to live in meets the standard.

“All available analysis strongly indicates that improved quality of housing leads to improving health, social and financial outcomes."

Deputy Mayor and Housing Portfolio Leader Paul Eagle says improving the quality of the housing stock was a key goal for the Council.

“This is just the start – through our Long Term Plan we will be introducing a Wellington Housing Quality Standard that will incorporate both personal health and earthquake resilience, and be tailored to Wellington’s needs. Information from this voluntary scheme will help inform the permanent standard Council introduces," he says.

Philippa Howden-Chapman, Professor of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington, says “The Rental Warrant of Fitness is the first scheme in the country that is taking action and helping raise the standards of our homes. It focuses on areas of the home that we know have the greatest chance of improving the occupants’ health.

“We will be launching the Rental Warrant of Fitness in Wellington on August 28, and I urge landlords to get behind this and use it as a tool to raise the level of their property to a minimum standard.”

Council will consider the partnership for approval at next week’s City Strategy Meeting on Thursday 24 August.

Q&A - Rental Warrant of Fitness (RWoF)

Who created the Rental Warrant of Fitness?

The Rental Warrant of Fitness is a University of Otago, Wellington initiative that is the result of many years research, working with industry experts and conducting practical trials. Wellington City Council and four other Councils (Auckland, Tauranga, Christchurch and Dunedin) took part in the 2014 Trial of this Rental Warrant of Fitness. Wellington City Council is supporting the Rental Warrant of Fitness as a voluntary scheme for the city.

This will help inform a Wellington Housing Standard that will take into account our city's unique layout and earthquake risks.

Who funded this scheme?

The Health Research Council of New Zealand funded the University of Otago, Wellington to develop and launch the Rental WoF, train the inspectors and evaluate its overall costs and benefits, including the impact on tenants’ health. The Hutt Mana Charitable Trust funded the monitoring of the rental housing market in the Hutt Valley, which as yet has not introduced the Rental WoF and will enable us to see the overall effect of the Rental WoF. Otherwise the scheme is self-funding. More info can be found here www.rwof.org.nz

How does the assessment work?

Landlords (or tenants with their landlord's permission) can book a Rental Warrant of Fitness inspection on Wellington City Council’s website from August 28.

We’re partnering with qualified building inspectors who will come to the house and carry out an assessment which will take around an hour to complete.

You will receive a pass or fail on the spot.

A report will be emailed to you shortly thereafter.

If the house fails the assessment you have 6 months to meet the criteria and re-book a follow up assessment for free.

The Rental Warrant of Fitness is valid for three years.

What areas of the house are assessed? How many questions are there?

The Rental Warrant inspection has 29 criteria and 63 questions.

The assessment covers insulation, heating, ventilation, structural stability, sanitation, and hazard identification.

Every question must achieve a pass for the Rental Warrant of Fitness to be achieved. (like a vehicle WOF)

A self-assessment app is available on the Wellington City Council website from 28 August. Anyone can download for free. This will give a good understanding of how close the house is to meeting the Rental Warrant of Fitness assessment standard.

How long is the RWoF valid for?

Three years.

How much does the Rental Warrant of Fitness inspection cost?

The professional inspection and assessment is $250.

If the house doesn’t pass there is a six month window to get the work done and have a re-assessment done for free.

How do I pay for the inspection?

Payment is made either through the website when requesting an inspection or on the day of the inspection.

Is it voluntary?

Yes. Right now this is something landlords can choose to take part in to demonstrate they are responsible landlords. It gives them the chance to stand out in the market and show prospective renters the home they are looking to live in meets the standard.

Can anyone choose to get a Rental Warrant of Fitness?

Yes. Although it is designed for rental properties, it does set a safe, warm, dry standard for all housing.

Is the RWoF for stand-alone houses and apartments?

It’s been designed and tested on both.

If my house doesn’t pass, can I re-book a follow up inspection for free?

Yes, you have up to six months to make the necessary changes and re-book at no cost.

Can anyone use the self-assessment app?

Yes. The self-assessment app is free and will be available from 28 August.

The self-assessment app does not give a valid pass or fail and you cannot claim to have a Rental Warrant of Fitness as a result of doing the self-assessment.

However, it will give a good indication of the state of the house.

How were the questions/criteria selected for the Rental Warrant of Fitness?

The Rental Warrant of Fitness was developed by the University of Otago, the New Zealand Green Building Council and the Accident Compensation Corporation in combination with five City Councils. The RWoF focuses on features that are supported by evidence that these changes reduce unintentional injury in the home, improve occupants’ health status, reduce school absences, and lead to greater household energy efficiency.

What’s the Wellington Housing Standard?

Wellington City Council is developing criteria that will set a standard for homes that incorporates both personal health and earthquake resilience. Wellington has some unique challenges and we want to create a standard that is designed specifically for our city.

Will the City Housing homes go through the Rental Warrant of Fitness scheme?

We're in the middle of a $400 million dollar upgrade programme to bring all of our buildings up to modern standards. Once that upgrade is completed, all of our City Housing Properties will pass the WOF.

City Housing is involved in developing our permanent Wellington Housing Standard

The 29 questions for the Rental WOF are:

Appendix A: Assessment Criteria

1. Is there a functional, safe stove-top and oven? (Yes/no)

2. Is there adequate space for food preparation and storage? (Yes/no)

3. Is there an adequate supply of hot and cold potable water? (Yes/no)

4. Is the hot-water at the tap 55C (±5C?) (Yes/no)

5. Is there a functional toilet, which does not have a cracked or broken seat, cistern or bowl? (Yes/no)

6. Is there a suitably located bath or shower in good working order? (Yes/no)

7. Are there secure or high level cupboards or shelves for storing hazardous or toxic substances out of children's reach? (Yes/no)

8. Is there a adequate form of safe and effective space heating? (Yes/no)

9. Do the bathroom, kitchen and all bedrooms have some form of ventilation to outside? (Yes/no)

10. Is the house reasonably free of visible mould, i.e. the total area of mould is less than an A4 sheet of paper? (Yes/no)

11. Are power outlets, light switches and wiring safe and in good working order? (Yes/no)

12. Is there adequate indoor lighting? (Yes/no)

13. Does the house have adequate working smoke alarms? (Yes/no)

14. Have the windows got effective latches? (Yes/no)

15. Do high level windows have security stays to prevent falls? (Yes/no)

16. Are there curtains or blinds in the bedrooms and living area? (Yes/no)

17. Do glass doors have safety visibility strips? (Yes/no)

18. Does the house have ceiling insulation to WOF standards? (Yes/no)

19. Does the house have underfloor insulation to WOF standards? (Yes/no)

20. Is a ground vapour barrier installed under the ground floor? (Yes/no)

21. Is the house weathertight with no evident leaks, or moisture stains on the walls or ceiling? (Yes/no)

22. Is the house in a reasonable state of repair? (Yes/no)

23. Is the storm and waste water drainage being adequately discharged? (Yes/no)

24. Is there any water ponding under the house? (Yes/no)

25. Is there adequate outdoor lighting near entrance ways? (Yes/no)

26. Does the house appear to be structurally sound? (Yes/no)

27. Are there handrails for all internal stairs and all outdoor steps that access the house, and do balconies/decks have balustrades to the current Building Code? (Yes/no)

28. Is the address clearly labelled and identifiable? (Yes/no)

29. Are there securely locking doors? (Yes/no)

ends

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Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Colourful Coasts cruise review aboard Thomson Spirit

Read article : Colourful Coasts cruise review aboard Thomson Spirit

“Have you cruised before?” Anyone who has shared a dining table on a luxury liner will have heard this sentence on more than one occasion.

To some the words can be nothing more than shrill, however, if you like a little bit of holiday one-upmanship then it will be music to your ears.

Our recent holiday aboard Thomson Spirit was our fourth cruise and my other half, John, and I had great pleasure in crowing about this.

I try not to be too blasé about it being our ‘fourth’ cruise because I am well aware of the fact that it wasn’t so many years ago only the rich and famous took to the high seas for a week or two taking in sunnier climes.

Now the rich and famous can afford to buy their own yachts so there is little chance of celebrity spotting.

There is, however, usually a star turn aboard each liner including guest speakers, comedians and some cruise companies employ the cast of Strictly Come Dancing to encourage bookings.

Whenever I mention to anyone on dry land that my next holiday will be a cruise I get a look from them as if to say: “You’ve got some money …” and I would like to dispel the myth that lounging around on a liner for a week or two is pricey. It can be as reasonable or as expensive – as you wish.

Seasoned cruisers will be well aware that you have to be quite careful to make sure you know what is included in the price you originally pay.

Sometimes the amount of ‘add-ons’ after you think your holiday is all bought and paid for can be a bit daunting. Every cruise operator is different – and so is every ship.

In the past John and I have holidayed with Cunard, Uniworld and P&O, each very different and all with unique selling points. But be sure to read the small print to see what is, and what isn’t, included in the price you are paying. Some operators charge a set amount per day per person for staff tips, and if you are booking a ‘cruise only’ trip you may need to arrange transport to and from the port which could include flights and overnight stays.

For cruise number four John and I opted for a fly cruise and as we were holidaying in mid-November The Canary Islands looked most favourable.

After flicking through more brochures than you can shake a stick at and trawling the internet for hours on end we chose for a seven-day cruise with Thomson – the Colourful Coasts, aboard the Spirit.

Why I hear you cry? Why would you want to cruise on a 30-year-old ship without any balconies? Don’t worry, you’re not questioning anything we already hadn’t asked ourselves.

Cruising with Thomson is a great introduction to this style of holiday as the ships are smaller and less intimidating than the huge liners which carry more than 5,000 passengers. Spirit’s capacity is 1,250.

Currently Thomson has four ships in service – the Dream, Celebration, Spirit and Majesty – and the joy of booking with this travel company is the price quoted includes an inside stateroom, flights, food and tips. It is then up to the individual how they choose to tailor the trip.

Colourful Coasts was chosen not only for its value for money but also its destinations and the promise that the weather would be better than here in England.

We flew from Birmingham to Tenerife, sailing from Santa Cruz to some delightful islands including Gran Canaria (Las Palmas), La Palma (Santa Cruz De La Palma), Madeira (Funchal), Morocco (Agadir), Lanzarote (Arrecife), and then returning to Santa Cruz before flying back to the UK.

We upgraded to a deluxe outside plus stateroom on deck eight/nine which gave us a huge 19 square metres to waft about in all week. We had a peak into other staterooms and they all seemed more than adequate and I wouldn’t have been disappointed spending my week in any of them.

Ours had ample wardrobe and dressing table space, and the largest bathroom we have experienced while cruising with an actual bathtub and a decent shower.

Because John had done his homework reading up on many cruise review websites we were aware of what facilities the rooms would and wouldn’t have.

There is no need to pack shampoo, soap, shower gel, tissues, towels (including beach), shower caps or a hairdryer as these were all provided.

Obviously if you prefer to take your own you can do so but when you are limited to 20kg hold luggage and five kilos of hand luggage you need to be a bit savvy with your packing – which I am not. I managed to fill both my cases to full capacity and will know next time there is absolutely no need to pack an iron …

The most useful thing I did take with me was a four-plug extension lead. There are limited plug sockets in the room and by limited I mean one.

When you think about it, when the ship was built in 1984, all that was needed to be plugged in was curling tongues as a hairdryer is provided. Thirty years on we are a nation of technophiles with mobile phones to be charged, iPod docking stations to be plugged in, along with laptops, straighteners, heated rollers, kettles and irons.

Next time – and I am hoping there will be a next time – I will also take my own coat hangers as I seemed to do battle on several occasions with the ones provided.

Our room was spotlessly clean – as were all the public areas – and was cleaned and tidied each morning with an animal crafted out of a beach left on our bed. Every evening there was a five star turn down service which included chocolates placed on the pillows. The cabin staff were wonderful and nothing was too much trouble.

The cruise offered excellent sailing times and most days we left port late afternoon or early evening and travelled through the night.

With only one day at sea, for the majority of our holiday we woke up each morning at a new destination. Marvellous. Once you are aboard the ship it is entirely up to you how you spend your day – and your money. Photographs are taken more discretely than some on cruises; shops which stock a lovely selection of duty free products including handbags, perfumes, watches and jewellery, and a selection of shore excursions.

The excursions available were excellent value-for-money and we while we were in Madeira and Morocco we chose to join a guided tour rather than going it alone. These were booked online in advance but can also be organised through a travel agent or once on board the ship.

In Funchal we chose ‘A Taste of Madeira and Cable Car’ tour which was a half day trip and included a cable car ride from Funchal up to nearby Monte. Then it was decision time – did we slip and slide down the narrow streets in a toboggan, or rejoin the bus for a more sedate journey down the hill?

Sitting in a wicker basket mounted on wooden runners, two drivers guide the sled down through narrow streets, using their rubber-soled boots as brakes was thrilling and Ernest Hemingway once described the experience as ‘exhilarating’. After our ride we wandered around Funchal’s tranquil Botanical Gardens before visiting Funchal’s farmers’ market.

In Agadir we opted for another half day trip and this time it was to Touradant.

Surrounded by olive trees, palms and sweet-smelling citrus groves, the walled city is a real gem. On our drive to and from the destination we had the thrill of seeing camels and tree-climbing goats. Although John was the only one who saw the latter – I thought it was more likely to be a carrier bag flapping in the wind. Once we had arrived at Taroudant our guided tour took us around a daily Berber market and the Arab souk (market).

There were many of our fellow cruisers who refused to leave the ship as they felt Morocco wasn’t safe, however, we have visited the country twice without incident.

As our learned Agadirian guide pointed out: “There are good and bad people all over the world.”

One major concern we had when we booked the cruise wasn’t whether we should get off the ship in Morocco, it was be whether I would miss the balcony.

When cruising with P&O I sat on ours most afternoons, had breakfast on it most mornings and found it to be a perfect extension to our room.

Did I miss not having this extra space on the Spirit? Being totally honest, just once, and that was when we had our one day at sea. Cruising aboard a liner which looks akin to a block of flats, with more balconies than you can shake a stick at usually means many of the public rooms are in the bowels of the ship, hence the need for a balcony.

On the Spirit there are fabulous views from every public room and there was always plenty of room on the lido decks.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty who love the larger ships and it’s a case of ‘the bigger the better’ for many.

Not for John and I, we prefer a smaller, more intimate ship. Is it really necessary to have to choose from 24 different dining experiences?

In our world, no! Aboard Spirit there are four dining options available – the lido self-service restaurant; the outside terrace where we ate breakfast and lunch most days; the Compass Rose restaurant with waiter service or Sirocco’s, an intimate a la carte restaurant.

On previous cruising holidays, dining in the self-service restaurant has proved to be a nightmare for us both and we have found the only way we can organise ourselves is to find a table and then tag team our food and drink. Not very romantic – and not very pleasant if I am perfectly honest.

Each time we dined in Spirit’s Lido Restaurant the staff are so well organised that there was never a problem finding a table, no matter what time of day we chose to eat.

Even on the morning of disembarkation the set up ran smoothly and this is all down to the organisation of the staff.

Once everyone has been fed it’s time for them to be watered and there was an excellent selection of speciality teas and coffees, soft drinks, beers, lagers, wines and spirits available.

While food was included in the price of the cruise, this type of beverage, wasn’t. There are drinks packages (DP) available to buy if you like a tipple and if your cruise is booked early enough, some are included in the price. However when we booked our trip an all-inclusive DP would have cost around £199 per person. With the best will in the world – and we both like a drink – there is no way we would have got through almost £400 of alcohol between us in just a week.

Well, not without staying on the ship 24/7 and me doing a good impression of Esme Cannon in the film Carry on Cruising.

There was no need to fret as we were able to purchase a DP to suit us on our first evening.

What really sets Thomson Cruises apart from its peers is its staff. From the maintenance team to the ones with the posh pips on their shoulders, nothing was too much trouble. Each and every one of them had time to smile, chat and be as helpful as possible to the guests – and it didn’t matter what rank they were, everyone mucked in an got on with the job in hand.

It was their friendliness and the relaxed atmosphere aboard Spirit which really made our holiday special. At no point did John or I feel as if we were an inconvenience and any questions we had were always answered.

One niggle we have had on all our cruise holidays though is the lack of internet access. Okay so there is access on the Spirit but it’s quite expensive so when the ship docks the first thing John and I usually do is head off to a café which offers free WiFi.

Nowadays, so many people have smart phones that if Thomson wants to get ahead of its rivals, it should look into offering complimentary Wi-Fi. Even if it’s only for half an hour each day, at least it would mean that we could brag on social media networks about where we are – oh and upload lots of ‘selfies’!

Our latest jolly jaunt was by far our favourite cruise and there would be no hesitation in travelling with this cruise line again.

From booking at Thomson’s, in Burton, to the towel animal left on our bed each day – everything was absolutely perfect. Now where did I put that brochure? ...

Travel Facts:

The Colourful Coasts cruise is available with flights from East Midlands and Birmingham airports.

A seven-night cruise, including flights, starts from £799 per person until April 2104. The cruise resumes in November and continues until April 2015.

For more information pick up a brochure from Thomson in Station Street, Burton, or via the website here .

Friday, February 9, 2018

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Monday, March 12, 2018

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Sunday, March 4, 2018

A pastor for pastors

“This is not over”

Monday, January 15, 2018

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Travel Facts: