Electrical and electronic waste (Waste electrical and electronic equipment, aka WEEE) is increasing by around 5% each year, making it the fastest growing waste stream in the UK.
It is important that WEEE does not end up in your bin.

One of the most popular sights in nature is that of the lesser-spotted Bill Oddie or, to give its Latin name, the Bilious Oddicus.

The species is as common as horse droppings, at home in varied habitats, and can be seen in all parts of the country.

But don't let its frequent appearances distract from the appeal of this strange creature

The Book Group I belong to is a group with a difference.

When we met to review Zorba the Greek we had a full scale Greek evening with traditional Moussaka, Greek salad and Ouzo me Meze. We forgot about the Greek background music, however, someone did bring along the Grease soundtrack instead...

When we reviewed Peter Kay's book, The Sound of Laughter, we pretended we were at The Phoenix Club and had a pub quiz complete with twiglets, peanuts and sausage rolls.

FOR quite some time Sport England has been trying to unify martial arts under National Governing Bodies. It is an uphill struggle and one imagines a thankless task.

Their aim is to bring unification among the disparate groups that make up our world (who, let’s admit generally can’t agree on anything!).

Sport England believe it would make their task of over-seeing martial arts easier and allow the public a one contact point where they could check instructor qualifications and insurance etc.
In the sports martial arts arena it would also mean that there was a unified team drawn from all clubs and groups and not just a select few that often happens at present.

This means, for example, that the Great Britain Karate team could draw from a wider pool of talent.

All good stuff – I’m sure you’ll agree?

But I have reservations about this long-term goal.

Former Newcastle councillor Lembit Opik is a man of letters. Most of them are zzzzzz's.

Lembit was so underwhelming in the BBC's Sports Relief Does The Apprentice that it was like watching the snooz.

From the salubrious village (Glanton) in Northumberland, a small band of pilgrims gathered to take to the road in search of the man whose very songs and lyrics would illuminate our lives .


..’you hardly ever saw Grandaddy down here, he only came to town about twice a year’

..

I am a man of simple tastes who does not demand too much of life.

I don't do drugs, I don't get into punch ups, I don't sneer at people as I trudge down the street, I don't break into cars, burgle houses or mug old ladies.

A third of the food we buy in the UK ends up being thrown away.
6.7 million tonnes of food every year – some of it is peel, cores and bones – stuff you can’t eat.
But the majority is or started out as perfectly good food.
What is so bad about throwing away food – it rots down doesn’t it?

I was socialised and ‘brought up’ in a working-class community in the North-East of England.

The Language I became familiar with was colloquial and I became quickly aware of the difference between formal and informal modes of language and consequently, written and spoken English.

My Mother was always ready to correct our pronunciation in order to protect or promote her brood in the social hierarchy.

Having had curly hair all my life, I wasn't too sure when Son No. 2 wanted to straighten it. 'No-one has big hair any more.' he insisted.

I was instructed to sit still on his bed amongst the detritus of unfinished homework, music sheets and empty crisp packets without tidying up (which was difficult) whilst he powered up his brand new digital hair straighteners.