News Stories

Please note below are the personal views of Lollypop staff only, unless otherwise stated - and not of any other organisation or persons to which they may be connected.

A Stunning Gift for Halloween

With charming illustrations - rather naive and reminiscent of the style of Raymond Briggs' The Snowman, Tom’s Present is a much loved and stimulating story that captures children’s imagination from the beginning.

It’s Tom’s birthday, and among many shiny new presents is a small brown envelope from an elderly neighbour. What’s inside leads Tom through a whole year of surprises, and at the end he has presents of his very own to give away. An ideal book for sharing, Tom’s Present is a story of everyday magic.

A valuable addition to the books is a section showing you how to grow your own pumpkins. A great book - beautiful to look at, easy to read and it offers something for the child to do later on  offering  more than just a straight read with the encouragement to get out and start gardening.

A great Halloween a gift for a child, perhaps along with a pack of pumpkin seeds to get them started. A great book - beautiful to look at, easy to read and it offers something a little extra.

Tom’s Present by Meri Andrea and Peter Seal

ISBN 978-0-9549165-6-5

http://bit.ly/2Wyvos

Smarter Working – Sharing the Experience

That was the title of the 2009 Annual ACT Travelwise Conference, held in Birmingham today (23rd Oct). Well attended by businesses and organisations from across the region, including many council representatives, the delegates were promised a conference to show how smarter working practices are set to become a major factor in the lives of businesses and their employees in helping to combat congestion and climate change.

Held at ETC Venues the conference was extremely well managed, everyone kept to time and  I’m told lunch was very good

Initial sessions asking delegates what they conceived to be flexible working options, and what delegates were looking to get from the day. A promising start, with similar minded folk, keen to gain information and best practice to put into place within their organisations.

After the usual intros and safety information was disseminated to the expectant group - through the fire alarm test - the first speaker Tim Luft explained how many Coventry University employees have taken up smarter working options with great success and outlined the Smarter Working West Midlands’ Programme, aimed at businesses to improve their productivity and reduce carbon emissions through adopting ‘smarter working’ practices. Developed with Coventry University Enterprise Ltd., with funding from AWM, this programme acts as a communication, co-ordination and facilitation hub for the dissemination of knowledge, and the implementation of individual smarter working initiatives – and they are pretty handy at putting in the IT too.

An explanation of utilising technology to allow more flexible working verses the daily commute was presented by Alison Steed, a freelance journalist and editor of the mymoneydiva web site. Great advice on saving money by taking advantage of tax and NIC savings on environmentally friendly methods of travel was explained simply by Sharon Gilkes and Richard Barrett from PriceWaterhouseCoopers and James Datson from Atkins outlined an interesting car parking management system “Fair Park” that they'd developed. All great sustainable travel advice very well presented.

Workshops were held on the main topics to allow delegates to go into the subject in more detail. They were very well received, even if the driving simulator did make an odd delegate or two feel a little queasy probably need more here – for instance comment that workshops given by main speakers so gave people a chance to go into things in a bit more detail – also workshops run twice so you got two choices

The conference came to an end with an interesting talk by Centro’s CEO Geoff Inskip on his views of the future of transport and business in the Midlands. It was good to hear about their on going commitment to the midlands future transport needs.

Overall it should be remembered that smarter working should not just about asking company’s execs politely to sign up to a predefined programme of consultation, surveys, handbooks and monitoring. It’s about

  • empowering communities with information that allows them to make informed decisions and to change the way they work so that they can combine work with family and dependant commitments and community participation ,
  • asking employers for flexible working options,
  • utilising the help and advice given freely by government and local authorities
  • working with schools and extended school options so maximise the benefits to working parents and enabling them to make the best choices for  families.  

I agree with everything the Smarter Working West Midlands programme aims to achieve - but there is a danger of too narrow a focus. The opportunity is to join up a number of programmes and initiative that all have a common aim  

As for ACT Travelwise and their new West Midlands web site - It was their conference after all

I have the upmost respect and support for this organisation, for the people that work in conjunction with them and for what ACT Travelwise aim to achieve.

So should you - check out their web site at www.acttravelwise.org.uk register your company, school or organisation and take full advantage of their sustainable transport advice, travel planning help and real-time travel information – go on what are you waiting for?

 At least these guys are trying to join things up right now!

1 Day, 100 bloggers, 100 green books, 100 reviews.

As part of our efforts to promote green books,( i.e. books that are printed using recycled and FSC certified paper) Lollypop Publishing have entered a special campaign run by Eco-Libris called "It's Time for a Green Book": 1 Day, 100 bloggers, 100 green books, 100 reviews. 

So what's the plan? The idea is to have 100 bloggers, who review books on regular basis, simultaneously publish on Tuesday, November 10 2009, their book review of a "green book" of their choice. Eco Libris want to use the power of the internet and social media to promote "green" books and increase the awareness of both publishers and readers to the way books can be printed responsibly and sustainably. It's hoped the magnitude of this initiative will help grab readers, publishers and others' attention and get them to think about and discuss the future of books and how the "green" factor should be part of it.

How is it done? Eco Libris prepare a list of at least 100 books that are meeting the "green" criteria (recycled or FSC-certified paper), with preference for newer books to the participating bloggers, who will be able to choose then the book they want to review (based on first come first served basis). Then, they ask the publishers to send them a review copy accordingly. Bloggers will publish simultaneously their book review on Tuesday, November 10, exactly at 1:00 PM EST . 

And then what? We'll ask participating bloggers and publishers to tweet these posts and use any other social network they usually use to spread the word on these reviews. We'll provide further instructions later on about the best ways to magnify the effect of your post. As soon as the posts are published, we'll release a post with all of the links so we can interlink, comment, ping, and otherwise participate in this great conversation.

 

What are the benefits for publishers? This is not only a great opportunity to promote new books printed in an environmentally sound manner and make their "greenness" more recognizable, but also an opportunity for publishers to get further recognition and appreciation of readers for their commitment to the environment and to green publishing.

 

For more information watch for updates on Eco Libris web site at http://www.ecolibris.net/ 

I'm Glad I Spent More Time At Work - The AtoZ of Worklife Balance for Organisations

“No one ever lay on their deathbed wishing they had spent more time at work.”

I’m glad I Spent More Time at Work give practical advice for employers on how to create an environment for employees that enables them to strike a balance between working hard and also enjoying family life.


“An indispensable book for business leaders everywhere.  Not just another guilt trip but an insight into the very latest flexible working and work -life balance practices  This will help you create an environment where people love to work.”
Rob Parsons, Author - The Heart of Success

Lollypop Launch School Travel Book

Lollypop celebrated the publication of its new school travel book “Let Me Out! How to enjoy the school run” at a prestigious launch at City Hall, London.  Despite pouring rain many braved the weather (several on bikes) to celebrate the launch of “Let Me Out!” written by Ann Kenrick OBE from her first-hand experience. The book is full of  practical suggestions, personal experience and policy review, providing an instruction guide for parents considering doing the school run by bike or on foot and all those working to encourage healthy, happy communities.

The event hosted by Val Shawcross, deputy chair of the Transport Committee and Labour Spokesperson for Transport was a great success. Val reiterated the views of many organisations including that of the NHS and said of walking and cycling “... that it fits so many of our bills, not just the need to improve our environment, reducing the acts of the car, but also to tackle our growing obesity problems and that the top of the priorities we want to see is walking and cycling”.

She continued that Ann’s new book “... provides the kind of expertise we need” and “... this is the kind of book that helps people to change the world for the better”

Richard Hebditch from the Campaign for Better Transport agreed. Speaking about his work with the Campaign for Better Transport and previously his work with the walking charity Living Streets and their Walk To School Campaign, Richard said of “Let Me Out! How to enjoy the school run” “...it’s a really useful and really practical book for all those (organisations, school travel advisors, schools and parents) getting children to walk and cycle to school.

Ann expressed her concern over the fact that by 2050 it is estimated that 70% of girls and 55% of boys will be obese, and underlined the importance of making driving to school unfashionable and promoting cycling as something that is healthy, sociable, environmentally friendly and most importantly, fun.

Lollypop Publishing is proud of their new book, which a perfect partner for the much is acclaimed Walking Bus Guide cited as best practice by many organisations.

order online at www.lollypoppublishing.co.uk or all good book shops