Silent Sunday June

Paddington Bear with me

Don't you just love the quirky nature of London so one Sunday after waving a fellow 

Blogger off at Paddington station where I ran into a certain famous bear and then got lost. I ended up on the wrong tube and at the completely station several stops later I ended up thankfully back at St Pancras.

Back at St Pancras I saw this , I think it's been there ages I think I have had mind fog when I've been to Lonon previously.

It just shows you that just once or twice look up and see what you can see.

Income Protection makes you think

Work base benefits according " to a new report commissioned by Unum , today’s employees are more likely to fall into financial difficulty than they were 30 years ago. The report suggests that this is partly owing to the fact that employee benefits – designed to provide financial protection – have failed to keep pace with the changing UK workforce which is now more feminised, older and includes more disabled and long-term ill."

I was encouraged to ask my HR department about my employee benefits and these are quite comprehensive ranging from sickness benefits, death in service benefits maternity benefits and so forth. But because many a local authority is in a state of flux due to the introduction of "Single status" in the work place I don't think that anyone wants to commit themselves as to if these benefits will change.

The working benefits are on a sliding scale depending how long you are off for, and being a local authority are quite generous as far as I gather there is no income protection other than the statutory right.

Working part time I am afforded the same benefits and rights as full times workers as my salary is on a pro rota scale.

I have to say the whole experience has left me feeling a little vague if I am honest and I think independent income protection is something I would look into again this is cost dependant. Unum have worked with Mumsnet on a income protection survey.

Disclosure ( I was not told what to write about all my view are completely my on , I am being send a voucher for writing about this ) 

Retail Royalty Challenge

You wait a lifetime just to be grown up.

You throw away your childish toys and momentos.

Or so you think.

I pick them up and store them.

For when you leave home.

Your dad says fly away far.

I say "NO"

Stay close.

Childhood is precious you see and that's why when I agreed to take part in Money Supermarket Retail Royalty there were many charities that sprung to mind. But I decided upon the children department at my local Derby hospital where I and my family have spent many a long hour. The budget given to us was £30 for us to spend on the charity of our choice.

Working in EYFS (Reception) my focus is always on value added play especially those that encourage sensory and fine motor skills, which are very much one of the building blocks of education.

Now the challenge is to buy as much as you can for £30 and as it's a hospital I really wanted a child there to have the pleasure and joy of unwrapping a new toy. You 'll be surprised to see that I have only 2 items in fact now you might very well be scratching your head. 

You see the value is in the play itself there is NO shortage to a child's imagination and the adventures that these and other toys can take them on. The Rainbow sound blocks are brilliant for teaching focus and interaction and will delight many children.

The other toy that I decided to go for was Duplo's first zoo , Duplo is always a firm favourite and you pay for its quality but it's a quality that will last countless generations.

I spent my entire budget of £30 but I think I did well don't you ?

This is my entry for Retail royalty challenge, from MoneySuperMarket. 

Win A Limited Edition Jason Munro Art Cat Print From Artfinder

Cat by Jason Munro

I love art , art on walls , art on canvas art in many mediums , pictures bring words alive such as the quirky and funny  illustrations of Quentin Blake will encapsulates  the fine humorous writings of Roald Dahl who went to the local private boys school which is near which me called Repton the book that is personified in this is "Boy" His art is described as fidgety and joyful phrases I wholeheartedly agree with. And you can find special edition of his art work at Artfinder.

Art finder is an ideal place well to find art the clues in the name really and as Art finder says "because buying art doesn't have to break the bank" it has over 6,000 artworks with prints starting form £15 and oil paintings from £75.

So with thanks to Artfinder I have an very apt print as a competition prize I rather like it myself especially owning cats who have very much their own agenda. I have quite a few spare spaces on my wall that could do with a jolly up and seeing as my art skills at that of a cave man or woman then I think I shall be looking at their website.

The cat is a limited edition print from Brighton based illustrator Jason Munro, this prize was only made available to a few bloggers as part of the Britmums blogging event.

So for the cat to win this delightful cat print tell me where you might put this picture for me I might put in the kitchen as that's thier domain .. well the whole house is really.

Follow the easy instructions on rafflecopter, additional entries are available be sure to tell me in the comments which one and finally "Good Luck"

a Rafflecopter giveaway