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GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ and Cats Protection have recognised Flossie as the oldest cat living, just weeks before she celebrates her 27th birthday.
The record-breaking status marks a turnaround in fortunes for a cat who was born in the same year as England goal scorer Jack Grealish.
Flossie was signed over to Cats Protection volunteers in Kent and faced an uncertain future, aged 26, after her owner was unable to support the welfare of such an elderly cat.
She was given a new lease of life when the charity matched her to a loving new home with Vicki Green of Orpington, who had experience of caring for senior cats. What Vicki couldn’t have known was that she was giving a home to a record breaker.
Vicki, who is also aged 27, said: “I knew from the start that Flossie was a special cat, but I didn’t imagine I’d be sharing my home with a Guinness World Records title holder! She’s so affectionate, playful and sweet, especially when you remember how old she is. I’m immensely proud that Cats Protection matched me with such an amazing cat.
“She’s deaf and has failing eyesight but none of that seems to bother her. She’s completely with it, loves affection and has a very good appetite. She never turns her nose up at the chance of a good meal, except when she’s snuggled on her favourite yellow blanket.”
Naomi Rosling, Co-ordinator at Cats Protection’s Tunbridge, Crowborough and District Branch said: “We were flabbergasted when vet records showed Flossie to be nearly 27 years old. She’s the oldest cat I’ve ever met; at least 120 in human years.
“If I’m in such good shape when I’m her age, with someone who does what’s best for me when I need it most, I shall be a very happy lady.”
Craig Glenday, Editor in Chief at GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ said: “We were so excited to hear about the lovely Flossie and celebrate her long life – it’s not every day you come across a cat who has been around since the mid-nineties.
“This is the human equivalent of over 120 years old, which would put her on par with Jeanne Calment, the French supercentenarian who lived to 122 years 164 days and holds the record for the oldest person ever.
“We’re happy to see Flossie settled and enjoying all the home comforts she deserves in her later life. A huge congratulations to Flossie, a highly deserving record-breaker.”
It’s a heartwarming final chapter to the story of a cat that had remained in the same extended family since being homed as a young stray in 1995. Flossie had been living in a colony of cats near a Merseyside hospital, when two workers took pity on them and each homed a cat.
They lived together for 10 years until the owner died and Flossie was taken in by her sister. After another 14 happy years, the new owner also passed away. Flossie was aged at least 24 at that time. For the next three years, Flossie lived with the woman’s son, until his situation led him to make the difficult decision to relinquish the family cat to volunteers at Cats Protection’s Tunbridge Wells, Crowborough and District Branch.
Naomi is confident that the owner acted in the interests of his cat. “It wasn’t an easy decision. He’d promised to take care of Flossie’s needs but, in ways that matter most, that is exactly what he has done. He sought our help when it was in Flossie’s best interests. Responsible cat ownership is when someone thinks about an animal’s needs above their own feelings.”
Flossie has settled well since moving in with Executive Assistant Vicki. “She was loud for the first few nights, because she can’t see in the dark and was a bit confused in her new surroundings, but she sleeps through the night now, snuggled on the bed with me,’ Vicki said. “Our new life together already feels like home for Flossie, which makes me so happy.”
Vicki’s previous cat Honeybun had lived until the age of 21, so she knew what to expect, she said. “Older cats can need particular care and being the oldest living cat, Flossie isn’t any different. She sometimes misses her litter box or needs help grooming herself, but I can help with all of that. We’re in this together.”
Cats Protection created Mature Moggies Days (16 June) to celebrate older cats and recognise their welfare needs. The charity campaigns so that older cats can feel at home in their later years.
Vicki is keen to encourage other potential owners to consider older cats, she said: “I’ve always wanted to give older cats a comfortable later life. All they really want is a comfy bed in a warm loving home and they give so much love in return.
“Cats Protection has a lot of mature cats in need of homes and they don’t need to be high maintenance. All they really want is a cuddle and somewhere warm to sleep. I’m glad that Cats Protection matched me with Flossie; adopting her has been rewarding for us both.”
· Costa Coffee will declare its love to the nation alongside Keating by giving away millions of free coffees* to new customers
The Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop, Costa Coffee, today launched a campaign with international pop star, Ronan Keating, to win the nation’s hearts.
Keating, who memorably topped the charts with ‘When You Say Nothing at All’, is using his prowess as a national heartthrob to spread love across the UK as Costa Coffee’s new ‘Director of Love’, giving away millions of delicious free Costa coffees.
Appearing in a light-hearted short film, Keating is on a mission to woo coffee lovers, delivering impromptu serenades and touring Costa Coffee stores up and down the country.
Commenting on his new role, Keating said: “I’m really excited to be joining Costa Coffee for a campaign with love at its heart. It’s fun to play the role of ‘Director of Love’ and I’m excited to give the nation lots of love this festive season, and maybe even help them re-connect over a Costa coffee.”
The campaign, which kicked off on Thursday 17th November, will roll out across the UK with a series of ‘declarations of love’ and far-reaching gestures, not least by giving away millions of coffees.
You can get yours by downloading the Costa Coffee app and signing-up to the Costa Club loyalty scheme between now and 24 November 2022, with millions of free coffees and hot drinks up for grabs.
The ‘free drink’ digital voucher will automatically appear in the apps’ ‘Rewards’ section, which can be redeemed in person at a participating Costa Coffee store. Existing customers will also be able to discover gestures, perks, and rewards with exclusive in-app deals as part of Costa Club.
Shakir Moin, Costa Coffee Interim CEO said, “Ronan Keating is responsible for some of the greatest love songs of all time, so who better to help us woo customers and shower them with love this festive season?
“We’ll not only be giving millions of barista-crafted coffees away, but we’ll be taking to the streets and even the skies to show Brits how we feel about them. Stay tuned for some big surprises!”
For further information on Costa Coffee’s new campaign, download the Costa Coffee app today.
In a unique live broadcast, National Galleries of Scotland present the first abridged rehearsed reading from the play by Scottish-Ghanaian artist Maud Sulter, Service to Empire. Directed and abridged by Adura Onashile and co-curated with Mother Tongue, the reading will be followed by a live Q&A.
Best known as an artist and poet, Sulter wrote Service to Empire, published with her imprint A19, in 2002. In this play she reimagines the relationship between the parents of Jerry Rawlings, the former President of Ghana: his father was a Scot, his mother Ghanaian.
Exploring long-lasting colonial legacies across two continents, Sulter considered her play provided “an incisive observation of the explosive reverberations” of their affair and its impact on Ghana’s former President (in office 1979-2002). Although the play was written 20 years ago, it has never been performed. This reading is long overdue, bringing to light the work of this internationally renowned artist.
The National Galleries of Scotland collection includes two works by Sulter: Urania from the series Zabat (1989) and La Chevelure (2002) which is currently on display at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in The Modern Portrait exhibition.
Through her multi-disciplinary practice Sulter questioned the representation of Black women in art and literature: “I’m interested in absence and presence in the way that particularly Black women’s experience and Black women’s contribution to culture is so often erased and marginalised … it’s important for me as an individual, and obviously as a Black woman artist, to put Black women back in the centre of the frame.”
Mother Tongue has researched and curated Sulter’s work for several years. In 2018 they were awarded an Art Fund New Collecting Award with Glasgow Museums which resulted in Revisiting Black Artists in Scotland Through New Collecting at Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow 12 March – 3 July 2022, a group show featuring Sulter’s work, with Art Fund support and funded by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, with generous input from the Estate of Maud Sulter.
“The Estate is thrilled that Sulter’s words are being brought to life in this spell binding reading directed by Adura Onashile. The estate offers warmest thanks to the director, the cast, Mother Tongue and National Galleries of Scotland for bringing this project to fruition.” The Estate of Maud Sulter.
Adura Onashile, Directorsaid: “It felt really important to me to present this rehearsed reading of Maud Sulter’s only play for the first time. As an interdisciplinary artist her approach to playwrighting is incredibly visual and rich in its scope and rigour.
“It’s been exciting to delve into her vision of a story that is both personal and universal. Although this is only a rehearsed reading, we hope introducing the work to a wider audience will continue to highlight the breadth of Maud’s vision and inspirations.”
“Maud Sulter’s work was so ground-breaking that even 20, 25, 30 years on from its production, it feels very much of our present. She was a visual artist, poet, curator and cultural historian amongst other facets of her practice, and it’s important to us that her words are lifted from the page and vocalised making the play accessible to a much larger audience than it’s been able to have to-date.” Mother Tongue, co-curators.
Sir John Leighton, Director-General, National Galleries of Scotland said: “National Galleries of Scotland is delighted to support this vital and long overdue project to stage a reading of Maud Sulter’s play Service to Empire.
“Sulter is an internationally recognised Scottish contemporary artist whose visual and literary legacy is in the process of being rediscovered and reinterpreted by a new generation of artists.
“It is an honour to work with Adura Onashile, a director held in such high esteem in her field. We are grateful to the Estate for their kind co-operation and to our partners, cast and crew for the painstaking care they have taken in representing Sulter’s intentions and making this essential project happen.”
Aldi is supporting local charities, foodbanks, and community groups in Edinburgh and the Lothians through its Emergency Winter Foodbank Fund this Christmas.
The supermarket’s Emergency Winter Foodbank Fund will see it donate £250,000 to help organisations as they prepare to face heightened demand on their services.
The fund builds on Aldi’s successful partnership with community engagement platform Neighbourly which enables all of Aldi’s 980 UK stores to donate surplus food seven days a week, all year round.
Aldi will also be introducing new signage in stores this Christmas to help highlight to customers the most in-demand items at foodbanks, as selected by the organisations themselves.
From early December, shoppers looking to donate to foodbanks should look out for the logo on shelves by certain items, such as baked beans, teabags and toiletries, which can then be dropped at the food donation points located by Aldi’s checkouts.
Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said:“We know that Christmas is already a particularly challenging time for many, but this year is understandably going to be even tougher for a lot of households.
“That’s why we’re more committed than ever to doing what we can to give back. We want to make food accessible for all and hope both our additional funding and donation drive will help to make a real difference in Edinburgh and the Lothians.”
Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, added:“The cost-of-living is impacting communities up and down the country and the charities we support are expecting to see demand increase even further over the coming months.
“Without the support of the public and businesses like Aldi we’d be unable to help those in need. Within our network there are many charities and community groups that will be able to put this funding to good use, to support families that are struggling.”
Aldi’s latest commitment follows a recent survey of Neighbourly charities which revealed that 72% will need more food items to help with increased demand this Christmas.
The items that were revealed to be most in-demand, and will be promoted in store to help drive donations this Christmas, included cereal, rice and pasta, tinned food and toiletries.
Charities and community groups interested in working with Aldi should contact Neighbourly at aldi@neighbourly.com.
Environmental campaigners have welcomed yesterday’s statement from Minister for Environment and Land Reform Mairi McAllan that the Scottish Government “does not agree with the UK Government issuing new oil and gas licences”.
This came in response to a parliamentary question from Mark Ruskell MSP about whether the Rosebank oil field, and new licensing, should be allowed to go ahead, given the First Minister’s previous opposition to the Cambo oil field last year.
Ms McAllan said that the licensing of new oil and gas extraction is not the answer to either the cost of energy crisis or the climate crisis. The UK Government recently opened a licensing round which could issue over 100 licences for fossil fuel companies to explore the UK Continental Shelf for new oil and gas fields.
The Rosebank oil field already has a licence, and would be three times the size of Cambo. Equinor, the Norwegian oil company that wants to develop Rosebank, is currently awaiting approval from the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on its environmental statement before the project can begin development.
Rosebank would not extract its first oil until late 2026, and the majority of the oil extracted would be exported and sold on the open market, doing little for the UK’s energy security.
Campaigners welcomed Ms McAllan’s statement as a strengthening of the Scottish Government’s position on new oil and gas.
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s oil and gas campaigner Freya Aitchison said: “Mairi McAllan is completely right to say that new oil and gas extraction isn’t the answer to the cost of living crisis or the climate crisis.
“Millions of families are being pushed into fuel poverty by greedy oil companies for short-term profits. Meanwhile climate science is clear that there can be no new oil and gas licensing if we are to avoid truly catastrophic warming.
“This is the furthest the Scottish Government has gone to date in its opposition to new licensing, and Ministers must now pressure the UK Government to abandon its climate-wrecking oil expansion plans, starting by rejecting the plans to develop Rosebank. The Scottish Government must cement this position in the forthcoming Energy Strategy, putting an end date on fossil fuels and setting out the framework for a managed and just phase out of oil and gas within this decade.
“The Scottish Government’s opposition to new oil and gas extraction will make Rosebank a more risky investment, so Equinor should really think again.
“If Rosebank were allowed to go ahead, it would produce the same amount of climate-wrecking pollution as the annual emissions of 28 low-income countries combined.
“Approving it would fly in the face of climate science, which is clear that allowing any new fossil fuel extraction will take us past globally agreed climate targets.”
Roadmap to ‘fair, green prosperity for communities and regions’
Improvements to health, tackling child poverty and reaching climate goals are at the heart of a toolkit to support local economies to be fairer, greener, healthier and more resilient.
The Wellbeing Economy Toolkit: Supporting place-based economic strategy and policy development enables local authorities to identify and measure local wellbeing metrics including health, child poverty, levels of greenhouse gas emissions and fair work, and prioritise investments and policies to improve them.
This will include:
the creation of more high quality, sustainable local jobs by using more local and regional procurement contracts
improved transport links to help people access services and work
better access to the natural environment, which leads to better mental and physical health
The Constitution Secretary announced the toolkit at the Wealth of Nations 2.0 conference at the University of Glasgow. He was joined by representatives from fellow Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) of Finland and Wales to take questions from young people, five years on from the first conversations to establish the network.
Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The need for a new economic model has never been clearer, and that’s why I think the wellbeing economy approach is gaining so much interest, both here, and around the world.
“We see that in the growth of WEGo – the network of wellbeing economy governments – which began as a coalition of Scotland, Iceland and New Zealand. Since this event was last held in 2020, two more governments – Finland and Wales – have joined, and other countries including Canada are showing a growing interest.
“Creating a wellbeing economy remains a defining mission for the Scottish Government, and it is my firm belief that Scotland could use the powers of independence to achieve that aim more fully.
“Building a wellbeing economy is a huge challenge for any country, at any time. The current crises we are facing make it harder, but they also underline why we need to make this transformation as a matter of urgency.”
Jimmy Paul, Director of Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland, said: “This practical new toolkit will be an invaluable resource for developing local economic strategies that really work for communities.
“Amidst the cost of living and climate crises, it’s never been more important that economic approaches start with the goal of ensuring we all have what we need to live good lives and protect the health of our natural world, rather than continuing to centre outdated metrics like GDP growth. The toolkit could provide a step-change in the way local economic strategies are delivered in Scotland.”
From today, over 11.6 million pensioners will start to receive up to £600 to help with their energy bills this winter
This support, worth over £4.5 billion, is part of an extensive package helping people of all ages with the cost of heating their homes, including through the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme [available to eligible households in England, Scotland and Wales], and the Energy Price Guarantee saving typical households £900.
From today (23 November 2022), over 11.6 million pensioners in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will start to receive payments of up to £600 to help with their energy bills this winter.
Winter Fuel Payments – boosted this year by an additional £300 per household Pensioner Cost of Living payment – will land in bank accounts over the next two months, the vast majority automatically.
Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: “We want to do everything we can to support pensioners who are often the most exposed to higher costs. That’s why we’re providing all pensioner households with an additional £300 on top of their Winter Fuel Payments to heat their homes and stay warm this winter.
“This extra payment is just one part of the wider support package we’re delivering to help with rising bills, including the biggest State Pension increase in history.
“Our support doesn’t stop here. As we deal with the impact of Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine and the aftermath of the pandemic, we will continue to stand by the most vulnerable, with further cost of living payments coming next year.”
The money will appear in bank statements with the payment reference starting with the customer’s national Insurance number followed by ‘DWP WFP’ for people in Great Britain, or ‘DFC WFP’ for people in Northern Ireland.
The overwhelming majority of Winter Fuel Payments are paid automatically but some people need to make a claim, such as those who qualify but do not receive benefits or the State Pension and have never previously received a Winter Fuel Payment.
This month, over seven million payments of £324 have already been made to low-income households as part of this government’s cost of living support. This includes pensioners receiving Pension Credit.
The average Pension Credit award is worth over £3,500 a year, and for those pensioners who may be eligible but are yet to make an application, there is still time to do so and qualify for this additional £324 payment.
This is because Pension Credit claims can be backdated by up to three months, provided the entitlement conditions are met throughout that time.
To ensure that a successful backdated claim falls within the qualifying period for extra £324 cost of living help, pensioners are being urged to claim Pension Credit as soon as possible, and by no later than 18 December 2022.
The online Pension Credit calculator is on hand to help pensioners check if they’re likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive.
Further cost of living support to be paid next year was announced by the Chancellor in his Autumn Statement last week. Payments will include a further £300 for pensioners, £900 for households on means-tested benefits and £150 for those on disability benefits.
As tens of thousands of people start seasonal jobs over the next few weeks, they can use the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) app to save them time to find details they need to pass on to their employer.
In the 12 months up to October 2022, HMRC received almost 3 million calls from people asking for information that is now readily available on the app, with more than 340,000 using it to access employment and income information since July 2022.
New functions and capability mean that customers can access their income and employment history, salary information, National Insurance number or tax code via the app, whenever they need it.
The information can be downloaded and printed – so there is no need to call HMRC to ask for it to be sent in the post. This means that using the app rather than calling the helpline makes the process much quicker.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General of Customer Services, said:“Whether you’re starting a new role in customer services, delivering parcels or managing warehouse logistics – the HMRC app is a secure and easy way to access your tax code, National Insurance number and employment details so you can let your new employer know.
“It’s accessible at the touch of a button and is quicker than calling HMRC. To find out how to download it, search ‘HMRC app’ on GOV.UK.”
https://youtu.be/JW9rksc5izk
Victoria Atkins MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said:“Christmas is busy enough – especially if you have taken on a seasonal job – so anything which can save you time is to be welcomed.
“The free and secure HMRC app is just such a thing, it makes searching for employment information quick and easy, whether you need to check your National Insurance number, find out how much you will be paid and much more.”
App users will need a user ID and password, so they can access their personal information. If customers need to set one up, the app will guide them through the process.
More than 3.5 million people have used the HMRC app since it launched in September 2016, and more than 1.6 million customers used it at least once in the last year.
The app is compatible with built-in accessibility functions on a customer’s smartphone including:
· invert colours and adjust contrast levels
· increase the text size without the text truncating or overlapping
· navigate the app using switch control/access
· using voice activation
· listen to the app with a screen reader
The UK Government is offering help for households as a result of the increased cost of living pressures. Visit GOV.UK to find out more about the available cost-of-living support and eligibility requirements.
From automated intelligence, drones and lasers to man’s best friend, SP Energy Networks is leaving no stone unturned to keep the lights on amid the worst of weather this Winter.
The power firm, which keeps electricity flowing to 6 million people across 3.5 million homes and businesses, has beentrialling the use of a specially trained detection dog to help find some of the network issues that could lead to power cuts.
Jac the springer spaniel had a 100% success rate at a recent visit to an SPEN site where an artificial fault had been created to test the dog’s abilities, finding the location under asphalt on the first attempt. The cunning canine also used his nose to point to another fault it hadn’t been expected to find.
The plucky pup will now form a small part of SPEN’s wider arsenal against the worst the weather can throw at the power network this winter.
The network operator already expects to see fewer faults needing repair thanks to an innovative system that can spot potential faults before they even happen.
In a UK first, a new LV (Low Voltage) Support Room based in Cambuslang near Glasgow is using advanced monitoring technology to provide real-time information on supplies across its operating area north and south of the border.
It analyses data produced by smart meters and electricity substations to highlight where a potential fault might occur on the network, helping engineers find exact locations where repairs are required, sometimes before power drops and customers are even aware of an issue.
It was established as a permanent part of SP Energy Networks’ operations following a trial that identified 30 ‘pre-faults’, saving an estimated £60,000 in equipment damage, stopping power cuts, and reducing the amount of time customers were without electricity during repairs.
All of which complements the inspections of the poles and wires that transport electricity around the country that’s been ongoing all year round.
Using drones to identify areas of maintenance and helicopters equipped with LIDAR laser technology that scans whether trees have grown too close to power lines, the company has been carrying out inspections and maintenance at key locations.
Scott Mathieson, SPEN’s network planning and regulation director, said:“Our teams prepare for winter weather all year round and we’re working hard to be ‘storm ready’ for the months ahead.
“It’s important we explore every avenue to either prevent the unplanned outages weather can bring or to make sure that, ifthey do occur, we can restore power to people’s homes and businesses as quickly and as safely as possible.
“Our cutting-edge technology means we can see in real-time how the network is both operating and being used. We’ll continue to innovate to keep the lights on for our customers – and it’s been interesting to see how man’s best friend can help out too.”
SP Energy Networks is responsible for 105,000km of network and 30,000 substations. The normally storm-resilient networkwas severely damaged in places when Storm Arwen brought winds of over 110mph in places.
Scott Mathieson added: “In general we’ve have seen around 25% fewer faults caused by winter weather than a decade ago,which is down to the investment in making the network more resilient.
“Storm Arwen was unlike anything we have seen in recent memory with wind speeds last measured as high in the 1950s. However, it’s a stark reminder of the impact extreme weather can have and the unplanned outages that can result.
“When weather-related power cuts happen, we will work around the clock to get supplies back on but we always encourage our customers to be prepared just in case.”
SP Energy Networks is also reminding all customers ahead of the winter season to ensure they keep the national 105 emergency power cut number close to hand so they can call them if their power does go out unexpectedly – no matter who they pay their bill to.
They are also promoting other essential safety advice to ensure customers are storm-ready, such as, storing a battery powered torch at home, being extremely careful to avoid fallen power lines and keeping their mobile phones charged to help them should a power cut occur.
