Category Archives: University work

This is home to all of the blog posts I have written either specifically for university or I have written in conjunction with university.

Veganuary: My first time experience as a dedicated meat-eater

January is the month to try something new and challenge yourself, with annual events like Dry January, No Spend January and Veganuary. According to Veganuary 9% of British adults have taken part in Veganuary at some point since the campaign was first launched in 2014. Veganuary themselves have estimated that is around 6 million people.

The idea of a “new year, new me” inspired me to try Veganuary for a week. On the whole, I am a dedicated carnivore, so the idea of going vegan for a week was daunting. After getting some reassurance from my aunt I headed out to the shops and brought myself a weeks’ worth of vegan friendly food.

The picture shows a variety of grocery items on a checkout conveyor belt at a Tesco store. There is a blue carton of mango juice drink, a yellow tub of Flora butter, and various food items including what appears to be a loaf of bread, a pack of tortilla wraps, and several boxed and packaged goods. Some of the items have visible labels such as "NEW," "Vegan," and "Protein." In the background, there is a person wearing a blue uniform, likely a Tesco employee, and promotional signs for Tesco mobile plans and savings accounts. The conveyor belt has the Tesco logo and the slogan "The power to lower prices." There's also a reminder to use the Tesco Clubcard.

I started off my first day by having a croissant with some ham and applewood smoked cheese. I was surprised by how fluffy and buttery the croissant tasted and pleasantly surprised at the taste of cheese. I was off to a flying start, none of my fears were true and I started to think “I can do this!”. Later on I made myself a chicken and bacon toastie for lunch which had a rubbery texture and a very salty taste but was otherwise extremely bland. For dinner I made sausages, broccoli, pasta with some Philadelphia mixed in, I honestly wouldn’t have been able to tell the sausages were meat free if I didn’t know and the Philadelphia tasted a lot creamier although it was very bland and slightly watery.

The picture shows a bowl of pasta with broccoli and pieces of vegan sausage and vegan philidelphia. The pasta appears to be fusilli, which is spiral-shaped. The broccoli is bright green and looks to be cooked but still firm. There are slices of sausage that are browned, suggesting they have been grilled or sautéed. The bowl itself is cream-colored with a red rim. There is a metal fork resting in the bowl. The background is a teal tabl with a faint pattern,
The picture shows a hand holding a sandwich that is open to reveal its contents. The sandwich is made with whole grain bread, the sandwich is made of vegan chicken and bacon. The sandwich is on a dark grey plate, and there are some crumbles of the sandwich's contents on the plate as well. Beside the sandwich, there are a few corn chips also on the plate. The background is a green tablecloth.
The picture shows a sandwich on a blue plate. The sandwich is made with a French bread roll, which appears to be filled with some slices of vegan ham and cheese. The bread has a golden-brown crust and looks soft. There are some crumbs scattered on the plate around the sandwich.

I can definitely do this.

But then came lunch time day two… I made myself a cheese and ham toastie with some cheese tortilla crisps. The meal would have been great had it not been for the melted cheese. That cheese that had tasted nice the day before now tasted horrid it was like liquid plastic. I thought I would try and improve my day by having a kit kat. Unfortunately the kit kat had a very grainy taste and dinner wasn’t an improvement either, with the fish tasting sour.

The picture shows a plate of food. On the left side of the plate, there are two round, toasted potato cakes with browned spots. In the center, there are three orange, breaded fishless fish nuggets stacked in a pyramid shape. On the right side of the plate, there are several slices of fresh cucumber. In the background, there is a red cup on a table with a green tablecloth. There are also some indistinct items, possibly boxes, on the table.
The image shows a KitKat chocolate bar wrapper. The wrapper is predominantly red with the KitKat logo in white at the center. Below the logo, there is a large "V" with the word "VEGAN" in white letters. The background has tropical leaves and flowers in green, blue, and pink hues. On the bottom left, there's a "Per bar" label with nutritional information and a "Vegan" logo. The wrapper also has a "Nestle" logo at the top and a "Rainforest Alliance Certified" logo.
The picture shows a hand lifting a half of a grilled vegan cheese sandwich, revealing a gooey, melted cheese stretching between the two halves. The sandwich is on a dark plate, with grill marks visible on the bread.

Maybe I can’t do this.

However, day three was a slight improvement with the pizza having a creamy texture but again not having any flavour even from the onions or peppers. Day four was similar with the garlic kievs have a strong smell of garlic but strangely not tasting like it. Day five however did bring a bit of flavour back into my pallet with the burgers have a peppery taste and rubbery texture.

The picture shows a plate of food with a slice of pizza and a side of French fries. The pizza has a golden-brown crust topped with vegan melted cheese, vegan pepperoni slices, and what appears to be some green herbs. The fries are golden and look crispy. In the background, there is a mug with a design on it and a red bowl, both on a table with a brown surface.
The picture shows a plate of food with the following items: - A breaded chicken cutlet on the left side of the plate - A cluster of small boiled potatoes at the top - Sliced carrots on the right side - Steamed broccoli at the bottom In the background, there is a red cup and a knife on the table. There is also another plate with similar food items slightly visible. The plate has a blue circular pattern around the edge.
The picture shows a plate of food on a glass stovetop. The plate has a blue rim with a pattern of small blue circles and lines. On the plate, there is a cooked burger patty on the left side, a small pile of baked beans in the center, and golden-brown French fries on the right side. The food is steaming, indicating it is hot.

No, I can do this.

Day 6 was some dinosaur nuggets which had a rubbery texture and were very dry with no real flavour. Day 7 was the day I used up what I hadn’t eaten involving cracker and Philadelphia, crisps, croissants and biscuits. All of which had a very bland taste, dry texture and occasionally a powdering texture.

The image shows a close-up of a plate with food items. There is a golden-brown potato waffle with a grid pattern in the foreground, and behind it, there appears to be a breaded item shaped like a star, possibly a chicken nugget. To the right, out of focus, there's a glimpse of what might be a white container or napkin dispenser. The plate and food items are on a dark surface, possibly a table.
The image shows the inside of a partially filled potato chip bag. The chips are golden and appear crispy. The perspective is from the top looking down into the bag.
The picture shows an assortment of vegan treats. There are: - Two pieces chocolate caramel rice krispie cales white icing designs on top - Two rectangular chocolate bars with a smooth surface - Two square-shaped, pale yellow biscuits - Two round gummy candies, one orange and one red In the background, there's a blurred view of a room with some items on a table, including what appears to be a bottle and a white container, and a bookshelf with books and other small items.

I actually did it!

I can definitely see the appeal of going vegan, with the diet resulting in 75% less climate-heating emissions and pollution. I very much enjoyed having meat and flavour back in my meals.

Colin Bowley: Life after sight loss

You wake up, get ready for the day, go to work, to the shops, pub, gym. But can you imagine doing these things knowing that you are losing your sight? Or waking up one day and your sight completely gone? According to Fight for Sight a leading UK eye charity 78% of people fear losing their sight.

But this is what Colin Bowley’s life was like before he lost his sight.

The photo captures two men running in a marathon. They are crossing the finish line, which is indicated by a digital clock overhead showing a time of 1:27:41. The man on the left wears a bright yellow vest over a white shirt with the words "GUIDE RUNNER" and a bib number A1519. The man on the right is in a teal shirt with the name "COLIN" printed on it and bib number A10979. Both men appear to be in high spirits, with the guide runner looking ahead and Colin smiling broadly. The background is blurred with hints of greenery and a crowd, focusing attention on the runners' accomplishment..
Photo from Facebook

Colin Bowley, 60, lives in Broxbourne on the border between Essex and Hertfordshire. He used to work as a Financial Journalist in London, he has two children and two grandchildren. He had a busy and enjoyable life both in and out of work; but it was always marred by the knowledge that he was going to lose his sight, something which at the time would have turned his world upside down.

Colin has Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) which runs in his family. This condition is the most common inherited eye condition affecting 1 in 4,000 people. RP affects the light-sensitive tissues in the back of the eye causing them to breakdown slowly overtime. He also suffers from Glaucoma happens when the optic nerve gets damaged which leads to a build-up of fluid in the front part of the eye increasing the pressure inside the eye. Colin’s Glaucoma wasn’t diagnosed as early as it could have been diagnosed sooner, but due his RP he was unable to notice the difference in vision the Glaucoma caused.

A video showing a simulation of what retinitis pigmentosa could look like compared to normal vision

In 2008, Colin had to stop working. “I felt like my world was closing down on me and I became very depressed.” When he was outside he found it embarrassing which added to his depression, so he began staying inside more and more. At one point he would even refuse to go out even with assistance, “as my sight deteriorated so did my confidence.” With help from family and friends, Colin decided to take their advice and put his life “back together again”. He contacted the local council and within a few weeks he was having lessons on how to use a long white cane.

“Using the long cane was extremely difficult and I was having real trouble with it physically and mentally as I had to constantly concentrate on memorising the route and look out for landmarks so I would know where I was. Any distraction sent me in a spin and made the experience unpleasant.”

The image is an infographic titled "Guide Dog Training" with a vertical timeline that outlines the stages of training a guide dog goes through from birth to qualification. The timeline is represented by a wavy line with colored circles indicating different stages. Here are the stages listed: Birth A litter of puppies is born at a Brood Bitch Holders and named after a letter in the alphabet (except x). 6 weeks At 6 weeks the puppies go to a center for a week of assessments. 7/8 weeks The puppies are brought out to puppy raisers who will them for around a year. Puppy Raiser Training There are 4 key elements puppy raisers need to know for this: 1) Knowing your puppy 2) Managing success 3) Teaching foundations with positive reinforcement 4) Develop a partnership 17 weeks - 8 months This is where items such as Jackets are introduced. It depends on how ready the dog is so can range from 17 weeks to 8 months. Advanced Training After about a year the puppies are sent off to advanced training this is where they use the skills they were taught in games and convert them to useful skills like touching a crossing button. Matching process After 18 weeks in advanced training the dogs are given to Guide Dog Mobility Specialists who begin the matching process. Matches are based on things like health, lifestyle, home, work etc. Qualification When a dog is matched they spend some time with the new owner learning routes before they officially qualify as a partnership.

Shortly after starting long cane training, Colin was advised to contact Guide Dogs for The Blind to enquire about the possibility of getting a guide dog, so he did.

The picture shows a black Labrador standing on a pebble beach. The dog is facing left with the ocean in the background. There are gentle waves coming onto the shore. The sky is overcast, and there are a few ships visible on the horizon. The dog is wearing a collar with a leash attached, and there is a fluorescent yellow tag attached to the collar.
Photo taken by Ann Danhaive Bowley

In March 2017, Colin was matched with guide dog Arthur.

The picture shows a close-up of a black Labrador puppy being held by someone. The puppy has a shiny black coat, soulful dark eyes, and a soft expression. Its ears are floppy, and it appears to be looking directly at the camera with a calm and curious gaze. The person holding the puppy is partially visible in the background, wearing a dark-colored top. The background is blurred, drawing all the attention to the puppy's face. this is a picture of arthur on his first day with his puppy raisers
Photo taken by Sara Burrell of Arthur’s first day
The picture shows a black Labrador puppy standing on a tiled floor. The puppy has a shiny coat and is looking directly at the camera with a curious and innocent expression. Its ears are floppy, and its eyes are a deep, soulful black. There is a beige and brown patterned mat under its front paws, and behind the puppy, there is a blue and white striped blanket crumpled on the floor. The puppy's tail is mid-wag, and there are a few white specks on the mat, possibly from playing or eating.
Photo taken by Sara Burrell of Arthur’s first day
The picture shows a person walking with a guide dog on a leash. The person is wearing a blue beanie, a black jacket with "GUIDE DOGS" written on the back, black pants, and black shoes. The guide dog is a large black dog wearing a harness. They are walking on a wet pavement next to a brick wall, and there is a grassy area behind the wall. It appears to be a cloudy or overcast day.
Photo taken by Sara Burrell of Arthur’s Final walk out

Arthur was born in 11th June 2015. In just under two years he learnt how to be a guide dog from avoiding obstacles all the way to finding seats.

The picture shows a man stepping onto a train with the assistance of a guide dog. The man is wearing a blue shirt and jeans, and the dog is a black Labrador wearing a harness with a handle for guiding. The train has red doors that are open, and the platform has tactile paving near the edge. The man is in the process of boarding, with one foot on the train and the other on the platform, while the dog is leading the way onto the train.
Photo taken by Ann Danhaive Bowley
The picture shows a man walking on a paved sidewalk with a guide dog. The man is bald, wearing a dark jacket, and carrying a white plastic bag in his left hand. The guide dog is wearing a harness with fluorescent yellow straps. They are walking towards the camera. Behind them, there is a street with parked cars on either side and a house with a visible front door. The environment appears to be a residential area.
Photo taken by Ann Danhaive Bowley
The picture shows a man walking with a guide dog on a leash. They are on a sidewalk next to a road that curves slightly to the right. The man is wearing a grey jacket and blue jeans. The guide dog is a large black dog wearing a harness that is typically used for guide dogs. There are metal bollards separating the sidewalk from the road, and a brick wall on the left side of the sidewalk. The environment appears to be a suburban area with no other people or vehicles in sight. The sky is partly cloudy.
Photo taken by Ann Danhaive Bowley
The picture shows an older man crouching next to a black dog, possibly a Labrador, in front of an old stone wall with a small cannon mounted on a wooden carriage. The man is holding the dog's leash and they are both looking towards the camera. The wall has a narrow vertical slit window and there's a metal railing on the left side. The setting appears to be a historical site, possibly a castle or fortress.
Photo taken by Ann Danhaive Bowley

“My life changed dramatically once we qualified”. Colin not only got Arthur, but he got his confidence back. He was able to go to places he hadn’t been to for a few years, and he started to socialise with his friends again as well as meeting new friends which encouraged him to go further afield.

Video taken by Ann Danhaive Bowley

Since then, Colin has skydived, abseiled down spinnaker tower, walked over the top of the O2, walked 60 kilometres from Eastbourne to Hove and gone on Europe’s longest zip line in North Wales. He also started volunteering at guide dogs as a fundraiser and soon become fundraising co-ordinator for his Broxbourne.

The picture shows two people skydiving. They are in tandem, with one person strapped to the back of the other. The sky is a clear blue with a few wispy clouds. The person in front is raising their right hand in a wave or greeting gesture. Both individuals are wearing helmets and goggles, and the person in the back has a visible altimeter on their wrist. They seem to be in the freefall part of the skydive, with no parachute deployed yet.
Photo by Aidan Chaffe from Facebook
The picture shows three men standing with their bicycles, presumably after participating in a cycling event. They are all wearing medals around their necks, indicating they have completed the event. The man on the left is bald, wearing a yellow and navy sports shirt, navy shorts, and sunglasses on his head. He is holding a white cane, suggesting he may be visually impaired. The man in the middle is wearing a similar sports shirt with white shorts and has short brown hair. The man on the right is wearing a blue and black sports shirt, black shorts, and a blue cycling helmet in his hand. There is also a black Labrador wearing a high-visibility vest, standing in front of the man on the left, which could be a guide dog. In the background, there are other cyclists and spectators on a street that appears to be near a coastal area, as there is a hill with grass and the edge of a beach visible.
Photo taken by Ann Danhaive Bowley
The photo shows an indoor setting with two men standing in the foreground. They are both wearing black t-shirts with the words "GUIDE RUNNER" in bold white letters. Their bib numbers are visible, 15033 and 13954, and the shirts have additional text related to guide dogs and running. They are also wearing medals, suggesting they have completed a race. In the background, there are people seated at tables and some standing, engaged in conversation. The room has a modern feel with a curved ceiling that has purple lighting, creating a relaxed atmosphere. To the right, there's a woman interacting with a guide dog, and another person is seated on the floor, possibly petting the dog. On the table in the foreground, there are a few items: a glass of water, a stuffed toy dog, a pamphlet, and a metallic water bottle. The tablecloth is dark with paw prints and the text "Guide Dogs" repeated across it.
Photo taken by Ann Danhaive Bowley
The picture shows a smiling man crouching next to a black dog. The man is wearing an orange t-shirt with the text "SOUTH COAST CHALLENGE" and a blue medal around his neck, indicating he may have participated in a sporting event. The black dog appears to be a Labrador, looking directly at the camera with a calm expression. They are both in front of a backdrop of lush green foliage.
Photo from a Guide Dog article

Unfortunately, Arthur was diagnosed with cancer meaning he has been forced to retire as a guide dog. Colin was a bit hesitant to go back on the list for a guide dog as he didn’t want to “replace” him, but Colin “quickly realised that he [Arthur] wouldn’t want me to go back to my old, depressed life and waste the independence he has gifted me.”

The picture shows a close-up of a black Labrador dog and a man facing each other. The dog is on the left, wearing a collar with a red tag and a metal ring, possibly for a leash. The man on the right is balding with grey hair on the sides and back of his head, and he is wearing a grey sweater. They both appear calm and focused on each other, with the background being out of focus but suggesting an outdoor setting with a fence and houses.

Colin wishes that there was more public awareness of all disabilities, education and accessibility, especially as a small adaption can make a world of difference. He also would like more funding to go into medical and technological research.

With hindsight Colin would tell himself to reach out sooner while he still had sight instead of living in denial. If he could give other visually impaired people advice he would say “I understand how fearful you must be but reach out to friends, family and charities that support the visually impaired. Although life will never be the same again, there is life out there and it can be a good one.”

General Election: will the recent boundary changes have an impact?

It has been just over four years since the last general election was held in December 2019, and on 17th December 2024 it will have been five years since parliament sat for the very first time. This means that the UK is due a general election within the next year.

The image is split into two sections. On the left, there is a text that reads: "Officially if a general election hasn’t been called by the 17th December then parliament will dissolve and a general election will be held after 25 working days, meaning the latest date for an election is 28th January 2025." On the right, there is a photo of a sign that says "POLLING STATION" in bold, capital letters, attached to a brick wall.

Currently Labour is leading in the opinion polls, but with recent boundary changes the results of an election could be impacted.

The image is a line graph titled "Headline voting intention: Since the 2015 General Election." It shows the percentage of how people would vote if there were an election tomorrow, tracking from November 2015 to January 2024. The graph has two lines, one for Labour (in red) and one for Conservative (in blue), with shaded areas representing the confidence interval for each party's line. Key events are marked on the timeline with vertical dashed lines and labels: - Corbyn elected (Sept 15) - May as PM (July 16) - Johnson as PM (July 19) - Starmer elected (Apr 20) - Truss as PM (Sept 22) - Sunak as PM (Oct 22) - General Election (no specific date indicated) As of January 2024, the Labour party is at 49% and the Conservative party is at 27%. The bottom of the image includes a note about the base of 8,000 British adults 18+, changes in methodology, and the source of the data, Ipsos Political Monitor.
Photo from Ipsos

Boundary changes are intended to reflect the population so that each constituency has an electorate between 69,724 and 77,062. The last boundary changes were made in 2010 with reviews held in 2013 and 2018 but due to opposition no changes were made. Boundary reviews now need to take place every eight years.

Recent changes made by Boundary Commission of England have seen Wales lose 8 seats, Scotland lost 2 seats, England gain 10 seats and Northern Ireland retaining all their seats.

So how could these changes impact an election?

By changing the boundaries, it leaves marginal seats vulnerable, whilst increasing the majority in safe seats. There are currently 67 marginal seats in the UK, these are seats that have been won by a margin of 5% or less.

The lowest majority seats belong to Fermanagh and South Tyrone in Northern Ireland with only 57 votes between Sinn Fein and Ulster Unionist Party. With the recent boundary changes this constituency are taking 4.1% of Newry and Armagh, and 0.9% of Mid Ulster. This could potentially make this constituency a safer seat for Sinn Fein as the boundary changes take in constituencies with majorities over 9,000 votes.

The image is a map titled "Final Recommendations: Fermanagh and South Tyrone." It shows a detailed outline of the region with various towns and areas marked, such as Enniskillen, Lisnaskea, and Dungannon. The map has a key indicating that solid lines represent "Final Recommendations" and dashed lines represent "Ward Boundaries (2012)." There is a scale at the bottom indicating distances in miles, and a list of ward names with corresponding numbers from 1 to 6, including Ballysaggart and Roscorry. The logos for Ordnance Survey and Land & Property Services are at the bottom right. There is a disclaimer about copyright and database rights from 2013.
image from Northern Ireland Boundary Commissions

Scotland has been reduced from 59 to 57 seats with the Highlands reducing from 3 to 2 seats, Allan Faulds who runs Ballot Box Scotland believes the “boundary changes probably won’t impact voting patterns” adding that Scotland has “already seen strong tactical voting that has made most constituencies into clear “the SNP versus one other party” contest.”

The image displays two maps of the United Kingdom, side by side, titled "UK Parliament Boundary Review: Final Recommendations." The left map is labeled "Current Boundaries Overlaid" and the right map is labeled "Revised Proposals Overlaid." Both maps are color-coded to differentiate various parliamentary constituencies, but the colors themselves do not signify anything other than to distinguish the areas. The maps show the changes in constituency boundaries between the current and proposed revisions. There is a disclaimer at the bottom stating, "Colours don't mean anything, they are just for highlighting the constituencies." Additionally, there is a copyright notice that reads, "Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2023."
image from Ballot Box Source: Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News”.

Wales has decreased by eight seats, two constituencies in Wales are minority seats. One is Alyn and Deeside with 213 seats separating Labour and the Conservatives. The other is Delyn within the county of Clwyd which has a majority of 865 votes. Both constituencies have no changes to their boundaries.

The image is a detailed map titled "Alyn and Deeside." It shows a region with various labeled areas, each with a number and population count. The map is marked with a scale in the top left corner indicating 0 to 5 kilometers. The region is outlined in green with internal divisions. Each area is numbered from 1 to 23, with corresponding names and population figures listed on the right and left sides of the map. The map is credited to the Crown copyright and database rights [2023] OS [100047875] and the Boundary Commission for Wales, represented by a red dragon logo in the bottom left corner.
image from Boundary Commission for Wales
The image is a detailed map of Clwyd East, a region with outlined electoral divisions. Each division is numbered and labeled with its name and population count. The map is marked with roads, towns, and boundaries, and has a scale in the top left corner indicating kilometers. The map is predominantly in grayscale with green outlines for the divisions. There is a list on the left side of the map with the names and population numbers corresponding to the divisions on the map. The bottom of the image contains copyright information.
image from Boundary Commission for Wales

In England the scale of change is large, out of the 533 constituencies only 55 will be unchanged. Seats in the North East, North West and West Midlands have decreased, while those in the East of England, South East, South West and London have increased.

Cheltenham has undergone boundary changes in all but two of the wards. Rowana Hay leader of Cheltenham Borough Council stated in a press release “I’m pleased that the boundary changes put forward to our members were taken into account. These ward changes will better reflect the increase in our population and growing communities.” Cheltenham is also a marginal seat with only 981 votes between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. The boundary changes have seen Cheltenham reduced with some of the area going to Tewkesbury, potentially increasing the safe hold the Conservatives have in Tewksbury, but this means that Cheltenham could change to a Liberal Democrat seat.

The image is a map titled "Boundary Commission for England - Final Recommendations for the South West Region" specifically showing the Cheltenham Borough Constituency with an electorate of 75,292. The map outlines the constituency boundary in green, which encloses a detailed street map of the area. There are also boundaries for local authorities and wards within the constituency, marked with dotted lines. On the right side of the image, there is a legend explaining the symbols used on the map: - Green solid line represents the Constituency - Black dotted line represents Local Authorities - Black dashed line represents Wards Additionally, there is a list of the wards within the constituency: 1. All Saints 2. Battledown 3. Benhall and the Reddings 4. Charlton Kings 5. Charlton Park 6. College 7. Hesters Way 8. Lansdown 9. Leckhampton 10. Oakley 11. Park 12. Pittville 13. St. Mark's 14. St. Paul's 15. St. Peter's 16. Up Hatherley 17. Warden Hill The map also includes a scale bar at the bottom indicating distances in kilometers (0, 0.4, 0.8 km) and a north-pointing arrow for orientation.
image from Boundary Commissions from England

On the other hand, Dagenham and Rainham have a 12% increase to their constituency; gaining 9.1% from barking and 2.9% from Hornchurch and Upminster. Currently Dagenham and Rainham is a Labour seat but with only 293 votes separating Labour from the Conservatives. Barking is also a current Labour hold with a much higher majority of around 15,000 which could mean an increase in Labour votes. However Hornchurch and Upminster is a Conservative hold with a majority of around 23,000. This is definitely a constituency to look out for when the next election comes!

The image is a map showing the final recommendations for the London Region Dagenham and Rainham Borough Constituency with an electorate of 73,627. The map is detailed with street-level data, and the constituency boundary is outlined in bold green. The boundary encompasses various labeled sections, likely representing different wards or areas within the constituency. There are numbers from 1 to 11 scattered across the map, each corresponding to a ward listed below the map: 1. Eastbrook 2. Elm Park 3. Hacton (Part) 4. Heath 5. Rainham and Wennington 6. River 7. South Hornchurch 8. St. Andrew's (Part) 9. Valence 10. Village 11. Whalebone The map also shows the surrounding local authorities and wards with lighter lines. There is a compass indicating north at the top right corner and a scale at the bottom right for distance measurement. The title and information are at the top, and the bottom of the image has the title "Dagenham and Rainham Borough Constituency" in bold letters.
Image from Boundary Commissions for England

There are many more constituencies that have had boundary changes, you can see if you have changed constituencies on the House of Commons website.

Historically boundary changes have favoured the Conservatives and looking at the publication of estimates for if the 2019 election had been held with the new constituencies, we can see that the Conservatives would have had 372 seats rather than 365, with Labour getting 201, Liberal Democrats getting 8, Plaid Cymru getting 2 and the SNP, Greens and Northern Ireland votes staying the same.

The image shows two color-coded maps of the United Kingdom, side by side, representing different years, 2019 and 2024. On the left, the 2019 map: - The majority of England is blue. - Scotland is yellow. - Wales has a mix of green and red areas. - There are small patches of red scattered throughout England. On the right, the 2024 map: - England shows a more mixed pattern with blue, red, and a few areas of green. - Scotland remains predominantly yellow with some red areas. - Wales has both green and red areas, similar to the 2019 map but with a slight increase in red areas. - Northern Ireland is visible in green on both maps. The blue, yellow, red, and green colors likely represent different political parties or voting patterns, but without more context, the specific meaning cannot be determined.
image from The Telegraph

If the boundary changes had an impact the most likely place we will see a change is in England, but based on recent opinion polls Britain could see a shift in its politics.

The truth is we won’t know for certain until 10pm on Election Day.

Top 5 Heritage Railways in the UK to visit

Billowing steam and captivating scenic views are often paired together and create some of the best memories of the English countryside. whether on postcards or cameras these scenes never fail to amaze and melt the hearts of grown adults. but if you want to capture these stunning scenes for yourself, here are the top 5 best heritage railways.

1> Dartmouth Steam Railway

Situated in the beautiful seaside town of Paignton this railway brings together views of the sea and forests as you travel from Paignton down to Dartmouth on one of there three stunning steam locomotives.

2. West Sommerset railway

10 stations all within 20 miles of each other with the added bonus of the Sommerset countryside. this line also happens to be the longest heritage railway in England.

3. Bluebell Railway

This railway is more than just a train and some scenic views this railway is an experience. from platform Punch and Judy performances and brass bands all the way to afternoon tea in the 110 year old observation carriage. it is definitely an experience you will never forget.

4. North Yorkshire Moors

this is the oldest heritage railway built in 1835 by pioneer George Stephenson, it connects Pickering in the heart of the moors to the coast of Whitby. the stations along the way for a cream tea and even visit Goathland Station which was used as Hogsmeade Station in Harry Potter.

5.Ffestinlog Railway

this is the home of the oldest independent railway company taking passengers on a 13 mile long journey through the North Wales countryside.

Easter Sunday Dog Show

Easter Sunday is primarily a day to celebrate with shows, egg hunts and plenty of food. However this Easter I did something new and different from the traditional celebrations, I attended a dog show. This dog show was put on by The Victoria Inn in Burnham-on-Crouch to raise money to support Guide Dogs and help other dog related businesses.

Poster for the Victoria Inn dog show with a green background and images of dogs. The poster contains details of the show.
Image from Victoria Inn Facebook page.

The sun was beaming down with lots of noise and activity coming from the stalls that were setting up; who were trying to find the best way to lay out their stall to display all of their goods. Dogs and owners began showing up around 1pm with registration for the dog competition beginning at 2pm and the show beginning at 3pm. 

I can say with certainty that the smell of dog cologne and dog treats mixed with the smell of roast dinner was an interesting one which certainly confused the senses. Especially as the space wasn’t the largest. That didn’t stop people from showing up there was so many people it was like being at a concert. There was around 200 entries for all of the categories, which shocked me as I didn’t realise how seriously some people took dog shows especially one as small and local as this one.

The categories for the dog competition included

Image of a Golden Retriever Labrador.

Most handsome hound

Prettiest Bitch

Image of three different dog breeds.
Image an older white dog.

Golden oldie (a dog over 8)

Cutest puppy (a dog under 1)

Image of a young small brown and white dog.
Image of different dog breeds waiting to go through a blue tunnel.

Best trick

Most obedient

Image of a brown and white border collie sat with in front of its owner.
Image of a brown shaggy dog with a unique face.

Funniest dog

The judging was done by 2 dog breeders and there were many tough calls throughout the afternoon for the winner to be chosen.

The stalls were also amazing from homemade vegan dog treats that helped with digestion to homemade pieces of art, bowties and home décor. All of the stalls were very informative and I learnt a lot about what dogs need to eat to maintain their digestive system and help their dental health. There were also raffles and three kinds of tombola (one for adults, one for children and one for dogs) at the Guide Dog stall which was fun for everyone who had a go.

Image of the guide dog stand.
Image of a stand that sells vegan treats, bowties and bandanas for dogs.
Image showing people sat outside enjoying the event.

Overall it was a great afternoon out with so many different stalls with so much to offer. I did find it slightly overwhelming as it was so busy with the pub still open and the football on just added to the noise and crowd.

Altogether £384.52 was raised and donated to Guide dogs. The landlady at the Victoria Inn has already said she would love to do the event again next year and as someone who had never been to a dog show before I will definitely be attempting to save money so I can go again.

London Mithraeum review

In April 2023 I visited the London Mithraeum a display dedicated the the Roman temple of Mithras. I was incredibly excited to go as the website said that the Mithraeum had both large print and braille brochures, magnifying glasses, digital guides with vision accessibility and also warns you about low lighting levels.

From the website it sounded very promising as there was a lot of accessibility features available; this is one of the only places I have found that is so accommodating and encourages guests to feel the 3D models. There was also a vase feature in the main lobby which had different vibrations and sounds depending on where you are standing.

Image shows hanging vases from the ceiling, each vase is a different unique shape and colour and at varies heights

I did find that when there was a lot of people in the main lobby that the noise and vibrations coming from the vase feature was overpowering. That isn’t to say I didn’t like the feature I found it interesting that it had been designed to make different sounds depending on which vase you were near. I also liked being able to feel some of the vases so that I could get a concept of what they were like.

Images shows 3D model of a statue head

A similar thing can be said for the 3D models available and the staff member who explained each model was very helpful.

Although I enjoyed visiting I did experience some issues during my visit, in particular with the “digital guides with vision accessibility”.

The biggest problem I faced was the fact I need to use a screen reader to navigate any form of technology. This was not available on the tablets provided so we had to download the app on to a phone to see if it would work. Unfortunately this didn’t work either as the screen reader would either refer to something as “button” or “interactive touch area”. The staff members we talked to were wonderful and apologised for it not working the way it should and took some information to send off to there managers.

Image shows the temple ruins, a glass dome sits at the centre surrounded by the broken walls

I also found it very hard to know what was going on in the show part of the exhibition. I would have liked to have something like a headset with a pre-recorded audio description of what was happening during the show. A similar process is used in cinemas to audio describe film, the good thing about this is it won’t disturb other guests as only the person using the headphones would be able to hear the audio description.

These were just my personal preferences and all of the staff were lovely and helped so much so I would recommend going if this might be something you are interested in. The Mithraeum is situated in a lovely area where you can see some stunning sights of London, so after you visit ancient sight you can walk along the river and see some more amazing sights.

Image shows the Tower Of London with a flag of the Union Jack raised.
Image shows the Walkie Talkie building on the right hand side and two police officers patrolling the streets
Image shows City Hall which is shaped almost-spherical surrounded in glass
Image shows a photo of the shard

My first time watching Formula One

I grew up with household names such as Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button, Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher. I knew they were all in Formula One; But I was never really interested I just saw it as something boring that meant I couldn’t play with my toys.

As I got older I started to realise that I didn’t find it necessary boring I just needed to understand what was happening. But the problem was as I had gotten older I had started noticing that Men and Women didn’t get involved in the same thing and as far as I knew Formula One was a “mans sport”.

This all meant that when I came to University and found friends who happened to love Formula One my first thought was “oh bloody hell”.

My second thought was “wait there are girls that are my age”.

My second thought is what stuck with me (I am very glad it did) I knew that if I was ever going to like and understand Formula One this was probably my best bet. It is at this point I would like to make it known this was only one of several reasons we are friends.

So in November when I was invited to go round one of my friends to watch the Austen Grand Prix I went along. I figured there was nothing I could lose so why not?

There was four of us watching the race and I didn’t feel combated that I wasn’t the only person there who didn’t know what was going on (Hi Iona).

Image shows eighteen race cars on the track
Image from shutterstock

Then it was time for “lights out and away we go”. In my opinion it wasn’t the most exciting race but there was enough happening to keep rookies like me entertained. I did feel I had missed out slightly as we were coming to the end of a season

As a blind person I thought this kind of sport watching was something of a daydream but between the commentary on TV and the discussion about what was happening on screen. I was pretty well informed of what was going on.

I think by the end of the night me and Jordan had created some sort of code for if anything happened to Ferrari. Squeal= something good silence followed with either a sigh, swear word or just more silence. All meant a different bad scenarios had happened for Ferrari. (Thanks Jordan)

Whilst it might not have been the most entertaining race I had started to understand what was happening towards the end and it felt exhilarating I knew I could now at least talk to my dad about the races I had seen. And the next weekend I found myself watching it again and the one after that and then the season was over.

I can now say I am very much into motor sport and although Jordan may hate my constant messages I love being able to talk to someone and ask all my questions without judgment. I have also become an avid reader of the Sky sports f1 twitter.

Accessibility on buses

As a disabled person I rely on public transport; however I feel public transport isn’t very accessible for people with a disability. This particularly applies to buses.

Before you even get on a bus you have to be able to figure out what bus you need to get and where from, this tends to be done by using an app which is where the first hurdle comes. Each region of the country uses a different bus company which means if you travel a lot you may need 2 or 3 different apps. Having to use different apps is annoying for anyone but for someone like me who is blind and has to use a screen reader to navigate phones using different apps that are inaccessible is even more annoying.

Image shows a Cheltenham bus route on the stagecoach app, detailing the stops and times.

One of the options is to plan your journey which is essentially as the only part of the bus app that as a blind person I can interact with. Although there are still challenges with this as I have found that the screen reader will skip over information, I have primarily found this with the Stagecoach bus app. By planning your journey it gives you the time the bus is scheduled to arrive. There is another feature on bus apps which allows you to track your buses live locations. If you can see that is, because I use a screen reader it doesn’t register anything and just classifies it as either “button” or “interaction area” which isn’t much help.

You might think that its fine but bus drivers are supposed to stop if they see a disabled person; this doesn’t always happen in reality and buses will often just drive past if you don’t signal them down.

I personally feel bus drivers need slightly more training on disabilities as they are often very impatient; I was recently waiting for a bus and after no one had gotten off I got on only to have the driver yell at me for getting on a bus because there was someone coming from the very back of the bus. I understand that people have to get off but to have a driver yell at me was not the most pleasant thing. This said bus driver also left before I had managed to find a seat so I nearly went flying. This happens a lot on buses and for disabled people this can be quite dangerous especially as buses aren’t built for the disabled.

@amyepohl

something could surely be done about this… i’m sure i am not the only wheelchair user that’s turned down and has to wait in the cold (and even rain sometimes) on a regular basis. ONE SPACE is NOT ENOUGH! Especially in an area where it’s impossible to get accessible taxis! #chronicillness #wheelchairuser #rant

♬ original sound – Amy Pohl
@kaosdisabledsupport

little video about travel + accessibility inspired by a journey i had the other day, i hope you enjoy! – quinn🕯 | #fyp #disabled #disabledtiktok #accessibility

♬ QKThr – Aphex Twin

After getting on the bus the next challenge is to know when you need to get off. As a blind person I have to use another app called Moovit which is an app that tells you when your stop is coming up. The problem with this app is that sometimes it does not register the buses you need to take; for example I needed to get the N bus but on my app it wouldn’t appear properly. This makes it harder to know when your stop is especially if it is an unfamiliar route. The other problem with this app is it doesn’t know diversions or timetable changes.

Image shows the Moovit app in the app store

When you are approaching your stop you press a bell to alert the driver that you want to get off. More and more recently I am finding that braille “s” on the stop button is being picked off which you can feel and the plastic is sharper.

Image shows how one of the braille symbols has been removed next to the stop button on the bus
Image shows how the braille should look and feel before people remove it

In my opinion bus companies should all adopt a London bus style system which says which bus stop is approaching as this would benefit a lot of people, not just disabled people.

What you should know about sight loss

Image shows a pictograph of a blind person using a cane

I was born with a degenerative eye condition meaning my sight gets worse over time. 3 years ago unexpectedly I lost the majority of my sight meaning I can only really see lights and outlines

So here are 5 things I feel people should know about sight loss that I didn’t

1. You will get through it

Losing something or someone is hard; but losing a part of yourself can be even worse. It can take away so much of who you used to be and seem impossible to do anything; it will take a while but you will get through it. The grief will never fully go away but slowly you will get through to the other side and learn how to deal with the grief. Everyone deals with it differently; from counselling (which you can get specialised with RNIB), some people may be more social others will be more introverted. There are so many different ways which suit different people you just have to be able to find what is best for you. If all you do in a day is get out of bed you still won the fight.

2. Have the feelings

It is important to recognise sight loss is a process of grief; and that means allowing yourself to have the feelings you need to have. Looking back I remember going through so many emotions all at once that I didn’t know what to do with myself. But it is easier to allow yourself to have these feelings than to bottle them up. People may not understand that but people who have gone through sight loss (even if they don’t know you) understand. It is important to know that you are not stupid for having these feelings.

Images shows a man looking distressed with his head leaning into his fist
Image from shutterstock

3. Judgement

Throughout life people get judged unfortunately when you go through sight loss this can seem to be heightened. The biggest way this is heightened is with imposter syndrome; a lot of people feel they can’t grieve over their sight as there are people with worse conditions. This then leads us on to judge ourselves which is why I said to allow yourself to have the feelings you need to because you are allowed to feel that way as much as someone else. Unfortunately you also get judged a lot by the general public; from being judged on what you use to help to being judged on why you are out the house. I have been told so many times by random strangers that I am faking being blind and to those people I say I wish I was faking.

4. There are communities around

One of the biggest feelings a person goes through is loneliness; either from losing friends or hobbies because of their sight loss. There are a lot of different charities and organisations which are aimed at helping people with sight loss. Bigger organisations such as RNIB, or Guide dogs are often the first thoughts that come to people heads; there are also more regional organisations such as Look UK and Support 4 Sight. Certain eye conditions also have networks to get involved in such as the Aniridia network and CHECT. There are many more out there so just keep looking or even ask your doctor if they have any information that my help.

5. Its okay to talk about it

With a lot of disabilities people feel like they can’t talk about their experience either because of judgment, imposter syndrome or simply not being able to. But it is okay to talk about it, disabilities shouldn’t be viewed as the elephant in the room. So when you feel ready and comfortable it is okay to talk about it.

Don’t be ashamed of who you are. Yes you may not have sight but that doesn’t limit you.

Essex school bans physical contact.

Pupils at a school in Essex have been banned from having physical contact with each other.

Hylands school in Chelmsford have banned pupils from having physical contact; the policy was announced after the Christmas break on the 9th January in a letter which was sent out to parents. The letter set out the schools expectations for the new policy stating they wouldn’t “tolerate any physical contact.” This included “aggressive physical contact”, “hugging and “holding hands”.

The initial letter sent home to parents at the start of January detailing new policies. In the top right hand corner the school logo can be seen and along the bottom of the pages the school contact information can be seen. There are two pages to the initial letter. The second page is where the information about the "hands off" policy can be found.

Jen Leknuite 33 a parent said, “I agree with the rule, the communication was 0 but I still agree with the rule.”

Another parent Angela Woodward 50 said “my first thoughts were “wow how draconian”. But after I thought about it I started feeling saddened for the children as we have just come out of a pandemic where by law we weren’t allowed to have contact so these kids have gone through almost three years without having proper physical contact from their peers.” She also added “the communication was non-existent, and the policy seems to be implemented in a hurry.”

A year 8 student said “I feel it is a good rule to put in place, but I feel it is a bit excessive. Although I do understand not wanting fights but restricting friends from having any physical contact is a bit much. It feels restricting.”

Another student said “it’s a bad rule because physical contact is important.”

A third student said “I get wanting to stop fights and inappropriate stuff but it is a bit much.”

Assistant headteacher Maggie Callaghan told the BBC “All our policies are designed to support mutual respect and inclusion.”

Studies have shown that physical contact is an important part of children’s development. In August 2021 Psychology Today published an article about the touch; which explained there was “a correlation between depression, anxiety and immune system disorders and a lack of human contact”.  an article in dignity health published in April 2018 also said that it “helps to lower blood pressure and heart rate and helps pain”.

The follow up letter sent home to parents which details the clarification of what the "hands off" policy actually means. The school logo is in the top right hand corner and the school contact information is along the bottom.

Recently a second letter had to be sent out to confirm certain parts of the policy as it had become controversial due to media coverage.

It is unclear if this policy is permanent or if it will be revoked in the future.