Have you ever looked out at the Thames or the ocean and dreamed of sailing? Your chance to live that dream is now. London Corinthians are holding their season kick off barbeque and open day on April 3rd – a great way to get to know about the sailing club. If you are out and about strolling the Thames this weekend stop on by.
The London Corinthian Sailing Club is one of London’s longest established sailing clubs. It has over 400 members who sail all year round – rain or shine – from their historic clubhouse on the Upper Mall along the north bank of the river. It’s a perfect spot for setting off onto the superb stretch of the Thames between Hammersmith and Barnes – plenty of water and usually enough wind.
Apart from sailing on the Thames, the club also sails on yachts along the South Coast and all around the World including the Med, the Caribbean, Thailand, Canada and the Seychelles. What’s more, the London Corinthians are a totally non-profit, members run club, with a history going back over 100 years.
The London Corinthian Sailing club is a recognised RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Training Centre and offer a variety of sailing courses to both members and non-members. Whether you’re a total beginner or an experienced hand…they just love to get people out in boats. Most weekends will see the club going for a fun sail up and down the river, taking part in a hard- fought dinghy race next to Chiswick Eyot, or taking a yacht across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.
The open day is a great opportunity to see if sailing is for you, while relaxing and watching the boats go by. Just come along, join the rest of the members and tuck into the club’s open day barbeque (£5 to cover costs).
London Corinthian Sailing Club is based on the on the North Bank of the River Thames between Hammersmith and Chiswick at Linden House, 60 Upper Mall.
To find out more about the open day, contact the Membership Secretary Matt Wright on admin@lcsc.org.uk or ring the club office on 020 8748 3280.
1 If you’ve ever wanted to find out about sailing, but never quite made it, then now’s your chance! Accessed online 30 March 2016 http://www.lcsc.org.uk/news/a-friendly-club
Ever wondered why the clocks go back and forth but never quite got round to finding out the answer?
Here are the essential facts about Daylight Saving Time that you need to know:
• The idea of Daylight Saving was first proposed by British-born New Zealander George Vernon Hudson in 1895.
• British Summer Time (BST) was suggested in 1907 by William Willet, a keen horse rider who was frustrated with early morning sunlight going to waste in the summer months. He created a pamphlet titled ‘The Waste of Daylight’ in which he campaigned for the clocks to be changed, much to the opposition of farmers, but Willet died in 1915 before the reform was accepted.
• Austria and Germany were the first to implement DST in 1916, closely followed by the UK and the rest of Europe. The First World War was a major factor in the adoption as money needed saving during wartime.
• The current system has been in place since 1972, although proposals for keeping the clocks one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) all year round have been frequently debated in parliament.
• Lighter evenings have been merited with reducing road traffic accidents and crime rates2.
BST is thought to be good for physical and psychological health, particularly in relieving the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
• Most digital clocks will automatically make the switch tomorrow but if you’re still using a clock that ticks, don’t forget to put it forward by one hour at 1 AM GMT.
1 The News, 2015. Eight things you need to know about the clocks going forward. [Online] Available at: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/eight-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-clocks-going-forward-1-6653039
With the weather turning a bit turbulent this weekend, your thoughts might turn to some DIY projects. But this may not be the best thought process, especially if you get in over your head. The costs of bringing in a professional when a DIY Bank Holiday weekend goes wrong are extremely high.
The most commonly ‘botched’ DIY tasks are painting and decorating, 32%, applying sealant around a bath or shower 18%, tiling 16%, plastering 13% and filling a hole or crack in the wall 12% and home owners have paid out £67 million to put right their DIY disasters, according to research from LV= home insurance.
Over ambition and lack of knowledge are among the main causes of DIY disasters. Among all those that caused damage in their home, 36% didn’t know what they were doing, 18% found the job was just too complicated and 24% blamed their tools for the job going awry.
The rise of online tutorial videos has exacerbated the problem, with complicated do it yourself looking too easy. Some 8% did the work after watching an online tutorial video as it gave them the confidence to have a go. And 29% have attempted to have a go at potentially dangerous tasks such as electrical repairs, 8% roofing work and 4% knocking through a wall. Some 3% have even attempted gas appliance repairs without professional help.
We strongly recommend if you are not confident to complete the DIY task, call in a professional. When attempting to save money by doing it yourself, can end up costing you hundreds to thousands of £’s.
If you do attempt a DIY plumbing task in Wandsworth this weekend and things end up pear shaped, gives a call 020 7350 2511 and we can send someone out to you as soon as possible.
1 Warning to UK home owners about attempting DIY this bank holiday weekend Accessed online 25 March 2016 http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/uk-home-owners-insurance-201408229502.html
If you are looking for something different to do this long Bank Holiday weekend, look to the Thames. You can set up at Bishop’s Park in Fulham or Furnivall Gardens in Hammersmith on Sunday March 27 and enjoy all the excitement of the annual Cancer Research UK Boat Races.
The parks offer some of the best vantage points in the borough – Bishop’s Park for the start of the races and Furnivall for the middle. You can also watch the rest of the races on big screens and enjoy bars, food and funfair attractions.
The Cancer Research UK Boat Races pull in around 250,000 spectators along the riverside watching from riverside pubs and other buildings with Thames views, while millions more will be following on BBC One.
There are four separate races being run: The Cancer Research UK Women’s Race, The Osiris Blondie Race (women’s reserves), The Isis Goldie Race (men’s reserves) and the women’s reserve race, the men’s reserve race, the women’s boat race and – as a grand finale – the annual Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race.
Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer research charity and the biggest funder of research into cancer in the world, second only to the US Government. They are the only people tackling all 200 types of cancer, even the rarest and hardest to treat. As the world’s largest independent cancer research charity it conducts research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. It also provides information about cancer and runs campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the disease. On top of this, Cancer Research UK influence public policy through developing evidence-based policy to inform Government decisions related to cancer and research.
For more details on the boat races: http://theboatraces.org/partner/cancer-research-uk
And to discover more about CRUK: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/
1 Party in the Park on Sunday for the Annual Boat Races (Accessed online 23 March 2016) http://www.hammersmithtoday.co.uk/default.asp?section=community&link=http://neighbournet.com/server/common/boatrace2016.htm
2 CANCER RESEARCH UK (Accessed online 23 March 2016) http://theboatraces.org/partner/cancer-research-uk
Spring is a prime time to carry out all of those plumbing checks that you’ve been putting off all winter. By checking your bathroom, kitchen, and other appliances around the house, you could prevent plumbing problems arising and ruining the sunny days to come – just think of it as an extension of your spring clean!
Here are our top 5 spring plumbing tips:
1. Remove leaves and debris from your gutters
The UK experiences heavy rainfall in the spring, and if your gutters and drains are still blocked with autumn leaves or broken winter tree branches, you run a risk of them clogging, which can lead to water damage, leaks and mould growth.
2. Repair heating appliances
Your boiler, radiators and gas fires have to work hard in the winter, sometimes leading to ill functioning and leaks. Whilst it’s easy to think that fixing heating issues isn’t necessary with summer just around the corner, waiting could place you and your family at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which is why it’s so important to have a Gas Safe engineer see to your broken heating appliances as soon as you spot a problem.
3. Replace any broken window and door seals
Icy winter weather can cause draught guards to crack, particularly plastic ones, so inspect all of your windows and doors and provide replacements for those that require it. This will allow your heating and air conditioning systems to run more efficiently as energy escape is reduced.
4. Inspect your toilet for leaks and ineffective flushing
Put a few drops of food colouring in your toilet tank for a fast and inexpensive way to check for leaks – if the colour shows up in the bowl within thirty minutes, you’ll know it’s time to call out a plumber to fix that leak before it worsens.
As for the flushing mechanism, you shouldn’t have to hold or shake the handle in order for it work, so have the parts replaced for a more effective flush, which coincidently will save water.
5. Take note of any leaky taps and showerheads
Many people just ‘put up’ with a dripping tap or shower but over the course of a day significant amounts of water can go to waste as a result. Getting minor fixes like this done in the spring is a great way to help protect the environment and get your home in good working order at the same time.
If you are in the Fulham area and are in need of a plumber call 020 7350 2511 or click here.
A fatberg is a congealed lump of fat, sanitary items, wet wipes, and similar stuff found in sewer systems, which do not break down like toilet paper. Such deposits are officially referred to by this term by authorities at Thames Water. But what causes this and how can it be avoided?
• Do not put grease or oil down your kitchen drain: Grease, fat, and other oils can adhere to your pipes. Other debris then sticks to the grease and creates a stubborn kitchen drain blockage. Instead, throw grease, fat and oils in the garbage in a sealed container.
• Install strainers on all drains: Hair commonly causes drain blockages, especially in showers and bathtubs. You can easily prevent these blockages by installing a screen or strainer on your drains and remembering to clean them regularly.
• Pay attention to what goes down your drain: Things that solidify, such as paint, glue, and wax should never be put down your drain. These items will harden inside of your pipes, causing either a partial or whole blockage.
• Remember: your loo is NOT a wastebasket. The only thing that should ever be flushed down your loo (besides the obvious) is toilet paper. Facial tissues, sanitary products, cotton balls, and diapers are not made to properly dissolve in water and will cause a blockage if flushed down your toilet.
Only together can we prevent a fatberg big enough to block up the sewers and cause raw sewage to spurt out of manholes.
If you are having issues with blockages in Fulham call 020 7350 2511 or click here for more details on our drain clearing services
Have you got what it takes to rise to the top? That’s what National Apprenticeship Week 2016 is asking, as the annual event returns for its 9th year from 14th to 18th March 2016. Co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, the week celebrates apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.
With businesses reporting an average increase in productivity of £214 per week when they hire apprentices and the fact that from April 2016 employers will no longer have to pay employer National Insurance contributions for apprentices aged under 25, taking on an apprentice is not just about expanding your workforce and capacity, it makes sound financial sense too.
Kevin Wellman, Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) commented, “The new Trailblazer Apprenticeships have moved on greatly since the last National Apprenticeship Week, with over 1,000 businesses nationwide involved in designing the new apprenticeship standards across a range of industries. The future of plumbing and heating apprentices coming through the new system looks bright, as they will be far better equipped to enter an industry where the pace of technological change is fast and a wide range of professional and personal skills are required.”
You can find out more about apprenticeships at: http://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/
1 National Apprenticeship Week 2016 Accessed online 14 March 2016 http://www.installeronline.co.uk/event/national-apprenticeship-week-2016/
World Plumbing Day is an international event, initiated by the World Plumbing Council, held on 11 March each year to recognise the important role plumbing plays in societal health and amenity.
The WPC, through its member countries and its partnerships with bodies like the World Health Organisation, works all year round to promote the benefits of safe plumbing, but in 2010 it decided to launch the concept of embedding a single day on the world’s calendar dedicated to plumbing. The idea was that on March 11 each year people all over the world would pause to reflect on the vital role plumbing plays in preserving their health and way of life – in the case of countries like ours – or in building sustainable disease free futures for millions in the developing world.
And so World Plumbing Day was born, and it is big and getting bigger all the time. Today, on the continents of Australia, Europe and Africa events are organised to mark the occasion and draw attention to the importance of good plumbing and sanitation. In China, England, Germany, India, Canada, North and South America and many more places industry leaders – like us here today – governments, policy makers, and community-based organisations are promoting World Plumbing Day.
Right now, today, in offices and training colleges, on worksites and in classrooms, and in legislatures and Parliaments around the world, World Plumbing Day is being marked and recognised. In media releases and magazine articles in Chinese, Hindi, English, German and Spanish the message about the link between good plumbing sanitation and human and environmental health is reaching millions of people each March.
If you are in Fulham and in need of a plumber call 020 73590 2511 or click here for more details
1 Today Fri 11th Mar, 2016 is… Accessed online 22 March 2016 https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-plumbing-day/
Most of us have some sort of smart phone. As technology advances, so does the ability to control many other parts of our lives. With intelligent heating, you can control your boiler and the temperature of your home with an app. But are you ready for intelligent loos?
Below are just some of the features you can now get for your home to make the time spent on the loo not just more comfortable, but quite relaxing:
• Uplifting moments. A motion detector senses when you approach to quietly raise the lid and lower it when you step away.
• Bum warmer. If you’ve ever received an icy reception from a toilet seat, you’ll love the toasty welcome from a seat with a built-in warmer.
• Paper-free society. Sprays and fountains offer adjustable pressures and pulsations to provide a comfortable (and thorough!) cleanup, front and back.
• Fanny fan. No need to drip dry. Turn on the fan to generate a breeze for your backside.
• Glowing reports. LED lighting sets the seat or bowl interior aglow as a handy nightlight.
• Scent-sational. A built-in automatic deodorizer keeps the bathroom fresh and clean smelling.
• No-touch flush. Sensors flush the toilet automatically when the time is right.
• Clean living. High pressure flushing technology, rimless designs, and space-age materials make these futuristic toilets ultra-hygienic and virtually self-cleaning.
If you are ready to step into the future update your old loo with a new intelligent loo, there are a lot of options on the market at this time. Feel free to call 020 7350 2511 to discuss options with our staff or click here.
1 High-Tech Toilets that Would Fit Right In at the Jetsons’ Accessed online 9 March 2016 http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/plumbing/high-tech-toilets-that-would-fit-right-in-jetsons/
Have you noticed that the pressure on your boiler pressure gauge is dropping? The first thing for you to do is look for any sign of a leak. Check all valves, radiators, visible pipework and joints for any cracks or splits. If you find leaks or splits, you should call a gas engineer out as soon as possible to repair the damage.
If no leaks are found, it could be the pressure valve is faulty. This valve allows water to escape if the pressure gets too high. If this is the likely problem, get a gas engineer around to check the valve and replace it if necessary.
Problems such as drops in pressure can be easily avoided if you take care of your boiler. So many people neglect to have their boiler serviced and they end up with more costly issues further down the line. Chances are that if your boiler’s going to fail, it’ll choose to do it at the worst possible moment, leaving you without hot water or central heating. The answer is to have your boiler serviced regularly by an experienced and qualified gas engineer.
When you call a gas engineer out to service your boiler, make sure they are Gas Safe Registered. Carbon Monoxide poisoning can be fatal, and an unloved boiler can be one of the biggest culprits. The safety and health of you and your family should not be risked by hiring a ‘cowboy’.
If your boiler is losing pressure in Southwest London call 020 7350 2511 or click here for more details. If you are not in Southwest London, check out the Gas Safe Register website to find an engineer near you.