Brits Miss Christmas at Home
British expats miss their UK-based family most at Christmas - except those who have lived abroad for 20 years who miss carol singers more than their relatives!
While many British expats here in Canada love white Christmas, the roaring log fires and the winter sports, research by Alliance & Leicester International (ALIL), reveals that this does not make up for being able to spend the festive season with family and friends.
Family, friends and traditional UK sights top the poll as the aspects missed most by those living abroad. 40% miss family, 28% miss friends and one in four (25%) miss UK Christmas traditions such as carol singers and roasted chestnuts. The expats who miss their UK-based families the most are those living in countries furthest away from Britain (73%), those seconded for work (56%) and those who have lived abroad for the shortest amount of time (52%).
Interestingly, expats who have lived abroad for over 20 years miss traditional UK traditions such as carol singers (39%), more than their family (26%), and nobody from this group claimed they would return to Britain for Christmas. Instead, 32% of these will celebrate with local family and friends.
When it comes to Christmas traditions, the survey found that expats intend to celebrate Christmas in numerous ways. Nearly one fifth will mix local and British traditions (18%), 17% will return to the UK and 12% will celebrate with a traditional British Christmas.
While a quarter of expats in New Zealand will have a traditional British Christmas, nearly 40% of expats in France will return to the UK for the festive period - demonstrating that some expats can have the best of both worlds if they live relatively close to the UK.
Source: http://www.easier.com
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Canada Bread executive implicated in U.K. bagel price-fix allegation
Canada Bread Co. Ltd. (TSX:CBY) disclosed Monday that it is investigating allegations that an executive of its British bakery operations sought to influence the pricing of a competitor, Mr. Bagel Ltd.
Canada Bread, 90 per cent owned by Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSX:MFI), said the allegations by Mr. Bagel of attempted price fixing follow the collapse of takeover negotiations.
"While these allegations are unproven they are serious, and we are taking all precautionary steps to fully investigate this matter and determine the facts," stated Canada Bread CEO Richard Lan.
Source: http://www.google.com
Marmite ads to tempt police back to UK
Former British police officers are being offered up to £10,000 to quit working abroad and return to help fight crime in the UK. Leicestershire Constabulary is advertising the incentive in Australia this week because it believes many officers are keen to return home but cannot afford to.
Chief Superintendent Geoffrey Feavyour said that offering a £10,000 relocation package to bring back a fully trained police officer was good value. The force has launched a Homesick and Away advertising campaign which lists all the things British officers might miss when abroad, including Sunday roasts, English tea, real ale, Marks and Spencer underwear and Marmite.
Source: http://www.google.com
UK children should start school earlier: report
Children should start school earlier and be taught broader areas of learning than single subjects like maths and English, a British review recommended on Monday.
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They should start formal education in the September following their fourth birthday to improve their chances of academic success, the ruling Labor party government-ordered review said.
At present, British children do not have to start until after their fifth birthday, although many primary schools already run reception classes for younger pupils.
The review, led by former deputy chief inspector of schools Jim Rose, said the change would help children born in August who tend to do less well in national tests than those born in the autumn.
It also recommended replacing the current three core subjects of English, maths and science with six broader areas of learning to put more focus on personal development.
The new learning "areas" would be Understanding English, Communication and Languages; Mathematical Understanding; Scientific and Technological Understanding; Human, Social and Environmental Understanding; Understanding Physical Health and Well-being and Understanding Arts and Design.
Source: http://uk.reuters.com
UK plans to spend £500m in Pakistan to fight extremism
BRITAIN is to spend nearly £500m on schools and hospitals in Pakistan in a bid to quell the extremist forces blamed for the attacks in Mumbai last month.
Ministers will outline their plans in Glasgow this week to double the aid already given to Pakistan.
Much of the cash will be spent on improving education in the border areas of the country to tackle the near non-existent levels of schooling. ADVERTISEMENT
The sum was agreed well before the attacks on Mumbai last month, but the atrocity in India has served to focus more attention on the need to counter extremist influences in Pakistan.
http://news.scotsman.com
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