SOFA SO GOOD

THE average sofa will last 8 years - and witness 293 arguments, 1,300 cuddles and endure 1600 spillages.  The most comfortable chair in the house will also seat up to 782 visitors, and play host to 391 lads' nights and 293 girly nights.

During this time, it will also be a bed for up to 489 visitors and be slept on by one member of the household for 293 nights following a heated domestic spat.  In addition, couples who own the sofa will use it to kiss each other 12 times a month and cuddle up 14 times a month - that's 1,174 kisses and 1,369 cuddles over the sofa's lifetime.

The stats emerged from a poll of 3,000 homeowners, conducted by esure home insurance.  The study also found the sofa is home to its residents for an average of 4 hours a day.  It also emerged the average child will lose approximately 4 toys a month down the back of the chair and lose 3 socks or other random items of clothing.  Owners will also find money inside the sofa 3 times a month, totalling about 60p on each occasion - that's the equivalent of £1.80 a month and £176.04 over the sofa's lifetime of 8 years, 1 month and 8 days.

Unfortunately for the sofa, and its upholstery, spillages are common in most households - the average sofa has wine spilt on it fortnightly and tea or coffee 3 times a week.  In addition, children will drop food and drink on the sofa 3 times a fortnight or 72 times a year, and even their parents will spill some of their dinner on the sofa 6 times a month.  That's a staggering total of 1,663 spillages over the sofa's lifetime - and yet 87% of respondents wouldn't consider getting their sofa cleaned or re-covered.

The poll also showed the average sofa also puts up with children jumping up and down on it 587 times during its lifetime.  It seats residents for 13 TV dinners a month, and homeowners snuggle up on the sofa for 1,271 soap operas and 782 films.

Mike Pickard, Head of home insurance at esure, said:- “If the nation’s sofas could speak they would certainly have a lot of tales to tell.  Being central to family life and home entertaining, it’s not surprising that the average sofa needs to be hardwearing to handle the daily wear and tear of playful kids, TV dinners and doubling up as a piece of bedroom furniture.”

Average lifespan of a sofa is 8 years, 1 month and 8 days!

BREAKDOWN OF RESULTS

Diabetes UK, N.M.D.N and NHS Diabetes to work together for User Involvement in local diabetes care project

DIABETES UK, in partnership with NHS Diabetes, has chosen North Mersey Diabetes Network as one of its project partners for the User Involvement in Local Diabetes Care Project after an in depth selection process. The charity is now looking for local people with diabetes wanting to get involved in the project and influence diabetes services in North Mersey.

North Mersey Diabetes Network was selected for the diverse challenges it faces as well as its commitment to user involvement in the decision-making process. North Mersey Diabetes Network consists of Liverpool PCT, NHS Sefton and NHS Knowsley. The network has around 41,000 people registered with diabetes.  The project is a partnership with NHS Diabetes and will support the network to develop systematic, structured and sustainable approaches to allow people with diabetes to influence the decisions taken about the services the NHS provides.

Corinne McCrum, Project Manager for User Involvement in Local Diabetes Care at Diabetes UK, says:- “We are delighted that North Mersey Diabetes Network applied to work with us to make sure that the knowledge and experience of local people with diabetes is respected, valued and drawn upon to influence and shape diabetes care. We look forward to our collaboration and we strongly believe that the partnerships will help lead to better care for local people with diabetes. We want to hear from local people who are interested in making their voices heard when it comes to shaping diabetes services.”

Local project coordinator for North Mersey Diabetes Network Jackie Rooney, says:- “It is very exciting that North Mersey Diabetes Network has been chosen for this project. We know how important it is to make sure that people with diabetes have access to the best possible care and information. As a diabetes network we are committed to putting the experiences and views of people living with diabetes at the heart of local decision-making.  We are now very keen to hear from local people with diabetes who feel that they want to use their experience of living with diabetes to influence the services we provide.”

Local people with diabetes wanting to get involved in the project can email the project manager at  or call:- 0207 424 1008 for more information.

Special ferry cruises for HMS Illustrious visit

MERSEY Ferries are doubling the number of River Explorer Cruises from Friday this week to welcome the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious.   The nation’s flagship visits Liverpool from Thursday, 22 October 2009 to Tuesday, 27 October 2009 to celebrate Fly Navy 100 - the centenary of aviation in the Royal Navy. Blue Badge Guides will be on all the cruises between Friday and Tuesday from 11am to give passengers live commentaries on HMS Illustrious and the aviation history of the Royal Navy. And passengers on the 1.30pm cruise on Friday will get a unique deck’s eye view of the spectacular fly-past down the Mersey of around 40 current and historic helicopters, jets (including two Harriers) and prop-driven aircraft.

Neil Scales, Chief Executive and Director General of Merseytravel, which owns and operates the ferries, said:- ”The Mersey Ferries have earned their own place in naval history and we’re proud to be welcoming HMS Illustrious.  We want to provide the opportunity for as many people as possible to join in the welcome.” 

Full details of the services being operated are available at the Mersey Ferries website www.merseyferries.co.uk or by calling 0151 330 1444.