News reports located on this page = 3.

Creamfields announce 1st wave acts for 2021

CREAMFIELDS is back in 2021 and with excitement already building it promises to be THE festival of the summer, as some of the world's biggest electronic acts have just been unleashed in the festivals 1st wave announcement, which includes:- Above and Beyond, Adam Beyer, ANNA, Andy C, Ben Nicky, Boris Brejcha, Carl Cox, Darren Styles, deadmau5, Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, Disciples, Eric Prydz HOLOSPHERE, Example, Fisher, Hannah Wants, Hot Since 82, KC Lights, Laidback Luke, Martin Garrix, MK, My Nu Leng, Nightlapse, Paul Woolford, Peggy Gou, Scooter, Tchami, Tiėsto, Timmy Trumpet and Yousef. As 1st wave announcements go, they don't get much better and with plenty more still to be announced over the coming months fans can rest assured Cream HQ will be pulling out all the stops to deliver an almighty show in 2021, featuring over 300 performances across the 4 day weekend! To coincide Cream have also just announced an all new 10 part deposit scheme available for a limited time, that allows customers to secure a ticket at this year's prices for ₤20 and spread the cost across 10 monthly payments.  This latest announcement will only build excitement for the tens of thousands of fans who chose to retain their tickets, however, for the rest, the wait is almost over as tickets for Creamfields 2021 will be on sale this Friday, 26 June 2020. With demand expected to be high you can secure your ticket by signing up for presale here:-  Creamfields.com which goes live at 9am, ahead of 10am general sale. Creamfields returns to Daresbury in Cheshire, UK, on 26 August 2021 to 29 August 2021 Bank Holiday weekend.

Concerns over people being duped into buying poorly pets

VETS are concerned that a general lack of education around acquiring pets in the UK means that people are repeatedly being duped into buying unhealthy or poorly treated pets. From imported pets from abroad, to an abundance of online adverts promoting designer breeds, navigating the best route to buying a healthy pet has become increasingly difficult over the years. With many people also thinking about getting a pet during lockdown, vets want to help pet owners identify a reputable breeder over a potential puppy farmer or backyard breeder, by outlining the key considerations and checks to carry out when getting a pet. For more advice on the process of getting a new pet, please visit:- Vets4Pets.com.

Dr Huw Stacey, Vet and Director of Clinical Services, at Vets4Pets, said:- "In the UK we are a nation of animal lovers, with millions of us owning pets, and acquiring a pet is something that has spiked during the lockdown, as more people recognise the positive impacts having a pet can have on their life, from companionship to support with mental health. Finding the right breeder is the crucial 1st step in pet ownership, as it will have a huge impact on the pet's start in life, from their genetics to their personal and physical development, and so carrying out thorough research beforehand is of the utmost importance. But backyard breeders, puppy farms and illegally imported dogs are still prominent in the UK, and with those involved more interested in profit than the welfare and health of the puppies, navigating the market to ensure you are getting a healthy pet from a reputable source has become a more complicated process. This means that people often unfortunately make mistakes, with innocent pet owners being duped into buying a supposedly healthy dog from irresponsible online 3rd parties or negligent puppy farmers, that they believed to be legitimate. In many of these cases, the pets then develop health problems linked to pre-existing conditions or birth defects from irresponsible breeding and sadly die prematurely as a result; an issue we often see within our practices. The introduction of Lucy's Law on 6 April 2020, which bans the commercial sale of puppies and kittens younger than 6 months old by a 3rd party in England, will hopefully help bring an end to puppy farming, but there is always a risk some will remain. Nowadays more people want a quick '1-stop shop' solution for getting a pet, which is why buying online seems like a quick, easy and appealing option. However, buying a pet online is risky, as there is an increased chance that you could be dealing with a puppy farmer. There is also an increasing trend for acquiring puppies or rescue dogs from abroad. This can seem like a good option as well, but it carries significant risks. Recent stories, including the dozens of French Bulldog puppies dying on a passenger flight to Canada from the Ukraine, have shone a light on some of the issues around this and the ongoing need for education around getting a pet. Although you can buy healthy pets from legitimate breeders abroad, it is not a process we would advocate, as it means that the crucial in person checks we would recommend any new pet owner undertake when getting a pet from a breeder can't be carried out. Pets from outside the UK might also be carrying serious diseases not normally seen in this country such as leishmaniasis or even rabies. We would instead recommend going to a reputable UK based breeder or adopting 1 of the many pets in re-homing centres across the UK in need of a loving home. When getting a puppy you should always meet the breeder in the 1st instance. A good breeder should have an extensive knowledge of the breed and should typically only sell that 1 breed. Having multiple breeds of dog on offer is a definite red flag for puppy farming. If the dog is a pedigree breed, then they should also be on the Kennel Club Assured Breeder list. The breeder should be happy to provide any references and background information on their experience as a breeder, as well as a range of paperwork for the puppy, including health certificates for the parents of the puppy, results of any hereditary diseases tests done on the parents, a vet health check certification for the puppy, vaccination certificate, microchip information, a receipt for the purchase and a documented and signed agreement. 1 of the most important things is that the breeder shows you around the puppy's kennels and introduces you to the mother of the litter, who should be responsive to their name. They should also breed from their bitches no more than once per year and have no more than 4 litters from each bitch. Signs that should raise suspicion are if the pet doesn't have any paperwork, the breeder can't show you the mother or answer specific questions about the puppy, they have multiple breeds on offer or if they request to meet you in a neutral location like a car park. If you would rather adopt than buy a pet from a breeder then there are thousands of fantastic re-homing centres across the UK, filled with pets waiting for a loving new home, so this is another great option for acquiring a pet. Similarly to breeders, a good rescue centre will know everything about the dogs in their care, so ask questions. Don't be surprised if they quiz you too or request a home visit, as it just means they are ensuring that you are able to give the pet a happy and healthy life. Good rescue centres will also usually microchip puppies, as legally required, as well as vaccinate, neuter and provide initial flea and worm treatments for pets in their care, so ask for these records or vet check certificate. Getting a new pet is a big decision, and 1 not to be taken lightly, and it is important to know that vets aren't just here for health checks when you have a pet, but they are also available for advice before even getting a pet. So if any potential pet owners need more advice on the process of getting a pet or choosing the best local breeder or re-homing centre, then they can always speak to their local vet."

Millions of resilient gig economy workers have no savings at all and will take any job to survive

NEW research released by Monese, the banking service which represents gig economy workers across the UK and Europe, reveals that the current COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the resilience of gig economy workers with almost 1 in 3 (30%) saying that if they lose their existing job, they would take any job available just to stay in work, with 29% saying they will consider becoming a delivery driver, 1 in 3 (33%) a job as a cleaner and over ½ (59%) would apply for any job in a supermarket, showcasing the flexibility of these workers. Alongside Doctors, Nurses, and key essential workers, gig economy workers have been the ones keeping British cities going during COVID-19. The gig economy spans a range of sectors including transport, retail and food with 5 million people currently working in the gig economy; that's almost 16% of the total UK workforce. Millions work as self employed taxi drivers, couriers, 0 hours contractors and freelancers. From filling our supermarket shelves to delivering food to the most vulnerable, they are the ones helping the UK safely carry out social distancing; often at risk to their own health, and for relatively low income.

The new research found that wages have tumbled for gig economy workers since lockdown. The workers surveyed earn on average ₤1,134.40 in a typical month after tax whereas in March 2020, this dropped 9% to ₤1,037.34. Workers in Scotland saw the biggest decrease in their earnings, receiving 15% less money after tax in March 2020 when compared to a usual month.

Regional Stats:-

    ► North...

        » Usual monthly earnings = ₤1,056.76.
        » After Tax March 2020 earnings = ₤1,021.19.
        » After Tax Wages decrease = ₤35.57.
        » Percentage decrease = 3%.

    ► Midlands...

        » Usual monthly earnings = ₤1,075.02.
        » After Tax March 2020 earnings = ₤1,027.60.
        » After Tax Wages decrease = ₤47.42.
        » Percentage decrease = 4%.

    ► East...

        » Usual monthly earnings = ₤1,102.84
        » After Tax March 2020 earnings = ₤960.43.
        » After Tax Wages decrease ₤142.41.
        » Percentage decrease = 13%

    ► London...

        » Usual monthly earnings = ₤1,519.97.
        » After Tax March 2020 earnings = ₤1,361.33
        » After Tax Wages decrease ₤158.64.
        » Percentage decrease = 10%.

    ► South...

        » Usual monthly earnings = ₤1,074.55
        » After Tax March 2020 earnings = ₤970.35
        » After Tax Wages decrease = ₤104.20.
        » Percentage decrease = 10%.

    ► Wales...

        » Usual monthly earnings = ₤1,140.86
        » After Tax March 2020 earnings = ₤1,069.33
        » After Tax Wages decrease = ₤71.53.
        » Percentage decrease = 6%.

    ► Scotland...

        » Usual monthly earnings = ₤1,079.97 .
        » After Tax March 2020 earnings = ₤915.56.
        » After Tax Wages decrease = ₤164.41.
        » Percentage decrease = 15%.

The new research has also discovered that:-

► 49% admit to feeling worried about their work as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. 27% said they only have enough savings to survive for 1 month or less if out of work, 12% only surviving for up to 2 weeks. 25% said they did not have any savings to fall back on at all. Interestingly, the health of the nation was of greater concern than their own wellbeing. People said that they were more concerned about the impact the outbreak has had on general public health (61%) than on their own job or income (33%).

► Safety:- The research of over 15 000 gig economy workers reveals that of those who continued working, 32% surveyed didn't feel safe working but had no other choice because they need to keep earning money to provide for their family. 29% said they continued to work without protective gear (gloves, mask, hand sanitiser) with 6% continuing to work with suspected COVID-19 symptoms. Overall, nearly 6 in 10 (57%) don't believe they are getting paid enough for the health risk they are currently taking at work.

► Undervalued:- It's more important than ever to value the workers who have continued to power our cities despite putting their own health at risk; and it seems that the recognition for gig economy workers is genuinely important. Almost 45% of gig economy workers thought their significant role of keeping the economy going will be continued to be recognised by the UK public when the outbreak is over. However, 49% thought the Government would not continue to recognise their positive role in the crisis. And it seems that gig economy workers don't feel at all protected by the response of the Government, feeling as though the late delivery of the self employed financial scheme has created an:- 'upstairs downstairs' social divide between those employed and those self employed. Almost 48%  of all gig economy workers surveyed said that the support scheme implemented by the Government to support the self employed is not useful to them. 1 in 6 (15%) of these said that the scheme doesn't support them in the way they need supporting and 8% were worried that compensation would not reach them until June. 1 in 15 (7%) said they were not eligible for the scheme as they had registered as self employed after the cut off date.

Monese spending data also highlights how relevant habits have impacted many of these workers. Spend on groceries saw a sharp increase; during the 4 weeks of March, ₤7,536,857.41 was spent on groceries, a 20% increase when compared to the Christmas 4 week period (₤6,031,834.05). Data shows that the average transaction value has increased alongside transaction per person. Similarly, Amazon purchases have also reached above and beyond Christmas levels of transactions; transactions in April 2020 were 10% higher than December 2019. The single highest day of Amazon transactions in the last 12 months was 31 March 2020. The use of online shopping will clearly be having a positive impact on work for delivery drivers and couriers who have continued to work during the crisis to keep the economy moving.

Norris Koppel, CEO and Founder of Monese, says:- "It is impossible to ignore the essential role millions of gig economy workers are playing in keeping our economy going at this critical time, at the sacrifice of their own health. Many of whom are currently juggling 2 or 3 jobs to make ends meet. It's about time we recognise the flexibility, ability and resilience of these workers and I just hope that we will continue to appreciate all their hard work even once this crisis is over. We often take the people powering our cities for granted. They are the engine room of the economy. We receive parcels at all hours, our shelves are full and drivers deliver. Perhaps for the 1st time, we realise the role they play in keeping our cities moving and come together to recognise their monumental efforts."