From Barton Wyatt to Blizzard Beach - where children's dreams do come true

Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park in Orlando, Florida is the stuff that dreams are made of. And for 192 children from the UK, this was where their dreams came true thanks to the Dreamflight charity and amazing support from people who just wanted to give something back.

Dreamflight is a registered charity whose purpose is to take deserving children on the holiday of their dreams to America's capital of fun - Orlando!  The children are chosen from all over the UK and are either currently, or have been, seriously ill. Dreamflight is not just a holiday for them, these children get to realise that they are not alone with their illness and not the odd one out.  With a new independence gained from being away from their family, they see other children who have suffered, they gain perspective and strength and with the help of the team of volunteers experience things that they never thought possible. 

The children on each trip are accompanied by a group of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and non medical escorts who make the journey possible by giving their time and energy to the charity, and it is not just for the 10 days that they will be away.  There is a great deal of preparatory work and fundraising to be done before the annual trip to ensure that everything runs smoothly.   

Jo Parris, Lettings Manager for Barton Wyatt Estate Agency in Virginia Water, Surrey was invited to be a non medical escort for the 2013 Dreamflight.  It was in fact a client of Barton Wyatt who introduced Jo to the charity almost ten years ago and together with Jo's husband, Mike, a doctor, they decided to offer their time for the trip.

James Wyatt, partner of Barton Wyatt offered his own support by giving Jo the extra time off from the office and sponsoring T-shirts for the children of the 'Pooh Bear' Group to enjoy on their day in Blizzard Beach.  Barton Wyatt has sponsored the Pooh Bear group T-shirts for nearly ten years and looks forward to continuing to do so in the future.

Jo Parris comments on her experience:

"I was both nervous and excited about the trip before we went.  Excited by the experiences I was going to gain from being part of such a special group of people but also anxious to get my part right and make a worthy contribution to the trip."

Jo was allocated two special boys to her care; Robert and Jermain, aged 8 and 9 years old. The holiday started in a hotel near Heathrow and once the goodbyes to the parents were completed, Jo's duties began.

The Dreamflight 'flight' itself was a revelation to Jo, a frequent flier herself.  "The flight started with a party and really went on like that," she explains.  Silly string, face painting, nail bar, food on demand and the friendliest crew you'll ever come across including a running commentary from the flight deck during take-off and landing made flying a real adventure for children, many of whom had never been near an airport, let alone traveled on a Jumbo-Jet!

Once at Orlando, Jo had a packed schedule starting at 7am and often not finishing until 11pm.  The group were taken daily to a different theme park on the 'Pooh Bear' bus aiming to ensure the children had maximum fun.  However, there was always a serious side to ensure the wellbeing, safety and health of the children and Jo found she grew eyes in the back of her head so that she always knew where her boys were and that their medication was given on time.

Jo describes the emotional side of the trip:

"A tremendous bond was made between the group, not just with the children and teenagers but with other escorts and arriving home was quite emotional.  Parents came to meet the plane and yes there were a few tears. I personally felt bereft for several weeks, continually looking round for 'my boys'.

"I've not seen the boys since the trip, it's not protocol. I have however sent them photo books and had email communication with one of the boy's mums. In the New Year we will be showing the film of the trip to the whole Pooh Bear group and so I can't wait to see all of the children then."

Dr Mike, a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine had a very different experience as he was a 'floating doctor' not officially allocated to a group but going to where he was needed.  He spent his time with all twelve of the groups and was responsible for the health of the adult volunteers on the trip as well as the children.  Mike was also responsible for a sourcing a portable ventilator for the trip, an expensive and life saving piece of equipment but this was just one part of the multitude of tasks which together make the trip possible.

Jo concludes:

"Going on Dreamflight is a huge honour. It is also a huge responsibility and mentally and physically exhausting.  Dreamflight changes the lives of the children who go but I can also say that it's changed me.  Would I go again?  In a heartbeat."  

For more information contact Barton Wyatt Estate Agents Surrey on 01344 843 000.

For information on Dreamflight visit www.dreamflight.org.

EPDM Roofing is perfect for Low Slope Roofs

The EDPM roofing material is among the most popular choice of roofing material for those who are thinking of getting a flat roof for their house. This roofing material has been in the market for more than 40 years now and is used by roofers in Surrey. It is the most commonly used roofing material for flat roofs as well as low slope roofs, ideal for both commercial as well as residential properties. The great thing about EDPM is that it is very durable as compared with other types of residential roofing materials that are commonly used for flat and low slope roofs.

EPDM in Rubber Roofing

The EPDM roofing comes in rolls and the other side of the material has factory applied adhesives. The adhesive tape is often applied on the primed overlap and then rolled slowly with a little bit of force. The result would be a robust and flawlessly straight roof. Although these types of residential roofing materials are initially being applied indoors, it has now become very popular for outdoor uses. As compared with other flat and low slope roofing materials, the EDPM rubber roofing is more flexible and shows very high resistance against all types of elements including physical stress. Typically, the EDPM roofing material is only available in the shades of black and white, but additional colors are now available from other manufacturers.

Benefits of Using EPDM Rubber in Roofing

There are absolutely lots of benefits that one can get in using the EDPM roofing material and among these are the following.

• ·         It is made of rubber membranes that are very flexible in nature and has a lifespan of up to fifty years.

• ·     It is among the few roofing materials that is extremely resistant to infrared light as well as the Ultraviolet rays, thus, you will no longer need additional protection if you use these types of residential roofing material for your roof.

• ·         It is highly resistant to heat, cold, ozone and ageing.

Understanding EPDM rubber

Every time the weather temperature increases or decreases, the rubber roof material will move a bit, especially those that are used for slate roofing. But with the EPDM rubber roofing, this is not going to be an issue. This type of roofing material is made in a way that it would stretch out for up to three times its normal length, making it the ideal solution for any kind of building and frequently used by contractors specializing in roofing in Surrey. Furthermore, the EPDM are the types of residential roofing materials that are flexible enough to be installed on gutters, pipes, as well as skylights. It will not crack so easily as a result of severe moisture and dryness as it allows vapors and heat to get out of the building without letting the water or heat in.

Everything about ACS Egham and TASIS England

The ACS International Schools is an educational institution that was founded in the year 1967 and was established in order to accommodate the increasing demands of high quality education from both local as well as international students. The ACS International Schools currently have more than 3,400 students enrolled from ages 2 to 18 years old, on more than 70 countries worldwide. There are currently four ACS Schools – the ACS Cobham, ACS Hillingdon, the ACS Egham and the recent addition in Doha Qatar.

The ACS Egham

ACS Egham is located in a small town in Surrey, called the Egham. Egham is a small town in the boroughs of Runnymede, right in Surrey, which is in the southeast portion of England. The school is located about 32 km away from the central London and is situated near the M25, which is at junction 13. The town of Egham where the ACS Egham is located is part of the Greater London Urban Area as well as the London Commuter Belt.

Students enrolled at ACS can simply commute through the railway station of Egham, which is being operated by the South West trains. This is the railway line from the London Waterloo that goes to Reading as well as the Weybridge. There are also several bus routes that go to ACS Egham which connects the town of Staines, London Heathrow and Windsor.

The TASIS in England

The TASIS, or the TASIS England, is among the leading independent college and university preparatory school that is situated just outside of London in UK. American and International students can enrol for the nursery until grade 12. There are also boarding students enrolled for grades 9 until grade 12 and they even offer postgraduate options.

Just like ACS, TASIS is also located in Surrey, and if you are planning to enrol at TASIS England, or if you plan to enrol your kids in TASIS, you can search out for some of the properties in Surrey to rent or buy. Looking for properties for in Surrey is just easy. You can simply make use of the World Wide Web, and you will be given a wide range of choices. Those who wanted to stay in the central London can simply commute going to TASIS England. There are buses and trains that go to and from Surrey and will take you to TASIS.

Starting a uPVC Guttering Installation Business

If you are thinking of starting uPVC guttering installation business, keep in mind that there are several aspects that you will need to consider. This is to ensure that your new business venture will turn out to be a success. Keep in mind as well that there might be some start-up costs that you will need to incur so you need to make sure that you have enough funds for this.

Gutter Repair

Aside from the installation of uPVC guttering inBracknell, you can also offer repair services as well. Basically, in this kind of business, the major services that you will offer are repair and installation. When it comes to repairs, the line of services that you can give is unblocking and cleaning of the external gutters and downpipes, including fascias or repair of the broken guttering as well as downpipes. This business of yours will definitely turn out a success because according to some companies that offer slate roofing, there is a big demand of these types of services since a lot of residents are having difficulties in repairing broken gutters and downpipes, especially those that have serious damages.

Fascias

Aside from repair and installation, you might also want to consider supplying as well as installing uPVC fascias, soffits as well as offering uPVC guttering installation services to domestic customers. The uPVC installation offers a low maintenance alternative to a traditional timber gutter.

Roof Repairs

You might also want to consider offering roof repairs services. According to some roofers in Berkshire, other services that are related to roof repairs are repointing the ridge tiles and chimney breast, replacing any cracked or broken tiles as well as repairing led flashing, if needed.

Exterior Painting

To gather more customers into your business, you might want to consider offering exterior wall cleaning and repainting services as well. Other services include stucco rendering and painting of brickwork.

Starting the Business

When starting your business, the first thing that you should decide is whether you will act as a sole trader and be self employed or if you need to incorporate the business as a limited company. If you decide to be a sole trader, remember that you should submit your tax return and you will have limited liability for your business.

You must also come up with a name for your uPVC guttering in Wokingham business and try to come up with a name that is very relevant to the kind of services that you offer.

The Importance of Retail Window Displays

Window display is vital to the success of any business. Therefore, when it comes to retail window displays, you have to be able to come up with the most attractive and impressive window dressing. Retailers worldwide are now recognizing the importance of window display because they understand that the first impressions of the customer is critical to the customer’s decision on whether to shop from their store or not. Read on to understand how important a window dressing for any given business is.

Window display is not just about displaying the products that you sell. It is one of the most effective forms of advertising and this is why several companies would not hesitate to invest on the best visual merchandising services that they can find. As stated from the start, the customer’s first impression on the business will matter a lot, so if the customer finds your window display attractive this could send an impression that you are a company that sells the best product and services. As a result, you could end up gaining more customers which could boost up your profit and would make your business become successful in the long run.

 If done properly, your store’s window display could attract several customers just like a TV ad or a radio commercial would. And in order to attract the right kind of consumers, you should be able to come up with an effective retail window dressing. Basically, your window display could act as a filter of customers. It helps to attract the right kind of customers to enter to your store and purchase the products that they need. With this, you could save a lot of energy and time in marketing your products to consumers who are not really considered a potential buyer of your products.

Creativity plays a major role when coming up with an excellent shop window display. This is the reason why companies that offer visual merchandising services comprise of a team of creative individuals. These individuals knew so well how they can come up with designs that could easily attract the attention of the public. They will design the window of your store in the best way possible, which will also depend on the budget that the retailer would give them. So for store owners who have the means to spend a lot on visual merchandising, it is recommended that you allocate a good amount of money for your retail window dressing. It won’t be too long before you reap the benefits on your investment.

Secondary Timber Glazing

Many properties from the Victorian and Georgian era were built with timber sash windows and are still in existence today due to their beauty and how they enhance and retain the value of a property. Often, timber sash windows are constructed with singular panes of glass within a wooden frame and two are placed vertically away from each other. Whilst this allows ventilation through the small gap, which is great during the summer months, it can also allow noise to enter the room and lose heat during the colder winter months.

Secondary timber glazing has been designed with period properties in mind, so that the original window can remain and the noise pollution problem be solved. This is particularly important for listed buildings where the style of original window cannot be changed.

Secondary timber glazing is where an internal timber glazed unit is made to the exact same frame size and can either be hinged or sliding, and sits inside of the original window. This allows space between the two frames for sound insulation as well as heat preservation.  The frames are usually painted to match the existing window frames so that they blend in easily.

Secondary sash glazing has many advantages. It will reduce heating costs which is not only good for the pocket but also for the environment. The reduction in noise will also enable the whole house to obtain a good night’s sleep.  By having the secondary glazing fitted, there will be a significant reduction in condensation which will minimise damp issues within a property. Another good reason for considering secondary timber glazing is the added security to the property. Furthermore, as the original windows have not been replaced, considerable costs have been saved by not having to have the property redecorated which would have been necessary after the fitment of new windows.

Keepers Wood, Wentworth

Keepers Wood, Wentworth £4,450,000

Keeper’s Wood is set within 0.7 acres of south facing rear gardens in a highly sought after road on the prestigious Wentworth Estate, in Virginia Water, Surrey.

The property includes marble floored entrance hall, large combined kitchen / breakfast / family area with walk-in larder and second cloakroom. Linked dining and drawing room opening onto terrace, a spacious guest cloakroom, TV end and study complete downstairs.

First floor has 4 en-suite bedrooms. The master bedroom suite is beautifully appointed and includes a centre, free standing bath, TV, bespoke twin basin vanity unit, super-sized walk in wet room and separate wc and bidet. The master bedroom has double doors with a glass Juliet balcony overlooking the rear garden.
Top floor has a further bedroom, bathroom and a leisure room with mini kitchen.

For further details of the properties for sale in Wentworth Estate or Sunningdale, please contact Barton Wyatt.