Latest news with #Hodges
7NEWS
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- 7NEWS
Got the winter blues? It might not be you, it could be your house
The spaces we live in do more than just shelter us, they can also influence how we feel, think, and function. Interior design experts say design elements from the colours on our walls to the amount of natural light, the layout, textures, and even the scent of a room can have a profound impact on our emotional wellbeing. An ever-increasing interest in the psychology of our physical spaces has revealed for example that cluttered, poorly lit, or overly sterile environments can heighten stress and anxiety, while warm tones, thoughtful design, and personal touches can foster calm, creativity, and connection. Carlisle Homes interior designer Jessica Hodges says a well-designed home not only considers functionality but also the owners' emotional wellbeing. "The physical space in your home has a profound impact on your mood and emotional wellbeing. Whether you're entertaining family, working from home, or winding down on the couch, a thoughtfully designed home can lift your spirits and support your lifestyle," she says. Melissa Penfold, the author of a new interior design book Natural Living by Design agrees. "Our surroundings have a profound influence on how we feel. A well-designed home doesn't just look beautiful - it lifts the spirits, supports mental clarity, and enhances daily life," Ms Penfold says. "Our homes are more than just places we live, they're powerful tools for supporting our mental and physical wellbeing. "When a space has flow, natural light, and order, it gives us clarity. When it's chaotic or poorly lit, it can chip away at our mood. Good design creates good moods, it's that simple," she says. Natural Light Natural light is one of the biggest mood boosters," says Ms Hodges. "Clever window placement, such as picture windows at stair landings or behind kitchen splashbacks, floods your home with sunlight, creating a bright, welcoming atmosphere," she says. "Orientation matters too. Living areas that face north or northeast are ideal for capturing all-daylight and warmth, making your home feel alive and energising," she adds Insulation Letting in natural light is not only a mood booster but it can also help keep heating costs down in winter. EB Interiors director Emma Buchan says a well-insulated home is also critical to increasing your comfort and wellbeing at home. "Good insulation is key... A nice, insulated home will help it to feel cosy and therefore boost your mood," she says. "Also, the use of soft furnishings can be helpful in insulating a room. Lined curtains and a good quality wool carpet with decent underlay, for example, not only helps for warmth, but also creates a great sound absorber," Ms Buchan says. Hodges adds that textures can also make a home feel more inviting and increase your mood even when its cold and dreary outside. "Texture plays a key role in how a space feels. A base of timber floors and stone-look benchtops adds natural warmth, while soft elements like linen curtains, boucle cushions, and textured throw rugs create a sensory cocoon," Ms Hodges explains. Declutter "Calming spaces are also clean and uncluttered," Ms Hodges says. "Thoughtful storage solutions, like walk-in robes, a well-organised laundry, and a butler's pantry, keep everyday mess out of sight. These hidden zones allow your living areas to stay open and tidy, which promotes a sense of calm and control, especially when guests arrive or during a busy work-from-home week." Colour Buchan advises choosing colours that make you feel calm and positive rather than being a slave to trends. "Select tones and colours that you are drawn to and that suit the environment," she says. "If you are in a dark and moody environment, sometimes it is better to lean into this, rather than trying to make it bright and light, as this can sometimes end up looking drab. "On the other hand, if you are drawn to colour, trust in that, you will always like it. If you feel like you're more tonal, then listen to that. No matter what is on trend at any time, trust your own taste." Meanwhile, much research has been done that shows the emotional impact of certain colours. "We know mood can be lifted with colour. Greens are universally calming, linking us to nature, while deeper hues like navy or forest green bring a sense of tranquillity and security," Ms Hodges explains. "For a lighter touch, soft earthy tones like sage, warm greys, or muted sand help create a relaxed, restorative space." Natural Flow Interior design experts all agree that a home that promotes a natural, airy flow also promotes a feeling of calm "Flow is key," says Ms Penfold. "An open-plan layout promotes ease and generosity. When rooms feel connected, they're calmer. You should be able to move through your home with grace and lightness. Buchan agrees. Make sure each space flows well into the next, with no sharp right angles, where possible to walk around or pointed corners," she says. Bring Nature Indoors Research shows that being exposed to nature and green spaces lowers cortisol levels and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping us feel calmer. It is also linked to lower rates of depression and is known to enhance focus, creativity and memory. "Nature calms the nervous system and we all need more of that," says Ms Penfold. "Whether it's a view of trees, a pot of greenery, or materials like stone, linen or timber, nature inside has a calming, healing effect. "Indoor plants also clean the air and reconnect us to something larger," she says. Meanwhile, Ms Hodges says even a garden view can improve your mood. "Indoor greenery, whether real or artificial, adds life and depth. Even a view of a garden or courtyard through large windows can enhance relaxation and mental clarity," she says. Listen to your instincts Penfold adds that it is critical to listen to what makes you feel happy and calm when designing, decorating or renovating your home. "Design to please your senses. Let in air and light. Choose colours that make you exhale. Fill your rooms with texture, quietness, and beauty.
Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'I work in NHS dental desert - I feel guilty but I'm quitting to go private'
Dentist Dr Tim Hodges explains how the 'absurd' payment contract meant he was treating his NHS patients effectively for free, relying on private patients to 'prop up' NHS care A dentist in one of Britain's worst 'dental deserts' has told of his guilt at quitting the NHS to go private. Dr Tim Hodges says the perverse NHS payment contract - which means dentists make a loss treating the most in-need patients - meant he was effectively doing NHS work 'for free' so will now do more lucrative private work instead. It is the latest in a series of Mirror special reports for the Dentists for All campaign from Devon - which NHS data suggests is one of Britain's worst dental deserts. There is a hidden oral health crisis that sees many families locked out of NHS care for years and children losing teeth having never seen a dentist. Today we report claims that the pressure to 'churn' through NHS patients could be contributing to high suicide rates among dentists. Tim, 42, is a local lad who grew up near Axminster in a big NHS family. Both his parents were local GPs and he is one of five siblings - three are now doctors and two are dentists. 'I feel a huge amount of guilt,' he admitted. 'My NHS work was breaking even. I don't want to say it felt like charity work, but basically it was doing it for nothing. The private side was propping it up which wasn't really fair on the private patients.' The NHS system includes two types of dentists; Associate dentists, who are essentially self-employed, have their own patient lists and pay a rent to the practice business to use the premises, support staff and materials. Then there is the owner, or partner in ownership, of the practice business. Dr Tim Hodges has been a partner at Axminster Dental Practice since 2011 when it saw mostly NHS patients and he became the sole owner in 2024. The NHS contract pays the practice for each Unit of Dental Activity - known as a UDA. A check-up is worth one UDA while a filling is worth three. Axminster Dental Practice, owned by Dr Hodges, was receiving £30 from the NHS per UDA, and of that, an associate dentist would be paid £13.65. Dr Hodges said: 'You're not talking very different pay from a tradesman and you start to think, is £80,000 worth of debt from university worth it for that level of salary? 'My issue was that we have three associate dentists at the practice. They were happy but they would have eventually gone to private practice where they could earn more money, unless I could pay them more.' Dr Hodges added: 'The NHS side literally broke even and made nothing so sadly it had to go. All of our adult NHS patients, we told them we couldn't see them on the NHS any more. This is a practice I did work experience at when I was 15. I did my foundation training here after I qualified as a dentist. "Having grown up in the area with mum and dad being well known local GPs, I never really had to build up my reputation because they had done it for me. I just tried not to disappoint them. But my main feeling about it all is guilt. But it was just unviable. If you actually follow the NHS contract to the letter, and look after your patients as you're meant to, it's not really workable.' The NHS dentistry payment contract has been deemed 'not fit for purpose' by Parliament's Health and Social Care Committee. MPs on the committee will question dentistry minister Stephen Kinnock on the crisis on Wednesday. Labour 's 2024 General Election manifesto pledged fundamental reform of the NHS contract which currently means dentists get paid the same for a patient having three fillings as 20. Dr Hodges said: 'It disincentivises treating the patient who needs more care, which is just madness. Then over the years when they haven't increased the rates despite inflation then it's just become totally unmanageable.' Despite stopping seeing adult patients on the NHS, such is the demand in Devon, Dr Hodges still has 1,200 patients on his waiting list to become private patients. Dr Hodges still sees his remaining child patients but has closed the list. READ MORE: Dentist being fined £150K by NHS for keeping patients' teeth too healthy He said: 'When you compare the NHS contract now to what you can earn privately, the gap is just vast. But it's not just that. It's actually having the freedom to look after the patient as well as you can rather than churning through them like you're on a treadmill. 'You can book that patient in for a long enough time to care for them properly. And also for your own personal wellbeing. There's actually a quite high suicide rate among dentists and I think a lot of that is due to the pressures that come with having to churn through patients.' UK research in 2020 suggested that around 10% of dentists had recently considered suicide. Dr Hodges warns that children not getting regular dental check-ups risks life-long health harms. He said: 'You're going to have kids with no teeth basically. And with young kids fortunately it might not make a big difference but once they hit teenage years it's a real worry. 'Fortunately I've not come across it much but it's almost more of a worry that I've not come across it because it's known that the government only funds dentistry for 50% of the population. So if everyone wanted to see an NHS dentist only half the population could. We're in a scenario where those that really need NHS care don't get it and it is pretty upsetting really.' Emergency measures announced by the Government on Tuesday will attempt to begin to change a situation where dentists are disincentivised from treating the patients who need care most. The interim measures include a new time-limited 'care pathway' for higher needs patients so dentists get paid more for clinically complex cases. Other proposals going out to consultation include paying dentists extra for a special course of treatment for patients with severe gum disease or with at least five teeth with tooth decay. There will also be more money for denture modifications. Last week's Ten Year Health Plan sparked fears that proper reform will be kicked into the long grass until after the next General Election. It only said that by 2035 a new dental contract would be at the heart of a "transformed" NHS system. And there is uncertainty as to what extent the Treasury will fund radical reform. The British Dental Association has labelled the contract 'absurd' and calculates that a typical practice loses over £40 producing a set of dentures £7 on a new patient exam. BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said: "Savage cuts mean many dentists aren't just working for free, they're delivering NHS care at a loss. No health professional should be expected to work on this basis, and no business can stay afloat. If NHS dentistry is going to have a future we need real reform and sustainable funding." Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said: 'We inherited a broken NHS dental system that is in crisis. We have already started fixing this, rolling out 700,000 urgent and emergency appointments and bringing in supervising toothbrushing for 3 to 5 year olds in the most deprived areas of the country. "But to get us to a place where patients feel NHS dentistry is reliable again, we have to tackle the problems in the system at their root. These reforms will bring common sense into the system again, attracting more NHS dentists, treating those with the greatest need first and changing the system to make it work. "This is essential to our Plan for Change - building an NHS fit for the future and making sure poor oral health doesn't hold people back from getting into work and staying healthy.' Dentists for All campaign Save NHS Dentistry petition Sign our petition to save NHS dentistry and make it fit for the 21st century Our 3 demands Everyone should have access to an NHS dentist More than 12 million people were unable to access NHS dental care last year – more than 1 in 4 adults in England. At the same time 90% of dental practices are no longer accepting new NHS adult patients. Data from the House of Commons Library showed 40% of children didn't have their recommended annual check-up last year. Restore funding for dental services and recruit more NHS dentists The UK spends the smallest proportion of its heath budget on dental care of any European nation. Government spending on dental services in England was cut by a quarter in real terms between 2010 and 2020. The number of NHS dentists is down by more than 500 to 24,151 since the pandemic. Change the contracts A Parliamentary report by the Health Select Committee has branded the current NHS dentists' contracts as 'not fit for purpose' and described the state of the service as "unacceptable in the 21st century". The system effectively sets quotas on the maximum number of NHS patients a dentist can see as it caps the number of procedures they can perform each year. Dentists also get paid the same for delivering three or 20 fillings, often leaving them out of pocket. The system should be changed so it enables dentists to treat on the basis of patient need. Have you had to resort to drastic measures because you couldn't access an NHS dentist? Are you a parent struggling to get an appointment for a child? Email or call 0800 282591 The interim measures will now form part of a six-week public consultation on the future of the NHS dental system. Jason Wong, Chief Dental Officer for England, said: 'Far too many patients are waiting too long to see a dentist, and while steps have been taken to turn this around, there is still further to go. That is why I'm urging the public to take part in this consultation and give their views on our plans, so we can strengthen this vital part of the NHS.'
Spectator
07-07-2025
- Spectator
The lesson that changed my life
Ávila, Spain At school I wasn't much good at anything – until, that is, I had the good fortune to land in Mr Hodges's French set. It wasn't just the ten words of vocabulary and the irregular verb we learnt every day, it was the whole structured Hodges approach which gave me confidence, showing how the apparently unmanageable job of learning a language could be broken down into small, achievable tasks. Since Mr H also taught Spanish O-level, when the time came I opted for that rather than German. The scenes of Spanish life in the textbook fascinated me; they were only black and white line drawings but they promised something romantic that I knew I'd never find in cold, wet 1970s Birmingham. I pored over those pictures. A-level Spanish, including literature, history and culture, deepened the attraction. Eager to put my book learning to the test, I started my Easter 1974 study trip to Seville by ordering a café con leche in the first bar I saw. Previously I'd only known instant coffee; after two cups of the real stuff I was fully on board with Hemingway's description of Spain as 'unspoilt… and… unbelievably wonderful'. Soon the Moorish palaces, the storks wheeling in the sky, the orange trees, fountains and palms in the patios, the street cafés and the voluptuously beautiful women had sealed the deal. In Somerset Maugham's story 'The Happy Man' a young doctor asks the author if he should throw up his job in Camberwell and go to live in Spain. The author replies: 'Your whole future is concerned: you must decide for yourself. But this I can tell you: if you don't want money but are content to earn just enough to keep body and soul together, then go. For you will lead a wonderful life.' So that's what he does. Years later the doctor, now married to a beautiful Spanish woman, declares: 'I wouldn't exchange the life I've had with that of any king in the world.' And that's very much my story too. After Spanish at university I also tried the respectable job in London but found the pull of Spain irresistible. I've now been living in Ávila, central Spain, married to a beautiful Spanish woman for over 40 years. I found I could earn enough teaching at a second-rate – OK, third-rate – university to pay the bills. (Incidentally, for the academically competent but professionally unambitious, 'lecturer at a mediocre university' is a career path well worth considering.) Spain's poor-quality universities (the best ranks 149th in the world, the rest far lower) are a small part of a much bigger problem: public life. Spain has fallen sharply both in the World Bank's governance indicators and in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. And the bureaucracy, 'conceived by Gogol and scripted by Kafka', explains why Spain was recently ranked 114th out of 141 countries for burden of government regulation. You can take the boy out of England but you can't take England out of the boy Meanwhile the politicians themselves are hilariously bad. With the brief exception of the transition from dictatorship to democracy, Spain hasn't had a decent government for well over 200 years. It's not just their headline-grabbing corruption and chicanery, their laziness, incompetence, the infantile insults they hurl at their opponents and the childish lies they tell – Spanish politicians' everyday pronouncements are also a constant source of entertainment. Recently, for example, the deputy prime minister solemnly informed a startled nation that the principle of presumption of innocence is a disgrace. When somebody told her that it's, you know, a cornerstone of democratic freedom, she tried to pretend that she'd never suggested otherwise. Spaniards have only themselves to blame since they take little interest in the doings of their politicians (until, that is, the nation is without electricity for hours on end or 228 people die avoidable deaths in a flash flood). But all the energy that they aren't expending on civic engagement is being channelled into celebrating life with their friends, neighbours and family. Supported by the unconditional love of their families, Spaniards are well-adjusted, altruistic and happy in their own skins. As the novelist Stanley Weyman observed over a century ago: 'The Spaniard is a gentleman and gentleman-like regards all men as his equals… A man in rags will address a duke with self-respect as well as with respect. He does not know what it is to be awkward in any presence, but will offer a cigarette to a marquis or a millionaire, and accept one in return with equal nonchalance and affability. It is a fine feature.' Similarly Orwell celebrated Spaniards' 'straightforwardness and generosity… [their] real largeness of spirit, which I have met with again and again in the most unpromising circumstances.' That's certainly been my experience. When people ask me why I don't apply for Spanish nationality, I say 'Because I'm not Spanish, I'm English'. And when they ask if I miss England, the answer is 'no'. I go back often enough to see family and friends (and the Test matches) but more importantly I carry a lot of England inside me: you can take the boy out of England but you can't take England out of the boy. Formative years in England followed by adult life in Spain is a combination that's worked fine for me. Accepting his Prince of Asturias award in 2011, Leonard Cohen spoke of his great debt to Spain; a voice had been telling him, he said, 'you are an old man and you have not said thank you.' He was right: there comes a time when you should express your gratitude. So muchas gracias, Spain – and muchas gracias, Mr Hodges.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carlisle United linked with coach amid No2 speculation
Frankie McAvoy, main photo, has been linked with Carlisle amid speculation over the future of Glyn Hodges, left (Image: PA / Richard Parkes) Carlisle United have been linked with experienced coach Frankie McAvoy amid speculation surrounding Mark Hughes' backroom team. Reports in Scotland suggest former Preston North End boss McAvoy is poised to join the Cumbrians. Advertisement United are in the market for a first-team coach after Jamie Devitt, who held the position under Hughes last season, returned to his academy role. But there are suggestions McAvoy could join as assistant to Hughes - casting doubt over the future of Glyn Hodges. United are yet to confirm the full make-up of Hughes' coaching staff for the 2025/26 season. Carlisle United trust bosses on club 'reset', criticism, changes and plans Any suggestion of a surprise departure for Hodges, just weeks after it was confirmed he would be staying at the club, would be a blow to the head coach. Hodges has long been a trusted No2 to the Blues' boss. Advertisement Hodges, right, has been Hughes' No2 since February at Carlisle, having also worked with the Blues boss at other clubs (Image: Richard Parkes) But McAvoy, 51, would be an experienced alternative should suggestions of his impending arrival prove accurate. The Greenock Telegraph have reported that Scottish Championship club Greenock Morton wanted McAvoy as No2 to boss Dougie Imrie, but that McAvoy is instead Brunton Park bound as Hughes's "assistant". Carlisle have been approached for comment. The speculation comes at the start of the first full week of pre-season training at Carlisle, after players returned for testing last Thursday. Advertisement Former Carlisle United midfielder set for pre-season reunion with Blues Hodges was nowhere to be seen in the club's official photo gallery from the first day's work, which took place in the Neil Centre, analysis room and on the training pitch at Brunton Park. Other senior members of the backroom staff were all pictured, such as returning goalkeeping coach Jack Cudworth, head physio Sophie Birnie and strength and conditioning coach Adam Kwiecien. McAvoy was most recently with AFC Fylde as interim assistant boss in the closing months of last season. He had a spell in charge of Preston in 2021, before roles as academy director, head coach and assistant boss at Heart of Midlothian. He previously coached at Dunfermline Athletic, Hamilton Academical and Norwich City.
Hamilton Spectator
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
NYC, San Francisco and other US cities capping LGBTQ+ Pride month with a mix of party and protest
NEW YORK (AP) — The monthlong celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride reaches its rainbow-laden crescendo as New York and other major cities around the world host major parades and marches on Sunday. The festivities in Manhattan, home to the nation's oldest and largest Pride celebration, kick off with a march down Fifth Avenue featuring more than 700 participating groups and expected huge crowds. Marchers will wind past the Stonewall Inn , a Greenwich Village gay bar where a 1969 police raid triggered protests and fired up the LGBTQ+ rights movement . The site is now a national monument . In San Francisco, marchers in another of the world's largest Pride events will head down the city's central Market Street, reaching concert stages set up at the Civic Center Plaza. San Francisco's mammoth City Hall is also among the venues hosting a post-march party. Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis and Toronto, Canada are among the other major North American cities hosting Pride parades on Sunday. Several global cities including Tokyo, Paris and Sao Paulo , held their events earlier this month while others come later in the year, including London in July and Rio de Janeiro in November. The first pride march was held in New York City in 1970 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall uprising . Pride celebrations are typically a daylong mix of jubilant street parties and political protest, but organizers said this year's iterations will take a more defiant stance than recent years. The festivities come days after the tenth anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark June 26, 2015, ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that recognized same-sex marriage nationwide. But Republicans, led by President Donald Trump, have sought to roll back LGBTQ+ friendly policies. Since taking office in January, Trump has specifically targeted transgender people, removing them from the military , preventing federal insurance programs from paying for gender-affirmation surgeries for young people and attempting to keep transgender athletes out of girls and women's sports . The theme for the Manhattan event is, appropriately, 'Rise Up: Pride in Protest.' San Francisco's Pride theme is 'Queer Joy is Resistance' while Seattle's is simply 'Louder.' 'This is not a time to be quiet,' Patti Hearn, Seattle Pride's executive director, said in a statement ahead of the event. 'We will stand up. We will speak up. We will get loud.' Among the other headwinds faced by gay rights groups this year is the loss of corporate sponsorship. American companies have pulled back support of Pride events, reflecting a broader walking back of diversity and inclusion efforts amid shifting public sentiment. NYC Pride said earlier this month that about 20% of its corporate sponsors dropped or reduced support, including PepsiCo and Nissan. Organizers of San Francisco Pride said they lost the support of five major corporate donors, including Comcast and Anheuser-Busch.
