Latest news with #Jenni
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mirror
'Disability drives innovation' - 7 things we use daily that were made for disabled people
Content creator, '@chronicallyjenni' is creating a wave of positive praise and awareness for the community after sharing a video highlighting the everyday tools first invented for disabled people In light of the disability cuts made by Labour's Welfare Bill on July 1, disability organisations, allies and content creators have come together online to educate the Brits on the ways disabled people have contributed to everyday life. Achieving over 428,000 likes on Instagram, Influencer Chronically Jenni 's reel shows viewers the everyday parts of life derived from the needs of the disabled community. Her activism is one of a chorus of voices paving the way for disability awareness and rights in the UK. "Disability drives innovation. Accessibility helps everyone. So next time you use one of these, remember where it came from. Be sure to share this so more people realise the impact disability has on their lives," Jenni said in her viral video. Ramps Perhaps the most obvious, ramps were first built for wheelchair access, tackling the obstacle of stairs. Now, they're the easiest route for parents with prams, cyclists on bikes and travellers with suitcases. The caption of her post says: "You know the little ramp at the end of a pavement? That's called a curb cut; made for wheelchair users. But now used by parents with buggies, cyclists, people with suitcases and more". Coining it "the curb cut effect," Jenni went on to show how "access for disabled people ends up helping everyone". Velcro The Velcro on trainers and school bags that makes every life easier was initially used by those in disability care. Jenni shares that this was "long before" the product became the replacement for shoelaces, and kids' best friend. The electric toothbrush An estimated 34 million Brits use an electric toothbrush for dental hygiene, according to Dental Health - and they may be surprised to find out that their 'swear-by' toothbrushes were or "originally designed for people with limited grip or coordination". Text-to-speech and voice aids Used in corporate, universities and a majority of Smart technologies, dictation tools used to help type and read-aloud texts were first made for the blind and visually impaired. "What first began as a literary and verbal aid is now how most smartphone users place calls, make notes and even set timers as they cook," suggests Jenni. Audiobooks Another aid for blind and visually impaired readers, the ever-popular audiobook is increasingly used by fans of #BookTok and commuters alike. The tool has also been made available on Spotify, Audible and Apple, and is now a Gen-Z favourite for entertainment on-the-go. For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. Touchless and automatic doors Saving the general public significant time pushing heavy doors open for queues, the now staple of modern supermarkets, stores, airports and hospitals is the automatic door. Whilst this may not be as shocking as the electric toothbrush, it is important to realise how inclusive architecture helps all - especially those in fast-paced environments. Subtitles and captions Created for those experiencing deafness, the infamous 'subs' are a "on or off" debate between film and TV fans worldwide. This handy tool is a blessing on long flights, busy train rides and for those of us who often forget their headphones.
Metro
07-07-2025
- General
- Metro
'My instinct was just to help people - it changed my life'
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A woman who treated victims of the 7/7 bombings said she realised what her life's purpose was after an oxygen tank was thrust in her arms. Carolyn Williams was 25 at the time and working as an administrator for Metronet, the company responsible for maintaining the London Underground. She was sitting in an office next door to Edgware Road station, when the device was detonated on the Circle line. 'It was so loud it sounded like a trained had derailed,' she tells Metro. 'We looked outside the window and saw a mass of people coming out of the station. Then we got a message through from one of our colleagues telling us a bomb had gone off. 'It was an out-of-body experience, and I felt incredibly vulnerable. I buried it all quite deeply and not fully dealt with it emotionally yet.' Some of Carolyn's other colleagues arranged taxis to take them home and away from the scene, but she chose to stay, rounding up all the trained first aiders and walking into the thick of the crowd. Some of the others were terrified, but my instinct was just to help people,' she explains. The scene she witnessed was grim. The walking wounded clutched serious injuries and appeared disoriented as many had lost their hearing. In total, six people had lost their lives at the scene. 'The memory of seeing a woman hold a burns mask to her face is seared into my mind, which a photographer at the scene managed to capture,' Carolyn recalls. 'I remember thinking it was weird loads of people didn't have shoes on, but now I know the force of the blast knocked them off.' As chaos surrounded them, she and her colleagues helped reassure people, guiding them to points where they could receive proper medical attention. The scale of those injured was so great, even the emergency services began to rely on them for support. 'All of a sudden a fireman thrust an oxygen tank into my arms, and told me to administer it to someone laying on the ground, but I just didn't know how,' says Carolyn. 'It was at that point that I realised I never wanted to feel that vulnerable again.' Jenni Dunman, was just a trainee detective when she was ordered to Edgware Road where one of four bombs was detonated across the Underground and bus system 20 years ago today. She tells Metro: 'A crackle came through our radios that another bomb was expected to go off, and that was when I truly realised my life was in danger. 'But as a police officer you can't let fear wash over you – you have to be there for public and let your sense of duty take over.' With her team stationed just outside the station, Jenni was able to help the walking wounded and get those in shock to safety. This included giving first aid to a man, aged around in his 80s, who began displaying symptoms of a heart attack. 'I don't know what happened to him in the end. But I think about him every day,' she says. Jenni was also part of the team who raided the homes of suspects later that day. The four people identified as responsible for the attack were Mohammad Sidique Khan (30), Shehzad Tanweer (22), Germaine Lindsay (19) and Hasib Hussain (18). Thinking back to how the people of London coped on that that horrific day, Jenni recalls: ''Everyone was coming together and opening their arms and homes to complete strangers, from the wealthier residents to the homeless man at the end of the street. No one was on their own.' Watch Jenni's story here. The events of the day stayed with Carolyn, and she took a year out of work to consider her next steps. She toyed with the idea of becoming a police officer, until an advert to become a paramedic for the London Ambulance Service appeared in Metro. 'I felt really uncomfortable at the thought of coming back to the office after the attack, it had made me rethink my purpose. Seeing that ad in the paper was a sign.' Carolyn went onto train as a paramedic, with the day of the attack haunting Carolyn's 14 year career. Then, in June 2017, she suddenly found herself in an all too familiar and horrific situation. That evening a van deliberately drove into pedestrians before crashing into the Borough Market area and randomly stabbing people, killing eight and injuring 48 more. More Trending Although Carolyn and her crewmate were diverted to continue responding to incidents outside of the attack, hearing it on the radio 'took her right back to the London bombings'. 'But this time it was different. I felt very scared, but confident,' she remembers. 'I knew what I was doing, compared to all those years ago at the scene of the bombings. 'My crewmate and I just looked at each, took a deep breath, and nodded. We knew what we were doing, and this is what our training was for. 'I still feel anxious on the tube, but that anxiety no longer runs my life like I used to. I'm a fighter, not a flighter.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Pole hogging' is the latest Tube habit tormenting commuters on the London Underground MORE: Man arrested after Windrush exhibition vandalised in south London MORE: Paramedics 'triage overheating passengers' on stuck train in more chaos for Eurostar
Cosmopolitan
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
M&S launches viral strawberries and cream sandwich – we tried it, here's our verdict
We've had our fair share of viral food trends over the past few months – from Dubai chocolate to all matcha everything – but M&S may have really topped them all with its latest offering in the sandwich aisle. The limited edition strawberries and cream sandwich, based on the internet's beloved viral 'Japanese fruit sando', became M&S's best-selling sarnie just two days after its initial launch. Japanese-style fruit sandwiches have become increasingly popular thanks to TikTok, seeing intrepid foodies trying to hunt them down in Eastern-style bakeries. However, this strawberries and cream sandwich marks the first time this type of snack has been widely available in a British supermarket. With strawberries and cream the nation's go-to snack during the summer (particularly with Wimbledon now getting underway), could a sandwich really be the chic new way to enjoy this British institution? There are very few things that cannot be improved by putting them between two thick slices of white bread, so team Cosmopolitan UK decided to put these unique sandwiches to the test. From the moment you tear open the cardboard packet, you will be hit by a saccharine aroma that borders almost on sickly. This, after all, is not any bog standard white bread with some strawberries shoved in – these are two thick, hearty slices of brioche-style bread which have been generously smothered in a lightly sweetened crème fraiche AND full fat soft cheese which hug the densely cut strawberries tightly. I'm someone with a well-worn sweet tooth (with the fillings to prove it), and even this seemed a little *excessive*. It wasn't so much the taste that was bad when I sunk my teeth through the thick, hearty portion (features editor Jenni decided to wield a knife to cut the sandwich into a dainty finger, while I basically deep throated my triangle), but the texture that threw me off. The cream and strawberries filling aren't the problem – they're a tried-and-tested and relatively safe combination (although the filling could have been slightly colder, but I am writing this while London scorches at 34 degrees). The strawberries are firm and tart enough to cut through some of the more overwhelming sweetness, while the soft cheese provides a slight tang to proceedings. It's the bread that's a disappointment – not sweet or hardy enough like a proper brioche bun, and a little too limp to really hold such a chunky filling with any sort of gravitas. It's basically a sandwich that wants to be a scone so badly. For me, two bites was enough before I eagerly rid myself of it as I would have found it too sickly, but the rest of Team Cosmopolitan are more forgiving than me. Beauty director Keeks compared the sandwich to a Victoria sponge cake, while Jenni said she 'wasn't mad at it' and said the sandwich paired well with a cup of tea. Would I buy it again? While M&S have (rightly) gone viral for its numerous cookie offerings, this fruit sandwich doesn't quite hit the mark; I prefer to have my strawberries and cream in a bowl rather than on bread. But it was worth being adventurous enough to try something new. I've put worse things in my mouth, after all. Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper's Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.
Powys County Times
25-06-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Llandrindod Wells Lakeside Boathouse's secret to success
The owner of a popular visitor attraction in Llandrindod Wells has shared the secret behind the company's growing success. Lee Percy, who runs Lakeside Boathouse with his wife, Jenni, said entering the Powys Business Awards in 2024 made them look at every detail of the business and improve efficiency. The couple, who went on to win the Micro Business Award, sponsored by The County Times, now have their eyes set on completing a double by entering the Business in the Community Award this year, sponsored by EDF. Mr Percy said: "Just entering the awards last year helped because I restructured some of the business. "When we launched the business, we had a five-year business plan which we achieved in the first year. "We made the mistake of not doing a new plan and when I sat back and looked at the figures, we found that there was a lot of fishing equipment sat there hardly being used. "We decided to create two axe throwing lanes and they made more money in one day than the fishing equipment did in a whole year. "Entering the awards forced us to look closely at the little things which has made the business much better and more efficient." Since winning the award last October, the couple have opened a tea room in Rock Park, Llandrindod Wells, which has created nine new jobs. The Rock Park Tea Room venture uses the 14 acres of woodland surrounding it for a range of activities, including orienteering, board-walking across a river, and archery. The Lakeside Boathouse employs three full-time and 22 part-time staff. The couple are considering another new venture, canoe polo. Their son, Gethyn, is a member of the Wales Under 17 canoe polo squad and they believe there is a gap in the market for the sport in Llandrindod Wells. Lakeside Boathouse offers a variety of family activities with a fleet of dragon boats, canoes, kayaks, rafts, and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) for hire on the scenic 13-acre lake. The business also has an award-winning ice cream parlour, a small mountain bike centre with scooters, electric, and normal bikes for hire, and offers team building sessions and activities for stag and hen parties. Ceri Stephens, group manager of Mid Wales Manufacturing Group, who organise the Powys Business Awards, said: "Lee and Jenni's journey with Lakeside Boathouse is a testament to the transformative power of the Powys Business Awards. "Their success story highlights how the awards not only recognise excellence but also inspire businesses to innovate and grow. "We encourage all enterprises in Powys to seize this opportunity to showcase their achievements and drive their businesses forward." This year's Powys Business Awards has 12 categories, including a new one - the Business-Education Partnership Award, sponsored by Mid Wales Regional Skills Partnership. The awards, organised by Mid Wales Manufacturing Group (MWMG), showcase the diverse range of successful enterprises within Powys. The closing date for entries is July 27 and the award ceremony will be held at The Hafren, Newtown on October 17.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Parents Throw Trader Joe's-Obsessed 4-Year-Old the Perfect Themed Birthday Party (Exclusive)
Jenni and Sean Glester had a special idea, a year in the making, in mind for their son Joey's 4th birthday party The "Trader Joey" themed event celebrated all the birthday boy's favorites from Trader Joe's The family tells PEOPLE about the special meaning behind their son's name and why this event is one they'll always rememberA newly minted 4-year-old's family went all out to give him a celebration that fit him just right. Jenni Glester and her husband Sean put together an epic Trader Joe's-themed 4th birthday party in celebration of her son Joey, who loves visiting the store with his mom. The Florida toddler enjoys "pushing the kid-sized red cart, picking out produce and shopping for new snacks," his mom tells PEOPLE. "Celebrating Joey and gathering with loved ones are two of our favorite things to do. We came up with the theme a few years ago," Jenni shares. "We were brainstorming and planning for almost a year ... taking note of his favorite snacks and fun touches that make Trader Joe's so unique. Sticking exclusively to Trader Joe's food and beverages was a fun challenge — and we even found some new favorites in the process!" Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. For Jenni, getting the celebration just right meant nailing all the details. For decor, the family saved up packaging from their Trader Joe's favorites "for several months, to repurpose for decor and a 'shopping' area." The group of over 20 parents and kids also enjoyed a "create your own bouquet" area, inspired by the store's fresh-flower selection, with flowers from Kings Wholesale Florist. Kids also had fun playing in a "Trader Joey's" bounce house, supplied by The White Bounce House of Tampa and Sarasota. As for the menu, Joey's favorites — Diner Mac 'N Cheese, meatballs, mini chocolate chip cookies, cheese, crackers, fruit and vegetables — were all included. Goodie bags were filled with his favorite snacks, including fruit leather and seasonal Cherry Lemon animal crackers. There were juice boxes for the kids to sip on, while grown-up guests enjoyed a selection of Trader Joe's wine and beer, like Two Buck Chuck, Josephsbrau Grapefruit Radler, Boatswaine IPA and Tarogino Frizzante Sparkling Orange Wine. The family even fit in a crafty approach to birthday cake. Joey's birthday cake consisted of six Strawberry Lemon Mini Sheet Cakes brought together. "We had a lot of fun challenging ourselves to purchase everything we served from Trader Joe's. All food and drinks were from there! The cake was six of the Strawberry Lemon Sheet Cakes, assembled with Lemon Curd between the layers, then topped with fruit. The kids loved the Diner Mac and Cheese, meatballs and tons of other snacks," Jenni says. The result was a birthday party that both the birthday boy and his family are sure to remember forever. "Joeyboy is so fun-loving. He's game for all of his mom's wild ideas — and he had the best time celebrating with his friends and family," Sean says. Jenni notes that while it was a fun event to put together, it celebrates something even more special related to Joey's name. "The theme is a fun pun on Joey's name, but it's extra special to us, because he's named after Sean's late dad, Joe, and my late mom, Joanne," she explains. "This was the perfect way to lean into something Joey loves, while also celebrating his name, which means the world to us." The family had "so much fun" putting the event together that they're already starting to work on ideas for Joey's 5th birthday. Read the original article on People
