What Is The Reason For Cadbury Losing Its Royal Warrant?

It was the sweet-toothed romance between the Royal family and one of Britain’s most cherished chocolatiers. 

But after surviving 170 years and the rule of six sovereigns, confectionery colossus Cadbury’s tie to British royalty seems to have lost its sugary allure.

The chocolate juggernaut based in Bourneville, Birmingham, was among 100 companies to lose out on official approval from ‘The Firm’, after being stripped of its Royal Warrant status.

King Charles ripped away its globally recognised mark of excellence after deciding not to renew it. 

It comes after the company’s recent takeover by an American snack giant led to claims Cadbury had ‘betrayed its heritage’, by introducing bizarre new recipes and shrinking bars – while outsourcing its chocolate production abroad. 

Queen Victoria first granted Cadbury its Royal Warrant in 1854 – which was then repeated by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1955, who was a huge fan of the brand.

It is thought that she received boxes of Cadbury’s Bournville chocolate every Christmas since she liked it so much.

Yet the pool of Cadbury products to royal households has declined in recent years.

Its attraction in the Palace appears to be further damaged by the King’s reputation for eating healthily since he prefers a piece of fruit or seeds high in fibre to a chocolate bar.

The brands that lost their Royal Warrant status were notified via letter, as is customary, but they were not provided with an explanation.

Other chocolate companies like Nestle, which owns Milkybar, and Smarties as well as Bendicks and Prestat have all kept their titles.

Being granted a Royal Warrant is deemed a tremendous advantage for British companies both in the UK and abroad – and losing the stamp of approval has left Cadbury’s owners ‘disappointed’, the company admitted. 

For two centuries, Cadbury has captivated the nation’s palates, starting as a tiny grocery shop in Birmingham. Its advertisements, which include a gorilla drumming to Phil Collins’ song “In the Air Tonight,” have become iconic British favourites.

This year saw the beloved brand behind the likes of Dairy Milk, Flake and Heroes, marking its 200th birthday.

The confectionery behemoth was established by the nation’s very own ‘Willy Wonka’, John Cadbury, in 1824 in Bull Street.

Among the display of goods sold at the grocer’s shop, John introduced hand-made drinking chocolate which laid the footing for the brand today.

As a Quaker, John was eager to promote cocoa as a healthy substitute for alcohol.

In addition to selling hops, mustard, patent cocoa, and cocoa nibs, he was formerly a tea trader and coffee roaster.

The store was the first in Birmingham to use plate glass windows with mahogany frames to draw in wealthier clients, and John is reputed to have polished them daily.

Chinese vases and oriental figures filled with black and green tea were among the shop’s eye-catching decorations.

Cadbury’s dedication to quality and invention allowed the company to grow quickly while enthralling Britons with its mouthwatering confections.

John began selling various kinds of cocoa and moved to a factory on Bridge Street, Birmingham in 1831.

By 1864 the company was being run by John’s sons, Richard and George, and the brothers were eager to distinguish themselves from other cocoa and chocolate manufacturers.

A purer, more luxurious drinking chocolate called Cocoa Essence was introduced by the duo in 1866.

This product used a new process which pressed cocoa butter from the cocoa beans, and it is this that was the forerunner of the cocoa known and loved today.

The firm then introduced its first chocolate selection boxes, demonstrating that the surplus cocoa butter from the press could be utilised to create an early kind of edible chocolate.

Richard and George soon got sick of Birmingham slums and in 1878 they moved to a rural location four miles out of the city in a place called Bournville.

Bournville, which was named after the model hamlet, developed into a staff sanctuary where they could live, work, and play.

Alongside semi-detached cottages with gardens for the employees, there was a field next to the factory where they could play cricket and football; a garden and playground for the girls; and proper welfare provisions.

Sports facilities expanded throughout time to include facilities for bowling, tennis, squash, and hockey.

Finally, swimming pools were built with everyone in Bournville taught how to swim.

Staff days out were common and for employees living outside of Bournville, Cadbury’s negotiated reduced train fares with the local railway company. Education was made available for everyone and the company actively encouraged vocations outside of their business interest.

However, because Bournville was a location of moral living, it was prohibited from having pubs, a prohibition that still stands today.

Queen Victoria proved to be a big admirer of Cadbury, which also established ties with the royal family.

In 1899, the Queen commissioned Cadbury alongside the UK’s two other top chocolate manufacturers, J S Fry & Sons and Rowntree and Company Limited, to produce special chocolates for British troops fighting in the Boer War. 

After Queen Victoria died in 1901, Cadbury’s introduced its iconic purple packaging in a nod to the late sovereign, who loved the colour.

In 1902, Cadbury’s went on to produce a commemorative collection of tins to mark the coronations of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

In 1955, Cadbury’s royal warrant was renewed by the newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth – producing a comparable coronation tin for the monarch. 

With the birth of colour television in the mid-20th century, Cadbury found itself at the forefront of the advertising revolution.

The chocolate company came up with a string of iconic promotions for its products with some of the most rememberable being ‘A finger of Fudge is just enough to give your kids a treat’ and ‘everyone’s a Fruit and Nut case’.

Cadbury went viral in 2007 with a Dairy Milk advert that showed a life-like gorilla drumming to Phil Collins’ song In The Air Tonight.

In 2015 the advert was voted the best British ad in 60 years, but a year later, the company met the anger of Cadbury’s chocolate devoted fans.

It followed the earlier takeover by American snack giant, Mondelez International which bought out Cadbury in 2010.

A string of complaints included changing the recipe of the brand’s iconic Crème Eggs, shrinking bars, strange new recipes, and employment losses.

It led to claims that Cadbury had ‘betrayed its heritage’ after the takeover, according to a 2016 TV documentary from Dispatches series – which claimed workers had been sacked and chocolate – including Dairy Milk – was being produced in Poland.

Mondelez, then known as Kraft Foods, bought the British brand in 2010. But it was accused of a slew of ‘broken promises’. 

When the buyout was announced, Kraft said it would stick to Cadbury’s commitment to using Fairtrade cocoa beans to produce its chocolate. Fairtrade practices mean that cocoa growers earn a minimum of £1,600 per tonne of cocoa sold.

But in 2016, it established it was no longer working with Fairtrade and had changed to a new cocoa production partnership known as Cocoa Life – which does not exercise the same price rules.

Ruth Cadbury, a direct descendant of one of the founders, said her ancestors would be ‘spinning in their urns’ over the way Mondelez was running the business – especially paying no corporation tax in Britain in 2014 despite making £96.5 million profit. 

Talking of no longer being awarded a Royal Warrant, a spokesman for Mondelez International said: ‘Cadbury is a much-loved brand that has been a part of British life for generations and remains the nation’s favourite chocolate.

‘Whilst we are disappointed to be one of hundreds of other businesses and brands in the UK to not have a new warrant awarded, we are proud to have previously held one, and we fully respect the decision.’

Since they altered the formula, more delicious substitutes are now available – yet another great British product allowed to be sold off.

A Royal Warrant should be granted if the chocolate is of high quality; if it hasn’t been, we must consider why it wasn’t.

The new owners have destroyed the product, which makes me wonder why they bought such well-loved chocolate just to destroy it, all sweets, chocolates and crisps have shrunk in size. Open a packet of crisps and inside you have half a packet, but pay for a full packet. Chocolate bars have shrunk in size and tins of chocolates have reduced in size over the years. ‘Shrinkflation’ is certainly that – sadly though they don’t seem to have a tool for shrinking the population – eventually Christmas will be a thing of the past, something that our forthcoming children will only hear about in books.

The answer is quite simple. Corn syrup, palm oil, sweeteners and emulsifiers are being added, with cocoa, dairy and acceptable sugars reduced. It shouldn’t even be called chocolate due to the absence of cocoa, dairy and acceptable sugar.

It’s not British-owned anymore. They sent most of the production to Poland with the loss of numerous British jobs, and they changed the formula, so it no longer tastes like chocolate. Well done King Charles, it was a wonderful decision. They don’t deserve a Royal Warrant.

The chocolate is simply not the same as it once was—it used to be so lovely, rich, and creamy.

The chocolate and oil recipe was altered to a less expensive one, but those who have never tried the original will never understand how delicious it was with the vintage paper and foil wrapping. It was amazing, but regrettably no longer available.

British NHS Health Data Harvested By Beijing

China is attempting to acquire British residents’ medical information to produce bioweapons, experts have warned.

The proliferation of Chinese medical technology in British hospitals has alarmed MPs as well as security and biological experts.

There are fears the hostile state is aiming to ‘weaponise biology’ by capturing sensitive patient data to develop targeted viruses and diseases.

The alarming warning comes as British hospitals depend more and more on vital Chinese equipment that tracks patient data.

One Shenzhen company with a UK headquarters in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, has dramatically expanded in Europe and Britain where it utilises over 100 staff.

Mindray has just secured contracts with over 600 teaching hospitals across Europe, including over 50 NHS contracts with hospitals all over Britain to provide critical equipment including monitoring, anaesthesia, ventilation, and ultrasound devices.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited the company last August in a powerful symbol of approval from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

News reports said he urged leaders to ‘continue working toward the top international level and gain a competitive advantage in the market with their technologies’.

In Britain, Mindray has established its own political connections and was the only healthcare company invited to a Downing Street reception with David Cameron when he endeavoured to boost UK-China trade relations in 2013.

There is no indication of any misconduct by the company, which insists its bedside diagnostic equipment measuring vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse, oxygen levels and temperature, operates only within a hospital’s own closed, secure IT infrastructure and does not keep patient data externally.

However, the increasing use of Chinese medical technology in the NHS and throughout Europe has sparked worries about the potential for extensive data collecting, which might be a strategic danger to the security of the United Kingdom.

Last year MI5 chief Ken McCallum warned that hostile states like China are ‘laser focused’ on emerging technology like synthetic biology, a scientific area that involves designing or altering biological techniques like a virus to perform new functions.

‘The stakes are now incredibly high on emerging technologies; states which lead the way in areas like artificial intelligence, quantum computing and synthetic biology will have the power to shape all our futures,’ he said.

‘We all need to be aware, and respond before it’s too late.’

Now Tory shadow Foreign Minister Alicia Kearns has called for more safeguards to ensure British patient data cannot be used by an adversary.

She said: ‘The Chinese Communist Party has no respect for privacy or individual rights. It raids personal information when it wants, and once British data reaches China, we have no way of ensuring it isn’t used for malicious purposes.

‘We must take action to stop British hospitals working with CCP-linked companies. The risk of our data being harvested to manufacture future bioweapons is real.

‘No country would tolerate a foreign state raiding physical copies of patient healthcare records – why should we accept the risk of our most intimate information being stolen digitally?

‘China is the largest genomic data harvester in the world, its goal is to be a biotech superpower, but it cannot do that unless it harvests the data from more diverse populations than its own.

‘We’ve already seen the CCP-backed BGI group share data from women’s prenatal tests with the People’s Liberation Army.

‘Do we really want our genetic data and health information being recorded and tampered with by a state hostile to our country? Why do they want it? The question answers itself.’

Hamish de Bretton Gordon, former commanding officer of the UK’s Joint Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Regiment, said the Chinese Government’s activities in biotechnology, particularly in DNA manipulation and synthetic biology, is an escalating security risk.

‘The biological threat is the WMD [weapon of mass destruction] of the future,’ he said.

‘It’s far more dangerous than nuclear or anything else, and it’s something that we really must invest in our security and defence against – otherwise one just has to look at Covid.

‘It’s very clear I think to most of us that the Chinese in laboratories like Wuhan are doing things with biology, synthetic biology, manipulation of DNA which are most likely for nefarious reasons, and the possibility that the Chinese are looking to weaponise biology I think is more likely.’

He went on: ‘What would happen if you managed to synthetically splice Covid with something more deadly? It could be catastrophic.

‘I do not want to be over-dramatic, this sort of activity is getting more into the realms of realism.

‘If you have the intent and capability, which the Chinese appear to have, then this is something we need to guard against and do everything to make sure it cannot manifest itself.

‘So the fact that a Chinese company has so many links in so many medical devices is to me something we should be concerned about.’

Health data access, according to experts, may be a component of China’s longer-term, more comprehensive plan to build biological capabilities that go beyond conventional military or economic geopolitical strategies.

Data security professionals are now calling for regulatory scrutiny of foreign-controlled medical devices used in British healthcare, especially those from China.

Analysts point to similarities with the controversy over 5G mobile phone technology, where governments acted decisively to curb Chinese companies’ role in critical networks.

Because they provide clinical technology at a lower cost, companies like Mindray have gained popularity among hospital administrators on a tight budget.

But ex-Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith warned that Britain is overlooking China’s most ominous threat yet in the rush to sign deals with Chinese companies undercutting their rivals.

He emphasised that the Chinese government is legally able to access data that is stored by businesses that operate in China, including for national security purposes.

‘We must protect our genetic data from Chinese scientists, who could use it for targeted bioweapons,’ he said.

Sir Iain said the CCP has already used genomic data to profile ethnic minorities, adding: ‘China is looking to weaponise biology. Why would you want all this data to go back to China? What are going to do with it?

‘The answer is because you want to know of your potential adversaries and what their weaknesses are – and that is what is going on.’

He went on: ‘One way or another you can disrupt lives. Healthcare could be the new frontier for China if you possess biological data and genomic data about people in different countries.

‘The power of this is simply not being looked at. We do need proper scrutiny of these healthcare devices.

‘Hospitals make one decision, which is how much less can I pay if I go with a Chinese supplier? Britain needs to wake up to the fact that China is a threat.’

Mindray tells hospitals it offers a ‘full range of patient monitoring solutions to meet clinical needs ranging from high-acuity critical care to mid-acuity and step-down areas, to the general ward and outpatient clinics’, adding: ‘We connect these solutions with networked systems and compact transport monitors to give you full visibility of patient data.’

A spokesman said the firm is ‘a global developer, manufacturer, and supplier of medical devices which has been operating in Britain since 2002 and it adheres to global standards on information security management, data protection and cyber security.

He said: ‘Mindray UK predominantly supplies NHS hospitals with bedside diagnostic equipment, such as vital signs devices, and defibrillators.

‘These devices can measure clinical parameters such as blood pressure, pulse, Spo2 [oxygen saturation], and temperature, and operate within each hospital’s own closed, secure IT infrastructure.

‘Access to, and storage of, all patient data on the above equipment is strictly controlled by NHS Trusts, using their own protected network, therefore Mindray UK does not provide data storage or cloud services for patient data.

‘Mindray UK works closely with NHS Supply Chain (NHSSC) to supply to NHS Trusts. Operating within NHS procurement frameworks requires adherence to stringent standards, including data security and cybersecurity.’

A spokesman for NHS England said: ‘The NHS has strict policies in place for the awarding of contracts, in line with government guidance. Individual NHS organisations must also ensure they meet their legal responsibilities and national data security standards to protect patient data, and we offer them support and training nationally on how this should be done.’

A UK Government spokesman said: ‘We have strict safeguards in place throughout the NHS to prevent the misuse of data.

‘All providers of services which handle patient data in the NHS must protect it in line with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.’

They rob our trade secrets to impoverish us, they steal research from our elite institutes to develop weapons, and the Tories wanted to put them in control of our nuclear power plants. We deserve much better.

We become more reliant on them as a result of their extremely exorbitant rates for their products. Every day, China gains strength as we lose ground.

What the UK government should be doing is investing in British industry and technology. Lower employment costs, give tax breaks and raise import duties. Oh, I forgot, we have a Labour government, which puts British interests last in every domain.

We just hand over our data to the highest bidder – the Chinese don’t have to steal it, but they are quite capable of doing so if they want to, and they already are, and COVID was just phase 1.

The Mystery Of The Loch Ness Monster

There’s a continuing enigma shrouding the Loch Ness monster.

What, then, comes to mind when we think of Scotland? For me, it would be kilts, bagpipes, and verdant hills. Of course, there is also the Loch Ness monster.

There is a big, weird beast in Scotland, and the locals around Loch Ness have been living with the myth of it for generations.

Loch Ness boasts the most extensive volume of fresh water in Great Britain, and it extends out over 23 miles and reaches depths of nearly 800 feet in places, but Loch Ness is known for being particularly murky, so who knows what could be hiding under the surface.

On May 2, 1933, modern stories of the Loch Ness Monster—dubbed Nessie by fans—began. Due to a local couple’s assertions that it existed, a newspaper then covered it.

They claimed to have witnessed a massive animal rolling and diving on the surface of Loch Ness. From that moment on, the Loch Ness Monster became a fascinating mythical creature that still exists today, despite the claims of many sceptics that it is a hoax meant to boost local trade.

The question is, though, is it real?

Any concrete proof appears to be as uncommon as Nessie herself, and the Loch Ness Monster has been the subject of several scientific investigations and unending conjectures since 1933.

There have reportedly been 4,000 sightings of the odd monster, according to Nessie fans. According to some, it resembles a big dragon with flippers. Because of this, many people think that Nessie may be the last plesiosaur species.

It appears weird that with so many witness sightings there are remarkably few images of Nessie. There have been a few famous photographs that have been deemed to have been of Nessie, but all have been confirmed to be hoaxes.

But if Nessie isn’t real, how can we explain all these eyewitness reports and odd scientific discoveries? People may believe they are seeing Nessie, but there are likely a number of other causes, such as optical illusions. What the mind is capable of inventing is astounding.

Nobody can confirm the Loch Ness Monster exists, and the rest of the world can’t prove that it doesn’t.

Nessie probably isn’t a mystery, but an enterprise. Let’s face it, how many people would have visited Loch Ness without this tale?

So, what do you believe? Does Nessie exist, or is it just another myth? Maybe YOU can unravel the puzzle.

Smart, Loving Sammy Was Bullied At His New School

Sammy Teusch was an intelligent, humorous, and affectionate youngster who enjoyed football, robots, and fishing.

He put a lot of effort into his studies, spent time with his family, and got along well with his Florida classmates, but in November 2022, his family moved to Greenfield, central Indiana, and suddenly the boy’s life became a living hell.

Bullying of the newbie was immediately initiated by Weston Elementary students. At Greenfield Intermediate, the violence and taunting persisted.

To no avail, he begged teachers for assistance.

After months of brutality and cruelty, he killed himself in May – his asphyxiated body was found at home by his 13-year-old brother.

Now in a bombshell lawsuit filed by the parents, the extent of the ten-year-old’s unbelievable suffering has been laid bare – with pictures documenting his injuries. 

Along with a heartbreaking illustration of how the boy was tormented even after he passed away, the startling document also has a text message from one bully who seems to confess to driving Sammy to suicide.

Sam and Nicci Teusch have accused the school district of failing to act and showing ‘callous indifference’ to Sammy, who endured months of misery despite their desperate pleas for help.

Grieving dad Sam told DailyMail.com the wrongful death suit, filed this week at Hancock County Circuit Court, would make schools safer by ensuring teachers crack down on bullies.

‘Their neglect and lack of ability to accept responsibility for their actions can’t be allowed,’ said Sam.

‘I went to the school 20 times or more about all this.’

Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation refused to comment on the 14-page complaint against the district and its trustees.

It alleges that Sammy was attacked and ridiculed about everything from his ‘beaver’ teeth to his general appearance, which was grotesquely likened to that of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

Remarkably, a teacher reportedly joined in on the mockery at one point, claiming that the youngster did look like the Milwaukee maniac.

In one instance, a classmate allegedly choked Sammy until he ‘saw stars’.

Another hit him so hard with an iPad that Sammy was left with a black eye and broken glasses, the filing says.

On another occasion, a gang of students allegedly chased him through the school and trapped him in a bathroom.

Perhaps the most hurtful bullying cited in the lawsuit came from a student who simply followed Sammy around the school, urging him to kill himself.

Sammy complained to teachers but was largely ignored, the complaint alleges.

In an attempt to grab the attention of the staff, he flipped over his desk out of exasperation, however, this resulted in his being reprimanded for disturbing the class.

Sam told DailyMail.com that his boy ‘had the biggest heart along with the best smile’.

‘That made him an easy target and easy for school officials to dismiss and disregard him,’ he said.

‘We can’t let the world be like that.’

When Sammy alerted his parents, Sam and Nicci urged teachers to get involved and protect the boy, the lawsuit says.

Some 20 warnings were filed with GIS principal Bronson Curtis and others but to no avail.

The lawsuit says teachers took a ‘cavalier’ attitude to Sammy’s welfare and blamed the victim, not his bullies.

The filing accused staff of even saying the boy was picked upon due to his own ‘mental problems’. 

At one point, the exasperated child told his father: ‘They don’t listen to me, daddy.’

The final straw, it appears, was phone calls from a bully known in court papers as NT.

On Saturday, May 4, the schoolmate allegedly threatened more violence against Sammy once they were back in class the coming Monday.

‘NT never got the opportunity to carry through on his threats,’ says the complaint, as Sammy died by suicide shortly before midday on Sunday, May 5.

Upon finding his lifeless body, Sammy’s grieving parents and paramedics attempted but failed to get his young heart beating again.

Even as the community rallied behind the Teusches and hundreds turned out for the boy’s funeral on May 14, including a commemorative motorbike procession, the taunting persisted.

After reportedly taking pictures of Sammy’s open coffin, one of the bullies, a girl named TN, was observed giggling at her phone.

The lawsuit calls this a ‘blood-curdling moment reminiscent of the movie Children of the Corn’.

NT, the bully accused of prompting Sammy’s suicide, acknowledged in an apologetic text message that it was ‘all my fault for bullying him,’ the documents show.

The Teusches’ lawyer Brian Grossman says school officials are to blame because they ‘for months callously dismissed and disregarded Sammy’s pleas for protection’ and failed to step in.

The family wants damages, a jury trial, and reimbursement for their legal fees.

‘This suit is about more than holding the Greenfield School Corporation accountable,’ says Grossman.

‘It’s about making sure no child ever experiences what Sammy experienced—and no family again experiences the heartbreak the Teusch family can now never escape.’

Days after the fourth-grader’s death, the Greenfield Police Department opened an investigation into the bullying.

They discovered that ‘some bullying’ had plagued Sammy, both in and outside of school, but they ended the investigation on May 31 without bringing charges against anyone.

Deputy police chief Charles McMichael at the time said there was ‘no evidence’ teachers were neglectful.

The school district’s superintendent, Dr. Harold Olin, has contested the Teusches’ claims, saying no report of bullying was ever submitted by Sammy or his parents.

Sammy is just one among some two dozen US children who take their own lives each year after classroom bullying, according to data from the United Educators Association.

According to the US Department of Education, over 25 percent of children experience bullying every day.

Peer pressure and 24/7 social media are contributing to a young mental health crisis that is making those numbers worse.

The Megan Meier Foundation, a Missouri-based nonprofit, says kids who’ve been bullied or cyberbullied are twice as likely to try to end their lives as others.

The Teusches established the non-profit Sammy’s Tree Foundation to assist children who have been bullied in reporting their abusers and discussing issues in the classroom.

‘Our main goal is to let everybody know that right now suicide is the second-leading cause of death in children,’ said Sam.

‘It’s something I didn’t know because they don’t let us talk about it. There’s a stigma: You’re not allowed to even say the word.’

With or without this so-called Bullying Report, I guarantee that most of the grown-ups and students at this child’s grade level knew he was being tormented. This family lost a child due to the negligence of an entire system – all it would have taken is one adult from that school to speak up to protect this boy.

Bullying is out of control, particularly due to the use of social media. Groups form on social media and together they go on a mass frenzy of abuse.

There needs to be consequences, but that will take forever to accomplish. In the meantime, check your child’s phone and talk to your kids. Tell them to block social media posts from the masses, and take measures to help build up your child’s confidence and strength to walk away. It’s not much, but it’s a start in the right direction.

Every area of the school should have cameras, and if there are frequent issues, security personnel should always be on call to intercept, and mobile phones should be banned from schools.

Computers should also be banned from schools because even if they ban mobile phones, youngsters can get onto the computers, so the bullying will continue, and of course, once school has ended these kids are back on their phones where the bullying continues.

After physical punishment was outlawed in both the home and school, bullying began to flourish unchecked.

These kids basically killed this boy indirectly. They weren’t toddlers. They knew that hitting and name-calling someone else was wrong, but now with a carefully cultivated idolisation of children and then we get burned-out families and all entitled, evil, arrogant, rebel without a cause children.

Children spend more time in school than with their parents during the day. This is the reason it’s so crucial to be able to pick a school that respects morals and gives the youngster the proper instruction.

Children are supposed to be psychologically safeguarded by teachers as well as being taught by them. They’re expected to have training in child welfare and early detection of warning signals concerning the welfare and emotional health of children while in school.

There are numerous situations where children have ‘problems’ at home and school should be a haven of safety and trust between children and teachers where children are treated impartially, equal to one another, observed and listened to, and if they can’t receive the highest standard of care in a professional teaching environment, then where can they?

Drive-By Shooting Witnesses Released

Police have released fresh images of witnesses they are keen to talk to in connection to a drive-by shooting outside a wake where a mother-of-two was killed. 

Michelle Sadio, 46, was gunned down when a car drew up outside of a church near Wembley Stadium and opened fire on a gathering of mourners in the street.

The ceremony – held at the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church in Harlesden – was organised to mark the ninth day of Dinah Boateng’s death on December 5.

Ms Sadio, 46, from Walthamstow, East London, had stepped out of the venue to take a break when she was shot just before 9.15 pm on December 14.

Two men – both in their 30s – were also shot, with one being struck in the foot while the other was hit in the back and remains in hospital in a critical state. 

Investigators have now made public a picture of a person they think may know something about the car’s occupants connected to the drive-by shooting.

The car driven by the suspects has been described as a black Kia Niro with distinct alloys, with the number plate LA23 XRE.

The assailants fired a number of shots in Gifford Road, before driving away to Barnhill Road where the vehicle was dumped and set ablaze.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke, who is overseeing the investigation, said: ‘Our investigation has progressed at pace but we are still keen to hear from anyone who can help piece together the series of events which led to Michelle’s murder.

‘We have an image of a number of people who were seen speaking to the occupants of a black Kia Niro of interest on Church Road, NW10 at 20:50hrs on Saturday, 14 December.

‘Are you one of the people pictured in the white Mercedes or on the pavement nearby, or do you recognise anyone?

‘Did you hear or see something either before or after the shooting that may help with the investigation?

‘I would like to stress that none of those pictured have done anything wrong. 

‘They may not live in the area but they could hold information that is important to the investigation and I urge them to contact us.’

Specialist officers are presently providing support to Ms Sadio’s family, who have asked for privacy at this trying time.

It’s Walthamstow, so there is no British involvement, and two words immediately come to mind: gangs and drugs!

At one time, gun crime was something that occurred in other countries, but sadly not anymore. Not to worry – Labour is giving Khan a knighthood for wrecking London, I wonder what Rachel from complaints will get for recking the economy and condemning the Tories for her policies.

Every day there’s a killing in London, but the Mayor of London said it’s safe on the streets while he drives about in a bulletproof car.

Pedestrian Leaps Into Air After Ford Fiesta Mounts Sidewalk

This is the moment a pedestrian was launched into the air before being knocked to the ground by a car ascending the pavement.

Mridhul Kombara, 35, was hit by a white Ford Fiesta when the car unexpectedly swerved onto the pavement but dodged the full force of the impact after attempting to jump out of the way.

Footage shows Mridhul, wearing a brown jacket and jeans strolling along the path before the out-of-control car crashes into him and a lamp post, severely damaging its bonnet in the process.

He was rushed to University Hospital Coventry where he was found to have a fracture on his left ankle and injuries in his hips, legs and shoulder, the Sun reported.

The father-of-one, who works in IT, said he had been left ‘traumatised’ by the freak incident, which happened while he was walking to a restaurant to meet friends.

He said: ‘Someone was looking out for me that day, it’s a miracle I wasn’t more hurt.’

Mridhul initially thought the car was pulling up to park at the side of the road before he realised its speed wasn’t decreasing and was then tossed up by the bonnet of the car.

The unidentified driver of the vehicle is seen getting out and fleeing the scene without saying sorry to the victim.

Mridhul was luckily helped by passers-by and the manager of a local supermarket who came to his aid and called an ambulance.

But rather than remaining in the UK, Mridhul travelled to Kerala, India to have his injuries treated to ‘avoid NHS wait times’.

Mridhul said he wanted to know the identity of the reckless driver, adding that he would like ‘closure’ on the issue.

‘It was really painful, but I feel lucky to be alive’, he added.

Coventry Police said no arrests had been made in connection with the incident, but that it was continuing enquiries to identify and track down the driver. 

The vehicle was most likely not his, and the driver was most likely uninsured. He fled the scene and he’s probably an illegal, both in terms of residency status and also as a driver. The least he could have done is check the injured man. I hope that the police hunt him down, but they probably won’t bother that much.

Apparently, the man who got injured by the car. His wife took to the comments section and said:

“Hi,

The victim in this video is my husband. He was taken to UHCW A&E by the paramedics. However, he was let go because they couldn’t find anything seriously wrong with him. We waited for a week for him to get better. Unfortunately, he got worse and was in so much pain. That’s when we decided to go back to India where we have family and a better support system there.

At the time, it was the best decision for us as a family. We are very grateful to the paramedics, the doctors and nurses at the UHCW Coventry. They were wonderful. That said, we are taxpaying, hard-working immigrants in this country. We respect this country and live by its rules. No matter the colour of our skin, leaving a human to die on the road is truly disturbing to me!! I am so grateful my daughter was not accompanying him when the incident happened. I feel lucky to had gotten him alive”.

Prince Harry Claims NYPD Cover-Up In Unseen Emails

Prince Harry pressured New York cops to speed up their investigation and make arrests after their ‘high speed’ chase with shutterbugs through the streets of Manhattan.

He even claimed there was a cover-up, letters and emails obtained by DailyMail.com show.

‘The Duke feels intentionally misled and is suspicious of a cover-up,’ one missive from his security company to the New York Police Department said.

Harry also threatened to file a formal complaint and insisted that arrests be made the very following day.

The demand was made in response to two letters written to police in London by John Hart, the chief intelligence officer for the NYPD, stating that there was insufficient evidence to make arrests and then stating three months later that there was.

To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the May 2023 incident. 

Hart’s original letter was sent in September 2023. The second arrived on December 6 that year, halfway through a hearing in London when he was attempting to get the British government to pay for security for him and his family while visiting the UK.

But TorchStone then sent an email saying Harry was upset at the slow pace of the NYPD’s investigation and felt ‘intentionally misled’.

The Duke of Sussex was said to be ‘suspicious of a cover-up’ and the letter from his security advisors insisted that the paparazzi involved be arrested by the next day while threatening to make a formal complaint against Hart and the NYPD. 

Harry even asked California Governor Gavin Newsom for contact with the prosecutors in New York – and wanted to take the matter higher if ‘necessary’.

This new information is the latest twist surrounding the car chase incident after Harry’s wife Meghan Markle received the Ms. Foundation for Women of Vision Award at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 16 of last year.

The couple claimed in a statement that after they left the ceremony they were involved in a ‘near catastrophic car chase’ involving ‘a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi’ who followed them through the streets of Manhattan.

One of their security team, Chris Sanchez from TorchStone, told CNN that it was ‘chaotic’ and ‘could have been fatal’ and involved ruthless photographers jumping curbs and going through red lights. Footage captured by TMZ showed Harry and Meghan in a taxi at one point.

Omid Scobie, a biographer of the Sussexes, even claimed the ‘pursuit went on for two hours’ and Harry and Meghan’s car ‘went up to 80 miles an hour’.

The report was instantly questioned by sceptics due to the typical clogged streets of Manhattan.

New York Mayor Eric Adams said it was ‘hard to believe’ there was a lengthy high-speed car chase.

Emails obtained by DailyMail.com through a Freedom of Information request show that Harry’s team continually pressed the NYPD about the incident. 

Harry seems to be struggling to comprehend that he is no longer in the UK and that there is no monarchy with privileges in the US.

Anybody who has been to Manhattan will tell you that a car pursuit is nearly incomprehensible, it’s like attempting to sprint through Central London, but worse.

When Meghan and Harry went to the US from the UK, I assumed they wanted a tranquil existence, but ever since, they have been chasing attention everywhere they go – pardon the pun!

How on earth do you speed through Manhattan in a high-speed car chase unless, of course, you’re Spiderman?

Prince Harry, the self-proclaimed advocate of truth and transparency has now flung the NYPD under the bus, claiming some cover-up related to some seemingly incendiary unseen emails demanding arrests. Of course, the NYPD want it brushed under the carpet. Meanwhile, in Harry and Meghan’s whirlwind of ‘me, me, me,’ it appears they’ve conjured up yet another distraction to keep themselves relevant amid a string of flip-flops and failed ventures.

Their charity, which seems to prioritise grand parties and payouts over actual generosity, maybe the ideal diversion they require. Let’s not forget Meghan’s curious relationship with her former royal kin. She allegedly despises them but continues to milk the title for all its worth.

Additionally, continuing to feel like a victim is not natural. Harry needs to take care of that!

If certain celebs are brave enough to stroll around NYC by themselves, it just goes to show the delusions of grandeur these two have.

Unexpected Duo Writes Christmas Hit In An Hour

It has topped the charts and already been listened to more than a million times but the Christmas hit criticising Sir Keir Starmer was created by a duo who have never met.

‘Freezing This Christmas’ is about the government’s slashing of winter fuel payments for pensioners and the resulting ‘hardship’ imposed on its prey.

The track was composed by freelance marketer and writer Chris Middleton and uses the melody of Mud’s 1974 hit ‘Lonely This Christmas’ and has been released under the faux band name Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers.

It was sung by Frank Sinatra impersonator Dean Ager, 51, from Worthing, who recorded it in only 15 minutes. 

All sales proceeds will be donated to organisations that assist the elderly.

The song features the vocals: ‘It’ll be freezing this Christmas, without fuel at home, it’ll be freezing this Christmas, while Keir Starmer is warm. It’ll be cold, so cold, without fuel at home, this Christmas.’

Middleton, from Newcastle, said he was inspired by ‘something on Twitter a couple of months ago about trying to do a Christmas song for pensioners’ and that the hook of the chorus then ‘just came’ to him.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Ager said that Middleton had stumbled across him online when he was looking for a singer for the record and offered just £50 for him to perform the track.

Ager explained: ‘Chris contacted me and said ”I’ve got this song – can you do it?” He paid me £50 and I recorded it in about 15 minutes. I already knew the tune, well-ish, and so I sent it and scurried off on my way. I thought that would be the end of it.

‘When Chris asked me if I wanted recognition I looked at the lyrics again and thought ”Wow, that’s something”, but when he told me we were number one on the iTunes download charts, I was jumping around in excitement like a little kid.’

Middleton was raised by his grandparents for a number of years and says he has seen first-hand how damaging Labour’s fuel payment policy had been.

He said: ‘Older people do feel the cold more.

‘My gran had a heart attack and her medication makes her blood vessels constrict so she is always freezing. Even in summer, she’s bundled up by the fire.

‘After 14 years of the Tories we were all fed up, and we thought things would be different under Labour, but it’s way worse than anyone thought.’

Ager, who frequently does gigs at care homes, agreed, saying he is ‘not very political’ but that ‘you don’t have to look far to see that the elderly are vulnerable and a lot of people are really struggling’. 

An original member of Mud, Rob Davis, who is now 77, is among those to express their support for the record.

He said of winter fuel cuts: ‘That’s not a good thing. I mean, there are a lot of very broke people over here. It’s very hard.’

He also said of the parody arrangement: ‘It’s a good version. The vocals sound the same as Les [Gray, the late singer of Mud]. It’s a cool version.’

Perhaps paralleling the production of earlier charity Christmas songs, ‘Freezing This Christmas’ was written quickly – reportedly in an hour – and has already raised £24,000.

The amount is not quite as much as the millions made by Band-Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” but the men who wrote the new holiday charity song haven’t even met yet, just like many of the singers of the classic 80s track.

While 1.4 million people have already watched the cover on YouTube, the only airtime the song has had so far on radio is through a small chart round-up on Heart Radio, a channel run by media company Global.

But bookmaker William Hill has pegged the song as a second favourite to become Christmas No 1.

Every Friday, the Official Charts Company releases the official singles chart, which combines sales from physical purchases, paid downloads, and streaming to determine the week’s top-selling song.

William Hill has spoken of how the single is now actually ‘a serious contender to top the charts on Christmas Day and that a miracle next week is still on the table.

The company presently has Wham! at 1/16 odds to take pole position and Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers at 12/1.

After Rachel Reeves changed the regulations governing winter fuel subsidies, tens of thousands of senior citizens may have to choose between heating and eating this Christmas.

The chancellor announced this summer that claims for the allowance, which is intended to support pensioners with energy bills and is worth up to £300, would be mainly limited to people eligible for pension credit.

The shift resulted in a wave of pension credit claims that has overwhelmed Whitehall, creating a pile-up of 91,075 unprocessed applications as of 18 November, according to Emma Reynolds, the pensions minister.

It’s an amazing song, and these two guys deserve a lot of credit for using comedy to make their argument in a tactful yet powerful way.

Apparently, the BBC is refusing to push it, which tells you everything you need to know about the BBC.

What a lot of people don’t comprehend is that it is the single pensioner who will suffer the most because they still have to pay the same bill for the heat as a couple or family would.

A single radiator for instance heats a room no matter how many people are in it. A thermostat can be turned down or even turned off if there are many people in a room because body heat warms instead.

The cost of living has increased, and supermarkets are offering groceries better suited for parties with families around this time of year, ignoring the fact that many individuals will be sitting at home alone and unable to afford to spend money on extravagant meals or meals that are prepared for several people. Eating keeps the body warm.

For many people, this is a terrible time of year, and the government’s thoughtless and uninformed actions have made it even worse, and it’s refreshing to see young people identifying the problem by writing a song – well done!

This song hasn’t had the airtime et cetera like the sausage roll Christmas song from previous years, and I wonder why. Maybe it’s because the words in this song are true and caused by those who are paid to serve and look after us, and it appears that those who come from across the water are more of a priority.

‘Chemical Attack’ In Winter Wonderland Hospitalizes Man

An alleged chemical attack at London’s Winter Wonderland on Sunday resulted in the hospitalisation of a man.

Police attended the Christmas market at about 8 pm following reports of an “altercation” between two groups of people.

A 22-year-old man was rushed to hospital after a bottle of alkaline liquid was allegedly hurled at him during the incident. He had non-life-threatening injuries. Police confirmed no other injuries were reported.

A 21-year-old man, an 18-year-old man, and a 16-year-old boy have been arrested.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “It was alleged that a bottle containing an alkaline liquid was thrown. A man who was splashed by the liquid was taken to hospital where his injuries were assessed as non-life changing. No other injuries were reported.”

Anyone with information about the incident is being urged to contact the Met Police.

A Hyde Park Winter Wonderland spokesperson said medical and security staff attended the scene and assisted the Met Police. The spokesperson also said: “We do not tolerate any acts of violence.”

The spokesperson told Metro: “We are aware of an isolated incident involving a corrosive substance during an altercation between a small group on Sunday evening, which resulted in a person being taken to hospital. Our medical and security staff attended the scene and we assisted the Metropolitan Police with their arrest of three individuals that evening.

“The safety of our visitors and staff is our top priority and we do not tolerate any acts of violence. We have robust security measures in place, including bag searches, CCTV, onsite security services, specially trained staff that flag suspicious activity, and extensive perimeter protection. We will continue to support the authorities with their investigation.”

I’m not sure why this was not on the main news, perhaps someone is keeping things quiet from the masses, or have incidents like this become normal these days?

Perhaps this was a hate crime that has been hushed up.

Just because things like these happen doesn’t imply that Winter Wonderland should be closed or that we shouldn’t go there; just be careful and have fun while you’re there. Winter Wonderland is a great spot to come to before Christmas.

To be fair, you have to watch your back wherever you go now. There is so much hatred, prejudice and animosity now, but we can’t live our lives inside a bubble. We have to go out, and we have to go to work.

However, it’s also awful what native Brits are being asked to do. We are being asked to close our eyes and ears to things, and pretend they’re not happening because if we don’t and we have an opinion as to what is going on – the ‘woke police’ will arrest you!

However, some people don’t need to be encouraged to cover their eyes and ears; they do it voluntarily and feel good about themselves because they think they’re being kinder than others who do see the patterns.

These people just won’t accept any patterns even when it’s staring them straight in the face.

They must adhere to their egotistical notion that they are superior to all of that at all costs. Some even march, claiming to be heroes in their own right, declaring their morality and denial.

Believe what you will. I didn’t vote for this, so my conscience is clear, and I’m sure there are a bunch of other people who didn’t vote for this either.

I’m not saying that native Brits never perpetrate crimes, of course, they do, but now we have more people here who are not native to this country, and if a native Brit went to another country and executed a serious offence they would be tossed into prison instantly.

It doesn’t matter though, Starmer loves these people and will still keep letting them in with open arms.

Shoppers Lose Money On Fake Fashion Sites

Fake online fashion sites are ‘scamming’ angry customers with knock-off products after luring them in with massive Christmas discounts, MailOnline can reveal.

Dozens of people shopping for last-minute festive presents for loved ones claim to have been ‘ripped off’ by two websites flogging fake ‘cashmere’ garments, leaving them hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

The firms, Velora-London.co.uk and Thompson-Oxford.com, both seem to share similar ‘sob stories’ online and in social media adverts designed to pull at customers’ heartstrings and trick them into spending money.

Each claimed to have been running ‘for years’ but were being ‘forced’ to close up shop due to financial struggles – and that ‘with a heavy heart’ they were having a final ‘closing down’ sale with ‘huge discounts’.

However, checks reveal both firms set up their online shops just weeks ago, with Velora’s going live at the end of September while Thompson Oxford – which claims to have been ‘offering our customers the best service for more than 30 years’ – going live last month. 

Disappointed customers who claim to have spent hundreds of pounds on high-quality garments advertised as ‘cashmere’ say when the garments arrived, they were ‘cheap knock-offs’ made of ’95 per cent polyester’ – and imported from China. 

Since neither website provides complete communication addresses, frustrated customers who are looking for a refund then claim they have had difficulty getting their money back.

One person allegedly scammed by the Velora spent £154 on five tops after spotting an advert on Instagram last month, including a ‘large cashmere sweater’, two ‘cashmere turtle necks’, a cardigan and a ‘cozy sweater’. 

When they arrived, weeks later, they were ‘acrylic’ and ‘not cashmere… with no labels. 

‘I was very naive. I wanted to buy nice jumpers for Christmas presents,’ the person told MailOnline. ‘The problem is that you receive the order, but they send rubbish jumpers. I have sent two emails to the company to cancel the order. No news.’

In an email to the company, the angry customer wrote: ‘Dear Fraudsters, the quality of the jumpers is appalling. 

‘They are neither cashmere nor wool – just cheap, badly cut acrylic. The packaging was equally rubbish, and there are no labels on the jumpers.

‘I demand a full refund immediately. Confirm at once where I should return this garbage. It is disgraceful that there isn’t even a return label provided.’

Others have left derogatory reviews online, alleging they were deceived into buying cheap knock-offs advertised as quality cashmere jumpers. 

Nearly all of the 112 reviews of Velora on Trustpilot – which claims to have more than 14,000 ‘satisfied customers’ – are rated as one star, with seething shoppers saying they’ve been ‘scammed’. While 75 per cent of 91 Thompson reviews were one star.

‘FRAUD. DON’T BUY FROM THEM. Awful quality and you need to return to China and pay for the return yourself. IT IS A BIG SCAM,’ one person wrote.

Another added: ‘I bought a “cashmere” jumper from them because the site looked legit, and even states it’s based in Covent Garden, London with a 30-day money back guarantee and great customer support. None of this is true. 

‘My jumper was shipped from a warehouse in China, and arrived the wrong colour, the wrong style and is certainly NOT made of cashmere. 

‘If you try to contact this company to complain and ask for a refund, as I have done, you get absolutely nothing back. Nada. They take your money and run, and you are left with goods that look nothing like what they are advertising on their website.’

A reviewer of Thompson Oxford wrote: ‘Buyers beware! I ordered a luxurious, windproof cashmere jacket. Silly me! I received a shabby jacket made of thin polyester. It is neither luxurious or windproof. Outrageous!’

Velora London, which says it is ‘cleaning up’ on its website and claims to have an address someplace in London’s Covent Garden, was only set up on September 27.

Explaining why it was being ‘forced to close’ its shop, its website says: ‘Well, let’s be honest… Running an online store has been harder than we ever imagined a few years ago. It’s been a mix of many factors: poor collaborations with partners, too many unsold items, and a lack of funds that have accumulated, leaving us with no choice but to stop featuring most of our products. 

‘We’re now at the point of liquidating our stock and, to speed up this process, we’re offering you these huge discounts. It’s difficult for us to see this situation continue… We hope that you, our community, understand and support our decision. With love, Annie and Sophie.’

In a supported post on Instagram, a scammer posing as the owner Thompson Oxford claims they have ‘a heavy heart and tears in my eyes’ as ‘after many years’ their store cannot compete financially with larger stores.

However, a probe by the MailOnline has revealed the alleged boutique shop’s website was only set up last month ago, on November 17. 

Meanwhile, an almost identical sob story to Velora’s was shared by Thompson Oxford on its website. 

It said: ‘Well, I’ll be honest with you… Running an online store has turned out to be more challenging than I had imagined a few years ago. It’s been a mix of different reasons: unfortunate partnerships, too many unsold products, and a lack of funds that have piled up, leaving me with no choice but to stop offering most of my items.

‘Now I’m at a stage where I’m clearing out stock, and to speed up this process, I’m offering you these huge discounts. It’s hard for me to let this situation continue… I hope that you, my community, understand and support my decision. With love, Maggie.’

Velora claims to have a 30-day money-back guarantee and ’24-hour customer service’.

But after buying at Velora, a consumer who wanted a refund said they were neglected for days before getting an answer.

In an email sent from Velora to the customer, seen by MailOnline, a worker going by the name of ‘Cindy’ wrote: ‘Thank you for your message. I’m sorry, but as your order has already been processed and is on its way to you, unfortunately, it can no longer be cancelled.

‘If you still wish to return the item for a refund, you can do so when you receive it. We’re here to help you with the returns process and ensure you receive your refund.

‘If you have any further questions or concerns, feel free to contact us. We are here to help.’

Both businesses have been contacted by MailOnline for comment.

Never buy from sites that don’t give you the name of their head office or telephone details. Check the fine details, especially if you’ve never bought from them before. Also, when attempting to purchase clothes, always look at the description, nine times out of ten it will say acrylic.

Many of these online stores where it’s being shipped from abroad, especially China, knock up these clothes on the cheap which means they use inferior materials, but sell them as something else. Not only that, you are purchasing from companies that manufacture in China where their workers work 15-hour days for about $1.50 a day – it’s called slave labour, and if they oppose the regime they get beaten if not killed.

The reviews are too easily faked, and Trustpilot and other internet review sites pay people to fabricate ratings, so you can’t even trust them.

Always use PayPal to make payments, and just don’t purchase the item if you can’t.

There’s an old saying, that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Some people just see a great deal, or at least believe that they do and just click and buy without even doing the most basic checks.

There are thousands of these sites now and they rely heavily on social media advertising. Always study the small print and facts section on the site. If it’s got a long delivery time plus a weird returns policy, this generally means it’s rubbish, and you could probably purchase it on Amazon or eBay. We need to stop fuelling this fast fashion – if it’s cheap, then it’s cheap for a reason.

The world revolved quite freely before the birth of social media which seems to have an almost narcotic influence on people.

If you can’t touch it or handle the item, then don’t buy it unless it’s from a store online like Marks & Spencer or such like. You get what you pay for, and if it’s cheap it’s not worth it.

People are becoming paralytic lemmings and letting social media take over their lives. When you can get genuine quality at a fraction of the price at high street businesses like second-hand shops, designer vintage stores, or even retro stores, why should you buy from retailers that are promoted on social media?

Facebook has become rife with these online websites advertising garbage. It shouldn’t be called Facebook, it should be called Farcebook or even Arsebook!

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