More than three quarters of young people say going on an apprenticeship improved their skills and career prospects while four in five would recommend them to others, according to new research from YMCA. Speaking as part of the youth charity’s Work in Progress report – released today ahead of the Government’s new Apprenticeship Levy that will help secure funding for three million apprenticeship starts over the course of this Parliament – young people overwhelmingly backed the benefits of a vocational...

RICS launch anti-homelessness pledge to unite industry and end homeless epidemic. London’s land, property and construction sectors must collaborate better to help end rising homelessness and deliver more affordable homes, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The professional body is asking those who work in the industry to pledge their support for its ‘A Home For Cathy’ campaign, which aims to deliver solutions to alleviate the country’s affordable housing crisis. RICS – which sets professional standards in the land,...

A community based therapeutic counselling service, Your Space, is working with groups and individuals to improve their mental health and resilience in East London. Based in Newham, one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK, Your Space provides vital services to vulnerable people to promote and facilitate better mental health, tackle isolation and loneliness and empower service users to regain confidence. A key offering is Walk and Talk, a weekly walking therapy group for any local community members in...

It was 50 years ago this June 1st when The Beatles’ John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr ushered in the Summer of Love with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a groundbreaking masterwork that became popular music’s most universally acclaimed album. To salute the occasion, The Beatles will release a suite of lavishly presented ‘Sgt. Pepper’ Anniversary Edition packages on May 26 (Apple Corps Ltd./Universal Music). The album is newly mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell in stereo and 5.1 surround audio and expanded with early takes from the studio...

By Leslie Byron Pitt While Stanley Kubrick’s methodical work ethic produced a low volume of high-quality work, it’s easy to forget that the productivity of a prolific filmmaker can bear equally rewarding fruits. In the space of ten years, Chilean director Pablo Larraín has produced seven features and has only just reached the age of 40. The works of Larraín which the writer has seen, have been impactful ones, with each of them leaving a distinct mark as much as...

Of the five upcoming billion dollar industries unveiled by Syed Irfan Ajmal in Business.com at the start of the year - virtual reality, big data, online retail, IOT and the sharing economy - one seemed to mysteriously slip his mind - Sperm. The global sperm bank market is expected to reach a value of USD 4.96 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research. Although the market is largely confined to North America due to the large...

Have you ever robbed a casino? No, nor have I. But after visiting the Heliot Steakhouse at The Hippodrome, I found the outstanding value enough to make most anyone feel like a member of the Rat Pack in Oceans 11. Quite honestly, I had my doubts about the restaurant before visiting. Although having heard nothing but praise, my partisan preconceptions of the place included an unsavoury concoction of Leicester Square, men in polyester suits vaunting their wealth while supping dry...

By Tom Moore Racists up and down the UK are today unsure what to think as the reality of ‘being free to negotiate deals with nations around the world’ becomes apparent. There was an assumption amongst the racists that ‘other nations’ meant the US and Canada and possibly one or two South American countries, but the whiter ones like Argentina. Theresa May has been spending time in Saudi Arabia and Qatar recently with the intention of securing partnerships and trade...

By Wyndham Hacket Pain Controversial and often divisive, Rainer Werner Fassbinder directed 40 films in 14 years before his death from a drug overdose aged 37 in 1982. He was so prolific during his lifetime that even today audiences and critics are still catching up with his work that in some cases have only received limited DVD releases. The current retrospective at the BFI then represents a chance to re-evaluate a director whose work is as intriguing and important as...