Around one in eight women in the UK will develop breast cancer at some point in their life. This shocking statistic needs to be discussed. That’s why this breast cancer awareness month we’ll be wearing it pink, will you?

Checking your breasts

It’s important to check your breasts regularly so that you can spot if there’s any changes*. Everyone is different so your normal might be different to someone else’s, but here are a few symptoms it’s important for you to look out for:

• Lumps/swelling
• Changes in shape or size
• Change in skin texture or colour
• Change in nipples (one might become inverted when it usually isn’t)
• Nipple discharge
• Rash or crusting

*Remember to check the whole breast area including your upper chest and armpits!

Breast cancer in men

While it’s very rare, it is possible for men to develop breast cancer. It usually occurs in men over the age of sixty, however on very rare occasions it can affect younger men. The symptoms of breast cancer in men are the same as those in women.

Get involved!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month have a number of challenges and fundraising events you can get involved in to help raise money and awareness. These include:

• Sponsored runs, walks, cycles or swims
• Sponsored skydive
• Tough mudder challenge
• Organise your own fundraising event, or take part in one organised by Breast cancer Awareness Month.

Wear it pink!

Wear it pink is Breast Cancer Awareness Month’s biggest fundraising event, and as the title states, it involves wearing pink! Thousands of people from across the UK will all be wearing pink and raising money for breast cancer awareness on 19 October 2018. So make sure you get involved by registering online at https://goo.gl/2zXaip.

For more Health and Fitness tips, take a look at last month’s blog post.

We’ve all seen at least one social media influencer or celebrity pose for a picture with their French bulldog. But could an Instagram trend actually be causing more harm than good? This International Puppy Farm Awareness Day, make sure you consider responsible puppy purchasing.

Brachycephalic breeds boom in recent years

In recent years, miniature and brachycephalic breeds (such as the pug and French bulldog) have seen a massive increase in numbers. This could be, in part, fuelled by social media influencers and celebs promoting their dogs on their social media platforms.

BBC Three documentary ‘The Dark Side of Britain’s Insta Puppy Trade’ shared stats showing the breeds which have increased massively in recent years:

• Miniature smooth haired dachshund up by 37%
• Pug up by 110%
• Boston terrier up by 196%
• French bulldog up by 554% (Britain’s fastest growing dog breed)

But, that’s not all, people are now also making Instagram accounts for their dogs; with some accounts having as many as 1.1 million followers. This level of exposure and people more commonly wanting to live the lives of celebs and social media influencers, is only putting these dog breeds in higher demand.

What does the popularity of these breeds mean for how they’re bred?

Since the numbers of ‘on trend’ dogs are soaring through the roof, irresponsible breeding and puppy farming are following suit. With a French bulldog costing anywhere between £1000 and £3000, there’s a lot of money to be made in breeding them.

While some people selling puppies on the internet may be legitimate breeders, it’s really important to ensure that, if you are purchasing a puppy, you do your homework and ensure you either purchase through a reputable breeder or adopt via a rescue centre.

How to spot a false breeder

Some red flags when visiting a dog you’re looking to buy:

• The puppy isn’t with its mother
• There are many different litters of different breeds
• Not all documents are present (e.g. Microchipping documentation)
• The breeder offers to let you take the puppy home before the legal age limit of eight weeks

Puppy farming and bad breeders are becoming harder and harder to spot these days. With some of them even going to the lengths of setting up a ‘base house’ where the puppies are shown to prospective buyers. The base house is set up to look like the ideal environment for the puppy to have been brought up in, alongside its mother.

If you suspect someone is irresponsibly breeding puppies, do not buy the dog in order to ‘save’ it. This will only fund puppy farming further and allow them to continue operating. Instead, report the breeder to the local authorities, police or the RSPCA and spread the news to others in the local area.

Finding a responsible breeder

If you’re looking to buy a dog and want to make sure you’re buying from a responsible breeder, look out for Kennel Club Assured Breeders. The Kennel Club have an up-to-date list of responsible breeders who have to follow a set of guidelines to remain on this list. You can find out more about the Kennel Club Assured Breeders Scheme on their website.

Adopting a dog

It’s important to bear in mind that there are an awful lot of dogs in rescue centres across the UK looking for their forever homes, so please also consider re-homing a dog. Dogs Trust reported that over 47,000 dogs were abandoned by their owners in 2015 alone. Local charities such as Blue Cross, Battersea and RSPCA are always keen for their dogs to find loving homes, so why not give a dog a second chance?

Do you know just how many people can’t read and write?

According to shocking figures from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), around 774 million people worldwide are illiterate. To many of us, these statistics may be surprising. But with more than one in eight adults across the globe unable to read and write, we need to address it!

Do we take literacy for granted?

What would your life be like if you couldn’t read or write? Would you have been able to get your current job? Or even any job? Living in a country where school attendance is mandatory and adult illiteracy is rare, we’ve probably never considered what our lives would be like if we couldn’t read or write.

How can learning to read and write change someone’s life?

For someone who is illiterate and living in poverty, it is extremely difficult to get a job that pays well enough to escape these living conditions. However, learning to read and write can open up job opportunities and help to get people away from poverty.

Without literacy many people are stuck in dead end jobs which barely support them financially. These jobs offer no area for progression and only add to the levels of poverty in any given country. But, learning to read and write and thriving on the opportunities it can provide can help individuals get better jobs and earn enough money to improve their lives.

How you can do your bit this International Literacy Day

Some of the ways you can help to improve literacy skills are:

• Volunteer at local libraries
• Introduce an after school reading club
• Volunteer at summer schools
• Take part in a volunteer programme to teach literacy in a disadvantaged community

Charities aiming to tackle illiteracy

Some of the charities who are working towards eliminating illiteracy are:

• Help2read who have helped over 12700 children in South Africa’s disadvantaged communities learn to read through their programmes.
• Save the Children who are working with GVI Mexico and are running a day care centre which provides a safe space for children to learn and play.
• Read Global who work in rural areas in Asia to help build libraries and reading centres teaching thousands of people to read every year.

Don’t think your literacy skills are quite up to scratch?

If you think that your literacy skills could be improved, don’t worry it’s not too late! Our Functional Skills English and Maths courses cover all the key skills you need to progress within your career or training.

Having a solid foundation in English and Maths can set you on your way to better paid jobs or being able to enrol onto higher level training programmes!

So, if you’re interested in refreshing your Maths or English skills, take a look at the courses we have to offer!

Having trouble getting to sleep?

There are various things which could be stopping you from getting the rest you need. So, take a look at these tips that could help you get to sleep easier!

Go to bed at around the same time each day

Having a routine can make it easier for you to get to sleep because your body will become used to going to sleep at that time.

Relax

Make sure to relax right before you go to bed. For example, you could have a warm bath or read a book.

Avoid using your phone or watching TV

Going on your phone or tablet can contribute to keeping you up at night. This is because they emit blue light, which is the same type of light that helps to tell our brain when it’s the morning and time to wake up. So you can see why this might stop you from sleeping…

Feel tired all the time?

According to the NHS, the most common causes of tiredness are psychological. So, if you have a lot on your mind, the quality of your sleep won’t be as good.

Some of the psychological causes that can stop you from getting enough rest are:

• Stress
• Depression
• Anxiety

How can lifestyle impact your sleep?

Many people now have increasingly demanding work lives, meaning often stress continues even after workers leave the office. After work there are still things such as household chores, food preparation and children to take care of. Always being on the go and trying to fit too many things in our day-to-day lives can impact our sleep.

A few of the lifestyle choices which can impact your sleep are:

• Alcohol – drinking alcohol before going to bed can affect the quality of your sleep and cause you to wake up at several points during the night.
• Caffeine – caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake if consumed before going to sleep.
• Sleeping during the day – this can reduce the quality of sleep you get at night.

For more Health and Fitness tips, take a look at last month’s blog post.

Were you pleased with the GCSE results you received? Or maybe you didn’t quite achieve the grades you were hoping for? Either way, now is the time to be thinking about the next step…

Stuck for what to do next?

Are you stuck wondering what you’re going to do next? If so, why not look around and consider which career path would be best suited to your skill set and lifestyle.

If, like most of us, you love animals and would love to be able to work with them, why not make it a reality? There are many options for you to explore when considering a career with animals. Some of these include:

• Veterinary Nurse
• Veterinary Surgeon
• Veterinary Care Assistant
• Dog Groomer
• Kennel/Cattery Worker
• Dog Trainer
• Dog Walker/Pet Sitter

And the list goes on!

How can I get into a career with animals?

The first thing you’ll need to do is consider what career with animals would be best for you. For example, if you’re squeamish, veterinary nursing might not be for you. After you’ve established what career path you’d like to go down, you can begin to look at how to get qualified.

Some of the courses we offer at CAW…

• Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing
  You’ll get the chance to assist veterinary surgeons with the care of animals during treatment and carry out x-rays and diagnostic tests. You’ll attend college on day release or block release (depending on where you study) and will spend the rest of your time on work placement, where you’ll get to put your learning into practice and gain real life experience.
• Level 2 Certificate in Veterinary Care Support
  This course allows you to do all your studying online alongside employment or voluntary work in a veterinary practice. Throughout the course you will look at topics such as Animal Health and Welfare, Animal Environment and Accommodation, an Introduction to Animal Anatomy and Physiology and more.
• Level 2 Diploma in Work-based Animal Care
  If you’re already working with animals or are looking to find a job in the animal care industry, this qualification will suit you perfectly. All of your studying will be done online through our Virtual Learning Environment alongside employment in an animal care environment. You’ll look at a number of mandatory units, including preparing feed for animals, controlling and restraining animals, maintaining animal accommodation and more! You’ll then also get to choose from a range of optional units, such as preparing and grooming animals, providing controlled exercise opportunities for animals, loading and unloading animals for transportation, to name a few.
• Level 2 Animal Care and Welfare Assistant Apprenticeship
  This apprenticeship is the perfect way for those who dream of working with animals to get started in the industry. Or, if you’re already working in an animal care environment, why not have your skills formally recognised? All learning is work-based so you won’t have to come into college, and since it’s an apprenticeship – you’d be earning a wage while studying towards a Level 2 qualification. What’s more, to tailor your learning to your job role you’ll get to choose from one of seven further learning pathways, some of these include Animal Interaction and Handling, Rehoming, Working Dog Handler, Wildlife Rehabilitation and more.

Need some more information?

If you’re still unsure about what you want to do next, you can speak to a member of our Customer Advice Team (CAT) on 01480 422060. They will be able to help you explore the different options available and help you establish which would be best for you.

Alternatively, The College of Animal Welfare is holding its Careers With Animals Day event at its centre in Leeds this October. If you want to work with animals and are looking to find out how you can make it happen, this really is an event not to be missed. As well as speaking to industry professionals about careers working with animals, visitors can also listen to a variety of careers talks being held throughout the day.

What’s more – you can listen to last year’s careers talks on our website by clicking here.

Hopefully you are pleased with your A Level results, but whether you achieved the grades you were hoping for or not, there are always choices out there for you. So, what will your next step be?

Explore your options

If you are haven’t quite decided what you want to do next, it is important to explore all your options, talk to friends/family and to colleges/universities to make sure your next move is going to get you to where you want to be.

What about clearing?

If you have already applied through UCAS and either didn’t achieve the A Level grades you were hoping to, or have had a change of heart and are looking to study a different course, maybe even doing better than you expected, you might be wondering about clearing options.

To enquire about a clearing place:

• Research the programmes you’re interested in prior to ringing
• Have your work experience references/any other relevant documents to hand when ringing
• Make sure to make the call yourself, as opposed to asking a parent to
• Be prepared to have a telephone/skype interview

Clearing contacts for the BSc (Honours) Veterinary Nursing courses run in conjunction with The College of Animal Welfare can be found below:

1. Middlesex University: 020 8411 6565
2. Edinburgh Napier University: 0333 900 3050

For more information visit the UCAS website.

University not for you?

Whilst a degree often opens up additional opportunities and is sometimes essential for certain career paths, for many people going to university full-time is not the be all and end all.

For example, if you are looking at a career working with animals there are many other ways in which you can learn and progress through either further education courses or apprenticeships, such as:

• Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing
• Apprenticeships in Animal Care
• Level 2 and 3 Dog Grooming

Careers With Animals Day

If you are looking to explore your options why not coming along to Careers With Animals Day at The College of Animal Welfare’s Leeds centre this October? Speak to the professionals, get answers to any questions you have on training and  job roles and listen to career talks – and all this is free! Find out more…

We hear a lot about processed foods and how they’re bad for our health, but what makes a food processed?

What are processed foods?

According to the NHS, processed foods are foods that have been altered some way during preparation. So, this can be anything from microwavable ready meals, to tinned fruits and vegetables. Some examples are:

• Cereal
• Cheese
• Tinned foods
• Bread
• Crisps
• Meats such as bacon and ham etc.

Are they as bad as we think?

Some ways of processing foods, such as freezing them, don’t cause any harm. However, other processing methods, such as those used to make cheap meats, might be just as bad as we think they are. But what is it that makes them so bad?

Processed foods, such as ready meals and cheap meats, often have lots of added fats, sugars and salts. Often we don’t even realise how much fat, salt and sugars are in the processed foods we eat. Leading to us consuming more than the recommended amount, without even realising it!

Fizzy drinks and sweet treats

People often make the mistake of thinking that all sugar is the same, so it doesn’t matter how you consume it. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

While all sugar molecules eventually get digested into either glucose or fructose, the type of sugar is not what has the biggest impact on our body. It’s how we consume these sugars that matters the most.

Liquid sugars such as fizzy drinks and fruit juices allow sugar to enter our body immediately. Causing blood sugar levels to spike and putting our bodies under a lot of pressure. Whereas, if we were to eat an apple, it takes longer for the sugar to enter the body because the process is more gradual. Apples and other fruits also contain a lot of nutrients and fibre, in comparison to just sugar.

How can I reduce the amount of processed food I eat?

Avoiding processed foods can be hard because they’re everywhere, not to mention convenient. But, if you’d like to cut down the amount you eat, you can:

• Cook your own meals – This way you know all the ingredients going into each of your meals and can control the added sugar and salt contents.
• Avoid convenience foods – Ready meals and on-the-go snacks are often heavily processed, so are best to be avoided.
• Buy fresh instead of tinned – Buying your fruit and veg fresh instead of tinned allows you to get as much nutrients as possible from them.

If you’re unsure whether or not a product is processed, consider if it can be made by a person, or whether it would have to be made by a machine. Processed foods will need machines to be made, but natural foods won’t.

To find out more about the impacts different foods can have on our health, visit https://goo.gl/UrK76g.

The British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) asked members to vote for the three candidates they wanted to see on its council. And as of 23 July, the votes are in!

The poll closed at midnight on the 18 July 2018 and with a turnout of only 6.3%, nine nominations were received.

Who were the nominated candidates?

• Louise Scott (244 votes)
• Alexandra Taylor (116 votes)
• Albert Holgate (65 votes)
• Callum Ladell (53 votes)
• Samantha Payne (41 votes)
• Lacey Pitcher (28 votes)
• Rachel Davis (24 votes)
• Sarah Ramsden (24 votes)
• Abigail Stanley-Jones (18 votes)

Since Louise Northway (nee Scott), Alexandra Taylor and Albert Holgate received the largest number of votes, they will be presented to the AGM of the BNVA at its annual Congress, at Telford International Centre, for ratification on Sunday 14 October.

Student council results

It wasn’t just council members BNVA was searching for, but student council members too. Members were asked to vote for three candidates they wanted to see on the student council and this is who they chose:

• Laura Richards
• Jennifer Welsman
• Charlotte Wood

The three new student council members will also be presented to the AGM of the BVNA at its annual Congress for ratification on Sunday 14 October.