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Indie Authors Rise Up book festival: A celebration of independent writing in Helderberg
Indie Authors Rise Up book festival: A celebration of independent writing in Helderberg

IOL News

time8 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • IOL News

Indie Authors Rise Up book festival: A celebration of independent writing in Helderberg

The Indie Authors Rise Up Book Festival celebrates independent voices with a unique fringe festival format. Image: supplied The Helderberg region is set to host the third annual Indie Authors Rise Up Book Festival from August 16 to 24, 2025, offering a fresh, inclusive platform for independent authors across all genres to connect with readers and fellow creatives. Unlike traditional book festivals, this event is modelled as a fringe festival, meaning participation is open to any indie author, writing in any genre. Authors take the reins in planning their own events, selling their books independently or through a centralised book table. 'The festival is unlike other traditional book festivals, as it is structured as a fringe festival. This unique model means that participation is open to any indie author writing in any genre," Festival organiser Leslie Downie explains. "This is a bottom-up festival, with authors responsible for planning their own events. Authors sell their own books for their own account, and can also put their books on a centralised book table.' The festival will feature 34 authors this year, including a special collaborative book created by dozens of Imibala Trust scholars, supported by an Arts & Culture grant. With genres spanning children's books, romance, thrillers, self-help, cookery, academic works, human rights, travel, conservation, memoirs, and more, the festival welcomes all literary voices. Downie highlights the festival's commitment to fostering emerging talent. 'The festival provides a platform for independent authors to promote their own work. Listing the participating authors' books on the Clowder Bookstore website helps indie authors to professionalise their output. The festival invites self-publishing service providers to the festival to drive healthy competition in this space.' The festival also supports disadvantaged authors by assisting them to find free venues, while other authors pay venue fees. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. 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Next Stay Close ✕ One of the festival's key highlights is the Imibala Trust event on Saturday, 16 August, which showcases the collaborative writing efforts of disadvantaged scholars. The event is free and takes place in Imibala's new café, run by tourism trainees. A variety of workshops and talks will be held throughout the festival, including a highly anticipated legal workshop for creatives by Spoor & Fisher on 22 August at the Drama Factory. Tickets for most events are R60, which include a glass of Poetry wine, while some events are free. 'The Friday morning, 22 August, legal workshop for creatives by Spoor & Fisher is an absolute must. At R60 (including a glass of wine) it is the most exciting event at the festival,' Downie says. Self-publishing service providers like printers, distributors, illustrators, and ISBN assistants will also be available at the Drama Factory that day, offering writers a 15% discount on their first print run. Other exciting features include the launch of Owen Dean's controversial new book Echoes of Injustice, which challenges the Netflix documentary on the Lion King court case, and inspiring talks by well-known speakers such as Dean Allen. The festival spans multiple venues throughout Gordons Bay, Somerset West, and Strand, including pubs, wine farms, clubs, coffee shops, and theatres, creating a community-focused celebration of local independent publishing. Indie Authors Rise Up is 'celebrating indie self-expression and the beauty of the Helderberg'. For more details and to reserve tickets, visit [ IOL News

Never lose a sock again — this expert-approved laundry hack costs nothing and keeps them all in one place
Never lose a sock again — this expert-approved laundry hack costs nothing and keeps them all in one place

Tom's Guide

time5 days ago

  • General
  • Tom's Guide

Never lose a sock again — this expert-approved laundry hack costs nothing and keeps them all in one place

Once you've put your socks in the washing machine, there's a good chance you'll never see one of them again. The missing sock conundrum is a mystery as old as time. Where do they go? While experts have yet to solve that age-old dilemma, they do have advice on how to save your socks from the perilous journey from your laundry basket to your dryer. And better yet, this hack is totally free. According to Gail Downie, head of garment technology at M&S, the solution is to put all your socks inside a pillowcase before putting them through the wash. And it's such a simple solution, I'm shocked I never thought of it sooner. By placing your dirty socks in a pillowcase before putting them through the wash, they'll stand a much better chance of making it out as a pair. 'Washing your socks and tights in a mesh wash bag or pillowcase keeps them together," says Downie. If you've not got a spare pillowcase, or you want a bag with a zip closure, this three-piece set of mesh laundry bags will also do a great job of keeping your delicates all in one place. Because socks are delicate, they can also become easily damaged when you put them through the machine with more abrasive items, such as bras with underwires, or pants with zippers. I always find the odd sock stuck in my washing machine seal when I clean it, and it's usually sodden and a little stinky. So keeping them all in one place, will ensure they get the clean they need, without going missing or getting wedged in inconvenient locations. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. It's not just socks that you can wash in a pillowcase. "Always separate more delicate pieces like satin and silk dresses from heavy clothing such as jeans," says Downie. "Washing them in a mesh bag or pillowcase protects them." "You can also use this trick for machine washable shoes." That could include sneakers or canvas shoes, but Downie warns "it's always best to wash footwear separately so that any dirt doesn't transfer." Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.

Cambridge Dali painting bought for £150 could fetch £30K
Cambridge Dali painting bought for £150 could fetch £30K

BBC News

time29-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • BBC News

Cambridge Dali painting bought for £150 could fetch £30K

A painting by Spanish Surrealist artist Salvador Dali found in a house clearance is expected to fetch up to £30,000 - after being bought for just £ was found in a house in Cambridge and has since been authenticated as an anonymous art dealer purchased it and the mixed media piece will be up for sale at an auction in Downie, an associate at auctioneers Cheffins, said: "To handle a genuine rediscovery of a work by who is easily one of the most famous artists in the world, and the godfather of Surrealism, is a real honour." The art dealer who purchased the piece discovered it had previously been offered for sale at Sotheby's in the 1990s, fully attributed to Downie said: "The loss of an attribution is quite rare in the modern artworld making this a significant rediscovery for Dali scholars."She said: "It has been an exciting process researching and having this painting authenticated and it is a testament to the seller's significant art knowledge that he was able to spot this picture at a house clearance sale."While Dali's work is often some of the most recognisable, this is an unusual piece which shows a different side to his practice when working in watercolour." The artwork, titled Vecchio Sultano, was discovered in a Cambridge house clearance sale in image, made with watercolour paint and felt tip is an illustration of a scene from The Arabian Nights, a series of 500 pieces which Dali intended to create of Middle Eastern folktales, commissioned by wealthy Italian couple Giuseppe and Mara Downie said the couple intended to commission Dali to illustrate a bible in 1963, but upon the artist's insistence, he instead ended up illustrating scenes from 1,001 Nights - a collection of Middle Eastern is thought Dali only completed 100 of the intended 500 works before the project was abandoned."Of these 100, half remained with the publishing house Rizzoli and were either damaged or lost - the other 50 stayed with the Albarettos and were later inherited by their daughter, Christina, who was also Dali's goddaughter," said Ms Downie."It is most likely that the work in question came from the batch of 50 which were retained and later lost by the publishers."It has been certified as authentic by Dali expert Nicolas Descharnes and has a pre-sale estimate of £20,000 to £30, painting will be offered for sale by Cheffins on 23 October. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

DWP benefit cuts hit people with Parkinson's and MS
DWP benefit cuts hit people with Parkinson's and MS

South Wales Argus

time04-07-2025

  • Health
  • South Wales Argus

DWP benefit cuts hit people with Parkinson's and MS

Claimants in this category will be entitled to a higher rate of the benefit, and will not be routinely reassessed to receive money. Labour backbencher Graeme Downie has proposed a welfare reform Bill amendment, so universal credit claimants with Parkinson's or MS (multiple sclerosis) who cannot work do not face repeated medical assessments to receive a payout. If MPs back his amendment, patients with 'evolving' needs who cannot work could also qualify for a higher rate of benefits. The Government's Bill has already cleared its first Commons hurdle at second reading, after work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms vowed not to restrict eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), with any changes coming in only after a review of the benefit. To meet his promise, ministers have had to table amendments to their own draft new law, to remove one of its seven clauses, which MPs will debate next Wednesday. Universal credit claimants with Parkinson's 'are already possibly struggling financially', Mr Downie said, ahead of the debate. He added: 'The cost of living with a condition like Parkinson's can be very high. You may well require or need additional support.' Today the UK government published its Bill that will cut eligibility criteria for, and access to, Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Here is our response 👇 🧵1/3 — Parkinson's UK (@ParkinsonsUK) June 18, 2025 The Dunfermline and Dollar MP said patients who struggle with their motor control might buy pre-chopped vegetables or chicken. 'Those things are expensive, so if you're already on universal credit and you're struggling, being able to do that significantly impacts your health, it significantly impacts your ability to live properly,' he continued. To qualify, claimants must have limited capability for work or work-related activity (LCWRA) and symptoms which 'constantly' apply. 🚨 Reminder: cuts to disability benefits affect everyone. You might not need disability benefits today. Or tomorrow. But you can become disabled at any time and find yourself in need of a financial safety net. — Scope (@scope) July 3, 2025 Mr Downie's amendment would expand these criteria to claimants with 'a fluctuating condition'. It would cover 'conditions like Parkinson's but also multiple sclerosis, ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), long Covid and a whole range of other conditions where, you know, in the morning things could be really good and in the afternoon things could be really bad, and even hour by hour things could change', he said. 'I felt it was necessary to table an amendment to really probe what the Government's position is on this, and ensuring that people with Parkinson's and conditions like that are not excluded from even applying and being considered.' Mr Downie's proposal has backing from 23 cross-party MPs so far. Recommended reading: Juliet Tizzard, external relations director at Parkinson's UK, said: 'Criteria in the Bill say that a new claimant for the universal credit health payment will have to be 'constantly' unable to perform certain activities to qualify. 'This doesn't work for people with Parkinson's, whose symptoms change throughout the day. 'People with Parkinson's and other fluctuating conditions like multiple sclerosis will be effectively excluded from getting all the financial support they need. 'The Government has responded to our call and withdrawn the damaging restrictions to Pip. 'Now, they must do the same with the universal credit health element. The health of many people with Parkinson's is in their hands.'

DWP benefit cuts hit people with Parkinson's and MS
DWP benefit cuts hit people with Parkinson's and MS

The Herald Scotland

time04-07-2025

  • Health
  • The Herald Scotland

DWP benefit cuts hit people with Parkinson's and MS

Labour backbencher Graeme Downie has proposed a welfare reform Bill amendment, so universal credit claimants with Parkinson's or MS (multiple sclerosis) who cannot work do not face repeated medical assessments to receive a payout. If MPs back his amendment, patients with 'evolving' needs who cannot work could also qualify for a higher rate of benefits. The Government's Bill has already cleared its first Commons hurdle at second reading, after work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms vowed not to restrict eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), with any changes coming in only after a review of the benefit. To meet his promise, ministers have had to table amendments to their own draft new law, to remove one of its seven clauses, which MPs will debate next Wednesday. Universal credit claimants with Parkinson's 'are already possibly struggling financially', Mr Downie said, ahead of the debate. He added: 'The cost of living with a condition like Parkinson's can be very high. You may well require or need additional support.' Today the UK government published its Bill that will cut eligibility criteria for, and access to, Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Here is our response 👇 🧵1/3 — Parkinson's UK (@ParkinsonsUK) June 18, 2025 The Dunfermline and Dollar MP said patients who struggle with their motor control might buy pre-chopped vegetables or chicken. 'Those things are expensive, so if you're already on universal credit and you're struggling, being able to do that significantly impacts your health, it significantly impacts your ability to live properly,' he continued. To qualify, claimants must have limited capability for work or work-related activity (LCWRA) and symptoms which 'constantly' apply. 🚨 Reminder: cuts to disability benefits affect everyone. You might not need disability benefits today. Or tomorrow. But you can become disabled at any time and find yourself in need of a financial safety net. — Scope (@scope) July 3, 2025 Mr Downie's amendment would expand these criteria to claimants with 'a fluctuating condition'. It would cover 'conditions like Parkinson's but also multiple sclerosis, ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), long Covid and a whole range of other conditions where, you know, in the morning things could be really good and in the afternoon things could be really bad, and even hour by hour things could change', he said. 'I felt it was necessary to table an amendment to really probe what the Government's position is on this, and ensuring that people with Parkinson's and conditions like that are not excluded from even applying and being considered.' Mr Downie's proposal has backing from 23 cross-party MPs so far. Recommended reading: Juliet Tizzard, external relations director at Parkinson's UK, said: 'Criteria in the Bill say that a new claimant for the universal credit health payment will have to be 'constantly' unable to perform certain activities to qualify. 'This doesn't work for people with Parkinson's, whose symptoms change throughout the day. 'People with Parkinson's and other fluctuating conditions like multiple sclerosis will be effectively excluded from getting all the financial support they need. 'The Government has responded to our call and withdrawn the damaging restrictions to Pip. 'Now, they must do the same with the universal credit health element. The health of many people with Parkinson's is in their hands.'

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