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Mental Health and the Law

The Integrated Forensic Program delivers specialized mental health care for individuals with mental illnesses who have come into contact with the criminal justice system or who are at risk of doing so. We provide assessment and treatment services to improve our clients’mental health and reduce their risk of re-offending.

Our goal is to enhance public safety through recovery

We provide care to adults who:

  • Have been, or may be, found Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) on account of Mental Disorder or Unfit to Stand Trial; OR
  • Have been convicted of an offence.

We also offer a number of specialty services aimed at supporting youth and families, helping clients transition into community living, and addressing problematic behaviours.

The interdisciplinary treatment teams.of the Integrated Forensic Program develop individualized treatment plans to optimize client mental health, well-being, and quality of life while managing and reducing risk for future offending to ensure the safety of the public as well as our clients.

The program includes forensic treatment units at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, and the Brockville Mental Health Centre, as well as a Secure Treatment Unit at the St. Lawrence Valley Correctional and Treatment Centre  (Brockville).

Core Services

Court Ordered Assessments and Treatment

The Integrated Forensic Program provides a number of services to the courts including assessments of individuals subject to Assessment Orders under Section 672.11 of the Criminal Code. These include assessments of fitness to stand trial and assessments of criminal responsibility. The program also conducts pre-sentence assessments and dangerous or long-term offender assessments.

Depending on the needs and custody status of the client, these assessments can be completed through the inpatient or outpatient forensic units. Clients who are in custody may receive a court ordered assessment at the secure Forensic Treatment Units at the Brockville Mental Health Centre or Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.

The program also undertakes treatment orders from the courts  pursuant to Section 672.58 of the Criminal Code to improve the mental state of individuals before the courts  to the point where they are fit to stand trial.

Ontario Review Board Ordered Detention and Rehabilitation

The Integrated Forensic Program provides secure inpatient and outpatient services at the Forensic Treatment Unit in Brockville and Forensic Treatment Unit in Ottawa to individuals under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Review Board (ORB). This includes people found Not Criminally Responsible or not fit to stand trial.

We follow a recovery-focused model of care to help clients with their rehabilitation and to achieve their goals and potential. The treatment team works with each client to create an individualized treatment and reintegration plan within the limits set out by their ORB disposition. As part of the treatment plan, clients may access a variety of individual services and group programming.

Our clinical and administrative teams continually monitor clients’ health and assess their risk for re-offending in order to protect public and client safety while supporting recovery.

To ensure continuity of care throughout our clients’ recovery the Integrated Forensic Program offers comprehensive outpatient support once clients leave the hospital. Our teams serve the Champlain and South East regions of Ontario.

With the assistance of a transitional case manager (Ottawa), clients who require intensive support may access various specialty services including the FIRST (Ottawa) or FITT (Brockville) services. These teams offer interdisciplinary services to clients who have been (or are soon to be) discharged to live in the community.

The Integrated Forensic Program also offers access to Transitional Rehabilitative Housing Programs (see specialty services below) in collaboration with community housing providers to ensure the client has all supports necessary for their reintegration to community,.

Correctional Mental Health Services (Secure Treatment Unit)

The Integrated Forensic Program provides comprehensive mental health and criminogenic needs assessments, treatment and discharge planning services for seriously mentally ill adult male offenders serving a provincial sentence (less than two years) at the St. Lawrence Valley Correctional and Treatment Centre-Secure Treatment Unit.

The St. Lawrence Valley Correctional and Treatment Centre-Secure Treatment Unit is a 100-bed hybrid correctional facility and mental health centre located on the same campus of the Brockville Mental Health Centre. This facility  serves 25 other provincial correctional facilities from across Ontario.

The Secure Treatment Unit is the result of a contractual arrangement between the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group and the Ministry of the Solicitor General. Integrated Forensic Program staff are responsible for the assessment, treatment and day to day supervision of residents while the Ministry of the Solicitor General staff are responsible for security and the overall operation of the building. The Secure Treatment Unit is designed to be more like a hospital than prison like and the health care staffing model is similar to that seen in other academic mental health science centres around the province such that the facility is designated as a schedule 1 mental health centre by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

In keeping with The Royal’s multidisciplinary treatment protocol, teams at the Secure Treatment Unit provide specialized evidence-based assessment and treatment, including using the Risk Needs Responsivity Model of rehabilitation.  Programs include:

  • Assessment and Stabilization Unit, Sexual Behaviours Unit,
  • Trauma Disorders Unit, and
  • Aggressive Behaviour Modulation Unit.

All units include a range of psychosocial rehabilitation modules that address individual mental health and criminogenic needs. Treatment focuses on mental health recovery and targeting criminogenic needs to facilitate successful community reintegration and reduce recidivism (reoffending).

The IFP also offers psychiatric consultations via telemedicine (OTN) in various provincial jails in Ontario.

Specialty Services

Sexual Behaviours Clinic

The Royal’s Sexual Behaviours Clinic serves those who have been or are at risk of being in conflict with the law because of their sexual behaviour. This outpatient clinic provides assessment and treatment to manage the sexual behaviour-related problems, reduce symptom distress, and increase psychosocial skills and coping strategies.

The primary treatment goal of this clinic is to improve the patient’s overall well-being so they can live successfully in their communities. Over the longer term, desired outcomes include reduced recidivism, prevention of hospital admissions, and eventual discharge from the forensic program. This clinic also provides support to the spouses and partners of individuals who have been or are at risk of being in conflict with the law because of their sexual behaviour.

The Sexual Behaviours Clinic sees clients that have been charged with sexual offences as well as those who have never acted on their problematic sexual interests (i.e. sexual interest in children), and want help to ensure that they do not offend.

To access this service, please ask your doctor for a referral. If you do not have a doctor, you can ask a doctor at a walk-in clinic.

For more information visit to learn more about the clinic and its research.

Family Court Clinic

The Family Court Clinic (FCC), through The Royal's Integrated Forensic Program, provides court-ordered assessments of families, children and youth in matters that pertain to the Child, Youth  and Family Services Act (CYFSA), as well as the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA). The goal is to provide the Court with an understanding of prevailing problems and recommendations based on the child/youth's best interest.

All FCC assessments are conducted by a multidisciplinary team comprised of a psychiatrist, psychologist/ psychological associate and social worker, and include, but are not limited to, recommendations for interventions and treatment options that address the best interests and specific needs of the child/youth.  The final reports are authored by the psychiatrist, with professional contributions from the social worker and psychologist/psychological associate.

For youth between the ages of 12 and 18, the Family Court Clinic provides assessments ordered by the Youth Court, pursuant to section 141 YCJA, for the assessment of criminal responsibility and fitness to stand trial under Part XX.1 of the Criminal Code, and pursuant to section 34 YCJA to assist with making a disposition and to advise the Court about the influence of underlying mental health, behavioural, psychosocial and family-related problems upon the youth's decision to engage in activities that resulted in the conflict(s) with the law and the laying of charges against the youth.

The assessment process includes both psychiatric and psychological assessments of the youth, as well as other specific assessments or investigations deemed relevant to the youth's situation, as well as collateral information from prior assessors or treatment providers of the youth, provided with the informed consent of the parties involved.

The parent(s), guardian (s) and/or parent-figure(s) of the youth are invited to participate in the assessment process by way of an interview with the psychiatrist or other member of the team.  In addition, recommendations are made for treatment interventions that are specific to the identified needs of the youth arising from the findings of the assessment, and that will best facilitate the rehabilitation process and reduce the recidivism risk of the youth.

The final report is released to the Court and is subject to confidentiality and disclosure stipulations.

Youth Forensic Services

The Integrated Forensic Program provides assessment and treatment services for youth under the age of 18 at the time of their charge. Services include court ordered assessments for criminal responsibility and fitness to stand trial under Part XX.1 of the Criminal Code. We also provide services for court ordered treatment and stabilization. These multidisciplinary services are available to any Youth Court within the Champlain region.

These services are provided in the least restrictive manner consistent with the client’s clinical need and the safety of themselves and others. The services are delivered in a manner to expedite the court process and minimize disruption to the lives of the youth.

Anger Disorders Clinic

The Royal’s Anger Disorders Clinic provides specialized and comprehensive assessment and treatment for individuals with anger related problems. Anger is a normal emotion but, like anxiety and depression, it can be dysfunctional. The goal at this clinic is to assist individuals to successfully manage dysfunctional anger and thereby prevent its detrimental effects.

The clinic serves individuals over the age of 18 with recurrent aggressive behaviour, impulsivity, angry rumination, or emotional regulation. Clients must have motivation to be assessed and treated.  While conflict with the law is not a requirement to be seen in this clinic, those without involvement in the criminal justice system will be recommended for community-based treatment for anger management following their assessment.

The Anger Disorders Clinic does not treat individuals with an acute major mental disorder or an uncontrolled substance related disorder, however it will provide consultations on such individuals.

The Anger Disorders Clinic is based at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre and referrals are accepted through The Royal’s centralized intake.

Note to referring physicians and nurse practitioners: Referrals to The Royal’s Forensic Mental Health Program can be submitted electronically directly from your EMR if you have been set up with Ocean eReferral. Ocean eReferral is a regional program that offers an integrated solution at no cost for all primary care providers in Champlain with compatible EMRs (Telus PSS, QHR Accuro, and certain versions of OSCAR). Once set up, referrals can be initiated directly from the patient's chart in your EMR, launching the appropriate electronic referral form and automatically populating it with much of the appropriate information for the patient and referring clinician. For more information about eReferral, please email:

Mental Health Court and Mental Health Court Clinic

The Integrated Forensic Program offers assessment services for the court at the request of the Crown Attorney and defence councils. If the individual is in custody, they will be visited by a Forensic Psychiatrist the courthouse or by video link. The purpose of this assessment will be to determine if a formal assessment order should be made regarding Fitness to Stand Trial or criminal responsibility.

The team offers recommendations on whether a client is an appropriate fit for Mental Health Court and provides recommendations for additional assessment and/or treatment. Individuals out of custody may be referred to the Mental Health Court Clinic. This team works in collaboration with other court supports such Canadian Mental Health Association court service or John Howard Society.

Forensic Intensive Recovery Support Team (FIRST) and Forensic Intensive Treatment Team FITT

The FIRST and FITT provide intensive outpatient services to outpatient under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Review Board (people found Not Criminally Responsible or not fit to stand trial). FIRST is based in Ottawa and serves the Champlain region. FITT is based in Brockville and serves the South East regions.

These teams provide enhanced outpatient services and community links for clients. In collaboration with the client, the team builds and implements a comprehensive rehabilitation plan using the Recovery model and the conditions of their ORB disposition orders as a framework. Much of the support is provided to the client in the community to facilitate the reintegration. FIRST and FITT will support clients for up to one year after they receive an absolute discharge or a stay of proceedings.

Transitional Housing (Ontario Review Board Ordered Detention and Rehabilitation)

Forensic Intensive Treatment Team (FITT) Home

The FITT Home provides 24 hour supervised accommodation for clients in the forensic mental health system. It provides services and housing to support the client with their transition from an inpatient unit to independent living.

Forensic Intensive Treatment Team-Dual Diagnosis (FITT-DD)

The FITT-DD program is a collaborative transitional rehabilitation housing program initiative between the Integrated Forensic Program and Developmental Services of Leeds and Grenville (DSLG). This program supports the transition of individuals with developmental disabilities and/or dual diagnosis from forensic hospitals into the community.

With a focus on recovery, the FITT-DD service provides psychosocial assessment and rehabilitation programming, in tandem with community supports. FITT-DD has an ongoing focus on supporting the person to transition into generic community services and suitable alternative accommodation as permitted by the Ontario Review Board.

Each FITT-DD client will have an individualized Community Placement Support Plan identifying their behavioural and developmental needs, a risk management plan, monitoring requirements, and individualized programming and services.

FITT-DD serves clients who:

  • Have a developmental disability;
  • Are an inpatient at the Brockville Campus Integrated Forensic Program;
  • Require additional support but are not appropriate or eligible for placement with other residential or supportive housing programs;
  • Meet the eligibility confirmed by Development Services Ontario (DSO);
  • Have an ORB disposition order that allows for “living out” in the community at the discretion of the hospital in charge; and
  • Have reasonable prospects for transition to generic supportive housing or residential program and community services within an 18 month average length of stay.
Lebreton Transitional Rehabilitation Program

The purpose of Lebreton Transitional Rehabilitation Program is to provide short to medium term assistance with housing, along with enhanced supports directed at maintaining housing in the long term, for selected clients who are under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Review Board. This program is focused on offering supportive housing to assist in the transition from the Rehabilitation Unit to independent living.

The clients in this program should have some needs that can be monitored and supported over the course of their year stay at the house. The Lebreton program offers the monitoring of medication and substance use services and vocational opportunities, while addressing Instrumental Activities of Daily Living through the care of the outpatient team (FIRST) and/or the Canadian Mental Health Association caseworker as well as through programming from The Royal and the John Howard Society.

Grove Transitional Rehabilitation Program

The Grove Transitional Rehabilitation program is a transitional housing and psychosocial rehabilitation program. Grove provides the opportunity for 10 adults (4 Grove residents and 6 clients living in satellite apartments) who live with persistent mental illness to continue on their recovery pathway. The program focuses on helping people acquire the skills and supports to live actively and interdependently with the outcome of a satisfying life in the community. The Grove Transitional Rehabilitation program involves partnership between Salus, Canadian Mental Health Association and The Royal. The length of stay depends on the person’s treatment/rehabilitation goals and progress (usually one year).

Man with head in hand leaning on a window sill

Forensic Research at The Royal

The Forensic Treatment Unit-Ottawa and the Forensic Treatment Unit-Brockville accept referrals from Crown Attorneys, Courts, and the Ontario Review Board . All referrals should be directed through Centralized Intake at The Royal except:

  • Court ordered assessments and treatment orders for adults
  • Court ordered Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CFSA) and Youth Criminal Justice Act  (YCJA) assessments for Family Court Clinic (Fax referrals to +1 (613) 724-6554)

Referrals to the Secure Treatment Unit are initiated by the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services Classification Officer at the home institution.  Recommendations by the court and community agencies are helpful, but only the Classification Officer can make the application.

For more information about referrals to our Anger Disorders Clinic, see our Specialty Services.

Forensic Treament Unit - Brockville

Forensic Treatment Unit - Ottawa

Secure Treatment Unit

About the Forensic Mental Health System

The Ontario Review Board (ORB) conducts annual reviews of the status of every person who has been found to be not criminally responsible or who is unfit to stand trial for criminal offences due to a mental disorder. Information on the ORB can be found on its website at:

Visiting a client

The support from family and friends is important for the recovery of our clients. We encourage visits while the client is staying at the Forensic Treatment Units in Ottawa or Brockville, or at the Secure Treatment Unit.

For the safety and security of our clients and our staff, and to ensure space is available, all visitors to the Forensic Treatment Units (Ottawa and Brockville) must contact the unit 24 hours prior to the visit. Visiting Times vary by unit, so please discuss timing with staff.

Visits to Secure Treatment Unit  may be open in a visiting room or closed through glass with use of a telephone.  All visits to the Secure Treatment Unit  must be arranged and approved through Ministry of the Solicitor General (+1 (613) 341.2870, ext. 1100).


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Padre Pio Comes to Louisiana: Saint Pio's Miracle Cures Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Don't ever think "a miracle can't happen to me." This miracle happened in my own backyard, and not just to a friend of a friend, but to my friends

Don't ever say "miracles don't happen anymore" or "the age of miracles is over". This just happened.

Don't ever think "I'm past the point of a miracle". My friend was healed of an incurable disease, which she had suffered from for decades. Five decades!

Miracles are happening all the time.

I have been meaning to write about this incredible miracle for some time.

Here are my friends Tom and Donna Hildebrandt:

Tom and I first met because our Knights of Columbus councils worked together on a few projects. Together, with a few other friends, we started the Men of the Immaculata, an organization that puts together an annual Catholic men's conference

Tom and Donna Hildebrandt

Tom and Donna were married in 1972. The very next year, Donna was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The next twenty years were an unrelenting slide into jaws of this disease. Donna experienced a major exacerbation of symptoms in 1996 and was pronounced permanently disabled.

While MS treatments first became available in the 1990s, these have only been effective against the relapsing remitting phase of the disease. By this time, Donna had progressed to the secondary progressive form of the disease. There is no approved treatment for this phase of MS.

A Pilgrimage to St. Pio's Home

Donna and Tom traveled to Italy in 2016 as part of a church pilgrimage. Their local parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in St. Francisville, Louisiana, made the trip together and were led by their pastor, Father Cary Bani.

Father Cary Bani entered the priesthood later in life. He was ordained in 2007 at the age of 48. What's especially interesting to this story is Father Bani's previous career. He was a radiologist

In Father Bani's words, “there are many similarities between medicine and theology. It’s about working with people, helping them with their problems whether they are spiritual or physical. You have a certain set of skills to help them live better lives.”[1]

Father Bani's pilgrimage, along with Tom and Donna, reached San Giovanni Rotondo on May 6, 2016.

The Church-Shrine of Saint Mary of Graces and the Convent of Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

San Giovanni Rotondo is best known as the home of Saint Pio ("Padre Pio") of Pietrelcina for most of his adult life.

Who is Saint (Padre) Pio of Pietrelcina?

I'm writing this thinking that the whole world already knows who Padre Pio is, but just in case, here is his story. In a nutshell, St. Pio was the most incredible mystic of the 20th century.

Multiple people witnessed Padre Pio bilocate, especially so he could hear multiple confessions at once; bear the stigmata, the nail holes and marks of Christ, on his hands; and read people's souls. St. Pio died in 1968 and was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II in 2002.

Looking for your own Padre Pio miracle? Here is a special gift from Tom and Donna. Here is a collection of Tom and Donna's personal prayer cards for St. Pio:

A Blessing from Padre Pio

St. Pio, however, did not roll out the red carpet for the church group, and especially for the longtime sufferer of MS.

According to Tom, "It was raining very hard as we walked up the walkway from the bus." Secondary progressive MS patients have trouble walking even in the best of conditions. Not only was it raining hard when Donna arrived at St. Pio's home, but there were steps and ramps to climb.

This was suddenly no obstacle to Donna. "Everyone from our group was amazed [when] Donna made it up the long incline without assistance," Tom describes.

The church group celebrated Mass in St. Pio's crypt. This was followed by a very special visit. The group met with Father Ermelindo Di Capua, OFM Cap.

A Special Encounter with Father Ermelindo Di Capua, OFM Cap.

Father Ermelindo is the Capuchin friar that assisted St. Pio in the last few years of his life. Here is a photograph of Pope St. John Paul II kneeling at St. Pio's tomb. You can see Father Ermelindo in the background:

Tom and Donna made their trip to Italy just in time. Sadly, Father Ermelindo died on February 22, 2017. Here is the prayer card created for his funeral:

In his life, Father Ermelindo witnessed many miracles like the one described in this article. He will be sorely missed. Thankfully, the friars of San Giovanni Rotondo preserved some his memories and his testimony.

Here is also a video of Father Ermelindo describing his memories St. Pio:

Father Ermelindo blessed each member of the group with Padre Pio’s relics. He placed the relic on each of their foreheads, including Donna's.

St. Pio's relic was less than an inch from the source of all Donna's problems, the so-called "black holes" on her brain. For decades, MRI scans of Donna's brain showed "black holes" slowly spreading across her brain and impairing her motor and cognitive functions.

Before the group left St. Pio's shrine and monastery, they added Donna's name and condition to the prayer intentions at San Giovanni Rotondo.

Then nothing happened ...

A Smell of Flowers

For a while, at least. Four months, to be exact.

Four months later, Tom had prepared dinner for himself and Donna. Suddenly, Donna was unable to eat. Not because of the impairment of motor function, it was something else. The smell of roses.

Tom asked his wife what was wrong. Donna described a "very strong fragrance" of roses. She asked if Tom could smell them, too. He could not.

Tom had been reading about St. Pio. He knew that the floral fragrance was a sign of his presence. He relayed this information to his wife, but Tom continued to smell nothing ... except dinner.

Until ...

Tom and Donna fell asleep that night amazed at what had happened, but not understanding its significance. After a couple of hours, Tom suddenly awakened. He was sound asleep, but the fragrance of flowers was suddenly too intense.

I have often been awakened by sounds: my alarm, dogs barking, thunder, etc. I have been awakened by touch, like my kids shaking me in the morning to watch cartoons. I have been awakened by sights, like my wife turning on the bedroom lights. I have never been awakened by a smell. Thanks to my children, I have encountered plenty of intense smells while sleeping. Unless affected my some other sense, however, no smell alone has ever interrupted my sleeping.

Can you imagine how intense the smell of flowers must have been for Tom? Tom didn't just slowly awaken. He sat up straight in bed.

Confirmation of Padre Pio's Miracle

Several weeks following their night of flowers, it came time for Donna's regular appointment with her neurologist. As you might expect, something strange happened during that visit.

Donna scored higher on her disability index score than she had in over twenty years, since before her 1996 exacerbation. She also passed her cognitive test with 100%. This was the highest Donna had ever scored. Ever

Before she met with the neurologist, an MRI was taken of Donna's brain. Every MRI up to this time showed progressively worsening brain atrophy and "black holes" across her brain.

The new MRI revealed no black holes. They were just gone

Donna's neurologist said it is medically impossible for black holes to disappear, let alone heal.

The Hildebrandts also shared this news with their parish priest, Father Bani. Remember, Father Bani was a licensed radiologist before becoming a priest.  Father Bani, the Hildebrandts' family doctor, and Donna's neurologist are all of one "mind". What happened to Donna was medically impossible.

To date, Donna's condition continues to improve. It is like the previous fifty years of multiple sclerosis were just wiped away. Her brain has fully healed.

Please share this message of hope and healing!

St. Pio, pray for us

Special Thanks to Tom and Donna

A big special thanks to Tom and Donna Hildebrandt for providing many of the photographs reproduced herein.

Padre Pio Footnotes

[1] Barbara Chenevert, "Worth the Wait: Late Vocations Answer God’s Call"Catholic Commentator.

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Home Theater

Home Theater > Speaker

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Made in France, its 4 bass woofers with their ‘W’ cone, combined with the Beryllium tweeter, plus 2 midranges with their ‘M’-shaped ‘W’ cones, deliver sound with absolute purity & distinction. In addition, thanks to the midrange-treble plate in the d'Appolito configuration, & with different options for the speaker driver settings, you can customize the entire system to suit your listening room. Offering the best performance for left, central or right use, 1000 IWLCR Utopia is the Home Cinema installation without compromise. It picks up minute sound details in your films, as well as your stereo music listening sessions.

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Creamy Mushroom Soup With Andouille Sausage

Creamy Mushroom Soup With Cheddar and Andouille Sausage

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
829 Calories
67g Fat
27g Carbs
33g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 829
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 67g 86%
Saturated Fat 35g 173%
Cholesterol 180mg 60%
Sodium 1734mg 75%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Protein 33g
Calcium 698mg 54%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This creamy mushroom soup is flavored with cheddar cheese and chunks of smoked andouille sausage. Feel free to use another variety of smoked sausage in this recipe. Kielbasa would work as well.

Top the soup with diced andouille sausage, chives, parsley, or green onions.

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 12 to 16 ounces andouille sausage (halved lengthwise then thinly sliced)
  • 16 ounces mushrooms (sliced)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 green onions (thinly sliced)
  • 1 clove garlic (mashed and finely minced)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (unsalted or low sodium)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces (about 2 cups) mild cheddar cheese (shredded)
  • Dash of ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Dash of salt (to taste)
  • Garnish: chives, parsley, or additional sliced green onion tops

Steps to Make It

  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the sliced sausage in the oil over medium heat.

  2. Transfer sausage to a plate and add mushrooms to the drippings left in the pot. If needed, add a little more oil.

  3. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and lightly browned.

  4. Add the green onions and garlic to the mushrooms; saute for 1 minute longer.

  5. Pour mushroom mixture, with any liquids, into a bowl and set aside.

  6. Melt the butter in the same pot.

  7. Stir in flour until blended and bubbly and continue cooking, stirring, for 1 minute.

  8. Stir in the broth and cook, stirring, until thickened.

  9. Add the cream and cheese to the broth mixture, stirring until melted.

  10. Add the sausage and mushroom mixture back to the pot. Stir and add nutmeg and pepper.

  11. Taste and add salt, as needed. Heat through.

  12. Serve with more green onion, snipped chives, or chopped parsley for garnish.

Recipe Variation

  • There are many ways you can mix up this recipe by just using what's in your pantry. For example, you can use shallots instead of green onions, cayenne pepper, and then add shrimp, red bell pepper, celery, and leftover rice if you have any on hand.


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How to Prepare Your Kitten for Its First Vet Visit

Veterinarian hands examining kitten
Tetra Images / Getty Images

Adding a new kitten to the family is always exciting. Sometimes it is a pre-planned and highly anticipated event, sometimes it is a spontaneous adoption or rescue. Either way, along with shopping for all of the new necessities like food, dishes, and litter boxes, be sure to make time for that first veterinary visit and the subsequent checkups.

The first vet visit can reveal underlying issues that can affect you, your family, and other pets. Some illnesses can suddenly become serious, so it's best to find out right away if your kitten needs special treatments. For the health of everyone in your home—including the new kitty—it's important that you don't put this off.

Before You Go

Your new kitten should see a vet as soon as possible so its overall health can be checked. There isn't a set age for the first vet visit, though it's recommended to have an exam within 24 to 72 hours after adopting the kitten. If you already have cats in your home, it's best to go to the vet before bringing the new kitten home. Your new kitten may have an illness that is not obvious to you.

Circumstances such as a rescued kitten or other urgent adoption may make a pre-adoption vet visit impossible. In this situation, keep the new arrival quarantined in a bathroom or similar space that is separate from your other pets. The kitten should have its own litter box, food bowl, and water bowl. This will reduce the chance of spreading disease or parasites to any resident cats.

What You Need

Whether you go straight to the vet from picking up your new kitten, or after a day or two at home, you'll need to have some things ready before the first checkup.

  • Any information and paperwork provided by the shelter or breeder
  • Notes of any concerns you have about the kitten
  • Stool sample
  • Cat carrier
  • Cat Treats

Provide Health Information

It's important for your vet to know if any and what types of treatments and vaccinations have been already been given to the kitten. When you take your kitten to the vet for the first time, be sure to bring along any paperwork you got at the adoption. If that's not available, write down the information you were told so you don't forget. Call the person you adopted the kitten from and ask any questions if necessary.

The Physical Exam

The staff and the vet will talk to you about your kitten's history and perform a physical examination. Your kitten will be weighed and may need a blood test to check for certain diseases. They will also look for other parasites such as fleas or mites.

The vet will examine your kitten's eyes, ears, mouth, skin, coat, and whole body. This includes palpating the abdomen to feel the organs and listening to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope.

A stool sample may be collected to check for intestinal parasites as well. It is often recommended to bring in a fecal sample with you if possible.

Ideally, kittens should be adopted out at the age of 8 to 10 weeks (or even older) for optimal health, weaning time, and socialization. If your kitten is young, especially 6 weeks or less, the vet will need to assess the kitten's nutrition and hydration status and provide assistance with any needed supplementation.

Veterinarian with cat
Scott Indermaur / Getty Images

The first kitten vaccination is typically administered between the ages of 6 and 9 weeks. A healthy mother cat who is up to date on her vaccinations will afford her kittens the best start in life. If your kitten is sneezing or having any other health problems, the vet will wait to vaccinate until it is healthy.

Kitten vaccine boosters will need to be done at intervals of about three weeks until your kitten reaches age 16 to 20 weeks. The rabies vaccine is generally done once at the final kitten visit. Your kitten will also be given a dewormer at several visits to treat for common kitten intestinal parasites like roundworms.

Try to get these visits scheduled in advance so your kitten doesn't miss any essential vaccines or treatments.

Your veterinarian will discuss your kitten's health and preventive needs, such as heartworm prevention and flea and tick control. Recommendations for vaccines and preventive measures will be made based on your kitten's environment. Your vet is also there to help guide you through things like litter box training, nutrition, spay/neuter, and behavior.

Close-Up Of A Hand Feeding Kitten
Marius Daniel Cringas / EyeEm / Getty Images

Preventing Problems With Your Kitten During Vet Visits

As always, if you have any questions about your cat or wonder when you should schedule an exam, call your vet to discuss them. If your kitten becomes sick at any point, it is important to contact your vet without delay. Illnesses in kittens can become serious very quickly.

Establishing a relationship with your vet and a new pet is always smoother in a non-emergency situation. Finding out the clinic hours and who to call for emergencies will put you ahead of the game.

If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your pet, know the pet's health history, and can make the best recommendations for your pet.


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Organic Tea

Many of us are familiar with the benefits of organic products, and organic teas are no different. Grown sustainably and produced without chemicals, our organic loose-leaf teas provide a luxurious drinking experience as well as peace of mind. Shop our range of Organic teas to ensure that each cup you brew offers pure, unadulterated flavour that’s free of pesticides and additives.

About Our Organic Teas

At The Tea Makers of London, we are committed to providing our customers with a variety of organic loose-leaf teas, each with their own unique mix of health benefits and sensory experiences. You can easily see if our tea is organic by checking the packet for the official organic certification mark of the Soil Association. Our range currently includes black tea, green teas and Herbals.

Is Organically Grown Tea Worth It?

In a word, yes. While we’re working hard to ensure our growers are producing teas with sustainability in mind, when you buy one or our organic teas, you can rest assured that it comes with absolutely no pesticides, additives or any other chemicals. Organically produced teas are also better for the environment. As well as preventing pollution caused by nitrogen-based fertilisers, according to the Soil Association organic farms use less energy and generally have lower emissions than non-organic farms. The organisation also estimates that organically farmed soils are approximately 25% more effective at storing carbon than those of non-organic farms.

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icon/64x64/climate Climate

Early warning a must to cope with floods

People along the Brahmaputra were prepared last week, while in the weeks before that, people in Kerala, Nagaland and Assam were not
Escaping the Dhansiri floods in Assam [Image by: Rubul Ahmed]
Escaping the Dhansiri floods in Assam [Image by: Rubul Ahmed]

On July 30, the Dhansiri river was calm and the heat in central Assam scorching. Rain would bring welcome relief, but the meteorologists were warning of a deficit monsoon. In an age-old ritual, people were organising weddings of frogs to invoke the presence of the rain gods.

On August 2, the Dhansiri broke its flood level record at Numaligarh in Golaghat district. The earlier record – set on September 24, 1985 – had been 79.87 metres. This time it was 80.18 metres, and stayed above the previous high level for over 60 hours.

It caught almost a million people off guard, especially because it had not really rained much in Assam during those three days.

The Dhansiri rises in the Laisam peak of Nagaland in northeast India to meet the Brahmaputra on its south bank. So does the Doyang – another tributary of the Brahmaputra – which flows through Wokha District of Nagaland before reaching Assam.

The flood in both rivers was caused by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) opening all five gates of the 394-metre-tall dam of its 75 MW Doyang Hydroelectric Power Project following heavy rain in the Nagaland hills.

The flooding killed five people and caused damage in Nagaland that has been estimated at Rs 800 crore (USD 113 million) by the state government.

In Assam, the flood inundated 36 villages. “This misfortune was brought upon us by the NEEPCO project in Nagaland. We were not warned previously that the dam gates would be opened. As a consequence, almost all the households in our village lost most of their belongings. This disaster turned us to paupers within a few hours,” Atul Gogoi, village headman of Kenduguri in Golaghat district, told thethirdpole.net. Deepak Gogoi, a local youth sheltering in a makeshift camp complained about lack of rescue boats. “Thank God, there was no rain. Or it would have been tougher to rescue everybody.”

“Water continued to gush in since 2 a.m. We later heard that many of the upstream villages were washed away by the deluge, yet there were no arrangements to by the district administration, no early warning. This is the first time in my life I witnessed a disaster of such magnitude,” said Rubul Ali, a resident of Numaligarh.

By August 6, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority put the number of affected persons at 87,300 and 7,086 hectares of land in Golaghat district were under water.

A boy tries to save his schoolbooks as the Dhansiri river floods its banks in Assam [Image by: Rubul Ahmed]
Warning issued, say officials

NEEPCO is owned by India’s central government. Bharat Chandra Deka, its executive director, Operations and Maintenance, said that warnings had been issued. According to him, there had been a landslide on the Sidzu River, a tributary of the Doyang, in Nagaland’s Zunheboto district, and that had blocked up the water, which later broke through and came roaring down. He said all deputy commissioners of Nagaland’s districts were issued a letter by the Nagaland Disaster Management Authority about the landslide. According to Deka, the local administration in Golaghat and Wokha districts were also notified.

Officials in the Nagaland Soil and Water Conservation Department said that the 2,600 square kilometre catchment area of the Doyang Hydroelectric Project, which is about 60 kilometres upstream of Golaghat town, received 348% excess rainfall excess from January to July, with most of the rain towards the end of July.

NEEPCO senior manager L.A. Kharmawphlang said water inflow to Doyang reservoir was more than 600 cubic metres per second (cumec) since July 27, and rose to more than 1,150 cumec on July 31, forcing the authorities to open the floodgates.

The utility of issuing an early warning of a possible flood was shown in the area in the last week of August, when the Siyang (which leads to the Brahmaputra) swelled ominously due to release of a large volume of water in upstream Tibet, but there were no casualties.

See: Flood alert as ‘unprecedented’ volume of water flows down Brahmaputra

Residents flee from the flooded Dhansiri river in Assam [Image by: Rubul Ahmed]
Release too late, say victims

Flood victims downstream are not convinced, accuse NEEPCO of trying to store more water than was safe, because it wanted to maximise electricity generation. Akhil Gogoi, leader of the anti-dam movement Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity, said that in July the Doyang project had produced 45.52 million units of electricity, over three times the target of producing 14.28 million units, a target set by the Central Electricity Regulatory Authority. He demanded that NEEPCO compensate the flood victims.

Given the habitually heavy monsoon heavy rainfall in northeast India, all dam managements are supposed to keep reservoir levels low in July to minimise flood risk.

In a meeting in February 2018, the Golaghat district administration had told NEEPCO to keep both spillways of the dam open. “However, it appears that these procedures were not followed leading to this disaster,” an official from the district administration said.

Such flash floods have occurred in the area before. in August 2015, residents of ten villages –Mengshanpen, Tsopo, Chudi, Longtsung, Sheruechuk, Morakjo, Lotsu, Pyangsa, Moilan and Pyotchu – had given a representation to the head of NEEPCO under the banner of the Downstream Affected People’s Organization (DAPO), alleging death of at least five persons between 2003 and 2014 due to the sudden “release of huge volumes of water” and loss of livelihood for a very large number of people. They also said such sudden releases affected movement of people across the river and destroyed their access to the river, fisheries, water sources, hanging bridges, sand and boulder sources and river bed cultivation.

Mrinal Saikia, Member of Assam Legislative Assembly from Khumtai – a constituency severely hit by the flood – filed a complaint at the Golaghat Police Station, alleging that 116 villages in the district were under water due to the negligence of NEEPCO. The Head of the Doyang project, Priyabrata Das, was interrogated by the police in this connection. Arun Sarma, former MP from Lakhimpur, also held NEEPCO responsible for the disaster. He called it a gross violation of human rights and said the company should face punitive action.

Assam’s Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had blamed NEEPCO for the Ranganadi disaster last year.  The 405 MW Ranganadi hydroelectricity project in Arunachal Pradesh has displaced thousands in Dhemaji and North Lakhimpur districts of Assam, reportedly because the dam managers have released water without warning more than once.

India’s powerhouse?

In the past, India’s planners have estimated the hydroelectricity generation potential in the northeast of the country at 58,971 MW, almost 40% of the country’s total hydro potential. By February 2016, when the figures were last compiled, the region was generating 1,242 MW, about 2.1% of the stated potential. Many projects have been stalled due to unsatisfactory environmental impact assessments, especially in downstream areas. Others have been stalled by local protests. Seismologists have also repeatedly questioned the wisdom of building large dams in an earthquake-prone region.


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icon/64x64/food Food

Steep global biodiversity loss puts humanity in peril

The world is losing biodiversity at an unprecedented rate, posing grave danger to human health and prosperity, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity warned in its flagship report
Bridges made of living roots in the biodiversity hotspots of northeast India are good examples of nature-friendly traditions (Image: Anselmrogers / CC BY-SA 4.0)
Bridges made of living roots in the biodiversity hotspots of northeast India are good examples of nature-friendly traditions (Image: Anselmrogers / CC BY-SA 4.0)

There were many sceptics when zero-budget natural farming started making inroads in southern Indian states a couple of decades ago. Today, it has transformed into a grassroots peasant movement that showcases sustainable agriculture.

In the early years of this millennium, rapid land degradation raised alarm bells in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. The provincial government started the Billion Tree Tsunami programme in 2014 to reverse the trend. The success of the initiative, which completed its task ahead of schedule in August 2017, has now prompted the federal government to replicate it across the country.

See: Pakistan’s ‘Billion Tree Tsunami’ takes hold

See: Opportunities and challenges of Pakistan’s afforestation drive

These initiatives show much can be achieved to conserve biodiversity and restore degraded ecosystems if there is grassroots support and resolute political will. But much more needs to be done, according to the fifth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO5).

We are heading towards a point of no return.
Sejal Worah, programme director at WWF India

“Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate, and the pressures driving this decline are intensifying,” said the United Nations report, which is published every five years. “The Covid-19 pandemic has further highlighted the importance of the relationship between people and nature, and it reminds us all of the profound consequences to our own well-being and survival that can result from continued biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystems.”

Hurting nature

Despite some progress in several areas, the natural world is suffering badly and overall getting worse, said the 2020 report, released by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on September 15. Worryingly, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, agreed to by national governments in 2010, seem to have largely failed, the outlook showed.

The grim report, which offers an authoritative overview of the state of nature, follows the Living Planet Report 2020 released on September 10. Humans are destroying nature at a rate never seen before, and the decline shows no signs of slowing, said the World Wide Fund for Nature report, which is published every two years.

“Biodiversity is fundamental to human life on Earth, and the evidence is unequivocal — it is being destroyed by us at a rate unprecedented in history,” the WWF report said.

The number of mammals, birds, fish, plants and insects fell by an average of 68% from 1970 to 2016, which is more two-thirds in less than 50 years, WWF said.

“We are heading towards a point of no return,” said Sejal Worah, programme director at WWF India.

“The choices we make in terms of development models in the next decade will be crucial in influencing how many species we will lose and ecosystems that may be irreversibly lost,” commented Jagdish Krishnaswamy, senior fellow at the Suri Sehgal Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE).

Impact in South Asia

“Any degradation and decline in ecosystems and biodiversity will have an enormous impact on tens of millions of people in India, and more widely in South Asia,” said Ravi Chellam, conservation scientist and chief executive of Metastring Foundation. “Economies in this region are still very much dependent on local ecosystems, and the services and produce emanating from them.”

GBO5 reveals that at the current trajectory, biodiversity and the services it provides will continue to decline due to the increasing impacts of land and sea use change, over-exploitation, climate change, pollution and invasive species, making it nearly impossible to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

“The projected decline in biodiversity will affect all people, but it will have a particularly detrimental effect on indigenous peoples and local communities, and the world’s poor and vulnerable, given their reliance on biodiversity for their well-being,” GBO5 predicted.

Great Indian Bustard. Loss of habitat and ecosystem pressures have brought the species to the brink of extinction [image by: Alamy]
Loss of habitat and ecosystem pressures have brought the great Indian bustard to the brink of extinction [image by: Alamy]

The pressures on biodiversity and ecosystems are being driven by unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, population growth and technological developments.

“Humanity stands at a crossroads with regard to the legacy we wish to leave to future generations,” said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, CBD’s executive secretary. “The more humanity exploits nature in unsustainable ways and undermines its contributions to people, the more we undermine our own well-being, security and prosperity.”

Global negotiations to stem the precipitous fall have had a setback because the 15th summit meeting of the CBD, scheduled to be held October 15-28 in Kunming, China, has been pushed back to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UN General Assembly had declared 2011-20 as the Decade on Biodiversity to promote the implementation of a strategic plan on biodiversity and its overall vision of living in harmony with nature. The aim seems to have failed.

Missed targets

In 2010, at the 10th summit of the CBD in Nagoya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, participating governments agreed to work towards 20 specified targets. Ten years later, the GBO5, which is also the final report on the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, said that only six were “partially” achieved by the 2020 deadline.

“This reflects utter failure and complete lack of real leadership despite all the bombastic claims of political leaders from across the world,” said Chellam. “The tragedy is that the poorer and weaker sections of our society, who form the majority, will bear the brunt of the negative impacts and those responsible will to a large extent not really pay the cost.”

Some progress

All might not be lost, however. There has been some progress in conserving biodiversity and restoring ecosystems, the outlook said. In all the countries of South Asia, governments have enacted laws to preserve biodiversity and have formulated biodiversity action plans.

In India, the environment ministry and the National Biodiversity Authority said in a report in 2019 that effective and sustained measures are being taken through eight national missions.

“Considering the challenges India faces in terms of development and socioeconomic dimensions and the pressure on resources, we have done very well to conserve our biodiversity in the face of heavy odds, unparalleled perhaps amongst all nation states,” said Krishnaswamy of ATREE. “However, we now face new stresses and threats to our remnant biodiversity and ecosystems and need to renew our commitment to inclusive but effective conservation and ecological restoration.”

Pakistan has adopted national biodiversity targets or equivalent commitments in line with the strategic plan for biodiversity 2011-20 and the Aichi targets, the country said in its sixth national report on biodiversity. Nepal is committed to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for the prosperity of its people and the nation, the Himalayan country said in its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2014-2020.

The pressures of development in Bangladesh have degraded its ecosystems, prompting the deltaic nation to adopt a biodiversity action plan. Bhutan, the most eco-friendly country in the region, also has an action plan. It is perhaps the only country in South Asia that has not limited itself to devising strategies, but has actually acted on them.

Eight transitions

The GBO5 calls for a shift away from business as usual across a range of human activities. It outlines eight transitions that recognise the value of biodiversity, the need to restore the ecosystems on which all human activity depends, and the urgency of reducing the negative impacts of such activity. The recommended transitions relate to land and forests; sustainable agriculture; food systems; fisheries and oceans; cities and infrastructure; fresh water; climate action; and health.

But these are easier said than done. While spending with biodiversity as the principle focus has doubled globally to USD 9.3 billion in the decade to 2020, it is minuscule compared to other potentially harmful investments.

For instance, the value of government subsidies that potentially cause environmental harm amounted to USD 478 billion in 2019 alone, GBO5 said.

However, putting nature first is good for business and economic resilience, the World Economic Forum (WEF) said in a report in July 2020.

“Nature-positive” solutions can create 395 million jobs by 2030, WEF said in its Future of Nature and Business report. The report provides blueprints for businesses to tap into a USD 10.1 trillion business opportunity on industry actions that add value to nature.

“We can address the looming biodiversity crisis and reset the economy in a way that creates and protects millions of jobs,” said Akanksha Khatri, head of the nature action agenda at WEF.


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It takes (more than) five

Fifteen minutes after our supposed end time - and after a synthetic war on the headphones - the ATakes5 production team finally finishes the task, and a group picture is in order. Marielle happily snaps the photo in this case. Clockwise from left: me (producer and floor director), Adrian (all-around technical guy), Sars (cameras and all-important connection to the guest), Kuya Icky (the guest himself), Mae (graphics and one-time production assistant), Arlene (presenter), Lau (cameras), Kimmy (technical director and production designer), and Fran (director and writer).

Finally. After two weeks or so, we finished doing our first major television production: a talk show.

And, for some reason, we all decided to recruit somebody from outside. All groupd actually did - Ariane's group decided to guest Pocholo Gonzales, described as "the voice master himself", in her backstage-inspired production. Misha's group guested Hazel Go, a freelance make-up artist who's slowly making waves in the industry. And us? On that meeting two Wednesdays ago, we decided to talk to a clown.

The moment Sir Doy announced the groupings for the talk show project, Mae and I went home together and half-brainstormed about what to do. We were only a five-minute talk show then, with me assigned as producer and Fran assigned as director. The first thing Mae suggested was a host: Arlene. I actually liked the idea, but I had a different priority: the guest.

It took so long for something to actually take place. I think it's just us being busy, or being too free, but nevertheless I almost didn't make it to the meeting. Everyone from LC18 were there, and somehow I was being trumped; Lau was in class while Sars didn't have any for the day. My first email to the group was actually sucky, to some extent.

The talk show is named ATakes5 and will (most definitely) be hosted by Arlene. Ang topic na naisip nila is clowns, since, according to Fran, there's this curiosity about whether they are really, as some say, the loneliest people in the world.

ATakes5 became the name for no particular reason. When we presented that name to Sir Doy last Friday, he was trying to somehow figure out what it all means. Fran came up with the idea of using a single letter as the program name (which is better than my first flimsy name, Arlene, partly inspired by Oprah) but eventually my name stuck - it just occurred after the meeting, while I was waiting for my only class to begin. I told Fran about it as they walked down to lunch, and then I got a text message half an hour later.

"Hey," she said. "The title of our talk show is ATakes5. We liked it."

I may be the producer, but I still think this is my only big contribution to the production. I came to the meeting and they were already talking about the clown, and the set (initially planned as two bean bags and balloons, among others). But I think I compensated on all the sweat I let out within the next week after we drafted the camera positions, set the deadlines and threw ideas at each other. But really, I crammed the initial script and just said yes to everything else, except for the idea of using audience clips in the middle of the already-too-short five minutes we were alloted. At this point, one bean bag became Kimmy's floor sofa, a platform was added, and after one day of phone-bashing every possible contact we had - we were throwing prices and figures - we had a guest.

I think we were partly lucky on this one. Sars' older brother once part-timed as a clown with his friends, who happen to be a family of clowns. As such, Sars also knows Pikoy, and when we confirmed that he's coming to the program, she told me a lot of things - about his being stocky and all - and probably everything else about the business: about who does what, and what happens when. I actually forgot to reserve a slot, and Misha got ahead of me. The next meeting was Wednesday at 11.00 - and I only had thirty minutes to work with.

My email that following Saturday just repeated everything that's been said, and a few more. I was tired by then, honestly - with the screenplay, the storyboard, and the concept, all I wanted to do was sleep. (In fact, the day of the meeting, I was somewhat sick.) And everybody else had their own stuff to worry about - I was texting Fran in the middle of her video shoot at Misha's. And all the LC18 people were worrying about their accounting midterms - some of which are taking it the night after the shoot!

The stressful stuff happened on Wednesday. That entire week, actually. Maybe you could also throw in my chase video exercise, but this was also the day when I took out a visitor's pass, and eventually, the letter that I had Kimmy write to get the sofa and bean bag in. (And the people at the Physical Facilities Office were wondering sick about what we would be doing with a sofa inside the campus.) I skipped half of the pep rally for that, actually, but nevertheless I was feeling hot, because on that day, the sun decide to shine terribly. Arlene polished the flimsy script I sent in, because she had to throw the guide questions in. Fran also polished what Arlene already had, after thinking up of camera angles and technical whatnot. The opening billboard - we were supposedly the first but shoot sequences meant Ariane was - was already done, but I can't seem to view it anywhere. (Arlene apparently shot it alone, because she never got to meet Mae.) But my email was still as positive as ever.

Guys, we can do this. It's already looking good from here!

Well, I had to keep positive. That suddenly was my role - eternal email sender, part cheerleader, part actual production head. Arlene was also sharing in the positivity.

"Tell me you're excited!" she exclaimed while I was in the jeepney home. I simply said that I was.

"Grreaat!" she answered. "Coz I am! Kahit accounting midterms namin after. Graphics, audio, cameras, TD, director... everyone will be great! Sobrang galing na nila nung practice pa lang."

And suddenly I felt a bit shamed, because when all that was happening, I was studying about the existence of God.

A night before the shoot, though, Murphy's Law was swinging. I was texting Sars about Pikoy when I got the worst reply I could possibly expect.

"Nagpalit ng clown! RJ Jimenez at your service!"

Well, it wasn't that bad. At least we had a replacement, also from the same stable of clowns as Pikoy - and, according to her stories before, he's the guy who does the acrobatics. I was happy to hear that, but a bit nervous about how we would fit the tactics in five minutes. Arlene was a bit surprised, but was relieved to hear that RJ is also a clown. Fran wasn't that enthusiastic, though, because of the possibility that the new guest himself might not show up. After a million confirmations, I was relieved - I only had to alert Mae for the graphics and Fran for the script. And Arlene and I were talking about make-up, and she was joking about having Hazel Go, Misha's guest, do hers.

But Fran's speculation did come true. The morning after, Sars had more news.

"Sorry, Niko, si Ricky Boy Jimenez pala. Papatayin na ako ni Mae."

In other words, we changed guests twice within the span of fourteen hours! Arlene was suddenly content with simply having a clown as a guest, but was feeling a bit down about losing the chance to meet an acrobat. Fran was in accounting mode, and we were shuttling between the television studio (where no practice commenced, for some reason) and Gypsies for the study group - oh, and she was getting as worried as I am. "How's the clown?" she was asking, while I was shooting a part of my chase video with Charmaine, and thinking of the script at the same time. Eventually, she was worried enough to text me this.

"Niko, can you call me up?"

And then, again.

"Niko, can you call me up?"

You can also imagine my worry. We might not have a guest, and thus, no talk show. (Funnily this was the first thing I worried about.) I just took the visitor's pass and the approved furniture entry request after office hours the night before, and I actually had to change the name written there. I called Fran up, then Sars about the balloons - we settled for those long ones we can turn into animal figures - and eventually I did pass by Gypsies (I was already called "hun" in her text messages for some reason) for a meeting that was surprisingly short. And then I went to class. And then I had lunch. And then I shot the last of my chase with John, with an actual 13.45 deadline so that we could work on our respective productions.

The next two hours was the epitome of all that I worried about. In between filling balloons, updating gate passes and confirming everything, there was the issue about the couch - it was ditched at the very last minute - and there was Sars' last revelation: she still didn't know who was being sent to DLSU. (Last-minute shows meant nobody among the clowns also knew who was going where.) And then, there was the bean bag itself, which apparently didn't need a gate pass. Kimmy was probably itching to get in the campus as well.

"Niko! Fast! The car can't stay here."

Thank miscommunication for that. My phone wasn't vibrating very well, and when she sent that Adrian and I were on our way to South Gate, expecting to bring a sofa in.

Here's the shoot from the floor. That's me, perched on the ditched tables, tattered scripts laid out page by page, confirming Fran about the magic tricks. Imagine me after running around for clowns, photos, videos, and sofas. I could just faint by then, because the lights were hotter than usual!

Stress reached its peak, though, during the rehearsals. The set took a short time to set up - the balloons were ready, the curtains were there, and Mae's raid to Toy Kingdom got her a mask, stuffed toys, and those rubber mats you usually see in day care centers. But we took a long time rehearsing, and reblocking, squeezing in a card trick, and ditching the volunteers I called out. (Marielle and John were willing, but eventually an even-more-stressed Fran had us remove the volunteers and the table I was to put in.)

At this point, there was a war of sorts going on in the control room, and in our headsets. Nope, nobody was fighting anybody - it's just that the suggestions Sir Doy was throwing in was already freaking Fran out. At one point, Sars (who did one camera) and I (who was handling the stage) reacted to Fran's voice, ever-so-increasing in volume, because everything seemed to go wrong. She then asked if she could stand up throughout the entire thing, and was allowed. (Why shouldn't she?) Kimmy, apparently, was slightly fumbling with the video switcher, and the camera angles on the floor was getting a bit weird. And Misha - who surprisingly sported her hair untied - was telling me to speak softer because my voice was being recorded, for some reason, by the microphones installed on Lau's camera!

We actually went overtime, but once Celine, who volunteered to tape the show for us, mentioned the best news of the afternoon - that we were under five minutes - we rolled the tape. Nothing should go wrong by then: Arlene had memorized the script, somehow, so there was no need to use the teleprompter; the cameras were working smoothly; I was easing into the position I took; and Fran was, well, doing better.

Fran finally asked the very question we wanted to hear. "Are we ready to tape?"

Arlene participates in the card trick with Kuya Icky. Apparently clown aren't really the saddest people in the world - they make others happy, and they become happy themselves.

And so we rolled. Arlene fumbled a bit, still, referring to Kuya Icky as Kuya Pikoy, as the script initially said. (I was, like, "Kuya Ickyyy, Arlene, Kuya Ickyyy!" in the softest whisper possible.) Her adlib was funny, and the rest of those at the studio floor were impressed. Everything else was actually adlibbed, but it didn't seem so because the six rehearsals meant she was remembering everything she said - well, except for Kuya Icky's name. Five minutes later, we knew that clowns are happy when they make others happy, red balls and cards were scattered on the floor, both on-screen people were performing the ATakes5 action, and the closing billboard was rolling.

And that was it.

Eventually the aircon units fought the studio lights and it was getting more comfortable. Inside the control room, well, I don't know - everybody was in, well, control room mode! And I don't know why, but I was just so happy to see the entire thing produced. Finally, a show with a name I thought of got out pretty well. And, somehow, I decided to hug Fran after the entire thing - you could just imagine what we were hearing in our headsets - and, suffice it to say, she gave it back.

The ending was, well, surprisingly uneventful. We didn't watch our show yet for most left to study for their accounting midterms. I resorted to taking photos on my mobile, and the last group finally lifted their yellow couches in, and took longer to rehearse. There was that photo at the very start of this achingly long entry, and then there was the talent fee we had to pay (we had to), and then, as Sars said, there was this awkward moment when Sars got her part of the payment from Kuya Icky, apparently for her brother who actually gets part of it as part of the referral. Weirdly, Sir Doy saw the entire thing.

And then, I sent everybody a text message, giving ourselves a much-needed virtual pat in the back. Arlene just got so tired, she apparently guessed some answers on her accounting midterms. And Adrian thinks we need to celebrate within the next week. The next thing we know, we're doing a newscast, and all the groups will be different. I'll only look at the photos of that day, from Marielle and Adrian as of this moment, probably, and I'll never be sure if I'd ever be ready for ten minutes of hard news.

But finishing that thing is priceless.

And your responses...

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Be The Ultimate Noodle Soup Baller With Gumshara’s Insane “Rags To Riches” Ramen

By Sammy Preston
20th Oct 2020

Gumshara Rags to Riches Ramen

Would you pay $400 for a piping hot bowl of noodle broth? No? What if that ramen was made with 15kg of lobster and pork and topped with a whole tempura lobster wearing a golden dragon headpiece? Intrigued? Of course you are.

To celebrate the launch of Yakuza: Like A Dragon in Australia next month—a kind of absurd role-playing game that features everything from karaoke to RPG combat—Five Star Games has buddied up with one of Sydney’s best ramen joints, Gumshara, to create a broth that’s as outrageous as the video game.

Gumshara’s new “Rags To Riches” ramen is the result. In this insane, out-of-this-world ramen is 5kg of high-end lobster heads, 10kg of top-quality pork bone, golden nori, Gumshara’s signature noodles, and traditional ramen garnishes—oh and the aforementioned whole lobster wearing a gilded dragon helmet.

“Being given a chance to imagine such an over-the-top ramen dish has been fantastic, and I’m proud of what we’ve created,” Gumshara head chef Mori Higashida said in a statement. “My wife is actually a fan of the Yakuza series of videogames, so I’m familiar with the craziness of the game and hope to have captured its essence in our own way!”

Luckily though, no one will actually have to fork out that hefty $400 price tag. The Rags To Riches ramen is only available to win as part of a special competition with Xbox. One lucky ramen-loving human from NSW will score the ramen, a custom made Yakuza: Like A Dragon banner, and a copy of the game on Xbox. Head over to the Xbox ANZ Twitter account for more info.

For now, here are some of our favourite ramen joints in Sydney

Image credit: Five Star Games

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Celgene Acquires Abraxis In $2.9 Billion Deal

handshake2Celgene has acquired Abraxis BioScience in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $2.9 billion, reports FierceBiotech. Under the terms of the agreement, Celgene will gain control of Abraxane, a breast cancer drug developed by Abraxis. The drug also has the potential to treat other cancers such as stage IIB-IV melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer. The deal is expected to strengthen Celgene’s presence in the oncology market.

Abraxane consists of a formulation of the cancer drug Paclitaxel (Taxol) with albumin, a human protein. It is free of chemical solvents that can cause allergic reactions in patients. In a clinical trial of women with metastatic breast cancer, Abraxane outperformed solvent-based paclitaxel when it came to tumor response. Despite its demonstrated benefits, according to the Forbes blog, the drug has not sold particularly well. Abraxane earned sales of $300 million in 2009. Senior Editor Matthew Herper speculates that Abraxane may sell better with Celgene’s management team behind it.

Behind skin cancer, breast cancer is the second-most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. A number of companies are developing breast cancer treatments designed to be easier on the body than standard of care treatments such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy. One company working in this field  is NeoPharm. The company is developing a breast cancer treatment based upon technology that entraps hard-to-deliver drugs in liposomes, tiny membrane-like structures created from fats. Because tumors need to consume fat to grow, they recognize the liposome as a source of nutrition.

NeoPharm’s breast cancer drug candidate, LEP-ETU, is a liposome formulation of Taxol.  In a 35-patient clinical trial, patients who took LEP-ETU experienced a 46 percent response rate, compared to 11 percent for free Taxol and 23 percent for Abraxane. No unexpected toxicities were observed. The company has started a Phase II trial for recurrent breast cancer.

Other companies working in this space include Wilex AG and Abviva. Novian Health has FDA clearance to market a laser-ablation device to treat benign breast tumors. The company is now working on receiving clearance to use the device to treat malignant tumors. The minimally-invasive procedure may provide an alternative to surgical lumpectomy.

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Shilpa Tulaskar Suggested Ways To Balance Your Life As A Working Woman

9 min read

Everything in life needs two things. One is courage, the other is compassion”

Shilpa Tulaskar wants all the women out there to know that we can conquer and be victorious in anything if we have the courage to be stronger than our limitations and have compassion in our heart to endure the path that comes between our goals and accomplishments.

Shilpa started her career at a young age and has been a part of some amazing shows such as Dadi Amma Man Jao, Ladies Special, and even Devo Ke Dev Mahadev and mesmerized us with her fierce performance and charismatic personality.

She has been a mother, a wife and most importantly a strong woman with her own voice who believes that rather than being a rebel it is important to rise as a person who is firm in her voice as well as in actions and have the strength to move the people with extraordinary determination.

She makes us realize that we all should strive harder to be stronger than all the excuses and circumstances that try to take us down.

The Voice of Woman had the privilege of chatting with the gorgeous and super versatile Shilpa Tulaskar who discussed how women should deal with certain stereotypes, and shared her ways of balancing both her family and career gracefully.

You have been a part of the industry for a long time. What kind of struggles have you faced when you were younger?  Do you still have to struggle?

I was blessed enough to have begun so early. I did one of my earliest shows under the direction of legendary director Basu Chatterjee. It was for a Marathi show called Ga Di ma which was a compilation of 13 stories written by the veteran Marathi author Ga Di Madgulkar and I acted in one of them.

I was about 13 years old when I did that show for Doordarshan so I used to be completely clueless about what was happening around me and only followed the instructions of Basu Da. The instructions were very crisp that it extracted the best out of me even as a child artist.

At that age, I was completely oblivious of my inclination towards acting but I was very comfortable while I was doing that. I was even pampered a lot on the set. I had my mum around me who ensured that I stay well behaved and polite on the set. The shooting continued for three days and then I went back to school.

In college, I was part of Ruia Natyavalay which was very active at that time in the Inter-Collegiate One-Act Play competition and Ruia was like a big winner every year. So during that time, the struggle was not about getting work.

I was lucky enough probably because I was in the right place at the right time. Along with that, I got to work with really wonderful people and wonderful opportunities so that did not seem like a struggle.

The main struggle for me was to study and also follow my passion simultaneously. My parents were very insistent about academics. I did my majors in economics from Ruia.

So the point is if you are really passionate about something you will find a way for it. You don’t really need to give up one thing to do another. Your goal should be to become an artist and not just an actor. In order to do that you have to put in a lot of effort and not just wait for luck to be in your favor. So for me, the struggle then was to balance my academics and my passion for acting.

Then I faced the real struggle such as choosing the appropriate roles and doing your work with utmost sincerity and honesty. But I was fortunate that I did not have to go looking for work. Rather a lot of work came forward.

How is the struggle different today?

Now the television industry which is my major area of work is mostly ruled by revenues. The medium of television nowadays functions caters and executes content in a very different way as compared to the OTT platform, films, or theatre.

I have been fortunate enough for getting the chance to play multifold roles on television. So the struggle now, to be honest, is finding the right kind of work that you yearn to be a part of.

I have been struggling to get a hold of a good theatre script. Nowadays some kind of skin show has somehow become the requirement of the OTT platform. Though I was offered various roles in the ott platform for the past 2 years, unfortunately, it has been more about skin show which I was a little uncomfortable in doing so it didn’t work out.

But I am certain the OTT platform is more than that. So struggle has changed now. It is about balancing your personal life and work especially when you choose to be a mother.

I used to think I can have a lovely career at 40 which I am having right now but I was unsure if I would be completely biologically and mentally prepared to be a mother at 40.

I knew I was not prepared for that and wanted to plan my family before I was a certain age.

shilpa tulaskar in beutiful saree

Many married women encounter issues like having to choose between career and family. What would you advise them to do to conquer this barrier?

You need to take yourself seriously before you expect the world to take you seriously. If you are so enthusiastic about our career then you should stop whining about the problems and start to think ways to solve them.

It is very important that you convince your family members. Take some time, show them that you are capable of balancing everything not simply because you live in an Indian Society and you are bound to take care of them.

It’s a harsh reality that nature has divided the world into men and women. So you as a mother or wife are going to feel like protecting your family so it is important to find that point where you can balance out both your career and family is very important because you chose both of them.

You have to be firm and responsible for your choices and give your best in whatever you do be it for your family or your profession.

Decide your priorities because they are going to keep changing. If you feel that you want to stay at home and look after your child because your happiness lies in them, then you must prioritize that.

You find yourself shifting roles at different times in diverse ways for instance when you are newly married and you feel you want to give your marriage and relationship time and pamper yourself and your spouse then do that.

It is important to have a conversation with the people associated with you. All of these need a lot of patience and understanding. My husband was disturbed by the fact that I have to go to work when he returns.

So it was my job to make him understand how this industry functions as he had no clue and gave him that sense of security of my well being.

I made him understand that how I am going to be safe and told him that I want to give this relationship my best and I expect the same out of you. This conversation sorts out a lot of problems.

One of us as a parent had to be around our kids and it meant sacrificing some things on both of our parts. Love and mutual understanding are what works and matters. It is not so easy but nothing is easy and you need to find a solution.

The most significant aspect is to make them understand how solemn you are about your passion. So communication and endurance is the key.

How can a woman smash certain stereotypes associated with women and live her life on her own terms?

Refrain from analyzing what others will think about you. All you need to do is to make your priorities right. The people who are going to matter in your life choose them very carefully.

Gone are those days when these stereotypes could hinder the process of a woman’s growth. You may not get a lot of support and have to manage everything alone but it all depends upon how much you are prepared to work hard for your dreams despite all the odds.

These kinds of stereotypes exist everywhere because it depends on the mentality of the person. You don’t need to fight against these stereotypes, just focus on your commitments and the goals that you set for yourself. You have to be a bit practical, understand what you are comfortable doing.

My life choices were definitely influenced by the fact that I was an actress. Before becoming a mother I did think about how I can come back after this, or whether it was possible for me to make a comeback. But I sat back and contemplated what I want from my life and in which way.

So again it is all about making conscious choices and understanding what works for you. You need to take responsibility for your decisions.

Nonetheless, I can only tell you some ways how you can cope up with certain hurdles. There is no point in being rebellious because that is not going to prove anything to anybody

Instead, stop fretting about what others will think and do your work sincerely because when you get success this struggle will end. So take it as a process and think through what your work means to you, be it any kind of work. Marriage and raising children has to be your choice as well.

But do remember that your parents have invested their entire life on you so instead of being a rebel, talk to them about your aspirations and I am sure they will understand you.

It all boils down to the fact of how committed and sincere you are. You will have to work hard and believe in yourself. Never forget that your actions and efforts from the age of 18-30 are going to define how you are going to live the rest of your life. So give it your best shot during these years.

You should shine like a sun that people become so mesmerized to see your efforts that nobody would feel like stopping you.

What would you advise the modern-day mothers who are trying to figure out how to manage their careers and child simultaneously?

This is very subjective but for me being a mother is not so much by choice as much I think it is by divine intervention. If you decide to have a child, what is important is that you do it wholeheartedly because the baby did not ask to be born. You decided to have the baby.

So raising a child is a joint venture for both the parents. It can’t be single-handedly done. Though there are so many people who are becoming single parents and doing a fantastic job because of various circumstances. But if your partner is willing to help you take that help.

shilpa tulaskar instagram image

When I started shooting for a show for Zee Marathi, I conceived at that moment and I chose to have the baby. So Zee actually insisted on the producer so that he waits for me till I come back.

I started shooting for it as soon as my son Vivan started taking his first vaccination. He was four months old at that time when I used to take him to the set with me to be able to be around him as a mother.

Hence you need to find a way to balance things out, balance your responsibilities. It became possible for me because I did want to work things out.

During the Ladies Special, I just had my daughter. According to the doctor, I could get back to work when she turned three months old. Here also I insisted that if I was allowed to keep my baby along with me on the set then I could manage to work and it did work out like that.

I was probably lucky but also I was very keen. My husband noticed my commitments towards my work and he supported me and helped me out immensely.

Thankfully a lot of companies today are supporting working mothers. So you have to figure out what works best for yourself. I took my babies with me to my work and I was the happiest then.

Parenting will never be somebody else’s job. It is your responsibility. But do ask for help from grandparents or from your partner. You can’t do it all by yourself that is not the way.

You end up feeling doubtful about your abilities and feel incompetent. In this way, you can’t put in your best efforts so you are depriving your child of that.

When I asked for help I got it which was this simple and if you don’t get help then work harder.

What is your next project?

COVID has drastically altered my dreams and aspirations for now. There is a lot that is going around my head so I really hope things get some clarity soon. After we can comprehend how things will change I hope we can get back to work.

There are some online projects but the situation is so uncertain that I can’t share anything specific now.

How much despicable do you feel about domestic violence?

It is very simple. You don’t tolerate domestic violence. If you see that crime is happening and still choose to keep quiet and not raise your voice then you are also equally contributing to the heinous crime.

There is a misconception that domestic violence is only faced by women. It is also men who face this sometimes. You can put an end to it by raising your voice and reporting it and don’t be afraid to do that. Always be vocal about the violence.

What to do when your mother-in-law and husband are not supportive of your career?

You have to be passionate enough for your work to be able to put up a struggle or a battle for your rights. Also, learn to put forward your opinion about why your work matters. Making them understand that it is not about so much for money rather it is for your own happiness and sense of independence.

Everything in life needs two things. One is courage, the other is compassion. If you have the courage, go ahead and do it because you have to have compassion in your heart.

shilpa tulaskar with her husband

How one should balance that fine line between not being aggressive and not staying muted about your opinions?

I have observed that every time a woman expresses her opinion, people think that this girl is controlling. She is trying hard to be someone of authority and does not have any regard for customs.

You have to realize that people who judge you for being vocal do not matter to you. You should really think about how much time, thought and space in your head you’re going to give to these people who don’t matter.

This is going to be a struggle and you need a lot of time to master this thing. Wisdom also lies in sharing your thoughts, views, and opinions in front of people who matter and have the ability to understand them.

You won’t talk to a French person in Tamil because she won’t understand it. Use your intellect to determine where you are expressing your opinion. Otherwise, you are the foolish one and not them.

But do speak up if you see injustice because when you don’t do that you contribute to that crime.

Labanya DeyLabanya Dey
I am a colossal writing buff who loves to dwell in possibilities. I am punctilious, lucid, and aspires to be faithful to the stories in my mind.

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Newberry Library Fellowships

The Deadlines to Apply for these Fellowships are Rapidly Approaching

The Newberry Library’s long-standing fellowship program provides outstanding scholars with the time, space, and community required to pursue innovative and ground-breaking scholarship. In addition to the Library’s collections, fellows are supported by a collegial interdisciplinary community of researchers, curators, and librarians. An array of scholarly and public programs also contributes to an engaging intellectual environment.

Long-Term Fellowships

Long-Term Fellowships are available to scholars who hold a PhD or other terminal degree for continuous residence at the Newberry for periods of 4 to 9 months; the stipend is $5,000 per month. Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent degree by the application deadline in order to be eligible. Long-Term Fellowships are intended to support individual scholarly research and promote serious intellectual exchange through active participation in the fellowship program. The deadline for long-term fellowships is November 1, 2021.

Short-Term Fellowships

Short-Term Fellowships are available to scholars who hold a PhD, PhD candidates, and those who hold other terminal degrees. Short-Term Fellowships are generally awarded for 1 to 2 months; unless otherwise noted the stipend is $3,000 per month. These fellowships support individual scholarly research for those who have a specific need for the Newberry’s collection and are mainly restricted to individuals who live and work outside of the Chicago metropolitan area. The deadline for short-term opportunities is December 15, 2021.

More Information

Many of the Newberry’s fellowship opportunities have specific eligibility requirements; for those details, as well as application guidelines, please visit their website

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Glenfarclas 21 Year Old

  • Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  • Distillery Bottling

70cl / 43%

4.5 (16 Reviews)

Glenfarclas 21 Year Old

FREE UK Mainland standard delivery

In Stock

Web Exclusive Price

£100 ex VAT

(£171.43 per litre)

Maximum 2 per customer

Estimated Delivery

  • Express delivery(Choose a day)

    From £6.95

  • Standard delivery (UK Mainland)

  • Click & Collect (Mon-Fri 10am - 5pm)

A dark amber-gold, full sweet vanilla delicately smoked with a rich and long lasting finish. Glenfarclas 21yo is delicious stuff, and a bargain at this price.

Tasting Notes (2)

Customer Reviews

Reviews (16)

  • 5

    This is a wonderful dram and actually very good value for money for a 21 year old. It's not one that will please all the sherry cask lovers, but it is beautifully refined and sweet in a different way. A nice smooth easy drinking dram with lots of character. Sweet to the nose. Oak, malt, dried fruit and a hint of chocolate on first taste. As it goes on, the fruit notes come through with hints of dried fruit tastes to the palate. The finish is what makes it worth it. You are left with that sweet satisfying taste that makes you want more... Another outstanding dram from Glenfarclas. Can't wait to try the 25yo.

  • 5

    Extremely smooth, warming and a deep rich flavour. I would highly recommend!

  • 5

    Utterly stunning

  • 4

    Really smooth, barley oaty taste with a hint of citrus & sweetness. I’m new to 21yr olds so not a lot to compare it to but loved it!

  • 4

    Lovely smooth malty,oaky taste with this 21 year old,great value....most 18 year olds cost as much.Another quality whisky from Glenfarclas..smooth..tasty...excellent!!!

While we endeavour to provide full and accurate information on our website, there may be occasions where producers have updated their recipe or failed to provide full details of their ingredients and processes. This may affect factors including the product style and allergen information, and we would advise that you always check the label and not solely rely on the information presented here. If you are at all uncertain about a product then please contact our customer service team before purchase.

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  • Eco-friendly Packaging

    Our boxes are made of 100% recyclable cardboard. Our special air-inflated packaging is both re-usable and recyclable, as well as efficient to both transport and dispose of.

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    We deliver to countries all over the world! You can also select express delivery, or pick a specific delivery date, at checkout.

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    Our experienced warehouse team take great care with every order. As specialists in glass packaging they ensure that your items stay safe and secure in transit.

14-Day returns policy

We want you to be 100% happy with your order and it is our aim to ensure that all products supplied to all customers arrive in perfect condition. You have the right to cancel your order at any time without being charged for the goods ordered within 14 days of purchasing (other than for perishable or personalised products or those products that have been specified as non-returnable).