Do something positive – Jacamo’s Prostate Cancer UK T-Shirts

Cancer awareness s something we should discuss, particularly us Men. Prostate Cancer the most common cancer in men, with 330,000 living with and after the disease in the UK. 1 in 8 men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and that stat rises to 1 in 4 amongst black men. 11,000 men die from prostate cancer in the UK each year. That’s terrifyingly one man every hour and it’s set to become the most commonly diagnosed cancer of all in the UK in 2030 – which is why we must all act now to curb its power to kill.

In response to these stark statistics, Sporting legends Freddie Flintoff, Robbie Savage and Shaun Goater have teamed up with Prostate Cancer UK and menswear retailer, Jacamo to produce a limited-edition charity t-shirt, which goes on sale today, with 100% of all profit going to the charity.

This partnership aims to raise awareness and encourage more men to be aware of their risk of prostate cancer as well as raising money to help research into better diagnosis, better treatment and support for men. The Tee is available online and in store at Jacamo in a full range of sizes.

Freddie said on the collaboration, Freddie added: “We want to raise money, and also get more men talking about prostate cancer and if they become better aware of the risks and symptoms, then all the better”.

* Anyone with concerns about prostate cancer may contact Prostate Cancer UK’s Specialist Nurses in confidence on 0800 074 8383 or online via the Live Chat instant messaging service: www.prostatecanceruk.org. The Specialist Nurse phone service is free to landlines and open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday with late opening until 8pm on Wednesdays.

THE BEST FAMILY FRIENDLY FESTIVALS

WORDS BY MARTIN GLYNN 

In light of the heinous event of Monday night in my hometown of Manchester we thought long & hard about whether to run this post. But we must not let a small number of sick individuals who say they represent a peace loving religion speak for them. We are far more stronger than that. So please let this post by a wonderful fellow Mancunian be a mark of respect to the Families and Friends of all those wonderful people lost their lives or are injured. 

Enjoy #westandtogether #prayformanchester 

#onelove 

So, Festival season is nearly upon us and for parents of a certain vintage it evokes memories of misspent youth, lost weekends and a time of life where seeing your mates, watching a load of bands and having a few beers didn’t involve military levels of logistics and cashing in more childcare favours than you actually have.
But hold on folks, all is not lost. There are ways in which you can return to those lazy, hazy days of summer without simply abandoning your children or putting your TV in the back garden and watching the Glastonbury coverage on the red button loop.
Thankfully these days there are plenty of options where you can still get out of the house and enjoy some of the action, with an increasing number of festivals catering for the joys and challenges of those with families! With a number of festivals having designated camping areas for families and programming designed to appeal to all ages many even offer places free or heavily discounted for kids, here’s a small selection of what you could get up to this year.

DEER SHED
If you’ve ever wondered what attending a festival with your offspring would be like, this is probably the perfect place to start. Now in its eight year, Deer Shed was set up and is curated with families in mind, in fact having kids with you at this event is very much the norm. Taking its musical lead from the playlists of BBC 6 Music the programme extends to comedy, literature, arts and science and all in the setting of some beautiful North Yorkshire Parkland.
There is loads to do, all within a very manageable site, with good sightlines if your brood want to go off for a little wander, the camping is well organised, facilities plentiful and nothing goes on too late so there is actually the chance to get some sleep – which for some at a festival might be a novel change. Activities on the Sunday finish late afternoon too, all very civilised particularly if you’ve got to be back in work on the Monday!
With a capacity of only 6000 the economics don’t stack up for the promoters to put on huge numbers of big name acts but that just adds to the genuinely lovely boutique feel Deer Shed has to it. That said, this year’s line-up does include Teenage Fanclub, Kate Nash and The Divine Comedy, Comedy from John Shuttleworth, Hal Cruttenden and Justin Moorhouse, Spoken Word sessions with Owen Jones, Tim Dowling and Stuart Heritage and DJ Sets from Andy Kershaw, Marc Riley and Deer Shed favourites Across the Tracks.
Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, 21-23 July 2017


CAMP BESTIVAL
At the other end of the scale is the multi award winning Camp Bestival, the “little sister” of Bestival, both organised by Rob and Josie Da Bank. Held annually, in July, at Lulworth Castle in Dorset it’s the biggest family-friendly festival the UK has to offer. A family-friendly ethos and focus delivers a multi-genre line up catering to all the different feel good vibes; with live acts as diverse as Mark Ronson, Leftfield and Right Said Fred and a DJ line up including Skream, Norman Jay MBE and Clint Boon it really is a truly joyous musical affair.
With an array of workshops, comedy tents, crafts and talks the festival tries to provide an immersive and interactive family experience. This year’s fancy dress theme is popstars and rockstars, with festival-goers encouraged to dress up as their favourite artist from the world of music. If you want big names, big tunes and big fun then Camp Bestival could be the one for you.
Lulworth Castle, Dorset, 27-30 July 2017

LATITUDE
Compared to many festivals, Latitude is a very laid back affair delivering an eclectic and thoroughly enjoyable mixture of Music, Art, Theatre, Cabaret, Poetry, Dance, and even Politics, Described as ‘sumptuous, other worldly and home to probably the only multi-coloured sheep you’ll see this year’, Latitude brings intrigue, creativity, and excitement to the Suffolk Countryside, in the beautiful setting of Henham Park.
Run by Festival Republic, the people behind Reading/Leeds, Download, Wireless and the brilliant Electric Picnic in Co. Laois, Ireland, Latitude brings in top tier acts with headliners on the mainstage in 2017 including The 1975, Mumford and Sons and Fleet Foxes, whilst Placebo, Jack Garrett and Fatboy Slim all appear over on the BBC Music Stage.
If you’re in search of a bit of culture then Sadler’s Wells present a number of performances on the beautiful Waterfront Stage or if comedy is more your thing the Comedy Stage boasts, the largest comedy line up in the UK, featuring the biggest names in the industry.
Family activities are spread across three specific areas, the Kids Zone, The Enchanted Garden and the Inbetweener area, a space for 12+ where the kids are invited deep into the woods to enter another world of music, media, technology, fashion, wildlife survival skills and assault courses suspended in the trees!
Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk, 13-16 July 2017
THE BIG FEASTIVAL
If your life is a constant battle between yourself, your other half and your children as to what you’re going to watch on TV or listen to on the radio then The Big Feastival might just be right for you. Set up by Jamie Oliver and Blur’s Alex James the event is a family friendly event combining food from some of the country’s top chefs with a wide selection of big name live music acts.
Unashamedly aiming for wide appeal the music line up is beyond eclectic, with confirmed acts including headliners Hacienda Classical, Olly Murs, & Madness, plus Ella Eyre, Faithless (DJ set), Embrace, The Cribs, Dodgy, De La Soul, and more
Chefs appearing at the event include Rick & Jack Stein, Antonio Carluccio, Nathan Outlaw, Mark Hix, Cyrus Todiwala, Jose Pizarro, Olia Hercules, Robin Gill, Laura Jackson, Neil Rankin, Tom Hunt, Candice Brown, Romy Gill and Tom & Henry Herbert and there’s also a big range of street food.
The event is very family-friendly, with kids entertainment from king of CBeebies Justin Fletcher, and the magnificent Dick & Dom, together with cooking workshops for adults and kids, arts and craft sessions and a funfair.
Alex James’ Farm, The Cotswolds 25-27 August

FESTIVAL NO 6
The organisers of Festival N°6 describe it as a festival like no other, in the most stunning festival setting in the world, and it’s hard to disagree with them. The annual art and music festival, held in the magnificent Portmeirion in North Wales (also known as the location of the cult TV series, ‘The Prisoner’) presents a wide range of music genres, including rock and roll, folk, house, techno and dance.
Running over three days at the start of September, Festival No.6 provides a 24-hour soundtrack worthy of a weekend without musical boundaries, selected by a team of some of the UK’s most respected independent promoters and party planners.
Main Stage acts in 2017 include The Flaming Lips, Bloc Party and Mogwai, as well as a special performance by The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra together with the Bootleg Beatles celebrating 50 years of Sgt Pepper. DJ’s include Goldie, Hercules & Love Affair and Mr Scruff but on most people’s “don’t miss” list will be the fabulous Brythoniaid Welsh Male Voice Choir appearing in the Central Piazza singing a mix of the traditional standards and contemporary reworkings, a glorious sound indeed. The festival really embraces its surroundings and heritage with all manner of processions, performances and curiosities popping up throughout the festival site.
For families, specific places are organised to ensure all ages feel welcome, including FN6’s Mischief Meadow for children and a designated, quieter family camping area. For the more adventurous it’s even possible to take part in Paddle Boarding on the Estuary with regular sessions running on the River Dwyryd Estuary throughout the weekend. Working with ‘Attitude is Everything’, the festival also adapted to disabled people.
Portmeirion, Wales 7-10 September 2017

A Contemporary Classic – GUCCI GUILTY ABSOLUTE

Not since the heady days of Tom Ford has the Italian Luxury Fashion House, Gucci been so in vogue. A new dawn has broken over Gucci and to reflect this is a new fragrance Gucci Guilty. The fragrances convey the liberated message of #GuiltyNotGuilty: an attitude of feeling completely free. Created for a man who defines his own masculinity, Gucci introduces Gucci Guilty Absolute: a modern declaration of self-expression.

Born out of a special collaboration between creative director of Gucci Alessandro Michele and maître parfumeur Alberto Morillas, Gucci Guilty Absolute embodies the liberated man it is made for—an innovative expression of a men’s woody scent. The master perfumer and Alessandro Michele share the same approach to their craft: an unceasing passion to create, and an unflinching attitude to do so beyond the traditional rules of fashion and fragrance. Like Michele’s collections, there is a mix of messages behind the scent. A leather hero ingredient is an homage to the ultimate Gucci material; while the flacon is finished with details inspired by the feel of a refined lounge; the sensorial textures and colours of cigars and cognac.

Morillas lends his high artistic sensibility to Gucci Guilty Absolute. The scent breaks the mold of a traditional woody construction. To set it apart, the master perfumer created a particular blend with a structure that remains unchanged from the first time it is applied to the skin. To do this Alberto Morillas defined the scent with two leading notes, custom-mixing a Leather accord Woodleather as a tribute to the House’s leather-making roots, and a rare type of a common perfumery note, Goldenwood, a new natural extract of the Nootka Cypress. Discovering the ingredient under an old bell jar in the Royal Botanical Gardens’ archive, Morillas selected it especially for Gucci Guilty Absolute. The resulting scent features ultra-dry woody notes with depth and complexity. Intensifying the fragrance’s composition are three forms of Patchouli oils with sweet, dark and earthy character, and Vetiver, the fresh and earthy grass from woods.

Seven Storey Love Song – Seven Feet Apart Sneaker brand


Seven Feet Apart are a trainer brand with a difference, another one, well in their case they have a great background story and a total unique selling point. With a heritage tracing as far back as the industrial revolution, they pair prime Italian leather with ingenious British engineering to offer a product which focuses on comfort and built to last. Plus, at the same time their ethos around the entire business aims to create lasting chance, in that they believe high value can come at a fair price and each shoes leaves a meaningful footprint in the world.

Basically, they have taken the humble but classic tennis shoe and deconstructed each aspect to rebuild a trainer with a unique seven layers of comfort. The original 172 is hand made with the finest Italian calf leather. Each pair comes with gold tipped fat laces and a confident simplicity with subtle stitched details and blind debossed logos.
The way they see it as the ever narrowing gap between fast fashion and premium brands offers little by way of comfort, quality and value, three little words which mean the world to this brand. They’ve done away with the traditional wholesaler model and work on a ‘Maker Retailer’ framework. Therefore they sell direct to the customer with a traceable process from block to box.

To work along this new way of thinking Seven Feet Apart have set up the This Mile Foundation so the brand grows in a way that is fair, affordable and kind.

It works likes this, each employee picks a project that’s within a mile from their home. The brand then gives, not only, seven per cent of net profits but seven per cent of time or 18 days per year to support that project. Therefore creating opportunities within their communities, encouraging, nurturing and supporting people who want to take a different path in life.

7 poolside-perfect polos

Sun-drenched days are just around the corner, promise, so in preperation we spoke to Josh Kelsall of Scotts Menswear to give us not 6 but 7, yep one for every day of the week, 0f the best from their polo shirt collections, which are pitched as the perfect summer wear for men, covering the whole spectrum of individual tastes and styles. Here’s seven of the best, as chosen by them;

1. The Classic

Traditional yet sporty from Fred Perry – perfect for those looking to rock a cool and subtle urban attitude.

2. The Lover

Simple and understated from Lacoste– for the smooth charmers who know that true style never shouts.

3. The Posh One

Elegant and 100% British from Hackett – the one to wear if the occasion calls for some home-bred UK chic

4. The Style Guru

Eye-catching and bold from Fila – for those who don’t like to do fashion in half-measures

5. The Chiller

Relaxed and understated from Fred Perry – the perfect look for the calm, calculated shirt-fashionista.

6. The Exclusive

High-quality, classic with a modern twist from Pretty Green – when a statement absolutely, definitely needs to be made.

7. The Flash

Striking and unabashed from Boss Hugo Boss – for those who don’t hide away, but like to take summer by the horns.