In Brief...

Cheap as Chips... erm, SmartWool Socks

SmartWool has publicly announced a new business contract with wool producers in New Zealand that may very well change the very nature that all wool business may be done in the future. The sourcing partnership is with The New Zealand Merino Company that guarantees minimum price levels for New Zealand wool growers producing merino wool for use in SmartWool's products. In the past, merino wool was bought and sold at auction, with no connection between the end-user of the wool and the wool grower. The new contract means that farmers are aware of the intended use of the wool and can raise sheep or produce wool to meet specific quality standards. So, better for the farmers, better for the woolly critters themselves and cheaper socks for us right? Surely...

For information on the full range of SmartWool products log on to website: www.smartwool.com

Silva Scores a Place in ‘Top 100 Gadgets Of All Time’

The votes are in, results have been collated and the top 100 Gadgets of All Time have been announced. According to the US mobile technology magazine, ‘Mobile Magazine’, the Silva Compass has earned pride of place at 45th. Competition was fierce with Silva beating fun gadgets such as the Rubik’s cube (89th), the more functional abacus (60th) and the microscope (53rd).

In second place, the remote control proved that it is, in fact, the couch potatoes’ best friend. And the winner’s crown? This honour went to the Apple Powerbook 100. We can’t help but wonder though, in what place did the humble can opener come?

For more information about Silva products, visit www.silva.ltd.uk

New aquapure Traveller Water Purification System Website

Speaking of gadgets, word has it that aquapure have updated their web site. We’ve reviewed the traveller water purification system in the past but will let you check out the site and decide for yourselves: www.aquapuretraveller.com.

Name the New Jennings Horses and Win

We’ve heard it straight from the horse’s mouth... (sorry, it had to be said!). Brewer and leased pub operator, Jennings Brothers PLC has decided to let its faithful pair of horses retire. At a ripe old age of 19 and 20, Thomas and Merlin are heading for greener pastures and will be replaced by two new horses. For the time being, the newcomers are called ‘Robbie’ and ‘Sam’ but Jennings is looking for new names for the horses. They are offering a mystery prize and the chance to present the two horses with their name plates so get creative!

If you can think of new names that reflect Jennings’ history, give them a call on 01900 820347 or, for more information, visit: www.jenningsbrewery.co.uk

New Bus Service

If horses aren’t your thing, maybe buses are... ah, the ‘joys’ of public transport. A new Saturday bus service has just been launched linking walkers from both Glossop and Sheffield with high moorland areas of the Peak District. The 373 service will run twice a day on Saturdays throughout the year in addition to the existing Sunday and Bank Holiday services. It will also offer access to the Snake Pass and beyond, via connecting services.

More details are available at: www.derbyshire.gov.uk or call Traveline on 0870 608 2608.

British Led Team Reaches New Heights

Then again, you can always go on foot... something Tom Avery and his four-strong Barclays Capital Ultimate North team seem to do best. This was proved this recently when they set a new world record as the fastest team in history to reach the North Pole on foot. 29 year old polar explorer Tom Avery from Sussex, South African born banker Andrew Gerber, Matty McNair, an internationally renowned American polar explorer, Hugh Dale-Harris a dog driver from Canada and George Wells, a property developer from Suffolk, set out from Cape Columbia on March 21st 2005. Expedition leader Tom Avery is now the youngest Briton to walk to both poles. The 36 day 22 hour and 11 minute expedition took the team 413 nautical miles across the Polar ice cap. Now that beats your average Sunday stroll in the park...

All the juicy details expedition details can be found at: www.barcapultimatenorth.com