Newsletter
Series 2 No 14
Twitter Chats Update
We have organised two web based Twitter chats for the week, thank you to RDUK and WeNurses
for their support in organising these.
As these are new to most of us here are some very simple steps to joining in a Twitter chat:
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Be on Twitter! (Register here http://www.twitter.com )
Some top tips for twitter chatting are:
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Twitter controls the speed of the stream of tweets so it can be a little slow at first for your
tweet to appear.
Watch the chat first to get the vibe (Or take a look at some previous chats on the wenurses
website)
Don't panic! Some chats are very fast but you don't have to read it all or interact with
everyone, just stick to one part of the chat that interests you. You can always re-read the
whole chat later
Catch ups aren't just for those who missed the chat – take some time to read the summary
and transcript of the chat afterwards – you will be amazed at what you missed.
ENJOY !! It isn't an exam – it's a chat!! Have fun and enjoy sharing
The first chat is with RDUK (Registered Dietitians UK) but is open to anyone with a Twitter accountis
on Monday 16th 20.00 GMT. The web chat lasts for around an hour
How it works with RDUK Anyone with a twitter account can participate and to maintain credibility, registered dietitians (RDs)
Sasha, Azmina and Emma will moderate the conversation. Special guests with particular expertise
may be invited to enhance the discussion. The moderator asks five Questions, each of which is
allocated 10 minutes of discussion time. These Questions will be published at
www.rdukchat.com/chats/ before the chat. Questions will be posed by the moderator preceded by
a number (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 & Q5) and participants can respond to questions in the same order (A1,
A2, A3, A4 & A5), add comments, favourite or RT answers that intrigue them.
The questions for the RDUK hydration chat are
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Q1 Good hydration is very important. How does good hydration apply to hospitals & care homes?
#NHWeek #rduk
Q2. What are your top tips for encouraging people to drink more? #NHWeek #rduk
Q3 How can hospitals and care homes promote hydration from drinks & foods in their menus? Any
good examples? #NHWeek #rduk
Q4. What’s the most frequent advice you give to your patients or clients? Or the best advice you've
received? #NHWeek #rduk
Q5 Where can we find & access practical information & resources that promote hydration
awareness? #NHWeek #rduk
The second webchat is on Thursday 19th at 20.00 and is hosted by WeNurses
Check out http://www.wecommunities.org/tweet-chats/chat-details/423 for more details
Any comments on this chat need the #WeNurses so it links to the chat.
The WeNurses webchat, in collaboration with Caroline Lecko (@celecko) from NHS England aim to
explore the following questions:
• What do we mean by good nutritional care?
• Who is at risk of malnutrition?
• Is dehydration an issue in organisation. If so, how do you identify those at risk?
• How do we identify who is at risk?
• What can we implement on an organisational and individual level to help achieve good nutritional
care?
• What are your top tips for good nutritional care?
• What can you do to improve the nutritional care of the people you care for?
Plans and activities seem to be arriving hourly now and here are some of them
England
At Birds Hill Nursing Home in Poole, Dorset they have already been working hard with residents and
staff to come up with a plan for the week.
Monday - They have three members of staff dedicated in raising awareness within the Home and
talking to staff, residents and family about nutrition and hydration and what they can do within the
Home to help our residents. The staff team are making and designing their own posters.
Tuesday – St Patrick’s Day and the chef and activities team have created a traditional Irish menu for
all the residents, including dysphagia residents, with soft options, diabetic options, vegetarian
options , something for everyone! In the afternoon they have booked a tai chi session to promote
fitness and overall being healthy.
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Wednesday – They will be making a display of foods and having a ‘hydration station’. The staff are,
creating an interesting menu working with the dysphagia residents and then the chef is going to
create it. They are also holding tasting sessions for all the residents to try.
Thursday – A ‘Mad Hatters’- themed afternoon tea with fancy dress and traditional ‘Alice In
Wonderland’ decorations and have invited the residents, friends and. A special cake has been
commissioned to include the nutrition and hydration week logo and Canadian flags to keep in with
this year’s theme and this will be served to their residents.
Friday – In the morning they have another healthy activity session with special chair exercises with
the residents and in the afternoon it will be the weekly ‘Fruity Friday’; where they make an activity
using fruit with our residents, which they can then eat. We also make smoothies so everyone can
have some. See the photos of their regular fruity Friday event.
Saturday – Its cinema night with lots of goodies including popcorn and traditional sweets from a
sweet trolley to watch ‘Alice in Wonderland’ to link to the week’s theme for Nutrition and Hydration.
The home’s designated staff have also been updating their knowledge and personal development;
by completing handbooks relating to Nutrition & Care for Older People. The staff are to attend an
‘Oral Health Champion’ study session, who will then support our existing in-house Oral Health
Champions in the Home.
At the Kings Mill Hospital in Sutton in Ashfield Nottinghamshire, they are having stands in the main
entrance on the Tuesday and Wednesday promoting the work they have delivered
regarding ‘Making Mealtimes Matter’ with quizzes and prizes for staff and visitors.
The paediatric patients are busy designing a tray liner promoting the importance of good nutrition
which will be used across the Trust throughout the week – with a prize for the winner.
Afternoon tea is to be served on the Thursday with the senior management team’s chief executive
and chairman helping to serve the teas.
The hospital’s nutrition champions and matrons are helping to serve meals and assist with feeding
throughout the week.
Through out the week they will be encouraging as many people to wear specially commissioned t
shirts printed with the NH week logo on. They have produced posters promoting our themes which
will be displayed on wards and in public areas.
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The City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust will have their Nutritional Nurse Ward Based
Champions focusing on compliance with MUST (screening) assessment for patients. The clinical staff
will be joining the Catering Department Assembly Unit Tour and Taste to learn more about the
patient meal service, plus the Executive Team will be shadowing Dietitians; Specialist Nurses; Ward
Nurses and Catering Team staff to see patient nutrition and hydration services.
The planning at the Ealing Hospital in West London includes a stand in the main reception with
snacks, cookies, individual portions of panna cotta with jelly, a variety of smoothies (all prepared by
London School of Hospitality and Tourism, University of West London students), coffee and tea and
small bottles of mineral water. On the walls behind and around our stand they we will have N&H
'awareness' posters designed by the students too.
Lambeth and Southwark Action on Malnutrition (LAMP) and Age UK Lambeth are holding a drop in
Afternoon Tea Party event to provide updates on current malnutrition prevention work across
Southwark and Lambeth. They have key note speakers, Caroline Lecko (Patient Safety Lead for NHS
England) and Rick Wilson (Head of dietetics at Kings College Hospital) speaking from 3pm.
On Ward B3, the Acute Medicine admissions ward at The Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham have
the following planned
Doctors will be serving patients lunch on Monday.
Dunkirk primary school children are providing art work to display, making felt fruit badges and
singing songs about food to the patients and staff.
Chief executive’s having lunch on B3, eating the same food as is served to the patients, to endorse its
quality.
B3 staff are also having a food tasting session.
They will be holding a Worldwide Afternoon Tea Party for the patients.
Trainee chefs baking for our patients and serving to them in their chef whites.
Staff, patients and visitors tea party together (staff to bake).
They are holding a staff hydration challenge – staff will be givena cup of water on the hour every the
hour. Results collected and evaluated.
Introducing red beakers for patients with hydration issues – “See the red, by the bed, take the cup
and top it up.” This is a prompt for all staff including doctors.
Simulated patients experience at meal times so staff may appreciate the difficulties patients may
face. Challenges include opening packets wearing mittens or finding what is on the tray with your
eyes shut. “ Let’s be patient aware.”
Patients will be given a questionnaire to evaluate their mealtime experience.
There is a mixture of important issues to address as well as some fun ones too. The aim is for a
beneficial week for patients and for staff, ultimately raising awareness and improving the nutritional
care of their patients.
Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust have a lot going on to raise awareness amongst patients , visitors and
staff and have some good involvement from the executive team. They will be following up the week
with some articles for the Trust magazine and Chief Executive communication. These are their plans
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Monday
16.03.15
AM
PM
Display and patient meal tasting session
Gledhow Wing foyer 11.30 -1-30
Display boards, audits and competitions on various
wards across the Trust
Deputy CEO to visit
Tuesday
17.03.15
Chief medical officer to visit FY1
nutrition training session
Display boards, audits and competitions on various
wards across the Trust
Wednesday
18.03.15
Display stand and dementia crockery
samples at Dementia Conference Thackery Museum
Afternoon Tea and Cake for all Wards
Display Stand and afternoon tea service for staff,
patients and visitors in Bexley Wing Foyer 2-4
Display boards, audits and competitions on various
wards across the Trust
Thursday
19.03.15
Display and patient meal tasting session
LGI Venue TBC 11.30 -1-30
Display boards, audits and competitions on various
wards across the Trust
Friday
20.03.15
Display boards, audits and competitions
on various wards across the Trust
Display boards, audits and competitions on various
wards across the Trust
1pm Chief Exec visit - ward TBC
All week
Free bottle of water and fresh fruit
with every meal deal purchased at the
staff dining rooms
Free bottle of water and fresh fruit with every
meal deal purchased at the staff dining rooms
Screen savers on Trust Computers
Screen savers on Trust Computers
Northern Ireland
Calerrific Ltd have been keen to support Northern Ireland care Home providers by offering some
free CalBisc 100 biscuits to Care Homes to accompany their morning or afternoon teas.
England
Barts Health Trust have shared the following with us for their activities for the week. There will be
an Afternoon Tea served on the Wednesday with the Trust’s Nutrition Board launching on the same
day. A series of ‘Come Dine with Me’ themed events will be held acorss the trust every day of the
week. They will have a roadshow around the trust with a Healthy Eating Q & A sessions with the
Trust’s Dietitians. Also touring the Trust is the Raising Nutritionals Screening Awareness event and
banner display.
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Australia
NSW Meals on Wheels will be posting a message about the importance of hydration on social media
on the Afternoon Tea Date. They also run an event called ‘Cuppa for a Cause’ in NSW
www.cuppaforacause.org.au . They are planning on running this again this year and will be updating
the website in due course so the event will run during on Australian Meals on Wheels Day.
England
The Weston Area Health Trust are planning some innovative events during the week. They are
holding a Nutrition and Hydration Trolley dash as a practical way to learn about supporting the food
and drink needs of patients on the ward. How about playing Snakes and Ladders with Carrots and
Straw when they are utilising The nutrition and hydration game as an exciting, unusual and effective
way for front line staff to learn about the prevention of malnutrition and dehydration. They are
providing tea, coffee and biscuits on the Outpatients Waiting Area, holding MUST and ward training
and troubleshooting for nursing staff and of course holding a Worldwide Afternoon Tea.
Hungary
The Hungarian Dietetic Association - MDOSZ have been busy preparing for their World Tea Party
event.
Every resident will receive a coloured maple leaf made of paper by 5-6 year old children. They have
laminated 430 leaves, so residents can put it under their tea-cup as a coaster or they can use it as a
bookmark later. The have another 20 leaves which have been left plain as they are to be used for
leaf garlands. These garlands will decorate the rooms of people suffering from the later stages of
dementia.
On a pre visit to the home, MDOSZ discovered that the residential home didn’t have any stoneware
teacups or saucers, just plastic ones. They also don`t have metal spoons, because they couldn’t
afford them. The Hungarian Dietetic Association MDOSZ will be delivering 100 stoneware mugs and
metal spoons for free.
With the support of Unilever they will provide fruit tea and tea biscuits (traditional, sugar free and
soft ones for those who have got swallowing difficulties) for all 550 residents of the home. Tea
biscuits are being donated by the Hungarian Confectionery Manufacturers Association.
The 300 bedridden residents in this care home will be served by 28 students of the Department of
the Dietetics and Nutrition Sciences of the Semmelweis University Faculty of Health Sciences.
The Programme for 18th March is (Address: 117 Pesti Street, Budapest, 1173)
3.00 p.m. The tea party will be opened by Mr László Bakonyi - Manager of Residental Home
3.05 p.m. Welcome speech by Mrs Jolán Kubanyi - President, Hungarian Dietetic Association
3.10 p.m. Presentation about `Preventing malnutrition and dehydration`
by Ms Emese Antal - General Secretary, Hungarian Dietetic Association
3.30 p.m. World Tea Party will commence
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Between 16th and 22nd of March the MDOSZ Facebook page will deal with the importance of
hydration and preventing malnutrition. https://www.facebook.com/teritekenazegeszseg?ref=profile
The Nutritional Academy’s Newsletter in March will be linked to preventing malnutrition and
dehydration. The thematic monthly newsletter will be sent to the dieticians and to different sorts of
media as well. The Nutritional Academy’s Newsletter aim is to provide journalists authentic
information about the healthy eating, lifestyles and recent scientific research results.
England
The London Borough of Redbridge will be delivering tea and biscuits to all of our Community Meals
service users on 18th March. Day Centres and lunch clubs will be holding afternoon teas throughout
the borough. Redbridge Public Health are also supporting the week in partnership with Adult Social
Care, spreading the N&H message to health settings and GP surgeries etc.
The care homes in the East Midlands can enter the Bake-Off Competition being held at Cherry Trees
in Nottingham. The Contestants may enter individually or in teams of three, with the individual or
team producing and displaying 6 cakes within the time frames given.
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay will be supporting the week with lots happening across
their sites dotted around the bay. They are having refreshment stations on the main entrances
where services users will be handed a bottle of free water on entering our hospitals. They are
holding quizzes for both patients and staff, patients will be receiving fresh smoothies made by their
excellent team of chefs using locally sourced products and local suppliers, and the patients will enjoy
afternoon tea. They are also inviting the children to go down into the woods for a Teddy Bears
Picnic.
Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust are hosting a series of events across both hospital sites to mark the
event.
On MUST Monday they are looking at best practice at ward level for Malnutrition screening
On Tuesday their Fosters Restaurant is putting together a Taste the World Day
On Wednesday They will be taking part in the World’s biggest tea party. Homemade cakes will be
served with afternoon tea to promote the importance of hydration and nutrition for inpatients.
‘Thirsty Thursday’ will see the promotion of the importance of hydration for patients at ward level.
On Fruity Friday, they will be enhancing our patients’ breakfasts.
In Leeds the Older People Food Matters Group are hosting a Nutrition and Hydration seminar.
This seminar has been arranged a week prior to the Nutrition and Hydration Week so
delegates will be equipped with further knowledge and information for the week.
This seminar aims to allow commissioners, the wider workforce from public, third sector and
health care including carers who support or promote adequate nutrition and hydration for
older people to:
Find out more on what is going on locally to promote adequate nutrition and hydration
Hear from our guest speakers Caroline Lecko from NHS England whom has worked on a
number of key programmes including the Hydration Best Practice Tool for Healthcare and
the 10 Key Characteristics of Nutritional Care Fact Sheets and Richard Porter, Chair of the
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Older People Food Matters Group who support the delivery of work to raise awareness of
the importance of nutrition and hydration in the city.
Leeds Adult Social Care are holding a Feeding Friday, with support of the LCHT Speech and
Swallowing Team, awareness will be raised regarding good feeding practice and the correct
protocols to follow, with the managers of the Care Homes Quality Group. There will be some
interactive sessions with care regarding how it feels to be fed and given a drink.
The Leeds Public Health Resource Centre’s Bulletin & social media will be supporting the week with
key messages during the week.
The Rosevale Care Home, York have a full diary of events planned for the week.
On Monday they are having ball games in the morning for exercise then teas around the world in the
afternoon. Tuesday is Zumba in the morning then Guinness tasting in the afternoon and a St Patricks
Day quiz in the evening. Wednesday, Following Bean Bag Games in the morning it is Fresh fruit juice
tasting in the afternoon. Thursday morning sees a trip to the Wiggington Farm shop for coffee and to
look at the fresh fruit and veg. Its is planned to do exercises in the afternoon then a health quiz in
the evening.
On Friday Skittles will be played in the morning then its Fruity Friday where they will sample
different fruits. Saturday baking scones in the morning then having them as part of the cream Teas in
the afternoon. In the evening it’s a cheese and wine cheese and wine night. On Sunday to round off
the week they are doing morning exercises, and after lunch they will be making fresh Lemonade.
After all exercise classes they staff will give out extra water and juices to encourage further intake.
Wales
A thickened fluid challenge is taking place across many of the health boards in South Wales. The
entire Speech and Language Team (SLT) within Cardiff And Vale Health Board are taking part along
with many SLTS from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board and Wye Valley NHS Trust. They are
doing a 3 day challenge on thickened fluids using Resource Thicken Up Clear. Monday Stage 1
Syrup, Tuesday stage 2 Custard and Wednesday Stage 3 Pudding.
The aim of the challenge is empathy via participation and hopefully will be a great education for the
teams. It will provide credibility in understanding what it involves to be on thickener and an insight
into living in the shoes of the patients. A questionnaire will be completed to collate the results and
feedback.
Elsewhere in the principality, the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Rhyl are holding a Community
Nutrition Support Course; Wrexham Maelor main entrance and day dependent dining room, Glan
Clwd dining room and cancer treatment entrance and Ysbyty Gwynedd outside the main dining
room will be promotion stands on nutrition and hydration. Also in Wrexham Maelor on the
Gwanwyn they will be launching their Dementia Breakfast Club Pilot .
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Ysbyty Gwynedd are also holding a power of 3 event following a meal through the hospital from its
source to patient. Afternoon Tea parties will be held at the Bryn Hesketh Unit, Colwyn Bay; the
Stroke Unit and Enhanced recovery Suite Glan Clwyd; Cefni Hospital; Older persons & Stroke Units,
Wrexham; Chirk Community Hospital and Deeside Community Hospital, and the Prysor Ward at
Ysbyty Gwynedd are holding a de,emtia friendly afternoon tea. The Alaw Ward at Ysbyty Gwynedd
is holding a cocktail hour on the 19th.Acute Nutrition Support Courses are being held at Wrexham
and Glan Clwyd hospitals. The following are using the week to use the all Wales Patient Survey Deeside Hospital, Mold Hospital, Holywell Hospital, Wrexham Maelor, Chirk Hospital, Glan Clwyd
Hospital, Denbigh Hospital, Colwyn Bay Hospital, Ablett Unit, Bryn Hesketh, Adolescent Unit,
Llandudno Hospital, Ysbyty Gwynedd, Alltwen Hospital, Penrhos Stanley, Cefni Hospital, Tywyn
Hospital, Eryri Hospital, and Bryn Beryl Hospital.
England
Pupils at Romiley Primary School, Stockport have enjoyed a school assembly with a difference. Ellen
Clayton (NACC Northern Regional Chair, and Account Manager for Harfield Tableware), delivered a
talk on Nutrition and Hydration, and played an educational game with the children. The assembly
was based on the Eat Well Plate, and covered aspects of eating and drinking healthily. The children
have been given the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of good Nutrition and
Hydration in the form of a poster competition. The winners of the competition will be crowned our
first ever Junior Nutrition and Hydration Ambassadors. Part of their role will include involvement
with school meals menus, and promoting healthy eating and drinking both within school and at
home with family and friends. If you would like more information on this format, presentation tools
are available, please contact us and we’ll link you to further information.
St Joseph’s Hospice, Hackney will be marking Nutrition and hydration week by holding an afternoon
tea on Friday 20th March for patients , visitors and staff. They will also be having a display during the
week on ways to make small amounts of food as nourishing as possible and some general
information on safe swallowing.
Canada
Knollcrest Lodge, Perth East, Ontario will participating in Nutrition and Hydration Week by holding
training in services for staff on why hydration is important in all walks of life, Information on the
importance of proper hydration will be also be going to Meals on Wheels recipients and beverages
wil be served with their meals during the week. The main event is the Canadian Tea Party in
morning on March 18th and non alcoholic cocktails in the afternoon during their Regular Bar Day.
England
Westbourne Sunrise Senior Living are holding a Good food that’s easy to swallowsession. For many
older people, dysphagia means difficulty with swallowing food. While the solution often means
pureed food, that doesn’t have to be as bland as it sounds. They will be a demonstration of the
Thermomix method they use to create dishes that are easy to swallow, nutritious and look as
appetising as non-pureed meals.
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The following day at the Secrets of Nutrition their Nutritional Therapist will be providing an
interesting and informative talk which will consider the importance of nutrition for mental health.
The Quality Improvement team at Essex County Council will be hosting a stand in the Atrium at
County Hall, Chelmsford to raise awareness. The council staff can come and play the Nutrition
Hydration online game and test their knowledge on Hydration facts, they will be supported on the
Thursday by Care Home Practitioner colleagues from SEPT who will offer support and guidance
around Nutrition and Hydration as well having some goodies for everyone .
PROSPER – (Promoting Safer Provision of Care for Elderly Residents) are working with residential
and care homes across Essex using the week to promote nutrition and hydration. They have engaged
the homes and these are their plans for the week.
Sherrell House
Monday 16th – Residents will be trying a different variety of fruits.
Tuesday 17th – Baking session with residents.
Wednesday 18th – They will be taking part in the Worldwide Afternoon Tea with a Canadian Theme
Thursday 19th – Residents will help the chef preparing vegetables for lunch and dinner
Friday 20th – Come dine with me – Staff and family members will sit with residents and have lunch
together
Cunningham House are holding an Alice In Wonderland Mad Hatters Tea Party. Poplars residential
home and Brenalwood residential home are hosting a joint morning coffee event. Glengariff
residential home, Carnarvon nursing home and Corner House residential home are all hosting
‘Come Dine with Me’ events – Residents will be going to each home with a member of staff, tasting
their food and rating it!
Partridge Care Centre are haviong two tea parties, on the 17th – Irish Tea Party and then on 20th a
Global Tea Party. Chalkney House are holding a multi cultural food event where the different carers
of various nationalities will be bringing in a different foods from their countries. They will also be
doing a great British bake off event. The De La Mare residential home are having Tea at the Ritz!
as their afternoon tea theme, with a pianist playing and staff will be dressed at waitresses and
waiters. Lime Court they are having a smoothie of the day every day, Fruity Friday and on Tuesday
17th we are holding a Mad Hatters Tea Party with staff being asked to dress as Disney Characters and
the residents will judge and award prizes with a production from entertainers in the afternoon.
The 5 Southend Care Group homes (Well House, Trippier House, Scarletts Residential Home,
Ramsey Manor Residential home and Poplars Residential Home) will be having a global tea party at
Ramsey Manor in Dovercourt where a number of residents from each of the homes will meet and
take part in activities with members of the community and families being invited in to take part and
judge competitions taking place. In the run up to the event the different homes will be making cakes
with residents to be eaten at the party!
Beechlands Residential Home , Loughton, have invited a local school to come to the home to take
part in the global tea party and as part of the day will be offering pamper sessions for a number of
residents as well as other activities within the home. The Poplars residential home, Walton on the
Naze, will be having an Irish Themed event involving everything Irish including Irish stews to
celebrate St Patricks Day with residents and to promote nutrition and hydration.
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The Essex County Council’s Hospital Assessment Teams at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow are
going to have a tea party as part of the global tea party and have invited NHS colleagues from within
the hospital to take part as well, to promote and highlight these two areas both from a health stand
point but also from Social Care as well.
Abbott Nutrition pledges to continue to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of malnutrition
in older people through their I-Care initiative, which is supported by the Patients Association. The ICARE checklist provides families and carers with an easy checklist of signs to be vigilant about: I – I
will check Clothing, Appetite, Rings, Energy levels and encourages the individual at risk to seek
medical advice.
Check out the Events page on www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk for more event details.
Contact for Newsletter items, photos, plans, ideas, any comments send them to [email protected] Thank you
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