Month: May 2018

Royal Wedding

 It’s the Week of the Royal Wedding!

This week will see the union of the US and the UK; no, it isn’t the two Firemizer teams, it’s the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle! The English Prince and the American humanitarian and actress are to be wed on May 19th of this year. The wedding will take place at the beautiful Windsor Castle (rather than Westminster Abbey in London) beginning at 12pm GMT.

Who’s Going?

The wedding’s guest list has been very much kept under wraps, but it is of course confirmed that the Queen herself will attend. The rest of the royal family including Prince Philip, Charles, and obviously William and Kate will join her. Other rumoured attendees include Barack Obama and Joe Biden (who Harry met at the Invictus Games), and the Spice Girls. The service will be kept at a modest 600 guests, with only 200 invited to the evening reception. A further two and a half thousand people will be invited to the castle grounds to witness the marriage. Those invited are chosen due to work within the community, representation of charities linked to the couple, and local schoolchildren. The crowds will be in prime view of witnessing the bride and groom arrive, and the carriage procession afterwards.

Will it be Televised? 

The wedding itself will be televised meaning those not included in the 600 attendees or the outside crowd will be able to enjoy the wedding from their own homes across the world. Over 20 million US viewers tuned in to watch the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton! For those watching from the US, the festivities are due to begin at 4pm EST. Why not invite friends over and enjoy the wedding together, whether inside with the fire roaring or (weather-permitting) outside, with the chiminea or fire-pit keeping everyone cosy? The service is likely to last a few hours so keep your fire going a third longer with Firemizer. As it helps to burn your solid fuel more evenly and efficiently, it means less interference and fewer trips to the wood store, meaning you can enjoy the union of the US and UK undisturbed.

What are Brit’s favourite fireside stories?

As families in the UK become more time poor, Firemizer, creator of the handy household fuel and money-saving device, has launched a campaign to find the nation’s favourite fireside stories, encouraging families to spend more time together.

Whether it’s curling up around the campfire or settling down in front of an open range, humans have shared stories around the fire throughout history. Conversations around the campfire has played an important role in how we have developed as a species and according to research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, ending the day around the campfire, where songs, stories and relationships blossomed, ultimately shaped cultures and perhaps even helped develop some of our ability to understand one another and cooperate.

Brian Irvine, CEO of Firemizer said, “For generations the fire has been the central point of the home and with more and more time-pressure being placed on families, we hope to encourage people to step away from the screens and share stories together.

“Whether that is reading or telling your favourite stories together, talking about your day or asking older generations to share memories – storytelling allows us to connect with each other on an emotional level.”

Creating time within your week to spend time together and talk and share stories helps young children to develop cognitive and communication skills and is an easy way for generations to spend quality time together.

The importance of the fire itself in storytelling has been discussed by anthropologist Polly Weissner. She said, “Fireside gatherings are often, although not always, composed of people of mixed sexes and ages. Body language is dimmed by firelight and awareness of self and others is reduced. Facial expressions—flickering with the flames—are either softened, or in the case of fear or anguish, accentuated.”

From ghost stories to childhood memories or camping capers, with summer just around the corner, Firemizer is now searching for the best campfire stories and memories to be compiled into an anthology for families to share together throughout the warmer weather. To submit your fireside stories visit www.facebook.com/firemizer or #firemizer on Twitter by Saturday 30 June.

May Day Weekend

May Day Bank Holiday Weekend

Over the May Day bank holiday weekend, you may find yourself stuck for things to do with that extra day. Instead of sleeping in or watching TV, here’s a list of cheap, alternative things to get you out the house.

 

Walking Tours in London

If you live in the countryside and want a change of scenery, why not head to the sprawling London metropolis? There’s a wealth of landmarks and tourist attractions that we so often forget are on our doorstep. In the interest of keeping it cheap and cheerful, there are over 40 free walking tours on offer to you. These range from historic walks through the park, to the strip between Buckingham Palace and St. Paul’s Cathedral, to the London Outer Orbital Path (LOOP) that takes you through stately monuments and houses.

Cheese-Chasers in Gloucester

This strangely appealing annual event always promises not to disappoint. In Brockworth, Gloucester, hordes of competitors throw themselves down a hill in order to catch the prized wheel of cheese. Yes, you read that correctly. An 8lb wheel of Double Gloucester cheese is chased down the famed Cooper’s Hill and the first to the finish line is crowned Cheese Champion.

Pet Animals in Newcastle

Just outside of Newcastle city centre in Jesmond Dene is a little haven that the little ones will enjoy. Filled with standard pigs and rabbits (as well as rarer alpacas and tropical birds) this petting zoo will delight all! It’s free entry with a soft play area and café, so if you’re in the area and stuck for ideas, this is an easy fix.

Host a Garden Party

Getting out of the house doesn’t necessarily require going far; weather permitting, invite friends over for an impromptu garden party! Soak up the sunlight and maybe even get a barbecue going – get it started easier using a Firebuilder and help it last up to 38% with a Firemizer! If the weather isn’t so good, swap garden for a cheese and wine night, and use Firemizer in your wood or coal burning stove or fireplace instead!

Take a walk in the Peak District

Over April and May, walkers take to the hills making the most of the year’s first bouts of good weather. With so many various trails to choose from, from mountain heights to valley lows, to fit your experience level. Take a day out for a quick escape or organise a longer trail over the full weekend, all you need are comfy shoes and a weather proof coat!

 

There are just some of the cheap, wonderful ways to get the most of your this bank holiday this year!

Scroll to top
Select your currency
$ United States (US) dollar
Euro