Northern collective launch new venture designed to combat low mood during winter lockdown
A collective of local entrepreneurs are marking Blue Monday with the launch of a specially-designed therapy lamp - helping Mancs get enough light to combat seasonal affective disorder during a dark winter.
A collective of local entrepreneurs are marking Blue Monday with the launch of a specially-designed therapy lamp – helping Mancs get enough light to combatseasonal affective disorder during a particularly dark winter.
The ‘Lumin Elix’ is capable of reaching a total lux (brightness) of 12,000 – similar to bright daylight – which can help at a time when many are lacking Vitamin D due to lockdown.
Sunlight is a natural mood enhancer that affects body chemistry, including melatonin and serotonin levels. When spending increased amounts of time indoors, bright light is the next best thing, with Lumin Elix offering ‘a convenient and natural solution’.
Craig Davies and Steven Powell (the duo behind hospitality reservation platform Seatd) have joined forces with property entrepreneur Samuel Dyson to launch the lamp – which will be rolled out steadily over the next few months.
The trio are using the product to promote mental health and wellbeing – with 20 influencers brought aboard as brand ambassadors.
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Speaking on Lumin Elix, Craig Davies said: “We’re all still coming to terms with the effects of 2020 on our physical and mental wellbeing, and with us currently experiencing our third lockdown and January being known as a particularly bleak month, we’re keen to spread the message of the benefits of light therapy and Lumin Elix.”
Stephen Powell continued: “We wanted to provide a solution that could help boost people’s moods with minimal effort and bright light therapy is incredibly simple but effective.
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“For many suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, the Lumin Elix light box can help improve mood, energy levels and feeling more awake.”
Sam Dyson added: “It’s been great to work as a collective and bring the Lumin Elix brand to life. This is a new avenue for us all and we’re really excited to see the positive impact it will have on people’s lives.
“Now more than ever, physical and mental wellbeing is key and the benefits of bright light therapy can be seen after just a few days.”
Manchester Airport releases statement after customer data stolen in ‘targeted’ cyber security attack
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Airport has released a formal statement after data was stolen from 8.7 million customers in a ‘targeted’ cyber security attack yesterday.
Manchester Airport Group (MAG) – which operates Manchester Airport, Stansted, and East Midlands Airport – said the cyber security incident happened at around 1pm yesterday (Thursday 27 August), and that the data seized from 8.7 million customers included email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registrations, and postcodes.
The data that was stolen related to car park, lounge and Fast Track bookings, and in-airport WiFi sign-ups, MAG stated.
It was initially confirmed that the system the hackers accessed did not hold customers’ bank or payment details, however, and that all other regular airport operations and customer parking continued uninterrupted.
Manchester Airport has now released a formal statement to reassure customers that they are taking the matter ‘extremely seriously’.
The statement reads: “Manchester Airport Group has been subject to a cyber security incident by an unauthorised third party.
“A quantity of customer data has been obtained that relates to car park, lounge and Fast Track bookings and in-airport WIFI sign-ups at Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports.
“We immediately contained the risk and have been working with specialist advisors and taking appropriate steps to protect our customers and systems. We have informed and are working with the relevant authorities, and at no point has passenger safety or aviation security been compromised.”
MAG insisted that the incident had not resulted in any ‘operational disruption’, adding: “Airport operations remain unaffected and customer parking services continue to operate normally.
“Neither MAG nor the system accessed hold customers’ bank or payment details. The data that has been accessed includes customers’ email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registrations and postcodes.
“We would like to reassure customers that Manchester Airport Group takes the security of customer information extremely seriously, and we apologise for any inconvenience or concern caused.”
Featured Image – MAG
Business
Workers at major Manchester city centre hotel to strike this bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
Workers at one of the most prominent hotels in Manchester city centre are set to strike this bank holiday weekend.
Workers at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel and its bar venue The Refuge, who are members of the union Unite, will take 24 hours of strike action on Saturday (29 August) in what is said to be a ‘long-running dispute’ over union busting.
The strike day chosen by the workers is the second day of this year’s Manchester Village Pride, and is historically the most lucrative day of the year for their employer.
This is because Kimpton Clocktower is located very close to the Pride Parade route, and for several years has been a very popular location for people attending the festival, and even runs a number of Pride events itself.
Unite says that for months now, workers at the Kimpton Clocktower – which is owned by InterContinental Hotels Group UK (IHG) – have been asking for formal union recognition to improve conditions after raising several issues with management, but IHG UK has refused this and instead ‘targeted’ the union for its actions.
Workers at a major Manchester city centre hotel are set to strike this bank holiday weekend / Credit: Rebecca Hope Photography (Supplied)
Previous strikes have already taken place this summer, apparently causing ‘financial hits’ to the business in the process – with the bar being forced to close early at several events as there were not enough staff to cover them.
“A strike on Kimpton’s most profitable day is entirely of its own making,” commented Unite regional officer, Alison Treacher. “Throughout this dispute, Kimpton Clocktower management have treated its loyal workforce with contempt and our members have shown they will not stand for it.
“There is still time to avoid this highly disruptive strike action, but that relies on IHG changing tack by listening to its members and giving them the union recognition they have long been calling for.”
This dispute is said to be the first ever hospitality strike in the North West.
Unite is currently running a petition demanding that IHG UK stop targeting union activists, recognise the Kimpton workers rights to have their grievance heard collectively, and support their union recognition campaign.
The Manc -
18th January 2021 
