June 2025

Men’s Health Week 2025 will take place from Monday, June 9 to Sunday, June 15, coinciding with Father’s Day on June 15. This annual event aims to raise awareness of preventable health issues among men and boys, promote early detection and treatment, and encourage healthier lifestyle choices. 

One important but often overlooked area is men’s hearing. Men in the UK are nearly twice as likely as women to experience hearing loss, often due to prolonged exposure to noisy workplaces and activities. Unfortunately, many men delay seeking help because of stigma or simply not recognising the signs, which can lead to social isolation and other serious health impacts. This Men’s Health Week, it’s vital to pay attention to hearing changes, seek support early, and remember that help is available to improve quality of life. You can learn more about men’s hearing health and how to take action in this helpful Men’s Hearing Health blog. 

Beyond hearing, it’s also important to be proactive about any unusual health changes. If you’ve noticed a new symptom, a lump, or anything that doesn’t feel right - don’t ignore it. Get it checked out. Only about one in three men see their GP regularly, meaning many issues go undetected until they become more serious. Early action can make a huge difference to outcomes, so don’t wait - your health is worth it. 

Kara's Fjord Fiesta

I recently enjoyed an amazing cruise around Norway! I must admit I felt very nervous being without my mobile phone and access to my emails! But after the 3rd day I was finally letting go of worrying about my business, and began to relax. The views of fjords were breath taking. The highlights of my trip included a visit to a Viking museum where I walked around a Viking longhouse, a cable car ride to the top of the mountain, a trip to see the Troll wall, and kayaking on the fjord itself!

1/3 Off Train Fares For Deaf Travellers - Here's How!

Thanks to one of our wonderful clients, we have a tip for anyone who has a hearing loss and travels by train in the UK. 

If you’re deaf or using a hearing aid, you could be eligible for a Disabled Persons Railcard, which gives you a one-third discount on most rail fares across Great Britain - plus, a companion can get the same discount too! 

To qualify, you’ll need proof of your hearing loss, like a Social Services stamp, an NHS hearing aid battery book, or a private hearing aid prescription. The card costs £20 for one year or £54 for three years and can be used any time on National Rail services. 
You can apply easily online at disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk 

​If you travel by train and haven’t checked this out yet, it’s definitely worth a look - thanks again to our client for bringing it to our attention! 

Lemon Curd Crumb Cake 

Ingredients
Crumb topping:

• 65 g plain flour
  
• 45 g light brown sugar
  
• ½ tsp cinnamon
  
• Pinch of salt
  
• 50 g unsalted butter (cold, diced)
  

Cake batter:

• 190 g plain flour
  
• 150 g caster sugar
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  
• ¼ tsp salt
  
• 240 ml whole milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice (mixed and rested 5 mins)
  
• 80 ml oil (sunflower or vegetable)
  
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
  

Filling:

• 4–6 tbsp store-bought lemon curd
  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175°C (fan 160°C). Grease and line a 20 cm round or square cake tin.
   
2. Make the crumb topping:
   Rub flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and butter together until crumbly. Chill in the fridge.
   
3. Make the batter:
   Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl. In another, combine milk mixture, oil, vanilla, and zest. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
   
4. Assemble:
   Pour half the batter into the tin. Spoon and swirl in half the lemon curd. Add the rest of the batter and swirl in more lemon curd on top. Sprinkle with crumb topping.
   
5. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake (not the curd) comes out clean.
   
6. Cool in the tin before slicing. Optional: dust with icing sugar.
   

Dave's Brain Teaser Corner 

Sudoku rules:
​Fill the 9x9 grid with the numbers 1–9, without repeating any numbers in a row, column, or 3x3 box.