Snow, delivery drivers and a banana duct-taped to a wall! Is it just me, or has the world lost the plot?!?!

I’m feeling particularly festive.

As I write, I’m gazing out at the snow-covered Malvern Hills – a picture-perfect winter wonderland. It’s so idyllic that, if it weren’t for the lack of chalet bars and après-ski revelry, I could almost believe I was in the Alps – not my living room in rural Worcestershire! Esme is staring at me with her best ‘let’s play’ eyes, tail wagging like mad. She’s desperate to get outside and frolic in the snow. Truth be told, so am I. What can I say? I’m the biggest kid around – snow or no snow!

The arrival of the white stuff couldn’t have been better timed; I’ve just been given the go-ahead to wear hats again after my hair transplant. I’d love to claim my newly insulated scalp means I’m hardy to the elements, but unlike Scott (who still insists on wearing shorts!), I’m more of a hot chocolate and layers kind of person. Ah well, you know what they say… no sense, no feeling! (Sorry Scott!) The recent cold snap has finally forced me to admit defeat and switch on the heating. I held out for as long as I could, but after seeing my breath fogging up the kitchen I realised it was probably time to flick the switch.

Sadly for many people, that isn’t always an option. With news that the energy price cap is set to rise again in January, countless households are bracing for themselves for another difficult winter. Earlier this month, Energy UK revealed that the average household in arrears already owes £1,500 and £1,300 on their electricity and gas respectively. That same week, a banana duct-taped to a wall sold at auction for $6.2 million. Yes, you read that correctly. The proud new owner of this “masterpiece” is cryptocurrency entrepreneur, Justin Sun. Apparently he plans to eat the banana as part of the “unique artistic experience.”

It’s official. The world’s gone bonkers! Speaking of absurdities, I was listening to Johnny Vaughan’s Radio X podcast the other day, and he was musing over some of the ridiculous things that have come to light recently. The kind of stories that make you scratch your head and think, “Is this for real!?!” Take the woman who took legal action because her letters were addressed as ‘Miss’ rather than ‘Mrs.’ Yes, that actually happened. Or the homeowners being forced to wait six months to get permission to install an environmentally friendly heat pump. Because nothing says “climate emergency” like red tape!

But the pièce de résistance? The revelation that takeaway delivery drivers are excluded from new legislation that will make it a specific offence to assault or threaten retail workers. I mean, c’mon! Don’t delivery drivers deserve the same basic protections as anyone else? They’re out there delivering in all weathers to satisfy our late-night urges for pizza and noodles. The least they deserve is to feel safe whilst doing it. In response, Deliveroo has launched its ‘Right to Ride Safely’ campaign and is calling on the Government to extend the new offence to include delivery drivers. Let’s hope Ministers listen.

Like many in the industry, violence against shopworkers and security staff is an issue that weighs heavily on my mind. Thankfully, during the three hours that Scott and I spent wandering the aisles of a well-known discount retailer yesterday, we didn’t encounter any such behaviour… We were on our annual festive mission, stocking up on gifts for the team’s Christmas sacks – a much-loved tradition that’s grown over the years. But these aren’t your run-of-the-mill sacks. Oh no, these are Advantage One sacks (apologies to M&S!). So expect to see a sleigh-load of fun (yes, fun – not tacky) surprises like inflatable reindeer toss, twerking party pong, festive bingo and novelty aprons!

But that’s not all. Over the next few weeks, the management team will visit every guard in person to thank them for their hard work. In my experience, small acts of appreciation like these go a long way in fostering loyalty, motivation and goodwill. November marks the twenty-fourth anniversary of Advantage One being incorporated. When I founded the company all those years ago, I couldn’t have imagined how far we’d come or the community we’d build. But despite our strong growth, it’s important to me that we continue to operate with a boutique mindset – prioritising personal touches in how we treat our staff and clients.

So as we prepare to enter our twenty-fifth milestone year, the management team and I are more determined than ever to go the extra mile to show we care – at Christmas time and beyond. That’s all from me for this week. Esme has her paw on the door and those snow angels won’t make themselves!