7234posts
-
We Are Strategic Command with Dee Youngs
Dee Youngs explores the evolution of resilience within Strategic Command and the path to organisational Transformation. Interviewer: What brought you to Strategic Command? Dee: What brought me here was an audit. An audit with what was formerly Joint Forces Command …
-
Frugalpac receives King's Award for Enterprise for its low-carbon Frugal bottles
British sustainable packaging company Frugalpac, which produces the Frugal Bottle – the world’s first paper bottle for wines and spirits, and the machines that make them - has been honoured with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation. Frugalpac’s …
-
Introducing you to...
Hello. My name is Donna Medd and I work within the Grants Service Scheme Support Team. Our function is to support all the teams within Grants Service, which includes appraisals, development and claims and contracting. My role gives our customers …
-
Bursaries available for 2024 health screening module
The UK NSC is pleased again to be able to offer a small number of bursaries to applicants wanting to study the health screening module at the University of Warwick.
-
Championing best beekeeping practices throughout Ghana
Learn more, this World Bee Day, about APHA’s work with authorities in Ghana to improve knowledge about honeybee health and husbandry.
-
The Smaller Abattoir Fund: increase in intervention rate and grant amount
In December, we shared details of a new capital grant to support smaller abattoirs in England, offered through the Smaller Abattoir Fund . To recognise the cash flow challenges that many smaller abattoirs face, we’re increasing this support. We’ve raised the intervention rate from 40% to 50% and we’ve increased the maximum grant amount from £60,000 to £75,000.
-
Invasive Species Week: threats to our native wildlife
It’s a bumper week in the world of nature. In this week’s first post, read about the impact of invasive species and how we’re tackling the Asian hornet.
-
See it, Snap it, Report it! Suspected Japanese oyster drill
Those working to protect our Nation’s biodiversity couldn’t do their job without the additional eyes and ears of the public. One way the public can assist is by reporting unusual and new sightings of flora and fauna, but have you …
-
Campaigning and political activity – what do charities need to consider ahead of a general election?
With a General Election on the horizon, I want to remind charities of their responsibilities and of our published guidance to help with decision making around political activity and campaigning.
-
How Design102 brought a 700-year-old Coronation tradition to the public
In a historic first, the Coronation Roll of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla has been made publicly available as an interactive website. Read on to discover how Design102 did it.
-
Timpson Group – Promoting Opportunity, through social mobility.
Timpson Group are the largest service retailer in the UK and are one of the largest employers of Ex-offenders in the UK. Around 10% of their entire workforce is made up people who have been directly recruited from prison. Timpson Group …
-
New levelling up powers to improve high streets
Our announcement of new council powers to revive empty high street shops feature prominently in The Sun (p2) and Financial Times (p2) this week. These positive stories follow DLUHC’s announcement that it will introduce High Street Rental Auctions by the …
-
The RPC’s response to the Smarter Regulation White Paper
Stephen Gibson welcomes the Smarter Regulation White Paper and challenges the Government to go further.
-
What is cryptosporidium, and how can you avoid it in the water or on the farm?
Cryptosporidium [pronounced krip-toe-spuh-RID-ee-um] is a microscopic parasite that can cause an unpleasant – and sometimes dangerous – illness called cryptosporidiosis. This nasty bug lives in the intestines of infected humans and animals and is passed out in their poo. It …
-
A whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing: Part 2
Two mental health leads at the Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT) talk about the central role of leadership and management in supporting and championing efforts to promote mental health and wellbeing, as part of a whole school approach.
-
The importance of Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) surveillance in controlling bluetongue
Bluetongue is an exotic notifiable disease in Great Britain, spread primarily by midges, which can threaten animal welfare and trade. Learn how APHA plays a part in controlling this disease.
-
How Defra are finding accessibility participants for user research
User researcher Jason Stockwell explains how, as a Participant Lead, his job is to make sure user researchers have the right processes in place to get access to participants for research rounds.
-
Learning at Work Week 2024
Digital Practice Support and Capability Manager, Scott explains how being part of DWP Digital's Learning at Work Week activities has positively impacted his apprenticeship.
-
Geospatial Shadowing Programme: working and learning together
At the Geospatial Commission, we firmly believe in a hands-on experience and in creating connections. We recognise the importance of joining people and ideas to make big things happen. That is precisely why we introduced our Geospatial Shadowing Programme. …
-
My Path to Product Management
Nearly five years ago, I joined LAA Digital as a Junior Business Analyst.With much to learn, I found myself surrounded by a supportive team eager to lend their expertise. Their willingness to guide and offer help enabled me to connect …
-
Celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day
Try the mouse challenge this Global Accessibility Awareness Day to understand the importance of inclusivity in digital spaces.
-
Applying user ecosystem thinking in the Funding Service
In this post, a policy lead and a user researcher discuss the concept of user ecosystem thinking and how it can be applied by designers in their day-to-day work. This concept and the practical activities we discuss in this post are derived from the book ‘Rethinking Users: A Design Guide to User Ecosystem Thinking’.
-
Accessibility tools we use every day
To mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day, we’re sharing some of our content design team at Defra's go-to accessibility tools and guides. We're all responsible for making sure our content and services are accessible, these are some of the resources we use to help with that.
-
Task force Fukushima – building trust to protect people and the environment.
By Jo Nettleton, Chief Regulator for the Environment Agency. ‘Recently I was delighted to be appointed in the newly created role of Chief Regulator at the Environment Agency. My role is to make sure that the EA is a future-focussed, …
-
Celebrating childminders and welcoming change
It’s Childminding Week, and we want to recognise the excellent work of childminders like you. Thank you for all that you do to give families much-needed flexibility, and children the best start in life. Almost all of you do this …
-
Securing off-site biodiversity net gain: insights from local planning authorities
In this post, aimed at local planning authorities, 3 guests tell us how they are securing off-site biodiversity net gain habitats.
-
New RSHE guidance: What it means for sex education lessons in schools
Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) is a subject taught at both primary and secondary school. In 2020, Relationships and Sex Education was made compulsory for all secondary school pupils in England and Health Education compulsory for all pupils …
-
Renters (Reform) Bill
This morning there has been reporting on the impact of the Renters (Reform) Bill on the rental market. The Bill will ensure a fairer private rented sector for all and there is no evidence to suggest these changes will lead …
-
Further funding to tackle endemic diseases
By reducing the levels of endemic disease in livestock, we can increase productivity, support businesses and unlock wider benefits too — from reducing greenhouse gas emissions to slowing antimicrobial resistance. The very nature of endemic disease means it is an ongoing concern. Managing it requires the sustained effort of livestock keepers, the support of vets and money. In recognition of this, we are offering additional financial support.
-
Introducing Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare grants
Next month, a new grant for hen housing will be available to laying hen and pullet farmers in England with flocks of 1,000 birds or more. We've just published the guidance for the grant on GOV.UK. In this post we’ll share an overview of the grant and a link to the guidance.
-
Coverage of the Farm to Fork Summit at Downing Street
Following a package of new measures announced by the Prime Minister at the Farm to Fork summit, there has been widespread coverage across broadcast, national and trade media.
-
DIO supports behind the scenes at the Ten Tors in Dartmoor
As the Training Safety Officer for Dartmoor I cover the Dartmoor Training Area from our office in Okehampton Camp. We've just finished supporting the Ten Tors; one of the busiest weekends in the Dartmoor Training Area's calendar. The teams and …
-
Inaccurate coverage of Environment Agency investigation at Lake Windermere
Today we are looking at inaccurate coverage of the Environment Agency’s involvement in a pollution incident at Bowness-on-Windermere.
-
Nature Returns - Interim Report
By Mike Morecroft, Deputy Director, Climate Change Science We’ve just published an interim report on the Nature Returns programme today (15 May 2024), our flagship £17m programme to build the evidence for nature-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss. …
-
How the Environment Agency monitors and tests bathing water quality
Today (15 May) marks the start of this year’s bathing water season. Between now and the end of September, millions of people will head to bathing waters to relax and swim. Following Defra’s recent announcement of 27 new bathing waters, …
-
Wet weather and temporary adjustments to agri-environment agreements
Heavy rainfall has a devastating and long-term impact on farming. This disruption not only affects livelihoods but also has wider implications for food security and the economy too. We're introducing temporary adjustments and easements within the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), the SFI Pilot, Countryside Stewardship (CS) and Environmental Stewardship (ES) to support farmers and land managers dealing with the impacts of severe weather in England.
-
Funding available for nutrient management solutions
Through the £15 million Nutrient Management competition, we’re offering funding to develop solutions which address the challenges related to nutrient management in soils and water associated with agricultural livestock and crop production. In this post, I'll share links to the guidance so you can prepare for the competition opening on 29 May.
-
Where we are now with FMPs?
Wondering what stage each of the Defra led FMPs are at? Here's an update.
-
An exercise with the Portuguese Navy? Algarve it a go!
One of the two Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron (RNGS) patrol vessels has completed her maiden over the horizon deployment to Portugal to take part in Exercise ALLGARVEX-24. After a slightly bumpy transit through the Strait of Gibraltar, HMS CUTLASS (CTLS) …
-
Homeward Bound Part 2
It rained in Antarctica, and ice that is thousands of years old is melting – my journey to Antarctica In this blog we check back in with Harriet Teare, a GSE member from MHRA, who embarked upon the Homeward Bound …