Classic FM has announced that it will be playing calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks season.
Classic FM has confirmed that its show filled with calming music to help keep anxious pets and their owners relaxed is back this fireworks season, reports The Manc.
Bonfire Night is loved all across the UK for the spectacular firework displays and all the festive-themed activities that go along with it, but the November holiday isn’t so fun for our four-legged friends.
Fireworks can be frightening to pets because of the loud bangs, flashing lights, and unpleasant strong smell of spent explosives, and with multiple bangs occurring from numerous displays, pets are rarely able to pinpoint where the booming explosions are coming from.
Not knowing what an explosion is, where it’s coming from, or where and when the next one is going to be, can be terrifying for some pets.
Recently, a survey by the RSPCA revealed that two-thirds (63%) of animal owners reported their pet was distressed during fireworks season, and that playing relaxing music was the most common way (36%) to help calm or prepare their animal.
Many kennels and rehoming centres across the UK also use the power of classical music to decrease stress levels amongst their animals.
Classic FM's show filled with calming music to help keep anxious pets relaxed is back this fireworks season / Credit: Elisha Terada (via Unsplash)
So this year, Classic FM is once again teaming up with the RSPCA to create two Pet Classics programmes packed with "the most soothing and comforting classical music" that's been handpicked to help calm and settle any anxious pets.
Hosted by Classic FM presenter Charlotte Hawkins, alongside the music there'll also be dedications to listeners’ pets, as well as advice from the RSPCA for any owners looking to reassure their animals.
“It’s such a special and heart-warming programme, with the most wonderful community of listeners,” Charlotte commented.
“We know the positive effects that classical music has on humans and pets alike, especially during stressful and challenging times, so I have the perfect selection of calming music lined up to settle and soothe even the most anxious listener.
“Everyone is welcome to my radio sanctuary – from the furry to the feathered – and I look forward to all the photos and videos of pets chilling out with me and enjoying the music.”
In addition to the two Pet Classics broadcasts, Classic FM has also created a playlist of peaceful classical music especially for pets during the fireworks season – which is available anytime, for free, on Global Player here.
Classic FM’s Pet Classics with Charlotte Hawkins will be broadcast on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 November from 5pm to 9pm.
You can listen on both Classic FM, or on Global Player available across the UK.
The rules around booking driving tests in the UK are officially set to change from today in a bid to make the system ‘fairer’.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has now introduced new rules for car driving test bookings, putting learners ‘firmly in control’ of their own booking, as it is now against the law for third parties – including unofficial test booking and cancellation finder services, as well as driving instructors – to make bookings for someone else.
It will also be a breach of DVSA’s terms and conditions for the booking service for third parties to change, swap, or cancel a driving test for someone else.
Learners should only ever pay the official DVSA fee – which is £62 on weekdays and £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
The Government says the new rules aim to make booking driving tests ‘fairer’ for learner drivers.
While driving instructors will no longer be able to book tests on behalf of of learners, they will still be able to advise learners on when they are ready to take a test, as well as set their available times to prevent learners from booking tests at times that do not work for them.
Following on from changes to test alterations which were introduced at the end of March, from 9 June 2026, further restrictions will come into force limiting learners to moving their test only to one of the three nearest driving test centres.
The DVSA has also pledged to continue increasing driving examiner capacity to help provide more tests for learners to book.
“Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties, put them in control of their driving test, and make the process fairer by clamping down on businesses that resell tests at inflated prices,” commented Beverley Warmington, who is the DVSA Chief Executive.
“These new measures help bring a halt to a system where the use of bots and third parties increases the amount some learners pay for a test and blocks test availability for many others.
“These measures will help free up appointments for genuine learners who are ready to take their test.”
You can watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 for FREE across Leeds
Thomas Melia
Did you know you can watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 for free across Leeds just by taking a quick trip to the shops?
If you’re eager to watch Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) and the Runway Magazine crew on the big screen once again, you can do so for free.
After making its cinema premiere earlier this month, 20 years since the first film, The Devil Wears Prada 2 continues the story with more iconic quotes and a whole host of celebrity cameos.
One of these is pop phenomenon Lady Gaga, who also appears on the soundtrack for this stylish sequel alongside artists like Miley Cyrus, Doechii, and Brit acts Raye and Olivia Dean.
Just like real life, the story follows the real-life fashion news outlet and media brand, Runway Mag, undergoing some major changes.
For instance, they’re wrestling with scrapping print editions of their beloved publication and swapping this for online short-form content.
The sequel to this fashion-focused film also sees role reprisals from Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt, with new additions from Lucy Liu, Kenneth Branagh and Justin Theroux.
Now, enough of us talking at “a glacial pace”, let’s get all of you fashion fans those free cinema tickets before they go out of style.
An all-new promotion courtesy of not one, but three notable names: The Devil Wears Prada 2, Diet Coke and Sainsbury’s
The UK Supermarket chain is currently running a promotion during the film’s big-screen run, where if you purchase a 30-pack of Diet Coke, you can get free tickets to The Devil Wears Prada 2.
Simply purchase one of the big crates of Diet Coke between Wednesday, 29 April and Tuesday, 19 May, before snapping a picture of your receipt and uploading it online.
So it really is that simple, all you have to do is buy a 30 pack of Diet Coke and get a free cinema ticket for doing so – did somebody say girl maths?
For more info and to upload your receipt, visit the promotional website HERE.
The Hoot -
27th October 2023 
