Herald - Issue 403

Page 48 • The HERALD • 11th March 2021 v SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES v If you come into any of these categories, then you will need to complete a self-assessment. Other services that we can provide M G ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES Telephone & Fax: 023 8089 1351 • Email: mgeere@btinternet.com Specialising in Bookkeeping and Accountancy Services in and around the New Forest and Waterside area, be assured of a local and friendly service. Are you self-employed? Are you a small business? Are you a landlord? Do you have investment income? NEW LIMITED COMPANY SET UP VAT RETURNS CREDIT CONTROL OUT OF HOURS CONSULTATIONS BUSINESS PLANS PAYROLL • CIS GENERAL BOOKKEEPING CORPORATION TAX Don’t let this be you at the end of the tax year ASK A PROFESSIONAL YATES & CO Chartered Accountants Specialists in providing accounting and taxation advice to small businesses and individuals Contact: Colin Yates A.C.A. Telephone: (023) 8086 1550 E-mail: enquiries@yatesco.co.uk Personal and Friendly Service Government MUST Extend Rates Relief to 2022 by Nicola Bailey, FSB Development Manager Small businesses right across England are soon set to see their business rates bills reimposed with the Business Rates Relief set to end in April 2021. e Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling on the government to: • Extend the retail, hospitality, and leisure 100% relief for another 12 months to April 2022. • Establish a revenue test so business rates relief is extended to those in the supply chain who’ve been impacted by the pandemic. • Increase the number of small businesses who can claim business rates relief by moving the threshold to £25,000 from £12,000. FSB Development Manager for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Nicola Bailey said: “Over the past year, small businesses right across the nation have seen their finances upended, placed staff on furlough while others have been forced to make difficult decisions about their futures. However, despite all this, these same small firms on the high street will now start to receive letters from their local authorities asking for business rates to be paid for the next financial year. But with this due to end in April, and with the economic situation set to remain turbulent for many months to come, it is imperative that the Government extends this rates relief. It would be hugely unfair to slap small firms with large business rates bills at a time when many won’t see their incomes rise for months to come, which is why this extension is needed for at least another 12 months. Not only do we want to see the retail hospitality and leisure relief extended, but we think it is important to widen the net of those who can claim small business rates relief. Up until now, the full relief was available for those with a rateable value of up to £12,000, we want to see this widen to include those up to £25,000. This would be a genuine relief to thousands of extra firms who are struggling to make ends meet at a time of national crisis. The government must make big decisions for small businesses, and this would be one important step to helping firms onto the path to recovery.” FSB Development Manager, Nicola Bailey MOTHERLY LOVE – THE HISTORY OF MOTHER’S DAY e earliest history of Mother’s Day dates to the ancient annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to maternal goddesses. e Greeks used the occasion to honour Rhea, wife of Cronus and the mother of many deities of Greek mythology. Ancient Romans, too, celebrated a spring festival, called Hilaria dedicated to Cybele, a mother goddess. It may be noted that ceremonies in honour of Cybele began some 250 years before Christ was born. e celebration made on the Ides of March by making o erings in the temple of Cybele lasted for three days and included parades, games, and masquerades. e celebrations were notorious enough that followers of Cybele were banished from Rome. Early Christians celebrated a Mother’s Day of sorts during the festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent in honour of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ. In England, the holiday was expanded to include all mothers. It was then called Mothering Sunday. e more recent history of Mother’s Day dates to 1600s in England. Here a Mothering Sunday was celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter) to honour mothers. A er a prayer service in church to honour Virgin Mary, children brought gi s and owers to pay tribute to their own mothers. On the occasion, servants, apprentices, and other employees staying away from their homes were encouraged by their employers to visit their mothers and honour them. Traditionally children brought with them gi s and a special fruit cake or fruit- lled pastry called a simnel. Yugoslavs and people in other nations have observed similar days. Custom of celebrating Mothering Sunday died out almost completely by the 19th century. However, the day came to be celebrated again a er World War II, when American servicemen brought the custom and commercial enterprises used it as an occasion for sales. Present Day Celebrations Today Mother’s Day is celebrated in several countries including US, UK, India, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, Japan, and Belgium. People take the day as an opportunity to pay tribute to their mothers and thank them for all their love and support. e day has become hugely popular and in several countries phone lines witness maximum tra c. ere is also a tradition of gi ing owers, cards, and others gi to mothers on the Mother’s Day. e festival has become commercialised to a great extent. Florists, card manufacturers and gi sellers see huge business potential in the day and make good money through a rigorous advertising campaign. Sign up to the John Muir Family Award Why not step into spring this year by taking part in the John Muir Family Award? Lockdown has been hard on everyone, but it’s amazing how seeing the rst signs of spring can help us feel there’s light at the end of the tunnel. The John Muir Award is a FREE environmental award scheme which encourages people to connect with, enjoy and care for wild places. It’s open to people of all backgrounds and you can take part as a group, family or individual. e New Forest National Park Authority is helping people on their journey by providing support and inspiration to help you achieve the John Muir Award as well as learn more about the New Forest. The award is broken down into four challenges: • Discover – your wild place • Explore – its wilderness ª Conserve– takepersonal responsibility ª Share – your experience with others e Discovery Award requires 25 hours of input but don’t let that scare you; taking a walk can count as well as researching. It all adds up! It doesn’t matter the size of your location, it could be a planter, your garden, your local green space, or the National Park. However, please comply with all COVID-19 guidelines and regulations. On completion, your family will be given the John Muir Discovery Award certi cate to celebrate your achievement. John Muir was an ecologist, adventurer, and naturalist. He was the founding father of the National Parks movement and led the way in nature conservation in the 1800’s. He believed in protecting our landscapes as he knew how important they were for our mental and physical health. ese messages still resound today! For more information on the JohnMuir Award and how to sign up, visit the New Forest National Park Authority website at: www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/ JohnMuir2021 Young person working towards their John Muir Award