There’s a lot going about this Christmas with flu and nasty colds rife, however the Norovirus (also known as the winter vomiting bug) has also reared its ugly head and is affecting people of all ages across the UK. The highly contagious virus causes vomiting and diarrhoea which lasts for a couple of days and can cause dehydration; we don’t want that at Christmas now do we, No!  

The virus is passed around by contact with an infected person, particularly through their hands. However you can also catch it through contaminated food or drink or by touching contaminated surfaces or objects. So to prevent the spread you will need to;

• Wash your hands frequently
• Do not share towels or flannels
• Disinfect any surfaces that an infected person has touched

You can expect to find outbreaks in busy places including hospitals, GP’s, nursing homes, schools and offices because the clever virus can survive for several days on surfaces or objects which have been touched by an infected person.

If your idea of Christmas cheer is a house full of vomiting people, Christmas dinner in the bin (or rather in the loo) and eau de spew, instead of eau de pine needles, then carry on as you are, I’m sure you’ll enjoy just that. However if you’d like your belly to retain your Christmas pud and would like to take full advantage of the seasons boozing, then be vigilant! If you spot a colleague at work turning green, running to the loo’s frequently, off their food or smelling of vomit, steer well clear, or better still, report it to the boss, I’m sure they’ll forgive you….maybe. But we highly recommend the use of hand sanitisers, frequent washing and disinfecting of surfaces and objects! Although we cannot apply the lotions and potions for you, we can help you with all of this and even have offers on these items.

May we recommend the Purell Pal Hygienic Hand Gel Sanitiser and funky holder featured to the right. We advise that you apply the sanitiser whenever you enter and leave the premises so that you don’t bring germs in, just as you don’t take germs out. We also have this product without the holder for if you’d like to pop it in your bag for on-the-go use.

• Kills 99.99% of harmful bacteria present on the hands
• PURELL is a trademark of Johnson & Johnson and is used under license
• PURELL Pal with 240ml bottle
• Just £8.00 inc VAT!

We also have Maxima Antibacterial Surface Cleaner is another must have during the winter period and should be used to clean all work surfaces, desks and can be sprayed onto a cloth to wipe over keyboards, mice and telephones.

• Contains an effective bactericide
• Trigger spray
• An all-purpose cleaner and sanitiser
• For use on all surfaces, fridges and microwaves
• Safe to use where food is prepared
• Size: 750ml
• Packed 2
• Just £4.88 inc VAT!

Desk mats are an increasingly popular item found among managerial personnel in the workplace. It’s become a status thing; “one with a desk should be looked up to, respected and has obvious sophistication”. They give an office, or rather a desk a little bit of “swagger” and their classiness will surely impress your clientele and customers. They are basically a way of marking success and higher status. A posh desk normally goes hand in hand which can often cost an arm-and-a-leg, and so the purchase of a desk mat in this instance becomes necessary rather than lavish. We mustn’t forget the actual purpose of the desk mat you see; to protect our beautiful surfaces from pen impressions, scratches and general wear and tear. However in my opinion, the best bit about a desk mat is the sift surface it gives you to write upon; it makes writing smooth and enjoyable!

At LA Office we have quite a large selection of different desk mats with various options including work pads, indexes, anti-glare covers, non-slip backing, calendars and even USB hubs! However today’s choice has to be the unique option. Take a look at our Durable Artwork Desk Mat featured.

This distinctive and modern trapezoid shape desk mat will not only enhance the appearances of your desk and protect it, but it will also allow you individualise it in whatever way you choose! The transparent anti-glare, hard-wearing overlay cover lifts so that you can place under it a picture of your choice. This could be a map, a calendar page, a famous copy of artwork or even a picture you child drew for you! What’s more you can be sure of a smooth writing surface and non-slip foam backing! Measuring (WxD) 680 x 510mm, the size is spot on and at just £15.70 inc VAT, it’s certainly affordable.

The icing on the cake however has to be that this mat is made by the prestigious Durable, a brand who have celebrated three awards at the 2009 BOSS Awards; Brand Awareness, Manufacturer Environment Award and Marketing Excellence. What’s more, they have been voted Supplier of the Year at the Nemo Conference and for the third time, DURABLE was awarded Langstane’s coverted Supplier of the Year Award too! If there was a flicker of doubt about our Durable desk mat, then their reputation is sure to clear up any hesitation!

The Green Bit

DURABLE products are particularly eco-friendly thanks to their durability. The plastic materials they use are robust, have excellent recycling properties and can be disposed of together with normal refuse with no problem at all.

In accordance with its guiding principles, Durable continuously aim to further optimise their ecology-oriented management. Their aim is to develop products that are largely recyclable (of course they should also be produced at low cost and yield a reasonable profit!). To meet this ideal as closely as possible, Durable continuously carry out critical analyses of the environmental impact of their products and production processes. Thus the material thicknesses of their products and above all, their packaging are constantly reviewed for possible enhancements. Through packaging modifications developed in-house, Durable have been able to achieve significant material savings and reductions in volume. Durable also demonstrate their responsibility towards the environment through their purchasing policies. Important decisions in favour of ecologically sustainable production are being made in regular project meetings between their purchasing department and suppliers. Careful selection of optimal materials is one way to protect the environment.  The right choice of suppliers is also as important to Durable. They never fail to check whether the manufacturers and their suppliers are certified, and how they are being regulated. These questions must always be answered before they decide on any purchase.

With technology at a peak, calendars on computers, memo’s and reminders on our phones and all kinds of applications on our phones and computers to help us be organised, it’s an absolute wonder that we’re steel using thinks like white boards, memo boards and cork boards. In my opinion our phones have become over complicated and now anyone who wants just a phone (and maybe one with a built in camera) has to learn how to use the most over complicated and fussy gadgets! Theme big phone giants can stick memo and reminder applications on them all they like, but nothing beats a written reminder, up there in your face and impossible to forget. It must be for this reason that the cork board is still so popular! In both the home and the workplace a cork board plays such an important role; you’ll find a cork board in your cafeteria or break room filled with notices and things like Health and Safety Posters, sales tips, for sale and wanted items, training opportunities and other like notices. In the home a cork board will be a valuable tool in remembering the crazy schedules of the councils bin men, your children and their school activities, local events to remember, invitations, shopping lists and so on. So jog on iPhone, the cork boards the one for me!

Here at LA Office we have a vast selection of cheap cork boards available so that you can kit out your entire office with one at every station. Carefully placed a cork board in every working station will offer each individual group or team use the same board. This may come in useful for targets and deadlines, holiday planning, group memo’s and team building or moral boosting exercise incentives. Our 5 Star Office Cork Board is the perfect solution if you’re looking to buy a few! At less than half the RRP, it’s just a snip at £4.17 inc VAT! With a board as cheap as this, you can afford to give your staff the implements they need to be organised. Featuring;

• Resilient cork pinning surface
• Pine frame
• Supplied with fixing kit
• WxH: 600 x 400mm (2’x1’4”)
• Just £4.17 Inc VAT!
• Quotes on bulk orders!

5 Star achieved 1st place in our Best Supplier for Price category and are a brand who have continued to serve our every need at a price we can all really afford. 5 Star products are now firmly established as one of the best-known office products brands in the UK and with 15 years experience behind them, they are now experts in their field and even offer a 12 month no quibble quality guarantee! Each 5 Star product now has attractively designed packaging for clearer product display and product information, plus they also have a fantastic choice of ‘Green’ options for those who are economically aware.