GCS offer staff a range of employee benefits including retail discounts to health cash plans. Find out more…

Wellbeing Wednesdays with Kev Webster

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Hypnotherapist and Modern Mindfulness Practitioner Kev Webster hosted another series of ONE HOUR evening sessions starting on 8th November on the following subjects. Please click the link next to the title to view a recording of the session.

discounts for teachers – ITS HERE!

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The College has a new staff benefit through a partnership with Discounts For Teachers, a platform where members can access deals, cashback, vouchers and discounts at up to 1.5k top brands and retailers to help them save money. It is completely FREE to join and use, there are no hidden costs, no catch.

The scheme is currently used by 820k+ members in the education sector and 91% of members say the discounts help them afford a higher quality of life.

To find out more, Sign up for FREE here! or scan the QR code in the poster or contact lorraine.evans@gcs.ac.uk to start making savings on everyday purchases.

Cycle To Work is now open!

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Your Cycle to Work Scheme is now available all year round. As one of the UK’s leading Cycle to Work scheme providers, Cycle Solutions helps employees purchase a new bike tax free through salary sacrifice, making savings on the cost of a new bike and cycling equipment and spreading the cost over 12 months.  To find out more please visit https://www.cyclesolutions.info/how-it-works

All you need to do is..

  • Find Your New Bike

Follow your unique Cycle Solutions link to your company store, and order your bike and/or accessories online. They will call you to confirm the details of your order.

  • Order Approval

Once your order has been finalised, Cycle Solutions will send you an agreement to approve. Your employer will also approve this document, confirming that you will be hiring the equipment for the duration of the agreement.

  • Revolutionise Your Commute!

Your bike will be assembled and checked by our technicians and delivered to your chosen address. You are then free to start using your brand new bike to cycle to work!

  • Salary Sacrifice

After approval from yourself and your employer, deductions will be taken from your salary for the duration of the agreement.

 

Your Cycle to Work scheme is an agreement between yourself, your employer and Cycle Solutions. You can continue to use your bike once your agreement ends by choosing one of the end of scheme options.

Skin Cancer Screening Service – Mole or Melanoma?

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Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and some people are more at risk than others. 90% of skin cancers in the UK are linked to excessive sun exposure to sunlight. However it is the only cancer that you can see! Be vigilant and check your moles and know about the changes to be aware of that could save your life, see below tips:

  • A – Assymetry – One half of a mole does not match the other
  • B – Border – The edges are irregular or jagged
  • C – Colour – The mole is not exactly coloured and may be uneven/patchy: shades of black, white, grey, brown or pink or contain two or more colours
  • D – Diameter – The mole is usually larger than 6mm across
  • E – Evolving – The mole is changing in size, shape or colour.

Following the success of our collaboration with Screen Cancer UK on December Wellbeing Day when we offered appointments to get your moles checked out, we are pleased to announce that we have secured further private appointments to offer to all staff. This service is for staff who have concerns relating to existing moles, changes to moles or new moles/lesions. Images are taken of moles and other skin lesions and they are sent to Skin Cancer UK’s in-house specialist dermatologists and results are received usually within a week.

These sessions are now fully booked.

 

Hypnotherapy & Modern Mindfulness with Kev Webster

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Would you like to change something about your life? Learn how to relax easily, overcome habits, deal with anxiety or maybe you have trouble sleeping.

Hypnotherapist and Modern Mindfulness Practitioner Kev Webster hosts one-hour evening online hypnotherapy sessions on different topics. If you missed these sessions, you can access a sound recording of these sessions here:

Health Shield Cash Plan

Health Shields cash plans make it easy and affordable for employees to manage their health.

The cash plans start from as little as £1.25 a week, and are a great way to look after your health and wellbeing as you claim back the costs of your everyday healthcare such as dental treatments, prescription glasses and contact lenses, physiotherapy and chiropractic sessions, private specialist consultations and so much more. It is easily set up through payroll deduction and best of all you can take out cover for you, your partner, and your children are covered for free up to the age of 21.

Why not take advantage of the wider range of cash back benefits such as sports and remedial massages to more relaxing treatments such as hot stone, aromatherapy, pre-natal and indian head massages, reiki, hopi ear candles and much more. For more information on the scheme, pricing and link to apply, click HERE   or view the Wellbeing Calendar  contact Lorraine.evans@gcs.ac.uk. You can also view their latest Wellbeing Calendar here HERE

 

Free Flu Jabs – Get yours now!

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Flu season is upon us – order your FREE flu jab voucher now

Flu is a contagious respiratory illness that can cause symptoms including fever, coughing, chills, body aches and fatigue. Flu season strikes every year, peaking during October – May. The best way to protect yourself and those around you from flu this winter, is to get a flu jab.

To reiterate a few facts about flu:

  1. Flu is contagious before symptoms start
  2. Symptoms can start abruptly, you may be fine one day and bedridden the next
  3. It takes up to 2 weeks for the flu vaccine to take effect as antibodies take this long to fully build up, and you could catch flu in the interim period
  4. The flu vaccine does not cause flu. The majority of flu jabs contain dead or inactivated flu viruses, some people do experience mild flu-like symptoms, but this isn’t flu and these symptoms typically only last one or two days.
  5. Flu can cause life-threatening complications, especially amongst the vulnerable, and thousands die every year in the UK from flu and associated conditions, such as pneumonia.

You can have a free NHS flu vaccine through your GP or local pharmacy if you are aged over 65 years old, have certain medical conditions or are pregnant.

However, Gower College Swansea are pleased to be able to offer free flu jabs to all staff regardless of age, who want to be vaccinated against flu. These vaccines are available at a local Boots pharmacy and at a time to suit you with many Boots stores open 7 days a week including some evenings.

For more information on how to get your free flu jab, please email Lorraine.evans@gcs.ac.uk.

We only have a limited number of vouchers and they will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, so do not delay, get your flu voucher today.