Everyone has designs on a holiday in the UK in order to save money and explore what’s on their doorstep, and now there may be no greater opportunity to dictate exactly what you want from a vacation in the English countryside. That’s because Camp-Runner Europe may have designed a great caravan option that certainly puts a new spin on motorhome holidays, making them cooler than ever.

The Splash is an eco-friendly mini-caravan and is deceptively large, despite being small and unassuming on the outside. The sleek and attractive caravan is designed by Camp-Runner CEO Rani Levy, who wanted to ensure that the small offering could transform the way people see micro-caravans and camping following a large amount of scrutiny for the means of sleeping and living – and for a much cheaper price among Simple Caravan Insurance insurance customers.

The organisation claimed that old-school teardrop trailers of yesteryear were key influencers over the design, though “serious improvements” had also been made to enhance the style and give a major aura of new, modern and efficient transportation.

At just £4,000, it could also be the perfect aerodynamic design that weighs as little as just 240kg including electrical fixings, a nicely-sized mattress for two, as well as windows. There is also a surprising amount of storage space, as well as a rack for bikes and a cooler.

Kelly Hoppen, the multi-award-winning designer, has shared her predictions for 2012 home décor trends. She anticipates a move away from modern minimalism towards a fusion of home styles, as people are seeking more comfort at home in the continuing difficult times.

Hoppen expects textures to remain an important focus as people place emphasis on comfort. Hungarian and Swedish linens mixed with silk and velvet will make wonderfully textured cushions and bedding. Walls and fabrics are sure to see Paisley, Brocade and Ikat designs return. Pastel pinks, muted greys and natural greens will be the shades of the coming seasons.

Window dressings heavily influence the overall appearance of a room. Hoppen predicts that slatted blinds will be a must, putting the finishing touch on the window and completing the theme for any room. With an abundance of styles and colours to choose between, view the range from Direct Blinds.

Antique wooden furniture finished with glossy lacquer and shiny metal or glass pieces are expected to be ‘must have’ items for 2012. Contrasting textures throughout a room add the warmth and comfort that Hoppen focuses her predictions on.

Acquiring reclaimed furniture and antique pieces will also continue to increase in popularity as the revolution against cheap, flimsy furniture strengthens. Restored items can be used as a room feature, adding a unique quality and establishing a comfortable environment.

Want to effortlessly get the look of Americana in your outfit without breaking the bank? A simple trip to JD Sports will give you everything you desire at www.jdsports.co.uk/men/brand/converse/ for a price that’s more than agreeable. For those of you who don’t know, however, there’s a cracking little backstory behind the brand.

Just after the turn of the century, Marquis Mill manufacturing firm opened the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in Malden, Massachusetts. In February 1908, the company made winterised rubber soled footwear for people of all ages, though by 1915, the company began making what can be described as the first really specialised athletic shoes for tennis.

However, 1917 was the year of the Converse All-Star basketball shoe. In 1921, a retired basketball player called Charles H “Chuck” Taylor – whose name now graces every pair of All-Stars – got a job and he worked tirelessly as a salesman, driving with a car full of the shoes from state to state. Working until his death in 1969, it was found that by that time, Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars were being worn by 90 per cent of college and professional basketball players.

Their popularity hasn’t waned, either; athletes, punks, teenagers, rappers surfers and even Doctor Who have been wearing them. Get involved and get online – it’s never too late to join the Converse brotherhood!

Fashionistas, listen up: when you next head to the high street and stores such as Bonmarche, just remember that you should be keeping a specific focus on the colour orange. This is according to Pantone, which has named it the colour of the year.

The orangey-red hue of Tangerine Tango, which is formally known as Pantone shade #17-1463, has been claimed as the colour of the year by the experts at the Pantone Colour Institute. This global colour forecasting company regularly gathers and analyses all sorts of colour-related data for fashion designers and a large number of businesses.

Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said of this year’s prediction: “We based our decision for colour of the year on survey responses gathered from approximately 100 to 125 top fashion designers, and included the responses of both well established and young, up and coming designers in our survey.

“Orange has a very happy colour persona. It’s warm, adds excitement to your wardrobe and is a very uplifting colour that’s comforting during these uncertain times.”

The Tangerine Tango selection follows the popularity of Honeysuckle in 2011, which Pantone florally described as “Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new colour, for a brave new world.”

Moob jobs or gynaecomastia are the second most popular operation performed on men in the UK, with the number of procedures carried out rising by 28 per cent between 2009 and 2010. Reasons for having the operation can include discomfort and severe embarrassment, which can lead to depression.

One of the factors contributing to the rise in the number of operations performed by the likes of www.mya.co.uk is undoubtedly the higher level of awareness concerning male breast reduction. Individuals and celebrities are now more willing to admit they have had, or would like to have a reduction carried out.

One star who has spoken out about his own moob job and his reasons for having it, is Craig Horwood. Best-known for his role on the panel of BBC1 show Strictly come dancing, Craig had a moob job earlier this year to reduce discomfort when dancing. He told the Mirror: him to have surgery to reduce his man boobs or ‘moobs’ earlier this year, he told the Mirror: “I couldn’t cha-cha-cha without them jigging in my face.” The operation reportedly took him from a C cup down to an A cup and left him feeling “fabulous”.  Would you be willing to undergo an operation to help you in your career?

The management at Edinburgh Zoo were in an unsurprisingly celebrative mood after two giant pandas were shipped to the Scottish capital from China. Tian Tian and Yang Guang landed at Edinburgh Airport on December 4th on a specially-chartered non-stop flight on the specially-named Panda Express, a FedEx chartered plane.

The eight-year-old pair have been brought in to breed and will become the first pandas to live in the UK for almost 20 years. They will have Edinburgh Zoo as their home for the next ten years – undoubtedly giving tourism masters students (http://www.mdx.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/Tourism/Tourism_MA.aspx) plenty to consider in regards to the economy north of the border.

Tian Tian means “sweetie” in Chinese, while Yang Guang means “sunlight”. The pair travelled from China on the Boeing 777F along with a vet and two animal handlers; a further four pilots with lots of experience of transporting rare species such as white rhinos and penguins were also on the flight.

An in-flight meal of bamboo, carrots, apples and so-called “panda cake” was served to the furry friends, before they landed. They were greeted from the aircraft by bagpipes and cheers. It is not known whether or not the sound of the traditional Scottish instruments served to entertain, or scare, the precious cargo.

It isn’t too late to start planning your finances for the Christmas period, and doing so can help you ensure that you have enough money in your pockets to cover present buying and enjoying yourself. The key is to set yourself a budget and to not deviate away from it. Of course, this is sometimes easier said than done, but with some simple steps it is possible.

A great place to start is by drawing up a list of all your income and outgoings. If you are struggling, there are some basic current accounts that are specifically tailored to students that can help, such as those available at  Secure Trust Bank. The student account at Secure Trust even comes with a MasterCard prepaid card – details available at http://www.securetrustbank.com/current-account/about-your-prepaid-card – that is designed to help you manage your money better. For example, you can use it to keep the money for your utility bills to one side so you don’t get carried away and spend it.

You’d be surprised how few people are completely aware of what is going in and out of their accounts; however, this should become second nature to you throughout university to prevent yourself getting into a financial pickle.

Unlike common misconceptions would suggest, it is actually possible to shop for luxury items on a budget, and this especially reigns true for cashmere. With some simple shopping tips, it is easy to find some of the best cashmere deals out there, without compromising quality. The golden rule of thumb here, however, is that is you want genuine cashmere you should ensure that the retailer you are buying from is trustworthy, such as Pure Collection.

The run up to Christmas is one of the busiest times of year when it comes to shopping for cashmere, which simultaneously fuels the operations of traders of poor quality cashmere garments – those that contain very little cashmere – and garments that claim to be cashmere but simply aren’t. Therefore, it is essential that you do thorough research before you buy to avoid becoming a victim of false advertising.

Perhaps the best way to guarantee yourself genuine, high quality cashmere products at the cheapest prices possible is to shop online, and to spend time comparing product features and prices. This is a particularly useful method of shopping if you have a specific Christmas gift idea in mind.

Given its recent celebrity backing, the North Yorkshire coast may be the first place you search for Rent My Cottage accommodation. After all, a number of fanatical coastal experts have nominated the area for a large number of national awards.

The panel, which is deciding on who will take the crown in the Coast Magazine Awards 2012, includes TV’s Ben Fogle and Olympic sailor Ben Ainslie. Nominations in the area included the stunning Cleveland Way National Trail, the beautiful fishing town of Whitby and parts of picturesque Sandsend.

Historic Whitby is already known as a huge magnet for visitors with cobbled streets, while it also has major links to both links to Captain Cook and Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Meanwhile, the 109-mile long Cleveland Way National Trail starts in beautiful Helmsley and follows a horseshoe around the North York Moors to finish at the coastal town of Filey. Malcolm Hodgson, Cleveland Way National Trails Officer, added: “Breathtaking views, geology, fascinating archaeology, picture-postcard fishing villages and lively coastal resorts – it has all this and much more.”

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, added: “We already know that the Yorkshire coast is a national treasure but now we need your vote to make it official. We feel very proud that the panel have handpicked the nominations and all three are the only ones in their categories from the North of England.”

Health watchdog the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has rejected an eye drug that could be used to save the sight of people with diabetes.

Ranibizumab, which is sold as Lucentis, is injected into the eye and could be used as an alternative to laser eye treatment from http://www.ultralase.com for people with diabetic macular oedema. However, NICE claims the drug is too expensive to be made available on the NHS in England and Wales, saying laser treatment offers a more cost-effective solution.

The move has disappointed charities such as the Royal National Institute for the Blind and Diabetes UK, which claim it could be used to save the sight of thousands of people. Simon O’Neill, director of care, information and advocacy at Diabetes UK, said diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in people of working age in the UK.

“It is now of upmost importance that the drug manufacturer works with the Department of Health and NICE to negotiate the costs of this treatment so people with diabetes are still able to access it without detracting from other vital NHS services, such as Diabetes Specialist Nurses and eye screening,” he added.

Drug manufacturer Novartis has also said it believes there was insufficient consultation with clinical and patient experts on the benefits of Lucentis.