Kokova Magazine

Competition now closed. Congratualtions to our winner - Jemima Hawes from Essex.

North West sporting hero Beth Tweddle will launch this year's John Smith’s Grand National Festival. To kick off a momentous summer of sport in the UK, the Olympic athlete will be teaming up with West Derby group HPL Gymnastics to officially open the start of the three-day extravaganza of sport and entertainment before the first race on Liverpool Day, Thursday 12th April.

Tens of thousands flocked to Chester Racecourse last year to visit the Chester Food, Drink and Lifestyle Festival, and with 10 successful years under its belt, this year's festival, which will run from 7th - 9th April 2012, aims to exceed all expectations.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is appealing to dog-lovers to provide short-term fostering for some of its most sensitive dogs, as it prepares for a surge in the number of dogs arriving at its gates. Traditionally the number of unwanted dogs rises in March, which Battersea believes is fuelled by dogs bought three months earlier as Christmas presents.

With Butcher Week (25-31 March) and Bacon Connoisseur Week (22-28 March) fast approaching, it can be a daunting time for butchers everywhere when they read that red meat is being highlighted again in the news. Red meat has taken the blame for many health problems but now a large-scale American study has revealed a link between eating red meat and a higher risk of dying.

Recognising the valuable services provided by ecosystems such as wetlands and forests - and not only focusing on water productivity in agriculture - can improve livelihoods and help meet the rising demands on the world's water resources in a sustainable way, according to a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).