To celebrate the launch of their 3 brand new Trapped Exit Room Games, Golden Bear Toys have offered one of my readers all 3 as a giveaway prize. These are family-friendly, suitable for children from around age 8 or older, and can be played by 2-6 players - so they're ideal for household games night, or a get together with friends or family.

You'll also be one of the very first people to play, as the games are only out this week (Thursday 27th May)....

The 3 games the winner will receive are:

The Zoo - Easy level, ideal for beginners or families with children approx 8yrs-12yrs+
Mission To Mars - Medium difficulty, best for families with kids 12-15+ or adults - word is that this one is particularly funny.
Flight 927 - Hard difficulty, ideal for families with older teens or for grown ups (it nearly beat us!).

Each game pack contains everything you'll need except paper and a pen if you want to make notes....and your living room. You use the resources inside to transform your room, and then follow the clues to solve the puzzle - and then make your escape within the hour! 

The games are loads of fun, and everyone has their own talents at puzzle-solving, so with a wide variety of different clues, there is something for everyone to get their teeth into. You are under time pressure, which adds extra excitement, but thankfully there are also hints if you are stuck (which we were!).

Trapped escape room games are an excellent way to spend an hour or two together, you really do work as a team together, and there's a great sense of pride when you solve a clue! 

You can find my full Trapped Exit Room Game Pack review here - we played through the HARD Flight 927 scenario, and we did escape - in the end...

Trapped Exit Room Game Packs are available to pre-order or buy from games stockists, including online on Amazon (affiliate link), rrp £12.99, currently many reduced to £9.99.

You can use a social media log in, and I only look at any of your details if you are drawn randomly as the winner - and then only to contact you about your prize. Once admin of the giveaway is completed, the form is deleted. For a link to help if you are new to Gleam, and to see my current UK giveaways, please go to my giveaways page. 

No entry is mandatory, but each extra task completed will earn you additional entries into the draw at the end. The giveaway will end at midnight Sunday 20th June 2021 and is open to UK entrants only. Full terms and conditions are at the bottom of the gleam form.

Trapped Exit Room Games Giveaway (age 8+) with Golden Bear Toys

We were sent our copies of the 3 Trapped Escape Room Games for review. Amazon links are affiliate, which will earn me a few pence if you buy through my link, but won't cost you any more. It helps keep the website running. 

I love a puzzle game, so 'escape adventures' or 'exit room games' are right up my street. Golden Bear Toys have just added 3 new titles to their range of family friendly escape room game packs, which everyone from around 8+ can join in with together.

We were sent the 3 new games to try - The Zoo (Easy), Mission To Mars (Medium), and Flight 927 (Hard). All of the games are suitable for 2-6 players, and we played with 4 people. 2 adults, plus our 11 and 12 year olds.

 
Everything for the game is packaged neatly in a single envelope style box. It's actually a very small pack. It's light, and handy for taking with you for a visit or overnight stay. When you open it, there is a lot inside, and most of it is NOT to be looked at, or even revealed until the right moment in the game. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 24th / 25th May 2021.

The UK added 2,493 cases today (UP from 2,412 the same time last week) and now has reported a total of 4,467,310 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 946,830 tests yesterday.

The counter says 38,192,417 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 23,228,511 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

978 people were in hospital on Sunday 23rd, (this is UP on 932 a week earlier) with 121 using a ventilator yesterday, Monday 24th (this is slightly DOWN on 125 a week earlier).

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 15 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 127,739 losses of life in all settings.

Up until Friday 14th May, 152,068 people had COVID written as a cause on their death certificate.

Rep. Of Ireland 259,050 cases and 4,941 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.)

There have now been a total of 168,285,383 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 3,493,078. Already 149,743,997 people have recovered.

Bolton is not doing any better. In the last week 33 people have been admitted to Bolton Royal hospital with COVID, the week before that figure was 13. (I have no idea which of these people are vaccinated.)
Royal Bolton hospital have asked that people attend A&E ONLY IF NECESSARY, and they are focussing on discharging patients in case of a surge in admissions.
Cases in Bolton are currently running at 451 per 100,000 people in the 7 days to 20th May (around 80 times the England average). 

Today's surge testing bingo winners are in North East Hampshire. Congratulations to the Hart District, Rushmoor Borough and Surrey border. You win a doorstep visit from a Test & Trace representative bearing gifts. Remember: Mouth first, nose second.  

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 22nd / 23rd May 2021

The UK added 2,235 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,462,538 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 982,099 tests yesterday.

The counter says 37,943,681 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 22,643,417 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 5 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 127,721 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 258,267 cases and 4,941 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.)

There have now been a total of 167,360,571 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 3,475,049. Already 148,377,406 people have recovered.

"60 million vaccine doses have been given to adults across the UK.
Jab by jab this life-saving programme, unparalleled in our history, is getting us back to the things we love. Thank you to everyone who has made this happen.
Please get both your vaccines when it's your turn."
Boris Johnson, UK PM 

People in England aged 32 and 33 can now book your COVID vaccinations. 

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 21st May 2021

The UK added 2,829 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,457,923 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 982,099 tests yesterday.

The counter says 37,518,614 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 21,659,783 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

913 people were in hospital on Weds 19th, with 123 people using a ventilator yesterday, 20th May.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 9 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 127,710 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 257,362 cases and 4,941 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.)

There have now been a total of 166,224,701 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 3,451,442. Already 147,028,461 people have recovered.

"The R range for England is 0.9 to 1.1 and the growth rate range for England is -2% to +1% per day as of 21 May 2021."

Nicola Sturgeon has announced that Moray can move down to Level 2 restrictions from tonight, but case numbers are too high in Glasgow, so people there will remain in Level 3 restrictions for at least another week. Sorry guys.

Added to surge testing for Variants of Concern in England:
Bedford Borough Council (Kingsbrook, Cauldwell and Queens Park areas and the village of Wixams)

As of yesterday's figures, the UK has now detected 3,424 cases of B1617.2,  the variant first identified in India, strain no.2.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 19th / 20th May 2021.

The UK added 2,874 cases today (UP slightly from 2,657 a week earlier) and now has reported a total of 4,455,221 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 1,180,660 tests yesterday.

The counter says 37,250,363 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 21,239,471 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

894 people were in hospital on Tuesday 18th (DOWN from 1,098 a week earlier), with 122 using a ventilator yesterday, Wednesday 19th May (DOWN from 136 a week earlier).

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 7 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 127,701 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 257,362 (+469) cases and 4,941 losses of life.

There have now been a total of 165,953,677 reported cases worldwide. The official number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 3,438,682. Already over 145,124,456 people have recovered.

The EU have decided they will reopen the borders to visitors who are fully vaccinated with an EU authorised vaccine. Visitors from countries with "good epidemiological situations", (e.g. Australia, New Zealand, Singapore etc), will not have to be vaccinated.
Remember individual countries may still decide on stronger border controls, and the situation can change at any time without warning.

UK (England) COVID Briefing 19th May 2021 with Matt Hancock

Cases: 4,452,527 (+2,696)
Losses of life: 127,694 (+3)
In hospital: 939
Using a ventilator: 124
First dose: 36,985,505
Second dose: 20,870,453

7 out of every 10 UK adults have now received at least 1 dose of a COVID vaccine.
Almost 4 in every 10 have had 2 doses.

The UK is monitoring it's wastewater anyway, so monitoring for COVID isn't a biggie. They have seen signs that the Indian variant is spreading into other areas, so surge testing and vaccination will begin in:
Bedford, Burnley, Kirklees, Leicester, North Tyneside, Hounslow, Glasgow and Moray (in addition to Bolton and Blackburn).
Nuneaton was also added to the usual surge testing on Tuesday.

Today's UK (England) Briefing was led by Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, with Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England and Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Update 17th / 18th May 2021.

We have a revision to case data today, to remove people added twice because of a lateral flow test and a PCR lab test, so 4,776 cases were removed from the total.

The UK added 2,412 cases today and the total is now 4,450,392 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 967,162 tests yesterday.

The counter says 36,811,405 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 20,564,452 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

932 people were in hospital on Sunday 16th, with 125 using a ventilator yesterday, 17th May.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 7 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 127,691 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 256,390 (+358) cases and 4,941 losses of life.

There have now been a total of 164,660,382 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 3,411,800. Already 143,584,699 people have recovered.

"Over the next 6 weeks, the United States of America will send 80 million doses overseas. That represents 13% of the vaccines produced by the United States by the end of June. This will be more vaccines than any country has actually shared to date."
Joe Biden, US President. (How very refreshing...)
This includes 20 million doses of vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, and 60 million AstraZeneca doses.

If you’re in England and aged 36 or over, or if you turn 36 before 1 July 2021, you can now book your COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 15th / 16th May 2021.

The UK added 1,926 cases today and now has reported a total of 4,450,777 positive cases of COVID-19. We completed 982,881 tests yesterday.

The counter says 36,573,354 people had been given at least one dose of a vaccine in the UK by midnight last night. 20,103,658 people had received 2 doses and are fully vaccinated.

In the 24 hours up until 5pm yesterday, we officially reported the loss of another 4 people who have tested positive to COVID-19 within 28 days, making a total of 127,679 losses of life in all settings.

Rep. Of Ireland 254,870 cases and 4,941 losses of life. (Not yet reported today.)

There have now been a total of 163,546,079 reported cases worldwide. The number of people who have lost their lives worldwide to COVID-19 is 3,389,699. Already 141,960,475 people have recovered.

Over 20m UK adults are now fully vaccinated. The entire UK population, including children, is around 68m people.

"In Bolton, where we've seen a number of people in hospital with this new Indian variant, the vast majority of them have been eligible for a jab, but not taken the jab.
So if you're eligible for the jab, if you're over the age of 38, please come forward."
Matt Hancock on Sky News today.
He also said a final decision on whether to reopen further to Step 4 of the roadmap will be taken on 14th June. 

It's Mental Health Awareness Week. Never in my life has everyone been so aware of mental health. We're in the middle of a pandemic - we all know exactly what it means. We even know we have to check on our own mental health... at least I hope we do. 

Over the past 15 months we've had more than enough reminders of just how important mental health is. We stayed home, missed out, delayed and deferred to try to protect our own physical health, but it has cost us all.