BIG BROTHER is keeping you in your place!

Freedom of movement is under threat.

Taxes on travel are making it difficult for any but the rich to be able to afford to move around. Whether you travel by car, train, bus, boat, or plane, the government are making it too expensive to move. 

It's the big TRAVEL RIP-OFF!

Train and bus fares are taking a big slice out of the wages of commuters.  For some, it's hardly worth going to work!

Petrol tax is currently an outrageous 57.95p per litre and the government are intending to use the budget to raise this to 60.95p per litre!  Not surprisingly, instead of petrol being relatively cheap, the UK has the most expensive fuel in Europe, crippling our economy by making all goods stupidly expensive and preventing people from being able to go where they wish.  Many are now calling for petrol tax to be abolished completely so that the private sector can boom and make the country successful again! 

Flight taxes are an obscenity. Unethical and unfair - steadily making it impossible for any but the rich to be able to afford to enjoy an international holiday!  In our view, this is an utter disgrace! Travel is one of life's greatest pleasures and both educational and a boost to health.  In short, it's good for everyone!  It's not the role of the government to stop everyone but the rich from being able to afford an international holiday!

We are supportive of a lot of what the government are trying to do, but we don't feel they are considering just how tough they are making life for people who don't earn over the average wage of £20,000 p.a.

According to reports on Twitter, the UK Government's increased spending and refusal to cut the wages of those earning £100,000+ in the public sector, has made the national debt even worse. It is now over £1,000,000,000,000 ONE TRILLION POUNDS DEBT!

Quite simply, the government have over-spent and given away billions to the banks.Now they are ruining the economy and robbing you of a holiday to pay for their mistakes - while greedy bankers continue to be paid vast sums in bonusses, evn though their banks are not even making a profit! 

Please support our campaign to abolish all tax on travel. 

The British people work hard and are industrious and successful - they don't need the travel tax boot of the state on their backs!

Quite simply, it's wrong!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MOOR WEDDINGS

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MOOR WEDDINGS TWITTER PAGE

http://twitter.com/MoorWeddings

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http://twitter.com/BestHoneymoon4U

You may be interested in featuring the people who first came up with the name "social" for social networking / social media.

The initial Devon Social Group (now known as The Social Group) was set up as a provider of social networking and social events 7 years before Facebook and 10 years before Twitter.

So social networking is in fact British!

It all started after former ski technician Andrew Haglington suffered an injury, was registered disabled, developed ME Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and was left really ill and weak, and in a lot of pain.  Following divorce, Andrew spent the best part of 5 years pretty much confined to bed and a wheelchair.  Life was very tough for him and, unable to work, he became isolated and still in his 30's was left in the care of home helps from Social Services.

When it occured to Andrew that he could not possibly be the only person on his own, in 1997 he decided to try to gather together a 'group of friends' that anyone could join in and go out with.  He decided to shorten the word "socialising" to "social", setting up Devon Social Group to run social events across a social network of people in South West England - thus naming what has grown to become a whole new sector of the economy!

With his idea being so very new, Andrew initially found lots of misunderstanding and resistance, with numerous people not getting it and doors slammed in his face.  People he approached for investment to back his brand new concept failed to realise the vast potential of what he was talking about.  It was just too far ahead of it's time and there wasn't a culture in the UK to back such a venture.  As a result, Andrew and his second wife Cathy were left to try to build up social networking in the UK by themselves, leaving the Americans to claim the multi-billion industry as their own, as detailed in the movie The Social Network.

Instead, Andrew & Cathy have focussed more on people connecting and socialising on a more local basis, over the last decade enabling many thousands of people to make friends and enjoy a better social life.  Many who have met through the couple's efforts have even gone on to get married and start families.  And at the same time, lots has been done to support good causes and charities, raising awareness and raising funds.

The Social Group is now in the process of going national, with new branches opening across the UK.

You can read more about all of this at...

http://www.thesocialgroup.uk.com

http://twitter.com/SocialGroupUK

http://twitter.com/AHaglington

http://twitter.com/CathyHaglington

Through their work as social entrepreneurs via The Social Group, and with them having such high profiles on the internet, Andrew & Cathy Haglington are recognised as social media celebrities.  The British Library has preserved copies of their early web sites as being of historical importance, and there is widespread recognition of the vital role Andrew & Cathy have played in making social networking and social media what it is today. 

Andrew is currently writing his story of overcoming illness to start up what has grown to become the social media sector - with a working title of "The Man Who Invented Social Networking".

Andrew & Cathy Haglington
08456 121 770 (12noon -7pm)

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE has long been a good bit of advice.  Now it's been discovered that not only does laughing do you good in a pyschological sense, but it also combats pain.  Having a bit of a giggle or a polite titter isn't enough. It needs to be genuine laughter, which raises levels of feel-good endophins in the body and increases pain tolerance.  Researchers have credited laughterwith being good for the heart, boosting circulation as much as exercise or cholesterol-lowering drugs, and an hour of laughter a day is said to burn off as many calories as 30 minutes of weight lifting.  Laughter also helps exercise facial muscles, keeping them supple and the skin glowing.  Studies found laughter to be physically very exhausting and anything that taxes the body physically triggers endophins as part of the normal pain control mechanism.  Even the anticipation of a belly laugh seems to be enough to lift our spirits and boost the immune system. Laughter really is the feel good factor. 

Here at The Social Group we have long believed that getting together for good times and good company, with shared experiences and lots of laughs together, is really good for people.  Having something to look forward to, like a night out or a holiday with The Social Group, really is the best medicine, helping avoid the blues.  Recent studies have found that the rush of endophins from laughing helps people bond with each other.  This explains why laughter and shared activities are such an important part of our social lives, and why a good social life and good company is so important for your general state of happiness and well being!

LIFE CAN BE BETTER - IF EACH OF US DO WHAT WE CAN

It's our view that for many modern society can seem pretty cynical and selfish at times.  We feel the world would be a better place if people worried less about themselves and made more of an effort to help others and be nice to one another. 

 In recent years The Social Group has supported...

• The Monkey Sanctuary
• M.E.N.D.
• Cancer Research UK
• Paignton Zoo Tiger Conservation
• Help The Bees
• Arthritis Research UK
• Help For Heroes
• Children's Hospice South West
• The Alzheimer's Society

Obviously, as a social enterprise, we are set up to help people be less lonely and enjoy a better social life, and over the years our efforts and dedication has helped countless thousands of people to make new friends, bringing our community closer together.  As the people who thought up, named, and developed modern style 'social networking', we've been at the heart of this idea of enabling people to connect and come together to have fun and lead better lives.

In addition, we do a great deal to offer help and advice to anyone who asks.  Some people call us, just needing to chat to someone, never joining the group but grateful for someone to listen.  Behind the scenes we do a lot to help people who are bereaved, recovering from serious illness, or trying to make a new life after separation or divorce.  We also try to offer extra assistance to people who are far from home and new to the area, doing our best to point them in the right direction of whatever they might need.

In the past we offered assistance to helping organise a team of volunteers with the decoration of accommodation for students, creating a wildlife pond for a local school, and encouraging local councils not to use so many herbicides and pesticides, and to plant out more areas of wild flowers.  

Each winter, we do what we can via our network of Twitter pages and local contacts to co-ordinate information during heavy snow, acting like an additional Emergency Service, making sure no-one is left isolated or cut off and in danger in the cold and passing on useful travel updates.

We also do our bit to advise sufferers, relatives of sufferers, and doctors about M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, trying to promote a greater understanding of how serious this horrible illness actually is and how difficult this makes life for people when they cannot use any muscles without severe pain. Also, campaigning for proper understanding that M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is the result of chemical poisoning, and for some serious research to be done to find treatments and hopefully a cure. 

Earlier this year, we started and encouraged a campaign on Twitter to ask people to pop next door and offer help to their blue badge neighbours.  We know from personal experience that, if you look okay, very few people ever think to help you.  You hear lots of people bragging how many hours they put in at the gym or how far they ran or cycled, who never think to put just some of that energy to better use in offering to mow the lawn or paint a ceiling of someone next door who is less fortunate with their health and who finds it difficult to even stand up. 

We also do what we can to support environmental campaigns.  After the 2011 revolution in Egypt, our backing of Camel Dive School helped persuade the new authorities to secure protection for the beautiful Ras Mohammed Marine National Park coral reefs along the Red Sea coast, which some of our members will know from previous Social Group Holidays to Sharm-El-Sheikh. We also support all the good work done by Reef Relief in Florida. And we are also involved in campaigning for the protection of the unspoilt Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.

Recently we were asked to give talks on social networking and helping others to a local primary school, doing our best to make it interesting to the children by telling them about our visit around the world to Exmouth Australia with The Social Group.

Fully behind the ideas of a Big Society, it's our view that whatever you can do all contributes to making the world a better place.

ALL DONATIONS TO HELP SUPPORT THE GOOD WORK WE DO ARE APPRECIATED. MANY THANKS. 

SOCIAL GROUP HOLIDAYS

http://www.socialgroupholidays.com

Telephone 08456 121 770 (open 12noon - 7pm, most days)

SUN! SAND! SEA!

SIGHTSEEING!

SWIMMING!

SUNBATHING!

SOCIALISING!

 Expand your horizons...

ENJOY HIGH QUALITY HOLIDAYS AT GREAT VALUE PRICES!

 DISCOUNT PRICES FOR SOCIAL GROUP MEMBERS!

 ON HOLIDAY, EVERYONE IS RELAXED AND THERE'S TIME TO BE YOURSELF AND MAKE REALLY GOOD FRIENDS!

TRAVEL IS MUCH SAFER IN THE SAFETY OF A GROUP!

PEOPLE TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCE WITH!

PEOPLE TO LOOK AFTER YOUR BAGS WHILE YOU HAVE A SWIM!

PEOPLE TO TALK TO AND SOCIALISE WITH!

LOTS OF GROUP SAVINGS - TOGETHER, WE CAN HIRE A BOAT OR BUS TO TAKE US OUT FOR THE DAY!

TIME TO RELAX AND TIME TO HAVE FUN!

SOME PEOPLE PREFER TO SPEND TIME WITH EVERYONE ELSE - IT'S GREAT TO HAVE PEOPLE TO DO THINGS WITH!

OTHER PEOPLE PREFER TO DO THEIR OWN THING DURING THE DAY AND MEET UP WITH THE GROUP FOR DINNER IN THE EVENING.  WE DON'T MIND - IT'S ENTIRELY UP TO YOU!

EXPERIENCES TO ENJOY NOW...  MEMORIES TO TREASURE FOR A LIFETIME!

http://twitter.com/SG_Holidays

http://twitter.com/SG_Cruises

http://twitter.com/SG_Ski

http://twitter.com/SGVegasHolidays

http://twitter.com/SGCreteHolidays

DOES THE SOCIAL GROUP CATER FOR COUPLES? 

YES!  Of course!  The Social Group is ideal for couples!

If you hadn't already noticed, the logo of The Social Group is two champagne glasses, symbolising not being alone.  Sometimes we depict this as one slightly larger than the other, indicating male and female together, side by side.  Doesn't that say it all?

One of the main reasons this was originally set up was for single people and couples together to have somewhere respectable they felt comfortable to go out and socialise in a group.  The Social Group aims to offer a fantastic way to meet people and make friends - for both single people and couples.  At The Social Group, we aim to make everyone feel welcome and included.

There's lots of great things for couples to enjoy.  Dinner dances and parties are especially popular with couples who like to have something to dress up for, where they can go out and have fun together as a couple with other people.  Dining out is also very popular, as husband and wife get the opportunity to chat to different people from different professions and have some company over dinner.  Outdoor activities are also very popular, as through the course of the year we offer a wide range of sports and adventure activities, including canoeing, high ropes, archery, clay shooting, skiing, surfing, horse riding, abseiling, caving, paintball, scuba diving, river rafting, quad biking and much more!  Overall, lots of different things to try - making life more interesting than just work and TV!  Also, some things cannot work with just one or two people, and need a larger group of people to be possible!

Over the years we've often been approached by couples where one partner wants to participate more than the other. Sometimes it's just a matter of preference and taste.  Some times one of the couple fancies all the activities we do and is delighted to have other people to do them with, as the partner has no interest.  Other times we have a wife who loves dances and dining out, while her husband prefers to stay home - so she comes out with us and he knows she is safe and in good company.  We did have one couple where the wife was much younger than the husband - they were happy together, but she just wanted some more things to do, so often came out to our events while he only joined in occasionally, mostly for health reasons.  Another couple some years ago consisted of a husband who was unable to fly, so the wife came with us to America on holiday, as it was nice to have other people to feel safe to go with - and the husband said he was happy to have some peace and quiet while she was away!    

Many of our couples met through The Social Group and still continue to come out with us.  Other couples are already together when they join and just fancy joining in with all the different social events, dining out, parties, activities and holidays we offer.

We are not a singles-only club.  We are not a dating agency.  We are the South West’s premier socialising organisation, with membership open to friends, colleagues, couples, and families as well as single people.  Everyone is welcome!

People join the Social Group to enjoy a good social life and come out to lots of the social events we organise, to enjoy face to face good company and good times with other people.  The idea is to participate, have fun, and be good company.  We are looking for people to come out often, make the best of what is on offer, enjoy themselves, and help build up a sense of camaraderie.

 

SPECIAL DISCOUNT ON MEMBERSHIP FOR COUPLES!

After the first year of membership, we offer a generous discount for couples living at the same address who wish to renew.  Renewing VIP Membership, £150 for the first member and just £100 for the spouse, just £250 for a further 12 months in total per couple.  Renewing Budget Membership, £50 for the first member and just £15 for the spouse, just £65 for a further 12 months in total per couple. Outstanding value for money, we are sure you will agree.  

 

SOCIAL GROUP HOLIDAYS - IDEAL FOR COUPLES!

On our holidays, we've often had some single people, some couples, some family members, and some work colleagues - everyone knows a good deal and with our prices so very low, it's hardly surprising lots of different people fancy taking part!

COUPLES OFTEN JOIN IN WITH THE ORGANISED GROUP HOLIDAYS

Social Group Holidays are ideal for couples who like to do their own thing during the day and meet up for dinner with a group of friends during the evening.  Couples already have someone to room share with and that makes things nice and easy to be included.  Plus organisers Cathy and Andrew have been a married couple since 2002, so you'll never be the only couple with the group when Cathy and Andrew are there to look after the social side of things!

BESPOKE HOLIDAYS CAN ALSO BE ARRANGED FOR COUPLES - AT A TIME TO SUIT YOU!

In addition to the main group holidays, we also arrange bespoke holidays just for couples - these are ideal for couples who are looking to benefit from our expertise and contacts, who ask us to make the arrangements for them, saving all the hassle of selecting and booking a holiday.  This service is ideal for couples looking to enjoy a romantic holiday just for the two of them at a time to suit the two of them. 

• We arrange holidays 'just for you' - for any week, at any time of the year!
• We know some of the very best resort destinations anywhere!
• We select a fabulous holiday to suit you!
• We do all the research and get everything in place down to the last detail!
• We arrange romantic getaways for couples!
• We can make all the honeymoon arrangements - UK or Worldwide!

 Specialist resort destinations in which we have considerable expertise include:

• EUROPE - including France, Italy, and Crete 
• CARIBBEAN - including Mexico, Cayman Islands, and Caribbean Cruise 
• WESTERN AUSTRALIA 
• USA - including Miami, Florida, California, Las Vegas, and National Parks

We can also book special UK weekend breaks 'just for you'!  Fancy doing something special but don't know where to go? Country hotels, fabulous scenery, flowers, chocolates, champagne, activities, concert tickets, theatre bookings, and travel arrangements can all be organised, making it very easy for you to surprise that special someone in your life!

Our many contacts mean we can find all the best places and get you some really good deals!

For just a modest booking fee, make it easy on yourself and have it all done for you!  All enquiries welcome! 

DOES THE SOCIAL GROUP CATER FOR SINGLES? 

YES!  Of course!  The Social Group is ideal for singles!  One of the main reasons this was originally set up was because ‘sad singles clubs’ and ‘dodgy dating agencies’ are so rubbish, and because of our own bad experiences with them and the artificial and often dangerous situations they force people into.  The Social Group aims to offer something much better! 

If you are single and looking to meet someone, taking part in Social Group events is a fantastic way to meet new people and make new friends - and in a nice normal safe respectable environment.  Without any pressure, awkwardness, or uncomfortable situations, and without putting yourself in danger by meeting up with complete strangers from the ‘really risky ads’ on the internet or near the back of a newspaper, and where you can come along knowing you are meeting nice decent normal people.

At the end of a couple of years membership coming out to social events with us you should have had a lot of fun, and made dozens of male friends and dozens of female friends, and there is a very good chance you will have met someone special as well!  Naturally it doesn’t happen overnight and it does take time to settle into being a member.  Our advice is to book for plenty of events, get yourself known, and become an integral part of the ‘group of friends’ who everyone knows and likes. 

People who do their best to take part in the Social Group tend to become more relaxed around others, improve their social skills and the way they interact with others, and improve their own self-esteem, gaining in confidence.  All of which helps these people become more dynamic human beings and seem more attractive.  The best way of finding romance is to throw yourself into being part of the Social Group and concentrate on having a good time.  In our experience, it’s the people who seem to be enjoying themselves the most, the ones who become the life and soul of events, the ones who become popular and well-liked, and the ones who take part in lots of events, who members of the opposite sex seem to find the most attractive. 

It may take time for your soul mate to come along, but from what we have observed over many years of doing this, is that it nearly always seems to be the people who have been regulars who end up finding lasting happiness.

If you do join us as a single person and then meet someone, you can then continue with your membership as a couple!

 

IS THE SOCIAL GROUP A ‘SINGLES CLUB’ OR A ‘DATING AGENCY’?

NO!  We are not a singles-only club.  We are not a dating agency.  We are the South West’s premier socialising organisation, with membership open to friends, colleagues, couples, and families as well as single people. Everyone is welcome!

The Social Group offers you the chance to meet lots of new people, make lots of new friends, have lots of fun, and enjoy a terrific social life at the events we organise!  If you are single and looking for romance, there’s a good chance you will meet someone special and if you do, you get all the new friends and great social life, and meeting someone special is a wonderful bonus!

People join the Social Group for more to do and a good social life.  The idea is to come out to lots of the social events we organise, and enjoy face to face good company and good times together.  The idea is to participate and enjoy yourself!

 

IS THIS A GOOD PLACE TO MEET SOMEONE NICE?

Out and about, you might hear people remark, “But where do you go to meet someone nice, someone decent?”    Well, the answer to this is, here, at The Social Group.  That’s one of the main reasons we set this up in the first place, why we felt this was worth dedicating our lives to, and why it is so successful.  The work we are doing does make a difference to people and it is very worthwhile, achieving so much for so many thousands of people over the years.  Frustrated about there not being any proper mechanism for making friends and finding someone special without putting yourself at risk and in some very uncomfortable (not to mention dodgy, if not downright dangerous) situations, we set up The Social Group to offer something a lot better.

The intention was always to put in place something respectable and reliable, without it being stuffy and dull.  And most of all ensuring it would be safe, while still being lots and lots of fun!  We all need friends and in today’s hectic world where we all lead such busy lifestyles, this is a short-cut to widening your circle of friends and having it all organised properly for you.

 

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO MEET SOMEONE?

Our best advice is to join in, make an effort to make events fun, be nice to others, and try to be yourself.  And remember, there’s no rush - so take your time and find not just any person, but the right person.

It may not be a new thing, but from what we see, it’s still true that people who try too hard can put the opposite sex off.  The hunter types, male or female, often tend not to be so successful at finding true love and genuine happiness.  It especially seems that women especially can sense a man with “desperate” written all over him - and women usually back off from someone like that.  Much better to just concentrate on being a nice person and enjoying your life, and let it happen naturally, and as it is meant to happen.  Our advice, if you have just joined, is to come out to plenty of events and get your face known.  From what we see, people who join in and who are good company, and who attend things regularly and become well liked, are usually the ones who attract someone of the opposite sex and live happily ever after.  Membership is currently approximately 40% male and 60% female, with a large proportion of singles of both sexes who are looking to meet someone.  With hundreds of members, if you keep coming out to lots of events, this makes it very likely you will meet at least one special someone at The Social Group!

What’s great about The Social Group is that if you do meet someone and become part of a couple, you can continue to come out to our numerous events and activities with all your friends!  So you get the best of both worlds and life should be hunky-dory!

 

ANY FURTHER ADVICE?

All the usual things…  Make the most of yourself.  Look clean.  Look smart.  Get a new haircut.  Buy some new clothes.  Update your image.  Lose a few pounds.  Do some exercise.  Look after yourself.  Get fit.  When you come out to social events, make sure you look the part.  Relax.  Be friendly.  Be nice to people.  Be polite.  Make an effort.  And don’t forget to smile!

At most events, we get a good mixture of men and women.  However, on the whole men book for parties, activities, bowling, and steak meals - so ladies, if you want to meet men, come to some of these.  While women often book for parties, genteel events, themed events, fancy dress, and bistro type meals - so guys, if you want to meet women, come to some of these.  The outdoor activities are also a good way of finding someone who likes an active and adventurous lifestyle.  If you are adventurous, come skiing, horse riding, abseiling, paintballing, scuba diving, river rafting, caving, and quad biking with us! 

Of course, the group holidays are by far the best way to get to know people really well, as when you are together with others for a week or two, you really have a good chance of hitting it off with someone.  Also, on holiday, people tend to be at their best, feeling more relaxed, and up for a good time.  That’s why there have been romances on almost every holiday we have ever run! 

SAD LOSS

BRIAN HAGLINGTON.

Born 3rd December 1934.

Died 2nd August 2011. Aged 76.

So Strong. So Loved.
The Best Of Men.
Honourable. Inspirational.
You Were Our Sunshine.
You Take A Large Part Of Us With You,
And Leave Us In The Shade.
Your Wisdom, Guidance, And Good Humour
Will Be Sorely Missed.
Going On Without You Is The Hardest Thing.
A Wonderful Husband, Dad, And Grandad.
Forever In Our Hearts.

The funeral was held on 11 August 2011. Thank you to the large gathering of family and friends who attended. 

Thank you to everyone for all the cards and kind messages of support for the family during this most difficult time. 

OBITUARY

BRIAN HAGLINGTON

Andrew's Dad, Brian Haglington, a former accountant and businessman, will be known to many of our members from the various dinner dances, weekend breaks, and holidays he took part in with The Social Group.  As one of our "behind the scenes" team, Brian also acted as business advisor to Social Group Enterprises Ltd and had considerable input in helping shape social networking here in the UK.  Everyone who has made friends via The Social Group or benefited from it in any way over the years, owes a great deal to Brian's input and his invaluable help and assistance, which has been sorely missed since he fell ill.

Brian Haglington was the son of Thomas and Evelyn, with a younger brother Jim and a younger sister Jill. 

Brian Haglington grew up in Attercliffe in the industrial East End of Sheffield in World War Two, often recalling to Andrew how he woke up one morning during the Blitz to find the fish and chip shop at the end of the road demolished by a Nazi bomb.  With the then considerable achievement of passing his 11+ exam, Brian was educated at Firth Park Grammar School where he achieved a record number of what are now GCSE's.   

During his time in the Royal Air Force, Brian became an accomplished boxer and there was even talk of him turning professional.  Instead he embarked on a career in accounts, being office manager and company secretary in the steel industry, motor trade, and wholesale fruit and vegetable business, before he started up his own company Stocktaking And Business Services, which he ran successfully for three decades.

Brian enjoyed a long and happy marriage to his wife Maureen who worked in the health service in suburban Sheffield, and together they raised two children Andrew and Beverley, to whom they were always very close and loving.

In his private life, Brian had a keen interest in astronomy, once supplying a theory to Stephen Hawking that the expansion of the universe was spherical.  He also enjoyed travel and the great outdoors, and playing cards and all kinds of board games.  To Brian, spending time with his family was most important of all.  He was always so very proud of Andrew and he had a special relationship with his daughter-in-law Cathy. 

Brian's strong moral compass was tempered with a terrific sense of humour often compared to Stan Laurel, Michael Palin, and Eric Morecambe.  His favourite comedy acts included The Goons, Dad's Army, and One Foot In The Grave.  Favourite music included Humphrey Lyttelton, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles, amongst many others.

During the 1990's when Andrew was seriously ill and mostly confined to bed and a wheelchair, suffering terrible pain with M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Brian spoke to Andrew almost every day on the telephone, keeping him alive.  Andrew says that brought the two of them especially close, and he credits his Dad's exceptional humanity, patience, consideration, and kindness for supplying the strength to bring him through some really tough times.  

Following retirement, Brian Haglington battled Alzheimer's for almost a decade.  The last two years have been very difficult, the last eight months seeing a dramatic decline in his health, which was difficult for everyone close to him.  Brian passed away in Northern General Hospital in Sheffield on 2 August 2011, with Andrew at his father's side.

A gentle and intelligent man, Andrew says that almost everyone liked his Dad, and feels that those who got to know him better loved him even more.  Finding it hard to bear his passing, Andrew is devastated to lose not only his father, but the closest of friends.

At the funeral, the chapel was completely full, with over 100 people attending the wake.  With so many tributes to a "lovely man", "a true gentleman", and a "great man", the world was clearly a better place for Brian Haglington being in it and he is sorely missed.

http://announce.jpress.co.uk/10912873?s_source=jpno_shef

http://announce.jpress.co.uk/10912866?s_source=jpno_shef

THE HISTORY OF SOCIAL NETWORKING

The age of the internet has been a revolution in communication and in the way in which humans connect and interact with each other, and today, 'social networking' is seen as the biggest thing since the invention of the motor car. 

The first ever email was sent in 1971 - between two computers sitting right next to each other!

By 1978 'Bulletin Board Systems' were independently-produced hunks of code that allowed hobbyist users to communicate via dial up telephone lines with a central system from where they could download files of data or elementary games which were printed out on paper (with no screen).

In 1985 the URL symbolics.com became the world's first web site name.

The World Wide Web was first proposed by the London-born English engineer Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 while he was a contractor at CERN European nuclear particle research laboratory.  This system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the internet from computers would grow to become a vast repository of human knowledge and culture. 

In 1993 CERN announced the World Wide Web would be free for anyone to use.  By the end of 1994, the Web had 10,000 servers, of which 2,000 were commercial, and 10 million users.

Early home computers were very slow and very basic compared to today's standards.  They were seen as a way to display information, but were mainly used to play elementary computer games via a plug-in wire socket into the back of a television. 

In Sheffield England in the 1980's, graduate Andrew Haglington had taught himself BASIC and been able to break into creating graphic art and home-made interactive games on primitive ZX81 and ZX Spectrum home computers. 

Andrew Haglington was the man who invented social networking.  After relocating to Devon in South West England in 1991, illness and divorce left Andrew Haglington isolated and lonely.  Through personal experience, finding it was extremely difficult to make new friends led him to identify a need in society for a mechanism to help people connect - he eventually decided to apply the name 'social' (an abbreviation of 'socialising') and invented what he decided to call 'social networking'. 

In an effort to help others and to try to enable himself to overcome a terrible debilitating illness, in 1997 Andrew Haglington formally set up the original 'Devon Social Group' as an informal 'group of friends' which anyone could join in with, offering a ready-made social life and a new way of connecting and making friends.  The groundbreaking non-profit-making Devon Social Group arrived on the scene declaring it was something entirely new, and is now generally agreed to be the world's first modern-style socialising organisation.

Devon Social Group utilised the early internet from it's inception, although to start with, this had simply been a few amateur-looking pages on someone else's web site.  In 1999, the first proper Devon Social Group web site included a basic chatroom section where people could interact socially online and arrange to take part in 'social group events' such as dining out at restaurants together.  Unfortunately, following excessive abuse and swearing, and numerous angry complaints about the material people were putting online, Andrew Haglington decided what he later described as "an early Facebook or Twitter" was going to be too much trouble, abandoned the idea, and took this part of the web site offline. 

Meanwhile, in the USA, the web site GeoCities was founded by david Bohnett and John Rezner in late 1994 as 'Beverly Hills Internet'.  In its original form, users selected a "city" in which to place their web pages. Yahoo! bought GeoCities in 1999, but after things not going to plan, in 2009 closed it down everywhere except Japan, at which time there were at least 38 million user-built pages that were lost.

Another USA web site theGlobe.com was put together in 1995 by Cornwall University students Stephen Paternot and Todd Krizelmanwent who were inspired by a primitive chat room on the university's computer network.  The Globe dot com went public on the stock market in 1998, only to have a disastrous collapse the next year as part of the infamous dot com crash.

In the USA, sixdegrees.com allowed its users to create profiles, invite friends, and surf other user profiles.  Unfortunately, its founders made mistakes, were accused of being "too pushy", and the site de-evolved into a loose association of computer users, with numerous complaints of spam helping bring it to an end.

In 1999 the South Korean web site Cyworld was purchased by SK Communications and soon had massive success in South Korea, by 2006 having a reported 19 million users.

Following the success of USA site Classmates.com in 2000 Friends Reunited was launched by Steve Pankhurst and Julie Pankhurst in Hertfordshire in the UK.  By 2005 Friends Reunited had 15 million members and was bought by British TV company ITV for a reported £120 million ($208 million).

In the UK in 2000, Andrew Haglington began publishing 'Social Group Magazine' for Devon Social Group members, complimenting the online content.  This reflected an awareness that a large proportion of the population still had no internet access.

In the UK in 2002, a disastrous breakdown of host servers led to the complete loss of the original 'social networking' website of Devon Social Group.  A brand new revamped web site was built for devonsocialgroup.com.  

In the USA in 2002, 'Friendster' was launched, often referred to as a more refined version of the now-defunct SixDegrees.com, and sometimes dubbed the "Circle of Friends".

In the UK in 2003 Andrew Haglington and his new wife Cathy Haglington set up 'Social Group Enterprises Ltd.' to run The Social Group in the UK on a professional and full-time basis.  The aim of the 'social enterprise' was to enable people to connect, make friends, have fun, and enjoy a good social life, while at the same time now try to generate enough income to pay salaries and make a profit.  At this time, the whole concept was still very new and it was still necessary to pretty much have to explain to just about everyone what they meant by all things 'social'.  The phrase "social networking" was still not in common usage.

LinkedIn was launched in 2003 by Reid Hoffman in the USA as a networking resource for business people who wanted to connect with other professionals, a sort of online CV network.  Today, LinkedIn boasts more than 30 million members.

Also in the USA in 2003, MySpace took things to a new level by tempting a young adult demographic with online music, videos and feature-filled content that looked much hipper and cooler than Friendster.

It wasn't until 2004 that the giant of social networking finally appeared and at first facebook.com was nothing more than a way for students at Harvard University in the USA to be able to check each other out online.  It remained campus-orientated for two years before becoming available to the public, with enormous growth since as a result of being seized upon and backed by massive amounts of corporate finance.  By 2008 Facebook was starting to dominate the internet and 2011 saw frequent media coverage of the threat to Microsoft and Google.

Bebo was launched by Michael Birch and his wife Xochi Birch in 2005 at their home in San Francisco - it's name an acronym for Blog Early, Blog Often.  Users received a personal profile page where they could post web-logs, photos, music & videos.  Bebo went on to be acquired by AOL in 2008 for $850 million, but a few years later was dispensed with for a much lower undisclosed sum to Criterion Capital Partners.

Twitter was launched in the USA in 2007.  Essentially a micro-blogging "What are you doing at the moment?" site where users keep contacts informed of everyday events and chat through bite-size morsels they post from their computer, phone, or handheld device, the service got off to a very good start.  It's popularity with celebrities as a way of enhancing their fame and staying in direct touch with the public was where it really shone. 

Twitter was a practical idea for social networking because it helped you stay updated to your network in a quick no-nonsense way.  You knew what the other guy was up to and the other guys knew what you were up to.  This fulfilled the basic concept behind a social network.  However, many have commented that Twitter is now more of an internet marketing platform, with many tweets referring a link to an external web site and it being much more about the free advertising of services and products.

Possibly as a way to leave less of the screen available for individuals and businesses to be able to market themselves for free, the 2010 launch of New Twitter was not well received, with much criticism of twitter.com losing it's simplicity that was so attractive and many not liking how their background artwork was now obscured, including celebrity Twitterers like Star Trek's Wil Wheaton, who famously said he "hated" New Twitter.  

Back in the UK, Andrew Haglington who had first come up with the name "social" for use in this context, with his wife Cathy Haglington, saw it that they had overseen, developed and popularised the whole concept of social networking from the outset and even though they were now referred to as "social entrepreneurs", felt they were not getting the credit they deserved. 

As well as devonsocialgroup.com, the couple had set up the web sites cornwallsocialgroup.com, somersetsocialgroup.com, and bristolsocialgroup.com in early 2005.  Also a social travel 'group holidays' web site travelcompanionsholidays.com, which was later rebranded as socialgroupholidays.com.  In 2009, Andrew Haglington went on to build, design, and set up thesocialgroup.uk.com as a catch all web site for the 'The Social Group' as a whole.

The Haglington's Social Group web sites had not since the Millennium featured anything like Facebook's online interactive element.  The couple felt they had gone beyond that, taking the whole concept of social networking a stage further and hosting actual social events for people in real life, managing the social events of their clients in the role of friend, host, and personal assistants, managing real time, real life 'social networking', making the effort to personally make friends with each of their many thousands of customers, and changing lives for the better.  Andrew Haglington has often spoken of his view that people are spending so much time in front of a television or computer that they are losing the ability to be able to interact, connect and socialise with other human beings properly. 

In 2010 The British Library in London preserved the web sites of Devon Social Group and Cornwall Social Group as being of historic importance in their pivotal role in the development of social networking.  For many years Andrew Haglington had used his graphic design skills to display a huge gallery of photographs.  That this was a pictorial record of life over an entire decade in the early 21st century was recognised in this honour paid to it in the UK by The British Library. 

Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, numerous copycats of both the hands-on model of social networking (The Social Group) and the online model of social networking (Facebook) now exist all over the world.

The 2010 movie 'The Social Network' which told the story of how Facebook began in an American university in 2004 was in 2011 nominated for 8 Oscars.  A chronicle of the Harvard students who put together what they first called "FaceMash", depicting what ensued after an algorithm for ranking chess players was applied to ranking which girl on the college database was most attractive, the idea of being able to check out other people online proved too popular to let go.  The film also details many of the court cases which followed, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckenburg (played by Jesse Eisenberg), the youngest billionaire in history, being repeatedly sued for allegedly stealing the ideas of others.

Andrew Haglington and Cathy Haglington of The Social Group in the UK, who are big supporters of the whole social media movement, are reported to have said they thought the story in 'The Social Network' movie was rather tame compared to the rollercoaster life they have lived since first coming up with the idea to use the name "social", but have also remarked that they are pleased they at least no longer have to explain to people what they mean by the phrase 'social network'.