In this hard financial climate, it seems that getting together and letting off a bit of steam with friends is still the mainstay for survival against a hostile world. It has been interesting to see how or even whether the current recession has hit the entertainment industry, and an analysis at specialist stag-do organiser DesignaVenture has certainly thrown up some remarkable stats to the contrary.

If  planning a girlie or guy trip away, here is what 2011 indicated in the popularity stakes:

It might be all the celebs that raised its profile this year, but Rob Brydon, Katherine Jenkins, Rhod Gilbert and Batchelor Gavin Henson have certainly wooed to the green, green grass of Wales, which was up 32% as a destination in 2011.

Ever popular stag-dos to Bristol are still climbing, with a rise of 23%. Who would have thought that a West Country accent would become so trendy? Did the Royal wedding pull London up a notch, or was it all just Made in Chelsea? Maybe, as visits rose by 17%, though Nottingham’s rockin’ party culture also kept it nudging forward and up 16%.

Even with such a dismal summer, Britain’s coastal resorts still remained on the party radar, and benders to Bournemouth leapt up by 9%. And what are revellers doing on their mad weekends away? Most popular daytime activities are the motor sports, specifically, karting (indoor and outdoor), rage and dirt buggies, quads, rallying and the like.

For those keen to get kicks after the daily grind, other outdoor pursuits on the rise are clay-pigeon shooting, deep-sea fishing (thank you Robson Green) and the outer limits of gorge scrambling. Goodness, the nation is an adventurous lot. Clearly, there are still some traditionalists though, as steadfastly holding their firm favourite position are the dog and horseracing venues.

Plus, proving that gambling is now disconcertingly one of the country’s top occupations, casino nights are hugely popular as part of a party package. Curiously, people have not all lost their heads completely by going on totally liquid nights out, as a spokesperson from DesignaVenture also advised, “Night-time activities are on the up, with more meals with bars and clubs being pre-booked so our clients were not leaving anything to chance”.

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The Football Association of Wales revealed Sunday that football manager Gary Speed was found dead at 07:08 GMT on 27^th November at his home in Huntington, Chester.

Speed boasted an exemplary international career. Over a period of fifteen years, he won 85 caps for his country and also played for Leeds, Everton, Sheffield United, Newcastle and Bolton. After taking on his first managerial role with Sheffield United and accepting an MBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours for his services to football, he was appointed as Wales’ manager almost one year ago with the brief to prepare the senior squad for qualification to the FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Cheshire police were called to Speed’s home in the morning of 27^th November after receiving information of a sudden death at an address in Huntington. A spokeswoman for Cheshire police announced that there were ‘no suspicious circumstances’ surrounding his death, and confirmed it to be an apparent suicide.

A minute’s silence was announced at the Premier League Swansea match against Aston Villa on Sunday, following which, supportive chants and rounds of applause resonated around the stadium.

Tributes to Speed began to pour in within minutes of hearing the news. Former team mate Ryan Giggs said: “I am totally devastated. Gary Speed was one of the nicest men in football and someone I am honoured to call a team-mate and friend. It goes without saying my thoughts are with his family at this tremendously sad time.”

Alan Shearer who played alongside Speed during his time at Newcastle said: “Gary was a magnificent person, bright, fun and a wonderful family man – he lit up every room he walked into.”

Comments however have not been restricted to those issued from former team mates. Labour leader Ed Miliband tweeted that Speed was a ‘[f]antastic servant of Leeds’ and will be ‘[m]ourned by football’, with Welsh politicians Cheryl Gillian, Kirsty Williams and Carywn Jones also expressing their condolences.

The FAW also publically extended their sympathies. Speed leaves a wife and two children, and the FAW called for everyone to respect the family’s privacy at such a difficult time. They further commented that ‘this tragedy [...] is a huge loss not only for his family and friends but for the nation as a whole.’

Cheshire police confirmed that a family tribute will be released at a later date.

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A ban on donations of blood made by gay men, which was established during the AIDS crisis 25 years ago, is to be dropped by England, Scotland and Wales. Blood banks in England, Scotland and Wales will allow gay men to give blood, beginning November 7. The UK Department of Health made this announcement Thursday.

On their website, UK National Health Services Blood and Transport (NHSBT), included the criterion that must be met in order for a gay man to donate blood. “The change means that in future only men who have had anal or oral sex with another man in the past 12 months, with or without a condom, will be asked not to donate blood.”

This also includes men who have sex with anyone whose been injected with drugs, whose been with a prostitute, or who has had a sexual encounter with a man who has slept with another man. Men whose last sexual contact with another man was more than 12 months ago will now be approved to donate blood.

According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the ban was put into place in the 1980’s in an effort to avoid the risk of HIV contamination. The new guidelines came after a review conducted by the UK Department of Health reported that “evidence no longer supported the permanent exclusion of men who have had sex with men.

The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) studied the latest details on relevant sexual contact in relation to the safety of donating blood. The Committee’s review examined the risk of infection being transmitted through blood and the ability to test donated blood for diseases before reaching their conclusion that new guidelines could safety been instituted.

Dr. Lorna Williamson, the Medical and Research Direct of NHS Blood and Transplant, said in a statement that “We welcome this review and its conclusions.  It gives us an opportunity to broaden our donor acceptance on the basis of the latest scientific evidence. “

In 2010, a federal committee recommended maintaining the policy preventing gay men from donating blood in the U.S. Acccording to CNN, this decision provoked “disappointment and anger from gay activist groups.”

“The committee’s decision today not only leaves a discriminatory practice in place, it also puts lives at risk,” said Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, in a statement responding to the 2010 ruling. Meanwhile, some groups continue to use the ban to justify their demonization of gays.

Just a month ago, Bryan Fishcher, Director of Issues Analysis for the American Family Association (AFA), commented about the blood ban on the AFA website. “I think this is one of the reasons where our argument is infallible…is the danger that homosexual contact imposes to human health.

I gave blood here several weeks ago and I was asked three times…have you as a male ever had sex with another male one time since 1977. If I had answered yes, I would not have been able to give blood.

The risk to the nation’s blood supply is so severe that the risk that active homosexuals pose to the nation’s health, to the nation’s blood supply is so severe that if a man has had sex even one solitary time since 1977 – cannot donate blood. That, ladies and gentleman, tells you all you need to know.”

North Ireland is also considering the new policies adopted by England, Scotland, and Wales and the recent findings of the NHSBT. It is expected that North Ireland will make a decision on the guidelines of gay men donating blood soon.

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