LOVEmyBEACH to provide reusable period products for local women

LOVEmyBEACH, a Keep Britain Tidy project in the North West, part of the Turning Tides partnership, will be distributing free reusable period products to women in need as a result of Covid 19. The reusable products will be distributed via the:- Fleetwood Together Foodbank, reaching women and teenagers throughout Wyre.

Currently the most common sanitary products (disposable tampons and sanitary pads) cost the average women ₤10 per month / ₤150 per year. Period poverty (a lack of access to sanitary products due to financial pressures) has increased by 6 times across the UK, during the Covid Pandemic. 3 in 10 girls across the UK have reported being unable to access sanitary products during the Pandemic.

As women struggle to afford essentials including food, some consider period products a luxury. Reports show many have resorted to using inadequate alternatives including:- tissues, newspaper and socks. LOVEmyBEACH want to ensure local women do not need to risk infection and embarrassment, when a long term, sustainable solution is available.

Reusable period products, including:- reusable pads, period pants and menstrual cups, each last for many years instead of being a disposable, single use item. An average woman uses 11,000 period care products over her lifetime, but by switching to reusable she can save 90% of the cost involved.

Additionally, reusable products are much better for the environment as they generate no waste each month. Currently disposal of period products in the UK generates 200,000 tonnes of waste every year, with many disposable products containing significant levels of plastic.

LOVEmyBEACH launched the WOOP campaign (Wipe Out Ocean Plastic) in 2020, to raise awareness of the environmental impact of disposable period care products and wet wipes. When disposed of incorrectly and flushed down the toilet, these items can end up on our beaches, in the ocean and harming wildlife. 6% of beach litter found in the UK is sanitary items and in a single day 28,000 used tampons and applicators were found worldwide on beach cleans.

Emily Parr, Fylde Beach Care Officer said:- "The WOOP campaign was previously focused on raising awareness of these issues and encouraging behaviour change. However, LOVEmyBEACH decided we wanted to do something to directly help during the Pandemic. At a time when many people are struggling to afford essential items, let alone switch to more expensive reusable products, we realised the WOOP campaign could have a far greater impact. Periods do not stop in a Pandemic. Despite deepening financial hardships, all women should have access to effective and adequate period care products. By providing reusable products which will last for many years, we hope this project will benefit local women and children long term, whilst helping the environment and our beaches too."

The funding for this project has been awarded by the Wyre and Fylde Covid Response Fund. Initially 100 women will receive a reusable period product kit, containing 4 to 5 reusable sanitary pads, information and a sewing template for them to make more for themselves and family members. If successful, we hope to secure further funding to roll the project out to reach more Fylde Coast women. If any local businesses want to support the project or provide donations, please contact:- Emily.Parr@KeepBritainTidy.Org.

Merseyside charity scoops share of ₤120,000 festive financial boost

A charity based in Merseyside has won a ₤1,000 Christmas gift thanks to nominations from the public. The charity was nominated to win a share of ₤120,000 as part of specialist insurer Ecclesiastical's annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign.  The Edward Foundation based in St. Helens, which is dedicated to the care, rescue and re-homing of vulnerable Bulldogs, is the local charity set to benefit from the money following overwhelming public support in the area. 5,008 Merseyside residents nominated a cause close to their hearts, with 69 charitable causes in the area receiving votes. The 120 winning charities across the UK were picked at random from those nominated. The full list of the 120 charity winners is available to view online at:- MovementForGood.Com/12Days.  Thanking supporters in Merseyside, Mark Hews, Group CEO at Ecclesiastical, said:- "Owned by a charity, here at Ecclesiastical our core purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, so charitable giving is at the heart of our business. We know that ₤1,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do, and we're looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better. We hope these donations can bring a positive end to a difficult year and a promising start to 2021."

Government confirms commitment to life changing family support

THE UK's leading charity for adoptive families has welcomed the Government's announcement that it will extend the Adoption Support Fund for a further year, providing life changing support for adopters and their children. But Adoption UK warns that a long term commitment is crucial.

The Government committed ₤45m for the current financial year and has so far invested more than ₤200m in the Adoption Support Fund (ASF) since its introduction in 2015, benefitting 61,000 families. The budget for the next financial year has not yet been confirmed.

Today's announcement means thousands of adoptive families will continue to be offered a range of therapeutic support aimed at helping their children overcome past trauma.

Adopted children are among the most complex and vulnerable in society, with ¾ having suffered serious neglect or abuse in their early lives, with lasting impact on relationships, health and learning. These children can require intensive therapy and long term support to help them thrive.

Adoption UK's chief executive Dr Sue Armstrong Brown said:- "This is another 12 months oxygen for adoptive and kinship families who need help to live with the impacts of early childhood trauma. We are delighted that the Government has listened to families and saved the fund for another year. In these challenging and uncertain times, vulnerable families need help more than ever."

Recent research by Adoption UK found that around a third of adopted parents have been experiencing an increase in violence and aggression from their child since the Pandemic took hold. In April the Government set up an additional emergency fund for adopters, which received more than 450 applications and approved ₤6.5 million worth of support for adoptive families. The emergency fund ended in December 2020.

Adoptive parent Kathryn said therapy accessed via the fund for her children has had a transformative effect on her family. Kathryn said:- "We deal with extreme violence in the home on a regular basis because of my child's trauma, but the ASF gave us the capacity to keep going. We don't know where we'd be without it."

9 in 10 adopters have told Adoption UK that the support paid for by the fund has been helpful, and a ⅓ say it has helped them avoid a family breakdown. However, the fact that the funding has only been guaranteed for a year means that the therapy the ASF provides is not secure.

Dr Armstrong Brown continued:- "The Adoption Support Fund has been life changing. The end of the ASF is unthinkable; families need certainty about the future of this vital source of support, and it's essential that the Government commit to stabilising the ASF over the long term."

Adoption UK is calling for a 10 year commitment to the fund, and for the additional emergency money to be re-instated until March 2021.

New Red Beat single to be released on 26 January 2021

AS Covid19 has delayed our re-launch of some of our old services we have been updating, this bit of music got our attention that was sent in to our Liverpool Reporter website and we thought we world do a quick review. Many bands have been using the down time to make new singles and this single has really got our attention.

Red Beat are a post punk, dub rock band who formed in the late 70's / early 80's, who originally formed in 1977, in High Wycombe and recorded their 1st album:- 'Endless Waiting Game there' that same year. After recording their 1st single:- 'Machines In Motion,' they moved to London and released it on Killing Joke's label:- 'Malicious Damage.' The band also went on to recorded a John Peel Session, on BBC Radio 1, which he replayed several times and still gets aired on Radio 6. The band was also support for:- 'U2,' 'Killing Joke,' 'The Damned,' 'The UK Subs' and 'Basement 5,' at top London venues.

The 3 brothers at the core of the band were brothers of 80's Pop star, Howard Jones and Martin and Roy had careers playing with their famous brother. They have produced 3 more albums:- 'The Wheel,' 'The Eternal Party' and 'Change and Phoenix.'

Now the Red Beat have just released yet another single from their forthcoming album. The song:- 'Zachary Jones,' is a reggae song, inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. It implies that the fictional character, Zachary Jones, is of Caribbean ancestry and highlights how Black people are often the victim of an inherently racist Police system. The middle dub section features a spoken word performance by Rastafarian, Cheez McKenzie, who played guitar with Red Beat on their German single:- 'Power Reflex' / 'Strangers, at Midnight.'

Despite the restrictions caused by Covid, the recording features a line up of 7 musicians including:- Dom Norcross on saxophone, Jason Osborne on Trumpet, Martine Branford and Josie McKenzie on backing vocals and Andy Jacques on Bass with brothers Roy and Paul Jones on lead vocals and drums.

2020 has seen a resurgence of the band with the release of an EP:- 'Chameleon Regeneration' followed by a single:- 'Love Can Bring the Healing.' The new single:- 'Zachary Jones' will be the last release before the album which is due to be released in April 2021. Lead singer, Roy Jones is a prolific solo artist and has released a large catalogue of songs under the artist name dRedzilla and his own name as well as the band name Ysbryd.   For more detail head over to:- dredzilla.com.

Well it might not have a obvious link to the Liverpool City Region and an up and coming announcement of our link up with another media business, but we love to give hints...