Schools and parents across Liverpool City Region can breathe easy with free air quality education funded by Metro Mayor's Community Environment Fund

PRIMARY School children, Teachers and parents have been given free access to subscription only online resources teaching about clean air as part of the Metro Mayor's Community Environment Fund. Young children across Liverpool City Region will be taught the value of good air quality in their communities after being granted unlimited access to a free learning platform. Teachers, parents and Primary School pupils can now enjoy the subscription only channels of the interactive website Clean Air Crew, thanks to Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram's Community Environment Fund. The engaging online materials have been designed and developed by Teachers and Environmental Officers, from the Southport Eco Centre, around 1 of the City Region's key environmental and health policies. The aim is help everyone understand how they can help improve air quality, providing an innovative platform for teachers to embed sustainability into topic planning.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "Climate change is an issue that we can't afford to ignore any longer. It needs strong, urgent action; and in the Liverpool City Region we're taking it. We were the 1st Region to declare a Climate Emergency, and we're trying to lead the battle against climate change too. I know that this isn't something we can tackle alone. Collectively, we can make a massive difference. I launched the Community Environment Fund to empower local communities and help educate people about the threat climate change poses. Projects like the Clean Air Crew are vital in teaching our children about the importance of looking after the environment, and the harmful impacts of pollution."

Children can enjoy the fun, interactive resources and games, teachers can access a wide range of topic based curriculum resources and parents will be able to use home learning materials. Schools have until 30 September 2021, to sign up at:- CleanAirCrew.Co.UK. Access to the subscription education resources will continue until April 2022 and many of the sites other features will remain public beyond this date as a legacy.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services said:- "Air quality is a key issue for the health of our community and the health of our planet. We have made progress in Sefton on the issue of air quality, but we can still improve. We are currently in a climate emergency and any steps we can take to reduce our emissions will reduce our contribution to rising sea levels, rising temperatures and extreme weather. The Clean Air Crew is a fantastic resource to help people understand the risks of poor air quality and how we can all make small changes that make a big impact."

The Liverpool City Region was the 1st Combined Authority to declare a Climate Emergency and is aiming to become net zero carbon by 2040, at the latest, at least a decade before national targets. It is making progress on a wide range of environmental projects, as part of Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram's pledge to lead a Green Industrial Revolution, and will be highlighting its work at COP26, the 2021 United Nations climate change conference, in Glasgow, this Autumn.

Over a ⅓ of businesses report that employee mental health support has got better since the start of the Pandemic

NEW research by Acas has found that 36% of British employers have seen their mental health support improve since the start of the Coronavirus (Covid19) Pandemic. Acas commissioned YouGov to ask businesses in Britain about whether they had seen a change to employee mental health and wellbeing support in their organisation since the start of the Pandemic.

The poll found that:-

► 36% said it had got better.

► 9% said it had got worse.

► 50% reported it as staying the same.

► 6% of employers did not know.

Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said:- "The Pandemic has been a challenging period for everyone and it's great to see that over a ⅓ of bosses have managed to improve their organisation's mental health support for their staff. However, nearly one in ten employers have seen this support deteriorate so it is important for businesses to invest in the wellbeing of their workers as they open up again. Acas has good advice and training on how to support and manage mental health and wellbeing at work."

Acas advice for employers on managing mental health during Covid19 includes:-

► Be approachable, available and encourage team members to talk to you if they're having problems.

►Keep in regular contact with your team to check how they are coping.

► Be understanding towards the concerns and needs of your staff while they work in new or unexpected ways. For example, working from home or managing childcare while working.

► Address any individual communication preferences such as asking team members if they prefer to talk over the phone, through video meetings or by email.

►Look after your own mental health and get support if you feel under more pressure than usual.