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CHRISTMAS APPEAL TO SHOW SOCIETY CARES
THE Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation has chosen Marie Curie Cancer Care to be the beneficiary of its annual festive fundraising as it aims to raise more than £80,000 in just four weeks, to help the charity release more nurses into the community.
Christmas is a time for spending with friends and family and over the twelve days of Christmas Marie Curie nurses will provide over 26,000 hours of care to give terminally ill people the chance of enjoying the season at home with their loved ones.
The Christmas Appeal starts this week and runs until Wednesday 22 December. Last year £82,000 was raised for the Society's chosen charity, and it's hoped that the 2004 Appeal will top that figure.
Rachel Gladman at Yorkshire Building Society said, "We have kicked off the Appeal with a teddy bear dress down day and so we are all already in high festive spirits. We hope that many of our customers will take part in some of the activities we have planned, and help us to support Marie Curie as they light up Christmas for those who really need care at home."
The fundraising was launched by Coronation Street star, Susie Blake and has a Care Bear theme, reflecting the care offered by the Marie Curie nurses. All the Society's branches and most agencies will be holding a prize draw to win one of these cuddly creatures. Other branch activities will include colouring competitions for children and the sale of four collectors' edition
Care Bear pin badges. A number of branches and head office teams are also well on the way to planning many other fun money-raising activities, including a karaoke night, bric-a-brac sales, tombolas, wine tasting and fancy dress pub crawls!
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NEW LAW CLAMPS DOWN ON DANGEROUS ELECTRICS
THE UK's electrical safety body warns homeowners to use Government-approved electricians in a bid to protect Britain's homeowners from dangerous electrics and cowboy electricians. Amazingly, electricians have never been regulated despite faulty electrics causing an average of 19 deaths and 2,000 injuries every year as a result the NICEIC says the new laws are long overdue.
New research from the NICEIC suggests that there is widespread lack of knowledge of electrical safety among the public, with as many as 52% of people not being aware of how often wiring should be checked by a qualified person.
"Many homes inspected by the NICEIC are simply electrical disasters waiting to happen. Under the new law, homeowners will be protected as long as the electrician hands over a certificate once they've completed the work. So, if you don't get a certificate or you do DIY electrics yourself - you will not only be sitting on an electrical time bomb. You'll also be breaking the law," says Jim Speirs, director general of the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting.
The NICEIC welcomes the Government's decision to finally clamp down on the cowboys who cause these deaths and is advising homeowners to make sure they only employ
Government approved electricians such as those from the NICEIC.
From January 1 it will be a legal requirement for all electricians, gas installers or any tradesperson fitting a kitchen or bathroom,
to comply with Part P of the Building Regulations.
Homeowners across England and Wales must; and they will be committing a legal offence if they don't
use a registered electrician for any work on the electrical system in the home, such as sockets, switches, circuits and fuse
boxes!
To be sure of your electrician, look out for the NICEIC logo and contact the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) which has a roll of Approved Electrical Contractors, you can find one in your area by visiting
www.niceic.org.uk
or call the NICEIC on 0870 013 0381.
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