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Council pledges support for tsunami victims
COUNCILLORS have united to offer aide to help the rebuilding efforts of devastated South Asian communities hit by the tsunami disaster - at a meeting of Warrington's Full Council on the 10 January.
Council officers have already raised £2,000 towards the appeal with plans to continue fundraising through a series of events. The Council is also investigating the possibility of donating the expertise of particular Officers to help with relief work in the most badly affected areas of South Asia.
Plans are also being explored to 'adopt' a community or create a partnership between the town and an area within South Asia to enable the sharing of expertise and skills to help rebuild lives.
The Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Ted Lafferty, said:- "We express our sadness at the pain and suffering experienced by the victims of the South Asia disaster. We also show our admiration for the magnificent response of people in Warrington and the determination to assist in the long-term rebuilding of those lives shattered communities.
We (the Council) wish to put our resources of advice, assistance and expertise at the disposal of the Local Government Association, the Department for International Development and any other appropriate bodies with a view to providing support for an affected community."
In addition to pledging their support to the Mayor's proposal, Members from the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative groups added £750 to the appeal, which they had collected at the meeting.
Letters to Editor:- "VE60 - REJOICE & REMEMBER"
Dear Editor, "2005 marks the 60th anniversary of one of the most significant events ever recorded in world history - the end of the Second World War. On Sunday 8 May 2005 it will be exactly 60 years since hostilities ceased across Europe (VE Day - Victory in Europe). For many readers, this momentous occasion will bring back memories of life during the war and the joy of hearing that victory was ours at last.
Events held over the weekend of 6 May to 8 May offer the perfect opportunity for hotels, community groups, councils and other organisations to celebrate a landmark in our history. Groups interested in holding VE60 themed events can obtain a promotional pack by visiting www.ve60.co.uk or by calling 01352 757699. SSAFA Forces Help will benefit from every promotional pack that is purchased and from the proceeds of raffles held at official VE60 Celebrations events.
This landmark anniversary serves to remind us of the outstanding contribution that Service personnel continue to make to the history of the British Isles. There are nearly 7 million ex-Service men and women and their families in the UK at present, all of whom are eligible to receive assistance from SSAFA Forces Help. I wish to encourage your readers to celebrate VE60 in the same spirit as the country celebrated in 1945, remembering, as they did 60 years ago, the sacrifices that had gone before." Yours sincerely, Helen Walker
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Kids project is the talk of the town
AN EDUCATION project is the talk of the town in Liverpool after helping hundreds of children finds their voice. Talking Partners is celebrating 4 years of developing the speaking and listening skills of nearly 500 children aged 4 to 8 years-old.
The programme was established in January 2001 to support children who don't speak English as their first language, along with other pupils who need to improve their general communication skills. Pupils receive 3, 20 minute sessions each week for 10 weeks as part of their regular school curriculum, writing original stories and taking part in barrier games in which they complete activities blindfolded, guided by instructions from their friends.
Julie Spencer, Liverpool City Council's Talking Partners Adviser, said:- "The programme has been a phenomenal success.
During the past four years, many hundreds of children in Liverpool schools, including those who speak English as an additional language, have benefited from the Talking Partners programme.
It improves children's speaking and listening skills, which in turn raises their performance at SATS and it also develops their self confidence and self esteem."
Liverpool City Council's executive member for education, Councillor Paul Clein, said:-
"Talking Partners is a most worthwhile initiative which has had a positive impact on many of our pupils.
In particular, the programme has really helped those students who don't have English as a first language. The initiative helps to integrate them into our schools and our communities, which has a great impact not just on the pupils themselves, but also on their families and the city as a whole."
Mayor meets prize pupils
THE Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Ted Lafferty, will be visiting Warrington schools next week to present prizes to 4 lucky pupils who have won the Trading Standards poster competition. The Mayor will be presenting their prizes of £20 gift vouchers to the winners from Bruche Community Primary, St Joseph's and St Barnabas.
The competition was held in the Trading Standards Christmas safety booklet and winners were drawn from more than 600 entries. Designed to enforce safety, pupils were asked to complete a poster and identify a number of hazards in the home.
Peter Astley, Trading Standards Manager said:- "We were overwhelmed with entries from all over Warrington. It's just a shame that we couldn't let every one of them win!
Most importantly, we hope that the message of safety has got through and that the many children who entered the competition are more aware of dangers in the home."
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