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UK
GIVES 0.46 MILLION TO HELP VICTIMS OF CENTRAL AMERICAN FLOODS
THE relief
efforts in Guatemala and El Salvador to help victims of the recent
devastating floods and mudslides will benefit from a 463,000
contribution announced today by UK International Development
Minister, Gareth Thomas.
The funds announced today comprise 253,000 to be channelled through
two NGOs and the 210,000 already provided by the UK as part of the
emergency relief from the European Commissions Humanitarian Office
(ECHO).
The floods have claimed over 800 lives across the region, almost 670
of these in Guatemala, leaving about 60,000 and 44,000 people in
shelters in Guatemala and El Salvador respectively. Over 2.5 million
people are affected throughout the region.
UK International Development Minister, Gareth Thomas, said:-
"We have all seen the terrible images of towns and villages
overwhelmed by floods and mudslides in Central America. The
thousands of people who have lost loved ones and seen their homes
washed away are looking to their own governments and the
international community for help. Their immediate need is to get
clean water, food, medicine and shelter. The UK will work with our
partners in the European
Commission and several aid agencies to ensure our contribution is
turned into practical help in Guatemala and El Salvador.
The funding announced 21 October 2005 will be spent as follows:-
* 150,000 for Care International to buy food, including staples such
as rice and milk, and help the government assess the most urgent
needs in western Guatemala (100,000 for Guatemala, 50,000 for El
Salvador);
* 103,000 for Plan International to buy medicines and water
purification materials and continue working with the local
authorities, the UN and NGOs to ensure relief is well coordinated (x
72,000 for Guatemala, x 31,000 for El
Salvador);
The ECs overall response will provide basic needs through the
provision of hygiene kits, food rations, water and health care for
6,000 families in the two countries. In total, more than 30,000
people will benefit from the ECs assistance.
This support will help support the initial relief effort over the
next three months."
Letters To Editor:- "A FISHY QUESTION?"
"Hi, I live in
Southport and want to know is fishing on/off Southport pier allowed
? If it is do you require a permit or is it free of charge? I have
been trying to get info for a while now but cannot find anything
helpfull. I am waiting to give it a try, but do not want to go there
for nothing if it is not allowed?
Can you assist?" Best regrads SC
Editors note:- "Thanks SC, we are looking in to this for you
and will let you know the results soon."
Letters to Editor:- "Family
history. Please help me find..."
"I am tracing
my family history and would like to contact any decendants of
Fredrick Jenkins who lived in Southport and died on 3 January 1930,
he was the son of Rev William Jenkins who died 1917 in Newtown
Montgomeryshire. Fredrick Jenkins had one son Fredrick Howard
Jenkins. My email is
maureen.wilde@btinternet.com" Maureen Wildee
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800TH BIRTHDAY MAKEOVER FOR MERSEY RIVER FESTIVAL
THE
UK's biggest free maritime festival is to be transformed into one of
the world's best in 2007 to mark Liverpool's 800th birthday.
Organisers, the Liverpool Culture Company, are setting out on an
international search for the next 12 months to make the 800th
birthday festival one of the best maritime events in the world. The
announcement follows a move by the Liverpool culture company to
combine the 2006 River Festival with the homecoming of the 05-06
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - due to end on the Mersey two
weeks after the traditional River Festival weekend. The combination
means organisers have the advantage of a two year run in to make the
2007 Festival the best planned event the city has ever staged. In
2006, many of the elements of the festival which annually attracts
more than 250,000 people will be transferred to the homecoming of
the Clipper Fleet, which is currently led by the Liverpool 08
Clipper, for the weekend of July 1.
Councillor Warren Bradley, Liverpool city council's executive member
for culture, said:- "The Mersey River Festival is a
celebration of Liverpool's unrivalled maritime heritage and it makes
perfect sense to use next year's Clipper homecoming to celebrate it
all together. After 25 years, it's time the festival organisers were
given space to reshape the festival and make 2007 really special. We
have the best events team in the country and giving them an extra
year to plan with a bigger budget on a revamped waterfront, means
the city will have an event that will put the Mersey back on the
world stage. The extra time will not only boost our 800th birthday
celebrations but the hosting of the start of the Tall Ships Race in
July 2008."
Regeneration work at the Pier Head, Albert Dock and on the Paradise
Project means there will be restricted space in 2006 for maritime
events. Instead of cancelling the event outright, the decision to
merge the River Festival with the Clipper homecoming ensures a high
quality maritime celebration takes place in the city's summer events
programme.
Councillor Mike Storey, Liverpool City Council leader, added:-
"Liverpool is laying the physical
foundations for a better looking city and for one of the best
festival city's in the world. The regeneration of the waterfront is
a win-win situation. By 2007 and 2008 they will give the city a new
canal link, a cruise liner facility and improved facilities at the
city's docks. It will also give our 2007 Mersey River Festival and
other maritime evens a fantastic backdrop. And with a combined
Clipper festival for 2006, we have a longer lead in time to plan for
a Mersey River Festival which will place Liverpool's maritime
heritage at the heart of our 800th Birthday celebrations."
England quartet march on to World Semis
ENGLAND
boast a record 4 semi-finalists at tonight's 2005 World Cadet
championships, after a historic weekend of boxing in Liverpool. On
Friday, a trio of England boxers booked their place in the last 4.
Hartlepool's Light flyweight Michael Hadfield set the tone by
outclassing USA's No 1 46kg fighter Robert Rodriguez with a
comfortable 27-18 points win.
No sooner had the crowd at the Greenbank Sports Academy celebrated
England's first medal of the championships, when 20 minutes later
Birmingham Bantamweight (48kg) Khalil Saeed secured another
guaranteed bronze by beating Hungarian No 1 Kostas Lakhatos 19-10.
England's night of glory was fittingly rounded off by captain
Anthony Ogogo (70kg) of Lowestoft. He completed a memorable
hat-trick of wins by defeating America's No 1 Light Middleweight -
David Moore - with a tense 15-13 victory, bringing the home crowd to
their feet to applaud a 100% night of wins for England. And on
Saturday night London's 0bed Mkwakongo (80kg) helped make history by
overwhelming Igor Mangushev of Kazakhstan 37-13. That win by the
Fisher ABC novice Light Heavyweight means the 2005 Cadets is
England's most successful ever championships.
England manager Kevin Smith, who also coaches at Liverpool's Golden
Gloves, said:- "I don't think an England
team has ever had such success at the quarter final stage of any
major championship. All four lads have boxed well all week and I
hope tonight will be no exception. With all four in great form,
semi-finals night is shaping up to be very special."
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