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SANTA
NEEDS YOUR HELP TO MAKE A CHRISTMAS DREAM COME TRUE FOR CHILDLINE
WHAT do the stars really want Santa to leave in their Christmas
stockings this year? That’s the question ChildLine asked its Chair
Esther Rantzen, and 10 more celebrities, who today reveal what’s top
of their Christmas wish list – and call on people across the North
West to join in the Letter from Santa campaign to help the charity
answer more desperate children calling on 0800 1111 this Christmas.
A special Letter from Santa, – supported by Hotpoint, is a great way
for parents, friends, grandparents, aunts and uncles alike to bring
a little festive cheer to the special children in their life. For
each Letter from Santa, ChildLine asks for a minimum donation of
just £4 and every penny raised will help Esther’s wish come true –
for ChildLine to be able to answer every single lonely and desperate
child who calls for help.
Santa will be very busy sending letters as well as trying to deliver
what the celebs want:-
• Claire Sweeney is asking Santa for ‘Peace in every country round
the world’
• Nothing would make George Michael happier than ‘Space hoppers and
marbles!’
• Christine Hamilton would like the honeymoon she never had in
Venice, and husband Neil wants ‘an American fridge that makes ice in
25 different ways’
• Countdown’ queen Carol Vorderman wants some time off work
• Ian Wright will be all smiles if Santa gives him ‘a golf handicap
of 5’!
• Actress Beth Cordingly is looking for lots of hugs from her
3-year-old niece
• Design duo Colin and Justin are hoping for a home cinema and a
Mercedes
Last year ChildLine North West counselled 264 children during the 12
days of Christmas, children in danger or distress, children who felt
they had nowhere else to turn. ChildLine's volunteer counsellors
give up their time each Christmas to enable the charity’s helpline
to stay open 365 days a year. But they are relying on your support
to help them answer more calls from lonely and frightened local
children this holiday.
ChildLine Fundraising Manager Shona Murphy says:- "A Letter
from Santa is a brilliant way to get a child’s Christmas started.
For a donation of just £4, a child in your life will receive a very
special letter. Parents, grandparents and families who support
Letter from Santa will help ChildLine make a real difference to the
lives of children in danger or distress all over the UK this
Christmas. Every day calls from around 2,300 children are answered
by ChildLine. However, the huge demand for the service means that
hundreds more desperate children are unable to get through, so we
urgently need to raise more funds to ensure every child can reach
the comfort, advice and protection our trained volunteer counsellors
provide this Christmas."
And you could get a special Christmas present, too! By requesting a
Letter from Santa for a child you know, you will automatically be
entered into a prize draw to win a set of Hotpoint appliances. To
receive a Letter from Santa for a child you know, you can fill in a
special postcard available in branches of Timpsons, Forbuoys,
Dillons, Martins, Somerfield Martins, Hotpoint Centre retail
outlets, selected Spar stores, selected Ethel Austin stores,
Blackburn Arndale Shopping Centre, Accrington Arndale Shopping
Centre, Burnley Arndale Shopping Centre, The Triangle (Manchester)
and Borders in Speke and Ellesmere Port, or visit the ChildLine
website.
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Don't
miss out on 'open goal' business rates rebate
DON'T miss out on applying for a rebate in your business rates. It
could save you thousands of pounds a year. That's the alert today
from national pressure group, The Forum of Private Business (FPB),
which champions the cause for more than 25,000 firms throughout the
UK.
"Many firms are still unaware that they can claim a rebate on
the business rates they pay to their local council. It does not come
through automatically," warned Rex Garratt, national
spokesman for the FPB.
The right to a rebate introduced since last April allows firms that
occupy premises of a rateable value less than £10,000. For premises
of a rateable value of £5,000 or less, a rebate of 50% rates relief
can be claimed. For every £100 of rateable value above £5,000, the
relief drops by 1%. So for example a property with a rateable value
of £7,200, the rate relief would be 28%.
To find out the rateable value of your premises log on to
www.voa.gov.uk
and just enter your postcode.
Friday 24 February 2006 is 'Work Your Proper Hours Day'
THE TUC's award-winning 'Work Your Proper Hours Day' takes place on
Friday 24 February next year. This is when the TUC estimates that
people who do unpaid overtime will stop working for free in 2006 and
start to get paid. On that day the TUC is urging people who do
unpaid overtime to take a proper lunch, and arrive and leave work on
time.
This should remind Britain's employers just how much they depend on
the goodwill and voluntary extra work of their staff, the TUC says.
Indeed the TUC is urging Britain's bosses to take their staff out
for lunch, coffee or cocktails on 'Work Your Proper Hours Day'
to say thank you for their hard work and commitment.
"Bosses should put this day in their calendar and make plans
to say thanks to their hard-working staff", said TUC General
Secretary Brendan Barber, "'Work Your Proper Hours Day' is a
light-hearted way to raise the problem of long hours working in the
UK. Most employees like their job and care about their work, it's
one of the reasons they put in unpaid extra time. This year we will
be providing practical advice on how employers and employees can
work smarter to cut their hours and improve the quality of their
work."
'Work Your Proper Hours Day' 2005 recently won the PR Week
industry award for the best research based campaign, for more
information visit their website by
clicking here.
The TUC has used the official Labour Force Survey,
which measures unpaid overtime, to work out when 'Work Your
Proper Hours Day' will fall.
North By North West
A fantastic
music night to be held on Friday 18 November 2005 at the café bar
flava, on Lord Street, Southport from 7pm until late. Yes
entry is free!
The music will be a voyage into funky, groovy, weird sounds
navigated by the best collector-collective of DJ’s from across the
north west.
THE DJ's for the night are:-
Andy votel (twisted
nerve, finders keepers – Manchester)
Boney votel (b-music – preston)
Chris mcbride (45 kings – Liverpool)
Crystal voyager (crayon – Liverpool)
Darren wail (record collector, DMC – Manchester)
James hamond (crayon – southport)
Lee brady (unknown pleaswures – Manchester)
LJ Oddman (crayon – Liverpool)
Mat critchley (crayon – southport)
St Norfolk (diversity FM – lancaster)
Striker (vox pops – Manchester)
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