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LIVERPOOL YOUNG MEDIA TALENT OFFERED CASH
LIVERPOOL
teenagers interested in the media are being invited to a free
roadshow at BBC Radio Merseyside, to hear how they can claim cash
for their projects. Mediabox, a £6 million fund, is for
disadvantaged 13 to 19 year olds to make media projects about issues
that are important to them.
Applications for grants of up to £1,000 can be made by individuals
or groups, with organisations that work with young people eligible
to apply for up to £80,000. North West Vision (NWV), the film,
TV and digital media development agency for the Northwest, is
promoting Mediabox across the region.
“This is a brand new initiative, and so far I’ve had a
fantastic response from youth groups keen to get involved.
I’m
hoping even more people will take advantage of what’s on offer and
come along to the BBC Radio Merseyside roadshow on Tuesday April 24,
to find out how Mediabox can help them make their media dreams a
reality.” explains Paula Moore, Mediabox co-ordinator at NWV.
The Liverpool event is one in a series of roadshows being held
across the Northwest, in a bid to get as many 13 to 19 year olds as
possible involved in the scheme. “We’re looking for young
people from different locations, abilities and backgrounds, because
we want to give them the opportunity to develop and produce their
own creative media projects.
Whether they want to use film, television, print, radio or online
platforms, we want young people to be able to express their own
opinions and ideas. By encouraging their creativity, we hope they’ll
then gain new skills which will benefit them in later life,”
Paula adds.
At the BBC Radio Merseyside event, young people will be able to hear
from First Light Movies, which funds and inspires young people,
throughout the UK, to make films reflecting the diversity of their
lives. There’ll also be the chance to hear about some of the other
Northwest youth projects which have already been given Mediabox
cash.
Together with Media Trust, Skillset and the UK Film Council, First
Light Movies is running the nationwide £6 million scheme on behalf
of The Department for Education and Skills. It’s NWV’s aim to
attract as much of that money as possible across Merseyside, and
into the Northwest.
“North West Vision exists to grow the film, TV and digital
media industry in our region, so encouraging grass root young talent
to explore the industry at an early age is an important part of our
work.
I’m confident the Mediabox project will provide numerous opportunities for Northwest
young people to develop not only their creative ideas, but also
lifelong skills in media production,” she adds
“Whether young people want to make their own film, exhibit a project
or run a festival, we’re keen to hear everyone’s ideas and hopefully
offer support.” explains Paula.
The Mediabox team will also offer advice and guidance on
distribution and exhibition of the work, which is an important part
of the application in terms of legacy.
“We want all the Mediabox projects to have a lasting effect on
the young people who take part in them,” says Paula.
“Not only will the grants help young people learn more about
the media, but we’ll also be encouraging people to stay involved,
even after their proposal has finished.”
* The Mediabox Roadshow takes place at BBC Radio Merseyside, 31
College Lane, Liverpool, Tuesday 24 April 07 2pm to 4pm.
* To register for your FREE place email
paulam@northwestvision.co.uk
* For more information about the Mediabox scheme, and to complete an
on-line application form, go to
www.media-box.co.uk. |
Budget provides little consolation for home owners
THIS year’s
budget report has provided little consolation for home buyers and
sellers as important issues such as a stamp duty and inheritance tax
were skirted around by the Chancellor. The National Association of
Estate Agents (NAEA) has expressed its frustration that once again
little appears to have been done to help first time buyers. It does,
however, welcome moves to increase energy efficiency in UK homes.
Peter Bolton King, Chief Executive at the NAEA, comments:-
“Once again the Chancellor has refused to address some of the most
important issues head on. As national house prices continue to rise
and the cost of living increases it is first time buyers who are
really suffering. It’s about time the government took real steps to
ease their plight.”
Energy efficiency tax incentives are a positive step forwards:-
“We commend the government for aiming to cut carbon emissions
from our homes, and are pleased to see the stamp duty incentive
being applied to zero-emission homes in the new build sector. It is
highly appropriate that the rate of VAT has been reduced on
professionally-installed energy saving materials from 17.5% to 5%,
and we hope this will motivate more home owners to install measures
such as cavity wall and loft insulation, draught proofing and
efficient boilers, hence improving the carbon emissions in the
existing housing stock. We would like to see this tax break taken
further and applied to for energy efficient products for the home,
such as low energy light bulbs, as has been suggested in the full
budget report.”
Inheritance tax announcement proves uninspiring:- “We are pleased that the Chancellor is continuing to raise
inheritance tax thresholds. His announcement today, however, was
uninspiring. He is merely extending the slowly rising threshold he
announced in the 2005 and 2006 budgets. The progress from the
2009/10 threshold of £325,000 announced last year up to £350,000 by
2010/11 does not go far enough, quickly enough. It is disappointing
that this tax has still not been brought inline with house price
inflation, which is likely to have grown considerably by 2010.”
Stamp duty issue side-stepped by Chancellor:- “We are of course supportive of the decision to exempt carbon
zero homes from stamp duty until 2012, as confirmed in today’s
budget. This has, however, conveniently allowed the Chancellor to
side-step the wider issue of stamp duty: most notably the fact that
while property prices have continued to rise at a fast pace over the
last couple of years, stamp duty thresholds have remained almost
static. Since 2005 the lowest threshold has only increased by a
meagre £5,000, while the higher thresholds have not changed at all.
With the average house price in the UK now well over £200,000, stamp
duty is a serious financial burden for first time buyers who are
struggling to get on the property ladder. In order to really help
first timers, we urge the government to exempt them from paying
stamp duty altogether.
We believe stamp duty thresholds need to be increased more inline
with house price inflation. Alongside this would like to see a
graduated top slicing system rather than the same percentage being
paid across the threshold.”
Commitment to ‘fair deal’ on council tax welcomed:-
“We are pleased to hear the government pledge its commitment
to ensuring a ‘fair deal’ for council tax payers. We welcome the
announcement that there are no plans to revalue council tax for the
lifetime of the current Parliament and look forward to hearing the
government’s thoughts on alternative options for the medium to long
term.”
Shared equity schemes should be part of wider measures to help first
time buyers:- "we welcome any measures to help those who are struggling to
get on the property ladder and believe that extending the Open
Market HomeBuy scheme to households on lower incomes is a positive
move. It is still disappointing, however, that there were no
other suggestions for helping first timers in this year’s budget.
Ideally, the shared equity scheme would be complimented by a range
of other measures, such as zero stamp duty for first time buyers.”
Empty commercial property relief reforms are a mixed blessing:-
“While the reforms to empty commercial property relief will
help to encourage property back onto the market, it could have a
negative effect on smaller companies in certain instances.
Particularly in areas where the market is slow, businesses who are
in the process of downsizing, for example, may find their bottom
line being affected if they cannot sell their old premises within
the reduced time period.” |
