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Have you Gok the look?
THE hunt for
the 2008 Specsavers Spectacle Wearer of the Year is coming to
Soutport. Specsavers resident fashion expert, style guru Gok
Wan, launched this year’s search, which is open to men and women
aged 16 and over who wear glasses, whether as an optical necessity
or fashion accessory.
Gok, famed for giving women the confidence to make the most of their
natural assets, is supporting Specsavers’ competition in aid of
anti-bullying charity, Kidscape. Gok says: ‘Specsavers
Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition celebrates how fantastic
people can look and feel when wearing glasses. Specsavers will also
be donating £1 for every eligible entry received to anti-bullying
charity Kidscape.
I was bullied as a child because of my
appearance so that is why I am so pleased to be supporting this
competition.
Let’s celebrate glasses and their fashion credentials
while doing something tangible to tackle the bullying problem that
is rife in the UK.’
Local specs wearers could be following in the footsteps of Rupert
Hancock, last year’s youngest finalist from The Wirral, who
represented the North West region at the international grand final
in London.
Rupert says:- ‘Last year’s competition was a really exciting
experience. I was able to meet some fantastic new people, including
celebrities and other finalists, and got a real insight into what
it’s like to be a model for the day.
The standard
last year was very high and it was a big surprise to get as far as I
did in the competition, but I’m so pleased I entered as I would have
missed out on lots of fun otherwise.
It’s really easy to enter and
I’d definitely encourage other specs wearers to take advantage of
such a great opportunity.’
Stuart Roberts, store director at Specsavers in Southport and
Formby, says:- ‘This year’s competition is more poignant than
ever. It remains a modelling competition with a fashion focus, for
ordinary people who look and feel great in their specs, but more
than that, this year we’re reaching out to those who have been
bullied, or have friends and families who have had a negative
experience about wearing glasses and to try to raise much needed
awareness and funds to help Kidscape continue the great work they
do.
So, if you
think you’ve got an eye-catching look or want to nominate someone
who has, simply pop into the store to pick up an entry leaflet or
log onto
www.swoty.com. You could be on your way to
launching a whole new career.’
Kidscape is the 1st national charity dedicated to preventing
bullying and child abuse and is committed to keeping children safe
from harm. In the last year alone, more than two million children
and parents contacted Kidscape about bullying and child safety,
many of those children have been suicidal.
The winner of the competition will scoop a 12-month modelling
contract with MOT models, a photoshoot for Specsavers, an
all-inclusive holiday for 2 to Barbados courtesy of Almond Resorts
and Virgin Holidays, including £250 spending money, £250 worth of
hair and beauty products from Matrix and Benefit, £150 Specsavers
designer eyecare voucher and the coveted Spectacle Wearer of the
Year trophy.
Closing date for entries is 30 June 2008. |
NEW
RESEARCH SHOWS COMMUNITIES ARE ERODING BEFORE PEOPLE’S VERY EYES
LOCAL
communities in the North West are in steady decline with new
research showing 23% of older people think their community has
changed for the worse in the last 10 years. 30% of North West
pensioners also said they are prevented from going out because there
is nothing available in their local area. Leading older people’s
charity Help the Aged is launching its ‘Towards Common Ground’
campaign, challenging central and local governments to create ‘lifetime
neighbourhoods’, which cater for the needs of people of all
ages, including older people.
Help the Aged believes there are 10 minimum requirements which must
be met to ensure older people can live healthy, active lives,
contributing to and taking part in their own community. As part of
its campaign, the Charity is launching Towards Common Ground: a
manifesto for lifetime neighbourhoods, outlining 10 minimum demands
for communities.
The Help the Aged research also shows that:-
► 37% of older people in the North West don’t feel safe walking
around their local area at night;
► 40% of North West
older people are not within walking distance of a bank and well over
a 3rd are not within walking distance of health and social services.
Paul Cann, Director of Policy at Help the Aged, says:-
“Regardless of age, people want to live in an area where they can
get everything they need, where they feel safe and where they can do
things they enjoy. That’s why ‘lifetime neighbourhoods’ are so
important, not just for older people but for people of all ages.
In an ageing society where more than a million older people are
often or always lonely, it’s essential that communities are set up
to reduce isolation in whatever way they can. Simple things such as
public toilets, park benches and transport links can make a huge
difference to whether or not older people feel confident enough to
leave their homes. If local authorities ensure these and the other
10 criteria are met, communities will be more age friendly both now
and in the future.”
The Help the Aged manifesto outlines clear recommendations for
central and local governments to ensure ‘lifetime neighbourhoods’
can become a reality across the UK. The top 10 requirements
identified by the Charity are:-
► Lifetime homes – new homes built and existing homes adapted to
lifetime standards;
► Transport options –
to meet the needs of all older people including those with mobility
problems;
► Pavements in good
repair – older people can fear falling or tripping on uneven
pavements;
► Public toilets –
vital for older people suffering from incontinence, without them
people are often forced to be housebound;
► Public seating –
places to rest mean older people can stay out for longer and enjoy
public spaces;
► Safe streets – good
lighting, clean streets and a police presence can encourage more
older people to get out and about;
► Shops and services
– access to money, healthcare and shops can prevent older people
becoming isolated;
► Places to meet and
socialise – important to people of all ages, including older people;
► Information and
advice – on everything from social care to volunteering
opportunities;
► Older people’s
voices heard – including older people in local decisions affecting
them is vital.
People wanting to support the ‘Toward Common Ground’ campaign
and help make their communities ‘lifetime neighbourhoods’ can visit
www.helptheaged.org.uk/campaigns.
For a copy of Towards Common Ground: a manifesto for lifetime
neighbourhoods, please click
here. |
