Charity family fun day to get the heart beat racing in Birkenhead

HUNDREDS of people from the Wirral and across Merseyside are expected to turn out to an action-packed charity fun day at the Forestry Commission’s Bidston Moss community woodland, near Birkenhead, on Saturday 6th of September 2008.

A charity cycling event at 10am and a five kilometre Family Fun Run at 11.30am will kick start the ‘Bidston Moss Activity Fun Day’, which is being staged by the Forestry Commission and the Rotary Club of Birkenhead.

People will get the chance to raise money for the charity of their choice as part of the sponsored cycling event and fun run.  Sponsorship forms are available online at birkenheadrotary.co.uk or from the Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead, the Wirral Museum, Hamilton Square, Birkenhead and Sainsbury's at Upton and Woodchurch Road.

There will also be a range of family activities at the ‘Bidston Moss Activity Fun Day’ from 12pm until 4pm, including nordic skiing, wellie throwing, a balloon race and face painting.

Bidston Moss is part of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and Forestry Commission's partnership scheme
‘Newlands’ - one the UK’s largest green regeneration programmes. 

The Forestry Commission is working with the local community to take forward the management of the site, with views of the coast, the Liverpool city skyline and the Welsh mountains. 

Jeni Wright, Recreation Ranger for the Forestry Commission at Bidston Moss, says:- "The Bidston Moss Activity Fun Day is a great way for local people to come together, make new friends and get active at the same time. 

We’re looking forward to welcoming as many people as possible on the day and hope to raise lots of money for charity.”

The event will also showcase the range of outdoor leisure and recreational activities now on offer for local people at Bidston Moss.  There is a network of paths and cycle tracks, including a two kilometre cycle trail, plus opportunities for family walks, picnics, fishing and wildlife spotting. 

Peter Davis for the Rotary Club of Birkenhead, says:- "This is a fantastic opportunity to explore the site, use the facilities to raise money for good causes and have fun.”

There is a registration fee of £3 per person taking part in either the cycling event or family run.  The registration fees and a £1 car parking fee will go to Birkenhead Rotary Club sponsored charities.

If travelling to Bidston Moss by road, turn off at junction 1 of the M53 and follow the road signs.  By train, get off at Birkenhead North and walk down Wallasey Bridge Road.  By bicycle, follow the Millennium cycle route over the bridge at the rear of B&Q on to the site.  The OS Grid Reference is SJ295908.

£2.7 million of NWDA funding is being provided for the 68-hectare Bidston Community Woodland via Newlands, to regenerate the area’s disused landfill sites. 

A number of local partners, including Groundwork Merseyside, The Mersey Forest, Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA) and Wirral Council are also involved in the project.

Newlands, which stands for New Economic Environments via Woodlands, is a £59million NWDA-funded land regeneration scheme, which is rejuvenating around 381 hectares of the Northwest's brownfield land to encourage economic growth, while creating new opportunities for leisure and recreation.

Newlands is transforming a significant part of Birkenhead’s derelict and underused land into an extensive public recreation space and community woodland.  Bidston Moss is situated to the west of the M53 motorway - forming one of the key gateway sites into the Liverpool - and is close to the ‘NewHeartlands’ Housing Market Renewal area. 

To complement the NWDA’s multi-million-pound funding, additional financial support has been secured from EU Objective One money via the Mersey Forest to help ensure the site’s environmental improvements are sustained. 

This project has also been funded by Biffaward, a multi-million pound environment fund managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT), which utilises landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services. 

Bidston is one of seven Newlands projects currently being developed in England's Northwest.

Further information about Bidston Moss and other 'Newlands' projects is available at forestry.gov.uk/newlands and
newlandsproject.co.uk. 

BT EMPLOYEES IN NORTH WEST REWARDED FOR WORKING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES...

SIXTEEN community and charity organisations across the North West have received cash grants or sports kit today from BT to support their voluntary community work as part of the BT Community Champions programme. 

BT believes that volunteering not only boosts the development of local community groups, but can be a truly rewarding experience for the individual who volunteers their time.  BT Community Champions supports and rewards the voluntary work of employees who commit time, energy and talent for the benefit of society and their communities.

This week sees a total of £49,725 being presented to 214 community groups across the globe.  In the North West £3,910 has been distributed to 16 charity and community groups in recognition of BT employees who are active volunteers.  Local recipients including Wardle Anderson Brass Band in Littleborough, Marple Athletic Junior Football Club in Stockport and Youth For Unity in Liverpool received cash grants or sports kit. 

Lorraine Reade, a BT billing inquirer in Liverpool, who volunteers as a youth leader at Youth For Unity in Liverpool said:- “I have been a volunteer with the group for 19 years and give 40 of my time per month.

Being rewarded by my employer for my voluntary work is a great feeling.  This award provides twice the recognition as seeing the community connect and grow through my group’s activities is an enormous reward in itself.  It’s great that BT encourages employees to get involved with voluntary work as it is both enjoyable and fulfilling.

All of us here at Youth For Unity are really grateful for the award received through BT Community Champions.  This cash grant of £500 from BT will make a real difference to our group and will mean that we are able to produce promotional materials for our English speaking congress for Youth For Unity worldwide, in Chennai, India, in 2009.”

Beth Courtier, BT’s head of charity programmes said:- “At BT we believe it is important to recognise the amazing work of the many volunteers within the company who have such a positive impact on their local communities.  It is great to see the personal rewards each employee gets out of giving something back and in turn BT sees the benefits of their community work.”

All BT employees who have participated in voluntary work for more than twelve months can apply to become a BT Community Champion.  Applying is easy and if successful, applicants could receive a cash grant of up to £500 or BT-branded sports kit for their group.  The scheme supports a huge variety of groups, to see some inspirational case studies visit see our website.

The next review closes on 9 October 2008 so please visit www.btcommunitychampions.com for more information. 

The true meaning of the green light!

THE next time you are approaching a junction with traffic lights, ask yourself what a green light means. 

If your answer is 'go', you are only half right!

For full marks, you need to remind yourself that a green light at the junction does mean go, but only if it is safe to do so.

You also need to ask how long has it been green? 

The longer it has been green, the sooner it will change to amber.  Amber doesn't mean "speed up to get through the lights before they change".  It means stop.  And after amber, the lights always go red.

These days, especially with congestion, more drivers are prepared to risk an amber light (known as 'amber gamblers'), or even a red light to get through a junction.

That in turn means that we need to use an extra defensive driving technique.  Even though the lights are 'with you', always glance both ways as you approach the junction, to satisfy yourself that you can get across safely.

By taking a moment to look both ways, even when the light is green, you might be able to spot somebody who is prepared to risk their safety - and yours - by ignoring the traffic signals. 

And even if the light is green in your favour, keep using your rear mirror.  It may be that somebody is following you too closely, in which case, by spotting the that the green light is about to turn amber in good time, you can slow down early, brake more gently and reduce the chances of a collision from behind.

All traffic lights are set according to the speed zones in which they are placed.

If you are doing the correct speed limit, you will have adequate time to stop at an amber light.

Email us your views on this topic...  Did you know green is not just go?   Send your emails to news24@southportreporter.com.

If you want to learn more about your driving and you want to be safer on the roads, take a look at joining the Institute of Advanced Motorists.  To find out how go to their website at www.iam.org.uk.   If you have just past your driving test, look at doing the Pass Plus exam and it might even lower your car insurance!

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