New TUC advice for workers facing redundancy

THE TUC has launched a comprehensive package of advice for workers who have been made redundant, or are at risk of redundancy or of losing their homes due to the economic downturn.

The package includes two new free booklets – Coping with the Economic Downturn and Facing Redundancy – as well as updated information about redundancies, how to use JobCentre Plus, how to look for a new job, and what training and benefits individuals are entitled to on, worksmart.org.uk, the TUC’s website for people at work.

Facing Redundancy is the newest addition to the TUC’s Know Your Rights series of leaflets and can be downloaded or ordered for free.  It contains a comprehensive guide to the law on redundancy, redundancy pay, employers’ duties to consult and to
select the person being made redundant in a fair and open manner.  It also provides information on how to claim Job Seeker's
Allowance.

Coping with the Economic Downturn is co-written by the TUC and Citizens Advice (CAB) and tackles:- what to do if you are faced with redundancy; making sure you claim the right benefits; dealing with debt and rising prices; accessing work,  skills and training; and a section on where to turn for further help and advice. 

The TUC’s world of work website workSMART (worksmart.org.uk) not only has downloads of both leaflets, but also contains questions and answers on all aspects of redundancy.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:- “With unemployment due to exceed two million and possibly hit three, more than 1,500 people a week are losing their jobs.  Many will be facing redundancy and unemployment for the first time in their lives.

But these are not the only victims of recession.  Many others are losing pay as they lose overtime or face lay-offs.

Millions more fear unemployment as benefits set at levels designed to deter ‘scroungers’ are way below what most people need to pay back debts and meet regular outgoings.

All these are reasons why now, more than ever, people should consider joining a union.

Unions are experts at handling the threat of redundancy, and can often win the argument for alternatives or at least negotiate a package better than the legal minimum.

But these guides make union advice on redundancy available to all, and we are delighted to have produced a wider guide with Citizens Advice on dealing with the downturn that combines union expertise on redundancy with CAB expertise on debt, benefits and consumer issues.”

Citizens Advice Head of Communications Nigel Shattock said:- “The current credit crunch, rising food and fuel costs and the increasing likeliness of recession are resulting in more people needing help and advice from the CAB service over money, benefits, employment, mortgage and redundancy problems.

This leaflet is an excellent sign-posting and self-help tool for those who are worried about their employment prospects, at risk of redundancy or have recently lost their jobs.”

Hope Street Christmas Farmers’ Market

LIVERPOOL City Council’s markets partner, Geraud Markets Liverpool Ltd is pleased to announce that the last Farmers Market of the year will take place on Hope Street on Sunday, 21 December 2008, from 9:30 to 3:30pm.

The best local producers are providing the opportunity for shoppers to purchase their last minute Christmas goodies to add
that extra sparkle, such as fresh, nutritious, good quality food such as freshly grown vegetables, pies, cakes, jams and preserves, lovingly reared organic meat and poultry and home baked bread.  A selection of handmade crafts will also be available.

All the food on sale is either grown or produced locally; it is a great way to support the local community and economy.

Councillor Bernie Turners said:- “The Christmas markets have been a real success in recent years and I am sure this year's will be just as popular.  We are bringing different types of markets to the city to give people a real choice in their shopping.”

For Further information about the Farmers’ Markets, please contact Kristen Kininmonth at Geraud Markets on 0151 233 2165.  www.geraud.co.uk.

Restaurant’s Joshua is a dead ringer for Torres

DINERS at a Formby restaurant could be forgiven for thinking Liverpool FC star Fernando Torres had given up on football for a job as a waiter.

For Joshua Orr, who works at the town’s The Gallery Bar and Grill, is such a lookalike for the Kop goal machine that customers keep mistaking him for the Spaniard.

And the likeness is so similar that a film-maker asked Joshua to star in an advertising campaign as the Anfield hero’s body double.

Andy Gordon, of London-based production company Sound Films, spotted Joshua in a David Lloyd health club in Speke where Joshua also works as a lifeguard.  The company was filming Torres at the health club for a forthcoming advertising campaign for one of its clients.

Joshua, who is 18 and from Liverpool, said:- “I may not be blessed with his footballing talent, or his wages, but I get about four or five comments a day from customers and people in the street saying I look like him.

I got to meet Fernando during the shoot and really enjoyed being on set with him as we got on very well.  I played his body-double for some of the long distance shots which involved playing tennis and pretending to be a dog trainer.”

Andy Gordon, producer at Sound Films, said:- “We were waiting on set for Fernando to turn up when someone shouted out he’d arrived, but he hadn’t and it was actually Joshua.  We were struck by the likeness and thought Joshua would be great to fill in for Fernando during filming breaks.  Both Fernando and Joshua were both similar in personality too and got on very well together.”

Steve Rice, manager of The Gallery Bar and Grill, Halsall Lane, Formby, added:- “It really is a spitting image and we’ve joked about letting Joshua wear a Liverpool kit in the restaurant to trick people into thinking it’s really him.”

If you know of any other lookalikes, drop us an email with their photo to news24@southportreporter.com.

Creamfields & Mixmag Announce Exclusive Media Partnership For 2009

WE can exclusively announce that Mixmag will be returning as media partners for Creamfields 2009 as part of a 3 year exclusive deal.

The UK’s biggest dance music magazine has confirmed an exclusive Media partnership with the UK’s favourite dance festival, Creamfields. The partnership reinforces the strength of the festival and both parties’ commitment to next year’s event, and will see Mixmag return to host an exclusive Arena after a four-year hiatus. This will be Mixmag’s first Creamfields at its new home in the heart of the Cheshire Countryside.

Mixmag Associate Publisher, James Mowbray says:- “Everybody at Mixmag is very pleased and excited to be working with Creamfields once again. We’re looking forward to hosting an amazing arena and having a fantastic party at the event.”

BBC Radio 1 have also confirmed they will be returning as exclusive Radio partners for a second year. Creamfields will return as Radio 1’s flagship dance festival, broadcasting live from the event and forming part of the station’s summer music calendar.

This year Creamfields celebrated its 10th anniversary and to mark the occasion became a two-day camping event – creating arguably the most imaginative festival line-up of the year, crossing dance, indie and rock and featuring performances from the likes of Kasabian, Fatboy Slim, Ian Brown, Chic featuring Nile Rodgers, Paul van Dyk, Tiesto and Pendulum. Creamfields also staged an unprecedented 13 international festivals across the globe.

Following the success of this year’s event, it has been confirmed that Creamfields will return as a two-day camping festival in 2009, the event returns on Saturday, 29 August & Sunday, 30 August 2008, Bank Holiday, Daresbury, Halton, Cheshire. Early Bird Tickets are already on sale at 2008 prices ticketline.co.uk  / 0844 888 4401.

Cream CEO, James Barton says:- “Creamfields celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and has developed into the world’s leading dance festival, so it seems only fitting we have the UK’s leading dance music bible back where they belong. With some exciting times ahead, we look forward to working with them and developing an even better festival for 2009.”