Design a character for ChildLine and win 30 webcams for your school

CHILDREN and young people in schools across Southport are being asked to use their natural creativity to design some problem-solving friends for Buddy, the NSPCC’s new schools character for the ChildLine service.  This is the latest competition in the NSPCC’s groundbreaking Idea campaign – a virtual creative agency for children and young people. The winning entry will win 30 webcams for their school and the new character will join Buddy in schools activities, online, and in posters that will be sent out to schools around the UK from the start of the autumn term.  Buddy and his friends will help tell younger children all about the ChildLine service, how it can help them solve problems and deal with their worries and why this is important. The creative bit is to think up what Buddy’s friend should look like and what problems they might be able to help each other with.  A mailout, recently sent to schools in Southport provides information on how the competition can be incorporated in to English, PSHE (Personal social and health education, Art or ICT (Information communications technology) and SEAL (Social and emotional aspects of learning) lessons at key stages 1 and 2.   Idea is a 6 month-long campaign that encourages children and young people to express themselves and their feelings in a creative way. The initiative, launched in December 2008 is already supported by thousands of children who respond to briefs such as designing a game which visitors to childline.org.uk could play whilst waiting for a counsellor, telling us what makes them happy or designing a ChildLine poster to be distributed in schools.  Ian MacArthur, creative director and head of brand marketing at the NSPCC says:- “We recognise that we need to continuously develop and build the relationship that children and young people have with ChildLine so that the service remains relevant and in tune with their lives. We also know that young people value very highly the support of their peers, so we have been offering opportunities for children and young people to help us develop future promotional activities in order that our communications are always credible to them.”   Entries can be sent online using the form at idea.me.uk or class entries can be posted to: Idea agency, Brief 124 Buddy’s friends, PO Box 19, NSPCC, 42 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. For class entries, please ensure all entrants’ names plus the name of the school, the class age group and a contact name and number/email are included so school s can be contacted should one of their entries be successful.  By creating Buddy’s friends and supporting the campaign schools can help to ensure that every child feels able to call ChildLine on:- 0800 1111 whenever they have a worry.

Minor Injuries Unit temporarily relocates while refurbishment gets underway

WIRK gets underway later this month to transform part of Ormskirk & District General Hospital into a new £3million health centre.

The refurbishments will make way for the state-of-the-art Primary Care Access Centre, which is due to open towards the end of 2009 as part of NHS Central Lancashire's drive to improve health and healthcare. It will offer brand new services, giving people new facilities on their doorstep which will increase access to treatment and advice.

While refurbishment works are ongoing, the Minor Injuries Unit will be temporarily relocating. It will close at 5pm on Sunday, 21 June 2009 and re-open on Ormskirk Hospital's B Ward at 8am on Monday, 22 June 2009. The entrance to the unit will be around the back of the hospital and will be well signposted.

The adult orthopaedic outpatients' clinic, the appliance office and the plaster room are also relocating from 22 June 2009 to Southport & Formby District General Hospital.

The adult orthopaedic clinics will be held next to the Medical Day Unit and Eye Unit on the ground floor and will be signposted as the Orthopaedic Outpatients (Paediatric Department).

4 types of service will be offered by the new facility including:-

► A GP-led health centre offering pre-booked and drop-in GP services from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week, making it easier for people to get advice and support at a time that is convenient to them

► Improved accommodation for the existing GP out-of-hours service

► An Urgent Care Centre offering drop-in advice and treatment for minor injuries and ailments every day of the week from 8am to 10pm for all patients, irrespective of whether or not they are registered with a GP

► A significantly expanded dental service with pre-booked appointments alongside an out-of-hours, emergency dental service from 10am to 10pm, 7-days-a-week.