DO YOU HAVE THE BEST NEIGHBOURS IN BRITAIN? IF SO, WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THEM

SAGA, the travel, lifestyle and financial services organisation for over-50s, is launching a "Good Neighbour Roll of Honour" to demonstrate the positive effects the bad weather can have and how it is truly becoming a word for today as neighbours pull together in times of hardship.  "It's a long time since we've seen the sense of community tested to this degree. David Cameron is talking about the 'Big Society', but across Britain communities have been pulling together and bringing the words to life with real heroism and support being shown by friends and neighbours.  You don't have to dive into a freezing river or try and stop a sliding vehicle to be considered a hero by your older neighbours.  Saga wants to celebrate the good neighbours who are truly making a difference to the lives of older people this winter and throughout the festive season.  It doesn't take much; just offering to go out for groceries or providing a lift to get to appointments or a helping hand so they can go on with their normal lives is so important at this time of year and can make a massive difference to physical and mental wellbeing - for both the helped and the helper. We are asking people who are benefiting from the kindness of a good neighbour to let Saga know who they are and we will add their names to our Good Neighbours roll of honour which will be published on the Saga website.  We only need to know their name - or indeed just their first or nickname and the town or location you and they live in. And then we'd like a short sentence on how they are making a difference in your area while the weather is making life tricky for us all." said Emma Soames, Editor-at-Large of Saga Magazine.   Nominations can be email.

‘GROUNDBREAKING’ PAPERLESS ECO COMICS ANNOUNCED

BRITISH publisher Mohawk Media has announced Eco Comics, a range of environmentally-friendly, paperless comic books.  The first digital comic book from the Eco Comics range available now to download or view online is Heroic High, an adventure set on an island superhero community, written by Chris Bunting and drawn by Kit Wallis.  Editor Stuart Buckley says:- “Paper used in the production of comic books can have a damaging effect on the environment, and paying perhaps the biggest price is the tiger, whose habitat this threatens. As for sustainable forestry, world-leading environmental organisations have criticised its weak regard for social and ecological issues.  We believe these downloadable, paperless comics are groundbreaking, having been deliberately designed to have a minimal carbon footprint.  The added bonuses for the reader are lower cover prices for the same level of quality entertainment, while knowing that they’re being eco-friendly.”  To download Eco Comics go to online. Following a quick payment system, you can download or view the comics online in various formats, including a page-flip format. PDFs are also available and can be downloaded to iPad.  Buckley continues:- “Buying Eco Comics only takes minutes. It’s much faster and easier than going to a comic book store! We hope Eco Comics is the start of an evolution, taking advantage of the latest technologies to help minimise the impact of comic production on the environment.”  Heroic High is a 25 page paperless comic book, available now at $1.95.

 Don't forget Electrobank after Santa's visit!

THOUSANDS of people in Sefton will wake up with excitement on Christmas Day as they unwrap gifts.  Computers and laptops will be favourites, and for DIY enthusiasts the latest power drills and gadgets will be top of the list.  For ladies, new hairdryers, curling tongues and even the very latest in steam irons will be left by Santa. But what about the items those gifts will replace? Sefton is in the forefront of recycling and boasts a network of  Electrobanks where unwanted household electrical items can be deposited.

Sefton Council has teamed up with environmental specialists Strateco to collect the items that can be checked and reused or
taken apart to rescue parts that can be recycled.

The Electrobanks, among the first to be installed in the country, have already proved popular. Within weeks two of the Banks
were packed with discarded items.

The days after Christmas are likely to see a dash to the Electrobanks to ensure those household items are not discarded into ordinary waste bins.

A recycling bin for small electrical appliances will be loacated at:-

Crosby Civic Centre in Haigh Road, Crosby
Linacre Road, Bootle
Asda Car Park, Southport.

Cabinet Member Environmental, Cllr David Tattersall, said:- "The Electrobanks have already proved popular and we are certain they will be well used over the holiday as people discard items that have been replaced. In the past we simply threw away unwanted electrical items because in so many cases they couldn't be repaired or easily recycled. Now in Sefton we have the solution. Using the Electrobanks avoids the soaring costs of dumping things in landfill sites, but it also saves resourcesand protects our environment. It also support jobs - so everyone wins."

Strateco Managing Director, David Burton, added:- "We are delighted Sefton's Electrobanks have already proved to be popular with local residents. Items left in the Electrobanks are checked for possible re-use, with any IT having data securely removed beforehand, and anything not suitable for re-use will be recycled."

Britain's first privately paid for city centre 'cop shop' is to open in Liverpool in the New Year

IN a landmark public private sector agreement. Merseyside Police will be provided with a fully fitted out base for free by retail giant Land Securities, with the rent paid for by businesses via Liverpool's City Central Business Improvement District (BID), for the next three years.

The historic move will save council tax payers approximately £50,000 a year while offering them a direct point of contact with police in the heart of Liverpool city centre for the first time in more than two years.

Liverpool City Centre's Goldzone team will move into their new community access point in Spring 2011 and will be situated on the ground floor of St Johns shopping centre.

Situated in a high-footfall area the 'cop shop' will make it easier for people living in or visiting the city, to report crimes and provide quick responses to incidents such as lost children.

It will also mean that as officers are "on-site" in the city centre, they will be able to provide an enhanced level of service to visitors and residents.

Liverpool City Centre Chief Inspector Louise Harrison said:- "Although there has always been dedicated officers for the city centre, after speaking with residents and visitors to the city we recognised that there was a need for a police base there - for easy reporting and a highly visible police presence. Liverpool is visited by people from all over the world, we offer rich and diverse cultural and commercial attraction. Merseyside Police along with its partners is determined that those visiting should remember the city and the region for the right reasons. Liverpool city centre was recently awarded the purple flag - a recognition for being one the of safest cities in the UK, which is reflected in the hard work of Merseyside Police and partners."

Ged Gibbons, Chief Executive of City Central BID, which represents 630 businesses across 49 acres of Liverpool city centre, said the 'cop shop' underlined what can be achieved when public and private sector work together.

He added:- "Liverpool already has a 99% daytime safety approval rating which shows just how hard how everyone is working to make the city a pleasurable place to visit, shop and work but there is always room for improvement. Having a direct point of access with the police has been a missing piece in the jigsaw and we're delighted to help rectify this and further improve the appeal of Liverpool city centre."

Cllr Anne O'Byrne, Liverpool city council's Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said:- "Liverpool is lucky to have a spirit of teamwork across the public and private sector that can deliver results such as this uniquely city centre cop shop. I applaud Land Securities and City Central BID for supporting our police in a way which will serve as a shining example to the rest of the country during these harsh times for the public sector."

Ian Ward, Land Securities' centre director for St Johns Shopping Centre, said:- "We have been working in partnership with the police and the City Central BID team for around six months on this project so we are delighted to finally be able to announce the opening of the new access point in St Johns early next year. Land Securities has agreed to provide the police with a fully fitted-out unit where visitors to the City will be able to have access to this additional public service right in the heart of the City Centre."