MP Launches exciting new science resource at Catalyst

SCIENCE lessons in primary schools are set to become more exciting thanks to the launch of a new teaching resource put together by the Royal Society of Chemistry North West Trust, Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and a company called "Chemistry with Cabbage". The DVD, launched yesterday by Andrew Miller MP, Chair of the Parliamentary Science and Technology Select Committee has been produced following requests from primary school teachers for fun and informative science experiments that can easily be recreated in the classroom.

Speaking at the event Andrew Miller MP said:- "The science sector has employed many people in this country and will continue to employ many more if the future workforce have the right skill sets. As a society we need to encourage more pupils to take an interest in science and engaging them at primary school level with projects like this will really help. I have been hugely impressed with the RSC on this project and I would urge companies to commit to places like Catalyst to help give children a chance to experience science outside the classroom. I am delighted to formally launch the DVD today and I look forward to seeing this being distributed around the country".

Dr David Karsa, Chair of the RSC NW Trust who funded this project said:- "Since the RSC NW Trust was formed in 1995 it has provided over £100k for chemistry projects across the region. With 2011 designated as the International Year of Chemistry the NW Trust decided to embark on a major project to stimulate children’s interest in science and the idea of the DVD was born."

Local primary school teachers and members of the RSC were invited to attend the event where they tried their hand at some of the experiments and collected their free DVD at the same time. For teachers who could not attend the event but would still like a copy of the DVD then orders can be placed by following the link on the Catalyst website.

The RSC NW Trust has distributed copies of the DVD to primary schools throughout the North West, including schools in Cheshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Lancaster, Manchester and North Wales.

British Musical Fireworks Championships 2011 Set To Dazzle!

YET again the skies above Southport will be light over 3 nights of pyrotechnic wizardry, as 7 competitors all battle it out to amaze the audience and the judges at this year’s British Musical Fireworks Championships. This fantastic event set in Kings Gardens, Southport Marine Lake providing a beautiful setting for what is set to be another stunning event. Doors open from 7pm and the event starts at 7:30. Tickets are only £5 and can be bought from Sefton Tourism. A booking fee of £1.50 might be charged and online bookings subject to an additional 3.4% credit/debit card charge. To find out more visit:- visitsouthport.com and also that site takes bookings as well!

AND over to Rosa

AN award-winning filmmaker at Edge Hill University is to have her work shown at an event which celebrates the different cultures of Liverpool.   Rosa Fong, a Senior Lecturer in Film and TV at Edge Hill University, is to have her films screened during the AND (Abandon Normal Devices) Festival. The films to be shown that have been created by Rosa are Red and A Fish called Tao.  They will be aired at A Small Cinema in Chinatown, which is a special outdoor film event set in the heart of Liverpool’s Chinatown.  Along with Rosa’s short films, the night shows a number of specially selected shorts looking at eastern perspectives with contributions from local and international film-makers. It will also see memories and ideas being shared by the Chinatown community.  Talking about this exciting venture, Rosa said:- "I am really thrilled to be part of the AND Festival and to have the honour of having my films shown in the Liverpool’s Chinatown, where my family have a long history. The films have something unique to say about the British Chinese experience that is not often seen in the UK and I hope people will find them fun and entertaining to watch."

The AND Festival takes place across the north-west and is a catalyst for production and experimentation. It is described as a "call to arms inviting anarchists of the imagination to propose striking perspectives on normality". The festival was launched in 2009 and this year sees it focusing on "belief". It runs in Liverpool from, 29 September until 2 October 2011.

If you would like to come and watch Rosa’s films and be part of the festival, then come to the Chinese Arch in Liverpool on Thursday, 29 September 2011. The event starts at 8:00pm and finishes at 11:00pm. It is free to attend.   If you would like information on the AND Festival then visit:- andfestival.org.uk.  If you would like more information on the media department at Edge Hill University, then visit:- edgehill.ac.uk/media.

Penalty warning for paper tax returns

WITH the 31 October 2011 deadline for paper tax returns just weeks away, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is urging you to get your paper tax return in on time, or face a penalty.  Around 874,000 people are expected to file a Self Assessment return in the north west, including 134,000 across Merseyside this year. If you send in a paper tax return on or after 1 November 2011, you will now be hit with a £100 penalty; even if there is no tax to pay or the tax due is paid on time;  following the introduction of a new penalty regime this year. The longer you delay, the more you'll have to pay, as there are further late-filing penalties after 3, 6 and 12 months.  So, you’ll need to act now if you want to send in a paper return and avoid a late-filing penalty. If you can’t send your paper return by 31 October, you can still avoid a penalty by sending your tax return online instead. However, if you do send a paper return after the 31 October deadline, you cannot avoid the initial £100 penalty by subsequently filing online.  To find out more about the October 2011 deadline and sending a paper tax return, go to:- hmrc.gov.uk/sa/deadline-news.htm.

If you send your tax return online, you get an extra three months to send it, as the deadline is 31 January 2011. There are lots of other advantages too:-

► Your tax is calculated automatically;

► You get an immediate online acknowledgement; and

► Your tax return is processed faster, so any money that you are owed is repaid more quickly.

Registering for HMRC Online Services is simple – just go to:- hmrc.gov.uk/online.  For help and advice on completing a return, visit:- hmrc.gov.uk/sa or call the Self Assessment helpline on:- 0845 9000 444.