LIVERPOOL COMMUNITY CHOIR AND DRESDEN’S CONFERENCE OF S(W)ING

THE Renowned German jazz choir Conference of S(w)ing are to join Liverpool Community Choir for a one off concert performance at St Georges Hall’s Concert Hall on Friday, 7 October 2011, from 7.30pm.

Forget Glee, this is the choir event of 2012. The unique experience will see both choirs take to the stage to perform a wealth of hits old and new including a plethora of Beatles songs, Take That’s ’Rule the Word’ and Oasis’ ‘Don't Look Back in Anger’ to name but a few. Conference of S(w)ing will also be performing a-cappella arrangements of popular Swing music including ‘Stand by Me’, ‘Under the Boardwalk’ and ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing’.

Conference of S(w)ing come to Liverpool as part of a mini UK tour, which also takes in Aberdeen earlier in the month. The Choir was founded in April 1999, under the direction of Sabine Helmbold. The choir’s repertoire is anchored in the musical genre of jazz. However, they also perform songs from pop, soul and gospel music. The 25 enthusiastic male and female performers aged between 18 and 58 are making a name for themselves throughout Germany for their exciting performances and in ambitious arrangements.

They join Liverpool Community Choir, fresh from a number of exciting high profile performances across the city, including events such as The Mersey River Festival, Matthew Street Festival and the opening of the new Liverpool Museum. The seventy strong community choir from all over Merseyside and beyond started life as the Philharmonic Community Choir, but since becoming an independent choir in April 2010 it has grown in strength and reputation and 2011 has been its most exciting year to date.

Gareth Owen, Musical Director at Liverpool Community Choir said:- "We are really looking forward to performing with Conference of S (w) ing, they are such wonderful performers and we know that the audience will love them. They are very excited to be coming to Liverpool for the first time and seeing our beautiful city. Liverpool Community choir have had an amazing few months singing for the openings of the new Liverpool Museum, Matthew Street Festival, Riverside and Waterfront Festivals and now the amazing opportunity to sing at St Georges Hall with this amazing choir from Germany, allowing us to forge links into Europe, we’re excited to see what the future holds."

With thanks to Liverpool City Council for their generous support.
 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION:-
On:- Friday 7 October 2011	From:- 7.30pm
You can book by calling:- 01704 873937	Tickets:- £8

NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE RISE

UNISON welcomes the national minimum wage (NMW) rise, as the "lasting legacy of the trade union and labour movement".  The UK’s largest union, which fought for the introduction of the NMW more than a decade ago, will continue to campaign for a substantial increase, in line with the rising cost of living. The union’s recent submission to the Low Pay Commission also called for all employees to have access to a living wage of £8 an hour.

The National Minimum Wage annual increase will rise by 15p to £6.08 an hour for adults. The rate for 18 to 20 year olds will increase by 6p to £4.98 an hour, by 4p to £3.68 an hour for 16 to 17 year olds, and by 10p to £2.60 an hour for apprentices.

Dave Prentis, UNISON’s General Secretary, said:- "More than ten years on the minimum wage has become a valuable safety net for millions of workers. It is a lasting legacy of the trade union and labour movement.  The rise to £6.08 is a welcome cushion, but, with the price of everyday essentials such as food, gas and electricity going up massively, it won’t lift enough working people out of the poverty trap. We want a more substantial figure and a decent living wage for all - a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work, regardless of age. Good employers should be looking at the mounting pressures on their workforce and paying them more than the absolute minimum.  The Government must be vigilant in enforcing the minimum wage - those earning the least should not have to suffer the most because of the recession. Without decent pay they will sink further into poverty and the economy will fail to recover."

NEW RIGHTS FOR AGENCY WORKERS

UNISON welcomes the new rights for hundreds of thousands of agency workers across the UK, which come into force on the 1 October 2011.   The UK’s largest union has been campaigning for better working conditions for low paid agency workers. The move will mean that, after 12 weeks in the same role, agency workers will be entitled to the same pay, holiday and working hours as permanent staff. Agency staff will also receive improved maternity rights and will now be able to use any facilities provided by the hirer, including crèches, canteen, or transport services. Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:- "New rights for agency workers are a huge step in the right direction. For far too long agency workers have faced discrimination at work. They are often paid less, work longer hours, without overtime, and receive less holiday than permanent staff doing the same job.  We have always campaigned for equal treatment for agency workers, as employers have regularly over-used agency staff - keeping them in place for many years, instead of using them to manage peaks of work. This disrupts team work and will not help build a trained and professional workforce."

ARRIVA NORTH WEST LAUNCHES SEARCH FOR BUS HEROES

ARRIVA Buses is asking customers in Liverpool to nominate Arriva staff who go the extra mile so they can be rewarded as part of National Customer Service Week (NCSW).  Every week Arriva receives dozens of messages from passengers, thanking or commending bus drivers, depot or customer service staff who have gone out of their way to help them.   People in Liverpool are therefore being urged to help identify their local ‘Bus Heroes’ so they can be rewarded by the company to celebrate NCSW, 3 October to 9 October 2011. The people who make the winning nominations will receive free bus travel from Arriva as a thank you for taking part.   Debra Mercer, marketing manager for Arriva North West, said:- "We’re delighted that our bus drivers and other members of our staff are often singled out by our customers for going beyond the call of duty, and we want to formally recognize these individuals’ contributions. Our bus drivers have received a wide range of commendations for going out of their way to help customers, and these are the kind of stories we want to hear about. Our Bus Heroes will be presented with a prize during a special ceremony to celebrate their achievements."  People wishing to nominate an Arriva Bus Hero should visit:- arrivabus.co.uk/busheroes. For more information about Arriva and its services please visit:- arrivabus.co.uk/north-west.