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Merseyside
Businesses Shortlisted for Green Award
2 Merseyside firms have
been shortlisted for a prestigious award to honour the UK's most
environmentally friendly businesses. The duo have been
nominated for a Green Tourism GoldStar Award which aims to recognise
those businesses and organisations that have done the most to
promote sustainability within the industry.
Backed by the internationally renowned Green Tourism Business Scheme
the awards are open to members that have gone the extra distance to
implement cost-saving practices that help the environment, improve
customer services and benefit the bottom line.
A total of 53 green tourism businesses, include 36 from England, 16
from Scotland and 1 from Northern Ireland, have been shortlisted in
eight categories. The winners will be presented with their coveted
accolade at a glittering ceremony at the Macdonald Holyrood Hotel in
Edinburgh on 25 May 2012.
The categories are:-
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Best Activity Centre.
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Best B&B and Guest House.
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Best Holiday Park and Camping Site.
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Best Conference Centre.
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Best Hostel and Bunkhouse.
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Best Hotel.
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Best Self-Catering Accommodation.
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Best Visitor Attraction- nine nominations.
The 2 Merseyside businesses are the National Wildflower Centre in
Liverpool, which has been nominated for the Best Visitor Attraction
Award, and the Arena & Convention Centre in Liverpool, which has
been put forward for the Best Conference Centre Award.
"Each of these businesses have demonstrated an excellent
example of good environmental practice. Like all the other businesses shortlisted for a GoldStar
Award they were assessed by a panel of independent judges and
nominated on the basis of innovation, use of sustainable initiatives
in making cost savings and overall green ambassadorship during
2011-2012." said Andrea
Nicholas , Director of the Green Tourism Business Scheme.
The Green Tourism Business Scheme is the first to be independently
validated by the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT)
on behalf of VisitEngland, VisitWales and the Northern Ireland
Tourist Board, and endorsed by VisitScotland and Failte Ireland.
The scheme is the biggest of its kind in the world with over 2,400
members. Started by directors Jon Proctor and Andrea Nicholas with
VisitScotland it provides consumers with an independent guide to
hotels, bed and breakfasts, tourist attractions and visitor centres
which are actively trying to help the environment.
GTBS is now recognised as a global leader in promoting sustainable
tourism with many of its pioneering ideas being adopted by similar
schemes as far a field as Canada, Sweden, Eire and New Zealand.
The Horseshoe is
officially Britain's luckiest charm!
MORE than 10,000 bingo
lovers took part in a unique experiment recently to see which
supposedly lucky mascot or charm led to the most wins in 1 day and
those with the Horseshoe ended up quids-in.
Visitors to Mecca Bingo clubs across the UK on the famously unlucky
day, Friday 13th, were divided into four groups and each given a
traditionally lucky symbol, the 4 leaf clover, a horseshoe, a
black cat or a lucky Buddha.
The experiment took place during both the afternoon and evening
sessions and at the end of the day, the mascot with the highest
number of wins was recorded and the winnings were totted up to see
which symbol brought the most good fortune.
The Horseshoe brought in the highest number wins, with 30%, closely
followed by the Buddha with 29% and the Black Cat and Four Leaf
Clover got 27% and 13% respectively.
Brian Hennigan from Mecca Southport comments:- "Friday 13th
has got a bit of a bad reputation; however I think we’ve shown that
it can in fact be lucky for some; especially if you happen to have
a lucky Horseshoe with you! The experiment was great fun for all
involved and I wouldn’t be surprised if we start to see customers
bring their own Horseshoe with them for the next time they’re
playing bingo."
Simon Finnigan to miss rest of
season
FOLLOWING a thorough
assessment, the Vikings have confirm that their back-row forward
Simon Finnigan has suffered a fractured fibula and ruptured medial
ankle ligaments, following an injury sustained just five minutes
into yesterday's fixture at the PROBIZ Coliseum. In a press release
they said that:- "With the prospect of spending the rest of
the season on the sidelines, Finnigan admits to being devastated by
the set back." Finnigan added:- "I realised at the
time that it was a bad injury but there's always that faint chance
that things may not be as bad as first feared. Unfortunately, it's
turned out to be the worst case scenario and I'm absolutely gutted."
The team also said:- "All at the Vikings wish Simon a speedy
recovery."
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WIRRAL
HEADMASTER SEES KATHMANDU CHARITY WORK FUNDED BY SCHOOL
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A Wirral headmaster has
journeyed to Nepal to see, first hand, the life-saving work of the
charity his school supports; and witness improvements in treatments
thanks to equipment funded by staff, pupils and friends.
Birkenhead School’s headmaster John Clark has just returned from
Kathmandu where he visited the Kanti Children’s Hospital as part of
the school’s commitment to So The Child May Live – a Liverpool
charity working to support health care for sick children in Nepal.
There he saw how the hospital’s elecrtic dermatome, a piece of
equipment bought by the school at a cost of nearly £6,000, was
improving results for badly burned children.
"In the past four years we have raised £6,740
for So the Child May Live. Most of the money was spent on an
electric dermatome for the Kanti Children’s Hospital in Kathmandu. I
have just got back. I met the Director of the Hospital, Dr Bimal
Dhakal, plus 2 of the consultants, and visited a surgical ward and
the burns and oncology units. It was a moving and at times shocking
experience. I handed over a cheque for £1,050, a proportion of funds
raised from our Perfect Pitch concert last summer, which saw the
Liverpool Royal Philharmonic Orchestra perform on the school’s
cricket pitch. This brings our contribution to almost £8,000. I was
able to see the dermatome, which we bought 2 years ago, and meet the
surgeon, Dr R. P. Chaudhary, who had used it that morning on a young
burns victim, whom I then saw recovering on the ward." said
John Clark.
%20Mrs%20Jenni%20Pizer%20Mr%20John%20Clark%20Dr%20%20%20%20%20%20(Director%20Kanti%20Children's%20Hospital)%20Prof%20%20Barry%20Pizer%20(Alder%20%20(2).jpg)
So The Child May Live draws on the
goodwill and expertise of medical staff at Alder Hey Children’s
Hospital. Mr Clark was accompanied by Professor Barry Pizer,
Consultant Paediatric Oncologist at Alder Hey, and his wife Jenni
who also happens to be School Nurse at Birkenhead School. Both are
trustees of the charity, which provides equipment, training and
development help for the hospital in one of the most beautiful, yet
poorest places on earth. The focus of support is, at present, on
helping the hospital to improve services in childhood cancer, burns,
child development and advanced paediatric life support resuscitation
training.
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The charity also supports a health
clinic in Jaganathpur, in the south of Nepal, the only medical
facility for miles around and fully funded by So The Child May Live.
Nepal is one of the world’s poorest countries with a per capita GDP
of only $1500. Provision of health services is constrained by low
government spending, rugged terrain and lack of health education.
Life expectancy in Nepal is 67 Years and almost half of the
population is under 14 years old. Infant mortality is around 45
deaths per 1000 births. Only half of the population has access to
safe drinking water and around the same proportion consumes less
than 30% of the recommended calorie intake.
► Birkenhead School, at Beresford Road,
Oxton, is Wirral’s oldest and only selective independent school.
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The school is now co-educational and, with its new nursery, opened
in 2006, educates children from 3 months to 18 years.
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