Shake a Bucket for Bowel Cancer

BEATING Bowel Cancer has booked a collection in Southport town centre on Saturday May 11 and is looking for volunteers to help raise vital funds by shaking a bucket for bowel cancer.

Beating Bowel Cancer works to save lives from the UK's second biggest cancer killer and all money raised from this fundraising event will be used to help raise awareness of bowel cancer and support patients and their families coping with the disease.

Regional Community Fundraiser for the North West, Rachel Thomas, said:- "We are looking for people to give up just a few hours of their day to help Beating Bowel Cancer make a real difference to bowel cancer patients and their families."

The charity needs volunteers to help from 10am until 4pm and will provide volunteers with charity t-shirts and collection buckets.

Anyone interested in helping at this fundraising event should call Rachel on:- 07825 910943 or send an email.

Bowel cancer is the UK's second biggest cancer killer because many patients are diagnosed too late. Each year more than 41,000 people across the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer. However, if diagnosed early over 90% of cases could be cured.

For more information about Beating Bowel Cancer, including ways you can get involved in fundraising for the charity, visit:- beatingbowelcancer.org or call:- 08450 719 300.

INGEUS MERSEY FUTURES EVENT TO GIVE 100 SOUTHPORT JOBSEEKERS A FOOT IN THE DOOR

MORE than 100 young jobseekers from Southport will have the opportunity to meet with some of the region's leading employers at the Ingeus Mersey Futures employment event in Liverpool next week.

The event, which is being hosted by Work Programme provider Ingeus, will give over 2,500 young unemployed people from across the region the chance to promote themselves directly to local, regional and national employers who are actively seeking young talent.

More than 40 top employers will exhibit at the event which will see Jobseekers visit each employer's stand to find out more about their business and the type of vacancies they have to offer. The exhibitors at the event range from small businesses and charitable organisations to large international companies, and include Timpson's, Unilever, Mersey Fire and Rescue Service and the Princes Trust.

Dennis Philips, who runs the Timpson Foundation, said:- "We are delighted to be attending the Ingeus Mersey Futures event which not only provides a great opportunity for young unemployed people to meet a vast range of employers from across the region, but is also an opportunity for businesses like Timpson's to access a large pool of job-ready, motivated candidates for our vacancies".

Jobseeker Chris Woodward, is 22 and has been looking for work for two years. Chris said:- "The event will be a great opportunity for me to meet potential employers face-to-face and demonstrate my enthusiasm, skills and attributes in-person. As a young person trying to find a job, it can be really hard-going. All you need is a chance and with the support of Ingeus, I now feel ready to put myself out there and find - not just a job - but a career."

Ingeus's North West Regional Director, Barry Fletcher added:- "This event is the first of its kind in the North West. Never before have we bought together so many young jobseekers and businesses under one roof, and we are delighted that local employers are demonstrating their commitment to supporting young people in the region to find work. At Ingeus we are committed to continuing to find ways to build this link between people looking for work, and employers who want to recruit job-ready, motivated people."

Commissioner awards funding to crime prevention scheme

LANCASHIRE'S Police and Crime Commissioner has awarded funding to a youth crime prevention scheme in Blackpool.  Clive Grunshaw awarded £30,000 to the 'Triage' service, which is run by Blackpool Council and Child Action North West.  The service provides reparation for young, first time offenders and is aimed at reducing re-offending.  The funding was officially announced at an event at the Cherry Tree Allotments in Blackpool on April 11.

Ibrahim Master, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire attended the event. He said:- "The success of this scheme speaks for itself. I am delighted this funding will enable all those involved to continue their good work. Promoting targeted initiatives to continue tackling crime and re-offending is a key priority for the Commissioner. However, this is not just a responsibility for the Police, but for a range of partner organisations, including local authorities. This is something that has been embraced by Blackpool Council.  Lancashire has a history of strong and effective partnership working. The Commissioner and the team intend to build on this and ensure that partnership continues and develops."

Young people are referred to the service by Lancashire Police, who benefit from the scheme to prevent crime.

Chief Inspector Gary Dunnagan, said:- "We fully support the Triage programme. We see this as a real opportunity to make an early intervention that will hopefully lead to the young person not re-offending. Anything that prevents a young person from going on to commit further offences, creating more victims, and limiting their own future opportunities due to having a criminal history is welcomed. We see Triage as an integral part of our early intervention approach."

The 'Triage' service is commissioned by Blackpool Council as an alternative to prosecution for a range of low level crimes committed by children or young people aged 10 to 17.

Young people who come into the service are then assessed by a trained member of staff and then helped to write a letter of apology to victims of their offence.

The offenders will then work on reparation projects across the town, including recent work at the Cherry Tree allotments. The site had previously been the victim of thefts and vandalism but now security has been upped to protect the area.

Reparation work has also been carried out on improvement works to plant shrubs at Highfield Road Park.

Finance lessons for students in Liverpool

EVERY 6th form student in Liverpool will be able to study for a new finance qualification; to take advantage of a forecast professional services jobs boom in the City

Liverpool City Council and the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI) will sign an agreement on Thursday 18 April to enable pupils to study for a Diploma in Finance, Risk and Investment.

An economic report on the Liverpool City Region by former Minister for Merseyside Sir Michael Heseltine and ex Tesco chief Sir Terry Leahy in 2011 estimated that an additional 22,000 jobs will be created in the professional services industry over the next decade.

It is hoped the industry and university recognised qualification will give young people a competitive advantage when looking for work in the financial services industry.

As well as learning about bonds, derivatives and asset-backed securities, they will find out about the importance of ethics and integrity and the causes of the global financial crisis and the problems in the Eurozone.

Councillor Jane Corbett, Cabinet Member for education and children's services, said:- "This is a really important new qualification which will be offered to our young people, giving them a chance to develop a real knowledge and understanding of the world of finance. This qualification will give our students a competitive advantage when they are looking for job and training opportunities in the wealth management and financial services sector. It is also really important that our young people understand the importance of responsible finance and how investment and wealth institutions impact on our everyday lives."

Archbishop Beck Catholic College in Walton will be the 'hub' for the professional qualification on behalf of schools across the City from September 2013.

Work will also take place to promote a greater understanding of finance and money and the impact and role it has in society.

The scheme is a partnership between CISI, the City Council, the Liverpool Learning Partnership and Archbishop Beck Catholic College, supported by Liverpool Vision.