|
Runners urged to join
leading 1st aid charity's marathon effort to save lives
ST John Ambulance has been chosen as
Active Leisure Events Ltd's charity partner for the MBNA Chester Marathon, on 2
October 2016.
The charity is offering runners in the North
West the chance to join its heroic team of runners who'll be taking part in the
marathon to support the vital work of the nation's leading first aid charity.
St John Ambulance has a limited number of
spaces available to runners who can commit to raising £250 on its behalf.
The 26.2 mile race route through the historic City of Chester will be lined with
first aiders from the charity ready to treat runners and spectators for a wide
range of injuries and medical conditions. The team will include 1st aiders,
doctors and paramedics working closely with the event organisers Active Leisure
Events Ltd. Volunteers from Active Leisure Events Ltd will be trained in first
aid by St John Ambulance before the event with a special emphasis on sports
related injuries.
Graham Ellis, Regional Training and Community Projects Manager for St John
Ambulance, said:- "Our runners get enormous satisfaction from knowing
they'll be quite literally running for other people's lives. We will also be
training a number of volunteers from Active Leisure Events in first aid so that
even more potential life savers will be on hand."
Andy White, Race Director at Active Leisure Events Ltd said:- "We've
worked with St John Ambulance at all our events since the first MBNA Chester
Marathon in 2010. During that time they have saved runners' lives and provided
vital first aid, and we are pleased to welcome St John Ambulance as our official
race charity. We rely on 600 to 700 volunteers at every event, who are often the
first on the scene of a medical incident, so they are looking forward to
receiving first aid training to develop their skills."
All runners fundraising for St John Ambulance will receive a branded running
vest and advice on nutrition and fundraising as they prepare for the big day.
To book your place, send an
email or call:- 0161 443 4315 for more
information about running for St John Ambulance.
Make sure your vote counts
 VOTERS
in Liverpool are being urged to familiarise themselves with the different
voting systems being used in the elections, on Thursday, 5 May 2016. With 3
elections are taking place on the same day; for the Mayor of Liverpool, for
members of the City Council and for the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner
(PCC).
With an electorate of 319,000 eligible voters, this could mean approaching a
million ballot papers in circulation in the biggest exercise in local democracy
across the City in recent years. For the Mayoral and PCC elections the
supplementary voting system is used. Voters have 2 votes, 1 for their 1st choice
candidate against whom they place a cross in the 1st column of candidates. If
they wish, they can put a cross in the second column against their 2nd choice
candidate. Voters should take care not to put 2 crosses in the same column as
neither vote will count.
If 1 candidate gets more than 50% of the 1st choice votes, they are elected. If
no candidate gets 50%, the 2 candidates with the most 1st choice votes will
remain in the election and all other candidates are eliminated. The 2nd choice
votes for the eliminated candidates are then counted; and any votes for the two
remaining candidates are added to their 1st round totals and the candidate with
the highest number of votes is elected. For elections to Liverpool City
Council, the traditional 1st past the post system is used, where voters simply
place a cross against their preferred candidate and the candidate who has most
votes is elected.
In 2 wards; Belle Vale and Norris Green; there
are also By-Elections taking place so voters in these wards have 2 votes and can
put crosses against 2 candidates. Liverpool's Returning Officer, Ged Fitzgerald,
said:- "I would urge all voters to take the time to read the information
which has been sent to all eligible voters so they can familiarise themselves
with the different voting systems. We're trying to avoid anyone inadvertently
spoiling their ballot paper because they misunderstand the system being used. It
sounds more complicated than it actually is, but we're encouraging people to
take a few minutes to read the attached information before putting pen to
paper."
Voters who use postal votes are being asked to return them as soon as possible
before 5 May 2016. |
 |
LFC
fan's aim to 'Walk On' after cancer battle
A patient at the Royal Liverpool
University Hospital will make an emotional walk from his home in Crosby to the
Royal to mark almost two years since being given the all clear from cancer.
Following a tough battle with the disease, Liverpool fan Gary Jackson now wants
to encourage other men and women to visit their doctor if they feel something is
not right and thank staff in the Linda McCartney Centre who helped save his
life, by raising money for the Royal's R Charity.
In 2013, after feeling severe fatigue, weight loss and general poor health for a
while, Gary went for an appointment with his GP.
The 52 year old former depot manager from Crosby said:- "I worked in a
pretty full on job in Chester. I didn't feel great, but carried on going in to
work regardless and doing my usual routine."
Gary was referred by his GP to see a consultant haematologist where after
several weeks of tests he was diagnosed with stage IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Following this devastating news, Gary's life changed dramatically as he
underwent treatment at the Royal to treat his lymphoma; a rare form of cancer
that affects the lymphatic system in the body.
Gary said:- "I was told to rest and took time off from work. Doctors
advised me against going to the match, which was difficult. I have followed the
Reds home and away for 40 years.
Watching Liverpool all over the world was addictive for me, so that was
something I found really tough to just drop, but I had to put my health 1st."
Gary underwent 6 cycles of daily chemotherapy and took part in an innovative
clinical trial as part of his programme, followed by 3 weeks of radiotherapy
at Clatterbridge.
After just over a year of gruelling treatment, cancer specialists at the Royal
told Gary his body showed no signs of cancer.
Now Gary wants to raise money for cancer services at the Royal with R Charity,
as a way of something back to the staff who treated him so well during this
difficult period of his life. He said:- "The treatment I received
from everybody at the Royal was first class.
Even past my treatment during my follow up appointments, the support I have
received from the team at Linda McCartney Centre helped me a lot. I want to
thank my consultant, trial nurse and all the staff on 7Y day ward for all their
help and support."
With regular visits to the Royal, Gary often found himself rushing to and from
the hospital, which was often time consuming and stressful. This commute
inspired his fundraising idea.
Gary said:- "I got used to going into hospital after a while, but I always
found the actual journey to the Royal a real pain. The traffic from my house and
parking on top was annoying at times.
I just thought; wouldn't it be great if I could one day make this trip and not
have to worry about all that?
When I was younger I could run for miles, but during my treatment I'd find even
the walk from my car to the hospital could take a lot out of me. The Royal
became a big part of my life, so it was the most obvious place to finish.
Everyone who has gone through treatment for cancer has their own stories and
their own experience of treatment, so this is a really personal challenge for
me."
Despite being given the all clear, Gary still visits the hospital for regular
check ups, but the journey has changed since he first started treatment in 2013.
He said:- "I was never a hospital person before I was diagnosed, but
things change; I am more relaxed when I visit now. I feel lucky my cancer was
caught and treated when it was.
If I'd have left going to the doctors any longer it could have been a lot worse.
It has really changed my outlook on life. I hope my walk can go some way to
showing my appreciation to the people who helped me along the way."
Gary will walk the 8 miles from Crosby to the Royal Liverpool University
Hospital for R Charity on with his wife Michelle and son Liam, on Monday, 25
April 2016. You can support Gary's in reaching his £3,000 target via his
Just Giving
Page. |
