Southport Astronomical Society's 1st meeting of 2022

ON Thursday, 20 January 2022, Rick Tyers will give a talk entitled:- "Geocentric to Heliocentric Universe" which will look at how our view of ourselves and our place in the Universe has changed. How did we discover that we are not at the centre of everything and what does that tell us about ourselves and the Universe around us? If you want to find out more, the talk begins at:- 7.30pm, at:- Scarisbrick Bowling Club, 1a Falkland Road, Southport. PR8 6LG. Refreshments available at the bar. New members are always welcome, and if you want to join membership is ₤15 for a year (or ₤7.50 for under 16's.) For more information visit our website: SouthportAstro.Org or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Workforce Challenges

CARE England, the largest and most diverse representative body for independent providers of adult social care has called for more to be done to stop the workforce crisis in adult social care.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says:- "Workforce pressures are the key concerns for the sector at the moment; our staff are our best resource and without them the sector cannot function let alone support the NHS. The Committee's inquiry is timely as we need decisive action before it is too late and also to evaluate which interventions have been effective including why the NHS has received the lion's share of funding."

Care England submitted written evidence to the Health and Social Care Select Committee's inquiry into workforce recruitment, training and retention. The Committee, Chaired by Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, former Health Secretary, will examine the reasons behind staff leaving the health and social care sectors and how to tackle them. Workforce recruitment and training will also be explored.

Martin Green continues:- "We need to develop some clear skills and competency frameworks, and a set of portable qualifications, so that people can easily move between employers in social care and indeed between the social care and health sectors. The adult social care workforce needs to be recognised as a profession; care workers are skilled individuals who need commensurate pay and career pathways."

Labour Shadow Ministers visit Pilkington Glass in St Helens

LABOUR'S Shadow Ministers, Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, Shadow Business and Industry Minister Bill Esterson and St Helens South and Whiston MP Marie Rimmer, on Thursday, 13 January 2022, visited Pilkington Glass in St Helens to discuss high energy costs and sustainability. The Merseyside based firm is 1 of the leading glass suppliers in the UK. The company makes glass for commercial use in automotive, structural glazing and digital signage. In August 2021, Pilkington Glass began trailing the use of hydrogen to power its energy intensive furnaces, significantly reducing its carbon emissions. This trial was conducted as part of the HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching project to decarbonise industrial processes across the northwest, and was seen as a big success. As a result of significantly higher energy costs for industrial businesses than last year. Now the Labour Party is calling for a ₤600 million contingency fund to support energy intensive businesses, such as glass manufacturers. In addition, they told us in a press statement that a Labour Government would support the use of low carbon alternative fuel sources, such as renewables and nuclear, to decarbonise energy intensive industries.

Mr Esterson said action must be taken by Government to protect intense energy use manufacturing from soaring energy prices, adding:- "Thank you to Pilkington Glass for hosting this important visit. Labour is listening to business. We understand that it is crucial that action is taken about high energy costs and we have a plan to address them. British producers are paying 61% more than their German counterparts for electricity, and 51% more than the French. This is not sustainable for UK industry. That is why Labour is calling for an immediate ₤600 million contingency fund including a windfall tax on the profits of North Sea oil and gas companies to help energy intensive industries like Pilkington's during this crunch period. Longer term, a Labour Government will make low carbon industry a priority. Pilkington's innovative use of hydrogen shows their ambition. They are keen to play their part in building a low carbon future and the pledge to reach net zero. But the glass industry need the Government to help now. Labour wants us to make, buy and sell more in Britain which is why we have a plan to help with energy costs now, using a windfall tax on North Sea Oil and gas. The Conservative Government must implement our plan or say what their alternative is. Otherwise, our industries face a very tough time for the foreseeable future."