Student from Liverpool Life Sciences UTC School wins award in national Big Bang competition

A student from Liverpool Life Sciences UTC School, has been crowned as a winner of the prestigious:- 'Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition.' Ryan Parry won the 'Senior Science 2023' category in the finals of The Competition, with their project:- 'Viruses - The Next Phage of Antibiotics?'

The project aims to tackle of the global issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Talking about their project, Ryan said:- "I aim to replicate the success in using Bacteriophages as biological antibacterial against E.coli, in an attempt to find a solution to the slowly encroaching problem of antimicrobial resistance."

Dr Hilary Leevers, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK, which runs The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Competition, said:- "Congratulations to Ryan on their award. This is a brilliant achievement. We've been really impressed with all the entries received this year, but this project stood out as being particularly innovative."

The UK Young Engineer and The UK Young Scientist of the Year were also announced at:- The Big Bang Fair. Ranita Ariyibi from Colchester County High School for Girls, Essex won the Young Engineer award for her InterSign interpretation device project and Kaycee Deery, from St Mary's College, Derry Londonderry won the prestigious Young Scientist award for her Natural sunscreen preparations project.

To find out more about:- 'The Competition' and discover all the 2023 winners, visit:- TheBigBang.Org.UK.

TUC - number of workers on zero hours contracts up by 33% in the North West since 2020

THE number of workers on zero hours contracts in the North West has increased by a third according to new analysis published by the TUC. The analysis official of statistics shows that 122,000 workers in the Region are now employed on these contracts; a rise of 31,000 since the beginning of the decade. The union body estimates that across the North West as a whole nearly 400,000 workers are in some form of insecure work; including:- zero hours contracts, low paid self employment and temporary jobs. This equates to 1 in 9 (11.3%) of the Region's workforce. The findings are published as the TUC's new General Secretary Paul Nowak visits the Region to call for stronger workers' rights. Paul meet with the leader of Manchester Council Bev Craig and business leaders for a roundtable on the Great Manchester Good Employment Charter. And Paul also give an address at the People's History Museum, on the need to boost pay and conditions at work.

Speaking ahead of his visit, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:- "Everybody deserves dignity and respect at work. But zero hours contracts and other forms of insecure work allow workers to be treated like disposable labour. That's why it is great to be in Manchester; the birthplace of the TUC; to promote the Good Employment Charter. Boosting workers' pay, rights and conditions is good for staff and good for local economies. We need more partnerships like this between unions, businesses and Regional leaders."

On the need for a new deal for working people, Paul added:- "Having promised to level up the North, the Conservatives have presided over a race to the bottom on employment standards. It's high time we ban exploitative working practices like zero hours contracts and fire and rehire so that everyone has decent rights at work. We need a new deal for working people."

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