Dogs Trust Merseyside urges owners to make sure their dogs never walk alone

DOG owners are being urged to think ahead when it comes to making sure their faithful four-legged friend is loved and looked after if something happens to them.

Dogs Trust runs the free Canine Care Card service which means a dog is automatically cared for by them if their owner passes away, moves into a Care Home or receives a life changing diagnosis which means they can no longer look after their much-loved canine companion.

Georgina Lowery, Manager at Dogs Trust Merseyside, says:- "The Canine Care Card gives dog owners peace of mind that their dog will be loved for a lifetime. We know that the bond between an owner and their dog is entirely unique and it's hard to imagine that anyone could love and care for their dog as much as they do. But we promise we will. We will look after them either at the centre or in 1 of our wonderful foster homes and when the time is right, we will find them a new home."

One such dog is 15-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, Pepper, who arrived at Dogs Trust Merseyside via the Canine Care Card and is now lapping up all the love in a foster home whilst she waits for a new owner to come along. Pepper is a very relaxing older girl to be around; she likes a gentle walk and would love a garden to relax in. She also enjoys a trip out in the car, likes tasty treats and could easily fit in with a family with children aged twelve or over.

Georgina says:- "Pepper is a gorgeous older girl and we really hope she finds a new home soon. A Canine Care Card makes things so much easier for owners, their families and their dogs. Dog owners spend their lives caring for and protecting their four-legged friends; having a Canine Care Card means that that can continue, even in difficult circumstances. If an owner expresses their wishes by having a Canine Care Card, it removes the uncertainty for owners and families and relieves some of the stress they will be experiencing at an emotional time. Also, all the information we get from the owner helps us make the transition to a new family as stress free as possible for the dog. None of us know what's around the corner so we would urge all dog owners to think ahead, like Pepper's owner did, so their dog doesn't miss out on a minute of the love and care they deserve."

To find out more about the Canine Care Card, and to apply online, please go to:- DogsTrust.Org.UK. Alternatively you can contact Supporter Relations Officer, Kate Ankers on:- Kate.Ankers@DogsTrust.Org.UK or call:- 01519495527

If you think you could be the new family Pepper is longing for, please find out more at:- DogsTrust.Org.UK/Merseyside.

Over 100 School buildings to be immediately closed

THE prevailing orthodoxies that the Government is failing to keep education at a high standard has been strengthen yet again with the announcement that 156 School building will be closed over safety concerns.

Recently the Department for Education (DeE) instructed the leaders of England's Schools and academies to check if they were prepared to evacuate buildings constructed from or use Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC)

RAAC is a type of lightweight concrete that was used in roofs, floors, and walls between:- 1950s and 1990s. RAAC was cheaper alternative to standard building material, but it was found to be prone to collapse unless safety measures are in place.

On 31 August 2023, just days before Schools are to go back, for a new academic year, some Schools that have been built with the substandard material RAAC are now being told to closed buildings. It is reported that the affected pupils will be relocate to alternatives such as portable accommodation, or even other Schools in their area.

While the dangers of ageing RAAC buildings have been highlighted since a 2018 roof collapse, at Gravesend Primary School, in Kent, it has shocked many that the DfE's took so long to make this decision. Teachers Union NAHT, who said the timing of this couldn't be worse, with children due to return from summer holidays next week.

The Department for Education says it won't be releasing the list of 156 Schools affected, but the names of the affected to Schools will become public once parents start being emailed.

School buildings in England are mostly well maintained and safe are an essential part of delivering a high quality education. But, responsibility for keeping buildings safe, well maintained, and compliant with relevant regulations lies with Schools and the relevant local authority, academy trust or voluntary aided School body. This is increasingly becoming an issue, as many old Schools are becoming to very cosily to manage their estates. So, it is possible more Schools will have similar issues.

The National Audit Office report identified 572 Schools where RAAC might be present in June. Back in June, a report by the National Audit Office assessed the risk of injury or death from a School building collapse as:- "very likely and critical." Yet, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan says this decision on 31 August 2023 followed:- "new evidence about RAAC." This also raises serious concerns on the actions being taken by the Government over this ongoing issue.

Currently we don't have any timetable for when the work on the affected School buildings needs to be done by, but many Political bodies are highlighting this as an example of the growing confusion within the Government.

Back in May (Tuesday, 23 May 2023) a debate in the House of Commons tool place just over a year since the public, parents, School staff, and children had learned from The Observer, and not a from a Ministerial Statement in this House, about the contents of a leaked document that many School buildings in England are in such a state of disrepair that they are a risk to life. Back then Bootle's Labour MP, Peter Dowd said:- "While the crumbling structures of too many of our Schools are all too real, they double as a metaphor for wider problems." He also commented that:- "The fabric of the buildings is something that they generally do not see, because the Government are determined to shroud it in darkness. That cannot be right."

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said:- "While we can't speak for academies or Archdiocese run Schools, we are aware of this national report and we will, as always, take any action that is necessary to ensure our School communities are kept safe. At this time there are no plans to temporarily close Sefton maintained School buildings in the Borough over this issue. Nevertheless we will continue to closely monitor this matter and should any action be deemed necessary, we will communicate this directly with parents and staff."

Responding to the Government's announcement that School buildings made from reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) should close immediately until safety work is undertaken, Cllr Kevin Bentley, Senior Vice Chairman of the Local Government Association, said:- "Leaving this announcement until near the end of the summer holidays, rather than at the beginning, has left Schools and Councils with very little time to make urgent rearrangements and minimise disruption to classroom learning. The LGA has been warning of the risk from RAAC in Schools since 2018. The Government should urgently establish a taskforce, including with the LGA and Councils to ensure the safety of both pupils and staff in the long term. Councils will be supporting Schools in their areas who have had to close affected buildings, including by providing alternative spaces. The Government should also provide Councils with the necessary funding and technical expertise to repair or replace those buildings with RAAC. The Government also needs to provide Councils with financial support where they are supporting other Schools, such as academies and Daith Schools, which have had to close buildings due to the presence of RAAC. This includes our call for a single, local funding pot to replace the existing fragmented system for School capital projects and for this to sit with Councils, who should have the power to determine how and where this is best spent in their local areas. Councils will now work fast to ensure children's education is disrupted as little as possible."

Do you think our educational establishments are getting overlooked and the cracks being hidden with rhetoric? We would like to know your thoughts and views on this matter by emailing our