The makers of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy are now casting for a brand new ITV gameshow

WHISPER North TV are looking for pairs of contestants to take part in a brand new parlour gameshow, involving pairs being teamed up with a celebrity in pursuit of a cash prize. Pairs can consist of any relation. The program makers say:- "We're keen to hear from:- couples, friends or colleagues! But, applicants must be 18 or over and a current legal resident of the UK."

Filming will take place between the:- 7 November to 10 November 2024, and you must be available on 1 of these dates.

To apply, go to:- EU.CastItReach.Com.  Please note, applications close on the:- 25 October, 2024.

Home Office Data Reveals Drop in People Coming to UK to Work in Social Care

HOME Office statistics revealed that fewer people are seeking to come from abroad to work in the NHS and social care. The figures show that the Home Office approved 89,085 visas for the health and care sector in the year to June 2024; more than 80% down on April to June of the year before.

In December, when the former Home Secretary announced restrictions on foreign workers, Care England warned about the impact this would have on our sector, but these warnings were ignored.

In May, Care England drew attention to the decrease in number of overseas care worker applications, with a reduction of over 50% between October 2023 and April 2024.

Following the revelation, Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England says:- "The Government is running out of time to listen. While the decision to restrict applicants was made by the previous Government, it is incumbent on those now in power to take ownership of their inherited situation. They must make the changes needed to ensure the social care sector remains sustainable. Our dedicated workforce is social care's biggest asset, and without the proper measures in place to draw in domestic recruits, the gap left by international recruits will reach an untenable level. Adult social care needs a fully funded workforce plan, with boosted pay, terms and conditions, the change for career progression, parity of esteem with NHS colleagues. Without this, our sector risks not having enough staff to deliver the care and support this country's needs now, or in the future."

'Faded Glory - a new aesthetic' is a joint show by Rory Turner and Brenda Reeve-Turner

WHETHER in the no-nonsense documentary realism of Rory's stark black and white photography or the idiosyncrasy of Brenda's heavily glazed ceramics, the current joint exhibition at the ArtHouse in Southport by Rory Turner and Brenda Reeve-Turner is a fascinating pulse check on contemporary practice by 2 local artists.

Both former senior academics at the University of Central Lancashire, retirement has offered them the opportunity to refocus on their own unfilled practice rather than promoting that of others.

A lifelong passionate photographer, Rory, has always been attracted to exploiting the medium as a vehicle for archiving what is too often taken for granted. "As a freelance photographer working in the Lake District and The Yorkshire Dales I realised that the traditional tourist postcard did not show the stunning beauty of these wild spaces and I was 1 of the 1st photographers to capture the Lakes and Dales in all their many different and spectacular moods."

Prior to his appointment at UCLan, Rory's entrepreneurial nature had already seen him swing into action to address the commercial drawback at source. Rory has commented that:- "I founded my own Fine Art postcard company:- 'Country Visions' in the 1980's selling over 1 million Fine Art postcards of both the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales. The postcards were sold through the English Lakes Tourist Boards, The National Trust, Fine Art Galleries and various other retail outlets."

The success of the venture quickly secured global appeal:- "I was originally sponsored by both Leica and Bronica Camera systems which lead to solo exhibitions all over the world, including:- London, Canada and Germany."

In a world too often saturated with colourful imagery, Rory's atmospheric black-and-white cameraworkharks back to an era when photography was an alchemy of light and silver:- "I use a Canon 70D digital Camera with a 24-105 f/4L IS USM lens. This is a specialist lens that gives extra high definition results."

A poignant reminder of the enduring power of simplicity, through his emotive monochromatic photographs currently on display at ArtHouse, Rory showcases the celebrated Victorian wrought iron architecture of Southport as silhouetted urban vegetation brimming with a nuance that skillfully emphasizes the form, texture and interplay between shadow and light.

Rory added:- "'Faded Glory' continues on from a project that I started whilst working on my MA seeking to visually examine the decline in our coastal resorts since the heydays of the late Victorian era through to the 1950's-60's. The view presented by our holiday resorts is vastly different now than it was in the past."

By artfully avoiding the distraction of fun loving holidaymakers, the intrusive:- 'Kiss Me Quick' culture of the British seaside has been replaced in Rory's photographs by a nostalgic visual grunge aesthetic that freeze-frames the timeless elegance of an unpopulated coastline resonating with the authority of its own a silent eloquence.

In contrast, Brenda; a graduate of the prestigious Royal College of Art in London; draws upon her subsequent career in fashion to drape wet clay like fabric in order to articulate the natural undulations of seashells in her flamboyant ceramic souvenirs:- "My current ceramic work looks closely at tourist ephemera and the objects and experiences that make seaside holidays so special. These objects and impressions remain with us throughout our lives and are as equally an important and treasured part of the tourist experience as the tourist gaze."

Brenda regularly attends Southport Contemporary Art's pottery workshops; ClayWorks; where working in clay provides her with a playground for unlimited artistic expression.

Brenda concluded:- "Finding ClayWorks was just perfect, giving me the chance to develop my 3D embroidery and illustration skills in a new medium. The sessions provide excellent technical staff with professional practitioners. This experience enabled me to meet some lovely new people in my retirement. That's a bonus isn't it?"

Certainly not 1 to be missed, this collaborative display by Rory Turner and Brenda Reeve Turner will be on show at the ArtHouse, Eastbank Street, Southport, from:- 17 September to 5 October 2024.