MIL Pubishing Engine 2

Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

Give your costume a new lease of life at the Halloween Swap Shop

4 October 2023

If you’re looking for a bit of costume inspiration ahead of Halloween, then why not call in to the Guildhall on October 14^th, when a treasure trove of items will be available to choose from – and all for free as part of the Halloween Costume Swap Shop.

Council is appealing to anyone with unwanted Halloween costumes and props sitting in the wardrobe or attic to consider giving them a new lease of life by donating to the Swap Shop at a number of locations across Derry and Strabane before Friday October 13th. Your trash is another costume maker’s treasure, and it’s a fantastic way of rejuvenating old items and saving some money in the process.

The Swap Shop also takes place just ahead of Recycling Week which runs from October 16^th – 22^nd, reinforcing the message that we should be reusing and recycling materials to the wider benefit of the environment.

Items can be left in to the reception at Council’s offices on Strand Road in Derry, the Guildhall, the 4Rs Recycling Centre, Waterside Shared Village, as well as the Alley Theatre and the Council Offices in Derry Road Strabane.

The theme for this year’s Recycling Week is The Big Recycling Hunt, focusing on items in the home that are overlooked for recycling. Council Waste and Recycling Officer Julie Hannaway, said Halloween costumes were the perfect item for reuse. “We are all guilty of buying costumes one year which are discarded the next, and I’m sure most of us have unwanted Halloween items in the attic or cupboard.

“This year we’re asking that people join in our Halloween ‘Big Recycling Haunt’ and dig out some of those witches’ hats and broomsticks, and gift them to a new home through the Swap Shop. It’s a great way of picking up a new costume at little or no cost, and for one night of the year it makes perfect sense not to splurge son something brand new.”

Festival and Events manager with Council, Jacqueline Whoriskey, said: “Every Halloween we see amazing sights on the streets and the creativity of the people of Derry when it comes to costumes really is without parallel. There is as much colour amongst the crowds as there is in our carnival parade. But each year I think we see fewer of the home made creations that used to be the stand out highlight of the festival.

“This year, we would love to see a return to that Derry costume making tradition. And with the many benefits of reusing and recycling clothes and other unwanted items, it’s the perfect way to do something positive for the environment this Halloween.”

The Swap Shop will take place in the Guildhall on Saturday October 14^th and everyone is welcome to come along to see what spooky ensemble they can unearth.

Find out more about Recycling locally and Recycling Week at www.recycling.derrystrabane.com

Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

Mayor praises ongoing work following two successful job fairs rolled out across the city and distric

4 October 2023

Derry City and Strabane District Council, in collaboration with the Department for Communities (DfC), hosted two successful job fairs last month across the city and district.

The first job fair took place in The City Hotel, Derry on 12^th September with the second one taking place in The Alley, Strabane on 27^th September. Both Job Fairs saw an abundance of local and regional employers gather to offer advice and support to those who are currently seeking new employment.

Local jobseekers had the opportunity to talk directly to prospective employers and hear the benefits of working for their organisation. Attendees had the chance to bring along their CV or ask any questions they had about current recruitment opportunities while enhancing their employment prospects through practical advice and support.

The Job Fairs were hosted by Department for Communities, Derry and Strabane Labour Market Partnership.  The Labour Market Partnership (LMP) is a province-wide approach developed by DfC which creates targeted employment action plans for council areas and allows for collaboration at local and regional level to support people towards and into work.

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Patirica Louge, was in attendance at both events and praised the ongoing work of the LMP.

“Both events were packed with eager and enthusiastic jobseekers who were delighted to talk to local and regional employers on the current job prospects within our city and district. As a Council, we are committed to enhancing the overall economic landscape within our city and wider regions and supporting people into steady employment is a huge long-term objective for us.

“Events like this, supported by the Labour Market Partnership and the Department for Communities, allows us to get out there and talk to people directly and assure them that we are committed to ongoing support and advice.

“I’d like to thank all those involved in and exhibiting at these events and ensuring the offering was brilliant and people really gained valuable advice and experience from attending. I’d also like to thank everyone who attended and took advantage of the free advice.”

LMP continues to help those across the city and district gain employment with a number of free training, qualifications skilling and up-skilling courses on offer. They offer individual support to job seekers across the council area and their experienced staff will be on hand to assist.

This job fair is funded by the Department for Communities through the Derry City & Strabane Labour Market Partnership.

For more information or to see what courses are currently on offer, please visit: https://www.derrystrabane.com/lmp

Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

Mayor praises ongoing work following two successful job fairs

3 October 2023

Derry City and Strabane District Council, in collaboration with the Department for Communities (DfC), hosted two successful job fairs last month across the city and district.

Derry City and Strabane District Council, in collaboration with the Department for Communities (DfC), hosted two successful job fairs last month across the city and district.

The first job fair took place in The City Hotel, Derry on 12^th September with the second one taking place in The Alley, Strabane on 27^th September. Both Job Fairs saw an abundance of local and regional employers gather to offer advice and support to those who are currently seeking new employment.

Local jobseekers had the opportunity to talk directly to prospective employers and hear the benefits of working for their organisation. Attendees had the chance to bring along their CV or ask any questions they had about current recruitment opportunities while enhancing their employment prospects through practical advice and support.

The Job Fairs were hosted by Department for Communities, Derry and Strabane Labour Market Partnership.  The Labour Market Partnership (LMP) is a province-wide approach developed by DfC which creates targeted employment action plans for council areas and allows for collaboration at local and regional level to support people towards and into work.

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Patirica Louge, was in attendance at both events and praised the ongoing work of the LMP.

“Both events were packed with eager and enthusiastic jobseekers who were delighted to talk to local and regional employers on the current job prospects within our city and district. As a Council, we are committed to enhancing the overall economic landscape within our city and wider regions and supporting people into steady employment is a huge long-term objective for us.

“Events like this, supported by the Labour Market Partnership and the Department for Communities, allows us to get out there and talk to people directly and assure them that we are committed to ongoing support and advice.

“I’d like to thank all those involved in and exhibiting at these events and ensuring the offering was brilliant and people really gained valuable advice and experience from attending. I’d also like to thank everyone who attended and took advantage of the free advice.”

LMP continues to help those across the city and district gain employment with a number of free training, qualifications skilling and up-skilling courses on offer. They offer individual support to job seekers across the council area and their experienced staff will be on hand to assist.

This job fair is funded by the Department for Communities through the Derry City & Strabane Labour Market Partnership.

For more information or to see what courses are currently on offer, please visit: https://www.derrystrabane.com/lmp

Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

Mayor Logue highlights childcare options for local families

2 October 2023

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Patricia Logue, has urged local families and households to ensure they are aware of all the financial assistance available to them for childcare.

A variety of types of support are available to parents through the benefits system, government support schemes and tax relief.

The call follows a motion passed by Elected Members of Council recognising the significant financial burden placed on parents by the costs of childcare and  their concern that many parents are paying more than their mortgage every month for these costs.

“Registered childcare is vital in supporting children and enabling parents to get into and stay in work,” said Mayor Logue. “However the cost can be a significant expense for families.

“Most working families are entitled to financial support towards their childcare costs, including those on higher incomes.

“Many families are not availing of this assistance – because they are unaware of it or believe they are not entitled to it.

“We are raising awareness of the Family Support NI website, which is the online public register of childcare providers, as required by law. 

“You must use registered childcare to avail of government support towards your childcare costs.”

Employers For Childcare are an organisation who provide free advice and guidance about getting the best financial support towards childcare.

As part of the awareness raising campaign Council is working with Family Support NI and Employers for Childcare to deliver an online information session on 12^th October 7-8pm to help families understand the process to accessing financial assistance.

Bookings can be made through Eventbrite on Councils social media platform.

Council’s social media pages are sharing useful information for working parents about various types of financial assistance towards childcare costs.

Futher information and the booking link is available on Council’s website at www.derrystrabane.com/helpwithchildcare

Source: City of Portsmouth

Hundreds are expected to attend the event, named the Somerstown Spooktacular, which takes place on Thursday 12 October, 5.30 – 7.30pm at The Gibson Centre on Sackville St, PO5 4BU.

You’ll get to enjoy:

• frightfully fun entertainment
• spooky stories
• music
• Halloween themed face painting and ice-creams
• cakes, snacks and chilling refreshments

All in all, there’s going to be loads on offer for you to enjoy.

It won’t hurt your bank account either as everything at the event will be completely free.

Freebies aside, we’re also using the event as an opportunity to show everyone the latest plans for the Somers Orchard project. You’ll get a first look at what the former Horatia and Leamington towers site will look like!

Cllr Darren Sanders, the council’s cabinet member for housing and tackling homelessness said:

“Somers Orchard is a huge project for our city. Local people have been at the heart of it from day one so it’s great that we can host the Somerstown Spooktacular for everyone.”

“When people see the plans, I think they’ll be just as excited as we are to watch them come to life. They showcase what the people of Somerstown actually wanted from the project, and I’d encourage as many people as possible to pop down to the event to see them and join in the fun too.”

Already this year we’ve hosted similar events in Havant and Paulsgrove which delivered huge turnouts and rave reviews. We hope the Somerstown Spooktacular will follow in their footsteps, providing an evening of entertainment for you and the whole community.

As always with these types of events, everything is free and everyone is welcome.

Don’t want to miss it?

Join the event on Facebook.

Got a question?

Email Katelyn Rigler at Katelyn.rigler@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call 07901 100 537.

Not sure what to expect?

Check out this video from our most recent party in Paulsgrove:

Source: City of Portsmouth

Dedicated volunteers at The D-Day Story are celebrating a well-deserved victory after receiving a highly esteemed award at the ‘Volunteers for Museum Learning’ awards event held at the British Museum, with the team winning the regional South East award. This award recognises the invaluable contributions made by volunteers in enriching the museum experience and engaging with visitors.

The accolade highlights the outstanding work carried out by a dedicated group of volunteers who developed an immersive guided tour for Landing Craft Tank 7074, a cherished local attraction. The tour, aptly named “Survivor! From North East to Nightclub via Normandy”, brilliantly brings the gripping tale of the landing craft to life. It allows visitors to connect with the personal experiences of the men and women who constructed these crafts, the courageous crew, and the soldiers who embarked on the historic D-Day journey.

“Survivor!” not only showcases the vessel’s pivotal role during D-Day but also narrates its post-war journey—from a bustling nightclub to a state of disrepair and, ultimately, its remarkable restoration. This captivating story now allows everyone to enjoy in its history while visiting Portsmouth.

Ross Fairbrother, General Manager at The D-Day Story, said: “I am delighted that The D-Day Story volunteer team who developed our guided tours of Landing Craft Tank 7074 have been recognised as South East regional winners of the award for Volunteers for Museum Learning.  Since launching at the museum, the Survivor! tours have seen an overwhelmingly positive reaction from visitors.  The extensive knowledge, passion and dedication shown from all those involved, led to an offering which not only has wide appeal and tells the varied and interesting history of LCT 7074 but also one which includes the personal stories of those involved, something which 79 years on from D-Day and the Normandy landings is more important to remember than ever.”

Cllr Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council, with portfolio responsibility for Culture, Leisure & Economic Development, expressed his heartfelt congratulations to The D-Day Story volunteers, saying: “Congratulations to the volunteers at The D-Day Story on winning this prestigious national museum award. Thanks to their ideas and passion, we can all embark on an enlightening journey into the history of the landing craft—an iconic landmark on our seafront.”

Sarah Saunders, Head of Learning and National Partnerships at the British Museum, said: “Volunteering brings so many benefits to the nation’s museums and galleries and the communities they serve, helping to promote health and well-being, and learning and enjoyment. Volunteering brings so many benefits to those people who generously give their time freely, from making new friends to gaining confidence in a new skill. I’m sure that this year’s Marsh Awards winners will inspire new volunteer projects giving people across the country increased opportunities to get involved in supporting their local museum.”

Source: City of Portsmouth

Portsmouth’s mental health campaign, You Are Not Alone, has been shortlisted for a healthcare marketing award at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Pride Awards 2023.

The campaign, which was developed by Health and Care Portsmouth in partnership with young people and their families, launched a year ago and aims to raise awareness of free mental health services in the city.

It was first developed for and with 16-to-25-year-olds and their families but has since expanded to a wider audience. It is also now used to promote the new Portsmouth Mental Health Hub, which aims to connect anyone aged 16+ to the right mental health services for them.

Since the campaign launched, You Are Not Alone has reached more than 1 million people – including 370,000 people on social media, 225,000 on Spotify and local radio stations, 52,000 through email marketing and more than 1,000 people at face-to-face events. Almost 5,000 people have visited the mental health pages on the Health and Care Portsmouth website with more than 17,000 page views across the site for mental health, and the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub has received more than 1,200 phone calls since it launched in April 2023.

Cllr Matthew Winnington, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, Health and Care at Portsmouth City Council, said:

“There is a significant amount of work happening in Portsmouth, working with local residents to transform mental health services in our community. Part of this has been driven by the understanding that many people have been confused about how and where to access mental health support.

“While we initially focused the You Are Not Alone campaign on our younger population – as those who were more severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic – it became quickly apparent that people of all ages are struggling with their mental health. 12.9% of Portsmouth residents report having a long-term mental health problem, which is higher than the national average of 11%, and more than 2,500 children are accessing at least one mental health service over the year.

“The number of people we’ve been able to reach through You Are Not Alone is outstanding. Being shortlisted for this award is testament to the hard work of the team and partners across the city who have helped us to share the campaign, which is now synonymous with mental health in Portsmouth. I wish the team the best of luck for the awards ceremony but, win or lose, know that as a city we are so proud of this campaign and the work everyone is doing to increase mental health awareness in Portsmouth.”

Health and Care Portsmouth partners involved in the campaign are HIVE Portsmouth, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, Portsmouth City Council and Solent NHS Trust. The team at HIVE Portsmouth were instrumental in gathering feedback on the look and feel of the campaign as well as key messages and content through surveys, focus groups and at events.

Lorna Reavely, Chief Executive Officer at HIVE Portsmouth, said:

“It was so important for us to involve the groups and organisations working in Portsmouth’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector, as well as local residents.

“Their feedback helped to shape this valuable campaign which we’re delighted to have been able to support.”

Anyone aged 16+ can get support for their mental health by contacting the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub on 0300 123 6621 (Monday to Friday, 8am – 6pm) or by visiting www.mentalhealthinportsmouth.co.uk.

The winners of the CIPR Pride Awards will be announced on Thursday 5 October.

Source: City of Portsmouth

School Streets work by restricting non-essential motor vehicles on a road or roads outside a school. This allows parents, carers, pupils and school staff to enjoy safer routes to school, and helps to develop quieter, cleaner streets with cleaner air. 

Portsmouth’s School Streets were introduced in September 2021. Bramble Infant School and St Jude’s Church of England Primary School were the first to take part in the initial pilot schemes. Councillors will now discuss a permanent solution at a Transport Decision Meeting, and if approved, this will provide better opportunities for people to walk, wheel, cycle and scoot to and from school at drop-off and pick-up times, during school terms. 

The initial School Street trials operated over seven-weeks and depended on volunteer stewards from the local community plus school staff to manage traffic using removable barriers. Despite positive feedback, many schools have struggled to extend their trials due to a shortage of volunteers. 

Feedback has shown that most parents and residents strongly support a permanent solution for Bramble and St Jude’s, and the council has now carried out a review into alternative ways for a permanent School Street to effectively operate, without the need for volunteer stewards.  

Following several months of engagement with both schools, the council has shared proposals for permanent School Streets with parents and residents at Bramble School. An engagement event at St Jude’s will take place this week. The draft designs propose using signs to restrict access to motor traffic in roads around the schools at drop-off and pick-up times. At Bramble School, bollards will manage traffic in Heyward Road and a new loading bay on Fawcett Road will enable deliveries to the nearby pharmacy.  

The School Streets would be installed under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) for up to 18 months to monitor the effectiveness of the proposed infrastructure. These will be regularly reviewed to check how well they are working.  

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Cabinet Member for Transport, said “School Streets have been operating in Portsmouth for a couple of years and I’m pleased that we’ve received encouraging support from the local community. I look forward to discussing the proposals at the cabinet decision meeting”. 

During the restrictions, access will be available for residents and business premises on the street, emergency services, school transport, blue badge holders, carers of residents who live in the street and people with specific requirements that have been pre-agreed with the head teacher.  

Residents living within the School Street zone and needing to drive during the restrictions will be issued with special parking permits. Police would be able to issue tickets to drivers entering the School Street zone without a valid permit. However, the council hopes that lots of positive engagement with parents and alternative parking will ensure high compliance as it’s been proven to be successful in other cities. 

The Transport Cabinet decision meeting takes place on Thursday 12 October.  

 

Source: City of Portsmouth

Councils can make savings and support staff’s financial wellbeing through salary sacrifice additional pension contributions more easily than ever before thanks to the country’s first dedicated framework.  Portsmouth City Council has launched the new framework meaning other public sector organisations can sign up to a trusted provider without a lengthy procurement process.

Not only can this help councils save money, but it also provides staff further education and support around retirement planning and financial wellbeing.

AVC Wise Ltd. (AVC Wise) is the approved provider for the single-supplier framework. The framework is free to use.

Shaun Tetley, pensions and payroll manager for Portsmouth City Council, said: “We have been leading the way with additional voluntary contributions for some time, we firmly believe it’s a great move for staff and employers and we’re delighted to launch this framework that can help so many others benefit from it.

“Numerous councils have said they’ve had difficulties procuring a supplier, and now they don’t need to worry about that as they can benefit from the work we’ve already done.

“AVC Wise is the market leader for salary sacrifice AVCs and provides a fantastic service. Our framework will speed up staff getting benefits and employers saving money, which can only be good for the public sector.”

“This framework is a game changer for public sector organisations.” explains Bobby Lyons, head of strategy and commercial at AVC Wise.

“It cuts out the lengthy tender process as all you need to do is identify your requirements, present these to us at AVC Wise, award a contract, and you’re on your way to offering your public sector employees the best retirement benefits possible.

“We’re constantly striving to make access to salary sacrifice AVCs as easy as possible for employees, and this is a huge step in the right direction in our mission to support the public sector and the financial wellbeing of its employees.”

For more information, including how to buy, and to check the approved customer list, visit www.Portsmouth.gov.uk/frameworkavc

Source: London Assembly

Controversy is growing about the planned tolls for the Blackwall Tunnel and the new Silvertown Road Tunnel. Siân Berry AM says that this is the right time to look at greener uses of the planned new tunnels.

Many Londoners are just now realising that both the new tunnels and the existing tunnels at Blackwall are proposed to be tolled under the current Mayor’s plans, with some commentators describing the planned tolls of £4 for cars as ‘a disgrace’ and ‘a cash cow’.[1]

Therefore, today Siân Berry AM is warning that there is a high risk of a future Mayor being pressured into removing the tolls, which are the last line of defence against dramatic induced traffic in east and south-east London.

Siân Berry AM says:
“If the Silvertown Road Tunnel opens for motor vehicles, the tolls will be the only thing holding back a tide of pollution and congestion in south and south-east London. The reaction to the potential toll rates shows there is a huge risk a future Mayor could wobble and get pushed into removing the charges.

“Greener uses of the Silvertown Road Tunnel urgently need to be planned. There is no way the new tunnels can be opened for motor traffic. People in east and south east London are crying out for new ways to get across the river on public transport and on wheels and on foot.”  

In 2022, an Assembly motion proposed by Siân Berry AM asked the Mayor to model the consequences of the Silvertown Road Tunnel charges being removed, but the Mayor refused the Assembly’s request.[2]

Alternative uses of the new tunnels were explored in workshops hosted by Siân Berry AM in 2022, and were further visualised last week by campaign group Possible.[3,4]