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Liner's gym gift
for Centre
A Liverpool community can
now keep fit using high quality gym equipment thanks to a luxury
liner. The Celebrity Infinity has been a frequent visitor to
Liverpool Cruise Terminal in the last couple of years, with her most
recent visit being a one day call last weekend.
Infinity recently had a gym refurbished and so senior officers on
board asked that the gym equipment, which was being replaced, be
given to a local venue which can make good use of it.
Exercise bikes, treadmills, and stepping machines have been handed
over to the Unity Youth and Community Centre. The Liverpool
Seafarers Centre is also receiving exercise bikes.
All of the high specification equipment is less than 2 year old.
Captain Michael Sympouras, said:- "Liverpool is one of our
favourite ports as we always get such a great reception when we call
here. We wanted the gym equipment to go to a good home and I am very
pleased that Cruise Liverpool were able to help us. We are delighted
that young people and other members of the community will be able to
make good use of it."
Julie Smith from the Unity Centre said:- "We would like to
thank the Captain and Celebrity Cruise Line for making this possible
and those responsible for nominating our centre. It will certainly
be put to good use and we really appreciate their generosity."
Councillor Steve Munby, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, added:-
"This has been a wonderful gesture by the ship's crew and the
equipment will be put to very good use. Unity is a top centre and
the equipment is in very good hands there."
John Wilson, chief executive of Liverpool Seafarers centre, said;-
"Liverpool Seafarers Centre is delighted to be the recipient
of two exercise bicycles which have been donated to the Centre by
the Master and Crew of Celebrity Infinity which berthed at the
Liverpool Cruise Line Terminal last Thursday.
This will enhance our services to seafarers ensuring that their
individual health and wellbeing is met; all part of an initiative
being developing at the Centre, from "Safety First" to "Health and
Wellbeing. Crew today can sometimes be the forgotten
workforce, slipping in and out of our ports delivering 95% of all
goods and services. Liverpool Seafarers Centre offers a lifeline at
no cost to all seafarers, in recognition of the service they
provide; we offer the hand of fellowship and welcome as a thank-you,
thus enabling us to maintain our lifestyle to which we have become
accustomed. Thank you again Celebrity Infinity." Commissioner
secures Living Wage Accreditation
EMPLOYEES have been
promised a fair deal from Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner
after he secured accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.
The commitment from Clive Grunshaw means all staff employed in both
his office and by Lancashire Constabulary will be guaranteed at
least the living wage, which at £7.65 an hour is currently £1.34
higher than national minimum wage.
The Commissioner said:- "I'm delighted to have secured this
accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.
This commitment to the Living Wage is not merely symbolic, and I
wholeheartedly believe it is vitally important for the county as a
whole that employees in Lancashire are paid a wage that accurately
reflects the true cost of living.
Both my office and the Constabulary are committed to ensuring that
when we enter into agreements with partners, agencies and
contractors, all staff working for us as a result are paid the
living wage.
I know there are many organisations across Lancashire which have
already embraced this commitment and I now call on all employers;
particularly those in the public sector ; to seriously consider
following in our footsteps and signing up for the Living Wage.
It is a commitment which can make a real difference to people's
lives."
The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently by the Living
Wage Foundation and updated annually.
The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living
using the 'Minimum Income Standard' for the UK.
Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the
public; it is a social consensus about what people need to make
ends meet.
For more information log onto
livingwage.org.uk. |
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Cash windfall to
benefit communities
SPORTING youngsters are
spending the summer honing their skills on the football pitch and
getting active outdoors thanks to Lancashire Police and Crime
Commissioner's Community Action Fund.
Clive Grunshaw has handed out another £9,500 of grants; including
3 to organisations working hard to get youngsters active across
Lancashire.
The AFC Fylde Community Foundation, the Inter Madrassah Organisation
and the Sir Tom Finney Preston Soccer Centre have all been
successful in their bids for funding towards sports activities,
while ACT at the Cheethams Ltd. and Callon Kids Community Club will
be providing a range of activities designed to keep youngsters off
the streets this summer thanks to the Commissioner's funding.
The Commissioner said:- "The long summer holidays can be
particularly difficult for parents, and that is why I am so
delighted to have been able to offer funding to these groups, who
are working hard to keep kids active, occupied and out of trouble.
The volunteers who put so much effort into these schemes are to be
praised for the work they are doing within their communities, which
is absolutely invaluable. I want to see my Community Action Fund
spent on projects which support my key priorities, which include
reducing crime and anti social behaviour and protecting vulnerable
people. If we can achieve that at grass roots level within Lancashire's
communities, it will help make them safer, happier places for all
our residents."
The AFC Fylde Community Foundation has received £1,750 for its work
to provide sporting activities within areas of St Annes, Warton,
Freckleton and Wesham which have been identified by the local
Community Safety Partnership as having issues with youth-related
anti-social behaviour.
Sessions have been running over the summer holidays, and the project
aims to cut youth related anti-social behaviour by 5%.
In Preston, The Sir Tom Finney Preston Soccer Centre has received a
grant of £2,000 toward the cost of venue and equipment hire for its
summer soccer school, which aims to provide football coaching for
young people from disadvantaged and financially challenged families.
And in Blackburn, the Inter Madrassah Organisation has been awarded
£2,000 toward the cost of the 9th Annual Multi-Faith Football
Tournament.
The tournament takes place on Saturday, 30 August 2013 and encourages
young people from different faith and cultural backgrounds to mix
together and better appreciate each other's values and beliefs.
The Callon Kids Community Club operates in the Fishwick, St Matthews
and Ribbleton wards of Preston, and has received £1,750 towards its
Positive Activities Programme.
The programme consists of volunteer led activities and also offers
young people the chance to engage in volunteering work and provide
peer support and mentoring opportunities. And, thank to the
Community Action Fund grant, the club has also organised off-site
activities to enable youngsters from deprived and disadvantaged
families to enjoy a wider range of activities.
Finally, Act at the Cheethams Ltd, which is based in the Wensleyfold
area of Darwen, has been awarded £2,000 for its Cheets Not Streets
programme.
The scheme aims to reduce anti-social behaviour and provides young
people with activities every Friday and Saturday night throughout
the summer, and also arranges trips out for deprived and
disadvantaged youngsters.
To find out more about the Community Action Fund and how to apply
online.
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