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	 Sign up a Big Physical 
	Challenge over 2016 
	
	  
	IF you sign up for just 1 Big 
	Physical Challenge over 2016, then make it 'Walking with the Wounded's 
	Cumbrian Challenge 2016.' Walking With The Wounded (WWTW) is a 
	charity established to support the employment aspirations and vocational 
	outcomes of our wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, those who 
	have been physically, mentally and socially disadvantaged by their service. 
	So every single team who takes part in this years:- 'The Cumbrian 
	Challenge' will support another wounded veteran. 
	  
	Kate Cleaver said:- "WWTW recognises the inherent 
	skills of our armed service personnel and wants to compliment these 
	qualities, as well as provide support to transfer their skills into the 
	civilian workplace. We offer assistance through our programmes to those 
	vulnerable veterans who have been physically, mentally or socially 
	disadvantaged by their service and assist them in gaining independence 
	through new long term careers outside of the military. This includes 
	providing support to homeless veterans and veterans in the Criminal Justice 
	System, areas which are too often ignored. We hope that the outcome is 
	sustainable employment and independence for them and their families." 
	
	  
	The Cumbrian Challenge is Walking With The Wounded's annual 
	flagship fundraising event, that takes place in the Lake District, England, 
	for teams of 4. This year the challenge is available to people of all 
	fitness levels and determination with a new, easier route. In addition to 
	the 'Tough' and the 'Tougher' routes, plus the 
	ultimate challenge, the 'The Peak', all teams will be tested 
	over the beautiful fells of the Lake District... 
	 
	► The Peak is a 10km hike. Expected time to 
	complete will be from 5 hours to 11 hours to complete. 
	 
	► The Tough is a 20km hike that has a 1,300m of 
	altitude gain and expected to run over 5 hours to 11 hours, depending on 
	experience, to complete. 
	 
	► The Tougher is a demanding 29km hike, that has a 
	1,800m of altitude gain. It is expected to take around 5 hours to 11 hours, 
	depending on experience, to complete. 
	 
	The event runs over with Friday night registration, dinner and briefing, on 
	13 May 2016 and the main event on, 14 May 2016. 
	 
	The challenge starts and finishes in Grasmere, enabling 1 bustling HQ for 
	the pre event race meeting and dinner, post event awards and BBQ evening 
	event. 
	 
	WWTW Partnership and Events Manager Andy Sloan said:- "Last year 500 
	people from all over the UK and in some cases Europe joined in. They climbed 
	and conquered, raising more than £170,000 to support our wounded into work,. 
	They also had quite a party." 
	 
	To find out more please visit the group's 
	website.  | 
			
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	 Dishing up the best 
	School meals 
	THE Council Catering Staff, at 2 
	Liverpool Schools, are celebrating after scooping national awards for their 
	initiative, skill and dedication. 
	 
	Kitchen staff at St Cecilia's Catholic Infant and Nursery School in Tuebrook 
	scooped the gong for best customer service in the public sector at the 
	Blakemore Foodservice Awards. 
	 
	They serve 150 freshly prepared meals a day and the School even has its own 
	allotment which grows food for the kitchen.  
	 
	Veteran Head Cook Ellen Hives; who has now served 3 generations of pupils in 
	the City; works closely with children, asking what they like and don't like 
	and making changes if necessary. 
	 
	The Catering Team and School Staff organise many theme days and at a Bonfire 
	Party, they were met with a red 'firework' carpet, streamers and a light 
	show which mimicked fireworks going off around the Dining Hall.  
	 
	Headteacher Elizabeth van de Waal said:- "Children are at the centre 
	of what Ellen does, she bends over backwards and is very enthusiastic in all 
	that she does for the School. She has a great work ethic and her team follow 
	suit." 
	 
	On Friday, 8 January 2015, Assistant Mayor and Cabinet member for education, 
	Councillor Nick Small went back to School and visiting St Cecilia's Infants 
	to congratulate staff and sample their award winning service. 
	 
	Meanwhile, staff at St Anne Stanley C of E Primary School in Old Swan were 
	double winners at the awards ceremony; picking up prizes for best catering 
	team and best overall in the public sector.  
	 
	Around 300 of its pupils have a School lunch and it has developed new menus 
	which have proved hugely popular.  
	 
	The School now offers a breakfast club and also has a deli bar serving 
	sandwiches, wraps and jackets.  Cllr. Small said:- "Good quality 
	School meals are really important, and in some cases it is the one hot meal 
	a day that children receive. Our School catering service does a fantastic 
	job providing excellent food to many of our children and young people and it 
	is great to see staff at 2 of the Schools recognised. I am very much looking 
	forward to finding out how the food has improved since I was a lad, when it 
	was all soggy semolina and grey cabbage!" 
			
	World's biggest School 
	wildlife survey celebrates 15 years, with children on Merseyside 
	TENS of thousands of Schoolchildren 
	across the UK, including Merseyside, will be peering out of their classroom 
	windows, for the RSPB's 'Big Schools' Birdwatch 2016', that 
	started on 4 January 2016 and runs until 12 February 2016. Now in its 15th 
	year, the RSPB's Big Schools' Birdwatch will become the 'World's 
	Biggest School Wildlife Survey.' it is hoped that it will help to 
	track numbers of birds that use School grounds, giving the charity an 
	insight into the wildlife which is doing well or not so well, and providing 
	Schoolchildren with a great learning experience. 
	 
	The survey encourages Schoolchildren of all ages, and their teachers, to 
	count the birds in their School grounds for 1 hour of 1 day. Each School's 
	findings help the RSPB's experts to build a picture of bird populations and 
	monitor any changes, while carrying out the survey helps children to improve 
	their observation skills. 
	 
	Last year, a record breaking 90,000 pupils and teachers across the UK took 
	part in the Big Schools' Birdwatch, which revealed the blackbird as the most 
	commonly seen bird in School grounds, with 85% of Schools seeing an average 
	of 5. 
	 
	Now the RSPB is looking forward to receiving this year's School wildlife 
	sightings, which also contribute to the results of the RSPB's annual Big 
	Garden Birdwatch; which has the title of the 'Biggest Wildlife Survey 
	In The World', that will take place over 30 January 2016 to 31 
	January 2016. 
	 
	James Harding Morris, RSPB Big Schools' Birdwatch Co-ordinator said:- 
	"This fun and educational activity is suitable for all ages and abilities 
	and, best of all, it takes just 1 lesson or lunchtime. Research has shown 
	that children are increasingly disconnected from nature, which is linked to 
	poorer physical and mental health, so this event is a great way to get young 
	people excited about the world around them. It also provides us with 
	valuable information on how some of our familiar birds are doing and 
	encourages the children to help give nature a home." 
	 
	There is still time for Schools to sign up to take part in the Birdwatch. 
	Teachers, helpers or children don't need to be experts to take part in the 
	survey. Everything a teacher would need to plan a fantastic Birdwatch, and 
	develop their children's knowledge and interest in the birds they see every 
	day, is available to download, including guidance notes, things to make and 
	counting charts. To register a School to take part please click on 
	here. 
	 
	The Big Schools' Birdwatch and Big Garden Birdwatch are part of the RSPB's 
	Giving Nature a Home campaign, aimed at tackling the problems facing the 
	UK's threatened wildlife. For more information on how to give nature a home, 
	visit:- 
	
	RSPB.Org.UK/Homes.   
	Also, if your School is taking part in 
	this Birdwatch, please do let us know via emailing us at:-
	
	News24@southportReporter.Com. 
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