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Bigger Big Chip Awards in 2007
MANCHESTER
Digital calls for entries from Liverpool and Merseyside companies by
12 March 2007. The Big Chip Awards for North West companies
excelling in the use of IT and digital technology are back - bigger
than before, with nine new categories, and more accurately
reflecting the region’s changing digital landscape.
Awards organiser Manchester Digital is inviting companies from all
sectors across Liverpool and Merseyside to submit their entries for
the 2007 awards, which includes a special category for the ‘Best
in Merseyside.’ The call for entries is to digital sector
companies and all businesses, creative agencies and organisations
which have undertaken digital initiatives in the past year -
everything from a company website to digital marketing.
Now in its 9th year, this year’s Big Chip Awards boasts 26
categories including sub-regional categories for Cumbria, Greater
Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cheshire & Warrington.
The 9 new categories reflect the dynamic new technologies shaping
modern social, leisure and commercial life in the North West. The
new categories include Best Animation, Best Interactive Mobile
Application and Best Digital Brand Development.
Entries are submitted online at
bigchipawards.com.
The first 2 entries are free. Subsequent entries cost £75. The
closing date for entries is Monday 12 March 2007. The Big Chip
Awards will be announced at a glittering awards dinner on Wednesday
23 May 2007 at New Century Hall in Manchester. This year’s
judges will be made up of a panel of figures from the sector chaired
by Michael Nutley, editor of weekly industry ‘bible,’ New
Media Age.
Organised by Manchester Digital, the trade association for the
region’s digital sector, and supported by the Manchester Digital
Development Agency, the awards are open to any organisation based in
the North West that has designed or commissioned any digital
projects in the past year. This can include website, DVD, animation,
wireless or SMS projects.
Last year saw entries from a range of companies across Merseyside.
However, there was one clear winner on the night - St. Helen’s based
company Cybertill Ltd who collected both The Big Chip Innovation
Award and the coveted ‘Best from Merseyside’ accolade.
Chair of Manchester Digital, Shaun Fensom, said:- “It is an
exciting time for the North West’s digital industry - the sector is
growing and going from strength to strength. The Big Chip Awards
offers a great opportunity for our sector to shout about the
excellence and best practice in the region. As ever, we have
introduced new categories to reflect the new technologies and
expertise in the region’s digital sector so that The Big Chip Awards
will help highlight the breadth of talent the North West has to
offer.”
Compere for the black tie event, which includes reception, 4-course
meal and post-awards entertainment, is broadcaster Anthony Wilson.
The Award categories are:-
Best E-Commerce Project, B2B
Best E-Commerce Project, B2C
Best Public Sector Project
Best Not for Profit Project
Best Commercial Website
Best Use of Visual Design
Best Use of Homeworking
Best Game
Best Digital Brand Development
Best Search Targeting
Best Interactive Mobile Application
Best E-Learning Project
Big Chip Innovation Award
Best Digital Marketing Campaign
Best Freelancer/ Micro Enterprise
Best Animation
Best Rising Star
Best Collaboration (selected from shortlists for other awards)
Big Chip New Media Agency Award (selected from shortlists for other
awards)
Mancat Promising Student Award (awarded in conjunction with Mancat)
Grand Prix - (the best overall entry)
Sub Regional
Categories:-
Best from Cumbria
Best from Greater Manchester
Best from Merseyside
Best from Lancashire
Best from Cheshire & Warrington |
SECRET MEMORIES SAVED
A DRAMATIC
plea to find the African men who helped merchant seafarers during
the 2nd World War is being made in Liverpool. The Cruel Sea
project has recorded the memories of Arab, Caribbean, Chinese,
Egyptian, Malaysian, Somali, White British and Yemeni seafarers from
wartime onwards. It has uncovered some fascinating stories, told for
the very 1st time. The 2 men who are making the plea to find their
African helpers are telling the story of their rescue from being
stranded, at the handover ceremony on Monday which involves canoes,
jungles and the Royal West African Frontier Force soldiers.
A year’s worth of work transcribing thousands of hours of video
interviews with more than 700 seafarers has just been completed and
now the archive is being handed over in an emotional ceremony to the
Liverpool Library Service’s Record Office on Monday, plus copies
will also be sent to the National Archives at Kew in London.
Liverpool City Council leader, Cllr Warren Bradley, said:-
“This is an epic piece of work and has unearthed some previously
untold stories that it is vital we record before they are lost. It
is not only personal histories; these stories are also part of
Liverpool’s history which is now recorded for future generations. I
wish the best of luck to the seafarers who are trying to find the
people who have helped them in the past.”
Work has also begun on making some of the memories into a major
stage play at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool on July 5-7, 2007.
The stage play is being written by John Fay and directed by Rebecca
Ross-Williams. It will be set in 1939 featuring 2 young
Liverpudlians keen to follow in the footsteps of their sailing
fathers, with a life of perceived adventure in the Merchant Navy.
And nothing is going to stop them. Not the U-Boats. Not the
Luftwaffe. Not even their mums.
Organisations urged to tap into €50 billion of European cash
THE Northwest
Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is helping organisations from
across the region to tap into €50 billion (almost £34 billion) of
European Funding through Frameworks Northwest. Frameworks
Northwest, which is funded by the NWDA and delivered by RTC North,
supports organisations in their bids for European funding, helping
them to submit strengthened proposals in line with specific ‘calls’
from Europe.
Originally established in 2003, in response to the last round of
European funding (6th Framework Programme), the new service will
continue to act as the dedicated regional contact point for European
research and development grants.
The European Union attaches considerable importance to the growth of
the knowledge economy and has set aside €50 billion for
collaborative research and development projects under the Seventh
Framework Programme (FP7). The programme will run for 7 years
from 2007 and will link industry with leading research organisations
in Europe, helping them to access new markets and gain new areas of
expertise through collaborative research and development projects.
George Baxter, NWDA Director of Science and Innovation, said:-
“Frameworks Northwest acts as an important gateway for Northwest
organisations to access European funding. Under the previous
Framework 6 programme the Northwest was successful in securing
almost £60 million. With more money available under FP7 and an even
greater focus on industrial participation, I would encourage
organisations to make the most of the support available and look
into this vital new funding stream.”
Ritchie Head, Frameworks Northwest Manager, said:- “We have
worked hard to highlight the right opportunities for the right
organisations in the Northwest, responding to the direct needs of
industry in the region. Focusing on practical help and advice, we
have successfully increased Northwest based participation in the
Frameworks Programme, and I fully expect this to rise for FP7.”
January Trust Board Meeting
MEMBERS of the
public are invited to the January meeting of the Southport &
Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust Board on Wednesday 17 January 2006 at
9.30am. It will be held in the Boardroom, Southport & Formby
District General Hospital, Town Lane, Kew, Southport.
The public are invited to come along to all Trust Board meetings and
listen to the debate on the various issues discussed at the meeting.
Copies of the agenda and minutes from previous meetings are
available on the Trust
website.
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