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Fundraiser makes strides to help people across the world and around
the corner
JO Allott, the
local area fundraiser for Merseyside is appealing to people to join
her in a sponsored walk up Rivington Pike to raise money for the
charity.
The British Red Cross’s Rivington Pike sponsored walk heads up to
the landmark Rivington Tower on the West Pennine Moors and Jo, 26,
has organised it with the help of the local ranger service.
The event takes place on the morning of Sunday 14 October and
according to Jo “all the autumn colours make it the best time
of year to view Rivington Pike and Lever Park. The 5 mile route
includes breathtaking views across the North West as well as a visit
to Liverpool Castle; so there is something for all the family to
enjoy.”
To enter costs £5 for adults and £2 for children and walkers are
challenged to raise £50 or more for the charity. Walkers who raise
£75 or more will receive a free Red Cross T-shirt! Money
raised from the event will enable The British Red Cross to deliver
its services across the world and around the corner. The charity’s
services in the North West include wheelchair loans, assistance for
people coming out of hospital, as well as first aid training.
For more information or to register to take part in the walk,
telephone Jo at The British Red Cross on 0161 888 8915 or
email. |
HALF OF UK SME EMPLOYEES ARE IN THE WRONG CAR
ACCORDING to
research, 46% of SMEs allow their employees to use their own cars
for business. This results in black holes in their duty of care
responsibilities, a higher carbon footprint and increased costs.
Private vehicles being used for business, dubbed the “grey fleet”,
have been identified by many as one of the key challenges facing
British business today. From the Energy Saving Trust to the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Accidents, many organisations have
warned of the dangers of the grey fleet. These latest figures,
from car hire firm Enterprise Rent-A-Car, show that too few SMEs are
taking notice.
Legislation dictates that companies have a duty of care to their
employees when they are driving for work, with the recent Corporate
Manslaughter Bill making it easier to prosecute firms that fall
short in this duty. Sending employees out in vehicles that the
company has no control over can result in unpleasant legal and
financial consequences. Companies have no way of checking how
regularly private vehicles are serviced or how well they’re looked
after, often resulting in a business fleet of unsafe, inefficient,
high-polluting vehicles.
There’s a strong financial argument too – paying mileage expenses to
employees who use their own vehicles can make a serious dent in a
company’s bottom line. If your employees are regularly on the road,
mileage reimbursement becomes a major headache.
Rob Ingram, UK business development manager at Enterprise
Rent-A-Car, comments:- “Looking after the safety of employees
is something British business is generally very good at, and SMEs do
take the issue seriously.
When it comes to safety outside the office
though, there’s often a blind spot. What these figures show is
that SMEs are not doing enough to protect their employees on the
road.
The passing of the Corporate Manslaughter Bill has
helped to re-focus attention on this area, so it’s important the SME
community starts to address the issue properly.
Sending employees
out on the road can be dangerous and costly at the best of times, so
the least employers can do is ensure their people are in well
maintained, modern cars.” |
