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Southport & Mersey Reporter® covering the news on Merseyside.

Date:- 12 November 2007

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1 in 4 older people live in 1 room of their home

A survey released by the British Gas Help the Aged Partnership, opens the door on the winter lives of older people as they struggle to stay warm and well. The chilling figures reveal that over 1 in 4 older people in the North West stay or live in just 1 heated room of their homes to keep warm and save heating costs. It also shows that the same number of older people wear outdoor clothes in their homes including gloves, overcoats and hats to keep warm and save heating costs.

Released to mark the launch of this year’s British Gas Help the Aged Partnership winter deaths campaign, the survey highlights the affliction of fuel poverty that blights the lives of over 1 million pensioner households in the UK – a major cause of preventable winter deaths.  The results also highlight the Government’s failings to do enough to meet its statutory duty to eradicate fuel poverty in vulnerable households by 2010 with over 1 in 3 older people in the North West left unaware of whom to contact for help and advice on how to claim cash benefits.  This year alone the Government’s pot of unclaimed benefits for older people stands at £4.5 billion – vital benefits that could help lift older people out of fuel poverty and ensure they are in a better financial position to stay warm and well in the winter.

The survey, carried out by ICM Research, also shows that last winter over 1 in 5 older people in the North West turned off their heating because they were worried about the cost. According to the research, in the North West to keep warm and save heating costs:-

· 1 in 6 older people go out to public establishments including libraries, coffee shops and shopping centres;

· Around 1 in 7 older people seek refuge from the cold underneath their blankets in bed;

· 1 in 10 older people cut back on food shopping.

The Partnership is demanding the Government stops taking chances with the lives of older people and takes its duty seriously by introducing automatic payment of benefits, and in the short term, invests in effective face-to-face benefits advice services for older people.

As Anna Pearson, British Gas Help the Aged Partnership spokesperson explains:- “Each year over 25,000 older people lose their lives to a preventable cold-related illness. In the North West alone, in 2005-2006 the number of excess winter deaths for older people was over 20,000. The Government is literally gambling with people’s lives by not doing nearly enough to end fuel poverty. The Government has a potential jackpot of £4.5 billion waiting for older people, but it dangles this vital cash behind a complex maze of means-tested benefits and as a result, money continually fails to reach those who need it to survive.

If it is serious about meeting its fuel poverty target, central and local government must commit more funding to face-to-face services, such as the British Gas Help the Aged Partnership Benefits Advice Programme. It’s time to stop the cheating and start the heating.”


The Partnership is urging older people in the North West to take advantage of the current benefits system with its campaign message You’ve got to claim it to gain itin an attempt to increase the odds of older people receiving the benefits needed to survive the winter. To help streamline the claims process, the Partnership has teamed up with the Department of Work and Pensions to promote one phone number for older people to call for 3 benefits checks: Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

Campaign Ambassador, June Whitfield, comments:- “Through an ongoing commitment to helping older people in the winter, we have learnt that with the right benefits advice and support older people do receive the benefits that they are entitled to. That’s why this year the British Gas Help the Aged Partnership is encouraging older people in the North West to “claim it to gain it” to beat the Government at its own game.

The Partnership will be giving older people some of the tools they need to do just that, by distributing free “
Your Winter Warm Up” packs with fresh information, advice and one telephone number for claiming benefits, along with free thermometers to ensure older people receive the financial and practical support they need to enjoy a warm and healthy winter.”

To order your a Your Winter Warm Uppack please call the British Gas Help the Aged Partnership on 0870 7700 446.

Southport FC signs up Barratt...

FOLLOWING training on Friday 9 November 2007, Paul Barratt has concluded his transfer to Southport from Worcester City. Manager Peter Davenport had earlier put seven days notice in for the player and he goes straight into the squad for tomorrow's trip to 3rd placed Hyde United. Based in the North West Paul was part of Liverpool's FA Youth Cup winning side in 2006.

Capable of playing in either defence or midfield, Paul adds real competition for places.  Occupying the left back role for Worcester City throughout September, Barratt collected their Player of the month award, something that hadn't gone un-noticed by Davenport when the 'Port visited St. George's Lane earlier this season.

Barratt could make his debut against Hyde United as a straight replacement for the outgoing Sean Newton who has returned to Chester City following the expiration of his loan deal.

Barratt started his career with Manchester City before joining "the Reds" on Merseyside in 2004 for a £30,000 fee.  He played in the 2006 FA Youth Cup final and was also invited to train with the first team during his time at Anfield.  He joined Worcester following his release by Liverpool in May 2007.

Did you know?

The highlights of the history of Southport Football Club include a Football League Championship, an appearance at Wembley, an FA Cup sixth round appearance, a Northern Premier League title and a Conference North title.

The last five years have been very turbulent for The Sandgrounders, having played in the Conference National (2002/03), Unibond Premiership(2003/04) and Conference North(2004/05), Conference National again(2005-2007), and now find themselves in the Conference North again for the 2007/08 campaign.

Originally formed as a Rugby club, Southport changed codes following a string of disastrous results in 1881 and were founder members of the Central League in 1911. Six years earlier, the club had moved grounds to Ash Lane, later to be renamed Haig Avenue, where they remain to this day, over 100 years later.

In 1918 they were taken over by the Vulcan Motor Company, and played for one season only as Southport Vulcan therefore becoming the first club to use a sponsorship label as part of their name. One of the club’s Caterforce sponsored KGV Youth Development teams still uses this name.

The clubs shirt sponsors are currently Paymentshield, the UK's largest independent supplier of mortgage related insurance products to the intermediary sector.

For further information on the History of the club please visit the official club website.

WARNING ROGUE TRADERS

SEFTON'S Trading Standards are warning residents to be aware of door-to-door 'traders' operating in the borough.

Rogue salesmen have arrived unannounced at a number of properties in Maghull and Formby offering simple home improvements. This includes things like block paving, paving cleaning and repairing broken facias, guttering and roofing.

The salesman have been targeting certain areas promising to carry out improvements at cheap rates.

Trading Standards have been contacted by a number of residents in the Maghull and Formby area and are warning all residents across the borough to be vigilant.

Trading Standards manager, Andrew Naisbitt said:- "These so called 'traders' have been calling unannounced and advising residents in Formby and Maghull of the need to carry out urgent repairs to driveways, roofing or guttering.

The company that we have received a number of complaints about is also making false claims about being sub-contracted by a well established company.

No proper paperwork is ever provided and payment is demanded in cash, often in an intimidatory manner.

We are following various leads in connection with this but residents need to be aware of what is going on.

The bottom line is that no resident needs to pay a penny when approached like this as they do not know who they are dealing with. These rip-off merchants just want to take advantage of vulnerable people in the run up to Christmas."


For help and advice on all consumer issues contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506.

ADVICE TO TAKE ON DOORSTEP CALLERS

* Take care when opening the door to anyone. Fit and use a security chain.

* Do not let the caller into your home until you have verified his/her identification by their employer. Find the number in the phone book.

* Don't be afraid to say no and remember, you do not have to give reasons. A crafty salesman will find an answer to every reason you give.

* If you are uncertain, ask for time to think it over and compare prices elsewhere. An honest salesman will understand.

* Never sign anything on the spot.

* Always ask for identification that you can verify.

* Do not let the caller into your home until you have verified identification.

* Do not agree to anyone carrying out work on your house until you get a second opinion as to whether it is required.

* Do not agree to any work being carried out where the caller says "We are only in the area today."

* Never accept lifts from sales people to go to the bank collect money.

* The seller may offer you a 'special discount' or free gift to sign immediately. Do not feel pressured by this kind of offer.

* Remember that once you part with your money it can be difficult to get it back if things go wrong.

AMNESTY RENEWS ITS CALL ON GOVERNMENTS AND COMPANIES TO MAKE HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRAL TO INTERNET GOVERNANCE

AS the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) meets in Rio de Janeiro, Amnesty International said that restrictions on freedom of expression online are increasing globally.

Amnesty International believes that numerous allegations of corporate involvement in suppression of human rights necessitates both companies and governments taking their responsibilities more seriously. The organisation is calling on governments to halt prosecution and legislation aimed at limiting freedom of expression online and to release prisoners held on the basis of their online political expression. Amnesty also calls on governments to commit collectively to human rights standards as the essential basis to prevent violations online.

To ensure that Internet companies do not become complicit with governments in violating human rights, Amnesty is urging such companies to demonstrably use all national and international legal, political and technical means available towards this end.

Nick Dearden, part of Amnesty International’s delegation to the IGF, said:- “In the 12 months since the last IGF we’ve witnessed the crisis in Burma, where the Internet was used to get images and information out of the country and to mobilize people all over the world to take action. On the other hand we have also monitored the increase in censorship, filtering and blocking of websites.  The IGF is taking place at a pivotal time in the Internet’s history. Its potential is enormous, but that potential could so easily be squandered. It’s essential that human rights are embedded in any agreement on Internet governance, and that companies and governments are held to their human rights commitments.”

2 years after agreement was reached in Tunis on the principles which should govern the Internet (1), more and more countries apply filters to web content, cyber-dissidents are arrested and harassed in a growing number of countries said the organisation.

- China is believed to hold around 60 cyber-dissidents including Shi Tao, Wang Xiaoning, Li Zhi and Jiang Lijun for reporting and political comment;

- 7 students and a beautician were jailed following unfair trials in Syria in July after calling for peaceful political reforms online;

- Truong Quoc Huy was arrested in Vietnam in August 2006 and is believed to be facing charges of abusing democratic freedomsfor participating in chat rooms. He has not been seen by his family since his arrest, and his current whereabouts is uncertain.

Recent arrests have been reported in a number of other countries including Thailand where directives and legislation to limit freedom of expression online were issued in September 2006 and July 2007.

According to research by the Open Net initiative, while 5 years ago serious and systematic filtering appeared to take place in just 3 countries,– China, Iran and Saudi Arabia – it has been detected in more than 2 dozen states including Burma, Morocco and Thailand.

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