FA awards 08

SOUTHPORT-based insurance provider Paymentshield’s commitment to delivering excellent service was officially recognised at a glittering awards ceremony in London.  They scooped the much sought-after Five Star award for overall service at last week’s ceremony hosted by industry bible Financial Adviser at the Natural History Museum. 

“This is clear recognition that our intermediary partners appreciate the hard work and investment in technology undertaken by Paymentshield in order to make a real difference to the business lives of our adviser partners.  I’m very proud that these efforts have been recognised with this award,” said a delighted Paymentshield chief executive Stuart Pender.

Financial intermediaries were asked to rate the service they received from product providers in the last 12 months and their views were analysed independently to decide the star ratings with five stars for the best.  In addition to the award for service Paymentshield also picked up a ‘5 Star’ rating for its e-commerce capabilities.

6TH UK/EUROPEAN SYMPOSIUM ON ADDICTIVE DISORDERS

THE Addiction Recovery Foundation (UKESAD) are holding an event in Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Kensington, London SW7 on 14 May 09 to 16 May 2009.  The charity said that:- "We look forward to seeing friends old and new, to the 'buzz' of like minds, and exchanging international expertise via networking and our 60 national and international speakers in about 40 presentations.

The 2009 programme will be finalised in December 2008, and updates will be available on our website.  We hope you come and join us."

The Foundation provides both professionals and the recovery community with free resources on how to recover.  All of these are available at the newly-redesigned website.

Highlights at the event will be:-

> Patrick Carnes – the world pioneer gives a half-day workshop on diagnosing and treating sexual addiction

> Professor Carlton Erickson on Applying the latest neuroscience into your clinical work

> Professor David Rosenbloom of www.jointogether.com and Boston University

> Professor Roger Weiss of Harvard Medical School, Dept of Psychiatry

> Jane Mintz – the Association of Intervention Specialists board member gives a half-day workshop

> Kay Dowd and Sue Sutcliffe on The group as family: recreating childhoods

> Esther Harris and Philip Trenchard on Client confidentiality - especially in family therapy

> NTA chair Baroness Massey

> Dr Brian Iddon MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Drugs Misuse Group

> Professor Norman Hoffmann, on Diagnosing Dependency and/vs Misuse

> Kathy Gyngell, author of Breakdown Britain and Breakthrough Britain on future policy

> Mike Ashton of Findings on How to (re)interpret research

> Dr Michael Miller and Dr Louis Baxter, president and president-elect of the American Society of Addiction Medicine

> IC&RC president Jeff Willbee on internationally-recognised accreditation

> And many more...  including speakers from mainland Europe, to progress work on networking and common standards.

Go to www.ukesad.org – secure your early-bird discounts this week as the deadline has been extended to Friday, 12 December 2008.

{Accounting/administration for Uniity is via the Addiction Recovery Foundation, 193 Victoria Street,London SW1E 5NE.  Phone:- 020-7233 5333.  Charity reg no:- 328133.  Company no:- 2352657.  Vat no:- GB 539 0252 52}

Shooting in Shaw Street Park, Everton

MERSEYSIDE Police are now reappealing for witnesses following the shooting of a 17 year old youth in Everton on the night of Saturday, 6 December 2008.  Officers were called just after midnight to a report of a shooting at Shaw Street Park, off Shaw Street. The victim was found at a house nearby and was taken to hospital where he is being treated for an injury to his left leg. He is still in hospital and his condition is described as stable.  Inspector Andy Large from the specialist Matrix unit said:- "We are following up a number of lines of enquiry but at this stage the motive for the shooting is not known. I am appealing to the driver of a 4x4-type vehicle which was in the area at the time to come forward as they might have vital information to the investigation. Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has any information is urged to call the Guncrime hotline on 080..., or Crimestoppers on 0800...."  High visibility patrols have been stepped up in the area and house-to-house enquiries are still underway. Forensic examinations have also been carried out at the scene.e

1 in 4 Britons seek home comforts this Christmas with plans for a family celebration

THE traditional family Christmas is set for a comeback this year, with 28% British adults intending to spend Christmas day at parents', in-laws' or relatives' homes.

The findings, from new research conducted for Prudential Lifetime Mortgages, reveal that just 1% of British adults intend going to a hotel or restaurant for Christmas day and just 2% are going on holiday.  And the family home is set to feature heavily in plans for the entire festive period with 37% of British adults intending to spend time over the festive period at their parents' or in-laws' homes.  Of these people 51% said they are going to parents' / in-laws' homes as they see it as a hub for the family to get together, with 32% saying they like getting their Christmas meal cooked for them, 28% saying spending time at parents' / in laws' homes makes Christmas feel more like a holiday, and 22% saying going to their parents' / in-laws' home reminds them of their childhood.

For over a quarter of the nation the family home will be the Christmas venue of choice as people look to tighten their belts this Christmas.  The findings reveal that 40% of British adults say they will spend less on Christmas this year.

Keith Haggart, Director of Lifetime Mortgages, Prudential states:- “While it is inevitable that many people will be looking to cut back this Christmas, that doesn’t mean that Britain will be spending the festive period mired in gloom.  Millions of people will be spending more time together as a family and for many that means going to their parents or in-laws to enjoy Christmas in the family home.

The findings underline the emotional importance of the family home to the entire extended family and at a time when many households will be looking at ways to boost their income, downsizing is not only a challenging proposition in a flat housing market, but could also potentially remove the enjoyment experienced by the rest of the family when visiting the family home.  An option is for people to explore whether an equity release plan could help them gain an income from their property while still being able to continue living in it.”

Hotel Safety Breakthrough?

NORTH WEST Labour Euro MP, Arlene McCarthy, Chair of the European Parliament's Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, has won the backing of the hotel industry for a new hotel safety charter.

Arlene said:- "Too many lives have been lost in hotel fires which could have been prevented.  Recent deaths from Carbon Monoxide poisoning in holiday resorts show that even the most basic safety measures are not in place."

Arlene, whose campaign has been backed by TV safety campaigner, Nick Ross said:- “our holidaymakers and business travellers booking hotels and resorts across Europe have no idea how safe their accommodation is.  When booking a hotel you could literally be taking your life in your hands.  European fire officers have seen terrifying examples of negligence; sprinklers without a water supply, covered smoke alarms and blocked fire exits.  Europe has to act.  If you buy an iron you have a guarantee that it complies with specific safety standards.  Booking a hotel should also come with a safety mark or guarantee.  Hotels get a star marking for facilities and customer service, why not for meeting essential safety standards?”

Arlene's Committee convened a hearing earlier this year and commissioner a study on options to improve safety.  After months of bringing together fire officers, the hotel trade and tour operators Arlene has now achieved a major breakthrough, with the agreement of the hotel industry to establish and adopt across 40 organisations in Europe and EU-wide safety charter.

Arlene said:- "we told them in no uncertain terms that we want action.  We just want our constituent to sleep safe and sound in their beds, whichever hotel or resort the book into across Europe."

Police raid on Bootle addresses leads to drugs arrests

MERSEYSIDE Police have informed us that they have seized amphetamine with a street value of approximately £10,000, along with a Cannabis bush with a street value estimated at £2,500, during a drug warrant at an address in Bootle on Wednesday, 3 December 2008.

Police executed drug warrants at two addresses in Strand House, Bootle; following information received that drug related activity had been happening.  During the search police seized the quantities of amphetamine and cannabis from the kitchen and bedroom areas of the address.

A 50 year old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A & C drugs.  He has been released on police bail pending forensic results.

Sefton's Operation Hawk Sergeant Gary Hastewell said:- "Merseyside Police continues to rely on information from the community to be able to target those involved in the sale and distribution of illegal drugs.  Communities can be greatly affected by drugs and people's quality of life can be improved by ridding our streets of drugs and drug dealing.  I would urge anyone who has any information which may help get drugs off your streets to contact the police or Crimestoppers."

Police Community Support Officers from Bootle followed up the raids by posting leaflets around the neighbourhood, encouraging people to come forward with information about drug dealing as well as reinforcing the message to any other residents involved in drug dealing that they could well receive a similar wake up call from the Hawk team.

Members of the community can pass information to the Operation Hawk team through the anonymous Crimestoppers hotline on 0800 555 111.