LOCAL SPAR IN SOUTHPORT AND LIVERPOOL STORES RAISE £5,000 FOR NSPCC

STAFF at SPAR stores operated by Alfred Jones (Warrington) Ltd across Southport ,Liverpool and the North of England carried out a range of fundraising activities involving their customers to raise £5,000 in aid of the NSPCC.

The convenience store chain, has adopted the charities for the fifth year running having already raised £1.9 million to date. SPAR stores are aiming to raise £2 million by May 2010.

Sylvia Sawyer, Chair of the NSPCC Birkdale District Committee was on hand to collect the cheque from representative from the Southport stores. She said:- “We’re really grateful to all the staff and generous customers at SPAR stores who have put in all this hard work to raise this amazing amount for the NSPCC. Child abuse is very much a local issue and impacts communities every where. By working together we can help bring it to an end and ensure that all children and young people have the secure and loving childhood they deserve.”

Jean Gordon, Area Manager for SPAR Retailer Alfred Jones (Warrington) Ltd. said:- “It was great fun working with our customers to help raise this money. SPAR retailers and employees across the area are committed to supporting the NSPCC and their work with abused and vulnerable children and young people in our region and across the UK.”

DRUGS IN BOOTLE

MERSEYSIDE Police arrested and bailed a 40 year old man from Bootle on suspicion of supplying a Class B drug as part of an ongoing investigation into the supply of amphetamines in the area.

A man died and two others were admitted to hospital, possibly after taking amphetamines from a dangerous batch. They are thought to be from the Bootle area and their symptoms included excessive agitation, excessive confusion, fitting and nausea.

The man's death is being treated as unexplained and his family have been made aware. Of the two that were admitted to hospital, one has since been discharged and the other is not thought to be in a life threatening condition.

There is no conclusive evidence at this point that drugs were the primary cause of their symptoms but police and medical staff are asking people to be very cautious and seek medical attention as soon as possible if they experience anything similar.

Anyone with information about the supply of controlled drugs is asked to call Merseyside Police on:- 0151 777 3165 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111.

UK Dates Announced - Lincoln & Liverpool

JAMIE T recently finished a sold-out UK tour that included two sold out shows at the O2 Academy Brixton and will be eager to return to the live stage in June. So in preparation for the summer's upcoming festival dates at Liverpool's O2 Academy, Jamie T & The Pacemakers will be playing on 25 June 2010 at the O2 Academy / Liverpool. Tickets are:- £16.50 and are on sale Friday, 9 April 2010 from 9am. For more information and to book go to:- gigsandtours.com or call:- 0871 2200 260. To find out more about Jamie go to his website at:- jamie-t.com.

Working links to help 8,000 young people into employment

WITH youth unemployment falling, Working Links is appointed as one of the largest providers of “Routes into Work”, part of Backing Young Britain, the Government’s flagship programme to help young people get into work.

Unemployment figures released in March show 715,000 16 to 24 year olds were still out of work or full-time education.

Working Links announces today that it will be one of the leading deliverers of the "Routes into Work” programme to help up to 48,000 young people get into work as part of the Young Person’s Guarantee. ‘Routes into Work’ will be funded by the Skills Funding Agency and delivered in partnership with Jobcentre Plus to young people aged 18-24 from six months unemployment.

The programme offers tailored training schemes to ensure that every young person has the essential skills needed to start a career in a specific industry. Initially the courses covered jobs in retail, travel, tourism, hospitality and leisure, and has now been expanded to include security and facilities management.

Working Links will deliver between 700 to 800 courses throughout the duration of the 17 month contract, aimed at helping more than 8,000 young people. Delivery began in November 2009 and the contract will run until March 2011.

Specially-trained tutors from Working Links offices across the UK will work closely with each employer to identify their business needs and then combine this with industry best-practice provided by Sector Skills Councils. That way the employers know that they are getting people trained to do the job from day one.

One of the first Routes into Work retail courses run by Working Links with Sainsbury’s shows the positive impact the contract can have on the lives of young people across the UK. The two week retail course run for young Job Seekers’ Allowance claimants in Dursley in Gloucestershire offered training in customer service, working with colleagues, positive language, sales, as well as guidance on the retail industry at large and interview technique.

Although demotivated at the beginning, all 13 jobseekers were resoundingly positive by the end of the course, praising the tutor and looking forward to using their new found skills and confidence. At the end of the programme, all course members were guaranteed interviews with Sainsbury’s and so far four individuals have been offered positions within the new store. Having undergone such comprehensive training, the remaining jobseekers are also now in a much better position to secure other retail opportunities through Working Links.

Will Cookson, Working Links’ Head of Skills, commented:- “The great thing about this contract is that every customer we send on a course has a realistic chance of getting a job because the employers have real vacancies and have planned the training courses with us. We are also giving young people the skills to start a career, not just get a job. Once they get on the first rung, we will be developing ways to move them into work-based learning such as Apprenticeships.”

The Routes into Work contract will be run by Working Links in the West Midlands, South West (Devon, Cornwall, Gloucestershire), North East, Yorkshire and Humber and the North West.

Working Links was awarded the contract in recognition of the organisation’s proven track record of working successfully with Jobcentre Plus, its experience of developing and tailoring pre-employment training, as well as having a significant employer engagement infrastructure.

Since 2000, Working Links has helped over 130,000 long-term unemployed people into sustainable employment. Working Links specialise in helping disadvantaged groups with multiple barriers to employment including lone parents, ex-offenders and older workers.

Individuals looking for further advice and support to get back into work should contact their local Jobcentre Plus office, for information on the skills training available in the local area contact the Careers Advice Service on:- 0800 100 900.