North West Air Ambulance Charity Benefits from Donated Communications and Tracking Software

ON the 21 July, 2010 the Team Simoco has donated an SRP9100 radio with Global Positioning System (GPS) microphone to the North West Air Ambulance for use in the charity’s medical helicopter.

Operating from Blackpool Airport and City Airport, Manchester, North West Air Ambulance provides life saving services to those across the region, with Team Simoco’s donation offering a high quality and reliable GPS communication line between the medical team on board the air ambulance and Mountain Rescue on the ground.

With the GPS system now in the helicopter, the Mountain Rescue is also able to monitor its location from on the ground, allowing them to coordinate this information with other emergency services, while providing more accurate estimated arrival times to Mountain Rescue at the scene of an accident.

Paul West from North West Air Ambulance says:- “North West Air Ambulance Charity works alongside Mountain Rescue Teams and responds to seriously injured patients from some of the most inaccessible places in the North West. Team Simoco have recognised the role we play in these incidents and provided additional technology to further enhance our response. The SRP9100 radio with GPS will assist the responding Mountain Rescue Crews with identifying our location and help provide the necessary support in removing the casualty from the scene. We are very grateful for the support that Team Simoco has offered and the improvements the technology will provide to us when attending off road incidents.”

Ian Carr, Team Simoco’s Chief Executive, says:- “North West Air Ambulance provides vital support to those in the north west region 365 days of the year, covering over 5,500 square miles, yet all of this is achieved without any major central government or lottery funding. We wanted to give something back to the community and the North West Air Ambulance Charity is without doubt a very worthy cause.”

North West Air Ambulance has two specially equipped medical helicopters and the charity relies mainly on public donations to reach annual maintenance costs of £4million. The helicopters have a maximum flying time of 10 minutes to the nearest appropriate hospital from any location in the region, which has been the vital difference for thousands of people across the north west since the charity was founded in 1999.

Lord Mayor stars in costume drama

LIVERPOOL’S Lord Mayor, Councillor Hazel Williams is visited St. Michael-in-the-Hamlet School, the only school in the region taking part in this year's Brouhaha festival. Staff and pupils at the Aigburth school have been working hard perfecting their costumes and will perform a full run through of their planned carnival parade in front of the city’s first citizen.   Councillor Williams said:- “This will be my first glimpse of what I can expect from Saturday’s carnival so I’m very excited. I can’t wait to see the pupils in costume and I feel very privileged that they have invited me to come and watch. I know they will be brilliant.”  Liverpool City Council funded the school £1700 through the Community Fund. The school in partnership with Brouhaha have run a number of 'costume camps' in order to make nearly 100 costumes in preparation for big carnival parade this Saturday, 24 July 2010.  Pupils will parade as part of the annual 'Enterprise day' following a series of workshops led by visiting Trinidadian musicians and dancers.

ST HELENS DEALERSHIP BEST IN THE COUNTRY FOR FIFTH YEAR

LOCAL car dealership Polar Ford has been recognised by the disabled drivers’ organisation Motability as providing the best support and customer service in helping disabled people take to the road by using specially adapted cars.

Polar Ford, as part of the Ford Retail Group, has been awarded the prestigious title of Best Motability Dealer Group of the Year. The award comes after Ford Retail beat off competition from other dealer groups for the fifth year in a row, supporting the company’s commitment to provide a consistently outstanding service to its disabled customers. Judges commended Polar Ford’s quality of support to the Motability scheme, from senior management to individual dealership staff with the level of customer service described as ‘first class’.

The awards ceremony was attended by BBC newsreader Hugh Edwards, who congratulated and presented the Motability 2010 winners with their trophies.

At the awards Mike Betts, chief executive of Motability, said:- “Winning the award as the best Dealer Group for the fifth consecutive year is a phenomenal achievement. We consistently find staff at Polar Ford a delight to work with, and great collaborators in delivering change and enhancements to Motability customer service.”

Speaking of their success, Motability manager Malcolm Tutton said:- “We’re thrilled to have won this prestigious award for the fifth time. It’s recognition of our strong commitment to the scheme and to helping customers with disabilities get back on the road. We look forward to continuing to work with Motability Operations into the future.”

The Motability Scheme offers anyone who receives the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance or the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement, the opportunity to drive or be driven in a brand new car complete with road tax, insurance, servicing and repairs, replacement tyres and full RAC breakdown cover for a period of 3 years.

TWO MEN ARRESTED FOLLOWING DISCOVERY OF A CANNABIS FACTORY

MERSEYSIDE Police on Monday, 19 July 2010, executed a warrant under the misuse of drugs act at an address in Aigburth and discovered a large cannabis factory.

The officers from the South Liverpool Tactical Teams arrested two men, a 19 year old and a 23 year old, both from Aigburth were arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis. Over 600 plants were found at the address in Aigburth Road along with cultivation equipment. A further three searches were carried out following the raid and more equipment was found and a third man, aged 22 was arrested on suspicion of possession of cannabis.

Chief Inspector Dave Charnock said:- "This Cannabis factory is worth about £250,000 and is the result of good police worth combined with community information. The officers worked quickly and highlight the fact that the we are serious about taking drugs of the streets of Merseyside. I would appeal for people to keep sharing information with the police."