|
Suicide
Prevention Charity Calls for Local Support
PAPYRUS the national
charity for the prevention of young suicide is calling on support
from people in the North West to help reduce the number of young
people who take their own lives.
Each year in the United Kingdom more than 2,100 young people under
the age of 35 die through suicide. PAPYRUS believes this is a
national scandal and needs to be talked about. So if your New Year
resolution is to help young people in your community, the charity is
inviting you to an open meeting to explore how you might become
involved.
As a part of a national programme, the first regional network event
for friends and supporters of PAPYRUS will be held in Warrington on
Saturday, 11 February 2012, from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm. You’ll meet some of
the PAPYRUS team as well as current supporters, in a very informal
environment to discuss how you might get involved in your own
community in young suicide prevention. The morning will include a
90-minute suicide awareness session around the question:- ‘Should
we talk about suicide?’ which safely explores some of the most
challenging attitudinal issues about suicide and how people can help
with prevention. The morning is open to everyone, but in order
to accommodate numbers, advance booking is necessary.
To register, or if you would like
to speak to someone for more information before the event please
call PAPYRUS on:- 01925 572 444 or
email. A nominal £5 donation is suggested, including sandwich lunch; free
to PAPYRUS members.
80,000 jobs to be axed in North
West’s public services
MORE than 80,000 jobs will be axed from public services in
the North West over the next 5 years. That’s the shock finding
of a TUC analysis of official figures produced by the Office of
Budget Responsibility (OBR) following the Autumn statement in
November by Chancellor George Osborne, Conservative MP for Knutsford.
The massive job losses in our region come on top of the 30,000 jobs
which have already been lost from public services here since the
Coalition came to power in May 2010, according to surveys by the
North West TUC and the general workers union, the GMB.
The latest analysis is based on official OBR figures, which have
forecast that 710,000 jobs will be axed in public services across
the country up to 2017, as a result of the Chancellor’s policies.
The TUC is providing a regional breakdown of that total for the
first time, which shows that of the 710,000 jobs lost nationally,
exactly 81,075 jobs will go from the North West, the worst hit
region in Britain outside of London.
North West TUC Regional Secretary Alan Manning said:- "This is
another hammer blow to the regional economy and to tens of thousands
of public servants and their families in the North West.
The cuts to public services which we have already suffered are
having a devastating effect on the most vulnerable people in our
communities and have choked off any hopes of growth in the North
West economy, because the private sector can’t fill the gap.
Now we are set for five more years of pain – without any gain. As a
North West MP, George Osborne should stop and take stock – his
policies are hurting, but they are simply not working.
It’s time we had policies which put people first, by getting them
back to work earning a living, paying taxes and helping stimulate
growth."
For more information on cuts to public services in our region, see
the North West TUC’s campaign
website.
|
 |
Who are your
customer service stars?
HAVE you been wowed by
waiting on staff, blown away by a bar person or had your taste buds
tickled by a creative cook? If so, Liverpool City Council’s
tourism team want to hear from you.
The Liverpool Ambassador Awards are back for the 10th year, and
recognises outstanding customer service in the tourism industry.
The nomination process is now open
and residents are asked to vote for the unsung heroes and heroines
who go above and beyond the call of duty to make Liverpool a truly
welcoming city. There are 12 categories which recognise
customer service stars such as reception staff, retail assistants
and the young person of the year.
Liverpool city council’s cabinet member for culture and tourism,
Councillor Wendy Simon, said:- “Liverpool is a popular visitor
destination and one of the key things that keeps people returning
time and time again is the welcome they receive here which is second
to none.
The importance of excellent customer service should never be
underestimated – it always makes our experience of a restaurant,
shop or art gallery much more enjoyable if the staff were helpful,
friendly and knowledgeable.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Ambassador Awards, and
its popularity has grown year on year. We received around 500
nominations in 2011, so we’re hoping to smash that figure this year.
I hope as many people as possible fill out the simple nomination
form and give us the chance to celebrate those who clearly have real
pride in their roles and this city.”
The 12 categories are:-
Chef/Cook of the Year
Arts/Culture Staff of the Year
Bar Person of the Year
Family Friendly Staff
Waiter or Waitress of the Year
Retail Assistant of the Year
Tourism Support, Transport and Leisure Staff
Unseen Hero
Liverpool Delegate Welcome Award
Young Person of the Year
Reception Staff of the Year
Outstanding Customer Service
To nominate a customer service hero or heroine, go to:-
citytalk.fm/ambassadorawards.
The closing date is midnight on Sunday 5 February 2012.
The city council organised event is sponsored by City Central BID,
Liverpool ONE and Radio City.
Ged Gibbons, Chief Executive of City Central BID, which represents
630 businesses in the retail and leisure heart of Liverpool city
centre, said:- "To be nominated as an Ambassador is a very
special achievement and potentially a career-changing one and we
will be urging all our members to get involved in promoting these
awards.
To be celebrating the tenth edition of these awards is a great
milestone and speaks volumes for how much Liverpool values great
customer service. With a visitor economy worth almost £2bn a year
it’s vital we have these ‘Oscars’ and the fact each year gets more
competitive is another sign of how Liverpool is maturing as a class
A destination."
Chris Bliss, Estate Director at Liverpool ONE, said:-
"Ensuring a great visitor experience through excellent customer
service is important to us at Liverpool ONE.
We constantly raise the bar to offer a world class service for our
shoppers and visitors. These awards recognise the people of
Liverpool who go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure their
customers and visitors to the city have the best possible experience
and go away feeling enriched and as new ambassadors of Liverpool –
that’s why we’re proud supporters of these inspirational awards."
The award ceremony takes place on Wednesday, 28 March 2012, at the Crowne
Plaza in Liverpool city centre. |
