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Britons willing
to shell out more for environmentally friendly appliances
A survey by the Ideal Home
Show to mark Climate Week that runs over 12 March to 18 March 2012,
shows that British people are willing to spend more money on going
green at home. Results show that over half (54%) of people said they
would pay up to 10% more for an environmentally-friendly appliance,
and 1 in 6 (17%) people would pay up to 25% more.
The survey asked over 500 people about their lifestyles and habits
and found that British people are aware of positive actions
including only boiling the right amount of water when the kettle
goes on, with 1 in 3 (34%) people responding that they
'always' boil the right amount, and over half (52%) saying
they did so 'most of the time'. However, these actions
are counteracted because 1 in 3 (34%) people never de-scaled their
kettle and 1 in 5 (21%) de-scaled only once a year.
Results also showed that 1 in 6 people (17%) have the heating on
warm enough to wear summer clothes indoors. However, when asked what
solutions people do to reduce their energy bills the top response
(66%) was to 'wear more clothes'.
Encouragingly, 1 in 3 people said they would consider switching to a
green energy supplier (34%) and install solar panels (33%). A
staggering 98% of people recycle, with paper being the most popular
item to recycle.
Kevin Steele, Chief Executive of Climate Week, said:- "These
are encouraging results and show that British people are keen to do
more to reduce energy consumption and help protect the environment.
Climate Week aims to inspire people to take action and this survey
shows there is s strong appetite to do so. Anyone running an
activity for Climate Week can register it on our online map."
Other results from the survey, include:-
· Despite having a garden, 36% do not compost because they said:-
"it’s too much effort."
· 77% of people ‘rarely’ use their washing machine when they do not
have a full load.
· 45% of people ironed their bedding and 32% their tablecloths.
· 34% of people do not leave appliances on standby, but if they do
the reasons were:-
o Appliance has clock and people do not want to reset the clock
(27%).
o Sockets are in hard to reach places (22%)
o It doesn’t occur to them to switch off at the sockets (16%)
o Appliances start up quicker on standby(16%)
o They forget (13%)
Ideal Home Show 2012 sponsored by Everest, 16 March to 1 April 2012,
Earls Court, London. To Book tickets now log on to:-
idealhomeshow.co.uk or by
calling the Ticket Hotline on:- 0844 858 6763. The 2012 show is once
again supporting the Ideal Homes For Heroes appeal in aid of ABF The
Soldiers' Charity.
MPs to debate
and vote on Assisted Suicide guidelines on 27 March 2012
THE Senior Conservative MP,
Richard Ottaway, has secured, with cross party support, a Backbench
Business Committee Debate on the Director of Public Prosecutions’
Policy on Assisted Suicide. THIS will be the first House of Commons
debate on issue in 15 years and will take a full day for the Chamber
to debate on Tuesday, 27 March 2012.
MPs will debate whether they agree with the Director of Public
Prosecutions’ (DPP) Policy on Assisted Suicide, which has been in
place since February 2010. The DPP’s policy sets out the factors for
and against prosecution in cases of assisted suicide, and makes
clear that prosecution is unlikely in cases of compassionate amateur
assistance to die.
Win Crew from Liverpool, whose husband Reg was the first Briton to
publicly travel to Switzerland to die in 2003, said:- "When I
returned from Switzerland after Reg’s death, my criminal case was
prominently featured in the media. There were no standards for
criminal prosecution for assisted suicide cases at the time, and
this uncertainty placed an unnecessary burden on our entire family
and delayed our grieving process. The DPP’s guidelines would have
given us such reassurance at this difficult time, and I welcome the
forthcoming debate on the issue in the House of Commons."
The debate is open to the public and is likely to begin at 12.30pm,
and could last up to 6 hours and 30 minute.
So what are our readers views on
this issue? Let us know by emailing us to:-
news24@southportreporter.com today! |
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Escaped prisoner
Anthony Downes arrested and held in Amsterdam
MERSEYSIDE Police confirmed
that Anthony Downes, who was wanted for absconding from custody, was
arrested in Amsterdam on Friday, 9 March 2012 on suspicion of
possession of a firearm and as a result of an outstanding European
arrest. His co- defendant Kirk Bradley, aged 26, from Formby, also
escaped from the prison van while being transported from HMP
Manchester to Liverpool Crown Court. Kirk Bradley though remains
wanted by Merseyside Police. Downes, aged 26, of no fixed abode, had
been wanted since July 2011, after escaping from a prison van on his
way to Liverpool Crown Court. He had been facing trial for
conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to endanger life and
conspiracy to cause damage with intent to endanger life. Both men
were convicted in their absence last week at Woolwich Crown Court.
Anthony Downes arrest came thanks to the collaboration between
crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers and the Serious Organised Crime
Agency (SOCA). Downes, featured as part of Crimestoppers’ Operation
Captura Campaign back in October 2011. The campaign seeks to locate
wanted fugitives believed to have fled to Spain, who are wanted by
UK law enforcement agencies and so far has proven very successful.
Downes arrest brings the total number of those located to 48 out of
65 appeals since the campaign launched in October 2006.
Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, Founder and Chair of Crimestoppers, said:-
"This is yet another example of how criminals on the run will
eventually be caught and I am delighted to hear that this individual
has been arrested. Crimestoppers is seeing huge success with its
fugitive campaigns and the fact that we now have 48 arrests out of
65 appeals from our Captura campaign proves that wanted criminals
will eventually be brought to justice."
Deputy Chief Executive, Dave Cording, added:- "This arrest
comes less 6 months after the 5th anniversary of Operation Captura.
Through close collaboration with the Spanish police, SOCA and the
public, these individuals have nowhere to hide and those still on
the run should think about handing themselves in before they are
caught next."
Merseyside Police added that:- "This is a good arrest, but we
still nead help. Anyone with any information about the whereabouts
of Kirk Bradley is asked to call the Matrix team on:- 0151 777 5699,
or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111. For those people
calling from Spain there is a special Spanish:- 900 555 111. This
telephone number will be answered in the UK by Crimestoppers’ call
agents and a translation service is available upon request. People
can also pass on information anonymously via the Crimestoppers
website."
Donation paves
way for children’s adventure of a lifetime
A group of local children
with special needs is to be taken on a life changing adventure
course following a donation from the CLA Charitable Trust. The
Trust, which supports a range of rural and land-based charities, has
donated £2,000 towards the cost of helping Wirral Swallows and
Amazons Adventure Group take nine children to an outdoor adventure
centre near Keswick in May. Tom Bolton and his partner Bev
Anderson founded the charity in 2003. Tom said:- "It was while
watching the film Swallows and Amazons with a group of children that
we realized specially organised adventure activities could be a
wonderful medium for helping to improve the lives of young people.
We have already had the privilege of helping over 3000 disadvantaged
and special needs children to have life changing adventures and we
are very grateful to the CLA and other organisations for helping us
achieve this.”
Children taking part in the residential courses arranged by the
charity participate in a range of outdoor activities from canoeing
and sailing through to abseiling, archery, swimming, horse riding
and problem solving. CLA North Regional Director Dorothy
Fairburn said:- "Charities like Swallows and Amazons play a
crucial role in connecting children with the countryside and we are
delighted to be able to support such a worthy cause."
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