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Local children's
group wins Diabetes UK volunteering award
A local group which has
been supporting children with diabetes and their families for over
10 years has won a volunteering award from the charity Diabetes UK.
The Diabetes UK Southport, Formby and Ormskirk Children's Group won
the Voluntary Group Award at the charity's regional Inspire Awards,
was held in Bury on 29 March 2014.
The group demonstrated their commitment to children with Type 1
diabetes in 2013 by providing information about the condition at
awareness stands in the area; backing campaigns for early diagnosis
and better care; and raising money to support children living with
the condition.
Members were proactive about spreading important messages from the
Diabetes UK Children and Young People's Campaign. They put
information in doctors' surgeries and directly into the hands of
local families about spotting the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes and
about people with the condition insisting on the best quality of
care from their healthcare professionals.
The group has been supportive of the charity's National Charity
Partnership with Tesco, teaming up with the local supermarket to
raise money for Diabetes UK, some of which will be used to fund
research into a vaccine for Type 1 diabetes, a condition which is
not currently preventable.
The group's other fundraising efforts have enabled children and
families to attend care events run by Diabetes UK, which provide
invaluable experiences for them to meet others, share and learn
about the condition and enjoy a relaxed and fun environment.
Type 1 diabetes affects around 29,000 children and young people in
the UK. No one knows exactly what causes it, but it is not to do
with being overweight. People with the condition have to take
insulin, either through injections or a pump, because their bodies
do not produce their own insulin.
Helen Pattie, Diabetes UK's Regional Manager in the North West,
said:- "The Southport, Formby and Ormskirk Group has developed
some excellent relationships with local families who are affected by
diabetes and also with doctors and nurses in the area. This allows
them to offer an invaluable wealth of support to families,
particularly those with a child who has been newly diagnosed with
Type 1 diabetes. This can often be a confusing and worrying time so
it is great to see that there is support on hand locally.
The Inspire Awards are a great opportunity to thank the people who
deserve recognition for their fantastic efforts to support people
with diabetes. As an organisation, we couldn't do what we do without
brilliant and dedicated volunteers like the members of this group.
Thanks to our network of volunteers, we're helping people with
diabetes manage their condition, campaigning to improve the quality
of care available to them, funding pioneering research into the
condition and working to stem the rising tide of diabetes."
June Dunn, Treasurer of the Group, said:- "It was a wonderful
surprise to win this award. Everything we do is for the children, as
they are the heroes in our eyes."
The Southport, Formby and Ormskirk Group meets regularly and is open
to children and young people with diabetes, their families and
carers.
Diabetes UK has 300 registered volunteers in the North West region,
many of which also belong to the charity's 32 groups.
To find out more about becoming a
volunteer for Diabetes UK, please send an
email
or call:- 01925 653281.
To find out more about the Diabetes UK care events for children,
young people and families, see:-
diabetes.org.uk/care-events.
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Owners
prosecuted over vacant property
PROPERTY owners who allowed
their empty houses to attract vermin and who failed to provide
information to the City Council have been prosecuted.
Quirefast Ltd of Corporation Road St Helens was found guilty in
their absence at Liverpool Magistrates Court of two offences of not
supplying the Council with information required under the Town and
Country Planning Act.
They were also found guilty of one offence under the Prevention of
Damage by Pests Act by failing to remove overgrown vegetation and
rubbish from the front and rear garden of a house which was
providing shelter for rats.
In July 2013, following a complaint, an officer from the City
Council's Vacant Properties Team visited a vacant end terrace house
in Lowell Street, Walton. Checks showed that the property was owned
by Quirefast Ltd. A notice was served on them requiring them to
provide details of their interest in the property and the purpose
for which it was used. No response was received to that notice or to
a second which was served.
In October 2013, again following a complaint, an inspection took
place at a terrace house in St David's Road, Anfield, and it was
found that it was in poor condition. The windows to the front and
rear of the building were broken, there was graffiti on the front
door and there were accumulations of waste and vegetation to the
front and rear of the property and waste in the building itself.
Quirefast Ltd were identified as the owners of the property. A
notice was served giving the company 28 days to remove all
accumulations of waste, overgrown vegetation and to supply
information regarding the ownership of the property. No response was
received from the company.
District Judge Wendy Lloyd found the company guilty in their absence
and fined them a total of £400 and awarded the Council £1,110 costs.
In another case, the court heard that in July 2013 a complaint was
received that there were bags of waste in the rear yard of a
terraced house in Pickwick Street Liverpool 8 which had attracted
vermin.
Records showed that Leonard Beckford of Pickwick Street was the
owner of the property and that BFI Property Management Ltd trading
as Venmore Sales and Letting, Imperial Buildings Dale Street
Liverpool was the landlord.
An inspection found that there was an accumulation of waste in the
rear yard and an overfilled skip on the pavement in front of the
property.
A notice was served, requiring the removal of the waste and securing
of the site to prevent fly-tipping, on Leonard Beckford as the owner
of the property and notices requiring details of the owner and
anyone with an interest in the property to be supplied to the
Council within 14 days, were served on both Leonard Beckford, and
BFI Property Management Ltd.
An officer returned a number of times but although the skip was
removed the rear yard was not cleared and none of the required
information was supplied.
Both BFI Property Management Ltd and Leonard Beckford were found
guilty in their absence.BFI Property Management Ltd were fined £400
and ordered to pay £700 costs and Leonard Beckford £600 with£800
costs.
These are the first prosecutions of this type carried out by the
City Council.
Councillor Ann O'Byrne, cabinet member for housing said:- "The
blight caused by empty derelict buildings to the local communities
is immeasurable and it is part of the Mayoral Pledge to deal with
long term vacant houses and engage with owners to bring the
properties back into use. In these cases our efforts were frustrated
and we had no option but to take legal action; this should be a
warning to those who let their vacant property go to rack and ruin,
engage with us to put the property right or face the consequences.
Obtaining information about those who own or manage property is not
just a bureaucratic exercise. It can be difficult to trace those
responsible for property so it is very important that the notices
which are issued are complied with so we can get on with tackling
these problems quickly."
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