Formby House is again light up for charity this Christmas

THIS year might be your last chance to see the fantastic Charity Christmas Light display, put on by local award winning Landscape Gardener, James Comish. James, who owns the local garden maintenance company, has been putting on the display for quite a few years now. The display raises money via donations from those who visit and brings some Christmas cheer to the area. This year the Charity is Clattertbridge Cancer Centre's 'ClatterBricks' project, Also known as:- "The Big Lego Brick Hospital" which is hoping to raise ₤500,000 towards the expansion of the Hospital, that will help with the care of patients within the North West Region.

To see the light display, go to Beechwood Drive, Formby, Merseyside, UK and take a look at the display. Please, also make a donation online or via the collection box at the house. It's also worth noting that some of the other residents in the road are also joining in this festive activity.

Did you know? James won the Large Gold and Silver Medal Southport Flower Show 2011 and also Anne Marie Appleton who owns 'J&A Japonicas' at the Southport Flower Show. They have also both won 'The Best in Show' in 2018 and 2019 for their stunning display in the Grand Floral!

AS families gather to celebrate Christmas, NHS Blood and Transplant is urging everyone to take the time to consider and take time to talk about their organ donation decision. The call comes as it launches a TV advertising campaign to highlight the upcoming changes to the law around organ donation in England.

From spring 2020, all adults in England will be considered to have agreed to donate their own organs when they die unless they record a decision not to donate or are in 1 of the excluded groups.

The 'Pass it on' campaign aims to motivate people across England to:- "Pass It On," whether that's by making the decision to pass on their organs to save lives; passing on their decision to family and friends or passing on information about the law change to other people.

The TV advert, which is due to air for the 1st time on 20 December 2019, follows a woman holding a heart shaped balloon. We watch her quietly leave her home and sleeping family and travel by bus as she observes different scenes of life that continue to go on around her. In the final scene, we see her approach a building as the sun rises, silently releasing the balloon with a smile. A waiting patient reaches out from a window to receive it, symbolising the gift of passing on life through organ donation. The patient looks down and gestures as if to say thank you. The advert ends with a reminder that the law around organ donation is changing in England from spring 2020 and urging people to find out more and register a decision.

The TV campaign is the next stage of the national organ donation law change awareness campaign, which launched in April 2019. The advert aims to reach people and boost conversations about organ donation at Christmas, while people are together with their families.  1 family who know the importance of having the conversation, are the family of 18 year old Billy Gradwell Smith, who died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage in December 2016, while at home from University for the Christmas holidays.

Billy's father, Trevor explains:- "When we were told Billy wasn't going to make it, we already knew he wanted to donate his organs. He was a fantastic, positive kid and had made sure to tell the family after signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register while applying for his provisional driving licence. He started a discussion with the 3 of us and we sat around and talked about it. As a direct result of this discussion we had already prepared as a family for the question by the time we were approached by the specialist nurse for organ donation. Billy was all for donating everything, anything that could be of use to anybody. He said when you are gone you are gone; the organs would be no use to him. By making his decision clear, he made a difficult situation easier for us, and ensured he didn't miss the opportunity to save lives."

Once the new system is introduced across England, families will still be involved before any organ or tissue donation goes ahead and Specialist Nurses for Organ Donation will continue to speak with families about their loved one's decision.

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, says:- "Christmas is an incredibly busy time of year; however, it should also be a time for family and thinking of others. We want everyone to know the law around organ donation is changing, to understand how it is changing and the choices available to them. We want them to make their organ donation decision and whatever that decision is, to share it with their family. A time like Christmas, when families come together, is a good opportunity to do this. Every precious organ donor allows more families to spend special times together."

In 2020, the law around organ donation will be changing in both England and Scotland. From spring 2020 in England and Autumn 2020 in Scotland, everyone will be considered as having agreed to donate their own organs when they die unless they record a decision not to donate, what's known as:- 'opt out,' or are in 1 of the excluded groups. This system was introduced in Wales in December 2015 and in Jersey in July 2019.

Did you know?

► 8 out of 10 people, within England, say they would definitely donate or would consider donating their organs, but only a ⅓ have told their family they want to donate.

► TV advert launches to raise awareness of the fact the law around organ donation is changing in England in spring 2020.

► Family of an 18 year old who died at Christmas in 2016 calls for others to have the conversation.

To find out more about your choices, and to register your donation decision, visit:- OrganDonation.NHS.UK or call the dedicated advice line on:- 0300 303 2094.  It's easy to share your decision with others using the digital messaging tools available at the end of the online registration process.

Whiston and St Helens Hospital strikes end as UNISON reaches settlement

UNISON and private company 'Compass' which employs:- cleaners, caterers, porters, security and reception staff at Whiston Hospital and St Helens Hospital, have reached an agreement to end the long running dispute over wages and sick pay. Before the settlement Compass employees were on the national minimum wage (₤8.21 per hour), while colleagues employed directly by the NHS were earning at least ₤9.03. This meant Compass staff were losing out to the tune of around ₤1,500 a year. Staff were understandably angry that they weren't receiving the same pay and benefits as NHS colleagues often doing similar jobs, says UNISON. Following the vote for industrial action in July, the Compass staff went out on strike for a total of 14 days.The UNISON brokered deal; voted for by 75% of the Hospital staff; means they'll now receive a significant pay rise, more money for working weekends and bank holidays and an improved sick pay scheme.

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said:- "Christmas will be even more special for these staff who've been battling for months to be treated fairly. There can be no justification for creating a divisive 2 tier health service. The big winners from the settlement will be staff and patients, who'll be pleased to learn that Compass has put people before profits."

UNISON North West Regional organiser Lisa Oxbury said:- "This substantial pay rise will make a huge difference to the families of these dedicated Hospital workers. The positive end to this campaign shows what can be achieved when unions and employers work together. It's been a tough dispute but we look forward to working with Compass in the future for the benefit of patients and staff in St Helens."