Pole shows North West fears for more elderly heatwave deaths in 2023

WITH the Met Office expecting 2023 to be 1 of the hottest on record and last summer's searing temperatures and wildfires still fresh in people's minds, a new UK wide poll by YouGov found over 2/3 (67%) of the 373 people polled from the North West are worried about older people dying in a heatwave this year. The survey, commissioned by new not for profit Round Our Way, examines some of the key climate-related worries for people in 2023.  During last summer's heatwaves, England recorded 2,803 excess deaths among those aged 65 and over due to complications arising from extreme heat - the figures exclude deaths from Covid19. Almost 2 in 5 (36%) are worried about Schools and nurseries closing due to heat waves. A 1/4 (27%) are worried about Schools and nurseries closing because of flooding. Despite these worries about flooding, over 3 in 5 (61%) of people in the North West are worried about long periods of drought.

Research by Wildlife Trusts showed in recent years, animals like badgers and birds of prey were struggling to find food due to drought and wildfires. Plus, flowers were blooming early due to unseasonably warm winters and then being hit by frosts. Looking at the YouGov statistics, 50% of people in the Region said they've noticed an increase in flowers and plants blooming or dying at unusual times in the year.  Almost 3 in 5 people (58%) are worried about the loss of traditional British seasons due to climate change. A similar number of people in the North West (64%) are worried about the loss of local nature and biodiversity as Britain's climate changes.

Fresh food inflation hit 15% in December 2022, up from 14.3% in November 2022, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The cost of food and drink is expected to rise even further this year with the rate of grocery inflation set to peak at 17% to 19% at the start of this year. Nearly 3/4 (73%) are worried about adverse weather conditions causing failed harvests and lower food production.

Round Our Way is a new not for profit highlighting the impact climate change is having on British families and working to get more working class voices into the climate debate.

Round Our Way's Director Roger Harding commented:- "More and more of us feel a growing unease about how climate change is making life less predictable and less safe for our families. It's often those of us who are getting on a bit or don't have deep pockets who are hardest hit by extreme weather, whether it's through rising food prices, floods or; at the most shocking; heatwave deaths. We urgently need politicians, especially the government, to get a grip on tackling climate change or this will get worse and worse for families in the North West."

For more information on Round Our Way head to:- RoundOurWay.Org. Let us know your thoughts on this news topic... Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Facebook or Twitter.

More than 300 people died in prisons in England and Wales in 2022

MORE than 300 people died in prisons in England and Wales last year, official data seen by the Howard League for Penal Reform reveal. A statistical bulletin, published by the Ministry of Justice, shows that 301 people in prison custody died in 2022, including 74 people who lost their lives through suicide. These figures are lower than in 2021, when 371 people died; the highest number in a calendar year since current recording practices began. The bulletin states that prisons recorded 54,761 incidents of self harm in the 12 months to the end of September 2022, at a rate of 1 every 9 minutes 30 seconds. Self harm incidents rose by 1% in men's prisons and 18% in women's prisons. Over the same period, prisons recorded 20,872 assaults; an 11% rise on the figures for the previous 12 months..

Andrea Coomber KC (Hon.), Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said:- "These grim figures lay bare the scale of the mental health crisis in prisons across England and Wales. The alarming rate of self-harm incidents - 1 every 9.5 minutes - should alert everyone to the intolerable conditions faced by people living and working behind bars. While the worst of the Covid19 Pandemic appears to be behind us, 6 people die in prison each week. Although restrictions in the community were eased long ago, thousands of men and women in prison remain locked in their cells for more than 20 hours each day. The number of people held on remand is at its highest level for more than half a century. The damage caused by all this is widespread, and yet still not fully understood. As the government presses ahead with its wrong-headed plans, building more prisons with no thought for the consequences, these tragedies lie forgotten in the background. The Howard League will keep bringing them to the fore."
 

Creamfields South 2023 huge line up announced

THE countdown to festival season has officially started as Creamfields South unleashes a huge line up for its return to Hylands Park in Essex on May Bank Holiday weekend. Following a triumphant debut last year, the UK's hottest dance festival has once again attracted some of the biggest names in electronic music which will see performances from the likes of:- Calvin Harris (Exclusive), Swedish House Mafia (Exclusive), Tiësto (Exclusive), Eric Prydz, Patrick Topping, Jamie Jones, Carl Cox (Hybrid Live), Ben Hemsley, Camelphat, Fatboy Slim, Joel Corry, Andy C, Chase & Status (DJ Set), Annie Mac, Kölsch, Example, MK, LF System, Gorgon City, Nina Kraviz, Sonny Fodera, Sam Divine and Hannah Laing + many more to be announced.

This week's line up announcement follows more exciting news from the festival powerhouse who are raising the game this year and will see them bringing 1 of the most talked about stage productions in recent years; Runway presented by SHEIN. Since making its debut at Creamfields North 2022, Runway has firmly earned its place as 1 of the main set pieces of the UK festival scene. Loved by DJs and the audience alike and giving a full assault on the senses in a setting that goes beyond a simple audio-visual set up, the 20,000-capacity super structure will be making its debut at Creamfields South and hosted by 2 of the hottest labels in electronic music - Paradise (Saturday) and Trick (Sunday), with Patrick Topping and Jamie Jones bringing an army of talent to entertain across the weekend. And if that's not enough the monolithic centrepiece from the North edition - Arc Stage which spans a jaw dropping 100 metres wide will be getting its 1st airing of the summer as it makes its South debut.

With less than 120 days to go, there's no better start to festival season than Creamfields South. The countdown is on!

Tickets on sale from:- 9am (GMT) on:- Friday, 27 January 2023 from:- CreamfieldsSouth.Com.