Southport and Formby District General Hospital Nurse has
died from COVID-19
A locum Nurse who worked at Southport and Formby District
General Hospital, Josephine Peter, died on Saturday, April 18,
after testing positive for COVID-19. She leaves behind her
husband, Thabo Peter, who is still residing here in UK, her 2
kids, Bongani and Buhle, who are now living in South Africa, a
granddaughter, a brother and 5 sisters.
Trish Armstrong Child, Chief Executive, said:-
"Josephine, from Hayes, Middlesex, had worked at Southport
since February on an agency contract until falling ill in
early April. She was a nurse for 20 years and was married
with 2 children. Josephine's husband, Thabo, told me she was
passionate, hardworking, always putting others before
herself. She was 'my heroine,' he said. Our thoughts are
with Josephine's family at this difficult time and we offer
them our sincere condolences."
James Lock, chief executive of Altrix, the nursing agency
that employed Josephine, said:- "Josephine was a
diligent nurse who was highly regarded and liked by the
team. She would always go that extra mile and was a pleasure
to work with. My team and I send our very best wishes and
deepest condolences to Josephine's family."
A Go Fund Me
Page has been set up in
Josephine's memory.
Sefton Business Grants
Update - Missing Payments
ON 21 April 2020 we
contacted Damien Moore MP, after a number of readers
contacted us about them not getting a payment after applying
for the Small Business Grant Scheme after spotting a
possible problem with payments and bank details. we said:-
"We think the problems could be to be with bank accounts and
trading names being shortened on bank systems or not the
same name as on the Non-Domestic rate demand notices." We
have since had a reply from Sharon Johnston; Business Growth
Officer, InvestSefton in connection to this:- "If you
are a Limited Company who has applied online for a Small
Business Grant, you may have supplied the wrong details
which is delaying your payment. You should have stated your
Business Bank Account Name and Bank Account details not your
Personal Name & Personal Account details. If you have stated
your Personal Name then please re-submit the form
immediately with the Business Bank Account Name so we can
process your application. Please complete the form again
with your limited company bank account details at:-
Sefton.Gov.UK/Business/Business-Rates/Covid-19-Business-Rates-Support-For-202021
On completion you will be given a reference number beginning
with SEF - which you should keep for future reference."
NHS staff
clap outside Whiston Hospital in tribute to surgeon
ORTHOPAEDIC surgeon,
Whiston Hospital, Sadeq Elhowsh, died aged 58, after contracting
COVID-19, on 20 April 2020. On 21 April 2020, NHS staff and
patients lined the road outside the Hospital and every facing
window, clapping in tribute as his hearse drove past the doors.
Je is yet another of our NHS heroes to fall to this virus.
Liverpool
Philharmonic Announces 'Live from Liverpool Philharmonic
Hall' Digital Programmes!
LIVERPOOL Philharmonic
Hall is currently closed following UK Government advice about
the Coronavirus situation, but that doesn't mean the music has
stopped, but engagement on social media has increased
significantly; with a reach on Facebook last week of over
766,000 people. In the period of closure, we've had 313,000
video views, reaching more people than we would in an entire
orchestral season in Liverpool. Over 4,500 new followers have
joined us on Facebook in the last few weeks, more than we'd
typically get in an entire year, bringing total followers to
over 51,000. A full programme of activity is now available
to watch and listen to from the comfort of your living room!
Digital Programme Schedule
FACEBOOK... Each
Tuesday night, at 7.30pm, enjoy videos from contemporary artists
who regularly perform, at the Hall. Don't miss... The Real
Thing, Irish Sea Sessions and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
introduced by the artists themselves where possible. Thursday
nights, at 7.30pm, and Sunday afternoons, at 2.30pm, showcase
video from our archives of past performances by the Royal
Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as chamber music
concerts by musicians from the Orchestra. Audiences can watch
these streams at the same time with fellow music lovers around
the world, and join in the conversation!
We'll soon be announcing a programme which will showcase members
of our Youth Company and musicians in our community on our
Facebook page.
SPOTIFY...
Visit Philharmonic's Spotify
Page, where we will be
posting playlists specially curated by artists we work with.
Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko has put together a playlist to
reflect the troubled times we find ourselves in right
now!
YOUTUBE... Archival
video of many past concerts as well as artist interviews
available on
Youtube.
LIVERPOOLPHIL.COM...
Live From Liverpool Philharmonic Hall - Previously
unreleased recordings from Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Orchestra concerts are made available to stream from
Philharmonic's
website.
RADIO... In
addition, Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko will appear on Scala
Radio, on Sunday, 3 May
2020, from 8pm to 10pm, in a programme featuring works by Grieg,
Mahler, and Bach with Presenter Darren Redick. He comments on
life as a conductor in these times as well as on these never
previously released recordings of live concert material from
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.
IN HARMONY...
Our ground breaking music education programme, In Harmony
Liverpool, will continue to engage over 1,200 children across
Everton and Anfield in music by working with our partner Schools
to create and distribute digital In Harmony curriculum resources
for use at home.
Coronavirus
Job Retention Scheme - latest figures and call to action
ON 20 April 2020, HM
Revenue and Customs launched the Coronavirus Job Retention
Scheme, at 8am and by midnight, they had received:- 185,000
claims, covering 1,300,000 employees, at a value of
₤1,500,000,000. For employers to get their payments by 30 April
2020, they need to make a claim by midnight, on Wednesday, 22
April 2020, as it takes 6 working days to process claims.
Further guidance is available and there is an easy to use, step
by step guide that takes you through the process on the HMRC's
website. Employers can apply
online now.
Personal
Guarantees to access Government Loan Scheme
ON 26 March 2020, we
contacted Bill Esterson who is the Member of Parliament for
Sefton Central Constituency about Banks asking for Personal
Guarantees to access Government Loan Scheme. We also asked why:-
"CBIL is not available for loans under ₤25,000."
Most small businesses who want lower amounts are being
credit checked and also still asked for Personal Guarantees. On
21 April 2020, he replied with a letter he got back from rising
this question with the Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy for us. The response from Lord Callanan, who
was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy back in
February 2020 is below...
"Bill Esterson, thank you for your email dated 26 March 2O2O, to
the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy,
enclosing correspondence your constituent, regarding the
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). I am
replying on behalf of the Department. The Government understands
that this crisis is having a huge impact on businesses,
households and people across the country. The Government is
closely monitoring developments of COVID-19 in relation to
potential economic impacts on UK businesses, individuals and the
wider economy, and it has taken decisive action to protect lives
and incomes. The Chancellor has announced unprecedented support
for businesses, workers and the self employed to protect them
against the current economic emergency which includes the
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. The CBILS scheme
will make it easier for SME's with a turnover of up to ₤45
million to access vital financial support. The terms of the
scheme state that personal guarantees of any form (whether or
not these include the pledging of personal assets) cannot be
used in respect of any CBILS facilities up to ₤250,000.Personal
guarantees for CBILS facilities above ₤250,000 are
not required by the scheme rules. They may be taken at the
lender's discretion. If that is the case, recoveries under such
guarantees are capped at a maximum of 20% of the outstanding
balance of the CBILS facility after the proceeds of business
assets, if any, have been applied. A Principal Private Residence
cannot be taken as security to support a personal guarantee or
as security for any CBILS facility. These terms were updated on
3 April 2020 and will be retrospectively applied for any CBILS
facilities offered since the start of the scheme on 23 March
2020. This means that any personal guarantees already taken for
CBILS facilities up to ₤250,000 will be waived.
Specific Government guidance for business during the Coronavirus
outbreak is detailed
online. All business support
offers, how to apply and eligibility criteria are listed on:-
BusinessSupport.Gov.UK
and we have also strengthened our Business Support Helpline:-
0300 456 3565, so businesses can pick up the phone and speak
directly to an adviser. Thank you again for taking the time to
write. I hope you and your constituent find this information
helpful." Lord Callanan.
Total UK cases
COVID-19 cases - update for Liverpool City Region and
surroundings
DESPITE the
bringing the latest total of laboratory conformed COVID-19
Hospital deaths rising by 828, bringing the UK total to
17,337, the signs are that the lockdown is working. The
number of COVID-19 infections has risen by 4,301 in just a
day, to 129,044, the Department of Health said. In England,
there are a total of 96,117 confirmed cases. Within the
North West we have seen a total of 14,788 confirmed cases.
Current confirmed cases within the following Local
Authorities are as follows:-
► Liverpool, 1,172 confirmed cases.
► Sefton, 667 confirmed cases.
► Wirral, 813 confirmed cases.
► St. Helens, 492 confirmed cases.
► Halton, 267 confirmed cases.
► Lancashire, 2,170 confirmed cases.
► Cheshire West and Chester, 593 confirmed cases.
► Cheshire East, 624 confirmed cases.
► Manchester, 872 confirmed cases.
► Stockport, 658 confirmed cases.
► Trafford, 480 confirmed cases.
► Wigan, 452 confirmed cases.
► Bolton, 582 confirmed cases.
► Rochdale, 328 confirmed cases.
► Bury, 348 confirmed cases.
► Tameside, 383 confirmed cases.
► Oldham, 485 confirmed cases.
► Blackburn with Darwen, 242 confirmed cases.
These stats are according to Public Health England as of
21/04/2020. Last updated 3:38pm GMT. Last updated 2:44 pm GMT.. UK total includes cases detected through:-
"Pillar 2" testing (tests carried out by
commercial partners) and therefore does not equate to the
sum of the 4 countries' counts, which only include:-
"Pillar 1" (tests carried out by NHS / PHE /
Devolved Administration Labs).