Mayor of London Boris Johnson today met members of the ParalympicsGB team in Beijing and pledged top quality facilities for the Paralympians competing in London in 2012. Accessibility is a key objective of all facilities to benefit both disabled athletes and disabled spectators in 2012 and for future generations who want to participate or watch Paralympic sports. The Mayor has been looking carefully at the Paralympic facilities in Beijing to see what has worked well, as well as what can be improved upon for London’s Games. Whilst he wants to deliver value for money from the 2012 budget, he is determined that this will not be at the expense of Paralympic athletes and supporters and he has pledged to push 2012 organisers to address any barriers that could affect participation in or enjoyment of the London Games. The Mayor said: ‘It is clear from the crowded stadiums that the Chinese have warmly embraced the Paralympics and it shows the power of the Paralympic movement to change perceptions about disability. It has been terrific to see ParalympicsGB delivering for their country, with an overwhelming medal tally. We must now ensure that we deliver for them in 2012. It would be nothing short of a disgrace if the 2012 Games were less accessible than those we have witnessed here in Beijing so we must listen to any concerns that arise as we continue our planning and building. Accessibility in 2012 is not an optional extra, it must be at the centre of our work.’

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22 September 2008
© LONDON

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is encouraging UK workplaces to become ‘muscle heroes’ for this year’s Muscle Awareness Week, which runs until Saturday. The charity wants employers to organise press-up competitions, arm wrestling challenges and thumb wrestling leagues, or allow staff to dress as superheroes to raise awareness of the 60,000 people in the UK living with muscular dystrophy.

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22 September 2008
© Third Sector

The London 2012 Games must act as a catalyst to transform access for disabled people around the city, Mayor of London Boris Johnson said today. Speaking in Beijing ahead of the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games, Boris Johnson praised the achievements of Team GB’s Paralympic athletes and pledged to make London’s Games the most accessible ever. The Mayor said he would work with 2012 organisers and authorities across London to ensure the capital was doing everything possible to maximise not only access to the Games but access to the city’s many hotels, restaurants, nightspots and other leisure venues for generations to come.
 
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16 September 2008
© Mayor of London

Leonard Cheshire Disability is trialling a one-stop-shop for disability related information and advice on the web, the Disability Information Portal. Interested parties can help shape the final site at http://www.dip-online.org

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5 September 2008
© VoluntaryNews/e-access bulletin

Terms and conditions Privacy policy Contact us Sitemap Home About LGA Our work Media centre Publications Events firstonline Sign in Energy suppliers have dramatically increased their dividend payments to shareholders by £257 million over the last year despite claims that high profits are needed for re-investment in energy infrastructure, new research published today has revealed. The Local Government Association, a cross-party organisation representing more than 400 councils in England and Wales, commissioned independent experts SQW energy to investigate the published financial statements of the six major energy suppliers. Its analysis found that dividend payments have risen from £1.378 billion in 2006 to £1.635 billion in 2007, a 19 per cent increase and equivalent to £75 per household.

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5 September 2008
© LGA

A groundbreaking teaching resource to help children with autism make sense of the world around them is to be marketed internationally, following great success in the UK. The Transporters, a DVD that uses a unique combination of real actors’ faces and 3D computer-generated settings, was originally available to parents in the UK free as part of the DCMS funded Culture Online programme.
But its runaway success, with 40,000 copies already distributed, means it can now go on sale across the English-speaking world, with the prospect of translation into other languages in the future. Many families in the UK and living abroad were unable to get the DVD first time round and this, along with pressure from parents of recently diagnosed children who are desperate for help, created a demand which the makers are keen to address. A substantial share of profits from sales will go to autism charities and to research other scientifically validated ways to help children with autism spectrum conditions. The DVD pack, together with information about the underlying research is available from a special website launched this week: http://www.thetransporters.com

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1 September 2008
© Department for Culture, Media And Sport (National)

Hundreds of tonnes of old computer equipment are to be recycled in the northwest after a multi-million pound deal was signed involving a Greater Manchester company. IT Remploy E-cycle, which is based in Radcliffe, has signed a three-year IT processing and recycling partnership with global technology services firm Electronic Data Systems (EDS). The agreement will see E-cycle manage thousands of pieces of end-of-life computer equipment which are handled by EDS globally every year.

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27 August 2008
© Englands Northwest

e-skills UK is seeking feedback on the revisions proposed for the National Occupational Standards (NOS) relating to Users of Information Technology. These revisions are based on the invaluable input received so far through the consultation website and initial consultation events last November. This consultation is crucial as these Standards define the levels of IT skills relevant both for the workforce and those seeking employment. They underpin the majority of IT user qualifications and government funded IT User training. Making them sufficiently comprehensive and ensuring they address the right skills means better IT skills for all and a better workforce for businesses. The full draft of the revised NOS can be viewed online at http://nos2008.e-skills.com until 26 September 2008.

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13 August 2008
© Department for Work And Pensions (National)

Membership of The Co-operative Group has smashed through the three million barrier according to figures released today. Prior to the re-launch of the famous membership scheme in September 2006, the Group had two million active members. By last November that number had grown to 2.5 million and today the Group can boast 3.1 million members. The figures also show that the Group is continuing to attract younger members and more men than previously. Two years ago before the new style membership scheme was re-launched just 16 per cent of the Group’s old loyalty cardholders were aged under 40 and 25 per cent were men. An analysis of new membership applications shows that almost 40 per cent are aged under 40 and that almost 35 per cent are men. Members receive a cash payment based on the points they earn when they trade at any of the Group’s businesses, which include: The Co-operative Food; Travel; Pharmacy and Funeralcare as well as The Co-operative Bank and The Co-operative Insurance. The value of each point varies year-on-year because the dividend payment is linked to the profits of The Co-operative Group, which were up 8.6 per cent at £431.6m last year. For 2007 a point was worth 2.63p up from 1.43p in 2006. The total share of profits dividend paid to members in June was £38.1m compared to £19.6m the previous year. The Group is currently in the midst of the largest re-branding exercise in UK corporate history. When the £1.5 billion investment is completed all of the Group’s outlets will be trading under “The Co-operative” banner. This year alone, the Group has re-branded over 1800 outlets – more than McDonalds and Starbucks put together, have in the UK. Food stores that have been refitted continue to perform very well showing like for like sales growth of around 12 per cent. Patrick Allen, Director of Marketing, said: “The growth in membership underlines the fact that the Co-operative is enjoying a renaissance. People are trying out our new look stores and they obviously like what they see. So much so that they are deciding to join us.

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5 August 2008
© The Co-operative

As charities face the credit crunch, increased competition for funding and wavering donor loyalties, CAF Charity Workshops help charities reach more donors in new ways and advise how best to manage charity money.
The Autumn/Spring 2008/09 series of workshops begin on 14 October led by Panikos Efthimiou. An experienced fundraiser, trustee and former actor, Panikos has 28 years’ experience of working and volunteering with charitable organisations and ten years’ experience as a charity trainer. CAF’s range of interactive training gives simple, practical and achievable advice. Focusing on learning while having fun and connecting with other fundraisers, CAF’s training explains how to understand and maximise tax efficient donations, make corporates beneficial friends, influence donor loyalty and effectively promote charities in new and exciting ways. Each session is unique as Panikos finds out what will benefit each organisation the most and creates an exclusive plan. Panikos is also contactable after training to advise and encourage. Sarkia Shah, Executive Director, Theodora Children’s Trust commented on the workshop she attended saying: ”Thank you so much for a fantastic regular giving workshop this morning. I felt really inspired and full of great ideas - I think it was the only course I’ve been on where I haven’t looked at the clock!” For more information on CAF Charity Workshops email pefthimiou@cafonline.org Courses cost £100 per person for a full day and £60 per person for a half day.

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13 August 2008
© CAF