Friday 31 May 2013

Thought for the Week

"In doing something, do it with love or never do it at all."
Mahatma Gandhi

FREE Social Media Workshops at Signal Films

Signal Film and Media are holding a FREE workshop series to boost the computing skills of out of work Furness residents.

The Internet is fast becoming the most important place to connect with others and to find employment opportunities. Suitable for both basic and more advanced Internet users, this intensive programme will give you the skills and confidence to develop your online presence and harness the power of social media for effective self-promotion and networking.

At the workshops you will:
Plan, design and build your own website using Wordpress.
Learn how to easily integrate your Wordpress website with Social Media widgets to maximise your online presence using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN, Flickr, Pinterest, Vimeo, You Tube and many more.
Learn useful tips on targeting the right people on the Internet.
Have one-to-one careers advice based on your individual needs.

Group 3 (aged 50+): 3 day course
Monday 24 June                                10am – 5pm
Tuesday 25 June                               10am – 5pm
Wednesday 26 June                           10am – 5pm

Personal project: 2 days - Limited mentoring sessions available
Thursday 27 June                              10am – 5pm
Friday 28 June                                  10am – 5pm

Please email: nic@signalfilms to receive an application form or for further information call 01229 83859.

UnLtd – Star People Awards on Barrow Island

We award Cash and Support to people like you with great ideas to improve your neighbourhood!

Are you a star?
Star People are individuals who live, work, run a business, volunteer or have a deep connection with the Big Local areas – Barrow Island is one of these areas. If you know Barrow Island, and have a great idea to help make it an even better place to live, UnLtd may be able to help you with cash and support to turn your idea into a reality. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about making things better in their area and want to lead their idea. We don’t make awards to existing groups or organisations.

What kind of awards are there?
Try It Awards are for having a go, trying something out small, finding out what others have done , testing something to see if you are the right person and if it is the right idea. You can apply for up to £500 - and we’ll support you through your application and getting your idea off the ground. Do It Awards are for ideas you have thought through and are ready to go. You know there is a need, and you have thought about how you can bring in money and support to make it last beyond the cash award. You can apply for up to £5000 and support. Build It Awards, in exceptional circumstances we can make awards of up to £15,000 for individuals with a big idea with potential to grow. This has usually that has been tested in some way. Here the award can even be used for living costs to help dedicate more time to expanding the enterprise.

What sort of things can I do?
You know best what’s needed in your community – so it’s your ideas that matter. Here are a few examples of what Award Winners are already doing in other areas – but your ideas may be different. Setting up an affordable handyman service – offering reduced rates for people on low incomes. Recycling school uniforms and making them available to local families (also we’ve helped people who recycle other things like bikes!). Setting up a support group for single parents (or other groups of people). A street dance class for young people. Running a healthy eating and cooking project for children – and producing a cookbook of healthy meals you can make on a budget. Setting up a not for profit music studio for local musicians. Neil Burgess was awarded a Do It to help set up a website to support people caring for family and friends in times of need. Visit www.curahq.com to see what Neil has done with his award.

If you’d like to know more about what UnLtd offer and want to see more local people make a difference on Barrow Island, and think you can help us find some Stars over the next 12 months then please come to: Barrow Island Community Drop In on Island Road at 5.30pm- 7pm on Wednesday 12 of June 2013.

Please can you confirm if you will be attending by Wednesday 5 June by contacting Alison Greenhalgh on 07977887473 or email: bict@hotmail.co.uk

Thursday 23 May 2013

Thought for the Week

About suffering they were never wrong,
The Old Masters: how well they
understood
It’s human position; how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a
window or just walking dully along.
W H Auden, Musee des Beaux Arts

Thursday 9 May 2013

Thought for the Week

"Choose to be kind over being right and you'll be right every time." Richard Carlson

Friday 3 May 2013

St Mary's Hospice - donate your unwanted furniture

Self-esteem workshop, Barrow

Crime down by 11% in Cumbria

Crime in Cumbria has fallen by 11% the latest figures released by the Police and Crime Commissioner show. The Police and Crime Commissioner has the responsibility of holding the Chief Constable to account for the performance of Cumbria Constabulary.

The figures from April 2012 to the end of March 2013 detail that there have been 290 less incidents of anti-social behaviour, a 3% reduction in burglaries to 641 dwelling offences and 443 less assaults with injury.

Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Richard Rhodes said “It is pleasing that the latest set of crime figures show that crime is again down in the County for the seventh year proving Cumbria really is a safe place to live, work and visit.

“Overall, there has been an 11% drop in crime across the County with 2,771 fewer victims of crime which is an outstanding result for the people of Cumbria.   

“Anti-social behaviour has reduced by 1% (290 less incidents) to 25,772 incidents across the County and I would again urge people to report anti-social behaviour. There are less than two burglary dwelling offences a day in the county making Cumbria one of the safest places in England.

“There has been a 17% reduction in assaults with injury, however the number of serious violent crimes has increased by 55, mainly as a result of the way in which the crime has been recorded. This will continue to be reviewed.

“The percentage of crimes solved has fallen to 37.9% from 39.7% however, the Constabulary still has the highest percentage in its most similar group of forces for solving crime. The fall was predicted but again I have asked the Chief Constable to focus on this aspect as Cumbria has previously had a high expectation about the number of crimes solved. I have also asked the Chief Constable to focus on some of the areas where performance is not at the level the public might expect such as the satisfaction of anti-social behaviour victims and the increase in police officer sickness.

“Under reporting still remains an issue and I would urge people especially those experiencing domestic violence, hate crime and sexual assaults to come forward. I am concerned that we do not have a sexual referral centre in Cumbria and will be supporting efforts to ensure that we have the right facilities in the county.

“Overall, these figures demonstrate the high-level of dedication and hard-work by the Chief Constable, all officers, PCSOs and police staff together with partners and members of the public. The Police Authority also has had a key role in providing scrutiny prior to my election in November.

“I have set the policing priorities for Cumbria Constabulary for the next 12 months in line with the Police and Crime Plan. I will keep you updated on performance as we progress through the year.”

Temporary Chief Constable Bernard Lawson said “I am pleased to see that overall crime in Cumbria remains low.

“Over the last year police officers, PCSOs and staff have been working hard to support our communities to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour and focus on the issues that matter most to local people. This commitment shines through in the latest figures released today showing that crime has fallen by 11%.

“It is encouraging to see, from national statistics released last week, that 68% of our community believe we are dealing with the local issues which matter most to them.

“Despite the general overall reduction in crime and anti social behaviour that these figures show, we will not become complacent. Our priority will always be to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour by  engaging with the people in our local communities so that we can focus our resources on the areas that they feel are important.

“We are in a difficult financial climate, however we will continue to fight crime through community policing so that Cumbria continues to be a safe place to live, work and visit.”