Tuesday 30 September 2014

Police issue tyre advice for wet weather driving

Police are supporting a national initiative on tyre safety in wet weather conditions in a bid to reduce to the number of road collisions across the county.


Cumbria Constabulary is supporting Tyre Safety Month throughout October. This year’s campaign by TyreSafe, a non–profit commercial organisation, is on ensuring tyres are in the correct condition to combat wet conditions.

2013 was the wettest winter in the UK on record and in wet weather, it's essential that your car's tyres have adequate tread depth. Without it, your safety on the road will be compromised and you may not be able to brake, accelerate or corner properly.

The legal minimum tread depth for cars in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three quarters of the tyre around its entire circumference. Driving on tyres which are below this limit is not only dangerous but illegal and you could face a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each tyre.

Officers from the Operational Support Unit will be conducting checks on vehicles throughout the county and will enforce the law robustly where necessary.

PC Shaun McKeown said “It is essential that people are safe when out and about on the roads. We encourage everyone to use the 20 pence test to make sure that their tyres are of legal tread depth.

“The tread grooves on your tyre help to evacuate the water from the contact patch between your tyre and the road surface so your car can grip the road properly.

“The right amount of pressure in tyres can make a substantial difference. Not only does it make you safe when in your vehicle, by providing better handling and braking, it can save you money.

“Under-inflated tyres will wear out quickly, therefore increase the need to replace more frequently. Your vehicle will also use more fuel, therefore increasing your bills.

“If you are not certain about the right pressure level, go to your local garage who will be happy to check it for you.

“Don’t put checking off, it could save your life.”

Tyre pressures should be checked at least once a month or before any long journeys.

The correct pressure settings for vehicles can be found inside the vehicle handbook, inside the fuel filler cap or on a plate on the driver's door sill.

Alternatively you can search TyreSafe’s online database, at www.tyresafe.org by simply entering the vehicle's registration number.

Police & Crime Commissioner Richard Rhodes said “The issue of road safety is raised often when I meet with members of the public. I welcome the proactive approach from the police as part of the TyreSafe campaign.  It is important that we all heed this advice especially during more difficult driving conditions such as wet weather.”

Top Tips for checking your tyres:

  • Check your tyre pressure at least once a month.
  • Tyre pressure should be checked against the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended level. This can be found in the vehicle handbook and on a plate which is often located inside the fuel filler flap or on the driver’s door sill.
  • Check the pressure when tyres are cold (i.e. when you have travelled less than two miles).
  • If you are carrying a full load of passengers or luggage or will be towing a trailer or caravan, tyre pressures should be increased in line with the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations. Details can be found in the handbook.
  • Ensure a reliable and accurate pressure gauge is used.
  • Check the pressure in all four tyres – and don’t forget to check the spare tyre as well.
  • While checking pressures, give the rest of the tyre a visual inspection. Remove any stones and other objects embedded in the tread. Look out for any bulges, lumps or cuts.
  • If you are unsure on any aspect of tyre pressure or tyre condition take your vehicle to an approved fitting centre and speak to the experts.
Advice about road safety will be tweeted throughout the month from the Constabulary’s Operational Support Unit Twitter account - @CumbriaRoadsPol. Join in the conversation by using the hashtag #CumbriaRoads.

Thought for the Week

"The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves." Helen Keller

Monday 29 September 2014

Great opportunity with Signal Films for 16-19 yr olds!



An amazing FREE opportunity for 16-19 year olds trying to get their foot in the door of the lucrative film and media world.

This exciting opportunity is open for all 16-19 year olds living in Barrow, Cumbria and North Lancashire. Signal Film and Media have opened it's doors again to young filmmakers seeking training in any aspect of filmmaking.

Application forms for our next BFI Film Academy, starting in October 2014 are available to download.
The BFI Film Academy is a national scheme that aims to identify, nurture, celebrate and showcase the next generation of British film industry talent and give young people who are passionate about film the opportunity to harness and develop their skills needed to construct a career path in filmmaking. We’ve been delivering the course since January 2013 and we are looking for all types of young filmmakers eager to gain extra training in this area. Read more HERE (link to the BFI Page on our website)

During the course participants will work together as a film crew to make a short film as well as have the opportunity to attend​ free master-classes with industry professionals in editing, sound recording, special effects and script-writing, plus opportunities for trips and visit
s.

For more information please contact Steph Bryant: steph@signalfilmandmedia.co.uk or 01229 838592



Tuesday 16 September 2014

Thought for the Week

“Before you speak, ask yourself: is it kind, is it true, is it necessary, does it improve upon the silence.” Shirdi Sai Baba

Nominations now open for Love Barrow Awards 2015

NOMINATIONS ARE 
OPEN!
The Love Barrow Awards 
2015 nominations are 
now open!

We want to make this 

years awards bigger and better and the only way we 
can do that is with your 
support.

Anyone can nominate but 

they have to nominate a 
person, a group/project, 
or a business that operates 
in the Barrow Borough area.

To nominate simply click 

the button below to nominate 
online on our website, it 
only takes a few minutes but 
could make a life time of difference to the person you nominate.


The awards you can nominate for are:
  • Citizen of the Year
  • Young Citizen of the Year
  • Courage Award
  • Group or Project of the Year
  • Sports Volunteer of the Year
  • Environmental Award
  • Carer of the Year
  • Teacher of the Year
  • Community Focused Business of the Year
Don't forget to share this with all your friends and spread the word. 



                                                                                       
Check out our website for more information on the categories that you can 

nominate and how you can Become a Sponsor.                                         

                                             www.lovebarrowawards.co.uk                            

Police and Crime Commissioner to Host Online Meeting about Policing Budget

The Police and Crime Commissioner, Richard Rhodes,  will host an online meeting on Thursday 18 September, between 11am and 12 noon.  The theme of the meeting will be the policing budget, and is part of a wider consultation that Mr Rhodes is undertaking on the setting of the police precept for next year and beyond.

Mr Rhodes said “Public engagement is a key part of my role, and I continually seek ways to reach as many people in the county as I can. I am part way through a public consultation on the setting of the police precept for financial years  2015/16 and 2016/17. So far I have commissioned a telephone survey, and published an online questionnaire.  I have also held a number of public meetings and surgeries. This online meeting is another method I am using to enable people of Cumbria to have their say on what is a very important topic.”

Those interested in taking part in the online meeting should log onto the Commissioner’s website, www.cumbria-pcc.gov.uk and click on the relevant link under ‘Working for You’.

The online questionnaire remains open until 31 October 2014.  Those interested in taking part can do so by logging onto the Commissioner’s website, www.cumbria-pcc.gov.uk and click on the relevant link under ‘Governance and Transparency’.


Further information:    Gill Shearer, Cumbria Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner on 01768 217101 or Gillian.shearer@cumbria.police.uk

Monday 15 September 2014

Come and get involved in Art Gene's Fort Walney Uncovered Programme!

  An Aspire Trust Promotion:
 
 Come and get     involved in Art Gene's Fort Walney Uncovered Programme!
Please join Art Gene’s team of artists and archaeologists and discover 
the military heritage on the Northern end of Walney Island, Barrow-in-
Furness, from Friday 19th – Tuesday 23rd September.

Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, Fort Walney Uncovered is a new 

 collaborative programme of art, app making and archaeology that will uncover 
and tell the story of a First World War-era practice trench and a gun range 
that was probably used in both wars, hidden among the dunes of the National 
Nature Reserve on North Walney.

There are many ways you can get involved - all free but you do need to book:

Archaeological exploration with Dr. George Nash and Tom Wellicome, 

resident archaeologists

Friday 19th: 10am – 4pm Site excavation (diggers, shifters and shovelers 

needed!)

Saturday 20th: 10am - 4pm Come and find out what we're finding!
12noon and 3pm 1 hour Site Visits (come and hear how George and 

Tom work)
11am and 2pm Arts Workshops with our Artist in Residence, 

Jeni McConnell

Sunday 21st September
Seldom Seen Guided Walk, North Walney (Approximately four hours)
Meet at: Earnse Bay Car Park, Walney Island, LA14 3XZ at 12noon


Led by Art Gene artists Maddi Nicholson and Stuart Bastik, this walk 

explores the social, natural and built environment of Fort Walney, 
once a British Army training camp and now a National Nature Reserve 
and site of special scientific interest. With our guest experts you will 
learn about the bird sanctuary and sand dune habitat, co-existing with
wildfowl hunting; seek out the gun range and aircraft dispersal pads; 
see the habitats of the Natterjack toad and the rare Walney geranium, 
and walk along the shore to look for a ship wreck, cockles and mussels 
and the largest offshore windfarm group in the world.

A highlight of the walk will be a visit to the archaeological dig at the First World 

War practice trench site and a talk from the archaeologists. Finish back at the 
car park with home cooked food and hot drinks.

Featuring our guest experts:

Bill Myers, historian and journalist, North West Evening Mail;
Richard Sanderson, local historian and Chair of Leven Valley History 
Society;
John Nixon, local historian & author: WW2 publications inc. ‘Wings over Sands’ 
& ‘Warbirds of Walney’;
George Nash Archaeologist;
Thomas Wellicome Archaeologist;
Steve Benn, Ecologist, Natural England

(This walk is part of Art Gene’s Seldom Seen series of walks and road 

 shows, helping us research a new series of maps for Morecambe Bay 
and is presentedin partnership with Morecambe Bay Partnership).

Monday 22nd: booking for schools only
Schools visit to the archaeological dig

Tuesday 23rd: 10am – 4pm
Site reconstitution (diggers, shifters and shovelers needed!)

For confirmation of times and for further details, please contact  

Nick @ Art Gene or phone him on 077422 71570

All activities are free but booking is essential due to the special 

nature of the site we will be working on.

Please email Nick @ Art Gene to book your place or phone him on 

077422 71570

For information about all Art Gene's work, please visit their website here.

Art Gene is grateful to their funders and partners: Heritage Lottery 

Fund, Cumbria County Council, Borough of Barrow in Furness, the 
Hadfield Charitable Trust, the Skinners Company Lady Neville Charity 
and Arts Council England. The Walney Walk is organised in partnership 
with Morecambe Bay Partnership with funding from Coastal Communities 
Fund.

For information about all Art Gene's work, please visit their website here.

Art Gene is grateful to their funders and partners: Heritage 

Lottery Fund, Cumbria County Council, Borough of Barrow in Furness, the Hadfield Charitable Trust, the Skinners Company 
Lady Neville Charity and Arts Council England.

Police advise motorists on the importance of wearing a seatbelt

Police are reminding motorists that wearing a seatbelt can be the difference between life and death.

The Constabulary are part of the Casualty Reduction and Safer Highways Group which throughout the year work together in order to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the county’s roads.

This month the focus is on the use of seatbelts and child restraints working in line with TISPOL’s European Seatbelt Enforcement Operation.

Officers from the Operational Support Unit alongside officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Teams will patrol the county’s roads conducting high visibility stop checks, covert patrols and also static speed checks, particularly focusing on peak times for commuting as more vehicles are on the road following the end of the school summer holidays.

It is a legal requirement for anyone travelling in a vehicle to wear a seatbelt if one is fitted. Those aged 14 and over are responsible for wearing their seatbelt and it is the driver’s responsibility to make sure passengers under the age of 14 have their seatbelt on.

It is also a requirement that those under the age of 12 or under 135cm use a child seat. There are four groups of child seats which are designed for different weights and some seats cover more than one group. For more information on the correct car seat to use please visit www.cumbria.police.uk/roadsafety.

Sergeant Claire Sampson, of the Constabulary’s Operational Support Unit, said “Wearing a seatbelt is the single most effective way of saving lives and reducing injuries in road accidents. They really can make the difference if you are involved in a collision. Seatbelts also increase the safety of others in your vehicle as it restrains your body and reduces the risk of you colliding with someone.

“There are too many occasions where a death could have been avoided because a seatbelt was not worn. This is why wearing a seatbelt is not a matter of choice as some may believe. Those stopped driving without a seatbelt can receive a fine up to £500 and also a driver can receive points on their license.

“Similarly parents and guardians need to make sure that their children are safe by using the relevant car seat. Please make their safety a priority when planning and beginning a journey.”

Chris Broadbent, Cumbria Road Safety Partnership Road Safety Coordinator added “A seatbelt is vital for protecting yourself and family whilst driving. I would recommend that parents of young children visit the Constabulary’s website or www.goodeggcarsafety.com for the useful information that it contains.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Richard Rhodes said “It is really important that people listen to the simple advice of wearing seat belts.  There are far too many deaths and injuries on our roads and we must all ensure that we play our part to reducing these.”


Members of the public can keep up with the latest on the roads by visiting www.cumbria.police.uk/traffic or use the hashtag #CumbriaRoads.

Thursday 11 September 2014

What's Stoptober?


Askam and Ireleth Vintage Fair this weekend


Sunday 14 September, 10.30am to 4pm in the Band Hall, Sandy Lane, Askam
Vintage fair, pop up tea room with an exhibition to show case the research we have carried out on WW1 with the theme 'Every Man Remembered' from the names on our war memorial.
There will also be photographs of that time and a film from the munitions factory.
Our Old Time Dancers will be entertaining us, as well as our school choir. There will be singing around the piano of songs from the era.
Entry is free with any donations going to the Royal British Legion.

Police and Crime Commissioner’s Statement on CCTV Project

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Cumbria, Richard Rhodes, is pleased to report that the project to develop a Cumbria-wide CCTV scheme is progressing well.

Richard Rhodes said: “Negotiations regarding the procurement of a supplier to install the county-wide CCTV scheme are continuing, and it is currently anticipated that a contract will be awarded during October 2014, which will operate for a 7 year period, subject to satisfactory performance. Once the contract has been awarded I will make a further announcement.”

The project is being led by the Commissioner, in conjunction with the Constabulary and the six district councils. Since the decision was taken by the Commissioner in February 2014 to go ahead with the project, extensive activities have been completed to establish future CCTV requirements and to source prospective suppliers. The intent being that the selected supplier would design, install, commission and maintain a market leading solution, utilising the latest proven technology, which will serve the county for the foreseeable future.  

It is anticipated that installation and commissioning will be phased due to planning, highway and utility requirements and will include 53 CCTV cameras operating across Carlisle, Barrow, Workington, Kendal, Whitehaven and Penrith. Provision for the potential future extension of the solution to other locations has been included within the outline contract, estimated to be valued at £2.5M for the full 7 year period.

Chief Constable Jerry Graham said “I am pleased that the CCTV project is progressing. I look forward to the new system becoming operational in the near future, as it will provide consistent and improved CCTV coverage across Cumbria.  CCTV is an important tool to help solve crime and keep our local communities safe.”

Thursday 4 September 2014

Exhibitors invited for exhibition space in The Mall, Barrow

Over the past couple of years the exhibition boxes in The Mall have hosted a wide variety of displays by local schools and colleges, Furness Foto Group, Barrow Transport Group, Barrow Digital Photography Club, Furness Peninsula Rotary Club, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Morecambe Bay Partnership, Cumbria Police and Fire and various exhibitions. 

Exhibitors normally display for a calendar month. There are 12 display cabinets, 6 are 870mm x 710 mm and 6 are 810 mm x 525 mm.  All are approximately 1 metre deep.


If you would like to book exhibition space in The Mall for 2014/2015 and are a school, college, local group or not for profit organization please contact Ann Taylforth at Barrow Borough Council on 01229 876389 or email ataylforth@barrowbc.gov.uk   

'Heritage Open Days' 2014 in Barrow

Barrow Borough Council is supporting Heritage Open Days 2014 as activities take place all over England to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Heritage Open Days Programme.

There will be a free tour of Barrow Town Hall at 10.30 am on Thursday, 11th September. Knowledgeable Town Hall Guides will take you on a tour of the magnificent civic reception rooms in this splendid Victorian Building designed by W H Lynn in modern gothic style, built of local red sandstone and opened in 1887. (NB there is no access to clock tower) There is no need to book in advance. 

Councillor Helen Wall, Spokesperson for Wildlife, Heritage and Culture commented “Barrow has a fascinating history and I get really excited about events which help people - including me - find out more about it. I hope Heritage Open Days tell us more of our local story and get a lot more people interested in it.”

Heritage Open Days celebrates England’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to places that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission.

Every year on four days in September, buildings of every age, style and function throw open their doors. It is a once-a-year chance to discover architectural treasures and enjoy a wide range of tours, events and activities that bring local history and culture to life.

So much to see and do - free of charge and right on people’s doorstep, Heritage Open Days is an event for everyone, whatever their background, age and ability. From castles to city halls, tunnels to tower tops, police cells to private homes, workshops to woodland walks, the variety of places and ways to discover them are endless.

Full details of Heritage Open Days activities across the country including local events are listed at www.heritageopendays.org.uk