Institute of Advanced Motorists

Fiona Bruce MP represents Congleton Branch of Institute of Advanced Motorists at national meeting at RAC Club

Fiona Bruce MP attended the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) Annual Lunch at the RAC Club in London last week to represent the Congleton Branch, of which she is Patron.

Fiona said:

“I am very pleased to have been invited to this important occasion and to be able to represent the Congleton Branch of the Institute of Advanced Motorists as their Patron. 

This is the second event this week I have attended in this capacity, the other being a presentation in Parliament by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service on their ThinkDriveSurvive scheme for 17 to 25 year olds. 

Under this scheme Fire Officers are going into schools across Cheshire and reaching thousands of young people with safer driving messages, such as not being distracted by passengers, switching off mobile phones, not drinking any alcohol at all before driving and in this dark weather checking your lights are working every day.

 This time of year, these messages are particularly important for everyone – and especially young people since they are four times more likely to crash and newly qualified drivers are estimated to be 33% more likely to crash than learners.  Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people in the UK.  I commend Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service for this initiative.  ThinkDriveSurvive is playing a vital part in preventing death and serious injury on the roads. It is excellent to see Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service taking the national lead on this important issue.”

At the National meeting of the IAM, Mike Penning MP and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport also spoke of the need for changes to driver education suggesting all tests for road vehicles should be ‘fit for purpose” and that there is a need to target drivers aged 17-25 who were not around for the first wave of anti drink driving campaigning saying “we need to get the message through - It is a privilege to...talk to experts who are so passionate about improving road safety.”

The IAM is the UK’s leading road safety charity and is dedicated to increasing skills for all road users, raising driving and riding standards and helping to save lives on the road.

John Twigg, Chairman of Congleton Advanced Motorists said:

“We are delighted to have Fiona Bruce MP as President of the Group and her active support for our work to reduce the tragic loss of life on local roads. All of the evidence shows that raising the standard of driving is the cheapest and most effective way of improving road safety.”

Children's Society

Children’s Society Speaker in Middlewich

Aelison Wilson spoke at St Michael and All Angels Church in Middlewich of the different ways in which volunteers undertake work for the Children’s Society.

Aelison, who lives in Frodsham, and who’s work for the Children’s Society covers a wide range of the North West region said:

“Some of our volunteers go into schools to take a small group of children or simply to listen to them, to help improve behaviour because so many children spend so much time put in front of a television.”

She also told of the work the Children’s Society in supporting those who run away from home, this being the current, major project of the Children’s Society – a growing need when 100,000 children run away from home each year in our country.

The Children’s Society does not run any homes of its own but volunteers go into homes to help handicapped children in care – for example to take handicapped children out every Saturday.  Another area of their work, which is based in Northwich, is to help children who are “on the edge of the law” – The Children’s Society tries to get alongside them and so keep them out of trouble.

In closing Aelison said “We interviewed thousands of children to ask them what makes a good childhood, as our country is the worst in the developed European sector for growing up as a child for many reasons.  Interestingly, the main factor which children cited as making a good childhood was to give them time.”

Fiona Bruce MP, who attended the talk, said “The work of The Children’s Society is especially valuable at this time of year and at a time when politicians from different parties are saying that the biggest threat to our society is not economic, but the disintegration of the family life, the Children’s Society is playing a vital role in supporting vulnerable children and families.”

Apprenticeships

New Apprenticeships – What’s in them for Small Businesses?

by Fiona Bruce MP

High quality apprenticeships help young people out of unemployment and into work, as well as boosting the skills of the local workforce to equip the economy for success.  So why in the past have small businesses been reluctant to take them on? 

One answer may well have been an underlying perception that apprentices are an undue burden on small businesses.  But the introduction of new measures to make apprenticeships flexible and relevant to employers across the country – and most importantly for a small business – by offering help towards the costs of employing a young person could, the Government hopes, mean small businesses can think again about taking on an apprentice.

Crucially, the Government’s new provisions provide much needed financial help for the smallest firms to make it economically viable to recruit their first young apprentices.  The Government will offer employers with 50 employees or fewer up to £1,500.00 for taking on an apprentice aged between 16 and 24.  This will support up to 20,000 new apprenticeships in 2012.

The Government is also slashing the red tape which deters firms from taking on apprentices.  Processes will be simplified to make it quicker and easier for employers to take on apprentices; this will include streamlining health and safety requirements so that there are no additional demands on employers.

Through apprenticeships, small businesses have the opportunity to equip apprentices with basic skills and provide a sound investment in, not only their future and the future of the business they work in, but also, critically, the future of the country’s economy.  This will be achieved by new quality standards to ensure that every apprenticeship is directly relevant to the specific skill needs of local employers, with every apprentice receiving at least 280 hours of formal training per year.

To ensure high standards, the Government is launching a review in to the standards and quality of apprenticeships.  The review will help ensure the Government works effectively with training providers and businesses to continually raise the standards of all apprenticeships, and, most importantly, that training keeps pace with the changing needs of the industry.

There are further opportunities for support locally for a business considering taking on an Apprentice.  Plus Dane have used their work in the field of housing services to provide full apprenticeships in a range of trades and administration both with Plus Dane (35 currently) as well as supporting development of a local apprentice initiative in Congleton which has involved East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, the Congleton Town Partnership and local schools. 

Research shows that every pound of public investment in an apprenticeship generates up to £40 for the regional economy.  Furthermore, improvements in productivity ensure employers recoup their training costs within three years; and advanced apprenticeships – leading to a degree – such as those offered by Bentley Motors at Crewe - boost an employee’s lifetime earnings by around £100,000.00!

A record 442,700 learners started an apprenticeship in the academic year 2010/22 – an increase of around 50% on the previous year.  These new measures will ensure young people and small businesses feel the full benefits of the successful expansion of apprenticeships. 

So, apprentices need not be an undue burden to businesses and in the medium to long term they can be a real boon - enabling an employer to train a young staff member with years ahead of them in the culture, practices and priorities of a firm from day one.  The mutual benefits for both apprentices and businesses can help to move the economy forward in Cheshire East; business can gain the skilled workers they need to grow and young people can take steps into rewarding employment. 

So why not take a fresh look at taking on an apprentice for your business today?

For more information visit www.apprentice.org.uk

Alsager Work Club

MP supports valuable service provided by Alsager Work Club

Congleton Constituency MP Fiona Bruce has offered her backing to the Alsager Work Club.  Having visited the Work Club in Middlewich recently and seen the excellent help offered to job seekers, Fiona Bruce encourages people to support and to use the services offered by the organisation in the Alsager area.

Fiona says “I encourage all looking for a job to make use of the Work Clubs available to them. The help provided is friendly, and practical support is given in the most important areas such as CV writing, applications and training opportunities. The Alsager Club is a much needed and worthwhile local service.”

The Alsager Work Club meets every other Wednesday 2-4.30pm at 1 Grove Court, Alsager and is free of charge. For more information contact 01260 290682 or simply drop in to one of the sessions.

St Luke's Visit Parliament

St Luke’s speak in Parliament of their pioneering work

St Luke’s (Cheshire) Hospice representatives went to Parliament last week to talk about the pioneering outreach work of St Luke’s.  Whilst it is a hospice for the care of the terminally ill with only fourteen beds, St Luke’s does a great deal more work within the community.

Rachel Zammit, Macmillan End of Life Public Health Lead and Siobhan Horton, Head of Clinical Services at St Luke’s Hospice were invited to the Palace of Westminster.  They were joined by six volunteers who work at the St Luke’s Community Outreach at Lawton Memorial Hall, Church Lawton. The St Luke’s representatives were invited by Congleton constituency MP Fiona Bruce and given the opportunity to speak about their innovative approach to death, dying to MPs and members of the House of Lords after Fiona had visited and been impressed by the work of St Luke’s and Lawton Outreach work.

They presented their ideas at the Parliamentary Group for “Dying Well”, chaired by Baroness Finlay.  The theme of the talk Rachel Zammit gave in Parliament to the group, of which Fiona is a member, was about how St Luke’s are doing pioneering work in the approach to living and dying well, treating it as a public health issue.

The approach being developed by St Luke’s is aiming to encourage us to look at dying as a natural part of the human life cycle and break down the barriers to talking about dying.

Rachel Zammit said, “We are extremely pleased to have been given the opportunity to raise the profile of the exciting approach we are developing in Cheshire. We are used to making the link between our lifestyle choices and our health in other areas, such as diet, exercise and smoking, but don’t normally think about how the way we live can also affect the way we age, grieve and die. Death is a part of life for us all, young and old alike and the approach will encompass that thinking…it is about living well and dying well”. 

Siobhan Horton said, “I was deeply impressed by the considerate attention shown to the group by Fiona Bruce.”

“In order to have a ‘good’ death it is essential that we face the issue and talk to each other, so that those who will care for us know what our wishes are which in turn reduces the stress on them and on a practical level means that what support is needed can be planned and put in place. Things like the need for help with completing paperwork or with fetching the shopping, walking the dog or someone to simply be a friend and a listening ear.  This is exactly the type of support that St Luke’s Community Outreach is now providing in the Alsager area.”

A day centre is run at Lawton Memorial Hall for two days a week where ladies (and men) give elderly people a lunch, massage, hobbies of interest etc to improve quality of life, at the end of life.

Baroness Finlay, Chair of the group, said “I was most impressed both with the presentation by St Luke’s and with the valuable outreach work which their volunteers are undertaking.  This is a key way forward for hospice work throughout the country with our increasingly elderly population.”

Parliamentary Best Small Shops Awards

Congleton Constituency has more highly commended shops than any other in Parliamentary Best Small Shops Awards

Fiona Bruce MP attended Best Small Shop Awards Gala Reception in the House of Commons recently. There were 70 commended shops from across the 650 parliamentary constituencies in the country with no less than seven of those commended shops coming from the Congleton constituency!  The Awards, organised by the Parliamentary Small Shops Group, seek to honour those businesses that contribute to the life of their local community and go ‘beyond the call of duty’. David Amess MP, Chair of the group congratulated Fiona Bruce saying “The Congleton Constituency has the most commended businesses of any constituency in the country!  It is a real tribute to community life in the area and to the commitment of local independent retailers.”

Fiona Bruce MP said:

“This competition serves to remind shoppers of the importance and value of local shops and to ensure that we keep them in our communities.  The effort shopkeepers put into running their businesses and supporting their communities is massive and our communities would be a far lesser place without them.  It was heartening for me to hear at these Awards that even in challenging trading conditions there is now an upturn in people wanting to shop more locally for the personal and community benefit local shops offer. In just one of a number of local initiatives encouraging people to shop locally the Love Local Life Card presents shoppers with an incentive to shop locally by collaborating with local businesses to provide a local discount card. In areas like ours, particularly with a high proportion of older people, small shops provide quality conversations and individual attention that can’t be provided in bigger stores.”

Susan Blakeman of R J and J Moore Greengrocers in Congleton said “It is really nice to know that small businesses are recognised.  We try to support the Congleton community and the local charities as much as possible such as helping soldiers from the 1^st Mercian Regiment.  It is important to focus of community not just business.”

David Amess MP said that “This is a night to celebrate what small shops do for their local communities and their contribution is huge.”

Alsager – Delissimo

                01270 884200

                info@delissimo.biz

Congleton – R J & J Moore Greengrocer

                     01260 273249

                    Bread and Basil

                    01260 270511

                    Davenports of Congleton

                    01260 272218

Middlewich – Temptations of Middlewich

                      01606 832472

          Cakes by Coulson

          01606 212243

          cakesbycoulson@talktalk.net

                      Chisholm’s Newsagents

Middlewich and District Concert Society

Fiona Bruce MP attends Middlewich and District Concert Society 22^nd Season

The Middlewich and District Concert Society presented a piano recital by James Willshire on 19^th November in the drama studio of Middlewich High School.  It was attended by Fiona Bruce MP and Middlewich Town Mayor Councillor Sonya Edwards and Consort Councillor Paul Edwards.

The concert was give by James Willshire, currently with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, who performs nationally and internationally.

The programme included pieces by Scarlatti, Schubert and Liszt and a well received, lively piece called Waltzes by modern composer, Ronald Stevenson.  A rare opportunity to hear this work of which, as yet, there is no recording.

This is the 22^nd season of the Middlewich and District Concert Society; their next event will be on Saturday 28^th January 2012 with the Pleyel Ensemble performing Prokofiev, Bach and Mendelssohn.  Tickets are available from Roger Evans, Secretary on 01606 834471 or at rogermartinevans@hotmail.com.