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Commissioners
meet with UCLan students
POLICING students got the
chance to show off their skills and understanding when Lancashire's
Deputy and Assistant Police and Crime Commissioners came to visit:-
30 April 2012.
The University of Central Lancashire's (UCLan) policing students
were among the first people to hear from Police and Crime
Commissioner Clive Grunshaw following his election in November, but
today it was their turn to take to the stage as they presented their
policing plan to Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ibrahim
Master, Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner Saima Afzal MBE and
Chief Superintendent Richard Bayly.
All the students are in the final year of a Foundation Degree in
Policing, and as part of their planning module had been challenged
to produce a strategic policing plan for a fictitious town, which
included a marketing element and the challenge of incorporating
significant budget reductions into their work.
Deputy Commissioner Ibrahim Master said:- "I was very
impressed with the students' work and the enthusiasm they
demonstrated for the project. These are students who aspire to be
police officers, and their work showed an excellent understanding of
how the force is run and the challenges facing it."
The students' presentation was the culmination of 10 weeks work as
part of the 2nd and final year of their Policing Foundation Degrees,
and the panel was given the opportunity to give feedback to the
group on the plan they put forward.
Assistant Commissioner Saima Afzal MBE said:- "I was delighted
to meet with the students here today and it was a great opportunity
for them to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the
role of a strategic commander. Their work was excellent and they had
really focused on some of the more national issues facing policing,
including collaboration, the need for efficiency and balancing
budget cuts against visible policing."
As part of their course the students have also heard a presentation
from Miranda Carruthers-Watt, Chief Executive of the Office of the
Police and Crime Commissioner, about the Commissioner's Police and
Crime Plan and attended a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel.
Sovini creating 58 new jobs in
Merseyside
SOVINI Property Services
have announce that they will be taking on a massive 58 new staff, to
fill a variety of trade vacancies, before the end of Spring.
The building and maintenance company, part of the Sovini Group based
in Merseyside, will be showcasing the vacancies and providing
opportunities for individuals to apply at their recruitment
exhibitions, which will take place at Aintree Racecourse on
Thursday, 16 May and Monday, 20 May 2013, from 4pm to 8pm.
Director of Property Services, Phil Pemberton, said:- "It is
part of the Sovini mission to create training and job opportunities
for the people of Sefton and beyond, so it's great that we have the
capaCity to take on such a high number of permanent staff as a
result of the growing demand for our building and property services.
The group - made up of One Vision Housing, Pine Court Housing, Sovini homes and Sovini Property Services – will be employing
professionals from a variety of trades - 28 Joiners, 7 Electricians,
8 Painters, 3 Gas engineers and 12 Manual workers. As the
Sovini Group is recognised as an award winning employer; with One
Vision Housing named Sunday Times No.1 non-profit to work for in
both 2012 and 2013, and attaining the Investors in People Gold
accreditation - the event is certain to be extremely popular. Since
bringing repairs and maintenance staff in-house in September 2010,
the Property Services arm of Sovini has already recruited over 230
staff, providing front-line services to customers of One Vision
Housing, Pine Court Housing, and also Villages Housing which
outsources to Sovini. Anyone interested in any of the roles or
hearing more about working at Sovini, should attend either of the 2
events, both taking place in the Princess Royal Suite, 4th Floor,
Princes Royal Stand, Aintree Racecourse, on either Thursday, 16 and
Monday, 20 May 2013, between 4pm and 8pm."
For more information about the event or Sovini, please visit:-
sovini.co.uk or call:- 0300 365
1111. |
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Students
campaign to encourage men to report loan sharks
A campaign to encourage
more men to speak out against loan sharks is to be launched in St
Helens, with the help of students from Bolton University.
Twenty five graphic design students will showcase their ideas for a
marketing campaign during the event held at St Helens Central
Library on Wednesday, 22 May 2013. The winning designs will be used
during Men's Health Week, 10 June to 16 June 2013, to directly
target men, encouraging them to engage with the England Illegal
Money Lending Team and report the crime if they have been affected.
Research shows that whilst the number of men and number of women
affected by loan sharks is an almost even split (52% female, 48%
Male), men are much less likely to engage and give a statement
(witnesses in illegal money lending cases is 64% female, 36% male).
The marketing campaign is aimed at breaking down the barriers, which
prevent men from engaging. It will use the appropriate language and
approach to involve men, encouraging them to take positive action
and speak out against this crime. It doesn't portray those who are
affected by loan sharks as victims, but shows that they can make a
difference in their communities if they do speak out.
Agencies involved in the campaign, along with the University and the
England Illegal Money Lending Team include St Helens Borough Council
Trading Standards, Bolton Borough Council Trading Standards and
housing providers Riverside and Helena Partnerships.
The three winning designs will be presented with a trophy during the
event and all of the designs will be displayed at the library until
Thursday, 30 May 2013.
Councillor Richard McCauley, Cabinet Member for Environmental
Protection and Safer Communities in St. Helens said:- "Illegal
Money Lending is a crime which affects an estimated 310,000
households across the UK. Loans sharks typically befriend their
borrowers before forcing them to pay back above and beyond what they
have borrowed and can afford. Exorbitant extra amounts and interest
payments are added at random, and items including passports, bank
cards and driving licences are taken as security on the loans. As
the debts cannot legally be enforced in many cases the loan sharks
will resort to threats, violence and other bully tactics."
The England Illegal Money Lending Team are cracking down on this
crime, having already secured 222 prosecutions for illegal money
lending and related criminal activity, leading to custodial
sentences in excess of 150 years. They have written off £40million
worth of illegal debts and helped more than 19,000 affected by loan
sharks.
Tony Quigley Head of the England Illegal Money Lending Team said:-
"This is the start of an ongoing national campaign to
encourage men to speak out against this crime. Loan sharks can have
a horrific impact on individuals and communities, forcing them to
pay back exorbitant amounts and leaving people penniless. The
campaign is about engaging with the public, men in particular and
encouraging them to speak out against this crime. Our hotline is
open 24/7 on:- 0300 555 2222 for anyone to report a loan shark to us
so we can take action."
Carol Allison Programme Leader for Graphic Design & Photography at
Bolton University said:- "Working on this creative brief has
been a fantastic opportunity for our students. They have produced a
remarkable range of design outcomes that shows the role graphic
design plays in communicating complex messages to specific target
markets. We look forward to the team's selection and wish to thank
them for their valuable input and feedback."
Jim Pollard of the Men's Health Forum said:- "Illegal money
lending may not sound like a health issue, but it is - and a serious
one. If you don't have a health problem before you see a loan shark
you will afterwards. The terrible mental stress and outrageous
interest rates have provoked suicides, suicide attempts and heart
attacks to say nothing of the more obvious physical dangers that
getting involved with loan sharks entails. For sake of your health,
and that of those around you, don't do it. If you have money
problems talk to Citizen's Advice or a local Credit Union."
To report a loan shark:-
Call the 24/7 confidential hotline:- 0300 555 2222
Text:- 'loan shark + your message' to:- 60003
Email:-
reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk |
