No not election day - my second date with BBC's Mastermind programme.
The recording is at the end of May and I am into revision mode.
This is a pleasure to do, as my specialist subject this time is the TV show Seinfeld and watching and rewatching the episodes is actually very relaxing.
Yada,yada,yada
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Funders Fair information
I've posted below some information about a Funders Fair which is taking place in Garston next week. Having worked in fundraising, I know just how time consuming it can be getting all the information about the various organisations and their criteria. So this is a great way of making good use of that time.
Anyway.. its on 1 April and is organised by the Garston and District Community Council.
*************************************************************
Press Release
GARSTON FUNDERS FAIR
TO COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY GROUPS IN SOUTH LIVERPOOL
Garston and District Community Council is pleased to invite you to a Funders Fair on:
Tuesday 1st April 2008 between 10.00am and 3.00pm
in the
Aylward Room and adjoining rooms, the Bridge Chapel Centre
Heath Road (off Mather Avenue) Allerton
This is an informal event so community and voluntary groups can drop in any time during the day to discuss informally funding opportunities and support available to complete applications
Funding and support organisations who will be at the event are:
Community Foundation Merseyside Liverpool Charity and Volunteer Services
Big Lottery Merseyside Disability Federation Hemby Trust
Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust Liverpool Culture Company
Company Sheila Kay Fund South Liverpool PCT COMTECHSA
Refreshments and hot food can be obtained reasonably priced from the Bistro within the building. The Bridge Chapel Centre has full disabled access and ample free car parking to the rear of the building, sign posted as you drive into the centre grounds of Heath Road
If you have any questions or are unsure how to get to the centre please call Dave Hunt 0151-427-5308, email davidjhunt@btconnect.com Madeline Evans 0151-427-5307
Anyway.. its on 1 April and is organised by the Garston and District Community Council.
*************************************************************
Press Release
GARSTON FUNDERS FAIR
TO COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY GROUPS IN SOUTH LIVERPOOL
Garston and District Community Council is pleased to invite you to a Funders Fair on:
Tuesday 1st April 2008 between 10.00am and 3.00pm
in the
Aylward Room and adjoining rooms, the Bridge Chapel Centre
Heath Road (off Mather Avenue) Allerton
This is an informal event so community and voluntary groups can drop in any time during the day to discuss informally funding opportunities and support available to complete applications
Funding and support organisations who will be at the event are:
Community Foundation Merseyside Liverpool Charity and Volunteer Services
Big Lottery Merseyside Disability Federation Hemby Trust
Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust Liverpool Culture Company
Company Sheila Kay Fund South Liverpool PCT COMTECHSA
Refreshments and hot food can be obtained reasonably priced from the Bistro within the building. The Bridge Chapel Centre has full disabled access and ample free car parking to the rear of the building, sign posted as you drive into the centre grounds of Heath Road
If you have any questions or are unsure how to get to the centre please call Dave Hunt 0151-427-5308, email davidjhunt@btconnect.com Madeline Evans 0151-427-5307
Somali problems
The fact that starvation in Somalia is in the news again today is shameful.
But it is also an indictment of the way news is reported.
Some time ago I worked for Save the Children. We helped run a computer programme which did something called Riskmapping. Basically it was a pretty sophisticated way of predicting where there would be areas of food pressure or famine. It had all sorts of data in it, including material about coping strategies in different regions etc.
Because of this, and because of anecdotal reports from staff in the field, it was often possible to publish or broadcast warnings. Obviously these all went to various international and national bodes, but we would also want to get this information into the news media as that can often be a way of raising the issue and the money to avoid catastrophe.
My experience when trying to do this was two fold.
Firstly, if any other African country had been in the news recently, editors would use that as a reason not to cover the warning story. When you think how big the continent is.. and the fact that the other story may well have been nothing to do with food security (south african politics for example) its a pretty poor reason.
But, and more shamefully, the reply we often got was that the story couldn't be covered yet because the famine hadn't started! Given that we were trying to do something to prevent it, that is a particularly annoying thing to hear. The sad fact is that if you don't have pictures of very thin people, or mass migration.. or you don't have babies crying from hunger, it is hard to get the coverage. And so that potential element of the early warning is lost.
Now I realise that a story saying famine can be averted, or at least ameliorated if x or y is done is not as compelling as one about actual starvation. But maybe every now and then we ought to sacrifice the most "compelling" story decision for one that will make a difference.
Just a thought.
But it is also an indictment of the way news is reported.
Some time ago I worked for Save the Children. We helped run a computer programme which did something called Riskmapping. Basically it was a pretty sophisticated way of predicting where there would be areas of food pressure or famine. It had all sorts of data in it, including material about coping strategies in different regions etc.
Because of this, and because of anecdotal reports from staff in the field, it was often possible to publish or broadcast warnings. Obviously these all went to various international and national bodes, but we would also want to get this information into the news media as that can often be a way of raising the issue and the money to avoid catastrophe.
My experience when trying to do this was two fold.
Firstly, if any other African country had been in the news recently, editors would use that as a reason not to cover the warning story. When you think how big the continent is.. and the fact that the other story may well have been nothing to do with food security (south african politics for example) its a pretty poor reason.
But, and more shamefully, the reply we often got was that the story couldn't be covered yet because the famine hadn't started! Given that we were trying to do something to prevent it, that is a particularly annoying thing to hear. The sad fact is that if you don't have pictures of very thin people, or mass migration.. or you don't have babies crying from hunger, it is hard to get the coverage. And so that potential element of the early warning is lost.
Now I realise that a story saying famine can be averted, or at least ameliorated if x or y is done is not as compelling as one about actual starvation. But maybe every now and then we ought to sacrifice the most "compelling" story decision for one that will make a difference.
Just a thought.
Thursday, 20 March 2008
The three who never speak
The agenda for the next City Council Executive Board includes a major report on regeneration in Garston. Its part of a long term plan which has been being worked on for years and includes decisions about use of money for a number of projects, including some on St Mary's Road in Garston. The Lib Dems had already said they wanted this project to proceed, but the exec board paper is effectively the formal decision process for this. I cannot stress too much what a major thing this is for the area.
As ever with proposals like this that go to the executive, local councillors covering the relevant area are asked to comment on it. This consultation informs the decision making process.
But yet again the three Labour Councillors who cover the area haven't bothered to respond (and given that responding means sending a letter or e mail or making one phone call it's hardly a big ask).
I remain bemused as to how they spend their time.
As ever with proposals like this that go to the executive, local councillors covering the relevant area are asked to comment on it. This consultation informs the decision making process.
But yet again the three Labour Councillors who cover the area haven't bothered to respond (and given that responding means sending a letter or e mail or making one phone call it's hardly a big ask).
I remain bemused as to how they spend their time.
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
Award winning garden - Heydean
Out for a spot of early (well early ish) morning delivery today. I had known that the residents in Heydean had won a Britain in Bloom award some time ago for their communal garden. But I hadn't realised just how nice it is. It was so tempting just to wander out and sit in the garden rather than run up and down the stairs. But then my protestant work ethic came into play and I did the leaflets. Maybe I can sit in the garden next time.
Election briefing
Last night saw me at the Town Hall along with a group of other candiate/agent/organisers from different political parties for the annual returning officer's briefing on the rules surrounding the election process. David Kidger has this down to a fine art. So he should being something of an expert on elections. He is frequently consulted on arrangements all over the world.
Nothing much new, but it was good to be reminded about some of the rules surrounding the form filling.
A bit of a debate about rules about the boxes that get put outside the polling stations (for those outside Liverpool these seem to replace tellers). Personally I would ban the boxes. They are a real pain just at the point when you are very tired. And actually I think the data within them has become pretty suspect. But I appear to hold a minority view on this.
Interesting to see that the Green party opted to receive all the electoral roll stuff on paper whereas the rest of us went for CDs!
And the BNP's interest in carrying out citizens arrests if they don't like your leaflet was a tad worrying. I can tell them now they won't like mine!
Nothing much new, but it was good to be reminded about some of the rules surrounding the form filling.
A bit of a debate about rules about the boxes that get put outside the polling stations (for those outside Liverpool these seem to replace tellers). Personally I would ban the boxes. They are a real pain just at the point when you are very tired. And actually I think the data within them has become pretty suspect. But I appear to hold a minority view on this.
Interesting to see that the Green party opted to receive all the electoral roll stuff on paper whereas the rest of us went for CDs!
And the BNP's interest in carrying out citizens arrests if they don't like your leaflet was a tad worrying. I can tell them now they won't like mine!
Monday, 17 March 2008
Looking into Iraq decisions
If the Independent is right.. Gordon Brown has said there will be a full public inquiry into Iraq. He has also said the time is't yet right.
Good news if it actually happens.
Good news if it actually happens.
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