Care agency says proposals are a 'stepping stone'

The managing director of a Saxmundham care agency has given a cautious welcome to the proposals in yesterday’s (18th November) Queen’s speech regarding social care.

The Personal Care at Home Bill has proposed to offer free personal care to those with critical needs, such as those with serious dementia or Parkinson’s Disease.

Nicola Warner, managing director of Christies Care, a specialist provider of 24 hour live-in care said: “We welcome this proposal, which levels the playing field between those who prefer care at home and those in a care home who already receive free personal care, paid for by the NHS. With that guarantee of costs being met, we think that thousands of people will be able to stay at home for much longer than before, enjoying their remaining years in the familiar surroundings or their own home”

She continued: “These proposals, although limited to only those with ‘critical’ needs, are a stepping stone to offering elderly people the dignity of remaining in familiar, comfortable surroundings. We support any proposal which highlights the option of live-in care as a genuine alternative to residential or nursing homes.”

Nicola finished by adding; “The current information and advice about how people can receive funding towards their care costs are often confusing. We would welcome clearer guidance for the millions of people needing social care.”

For more information about Christies Care, telephone 0844 477 6460 or visit www.christiescare.com or www.twitter.com/ChristiesCare

Suffolk care agency responds to report by Alzheimer's Society

A leading care agency has responded to a report published today (17th November) by the Alzheimer’s Society, highlighting how poor hospital care can have negative impacts upon those suffering from dementia.

Research undertaken by the Society has shown that the majority of those with dementia leave hospital in a worse state than when they arrive, whilst a third of all patients are discharged to care homes, unable to return to their own homes.

Christies Care, a specialist care agency based in Saxmundham, has responded to the Alzheimer’s Society’s calls for further training for carers, after 77% of carers suggested they were disappointed with the quality of care for their dementia patients.

Nicola Warner, managing director of Christies Care said: “It is frightening that many nurses and carers are not receiving proper guidance and training before working with those suffering from dementia related illnesses. The quality of care plays a big part in how patients respond to treatment, so it is vital that nurses and carers are fully prepared.”

The care agency has also criticised the statistics indicating that 36% of dementia patients are unable to return home after deteriorating in hospital due to poor care. Christies Care has called for a higher awareness of 24 hour live-in care as an alternative to care or residential homes.

Nicola added; “Research has shown that those with dementia need the benefits of familiar surroundings, to prevent the illness worsening. Currently, there is a lack of awareness of the viability of 24hour live-in care, but it is a fantastic alternative to those who wish to remain comfortable in their own home.”

Christies Care currently has over 80 clients, with various stages of dementia related illnesses, who live in their own homes and have a care assistant 24 hours of the day.

Their investment in dementia training for their carers, including introductory and advanced workshops, culminating in an exam externally marked and accredited by The Alzheimer’s Society, has seen them shortlisted for the Training and Development Award at the 2009 Anglian Business Awards.

For more information about Christies Care, telephone 0844 477 6460 or visit www.christiescare.com or www.twitter.com/ChristiesCare

Just one week left to drop off showboxes for 'Operation Christmas Child"!

Car dealerships across the UK are being turned into a Santa’s Grotto in aid of a charitable campaign which sends present-filled shoeboxes to needy children in developing countries.

Polar Ford, Brunel Ford, Heartlands Ford and Dagenham Motors dealerships are all designated drop off points for the 2009 “Operation Christmas Child” shoebox appeal.

The appeal encourages people to send some festive cheer to children less fortunate than most, across the world.Run in conjunction with the Samaritans Purse charity, “Operation Christmas Child” entails filling shoeboxes with toys and gifts to send to children around the world in hospitals, orphanages, refugee camps, homeless shelters and impoverished neighbourhoods.

A spokesperson for Ford Retail, which owns each of the dealerships, said: “This is the third year that we have taken part in the appeal. Last year the Group collected over 10,000 shoeboxes, each wrapped in Christmas paper and filled with small toys, crayons, clothes and sweets, and this year we are aiming to collect even more. It’s an extremely worthwhile cause and we are looking forward to taking part again this year.”

How to pack your shoebox:
Remember to make your box both fun and educational!
All shoebox items should be new and can contain gifts such as:

Toys: Bear, soft toy, tennis ball, finger puppet, jigsaw, yo-yo, building blocks, small musical instrument. For boys trucks and cars, for girls dolls, clip on earrings etc.

Educational supplies: Felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, colouring book, notepad, picture or puzzle book, chalk, pencil case, stickers etc.

Hygiene items: Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, hair clips, bar of soap, flannel etc.

Other items: Sweets (sell by date to be at least March of the following year), gloves, scarf, sunglasses, cap, hat, bangles, necklaces etc.

Shoeboxes can be dropped off at your nearest showroom until Wednesday 18th November!

For further information about the campaign and what items to include in your shoeboxes, please visit www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk or contact the dealership using the details below:

Dagenham Motors:
319 The Hyde, Edgware Road, London, NW9 6TH. Tel: 0208 358 8600
Baker Street, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 2DZ. Tel: 01707 652219720
Great Cambridge Road, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 5DU. Tel: 0208 884 7800268
London Road, Staines, Middlesex, TW18 4JQ. Tel: 01784 466 666
374 Ealing Road, Alperton, Middlesex, HA0 1HG. Tel: 0208 997 338851
Stamford Hill, London, N16 5TB. Tel: 0208 826 2200357
Chigwell Road, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8PE. Tel: 0208 498 9848719-727
London Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 1SE. Tel: 0208 814 460020-40
East Street, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 1HF. Tel: 01372 804 000
Portsmouth Road, Thames Ditton, Kingston, Surrey, KT7 0EG. Tel: 0208 339 3514
Brighton Road, Banstead, Surrey, SM7 1BS. Tel: 01737 352 202
97 Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 1JJ. Tel: 01932 864244
Wintersells Road, Byfleet, Surrey, KT14 7LF. Tel: 01932 332933
Guildford Road, Bookham, Surrey, KT23 4HY. Tel: 0208 814 4600

Ripple Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 9PG. Tel: 0208 911 3333
Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park, Ilford, IG2 7EE. Tel: 0208 597 3331
161-169 Pier Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1AF259. Tel: 01634 283400
Plaistow Road, London, E15 3EU. Tel: 0208 534 76612
Fiveways, Sidcup Road, Eltham, London, SE9 3AQ. Tel: 0208 860 1266
1 Ballard Business Park, Cuxton Road, Strood, Kent, ME2 2NY. Tel: 01634 712600

Unit 1, Waltham Park Way, Billet Road, Walthamstow, E17 5DU. Tel: 0208 556 1521
Redburn Industrial Estate, Woodhall Road, Ponders End, Enfield, EN3 4LE. Tel: 0208 804 2489

Dagenham Motors CV:
Dawley Road, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 1EH. Tel: 0208 561 8888
51-53 River Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 0SW. Tel: 0208 477 4000
Cuton Hall Lane, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 6PB. Tel: 01245 235400

Polar Ford:
Canal Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 4SR. Tel: 01274 756200
Calder Island Way Denby Dale Road, Wakefield, WF2 7AW. Tel: 01924 290290
Wakefield Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S71 1NF. Tel: 01226 732732
Junction 32, M62, Park Road, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 4RJ. Tel: 01977 603644
St Andrews Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 6NA. Tel: 01484 290022

Winwick Road, Warrington, Cheshire, WA2 7NY. Tel: 01925 651111
Victoria Road, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 5SP. Tel: 01928 574333
Wellington Road, North Stockport, SK4 2PE. Tel: 0161 975 5500
Sherdley Road, St Helens, Merseyside, WA9 5AD. Tel: 01744 610600
60 Buxton Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, SK7 6AF. Tel: 0161 483 9431
A34 Bypass, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 1AE. Tel: 01625 257 777

Brunel Ford:
Winterstoke Road, Bristol, BS23 2LB. Tel: 0117 908 9999
175 Muller Road, Horfield, Bristol, Bs7 9RD. Tel: 0117 951 3333
Winterstoke Road, Weston Super Mare, N. Somerset, BS23 3YE. Tel: 01934 415511

Heartlands Ford:
971 Kingsbury Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B24 9QB. Tel: 0121 377 3000
Saxon Drive, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 7HD. Tel: 01827 306700
Aldridge Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham, B42 2SP. Tel: 0121 344 5252

1) Operation Christmas Child is the world's largest children's Christmas project. Since 1990 the project has brought the joy of Christmas to more than 60 million boys and girls throughout the world.

2) The annual project enables caring individuals, families, schools, churches, businesses, and other organisations to fill ordinary shoe boxes with small toys, school supplies, sweets, and other gifts for needy children around the world.

3) Last year 1.2 million shoe boxes were sent from the UK to children in hospitals, orphanages, refugee camps, homeless shelters and impoverished neighbourhoods.

From ‘Sick-Note’ to ‘Fit-Note’ – High profile conference tackles sickness absenteeism in the workplace

Good health for the workforce is good for business. In the current economic climate it’s even more important that we cut the £100 billion per year cost of worklessness caused by ill health.

A conference organised by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA), UNISON, GMB, Unite and Local Government Employers on 15th December at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford will focus on understanding the crucial relationship between health and work. This conference will show how positive management of employees’ physical and mental health can lead not only to a reduction in sickness absence but to greater staff engagement and productivity as well as a reduction in staff turnover and recruitment costs.

The public sector employs around 6 million people – or 22% of the workforce. In recent months, incidents of high absenteeism in the public sector have grabbed the headlines. Every local authority should have effective health and safety policies in place with a clear commitment from management to support them.

The overall statistics are quite staggering.

· Absence levels in the public sector remain the highest at an average of 9.8 days per employee per year;
· Among public services employers, those in the health sector recorded the highest average level of employee absence at 11.7 days per employee per year. These figures compare sharply with those recorded among private sector organisations where the average level of absence remained static at 7.2 days per employee per year;
· Over two million people suffer from illnesses that they attribute to their work – mostly stress, depression and anxiety.

These figures mean not only increased costs for employers due to days lost but also personal suffering, family hardship and costs to individuals.

Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work, who released her groundbreaking report into the health of Britain’s working age population in 2008, will be a keynote speaker at the event. In response, the Government released their ‘Improving health and work: changing lives’ report in November 2008. Lord McKenzie of Luton, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Work and Pensions, will describe the Government’s continuing response to Dame Carol Black’s report one year on.

Other speakers include:
· Graeme Henderson, Department of Health, who will describe the fit for work programme and progress to date.
· Dr Steve Boorman, who is leading the review of health and well being in the NHS which will report later this year
· Jane Willis, Director of Cross Cutting Interventions, Health and Safety Executive
· Steve Sumner, National Health, Safety and Well-being Policy Advisor, Local Government Employers

Cllr Ian Nimmo-Smith, Chairman of EERA’s Local Government Employers’ Panel said: “We know that sickness absence is economically, socially and personally harmful. A healthy workforce with a positive outlook provides better public services and saves money. This conference will provide an opportunity to hear well being case studies both from within the region and more widely.”

Greg Grant, Eastern Regional Director of UNISON, and Chair of this conference said: “Employers would save millions and deliver a better service by digging into and removing the underlying causes of illness in the workplace. We know that many employers are failing to tackle workplace sickness, long hours and job insecurity, all of which take a toll on workers’ health and their families.”

Who should attend

The conference is essential for public sector leaders including Councillors, Chief Executives and other senior managers, Human Resources, Organisational Development and Health and Safety professionals, along with all those who have an interest in employee wellbeing.

The fee for this event is £125 + VAT. To book a place, please visit http://events.eera.gov.uk/4741.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

For further information or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson, please contact:

Claire Sefton, Tel: 01284 729427 Mob: 07920257940 Email: Claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk

Stephen Hinchley, Tel: 01284 729430, Mob: 07710 312237, Email: stephen.hinchley@eera.gov.uk

For further information about the event, contact Sue Houlder, Conference Organiser, EERA, Tel: 01284 729421 or email sue.houlder@eera.gov.uk


East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.

2. The Assembly has 96 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.

3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.

4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
£1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk

Local Government Employers Panel
Cllr Ian Nimmo-Smith (Chairman), Liberal Democrat, 01223 365484
Cllr Jim Ranger (Panel Group Leader), Conservative, 07831 587342
Cllr Philip Smith (Panel Group Leader), Labour, 01375 361180

Last chance to have your say on the future of the East of England

Less than a month remains for people in the East of England to voice their opinions on plans that will shape the region over the next 20 years. Views are being sought on housing and economic growth while protecting the environment and the quality of life for existing and future residents of the East of England.

These topics form the twelve-week consultation on the East of England Plan > 2031. The Regional Assembly is urging the general public to make their views known before the consultation ends on 24th November. The consultation document is available at: www.eera.gov.uk/What-we-do/developing-regional-strategies/east-of-england-plan/east-of-england-plan-review-to-2031/.

Cllr Derrick Ashley, Chairman of the Regional Planning Panel at the East of England Regional Assembly said: “This is a vital opportunity to get involved in shaping the future development of your locality. The issues being consulted on are critical to creating a more prosperous and sustainable region. We strongly encourage all communities and organisations across the region to have their say”.

“We need to plan for new homes so that first-time buyers, young families and others in housing need can buy or rent a home at a price they can afford. Businesses also need the confidence to invest in our region.

“But we also want to protect the environment and the quality of life for existing and future residents of the East of England. New development must be appropriate and supported by Government investment.

“We will look closely at all the responses to the consultation before publishing a detailed draft plan in March. This plan will propose how and where new homes might be delivered up to 2031.

“Although there may be changes to the planning system in the years ahead, the evidence gathered will be valuable for the continuing need to plan for new jobs and homes.”

The consultation is part of a wider review of the East of England Plan which covers important issues such as transport, the environment, energy and waste as well as new homes.

The revised East of England Plan will not be completed until 2011 and the public will have further opportunities to have their say. It is the responsibility of local councils to determine the exact locations of where new homes should be built through their local development frameworks.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

An information pack on the East of England Plan > 2031 can be viewed at: www.eera.gov.uk/News/public-information-packs

To book a place at the remaining public consultation events on the East of England Plan > 2031, go to http://events.eera.gov.uk/EventDetails.aspx?ID=932

For further information or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson, please contact:

Claire Sefton, Tel: 01284 729427 Mob: 07920257940 Email: Claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk

Stephen Hinchley, Tel: 01284 729430, Mob: 07710 312237, Email: stephen.hinchley@eera.gov.uk
East of England Plan
The long-term planning framework for the sustainable development of the region is provided by the East of England Plan (Regional Spatial Strategy). The East of England Plan provides the basis for local authorities to prepare their local development plans and for other organisations to plan their investment e.g. NHS, Highways Agency, water companies etc.

The current East of England Plan[1] sets out regional planning policy to 2021 but many councils are already preparing local plans stretching to 2026 and beyond. A focused review of the East of England Plan is therefore needed to set out regional planning policy from 2011 to 2031. It will plan for the region’s growth and prosperity, housing needs and respond to issues such as climate change.

The review of the East of England Plan will be completed in 2011. There will be public consultation at key stages of the process to enable members of the public and others to contribute. The review will consider:
· jobs and homes targets for 2011-2031 including affordable homes;
· broad locations for new development;
· regional infrastructure needs e.g. transport;
· targets to reduce the use of natural resources (energy, water) and greenhouse gas emissions;
· priorities for the environment such as the countryside and biodiversity protection.

In undertaking the East of England Plan 2031, the Assembly will be working closely with the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and the Government Office for the East of England (GO-East).
East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.

2. The Assembly has 96 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.

3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.

4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
£1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk

East of England Regional Planning Panel
Cllr Derrick Ashley (Chairman of RPP), Conservative, 01992 556571
Cllr Alan Crystall (Panel Group Leader), Liberal Democrat, 01702 474047
Cllr Roy Davis (Panel Group Leader), Labour, 01582 730939
Corrine Meakins (Panel Group Leader), Community Stakeholder, 07960 189994

Last chance to register for Global Opportunities conference and hear Lord Digby Jones

Time is running out for business leaders to register to attend the region’s largest annual event on overseas trade, where they can hear Lord Digby Jones talk on why businesses should be looking beyond UK shores to fuel their growth and raise their profitability.

The Global Opportunities conference, organised by East of England International in conjunction with HSBC, is taking place on 19th November at Newmarket Racecourse and includes a host of other key note speakers, opportunities to get advice from export specialists and to see who has won Exporter of the Year at an Awards ceremony taking place on the day.

To register, visit www.eei-online.com/globalopportunity or call 08456 419 955.


Further press information from:
Charles Arbuthnot or Helen Sharkey
Project PR, Tel: 01473 326402 or 01473 326405
Email: charles.arbuthnot@projectpr.biz or helen.sharkey@projectpr.biz

Dealerships turn showrooms into Santa's Grotto

Car dealerships across the UK are being turned into a Santa’s Grotto for the next couple of weeks – all in aid of a charitable campaign which sends present-filled shoeboxes to needy children in developing countries.

Polar Ford, Brunel Ford, Heartlands Ford and Dagenham Motors dealerships are all designated drop off points for the 2009 “Operation Christmas Child” shoebox appeal. The appeal encourages people to send some festive cheer to children less fortunate than most, across the world.

Run in conjunction with the Samaritans Purse charity, “Operation Christmas Child” entails filling shoeboxes with toys and gifts to send to children around the world in hospitals, orphanages, refugee camps, homeless shelters and impoverished neighbourhoods.

A spokesperson for Ford Retail, which owns each of the dealerships, said: “This is the third year that we have taken part in the appeal. Last year the Group collected over 10,000 shoeboxes, each wrapped in Christmas paper and filled with small toys, crayons, clothes and sweets, and this year we are aiming to collect even more. It’s an extremely worthwhile cause and we are looking forward to taking part again this year.”

How to pack your shoebox:
Remember to make your box both fun and educational! All shoebox items should be new and can contain gifts such as:
Toys: Bear, soft toy, tennis ball, finger puppet, jigsaw, yo-yo, building blocks, small musical instrument. For boys trucks and cars, for girls dolls, clip on earrings etc.
Educational supplies: Felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, colouring book, notepad, picture or puzzle book, chalk, pencil case, stickers etc.
Hygiene items: Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, hair clips, bar of soap, flannel etc.
Other items: Sweets (sell by date to be at least March of the following year), gloves, scarf, sunglasses, cap, hat, bangles, necklaces etc.

Shoeboxes can be dropped off at your nearest showroom until Tuesday 18th November. For further information about the campaign and what items to include in your shoeboxes, please visit www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk or contact the dealership using the details below:

Dagenham Motors:
319 The Hyde, Edgware Road, London, NW9 6TH. Tel: 0208 358 8600
Baker Street, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 2DZ. Tel: 01707 652219
720 Great Cambridge Road, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 5DU. Tel: 0208 884 7800
268 London Road, Staines, Middlesex, TW18 4JQ. Tel: 01784 466 666

374 Ealing Road, Alperton, Middlesex, HA0 1HG. Tel: 0208 997 3388
51 Stamford Hill, London, N16 5TB. Tel: 0208 826 2200
357 Chigwell Road, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8PE. Tel: 0208 498 9848
719-727 London Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 1SE. Tel: 0208 814 4600

20-40 East Street, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 1HF. Tel: 01372 804 000
Portsmouth Road, Thames Ditton, Kingston, Surrey, KT7 0EG. Tel: 0208 339 3514
Brighton Road, Banstead, Surrey, SM7 1BS. Tel: 01737 352 202

97 Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 1JJ. Tel: 01932 864244
Wintersells Road, Byfleet, Surrey, KT14 7LF. Tel: 01932 332933
Guildford Road, Bookham, Surrey, KT23 4HY. Tel: 0208 814 4600

Ripple Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 9PG
Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park, Ilford, IG2 7EE
161-169 Pier Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1AF
259 Plaistow Road, London, E15 3EU
Fiveways, Sidcup Road, Eltham, London, SE9 3AQ

1 Ballard Business Park, Cuxton Road, Strood, Kent, ME2 2NY

Unit 1, Waltham Park Way, Billet Road, Walthamstow, E17 5DU. Tel: 0208 556 1521

Redburn Industrial Estate, Woodhall Road, Ponders End, Enfield, EN3 4LE. Tel: 0208 804 2489

Dagenham Motors CV:

Dawley Road, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 1EH. Tel: 0208 561 8888

51-53 River Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 0SW. Tel: 0208 477 4000

Cuton Hall Lane, Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 6PB. Tel: 01245 235400

Polar Ford:

Canal Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 4SR. Tel: 01274 756200

Calder Island Way Denby Dale Road, Wakefield, WF2 7AW. Tel: 01924 290290

Wakefield Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S71 1NF. Tel: 01226 732732

Junction 32, M62, Park Road, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 4RJ. Tel: 01977 603644

St Andrews Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD1 6NA. Tel: 01484 290022

Winwick Road, Warrington, Cheshire, WA2 7NY. Tel: 01925 651111

Victoria Road, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 5SP. Tel: 01928 574333

Wellington Road, North Stockport, SK4 2PE. Tel: 0161 975 5500

Sherdley Road, St Helens, Merseyside, WA9 5AD. Tel: 01744 610600

60 Buxton Road, Hazel Grove, Stockport, SK7 6AF. Tel: 0161 483 9431

A34 Bypass, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 1AE. Tel: 01625 257 777

Brunel Ford:

Winterstoke Road, Bristol, BS23 2LB. Tel: 0117 908 9999

175 Muller Road, Horfield, Bristol, Bs7 9RD. Tel: 0117 951 3333

Winterstoke Road, Weston Super Mare, N. Somerset, BS23 3YE. Tel: 01934 415511

Heartlands Ford:

971 Kingsbury Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B24 9QB. Tel: 0121 377 3000

Saxon Drive, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 7HD. Tel: 01827 306700

Aldridge Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham, B42 2SP. Tel: 0121 344 5252

1) Operation Christmas Child is the world's largest children's Christmas project. Since 1990 the project has brought the joy of Christmas to more than 60 million boys and girls throughout the world.
2) The annual project enables caring individuals, families, schools, churches, businesses, and other organisations to fill ordinary shoe boxes with small toys, school supplies, sweets, and other gifts for needy children around the world.
3) Last year 1.2 million shoe boxes were sent from the UK to children in hospitals, orphanages, refugee camps, homeless shelters and impoverished neighbourhoods.

Pink paradise at Suffolk care agency raises £172 for Breast Cancer

A Saxmundham care agency transformed their head office into a pink paradise last week (30th October) which saw generous staff raise £172 for Breast Cancer Campaign as part of the annual Wear it Pink appeal.

Staff at Christies Care took part in the appeal by making a donation to the charity, in exchange for dressing up in pink clothing. Further funds were raised through a raffle which saw an array of fabulous prizes including a bouquet of flowers, perfume, and luxury beauty products.

Wear it Pink has become a fixture in the Christies Care charitable calendar and since 2004, generous donations to various breast cancer charities have topped £1,400.

Debbie Ratcliffe, who organised the day said of the donations; “Wear it Pink is a cause that is close to our hearts, and it is the highlight of our charitable activities throughout the year. We are absolutely delighted to have raised over £1,400 over the past 5 years, as it is a fantastic cause.”

The money raised throughout the Wear it Pink campaign will be used to help fund world class research into breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

For more information on Wear it Pink, visit www.wearitpink.co.uk