Category: What’s New?

NHS Sector Day Set To Improve Youth Employability

By on 16th November 2015in Local Biz, What's New?, What's On?

Pupils from across Sunderland will this week be able to diagnose the options for a career in the NHS…

 

As part of the Work Discovery Sunderland programme, the city hosts a range of sector days, giving young people the opportunity to meet face to face with professionals from a particular industry and find out about the full range of job prospects.

Kicking off the new programme is an NHS sector day, where more than 300 young people from schools across Sunderland will be able to meet and talk to a range of practitioners and follow two patient journeys.

The event – taking place at the Stadium of Light – is being repeated following the positive reaction to a similar day last year, and this time round will include representatives from maternity services, who will showcase their jobs and introduce the young people to the equipment they use.

The sector days are part of a wider programme which was put in place after the success of Work Discovery Week, an annual event where the region’s top businesses take part in a range of activities with young people to help increase their employability.

During next week’s event the pupils will also walk through two patient “journeys” and see the various ways the health service supports them.

This includes discovering more about “Edith”, an 85-year-old with a series of health, issues including diabetes and respiratory problems, and who has developed memory lapses.

At the same time they will also follow “Danny”, 16, who breaks his leg while playing football and is taken to hospital by ambulance.

The youngsters will then be able to talk to around 40 different professionals who would normally be involved in these kinds of cases, covering everything from medical care, nursing, theatre staff, pharmacy, and all the support services.

The event is being created for Work Discovery by City Hospitals Sunderland NHS partnering with North East Ambulance Service and Sunderland City Council.

“This is a great opportunity for students in the city to see the diversity and range of jobs that are available in the NHS,” said Dennis Little, Workforce Development Manager for City Hospitals Sunderland.

“It is not just about the obvious jobs that spring to mind such as the medical experts, there are a huge number of other career paths available and we hope this event will highlight them to the young people taking part.”

Paul McEldon, co-chair of the Sunderland’s Economic Leadership Board Business Schools Task Group, which set up Work Discovery Sunderland, said the sector days were proving extremely valuable to young people.

“These sector days give young people in Sunderland a real opportunity to get invaluable insight into the range of jobs available in a particular area,” he said.

“There are so many careers opportunities in the NHS, many of which might the pupils attending might not have realised existed

“I’m sure it will be a fantastic event and the young people will come away with a vast amount of information and knowledge.”

A number of other sector days are planned throughout the year including hospitality, software, creative industries, retail and advanced manufacturing and engineering – all lead by the city’s top companies and organisations.

Work Discovery Week was launched in 2013 out of the desire that businesses wanted to forge stronger relationships with the workforce of the future.

More than 1000 school pupils have now been involved each year, taking part in activities ranging from a careers fair, business challenges, visits to companies, workshops and hands-on activities.

Many of the region’s biggest employers – including SAFC, Nissan, Gentoo, Sunderland University, Sunderland College and Arriva – support the event, and its success has paved the way for a whole host of other activities including the sector days and guest speaker days.

Work Discovery Week is already planned for 2016 and will run from June 27th to July 1st.

Atlantean: Volkswagen’s Smoking Gun

By on 16th November 2015in Have Your Say, In & Around, Lifestyle, What's New?

Long time In & Around contributor Atlantean takes a moment to reflect on the Volkswagen scandal…

I own a Volkswagen Golf.

Not something I am particularly proud of at the moment, as a paid up supporter of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, and a supporter of Oxfam and internet campaigning group Avaaz.

With the Paris Climate Change Summit coming up (30th November to 11th December) with the aim of trying to arrest global warming, many commentators are warning that we are at – or beyond – the tipping point when planet warming becomes irreversible.

I was surfing the Volkswagen GB website recently, finding nothing about the emissions scandal, when to my surprise I found the following message at the bottom of the page:

“Our CO2 and consumption values are provisional and are currently under review. Revised values will be published if necessary.”

But hang on… the scandal was not about CO2. It was about nitrous oxides from diesel engines. On top of 11 million vehicles worldwide (508,276 of them in the UK), we can now add a minimum of 800,000 petrol cars too.

I took my four month old Golf into my dealer, Pulman of Durham, and requested to hand the vehicle back in if it were affected by the scandal. Their immediate response was that I should contact their solicitors.

How’s that for customer service, before we even established if my car was affected?

I had said nothing about going to law. I was willing to hand back the car and cancel the finance agreement under the Sale of Goods Act. They checked, and yes, my diesel car was affected.

Five weeks later, having heard nothing, I phoned Pulman, whose receptionist had never heard of NOx emissions. Wonderful. I was told I could check on line, so I entered my car’s vehicle identification number, and was told that my car was NOT affected.

By now unsure, I was willing to hand back the keys and cancel the agreement even if the car was not affected by ‘dieselgate’. I wondered why my car wasn’t affected. Had VW had a change of heart and stopped fitting the defeat device? Why should they do that? Many people are signing up for a class action against Volkswagen being formulated by solicitors Slater and Gordon, and I think I will join them.

According to latest estimates, it looks like I may have to wait until well into next year to have my car fixed. But what will VW do? Will the fix affect performance of the engine and/or fuel consumption? Will there be any compensation, as there is in the United States?

If their car performs as well as before, and doesn’t use any more fuel, many people won’t be bothered so long as their car is fixed. However, I’m bothered about emissions, and chose a VW on the grounds of its better emissions performance. Even if my own car is unaffected – and I have had conflicting advice, remember– I do not wish to be associated with the brand.

They’ve finally got over the disgrace of building the People’s Car for Adolf Hitler, and now this!

Pulman of Durham, pay attention. You need to up your game with regard to customer service and make some communication with your customers, and if you do not have the answers from VW that you need, I suggest you find yourselves a different motor franchise or face the consequences within a year.

Have you been affected by this scandal? I’d like to know your thoughts. Write to atlantean247@yahoo.co.uk.

Atlantean

Durham County Record Office Offer History Courses For New Year

By on 16th November 2015in Lifestyle, Local Biz, What's New?, What's On?

Looking for an unusual Christmas gift for the amateur historian in your family?

 

Durham County Record Office is now offering gift vouchers for history courses and taster sessions running in the New Year.

Two Palaeography Taster Sessions in January will give people the chance to pick up hints and tips on reading old handwriting and understanding historic documents.

Taking place from 10am to noon on Friday 29th January and Saturday 30th January, the sessions will cover how letter forms have changed and how documents are structured.

There will also be the opportunity to try reading Medieval Latin. Sessions cost £10.

The popular Beginners’ Family History course also returns in January, with advice on how to trace your family tree and how to use the record office and its archives to support your quest.

Sessions run on the following dates from 10am to noon and 6pm to 8pm, and the course costs £30:

  • Thursday, 21 January – Parish registers and civil registration
  • Thursday, 28 January – The census
  • Thursday, 4 February – Military records

For those who have already mastered the basics, the record office also runs Branching Out sessions. Each is an hour-long talk followed by time to browse the records and take advantage of one-to-one advice.

Sessions, cost £10 each and take place on the following dates:

Education

  • Tuesday, 17 November – 6pm to 8pm
  • Thursday, 19 November – 10am to noon

The workhouse

  • Monday, 22 February – 6pm – 8pm
  • Thursday, 25 February – 10am to noon

Criminal ancestors

  • Tuesday, 15 March – 6pm to 8pm
  • Thursday, 17 March – 10am to noon

Hospitals (including asylums)

  • Tuesday, 26 April – 6pm to 8pm
  • Thursday, 28 April – 10am to noon

For more information or to book a place, call 03000 267 619 or email record.office@durham.gov.uk.

Seaham Community Coming Together For Clean-Up Operation

By on 14th November 2015in Local Biz, What's New?, What's On?

Community groups are planning to come together to help rid Seaham streets and shores of rubbish…

 

Durham County Council is joining forces with a range of organisations to stage a community clean-up event in the town.

It will get underway with Durham Heritage Coast and staff from Lloyds Bank who will be carrying out a litter pick at Red Acre Beach on Monday 16th November.

There will be a further volunteer litter pick at the popular walkway at Seaham Harbour, through Dawdon and Parkside leading to Cold Hesleden, on Tuesday 17th November.

Flytipped items and large piles of rubbish will also be cleared and taken away from the path.

Cllr Brian Stephens, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said: “We are pleased to be linking up with a number of other organisations and volunteers to address concerns about litter.

“Failing to dispose of rubbish properly is unsightly and an offence. Cleaning it up takes up valuable resources which could be put to good use in other areas.

“We would urge people to take pride in their communities and dispose of waste and litter correctly, and please ensure any rubbish or flytipped items that you spot are reported to us.”

Any groups wishing to get involved in environmental improvements can contact the council by emailing civicpride@durham.gov.uk or calling 03000 261 000.

Flytipping can be reported at www.durham.gov.uk/flytipping or by calling 03000 261 000. Litter can be reported at www.durham.gov.uk/litter or by calling 03000 261 000.

15 Ways To Stay Positive At Work

By on 13th November 2015in Have Your Say, Lifestyle, What's New?

Andy Knowles, MD of Jak Inc, shares his top tips for keeping smiling…

 

I’ve had an interesting journey over the last ten years.

Starting a family business wasn’t part of my career plan, and things were going nicely for me at Coca-Cola enterprises. I had a great boss, loved the brand, and there was bags of opportunity for career progression.

But somehow, here I am with a portfolio brand business, sporting an annual turnover of £1m plus.

Interestingly, one of the challenges many entrepreneurs face is burnout or fatigue. I’ve attended many personal development seminars over the years, including a three-day trip to Kentucky, where I met a handful of truly inspirational mentors. I even found myself finishing their sentences, as I’ve read their books repetitively!

Because of this, I’ve learned an awful lot over the years about how to fight the fatigue. Below are my top 15 tips to help you stay focused, and be more positive at work…

1. Utilise Your Commute
Don’t write off your time in the car as ‘wasted time’. Listen to audio books, podcasts or inspirational music on your commute, and use that time to learn something new, or get fired up.

2. Get Places Early
Arrive early and focus on the tasks ahead. Even if you’re only ten minutes ahead of schedule, use that ten minutes to wake up and get your head straight. You’ll be grateful for it later in the day.

3. Your Emails Aren’t Always A Priority
Avoid checking emails first thing. Instead, focus on the tasks that can’t be put off. Check your emails periodically throughout the day, which will stop you from getting bogged down in them.

4. Stop Procrastinating
Are you making the most of your time? It’s easy to put things off until later, but those things will pile up, and when you finally have to face them, you’ll wish they were done earlier. Schedule your day in advance, and stick to it.

5. Take A Break
Plan breaks into your day to allow for recovery. Trying to do too much all at once will wear you out, and you’ll lose sight of the end. Take a moment to re-focus on your tasks, and come back to them shortly.

6. Take Something From Your Meetings
Take notes from your meetings, and leave them with clear and achievable objectives. Write down your action points, and share them with the involved parties.

7. Don’t Neglect Your Health
Exercise is proven to reduce stress, and the resulting feel-good factor can boost your productivity.

8. Pace Yourself
Rushing tasks will only create more errors, which you’ll inevitably have to fix. Take your time, and get it right.

9. Support Your Colleagues
Share your achievements with the people around you, but don’t forget to support them too. Be there for your colleagues when they need a little positivity boost, and they’ll be there for you when you need one yourself.

10. Stay Compassionate
Negative colleagues can get you down, but try to remain compassionate towards them. People are usually negative for a reason, but don’t let it affect you too.

11. Collaborate
Never be afraid to ask for help. Collaborate with others to achieve mutual goals, and be aware that sharing the load of some of your tasks can help you get through them.

12. Accept That Some Things Are Boring
Unfortunately, not everything at work is fun, but those things still need to be done. Bite the bullet and face the mind-numbing tasks head on. The sooner they’re tackled, the sooner they’re done and out of the way.

13. Accept Criticism
Don’t be offended by negativity, and instead try to understand any criticism aimed at you. Take that feedback constructively, use it to improve yourself and your work.

14. Relish Your Days Off
Sometimes it’s okay to spend your days off in bed, but try a few different activities too. Variety is the spice of life, and leaves you in a more positive mood.

15. Adapt
Businesses have to change to survive. Make sure that you’re open and adaptable when it’s important, and do your best not to resist it.

Looking for more great business tips? Visit the Jak Inc Blog.

Jak Inc are the North East’s finest print, design, and marketing agency. Keen to reinvent your brand? Visit www.jakinc.uk and find out exactly how to do it.

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Rent A Cop Episode Three: Audience Question Show’s Authenticity

By on 13th November 2015in Entertainment, Film & TV, Local Biz, What's New?

Episode three of ‘Rent A Cop’ just aired. What do we think?

 

Half 10 on a Thursday night is quickly becoming our favourite time of the week.

Episode three of Rent A Cop aired last night, and this week’s episode has seen Francis and the Sparta team reaching out to Darlington’s LGBT community. Political correctness is thrown swiftly out the window around three minutes in, when a gay couple – victims of a break-in – are jokingly asked “is this the first time your back door’s been knocked in?”

Francis goes on to battle with his instincts during a trip to Leeds, tasked with protecting a coach-load of drag queens on a night out. “I’ve got to keep telling myself, ‘it’s a man! It’s a man, Francis…”

We’re also shown another side to Sparta apprentice Pembow, who seems to be struggling with staying focused on the job at hand… and staying away from the booze. It’s admirable of Francis to give him the benefit of the doubt, but will Pembow’s employment survive until the end of the series?

 

Meanwhile, over on social media, audience reactions look as though they might be shifting away from being favourable. The burning question on everyone’s mind seems to be… is this for real!?

Apparently Francis’ exploits in this week’s episode have been enough to convince many people that Rent A Cop is all just one big joke. Personally, we’re with @leanneram88 on this one…

Yep, it’s real.

If you missed the third episode, it’s now available on BBC iPlayer.

Check out our thoughts on episode one and two.

What do you think? Is Sparta Security for real? Is it scripted? Is it a joke?

Leave a comment below!

Gogglebox and X Factor Stars Heading To Metrocentre For Christmas

By on 12th November 2015in Entertainment, Events, Local Biz, What's New?, What's On?

Top TV stars are set to light up one of the UK’s largest shopping centres in their native North East…

X Factor favourite Lola Saunders will be joined by Gogglebox family the Moffatts to switch on the Christmas lights at intu Metrocentre on Sunday November 15th.

Former fishmonger Lola, from East Boldon, made it through to the live finals of the X Factor in 2014, and has since performed live across the UK, as well as recording tracks with legendary producers such as Artful Dodger.

Sitting on their sofa alongside Lola underneath intu Metrocentre’s Tree of Light in Town Square will be Mark, Betty and Scarlett Moffatt, from Bishop Auckland, whose straight-talking has made them one of the most popular households on Channel 4’s Gogglebox.

Intu Metrocentre’s Head of Fun, Mac Toal, and his deputy, Myah Rose Wilson, will also be in attendance, with entertainment starting at 2pm and the official light switch on at 4pm.

Helen Atkinson, marketing manager at intu Metrocentre, said: “Lola Saunders and the Moffatt family are some of the North East’s most recent and most popular famous faces, and we’re absolutely delighted to have them joining us for the Christmas light switch on.”

intu Metrocentre’s Christmas light switch on forms part of a packed programme of seasonal events, which also includes Santa’s grotto, a pantomime and extended opening hours until January 3rd, as well as raising funds for Text Santa.

Click here for more information.

Gala Theatre Follows Up Last Year’s ‘Elf’s Christmas Adventure’

By on 12th November 2015in Entertainment, Events, Local Biz, What's New?, What's On?

Families are invited to enjoy a magical Christmas story at Gala Theatre this festive season…

Elf’s Christmas Toys, at the Durham City venue during December, is the follow-up to last year’s extremely successful production of Elf’s Christmas Adventure.

When the North Pole’s toy machine gets in a muddle, it’s up to the audience to help Elf and his friends fix the machine in time to make all the presents for Christmas.

Aimed at families with children under the age of five, Elf’s Christmas Toys is an original story that offers children an introduction to theatre.

A co-production between Gala and Durham Scenic Workshops, who were also responsible for Elf’s Christmas Adventure, it is part of a busy festive period at the theatre.

Running alongside the production will be Gala’s fun-filled family panto, which this year sees regulars Neil Armstrong and Paul Hartley directing and starring in the rags-to-riches story of Cinderella.

Robin Byers, Durham County Council’s service manager for place and experience, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Durham Scenic Workshops back to Gala and working with them to produce Elf’s Christmas Toys.

“Last year’s show was incredibly popular with families and we’re already seeing a huge demand for tickets this year with some shows already selling out.

“We can’t wait to see what mischief Elf gets into this year.”

Elf’s Christmas Toys runs from Friday 4th December to Thursday 24th December, with performances at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm.

Tickets are priced from £6. To book, visit Gala box office, call 03000 266 600, or go online at www.galadurham.co.uk.

North East Charity Offer Afternoon Of Shopping And Indulgence

By on 12th November 2015in Local Biz, What's New?, What's On?

A girly afternoon of shopping, pampering and indulgence is on offer in aid of a leading North East charity…

 

Sunderland-based Hope 4 Kidz – which supports youngsters with a range of special needs – is hosting Handbags and High Tea at the Newcastle Gateshead Hilton Hotel on Saturday November 21st.

The event, running from 2pm until 5pm, will give attendees the opportunity to shop at a range of unique stalls, buy Christmas gifts, test out beauty treatments and enjoy a delicious afternoon tea.

Also organised for the day are a range of raffles and auctions, with everyone who attends being entered into a free draw for a mystery prize.

Guests will also be given the opportunity to see the extensive spa facilities at the hotel and find out more about the treatments on offer.

“Handbags and High Tea was a huge success for us last year, and we’re delighted to be repeating it in a new area and venue” said Viv Watts, who runs Hope 4 Kidz.

“It’s a fantastic setting, we’ve got some great stalls and it’s a real opportunity to indulge in a spot of pampering, retail therapy and Christmas shopping, all while helping a good cause.”

All proceeds from Handbags and High Tea will go to support Hope 4 Kidz’s free Santa’s Christmas Party, attended by children from across the North East suffering from mental or physical disabilities, long term illness, or poverty and abuse.

Since it was established in May 2007 the charity has helped 33,000 children by hosting events like this to help raise funds.

Tickets for Handbags and High Tea are priced £15.95 each, including the tea and a goody bag for all attendees.

For more information or to book, contact Hope 4 Kidz on 0191 534 7788, or email vivien.watts@hope4kidz.org.uk.

Help To Find This Missing Person: Graham McInness

By on 11th November 2015in Have Your Say, What's New?

A message from Andy Knowles…

When I woke up on Monday morning, my wife showed me a disturbing message on her phone that had been left by her sister.

It was about her brother-in-law, Graham McInness, 38, from Stockton-On-Tees. He was last seen by his family around 8pm on Saturday night.

I’m writing this in the hope that it might be some help, and would be grateful if this post could be shared around social media to help locate him.

My wife went to visit Graham’s mother this afternoon, and she is (understandably) heartbroken. He just wants to be reunited with her son.

He is described as white, of slim build, around 5ft 9in, and has brown hair.

 

 

Police have found his grey Astra (KU53 PSY) in a car park in Seaton Carew, and officers believe he was using this vehicle as recently as Sunday. Search efforts have been focused around Seaton Carew and Hartlepool, although he could have gone elsewhere.

Anyone who has seen Graham, or who has information which might help the police, is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101.

Thank you,
Andy Knowles

UPDATE: Graham has been found in Seaton Carew and reunited with his family. Thank you all for sharing, and we wish the best of luck to Graham and his family.

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