New Labour Measures to Aid Social Mobility

The Labour Government will implement virtually all of the 88 recommendations of the ‘Unleashing Aspiration’ report from the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions.

The measures will include an online National Internship Service for undergraduates, a guarantee for around 130,000 of the brightest young people from low-income backgrounds to benefit from assistance at secondary school and a new Social Mobility Commission to provide expert evidence on trends and policy on social mobility, and produce an annual report on progress made towards a fairer, more socially mobile society.

While Labour continues to make progress – through raising the education and training leaving age, expanding apprenticeships, introducing diplomas and other measures – the Conservatives’ opposition to those measures and planned cuts to tax credits poses a threat to the aspirations of people on modest and middle incomes.

Labour’s Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, said:

“My mission is to ensure that all of Britain’s people, from every background, are given the opportunity to develop their talents and learn the skills which will transform their lives. And this social mobility must be rooted in our core value of fairness.

“In many ways society is already fairer. Six hundred thousand children have been lifted out of poverty, record numbers of our young people are going to university, one in three people of working age is a member of a profession, and the gender pay gap has narrowed.

“But we can’t be a truly aspirational society if some people are still denied the chance to get on, and although we have raised the glass ceiling we have yet to break it. That is why our priority will be to remove all the barriers that are holding people back.”

Severe Weather Helping Others

We have been experiencing severe weather that has been leaving parts of the country colder than the south pole and although the weather has been a little more clement but there are predictions of more cold weather to come; I believe that it is especially important in these conditions to make sure that any vulnerable people that we know such as the elderly or disabled are safe and well.

The weather has also caused problems with people unable to get their grocery shopping, prescriptions etc and I personally have helped by collecting much needed items for those unable to do so themselves due to the hazadous weather conditions.

I would ask everybody who has a vulnerable friend, neighbour or family member to check in on them on a regular basis and do whatever you can to make sure that they have everything they need.

Something as small as picking up a carton of milk or loaf of bread for someone on your next trip to the supermarket can make all of the difference.

The recent events in the town have already proven the amazing community spirit that exists in Shrewsbury and I am certainly proud to be part of a community that looks out for each other and knows that the simplest thing can make a big difference in someones life.

Shrewsbury Disaster 03-01-2010

First I would like to offer my support and best wishes to all of those impacted by the explosion on bridge street on the 03-01-2010 and thank the emergency services for their rapid and dedicated response to the incident.

As many of you will be aware, Shrewsbury suffered a serious explosion in the late hours of Sunday (3rd January 2010) morning where 11 people have been injured.

The occupier of the first floor will return home with no belongings and sadly, the injured residents may require forms of plastic surgery/medication/treatment.

The residents of Shrewsbury whom were on the scene at the time did a brilliant job in helping prior to the arrival of the emergency services – well done!

The emergency services must be congratulated for their swift arrival on scene and help/co-ordination throughout the day.

A special fund has been set up by Roberta Jones and myself to aid those impacted by the disaster . Please give anything you can afford.

How to Donate

To donate money (via cheque, internet transfer, postal order) to the fund please use the following bank details:

Account Name: Please use the reference number 455/2

Account No: 50004674

Sort Code: 08-92-50

To send postal orders, cheques etc the address is: Just Credit Union Shirehall Abbey Foregate Shrewsbury SY2 6ND. Cash may also be handed in at Shirehall reception for the attention of Just Credit Union (using the account details on this page)

A Facebook Group has been set up by Roberta and myself to help promote the fund and I encourage everyone to have a look and promote the fund via their social networks. I have links to help you promote this post on the some of the main social networks if you click on the title of this post.

Jon Tandy, Shrewsbury Prospective Parliamentary Candidate is heading the fund! Along with Roberta Jones of Castlefields, Shrewsbury.

Thank you very much for your time, effort and support.

Santa Costume Help

I am helping organise the Santa’s Grotto in Shrewsbury in aid of Help for Heroes and other local charities but need help. Does anyone know where I can obtain a high quality Santa and Elf costume. I would prefer to hire due to cost overheads but I am willing to look at buying an outfit.

You can contact me on jon@jontandy.org.uk or by phone on 01743 240732

thanks

- Jon

Youth Opportunity Fund

If you are a young person aged between 13 and 19 why not apply to Shropshire Council’s Youth Opportunity Fund.  You can apply for funds for a wide range of activities including arts, sport, games, team building or even training to run your own business! It’s best to apply as part of a group so get together with a group of friends and make an application.

This is the third year that the fund has been available and so far more than 200 grants have been awarded to young people’s projects.  The fund is split into five blocks which are then allocated to Oswestry, Whitchurch, Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Shrewsbury areas.  In this round up to £22,000 is available for each area which must be allocated and spent this year.  So, get your application forms in quickly.

Some of the projects that have been successful in previous rounds include a Safe New Drivers project, music equipment and team building events. A recently successful group took themselves to Liverpool to learn what was happening in the city of culture.  The majority of the grants are for amounts of £1000 and make a real difference to the range of activities that are organised for young people.

All applications must be received by 12 noon on 9 October 2009.  Forms are available from Shropshire Youth at Shropshire Council both electronically and by post.  Email: youth.service@shropshire.gov.uk or call 01743 254488.

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