Jon Ashworth MP visits St Peters to meet with local people |
Friday January 27 2012 |
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Jon Ashworth MP visited St Peters on Friday 27 January to meet with local residents and tour the area with the Secretary of the local Tenants and Residents Association and local Councillors.
Jon met with Ebrahim Jessat, the Secretary of St Peters and Stoughton Street Tenants & Residents Association, Gulnar Nizamudin, the Treasurer of the Association, along with Councillor Aqbany to discuss the current issues in the area and any national concerns.
Jon then had a patch walk, or walkabout, around St Peters Estate with Ebrahim Jassat, Gulnar Nizamudin and Councillor Aqbany.
Jon commented:“It was good spending time in St Peters and meeting with people. It is vital that MPs get out and about and listen to their constituents. This is why I also hold regular surgeries at the Highfields Centre and agreed today to hold surgeries at the offices of St Peters Tenants Association. I know that St Peters has a high rate of unemployment and that is a very family orientated estate, but I wanted to hear what people's issues are in the area such as the limited parking.”
Work to refurbish the five tower blocks on the St Peters Estate is due to start in April this year.
Councillor Hanif Aqbany commented:“I am very pleased that the City Council has committed £6 million to undertake this major renovation work which will benefit the many single people and families that live in the tower blocks.”
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Jon's next surgery at the Highfields Community Centre is on Friday 16 March from 3.30pm to 5.00pm.
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Photos taken during the walkabout, where Jon met with Ebrahim Jessat, the Secretary of St Peters and Stoughton Street Tenants & Residents Association, Gulnar Nizamudin, the Treasurer of the Association, and Councillor Aqbany |
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The St Peters and Stoughton Street Tenants & Residents Association is at the Ground Floor, Framland House, Pluto Close, LE2 0UW and can be contacted on 0116 262 7297 or 251 6527 .
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Jon Ashworth MP visits Giving World Online to learn how businesses can help charities and local community groups |
Friday January 27 2012 |
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Jon Ashworth MP visited Giving World Online to learn how businesses can help charities and local community groups for free.
Leicester South MP, Jon Ashworth, visited the offices of Giving World Online in the City Centre to meet with staff and hear how the concept of ‘waste to want' is achieved in practice.
Jon stated: “When times are tough it is fantastic that Giving World Online makes what is available go further and reduce the amount of waste placed in landfill. I am interested to find out how Giving World Online does this in practice.”
Giving World Online's vision is a society in which no one is in want because nothing is wasted, and it seeks to make this vision a reality by offering a solution to busy organisations that do not have the time or resources to find people that could benefit from their surplus goods.
Rama Bhalla, one of the Founders/Director of Giving World Online, said: “Giving World Online cuts across the barriers of need and want empowering the ‘haves' to work together to better the lives of the ‘have nots'.”
Significantly, Giving World Online is provided free of charge to both the organisations donating goods and the charities and community groups receiving them. All the recipient charities and groups have to pay is the transport or postal cost.
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Jon commented: “In light of the severe cuts to funding that charities and community groups are currently facing, any extra support and assistance they can receive is essential. Community groups in my Constituency have been helped by this amazing scheme, and I encourage all local businesses and charities and groups in Leicester to sign up at:
www.givingworldonline.com.”
The parent charity of Giving World Online was set up in 2001 by Rama Bhalla and her sister Sujata, both from Leicester, when pallets of paper from a former print works were distributed to local community groups rather than being landfilled; an ethos that continues today.
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Jon Ashworth MP calls on ministers to extend the deadline for businesses
affected by the summer disturbances |
Monday January 23 2012 |
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Jon Ashworth has called on ministers to look urgently at extending the deadline for businesses affected by the summer disturbances.
This is following a communication from the Police Minister to Jon Ashworth that Leicester businesses are not eligible for the compensation schemes.
Jon Ashworth also raised this issue in the Commons today. Jon Ashworth said “This is absolutely unacceptable – first of all Leicester businesses were told that they were not eligible for compensation from the Police Authority, now Government ministers are saying they are not eligible for money from the Government compensation schemes because they are too late."
“This is simply not on – the Government either should have got back to us quicker or at least considered extending the deadline. I raised this in the Commons today and will be writing to ministers."
“We all know how difficult the economy is at the moment, that's why we should be doing all we can to support Leicester small businesses and generate jobs.”
Click here to read reply from Rt Hon Nick Herbert MP, Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice.
View the televised Parliamentary session left. You can zap to 12:11:44 mins to view Jon raising the issue in parliament.
Click here to read the debate... |
Full details were reported in the the Leicester Mercury (read here), where it reported that Leicester South MP Jon Ashworth wrote to David Cameron earlier this month asking him to step in after local firms were refused compensation cash.
But Home Office minister Nick Herbert responded yesterday by letter, saying: "Whilst I am sympathetic to their plight, I am sorry that I am unable to provide the reassurances they are seeking. It is rightly the responsibility of individual police authorities to determine, based on the legal definition of a riot, whether the disturbances in their police force areas should be classified as a riot or not."
Jon Ashworth said: "This is an incredibly disappointing response from the Government. Small businesses, such as the ones affected in Leicester in August, are the backbone of our economy and should have received support."
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Jon Ashworth MP ‘Speaks Out’ against prejudice by signing Holocaust Memorial Day Book of Commitment |
Thursday January 26 2012 |
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This week Jon Ashworth MP signed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, in doing so pledging his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day and honouring those who died during the Holocaust.
Friday January 27th will mark the 67th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi concentration and extermination camp which is the site of the largest mass murder in history – and in the weeks running up to the day, the Holocaust Educational Trust placed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, giving MPs the chance to honour those who were persecuted and killed during their Holocaust and encouraging constituents to actively speak out against prejudice and bigotry today.
In signing the Book of Commitment Jon Ashworth MP paid tribute to the extraordinary men and women who having survived the Holocaust, work to educate young people about what they endured, through the Holocaust Educational Trust's Outreach programme.
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In the weeks around Holocaust Memorial Day, thousands of commemorative events will be arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country, remembering all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. This year, people will also be encouraged to take a stand against racism and prejudice today – and to speak out against hatred wherever they encounter it.
Jon Ashworth MP said:“Holocaust Memorial Day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau – and is an important opportunity to remember the victims of genocide. I encourage all constituents to mark the day and to commit to ‘speaking up and speaking out' against prejudice today.”
Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said:“We are proud that Jon Ashworth is supporting Holocaust Memorial Day this year. It is vitally important that we both remember and learn from the appalling events of the Holocaust – as well as ensuring that we continue to challenge all forms of bigotry.”
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Jon, with the Book of Commitment in the House of Commons
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Jon Ashworth MP signs Meningitis Trust's petition |
Monday January 23 2012 |
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Jon Ashworth, Labour MP for Leicester South, has signed the Meningitis Trust's petition calling for educational assessments and assistance for those children who have had meningitis.
Jon has signed the petition as part of the Meningitis Trust's campaign to raise awareness of the long-term effects of meningitis. The Meningitis Changes Future Campaign comes as new research highlights the often “invisible” but devastating impact of meningococcal disease on children.
Jon stated: “Parents who have had to watch their child fight for their life when meningitis has struck are now having to fight for their child to get the best chance in life. Recognition of the needs of these children should be a right, not a lottery.”
Sue Davie, Chief Executive of the Meningitis Trust, explained: “One in four people who survive meningitis will suffer some form of long-term after-affect, including children who appear to have made a full recovery but are left with psychological and neurological problems that often go unrecognised.”
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“These children can be left struggling at school, deprived of the educational support they need to reach their potential.”
As part of the Meningitis Changes Future Campaign , the Meningitis Trust is calling for every child survivor of meningitis to be assessed at different points in their educational life, as different problems can arise over time, so they can be given the support they need, when they need it.
Jon commented: “As well as displaying the Trust's common signs and symptoms of meningitis card in my office, I encourage people to sign the Meningitis Trust education petition.” |
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People can sign the petition at www.meningitis-trust.org |
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Jon Ashworth MP visited The Mighty Creatives and met young people the
agency has supported. |
Friday January 20 2012 |
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Leicester South MP, Jon Ashworth, visited the LCB Depot in the City Centre where The Mighty Creatives is based to hear of the work the agency undertakes in assisting and supporting young people.
Jon stated: “I am very keen to hear of the various programmes The Mighty Creatives run but especially those around training and employment. In these tough economic times all the support that young people can receive is essential.”
“This week we've seen youth unemployment nationally and unemployment continues to increase nationally. The government absolutely must do more to help Leicester find jobs, but at the same time we in Leicester need to do all we can to support young people as well.”
The Mighty Creatives works with children and young people to better understand their lives and to create new services that fulfil their ambitions. An example of this ethos is the apprenticeship programme whereby The Mighty Creatives have combined forces with arts and cultural organisations in Leicester and Leicester College to create world class creative apprenticeships.
Karen Birch, the Programme Director, stated: “Working with The Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural, our ambition is to provide high quality mutually beneficial employment opportunities for young people in arts venues, festivals and cultural organisations.”
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Jon commented: “I understand that it is planned to have six to nine apprenticeships in place by spring which increases the opportunities available to young people. Opportunities that are also widened through the work of The Bank of TMC which offers funding, mentoring and support to young people to set up their own social enterprises. This is a fantastic initiative.”
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The Bank of TMC was established with funding from the Leicester City Council and the County Council to help young people take control of their futures. It has worked with dozens of young people to turn their ideas into successful social enterprises, with investments of up to £5,000 made by The Bank of TMC to help five new businesses start up.
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After visiting The Mighty Creatives Jon visited De Montfort University's Students' Union and met with students to listen to their concerns both locally and nationally. Photo right shows Jon listening to students during the visit.
Jon also held a roving surgery on the St Andrew's Estate with local Councillor Neil Clayton where he met with residents. Photo far right shows Jon with Councillor Clayton.
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Jon Ashworth MP held a roving surgery on London Road with local Stoneygate Councillors to listen to views on the proposed Sainsbury's development |
Friday January 13 2012 |
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Jon Ashworth held a roving surgery on London Road with local Stoneygate Councillors to listen to views on the proposed Sainsbury's development at the old Page and Moy building.
Jon stated: “Having been contacted by constituents about the proposed Sainsbury's development at the former Page and Moy building on London Road, I organised a roving surgery in the area to hear the views of local people and businesses.”
Along with local Councillors Chaplin and Kamal, Jon visited businesses in the area to listen to the owners' views and concerns.
Jon commented: “A common theme during these meetings was the increase in street drinking the development will have in the area. I understand that the former Page and Moy building is within a Council designated ‘Saturation Zone' due to street drinking and the high number of businesses already selling alcohol.”
During the walk about Jon met with the owner of the local Mercury News Shop, Manish Radia, who also concerned about the reduced parking in the area and the increased opening hours of Sainsbury's.
Jon stated: “I had previously encouraged my constituents to submit objections to Sainbury's application for an alcohol licence if they were concerned about the effects on street drinking.”
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“It was very useful being out and about listening to the views of my constituents. I understand that some of my constituents that have objected to the alcohol licence application will be attending the Committee Hearing on 19 January when local Councillors will speak against the application.”
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Photos show Jon, together with local Councillors Chaplin and Kamal, visiting businesses in the area to listen to the owners' views and concerns.
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Jon Ashworth MP visits customer contact centre helping local people into work |
Friday January 13 2012 |
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Jon Ashworth visited customer contact centre that is helping local people into work and training.
Jon Ashworth paid a visit to bss on Waterloo Way on Friday 13 January. bss is a not for profit outsourcing service that operates various telephones help lines for charitable and public bodies.
Speaking ahead of the visit Jon said: “bss plays a vital role in running the Next Step Careers Service telephone helpline which assists adults into training and work. At a time when jobs are hard to come by the assistance offered by the telephone advisors is vital.”
In addition to providing the Next Step Careers Service telephone helpline, bss operates the Minority Language Service for Next Step. This Service is only provided from the Leicester Office of bss which recruits and trains local people with language skills to provide the advice. This dedicated Minority Language Service started in 2003 and has expanded to cover eight community languages – Urdu, Punjabi, Sylheti, Gujarati, Farsi, Somali, French and Polish.
Michael Noble, Acting Operations Manager at bss , stated: “Adults calling the Next Step Career Service helpline are assisted in their search for employment, training or career development and are also assisted with CV writing skills, job application and interview skills.
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Through this service, individuals can speak to a trained careers coach to enhance and develop their career prospects to enrich their working lives” |
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Photos show: top above, Jon with Acting Operations Manager Michael Noble and Chief Executive Peter Calderbank, above, Jon listening in on an advice call and photo right, Jon with Peter Calderbank, Chief Executive
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Jon commented: “I was looking forward to meeting the local advisors who provide this vital service and hearing at first hand the advice that is provided to those looking for work and training. Fighting for jobs is one of my top priorities in 2012 and ensuring we have the right training and assistance available.”
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