Whether you’re buying your tree this weekend or it’s been up since the beginning of the month it’s never too early to think of how to dispose of it Longfield Community Hospice is offering an eco-friendly annual Christmas tree recycling collection service in partnership with charity JustHelping Longfield charity’s team of volunteers will collect your trees from your home and take them to be chipped and recycled at recycling sites across Gloucestershire where they will be chipped into mulch and reused locally making this the most eco-friendly way to dispose of your tree Hoping to collect and recycle more trees than ever this year Longfield is aiming to raise more than £72,000 which could help fund over 1,300 hours of Hospice at Home care This is a huge operation for Longfield and last year an army of volunteers collected as many as 3742 trees over four days from households throughout Gloucestershire The scheme is endorsed by Stroud District Council and Gloucester City Council (working with Ubico) is also supporting the scheme by providing two recycling sites  To arrange collection of your tree, simply visit www.just-helping.org.uk/register-tree and enter your postcode where you can make a voluntary donation to your local community hospice All money raised helps to fund the hospice’s vital work supporting patients families and carers across Gloucestershire The fundraising team is also looking for volunteers, vans to collect Christmas trees, and tree chippers from Sunday 11th to Tuesday 14 January 2025. To volunteer either with your time, or if you have a van or chipper, then please contact the events team on 01483 886868 or email events@longfield.org.uk As Kirsty Murray - Longfield’s Fundraising Manager “This year we’re hoping to make this the best Christmas Tree Recycling Campaign ever and are so grateful to all those who are helping make this event happen Please register your tree for collection – it’s a convenient and charitable way of disposing of your tree sustainably and ensuring it doesn’t end up in landfill This means no needles in your car and no trips to the tip We can do all the hard work for you whilst at the same time you are supporting your local community hospice.” “By getting involved with our campaign you are helping Longfield’s Hospice give free care and support their family and carers in Gloucestershire you will be making an enormous difference locally.” Chair of Stroud District Council Environment Committee added: “I’m delighted that Stroud District Council is supporting this project once again providing a useful service to residents while benefiting the brilliant work carried out by Longfield Hospice which has been chosen by SDC staff and councillors as our charity of the year.” “One of the priorities in our Council Plan is Environment and Climate Change We have pledged to reduce the quantity of resources discarded as waste and minimise its environmental impact across the district The Longfield Christmas Tree Recycling Campaign will contribute to those aims so please register your tree for collection as a charitable way of disposing of your tree sustainably and ensuring it doesn’t end up in landfill.” Find out more about Longfield’s Winter Campaign and how, as your local hospice it help you or your family at www.longfield.org.uk or on Facebook @LongfieldHospice Instagram @longfield_care and X @longfieldcare This news release has been published on behalf of Longfield Community Hospice in partnership with JustHelping Baroness Longfield was nominated for a life peerage by Labour last year (Alamy) Former children’s commissioner and newly appointed peer Baroness Anne Longfield has questioned whether the government has the appetite to take on big tech to protect children online “I don't think in any way that media companies are feeling threatened by this [Online Safety Act] and they need to feel that it's threatening their business model," she told PoliticsHome Longfield has worked in the children’s sector for decades starting as a researcher for Save the Children in the 1980s She worked for Kids Clubs Network and 4Children and was a leading figure in the development of Sure Start a children’s services initiative brought in by the Tony Blair Labour government before serving as children’s commissioner for England between 2015 and 2021 2024 was a busy year for Longfield: She founded the Centre for Young Lives think tank with the belief that “the country needs a reset in its approach to how we support children”. After the general election, Longfield was then awarded a life peerage by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.  In her maiden speech to the House of Lords a few weeks ago Longfield said it “will not surprise” her colleagues that she intends to use her time in Parliament to raise the profile of issues affecting the “children most likely to fall through the gaps” "There is something about resetting childhood that I think we do need to think about as a country," she said in an interview with PoliticsHome.  she wants to constantly act as a reminder that children's interests should run through the centre of everything that government does does she think it is harder to be a child now than it was when her son was growing up “It’s more complicated,” Longfield said the prism of success for them is quite narrow “Living in a digital age brings a level of complexity that wasn't there in the past the opportunities that open up are immense and far-reaching The downside of that is that the prism of success to get you there and also the gaps that are there for children to fall through have actually grown very wide over recent years.” She added that the Covid-19 pandemic had “baked in” the fact that “more and more children were becoming more and more vulnerable over the last couple of decades.  The peer hopes this year will be a “watershed” moment for protecting children from online harms – helped in no small part by the publicity around the Netflix drama Adolescence Despite the Online Safety Act now having passed into law the former children’s commissioner is concerned that the legislation will lack the teeth to actually make a tangible difference to children’s lives “People are losing faith... that it doesn't have the teeth that it isn't holding media companies to account,” she said “I don't think in any way that media companies are feeling threatened by this and they need to feel that it's threatening their business model very deep pockets when it comes to the amount they can pay in terms of fines without feeling that they've been dented “It just needs to be on the front foot We need an accountable body that really is set to tackle the prominence that those tech companies have.” She said that she has spent the last 10 years speaking to such tech companies and had witnessed how “they are never prepared to give any ground willingly” “The amount they are prepared to give is usually minute and it won't damage their business model They're making billions out of their business model Harvesting data is something that keeps the pounds rolling in.” Longfield said she felt there was a “much deeper understanding” in government of the power of large technology companies – though seemed less sure whether there was a strong enough appetite in government to hold them fully to account “The straight answer is I don't know,” she said there may be concerns that there is pressure to water down the response to tech companies “Tech companies will take what they can and we have to make sure that we put the right kind of measures and mechanisms in place which stop them taking from children.” Current children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said last week that while headteachers did not need "direction imposed nationally by the government" a "whole-society approach to strengthening safety online" would be needed to protect children outside of school.  While Longfield did not agree with an outright ban she did believe the age of digital consent should be raised from 13 to 16 saying that would make an “enormous difference” as it would “break that link with the algorithms and with the addictive tech” “I didn't start off by thinking that it wasn't always my view,” she added In her continued work with the Centre for Young Lives Longfield has also come to the view that the machinery of government – particularly the Treasury – is inadequately set up to easily respond to children's issues.  “If you look at responding to problems in adulthood you can often get a result within that Parliament,” she said “If you're looking at preventing problems from happening in adulthood or later childhood it doesn't happen as you don't have the measurements.” She said that the new government had taken a “huge leap forward” by talking about a “child-friendly government” but that the upcoming child poverty strategy would be vital for making this sentiment a reality.  In 2023, The House magazine revealed a postcode lottery in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) across the UK with some young people having to wait up to four years for help Longfield said the system was “buckling” With this week marking Mental Health Awareness Week Longfield told PoliticsHome that unfortunately the situation in CAMHS has not yet improved The Centre for Young Lives has launched a new campaign with Young Minds and the Centre for Mental Health to emphasise the need for greater investment in children's mental health it published research estimating that the long-term impact of mental health problems in childhood now costs the UK over £1 trillion in lifetime lost earnings “It shows the cost of not intervening,” Longfield said that are looking at not only balancing the books these are both personal losses to children's lives A government spokesperson said: “The Online Safety Act is about protecting children online from harmful content like self-harm and eating disorders as well as making sure what is illegal offline The Technology Secretary has been clear these laws are not up for negotiation “The Act’s illegal content duties are now in force and from the Summer platforms will also have to ensure children have an age-appropriate experience online "We also know there will be more to do and have already acted including commissioning a study to assess current research on the impact of social media and smartphones strengthening the evidence base on their impact on children's well-being This will enable us to swiftly consider all options to inform our next steps to build a safer online world.” PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe Are you looking to engage with the most influential people in UK politics PoliticsHome & The House Magazine organise a number of industry leading political events throughout the year Get daily news alerts and weekend round-ups straight to your inbox © Political Holdings Limited document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); More from this author Former union boss Mary Bousted and ex-children’s commissioner Anne Longfield will be made peers The pair will sit in the House of Lords and be given the title Baroness They were nominated to be life peers by the Labour party in this year’s political peerages list Bousted is a former teacher who was joint general secretary of the National Education Union She told Schools Week she’s “delighted to be appointed a Labour life peer” I want to work for the profession and for pupils in the Lords and to support the Labour party’s reforming agenda,” she added Bousted was also general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers from 2003 to 2017 The announcement comes after Bousted launched a commission on teaching The Teaching Commission will draw up suggestions for the government to solve the recruitment and retention crisis Longfield is the former children’s commissioner who has since founded the Centre for Young Lives She previously led a national children’s charity and has also worked on the delivery of the Sure Start programme as a policy advisor in the Cabinet Office Toby Young has also been appointed as a peer by the Conservatives Young co-founded the West London Free School; and later the Knowledge Schools Trust he served as the chairman of the board of trustees and He became director of the New Schools Network a former shadow education minister from 2013 to 2015 and former education minister Kevan Brennan including “party-gate” investigator Sue Gray – just two months after she stepped down as the prime minister’s chief of staff Labour pledged to abolish the Lords and replace it with a “new But it watered this down before the election with its manifesto promising a consultation to replace placing the House of Lords with an “more representative” alternative chamber It committed to removing the 92 remaining sitting places for hereditary peers – left over as a compromise from a Tony Blair-era purge – and introducing a retirement age of 80 Richmond and Hillcroft Adult & Community College In today’s outcome-driven education landscape Finding new teaching talent for your school can be time consuming and costly the Inspiring Leadership Conference enters its eleventh year and to mark the occasion the conference not only.. Catch Up® is a not-for-profit charity working to address literacy and numeracy difficulties that contribute to underachievement The careers education and oracy enthusiast has been appointed to advise Sir Keir Starmer - so here's what you.. 'Well overdue' fire safety guidance update among seven missing government consultation responses Headteacher will take aim at education secretary for 'smorgasbord of policies' but lack of 'vision' 'Significantly strengthened' accountability will also 'raise the bar on what we expect from schools' and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Become a subscriber and stay up to date with the latest breaking news and industry discussion Website by Creative Sponge Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters A police spokesperson said: "Formal identification has not yet taken place but the family of a 56 year old woman who was reported missing on Wednesday "Enquiries are currently underway to establish the cause of death in liaison with the coroner." 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Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right A fabulous range of brand-new wedding dresses will be on sale in a special pop-up bridal boutique coming to Five Valleys in Stroud this month Brides to be looking for designer dresses at up to 75% off could find their dream gown as well as helping to raise money for a great cause in the pop-up boutique which is being held from Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th April The event has been organised to raise money for Longfield Hospice – the charity was donated 200 dresses as well as a range accessories for the perfect wedding day outfits Brides can browse the extensive collection of new ex-sample stock designer gowns at around 75% off the recommended retail price and buy it on the day – taking the expense and hassle out of wedding dress shopping.  The charity team are hoping that dozens of brides will say yes to the dress at the pop-up event and find their dream gown from the fabulous range of styles and sizes The designer gowns are expected to fetch between £150 – £300 a fraction of the normal retail price and the event will take place in the former Wilco’s unit in the mall area at Five Valleys The space will be transformed into a bridal boutique for the four-day event with interest expected to be high from discerning brides-to-be there will be a range of new and pre-loved shoes said: “We encourage all brides-to-be to put the date of our bridal pop-up sale at Five Valleys in their diaries This event is not to be missed – our range of stunning gowns will sell fast brand-new dresses in a range of fabulous styles from different designers it’s a great opportunity for brides to find their perfect gown and know that they have also helped a great cause and we are really touched at this unique way of helping our charity.” Centre Manager at Five Valleys Erica Malpass said: “We are really pleased to be hosting the Bridal Pop Up at the centre – the charity has some fabulous gowns and we’re looking forward to a great turnout throughout the event.” The Bridal Pop Up takes place in the former Wilco’s unit next to Ducklings Toy Shop in the mall area at Five Valleys on 24th – 27th April at 10am – 5pm (4pm on Sunday) Photograph shows:  Longfield CEO Clare Davis with some of the bridal dresses.  Longfield is a Community Hospice based in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire. As well as providing free Hospice at Home care, Longfield also offers help and support to patients, families and carers through a range of Wellbeing and Bereavement Counselling services at the hospice in Minchinhampton. For media enquiries, please contact media@longfield.org.uk or call 0744 2394003 To contact the Stroud Times team, please visit our contact page to find the appropriate email address or send us your story via email on news@stroudtimes.com Website built and managed by Hewlett Photography & Design Baroness Anne Longfield: ‘I felt a responsibility to be brave’ and my mum and dad and I lived with them on these hills outside of town I spent so much time looking at how other people lived their lives because all I wanted was that normal house I had this desire to be part of a community and so where I have ended up in my career People think that if you get the process - the “machine” - right This is really dangerous - the focus needs to be on purpose obviously we need loads more money into the specialist services going to help kids that are in a very difficult place at the moment but our ambition can’t just be that we get fancier and cleverer speciality services to treat the problem Our ambition has to be that we help kids live well that you will need to be able to build a relationship with someone with ideas that are opposed to your own if you ignore them because you don’t like them or what they stand for I found this part of me that could lead change But that comes out in different ways when you lead If you have an organisation of 1,000 people then really it is the structures that demand things of people then yes you are driving it through your own personality I always try to turn disappointment into positivity and optimism They need to see you looking for solutions but you breathe and just accept that it is going to take a little longer to be where you want to be He so desperately wanted to be part of the future and I always thought it was so sad he never got to achieve that With people who’ve lost parents quite early they either kind of sink or they get this drive to do it for their parents to make change and seize the moment to bring that change The How I Lead series aims to showcase different routes into leadership and different ways of leading. We publish one per month - they can all be found on the How I Lead hub Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters The Young Futures programme aims to roll out hubs offering a wide range of extra support to children at risk or already involved in crime But a joint report by Longfield’s thinktank Centre for Young Lives and academic research group Child of the North says ministers need to ensure hubs are targeting highest risk groups of young people Priority should be given to children in care and those with a special education need or disability (SEND) While just less than one in 16 children in care are involved in the criminal justice system those with experience of care account for half of children in custody Previous research by Centre for Young Lives and Child of the North found that 40,000 children known to social services last year were either the victims of crime or sexual exploitation or involved in gangs hubs need to ensure children with SEND are supported as they account for four in five young people in the criminal justice Young people who have been excluded are another as more than four in five boys in young offender institutions have previously been removed from a school Other at-risk groups overrepresented among young people involved in crime are those in areas of deprivation Longfield’s thinktank and the academic group are urging the government to ensure Youth Futures hubs are embedded in communities in disadvantaged areas and focus on trauma-informed mental health support They also want to see this focus on understanding the trauma of abuse and neglect on young people’s lives embedded wider in the community The hubs also need to form part of a wider strategy to tackle “underlying vulnerabilities and disadvantages” facing young people “rather than their behaviours” “Focusing on early interventions that build resilience and prevent escalation is essential,” their research adds schemes to divert young people away from crime need to take place in the wider community “There is a chilling sense of inevitability for many of the most vulnerable children particularly those with unsupported special educational needs and those in care or on the edge of it,” said Longfield “They are at greater risk of being groomed into criminal or sexual exploitation or caught up in gangs and serious violence “Supporting these children and their families early “We need a whole-child and whole-system approach to tackle childhood vulnerability with children and families at the centre of coordinated services.” She added: “The new government is already making clear that its approach to tackling serious violence and exploitation will include intervention and diversion programmes to support vulnerable teenagers including its forthcoming Young Futures pilots “This provides a vital opportunity to start to rebuild and refresh the community-based targeted interventions that we know can divert young people away from harm University of Leeds and Bradford Institute of Health Research academic Mark Mon-Williams added: “Preventing children from entering the criminal justice system is not just a moral imperative but essential for a prosperous country “We would empty our prisons if we invested in early interventions that address the root causes of vulnerability “Breaking the links between a disadvantaged childhood and the criminal justice system would create a brighter future for all children and the whole of our society.” “Opportunities in districts teams and countywide” Children & Young People Now is the magazine and website for all professionals who work to improve the life chances of children Keep up to date with a range of subscriptions options; our full membership package start from just £18 per month Register for free today and get unlimited access to news and opinion plus up to 4 subscriber-only articles per month Longfield Trust has been chosen by Stroud District Council’s staff and councillors as its charity of the year provides `hospice at home’ care for people with life-limiting illnesses and support for their families “Longfield Trust is a fantastic charity to support and we’re planning a wide range of activities to contribute towards the £4million it needs to raise every year,” said SDC Charity Group chairs Rachael Lythgoe and Louisa Sanderson “We’re looking forward to supporting events organised by Longfield - including its Summer Fete on 3 August - as well as hosting our own.” Fundraising for the charity has already started with four members of staff taking part in the annual Longfield Run the Rainbow – a 5k race during which participants run through clouds of powder paint “We are incredibly honoured and thrilled to be named Stroud District Council's Charity of the Year This recognition is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our staff and supporters who work tirelessly to provide essential care and support to our community “We look forward to collaborating with the council to make a lasting positive impact on the lives of those we serve in the Stroud district." The council has supported Longfield’s Christmas Tree Recycling Campaign for a number of years Volunteers collect Christmas trees from homes in January which are then recycled into bark chippings and biofuel “A number of Longfield campaigns are based on recycling which is close to our hearts at Stroud District Council,” said Rachael and Louisa “SDC employees benefit from up to three volunteering days per year so this year we will be providing practical support by collecting Christmas trees and helping to sort recycled clothing and items for sale in the Longfield charity shops.” Find out more about Longfield here: https://longfield.org.uk/ Each year council employees and councillors are invited to nominate a local charity to support then vote for their favourite from a shortlist Last year the council’s charity of the year was Cotswold Dogs and Cats Home and it raised £1,195 Party season may be over but Longfield Community Hospice is giving Gloucestershire another excuse to dress up by throwing a Black and White Ball fundraiser at De Vere Cotswold Water Park this March 2025 dust off those party heels and prepare to dress to impress for a Black and White Ball in the Cotswolds — a beautiful way to see in the beginning of springtime Raising essential funds for Minchinhampton's Longfield Community Hospice, the marvellous De Vere Cotswold Water Park in Cirencester plays host to elegant and stylish guests donned in their most fabulous black and white attire for an evening of fine dining and entertainment each ticket bought goes towards a very worthy cause and means the team at Longfield can continue to offer vital hospice services to people in urgent need across Gloucestershire Tickets cost £55 per person and include welcome drinks on arrival as well as a three course meal before dancing the night away to some excellent live music The menu features starter options of duck liver and apricot pâté or a press of Mediterranean vegetables; main options of roast chicken breast with carrot mash and tenderstem broccoli peas and plant-based cream; and a choice of desserts including a chocolate orange delice or a lemon tart with a raspberry puree The Black and White Ball at De Vere Cotswold Waterpark in aid of Longfield Community Hospice is being held on Saturday 29 March 2025 Tickets can be purchased through the Longfield website, via Eventbrite at longfield.org.uk/our-event/black-white-ball-2025 — and bigger groups can take advantage of a special offer by booking a table of 10 for £500. Black and White Ball in aid of Longfield Community Hospice Tickets cost £55 per person, with tables of 10 available to book for £500 Weekly lifestyle and business highlights straight to your inbox Being able to favourite articles is just one of a host of member exclusive benefits. Plus, it's completely free. Being able to create your own lists is just one of a host of member exclusive benefits. Plus, it's completely free. has announced the sale of Longfield Pharmacy in Maldon Built around You.Your expert business property advisers Longfield Pharmacy is a community pharmacy that dispenses an average of 15,163 items per month It is ideally located within a busy health centre in the Essex town of Maldon The pharmacy has been owned by the small independent multiple owner since 2017 and was brought to market to allow its owner Following a confidential sales process with Mark Page at Christie & Co it has been sold to Pharmazone Ltd which is owned by Tauqir Hassan Waseem Syed and Shaheryar Alam - a group of friends who own a small growing group in Essex “This busy health centre pharmacy came with a state-of-the-art dispensing robot which is visible from the pharmacy A glass panel allows patients to watch as their prescription is plucked off the shelf by the robot arm and dropped into a bag The new owners are experienced pharmacy operators in the area and will continue to build on the good work done by Vijay and the team already.” Longfield Pharmacy was sold for an undisclosed price Visit Christie & Co’s Business Search page to find out more about current listings. Keep up-to-date with our latest listings and more… © Christie & Co 2024 | A member of Christie Group Anne Longfield urges government to act on early intervention and support for children with complex needs Children with special education needs and disabilities (Send) have been victims of a “vicious downward spiral” of declining support over the past decade said the former children’s commissioner for England as she urged the government to take action Anne Longfield, the founder of the Centre for Young Lives, said the government could not simply spend more money on the “status quo” of Send provision if it was going to tackle the soaring rate of tribunals brought by parents in battles with local authorities over support. “I don’t think local authorities can just invest more and more and more on high-level complicated support plans,” said Longfield, who served as the children’s commissioner from 2015 to 2021. “We need a system that is much more inclusive, that can respond to children’s needs as and when. “It’s clear to me that children’s needs have increased at the same time as the support that’s been available to them over the last decade has drastically decreased. We’re now spending huge amounts of money, from authorities that are on the edge of bankruptcy, on a very small number of children who fall into crisis, and on any level that’s not sustainable.” Read moreLongfield called on the government to instead invest more money in universal support for early years such as the expansion of Sure Start centres more complex needs are left to just escalate and more children fall into crisis which has a huge social cost in terms of their life chances and also an economic cost in terms of the public purse which ironically means less money to help children,” she said The amount spent on early intervention has almost halved at the same time that the amount spent on crisis intervention has just about doubled.” Local authorities are spending a record £100m on tribunals brought by parents over Send support for their children, Guardian analysis has shown health and care plans (EHCPs) or places at special schools Longfield said parents should not be forced to apply for an EHCP to get the support they need for their children and more focus should be placed on “inclusivity” in mainstream schools “rather than having to jump through the hoops of getting a very laborious planning process in place” She also said children were increasingly spending months in a “dreadful limbo land” where their education was put on hold while they were waiting for assessments and plans to be put in place the government announced £1bn of funding to improve Send outcomes for young people but Longfield said this money “wouldn’t go that far” if it was spent on “the status quo” Free newsletterGet the day’s headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning but if it can be used to drive a reform and resetting of the system towards early intervention then it will be doing a really important job,” she said She also said urgent work was needed to tackle the growing number of children with Send falling into crime because of the failure of the state to keep them in supportive education “Children are falling through the cracks in education often not as part of a lifestyle choice by parents but because they are desperate their children were very distressed and unhappy in school,” she said “We’ve seen a generation of children whose support hasn’t been prioritised who have been allowed to carry huge personal risk and who have been the target of exploitation On Friday, MPs on the Commons education select committee announced an inquiry into Send provision “We now want to move beyond simply pointing out the problems and focus on finding solutions that are realistic and practical for the government to implement,” said the committee chair By Christina Bowden · 7 April 2025 IMPORTANT SKILLS: Students from Longfield Academy at a mental health workshop funded by Kent Community Foundation Students from Longfield Academy recently attended mental health workshops provided by Mind of the Student after the Channel Ports Fund Mind of the Student is dedicated to enhancing youth mental health through the transformative power of education Their vision is to cultivate an environment where every young individual is empowered to openly discuss mental health within educational settings both in and outside of school environments with the necessary knowledge and skills to proactively address their mental health needs and the confidence to break down the stigma surrounding mental health has covered the cost of delivering a whole-school mental health workshop day which reached 1,000 young people who attend Longfield Academy said: "We were delighted to welcome visitors from the organisation Mind of the Student Mind of the Student (MOTS) gives young people the confidence to speak about their mental health "Their approach ensures no student in school goes without essential training on mental health; the workshop equips them with the knowledge confidence and skills to recognise and address their own mental health needs." said: "The Mind of the Student workshops offer young people a clinically researched toolbox of ways in which they can begin to recognise deal with and seek help for their own issues related to mental health "Schools do have a statutory obligation to provide mental health support for their students funding cuts and untrained teachers on mental health "Our school workshops ensure every student receives mental health education we're building a future where every young person feels safe "A future where mental health isn't a burden director of grants and impact and deputy chief executive of Kent Community Foundation said: "Kent Community Foundation was delighted to recommend that the Channel Ports Fund award a grant to Mind of the Student Their workshops yield substantial benefits for both individual school students and the broader community "They explained that their workshops foster an increased awareness and confidence among students in seeking professional support along with enhanced emotional resilience and life skills Their application for support fit perfectly within our funding priorities and we are looking forward to the feedback from this initiative." To contact Kent Community Foundation about funding for charities and community groups, email admin@kentcf.org.uk or visit www.kentcf.org.uk/funding LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} Home > News By Sarah Wood | 19th December 2024 it's never too early to think about how to dispose of your tree Longfield charity's team of volunteers will collect Christmas trees from your home at the end of the festive season and take them to be chipped and recycled at recycling sites across Gloucestershire where trees will be chipped into mulch and reused locally making it the most eco-friendly way to dispose of your tree an army of Longfield volunteers collected 3,742 trees over four days from households across Gloucestershire Gloucester City Council (working with Ubico) is supporting the scheme by providing two recycling sites simply visit the just-helping website and enter your postcode where you can make a voluntary donation to the hospice All money raised helps to fund the hospice's vital work supporting patients we're hoping to make this the best Christmas tree recycling campaign ever and are so grateful to all those who are helping make this event happen "Please register your tree for collection - it's a convenient and charitable way of disposing of your tree sustainably and ensuring it doesn't end up in landfill whilst at the same time you are supporting your local community hospice." chair of Stroud District Council Environment Committee said: "I'm delighted that Stroud District Council is supporting this project once again providing a useful service to residents while benefiting the brilliant work carried out by Longfield Hospice which has been chosen by SDC staff and councillors as our charity of the year." The fundraising team is also looking for volunteers vans to collect Christmas trees and tree chippers from Sunday 11 to Tuesday contact the events team on 01483 886868 or email events@longfield.org.uk Opinion marks early verdict on Labour amid Shire Hall shakeup The project has been more than a decade in the making and could see 620 acres of greenbelt transformed into a new town It has revealed plans to open a branch in town as part of a rapid expansion Forest of Dean venture shares its fears amid new burden Reproduction of any content is strictly forbidden without prior permission We use cookies to help make our website better. For more information on cookies and how to block them, visit https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/ By Sarah Wood | 30th January 2025 A local charity has raised more than £80,000 from its Christmas tree recycling collection Minchinhampton-based Longfield Community Hospice raised an incredible £82,239 towards its hospice at home palliative care said: "We are over the moon to have exceeded last year's target for much needed funds We could not have done this without the 181 volunteers from community groups local companies and our loyal team of regular helpers we collected an incredible 4,149 trees from areas reaching from Brockworth to Wotton-under-Edge "We were also incredibly grateful for the 76 vans loaned for our use We would also like to thank Stroud District Council for helping to promote our tree collection service "This really is a win-win situation with trees being collected and recycled instead of ending up in landfill as well as being our biggest fundraising event We look forward to doing it all again next Christmas!" the charity has opened a new shop in Cheltenham opened the latest shop in Coronation Square said: "Opening a new store in Coronation Square is an exciting development for our portfolio of shops and we are really looking forward to welcoming the local community to our store and I am sure shoppers will be delighted by the value and range of goods we will be selling "The funds raised from the shop will help ensure Longfield Hospice can be there when it matters for those in need of support with a life limiting illness." Longfield looks forward to welcoming new customers to Coronation Square and accepting donated goods The charity has 21 shops around Gloucestershire including three in Cheltenham - in Bath Road Former NEU leader and ex-children’s commissioner made life peers A previous joint general secretary of the UK’s biggest teaching union the former children’s commissioner for England and a leading figure in the free school movement have been given peerages today The King confirmed these and other peerages this afternoon the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats Mary Bousted jointly led the NEU teaching union from 2017 to 2023 with Kevin Courtney after the merger of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers - of which she had been general secretary - and the National Union of Teachers Anne Longfield served as children’s commissioner for England from 2015 to 2021 She is now the executive chair of the Centre for Young Lives Both she and Dr Bousted were announced in Labour’s peerages list today On the Conservatives’ list was Toby Young founder and director of the Free Speech Union who also founded the West London Free School and was a director of the New Schools Network Former union leader Sir Brendan Barber also becomes a Labour peer as part of prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s first round of political honours He was the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress for over a decade until 2012 Other Labour nominations include Kevin Brennan who was a minister in the Department for Children Schools and Families (which became the Department for Education) and later a shadow education minister formerly first minister of Wales and Welsh education minister which supports young people to go into science and maths Dr Bousted said: “I am delighted to have been appointed to the House of Lords My priority will be to support a successful Labour government in its reforms and to stand up and speak out for education.” She said a key policy issue she had been focused on since leaving her role as joint NEU general secretary was teacher supply “This affects the most disadvantaged young people,” said Dr Bousted who added: “I see teacher supply and the challenges we have with it as a social justice issue.” Ms Longfield said she was “deeply honoured” to serve in the House of Lords and confirmed she would continue her work with the Centre for Young Lives after 40 years working to improve the life chances of children and to provide support to families to have been given this incredible opportunity to continue that work in Parliament,” she said For the latest education news and analysis delivered every weekday morning, sign up for the Tes Daily newsletter The results of the sixth auction round (AR6) of the government’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme have been released by the Department for Net Zero and Energy Security (DESNZ) A total of 93 ground-based solar projects, with a combined capacity of 3.3GW, scored support. Indeed, AR6 was allotted the highest-ever budget for a funding round reaching a total of £1.5 billion after the Labour government announced a £500 million increase on 30 July.  Strong market engagement meant competitive price discovery onshore and offshore wind being awarded at over 18% below their administrative strike prices energy secretary Ed Miliband said: “This auction has produced a record number of solar projects bolstering our mission for a solar revolution secured the largest commercial floating offshore wind project in the world and got the offshore industry back on its feet.” Solar PV achieved a strike price of £50.07/MWh above the prices achieved in both AR4 (which was £45.99/MWh) and AR5 (which was £47.00/MWh the maximum allowable price for the auction). Although it was called “disastrous” by Miliband because no offshore wind won contracts AR5’s outcome was positive for the solar industry: 56 solar projects were secured This auction round beats a record set in AR4 EDF Renewables’ Longfield Solar Energy Farm, a nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) with 400MW generational capacity that secured a development consent order (DCO) in June 2023 having been offered CfDs for 10 solar projects with a capacity of more than 350MWp. In AR6 it won six projects with a combined capacity of 180MW solar’s CfD success results from a strong pipeline of assets across many Great British regions and its competitive edge over onshore wind. Despite this positive result combining operational and future CfD contracted capacity total solar PV capacity in Great Britain is expected to reach at least 23.3GW—well below the 50GW target set in Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan.  This article was originally published in full on our sister site The regeneration plans aim to revitalise Prestwich Village with new shops Muse and Bury Council have picked VINCI Building as the contractor for the more than £100m ($129.3m) overhaul of the Longfield Centre in Prestwich VINCI will build on the work of Chroma Consulting who led the regeneration project in its initial stages with surveys and ground investigations This hub is designed to offer a prolonged parking solution for the village The development is expected to replace the now-closed Fairfax Road car park where enabling works commenced last December The project is being handled by Prestwich Regeneration – a joint venture (JV) between Muse and Bury Council Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Construction of the Travel Hub is anticipated to continue until 2026 Full planning permission for all of phase one was granted in July 2024 and the completion of the Travel Hub will allow for the subsequent phases of the village master plan to proceed aim to revitalise Prestwich Village with new shops The approved plans include a community hub with a library and flexible space and enhanced landscaping to improve the arrival experience from the tram Temporary road closures on Fairfax Road are expected later this year due to construction activities The project’s design has led to the inclusion of live event spaces and additional parking in the Travel Hub Muse project director Richard Kelly said: “This is a really exciting time for Prestwich and the ongoing regeneration of the Longfield Centre Having started the initial works last year we’re really looking forward to getting stuck into the Travel Hub’s main construction and starting to see the long-awaited regeneration come to life alongside the construction of the Travel Hub we’ll be looking to submit a further application later this year which will provide more detail on the design of the [new] homes.” Last month, the redevelopment of the former Seedfield Centre in Bury started with Bury Council and Hive Homes collaborating to address the requirement for new family housing Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Work to deliver the £100m+ regeneration of Prestwich Village centre has officially started The first phase involves the construction of a new multi-storey Travel Hub off Fairfax Road will include four weeks of ground investigations before the main construction commences in the New Year the joint venture between national place maker Muse and Bury Council is working towards the Travel Hub being open from May 2026 The Travel Hub will provide a long term parking solution for the village delivering 301 spaces including electric vehicle charging points It will replace the existing Fairfax Road car park the Longfield Centre surface car park will remain open It is all part of the plans to overhaul the dated Longfield Centre site creating a new beating heart for Prestwich Village with shops public green spaces and much needed new homes Delivering the new Travel Hub first will mean the existing Longfield Centre surface car park can then be used to facilitate the delivery of the village masterplan said: “We’re putting unprecedented levels of investment into the town centre to ensure it can thrive for generations to come and we all look forward to seeing the full transformation of Prestwich Village.” said: “This is a huge moment for Prestwich and marks the start of the village’s much anticipated regeneration detailed design and preparation beginning to put spades in the ground is a very exciting time “This is just the first phase of a landmark plan to transform the Longfield Centre and firmly establish Prestwich as one of the best places to live and spend time in the North-West.” which were approved by Bury Council in July 2024 Locals can contact the team directly via email – info@yourprestwich.com – or via other methods detailed at www.yourprestwich.com Research by the Centre for Young Lives, chaired by Anne Longfield, and Child of the North highlights “the huge number of young children in England not starting reception class ‘school ready’” Researchers share an “alarming rise” in early years developmental delays since Covid-19 resulting in huge numbers of children who are not ready for school “Schools report children arriving at reception in nappies and recent surveys of schools and nurseries have shown high levels of concern around speech and language with significant numbers of children below age-related expectations at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage,” states the report a third of children were not considered school ready increasing to 45% among children eligible for free school meals Their analysis of children deemed not school ready shows that they were nearly 2.5 times more likely to be persistently absent from school than their peers and around three times more likely to be NEET (not in education employment or training) by the ages of 16 and 17.  It also finds that the percentage of school ready children varies across the country from just 59% school readiness in Manchester to 84% in London The report sets out how high-quality early years settings play a crucial role in supporting successful development in young children The Centre for Young Lives and Child of the North are calling for a series of commitments from government in a bid to reduce the risk of “a downward spiral from poor spoken language through poor literacy and numeracy to longer-term effects on adult employability and the costs to society of intergenerational disadvantage” It is urging government to supplement its pledge to open 300 new school-based nurseries with: These include The Nuffield Early Language Intervention Preschool which has been developed to boost the language skills of children and better prepare them for school entry and Sheffield Small Talk – a speech and language therapy clinic providing inclusive no-cost provision for all preschool children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Longfield said: “I have heard many concerning experiences from school staff about children arriving at Reception wearing nappies and unable to communicate at the expected level or to socialise with other children “None of these problems will fix themselves is struggling with a recruitment and retention crisis and has been historically underfunded.    realistic proposals and shares best practice that will support a new focus on transforming support for children and families we can transform the life chances of millions of children.”  A separate report by Ofsted highlights best practice around progress for pre-school children in literacy It finds that “early education is too important to be left to chance A high-quality early years curriculum is particularly important as not all children get the same start in life – for example due to differences in the level of help they receive at home.” that's spent more than 35 years caring and supporting adults with life-limiting illnesses has received a pledge of thousands of pounds from a Cheltenham accountancy firm Tax and accountancy firm Bishop Fleming has pledged to help a hospice to continue its vital work for adults and their families with life-limiting illnesses in Gloucestershire Longfield Community Hospice which offers free care and relies heavily on its network of volunteers will receive a boost of £7,500 from the Cheltenham-based firm Dedicating the next 12 months to Longfield as its charity partner, the staff at Bishop Fleming aim to donate a percentage of turnover as well as raising many thousands of pounds with an array of activities the Ale Amble charity walk through Stroud along with many other initiatives to help raise important funds to support the charity's free care to Gloucestershire patients Longfield was set up more than 35 years ago and offers end-of-life care and support from its wellbeing centre in Minchinhampton A whopping 85 per cent of the charity's income comes from donations and fundraising initiatives Being able to favourite articles is just one of a host of member exclusive benefits Being able to create 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