A MAJOR project is being led by Citizens’ Advice Rossendale and Hyndburn aimed to get people digitally aware and ready for work.

Project Co-ordinator Tony Sheppard runs Reach IT, a Building Better Opportunities project funded by the Big Lottery and the European Social Fund.

It aims to set up a network of trained digital champions to help people to become more computer literate and also digital buddies who are not formally trained but can assist in helping people.

Tony has been employed by Citizens’ Advice Rossendale and Hyndburn, based at Stubbylee Hall, Stubbylee Park, Bacup, on the scheme since February and has already worked with 30 people across Rossendale and Hyndburn.

As part of Get Online Week from October 15 to 21, Tony will be in the community officially launching the project.

Drop in sessions will be held on: Monday October 15 from 1.30pm to 3.30pm at Stubbylee Hall; Tuesday October 16 from 12.30pm to 2pm at Haslingden Community and Wednesday October 17 1.30pm-3.30pm at Whitworth Men’s Sheds at 6 Milner Street.

Tony said: “The project is designed to help people who are unemployed, carers, people who are sick or disabled but want to be able to move towards work or training to get help to improve their digital skills.

“Every Thursday I am at Rawtenstall’s Jobcentre Plus from 1-3pm where I already have a digital champion and buddy to help me.

“I am reaching out to get volunteers who want to be involved with the project as a participant.

“In Hyndburn I go into the Jobcentre Plus in Accrington every Tuesday from 10am to noon.”

It is recognised that digital skills and computer awareness are becoming essential requirements of many jobs that are being advertised and are needed to access everyday services.

Reach IT has been funded to try to bridge the gap to enable people who are unemployed to enhance their skills and help others.

To find out more complete an online form on the Citizens’ Advice Rossendale and Hyndburn website www.carh.org.uk, call in at one of the drop in sessions or call Tony on 07549 400 329.

Story by Catherine Smyth Media

WITHIN days of returning to full-time counselling, Paul Bridge was shocked when clients said they had been told to expect a wait of up to eight months for NHS therapy. Paul, 52, has been a counsellor for 18 years and in August opened his own firm Therapeutic Counselling Services in Winter House, Bacup.

He said: “I had one client come to see me who had been told the waiting list to see an NHS therapist was six months, another was told seven months while another went to see the doctor in January and only got an appointment in August. These are just a few of the people with high anxiety and depression who have sought me out, but how many more are also out there struggling to cope with problems on their own waiting for help? This is a huge problem especially as suicide rates are so high.”

Male suicide, often called the silent killer, is the single biggest cause of death in the UK for men under the age of 45 – a total of 84 suicides every week. September 10 was Suicide Awareness Day. Every two hours someone dies after committing suicide in the UK. With his business partner, Paul developed a profiling tool which is used by different agencies to assess clients’ needs. However because many authorities used European funding to purchase it, the Brexit decision resulted in a downturn in sales.

Paul, from Bacup, said: “I have four children to support and a Masters degree in counselling, so I decided to set up my own business close to home. I am so glad that I did because I really enjoy what I do and get a lot out of it. I am an integrative therapist and my Masters degree at Manchester University was all about using different forms of therapy. I am experienced in many different kinds of therapy and create a bespoke treatment for every individual client, because one size doesn’t fit all.”

As well as offering private counselling sessions, Paul is also looking to work in local businesses on employee assisted programmes and has offered his services to local GPs as an associate counsellor. Paul also has experience of helping drug users, probationers and offenders, and would be interested in working in schools.

To contact Paul email paul.tcs@yahoo.com or call 07720841002.

Paul was also delighted that his business was recently nominated for a 2018 Rossendale Business Award.

Story by Catherine Smyth Media

SOLICITOR Ruth Winter is now helping to deliver legal apprenticeship courses for Accrington and Rossendale College. The Bacup-based solicitor, whose practice Winter Solicitors is on Lee Street, has always offered apprenticeships and work experience opportunities since she opened in January 2014. She remembers how difficult it was to get experience when she was studying and so is delighted to be able to offer students an insight into working in the legal profession.

Ruth said: “I am helping to deliver Level 2 and 3 Legal Administration courses with AccRoss College. Previously the only course offered by local colleges was Business Administration where as this is much more specific and relevant for apprentices who want to pursue a legal career. I am working with apprentices from different legal practices and hold workshops to deliver different aspects of the course.”

Level 2 is equivalent to a GCSE and Level 3 to an A level.

Ruth said: “I am encouraging more Solicitors to enrol their legal apprentices on to this course and it can be offered to an apprentice at anytime post-16. By enrolling staff on this course, it gives the them more knowledge of legal work and not just of office management. The course is also flexible and students can select different modules that they wish to study, everything from wills to family law.”

Laura Crosland, 18, from Burnley, is Ruth’s current apprentice. After completing her AS levels at Burnley College and getting A grades in maths, sociology and law, she decided A levels were not for her and applied for an apprenticeship. She said: “I decided I wanted to do something more productive and this allowed me to work and learn rather than just be in college. I have learnt a lot. Long term I would like to go into an administrative job either in the legal profession or in human resources.”

To find out more about the legal work experience contact Ruth on 01706 878141 or check out the course details on http://www.accross.ac.uk/course/legal-administration-ila/

Story by Catherine Smyth Media

A PROJECT working with homeless young people and teenage families is planning a 5K fun run in September to raise awareness and funds. Run Out Homelessness is the title of the event to be held at Marl Pits in Rawtenstall on September 12 at 7pm.

M3 Project is based in Rossendale and works throughout East Lancashire with homeless 16 to 21 year olds. Project Manager Alan Dorrington said: “We are appealing for all people, runners, non-runners, families and individuals to take part at a cost of £5 per entrant. Our event is being supported by Rossendale Harriers who are providing marshals and have allowed use of their club house and Rossendale Triathlon Club who have provided a route.”

All participants will be asked to complete three laps of a circuit, which starts and finishes on the running track. The idea for the fun run came from support worker Dawn Rowe and retired police officer Nick Schofield, who works with M3 as a volunteer. In charge of organisation is Charity Development Worker Lynn Haworth.

Alan said: “The way M3 Project works has changed over the last few years and we have become a charity. Our grant from the Lloyds Foundation is coming to an end and I have several funding bids that we are working on. We are still waiting to find out what our future provision will be from Lancashire County Council. We now fundraise on a more regular and organised basis and this will be a major event for us as well as helping to raise awareness of the work M3 does.”

Alan is no stranger to running being a member of Clayton Harriers. In December 2016 he completed a gruelling 31-day 256-mile running challenge for the charity, which raised more than £6,000.

Besides the fun run, M3 is also looking to attract stalls to Marl Pits and have music at the event.

To book your place contact M3 on 01706 216600 or email lynnhaworth@rossendalem3.org

Story by Catherine Smyth

A NEW hair salon has opened in Rossendale just for children. Antony and Patricia on Bank Street opened Bosun’s Barbers on the upper deck 18 months ago and the nautical-themed barbers attracted a lot of dads with their sons.

As a result three further rooms have been converted to create dedicated children’s hair salon Noah’s Ark. Animal-themed rooms incorporate a brightly coloured salon with special animal print chairs and an interactive playroom complete with large screen TVs, Xbox and tablets.

The Lifeboat room is a separate one-chair salon specially designed for children on the autistic spectrum, adults living with dementia and anyone who would prefer to have their haircut in private rather than in a public salon.

Director Tony Winder said: “Since we opened Bosun’s Barbers we noticed an increase in dads and lads coming into the salons and the idea of having a special salon just for children evolved. We had available space and began working on creating Noah’s Ark about three months ago. It is a completely chemical-free environment. “I carried out a lot of research on the web looking at children’s salons all over the world, in Australia, America and South Africa.  All were on different themes and very successful, but I felt that there was still something missing. That is what inspired me to create the Lifeboat room.”

Tony used the book by Charlotte Olson ‘Suzie Goes to the Hairdresser’ to see a salon from a child’s perspective and also researched difficulties autistic children have in getting their haircut.

Tony said: “The Lifeboat room is a sanctuary for adults and children who may find a normal salon a difficult place to be in. To ensure the experience is calming and less daunting, soothing images will projected onto a TV and there is special sensory equipment. All of the specialist animal-themed furniture has been sourced through an online auction site and a huge animal mural came from Sweden. Salon staff will be trained in autism and dementia awareness. For children who do not want to be in a chair, there is also a boat they can sit in while their hair is cut. We know that when children are having their first haircut it is a special experience for their parents and the child and so we will be giving them a certificate, a photograph of them with the stylist and a lock of the child’s hair as a keepsake. A special treasure hunt is also going to keep the children entertained as they look around the salon finding the animals.”

Tony first set sail on his voyage of barbering in 1962 when he got an apprenticeship at Les Howarth’s Barber’s in Haslingden and in 1967 he literally set sail as a barber on cruise ships, hence the nautical theme. He added: “We are a true family business, we have a ladies’ salon, a barbers and a children’s salon all under one roof, so all customers can be catered for in one location.”

by Catherine Smyth Media

DANCERS from Bacup enjoyed a trip of a lifetime to Malta to join their twin school at its annual show. Dansworks Dance Academy of Performing Arts, in Pioneer Buildings, has been twinned with Dance College Studios since 2014. Every two years the two schools have an exchange visit to dance in each other’s shows. Thirteen dancers from Malta visited in March and 10 Bacup dancers aged 11 to 16 have just returned from six days in the country when they got to explore the Maltese way of life and danced anywhere and everywhere they could.

Phoebe Urmston, 14, said: “It was awesome. It was very hot and it was nice dancing with other people from another country.”

At the annual show the Bacup dancers performed two routines – ‘Riverside’ which is a lyrical contemporary routine and ‘Dream Girls’ which is jazzy. They also had a street dance routine when both the Maltese and British dancers were on the stage.

Emily Biel, 16, said: “I liked visiting the capital city Valletta as we got to see the cannons that we had heard so many times. We also went to the ancient capital of Mdina and into the catacombs.”

Carmel Sweeney, 15, said: “I liked getting to meet new people abroad and I liked staying with people that I know and creating new friendships.”

For one of the Bacup dancers there was a surprise when her grandfather and aunt turned up specially to see her perform in the show. Gracie Caine, 13, who had a solo in the routine, said: “My family knew about it, Dansworks knew about it, but I didn’t know. We were in the backstage courtyard when suddenly they came round the corner. It was very confusing for me because I had not expected to see them.”

After the show, Gracie’s aunt Zoe Caine told the group she was lost for words because Gracie had been so amazing.

Business Development Manager Dale Connearn said: “It was the best trip we have had and it was made better because we stayed in apartments rather than in a hotel and the atmosphere was incredible.”

Principal Karen Roe said: “All the girls were hilarious and there was such a good bond between them. They all enjoyed it, had fun and they also worked really hard in the show and were amazing. They really pulled it out of the bag and at the end of their performance there were whoops from the audience.”

The two schools will meet up again in 2020 and already dancers are eager to book their places.

To find out more about Dansworks contact 01706 559671.

Story by Catherine Smyth