Teenager’s film could help
save thousands of lives
by David Skentelbery
A WARRINGTON teenager has won a national competition to create a TV advertisement which could help save thousands of young lives.
George Sampson, 13, from Birchwood, was one of three youngsters who came up with the idea for Ghost – an MTV advert for the Government’s THINK! road safety campaign.
He teamed up with two other 13-year-olds he had never met before – Anya Fitzpatrick from Glasgow and Vanessa Uanseru from London – to create the film.
Road accidents are the biggest single cause of accidental death for the 12-16 age group with more than 2,500 children killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads every year.
Teenagers were invited to enter the competition and George, a pupil at Birchwood High School, decided to “have a go” after seeing details on the MTV website. He was one of more than 200 selected to go through to the next stage.
Teams were picked on an age basis and George found himself with two girls of the same age competing against 15 and 16-year-olds. A panel of experts shortlisted three ideas and the films were then made, using professional actors and technicians.
But the final round was put to a public vote – and Ghost came first with more than 86,000 people voting for it.
George said: “I couldn’t believe it. At first, the other two films were way ahead of us, with around 30,000 votes each when we only had about 10,000. But there was a late surge of voting for us so we came from behind to win.
“I thought one of the other films was good – but I was confident ours was better.”
Ghost shows a teenager walking down a road listening to his MP3 player. As he turns to cross the road between two parked cars he does not stop to check for oncoming traffic. Suddenly, ghost-like teenage figures appear in front of him forcing him to stop, step back, remove his headset – and narrowly avoid being run down by a car.
George said: “Vanessa thought of using ghosts and I thought of putting them on the road as ghosts of teenagers who had been killed in accidents. It was very much a team effort.” Department for Transport Teen Road Safety Campaign Manager Glyn Robinson, said: “Ghost is a really powerful advert which highlights one of the key causes of teen road accidents – simply not paying attention. Whether you’re distracted by MP3 players, mobile phones or are just messing around with friends, stepping out into the road without looking is incredibly dangerous”.
Councillor’s anger over
school uniform prices
by John Hendon
A WARRINGTON councillor has accused some schools in the borough of ?restrictive practices? over the supply of school uniforms.
Coun David Earl says some schools are telling parents they must purchase uniform from a recommended sole supplier who can charge up to three times normal store prices.
Some schools advertise their recommended uniform supplier on their website ? and some actually have the suppliers? shop on the school site.
The Liberal Democrat councillor for Westbrook said he had been disturbed to learn from members of the public that some high schools were sending parents a ?home-school agreement? part of which told them to ?use the recommended sole supplier.?
Coun Earl said: “I was amazed by this as the new DfES code on schools admissions states that any requirement to use sole or nominated suppliers is no longer acceptable.
“In one case, the cost of a school blazer from the nominated supplier compared to the cost in a major store is almost three times the store price.
“This cost difference is totally unacceptable and could impose a financial burden on many families.
“I question the level of profit made by some suppliers because integral badges are used. Why cannot transferable school badges be supplied instead?”
Coun Earl said the Liberal Democrat led administration at the borough council was committed to transparency, equality and social inclusion.
?I have contacted the Childrens’ Services department to ask that all schools be circulated to ensure compliance with the new code. I have been assured that advice will be sent out to remind schools that they can no longer insist on the use of nominated suppliers.
“If any parent feels that a community school is not complying with the latest guidelines I would welcome contact on [email protected]
Adam takes
to the skies
by Lesley Wilkinson
A WARRINGTON student who hopes to become a commercial pilot has successfully carried out his first solo flight.
Adam Burnett, 17, of Priestley College, is currently pursuing flying training while studying A-Levels in Physics, Geography and Computing.
He started learning how to fly at 16 and has spent many Sunday afternoons at the Shropshire Aero Club to learn the skills needed to make him a successful pilot.
Adam said: “It is a burning ambition of mine to eventually fly commercially and hopefully I have now started on that pathway. I guess it has required a lot of individual effort on my part, taking into account my full-time studies but it has already had its obvious rewards.
Adam, a former Penketh High School pupil, is in his final year at the college and is considering his next step. He hopes to enrol at one of the UK flight training schools or the prestigious Flight Training Europe in Jerez, Spain.
Picture shows Adam receiving his certificate after his solo flight at Shropshire Aero Club.
Catering company picks
up national award
by Lesley Wilkinson
AN innovative Warrington-based company, the Catering Academy Ltd, beat hundreds of other new businesses to win the regional heat of a national business award.
The company was a regional winner of the HSBC Start-Up Stars Awards and is now hoping to win a title in the finals in London.
Allan Causey, 52, Kevin Cannon, 49, Louise Carey, 38, and Stacey Roase, 36, started Catering Academy nearly three years ago.
The four have almost a century’s contract catering experience between them, and are committed to delivering excellent food, using fresh, local ingredients, to schools and colleges.
They are committed to personal service, and also work with commercial and industrial businesses.
Catering Academy set out to target contracts with a minimum turnover of ?200,000 a year and have remained ahead of that goal. They won their first contract with no references to support them, but it was a success and their reputation started to grow.
The company now operates across 40 client sites throughout the country and expects to report a turnover in excess of ?10 million this year.
Catering Academy will now compete with winners from other regional heats for a place in the finals in London.
MP seeks PM’s help
over child protection
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON South MP Helen Southworth has asked new Prime Minister Gordon Brown to help her campaign to protect vulnerable children.
Mrs Southworth, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Missing and Runaway Children, asked for action to get protection for children at risk.
She said: “Every year one hundred thousand children in the UK run away or go missing from home or care. Most children who run away or go missing get home safely but police and charity surveys show that about 8,000 are harmed – some of them suffering very serious attacks.
“About 12,000 children are running away from abuse of some kind and running from danger into danger.”
The MP?s campaign is backed by the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Association of Directors of Social Services, together with 30 children’s charities. She is currently putting a Private Members Bill on the issue through Parliament.
Mrs Southworth will be chairing a Parliamentary Summit in October that will receive evidence from police, children’s services, charities and young people. She will then be taking a report a
nd recommendations to the Prime Minister.
News in brief
Smoking shelter
PLANS for a smoking shelter at the Cherry Tree pub, in Common Lane, Culcheth, Warrington have been submitted to the borough council?s development control department.
Hospital lottery
WINNING numbers in the weekly lottery run by the League of Friends of Warrington Hospital were 4, 5, 11 and 12 – but the ?479 jackpot prize went unclaimed and will be rolled over to next week. A ?25 consolation prize was awarded to a member of hospital staff.
Weight limit
AN order has been made to impose a 7.5 tonne weight limit for vehicles using the A50 Long Lane and Orford Green at Warrington from July 30. Anyone who wants to question the validity of the order can do so by applying to the High Court within six weeks of July 23.
Orangery
A PLANNING application has been submitted to Warrington?s development control department for an orangery and stable development at Field House, Crouchley Lane, Lymm.
