An ambitious and wide-ranging £5m+ investment programme has been given the go-ahead by the board of Great Yarmouth and Waveney Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Speaking after the meeting at the PCT’s headquarters in Beccles, Mike Stonard, Chief Executive, said the additional spending during the current financial year (2008/09) would help the organisation to work towards its target of local people having the fastest-improving health in England.

It has been made possible by the PCT paying off all of the historic debt it inherited when it was established in October 2006, leaving it in position to make a major investment towards improving the health of the population.

Among the schemes agreed by board members are a £1.75m contribution towards the £3.5m cost of creating a 22-bed ward at James Paget Hospital to combat infections like MRSA and Clostridium difficile, an additional £1.145m investment on increasing access to NHS dentistry and £167,677 on promoting touchscreen services at all 26 GP practices in Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

Mr Stonard said: “What is particularly gratifying about this extra investment is that it has been influenced by members of the public who told us the sort of services they wanted during our A healthier future consultation last year.

“This additional spending also fits in with the vision for the NHS that the health minister Lord Darzi set out in July and on which NHS East of England has recently completed its own consultation.

“Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT has taken enormous strides forward since we were set up less than two years ago and we are totally focused on making investments that will us to achieve our stated aim of local people having ‘the fastest-improving help in England’.”

Details of some of the investments agreed are given below:

Infection control ward at James Paget Hospital. Work is due to start shortly and is scheduled to be completed by February next year (2009). The state-of-the-art facility will include isolation rooms fully equipped with en suite facilities and designed to the latest Department of Health technical standards. The ward will also be used during any outbreak of pandemic flu.

Improvements to the PCT’s community hospitals. The PCT manages Beccles Hospital; Patrick Stead Hospital, Halesworth; Southwold Hospital and the GP unit in the Herbert Matthes [checked] Block at Northgate Hospital, Great Yarmouth, and will spend £340,000 on improvements before the end of the current financial year. This will include refurbishing the outpatients departments at Beccles Hospital and Southwold Hospital, replacing the telephone and nurse call systems at Patrick Stead Hospital, and replacing the flooring in the ward at Northgate Hospital.

Expanding NHS dental provision. The PCT is already one of the best-performing in England in terms of people being able to access an NHS dentist but is looking to invest in further extra capacity, particularly in areas where access is more of an issue, such as Southwold, Halesworth and Bungay.

Touchscreen services in all GP practices. The PCT will pay for touchscreen technology at all GP practices so that patients can book themselves in on arrival and also learn health promotion information via a TV screen.

Providing angioplasty more locally. The PCT has agreed to spend £404,000 this year so that patients from Great Yarmouth and Waveney can have angioplasty at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital rather than having to travel to Papworth Hospital.

Improved access to psychological therapies. The PCT will invest £330,000 on introducing psychological therapy in primary care in line with NICE guidance on treating depression and anxiety.

Stroke. The PCT agreed to invest an additional £291,000 this year on improving stroke services for patients at James Paget Hospital.

Raveningham Country Fair
August 30th 2008 - 11am till late

The Raveningham Country Fair is a traditional Threshing Fair, stemming from the times when the local farmer has a party for all the villagers who had helped harvest the wheat from the fields.

The fair has been running for over 30 years as an annual event, each year changing and adding new events and displays to the show. Last year was the the biggest show we had ever put on and from your feedback everyone agreed the best yet. For 2008 we've raised the bar again and by the time September comes, we hope you'll agree the this one was the best yet!

The fair starts at around 11 am in the morning with the first flying display at around 12 opening events in style. During the day there are other displays of Vintage cars, working Steam Engines and threshing machines as well as the traditional dog show, terrier racing and Punch and Judy for the kids.

The Air Show will be repeated this year with the addition of a limbo dance routine and a repeat of the infamous Teddy Bear Parachute drop. This year show will see more aircraft then ever before and should be spectacular, particularly since our location for 2008 makes low level displays much easier. It includes displays from Pitts Specials, a four aircraft Barn Storming display and ending with the YAK 52 aerobatics that thrilled everyone last year.

As well as the air displays we also have displays from the Knights of Chivalry. From the first moment visitors set eyes on their tented arena ringed with heraldic shields and flags, the Knights, Squires and Ladies of the Swords of Chivalry dedicate the day to bringing alive all the pageantry, sights and sounds of circa 14th Century England.

With authentic fighting skills honed by hours of practice, coupled with more than a dash of courage, and leavened with humour, the Swords of Chivalry recreate the magic and excitement of a Medieval Tourney. You will be able to look and touch the weapons as well as get involved supporting you favourite knight.

For the children we have a Bouncy Castle, the traditional slippery pole as well as new for this year, Andy the Clown and displays from the Funky Feet dance troop. Add to this a display of Flying Owls, more Live music than ever before and you have an event that will keep everyone happy all day and into the night.

There's music throughout the day and "El Gato's Men" take over to take the fair late into the night with music and dancing in a corn field. The bar runs throughout the day and night providing Adnam's beer, wines and soft drinks. There's also various food, Hog Roast, BBQ and Cakes stalls running throughout the day with a final "Hot pasty" delivery late in the evening.

The aim of the fair is to raise money for local charities, whilst having fun for all the family. The proceeds are split between many local groups providing the much needed funds to develop local playgrounds and support the Scouts as well as many other smaller community organisations.

The Raveningham Fair is located between Loddon and Haddiscoe in Norfolk.

From Norwich follow signs to Lowestoft and Beccles, turning off at the Shell station, just past Loddon, signposted towards Hales.

From Beccles turn off towards Great Yarmouth from the McDonald's roundabout then immediately left towards Raveningham You can also follow the signs to the "Rav Centre" from Beccles Roundabout A143/146, Haddiscoe A143, and the Shell station in Hales A146 onto the B1136.

The site is signposted with small yellow straw stacks, so follow these from this turn off to the site.

www.ravfair.co.uk

– IAN CARTER (www.accessiblewebsites.co.uk)

www.alerter.co.uk

Trophy for pilot project boosting adult independence in Norfolk

A new service providing the opportunity for independent living to adults with mental health issues has been awarded a trophy in recognition of its success.

Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has been acknowledged by Social Services for its successful trialling an Individual Budgets scheme. The pilot, implemented in 13 areas of the country, proved that giving individuals money to allocate to services themselves could change lives.


Councillor Stella Rice, Deputy Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services, added: “Congratulations to the team for the work that they have done in this area and their achievement. I travel all over the country in my role as deputy cabinet member and have seen first hand the real difference that having an individual budget can make to a person by returning or retaining control and independence and giving real choice to people. Well done!”


The Trust, working with Adult Social Care staff from Norfolk County Council, looked at new ways to help people maintain their independence, gain real control over their lives and have more of a choice in the services they use.

Personalised budgets offer the flexibility to choose support from a range of options to build individually tailored help. Following an assessment of an individual’s needs an amount of money is allocated to the service user. Knowing how much money is available for their support the service user is then allowed to use it in the way that best suits their own situation. 


Maggie Wheeler, Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust chair, said: “I am delighted that our work with social services colleagues has been recognised with this trophy, for the contribution our care teams make to allow Individual Budgets work for service users. It is an example of the excellent care partnership we have in place, which contributes to a successful service for our users."

The scheme brings together money from a range of support services, including council-provided social care services for adults; the Supporting People funding; Independent Living Fund; Disabled Facilities Grant; Integrated Community Equipment Services and Access to Work.

Publish Post

A rare frog which croaks in what experts say is 'northern accent' is to be given legal protection after it was reintroduced to Britain.

Minister for Wildlife, Joan Ruddock showed her 'Kermit-ment' to safeguarding the pool frog by introducing the measures which come into effect on 1st October.

From then it will be illegal to kill, take, injure, disturb, own or sell the frog which died out in the UK in the 1990s.

Scientists say they discovered the frog was northern by analysing mating calls and matching them with frogs from Norway and Sweden - not because it used to be a coal miner and moans about prices down south.

Ruddock said: "The UK's native species need our support, and I hope today's announcement will help give the pool frog a secure future."

Natural England's amphibian specialist, Jim Foster, added: "It is vitally important to have this kind of protection in place for the pool frog before we could consider reintroducing them to new ponds in other parts of East Anglia.

"Early signs are encouraging that the pool frogs are settling in to the current release site. However, it will be several years before we can confidently assess the success of this reintroduction."

The UK history of the pool frog dates back to 1000AD and they have have been found at Saxon sites in Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire. The last native pool frog died in the 1990s after its populations declined to just one site in Norfolk.

Waveney River Centre Fishing Competition
13th September 2008

Test your skill in our popular annual Fishing Competition. Totally informal and open to all ages.

A fun day out for all the family

• Trophy for heaviest weight of fish caught in each of the four categories.
• Registration and draw for bank positions at 9 am. Children may fish from the same swim as their supervising adult
• Children and anyone with mobility problems will be drawn first for positions on solid ground
• Keep nets will be weighed wet, recorded on the entry sheet and deducted from your overall weight at the end of the competition.
• Fishing times 10 am - 4 pm (adults), 10 am - 3pm (children)
• Weigh in at each swim
• Presentation of prizes at Waveney Inn, after weigh in
• Waveney Inn opens at 11am, food served all day
• Shop and swimming pool open all day

Download entry form

Categories
• Mens Champion Cup (total heaviest weight)
• Ladies Champion Cup (total heaviest weight)
• Junior Champion Cup (under 17yrs - total heaviest weight)
• Minnow Champion Cup (under 12yrs - total heaviest weight)

Medals
Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded to first, second and third in each category.

Entry Fee
• £4 per adult & £2 per child (under 17yrs)
• All entrants over 12 must have a valid fishing license.

Carvery
There will be a 2 course carvery with coffee at the Waveney Inn at 7.30 pm followed by a Disco at 9 pm. Please pre-book by Tel: 01502 677 599.

GreenStock08 24th August
10.30am-7pm
FREE ENTRY

NORCA and the Green Grocers presents GreenStock08. It will be take place at Heigham Park, Norwich. It's bigger and better than last year with more music, workshops, kids entertainment and eco stalls. It was a fantastic day last year. You can see more on last year here. GreenStock08 is sponsored by Toyota Dingles and Anglia Printing Services.

Main Stage sponsored by Cut your Carbon
A fantastic line that includes: a local string quartet; Folk from Andrew Kircham and Misto; Brazilian music from Rabo de Foguete; Cuban music from Guateque; pop from Sargasso Trio and country fusion from The Vagaband.

Local poets will read in between the bands.
Climate Change Question Time
At 1pm we will stage the Climate Change Question with Councillors Andrew Little (Conservative, Leader of Norwich Conservatives); Brian Morrey (Labour, Deputy Leader of Norwich City Council); April Pond (Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Broadland); Adrian Ramsey (Green Party candidate for Norwich South Constituency, Leader of the Greens at Norwich City Council) - demand answers from them...

Childrens Marquee
Booja Booja are sponsoring the Children's marquee with activities ranging from face painting; yoga; early years music, and theatre.

Arts Marquee
Alex and Amy's Photography Workshop is in the morning followed by The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts offering a Childrens arts workshop between 2-5pm;

Health Marquee
Do skipping with Skip Hop, yoga and shiatsu in the Health Marquee.

Speakers Corner
Participate in the Speakers Corner with Gardners question time, Nutrition Q & A with Glenn Matten, discuss preparing for life without oil with Transition Norwich or ask a question about recycling.

Food & Drink Zone sponsored by Adnams.
Perhaps you just want to soak up the atmosphere and eat some organic and locally sourced food and drink some carbon neutral beer .

We have a great range of local ice creams, vegetarian foods, a BBQ provided by Metfield Bakery, teas and cakes and a Bar run by The Green Grocers

Stalls
Stalls include: City Car Club; Cut Your Carbon ; Norwich Friends of the Earth; Energy Saving Trust; Ecotricity; Norfolk Solar; Recycle for Norwich;

Give us your feedback on our blog.
Should Toyota Prius sponsor a climate change event? Are hybrid cars part of the solution or should we give up our cars? Click here to read our blog »

And Finally...The GreenStock Competition
We have a fantastic GreenStock08 competition with five prizes: a First Class Family Return ticket to London; three £50 off vouchers towards a booking of a country cottage in Mundesley and one £50 gift voucher for The Green Grocers. To enter...

Look on www.beachcottagenorfolk.co.uk, see the customer feedback and tell us who does Mr B from London feel like he is turning into? (TIP: you'll need to look beyond the front page)

If you think you know, email us at eat@thegreengrocers.co.uk . Winners will be announced one week after GreenStock08 on Sunday 30th August. Lucky winners will be informed of their prizes via email.

Your email address will be shared with The Green Grocers and NORCA who notify you of events and offers from time to time. If you do not wish to receive emails from The Green Grocers or NORCA please state on the email "no third party emails, please"



GreenStock is a not-for-profit event for the local community. Any surplus will be reinvested into the following year's event. NORCA and The Green Grocers would like to thank all those individuals, bands, charities and firms that have made this event possible.

– IAN CARTER (www.accessiblewebsites.co.uk)

www.alerter.co.uk

Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection.

Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection.

Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection.