Read all about Lynda, a permanent carer who lives in Nuneaton and looks after three brothers. Lynda started fostering two years ago when her daughters left home and she found had extra time and space on her hands and was looking for a new challenge. She talks openly about the challenges and rewards of fostering.

Lock down scam: Warwickshire computer users have contacted Trading Standards after receiving an ‘official’ looking message on their computer screen, claiming to be from the Police. The message suggests that they have visited an inappropriate website and that their computer has been ‘locked down’. They are asked to send £100 in Ukash vouchers in order to ‘unlock it’. The scam is believed to be caused by an Internet virus.

We have money for you scam: If you receive a letter, telephone call or email claiming you are owed money, usually for payment protection insurance, a personal injury claim, a lotto win or tax refund – then beware! If you show interest you will be asked to send £100+ in Ukash vouchers in order to receive the bogus payment. One Warwickshire consumer sent £3000 worth of Ukash vouchers to people he thought had obtained for him a refund for his bank charges.

Cheque scam: Warwickshire businesses have reported receiving orders for goods and services, paid for by cheques which are for a higher amount than the real cost. One Warwickshire trader received a cheque for £2450 for a pilate class worth £35. The trader was asked to use the remaining money to pay for an air ticket for the ‘consumer’ and keep the rest! In reality, these cheques or either forged or stolen. The cheque initially clears and when the money appears in the traders account, the scammers hope that they will send money or pay for the air ticket. However, when the bank discovers that the cheque is bogus, the money is removed from the traders account and they have lost out!

Avoiding scams – 5 simple rules

1. Never send money to anyone who says you’ve won the lottery
2. Never give out your bank account details or other personal information to people you do not know or trust.
3. Never feel pressured to respond immediately, however enticing the offer may seem.
4. Never send money in response to bogus psychic mailings or email/computer messages
5. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is!

Criminal gangs, (often operating from abroad), use the post, email, fax and telephone to send out millions of scams ever year. They are usually sent out indiscriminately, but those who respond are then added to special lists and targeted.

Trading Standards wants Warwickshire residents and businesses to forward any potential scam letters, emails or details of phone calls to them at the following FREEPOST address:

Scams Awareness Month 2012, FREEPOST CV1898 Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Service, Old Budbrooke Road, WARWICK CV35 7BR

This information will be recorded and used to investigate the scale of the problem both in Warwickshire and across the country.

More information on scams is available on our website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

You can also report a fraud to Action Fraud on: 0300 123 2040 or visit: www.actionfraud.police.uk

The Citizens Advice consumer service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. Visit www.adviceguide.org.uk or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or 0208 1850 710 (English language).

Using MP3 players, mobile phones and similar devices when walking near roads is a major distraction for pedestrians so a new road safety poster campaign has been launched to remind people to avoid danger by giving traffic their full concentration.

In 2011, 33 pedestrians were killed or seriously injured in road accidents in Warwickshire and a further 122 suffered slight injuries. It’s unclear how many of these deaths and injuries were the result of pedestrian distraction, but road safety professionals are concerned that this plays a part.

The campaign to reduce distraction is running across Warwickshire and West Mercia. It urges pedestrians to ‘stay alert to traffic’ and to avoid using phones or other similar devices when crossing the road or walking near traffic.

Traffic is the biggest cause of accidental death of 12 to 16 year olds so campaign posters will be distributed to secondary schools across Warwickshire over the coming weeks to warn young people of the potential dangers. Parents are also being asked to support the campaign by talking to their children about the dangers of not paying attention to traffic.

Warwickshire County Councillor Richard Hobbs, portfolio holder for community protection said: “The immense popularity of mobile phones and other portable devices presents a major risk to pedestrian safety. It’s not uncommon to see pedestrians so completely absorbed in their phones that they are entirely oblivious to where they are and what’s going on around them.

People are increasingly using mobile phones on the move to perform complex tasks that demand a huge amount of attention, such as texting, accessing emails and the internet, updating social media or making use of apps. If you are focused on texting or selecting a play list you can’t be fully aware of traffic. It’s a recipe for disaster.”

Warwickshire Police Head of Incident Resolution, Superintendent Adrian McGee added: “This may appear to be a trivial issue to some but the risks are clear. It is all too easy for an inattentive pedestrian using a mobile phone to take a quick glance before stepping off the kerb to cross when they should take the time to look both ways properly. This makes it easy to miss an approaching vehicle.

“Similarly a pedestrian listening to music impairs their ability to hear approaching traffic. Pedestrians need to be aware of the risks they are unknowingly taking and ask themselves how important is that text , everyone needs to take more responsibility for their personal safety.”

Shirley Antill is a foster carer and childminder who lives with her husband Kevin in Warton, North Warwickshire. She currently fosters two infants – a 10 month old boy and a 2 year boy of mixed heritage. Go to the blog to read about some of Shirley’s experiences.

The recently published ‘Adoption Scorecards’ for local authorities across England show that Warwickshire has continued to improve since last year. 

The scorecards also indicate that Warwickshire’s performance is above the national average in placing children in adoptive placements and meeting Government timescales.

In December 2011 Warwickshire Adoption Service participated in a pilot inspection with OFSTED and was assessed to be providing a Good service in all areas.

Cllr Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Families, said: “While the scorecards highlight the importance of speed and our improvements in reducing delays, we will continue to focus on ensuring that children have good quality and permanent, loving homes.”

Warwick town centre is currently undergoing improvements to High Street and Jury Street and as an act of goodwill to businesses and visitors the county council and district council are relaxing the rules to allow motorists to park for free on Saturdays and Sundays for the next three weekends.

From this Saturday (May 19), the county council will waive the charges for on-street parking and Warwick District Council will do the same for its off-street town centre car parks at West Gate, New Street, The Butts, Barrack Street, Linen Street, Priory Road, and Castle Lane. These measures will be in place on May 19 and 20, May 26 and 27, and June 2 and 3.

Cllr Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport, said: “We recognise that there has been disruption in Warwick while the town centre improvements have been carried out, and have decided to offer free parking as a gesture of goodwill. We hope this encourages shoppers to enjoy their time in the town and stay longer without having to worry about the cost.

“Warwick remains well and truly open for business and we thank everyone for their patience while these works are being carried out. Once completed, High Street and Jury Street will be much more user-friendly for pedestrians and have considerable long-term benefits for the town.”

Cllr Dave Shilton, Warwick District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood added, “We are well aware of the difficulties that drivers are experiencing in travelling in and out of Warwick town centre at the moment.  We hope that by offering free parking at seven of our car parks in the town, residents and visitors will be encouraged to continue with their usual visits into the town centre.”

During the improvement works, businesses have remained open as normal and traffic patterns have settled down after initial delays caused by the diversions.

The county council is continuing to endeavour to keep disruption to a minimum and ask that people bear with us while the work is completed.

For more information on the Warwick improvements visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/highstjuryst

Details on parking in Warwick district can be found at www.warwickdc.gov.uk/WDC/roads-parking-and-transport

Young Firefighters from Kenilworth are celebrating this week after receiving a cheque from Waitrose for £464

Warwickshire County Council’s Young Firefighters Association, were put forward for the Waitrose initiative ‘Community Matters’ after being approached by a cadet from the Kenilworth YFA branch.  The initiative allocates £1,000 a month to each of Waitrose’s 190 branches to distribute amongst three local community projects. The YFA were chosen by shoppers as their charity of the month which earned the Association £464 to help with costs towards an outdoor activity weekend.

Young Firefighters Association Co-ordinator, Sue Such said

“We would really like to thank Waitrose and their customers for making us their charity of the month. The money we have received will be used to enhance the facilities we have available for young people from the Warwick and Kenilworth area to use.

“At present we have 13 young firefighters at this branch who meet once a week for two hours. During that time they undertake training in ladder and hose drills, take part in competitions and carry out work in their local community.”

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Gary Phillips said:

“I am delighted that our Young Firefighters have been nominated to receive this funding from Waitrose and the local community.

“The nomination for the YFA came from one of our cadets, George Halpin, who used his own initiative to approach Waitrose about the ‘Community Matters’ initiative.  This is really commendable and I am honoured to be part of a presentation event which highlights just how committed our young people are to the Service.”

The YFA in Warwickshire has been running since 1997. Meeting at least once a week on local fire stations young people can get involved in a variety of fun and challenging fire service related tasks and activities. These include:

• Marching
• Fire Service Drills
• Parades
• Pitching Ladders
• Hose Running

For further information on the Young Firefighters Association, log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/yfa
 

Starting from midday, the idea is for visitors to come along to the country park with family and friends, a picnic blanket and picnic lunch, and enjoy some quality time in the sunshine!

There will be a children’s fancy dress competition at 4pm with a theme of ‘Kings and Queens’ so parents who gets their kids dressed up can win a prize of a £10 voucher.

At Kingsbury, Echills Wood Railway will be running trains all over the bank holiday weekend, and the donkeys and boats will be on site, subject to weather.

In addition children can complete the ‘Summer Spotter’ sheets to see if they can spot different things around the park. At Ryton Pools youngsters can take a ‘Springwatch Trail’ following clues to crack the code and complete a Springwatch challenge. Trail and Spotter sheets are available from the Visitor Centres.

The fourth annual Big Lunch event falls on the same weekend as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Anyone who would like to celebrate and commemorate the Queen’s 60 year reign who is not already going to a street party, can come and join us at the parks. No barbecues are allowed on site.

Cllr Helen Walton, Warwickshire County Council’s spokesperson for Country Parks, said: “Some 10 million people came out in sunny 1977 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee so we hope a large number of people will take part in our very first ‘Big Picnic’ in 2012.

“We hope to see a patchwork quilt of blankets out on our events fields on Sunday 3 June. The Big Lunch is all about community, friendship and fun, so bring along your outdoor games, share out the sausage rolls and make new friends.”

The Big Jubilee Lunch will be a part of the main programme of events over the central weekend of Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June.  During this special week Warwickshire’s Country Parks service has a whole host of events on in the parks to celebrate.

Here is just a flavour of what’s on:

Monday 4th June – Green Man Masks at Pooley Country Park

Tuesday 5th June – Outdoor Art at Pooley Country Park

Wednesday 6th June – Green Men at Kingsbury Water Park

Wednesday 6th June – Small mammals up close at Ryton Pools Country Park

Wednesday 6th June – Ladybird hats at Pooley Country Park

Wednesday 6th June – Toddler Trundle at Ryton Pools Country Park

Thursday 7th June – Beetle Mania at Kingsbury Water Park

Thursday 7th June – Jellyfish windsocks at Ryton Pools Country Park

Thursday 7th June – Bugs on Sticks at Pooley Country Park

Friday 8th June – Summer Swimmers at Kingsbury Water Park

Friday 8th June – Fishy underwater world at Ryton Pools Country Park

All events are bookable, for more information and prices please visit the website and download the events booklet at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/parks or call on 01827 872660.

People who walk to work often arrive feeling awake and with plenty of energy to take on the challenges of the day.

Walk to Work Week is the perfect time to get active. Join in the campaign between Monday (May 14) and Friday (May 18) by registering your steps on the website at http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-with-us/events-and-challenges/great-british-walking-challenge and counting up how many muffins you can eat in exchange for the number of calories you burn.

Cllr Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport, said: “Why not make exercise part of your daily routine by combining your commute to work with getting into shape? A 15 minute walk both to and from work everyday can constitute the minimum recommended amount of physical activity you should be doing every week.”

John Linnane, Warwickshire’s Director of Public Health, added: “If you feel you live too far away to walk the whole way, or you are feeling a little out of condition, why not combine it with another mode of transport. You could catch the bus or train and walk the remainder of the journey and still feel the benefits. Or park and stride by finding a viable parking spot just outside of where you work.  And if you can not walk to work, at least take some time out to get some fresh air and exercise during your lunch hour.”

On average people walk between 3,000 and 4,000 steps a day. In Japanese, the pedometers nickname is ‘manpo-kei’, but there’s nothing lost in translation here, as it literally means ’10,000 steps’. This is the Government recommended daily amount of steps and there is evidence that walking 10,000 steps a day can lead to significant health benefits. If done daily it can help reduce the risk of developing serious illnesses such as heart disease, some cancers, diabetes and depression.