Gisela visited the Citysave Credit Union in Waterloo Street to learn more about the benefits of saving with a credit union.

Credit unions provide a savings and loan service to its members.  Citysave accepts applications for membership from Birmingham residents and Birmingham workers.  Credit unions are owned by its members and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

With community based staff and many of the main Birmingham employers allowing a payroll deduction to be set up direct to Citysave accounts, credit unions provide a convenient and fair savings option.

View the Citysave Spring newsletter here for more details on the service offered or visit the website at www.citysave.org.uk

spring-newsletter_for-web

Citysave Chief Executive, Angela Clements, is pleased with the change in legislation that will allow the Credit Union the option to widen its membership.

“On the 8th November 2011, UK credit unions finally heard that the long awaited Legislative Reform Order (LRO) for Credit Unions and Industrial & Provident Societies had been approved following its long journey through the Houses of Parliament and the House of Lords. The final step of the Parliamentary procedure has now been completed and took effect in January 2012, once the FSA has revised its regulatory rules and approved the credit union trade associations’ model rules.

Citysave welcomes these new changes to regulation, and will be seeking extended permissions in our FSA licence, as part of our plan in becoming the leading community finance organisation in Birmingham. This will allow us to provide more ethical and affordable products and services to a wider membership.

The current restrictive common bond, will be relaxed to allow credit unions to offer their services, for example to tenants of a housing association or employees of a national company, even if some tenants or employees live outside the geographical area that the credit union serves.”

Gisela Stuart is supporting the launch of Chance to be Chancellor 2012 and is calling on schools and young people in Birmingham, Edgbaston to take up the challenge to learn about, and share their opinions on, Budget 2012.  

Run by the Citizenship Foundation, in partnership with Aviva, Chance to be Chancellor is open to all 14-18 year olds across the UK.

Running until the 20^th February, participants can enter into a national competition to win great prizes and visit HM Treasury in London.

To find out more and get involved visit:

www.chancetobechancellor.org.uk

Chance to be Chancellor is an online tool that challenges young people (14-18) to make informed decisions on real taxation & spending policies.

Last year Chance to be Chancellor engaged 3000 young people across the UK and published their views in the first ever ‘Youth Budget’ which was launched.

Events in celebration of Women are taking place weekly in the run up to International Women’s Day.

Search for International Women’s Day events by county. 

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/search.asp?country=221

Gisela spoke out after a week in which two English cities opted to create an elected mayor to fight their corner on the national and international stage. Councillors in Liverpool will be adopting the model as part of a deal with Government that will see the city benefit from an extra £130 million for schools, housing and job creation.  Meanwhile, voters in Salford have also backed the change and will be electing their first mayor at the local polls on May 3^rd.

Birmingham voters will finally get their say on whether to adopt a mayor at a referendum in May, but the vote is only taking place because Government Ministers stepped in and ordered a poll.

Gisela said:

“The fact that Salford and Liverpool have taken the initiative on mayors, whilst our Birmingham’s Tory/Lib Dem coalition has had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the ballot box, speaks volumes about their lack of ambition and accountability.

As Leader of the Council, Mike Whitby should have taken the lead and allowed Brummies to decide how their city should be run.  The Leader should have been out in front, doing the deal with Government to invest in Birmingham’s future.

Instead, he’s hidden away and left it to others. It’s time Mike Whitby woke up and put the interests of Birmingham first. He can’t even bring himself to support his own government’s policies. Birmingham deserves better than an invisible leader”.

Gisela’s comments were backed by Lord Andrew Adonis, the former Government Minister and champion of elected mayors. 

Lord Adonis said:

“Liverpool is starting a revolution in city government outside London. Elected mayors are set to become the norm, as in London, and it cannot come a moment too soon to boost jobs, education and public services.”

Yvonne Davies, CEO of the Birmingham Citizens Advice Bureau Service, collected the latest donation cheque for £50 from Gisela Stuart.

Populus provided the cheque in appreciation of Gisela taking part in their latest Populus Parliamentary Panel Survey.

www.populus.co.uk

Gisela said:

“The CAB provides a valuable service for the community that is reliable and accurate.  I totally recommend that more people get involved in ensuring the service is able to continue.

For more information on the service and how you can get involved, log onto their website”

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Gisela Stuart showed her support for local warmth scheme, npower Health Through Warmth, by visiting a resident who has received help.

Gisela was joined by Volker Beckers, CEO for RWE npower; Jane Britton, county manager for the Royal British Legion and Elaine Midwinter, Health Through Warmth scheme manager. The visit was hosted by resident Veronica Low, who was helped by the scheme when her boiler broke down.

Veronica, 74, has diabetes and angina, which can make her sensitive to the cold and cause her symptoms to get worse. Last year, she was left without heating or hot water during the winter months. 

Veronica contacted The Royal British Legion for assistance, who quickly referred her to the Health Through Warmth scheme. The local Health Through Warmth co-ordinator, based at Black Country Housing Group, then arranged for quotes and installation of a new central heating system.

The measures were funded by contributions from the unique npower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund and The Royal British Legion.

Veronica said:

“Having no heating or hot water in the winter was awful, but I could not afford to replace my heating system.  I’m so grateful that Health Through Warmth and the Royal British Legion were able to help me.”

npower’s Health Through Warmth scheme aims to help residents whose health is made worse by cold living conditions as a result of inadequate heating and insulation in their homes.

Gisela Stuart adds:

“npower Health Through Warmth is a valuable scheme which has helped many vulnerable residents in the West Midlands and beyond since it launched. It’s great to see first-hand the difference the scheme makes to local residents like Veronica, and I’d like to thank all those involved for their hard work.”

Volker Beckers, CEO of npower, concludes:

“We would like to thank Gisela Stuart MP for showing her support for Health Through Warmth by visiting Veronica.  Working together with other organisations enables us to reach more residents like Veronica who have cold related illnesses and need help with the installation of heating and insulation measures.”

Health Through Warmth was set up in 2000 by npower, in partnership with National Energy Action (NEA), the national fuel poverty charity, and the NHS.

Since 2000, more than 72,571 vulnerable residents have been referred to the scheme for help with heating and insulation. £58.2 million has been levered to secure funding for the measures required, which includes more than £1.2 million from charitable organisations. In addition, £7.2 million has been contributed from the unique npower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund.

Each Health Through Warmth case is assessed on an individual basis and funding can be accessed from a variety of sources, including the unique npower Health Through Warmth Crisis Fund, government grants and charitable funds.

For more information visit  www.healththroughwarmth.com.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors:
npower Health Through Warmth was set up in 2000 by npower, in partnership with the NHS and National Energy Action (NEA), the national fuel poverty charity. The scheme aims to help residents whose health is made worse by cold living conditions as a result of inadequate heating and insulation in their homes. 

The scheme works closely with local authorities, Home Improvement and Care & Repair agencies, and community workers, to identify residents eligible for help with heating and insulation measures. 

Health Through Warmth is an npower corporate responsibility initiative, and clients don’t have to be, or become, npower customers.

BITC

In 2011 the Health Through Warmth scheme was re-accredited with a Big Tick award by Business in the Community in the Building Stronger Communities category of their Annual Awards for Excellence, This award recognises the company’s continued commitment to responsible business practice and the positive impact that the Health Through Warmth scheme continues to have on the lives of vulnerable people with cold related illnesses who require assistance with installation and funding for heating and insulation measures. 

For further details about how the nationwide scheme please visit www.healththroughwarmth.com or email healththroughwarmth@npower.com.  Join the energy industry discussion on npower’s interactive debating website the brighter energy debate where you can post your questions, views and comments.

MP’s welcome HS2 announcement.  Gisela has been a strong supporter of the Yes campaign in favour of the High Speed Rail project. http://www.giselastuartmp.co.uk/mp-supports-campaign-for-high-speed-rail/

Full details of the announcement and plans are available online.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2012/january/statement-on-high-speed-rail/

http://www.hs2.org.uk/

http://assets.dft.gov.uk/greening-20120110.htm

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice volunteer, John Ridd is running in the London Marathon to raise funds for the Hospice.

To sponsor John, you can either pop into one of the St Mary’s Hospice charity shops or donate via John’s page at www.virginmoneygiving.com/ridders or email John john.ridd@bsmh.org.uk

John said:

“I have worked for Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice for 18 months and have seen firsthand the great job they do at the hospice and that is why I am running the London marathon for them to raise £5000+. 

Since its launch in 1979, the Hospice has cared for tens of thousands of people with conditions such as cancer, motor neurone disease and MS.  In addition to a 25-bed Inpatient Unit, where people can stay for vital respite, Birmingham St Mary’s boasts a 20-place Day Hospice and provides care to people who wish to stay in their own homes.

The Day Hospice is a community in its own right, with people of all ages visiting every week to find release through a range of therapies, art and most importantly fellowship.

The Hospice also supports relatives with bereavement preparation, physiotherapy tuition and counselling in addition to many other services.”

“With around 52 percent of the Hospice’s budget reliant on public goodwill, community fundraising is crucial to ensuring its highly specialised services can continue to be offered to the people of Birmingham and Sandwell.

Annual running costs stand at £6.6 million, with around £1 million being raised in the Hospice’s shops and £2.7 million via community fundraising events. The remainder comes from the NHS.”

St Mary’s Hospice run a number of fundraising events through the year, for details log on to their website http://www.bsmh.org.uk/fundraising/events/diary.php

In appreciation for Gisela Stuart taking part in the ComRes October-November 2011 Parliamentary Panel Survey, ComRes provided a cheque for £75 made out to Cerebral Palsy Midlands, the charity of Gisela’s choice.

Harborne based Cerebral Palsy Midlands provides support, education, training and life skills to the local community and to their service users.

Gisela said: “I have been aware for several years of the good work that Robert Nutt and his team carry out on behalf of this charity.  In these difficult economic times I am very happy to support this charity to help ensure its future.”

http://www.cpmids.org.uk/

Every Tuesday 12 - 2pm.

Everyone welcome.

Please call Jackie on 0121 440 2607 if you require further details.

Woodview Community Centre, Woodview Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2HU

E. mail: info@woodviewcommunitycentre.com

Website: www.woodviewcommunitycentre.com