Author Archives: wendy
Edith Cavell campaign calls for coin to honour WWI heroine
Norfolk carer must never be forgotten
Thousands of people have signed an online petition calling for World War I nurse Edith Cavell to be commemorated on a new £2 coin.
Cavell helped more than 200 allied soldiers escape from occupied Belgium but was shot by a German firing squad.
The petition was started after it was announced that former war secretary Lord Kitchener would feature on a coin.
A Royal Mint spokeswoman said future designs would include other figures connected with the war.
But she said she could not confirm or deny whether Cavell would be among them.
‘The sheer waste’
Sioned-Mair Richards, 55, who started the petition, said she was surprised and delighted at the support for it.
“It’s really struck a chord with people,” she said.
Ms Richards, a Labour member of Sheffield City Council and a former mayor of Carmarthen, said she had admired Cavell since she was a girl.
Cancer carers ‘overlooked’ by NHS
Macmillan Cancer Support said that so-called “cancer carers” are being “overlooked” by the health service.
It cautioned that many carers are missing out on much-needed practical, emotional and financial help
.
The comments come after a poll of more than 2,000 cancer carers found that many were not signposted to support available for them as a carer.
Almost two fifths (37%) said that they were not given any information or advice about the services available to them by a health professional.
Amid growing poverty, councils have failed to save fund for those in need
From April 2015, a £180m a year hardship fund will be abolished. Councils have simply not made a strong enough argument for it
Iain Duncan Smith‘s axe has struck again. This time its local authority welfare assistance schemes on the block. But we’re not talking reform or even cuts. The scheme had already been significantly cut last year. From April 2015 a £180m a year hardship fund will be abolished completely. That’s right. Scrapped. A vital safety net will no longer be there.
For years I’ve seen the value of crisis loans, which used to operate under the social fund until the government devolved funding last year, allowing councils to set up their own discretionary crisis funds. They’re a critical part of the welfare system to help people in desperate need.
