News Andy Burnham MP for Leigh

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19/03/2008 - Andy urges local primary schools to enter technology competition

The 2008 ‘Make IT Happen’ technology competition for primary school students aged nine to eleven has been launched by the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee (PITCOM) and e-skills UK, in partnership with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

Make IT Happen 2008 calls on schools to use technology, such as audio-visual materials, web pages or interactive posters, to describe how they would change an aspect of their local community for the better.

Schools are encouraged to focus on an issue they really care about, such as tackling bullying or littering, helping to improve the local environment or supporting their community.

Judges will be looking for student-led entries that show initiative and imagination and make the most of students’ technology skills. e-skills UK is making guides available online to help schools design their campaigns.

The closing date for entries is 13 July 2008. Winning schools will be notified and invited to come to the Houses of Parliament for an awards ceremony in October.

This year the competition is also supported by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, who are offering cash prizes for regional and national winners.

Andy has written to local primary schools encouraging them enter the competition. He said, “Our local primary schools are using technology in wonderful ways. This challenge will encourage young people to use their technology skills while thinking about how they could make their world a better place to live in.”

“I encourage all primary schools to get involved with Make IT Happen. The competition is all about giving young people a chance to use their imagination, creativity and technology skills and show how they would like to make a difference to the world around them.”

The closing date for entries is 13 July 2008. Winning schools will be notified and invited to come to the Houses of Parliament for an awards ceremony in October.

For further information and details of how to enter visit the Make IT Happen website at www.cc4g.net/makeithappen

13/03/2008 - A Budget for Stability & Opportunity

Andy today welcomed the Chancellor’s Budget as a commitment to economic stability, opportunity and security for all.

The 2008 Budget set out key measures to help lift 250,000 children out of poverty, and an extra boost of £50 to over 60’s households and £100 for over 80’s households on top of the Winter Fuel Payment.

Andy said, "Today’s Budget is great news for pensioners, families and children.

“Over 9 million households nationwide and 18,000 households in the Makerfield constituency will get extra cash to pay their heating bills this year.

“And over 10,000 families in the Leigh constituency will gain from the increases in Child Benefit.

“I welcome the Budget focus on tackling two of the big issues of today -child poverty and climate change. Under the Labour Government, we have had 10 years of economic stability and growth – let’s not put that at risk.”

06/03/2008 - Andy urges local young adults to take chance to volunteer abroad

Andy Burnham MP has urged young adults in the Leigh area to take advantage of a pioneering new government-backed global volunteering scheme.

The scheme will enable 2,500 young adults – particularly those from less advantaged backgrounds – between 18-25 years old, to do voluntary work in a developing country and raise awareness of development issues in the UK.

The scheme is funded by the Department for International Development DFID)which leads the Government’s fight against global poverty.

Welcoming the government initiative, Andy said, "This is a great opportunity for young adults to make a real difference to the lives of some of the world’s poorest people."

“By living and working with people of different cultures, facing different challenges it will also help broaden their understanding of the world."

“I particularly welcome the scheme’s emphasis on those from less advantaged backgrounds, as this will help ensure those who would not normally have the chance to live, work and make a contribution abroad now can.”

DFID have announced the £10 million global volunteering scheme for young adults between 18 and 25 years old. The scheme will focus on young adults from less advantaged backgrounds and fund 10 week programme abroad where participants will live and work in developing countries. It will initially run for 3 years and support 2,500 volunteers. The first schemes will be in Ghana and South Africa.

While abroad, participants will work on development projects as well as learn of the different challenges facing developing countries. When participants return they will be expected to raise awareness of development issues through personal activity plans that will include road shows.

The scheme – ‘Platform2’ – will start in Summer 2008, with placements to Ghana and South Africa, the volunteers will be:

o spending ten weeks in a developing country working on local community development projects such as environmental conservation or HIV/AIDS awareness;
o designing personal activity plans with other volunteers during a residential weekend on their return to the UK; and
o building understanding about the world back home through road shows and activities in their local communities and encouraging their peers to join the fight against global poverty.

To find out more, please go to: www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/volunteering-programme.asp