WARWICKSHIRESummer 2008view

Warwickshire County Council

a carer’s story new one stop shop in warwick warwickshire artsweek adopt a new outlook on life priority focus national year of reading what’s on in warwickshire featured walk in the county cycle training landmark snap up some gold offers this summer your feedback

warwickshirewhat’s on this summer in

viewcontentsp16

Warwickshire news 4

All under one roof 4County & District Council services plus the Post Office

Man about the house 8 Support for a young man who’s taking on extra responsibility around the house

Cycle training landmark 1010 years on and still going strong

Artsweek 2008 14The moving stories of two artists who have overcome misfortune to gain a new lease of life

Walking in Warwickshire 16 The first of a new series of featured walks starts in Studley

Adopt a new outlook 20 Ever considered adoption? Now might be the time

Marlene’s still going strong 22The inspiring story of a champion of people with learning difficulties

Contact us 23 How you can get in touch with us

What’s on in Warwickshire 24Plenty of summer activities to keep you occupied

Focus on Warwickshire Artsweek

New One Stop Shop for Warwick Sam shows his caring side

Ever thought about adoption?

p20 p14

NEW feature on Warwickshire walks National Year of Reading off to a flying start

p8

p24

p4

3

viewnewsNew Shire Hall One Stop Shop unveiled in Warwick‘Warwickshire Direct’, a new walk-in centre, which brings the services of both Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council together under one roof at Shire Hall in Warwick, opened to the public at the end of April.

A number of similar centres, providing joint access to district and county council services, have already successfully opened their doors to the public in other parts of Warwickshire.

‘Warwickshire Direct’ will provide people with a single point of access to local information, advice and other key services, together on one site in a convenient town centre location.

“”

The public will be able to access a whole host of services at the

centre, from enquiring about their council tax and housing benefit to applying

for a disabled parking blue badge or asking about free school meals. A team of friendly

customer service advisors have been extensively trained to answer people’s enquiries on a

whole range of matters.

Warwickshire County Council has also signed an agreement with Post Office® Warwick for them to relocate into Shire Hall alongside the ‘Warwickshire Direct’ centre. Commenting on the relocation of Warwick Post Office to Shire Hall, Post Office Manager and

Postmistress, Paul and Bala Jaspal, said: “We are looking forward to our

partnership with Warwickshire County Council in the ‘Warwickshire Direct’ one stop shop. The new Post Office® Warwick is going

to be a bright new commercial outlet for staff and customers alike.

“We’d like to thank the county council for letting us be part of this exciting project, especially as this is the first one in the county. Through this arrangement, we have secured the life of the Post Office in Warwick.

“The Warwick public can be assured that their Post Office is here to stay, providing them with much brighter, better services in a professional environment. Every service currently on offer will be retained or enhanced.”

Exciting move for town Post Office

Cllr Peter Fowler, Portfolio Holder for Partnerships & Localities

“Working in partnership

with the public and voluntary sectors,

one stop shops will be available in other parts of

the district.” Councillor Norman Pratt,

Warwick District Council.

4

In brief...

Award winning projects

We’re under the microscopeAt the end of June the county council will be well and truly in the spotlight.

For two weeks we’ll be undergoing two independent inspections to see how well we’re doing in providing effective services to you, the public. CPA (Comprehensive Performance Assesment as it’s known) involves all councils around the country being inspected and given a star rating ranging from one (poor) to four (excellent).

Forming part of the main CPA inspection is the Joint Area Review, (JAR) which focuses on children and young people. It looks at things like whether they are healthy, doing well and enjoying their education, staying safe and making a really positive contribution to society.

A whole range of partners, staff and councillors are quizzed on how well we’re doing and what can be done to improve. As well as giving us a star rating, this whole process gives us a really good picture of how we can change things for the better.

Free motorcycle training on offer

The results of the inspections will be out in November and we’ll keep you posted on how we do.

This whole process forms a key part of our aim to provide excellent services and deliver real value for money. Look out for the ‘Priority Focus’ articles throughout the magazine which show how we’re working to achieve our key priorities.

Whilst it’s important for us to score well in these inspections, it’s what you think of our services that really matters. See page 23 for contact details.

All councils are inspected and given a star rating

“

”

Victims urged to talk2someone

Over 600 domestic abuse incidents are reported in Warwickshire every month, of which 80% are witnessed by children.

This is why 25 agencies in Warwickshire including district, borough and county councils, refuges, victim support, and the police are joining together to launch a marketing campaign aimed at encouraging victims of domestic abuse to seek help for themselves and their families.

Over 100,000 items including posters, bus adverts, beer mats and leaflets will be distributed throughout the county to encourage victims, friends and neighbours and perpetrators to contact a support helpline or visit a new domestic abuse website: www.talk2someone.org.uk Look out for posters in your local area.

Warwickshire County Council has won two major awards for two very different projects in the north and south of the county.

Diverse and imaginative engineering projects went head-to-head at the 2008 Institution of Civil Engineers West Midlands Awards.

Warwickshire County Council clinched two of the 12 award categories, with Coleshill Parkway Station (above) winning the Partnership Award and Barford Bypass winning the Construction Award.

Motorcyclists who live, work or study in Warwickshire can fine-tune their riding skills courtesy of the county council’s new Rider Training Programme.

Half day courses are being offered free of charge to riders of mopeds and low powered motorcycles, while riders of high powered bikes can take advantage of a full day of expert tuition for just £25.

The professional training is being provided by highly experienced and qualified instructors from 90-One Education on behalf of Warwickshire County Council.

Riders can book places or get more information by telephoning 0845 370 9191 or emailing info@90-one.com

5

A team of young people from Brooke School in Rugby have won this year’s Consumer Challenge Quiz. The quiz, which is organised by Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Division, is an annual event that gives students with moderate learning difficulties the opportunity to find out more about their consumer rights and learn some important life skills.

School triumphs in consumer quiz

The winning team from Brooke School Rugby are presented with the winners shield by Graeme Betts, Director of Adult, Health and Community Services.

This year’s event was the biggest ever with the largest number of Special Schools participating.

Warwickshire will now be well represented at the National Final to be held in June at the Trading Standards Institute annual conference in Bournemouth.

The Consumer Challenge Quiz has also received international recognition having won an award for the most original idea for a consumer campaign in the European Union.

How well do you know your consumer rights?Here are some of the questions posed in the quizQ: A digital camera is on sale in the shop window priced at £10.50. However you know that the correct price should be £105.00 and the shop must have made a mistake. Can you make the shop sell you the camera at the price in the window? A: No - the shop can take it off sale.Q: You buy a camera. When you take it out of the box it won’t work. The shop manager tells you that you will have to send it back to the manufacturer under the guarantee. Is this right? A: No - the shop should sort the matter out for you by offering you a replacement camera or a refund.

Can you take a great photo of Warwickshire?Leamington landmark

Visit www.enjoywarwickshire.com for full details about how you can enter the 2008 photo competition. There are four categories: People and events, landscapes and countryside, landmarks and tourism attractions as well as a junior/young persons category. Happy snapping!

The Bishop of Warwick, John Stroyan, recently led the

official dedication and opening of a completely

revamped All Saints area in Leamington,

including a new piece of public art. The £300,000 project includes new paving, lighting for the church, reshaping of the forecourt, new

bicycle racks, and a sculpture

called ‘Spring’ by artist Oliver Barratt.

The sculpture is based on the site where the

original spring was located in Leamington Spa.

6

Support for carersJohn and Carole Cain (below), both born in Liverpool, spent two years in Canada, ten years in London and came to Stratford 26 years ago and have lived in Wixford, just west of Stratford for the past six years.

Around four years ago Carole was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, and John, who has been married to Carole for 48 years, now cares for her. John, who has his own management consultancy business and is a director of a training company in Cambridge, is full of praise for the support services provided by Warwickshire County Council. “It was natural that I would care for Carole but I didn’t know what support was available to us. I found a flyer from South Warwickshire Carers Support Service (SWCSS) in the GP’s surgery.

“I contacted Ian Harris from SWCSS who was extremely helpful. As a result of Ian’s visit we were assessed by Social Services and it turned out that we were both eligible for a range of facilities; my wife because of her condition and substantial need, and me because I was the 24 hour carer.

“We’ve found Short Break and the In Your Place services invaluable. Short Break is great. Sue from Age Concern comes and sits with Carole for 3 hours a week. They have built up a great relationship, just chatting or playing scrabble. Occupational Health had a bath lift and hand rails installed that makes daily life so much easier.”

John, 69, still works and lectures, and he can only do this by contacting the ‘In Your Place’ scheme who send someone to care for Carole allowing him to go and work for a full day now and then.

John is a man that likes to give back and when asked to be a Trustee of South Warwickshire Carers Support Service he was more than happy to oblige. John is also now involved in the Carers Partnership Board and the Direct Payments scheme.

Priority focus

Caring for older peopleThe highest ever number of schools in Warwickshire are committed to driving parents out of their cars and thinking about more sustainable ways of getting youngsters to and from their place of study.

A further 65 schools are working hard on writing their School Travel Plans and are eagerly awaiting news on funding for improvements to encourage more active and environmentally friendly ways of travelling to school.

Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire

In Studley, all three primary schools - St Mary’s Catholic Primary, St Mary’s CE Junior School and Studley Community Infants - are working together and have approached the local landlords and other businesses in an attempt to use car parking away from the school gates that may not be fully utilised at 8:50am. The local church

County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “It is now estimated that during term time, in urban areas, nearly one in four cars on our streets at 8.50am are on the school run.”

Local authority-maintained schools that write a School Travel Plan receive funding from the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Transport to improve their school grounds to encourage the whole school community to travel more sustainably.

Cutting down the school run traffic

and Barley Mow pub have both agreed to allow the parents to

use their car parks for this purpose. This will help

alleviate congestion outside the schools making the journey to school safer for all. It will also allow pupils to walk the remainder to school

with their peers or family allowing them

quality social interaction on the journey to school.

Case study - Tackling the problem

7

man about the houseFor many young people life is about growing up, going to school and socialising with friends. But for young carers like Sam Baylis, life can mean growing up fast, facing extra challenges and sometimes feeling isolated.

8

Sam, 10, lives in Leamington with his two-year-old sister Leiylah

and his mother Emma who has benign intracranial hypertension, a condition which mimics a brain tumour and causes intense pressure on the head.

Sam’s day starts at 7am when he makes his mum a drink and helps look after his sister before school. His mother has already lost 70 per cent of the vision in one eye and often wakes up with severe headaches and sometimes total blindness.

“Life is different to my friends and I feel more grown up,” he says. “Not everyone has a mum with an illness and most people in my class wouldn’t know how to look after a little sister.”

When Sam gets in from school he is responsible for some of the domestic chores and he will also keep his sister Leiylah entertained if Emma is feeling unwell.

Emma’s illness started when she was pregnant with Leiylah. Sam was only seven when Leiylah was born but played a huge role in her life from the start.

“Sam has always been very good

natured and has empathy for other people”, Emma explains. “When

Leiylah was a baby he was a brilliant support. If I was feeling

ill he would run and fetch things for me and he soon learnt to change nappies and dress her.”

After Emma’s condition was diagnosed, Sam also

learnt what to do in an emergency. “I know the name

of mum’s illness, my postcode, telephone number and what to say if I

need to call an ambulance,” he says.Like many boys of his age Sam enjoys

playing on his X-Box and dreams of becoming a racing car driver but his situation has unavoidably set him apart from his peers.

“Sam has always been very outgoing but he does have a lot of responsibility,” says Emma. “When he told me one day that he couldn’t speak to his friends at school, I knew he was feeling isolated.”

Emma quickly sought help from the Warwickshire Young Carers’ Project which organises a youth club, outings and holidays for children and young people in similar situations.

Matt Deakin, a youth worker for the group, explains: “We try to provide respite for our young carers and we give them a chance to enjoy time that’s completely aimed at them. It’s very informal and fun but the young carers know that the one-to-one emotional support is always there for them.”

The group also runs workshops where youngsters can learn new skills. Sam does everything from playing pool and football to making cakes and he really values the regular outings and events.

He says, “We don’t go out that much because mum can get really ill but I really enjoyed going to Compton Verney this year.” The ‘Young Carers Day’ at Compton Verney is an annual event which is funded by the county council for young carers from across Warwickshire.

When Sam returns home from the young carers group, he feels refreshed from his break but he is also glad to be home. Like many young carers Sam

Young carers are children and young people under the age of 18 who help look after someone in their family who has an illness, disability, mental health issue or substance misuse problem. They take on practical and emotional caring responsibilities that would normally be expected of an adult. A young carer may care for a parent or other siblings. Even if another adult is the main carer in the household, the young person may still have caring responsibilities.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families and co-chair of the Warwickshire Carers Partnership Board, says: “The care that young people give to a loved one is not widely acknowledged and young carers can often feel invisible. They face tremendous pressures and it is our role to ensure the support network is there for them.’’

For more information on the support available to young carers visit www.warwickshireyoungcarers.org.uk or call 01926 485486.

“ ”

About young carers

Life is different to my friends and I feel more grown up

doesn’t question his role and he wants to be there for his family. He says: “I really like helping my mum and Leiylah.”

9

Getting back in the saddle can be a daunting prospect for those who

have lost their way and forgotten the joys of cycling, but help is at hand with top advice from Warwickshire County Council.

This summer marks the tenth anniversary of cycle training in Warwickshire, with almost 30,000 people being trained over the decade.

And while the cycle training remains extremely popular with children, it is also proving increasingly attractive to adults wanting to get back in the saddle.

Improving health, beating the rush hour queues and cheap travel with no petrol or parking costs, are just some of the reasons people are turning back to bike power.

However, with many people spending many years in their cars, while their bike gathers dust in the garage or shed, their confidence may need some building before heading back out on the road.

Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment,

Celebrating 10 years of cycle trainingsaid: “They say you never forget how to ride a bike, and this is true, but it’s also true that confidence can fall unless you are doing something regularly.

“Selecting the right gear, what lane to be in, how to react to traffic, and even where you can and can’t cycle,

are all issues many people face when thinking about getting out and about, and this can quite easily put people off even bothering.

“For ten years now we have been trying to make it easier for people, and

it’s incredible that in the past decade we have trained 28,964 people.”

To find out more call Mary Holliday on 01926 412776 or visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/roadsafety

Case study • Anil Rafiq

Eight-year-old Anil Rafiq jumped at the chance to do a First Skills Cycling Course through his

school, Woodloes Junior School in Warwick.

Having been bought a new bike for his birthday last year, both Anil and his mum, Lisa (below), thought it would be a good way to increase his confidence on two wheels – and stay safe.

All schools in Warwickshire are

offered cycle training courses, run by Warwickshire Road Safety trained instructors. The Cycle Skills Course is specifically aimed at pupils aged eight years and over. It lasts about two hours and takes place off-road.

“Year 4 had a letter home about a cycling course to see if we wanted to do it,” says Anil. “I wanted to do it because I wanted to ride my bike safely. I like cycling because I think it’s cool.”

Asked whether he thought the course was difficult, Anil says: “Well, it wasn’t easy because there were things I didn’t know. But now I’ve done the course I feel great – very

confident and much better.”Anil says there were lots of things he learned on the course: “Road safety, hand signs, things about the bike, my safety, safety clothing, danger of cars and pedestrians. But the best thing was learning the

emergency brake and the hand signs.”Mum Lisa actively encouraged

her son to go on the course: She says, “We’re very pleased that the

school initiated the cycling course, he really enjoyed it. We felt that a

practical cycling course would be so much

better than any book or leaflet.”

10

Priority focus

Pursuing a sustainable environment & economy

Warwickshire’s Olympic hopesTeams competing in this summer’s Beijing

Olympics could, in four years time, be heading for Warwickshire.

It has been revealed that six venues in the county have been hand-picked to host overseas athletes ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Huge investment and regeneration potential

has been opened up for Warwickshire after the venues were

earmarked for foreign teams.Sailing skills could be honed on

Draycote Water near Rugby, or athletic abilities tested at the Pingles Leisure Centre in Nuneaton.

These venues, and many others around the UK, will feature in the London Organising Committee Pre-Games Training Camp Guide, which will be presented to teams at the games in Beijing this summer. Teams will decide where they base themselves or where to send individual athletes to prepare and acclimatise for London 2012.

Cllr Chris Saint, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, said: “This is great news for Warwickshire and the region as a whole. The selection of these venues puts Warwickshire firmly in the international spotlight and hopefully we will see a good take-up from teams from around the world.”

The Warwickshire venues are: Draycote Water, nr Rugby Pingles Leisure Centre, Nuneaton Royal Leamington Spa Polo

Club, Southam Rugby School Stoneleigh Park Warwickshire College – Moreton

Morrell siteFor more visit www.london2012.com

“

”

Advertisement

Do you or a relative still rent your TV?When Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service received a report that an elderly woman was still paying £130 in rent every year for a 20 year old TV – and had never been offered an upgrade or a reduction in the rental cost, they acted.

Trading Standards were contacted by the elderly person’s carer after she discovered the rental bill for the TV.

Enquiries revealed that the elderly consumer had never been offered an upgrade or a reduction in the rental cost over all that time.

Trading Standards Advice Officers got the antiquated TV replaced with a widescreen 20 inch TV with a remote control and the rent reduced to £72 per year. However companies are not obliged to offer upgrades if there is nothing about it in the rental agreement.

Mark Ryder, Head of Warwickshire Trading Standards said: “Renting electrical

goods was more popular twenty years ago than it is today. However, we believe that this is not an isolated incident and would strongly advise relatives and carers of elderly or vulnerable consumers to make them aware of this case.”Anyone requiring consumer advice can contact Consumer Direct

West Midlands on 08454 04 05 06 or visit our website:

www.warwickshire.gov.uk/tradingstandards

INTERESTING FACT 1:

Plastic carrier bags are only used for an average of 12 minutes.

INTERESTING FACT 2:

Rugby is on the way to becoming ‘plastic carrier bag free’ following an initiative from businesses in the town.

11

Emergency advice - Go in, stay in, tune in

Warwick District Advertisement

Thankfully emergencies don’t happen very often. But when they do, they often occur with little or no warning, cause massive disruption to normal activities and can also unfortunately lead to loss of life.

In such situations it is important that we all know how to act, who can help and where we can all look for advice and guidance. The GO IN, STAY IN, TUNE IN advice is recognised and used around the world. This basic, simple message is considered to be the best general advice that people can be given if they find themselves involved in an emergency.

Go in – With most incidents the safest place to be is indoors, and with correct preparation you should be able to stay there safely for some time (remember in

the case of a fire in a building you are in – get out and stay out). Once inside, shut doors and windows and if possible switch off any ventilation systems.

Stay in – stay indoors until

you are advised to do otherwise by either the

emergency services or

local radio – it is generally the safest place to be.

Tune in – tune in to your local radio station and television – they will give emergency advice and keep you informed until it is safe for you to leave your home. BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire is part of the BBC’s Connecting in a Crisis initiative and if you have a battery or wind up radio you can even listen to advice

during a power cut! There are a number of other local radio stations in Warwickshire who may also carry emergency advice:

More information is available from Warwickshire County Council’s Emergency Planning Unit’s website at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/epu and the national ’Go in, Stay in, Tune in’ information on the UK resilience website: www.co-ordination.gov.uk/nscwip/goinstayintunein.aspx

Early indications are that recycling levels in Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth have gone through the roof after improved recycling services were introduced in the district.On 1 April Warwick District saw a major change in the way waste is collected from homes. Householders were given the opportunity to recycle paper and magazines, glass bottles and jars, food and drinks cans, clothes and shoes, batteries and engine oil in their red boxes, as well as plastic bottles, card and cardboard.Households were also given a grey wheeled bin for general waste, and a green wheeled bin for their garden waste and raw and cooked food (as long as it’s wrapped in paper). The fantastic response from the public has exceeded expectations and measures are being put in place to cope with teething problems with the new system. To find out more about the new recycling and refuse services visit: www.warwickdc.gov.uk/recycling or contact the Sort It Team on 01926 456339.

Recycling levels soar

12

Priority focus

Raising levels of educational attainment

Schools come alive with the sound of musicThe county council is giving every 8-year-old in Warwickshire the chance to learn a musical instrument for free.

From the start of the autumn term the County Music Service will offer every primary school free musical tuition for their Year 4 pupils.

The initiative, which is called ‘Wider Opportunities’, started as a pilot scheme five years ago involving 16 schools and 8 teachers. Due to the generous support for music in the county, Warwickshire is one of the few local authorities in Britain to offer Wider Opportunities completely free of charge.

Since 2003 more than 10,000 children across the county have had a taster of all sorts of different musical instruments ranging from classical violin to the steel pans.

The Wider Opportunities scheme also gives pupils the opportunity to perform in a concert alongside more established groups, so they can see what they might be able to achieve if they take up music more regularly.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People & Families, said: “We are delighted to offer all 8-year-olds the chance to get involved in musical activities. This scheme is about giving children from all backgrounds the opportunity to discover and develop their talents. Playing a musical instrument not only brings great enjoyment but it helps children to enhance their learning, self esteem and concentration.”

We are looking for your views and feedback about Warwickshire County Council’s website:www.warwickshire.gov.uk

Later this year we will be running a series of activities to find out more about how well the website performs and what you expect from it.

If you’d like to be contacted about taking part in some user feedback sessions and surveys please email: webmaster@warwickshire.gov.uk.

To start with all we’ll need is your email address and we’ll get back to you with more information.

We need your views on our websiteYou don’t need to be a frequent user of our online services or an expert user of the internet – we’re keen to hear from people with all levels of experience.

Warwick Cycle Races has been confirmed for Sunday September 14 following last year’s record-breaking success. The event is being organised by Warwickshire County Council in partnership with British Cycling, Warwick District Council and TravelWise.

This year the event is also being supported by Warwickshire not-for-profit organisation Action 21. To find out more visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/travelwise or www.action21.co.uk

The bikes are back in town

13

new lease of life

TWO exhibitors in this year’s Warwickshire Arts Week came to their art careers after facing life-threatening experiences which left them in comas. David Dewis (left) from Brinklow and Kieran Jackson (below right) from Nuneaton both suffered incidents that altered their perspective on the world.

David Dewis has spent most of his working life repairing cars.

As a teenager, David, now 60, was persuaded by his Dad that art was not the right career for him, so he started an apprenticeship in tin-smithing at Adams and Walters in Coventry - repairing and renovating vintage cars. He then set up his own body repair shop which he ran for 20 years

He then moved to North Wales with, his wife and two-year-old daughter, to a small farm in sight of the beach until they divorced in 1993. He lived alone there, until one terrible morning in 1995 he was found by a farmer neighbour, lying outside his house in a pool of blood.

An unknown attacker had hit him and left him unconscious with a serious head injury. He was in a coma for a week and then, on the road to total recovery which took some five years, he had to rebuild his confidence and relearn many basic skills.

He said: “I have no idea who it was or what happened. Close friends carried me through it but it changed my whole perspective.

“I just decided to do the things I had been putting off. Studying art for six years just hadn’t been an option financially but I just thought - it’s now or never.”

He went to Bangor University to do an

warwickshire artsweekJuly 5 - July 20

14

new lease of lifeart foundation course and then spent a year at Hereford School of Art and Design studying a design metal-smithing course.

He said: “I came back to Coventry in 2000 and decided that, 30 years on, I would do what I had always wanted – study at the city’s School of Art and Design. Since then life has been marvellous for me. I did a degree and a post grad over four years and haven’t looked back. I work mainly in steel and stone and I am interested in the city’s industrial history - much of my commissioned work relates to that.”

David has been a community artist and art lecturer running workshops and other activities throughout Coventry and Warwickshire. His work appears outside Henley College and Coventry University and he’s currently making a piece for George Wimpey Homes at the old football ground in Highfield Road, Coventry. He also has a flagship piece in Farnham Sculpture Park.

Increasingly these days David is working with one of his personal obsessions - musical instruments – of which he has a huge collection. He said “This work is my personal practice, which has always been ongoing. I think that’s quite rare for an artist nowadays.”

Kieran Jackson, aged 29, from Nuneaton, grew up surrounded by art as his father

Robert has taught the subject at Caludon Castle School in Coventry for over 30 years.

However since leaving school, Kieran had no real focus on a career, drifting from job to job, painting and drawing in between whenever he could.

Then, six years ago, when Kieran was 23, he came home from a Sunday football game struggling to breathe.

His dad rushed him to A&E at nearby George Eliot Hospital where he was found to be drowning in his own blood. A complication had arisen from a recent chest infection which had opened up holes in his heart - holes which had previously gone undetected – and he was transferred to Walsgrave to have emergency heart surgery.

Kieran said: “I was put on a life support machine for about a week. They tried to get me off it three times but I stopped breathing. The fourth time I started breathing again. Then I was in a coma for about a month until I woke up to find my all family standing around me. I’d had open heart surgery that left a huge scar. I knew nothing about any of it. It was shocking.

“It was a very difficult time but it forced me to focus on what was really important in my life. I realised how short and fragile life is – it changed me as a person.”

Since then Kieran has concentrated on making a living from painting and drawing which is as much a part of his life as eating and sleeping. He always carries a camera and sketch book with him and loves drawing people.

Just over two months ago he opened his own studio in Avenue Road, Nuneaton, where he paints and draws portraits for members of the public. Slowly but surely he is is growing his business by word of mouth.

He said: “My dad would love to join me, I know. I have a couple of his pieces up on the walls. I’m fascinated by faces and their uniqueness and I do a lot of work from photographs. However I prefer people to sit for me - if they can sit still that is - you can get life into the portrait and a better sense of who they are as people.

“I try to treat what happened to me in a positive way and I am now excited by the future - and I’m pretty sure that by Warwickshire Arts week 2010, my dad and I will be showing our work together.”

warwickshire artsweek

Kieran and David are opening their studios to the public for two weeks from July 5 to 20 as part of Warwickshire Arts Week 2008. More than 200 artists are exhibiting and selling their work in studios and other venues across the county as part of the event. To find out more visit:www.warwickshireartsweek.co.uk

July 5 - July 20

I realised how short and

fragile life is - it changed me

as a person.

15

Warwickshire Walks - The ‘Lost Gate’ walk • Studley

Circular RouteA class roadB class roadMinor roadTrack or unsurfaced roadHedgesTreesGate/Kissing gate/Stile

Take Care - busy road !!

Follow Castle Road over the river and out of town, and where the road turns sharp right, turn left through the gate into the field. The path now goes diagonally across the field before bearing right and following the line of the hedge. After the second field go straight over the farm track, still keeping the hedge on your left and in 500 metres turn right through the farm. Approximately 75 metres from the farm turn right through the gate into the field and bear diagonally left to a second gate roughly 100 metres away. Now cross the road and follow the path between the houses and into the next field. The path goes straight ahead for the first half of the field before bearing left

This is the first of a new series of featured walks around Warwickshire. This walk starts in Studley at the junction of Wickham Road and Castle Road.

St. Mary’s Church, Studley

Distance 21/2 miles

About 11/2 hour’s

walk

towards a new wooden pedestrian gate and into a small enclosure. Now follow the path across the top of this field, through a gate, down the side of a house and right onto a drive. In 100 metres cross the main drive and continue on past the buildings on your left. After 1/2 mile the track turns right around the boundary of St Mary’s Church; 35 metres further on, turn left through the gate into the field towards the footbridge. Cross the bridge and bear right keeping the river on your right. You will soon come to the final gate leading into Wickham Road and back to where you started.

12

3

45

6

7

8

9

!C

ut o

ut a

nd k

eep

The ‘Lost gate’

16

Reasons to be cheerfulSouth Warwickshire householder, Pam Reason, below, has become passionate about saving energy after discovering just where she is using electricity in her home.

Pam from Bishop’s Itchington, kept a diary for two weeks while using an Electrisave device, which highlights the exact pence per hour being used in the home.

Pam took part in the initiative as part of Warwickshire County Council’s Switch it Off campaign.

Pam said: “Taking part in this was fantastic. It was amazing to have an instant record of what I was using around the home. If I put the kettle on it jumped right up. The lowest I could ever get it down to was 0.5p per hour, and I guess that’s because of my alarm clock, Sky box and other things I just don’t turn off.

“The most it went up to was 94p per hour, which was when the electric shower was on, and even though the shower and kettle were expensive they were never on for long. But the oven sent it up to 30p per hour, and sometimes that would be on for an hour or more when cooking meals.”

Since taking part in the challenge Pam has also lowered her thermostat to 18 degrees, has put an article in her local parish magazine about saving energy, and given a talk to a Women’s Institute group on the subject.

For more information on taking steps to ‘Switch it Off’ visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/switchitoff or call the energy advice hotline on 0800 512012.

Priority focus

Pursuing a sustainable environment & economy

You can strike gold with great offers

‘Enjoywarwickshire.com’ the Warwickshire County Council tourism website has re-launched its successful Warwickshire Gold Offers scheme which lists what special offers are available in the county from tourism related businesses.

All Warwickshire businesses within the accommodation, restaurant, visitor attraction and retail sectors have been invited to submit special offers to a Warwickshire Gold Offers webpage. These could take the form of a two for one offer or a percentage discount, and can be an existing or a specially created offer.

Businesses can add their own Gold Offer

from the webpage by following the on-screen instructions. This service is entirely free to all Warwickshire businesses.

Initially devised to help businesses that had suffered in the 2007 floods and show that Warwickshire ‘was still open for business’, the scheme has been relaunched with hundreds of businesses signing up.

Some offers within the scheme are only open for a set period so check the website for details. There are already some excellent offers available, with new offers advertised every day. To find out what is available go to: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/goldoffers

New figures have revealed the scale of food waste in Warwickshire. They show that every person throws away £424 worth of food waste each year. Fruit and vegetable waste alone in Warwickshire is costing people in the county £26 million. Love Food, Hate Waste is a Warwickshire Waste Partnership campaign aimed at cutting down the amount of food waste thrown away each year. To find out more more call the Waste Minimisation Team on 01926 412458 or visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/recyclewarks or www.wrap.org.uk

The Kozi bar in Warwick, is part of the ‘Gold Offers’ scheme.

!

17

AdvertisementAdvertisement

18

Advertisement

From inspiration to reality - eight years from its inception - Kingsbury Water Park Outdoor Education Centre is set to open on 1 July.

The centre is based at Kingsbury Water Park, a 620-acre site in North Warwickshire owned and managed by Warwickshire County Council.

Over 30 lakes and pools mark out this site in the Tame Valley as one of the county’s outstanding outdoor attractions.

Kingsbury Water Park Outdoor Education Centre will offer programmes designed to develop and inspire young people and adults to learn in an adventurous environment. Many of the centre’s activities will be fully accessible by groups with physical or learning difficulties.

Outdoor education centre set to make a splash

County schools are top classMore Warwickshire County Council

schools are being judged this year as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted

inspectors.In the current academic

year Ofsted has listed eight schools out of the 60 inspections carried out in Warwickshire in its top category. There

are now 19 outstanding schools in the county.

In addition, since September last year, over half of all inspection judgements have rated Warwickshire schools as either good or outstanding.

Only five schools remain in an Ofsted category of concern out of 243 schools in the county.

Priority focus

Raising levels of educational attainment

AdvertisementAdvertisement

Bournebrook CofE Primary School in Fillongley received a particularly outstanding report in February with the school being graded ‘outstanding’ in all categories. In its glowing report, inspectors praised the inspiring leadership of the headteacher, the school’s exciting, stimulating and vibrant learning environment, and the fact that by Year 6 pupils attain exceptionally high standards in reading, mathematics and science.

The other Warwickshire schools that have been judged as ‘outstanding’ in Ofsted inspections that have taken place during this academic year are:

All Saints CE Primary School, Leek Wootton.Arden Forest Infant School, Bedworth.Ashlawn Specialist College, Rugby.Bournebrook CE Primary, Fillongley.Henry Hinde Infant School, Rugby.Lawrence Sheriff Grammar School and Specialist College, Rugby.Polesworth Language College.St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Whitnash.

Activities will include:

• Kayaking• Open canoing• Sailing• Windsurfing• Improvised rafting• Rock climbing• Abseiling• Hill walking• Mountaineering• Caving

• Off-road cycling• Orienteering

Chess boost for schools

To find out more call 01827 872461 or visitwww.warwickshire.gov.uk/kwpoec

Schools across the county can get their hands on chess sets being handed out to encourage youngsters to play the game.

A new national scheme has been launched to give pupils aged from five to 16 the chance to learn how to play chess.

The Chess for Schools initiative is being backed by the Government and the English Chess Federation and will involve the distribution of 250,000 chess sets nationwide.Under the scheme, each school in the county is entitled to claim up to ten chess sets.

19

Advertisement

outlook on lifeAdoption offers children who cannot live with their birth parents the chance to be part of a loving, stable and secure family for the rest of their lives. If you’ve thought about adoption in the past, maybe now’s the time to make the call.

adopt a new

20

Warwickshire County Council’s Adoption Service places around 28 children a year for adoption,

and there are thousands more around the country needing adoptive homes.

Adoption has been common practice for centuries, with the first recorded being that of Moses by Pharaoh’s daughter, and in Roman times it was common for childless families to ‘adopt’ a male heir.

It was not until the 1920s that adoption legislation was first introduced. For several decades adoption became the prerogative of the white middle classes, and numerous philanthropic adoption agencies were formed to assist the ‘immoral’ single mothers of the day. Numerous adoptions were also arranged by parish priests, GPs, or privately through families.

Until the 1970s the majority of children adopted were white, healthy babies, whilst older children, or children with a disability, were consigned to spend their childhoods in large, often soulless, institutions.

In 1971 there were 21,495 recorded adoptions in the UK, but social changes such as the acceptance of single parent status, effective contraception, and legalised abortion dramatically began to reduce the numbers of available babies, and by 1980 the numbers had dropped to 8,026, and were still decreasing.

This scarcity of available babies led to the consideration of older children for adoption, and to an increase in overseas adoption as couples sought babies to adopt.

Modern day adoptionAround 5,500 children are now adopted annually and in 2007 3,800 were adopted from the care system. The remainder were step-parent/family adoptions. The adoption process is now very tightly regulated and legislated, and it is illegal to make private adoptions.

Children placed for adoption from the care system have often suffered some form of traumatic experience or loss in their young lives. They require families

who can help them overcome the negative effects of this. The majority of children being placed for adoption today are mostly in the 0 – 5 years age group, but there are a number of older children who have been provided with permanent stable homes through adoption.

There is now recognition of the emotional impact of negative experiences on children, and a growing understanding of the importance of the child having some form of contact with their birth families. The importance of a child’s ethnicity and of trying to place sibling groups together is also recognised.

Adopters neededThere is no shortage of adopters for very young children, but there is a greater need for adoptive families for older children, larger sibling groups, and for children from black ethnic communities, or of dual heritage. There’s a waiting list

‘ It could be a life changing call - and not just for you.

‘for our adoption preparation groups, but we will ‘fast track’ anyone who can offer a home to children we already have waiting for families.

If you, or anyone you know, is interested in adoption, especially for children in the categories mentioned above, we’d love to talk to you.

Our duty social worker is available for an informal discussion, and an information pack giving more detail about the adoption process is also available. Please give us a ring. It could be a life changing call. And not just for you. Call 01926 746956. www.warwickshire.gov.uk/adoption

In 1971 there were 21,495 recorded adoptions in the UK. In 2003 the number was down to 5,354.’

Pho

tos

pos

ed b

y m

odel

s.

21

New hall for BroadwellA scarecrow trail and open gardens event is set to mark the opening of a new hall in Broadwell on 22 June from noon to 6pm.

Situated between Dunchurch and Southam, the new Victory Hall at Broadwell received funding and advice from the Warwickshire Environmental Trust and additional grants from Rugby Borough Council, Biffaward, WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental) and Veolia Environmental Trust.

When it comes to people with learning disabilities, Marlene Venni is an inspiration. Whilst she knows her limitations, at 70 Marlene (right) is still championing the rights of people with learning disabilities and working hard to make sure their voice is heard, in Warwickshire and beyond.

Marlene has been co-chair of Warwickshire’s Learning Disabilities Partnership Board (LDPB) since it was set up around six years ago. She refuses to be a ‘token’ participant and insists more can and will be done to

Marlene Venni - more determined than disabled

It’s important for us to have our say.

develop the board’s potential as a force for good.

She wants to raise the profile of learning disability issues that would otherwise largely go unnoticed by the wider community. Most of all, Marlene wants people with learning disabilities to be understood and appreciated.

After six years, the Learning Disability Partnership Board is being refreshed and reformed, with a relaunch planned for the Autumn. Marlene Venni will continue to act as co-chair.

“It’s important for us to have our say,” she said. “We are as equal as anybody else on that board and have a right to be there. You’ve got to include us all. Otherwise we would just be tokens. And we are not tokens - we are human beings.”

Marlene has fond memories of her childhood in Norfolk but freely admits things were tough back then. She was one of six children whose father worked on farms around the area.

As a family they saw hard times. They had sacks filled with straw for mattresses

and an orange box for a table. Strong family ties brought Marlene to

Warwickshire, where her sister lives. She went to college until she was 60, studying cookery, computers and business. But she didn’t want to ‘retire’ and was looking for other ways to keep busy and make a contribution.

“I’m doing as much now, at 70, as I ever did,” said Marlene. “I think if you keep your hands and your mind occupied you’ll keep going.”

And keep going she does, in determined and confident style. Most of us would find the prospect of public speaking a bit daunting, but not Marlene. Since joining the LDPB she has addressed an audience of more than 300 social services directors in Brighton and met the then Minister for Health at another speaking engagement at Chelsea Football Club. An overnight stay in the Chelsea Village hotel left Marlene less than impressed by the ‘posh nosh’. She sent her advocate Jill Smith out for chocolate after the evening meal.

Jill has been Marlene’s Empowerment/Participation Worker for about five years. “Jill is much more than a supporter to me,” said Marlene. “She is there if I need her, but not to speak for me. You have to speak up for yourself.”

To find out more about the Learning Disabilities Partnership Board call 01926 742963 or email simonrobson@warwickshire.gov.uk

Marlene was less than impressed by the cuisine at Chelsea Football Club.

The old (right) and the new (below).

Massive £250K seizure of fakesCounterfeit goods worth around £250,000 and illegal realistic imitation firearms were seized from eight stalls at Polesworth market in May following a coordinated raid

by Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Service

and Warwickshire and Staffordshire Police

forces.With the assistance of legitimate traders and copyright holders, thousands of suspect counterfeit goods including clothing, sunglasses,

trainers and jewellery were

seized from eight stalls on the market.Goods bore the

names of a large number of brands including:

Timberland; Nike; Armani; Harley Davidson; Jack Daniels;

Oakley; Henri Lloyd and Stone Island. Approximately 50 illegal realistic imitation firearm ‘BB’ (ball bearing) guns were also taken in the raid.

22

contact us

Here’s your chance tell us what you think

about what you’ve read in the magazine or

any other issues you’d like to raise about

our services. You can write or email to the

addresses below.

email: vieweditor@warwickshire.gov.uk

write: View Editor, Warwickshire County Council, Communications Division, P.O. Box 9, Shire Hall, Warwick CV34 4RR

Priority focus

Protecting the community and making Warwickshire a safer place to live

Headcams on trialMotorists who put the lives of children and School Crossing Patrols at risk are to feel the long arm of the law as hi-tech headcams are piloted.

The headcams are on trial on a busy Nuneaton road where the patrols working for Warwickshire County Council are regularly being abused, driven at, and even assaulted.

The cameras are worn by the patrols and could provide vital evidence in the event of a drive-through – where a driver ignores the ‘lollipop’. Any motorists caught doing this face three points on their licence and a fine of up to £1,000.

School Crossing Patrol Supervisor, Sandra Barton, said: “At first we tried putting two patrols at the crossing point, creating a tunnel, and this worked for a while, but the abuse has continued. Drivers have even thrown things from their cars at the patrols.

“It’s amazing how nasty some drivers are when we are just trying to get young children safely across the road.”

The headcams pilot was paid for through funding from Nuneaton and Bedworth Area Committee and could be rolled out across the county. Sandra is also looking at another new technology where cameras are installed in the ‘lollipop’, which is believed to provide a more stable image.

New look on patrolWarwickshire County Council’s school crossing patrols model their new look coats offering increased visibility and recognition.

Cllr Martin Heatley, portfolio holder for the Environment admiring the new look coats.

23

readingNational Year of

Atherstone’s younger readers donned their pyjamas and dressing gowns to help launch Warwickshire’s

National Year of Reading at the end of April. Atherstone Early Years Centre was the setting as the

county’s Bookstart Co-ordinator told Bedtime Stories to children as they snuggled up in their jimjams. Health visitors were also on hand to pass on helpful hints and tips to parents and carers for settling their children to sleep - after they’ve read their favourite book of course!

Warwickshire kicked off its National Year of Reading celebrations with a launch in five different locations – one in each district of the county. Each area showcased the rich variety of ways in which reading can be enjoyed, whatever one’s age or interests.

More info?

Check out our website

(see below) or contact

Warwickshire’s

NYR Co-ordinator, Stella

Thebridge on 01926 476624

or stellathebridge@

warwickshire.gov.uk

www.warwickshire.gov.uk/libraries

24

Children’s favouriteEat Your Peas by Kes Gray and Nick Sharratt has proved a hit with children and adults by winning the Warwickshire Bookstart Early Years Award.Eat Your Peas will appeal to parents/carers and children alike. Mum tries all sorts of bribes to get Daisy to eat her peas without success, extra pudding, a chocolate factory, all to no avail. This is a great book to share and helps parents to look at the funny side of the battles often faced. The illustrations are clear, bright and attractive to young children.

Talking books are a big hitA coffee morning at Lower Meadow Care Home in Stratford saw residents talking about reading in all its forms - books, newspapers and audio books. Listening to books was particularly popular with the oldest resident Percy Lively, pictured right - aged 101! As well as being invaluable for anyone with failing eyesight, talking books are also great entertainment for busy adults and for bored children! Talking books are available through libraries to homes and housebound readers - and at every library across the county.

Pupils on hand to help each otherPupils in Year 9 at Keresley Pupil Reintegration

Unit joined the celebrations to mark the beginning of the National Year of Reading. They have a regular weekly slot where they share reading with primary pupils. This is a huge encouragement to both sets of pupils, as they learn to read more fluently and understand the process of learning. The

primary pupils’ guinea pig also decided to muscle in on the photo opportunity to plug his

autobiography.

Pupils gear up for Team ReadAt Milverton Primary School in Leamington, Year 6 pupils talked about their favourite books with Lord Mayor of Leamington, Les Caborn. They and other children aged 4 to 12 will be gearing up to this summer’s reading challenge in libraries. Team Read will link reading with sport to tie in with the Beijing Olympic games. There will be events in libraries to encourage children to complete the challenge as well as incentives for every child along the way. Registration for the challenge is free in every Warwickshire library from 14th July.

Sports stars book the new sports hall

Pupils at Harris School in Rugby kitted themselves out in sports gear to mark the launch while reading in rather unusual sporty poses. They took the opportunity at the end of the school day to show off their wonderful new sports hall, just before its official opening.

Nuneaton Bookworms celebrateThe Bookworms reading group at Nuneaton Library recently celebrated its 10th birthday. It began on World Book Day, 23rd April 1998 with nine members and was the first library-based group in Warwickshire. Over the years 78 people have enjoyed discussing books and reading. A poll of members past and present at the party voted Mark Haddon’s ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ as their favourite book. Warwickshire Libraries support reading groups across the county. If you would like to join a group, please ask in your local library or check our website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wildaboutbooks

Try a little skullduggery‘Skullduggery Pleasant’ by Derek Landy proved a hit when it won the Warwickshire Schools Secondary Book Award organised by the Schools Library Service with pupils from schools across the county.

25

02 Castles of Warwickshire Discover new things about the castles of Warwickshire at St John’s House Museum, Warwick. Talk starts at 7.30pm, £2.50 per person. To book call 01926 412034.

03-06 Royal Show Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh. 9am – 7pm (5pm Sunday). Adults £15 in advance, children £11 in advance. For tickets and more information visit www.royalshow.org.uk or call 0870 060 3782.

05 Festival of Riversley Bring a picnic and enjoy traditional rides, face painting, circus skills, land train, Punch & Judy shows, arts, crafts, sports and games. Riversley Park, Nuneaton. 12-5pm.

12-13 Birdingbury Country Festival Over 500 exhibits, parades, children’s activities and trade stalls. 10am – 4pm, Adults £4, children and senior citizens £2, Birdingbury nr. Dunchurch. Visit www.birdingburyfestival.co.uk or call 01926 632555 for more information.

14 July-06 September Team Read Sport is in the air with this year’s Summer Reading Challenge. Children aged 4 – 12 are challenged to read six books at libraries across Warwickshire over the holidays. For more information visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/libraries or call 01926 410410.

18-20 Kenilworth Festival The 3-day event returns to Kenilworth with a variety of activities and entertainments taking place. For more info visit www.kenilworthfestival.org

25-27 Warwick Folk Festival A weekend of traditional and contemporary British and International folk music and dance in and around Warwick. For more details call 01926 614523 or visit www.warwickfolkfestival.co.uk

what’sonjune

july

july contd

14-28 Shipston Proms A range of music events for all tastes and ages. Call 01608 661511 or visit www.shipstonproms.org for more information.

28 Warwick International Festival Red Kyte (County Rock Band) and the Warwickshire Youth Jazz Orchestra perform at Warwick Racecourse as part of the Warwick International Festival (24 June – 6 July) www.warwickintfestival.org

august02 Avon Dassett Village Fete A great day out in picturesque Avon Dassett rounded off with a live band and pig roast. Lower Field, Avon Dassett 2pm onwards. Call 01295 274666 for more.

10 Fillongley Agricultural Show Featuring trade stalls, crafts, horse shows, show jumping, horticultural show and more. Stonehouse Farm, nr Corley. Call 024 7646 0287 or visit www.fillongley-show.co.uk for more details.

23-25 Stoneleigh Park Country Festival Including fun fair, antique and craft fair, monster trucks, food festival and more. Adults £12 in advance, children £6 in advance. To book tickets call 0871 230 5567 or visit www.stoneleighfestival.co.uk

24-25 Wars of the Roses The Lancastrians and the Yorkists battle it out with arms and artillery in the magnificent historical setting of Kenilworth Castle. 11am-5pm. Adults £8, children £3.50. Call 0870 333 1183 for tickets.

september11-14 Heritage Open Days Weekend Various open venues, events and activities around Nuneaton and Bedworth. For more details call 024 7637 6490.

13 Stratford upon Avon Fire Station Open Day Including displays by the YFA station crews, Tombola Raffle ‘Bid for a Dream’, BBQ and rides for the children. 10am – 4pm, Masons Road, Stratford Upon Avon.

<< Featured walk in Warwickshiresee page 16

26

farmers’ marketsWarwickshire Farmers’ Markets: 9am- 2pm (unless stated)

Call 01608 664659 for more information, or go to: www.warwickshirefarmersmarkets.co.ukColeshill, Market Hill, Fourth Friday of month, 10am-2pmCoventry, Spon Street, Second Thursday of monthKenilworth, Abbey End, Second Saturday of monthLeamington Spa, Pump Room Gardens, Fourth Saturday of monthRugby, Clock Tower, Last Thursday of monthSoutham, Market Hill, Second Saturday of monthStratford-upon-Avon, Rother Street First and third Saturday of monthWarwick, Market Square, Third Friday of month

Details of dates and times of Council meetings open to the public can be found at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/council or by calling 01926 410410.All information is correct at time of going to press, but we would advise you to check before making your journey. Some events require you to book in advance and may incur a small charge or require the purchase of tickets.For details of events at: County Record Office call 01926 738959, Warwickshire Museum 01926 412500, Heritage Education 01926 412034 or visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/museum

Advertisement

27

14 Warwick Cycle Races Races for youngsters and novices through to professional cyclists. Races start at 11.30am with the final race at 5pm. Call 01926 412454 for more information.

18-20 Polesworth Abbey Arts Festival Call 01827 892340 or visit: www.polesworthabbey.co.uk for further details.

september contd

october02-05 Warwick Words Literary Festival Writers, stortyellers, poets and special guests from around the country. At venues around Warwick. 10am-10pm. Call 01926 776438 or visit: www.warwickwords.co.uk for more details.

14 July - 06 SeptemberSummer Reading Challenge

Adult Education & ICT Learning CentresArchaeologyArchives & RecordsArtsBirths, Marriages & Deaths RegistrationBusiness SupportCommunity SafetyConstructionConsumer & Business AdviceCountry Parks & RecreationCounty Council Property MaintenanceCounty HighwaysCounty Record OfficeDisability ServicesEarly Years’ CentresEcologyEconomic DevelopmentEducationEmergency PlanningEmploymentEnvironmental DesignFamily Information ServiceFarms & Forestry

Fire & RescueFoster CareGrantsHeritage EducationHomecareLibrariesMuseumsNature ConservationParents’ CentresPlanningQuality & Environmental Support SystemsRegeneration ProjectsResidential HomesRoads, Footpaths & Rights of WayRoad SafetySchool MealsSocial Care & PolicyTrading StandardsTransport & Local Bus ServicesTree WorkWarwickshire Calibration ServicesWaste ManagementYouth Services

contact us

call 01926 410410 (minicom 01926 412277)

web www.warwickshire.gov.uk

email vieweditor@warwickshire.gov.uk

write View Editor Communications & Media Division Warwickshire County Council P.O. Box 9, Shire Hall Warwick CV34 4RR

Our normal office hours are 9 - 5.30pm Monday to Thursday & 9 - 5pm on Friday. However by calling the number on the left you can obtain advice, help or signposting to any of our services from 8am - 8pm weekdays & 9am - 4pm on Saturdays.

If this information is difficult to understand we can provide it in another format, for example; in Braille, in large print, on audiotape, in another language or by talking with you.Please contact us on 01926 412758.

COUNTY COUNCILwhat your

does for you

This magazine is printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper. When you have finished reading this copy of Warwickshire View please recycle it again.

Warwickshire View magazine is written, edited and designed in-house by the Warwickshire County Council Communications & Media Division.

June 2008

Warwickshire County Council