Simon Collyer
Caerphilly Council Battle to Hold onto Their Jobcentre Plus
Caerphilly Council are calling for the UK Government to reconsider relocating the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) office from Caerphilly town centre. The Council say they appreciate that the DWP, like local government, are seeking to make changes to their operations in response to ever increasing financial pressures placed on them from austerity measures imposed by central Government, relocating 225 jobs out of Caerphilly town could have real implications on the sustainability of the town centre.
It was agreed that we would write to the UK Government to request they reconsider their decision.
Should you need it:
Jobcentre Plus
Caerphilly Castle, Castle Street
Caerphilly
CF83 1JD
Wales
ABC Comment: Should Caerphilly keep its Jobcentre?
Live - Consideration of Lords Amendments: European Union (Withdrawal) Bill - Day 1
House of Commons
Tuesday 12 June 2018 Meeting starts at 11.30am
Oral questions: Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (including Topical Questions)
Ten Minute Rule Motion: Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (England)
Fiona Bruce MP (Congleton, Conservative)
Consideration of Lords amendments: European Union (Withdrawal) Bill - Day 1
Adjournment: Long-term support for victims of sexual exploitation in Newcastle
Chi Onwurah MP (Newcastle upon Tyne Central, Labour)
ABC Note: Have your say below
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Have Added Us To Their Press Release List
We are proud to say that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization have added us to their press release list today.
We are very proud to have that association and we are going to be bringing you all the latest and best in news from around the globe.
Food security is a major issue for those on low incomes. This is an important association to have.
ABC Note: At the ABC we are a trusted source of information for a global community managing on low incomes, state pensions or state benefits. We value these stategic relationships in our quest to inform, educate and inspire those trying to improve their circumstances.
Please add your comment below:
Poundworld Are Rumoured to Be on The Brink Of Administration
Responding to reports that Poundworld has entered administration, Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable said:
“Poundworld’s administration is part of a worrying trend on Britain’s high streets, following the administrations of Toys r Us and Maplin, as well as House of Fraser’s woes.
“The Government has got to get to grips with helping our struggling high streets, including a strategy that deals with the rise of online shopping and substantially reforming business rates, which has been long promised but not delivered.”
ABC Comment: Poundworld's product range consists of over 6,000 items including groceries, health and beauty, toiletries, cleaning products and pet care, some of them known brands it has over 350 stores in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and it was planning to open 150 new stores within three years.
Poundworld is not to be confused with rival Poundland.
Image: Poundworld
Economic data released today shows that manufacturing output fell 1.4% in April, the biggest month-on-month decline since October 2012. Office for National Statistics data also showed that wider industrial output fell by 0.8% in April. The construction sector declined by 3.4% in the first three months of 2018. The construction squeeze is the biggest quarterly decline since 2012.
ABC Note: Do have your say below:
US Unemployment - Ames, Iowa Has Lowest Rate at 1.5% Percent - Bureau of Labor Statistics
In April 2018, Ames, Iowa, had the lowest unemployment rate, 1.5 percent. Yuma, Arizona, had the highest unemployment rate, 15.7 percent. Eighty-eight areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and three areas had rates of at least 10.0 percent.
A total of 204 metropolitan areas had April jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 3.7 percent, 167 areas had rates above it, and 17 areas had rates equal to that of the nation. In addition to Ames, Iowa, other areas with low unemployment rates include Iowa City, Iowa; Madison, Wisconsin; and Urban Honolulu, Hawaii, (1.9 percent each). After Yuma, Arizona, El Centro, California (14.4 percent), Ocean City, New Jersey (10.1 percent), and Visalia-Porterville, California (9.2 percent), had the highest unemployment rates in April.
ABC Note: U.S. job openings reached a https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osec/osec20180605">record high of 6.7 million, and – for the first time – the number of job openings exceeds the number of job seekers.
Image: Courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics
ABC Note: Please add your comment below:
HandUp Mobile App. Helps Homeless People
In San Francisco, entrepreneurs are proving that technology can be a force for social good. A small group has its sights on the homeless community and is building innovative tech to connect people with basic services.
San Francisco homelessness is on the rise. With an estimated 6,500 people living without adequate shelter, most locals have grown accustomed to seeing and interacting with homeless folks as part of life in this city.
Rose Broome and mobile developer Zac Witte created an iPhone app called HandUp that helps you donate to homeless people living in shelters and outdoors in your neighborhood.
ABC Note: Are you a nonprofit interested in launching a fundraising campaign? You can lean more here: Learn more here.
You can add your comment below.
Food Banks in Canada Need You Summer Support
Hunger doesn’t take a break for the summer say Food Bank Canada. Summer holidays put additional financial pressure on many families. Food Banks Canada, estimate that 900,000 Canadians will access a food bank in July and August.
Donations are at their lowest during the summer months, so food banks across Canada need extra support. Food Bank Canada are able to provide 3 meals for every $1 they raise, but they still need to provide 26,000,000 meals to ensure there is food available to all Canadians visiting a food bank in July and August.
You can help us make this possible they say.
You can donate here:
The ABC, The President is Missing, and Our Moment in the White House
This week marks 500 days of American greatness under the Trump presidency according to Donald Trump.
To keep track of President Trump’s many accomplishments and overcome the distortions of the fake news media he says, Trump has created PromisesKept.com to deliver the true and complete list of his achievements. Will that include upsetting just about everybody we ask...?
However, there was a new President in the White House Saturday 9th, when ABC founder, Simon Collyer was invited to occupy the hot-seat at a book promotion in Sainsbury’s, Tolgate, Colchester.
Simon even briefly had his own presidential bodyguard who looked a bit like one of those guys in the Matrix. We should have looked in the President’s desk draws. Would there be a book on what to do if a Nuclear war starts, a file on Hillary Clinton or a box of tissues, or the ABC website details should Trump need a career change?
It was all in good fun. Penguin books were doing in a promo in Sainsbury's. A new book ‘The President is Missing’ authored by Bill Clinton and James Patterson. We had great fun talking to the promotional crew including the lovely Laura Gawod. If they send us a list of other dates/locations their roadshow will be attending, we will happily publish them.
We have to say that most shoppers seemed more intent on their shopping. A snub to the political class perhaps, that assumes the world revolves around them.
Perhaps a book ‘The President Won’t Be Missed’ might have more potential?
Image: ABC Founder takes over the hot seat at the ‘The President is Missing’ book promotion.
ABC Note: Although the ABC was designed for a European Audience we are now publishing more international news and that includes the USA. The USA economy is a barometer for the world economy and we are very excited about these developments.
We Take on Iceland And Santander Bank Regarding Internet Payments
This is an issue that needs looking into. Santander authorizes a payment to Iceland for a person on benefits. Iceland only draws the money on the day they deliver, in this case the order was placed just after midnight Thursday 8th. They could not deliver till Saturday morning. Icelands terms are tucked away in their terms and conditions.
Santander does not set the money aside, and when Iceland takes the payment the money is not there even though, the person is over £100 in credit with purchases that will not show till Monday/Tuesday next week.
Surely there must be a better system? Better to drive or walk to another store and have one hand on the food, the other on the money.
We have put these points to Iceland and Santander and the Financial Conduct Authority. There must be a better system.
With Universal Credit (UC) exacerbating food poverty, losing your ‘shop’ in this way can cause real hardship.
We will let you know more later. Have you ever lost out this way?
ABC Note: You can comment below.
Free Flu Vaccinations for Wales’ Care Home Workers
Staff working in adult residential care and nursing homes in Wales will be eligible for free flu vaccinations through NHS community pharmacies from this winter, Health and Social Services Secretary, Vaughan Gething announced.
ABC Note: Please comment below
Executives
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Simon Collyer
Position: Founder & Director
Simon Collyer hails from Brightlingsea in Essex, a small town on the coast between Colchester & Clacton. Simon worked very successfully in the leisure marine industry in the UK and in Australia. Later in London Simon worked in the web development and publishing fields, founding a below-the-line sales promotion agency in the early nineties and then later a software company Red Banner in South Africa (2002-06). Here in South Africa, Simon became interested in the Third Sector and starting his own organisation.
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Christopher Johnson
Position: Bookkeeping and Administration
Chris lived in Oxford for twenty years, having been educated at Magdalen College School. Chris sought a career with British Rail and spent twenty years in railway retail management ending with Virgin Trains at Euston Station. Christopher retrained in bookkeeping and accounts in 2000 and now works for Chelmsford Community Transport.
A strong, enthusiastic team player with a meticulous eye for detail, Christopher brings a range of skills to the ABC.
Team
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Frances Rimmer
Position: Researcher
When not charming snakes Frances is a Modern History student at the University of Essex, focusing specifically on social history. The lives and experiences of the ordinary person rather than on politics or the military. Outside of her studies, Frances enjoys film and writing. As a keen roller skater who plays roller derby with the Kent Roller Girls, Frances secret wish would be to become a skating instructor and open her own rink, as she has always wanted to help people in some way, and feels it would be great to do so while also sharing her passion with like-minded people.
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Stuart Meyers
Position: Researcher
Stuart Meyer, is a final year American Studies student at the University of Essex. Stuart focussed his academic life on global justice and the rights of migrants. Additionally Stuart has a passion for writing, both creatively and with the aim of providing accessible information to those who need it most Stuart has made a great contribution to our library of Advice Guides demonstrating his versatility by writing intelligently on a wide range of topics.
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Louis Jones
Position: Film Maker
Louis is a 19 year old TV and film student studying at Colchester Institute. Along with hand-picked fellow students, Louis made the ‘Membership’ video that can be seen on the ABC website. Louis volunteers at, Hospital Radio Colchester, as a football commentator. A true fan of the ‘Great Game’ Louis insights have been sought after on occasions by key local media, the Colchester Daily Gazette & even BBC Essex.
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Marcus Pierpont
Position: Film Director
Talented student film maker, Marcus Pierpoint, directed the ABC 'Membership' film which can be seen on the organizations website. Marcus has recently graduated from a BTEC course, studying Creative Media Production at Colchester Institute and he claims a true passion for films and filmmaking. Marcus also enjoys radio work and volunteers at the local hospital radio station, producing and presenting his own show. Marcus is enrolled at the University of Greenwich, and dreams of a career in the media industry.
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Shane Mitchell
Position: Film Maker
Shane Mitchell, is another Colchester Institute Film and TV student that aspirers to be a Director of Photography in the future. Shane was the camera operator for the ABC Membership video, fun to make says Shane but it is also work he is very proud of. Shane loves all things ‘film’ and he makes videos even in his spare time.
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Joe Corlett
Position: Film Director
Ex-student script writer/director, Joe Corlett, directed the ABC's corporate video (About Us) which is now viewable on the main website. Joe graduated from the Colchester Institute with a BTEC diploma in the field of media. Joe is passionate towards film making and hopes to continue making more that are constructed form his own material. On the side he's loves being out jogging in all terrains and when not out side he's writing scripts for future projects. Joe is now out in the world ready to start his life goal of working in the Media industry.
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Jon Taylor
Position: Film Maker
Jonathan Taylor has been working in the media sector for 3 years and for our filming projects he worked as the production manager. John worked on graphical elements of our film, About Us for example, rendering images and making them look good on screen.
Jon is also experienced in animation and he made the logo and animation sequences in the ABC corporate videos.
Part of Jon’s brief was to also organise the administration side of filming, known collectively to admin experts the world over as ‘the paperwork’.
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Thomas Hearn
Position: Film Maker
Thomas Hearn, has been involved in media, for about three years. Tom likes to work a lot at a computer, particularly the editing suite. For the ABC project, Tom worked on the edit itself; created and pieced together both the footage and the music, Tom created the visual elements of the ABC ‘About Us’ video and put most of the visual effects on the video.
I think we can agree that along with the rest of our youthful student team; Tom has done a very fine job indeed.
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Max Gillard
Position: Film Maker
The last of our film team Max Gillard has recently finished college studying Creative Media Level 3 and Max hopes to continue the course on to University to someday gain a job in the media industry.
We wish Max the best of luck.
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Harry
Position: Film Maker
My name is Harry Genge and I am an aspiring film maker. I have skills in the majority of film orientated jobs, though I am most interested in the creative roles such: Directing, Director of Photography and Writing. In my spare time I make short films, write, read, draw/paint and take the dog out for long walks.
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Ned
Position: Producers
My name is Ned Woodcraft and I’m an aspiring Producer. As well as completing a diploma in media production I have also had a number of jobs in the professional market. I’m also a keen sailor and water sport enthusiast.
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Brandon
Position: Producer
My name is Brandon and I’m an aspiring producer and actor. I enjoy bringing a production together with planning and preparations to create a great finished product. My hobbies also include street magic and bass playing.
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Callum
Position: Writer and Director
My name is Callum Olive and I’m an aspiring writer and director. I’m always looking for a new project and love writing new stories and screenplays at home and on the move. My hobbies include playing the piano and street magic.
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Joanie DeMuro
Joanie joined ABC team in early 2017. She was one of six student volunteers from the University of Essex in that cohort. The student team focused on a range of projects, including creation of Wikipedia page,‘training manual’ and most importantly, researching and adding entries to the website directory of organisations that assist the unwaged, or those on low incomes. “This placement was very helpful - thanks for the opportunity Simon.”
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Cherry Lam
Cherry Lam has been volunteering for ABC for one month. Although it is a short period of time, she knows a lot more about the running of a charity organisation. Cherry is responsible for adding directories to the organisation website according to categories. Joining this placement helped her improving skills and gaining new experiences. Cherry says is extremely appreciative of the support she has received from ABC which allowed her to improve skills.
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