The Physics Factory undertakes to improve the life chances of many young people in the city by giving them the opportunity to study for GCSE physics and more recently A level.

Unfortunately, April 2012 marks the end of their 3 year project funding and despite surpassing their ‘wildest expectations’ of performance measures; they are at a loss as who to approach for funding to continue.

It costs in the order of a mere £450 per day to run a Physics Factory centre.

There are 2 centres in Birmingham; one based at KE Five Ways school and the other at Sheldon Heath.  Students attend to receive some, most or all of their physics tuition and during other times of the year they run probably the best professional development for teachers.  Almost 3000 students have had at least one experience at the Physics Factory.

The education minister quoted the Physics Factory recently in the white paper The Importance of Teaching. 

Gisela said:

“Having visited the Physics Factory and seen the results, I …

It’s a great pleasure to be here, to host this event and to welcome this report.

I probably shouldn’t say this to an audience of finance and economic academics but –  I have been somewhat disappointed by the finance and economics communities recently

There are many incredibly intelligent people in finance and economics.

I know that because at Imperial College back in the 80s  the vast majority of my fellow engineering students went into finance, or accountancy or management consultancy.

When I took my MBA at Manchester Business School in the 90s I was very  impressed by the comprehensive literature on responsible capitalism as well as risk management.

I think that Black Scholes is possibly the most beautiful equation I have ever come across.

And when working for Ofcom I helped pioneer the use of real options in regulation.

So why I wondered, was it that after the biggest financial crisis the world has ever known, the most far reaching …

birmingham-gateway-update-winter-2012…

 Initially the HCPs were very much a central part of the Church and I recall that the Rector often wrote the play, starred in it and sang the theme song. (I hasten to add that he does all this exceedingly well).

 Alan and Jackie Kingshott and the irrepressibly effervescent Ray Allen were very much a part of the set up in those days and a menacing but actually benign figure not so cunningly disguised in the programme as Mij Retnuh kept a benevolent eye over all the goings-on and still found time to write his groundbreaking thesis on the benefits to the memory of single malt Scotch whisky (sadly Jim forgot where he left the proof copy so we can only take his word for its excellence).

 Moving from the Church to Glaxo’s Social Club the players entered …

You can read the press release here.

And download the report here.

You can read his speech explaining the findings here:

ACEVO COMMISSION ON YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT – REPORT LAUNCH

DAVID MILIBAND, OPENING REMARKS

6TH FEBRUARY 2012

Welcome everyone and thanks very much for coming. I want to start by thanking the commissioners who have put a lot of time and thought into this report for the last four months. It has been a challenging and broadening experience for all of us.

I am here for three reasons.

First, because I see in my own constituency how long term youth unemployment is again haunting a generation of young people.  More young people are doing better at school and college, but more are long term claimants.  In South Shields, there has been a 210 per cent increase last year, bringing the total number of those out of work for six months or more to 485.  I want to make a difference …

Equinox : A Cultural Olympiad Choral Celebration

Saturday 17th March 2012 Symphony Hall Birmingham

www.citychoir.org.uk/Equinox

EQUINOX will be a once in a lifetime celebration of the rich depth of our local cultural heritage. After two years of creative planning, Symphony Hall will witness the realisation of the vision of bringing together 350 choral singers and percussion groups reflecting the Chinese, Indian, Arabic, African Caribbean, Eastern and Western European communities of Birmingham and the West Midlands. The concert will open with a percussion fanfare composed by John Barber, before each of the cultural groups perform pieces reflecting the universal themes of equality, creation, family and citizenship. This 2012 Cultural Olympiad event will climax with all performers combining in the world premiere of a unique composition by Midlands composer Christopher Long, conducted by Adrian Lucas. The text in Hindi, Mandarin, Polish, Arabic, Swahili and Latin has been chosen by the performing groups.

Voices and percussion are the oldest forms of music making. Singing has the power to communicate human emotion both between …

Just 12 months ago Leicester stood where Birmingham is now standing - on the cusp of the most significant constitutional change the city had seen in generations.

For many people, the prospect of an elected mayor for Leicester was something they rightly questioned. It was a step in to the unknown. Of course it created fears and raised questions that couldn’t be immediately answered.

Some people raised concerns about the prospect of an unaccountable autocrat being given a green light to push forward their own agenda. Others asked whether this would open the doors to someone without the skills or experience to do the job. And what of the role of Lord Mayor? Would this new elected mayor spell the end of decades of civic tradition in the city? It is inevitable that people in Birmingham are feeling some of that uncertainty now.

When Leicester City Council decided it wanted …

The map’s remarkable detail shows Brockwell Park as it is enjoyed by hundreds of local residents, as well as providing information as to the park’s history. Clare will be supplying the poster shown here, as well as posters of Dulwich Park, Regent’s Park and Brixton, to local businesses which have supported the project and portions of the proceeds will be given to community charities. …

Commenting after speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday, the Labour MP for Glasgow North East said:

Ed Miliband spoke to a company based in Port Dundas involved in the manufacturing of wind turbines when he was in Glasgow on Monday. If Scotland is to take full advantage of our abundant natural resources, and potential for a green jobs boom, we need a Green Investment Bank, preferably based in Scotland, with full borrowing powers.

The Chancellor promised the Bank would have these powers in 2015, but his failure to grow the economy, and soaring borrowing rising by £158bn beyond the Office for Budget Responsibility’s initial forecasts, …

 Chi said:

 “Sadly in Newcastle upon Tyne Central, more people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and more people die from the disease than the national average*.

 “One in eighteen people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and these local figures show that people in Newcastle upon Tyne Central must take bowel cancer seriously.  I hope that by supporting Beating Bowel Cancer’s campaign I can encourage people in Newcastle to aware of the risk of bowel cancer and be clear about the symptoms of the UK’s second biggest cancer killer.

 “Bowel cancer claims a life every 30 minutes in the UK but it but I am assured it can be beaten by everyone working together to raise awareness.

The Beating Bowell Cancer ‘Be Loud Be Clear 2012’ campaign coincides with the launch of ‘Be Clear on Cancer’, the first NHS national bowel cancer awareness campaign. Bowel Cancer is the UK’s …

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 …

Labour needs comradely and serious debate. So it should be with the former deputy leader Roy Hattersley’s recent article (with Kevin Hickson) “In praise of social democracy” for the Political Quarterly. Roy has been pretty consistent in his views over 40 years, even if the framing labels in the party (right, left, new, old, radical, conservative) have swivelled around him. His commentary on politics is born not of self-promotion but out of belief. But that doesn’t mean he is right.

In his article Roy sets out to make three arguments: that policy needs to be built on a consistent and coherent idea; that the only tenable ideological position for Labour is a social democratic commitment to greater equality and the freedom that is its product; and that Labour should eschew “news value” in favour of ideology. He is convinced that there exists an obvious instrument for putting social democracy into practice – the central national state, whose strength has been underestimated, he argues, in …

Toby Perkins is supporting the launch of Chance to be Chancellor 2012 and is calling on schools and young people in Chesterfield to take up in 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 20th 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

 …

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 20th 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.…

I have seen the work of the Trust in my own constituency, where it organises school visits and educates young Ambassadors for the values of Anne Frank.   There’s a personal link in that my aunt met Anne Frank’s father Otto when he came to Britain in the early 1950s in connection with the English …

7 February 10am -3pm
Stadium Suite, John Lewis 3rd Floor, Westfield Stratford City, Stratford, E15

The University of East London’s invite says as follows:

“We would like to invite you to attend a recruitment event to find out about paid roles available to be involved in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

You will have the opportunity to find out about roles in catering, retail, security and cleaning as well as working within the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

The University of East London will be on hand to provide information about learning and training opportunities and the local borough job brokerages will be providing information and support on getting people into work.

This is a free event which is open to all, we would however like to encourage enthusiastic and hard-working women living in East London to attend this …