Well it's been quite a while since we last posted any items, so whats been happening around Hyndburn & Rossendale, LOTS

So lets get started shall we,

VALLEY AT WORK NETWORKING GROUP

Well what is happening in Rossendale ....?

As you are all aware we have commented many times here on the Valley At Work networking community and the Rossendale Awards.

Once one of the best networking groups in the region, it's membership was based on small individual business's from within the Rossendale Valley and had a small yet dedicated group who organised events. Yes it had it's problems a cliché which helped to serve a small number of people mainly those on the committee who's own business's profited from other members.

The annual awards ceremony although small was a reflection of local business and talent, and people like Lisa Spann dedicated hours of time and effort along with other members, David Gould, Amanda MacDougall and of course Catherine Murphy. So what has happened and were is Valley At Work today ..?

High jacked by a chairman and his wife who have surrounded themselves with a  group of friends who are self serving and promoting their own individual interests for profit and celebrity status whilst the group has seen all of it's founders walk away or pushed out, depending on your view point.

Remove the layers of hype, and you'll see the reality of a failed enterprise who no longer serve the original ethos, a membership that contrary to what they would have people believe has diminished to the point were meetings are cancelled because no one wants to attend, an awards ceremony dominated not by the small enterprises of the region but a few large companies, courted by the chairman and his band of merry followers to serve their own ego's.

The annual awards event moved from St Mary's in the heart of Rawtenstall and the heart of the business region to suite a bloated ego and emaciate the numbers of people interested.

It's time the business community found a voice again, one which reflects the valley and gives true recognition to small local enterprises and returns to St Mary's.

Crimpton Farm Cottages

Looking For A Break .........

Set in the Trough Of Bowland, right in the heart of the Ribble Valley, Crimpton Farm Holiday Cottages are run by Wendy & John Leeming.

John & Wendy

Two beautiful holiday cottages as situated in private grounds in the heart of Lancashire, newly renovated to the very highest standards of comfort and with everything to make your weekend break or week long escape a relaxing and enjoyable time.

 

Choose from two cottages, Kestrel or Owl they both have lounge/diner, with flat screen TV, satellite TV, fridge, Arga cooker, microwave  direct access to the rear landscaped garden were you can enjoy a BBQ. Upstairs each cottage has two bedrooms and family bathroom.

 

The cottages are self-catering all charges are included in the rental fee. The cottages face the wonderful rolling hills and valleys of Lancashire and there are plenty of activates and events all year round in the surrounding towns and villages.

 

Call Wendy or John for further details and to book your short or long stay, fantastic for the family or if you just want to get away for a romantic weekend. Call: 01200 448100

 

 

 

 

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A list of 25 employers who failed to pay workers the minimum wage has been released by the government.

They are the latest offenders to be "named and shamed" under rules that came into effect last October.

Between them they owe more than £43,000 to staff and have been ordered to pay fines totaling more than £21,000.

Business minister Jenny Willott said: "If employers break the law they need to know they will face tough consequences."

The national minimum wage is currently £6.31 an hour for adults and will rise to £6.50 from October.
'Wrong and illegal'
The employers were investigated by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) after members of staff called a free helpline to report they were being underpaid.

They include a school in Edinburgh which underpaid an employee by £3,739 and a garage in Bradford that failed to pay a worker £6,426.

The government's "naming and shaming" initiative is one of a number of measures it has introduced for employers who break the minimum wage law.

Those who underpay now face penalties of up to £20,000, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said.

Plans - as outlined in the Queen's Speech - are under way so that employers will face a £20,000 fine per employee who is underpaid.

                                         

The minimum wage rises to £6.50 from October

Twelve of the employers underpaid staff by four-figure sums. They are:

• Christine Cadden and Nicola Banks of Renaissance, Wirral, who failed to pay £7,310.65 to three workers.
• Alan King and John King of Arthur Simpson & Co, Bradford, who failed to pay £6,426.12 to a worker.
• Central Heating Services Ltd, Hampshire, which failed to pay £6,200.28 to four workers.
• Cargilfield School Ltd, Edinburgh, which failed to pay £3,739.58 to a worker.
• A2ZEE Constriction Ltd, Cramlington, which failed to pay £3,375.51 to 14 workers.
• Mr and Mrs Balasco of Eugenio, Bristol, who failed to pay £3,037.53 to two workers.
• Mr and Mrs Hampton of The Wheatsheaf Inn in Crewe, Cheshire, who failed to pay £2,057.88 to five workers.
• Steven Stainton of Steven Stainton Joinery, Cumbria, who failed to pay £1,415.82 to a worker.
• Runbaro Ltd, Swindon, which failed to pay £1,413.88 to a worker.
• Satwinder Singh Khatter and Tejinder Singh Khatter of The Bath Hotel, Reading, who failed to pay £1,237.79 to two workers.
• Richard Last of Classic Carpentry, Godalming, who failed to pay £1,236.72 to a worker.
• We are Mop! Ltd, London, which failed to pay £1,018.05 to two workers.

Ms Willott said: "Paying less than the minimum wage is not only wrong, it's illegal.

"If employers break the law they need to know that they will face tough consequences. Any worker who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it."

The remaining employers named by the government are:

• Sue English of Legends Hairdressers, Colchester, who failed to pay £823.40 to a worker.
• Saftdwin Ltd, Hampshire, which failed to pay £806.37 to two workers.
• Master Distribution Ltd, Essex, which failed to pay £718.62 to a worker.
• Perth Hotels Ltd, Perth, which failed to pay £556.80 to a worker.
• Bryants Nurseries Ltd, Hertfordshire, which failed to pay £494.07 to a worker.
• Dove Mill Retail Outlet Ltd, Bolton, which failed to pay £461.84 to a worker.
• Luigi's Little Italy Ltd, Yorkshire, which failed to pay £281.04 to five workers.
• CPS SW Ltd, Exmouth, which failed to pay £261.29 to a worker.
• Gary Calder, Richard Calder and Neil Calder of Avenue Agricultural, Northamptonshire, who failed to pay £256.55 to a worker.
• Dakal Ltd, Northampton, which failed to pay £252.00 to two workers.
• Zoom Ltd, Havant, which failed to pay £242.28 to three workers.
• HSS Hire Service Group Ltd, Manchester, which failed to pay £149.00 to 15 workers.
• Sun Shack Ltd, Hamilton, which failed to pay £134.35 to eight workers.

'Clear deterrent'
HMRC said this week that more than £4.6m had been paid out to 22,000 people, including staff at a Premier League club, who had been paid less than the minimum wage.

The football club, which HMRC did not name, made staff pay for their uniforms and also made deductions for travelling time, had to pay arrears of more than £27,500 to 3,000 workers.

Another case involved a recruitment agency - again which HMRC did not name - that was ordered to pay more than £167,000 after classifying some workers as unpaid interns.

Asked why HMRC would not publish the names of the football club or recruitment company a spokesman said: "HMRC dealt with these cases through the civil route, so our rules on taxpayer confidentiality apply."

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady added: "It is shocking that some employers - including those who pay certain star staff millions of pounds a year - are cheating low-paid workers out of the minimum wage.

"The penalties won by HMRC - which the government are rightly making even bigger - should be a clear deterrent to any bad bosses thinking about short-changing their staff."

Motoring North West

&

 Pilling's CBT - DAS Training

of Accrington join forces for the summer.

This summer Motoring North West and Pilling’s Road Training based in Accrington are joining forces to bring you something we hope will be very special. A point by point report on how to undertake and we hope pass your motorcycle driving test and drive safely on the roads.

 

We are going to put our very own Mark Stone to the test and see if along with the expert training provided by the team at Pilling’s, if we can get him through all the requirements and get him on the road driving around the North West safely, it’s going to be a challenge not only for Pilling’s but also for Mark.

We’ll be reporting every step of the way and getting the views of not only the experts but those undertaking the training both male and of course from the female perspective, following a number of hope-fulls and reporting on the highs, the lows, the falls and we hope getting that all important certificate at the end.

 

              

 

 

Motoring North West was launched at the end of January 2014, the brain child of Mark Stone, renowned racing driver and motoring correspondent who combines his love of speed with that of shooting. He linked up with the founder of Web Cats Design Studio and together they have grown the online magazine into one of the most read and well known amongst the car & motorcycle world manufacturing company's.

 

Some impressive statistic's:

Daily Site Hits:  2000 avg.

Daily Page Reads- 7643 avg.

Daily Spread Country Hits: 16 avg. (This is the total number of countries WW)

 

These figures are independently collected via Google Analytics.

 

Motoring North West Website Link Click Here

 

With many of the worlds major car and motorcycle company's providing their latest models for testing with Motoring North West the magazine ensures that it's never bland always refreshing with new road tests weekly and articles about everyday issues that the average driver will meet..

 

A Few Facts About Mark

 

Based on the Lancashire-Yorkshire border, Mark Stone is one of the North-West’s most successful freelance motoring and automotive journalists.

Writing regular columns for a variety of national and international publications, Mark’s incisive motoring, automotive and accessory reports have been published in the Daily Telegraph, Motoring News, Classic & Sports Car, 911 & Porsche World, Porsche Post, Italia, Classic Car Weekly, Land Rover Enthusiast, VW Driver along with various other prestigious motoring publications.

By necessity his work sees him having worked closely with such manufacturers as Porsche, Volkswagen, Land Rover, Volvo, Michelin and Goodyear-Dunlop to name but a few.

 

Equally, Mark has also competed in various motor sport events such as the internationally renowned Tour Auto, the Targa Florio, Mille Miglia along with guest appearances at Le Mans, Monza and the Nurburg Ring behind the wheel of some of the most famous and desirable cars. Linked together with his race and rally activities Mark regularly works in various European countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Sweden and Denmark.

Besides his in-depth motoring work, his hobby of clay pigeon shooting has lead onto Mark becoming one of the country’s most respected shotgun and competitive shooting authorities.

His work appears on a monthly basis in such publications as Gunmart, 22Shooter, Shooting Sports, Sporting Shooter, Countryman’s Weekly along with American, Australian and New Zealand titles that include Shooting Sportsman, Safari Club International, Guns Australia and New Zealand Guns & Hunting.

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: Successful PROSPECTOR

 

At The PROSPECTS Foundation Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, 3^rd June 2014 Michael Clarkson was awarded the Prospector of the year award.

Michael has been volunteering with Prospects for many years now but is not on a specific local PROSPECTS Panel. Michael attends Baxenden Community Forum meetings and is also a member of the Woodnook Community Residents Association.

He is always very hands on and volunteering almost on a weekly basis for the PROSPECTS Monday Conservation Group and is joining the newly formed PROSPECTS Green Team.

He also voluneers at the One Planet shop which is a high street outlet offering a range of local, innovative, Fairtrade, ethical and sustainable products in Accrington. One Planet is a community benefit co-operative formed and funded by a group of volunteers.

on Fridays he undertakes activities such as tree planting or thinning together with making & installing bird boxes, benches and way-makers or charcoal making with Woody the woodland management social enterprise.

Both One Planet and Woody are supported by PROSPECTS under their Social Enterprise Development Initiative.

Michael fits in all his volunteering round his night shifts on the railways.
 

 

 

Anyone wanting to know more about volunteering with PROSPECTS can contact Michael Stapleford at The PROSPECTS Environment Centre, 54 Broadway, Accrington.  Tel 230348 for more information or email mike.stapleford@prospectsfoundation.org.uk

 

 

The Rise And Fall Of Personal Morality

 

Part Two

So just what is our ugly duckling guilty off, here's just some of the things that her greed and lack of moral and personal morality have caused:

Benefit fraud, suspected theft of documents and data from one employer for which she was dismissed for gross misconduct and legal action threatened. dismissed from two other employers for misconduct, council tax fraud. attempting to purchase a house by deception via a third person, holding money in a overseas bank account and not declaring it to DWP & HMRC, allegations of physical abuse by one of her children, theft of property.

The one  very clear thing that all those who have come into contact with our duckling are clear about is that she is very convincing, manipulative, and uses her morality with deadly results.

Common features of the behaviour of sociopaths -

Glibness and superficial charm, Manipulative and conning: they never recognise the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviours as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate ...their victims.

Grandiose sense of self: feels entitled to certain things as "their right."

Poor behavioural controls/impulsive nature: rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of love and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others.

 

Part Three To Follow