The Chairman will mention a range of recent items of news which may be of interest to Members
Minutes:
Great British Care Awards
Members were informed that the County Council had won the West Midlands regional award for promoting “Dignity in Care” based on the work done at Brighton House in Newcastle. In addition, Glenys Robinson OBE, one of the Council’s social care assessors, had won the “Outstanding Contribution to Social care Award”. Both of the aforementioned award winners would now go through to the national finals in the New Year. Brighton House was also shortlisted for the “Putting People First” award.
NHS West Midlands Health and Social Care Awards
The Chairman informed Members that the County Council had recently been awarded the “Excellence in Commissioning” award in the NHS West Midlands Health and Social Care Awards for the savings it had achieved in the cost of residential and nursing placements. The Council was also runner-up in the same category for the new “Memory Clinic” services it had commissioned to support people in the early stages of dementia.
Macmillan Cancer Support - World's Biggest Coffee Morning
The Chairman informed Members that, on Friday, 24 September 2010, she had hosted a coffee morning in the County Buildings in support of the Macmillan Biggest Coffee Morning Appeal. The event raised £374 and the Chairman extended her thanks to those Members and staff who attended the event for their support.
50 Years Service
Members were informed that the Chairman and Leader of the Council, together with the Chief Executive, hosted an afternoon tea for Marty Whitehouse from the Council’s ICT division who, on 3 October, completed 50 years service with the County Council. Marty had joined the Council in October 1960 and originally worked in the Data Prep team of the Treasurers Department where she was one of the first staff to be involved with IT in the Council preparing “punched cards” that were used to input data into the Councils first mainframe computer system.
Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
The Chairman informed the Council that, on 5 October 2010, she hosted afternoon tea in the Oak Room for volunteers from Douglas MacMillan Hospice, Katherine House Hospice, Landywood and District Volunteer Help Centre, SCALE and the National Memorial Arboretum who had recently been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. These five Staffordshire based volunteering groups were amongst 103 charities nationally to receive the Award this year in recognition of the outstanding contributions they had made to local communities by voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others. .
County of Staffordshire Rose
The Chairman informed the Council that, on Thursday, 23 September, she had had the pleasure of visiting Sandon Hall for the Staffordshire launch of the County of Staffordshire Rose. The rose was originally the brainchild of Brian Cox, a member of The Staffordshire Society. It took over ten years to produce and was officially launched at the Hampton Court Flower Show in June. The rose had already won gold, silver and bronze medals in various international trials.
Charity Music Show in aid of Help for Heroes – Council Chamber, Friday 26 November 2010
Members were informed that the Chairman was to host a Charity Music show in the Council Chamber on 26 November 2010 to raise money for her chosen charity, “Help for Heroes”. All the performers would be past or present Staffordshire County Council employees. The evening would take on a Victorian theme with members of staff dressed in Victorian costumes and the County Building dressed for Christmas. Tickets for the show were available from the Civic Office.