http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/ en-gb Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:13:19 GMT http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/March-2010/WINSTON-S-CHURCHILL-19402010.aspx http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/March-2010/WINSTON-S-CHURCHILL-19402010.aspx Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:27:30 GMT WINSTON S. CHURCHILL (1940-2010) – “A true patriot … generous, hard-working, an inspirational leader” The President of the United Kingdom National Defence Association (UKNDA), Winston S. Churchill, has died after a two-year battle with cancer. Winston Spencer Churchill was the grandson of Sir Winston Churchill and, like his grandfather, had pursued a career in journalism and politics. As a war correspondent he covered conflicts such as Israel’s Six Day War in 1967. He was a Conservative MP for Manchester (Stretford and later Davyhulme) from 1970 to 1997. In an echo of his grandfather’s long and sometimes lonely fight against the follies of disarmament and appeasement in the 1930s, he became the founder-President of the UKNDA in 2007. This group was formed to highlight the state of Britain’s chronically under-funded and over-stretched Armed Forces, and to bring pressure to bear on Parliament to increase the resources available for Defence of the Realm. The group was launched in November 2007 at the Churchill Museum in London’s Cabinet War Rooms. Alongside Mr Churchill at the launch were the founder-Patrons of the UKNDA: the former Foreign Secretary Lord Owen, and three former Chiefs of the Defence Staff – Admiral Lord Boyce, General Lord Guthrie and Marshal of the RAF Lord Craig. Under Mr Churchill’s leadership, the UKNDA has campaigned vigorously in support of Britain’s hard-pressed Armed Forces and has played a key role in pushing defence and national security higher up the political agenda. The UKNDA’s Chief Executive, Commander John Muxworthy, paid tribute to the Association’s President, with whom he had worked closely since the UKNDA was formed. Cdr Muxworthy said: “The death of Winston Spencer Churchill after a two-year protracted battle against cancer, bravely and doggedly fought, is a grievous loss to the UKNDA. ‘WSC’, as he used to sign himself, was our very first President. His untimely early death is a greater tragedy for the country which he served devotedly for many years. “As President of the UKNDA, WSC was generous, hard working, proactive, and an inspirational leader. A true patriot, WSC followed in the steps of his grandfather, Sir Winston, who, in the 1930s campaigned ceaselessly for this country to rearm in the face of the ever-growing threat from Nazi Germany. Eighty years on, ‘our’ Winston has been fighting the same battle. “WSC never faltered in his devotion and commitment to this country and its national and international interests. Our sympathies go out especially to his family who have supported him in his valiant struggle throughout, and especially in the final months when they were at his bedside at all times. “Farewell, Winston. If there is a Valhalla, you are surely there.” UKNDA Vice-President Colonel Bob Stewart added: “Winston was a thoroughly decent man and a great friend to me. I first got to know him 17 years ago and twice during that time I have asked for his help on behalf of other people who really needed assistance – and twice he gave it without reservation. By so doing he changed those people’s lives forever. He did that quietly and without a fuss. I shall miss him terribly. God bless Winston.” Shortly before his final illness, Winston Churchill wrote a powerful “Appeal to the Nation” highlighting the parallels between the UKNDA’s mission today and his grandfather’s crusade for rearmament in the 1930s. http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/March-2010/Challenges-of-exServices-personnel-returning-to-civvy-street.aspx http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/March-2010/Challenges-of-exServices-personnel-returning-to-civvy-street.aspx Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:29:55 GMT Challenges of ex-Services personnel returning to ‘civvy street’ thrown into the spotlight * Former senior British Army officer and best-selling author, Colonel Richard Kemp CBE raises the issues of the transition from military to civilian life Cuts in the Armed Forces budget will see a reduction of 20% in the number of service personnel over the next six years, putting even more pressure on the UK jobs market. The spotlight has fallen on how ex-service personnel can make the transition to civilian life. Former senior British Army officer and best-selling author, Colonel Kemp knows only too well the challenges facing military personnel returning to civvy street. As keynote speaker at a British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS) jobs fair on March 4 at the Garrison Sports Centre in Aldershot, Colonel Kemp says: “In my experience since leaving the Army, most former service people tend to very much undersell themselves. It is really important that they recognise the impressive range of skills and experience they have acquired in their military service so that they can market themselves to employers.” “Service leavers have so much to offer employers in civilian business. Their work ethic, self-discipline and adherence to the highest standards are much sought after outside. With the increasing profile of the armed forces in the Iraq and Afghanistan era, employers are often keen to take advantage of what former military people have to offer. But that doesn’t make it any easier, especially in the current jobs market, to secure employment. Service men and women still have to compete with large numbers of other highly talented job applicants,” he added. In terms of what service personnel can do to give themselves an edge over their civilian rivals, Colonel Kemp said: “It is equally important that they translate these qualities into language that civilian companies can understand. The CV is probably the single most important element in finding a new job, and far too often highly competent service people will miss out on opportunities because their CV does not properly reflect all that they can bring to an employer. “The same applies in the interview process. Military service breeds modesty and deference, which sometimes comes across as lack of confidence. During interview the service applicant must try to strike a balance. Without coming across as big-headed or cocky, they need to project themselves and the skills they offer confidently and forthrightly. If they don’t tell an interviewer how much of a match they are for the job, he will not be able to guess at it. You have to help them to help you.” Since leaving the Army Colonel Kemp has been very proactive in continuing to support Service personnel and their families. His efforts have included leading a campaign in 2007 and 2008 to recognise the sacrifice of British troops killed and wounded in action by the award of a medal similar to the US Purple Heart. It led to the creation of the Elizabeth Cross - a new award now made to the next of kin of British soldiers killed in action backdated to the end of World War 2. The British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS) event will bring together Service leavers, employers such as BAE Systems, Boeing, the AA, BSM, Airbus, EADS, Marstons, Security Networking Events, Rushmoor Borough Council, Hampshire Police, Civvy Street and The British Legion, training providers and service providers. This is the first of seven planned events over the next year, and is being supported by Leicester-based Gemini Forces which will donate 10% of the proceeds of the event to the Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation, which provides much-needed help for homeless ex-services personnel. Gemini Forces provides a help, advice and placement service to both Service Leavers and former Service personnel. Its director, Harry Dean, who served in the Army for 30 years, said: “Many ex-Forces personnel aren’t aware of the help they can access when making the transition to civilian life. For example, we come across many ex-services personnel who are not aware of the training packages they are entitled to. Gemini specialises in matching training packages with their aspirations and the skills they have already acquired in the military. A typical example is Royal Marine Commando Ben Bryan who has rebuilt his life and career after turning to Gemini for help. (see separate case study as follows). Case Study on ex-marine Ben Ryan Ben’s life turned upside down when he left the forces after ten year’s service, including tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ben unsuccessfully tried to run a juice bar business, but after things went wrong, Ben turned to the Marines again and was advised to speak to Gemini Forces about making the transition to civilian life. The Leicester company gave him vitally important advice on CV production and funding available for ex-Services personnel for training. With that funding, Ben trained in close protection work which has opened up a host of potentially lucrative opportunities. To date he has worked for international football stars at an exclusive villa complex in Ibiza and was part of the team that looked after the presenter for four weeks on the BBC’s Watchdog/Rogue Traders programme. Ben added: “I started thinking about the Marines again and the lifestyle I was missing and the close protection work is the ideal solution. I had low expectation levels of what I could do when I moved to civilian life but Gemini helped me focus on what I really wanted to do and opened up a whole new world. “The work I’m doing now gives the job satisfaction I longed for. Now I have my own place, a new car and more importantly I see my children for three solid weeks when I’m home. My wife and I are getting on so much better and we are also thinking of making a second attempt to rekindle our relationship and this is all thanks to Gemini which I will always remember and recommend to anyone who is lost in life.” Mr Dean added: “Ben’s story is not untypical of what we help ex-Services personnel achieve and we are delighted to have been involved in helping him re-build his career and life.” http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/February-2010/BFRS-announces-first-of-its-kind-job-fair-for-service-leavers.aspx http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/February-2010/BFRS-announces-first-of-its-kind-job-fair-for-service-leavers.aspx Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:20:07 GMT Gemini Forces and Drivers Direct, the UK’s leading ex-military recruitment companies working together as the British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS), will hold a groundbreaking free admission job fair and networking event for ex-forces people on 4th March 2010. The venue is the Garrison Sports Centre, Aldershot, Hampshire, and the interactive event will help past, present and future service leavers – as well as their job-seeking family members – access a range of support organisations and find meaningful employment. Neil Dean, Gemini Forces, Business Development Manager, says: “We are breaking new ground with this event as it will provide a superb opportunity for service leavers and their families to meet recruiters who are specifically looking for skill sets and experiences they will have gained during their military life. Not only have we companies exhibiting who are actively recruiting new staff, we will also have a range of support organisations at hand offering free advice ranging from financial through to fine-tuning the all-important CV.” Exhibitors will include BAE Systems, EADS, Airbus, the AA, BSM, Marstons, Security Networking Events, Rushmoor Borough Council, Hampshire Police, Civvy Street and The British Legion, with Drivers Direct and Gemini Forces also at hand to provide advice and consultation. The event runs from 14.30 to 20.30 on 4th March and the doors are open to other potential employers who would like to network with skilled job seekers. “Some service leavers may not want to take up full-time employment directly and so we will have organisations presenting gap-year opportunities for them to gain further experience and help them adjust to civilian life. This can be a good move for some. We’d encourage those who are thinking along these lines to come to the event to speak to Peak Leaders who will be able to talk to them about the exciting range of opportunities they have to offer for gap-year candidates,” adds Neil Dean. Throughout the day, free seminars and presentations will run alongside the exhibition. A free “curry supper” will be available at 17.30, preceding the keynote speech by Colonel Richard Kemp CBE who will talk about the ins and outs of transitioning from military to civilian life. For more information on this event see http://www.bfrss.org.uk BFRS/ Gemini Forces on 0845 308 2407 Neil Dean email@ neil.d@bfrss.org.uk Denise Taylor Bridge PR on 024 76 520025 e-mail: denise@bridgepr.co.uk http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/February-2010/Race-for-Heroes--Charity-Kart-Race.aspx http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/February-2010/Race-for-Heroes--Charity-Kart-Race.aspx Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:11:46 GMT The inaugural Help for Heroes Charity Kart Race will speed into Milton Keynes on Saturday the 27th February as stars from British Motorsport gather at the Daytona International Kart Circuit to raise money and awareness for the Help for Heroes Charity, by doing what they do best; racing. Your day shall comprise of breakfast on arrival for drivers, press and VIPs, fast paced action and entertainment during the 6hr endurance race, prize giving, auction and dinner. On 27th February, Daytona, Milton Keynes will reverberate to the sound of 17 kart engines all pounding round flat out. Nothing unusual in that you might think but in this case the 17 karts will all be driven by teams of celebrities as the circuit plays host to an amazing charity kart race in aid of Help for Heroes. The driver line up features drivers from all areas of British Motorsport. Some of the many drivers include BTCC favourites past and present Paul O’Neill, Stephen Jelley, Harry Vaulkhard, Steven Kane, Tom Onslow-Cole and Micky Doyle. There are also drivers from the BTCC support series including 2009 Formula Renault Champion Dean Smith and Clio Cup Champion Phil Glew. From F3, GT and sports cars come drivers such as Andy Meyrick, Callum Macleod, Phil Keen, Phil Quaife and Tim Bridgman. They will be competing against BSB riders, Simon Andrews and Gary Mason. It’s not only Motorsport stars among the drivers with Boyzone’s Shane Lynch, Tom Clarke from The Enemy and the boys from TV’s Dirty Sanchez among the other celebrities. The Armed Forces have an opportunity themselves to show off their driving skills with the addition of a soldiers team, lead by George Cross and Pride of Britain winner, Matt Croucher. Taking on all of these will be a team of top Girl racers, compromising of 2009 Ginetta Junior Champion Sarah Moore, 2009 Formula Renault Star Alice Powell, Dunlop Sport Maxx class B Champion Abbie Eaton, VW cup driver Anna Walewska and top karter Sophie Fisher. All 17 teams will be joined on the grid by the UK's top grid girls and one grid boy for the girl racers! Just three-hundred general public tickets will be available for sale at £30 each. It will be an all day event opening to the public at 10am. Parking on site is extremely limited and will have to be reserved in advance on a first come first served basis. There will be other parking available nearby for people who can’t be accommodated at Daytona itself. We look forward to what shall no-doubt be a brilliant day’s racing and the opportunity to raise money for this fantastic cause. Donations can be channelled through 'Virgin Money Giving'. The charity donations site Virgin Giving Money are preparing a web page for donations, which will be forwarded to Help for Heroes. We are endorsed by Help for Heroes, our reg. no with H4H,20091230-7688-5756 You pay direct to Race for Heroes Lloyds Bank Sort code: 30-97-41 Acc no. 30305160 Companies interested in sponsoring the event via branding at the event or on the karts, will benefit from the high level of media interest in the event. For public ticket availability please contact Jenny Hurford 01722-329226 For press and general enquires please contact Angie Taylor or Carolyn Mooney through race4heroes@live.co.uk Follow Race for Heroes on Twitter - @race4heroes Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=ts&gid=234971472683 www.race4heroes.co.uk If you would like to attend on the day please email and we'll book you in... hope to see you there! http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/February-2010/Gemini-Forces-launches-enhanced-recruitment-services-for-exservice-personnel.aspx http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/February-2010/Gemini-Forces-launches-enhanced-recruitment-services-for-exservice-personnel.aspx Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:41:38 GMT Gemini Forces launches enhanced recruitment services for ex-service personnel Service leavers are benefiting from an innovative recruitment service established by Gemini Resourcing called Gemini Forces. Uniquely run and staffed by ex-military personnel from all three services, Gemini Forces helps service leavers transition from HM Forces into civilian life by helping them find quality employment suited to their skills and ability. The company’s success rate enables it to actively support Forces charities by donating five per cent of its profits to help with their work. These include the Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation, which provides homes and rehabilitative support to vulnerable and disabled ex-servicemen and women, including those who have been homeless. Building on the work begun by its parent company in 2000 through successfully matching clients recruitment needs with appropriately skilled staff, Gemini Forces has evolved into one of the leading Military recruitment companies in the UK. Much more than a job posting agency, the company proactively meets the needs of its members with various groups and forums that provide different channels of advice to service leavers or those planning to leave HM Forces in the future. The Gemini Forces team is led by managing director Harry Dean, a Royal Artillery veteran of 30-year’s service. He is assisted by his son Neil Dean who spent 15 years in the Army and is the firm’s business development manager. Dominic Hamberg (ex-Army), Jessica Pugh (ex-RAF) and Tom Davies (ex-RAF), make up the rest of the team of highly experienced consultants and managers. “Gemini Forces has a clear mission to help services leaders gain suitable permanent, contract or interim employment. We ensure that our members meet the recruitment requirements of our clients, being qualified and fully equipped to do the job. Our processes ensure a smooth transition for candidates and employers alike and we constantly seek to keep prospective employers of the benefits of employing service leavers. These are people with exceptional, transferable skills who have personal integrity and pride themselves on reliability,” said Harry Dean. Together with Drivers Direct, Gemini Forces will be holding a job fair under the auspices of the British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS) on 4th March 2010 at the Garrison Sports Centre, Aldershot, Hampshire. Past, present and future service leavers are encouraged to attend as the event provides a great opportunity to meet with employers, training organisations and service providers. For more information on this event see http://www.bfrss.org.uk - Ends - About Gemini Forces Gemini Forces is part of Gemini Resourcing (UK) Ltd, Gemini provides a wide range of permanent, temporary, contract and interim solutions to an international client base. Harry Dean established Gemini Forces in March 2008 to provide a facility to help Service Leavers from around the world make the transition from Military to Civilian life. The parent company, Gemini Resourcing, has been successfully assisting the transition of Service personnel from Military to Civilian life for over 10 years, into a wide range of diverse employment sectors and levels. Gemini Forces brings you a complete portfolio of world-leading consultants that deliver value for money to all organisations across the globe. Our team tailors these offerings to meet the specific needs of individual clients, allowing clients to respond to the ever-increasing changes, by quickly providing talented people in various sectors. For further information, please contact:- Editorial – Denise Taylor (denise@bridgepr.co.uk), or Gary Lillistone (garyl@bridgepr.co.uk) at Bridge PR on 024 76 520025, or e-mail garyl@bridgepr.co.uk. http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/January-2010/Parachute-firm-wins-50m-deal-to-supply-France.aspx http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/January-2010/Parachute-firm-wins-50m-deal-to-supply-France.aspx Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:41:31 GMT A SOUTH WALES parachute manufacturer has secured a lucrative £50m contract with the French Ministry of Defence. US-owned Airborne Systems, which employs 300 at its European HQ at Llangeinor, near Bridgend, has secured a contract to supply a new parachute system for the French airborne forces. Over an undefined contract time period, the company will be responsible for the manufacture of more than 23,000 new troop parachute systems for the French airborne forces. The manufacturing of the parachutes will be subcontracted to a number of suppliers across Europe, but the project will be managed out of Llangeinor. The contract is with the DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement) procurement executive of the French Ministry of Defence. Airborne Systems would not disclose the value of the contract, but it is believed to be worth £50m. It comprises a combination of main and reserve parachutes, associated load-carrying equipment and training systems. The new parachute known as “Ensemble de Parachutage du Combattant” (EPC) is replacing the existing parachute system, which has been in service for more than 20 years. The new static line operated non-steerable parachute will be used for mass low-level air drops, both in day and night-time conditions. Airborne Systems will oversee the delivery of equipment and associated documentation to support packing, training and maintenance of the new system. Chris Rowe, managing director of Airborne Systems Europe, said: “Not only is this a major strategic breakthrough for us in France, but we have also reinforced our global leadership position in the parachute systems market. “We now have a firm foothold in mainland Europe, which will help us to increase our market penetration.” The company, already the major parachute supplier to the UK Ministry of Defence, has now won two major new troop parachute systems contracts in the last four months. Last October it won the largest of three contracts from the US Department of Defence to manufacture the new Airborne Systems design advanced tactical troop parachute system for the US Army – the T-11. In its last financial year to the end of March 2009, the Llangeinor business achieved a turnover of £28m. The new French contract is not expected to create jobs, However, despite the economic downturn, the operation last year recruited an additional 25 staff. Production at the factory is predominantly focused on the British military, but about 30% of its work is for foreign forces, including the Italian armed services. Formerly Irvin-GQ, it also manufactures and supplies a wide range of parachutes and emergency, rescue and survival equipment to the coastguard and civilian businesses http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/January-2010/RollsRoyce-seals-865m-RAF-jet-deal.aspx http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/January-2010/RollsRoyce-seals-865m-RAF-jet-deal.aspx Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:10:00 GMT The Government has unveiled an £865-million contract with Rolls-Royce to maintain engines for RAF fighter jets. Defence Minister Quentin Davies will officially announce the contract today, which will safeguard 500 jobs, at Rolls-Royce in Patchway after touring the plant. The 10-year deal will see Rolls maintain and service the engines which power the RAF's Typhoon jets. The Ministry of Defence has ordered 186 of the Typhoon jets, each of which is powered by two Rolls-Royce engines made in Patchway. About 30 of the jets have been delivered and are in active use by the RAF, in places including Afghanistan and the Falkland Islands. As well as securing jobs of 500 workers at Rolls, it also provides work for a further 2,500 jobs in the supply chain, including component makers and other firms in the West. The deal is the latest in a series of big contracts won by Rolls-Royce, which has 3,500 staff in Patchway, the UK base of the firm's defence aerospace business. In November, it won a £101-million deal with US planemaker Pratt & Whitney. The firm will supply the lift systems for another nine short take-off and vertical landing variant F-35B Lightning II aircraft. Engineers at Patchway will design and assemble the lift system, with some manufacturing also taking place in Bristol. In October, it struck a $90m contract by the US Department of Defense to provide support for the engines that power the US Navy's T-45 training aircraft. http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/January-2010/100bn-programme-to-build-thousands-of-offshore-wind-farms.aspx http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/January-2010/100bn-programme-to-build-thousands-of-offshore-wind-farms.aspx Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:58:36 GMT Bids for tenders for nine zones around territorial waters and the Continental Shelf were submitted to the Crown Estate, which owns the seabed to a distance of 22.2km off the UK coast. The opportunity has attracted some of the big energy players: Southern Energy, E.On and Scottish Power, as well as Norway's Statoil, Germany's RWE and Sweden's Vattenfall. It will create one of the biggest infrastructure projects for wind energy in the world, with construction beginning in 2014 at the earliest. "It's easy not to grasp the scale of challenge," says Benj Sykes, senior technology acceleration manager with the Carbon Trust. Taller than the Gherkin This is the third round of tenders for the construction of wind farm zones around the UK. But this time the project is huge. The turbines will be erected in water depths of up to 60m, compared with 25m for previous rounds. They will be positioned up to 205km off the coast, compared with 25km now. About a third of the country's energy will be provided by these new wind farm zones by 2020, experts hope. The areas put up for grabs this time are the Moray Firth, Firth of Forth, Dogger Bank, Bristol Channel, Irish Sea, Hornsea in East Yorkshire, Norfolk, Hastings in East Sussex and western Isle of Wight. The biggest site will be at the Dogger Bank zone, located about 100km off the East coast. In total, the farms will generate 25 gigawatts of electricity. Huge potential According to the British Wind Energy Association, the UK has potentially the largest offshore wind resource in the world, with relatively shallow waters and a strong wind resource extending far into the North Sea. Offshore turbines are difficult to maintain in bad weather The UK has been estimated to have more than 33% of the total European potential offshore wind resource, which is enough to power the country nearly three times over. Each of the new zones will each have a range of energy-producing capacity. The two smallest will be able to produce 500 megawatts each, two will have 5,000 megawatt capabilities and one, based at the Dogger bank zone, will have a capacity of 10,000 megawatts. To put this into context, an average coal or gas powered station produces between 1,000 and 1,500 megawatts. But offshore farms are more expensive to run. Per megawatt of stored energy capacity, a gas powered station costs £1m, a nuclear power station costs £3m and a wind farm costs £3m. However, a nuclear power station operates all the time, as opposed to only when the wind is blowing, so the offshore option works out as more expensive. If one of these turbines goes down, it could be out of action for the whole of the winter period Andy Cox, KPMG Offshore wind farms are arguably less of an eyesore than a power station or, indeed, an onshore wind farm. The benefits are clear. No-one can see the turbines out at sea, they do not make as much noise as their onshore cousins and they can be bigger, which means they can produce more energy. But they are far trickier to look after. "One of the biggest challenges to offshore wind farms is ongoing maintenance," says Andy Cox, energy partner at KPMG. "If one of these turbines goes down or experiences a technical failure in November, it could be out of action for the whole of the winter period, because they are difficult to get to." Job creation Overwhelmingly, wind turbines are manufactured in Europe, with very little activity in Britain. But this could change, as many see great possibilities for developing the industry and creating thousands of jobs off the back of the zone tenders. "It's a massive opportunity, if you look at what's happened with onshore manufacturing in Europe," says Charles Anglin from the British Wind Energy Association. Manufacturers are not going to invest millions of pounds if they think the market is risky Charles Anglin, British Wind Energy Association. "It's created 20,000 jobs in Denmark, 30,000 jobs in Spain and 80,000 in Germany. We have 6,000. If we build only 20 gigawatts of offshore wind farm capacity by 2020, and two-thirds of that is built in the UK, that could create 45,000 jobs," he says. Some ask why manufacturers would now be tempted to build turbines in the UK when they have been reluctant before. "We can get the government to put together an attractive enough package for manufacturers to invest in turbine factories in the UK, but these factories need to be based in ports. But many ports have been modified for the container industry and not manufacturing," says Charles Anglin from the British Wind Energy Association. But he says the government is taking this opportunity very seriously. "It's low-profile publicly, but there is a government taskforce talking to manufacturers. We anticipate a couple of manufacturers making decisions in the next few months to say where they are going to make the turbines." So how do you go about creating an environment in which people will readily invest? "We need a policy of stability, so manufacturers know that this market can take place. Manufacturers are not going to invest millions of pounds if they think http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/December-2009/Prince-William-spent-a-night-sleeping-rough.aspx http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/December-2009/Prince-William-spent-a-night-sleeping-rough.aspx Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:54:10 GMT The Prince, patron of Centrepoint, was aiming to raise public awareness of the homeless charity's work. But its chief executive - who joined William and his private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton on the sleep-out near Blackfriars bridge last Wednesday - revealed that a roadsweeper nearly ran them all over. Seyi Obakin, who had challenged Wills to experience being homeless for one night, said: "It was a scary experience out in the elements but the Prince was determined to do it." A photograph from the charity shows William - in trainers, jeans, hooded top and hat - standing next to Mr Obakin and their bedding. BITTER Mr Obakin said: "We took precautions - finding a secluded spot in an alley shielded by wheelie bins. "But there was no shielding from the bitter cold or the concrete floor or the fear of being accosted by drug dealers, pimps or those out to give homeless people a good kicking. "One of the hairiest moments was when we were almost run over by a roadsweeper. It shows how vulnerable rough sleepers are." The trio got little sleep and at 6am William, 27, was taken to see other homeless kids - and cooked breakfast for some at a charity centre. He said later: "I can't, after one night, even begin to imagine what it must be like to sleep rough on London's streets night after night. "But I hope that by deepening my understanding I can help the most vulnerable on our streets." His interest in Centrepoint, which has its 40th anniversary this year, was inspired by his mother Diana. She was also its patron and often took William and his brother Harry on her visits to the homeless. http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/December-2009/HSE-publishes-full-offshore-health-and-safety-statistics-200809.aspx http://www.GeminiForces.co.uk/News/December-2009/HSE-publishes-full-offshore-health-and-safety-statistics-200809.aspx Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:18:13 GMT HSE News Media centre Press releases HSE publishes full offshore health and safety statistics 2008/09 HSE publishes full offshore health and safety statistics 2008/09 Full and finalised offshore health and safety statistics for 2008/09 are now available on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website. The detailed report follows the release of 'headline' statistics in August and contains figures on injury, ill-health and dangerous occurrences (see notes to editors), including hydrocarbon releases, between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009. No workers were killed while working offshore during 2008/09 - the second consecutive year with no fatalities - and there was a fall in major injuries with 30 reported, a fall of 14 compared with 2007/08 figures. The combined fatal and major injury rate reduced to 106 per 100,000 workers in 2008/09 compared with 156 in 2007/08 and 146 in 2006/07. The highest number of injuries occurred during maintenance and construction work. The number of major and significant hydrocarbon releases, regarded as potential precursors to a major incident, also showed marked improvement with 61 in 2008/09 compared with 74 in 2007/08. In 2008/09 there was a small fall in the three-day injury rate with 496 workers per 100,000 reporting an injury, bucking the broadly flat trend over the previous seven years. Said Steve Walker, HSE's head of offshore: "Though these figures suggest the sector is getting safer, with both the combined fatal and major injury rate and major hydrocarbon releases at their lowest since HSE began regulating the industry, they cannot be taken in isolation. The tragic loss on 1 April 2009 of 17 workers in two separate air transport and maritime incidents - areas not regulated by HSE - is a stark reminder of the hazards of working offshore and the need to ensure they are carefully managed. "However, while continuing to work to minimise the potential for large-scale incidents, the offshore industry must not forget the risks to workers from every day activities such as lifting and carrying and maintenance work which were responsible for the vast majority of all offshore injuries during 2008/09." The offshore injury, ill health and incident statistics report 2008/09 can be downloaded free from the HSE website at: www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/statistics.htm[1] Alternatively, hardcopies can be obtained by contacting HSE on 0151 951 3156.