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The question of working out what you want to do for a living in life can often be a difficult one to address – but for young people considering joining the fire service the excellent Cadet scheme can help set them on their way.
The Northamptonshire Emergency Services Cadets helps to arm young people aged between 13 and 18 with some of the key skills they would need to join any of the emergency services – whether it’s as a firefighter, a police officer or a paramedic.
Cadets attend weekly sessions in term time to learn the skills of the trade, as well as volunteering within their local community to make a positive impact and take part in events and parades. When cadets turn 16 they can then specialise in one of the three emergency services.
Michelle Bates is the Youth Engagement Officer for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service and is the Unit Commander for the specialist Fire Cadets.
“I base the skills they learn on the on-call firefighter curriculum with a bit of a twist, because of course some things we can’t do for health and safety,” says Michelle.
“They will learn basic hose skills, getting water on in the drill yard, they will put up ladders and build dams, knots and lines. They have also been to Chelveston to our fire training centre where they have worn breathing apparatus and they have studied water rescue and road safety.
“All of the prevention messages that we like to get out into the community are instilled into our cadets, and hopefully they go away and tell their friends, colleagues and family about some of the things they have done and spread those safety messages.”
Michelle puts the cadets through their paces with the help of a small but dedicated team. There are ten volunteer leaders, nine Operational Youth Instructors and the fire service Prevention Team staff who help to assist. But it is helping young people develop their skillset which is of more importance than necessarily finding new recruits for the Fire Service.
She said: “There are a few in the current cohort that are interested in the emergency services and some of them currently have application forms in. But we can give them transferable skills which they can take into any working career. Things like team building and first aid for example, whichever job you choose to do you will need those types of skills. So, it’s hopefully something they can take away with them into their career, whether it’s in the emergency services or not.”
One cadet who does want to become a firefighter though is 18-year-old Bradley Roberts, from Kettering. Now in his second year specialising in fire, he says the cadet scheme gives young people like himself more confidence to take into their general lives.
He said: “I have done a lot of volunteering and have done training on animal rescue, water rescue and a drill yard supervision.
“I chose fire specialism because I have always wanted to be a firefighter. I want to help people on their worst days and be there for people when they need us. I just wanted to make sure that it was the right career and now I know it’s perfect for me.”
Asked whether he would tell other young people to sign up as a Cadet, he said: “Go for it. It’s amazing and you get lots of opportunities. It really boosts your confidence in every single way and you can continue to go along that career path if you want to.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Michelle Bates, who adds: “I may be biased but I think it’s a great opportunity for young people to do something different. I think the Cadets themselves enjoy the experience of doing something out of the norm, not just sitting on a games console for hours at a time. It’s really good fun, active and sociable – and we would love to see anybody new come along and find out whether it’s for them.”
To find out more about the Emergency Services Cadets, whether it’s signing up as a Cadet or becoming an adult volunteer leader within the scheme, please visit www.nescadets.co.uk
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24 March 2022
Performers, food vendors, stallholders, volunteers, and community groups are invited to take part in this year’s Northampton Pride which will take place in the Market Square on Sunday, 26 June from 11am to 4pm.
The event which is organised by the Northampton Pride Committee and West Northants Council’s LGBTQ+ and Allies Forum, celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and encourages acceptance and equality for all.
Previous celebrations have seen organisations such as Q Space, The Lowdown, Outlaws and Kinky Boots, Northampton Leisure Trust and Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust taking part by holding pop-up shops.
The Pride Parade, which has become a central part of the celebrations, will also be taking place as part of this year’s event, starting in the Market Square at 11am and finishing back in the Market Square, where live performances will be held.
Cllr David Smith, West Northamptonshire Council's Cabinet Member for community safety and engagement said: “Northampton Pride is a time to come together to celebrate and embrace diversity and inclusion across West Northants.
“We value the contribution all communities make to our county and having a local Pride festival sends a strong message that diversity doesn’t just exist in West Northants – it’s actively celebrated.
“It also sends an important signal that prejudice will not be tolerated. As a local authority we will continue to fight against all forms of discrimination and lead the way in promoting equality for everyone."
The event, now in its 5th year, offers local groups, organisations and performers the chance to show their commitment to creating a tolerant and fair society for all.
Cllr Smith went onto say: “Northampton Pride and its supporters have grown year on year, and I am looking forward to seeing lots of new faces getting involved this year."
Local bands, performers, small businesses, and residents who would like to take part in this year’s event can register their interest by emailing [email protected].
Northampton Pride is a free event that relies on the generous support of groups and organisations. Sponsorship opportunities are available to anyone who wants to support the event and demonstrate their commitment to inclusion for everyone.
For more details on what sponsorship packages are available, please email [email protected].
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25 March 2022
West and North Northamptonshire Councils are supporting the Government in its efforts to help resettle refugees from Ukraine.
Some of the details are still being worked through but it has been confirmed that once refugees have been matched with host families, they can begin the visa application process.
The Government is carrying out the visa checks and once these are cleared, applicants will be given leave to travel to the UK.
Local authorities are being provided with £10,500 per person relocated to their area, from which they will be required to cover a number of things including:
- Assessing the host properties
- Carrying out Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks on hosts – enhanced checks will be required for homes which will be hosting children or vulnerable adults
- Providing immediate financial assistance, potentially until access to benefits and work entitlement is arranged
- Continuing to support the household over the first 12 months and help with access to services and integration into UK systems and processes
Partner agencies are gearing up to help support on a number of other fronts such as access to health services, social care, and education.
“Our communities have an amazing track record in welcoming and supporting new people to the area, and this is no exception.Cllr David Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement, and Regulatory Services“I’m astounded by the kindness and generosity everyone is showing and I would urge people to think carefully about the commitment they are making in registering for the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.
“Many of us can only imagine the huge toll the war in Ukraine will be taking on its people, many of whom have been displaced by fierce fighting.
“Everyone who relocates here will have immediate needs which have to be met, and many will also have long-term support requirements as a result of their experiences.
“We and our partners will do all we can to help refugees through this extremely traumatic and distressing time.”
“We’ve all seen the images on the news of the devastation and chaos which is being wreaked on Ukraine, so it’s only right that we do what we can to support people seeking solace here in the UK.Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council“In times such as these the people of North Northants show tremendous generosity and kindness and the people from Ukraine will be made to feel very welcome.
“Of course, this resettlement will need to be done properly and in a co-ordinated way and that’s where we play a role in ensuring that both short-term requirements and long-term needs are met.”
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Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service have released a short series of films to coincide with Neurodiversity Celebration Week which runs from 21-27 March.
The next video in our series of films for Neurodiversity Celebration Week focuses on Dyslexia and features neurodivergent firefighters, police officers and staff talking about their personal journeys, reflecting on their strengths – problem solving, profound empathy and how valuable this is to the emergency services and to the communities they serve.
For Police recruitment opportunities, visit www.northants.police.uk/careers
For information on careers in the Fire Service, visit the Careers section on Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service – Making Northamptonshire Safer for all (northantsfire.gov.uk)
You can learn more about Neurodiversity Celebration Week and get you and/or your organisation involved here www.neurodiversityweek.com
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24 March 2022
Bin lorries, street sweepers, and other environmental services vehicles in the South Northants area of West Northamptonshire will be looked after by Cherwell District Council mechanics under a new partnership arrangement.
Cherwell’s mechanics will be looking after a fleet which includes 22 heavy goods vehicles, one road sweeper and 10 smaller vehicles, serving around 41,000 households and 600 businesses. The vehicles are similar to Cherwell’s own fleet, and so are familiar to their maintenance staff.
The decision to award the three-year contract to Cherwell was made by our Cabinet in December. It marks the resumption of a relationship that goes back to 2014, when Cherwell’s environmental services team went into partnership with South Northamptonshire Council.
The length of the contract means it will be up for renewal at the same time as the contract in the Daventry area with West Northamptonshire Norse. This will allow an opportunity to look at the future provision of services in the Daventry and South Northants areas at that stage.
A wider West Northamptonshire contract can only be looked at when the Veolia contract in Northampton comes up for renewal in 2027/28.