Central Drive assault: Man sought

Morecambe Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a man was assaulted as he walked home from a night out last month.

The offence took place around 2.15am on Sunday 29th January when the 38-yearold victim from St Helens was walking along Central Drive.

He was approached by two men very close to the bottom of Billy Hill when he has been assaulted and knocked to the floor.

He suffered facial injuries including a black eye and swelling to his cheek and was treated at Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

PC Ben Hanley said: “This victim was subjected to a completely unprovoked assault which took place near to a residential area, so I would urge anybody that has seen or heard something in the early hours of Sunday 29th January to come forward.”

Anyone with any information should call Lancashire Police on 101.

• People with information can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or on-line at Crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

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Female student "groped" in Galgate attack

Lancaster Police are appealing for information after a 20-year-old student was groped whilst she was out walking in Galgate on 29th January 2012.

The incident took place around 3.30pm on Chapel Lane when a teenage boy, who was in the company of four other youths, ran after the victim and engaged her in conversation before groping her breast and slapping her bottom.

The group, three boys and two girls, were hanging around the steps to the cemetery at the time of the offence.

The boy responsible is described as white, aged between 13 and 15, slim build with short light brown hair and a grey and white matching tracksuit.

PC Nikki Kay said: “I would appeal to anybody that saw the group of youngsters in the area at the time of incident, or with any information to come forward,

“The victim was not hurt but obviously felt violated and this type of behaviour is not acceptable.”

Anyone with any information should call Lancashire Police on 101.

• People with information can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or on-line at Crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

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Black & Asian NHS Organ Donor Register Appeal

Shobna Gulati

North West celebrities Shobna Gulati, of Coronation Street, Tony Morris, of ITV Granada Reports, and Ricky Whittle, of Hollyoaks, are backing NHS Blood and Transplant’s new campaign to urge more Black and Asian people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Jane Monks, Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation at NHSBT, said:  “Transplants can be carried out between people from different ethnic groups, but an organ is more likely to be a close match, and as a result a transplant is much more likely to be successful, if the donor and recipient have the same ethnic origin. Becoming an organ donor means that you could help save or enhance up to nine lives.

“It is vital that more Black and Asian people join the NHS Organ Donor Register. The message is quite simple – more Black and Asian patients will have the opportunity to receive a life-saving transplant if more people from those communities join the Register."

 Currently, 18 per cent of patients awaiting organ transplants in the North West are of  Black and / or Asian ethnic origin. This demographic accounts for almost two per cent of people who have signed the ODR.

Ricky Whittle

Offering his support for the campaign actor Ricky Whittle of Hollyoaks/Strictly Come Dancing fame said: "Tragically, numerous people die whilst waiting for an organ transplant due to the shortage of donors in the UK.

"In particular, Black, ethnic and rare blood groups can be forced to wait an average of three years or more to receive a kidney transplant among other life saving operations. I urge you to raise awareness of this shortage. Think about organ donation, think about saving lives. Join the NHS Organ Donor Register today.

"Encourage family members to honour and respect that decision to ensure the gift of life is passed on. Be the reason loved ones across the UK are given a second chance, wouldn't you want that for yours? You have the power to save lives, make a difference."

Actress Shobna Gulati who plays Sunita in Coronation Street added: “I used to think that organ donation was a difficult decision to make but then I realised you can leave a tangible legacy, and it's actually really straightforward. For our communities, putting your name on that Register could make a real difference. Just do it and encourage your family and friends too - we can all help save lives."

Tony Morris, ITV Granada Reports presenter, said: “I've been on the NHS Organ Donor Register for a number of years and I strongly believe it's something everyone should do. The shortage of donors in Black and minority ethnic communities is a problem that won't go away until people come forward.

"A few months ago we covered a story on Granada Reports about a little boy who's dying wish was to donate - and his totally selfless gesture meant another five people could live. If I can help just one person in that way I'll be honoured. Please sign up because you could make a real difference."

Between April 2010 - March 2011, more than 7,300 organ and cornea transplants (3,740 organ and 3,564 cornea transplants) were carried out in the UK, thanks to the generosity of deceased and living donors – the highest on record.

• Everyone can join the NHS Organ Donor Register - just visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk or www.facebook.com/organdonationuk, or call the NHS Donor Line on 0300 123 00 00 or text ORGAN to 64118.

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Snaps & Sugar, Snails & Spice: Children's Film Festival

Lancaster Children's Film Festival returns from Wednesday 15 - Saturday 18th February. Its aims are simple: bringing great films to the city to entertain, and hosting workshops and classes to engage and educate children about film making and the artistic disciplines behind it.

Aimed at young people of all ages, the Festival features a packed programme of films, workshops and special events held at venues all across Lancaster. The films shown will range from shorts to live action and animated features, including some classic family favourites and international screenings.

The Thursday sees two children's workshops advertised, both running from 10am:

Pirate Day

Pirate Day, at the Maritime Museum, features pirate tales and a workshop on animation techniques that will produce a short film.

Princess Day, at Lancaster Library, features the singing of princess songs and making a princess puppet to take home.

Princess Day

A cynic might think that the two workshops might be promoting some kind of gender divide along the old school lines, where the boys make the movies and the girls look pretty and sing in them. But no way, a spokesperson for the Film Festival told us:

"We are committed to stirring the imagination and creativity of all children, young and old, girls and boys. You will have seen that our selected themes, inspired by the films we are showing, range from monsters (Go Wild Toddler Morning) to detectives, with pirates and princesses in between. We encourage anyone interested to come along. The Pirates and Princess Days are not aimed solely at boys and girls respectively. Anyone can be a princess, or a pirate, or a detective or a monster, it only takes a sprinkling of imagination.

"The workshops build on the themes of the films we are showing, and explore the use of puppetry and animation in film-making. Puppets have been used in a wide variety of films, famously in Jim Henson’s Sesame Street, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth; the British Thunderbirds Are Go and more recently in a Scandinavian-British film Strings. These films have portrayed humans, muppets, goblins and mystical creatures. Time permitting, workshop participants will be making short films in both the puppet and animation workshops."

So if your little boy or girl fancies trying their hand at being an effects puppeteer or an animator, (or a cut-throat or singing princess) a sprinkling of imagination is how they roll.

There's more good stuff on at the Film Festival; lots of great children's films, of course, a Detectives Day, an Imagination Day, a big Movie Music Morning on Saturday for young musicians and a big Pyjama Party on Saturday for the Closing Gala.

You can find the full programme of  Lancaster Children's Film Festival events day by day in the Virtual Lancaster events calendar and at http://www.lancasterchildrensfilmfestival.co.uk.
You can purchase tickets online, and at events.
Tickets to the Closing Gala will also be on sale at the Dukes Box Office tel: 01524 598500.

Day passes and festival passes available.

- Child Festival Pass (Opening Gala film, 3 day passes and Closing Gala, a total of 6 workshops and 5 films) £40

- Adult Festival Pass ( 5 films including the Opening and Closing Galas) £17.50

There are also tickets to individual events and Child Day Passes for each day (which include entry to 2 workshops and then you can attend the afternoon film for free!) Please see the website for full details.

Alongside the festival, the Dukes will be running 'How to Make a Monster Movie in Five Days' - a crash course in filmmaking for 11 to 14-year-olds which takes place from 13-17th February.

• Visit http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/film/how-to-make-a-monster-movie-5-days for more and see previous story  http://virtual-lancaster.blogspot.com/2012/01/monster-fun-for-half-term-at-dukes.html

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Lancaster Pride 2012?

Will there be any Lancaster Pride Celebrations this year? Lancaster University student Ellie Best is keen to find out if anyone is interested in getting together to plan a community celebration of local Lesbian / Gay / Bisexual / Transgendered  (LGBT) groups and individuals in Lancaster this year.

Ellie would like to get in touch with any local groups, organisations or individuals who might be interested or who may already have plans afoot.

If you are interested in getting involved in a Lancaster Pride 2012 event or maybe just in finding out more, please email lancaster.pride@hotmail.co.uk,

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