CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION SEE ***
Subject: Elf and Safety - Even God is not exempt
Daily telegraph
12th century Church retreat house faces closure because of health and
safety finest One of the Church of England's finest retreat houses,
which dates back to the 12th century, is facing closure because it can
no longer afford to pay for renovations to meet health and safety
regulations.
By Andrew Pierce
Last Updated: 12:59PM BST 01 May 2009
Launde Abbey Photo: LAUNDE ABBEY
Launde Abbey , which is set in 450 acres of Leicestershire countryside,
has been ordered to carry out £2.5 million of renovations to bring it
up to modern building standards or close to the public by September. For
the last 50 years the listed Tudor manor house, which boasts a large
Victorian walled garden, has offered spiritual retreats and a place of
quiet reflection. Jonathan Aitken, the former Conservative Cabinet
minister, sought sanctuary there shortly before he was jailed for
perjury in 1999. Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Dr
John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, have stayed at the house.
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Christians face discrimination in workplace, say church leaders
The abbey, which has raised £1.5 million through loans from the Church
of England, has now launched a £1 million appeal to bring the house up
to the standards required by health and safety legislation. If the money
is not raised by the beginning of September the doors of the Abbey,
which welcomes 20,000 people a year, will be forced to close for good.
The house, which has been extensively modified over the centuries, was
originally built on the site of an Augustinian Priory. The original
priory was founded in 1119. Thomas Cromwell, who was Henry VIII's chief
minister responsible for the dissolution of the monasteries, so liked
its position that he wrote in his diary "Myself for Launde".
But Cromwell never occupied the house as he was executed in 1540 for
treason in the same year work began on the house to replace the
demolished abbey. His son, Gregory, lived at the house with his wife
Elizabeth, the sister of Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII.
Some of its stained glass is medieval.
But now the trust that runs the abbey for the Church of England diocese
of Leicester and Peterborough has been ordered to rewire, update the
kitchens, dining rooms, and bedrooms. The house is also riddled with
exposed pipes and uneven floors and has to provide wheelchair access if
it is to remain open to 20,000 visitors each year.
Dr Rowan William appealed for support for the appeal. He said: "Launde
Abbey has been an oasis of peace, tranquillity, prayer and renewal for
thousands of people over the last 50 years. Retreat houses offer a
tranquil environment where we can pause and pray, finding spiritual
nourishment in our otherwise hectic world. Unfortunately, retreat houses
are disappearing at an alarming rate. Launde Abbey is one of the finest
we have, and must be preserved."
The appeal has so far received envelopes of cash from schoolchildren who
have given their pocket money. One visitor left a £10,000 cheque. Tim
Stevens, the Bishop of Leicester who is spearheading the appeal, said:
"It's a very fine Tudor building. We don't just want to see it shut up
because of health and safety reasons, as it's so much more than just a
building. It's helped thousands of people of all faiths and none get
away from it all to reassess and take a closer look at their lives. It's
one of the rare places today where people still have the space to think
about life's deep questions. It would be a great shame if we lost this
great house of retreat."
daily telegraph
Oxford librarians told to keep off top shelf
Students at Oxford University have been banned from reading books on the
top shelves of the Bodleian library because the step-ladders used to
reach them are against health and safety rules.
by Richard Savill
Last Updated: 5:42PM BST 08 May 2009Students at Oxford University have been banned from reading books on the
top shelves of the Bodleian library because the step-ladders are against
health and safety rules Photo: JOHN DOWNING The removal of the
step-ladders means that staff cannot reach works which are high on the
shelves of Duke Humfrey's library, the oldest reading room in the
building. Students said that they were being denied access to books,
some of which have been on the shelf for 400 years, which could prove
valuable to their research.
Kelsey Williams, 21, an art history student, was told he could not read
a copy of the book 'Delitiae poetarum Scotorum'; a history of Christian
persecution. The nearest known copy of the book was at the British
Library, in London. He said: "Access to these books is necessary for my
research and when I do eventually consult a copy, I will be forced to
waste a day travelling to London and looking at the one in the British
Library. "It is madness because I can practically see the Bodleian's
copy every time I walk into Duke Humfrey's." Students requesting books
on the top shelf are given a notice by staff which reads: "Unable to
fetch book kept on top shelf in gallery. Due to new health and safety
measures, step ladders can no longer be used." Laurence Benson, the
library's director of administration and finance, said the books were
accessed from a narrow balcony that is 400 years old and "quite uneven".
He said: "The balcony has a low rail and we have been instructed by the
health and safety office that this increases the risk to those on the
balcony. "As part of the process the restriction on the use of ladders
on the balcony has been introduced. "The library would prefer to keep
the books in their original historic location, where they have been
safely consulted for 400 years prior to the instructions from the Health
and Safety office." Mr Benson said the university was complying with
working at height regulations introduced three years ago. The
possibility of moving the books to another part of the library was being
considered, he said. The material in the books, including theology,
philosophy and astronomy, was available digitally, Mr Benson added. He
said: "It is madness etc etc The university said last night that it had
found another copy of the book Delitiae poetarum Scotorum in Oxford,
which meant Mr Williams would not have to travel to the British Library.
daily telegraph
Health and safety: police force sells motorbikes Northumbria Police is
getting rid of its £200,000 motorcycle fleet over health and safety
fears.
Last Updated: 2:55PM BST 07 May 2009
Comments 39 | Comment on this article
The decision to sell the bikes was made in order to 'maximise officer
safety' Photo: REUTERS The police force decided to sell off all the
Honda and BMW bikes after deciding that officers using them were
"particularly vulnerable to collision". The force has been criticised
for losing a valuable resource but senior officers have insisted that
the move will "maximise officer safety".
Russ Watson, chairman of Northumbria Police Federation, said: "There are
very few forces that do not have a motorcycle capacity. "Used in the
right context, motorbikes are an essential resource. They can get into
places that cars have difficulty getting to such as in heavy traffic."
One serving officer, who asked not to be named, added: "I guess with all
the health and safety red tape surrounding the police service these days
their days were always going to be numbered. "It's a great shame we
won't be able to use them any more – cars just aren't the same. Maybe
they'll offer us push bikes instead – as long as we can produce our
cycling proficiency test certificates, obviously " Defending the move,
Chief Superintendent Neil Mackay, head of Northumbria Police's
operations department, told Police Review magazine: "A decision was
taken on 7 April, with immediate effect, to dissolve the force's
motorcycle capability to maximise the safety of officers. "There will be
no loss of service to the public. Everything that can be done with a
bike can also be done with a car. "An additional benefit to the public
is that the money saved will be reinvested in neighbourhood policing."
Ch Supt Mackay said that the officers in the motorcycle section would
remain in motor patrol units. The force said that some of the motorbikes
had already been sold to another force while the remainder would be
stripped of their livery and sold at auction
daily telegraph
Officers injure each other by being too rough
Dozens of police officers have been injured after hitting each other too
hard while practising arrests.
By Tom Whitehead
Last Updated: 5:00PM GMT 26 Mar 2009
More than 70 members of one force have been badly injured during safety
training in just the last two years alone. Rank and file leaders warned
it was a nationwide issue and accounts for many officers suing their
forces.
Barbara Follett: Millionaire MP's £25,000 expenses on security over
safety fears Met Police officers and civilian staff suffered fractured
wrists and ankles, dislocated shoulders, cuts, bruising and sprains -
often because warnings about how hard to strike colleagues were ignored
during role-play exercises. Lord Harris, chairman of the corporate
governance committee, said: "It appears the most dangerous training an
officer can do is safety training." The injuries occurred as officers
practised carrying out mock arrests on each other and trying out batons,
handcuffs and CS spray. The study by the force's Human Resources
department and presented to the Metropolitan Police Authority corporate
governance committee called the injury toll "extraordinary". It
identified "horseplay" and "lack of skill" as among the main causes of
the injuries - which accounted for a fifth of all the 382 major
accidents caused to officers and civilian staff over the two-year
period. Neil Johnson, who sits on the committee, added: "Although
training has to be realistic, you do not need to walk away with a broken
leg. Or rather hop away." The report stated: "During any physical
training exercise, an individual student's decision to limit their
strength or dynamic actions according to the activity is not within the
direct control of the instructors. "Often warnings for limiting the
power for strike exercises are given, but not always heeded. Whether
because of horseplay, peer pressure or lack of skill, on occasions the
techniques being practised have caused injuries." Details of 382 major
accidents involving officers and staff were recorded between January
2007 and December 2008. The report showed 19 per cent, 72 in total, were
attributed to training, which included injuries suffered from physical
contact while using protective padding and while practising arrest and
restraint techniques. Others came during public order exercises and
motorbike and bicycle training. The Police Federation of England and
Wales said the issue is a nationwide problem and leads to officers suing
their forces. Paul Lewis, the federation's health and safety lead, said:
"A big percentage of civil claims from officers against forces come from
injuries sustained during officer safety training. 'We accept the
training has to be as realistic as possible, but there has to be a line
drawn when it goes beyond being a training scenario and becomes a
situation where someone can get injured." A Met Police spokesman said:
'All training is meant to prepare officers for situations that they will
face on the streets. Officer safety training by its very nature involves
physical contact, which carries a risk of injury." One officer, who
suffered a dislocated shoulder during a mock arrest, said: "It's called
safety training, but lots of the officers are a bit too gung-ho and
sometimes don't know their own strength. "I suffered a dislocated
shoulder and it was pretty painful I must admit."
daily telegraph
Caravan park bans washing lines because of 'health and safety hazard'
Holiday park staff have banned campers from putting up washing lines to
dry their towels and clothes because they are a "health and safety
hazard"
Last Updated: 3:22PM BST 06 May 2009
Sheerness Holiday Park, on the Isle of Sheppey have banned campers from
using washing lines as they are a health and safety hazard Photo: GETTY
The rule has been introduced at Sheerness Holiday Park, on the Isle of
Sheppey, Kent, even though there have never been any accidents caused by
washing lines at the site. However, staff fear that the lines could
cause guests to injure themselves.
"We want our washing lines back. These rules are ridiculous," said
Jackie Skinner, who is staying at the site. The site, run by Park
Holidays UK, boasts hundreds of chalets, caravans, cottages and
apartments – but washing lines are no longer allowed anywhere on site.
The company says guests can pay to dry their clothes in its launderette.
Park manager Donna Hough said the ban was part of the site rules, which
holidaymakers agree to abide by when they sign up. She added that staff
began strictly enforcing the rules when the new season began a few weeks
ago. "We are sorry if a few holiday home owners at the park feel
inconvenienced by our washing line restrictions – but our park rules
do make it clear that aerial clothes dryers and washing lines are not
permitted outside holiday homes," she said. "This is a very common
restriction on many holiday parks throughout the country, and certainly
applies without exception on all the 25 parks owned by Park Holiday UK.
"The reasons for the limitation are twofold. Firstly, we are keen to
maintain a neat and tidy appearance on our parks for the benefit of all
holidaymakers – and highly visible lines of washing are not consistent
with this policy. "Secondly, we have received professional advice that
the washing lines themselves, not always readily apparent when not in
use, could constitute a health and safety hazard to guests – and to
children in particular who we actively encourage to act their age by
running around and playing on the grass areas. "However, we are
certainly not leaving our holiday homes owners hanging out to dry.
"Self-attaching window dryers are perfectly acceptable, and the park
provides a fully equipped launderette with drying machines which most
people prefer to use as they achieve quicker results." However
holidaymaker Louisa Rahman said her contract did not mention anything
about washing lines. She said: "Some people think they know everything
about site rules, but I have a copy of the old rules saying nothing at
all about washing lines. "They do say we can't have barbecues because of
burning down your caravan, which is fair play, but how the hell can you
hurt yourself with a washing line?" Aggrieved park visitors have now
even started their own Facebook group – Sheerness holiday park...
rebels against the rotary line ban – to vent their annoyance. Nicola
Budds posted on the site: "Everyone should just rebel and put their
washing lines up. What are they going to do? Get rid of everyone on
site?"
daily telegraph
Caravan park bans washing lines because of 'health and safety hazard'
Holiday park staff have banned campers from putting up washing lines to
dry their towels and clothes because they are a "health and safety
hazard"
Last Updated: 3:22PM BST 06 May 2009
Sheerness Holiday Park, on the Isle of Sheppey have banned campers from
using washing lines as they are a health and safety hazard Photo: GETTY
The rule has been introduced at Sheerness Holiday Park, on the Isle of
Sheppey, Kent, even though there have never been any accidents caused by
washing lines at the site. However, staff fear that the lines could
cause guests to injure themselves.
"We want our washing lines back. These rules are ridiculous," said
Jackie Skinner, who is staying at the site. The site, run by Park
Holidays UK, boasts hundreds of chalets, caravans, cottages and
apartments – but washing lines are no longer allowed anywhere on site.
The company says guests can pay to dry their clothes in its launderette.
Park manager Donna Hough said the ban was part of the site rules, which
holidaymakers agree to abide by when they sign up. She added that staff
began strictly enforcing the rules when the new season began a few weeks
ago. "We are sorry if a few holiday home owners at the park feel
inconvenienced by our washing line restrictions – but our park rules
do make it clear that aerial clothes dryers and washing lines are not
permitted outside holiday homes," she said. "This is a very common
restriction on many holiday parks throughout the country, and certainly
applies without exception on all the 25 parks owned by Park Holiday UK.
"The reasons for the limitation are twofold. Firstly, we are keen to
maintain a neat and tidy appearance on our parks for the benefit of all
holidaymakers – and highly visible lines of washing are not consistent
with this policy. "Secondly, we have received professional advice that
the washing lines themselves, not always readily apparent when not in
use, could constitute a health and safety hazard to guests – and to
children in particular who we actively encourage to act their age by
running around and playing on the grass areas. "However, we are
certainly not leaving our holiday homes owners hanging out to dry.
"Self-attaching window dryers are perfectly acceptable, and the park
provides a fully equipped launderette with drying machines which most
people prefer to use as they achieve quicker results." However
holidaymaker Louisa Rahman said her contract did not mention anything
about washing lines. She said: "Some people think they know everything
about site rules, but I have a copy of the old rules saying nothing at
all about washing lines. "They do say we can't have barbecues because of
burning down your caravan, which is fair play, but how the hell can you
hurt yourself with a washing line?" Aggrieved park visitors have now
even started their own Facebook group – Sheerness holiday park...
rebels against the rotary line ban – to vent their annoyance. Nicola
Budds posted on the site: "Everyone should just rebel and put their
washing lines up. What are they going to do? Get rid of everyone on
site?"
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