Fitting Response To Cancer Awareness

The Ulster Cancer Foundation is marking Breast Cancer Awareness month with the announcement that it will be extending its specialised bra-fitting service to the Dungannon area. The professional service is available, free of charge, to any woman who has had breast surgery. Women are able to call in for advice, try on a wide range of specialist bras and swim suits and purchase items at cost price. Every Thursday from 9th October UCF's popular bra-fitting service will be available from Cancer Choices, 29 Carland Road, Dungannon.

SF Urges All-Ireland Energy Policy

With electricity and gas prices set to rise Sinn Fein MLA and Deputy Chair of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Jennifer McCann, has stated that a cross-departmental and all-island strategy needs to be devised urgently to deal with the energy crisis in order to ease fuel poverty. Ms McCann said: "Sinn Féin have been meeting with various stakeholders and social partners on this pressing issue and will continue to do so in the coming days and weeks seeking their view and opinions on how best to tackle the energy crisis and the rise in the cost of living in order to reduce the burden on those who will find it hard to make ends meet. It's clear that the price hikes are out of sync with price rises in the south of Ireland, Britain and on the continent so why are we forced to pay the massive increase in costs of 19% in gas and 33% in electricity?" she questioned, noting that an all-Ireland energy strategy is needed. "Obviously sharing resources on an all-Ireland basis can help reduce costs," she insisted.

Private Eye For Trial

A private investigator is to face a court trial for allegedly getting unauthorised information from a police database. Anthony Griffiths, 57, of Dundonald Heights, was charged after a police officer - who has since died - was suspected of passing on personal details without permission. Details on vehicle ownerships, job history and previous convictions is alleged to have been obtained - without the "permission of the PSNI Chief Constable".

Doorstep Selling Regulated

New 'doorstep selling' regulations, which will increase NI consumers' rights, come into force today. Every year, millions of sales take place in homes across the UK. While the law has offered some legal protection for cases in which sellers turn up at consumer’s homes, without advance notice, there has previously been no protection for consumers in cases where the sales visit had been pre-arranged. From today, this will change with the introduction of the 'Cancellation of Contracts Made in the Consumer's Home or Place of Work Regulations 2008'. These new regulations will protect all consumers who buy products and services from traders at home, regardless of whether the sales visit was unannounced or pre-arranged. Where the goods or services cost over £35, consumers will have a seven day cooling-off period during which they can cancel the contract. Sellers must provide prospective buyers with written notice of these rights, along with a cancellation form. In Northern Ireland, the regulations will be enforced by the Trading Standards Service of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

Kitchens Refitted

Almost £300,000 will be spent on new kitchens for residents in east Belfast, the NI Housing Executive has revealed. Over 100 Short Strand tenants occupy two and three storey homes built in the mid-1980s. As part of the new £295,000 scheme the kitchen layout will be improved to provide additional space for kitchen appliances. Electrical and plumbing installations will be upgraded and new floor covering and mechanical extract fans will be provided. Tenants will be able to select their new kitchen units and work tops from a range of colours and finishes. The kitchens are being installed under the Housing Executive's EGAN style approach to planned maintenance - meaning the contractor will be working more closely with tenants to ensure a higher quality service.

Recycling Success

Recyclers in Derry City have had their blue bin scheme extended - following successful talks between the city council and contractors. Derry City Council will now accept aerosols and all used paper, except for shredded paper and window envelopes. Since April 2003 the council has operated a kerbside collection scheme whereby householders are able to recycle a variety of items including cardboard, cans and plastic bottles, newspapers and magazines. Waste Services Officer, Conor Canning, now says the scheme was subsequently extended to cover all domestic properties within the area - and to date over 20,000 tonnes of material, that would otherwise have gone to landfill, has been recycled.

(BMcC)