THANKS, JANE

JANE HARRIS, the Director of Grants at The Steve Morgan Foundation, is retiring from her role at the end of July

Following a 17-year tenure at the charity, Jane will continue her longstanding association by immediately joining the Board of Trustees

Jane has been integral to the development of the Foundation, starting as the sole employee and managing its growth into one of the UK’s leading foundations today

She has built lasting relationships with many charities and organisations across the UK and was also behind the annual conference and awards events, which have seen numerous charities recognised for their excellent work

Commenting on Jane’s service to the charity, founder and chairman Steve Morgan CBE, said: “When the history of n is written, it will largely consist of the history of Jane Harris and her leadership She has been at the absolute centre of the work of the Foundation for the past 17 years and has been responsible for developing and maintaining our exceptional network

“During her tenure, some of Jane’s most notable achievements include the Community Match Challenge, where £20m was awarded to over 120 organisations and individuals across Merseyside and Cheshire within a period of just 59 days

“Jane has also played a key role in the Cradle to Career scheme, which has cumulatively been awarded over £6m for improving children’s literacy standards across North Birkenhead and the Liverpool City Region

“We can’t thank Jane enough for her commitment over the years and we are delighted that ,she will continue to support us by joining our Board of Trustees ” Jane said: “Through my work at the Foundation, I have been lucky enough to meet many people doing extraordinary things that truly change lives

“It has been an honour and a privilege to work with so many incredible charities over the years, to help them grow and make a real difference to our local communities

“I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the dedicated team at the Foundation, as a member of the Board, and seeing our CEO Liam Eaglestone continue to steer the charity towards an even brighter, more promising future ”

GOOD INNINGS: Ten years of Mel’s dulcet tones

Covid shielders denied vote at poling stations

THOUSANDS of people with long-term health conditions are likely to have lost the right to vote in May’s local elections, it is claimed

Scores of people with compromised or suppressed immune systems contacted a campaign group to say they had not been able to vote because of the new voter identification laws

They wear masks because they are still shielding from Covid-19, but as voters in England must now show photographic identification, they were required to remove them

Some reported distressing arguments with polling station staff – with some being turned away and denied a vote

The experiences were related to Evusheld for the UK, which campaigns for the drug Evusheld – said to offer protection from Covid-19 – to be funded in the UK

Co-leader, Mark Oakley, said: “To stand in front of someone in an enclosed space, you don’t know if they are Covid-positive or not, and to take your mask off is something a lot of people are not willing to do because of the increased risk if they contract Covid ”

What d’you say . . ?

TAKING steps to tackle hearing loss could significantly reduce your chances of developing dementia

Alzheimer ’s UK has joined forces with hearing aid makers to urge people to have regular tests and get any concerns checked out with GPs

The call comes after a study found use of hearing instruments was associated with a 32% lower prevalence of dementia

Dr Susan Mitchell, from Alzheimer ’s Research UK, said: “While there’s no sure-fire way to prevent dementia, which is caused by a complex mix of our age, genes, and lifestyle, we know there are steps we can take to reduce our risk

“Research has shown that people with unaddressed hearing loss are FIVE TIMES more likely to develop dementia than those without hearing loss ”

Dr Mitchell added: “It is essential that any perceived barriers to getting a hearing check are minimised

“We believe that integrating a hearing check within the NHS Health Check, freely available for over 40s in England, is one potential way to do this ”

OWZAT!

Mel at work and “living life to the full”