July 9, 2009 by deborahdunleavy
Deborah with Vernon
Deborah and Vernon Kay at Bolton University
I’ve just got back from Bolton University’s Awards Ceremony in The Victoria Hall. I was invited as a VIP guest and was most certainly looked after by their wonderful staff. I was seated on the front row next to Vernon Kays lovely parents and his beautiful little girl Phoebe who’s only 4 years old and sat their for 2 hours.
Vernon was awarded an honoury doctorate and was incredibly proud in fact so much so he was tearful on giving his thanks.
There was also a packed hall of very proud friends and family who were there to see their sons/daughters/friends receive their honour. This was our town at it’s best!
I was then treated to a very nice lunch back at the University in The Chancellor’s Building. My thanks go to the Vice Chancellor George and all his staff for making such a lovely day run so smoothly for all concerned. Here I am pictured with Vernon at lunch.
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July 7, 2009 by deborahdunleavy
Deborah Pictured With Maria Along With Young Cameron Who Was Visiting Oxford Grove Children's Centre
Yesterday Maria Miller MP the Shadow Minister for Families came to show her support for me in Bolton.
This was to reassure not only the users of the Children’s Centres but the staff. It looks like we are to have a dirty campaign from the Labour Party in the run up to the General Election – no surprise there then!
As you can see we are committed to supporting families in Bolton. Below is the press release that appeared in today’s Bolton News;
BOLTON’S Sure Start children’s centre are key to strengthening family life, according to a leading Conservative MP.
Maria Miller, the shadow families minister, visited centres in Crompton, Oxford Grove and Leverhulme Park to see the good work which goes on.
Her visit, organised by Bolton North East parliamentary candidate Deborah Dunleavy, was to reassure parents that the Tories would not close the centres if they swept to power at the next General Election, despite Labour literature claiming otherwise.
Mrs Miller said: “The Sure Start Centres are at the very heart of our policies on strengthening families. We do want to see the investment in the centres work harder and raise awareness that they exist for more than just simple childcare.
“We want to provide more health workers as part of our policy and it was pleasing to see the centres in Bolton already engage health professionals in their work.”
Last month, Ms Dunleavy hit out at a leaflet circulated by Labour MP David Crausby which said the centres would be axed under a Tory government.
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June 29, 2009 by deborahdunleavy
Last weekend saw the celbration of The Barlow Institute Centenary in Edgworth. This is a fabulous building donated to the community for the use of the community.
It’s in constant use for everything from children’s parties, to computer courses for the retired to WI and youth clubs. The villages of Edgworth and Chapeltown celebrated for the whole weekend with various events in both the Institute Building and The Cricket Club.
On Sunday there was a procession of floats amongst them one from Edgworth Brownies which my daughter Scarlett was on. Here she is pictured 2nd from the right along with friends Jess, Tara and Sarah.
The Brownie Float
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June 29, 2009 by deborahdunleavy
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Scarlett recieves her winner’s medal
My daughter Scarlett won the 100m sprint final for the second year on the run.
Here she is being presented with her medal from Mrs Richards, the headteacher.
Sports day was a great event with all the junior girls taking part in various
activities from relays to throwing competitions, long jump and of course the
sprint finals. All the parents were also treated to a great day by the PTA who
were serving fruit punch and lots of homemade cakes. Also, congratulations to my
other daughter, Isabella, who came fifth in her 100m sprint final. Isabella was
heartbroken at coming fifth but I thought she did brilliant as this was from a
total of 50 girls in her year – so well done Isabella!
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June 26, 2009 by deborahdunleavy
L to R: Richard Cort, Co owner of Zest and local businessman, Deborah Dunleavy, Philip Hammond MP, Susan Williams
Yesterday, along with the prospective MP for Bolton West, Susan Williams I met with Philip Hammond MP. Philip is the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
We met with 20 key business people from Bolton for a working lunch, to hear about their concerns on the economy and the financial challenges caused by the current economic climate. The business people present represented Heads of Industry, Retail, Lawyers, Accountants, Financial Services and Engineering.
Mr Hammond said, ”It was a highly constructive meeting which gave me an opportunity to hear the thoughts and concerns of local business people from across Bolton. It was also an opportunity for me to share my thoughts on the economic issues that the UK is going to face in the future, as well as an opportunity to endorse the excellent work that both Deborah and Susan are doing in their respective campaigns”
I have to say it was a real privilege to have Philip here in Bolton. He demonstrated what a superb Minister he will be once a Conservative Government is in place. He was quizzed on all aspects of the economy by the business people present who left feeling he was a man of great expertise and knowledge.
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June 25, 2009 by deborahdunleavy
Last night I went to the Take That concert at Old Trafford Cricket ground. It really was an amazing night. It wasn’t just an ordinary concert but a total extravaganza of an evening. I met a few friends there who had I think been dragged there by their wives or girlfriends but ended up absolutely loving it – you just couldn’t help but be impressed by ‘The Circus Show’, as it was called. I would certainly jump at the opportunity to go again. Unfortunately Mark who had got the tickets for me was unwell – but here I am with a group of friends loving the evening in his absence. Sorry Mark!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Manchester, Music, Old Trafford, Take That, The Circus | Leave a Comment »
June 22, 2009 by deborahdunleavy
Yesterday I was at the Lowry to take part in the Andy Crane show for BBC Radio Manchester. This is a two hour show which reviews the Sunday newspapers and is broadcast live from the fabulous Lowry Theatre.
I was in great company with the singer Chris Ford, and the comedian Nick Fraser. We talked about all the news of the day from MPs expenses, the competition for the Speaker of the House and the invasion of Simon Cowell’s box at Ascot by Anthea Turner.
It’s always a fun day and Andy Crane is always an excellent host. Once I finished I went home to roast lamb cooked by Mark on Fathers Day – not fair I know!
Posted in Community | Tagged Andy Crane, Anthea Turner, MP Expenses, Radio, Royal Ascot, Simon Cowell, Sunday Papers | Leave a Comment »
June 21, 2009 by deborahdunleavy
Here I am pictured on Scafell Langstrath with our group of happy wanderers
I went up to the Scafell Hotel this week to support an event there my sister was hosting for a local breast cancer charity event called Lily. To date they have raised £49,000 and supplied two digital scanners to their local hospital.
The event was a great success and enjoyed by all who attended. It took the form of Ladies Day at Royal Ascot and a tote was run with half the profit from all the races going to the charity. I stayed overnight and took advantage of my surroundings by walking up Langstrath with some friends the following day. We all got rather wet but it’s just great to get out in the wonderful countryside, that the Lake District has to offer.
Posted in Charity | Tagged Breat Cancer, Charity, Lake District, Lily, Scaefell Hotel | Leave a Comment »
June 12, 2009 by deborahdunleavy
A surge in council tax appeals in Bolton reveals systematic over-charging by Government Gordon Brown and his Ministers are deliberately covering up serious problems over the banding of homes for council tax
New figures have revealed that Whitehall’s council tax snoopers have been forced to redo the council tax bands of thousands of homes after appeals by householders across Bolton and the country.
Official papers from Gordon Brown’s council tax inspectors, the Valuation Office Agency, have admitted that many homes are in the wrong band for council tax and families have been paying over the odds for years. Accidentally leaked minutes have confessed that if the tax errors became known, the Government would lose money and would have to pay tax refunds. This was also ruled out since it would generate “adverse press coverage… in the current climate”.
The combination of a campaign by ‘Money Saving Expert’ Martin Lewis, the publication of these leaked minutes and an ITV Tonight documentary, has produced a surge in council tax appeals. Now Parliamentary Questions have forced the Government to publish detailed figures on the changes to council tax bands.
In the last three years, 190,000 existing homes have had their council tax band changed: 133,985 homes have moved down a band. In Bolton 548 homes have moved down a council tax band as a result of appeals. This proves there are serious and systematic errors in the banding of homes, which Ministers have been covering up to save money. The Labour Government has been caught red-handed fiddling council tax to make families in Bolton and across the country pay more. Whitehall bureaucrats know that many homes across the country are wrongly banded, but have refused to correct the tax inspectors’ errors to save the Government money and save face.
The whole basis of our tax system is undermined if the state conspires to over-charge the public. Labour Ministers only want to reform the council tax system if it rakes in extra cash for Gordon Brown’s coffers.
Posted in Community, Council Tax | Tagged Bolton, Council Tax Banding, New Labour | Leave a Comment »
