Rewards for healthy eating

More Hull schoolchildren are eating healthy meals thanks to a scheme which rewards them with prizes for choosing healthy options.
Under the 'PukkaStuff' scheme, pupils collect points for each healthy meal they have, and can turn them into rewards including mobile phone vouchers, music downloads, discounts on days out and tickets for local leisure centres.
The schools involved are: Andrew Marvell Business and Enterprise College, Kingswood College of Arts, Pickering High School Sports College, Sir Henry Cooper, Hull Trinity House and Winifred Holtby School Technology College.
Pupils participating in the scheme collect the rewards by logging on to www.pukkastuff.co.uk

Elaine's on the box

Mrs Elaine Moore, of west Hull, was the lucky winner of a 32" HD-ready flat screen TV, after being first out of the hat of 849 entries in a competition put on by Hull City Council during National Customer Service Week.
The week, held to raise awareness about the value of customer service, involved senior council staff, including chief executive Kim Ryley, going 'back to the floor' and working in some of the city's nine customer service centres (CSCs).
Meanwhile, CSC customers were invited to give their views on how council services could be improved, and their questionnaires were entered into the draw for the TV, donated by Equanet.
You can access more than 130 council services through CSCs. See page 3 for contact details.

Targeted support

Children and families of prisoners at Hull Prison are receiving help to ensure they do not miss out on vital services.
During visitor times at the prison, employees of Hull City Council's children and young people's services, parenting practitioners, and staff from children's centres in Hull have talked to families about their needs and informed them of support they may be entitled to.
This includes advice on housing, schools, social services, state benefits and childcare.
"Children and families of prisoners are often disadvantaged through no fault of their own," said Nigel Richardson, director of children and young people's services.
"This initiative targets those who may have difficulty finding the help they need."

Have your say

Residents in Hull have the chance to comment on the quality of their local parks and say how well they feel they are being maintained by completing an online questionnaire.
GreenSTAT is a website that gives park users the chance to say what they like and dislike about parks and open spaces and make suggestions about how they can be improved.
The feedback will be used by Hull City Council to help improve its services.
The website is provided by GreenSpace, a national charity dedicated to promoting better planning, design, management and use of parks throughout the country.
For more information on Hull's parks and gardens visit www.hullcc.gov.uk and to give your views visit www.greenstat.org.uk

Free legal advice

More than 100 people a week are receiving free legal advice at the city's brand-new Community Legal Advice Centre (CLAC).
Based in Essex House, Manor Street, in the city centre, the CLAC's legal experts give face-to-face advice on a wide range of issues, including employment, benefits, family, education and immigration matters.
But so far the most common issues being dealt with are to do with debt and housing.
One of the first of its kind in the country, the CLAC is a partnership between Hull City Council and the Legal Services Commission.
It opened on October 20, although its official opening ceremony will be held on December 9.
Residents can also access advice from the CLAC through the council's nine customer service centres, although advice on criminal matters is not available.
Contact 300300 or email welfare.rights@hullcc.gov.uk

Commitment recognised

Hull City Council employees Rob Pritchard (left) and Elaine Street receiving the COMPACT award at Downing Street from Sir Bert Massie, commissioner for the COMPACT

The commitment of Hull City Council staff to making Hull a better place to live has been recognised by a clutch of top awards.
For the second year running the council received a government COMPACT award for its close partnership working with the community and voluntary sector.
The council was also successful in the Making a Difference Local Government Yorkshire and Humber Awards 2008.
Having been short-listed for nine awards, the council won four first places and three runner-up slots.
Among the winners were the Wilberforce 2007 anti-slavery campaign and the STREAM digital television service that promotes independent living for older people.

Engineering honours

Awards winners (L-R): Michael Porteous (Platinum Engineering Ltd, advanced apprentice of the year), Dominique Avery (Deans Systems Ltd, outstanding achievement award), Lord Mayor Elaine Garland, Jack Clement (Normandy Holiday Homes, apprentice of the year) and Mano Jamieson (Willerby Holiday Homes, employer of the year)

More than 350 people attended the annual ceremony at the Guildhall in recognition of the achievements of local engineering students and companies taking part in work-based learning programmes organised by Hull Training.
Through two of its colleges – Hull Tec on Orchard Park and the Skills Academy on Northumberland Avenue – Hull Training has helped thousands of people achieve successful careers in engineering since the mid-1990s.
For more details call 300300 or contact www.hulltec.co.uk

Road safety success

A trial road safety scheme, set up more than a year ago at one of east Hull's busiest junctions, is to be made permanent after reducing the number of accidents at the site.
The Southcoates Avenue and Holderness Road junction was the site of 22 accidents between 2002 and 2007, but since the scheme was introduced in October 2007 there has been just one accident.
The safety scheme uses flexible bollards to prevent normal traffic turning right from Southcoates Avenue into Holderness Road and vice versa, but fire engines can drive over them without damage so they do not lose time when travelling to emergency incidents.