Waterford Today | Waterford's free weekly newspaper

The Oxfam Ireland shop in 8 George's Street in Waterford is appealing for donations from local people to help raise money for its humanitarian relief efforts in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Jim Clarken, Chief Executive of Oxfam Ireland, said:

"People are facing starvation and children are as always most at risk, we have launched the East Africa Crisis Appeal in response to this massive crisis facing 12 million people across East Africa caused by the worst drought in 60 years and soaring food costs. Oxfam is already helping hundreds of thousands of people but urgently needs more money to expand this work."

People in Waterford can make a donation to Oxfam Ireland's appeal by:

l Donating at the shopl Visiting http://www.oxfamireland.org l Calling 1850 30 40 55 (Republic of Ireland)

Stephen Beasant manager 0xfam's shop in Waterford, said: "People in Waterford have

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The wonderful event that took the south east of Ireland to new heights in positive good will and extraordinary fine weather has passed without hitch or negative comment. The Nation was able to enjoy the organization and planning of a supreme festival which knocked the socks off many other events which would claim priority over this unique and special occasion.

The coverage by RTE radio and television, Lyric Fm, TG4 WLRFm and many other live media was exceptional and indeed all very good news about the south east and that wondrous of things, the Irish hospitality .

Along with the beautiful sight of ancient ships of sail and their mighty masts reaching for the skies the presence of a number of Hot Air balloons added to the great feeling of goodwill and bon homie. The blessing on the whole event by mother

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Would you like to learn more about Mindfulness Meditation? If so then come along to Ardkeen Library on Saturday 16th July at 3.00pm where practitioner Leónie Baldwin will talk on this meditation method to improve your ability to be fully present in each moment of your daily life. Mindfulness meditation is inspiration by Thich Nhat Hanh and is based on "peace in oneself – peace in the world".

The talk is free, there is no need to book just come along on the day.

For further information about the Summer Sessions at Ardkeen Library please contact Mary Foley on 051 849755, 051 843633 or mfoley@waterfordcity.ie.

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Fine Gael Waterford Deputy, Paudie Coffey, has advised customers to consult consumer and comparison website for details of gas and electricity packages that are on offer, in light of reports that Bord Gais is set to increase electricity prices and that the supplier has asked for the regulator's permission to hike gas prices at a later date.

"People have been bombarded with advertising campaigns telling them how easy it is to switch from one electricity or gas supplier to another. Now it's time for them to heed this advice, look around and examine exactly what each company is offering.

"Hundreds of thousands of people ‘made the switch' from ESB to Bord Gais following an intensive media marketing drive by the latter when it entered the electricity supply market. News that the company is now set to drive up its electricity costs by

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Waterford Sports Partnership is running a Disability Awareness Training Course

on Thursday 21st July 2011 in the Park Hotel Dungarvan from 6.30 to 9.30pm.

This course is ideal for coaches, sports club members, sports development officers, volunteers, sports leaders, leisure centre staff, youth club leaders and those involved in or with an interest in the inclusion of people with a disability in sport and physical activity.

For more information and for an application form please check out the disability section on http://www.waterfordsportspartnership.ie or contact: Katie Kelly, Sports Inclusion Disability Officer, Waterford Sports Partnership. Phone: 051 849757, e-mail: kkelly@waterfordsportspartnership.ie

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Waterford Law Society held an evening reception aboard the "Wylde Swan" Tall Ship in Waterford on Thursday, 30th June 2011. Waterford Solicitors sponsored the Tall Ships event which attracted some 500,000 people to the City over that weekend. Members and guests mingled on board the ship and later moved quay side to the Granville Hotel for food, beverages and music.

Guests included Judges Olive Buttimer and Alice Doyle of the Circuit Court. Retired District Judge Bill Harnett was also in attendance and a presentation was made to him by Waterford Solicitors given his long association with the City.

There was a very high turn out of Solicitors and guests given the novelty of the occasion and a great evening was had by all.

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St. Brigid's Children Centre, Powersfield, Hennessy's Road is a modern, state of the art, city centre childcare service with a large outdoor play area.

St. Brigid's Children Centre is a community childcare service which offers:

- Full and part time places- Subsidised places to low income families- Free pre-school year to children born between 02.02.07 and 30.06.08- Free childcare places for parents engaged in FAS and VEC courses

St. Brigid's Children Centre is currently enrolling for Sept. 2011.

Contact Ger on 051 591548 for information.

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Fine Gael City Councillor, Jim D'Arcy, has welcomed the news that the Department of Education is set to instruct primary schools to devote more time to teaching literacy and numeracy. "A circular is to be sent to schools to tell them to increase the time spent on maths from 36 to 50 minutes a day from September onwards. The time spent on literacy to set to increase to 90 minutes a day.

These increases are most welcome. A good level of literacy is essential, as is a basic foundation in maths. If students are to progress through the education system, they need to have these basic skills. In the longer term, if someone is deprived of these skills, it is difficult for the person to fully participate in society. " Cllr. D'Arcy says the new National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy was

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Nial Collins from Dungarvan has been chosen to represent Waterford in the 2011 National Lottery Dublin Marathon having won the popular vote in the SPAR SPARTAN Challenge.

Building on the success of last year's "SPARTAN Challenge", through an on-line Campaign, SPAR has recruited one representative from every county in the Republic of Ireland to form a 26 strong team of SPARTANs to prepare for and compete in the 26.2 mile marathon on October 31st.

The 26 athletes of all abilities will now take part in four events with which SPAR is an official partner – the three 2011 National Lottery Race Series events in the Phoenix Park and the National Lottery Dublin Marathon.

The 26 Spartans will be guided in their preparation by fitness guru, Karl Henry (Operation Transformation) and nutrition expert, Paula Mee who are spearheading the campaign.

Those who wish to follow

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Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) and the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining current and future areas for collaboration. The two organisations have worked together since 1997 and are strengthening their partnership to address professional development for those working in the sector, policy in adult literacy and adult basic education and research into the adult literacy field.

According to the last international survey, one in four or 25% of Irish adults have literacy difficulties. Adults who have literacy difficulties are often unable to understand health and safety information, how to access public services, how to complete a driver theory exam or how to vote. Equally, parents who have literacy difficulties may be unable to support their own

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The Waterford Council of trade Unions will provide a bus for people from Waterford to attend a demonstration in Dublin against the IMF-EU DEAL on Saturday the 16th July.

Despite talk of burden sharing and even burning bondholders the Fine Gael - Labour Government is following the same strategy as Fianna Fail by pouring billions of our money into the banks at the behest of the IMF-EU, and there is the potential for €9 Billion profit to accrue to the EU-IMF on the Irish bailout of nationalized private debt.

This is what the IMF-EU deal means for the people of Ireland:- 240,000 low paid workers are now having their pay and conditions targeted.- Children with special needs are being left without places in schools or without the resource hours they need.- Water charges, Site evaluation tax, and Universal Home

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EU funding potential for Irish sport

Local authorities in Ireland and sporting organisations including the GAA, IRFU and FAI will soon be able to apply for funding to the value of up to €440 billion euro under the EU's new Regional Policy, following a decision in Strasbourg this week.

MEPs voted in favour of a key document, the fifth Cohesion Report and Strategy, which includes sport for the first time as one of areas eligible for development funding from 2013 onwards.

German MEP Markus Pieper, who drafted the report, gave sport the same legitimacy as other areas following a request from Munster MEP Sean Kelly. Speaking from Strasbourg, the Fine Gael MEP said the fact that the report has been approved effectively means that sport will become a priority focus for regional policy alongside energy, environment, transport, employment and training.

"This could potentially translate

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New regulations on cross-border traffic offences agreed at the European Parliament this week will be implemented by the government here, according to an Irish MEP.

Ireland is one of three countries, along with the UK and Denmark, to have opted out of the legislation until now. Other member states have been given two years to apply the new rules, which will mean that drivers who commit road offences abroad will no longer be able to evade prosecution when they return to their home country.

Speaking from Strasbourg, Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins said he was very confident that the Transport Minister would sign up to the directive, hopefully before the Dáil breaks for the summer. He also explained that the reason Ireland is not on board yet is because the government was in flux when the decision was being taken in March

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Everyday food items in Irish supermarkets that hide the ingredient of palm oil under the catch-all term "vegetable oil" will be obliged to state clearly on the label which oils are contained in the product, under new rules agreed by MEPs this week. At the moment, palm oil is a hidden ingredient found in many packaged food products including chocolate, biscuits, cereals, margarine, soup, crisps and ice-cream.

The move has been welcomed by animal conservation groups campaigning on behalf of the orang-utan species, which they say is being driven to extinction by the large-scale destruction of rainforests to make way for palm plantations. Dr Lesley Dickie, Executive Director of the European Association of Zoos, said mandatory labelling of palm oil will contribute to protecting tropical forests and the apes that live in them.

The legislation approved at the European Parliament follows a

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The Waterford & Suir Valley Railway has commissioned WITh Care* to research the history of railway lines in the area in order to develop a permanent exhibition at Kilmeadan Station. The Waterford & Suir Valley Railway is a voluntary community project based in Kilmeadan, Co Waterford. It was set up to develop and operate a narrow gauge railway as a tourist attraction on a section of the abandoned Waterford – Cork Railway line.

An exhibition will add to the Waterford & Suir Valley Railway experience, allowing visitors the chance to learn how and why the railway developed as well as understanding the role of the Kilmeadan Station or indeed any small station and the important service they provided for the local community. The exhibition will also focus

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