News Articles Archive - Page 152 of 158

CRP’s successful URBACT-funded Freight TAILS project has completed its trans-national kick-off meeting in London. The project will develop Tailored Approaches to Innovative Logistics Solutions, sharing best practice between cities across Europe. Transport for London supported the project by presenting all of its latest freight plans to the partners.

The two-day kick-off meeting was interspersed by a project partner dinner, hosted by CRP’s Board Co-Chair, Councillor George Gillon of the City of London Corporation. We were honoured to be joined by the Deputy Mayor and Councillors from our partner cities in Romania and Spain, as well as senior officers from our partner cities in Italy and The Netherlands.

For more information please contact CRP’s Freight TAILS Project Co-ordinator: cknell1@westminster.gov.uk

CRP welcomes Branavan Sivarajah as the first CRP Apprentice. Branavan will be joining CRP on 23rd November to undertake a Level 3 Business Apprenticeship over a period of 18 months. Westminster City Council through ‘City for All’ is committed to helping young people into employment. The apprenticeship scheme is delivered in partnership with the London Apprenticeship Company and CRP is pleased to be able to offer this opportunity.

TfL held another well-attended and stimulating Freight Forum on 6th November 2015. Hosted by the new Transport Commissioner, Mike Brown, the Forum underlined TfL’s unstinting commitment to making freight deliveries in the capital safer, cleaner and more efficient.

CRP looks forward to continuing to work closely with TfL to implement its priorities, including via promoting co-ordinated retiming and consolidation schemes amongst its BID members.

Congratulations to Africa who, after being helped into work by Recruit London in June 2015 has now passed her probation and been promoted to floor supervisor!

Africa had been out of work for over a year before she registered with Recruit London. We gave her training and support focused on the jobs available, before putting her forward to a role at New Look. After an interview and work trial Africa was offered the job as Sales Advisor.

As NWEC Workplace Coordinator Isabelle Benard was working closely with New Look on their recruitment, she was able to negotiate suitable hours for Africa which met her childcare needs, especially important as she is a lone parent.

Africa explained, “I’m extremely happy and feel grateful for this opportunity! I have been let down a lot in the past but I’m thankful to Isabelle for her amazing training and ongoing support because it has helped me appreciate my new job more”.

“I’m now supervisor of my floor and have been given extra responsibilities which I love. New Look is a great company who are very accommodating and positive. I have a great team and have always been included and made me feel well. This opportunity has made me rethink my future plans and career and I’m now wanting to work within the retail industry and focus on moving up in the company”

For more information contact Isabelle Benard, NWEC Workplace Coordinator at ibenard@westminster.gov.uk

The Freight Electric Vehicles in Urban Europe (FREVUE) Project aims to prove that the current generation of electric vans and trucks offers a viable alternative to diesel vehicles. To ensure that the project is representative of the different electric freight vehicle types (from small car-derived vans to large 18 tonne goods vehicles), we would like to involve a manufacturer of larger vehicles of 7.5t and above.

Should you have suggestions or be interested yourself, please contact the FREVUE Co-ordinator, Tanja Dalle-Muenchmeyer, on tdmuenchmeyer@westminster.co.uk

The FREVUE project currently has 55 electric freight vehicles procured and operational across the partnership, 17 of which in London. We are getting very valuable data from these vehicles ranging from procurement and maintenance costs to kilometres driven per day and battery status at the end of each shift.

However, what we have found is that the number of larger electric freight vehicles over 7.5t in the project is less than we would have liked. Not many of these vehicles are available on the market and those that are come with a hefty price tag.

To develop a better understanding of the reasons for this lack in vehicles and to address these issues, we would like to cooperate closer with a European manufacturer of electric heavy goods vehicles.

http://frevue.eu

CRP attended a programme kick off meeting for our new Freight TAILS project from 29th September to 2nd October in Paris. This meeting was run by the URBACT Secretariat for all 21 successful URBACT III Action Planning Network Lead Partners and Lead Experts.

Together with our project Lead Expert, Philip Stein, we heard all about the aims of the URBACT III Action Planning Network programme; had an opportunity to network with the other, very varied projects from across Europe; and made a great start planning Freight TAILS phase 1 delivery.

Our first transnational meeting of the Freight TAILS Phase 1 partners: Maastricht (The Netherlands), Parma (Italy), Plasencia (Spain) and Suceava (Romania) will be hosted by CRP on 4-5 November in London. In addition to agreeing how the project will develop, at that meeting all partner cities will outline their own freight management issues. CRP Co-chair George Gillon will host the partnership dinner on the 4th November, and we are very pleased that Transport for London will be presenting on the latest plans for freight and fleet across London on the 5th November.

For further information on the Freight TAILS project please contact Charlotte Knell, CRP Project Manager at cknell1@westminster.gov.uk.

The INTERREG VB North West Europe programme 2nd call is now open, and will close at midday 30th November (CET). The programme is focused on delivering measurable results, reducing disparities through working together across three themes:

1. Innovation

2. Low Carbon

3. Resource and materials efficiency

More details on this funding opportunity can be found at www.nweurope.eu/5b

Charlotte Knell, cknell1@westminster.gov.uk

Local authority and TfL planners, regeneration and conservation officers were welcomed to Brixton last week as part of Urban Design for London’s programme of training, advice, networking and design surgery events.

Lambeth’s Townscape Heritage Initiative Project Manager, Ellie Cook, explained how £1.95m of Heritage Lottery Funding is working alongside £869k of Mayor’s High Street Fund and £1.03m of Lambeth Council investment to reinvigorate Electric Avenue. Speaking during a guided walk about, Ellie said:

“The public realm improvements to Brixton’s principle market street, being managed by CRP, will help secure the future of this vital asset which has served the local community for 110 years. The sweeping Victorian facades of Electric Ave will be repaired and restored with the co-operation of building owners and community partners and heritage investment from the National Lottery. Combined, these projects will preserve and regenerate this unique street as a vibrant and successful shopping destination for future generations.”

Delivery of the Brixton High Street Fund project will get under way in Electric Avenue in January 2016, with works due to finish in June. The Townscape Heritage Initiative will run until December 2019. For more information visit Future Brixton.

CRP is thrilled that we have three new starters who will deliver our Recruit London project: Benjamin Laryea, Thomas Wagaine and Sylvia Kankasa.

The team are pictured, from left to right: Isabelle Benard – NWEC Workplace Coordinator, Thomas Wagaine – Crown Estate Workplace Coordinator, Nikoletta Gjergji – Project Support Assistant, Sylvia Kankasa – Specialist Workplace Coordinator, Claire James (CJ) – Recruit London Delivery Manager, Benjamin Laryea – Capco Workplace Coordinator

Benjamin Laryea, is a Workplace Coordinator who will be based at Capital & Counties CG Ltd (Capco), our newest Recruit London project partner. Ben previously worked for Communities into Training and Employment (CITE) as their Pre-Employment & Training coordinator, responsible for the delivery across London, predominantly working in the fields of Health & Social Care and Customer Service. Contact him on blaryea@westminster.gov.uk.

Sylvia Kankasa is our new Specialist Workplace Coordinator, supporting Westminster residents with disabilities, health conditions or barriers to work. She will work closely with businesses to encouarge them to offer tailored employment opportunities to meet residents’ needs. She has previously worked for London CRC Probation as an Employment Consultant, and at the charitable organisation Drive Forward Foundation as Operations Manager. Contact her at skankasa@westminster.gov.uk.

Thomas Wagaine is our new Workplace Coordinator based at The Crown Estate, and will support residents into work with their occupier businesses. He has previously worked at Olmec providing employment support to Metropolitan Housing residents, and at West Herts College as a Student Support Advisor. Contact him at twagaine@westminster.gov.uk.

Our Recruit London initiative has been successful in securing Flexible Support Funding from the South London Jobcentre Plus. This will enable us to support Lambeth residents into retail vacancies in the West End and Covent Garden.

Cross River Partnership has successfully delivered three previous Flexible Support Fund projects, helping over 150 unemployed Lambeth residents into work. Through this phase, we will support 140 candidates including those who are long term unemployed, have completed the Work Programme without moving into a job, and those from Black and Minority Ethnic groups, and 70 will move into work.

Candidates will receive our expert training and support which is tailored to the live vacancies we have available (including interview skills, understanding the employer, body language, sales techniques and confidence). They will be matched to our live opportunities and put forward directly to employers for interviews or work trials. Our support continues once a job offer is made, to help the candidate make the transition into work.

Our work has started immediately, with vacancies at Toy Store and New Look being offered.

Contact CJ for more information at cjames@westminster.gov.uk

Archives: News Articles

Freight TAILS Kick-Off Meeting

Welcoming CRP’s Apprentice!

TfL’s Freight Forum

Recruit London progression success

FREVUE open to new project partner

Freight TAILS gets off to a great start in Paris

European Funding Call open

CRP and Lambeth Council welcomes Urban Design London to Brixton

Cross River Partnership welcomes new recruits

Funding success for Recruit London