Question One:
A shortlisted award-winning retailer has been hit hard by the credit crunch and announced to close today.
Hedley Tindall, the firm with 21 employees running over six decades business, is facing closing on its diamond anniversary year while has just been short-listed for a national award.
Philip Platts, 57, metalworker and staff representative at Tindall Shopfitters, said: “We were crying because this is the end of an era. Those who created the country’s economic crisis have a lot to answer for.
“Some of us are of an age where we’re unlikely to find new jobs, but that wasn’t what we were crying about.
“Everyone has always been treated fairly.”
The family-run business in Gresley Street premises has built up a reputation for the production of high quality shop and warehouse fittings.
Its young apprentice Angelina Edwards received the National Association of Shopfillters’ annual Apprentices’ Design Award last year.
Matt Adsley, the spokesman of the Association of Small Businesses, said: “Small firms act as the canary in the coalmine. If they are finding it more difficult it’s good indicator of the underlying health of the business community.
“It is very unfortunate when one of our members, such as Tindall Shopfitters, has to close its doors, especially when it is a company with such a good reputation.”
The company’s sales have been reduced to non-existence level by economic downturn but the late payment resides as the main obstacle to cause its closing.
Harold Livesey, chief executive officer of Beeton Chamber of Commerce, said: “The economic maelstrom has led to a clutch of firms in Beeton getting into difficulties and, as already reported in the press, a couple have closed down.
“We know there are others on the rink of collapse so the local outlook is mostly gloomy.
“All our recent surveys of members continue to show a declining level of business activity, although there are one or two brighter spots.”
(322 words)
Question two:
A move driving mean theft off the streets is to launch by a charity in order to fund specialist nurses.
Bogus clothing collectors stole 25 plastic bags yesterday from Macmillan Cancer Support's Beeton branch on the streets of Dalton area.
The charity use only vans with the official Macmillan logo in dark green and lime on the side of the vehicle, says its secretary Amanda Powney.
Anyone sees donated bags been put into an unmarked van contacts 0844 873 2199.
(80 words)
Question Three:
Well-known figure Arnold Higgs is attending a charity bazaar at the church hall in Stanley Street this Saturday.
The event aims to raise £500 for the British Heart Foundation following the fatal heart attack on Arnold.
Toys and crafts can be bought between 10am and 12.30pm, admission is free.
(50 words)
Question Four:
Spokesman of hospital:
* Why is there a breach of hygiene code that is designed to ensure cleanliness and infection control?
* Why are the cleaning services not available 24 hours a day? How will the hospital solve it?
* Why are there a number of lapses in the decontamination of equipment?
* How do these problems happen?
* What have your hospital done so far to change the situation after the report?
* Who should be responsible for these problems?
Patient at the hospital:
* Could you talk to me about the hospital's cleaning services?
* How do the services affect your recovery?
* Have you ever complained anything regarding the hospital’s environment is not clean or the food is not healthy?
* Did you notice that the cleaning services sometimes is not available? If just happened that you need it, what would you do?
* Have you heard anything about the hospital hygiene problem before?
Who should be responsible for these problems?
Local councillor who has a view on the local hospital:
* What has the council done so far to help the hospital change its current situation regarding breaching hygiene code.
* Who should be responsible for these problems?
* Does the hospital have any hygiene problem before? If so, what reaction did the council take?
* How does the council help the hospital improve its cleaning services?
* What impact did the Commission’s report bring to the hospital? How did it affect the hospital?
Online:
* Write a comprehensive summary of the story online and then update s it when more information become available.
* Put embedded links to guide reader for further information such as the hospital website or the council’s website and the commission's online report version.
* Cross refer to your newspaper which will carry out the full story.
* Start an online campaign to protest against the hospital’s mismanagement.
Upload a picture slide show to show the different scenes of the hospital cleaning facilities.
* Invite comments and suggestions of what can be done to make the hospital do something about the situation.
Set up Facebook or Twitter Page asks reader to join and discuss issues.
Video:
* Video of the main scenes of the hospital, such as toilet, canteen, patient’s rooms.
* Video of the spokesperson from the hospital when he/she gives an interview
* Video of the patient giving sound-bite views of the hospital's hygiene problems.
* Video of the local councillor or the senior council officer when commenting on the issue.
* Video of the online campaign which protests against the hospital’s mismanagement.
* Mobile phone video from the patients who have suffered from the problems caused by the hospital's breaching of the hygiene code.
Make a video of the reporter standing in front of the hospital, like making a piece of camera of the reporter reporting the thing.
Other Interaction platform:
* Use the text message to break the story and guide your reader to the full story in the newspaper or the web.
* Send an e-mail alert to reader subscribers and let them know a new story on the website.
* Ask the editor to comment on his/her print and web publication.
* Invite a person from the campaign group to write about a blog to discuss his/her opinion or invite a patient to write about his/her experience when been cared in the hospital
* Set up Facebook or Twitter Page asks reader to join and discuss issues.
Invite readers to send in text messages of their views and publish them on your website or in the paper.
* Set up an online reader poll asking readers whether they think the hospital should make more effort to rectify the problems.
