Events

CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA is hosting fringe events at all three of this year's party conferences.

Liberal Democrats

Tuesday 22 September, 1.00pm to 2.00pm
Purbeck Suite of the Wessex Hotel, Bournemouth

Speakers:

Dan Rogerson MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government;
Councillor David Bellotti, Local Government Association Children and Young People Board Vice-Chair;
Councillor Ann Kerridge, Cornwall County Council;
Caroline Hampden-White, CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA Spokesperson.

Full refreshments will be served and all are welcome.

Labour

Tuesday 29 September, 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Kings Terrace, Grand Hotel, Brighton,

Speakers:

Dr Howard Stoate MP
Caroline Hampden-White, CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA Spokesperson
Local Government Association Labour Group spokesperson

Full refreshments will be served and all are welcome.

Conservative

Monday 5 October, 5.30pm to 7.00pm
Houghton Suite, Midland Hotel, Manchester

Speakers:

Nick Hurd MP, Shadow Minister for Charities, Social Enterprise and Volunteering
Councillor Gary Porter, Local Government Association Environment Board Chair
Caroline Hampden-White, CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA Spokesperson

Full refreshments will be served and all are welcome.



The title is 'What do councillors need? A planning workshop on housing, schools and power lines'.

We campaign on the issue of the increased incidence of childhood leukaemia in children who live, or go to school, close to high voltage overhead power lines. Childhood leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer with around 500 new cases every year in the UK.

The causes are not well understood, but the increasing incidence suggests that environmental and/or lifestyle factors may be involved. The statistical association between electro magnetic fields and childhood leukaemia is clear, but the causal mechanism is not yet understood. Scientific evidence is emerging and we believe that a 'precautionary approach' is needed until the association can be explained to help protect children's health.

We want to gain better insight into what councillors and planning officers need to support responsible planning decisions and provide a forum for these issues to be discussed, to ensure that the work we are doing with the government responds to councils' needs.

On this topic, the government has been urged to adopt a pro-precautionary stance by its own stakeholder advisory group (SAGE), the Health Protection Agency, and the cross-party inquiry into childhood leukaemia and ELF EMF (extremely low voltage electric and magnetic fields). However, it has failed to take any action.

The issue of planning homes and schools near overhead power lines, and vice versa, is of great significance at the moment as within the next six to twelve months the siting of new power lines, distributing power from new sources of renewable and non-renewable energy production, will be finalised.

This is an excellent opportunity for local government and national government to interface on these and other planning issues and we hope that many colleagues will be able to attend.

If you would like any further information or would like to discuss these issues, please get in touch with Caroline Hampden-White at caroline.hampdenwhite@leukaemia.org or telephone 020 7404 0808.

Celebrating science: current successes, future hopes for childhood cancer

Lord Turnberg is kindly hosting a reception on behalf of CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA on Wednesday 24 June 2009, from 6.30pm - 8.30pm in the Terrace Pavilion, House of Lords.

CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA was set up by Eddie and Marion O'Gorman after their 14 year old son Paul died from leukaemia. Just nine months later they lost their daughter Jean to cancer. CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA is now Britain's leading national charity dedicated to the conquest of childhood leukaemia through pioneering research, new treatment and the support of leukaemic children and their families.

The focus of the event is "Celebrating Science: current successes, future hopes for childhood cancer". During the reception there will be a short awards ceremony to recognise and celebrate some of the best scientific research achievements that CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA has funded and which, in recent years, have made such a difference to survival rates and treatments for children with leukaemia.

This event will provide parliamentarians with an update on what's going on in the cancer world, coupled with the opportunity to meet and talk to some of the leading scientists in cancer research, from the UK and around the world.

“We look forward to welcoming parliamentarians, scientists and friends of CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA without whose support none of this important work would be possible”.

Caroline Blakely, Chief Executive.