IN BRIEF
HESWALL DOCTOR WINS AWARD FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION DURING COVID 19
WIRRAL COUNTRY PARK MEADOWS GET A TRIM
A doctor from Barnston , who helped to lead the fight against the coronavirus pandemic , has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at a prestigious European awards ceremony .
Professor Frank Joseph , a world-leading physician in Endocrinology and Diabetes at the Countess of Chester Hospital , was named Lifetime Achievement Award winner at the European Diversity Awards .
Professor Joseph helped lead the fight against Covid for the NHS and private medical and diagnostics company DAM Health , which has testing sites in Bromborough .
“ It is a real honour to be named winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award ,” Professor Frank said .
He added : “ We have had a tough 18 months with a horrendous virus which has caused so much suffering for thousands of families across the country . I was among so many deserving recipients and fantastic companies who are all playing their part in fighting for a fairer , diverse and more inclusive Britain .”
The awards celebrate leading diversity and inclusion champions while recognising achievements across race , age , sexual orientation , disability , gender identity and religious belief over the past year .
The ceremony took place on November 11 at the Landmark Hotel , London , and was hosted by actress and author Sophie Ward .
Linda Riley , European Diversity Awards founder , said : “ When the country was experiencing a devastating surge in the number of Covid cases and catastrophic infection rates , the assistance of Dam Health Group ’ s Professor Frank Joseph saved countless lives . We celebrated the brave and brilliant efforts he has made to provide the highest level of care for people , both at home and abroad , in this time of crisis . Every deserving winner has made real achievements in race , age , sexual orientation , disability , gender identity or religious belief over the past year . The corporations and business leaders who picked up awards are dynamic and reflect the huge efforts corporate organisations are now making to improve diversity and inclusion . We should never forget how far we ' ve come but there is still so much more to do .”
The grasslands at Wirral Country Park recently received a trim as part of the ongoing works throughout the year to keep them looking their best .
The meadows at Wirral Country Park are just one of the areas that our parks and countryside staff have to maintain regularly to make sure that they stay in tip top condition for wildlife and residents to enjoy .
In summer , the meadows were home to a rare wildflower species - Dyers Greenweed . To help it flourish again next year the meadows have had some TLC .
Frank , a ranger at Wirral Country Park , said : “ Dyers Greenweed is a rare plant in the UK but it ’ s been doing very well here because we manage the meadows and grasslands in a certain way .
“ We start off with the grass topper , which cuts the grass quite low down and it can then be gone over with the grass rake , called a tedder . This fluffs up the grass , dries it out and more importantly shakes out the seed .
“ Then we go over it with the baler , which shakes some more seed out of it and puts it into bales .”
Dyers Greenweed is doing so well at Wirral Country Park some of the seed has been collected to share elsewhere across the UK . At the end of summer this year , the North West Rare Plant Initiative helped harvest the seeds of the Dyers Greenweed to help increase the population of the species in other areas locally for next summer .
8 wirrallife . com