Working my way round various stories on the internet I was pleased to see this on moneyexpert.com – My call for  personal finance to be taught in school has been endorsed and is being pursued

Calls Made For Schools To Teach Personal Finances

One of the UK’s leading life insurance firms is set to petition the government over the need for schools to teach lessons on personal finance.

Lifesearch says the action is as a result of the lack of financial education in schools, which needs to be addressed to help future generations avoid the stresses of money and debt problems.

The firm has already run a series of of presentations about campaign plans, consisting of research and resulting consumer targeting, media buying, social affairs lobbying and campaign analytics combination.

Tom Baigrie, managing director of Lifesearch, said: “There is an appalling lack of financial education in UK schools yet understanding how money and debt work is a key part, and major source of stress, during every adult’s life.”

He continued: “Is it any wonder that we have a mountain of personal debt when we can open a bank account at 16 without having the slightest clue what it means to save? Or take out a mortgage at 18 without a clue about debt or financial protection?”

Mr Baigrie said: “I wish a politician would stand up and tell the public that state benefits are miserably low and only likely to shrink in the future, and that anyone who does not protect themselves against the financial effects of physical disaster is barking mad.”

Colin Parkin, director of Lincolnshire-based IFA Ample Financial Services, has lent his backing to the idea.

He said: “How else do you learn about personal finance. If schools did it four or five generations ago we would not be in the mess we are in. Most parents are not very good at their own finances and you learn from your parents.

“Properly trained people will need to do it because it is a different discipline. I am sure most financial advisers would give a couple of hours to put in basic things.”

Lifesearch isn’t the only group calling for changes. Earlier this week, a Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) forum discussed the need for more financial education to be taught in schools.

The Wirral CAB has seen a 12% yearly increase in people needing help with debts and unemployment and has begun evening sessions to cope with the demand for its services.

Conservative PPC for Wirral West, Esther McVey said: “Organisations like the CAB are under extra strain during the recession each man, woman and child already has £22,500 of government debt, and with personal debt at an all time high there needs to be strict measures in place to tackle this crisis.”

The local Conservative Action team was out in Pensby today with 5 new members. Yesterday some of the team were out helping in Wallasey for the local by-election this Thursday in Saughall Massie and Moreton. If you’d like to help in the final few days of the campaign then call the Wallasey office direct or call the Wirral West office on 0151 632 1052.

I went back to University today – not to learn but to give a lecture to the 2009/10 intake on the MSc Corporate Governance course!

The organisation I focussed on was the BBC and the topic was entrepreneurial leadership. I combined practical knowledge of my time at the beeb with the theoretical models I’d learnt last year in my MSc. Comparing and contrasting Greg Dyke’s leadership with that of John Birt’s and finally Mark Thompson’s and how each had fitted and worked within the BBC  during different economic and political climates.

I’ve had an absolutely sensational week this week. Each day I went to a different school, 5 schools in total, and spoke with the girls in year 9 and 10. We discussed careers and career options, suitable academic subjects to study and how much work you’d need to do to excel in their chosen area.

All of the girls chose quite different careers ranging from nurses to architects, business owners to surgeons, dancers and dance teachers to beauticians,  I even found 2 girls who wanted to be forensic scientists and all because they watched CSI – mind you I made sure we discussed the difference between real life and tv dramas!

 Notes from a tube journey.  What a wonderful night we had last night. A group of us, all friends and business colleagues from the world of music, tv, catering and publishing got together to have a good catch up and boogie. Yes 30 business women rocked the O2 London Arena care of Jess, MD of the Arena, and Beyonce! Beyonce was sensational, there is no other word to describe her show (oh and how she manages to sing when she’s shaking her booty from start to finish is anyones guess).  We were treated to special guest performances from Kayne West and hubby Jay -Z. At the end I hot footed out of the stadium to get back to Liverpool and be at my desk for 8 this morning!

Last night I was at Queenies Christmas Gala Night – one of the highlights of the social calandar – Pete Price hosted the evening, Joe Longthorne performed with his magnificent orchestra, Chrissy Rock gave us comedy to die for and The Real Thing gave us a disco sensation!

Queenies Christmas Charity was set up by Herbert in honour of his mother Queenie who died of Parkinson’s Disease. She was a very special lady who loved the magic of Christmas and adored children.

This charity, of which I’m a patron, along with Jennifer Ellison, Claire Sweeney, Pete Price, Ricky Tomlinson and Danny McCall, was formed to support local people who are less fortunate than ourselves during the Christmas holiday. The aim of the charity is to reach out and spread a little cheer and happiness to those in need and the money raised from the Ball last night will provide a Christmas lunch for 700 people who would otherwise not have one. The lunch will be held at the Liverpool Adelphi hotel with music, comediens, clowns, singing…. you name it ….. In addition, money from last night will also go to host a party, with the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, for 200 underprivileged children across Merseyside. It really is a wonderful charity and Herbert and his team do a fantastic job.

Wendy Clements and the Irby Action team were out on Saturday visiting local residentsand helping them with any issues they night have, after which Geoff and myself  helped deliver leaflets for Wallasey for their impending by-election in Moreton and Saughall Massie.

Every year I attend the St John’s Hospice Christmas Concert at the Williamson Art Gallery and this year was no different. Geoff Gubb our candidate for Upton came with me and we had him singing in his seat along with everyone else!  For this year was very much a year of audience participation  arranged and led by the Sound Central Community Choir (Kerboodle Choir).

Wirral Grammar School for Girls Orchestra provided all the music for the first half of the evening with solos from Annie  on saxaphone and Sophie on piano as well as there being a  full wind and flute section performing Dance of the Sugar Plumb Fairy and Trish Trash Polka.

Wednesday I went to Peterhouse, Cambridge – the oldest and the smallest of the Cambridge Colleges.  I had been invited to speak by Edward (far right in the picture above) the President of the Peterhouse Politics Society and didn’t know really what to expect! But what a wonderful night it turned out to be. The room was full of incredibly bright motivated students of all political persuasions – asking questions that varied from; the internet as a political campaigning tool to PR. What impressed me most however was the genuine depth of discussion and flexibility of thought the students possessed and rather than adhering to any fixed dogma or well rehearsed and entrenched arguments they embarked on real probing discussion.  What a truly great bunch of people  who I do hope I get to meet again.

The crowds turned out in force yesterday for Remembrance Sunday.

Hundrends upon hundreds of us walked to the Grange Hill War Memorial in West Kirby – for a most moving service conducted by Reverend Dennis Kelly. 

It was a Remembrance service that paid tribute to all the brave people who had fought for our country and those that are fighting today. We prayed for those that had lost their lives and gave thanks for the courage of those who are prepared to face incredible danger to find peace. The last post sounded across a silent West Kirby as we lowered our heads and repeated ‘We will remember them.’

…The Friends of Meols Park for winning the Wirral News Award for community project – Roy Shuttleworth in particular has done a sensational job – and here he is pictured below with the Mayor Andrew Hodson, Alma his wife (and fellow Park helper) and me the Chair.

And what a couple of years it’s been for the park – from no park to thriving park – and last night, care of the Friends: Roy, Mike, Carol, Rachel, Jeremy, Roy (2) and Brian, a fabulous Firework display. Hundreds and hundreds of people turned up for an afternoon and evening of fun and me being the big kid I am took some friends to ooh and ahhh at the fireworks too! Meols was my second firework display of the weekend – Saturday night I popped down to the West Kirby Sailing club to see theirs and to huddle round their giant bonfire, after which Cllr Tom Anderson and myself went to the 1940’s dance at Wallasey Town Hall arranged by the Mayoress and monies raised went to the Mayor’s charity.

Pictured above some of the Wallasey team straight from delivering and canvassing along with helpers from Wirral West for the impending by-election in Moreton West and Saughall Massie.