Absolute Comment On Opening Of New Community Training Hub

Absolute, a Chelmsford-based sales and marketing company were interested to hear recently of the opening of one of the first facilities in Essex to give access to free services and training opportunities. Simon Burns, Minister of State for Health and MP for Chelmsford, officially opened the Parkside Community Hub in Melbourne Avenue, Chelmsford. The facility is a former NHS clinic which has been refurbished by Chelmsford-based housing association CHP to provide residents with an IT training suite, a kitchen, creche and a communal garden. The community hub is also accessible for people with a disability.

Our source at Absolute said, “We're really excited to see this facility opening. It's a really great resource which will help a lot of people to get access to training that they might otherwise not have had. It will be really well received in the community.”

Working with organisations including JobCentre Plus, the Citizens Advice Bureau, Adult Community Learning, Voluntary Sector Training, Women’s Aid, Chelmsford City Council and Essex Police, the hub aims to improve the lives of residents.

Debbie Willson, the hub’s manager, said: “We’re delighted to have officially launched Parkside Community Hub, which offers a different approach to tackling social and financial problems. The Hub provides free services and is primarily aimed at getting people involved in training so they have the confidence and skills to make long-term changes to their lifestyle.”

“It's so important for people in the community to have a place like this,” said our source at Absolute, “It can really boost the morale of young people and the unemployed to be able to increase their opportunities by using services like these.”

It is hoped the facility will help people increase skills and qualifications. During school holidays, it will also offer activities and events for young people. Part of CHP’s £10million project, which also saw the regeneration of Parkside Court, the Parkside Community Hub was part-funded by the Government’s Investing in Communities programme. 

Absolute Comment On Plaque Unveiled For Victorian Architect

Absolute, a Chelmsford-based sales and marketing company, were interested to hear recently that a permanent reminder of an accomplished architect who helped build part of Chelmsford has been put up. James Fenton was responsible for laying out nine buildings in New London Road. Mr Fenton, who died in 1875, was also responsible for the road’s cemetery and he implemented the town’s infrastructure of mains water and sewerage. Many of his remaining buildings are protected as listed buildings or through inclusion within designated conservation areas.

Our source at Absolute said, “James Fenton is definitely deserving of the honour. So much of the city’s infrastructure is down to his work, and he’s a really important figure in the history of Chelmsford.”

Chelmsford Council has unveiled its first commemorative blue plaque for five years. Mayor Bob Shepherd unveiled the 15th plaque in the series at the Chelmsford social club, in New London Road, which Mr Fenton designed and lived in between 1846 and 1857. The blue plaque honour, run by the council, began in 1986 to commemorate people of significance to the city.

 Mr Shepherd said: “I am immensely proud to unveil this plaque in memory of someone who helped create the Victorian framework of modern Chelmsford and who I hope would be very proud himself of our new city status.”

Christopher Kingsley, councillor responsible for parks and heritage, said: “I was very pleased the council’s cabinet agreed to continue the blue plaque scheme, with one for James Fenton. He certainly fulfils our strict criteria and is an illustrious figure in the history of Chelmsford.”

“We’re really pleased at the mark of respect received by Mr Fenton,” said our source at Absolute, “It will hopefully inspire some people to look into the contributions he made to the city, and learn a bit more about their local history.”

Mr Fenton was born in Reading in 1805, and set up an architect’s practice in Chelmsford in 1830.

He specialised in workhouses and, later, non-conformist chapels, and was part of a consortium of five businessmen who laid out and developed New London Road. In 1850 he was appointed surveyor to the newly-formed Chelmsford Local Board of Health, planning and executing a major water supply and sewage system for the town – greatly improving health and sanitation.

Mr Fenton is buried in the non-conformist cemetery in New London Road.

Two blind British men have electronic retinas fitted Absolute Client Services comments

Two British men who have been totally blind for many years have had part of their vision restored after surgery to fit pioneering eye implants. When asked to comment a source close to the team at Absolute Client Services said “This is amazing words fail to express how absolutely amazing the electronic retina is. To have vision restored after being blind for so long brings a lot of hope to blind people throughout the world.” The surgery involves placing the square microelectronic chip behind the retina from where a fine cable runs to a control unit under the skin behind the ear. They are able to perceive light and even some shapes from the devices which were fitted behind the retina. The two patients, Chris James and Robin Millar, lost their vision due to a condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, where the photoreceptor cells at the back of the eye gradually cease to function.

Professor MacLaren, who fitted the first implant in the UK at the Oxford Eye Hospital, said “It's the first time that British patients who were completely blind have been able to see something. In previous studies of restorative vision involving stem cells and other treatments, patients always had some residual sight.” When light enters the eye and reaches the chip it stimulates the pixels which send electronic signals to the optic nerve and from there to the brain. The chip can have its sensitivity altered via an external power unit which connects to the chip via a magnetic disc on the scalp.  “Great discoveries like this happen but only once or twice in a year one that truly leave the general public speechless. This is one of those moments. It is overwhelming to think that this small microchip can bring so much happiness to blind sufferers.” said the managing director of Absolute Client Services.

Prof MacLaren said the results might not seem extraordinary to the sighted, but for a totally blind person to be able to orientate themselves in a room, and perhaps know where the doors and windows are, would be "extremely useful" and of practical help. “We at Absolute Client Services are at a loss for words great enough to express how appreciated this discovery will be. With 20/20 vision I have never really thought of the prospect of ever being blind. To be giving the hope to see some of the beauty that graces our world to those living for so long in the dark is just simply amazing.”