Lynne Featherstone MP became a ‘citizen scientist’ last week to help Cancer Research UK fight cancer.

The Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green met with Cancer Research representatives, and took a turn on the new Cell Slider website, which could help the charity to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

The website presents real images of tumour samples in the form of a simple game of snap. Users are guided through a tutorial explaining which cells to analyse and which ones to ignore.

At the moment, the process of identifying certain molecules in cancer cells which help scientists understand why people respond differently to cancer treatment is slow. That’s why Cancer Research UK has launched Cell Slider to help accelerate groundbreaking research.

By getting the public to become ‘citizen scientists’, more samples will be analysed faster and more effectively, freeing up Cancer Research UK’s experts to carry out other cancer research. More than half a million images have already been analysed.

Commenting, Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“Research is cancer’s number one enemy, so I urge everyone in Hornsey and Wood Green to take five minutes to get involved with this exciting initiative. Together we can help Cancer Research UK’s doctors and scientists make huge advances in the battle against all cancers.

“The program is so easy to use, meaning everyone can play their part in helping to beat cancer from the comfort of their own homes.

“I wish Cancer Research UK all the best for this initiative and for the future.”

Cancer Research UK’s Executive Director of Policy and Information, Sarah Woolnough, said:

“Every step we make towards beating cancer relies on the support of the public, so we hope would-be ‘citizen scientists’ in Hornsey and Wood Green will really get behind this campaign.

“We’re so pleased to have the support of Lynne Featherstone MP with raising awareness, as there’s still so much more we need to do to ensure no-one’s life is cut short by cancer. By boosting our ability to analyse data quickly with the help of ‘citizen scientists’, our world-class research teams will be able to develop better ways to prevent, control and cure the disease and help save many more lives.”

Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone has welcomed the use of Coalition Government funding in Haringey, which could make thousands of buildings more energy efficient and save thousands of resident’s money on their bills.

The £275,000 provided by the Department for Energy and Climate Change will fund a project called 40:20 Home Energy Check-Up. As part of the project, Green Deal Assessors will visit residents’ homes and recommend energy efficiency improvements – from heating to draught proofing, double glazing and insulation.

Residents can then draw up a Green Deal Plan with an approved provider to install some or all of the recommended improvements. Instead of paying the cost of the work up front, this will be repaid in instalments through electricity bills, and the resulting energy savings will mean residents will not pay any more over all.

The Coalition Government has also awarded Haringey £153,900 from its Warm Homes Healthy People fund, paying for extra staff to visit 200 older people and contact a further 400 to ensure they have all the practical support and advice they need to stay warm and healthy during the winter weather.

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, commented:

“I am delighted that my colleagues in Government have been able to fund these two initiatives. They will make a real positive difference to the lives of people in Haringey, helping them to both keep warm and save money.

“The Green Deal is a flagship Liberal Democrat policy and I am extremely proud that we have now been able to take it from our manifesto and implement it in Government.

“I wholeheartedly encourage everybody in my constituency to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.”

Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone last week met with Clare Kassa, a representative from the Family Fund charity.

The Family Fund provides grants to low-income families that are raising disabled and seriously ill children and young people.

This year to date, the Fund has given grants to 73 families in Lynne Featherstone’s constituency of Hornsey and Wood Green. The money has been put towards items like cookers and beds, and also on family breaks.

The Family Fund is a registered charity, funded by the Government. In 2011-12, the Fund distributed over £33 million to over 59,000 families across the UK.

Clare Kassa, Regional Manager for the Family Fund, said:

“The Family Fund seeks to make a difference to the lives of disabled children, young people and their families, through giving grants for essential items like washing machines, cookers, bedding and much needed family breaks.

“It was great to meet Lynne Featherstone and discuss the work of the Fund. She was really interested in our work and I’m glad she will be passing on information about us to her constituents.”

Following the meeting, Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“It was great to hear about the work of the Family Fund, particularly the differences they have made to the lives of many of my constituents.

“Low income families with disabled children can struggle to get by. It is heart-warming to know that there is a charity which gives so generously to these families.

“I wish the Fund all the best for the future, and encourage all my constituents who think they may be eligible to take a closer look at the website.”

The local community and the Haringey Liberal Democrats are calling on the Labour council to halt their plans to cut the mobile library service.

Labour-run Haringey Council have announced their intention to cut the service in papers for the budget meeting next week. At the budget meeting on the 27^th February councillors will decide whether to cut or keep the mobile library service in 2014.

The proposal for the axing of the Mobile and Housebound Library Service includes all services provided by the Mobile and Housebound Service;

• The delivery of library stock to 38 Sheltered Housing Units, 12 Children’s Centres, Day Centres and 7 street sites
• A Deposit  collection of Library material to 30 Residential Homes,
• The delivery of library stock to 180 Haringey residents who are housebound and cannot access library services.
• The delivery of the Bookstart packs from the Book Trust to nurseries, playgroups, children’s centres and health centres

The Haringey Lib Dems have submitted an amendment to the Labour budget that will protect the mobile library service.

Local library action groups have rallied against the plans and launched a letter writing campaign to try and stop the mobile library service being cut.

Cllr Nigel Scott, Lib Dem communities spokesperson, comments:

“The mobile library is a very important service for the disabled, elderly and for the young and it relatively little in terms of the council’s budget.  It is a lifeline for some of our  most vulnerable residents, particularly those who are housebound.

“We believe we have found the money to keep the mobile library service by cutting the council’s spend on expensive agency staff. We will be submitting an amendment to the budget to protect the service; I hope that the Labour leadership will listen to the public and vote for our amendment to keep the mobile library.”

Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, comments:

“It would be a travesty if this vital local service was needlessly lost. The Labour-run Council need to get their priorities right – stop the wasteful spending and start supporting key services like mobile libraries.

“I am very pleased that the Haringey Lib Dems have submitted an amendment to protect the mobile library service – and I sincerely hope that Labour change their minds before the budget meeting.”