24/01/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

things will get colder and sweet, find out

Preying on the penniliess ` fears that payday loan companies are

leaving islanders with crippling debts.

Fifth in the background checks to ensure that the ability of these

loans. Meanwhile, one Channel Islands IT

company has started mining virtual money ` find out more later.

Plus: from wartime bunker to wildlife haven ` we go bird`watching

in a new wetlands centre. After visibility and travel

problems, improvement invisibility later on tonight, but another area

of low pressure turning up on Sunday. I'll have the details

later. Penniless and facing a mountain of

debt. That's how a growing number of people in Jersey are finding

themselves after taking out payday loans. The company offer instant

funds, do no credit checks and charge very high interest rates The

Citizen's Advice Bureau are so concerned about the number of

islanders going online to take out short term loans with big interest

rates they've set up drop in clinics this weekend. I asked the bureau's

manager Malcolm Ferey how much of a problem it is.

A payday loan is a short`term, high interest loan, and the problems that

people get into our not paying off the loan at the given time. There

are examples of people whose interest, compounded interest, far

surpasses the original borrowings. We have heard about online companies

before. Other also high street lenders people are using?

It is mini websites, and it is mainly over the telephone. These

type of payday loan companies are very accessible. Intends to be

younger people who are perhaps applying for them on a mobile phone

or via their computer, but the whole point, it is just becoming an easy

way to get quick money, and it may appear to be a short`term solution,

but it ends up being a long`term problem.

Do happen big problems in the UK and campaigns, why is the message not

getting through? Diving campaigns in the UK to

curtail the activities of payday lenders. The first is to ensure that

payday lenders conduct background checks to ensure that the ability of

loans. And the next is to stop any payday loan and rolled over three

times. Are they being followed? They are being followed, and there

is a charter in place that A.D. Lenders should adhere to. Apparently

it is not being adhered to as closely at some would like.

They are still getting into trouble because payday lenders are not doing

appropriate background checks to ensure the affordability of these

loans? What would you like to see done

We would like to know the scope of the problem. That is why we are

opening our doors to these clinics to allow people to tell us what

issues they are suffering. We're working with Future Finance to

provide practical solutions to people who are in this situation.

If you're worried about payday loans you can drop into Jersey's Citizen's

Advice Bureau on Saturday and Sunday mornings between 9am and 12pm, and

Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evenings between 5pm and 8pm.

A team of community volunteers will soon be able to give life`saving

treatment in emergency situations. Guernsey and the UK already have

First Responders. Now Jersey's Ambulance Service has funding to

introduce a pilot scheme. Specially`trained volunteers will

attend certain conditions, including cardiac arrests, before paramedics

arrive. The most important thing in cardiac

arrest is for someone to be doing basic life`support and to have a

greater on hand. `` tabulator. The idea is that immediate help will

arrive at the patient before the ambulance can get their. It is not

instead of an ambulance, it is as well as.

Condor Ferries says a decision on the future of its Channel Islands

service could be announced within weeks. The company's keen to buy

this ?50 million ship to sail the English Channel route. But it won't

go ahead until the States of Guernsey and Jersey commit to a

longer contract. Condor's Chief Executive Officer says if they do

buy the new ship then passengers will notice a big difference.

It is a bigger vessel, for a start. A far better rate in rough weather,

so all sorts of indications, it is a crime around rather than a

catamaran. A whole new experience inside, a whole new generation of

craft, and a much better experience for those on board. In terms of

comfort, far better, particularly in heavy weather.

The number of incidents of vandalism on States properties in Guernsey has

dropped by 80% in four years. That's according to the Environment

Department. By applying anti`vandal initiatives, such as anti`stick

paint, vandalism has dropped from 115 incidents in 2009 to its lowest

rate of 19 last year. You're watching the BBC in the

Channel Islands. Later in Spotlight with Justin and

Natalie: the group planning a prayer vigil at council offices to save

their church from closure. Next ` ever wish you could just

magic up some money out of nowhere? Well, it may not be quite that

simple ` and you need the right technology ` but one Channel Islands

IT company has started mining virtual money. Cryptocurrencies are

becoming more popular for online trading and transactions. Penny

Elderfield went to find out more. If I say someone is mining for

gold, this probably is not what you would picture, but some of these

machines are mining for a virtual currency. That escape this noisy

room and find out a bit more. Joining me out here from the

technology company C5 are Mark and Steve. Mark, it is a confusing

concept that those machines could be making some sort of currency. How

does it work? There are a number of

cryptocurrencies out there, 70 or so, and essentially what you get

from those companies or individuals is a blob of data, and with in that

data are some kinds, some numbers. You also need some complex software

from the same people to actually mine and try to solve those puzzles

defined those kinds in their. That's how you get hold of them, and that's

been done around the world by a number of people.

Steve, there must be a cost associated with this, there must be

cost to have all those machines in their?

In terms of the mode of coins you want to generate, obviously it is

limited by the amount of editor city consumed. But for us it is not

really about the value of cryptocurrencies, it is about the

concept. What are you hoping to get out of this?

We want to advise local businesses on how they could take advantage of

it, and potentially join up with law enforcement and help them.

If you look at the reputation of these currencies, they have been

associated in the past with money`laundering. Some will question

whether this is the sort of thing that Guernsey should be getting

into. A lot of fears aren't

cryptocurrencies is due to lack of knowledge of how to control it. We

want to be part of helping those agencies put things in place to

allay those fears so that financial services businesses and ritual

businesses can take advantage of this new type of currency.

Mark and Steve, thank you very much. I guess now we just let the

machines get on with the hard work. Four years after it was first

suggested, Jersey's new wetlands centre is just days away from

opening to the public. The bird hide and education centre allows visitors

to get as close as possible to local wildlife without leaving a trace.

Jen Smith's been finding out more. Making the most of Jersey's new

wetlands centre. Mike Stentiford's been a bird watcher here for more

than fifty years. It's hoped the project ` which cost around 200

thousand pounds ` will allow wildlife enthusiasts, like Mike as

well as tourists and islanders to watch and enjoy Jersey's natural

habitat without damaging it. A lot to read, a lot of

interpretation, and of course these viewing areas where you can spend so

much time just watching the birds that we are lucky enough to have

you. Built on top of a former German

bunker ` which'll now be used as a classroom ` it's designed to sit

subtly in its sandy surroundings. It's the idea of The National Trust

for Jersey, which has raised most of the money through donations.

The development fund also kindly sponsored this project, and they, as

we think, believe that visitors will be attracted to this and will be

another reason to visit Jersey. The emphasis here is on local birds

but also flora and fauna. It's hoped it'll attract as many visitors as

passing wildlife. Itself like we have all been living in the wetlands

today. Please give us some good news for the

have all been living in the wetlands today. Please give us weekend.

I suppose it is good news for the wildlife that is enjoying this wet

weather, but it is also quite mild, so perhaps for some wading birds is

not too bad a day. Tomorrow there will be some dry weather around but

we are moving back into wet weather on Sunday. Make the most of

tomorrow. It is quite cloudy, it will be breezy in the afternoon

tomorrow, more rain and strong winds likely on Sunday. This line of cloud

and rain is still across us at the moment. It will move away from us

later on tonight, and once that happens we get it clearance. Still a

little bit of mist around, but nothing that should trouble some of

our flight in and out of the islands. For tomorrow, there is a

weak ridge of high pressure, so hopefully it is a little drier. On

Sunday we could have further rain, and accompanying that, strong up to

gale`force winds. It finally peters out towards dawn tomorrow morning,

and overnight temperatures no lower than nine degrees. For tomorrow it

is generally a dry day. We might see showers in the evening, but for much

of the day it is dry. A lot of cloud around, some sunny spells,

temperatures getting up to 11 degrees. For the coastal waters

forecast, the winds start a force for an increase later. And the times

of high water. Sunday is wet, and breaks throughout

the day. Quite a windy day also Mundy is much colder. Some of the

showers on Monday could turn winter rain later in the day.

rain later Thanks very much. Good luck as you

are trying to get off the island this weekend, and make the most of

what is likely to be a slightly better day on Saturday. Is all from

the team here in the Channel Islands. I hand you over to

Spotlight. `` Life Centre.

400 youngsters in this year's Disability Games. The police are

investigating a fire which has destroyed three buses at a Western

Greyhound depot in southeastern Cornwall.

The fire in Liskeard follows an arson attack last May at the depot

in Summercourt near Newquay, where 30 buses were destroyed.

The fire at the depot broke out in the early hours of the morning.

People living nearby were awoken by the flames and raised the alarm.

This film was taken by a family whose house overlooks the depot. At

one stage they feared for their safety. It looked like the actual

depot as well as the buses had started to catch fire. Today the

company confirmed that three buses had been completely destroyed in

this fire. The entire depot has been sealed off to preserve the evidence,

and a specialist forensic team will be brought in to examine the scene.

The police and fire investigators are conducting early enquiries to

establish the cause of the fire so that whether or not it is accidental

can be qualified. Last May, 35 buses were destroyed by an arson attack at

Western Greyhound's depot at Summercourt near Newquay. This is

still being investigated. The managing director of the company

told the BBC he believes his company is being targeted. That must not be

very comfortable. No, obviously the vehicles are insured. There have

been no deaths or injuries which is fortunate. Buses can be replaced.

But of course it is the effect on the public. The public are affected

if the services are affected and that is devastating. One has to

wonder who is doing this. This latest fire has caused disruption to

local bus services. Two routes were affected today and could be affected

tomorrow. The campaign against major cuts in

Torbay is being stepped up. Church groups plan a vigil outside the

council this weekend. They claim cuts will hit the most vulnerable.

The Leonard Stocks Centre in Torquay could close. We have been finding

out about the service it provides. There is no denying that David's

life has been difficult. A recovering drug addict, he was

released from prison on Christmas Eve. For the past few weeks he has

been living at Torquay's hostel and hopes to turn his life around.

Thanks to this place, I have been helped. But the centre that is home

to 24 residents is fighting for its life. Its funding is threatened and

that could force the centre to close. The people we are supporting

need help and will continue to need help. If we are not providing it it

will fall to the police, health services, the community to provide

that help. And it will be much more expensive. Torbay Council has to

make cuts. They are insisting they will find new ways of helping the

wearable people. But some housing `` Some housing associations are very

wealthy and have tax`free profits. We are going to say to some of the

housing associations, come and help us with not only your expertise but

your accommodation and staffing and finance. The people behind the

Leonard Stocks Centre say in four years it has helped almost 450

people. They are now wondering whether people like David will be

their last. Next week the Catholic Bishop of

Plymouth, Christopher Budd, will retire and hand over the reins to

his successor. Our political editor has been talking to him and

reflecting on the period of his leader `` leadership.

He has been needed for nearly 30 years. I time of change for the

church and the people he served. When I first came to Plymouth, it

was very white and English, that is the best way to describe it. Node

you have people from France, Spain, Poland, Germany and all sorts of

other places. Italians have been here a long time, like the Irish,

though. His time in office also saw only the second and third visit to

Britain by a reigning Pope will stop do you feel some people, `` as some

people in the church do, that with some of these issues of morality and

conscience, the church is being pushed out? There is an element in

our culture that wants to privatise this, totally. We want to resist

that and say, like anyone else, we have a right to have our say and to

argue the toss with the people over whatever it is. And I wanted very

much hope that that will continue. We should not be edged out of public

debate. It is not just a purely private affair. The welfare of human

beings, which the gospel is about, to some extent, cannot be

privatised. The Pope tweets, cardinals have blogs, do you think

social media has a role to play? In the time I have in my retirement, I

may be getting into some social media. Who knows? I baby become a

real pain in the neck. `` I may become. Blogging priests and

bishops, I think there is a risk in that. We should not do it too much.

Most of the Bishop's predecessors were not given the luxury of

retirement. In the Isles of Scilly, many years ago I said to a very

small group, if I am still alive when I retire, I will come and be

your priest, so I am going to do that. Mainly from the end of

November until Pentecost, which is normally May or June. He will

consecrate and thrown his successor, Mark O'Toole, next week.

Time for the sport now and the Plymouth Life Centre has been

staging a special event today involving hundreds of school

children from across Devon. Dave Gibbins has more.

Here at the Plymouth Life Centre, it is this year's Winter Ability Games.

It is for children, 400`plus children, of varying disabilities,

plus 100 volunteers. That makes up the Active Devon initiative, Active

Devon being based in Exeter. More about that in a moment, but first,

Yeovil Town plan a big FA Cup shock in the fourth round at Premier

League Southampton tomorrow. They will have more than 3,000 fans

cheering them on at the St Mary's Stadium.

Saints are ninth in the top league and will provide a hard obstacle for

Gary Johnson's team to overcome, but this is the Cup and the Somerset

Greens are up for it. I am not sure they will necessarily enjoy playing

us. We may not be a huge fixture in their calendar. We have to upset the

odds, work hard, believe in our own tactics, and try to spoil theirs. So

at least you go into the battle believing that you can win it.

And while the children from Tiverton High School are enjoying the diving

which is here at the Plymouth Life Centre, let's hope the weather

relents for our region's League Two sides. Plymouth Argyle look to

recover from two home defeats last week by Cheltenham Town at Home

Park. The Gloucestershire team lie just a point behind Argyle, who are

11th in the table. Exeter City have lost two games to

the weather. They hope for better against Wimbledon, while Torquay

United go for a second successive win under new manager Chris

Hargreaves at Oxford. Exeter Chiefs' head coach, Rob

Baxter, has been talking about his induction into the Premiership Rugby

Hall of Fame. It includes luminaries such as former Leicester and England

captain Martin Johnson, and referee Ed Morrison. Baxter leads the Chiefs

into their final two pool ties in this season's Anglo`Welsh Cup,

starting with Ospreys at Sandy Park tomorrow. Right from the board,

right through to the cleaning staff, we are all in it together. We went

to Cardiff last week in the Heineken Cup and I looked around and the

whole office staff were in there, enjoying a day out in Cardiff. That

is the kind of club we are, where we enjoy being in the Premiership, we

see it as an opportunity and something to enjoy, not a battle to

worry about. The Cornish Pirates will leapfrog

London Scottish in the Championship ` that's if they win in Richmond

tomorrow. A tough one for head coach Ian Davies, as the Pirates narrowly

beat the Scots exiles 16`8 in November.

Plymouth Albion, eighth, have had equally difficult ordeal with

fourth`place Bristol on Sunday. Quite a few sports going on just

below me. For example, rowing, table cricket, archery and seated

volleyball. Yes, it is the Winter Ability Games. An Olympic bronze

medallist from Beijing 2008 proved popular with all at the Life Centre.

Open water swimmer Cassie Patten from Cardingham in Cornwall was the

special guest, offering her advice and expertise to the children, and

those not necessarily in the pool. One of my tasks for the day is to

sign as many autographs as possible. In the programme there's a "Find

Cassie Patten" section. Sometimes just talking to young people and

sharing your experiences can really help inspire them to participate and

then carry on with sport. It was the biggest turnout for a Winter Ability

Games, and the first time the event had been held at the Life Centre.

The superb facilities were a hit for all concerned. Wow. I wish when I

was young we had facilities like this. Incredible. We are really

lucky that our youngsters have access to this today, because it is

a stunning facility. Will you becoming back next year, or do you

try to get around the county? We try to use different venues but when you

look at this it is difficult to compete with.

So who's to say it will not be returning to the Life Centre next

year? Finally from me, the best of luck to

Exeter Chiefs' Dave Ewers and Sam Hill, both of whom make their

England Saxons rugby debut tomorrow night against Ireland at Gloucester.

And two more ` Dave Lewis and Henry Slade, are replacements.

Back now to our top story, and a major incident has been declared for

part of the Somerset Levels, which remain flooded. Our Correspondent

Clinton Rogers is there with the latest on the situation.

Thank you. As you can see, it is raining here tonight, and more heavy

rain is forecast for Sunday. That is the problem, almost as soon as the

Environment Agency pump the water of the Moors, nature puts it back

again. The village behind me near Bridgwater, the septic tank drainage

systems of most of the houses have now been overwhelmed and there is

sewage overflowing. The question a lot of people are asking now is how

soon before that becomes a public health issue? Small wonder the Civic

leaders have decided to call this, as they have done today, they say

they need help and in whatever form this help comes, one big is for

sure, it is desperately needed. `` one thing is for sure. The

weather. Hopefully some dry weather again

tomorrow, but as we have just heard, there is more rain in the forecast

for Sunday, not just wet weather on Sunday but windy conditions, too. We

have had about 20 millimetres today. The rainfall is now moving

through Somerset that it will be a while before that clears. The good

news is it will be drier on Saturday, but more rain forecast for

Sunday. Windy all weekend. Several flood warnings in force. You can go

to the Environment Agency website to find them, or use the telephone

number. Lots on this satellite picture. Lots of cloud. Something of

a break in that cloud out to the West of our land. That will arrive

later on this evening. `` the West of Ireland. A chance for some

brighter weather tomorrow. We might even get some sunshine. A few

showers towards the end of the day, mostly along the Bristol Channel and

through central parts of England. This lump of cloud leaving the East

coast of Canada will raise across the Atlantic to bring us more wet

weather on Sunday. But this is quite fast moving so even though we have a

very wet start to the day on Sunday, it moves away quickly

through the afternoon. The rain we have at the moment is stuttering

along, not leaving particularly fast. Brighter colours in their

showing where the rain has been in the last few hours. More of that to

come for Somerset and Dorset for the next few hours before it finally

moves out of the way, and we are left with slightly better

conditions, improving visibility. Some mist about but not be low cloud

and fog we have seen today. Tomorrow, quite a lot of cloud,

briefly some sunny spells, and then towards the end of the day, a line

of showers through Pembrokeshire and then through the seven a street, so

perhaps affecting North Devon and Somerset. But for most of us

tomorrow a windy day. `` through the Severn estuary. Not as warm. Quite a

wind chill with the stiff breeze. From the Isles of Scilly, some of

the best weather. The waves are likely to be pretty

big and not necessarily that clean either. Cleanest along the South

coast. The wind starts at eight force five

tomorrow and increases to six or seven, particularly along the North

Devon and Cornwall coasts. There is a warning for the rain on Sunday.

It will also be quite a windy day. 50 mph or 60 mph. Cold Monday and

Tuesday next week, even with the risk of some wintry showers.

Your BBC local radio stations will keep you up`to`date with the weather

situation across the weekend. Goodbye.