The police have today launched a campaign to promote better understanding of what to do if someone is suspected of having taken a drugs overdose.

Across North Yorkshire and York emergency health services will respond to drug overdose calls for help without routinely notifying the police. Dial 999.

A campaign is being launched between 20 August and 24 August 2012 to raise awareness of the agreed procedure.

The campaign is being led by local Substance Misuse Partnerships and North Yorkshire Police, and includes support from a number of other local organisations, including NHS North Yorkshire and York, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Local Authorities and drug treatment services. (more…)

Traditional jewellery stolen from York woman

York police are appealing for witnesses after a woman had a large amount of jewellery stolen while shopping in the city centre.

The 41-year-old victim, who had just moved to the UK from Brunei, had the items in a black box in her handbag as she shopped on Thursday 2 August 2012.

At some point during the day the jewellery was stolen from her handbag which was hanging from the handle of her child’s pushchair.

The jewellery, which consists of traditional items from Brunei and Nepal, is quite unusual and is valued at between £4000 and £5000. (more…)

Ben Fogle

Join celebrity Ben Fogle in York as he talks about his inspiring new book the ‘Accidental Naturalist’.

Explore York, Wednesday September 5 12.30pm.

Ben Fogle is a TV presenter, a writer and an adventurer. Since he first came to fame as part of the BBC Millennium project Castaway he has rarely stood still. He has raced across the Sahara, rowed across the Atlantic and crossed Antartica in a foot race to the South Pole. He has also presented several TV programmes including Animal Park, Countryfile and Crufts as well as making documentaries on Captain Scott, crocodiles and much more. Ben is an ambassador for WWF, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and supports many charities including Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and Tusk.

Ben’s new book is the ‘Accidental Naturalist’ which tells the extraordinary true stories of Ben’s amazing encounters with animals and how they changed his life.

Tickets cost £5 (including a glass of wine) and are available from Explore York on 01904 552828 or exploreyork@york.gov.uk, or call into your local library.

In response to a Freedom of Information request (Ref: Y5752) the Council has revealed which internet websites are most visited by Council members and officials.

For the period since 1st Jan 2011 the top ten most visited sites were:

1. (28,846,337 requests) – www.google.co.uk
2. 17,644,765 – www.yorkpress.co.uk
3. 8,821,890 – www.facebook.com
4. 7,729,974 – googleads.g.doubleclick.net
5. 7,286,812 – www.yortime.org.uk
6. 6,968,441 – mt0.google.com
7. 5,654,974 – mt1.google.com
8. 5,100,672 – karoo.kcom.com
9. 5,002,431 – 156.karoo.kcom.com
10. 3,969,778 – www.baileycooper.co.uk

A full list of sites visited can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/by-browse-time

By far the longest “browse time” was on www.google-analytics.com, followed by Facebook, Google and Twitter.

NB. Google Analytics is a site which allows web page owners to measure the type and number of users who visit their web sites.

There were 237 children in local authority care of City of York Council of whom 180 were placed with foster carers on 31 March 2012.

Of the 237 children in care on that date, 22 children have returned to live with their birth families.