Metal theft bill goes for Royal Assent

On 2 April, six intr epid explorers will take par t in a marathon coast-to-coast expedition across England and back again to raise funds for new pr ojects taking care of some of India’s most vulnerable children.

Steve Haskett and his 13-year-old son Owen will leave the Nor th Sea coast at Tynemouth, just outside Newcastle, to make the 90-mile jour ney on foot to the Irish Sea coast at Bowness-on-Solway, along Hadrian’s Wall path. They will be unsupported, carr ying all supplies including tent and sleeping bags, taking seven days.

Then Steve will cycle 30 miles south to W orkington where he will be joined by friends Peter and Linda Tomkinson and Peter and Ellie Mar tin, who will join him for the 140-mile jour ney by bike back to T ynemouth, arriving back at Tynemouth on Friday 12 April.

This venture will raise money for the work of Life Association, the charity r un by Message Tr ust co-founder Simon Hawthorne. THERE IS LIGHT at the end of the tunnel in the Church of England’s long campaign to defeat metal thieves who have targeted not only churches and historic buildings but railways and even statues in public parks.

The Scrap Metal Dealers Bill has cleared its last legislative hurdle in the House of Lords and gone forward to receive the Royal Assent.

In March 2011, a report to the Home Office from the Church Buildings Council called for a new regulation of scrap yards to take away the incentive for metal theft. Under the new regulations, there will be a licensing system, a national register of scrap yards and compulsory taking of identification at the point of sale.

The Police will have powers of entry to enforce the new regulations and to close yards where illegal activity is suspected.