Issue: 343
INSIDE
CYCLING SCOUSER COMPLETES CHALLENGE Page 3
BUSINESS MEN GATHER FOR GROUNDBREAKING ART PROJECT Page 7
PRESCOT SWIMMING CLUB CELEBRATES BIG WEEKEND Page 32
Keep up to date with THE CHALLENGE on our website
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January 2016
Go ahead for thousands of new homes agreed despite strong opposition
CONTROVERSIAL PLAN APPROVED Knowsley Council has approved the adoption of its Local Plan Core Strategy at a full Council meeting on 6 January 2016. The Local Plan Core Strategy is described as a vitally important document for the future of Knowsley as it will guide development in the borough up to 2028. It will set out where and how new development and regeneration happens in the borough to provide new homes and employment opportunities. The plan supports the wider aims of Knowsley Council and its partners to deliver 8,100 new homes across the borough in order to grow the borough’s population, to develop 164 hectares of employment land to create new jobs and to regenerate Knowsley’s Town Centres whilst enhancing the borough’s environmental assets. Cllr Mike Murphy, Knowsley’s cabinet member for regeneration and economic development said: “I am delighted that the Local Plan will now be officially adopted. This is a major opportunity for the Council
Cllr Mike Murphy, Knowsley’s cabinet member for regeneration and economic development.
and our communities as the plan will facilitate transformational change across Knowsley through new housing development, new employment opportunities and new and improved retail developments. “It was always the council’s intention to release urban land for development, but a government inspector said
we hadn’t allowed enough space for housing. “This left us with little choice but to recommend greenbelt land should be released. We will still retain 49% of the borough’s greenbelt. The plan has also seen a lot of controversy as campaigners against the plan say that communities can’t cope with the influx of new
residents, citing it will lead to a strain on already-struggling schools, health services, roads and other infrastructure. Others are concerned about the effects on the environment, and the loss of valuable natural, open spaces that have served towns for generations. A council meeting in December 2015 was adjourned after officers called police to deal with interruptions from members of the public. The reconvened meeting on Wednesday 6 January 2016 lasted less than ten minutes and ended with a vote. Every councillor present approved the plan. Kirk Sandringham, Green Party candidate for Page Moss, said: “We believe the local plan has been rushed through without adequate consultation and against local wishes. We need to save our green spaces for future generations.” The plan is available on the council’s website www.knowsley.gov.uk/localplan and copies are available to view at Knowsley Council One Stop Shops and libraries.
2 January 2016
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Detectives are appealing for information after two men were assaulted outside a pub in Kirkby. Police were called at just after 10pm, on Monday 21 December, by ambulance crews to reports that the men had been assaulted in the car park of the Falcon Hotel, on Bewley Drive. It is believed that four
unknown men had arrived at the pub in a silver or white Mercedes car and assaulted the two men. Both men were knocked unconscious and suffered serious facial injuries. An investigation into the incident is underway and CCTV opportunities are being explored. At this stage there appears to be no clear motive for
the attack. Detective Inspector Robbie Moss said: “This was a particularly nasty assault on two men who were enjoying a Christmas drink with friends. “Thankfully incidents of this nature are very rare but I want to reassure the public that we are doing everything we can to trace the people responsible.
“We would appeal to anyone who was in the vicinity of the Falcon Hotel or may have seen a silver or white Mercedes car in the area either before or after the assault to contact us.” Anyone with information is asked to contact Merseyside Police on 0151 777 6584 or the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.
New e-books service launched Knowsley Library Service has launched a new, free e-Book Service which offers a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles. The e-Books Service allows you to read books online or to download them onto your computer, eBook reader, tablet or smartphone. You can read online e-Books anytime, anywhere with internet access or you can check out up to two downloadable e-Books for up to 14 days. e-Books can be renewed but otherwise the download expires after 14 days - so e-Books never get overdue! Any Knowsley library member can access e-Books, all you need is your library card number and PIN. If you’re not already a member, it’s easy
to join at your local branch. From the council’s website click on ‘online library’ or pop into your local Knowsley Library for more information about the new e-Books Service. Cllr Eddie Connor, cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “I’m delighted Knowsley residents can now read free library e-Books
anytime, anywhere. “It’s a really exciting development and we will be adding new titles for children and adults over the coming weeks and months. “It’s really easy to borrow the eBooks but if anyone does need some help getting started, any of our friendly library staff will be more than happy to help.”
Stargazing event in Huyton Local stargazers will converge on a Huyton park to witness the wonders of the night sky. Knowsley’s Green Space Ranger Service is holding a free stargazing event at Court Hey Park, Huyton on Friday 29 January, starting at 7.30pm. The Liverpool Astronomical Society will be giving an illustrated talk about the many wonders of the solar system, followed by a night of star gazing using powerful telescopes. For further information contact the Huyton Ranger on 0151 443 3114 or 07771 550843.
January 2016 3
CYCLING SCOUSER COMPLETES CHALLENGE
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Halewood’s Cycling Scouser Andrew Rogerson has completed another challenge; clocking up 50 miles in under three hours as part of bike hire scheme Bike & Go’s ‘virtual velodrome’ challenge. The 30-year-old cyclist, who recently returned from a gruelling 10,000 mile charity ride from China to Liverpool, was cheered on by dozens of commuters as he undertook the testing task on a stationary Bike & Go bike in the concourse of Liverpool’s Central train station. Christmas shoppers even joined in the fun, cycling alongside the Pride of Merseyside winner on a Bike & Go ‘smoothie bike’ to produce drinks as they pedalled. The event was the result of a challenge thrown down by the bike hire scheme, which operates at various rail networks across the UK, to support Andrew’s bid to raise both funds and awareness for blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan. And it enabled the Jaguar Land Rover worker to exceed the £22,000 he has already raised for the organisation.
Andrew said: “I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the Bike & Go challenge. It was fantastic to see everybody getting involved to show their support. “We managed to raise almost £500 and more invaluable awareness for Anthony Nolan. “We hope those who haven’t already, will join the Anthony Nolan register to help the organisation continue saving lives.” Bike & Go business manager Linda van der Haar, said: “Andrew is a real example to us all of what can be achieved by just one person with a bike, and we’re delighted to support him in his fundraising efforts. “He is an inspiration to everyone who has ever wanted to step out of their daily routine and do something a bit different – whether that’s hiring a bike to get to the office from the station, or taking on a global challenge – and is showing people how much fun cycling can be too.” To donate to Anthony Nolan, visit Cycling Scouser’s Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/shanghai2liver pool/
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4 January 2016
HISTORIC LETTERS TO THE EARLS OF DERBY MADE PUBLIC Historic letters to the Earls of Derby from members of the Royal Family and other prominent figures are being made available at Liverpool Central Library for the first time. Thousands of papers, which also include diaries and other documents written in the 1800s and belonging to the 13th, 14th and 15th Earls of Derby, have been deciphered over a 20 month period by experienced archivists. The Earls of Derby, based at Knowsley Hall, have had a significant impact as national politicians and local magnates and landowners in Lancashire, affecting education, hospitals, law, agriculture, trade and Art. The documents include correspondence from Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, Horatio Nelson, Edward Lear, the Duke of Wellington, Charles Darwin, Benjamin Disraeli, William Gladstone, Catherine Gladstone, Florence Nightingale and Herbert Spencer. The letters are now catalogued in detail and fully accessible at Liverpool Record Office in Central Library and also available and searchable online. A selection of the newly available archive was unveiled by the present Earl of Derby at a special event in the Hornby
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Library at Liverpool Central Library. Assistant Mayor and cabinet member for culture, Councillor Wendy Simon, said: “This collection is a significant snapshot of our history, giving a fascinating insight into the world of some of the most famous and influential people of the 19th century. “I am delighted that thanks to the work of our archivists, we are now able to make the papers available to people who wish to view them, whether it’s in person or online.” The event will also launch a new publication on the history of the Earls Art, Animals and Politics. Knowsley and the Earls of Derby - edited by Dr Stephen Lloyd, curator of the Derby Collection and published by Unicorn Press Ltd. It includes absorbing essays by a distinguished cast of contributors led by historian David Starkey, writing about the political significance of Lady Margaret Beaufort, the first Countess of Derby, and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, on Edward Lear’s zoological drawings, many of which were made at Knowsley. It covers key facets of the family’s diverse achievements. Thomas, Lord Stanley, was created Earl of Derby in 1485 after the Battle of Bosworth Field. Since that time the Stanleys – a great Lancastrian family, whose seat at Knowsley Hall, have been significant in the life of the nation as patrons and collectors, sportsmen and politicians.
January 2016 5
WORKFORCE DONATE TO FOOD BANK
Left to right: Deborah Flett (The Big Help Project), Councillor Peter Mitchell (chair of The Big Help Project), and Structec employees Emma Jewell, Neil Duckett and Steve Davies managing director.
The directors of award winning building and maintenance contractor Structec (NW) Limited once again called on their staff to help local people facing hardship this Christmas. The company saw generous donations come flooding in from their workforce in aid of the Knowsley Food Bank run locally by The Big Help Project. In 2014 when directors Steve and Tracey Davies visited the food bank headquarters in Kirkby, they were so moved by the work being carried out by such dedicated people to help the less fortunate, that they felt compelled to give some support and organised a successful Christmas fundraising event. Structec decided to run the event again this year, receiving staff donations which were fund matched ‘pound for pound’ by the company bringing the total to £850.
In context, this contribution will buy around half a ton of food, which will be enough to feed more than 25 families of five or more for three days. Steve spoke of being delighted by the generosity of Structec’s employees by saying “We are so pleased to be once again supporting the Big Help Project, a fantastic and inspirational organisation which provides much needed help for people who have found themselves struggling in hard times. We are extremely proud of our team and can’t thank them enough for their kindness”. In November both organisations were recognised for their work in the community at the 2015 Knowsley Business Awards, with Structec earning the Corporate Social Responsibility Award and the Big Help Project winning Social Enterprise of the Year.
6 January 2016 The Prince’s Trust has transformed the lives of young people in need of support for the last 40 years; including that of Kirkby’s own Stephen Williams Jr. Leaving Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College in Liverpool at the age of 16, Stephen had the dreams and aspirations of becoming a magician and working in show business, but had no real idea of how to do it. “Nobody in my family is in the entertainment industry or has their own business, so although I wanted to become a professional magician, I genuinely had no idea of how to do it. “How could I go from doing the occasional gig and charity event around the North West, to making a full-time career out of doing what I love? “People were telling me that I needed to get a ‘proper job’, that the magic should just be a hobby, and part of me had started to believe them. I’d hit a brick wall really, and I think it’s fair to say I was somewhat lost,” Stephen said. It was at this point that a friend of his suggested he tried approaching The Prince’s Trust for support. “I knew about the charity,” Stephen said, “but I assumed it was only for traditional kinds of businesses; gardening and plumbing, that kind of thing. I never would have imagined they’d also be able to help with something as obscure as being a magician.” The Prince’s Trust, as it happens, was critical in the development, initial funding and support for Steven Frayne, now more famously known as Dynamo - arguably the most successful close-up magician to have emerged from the UK this century. “Upon approaching the trust, they genuinely couldn’t have been more supportive. Following a four day training course and business plan creation, I was given an incredible business
mentor, David Lynas, who guided me through every stage of turning my passion into a proper career. “He was there to help me when I got lost in what to do next and would offer support in any way that he could. “We’d meet once a month to review how everything was going and he’d give me guidance as to what to do before our next meeting. We’d then speak regularly throughout the month to make sure everything was on track. “Having someone there so supportive and genuinely eager to see my business flourish made a bigger difference than I could possibly put into words, and I really can’t thank David enough for it.” Over the two years that Stephen was supported by The Prince’s Trust, his business and entrepreneurial abilities increased exponentially. Under the guidance of expert magician and mentor Russ Stevens, his performance prowess flourished, allowing him to sell out his one-man show in Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre, which later went on to secure him international representation. He now performs on luxury cruise liners and at corporate events across the globe for most of the year. In two weeks’ time, Stephen, who is currently 21 and living in Kirkby, will find himself in Bridgetown, Barbados. He’ll then be travelling to Callao, Peru and then head off to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His remarkable journey has taken him from performing the ‘odd gig’ in Liverpool to travelling internationally to present his magic shows; and this, he says, is all thanks to The Prince’s Trust and his mentors, David Lynas and Russ Stevens. “The truth is,” Stephen said: “that the Prince’s Trust doesn’t just offer support; it changes lives. How do I know? Well, it changed mine.”
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TOP REGIONAL BUSINESSMEN GATHER FOR GROUNDBREAKING ART PROJECT
Company. Sandra Richardson CEO of Knowsley Youth Mutual added: “It is essential that issues around young men and wellbeing are tackled by the whole community. “To help to build understanding between our leaders and young men we will be creating inspiring opportunities to paint, tell stories, network, chill out and even sail on the picturesque lake at our outdoor education centre. “We look forward sharing the ‘big love’ once again and creating a positive intergenerational new story of hope for Knowsley’s lads and leaders. “Let’s try to stop the isolation and despair of many of our young men and start creating a new conversation.” To sign up contact Clare on 07813920489 or email clarecampbell@me.com For more information visit www.biglovemybrother.com
Can you help? Volunteers at Tarbock Village Hall are on the lookout for more helpers. The group is looking for local people to help run the hall and promote a wide range of community and private activities. Anyone interested in getting involved is invited to the Annual General Meeting of the Trustees of Tarbock Village Hall, on Netherley Road, Tarbock Green on Thursday 14 January at 7.00pm. For more information call Ian on 07746 123 855.
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A local artist is gathering key male leaders from Merseyside to take part in a unique wellbeing project that aims to open up conversations around preventing suicide and promoting wellbeing for young men. Big Love My Brother, is a collaboration between artist Clare Campbell and innovative social organisation, Knowsley Youth Mutual, and follows the success of Big Love Sista programs, which involved more than 100 high-flying females and CEOs including MP Luciana Berger and Morecrofts’ managing partner Alison Lobb unite to ‘Stand up for Sistahood’ in March 2015. Carrying the same core philosophy, the groundbreaking male initiative was kickstarted during the ‘Lads & Leaders Weekend’ on November 28-29, when all participants painted a life size self-portrait as a way of sharing their own unique life story. Clare said: “Our Project Big Love Sista motivated women and girls of all ages to find healing in art through the concept of painting inspirational self-portraits. “Three of our women are now at University studying Art degrees, many are running groups in their own communities and lots of the women leaders have been inspired to carry on painting and connecting. “Often there are certain stigmas and gender stereotypes that surround male mental health and wellbeing. The press is full of devastating stories of suicide. We have to start tackling this in as many ways as possible. “We want to establish an environment that allows young men to feel safe, open up, talk to and be inspired by one another and hopefully realise their potential. “We will be working with boys aged 1016 as we believe that early intervention is key.” The portraits created throughout the weekend will also be exhibited during a high-profile showcase in February 2016. Chief executives that are also backing the project include Knowsley Youth Mutual, Public Health, Knowsley Council, Merseyside Police, Morecrofts, ADHD Foundation, House of Suarez and Merseyside Community Rehabilitation
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Knowsley Writing Competition 2016 Entries are open for the annual Knowsley Writing Competition. This year, the theme is a poem or short story inspired by a piece of music.Young people and adults who live, work or study in Knowsley can enter. Entries can be made online via the council’s website, emailed to writing@knowsley.gov.uk or forms are available from any Knowsley library. The closing date is Friday 19 February 2016.
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8 January 2016
A SAFE HARBOUR FOR PUPILS
Northwood Primary School in Kirkby celebrated the opening of their new multisensory classroom thanks to the rugby sports charity, Wooden Spoon. Stan Bagshaw, regional chairman for Wooden Spoon Merseyside said: “Northwood Community School needed funding to renovate an old classroom in order to create a modern sensory facility. We visited the school and identified the benefits this would provide to the school children. We were delighted to support the project and attended the unveiling of the new sensory room to see the difference the equipment would make.” Headteacher, Jason Hollywood said: “The opening of our multi-sensory room by Jamie Carragher was a proud moment for us all. A special thanks must go to Wooden Spoon for making this happen for the children of Northwood. It was great to celebrate with parents, children, governors, staff and special guests. The children who will benefit from it,
truly deserve it! Multi sensory environments improve the development of thought, intelligence and social skills. They offer children with challenging conditions the opportunity to enjoy and control a variety of sensory
experiences. Such children may not experience the world as the majority of us do and multisensory environments generate a relaxing and calming effect, but also impact learning in a variety of ways. This room will enhance our provision no end”.
Jamie Carragher and headteacher Jason Hollywood get a little help at the opening
A quick peek inside
January 2016 9
Stan Bagshaw, regional chairman, Wooden Spoon Merseyside Joe Mellor, vice captain of Widnes Vikings, former Liverpool footballer Jamie Carragher and Jason Hollywood, headteacher
10 January 2016
WHAT’S ON IN
January
Stations, UK Adventure Training Camps & Overseas Camps), BTEC awards (equivalent to 7 GCSE's), Social Events and much more Telephone 0151 426 6000 (Monday & Thursday 19002130)
MONDAY 11 - SATURDAY 23 JANUARY WILLY RUSSELL: BEHIND THE SCENES 9am – 5pm Kirkby Gallery, The Kirkby Centre, Norwich Way, Kirkby. Born and raised in Knowsley, dramatist, composer, novelist and (occasional) performer, Willy Russell has created some of the most memorable and iconic work of his generation. This exhibition of material from the Willy Russell Archive at Liverpool John Moores University celebrates a selection of Russell’s work spanning five decades from early works referencing the local area to Our Day Out, Stags and Hens, Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine and Blood Brothers. Archive film of performances, posters, playbills, handwritten notes and scripts bring his stories to life, alongside items from his own personal collection to give a rare insight into his work. Exhibition catalogues are available to purchase, priced £4 directly from the gallery or via the contact details below. For further information on the exhibition or galleries please contact Tina Ball 0151 443 5617 or email tina.ball@knowsley.gov.uk Kirkby Gallery opening times: Monday to Friday: 9am – 5pm and Saturday: 10am – 1pm Please note opening times subject to change, please check the website http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/things-todo/museums-and-galleries.aspx before visiting. SUPPORT WORK IN SCHOOLS - THE PRIDE CC, KIRKBY 12:30pm – 3:15pm The Pride Children’s Centre, Simonswood Lane, Northwood, Kirkby. If you are thinking of working or supporting in a school setting this is a course for you. Complete a small amount of hours per week in a school placement so you can put what you learn into practice. For further information please contact THE PRIDE CHILDREN’S CENTRE - 0151 443 3257 MC SOCCER SCHOOL 6pm – 7pm Lord Derby Academy, Seel Road, Huyton. Junior football activities and coaching for children aged 2+. We cater for absolute beginners learning how to kick a ball and play the game, to extremely talented children who we offer to local academies and help get them signed up. Monday 6-7pm, Outdoor 3G pitch, Wednesday 5.306.30pm, Indoor, Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park, Longview Drive, Huyton Friday 6-7pm, Outdoors 3G pitch, Lord Derby Academy. Contact Michael Corless to book a place - 07834807387 ACTIVE WOMEN’S WOMEN’S RUNNING & WALKING GROUP AT CROXTETH COUNTRY PARK 6pm – 7pm Croxteth Country Park, Croxteth Hall Lane, Liverpool L12 0HB. Join Active Women’s Women’s Running & Walking Group (Beginners’ Welcome) Meeting in front of Croxteth Hall (By the benches) Just £1 Contact Sylvia 07545200316 to book 1438 (PRESCOT) SQUADRON 7:00pm – 9:30pm 1438 (Prescot) Squadron, Cumber Lane, Whiston. We are a uniformed youth organisation aimed at 13-18 year olds, funded by the RAF. Our main aim is to foster a spirit for adventure along with helping to provide skills and qualifications useful later in life. Activities include: Flying, Gliding, Shooting, Sports, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, First Aid, Fieldcraft Adventure Training (such as Kayaking, Canoeing, Archery, Rock Climbing, Abseiling, Surfing & CoastSteering) Camps (UK Annual Camps to RAF
TUESDAY 12 JANUARY BOOK BREAK 1:00pm – 2:30pm The Craigs Community Centre, Little Moss Hey, Stockbridge Village. Groups for all local residents - everybody welcome! Take a break with a book near you... Like tea and cake? Want to meet people? Fancy getting out of the house? Or just need to relax...? Then come along to one of these new, FREE groups for Knowsley residents. We get together every week to share stories and poems over a cuppa; no reading ability is required (everything will be read aloud for you) and there's no pressure to join in - so you're free to put your feet up with a brew and listen. Interested? Contact Helen Wilson, helenwilson@thereader.org.uk 07807 106693 or just drop in! WEDNESDAY 13 JANUARY LIVERPOOL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 7pm – 9pm Leighton Observatory, Pex Hill, Cronton. When and Where? Weekly public meetings are held every Wednesday evening (except at Christmas week), between 19:00 (7pm) and 21:00 (9pm) local time (e.g. 7pm BST in summer, 7pm UTC in winter) in the Liverpool Astronomical Society’s Leighton Observatory. Children who wish to visit must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. If you have any questions about our public Weekly Meetings, please contact us via the Forums, or contact the Director of the Observatory. http://liverpoolas.org/
THURSDAY 14 JANUARY BOOK AT BREAKFAST 10:00am – 11:30am Prescot Library, Prescot Centre, Prescot Shopping Centre, Aspinall Street, Prescot. Groups for people living with dementia and those close to them. Take a break with a book near you... Like tea and cake? Want to meet people? Fancy getting out of the house? Or just need to relax...? Then come along to one of these new, FREE groups for Knowsley residents. We get together every week to share stories and poems over a cuppa; no reading ability is required (everything will be read aloud for you) and there's no pressure to join in - so you're free to put your feet up with a brew and listen. Interested? Contact Helen Wilson, helenwilson@thereader.org.uk 07807 106693 or just drop in! CAKE DECORATING COURSE - LEVEL 2 - NORTHWOOD CC, KIRKBY 9:15am – 12:15pm Northwood Children’s Centre, Roughwood Drive, Northwood, Kirkby. Further to Level 1, this course is designed to continue the skills of cake decorating learnt at Level 1. For further information call 0151 443 5442 FRIDAY 15 JANUARY MATHS - NORTHWOOD CC, KIRKBY 1pm – 3pm Northwood Children's Centre, Roughwood Drive, Northwood, Kirkby. Maths Level 1 and Level 2 courses. Fully qualified tutor to assist in learning. For further information please call 0151 443 5442
SATURDAY 16 JANUARY TRAIL RIDE - PONY RIDING - CROXTETH COUNTRY PARK 11:00am – 11:45am Croxteth Park Riding Centre, Croxteth Country Park. An introduction to horse-riding around the paths of the Park. Booking essential. Riding lessons also available every day (except Mondays) at the Centre for children and adults. 0151 220 9177. Download the leaflet for more information or visit Croxteth Park Riding Centre website THE SAFARI KIDS CLUB 12pm – 3pm Stockbridge Village Neighbourhood Centre, The Withens, Stockbridge Village. Priced at £2 per child (discounts for families) and parents get in for FREE. Activities and fun for children up to 12yrs. Giant Bouncy Castle, Multi Sports, Arts and Crafts, Community Café, Monthly Movie Club, Cookery and so much more. Don't forget to bring your leisure pass! Organised by the Stockbridge Community Intergeneration Project, for further details please contact Margaret O'Sullivan, mosully@hotmail.co.uk 07926473711 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY BOOK A BREAK 10:00am – 11:30am Kirkby CRI, The Link Centre, St Chad's Drive, Kirkby. A group for people involved with addiction recovery services. Take a break with a book near you... Like tea and cake? Want to meet people? Fancy getting out of the house? Or just need to relax...? Then come along to one of these new, FREE groups for Knowsley residents. We get together every week to share stories and poems over a cuppa; no reading ability is required (everything will be read aloud for you) and there's no pressure to join in - so you're free to put your feet up with a brew and listen. Interested? Contact Helen Wilson, helenwilson@thereader.org.uk 07807 106693 or just drop in! MONDAY 25 JANUARY – SATURDAY 14 MAY LESLIE BRIGGS: ‘FACES AND PLACES’ EXHIBITION Huyton Gallery/Library, Civic Way, Huyton. Huyton Gallery presents this exciting solo exhibition of work by local artist, Leslie Briggs. Les is a self-taught artist who has lived in Kirkby all his life. As a local artist, this exhibition of work shows a wide range of paintings exploring places and faces that feature in Les's life. His painterly technique, style and proficiency has improved year on year and Knowsley Council are delighted to present the results of this, in this exciting solo exhibition. Les recently won the ‘Adult Visual Artist of the Year’ award as part the ‘Knowsley Sports and Cultural Awards 2015’. Prior to this, Leslie’s paintings have been selected and exhibited in the ‘Art Merseywide’ exhibition in 2014 and also annually in the Knowsley Open Art exhibition, to which he has previously won one of the ‘Visitor Choice’ prizes, proving that his work is already popular with the public.” TUESDAY 26 JANUARY DISABILITY NIGHT 6pm – 8pm Kidz Fantasy Land, Unit 2, Montrose Retail Park, Binns Road, Off Edge Lane, Liverpool, L7 9NF. Due to the overwhelming success of our disability night. We are pleased to announce that this will now be a regular event, held on the last Tuesday of every month (subject to availability), From 6pm until 8pm. The aim of our event is to enable children with various disabilities to enjoy our play facilities, along with their parents or carers. As always this is a parent/carer supervised play, and we encourage you to enter the play frame to enjoy the experience with your child/children. We welcome any feedback/recommendations which you feel may help us improve our facilities for future events. Entry – £3.95 per child for 2 hours play (one free adult entry per child £1 for each additional adult) Restaurant will be open to order from from 6pm until 7pm. Hot and cold drinks also available to purchase. As our food is freshly cooked on site, we are able to cater to dietary needs/requirements. No booking is required. Please call us 0151 220 2021 or email: kidzfantasyland@hotmail.com for any further information. Rules of play apply. WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY BOOK BREAK 1:30pm – 3:00pm The Halewood Centre, Roseheath Drive, Halewood. Groups for all local residents - everybody welcome! Take a break with
a book near you... Like tea and cake? Want to meet people? Fancy getting out of the house? Or just need to relax...? Then come along to one of these new, FREE groups for Knowsley residents. We get together every week to share stories and poems over a cuppa; no reading ability is required (everything will be read aloud for you) and there's no pressure to join in - so you're free to put your feet up with a brew and listen. Interested? Contact Helen Wilson, helenwilson@thereader.org.uk 07807 106693 or just drop in! LIVERPOOL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 7pm – 9pm Leighton Observatory, Pex Hill, Cronton, WA8 5QW. Weekly public meetings are held every Wednesday evening (except at Christmas week), between 19:00 (7pm) and 21:00 (9pm) local time (e.g. 7pm BST in summer, 7pm UTC in winter) in the Liverpool Astronomical Society’s Leighton Observatory. Children who wish to visit must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.If you have any questions about our public Weekly Meetings, please contact us via the Forums, or contact the Director of the Observatory. http://liverpoolas.org/
REGULAR EVENTS for this month
REGULAR WALKING SESSIONS Stadt Moers Environment Centre Beginners: Approx 1 mile (45 mins) Thursdays: 11am – 12 noon Intermediate: 3 – 5 miles (approx 3 hours) Tuesdays: 12:15 – 3:30/4pm Advanced: 4 – 6 miles (approx 3 hours) Thursdays: 12.15pm – 3.30pm/4pm WALKING FOR BEGINNERS Halewood Walking Club. Approx 1 mile (45 mins) Mondays: Halewood Park: 11am – 12 noon. Please call 0151 488 6151 for more information REGULAR WALKS Mill Dam Park, Kirkby L32 2AU Monday 11, 18 and 25 January 2016. Meet at Mill Dam 10am 3 – 4 mile Walk for Health. These walks are free and continue on a monthly basis Dependent on weather conditions. Call 07766 205989 for more information. REGULAR CYCLE RIDES Mill Dam Park, Kirkby L32 2AU Thursday 14, 21 and 28 January. Meet at Mill Dam Park at 10am ASTRONOMY NIGHT Court Hey Park Friday 29th January 2016. 7.30pm start. Liverpool Astronomical Society will be giving an illustrated talk about the many wonders of the solar system, followed by a night of star gazing using powerful telescopes. For further information contact the Ranger on 0151 443 3114 or 07771550843. Volunteer events ENVIRONMENTAL TASK DAYS Halewood Park Volunteers Wednesdays: 10am - 12 noon. Please call 0151 488 6151 for more information.
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PRIMARY ACT TOGETHER The finale of 2015’s Primary Act Together was held at St John Bosco Arts College. Act together is an initiative by Citysafe, Liverpool’s community safety partnership and Merseyside Police, and was first introduced in 2008. The event encourages young people to discover more about the impact of crime and anti-social behaviour on themselves and their communities through drama. Primary school’s from across the city took part, including Our Lady and St Swithins, St Matthews Catholic Primary School, St Alberts Primary School, Broad Square Primary School and Croxteth Community Primary School. Each school was given a specific theme which was then used to develop a drama production, such as cyberbullying, social media and embracing different cultures. Headteacher at St John Bosco, Darren
Gidman addressed the pupils and parents in attendance, while Cllr Emily Spurrell, Mayoral lead for community safety, Chief Superintendent Mark Harrison, area commander and Constable Alan Lundrun from the community engagement team gave a short speech about the importance of the initiative. At the end of the performances, each school received an award for their participation and hard work, presented by Cllr Emily Spurrell and Darren Gidman. Headteacher Darren Gidman said: “The Act Together initiative is a fantastic way to educate young people about the effects of anti-social behaviour. “We’re delighted to host this event once again and raise awareness of some of the key issues and themes young people deal with. Well done to all the talented young people who took part and received an award.”
St Albert’s School
Headteacher Darren Gidman made an address
Broad Square acted out the first day at school
Croxteth Primary School
St Swithin’s School
14 January 2016
STARS BACK REBUILD OF SHAKESPEARE’S LOST PRESCOT THEATRE Theatre greats Vanessa Redgrave and Dame Helen Mirren are backing an £18m plan to recreate a ‘lost’ Shakespeare theatre in Prescot, which could see the town become the ‘Stratford of the North’. Knowsley MP George Howarth said support for the ambitious project had also been supported by a host of stars including Sir Paul McCartney, Willy Russell, Alison Steadman, Sue Johnston and Phil Redmond. A proposed £18m Shakespearean theatre could also put Prescot on the world tourism map. A debate in Parliament, generated by Howarth and St Helens South’s Marie Rimmer, heard that the bard himself almost certainly supervised performances of his plays at the theatre, built on the edge of the Earl of Derby’s
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extensive deer park at Knowsley, four centuries ago. It is also thought he also performed in some of the plays. Prescot was the site of the only freestanding purpose-built Elizabethan era playhouse outside of London during the 1590s. It was built by Richard Harrington, who was closely connected to William Stanley, the Earl of Derby, whose family home was at Knowsley Hall. Shakespeare North Trust, which has the current Lord Derby, Edward Stanley as its President, is preparing to submit plans for the new playhouse and education centre in Prescot, with work expected to start on the build in 2017. At a special debate in Westminster Hall George Howarth and Marie Rimmer set out the potential benefits of the
development to the local area. At the centre of the Prescot Playhouse development would be a ‘cockpit’ theatre built to original 1629 plans by renowned architect of the day, Inigo Jones. It could become a major tourist attraction for the Liverpool City Region, bringing in visitors from across the world, creating jobs in Prescot and further afield, helping to create a night time economy and giving a significant boost to the local economy. It would also include a university college for literary scholars, a range of educational, leisure and community facilities, and a cultural piazza for performance and events. George Howarth said: “The aim is to create a leading public theatre with a student programme at its core that would
Employability Apprenticeships Business Management Leadership Health and Safety Manual Handling
The leader of Knowsley Council, Cllr Andy Moorhead, has started a blog as a way of keeping you informed about what is happening locally. You can find the blog at www.cllrmoorhead blog.co.uk
HAVE YOU APPLIED? The wall art at the corner of Leyland Street and Eccleston Street, commissioned by the Prescot Town Team.
contribute to the economic regeneration of an area which has deep connections with one of the nation’s greatest cultural icons. “The Playhouse would create a Shakespearean triangle with Prescot, Stratford and The Globe in London, and highlight Knowsley as a place where people aspire to live, work and do business”. The proposed site for the Playhouse is in Prescot Town Centre, on the existing Mill Street Car Park near to the 17th Century Grade I Listed St Mary’s church. Knowsley Council leader Andy Moorhead, said: “A
development like this would have a huge positive impact on our borough. “Not only would it create jobs and provide a huge stimulus to the local economy, but it would make Knowsley a must-visit destination for visitors from across the country and around the world. “Prescot and Knowsley have a fascinating history and a rich heritage. The Elizabethan theatre and William Shakespeare have been an important part of that. “This new Playhouse could be the beginning of another exciting chapter in our local history.”
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Applications are still open for a primary school place in Knowsley. You have until Friday 15 January to submit your online or postal application. Visit www.knowsley.gov. uk/schooladmissio ns to apply for your place online or complete the form in the admissions booklets which are available from primary schools.
FREE COMPUTER CLASSES Free computer classes for adults are starting on Monday 8 February. The classes will be ICT Functional Skills Entry Level and take place at the Mackets Education Centre, Arncliffe Road, Halewood. Classes will last for just 2.5 hours a week and feature small, friendly and informal groups. There will be free enrolment, free tuition, free certification. Course consists of email, word processing and internet. No previous experience needed, all welcome. Call Cathy on 0151 443 2052 or Doug on 07925 369899.
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SCHOOL SELECTED AS AN APPLE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL Prescot Primary School has been recognised as an Apple Distinguished School for 2015-2017. This is the first school in Knowsley to receive this accolade. The Apple Distinguished School designation is reserved for programmes that meet criteria for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence, and demonstrate a clear vision of exemplary learning environments. The award is a culmination of a ten year journey for the school, working with the borough’s City Learning Centres. The school was invited to apply in recognition of the work undertaken in successfully integrating technology into classroom. Steve George, headteacher at
Prescot Primary School, said: “I’m delighted that we have been recognised and becoming an Apple Distinguished School will enable the school to further develop its use of learning technologies, as well as exchanging best practice with other schools, both within Knowsley and across the country. “Pupil feedback has been extremely positive on the use of technology in lessons and I’m delighted we have been recognised as an innovative and compelling learning environment that engages students.” The school has ensured their curriculum and learning styles truly adopt technology in the classrooms, providing an enhanced learning environment.
PRIMARY GET CREATIVE Children from Kirkby Primary School helped to design and create ‘Learn and Play’ leaflets for Millbrook Park Millennium Green. The leaflets were aimed to inspire others to get out and explore their local parks and helping them to discover wild flowers and other wildlife. The school council took part on several outdoor workshops through Plantlife’s ‘We’re in the Wild’ project, to inspire them to come up with their own ideas for exploring and discovering parks. During these workshops they also managed to achieve their John Muir Award and want to share their experiences with others. Now printed the school has copies to distribute or you can download a copy from www.wildaboutplants.org.uk/england/project s/were-in-the-wild The ‘We’re in the Wild’ project funded by
the Big Lottery is a three year project helping to connect children and young people with their local green spaces. To find out more about Plantlife and its projects visit www.plantlife.org.uk
BAFTA award winning art director visits Carmel
Graphic design students at Carmel were in for a treat when BAFTA award winning art director, Jamie Stockley, visited the college. Jamie, a former student, who studied graphic design and ICT and then completed his Art Foundation Diploma at Carmel, gained a degree in animation at Edge Hill University. Jamie shared his experiences of how his knowledge, skills and passion for animation as well as his drive and determination, led to him landing his dream job almost two years ago, as art director of the CBBC’s production Clangers. Whilst at university, Jamie entered lots of film competitions and contacted as many animation studios as possible to build up his contacts which proved essential for him when he was ready to get his first job. At university his graduation film won the university’s ‘Media Film of the Year’. He also came
third in the St Helens Channel 4 Big Art Project working alongside the team who constructed The Dream in St Helens and through this Jamie got his first work experience opportunity. Before Clangers, Jamie worked on numerous productions including Roary the Racing Car, Raa Raa the Noisy Lion, Disney’s Frankenweenie and Strange Hill. These projects enabled him to develop a range of different skills such as prop making, set building and puppet making, essential in his current job. Jamie said: “It is my job to work from the scripts with the directors to design and create props and sets throughout the production. “To be working as part of the team who brought back such British heritage kind of series as the Clangers, is a dream job for me! To win a BAFTA is a surreal and joyous feeling!”
“An Outstanding Catholic School” Liverpool Archdiocese
18 January 2016
GUIDANCE FOR FIREARMS AND WEAPONS ATTACKS RELEASED An information film providing advice on the how to keep safe in the event of a firearms or weapons attack has been released to the public. The four minute film, Stay Safe: Firearms and Weapons Attack, sets out three key steps for keeping safe and is freely available at www.npcc.police.uk/staysafe. The film, which has been seen by tens of thousands of people at police-led security briefings, is accompanied by an online information leaflet. Recent events around the world remind us all of the terrorist threat we face, which in the UK is considered as ‘SEVERE’, meaning an attack is highly likely. Police and security agencies are working tirelessly to protect the public but it is also important that communities remain vigilant and aware of how to protect themselves if the need arises. The film and leaflet advise that if you are caught up in an incident to ‘run, hide and tell’ - guidance which can be applied to many places and situations. RUN if you can. If you can’t run, HIDE. Then, when you can, TELL the police what’s happening so they can get there quickly to stop the threat. Also tell others of the threat so they don’t approach danger. Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe said:
“The release of this video is designed to reassure rather than alarm and people should not feel anxious by its release. “While the general level of threat to the UK is severe, the probability of being caught up in a firearms or weapons attack is extremely low. “Regardless, it is crucial the public know what to do in the event of such an incident. “Our advice has already been issued to tens of thousands of people during police-led security training sessions but it is only responsible that we issue this public safety guidance more widely. “We know that from case studies and the testimony of people who have survived attacks that the advice given in the film has saved lives. “With the threat level remaining at a high level, the police and security service continue to operate at a heightened state of readiness - we are working on hundreds of investigations and making an arrest a day. “However, it is only with the ongoing support of communities that we can defeat terrorism – you are our eyes and ears so please be alert, but not alarmed. “We are asking everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour or activity to the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321 or in an emergency, 999”.
Prescot proudly makes history
The 1438 (Prescot) squadron Air Cadets were aiming to be named the best in the country at the National Drill Championships held at RAF Halton in November. After taking the Merseyside Wing competition by storm they were named ‘the best drill squadron in the county’ and their success continued when the squadron were once again triumphant amongst the fierce competition of the Wales and West region. Liam Wong, Squadron Adjutant, said: “Over 1,000 other squadrons coveted this title and the opportunity to compete at such a high level. The competition was tough; as we were competing against many other successful squadrons who had also claimed their county titles. “The squadron had been training rigorously for the past six months and had overcome many problems in the weeks leading up to the competition; we had their drill instructor fall ill just two days prior to the competition, which lead to drastic changes within the team. “These hiccups however did not prevent the squad from going to the nationals and giving 100%. The squadron completed a well executed sequence on the day in the presence of Air Vice Marshall Turner, Officer Commanding 22 (Training) group and Air Commodore McCafferty, Commandant Air Cadets, proudly finishing fifth best drill squad in the country and finishing in the top three for best uniform. “This achievement is the best the squadron has done in the squadrons 74 year history, setting a high benchmark for generations to come. Commanding officer, Flt Lt Joe O’Riley, said: “It has been an honour to work with such a diligent and determined team of young individuals who have overcome a cornucopia of challenges in the past few months to get to the National Drill Championships. “The team have shown teamwork, determination, motivation, discipline, co-ordination, deportment and many more excellent qualities that will help enhance their CV”.
KNOWSLEY HERITAGE WALKS - KIRKBY Recorded in the Domesday Book as Cherchebi, Kirkby was one of six manors held by Uctred, the thane. In the mid C16 it passed to the Earls of Sefton who remained the predominant landowners until they sold the land to the Liverpool Corporation in 1947. For the first thousand years of its existence, farming, and its related occupations, was all Kirkby knew, and up until the 1920s produce was still taken by horse and cart to the markets in Liverpool. In 1884 the Liverpool, Bolton and Bury railway came to Kirkby and with it the development of the Victorian suburbs to accommodate the businessmen who commuted to Liverpool for work. Kirkby retained its rural feel well into the C20. More significant change came in 1935 when the East Lancashire Road was built, and later, in 1940 12 farms were taken over by the Ministry of Defence to build the Royal Ordnance Factory, a major employer in the town. Industrial growth
continued into the 1960s when the Kirkby Industrial Estate was built. The population of Kirkby exploded in the 1950s and Kirkby New Town was born to meet the demand for housing from Liverpool. The route: 1. Construction of the present St Chad’s Church began in 1869 and was built on the site of an earlier chapel, probably Norman. It was designed by Paley and Austin, renowned Victorian architects and built from red sandstone quarried locally in Melling and Kirkby. Its most treasured possession is the Norman sandstone font, striking in appearance with its ring of carved figures around the basin with a double row of serpents, one with three heads, representing the three enemies of man. 2. Millbrook Park, Millennium Green. Follow the footpath through the park, an area of natural beauty and host to a range of habitats. Follow the date line, mosaic designs inlaid in the footpath, depicting Kirkby’s history. 3. The earliest reference to a mill on Mill Lane was in the 13th century and a mill and pond are clearly marked on a map of 1769. The mill, demolished in the 1950s was used to grind corn and wheat and saw timber from local woods. Mill Dam Lake was popular for boating and swimming with both local
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people and day trippers from Liverpool. At one time there was also a waterfall. 4. The name Deerbolt has interesting origins. Sandstone for building came from small quarries known locally as Delphs. Deerbolt or Deerbough Delph was an early 19th century quarry disused from the 1870s. 5. Mill Lane Cottages were built c 1885 from brick and locally sourced sandstone. Notice the decoration on the gables. 6. North Park Road and South Park Road are both designated conservation areas. The two short tree-lined avenues were developed after the coming of the railway and the impressive villas reflect the status of their owners, for example Waverly House and Ivylea. Waverley House dominates South Park Road and is Grade II listed, built of brick, with stone dressings it has a large square tower of three storeys with a pyramid roof. 7. Two groups of semi-detached cottages dating from 1911 have the Molyneux Cross set in the wall. In the 17th century the powerful and wealthy Molyneux
family owned Sefton, Kirkby, Tarbock and Toxteth and many other parcels of land around Liverpool. 8. Opposite James Holt Way were the Cocoa Rooms. Built in 1735 it was used as a café and hired out rooms on the first floor for meetings. By the 20th century it had become a general store. 9. Sefton Cottage is Grade II listed and built from materials typical of the area. 10. The Weeping Stone, originally shaped like a cross, was found by excavators working on a new housing estate in Kirkby. It was a stopping place used to rest the coffins during the funeral procession, hence the origins of its name, the Weeping Stone.
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20 January 2016
THE CHALLENGE IN 2015
January: Halewood Primary celebrated being named among one of the top 200 performing primary schools in the country making them into the top one per cent.
April: Knowsley’s Adult Disability Day Service were celebrating after being awarded the Autism Accreditation Excellence Award for exceptional levels of care for service
July: The numbers of councillors in Knowsley are to be slashed from 63 to 45 in order to save £250,000 per year and reduce the number of wards to 15.
October: Halewood’s Andrew Rogerson - the Cycling Scouser arrived home after an epic five month cycling adventure from China to the UK to raise funds for Anthony Nolan Trust.
February: A new guide was launched after fears were raised over teenagers being targeted by school bullies on social media who could be posting sexual images.
May: The award winning production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream came to Knowsley presenting a spectacular indoor and outdoor performance for theatre lovers.
August: Knowsley councillors approve plans to use the authorities reserves to help fund services and future investment in the borough after it needs to make savings of £30m
November: Knowsley Council responded to criticism of education results in the borough saying that they want the very best for our young people.
March: Police officers were visiting schools to talk about the dangers of gun crime after two men were injured when shots were fired near to a Huyton primary school.
June: Saw the arrival of Kirkby town centre’s latest art installation - Edward’s Elephant celebrating the Kirkby’s history and the poetry of Edward Lear.
September: Members of Knowsley Development Trust attended Buckingham Palace to be awarded the UK’s highest business honour from the Queen.
December: Pupils from St Laurence’s Catholic Primary School received a surprise visitor to the school to present staff and pupils with the Knowsley Schools 4 Health Gold Award .
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INCLUSION PROJECT REACHES LANDMARK A digital and financial inclusion project in Knowsley reached a landmark when it registered its 100th client, just eight months after it was established. The GetConnected is funded by the Big Lottery, and aims to tackle the underlying reasons which can result in people reporting to foodbanks in crisis. The project is run by the Big Help Project, which incorporates Knowsley Foodbank. It offers a free service which supports people into digital and financial inclusion through outreach sessions and one-to-one support and guidance offered from within eight separate foodbank distribution centres across Knowsley each week. The service is open to all – whether or not they are foodbank clients. A key part of the project is help people to get online to access all of the available money management and cost saving opportunities that are available on the internet, which can be a key to financial inclusion. Many people are excluded from these tools through not having the means to access the internet, or through not being trained in how to use it. GetConnected provides weekly opportunities to get online, and also access key services such as debt advice
and support into employment. Project worker Kathryn King said: “So many opportunities in life rely on computer literacy, from banking to finding cheap energy deals and job searching. “Access to modern technology is often presumed upon, but many people need support to become computer literate. “People in receipt of employment benefits are expected to search for jobs on-line, but if they have no computer or internet access, this can prove impossible and lead to benefit sanctions. “Digital inclusion makes a massive difference to people’s lives and futures, and we are delighted that in a short time
Access to the GetConnected project is available at the following locations and times every week. Service users are free to drop in to any session, or can contact the telephone number above to arrange an appointment: Monday: Apostolic Church, 433 Liverpool Road, Huyton, L36 8HT (12.00pm to 2.00pm)
we have been able to support so many clients.” GetConnected forms part of the Big Help Project, which incorporates Baby Basics, Next Steps, Jubilee Debt Advice and the Knowsley Foodbank. All services are free. To find out more about the Big Help Project and the projects they run, including GetConnected, please contact the Big Help Project on 0151 546 0470.
Tuesday: Pride Centre, 2 Simonswood Lane, Kirkby, L33 5YP (12.00pm to 2.00pm) Page Moss Baptist Church, Page Moss Lane, L14 0LX (12.00pm to 2.00pm) Wednesday: St Jude’s Church, Roundhey, Stockbridge Village, L28 1RQ (12.00pm to 2.00pm)
NEW WARDS FOR 2016 ELECTIONS
Thursday: St Dominics Church, Southdean Road, Huyton L14 8UL (12.00pm to 2.00pm)
Every household in the borough will receive a letter explaining how you will be affected by the new ward arrangements which will take effect at the local elections in May 2016. This follows the council’s proposals, now approved by the local Government Boundary Commission for England, to reduce the number of wards in Knowsley from 21 to 15 and the number of councillors from 63 to 45. All 45 councils seats will be up for election in May 2016, meaning you will be voting for three councillors to represent your local ward. These changes may also mean that your household now sits in a new electoral ward and you may have a new polling station. The letter will explain an such changes. You can look at the new wards arrangements online at https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/node/3670
Fridays: Changing Lives, 101-105a Cherryfield Drive, Kirkby, L32 8SA (12.00pm to 2.00pm) Huyton Parish Church, Bluebell Lane, Huyton, L36 7SA (12.00pm to 2.00pm) Saturdays: St Mary’s Church, Leathers Lane, Halewood, L26 9TS (12.00pm to 2.00pm)
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22 January 2016
The best-selling paint colours of 2015 Words: Amy Neason It would seem from this year’s bestselling paint colours that confidence in using bolder shades is on the rise. LITTLE GREENE: HICKS’ BLUE This hue is perfect for fans of monochrome that are ready to experiment with a splash of colour. “Use Hicks’ Blue on walls, woodwork and even on kitchen cupboards, to bring drama and depth to a spacious room. As a backdrop to white or teak furniture, this shade adds a slightly retro feel,” says creative manager Andy Greenall. PAINT BY CONRAN: MON AMIE “Soft grey/green undertones make Mon Amie a tranquil hue. It’s perfect for a relaxing bedroom or even a bathroom,” recommends commercial director Mike Howes. “Use with crisp white to create a contemporary look, or pair with soft dusky pink – a combination that’s a key trend for 2016”. SANDERSON: GRAPHITE Dark shades are in demand as a bold alternative to pale neutrals. “By teaming Graphite with contrasting colour
the look can be sharp and edgy. Or by keeping everything toning you can create a moody and romantic scheme,” explains designer Becci Craig. “It also works in small rooms if you keep the textures varied and team it with white. In a bedroom it’s superb with metallic pieces and cosy knits.” FARROW & BALL: POINTING For the second year running, this neutral hue has been the most popular choice. “Pointing is the prettiest of whites with a warm undertone which makes it great for big spaces,” explains marketing director Josephine Rance. “It’s a lovely backdrop to watery greens and muted blues for a contemporary take on a classic look.” DULUX: COPPER BLUSH This rosy hue works in both classic and traditional schemes. “In a period home use the colour in a subtle way by combining it with wood and neutrals,” explains creative director Marianne Shillingford. “For a modern look, in a living room or bedroom, layer Copper Blush with orange accents and copper accessories or contrast with white and pale grey woodwork.”
January 2016 23
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FIRED EARTH: SOUTH BANK This retro shade suggests mid-century style is here to stay. “Vibrant colours, particularly teal, have been really popular throughout the year. South Bank was inspired by the optimism of the Festival of Britain and it adds a wonderfully energetic and uplifting feel to any room, whether you use it wall-to-wall or just to add
CROWN: STEPPING STONE The perfect first step for experimenting with bolder schemes. “Use Stepping Stone on all four walls, incorporating neutral tones in the upholstery and accessories. Or if you have an existing neutral scheme, consider painting an area of a room as a focal point,” suggests colour consultant Judy Smith.
EARTHBORN: WOOD SMOKE A versatile pale grey with a hint of violet. “Our customers chose subtle grey for larger spaces such as walls and ceilings,” explains marketing manager Cathryn Helsby. “It acts as the perfect partner for bolder colours.”
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We are here
24 January 2016
Cold weather doesn’t have to go hand in hand with illness. Here are some simple things you can do to help yourself stay well this winter. Keep warm – this may help prevent colds, flu or more serious health conditions such as heart attacks, strokes and pneumonia. Eat well – food gives you energy, which helps to keep you warm. So, try to have regular hot meals and drinks throughout the day. Get a flu jab – flu vaccination is offered free of charge to people who are at risk, pregnant women, carers and some young children to ensure that they are protected against catching flu and developing serious complications.
FIVE WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY THIS WINTER It may be cold outside, but winter needn’t be the unhealthiest time of year for you and your family. Here are five ways to make sure that, even when your body is telling you to hibernate, you can keep healthy and fit, no matter what the weather’s like. 1. Eliminate your sleep debt “On average we sleep sixand-a-half hours a night, much less than the seven to nine hours recommended,” says Jessica Alexander, spokesperson at The Sleep Council, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of a good night’s sleep for health and wellbeing. But in winter, we naturally sleep more because of the longer nights. “It’s perfectly natural to adopt hibernating habits when the weather turns cold,” says Jessica. “Use the time to catch up.” 2. Drink more milk You are 80% more likely to get a cold in winter, so making sure your immune system is in tip-top condition is important. Milk and dairy products such as cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais are great sources of protein and vitamins A and B12. They’re also an important source of calcium, which helps keep our bones strong. Try to go for semi-skimmed or skimmed milk – rather than full-fat – and low-fat yoghurts. 3. Eat more fruit and veg When it’s cold and dark outside, it can be tempting to fill up on unhealthy comfort food, but it’s important to ensure you still have a healthy diet and include five portions of fruit and veg a day. If you find yourself craving a sugary treat, try a juicy clementine or satsuma instead, or sweet dried fruits such as dates or raisins. Winter vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, swede and turnips can be roasted, mashed or made into soup for a comforting winter meal for the whole family. Explore varieties of fruit and veg that you may not normally eat. 4. Try new activities for the whole family Don’t use the cold winter months as an excuse to stay in and lounge around. Instead, get out with the whole family to try out a new activity – maybe ice skating, or taking a bracing winter walk on the beach or through the park. Regular exercise helps control your weight, boost your immune system, and is a good way to break the tension that can build if the family is constantly cooped up inside the house. 5. Have a hearty breakfast Winter is the perfect season for porridge. Eating a warm bowlful on a cold morning isn’t just a delicious way to
start your day, it also helps boost your intake of starchy foods and fibre. These give you energy and help you feel fuller for longer, stopping the temptation to snack mid-morning. Oats also contain lots of vital vitamins and minerals. Make your porridge with semi-skimmed or skimmed milk or water, and don’t add sugar or salt. Add a few dried apricots, some raisins, a sliced banana or other fruit for extra flavour and to help you hit your 5 A DAY target.
Three myths about flu and the flu vaccine There are many myths surrounding flu and the flu vaccine. Here are three common flu myths and the truth behind them. 1. Having flu is just like having a heavy cold A bad bout of flu is much worse than a heavy cold. Flu symptoms come on suddenly and sometimes severely. They include fever, chills, headaches and aching muscles, as well as a cough and sore throat. You’re likely to spend two or three days in bed. If you get complications caused by flu, you could become seriously ill and have to go to hospital. 2. Having the flu vaccine gives you flu No, it doesn’t. The injected flu vaccine that is given to adults contains inactivated flu viruses, so it can’t give you flu. Your arm may feel a bit sore where you were injected, and some people get a slight temperature and aching muscles for a couple of days afterwards, but other reactions are very rare. 3. Flu can be treated with antibiotics No, it can’t. Viruses cause flu, and antibiotics only work against bacteria. You may be prescribed antiviral medicines to treat your flu. Antivirals do not cure flu, but they can make you less infectious to others and reduce the length of time you may be ill. To be effective, antivirals have to be given within a day or two of your symptoms appearing. A bacterial infection may occur as a result of having the flu, in which case you may be given antibiotics.
January 2016 25
STAYING FIT AND HEALTHY FOR ADULTS AND OLDER ADULTS The Department of Health has launched the Health Infographic which shares the UK Chief Medical Officers Guidelines to recommend physical activity and benefits for adults and older adults as an infographic resource for health professionals.
ADVICE FROM YOUR LOCAL PHARMACIST John Davey is a local community pharmacist, with over thirty years experience of delivering positive health outcomes to his patients in Knowsley. As the new year is now upon us John focuses on new year’s resolutions and making positive health decisions to improve our lives.
Free weight-loss classes that really work! DO you want to lose weight, improve your fitness levels or make changes to your lifestyle in 2016? An expert NHS weight-loss help and advice service is available free of charge to people of all ages who live in Knowsley or who are registered with a Knowsley GP. No matter how much weight you feel you need to lose, they are here for you every step of the way – helping you to make simple but effective changes that deliver real results. Their friendly, non-judgemental team includes wellbeing coaches, wellbeing practitioners, dietitians and psychologists. Classes and one-to-one sessions run on a rolling basis
at flexible times in community venues so now is the perfect time to take that a positive step towards a healthier you. Feedback from participants has been very positive. Eileen Callaghan who lost 10 per cent of her weight said: “You’ll be amazed at how making simple changes can actually make a huge difference to your overall wellbeing – why not give it a try?” To find out about your nearest class, telephone the Healthy Lifestyle Hub – part of 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust – on freephone 0800 0731 202.
This is often a time when we all take stock and take action around what we have thought needs a change. This can be any number of things in our lives such as relationships, work, health, these things are very important to us and merit attention.....and review. If you have made health related decisions around improving your life, health, opportunities or mental health, then well done. Making a change is great, not necessarily easy, but the potential rewards are directly beneficial to you and you are worth it! • Decide your priority, understand why you are making this change. • How will you best achieve it? When will you start? • What are the barriers and pitfalls around your choice? • How can you support your motivation, who can help? Is there a buddy, friend or service that can help/advise/support? • How and when will you be achieving your goals? Can this be measured or how will you know if things are improving? • What will you do when things are difficult or we ‘stumble’ on our mission? Do not be afraid to try, nothing was ever achieved by thinking “oh, I am going to fail anyway!” This need not be the case and you have control, It is your choice and, yes, you can do it. Many of us will have completed week one of our new year resolutions. Some of us will already have faltered or be struggling. This is not unusual and is part of your journey to getting what you want. Whether it be reducing or abstaining from alcohol, (such as Dry January), giving up smoking, losing weight, getting more active or improving your mental well-being. Reduce stress, what would do that for you? A decision to improve your own health is wonderful and extremely important. It benefits not only you but the people with whom you live and work. Any one of these options can make an enormous difference not only to your physical but also your mental health. Please make some choices for yourself and do something that will make a difference. Choosing to go out for that walk, run, swim, cycle instead of having that drink, eating that piece of cake or smoking that cigarette benefits your mental well being by releasing chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. With trying new sports or activities you can meet new people and groups can all help motivate one another. The key to success in whatever health benefit you are trying to achieve is to set yourself achievable goals and make time for yourself, this is a MUST. You can often meet a whole new circle of people who are like minded and maybe you can help others too! Engage the support of family and friends. Plan small rewards for yourself when you achieve your targets - treat yourself with the money you’ve saved from stopping smoking or dry January. It is your choices, the benefits will stagger you and you can achieve what you really want. Never be afraid to ask for help, and there are lots of people and agencies there to help you in Knowsley. Best of luck and just do it! Your local community pharmacy or Daveys Chemist can help with free, confidential advice on any of these health targets. Our staff are available without an appointment for an informal chat at any time, Monday to Friday. We are currently running an alcohol awareness questionnaire, so if you are concerned or just curious, call in to find out more.
26 January 2016
In defence of New Years resolutions...
This Month with
Jess Corcoran This month, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I left writing my column rather late. While I had planned to write my musing on the start of twenty sixteen over the festive period, it just didn’t feel quite right. January is not just the start of a new month, it’s the start of a new year and well, with me loving that feeling of glittering potential so much, I just had to wait till the new year finally arrived before I wrote a little something about it. I’ve seen so many things written this month about how resolutions are silly and don’t work, but here’s my defence on them. Don’t get me wrong, new years resolutions can definitely be crazy. When I was 17 I wrote a list on new years eve with around 30 resolutions and did I managed to achieve a single one? Course not. However this year, I don’t have many, but I’m feeling extra motivated. My main new years resolution is probably one of your new years resolutions, as it’s often the most typical after a few weeks spent gorging up to your eyeballs in mince pies and roast potatoes, which is to try and get healthier. And while I’m feeling super motivated to achieve that goal, I’m being told all around to scrap it. I’m still super motivated overall, but this attitude is leaving me feeling somewhat deflated occasionally. No harm is intended in telling people to go easy on
yourself, in fact it might be somewhat beneficial in such a gloomy month. But I want to in fact encourage you to go and delve right in to your new years resolution, or at least one of them. Why not push yourself? Why not get going and give it your all? If you’re feeling motivated to achieve something, don’t let someone put you off with a thousand little excuses. If you want to eat better but everyone in the office is bringing in all them leftover Christmas goodies, telling you to treat yourself because of how rubbish it is to be in back at worse, don’t indulge. If you want to start exercising but you keep seeing regular gym users moaning about all the new people that join in January, don’t let them win. Start exercising. Wanting to take up a new hobby or learn a new language? Stop listening to everybody telling you to relax on the couch, and instead go out and do it. Achieving a new goal can be tough, but that feeling of accomplishing something long term or permanent is
way better than the temporary happiness that comes from pigging out or lazing about. Once it’s done, it done. One that stone or two is gone, it’s gone. One you’ve got your vocab sorted, or improved your tennis technique, you’ve done it. A couple of months of a long hard slog is better, than spending the rest of your days wishing you had. So if you’ve already given up on your dreams and wishes for the year pick yourself up, dust yourself down and don’t let anyone tell you to stop on what you’ve always wanted. The only person responsible your success is you.
Julie leads by example in helping others
Adult fitness classes in Huyton Monday: 10-11am Nifty 50’s - a low impact keep fit class for anyone aged 50+ 11.15-12.15 Yoga - an open yoga class for all ages and abilities Wednesday: 10-11am Line Dancing - a fun, friendly class open to everyone Thursday: 6-7pm Yoga - an open yoga class for all ages and abilities All classes £3.00 Everyone welcome - just come along in comfortable clothing
Huyton Gateway 115 Rupert Road 0151 489 4616 Rebound is a social enterprise, not for profit organization
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Julie Chadwick always struggled with her weight growing up ever since she can remember, going up and down in dress sizes all the time but now she’s the healthy, happy mum she always wanted to be. Julie alongside her mum joined Slimming World knowing she needed the support to lose weight but unsure of what to expect. They both lost weight quickly with the support of their consultant, the group and each other. They couldn’t believe all the foods they could enjoy and still see the weight losses too. Julie, from Dovecot admits she has always had a problem with her weight. “I thought I was eating okay,” she said, “but now I realise my portion sizes were too big and I was eating all the wrong things. “I never had breakfast. But I would have takeaways for dinner, like fried rice and chips, or Maccies, and then a chippie meal for tea. “Or I would eat nothing all day and then binge on ready meals, crisps and biscuits at night.” Now Julie tucks into a full English, Slimming World style breakfast and for lunch I have a salad or a jacket potato. Julie cooks up a storm for the families evening meals, making spaghetti bolognese, lasagne or chilli. “I never cooked before” Julie said, and now the family are all eating healthier together and making better choices inbetween meals too. Julie, who already had two children, Byron and Taylor joined Slimming World and lost two stones very quickly. But she suffered two miscarriages in 2011, in February and June, and her weight soared back. “I lost one baby at eight weeks and the second at 12 weeks and, while I know it is
quite common, it was really traumatic. It is heartbreaking. I became quite depressed and comfort ate and I just put the weight back on and more.” Julie decided it was time to act again after giving birth to her son, Leon, and after seeing family members around her ill. “The tipping point was seeing my dad being rushed into hospital with an angina attack and both my mum and nan suffering from diabetes because of their weight. I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with Leon and had to inject myself, and I just realised I didn’t want to be like that.” Julie returned to Slimming World and has seen her weight change from 15st to 10st and feel fantastic running after her three children. After embarking on her weight loss journey Julie started to incorporate body magic too and attending fitness classes which she now runs weekly.
Julie said” “There is no way I would have been able to do it unless I had lost the weight herself. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to stand in front of a group of women, let alone the physical ability or the energy,” Now there is no stopping Julie, she’s up and on the go at 6am running around after her children, running the fitness classes and now is launching her own Slimming World group to support others to lose weight and feel as fantastic as she does. Julie smiles: “Everything in my life has completely changed and now I want to help inspire others. There’s no way I would be doing this if I hadn’t lost the weight and people see me as the proof of the pudding, that they can do it too.” Julie launches her brand new group on the 26 January at The Swan Pub, Kingsway, Huyton, Tuesdays at 6.30pm. For more details please contact Julie on 07759 777885.
January 2016 27
TUESDAY HUYTON - NEW GROUP Opening 26th January The Swan Pub Kingsway 6.30pm Julie- 07759 777885 SATURDAY LIVERPOOL TOWN CENTRE - NEW GROUP Opening 2nd January Subway Unit 3 Ranelagh Street 8.00am Nicky-07903 873340 PRESCOT NEW TIME St Pauls Parish Church Bryer Road 6.30pm Lisa 07720979915
FAZAKERLEY Our Ladys Of Sorrows Club Pirrie Road 4.30pm & 6.30pm Sue 07957 531346
KIRKBY (WESTVALE) Holy Angels Social Club Sidney Powell Avenue 4.00pm & 6.00pm Susan 07546 148204
WALTON St Aiden’s Church Hall Cherry Lane 5.00pm & 6.30pm Debbie 07774 699694
WHISTON George Howard Centre Lickers Lane 5.00pm & 6.30pm Kathy 07865 014437
BOOTLE St Pauls Church Hall Celia Street 4.00pm & 6.00pm Lesley 07927 806756
KIRKBY NORTHWOOD Sacred Heart Social Club Briery Hey Avenue 5.30pm Dawn 07738 008777
Wednesday WALTON St Aiden’s Church Hall Cherry Lane 9.30am Debbie 07774 699694
CROXTETH Rhys Jones Centre Langley Close 5.30pm & 7.30pm Dawn 07732 845118
Monday HUYTON St Aidans Club Longview Lane 3.30pm, 5.30pm & 7.30pm Michelle 07940 181515
DOVECOT (HUYTON) St Margaret Mary’s Social Club Pilch Lane 9.30am, 4.00pm & 6.00pm Julie 07779 538790
HUYTON Roby Community Hub Centre Merton Crescent 4.30pm & 6.30pm Vicky 07507 848706
DOVECOT (HUYTON) St Lukes Church Princess Drive 9.30am, 5.30pm & 7.30pm Suzanne 07468 434617
KIRKBY (SOUTHDENE) R.A.F.A Social Club Broad Lane 5.30pm Lorna 07720 251591
KIRKBY (NORTHWOOD) St Mary’s Parochial Club Kennelwood Avenue 4.30pm & 6.30pm Susan 07546 148204
HUYTON The Old School House, St John’s Road 6.30pm Kathryn 07865 014437 CROXTETH Porchfields Community Centre Porchfields Close 7.00pm Rebecca 07526 523795 Tuesday ECCLESTON St James Church Hall St Helens Road 9.00am, 11.00am, 4.30pm & 6.30pm Lynn 07739 167051 KIRKBY The Kirkby Leisure Centre Cherryfield Drive 9.30am & 11.00am Eileen 07742 424767 HUYTON St Aidans Club Longview Lane 9.30am & 11.30am Michelle 07940 181515 KIRKBY (SOUTHDENE) St Joseph’s Social Club Peatwood Avenue 4.00pm & 6.00pm Jackie 07888 830892
TUEBROOK Tuebrook British Legion Marlborough Road 5.00pm & 7.00pm Tracy 07732 340138 FAZAKERLEY British Legion, Longmoor Lane 5.00pm and 6.30pm Eileen 07742 424767 NORRIS GREEN Broadway Function Rooms Broad Lane 5.00pm Jan 07736 814985 CROXTETH Queen of Martyrs Parish Centre Stonebridge Lane 5.30pm Dawn 07732 845118 HUYTON Maggi O’Neil Community Centre Liverpool Road 5.30pm & 7.00pm Clare 07950 631858 Thursday TUEBROOK Tuebrook British Legion Marlborough Road 9.30am Tracy 07732 340138 HUYTON Roby Community Hub Centre Merton Crescent 9.30am, 1.00pm & 6.00pm Joanne 07758 231813
STOCKBRIDGE VILLAGE The Craigs Community Centre Little Moss Hey 6.00pm Sharron 07962 382590 DOVECOT (HUYTON) St Lukes Church Princess Drive 7.00pm Susanne 07468 434617 Friday DOVECOT (HUYTON) St Margaret Marys Social Club Pilch Lane 9.30am Julie 07779 538790 Saturday HUYTON Roby Community Hub Centre Merton Crescent 8.00am & 10.00am Joanne 07758 231813 PRESCOT The Parish Church Meeting Rooms Vicarage Place 8.00am & 9.30am Lynn 07739167051 HUYTON St Georges Church Primrose Drive 8.30am Jade 07934749685 NORRIS GREEN St Christophers Church Lorenzo Drive 8.30am Debbie 07774 699694 KIRKBY (SOUTHDENE) St Josephs Social Club Peatwood Avenue 8.30am & 10.30am Jackie 07888 830892 HUNTS CROSS Hunt Cross Hotel Speke Road 9.30am Kirsty- 07837 189855
28 January 2016
MAKE 2016 MERSEYSIDE WORKERS CHALLENGED TO GET MORE ACTIVE IN 2016 THE YEAR YOU FOSTER If you have what it takes to give a child love, support and stability at a time when their own family can’t, why not make 2016 the year you Foster for Knowsley? Knowsley Council is always on the lookout for carers who are able to provide foster families for children and young people who need one. If you have a big heart as well as the time and space to care for a child, Knowsley’s Fostering Service would love to hear from you. There is no set criteria for who can become a foster carer – you don’t need to be married, own your own home or financially well off. In fact, foster carers receive an allowance for their work and receive regular training and support – so if you like the idea of working with children this could be the perfect career for you. Most rewarding of all is seeing the difference you will make to a child’s life, putting a smile on their face and helping shape the person they will become. If you are interested in finding out more, please call Knowsley’s Fostering Team for an informal chat on 0151 443 3958. You can find out more about Fostering for Knowsley on the council’s website www.knowsley.gov.uk (search for ‘fostering’), or on the Foster for Knowsley Facebook page www.facebook.com/FosterforKnowsley
Workers in Merseyside are being encouraged to be more active by taking part in the ‘150 Minute Challenge’ this New Year, with prizes up for grabs for those taking part. The challenge is being run through local workplaces to encourage workers to be more active at work, as research shows that 59% of men and 54% of women spend more than five hours a day desk-bound or sitting down(1) in their working day. January is set to be an ideal time for people to set themselves a new challenge and set the tone for the rest of the year - last year, 63% of us(2) made a New Year’s resolution, with losing weight and getting fitter at the top of the wish list. Completing at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week can help people feel more energetic and can help to shed some of those Christmas pounds. Taking part in the 150 Minute Challenge is simple to do, with any physical activity counting towards the milestone, whether it is completed inside or outside of work time. Going for a lunchtime walk, cycling to work once a week, swimming lengths at the local pool, or joining a gym or sports club are just some of the options that people can choose to achieve their 150 minutes. Anyone taking part in the challenge will receive a prize draw entry for every week that they complete 150 minutes of physical activity in the months of January and February. Prizes include an exercise bike, sports tickets, free exercise sessions and gift vouchers. Danny Woodworth, physical activity and sport officer at Merseyside Sports Partnership, said: “The 150 Minute Challenge is a simple and realistic target for people of all ages and abilities to achieve.
“Joining in with the challenge at work is a fun and social way to help you and your colleagues encourage each to reach the milestone.” Anyone interested in joining the 150 Minute Challenge can register their FREE Workplace Challenge account at www.workplacechallenge.org.uk and then start logging physical activity through the website or app.
1 British Heart Foundation - Physical Activity statistics (2015) 2 YouGov research (2015)
January 2016 29
ATTEND, ACHIEVE AND SUCCEED With a new school year and new school term, Knowsley Council is reminding pupils that by attending school, you can achieve and succeed. The ‘attend, achieve, succeed’ campaign has been launched to encourage pupils to have an excellent school attendance, enabling them to achieve their full potential. School attendance has been improving in Knowsley schools and this campaign is aiming to increase the number of pupils with 100% attendance by 10% compared to previous years. Information collected before the Christmas break suggests this target has been exceeded in many schools. The benefits of excellent school attendance are well known. Being present in school increases a child’s chance to achieve. Based on recent information from across the borough, improving an individual’s attendance rate from 90% to 95% and beyond can nearly double their chances of gaining good qualifications. Cllr Gary See, cabinet member for children and family services, said: “We know that pupils who have better attendance tend to do better in their exams, and we are keen to
celebrate excellence. Parents play a key role in this and if children are unable to attend due to sickness, we request that parents notify the school as soon as possible.” To encourage pupils to maintain excellent school attendance, the gold / silver / bronze medal award campaign has been adopted. Since it was introduced in September, it has received positive feedback from pupils, who are striving to achieve a gold medal status. Over 5,000 bronze medals are being issued to pupils for their attendance in the autumn term. The concept spans over 125 years when schools first rewarded excellent attendance through medals. One of those from that time awarded by the Liverpool School Board was shared with Knowsley Park pupils. In addition, pupils are taking part in a 30 day attendance challenge in December and January, introduced to address the historic dip in attendance around this time of year. The council’s school attendance service will continue to work with schools across the borough, monitor attendance, offer advice and support and take action if absences persist.
Outdoors with The Hairy Gardener Hi, my name is Peter Frances a.k.a. the Hairygardener This month I want to say a few words about foraging, maybe there isn’t a lot of plants and herbs growing well at this time of year but this is the time to familiarise yourself with basic foraging plants by recognising them from the countryside and your gardens and also from guide books. So this topic I think will be what I write about for most of the coming year. Foraging for wild food should be a way of life for all serious foodies whether you live in the countryside or in the city. Kids should be encouraged to get out there and forage away from technology, even if it’s only for blackberries. You and the kids will feel an enormous sense of achievement and satisfaction that comes from being involved in the creation of something that is food you have foraged for. It is a healthy way of shopping (I might keep that as a slogan). The first step in foraging is to familiarise yourselves with a few plants in the analytic sense, then quickly follow this up by cooking and eating them. Before the day is out when the time is right for you, go outside, into your garden, a local park or a nearby country lane and try and locate a familiar edible plant. You will almost certainly recognise one of the following: nettle, dandelion, blackberry, rose or rose hip. Other likely candidates are elderflower (or elderberry), chickweed and crab apple. Take a pair of secateurs or scissors with you and gloves for nettles and cut a good section of the plant and a good quantity of the leaf, flower or fruit with which to cook. In case of dandelion cut it just below all the leaves so they stay together. Once you get home, refer to the description of the plant you have gathered and look at each detail: the shape of the leaf, the length of the leaf stalk, whether the leaf has toothed edges or is divided into leaflets. By starting with a plant whose identity you already know you have a distinct advantage, rather than using the description to identify the plant, you can use it to familiarise yourself with various common characteristics of plants. For example you can notice perhaps for the first time that nettle leaves are cordate or oval, have toothed edges and are arranged in opposite pairs (they also have stalks, the presence or absence of which identifies many plants.) So familiarise yourself with plants around you it’s important. Until next time Good Gardening
HOME-START REWARDED
Home-Start Knowsley has received a donation of £200 from Asda Huyton, as part of its ‘Chosen by you, given by us’ initiative. The charity was one of three organisations that customers have been voting for over the past two months, by placing a token into a clear plastic box on the store’s community board. Home-Start Knowsley received the most votes from customers, showing just how important the organisation is to local people, and was presented with the £200 donation from Asda colleagues. Asda Huyton store manager Adele Quinn said: “‘The chosen by you given by us scheme’ reflects our commitment to supporting the local community. “We’re thrilled to give Home-Start Knowsley this donation and would like to thank everyone for taking part.” Community life champion, Richard
Gowan added” “I have worked with Home-Start Knowsley throughout the year with our easter egg collection and helping with the holiday allsorts program during the summer. I am delighted to be presenting this donation to such a wonderful cause”. Home-Start Knowsley recruits and trains volunteers to help families with young children by visiting them in their own homes offering support, friendship and practical help. Pam Bowes, business manager, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this generous donation and are indebted to the Asda Foundation and to the local community for their fantastic support”. The £200 has been funded by the Asda Foundation, which was set up in 1988 to support local good causes chosen by Asda colleagues, and is funded by profits from the mid–week national lottery.
30 January 2016
Visitor from Beyond his spherical island earth of ours is suspended in a black sea of neverending space and time, and we know so little about the universe around us and its mind-boggling amount of habitable planets, which runs into billions. God knows what life forms – primitive and intelligent – are out there. We are equally ignorant of the goings-on on the opposite end of the scale – the topsy-turvy world of quantum physics, where incredibly tiny particles can be in two places at once, and can perform all kinds of strange tricks which defy logic. When we accept that we know so little, and that we are so little on the cosmic scale, we may come to realise that occasionally, beings from out there – or from another dimension or parallel world – may actually intrude into our sphere of everyday life. When such beings are encountered by us, they may be interpreted as devils, angels, fairies, ghosts, aliens, religious visions, poltergeists, or simply ‘explained away’ as hallucinations. I feel one of these ‘ultraterrestrials’ was behind the following story, which took place in January 2014 at a certain semi-detached house in Knowsley. A 16-year-old girl named Leanne called at her aunt’s house at 7pm on a Sunday evening. Leanne had promised her aunt she’d check on the aunt while the latter was
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away on a break in Wales, and, being a girl who kept promises, the teenager braved the freezing knife-edged wind and walked to the house, arriving after six minutes. She let the cat in, went to the fridge, poured herself a coke, and then turned on the gas fire with its realistic coal and flame effect, set in an opulent stone fireplace surround. The cat, Whiskey, usually jumped on Leanne’s knee when she sat in front of the fire, but for some reason the feline kept looking to the niche to the left of the chimney breast. This unnerved Leanne a little. The well-furnished house was well-lit and had no history of hauntings as far as Leanne knew, but the girl decided to pick up the remote and switch on the TV mounted over the mantelpiece. She waded through channel after channel of uninteresting programmes and films, then looked into the faux flames of the fire and thought about a boy she was fond of in her school, but all of a sudden, there came a loud crash of hissing white noise from the TV. The screen was black with flickering horizontal lines of static, and Leanne quickly muted the din. Whiskey zipped out of the room, and Leanne then became aware of a scent which reminded her of violets. Leanne just knew there was someone in the lounge with her. She couldn’t see
GREEN LIGHT FOR THREE NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS
Three new high quality housing developments have been given the green light to be built across Knowsley. Knowsley Council’s planning committee supported the recommendation to grant planning permission for housing developer Countryside to build homes on three sites in the borough. The partnership between Countryside and Knowsley Council will see high quality new homes built on vacant land owned by the council at: • Greensbridge Lane in Halewood (113 properties) • Roby Road in Huyton (35 properties) • Tower Hill in Kirkby (an initial 200 properties, plus an outline application for a further 158) Recently the planning committee granted permission for Countryside developments on Arncliffe Road in Halewood and Scotchbarn Lane in Prescot. It means a total of 591 new homes, ranging in size from two to five bedroomed properties, will be built across the five sites. These will include some affordable homes available to buy on a shared ownership basis. Knowsley Council’s cabinet member
for regeneration and economic development, Cllr Mike Murphy, said: “These new developments will deliver a range of high quality housing, both for Knowsley residents and for people who choose to move into the borough from elsewhere. “As well as supporting our aim of increasing the availability of high quality housing stock in Knowsley whilst making the best use of councilowned vacant sites across the borough. “This development further illustrates the increased confidence investors and developers are seeing within Knowsley” Philip Whitehead, regional regeneration director for Countryside, said: “We are grateful to the elected members for providing consent on these three schemes which form the final part of a major initiative to provide a range of housing types and tenures throughout the borough. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Knowsley Council to provide economic benefits to the local community, whilst further enhancing the residential environment by introducing a significant variety of high quality new homes.”
anyone, but she had the unbearable feeling of being watched. She heard a rustle of cloth, and from a recess in the wall of about 10 inches, a tall man stepped forward, and Leanne, being a good observer who remembers details of things seen, was able to tell me this: that the man was well over six feet in height (the height of her father), that he was between fifty-five to sixty, with short black hair flecked with grey combed back from his forehead in the pompadour style. The stranger had piercing sky blue eyes, a squarish jaw, and he wore an old-fashioned cape embroidered with an elaborate paisley design and lined with purple satin. Beneath this cape the tall intruder had on a grey suit, gold waistcoat, white shirt and a large black knotted tie. He wore grey gloves, long pointed black ‘winkle-picker’ type shoes, and held a walking cane with some brown to it. After the initial shock at the way this eerie outdated figure had stepped out from the niche in the wall, Leanne’s first reaction was to flee from her aunt’s house, but she felt as if her legs had turned to rubber below the knees, and remained rooted to the spot with a feeling of weakness growing in her. “Do not be afraid lass,” the man suddenly said in a rich deep voice with traces of a Lancashire accent in it. “I have no wish to harm you.” “Get away from me!” Leanne cried, and managed to take a few steps back, but almost lost her balance because she was so unsteady with the shock of it all. “Leanne, look!” the stranger said in a raised melodramatic voice, and with the walking cane he pointed to the niche – where he had seemingly come from. That recess in the wall was now showing a vivid scene of a church aisle, and down that aisle walked a woman in a wedding dress and veil, and a well-dressed man beside her, perhaps her father, about to give her away in the rite of matrimony. “That must be you, Leanne!” the man said, speaking tensely through gritted teeth, “and the man besides you is me!” Leanne’s heart was palpitating, and she felt a shortness of breath. She looked at the scene confused, for it did not look like some projected image of a church’s interior upon that wall, but it seemed as if the girl was looking through a doorway of a church down
‘That must be you, Leanne!’ the man said, speaking tensely through gritted teeth, and the man besides you is me!’ an aisle. It was too realistic to be a projection. “My aunt will be back soon, so you’d better go!” Leanne warned him, thinking now that he was some evil ghost. The unknown man smiled and gently shook his head. “No! Leanne, you will take my hand and we shall be married, and you shall live forever with me! You must do this! You must!” Leanne felt what she could only describe as a powerful hypnotic pull upon her. She felt herself being dragged to the figure, and in her head she could hear the familiar strains of Mendelssohn’s Wedding March. She turned away, pressed her hands over her ears, and tried to block the music out, but in her head she still heard the man pleading with her. “Come with me now, and we shall be man and wife forever! A love that will last for centuries!” Leanne walked away, towards the door, leaving her coat hanging in the hallway. “I forbid you to leave! You will die if you leave! Leanne!” echoed the unearthly visitor’s voice as the girl opened the front door and stepped out into the blades of a howling sharp wintry wind. She was numb by the time she got home, and her parents knew she wasn’t lying when she told them what had happened. The girl’s father went to the house, and as he opened the door he heard a male voice cry out: “Leanne? You came back.” Then he caught a fleeing glimpse of a figure as it flitted into the recess to the left of the fire. A scent of lavender hung in the air, and Leanne’s father hurried home. The house has no history of hauntings, and the sinister agenda of the ‘ghost’ is hard to fathom, but Leanne wonders what would have happened to her if she had walked down that aisle with the baleful caped man.
January 2016 31
Christmas Fairy and Father Christmas stun shoppers Shoppers were more than a little startled when a festive ‘bus’ trundled across the pedestrian walkways and they were treated to a jaw-dropping impromptu performance of opera favourites – from none other than the Christmas Fairy and Father Christmas. Surprise turned to delight as the duo hit the high notes, to a storm of applause from onlookers which included little George Bobby Baker, from Huyton (pictured right). The ‘walking’ bus - a team of six elves led by the Christmas Fairy and Santa - were in the area to provide a classical alternative to carols. The busker bus, stopped crowds in their tracks as the fairy belted out a few crowd pleasers while their elves worked the crowd to distribute little gifts for some and complimentary bus travel vouchers for others. Around the region the walking bus offered shoppers some treats as part of the initiative to prompt car drivers to consider taking the bus. As crowds filmed the action on their mobile phones, there’s since been a flurry of followers checking out the big voices from the walking bus at #santasbuskingbus. A mini
fleet of busking buses visited shopping hubs over the weekend. The initiative was organised by the ‘Bus Alliance’ – a new formal partnership between Merseytravel and bus operators Arriva and Stagecoach. A spokesperson for Bus said: “We wanted to do something unexpected and fun as a treat for shoppers. “At a time when everyone is thinking about their New Year’s resolutions, we wanted them to consider how best to start their journey for 2016, and try the bus.”
£19M CUTS TO SOCIAL SERVICES IN KNOWSLEY
Knowsley Council have announced cuts to social services in the borough, to the tune of £19 million in the coming year. The council acknowledge that investment of £7 million over two years has seen an improvement in children and adult social care services – an area where Knowsley has been criticised for failing residents. According to a new council review, however, government budget cuts now mean these same services are under threat. Proposed savings so far would affect adult daycare centres, children’s centres and health and wellbeing services for young people, among other areas. In some instances, specific services would disappear altogether, while elsewhere people might have to pay for or contribute towards previously free services themselves. “Even though we have already found £75 million of savings since 2010, we are now in a position of having to make more savings, which I know are going to have an impact on our residents,” said Cllr Bill Weightman, cabinet member for finance & governance. “Whilst we are trying to maintain our frontline services and support our vulnerable residents, this is getting increasingly difficult to do and with reducing resources, we simply can’t deliver the same level of services. “We are trying to limit the impact, but we know some of the tough decisions we have to make will not be popular but are, unfortunately, unavoidable.”
Talking about Diabetes The next meeting of the St Helens & District Group of Diabetes UK will be on Wednesday 3 February, at 7.30pm in St Helens Town Hall. The speaker will be Dr Stuart Bootle, this will be an informal meeting entitled: ‘Talking about Diabetes’. Stuart is a health care business consultant and GP, he also has diabetes himself, so knows all about living with the conditions and if you have any questions, worries or queries about any aspect of diabetes, try not to miss this great opportunity to talk to someone who sees diabetes from both the point of view of a patient and that of a doctor! Anyone with an interest in diabetes is welcome to attend, admission is free and refreshments are available after the meeting. They also have a large selection of diabetes leaflets available. They would particularly like to welcome anyone who has been recently diagnosed with diabetes and has not been to a meeting before. For further details visit our website at: www.st-helens-and-district.diabetesukgroup.org or contact C Bowmaker on 0151 480 0821.
32 January 2016
Sport If you have any sports news contact the Sports Desk on 0151 706 7411 or email: thechallenge@merseymirror.com
289 9999
PRESCOT SWIMMING CLUBS BIG WEEKEND Recent events have seen Prescot Swimming Club take to the pool for two finals in two days of competition. Team manager, Simon Deeley, said: “On Saturday evening we travelled to Rochdale for the Division 1 North West Arena League final against Barrow, Horwich, Carlisle, Biddulph and Halton. “With a weakened team due to illness and absences it was going to be a tough gala for Prescot but the team spirit and hard work all paid off with the lead between Prescot, Barrow and Horwich changing hands several times before end. “The gala was a noisy affair and the support shown to all teams made for a fantastic nights swimming, the final result saw Prescot coming a close third (177pts) behind winners Barrow (195pts) and Horwich (192pts) and clinching promotion to the Premier Division for 2016. “The Prescot swimmers were also
awarded the Presidents Trophy for the best supported team. “Sunday saw a Prescot development team take part in the final City of Liverpool Development League Gala at Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park. “Prescot were leading the table by just four points from Hoylake after four rounds and again it was a close gala. “Prescot ran into a 20-point lead from Hoylake after the first 10 events but as the gala progressed the points difference reduced each time till after 50 events the lead was just one point. “It all hinged on the final relays and the girls and boys team pulled out all the stops to win both cannon events and take the gala by just four points from a great Hoylake team. “In the end Prescot took both the relay trophy for accumulating the most points in the relays and the overall trophy for
winning the league by eight points”. This capped a great weekend for the club who train at Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park and Parr Pools.
For more information on joining the club see www.prescotswimmingclub.org or email simon@prescotswimmingclub.org.
The Prescot Division 1 Team
The Prescot Development Team
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