The Challenge April 2017

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Challenge The

Issue: 358 April 2017

AIDAN MCATEER REMANDED IN CUSTODY OVER VIOLETGRACE CRASH TRAGEDY Page 3

THIS MONTH

NEW PATH CONNECTS CROXTETH COMMUNITY

Page 4

SCHOOLS UNITE FOR SAFER PARKING PROJECT Page 11

SUPPORT OFFERED FOR HOUSE HUNTERS

Page 16

Keep up to date with THE CHALLENGE on our website

INFORMATION News: 0151 706 7411 Advertising: 0151 709 7567 Email: thechallenge@merseymirror.com Facebook: thechallenge@merseymirror.com Twitter: thechallenge6 Copy deadline: Wednesday 3 May

MEMORIES OF KNOWSLEY Huyton Quarry in the early 1930’s Page 18

School celebrates Spirituality in our Schools Award

A CELEBRATION OF SCHOOL LIFE Staff and pupils at St Michael and All Angels’ Catholic Primary School, Kirkby are celebrating after receiving the Spirituality in our School Award at the Liverpool Archdiocese School Awards.

Liverpool Archdiocese School Awards event which was held in the Liver Buildings and illustrated the impressive breadth of educational possibilities and achievements found in our places of learning.

The event, hosted by Radio City DJ Leanne Campbell, was opened by the Archbishop, who spoke of the ambition attached to Catholic education, and featured music from pupils of St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic Centre for Learning in Whiston.

The awards ceremony itself incorporated eleven different categories, recognising everything from spirituality to sporting achievements via the exceptional contributions made by school governing bodies and support staff.

Ms Bowman, headteacher at St Michael and All Angels, said: “We are stunned and really proud to receive this award.

“The award goes to all staff, children, parents and the community who have all been involved in winning this award as it covers every aspect of school life here at St Michael and All Angels”.

2 April 2017

CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED NEW DOG CONTROL MEASURES

PAPAL HONOUR FOR CARMELLA Carmella Robinson, housekeeper at Our Lady Immaculate and St Joseph in Prescot was presented with the Papal Award, Bene Merenti, from Bishop Vincent Malone in recognition of almost sixty years of service in the archdiocese. Carmella began her duties at St Anne’s, Overbury Street, in 1958 later moving to St Peter and St Paul, Crosby.

In 1982 she moved to St Malachy’s in Liverpool when Monsignor Tony Dennick was appointed Parish Priest.

While there she taught teenage girls in the parish to cook and sew. In 1995 she moved to Prescot where she became a Eucharistic Minister and spent many hours visiting the sick in their homes.

She is pictured with Bishop Malone who, as a young priest, was based in St Anne’s in 1958.

LINSKILLS SOLICITORS Benefit Fraud Specialists You may be entitled to free advice and assistance from a Legal Advisor if you are required to attend a DWP interview under caution and could be charged with a serious criminal offence.

Do not talk yourself into a criminal charge Contact our team of specialists on

0151 236 2224 For immediate assistance

Knowsley Council has launched a consultation on a range of measures to promote responsible dog ownership in the borough.

The proposed new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) will cover new initiatives and existing measures, including: • An order that dog walkers must always carry a bag or other means of cleaning up after their dog at all times; • Restricting the number of dogs that can be walked by a single individual at all times, both on and off the lead; • A requirement that dogs must be kept on a lead in the grounds of Knowsley’s cemeteries, small parks and council-owned allotment sites; • Enforcement officers will continue to have the power to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) to

anyone who does not clear away their dog’s mess immediately; and • Enforcement officers will continue to be able to issue FPNs to dog owners who don’t put their dog on a lead when instructed to do so by an authorised officer.

The consultation will also seek views on exclusion zones for dogs such as play areas, enclosed sports pitches and highways where dog fouling is a problem.

A PSPO is an official measure that is an enforceable part of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

PSPOs can be used to protect the public from behaviour that is having or is likely to have a harmful effect on the quality of life of those in an area.

Historic artefacts found in Prescot

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR THE LIVERPOOL CITY REGION MAYORAL ELECTION There’s just four weeks to go now until the first ever Liverpool City Region Mayoral election.

On Thursday, 4 May 2017, all eligible residents over the age of 18 years across the Liverpool City Region (Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral) can vote for who they would like to be the Liverpool City Region Mayor.

The Liverpool City Region Mayor will work alongside the six local councils to improve the economy of the area, bring in new investment, improve transport, strategic housing as well as creating more jobs.

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has secured £900m of additional funding over the next 30 years through its Devolution Agreement with the Government. This means that funding and decisions will be managed by Liverpool City Region (rather than Whitehall) on a number of key issues affecting the local area, including economic development, transport, strategic housing and employment and skills.

A condition of the Devolution Agreement was to have a Liverpool City Region Mayor.

This is your opportunity to influence who will make major decisions about the Liverpool City Region, so make your vote count on 4 May! The full list of candidates can be found on www.liverpoolcityregionelects.org (on 5 April 2017). In addition, every household across the Liverpool City Region will be receiving a Mayoral booklet before the end of April 2017, which gives further information about the elections process and each candidate.

If you’re still not sure about what the role is and why its important to cast your vote, our frequently asked questions may help – visit www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/election to find out more.

You can only vote on 4 May if you are registered to vote. If you are, you should have received your polling card by now.

If you haven’t yet registered to vote, you have until Thursday, 13 April 2017 to do so. Registering is easy to do – the quickest way is online by visiting www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or alternatively, you can contact your local council’s election team.

Artefacts from as early as the 14th century have been found at the site where the exciting new Shakespeare North Playhouse will be built in Prescot.

The artefacts were unearthed during survey work at the site on Mill Street, which involved detailed investigation of the soil and rock. The results of this survey work will help to inform the design of the theatre and education centre, providing greater clarity of the land conditions.

Archaeologist, Dr Rob Philpott was on site to oversee the test digging and to investigate the ground for potential archaeological interest.

The digging unearthed some fascinating artefacts from the 14th to 17th centuries, many of which were probably made in Prescot or very close by.

They included pieces of kitchenware, earthenware, jars for storing items or hold water and fragments of a tobacco pipe.

Prescot Town Council Wins for Greens and Lib Dems The Greens and Liberal Democrats are celebrating after decisive wins over Labour in the recent Prescot Town Council by-elections.

Kai Taylor took Prescot East for the Green Party, with 365 votes to Labour’s Adam Flanders’s 116. He joins Cllr Joanne Burke, elected in February, as the second Green member on the town council.

In Prescot North West ward, Cllr Ian Smith won for the Lib Dems, with 396 votes. Labour’s Stephen Byron trailed with 164, while Conservative Tyrone Noon won just 26.

Following the resignation of Cllrs Denise Allen and Matthew Allen earlier this year, the local Greens and Lib Dems agreed not to run against each other, thus avoiding a potential split vote.

April 2017 3

AIDAN MCATEER CHARGED OVER CRASH THAT KILLED VIOLET-GRACE Hit-and-run suspect Aidan McAteer has this morning been charged over the crash which killed four-year-old Violet-Grace Youens.

The 23-year-old from Prescot was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and theft of a motor vehicle.

Aidan McAteer made a brief appearance at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court after he was charged over the four-year-old’s death this morning.

The 23-year-old was remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing next month.

The crash on Prescot Road in St Helens a week ago today also left Violet-Grace’s nan, Angela French, 55, in hospital in a serious condition.

The arrest came just a day after the suspect’s mum made a passionate plea for her son to return home, after he was pictured on CCTV after leaving the scene of the crash.

Alicia McAteer, 41, said she could not begin to understand what the family of Violet-Grace were going through.

Mrs McAteer said she felt ‘numb’

after seeing a CCTV image released by police after the crash of her son.

She said she contacted police after seeing the photo.

“I wake up and the first thought is that family. Aidan coming home is not going to make it better.. nothing is ever going to make it better for that family by maybe they could get a bit of relief knowing the police have got him.”

“I know what he’s done to this family is horrific and what they’re going through, but he is my son and as a mum myself I’m worried about his state of mind.”

She was a little girl, they’ll never get over that, ever

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She said: “I was just thinking of that poor woman and little girl.”

The family of Violet-Grace thanked everyone via Facebook for their support, saying: “I'd just like to thank everyone who has been so kind and thoughtful about our beautiful baby.

We as a family have been blown away by the love and support you have shown Violet-Grace. She was such a beautiful child inside and out, so funny, so caring, clever and sweet.

“Our grief is unbearable, but the love and support everyone has shown us brings us some little comfort, so thank you all, you are all so kind.”

A fundraising page set up in the youngster's memory has raised more than £18,000.

Dean Brennan, 27, who appeared at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court was charged with assisting an offender, theft of a motor vehicle and the aggravating offence of allowing oneself to be carried within a stolen vehicle.

A third man, aged 23 and from Prescot, was arrested on suspicion of being carried in a stolen vehicle but later released pending further inquiries.

Aidan McAteer from Prescot

4 April 2017

NEW PATH RECONNECTS CROXTETH COMMUNITY WITH GREEN SPACES Nearly 500 local people came out this MP Stephen Twigg and the Grandson weekend to celebrate the opening of of the late Reverend Brooks, who did so The Cowies Meadow and Brooks Way, much for the local community and after the new community path link that whom the path was named, cut the reconnects Croxteth with local ribbon to open the path. woodlands and Croxteth Country Park.

Helen Rawlinson from The Cass The project is being led by The Cass Foundation, a local charity that aims to Foundation working closely with The improve people’s health by enhancing Friends of Croxteth Greenspaces, Alt the environment, said: “We’re delighted to Valley Community Trust, local primary see the link path open to the public. The schools and local organisations and has number of people, largely families, who largely been thanks to a £50,000 grant came to celebrate far exceeded from Cory Environmental Trust in Britain expectations and demonstrates the huge plus funding from Liverpool City Council, local interest and support.”

Arts Council England and Cobalt The path link, which was backed by Housing. nearly 2000 people from the local A celebratory event, to mark the community, as well as all three local opening of the new path funded by councillors, schools and community Cobalt Housing and Arts Council organisations, was created to give people England, was held over the in the Croxteth community an weekend and included opportunity to become more drummers led by Rhythm active and improve their Reaction, a twilight lantern health and fitness, as well “It’s been a long walk and youth theatre as bringing them closer to two years since we, performance of nature and allowing them as a community, Shakespeare’s A more opportunities to take started inroads into Midsummer Night’s part in volunteering getting this path” Dream. activities.

Love Acting, the creative Angela Haymonds of Cory strand of Alt Valley Community Environmental Trust in Britain, Trust, devised a woodland-based said: “The Trustees are very pleased version of the Shakespearean classic with to support this project. We hope the new local young people which was hailed as a accessible path helps to inspire more great success. people to get involved with activities in Schools and community groups such the local community. This will have great as Croxteth GEMS and Autism In Motion benefits to individuals’ health and produced large and small recycled wellbeing.” lanterns for the twilight walk.

Having been without a link for more Liverpool city council’s deputy Mayor, than seven years, the Croxteth Ann O Byrne, took to twitter after the community was in need of easier access event with ‘… one of the best cultural to green spaces and nature. Due to the events I have ever attended. Well done 1.5 mile detour that individuals and Croxteth community’. families had to take to get to the Croxteth A decorative entrance to the path was Country Park, many local residents were produced by local artist Mike Walker, of put off from using the space. That Start Creative CIC, with funding from Arts distance will now be reduced to just Council England, collaborating with 150m. schools and community groups to devise Helen Rawlinson said: ‘A young mum a local flora and fauna themed design. mentioned to me that she thought the

The youth theatre performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Cllr Peter Mitchell, MP Stephen Twigg, Deputy Mayor Ann O'Byrne and Alfie Wall (grandson of Reverend Ian Brooks who the path was named after by the community

path could save her up to £100 a month on local transport as she could now walk her child to school and get to work on foot. We hope that the new path will have a positive impact on local people’s lives”.

Robbie Cropper, Chair of the Friends of

Croxteth Greenspaces, said: ‘It’s been a long two years since we, as a community, started inroads into getting this path. It just goes to show what a community can achieve when you come together for a common goal.’

April 2017 5

6 April 2017

DISCOVER WHAT YOU CAN DO ONLINE From reporting a pothole or flytipping, paying your Council Tax Bill through to booking a bulky rubbish collection or an appointment with the Registrar, you can do it all at www.knowsley.gov.uk Plus its free, quick, easy, no queues and you can contact us at a time and place to suit you.

Below are a few questions Knowsley Council has received from residents about getting online, together with our responses. We hope they help!

How can I get online if I haven’t got the equipment?

There are a number of places where you can use PCs, free of charge. This includes all of the council’s One Stop Shops, plus the borough’s libraries.

I don’t have the skills to get online?

There are a range of courses available across the borough, many free of charge.

From digital drop-in sessions to courses targeted to your needs – from setting up and sending emails through to using IT packages, there is something for everyone. To find out more, call the Family And Community Education service on 0151 443 2026.

What services can I do online with Knowsley Council?

The council’s website – www.knowsley.gov.uk – makes it easy for you to: • Apply for it – Housing benefit or Council Tax reduction, school places, replacement bins and planning applications • Book it – Registrars’ appointments and Taxi MOT’s • Pay for it – Council Tax, Business Rates, Fixed Penalty Notices, planning applications, building control, housing act advances, housing benefit overpayments and right to buy repayments • Report it – Abandoned vehicles, potholes, faulty street lighting, missing / damaged street signs, pest control, fly tipping, litter, missed bins, dog waste, and noise pollution In addition, on www.knowsley.gov.uk, you can find out when your next bin collection will be, how our Knowsley Works team can help you into employment or training, who your local councillor is and where your nearest leisure centre / doctor or dentist is through the ‘My Neighbourhood’ page.

Can I receive my Council Tax bill electronically?

Yes – our Council Tax and Benefits section of the website has recently been updated enabling you to register for ebilling. You can also view your Council Tax account online, apply for a sole occupier discount, change your Council Tax payment date, view your Housing Benefit and / or Council Tax reduction, upload documents if we have asked for information to support a new claim as well as setting up a direct debit.

I am struggling to access online services. Is there anywhere I can go for support?

Digital Champions are available in all One Stop Shops in Huyton, Kirkby, Prescot and Halewood, to help you get online and to support you with accessing online services. They can also signpost you to various digital courses and drop in sessions taking place across the borough.

2017 Prescot Festival Short Story Competition now open The Prescot Festival of Music and the Arts is once again offering publication and a £100 prize to the winner of its annual Short Story Competition.

This year’s theme is ‘Clocking Off,’ and entrants can also take inspiration from a ‘word cloud’ full of related ideas.

The festival asks unpublished writers to pen up to 1,000 words of original fiction.

The panel of judges includes writer and Prescot Online editor David Kernick, former Cowley High School librarian Dyane Basinger and St Cuthbert’s English teacher Eleanor Parkinson.

The contest is open to residents of Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Halton, Wirral and Liverpool boroughs, and the closing date is Friday 26 May 2017. Full rules are online at prescotfestival.co.uk.

Last year’s winning story was ‘The Solution Is in the Pickle,’ a humorous murder mystery by Maureen McEvoy, from Haydock.

April 2017 7

8 April 2017

Entertainment News

TUESDAY 4 APRIL WOOLLY WONDERER 6pm – 8pm Heritage Hub, 55 Eccleston Street, Prescot, L34 5QH. Come to our FREE knitting and crocheting group every Tuesday. People of any ability are welcome to come and make friends, share their experiences and knowledge, and have some fun! Contact Lynsey 0777 3575856 for further details.

WEDNESDAY 5 APRIL EASY SEQUENCE DANCING 1pm – 3pm Westvale Community Centre, Richard Hesketh Drive Kirkby L32 0TZ. Easy sequence dancing session for golden years. Social get together, enjoy traditional easy sequence dancing with refreshments included. If you are interested just turn up, speak to Flo and join in. Small subscription for attendance.

THURSDAY 6 APRIL EASTER FOOTBALL CAMP 9am – 3pm St Edmund Arrowsmith Centre for Learning, Whiston, L35 2XG. Easter Football Camp - Boys & Girls - All abilities £12 per day £40 for 4 days - £45 full week. 10% sibling discount These camps are designed to be fun for the children while also teaching them new football skills, improving their overall fitness and developing their social skills. Get in touch for more information – 07834807387 SPRING BASKET MAKING - HUYTON LIBRARY (AGES UNDER 5S) 10.30am – 11.30am Huyton Library, Civic Way, Huyton, L36 9GD. Come and make a Spring basket for bulbs and then enjoy watching your creation flower. For under 5s. Free For further information please call 443 3734 BASKET CRAFT - PRESCOT LIBRARY (AGES 5+) 11am – 12pm Prescot Library, Prescot shopping Centre, Aspinall Street, Prescot, L34 5GA. Get creative with scissors, glue and crafty bits and make a lovely basket. Age 5+. FREE. For further information please call 443 5101 WEEKLY WALKS AT CROXTETH COUNTRY PARK 1pm – 2pm Croxteth Hall & Country Park, Muirhead Ave E, Liverpool L11 1EH. Team@liverpool.gov.uk 0151 233 6915 Weekly Walks at Croxteth Country Park led by the EA team volunteers (Free of charge). Join Dan for a gentle, friendly and informative stroll around Cocked Hat Wood in Croxteth Country Park.

Every Thursday. Meet outside the Croxteth Hall Gift Shop.

EASTER CRAFTS - MCGOLDRICK PARK 1pm – 3pm McGoldrick Park, Rydal Road, Huyton, Merseyside, L36 5UX. Come and join us for Easter Crafts, and Easter Trail. There will also be small fairground rides and face painting.

Refreshments available Small charge applicable For more information contact the Rangers on 0151 443 3682 Event organised with the Friends of the park.

FRIDAY 7 APRIL MAGIC PHILIP - HALEWOOD LIBRARY (AGES 5+) 11am – 12pm Halewood Library, Roseheath Drive, Halewood, L26 9UH. A roller coaster ride of comedy, fun, laughter and of course magic! For age 5+. FREE. Contact Halewood Library on 443 2086 SWANSIDE COMMUNITY CENTRE - AFTERNOON TEA FOR OVER 55S 1pm – 3pm Swanside Community Centre, Willoughby Road, Huyton, L14 6XA. Served in beautiful china, come along and join us today for

some wonderful company with inspirational people... Good company, laughter & belonging is proven to lift your heart & soul. Enrich your life... therefore helping your wellbeing & mindfulness.. If you know of anyone sitting at home and in need of a little heart lifting. Then please let them know about this beautiful afternoon. For more information please call 0151 489 2370 PRESCOT SWIMMING CLUB 7:30pm – 9:00pm Knowsley Leisure & Culture Park, Longview Drive, Huyton, L36 6EG. This recurring event is part of a series. Prescot Swimming Club was established in 1967 in Prescot, near Liverpool, to promote the teaching of swimming and the coaching of swimmers at all levels of competition. The club has five sessions (four swimming) over the week on the following days and times (All sessions are at the Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park). Additional training is available via the Prescot Open Swimming Squad at both Knowsley and Parr in St Helens.

SATURDAY 8 APRIL TRAIL RIDE - PONY RIDING - CROXTETH COUNTRY PARK 11:00am – 11:45am Croxteth Park Riding Centre, Croxteth Country Park, Liverpool. 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.

AMERICAN WRESTLING LIVE 7:30pm – 9:30pm Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park, Longview Drive, Huyton, L36 6EG. Adult £10/Children £8/ Family Ticket (2 children, 2 adults) £34. Aimed at all the family the show provides two hours of non-stop entertainment.

Cheer the goodies and boo the baddies. For any wrestling fans out there this is a must! Contact details: www.knowsley.gov.uk/tickets (booking fee applies) https://www.ticketquarter.co.uk/online/americanwrestling 0151 443 2200 SUNDAY 9 APRIL WOODLANDS HOSPICE BUNNY RUN AT CROXTETH COUNTRY PARK 11.00am. Woodlands Hospice are holding their second Sponsored 5k Bunny Run at 11am on Sunday 20th March 2016 at Croxteth Hall and Country Park. Join us for our 5k fun run through the beautiful grounds of Croxteth Hall for age 8 and up (Registration is £15 for adults (16 years+) and £10 for 8 - 15 year olds). Dress up!

Bunny Ears, Tail and T-Shirt will be supplied to all who register.

MONDAY 10 APRIL EASTER COACHING CAMP (AGES 5-11) 9am – 3pm Knowsley Community College - Main Campus, Stockbridge Lane, Huyton, L36 3SD. Three fun days of multi-sport activities for children aged 5-11. £20 for 3 days or £8 per day. KCC Coaching Camp is organised by FA qualified coaches. All of our coaches are DBS checked.

What to bring - Indoor and outdoor clothing, change of clothing, lunch, bottle of water. Movie

afternoon - Tuesday is movie afternoon, dress up as your favourite Superhero! Book Now - to book this event or for any enquiries, please email Pam Green - pgreen@knowsleycollege.ac.uk BOARD GAMES - KIRKBY LIBRARY (AGES 5+) 10:30am – 11:30am Kirkby Library, The Kirkby Centre, Norwich Way, Kirkby, L32 8XY. Enjoy board games old and new. Ages 5+, FREE. For further information please call 443 4289 ALICE IN WONDERLAND CRAFT - PRESCOT LIBRARY (AGES 5+) 2:30pm – 4:00pm Prescot Library, Prescot shopping Centre, Aspinall Street, Prescot, L34 5GA. Be inspired by this wonderful story and create some craft to take home. For ages 5+.

FREE. For further information please call 443 5101 OPEN MIC NIGHT 8pm – 11pm Arncliffe Sports and Community Centre, Arncliffe Road, Halewood, L25 9PA. Whether you're just starting out in music or have years of experience, there's a place for you at the open-mic night. They take place every Monday and are completely free to watch and perform. Please contact the centre thearncliffecentre@knowsley.gov.uk or 0151 428 1929 for further information.

TUESDAY 11 APRIL TUESDAY TASK DAYS ON THE LIVERPOOL LOOPLINE 10:30am – 1:30pm Liverpool Loopline. Would you like to learn how to show some love to our woodland areas and help us improve our fantastic off road cycling and walking route for people and nature? Email Abigail at volunteersnw@sustrans.org.uk or phone 0161 923 6050 for more information or to find out the meeting point for the next task day.

EASTER CARD CRAFT - PRESCOT LIBRARY (AGES 5+) 11am – 12pm Prescot Library, Prescot shopping Centre, Aspinall Street, Prescot, L34 5GA. Get creative with scissors, glue and crafty bits and make a lovely Easter card. For ages 5+. FREE. For further information please call 443 5101 HOMESTART - READY STEADY LEARN (AGES 2-4 YRS) 1:30pm – 3:00pm Home Start Knowsley, 55 Rupert Road, Huyton, L36 9TB. Would you like to spend time together with your child aged 2 to 4 joining in with fun activities at Home-Start Knowsley? All activities will help your child prepare for starting nursery and school. Structured play activities; Crafts; Planting and growing; Stories & Song time; Teddy bears picnic; Play dough; Dressing up; Snacktime. Each course runs every Tuesday for 8 weeks and is FREE to attend.

Younger siblings are welcome. To register for a place on the course please ring 0151 480 3910.

BOARD GAMES AND ELECTRO DOUGH - HALEWOOD LIBRARY (AGES 5+) 3:00pm – 4:30pm Halewood Library, Roseheath Drive, Halewood, L26 9UH. Enjoy board games old and new. Make a play dough creation come alive with LEDs and buzzers! For age 5+. FREE. Contact Halewood Library on 443 2086 WOOLLY WONDERER 6pm – 8pm Heritage Hub, 55 Eccleston Street, Prescot, L34 5QH. Come to our FREE knitting and crocheting group every Tuesday. People of any ability are welcome to come and make friends, share their experiences and knowledge, and have some fun! Contact Lynsey 0777 3575856 for further details.

WEDNESDAY 12 APRIL EASTER EVENT - JUBILEE CC, HUYTON (AGES 0-5) 1pm – 4pm Jubilee Childrens Centre, Twig Lane, Huyton, L36 2LF. Easter & Spring craft activities for under 5’s, older siblings welcome. Come & meet the Easter Bunny. Visit the Community Allotment - FREE grow your own activities.

Knowsley Flower Show experts on site to give advice on entering this years show. Please bring suitable clothing/footwear for outdoor play. Buy tickets at our centres or on the door - 50p per child. For more information call 0151 443 5226 THURSDAY 13 APRIL WORDS AND PICTURES EASTER FUN - PRESCOT

LIBRARY (AGES UNDER 5’S) 11am – 12pm Prescot Library, Prescot shopping Centre, Aspinall Street, Prescot, L34 5GA. Come along and enjoy some lovely Springtime stories followed by colouring fun. For ages under 5s.

FREE. For further information please call 443 5101 SATURDAY 15 APRIL EASTER EGG-STRAVAGANZA 12pm – 3pm The Society of Friends of Bowring Park, The Coach House, Bowring Park Visitors Centre (BPVC), The Coach House, Bowring Park, Roby Road, Roby, L36 4HD. The Friends of Bowring Park will be holding an Easter Eggstravaganza, meet at The Coach House. The Event includes an Egg Hunt with chocolate treat rewards when found hidden in the park, best Easter Bonnet worn on the day along with traditional egg and spoon races. The event starts at 12Noon and costs £2 per entrant. Telephone 0151 482 1116 (voicemail messages will be responded to) or email friendsofbowringpark@btinternet.com ALICE IN WONDERLAND 2:30pm – 4:30pm Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park, Longview Drive, Huyton, L36 6EG. Adult £10/Children £8/ Family Ticket (2 children, 2 adults) £34. Follow Alice and the White rabbit as they set off on a colourful, topsy-turvy adventure.

A fantastic family musical you would be mad to miss! Contact details: www.knowsley.gov.uk/tickets (booking fee applies) https://www.ticketquarter.co.uk/Online/alice-inwonderland 0151 443 2200 You can also purchase tickets from Knowsley Leisure Culture park.

SUNDAY 16 APRIL MAD HATTERS TEA PARTY AT CROXTETH HALL 1:00pm – 2:30pm Croxteth Hall & Country Park, Muirhead Ave E, Liverpool L11 1EH. "Don't be late - for this ""Very important date"" . . . 'Mad Hatter' pre booked parties daily inside Croxteth Hall at 1.00pm and 3.00pm. This will be the best Mad Hatter's Tea Party that you will ever go to.

Come and bring your children to meet and party with the Mad Hatter, Alice and White Rabbit (in conjunction with Stage Door Events). Please book early to avoid disappointment. For tickets and further information, please telephone the ticket quarter 0844 800 0410 or go to the ticket quarter to book online. Tickets for the Mad Hatter's Party cost £15 per child. Suitable for ages 3 to 11 years.

TUESDAY 18 APRIL HOMESTART - READY STEADY LEARN (AGES 2-4 YRS) 1:30pm – 3:00pm Home Start Knowsley, 55 Rupert Road, Huyton, L36 9TB. Would you like to spend time together with your child aged 2 to 4 joining in with fun activities at Home-Start Knowsley? All activities will help your child prepare for starting nursery and school. Structured play activities; Crafts; Planting and growing; Stories & Song time; Teddy bears picnic; Play dough; Dressing up; Snacktime. Each course runs every Tuesday for 8 weeks and is FREE to attend.

Younger siblings are welcome. To register for a place on the course please ring 0151 480 3910.

April 2017 9

WEDNESDAY 19 APRIL EASY SEQUENCE DANCING 1pm – 3pm Westvale Community Centre, Richard Hesketh Drive Kirkby L32 0TZ. Easy sequence dancing session for golden years. Social get together, enjoy traditional easy sequence dancing with refreshments included. If you are interested just turn up, speak to Flo and join in. Small subscription for attendance.

SATURDAY 22 APRIL THE SAFARI KIDS CLUB (AGES UP TO 12YRS) 12pm – 3pm Stockbridge Village Neighbourhood Centre, The Withens, Stockbridge Village, L28 1AB. Priced at £3.10 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

SATURDAY 28 APRIL THE 28TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE FRIENDS OF BOWRING PARK 2pm – 4pm The Society of Friends of Bowring Park, The Coach House, Bowring Park Visitors Centre (BPVC), The Coach House, Bowring Park, Roby Road, Roby, L36 4HD. AGM The 28th Annual General Meeting of The Friends of Bowring Park is on Saturday 22nd April at 2pm. (refreshments will be served from 1.30pm), for further information Telephone 0151 482 1116 (voicemail messages will be responded to) or email friendsofbowringpark@btinternet.com MONDAY 24 APRIL CROXTETH RUN TOGETHER GROUP - RUNNING FOR FUN! EVERY MONDAY 6pm – 7pm Croxteth Country Park, Croxteth Hall Lane, Liverpool L12 0HB. Mixed abilities from run/walking and everyone is included. The pace is based on your own effort. (Beginners’ Welcome) Summer: Meet in Croxteth Park, in front of Croxteth Hall (By the benches)

PLAYWRIGHT WILLY RUSSELL’S PAINTINGS TO GO ON DISPLAY Paintings by Willy Russell will go on display at Kirkby Gallery this May in the playwright’s first ever solo art exhibition.

Having discovered his talent for painting little more than a decade ago, this collection of work will show a side to Willy Russell that most people will not have seen before.

From glorious landscape watercolours and acrylics to experimental semi-abstract works in acrylic inks, the collection of paintings which make up the Another Aspect exhibition vividly bring to life Willy Russell’s journey as a visual artist.

The collection reveals for the first time a wholly new aspect to the talents of the man widely known for stage and screen works including Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine and Blood Brothers.

Willy’s decision to host his first ever solo art exhibition came about after working with Tina Ball and the team at Knowsley Council’s Kirkby Gallery, who curated an exhibition in 2015 called Willy Russell: Behind the Scenes, charting his writing career and highlighting his Knowsley roots and links through material taken from the extensive Willy Russell Archive at Liverpool John Moores University.

Willy said: “Tina and her team did such a brilliant job with the Archive exhibition that when it came to exhibiting my art work, the idea of the Kirkby Gallery seemed just right and natural - although I had no idea if others would agree.

Somewhat nervously I tentatively suggested it to Tina, who said: “I’ve been wanting to ask you for ages!”

“We started discussing it the year before last, and since then I started painting like crazy! Kirkby Gallery is a really great space to exhibit, I love it.”

Since it opened in 2014, Kirkby Gallery has attracted a host of big name art and prestigious exhibitions – both touring and curated in-house by the council’s Galleries team, as is the case again with Another Aspect.

Visitors to the exhibition will see a range of styles and techniques, which combine

to illustrate the journey of exploration that the artist has been on in the past decade.

All of the locations depicted in the works on display are close to Willy’s heart – capturing views of in Portugal, Herefordshire, mid Wales and the West Yorkshire Moors, all places Willy spends lots of this time.

Willy explains: “Like most people who come fresh to painting, at first you want to represent what your eye is looking at. But you get to a point where you realise that you don’t need to do that. You get to a point where you want to represent something in you, and in the process become less bound by matters of accuracy, trying to get a building or a figure right – after all, who can ever say what is and is not ‘right’?!

Willy’s passion for art is obvious. Having been told at school that he had no talent for painting, he only picked up a brush again when he was well into his fifties.

Realising how much he enjoyed it, he signed up for tutor Peter Moore’s art classes at Hope University and says his newest passion has grown and grown from there.

“I now spend a great deal of my time painting,” he says. “Obviously, I still spend a lot of time on writing and theatre and TV and film too. But if you were putting me away on a desert island and said: “You can take either some paints and an easel, or an A4 pad and a pen”, I know which one I would take,” he laughs.

Another Aspect opens on 9 May at Kirkby Gallery and runs until 2 September 2017.

OPEN MIC NIGHT 8pm – 11pm Arncliffe Sports and Community Centre, Arncliffe Road, Halewood, L25 9PA. Whether you're just starting out in music or have years of experience, there's a place for you at the open-mic night. They take place every Monday and are completely free to watch and perform.

Please contact the centre thearncliffecentre@knowsley.gov.uk or 0151 428 1929 for further information.

TUESDAY 25 APRIL WOOLLY WONDERER 6pm – 8pm Heritage Hub, 55 Eccleston Street, Prescot, L34 5QH. Come to our FREE knitting and crocheting group every Tuesday. People of any ability are welcome to come and make friends, share their experiences and knowledge, and have some fun! Contact Lynsey 0777 3575856 for further details.

WEDNESDAY 26 APRIL EASY SEQUENCE DANCING

1pm – 3pm Westvale Community Centre, Richard Hesketh Drive Kirkby L32 0TZ. Easy sequence dancing session for golden years.

Social get together, enjoy traditional easy sequence dancing with refreshments included. If you are interested just turn up, speak to Flo and join in. Small subscription for attendance.

SATURDAY 29 APRIL THE SAFARI KIDS CLUB (AGES UP TO 12YRS) 12pm – 3pm Stockbridge Village Neighbourhood Centre, The Withens, Stockbridge Village, L28 1AB. Priced at £3.10 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

Littledale Festival 2017 This year the Littledale Festival will take place on Saturday 13 May, 2017 between 12 noon and 5pm on the Saxon Way Public Open Space opposite the Park on the Littledale estate in Towerhill, Kirkby.

This is a fantastic Community event run on an entirely voluntary basis by the Littledale & Shevington Residents’ Association, and it is greatly enjoyed and looked forward to by residents from near and far.

In addition to all the usual attractions of donkeys, inflatables, go karts, beat the goalie, archery, side stalls, refreshments and performances from

local dance and community groups, at this year’s event there will also be a cave and bungee trampolines!

As parking is strictly limited we advise that the area can be accessed by local buses

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10 April 2017

ARMY BAND LINED UP FOR PRESCOT FESTIVAL FINALE One of the nation’s top military bands will appear at this year’s Prescot Festival.

Organisers of the arts and music festival, now in its 13th year, have secured the Band of the Yorkshire Regiment as its musical guest for its Proms-style finale.

Audience members are encouraged to wave flags and sing along to a selection of well-known patriotic tunes at the concert on Sunday 25 June. The climactic event regularly attracts several hundred music lovers to the Grade I listed St Mary’s Church in Prescot.

There are other ways to participate in the 10-day festival, too.

Sopranos, altos, tenors and basses are invited to ‘Come & Sing’ with the Prescot Festival Chorus on Saturday 17 June. James Luxton of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral will conduct the massed choir in performances of Rutter’s ‘Magnificat’ and Parry’s ‘I Was Glad.’

Budding authors can enter the 2017 Prescot Festival Short Story Competition by writing up to 1,000 words of fiction inspired by the theme ‘Clocking Off.’ The festival always welcomes new volunteers to help make sure things run smoothly behind the scenes, and sponsorship opportunities are available to individuals and businesses eager to invest in local arts and culture.

“Community music-making is at the heart of the Prescot Festival,” said founder and artistic director Dr Robert Howard, “so we encourage local people to get involved in what’s going on, whether it’s picking up a pen to write a story, greeting guests on the door as a steward, or belting out a song at the Festival Finale.”

The 13th Annual Prescot Festival of Music & the Arts runs from Friday 16 to Sunday 25 June 2017 in the historic Lancashire town of Prescot. Highlights of this year’s programme include Leyland Band, Phoenix Concert Orchestra and the Chilled Lemons Jazz Quintet with vocalist Chris James.

Full information is online at www.prescotfestival.co.uk

HUYTON WITH ROBY SEA CADETS GIBRALTAR VISIT

Earlier this year a group of Sea Cadets from Huyton with Roby attended a camp at Devils Tower Camp Gibraltar.

During their stay they were able to visit Spain, spending the day at an Aqua Park, as well as undertake tours of the Rock that took them inside the vast array of tunnels dating from the Second World War, and outside, including the top of the Rock, St Michael’s Cavern and the Apes’ den.

A few of the cadets also had the Battle of Trafalgar explained to them.

They were also able to visit the Service Police

Maritime Unit to see the working of the police boats in Gibraltar, attend a church service in Kings Chapel and meet the Commander British Forces, Cdre Mike Walliker OBE RN. The cadets also made sure they set time aside to visit the Trafalgar Cemetery to pay their respects to the sailors of old who gave their lives for King and country.

For more information about the Sea Cadets and how you can get involved, as a cadet or as an Adult Volunteer, visit http://www.sea-cadets.org/

ASB AND THE COMMUNITY In a recent poll run by Knowsley Police 60% of people voted that ASB in Stockbridge Village was a major concern.

Villages Housing have also voiced their concern and want their communities to thrive and feel safe. They believe that all residents are entitled to high quality homes, safe and sustainable neighbourhood environments and increased life chances and opportunities in relation to health, education and employment.

Their key aims are that by 2020, residents feel that where they live is safe and be actively contributing towards making their neighbourhood a great place to live.

Through working in partnership to deliver objectives: • Increase feelings of safety.

• Support partner agencies in reducing levels of ASB, crime and reoffending using a range of interventions.

• Reduce levels of intervention by in neighbourhood dispute cases.

What is anti-social behaviour?

A lot of people think they've experienced anti social behaviour (ASB). There are many different types of ASB, some are dealt with by the police, and some by your local council.

The police deal with: • Vandalism that is linked to threatening and/or offensive behaviour • Graffiti linked to threatening and/or offensive behaviour (e.g.: involving

racism or other hate crimes) Buying drugs on the street Drinking on the street Threatening or drunken behaviour Setting off fireworks late at night Off road motor bikes Your local council deals with: • Rowdy and noisy neighbours • General vandalism • General graffiti, such as 'tagging' • Uncontrolled pets • Abandoned vehicles • Unkempt gardens, rubbish dumping • Shouting and name-calling • Littering Advice and support We all know how frustrating and upsetting ASB can be.

The best thing to do is keep a note of when and where these incidents are happening, making sure you include any descriptions of people or vehicles involved.

The Police take ASB very seriously, but they do have to prioritise the calls they take, based on urgency.

How to report?

Call 101 to report ASB to us or dial 999 in an Emergency.

• • • •

For your diary: 10.04.17 - Pop Up Police Station 10:00 AM, Custley Hey, Stockbridge Village. From the week commencing April 10 there will be a pop up police station in Custley Hey, Stockbridge Village. Please come along and discuss any community concerns you might have with the team.

April 2017 11

Education News

SCHOOLS UNITE FOR SAFER PARKING PROJECT St Anne’s and Blacklow Brow Schools in Huyton are working together to improve road safety and to get across the ‘keeping everyone safe’ message by better and more considerate parking.

This joint project has come about because both schools have serious concerns about traffic related issues in the local area.

Mrs Keating, headteacher of St Anne’s said: “Whilst it is appreciated that most parents and carers drive and park appropriately, there is an ongoing problem caused by a small minority of parents and carers from both schools, who are putting children and adults in serious danger due to their inappropriate parking and driving.

“These parents and carers have also caused difficulties for local residents by selfishly blocking their driveways at the beginning or end of the school day.”

The St Anne’s and Blacklow Brow School Councillors are now leaders of a joint ‘Road Safety and Keeping Safe Project’. They have been looking at ideas of how to get the message of safe parking across to those parents and carers who currently park and drive inconsiderately.

The official launch of the project took place earlier this month when the school councillors and staff from both schools were joined by the Knowsley Council’s Parking and Highways Manager, the Knowsley Road Safety Team, Civil Enforcement Officers and the local Police.

Since that time the children have been meeting regularly in each other’s schools.

The children recently joined the Civil Enforcement Officers outside both schools with their ‘keep us safe’ placards

and received tremendous support from the parents and carers of both schools.

They have now also developed a parking contract which is to be launched at special assemblies.

Mrs Keating said: “Knowsley Council, the Police and our school communities are seriously concerned that there will be an accident unless we work together to improve this situation.

“The children are thoroughly enjoying the responsibility of being involved in such an important project on behalf of our schools and community.”

One parent – Mrs A, said: “There have been numerous occasions when I have been walking on the kerb in Marina Crescent, and a car has driven onto the pavement to pass an oncoming car,

WHAT THE PUPILS SAY Left: Ellen, a Year 6 pupil from Blacklow Brow said: “The parked cars force people to walk in the road which is really dangerous”.

Right: Jack a Year 4 pupil from St Anne’s Catholic Primary School said: “Please do not park on the kerbs, it is very, very dangerous for us kids and our parents”.

which caused me to have to push my children against the wall to let them pass.

“They park across people’s driveways, with no thought at all for the people who live there. They park on the zig-zags as if

it is their right to do so. I use my car for school quite often, and I make sure I park responsibly away from the school, without causing any obstruction. Some people just have no consideration for others.”

12 April 2017

Education News

SCHOOL CELEBRATES SHAKESPEARE WEEK St Albert’s Catholic Primary School in Stockbridge Village celebrated Shakespeare Week by learning about some of William Shakespeare’s most celebrated plays.

Pupils at the school were treated to a humorous performance of a Midsummer Night’s Dream by Say Two Productions. The children were able to participate in the show and learn about one of the greatest writers in the English language in a fun, animated way.

Each class studied a play; Reception and Year 1 studied A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Year 2 studied Hamlet and Year 3 studied Macbeth. The Reception class went on a trip to Littlewood and had lots of fun making homes for the woodland fairies while Year 3 got creative making a fantastic display of Shakespeare artwork.

The children also took part in workshops with actors from the production company for different plays; Year 4 did Romeo and Juliet, Year 5 did Julius Caesar while Year 6 did The Tempest.

The children got right into the action and performed different parts from their plays.

St Albert’s Catholic School’s pupils explored their creativity and increased their knowledge of history during Shakespeare Week, and enjoyed a week that was very typical of their school days.

Lisa Jewell, school business manager at St Albert’s Catholic Primary School, said: “Shakespeare Week was a great success at our school. It’s a great way for children to take part in enjoyable activities and learn at the same time. Knowsley has been doing a lot to celebrate Shakespeare recently, especially with the upcoming Shakespeare Playhouse in Prescot, so we’re very pleased to have got involved with Shakespeare Week and have our children become familiar with his work”.

Merseyside teenagers make their mark at school A group of community-minded young people have just made their mark by donating a day to helping renovate an outside learning area at a primary school in Knowsley.

The group of 17 and 18-year-olds have already completed their four-week National Citizen Service (NCS), the government’s flagship youth programme, which aims to help young people develop new skills, meet new people and contribute to a community project.

However, the 15 teenagers opted to celebrate this year’s NCS Action Day by coming together once again to help transform the outside play and learning area at Knowsley Lane Primary School.

“We spent several hours tidying the garden, painting wooden furniture and cutting back overgrown bushes,” said 18-year-old Holly Griffiths-Jones.

“It was hard, physical work, but our group made a real difference, and I think the children who attend this school will be really surprised with the result!

“I had such a great time when I took part in my NCS programme and wanted to stay in touch by helping at this year’s Action Day,” added Holly. “It’s looked like a tough job when we started, but working together we’ve really transformed an area of the school grounds that hasn’t been touched for years.”

Holly, who attends Birkenhead Sixth Form College, graduated from NCS in 2015, but has decided to help make the scheme even

better. She has signed up to the NCS Regional Youth Board, which meets several times each year to help shape NCS programmes for other young people who are yet to experience the scheme.

Knowsley Community College student Grace Humphrey, 17, also helped tidy up the school’s garden by trimming overgrown bushes and bringing fencing back to life with a lick of paint.

“I really enjoyed my NCS course and discovered a lot about myself, as well as experiencing lots of different activities and learning new skills,” she said.

“Hopefully some of these have been put to good use today and the children here will be able to enjoy all the facilities to the full.”

NCS is delivered in Merseyside by employment, health and skills specialists Ingeus, working in partnership with Everton in the Community, the official charity of Everton Football Club.

Annemarie Longden from Ingeus who coordinated the day, said: “Our young people today have worked hard and made such a difference, but they’ve also had great fun.

“The aim was for young people, who have already benefited from taking part in NCS, to come back together and chose another project they want to support.

“This group opted to tackle a job which is right at the heart of their community and, in doing so, are helping tell other young people about the great experience they could have by getting involved in NCS”.

NCS teens Grace Humphrey and Holly Griffiths-Jones making their mark at Knowsley Lane Primary School

April 2017 13

14 April 2017

Education News

FROM CROXTETH TO CHINA! A Croxteth secondary school is the first to send a delegation of students from the UK to the Chinese city of Wenzhou, after being selected to represent the city as an ambassador school in China.

Students and teachers from St John Bosco Arts College travelled to Wenzhou in China to explore the city and visit its sister school, Wenzhou No.2 Foreign Language School.

The school lies in the city of Wenzhou, which is in the South East of Zhejiang Province and has an urban population of over three million.

St John Bosco was selected as an ambassador school by Access China UK, an organisation which funds school partnerships in China and promotes the exchange of ideas through different international programmes.

Headteacher Darren Gidman, Jane Kennedy from the School Leadership Team

and seven students from Year 9 travelled over 5,000 miles to China to meet representatives from its sister school and begin the exciting new partnership.

Both St John Bosco and the Chinese Education Bureau are passionate about widening the horizons of the young people in its care and providing opportunities for students to gain a greater understanding of each other’s cultures.

By 2020, the British government’s ambition is to ensure that an additional 5,000 students leave school being able to speak Mandarin.

This project will establish and support school partnerships between the UK and China, inspire schools to learn Mandarin and allow schools to connect on an international scale.

St John Bosco Arts College introduced Mandarin to the curriculum in September 2016 and currently offers the

language to 20 Year 7 students.

Sixth form students can also learn the language as part of their Enrichment programme.

During the trip, St John Bosco toured the campus of Wenzhou No.2 Foreign Language School; took part in calligraphy and Mandarin classes; visited the Wenzhou Museum and Central Plaza; dined with local host families and entertained guests with a special farewell performance.

This summer, St John Bosco Arts College will welcome a party

of Chinese students to the city and host a number of cultural activities and visits. Both schools are exploring joint projects to make the partnership accessible to all students.

Headteacher, Darren Gidman said: “We are extremely proud and honoured to have been supported in securing this opportunity by Access China UK. “The trip was a fantastic experience for both myself and the girls, especially connecting with our sister school in Wenzhou and exploring ideas to continue

Egg-cellent charity campaign for Rainford High

Pupils at Rainford High Technology College have collected over 1,000 Easter eggs for charity.

The college has collected 1,192 Easter eggs as part of its latest whole school charity campaign for Spring 2017.

Pupils from Year 7 to Sixth Form took part in the challenge, which is set to go a long way in offering muchneeded support to nine local charities and organisations.

The Easter eggs collected will be donated to Willowbrook Hospice, Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice, Wish FM, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity, The Hope Centre and Four Seasons Health Care, as well as Orchard Care Homes, St Helens Young Carers and Rainford Victoria Care Home.

The college has also been running a series of Easter

egg hunts to raise awareness of the charity campaign, alongside special assemblies highlighting the work of the charities involved.

Ian Young, principal at Rainford High, said: “Each year, various charity campaigns form an integral part of our school community, as we work together to give back to the charities and organisations that do so much in our local area.

“Easter is a time for reflection and taking time to appreciate those around us, and so the Easter egg campaign is the perfect opportunity for staff and pupils to share their generosity. We can’t wait to hand over the Easter eggs and give a special gift to those receiving care.”

our exciting partnership.

“As a school we always look to enhance the learning experience for both students and staff and this trip was the epitome of this.

“By forging international links and promoting Mandarin, this programme is really improving our students’ learning and developing them into global leaders.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming students from Wenzhou to Liverpool this summer to develop our partnership further”.

NEW LOCAL SAFETY SCHEME FOR SCHOOL Due to a number of collisions in the area around St Mary and St Paul’s C of E Primary School, the council has introduced a local safety scheme in the area.

Concerns about the road safety of Bryer Road, Prescot as well as the collisions led to an investigation in the surrounding roads taking place.

The investigation led to a highway safety scheme being developed and a number of improvements to pedestrian safety on Bryer Road.

Improvements made to the road include, two new raised crossing points and a change to the junction outside of the school. These improvements mean pedestrians have a shorter crossing distance and drivers are encouraged to reduce their speed.

Paul Brooksbank, acting headteacher of St Mary and St Paul’s C of E Primary School said: “It is now a lot safer to cross roads around our school which I am sure our children as well as their parents and carers are very thankful for.

“The new safety scheme has made a big difference to the school run and I hope the improvements mean people drive safer in the area and pedestrians feel safer crossing Bryer Road”.

April 2017 15

CHANCE TO SHINE AT ST ALBERT’S The Prince’s Trust and Merseyside Fire and Rescue came to the aid of St Albert’s parish in Stockbridge Village when they sponsored a project to fund and refurbish the ‘Youth Centre’ behind the church building.

Twelve young people from the Huyton area spent two weeks repainting and improving the building before proudly handing it back to the parish in a special ceremony.

Parish Priest, Father David Potter, was delighted with the results of their work saying, ‘I think its great that they chose a Church-based project when they receive so many other requests.’

As well as serving as a meeting room and hosting the Little Church on Sundays and winter weekday Masses, the building has recently offered a home to the local Shine Dance Academy.

HOMELESS HOSTEL HOLDS ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION A hostel in Fazakerley which helps the homeless turn their lives around celebrated its five-year anniversary.

Alt Bank House first opened its doors in 2012, replacing the old Field Lane Hostel, also in Fazakerley, which was outdated and no longer fit for purpose.

Since then the state-of-the-art scheme, which is run by Liverpool Housing Trust (LHT), has provided temporary accommodation to hundreds of homeless people before helping them move on to permanent homes.

To mark the special occasion staff and residents got together for a celebratory birthday bash, which included an X-Factor style talent competition.

Emma El Wakil, team leader at Alt Bank House, said: “We are incredibly proud of the work that has been achieved over the last five years, and the difference it has made to so many lives.

“Since moving to Alt Bank House we have not only benefitted from fantastic facilities, but have also developed the service we provide.

“We have got to a point now where residents are leaving Alt Bank House with more skills, more confidence and more independence.”

The hostel has been a lifeline for 29year-old tenant Jane (not her real name), who moved to the UK from Sudan in 2004.

Jane, who has been living at Alt Bank House for 18 months, said: “The staff have put me in touch with social services and supported me to access other services so that I can move forward.

“It’s nice and clean, there’s lots of support if you need it and, most importantly for me, I know that I’m in a safe environment.”

Now Jane is looking to find her own flat and, with help from the staff at Alt Bank House, has enrolled on a beauty therapy course at The Recovery College in Walton.

She added: “I feel like I’ve come such a long way since I’ve been here. The plan is to get a flat once all my paperwork is sorted and I’ll be ready to move on.”

Alt Bank House currently houses 42 single homeless men and women in modern self-contained flats, and also provides support and access to facilities including an IT suite, kitchens, allotments, health services, specialist agencies and colleges to enable people to make the transition to a settled home.

EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA’S The Friends of Eaton Street Park are holding an Easter Egg-stravaganza which includes an Easter Egg hunt, various games and tea with the Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland and the Queen of Hearts.

Parents are invited to get their child to come wearing an Easter bonnet or hat and they may be given a special prize by Miss Prescot.

Children will also receive an Easter Egg from the Easter Bunny himself!

The Easter Eggstravaganza will take place at the pavilion at Eaton Street Park, Prescot L36 6HD. There are various entry times throughout the day on Easter Sunday (16 April): 11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm.

Tickets are £4 and it is free for adults.

You can buy your tickets at the pavilion at Eaton Street Park every Sunday between 1pm and 3pm (be quick – tickets are selling fast!).

The Friends of Bowring Park will be holding an Easter Egg-stravaganza on Saturday 15 April, meet at The Coach House, Bowring Park Visitors and Heritage Centre, Bowring Park, Roby Road, Huyton.

The Event includes an Egg Hunt with chocolate treat rewards when found hidden in the park, best Easter Bonnet worn on the day along with traditional egg and spoon races. The event starts at 12 noon and costs £2 per entrant.

Telephone 0151 482 1116 (voicemail messages will be responded to) or email friendsofbowringpark@btinternet.com

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16 April 2017

Property News

SUPPORT OFFERED FOR MERSEYSIDE HOUSE HUNTERS Countryside’s first time buyer event had great success last weekend, following the house builder’s recent survey that revealed the county’s residents are calling out for more support when it comes to finances and the home buying process.

Last month, the home builder surveyed the region’s first time buyers and found that two thirds of under 35s in Merseyside are confused by stamp duty and 34% felt that they didn’t understand interest rates on mortgages.

In response to this uncertainty, Countryside invited house hunters to a free event on Saturday 25 March at its Highfield Green development, on Shevington’s Lane in Kirkby. Here first time buyers had the opportunity to speak with an independent financial advisor for advice and guidance on the home buying process.

Peter Vella, regional sales and marketing director at Countryside, said: “It was great to see so many local residents take advantage of the advice that the financial advisors had to offer, as they prepare to take those first steps onto the property ladder.

“The team were thrilled to meet so many young couples and families who had taken the time out of their weekend

to seek this vital information. I hope that everyone who visited the event found it useful and wish them the best of luck as they embark on this exciting journey.”

Launched last month, Highfield Green will comprise 200 three-bedroom homes and forms part of the £200m regeneration of Kirkby, led by Knowsley Council and its partners.

More information about Highfield Green can be found at www.highfieldgreen.co.uk by calling 0151 601 8532, or visiting the show village on Shevington’s Lane, Kirkby, L33 1DY.

Joe and Victoria with Penny from Countryside visit the new Highfield Green showrooms

SELLING THIS SPRING? MAKE SURE YOUR PROPERTY STANDS OUT FROM THE COMPETITION Spring is a popular time to sell a property as the warmer weather encourages many buyers to begin their search for a new home - but this also results in more competition among sellers and a greater need to stand out from the crowd.

Kevin Shaw, a national sales director at a leading property specialist, said: “With a high number of properties coming on to the market at this time of the year, buyers typically enjoy a spike in choice and can afford to cast their net a little wider.

“As such, it is crucial for sellers to ensure they show off the best of their home, allowing it to catch the eye of eager buyers and attract great offers. Those people who don’t make an extra effort to draw attention to the finer points of a property could lose out to other sellers at this busy time.”

Kevin has revealed five top tips that will help sellers to ensure their home stands out this spring: 1) First impressions count Many buyers make up their minds within a minute of setting eyes on a property for the first time, so first impressions are vital. Take a look outside your home

and view it from a stranger’s perspective. Tackle any small jobs that could make a big difference to the property’s appearance – such as painting the front door, mowing the lawn and fixing the fence. Hanging baskets or some pots filled with spring flowers are a nice touch at this time of year.

2) Get the temperature and lighting right Spring is often known for changeable weather. One day can be dull and rainy, while another could be gloriously sunny. So if it’s a bit dark and chilly, turn up the thermostat and switch all the lights on. If it’s warm and bright open the blinds and windows. Viewers will be put off if your property seems dark and gloomy or extremely hot or cold.

3) Show off the garden If you have a garden, you should consider it as important as any room. Not only should it fit the style of the rest of your home, it is perhaps the easiest place to introduce the vibrant colours most associated with spring. So if it’s currently looking a little drab, make sure you purchase plants in bold yellows, pinks and purples and remove any overgrown vegetation or tree branches.

4) Time for a spring clean

The clue is in the name. Now is the perfect time for a spring clean. A comprehensive clean and de-clutter of a property can have a tremendously positive impact on potential buyers. Go a little further than normal by steaming carpets and cleaning the oven.

5) Wash the windows Windows have taken a battering over the winter. Rain, snow and sleet can leave any glass surface looking untidy, while those in coastal areas may also be dealing with salty breezes that leave unsightly marks. Your first step in spring should be to return windows to their gleaming, sparkling best.

Kevin adds: “These may sound like relatively simple steps, but they can make a huge difference when it comes to selling a property. Sellers should think about how their home looks to others and carry out some quick fixes before putting it on the market.”

April 2017 17

18 April 2017

Memories of Knowsley Huyton Quarry in the early 1930’s

by Kenneth Roscoe Huyton Quarry was a small working class area, part of Huyton, situated mainly around Hall Lane, between the junction of St John’s Road and Huyton Hey Road up to Huyton Quarry Station.

It was a close-knit community, with a real community spirit. The people were hard working and all knew each other.

The men worked in the local industries, which included coal mining, the gas works, the brickworks, the BICC (British Insulated Callender Cables), the local council and agriculture.

Many of the women had been in service before marriage, so were very skilled in domestic activities – they could make a meal out of next to nothing, baked their own bread, kept their homes clean, looked after their families and helped each other out in times of need.

Some of the people in Huyton Quarry had come in from other areas in search of work. There were a lot of Welsh and Irish people who had come to find jobs in the various industries, which were situated, adjacent to the mineral railway which ran from Huyton Quarry towards the Whiston and Cronton area.

Miners had come from other parts of Lancashire when their pits had closed, and there were other workers who had come from Staffordshire.

Although a few of the houses in Huyton Quarry had running water in them, some of the housing was very primitive, comprising ‘two up and two down’ terraced cottages with no running water in the house, just a tap in the back yard and a toilet at the bottom of the yard.

There was no electricity.

In most houses there was no gas other than one gas mantle in the front downstairs room. Cooking was done on the living room range, a coal fire with an oven beside it.

All water had to be carried into the house for both cooking and washing, and heated on the range.

There was no bathroom or bath and baths were taken in a portable tin bath in front of the range.

The ground floor of the house was stone flags, and it was general practice to make ‘pegged’ rugs to go on the floor. (These were made out of cut scraps of material pegged on to a hessian backing).

Radios were battery type radios, with a wet accumulator. These had to be taken to a special shop to be charged each week.

There was no resident doctor in Huyton Quarry then. To see a doctor people had to go to Huyton or Prescot.

There was not the range of drugs and medicines there are today, and especially if the elderly or the very young got sick with illness such as bronchitis, the outlook was very poor.

All the shops in Huyton Quarry were in Hall Lane. On the railway side, next to the See Arms, going up the hill, there was a small row of shops. From memory, the first was a grocer – Tommy Smiths, then a men’s hairdressers – Mr Sudlow. Next was a very important

sweet shop, known to the local children as ‘Toffee shop Jones’s.

After that Mrs ‘Clogger’ Jones had a haberdashery store and then there was another grocers – Wilkinsons – before ‘Clogger’ Jones had his shop where he made and repaired clogs, boots and shoes.

On the other side of the Seel Arms, on the corner of Baker Street there was a bakery. I believe this moved later to the top of St John’s Road. On the opposite side of Hall Lane, from the corner of Derby Street, there was another row of shops that included a sweet and tobacco shop (Lunts), a fish and chip shop and a butchers.

On the corner of Elm Street was Platts, which was another sweet shop and further along on the corner of De Silva Street was a greengrocers.

Mary Alice Bellis had a new shop and house built further along Hall Lane and this was the Post Office and General Store. Next to this a new Co-op was built.

Up the hill, at the junction of Hall Lane and Haleview Road there was a dairy owned by Tom Boan and Sons. He had cattle that grazed on fields in St John’s Road (only one school was there then) and at the top of Hall Lane.

He was also known for his hobby of keeping trotting horses in his younger days. He delivered milk morning and

evening by horse and also held. The Scouts had “Most people float to many houses in their own hut on land would walk if they the area. adjacent to the parish wanted to go from Transport was very rooms.

Huyton Quarry to limited at the time, other One of the main Whiston or than the trains that went events of the year was Prescot” through Huyton Quarry Walking Sunday when all Station. There was an the pupils of the infant infrequent bus service school and the Sunday School between Prescot and Huyton would walk to St Michael’s Church Quarry, eventually Crosville put on a bus in Huyton. service that ran from Liverpool to Prescot, They assembled in Ellis Ashton Street but most people would walk if they and walked down Hall Lane and along wanted to go from Huyton Quarry to Huyton Hey Road and Derby Road to the Whiston or Prescot. In the other direction church, the procession preceded by the you could walk to Bowring Park and take only policemen in Huyton Quarry! a tram to Liverpool. There were very few Another major event was the Sunday cars in those days.

School sports day that was usually held In the early 1900s there had only been on one of Mr Boan’s fields. one school in Huyton Quarry, St Agnes’s Huyton Quarry had its own Silver Band Catholic School, so all the children in the (the Temperance Band). The conductor village up to the age of about 13 years was Ernest Jones (Toffee Shop Jones) who was also a leading member of Huyton Huyton Quarry Methodist Church.

Temperance He built a band room at the top of Band 1932.

West View for the band to practice in The man on the right of and it was also used as a venue for the second other events. There was a strong row, not in Methodist community and the Methodist uniform, is Church was always well attended at the believed to be time.

Ernest Jones There was a Welsh Chapel in Wood the Lane, which was well supported by the bandmaster Welsh miners and their families who had and possibly come to the area to find work. the founder of the band To a great extent people made their own amusements. As well as the Temperance Band there was a jazz, went there, whether Catholic or clapper and gazooka band.

Protestant.

A men’s recreational club, ‘The Tent’, By the 1930s a Church of England was situated at the bottom of West View Infant School was opened in what had and there was a football field and been the old Anglican Church before the bowling greens there too. new one; St Gabriel’s was built. This only One of the principal hobbies at the had two teachers when I went there, time was pigeon flying, especially with Miss Gillman (who lived in Roby) and the men who worked in the mines or at Miss Wooley (who lived in Stanley Road, the brickworks. Pigeon racing took place Huyton). every weekend during the season. The Children learnt to write in sand trays pigeons were sent in baskets from then with blackboard and chalk before Huyton Quarry Station on the train to be progressing to paper and pencil. No released at a given point. The returning meals were provided, all the children pigeons were clocked in at special went home for lunch and mothers would clocks, which had been sealed before bring the children a drink and a snack the race. mid morning.

People were very friendly. At Christmas After leaving this infant school children and New Year neighbours would get would continue their education at either together in each other’s houses and a Church of England school in Huyton or great parties were held. at Sylvester School in St John’s Road.

Holidays were seldom taken, as there Most children left school at the age of 14 were no paid holidays apart from Bank and were expected to get a job to Holidays. An occasional trip to New contribute to the family income.

Brighton was a special treat.

Much of the social life of Huyton Children could play safely out of doors Quarry centered around the churches. St for hours on end in those days. They Gabriel’s Church of England, built in the would make up their own games and late 19th century, stood at the corner of play in the fields or in the woods, or help Hall Lane and Ellis Ashton Street. the local farmers with their cattle and The parish rooms were built alongside horses. the church and many activities were They had no TV or Play Station or even carried out there. There was a men’s many toys, but they got a great deal of billiard rooms upstairs and Guide and enjoyment from making their own Brownies met in a room downstairs, amusements in the open countryside where other churches functions were around Huyton Quarry.

April 2017 19

Events for the whole family this Easter Library events Halewood Library Easter bag making Monday 3 April 3pm to 4.30pm Make a bag to keep your Easter treats! For over 5s.

Easter card making Tuesday 4 April 3pm to 4.30pm Make a fabulous Easter card for your loved one. For over 5s.

Magic Phillip Friday 7 April 11am to 12pm A rollercoaster ride of comedy, fun, laughter and of course lots of magic! For over 5s.

Spring basket making Monday 10 April 10.30am to 11.30am Make a spring basket for bulbs then enjoy watching your creation flower. For under 5s.

Board games and electro dough Tuesday 11 April 3pm to 4.30pm Enjoy board games old and new! Make a play dough creation come alive with LEDs and buzzers! For over 5s.

Huyton Library Kid’s tech: circuit boards Monday 3 April 2.30pm to 4pm Get hands-on making circuit boards and using micro:bits. For over 5s.

Easter Egg making Tuesday 4 April 2.30pm to 4pm Come and decorate some lovely Easter Egg templates with colours and sparkles!

For over 5s.

Spring basket making Thursday 6 April 10.30am to 11.30am Come and make a spring basket for bulbs and enjoy watching your creation flower.

For under 5s.

Magic Phillip Friday 7 April 2.30pm to 3.30pm A rollercoaster ride of comedy, fun, laughter

and of course lots of magic! For over 5s.

Mini pot of sunshine Monday 10 April 2.30pm to 4pm Come and decorate a cup, plant it with a sunflower seed and wait for your pot of sunshine to flourish! For over 5s.

Easter bag and card making Tuesday 11 April 2.30pm to 4pm Come and use your crafty skills to make and decorate a useful Easter bag and a lovely card. For over 5s.

Kirkby Library Coding workshop Monday 3 April 3pm to 4pm Fancy creating your own computer animations? Come and join us to get started.

For over 5s.

Magic Phillip Tuesday 4 April 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

A rollercoaster ride of comedy, fun, laughter and of course lots of magic! For over 5s.

Board games Monday 10 April 10.30am to 11.30am Enjoy board games old and new. For over 5s.

Spring basket making Tuesday 11 April 10.30am to 11.30am Come and make a spring basket for bulbs and enjoy watching your creation flower.

For under 5s.

Prescot Library Mask making Monday 3 April 3pm to 4pm Make a cute lamb mask that’s perfect for spring. For over 5s.

Basket craft Thursday 6 April 11am to 12pm Get creative with scissors, glue and crafty bits and make a lovely basket. For over 5s.

Spring basket making Friday 7 April 10.30am to 11.30am

Come and make a spring basket for bulbs and then enjoy watching your creation flower.

Alice in Wonderland craft Monday 10 April 2.30pm to 4pm Be inspired by this wonderful story and create some craft to take home.

Easter card craft Tuesday 11 April 11am to 12pm Get creative with scissors, glue and crafty bits, and make a lovely Easter card. For over 5s.

Words and pictures Easter fun Thursday 13 April 11am to 12pm Enjoy some great spring time stories followed by colouring fun! For under 5s.

Stockbridge Village Library Easter craft session Friday 7 April 2pm to 3pm Get creative and see what Easter delights you can make with scissors, glue and crafty bits.

For over 5s.

Easter craft session Monday 10 April 3.15pm to 4.15pm Get creative and see what Easter delights you can make with scissors, glue and crafty bits.

For over 5s.

Spring basket making Tuesday 11 April 2pm to 3pm Make a spring basket for bulbs and then enjoy watching your creation flower.

For under 5s.

All of these library activities are free!

Easter events ran by Knowsley Rangers Tuesday 6 April 1pm to 3pm, McGoldrick Park, Huyton There’s so much to do at McGoldrick Park this Easter – get involved with the Easter crafts, Easter trail, small fairground rides and face painting! There will be a small charge for this event.

Tuesday 6 April 1pm to 3pm, Saxon Green, Kirkby Come to Saxon Green for an Easter trail. A

small charge will apply.

Friday 7 April 1pm to 3pm, Millennium Green, Kirkby Have fun taking part in the Easter trail at Millennium Green which there will be a charge for.

Saturday 8 April 1pm to 3pm, Ten Acre Pits, Huyton At Ten Acre Pits, families can enjoy the afternoon doing Easter crafts and an Easter trail, going on small fairground rides and having refreshments. There is a small charge for this event.

Monday 10 April 2pm to 4pm, Court Hey Park, Huyton Again, families can enjoy the afternoon doing Easter crafts and an Easter trail, going on small fairground rides and having refreshments for a small charge.

Monday 10 April 1pm to 3pm Henley Park, Whiston You can take part in an Easter trail at Henley Park on this day.

Tuesday 11 April 1pm to 3pm Acorn Field Plantation, Kirby The mini bush craft event is a free event and lots of fun! Follow the trail around the mire and then roast a marshmallow on a fire.

Wednesday 12 April 1pm to 3pm Mill Farm, Kirkby Bring all the children for an Easter trail at Mill Farm for a small charge.

Thursday 13 April 1pm to 3pm Take part in the Easter Trail Extravaganza!

For a small charge, you can follow the trail in Knowsley Ranger’s green spaces to see if the Easter Bunny has paid a visit. Come to Jubilee Park in Huyton, Stadt Moers Park in Whiston or Halewood Triangle Park in Halewood.

Thursday 19 April 1pm to 3pm Field Lane, Kirkby Another opportunity for an Easter Trail in Kirkby. A small charge applies.

For more information on these events, you can call 0151 443 3682.

20 April 2017

Lifestyle

MEETING JULIE WAS SPELLBINDING A Slimming World consultant from Knowsley has got the magic touch when it comes to weight loss, according to TV presenter Stephen Mulhern.

Julie Latta, who runs a Slimming World group at St Margaret Marys Social Club, Dovecot every Wednesday, was delighted to get a chance to cuddle up to Stephen when he presented the annual Slimming World Awards.

He co-hosted the event with the organisation’s founder and chair Margaret Miles-Bramwell OBE. Julie said: “Meeting Stephen was a wonderful way to round off a great 12 months for the Dovecot Slimming World group, as well as a brilliant way to get ready for another successful year.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the members of the Dovecot group. They’ve lost fantastic amounts of weight throughout 2016, with many of them making their weight loss dreams come true by hitting their target weight, improving their health and confidence, and more.

“It’s so rewarding to see people being able to do things that they didn’t think possible before losing weight, whether that’s having more energy and confidence, wearing smaller clothes, taking up new hobbies, reducing medication or doing more with their family and friends.

“Every week I feel so lucky to play even a small part in people’s achievements and I felt very honoured to represent the Dovecot Slimming World group when I met Stephen.

“He was bowled over by the difference Slimming

World makes to people and how it changes their lives, so meeting him has re-inspired me and now I feel super motivated to support even more people in Knowsley to lead healthier, happier lives in 2017.”

Stephen, who presents Catchphrase, Britain’s Got More Talent and Big Star’s Little Stars, said he was thrilled to meet Julie at the event, which was held at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre.

He said: “I’m known for my magic tricks and there was definitely magic in the air at the Slimming World Awards.

The stories I heard from people who had lost amazing amounts of weight and transformed themselves – inside and out – were so inspirational.

“So many slimmers talked about how their weight loss has allowed them to start really living and be the people that they always dreamed of being – doing things they previously thought they couldn’t, from running for miles to playing with their children and grandchildren.

“While all of their stories were different, the one thing they all had in common was how much they felt they owed to their ‘Slimming World family’. So people like Julie are clearly very important.”

Julie says 2016 has been a big year for Slimming World, with the organisation welcoming hundreds of thousands of members and winning awards for both its food range and Slimming World magazine, and hopes 2017 will

be just as successful.

“Lots of people will be making resolutions to lose weight and improve their health this New Year. I truly believe that joining a local Slimming World group is the best way for people to lose weight and learn new habits.

Slimming World Consultant Julie Latta meets TV presenter Stephen Mulhern

Healthy Eating Rebound Youth Dance Prescot For Children Aged 8 + - An exciting dance class of various styles. At: Tesco Community space, In store at Tesco Prescot. Price: £3 Time: Mon 4.30-5.30 pm Line Dancing A Class For Adults of Any Age - A fun way to keep fit for all ages. At: Huyton Gateway.

Price: £3 Time: Wed 10-11am

Citrus chicken

Yoga A Class For Adults of Any Age - A gentle Hatha Yoga class. At: Huyton Gateway. Price: £3 Time: Mon 11.1512.15pm Thurs 6-7pm

A zesty protein-rich dish, not to be confused with our lemon chicken recipe. Try serving this with brown rice and some green beans.

Nifty 50’s For Adults Aged 50 + - Low impact class At: Huyton Gateway. Price: £3 Time: Mon 10 - 11am

Serves: 2 Time: 45 minutes

Rebound Kidz For Children Aged 8 and over - An exciting dance class of various styles. At: Huyton Gateway. Price: £3 or any two for £5/week Time: Thurs 4-5 pm Little Movers For Children Aged 4-7 - A fun dance class At: Huyton Gateway. Price: £3 Time: Wed 4 - 5pm Street Dance For Children Aged 8+ - A class that’s fast and funky At: Huyton Gateway. Price: £3 or any two for £5/week Time: Thurs 5 - 6pm Pilates At: Huyton Gateway.

Wednesdays 11.30-12.30

Huyton Gateway 115 Rupert Road 0151 489 4616 Email: reboundcic@aol.com Facebook: Rebound Dance Rebound is a social enterprise, not for profit organization

Ingredients 1 tsp sunflower oil ½ onion, finely chopped 1 chicken breast 1 dessert spoon wholemeal flour ½ red pepper, sliced juice of 1 orange, or 75ml unsweetened orange juice plus 25ml water 1 carrot, peeled and sliced 1-2 medium potatoes, cubed chopped parsley (optional) black pepper, freshly ground 130g brown rice, raw

Method 1. Heat the oil in a pan and brown the onions over a low heat for two to three minutes.

2. Cut the chicken breast into large pieces and coat each piece in the flour. Then add the chicken to the pan and brown for two minutes, stirring all the time to make sure it doesn't stick.

3. Once the chicken is cooked, add the other ingredients. Then bring it to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer over a low heat for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

4. While the chicken is cooking, cook rice according to packet instructions.

April 2017 21

NEW VENUES TUESDAY LIVERPOOL The Liverpool public house 14 James Street (Next door to James Street Station) 12pm Linda 0151 256 1681 WEDNESDAY FAZAKERLEY Federation Community Centre Opposite library Formosa Drive L10 7LR 5.00pm & 6.30pm Eileen 07742 524767 Monday STOCKBRIDGE VILLAGE Craig's Community Centre Little Moss Hey 9.30am Sharron 07962 382590 HUYTON Swanside Community Centre Willoughby Road 9.30am Julie-Ann 07759 777885 HUYTON Roby Community Hub Centre Merton Crescent 4.30pm & 6.30pm Vicky 07507 848706 KIRKBY (SOUTHDENE) Southdene Community Centre Broad Lane 4.30pm & 6.30pm Lorna 07720 251591

Wednesday DOVECOT (HUYTON) St Margaret Mary’s Social Club Pilch Lane 9.30am, 4.00pm & 6.00pm Julie 07779 538790 DOVECOT (HUYTON) St Lukes Church Princess Drive 9.30am, 11.30am (NEW TIME ADDED), 5.30pm & 7.30pm Suzanne 07468 434617 HALEWOOD Hollies Hall Hollies Road 9.30am, 11.30am, 5.00pm & 7.00pm Kate 07966 260632 KIRKBY (NORTHWOOD) St Mary’s Parochial Club Kennelwood Avenue 4.30pm & 6.30pm Susan 07546 148204 PRESCOT St Pauls Parish Church Bryer Road 4.30pm & 6.30pm Lisa 07720 979915 NORRIS GREEN Broadway Function Rooms Broad Lane 5.00pm Jan 07954 714567

Tuesday

CROXTETH Porchfield Community Centre Off Storrington Avenue 5.30pm Dawn Tel: 07732 845118

ECCLESTON St James Church Hall St Helens Road 9.00am, 11.00am, 4.30pm & 6.30pm Lynn 07739 167051

HUYTON Maggi O’Neil Community Centre Liverpool Road 5.30pm & 7.00pm Clare 07950 631858

KIRKBY The Kirkby Leisure Centre Cherryfield Drive 9.30am & 11.00am Eileen 07742 424767

Thursday

HUYTON Trinity Methodist Church Huyton House Road 9.30am and 6.30pm Iolen 07919 073250 NETHERLEY Woodlands Community Centre Wood Lane 9.30am, 4.30pm and 6.30pm Helen 07779 266870 NORRIS GREEN Broadway Function Rooms Broad Lane 4.30 & 6.30pm Sue 07957 531346

KIRKBY (WESTVALE) Holy Angels Social Club Sidney Powell Avenue 4.00pm & 6.00pm Susan 07546 148204 STOCKBRIDGE VILLAGE The Craigs Community Centre Little Moss Hey 4.00pm & 6.00pm Sharron 07962 382590

KIRKBY NORTHWOOD Sacred Heart Social Club Briery Hey Avenue 5.00pm Dawn 07738 008777 CROXTETH St Cuthberts Church (portacabin) Langley Close 5.00pm & 7.00pm Dawn Tel: 07732 845118 DOVECOT (HUYTON) St Lukes Church Princess Drive 7.00pm Suzanne 07468 434617 Friday DOVECOT (HUYTON) St Margaret Marys Social Club Pilch Lane 7.30am & 9.30am Julie 07779 538790 Saturday PRESCOT Prescot Town Hall Warrington Road 8.00am & 10.00am Lynn 07739 167051 NORRIS GREEN St Christophers Church Lorenzo Drive 8.30am Debbie 07774 699694 FAZAKERLEY Fazakerley Federation Formosa Road 8.30am, 10.30am (NEW TIME ADDED) Jenny 07734 224138 KNOWSLEY St Marys Church Hall Knowsley Village 8.00am (NEW TIME ADDED FROM APRIL 29), 10.00am Zara 07854 721185

22 April 2017

Health and Wellbeing CARER’S CELEBRATION A SUCCESS More than 100 adults and 70 children and young people attended a Carers’ Celebration event at The Venue in Huyton.

Stallholders offered information, advice and support for carers of all ages on a wide variety of topics including telecare aids, staying healthy and safe, emergency cards and peer support.

There were also holistic therapy taster sessions offering a pampering treat for carers and helping to combat stress.

A wide range of activities and entertainment for children and young carers included face painting, candy floss, popcorn making, cake decorating, arts and crafts and animal petting involving owls, insects and a giant snake!!

Carers who came along said it was the best carers’ event they have ever attended. They also welcomed comments from Knowsley Council’s directors for adults and children’s services recognising the important role of carers in Knowsley.

The evening was topped off with a fantastic buffet.

For more information about carers’ services in Knowsley contact Knowsley Carers’ Centre on 0151 549 1412.

with Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health for Knowsley and Sefton

Do a good deed and feel good

Parent Carers: left to right Deb Smith and Marie Murphy

Can you Give Up Loving Pop? A new campaign raising awareness about the damage sugary drinks are doing to our health has launched in Knowsley.

Aimed at everyone who drinks sugary drinks and particularly children, young people and their families, Give Up Loving Pop – GULP, encourages us all to reduce our consumption of sugary drinks and switch to water or low fat milk.

Children and young people are consuming more than three times as much sugar as the maximum recommended daily intake, most of which comes from sugary drinks.

A can of cola can contain nine cubes of sugar which is well above the recommended daily maximum sugar intake for children as well as adults.

The recommended daily maximum for four to six-year-olds is no more than five cubes of sugar, for seven to ten-year-olds no more than six cubes per day and for 11-years and older, including adults, no more than seven cubes.

Sugar can cause a whole host of health issues, from tooth decay, to obesity, heart disease and type two diabetes. Excess sugar intake has also been linked to certain cancers.

Knowsley Council has joined forces with Food Active to run the boroughwide campaign to encourage people to Give Up Loving Pop (GULP).

How you can get involved Look out for the GULP roadshow

HEALTHY KNOWSLEY

touring the borough over the Easter school holidays, raising awareness of the health harms associated with drinking sugary drinks and encouraging residents to sign up to the #GULPChallenge, which starts on 8 May, to Give Up Loving Pop for 21 days.

Once signed up www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk you’ll be encouraged to continue to ‘Give up Loving Pop’ via weekly emails and social media messages. Anyone who registers and completes the challenge will be entered into a prize draw for a family ticket for the Christmas Panto, Beauty and the Beast, at the Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park.

Over 20 Knowsley schools have registered to take part in the campaign and in the new school term will be delivering PSHE lessons at Key Stage 2 and 3 along with school assemblies suitable for all year

groups.

Matthew Ashton, Knowsley and Sefton director of public health, said: “I think most of us are aware that our children have too much added sugar in their diet, but what you may not realise is that much of this comes in the form of sugary drinks.

“Not only is this causing problems for children and young people now in terms of tooth decay and weight gain, but continued over-consumption of sugar can lead to problems in later life.

“The GULP campaign will help to inform people about the benefits of switching to water or low fat milk and we hope that the messages will be taken home, to impact on family and friends.”

To sign up for Knowsley’s Giving Up Loving Pop 21-day challenge visit: www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk

We all know the feeling of satisfaction we get when we do something to help someone in need and the obvious benefits to our general wellbeing. That’s why I’m supporting this year’s Pay it Forward Day on 28 April.

Pay it Forward is a national campaign which gives us the opportunity to perform acts of kindness to three or more people on the understanding that they will do the same.

This could include anything from buying someone a cup of coffee to giving them an umbrella on a rainy day or maybe just helping an elderly neighbour with their shopping. If you’d like to get involved there are lots of ideas on www.payitforwardday.co.uk What am I doing? I will be saying thank you to people in my teams when they do good work (which is something I do on a regular basis), donate baby clothing to a local children’s charity (now that my youngest is three years old) and support students and young people to spend time with my Public Health teams in both Knowsley and Sefton, helping them to shape their training or employment prospects and achieve their potential.

Are you taking the GULP challenge?

I’m also taking part in the GULP 21 day challenge – Give Up Loving Pop. GULP is a Food Active campaign that aims to raise awareness of the health harms associated with over consumption of sugary drinks.

From 3 to 13 April, roadshows will be taking place across Knowsley, where you can find out more about the negative impact on your teeth and weight, as well as finding out about healthier alternatives.

At the roadshows, you can sign up to take part in the 21-day challenge to stay off sugary drinks and you can also pick up a GULP water bottle. The GULP challenge will start on 8 May. To find out more about the GULP campaign, the roadshows and the challenge, visit www.knowsleynews.co.uk

April 2017 23

AUTISM ACCREDITATION FOR KNOWSLEY’S ADULT DAY SERVICE Knowsley Council is marked World Autism Awareness Week (27 March – 2 April) by celebrating the achievement of the borough’s Adult Disability Service which has been given an official seal of approval by the National Autistic Society.

The service, which runs activities at six day centres in Kirkby, Halewood and Huyton for adults with disabilities and autism has had its Autism Accreditation – initially achieved in 2015 - awarded for a further three years (2017 – 2020).

Autism Accreditation is an internationally-recognised award for organisations demonstrating a commitment to understanding autism and setting the standard for autismfriendly services.

Around 250 adults with disabilities regularly attend Knowsley’s day centre activities, including 32-year-old Kerry Ruddock who has autism.

Kerry does not speak and, according to

her sister Sharon Ruddock, was ‘locked in her own world’ before attending the day centre sessions.

Sharon said: “Kerry’s life used to revolve around lying on the couch and watching MTV. Days out consisted of driving Kerry around in the car for hours, and trying to encourage her to have a walk.

“We always went somewhere desolate and quiet, as she didn't like noise, other people around and other distractions.”

A little over two years ago, Kerry starting attending the adult day centre sessions at Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park in Huyton.

Sharon added: “I was hoping that it would bring something, anything, into my sister’s life.

“Kerry now attends the day services four days per week. She is a different person.

“It’s hard to put into words exactly what has happened with Kerry and how much

Kerry at a day centre session

her life has changed for the better. I would describe it as ‘an awaking’.

“Kerry now wakes up with a smile on her face, I tell her she’s going to the day centre and she springs out the bed.

“Kerry has come on, grown, matured and changed so much it’s unbelievable.

She has a social life, friends, hobbies she enjoys, and she wakes up with a purpose in life.

“This is all down to the adult day centre, the great team they have there and their consistent approach and methods.”

KNOWSLEY YOUTH MUTUAL LEADS THE WAY WITH PIONEERING PERIOD PROJECT Knowsley Youth Mutual recently joined forces with Liverpool artist and therapist Clare Beloved to launch an exciting new project that challenges one of the last big taboos in society.

The Wild Moon Project aims to creatively engage the community and especially young people in a conversation about menstruation.

The aim to help young people understand the facts about their monthly

cycles and to be in tune with their emotional and physical wellbeing.

Through the project they will challenge the taboo that leaves many of them unaware, misinformed or embarrassed.

Knowsley Youth Mutual and Clare Beloved have been looking at how to creatively tackle the issue of ‘Period Poverty’ and the lack of access to sanitary products for some of our poorest residents and make sure that no young

girls in Merseyside lose out on their education as a result of this issue.

Over the last few months the team have been working with young girls to design and deliver an exciting project that will tour youth settings and schools as part of an educational programme aimed at raising awareness and reducing stigma around periods.

They will also be running a summer camp for mums, carers and daughters

and are also aware that dads, brothers and young men are often left out of the picture so are running information nights for them too.

The project invited everyone to their colourful launch in March 2017 at 4pm in OurPlace, Longview Drive, Knowsley where they unveiled a safe space wild moon tent, films where shown, art installations, info on sponsorship for wellbeing self-care boxes for girls and information on how to get involved.

Sandra Richardson, chief executive of Knowsley Youth Mutual said: “It’s really important that our young people learn the facts and know how to look after themselves throughout their whole monthly cycle. We want to ensure no young person in our community is afraid or unprepared for such a basic rite of passage and important transition into adulthood”.

Clare Beloved, Liverpool artist and therapist said: “We are being approached by schools, parents and girls asking for help and we feel this is way overdue to blow the secrecy and shame around the topic of periods and beyond that menopause and other important times of our lives which are shrouded in mystery and silence.

“We want to start up creative conversations and help our community share stories and find new ways to be which can only benefit us all” For more information contact: rachael.mcgowan@youthmutual.co.uk or clare.campbell@me.com

24 April 2017

Spring in the garden Fiveofthebest

Let’s get back into the garden!

With spring upon us now is the time to plan those sunny evenings in the garden dining alfresco. We have chosen five must haves for your garden experience.

Wilko Garden Ornament Mushroom

EARLY SPRING GARDENING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

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Solvinden Outdoor LED solarpowered pendant lamp Helping you save energy and reduce your environmental impact because it is powered by a solar panel that converts sunlight into electricity. £19 www.ikea.com

Add personality to your garden with this stunning bark-effect large mushroom ornament. Place it in amongst your foliage and flowers to inject a touch of beautiful woodland charm.

Approx size: 17 x 17 x 30cm £15.00 www.wilko.com

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La Hacienda Stylish Steel Firepit Extra Large Bronze Effect Steel Firepit with attractive flame design. This firepit comes complete with a large removable chrome plated cooking grill to enable multi-purpose use. £95 www.tesco.com

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Pimlico Aluminium Lanterns, Set of 3 This charming set of 3 Pimlico lanterns will make an elegant and impactful addition to your home. Crafted from aluminium, their pyramid shape allows for the light to shine through creating a beautifully warm glow.

Place together or separately for an eyecatching display. £50 www.johnlewis.com

With the snowy weather finally clearing and the temperatures steadily creeping up, spring has finally arrived.

Now is the time of year all gardeners look forward to, as the milder temperatures and longer days allowing more time to be spent outside preparing gardens for the warmer weather to come.

For many of us gardening will be a new pastime, particularly those moving into their first home with a garden. For beginners looking after your own patch of green/ your own garden can be a daunting task, with a whole new world of plants, tools and techniques become familiar with.

To help the less green-fingered amongst you we’ve put together a few tips for spring gardening that should point you in the right direction.

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Give the garden a clean Every garden will need a good tidy up after the harsh winter months. You can clear your lawn of fallen leaves, twigs and dead growth using a rake or, for those who prefer a slightly less physical job, a leaf blower. Only start this clear up when the grass is dry as this will make your task much easier.

Camden 3 Piece Bistro Set A modern take on outdoor seating, this three-piece bistro set includes two chairs and a coordinating table. Made from woven materials that fan out beautifully to create a chic and contemporary look, this set comes in a bright blue and green shade to liven up any garden setting. £89.00 www.asda.com

Whack the weeds Make sure to get rid of any weeds that are starting to appear as the weather gets warmer, these can also be tackled with rakes or pulled out by hand. Weedkillers are equally effective for removing unwanted weeds and these can be applied easily with purpose built sprayers.

If you get on top of your weeds early they won’t cause you problems later in the year.

Put fallen leaves to good use Leaf mould is a great garden conditioner that provides great nutrition to soil and plant beds. It also reduces the need for watering, saving you money and time.

You can make leaf mould by putting fallen leaves in bin bags with a little water.

Pierce the bags to make a few holes and then secure them by tying up the tops of the bags. If you leave the bags in a sheltered area of your garden you will have a good leaf mould ready for use in the summer.

Repair the lawn Patchy gardens can be a real eyesore.

Start to re-seed bare or damaged patches of lawn. You should be able to purchase a wide variety of grass seeds at your local garden centre. First, rake your soil then add any fertilizer you wish to use, such as leaf mould, to the soil. Mix a shovel of soil with a couple of scoops of your chosen grass seed and spread into the patch of lawn. Rake the soil smooth and remember to keep the area wellwatered until the seeds grown and the new grass starts to appear.

Check your lawnmower blades and cut the grass Last but not least, check your lawnmower blades to see if they need sharpening.

After a long period without use the chances are your blades could do with a bit of sharpening. Sharper blades ultimately cut grass better and will leave your lawn much healthier than a dull blade. Give your lawnmower a check to see if any other maintenance or repairs are needed. Once you have checked your mower and the weather has picked up get to work on cutting the grass regularly, remembering to weed and fertilise regularly.

Hopefully these tips will come in handy for any budding gardener wanting to venture out into their garden for the first time. As the weather continues to improve, maintaining your garden should start to pay dividends heading into the summer.

April 2017 25

IRENE BRAVES THE MACMILLAN CHALLENGE Earlier this year brave Whiston resident Irene Hughes decided to take the plunge and ‘Brave the Shave’ in order to raise money for the Macmillan Nurses.

Irene said: “A year ago I decided that I wanted to participate in ‘Brave the Shave’ and raise awareness of how cancer affects so many people!

“After signing up to the campaign on their website January 28 was my shave day!

“It took place in my Slimming World class, thanks to our consultant Lynn

Titherington at Prescot Town Hall!

“With the tremendous support I raised over £1600! towards the campaign, I also donated my hair to the Princess Trust, for sick children!”

A spokesperson from Macmillan Nurses said: “We would like to say a big thank you to Irene for her support.

So far over 26,000 have braved the shave raising a total of £5,894,702.

“By braving the shave you’ll be standing proudly alongside men, women and children with cancer.

We know that cancer can turn the

world upside down and that’s especially true when it comes to appearance. People with cancer go through hair loss and changes to their appearance that can affect everything from the way they look to how they feel.

“All the money you raise will mean we can support people who are facing a difficult time so that they can start to feel more in control.

MUST SEE When Professor Green met Freddie Flintoff

THE CHALLENGE WORDSEARCH Why not try our wordsearch and find the towns and villages in the borough

Mental health is no longer shrouded in the silence it once was, but we still have a long way to go before talking about depression becomes as commonplace as talking about flu.

In a new film released this week by Heads Together sees Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM’s) patron Stephen Manderson, aka Professor Green, opening up with former England cricket captain Freddie Flintoff.

Comparing notes of growing up in working class families in the north of England and on a council estate in Hackney - Freddie and Stephen share their own experiences of anxiety, depression, and the benefits of getting it all off your chest.

Talking about going through rough times might not come naturally to men whose roles might seem

typically ‘tough guy’ - an elite sportsman and a rapper. But the film shows both Stephen and Freddie sharing how opening up helped them, and even made it easier for others to do the same.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, which is one of the Heads Together charity partners, said: “It is truly groundbreaking to see so many people, from all walks of life, sharing their mental health experiences on film in the hope of inspiring others to strike up their own conversation.

“These films have the power to spark lifechanging and, in some cases, life-saving conversations. We hope that there will be a snowball effect with more and more people seeing the benefits of speaking out and supporting each other”.

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26 April 2017

REGIONAL ADOPTION AGENCY TO BE SET UP

APPEAL FOR INFORMATION ON WHEREABOUTS OF PAUL PURCELL Merseyside Police is appealing for the public’s help to trace a 52-year-old man from Huyton after a warrant was issued for his arrest at Liverpool Crown Court.

Paul Purcell, from Balmoral Way, Huyton was due to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on 26 January 2017 after being charged with arson following an incident on 20 December 2016 in Kirkby.

However, he failed to appear and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Officers would also like to speak to

Purcell as he may have information that could help officers investigating an assault in Kirkby on the same day.

Purcell is described as a white man, 5ft 9in tall, of medium build with grey hair and blue eyes.

Extensive efforts have been made to find him but he remains outstanding.

Detectives would ask Purcell himself, or anyone who knows of his whereabouts, or recognises him from the attached photograph to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555

Interested in creative writing, arts and crafts or local history?

Halewood U3A are offering a number of interest groups to those who have finished full time employment or caring and who live in or around Halewood.

New interest groups that are just about to start up will include creative writing, arts and crafts and local history. If you are interested in any of these you can give Liz a ring on 0151 486 6547.

Alternatively you can join any of their other interest groups which include a book group, eating out group, discussion group, film group and photography group. Any other new ideas very welcome.

If you want to meet them you can attend one of their monthly meetings at the Arncliffe Centre, Arncliffe Road, Halewood L25 9PA when there will be a talk plus plenty of tea and chat.

Just turn up, ring Liz on 486 6547 or contact them through their website www.u3asites.org.uk/halewood.

A Regional Adoption Agency covering Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral is set to be established.

It follows a successful bid to the Government last year by local authorities on Merseyside to create a new organisation to get more children placed successfully as quickly as possible.

The new agency – set to be launched in January 2018 - will bring together a team of around 50 staff from across the four councils who will be seconded into the new organisation on their existing terms and conditions.

Responsibilities will include recruitment, approval and ongoing support for adopters, tracking, linking and matching of children and the training and development of staff.

Although the Regional Adoption Agency will have a centralised hub, staff will continue to have a presence in each of their local authority areas to ensure they retain close links with social work staff.

Every year, the four local authorities approve around 100 adopters each year and place approximately 140 children for adoption.

Reports recommending the approval of the Regional Adoption Agency will be considered by each council’s Cabinet over the next few weeks, with Wirral Council the first who held their meeting on Monday 27 March.

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April 2017 27

HOW MANY SMOKE ALARMS DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOME? Firefighters in Merseyside are asking residents to make sure they have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of their home.

Most people know a working smoke alarm can save lives by providing those vital few seconds needed to escape a fire.

But, despite the majority of homes (88%) having at least one working smoke alarm in their home, smoke alarms alert householders to a fire in England in only a third of cases.

The most common reason a smoke alarm failed to activate was because the fire was outside its range.

For this reason, Fire Kills and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service are encouraging people in Merseyside to have a think about the smoke alarms in their home.

Group manager Gary Oakford said: “We must all make sure that we have enough smoke alarms to cover our whole homes. If you don’t have enough, or they’re not in the right place, you might not be alerted in time.

“The vast majority of us now have at least one smoke alarm in our homes, but early detection and warning is vital to reduce the devastation a fire in the home can cause.

“That’s why it’s so important that you have enough smoke alarms and that they are in the right place to have the best chance of alerting you and your loved ones to a fire.

“You should make sure you have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home, preferably in hallways and landings.

“Placing smoke detectors near to

sleeping areas and in rooms where there are electrical appliances could give you the extra warning you need.

“It’s also important to remember that smoke alarms don’t last forever; the power might work, but the detection mechanism deteriorates with time.

“So whether they are battery operated or wired to the mains, to work at their best they should be replaced every ten years.

“If you are have less able relatives or neighbours be sure to check that their homes have enough smoke alarms in the right places too.

“And finally, don’t forget to test your smoke alarms every month.”

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service offers these five smoke alarm top tips: • Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home.

• The ideal position is on the ceiling, in the middle of a room or on a hallway or landing.

• Consider fitting additional alarms in other rooms where there are electrical appliances and near sleeping areas.

• Don’t put alarms in or near kitchens and bathrooms where smoke or steam can set them off by accident.

• Replace your smoke alarms every ten years.

Summer of Love planned for Knowsley Summer looks set to hot up in Knowsley with its two best loved annual events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love in 1967.

You can expect lots of colourful fun at the Knowsley Feelgood Festival and Flower Show this August – including some spectacular knitted décor brightening the trees at Court Hey Park thanks to the handiwork of community group Knitwits.

The knitwits group with the decorations they have knitted for the Feelgood Festival and Knowsley Flower Show The knitwits group with the decorations they have knitted for the Feelgood Festival and Knowsley Flower Show Both events take place, as always, at Court Hey Park, just off the M62 in Huyton and are completely free to attend.

Knowsley Feelgood Festival The Feelgood Festival, on Saturday, 5 August from 1-5pm, is growing year-on-year in popularity since its launch three years ago.

Packed with activities, performances and experiences to help improve your health and wellbeing, the festival has something for

everyone. It’s a chance to try Mindful Yoga, pick up some relaxation techniques, try some fitness and sporting activities, try your hand at drawing and painting, enjoy some complementary therapies and even take part in a family bike ride on the day.

There’ll be lots of laughs with the Comedy Trust, who’ll be offering hilarious ‘Feeling Funny’ workshops, exploring the ways in which laughter and comedy has the power to make you feel good.

Children are invited to dress up in 60s or 70s fashion and join in the Summer of Love fancy dress parade around the site at 1pm to get the event off to a fantastic start – and there’ll be great prizes on offer for the best costumes. Register now through Knowsley’s Children’s Centres or call 0151 443 5749 for an entry form.

Knowsley’s Children’s Centres will also be at the festival, promoting oral health, giving baby massage demonstrations and offering storytime sessions for the very youngest festival-goers.

Knowsley Flower Show Then, on Sunday 6 August, you can expect

even more flower power than usual as the renowned Knowsley Flower Show returns, from 11am until 5pm, with crowds expected to flock from all over the North West.

The Floral Marquee at Knowsley Flower Show At the show’s heart is always the breathtaking floral marquee, bursting with potentially prize-winning fruit, vegetables and flowers. Get growing and you could be entering your pride and joy into one of the 100 categories, suitable for both novices and experienced growers alike. Download the schedule of classes and view the special classes themed around 50 Summers of Love.

Certainly, keen gardeners will love the many plant and seed stalls offering great value, and the chance to get expert tips at the Gardener’s Question Time event.

As usual there will also be the rich programme of family entertainment, including dog displays in the main arena, live music inspired by Sgt Peppers’ Lonely Heart Club album, Geraud’s large farmers’ market, circus skills, glitter faces and a health and wellbeing zone plus lots of trade stands.

FREE YOGA SESSIONS Mindful Yoga are offering a free new six week course starting on April 28.

Mindful Yoga Liverpool is a programme which offers one session of one hour, of the body centered physical wellness practice of mindful yoga and mindful based stress reduction that assists in effective living.

Their aim is that those who receive the sessions are in turn, able to return the gift of their wellness back to the community in the form of service they provide.

They offer the opportunity to put anxieties and clutter of the mind to one side and the tools to put you in control of your thoughts, instead of your thoughts controlling you. In one session you can experience a quieter mind and a new, more confident, authentic voice.

All that is required is that you attend with an open heart, a willingness to move your body, a desire to connect in the community and the courage to have a little fun.

Courses take place at The Old School House, St John’s Road, Huytonwith-Roby, Liverpool L36 for further information call 07752 162493

JAZZ TIME IN KIRKBY The UK Open Marching Band Championships will be coming to Kirkby this month.

The event will be hosted by Kirkby’s own Carolina's Jazz Band, the event is set to be held at Kirkby High School on Sunday 30 April, which will see eighteen bands participating in three divisions.

The Carolina's was formed in 1977 and have achieved many titles from Nationwide Winners, White Rose Competition, UK Jamboree, Northumberland Borders and many more participating within the United Kingdom Federation of Jazz Bands For over 40 years the United Kingdom Federation of Jazz Bands has provided a focus for the activities of the British Jazz Band movement, helping to promote through friendly competitions and events the growth, prestige and calibre of the activity.

Elle Barlow from the Carolina’s, said: “We have around 18 bands coming from the North-East, South Wales and the Midlands Region to compete.

“Unfortunately, the Jazz Band World is a dying trend and we would love to see people on the day to show what an amazing, unique hobby being in a jazz band is, especially for youths.

“I have been part of the Carolinas all my life, as my weekends have always involved one thing to do with band, I have stayed off the streets unlike the majority of people who I went to school with, I am sensible and thoroughly enjoy getting up on a Sunday to participate in band related activities - whether that be practice, a competition, fundraising or helping to make costumes/hats. The band support you on your personal life and will always encourage you to do well in education, your work place or any other journeys your life takes you on”.

28 April 2017

Haunted Merseyside with Tom Slemen

WEREWOLF LOVER ’ve changed a few names and minor details in this strange story, which touches on the hoary old subject of lycanthropy – the alleged ability of some humans to change into an animal, namely a werewolf.

In the late 1960s, an 18-year-old Huyton girl named Stella Winters began to develop a strange psychic ability; when she looked at a person, she would sometimes see a ghostly image of that person’s true nature standing behind them.

It all started one evening as Stella took her dog Sandy on a walk through Jubilee Park, just a few minutes from her home on Rupert Road.

The time was almost 10pm, and being summer, it was still quite light as Stella encountered a middle-aged man she only knew as Mr Jones, a rather quiet and reserved individual who lived next door but one to Stella and her family.

As Mr Jones approached, Stella thought someone was walking closely behind him, as she could distinctly see a man of an identical height and build to her neighbour just to the right of him.

Jones slowed down when he saw Stella, smiled, and nodded, but then the stranger behind him also slowed down, and as Stella said, “Good evening Mr Jones,” she saw something eerie and disturbing; the figure behind Mr Jones was his very double – only he had a most sinister, leering face, and he was staring at Stella over the right shoulder of Mr Jones.

The immediate impression Stella had of this creepy lookalike of Mr Jones was that of a man who had a sexual craving he could not control; in other words, a potential rapist.

“Evening Stella,” Jones said in reply to the teenager’s greeting, but he noticed that Stella seemed to be looking at someone or something behind him, and so he turned, to see what she was looking at, but he evidently saw no one else in the park.

Stella gasped as the sleazy version of Mr Jones suddenly faded away. She walked on, past Jones, and he asked her if she was alright, but the teen didn’t answer, and she curtailed the usual mile walk with Sandy and went home, a little shaken by the weird incident.

Stella told her mother what had happened, and was told in reply that there are no such things as ghosts.

“It’s been his shadow, Stella,” Mrs Winters assured her daughter. “It’s a bit misty out there and you’ve probably seen a car’s headlights casting a shadow of Mr Jones behind him.”

“Mum, that’s rubbish,” Stella told her, shaking her head, “it was not a shadow! It was a man who was the spitting image of Mr Jones only he looked really seedy, like some dirty old man.”

“Then you’re seeing things Stella,” her mother told her, annoyed at her daughter’s nonsensical assertion. “You’ll have to go and see the quack if this goes on.”

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About a week after this, an unsettling rumour went around about Mr Jones constantly following a beautiful woman who lived in the area, and there were also claims that the quiet Mr Jones was something of a Peeping Tom who had been seen looking through binoculars into the bedrooms of several women.

Stella was convinced that the apparition she had seen behind Mr Jones in Jubilee Park was some sort of symbolic image of his true self.

This theory was vindicated a few days later when Stella once again witnessed the uncanny manifestation of another double – this time of a young man named Graham who was serving in the local newsagents.

Stella clearly saw Graham’s doppelganger standing behind him, only it was dressed in a beret and military uniform. After a few moments the ethereal double faded. Stella was curious about the phantom replica, and so she asked Graham if he had ever thought of going in the Army.

He was mentally adding up the total to the items Stella had bought when the question threw him. He looked at Stella, puzzled, then asked: “Me? The Army? Well yes, why do you ask?”

Why had she started to see these projected personifications of the inner nature of people “Oh, you just strike me as a military type,” Stella told him, thinking on her feet, “and you walk pretty straight-backed like my Uncle David – he was in the Royal Engineers.”

“Well, it’s funny you should ask,” Graham replied, “because I tried to join but they wouldn’t have me; I have a heart condition see; it’s not serious but they won’t have me because of it. It’s a shame really because my father and grandfather had careers in the Army.”

“I’m sorry about that,” Stella told him, reaching for her purse.

“I suppose they’ve got to be careful – I mean you’ve got to be A1 to be a soldier and that, but – well” he said, and seemed to abandon what he was going to say; his voice trailed off into silence, and then he whispered the prices of Stella’s purchased items.

Stella was naturally worried; why had she started to see these projected personifications of the inner nature of people? Was something happening in her brain?

She told her mother about the latest ghostly double and Mrs Winters persuaded her daughter to go and see the family doctor. Stella, worrying that she might be going mad, visited the doctor’s surgery and made an appointment to see him.

The doctor decided that Stella was experiencing some form of hallucination and decided to refer her to a psychiatrist named Richard Quaylian. Minutes after Stella Winters met Dr Quaylian, she began to notice a strange form slowly coalesce behind him as he stood there.

A jumble of amorphous grey shapes came together to create a terrifying being that looked half man, half animal. She was not expecting this at all, and Quaylian, noticing his patient was looking at something behind him, asked Stella what she could see.

“A werewolf!” she gasped, and found she was unable to get the rest of her words out. What she was seeing did not make any sense at all. She got up out of her chair, ready to flee, yet somehow fascinated by the lupine vision.

The psychiatrist seemed to recoil in shock when the girl gave her reply to his question. His eyebrows lifted, his eyes widened and his mouth opened, forming a small ‘o’ – Stella had obviously said something which struck a major chord in the mind of the psychiatrist.

“A werewolf?” he asked, and then gave a weak smile and blushed, and it was strange seeing a man in his fifties do that.

The human-animal hybrid was quite tall, because Quaylian was a six-footer and this thing towered at least a foot over him.

As Stella was about to turn and run out of the room, the werewolf vanished into thin air.

This was the first time she’d seen the alter ego of a person in the form of an animal, and she wondered what the significance of the werewolf was; surely that beast was not lurking somewhere in the persona of this mild-mannered psychiatrist?

“Please sit down,” said Dr Quaylian, and Stella slowly sat in the chair on the other side of the desk and took furtive glances at the space behind the doctor, who now sat down himself.

“So, you saw a werewolf Stella,” said Quaylian, “that’s very interesting. They call that zoopsia – hallucinations that take the form of animals.”

“They’re not hallucinations,” Stella told him sternly, angling her head down and casting a burning stare from under her strong eyebrows.

“They are images of what a person really is – the true nature of a person – the stuff they try to hide.”

Quaylian gave an uneasy smile. “Oh, so you’re the judge of what people are really like? And these – images - as you call them, vindicate your judgement.”

“You’re twisting what I’m saying Mr Quaylian, and you’re going to have me committed because you and your psychology can’t explain my ability.” Stella wiped a tear from her eye.

“Stella, I’m going to try a little hypnotism next time I see you, and let me assure you, no one will be getting committed,” Quaylian told her, and then he did something quite unprofessional. He came around the desk, took hold of her hand, and kissed her knuckles.

Stella found something very attractive about the psychiatrist, even though he was old enough to be her father – and he was also married.

He could smoothly allay Stella’s fears, lift her depression, and he made her feel like a woman. They began an affair, and one night as they made love in a field near Ormskirk, Quaylian turned into a werewolf.

Stella was terrified at first, and as the transformed Quaylian ran off, she shouted for him to come back.

She continued to see him, and he would not tell her why he became that ‘monster’.

One evening as Stella waited for her lover to meet her in that field, a youth accosted her and asked Stella to go out with him, and she warned him that she had a very jealous and dangerous boyfriend and told him to leave at once, but the young man laughed and produced a flick knife.

Stella could see a frail child-like version of the boy behind him, and she knew he was a coward at heart, just acting big.

All of a sudden, Stella heard a rustle from the nearby bushes, and out of them flew Quaylian in his werewolf form. He slammed into the lad, knocking him twenty feet across the ground.

The youth was so afraid, he passed out, and Stella and Quaylian fled into the moonlit evening.

The affair continued for years, and when Quaylian’s wife died, he married Stella Winters. They still live in a cottage not far from Ormskirk...

April 2017 29

CHALLENGE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING To advertise telephone: 0151 709 7567 PUBLIC NOTICES LOCAL GOVERNMENT MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS ACT 1982

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Applicant for a Street Trading Consent Notice is hereby given that an application is being made to Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

by Michelle Marie Ward to trade in Foxs Bank Cemetery, Whiston, Knowsley.

Trading from the Gazebo.

Any persons wishing to make representations to the above mentioned Council about the application should make them in writing within 14 days of this notice to the Licensing Officer, 2nd floor, Yorkon Building, Huyton Knowsley L36 9FB or e mail licensing@knowsley.gov.uk

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LICENSING ACT 2003 TAKE NOTICE THAT JOSEPH DAVID KEEGAN has applied to Knowsley Licensing Authority for a Premises Licence in respect of SWANSIDE STORES, 18 SWANSIDE PARADE, KNOWSLEY L14 7QH FOR THE SALE OF ALCOHOL BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 07:00 TO 23:00, 7 DAYS OF THE WEEK A record of the application can be inspected by members of the public between the hours of 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday at the office of the Licensing Authority of Knowsley MBC which is located at; Knowsley MBC Licensing Service Environmental Health and Consumer Protection 2nd Floor, Yorkon Building, Archway Road Knowsley, Merseyside L36 9FB Please ring 0151 443 2300 to arrange an appointment www.knowsley.gov.uk A Responsible Authority or any other person(s) wishing to make representations on this application must do so in writing to Knowsley Licensing Authority at the above mentioned address. Any written representations must be received by the Licensing Authority no later than 25th April 2017.

It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application punishable with a maximum fine of £5000 on summary conviction.

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30 April 2017

Business News APPRENTICES APPOINTED TO HELP BUILD PRESCOT FIRE AND POLICE STATION Four young people from Knowsley have been appointed as apprentices to support Wates Construction in the delivery of the new Community Fire and Police Station in Prescot.

Kayleigh Rimmer (27), Dan Bresnahan (19), Paul McGlynn (19) and Thomas Twigg (17) are now on site at the £7m project, honing their skills across a range of trade-based and administrative roles.

The appointments form part of a wider programme of social and economic initiatives being carried out by Wates during construction, all designed to ensure the contractor’s presence in the area enhances local economic development.

Additional initiatives include the creation of a variety of work placement opportunities and the delivery of five educational events plus five community engagement activities.

The joint station is the brainchild of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority, Merseyside Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner and Knowsley Council.

The organisations have worked closely in order to deliver a high quality resource for the community.

Site preparation works began in November 2016 with building commencing at the start of the year. It is expected that the station will be fully operational in February 2018.

Dan Bresnahan, apprentice quantity surveyor, said: “What I love about working on this construction site is that once the building is finished I will be able to come away knowing that it’s a project that I took part in. Doing an apprenticeship is great way to get

experience hands-on while working on a live job.”

Tony Shenton, business unit director of Wates Construction North West, said: “It is a privilege to welcome these four talented young people to site.

“Their appointment underpins our pledge to make a positive impact on society and we will continue to work closely with Knowsley Council to ensure we meet our ambitious social and economic commitments on the project.

“Meanwhile, construction of the new joint station continues apace as we work efficiently towards an on time, on budget delivery.”

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Phil Garrigan, said: “The Fire and Rescue Service recognises that apprenticeship programmes like these offer a way of unlocking talent within our local communities whilst ensuring that we have a workforce equipped with the skills needed for today and tomorrow.

“Apprenticeships don’t just offer young people a pass or a fail; they offer an opportunity, a first step in a career where they will continue to develop, upskill and train in the future.”

Merseyside’s Deputy Police Commissioner Cllr Sue Murphy said: “I’m delighted that through this collaboration with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service we are able to give these four young people from Knowsley the opportunity to learn more about the construction industry, gain new skills and increase their experience.

“When the Police Commissioner, Jane Kennedy, set out her 10-year strategy for

Kayleigh Rimmer (27), Dan Bresnahan (19), Paul McGlynn (19) and Thomas Twigg (17) are now on site at the £7m project

improving the Force’s stations, she was clear that, where possible, she wanted to maximise social value, ensuring all the projects benefitted local people.

“This is a great example of how through this plan we are helping young people in the area and providing facilities that will be an asset to the local

community.”

Wates Construction was appointed to build the Prescot Community Fire and Police Station via the North West Construction Hub (NWCH), a procurement body established to save time and money in the delivery of public sector building work in the region.

CONGRATS TO ACR Knowsley firm ACR are delighted to have been appointed for the next phase of development by Bachem UK. This phase involves design and construction of a new quality control laboratory, distribution and packaging area and expansion of the synthesis and purification laboratories and expanding the solvent store.

Bachem chose ACR because of the outstanding work they have already done on the previous two phases and because of their wealth of building wisdom gained from many years’ experience in the design and engineering of commercial and industrial buildings.

They also offer a full Property Maintenance FM service from their base on Stanley Grange Business Village.

db symmetry completes on £2.5m Aquila refurb Logistics developer db symmetry and funding partner Barwood Capital have completed the £2.5 million refurbishment of Aquila 120 in Knowsley.

The 120,00 sq ft warehouse/manufacturing facility is capable of accommodating up to 200 staff at Huyton Business Park.

Situated on a 9.4-acre site, Aquila 120 comprises 100,926 sq ft of industrial space and 18,889 sq ft of office and amenity space.

Other current occupiers at the business park include Halewood International, Olympic Oils, Parcel Force and Beesley & Fildes. db symmetry and Barwood Capital acquired the scheme from CBRE Investors in 2014 in a deal worth £5.2m.

Following the successful negotiation of an early surrender premium, the joint venture invested a further £2.5m in its refurbishment, bringing the scheme up to a rating of BREEAM Very Good.

The project was supported with £2.3m from the Chrysalis Fund, which was launched in March 2012 to kick start regeneration across Merseyside.

Speaking about the completion, Simon Dixon, development director at db symmetry, said: “Working with Knowsley Council and our funding partners we have created a facility of which there is nothing else of its kind in terms of quality, size and location in this area of Merseyside.

“We expect the building to answer the demand from businesses looking for well-connected, high quality and efficient industrial space.”

April 2017 31

B&M WASTE SERVICES SET TO HIT THE DOUBLE

ENGINE PARTS SUPPLIER SECURES STONEBRIDGE SPACE A Liverpool engine parts supplier has become the latest letting at a local business park.

King Components has taken a 2,450 sq ft unit on a six-year lease at St Modwen’s Stonebridge Business Park in Gillmoss.

Formerly the Gilmoss Industrial Estate, Stonebridge has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment.

King Components will be joining the likes of Cobalt Housing and Aintree Caravans at the 30-acre development on the East Lancashire Road.

Andrew Day, property manager at St Modwen, said: “This letting is of significant value for Stonebridge East and demonstrates our continued commitment to Stonebridge Business Park where there is demand for high quality industrial accommodation.

“We look forward to welcoming King Components to the site.”

Knight Frank and GVA are the acting agents for St Modwen.

Working together with two of their prestigious food manufacturing customers, Carbon Neutral waste management company B&M Waste Services are this month celebrating recycling successes after being shortlisted as finalists with Renshaw and Kellogg’s for not one, but two prestigious National Recycling Awards.

The National Recycling Awards recognise excellence across the business community in addressing recycling, reuse and waste reduction, and is the most highly coveted award in the sector.

Neil Curtis, MD at B&M Waste Services said: “We are extremely proud to be finalists for both awards, ‘Corporate Recycler of the Year’ with Kellogg’s, and ‘Food Waste Initiative of the Year’ with Renshaw.

“We are lucky to work

hand-in-hand with some highly receptive customers; the recycling initiatives and waste reduction schemes at both of these foodmanufacturing experts have been successful due to the commitment of their staff in adapting to the new waste management processes, for which we praise them.”

James Harris of Renshaw said: “At JF Renshaw we are proud of our products, people and process’s. Working with B&M we have established a relationship that is striving daily to continue the growth in Environmental management and sustainability through reducing, reusing and recycling of products and waste.

“We are extremely proud to be jointly nominated for the award of ‘food waste initiative of the year’ as this is a great achievement for

both JF Renshaw and B&M Waste Services and through employee and business commitment will continue to develop and establish new initiatives.”

Neil continued: “As a Carbon Neutral business, we encourage waste reduction and recycling across our customer base, and offer bespoke solutions for each individual scenario.

“We always strive to divert residual waste from landfill where possible, and are now keeping our fingers crossed for a win at the glittering awards ceremony in June!”

B&M work with businesses across the UK and offer a free waste audit to new customers looking to improve waste management efficiencies, which not only has a positive impact on the environment, but can also prove cost-effective for their customers.

32 April 2017

Challenge Sport The

If you have any sports news contact the Sports Desk on 0151 706 7411 or email: thechallenge@merseymirror.com

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ATHLETES VISIT SCHOOLS TO INSPIRE YOUNGSTERS TO GET ACTIVE Olympic and Paralympic athletes have visited 14 primary schools across Knowsley during February and March to inspire more than 4,000 children across the borough to get more involved with sport.

Paralympians Craig McCann, Lee Whiteley and Michael Churm, and Olympic divers James Denny and Rebecca Gallentree joined staff and pupils to deliver fitness circuit classes and a motivational assembly for the whole school.

The visits were organised by 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s Schools 4 Health team in Knowsley, in conjunction with the national Sports for Schools scheme, which facilitates athlete visits to over 1,300 schools a year.

The Knowsley Schools 4 Health team has been working with primary schools across the borough over the last two

years to support them to develop healthier cultures for pupils, staff and parents.

On a visit to Plantation Primary School in Halewood, sprinter Lee Whiteley delivered an inspirational talk to staff and pupils about how he overcame obstacles to become a medal-winning and British record holding Paralympic athlete.

Lee was born with cerebral palsy. After making the decision to compete in disability sports following an illness in 2011, Lee went on to win a bronze medal in the 200 metres at the IPC Athletic World Championship in 2013.

Like Lee, Joel Hargreaves, a Year 3 pupil at Plantation, also has a disability so meeting Lee was especially important for him. He said: “Lee has proved that he won’t let anything stand in his way, just like I’ve been trying to do by really pushing myself. I really want to achieve my goals like Lee and I hope that one

THE MAYOR OF KNOWSLEY’S CHARITY GOLF DAY AND AWARDS The Mayor of Knowsley’s Charity Golf Day is to be held at Huyton & Prescot Golf Club on Friday 28 April 2017.

The tournament requires teams of four at a cost of £295 per team. Entries will be limited to 31 teams and will be assigned on a first come first served basis. This event also offers the opportunity for companies to receive branding/sponsorship exposure on the course. (Sponsorship for this 18 hole golf course will be £200 for a 6ft x 3ft coloured company logo) Brief Itinerary for the day includes: From 09:00 Bacon Roll, Tea/Coffee in the dining room.

From 09:30 Tee start time From 14:30 Final tee time From 19:30 Dinner and Awards Monies raised from the event will go towards the Mayors chosen charities for 2016/17 which are: • The Big Help Project delivers five complimentary projects across Knowsley which are: Knowsley Foodbank, Jubilee Debt Advice, Next Steps, Get Connected and Baby Basics.

• Knowsley Bridge - Imagine, works with people with mental health issues and

Lee Whiteley with a group of pupils from Plantation Primary School in Halewood.

day I’ll be able to play football matches again.

“His story gave me hope and I know that no matter what is thrown my way, I just have to get up and keep trying.”

Victoria Cheung, Schools 4 Health wellbeing co-ordinator at 5 Boroughs Partnership, has been working closely with Knowsley primary schools over the last two years and has seen a raft of positive changes in the schools’ cultures around physical activity and healthy eating as a result of their involvement with the programme.

Victoria said: “It’s a pleasure working with Plantation and the other primary schools across Knowsley. The schools’ willingness to embrace the programme has been integral to its success and we’re delighted with the results we’ve seen in a relatively short space of time.

“Hearing from Olympic and Paralympic athletes who have overcome hurdles to achieve such amazing things is truly inspiring and we hope it sends a message to the children that anything can be possible if you really put your mind to it”.

Golf fans wanted! other challenges so they can live a full and independent life.

The Mayor of Knowsley, Frank Walsh, said: “I am delighted to announce The Mayor of Knowsley's Charity Golf Day is to be held at Huyton. These charities rely on the support of the local community and your support is greatly appreciated.

“I look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be an extremely enjoyable golfing occasion”.

For more information regarding entry or sponsorship please e-mail frank.walsh@knowsley.gov.uk or call 07940 068 474

Now is a great time to take up a new hobby and meet new friends with Stockbridge Village Golf Society.

Stockbridge Village Golf Society was established in 1984 when a group of Stockbridge Village residents came up with the idea over a few drinks at a local pub.

The society was a hit straight away and had 40 regular members with a waiting list of eager golfers. Unfortunately, over the years, the number of members has been reducing.

So now the members of Stockbridge Village Golf Society are appealing for new members – to keep their much-loved society going and to continue making new friends with similar interests.

Members do more together than play golf; the group organises social events such as a captain’s dinner where some members are

Knowsley Challenge is a free community newspaper to serve the Borough of Knowsley. Circulation 30,000. Editorial Office: 36 Henry Street, Liverpool L1 5BS. Telephone: 0151 706 7411.

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awarded trophies.

There is also the opportunity to join the committee, with positions including secretary, handicap secretary, treasurer and captain.

The society goes to Hoylake Municipal for practice and accepts members over 16-yearsold. Members are men, however, women are not left out and are welcome to join the ladies team at Hoylake.

You do not have to live in Stockbridge Village to be a member – the society welcomes golfers from all areas.

Membership is £65 a year which runs from March to March so if you’re interested, now is the best time to join.

If you would like to become a member or just find out more, contact the secretary, Mike Rainsford, on bossgolfer007@hotmail.com