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77 November November 2018 2018
Strand is all set to sparkle! THIS Saturday will be action packed in Bootle as the popular Sparkle in the Strand event returns before this year’s Christmas lights are switched on. This is the fourth year the Strand Shopping Centre has hosted the Sparkle event and organisers say this is set to be the best one yet. It will be held on Saturday, November 10 between 1-3pm and will feature characters inspired by the likes of Dr Who, Mary Poppins, The Grinch. The day's activities will kick-start at Rachael Russell will 1pm with a switch on the lights Remembrance Day tribute and will feature local banners from The Royal British Legion. Host Jimmy Dale will then be introducing tribute acts covering songs by Ariana Grande and Britney Spears. Rowland Parry centre manager said: “We are all really looking forward to this year's Sparkle event in The Hexagon because it's an opportunity to put a show on for the local community and celebrate the start of the shopping season at The Strand. “Our retailers have some great offers for the festive season and we hope our shoppers will enjoy the event.” Lucy Kirk, the Strand's marketing manager added: “We have put together a great line up this year which I hope will appeal to shoppers both new and old. My team have been working on this for some months and it will be great to see the show come together to entertain our shoppers and say thank you for their loyalty this year in this free family event.” Following this, Bootle’s festive light switch-on will take place next to Bootle Library from 4pm, before the lights are then switched on at around 5.30pm. There will be stalls and refreshments, with the lights to be turned on by Bootle-born soprano singer Rachael Russell.
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Vol 25 • Issue 45
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MARK’S 10K RUN WILL BE SHOW OF MENTAL STRENGTH
INSIDE THIS WEEK...
Report by Tom Martin A MAN from Bootle who has battled depression and anxiety will run a 10k race wearing a 20lbs weight vest – to symbolise the burden of mental health illnesses. Mark Lyons, 30, will take on the Liverpool 10k MoRun following his long battle to overcome depression. He said: “The 20lbs vest is to try and demonstrate the burden of depression or any other mental illness. “The vest also adds extra effects to a run similar to my old symptoms, harder to breathe, racing heart rate, sore and fatigued body.” Mark was diagnosed with depression in 2015 but it began a year earlier when he worked for the Department for Work and Pensions and he noticed he was taking a lot of time off work. He said: “I hadn’t realised how much time I was taking off until someone actually pointed out that I’d been unwell for almost six months.” In November 2014, Mark made an appointment with his GP and had some routine blood tests but nothing abnormal was found. Soon after this Mark started having panic attacks. He said: “I was unable to breathe whenever I had one, so I stopped going to public events or anywhere where there might be crowds. “It was around this time that I suspected I was suffering with anxiety and depression. “A lot of the claimants who would phone me at work suffered with mental health issues and their symptoms were now the same as I was going through. “I still don't fully understand what brought it on. It seemed to have started
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Mark Lyons
with feeling uncomfortable in my job. “I felt I couldn’t help the customers that truly needed it and part of me began to feel useless “I begrudged getting up and going into the office, which started to have an impact on my whole personality. “I stopped being social with the rest of the team, I stopped going on work nights out and soon I was even refusing social events with friends and family outside of work.” Mark continued in this downward spiral and eventually felt uncomfortable leaving his apartment and in the company of people he had known his whole life. Looking back, Mark believes that if
he had been more open about his feelings he would have been diagnosed sooner, and that he’d been depressed for longer than he’d realised. Sadly, in November 2016, one of Mark’s colleagues lost his battle with depression and took his own life. Mark’s goal is to raise funds and awareness for all mental health issues by tackling as many physical challenges as possible. Mark will be fundraising for the Movember Foundation, who work to raise awareness and funds for men’s health. To support Mark’s fundraising efforts, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/MJLyons
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