Vol 27• Issue 44
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28 2020 28 October October 2020
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INSIDE THIS WEEK:
Felicity Emmett with one of her designer hats.
Well known milliner heads for retirement Felicity and was an instant hit! The business continued to grow across the UK and eventually 86 locations were opened to satisfy demand. Numerous national and local prestigious awards followed and Felicity was now in high demand for talks, TV appearances and radio interviews, most famously appearing on Terry Wogan and the BBC One Show. “Felicity (below) originally decided to hang up her hat and retire at the tender age of 78 but continued to help and advise new and up-and-coming milliners. “Recently she suffered ill health and is now recovering in Hesketh Park Lodge where she regales stories about her successful idea to make expensive designer hats available to everyone.”
Musician is big hit with charity
THANK YOU BIG MAN...
Hats it! says Felicity England footballer spearheading A SOUTHPORT milliner has finally hung up her hat. Felicity Emmett, 90, started Felicity Hat Hire in 1988 in Churchtown – and was soon one of the North West’s best ‘go-to places’ to buy hats, especially for Ladies’ Day at Aintree. Her son-in-law Mark Pendlebury told the Champion: “The business quickly grew with ladies queuing to get in the shop to view the latest beautiful millinery creations by the Queen’s milliner Frederick Fox and other premier millinery houses. “The most famous hat which featured in the hit movie ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ was secured by
J U S T W H I T E • L AT T E
SOUTHPORT & FORMBY
L E B E K • P O M O D O R O • P I C A D I L LY
campaign for free meals praises young Max, 11, after he donates his birthday money to help provide food for needy youngsters
BUSINESS owners along with residents and community groups in Southport and Formby have rallied to help feed children in need over the school half term following a campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford. Organisations across the borough have been pulling together to support vulnerable pupils and their families after the government voted against offering free school meals during holidays until Easter 2021. The government maintain that funding is already in place for local councils to ensure all qualifying youngsters can access free meals. Southport Conservative MP Damien Moore abstained on the vote and has since come under pressure to defend both his and the government’s decision. However, despite the Champion contacting Mr Moore for comment, he remained tightlipped on the controversy. Rashford has been the leading light in a campaign to give under-privileged children free school meals during school holidays and in
Report by Danielle Thompson response to his call, the England footballer received thousands of offers to help - many from the Sefton area, including one schoolboy, Max Wright, who Rashford praised. Kind-hearted Max, 11, from Southport donated his birthday money to help provide food for children in need. The youngster, a pupil at St Philip’s School, heard about La Tabella restaurant in Churchtown providing free meals and donated £50. Amazing Owners Rob and Liza Smallman said: “We think Max is amazing and should be so proud of himself.” They tweeted about his donation and Rashford responded: “Thank you big man.” Businesses are offering everything from free meals, deliveries and other food parcels.
Max (right) praised by Marcus Rashford
The easiest way to find the nearest place offering support is to visit the website: www.schoolmealfinder.org/and if you put in your postcode, a list of local locations will come up with their contact information. Following the vote in parliament, Sefton Council moved to offer support to children and their families. Cllr Trish Hardy, Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, said: “Sefton Council have put in place a scheme to support children and their families accessing free school meals in the borough during this half term. “We will also continue to provide additional funding and support to our local voluntary sector partners, including the local food banks who are well stocked to enable them to help some of Sefton’s hardest hit families during these difficult times. “Our family wellbeing centres in Talbot Street (Southport), Marie Clarke (Bootle) and Netherton also remain open to families who need their support during half-term. Continued p5
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