WEST LANCASHIRE
Vol 29 Issue 17
27 April 2022
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Work to start on 169-home development
Rock bands rally round to support Alfie
BROTHERS WIN FIGHT TO STAY IN OWN HOME AFTER COUNCIL U-TURN Olivia helps England to boxing bronze in Euro Under 22 Championships A TEENAGER from Up Holland is making a name for herself in the boxing world. Olivia Holmes, 19, who boxes for Rotunda ABC in Liverpool, has picked up a bronze medal for the GB and England team at the Under 22 European Boxing Championships in Croatia. She is already a seven times national champion at boxing, and she won the Elite Senior ABAs held in London. In the quarter finals at the European Championships, she beat a girl from France by a unanimous decision. Then she was pitted against the number one seed from Ireland in the semi-final which she lost on a split decision. She
said: “I am working up to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this August. I’d like to go to the Olympics. “I train twice a day Monday to Saturday. I practice boxing, do gym work, go running and work on my strength conditioning.” Olivia was at Birch Green ABC, in Skelmersdale from the ages of 9 to10 and then moved to Rotunda ABC. Olivia is at West Lancashire College studying for a sports diploma. Her dad Gary said: “She is unbelievable and has been so committed for 10 years. “She has grown and flourished to a very high level now. I am very proud of her.”
Campaigners celebrate ‘landmark victory for people with disabilities’ Report by Henry James TWO brothers, one who has Asperger’s syndrome, who faced eviction from their family home in Alma Hill, Up Holland have now been told they can stay where they are by West Lancashire Borough Council following a successful campaign. Last year, Sean Brogan and his brother Andrew, who has Asperger’s, had been issued a ‘notice to quit’ by West Lancashire Council after their mum, who was the named tenant on the property, died on November 14 2021. Anthony and Jacqueline, Sean and Andrew’s parents, had been joint tenants on the property. The family lost their father due to Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic, and nearly lost their mother. Their mum died at the end of last year from a massive heart attack. During his mum’s illness, Sean had moved into the home to help his mum and his brother Andrew. Within weeks of the passing of their mother,
Sean and Andrew Brogan with, left, carer David, and, right, nephew Josh
West Lancashire Borough Council issued the brothers with a ‘notice to quit’ on Boxing Day. The council officers argued that succession of tenancy could only apply once and could not be applied from the mum to the two boys. However, because of Andrew’s condition, the family has said the only place he can live is within the family home because of its familiarity and safety. The family appealed and launched an online petition against the ‘notice to quit’ and their
story was carried in the Champion and national papers. Veteran Trade Union and Community campaigner Alec McFadden was recruited to coordinate the campaign in February and said: “So the whole issue of disability was ignored by the local council. “The two lads were living in daily terror of being evicted from the home they had lived in from birth and being uprooted and pushed Continued inside
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