South Liverpool Times

Margaret Davies Editor & Publisher

Mobile : 07977706211

Telephone: 0151 428 2231

L25wooltontimes@yahoo.co.uk

www.margaretspublishing.co.uk

Hello and Welcome to my BRAND NEW South Liverpool Times for Allerton, Childwall & Wavertree, February Edition 2023

Hope you are all well & safe and moving on with our lives and businesses as we knew before the pandemic. We are getting all our businesses back on track in ways that we feel will work.

South Liverpool is always great with lots of ideas to support businesses reopening and promotions in the area. Please support our Farmers Markets at both Allerton & Lark Lane on 3rd Saturday & 4th Saturday respectively of each month. I would like to welcome all our new advertisers in this February edition of SLT for L18 L16 L15 - there are many, my wishes go out to them- “Good Luck” with their current business ventures. Secondly I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our LOYAL businesses again for their tremendous support during the pandemic over the last 24 months supplying advertising or producing fantastic articles for all my magazines which we all enjoy reading.

We have had a lot on since we last spoke in my Christmas Edition in November 2022 – making time fly by- I can’t believe we are almost into Spring and not too far off Easter will be here.

I have actually merged L18 with the L15 & L16 purely for the convenience of having all three together and giving me the flexibility to deliver over 5000 copies of these editions for February June & October. My Margaret’s Market Place is still popular where businesses can advertise from as little as £15 per ad /edition.

My Margaret’s Reviews are in every edition and are given to advertisers that have given exceptional services that either myself or my readers have informed me. This edition we have so much going on in Allerton, Childwall & Wavertree, I hope you can appreciate the work going on within these areas making South Liverpool the place for us all to live and enjoy.

We have lots of new eateries opening within the area which is great for us all to visit & support a wide variety of types of food from France, Italy & Mexico -Epicerie Fine & Mexico Big Lolas & Luca to mention just a few.

I’ll close now take care, now and hope you all keep safe and healthy and let’s hope we get a good spring and enjoy our bloom teams making South Liverpool and inspiring place to be.

Remember to support all our businesses included in this edition when you can

Regards, Margaret

Storybarn Open House

On the first Saturday of every month, between 10am - 11am, we open the doors of the Storybarn especially for children under the age of nine with autism spectrum disorder or sensory conditions, and their families, so they can enjoy our imaginative play space in a stress-free environment.

A Storyhunter is on hand to help you if you need it but we won’t be running activities or group story sharing.

We have a relaxed attitude to noise and movement, and give families a chance to explore the space at their own pace and in their own way.

We also reduce the capacity for this event, so it won’t be as busy as most of our other public sessions

Children with additional needs are always welcome to join us but we know that sometimes what you really need is the freedom to just do it your own way!

Tickets are £8 per child, £5 for siblings and under 1’s are free.

Visit thereader.org.uk or give us a call on 0151 729 2227 for more information.

Find us: The Storybarn, Calderstones Park, Liverpool, L18 3JB

B. JENKINS & SONS

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The oldest family funeral service in Liverpool with over 141 years of dedicated personal service. We tailor our services to suit each individual family and their needs.

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Office & Private Chapels of Rest 4 Church Road North, Wavertree, Liverpool, L15 6TF (by Picton Clock)

For help and advice on funeral arrangements

Please call 0151 733 7201 enquiries@bjenkinsandsons.co.uk www.bjenkinsandsons.co.uk

Available

Allerton in Bloom

2022 was an amazing year for us: We could finally take up all our activities again, including a successful stab at fundraising (after 2 dry years) and concluding our biggest project yet, the establishment of the big memorial planter in the Square at Allerton Road.

For those who don’t know its history: We crowdfunded the project through Spacehive, an organisation set up to help community projects, and completed it after two tries. We can still hardly believe the level of support we got from our community and are proud to report that we are getting overwhelmingly positive comments.

Also new in the last year: a bench on the Library Green, long awaited and finally installed with a lot of help from our Councillors.

As every year, we entered the “Britain in Bloom” contest of the Royal Horticultural Society and, as we have for several years in a row, we were awarded a certificate of “Outstanding” - the highest award in our category.

So, 2022 was pretty successful as we also planted up and maintained more than 70 other planters along Allerton Road, Rose Lane and around the Library.

As you can imagine that means a lot of work, not very physically demanding, but continuous, with two busy periods for the spring and autumn planting. We are always looking for volunteers, male and female, to help with this task and possibly “adopt” a planter of their own to look after. If you would like to help, you can contact us via our Facebook page or through allertoninbloom@yahoo.com.

We will soon start our new season with a thorough overhaul of the planters to get them ready for spring. They look a bit denuded now at the end of winter, but soon the bulbs we put in will begin to flower and hopefully brighten up the roads. The plants we have to buy for the pavement planters alone will cost us about £1200 per year (and costs are going up). From the next financial year, we expect that our grants from the city will be drastically cut and we have to do more of our own fundraising. We hope you will support us in that as well. Have a successful and enjoyable year 2023!

Allerton in Bloom

You can contact us about any of the above on our email at: allertoninbloom@yahoo.com or telephone 724-4115. We would be delighted to hear from you!

From load-in to load-out: Events Industry Day at Gateacre School

Gateacre students join the Adlib crew in transforming their school theatre into a gig venue for their annual ‘Band Night’

Liverpool, UK – January 2023 - Liverpool’s Adlib, in conjunction with the Liverpool City Region Music Board and PLASA, presented a Music Industry Production Day at Gateacre Comprehensive School in Liverpool. The day was designed to give industry insight to the 24 students who, by working alongside the Adlib team, learned about the production equipment, how it is set up, and the different skills required. They also gained an understanding of the necessary commitment to work in the events industry.

The day began with an H+S briefing and involved all the students assisting in unloading £500,000 worth of equipment off the trucks and into the theatre at the school. During the equipment set-up, the students were informed about each item and how it all came together to produce a show. In the evening concert, the school had 7 of their bands from various years playing, plus established local Headline artist Silent K. All bands had soundchecks that commenced at 3:00 pm and continued till 6:00 pm. Doors opened at 6:30, and the bands played through until 9:30 pm. The students then remained to assist with the breakdown of all the equipment and the loading of the trucks.

Adlib’s Managing Director and ex-Gateacre student Andy Dockerty commented. “Over the years, these events have been very successful for us. We must have attracted over 50 youngsters into the industry from these events at Gateacre School, many of whom are still with us. This event also leads to work experience opportunities for those interested and committed. Most importantly, it provides an honest insight into the careers and opportunities within the sector”.

Head of Music at Gateacre, Mark Newns, said “We are extremely privileged to continue our long-standing relationship with Adlib. It’s a great day for all the students involved, whether backstage or performing. This day is very much a highlight of the school calendar. It’s a wonderful occasion for our students to work alongside professionals and form links, encouraging possible future careers. Being able to involve students in the technical aspect, as well as the performing roles in making this event happen, is both fantastic and memorable. The opportunity to work with such state-of-the-art equipment is a privilege and something our students really remember.”

Gareth Jones, Gateacre’s Head Teacher, added, “The day creates such excitement around school that we can’t wait to do it all again next year!”

PLASA & WeMakeEvents commented, “In the current situation, whereby organisations are struggling to find the skills needed for the events sector, it is fantastic to be collaborating with member companies such as Adlib, who are taking the initiative and presenting opportunities and experiences to youngsters at school ages. This real-life experience is invaluable and will hopefully act as an instigator to attract new talent into the sector.”

Kevin McManus from Liverpool City Region Music Board said, “This is an amazing project, and we would like to applaud both Adlib and Gateacre School for their work on this. As a Board, we are keen to ensure that young people are aware of the wide range of careers in the music industry and the routes into these roles. The music sector is an integral part of the local economy, and through programmes like this, we can ensure the future supply of a skilled workforce, which can bring further growth to the sector.”

LOCAL AMENITIES WITHIN ALLERTON, CHILDWALL & WAVERTREE AREAS

13 Allerton Road, Liverpool, L18 1LG

If you are 55 or over and a homeowner, equity release can provide you with the cash you need to fund your freedom and make the most of your retirement.

Whether taken as a lump sum, regular payments, or a combination of both, you could release up to 60% of the value of your home tax free. With the right plan, you can still move home in the future, guarantee an inheritance for your family and ensure that you’ll never be asked to move out of your home you’ve worked so hard for over the years.

Please get in touch for a no obligation chat about how we can help you navigate your way through the Equity Release maze, and find a plan that’s right for you and your family.

Equity Release will reduce the value of your estate and may affect your entitlement to means-tested benefits and tax status. You are strongly advised to register a lasting power of attorney to mitigate the risks.

A typical total fee of £1,495 will be charged in stages during the process. The fee is dependent upon individual circumstances.

COUNCILLOR RICHARD KEMP

Fasten your seat belts its Council budget time!

On the first of March Liverpool Council will meet to set its Council tax. It will be a grim meeting indeed. The first set of bad news is that you will be charged the maximum increase possible which is 5%. For peculiar reasons this is the first time in more than a decade that the Council has levied a tax increase which is lower than inflation.

But that is only half the bad news. To get to that level we will have had to make £73 million of service cuts or charge increases. There are no easy options left for the Council as it has consistently mismanaged the money that you have given it. Reforms which were badly needed were ignored. Structures that had been put in place by the Liberal Democrat administration up to 2010 were stripped out and our standards, especially in the regeneration department were more reminiscent of the Wild West than a modern Western democracy.

Labour will do everything in the debate to try and draw attention away from the way they have run the City. They will blame the Lib Dems although its 9 years since we had role in helping to set the national budget. They will blame the Government for its huge cuts and there is, of course, a strong factual basis to this.

But every northern city has had the same level of cuts in grants. However, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Salford, Hull and Newcastle, all Labour controlled, managed to arrange their affairs without being hauled over the coals by a Best Value Inspection and without having to pay £ 2million a year in costs for Commissioners and consultants.

We can clearly trace £165 million in lost income, waste, poor procurement and incompetence. Things

like the overrun on Lime Street (£13 million + interest) and the failure to procure electricity at a decent price (£9 million to the Council plus more for schools and the Fire Authority). Other things are less obvious. Children’s and adult social services account for 68% of the Council’s budget and they have been appalling led both politically and managerially.

The Council simply failed to introduce measures to assist young and old alike to stay in their homes and communities with appropriate support. This is both better and cheaper than putting children in institutions and our ageing population into care homes and hospitals.

The elections in May will be the best opportunity for a decade to get this incompetent bunch out of the Town Hall. All up elections mean that the Council can be changed in a big one-off vote. So, can I make a request to everyone who reads this? When your tax bill comes leave it by the door. Then when you go and vote, read it. That is all you need to know as to why you should vote for my Liberal Democrat Team and clear the stables out!

Cllr Richard Kemp CBE is the Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Opposition at Liverpool City Council I can be contacted at any time at Richard.kemp@liverlibdems.org.uk or at509 Smithdown Road, Liverpool 15

LIVERPOOL SKYLINE HALF MARATHON OR 10 MILER

FOR STRAWBERRY FIELD ON SUNDAY 26TH MARCH

Could you race to support a good cause? Why not run the Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon or 10 Miler for Strawberry Field on Sunday 26th March? We’re looking for supporters to race for us to raise funds for our Steps at Strawberry Field programmes which empower people with barriers to employment to achieve their goals. Contact: lesley.theodorus@salvationarmy.org.uk

CALDERSTONES AFTERNOON TEA

11TH DECEMBER 2022 11AM - 1.30PM

Join us for Afternoon Tea in our beautiful Calderstones home. Enjoy a selection of scrumptious sandwiches and cakes brought to you by Cuthbert’s, Liverpool’s award-winning Bakehouse.

Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten-free Afternoon Teas are also available. You can let us know your dietary requirements when you check out.

‘SLEEP OUT FOR STEPS AT STRAWBERRY FIELD’

24th March 2023, 19:00 to 25th March 07.00

Would you like to ‘Sleep Out for Steps at Strawberry Field’?

In conjunction with Nugent and sponsored by Krol Corlett, we are looking for 30 participants to sleep over in our gardens for the night on Friday 24th March 2023 and raise money for our Steps at Strawberry Field programmes! For more information, please contact lesley.theodorus@ salvationarmy.org.uk

THE GRAND NATIONAL 2023

BREAKFAST

WITH FATHER CHRISTMAS

This year, the Grand National 2023 will take place on Saturday April 15. The opening day will be on April 13, with Ladies Day taking place on April 14.

DISNEY ON ICE

Popular adventure filled show Disney On Ice is back at the M&S Bank Arena on March 16-19 this year, with high-flying acrobatics, stunts, and world-class skating. Search for Tinker Bell through the immersive worlds like Coco, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Toy Story, The Little Mermaid and more

If you have a local event that needs publicising let Margaret know and, space permitting, will be included in the “Upcoming Events”

The Academy of St Nicholas, a joint Catholic and Church of England academy in Garston, is celebrating after being awarded a rating of ‘Good’ by Ofsted (The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills).

The secondary school was visited for a twoday inspection in December 2022, under the new Ofsted framework. All four key judgement areas were examined and rated as ‘Good’ which include: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

This fantastic achievement will be welcomed by the communities of Garston and Speke, and other surrounding areas, with local families and children now having access to a recognised ‘Good’ secondary school and sixth form provision on their doorstep.

The academy, part of the All Saints Multi Academy Trust, which is located on Horrocks Avenue, is led by headteacher Mrs Jeniffer Sing who joined during the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The Academy of St Nicholas took over the former

Enterprise South Liverpool Academy site in 2017. In the 13-year history of a school occupying the site, it is the first time it has achieved a ‘Good’ Ofsted in all areas, which is a testament to the exceptional efforts of the academy’s senior leadership team and All Saints Multi Academy Trust. Ofsted recognised that Mrs Sing, together with her dedicated senior leadership team, has changed the school for the better, saying: “Since the arrival of the new headteacher, leaders have transformed the curriculum.”

Inspectors acknowledged how leaders have taken the school on a ‘journey of improvement’ whilst also recognising that ‘they remain ambitious for it’.

The report found that ‘pupils at this school, including those in the sixth form, benefit from a broad and ambitious curriculum’.

Ofsted also praised the teaching staff, stating: “Teachers have secure subject knowledge and have high expectations of what pupils and students should achieve.”

Liverpool secondary school celebrates transformation as it receives its first ‘Good’ Ofsted rating

The academy’s ‘Curriculum for Life’ programme was highly commended. The report identified: “They are taught about how to keep themselves safe, about healthy relationships and about the value of diversity. They learn about equality and respect for different groups of people.”

It referenced leaders’ high expectations for behaviour are shared and understood by staff and pupils. It noted how the school has a calm atmosphere, with pupils behaving well in lessons. Commenting on All Saints Sixth Form College, which is based within the school, Ofsted reported positively: “In the sixth form, there is a well-chosen and broad range of subjects for students to choose from.”

Adding: “Teachers of sixth form students are particularly skilled. As a result, students achieve well.”

Speaking about the judgement, Mrs Sing said: “We are completely over the moon by the outcome and a big thank you to staff, students, families, governors, trustees, and the local community who have been very supportive over the years.

“I am extremely proud of everything that we have been able to achieve, and together with All Saints Multi Academy Trust, we look forward to continuing the academy’s strong upward trajectory. Our students deserve the best quality of education and there are no limits to what they can achieve here.”

Mrs Sing added: “It is fantastic to be praised by Ofsted and rated as ‘Good’ in all areas which supports our pledge to help all our students flourish and thrive and to inspire the wider community. The Academy of St Nicholas is now firmly on the map in South Liverpool as a secondary school of choice.

The Academy of St Nicholas is proud to be part of All Saints Multi Academy Trust which is jointly sponsored by both the Diocese and Archdiocese of Liverpool. The inspection team also praised the input of the Trust confirming its strong and effective governance.

Heather Duggan, CEO of the All Saints Multi Academy Trust, said: “A huge well done to Mrs Sing and her dedicated team at The Academy of St Nicholas. This is a fantastic and richly deserved achievement by all.

“It will further encourage high aspiration within the Garston and Speke communities, as well as in

the Knowsley borough, providing an opportunity for students to access a broad range of A-levels at All Saints Sixth Form College.”

Labour MP for Garston and Halewood, Maria Eagle, commented: “Huge congratulations to The Academy of St Nicholas which has received a rating of ‘Good’ from its December 2022 Ofsted inspection - the first time the school has achieved the rating in 13 years on this site. Staff and pupils should be so proud of this achievement.

“Headteacher Jeniffer Sing and her team deserve credit for raising standards across the academy, so local families have a ‘Good’ rated secondary and sixth form offering in the area. I have seen first-hand when visiting the school, the positive atmosphere and aspirational learning culture that the inspectors have recognised as ‘a journey of improvement’, as well as the care and support provided to all pupils.”

Maria Eagle added: “I want to say well done to everyone who has worked so hard to gain this recognition. It is fantastic to see Mrs Sing and her team have already made great strides in improving the school and remain ambitious to keep moving forward.”

The Academy of St Nicholas is located on Horrocks Avenue, Garston, alongside All Saints Sixth Form College.

The academy and sixth form college are proudly part of the All Saints Multi Academy Trust. For information visit: http://theacademyofstnicholas.org.uk/

Further details about All Saints Multi Academy Trust can be found at allsaintsmat.org.

For further information, please contact Ellie Adshead at CPMM Media Group.

Email: ellie@cpmmmedia.com

An update from Paula Barker MP Member

An update from Paula Barker MP: Member of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree

This will be the first time I am communicating with many of you since the beginning of the year. Me and my office have been extremely busy assisting many constituents at the sharp end of this cost-of-living crisis. Since my election to Parliament in December 2019, my office has dealt with, responded to and helped local people with over 12,000 pieces of individual casework. We are living through the most difficult economic period that I can remember. An unprecedented amount of people, many of whom have never struggled before, are crying out for help and support. That is why, following on from my cost-of-living drop ins that I held late last year across the constituency, I have once again decided to join forces with an array of local partners to reinstate them in the coming period.

The first of many will be held next week on Thursday 16th February between 10.30am and 12.30am at Old Swan Library. I appreciate such a time may not suit many, but we will be putting on more events of this nature across the constituency. I also remind anyone that they can always contact my office at any time for help and assistance with issues that matter to them. Details of how to get in touch can be found on my website: www.paulabarkermp.co.uk I was recently shocked at the eye-watering amount of profit being raked in by the big energy companies at the expense of ordinary working people. The Government could choose to act in the national interest and claw back just some of the billions being made by the likes of Shell and BP in order to help struggling individuals and families with their energy bills. I won’t be holding my breath. Whilst Shell announces profits of over £32billion, it is estimated it would take only £2.5billion to assist the millions across Britain in arrears with their energy payments. That is why Labour would introduce a windfall tax on the energy companies to claw some of the money back for hard-pressed households.

Away from the economy and the cost-of-living crisis, I wanted to briefly remark on this year’s Holocaust Memo-

rial Day which took place on Friday 27th January. I was privileged to be able to sign the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment. In the constituency, I also attended a local event arranged by the Merseyside Jewish Representative Council.

The day marked the 78th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenhau in 1945.

The theme for this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day was ‘ordinary people’. After all, Genocide is facilitated by ordinary people. Ordinary people turn a blind eye, believe propaganda, and join murderous regimes. And those who are persecuted, oppressed and murdered in Genocide aren’t persecuted because of crimes they’ve committed – they are persecuted simply because they are ordinary people who belong to a particular group.

Until the next edition, take care.

Paula

You can call the constituency office on 0151 724 5767 please note the phone line is active 10am-2pm Monday to Thursday.

Paula’s email inbox is regularly monitored during office hours, filling out the form below will automatically send an email to paula.barker.mp@parliament.uk To book an appointment at one of my weekly surgeries, simply ring or email.

of Parliament for Liverpool Wavertree

Childwall & Wavertree Matters

Bulky Bobs Saved - but you pay for it now!

In 2000 the then Lib Dem Council worked with the Furniture Resource Centre to set up Bulky Bobs. It was the brainchild of the Chief Executive of the Furniture resource Centre Liam Black. The Furniture Resource Centre restored discarded furniture and trained young unemployed in the work. Liam came to the Council and said ‘How about setting up a service which collects furniture from residents which they no longer require – restore the furniture and then sell it at an affordable price.

The FRC also opened a furniture shop on London Road were restored furniture is sold.

In setting up Bulky Bobs the only sticking point was that FRC wanted to keep their vans red and their own phone number. We agreed to go for purple (red and blue make purple) and use the 24-hour Liverpool Direct contact number. So Bulky Bobs was born. It helped recycling, stopped furniture being dumped, and gave jobs and training to young people.

As Childwall Councillors Pat Moloney and Carole Storey said, ‘All the time local residents are having to pay more for less services’

Save our Rivers as raw sewage is pumped into the Mersey

Residents were shocked to learn that United Utilities have been pumping raw sewage into the River Mersey. Indeed, Water Companies across the UK have been carrying out this practice. Lib Dems have highlighted what the Water Companies are doing. After months of campaigning to end sewage discharges into our rivers the Lib Dems in Parliament have been successful in ensuring that the UK Infrastructure Bank will only fund water companies if they produce a costed and timed plan for ending sewage discharges.

As Church Ward Local Lib Dem Campaigner Carl Cashman said, ‘this is a victory for ordinary people of seeing water companies being allowed to get away with polluting our rivers and coastlines’

However, there is still a long way to go. The Government is still refusing to ban sewage discharges into swimming water areas and areas where protected wildlife live – while allowing water company chief Executives rewarding themselves with big bonuses whilst this environmental scandal happens.

If you want to come and help let us know. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Carl Cashman, Rob Verity, Carole Storey, Pat Moloney, Lawrence Sidorzuk

Margaret’s THE THREE GRACES OF LIVERPOOL

One of the most iconic and well-known waterfront skylines in the world, and has welcomed visitors and seafarers to our City for many years.

When we, Alan & Drew Hutchinson and a friend had a conversation in 2017 about our dreams of creating a fantastic Gin for the people of Liverpool to enjoy, we decided to create a company that evoked the city’s centuries old, seafaring heritage.

Showcasing the history of the people within our city and the unique buildings we are so lucky to have and enjoy.

The uniqueness of our waterfront heritage with our Three Graces (Liver Building, Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building) inspired our company name The Three Graces Liverpool Ltd. Which pushes us to develop our fantastic product range that the people of city can be proud of, starting our “The Three Graces Rose Gin” which is essentially, The Spirit of Liverpool?

As gin drinkers, we know what we like, but we also see you as our partners in this venture and hope that you too will appreciate a unique, quality Rose Gin, the Spirit of Liverpool heritage. The company ethos of service to our partners and providing quality products means that we also want to hear any serving combinations that you discover, we cannot try them all ourselves however much we try. So if you have any suggestions, please let us know on our Serving Notes page, Surprise us!!

Our Three Graces Gin Flavour was created to specific requirements and contains eleven unique botanicals, including classic juniper berries, coriander, Angelica root, orange & lemon peel, and the essence of roses amongst others, to give our unique rose flavour which is perfect to drink on its own over ice. Don’t forget if you try with your favourite tonics as a mixer, or in cocktails, to make sure you let us know your combinations that work. Keep an eye out on social media, any suggestions we enjoy too might get a little mention.

The lasting rose essence and flavour in Three Graces Rose Gin lingers over the tongue activates the taste buds to give you a flavour and taste to be enjoyed, savoured and remembered as the Spirit of Liverpool. We wanted to create a spirit that is unique to us, to our City, country and to our heritage that says who we are and what we do. The Three Graces Rose Gin, The Spirit of Liverpool, a Rose Gin to remember!

In 2019 after a successful first 12 months with our Rose Gin, The Three Graces Liverpool Ltd. Had a change and continued with just Alan & Drew running the business. At which point we decided to focus on a new spirit for the city where we wanted to incorporate some local produce. So we decided to create a Cinnamon Honey Spiced Rum utilising a locally produced cinnamon infused with honey and combined with gorgeous rum from Guyana. This launched just before Christmas 2019 and had a great start 2020 as a great winter contrast to our summer Rose Gin.

Like everyone else in this industry, 2020 came as a bit of shock with how the world changed, but we’re still going strong and committed to bringing you our amazing Rose Gin and Cinnamon Honey Spiced Rum for many years to come. We hope you all have a great 2023 and join us in looking to the future. The Three Graces of Liverpool creates one of the most iconic and well-known waterfront.

Order your Rose Gin & Cinnamon Hoeyed Rum now and get free delivery to your home Please Ring 0151 829 1360

Please remember to support our small businesses - and keep it local!

When you buy local, you’re helping to boost employment and income in the community as well as creating a loyal customer base for businesses.

Margaret’s

DOUBLE GLAZING REPAIR SPECIALIST

Double Glazing Repair Specialist is an established business based in South Liverpool and offers a professional repair service to all double glazed windows and doors. With over forty years experience in the double glazing repair and installation industry we are able to offer a fast, local and reliable service and as a result a high percentage of our work is from repeat customers and referrals.

By providing high quality products and workmanship most repairs can be carried out there and then and if your repair requires parts that have become obsolete we can source the best alternatives.

Whether you have problems with locks, handles, glass, hinges or any other double glazed or upvc problems we can offer an alternative to costly replacement by repairing. Other services include security upgrades and window and door servicing where all locks and hinges can be upgraded and maintained giving them a much longer life span and saving you money in the future. We specialise in door locks for Upvc and composite doors, door refurbishment such as new handles, letter boxes, door adjustments, replacement cylinders, anti-snap cylinders, replacement keys, we also replace misted or cracked glass units to windows, doors, patio doors and porches.

No call out fees and no job too small, call us on 01517227009 or 07879815833, email Mark@doubleglazingrepairspecialist.co.uk read our reviews on yell.com, google or on facebook

A.N PLUMBING & HEATING

For all your plumbing needs, dripping taps repaired, faulty toilet flush repaired, leaks and overflows repaired. Bathroom suites fitted. Sinks and washing machines fitted Gas servicing and Landlord’s safety inspections carried out by Gas Safe Registered fitter with over 35 years experience, Gas fires serviced, repaired and installed, Gas cookers repaired and installed Central heating upgrades, including radiator repairs and replacements, boiler repairs and replacements. Central heating systems flushed out 0151 525 2465 Email: anplumbing@virginmedia.com

CLEAN & CLEAR CLEANING SPECIALISTS

Gary and his team have a wide experience over 13 years in this business, serving the whole of Merseyside with his pure hot water technology cleaning business. Providing a wide range of services to clean your home including carpets, windows, gutters, soffits & fascias, driveways, conservatories and solar panels all at affordable competitive prices. Please ring Gary on 0151 421 1374 or mobile 07880719998 for a free no obligation quote you won’t be disappointed

UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS

Sometimes our busy lifestyles can leave us with no time to keep our homes as clean and organised as we would like. It can even get to the point where we feel overwhelmed, not knowing where to start or even having the energy to begin. Helping people achieve their goal of a clean, tidy and uncluttered home, allows them to enjoy their space, have more time and feel less stressed. It may be a weekly or monthly clean that is needed, tackling high traffic or those hard to reach areas. It could be reorganisation, to use space more effectively, everything from sorting that cupboard that is full to bursting to repurposing a garage stacked to the rafters into a home gym. Whatever style and size of home you have, it may feeI overcrowded. Modern living means rooms have multiple uses and storage is at a premium. It can be difficult to let go of those items we have accumulated over our lives or organise our possessions effectively so we can find what we know we have when it is needed. The best cleaning and decluttering supports people to visualise what they want areas to be like. The task is broken down into stages and simple routines established to keep on top of things. If you think I can help you, either for a clean or a declutter, please contact me, Lisa, ‘Upstairs Downstairs’ 07387793866

JAYNE THOMPSON MUSIC TUTOR

I am a private music tutor, specialising in piano, singing, GCSE and A Level Music, Music Theory, Composition, audition practice, performance practice, and Secondary School entrance Music Aptitude Test coaching. I teach in person at my home in Woolton or online through Zoom. I studied music at Cardiff University for 4 years with Martin Jones and Professor Robin Stowell, achieving a BMus (Hons) and MA in Piano Performance. I have 31 years’ teaching experience, 25 of those years as Head of Music, including 15 years as the Director of Music at Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School, Crosby, Liverpool from 2000 to 2015. Teacher, Composer, Arranger, Accompanist and Conductor. Qualifications include MA in Performance; Mus(Hons); PGCE; ALCM Diploma. I like to arrange regular student concerts at venues such as St Nick’s Church in Liverpool, giving students an opportunity to perform in public. Before the Covid Pandemic I was organising termly student concerts. I prepare students for exams using ABRSM and Trinity exam boards. I feel that taking music exams is the best way to ensure and monitor progress, although I also have students who play or sing purely for pleasure. I encourage students to take exams, especially the higher grades, as grades 6 and above in both practical and theory award UCAS points for University entry. For singing grades, I encourage students to take grade 8 in ABRSM Singing, ABRSM Singing for Music Theatre and Trinity Pop Vocals, all awarding UCAS points. I have taught all ages, from the challenges of a 2 year old to retired adults wishing to take up a new hobby. I teach beginners to Diploma and beyond. All students are encouraged to perform in my student concerts. As the Director of Music at Merchant Taylors’ Girls’ School I organised and led 5 European Music Tours (Belgium 2010, Holland 2012, Belgium 2013, Italy 2014, France and Belgium 2015), conducting choral concerts in prestigious venues: Notre Dame (13th July 2015), St Mark’s Basilica (2014), the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres (2010, 2013 and 2015). I set up and ran a Saturday Morning Music School, Crescendo, for 5 years. Please see my Linkedin page for further details: IN/jaynethompson22

J & M GREEN MORTGAGE SERVICES LTD

We are a multi-award-winning family business, with a team of Self Employed Mortgage and Insurance Brokers who work out of our offices on Allerton Road, Liverpool, and pride ourselves on our work ethic, customer service and industry knowledge. We are able to provide advice on the following:-

• First Time Buyer Mortgage

• Remortgages

• Help to Buy Mortgages

• Buy to Let Mortgages for new and established landlords

• Shared Ownership Mortgages

• Life Insurance

• Equity Release

• Business Protection

• Home Insurance

• Income Protection Cover

• Critical Illness Cover

Recently we’ve welcomed Mark French to the J&M Green team. Mark has a wealth of experience and brings with him a new string to our bow; Equity Release Mortgages.

Equity Release is a facility that allows you to release funds from your property if you are a homeowner over the age of 55. There are a wide variety of plans on the market, all of which can be explained by Mark. Depending upon your needs and requirements the plans can even be set up to require no repayments during your lifetime. There are numerous reasons why more and more people are taking advantage of the ability to release equity from their property, including home repairs and improvements, repaying existing mortgage or debt, home care (rather than enter a care home), gifts to family (maybe to get them on the “property ladder”) or even the holiday you’ve always promised yourselves. Whether taken as a lump sum, regular payments, or a combination of both, you could release up to 60% of the value of your home tax free. With the right plan, you can still move home in the future, guarantee an inheritance for your family and ensure that you’ll never be asked to move out of your home you’ve worked so hard for over the years. For a free, no-obligation chat about Equity Release, or any of the other services mentioned, why not give us a call on 0151 230 0909 any time.

J & M Green Mortgage Services Ltd is an appointed representative of PRIMIS Mortgage Network. PRIMIS Mortgage Network is a trading style of Personal Touch Financial Services Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

TEN STREETS WINE

Three of us run the business, Tom Williams, Clare McKenna and me, James Wilson. Tom and Clare first worked together in 2016 when Tom and a couple of friends opened an Italian restaurant called Piccola Italia in Litherland. Clare was their restaurant manager. It became a firm favourite with foodies in North Liverpool, but unfortunately the first lockdown in March 2020 meant they had to shut up shop.

What at first seemed a bit of a disaster actually turned into an opportunity as it gave them the time and space to think about something they really cared about – the wine.

The wine list at Piccola Italia was very well regarded and Clare and Tom decided they wanted to share their wine choices more widely, hence Ten Streets Wine.

I’ve known Tom a long time - I’m married to his sister after all - and he got me involved because he knows I love wine just as much as him. A win-win as far as I was concerned. So, in July 2020 the three of us started on our wine journey together…

Our Wine Tasting Centre is in Dublin Street, a stone’s throw away from the famous Stanley Dock. It’s an area steeped in both history and drink. The Stanley Dock has a rum warehouse on one side of it and there’s still a bonded warehouse on Dublin Street itself.

On separate occasions the Beatles and Bob Dylan have been photographed on our street so, all in all, we feel we’re part of a very cultured tradition. Carving out our own part of that is very important to us. What started off delivering wine during lockdown turned into regular zoom wine tastings so when lockdown was lifted and we could finally host our in-house tastings there was no stopping us.

We now hold regular in-house events, from wine tastings, bottomless brunches to comedy nights and we also hire our space out for private parties throughout the year which is proving very popular. We are looking forward to the future here in the Ten Streets area and can’t wait to see what other local businesses join us on this journey

Check out our current events by scanning the QR codes below:

Wine & Cheese Club

Wine Tasting Evening

OUR FIRST DELIVERY!

WITH A CIRCULATION OF 4000/6000 THE MAGAZINES PROVIDE A COST EFFECTIVE WAY OF ADVERTISING TO THE RESIDENTS OF LIVERPOOL L25, L15, L16 & L18.

DELIVERED DIRECT TO PRIVATE RESIDENCES & BUSINESS PREMISES …getting direct to your potential customers. PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED AND PRODUCED HERE IN MERSEYSIDE

PRINTED ON QUALITY GLOSS ART PAPER …giving the best impression for your business!

A digital copy can also be requested by email, each edition is also uploaded to issuu.com giving your business world-wide coverage on-line! Advertisers are offered “pay-as-you-go” facilities to help with cash-flow and a FREE EDITORIAL in the Business Focus section, giving you the opportunity to tell potential customers a little more about your business. Advertisers will also feature on our Facebook Business page. You can advertise in one publication or “MIX&MATCH” in all three! a 10% DISCOUNT (off the final advert) is available when you take any three editions per year, rates are shown below, which we are sure you will find very competitive compared to other publications.

ADVERTISING RATES SINGLE EDITION 3 OR 6 EDITIONS FAVOURITE FULL PAGES

EIGHT PAGE 64mm x 45mm

QUARTER PAGE 64mm x 93mm

Wavertree Group of Churches

This week I spent some time in our church garden: mostly litter clearing, but also pruning our roses. It was one of those beautiful, ‘nearly-Spring’ mornings: bright sunshine but a crisp chill against the blue-pink sky. And it got me thinking about new beginnings, about life, about getting the best out of life, and about growing strong. You see, I was cutting away sprouting buds with the rose branches, and that always feels counter-intuitive – to cut just as new life is beginning. But if I’d left those branches to sprout, they’d have grown weak and thin, unable to support the roses I hope to see blooming there this summer. They needed to be able to focus all their strength, the rising sap of Spring and the goodness of the soil on growing thicker, tougher stems. After I’d done my pruning, I tied a wind-breaking screen at the railings on the east end of the church, to protect our plants from the strong winds which rush through, knocking over delicate young plants before they get going. This wind-break should diffuse the power of the wind, and protect everything in the garden, so that local residents can enjoy this oasis of green.

Pruning to make things stronger by cutting out the unnecessary parts, and protecting the delicate young growth from harm so that it too can grow stronger. Isn’t that what the best parents do for their children - and isn’t it what we need to do for ourselves?

We wrap ourselves about with so much that we really don’t need, seduced by adverts telling us that our lives will be better if we have the biggest house, the fastest car, the most expensive jewellery. But true wealth lies in the things that money can’t buy: family, time spent with friends, the song of a bird in a tree. These are the things that make us stronger - and these are the things we need to protect.

As I write this, the news is showing terrible images of the devastating earthquakes which have ravaged Turkey and Syria. Thousands of people have lost home- family – livelihood - life itself. Many are weakened; all will face the cold of winter nights with no shelter, little food, and the threat of disease. Joy for those nations lies in a single child rescued from a ruined building, from the unexpected news that someone they thought dead has survived.

We have so much, and many around us have so little. Let us learn to recognise the difference between ‘need’ and ‘want’; let us rejoice in the love we have; and let us share what we can to help others. Let’s prune away the pointless branches of our lives, and shelter those who are not strong so that they may grow.

Liz Roberts, St. Bridget and St. Thomas’ Church, Bagot Street, Wavertree

RICHIE THE RANGER

Guided Walks & Events March 2023

Thursday 2nd March 1.00pm

History of Camp Hill and Woolton Woods

A fascinating walk that discovers the amazing history of these two former Gentlemen’s Estates. We discover their amazing past with tales of the former owners and we visit the beautiful features including the magnificent walled garden. Meet at the Village Cross, junction of High Street and Woolton Street. £2.50 per person

Saturday 4th March 1.00pm

The Great Victorians

Join us for this guided walk that discovers tales of our Great Victorians. We step back in time to discover their philanthropic, charitable and amazing sporting achievements from our Victorian past. Meet at Sefton Park Palm House £2.50 per person

Thursday 9th March 1.00pm

Heroes and Heroines of Rake Lane Cemetery

A gentle guided walk that discover the amazing tales of bravery and fortitude connected with some famous interns of this beautiful cemetery. Including the brave ww2 pilot who saved Buckingham Palace. Booking Only. Limited to Ten places £2.50 per person

Thursday 16th March 1.00pm

Signs of Spring at Calderstones Park

Come along for this invigorating walk as we search for signs of spring in this beautiful park. We also explore the history and features of this award winning park. Meet outside The Mansion House £ 2.00 per person

Thursday 23rd March 1.00pm

A Lost Village of Wallasey

Wrap up warm as we explore the fascinating History and Features of one of Wallasey’s forgotten Villages, with tales of smuggles and ship wreckers and old, ancient cottages. Meet at the roundabout at Junction of Egerton Street and Tower Promenade (near to the site of the old New Brighton Tower) New Brighton, Wallasey CH45 2LT £2.00pp

Saturday 25th March 1.00pm

March into Spring at Childwall Woods

Join us to celebrate the onset of British Summer Time with this delightful stroll through one of our beautiful woodlands Good footwear recommended and uneven pathways. Fair amount of walking. Booking only £ 2.50 per person

PLEASE REMEMBER ALL WALKS ARE BOOKING ONLY

Volunteer Gardeners Needed at Marie Curie

Are you available Tuesdays 10am - 2pm? Do you have green fingers?

We are looking for volunteer gardeners to help us ensure our Woolton Hospice gardens and grounds are kept tidy and look beautiful with attractive trees, flowers and shrubs.

What you will do:

• Potting up and planting

• Sweeping, watering, weeding, pruning

• Lifting and clearing garden rubbish

• Cutting grass

• Helping with other related tasks where necessary

About Marie Curie

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end of life charity. The charity provides essential nursing and hospice care for people with any terminal illness, a free support line and a wealth of information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. It is the largest charity funder of palliative and end of life care research in the UK. Marie Curie is committed to sharing its expertise to improve quality of care and ensuring that everyone has a good end of life experience. Marie Curie is calling for recognition and sustainable funding of end of life care and bereavement support.

IMPaCT Liverpool Care Service

If you need support while living with a terminal illness or if you are caring for someone who has a life limiting condition in Liverpool then you can get support from IMPaCT - an all- in- one palliative care service.

The Integrated Mersey Palliative Care Team (IMPaCT) service is one of the 1st of its kind in the UK and ismade up by a group of healthcare professionals - including doctors, specialist nurses and specialist therapists.

The new scheme is a partnership between Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Marie Curie Hospice, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Woodlands Hospice.

As well as providing at home visits from specially trained palliative care nurses and doctors the scheme also provides a 24-hour helpline, manned by end-of-life care experts, who can provide reassurance and guidance.

If you need help, advice or assistance just ring IMPaCT 24 hours a day, seven days a week via: 0300 100 1002.

For more information about the service, visit: impactmersey.org.uk mariecurie.org.uk

THE THREE GRACES LIVERPOOL

“THE SPIRIT OF LIVERPOOL”

Telephone: 0151 829 1360

Facebook - @thethreegracesliverpool Twitter - @threegracesltd Instagram - the_three_graces_liverpool

Volunteer Minibus Driver

Have you got a few hours to spare during the week?

Are you over 25 and have you held a clean license for more than 2 years?

Would you like to help blind and visually impaired people in Merseyside?

If you can answer “yes” to all of these questions, then you are the person we want!

Bradbury Fields services for blind and partially sighted people urgently needs volunteer drivers to help transport our service users from their homes to our Active Vision Clubs, support groups & leisure activities.

Our Clubs, groups and activities help to break isolation, create peer support, build confidence, and enable many blind and partially sighted people, a lot of whom would be otherwise housebound, to feel confident again.

If you would like to help us, please contact Darren on 0151 221 0888 or email on dholloran@bradburyfields.org.uk

Visually Impaired Tennis Taster Sessions

EVERY THURSDAY

Thursday 26th January.

Liverpool Tennis Centre, Wavertree Sports Park, Wellington Road, L15 4LE

Tennis skills, tournaments, and coaching will be offered by qualified VI Tennis Instructors. Players of all ages, experience, fitness level and abilities are welcome!

For more information:

Call Reception: 0151 221 0888

Email: info@bradburyfields.org.uk

Beyond The Melody with Tom George

Article by Rob Gough

Who are some of your musical influences and why do they inspire you?

My biggest inspiration has to be Jimi Hendrix. He was a unique and divine musical force, and when I was learning rock guitar, he was my guru. Another important influence was Syd Barrett, the solo stuff after Pink Floyd. He had a very sweet, playful approach, particularly with his lyrics; and reminds me to this day that words can just come to you and they don’t have to make a lot of sense to be meaningful.

How does your creative process work?

It varies; sometimes I’m just playing around with chords on the guitar and a chord sequence will happen that seems to suggest a melody. I’ll start singing it, regardless of whether there are words with it, and get to know it better. It’s often like a process of uncovering, like wiping away a layer of sand until you can see the shape of the thing.

What’s the most challenging thing about writing songs?

For me, it can be the lyrics. I have had songs ‘in the garage’ for decades, because I couldn’t get the words right. The trouble is, what you’re often trying to do is come up with words that sound interesting but also fresh and spontaneous. I often take a long time trying to fake spontaneity. Trying to evoke the casual brilliance of someone like Dylan. Sometimes I care too much.

What’s your favourite part about being a songwriter?

What is most magical is when songs come to me in dreams. It’s started happening more as I’ve got older. It’s usually in the morning; when I’m in that half-awake, half-dreaming state, I find I have a melody in my head. It could easily slip away from me back into the dream-world it came from; and I have to hold onto it as I’m surfacing. These are usually really good melodies. Then there comes the responsibility of writing lyrics for them, which is more like hard work.

Are any of your songs based on personal experiences? If so, can you tell me about one that’s particularly special to you?

Yes, they are often inspired by events and emotions but I try to keep it impressionistic. It’s not autobiography. You might react poetically to an event in your

life, but then take it somewhere else. I have written plenty of things about people. My song ‘Shooting Star’ is partly inspired by a very special friend who moved to another country and I’m basically celebrating their lively, spontaneous nature in that song.

Do you have any upcoming projects that we can be on the lookout for?

I have some shows coming up in Liverpool and other places which I’m really looking forward to. I now have Phil Hargreaves playing saxophone and flute with me, and I’m aiming to add percussion and who knows what else. Also, I now have some home recording gear, so I will be recording some new stuff that will hopefully make it onto a new album.

What advice would you give to someone starting out as a songwriter?

I would say listen to as wide a range of music as you can - if you want to, that is. Personally, I had a wide range of musical interests as a young musician and they all fed into my songwriting, from punk, to indie, jazz, folk/roots and 80s pop. Another thing I did sometimes was to write consciously in the style of bands I liked, as if I’d been commissioned to write a song for them. I don’t know if that’s good advice or not, but it gave me a rest from trying to come up with ‘my style’. You can’t force that. It creeps up on you gradually.

Photo credit: Adrian Wharton

“What is most magical is when songs come to me in dreams.”

A Message from your Labour Councillors

Dear Residents,

We hope you enjoyed your Christmas and the New Year! Can we offer our best wishes to all of the local residents and readers for 2023 and beyond. We thought we would run through some of the work we have been involved with throughout 2022 and offer an insight into what we have planned for the beginning of the new year.

We’ve secured record levels of road investment for the area, with over £6 million of local road resurfacing work either completed or due to take place. At the time of writing, resurfacing work is nearing completion on Tudor Road, Stuart Avenue, Roskell Road, Pinfold Road, and is starting on Broadmead, Northmead Road, Southmead Road and Southmead Gardens. There is plenty more to come and we’re lobbying for the work to start on roads such as Speke Road, Hunts Cross Avenue and Manor Road which are all scheduled to be resurfaced.

Following our events in August and October, on Saturday 3rd December, we delivered a Christmas Farmers Market in Clarke Gardens, working alongside Liverpool City Council’s Markets team. After months of hard work and planning, it was fantastic to see the day come together and as a result, the Markets team have agreed that we will be able to host even more Markets in the park. We were joined by Labour Group Leader, Cllr Liam Robinson to promote the Christmas Market on #SmallBusinessSaturday. It was also a pleasure to be welcome the Lord Mayor of Liverpool and Maria Eagle MP, who took the time to chat to traders and who picked up some great produce too.

In addition to the Christmas Market, we held our annual Christmas Tree Lights Switch On in Hunt Cross Community Garden. Established and organised by the Labour Team, the day included carols and performances from local schools as well as a special visit from Father Christmas. Hundreds of people came to enjoy the event and together we also gave out almost 150 selection boxes to local children.

In the build up to Christmas, we also joined other Labour Councillors, as we worked to fund and deliver 70 Christmas food hampers for families in need across South Liverpool. Huge thanks go out to Garston Adventure Playground and the Masonic Lodge who helped with additional funding and drop schools who identified the families who might benefit from some extra help this Christmas.

We’re continuing to work with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to fund books for children, and together we’ve sent out almost 2000 free books to local families. We were also happy to make a recent donation towards Woolton Air Cadets purchase of outdoor equipment and clothing, to support their excellent work with young people.

Lastly, our hugely popular, and free community skip scheme is returning and we ’re back out in the Allerton area throughout January. The scheme was introduced by Labour, and we’ve provided hundreds of free skips! We’ll also be holding more community litter picks, and will be writing to residents in advance of coming to their roads. If you ’d like us to deliver a free litter picker, please get in touch.

If you have any concerns or issues you would like to discuss, please don ’t hesitate to contact us.

07930 435 335

sharon.connor@liverpool.gov.uk

07713 522 486

kimberley.berry@liverpool.gov.uk

Promoted by Daniel Barrington, at Labour North West, 97 Spencer House, Dewhurst Road, WA3 7PG

Labour Councillor Sharon Connor

Labour Councillor Kimberley Berry

CHILDWALL WI

Find us under WIChildwall on: Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

The WI provides women with fun, friendship and a range of activities.

We have lots of events planned for 2023, covering many different topics and including supper club, book club and visits.

We meet at 7.30 pm on 1st Thursday each month: March 3rd; April 6th; May 4th at Christ the King Parish Centre, Score Lane. L16 6AW

Why not visit us to find out more or email wichildwall@gmail.com

Just come along to one of the meetings. We would be delighted to see you.

Pauline - President Childwall WI

Seel Street, Liverpool

History Notes from The Wavertree Society

by Mike Chitty THE MONKS’

WELL

“Wavertree is a pretty village”. So wrote William Moss in his Liverpool Guide of 1796. He mentioned the “singular inscription, of ancient date” on “a Well near the pond”. The inscription is still there today: “Qui non dat quod habet, Daemon infra ridet”, which has been translated as “He who here does nought bestow, the Devil laughs at him below”. Moss claimed that “an old monastic looking house” once stood nearby, and “it is not improbable that the house was inhabited by some religious order, who might thus request alms towards their support”. Later writers have given the Latin words a more sinister interpretation: if those drawing water failed to leave a donation, they’d be in trouble in the afterlife!

Stories of secret passageways later began to circulate – a tunnel leading to Childwall Abbey or Childwall Priory being the most common. In fact there would have been two tunnels – neither of them very long. The Wavertree Enclosure Act of 1768 had required the well to be moved to Mill Lane from its original location on the lawn of Lake House, which was set back from the public highway. The natural spring there had long been used by the villagers as a source of drinking water, but the wealthy occupier of Lake House objected to them traipsing across his property. Thus there would have been a culvert taking the spring water to the well - which consisted of a stone ‘cistern’ or tank - and another culvert taking the overflow from the well into Wavertree Lake, which occupied the site of the present-day swing park. The nickname The Monks’ Well came from the legend of the monastery – which is not supported by any documentary evidence – while the story of long tunnels was probably invented by parents (or grandparents) as a way of discouraging children from venturing in!

Old drawings of the well show it as having an open archway, with a couple of steps leading down to a rectangular basin where the water could be scooped up by the villagers. The stone cross on top was not an unusual feature of such public wells, being symbolic of pure water being a ‘gift of God’. In 1834, the archway was sealed off with sandstone blocks, and a pump installed to lift water up from the underground chamber. The village Constable was ordered to lock the pump during church service times on a Sunday, it having been found that “women met at the well when drawing water, and stayed gossiping there”!

By the 20th century the well had become redundant, as a piped water supply had been introduced. However, it survived as a picturesque local feature. Around 1930 the land was purchased by David Roberts, Son & Co., who proceeded to build an estate of semi-detached houses – including Monkswell Drive – on the site of the original Lake House. Baron Clwyd, a director of the firm, ordered that the well should be retained, and in 1932 he presented it to the Liverpool Corporation to secure its preservation.

Today the Monks’ Well remains dry, but - as the Wavertree Society’s heritage plaque says - it has been a “source of legend for many generations”

A fully equipped professional studio with sewing machines, cutting tables, pressing equipment and specialist tools for all our students to use. We offer a variety of classes & workshops for children & adults of all levels of ability.

The Create Workshop holds daily dressmaking and pattern cutting sessions and courses. You can take part in a ‘Sewing for Beginners’ session to build your confidence with machinery and equipment or just dive straight into a garment making 6 week course - all levels of ability are welcome.

All you need is fabric and a pattern and we will teach you how to make beautiful, quality clothes. Alternatively and re-fashion your own wardrobe by vamping up your old garments.

We guarantee we will unleash creative skills you never knew you had!!

Adults:

There are pattern cutting and garment making courses available daytimes and evenings; catering for all levels of ability. Sewing for beginners sessions to build confidence and basic skills. Monthly crochet sessions provide the perfect opportunity to improve hand-eye coordination. We also host unique and seasonal classes including cupcake decorating, felting and flower arranging.

Children:

Children can join garment making course running every Friday eve and Saturday. They learn how to use patterns, cut out and sew, producing amazing, high quality garments.

Parties: Fun and memorable children’s/hen/baby shower parties are hosted in a beautiful environment. Choose from a selection of workshops and make use of the fabulous cafe.

Brownies, Guides & other social groups

Our local Brownies and Guides leaders always enjoy bringing in children for a fun packed session, taking home a quality product. We will be hosting Christmas stocking making, wreath making, cake decorating and lots of other festive activities!

Marg’s Review

Margaret’s Review… DEFENDER Plumbing & Joinery

I would like to share with you all a review for DEFENDER who provides Plumbing & Joinery Services within the area and advertises within all my magazines.

Mike came to the rescue as I had a leak on my central heating system. I was expecting my ceiling to come down or my ceramic floor lifted but I rang Mike @ Defender and he came to my rescue within the day and identified where the leak was coming from and solved the whole problem - I can’t start to explain how reassured I felt and very grateful for his professional, friendly attitude when he visited my home. I highly recommend Defender for all your plumbing & joinery requirements and here is a short resume from Mike.

Hello, my name is Mike here at Defender Plumbing & Joinery Services. I have worked in the construction industry for over 20 years.

I have City & Guilds in both plumbing and carpentry & joinery.

We are a local company that can manage a wide range of jobs that you may need doing around the home, office, or workplace.

We can help with bathroom fitting and updating bathrooms from new toilets to basins and tap upgrades. General maintenance tasks that happen around the home from leaking pipes, taps that are not working and need attention toilets that need repairing or replacing. Joinery work we can look at individual items that are needed to fit into a space you thought was not possible or needs to be a tailor-made option.

We also undertake joinery works to include fitting doors and skirting boards, back yard gates made to measure and fitting door frames. One of our frequently requested jobs is adjusting doors after new carpets have been fitted or any new floor coverings. Upgrading and replacing door furniture be it new handles to latches and lock upgrades something to consider at this time of year with the dark nights approaching how good your locks are.

We can look at your jobs at a convenient time and then provide a verbal estimate or if it is a more detailed project, we will provide a written estimate detailing the works and costs.

If you have any jobs, you need help with then give me a call/ text on 07789378829, or email: defenderman4@googlemail.com.

We are now taking payments via electronic means either sumup or bank transfer for greater convenience for our customers

Home maintenance is one of our main things we can help with, some of my customers have made a list of jobs as they do build up and we are happy to work with you to get them completed. What next give us a call if you have any maintenance work or upcoming projects you need some friendly advice contact Mike

Gorsewood Grove, Liverpool, L25

• Link Detached Property

• Three Bedrooms

• Cul-De-Sac Location

£225,000

Redpoll Grove, Liverpool, L25

• Four Bedrooms

• Double Garage

• High Specification Throughout

£365,000

Blackwood Court Liverpool, L16

• Similar properties required

• We have buyers waiting

• Call for a discreet valuation

Tancred Road, Liverpool, L4

• Similar properties required

• We have buyers waiting

• Call for a discreet valuation