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Norovirus alert as cold snap looms By MAISIE HARVEY Doctors are warning families across Liverpool about the dangers presented by norovirus and telling them how it should be treated. Norovirus is a sickness and diarrhoea bug which is more common during the colder months, although it can strike at any time of year. Dr Neil Haslam, deputy medical director at Liverpool University Hospitals, said: “Norovirus is pretty nasty and can make people feel very ill. However, most people do not need hospital care for this type of illness and you can help protect yourself from catching it. It is really important to wash your hands properly with warm soapy water and to sanitise surfaces as this will limit the spread of germs.” Although norovirus is usually a mild illness, children who experience symptoms such as vomiting blood, developing a stiff neck, feeling pain when looking at bright lights, and getting a sudden, severe headache or stomach ache should be taken to A&E.
Lucy sets her sights high By DANIEL WILLIAMS A former top junior athlete has set her sights on Mount Everest to raise money for a meningitis charity. Lucy Miller, 18, was one of the best cross-country runners of her age group when she was 14, and competed at international level. Now she faces the monumental challenge of climbing to the Mount Everest base camp in 2020 - which stands at 5,360 meters above sea level. The teenager hopes to reach the camp to raise £3,000 for the Meningitis Research Foundation, a charity that helps those suffering from Meningitis and Septicaemia. The charity holds a special place in the Childwall resident’s heart. She said: “This charity is personal to me. My granddad suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis for 20 years. Ultimately, the reason why he passed away was complications with Septicaemia. “I was really close with my granddad - my whole family were.” Through injuries, Lucy has faced setbacks in her running career, but
hopes her latest challenge will rekindle her passion. She added: “This will be the biggest challenge I’ve ever had. I’m not a huge climber. I have been on walks but I’ve never done anything on this scale, so this is new to me. “I like to put myself through challenges. I like to work hard at something and I feel that if I did complete it, I would have such a great sense of achievement. It’s going to be tough, not just physically but mentally as well. “I’m really determined to get back to the elite level I used to be at and I think this challenge will motivate me. “I’m excited but nervous. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and I just want to take it.” Lucy, who studies Fine Art at Loughborough University, is set to make the climb in September 2020 alongside 15 to 20 fellow university students. She has already raised £700 and if you wish to further support the 18-year-old, follow this link: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lucy-miller20.
AIM: Lucy Miller hopes to raise £3000 for meningitis research © Lucy Miller
Commuter rail cheer
Hackathon inspires young coders
By DANIEL HOPKINSON
By LEWIS BATTY
Commuters have been promised journey times will be slashed by at least half an hour across some services from Liverpool Lime Street. London Northwestern railway has announced that at least five trains from Lime Street will arrive into London 30 minutes earlier because of the timetable changes. The new timetable is set to come into effect on Sunday December 15. The timetable changes will also see the services from London to Liverpool become less congested. Johnny Wiseman, head of customer experience for London Northwestern Railway, said: “The timetable changes we are making this month is to make it simpler, meaning passengers travelling from Liverpool Lime Street should start to enjoy a more reliable service, with more improvements coming in the following years.”
A unique event aimed at inspiring Liverpool’s next generation of coders took place at the Central Library last week. One hundred secondary school students took part in the ‘Hackathon’, a two-day event in which they learned about the importance of coding and how it can give them a head-start in life. The event was organised by Liverpool City Council and IamtheCODE with the goal of empowering students from all backgrounds to think about careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Entrepreneurship and Design. The event was sparked by award-winning technologist and business woman Marieme Jamme, who has been named as one of the BBC’s 100 Power Women UK, and also named on the UK Power
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Central Library played host to Hackathon. © LCC list as one of Britain’s 100 most influential people of African and African Caribbean heritage. Marieme told Liverpool Life: “We need to invest in young people and encourage them to get into these sectors through creative learning and technology”. Students learned about a variety of subjects such as coding, app building and data analysis during the two-day event. Speakers in the various fields also discussed their ex-
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periences in the industry, and mentors guided the students during the activities. Through local programmes and mentoring with partners in the UK, Asia and Africa, the best ideas to come out of the event will be developed with help from IamtheCODE. A spokesperson from Iamthecode told Liverpool Life: “The main aim of the hackathon was to give an opportunity to marginalised communities in Liverpool. The IamtheCODE main goal is to teach a million women and girls by 2030. Young people should learn about coding in Liverpool as they will be the future builders of industries”. The event, which is also part of the RISE programme aimed at celebrating female artists, thinkers and leaders, is direct action of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to improve economic outcomes for women.
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EDITOR: Olivia Wagg PRODUCTION TEAM: Megan Stringer, Aoife Monohan, Charlotte Kenny, Rosie Patel, Laura Kelly, Demi Williams, Ben Lynch, Solomon Murphy, Ethan Jukes-Mcnee, Faye Wasilowski, Adam Higgins, Evelyn Edward, Dan Jones FRONT COVER PHOTO: Ash Rowe