Liverpool Life February 7:6, 6 2019

NEWS FROM THE HEART OF THE CITY

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EVE E FOR RY TNI GHT

ISSUE 6 FEB 6 - FEB 19

Liverpool Life

LOVE

...and the Tinder Generation

Liverpool Life contents Vol 7 Issue 6 February 6 - February 19 d

Green space protest

Valentines Day delights

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Recognising Scouse voices

Inside the world of lip fillers

8 A dance academy success

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Comic book capers

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From brain tumour to best seller

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Beaming from Brussels

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Cheers for the Winter Ale festival

World Cup fever

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13 Albert Dock

© Chloe Smith

LL Production: Tiarnan Quigley, Annie Williams, Adele Matthews, Ben Higgins, Chantelle McKeever, Emma Fegan, George Adams, Liam Plumbley, Lori Dunlevy, Megan Tattersley, Nick Ware, Seanan Mc Sheffrey , Stephen Killen, Shannon Lyon, Rebecca Thomas, Chloe Smith, Jake O’Neill, David Haycocks, Angelica Day, Lucy Jones, Jack Gibson, Rohin Jalota, Tammy-Lee Walsh, Liam Cork, Christopher Megrath

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‘Devastating’ green space decision

By ADELE MATTHEWS The first phase of a £200m development at a green space in the heart of Liverpool’s commercial district has been given the go-ahead despite strong local opposition branding it “devastating for the area”.

The £4.2m plan to build on Bixteth Street Gardens, a large open space situated behind Exchange Street Station, is to continue following council planners’ agreement for the application to redevelop Pall Mall.

Campaigning group, Save Bixteth Street Gardens, have opposed the plans since they were first suggested. The group have organised picnics, meetings and a portraiture series featuring animals that frequent the space to highlight its popular usage.

The view is greatly appreciated by those working and living around it as well as visitors to the city.

Mary Williams, an LJMU

worker at Exchange Station, spoke to Liverpool Life on behalf of those involved in the campaign.

“Green spaces benefit everyone, whether in the city centre or our national parks. The destruction of the 52 mature trees, animal habitat and green space would be loss for all.

“We will continue to fight for our park and the last remaining green space in this area.

By working together we are currently reviewing all options whilst we continue to publicise the campaign,” she said.

The proposed 400,000 sq ft project will led by Kier Property and CTP whilst the remediation works are to be undertaken by contractor Willmott Dixon.

Tom Gilman, managing director of Kier Property (North), said: “We have been working hard with our team, other stakeholders and vitally the local community, to progress our development plans and look forward to submitting our planning

© Save Bixteth Gardens application for the first phase of development shortly.

“Our aim for the new Pall Mall scheme is for it to be a destination space in the city centre that will create new jobs and training opportunities.”

Only last month Liverpool City Council lost a High Court ruling against plans for Redrow Homes to build 51 luxury homes on South Liverpool’s Calderstones Park, which is something Ms Williams feels will benefit their campaign.

“I believe that the success of

Radisson to restore former hotel

By ANNIE WILLIAMS One of Liverpool’s most prominent buildings is to be converted back to its original use as a hotel following a £20m redevelopment.

A 202-bedroom hotel operated by the Radisson Hotel Group will open in the former North Western Hotel building next year.

The property, which faces St George’s Hall, closed as a hotel in 1933 and since 1996 has been used for student accommodation.

The Grade II-listed building was acquired from Liverpool John Moores University by developer Marcus Worthington Group in 2018 and the group has now secured a £20m loan from the Merseyside Pension Fund to get the project off the ground.

Featuring a restaurant, bar, gym and events space, the Lime Street venue will become the second Radisson Red in the UK, following the opening of the first in Glasgow earlier last year.

Elie Younes, executive vice-president and chief development officer of Radisson Hotel Group,

Calderstones Park has help to raise the awareness of important issues that need addressing and hopefully will have a positive impact on our campaign. We are all in this together.”

Save Bixteth Street Gardens received just over 1800 signatures in one week when their change. org petition to save the green space went live, but are appealing for more signatures.

The petition can be accessed through the change.org webpage or on their Facebook page: Save Bixteth Street Gardens.

160 brave the cold in sleep out for charity

By TIARNAN QUIGLEY

Great North Western Hotel told Liverpool Life: “Liverpool has always felt like the ideal fit for Radisson Red’s unique twist on hospitality. Its music heritage, in particular, matches the ethos of Red.” The Worthington Group have described the brand new Radisson Red name as ‘a contemporary

© Wiki Commons and playful lifestyle brand’ and its venue in Liverpool will complement what is already a vibrant and cultural destination.

Radisson Hotel Group, which also includes Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson, said the new hotel is expected to open its doors to guests in Autumn 2020.

On one of the coldest nights this year over 160 people in including Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham braved the chill to raise money for the most vulnerable in society.

The Railway Children organised a sleep out in four of the UK’s largest train stations: Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street and London Bridge to raise money for vulnerable children often who use the rail network to escape abuse.

The campaign hoped to raise over £25,000 to help with work around the world and the new campaign aimed to be more inclusive than ever.

Those who braved the cold would not go without reward as Gaynor Little, head of UK funding for the Railway Children, confirmed that a “giant” cookie would be awarded to the person who raises the most money.

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Music City’s healthy debate in festival the fight to keep active returns

By BEN HIGGINS

Irish music festival The Feis is to return to Liverpool Pier Head this year on July 6.

Featuring some of the greatest names in Irish music, the event is the biggest celebration of Irish culture in the UK. Announced for this year’s stellar line-up are The Chieftains, The Fureys, The Undertones and Nathan Carter, with Shane Mc Gowan of The Pogues headlining.

Signed last year to Domino Records, who also represent the Arctic Monkeys, The Turnings singer and guitarist Luke Mc Laughlin spoke to LL about what it means to play The Feis.

“It’s an absolute privilege to play the Feis this year. You only have to look at the artists on the bill and to be included among them is amazing.

“We were meant to play last year but we had a tour in France so we couldn’t do it. But they asked us to come back this year and we jumped at the chance.”

“The last year touring has been great, but The Feis is definitely a gig I’m looking forward to.”

The Feis is organised by music promoter Vince Power, founder of the Mean Fiddler, who is behind festivals such as Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Tribal Gathering and Homelands as well as the world famous Fleadh Festival.

“I’m delighted to announce the Liverpool Feis.

“We have a limited amount of early bird tickets available which, after last year, we expect to sell out very quickly,” Mr Power said.

“We once again have a great line-up. As with last year, The Feis will be host to three stages featuring both contemporary and traditional Irish acts. I look forward to seeing you all again.”

Over 12,000 people attended The Feis last year and it has returned for 2019.

Tickets for The Feis start from £60. Kids under 12 have free entry.

Participants at the health and wellbeing conference

By CHLOE TOMKINS A cold but beautifully sunny start to the day perfectly set the scene for Liverpool City Region’s environment, health and wellbeing conference.

The Isla Gladstone conservatory, located between Goodison Park and Anfield, was full to the brim with Liverpool’s environmentalists, health experts and conservationists.

Delegates were greeted by blinding sunlight pouring through the glass building and the weather was literally a hot topic of conversation between the guests, who had travelled from all over the North West, pleasantly surprised by the arrival of sunshine.

A GP from the Everton area, Dr Simon Abrams took to the stand.

It is no secret that GP and doctors’ surgeries in the NHS have been struggling for some time.

A study in 2017 found that the UK has one of the shortest aver-

age appointment times, lasting just over 10 minutes per patient, all down to overworked GPs and oversubscribed surgeries.

Dr Abrams said: “There is no doubt that General Practice has a long-term future, but we can all agree that our current healthcare professional situation is less than ideal.”

The main theme of the talk was that, despite concerns for patient healthcare, life expectancy is increasing.

Dr Abrams said: “Life expectancy is going up by four hours every day, which obviously means the world’s population is growing older, and an ever more overcrowded planet.”

There was also a call for more exercise and social well-being to lower risks of disease and put less strain on the NHS. “According to new research, regular exercise and an active social life lowers a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by almost a third.”

© Chloe Tomkins The organisers of the Year of the Environment have pledged to continue Liverpool’s role as one of only five cities worldwide to be named an ‘Active City’.

This includes motivating people at risk of inactivity-related illnesses to take up regular physical activity and sport and highlighting the importance of the city’s green spaces for human and environmental health.

Jo Ward, the North West Social Prescribing Network Co-Chair, spoke about the impact that ‘arts on prescription’ had on mental health.

“This is more than medicine, it saves the NHS money whilst conquering lifelong mental health issues.

“The NHS spends £780,000 a day on anti-depressants, which we know don’t work.”

Liverpool’s Year of the Environment will continue throughout the year.

For more information, visit: www.yoe2019lcr.org.uk

Powerful reminder of the Holocaust

By ABIGAIL LAWRENCE An exhibition to mark Holocaust Memorial Day has been set up in Bootle’s Strand shopping centre.

The multimedia exhibition, entitled “Out of the Darkness and Into the Light”, discusses the history behind the events and a timeline of what led up to the Holocaust, in which six million Jewish people were murdered by the Nazis.

A focus of the exhibition is the propaganda and persecution against minority groups in society, emphasising the importance of diversity.

The exhibiton was set up by users of adult social care provider New Directions, which offers day services, respite care and residential care.

Their artwork and displays have previously won awards such as the gold medal at the Southport

© Abigail Lawrence Flower Show in 2017.

The centrepiece of the exhibition is a sculpture made by the service users of the creative unit in the day centre.

It was originally made for the Sefton branch of trade union UNISON but now is available for members of the public to see at the display in Bootle.

Cheryl Jennifer Aston, 32, a

support worker at New Directions, said: “We wanted to showcase the talent and skills of our service users and put together an exhibition for Holocaust Memorial Day. “During the Holocaust, people with disabilities were amongst those who were tragically killed so we wanted to do this to help remember and reflect on what happened. Millions of people lost their lives, and it is important that we still remember and learn from what happened. We can’t forget such a devastating time in history.”

The exhibition is one part of the installation, with powerful and moving dance and drama performances also being featured by members of New Directions.

Workshops are also available for schools to visit every afternoon to educate them on the history of the Holocaust.

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Radical feminists’ Cilla message

By SIMRAN ROY A radical feminist group claims it was responsible for altering Liverpool’s famous Cilla Black statue.

ReSisters, the group claiming responsibility for draping a shirt over the statue, carried out a coordinated move with other members around the UK. The group also claimed to have altered statues of Queen Victoria and the Peace Memorial in Brighton, and The Duke of Wellington in Manchester, among others.

A spokesperson for ReSisters told Liverpool Life: “In September 2018, one representative of Liverpool ReSisters spoke to Liverpool City Council, asking for its mayor and councillors to consult women’s groups on retaining

single-sex provisions in the city.

This request was denied.

“As ReSisters United, we take to the streets to create a dialogue among our citizenry. We use peaceful means of protest in order to encourage discussion and debate, so that women’s voices can be heard and our privacy, dignity and boundaries are maintained.”

Shirts added to the statues read “Woman: An adult human female”.

But the action was met with anger from transgender people and activists within the LGBT+ community as the bid to redefine gender was perceived to be ‘anti-trans’ in nature. However, ReSisters have stated that they hope to define gender to make it easier to pass laws and policies “in the best interests of women”.

Take a tour to top of the tower for bird’s eye view

By ANNIE WILLIAMS Royal Liver Building 360 is bringing guided public tours to the 15th floor of Liverpool’s most iconic landmark for the very first time.

The exclusive experience will start in a brand-new lower ground floor visitor centre where the building’s unique history starts to come to life, before continuing to the 10th and 15th floors of the 321ft building where guests will have the chance to enjoy spectacular 360° views across the city of Liverpool and River Mersey.

Operated by Heritage Great Britain, the tour will also take guests inside the building’s famous clock tower where they can enjoy a cutting-edge audio-visual presentation showcasing the history and culture of the city.

A new visitor centre and gift shop will also open on the lower ground floor as part of the new experience.

Chris Brown, Director of Marketing Liverpool, told Liverpool Life: “There’s a real sense of anticipation for Royal Liver Building 360° which is a hugely significant and exciting project for the city.

“Opening up such a world-famous building will not only appeal to people locally but also the millions of tourists who visit Liverpool every year.”

Bookings are now available from May 2019.

However, Chris Devaney, Operations Manager for RLB360, told Liverpool Life he expects tours to start up to a month earlier.

Tickets have only been available for a few days but have already proved immensely popular.

Mr Devaney said: “We’ve got people booking from as far away as Australia and Canada to come and visit us.

“We look forward to delivering a true ‘bucket list’ experience, both for people who live on Merseyside and visitors to the city.”

The tour will take approximately 70 minutes and is limited to groups of 14 people per time slot.

Tickets for Royal Liver Building 360 are on sale now, available from www.rlb360.com

A taste of the spectacular views visitors will experience

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LL NEWS

Customers enjoy dining out in Southport

© Sarah Rodriguez

Southport lays on a treat for diners

BY ANNIE WILLIAMS Southport is getting behind its independent eateries this month as it hosts its first ever Restaurant Week event.

Taking place from February 16 – 24 the special week aims to address the slowdown in dining out after Christmas and boost sales ahead of the new season.

Hoping to raise the profiles of cafes and restaurants in the area, the event will include range of offers, pop-up themed events and set menu deals at some of the

town’s most prestigious restaurants.

Sarah Rodriguez, Marketing & Events Coordinator of Southport BID, told Liverpool Life: “Southport’s restaurant and bar scene has flourished in recent months and years, and as a town we have independent businesses to be very proud of.

“We wanted to create a week in which people can take advantage of great offers, set menus or events to try somewhere new and to discover just how outstanding our restaurant scene is.

“From pubs to fine dining we have some great venues on board and more on the way.”

Deals include kids eat free at Bistrot Pierre and Churrasco, free wine at Auberge Brasserie, two courses for just £5.95 at Cheshire Line or steak & wine for two for £24 at Forge Brasserie and many more.

Sarah said: “We would love to see families, visitors and locals alike take advantage of all that is on offer and share the experiences they have with others to help spread the word.”

For all current offers and further updates, go to https://www.

BY SEANAN McSHEFFREY Liverpool’s newest student development The Tower, located in the Baltic Triangle, has opened its doors, adding to the Liverpool skyline.

Eoghan Taggart, senior account manager at X1 Lettings, said: “Our students want luxurious modern student accommodation rather than the usual halls experience, our new development The Tower is located on the famous Plaza Boulevard overseeing all of Liverpool and a short walk from town” Mr Taggart added: “We at X1 hope to continue building future luxury affordable developments in Liverpool, Manchester, Kent and Leeds and become the most favourable letting agency in the North West.

“Within our goals we are adapting to new markets and trends while focusing on employee development.”

The Tower opens its doors

One of the interiors at the new development

© Seanan Mc Sheffrey

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Sensor City launch £10K prize for small businesses

By HARRY LEAHEY Liverpool-based technical innovation centre Sensor City has launched a competition for small and medium sized enterprises to win a fast-track growth package worth up to £10,000.

The prize is designed to broaden a small business’s scale and boost its competitive advantage and innovative capabilities.

To do this, the winning enterprise will benefit from having official membership status and work space with Sensor City for up to six months. The growth package also includes access to event space and specialists from within Sensor City.

Joanne Phoenix, interim executive director at Sensor City, said: “The growth package is a fantastic opportunity for start-ups and small businesses to leverage the specialist equipment and technological expertise we have in-house at Sensor City, which will help them to rapidly prototype their ideas and innovations.”

Sensor City in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter is encouraging innovation Located near the Knowledge Quarter, Sensor City is a joint scheme between Liverpool John Moores University and The University of Liverpool and is one of only four University Enterprise Zones in the country that’s putting sensor technology on the map both in the UK and around the globe.

Successful businesses will also gain access to Amazon Web Services’ Activate programme, which will provide them with admission to the technology infrastructure they will need to scale and grow including credits, technical training, and wider business support.

The competition is part of the innovation centre’s commitment

to ensure Britain is one of the world’s leading countries in developing sensor technology, while creating a community of companies that are innovation driven.

The deadline for submissions is 5pm on Friday February 22 and all relevant businesses - local, national and international - can take part.

Anger as gateway fines pass £1m

By ELLIE WATKINSON

Sir Paul’s pride at gold badge

By LIAM CORK Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney has recieved a coveted gold Blue Peter badge for inspiring generations of people through his music.

He said he had “finally made it” upon recieving the award, and that he would “wear it with great pride”. The Queen, eight-time Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt and Harry Potter author JK Rowling all hold gold Blue Peter badges.

An astounding £2.4m was generated from Mersey Gateway Bridge penalty charge notices (PCN) during the last three months of 2018.

The toll system has been met with a backlash from motorists ever since the bridge opened in 2017, with some blaming Halton Borough Council’s decision not to set up payment booths leading to confusion.

A legal challenge last year resulted in a Traffic Penalty Tribunal ruling that fines were illegal as fees were not correctly specified, although bridge operators insisted the money will not be repaid.

Much of the public anger is vented on a public Facebook group, Scrap Mersey Tolls, which has gathered over 5,000 members.

Group administrator, John McGoldrick, told Liverpool Life: “The worst feature of the Gateway scheme is that there is no toll booth.

“This has resulted in over one

SIGNS: Laura Barton-Williams million penalty notices being issued to the public. We’ve seen authorities sending out a firm of bailiffs before the Christmas period, demanding many hundreds of pounds from those affected.”

Revenue from the toll charges and PCNs contributes towards the Cheshire bridge’s £600m construction, plus maintenance and ongoing operation costs. If fines are not paid within 42 days, recovery of the money may be handled by bailiffs.

Recent statistics suggest that despite the huge sum in fines, the number of unpaid £2 journeys

resulting in a PCN has actually fallen.

Laura Barton-Williams, Communications Officer for Mersey Gateway, told JMU Journalism: “More than 23 million journeys have been made across the Mersey Gateway Bridge since it started operation, 96% of payments were made on time.”

Ms Barton-Williams responded to criticism of the toll’s signage, adding: “The signs in place when the new bridge opened to traffic were sufficient to meet the requirements of Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 and have been authorised by the Department for Transport.”

Despite this, the period from October to December 2018 still saw more than 200,000 penalty charges issued to drivers.

Tolls on two Severn bridges linking England and Wales were abolished in December after being handed over to public ownership.

It was reported that the free bridges will increase local house prices and produce £1bn of economic benefit over the decade.

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Scouse accent gets a reboot in bid to aid voice recognition

By ADELE MATTHEWS Research is set to influence the way in which the Scouse accent is heard following a new project into dialect recognition.

The famous Liverpudlian dialect is a distinctive sound. However, with the development of speech recognition devices it has become harder for Scousers to be understood.

With the help of University of Liverpool English lecturers Dr Paul Cooper and Dr Sofia Lampropoulou, a new research programme is under way in a bid to support automatic dialect recognition.

The research project, which began in October 2017, is the first systematic study of the variation of Liverpool English and aims to build an automatic speech recognition system for the regional accent.

Leading on the project, Dr Lampropoulou, told Liverpool Life about how the idea began, claiming it was down to the perceptions of Scouse.

“We believe accents are what differentiate people but at the same time is what makes them distinctive as personalities, as members of a group, as communities in practice.

“We believe it’s important as it has a technical impact as well as a cyber impact but there’s also more and more encouragement from the university to communicate our work outside academia.”

The STFC Hartree Centre is working indepartmentally with the English department on the computerisation aspect of it.

Dr Cooper, who teaches in social phonetics, further believes that the Liverpool dialect can sometimes be represented as unintelligible when subtitles can often be used on YouTube clips with

Dr Sofia Lampropoulou and Dr Paul Copper © Adele Matthews Scouse speakers.

“We looked into how it is viewed in the academic community and the wider community, the social values associated with Scouse and this idea evolved into how does this translate into how people use

their phones.”

The project includes hiring a PhD student to partake in it, who will conduct interviews with Liverpool natives and record speakers in a variety of different contexts.

Exhibition launched to put Leonardo’s genius into focus

By ORLAITH CLINTON The Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool has been chosen as one of 11 venues hosting a new exhibition of 12 Leonardo da Vinci drawings.

The major exhibition commemorates the 500th anniversary of the Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci’s death and runs from February 1 to May 6 across the UK. The displays focus on da Vinci’s death and the diversity of subjects that inspired his creativity, including painting, sculpture, architecture and music.

Xanthe Brooke, curator of European Art at National Museums Liverpool, said: “Leonardo da Vinci is undoubtedly one of the most renowned and influential artists in history, having left a major impact within the disciples of both art and science.

“We’re honoured to be part of this wonderful showcase of drawings, creating a very special

moment in the Walker’s history.”

Examples of all the drawing materials employed by the artist are displayed in Liverpool and beyond, including pen and ink, red and black chalks, watercolour and metal point.

New information about da Vinci’s working practises is also presented at the free events, which have been gathered through scientific research using ultraviolet imaging, infrared relectography and x-ray fluorescence.

The exhibitions are ongoing as part of a nationwide event organised by Royal Collection Trust.

Martin Clayton, Head of Prints and Drawings at Royal Collection Trust, said: “The exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery demonstrates the extraordinarily wide range of Leonardo’s work throughout his lifetime, and is a thrilling oppor tunity for audiences to engage directly with one of the greatest

Two of da Vinci’s pieces included in the exhibition minds in history.”

The exhibition runs until May 6 2019 in Liverpool, as well as at Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Southampton and Sunderland.

Following these exhibitions across the UK, the art will be brought together for a collectivedisplay in The Queen’s Gallery,

Buckingham Palace.

This event will showcase over 200 sheets of the artist’s work, making it the largest exhibition of Leonardo’s work in over 65 years.

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Community groups aiming to spread true meaning of Islam

By ABIGAIL LAWRENCE The popular ‘Discover Islam’ event returned to the World Museum of Liverpool aiming to break through stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding the Islam religion and the people who follow it.

The community-led event, hosted by the Liverpool Muslim Outreach Society and Meet Your Muslim Neighbours, had something for people of all ages.

Activities were available throughout the day from arts and crafts, henna tattooing, Arabic calligraphy and a range of literature for both young children and adults.

Rashida, 52, from the Discover Islam team, said: “There is such a high level of

islamophobia in the media at the moment, portraying all Muslims to be terrorists.

When we’re nothing like that. Islam does not stand for terrorism - we are peaceful people. We respect everyone’s religion.

“Our prayer is very similar to meditation, this keeps us peaceful and connected spiritually.

“We are able to take five minutes, five times a day and it helps us.

“We are here today to show what we really believe in, so that people don’t get influenced by what they see in the media and to actually meet us and speak to us and give them the chance to ask us questions.”

‘Discover Islam’ aims to

Stages of Islam educate people and promote peace amongst all religions.

The event encourages people to simply start a conversation with someone and see

© Abigail Lawrence that we really are not very different from one another by highlighting the fact that ultimately we are just people and have more in common

Delight as unsung heroes take Centre stage

By SEANAN MC SHEFFREY Liverpool charity Centre 56 has won an “unsung heroes” award for its work with the community and helping those in need.

Centre 56 is a domestic abuse charity in the heart of north Liverpool.

It is one of the oldest domestic abuse support units in the country, having just celebrated its 45th anniversary.

The centre is run by a small team of staff, volunteers and a Board of Trustees whose dedication and passion ensures Centre 56 continues to help those who need it most.

Over the past few years, it has supported 1,305 children through its specialist nursery and after-school club.

All these children have been affected by domestic abuse and have had a traumatic start in life.

Speaking of winning the accolade at the Inclusive Economy Liverpool Celebration Awards 2019, Joanna Harvey, communications specialist at Centre 56, said: “It was a real surprise to have won the Unsung Heroes award, so we’re absolutely delighted!

“We’ve been around for 45 years

Members of Centre 56 collecting their unsung heroes award but so few people know about us, so it was really nice to be acknowledged in such a lovely way.”

Centre 56 puts the children first and they provide childcare, information and support for women and children who have suffered, or are at risk, of domestic abuse or a crisis.

Pat Roberts, the Nursery and After-school Manager at Centre

56, said: “Food poverty is an issue in deprived areas like North Liverpool.

“We realised some of the children were being given unhealthy food at home, so we decided to tackle this issue by providing free healthy hot meals at lunchtimes for the children and free cooking classes for parents.”

Joanna added: “We would like

© Centre 56 Twitter the community to know more about Centre 56 and what we do to support children and families who have been affected by domestic abuse or a crisis.

“We’re the only charity in the area that provides such specialised support.

“We’d love to grow and help even more people than we do now.”

10 LL BEAUTY

Pic © Ian Dooley on Unsplash

Getting Lippy

By ELLIE WATKINSON

T

he phrase ‘lip filler’ has likely crossed your mind before. It’s unavoidable when your Instagram explore feed is saturated with selfies from the Kardashian clan and the Instagram model Hall of Fame.

And according to Google Trends, this cosmetic procedure has appeared in the search engines of people from Liverpool more than in any other region of England.

The city may be the capital of dermal fillers - but why are Liverpudlians infatuated with the perfect pout? After all, it isn’t exactly a risk-free procedure.

Liverpool Life spoke to two young women regarding their experiences with lip injections.

They have “completely changed” Lucy Owen’s face.

The 18-year-old from Aigburth said: “I didn’t have small lips originally. However, I would say social media and Kylie Jenner’s lips led me to want them to be fuller.

“I don’t go to appointments knowing exactly how much to get in my lips, when I’m there I just look in the mirror and tell the woman when to stop.”

Emma Holmes, 18, agreed that social media was the reason she opted to get lip fillers.

She said: “I didn’t do any research, it was just a snap decision and I went to a woman my friend recommended.”

However, the fashion marketing student from Rainhill is consider-

Customer Mimi following her treatment ing getting the lip filler removed.

She added: “If I don’t get them removed then I am definitely getting them dissolved and re-done due to lumps from the current filler.”

Save Face is a national register of accredited practitioners who perform non-surgical cosmetics treatments.

In their annual report of consumer complaints, dermal fillers received the highest volume of dissatisfaction. Treatment outcomes included bruising and even infection in rarer cases.

Liverpool Life talked to facial aesthetic practitioner and member of Save Face Dr MJ Rowland-Warmann who said: “We are seeing a significant rise in reports

“social media led me to want MY LIPS to be fuller”

of botched work and patients having serious issues after treatment due to the rise in unlicenced practitioners.

“Media is great to advertise a treatment, but we are seeing it is being used to raise awareness too.

“It’s important that patients understand that fillers are a medical procedure after all, and the increase in media attention in dermal filler treatment can help patients understand what to look out for in a practitioner.”

SmileWorks is one of the leading facial aesthetic companies in Liverpool and employs 30 members of staff specialising in dentistry and facial aesthetics.

Co-owner and digital marketing specialist Ed Challinor told Liverpool Life: “The volume of searches in Liverpool for our clinic is about 720 a month. But, the amount of volume on Google only represents around 30pc of the demand in Liverpool.”

© Ellie Watkinson

According to Ed, the number of facial aesthetic businesses or beauticians in Liverpool is very high, compared to anywhere else in England.

There is also an increasing number of teenagers getting the procedure in the city.

He said: “You find lip fillers fall under the youngest age-category, it is all 18-year-olds want right now; it’s a very effective way of making them feel sexy.

“But because of our prices many of the youngsters are going to small salons and they’re looking on Instagram or Facebook to find them.”

The average cost of 1ml of lip dermal filler is £250. However, it can range from £150 to £1000 depending on the business.

In addition, figures suggest the cosmetic surgery industry in the UK is worth up to £3.6bn, with botox and fillers worth an eye-watering £2.7bn.

REAL LIFE

Sarah’s

LL11

Story

From a tumour that led to infertility, a pregnancy that led to loss and a story that will lead to tears, Annie Williams tells of one woman’s path to success

I

n 2013, Wirral mum Sarah Auger received the news that she was carrying a tumour in her brain.

Although it was non-cancerous and manageable, such pituitary tumours can cause infertility and in Sarah’s case, it did.

Wanting to complete her little family, Sarah, then a single mum to Owen, was referred to an infertility clinic where she eventually fell pregnant.

Sarah told Liverpool Life: “In 2015 I became pregnant with twins following infertility treatment, but my waters broke at 22 weeks and I was hospitalised. I managed to reach 28 weeks before having an emergency C-section.

“Teddy, weighing 2lb 12oz, and Tilly,weighing 2lb 5oz, had arrived quite abruptly, at 12 weeks premature it was a scary moment.

Sadly, Teddy passed away at four hours old and Tilly was in NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), where she remained for nine weeks.

“The day I brought her home was a miracle in itself, after everything that happened.”

During this time, Sarah’s oldest son was also undergoing treatment with a chemo drug for his autoimmune disease that caused him to go blind three days before Christmas, four years ago.

Since birth, Owen has also been diagnosed with moderate learning difficulties, ADHD, dyslexia, visual problems and processing difficulties.

Fast-forward just two years and

Sarah launched her business The Sensory Fairy in a bid to help parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Her online store aims to support parents by providing them with ‘sensory solutions’ that will help their children in everyday life, including sensory clothing, worry eaters and ‘mindset & me affirmation cards’.

Sarah said: “The Sensory Fairy’s company ethos is one of great passion. I believe in making resources, toys, equipment and specialist clothing for parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities, easily accessible, as these are readily available for professionals and schools.

“All of these combined, are needed to be able to create a good balance between home and school life, and help us support our children just as they are supported in school.”

S

arah was selected to be amongst the 25 women featured in the fourth and final instalment of Amazon’s best-selling series, Mumpreneur on Fire, published by the Mums in Business Association (MIBA).

Sarah joined MIBA last year, an international group founded by sisters Estelle Keeber and Leona Burton, who believed there was a lack of online support for mums who wanted to start their own businesses. Since its launch in 2017, the association has built up a network of over 31,000 members across the globe.

Sarah holding a flyer advertising the release of her book Sarah said: “My chapter in the book tells of my story that started four years ago, about my children, my loss, and grief and how four years on I now run a successful business, helping parents find sensory solutions for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

“I hope to inspire other ladies to realise that almost anything is possible.”

The third book in the series peaked at number three on the Amazon best-seller charts and the new book includes 25 motivational stories on mums who have succeeded in business after battling through depression, child loss, bereavement and suicide.

A representative of MIBA told Liverpool Life: “By bringing together these amazing women we

hope to inspire other women all over the world.

“We all experience times of darkness and struggle - these stories will show that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that light is within each of us.”

• Mumpreneur on Fire 4 is available now from Amazon in digital and paperback formats. Find out more information about MIBA on Facebook.

“I hope to inspire others to realise that almost anything is possible.”

St Helens welcomes the magical production of Ben and Holly

By STEPHEN KILLEN

B

ring your children down to St Helens Theatre Royal to see the BAFTA award-winning television animation, Ben and Holly LIVE this February.

Join Ben Elf, Holly, King Thistle and Gaston as they embark on different magical adventures guaranteed to bring joy to those in attendance on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th February. Premium Tickets start from £21 for adults, £9 for children.

Band 1 – Family (2 Adult, 2

Child) £60/ Adults £17/ Child (Up to 16 years) £15/ Child (6-12 months) £11Band 2 – Adults £15/ Child (Up to 16 years) £13/ Child (6-12 months) £11 • Meanwhile, Ed Gamble returns to Liverpool on the back of his sell-out UK Tour in 2017 with his brand new show Blizzard.

The Mock the Week star is at the Epstein Theatre on Sunday February 17th for a not-to-be-missed laughter-packed show.

Blizzard gets underway from 8pm and tickets start from £16.

Winter Ales festival returns to Liverpool

By TIARNAN QUIGLEY

T

he annual Winter Ale Festival returned to St. George’s Hall.

The festival brings over 200 local brewers and gin distillers together to allow the public to sample their weird and wonderful drinks.

As a beer connoisseur myself, I was more than happy to call in for a pint or two and see what was on offer.

So, with my half pint glass in hand, I set out.

Amongst a sea of forgettable and similar tasting lagers, IPAs and APAs, two stick out in my mind: the Neptune Fugu (I assume the name is a reflection of the sea saltlike taste), and overall the most standout beverage - the Carolina Reaper

Chilli Stout, made from the world’s hottest chilli.

As expected, there was some heat involved but it was a welcome heat you would expect with whisky, but with a much smokier flavour.

For the spirit drinker there was also a stall dedicated to Liverpool’s own Turncoat Gin and a separate, albeit lacklustre, gin garden.

Also on offer was locally sourced foodstuffs including delicious fresh made SKAUS and various cheeses, if that is your thing.

I will give the festival the benefit of the doubt as I attended on the first night, so perhaps it was not in full swing yet.

Ben, Holly and friends.

Ed Gamble

THE GUIDE

© Dan Tsantilis

THE GUIDE From left: Daniel Taylor, Warwick Evans and Sean Jones

Hubble Bubble, this spells trouble

By CHRISTA DALEY

D

o you want excitement this spring? Then look no further as Daniel Taylor Productions is back with a bang, bringing a brilliant and bloody tale to life.

Set in the aftermath of a ruinous civil war, Macbeth explores the infamous chronicle of a Scottish

hero’s fall from grace, through spellbound seduction and the consequences of the unrestrained pursuit of power.

After starring in the smash-hit musical Blood Brothers, Sean Jones and Warwick Evans will be reunited on set along with Daniel Taylor, who will produce and

direct the play.

Award-winning producer Daniel said: “I’m thrilled to be working with such a talented cast and crew, many of whom are longtime stars of that other blockbuster of theatre, Blood Brothers.”

Shakespeare’s tale will unfold at the Epstein Theatre, with the

same passion and brilliance that has been delighting audiences for over 400 years.

So, whether thunder, lighting, rain or shine, be sure to brave the elements head over to the Hanover Street venue from Thursday 7th–Saturday 16th March.

• Box office: 0844 888 4411

Production puts West to the test

By CHRISTA DALEY

A

missing body, a stranger in town, a female bounty hunter and a dysfunctional sheriff find their fates are tangled in this Gothic Western.

Make It Write theatre are treating audiences to their gritty western drama, The Barn Swallows.

This female-led team have put the West to the test in this gritty new production, which will leave you wondering who will make it out alive as the characters seek to escape their past lives and a lawless town.

Pushing stereotypical boundaries, this drama follows the theme of escape, lost souls and retribution with a strong female and male presence that unearth stories from the past, making them accessible and relatable to a modern audience.

Set five years after the American civil war, this drama will give the Old West a fresh sense of identity.

Producer Sharon Colpman said: “Growing up in a predominantly male family, Westerns, and in particular John Wayne, seemed to

dominate my TV viewing.

“When I read The Barn Swallows it struck a chord with me as the idea of a female-led western would make an intriguing scenario, certainly a memorable one for

all the right reasons.”

Who will survive and who will escape? Find out at The Hope Street Theatre from Wed 6th – Sat 9th March 2019. Box Office: 0344 561 0622

Brendan is back on stage

The Barn Swallows, from left: Meg McFarlane, Catherine Ainsworth, Sharon Colpman and Helen Jones

Brendan Cole is about to embark on his most theatrical live tour production yet, which includes two performances at Storyhouse in Chester.

Show Man takes its inspiration from the magic of theatre and the movies, and Brendan Cole is keen that audiences experience the most exceptional night of entertainment. Brendan Cole – Show Man comes to Storyhouse on Sunday 24 February, with performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale now.

14LL VALENTINES

Perfect gifts for that special someone MEGAN TATTERSLEY has found the most unusual presents you can pick up for the one you love.

They’ll either love or hate this special jar.

You will never be forgetten with these socks.

Something for all the single ladies.

Where to buy these unique items 1. Personalised Marmite, Prezzybox, £11.99 2. Personalised I Love You Face Socks, Prezzybox ,£19.99 3. Grow your own Boyfriend, Find Me a Gift, £1.99 Your man will always remember the place you met with these cufflinks.

4. Personalised Vintage Map Cufflinks, Prezzybox, £24.99 5. Dust Mop Slippers, Find Me a Gift, £3.49

This is the perfect pair for the one who needs to do more around the house.

Five things to do in the city on February 14th

By NADIA BREEN 1. Dance Little Liar A free dance class at The Jacaranda to learn some new moves, while enjoying a drink in a relaxed environment! Don’t worry about being single on Valentine’s Day, as the class is open for everyone from 8pm.

2. Valentine’s Classics by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Treat your someone special to a night of romantic music taken

from popular movies. The songs will include As Time Goes By from Casablanca, The Way You Look Tonight from Swing Time and From Russia with Love from James Bond. Some of the most uplifting and beautiful music from the movies will be performed by vocalists Matthew Ford, alongside the full Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

3. Valentine’s Day Speed Dating There is no need for awkwardness asking for numbers at the

end of the dates, as all you need to do is fill in a from saying whether you would like to see the person again. Then if you both say yes, organisers will provide you with each other’s digits. Ages 18-35 are welcome and cocktails are 2-4-1 all night. This is held at The Shipping Forecast.

4. Dirty Dancing 30th Anniversary showing Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this timeless, romantic classic will be screened at Fact Cinema just in time for Valentine’s

day. Starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, it’s a love story of a teenager and a dance teacher based in the summer of 1963.

5. Galentine’s Disco One for the ladies, this night out will be themed on girl power.

Expect to hear songs from the biggest and best divas of all time, including Cher, Madonna, Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera. There will be cocktails, a phone booth and a glitter station at Camp & Furnace.

VALENTINES

Harry W clicked on Sally ... ith Valentine’s Day upon us, mobile dating apps are expected to see a surge of over a 20pc usage increase as searching singles make one last attempt to find themselves a Valtentine.

Swipe right for love (or lust), swipe left for loser. A concept where you judge a potential romantic partner purely on the basis of five photos (maximum) of their face. Introducing Tinder, an app that has overtaken the nation as the number one way to find your ‘hook-up’ for the night.

What was supposed to help people find love quickly turned into a way for people to have easier access to one-night stands or, in some cases, free food.

In this generation, the hook-up culture has overcome the dating culture, what even is romance anymore?

Nowadays, it’s romantic for a man to ‘like’ your Instagram photo, walk you to the front door after a night you will soon grow to regret or Whatsapp you back during a stressful game of FIFA. So yes, I guess you could say romance is a dying culture.

When Tinder became available to all smartphone users in 2013, it ushered in a new era in the history of romance.

Dating apps originated in the gay community back in 2009, with Grindr and Scruff – helping single men link up by searching for other active users within a specific geographic radius.

With the launch of Tinder in 2012, iPhone users of all sexualities could start looking for love, or sex, or casual

When

As romance gets swiped from the screen, ANNIE WILLIAMS reports on how dating app Tinder has revolutionized dating culture dating and it quickly became the most popular dating app on the market.

When Tinder expanded into the Android market the following year, the app saw its biggest shift in the dating culture, taking over more than 70pc smartphones worldwide.

‘Twitter-famous’ and I should appreciate that and asked to use my toilet and left a…’ you can guess the rest.

asked readers for their best (or worst) Tinder experiences and what attracts them to use the modern-day Cupid app.

JOE LITTLE, 27 ...

“I’ve never really used Tinder for romantic purposes - bar once.

Any other time has simply been for sex, if I’m completely truthful. I’ve always been honest with the girls and made sure we were on the same page beforehand, but it has mainly been an app to have a bit of fun for me.”

LAUREN ELLWOOD, 22 ...

“Where do I start? One guy took me for drinks and asked “does little piggy want some food?” Then took me to get chips but BANNED me from having mayo, he also told me he’s

CLAUDIA CARROLL, 22 ...

“Not a dating experience per se, I was messaging this guy for ages and planned a date, but before that I got really drunk one night and rang him to pick me up. He picked my friends

LL

LL 15

and me up, took them to Maccies and bought them food, stopped at a petrol station bought them fags and dropped them off.

“I was convinced he fancied one of my friends, but I ended up sleeping with him anyway. The next day he dropped me off and we arranged a date. Long story short, I never saw him again and he then messaged my friend on Facebook asking whether he could take her on a date.”

However it’s not all tragically unlucky, Liverpool student SIMRAN ROY, tells us how she met her partner in the world on Tinder: “My partner Richard and I met on Tinder and ended up talking for about a month or so before we actually met up. We almost lost touch because of how fickle the Tinder environment is and when I forgot to message back one day I thought that was it, but he got back to me, we went on a couple dates and the rest is history! He’s also the only person who could probably handle my weirdness!”

Tinder has completely revolutionised the dating world, and it could be argued that it has changed many of people’s perceptions about how to treat the opposite sex. It has potentially given people an easy way out in order to satisfy their needs and desires.

Casual meet-ups are not all bad, but the mind-set that has developed about what dating really is has been altered towards a more negative direction.

We are the Tinder Generation.

16 L

L MUSIC

Trio’s art is in the right place

By LIAM CORK

L

iverpool Arts Society is an organisation set up by three LJMU drama graduates with the aim of promoting independent art, music and theatre across the city.

The trio consists of artistic director Alex Medlicott, musical director Tom Wilson and technician Jordan Bucknall. All three were present at the Jacaranda on Slater Street last Monday to kick off Independent Music Week in Liverpool.

The night saw performances from local acts Daisy Gill, RUBY and Leicester-based rock outfit Jakkals.

Alex, Jordan and Tom also run the Underground Arts Society, which stages events every Thursday at the Jacaranda featuring performers from across the city.

Alex said: “The Jacaranda is historically known around Liverpool where new bands started, the basement is where you try new things out.”

The venue is acclaimed as the one that launched the careers of the Beatles in the early ‘60s.

“A lot of time we do theatrical stuff because that’s our bread and butter, but every week we

do something to promote new, upcoming artists in Liverpool.”

He added: “We did one night called ‘Sketchy’, where we got an art teacher to come in and teach people to do self-portraits.”

The group’s inclusive approach to performance art has gained them a solid grass roots following, with many attendees being artists themselves.

Alex said: “What you get is stand-ups in the North West, they’ll come to the music gigs and then the musicians will come to the comedy or theatre shows.”

The Arts Society takes pride in bringing together up-and-coming artists from Merseyside and beyond.

Alex said: “We’re trying to create a network for all of those people, say you’re a musician and you need an actor for a music video or an artist to create an album cover.”

They also have an office and rehearsal space on Hope Street from which they offer subsidised spaces for independent artists who may otherwise have nowhere else to gather.

As a collective, the Arts Society are strong supporters of Liverpool’s independent venues, Alex said: “Everyone has to start

TRIO: Alex, Jordan and Tom - Liverpool Arts Society founders somewhere and if everyone neglects independent venues we will lose the likes of where the Beatles started and those home grown Liverpool Artists.”

With the closure of treasured venues The Kazimier , The

Magnet and most recently the announcement that Baltic Triangle venue Constellations is due to close this year, the importance of grass roots communities such as The Liverpool Arts Society is becoming increasingly clear.

DJ Sosa sets club scene in a spin

U

TOP and ABOVE: SOSA in performance

p-and-coming Liverpool DJ Sosa is preparing his beats for one of the hottest prospects in the genre, Michael Bibi, later this month.

Not only has Sosa has already supported techno hotshot Riva Starr in his short career, he’s on the undercard of some of the heavyweight bouts in the tech genre.

Now he’s being head-hunted by some of the biggest names in the business. In his short but promising career, Sosa has already seen his track ‘Da Beat’ released on Relief Records as featured on a four-song playlist on SoundCloud.

Sosa’s love for being charge of the drop came from a rare source.

The south Liverpool lad, like many other Scousers, had a love for football.

In fact, he was quite good at it.

He told LL: “When I was 16 I played for Blackburn Rovers and on the long journeys to training

I used to just mess about on FL studio. This gave me the bug for making music.”

Music is changing by the week, if not the day. The 21-year-old DJ has been spinning records for about 12 months now and is starting to get the taste for it.

His next big break is just a few weeks away when he supports Michael Bibi on his UK tour as BINARY will be hosting an event in the underground tunnels at Wav, on Glegg Street.

Sosa describes himself as a DJ who plays to fuel the crowd, playing tunes made for clubs and festivals. After his first time behind the decks, he felt he came off two stone lighter. He laughs: “I got a local gig for Power To The People Events and had about a week to learn the decks.

“The gig actually went pretty well and I came off the decks about two stone lighter from sweating, and a big smile on my face.”

Despite only having “Da Beat” released so far, there is plenty in the pipeline for this young Liverpudlian as he embarks on the biggest year of his career, as his music is associated with some of the biggest labels in the business.

He said: “Because I’m waiting for the right time to push my music, I have only released one track.

“But there is music pending release on the likes of Repopulate Mars, Under No Illusion, Resonance Records and Of Unsound Mind.”

With Patrick Topping being his inspiration, Sosa sent a warning to music lovers in the city: “I am aiming for the stars. I’m going to try and get on the best possible labels I can. I’ve also got some really cool gigs coming up which I’m excited about.

“Hopefully I will be making my London debut, this year. Keep your eyes open.”

By STEPHEN KILLEN

STYLE

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17

BEDROOM TO

BALENCIAGA

T

Geometra headquarters and, below, George working in the office © Stephen Killen

Stephen Killen meets the man behind one of the city’s newest brands

he city of Liverpool prides itself on being at the cutting edge of fashion and the rise in social media has seen a surge in clothing brands on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

So these days, when someone eyes up a £300 pair of Valentino trainers, they often head over to the Instagram or online store of Geometra, the brainchild of Liverpool’s George Griffin.

Speaking exclusively to Liverpool Life, George explained how he went from selling clothes out of his bedroom to boasting a 16,000-follower Instagram account.

He now supplies designer goods to footballers, including Liverpool midfielder Fabinho.

George spoke to Liverpool Life on a bright but icy afternoon in the city. George was in high spirits, replete in his blue cap, ripped jeans and favourite brand of shoes, Valentino.

The 22-year-old talked about what sparked the company and how he spotted an opportunity in

the market: “When I was 18, my Dad gave me £350, “At that stage it was more Stone Island and the less known brands with my mates, so I did that. Just selling from my bedroom, I’d have people coming and going every day picking bits up,” At the start, it was difficult for him to find a supplier who could meet the demand, with business out of his bedroom increasing weekly.

George explained: “I noticed people wearing designer brands and the biggest shoe at the time was the Balenciaga Arena.

“I found a supplier who could get the shoe for a very good price, which made my product £50£100 cheaper than anyone else in the UK.” Looking around George’s office, there are boxes upon boxes stacked around the room.

If you could calculate how much the sneakers and clothing cost collectively, it would probably be enough to make your eyes water.

The pride in what George has already achieved in such a short

space of time is obvious.

“We sold a lot of pairs of Arena trainers. I’d go out and say there was a group of 15 lads, I’d have sold seven of them the shoes they were wearing. It was quite surreal back then, but as times goes on, you get used to it.

“Obviously, to succeed you’ve got to have a passion and this brand and fashion is something I’m passionate about.”

H

owever, in the end, selling from his bedroom started to get too much for his parents and George was forced to find a new space to offload his designer brands to awaiting customers.

“There were boxes everywhere, boxes in my room, upstairs rooms … I was with my parents at the time, it was getting too much and they were getting sick of tripping over Balenciaga boxes.

“So we decided to move the office to Liverpool because we had quite a lot of our customers from the region, it’s good for networking and it’s more productive when

you are working in an office.”

The conversation turned to a social media post where George was standing alongside Liverpool summer signing Fabinho.

He explained how just the day before, George provided the Brazilian with a fresh pair of shoes when he spotted the footballer dining in Castle Street restaurant, San Carlo.

He said: “He was made up.

We’ve sorted out a few of the other Liverpool boys, such as Trent Alexander-Arnold.

“But we don’t really reach out to many celebrities - we’re too busy supplying our own customers.”

After supplying more than 1,500 people across the UK and Europe, Geometra has sent out more than 2,300 orders to Manchester, London, Liverpool and into mainland Europe.

But George only has his eyes on the top: “Our 24-month plan is to be the biggest and the best in the United Kingdom.

“The next goal is hitting 100,000 followers and from there the possibilities are endless,” he added.

Pictures: Yasmin Annie

18 LL CULTURE

By EMMA FEGAN

A

fter Yasmin Annie moved to Liverpool from Malaysia and studied dance at LIPA, her career swiftly began to take off, fuelling both her excitement but also her stress levels.

Following graduation, Yasmin started up her own dance academy in Liverpool, called Percaya Dance, but it wasn’t long before her mental health began to suffer.

She started to feel overwhelmed with the pressure that came with juggling being a performer and independent entrepreneur.

Yasmin, 26, told LL: “I enjoyed dancing and felt my happiest moving and performing. I learnt a lot during my training and I realised it was a hard industry to get into as it was very competitive and shallow. This in many ways can knock your confidence and I could see it knocked mine and others around me. However, I still enjoyed it, I just had to fight through the doubts in my head.

“Self belief was a hurdle, I didn’t believe in myself to set my business up, I didn’t believe that I was good enough and I didn’t believe I could do it alone.

“I wanted to do it more than anything and this drove me, some days it was like a battle inside my own head and when that self doubt kicks in it seemed to take over. But somehow the other part of me is always, like, ‘Prove it and everyone wrong’.”

Although crippling thoughts consumed her, Yasmin had a dream that she was determined not to give up on, which led her to seek help at the Women’s Organ-

Dancing through the STORM isation where she completed the ‘Change It’ course, which indeed changed her life and her business.

She said: “It taught me it was okay to feel nervous, anxious, worried and have no confidence.

Everyone experiences this and everyone has to overcome their little faults everyday.

“The ‘Change It’ course taught me there are always ups and downs and as long as you can see that you will get better, you will get there in your own way. It taught me if you can keep telling yourself the positive aspects about yourself, you will feel and look more positive which can help you and others around you.

“As I was growing up I was exposed to people that suffered depression. I was aware that this could possibly happen to me one

day and I wanted to learn and be prepared to help myself and others around me, but I did learn along the way that only you can help yourself and I think with a little guidance you hopefully will go in the right direction.”

She now has studios based in Liverpool, Manchester and London and wanted to incorporate confidence building into her dance academy and offers feelgood dance classes and workshops, dance parties for events as well as dance training, to help others overcome their mental health struggles.

“It’s a safe place to feel vulnerable, the classes are structured to improve and push your limits, whilst dancing you are sweating

and feeding your brain with choreography whilst releasing endorphins. We also work on posture, how to hold your shoulders back, head up and hold your (core) so that you can protect your centre which helps when walking and standing.

“When dancing a routine you can work on creating a persona, whether it’s a sassy or cool one.

It’s good to learn to act and portray a character that’s confident even if you don’t feel it.

“Classes offer exercise, and building confidence through dance. If you stick it out you will see a progress, but showing up is a confidence-building moment.

Nothing happens overnight. Then we have the creative artist side, with artists and creativity within performing arts. The goal is to have Percaya studios running all different classes for people who really need confidence building or just want to have fun and dance.”

Yasmin is already making plans for Percaya’s future and wants to expand existing classes and introduce new ones, as well as putting performers and artists in bespoke costumes for events run by local independent, upcoming companies.

The fantastic world of

CULTURE

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19

COMIC BOOKS

By LORI DUNLEVY

H

undreds of comic fans flooded to Liverpool’s first comic fair of the year.

Golden Orbit, a company that holds comic fairs throughout the north west, showcased its collection in Liverpool last weekend.

Held in the Liner Hotel, guests paid a £1 admission fee to see some of the world’s most famous comics.

In pride of place was a first edition Spiderman comic worth over £1m.

From The Flash to Fantastic Four, thousands of collectibles were up for sale.

James Burns, Golden Orbit Events Assistant, said: “There is such a wide market for comics, it is a massive industry.

“Years ago, you had the traditional superheroes but today the comic industry has exploded.

There are lots of new companies that are constantly producing new

characters and comic books.

“I’ve been collecting comics for well over 20 years. The most expensive in my collection is a Daredevil 1 worth £2,000.”

T

he 64-year-old added: “Our events are always busy. We have people from all over the UK come to buy comics. It’s great to see old and new faces that share an interest in comics just like us at Golden Orbit.”

Liam Hunt, one of the customers at the comic fair, said: “My favourite thing to do is to collect and read new comics, so coming to a Golden Orbit comic fair is really exciting because you never know what you’ll find.”

The Golden Orbit comic fair will be seen in new cities this year including Birmingham and Nottingham. It will be back in Liverpool on April 28th.

Golden Orbit’s showcase of comics © Lori Dunlevy

20 LL GRAD WATCH

Beaming from Brussels As Brexit continues to dominate the headlines, there’s one man who’s in the thick of it

LEFT: Joe Barnes, and, below, posing a press conference question

Gradwatch HARRY LEAHEY talks to JOE BARNES

R

eporting from the very heart of the European Union, LJMU graduate Joe Barnes spends his days chasing down senior politicians around the EU parliament and attending press conferences with major European leaders.

As Brussels correspondent for the Daily Express, Joe’s working life his frantic.

But when he’s not reporting from the narrow parliamentary corridors in Brussels, Joe - who graduated in 2013 - enjoys being “native” in the Belgium city, relishing everything the city has to offer, such as the food, drink and culture.

He said: “I’ve always enjoyed politics and I’ve always been very interested in it. I generally like the challenge, it’s a good one to have on your CV, and it’s nice to be out of your comfort zone.

“Working in London between the office and Westminster, it’s quite easy to do. But to come out here, I knew nobody apart

from the odd reporter who I had worked with before on other papers, so I thought it would be a challenge and an opportunity to make some new contacts.”

Before the opportunity came about, Joe began living the dream as a sports reporter, writing match reports and sport features for various men’s magazines.

However, in the background was his awareness of politics and current affairs.

Having already a keen interest in this area, Joe decided to push himself further and take the job as Brussels correspondent, at the Daily Express.

Joe said: “I’m not too much interested in general news, I like to have a specialism of some sort and politics and Brexit being my specialism at the moment gives me something to mainly focus on.

“You can really get to grips with the knowledge and work out what’s going on, rather than just one minute writing about Brexit and then the next minute writing

about a car crash or a murder or a court case or something like that.

I like to really be able to sink my teeth into a single subject.”

Although enjoying what he does, Joe admits to sometimes suffering with ‘Brexit-fatigue’.

“It does get tiresome when you’re writing about the same story every day and there’s nothing really new to talk about and write about.

“But then that does bring its own challengers, because you then have to use your contacts and sources to get a new angle and a new story.”

Once Brexit has come and gone, Joe considers perhaps going on to become a reporter for America during elections, or an Asian correspondent.

“I would also maybe like to go into war reporting. I’ve always found it fascinating, wartime journalism, and I’ve heard some cracking stories from people out here who have filed from Bosnia and Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq.”

“

I thought it would be a challenge and an opportunity to make some new contacts

”

PEOPLE

BY LIAM PLUMBLEY

A

t the age of just 22, Warrington-born Lloyd Jones has his own photography business, known as ‘LAJ Photography’ which specialises in football, wedding events and much more.

Lloyd’s passion started back in 2013, when he received a birthday gift, which would drive him to take a different route in education, rather than his dream of becoming a footballer.

As well as working for LAJ photography, Lloyd is also the official photographer for the England Amputee football team.

He said: “I got a camera on my 16th birthday and it carried on from there, I did think before that I may have an eye for photography. I was leaving school and needed something to get into so it was a risky decision, but it’s definitely paid off.”

After a successful two years studying photography, he went straight in to a job as a part-time wedding events photography, but it was not too long after when he went solo with his business, LAJ Photography.

From the moment he picked up his first camera in college, he has never looked back and his interest just keeps growing, with new ideas on the horizon.

LL21

Lloyd was given an opportunity through a Facebook post, which he was tagged in.

He told LL: “By a stroke of luck, Owen Coyle Jr put a status on Facebook asking for a photographer for the England amputee football team and I got tagged by someone who I didn’t even know, and the rest is history.

“Luckily for me, at the time he was the manager of the England Amputee football team and after a few messages, it was something I just couldn’t turn down.”

A

s an influential member of the England Amputee football team, the 22-yearold took it on himself to help raise £1500 for the football team by bleaching his hair blonde, so that they could go and represent their country in Mexico.

The football team is a charity, which meant that they do not receive any funding from the FA. Apart from having his own business, Lloyd admits that the England Amputee football team has gave him the most and best opportunies in his career to date.

He said: “Working with the England amputee team was an unbelievable experience, I got to travel to Poland, Ireland, Mexico and Houston photographing and just being a part of the group was amazing.”

PICTURE THIS

At just 22 Lloyd has established a business that he is passionate about

22 LL SPORT

World Cup fever hits netball lovers

By SHAUN DRISCOLL The 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup is coming to Liverpool this summer with the world’s best netball teams gathering to compete for the prestigious title.

The ACC Liverpool will be the host venue of the competition, beginning on July 12th.

The host nation England have the momentum behind them, coming off their epic victory over defending world champions Australia to win gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, which resulted in the team racking up

two awards at the 2018 Sports Personality Of The Year Awards for ‘Moment Of The Year’ and ‘Team Of The Year’.

In their last outing at a World Cup, the England team finished in third place in Sydney in 2015.

The defending champions and current world number ones Australia are looking to hold on to their crown as World Champions after winning the competition three times in a row, making them winners in seven out of the last nine World Cup tournaments.

Following Liverpool’s triumphant bid to host the Netball

ACC © ACC Liverpool

On Court © Wikimedia Commons World Cup, Mayor Joe Anderson said: “I am thrilled that Liverpool has been chosen to stage the Netball World Cup in 2019.

“It is a huge honour and vote of confidence, and demonstrates our track record in delivering major quality events.

“Sport is hugely important in Liverpool and we have committed to a 10-year partnership with England Netball to build participation and grow the audience up to and beyond the event through a series of top internationals.

“The stunning ACC Liverpool will be the perfect stage for the event and we are looking forward to welcoming a global audience.”

Sixteen nations have qualified and will be competing for gold in the World Cup. Six Nations automatically qualified, they are England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Malawi

and Jamaica. The remaining 12 had to qualify via regional tournaments, these are Scotland, Northern Ireland, Fiji, Samoa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Sri Lanka and Singapore.

During the nine days, 20 sessions of Netball will take place, with two sessions taking place per day.

Up until July 16 there will be two courts in play simultaneously but as the tournament progresses it will only be one court in action.

There have been 450 volunteer roles created by the Netball World Cup called ‘Pivoteers’, giving the people of Liverpool and others the opportunity to gain experience helping make sure a global sporting competition runs efficiently Ticket prices range from £10£60 for adults and £7-£35 for juniors.

Park serving up free tennis

Charity is winner

Get your rackets at the ready as free tennis for all is on offer in Merseyside parks. Every Sunday, people of all ages can attend Liverpool’s Sefton Park to have a two-hour coachled tennis practise.

The event is organised by the sporting charity, Tennis For Free (TFF) in partnership with the Liverpool Tennis Foundation and host club Mersey Bowmen.

North England Regional Manager of TTF, John Willis, told LL: “Having free tennis gives people that chance to try sports when they might not otherwise.

“Not everyone wants to pay for classes and here people have the option to leave or stay on for as long as they like.”

Sefton Park currently has the biggest attendance for tennis in the whole of the UK. Site director David Simms told LL: “On average we have slightly under 50 people

Hundreds of runners gathered for the annual Aintree charity fun run. They took part in 5km, 10km and half marathon races, with participants deciding which charities to upport.

Ben Sheppard, the host of the event at Aintree Racecourse, said: “I always love hosting events for Run Through, the team are great to work with and there is always a brilliant mix of runners of all abilities. Such a brilliant family atmosphere. The venue is amazing. It is not very often people get to race around the most famous steeplechase circuit on the planet.”

The Capital Radio breakfast host added: “I have done a lot of charity running in the past and I would love to do more in the future.”

By MEGAN TATTERSLEY

attending each week.”

Last year, spring was one of the most popular seasons with 80 to 90 people attending Sunday activity in April.

“Having free tennis engages the community and makes sports accessible. There is great community spirit and people make a lot of friends,” he added.

Simon Maskell has been attending the games with his son. He told LL: “I discovered the service by walking past a sign with the free lessons advertised. My son Toby was a keen player but was unsure how to go about it.”

Now, at almost 11, Toby is playing competitively for the Lancashire Tennis Junior League.

By LORI DUNLEVY

SPORT

Anfield set to host rugby clash

By NICK WARE

LL23

Hockey clubs on the run to support charity campaign

By ELLIE WATKINSON

Anfield has been chosen as a venue for the Rugby League World Cup 2021 as part of the city of Liverpool’s bid.

In addition, the M&S Bank Arena Liverpool will host the wheelchair Rugby League final.

Councillor Wendy Simon, Deputy Mayor of Liverpool and Cabinet member for Culture and Events, said: “Liverpool is a fantastic fit for the Rugby League World Cup 2021 and we are delighted and honoured to be the only city to host all three formats at this historic tournament.”

This is the first time Liverpool FC’s historic stadium has been chosen for a Rugby League World Cup, despite England staging the tournament five times previously.

The tournament will feature 16 nations in the men’s format and eight in both the women’s and wheelchair formats, with the event taking place between October and November.

Two LJMU sports teams are to run the BTR Liverpool Half Marathon for a suicide charity next month.

LJMU Men’s and Women’s Hockey clubs will team up to run the 13.1-mile course on March 10th. The sport teams aim to raise £2000 whilst increasing awareness for their chosen charity CALM (The Campaign Against Living Miserably).

Ben Smith from LJMU Men’s Hockey club told Liverpool Life: “We have had a relationship with CALM for a while now, certainly the entirety of my degree.

“We feel this charity does some outstanding work surrounding an issue that is both prominent and close to home for some members.

The money that we aim to raise is used to run the support line that CALM have.”

So far, the LJMU hockey teams have raised £125 for award-winning charity CALM, via fundraising platform Virgin Money Giving.

The organisation is dedicated to preventing male suicide, the

Hoskins brace sinks Rovers

Team’s appetite for fund-raising

By BEN HIGGINS Tranmere Rovers 1 Northampton Town 2 Two goals from Sam Hoskins sealed the three points for Northampton Town against Tranmere with the visitors running our 2-1 winners on a cold Tuesday night at Prenton Park.

James Norwood equalised for the hosts just before the break, but Northampton Town took the lead again just before half-time.

Tranmere applied the pressure in the second half, but were unable to conjure up an equalizer.

Despite their efforts in the losing stages, including Jennings having a late header blocked, Tranmere were left to go home empty-handed.

Tranmere Rovers’ next match is against Stevenage at home on Saturday, when they will hope to re-ignite their flagging chances of making the play-offs.

LJMU Hockey team celebrating © LiverpoolSU biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK. The charity offers support to men and those bereaved by suicide via their helpline, webchat and website. They also challenge a culture barrier that prevents men seeking help through social campaigns.

Ben Smith added: “We have a busy schedule this semester with some huge games as we aim to bring home some silverware this year, so there will be a lot of miles in the boys’ legs by the time the race comes around.

“On top of this, I know some have taken it upon themselves to add some distance running to

their training.”

In 2018, thousands of runners and spectators took to the streets of Liverpool, for the 25th anniversary of the Liverpool Half Marathon hosted by BTR. This year, the Liverpool Half Marathon will kick off at 9am from Pier Head. The course will run through Sefton Park, Otterspool Park, the Liverpool Marina and past the rear of the Albert Dock. On completion runners will receive a medal and a t-shirt.

CALM can be contacted through their confidential helpline 08005855858, or through their webchat which is open from 5pm12am daily.

By SHAUN DRISCOLL LJMU Fury American football team are hosting an eating challenge in aid of the charity Lymphoma Action.

The team will going head-tohead with their sponsors X1 Lettings and O’Neills.

The event will take place on February 20th from O’Neills bar on Hannover Street as the hosts hope to raise £2,200 for the United Kingdom’s only Lymphoma charity.

The eating challenge will be livestreamed across all of the team’s social media platforms.

LJMU Fury’s Club President Matthew Hynes told Liverpool Life: “Lymphoma Action is a charity that we have been looking to promote for a while now as our sponsors over at X1 have done a lot of great work with them in the past and it is a charity that’s very close to them.

“So we have been looking to help out and when I mentioned it to both O’Neill’s and X1 they were

LJMU Fury: £2,200 charity target excited by the idea.

“Lymphoma action do some unbelievable work, but lymphoma is the fifth most common cancer diagnosis and it is relatively unknown. So I think anything we can do or anyone else can do to raise awareness for the cause is great.”

The challenge will have several rounds, and will probably feature a round of quantity, spice and a ‘disgusting’ round.

© LJMU Fury

LL Liverpool Life

Picture by Nadia Breen

Produced by LJMU Journalism Students