Yay Wirral! November/December 2020

November/December 20

FREE!

Yay l!

Wirra A Guide to the Best in Events, Food and Culture across our Peninsula

Cover illustration ŠEmily Callcott Design www.yayeventguides.co.uk

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Welcome!

It's

OH WHAT A YEAR!

been tougher than anyone could have imagined! As we go to press on our Christmas edition of Yay Wirral! I am battling covid-19 myself and dreading each and every news headline that pops up my news feed. But, haven't we come together - as families, as a community. Our small and independent businesses have been hit hard but as I watch the teams behind local cafes and other businesses, already struggling, offering free meals for children in our communities as well as discounts and freebies for NHS and other essential workers, it makes me prouder than ever to be from our fantastic peninsula.

And here it is... Merry Christmas Everyone! Let's have some fun. Events may still be few and far between so instead, why not re-discover our beautiful Wirral. Check out our best of Wirral Walks feature, tuck into a takeaway meal at home with a little help from our Best Wirral Takeaway Guide and for god's sake - keep it local and stock up on Christmas gifts from the many fantastic local producers and services listed in our Christmas Gift Guide.

Again, it's a pleasure to have your company.

See you in 2021

Kate x

The best thing to come out of 2020!

EDITOR YAYWIRRAL@GMAIL.COM

Where to eat Wirral

Parkgate Salty's Parkgate 1 Mostyn Square, Parkgate, Neston CH64 6SL Bar, Grill, Steakhouse, American 0151 336 1963 "Delicious meal, beautiful scenery and friendly staff - what more could you want? Also had air con which was nice on a hot day and easy on street parking near by. Highly recommend" Chow's Eating House The Parade, Parkgate, Neston CH64 6RW Cantonese and Bejing Dishes 0151 336 2385 "One of the finest restaurants I have ever attended, their attention to detail and fine food is stunning. Every mean is a feast to behold. Love it!"

Britannia Spice 18-19 The Parade, Parkgate, Neston CH64 6SA Indian. Dine in and Takeaway.

0151 336 1774 "Amazing Sunday offer ÂŁ7.99, two course, that offers a good choice of starters and curries. Divine food, best Indian restaurant in the UK and of course at a fabulous price!! Whole family loved it. Staff are very welcoming and friendly. The naan bread was delicious next time we'll have to order more. Will definitely be back soon!!"

The Boathouse 1 The Parade, Parkgate, Neston CH64 6RN British. Specialises in Fish and Seafood.

0151 336 4187 "Dropped in as we were passing. The staff are always friendly and welcoming. Even with Covid adaptation the place is still charming and as always the food is amazing. We can't recommend the Boathouse highly enough."

Mozkitos Coffee House Coastguard Ln, Parkgate, Neston CH64 6SP Coffee Shop 0151 336 2527 "Lovely little cafe with attentive staff. Cycle friendly and they offer a full English breakfast."

Where to eat Wirral

Parkgate Parkgate Fish & Chips The Parade, Parkgate, Neston CH64 6SB Fish and Chips. Takeaway only.

0151 336 8811 "Probably the best fish and chip place in Wirral. Succulent fish meat with crispy and crunchy coating, tasty chips too.

Super hygienic takeaways during pandemic."

Elephant Lounge Hamilton House, The Parade, Parkgate, Neston CH64 6SB Coffee Shop 0151 345 4850 "Love this place, so glad it's back up and running. Had my first white hot choc in months last week and it was amazing as always"

Nicholls of Parkgate The Parade, Parkgate, Neston CH64 6SA Homemade Ice Cream 0151 336 1274 "Great choice for ice cream on a warm day, "dogie yogi " is a must try (dog ice cream. Not made with dogs. But for dogs) Great ice cream."

The Ship Pub, Restaurant, B&B The Parade, Parkgate, Wirral CH64 6SA British. Specialises in Fish and Seafood.

0151 336 3931 "Excellent beer, Great food, friendly staff, clean rooms, good service and a good breakfast with strong coffee. Fantastic for sunset drinks, pub food or an overnight stay."

Little Tea House 16 The Parade, Parkgate, Neston CH64 6SA Tea Rooms 0151 538 7934 "A real gem on Parkgate front. Quite small but on two floors.

Does a good range of snacks and sandwiches. But be sure to leave room for a slice of homemade cake from a mouthwatering range on a separate table."

OUR WIRRAL PENINSULA

WALKS IN WIRRAL It's the end of a year that will go down in history. A year when we have been locked down indoors and kept away from social situations. So let's get outside! Our friends at Visit Wirral are here to remind us how beautiful our peninsula is with their guide to some of Wirral's best walks..

by Eleanor Besant

W

irral is a place made for enjoying the great outdoors in all seasons, so why not make the most of its stunning scenery?

From vast coastal views through to country parks, we have picked our top five walks for this time of year. No walk would be complete without a winter warmer (or two) along the way, so we have also included our recommendations of local refreshment spots.

Unsplash – Johannes Plenio/@jplenio)

Thurstaston Hill You may know Thurstaston Hill as the location of Thor’s Stone, a large sandstone outcrop that has captured our imaginations for centuries through various tales of romantic legend. If you are yet to explore the area in more detail, the climb up to Thurstaston Common is rewarded with breath-taking views across the Dee Estuary to North Wales.

Strawberry Moon Café at nearby Church Farm offers a dog-friendly area, beautiful views and plenty of space for thirsty walkers to enjoy a drink and bite to eat. Other nearby walking . spots include Thurstaston Beach and Wirral Country Park (the first designated country park in Britain, which opened in 1973).

@Visit Wirral

OUR PENINSULA

Bidston Hill Take a leafy stroll around Bidston Hill for viewpoints of the Liverpool waterfront and Wales, while taking in local landmarks along the way such as Bidston’s observatory, windmill and lighthouse (please check in advance for the opening times for these attractions). Visitors can use the car park adjacent to Tam O’Shanter Urban Farm at the base of the hill. The farm itself offers a free day out for families, complete with an on-site café and plenty to keep little ones entertained.

Unsplash – Mitchell Orr/@mitchorr

Vale Park This is a Green Flag park with something for everyone, from a fairy garden for the young (at heart!) through to the Vale House Café for when hunger strikes. If you carry on into New Brighton along the promenade, there’s an abundance of cafés and restaurants by the waterfront for watching the world go by, as well as some amazing street art to explore in the up-and-coming Victoria Quarter.

Eastham County Park This is an open country park with amazing views across the River Mersey and the Liverpool skyline. For history enthusiasts, keep a look out for remains from the Eastham Zoological Gardens, including a Victorian-era bear pit. This park also supports an abundance of wildlife and contains some of the finest mature trees in the area. The cliffs at Eastham Country Park also provide fantastic sites for viewing the flocks of waders and ducks on the estuary.

OUR PENINSULA

Heswall Dales & Fields This walk shows off the diverse landscape of Wirral, with coastal pathways giving way to inland trails through stunning ancient woodland.

You’ll even spot some waterfalls along the way! A short drive away, the town of Heswall offers a variety of independent eateries, from Wylde Coffee for a drink and light bite through to Burnt Truffle for a delicious Sunday lunch.

Visit Wirral is the official tourism organisation for Wirral Further detail from our website:

www.visitwirral.com #aplacemadeforyou

Christmas Gift Guide SHOP

LOCAL

SUPPORT

LOCAL

Amazon who? Shop local and suppport small businesses in our area who are producing beautiful handmade and locally sourced products....

Food & Drink Whitmore & White Whitmore & White in Heswall are an award-winning food hall and wine merchants stocking a huge range of local and continental food and drink. You can create your own hamper on their website for delivery nationwide, or select one from their ready-made range.

Facebook.com/whitmoreandwhite www.whitmoreandwhite.co.uk

Beers @ No. 42 The home of great beers, gin & prosecco taking you out of the supermarket aisle and into a world of unique and different beers.

Free same day Wirral delivery.

Fab Dad and Hubby Gift! Over 18's only.

Facebook.com/beersno42 Instagram - beersno42 www.beersno42.co.uk

Gabrielle's Little Bakery Providing bespoke cakes, cupcakes and treats across the North West for any occasion

facebook.com/gabrielleslittlebakery Instagram - gabrielleslittlebakery

Jewellery & Accessories Silver Ivy Handcrafted Sterling Silver & Gemstone Jewellery. Specialising in unique pieces and traditionally made bangles, rings and pendants.

Facebook.com/SterlingSilverandGemstoneJewellery Instagram - _SilverIvy_

Closest to Crowns A one of a kind accessories brand! Using preloved and vintage jewellery and fabric.

Custom orders available.

Etsy.com/uk/shop/closesttocrowns Facebook.com/closesttocrowns Instagram - closesttocrowns

Rainbow Moon Creating handmade and bespoke silver jewellery using a range of semi-precious crystals.

Stocked at Concept Corner - New Brighton.

Etsy.com/uk/shop/RainbowMoonJewellery Facebook.com/RainbowMoonJewellery Instagram - rainbowmoon_jewellery

Luna Cole Luna Cole is a Wirral based brand producing hand made gorgeous sterling silver jewellery.

Our pieces are designed to be as meaningful as they are beautiful.

Facebook.com/LunaColeJewellery Instagram - LunaColeJewellery

Arts & Prints Willow & Moon Beautiful, bright and bespoke watercolours. All paintings and cards printed on 100% recycled materials. Painted locally in New Brighton.

Please use discount code: WIRRAL10 for 10% off your order. www.willowandmoon.co.uk Etsy.com/uk/shop/willowandmoonart Facebook.com/willowandmoonart Instagram - willowandmoonart

Ann Murphy Artist Alcohol ink original abstract artwork and jewellery.

I believe art is for everyone and should make you smile, I hope you like what you see Facebook.com/AnnMurphyArtist Instagram - AnnMurphyArtist Etsy.com/uk/shop/annmurphyartist

Maria's Free Hand Homes Display the connection to your family home through a personalised hand drawn illustration.

Perfect for a Christmas, anniversary or birthday present, you also have the option of coloured backgrounds or cotton stitch detailing

Facebook.com/MariasFreehandHomes Instagram - mariasfreehandhomes Etsy.com/uk/shop/MariasFreehandHomes

Gifts Wirral Wood Products Handmade and bespoke solid wood furniture made and delivered locally within Liverpool & Wirral. Desks, console tables, shelving etc www.wirralwoodproducts.co.uk Facebook.com/wirralwoodproducts Instagram wirralwoodproducts

Revolution Clothing Distinctive designs and borderless creativity, influenced by the underground culture of the street. Vibrant, colourful and stylish. www.revolutionshirts.co.uk Instagram - _revolutionclothing

Rockaway Toys Take the stress out of your Christmas shopping with our great range of toys and books. Free local delivery available on orders over ÂŁ10 (click and collect and same day delivery also available) www.rockawaytoys.co.uk Facebook.com/rockawaytoys Instagram - rockawaytoys

Strawberry Moon Melts Strawberry Moon Melts is a West Kirby based business making hand poured soy wax candles and wax melts for mental wellness www.strawberrymoonmelts.com Facebook.com/strawberrymoonmelts Instagram - strawberrymoonmelts

Vibin' Tiger Vibin' Tiger designs and creates Hand illustrated Ceramic Mugs and Greeting Cards! All products can be personalised for that individual and unique gift! www.vibintiger.co.uk Facebook.com/vibintiger Instagram - @vibintiger

Paper Town We are a small independent business selling artwork and unique gifts depicting the Wirral, Liverpool and beyond! The artwork is by local artist Christine Duncan. All of our products are available to buy online www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PaperTownArt Instagram - papertownart1

The Handmade Company Mum & Daughter team creating handmade sewn and knitted items including stockings, gift sacks, baby crowns and aprons. Perfect for adding festive touches to your home, baby photo shoots or gifting Etsy.com/uk/shop/TheHandmadeCompanyUK Facebook.com/TheHandmadeCompanyUK Instagram. - the_handmade_company

Tillo Design

Max creates bespoke lighting, furniture and homeware products, all 100% hand-made in West Kirby. Using upcycled, locally sourced materials in each design, sustainability is at the heart of Tillo Design.

Etsy.com/uk/shop/TilloDesign Facebook.com/Tillodesign Instagram. - tillo_design

Health & Beauty B4 Bio Diversity Liverpool Bee Balms are made using beeswax from Liverpool beehives by apiarist, Andrea Ku from B4 Biodiversity. Hand, face, body and lip balms are on sale at Concept Corner, New Brighton. Perfect stocking fillers that support a local bee business www.b4biodiversity.co.uk Instagram - b4biodiversity

Let's Get Gorgeous Diane Melling's beautiful little boutique salon based in Birkenhead. Qualified in nail extensions, overlays, gel polish, manicure, pedicure and paraffin wax treatments. Eye brow waxing and tinting, lash tinting and individual lashes. Spray tanning. Makeup Artist. semi permanent lashes, hair ups and styling.

Gift Vouchers available! www.letsgetgorgeous.co.uk/ Facebook.com/Dianemellingletsgetgorgeous Instagram.com/dianemellingletsgetgorgeous

#SHOP LOCAL

#SUPPORTLOCAL

WIRRAL LOCALS COVID-19 SPECIAL

FRONT LINE HEROES...

Not only does local Instagrammer Danielle Levy have a following for her lifestyle and beauty account, but by day (and of course night!) she works as one of our much valued critical nurses....

B eing a Critical Care nurse is not

ventilator myself was the hardest thing for me mentally. I had the skills that were so desperately needed during a critical time and I wasn’t allowed to help which for someone who’s career revolves around helping and caring for others, was truly devastating. For the first month or two, I couldn’t talk to my work family, go on social media or watch the news because of what it reminded me of and my mental health just couldn’t handle it.

From talking to my colleagues, it’s unimaginable the stress the pandemic put on them. For those that aren’t in the medical field and don’t know, we try to keep performing medical procedures to the daytime shifts because there is ©DANIELLE LEVY safety in numbers and we experiences of being a nurse during want our patients to sleep shielding but also my colleagues' because without sleep it's experiences of looking after people on difficult to recover the frontline of the pandemic. properly but during Covid Having to shield for 5 months and my colleagues were forced being told I could not work for risk of to perform life-saving becoming so ill I ended up on a medical procedures hour easy, it’s an emotionally and physically draining job. We will put our needs and stresses aside for 12 hours to care for your friends and family. We care for people during some of the worst times in their lives and help them get well enough to be able to get back to their lives and their families. The Covid pandemic hit the UK earlier this year and boy did it hit my Critical Care unit and my colleagues hard! I thought I would share with you all not only my

ir

WIRRAL LOCALS on hour, night on night.

They ran on pure adrenaline and coffee, and like most of us Critical Care nurses they powered on and did everything in their power to save the Covid patients. It’s only been the past month that they’ve been able to mentally destress and actually realise how much stress they were putting their bodies and minds under.

Whilst we get lovely thank you cards, it’s not often we actually get to see how well our patients are doing after being in Critical Care and honestly that’s the part that means so much to us as nurses. It brings tears to our eyes and huge smiles to our faces to see you visiting us with no oxygen or support to walk around, it makes all the hard work and stress we put ourselves under to get your better just disappear. My unit recently heard back from one of our longterm Covid patients who had a pretty tough time during his admission. His wife told us how well he’s doing with his rehab and showed us photos of

how healthy and happy he looks. My colleagues are incredibly hard working, kind and passionate people and when I returned to work 5 months after the pandemic started, I saw the effect being knee deep in it had on every single one of them and I have nothing but the biggest respect and admiration for them all as well as for all my fellow healthcare workers out there.

Follow Danielle at @daniellelevyblog

©DANIELLE LEVY

ir

CHRISTMAS COOKING

THE SEASON TO EAT! Delicious homemade recipes courtesy of Emily Clohessy of Insta blog @Emblogsfood

Rhubarb & Plum Crumble

Butternut Squash with Feta

Recipe 2 Sticks of Rhubarb 3 Plums 1/2 Cup Sugar Juice of 1 lemon 1 Tsp Cinnamon 1 Cup Oats 50g Butter 1/2 Cup Flour Handful of Flaked Almonds (or any nuts of choice)

Recipe 1 Large Butternut Squash 1 Pack of Microwave Rice (easy!)

3 Spring Onions 1 Tomato 1 Garlic Clove 4 Mini Mixed Peppers 1 Carrot 1 Tbsp of Feta Cheese 1 Tsp Parsley 1 Tsp Cajun seasoning Couple of Jalepenos Sprinkle of Mozzarella

Method 1) Put the chopped rhubarb, plums, sugar and lemon juice in a pan and stir for around 3 mins until it bubbles and thickens 2) Layer in a dish and put aside 3) Mix the oats, sugar, flour, cinnamon and melted butter together until crumbled!

4) Stir in almonds and lightly layer on top of the fruit mixture 5) Put in the oven for around 35 mins!

Method 1) Pre heart oven to 220c 2) Add oil, salt & pepper to a pan on a medium/high heat.

3) Split butternut squash in half, scoop out the pips and roast for a million years. (just kidding around 50mins) 4) Chop all the veggies finely and add to the seasoned oil, cook until Enjoy with custard, cream, soft Ice cream, EVERYTHING! 5) When the butternut is cooked enough to scoop out; mix in with veg & rice then put back into the shell. emblogsfood 6) Add some Feta, See and buy Emily's fab foodie prints Mozzarella and parsley and bake for a few more on her Instagram and Etsy shop mins.

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Yay Wirra BEST TAKEAWAY AWARDS As well as a fantastic range of takeaway outlets, many of Wirral's dine in restaurants are now offering takeout. Here's our round up of the best the Wirral has to offer...

BEST FISH AND CHIPS PISCES TAKEAWAY, HESWALL Golden, crunchy batter. Flaky fish and delicously crispy yet fluffy chips - enough said! An impressive range of fish available including cod, haddock, plaice and hake as well as delicious scampi and extras such as spam fritters. Collection was well organised with a clear queing system, one line for pre orders and one for walk-ins.

We will be back! www.piscestakeaway.co.uk

BEST PIZZA DOUGH, BIRKENHEAD Doughy base, tangy sauce and some really quirky toppings. We tried hoisin duck, philly steak and salt and pepper chicken - all super fresh and super yu,m.

Our fav sides - their halloumi fries which came drizzled with a maple sauce and gorgeous truffle fries. All at a price tag wayyyy less than Dominoes but wayyyy tatstier. www.doughpizzas.co.uk

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Yay Wirra BEST TAKEAWAY AWARDS

BEST CHINESE SUN WAH, TRANMERE the friendliest service from true pillar of the community Sue and her team served up from a spotlessy clean, well organised local chinese chippy. Our favs - their famous munchie box - crammed with the freshest salt and pepper ribs, wings, chicken and chips. Also try their crispy beef in ok sauce - tangy and tasty. www.sunwahchippy.co.uk

BEST VEGAN

ZERO CLUCKS GIVEN, BIRKENHEAD Service was fast and extremely friendly.

The food was great value, well packaged to keep it warm on the way home and absolutely delicious. Particular standouts for us were the Katsu fries with edamame beans (plenty of heat and bags of flavour..!) and the ‘love-a-bull’ burger. I enjoy a good burger and this vegan version was right up there with the best www.facebook.com/zero.clucks.given

BEST KEBAB ARMADILLO, BIRKENHEAD My favourite dish had to be the armadillo special as it had a bit of everything! The rice side dishes were more than your basic rice, they were boiled to perfection along with chickpeas for that extra bite.

The bread was still warm and soft as if it was just made fresh. My favourite side was the peynirli borek as its basically a spring roll with cheese and parsley! These guys know there stuff and you can really taste their years of experience. http://www.armadillowirral.co.uk/

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Yay Wirra BEST TAKEAWAY AWARDS

BEST INDIAN MILLENNIUM TANDOORI, HESWALL The creamiest chicken tikka massalla with melt in the mouth chicken plus Murghl Taj - chicken with minced lamb in their own sauce - just 2 of our favs. This Heswall takeaway is all about quality with generous portions of everything we ordered. Delicious! www.millenniumheswall.co.uk

BEST THAI TUK TUK THAI, WALLASEY With a green curry on just the right side of spicy and really sticky prawn pad thai this was a truly delicious treat. All dishes come with great meat choices as well mixed seafood, scallops or sea bass.

Defintley order the chicken spring rolls to start! www.facebook.com/tuktukthaitake

BEST BURGER JOE BURGER, MORETON/ NEW BRIGHTON Really fresh tasting patties, quirky combos on a brioche bun with plenty of sauces and toppings. We had the Jose Mexicano with pickled jalepenos, officially the meatiest, juciest burger! Homemade chicken tenders on the side - super yum not to mention the perfect crinkle chip.

5 stars! www.facebook.com/burgerjoeofficial

MERRY

VINO

EVERYONE! A comprehensive guide to the best wines for the Christmas Season courtesy of our friends at Whitmore & White, Heswall.

Christmas is going to be pretty different this year whether we like it or not, so we’ve been trying to find some up-sides to the situation. Firstly, you’ll probably have fewer family and friends over, which means you can self-indulge and spend a bit more on fewer bottles of much better wine. Secondly, some of you will be celebrating via Zoom which means rather than having to put up with little Tarquin screaming the house down, you can just make radio noises and lose all contact so you can pay more attention to your wine. Thirdly, you can get blisteringly sozzled with outstanding wine and your Zoom companions can make radio noises and lose all contact with you. What a world! So what do we recommend for Christmas this year?

Lallier Grand Reserve NV Champagne £30.00

First up, Champagne! This stuff is absolutely cracking and perfect for Christmas morning alongside some of our local eggs scrambled with our Rannoch smoked salmon. Made using grapes from only Grand Cru vineyards, the quality is top notch from start to finish.

A blend of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay give the wine depth but elegance with a lovely freshness to the nose and brioche notes on a creamy palate.

Ashton Winery Unwooded Chardonnay £13.50

A South African wine that will give Chablis a run for its money and a good alternative to that Sauvignon Blanc habit! Purely fruit driven with no oak influence, this wine is as fresh as a daisy, with zingy acidity, honey, melon and citrus flavours. A perfect aperitif.

Tenuta Santa Seraffa Gavi di Gavi £14.95

A Gavi for under £15? Really? Yes, and it’s a Gavi di Gavi too, which means it’s top of the tree. Hailing from the flagship Santa Seraffa Estate in Piedmont, the Cortese grapes are fermented in stainless steel to keep the fresh citrus notes to the fore but the body has a fuller, rounder style than many simpler Gavis. If white is your bag over red, take this one under your wing to enjoy with the turkey.

Vallemayor Vina Cerradilla Rioja £19.95 A classic garnet Rioja from an old-school producer and a firm staff favourite in Heswall. The barrel and bottle ageing of this wine results in red fruit and liquorice aromas. These aromas develop into the trademark redcurrant, balsamic and spicy notes of Rioja which has undergone a long ageing in new oak. If you don’t fancy an eighteen pound gobbler to yourself this year, this would go perfectly with goose or a leg of lamb.

Cousino Macul Finis Terrae £26.95

Ok now we’re getting serious. Where to even start with this incredible stuff! This is a Bordeaux style blend from the Maipo Valley in Chile and goodness me what a wine it is! With some bottle age giving maturity to the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend, this is powerful and full bodied yet tempered with layers of leather, red fruit, spice and soft oak notes. This is a really special wine and perfect as a second act with Christmas dinner.

So there you have it. There are always upsides in any situation, and we make no apology for them all involving wine!

You’ll find all of the wines mentioned here in our Heswall store, and available for local and national delivery online at www.whitmoreandwhite.co.uk

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WIRRAL CHARITIES

HELP

THIS

A

LOCAL

CHARITY

CHRISTMAS...

Angie Churchill tells us about the work done at

Charlotte's Brightside, the charity founded in memory of her daughter Charlotte who died tragically in a car accident at just 19 years old.

Running out of a refurbished youth centre in New Brighton that Angie and her team worked so hard to set up, Charlotte's Brightside is a haven for children and young adults aged 8-16 years. Their aim, to positively engage young people within the centre, give them opportunities to gain new experiences, a safe place to 'hang out,' reduce anti-social behaviour, offer school holiday activities and work in partnership with local charities and enterprises which will benefit the community. "The older teenagers within the community have requested space for themselves, so that they can be warm, meet up with friends, have access to refreshments, activities, music and toilets away from the younger children and the adults who care for them," Angie told us. The centre certainly offers that with a huge range of activities for members. From homework club, cookery, sports, gaming, hip hop, music, dance and much more. Their 'Social Supermarket' opens regularly (follow their Facebook page for details) providing local people with affordable food and other household items alongside a hot cup of tea often served with a slice of homemade cake and of course, a chat!Totally self-funded, the charity raises revenue from events; corporate support,social supermarket and bid writing for specific projects.

Donations are always most welcome and can be made via www.localgiving.com/charlottesbrightside.

Further information on the charity can also be found here as well as on Facebook

Charlotte's Brightside CLC 1146024

F

Pilates by Physio

ounded in 2013 by Physiotherapist Debs Paterson, after a troublesome first pregnancy and birth, she embarked on Pilates training to assist her recovery and provide a service to ladies on the Wirral. Initially she specialised in Pregnancy and Postnatal Pilates teaching classes alongside her role as a Physiotherapist. Now a team of 9, predominantly Physiotherapists teaching Pilates but also Pilates teachers with specialist rehabilitation qualifications.

Classes cater for fitness and general rehabilitation. Between

WIRRAL BUSINESS!

Spotlight on..

them the team has special interests in Sports rehabilitation, Cancer rehabilitation, pregnancy and postnatal Pilates. . Their new studio runs over 20 mat classes, they offer 1-1 sessions and are introducing reformer machines. They plan to start the first Physio-led reformer classes on The Wirral by the end of 2020.

For those who are unsure of what Pilates is‌.it was created by Joseph Pilates during World WW1 as a form of Rehabilitation in a PoW hospital. The results were obvious back then and many moves are used today but have been adapted by Physiotherapists to align with modern research. Pilates is a variety of exercises that are based around strength, flexibility, posture, breathing, and mind/body connection. The exercises can be scaled up or down depending on ability. It can be done on an exercise mat or a reformer machine. These machines are hugely popular around the world and are slowing filtering into the UK. They use a mixture of pulleys, springs and a sliding carriage to either assist the exercise or make it more challenging, again, depending on ability. They add a whole different dimension to Pilates and most importantly, they are great fun to use.

Pilates by Physio, 54-56 Pensby Road, Heswall. www.pilatesbyphysio.com

SSENISUB LARRIW WEN

Beacon concept picture

Hoylake’s Beacon Arts Village progressing well...

The developer of a new visitor destination in Wirral has been working hard to keep the project on track despite the significant impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The Beacon Arts Village development project on the site of Hoylake’s Victorian former town hall started in October 2019, following a grant of

£3.64m from the government’s

Coastal Communities Fund – a grant which is designed to help seaside places flourish and strengthen their appeal as places to live, work and visit. The much-anticipated new addition to Hoylake’s hight street will feature a two-screen cinema, a restaurant, bar and café bistro, as well as 18 creative studio and retail spaces for artists and makers. In the initial weeks of the national lockdown, Hylgar Properties, developer and owners of the site, continued construction to ensure that critical works were completed in time and that the building was made safe and weatherproof. Since lockdown was lifted, the project has been progressing well with several major announcements.

Dave Burke, of Hylgar Properties, said: “From the start, the Beacon has been developed to help inject new life into the town, as well as to deliver sustainable economic growth and job creation for generations to come. “With everything going on in the world right now, once it’s all over, we believe the Beacon will be needed more than ever and we’re fortunate that the Government is helping to fund the project, which will make it a new safe business. “We have no date for opening yet, because we are still building, but we are very pleased with our progress, given what has happened this year and consequently having to adjust our plans.”

It’s a project that will aid Hoylake high street’s recovery from the pandemic, according to Mark Howard, volunteer director of Hoylake Village Life and chair of Hoylake Vision Community Planning Forum. He said: “This development will be a key factor in the rebuilding of our high street together as a community. The Beacon’s potential as a transformational project could prove crucial to Hoylake’s fortunes.

David Burke (left); Mark Howard (right) It cannot be understated that it will be vital to the town’s future and the appeal of Wirral.”

The first phase of works on the 1898 building is now complete and recent announcements are generating excitement in the locale.

The café in the atrium is to be called Bedli, after the Moroccan word meaning traditional, homemade and local. Set in a beautiful courtyard beneath a stunning glass flat roof and mezzanine walkway, Beldi will deliver a fresh take on Eastern Mediterranean and North African cuisine and Levantine influence.

Steven Burgess, managing director of Lucky Penny Consultants, who will operate all three food and beverage outlets said: “With Beldi we are creating something not currently available in the area, but which will complement the other offers in the building, as well as what is already on the high street to boost further Hoylake’s growing appeal.” Most recently West Kirby’s Castree Design has been appointed to transform the interiors of the building. Founded by Sue Evans 20 years ago, the firm is well known for its sumptuous interiors for a range of clients across the UK from stately homes to wedding venues, from restaurants and hotels to offices and shops.

The Beacon project is creating more than 140 jobs during design, construction and operation. Since 2012, the Coastal Communities Fund has invested

£228 million into

395 projects UK-wide.

beaconhoylake

Wirral Music 'I Can't Sleep' -- the new album about mental health from Wirral rapper and radio show host, UK-Craigie.

The very personal 12 track album tells stories of struggles through life, exploring subjects such as anxiety, financial problems, lack of self-esteem, trying to find a purpose in life and being saved by music. With beautiful symphonies and harmonies, catchy baselines and meaningful lyrics, ‘I Can’t Sleep’ is a hard hitting album that tackles important issues in life – something particularly relevant in the current climate.

The new album follows the success of the first album, ‘Sombre’, and features collaborations with music artists from Manchester, Canada and the U.S – including the talented and renowned rapper, Paul Patience. Track 11, entitled ‘Underdogs Assemble’, is a collaboration between 6 international rappers, including his 8-year-old daughter.

The 30-year-old rapper is one of the good guys of the UK rap scene – an ‘average white guy’ and a ‘loveable underdog’, he’s all about the love of music without the ego. In addition to making music and hosting a weekly local radio show, he engages in community work – running song writing classes at a local youth club and volunteering at Ashville Football Club. His work at Charlotte’s Brightside Youth Club involves him talking to young people about life struggles, including him growing up without a father figure, and helping them express themselves through song writing and music.

Wirral Music UK-Craigie has had strong local support here in the UK and he has also developed a diverse international following in countries such as the U.S, Italy and Germany.

Rather interestingly, he has a big following in Zambia and his music is regularly played on their national radio stations.

His new album is already making waves, with streams and downloads available on most platforms including Spotify, I Tunes, Amazon and Tidal.

A hugely talented performer, UK-Craigie is going from strength to strength and as momentum grows, he is receiving more and more international attention. With his flamboyant dress sense and a larger than life personality, one thing for sure is that there are no artists like UK-Craigie out there. Dubbed ‘The Wirral’s Tim Westwood’ for his radio shows, UK-Craigie is making a big name for himself and greatness is expected from this latest album release.

Note To Editors: UK-Craigie is a great artist to interview, as he has lots of experience hosting his weekly radio rap show. He can talk about many interesting subjects such as not having a father figure whilst growing up, being a white rapper and an underdog, struggles through life and mental health issues, how music can save people, collaborating with international artists, the UK rap scene, having a big following in Zambia, being labelled ‘The Wirral’s Tim Westwood’ and his community work at the local youth club and football club.

Check out the album on Spotify Check out UK-Craigie on Facebook