St helens local 7

Issue. 7 - November 2017

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Merseyside Police appeal

for people to hand over guns and

ammunition during firearms surrender

Merseyside Police is appealing for people to hand over guns and ammunition as part of a two-week firearms surrender. It has been three years since the last national firearms surrender, when forces across the UK asked members of the public to surrender unlawfully held or unwanted guns and ammunition to prevent them from getting into criminal hands. This year’s surrender is being co-ordinated by the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) and will run for two weeks from Monday 13 November to Sunday 26 November 2017.

During the last national surrender in November 2014 Merseyside Police had a total of 126 weapons and lots of ammunition handed in during a two week period, including 41 firearms.

The police stations in Merseyside which will be accepting guns and ammunition during the surrender are: Birkenhead, St Helens police station on College Street, St Ann Street, Southport, Huyton and

Admiral Street in Toxteth but people are being advised to check the opening times of the stations in advance by calling 101 or visiting the Merseyside Police website – www. merseyside.police.uk Many firearms are held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or are overlooked and forgotten in people’s homes. Others are acquired and distributed by criminal networks to threaten or harm their local communities. The surrender gives members of the public the chance to dispose of a firearm or ammunition by simply taking it to a local designated police station and handing it in.

Illegal possession of a firearm can mean five years behind bars and if you are found guilty of possession with intent to supply that can lead to a life sentence.

During this period, those handing over firearms will not face prosecution for the illegal possession, at the point of surrender, and can remain anonymous. Detective Chief Superintendent Chris Green said: “We know from experience that gun crime can devastate communities and tear families apart. “We have

already had a great deal of success in removing a number of weapons from our streets but we know that there is still a considerable amount of work to be done. “This surrender will run alongside the pro-active work that our officers do every single day to take guns and the criminals who use them off our streets but we also need the communities help by handing over weapons that potentially could

fall into the wrong hands and be used to cause fear and intimidation. “Every gun surrendered is one less that can be used by criminals to commit serious offences.

“Merseyside Police continues to be relentless in its efforts to tackle all forms of serious and organised crime and bring those responsible before the courts.

“We will act on every single piece of information that we receive and I would appeal to anyone with information on firearms, or where they are stored, to contact us as soon as possible either on the gun crime hotline on 0800 230 0600 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Christmas gift appeal, 2017

St Helens Council’s People’s Service department is calling on kind-hearted residents to make a disadvantaged child’s Christmas special by donating to its gift appeal.

As in previous years, the team is once again running the appeal for children aged from birth to 18 years of age who may not otherwise receive gifts. Items such as rattles, teething rings, books, toys, toiletries and clothing will be most welcome – and with a shortage of gifts last year for boys aged between 7-12 years, it is asked that residents consider this age range when donating to the appeal.

St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Young People and Education,

Councillor Jeanette Banks said: “Our annual gift appeal has been a huge success since it first launched in 2010, with thousands of items donated by kind-hearted residents, businesses, and organisations. "But sadly, the truth is that there are still many children and young people in the borough who are at risk of waking up on Christmas day without a single gift, so I’d encourage anyone who can to do what they can to bring some much needed joy into these youngsters lives at what should be the happiest time of the year.”

Collection points have been set up in various town centre locations including St Helens Town Hall; Atlas House; Wesley House and the Central Link Children’s Centre in Westfield Street. While donations can

also be made at other venues across calling 01744 676563, or email the borough such as Parr Children’s TracySexton@sthelens.gov.uk Centre, Ashtons Green Drive; Fourways Children’s Centre, Burnage Avenue; Thatto Heath Children’s Centre, Brisbane Street; Sutton Children’s Centre, Ellamsbridge Road; Newton Children’s Centre, Patterson Street – and public libraries. For health and safety reasons, soft toys cannot be accepted and it is asked that gifts are bought as new and are not wrapped. The deadline for donations is Monday 18 December, 2017.

For more information, contact Tracy Sexton by

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No council tax for care leavers, says council

Young people leaving care in Knowsley are to be given greater support into employment and exemption from council tax, as part of a package of additional support from the council.

The move is designed to make the transition to adulthood and independent living easier for young people who have been in the care system.

As well as making the young people exempt from council tax, the council plans to launch a new 12-month introduction to work placement for care leavers who are struggling to find a job. It would give them paid work experience in a role that interests them, working for the council.

Cllr Joan Lilly, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “For any young person, growing up and learning to live independently is a daunting prospect, but in most cases they have help and support from parents and other family members. Some of our young people leaving care don’t have that support to count on, which is where we, as their corporate parents, have to step in.

“Young people leaving care often find themselves living independently much earlier than their peers, and on top of that, can find it more difficult to find a job because of the experiences they’ve had in childhood. Both of these things mean they are more likely to struggle financially.

“By offering a bit of breathing space with the council tax exemption, and offering more support to get care

leavers into work, we hope to make life a little easier for these young adults.” The council tax exemption scheme will apply to any young person currently aged between 18 and 21 years, who has left care in Knowsley, whether or not they live within the borough. The exemption will last until they are 25-years-old.

Meanwhile, the Introduction to Work scheme will see jobs created at the council for up to10 care leavers per year, in roles suited to their skills and interests. As well as giving them real, paid work experience, the young people will be supported throughout

the 12-month placement with a package of support that will include a Knowsley Works mentor and a personal advisor.

This programme will be initially targeted at care leavers aged 18 and 19, with plans to extend it to young people between 16-21 years old in the future. Cllr Gary See, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “It is right that we, as corporate parents, consider all options to make life easier for young people who don’t have the support network that others might take for granted. “I’m delighted that we’re

able to exempt care leavers from council tax charges – it means more money in their pockets every month and just provides one less financial worry at a time of great change for them.” And the decision is already being welcomed by young care leavers in Knowsley. At the Care Leavers’ Forum, when asked for a reaction, the feedback included: ““That will save me at least £20 a month.”

“It took us a while to get what we wanted but we got it!”

“We will have more money in our pockets and its one less thing to worry about.”

The decision to go ahead with the council tax exemption and Introduction to Work scheme comes ahead of changes to the Children’s Social Work Act, which come into force next April, extending the responsibilities of local authorities to support care leavers from 21-years-old until the age of 25.

THINK! before you use your phone

Drivers are being reminded of the dangers of using their mobile phones whilst behind the wheel. Even if you just glance at your phone for a moment you will miss important details about the road conditions, other traffic as well as vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

The risks are great. At only 30 mph a car will travel 100ft in just 2.3 seconds – the time it takes to just take a glance at your mobile.

A short film has been made to highlight the point.

This new THINK! campaign particularly aims to target drivers under 35, as research shows this age group is less likely to consider mobile phone use to be dangerous. In addition to showing what you might miss if you do glance at your phone, the campaign also highlights the potential impact your actions can have if a collision happens.

Alongside the danger posed to yourself, passengers and other road users, those caught using a handheld mobile whilst behind the wheel also face a £200 fine and 6 penalty points. Anyone caught doing this twice can face a lengthy driving ban which could also lead to a £1,000 fine.

The message is simple – Put your phone away when driving.

Don’t fall foul of dodgy dealers

Warrington Borough Council is targeting scrap metal theft after receiving reports that unlicensed mobile collectors have been seen to be operating illegally in the borough.

The council’s public protection team is now urging residents to be vigilant and contact them if they see any suspicious activity.

The team particularly want to hear about activity involving flat back vehicles laden with scrap metal being driven around communities.

The team have received reports of

illegal collectors using transit vans to collect metal and so would welcome any information relating to this as well.

Legislation was introduced in October 2013 to ensure all mobile scrap metal collectors were licensed with the local authority in the area where they collected.

Cllr Judith Guthrie, executive board member for public protection, said: “Using an unlicensed dealer may result in your scrap being tipped in a field or the side of a road. If the contents of a fly-tip are traced back

to you, you could be fined or taken to court.

“Please make sure you only use an approved and licensed dealer.”

Dave Watson, public protection unit manager at Warrington Borough Council, said: “We’ve carried out a number of joint operations with other partner agencies to combat this problem and these operations will continue.

“They not only include patrolling and actively seeking out offenders, but we will work with other agencies to deal with offences such as construction

and use of vehicles, insurance and driving offences”.

If you have something that needs removing, those collectors licensed by Warrington Borough Council will do it properly. They have been checked and approved by us and their vehicle will have a dealer’s licence plate displayed.

The complete list of licensed scrap metal dealers can be found on the Warrington Borough Council website: https://www.warrington.gov.uk/downloads/file/14218/ list_of_scrap_metal_dealer_licenses To report any suspicious behaviour please call 442658.

Residents are also reminded that Warrington Borough Council operates a free bulky household waste collection service for white goods. To arrange for items to be collected please call 443322.

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Number of calls received

on Halloween drops by 10%

Merseyside Police can confirm the total number of calls yesterday, Tuesday 31st October, fell 10% compared to the same period last year.

The force recorded a total of 1504 calls for service during the police operation yesterday between 2pm and midnight, a fall of 172 from 1676 calls for service in 2016.

Reports of antisocial behaviour and criminal damage saw a 7% reduction from 312 in 2016 to 291 this year.

A total of 10 people were arrested for a variety of low-level offences compared to 16 arrests in 2016 - and a total of 15 seizures of a quantity of fireworks were made during the operation.

In total 840 youths attended alternative activities organised

by Merseyside Police and partner agencies.

Chief Inspector Chris Hitchell said: "The run up to Sunday 5th November will continue to be a busy period for ourselves and our partners but we remain committed to tackling nuisance and antisocial behaviour.

“The people who are intent on carrying out acts of criminal damage or causing a disturbance in their communities are very much in the minority and I would ask that people continue to enjoy the festivities safely and responsibly over the coming days. “A massive amount of effort and planning has gone into the policing operation for this period and we will continue to have increased high-visibility patrols over the Bonfire Night period. We will also work closely with partner agencies and take swift action against the small minority who are intent on causing

trouble. “I would continue to urge people in the period leading up to 5th November to have respect for other people and their property and remind people that it illegal for those under the age of 18 to buy, carry, or use fireworks and under the Explosives Act of 1875 it is illegal to let off or throw a firework in a public place.”

Anyone who would like to report incidents of anti-social behaviour or criminal damage can call police on the 101 number or online at www. merseyside.police.uk If anyone believes they have information about the illegal sale, use or possession of fireworks, please contact Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service on 0800 731 5958 , Merseyside Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Local children celebrate Harvest Festival Children at St Mary & St Paul’s C of E Primary School in P r e s c o t supported a worthy charity at their recent H a r v e s t Festival, a celebration of the food grown around this time of year.

Young safety stars honoured in Halton

Almost 100 children from Halton remind pupils of the information. “ Team, in partnership with Cheshire primary schools attended an event The scheme is organised by Halton Police and Cheshire Fire and Rescue that launched the Junior Safety Borough Council’s Road Safety Service Officer Scheme, a new initiative encouraging children to promote safety to their peers.

Winners from Farnworth Primary School attended the event to receive the winner’s shield having ben judged the best influencers after tuition from the emergency services.

Eleven-year-olds Jasmine Barker, Rebecca Durrance, Neive Pierce, made a short speech and described what they enjoyed about the role, and shared great tips with the newly appointed Junior Safety Officers, who represented many of Halton’s schools.

Halton Borough Council’s Executive Board Member for Transportation, Cllr Stan Hill, said; “The aim of the scheme is to increase safety awareness amongst pupils and encourage them to accept responsibility for keeping each other safe.

“Messages promoted include, personal safety, fire safety, road safety, community safety and water safety. The children read safety messages out in assembly and run competitions throughout the year to

Children from every class at the school helped lead the service at St Paul’s Church in Prescot where their family joined them to celebrate the Harvest Festival.

The children showed great generosity

and kindness by donating tinned and packaged food for Ravenhead Foyer in St Helens, a charity that supports young people living in poverty.

Paul Brooksbank, Acting Headteacher at St Mary & Paul’s C of E Primary

School, said: “It was lovely to see so many people at church. Thanks to everyone who donated tins and packets of food. It was amazing to see how much food the children collected.”

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Dressage judge trots to success Mel is designing herself a great with personal coaching start up career at Spectrum Sign and Display

Chamber Member Sandra Edwards has used her unique skill set to set up and run her own personal coaching service.

A former NHS podiatrist and professional development expert, Sandra has also been involved in judging and coaching dressage riders.

She said: “Sandra Edwards Consulting is a professional and personal development service. It’s about helping people to become successful in any aspect of their life.

I deal with health and wellbeing issues like weight loss, limiting belief, phobias, lack of confidence and help people through Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) and hypnotherapy.

“I work a lot with sports people to build confidence and use sports psychology methods. I’ve got a riding and dressage background and I’ve been able to incorporate that into the business.”

Sandra had a long career in the NHS as a clinical podiatrist, before moving into professional and personal development in the same field. Her passion for this aspect of her role spurred her on to undertake and complete hypnosis and NLP qualifications and set up a business.

At the time of starting the business, Sandra had recently been made redundant and was referred to St Helens Chamber through her local Job Centre Plus.

Sandra said: “I went to the Job Centre, but it wasn’t what I was looking for. I didn’t want a job as such, but wanted to develop my business.

“I was referred to St Helens Chamber on the New Enterprise Allowance

(NEA) and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. “After being referred, I landed at St Helens Chamber on a Monday morning and the next day my Business Coach, Steve Mather, signed me up for a start-up workshop. “I would recommend anyone that has missed out on the New Enterprise Allowance to get themselves on it, it has been really good.” The New Enterprise Allowance is a package of government support worth up to £2000 to unemployed people who want to start their own business.

Sandra attended a four week ‘Understanding Enterprise’ at St Helens Chamber course where she learned the fundamental principles of running a business.

She said: “We sat down to do the business plan and discussed how it was going to work. The course also gave me the tools I needed to look after the marketing and finance side of things. It really made it black and white helped me to focus on how to build my business up.”

As well receiving support from St Helens Chamber’s Start Up service, Sandra has also been making use

of the benefits of her Chamber Membership. She said: “I did the Business Fair as a Start Up, which really helps you to focus and get your business out there. I have also been to some of the Business Breakfast networking events. Sandra Edwards Consulting is going from strength to strength and the next few months are filling up. Sandra said: “The next 6 months are looking busy. The rider confidence workshops that I deliver have been picked up by the national body and are running in Wales, the Isle of Man and around the North West. “On the back of this I have been able to develop the personal coaching side of the business. I love one to one coaching and to see people on their own personal journeys.”

For more information about the support available from St Helens Chamber to start a business, call 0845 340 9980, email startup@ sthelenschamber.com, or visit http:// www.sthelenschamber.com/startup If you are unemployed and thinking of starting a business, speak to your JobCentre Plus adviser for more information about the New Enterprise Allowance Scheme.

The second group of local graduates from St Helens Chamber’s Graduate Hub have recently come to the end of their six month placements and are going on to secure exciting permanent positions.

Mel Cox is one of four other Graduates from her group to be offered a permanent position following on from the initial six months.

Despite graduating from Salford University with a First Class honors degree in Graphic Design, Mel struggled to find work so turned to the Chamber for support, joining the Graduate Hub in January.

Mel commented: “I found the Graduate Hub really helpful. The interview techniques in particular were useful in terms of getting me prepared for the interview stage.

“The Chamber contacted a lot of

employers that I wouldn’t have thought to approach myself whilst job searching. “I’d definitely recommend the programme as it helped me to get the job I wanted in the same subject I studied.” Following on from three weeks of full time training at St Helens Chamber, Mel was interviewed by Spectrum Sign and Display Ltd and offered a placement as a Graphic Designer.

Julian Robinson, Director of Spectrum Sign and Display Ltd, said: "I was contacted by the Chamber who made me aware of the graduate scheme. Previous apprenticeship schemes provided by the chamber had proved successful, so the new scheme was certainly of interest.”

“Having interviewed Mel, her design ability was evident and it seemed like she could fit well within our design

team.”

“There are significant costs associated with recruitment, therefore the scheme appealed to us as it gave us the opportunity to develop and assess Mel's skill base over a six month period but without a costly introduction fee.”

Following on from the initial six months, Mel was offered a permanent position at Spectrum, working as one of four Graphics Designers.

The Chamber’s Graduate Hub allows businesses to take on graduates on a six month training placement to ensure a good fit before offering a permanent position.

All graduates on the programme are paid at national minimum wage with half of the wage being met by the Chamber, thanks to funding from the European Social Fund.

The Graduate Hub is part of the Access to Work programme, which is funded by the Youth Employment Initiative and the European Social Fund.

It aims to help match local graduates looking for employment with local businesses, trying to fill skills gaps.

The next programme will be starting on the 23rd October in Liverpool.

For more information about the Graduate Hub contact Starting Point on 01744 698800, email info@ thestartingpoint.org or visit our website www.sthelenschamber.com/ startingpoint/services-for-youngpeople/the-graduate-hub.

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Protect yourself and your

loved ones against flu this year

As winter approaches, it’s time for those at risk from flu to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Flu is a highly contagious infection that anyone can catch. While flu can be a short-lived illness for the majority of people who catch it, for some it can be much more serious.

Health leaders in St Helens are

encouraging those who are at much greater risk of becoming seriously unwell if they catch flu, to get themselves protected by getting their free flu jab.

Those at greatest risk include people aged 65 and over, those who have a long term health condition, those with a weakened immune system,

residents of long-stay care homes, carers and pregnant women. Those eligible should contact their GP, local pharmacist or midwife to get their flu jab. The flu vaccine changes every year to fight the latest strains of flu, so even if you had a jab last year you need another one this year to be protected.

Building on the success of last year, children aged 2-3 are being offered a free nasal spray from their GP to protect them against flu and children in reception and school years 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be offered the nasal spray at school. Sue Forster, St Helens Council’s Director of Public Health said: “I would urge everyone who is eligible to get the flu jab.

The flu jab is completely safe, and it can’t give you flu. The sooner people have the jab the better.” St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Gill Neal added: “Flu symptoms can come

on suddenly and sometimes severely.

The most effective way to help protect yourself and your loved ones against flu is to get vaccinated.

For most children it is not even an injection, it’s just a quick, easy and painless nasal spray.” NHS St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group and St Helens Council Public Health are encouraging everyone in St Helens who knows anyone who may be at risk from flu to tell them how important it is that they get protected.

People who are carers and frontline health and social care staff are also encouraged to get a free jab to protect

themselves and those around them.

Younger children are being encouraged to ‘Fight the Flu Monsters!’ - a campaign designed by local children that will promote the free nasal spray and encourage families to ensure their children are protected.

The best time to be vaccinated is at the start of the autumn before flu is circulating: you can get the jab now, so it’s good to get in early and get flu safe in time for the winter.

For more information, speak to your GP or local pharmacist, or visit www. nhs.uk/flu

If you’re looking for a compassionate but affordable cremation service provider then look no further than Cremation Specialists - Simple Sendoffs.

Tom Neal, co-founder of Simple Send-offs explains “With many years’ experience in the funeral industry we were aware that there was an increasing demand for a low-cost cremation provider, hence Simple Send-offs was created”.

Joint co-founder Liz Blackmore continues “Since the company was launched in early 2016 we’ve gone from strength to strength and over that time we have found that people have used us for lots of different reasons; They liked the personal, simple, fussfree approach we provide. They felt that a traditional funeral would be a

‘waste of money’ and would prefer to leave their money to others They liked the fact that our Simple Cremation package offers all the practical elements for a cremation at a fraction of the cost of a High Street Funeral Director It suited the wishes of the deceased Many families liked the flexibility it provided and wanted time to organise a separate celebration at a later date It reduced the cost of repatriation” Tom stated “Over the past ten years the cost of a basic funeral has more than doubled to an average of £3,897 and as the ‘cost of dying’ has continued to rise we see the demand for our services continuing to increase.

There are big differences in what funeral directors charge and the lack

of clear, comparable information about prices makes an already stressful time, much worse for many people. At Simple Send-offs we have signed the Fair Funerals pledge (part of the Quaker Social Action campaign) therefore, we can reassure our customers that our transparent and low-cost pricing is genuine.”

Liz concluded “The feedback from our customers shows that they were delighted to receive the same service they would have expected from a High Street Funeral Director for a fraction of the cost and many have gone on to purchase our fully guaranteed prepayment plans”.

Please call Liz or Tom to discuss your needs on (0151) 630 0050 or 0800 246 5292

Simple Send-offs

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Kids should be Chamber Hair and Beauty Academy

having fun – not flu!

Free nasal spray flu vaccinations are now being offered to children aged two and three in Warrington.

Parents are being urged to protect their children from flu this winter by taking them to their GP practice to receive the free nasal spray vaccination.

Flu can be serious for young children and the vaccine helps protect children against flu and other serious illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

If you have a child aged two or three you will be contacted directly by your GP practice to arrange an appointment.

Children in reception class and schools years 1 to 4 will also receive the free nasal spray vaccination in school.

Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, executive board member for public health and wellbeing, said: “Flu can be a very unpleasant illness, especially for children as they can develop more serious complications.

We want to protect our children and communities as much as we can so it’s really important that we take steps now to avoid the spread of flu over

the winter months. “We are advising that parents who have children aged two and three to respond to the invite from their GP practice and get the vaccination done as early as possible.

For young children, the nasal spray vaccine is a quick, painless and effective way to be protected without the need for injections.

It’s really not worth putting yourself or your family at risk.”

Dr Dan Bunstone, local GP and chair of NHS Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group, added: “Flu can be horrible for young children and if they get it, they can spread it around the whole family.

The free nasal spray vaccination can help protect your child from flu and also reduce the chance of flu spreading to others.

I’d advise all parents/carers not to put off it off. Ask your GP about the free flu vaccine for your child now.”

For more information on how to receive the free flu vaccine contact your GP practice or visit www.nhs.uk/flu

celebrates its 1st Birthday

St Helens Chamber’s purpose-built training salon, The Chamber Hair and Beauty Academy, is celebrating its first year of offering hair and beauty training courses to local people.

Since it opened a year ago, over 80 students have accessed a range of free hairdressing and beauty courses through the new training facility, helping them to gain new skills, increase their confidence and move on in their careers.

10 of the Academy’s younger students have now gone on to secure Hairdressing Apprenticeships at local hair salons, whilst continuing to

attend ‘Day Release’ at the Academy.

Louise Kelly, an Apprentice at Amie’s Hair and Beauty Lounge, said: “After seeing the training advertised on Facebook, I decided to enrol on the course. I liked the idea of doing an Apprenticeship as it’s more hands on and you get paid while training.

“It’s much better to be in a salon working and being hands on than being cooped up in a classroom all day.

“The Apprenticeship has improved my people skills and helped me to grow in confidence.”

As well as offering Traineeships and

Apprenticeship training, the Salon also delivers a variety of free short courses in Spray Tanning, Barbering and Gel Nails for people aged 19 and over.

Tracy Considine, Training Team Leader at St Helens Chamber, said: “The Chamber Hair and Beauty Academy was set up to provide a dedicated training facility for people looking to start careers in the hair and beauty industry.

“To have helped so many people on their way to employment in our first year is a fantastic achievement.

The Academy has produced some

excellent Apprentices this past year who are now flourishing in the workplace.

“We are excited to now be offering a Level 2 Diploma in Hairdressing aimed at those aged 19 and over looking to start a career in the hairdressing industry, which will be a great addition to our current range of courses.”

For more information about The Chamber Hair and Beauty Academy contact Starting Point on 01744 698800, email info@thestartingpoint. org or visit our website at www. sthelenschamber.com/hairacademy.

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Page 7.

Skills shortages risk Joe ‘STEPS’ out in panto

growth prospects

The findings from the St Helens Quarterly Economic Survey for the third quarter of 2017 were more positive than the previous quarter, with data suggesting that some firms are expecting continued growth in the months ahead.

Both manufacturing and service sector businesses have reported employment growth in the last quarter, however both sectors reported recruitment difficulties, especially with finding skilled technical staff. Service sector respondents saw improvements in capital investment and cashflow whilst the manufacturing sector have increased their investment in capital investment and staff training. Local businesses continue to report that the rising costs of raw materials are squeezing margins, forcing many firms to raise their prices. Tracy Mawson, Deputy Chief Executive at St Helens Chamber, commented: “While some businesses report strong trading conditions, the UK economy as a whole is treading water, and there is no sign on the horizon of a return to healthier levels of growth.

However, St Helens businesses are nothing but resilient and there is positive news on job creation and a boost in manufacturing investment; however, skills shortages blight business growth. “It is concerning that the number of vacancies remains well above the historical average - a further indication of the continued skills shortage faced by business, which is weighing on productivity and growth prospects. The latest

research from the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) found that half of UK firms had faced skills or labour shortages over the past year.

“The BCC’s latest economic forecast suggests that the hopedfor rebalancing of the UK economy towards investment and export is unlikely to materialise in the medium term. The rising upfront cost of doing business in the UK, the uncertainty around Brexit, and the constraints created by skills gaps and shoddy infrastructure collectively outweigh any benefit arising from the recent depreciation of sterling. A cheaper currency does not automatically mean an export boom, no matter how some politicians and commentators will it to happen. “Business communities

across the UK need to see action to boost confidence on two fronts: Brexit and the business environment here at home. A comprehensive Brexit transition deal, and a swift shift to focus on the future UK-EU trade relationship, is needed this autumn.

The UK also needs an Autumn Budget that pulls out the stops to support business growth, at a time of significant uncertainty and change.”

St Helens Chamber Members can be assured that St Helens Chamber will be working very closely with the British Chambers of Commerce to articulate their concerns at the highest level of Government.

To view the full survey results visit www.sthelenschamber.com/about/ surveys

Our male principal dancer, Jamie Luke, will be ‘STEPS’ing out in our panto, which stars Crissy Rock, at The Brindley, after roles with H from the pop band, and Disneyland Paris.

Agile Jamie from Great Grimsby,has been dancing since the age of 14 where he began to go to local communities and different dance schools. He said this is where he learnt his passion was for performing art, which has never left him.

Jamie was lucky enough to study at SLP Performing Arts College for four years learning Musical Theatre.

While studying he was able to perform in many pantomimes, such as Cinderella.

Through his performing, Jamie has been lucky enough to meet and perform with many different talents over the last couple of years including, H from Steps and Jez Edwards from CBBC. Once graduating from SLP, he was lucky enough to be contracted to work at the magical Disneyland Paris where he has been for the last two years.

He said: “Having returned to the UK, I amreally looking forward to the next adventure. I hope you all enjoy this fantastic production of Sleeping Beauty at this great venue.”

I’m A Celebrity and Benidorm star Crissy, is a Scouse legend, with a host of roles in her CV, which is longer than the queues to see The Beatles in the Cavern Club back in the day!

They join Rebecca Lake, Christopher Pym, local theatre star, Andrew Curphey and veteran dame Robert Squire , in the Brindley production.

Actress/singer Charlie Griffiths has also joined the cast. You may just

recognise her from last year when she put in a top-notch performance as Fairy Flustered – one of the most popular characters in the show.

We also have a star of CITV. You may also recognise theatre stalwart Nick Wymer from parts in Father Ted, Paul Merton The Series and The Bill.

The all-rounder, who will play our King, has also appeared in ads

for Weetabix and a Bollywood blockbuster as well as numerous TV shows and theatre productions (even a stint in a show in Beirut!)

SLEEPING BEAUTY presented by Polka Dot Pantomimes runs from 11 December – 14 January (See website for all show dates and times) https://tickets.thebrindley.org.uk/enGB/categories/pantomime

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Begin planning your festivities now!

Organising your Christmas party There is no uncertainty that the mention of a Christmas party has already cropped up in your work place by now, even despite the desperate pleas from those who state, “It’s too soon to start thinking about Christmas!”.

The dreaded headed email alone can occasionally stir up a wave of sheer panic to those who desperately attempt to keep Christmas and all common denominators at bay until, at least, December.

Fear not, readers! Whether you are the hapless individual that has somehow been landed with the responsibility of organising the party, or in fact an attendee of the party gathering ideas to help said hapless individual; we are on hand to provide an easy to follow guide which will smooth the process of organising a Christmas work party.

Firstly, it is vital that you gage the successfulness of the previous Christmas party. You need to find out from your colleagues whether they were happy with the venue and arrangement of last year’s party and find out what, if given the opportunity, they would have changed. Big or small, all suggestions will assist in

your role of finding the best suited venue for your party. It’s essential to discuss ideas with your colleagues to try and find out what they would like, or expect, to see this year.

Secondly, before you go booking any venues, you will need to find out just how much money your colleagues are willing to spend. It is also important to consider if your company will contribute towards the cost of the Christmas party.

Is there a budget to be reckoned with? Not all companies are able to provide this luxury, however, so you must make the evening affordable for everyone. The budget will respectively facilitate limitations as to what you are able to get organised for your team, so ensure that you gather this information quickly. Ask all your colleagues for their desired party date.

This will allow you to narrow down on dates whilst also enabling you to confirm numbers, which will provide you with more sureness when contacting the venues etc. A few venues offer discounts for early bookings, like in November, so this may be something to consider if you

are on a tighter budget. Work your way through the list of venues that has been suggested by your colleagues, contacting each one – or visiting their website – to see what they are able to offer you and your team and for what price.

Also enquire as to whether you will need a deposit for your party or not, what time the DJ runs until, also directions on the venue if it is typically difficult to find. Check to see if the venues are easily accessible via public transport as the taxi fares to and from the party may put your colleagues off wanting to attend.

Once you have obtained this information from your colleagues and the venues, it is time to present the information to your colleagues, concisely, with a narrowed down list of best picks. Outline in the email that the choice of the venue will be decided upon a majority vote and ensure you give your colleagues a date to respond by!

Of course, as designated party planner, you mustn’t forget those allimportant cheesy images to spread Christmas cheer along with every email!

Budgeting

for Christmas

Budgeting for Christmas is much easier said than done, granted. It is an element that many of us attempt in the earlier stages of our shopping ventures but rarely actually follow up on. However, budgeting early can avoid unnecessary last-minute spending and can help you reign in the overall amount you’re dishing out, too. Make a list and most importantly – stick to it. Outline those that you are planning to buy for along with an approximate amount that you wish to spend on this person. Keep this list with you always! This way, if you do happen to nip in to the shop on the way home from work and see that lovely bath set that your sister would like, you can tick her off your list right there and then! You can choose to save the list on your mobile phone if you are tech savvy or on a piece of paper in your wallet or purse if you prefer. If you can, buy early. Smaller items, like wrapping paper and Christmas decorations, are in shops from September and they are often a fraction of the price at this time of year when compared to December.

Stock up on these items as early as possible, but avoid splurging on bows and ribbons as, although pretty, it’s money that is being unnecessarily spent. Although not for everybody, shopping online can be a great help when trying to avoid extra spending

and simultaneously getting more organised for Christmas. Not only do many shops offer online discounts on certain items, but you may also discover ideas for gifts for your family or friends whilst browsing. This almost one-dimensional approach can save you money long term too, as shops are privy to our tendency to pick up ‘last minute extras’ whilst waiting for the queue to go down and, of course, when shopping online these extras are not sat waiting for you near the checkout!

Shopping online can also spread out the cost of gift buying as you can add items to your basket and buy one or two online. Of course, you must be mindful that these items may become out of stock or increased in price during these two time frames, however, this will hopefully avoid the panic of checking your bank balance after wandering around the city centre for hours! If you like to gift the children in your family with letters from Santa, small presents in the build-up or a Christmas eve box, why not help Santa out with a little bit of D.I.Y.? these small purchases may not seem like much at the time, but you can cut a fraction off the price of these items by making them yourself.

You can go to almost any craft shop to pick up items to assist with these gifts.

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GET IN THE FLOW ON A CHAPTERS EXPERIENCE

HOLIDAYS’ EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS BREAK

With Christmas often fraught with preparations, why not put aside the usual chores and unwind this festive season on one of Chapters Experience Holidays expert led European city breaks over Christmas.

Atmospheric at any time of year, but even more so at this time of year, get in the flow for a relaxing Christmas with one of the following holidays floating through the misty waterways in Venice, soaking up the grandeur of the Danube River or ambling along the River Rhône and the Pont du Gard where one can do as the song says and dance on the ancient spans of the Pont d’Avignon.

Venice - La Serenissima. Magical at any time of year, Venice’s gondola festooned canals and impressive venetian treasures, such as the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Square, take on an invitingly eerie feel at Christmas when the mist rolls in off the water into the stylishly lit and near deserted alleyways to uncover beautifully decorated shops and a less touristy Venice with local Venetians festively going about their business.

Exploring the city with a side trip to Padua, highlights of this one week holiday include exploring Piazza San Marco when only the pigeons are there, a boat trip across the lagoon to Murano, Burano and Torcello and contemplating Tintoretto’s amazing paintings in the Scuola di San Rocco. In addition, time also spent meandering around the Christmas markets, with their lovely selection of Murano glass, marbled paper gifts and gourmet goodies, makes for the

perfect opportunity to pick up that special gift. Chapters Experience Holidays (01707246666, www. chaptersholidays.co.uk)Venice - La Serenissima one week half board holiday starts from £1,065/person including return flights, dinners in local restaurants, an expert leader and local transport. Departures: 21 December 2017 A Danube Christmas Delight.

Celebrate in Vienna and Budapest, two of the finest cities on the Danube and discover the festive Tale of Two Cities. Wrap up warm for strolls through cobbled courtyards and bustling Christmas markets surrounded by twinkling fairy lights, traditional decorations and elegant architecture.

Explore a museum or two before inviting smells from the numerous coffee houses tempt you in for a treat. Beginning in Vienna, this 8 night holiday takes in the city’s historic old town, the Opera House at Karlsplatz and magical Christmas markets which take place in front of

the city hall. Transferring by train to the Hungarian capital, Budapest, a wonderful city divided by the Danube with the historic Buda on the right bank and modern Pest on the left, time is spent here exploring the Hungarian Parliament, Heroes Square, the Buda Royal Palace, Castle district and the beautiful Fishermen’s Bastion as well as the traditional Christmas market on Vörösmarty Square in the heart of Pest. Chapters Experience Holidays (01707246666, www. chaptersholidays.co.uk) ‘A Danube Christmas Delight’ 8 nights half board holiday starts from £1,199/ person including return flights, local guides for half a day in each city, dinners in hotels and local restaurants, an expert leader and local transport.

Departures: 24 December 2017.

Romantic Avignon. On the tree lined banks of the River Rhône, surrounded by the 800-year-old ramparts, the medieval city of Avignon is steeped in ancient lore and mystery and even more so during the festive season when Christmas lights, and a possible

Budapest at Christmas

light dusting of snow, add to the city’s enchanting ambience. Regarded as one of France’s major artistic centres, dating back to the Pope’s court in 14th century, its narrow cobbled streets uncover a rich history with impressive sites such as the Place St Pierre, Place de l'Horloge and the Promenade des Papes. Surrounded by beautiful French countryside, the week also

includes trips to the Roman city of Arles where Van Gogh lived and painted; the small market town and birth place of Nostradamus, St. Remy de Provence; and a five mile walk up to Pont du Gard, the most spectacular aqueduct in France, where there is the opportunity to do as the song says and dance on the remaining spans of the Pont d’Avignon. Chapters Experience

Holidays (01707246666, www. chaptersholidays.co.uk) Romantic Avignon one week holiday starts from £1045/person including return rail travel, en suite accommodation, half board meals with dinners in hotels and local restaurants, half day with local guide, an expert leader and local transport. Departures: 21 December 2017.

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Celebrating Christmas

abroad is becoming more

popular, research reveals

∙39% of Brits have made the choice to spend Christmas outside of the UK previously ∙Almost a quarter of those escaped the British Christmas to avoid family or traditions A study* carried out on behalf of Travelbag.co.uk, the tailormade long-haul holiday specialist, shows that 39% of UK adults have spent Christmas abroad with almost a quarter admitting they did so to escape their families, traditions such as cooking and even the idea of Christmas altogether. While 37% leave the UK to visit family who live abroad, a further 18% follow the sunshine as they leave the UK because of the weather. 15% like the idea of spending Christmas in a different country to experience different traditions. Interestingly, almost a quarter of those spending Christmas abroad travel by themselves, while 40% take their partners with them. A further 28% bring the whole family while only 4% travel with their friends. Over a third of those surveyed admitted avoiding Christmas in the UK every year, followed by a third who escape every other year, and 22% who say

they've spent Christmas abroad a couple of times. When asked what people miss the most when travelling, almost half said they wish they were with their families, followed by 27% who miss the festive TV programs.

Interestingly, just over 10% claim to miss the British weather. This might be why over two thirds of those who spend Christmas abroad decide to keep taking part in Christmas traditions.

A further 12% are not so fond of traditional activities as long as they exchange presents, and 12% always adopt the traditions of the country they are visiting. On the other hand, there are other elements of the holiday season that the public don't miss.

Cooking Christmas dinner was voted to be the least favourite aspect of the whole festive season, while second place goes to family visits, followed

by Christmas advertising.

Commenting on the results, Travelbag's spokesperson Paul Hopkinson, says: "It's interesting to see how many people are travelling abroad over Christmas to either visit their families, discover new countries or just to make sure they are not

spending Christmas in the UK as some feel the festive season is getting too commercial." Spending habits When it comes to spending cash to celebrate the festive season abroad, people from Northern Ireland and those aged 55+ don't seem to mind turning their wallets inside out.

The findings show that respondents based in Northern Ireland invest on average £1,039** into celebrating Christmas outside the UK. Compared to, for example, savvy Scots who pay only £704. Looking at the age groups, those aged 55 and over don't mind forking out almost £1,000. On the other hand, young professionals (aged 25-34) are more careful and spend just £663.

Women are keen to take £798 out of their budget, while men are prepared to splash £882 during the winter holidays. Hopkinson adds: “It's interesting to see the different attitudes towards spending money when travelling. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself when celebrating Christmas abroad, but everyone should make sure they won't struggle financially and spend within their means."

How to pick the best bottle

of bubbly for Christmas

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without bubbles. But with 10 zillion options vying for a place in your festive fridge, which bottle should you take home? 2015 was the year that our collective zeal for Italian prosecco reached its zenith (Brits spent £41m on own-brand versions of the stuff last year). But it was also when bright, fresh English wine started to be taken seriously (HMRC has seen a 41% increase in applications to produce English sparkling wine this year).

And let's not forget the original. The fanciest. Bone-dry, golden-toned champagne.

First up, let's talk basics. Prosecco – This is a lovely lighter style of fizz. It's fresher and fruitier than champagne and cava, which makes it easier to drink and therefore great for parties. It's also the fizz of the moment, very trendy and obviously a cheaper alternative to champers. Cava – From Spain, cava is a great all-rounder. It’s much cheaper than champagne (about £6 a bottle) but made in exactly the same way, so the flavour profile is similar with those yeasty notes that come from the second fermentation in the bottle. Champagne – Naturally, the king of fizz, and the price reflects that. It can only be made in the Champagne region of France, and only from certain grape varieties. It has delicious brioche notes from its extended time ageing in bottle. English Sparkling – The home-grown stuff is having a great time at the moment as consumers are coming to realise its excellent quality. It tends to have similar traits to champagne as the climate of southern England, where most of the vineyards are, is very similar to that of the Champagne region in France – although the notes are more appley rather than lemony.

And buying it helps the English wine industry, which is a good thing.

And which fizz is best for which occasion​? For Christmas nibbles and antipasti platters: prosecco wins Shellfish starter or any fried fish: try cava – the acidity cuts

through the oiliness. Smoked salmon: perfect with blanc de blancs champagne. The citrus notes work beautifully with the strong flavour. For pudding: try asti, the sweet sparkling white Italian wine.

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Sales E: sales@jac-media.com | T: 0115 8456423 Nearly 50% of employees do their Christmas

shopping whilst at work spending on

average 72 minutes of company time

As the Christmas shopping season starts an online voucher code website looked into when and where people do their Christmas shopping, they were particularly interested in looking at shopping during working hours. 48% of employees in the UK admitted to Christmas shopping on work time, spending on average 72 minutes doing so.

There is a lot of planning and organisation that goes into Christmas, with time in short supply to do these tasks. With experts predicting more shopping will happen online this month than ever before an online voucher code website investigated if people do their Christmas shopping at work whilst on company time. w w w. m y v o u c h e r c o d e s . c o . u k surveyed 2157 men and women in the UK aged over 18 who were in full time employment (not self-employed) asking: “Have you ever shopped for Christmas presents whilst at work during work time?” They found that 48% of respondents admitted they had, whilst 2% would prefer not to say and 50% stated they never had.

The results also showed that men

were more likely to spend work time shopping for Christmas presents than women, with 50% admitting to doing their Christmas shopping when they should have been working.

As many companies opt for policies which restrict which sites can be viewed online at work, My Voucher Codes investigated further to see what device people were using to shop on in work.

They asked those who had answered yes to the first question: “Did you shop via your computer or mobile device?”

They discovered 59% of people used mobile devices such as their phone or tablet, whilst 38% used their work computer. To work out how much time employees spent online shopping for Christmas on work time they asked: “On average per shopping session how long did you spend shopping for Christmas presents?” The majority of respondents (28%) only spend around 20 minutes Christmas shopping in work time, however 17% admitted to spending nearly 2hrs shopping and 10% admitted to spend over 3hrs shopping for Christmas presents.

This meant the average the amount

of time workers spent Christmas shopping online during work time was 73 minutes. Mark Pearson said: “At Christmas there doesn't seem to be enough time to do everything we need, from planning and shopping to visiting friends and family, so it's no surprise that people try and sneak some time at work to reduce some of the stress of the festive period. Taking into consideration being able to do shopping away from a spouse, you may need to shop for them at work, however as a business owner I would suggest using the lunch break for that!”

He added: “Obviously for businesses, shopping during work hours can be a concern. Some will have taken matters into their own hands and ban access to many unessential websites including retail, but combatting access on mobile devices is harder.

This may lead employers to be even more vigilant, checking that their employees aren't on their mobiles or tablets, however perhaps it is up to the employee to be better organised and perhaps taking time off work with their holiday allowance to do these tasks.”

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Pennant Park

Golf Course

Surrounded by the stunning Pennant Park Golf Course, the Pennant Holiday Lodges will delight those looking to relax and enjoy some of North Wales’ picturesque countryside.

The park boasts spellbinding views of the Dee Estuary, Hilbre and the Wirral. On a clear day you can see as far as Blackpool and the Cumbrian Hills. Pennant Park is perfectly situated between Conwy and Chester, making it the ideal location for exploring the North Wales coast and all the area has to offer. Within just a short walking distant you can enjoy nature trails, rambling, horse riding and fishing.

If it’s something more adventurous you’re looking for then you won’t be disappointed. North Wales is fast becoming a Mecca for adventure sports.

Of course, if you’re a keen golfer then this is the perfect place to own a holiday home. Set in 110 acres of stunning parkland Pennant Park boasts a superb 18 hole golf course with greens of the highest quality and truly breathtaking signature holes. The course also has a practice putting green and a six bay driving range. You’re guaranteed a warm welcome at the clubhouse with its friendly atmosphere and fully licensed

bar and restaurant serving food daily.

The luxury holiday homes are finished to the highest of standards and complete with interiors that are unique, elegant and fully customisable, so you’re sure to find one that you’ll love. Each lodge comes with a large decked veranda and parking for two cars.

The small, exclusive development of 15 holiday lodges are sold with an amazing 75 year agreement and a full 12 month holiday licence, meaning they can be used all year round, as often as you like.

This quiet retreat is filling up fast, with the park currently having one brand new lodge for sale and only one empty base left.

However, work had now commenced on a second holiday park. This will be home to a further 18 lodges with all the amenities of our first park plus the benefit of being able to sub-let. To truly appreciate the beauty of this park seeing really is believing! Spend a day at Pennant Park, viewing the lodges, have a bite to eat and maybe a round of golf, you won’t be disappointed! Pennant Park Golf Club & Holiday Lodges. a: Whitford, Holywell, Flintshire CH8 9ER Junction 32 off the A55 t: 01745 563000 e: info@pennant-park.co.uk w: www.pennant-park.co.uk

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Local Nursery Group

Scoop Two National Awards

On the left Sarah Fillingham and on the right Joan Jobe.

Local firm Portico Nursery Group Ltd are celebrating two industry accolades from the ‘Nursery World Awards 2017’ ceremony held in London.

Sarah Fillingham won the ‘Nursery Operations / Regional Manager of the Year’ award for her exceptional work as group area manager, and Joan Jobe received the ‘Highly Commended Nursery Manager Of The Year’ trophy for her work as Manager at King’s Park Nursery, Knowsley.

Sarah Fillingham has been area manager at the Portico Group for 6 years. All of her work is underpinned by being ‘hands on’ in the nurseries.

Sarah also shares best practice on Twitter and other forums, so Sarah remains a highly respected Area Manager at Portico and beyond.

Joan Jobe has been with King’s Park Nursery from the outset, she loves her work and is very proud of the Ofsted Outstanding nursery, which has become the highlight of an exceptionally caring career. Even after 39 years, Joan says work is never a chore.

Colleagues have commented that Joan is very modest and quietly gets on with her work whilst being highly professional.

Company Director Nicole Politis said, ‘The Nursery World Awards showcase the very best practice in the early years sector, and reward professionals who work so hard to support young children and their families.

I am very proud of Sarah and Joan.

They have done exceptionally well to be given these highly prestigious national awards when the competition was so fierce. Sarah and Joan’s awards are fantastic recognition of the excellent work they do on a daily basis, and they thoroughly deserve them.’

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Whatsapp warning from Halton Council

trading standards officers after voucher scam

A Runcorn woman has received two scam WhatsApp messages from two different friends who were convinced they were genuine. Both messages say that a big name supermarket is giving away a £250 voucher and contain the web link to enter the prize draw.

In both cases a real friend has forwarded the message to the 48-year-old. The web link looks genuine but careful readers will notice that there’s a very subtle difference – one letter has been replaced by a symbol.

In the example below the ‘d’ in Asda has been replaced with this symbol ‘đ’.

The other message was identical apart from the name of the supermarket that was supposedly running the draw.

The scammer had replaced the letter ‘o’ in Tesco with this symbol Ó.

By substituting one letter with a symbol, the scammer is able to make the web address appear genuine. Clicking on the link will take you to the scammer’s website Halton Borogh Counci’s Executive Board Member for Trading Standards, Cllr Dave Cargill, said: “These texts are scams. If you receive one of these messages, or anything similar, delete it without clicking on any links.

“If you or somebody you know has been caught out by a scam please contact one of our specialist officers, Linda or Sue on 0151 511 8785 or 0151 511 8775, who are already working with people in Halton who have lost thousands of pounds to scams. ” If you need advice on anything else please contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline or 03454 04 05 06.

Volair gift card

– the perfect gift

Are you looking for inspiration for a birthday or Christmas gift? We can help!

A range of Volair gift cards are available to suit everyone’s interests and budgets, starting at just £35 for a three month Volair swim or junior membership.

If it’s just swimming that interests you, we have a gift card for that, or if it’s full access to one of the five gyms across the borough, we can help with that too! You can purchase a Gold 3 month membership (unlimited access) for just £75 and silver (offpeak) for just £65.

Keep a look-out for special Christmas membership deals too on Volair’s website which will offer a month’s membership at great value for money prices.

With more investment in leisure facilities in Knowsley, including the recently refurbished gym and opening of the new 3G football pitch at Kirkby Leisure Centre, along with a vast array of fitness classes to choose (free for Gold and Silver members) from including Mossa Group Fight, spinning, aqua aerobics and circuits, there’s never been a better time to visit a Volair centre.

For the full range of gift cards on offer, visit Volair’s website or call Volair on 0151 443 2200.

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Pain is important because when we suffer from pain, it is a vital signal that something is wrong where the pain occurs.

It gives doctors essential clues to the problems so that steps can be taken to begin treatment. In most cases the problem will go away after treatment, and in that respect, the pain will have fulfilled its function.

But when patients develop chronic pain, that is pain that just goes on and on – it leaves unrelenting suffering that clouds and impairs the mind, so when a patient says to the Doctor “surely there must be something you can do to stop this terrible pain”, it is clear that specialist help is needed.

Here at our Pain Research Institute in Liverpool, researchers, scientists and doctors steadfastly continue with their dedicated work, and we believe that the achievement of further targets will lead to added improvements in our battle to ease the suffering of those who are presently committed to a life sentence of agonising pain. We are proud of our achievements to date in finding many cures and beneficial treatments for chronic pain.

But with more help we can develop further changes that are desperately needed which will end the suffering of thousands of chronic pain patients. Research into chronic pain is much underfunded compared with other diseases – yet the cost of treating chronic pain in the NHS exceeds the total cost of treating Aids, Coronary Disease, and Cancer combined, yet cancer alone receives income of almost £1M per day.

LEAVE THE FOUNDATION A LEGACY IN YOUR WILL AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO HELP SUFFERERS. Pain Relief Foundation Clinical Sciences Centre University Hospital Aintree Liverpool L9 7AL Tel: 0151 529 5820 Fax: 0151 529 5821 Registered Charity No. 1156227 Web: www.painrelief foundation.org.uk

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your 8 page christmas pull out inside

From golf resorts to hidden gems, enjoy Northern Ireland’s park life

Northern Ireland may be famed for its championship links golf but it also possesses glorious parkland courses.

Beyond capital Belfast’s five parkland beauties there’s a wealth of inland courses for golfers to play throughout the region. Some of them are at golf resorts where the fairways are just steps away from your room, while others are unsung jewels just waiting to be discovered by visitors.

There are three golf resorts in Northern Ireland, all of them offering extensive golf facilities as well as accommodation, bars, restaurants, recreational activities – and fullservice spas with massage treatments, to help ease those aching muscles after a round or prepare the body for the next golfing foray.

Just 20 minutes from Belfast, and only 10 minutes from Belfast International Airport, the Hilton Belfast Templepatrick Golf & Country Club incorporates a 129room four-star hotel and a par-72 golf course that stretches to over 7,000 yards. Designed by former European Tour pros David Jones and David Feherty, it opened in 1999 and challenges golfers with a mix of lakes and mature trees. Other golf facilities include a floodlit driving range, short game practice area and two practice putting greens. The resort also has a spa and health club, both of which were refurbished in 2014.

Located on a 600-acre peninsula between Lower Lough Erne and

Castle Hume Lough in the Fermanagh Lakelands, Lough Erne Resort comprises a five-star hotel and the Faldo Championship Course – sixtime Major winner Sir Nick Faldo’s first design in Ireland – that opened in 2009, as well as a second 18-hole course, the Castle Hume. The resort also has a golf academy featuring a private golf studio equipped with video and ball-tracking analysis.

Lough Erne Resort opened in 2010 and has 120 rooms, suites and loughside lodges. Its Thai Spa offers a dual treatment room ideal for couples, with treatments including a two-hour Golfers Tonic massage.

The resort’s Catalina Restaurant is named after the World War II flying boats that were based on Lough Erne.

Lough Erne Resort welcomed world leaders including Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel and David Cameron when it hosted the G8 summit in 2013.

Roe Park Resort lies in the beautiful surroundings of the Roe Valley Country Park. It is just a short drive from 2019 Open Championship venue Royal Portrush and other top links layouts as well as the Causeway Coast’s world-class visitor attractions, among them the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 18-hole parkland course gives golfers views of the Sperrin Mountains and Lough Foyle from elevated holes.

Its par-3 6th hole recently underwent extensive work including a new

two-tier green as part of £1 million renovations to the course. Facilities also include an academy and hightech indoor teaching studio.

Formerly a stately country house dating to 1729, Roe Park Resort’s four-star hotel opened in 1995 and offers 118 rooms and suites, two restaurants, including its restored 18th century Coach House, and a spa that is a teaching academy for Elemis.

The resort offers a Couples Escape package that includes dinner, bed and breakfast plus a mud skin treatment for two followed by a couples massage.

Although not connected, Galgorm Resort & Spa is close by for those playing golf at Galgorm Castle Golf Club and it features a new riverside Thermal Village. A couples package includes bubbly and truffles on arrival, use of the Thermal Village and a Deluxe Duo treatment, with optional four-course meal and a cocktail or glass of wine. The resort was the host hotel for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in 2017, played at Portstewart Golf Club.

Galgorm Castle Golf Club is laid out through mature wooded grounds in the heart of the 220-acre Galgorm Castle Estate, alongside its 17th century castle. It stages the annual Northern Ireland Open, part of the European Tour’s Challenge Tour.

More than 40,000 people watched the free-to-enter tournament in 2017, a record for the tour. A new Fun Golf

Area at Galgorm is aimed at families and features a six-hole pitch and putt course and the Himalayas putting green, a scaled replica of the famous St Andrews attraction.

Among Northern Ireland’s best-kept golfing secrets, Kilkeel Golf Club is a picturesque parkland layout at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in the far south-west that has played host to qualifiers for the British Amateur and Senior British Open events.

The region boasts several centenarians outside of Belfast. They include: Massereene Golf Club, established in 1895 and offering a challenging course on the shore of Lough Neagh; Newtownstewart Golf Club, founded in 1914 and laid out through venerable oaks and beech trees in the Baronscourt Estate, home of the Duke of Abercorn; Tandragee Golf Club, dating back to 1911 on the Duke of Manchester’s Estate with bunkers including some resembling America’s Great Lakes that were designed by the Cincinnati-born Duchess of Manchester; and Omagh Golf Club, which was extended from a nine-hole course built in 1910 to 18 holes in 1983.

Other gems include County Down golf clubs Rockmount, St Patrick’s, Warrenpoint, Edenmore and 36hole Clandeboye, County Antrim’s Lisburn Golf Club and Country Tyrone’s Dungannon Golf Club.

Several excellent seaside courses lie in the shadows of renowned venues.

Just around the coast from the celebrated Royal County Down, the short but spectacular Ardglass Golf Club links hugs the rocky shore and cliffs, with several holes offering views across the bay to Coney Island.

Golfers can enjoy the craic after their round in the bar of the oldest clubhouse in the world, originally built as a castle over 600 years ago and with cannons pointing out over the fairways just in front.

Kirkistown Castle Golf Club, on the Ards Peninsula, is the closest links course to Belfast and was designed by legendary architect James Braid, while Ballycastle Golf Club, a mix of parkland and links, lies opposite Rathlin Island on the Causeway Coast alongside the ruins of 500-year-old Bonamargy Friary. Cairndhu Golf

Club is a parkland course with several holes right by the sea, its signature, par-3 2nd hole ending in a green perched on a rocky headland.

However, few courses can match the historic connection enjoyed by Foyle Golf Centre, on the outskirts of Derry below the Donegal Hills.

Its championship parkland course is named after aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.

She made an emergency landing at the end of her historic flight in 1932 on what is now the 6th green of the Earhart Course.

Whatever your preference, Northern Ireland’s park life golf is a hit.

For more information on Northern Ireland and its golf, visit: www. discovernorthernireland.com

Barba Ready For Tough Pre-Season

Ben Barba knows how important pre-season is for him to hit the ground running in 2018.

The star fullback showed glimpses of what he is about at the back end of Saints’ campaign – and now is ready to kick on for more.

“It’s all about getting in condition to be right to play,” he said. “I have done a few pre-seasons now and know what it takes. I’ve done all mine in 30 degree weather in Australia though so I don’t know what to expect with this one!

“It will be strange as there are 11 guys that won’t be here because they are at the World Cup. But I

know it will be tough. There are times during those training sessions when you question why you put yourself through it but it is worth it at the end of the day.

“If you put the work in early in the off-season then it isn’t as difficult. If you let yourself go a little in the break then you will fall behind some of the other guys. I’m looking forward to it.

I’m pleased I’m getting a pre-season in St Helens colours and glad the season starts in February.

“Pre-season is important for me. I have always played by best rugby when I’ve had a good pre-season and focused hard on training. I have

worked out what I need to do to get into peak fitness. I want to do it and when February comes I can’t wait to show the St Helens fans what I can really do.”

Barba was a much heralded signing when he joined the club in 2017 but fans had to wait until the end of the year to see him in action.

He admits he felt pressure early on but now is fully part of Justin Holbrook’s squad. He continues: “There was a bit of pressure being a ‘marquee’ player when I first joined the club but now I don’t feel any more important than any of the other guys in the side.

“Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Jonny

Lomax, Mark Percival and all the young guys coming through; you don’t win comps with just one player.

“It doesn’t matter how good you are, you need a good 16 other guys around you to take to the field each week. I don’t feel any sort of pressure being the ‘marquee’ player. With so many great players in the side, it’s easy.”

Ben is signed up for 2018… are you?

Memberships for 2018 are now on sale and are the best way of watching your Saints next season.

Not only do they offer savings on matchday prices but they come with a whole host of other benefits, offers and discounts too.

Each Edition of the St Helens Local has a print run of 2,025 copies. Published by JAC Media Ltd, Foxhall Lodge, Foxhall Road, Nottingham, NG7 6LH.