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Grow your own with Alys Win tickets to RHS show Save £4,000 and save the planet
GO GREEN FOR THE SUMMER
16 pages of tips and tales . . . from Summer’s must-have gadgets to our man in Africa
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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Let’s make Merseyside greener Supplement written and researched by JADE WRIGHT
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ELCOME to the Summer It’s Our World supplement - part of our green section dedicated to making Merseyside a more environmentally-friendly place to
live. This month we celebrate a year of It’s Our World. And in this supplement we’re looking at ways to make this the best – and greenest – summer yet, with tips on everything from saving money to saving precious global resources. With tax rises and wage freezes ahead for many, we’re looking at ways to make your money go further, and help the environment at the same time. On page 3 we’ve teamed up with the RHS Flower Show to offer a great prize – tickets to the show, and an apple tree that will provide delicious fruit in years to come. One thing that always provokes letters is the plight of out native honeybees, and on page four there are details of a great new initiative that promises to help our buzzy friends out. Liverpool charity worker Paul Grundy has travelled to Mozambique to witness lifesaving childcare advice, and on page five, he shares his diary and photographs from the trip. As we tighten our collective belts, it sometimes seems that being green is a luxury only the wealthy can afford. But on pages six and seven, we look at how can you can do your bit without paying the earth, and actually save £4,000 a year in the process. Elsewhere we have our summer must-have eco-gadgets (Page 8&9), cutting down on waste on holiday (Page 10&11), national success for a Merseyside firm (Page 12), Wirral pledges (Page 13) and on Pages 14 & 15 you’ll find our definitive guide to the best outdoor events for all the family. Over the last year we’ve seen governments and local authorities change, but the environment has stayed top of the political agenda. World leaders and award-winning scientists met in Copenhagen to find ways of halting our energy crisis and dealing with a changing climate. There has been big talk and big promises but eventually, as always, it’ll be people like you and me who have to make changes to our daily lives to make the really big things happen. And already we’re seeing this is possible. Bit by bit we’re all playing a part. Over the last year, I’ve been overwhelmed by your fantastic green ideas, your ingenious tips and the many inspirational things you’ve been doing to make the world a better place. Please do keep your news coming – email me at jade.wright@liverpool.com or log on to the green blog http://blogs.liverpool echo.co.uk/ecowarrior/ and share your green news with the world. I’ll feature as much as I can in my weekly pages and in the upcoming It’s Our World supplements, which will appear every three months in your paper. Together we’re making Merseyside a brighter place. Let’s keep it that way.
Jade
SUNSET: Evening falls on Formby beach against the backdrop of the wind farm on the Mersey Estuary
PICTURE: Colin Lane
I could while away the hours conferrin’ with the flowers...
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ast weekend, a crop of scarecrows appeared in the National Wildflower Centre to celebrate the work of schools and community groups from across Merseyside. Many had submitted an entry made by its members or pupils – and the results were impressive. This year’s winner was the Royal School for the Blind’s Bert & Janet. Some of the finalists will join the centre’s resident scarecrows at the RHS Flower
Show, Tatton Park, later this month. “The standard has been really high this year,” said Alison Storer from the National Wildflower Centre. “People have really used their imagination and there are some fantastic names – we have a footballing scarecrow called Wayne Rootey and one with a guitar known as John Lemon. They really bring a smile to your DON’T BE SCARED: A scarecrow at the National Wildflower face.” For details see www.nwc.org.uk. Centre
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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NEWS 3
Win tickets to the RHS Show at Tatton Park SEA VIEW: William Farr and Jack McNamara are just about to start work on their castle
PLANTERS: Pupils from Witton Church Walk Primary School with their entries
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ARDENING is going green at this year’s RHS Tatton Flower Show. Wirral designer Pip Probert is working with Envirolink Northwest to raise awareness about environmentally friendly garden concepts that can be implemented with ease in any home or business. The Envirolink Northwest Garden is giving visitors green ideas at this year’s RHS Show in Tatton Park from July 21-25, with an eco-friendly space of recycled products and renewable energy. The garden has a number of sustainable elements including a raised pond and water feature powered by solar PV panels, a recycled plastic wood substitute to create the garden decking, organic stone making the paved area and colourful chippings of recycled glass on the garden approach. The RHS has teamed up with Tree2mydoor.com to ensure that one lucky reader can win a chance to enjoy the North’s greatest gardening show with a pair of tickets to the RHS Show Tatton Park and a special delivery of a James Grieve Apple tree from sustainable gift company Tree2mydoor.com. This year’s show is bursting
with creative flair and will be a mecca for those with Grow Your Own ambitions. North West representatives of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners will be showing off their patch perfect produce and sharing their top growing tips. Also, the RHS Summer Fruit and Vegetable Competition will be a colourful display of only the best berries and award winning vegetables. After enjoying the spectacle of the RHS Show Tatton Park the winner can adapt some kitchen garden ideas with their home delivered James Grieve Apple tree from Tree2mydoor.com. This variety is easy to care for and produces delicious and crisp apples perfect for cooking or eating straight off the tree. To find out more or to purchase tickets please visit www.rhs.org.uk/tattonpark or call 0844 338 7528. www.tree2mydoor.com specialises in the sale of quality natural gifts including trees and wildflowers. Save 10% when you buy online. To win a pair of tickets, and James Grieve Apple tree, send a postcard to Jade Wright, RHS Tatton competition, PO Box 69, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L69 3EB by Monday July 19.
Dig in at the Formby Summer Fun Day KING OF THE CASTLE: Reuben Juckes enjoys the sun on the beac
GRAB your bucket and spade and enjoy the great outdoors at the Formby Summer Fun Day this Sunday. There will be a fun dog show, dog display, fire engine, lots of stalls and lovely veggie food, games and face painting for children. Please arrive by 12.30pm to park on site. Entrance: £1 adults and 50p children. West Lancs K9 Centre, Moss Side, Formby. For details of dozens of great days out in Merseyside, see our listings guide on pages 14 and 15.
Schoolgirl prompts council to build bike track
GREAT WORK: Emily Bell (second from left) and her sister Sophie try out the new track in McGoldrick park, Huyton, watched by Cllr Eddie Connor and Cath Sheil
A SCHOOLGIRL put a council on the right track when she asked them to build a cycle path in her local park. Emily Bell, 10, wrote to Knowsley council asking them to add the track to her local park in Huyton. Her letter prompted a positive response, with Knowsley council extending the work on the new adventure playground to include a cycle track – built in conjunction with the council’s cycling
development officer to cycle test standards. Emily was invited to visit the site and her ideas were included in the final plans. Work on the new track has now been completed and Emily has been invited to test out the new facility. Emily said: “The new cycle track is great. It will give local children the chance to ride safely, instead of having to manoeuvre around pedestrians in the park. We can also practise
cycling training here. “I wrote to the council when I saw they were working on a new adventure playground. There was an unused area nearby, so I said why not create a bike park? I’m really pleased they’ve listened to all my ideas.” Cllr Eddie Connor, Knowsley council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure Community and Culture, said: “We thought Emily’s suggestion was an excellent one. We are
committed to encouraging cycling as part of a healthy lifestyle and providing high quality training and play facilities, so we were delighted to work with Emily to create the new cycle track for local children and young people. “The new track will perfectly compliment the excellent new Play Pathfinder play space at McGoldrick Park which provides the latest in outdoor, adventurous, natural play.”
4 NEWS
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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Residents create a buzz about conservation to save bees
Make sure you do your groundwork before you start planting
GROUNDWORK: Alan Titchmarsh THE right soil can Euphorbias, spiraeas, rodgersias and, of make all the course, roses, will all difference to thrive in clay soil. gardeners but, says "There's the Alan Titchmarsh, wonderful Rosa clever planting can rugosa - the flowers help you whatever look like crepe your soil type. Clay particles hold paper, don't get in nutrients, so the mildew or blackspot, more clay and make waist-high humus there is in the informal hedges and soil, the more have hips following nutrients it can hold. the flowers," Alan This means that clay adds. is actually among the Other plants most fertile of soils. which do well in clay "Willows love soils include Choisya damp earth and clay. ternata (Mexican Salix daphnoides orange blossom), (Violet Willow) can Hydrangea be grown like paniculata, Kerria dogwood,” says Alan. japonica, Mahonia x “Chop it down in media 'Charity' and February and it will Weigela 'Kosteriana grow new stems, Variegata'. While clay may providing winter be one problem, colour and foliage in shade is another, spring. It's fast but there are plants growing and will which will survive reach 8ft in each the most season." inhospitable Other great situations, even in shrubs Alan recommends for clay organic gardens. Hostas love shade include Viburnum and you can buy 'Pragense', a copper collars to rounded evergreen place around them type with narrow, to prevent slugs and textured leaves and clusters of pink buds snails chomping which open to white their way through flowers in late spring. the young shoots.
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GROUP of Liverpool residents are getting buzzy, as they prepare to launch a pioneering conservation project to protect bees. Volunteers from the Woolton Village Residents Association (WVRA) and Friends of Woolton Woods (FOWW) have set up the Liverpool Bumblebee Haven Project in response to the plight of bees nationwide which has seen some species decline by 60% since the 1970s. The project will create two wildflower sites at Croxteth Hall and Country Park and Woolton Woods, with another larger wildflower and natural habitat area in the pipeline. The aim is to create the UK’s first city-wide bumblebee haven, with a series of bee-friendly wildflower sites located across Liverpool. Work on the sites began on Monday 5 July when volunteers planted wildflowers at Woolton Woods and Camphill. Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for the environment, Councillor Tim Moore, said: “This is a fantastic initiative and it‘s
BUSY AS A BEE: Residents are launching a bee conservation program great that our residents are getting involved in doing something to protect the threatened insects. “And, they are already proving to be an inspiration to others, as several volunteer groups across the city are showing an interest in creating their own bee wildflower areas as part of the project. “It’s great to have such momentum behind something that will not only help the bees but also other wildlife as well - especially as this year is the International Year of Biodiversity.” The Mersey Forest and Liverpool City Council have helped to coordinate and
support the project, which will see the knowledge and experience gained during the initial stages passed on to others. Peter Eustance, from the WVRA, said: “Bees are vital to society thanks to their role in pollinating plants, but they are under serious threat from a significant loss of appropriate food sources and the right types of habitat. This project will create specially designed wildflower meadows of the right species of wildflowers and types of natural habitat for our bumblebees to help them thrive on Merseyside again.” The project has been funded through the Landfill
Communities Fund by Veolia Environmental Trust. Veolia Environmental Trust’s Senior Project Manager, Laurie McNabb, says: “The Trust supports community and environmental projects throughout the UK and it is great to see this scheme get underway. We’re pleased to be able to help the residents association purchase the specialist machinery and wildflower seed to make this important project happen.” Bumblebees can travel 4km or more to forage for food, so the creation of just a handful of sizeable wildflower ‘feeding stations’ and over wintering habitats across Liverpool will go a long way to securing their future in the city. Experts at Landlife, Liverpool’s wildflower charity, advised on species of flowers that will provide maximum food for bees at the new sites, which will also include bee nesting habitats such as existing banks of earth, hedgerows, and natural grasses modified to be more attractive to bees. To find out about volunteering as part of the Bumblebee Haven project, contact The Mersey Forest on 01925 816217.
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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CARING: A baby at Save the Children's Kangaroo Mother Care clinic in the Monapo District, Mozambique, Nampula
LIFESAVERS: Mothers hold their newborn babies close to their bodies to keep them warm
DEBT RELIEF: A baby in Nampula
POVERTY: A meeting in 25 de Junho village in Monapo
VITAL FOOD: A little girl eats a bowl of nutritious porridge made out of locally available food in Nampula
Debt relief has helped but poverty is not history WORLD leaders failed to deliver on their promise to help eradicate poverty in the developing world at the recent G8/G20 summits in Toronto. Only five years ago they met at the Gleneagles G8 summit and pledged that, by 2010, they would take action to help Make Poverty History and double aid to Africa. Not all countries have kept their promise. But the ones that have secured more aid have changed the lives of millions of children. Mozambique is one of those success stories. Debt relief has helped to pay for free immunisation, benefiting one million children. This is a huge breakthrough, but the country desperately needs our continuing support. Although Mozambique is a holiday destination it remains very poor and the country is still rebuilding after the civil war which ended in 1992. Most people in Mozambique live on less than $1.25 a day and average life expectancy is 42. Half of the population are aged under 18 and
LIVERPOOL charity worker Paul Grundy travelled to Mozambique to witness Kangaroo Childcare. Here Paul, 27, from Mossley Hill, shares his diary from the trip
four out of every 10 children in Mozambique are suffering from severe malnutrition. Save the Children health workers have found that the traditional African way of strapping a baby to the mothers back isn’t the best way to keep a very young or underweight child warm, and are persuading young mothers to secure the child on their chest,. The women changing to this new way of childcare are known as Kangaroo Mothers. We were taken to a hospital ward where four young mothers were resting after giving birth. One of the most emotional moments of the trip was meeting a 14 year old girl who had just given birth to triplets. Unfortunately one of the babies died before we arrived and she was having
difficulties feeding the two remaining children. Save the Children is trying to give really simple advice that mothers can follow to ensure their babies have the best possible chance of survival. Save the Children also set up feeding centres and teaches mums how to cook a healthy meal for their children and help families with agricultural advice to ensure they can grow their own fruit and vegetables. As well as a healthy diet education is key to breaking the poverty cycle. Although primary education is free the standard of the school buildings and often the quality of teaching is poor. Around every school area Save the Children
also provides a water pump for the community and women and children queued for up to an hour to fill buckets and a variety of containers. They carry the most enormous loads on their heads – water, firewood, building materials, often completely hands free. As we were travelling back from the school I spotted some children playing football at the side of the road with some tightly bound plastic bags. Since it was the World Cup I’d taken some small footballs with me. As I gave the football to these children they were clearly delighted and we had a kick around. When I had to leave, a young boy came running back across the field and gave me the ball back. He clearly didn’t expect to be able to keep it and the short kick around was good enough for him. When I gave it him back and told him he could keep it the smile on his face was amazing.
● If you would like to make a donation to help children such as those in Mozambique please call 020 7012 6400 or visit www.savethechildren.org.uk.
6 NEWS
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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Coast to coast
TO celebrate National Bike Week, and the 21st anniversary of the Trans Pennine Trail, four Energy Saving Trust advice centres across the north of England teamed up to complete the Trans Pennine Trail from coast to coast. The Energy Saving Trust advice centre for Merseyside and Cheshire started the relay on Monday 21st June. The team set off from Southport Eco Centre along with colleagues from Sefton Council and TOP GEAR: The cycle team – Energy Projects Plus, before heading through staff from Sefton Aintree, Knowsley, Council, Energy Liverpool, Hale, Widnes, Projects Plus Warrington with the and the Energy baton being handed over Saving Trust to the Manchester advice centre advice centre in Lymm. The baton was passed from Manchester to the South and West Yorkshire advice centre and finally to the North Yorkshire and Humber advice centre who completed the challenge at Hornsea, near Hull, on Thursday 24 June. Between them they covered nearly 200 miles. To help you get on your bike, the Energy Saving Trust is offering free Travel Choices booklets and travel energy checks to all readers. To claim your free booklet and travel energy check call 0800 512 012. Call before 30th July to be entered into a prize draw to win a set of Pedalite bike pedals.
Stop wasting around £300 a year with a free home energy check Hello, Dave here. If you’re looking for easy ways to stop wasting energy and money the Energy Saving Trust can help. So, complete your home energy check today.
ON YER BIKE: Cycling can save you a fortune
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Call 0800 512 012 or visit energysavingtrust.org.uk/check
T'S easy to fall into the trap of thinking that being green is a luxury only the wealthy can afford. While many of us haven't got the money for solar panels and windmills on our homes, we still want to do our bit. So how can we go green without paying the earth? Think about whether you really need a car. The total annual costs range between £1,504 for a small car with low annual mileage and £4,425 for a large car with high annual mileage. By comparison, once you've bought a bike, you'll only need to spend about £75 a year looking after it. Short journeys are often quicker on two wheels and in Merseyside we have great access to the National Cycle Network, so there are clearly signed cycle routes to get you to work, school or the shops.
● Saving - £1429
The humble washing line is a pretty basic piece of equipment,
but one that can help to save £60 a year on your energy bills. There has been a 20% rise in sales of washing lines and pegs as families realise that ditching the tumble dryer is not only green, but bank balance-friendly too. If everyone in the UK who uses one - 60% of households do - that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions
equivalent to taking 960,000 cars off the roads. A washing line has a normal life expectancy of around 20-30 years, versus four-seven years for the average tumble dryer, and clothes themselves last longer when dried naturally. If you have a small garden or a balcony, a retractable line is a great idea. A plastic-coated
retractable outdoor clothesline in a rustproof case with wall fixings and hook, cost £9.99 from Lakeland, www.lakeland.co.uk, or Cath Kidston travel washing line with pegs is £5 from www.cathkidston.co.uk.
● Saving - £50
Turn your thermostat down. Put on a jumper if necessary. Research by the Energy Saving Trust says that reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10% and typically saves around £55 per year.
● Saving - £55
WIND POWER: Use a washing line to dry your washing
While you're at it, get a free home energy check from the Energy Saving Trust too. Just answer some simple questions about your home and their experts will give you a free, impartial report telling you how you can save up to £300 a year on your household energy bills, plus cut down on your carbon footprint at the same time. See
Go green and save £4,000 a year
Ditch your car and go to work by bike If you're eco-aware at home and at work, you probably think you're doing your bit. But how about that all important commute that gets you to and from work each day? Cycling is one of the greenest ways to travel, and is kind on the environment and your purse. Cast your mind back to how proud you felt when your stabilisers were removed; when dad said "I'll not let go" and then suddenly you realised he had and you were on your own. We've found a selection of pedal powered machines that'll ensure you stand out from the crowd.
Brompton M3L 2010 folding bike, £699.99 ● Stowaway Success - Brompton M3L 2010 folding bike - £699.99 from www.evanscycles.com You can find other folding bike brands without such hefty price tags, but when it comes to build quality the Brompton name is up there with the best. This great all rounder is just as happy commuting into the city as it is on a trip out in the countryside. Penny Farthing, £499
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.
● Saving £300
You are what you eat, so don't waste a morsel. Planning meals, keeping the cupboard and fridge stocked with basics and keeping an eye on the best before and use by dates saves time and money and helps cut down on food waste. Each month, the average family throws into landfill £50 of perfectly good food that was bought but not eaten. This has to be one of the easiest ways to help the environment and save money. For details on how to cut down your food waste, see www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.
● Saving - £600
If you have a garden, don't use pesticides or insecticides, make it bird friendly, dig a pond, and try growing some of your own food. If not, can you get an allotment? An average family spends more than £500 a year on fruit and vegetables. But the cost of growing your own is
● Updated Classic - Penny Farthing - £499 from www.iwantoneofthose.com Similar looking cycles by the same name must have been terrifying to ride back in the 19th century. Thankfully this updated version has a few modern additions to assist you on your way. Both the front 36in wheel and rear 12in wheel are pneumatic, there is suspension in the saddle and anti-slip pedals. The major difference is that you'll attract much more attention than
far less, and all that digging, weeding , watering and harvesting will keep you fit – saving on expensive gym fees.
● Saving - £300 on fruit and vegetables, £500 on gym fees
Little things like taking your own bags to the shops instead of getting more plastic bags, buying long-life light bulbs, booking train journeys well in advance, buying fruit and veg from street markets instead of supermarket produce, offloading unwanted items through your local members on freecycle.org, and recycling as much as possible save lots of waste. And last but not least, beware of over-consumption. Re-evaluate your lifestyle – will a holiday in England suffice? Can you reuse items where previously they were thrown away? And most importantly, try to ignore the marketing message of consuming at all costs. Buying things we don't need doesn't make us happy.
GROW YOUR OWN: Save a fortune on your grocery bill
NEWS 7
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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those riders of two centuries ago. GoCycle Base Plus package, £1,495
● Pedal Power - GoCycle Base Plus package - £1,495 from www.gocycle.com This electric cycle is the ideal commuting machine. You'll need to pedal to gather momentum before flicking on the power button to accelerate you up to a maximum 15mph. It'll travel anything up to 20 miles between charges depending on how much effort you put in - which is likely to be enough to stop that spare tyre developing without seeing you arriving for work drenched in sweat. Puma Pico, £670
● Trick Shop - Puma Pico - £670 from www.shop.puma.com This bike from a Danish design group combines the lines and strength of a BMX with a rather unexpected shopping trolley. The eight speed bike is designed to allow you to take short cuts as you dash down to the supermarket. Also, when you fail miserably trying to pull a wheelie you can explain it away by pointing at the basket and saying "it's just a souped up shopper". ● It Takes Two - Lapierre Route 2 2010 tandem bike - £1,899.99 from www.evanscycles.com This is the Rolls-Royce of the tandem bike scene. If you can't bear to be away from your partner for any period of time, then at least have the decency to invest in one of the best tandem bikes money can buy. The trick when tandem cycling is to get on the back seat there are obvious drawbacks to sitting downwind, but the effort you put into pedalling isn't nearly as much as the lead rider.
Lapierre Route 2 2010 tandem bike, £1,899.99
8 NEWS
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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The eco-friendly way to style Ethical fashion and homeware isn’t all about Hessian tunics and making do. It can be cool, stylish and affordable, as our list of summer’s most wanted eco products proves.
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T may look like any other stylish bathroom, but Capulet is B&Q's most water efficient suite, making it the natural choice for those keen to manage their eco-footprint. The toilet uses 2.6 litres for a short flush and 4 litres per full flush - saving a third of the water of standard toilets. Capulet close
SUSTAINABLE: Eco Divine wallpaper, Green or taupe £11.98 per roll from B&Q
TEA FOR MORE THAN TWO: John Lewis tiffin box, £20, www.johnlewis.com
coupled toilet - £450. Plus, add the Capulet full pedestal basin - £240 (designed to provide greater water efficiency) and the Capulet straight acrylic bath - (shallower moulded area to save water) - £400, for a complete look. If you aren’t replacing your suite but want to save water, dual flush kits for your toilets are also available priced from £19.98. Fitting this kit can save a family of four up to 20,000 litres of water a year. ● WIRRAL-based ethical fashion boutique Tooa has a great range of organic cotton, bamboo clothing and sustainable style that’s just perfect for summer. We love their Giselle long sleeved wide round neck top (£39), made from 100% ethical organic cotton style. Designed in Paris, the Frozen River Butterfly Collection is specially created to give fashionistas a genuine designer option in ethical, sustainable and organic fashion. The website is based in Hoylake, but they have a shop in Altrincham too. There’s free postage at www.tooashop.com. ● IF you love Liverpool bagmaker Nook & Willow’s range but not the price tag then despair no more.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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NEWS 9
AWARD WINNING: The Eco Lodge from Pintoy, uses Rubber wood from sustainable sources. Available from John Crane Ltd
SLEEP WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE: Navajo Bed, wardrobe, bedside, and 5 drawer tall chest from Barker and Stonehouse
STYLISH: Cooke & Lewis Capulet bathroom - from £240.00 for pedestal basin at B&Q
You now have a chance to own one at a fraction of the price from their new range of digitally printed cotton shoppers. Made at their Seel Street studio, these beautiful shopping bags are an affordable and environmentally friendly addition to your wardrobe. Each comes with a printed image of a handbag from their fabulous collection, they can even embellish them with studs
NO WASTE: Breville Hot Cup with variable dispense, £40
and crystals. Prices start from £10 for a basic printed bag to £35 for a deluxe version, which is lined, with leather handles and studs/crystals. Available to order directly from Nook & Willow, www.nookandwillow.com ● THE Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Serum is a concentrated pre-moisturiser treatment for the skin, for continuous, enhanced moisturisation and protection. Vitamin E protects, while tara bush seed extract works within the skin to boost moisture levels. Skin is instantly smoothed, while the future of your skin is protected over time, with regular regime use. It’s believed to be a personal favourite of Victoria Beckham. At £10 a pack, that leaves plenty left for Roland Mouret dresses and Christian Louboutin shoes. ● BRILLIANT for couples or people living alone, this energy saving Breville Hot Cup has an easy-to-fill water reservoir with a variable dispense control-and-stop function so you only boil the water you need. With no big plumes of steam emitting from the kettle, this is a
great choice for work surfaces with overhead units and concealed spotlights. Features include a two-litre capacity, an illuminated blue tank when the kettle is on the boil, and a removable no-mess drip tray. Breville Hot Cup with variable dispense, £40 available from Debenhams. ● THE Navajo collection from
FAMILY FRIENDLY: Nook and Willow eco shopping bag
Barker and Stonehouse offers a warm contemporary look, crafted from recycled and reclaimed wood. Each piece is unique, and has a rustic natural charm, which is full of character. The range is currently in the sale and starts from £139. See www.barkerandstone house.co.uk for details.
toys are made from wood grown by sustainable-resource plantations and not from tropical rain forest. Available from John Crane, www.john-crane.co.uk. ● TRANSFORM your walls with eco wallpapers. Printed on paper sourced from sustainable forests, Eco Divine wallpapers are printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accredited paper using water based inks. All packaging is totally biodegradable. Eco divine wallpaper, Green or taupe, £11.98 per roll, from B&Q
● HERE’S proof that being eco-friendly can start from an early age. The award winning Eco Lodge from Pintoy uses rubber tree wood from sustainable sources. Rubber is one of the more ● JOHN Lewis has a great ecologically friendly picnic box that cuts down timbers. When the on food waste. Each layer economic life of a rubber will keep your picnic tree, which is generally goodies well apart from 26-30 years, comes to an SAVE YOUR one another – avoiding the end, the latex yields potential disaster of cake become extremely low, so SKIN: Body Shop Vitamin meeting steak flavours. the trees are felled and The four sections clamp E Moisture new ones planted. This together – making the box Serum means that unlike other easy to carry on those long woods that are cut down country walks on endless for the sole purpose of producing summer afternoons. It also makes product, rubber wood is used only a great piece of storage kit for the after it completes its latex kitchen. John Lewis tiffin box producing cycle and dies. These £20.
10 NEWS
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
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Help the environment and see Merseyside TOURIST sites across Merseyside are to receive free business support from the Merseyside Transport Partnership (MTP) to help visitors consider more environmentally-friendly travel options. On behalf of the MTP, Merseytravel has appointed a dedicated Visitor Economy Officer, Andrew Elliot, will be working with a number of the most popular attractions in Merseyside to overcome issues such as car park overcapacity. He will help attractions communicate how best to reach their sites via public transport, walking or cycling, enhancing sites’ existing marketing activity and potentially increasing visitor numbers. “Encouraging visitors to consider greener travel options will result in tangible business benefits to tourist attractions, helping to tackle car park
overcapacity and improving their existing marketing activity to make sites more accessible to more people,” says Andrew. “By working closely with tourism and leisure sites to develop dedicated visitor travel plans, we can help the environment and make it easier for everybody – regardless of whether they own a car or not - to see the best of what Merseyside has to offer. “All Merseyside tourist and leisure sites – regardless of their size and location – are more than welcome to get in touch with me for free advice and ongoing support.” Andrew’s role is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which is also supporting improvements to coastal and rural routes in Wirral and Sefton. In Wirral, these include work on the Bidston Hill Accessible Trail and
TravelWise Cycle Challenge July 2010 Join in for all you need to cycle more this summer • Prizes • Bike rides • Cycle maps
Fresh Air, Fitness & Fun! Call us on 0151 330 1290 or visit
www.LetsTravelWise.org
Wirral Circular Trail and in Sefton include work on the Ainsdale Path Link and at Marshside. Neil Scales, Chair of the Merseyside Transport Partnership, said: “We have a number of excellent tourism and leisure sites in Merseyside, which play an important role in attracting more visitors to the region and supporting economic growth. “Capitalising on the growth in tourism, resulting from Liverpool’s resounding success as 2008’s European Capital of Culture, is one of the main priority areas for Merseyside’s current Local Transport Plan.” Visitor attractions that are interested in receiving free support from the Merseyside Transport Partnership are encouraged to call Andrew Elliot on 0151 330 1549, email andrew.elliot@mersey travel.gov.uk or visit www.LetsTravelWise.org.
An insiders guide to eating outdoors E
ATING out on holiday can cost a small fortune. It’s no wonder then that this summer has seen a surge in demand for self-catering holidays. Coupled with Met Office predictions of more warm weather, these summer holidays could give us all a chance to save money by cooking inexpensive and enjoyable meals – and not wasting a morsel. A recent survey shows demand for self-catering holidays in England is up by a third, with 42% of those questioned citing “money saving” as the reason. Better summer weather coming our way will also provide lots of opportunities for those at home to dust off the picnic hamper and fire up the barbecue. “Times are tough and we’re all feeling the pinch at the moment,” says Jane Little-Smith, from Love Food Hate waste campaign. “But the good news is summer food tips from www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
will help all of us going on a self-catering break – or simply enjoying the long light days at home – to turn leftover food we already have into some truly fabulous seasonal dishes and save money at the same time. “With a little planning before you leave, together with a cool box and supply of freezer packs, its easy to take key ingredients with you and be well equipped for picnics and days out while you’re away. “Remember to pack more water than you think you will need - children get particularly grumpy if they are dehydrated!” Top holiday tips: ● If you’ve cooked too much for a meal such as fish pie, chilli or lasagne, simply pop it in an airtight container and store in the freezer as a homemade ‘ready meal’ or take with you for an easy first night supper. ● If you take some lettuce or salad leaves with you and they’re looking tired and wilted after the journey, put them in a bowl of water with
a couple of ice-cubes and they will become nice and crisp again. ● Quiches are an ideal way to help use up eggs and spare cream before you go. Add flaked, cooked fish or fry that last rasher of bacon and some onion for classic quiche Lorraine; a perfect, simple dish to take with you, in your cool box, for the first meal of your holiday - lunch or supper. ● Filling sandwiches with tasty and unexpected combinations of leftovers, such as chicken, bacon and mayonnaise, lamb and mint sauce or cheese and coleslaw. Making leftover potatoes into a tasty potato salad with sliced red or spring onions and mayonnaise – a tasty salad that also travels well. ● Larger summer gatherings at home can be particularly challenging for hosts that are not used to cooking and storing food for bigger groups of people. Follow these few handy hints and you shouldn’t go wrong! Tips for BBQ’s include: ● If you are cooking
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barbecues keep it simple and resist serving food before it is cooked thoroughly. Keep guests happy with crisps or salad to pick at while you cook. If you are having a buffet, only bring it out of the fridge at the last minute, so it stays fresh for longer. ● If there are any leftovers from the buffet or barbecue put them in the fridge as soon as you can. ● Use your leftover produce in other recipes. Try a Spanish potato tortilla or use left over meat in a sandwich or curry the next day. ● When you take leftovers out of the fridge, eat them immediately or reheat them thoroughly straight away – don't leave them standing at room temperature. ● Keep a thermometer in your fridge to make sure it is always running at the proper temperature. Store raw meats on the bottom shelf and separate from other cooked foods to avoid cross contamination. Visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for more invaluable tips for a
cost-effective enjoyable summer home or away. There is something for everyone, whether you are a keen cook, or simply want to reduce the amount of food which you throw away.
Spanish Potato Tortilla
(Recipe thanks to the Womens Institute) You can be as creative as you like with this resourceful rescue recipe. Whatever you've got in the fridge that needs using up can be added to this substantial dish. Leftover cheese, vegetables, spicy sausages and cooked meats such as ham all work well. Cut into wedges and serve as a delicious anytime snack or a light lunch with a green salad.
Ingredients
Serves 4 1 tablespoon olive oil, 350g potatoes, sliced thinly, one large onion, sliced thinly, 6 large eggs, salt and black pepper, leftover sausage or cooked meat, coriander
sprigs, a handful of grated cheese
Method
1.Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the potatoes and onion and cook gently for 20-30 minutes until softened, without browning the onion. 2.Beat the eggs in large bowl, season well and add the potatoes and onion mixture. Combine well and tip into a non-stick frying pan. 3.Cook over a gentle heat for 10-12 minutes until set and scatter the top with the sausage slices and grated cheese and place under a hot grill until golden brown. Serve with coriander sprigs and a crisp green salad.
RECIPE: Spanish potato tortilla
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
WITH pay freezes and VAT rises are on the horizon, we might all have to make cutbacks with splurges at the luxury beauty counters. But don’t let the new Chancellor shed doom and gloom on your pampering routine. DIY doesn’t have to mean paint stripping and fitting shelves raid the kitchen cupboards at home and give Nigella Lawson a run for her money, concocting your own environmentally friendly beauty delicacies. Janey Lee Grace, author of new book Look Great Naturally... Without Ditching The Lipstick, argues you can still look uber-glam without the latest It products by embracing natural beauty. “You can simplify a little, save money and the planet, while still hanging on to that all-important lipstick!” says Janey. Stay in control of what goes out of your wallet - and onto your skin - with natural DIY beauty. Forget homemade ice cream and save on calories with products that will beautify rather than leave you bloated in your bikini. You don’t need exotic ingredients to kick-start your own larder of super-fresh beauty remedies. “You’ll soon realise that it’s easy-peasy to replace the suggested ingredients with whatever you have lying around,” Janey explains, suggesting cucumber, honey and oats as perfect examples. “It’s usually best just to make enough to use straightaway; if you do make more and want to keep for use later, then remember if no preservatives are added you will need to store in an airtight container and usually in the fridge.” Janey recommends treating natural handmade skincare as you would fresh foods without preservatives. And if you really don’t want to get your hands dirty, why not get a specialist beauty chef to do all the groundwork for you? Beauty Kitchen (www.beautykitchen.co.uk) is the newest ethical brand on the block that uses 100% natural ingredients handmade to the customer’s specific
NEWS 11
Beauty begins at home SHE’LL LOOK GREAT SOON: Make your own cucumber mask at home recipe choices. Eat your heart out Gordon Ramsay. Janey opens up her recipe book of DIY beauty favourites for you to get inventive with natural products that are ideal for the summer months... Cucumber Mask Ingredients: A few tsps brewer’s yeast A few tsps finely powdered oats Chunk of peeled liquidised cucumber 2 tbsps plain yoghurt 1 tsp runny honey 1 drop essential oil Whizz all ingredients together in a high-speed blender. Dead sea salt scrub Ingredients: 2 tbsps Dead Sea salt 2 tbsps almond oil 1 tsp lemon juice You can replace the
lemon with a drop of tea tree oil or a teaspoon of honey for a perfect scrub for super soft feet. Pore-cleansing coconut oil exfoliant Ingredients: 3 tsps coconut oil 1 tbsp yoghurt 1 tbsp Dead Sea salt or Himalayan salt Mix to a paste, apply and rinse off with water. Natural know-how Don’t panic if you’ve run out of your essential beauty products and payday still feels like a long way off. Janey’s quick-fix, all-natural products should see you through any skincare emergencies. ● Olive oil works a treat as an emergency cleanser and eye make-up remover. “It could be a little heavy for use twice daily, though,” Janey warns.
12 NEWS
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
★★★★
Credible way to cut your carbon support and help to create a cleaner, greener Wirral. One user of the website said: “Thanks to the CRed website, it’s now a whole lot easier to find out about the ways and means to reduce our CO2 emissions, and monitor our savings”. From taking shorter showers, recycling more and turning your thermostat down, to installing radiator panels, meat free Monday’s and reducing your food waste, there are many ways to get involved and start saving. Just by making your home energy efficient, you could save over £300 a year on your energy bills. By reducing your food waste you could save up to £680 a year, or by car sharing you could save up to £1000 a year.
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Being smarter with our energy use will help to cut carbon pollution stopping damage to the atmosphere and climate, but we will not only be helping our environment, many carbon cutting actions can help you save money. It’s a win-win situation. By signing up to the CRed website, users can pledge to carry out over 80 carbon saving activities; a personal profile calculates and records the CO2 savings each user is making. Not only that, but the site will record the combined savings for Wirral, generated from all the carbon savvy people using CRed Wirral. Over 1,500 pledges have already been made by people who are working to reduce carbon emissions across Wirral: We can all work together by pledging our
MERSEYSIDE-based Johnson Cleaners was ranked number 45 in the UK’s top 60 Best Green Companies, as chosen by the Sunday Times. The UK’s largest dry cleaning company, with headquarters in Prescot, was recognised for its environmental performance, with increased recycling, improved staff awareness and reduced consumption of gas and electricity since 2007. Johnson Cleaners is well underway with a national £6m initiative to convert its stores to eco-friendly “GreenEarth” technology by 2012. Environmental initiatives in the last three years have included the “Hand Back your Hangers” campaign, which dramatically reduced the number of plastic
Dr
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WIRRAL-Wide drive to cut CO2 emissions is underway, with people from Eastham to Birkenhead, Leasowe to Heswall, discovering the benefits of CRed Wirral – Wirral’s new community carbon reduction programme. The CRed Wirral website is designed to help everyone living and working in Wirral, to cut their carbon emissions. Councillor Gill Gardiner, Cabinet member for Environment at Wirral council says: “CRed Wirral is something we can all get involved in, as we all contribute to CO2 emissions through the energy we use at home, at work and through travel. By totalling our savings it shows that even small actions can make a big difference.”
Johnson cleans up in environmental awards
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credwirral.org.uk
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
★★★★
NEWS 13
Find your own space to grow
WHETHER you live in a basement flat or a four-storey country house, a new campaign aims to convince anyone they can grow their own food. The One Pot Pledge hopes to get 30,000 newcomers “growing their own” this year. “We realised that, just as people who want to get fit get support from a gym, people who wanted to grow food needed similar support,” explains Food Up Front co-founder Seb Mayfield, who came up with the idea for the campaign. “Rather than wait years for an allotment, many people could be growing at home, in their gardens, balconies, windowsills or roof with the support they need.” Campaign supporter, Gardeners’ World presenter and star of BBC Two show The Edible Garden, Alys Fowler, agrees that people need help to get growing.
“When you’ve been growing for a while, you take a lot of what you do for granted, and there are definitely basics that are missing in some generations. “A lot of people forget that plants need food and care - which is just light and water - and people can also get completely flummoxed when it comes time to harvest. “Newcomers tend to think that gardening or growing-your-own will be difficult and taxing because, to be honest, both have been sold as nerdy and something you do only later in life, when you’re retired and can spend days or months or years doing little more than developing green knowledge. “The truth is that a seed is nature’s packet all ready to go. You just have to scatter it where it can grow, give it some light and some water, and let it get on with it.” One Pot Pledge has already seen
nearly 10,000 people sign up, a feat which Fowler says demonstrates how offering a basic, DIY approach to gardening can help spark people’s interest Grow your own top tips, from Alys Fowler
GROW ROCKET
Notoriously expensive in shops, rocket is a delicious leaf that can be grown easily in a pot within a month - by anyone, says Fowler. “It needs a partially shady spot too so you don’t even have the lack of a sunny windowsill as an excuse,” she adds.
DRAINAGE
“If you’re using a reused item as a pot, such as a bucket or yoghurt pot, or even a plastic veg container, then make sure you drill some holes for drainage,” Fowler says.
BASIL
“Instead of buying a pot of basil from the supermarket which dies within a week (this isn’t your fault - there are so many seedlings crammed in the pot that they quickly outgrow the space), grow your own,” says Fowler. “Water it infrequently and give it some light, and it should last well into the autumn.”
REGULAR WATERING
Unlike plants grown in the ground, pots rely very much on us to keep them watered, says Fowler. “When watering, do it thoroughly, till the water runs out of the drainage holes and in the morning, so the plant can drink it up all day long.”
GROW YOUR OWN: Alys Fowler
COMPOST
“You’ll need to buy a proper growing compost. A peat-free, organic compost is best. Multi-purpose composts are fine for some veg, such as carrots or lettuce, but a potting compost is better for potatoes and courgettes, which need a richer diet,” says Fowler.
14 NEWS
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
JULY Saturday 17 ■ Brisk Walk, Otterspool, Sefton Park, Princes Park and Priory Wood Circular (5 miles approx), 1.30pm.New walkers are recommended to contact Liverpool Brisk Walkers - details www.liverpoolbriskwalkers.co.uk. ■ National Wildflower Centre – How to Spot a Wildflower. A Great Outdoors event celebrating our wonderful native wildflowers. The session is free but normal entrance fees apply. 10am-12pm. ■ Southport Theatre and Convention Centre - Sefton Coast Forum 2010 ■ The Sefton Coast Partnership will be hosting a Forum to discuss issues relating to the coast.The title of this year's Forum is "living with a changing coast" and will showcase how our coast is changing, issues arising from this change and how we live with the changes, now and into the future. Free all day event, but places must be booked in advance. Southport Theatre and Convention Centre, Promenade, Southport, 01704 540454, 9am - 5pm Saturday 17 - Sunday 1 August ■ Sefton Park – In the Night Garden Live in Liverpool The world premiere and nationwide tour of In the Night Garden is to launch in one of Liverpool’s most beautiful parks. Performance times: 9.30, 11.15 a.m., 2.00, 3.45 & 5.30 pm. Tickets: £5 - £20. Running time: approx.
★★★★
60 minutes. www.nightgardenlive.com Coaching. It doesn't matter if you're a veteran or have never played before, Sunday 18 come along and try your hand at crown ■ Summer in the Park - Birkenhead green bowling. All equipment and advice Park provided free of charge. Runs from ■ What’s buzzing in the park? A Ranger 1-3pm. For ages 8+. Booking is essential on 01928 563 803 or 0151 423 6147 led guided walk looking at the diversity of insect life-moths, Tuesday 20 butterflies, bees, ■ Millwood Local dragonflies and more. Nature Reserve 2-3:30pm. Birkenhead Park Ancient Millwood and Visitor Centre, Park Drive, Oglet Shore. Enjoy an Birkenhead CH41 4HY. informative healthy stroll Dogs not allowed. Suitable in and around the ancient for the whole family. woodland of Millwood in Booking required on 0151 Speke and then on to the 652 5197 or email Oglet shoreline to take in birkenheadpark@wirral.gov.uk some of the views of the ■ Black Wood and area upon the edge of Childwall Woods - A Tale the city. Meet at the of Two Woodlands: Two entrance to the woods at woods of contrasting the rear of the Margaret appearance both steeped Thompson, Health in history. Meet at 1pm at Centre, Alderfield Drive, the corner of Aldbourne Speke. Free Avenue and Woolton GO WILD ABOUT Wednesday 21 Road, free. NATURE: There’s a Sunday 25 ■ Everton Park - Picnic in ranger led guided walk ■ Tatton Park - Royal the Park - The Big Lunch. looking at insect life at Horticultural Society Join the West Everton Birkenhead Park Flower Show. The community and the Botanical Collection Rangers as part of ‘The ‘Big Visitor Centre on Lunch’ as they invite people Sunday August July 18 from Parks and Greenspaces will be on to join us in Everton Park show at this event. for a picnic. www.rhs.org.uk www.thebiglunch.com/thebig-lunch-2010.php Wednesday 21 and 28 ■ Rock Park – Crown Green Bowls
■ Wirral Country Park – Carbon Detectives. Budding detectives - young and old – are needed to join the fun at Wirral Country Park Visitor Centre. Discover more about the sources of the invisible gas carbon dioxide through a host of fun-filled activities. There’s something for everyone, from puzzles and games to short films and trails. The carbon detectives day is led by C(arbon)Red(uction) Wirral. Visit www.credwirral.org.uk to find out more. Friday 23 ■ Birkenhead Park - Bat Walk. Meet at the Visitor centre for a guided Bat walk. Cost £2 per person. Booking essential on 0151 652 5197 or email birkenheadpark@wirral.gov.uk Saturday 24 ■ Wirral Country Park – Moth Breakfast. Don’t worry, you wont have to eat any bugs on this event! This is a chance to get up close with some moths caught in the Wirral Country Park Recording Group’s moth trap overnight. No need to book. Meet at the Visitor Centre. The session runs from 10am-12pm. For details call 0151 648 4371 or email wirralcountrypark@wirral.gov.uk Sunday 25 ■ Formby Lighthouse - Guided Walk. Guided walk on behalf of The Sefton Coast Partnership's History and Archaeology Task Group. Visit to the site, Altcar Training Camp. (By
Dates for your diary
permission of the Commandant Altcar Training Camp). To be led by Reg Yorke.The building, built in 1719, was demolished in 1941. We will look at its site, discuss why it was built (and why demolished!). Booking is necessary: Please contact Dr Yorke Altcar Training Camp on 01704 872187. ■ Runcorn Hill – Foxes Bark to the Barn Dance. But, what... no barn? There's no better place to have a hoe down than dancing the afternoon away in the park. The rangers will set the scene and you just come along to join in and enjoy. 2-4pm. For details call 01928 560 793. ■ Wirral Country Park – Snakes Alive! Meet the members of Wirral Herpetological Society and the animals they look after from midday to 4pm. You can learn how to look after them and what they need to survive. No need to book. Free. ■ Royden Park – Butterflies of Royden Park. Discover the wealth of butterflies that abound on the hay meadows of this park. Suitable for all the family. Sorry no dogs. Meet at the Rangers Office, Royden Park at 12.30pm. Free. Wednesday 28 ■ Lifeboat Road car park, Formby Funny Footprints. Sefton Coast and Countryside Service Rangers. Some days the beach is littered with footprints – some quite fresh, the others thousands of years old, compressed in the silt. This is a fun activity for families to find out
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more about the history of the beach and make a few footprints to take home. To book a place and for further details of meeting place and a start time please contact the Coast and Countryside Office on 0151 934 2967. ■ Stanley Park - A Taste of Health. Join the PCT food workers in association with the Ranger Service for an interactive cook ‘n’ taste session. Help prepare a healthy meal, enjoy a healthy ramble with the Rangers before returning to savour the delicious food. 10:30 am. Meet at The Lodge, 1 Anfield Road, close to the Isla Gladstone Conservatory. Thursday 29 ■ Life at the Seashore - New Brighton. Join the Rangers and staff from the Blue Planet Aquarium and discover what has been washed along the shore by the tide. Meet at the end of Marine Promenade New Brighton at 10am. No need to book. For details call 01516785488 or email coastalpark@wirral.gov.uk. Free. Thursday 29 ■ Victoria Park – Park Games. Come along and have a go at traditional park games. Sessions can include kwik cricket,T.Ball, football and basketball. For ages 8+. 1-3pm. For details call 0303 333 4300. Friday 30 ■ Royden Park – Dusk Walk. A summer evening stroll with the ranger to
reveal the night and its wonders. Meet possible way. For details call Bill on Rangers Office. Sorry no dogs. Booking 01928 563 803 essential on 0151 648 4371. Free. Saturday 31 ■ Everton - Kite Festival. Join the West Everton community and the rangers for Sunday 1 a spectacular Kite Flying Festival, including a grand finale where kites made ■ Stanley Park - Family Fun in the Park. Bring along the family to in local workshops will be meet the Rangers and flown to celebrate the links participate in a variety of between Shanghai and fun activities in the healthy Liverpool. Part of City and surroundings provided by North Neighbourhood Liverpool’s Parks and Green Respect Week. spaces. Meet at 11am at ■ The Alt Centre, The Lodge, 1 Anfield Road. Hightown - History of ■ Sefton Park - Sefton Hightown & Fort Crosby. Park Challenge , So you The Sefton Coast and think you know the park Countryside Service and its features? Try your Rangers lead a talk on the hand at our Quiz Trail many historical treasures Challenge. It’s more difficult buried on our coastline, than you may think! Meet at taking a historical look at the Ranger Base at the the Hightown dunes and Aviary Cafe at 1pm. Free. ALL WHITE: The beaches. To book a place and for further details of National Wildflower Monday 2 - Sun 8 Aug meeting place and a start Centre is hosting ■ Calderstones Park - Hyde time please contact the Knowsley Flower & Holmes. Art Exhibition at Coast and Countryside Show on Friday Coach House Gallery. Daily Office on 0151 934 2967 August 13 from 10.30am-4.30pm. ■ Rock Park – Bug Love. Tuesday 3 This event is a little bit like ■ Stanley Park - Pictorial memories of ‘I’m a Celebrity get me out of here!' but Stanley Park. Join the rangers and share without the eating bit and there are no in the pictorial memories of Stanley Park. celebrities! Phew! Today we will be If you have some photographs of your exhibiting all things that might get you own bring them along too. Meet at 1pm screaming ARRRRRGH!!! in the best at the Bandstand, in front of the Gladstone Conservatory. Free.
AUGUST
NEWS 15
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Friday 6 ■ Reynolds Park - Bat Walk. Led by Lawrence Armstrong, ecologist with a special interest in bats. Bat detection devices will be provided. There will be a video presentation at the start followed by the walk. Please bring a torch if possible. An information pack on bats will be given to each participant. Cost £2.50 per person. 8:.30-10.20pm. Sunday 8 ■ Sefton Park - Sefton Park Delights . Discover the horticultural and historical delights of this newly refurbished park. Meet at the ranger base at the Aviary Cafe´at 11am. Free. ■ Runcorn Hill – Serenade String Quartet. Relax to the tranquil sound of string with the Serenade String Quartet. 2-4pm. Tuesday 10 ■ Doric Park - Life in a Grassy Verge. Come along to this new event and discover the abundance of life to be found in nature’s hedgerows and byways on this fun event for all the family. Meet at the main gate, Wharncliife Road, at 1pm. ■ Sefton Park- Tea Dance amidst the Palms . Enjoy a summer afternoon of dancing with Neil Allcock at the regular Tea Dance. Due to popularity, they highly recommend booking in advance on 0151 726 9304 as otherwise admission cannot be guaranteed. £3.50 admission on the door includes a cup of tea and piece of cake. Sefton Park Palm House, 2-4pm, £3.50 entrance, details
from www.palmhouse.org.uk. Wednesday 11 ■ Phoenix Park – Sweet Dreams. Do you want to capture your sweetest dreams? Come down to Phoenix Park and make your very own dream catcher. Booking is essential as places are limited on 01928 564 472. Thursday 12 ■ Croxteth Country Park - The Dog Welfare Roadshow. Organised through the Greater Merseyside Dog Welfare Forum and working alongside the PDSA, Dogs Trust, RSPCA and Merseyside Police. At the roadshow dogs can receive a free health-check provided by trained staff from the PDSA and any dog over 3 months old can be micro-chipped. Details from 0151 233 6930 or www.croxteth.co.uk. Friday 13 ■ National Wildflower Centre Knowsley Flower Show. The show is one of the largest free horticultural events in the North West and has something for everyone, with the floral marquee, garden trade stands with plants and garden furniture for sale. There are also falconry displays, dog obedience displays in the main arena, live music and bands as well as the huge craft marquee.·Court Hey Park·Sunday 8th August, 11am - 5pm. Free to enter. See www.knowsleyflowershow.com for more info. ■ Crow Wood Park – Park Games. Come along and have a go at traditional park games. Sessions can include kwik cricket,T.Ball, football and basketball. For ages 8+. 1-3pm. SCENIC: Pools of seawater left after the high tide on Formby beach
partners FOR ADVERTISING OR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, CALL 0151 472 2705 OR EMAIL neil.Johnson@liverpool.com
16 NEWS
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
★★★★
Try keeping me and the kids away from our pasta. I throw one handful into the pan for each of the kids, and two for me, unless I want a bit over for the next day. Then I’ll knock together a pasta salad with some cherry tomatoes, tinned tuna and a bit of mayo and pop it in my lunchbox. Perfect. lovefoodhatewaste.com has more tips and recipes to help you waste less food and save up to £50 a month.