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Firework celebrations last year at the Albert Dock, above and below © Paul McAuley All quiet or big bang?

With new lockdown rules and restrictions being introduced, Bonfire Night is set to be a very different and unexpected night this year in Liverpool

By MIA O’HARE

With the cancellation of events and banning of home gatherings Bonfire Night is set to be very different this year. Merseyside Fire and Rescue and Merseyside Police are working together to keep communities safe and are calling on local people to respect the restrictions and behave sensibly. Station Manager Joe Cunliffe said: “Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service would like everyone to enjoy the Bonfire night period as safely as possible. Community bonfires must not take place on public land, as this will encourage people to gather in breach of current restrictions. “We know things won’t be the same this year and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service still wants people to enjoy this period, but now is the time to pull together, follow the guidance and help stop the spread - it’s more important than ever that we all work together to protect our communities and the most vulnerable among them.” A spokesperson for Merseyside Fire and Rescue said: “We are well prepared for the usual increase in secondary fires (wheelie bins, rubbish, bonfires etc) that we see every year at this time. Up to now, we haven’t experienced an increase in incidents.” Merseyside Police have warned that this year’s celebrations are going to be very different with Covid-19 restrictions in place, even more so with the second lockdown coming into force on Thursday. Chief Inspector Peter Clark, who is heading this year’s operation said: “As you know, there are a number of rules and restrictions in place in relation to Covid-19, that means that the planned displays and events we normally attend, will not be happening this year. We know that this is another sacrifice we are having to make. heading this year’s operation said: “As you know, there are a number of rules and restrictions in place in relation to Covid-19, that means that the planned displays and events we normally attend, will not be happening this year. We know that this is another sacrifice we are having to make. “We are keen to get the balance right between protecting people from the spread of the coronavirus and ensuring that they can still enjoy this period. “We will maintain a common-sense approach during the Halloween and Bonfire night period – and are working to encourage people to respect the restrictions and explain why they are so important. Where people are flouting restrictions, we will however take action.” He added: “Our message regarding anti-social behaviour during this period remains simple – it will not be tolerated, and anyone caught commiting this type of offence will be dealt with firmly and robustly. No one should have to suffer being the victim of anti-social behaviour and I would like to reassure everyone that there will be extra high-visibility patrols during this time.” Fireworks Liverpool, a shop in Aigburth, are yet to see if the cancellation of displays will impact their sales. They said: “The shop is only busy on the last few days coming up to Bonfire Night. Something tells me it’ll be even busier, and something tells me it will be quieter. There’s reasons it could be either one.” They are encouraging people to enjoy fireworks safely at home. “This year we’ve been left with the responsibility to light up our beautiful city. We’re here to provide you with the tools for the job.”

‘Most people tell you from the area that boxing

has saved them and I’m one of them myself ‘ By LIAM KENNEDY

Aboxing club in Liver- or five days a week, but we just cut it pool is going above and down to two days just to keep them beyond to help out the going. community during this “Most people tell you from the area difficult time. that boxing has saved them and I’m

Kirkdale Boxing Club has set up a one of them myself. I used to box breakfast club to provide children in for this club as an amateur before I the area with free meals and to help turned professional and I am now an support a local community where, amateur coach at the club. according to The English Indices of “You see the kids growing and Deprivation, more than half of the developing into good young people area ranks in the top 1% for the UK’s through the club, which is obviously most deprived. a massive positive.”

But the club’s contribution to In August the club set up a JustGivthe community does not stop with ing page to help provide hot meals feeding children at the breakfast club, and essentials to vulnerable residents they have also provided support for a in isolation. In little over two months lot of local residents. a total of £4,735 has been raised with

Former professional boxer Steve their original target being reached Harkin spoke to Liverpool Life about within the first 24 hours. the breakfast club and how the club has been helping people in the area. “We do a lot in the summer. We do foodbanks all the time, so with the The support from the local community has been great to be honest, we have people volkids being off school we thought we unteering, obviously donation-wise would help them out as much as we we have had people help us out with can and the breakfast club can help deliveries and all sorts. Every time do this. we have asked for support, we have

“Kirkdale is one of the most de- got it, so it’s been good.” prived areas in the city, to be honest, This is nothing new to the boxing it always has been deprived. club, which has been helping the

“I live up here myself and without community for a number of years, things like the boxing club and, previ- from raising money for supplies and ously, the youth centres, which have essentials all throughout the year to all gone now, there is not anything to providing support to families who keep the children active.” need it most.

Despite there being no contact The 38-year-old went on to talk allowed at the moment following about how Kirkdale Boxing Club was Covid-19 guidelines, this has not able to support vulnerable families stopped the club, which is located in even during the first lockdown. Liverpool film academy, from getting He said: “We closed down for a bit, children to attend and keeping them but we didn’t close fully because we active and healthy. ran a foodbank from the gym, so the

Steve said: “Since the kids have coaches were in every day and we come back in, with there being no gave out up to 180 meals a day. competition or no boxing allowed, “We had people going out each we’ve cut our classes down to two day doing to get food supplies and days a week to help keep them fit and delivering them to people around our sane and keep them in the gym. area, so we were quite busy during

“Obviously, it was normally four lockdown.”

Credit: Kirkdale boxing

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