Liverpool Life 9:9 February 3 2021 by Steve Harrison

Liverpool Life

THIS WEEK

ARTS

LIFESTYLE

FEBRUARY 3 2021

FROM THE HEART OF THE CITY

NO JOKE AS SCOUSER JOHN STEPS INTO TARDIS LJMU DUO CELEBRATE LIFE OF FLANN

PROVIDING FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Why Tim’s listening through lockdown > Charlatans frontman’s Twitter parties keep the nation rocking

> The Doctor will see you now ... John Bishop as Dan in the sci-fi series: p23

CONTENTS 4-5 All change on the waterfront

Cool tools

TED talks come to town

Give A Laptop campaign

TikTok trolling

4-5

THIS WEEK

10 Tribute to family ‘giant’

LIFE

Jury Service during Covid

Home-working nightmare

Keeping fit during lockdown

Caring for the community

16-17 Firms provide food for thought

ARTS 18-19 Listening through lockdown 20

TEE time with Mersey musician

It’s A Sin: Review and reaction

Flann O’Brien brought to book

It’s good to be back Welcome back to the first edition of Liverpool Life of 2021! It’s a bit different for our reporters with the third national lockdown restricting us, but that doesn’t stop us from reporting on new and exciting stories across the city. This week, we have a great variety of stories, from a recentlyapproved development down by the docks to commemorate Liverpool’s slavery history as reported by Mar-

ianna Owen, to world-renowned TED talks coming to LIPA fo the first time. Furthermore, as Covid still remains a key topic, Liam Kennedy finds out about Covid scammers whilst TikTok trolling appears to be taking over the platform

negatively. We finally conclude with a new exciting book release from two university lecturers and celebrate native scouser John Bishop, who has been cast in the role of Dr Who’s latest companion. Harley Rapp, Production Team

BRIGHTER DAYS LIE AHEAD AFTER DARK PAST

By MARIANNA OWEN Steve Rotheram said: “We are committed to tackling racial inequality and facing up to the shameful legacy of our region’s role in the slave trade.” “Last year I launched a Race Equality Programme to help tackle systemic injustice and inequality that many BAME people still face. “As part of that, I’m really glad that we’re able to help support the International Slavery Museum to evolve and grow.” The money will be used to hold a place-making competition in March to identify designers who will be part of the development of the area, which spans between The Royal Albert Dock and Mann Island. The main purpose of the transformation is to expand the International Slavery Museum into the Dr Martin Luther King Jr building. As it is currently housed on the third floor of the maritime museum, the museum will have its own front door making it visible to visitors entering the dock.

Laura Pye, Director of National Museums Liverpool, said: “We hope to reinvent our much-loved public spaces and create exciting, welcoming and engaging environments for the benefits of the museums, enabling stories told at our three waterfront museums to also be visible beyond our buildings.” Over the past year, the Black Lives Matter movement has been rejuvenated with a new intensity following the murder of George Floyd sparking international outrage with the way black people are treated globally. Chañtelle Lunt set up the Facebook group ‘Merseyside BLM Alliance’ in June last year and has since built up a following of over 2400 members. The group aims to bring together people who wish to make positive changes in the region and help fight for racial equality. Chañtelle said: “When I was younger, I learned that we were very poor and we had no power, at no point did anyone mention that that power came

from dragging my ancestors from Africa to work here for free and to be beaten and sometimes die during the journey, nobody mentioned that. “I don’t think all of this can quite be encapsulated on one floor of a museum, we do need a whole museum for it so it’s really good that it’s expanding.” The funding will also be used to create spaces for exhibitions and discussions where Liverpool’s Black communities and victims of modern slavery can create programmes that centre around the issues of human rights, social justice and discrimination. Chañtelle said that the renovation “could potentially change a whole culture and could take strong strides in eradicating racism if you start at the very beginning - by opening history books”. “But what you also have to remember is that we had an international slavery museum since before I was born, but when I was in school, I just learned that slavery was a thing that happened,” she added.

FACING page photo credit: megan leeming at Unsplash.com

iverpool’s waterfront is a hub of activity, thriving with tourists, restaurants, and businesses - all there to take advantage of the ‘instagrammable’ views and moneymaking opportunities. It’s easy to get lost in the beauty of the waterfront and ignore the fact that the spot you’re standing in was once the slave trading capital of Europe – ships from Liverpool alone transported 1.5 million Africans in insufferable conditions across the Atlantic, to a life of cruelty and control. But now new funding to reinvent the docks is being utilised to recognise Liverpool’s “shameful past” and use it to educate people on issues such as racism and promote racial-equality and inclusivity. The project will help to transform Liverpool’s International Slavery Museum, which is based at the Royal Albert Dock. A sum of £120,000 was awarded by the Liverpool City Region Combined authority as a part of the Race Equality programme launched by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram last December.

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Chantelle Lunt, founder of BLM Alliance Liverpool

This was a massive act of oppression based on the dehumanisation of black people - you have to make sure that every school child, not just in Liverpool, but in the region, is accessing this resource

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DIY enthusiast Imogen Wooley at work in her Liverpool workshop

Cool tools come to town By STEPH COLDERICK

new DIY initiative has been set up in Liverpool to give everyone affordable access to tools. Operating just like a book library, Liverpool Tool Library will help aid DIY projects taking place at home by enabling users to look at the tools available online, reserve them and collect them The idea is the brainchild of DIY fan Imogen Wooley, who explained the thinking behind the new scheme. She said: “The whole idea is affordable access for DIY tools. We all need tools; we all use tools.” She began with her own home workshop. She said: “I had a little workshop at the back of my house and I would have friends and family use the tools and the space here and I thought ‘This should be available to everyone’.” After visiting Canada and seeing a tool library over there the idea grew and Imogen decided to set up her own in Liverpool. Now, the city’s first tool library can be found at Unit 5 Aspen Yard, 1 Aspen Grove. There are a handful of other tool libraries in the UK and all gave advice and support as Imogen started her own. The full focus of the tool library is for affordable access, with Imogen classing tools as a necessity, she said: “It is great for everyone, if they

can access tools, they can fix things around the home and start making things.” As Imogen pointed out, DIY is very beneficial for mental health and wellbeing with the NHS recommending it as an activity to help the mind. With the ongoing pandemic this has meant that everyone is spending more time at home and tools are needed now more than ever. Imogen said: “Covid has really shone a light on being stuck at home so I would really like for people to make their houses feel like homes.” This idea is sustainable as well as beneficial to those who enjoy some home decorating, with many of the tools being donated to the library. Imogen said: “It has also got quite a sustainable element to it, which I am really excited about as well. We use donated tools as well, so it is a bit like a circular economy.” Customers can join as a member at a recommended fee of £20 but customers can choose to pay a different amount, depending on their budget. The scheme has been very well received with Imogen gaining more members than she originally expected, she said: “We have had members join and people have been using the service and there is so much positivity online.” She said: “I have been absorbed into all the community projects that are happening and it really excites me, and it is what people need to combat the tragedies that are happen-

‘DIY is great for everyone!’ 6

ing right now.”

Pictures © Imogen Wooley

Some of the tools on offer at the library

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TED Talks land in LIPA By JORGE CAPERA said: “We were delighted that they are doing a TEDxTalk, because it’s something new to LIPA. “Obviously, we wanted the event to be great and to represent LIPA. But, even if it failed – which was not going to – the fact that they have produced all this is an achievement.” Once the paperwork was done, TEDxLIPA needed to be fleshed out, and for that Molly needed a colleague. Enter Keeley Macdonald. This was Keeley’s first big gig. She said: “I’ve never done a TEDxTalk. It is a once in a lifetime thing. So, I thought ‘I will take the opportunity’ once I got it, and I’m glad I joined.” While Molly invited potential speakers and partners to join the project, Keeley planned its technical side, and there were big challenges on both fronts. “Absolutely loads,” Molly says. “Obviously, a global pandemic is the key one. And the ever-changing position of our country regarding the pandemic has made it really challenging to plan an event, because there are so many rules that change almost every day.” What started as a live event for students and staff from LIPA soon became an online conference. And with COVID-19 spreading like wildfire in the UK, the menacing shadow of cancellation was lurking beneath the announcement of lockdowns. Also, there were issues with raising funds. However, for Molly and Keeley TEDxLIPA was a passion project. Their phone calls, emails and zoom calls were bearing fruits and more people were supporting their initiative. LJMU graduate Paul Corcoran was one of the people who helped them the most. For the Deputy Chair of the Liverpool City Region Local

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Molly Glinn, left and Keeley Macdonald, right. Picture © Molly Glinn

Enterprise Partnership, the idea of supporting TEDxLIPA with finding potential partners and sponsors was a no-brainer. He said: “I spent the afternoon just calling contacts and clients in order to see whether we could get additional support to make it happen. “For me it’s really important that we are supporting each other more than never. “It’s a great opportunity for the students to learn how a TEDx works, but also, it’s a great opportunity to start new conversations between businesses and students, and breach that gap,” he said. Last Sunday TEDxLIPA was a huge success, counting the support of several local companies and charities

– including the Anthony Walker foundation, Liverpool Open Media, MSB Solicitors and Mr Corcoran’s own training organisation Agent Academy. But, for Molly and Keeley, this achievement is far deeper. Keeley said: “This is the first TEDx that they’ve done in LIPA. For it to be the first one and successful, it will be a big achievement, and hopefully they’ll be able to do it in future years. And for us to have started that process is quite an achievement.” Molly added: “It’s quite a landmark in both of our careers. “Even though we’re still students, this is quite a major event for LIPA. To be the fighting force behind that is something that we are both really proud of.”

It is a once in a lifetime thing. So, I thought - I will take the opportunity

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ost likely, at some point during the last 11 moths we all have bingewatched series and videos online. Probably, we have felt guilty about it. But, for Molly Glinn, her eureka moment arrived just as she was watching Ted talks on Youtube. The 20-year-old, from Buxton, has organised the first TEDxTalk ever in the history of the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) with her friend Keeley Macdonald, 20, from Wales. Both are entertainment management students and have carried out a year-long planning operation that culminated in a hugely successful event last Sunday. TEDxLIPA was attended by over a hundred people on Youtube, with many more tuning in on Facebook Live and Eventbrite. It has been seen by more than 600 people since on Youtube. It attracted the participation of local and international thinkers, such as Paralympic athlete James Roberts, music and film personality Trevor Gibson and musician and footballer Chelcee Grimes. They, and other speakers, gave thought-provoking talks on issues such as the importance of finding one’s roots and how to deal with the demanding expectations of the contemporary world. Nevertheless, it was the determination of Molly and Keeley that took it to a happy conclusion. Molly said: “We made the promise when we started this event that it was going to happen no matter what. Here we are, middle of lockdown three and it is definitely happening.” The project started in December 2019 of the back of Molly’s interest in TEDxTalks – the ‘x’ stands for independently organised events that hold a license from TED. Her fascination for how they are organised led her to apply for a licence. She approached LIPA and asked for permission to use their name for the event, and they were really happy with the idea. Gillian Walsh, a lecturer from the entertainment management course,

Give a laptop a lockdown home

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Liverpool educational organisation is joining forces with the BBC’s #GiveALaptop scheme to help children who are being homeschooled during lockdown. Rotunda, an educational community organisation in North Liverpool, is asking members of their local community to donate laptops and tablets for children to use. Originally, they struggled to receive any donations and Norma Young, who is running the scheme at Rotunda, believes this could have been because of fears over cyber security. She said: “Old laptops and tablets are still full of photographs and personal information and we need

TOP TECH TIPS

re you thinking of donating a laptop or tablet but are still worried about your personal information? Then it is also possible to wipe and clear your laptop/ tablet yourself, meaning you can check the laptop yourself before donating. Frazer Blakesley, Digital and Technology student,offered his top tips. Once you have saved anything you wish to keep from your laptop onto a memory stick, follow Frazer’s easy steps to make sure your PC or device is properly wiped before donating:

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A local charity has appealed for the public to donate their old laptops to children learning from home through the pandemic. STEPH COLDERICK reports for Liverpool Life and finds out why the public are hesitant to donate their devices. to reassure (people) that they will be wiped and they will be put back to factory settings.” With laptops and tablets used for everything from online banking to holding personal information many people are reluctant to give away these items, however Rotunda has a plan in place to ease these worries. They have teamed up with their IT service partners, Fox IT, who will fully wipe and refurbish the laptops and tablets brought in. Ms Young said: “Our IT partners know exactly what they are doing.” In recent years there have been various hacking scandals and even the police are urging people to be more cautious online and while using their devices, however once the computer

First search in your start menu ‘reset this PC’ Click and follow the ‘reset this PC’ option. The select the ‘remove everything option’

Continue to follow any additional steps.

Once the reset has been complete to check it was successful, boot up your laptop again and the Windows (or other service depending on your laptop) set up screen will appear. Then, ta-da! Your laptop is set and ready to donate.

©Steph Colderick

#GiveALaptop 8

is wiped the information will no longer be accessible. Children who do not have access to this technology will find completing school from home near on impossible, Ms Young said: “Young people and children need these in order to do their home schooling and keep up with their school work and give themselves a good chance.” The demand for IT equipment is high. Rotunda have received phone calls from parents and grandparents asking for laptops and tablets. Since continuing their social media appeals, calls to action to their local community and appearing on BBC Radio Merseyside, the organisation has received more donations of laptops.

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Figuring out what makes social media trolls

Tik? T ikTok is becoming one of the most-talked-about platforms to ever take off. From musicians and dancers, to make-up artists and comedians, TikTok has allowed millions across the globe to have their 15 minutes of fame, or rather, 15 seconds. But with that popularity comes a sinister, darker side of fame – trolling. With the likes of ‘The Renegade’ and ‘Savage” Dance challenges, it wasn’t long before TikTok surpassed both Facebook and WhatsApp as the most downloaded non-gaming app. This, coupled with Ofcom statistics that highlight a 36% increase on social media usage during lockdowns, begs the question, with the world having more time on their hands than ever has there been a surge in social media trolling? Two Liverpool content creators are constantly having to deal with anonymous hate. Tyler Anderson (@tylerdaclaire) said: “Homophobia is at the forefront when it comes to the abuse I receive and I’ve had my fair share. “These ‘trolls’ are projecting their insecurities on to me and I couldn’t care less, I’m enjoying myself and that’s all that matters.” The 19-year-old, originally from Childwall, has now amassed a following of just over 130k and entertains them with chaotic drunken stories and stylish black ensembles. The theatre and performance student has grabbed the attention of those as far as America and has been recognised along the streets of Liverpool, but not all has been positive as having a platform comes with a price.

With three lockdowns in less than a year, social media use is on the rise - and so is online hatred. PAUL McAULEY finds out more, speaking to two TikTok creators about their personal experiences coping with trolls

“If you’re insecure then don’t post… It’s a platform that supports incognito trolls. If you’re not confident in what you’re representing then you’re not suitable for the platform. As harsh as that sounds, it’s the truth. “The thing I do worry about is how queer youths, who aren’t as confident within themselves, may be viewing these antics and may become negatively impacted by them.” The video-sharing app says promoting a ‘safe and positive environment’ remains the company’s top priority and aims to achieve this by allowing its users to block accounts and remove comments. Despite this, Tyler argues more could be done. “I’m experiencing issues regarding false claims against my account which I assume is rooted through homophobia. These accounts should have to confirm in a variety of ways, as it’s far too easy to create an account and leave hate on creator’s pages. “It must also recognise communities more. Queer and POC representation isn’t as normalised as who aren’t within these categories and there are aspects of pretty privilege - this being as people are producing lacklustre content but as they’re attractive, they’re going viral.” This same stance is echoed by Alberto Palmer (@albertopalmerr) who agrees that those who society deem ‘pretty’ are at more exposure to hatred “simply because of jealously.” Alberto started TikTok just over a year ago and now has a following of 326k followers and 16M likes. Since his journey began, Alberto’s relationship with social media has fluctuated. He described

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his content as dramatic, random, and, although he doesn’t ‘influence’ anything or anyone, he has an opinion on everything. “The hate was a lot worse when I first started with 40-50 thousand followers,” he said. “I was getting so much hate and at the time it was very upsetting to see. I’m aware of my problems, I’m aware I’m loud, I have an annoying laugh and a bad accent, I am aware that these things could annoy others, so I have to realise that these people are going through a lot worse than me and ignore their comments.” The first time the 20-year-old Chemical Engineering student went viral was thanks to an A-level science experiment and it was the likes, comments and followers that gave Alberto the “taste” of what TikTok was really like. Since then, he has gone viral countless times in lockdown and is often at the forefront of users’ ‘for you’ pages, but with this comes the need for a stiff upper lip. “I don’t even delete or turn my comment section off anymore because I feel like when you do that, these trolls realise it is affecting you and do it more. Compared to YouTube it would take years for me to build up that number of followers so I feel like TikTok does throw you in the deep end with the fame and its repercussions.” TikTok’s community guidelines insist that there is a no-tolerance policy for discrimination, hate speech or hateful behaviour and any accounts found doing so will be suspended or banned. But it is the fear of what could happen when lockdown is lifted that worries both of the creators as thankfully they have yet to experience hatred beyond their phones.

©Alber to Pa son

©Tyler Ander

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ABOVE: Jorge Capera with his uncle Joaquin Avellaneda FACING PAGE: Joaquín Avellaneda with his son and nephews

‘Losing my uncle to Covid-19’ JORGE CAPERA shares his personal story

he oldest memory I have of my uncle is from one sunny morning when we were getting ready to go to a natural reservoir in the outskirts of Bogota, Colombia – my home country. I must have been six or seven and I was staying with my cousin, uncle and aunty for the weekend. My uncle was getting dressed while my cousin and I were watching some cartoons on the television. But just as he was about to put on his shirt, I noticed for the first time ever that he had a big burn scar covering the upper part of his back. I looked up to the gigantic man and asked him with the curiosity of a six-year-old child how he had got it. He answered with the seriousness of a three-year-old child: “I got bitten by an elephant” and started laughing. Two weeks ago, his laugh went quiet to be heard no more. He died of Covid-19 in a hospital 5,210 miles away from Liverpool, in Bogota. His death is one the 53,284 deaths related

to Covid-19 registered in Colombia so far, and one of the 2, 212,868 registered worldwide. For many people those numbers may be just that: numbers. But for me these deaths – including the 105,777 registered in the UK at the time of writing – represent many giants that will laugh no more. My uncle was huge. I remember he would be towering over me when I was a child. Once my cousins and I started to grow, he would complain because “we were going to leave him behind”, feeling like a dwarf. That never quite happened. I remember I was so excited when his jumpers started to fit me that I kept one of them for a couple of months until my mom made me to return it. I just loved it. It had his vanilla and eucalyptus smell and would keep in its pockets all the receipts he had forgotten to throw away. I would breath deep whenever I had it on to feel his smell in my lungs. My uncle died connected to a

ventilator, unable to breathe for himself. He had entered the hospital a couple of weeks before and had been steadily recovering. The situation was so hopeful that my mom and grandma had made some traditional Colombian Christmas food for all my aunty, my cousin and him. One of my cousins ate his portion after flying all the way from Italy for his funeral.

mass was celebrated for my uncle last week. I attended it on Zoom and was only able to understand half of the words people said in it, due to the joys of technology. His son gave a speech that ended up in tears and my cousin, who came from Italy, read a poem she wrote about how he has become one with the plants, trees and mountains that he loved so much, and all the teachings he is leaving behind. For me, these entail one dodgy driving lesson and many years of learning to never stop being childish

and playful, regardless of your age. Many have said that the most vicious part of the pandemic is that many people have not been able to say bye to their loved ones – and for me that is true. Nevertheless, technology shortens distances and even breaks the walls of hospitals down. In a short Christmas video my family and I were able to say to him that we were praying for his recovery and that we loved him a lot. His answer was a short message thanking us for looking after his wife and son while he was in hospital, along with a question about how my grandma was doing and a reassuring report of the respiratory treatment he was going through. That was Joaquín Avellaneda: a giant that cared for his family and never stopped being childish and funny; a giant that loved us a lot; a giant that was always looking forward to the next opportunity for making a joke about how he had been bitten by an elephant.

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Virus scammers strike again By LIAM KENNEDY

riminals are using the Covid-19 vaccine as a way to trick people into sending them money. The fraudsters, pretending to be the NHS, are emailing individuals offering the vaccine whilst also trying to get them to hand over personal information. Merseyside resident Val Spencer was contacted by the NHS fraudsters and admits she ‘nearly’ filled in the forms asking for her bank details. “I nearly fell for it as I have cognitive issues, and now feel like a fool. “I did fill in the form for my details but as soon as they wanted card details, I twigged that it was dodgy. I posted screen shots on twitter and they [her followers} put me right.” The mother of three went on to say: “The scammers are nasty folk who deserve their day in court, it won’t happen though and now we’re outside the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union I expect more scams like this, and I also expect this government to do nothing about it. “The information commissioner is toothless and underfunded which is just how this government want this institution to be.” Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime, said it received more than 1,000 complaints about scam emails on one day alone last week. Labour and Co-operative councillor for Warbreck, Ann O’Byrne, said she has been contacted by ‘lots of people’ about the scam emails. She said: “The e-mails are asking the reader to register for the vaccine and then asks for card details when registering. The NHS will never ask for this. “Unscrupulous people often use emergencies, such as the pandemic, to scare people

into making rash decisions and that’s when we can be caught off guard and fall victim to a scam.” In 2019 Lloyds Bank found that young people were falling victim to scams, more than any other age group. But they also found that people over the age of 55 are handing over the most money out of any age group. Ms O’Byrne, who recently announced that she has put herself forward to be Labour’s candidate in the mayoral race to replace Joe Anderson, added: “Having money stolen not only causes financial hardship, when many people are already struggling, but it can be a deeply upsetting experience, leaving victims feeling distraught and anxious. “If you’ve been a victim of fraud, Citizens Advice can support you.” In a separate scam, fraudsters are targetting travellers across Europe offering fake Covid test certificates at airports, stations and online. Interpol has also issued warnings of criminals selling fake coronavirus vaccines. Liverpool City Council have also released additional information regarding the scams and how to identify whether an email is actually from the NHS or from fraudsters. http://liverpool. gov.uk/covidscams You can also use the Citizens Advice online scams helper to check if something might be a scam http://citizensadvice.org. uk/consumer/scams/check-if-somethingmight-be-a-scam/ Consumer magazine Which? has advice on their website about email scams: http:// which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-

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He was a giant who cared for his family and never stopped being childish and funny

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‘How was it going to work me and a room full of 100 strangers?’ Jury service amid the pandemic

Liverpool Crown Court

ury service is something I have never thought of, apart from when watching Law and Order, so when I was summoned back in December, it was most definitely the cherry on top of the weirdest and most strangely surprising year yet. I was certainly apprehensive because of the pandemic. How was it going to work - me and a room full of 100 strangers? But in some ways I think being called for jury service made me excited to get out of the house and actually talk to someone face to face, something we have not done in a long time. The courts have been modified to ensure public safety and honestly wearing a mask while sitting on a jury is not the worst idea I’ve ever heard. We were all allocated our own seats while in the jurors’ waiting room. Lucky for me I was seated in my own little glass room with four other jurors. We had to wait to be put on a jury team when there was a trial ready for us and this could take quite a while, so thank goodness for the court WIFI. You’re not guaranteed to be

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Liverpool Opinion By Laura Wooding assigned to a trial, it could be much later on in the day or not at all. While that seems like a long and boring wait, because there is only so much internet browsing and snacking you can do for a couple of hours, I found myself befriending the 74-year-old man who sat with me in my glass box. This is what made going out in a pandemic to be juror worth it, the interesting and long-awaited conversations with new people. So, after listening to a very interesting and well-travelled gentleman, I was finally called to a trial, thankfully along with my newly-made friend. The lifts. When you’re on jury

service, these two words will be imprinted in your brain forever. You are called to get ready and ‘head to the lifts’ where you meet your court usher, who takes you up and leads you one by one into the courtroom, socially distanced of course, where you wait to be called out and given a number. Then you have to leave the courtroom, only to be called back a minute later in your number order. We are on desks that are separated by plastic shields, as it is impossible for 12 jurors to be two metres apart, we take our affirmation and proceed with the trial. The one thing I have learnt in this

experience is that the courts have all the time in the world, they seem to take everything as slowly as possible, especially when questioning those in the dock. Being in the law courts can be a dark and haunting experience, and probably not what you imagine, but it is quite fulfilling in a strange way. Waiting for my first day I felt nerves I’ve never felt before, fear of the unknown, worried in case I did something wrong and ended up on the other side from the jury, but it is surprising just how used to it you get and then it’s a very rewarding experience and I’d be happy to do it again.

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Working from home: the luxury that turned into the nightmare

Photo credit: Unsplash.com

Liverpool Opinion By Samuel Hodgkiss balanced day now gone, it is clearly having an effect on many people, including myself, influencing their daily goals and general mental wellbeing. I think it is no coincidence that the number of people suffering mentally is not only due to the national lockdown, but by also not seeing work colleagues or living that dayto-day work life. So in the meantime, try to get out once a day for a walk or exercise and eat clean, it always helps keep a healthy mind as well as a healthy body. For parents, working from home can prove to be extra tricky, with the schools shut, leaving them to look after their children of all ages and

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difficulties, educate them from home with no previous experience whilst continuing to do their 9-5 job via the Internet. Do you see the issue here? Even the idea of furlough, getting paid the majority of your wages to sit at home, sounds bliss, right? And it was for a while, but people I have spoken to who work in a number of different sectors, say they are fed up with not going to work and living their life within the four walls they call home.

fter Covid-19 has run its course, people will have a newfound love and respect for their work colleagues. People will realise that even if they are having a

bad day, or the journey into work was interrupted by an ignorant bloke on the bus, at least it isn’t working alone from home and not being allowed to leave the house like it once was. And that is a promising thought. So, it begs the question when will life be back to normal? It’s the golden question to which possibly no-one has the answer, but something that all of humanity craves. When this does happen, the feeling of returning to work will, I think, feel like Christmas morning as a child, waking up excited to see if Santa paid a visit the night before. But for now, remember that with each day that passes, we are all a day closer to reuniting and sharing a lunch break and a cuppa with others!

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emember the days when working from home was something of a blessing? That feeling going to bed, knowing you didn’t have to wake up early for the commute to work was the idea of heaven. The big boss at work would, instead of trying to prevent you at all costs from working at home, actively tell you to stay away. Unthinkable at the turn of the new decade! Those days were exciting for many people, albeit with the thought of these measures only being in place for a few weeks, maybe a month at most. But with people having worked a full year from home when we reach mid March, the small luxuries are long forgotten and now the idea of not having to sit through hours of boring Zoom meetings is on everyone’s bucket-list. The thing is, driving to and from work every day gives people a routine, a purpose to each day. With these essentials to a sustained,

It is clearly having an effect on many people, including myself, influencing daily goals and mental wellbeing 13

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Commit to getting fit! By ETHAN TAYLOR

t’s 2021 and we are in the middle of a third national lockdown. With that comes a mix of emotions. Whilst we are seeing COVID-19 vaccinations being rolled out rapidly, resulting in a more positive mood across the country, some may argue that the lockdown is still having an adverse effect on people’s moods and health. With the government ordering people to stay at home, along with closures of fitness centres, motivation to stay fit during lockdown is low. But there are ways to gain that motivation for fitness back! So here is the Liverpool Life guide to different ways YOU can stay fit during lockdown.

Resistance Bands With the closure of gyms, many people may have given up on their fitness journey, however you can still reach your goals at home by using a resistance band. Resistance bands are a home gym must-have, providing maximum intensity with minimum equipment. Resistance bands work just as well as free weights, or machine weights that you find in a gym! Research has shown that exercises with resistance bands can grow your muscles and tone them at the same time. Why would you not want to get involved with them? Resistance bands can be purchased online and even in discount stores in the UK. If purchasing a set of

resistance bands online, it will cost you around £25, the equivalent of 2 months of gym membership.

Muscle Board The muscle board is a relatively new invention in the fitness world and wasn’t really around during the first two lockdowns in the UK, but it is definitely a piece of equipment that can help you maintain fitness whilst at home. The muscle board is a colour-coded push-up board that trains the entire upper body. It has four colour-coded slots that allow you to train either your chest, shoulders, back or arms as well as engaging the rest of your body. One of the best things about this board is that it is lightweight and portable, which means that once lockdown is over, and we are able to travel, you won’t have to worry about finding a gym to keep fit and in shape, just use the board! The muscle board can be purchased from the official muscle board website for £29.99 and that comes with a free 10-week fitness programme which will be emailed to you upon purchase. If you want the muscle board on its own, it is available to buy on Amazon from £15.99.

Exercise outside is limited to once a day, and what better than to use this opportunity than by going on a run? Some people may find running boring and that’s okay, but it is scientifically proven to have major health benefits and can help you stay fit throughout the lockdown. It is proven that running burns a lot of calories which helps with weight loss. Not only can it help you lose weight, but it can also improve cardiovascular fitness. You never know, you might end up really enjoying it and maybe even taking part in marathons and competitions when normal life resumes. Running shoes are imperative if you decide to take up running this lockdown. They help prevent any injury to the ankles, giving more protection than any other regular trainer would. A good set or running shoes will set you back around £40 or more for an even higher quality shoe.

Cleaning A lot of people might not know this, but cleaning can be such a good way to keep fit through the lockdown. Although it may sound silly, it is actually proven that most household chores burn similar calories to exercises in the gym as they contain some of the same physical movements. Believe it or not, you can actually get a full-body workout and build muscle just by tidying up your own home! Resistance bands, left and a muscle board, above, are useful pieces of equipment to get fit at home

Running

Get your running shoes on then have a rest

Rest and Sleep Possibly the most overlooked and important way of keeping fit and healthy is rest. In this difficult time, it is very common to have sleepless nights due to work or University or just the unknown! Getting a good sleep and resting your body are the two most critical elements when it comes to fitness. Something as simple as having a routine can have huge benefits on our mental and physical health by promoting a healthy inner body experience. Planning your days can also be beneficial as it allows you to feel organised, and making you feel at ease.

Fun Facts

Cleaning windows – 150 calories burnt in 30 mins Gardening – 200 calories burnt in 30 mins Hoovering – 96 calories burnt Dusting – 109 calories burnt Skipping is the best form of cardio – Burns most calories per hour

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Heroes on and off the pitch Marine FC’s cup-tie with Premier League highfliers Tottenham Hotspur threw the spotlight on the Mersey minnows. WILL RAYMENT reports on how they are putting their moment in the sun to good use

memorable FA Cup underdog story in Merseyside has provided much-needed help to the Crosby community. Marine in the Community (MITC) is a charity organisation with links to Marine AFC, who reached the third round of the FA Cup to face Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur. The charity has been busy during lockdown, offering a range of skills and services to many different target groups. The organisation has already provided free lunches, quizzes and local information from Sefton Council to vulnerable people who may be shielding and unable to leave their homes amidst the Covid pandemic. This has been done in partnership with Radfield Home Care who also offer a friendly chat and a chance to share any concerns or worries. Its close ties with the football club has been a real boost to the community of Crosby. For example, the director of Marine in the Community, Graeme Gardiner, is also on the committee of the football club. Tom Clarke, who works for both the football club and the community, said: “The Club support the community work incredibly. “The FA Cup run has been extremely beneficial, as part of the virtual tickets campaign was an option to donate to MITC, which raised thousands of pounds for the charity. “This money will go towards a fund to purchase a minibus to help our community, which we are raising money for via a JustGiving page.” The minibus will provide travel for the vulnerable in the area as well as transport for the local schools they work with. The non-league club, with the aid of Tottenham fans all around the country, sold more than 32,000 virtual tickets for the Third-Round clash,

breaking the Marine Travel Arena’s attendance record. The FA Cup tie was broadcast on BBC One, with the Northern Premier League North West Division side finally dropping out the competition, losing 5-0 to one of Europe’s elite footballing sides. The club decided to set up a virtual ticket scheme as due to lockdown measures, fans were unable attend the biggest game in the club’s history, which would’ve provided beneficial income for Marine AFC.

arine in the Community have recently set up free Zoom lessons aimed at older people in the area to stay in touch with their families and friends. Tom, the social media manager for Marine, said: “We will offer roundthe-clock support if people are having issues as well as weekly tuition sessions with myself and first-team player Mike Howard. “We also offer coaching for firstteam players to local schools, and we have weekly Walking Football sessions for older people on the pitch at the Marine Travel Arena, as well as our Walking Group which encourages people to stay active and socialising.” Mr Clarke says the atmosphere of the group is refreshing and valuable: “I find the community work extremely engaging, helping our vulnerable people and putting a smile on their faces is priceless, and makes all of our hard work more than worth it. “In a time like this, people rely on community even more and we have made sure we are there as much as possible to provide support whenever people need it. “The next step is to help people come out of the pandemic in a healthy, safe and sociable way.”

GOOD WORKS: How the club is using its resources to reach out and help the community Photos © Marine in the Community

Sophie’s baking choice

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By LAUREN HUGHES

ome baking is a source of enjoyment for many, but for Sophie Cook of ‘Sophie’s Kitchen Liverpool’ it is much

more. After working in HR (Human Resources) for a sales and technology company for the past three years supporting other businesses, she decided to start her own - a home baking delivery service, delivering baked goods right to people’s doors during the pandemic. “This is something I thoroughly enjoy,” said Sophie. “I love working with businesses and supporting them. I think this will definitely help me as I start to grow my own business. Baking is something I’m really passionate about.” According to Sophie her company has been a long time in the making but she says it’s important you do things for the right reasons and never felt ready until now. “I’ve been baking for about five years. I started to teach myself to bake when I had depression and an eating disorder. I’d never baked before then. I didn’t really know what to do with myself, so I just baked obsessively.

art of my illness was OCD, which I used to my advantage. I’d copy every recipe to an absolute T, and everything came out right! I think baking can be such a fantastic form of therapy and I’d highly recommend giving it a go!” Her family and friends have been the main recipients of her baked goods over the years. She added: “I am honestly surprised none of them have diabetes yet.” Alongside starting her business, Sophie is also setting about doing different things to raise money for mental health charities, to support people who are in the same boat. “I was really fortunate and got better but baking is something I held onto,” she said. When asked what the inspiration

Sophie gets baking. Pictures © Sophie Cook

Sophie’s Jammy Dodger Blondies Ingredients

behind the name was, Sophie said she wanted something simple, easy to remember and something that would look good on a logo. Sophie is currently working on a long list of brownies and cakes for her new menu, which you can order through her Instagram @ Sophieskitchenliverpoool or Etsy account. Keep an eye out for her website, which is coming soon. In the meantime, why not try one of Sophie’s most loved recipes, Jammy Dodger Blondies, with this recipe (right). Don’t forget to share and tag her to show her your triumphs.

200g Unsalted butter (melted) 125g White granulated sugar 125g light brown sugar 3 medium eggs 1tsp vanilla extract 275g plain flour 1tbsp cornflour 150g jam (melted) A mix of Jammie Dodgers and mini Dodgers

Method 1.Preheat your oven at 180c/160c fan and line a 9x9” square tin with parchment paper. Bakers tips: It’s so important you use the right sized tin! Also, I’d recommend using an aluminium tin sprayed with light fry instead of using parchment paper. 2.Melt your butter and then add your sugars. Mix them until they’re full combined. When it’s mixed properly you will notice the mixture go lighter. It can take about 5 minutes to get to this point. 3.Beat your eggs and then add them into your sugar/butter mix, then add your vanilla. 4.Add in your flour and cornflour and mix. Be careful not to over mix. I just use a spatula to do this, but you can use a fork or spoon or whatever! 5.Fold in your white chocolate chips (again don’t overmix this), then pour the mixture into your tin and spread evenly. 6.You can spoon on little blobs of jam and swirl it in (using a knife or cocktail stick) but I prefer to heat up my jam for a few seconds in a bowl in the microwave and the pipe it onto my blondie mix. 7.Add your Jammie Dodgers on top and press them gently down. 8.Stick them in the oven for 25-30 minutes. I tend to check them and keep a close eye on them at about 20+ minutes as all over temperatures can differ. When you take them out of the oven the edges should look done but the middle but may have a bit of a wobble to it (that’s where the gooeyness of brownies come from so don’t risk overbaking them.) 9.Leave them to cool in the tin. (I leave them to cool in the tin and then leave them in the fridge for a few hours/overnight as this gets them to set perfectly! Definitely worth the wait)

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The cuisine of L15 BY CHARLIE BAKER MULLINGS

Student chefs Nick Grant and Felix Parkes in their kitchen and a selection of their tasty dishes, below

wo University of Liverpool have started their own food delivery service promoted on social media from the kitchen in their rented accommodation. Philosophy undergraduate Nicholas Grant, better known to many as Nick, has always been an impassioned cook and as of the first lockdown in April last year, has been posting his eye-catching meals on his Instagram account @nick_chefs. As the page began to increase in popularity and followers, the West Londoner decided that he wanted to take the next step and share his food with his friends and the wider Wavertree community. With the help of his housemate, Geography student Felix Parkes, the two 21-year-olds created L15 Cuisine. Speaking exclusively to Liverpool Life, Nick said: “We started this delivery service purely for the fun of cooking. Making a bit of extra cash every week definitely helps pay the bills, but we both just enjoy cooking different cuisines from around the world and wanted to share that with whoever is interested.” With the service currently running once a week, Nick and Felix have already managed to cover the Caribbean, Asia and the Middle East since the start of January. “I feel like what makes us unique is the fact that customers get something new every week Different flavours,

textures, techniques – the hope is that we’ll never get boring because we’re always trying to do something that isn’t typically accessible in the Wavertree area. “Plus, at £5 per box with no delivery fee, we’re significantly cheaper than the vast majority of food delivery services you’ll find on UberEats or Deliveroo too.” Each week, the ingredients are sourced from local food stores and the meals are always prepared and cooked fresh on the day of delivery. So far, the service is only available by Instagram direct message, but the benefit of this is that every customer gets to communicate with the men behind the food, offering a more personal experience as well as the opportunity for customers to make suggestions directly to the chefs as to what kinds of dishes they would like to see in the future. Both Nick and Felix are third year students, meaning that they’ll be in the process of writing their dissertations and finishing university by the summer. Balancing the workload could be prove to be difficult, but Nick insists that he and Felix are only just getting started. “We’ve got loads more ideas, and we’re going to start a separate page purely for the delivery service very soon. Once we’ve got that all sorted out, we’ll be able to ramp up production and hopefully start reaching more customers. We just want to keep bringing people something delicious, convenient and always at a good price.”

“We just want to keep bringing people something delicious, convenient and always at a good price” 17

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Still Tellin’ Stories He is the lead singer of a chart-topping band, a record label owner, solo artist, author, DJ and the man behind the Twitter listening party sensation which has kept music fans going during lockdown and brought him an army of new fans at the same time. MIA O’HARE meets Tim Burgess of The Charlatans

Photo Credit: Cat Stevens

he Charlatans’ frontman Tim Burgess is more than just a face for ‘90s Britpop. His song-writing has led the indie group across 13 high-charting albums with four top 10 entries to the UK Singles Chart, including ‘The Only One I Know’ and ‘One to Another’, as well as releasing five solo albums, the latest coming out last year. And now the 53-year-old from Salford has been busy entertaining fans and drawing in impressive audiences over lockdown with his Twitter listening parties. All people are required to do is stream or play the album of that night, follow Tim and the relevant artist on Twitter and watch the tweets in real time. Fans are encouraged to ask questions and share memories using the hashtag #TimsTwitter ListeningParty. Artists who have been featured include Oasis, Blur, The Libertines and even Paul McCartney. Liverpool Life caught up with Tim from his home in Norfolk to hear more about his Twitter listening parties, new solo album ‘I Love the New Sky’ and how life has been during the pandemic.

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LL ARTS What made you set up the Listening Parties during lockdown?

“I felt that lots of people knew about the listening parties, Charlatans fans, and there was a lot of enjoyment. That was what people seem to get from them, so I’d only done them with the Charlatans and my solo album. So, I thought I should do it again. “I suggested that I do a listening party for ‘Some Friendly’, the debut album of The Charlatans, and Alex from Franz Ferdinand mentioned that he bought that album when he was 16 years old and at that moment, I just asked him if he’d like to do one. Bonehead was watching from Oasis and he said he’d like to do one as well. “Within a few minutes something was happening. This was March 23rd, so it was just at the very beginning of lockdown. Within a week Wendy from Prefab Sprout was involved and Dave Roundtree from Blur was involved. Within two weeks I was doing three every night and five at the weekends. “It just made people feel connected during a time where everyone felt so alone. I think it got people interested again in the art form of an album which I think, obviously we all love playlists, but the art of making an album was brought back into people’s focus. I think some good things have happened from it, but a connection really.”

How did you select the albums for the Listening Parties?

“Well at first it kind of began with who is in my phone book and then whoever was on Twitter, so people that I knew or was aware of. Then I wanted to include young bands and people that I really like, that my Twitter followers weren’t aware of. “I wanted to introduce people to records that I really liked, but also to have a hugely broad amount of artists that I wouldn’t necessarily listen to. If it would’ve just been my personal taste, it could have stopped after about 100 or 200 albums and we’ve done 600 now. It has to be a kind of

an open-door policy where everyone feels included and can be a part of.”

Has your opinion changed on any of the albums you did on your listening parties, and which one was your favourite?

“My favourites really are New Order, a favourite band of mine, Rosin Murphy has been brilliant and so was Bonehead with the Oasis records. I think everyone loves Oasis. “But there was a band from the 80s that I wasn’t aware of at all really, although I saw them on Top of the Pops all the time. And that’s a band called Spandau Ballet. I just kind of knew them, but didn’t know anything about them until Gary Kemp called me one day. I’ve never spoken to him before and he just seemed like the greatest guy. We just kept speaking to each other and he did a Listening Party that was so incredible that it kind of is my most favourite one. More now, because I wasn’t really ever a fan, they just kind of passed me by a little bit when I was younger. “So, although I’m indebted forever for everybody taking part, I think if I had to be pushed, I’d say that’s true, Spandau Ballet was my favourite one.”

What advice would you give to musicians, from your hometown or just across the UK, looking to break into the industry in the current climate?

“Just hang in there. I think I’m very optimistic about the future because this is probably about as bad as it’s going to get. So, the future must be brighter, and I’ve always been a believer of that and out of tough situations comes great music. Hang in there, keep believing and dream.”

Do you think there’s a potentiality of a cultural boom after this is all over?

“I just think that out of tough times comes great art and great music and people to get through this, they have to keep believing in something positive. And that’s what will drive it. People always rely on artists and

The Charlatons had huge success with four top 10 entries to the UK Singles Chart. Photo Credit: Sonic PR

The Charlatans 1997 album Tellin’ Stories spent two week at number one in the official charts people involved in art to help them through it even though they don’t really help artists when the going is good.”

What has it been like releasing your album, ‘I Love the New Sky’, during the pandemic? Would you say it had like a positive impact on you and your fans, or is it being quite difficult?

“I always thought the album would grow with them playing live. I spent quite a considered amount of time arranging the band and getting the right people in involved in the band. We only got to play five shows, I think, and one of them fortunately was a filmed live stream for Paste Magazine in New York. Pretty amazing, and that's really done the rounds now online and showing people what they would have been missing. “We would have been playing live in May and then probably September and all through the festivals. That's how I thought the album would grow. But then obviously the listening parties and all that have made people more aware of the album. So it's hard to know which way would have been best. Just got to think on your feet really. I think it's given the album quite a bit of exposure, but not the kind of exposure that I was expecting.”

With music in general, would you say that it has given you something to focus on during the pandemic with your live streams and listening parties?

“Without me doing the listening party, I think I would have lost it. Without music, there would have been no listening party. I think music's been so amazing. When I first started doing the listening parties people were saying ‘oh my God, I’ve not listened to an album in its entirety for so long’. I think it's done a lot of good work for albums. Even though I was only trying to be helpful. I mean, there's so many people doing amazing things in

the world during the pandemic, I just wanted to help a little bit. “I knew that the Listening Parties gave people some kind of enjoyment. I didn't really know how it was going to work out, but people have been saying that they're listening to albums again now, which is an amazing thing because there's a lot of work that goes into making an album.”

How have you found like lockdown in general? Have you found it like a good kind of creative break or a more creative time for you in general?

“It's been different throughout the stages. At the beginning, in March, I had just come back from New York. It was supposedly the beginning of my album live cycle and it was cut short, so I was kind of a bit down about that. But then when the listening parties took off, that just took up all my time for the first part. “It was difficult because I've got a seven-year-old son and he needed home schooling as well and that was really difficult because I'm not a teacher and he just laughed at me when I tried to teach him stuff. So that was hard. As time went on, I got a bit more OK with it and I started writing music. I've got quite a lot of new stuff now written, so it's been quite nice. At first, I think because the world seemed to stop, I just couldn't find any inspiration for a while. “But then I think you just get into that kind of groove, where you just feel that well, this is how the world is now. Nature is brilliant and I look at the sea and look at the trees and things like that. I have managed to do those kinds of things and just enjoy other things and get into that kind of pace. It's been quite inspiring now actually.” • Tim can be found on Twitter @ Tim_Burgess and his new ‘I Love the New Sky’ is available to buy from timburgessmusic.com or can be streamed on Spotify.

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Q&A With local artist TEE

Liverpool-based musician TEE has released his first single. ROBYN COULING spoke to the artist and producer about his new song, ‘Real’, and the accompanying music video How does it feel to have finally released your single?

“It feels surreal if I’m honest. I’ve probably been honing in on my sound and approach for about three to four years now.  So, to actually have something that I am 100% happy with out in the world is weird. It’s just really nice to start the outward journey, it’s been very behind the scenes for a while so it’s nice to be open about my music.”

What was the inspiration behind the song? “I try and draw from things that are close to me in everyday life for inspiration. For me, my music is different ways to tell a story. There are a few different narratives that can be latched on to from listening to it.

‘

My dad straight up just asked me what I wanted to do... I picked music and never looked back

‘

or a first release, it’s very mature. TEE’s dedication to his sound over the last three to four years is evident. The change in styles and textures feels very intentional. Often, it’s easy to feel lost as a listener when there are tempo changes and stylistic switches - but with ‘Real’, you’re gripped from the very start. The spoken-word approach gives it a poetic feel, forcing you to listen to what he’s saying. It’s not just a catchy hook to match the beat –

One of the main ones is baggage. Everyone has dealt with someone who is dealing with their own baggage, whether it be something that they know affects them or not. The inspiration comes from how we deal with it, are we insecure about it, are we outwardly okay with it, do we need someone us to help us validate ourselves. Our mind is a constant battle, I just wanted to narrate on it a little.”

Do you have any specific artists you look up to or that inspire your music? “Yeah for sure, there are a few artists that inspire me: Kanye West; Andre 3000; Labrinth; Thirdstory; Shakka; Wretch 32 and Ghetts.”

What genre of music do you think you fall under?

“This is a bit of a hard one. As well as being an artist I am a producer. I produce things from Pop to Hip Hop to Folk. For me each genre tells a story in a different way.

it’s a story, and he’s spilling his heart into the words. When the beat drops and the style changes, he picks up the tempo slightly and the lyrics become more emotive. The lyrics and the beat to match were incredibly well thought-out; his production skills and lyrical technicality both carry the narrative so well. To celebrate the success of his first single, I spoke to TEE about his work as an artist and producer and, of course, his new track.

These are all influences that I steal from to make my own music. So it’s hard to necessarily but all my music into one category. But I guess somewhere in the Hip-Hop/R&B sphere.”

Do you think being able to relate to an audience is a big factor in your writing?

“10,000%! I think this is one of my most driving goals. I love the idea of starting a conversation, making people think. So for me, the music that I make is super personal, in the hope that if I can take the plunge and say, ‘I’ve been through some stuff and I’m happy to talk about it. I’ll go first, if that means that it creates a comfortable space for someone else to open up and talk’.”

When did you first realise you wanted to have a career in music and how did you get into it? “I’ve always been in and around music from young. I grew up in church, a lot of my

family sing and are heavy listeners of music. When I was 17 and not doing so well in my A-Levels, my dad straight up just asked me what I wanted to do.If I could pick anything in the world, what would that be. I’m so grateful for that day. I picked music and never looked back.”

What can we expect from you this year?

“This song is the first song from a seven-track EP that I will be releasing on the 26th of Feb, which I’m super excited about. I have a lot of content and music that I can’t wait to share. Then from there, the floodgates open. So hopefully just a lot of more!” To keep up to date with his latest releases, follow @anartistcalledtee on  Instagram. You can also listen to the song, on YouTube by following this link - https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=_JBGShc5iQ0&feature=emb_logo

Source: Channel 4

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IT’S NOT A SIN By PAUL McAULEY

omedy and compassion are at the core of Russell T. Davies’ latest offering It’s A Sin. The highly popular series has already been watched by 6.5 million people on streaming service, All 4, and the first episode alone was the most watched launch of a drama series that the site has ever had. The sublime Channel 4 mini-series follows the lives of four young gay men as they find their feet in London and promise to live their lives to the fullest. The group arrive in the city in 1981, just as the first reports of a new ‘disease’ making its way across the Atlantic surface. As the series moves through the decade, the storyline naturally darkens. The protagonist, Ritchie (Olly Alexander) remains in denial and spreads conspiracy theories until he finds himself face-to-face with the ‘gay plague’. For a show that is set to include so much sadness, joy can still be seen everywhere, as the group take pride in protesting against Margret Thatcher’s Section 28 legislation and those pharmaceutical companies who were profiting off the disease. The heart-warming ending shows a flashback the group enjoying their time together before the AIDS pandemic hit. Despite representation of the Isle of Wight, Nigeria and Wales, many Liverpudlians felt a personal con-

nection with the poignant storylines. The virus arrived in the region at a particularly bad time as it coincided with a bleak economic downturn and the arrival of a heroin epidemic, which meant those sharing dirty needles were particularly vulnerable to catching HIV. One who saw Liverpool being mirrored in It’s a Sin was Nurse Consultant Lesley Mills. Having worked at Royal Liverpool Hospital at the time, the 51-year-old commended Channel 4 for their production. “The show is very well written and directed, factually correct and I believe it’s a very good reflection of the attitudes and behaviours at the time,” she said. “Those nurses who were willing to work on those wards had the right caring attitude – but often did not voice it in public. Hopefully, people are now less prejudiced as they are more educated from the show.” She remembers whilst travelling from different locations of the country that views varied. “I worked in London at St Mary’s which had a large group of gay men with HIV/AIDS and the same in Edinburgh. The attitudes to each of these groups was very different compared to Liverpool, but one thing that was commonly believed was that men with haemophilia were the ‘innocent victims’ as they contracted HIV from contaminated blood products.” One reason why the judgement in Liverpool was less harsh was thanks to the work of Sahir House, a charity

“It left me floored, it was so accurate, it was like I was reliving that era, life when I was first diagnosed back in 1984. The attitude, the fear, isolation, exclusion and the ignorance”

which has been supporting people and their families for more than 30 years now. They aim to increase sexual health knowledge, reduce stigma and campaign for the rights for those living with HIV and related intersectionality (gender, sexuality, asylum status). Serena Cavanagh, a spokesperson for the charity, spoke about some of its work. “We fundraise in many ways from music events, cake sales, raffles, quiz nights, individual donations and now online events with donations. There have been so many events that have taken place over the years and we are proud of all of them,” she said. “We are always so thankful to our supporters’ generosity, taking time to raise money for Sahir House. “All money raised goes directly to those in most need and especially now as more and more people find themselves in crisis due to the current pandemic. “However, we openly talk about Covid and cancer and heart disease, but most people probably won’t tell everybody about their HIV.” Not only is it National HIV Testing Week but this week is also the beginning of LGBT+ History Month in the UK. The government’s goal is to end new cases of the virus by 2030 and Serena acknowledges this can be achieved. “Today, a person living with HIV, who is on effective treatment and has an undetectable viral load, will not transmit HIV to their sexual partners. We refer to this as U=U, undetectable equals untransmittable.

Nurse Lesley Mills, from Liverpool believes the drama is “very well written and factually correct”. An HIV positive man from Sahir House, said: “I binge-watched the entire series of Its a Sin on All4 in one day! It left me floored, it was so accurate, it was like I was reliving that era, life when I was first diagnosed back in 1984. The attitude, the fear, isolation, exclusion and the ignorance. Only someone who lived through those two decades and was greatly affected could write this so raw and emotional and near to the bone.” It seems fitting that Liverpool doubled as New York and London in the programme. The Pier Head and the Royal Liver Building were used to resemble early tall American skyscrapers whilst the former Martin’s Bank HQ acted as a hotel.

Sahir House is a Liverpool charity that supports people who are living with HIV

‘Dear Flann...’ THE LOST LETTERS OF FLANN O’BRIEN LAUREN HUGHES chats with two LJMU lecturers as they prepare to publish their book celebrating the Irish author

wo friends are chatting in a pub one night. Both experts in Irish literature, they start discuss their hero Flann O’Brien and begin to wonder what letters between the writer and a variety of famous people might be like. Fast forward and the imaginary letters have now been published in a book edited by the duo, Liverpool John Moores University lecturers Gerry Smyth and Andrew Sherlock. Gerry (whose pename is McGowan) and Andrew first joined forces many years ago, presenting dramatic versions of Irish literature all around the world, from Vienna and Dublin, through to Paris, on the Irish literary conference circuit. The book idea presented itself to the pair at the Flann O’Brien International Conference in Dublin in 2019 when one of the delegates presented a diligently put together set of Flann’s letters. “This was at a very high-level conference in the public house one night ... and it was so high level that neither Gerry or myself can remember particularly which city or which public house it was in!”, joked Andrew, “And we cooked up the basis of an idea.” ‘The Lost Letters of Flann O’Brien’ features 107 letters from Irish-interested writers and academics from around the world. They were asked to write back as whoever they fancied. The list of participants ranges from poets, novelists, academics, politicians, actors to three Booker Prize

winners, one Pulitzer prize winner and a plethora of other highlyregarded individuals. Gerry told Liverpool Life; “I started emailing people late in 2019, early 2020, emailing friends and colleagues around the world and inviting them to imagine and to write letters to Flann O’Brien in the guise of people whose lives and careers would have crossed with his to some extent.”

rnest Hemingway, e. e. Cummings, Judy Garland, Albert Einstein, Francis Bacon, Private Secretary of her Majesty the Queen, Bill Shankly are just some of the famous names that make an appearance. Gerry added: “Flann O’Brien is a kind of interesting, niche writer, a lot of people know him, but not a lot of people know him terribly well, and the idea of him communicating with these very famous personages, and some of them not-so-famous, from around the world seemed quite amusing.” “We’ve been sending complimentary copies out to all the contributors around the world and the response has been uniformly positive thus far,” said Gerry. Due to the subject matter, the pairing decided they wanted to keep it old school, relying on word of mouth for promotion, with no plans at present for a sequel. • The Lost Letters of Flann O’Brien (2021) The Pen & Pencil Gallery Press

Gerry Smyth, above, and, inset, Andrew Sherlock

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

LL ARTS

SCOUSER IN SPACE

or worldwide fans of the British TV cult classic and sci-fi classic Doctor Who, New Year’s Day was special. It saw the return of the beloved Time Lord, The Doctor, and her companions, to face off against the most well-known pepper pot villains, The Daleks, in the special feature-length episode Revolution of the Daleks. However, it was after the credits rolled when fans got an unexpected surprise. The Liverpool-born comedian John Bishop was announced as the most recent addition to the TARDIS team, being cast as new companion Dan. He will John Bishop in his first promo shoot as ‘Dan’ work alongside the Credit: BBC Doctor Who current 13th incarnation of The Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker, and continuing companion Yasmin Khan, played by Mandip Gill, in the up-coming series 13, which is set to air sometime in 2021 due to recent delays with the pandemic.

By SARAH TAYLOR

SPOTTED: John Bishop (top) has been filming alongside co-stars Jodie Whittaker (bottom middle) and Mandip Gill (bottom right) Credit: @ThomasH90175738 on Twitter

John enters the show after the departure of Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole, who played Graham O’Brien and Ryan Sinclair. It was a family affair, with Graham being Ryan’s step-grandfather, and after the death of Ryan’s nan, Grace. In the series 11 pilot, their relationship was explored and developed. It was a rocky journey, but Ryan finally learned to love and accept his grandad as family. At the end of the special episode, Bradley and Tosin closed the door on the iconic police box for the last time after deciding their travels had come to an end. It has not been confirmed by either actor what their reasons were for leaving the show. However, Tosin is moving on to other projects and it has been reported that he will be cast as the main role in a new American TV drama 61st Street. Meanwhile, Bradley is busy with filming popular TV quiz show The Chase. He has previously commented on how hard and tiring the filming schedules for Doctor Who can be, leading fans to believe this to be his reason for his departure. With the new announcement of John’s casting came the reaction on social media, and many fans were quick to congratulate the scouser on his new role: @00rbz – “Congratulations John on joining the TARDIS team. Looking forward to the new season.” @Smalledd – “Scouser in Doctor Who though let’s GOOOOO” @rawyld – “As an Aussie Doctor Who fan and represent

us Australians, welcome to the TARDIS family mate. We welcome you with open arms. #WhoviansAU” @deanleake02 – “I get people saying that another companion isn’t needed, but as a scouser and lifelong Doctor Who fan I’m so glad to have one of our own on board the TARDIS! I wonder if the Doctor will come to Liverpool?” John is not the first Merseysider to have taken a ride in the TARDIS. Elisabeth Sladen was companion Sarah Jane Smith, playing alongside Jon Pertwee and fellow Scouser Tom Baker, the fourth Doctor, while Liverpool’s Paul McGann was the eighth Doctor. Speaking on an Instagram video the day after, John said: “I want to thank everybody for their brilliant response to the news last night that I’m going to be in Doctor Who, series 13, as one of the companions. “We’ve been filming it since November. Jodie and Mandip and the whole team have been so welcoming, because it’s a big show, it’s a legendary show, and I’ve got big shoes to fill! “I’m so grateful to be a part of it, so thank you for all the support on that.” He has already been spotted filming in Cardiff, being chased by another old villain, the Sontarans, who are seemingly making a return in the new series, as well as posting a video to his Instagram wearing a Doctor Who branded mask. It’s only a matter of time until the character of Dan comes to life on the small screen, and John cements his place in TV history.

From Liverpool to the TARDIS Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor

Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor

Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith

Liverpool Life 9:9 February 3 2021

Articles inside

It’s A Sin: Review and reaction

TEE time with Mersey musician

Listening through lockdown

Caring for the community

Jury Service during Covid

Home-working nightmare

TikTok trolling

Keeping fit during lockdown

Give A Laptop campaign

TED talks come to town

Tribute to family ‘giant

Cool tools