Liverpool Life 6:01 11 10 2017

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NEWS FROM THE HEART OF THE CITY

Liverpool Life

TEACHERS FIGHT BACK REMEMBERING MUSIC-LOVER NICK

ALICE’S JOURNEY ISSUE ONE

OCT 11-24

Liverpool Life

contents Vol 6 Issue 1. OCTOBER 11-24 2017

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3-7

I’m happiest when I’m learning

NEWS

New Technology Development coming to the Baltic Triangle

8 - 20

All you need to know about your winter wardrobe: 17

22

FEATURES

LJMU graduate Alice May Purkiss encourages women to ‘Trust their touch’ with CoppaFeel

Things to fear on Friday 13th: 16

21 - 23

Non- League Football Day: 22

SPORT

From the streets to the pitch - The Homeless Games come to city

Kim Cattrall talks:14

LJMU GRADUATE DAN BURKE IN BERLIN: 20

LL Writers: Ed Baldwin, Jade Culver, James Farrington, Amy Harding, Becky Jones, Gemma Jones, Stephanie Kettle, Suzy Sankey, Tom Swift, Daisy Scott, Hannah Conboy, Matty Davies, Jo Cunliffe, Jordan Reais, Jessica Hughs, Jasper Hunt, Matthew Skelly, Sean Keenan, Daniel Moxon, Jessica Grieveson-Smith.

Production: Olivia Friett, Alex Amadeo, Jack Butler, Marcello Dotolo, Oli Fell, Ross Hilton-Inkpin, Emily Kinsella, Abby Nicholson, Evan Fyfe, Michael Stokes, Danielle Thomas, Hannah Wilkinson, Sam O’Hara, Jo Cunliffe.

LL03 Editor’s Letter W

NEWS

Music lover’s legacy lives on through Plumbstock Festival

By GEMMA JONES St Helens is set to be rocking with a three-day music festival coming to town this weekend.

“Plumbstock” is a family-friendly event which is happening in memory of music lover Nick Plumb from October 13-15 in the Tunza Centre.

Nick died suddenly at the age of 52 last year from a heart attack.

Plumbstock was first held in the Tunza Centre on Boundary Road three years ago for Nick’s 50th birthday celebrations.

Nick’s widow Tracy said: “It’s evolved from being Nick’s 50th birthday celebration, where he decided we will just hire somewhere and have a few people and a few of us played instruments and sang.”

Everyone enjoyed the party so much that Nick and Tracy decided to do it again the following year, but with the intent of fundraising.

The event has now become an annual occurrence.

The events are mainly organised by the Tunza Centre’s founder Ian Smith.

Tracy said: “Ian never has any problems roping us all in to do mad fundraisers because he is just so passionate about what he does.”

Ian founded the Tunza Centre when it was just a “shell” – he started with just a building and some lights.

Now, he has built it up into a space for families and budding musicians, with artificial grass and an indoor arena and even a music studio upstairs. The centre is also working on creating a garden area outside.

This year’s event will feature a battle of the bands, including students from Cowley High School. Other local bands such as Salander, Titors and Insignia will be performing.

Although the event is free to at-

elcome.

You’re reading the first issue of Liverpool Life of this academic year.

This year we have had a makeover as our new third years have taken over the wheel.

Our team has been working tirelessly on our new and extended 24-page magazine which includes your latest news, features and sport from around Liverpool.

We hope that you enjoy reading Liverpool life as much as we have enjoyed creating it!

Abby Nicholson

tend, funds will be raised through the sale of t-shirts, designed by Tracy.

There will also be raffles, featuring prizes such as a free gas boiler service from Sparrow Plumbing and Heating.

The raffles will also include movie night baskets and giant cuddly teddy bears, all donated from various local businesses.

Abby Nicholson Production Editor

Police lead way in national gun crime fight

By JADE CULVER

RichardCarr of LJMU

The former head of the Merseyside Firearms Unit has backed the city’s police in their fight against gun crime.

As guns came under the spotlight again earlier this week with a fatal shooting in Huyton, Richard Carr, who once led Merseyside Police’s Firearms and Explosives Department and is now a lecturer at LJMU, said he believes officers in Merseyside are doing everything they can to prevent gun crime.

Mr Carr said: “Merseyside has a higher than average problem in terms of guns, it seems to be a trend here. Merseyside police working with the community are really effective, I would pitch them against any force in the country to have dealt with gun crime and violent crime as our police have.

Gun crime has been reduced by over 55% over the last eight years.

“I would argue that there is not another force in the country that could demonstrate an equal reduction.”

Police have confirmed that a murder investigation is now under way after Monday’s incident.

04 LL NEWS

Hola! Nursery gets a spanish flavouring

By JESSICA HUGHES Merseyside’s first Spanish-English bilingual nursery has opened in Upton which teaches children as young as six-months a second language.

Habla, which means ‘speak’ in Spanish, was founded by Jenny Birch, who studied Spanish and is fluent in the language, and her mother Lynne Cowell who has over 25 years experience in primary education.

The idea for the unconventional day-care comes from the theory that children who speak more than one language develop quicker, both educationally and socially, than those who speak one language.

Ms Birch said: “A fully bilingual environment provides so many benefits for cognitive development that it gave me the idea to open a Spanish-English nursery.”

The nursery works on a ‘one

person, one language’ system.

Half of the staff are English speakers while the other half are native Spanish speakers. The staff only speak to the children in their native language, which Ms Birch says is how they avoid confusion.

“It works like a set of drawers in the child’s head, so when they see a member of staff they associate one language with them, and they will open the drawer to that language in their mind.”

The benefits of bilingual teaching at a young age are supported by research carried out by the International Journal of Bilingualism. Their study shows that bilingual children are better at problem-solving and creative thinking.

This has been linked to the mental alertness required to switch between multiple languages.

Ms Birch has shown that learning begins at home – her son Joseph, who was born in June, is

Lynee Cowell and Jenny Birch, open Merseysides first bilingual nursery.

already immersed in a bilingual environment. She speaks exclusively to Joseph in Spanish while her husband speaks in English.

She said: “It’s the best start in life. I believe it is a gift for your child; it is a gift for life so I want to do it for Joseph. He is going to find learning easier.”

The nursery has opened its doors on the site of the former Wendy House Nursery, and despite its bilingual edge, Habla’s fees will not increase.

“They’ll be fixed at the same level as the previous nursery in

Upton and we’ve no catchment area – our new nursery school is for children anywhere in Wirral.”

Ms Birch owns training and translation company Passport Language Solutions that sparked her interest in languages.

“British people are notoriously poor at learning a second language because English is already a world-wide tongue. We’ve traditionally thought ’why bother?’”

“I’m convinced this is the way forward for nursery education in the UK and I’m so proud that Habla is a first for Merseyside.”

Monsters and villains delight horror fans

By TOM SWIFT

Hundreds of fans of horror came to the Echo Exhibition centre last weekend to appreciate franchises old and new, with many choosing to dress up as their favourite monsters and villains.

Two of the actors to portray Jason Voorhees in the ‘80s slasher flick Friday the 13th were present at the event, inspiring many of the guests to emulate the iconic villain. Other popular choices included Pennywise the clown from Stephen Kings ‘It’, which had a successful remake this year, and Freddy Kruger from ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’.

Stalls were set up to fill the hall with spooky merchandise from the most popular to the obscure horror franchises. Wine merchants were available showcasing limited edition ‘Nobillis Dracula’ along with various brandies and tequilas.

Authors and videographers of

Dressed as their favourite horror film characters, fans pose for a pictire for Liverpool Life.

independent cinema also attended, selling and holding viewing sessions of their literature.

The majority of the hall however was filled with make-up and special effects artists showcasing their work and offering professional face-painting to the younger audience.

Amongst the artists was a charity project fundraising for the Make a Wish foundation. The charity gets 30 of the UK’s best

special effects artist to model a Frankenstein monster bust, and will auction off the props to the highest bidder at the end of the year, with all proceeds going to the foundation.

Rob Taylor, a representative of the charity project, spoke to Liverpool Life: “There are some of the biggest names in SFX taking part in this charity, and last year we raised £28,000, which is double the amount that the Make a Wish foundation m==ade that year, so we doubled their profits.

“The biggest problem we are facing at the moment is publicity.

We really want to attract some richer fans that would be willing to bid for the busts and get the highest price possible to go towards the charity.

“Last year we did the project with Star Wars and the market was a lot higher than how it is in the horror industry.”

Spotlight on mental health

By STEPH KETTLE

Awareness of mental health in the workplace was firmly in the spotlight yesterday as part of World Mental Health day, with many people believing simple workplace adjustments can help employees.

Katie Joyce Advisor from the PSS Wellbeing Umbrella Centre in Liverpool, said: “People will hide their mental health. They think they might be judged and feel embarrassed.

“They should try and share it to improve staff quality, although it is hard, and explore their options to help combat their problems.”

Mental Health awareness continues throughout the week as part of Liverpool Mental Health Festival which will be holding free events throughout the city for the next fortnight.

NEWS

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Merseyside teachers fight back

By JADE CULVER

The British education system has had cuts of up to £2.8 billion since 2015, with billions more due to be cut by 2020. Courses within the arts such as drama and music face the axe amongst other courses such as philosophy and design technology. With such cuts, many teachers face losing their jobs over the next few years.

Last Saturday, teachers from around Merseyside gathered at St George’s Hall in protest against previous and proposed funding cuts. Unions such as the N.U.T. and N.E.U were there in support of the teachers, alongside Labour supporters and representatives, youth parliament and Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson.

The protest was organised by the National Education Union, a union formed from the combination of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT).

Addressing the crowd, Mayor Anderson said: “Everybody here in this group knows the challenges we have faced in the city, with austerity and with the cuts from central government and every day we try to fight to protect services and do the things you

Sign of times: A protest banner outside St George’s Hall (the public) want us (the council) to do. To look after the most vulnerable. What we cannot allow, is that this government has stifled the progress of our young people, damaging their future. We can regenerate towns and infrastructure, but what we need to regenerate is our young people. We need to make sure that there are funds available to support education and to support and fund teacher’s pay properly.”

Teacher and Sefton N.E.U division member, Tim Short, told Liverpool Life: “There’s a lot of pressure on schools now to

get results based on broad data.

Education is now the third most important issue when people vote, and although such an issue has been pushed up it is still going through a funding crisis. I teach at Christ the King in Southport and the pressure that the school and management is under is very intense. It is not helping pupil’s day to day functioning.”

Guest speaker and representative of the N.E.U, Peter Glover gave a speech regarding the upcoming cuts that will affect schools around Merseyside over the next four years.

•Blessed Sacrament School, Walton, will lose £293,000 •Anfield Road Primary School will lose £217,000 •Phoenix Primary School will lose £275,000  You can find proposed and previous funding cuts to education on the school cuts website: www.schoolcuts.org.uk

New Ferry locals to receive pledge of help

By AMY HARDING

New Ferry residents and businesses affected by a devastating blast in March have been told that a £20,000 pledge of help from Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram is ready to be used to help the area.

At a public meeting at St Mark’s Church in New Ferry on Monday night, it was announced that the mayoral money will go to campaign group New Beginnings who will use it to support local people.

Speaking at the meeting, David Ball, from Wirral Borough Council, said a draft report from consultants GVA on the development options for New Ferry will be completed soon and would be ready for the next meeting of local people in two weeks’ time.

During the consultation, Wirral Council received 120 responses from the public to regeneration plans for the explosion site on Bebington Road.

Mr Ball said the council is trying to set up a meeting with the government about the devastation caused by the explosion and that

funding will be needed to rebuild the area.

He said: “What we want to try and secure for New Ferry needs to be good quality” and added: “Demolition is moving on at quite a pace.”

The blast, which happened on March 25, 2017, damaged buildings and homes in the centre of New Ferry. While some demolition has taken place, several buildings are still badly affected.

Cllr Warren Ward, of Port Sunlight, New Ferry and Bromborough areas, said: “You could see into the houses and you could see people’s belongings and I think that’s what really hit home.”

One resident who attended the meeting asked about safety issues, as their children walk past the demolition site to go to and from school. Mr Ball said fencing will be used so it will be safe to walk past and traffic lights will be used

to ensure safety for pedestrians.

Both Cllr Ward and David Ball agreed that central government should be contributing to help the people of New Ferry.

After the meeting, Cllr Ward took to social media to express his opinions.

He said: “What the programme didn’t really focus on was how the government haven’t provided a single ounce of support since the blast six months ago.”

06 LL NEWS

Students inspired by a dramatic Teecher

By AMY HARDING Award-winning playwright John Godber spoke to LJMU drama students about his work and how he has got to where he is today.

After graduating from Leeds University, John went into teaching and went on to writing Brookside and Grange Hill with Phil Redmond.

The Teechers author told the packed lecture theatre about how he came across the idea for the play and said it was “based on personal experiences” from his time at school and from being a teacher after graduating from university.

When John was beginning to produce Teechers, he said the budget for it was only £75, so the kids played the teachers as well as the students, but they only play the teachers to a certain extent.

He said: “I bought 15 glasses with noses so when the kids played the teachers they just had to put on the glasses, it became iconic.”

By TOM SWIFT

Drama: Students, above, enjoying the talk from John Godber, below The misspelling of ‘Teechers’ was done purposefully because John “wanted the language to be utterly believable”.

Because the funding for the play was so low, John said there was no special lighting or props, they just had to work with what they had and what they could afford.

John told the drama students, he always thinks about who he is writing for so you can imagine the audience, he said: “If you make things that are about the area, you’ll play to more people.”

John is mainly known for his observational comedies that have won him many awards including

being reckoned to be the thirdmost produced playwright in 1993 after William Shakespeare and Alan Ayckbourn.

City stop-off on epic coast walk

By DANIEL MOXON A former serviceman who is walking the entire coast of the UK stopped off in Liverpool as part of his long-distance adventure.

Christian Lewis, 37, who served in the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment for seven years, started his journey at Llangennith Beach in Gower, Swansea, over two months ago.

He plans to cover the full coastline of Britain and several of the UK’s larger islands, with Liverpool being his latest destination since starting out in August.

Christian is doing the gruelling challenge in order to raise money and awareness for the Armed Forces charity, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA).

Mr Lewis told Liverpool Life he had the idea for his trip after struggling to come to terms with life after the Army.

He said: “I had a few difficulties after leaving the Paras – I was quite isolated and I didn’t get out

Citybikes ‘stations’ to be removed

a lot. I was a single parent, but SSAFA really helped. They were amazing. There’s a special place for them in my heart, and that’s why I’m doing this really, to help get the awareness out there.”

The ex-Paratrooper, originally from Reading, Berkshire, expects his mammoth undertaking to take around two years to complete.

According to the Ordnance Survey, the mapping authority for the United Kingdom, the coastline of the main island of Great Britain is 17,820 km long. However, as Mr Lewis is also taking in certain islands, he will actually cover an even longer distance.

Even if he were to just stick to the mainland, he would have to cover on-average 25km per day to meet his two-year target . This number does not even take into account his rest days.

Mr Lewis said: “I was really excited to have made the crossing into England [from Wales]. Liverpool is probably the longest period I’m going to be staying anywhere.

I don’t really want to be staying in

Christian Lewis (centre) meets JMU Journalism’s Jess Grieveson-Smith and Daniel Moxon on his adventure in Liverpool.

Picture © Daniel Moxon any one place too long.

“As soon as I arrived in Liverpool people just talked and talked.

There was a guy in a place called Lennon’s Bar – he saw the charity t-shirt and we got chatting, and the next minute he was on the drums and we were playing a song.”

Christian will stay in Liverpool until October 13th in order to fund-raise and bring awareness to the charity’s work.

Liverpool City council has announced it will be removing a large number of the Citybike docking stations in a bid to cut costs.

Around 33 locations that regularly clock in less than 25 hires a month will be removed to allow the council to save £100,000 a year.

Amongst the stations being removed is the Liverpool Lime street docking station and a number outside the city’s universities.

There will be no loss of bikes however as they will be moved to the other 87 locations.

Councillor Steve Munby, in charge of highways at the city council said: “There is a fine line between making the scheme attractive and affordable to users, against the ongoing costs of maintenance of the bikes and the docking stations and that is why, in common with other local authorities that run bike hire schemes, we have had to subsidise it.”

The scheme was bought under council control in August from bike operator Hourbike.

Fight back in bin feud

By HANNAH CONBOY Wirral residents were celebrating a rubbish victory this week - after the council backed down over refuse collection plans.

Wirral Borough Council had proposed reducing bin collections to once every three weeks to help reach the national target of recycling up to 50% of waste by 2020.

However, a consultation with residents found the planned changes were deeply unpopular, and the existing fortnightly collection will remain in force.

LL07 New tech hub for Baltic

NEWS

By JESSICA HUGHES

Whitechapel Centre is staging its annual sleepout

Sleepout turns spotlight on city’s homeless

By JAMES FARRINGTON and MATTY DAVIES Liverpool’s Whitechapel Centre has organised a “sleepout” to raise money for the city’s homeless.

In January 2017, local authorities estimated that there were around 40 people thought to be regularly sleeping rough on the streets of Merseyside - a record high for the region.

The Whitechapel Centre charity is open all year round with the aim of helping as many of these people as possible. They provide warm showers, hot breakfasts and laundry facilities to those in need.

The event, scheduled to take place this Friday in the city centre, is expected to attract around 100 people. Participants will sleep outside, in the grounds of St James’ Church on Upper Parliament Street.

The organisers hope that the event will not only raise a significant amount of money for the homeless, but also allow the participants to gain an insight into what sleeping rough involves.

The charity will charge £10 per person and they are encouraging those involved to raise funds

through sponsorships too.

All of the money raised is used to help the city’s most vulnerable people. 22-year-old Hannah Farrell is set to take part with a group of friends. She said: “I think it’s such an important cause. I have lived in Liverpool all of my life and it’s heart breaking seeing so many people living on the streets.

“The sleep-out is a great idea because it’s different, it grabs your attention and helps get people thinking about the homeless.

“Everyone who is able to get involved should do. One night on the street in a safe environment with your mates is a walk in the park compared to the situation that some people find themselves in every day. Hopefully we raise a lot of money for those who need it.”

The public will be giving up their home comforts in return for beds made out of wood, plastic and tape. Stewards will be present to ensure the safety of those involved.

Whilst the organisers want the public to recognise the seriousness of the issue, they also want partakers to have a fun and memorable

night.

There will be entertainment and competitions with prizes on offer for the participants deemed to have the best onesie and the best shelter as well as an award for the best individual and team fundraisers.

The charity has given each participant a sponsorship target of £150. All participants must be aged 18 or over and should register with the Whitechapel Centre in advance. The £10 entry fee is non-refundable.

Anybody who is intending to take part is advised to arrive at the event between seven and nine in the evening.

Tracey Knott, a NHS CBT therapist, told Liverpool Life: “I am doing the sleep out on Friday and I am really looking forward to it.

As a team, we have raised £1300.

“We believe that the money is going to a valuable cause, which is great, but the ultimate aim is to raise awareness.

“This is the fourth year it has been running which shows the success of the event.”

Baltic Creative has purchased a docklands storehouse, which it plans to develop into the Baltic Triangle’s first digital technology hub.

The community interest company plans to restore the four-storey warehouse over the next ten months.

The buildings, located on Norfolk Street, will feature studios, meeting rooms and events spaces along with a public café and outdoor area.

Baltic Creative hopes to attract around 30 companies to the scheme and create 150 full-time jobs.

Mark Lawler, MD of Baltic Creative, said: “Liverpool’s tech sector is booming, with figures showing that digital jobs in the north are growing 10-times the rate of non-digital jobs.

“Here at Baltic Creative we are witnessing a huge demand for dedicated tech space.”

Lime Street off the rails for now

By JAMES FARRINGTON

Liverpool Lime Street railway is out of use for three weeks.

The station has been shut for refurbishment since the 30th September and is likely to be back running from the 22nd October.

It is part of the rail management company and Liverpool City Region’s £340m project to upgrade 10 railways.

The number of annual passengers at Lime Street station are set to double in peak periods by 2043.

Passengers travelling from the city centre will have to use the alternative city stations such as Liverpool Central to gain access to cross-country lines.

THE GUIDE What’s on: Theatre

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ne Night of Elvis: Lee ‘Memphis’ King, Empire Theatre 15th October – Europe’s best tribute act to ‘The King’ comes to Liverpool for one night only with like-forlike impressions of the rock and roll legend.

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he Lion, the witch and the wardrobe, Empire Youth Ballet 13th, 14th October Empire Theatre – The classic C.S Lewis novel is portrayed in a night of dance by Liverpool’s own Empire Youth Ballet.

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ive on Mars, Philharmonic hall, 25th October – A new stage production that celebrates the late legendary musician David Bowie, going through his most popular hits with a combination of sounds and visual effects.

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country night in Nashville, 15th October, Liverpool Philharmonic hall – Celebrating country music old and new, this fabulous band will cover iconic songs from people like Dolly Parton to Alan Jackson. A must for country fans.

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NWA, Royal Court Liverpool, 11th-28th October – A more affordable night out going back through the 125-year history of Liverpool football club, using songs from the terraces of Anfield to capture a story filled with joy, tragedy and triumph.

What’s on: Music

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retenders- 17th October Philharmonic Hall The Pretenders embarked on their UK headline tour on the 30th September and will be performing in Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall on the 17th October. The English American rock band will perform the songs from their new album Alone, which was released earlier this year.

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ittle Mix – Monday 16th October Echo Arena. The Brit award winning girl group are coming back to the city with their fourth tour- The Glory Days tour. The X Factor winners will be supported by Israeli singer Lina Makhul on their European leg of the tour. As well as performing the hits from their latest Glory Days album, the group will also sing some of their greatest hits, including their four British number one singles. If you don’t get chance to see them on Monday, they will be back at the Echo again on the 1st and 20th of November.

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egends Live- 18th October Liverpool Echo Arena On the 18th of October, four iconic artists from the 70s and 80s will take to the Liverpool Echo Arena stage to perform their classic hits. The evening will see Suzi Quatro, David Essex, The Osmonds and Hot Chocolate perform their iconic hits. Hospitality tickets are still available for the event, with catering and VIP packages on offer.

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igeon Detectives – Monday 23rd October o2 Liverpool academy The indie rock band from Yorkshire are embarking on a 10 year anniversary UK Tour of their debut album, Wait For Me. There are still standing tickets available for the concert.

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NGLICAN CATHEDRAL FILM WEEKEND One of Liverpool’s most iconic buildings, the Anglican Cathedral will be transformed next weekend into a place of film, food and drink, as guests are welcomed to watch some classic films.

Each evening on the weekend beginning Friday 20th October, Independent Liverpool will be hosting the event, showing a different film each night.

10 LL ARTS

Through the lens DAISY SCOTT talks to photographer Lauren Jade Keir about why Liverpool makes for the perfect location

U

niversity is the place where students often start on the journey of their childhood ambitions. The place where you settle in for university life is somewhere that starts to become your home. For Lauren Jade Keir, Liverpool is home and part of her university life; it is where her love affair with photography begun and it certainly has not ended.

Lauren graduated from LJMU earlier this year after finishing her degree in Fashion Communication. After being inspired through her course, Lauren decided it was time to take up what she loves; photographing music and fashion. Luckily, having chosen Liverpool as her university home, music and fashion is everywhere you look.

“Capturing Liverpool’s surroundings on film is a delight. It’s a true representation of what I am capturing.”

Many people, including tourists and those proud of their hometown, have captured Liverpool. However, there is something about Lauren’s photographs of Liverpool that expel so much emotion. Capturing a moment in someone’s life is always nosalgic, even though you might not know the photographer.

Despite admitting that the nostalgic element of her photography are not intentional, it is obvious that Lauren has fallen in love with the city and it proves that Liverpool can have a hold on artists from Liverpool and around the world.

“Liverpool is an underrated city, it’s full of warmth, has cultural heritage and boss music. What’s not to love?”

When asked what she likes to capture to most about the city, she explains: “I hope to capture the quirks of the city but also just everyday life”.

Lauren often photographs bands at gigs or promotional shots, and takes pictures for fashion bloggers from across the North West. She was also a backstage photographer at Liverpool Graduate Fashion Week. Lauren showcases her work on Instagram @laurenjadekeirphotography, and she has a Facebook page under that name Her photography might catch the nostalgia and moment within the city, but as for advice for aspiring photographers in Liverpool or the North West, Lauren said: “Take your camera everywhere with you, you never know what you might see.”

“

Liverpool is full of warmth and boss music.

Whats not to love?

”

LIFESTYLE

Unveiled ...

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Liverpool Central Library has become the latest unusual venue for Merseyside marriages. Hannah Conboy looks at some of the more quirky places to get hitched in the city

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raditional weddings may be something of the past if Liverpool has anything to do with it.

It seems neither the grandeur of a stately home, nor the rustic feel of a barn is cutting it for some as the quirkier the venue, the better it seems for some up and coming brides and grooms.

Under the Marriage Act of 1994, civil marriage and civil partnerships may take place in a variety of premises.

With museums, football stadiums and airports across the city hopping on to the bandwagon, it’s clear to see the popularity of having your wedding somewhere much more interesting is on the up.

Liverpool offers more than most.

And we’ve rounded up some of our favourites: Central Library Following recent drastic budget cuts it seems libraries are the next place in Liverpool to start hosting weddings.

Central Library is preparing to be at the top of a lot of people’s wish list.

Member, Hannah Wilkinson, who said; “Sometimes we’ll get people who are getting married at the Maritime Museum because they’ve maybe got somebody who’s been in the navy, or there’s some kind of connection there for them.

“Sometimes it’s that they simply want a beautiful city centre venue, and other times it’s a bit more personal.

“If there is anything in particular, the couple wants involved in the ceremony, we can often arrange a talk relevant to their interest, or we could maybe incorporate something into the wedding favours. However big a part they want the theme to play, it does so.”

Everton Football Club Goodison Park is more than happy to throw you a special day, and with a capacity of over 39,000 we’re sure you’ll be able to squeeze in your whole guest list.

Liverpool Football Club Anfield is no stranger to hosting memorable occasions and a wedding day would be no exception, with beautiful lounges and photo opportunities a plenty all across the stadium.

Liverpool Medical Institution An iconic wedding venue for an unforgettable day, Liverpool Medical Institution is perfect for a unique wedding experience.

Liverpool Medical Institution Manager Sam Pickup said: “Becoming a wedding venue has been a recent venture and a lot of couples have expressed an interest in using some of the artefacts in LMI’s collection in their ceremonies. For example, we have a gong which is rung to invite people into the lecture theatre.

“We certainly think that because of the buildings uniqueness and all the artefacts it holds, we create a memorable setting for a wedding ceremony or reception.”

Merseyside Maritime Museum The Maritime Museum by Albert Docks is somewhere that draws a lot of attention with its history and its artefacts, but what’s new on its agenda is the weddings.

Corporate Events Team

Camp and Furnace 67 Greenland Street From bringing all the best bits of all the best festivals, indoors, to hosting your dream wedding.

Camp and Furnace can turn their warehouse into a wonderland quicker than you can say ‘I do’.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport From announcing new routes to bigger and better retail, we still think we’re most excited that the airport can now take you up the aisle and straight onto that plane for your dream honeymoon.

Liverpool Cen tral Hannah Conbo Library. Picture by y

re by irport. Pictu n Lennon A h Jo ons l m oo p om er C Liv edia ramo / Wikim © Marzia Te

Goodison Park . Picture by © nikko23_99 / Wikimedia Commons

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LL PEOPLE

Alice at a fundraiser for breast cancer charity Coppafeel All photos by Alice May Purkiss©/ instagram

One girl’s story of figuring “ out life when it hands you a whole heap of lemons and you don’t have the energy to make lemonade or even reach for the gin.

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Alice during treatment

PEOPLE

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Life, Lemons & Melons Amy Harding meets a young woman who is on a mission to tell her story and help others

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eing diagnosed with breast cancer at 26 was both a devastating blow and a huge challenge for JMU Journalism graduate Alice-May Purkiss.

Now, this quirky and vibrant young woman has set herself a new goal - to raise £3000 in 30 days and write her memoir which she hopes will help others who have faced the same hurdles.

She is planning to make

her dreams of her book a reality and aims to write ‘Life, Lemons and Melons’.

To help it happen she is appealing for support on Kickstarter, a website where ideas are proposed and people can help fund them.

After just one day of campaigning, the project had already reached almost two-thirds of the amount needed.

Alice said: “It feels kind of overwhelming to have so much support – and wonderful too. I feel cautiously optimistic that I will hit the target but nervous to put so much of myself on the line.”

Alice describes the book on Kickstarter as: “One girl’s story of figuring out life when it hands you a whole heap of lemons and you don’t have the energy to make lemonade or even reach for the gin.”

Being so young, being diagnosed with breast cancer and already having depression will obviously take a

toll on you, but Alice likes to think about the funny side of things., Cancer treatment isn’t funny, but some of things that have to be done can be “downright hilarious” as she puts it.

“I saw Alistair Barrie do his comedy show ‘No More Stage 3’ and at the end he said: ‘If you’re not laughing, you’re not living, and if you’re not living, the cancer is winning’, the line really spoke to me – and it’s something I try really hard to apply to my life about cancer and depression,” Alice said.

D

uring her journey Alice took to social media and her blog to talk about what she was going through.

It started off with just mental health issues and then she became a cancer blogger and went on to win an award for being one of the best cancer bloggers in the UK in July 2016.

Alice said: “Blogging about my cancer treatment was so

cathartic for me. I’ve always found that writing things down helps me figure them out.”

This journey hasn’t ended for Alice yet. She finished chemotherapy and radiotherapy in March 2016 but is still in the process of having her breast reconstructed and is due to start a ‘mindfulness for depression’ course soon.

She said studying journalism at LJMU “stood me in great stead to pursue this career and made me believe that I can actually make a success if it.”

As LL went to press, Alice’s total stood at £2,328.

If you would like to get to know Alice a bit more you can find her on her blog here https://alicemaypurkiss.co.uk/ or you can support her book on Kickstarter here https:// www.kickstarter.com/projects/106210688/life-lemons-and-melons-a-memoir/ description.

14

LL PEOPLE

KIM IN THE CITY

“Talent’s a

thing, you see someone with it. You have to nurture it

”

STAR: KIM CATTRALL

Becky Jones enjoys a night with Kim Cattrall

L

iverpool’s Golden Globe winner Kim Cattrall took to the stage at the city’s Metropolitan Cathedral Crypt to raise money for a cause close to her heart.

The ‘Sex in the City’ icon starred in a Q&A to raise funds for the Young Everyman Playhouse (YEP) and highlight the importance of the charity. The YEP relies purely on donations from the public with £200,000 required every year in order to keep young actors and actresses on the path to stardom.

LJMU’s Professor Phil Scraton led the evening, a welcome face amongst Scousers due to his tireless efforts to expose the truth about Hillsborough.

The event was a sell-out, with queues snaking down Brownlow Hill as fans hoped to get the best seat in the house. Prof Scraton structured the talk in a chronological fashion, beginning from when the two met at the BAFTA’s to Kim’s future career aspirations.

As Kim delved into her past - some which she discovered on the TV show ‘Who do you think you are?’ - she spoke of the feeling of a place. Having lived most of her life in Vancouver and New York, she said: “Liverpool has my heart and history.”

Kim’s career has been built on ‘a chance to fail and learn just by saying yes‘, as she said. It is for this reason that she is an ambassador for YEP and a patron of Liverpool’s FACT cinema, one of whose partners is Liverpool Screen School.

Kim recalled how Shakespeare’s ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ marked her debut at the Everyman Playhouse with the most difficult role of her career. She also spoke of how her debut on stage was also one of the most rewarding. This marked the beginning of her association with the Everyman Playhouse, from which she became an influential figure for their rising stars.

Throughout the night, Kim was keen to emphasise her passion for new and developing talent. She said: “I’m happiest when I’m learning.” She explained

that the YEP charity gives everyone a chance, often recruiting participants from the region’s most deprived areas: “Talent’s a thing, you see someone with it, you have to nurture it, it’s unmistakable and rare.”

Kim was most vocal about how she is constantly striving towards equality in the industry. As a popular and ever evolving topic in Hollywood, the gender pay gap is a pressing issue for most actresses and one which Kim thinks is changing.

Prof Scraton was quick to remark that despite this success and her worldwide fame, Kim doesn’t appear delivered by ego. His comments were greeted by applause from the audience.

A few days after Kim’s appearance at the Crypt, a media storm broke after she reportedly made demands and refused to have any part in a third Sex in the City film. However, her fans stayed as loyal as ever. One tweeted: “Pay no mind to the press love, you’ve got Liverpool in you, and the whole of Liverpool with you.”

Kim Cattrall’s evening in the Everyman

PEOPLE

by Suzy Sankey

A

t 22 years old, having completed an undergraduate degree and about to undertake the final exams for her Master’s degree, it felt as if the rest of Helen Coombes’s dreams were about to become reality.

However, in just one afternoon, her life was about to change, and the simplest of tasks were about to become near impossible.

Helen, from Liverpool, had been a gymnast since she was a young child, and was on her university’s trampolining team at Lancaster University. On the 6th of May, an error in her landing lead to her breaking her spine.

“I knew it was something serious straight away because of the pain, but I just kept thinking that it couldn’t be that bad,” she said.

Helen was taken straight to the nearest specialist hospital, Royal Preston Hospital where she immediately had scans.

“The doctors didn’t tell me that there was a possibility I may not be able to walk again, but said they didn’t want to get my hopes up either. It depended on how my scans and operation went.”

“I had no to very minimal movement in my feet, and that was what terrified me. I decided I had to tell myself, what’s happened has happened and I have to find the best way to deal with it.”

Helen was determined to be walking again in no time, and

sitting in the exam hall with her fellow classmates. “I did my revision in my hospital bed, I knew I could sit my exams in resit period, but that was when I was supposed to be in America. It would have meant graduating later too and I had to graduate with everyone else.”

Before the accident, she’d booked a three-week holiday to the USA, so that was just another factor spurring Helen on to make a full recovery- and quickly.

As a Christian, Helen said that, as well as the support from her family and friends, her faith in God was a huge help in her determination to recover. “I knew that God would be there, and to think that people from all over the country were praying for me helped a lot too.”

Despite being bed bound for almost a week, and stuck inside the hospital room, two weeks after the accident, Helen sat her Master’s exams.

Not only did she manage to make her recovery, and sit the exams alongside everyone else, but weeks later, she found the news that she would be graduating with a first class classification.

Instead of Helen’s accident stopping her from going ahead with her graduation, and big plans for summer, it only made her more determined to prove that she could do it - and she did.

LL15

Why Helen thought she would never walk again

16

LL FOCUS

Friday the 13th The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia,. With the dreaded day upon us, Ed Baldwin investigates the history of Friday the 13th for you to decide whether it’s merely a coincidence or if there is a reason behind the madness

Picture by © Russavia / Wikimedia Commons

F

riday the 13th, considered by superstitious people as one of the unluckiest days of the year, is almost upon us.

For those people particularly worried about what’s in store this coming Friday, you’re not alone.

Psychologists have even come up with a word for how you’re feeling paraskavedekatriaphobia, or fear of Friday the 13th. You have two options, stay in all day and ignore any potential Friday the 13th bad luck that may come your way, or alternatively, you could ignore the superstitious chatter and embrace it. Here are some fun facts about the dreaded day:

In the New Testament there were 13 people present for Jesus’s last supper on Maundy Thursday, the day before Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday.

In his novel Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown cites the 14th century execution of Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay, which took place on Friday the 13th.

He cursed the Pope and the King of France, and this spread misfortune down the ages.

Friday 13th Events in history Buckingham Palace was hit by five German bombs on Friday September 13 1940 with both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth coming close to being killed.

One member of the royal staff died and the palace chapel was destroyed.

Biblical Origins The superstition around this day is thought to have come about during the Middle Ages, and may have Biblical origins.

There are also a number of cases that have occurred on Friday the 13th, most famously at Thorpe Park in 2009, when the £13.5 million SAW ride at Thorpe Park

Rapper Tupac Shakur died of his wounds on Friday September 13 1996, six days after being shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting.

More bad luck On Friday October 13th 1307 Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of the Knights Templar.

had its opening premiere, only to be shut down due to a computer programming fault. Spooky.

However maybe the unluckiest of all was in 2010, a lightning bolt struck a 13-year-old Suffolk boy on Friday 13th at 13:13. Definitely unlucky for him.

The Costa Concordia cruise ship ran aground on Friday 13 in January 2012 off the western coast of Italy killing 30 people.

Although Friday the 13th can be seen as unlucky, it can also provide some great bargains, here’s how to take advantage of some of them: Weddings Booking a wedding on Friday the 13th could slice a significant amount off the average £24,000 cost.

Flying on Friday the 13th Over the past decade, it has emerged that the cost of flying does indeed fall on the spooky date that comes round once or twice a year – with the savings attributed to a collective fear of flying on “the unluckiest day of the year”.

STYLE LL17

Key

TRENDS

in the pink and fab fur Fashion writer DAISY SCOTT makes some wardrobe recommendations for the autumn and winter season

Cast your mind back to a couple of seasons ago; to when the trend-forecasters were seeing red and they were going mad for all different shades of Pink. Millennial pink was everywhere in the summer, you could not escape from it. Now Pink, Red and Forties Blue are in for AW17 in full force.

coat is a staple to any autumn winter wardrobe.

What is great about the fur coat is no matter how much you are willing to spend it will suffice for its CPW (cost per wear), you will always get the chance to put on the fur coat in the winter.

It also is a staple to your wardrobe as it can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

Therefore, what trend are we pining for now? You can use your fur coat as a cover up a simple Look below and find out. outfit, but you can also dress up an average outfit by choosing to don your fur.

Trends are often hard to keep up with and with the upcoming new season it is diffuclt to find On the other hand, if you have decided on what can last through. By having a trend guid- splurging on an unusual hue or differing texline it helps to keep you up to date but also in ture it can help make an old outfit fresh. If you have a bright orange or red fur coat, the average the know. black dress or jeans and roll neck can be catapulted into something high-end. So who are the Are you fur real? designers that are championing the trend?

Who can go any winter without fur? It’s not just the animals that decided to grow their winter Who used fur on the AW17 catwalks last year?

Designers that used marabou fur on their AW17 coats for comfort, it is for us too. catwalks: Emilio De La Morena, Miu Miu, SiAnkle-length, waistcoat or mid-length. The fur mone Rocha, David Ferraira and Ellery.

Top right: Girls on film- pink fur coat: £40.00 Middle: Miss Selfridges faux fur bomber jacket: £59.00 Bottom right: River Island studio kids Xmas

18

L L STYLE

Brrrrring

Wrap up in these affordable and stylish High Street winter staples Matt Skelly and Jo Cunliffe talk all things fashion

W

e are now into the autumn months and the days are getting shorter and colder as the winter months roll in. Your summer wardrobe will put aside until next year and it’s time to find your gloves and scarves. Websites and clothing outlets across the UK are stocking up with their winter gear ready for the rain and snow that is ahead of us. Winter can be a difficult time to match style and comfort, so we at Liverpool Life have selected a small number of items, which we believe you should add to your winter collection.

Men’s Style Picks Be prepared for university or work with this rucksack from New Look (£24.99) is the perfect complement to your winter wardrobe. New Look– Jacket (39.99); Hoody (£22.99); Trousers (£24.99).

A baby blue trench to bring a splash of colour.

1.

2.

A beige hooded jumper, simple and snug.

3.

New Look - £39.99

New Look - £22.99

Suede boots, practical and on trend.

5.

4.

New Look - £34.99 Topman- £40.00

Black ripped skinny jeans, brings a great bit of texture.

Puffer Jackets. A comfortable yet practical winter solution. Add this to your winter essential shopping list from Topman (£75)

A bag to endure all winter conditions.

Topman- £80.00

LL

STYLE

19

it on...

Women’s Style Picks 1.

Make a statement with your new jumper in a bright colour.

2.

Black ankle boots are perfect for a variety of looks, day or night.

This faux fur jacket from New Look (£59.99) is the perfect addition to your winter wardrobe

River Island - £36

3.

New Look - £54.99

Your winter coat will be one of your longest-lasting pieces.

4.

It is all about layering this winter.

Puffer jacket (£59); Biker jacket (£49); Sweatshirt (£25); Skirt (£39); (All Miss Selfridge)

Topshop - £65

5.

The embroidered pattern adds that little bit extra to these black jeans.

Add that finishing touch to your outfit with a checked scarf.

Miss Selfridge - £16

New Look - £29.99

Pastel colours are great for adding that little bit of colour over the winter months. Coat (£95); Knit (£36); Trousers (£35) (All Wallis)

20 LL GRAD WATCH

LL ‘Exciting

times’

Sports writer Dan Burke tells LL about his new life in Berlin

H

e is the man who helped set up LJMU Journalism’s website Liverpool Life - but life hasn’t always been plain sailing for Dan Burke.

Dan graduated in 2009 with a degree under his belt and an apparently highly promising future, but it was a future that very nearly didn’t come to fruition in the way he expected.

It’s been nine years since he graduated, but Dan only just managed to get a job in the industry earlier this year. He now writes for OneFootball, a mobile app and website dedicated solely to ‘the beautiful game’.

Until this year he had worked various ‘dead end’ jobs, such as working for four years for an estate agent.

Dan, 29, admitted that he could, and should, have done more to help himself. He said: “There are lots of things that I could have done differently. To be honest I came out of uni expecting the degree I had to open doors for me to walk through.”

Throughout our interview, the tone in Dan’s voice is always one of amusement, making it easy to tell that he is extremely happy with his life living and working in Berlin.

“I came to Berlin on holiday a couple of times and loved it, and it’s just an amazing place to live – there’s so much culture and history - and great beer as well! As much as I love Liverpool, Berlin is just the best. My German isn’t very good though to be honest!

“I’m simply writing about football. It’s a really fun environment to work in, which isn’t something I’ve always had, especially when I’ve been working in estate agents. I

really look forward to going into work and I’m really passionate about my job, which is the dream really.”

Dan remembers his time at LJMU with fondness.

“When I first started I wanted to get into music journalism, but towards the end of the course I started to take much more of an interest in sports.

“I got the chance to work at Anfield for a Liverpool v Real Madrid game in the Champions’ League, working in the press box, and to do that as a student was an absolutely unbelievable experience.”

T

he Mancunian has got himself into a situation in life in which he is very happy, but by his own admission he owes a lot of what he has managed to achieve to the journalism course at LJMU. “There’s a lot of things you learn on the course that you perhaps don’t even realise that you’ve learned until later on. I’m applying everything that I learned every single day now in my job. The only way I’m able to do any of it is because I learned it on the course - but the instincts you have as a journalist is something that’s definitely honed on the course.

“I work with people who didn’t study journalism as a degree, and they say to me that you don’t really need one, but I know myself I wouldn’t be anywhere near the level I am now if it wasn’t for the course.”

Dan has covered European matches at

Anfield, attended the 20th anniversary memorial of the Hillsborough Disaster and interviewed Brian May, but even in an article he wrote in Liverpool Life in 2012, he stated that he “did all of those things and more because of this website” (Liverpool Life).

He had some advice he wanted to share with all current students: “It’s such a competitive industry to get into, especially with sport journalism, everybody wants to get into it. That’s why you have to be determined and never give up, because it’s a big part of what will give you an edge.

“Obviously having a big portfolio and a lot of contacts is massively important but having the determination, keeping trying and staying focused is key. The opportunities will come eventually if you keep working hard. If you haven’t got the job of your dreams a month after you’ve graduated, don’t get down about it, don’t give up on yourself.

“It took me eight years to get a job in journalism, but I managed it in the end. It’s not gonna be easy but it’s definitely worth the wait.”

Wise words from a man whose opinion in the matter is certainly a relevant one. That being said, it all came through for Dan, and his life is certainly going much more along the lines that he would have envisaged when he was a student. As the man himself would say: “Exciting times!”

by DANIEL MOXON

SPORT LL

21

THE LINE UP Funraisers in action for the homeless.

Picture copyright James O’Hanlon.

The man behind the Homeless Games 22 Non-League Day 22

Gerrard charity night 23

Remembering Bally 23

23 Touch rugby initiative

MMA battling cancer 23

22

SPORT LL

From the Streets to the pitch

By SARA O’HAGAN Life has not always been easy for Eric Houghton. At the age of 27, he was living on the streets with a dependency on alcohol.

Today he is a homeless support worker in Liverpool, helping those who have been in his position, and is the creator and organiser of the Homeless Games.

Losing his mum to cancer at the age of 17 followed by the loss of his sister when he was only 20 was the beginning of Eric’s downfall. He used alcohol as a crutch and an a means of ecape to get away from his depression.

“I think that’s when the depression started setting in. I managed to sort of keep it under wraps but obviously, there were signs, I knew I had problems. My dad died when I was 27 and that took me right over the edge.”

This sparked even more devastation in Eric’s life, as he ended up having an on and off relationship with his wife, losing his two children in the process and other family members had enough of his drinking.

Eventually ending up in a support accommodation called Bosco House in Bootle, he was still binge

drinking. Losing all motivation, he would rarely go out and may not even wash or change. drinking. Losing all motivation, he would rarely go out and may not even wash or change. Eric always had an interest in football and found that it was time to turn his life around. Enough was enough.

“Bit by bit I stated trying to change my life started putting the bottle down and turning to football because I sort of knew football had been my passion and I needed another escapism other than the alcohol. I needed somewhere else to go to find myself again.”

The inspiration for the Homeless Games came from the Homeless World Cup that he had taken part in. However, he wanted to expand it. This meant not just having sports tournaments but things in place such as doctors, nurses, opticians etc.

From previous experience, he knew that people living on the streets people would never make the effort to go see a doctor so to have this in place at the games would be a major advantage.

His vision and dream is to take the homeless games to a global scale. would still make his dream possible.

To get even only a couple of countries in Europe involved would still make his dream possible.

He believes that because the Homeless World Cup started in a similar way, the games will be able to achieve this massive success too.

The games bring a sense of belonging to those involved and enables them to gain that bit of confidence that may have been lost through their Wheelchair basketball was introduced this year journey.

(Above) “For me with the homeless world cup it was just a sense While his life hasn’t always been of that I belonged again. I couldn’t easy, faced with many hurdles even look myself in the mirror, I’d Eric has come a long way in the lost it. It was like I found myself recovery process He has now reagain and I didn’t need drink, I gained contact with his daughters didn’t need alcohol.”

Non-league day strikes a winning note with fans

By Matty Davies

Loss: Marine FC fell victim to a 2-1 defeat at Sutton With the international break forcing the top sides to sit this weekend out, the region’s most prominent amateur sides took part in national non-league day.

The initiative, which is now in its seventh year, aims to promote the importance of affordable nonleague football and gives fans the chance to attend a match when perhaps their regular side are out of action.

City of Liverpool FC, who won promotion to the Hallmark Security Premier League last season, were beaten 2-0 away at the Arbories Memorial Sports Ground

by Padiham FC. The Purps will

be hoping to bounce back with a home win against local rivals Runcorn Town tonight. City of Liverpool Ladies also failed to pick up a victory. They were on the end of 6-1 drubbing from Stockport.

City of Liverpool supporter Tom Cromby, 21, said: “I go to nonleague games because I got fed up of paying over the top prices at Liverpool games. “£50 is too much now to be paying for Premier League games. I am a student as well which makes it even harder.

“The non-league day is a great idea because it publicises the lower league games when the big

Atmosphere: Top flight clubs should follow non league example sides aren’t playing. Obviously, this means more people are likely to go and watch teams like City of Liverpool.

“That’s good for the club because they need all the money they can pull in through match day revenue.”

It was bad luck for Marine who lost 2-1 away at Buxton. They will be hoping to get back on track against Stalybridge Celtic tonight at the Marine Travel Arena in Crosby.

Mike Grogan, Marine defender, told Liverpool Life: “The nonleague day is a good idea. I think there are loads of people out there

who’d probably enjoy non-league football but don’t know too much about it.

“I’d advise anyone who hasn’t been to a non-league game to try it at least once. It’s obviously cheaper than Premier League games and the atmosphere can be brilliant.”

Southport also lost 2-1 to Spennymoor Town in the Vanarama National League North but there was a victory for Prescott Cables who beat league strugglers Trafford 3-1 at home, in a comprehensive home performance with goals coming from Conte, Faux and Dean.

SPORT LL 23

Gerrard joins the ranks of football’s all-time greats

By Jordan Reais

MMA doing its best to battle cancer

By Jasper Hunt Ultra MMA are back in Liverpool this Saturday, fighting cancer their glamorous black tie event. Ultra fighters will go head to head at The Olympia in Liverpool to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Ultra offer a full 8 weeks of free training for those raising money for cancer research, which it is even on offer for those who have never fought before.

Ultra additionally provide the same service and set up for a boxing event, Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB) which has raised £10 Million for Cancer Research UK. Since their partnership with Cancer Research UK in 2013, Ultra White Collar Boxing have raised over £10 Million for the charity.

There is a mixture of competitors from regular fighters to 8-week newbies, setting up for a night full of excitement and unpredictable moments.

The fighters themselves raise the money through fundraising with many of them starting up Just Giving pages. There is also a raffle and an auction on fight night, from which all proceeds go towards the charity. You can keep track of the money raised on a city-by-city basis on the Ultra MMA website.

Ticket sales are also a further source of fundraising with standing tickets available at £20 or VIP Tables from £350(10 Tickets + VIP Area with Waitress service).

So if you feel like braving the cage, and raising money for Cancer Research UK, get in contact at www.ultra-mma. co.uk.

Liverpool’s most decorated player, Steven Gerrard, was presented with the Legend of Football Award 2017, following the likes of, Sir Stanley Matthews, Pele and ex-Liverpool player and manager Kenny Dalglish.

Gerrard received the award at a charity auction, which was held at the Legends of Football ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel. The event helped raise an outstanding total of, £435,276, on behalf of Nordoff Robbins.

The event raised the money through ticket sales and the auctioning of some of Gerrard’s footballing friends favourite

memorabilia. The charity Nordoff Robbins is dedicated to changing the lives of vulnerable and isolated people.

Gerrard told Liverpool Football Club: “It’s based around me tonight, which I’m very humbled and appreciative of, but the charity are the main winners. The most important thing is to remember the charity we’re here for, to support Nordoff Robbins – an excellent charity where a lot of music and sport people come together.”

Former teammates including Xabi Alonso, Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Gary McAllister were among the guests in attendance to pay tribute to Gerrard on the night.

Bally remembered at gala dinner

Ex-footballers and celebrities gathered at the Liverpool’s Crowne Plaza on Friday in remembrance of Everton and England hero Alan Ball. Guests gathered for a Gala Dinner to celebrate the life and career of Bally.

Community Rugby on way to bring a touch of fitness

By Jasper Hunt Community Touch Rugby could soon be on offer in the Merseyside area. The Rugby Football Union and 02 Touch have ask the community in Merseyside if there is enough demand to establish a new adult touch rugby sessions and clubs across the region.

MPS Merseyside Sport have also collaborated with the RFU and 02 to bring people together

from the Merseyside area, their aim is to find “male & female adults of all ages and abilities to join in with new sessions here in Merseyside. No experience necessary – anyone can join in!”

MSP, have been tasked with delivering a wider range of options for health and fitness in the Merseyside area; this will offer a fun and friendly approach to exercise. MSP have release a questionnaire to gage the amount of people in the area who would

be interested; they have gone further to ask more specifically; where people live, and when they would be available.

With enough enthusiasm, this questionnaire will turn into a weekly sporting event that will leave students and residents of Merseyside eager to pick up their boots and put on their socks as they chase the egg shaped ball!

For further information, please contact d.woodworth@merseysidesport.com or visit http://

LL

© Lauren Jade Keir

Liverpool Life

Published Weekly Produced by LJMU Journalism Students