Liverpool Life 8:2 October 16 2019 by Steve Harrison

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Walk for hate crime awareness week By JESSICA RIGG A special walk has been organised in Kensington today to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week. The week of events focussing on hate crime runs until October 19. Starting today from 10am, individuals will meet at the McDonalds in

Kensington on Prescot Road and plan to end the walk at Kensington Children’s Centre for a community lunch at 12.30pm. A hate crime is when someone commits a crime against a victim due to their gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or disability, meaning anybody could be subjected to illegal

victimisation. The walk in Kensington, arranged by Ellen Kiely, is free of charge and is available to anyone who wants to participate and spread awareness. Also getting involved in the event is ‘Our Liverpool’ which is a council-led scheme offering support for refugees and asylum seekers.

Footie for all: Kits given to fans without funds By TAMMY-LEE WALSH A newly-founded charity in Liverpool is on a mission to provide football kits to people who may not be able to afford their own. The average footie kit costs around £90. This has prevented many children from getting involved in sports, and plenty of fans feeling left out from supporting their favourite team. But Kit it Out, an organisation formed in early September, has been collecting spare football kits from generous donations around the city and providing them to those less fortunate. So far, the group have received over 250 donations. It is a number that has overwhelmed one of its volunteers, Michelle. Speaking to LL, Michelle said: “If you could see our living room right now, you wouldn’t believe the number of football tops and shorts we have all over the place. She added: “We’re very pleased with the support the group has been met with. We’re surprised at how rapidly it has grown since we first launched.” As well as supporting families of children who play sports, Kit it Out are helping homeless people who want to get involved in football as well as refugees who may feel excluded from joining local teams. Michelle said: “We noticed that there’s a desperate need across the city for families who are struggling with food and fuel costs and trying to afford just one kit is pricing people out and stopping them from getting involved in football.

Smoothie success for LJMU grad’s start-up By SCARLETT O’TOOLE

KIT KRAZY: Michelle’s home is overrun Michelle added: “We’ve been setting up booths at different community centres across Merseyside and when we’re out, it’s so apparent how great the need is for this kind of support.” She further added: “People have been so appreciative because before their children couldn’t play since they didn’t have the right clothing.” As well as going out into the community, Kit it Out have already garnered a large following on social media, with over 800 followers on Facebook since its start up. Commenting on their social media accounts, Michelle said: “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We know that there are already plenty of groups working with families in need. What

LIVERPOOL LIFE Student is saviour in blaze P3 Barbie comes to town P5 Robots make hiring decisions P6 2

JUICY: Chantelle Lunt holding her signature juice © Scarlett O’Toole

© Kit it Out Facebook we’re doing is teaming up with those people. They usually message us online and bring out attention to people we can help.” Kit it Out welcome all donations, but are currently appealing for kits to fit those between the ages of 12 and 16. They are also in need of a full team’s worth of kit for Brickfield Futsal’s Under 9s team. If you would like to donate your old kits to Kit it Out, you can find them at: https://www.facebook.com/KititOut. football/. Those interested in Kit it Out can also keep up-to-date with the charity on twitter, by following their account @kititout1.

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A Knowsley-based business has been awarded £2,000 from the Bathgate Start-up Fund. The Little Green Juice Box is an independent, family-run business. They create juices and smoothies from their mobile juice bar which are then sold at festivals and sporting events. Co-founder and owner Chantelle Lunt told LL: “I applied for help with equipment because it’s quite expensive. It’s not like kitchen equipment, it’s business equipment which costs more.” She added: “This is something I really enjoy doing and it fits in with my lifestyle.” The start-up fund is available for students at, and grauates of, Liverpool John Moores University. Applicants have to submit a plan on how the funding would benefit their business. Chantelle first started drinking juices and smoothies to help with her performance when she competed in marathons and triathlons. She said: “I’m really into my fitness and I like to be as healthy as possible. When I was going to marathons and triathlons, I noticed there were no vendors selling anything that was healthy, so I thought how about I do that? “The juices have gone down really well.”

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Street art ruined by vandals P7 Reviews triple bill P8

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EDITOR: Sarah Almond PRODUCTION TEAM: Lydia Baggs, Jada Jones, Louise Jamison, Luke Edwards, Chloe Morgan, Dan Williams, Lewis Batty, Maisie Harvey, Tom Battison, Stephen Rawlinson, Dan Hopkinson FRONT COVER PHOTO: Charlie Burgess

Hero student saves elderly from care home inferno By TILLY KENYON A student from LJMU leapt into action to save residents from a blaze at local care home. Merseyside Fire and Rescue were called to the scene at Rodney House, on Canning Street. at around 6.42pm on Friday night, with at least five fire engines arriving within five minutes of the 999 call. Charlie Breton, an LJMU student, was on the way to the cinema when he and his friends noticed the fire and dialled 999. He said: “As we got closer we could see the staff desperately trying to evacuate all the residents but there were so few of them so when they saw us coming over they shouted for us to help. All four of us and the Uber driver spent the next 20 odd minutes evacuating everyone.” The fire had broken out on the ground floor of the three-storey building in the recreational room. An immediate evacuation started with fire fighters doing a floor-byfloor search. There were multiple police and ambulance crews at the scene and they cordoned off the road. Residents who had been evacuated just before 7pm were being helped by emergency services by being provided with foil blankets. Charlie added: “I remember specifically one guy who wouldn’t cross the road to where all the other residents were as the road was wet and he was scared of slipping, and he was holding onto the railing of the building and the room right behind was completely on fire.

“I focused on making sure everyone was safe and accounted for. People needed help and that’s all that mattered.” Staff who were arriving to begin their night shift were allowed through the blocked off area to help residents.

Firefighting activity stopped around 8pm. All residents were accounted for and firefighters made contact with those who remained in their rooms because of immobility to make sure their rooms were in safe condition. It is unknown currently how the fire was started.

©Scott Clarkson

Spooky spider returns

By SCOTT CLARKSON

Concerned spectators inspect the scene as firefighters arrive to put out the blaze. ©Jack Prescott

The giant spider has climbed its way back into the heart of Liverpool for this spooky season. This eight legged freak joins the Iconic Liverpool ONE city centre to enthrall tourists and residents of the city alike. It comes as a part of a series of Halloween events being run by the centre, which also include a zombie-themed VR game. The inflatable Spider arrived on October 14 and will stick with the rest of the events through until November 3. Donna Howitt, marketing director at Liverpool ONE, said: “We’re delighted to bring customers a whole host of free things to do this half term. We can’t wait to kick off the spooky Halloween celebrations, with something for every member of the family to enjoy!”

Union protests over Merseyrail cleaners’ wage gap By SCARLETT O’TOOLE Merseyside transport workers, held a demonstration as part of a union campaign to demand a real living wage for Merseyrail cleaners. The protest took place on Monday outside the Rail House. Daren Ireland, regional organiser for rail union RMT, told LL: “These cleaners are only on £8.40 an hour. The real living wage is currently at £9 an hour.” He added: “Merseyrail is a very rich operator. It currently has a profit level of £16.1m and just £70,000 of that profit level would fund the real living wage for these Mitie cleaners.” In the last five years Mitie Group paid nearly £49m to its shareholders in dividends. Councillor Ann O’Byrne told LL:“The recognition that we’re giving to the cleaners is about saying we respect you and we are shoulder to shoulder with you.” The Warbreck Councillor added: “The Metro Mayor has made it very clear that we, the combined authory, are a real living wage employer. We expect Mitie to step up.”

On October 12, RMT announced Mitie has agreed to pay the Living Wage on its Network Rail contract. A spokesperson for the company told Liverpool Life: “Mitie is fully supportive of initiatives to pay our staff the Real Living Wage. “We are in dialogue with Merseyrail regarding pay and conditions, and will do all we can to work closely with them to obtain a move to the Real Living Wage for our staff.”

Example of the banners on display. © Scarlett O’Toole

Strikers outside Rail House protesting against cleaners wages, wanting their voices to be heard. © Scarlett O’Toole

Girl power as Barbie arrives at the double By TILLY KENYON Two very different faces of Barbie have arrived in Liverpool. The UK’s only Barbie store opened on Friday marking International Day of the Girl. The pop-up shop is here for six weeks and is debuting limited edition clothing and accessories for both adults and kids. The shop has a colour scheme of pink throughout, with neon signs and even a Barbie truck. There is a huge range of Barbie dolls available, including Barbie Fashionistas, Barbie Career Dolls, as well as the celebratory Barbie 60th Anniversary Doll. There is also a perfect photo opportunity for fans to pose in a life-size Barbie box. At the same time as the shop opening, an art installation featuring a Barbie doll has arrived at Bold Place. The centrepiece is a bruised Barbie which is being used to symbolise women and young females who have faced violence because of their gender. The shop’s arrival is part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of Barbie and is the second celebration in Liverpool this year, after the ‘You Can Be Anything’ party in March, which was to inspire potential in girls.

Dr Edward Lynch explaining the model for the app Photo © Ash Rowe

App aims to boost Lyfe-styles IN A BARBIE WORLD: The new shop in Liverpool One Photo © Tilly Kenyon Faye Barkley, who works at the shop, said: “It’s really interesting because its International Day of the Girl and the whole ethos around the new launch of the Barbie is that women can be anything. They are really expanding, different ranges, different skin tones, different sizes and a lot of different careers. I think it’s very current and important.” The political artist who created the bruised Barbie piece refers to herself

as ‘Lidia Lidia’ and has used this to express her feelings towards the issue. She said: “Gender injustice is part of a global scale of injustices and oppression. “Some human beings feel entitled to abuse and exploit other human beings. So my work is a way to process this and convince the rest of the world that something needs to be done.” • Additional reporting by Rosie Patel

Hundreds sleep out to support city’s homeless By JESSICA RIGG St James’ Church in the City saw almost 200 people attend A ‘Sleepout’ fundraiser in aid of Liverpool’s homeless community on Friday. The fundraiser, which was an arranged overnight event on Upper Parliament Street, was the sixth consecutive fundraiser of this nature organised by Liverpool homeless and housing charity the Whitechapel Centre. The night involved people experiencing rough sleeping first hand and staying in make-shift accommodation such as tents, blankets and cardboard boxes. Prior to, and during, the event individuals were raising money for taking part in the sleep-out, which was all donated to the Whitechapel Centre. Whilst the event raises money for the Whitechapel Centre and the services it provides to individuals in need, it also raises awareness for the growing issue of homelessness in Liverpool. Dave Carter, CEO of the Whitechapel Centre, said: “We are trying different methods of raising

AWARENESS: One of the posters advertising the event money for the homeless and to cover the services we provide to help them.” Employees from various large companies and organisations local to Liverpool participated and raised money online via gofundme.com. These included Gaskells Waste, CoOp Funeral Care, Novus Solutions and many more. As it stands, the Whitechapel Centre has raised over £20,000, however Boxes used during the sleep out the full total will be calculated and Photos ©Faye Wasilowski. revealed in the near future.

By ASH ROWE A new lifestyle app aiming to improve the mental health of people in Liverpool is set to launch. “Lyfe” will feature discounts to events and activities throughout Liverpool in an attempt to encourage people to live a generally healthier lifestyle, both mentally and physically. Speaking at a Professional Liverpool event last week, aimed at raising awareness for mental health, Dr Edward Lynch outlined his app, mental wellbeing in the workplace and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle on the mind. He said: “At the moment, we talk about mental illness and awareness like it’s all psychological. There is so much more going on. “You need to be mindful that when you see things in life, you may not see the full picture. We have to be open minded.” When describing the effects of physical activity on mental health, he said: “You have to work yourself up to a nice routine. “Your exercise has got to be intense to get the benefits from it.” Dr Lynch and his colleague Tobias Fox were honoured at the Duke of York Young Entrepreneur Awards 2019 after co-founding Sophron, a company offering medically-backed corporate and educational wellness packages. Sophron boasts that over 50% of their profits were put back into educating schools about wellness in the Liverpool city region. Even though their app is still in development, anyone with an interest can sign up for a free “Lyfe card” to gain access to discounts before it goes live through the Sophron’s website.

Sefton MP shares green vision with Labour plan By SCARLETT O’TOOLE Labour MP Bill Esterson outlined Labour’s Green New Deal at a public meeting in Formby. The meeting took place at Holy Trinity Church and was a chance for residents to have their say on how to tackle climate change. The MP for Sefton central told LL: “The Green new Deal campaign says we have to change our economy to low carbon as quickly as possible. “We need to introduce new windfarms, create new jobs and completely change the car industry to electric.” One constituent shared her support for Labour’s electric car club policy. This policy would provide publicly-owned community car-share clubs in every neighbourhood. These cars would be available for hire by local people and it would result in approximately 30,000 electric cars being put on the road. Some residents at the discussion, however, were concerned that Labour’s Green New Deal would fail to create jobs. Mr Esterson said: “The plan is to set up a national transformation fund where those who bid for the money will be given priority if it’s in low carbon projects in energy, or transport, or building. “That’s where we will create the high-skilled, well-paid jobs that we’re short of in this country.” Mr Esterson was joined by the pressure group Merseyside Labour for a Green New Deal. A spokesperson for the group highlighted how Sefton needs to make cuts to greenhouse gas emissions at a rate of 13% per year. The 52-year-old MP believes that this is possible. He said: “It will take a lot of political will and I think we need to go on a

ALL SMILES: Sheila Byrne at The Cotton Exchange © Ash Rowe

New help group offers hope By ASH ROWE

COMMUNITY: Residents gathered to voice their opinions in Formby © Scarlett O’Toole massive education programme simply to understand what is being done, why it’s being done. “A big part of the Green New Deal is people have got to want to do it, it is in their interest.” Government action seems to be imperative to undoing the climate change damage. Mr Esterson told LL: “We’ve got to completely change it around so we’re investing in energy efficient homes, in low energy transport and in renewable energy options through electricity and hydrogen. He added: “If we do that, we can meet the ambitious targets and de-carbonise this country but it needs government action.”

GREEN: Bill Esterson MP hopes to cut greenhouse gas emissions in Sefton © Adam Jackson-Wright

A Merseyside woman has used her own experience of mental health problems to launch a free support community to help others. Sheila Byrne launched Hope Street after suffering a mental breakdown in 2016. The 52-year-old spoke at a small business event in The Cotton Exchange in Liverpool, bringing a personal touch to the proceedings. Although most of Mrs Byrne’s talk was positive, examining ways to identify and help with mental illness, she touched on some of the darker parts of her breakdown as well. She said: “I couldn’t laugh, the only emotion I felt was sadness. I couldn’t speak to my children, I couldn’t speak to my husband, I couldn’t speak to the doctor. I couldn’t even wash myself. I went from an independent person to having people do everything for me. Hope Street is based in Ormskirk, but Sheila expressed her hopes to bring the sessions to Liverpool too. Activities put on by the group include nutrition courses, group walks and rock boxing, which she described as “rock music, drumsticks and cardio.” The self-titled “mental health and wellbeing community interest company” is funded by donations and local funds like the National Lottery Community Fund.

Female business owners to deliver masterclass By CHARLIE BURGESS A group of Liverpool’s most prominent female entrepreneurs are gathering today for a masterclass in growing small businesses in a set of seminars hosted by the Women’s Organisation throughout October. Local captains of commerce such as Claire Philliskirk, winner of European Women in Tech Sales 2016, will be revealing their tricks of the trade on subjects including brand building, setting and matching sales targets and staff growth. The Merseyside-based organisation is looking to inspire women-led businesses in the area who are within their first three years of trading/operation with these training courses, fully funded by the Enterprise Hub and the European Regional Development Fund. However, some of these operations could be in jeopardy as the Brexit

deadline approaches, since a major source of their funds come from EU schemes. A spokesperson for the Women’s Organisation said: “We wanted to make sure that the people who came weren’t just ‘idea people’. “By operating for more than a year, you prove that you are not only coming up with business ideas, you can follow through on them, execute them in a realistic way. “Those are the people we are looking for, who can really benefit from these classes.” The first of the seminars took place on October 8, kicking off the ‘Grow and Thrive’ Masterclass Series that the Women’s Organisation is holding throughout the month. The seminar series ends in the ‘Celebrating Enterprising Women 2019’ event - a four-hour showcase of Liverpool’s best and brightest female business experts.

FOCUSED: Female business owners gather at Grow and Thrive seminar © Women’s Organisation

Interview with a PC? Artificial Intelligence takes over hiring

By CHARLIE BURGESS

obseekers in Merseyside could be at a disadvantage based on race, gender or even their accent when applying for work, thanks to a controversial new recruitment technique making its way to the UK. Scouse slang, or even the accent itself, could confuse new A.I. (artificial intelligence) interviewers. The new A.I. interview system consists of a complex set of algorithms that struggles to distinguish the more subtle nuances of speech in the way a human cannot. Hopeful applicants in Liverpool can expect to run into this software, most commonly under the Hirevue or Aviva brands, when applying for jobs at a number of city centre locations, including MAC Cosmetics, Vodafone and Hilton Hotels. Several key industries in Liverpool’s job market have been using video interview applications like Hirevue for years. Employment areas such as sales and retail, which recruits 14% of Merseyside’s workers, and healthcare, which sits at 17%, use the Hirevue platform to collect video interviews from applicants. However, both companies have rolled out artificial intelligence-based systems across the UK, which enables them to filter through videos for better potential candidates, all without the need for human interaction. Simone Bliss, a recruiter in the Merseyside area for Pulse Community Healthcare, told LL: “On my side of things it makes life a lot simpler. Hirevue goes through hundreds of videos a lot quicker than I do or my colleges ever could, but with that expedience, you can expect there to be some hiccups. “While the software is always improving as it

gets more information, it’s difficult for it to take into account heavy accents that can affect how people talk. “Since it’s meant to single out people who would better fit the job sometimes that can mean, in a customer service role, or my role for example, someone who sounds like they’re from the area and would naturally deal better with people from Liverpool, might get flagged for having slurred or unclear speech.” The A.I driven talent assessment suite goes

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People from Liverpool might get flagged for having slurred or unclear speech

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through the videos looking for tens of thousands of different cues, from body language, facial movements and speech patterns to non-verbal communication to determine which candidates are best suited to progress to the in-person interview stage.

© Charlie Burgess / Wikimedia Commons The characteristics the algorithm searches for are based on past employees who succeeded in the position, meaning each company’s application of the software will be unique. However, some experts fear this could lead to discriminatory hiring patterns based on aspects like sex and race. This is supported by a study from Wake Forest University, US, which looked at similar A.I systems like Face++, which found that ‘black faces were marked twice as angry as white faces.’ They also looked at Microsoft’s version of the software, which scored black faces as being ‘three times more contemptuous’. Even Amazon, one of the biggest companies in the world, dropped its A.I. job application assessment technology after it was found to be less likely to accept CVs that include the term “women’s”. Hirevue said: “The A.I increases diversity of hiring by as much as 55%. The [computer] models have been built to notice and evaluate only characteristics that are significant to job success. Charisma may be important in some jobs but most of the time it will not be.”

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Valued or vandalised?

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They make the place more lively and not as gloomy and miserable

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The Baltic Triangle has been a canvas for street artists to express their talent, yet vandals are attacking their work By GRACE PLOWMAN

he Baltic Market has been full of street art for a long time now and is always being updated with new pieces. However, not everyone has appreciated the new arrivals as several of the paintings have been vandalised, leaving local residents annoyed. In the latest incident a Beatles mural on Watkinson Street was damaged, forcing the artist John Culshaw

Beatles mural street art by artist John Culshaw

to cover up the old painting with a new colourful replacement. Although locals may find it annoying, John says he isn’t bothered by the vandalism. He added: “Any art I put on a public wall belongs to the public, so when they are vandalised I don’t take it personally, it just ruins it for everyone else.” Another act of vandalism involved a mural inspired by the Netflix series Our Planet which was destroyed in March. Baltic Triangle resident Sophie Akicgoz, 20, said: “It’s a shame something so beautiful got ruined so

Pictures by: Grace Plowman quickly, it was a lovely piece that really brightened up the area.” Chelsey Morrison, 23, who also lives in the surrounding area, said: “The murals add colour to the area, they display creativity and innovation of Liverpool. “They make the place more lively and not as gloomy and miserable.” Chelsey added: “Personally I think it’s disrespectful when they get vandalised. “ An artist has spent time and energy on something for it to be ruined for a ‘joke’.”

Various Streeet art at Baltic Triangle, inlcuding Our Planet mural (middle) which was vandalised in March

Pictures by Grace Plowman

Picture by Danielle Wilson

Four decades of making music DANIELLE WILSON reviews Merseyside musicians’ celebration exhibition

irral electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - described as the founding fathers of UK electronic music - have unveiled a new exhibition to celebrate four decades in the business. To mark the celebrations, they have unveiled an exhibition at Liverpool’s British Music Experience. Although the exhibition only consists of two display cases, the amount of memorabilia and personal items from

Addictive take on this classic tale

the band is astonishing. It includes clothing, instruments and even clippings from singer Andy McCluskey’s binder of ideas, press cuttings and images. Each instrument is linked to an interactive screen, allowing visitors to read about them, and hear original recordings of them being played. Films of OMD live shows are played at regular intervals throughout the day. Alongside the rest of the experience, the OMD exhibition gives visitors a

taste of local music culture after The Beatles. Even for someone with just a passing knowledge of the band, it still proved a very interesting exhibition, making it a worthwhile visit not just for superfans. “Souvenir: 40 years of OMD” will be in the British Music Experience, Cunard Building, until January 5 2020.

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Achy Breaky laughter By STEPHEN RAWLINSON

Picture by Dan Jones

By DAN JONES A classic brought into a new light, Glyn Maxwell’s adaption of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde opened ‘Season 11’ at Chester’s Storyhouse. A simplistic yet eye-catching set and the closely seated audience focused all concentration on the stage, where each actor held their own. Addiction plays a huge role in the battle between both Jekyll and Hyde. This theme is echoed in the production of the play as it was produced in partnership with Fallen Angels, a charity that supports for those struggling with addiction problems. Notes of humour ran throughout this

retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic work, which other adaptions may lack. As the play continued hints of compassion, admiration and friendship can be seen within the themes of violence and darkness. Maxwell and his team have cleverly brought attention to a growing issue, where addition could lead to loss of control, respect and friendship, which was so realistically portrayed. Overall, this is a well-written play which cleverly addresses current issues within a timeless piece of literature. The show runs until October 19.

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Regal Entertainments are onto a winner with their new production ‘Achy Breaky Bride’ at the Epstein Theatre. Following the daily exploits of a bridal shop in Liverpool, this hilarious show blends scouse humour combined with some catchy country classics to create an enjoyable evening that will leave a smile on your face and your feet tapping. Radio City’s Leanne Campbell plays Jolene, who runs Dolly’s Dream Dresses with her brother Sue (Benidorm’s Phillip Oliver). The two have a nice chemistry between them, pairing together to encourage crowd participation to sing along to ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ and other memorable tunes. It was Liverpool legend Lindzi Germain who stole the show. The actress’s ability to vary her multiple characters and still create laugh out loud moments that had the spectators in tears throughout was spectacular. The staging of the bridal shop was perfect with the story, as different scenes take place over various days. It makes the audience feel like they were never outstaying their welcome and gave brief snippets of the wild shenanigans these characters regularly have to deal with. Overall I would recommend this show for anybody who loves to laugh whilst at the theatre and the night flew by as I thoroughly enjoyed myself. • Achy Breaky Bride is at the Epstein Theatre until October 19

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‘Void pod’ takes you on a sensory journey

Aay Liparoto’s No Bodies Welcome | All Bodies Welcome show

By CHRISTOPHER MEGRATH

entred around the ominously-titled ‘void pod’, this stellar sensory experience takes an artistic and different approach to society’s dependence on technology. Housed in Liverpool’s FACT building, their 2019 EMAP artist-in-residence Aay Liparoto has created a oneof-a-kind visual and audible journey, looking at the way we manage the spaces we participate in online, queer people who rely heavily on information exchanges and what it means for feminist bodies. Liparoto’s No Bodies Welcome | All Bodies Welcome show also touches on the darker side of work, sex, socialising and the crossovers each have. The void pod, a white cocoon of

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pure light and sound, is the main event of the exhibition as it takes you on an almost paralysing sensory journey. The cocoon only holds one person, therefore each person experiences it one at a time, staying enclosed in the pod while visual effects and sounds surrounds you. The singing comes from the Hot Bodies Choir, a queer and feminist choir based in Brussels, whose voices talk to us to reflect and question online spaces and behaviours. The aim of the void pod is to completely isolate you and to internally question the behaviour of others and ourselves, and the information we are willing to give up. The choir stays at peaceful tones but voice intense and somewhat dark

lyrics that become a metaphor for how easily specific groups are lured online through what they believe is a safe space. Nearing the end of the experience, the lighting becomes erratic and the choir becomes uncomfortable to listen to, reaching a climax of the ‘body in question’ metaphorically being ensnared by the idea of a welcoming online community. Liparoto’s artwork has been influenced by their ongoing research Not Found On, part

of which they carried out during their residency at FACT, where they held workshops across Liverpool with the aim to discuss the co-creation of an online knowledge bank with, by and for feminist queer bodies to record and exchange community knowledge with each other.

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It takes you on an almost paralysing sensory journey

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Void Pod: A sensory journey © Christopher Megrath

Shipshape singing By KATIE PREECE

or as long as there have been ships, there have been sea shanties - the song of the seas. Anti-Shanty has become LJMU’s very own in-house shanty choir. We’ve heard of shanty singing before, but what is a “shanty choir”? Shanty singing developed on the transatlantic shipping lines from Liverpool to America at the end of the Napoleonic war. The singing helped small groups of men working together on the ships to have coordination between them when they were working. Different types of work have different shanties; there are hauling shanties and shipping shanties. The most interesting thing about shanties is that there are a cannon of them. However, they can be sung differently every time, depending on the job it what that the men needed to carry out. The shanties were collected in the 1900s and have proved to be popular since. Liverpool itself has a strong maritime element running throughout it as a city, due to its history. This is where shanties fit into the city itself. Some of the most recognised shanty collectors themselves were from Liverpool. This sparked Gerry Smyth, the choir organiser’s, interest in shanties as he found out that he lives where collector Stan Hugill also lived, in Hoylake, Wirral. LJMU professor Gerry Smyth has put together a group of LJMU staff that all have a common interest in singing, and a new interest in shanty singing. He told LL: “I put the choir together just after New Years this year; I put out a general call to the department first of all, then to the school, faculty and then the whole university. I found eight people interested and we’ve been rehearsing every Thursday since.” Anti-Shanty, having only been together for a brief period,

A celebration of Irish and Scouse Culture

Anti-Shanty rehearshing in the Moot Room and below Gerry Smyth ©Katie Preece have performed multiple times around the city. Their first performance was in June 2019 at the River Light Festival, followed by a performance at an exhibition launch at the Tate Liverpool. AntiShanty will be singing together at the Arch Festival later this month. For Gerry and the rest of the choir, it is all about the enjoyment. His favourite part about being in the choir is the rehearsals and being able to “have the satisfaction of hearing what you have practiced, and hearing it work, it is so rewarding.” Gerry told LL that he has recognised through being in the choir that

“singing at work is a good thing to do. It’s something a lot of European countries have realised, it’s good physically, but helps a lot mentally in terms of your wellbeing, and comradeship between colleagues.” The choir plan to stay as they are now, and want the ability to have fun in each rehearsal that takes place. Something an onlooker notices about this choir straight away is not only how much they love signing and shanties, but also the sense of friendship between them that has grown around their mutual interest in singing shanties. The biggest sense of excitement for the choir is their plan to create their own album later this year, which will be recorded in John Foster building’s Moot Room, giving the choir the most beautiful acoustics.

a week of music, literature, theatre, art and much more. This year we will see performances from 2018 Best Irish Actor winner John Connors, award-winning Irish stand-up comedian and actor Rory O’Hanlon and singer-songwriter Jack Lukeman, who will be featuring in this year’s festival for the first time. Now entering its third year, the popular Celtic

Animation Film Festival’s theme will focus on women’s issues with awards being given to the Best Celtic Animation Film, Best International Animation Film and Best Student Animation Film. • To purchase tickets for any of the events or more details, visit www.liverpoolirishfestival. com.

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It is so rewarding

By JOSE RUIZ

iverpool’s world-famous Irish Festival is set to launch tomorrow with a large variety of eventsplanned until October

27. The festival dates back to 2003 and aims to celebrate the Irish contribution to Liverpool’s cultural identity and heritage, as well as bringing Liverpool and Ireland closer together. Festivities have already begun but on Thursday the organisation will provide a snapshot of the events to come at the Liverpool Irish Centre from 8pm. It will feature just over

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Sheens named new Vikings head coach By WILLIAM MOORE Widnes Vikings have appointed former NRL and Super League coach Tim Sheens as their new boss on a two-and-a-half-year deal, subject to international clearance. Sheens will link up with the Vikings after four months out of management following his sacking from Super League club, Hull KR. The Australian replaces Kieron Purtill, who resigned last week to move in the opposite direction and take up a coaching position at Craven Park. Sheens will be bringing a vast amount of coaching experience to the Halton Stadium. He started his coaching career back in 1984 with Penrith Panthers before moving on to Canberra, winning three NRL grand finals with the Raiders.

Everton plan new fan park By HARRY JONES

Fast-growing futsal on right road to success By JOSE RUIZ Futsal has been a major sport across the globe for several years but it is only recently that its popularity has begun to skyrocket in England. The five vs. five game is played on a basketball-sized court and can be traced back to South America as early as the 1930s. As part of a six-year FA drive to increase participation, a new league format has been introduced this September. Liverpool are now competing in the National Futsal League Premiership North, and their 2019-2020 season kicked off on Sunday with a 6-9 defeat to Manchester. Sixteen-year-old Shay Roberts from the Wirral is one of Liverpool’s exciting young summer signings. Having got into futsal at the age of 11, Shay is no newcomer to the game but is pleased to see it grow. He said: “I am excited with

FUTSAL: Fast-paced and fast growing © Jose Ruiz everything that is happening as it could bring new opportunities for everyone involved in Futsal.” At 16 Shay hopes competing in the National Futsal League can improve him as a player and wants the team

Everton have today submitted plans to expand the fan zone at Goodison Park, meaning more fans will be able to access the popular attraction. Due to the zone’s popularity amongst match goers the club want to expand the zone outwards towards the car park, the application submitted also states that the club want to replace the existing stage that is in place. As well as the extension to the fan zone, the plans also say that a small building will be built behind the stage for performers. The club posted this news on the website, which reads: “Each match their will be live music courtesy of local bands, great giveaways, as well as regular appearances from former players.”

to achieve the best it possibly can. Liverpool’s head coach David Connor, 45, from Wirral, told Liverpool Life that Sunday’s game was fast-paced and full of drama. He said: “The things we have been working on had been implemented in stages of the match, but with more work we can get better and build on from our first game of the season.” With the team adding many new faces to the squad in the summer transfer window, David has not set any expectationss for this season but hopes the team will improve enough by the end of season to be able to match any opponent. He added: “The FA have just agreed that futsal will now be part of school curriculum being introduced as a PE option, so I believe they are taking this project very seriously.” Currently over 3000 Futsal courses are offered all over England, but the FA hopes to increase that number as well as the number of coaches at a Level 2 or UEFA Futsal B.

FIGHT CORNER By JAMES LEE

By PAUL KELLY

Liverpool’s own Molly McCann returns to the UFC octagon this Friday, when she faces promotional debutant Diana Belbita. McCann is looking to build on her two consecutive wins in 2019 and cement herself as a ranked flyweight in the sport’s biggest promotion. Despite her UFC debut in Liverpool not going as expected, she has bounced back in her two previous fights with wins over Priscila Cachoeira and Ariane Lipski, proving she is worthy of her place near the top of her respective division. She also became the first English female to win in the UFC’s octagon in March - a historic accolade in itself. ‘Meatball’ trains at Next Generation MMA in the city alongside the likes of former UFC fighter Chris Fishgold and Cage Warriors Champion Paddy Pimblett.

Liverpool’s super-lightweight hero, Robbie Davies Jr, takes on Newcastle’s Lewis Ritson this weekend at the Utilita Arena. Since losing to Michael Syrowatka by knockout in 2017, Davies Jr has looked impressive on his comeback trail. He fought the Polish power puncher in a rematch, and returned the knockout in the ninth round. The 30-year-old then won the British title by defeating Glenn Foot over twelve rounds. Only five months later, Davies stepped up a level again, and defeated European champion Joe Hughes, in front of his home crowd. Now after winning two major titles, Davies Jr vows to beat Ritson in his own back yard on Saturday.

Chisnall made to wait for first Darts major

By SHELDON MCGOVERN

Dave Chisnall’s hunt for a Darts major title goes on after losing out to Michael van Gerwen in the World Grand Prix final in Dublin. The nearly man from St Helens went down 5-2 to the reigning world champion, with Chisnall still seeking his first major since joining the PDC eight years ago. Van Gerwen took a clinical 3-0 opening set but Chisnall followed it with a dominant set of his own to draw the game at 1-1. A mixture of talent and some good fortune took the Dutchman to a 4-1 set lead coming better off in some close sets. Chizzy came back with a brilliant set of his own but defending champions Van Gerwen held his composure and put his tungsten into the middle of double six to win his fifth World Grand Prix. Upbeat after defeat, Chisnall said:

Michael van Gerwen ©Sven Mandel “I’m getting back to my best form and will move on from here. I’ve had a great tournament and the atmosphere during the final was fantastic.” Chisnall will be aiming for his first major in the New Year at Alexandra Palace in the World Championship.

LLSPORT New home for homeless football club By SCOTT CLARKSON Liverpool Homeless Football Club are working in partnership with Very and other developers to build a new stadium to house LHFC and its upcoming projects. LHFC is ‘more than just football’, as their tagline runs. For the past 12 years LHFC has been fighting to remove stigmas and provide support. This month LHFC has turned 12 years old and this year has celebrated becoming a fully fledged charity. Jade, project manager within LHFC said: “In the beginning it was just a couple of people in a little office and we’re growing and growing to the point we have building a stadium in the pipeline.” The concept is to “house, train and employ people all under one roof,” and “we’re pretty hopeful to get that up and running really soon,” The club uses team sports to engage with marginalised men and women in Merseyside who are affected or experiencing homelessness. The club has spoken in the Chamber of Commerce, explaining the impact LHFC is making, using football among other activities like yoga and soul-writing to engage with the community, raise their public profile and do more for those that need their help. Recently opened The Back Kitchen is the “Up and coming,” branch of LHFC, where members of the club are trained to work in the kitchen. The project shares the same purpose as its larger-scale counterpart. Jade said: “Some of the guys here weren’t confident making beans on toast and now they’re making a full English. “The people that have come into The Back Kitchen have thrived and for people who have struggled to get up in the morning, or find somewhere to lay their head at night, this is a huge accomplishment.”

LHFC player making the tackle

INSIDE SPORT

Legends join runners for Everton-themed 5k run By OLIVER GREEN More than 450 people took part in the inaugural ‘If You Know Your History’ Everton-themed 5k run at the weekend. Participants included current Director of Football Marcel Brands, as well as club great Joe Royle and club legend and first-team coach Duncan Ferguson. The run was organised to raise funds for The People’s Place – Everton in the Community’s proposed purposebuilt mental health facility. The route took runners past historical sites, starting next to the 1787 Lock-Up Tower in Everton Park, which features in the centre of the club’s crest. Competitors also passed Everton’s former homes – Stanley Park and Priory Road – before finishing in front of the Sir Philip Carter Park End Stand at Goodison Park. Richard Kenyon, chief executive of Everton in the Community, was keen to highlight how the run would benefit the community on the day, as well as in the future. “It’s important, the fundraising, but also we’ve been taking about mental health and actually getting people out and getting them active on a Sunday morning is important as well, so it’s good in many ways. “We’ve already had some thoughts about how we could move this on.

“Some people have already said to me that we should do a 10K next time, and take in Bramley Moore dock and then come back up [to Everton Park], so that’s a good idea, as soon as this is finished we’ll get to work on the next one.” Ex-Toffees midfielder Gareth Farrelly also took part, and the 44-year-old believes that mental health awareness has improved since his playing days. “I think all of those things [mental health issues] were there in my day, but I think now there’s probably more

of an awareness of it,” the Irishman suggested. “Everybody faces different challenges, some of which we’re not aware of, but I think events like today just start to maintain that awareness. “I think people realise that there are things there to help, and there are people there to help, and hopefully they will avail of that.” Everton return to Premier League action on Saturday, hosting West Ham United at Goodison Park, aiming to end their recent poor run.

©Oliver Green

READY TO GO: Runners gather at the start line at Everton Park

LJMU student sweats on European call-up By EMILY ROBERTS You have heard of athletes and triathletes - but what about the ones in the middle? A duathlon is a race in which the competitors complete two out of the three disciplines of a triathlon. A standard distance duathlon will be a 10km run followed by a 40km cycle, finishing with a 5km run. Jack Young, John Moores very own master’s student, has had a keen interest in cycling from a young age and is now a budding duathlete himself. Fast forward 13-or-so years he is waiting to find out whether or not he has qualified the European Championships to be held in Spain next April. Around the age of nine or 10, Jack remembers beginning cycling. He

participated in different competitions and time trails, however, his newfound hobby was cut short at the age of 12 when the different courses used by the clubs in his local area became pedestrianised. This meant that Jack wouldn’t start cycling again until he

Futsal gets funding boost

New Widnes Vikings coach

Jack Young in action

was 18. Before entering into his first year of University at John Moores, Jack picked up his bike again. Not long after this he “can’t quite recall why,” entered into a duathlon. He told LL: “Whenever I’ve done races before, I was never the best, but when you’re on the bike racing against people who might be a better runner it’s class, it was a lush feeling.” At first, this wasn’t something Jack took seriously, yet, in the past few years the athletic event has grown on him. Training six sessions a week, Jack is now a much-disciplined individual, Jack is training so intensely because he is working towards the European Duathlon Championships held by The British Triathlon Federation.

This week’s fight corner