Rise in Liverpool’s fostering interest

More and more children are finding families within the region due to changing lifestyles

Bids to help fostering hit record numbers

Liverpool City Council’s Fostering Service has received a record number of enquiries so far this year – believed to be because of changes in people’s circumstances due to the Covid-19 pandemic. CALUM SNELL reports

In January alone, there were more than 100 expressions of interest in looking after a child in Liverpool. This is thought to be a result of more people working flexibly, such as from home, which means they are now able to consider potentially supporting a young person.

More foster carers are always needed as recent figures indicate that there are more than 1,500 young people in care across the city.

Liverpool City Council Fostering Service is the first port of call for when children come into care. Although there are a lot of foster care agencies within the city, the Liverpool Fostering Service are ultimately responsible for finding homes for children and young people who need foster carers.

Karen Walley of Liverpool Fostering Services told Liverpool Life: “The ethos for us is always the welfare of the children and putting the children first.

“Because of the pandemic, it has changed people’s lives with regards to what they want to do with the future. And if they’ve always wanted to foster, then maybe they’re taking this as the opportunity to make that first step.

“The whole lockdown has meant that a lot of families have become more flexible with their lives, it could be that they’ve re-assessed what they want to do – or even just become more aware of the effect the pandemic has had, with more children and young people than ever needing caring homes with foster carers.

“For a lot of people, circumstances have changed with regards to working reduced hours or being furloughed. "Life has changed for a lot of people and we’re hopeful that it may have opened the door to fostering for some who have always wanted to do it but haven’t had the opportunity before.”

Karen pointed out that becoming a foster carer isn’t usually a quick decision, but that Liverpool fostering service is there to share information and support people through the application process.

Chris and Amanda became foster carers with Liverpool Fostering Service in March 2020, initially part-time to fit around work commitments, and care for a teenage boy.

The couple both work full-time and wanted to be involved in helping children who have been through trauma and helping get their lives back on track.

Thanks to an increase in flexible working due to the pandemic, the young person has been able to stay with them.

Chris and Amanda spoke to Liverpool Life and shared their thoughts on the potential impact lockdown has had on fostering.

“Lockdown has definitely changed our experience of fostering,” they said.

“What we’ve seen during lockdown is a large focus on mental health and social factors. "I wouldn’t be surprised if more people have been thinking about these things and ways in which they can help and the role they can play in that.”

“I think the high number of enquiries are to do with the working from home – it’s much easier to be flexible from home than from work, I guess. That’s the major contributing factor in my opinion”, said Chris.

“I guess the usual challenges of lockdown have been tricky, such as not being able to do the things you would normally do with a young person. "It’s hard because the three of us are at home all the time. In terms of getting to know each other, it can be really helpful, but it is important to be mindful and give the young person space because there isn’t anywhere else for them to go, but it helped with us getting to know each other.

“It’s frustrating for the young person as there’s only so many things you can do at home – but we’re finding ways around that.

“We’re very much looking forward to when we can go out and show him things we think he’ll enjoy.

“It’s the most rewarding thing we’ve ever done, and we are very grateful for all the help we have received from the Liverpool Fostering Service”

Liverpool Fostering service is 100 per cent non-profit. The more foster carers that come forward, the more children can be supported in their local community.

“The pandemic has changed people’s lives with regards to what they want to do with the future and if they’ve always wanted to foster, then maybe they’re taking this as the opportunity to make that first step.”

Advance of HS2 divides opinion Advance of HS2 divides opinion

As the Government’s plans get underway, BETH GAVAGHAN takes a look at both sides of the argument

The new High Speed 2 (HS2) rail line has been given the seal of approval to be built from the West Midlands to Crewe.

Some people are welcoming the change which they claim will improve connectivity for the North- and for Merseyside in particular - while others are worried about the potential repercussions of the service.

Councillor Ian Courts and WMCA portfolio lead for Environment at the West Midlands Combined Authority said: “HS2 can also play a key role in achieving our climate change targets. One of our next steps is to develop our strategy with Government to show how HS2 can deliver improvements to our local transport network, support our climate change ambitions and further develop our green economy.”

However, promises of environmental benefits have been disputed over by groups resisting HS2 who are worried that the repercussions could be damaging for the CO2 (carbon dioxide) emission levels which will occur from building the line.

Chair of the Stop HS2 campaign Penny Gaines at HS2 Rebellion said: “Most of the people that we talk to don’t disagree with high-speed railways, but they do disagree with HS2 in particular… You can have them at different speeds, and they went for the very fastest one which has a whole load of knock-on effects.

“If you go faster, you need more energy... And the more environmental damage you cause because you’ve got to go through environmentally sensitive sites rather than around them. So there’s absolutely no environmental case for HS2 whatsoever.”

She also added that there was a concern for the wildlife that would be impacted by areas providing homes for different species: “The Woodland Trust say that 108 woodlands are going to be disrupted. And the UK generally is one of the least wooded parts of Europe. So we really need to preserve what

But other groups in the North have been lobbying for this change and campaigning for an HS2 line to be made accessible in Liverpool. 20 Miles More is an organisation which welcomes the initiative and has been fighting for better connectivity to the Liverpool City Region for a while. They said that HS2 would free up much-needed capacity on local and regional services across the North, easing overcrowding on commuter routes and taking the pressure off motorways.

The Liverpool City Region also argue that such rail lines can enhance the delivery of their plan to achieve jobs and growth, and said that

Photo credit: Unsplash

Photo credit: Shutterstock

improved transport to the city will “improve business connectivity, the ability to capture tourist market growth, support freight capacity and the economic renewal of Liverpool City Centre.”

Regular visitors like the Elliott family voted for the Heidi

B&B goes from sinking ship to crest of the wave

Ben Roberts-Haslam takes a closer look at an awardwinning bed and breakfast

Afamily-run bed & breakfast in Southport has been named the best in Merseyside. The Heidi B&B, in Bold Street, Southport, won the title of Merseyside B&B of the year at the 2020 UK Enterprise Awards, after being nominated by guests.

Michelle and Alastair Michie have owned the seaside B&B for the last five years and have turned a sinking ship into a place that would be full all summer.

The couple moved from Manchester to take over the rundown pit stop and transformed it into an award-winning stay-cation that now rivals the Bliss hotel that sits on the Marine Lake.

Michelle told Liverpool Life: “It’s amazing really. We couldn’t have done it without our guests, although, unfortunately, we haven’t got any at the moment. If it wasn’t for the guests, and the people we have in, these awards wouldn’t be possible.

“It’s amazing that someone put us forward for it, especially in this time when we’ve had minimal guests though the door this year. I think it’s eight weeks that we’ve been open this year; it has been a hard year.”

The devoted mother and hostess talked of the effects Covid has had on the B&B. This time last year the Heidi would be gearing up for yet another busy summer, but due to the global pandemic that has shaken hospitality and tourism across the world, it near enough ruined the chances of a busy summer last year.

She said: “Pre-covid we would be pretty full every weekend. Bed and breakfast usually make their money from between April and October so between those months you’re fairly busy.

“Every year we’ve had new guests come and they have continued to come to us and I think if you can maintain a repeat customer database, it’s always better. It’s easier for us because we know what to expect and it’s easier for the guests because they The former Mancunian turned Sandgrounder is also very aware of the struggles that Southport faces as a tourist destination.

With the closure of the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre and the recent closure of the Genting Casino, the draw to the seaside town is being further limited.

Michelle, however, refuses to see all the negatives and looks to be hopeful for the future: “You look on Facebook and social media and some people really slate it, saying it’s not what it used to be, which is fair enough, but a lot of towns aren’t what they used to be, with online shopping and places closing down.

“You will always have things like homelessness on the streets wherever you go. When you come to Southport you have the lovely Marine Lake, you’ve got places to walk, things to see and as an outsider coming in it’s actually very nice.” feel at home. I’ve had a year off; I won’t know what to do when I get back to it.”

It’s amazing ... we coudn’t have done it without our guests ”

Time to call time on Tea?

One of England’s most ancient sports could be set to drop an age-old tradition, JACK PLAYLE reports

The gentle knock of leather on willow;, the sleepy applause from postprandial snoozers, the picnics on the village green, the sunshine and subtle breeze - village cricket is more than just a game. It’s a social necessity that, in its own way, seems to hold a mirror up to English society.

Fundamental to any cricket match, has always been the cricket tea. Served halfway through a game it often acts as a saving grace for cricketers facing first-ball ducks and dropped catches. But now a Sunday league in Lancashire has voted to scrap the much-loved custom ahead of the new 2021 season making the reality for modern-day players, look far less idyllic.

With the number of volunteers willing to focus on catering declining, and the onus tending to fall on hardpressed match managers, whose main priority is to ensure that each side has 11 fit and able players to provide a suitable contest. Match teas have been scrapped in the West Lancashire Sunday Cricket League, after clubs voted 16-14, in favor of ridding the sport of its historic ritual.

The decision comes after teas were suspended as a precautionary measure during the Covid-19 outbreak last season, when comments from the prime minister, Boris Johnson, singled out the social aspect as one of the main reasons for why the recreational game couldn’t take place in April, May and June.

Instead, players were encouraged to bring their own food when the sport resumed in July, and with many clubs facing cash-flow issues in the wake of the pandemic, the opportunity to offload the financial burden of creating a cricket tea - has become too appealing.

Tim Wynn, a spokesperson for Farnworth CC, who supported the decision, said: “I think the idea of having someone who is usually female, prepare a tea for 24 men is outdated. As a club, we don’t see why those who still want to embrace the tradition, can’t still do that. The move is just a way of removing unnecessary stress on the people who run everything else. I think for most clubs it is more of an inconvenience nowadays, than anything else.”

Wynn also addressed the fact that removing cricket teas - would ultimately help reduce the length of time it takes to play a cricket match.

An influence that ennobles the novelty of cricket’s unwinding nature. But too, seems to be ‘outdated’, after figures released by Sport England showed participation in cricket was down 12% in the last four years, due to most dropouts saying they just don’t have enough time to play the game.

He said: “I think it will also encourage new players as well. For too long cricket has had the stigma of cucumber sandwiches and just a little bit of cricket on the side. Times have changed, and it’s time for cricket to do the same.”

But the fabled match tea will not vanish from all village greens in West Lancashire, although home sides will no longer be expected to provide food for all playing participants during match intervals. Haydock Cricket Club has insisted that it will not stop them from carrying on the game’s quintessential tradition.

Colin Spiby, batsmen for Haydock CC who opposed the vote, said: “We are disappointed that teas are being dropped from the Sunday league. For us, they’re an essential part of the day’s play that actually brings out a lot of banter and inspires a healthy team spirit.

“There’s no other sport that gets both teams sat around the same table talking to one another. I think to lose that social element of the game is really sad.”

And yet the consensus in West Lancashire is that cricket, like the upper classes and standards in general, is in permanent decline. So, perhaps it’s time to take the cucumber sanwiches and jam tarts in the game, out of the game. Even if they don’t go away for good.