Liverpool Life 4:13 February 24 2016

24- February- 2016

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE...

NEWS

PAGE 3

Petition for road safety after tragedy outside school

LIFEextra

PAGE 11

Lady Lever Art Gallery set to open after refurbishment

SPORT

PAGE 15

Sports club for youngsters celebrates success

What exactly are these Liverpool mums doing?

Find out on page 5

BETTER OFF IN

By SOPHIE SEAR

Two of Merseyside’s biggest employers have joined nearly 200 businesses in signing a letter of support to stay in the European Union.

Global healthcare company GlaxoSmithKlyne (GSK) and Unilever, a consumer goods company, are two of 197 national businesses backing David Cameron’s plea to stay in the EU. In a letter to The Times, the businesses all agreed that ‘Britain is better off staying in a reformed European Union’.

They say business needs unrestricted access to the European market in order to continue to

Merseyside businesses declare their wish to stay in EU

grow, invest and create jobs.

All those who signed the agreement believe that leaving the EU would deter investment, threaten jobs and put the economy at risk, adding Britain would be stronger, safer and better off remaining a member of the EU. In a speech to the House of Commons on Monday, David Cameron said: “We are a great country and whatever choice we make we will still be great.

When faced with challenges this is a time for strength in numbers. I’m not standing for

re-election, I have no other agenda than what is best for our country.”

The 197 businesses which support Cameron employ more than 1.2 million people in the UK. Unilever’s Port Sunlight Research and Redevelopment laboratory employs nearly 1,000 people. GSK has an operation in Speke.

Other signatories include either chairmen or chief executives of 36 out of the FTSE 100, including Marks & Spencer, Vodafone, BT and Asda.

Kris Brown, Chair of the Liberal Democrats in Merseyside and volunteer for the Stronger In campaign, told Liverpool Life: “When we look at jobs there have been 50,000 jobs created since the late 90s in the Merseyside area, and things like the ECHO arena and the docks area have all benefitted from EU funding.”

On the other side of the debate is the Better off Out campaign, directed by Rory Bloomfield. He told Liverpool Life: “Merseyside is an incredibly important part

of the UK economy and growing, which you can see by the recent job figures and economic output.

“The incentive for the UK government to keep that going and allow it to develop and compete in a colloquial economy is much more than the incentive for the European Commission and other EU nations have to invest in Liverpool and the Merseyside Docking area.”

While most Merseyside MPs are yet to declare their viewpoint on Britain’s membership in Eu-

rope, Labour MP for Birkenhead Frank Field said a vote to leave the EU is the only way to achieve major reform.

Luciana Berger, MP for Wavertree, is campaigning to keep the UK in Europe.

She said: “We are better off working together with our neighbours to solve the problems facing the world rather than pulling out of the EU and weakening our country. Europe is central to jobs and prosperity.

Britain needs to be heard.” ● The debate goes on – p6

Life|News|2

LJMU experts warn of Mersey flooding global temperatures rise, 2/3 of this heat is absorbed by the ocean which responds by increasing in volume. This expansion is upwards and outwards – hence a sea-level rise at the coast.

“Another important contribution is melting of land-based ice from glaciers and ice sheets. This could become much more significant if ice sheets begin to melt and break up in more dynamic and abrupt ways.

“The effects of global warming are amplified in high latitudes - polar amplifications - so temperature rise in Greenland and Antarctica is much higher than the global average.”

Current sea levels around Merseyside are not presently showing too many signs of the effects of climate change.

However, Dr Kirby said that recent weather has shown signs of a change.

He said: “The winter of 2013-14 was the stormiest on record, going back 143 years.

“What we experienced was storm clusters, with repeated extreme storms battering the coast through December and into February - this was when the west coast rail line in Dawlish washed away.”

By CONNOR LYNCH

Scientists at LJMU have used mapping software to simulate the effects of sea levels rising across Merseyside as a result of climate change.

Dr Jason Kirby and his team at the Natural Sciences department i n Liverpool John Moores University were asked to demonstrate the extent of the possible damage that could be done to Merseyside under extreme sealevel rising scenarios.

In the scenarios, the team used mapping software that highlights the natural elevations around Merseyside, to predict what areas would be at risk in the case of major flooding caused by the sea levels rising.

The main and most extreme situation tested showed what would happen to the area, if the current flood defences that are in place happened to fail, which showed the Strand, Liverpool city centre and large parts of the Wirral becoming uninhabitable, however this is a worst case scenario.

Dr Kirby explained the main causes for sea levels rising is due to a process called ‘thermal expansion’. He explained: “As

Ricky Tomlinson Pic © wikimedia commons/ Andrew Healy

Easter panto date for Epstein

By AMY COLE

DANGER: A map produced by climatologists at LJMU showing the potential effects of rising sea levels on Merseyside © LJMU natural sciences

Weak schools could stall Powerhouse

By CAOIMHE HARKIN

Cllr Nick Small © Liverpool City Council

Life

A Liverpool councillor has backed claims that the Government’s flagship ‘Northern Powerhouse’ project is in danger of faltering because the region’s schools are failing.

Schools in Merseyside and Manchester have been criticised by Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector of schools, for “not firing on all cylinders” due to poor GSCE results.

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The Northern Powerhouse is a government initiative aiming to bridge the economic gap between the north and south by attracting investment and improving transport links between its towns and cities.

Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Councillor Nick Small, explained: “Our young people – in particular don’t have the right skills for the jobs of the future then the

Northern Powerhouse will be an empty political slogan.

“If we’re going to balance the UK economy so that cities like Liverpool can contribute more to UK growth then we need more powers to influence the whole education and skills system to make sure we’re delivering what Liverpool businesses want.

“The recent Liverpool Challenge conference shows that when we all work together

– business, our universities, schools and colleges and Mayor – we can achieve more together.”

In a speech to the Institute of Public Policy Research think tank, chief inspector of schools Sir Michael Wilshaw said: “These are the cities that built Britain. Manchester and Liverpool boast eight universities between them, two of which are among the top 200 in the world”.”

Youth election results due

By HANNAH ROGERS The results from the Wirral borough for UK Youth Parliament will be announced tomorrow.

A total of 14 candidates aged 11 to 18 have been campaigning around the Wirral area to be in with a chance of becoming a Member of Youth Parliament.

David Decorte, team leader at Wirral Council’s youth support, said: “I am extremely keen that young people are involved in local democracy and politics as I view young people very much as tomorrow’s adults. I am keen that they have a better understanding of how the process works and young people

know that they have a strong voice in society.”

The voting was held via Wirral Council’s youth website, Teen Wirral, and was open only to young people so that they could decide who was to represent them.

The voting closed yesterday and the two winners will represent Wirral’s youth on a national level, working with MPs and youth groups to highlight what they deem important to young people in the area.

The Wirral Council’s Youth Service and local teachers came together to support the potential candidates and help with the writing of each individual’s

manifesto for the election, debating and preparing for the role.

Seven of the candidates attend West Kirby Grammar School and have been coached through their campaigns by Pete Robinson, a history and politics teacher.

He said: “I have just been endlessly nagging every member of staff to get their forms to vote.

It’s the students who have done the hard work and I’m really proud of how they’ve engaged themselves with the political process through genuinely caring for local issues and for representing students their age across the county.”

Hi ho hi ho it’s off to the theatre we go for the Easter production of Snow White.

From March 24th to April 6th the Epstein Theatre will be hosting LHK Productions’ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

The cast includes Celebrity Big Brother winner James Hill, TV and radio presenter Debi Jones, and a special guest appearance from Ricky Tomlinson.

The classic fairy-tale story of poison apples, emotional dwarfs and jealous stepmothers will run for 27 shows in total.

Tickets are available from £15 from TicketLine.co.uk

Bend it at the BBC

By RYAN JONES David Beckham made a surprise appearance in Liverpool earlier this week after landing in the city following his flight from LA to attend the BBC TV showcase.

The former Manchester United star was back in the UK to promote his documentary ‘For the love of the game’ along with Chris Evans for the BBC. The programme followed Beckham, 40, around the world to play football and it ended with the former England captain racing back to the UK to kick off a star-studded match in aid of Unicef.

Evans was joined by Matt LeBlanc as the pair promoted the new series of Top Gear at a TV sales event at the Liverpool Echo Arena.

During the showcase, the Warrington-born presenter introduced the new presenting line up which included motoring Journalist Chris Harris, car reviewer Rory Reid, Formula 1 commentator Eddie Jordan and The Stig.

Top Gear returns to BBC Two in May.

Life|News|3

Road safety call in wake of tragedy

By LUCY DARBYSHIRE

BELVEDERE: New safety measures hope for school © Wikimedia Commons

Over 1,500 people have signed the petition to improve road safety outside Belvedere Academy.

The petition was started after an elderly women mounted the road and drove into five school girls on the 12th February, just before half term.

The 80-year-old woman has now handed in her driving licence. It was reported that the elderly women accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake pedal outside Belvedere Academy a fortnight ago.

Louise Shaw, who started the petition, and has a daughter who attends the school added: “More and more people are signing the petition, and are aware of the issues. We need to campaign to get better road safety. I’d like to see a 20mph speed limit put in along that

road with bollards and a better pedestrian crossing for the children. There’s Belvedere Academy and the Prep school around the corner, so there’s a lot of school children in the area.

“A lot of parents have raised concerns and the school have raised concerns about the lack of road safety, and sometimes it takes an accident like this to get measures implemented.”

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: “We can confirm that the 80-year-old female driver of a Peugeot involved in the serious injury RTC in Belvedere Road on Friday, February 12th has voluntarily surrendered her driving licence, which has been revoked.

“The investigation into this incident is ongoing.”

The victims were left with broken arms, ankles and facial cuts after being struck by the out-of-control Peugeot.

Study to explore cruise terminal bid

By HANNAH ROGERS

An in-depth study will be conducted to assess the building of a permanent cruise liner terminal in Merseyside.

The Princes Jetty at Princes Parade has been identified as the likely position for the development which could see the Cunard Line’s transatlantic cruises to New York City introduced back to Liverpool.

Tony Storey, a Liverpool based cruise writer, said: “The proposed development will generate additional income for the City Region’s Visitor Economy.

“Liverpool’s maritime history and heritage are a major part of its appeal as a visitor destination and the sense of arrival and the sense of place enjoyed by cruise ship guests when their vessels arrive at Pier Head is unique.”

The success has grown year on year in terms of cruise tourism,

with Liverpool being voted Britain’s best port of call for two years running in 2013 and 2014. Mr Storey has urged that the growth in the cruise industry, and the bigger ships that come with it, warrant the building of facilities to accommodate the demand.

The study that the council has commissioned will look into the design and cost of constructing the terminal, and although nothing is confirmed, Mr Storey predicts if plans go ahead, it could be up and running by 2019.

The city’s 175-year association with The Cunard Line has prompted the comptny to consider the reopening of the transatlantic passage, which hasn’t run regularly since 1968.

Angus Struthers, Cunard’s director, said: “Liverpool will forever be Cunard’s spiritual home and the city’s pride in this association, and the level of interest in Cunard across the whole

A new Beatles legacy group has been established in the city, following a report released earlier this month which revealed that The Beatles’ heritage is worth nearly £82m to the Liverpool economy.

Merseyside musician Peter Hooton, from the band The Farm, will chair the new group, which aims to help the Fab Four’s tourist offer in the city reach its full potential.

The report, commissioned

by Liverpool City Council, represented the first study of the contemporary value to examine the impact of The Beatles’ legacy in Liverpool.

An initial meeting for the group has already taken place, which set out its aims to not represent individual interests, but rather to look at the wider remit of the offer. The group want to work with key stakeholders such as organisations linked with The Beatles and residents who live

By HANNAH ROGERS

A Wirral choir is celebrating half a century of hitting the right notes.

The Wallasey Choir was formed in 1966 by then head of music at Wallasey Tech High School Beryl Beckingham. The 30-strong all female choir has gone on to perform at prestigious events all over the world, from The White House in The United States, to the Montreux Rose Bowl Competition in Switzerland.

Christine Clougher, chairman of the choir, said: “I’ve been in the choir for 48 years, I would say one of the best things about it is the sense of friendship that you get from being so close knit with all of the ladies who put in their time to make this choir great.

Sadly, director of the choir Beryl passed away after a battle with cancer in 2001, but not before hosting a celebratory garden party for the choir’s 35th anniversary. Even while completing a course of chemotherapy, she stood and conducted the choir.

After her passing, Peter Mills was appointed to director, after serving his time as the accompanist for many years.

He said: “I haven’t been with the choir for the entire 50 years but I’m sure we can get another great 50 out of them yet.”

The choir also has strong links with charities in the area and often raise money for the South Wirral and Cheshire branch of British Heart Foundation and Wirral Hospice St Johns - where Beryl spent her last days.

Putting the Bard in a box CRUISE: Permanent liner terminal a possibility © Wikimedia Commoms/Eric The Fish North West of England remains strong. We will be looking at how we might be able to incorporate

Liverpool into Queen Mary 2’s iconic transatlantic crossings.”

The study will take place in

March, finishing in the summer and with results posted later in the year.

Beatles legacy group line-up is announced

By STEPH BOCKING

Choir sings out for 50 years

in and around key sites, such as Penny Lane and Mathew Street.

The group will also make explorations around licensing and control of operators. There will also be a specific focus to develop a kite mark that would certify a particular Beatles experience as one of quality.

The Beatles legacy group is set to have its first official meeting next month.

Meanwhile, A lock of John Lennon’s hair has been sold by a FAB FOUR: BLG to be set up British collector for $35,000.

© Trinity Mirror

By CONNOR LYNCH

A theatre tour designed to make Shakespeare accessible to young people is set to begin in Liverpool next week.

Bardolph’s Box is a small scale Shakespeare inspired production for 8-12 year olds, celebrating 400 years of Shakespeare’s work, and will begin in Liverpool’s Unity Theatre on March 1st.

The shows will comprise of three actors, who will each play the part of lesser known characters in the Bard’s plays, such as Bardolph, Falstaff ’s sidekick from Henry IV’s, Henry V and The Merry Wives of Windsor and the Nurse from Romeo and Juliette.

Nicola Pollard, Director and Founder of Up The Road Theatre, said: “We’re really looking forward to introducing children to Bardolph and his wonderful world.”

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Albert Dock ©Wikicommons

Docks visitors on the rise

By LUCY NIXON

The number of visitors to Liverpool’s Albert Dock has continued to rise by 6% for yet another year.

Figures show that 6.3 million people flocked to the landmark in 2015 which added an estimated £4.4 million to the city’s economy.

A packed itinerary of summer events is likely to be one of the major reasons for the increase with events, including Liverpool Pirate Festival, Red Bull Harbour Reach and the International Mersey River Festival. New exhibitions at some of the dock’s flagship attractions helped the Grade I Listed destination to maintain its status as being the North West’s most visited free tourist attraction.

Chief executive of Albert Dock Liverpool, Sue Grindrod, spoke of her excitement at the figures.

“We are elated with these figures as Albert Dock Liverpool enters its next evolution.

“These are exciting times for Albert Dock Liverpool as we continue to work with our city and waterfront partners in making sure the Dock is central to their plans for the year ahead.

It’s encouraging to see that our loyal visitors are coming on this journey with us,” she said.

The Albert Dock also welcomed a staggering 5,600 coaches last year which was a 19% year on year increase.

Poverty beckons as benefits slashed

By JAMES GAMBLE

The new benefit cap set to be introduced in April could lead to 4,000 more children living in poverty in Merseyside, with Birkenhead being the worst affected area.

The cap, introduced by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osbourne, will reduce the maximum amount of benefits that people of a working age are able to claim from £26,000 to £20,000.

According to figures requested

by Labour MP for Birkenhead Frank Field, the new cap could more than treble the current 1,500 figure of children already living in poverty across Merseyside.

In some cases households could lose a third of their an-

nual income, which will make it much harder for families to make ends meet Frank Field said in an interview: “The lower benefit cap looks set to have an immediate impact on child poverty in Merseyside. “While some parents may of course respond to this loss of income by finding work, thereby gaining exemption from the cap, many others are likely to find it much more difficult to make ends meet.”

The Government claims that the cap will serve as an incentive for those who can to move into work and that the cap will save £500m over the next five years.

They also said that the new cap will ensure a welfare system that is fair to those who need it, as well as being fair to those who contribute towards it.

Frank Field MP ©Wikicommons Mr Field said: “These action plans should not only look at getting people into work – a vital move in itself and, in addition, the cap is then automatically

lifted – but also focus on health issues, such as smoking cessation, and preventing children becoming homeless.”

The average loss incurred

so far is thought to be around £50 a week per household in Merseyside, and the figure could increase once the new cap is introduced in April 2016.

Last chance to see style at Sudley

By AMY COLE Fashion fans have a last chance to see a special exhibition at Sudley House this Sunday.

Drip Dry! Synthetic Fibres in Fashion has been open since July 2014 and has seen around 74,000 visitors since opening.

The display shows 13 outfits that explores 100 years of manmade fibres. Evening dresses, shell suits and day wear are all on show, displaying the versatility of synthetic materials that were developed between the 1920s and 1990s.

Megan Croucher, Media Assistant for National Museums Liverpool said: “The next exhibition that is going on display at Sudley House is Putting on the Glitz, another fashion exhibition this time focussing on the 1930s.”

Man-made materials were being celebrated by the museum for their attractive qualities to designers and customers. The

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‘Drip Dry!’ exhibition

Shell suit exhibited

©National Musueum

materials also hold colour very well and do not fade. After washing, many of the clothes will drip-dry, hence the exhibitions name.

One of the highlight exhibition is a ‘Beatles’ dress that was retailed by Littlewoods in 1964.

This permanently pleated dress would not fray so could be cut to fit any style, body shape, or hemline for any era.

Pauline Rushton, Curator of Costume and Textiles said: “The modern fashion industry owes a great deal to synthetic

©National Musueum fibres. This snapshot of almost a century of changing styles proves how wide-spread and versatile man-made material became in a short space of time.”

In stereotypical Liverpool fashion, the display also showcased the Shell Suit, a Scouse fashion statement that was developed in the 1980s from sportswear.

The suit at the exhibit shows the typical contrasting colours of the time.

The 13 outfits are part of the National Liverpool Museums’ collection of 20,000.

Tax cut for foster parents

By HANNAH ROGERS

Foster parents who work directly with Liverpool City Council will be exempt from paying council tax on their homes as of April 2016.

The move comes as part of a push to encourage more people to become foster carers in the area and would alleviate at least £1,100 per year of household costs.

A representative from the council said: “Foster carers working for agencies cost far more as we have to pay the organisations a fee in addition to the allowance a carer receives.

There is nothing to stop people who foster with independent agencies from benefiting by

coming across to foster with the council.”

Free ‘lifestyle passes’ will also be available, giving foster parents free access to Lifestyles gyms across the city and other facilities.

Around 1000 children are now fostered in Liverpool but more foster homes are always needed to help get vulnerable young people out of costly residential homes and into more permanent residence.

Although the newlyannounced scheme will cost £372,000 in its first year, if 10 new fosterers sign up to work with the council £500,000 will be saved from not sending children to residential homes and into the care of agencies.

©Wikimedia commons

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BACKING: Nick Knowles ©DavidDjJohnson/Wikimedia

Support grows for domestic violence campaign

By CONNOR LYNCH

Newly-released figures on domestic violence in Merseyside show that an incident occurs on average once every 15 minutes.

Merseyside Police statistics show that over 30,000 domestic violence incidents occurred during the period of April 2014 to March 2015, although these figures have reduced from previous years.

These figures come after another report showing that one in three women and one in six men are victims of domestic violence in the area, with two women a week and two men a month actually being killed by their partners every year.

In an effort to highlight and combat domestic violence in the area local councils around the North West have joined in the ‘Be a Lover not a Fighter’ campaign, to raise awareness and provide information about an issue that so often goes unseen.

The Be a Lover not a Fighter Initiative is being run by Public Health Partnerships across Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire, aims to raise awareness, and create a discussion about domestic violence.

It has the backing of celebrities such as DIY SOS and National Lottery presenter Nick Knowles and Wirral native, five times World Kickboxing Champion Lee Charles.

Wirral Councillor Janette Williamson, Wirral’s ‘pledge champion’ for domestic abuse reduction, said that while Merseyside has lower domestic violence figures than the most the UK, there is still work to do.

She said: “The repeat rate of high risk domestic abuse is well below the national average, and fortunately, people are also now more likely to report abuse, which indicates increased confidence in services.

“However, it is still remains largely a hidden problem, and there is still much work to be done. We know that domestic abuse has a lasting effect on families and particularly on children into later life, which is why working towards zero tolerance is so important.”

For more information visit the Campaign’s website at www. lovernotfighter.org.uk

Young mums can buggy on down

By AMY COLE

A buggy fitness class is helping new mums to get fit in Liverpool.

Buggy Blast is run by Debra Seery, a 41-year-old mum from Liverpool, and is a fitness class designed to help mums exercise without needing to arrange for a child minder.

Debra, the founder of MisFit Mamas, quickly realised the need for these classes after giving birth to twins.

She said, “I am a mum of very young children and therefore understand the demands of caring for a family and having very little time or energy left to care for yourself.”

The class includes the buggies as part of the exercise, so children are safe and free to come along. The next four-week round is set to start on the 26th of February.

The first round of indoor buggy classes started in January, instead of the outdoor buggy fitness classes held at Sefton Park during the colder months. The indoor class may continue alongside the outdoor session when it returns in April because of its popularity.

The mum-of-three continued: “I provide safe and effective pregnancy and postnatal exercise

BUGGY BLAST: New mums showing off their fitness skills classes…babies are welcome to all postnatal classes so there’s no need for childcare but if mums have the opportunity to be baby-free then they are also very welcome.” MisFit Mamas hosts pre and post-natal classes that

uses carefully selected exercises, including cardio and toning stations that are perfectly safe for new mums. However, it is required to be cleared from a doctor after six weeks from birth.

Low impact exercise options

are also now available.

Debra continued: “The focus is largely on mum and her recovery from pregnancy and birth.

“I specialise in core restoration and healing abdominal separation… this provides the perfect

© Debra Seery step back to fitness through strengthening the body from within.

“This prepares the body for more vigorous exercise and their safe return to mainstream fitness.”

Student Union encourages the volunteer spirit

By SOPHIE SEAR

CAMPAIGN: Voluntereering week begins © Sophie Sear

Liverpool students are speaking out about the importance of volunteering as Student Volunteering Week hits universities across the UK. The Student Volunteering Week organisation (SVW) started its campaign to encourage volunteering and social action opportunities amongst students 15 years ago, and want colleges, universities, social enterprises, businesses and government to collaborate and showcase innovative individuals and projects.

Jack Bennett, a final year Mathematics student at Liverpool John Moores University, has been a voluntary football coach since he was 16. Now 21, Jack continues to coach alongside his degree.

He told Liverpool Life: “I volunteered so I could get something interesting on my CV. As well as leading to summer

jobs, my coaching experience has also opened doors for me to do a maths and sport science PhD which is an opportunity I wouldn’t have had without my volunteering.”

Activities across the week have been organised by Student Hubs and the National Union of Students. It is expected over 10,000 students will take part in events across the UK. Richard Brooks, Vice President for NUS, said: “Society benefits from the selflessness of students every day. By giving up their time and putting their minds to work in their local communities, students are changing the world.

“Students’ unions work together in nearly every town and city across the UK to make sure the positive social force of student volunteering is spread locally and felt nationally.”

Robyn Hughes, a 21 year-old English, Media and Cultural Studies student, volunteered

at a primary school in Everton. She told Liverpool Life: “Although the experience I got there was one of the reasons I got onto a PGCE course, it was also when I realised that teaching wasn’t for me, which is a good thing because it is better to realise this now rather than midway through another course.

“I think you realise with teaching that you have the jobs the teacher and teaching assistant don’t want to do. It’s great to get the experience but sometimes I didn’t enjoy it.”

The Liverpool Guild of Students are offering a ‘micro-volunteering’ activity on Friday, aimed at those students who do not have time to commit to a long project.

Staff members and officers will be around the University of Liverpool campus asking people to play a trivia game which will donate rice to Nepal and Uganda.

US medical tech firm chooses Liverpool thanks to trade mission

By SOPHIE CORCORAN

A US medical technology company has selected Liverpool as its UK headquarters.

The move comes after a trade mission led by Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson last year. Alabama

based ConcertCare, which provides consultancy services and integrated technology solutions to the health sector, expects to launch a base this year.

The chief of ConcertCare, Tanyeer Patel is in Liverpool this week for talks with the

city’s inward investment tea, she said: “Our choice of Liverpool is a direct consequence of that trip last year and of the Twinning Agreement.

“The Invest Liverpool team and the Mayor’s office presented a compelling rationale as to why

we should choose Liverpool as our UK base.”

The two cities, Alabama and Liverpool signed an Economic Twinning agreement last year when Mayor Anderson and officials from Invest Liverpool met Patel during a trade trip

by a Liverpool delegation to Birmingham, Alabama Joe Anderson added: “ConcertCare is exactly the kind of high value business which we wish to see in the city, operating at the cutting edge of technology in an area of huge growth potential.”

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Stronger In or Better Off Out? EU debate continues

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By CONOR LYNCH

he question of whether or not the United Kingdom should remain part of the European Union has become a key political issue over the last number of years, as a growing number of people have become frustrated with the limits of UK power and influence in the partnership.

The British public have now been asked to decide for themselves whether they want to maintain their relationship with Europe as Prime Minster David Cameron announced that there will be a referendum on the issue on June 23rd this year.

In the build-up to this announcement, both sides of the debate have begun campaigning to explain why they believe the United Kingdom will be better off in or out of the European Union.

The Stronger In campaign, which supports the continued membership of the UK in the EU, began its North West campaign last week at the Pier Head in Liverpool.

It was designed to highlight how important the European Union has been to the North West of England, and Merseyside in particular.

Kris Brown, Chair of the Liberal Democrats in Merseyside and volunteer for the Stronger In campaign, said: “When we look at jobs, there have been 50,000 jobs created since the late ‘90s in the Merseyside area, and at things like the ACC, the ECHO arena and the docks area, have all benefitted from EU funding.

“On the other side of the argument however, they have yet to coordinate one definitive campaign, as a number of different ‘Out’ campaigns have been started, although there is plans in place to form up under one umbrella organisation.”

Better Off Out is a campaign that began a number of years ago in order to help push forward the agenda of an independent United Kingdom apart from the European Union.

Director of the group Rory Broomfield feels that EU membership has hindered central government’s ability to fund Merseyside correctly and that EU funding has been overstated.

He said: “A number of people have said, I believe falsely, that the EU has invested more money than the UK government would have invested in Merseyside.

“The fact is that over £10bn per year would be saved from an exit from the EU, allowing us to spend more money in areas all around the UK. “Merseyside is an incredibly important

part of the UK economy and increasingly so, which you can see by the recent job figures and economic output.

“The incentive for the UK government to keep that going and allow it to develop and compete in a colloquial economy is much more than the incentive for the European Commission and other EU nations have to invest in Liverpool and the Merseyside Docking area.”

Both campaigns have a number of key issues that they want to emphasise in order to persuade the public before the referendum.

Those who wish to remain within the European Union have three key points they are pushing, which are; Trade, Security and the importance of EU funding.

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hose wanting to leave believe that the UK has lost its parliamentary sovereignty, with our laws being undermined by representatives in Brussels, and that the UK has become restricted from a wider global economic market by its insistence on remaining in the European Union.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Richard Kemp backs the Stronger In campaign and believes that the issue of trade is of key importance to Liverpool.

He said: “Europe is very important to Liverpool because we are a port, we are building a £300m extension to our container depot that will allow us to take in all but the largest 5 per cent of ships, and the idea is that stuff will come into Liverpool, onto trains and then straight through to the continent.

“That won’t happen if there are changed tariff barriers, if we have to re-negotiate new trade agreements, “It’ll be easier for people to avoid a whole load of bureaucracy and cost to just go straight to Rotterdam, and ports like that.”

However, ‘Out’ campaigners have refuted the idea that trade will be disrupted if we leave the European Union, claiming that the Eurozone’s economic significance is shrinking, using countries such as New Zealand and Norway as an example of how countries can ‘thrive’ on their own.

Jayne Ayde, director of the Get Britain Out campaign, said: “The EU is a declining market.

“In 2003 it constituted 30.7% of the world economy and this has declined to 23.7% by 2014.

“If we look at New Zealand, it has not been a member of any trade conglomerate, yet has just opened itself up to over 40% of the world’s economic market with the signing of the Trans Pacific Partnership.”

REFERENDUM: British residents are encouraged to have their vote on June 23rd. Pic © Wikimedia Commons

Festival goers may miss out on referendum vote

By AMY COLE

GLASTO: Music lovers may miss chance to vote © Ellie Kidsley

Festival fanatics could miss the chance to participate in the EU referendum unless they apply for a postal vote.

The date for the EU referendum falls on Thursday 23rd of June, the same date as Glastonbury festival starts.

Festival goers can enter the site as early as Wednesday morning, so by the time Thursday comes around, the site will already be filling up.

Glastonbury is the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world, it hosts around

175,000 people from all over the world across its 900 acres of land.

The Electoral Commission, who are responsible for overseeing elections and referendums in the UK, said because of legal framework it would not be possible for a polling station to be set-up at Glastonbury for people to vote in person.

Responding to queries about whether or not there would be polling stations for the referendum on the festival site, Glastonbury tweeted: “It won’t be possible to have an EU referendum polling station at Glaston-

bury 2016. You can register for postal votes”, And while Scotland may have failed to qualify for the Euro 2016 football tournament in France, masses of England, Wales and Northern Ireland supporters could still be across the Channel if their teams make it through the group stages of the championships.

Attendees to both events need to apply for a postal or proxy vote before they make their way to Somerset.

Applications can be found on the Gov. uk website.

Life|Arts|7

Hege’s determination has driven her forward HANNAH ROGERS speaks to graduate Hege Tollerud about life after LJMU

S

ometimes a journalism degree doesn’t always take you directly into the newsroom. The skills that come with learning to be a journalist can be transferred to many careers, as 2004 Norwegian graduate Hege Tollerud soon discovered.

It was hard to catch Hege in a free moment, as the CEO of Oslo Edtech Cluster, Liverpool Life spoke to her in between talks at London’s BETT Show – the leading conference on education technology in the world. Hege was invited to speak at the prestigious show on behalf of her company.

After working for four years as a journalist in her home country of Norway, Hege decided to travel to the UK to gain a different perspective on the industry and to hopefully gain a job in the area following graduation.

She said: “At Liverpool John Moores University I spent much of my time building my network in Liverpool and the rest of the UK. It also taught

me much about journalism and how the media works in the UK. It was great to get that extra perspective that made it possible to stay on and get a fun job in Liverpool after graduating.”

Following the end of her degree, Hege began working at the Mersey Partnership (now called the Liverpool Enterprise Partnership), as a Media & Communications Executive, working in PR for the tourist board.

‘

Keep an open mind and keep being curious

’

She stayed in this position for three years and eventually ventured back to her home country to take up a similar position for the Regional Economic Development Agency for Oslo.

Despite her successful career, Hege decided to travel back to the UK and completed her

THEATRE Avenue Q, 22-27 February, Liverpool Empire.

Created by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez, Avenue Q is a charming musical which tells the story of the loveable characters on a downtown New York Street trying to make sense of life’s issues.

MUSIC Wet Wet Wet, February 27, Liverpool Echo Arena.

Iconic British band Wet Wet Wet are to play the Echo Arena on Saturday February 2016 as part of the The Big Picture Tour. The group have sold over 15 million records while notching up over thirty UK chart hits including three number 1’s. Wet Wet Wet will perform songs such as: Julia Says, Somewhere Somehow and Love is All Around.

Masters Degree in Global Media and Communications at the London School of Economics (LSE) and then went on to do a second year and a second masters related to this in Shanghai, China.

Her drive and determination led her to the position she holds now, running a successful company. And it’s a role she is enjoying immensely.

She said: “I really enjoy working with a lot of different people, making a difference in making connections between them, within the cluster and with potential partners, investors and media.”

She shared her words of wisdom that helped her gain the immense success she is enjoying now with Liverpool Life: “My advice would be to keep an open mind and keep being curious but get used to the long hours and big workloads!”

As her role of CEO at EdTech is a relatively new venture for the JMU Journalism graduate, she hopes to stick around and do the best she can for the company.

IN CHARGE: Hege is currently the CEO at Oslo EdTech Cluster

What’s On COMEDY The Slaughter House, February 27, 7pm.

One of the finest stand-up comedy acts with triple headline shows. An MC will guide you through the UK’s top headline acts including some special TV names! Advanced booking is recommended. DJ’s and dancing until late ensure the fun doesn’t stop when the comedy ends.

FILM Grimsby, Liverpool One Odeon, February 24.

Join Sacha Baron Cohen on a trip to Grimsby for his latest adventure. Grimsby tells the story of football hooligan, Nobby, who is tracked down by his estranged assassin brother, Sebastian.

ARTS Art Gym, March 7-31, Tate Gallery.

Art Gym is a three week programme of free, drop-in activities held within a new a specially designed space at Tate Liverpool. Art Gym offers visitors the chance to make a personal training programme. Instead of kettlebells and treadmills, you can enjoy a range of classes, lectures, workshops and art stations teaching traditional craft work and digital art production.

Life|Food|8

Stir up your Scouse!

It’s Global Scouse Day this Sunday and time to celebrate Liverpool’s favourite dish

By SOPHIE CORCORAN

M

ake sure to celebrate your city’s heritage this Sunday 28th February as Global Scouse Day returns to Liverpool once again!

Set up in 2013 by Graham Hughes, the day has grown from this little idea of the city’s restaurants putting Scouse onto their menu, into a huge celebration celebrated by Liv-

erpudlians across the world.

Graham, the first person to visit every country without flying, wanted to start his own Scouse day after celebrating his share of St Paddy’s Day and Burns Night.

Laura Worthington, a founder of Global Scouse Day said: “On his birthday, 28th February, we would all gather at his, put on a pan of scouse and have a party. Six years later and after travelling the world and meeting Scousers in every corner of the earth, he came to me with Global Scouse Day and asked if I

could try and make a day of it.

“I wanted to turn it more in to a day to celebrate the city and people and promote local businesses and produce”.

Scouse is a type of lamb or beef stew, iconic to Liverpool. The word comes from ‘lobscouse’, a stew commonly eaten by sailors throughout Northern Europe, which became popular in seaports such as Liverpool.

Many restaurants, including Maggie Mays and Lucha Libre, on Bold Street, will be taking part in putting scouse on their

menu for the special day.

The Artisan Fair will be taking part in Global Scouse Day at Sefton Park, with dishes from around the world being featured as well as Scouse.

In association with Virgin Trains, Home Baked in Anfield will be selling Scouse pies at Lime Street to all of the travelling LFC fans to the Capital Cup Final. Virgin Trains will also be placing Scouse on the menu across all of their UK networks and will be supporting R charity with their fundraising efforts.

How to make the perfect pan of Scouse INGREDIENTS • 400g of beef • 30ml oil • Salt and pepper • 1 large onion, peeled and diced • 1 stock cube • 500ml hot water • 2 bay leaves • A few sprigs of thyme • 4 large carrots, peeled and cut • 6 medium potatoes, peeled and

chopped into chunks • Pickled red cabbage METHOD Prep: 15 min. Cook: 2 hours Ready in: 2 hours, 15 minutes • Dice the meat • Heat the oil in the pan to a medium temperature and add the meat. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir and turn until brown

all over. Add the onions and continue to stir on a medium heat for around 10 minutes.

• Add the stock with the water (or 500ml of good homemade stock) and bring to the boil. Add the leaves and the thyme, cover and when bubbling, reduce to medium heat.

• Uncover and add the carrots and potatoes, turn up the heat until bubbling throughout and

reduce slightly. Leave for another 45 minutes to 1 hour with the lid off the pan. When the veg has been cooked through but retains some firmness, the best way to check is to see if it falls easily off the end of the fork without cracking or breaking, then it is normally done perfectly.

• The stew should reduce once the veg is added and the lid taken off.

• Serve and enjoy!

Where to dine and drink • Calling all cocktail makers!

Tonight, the annual Global Scouse Day cocktail competition will take place at Berry and Rye. Berry and Rye are looking for someone to create a drink that represents the best of Liverpool. The winner of the competition will be given their own Scouse passport full of prizes including theatre tickets to see ‘The Ale House’, starring Philip Olivier at The Dome on Mount Pleasant; and a weekend pass to this year’s Liverpool Sound City.

• The annual Scouse Off is back This is where locals are encouraged to enter their version of the city’s best loved dish in a competition held at the Liverpool One Bridewell, to be judged by a

celebrity judging panel.

• The Artisan Fair will feature dishes from across the world cooked by world renowned chefs. Scouse will, of course, be on the menu.

The fair will take place on Sunday 28th February at The Palm House, Sefton Park.

• Get your scouse down at Maggie May’s on Bold Street where Global Scouse Day is every day!

• Other restaurants taking place in Global Scouse Day include: The Baltic Fleet, The Hub, Hanover Street, Tribeca, Bury Street, The Cavern Pub, Mathew Street, Lucha Libre on Wood Street and Mackenzie’s Whisky Bar on Rodney Street. All of these restaurants, plus more, will feature Scouse on their menu.

Cafe owners cooking up funds for charity

L FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Cafe owner to give free Scouse in exchange for donations

© R Charity

By SOPHIE SEAR iverpool café owners and patients at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital are cooking up a steaming bowl of scouse throughout February to raise funds for the hospital’s R Charity.

Family members at Maggie May’s café in Bold Street will be joining the cause with a mobile unit on Church Street on Sunday for Global Scouse Day. They will be dishing out free bowls of scouse in exchange for an R Charity donation.

John Lea, who opened Maggie May’s 22 years ago with wife Sue, said: “Our recipe has been handed down through the family for generations. My mum would

put the meat on before she went to work. You don’t mess with scouse.”

R Charity are currently appealing for £10 million to better the facilities at the Royal. As a patient at the hospital, John is keen to help the charity reach its fundraising target.

He added: “The whole family have been patients at the Royal, and my wife Sue owed her life to the hospital and the doctors who treated her there.”

Angela McShane, events fundraiser at R Charity, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Maggie May’s for all their help towards our £10 million target which will go towards providing state of the art diagnostic equipment and improved patient comfort in our

new Royal Hospital.”

This year, over 150 Liverpool restaurants have signed up to Global Scouse Day to put the dish on their menus.

Laura Worthington, one of the founders of Global Scouse Day, said: “Every year Global Scouse Day gets bigger and better and I am very proud how the entire city has got behind the event and made it what it is.

“This year we’re working with the R Charity team following their exciting world record attempt to launch Scouse at R House and raise £10 million for the new Royal.”

To register for a fundraising pack with recipes from top chefs, contact the R Charity fundraising team on 0151 706 3150.

Life|Arts|9

TOMLINSON

©Bill

Laughter in court

BOARDMAN

©Bill Elms

St George’s Civil Court Case No.45: ‘The Trial of Tomlinson versus Boardman’ promises to be a unique evening of entertainment which will tell the story of a dispute between two of Merseyside’s top comedians, reports STEPH BOCKING

T

he Courtrooms inside Liverpool’s St George’s Hall have played host to arguably some of the most thrilling court cases this country has ever witnessed.

Until the early 1980s, the impressive Hall had housed both the city’s Crown and Civil Courts for over a century.

Next month, the historic Civil Courtroom will once again be called to session-for trial with a twist.

‘Mr Tomlinson and Mr Boardman have lived next door to each other for over 30 years and were good friends-that was until Ricky went on holiday and asked Stan to look after his dog.

Mr Tomlinson gave Stan £60 for dog food to feed his pet for three weeks, whilst he was away.

However, Ricky says that Stan never fed his dog and wants to find out what happened to his money.

Stan is counter-suing Mr Tomlinson for £3000 worth of electricity, which he says Ricky stole from his house to work his fly-mo and to cultivate plants that he grows in his loft.

Ticket holders for the evening will become the jury in the personal Civil Court Case, which was scripted by Mr Boardman himself.

Stan explained that the audience has just as big a role to play in the evening as the cast.

He told Liverpool Life: “We really know don’t what is going to happen or how the evening will unfold. There is a lot of audience participation, they can get involved and shout out

when they want and they’ll be told off by the judge.

“We have no idea how things will turn out, it’s a court case between Tomlinson and Boardman, he says I owe him money and I think he owes me money, that’s all we know. Apart from that, anything could happen.”

The trial also stars Liverpool comedian Crissy Rock as Boardman’s sister and John Gorman, from 1970s television series Tiswas, as The Judge.

Stan said: “I’ve got a good cast and I’ve worked with them all before. In the rehearsals, we just cannot get through the whole script without laughing.”

The stand-up legend also gave some insight as to why St George’s Hall was chosen as the venue to host the event.

He said: “St George’s Hall is a place we all know about, but I bet about 99% of people have never actually been inside it.

“There are actually two courtrooms inside the building and we will be using the larger one for the evening. So I think it will be a good chance for people to have a look around the court and actually see inside the building.”

Alan Smith, manager of St George’s Hall said: “It’s a delight to be able to have such quality performers appearing in the court and bringing comedy, laughter and joy into a space that has also had more than its fair share of sorrow and hardship.”

The event will take place over three nights, from Sunday 13th to Tuesday 15th March.

COMEDY: The court case of Tomlinson V Boardman ©Bill Elms

Have you got the Oliver-Factor?

BY STEPH BOCKING

LHK Youth Theatre has announced it will be holding auditions next month, in search of fresh talent to star in its production of the much-loved musical Oliver!

Open to both boys and girls aged seven to 18, the Liverpool-based production company are looking for youngsters that have an I’d Do Anything attitude to perform in the musical.

Auditions are open to all levels from beginners to

advanced, but hopefuls must be able to sing, act and dance.

Producers are particularly looking for strong vocalists to cast in some of the singing roles in the show, which will be presented in November 2016.

Managing director of LHK Productions, Lee Kelly, said: “Each year we reach out across the region to discover exceptional new talent. Our training is based on the principal that the best place for young people to learn about the performing

arts is on stage, in front of a live audience.”

LHK Productions was established in 2006 and has developed the talent of thousands of young people over the past decade. Previous members have gone on to become West End performers and TV stars.

Auditions will be held at The Epstein Theatre on Sunday 6th. March, at 12 noon. For more information visit the website at www.lhkproductions.co.uk.

Life|Travel|10

Merseytravel services all fully ‘booked up’ If you ever find yourself bored on a train, in a taxi or even on a ferry, then worry no more. Thanks to the new initiative, ‘Moved to Read’, there will always be a book close by to help you pass the time

By LUCY NIXON

T

ake a trip on various public transport services across Merseyside lately and you may find that there seems to be more bookworms around than usual.

Scattered across Merseytravel services are commuters with their heads buried in a book all thanks to the latest initiative from City of Readers Liverpool (CoR).

City of Readers is an organisation which aims to promote reading in people of all ages, particularly children, and the organisation has spent the past few months distributing free books to various transport services including trains, ferries and even taxis.

The idea behind the scheme, titled ‘Moved to Read’, is that travellers can grab a copy of their favourite novel in order to make their journey more bearable, before passing it on to a fellow commuter.

Emily Crawford from CoR spoke to Liverpool Life about how the scheme is being used to help people utilise their time.

“I think when people lead such busy lives sometimes it can be hard to find time to read, giving people access to books on public transport for free gives them the

option to enjoy a book in that travel time.

“We’re also very much about that experience going beyond that single journey and being shared, which is why we think it’s so important for people to be able to take books with them to enjoy with others too”, she said.

Since the scheme began last year, they have distributed over 4000 books across the city including 500 copies of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which were given out across the city’s taxi network in the run-up to Christmas last December.

“Half the taxis we approached had already heard about the scheme and wanted to be involved and I think what I really loved was how so many of them immediately started to read the book there and then,” explained Emily.

With a fifth of children nationally claiming that they rarely read or pick up a book outside school, Emily explained the importance of schemes such as ‘Moved to Read’ in encouraging the younger generation to pick up a book.

“It’s been proven that getting children to enjoy reading from an early age has a significant impact on other elements of their learning and development.

We don’t just encourage reading – we encourage people to share the experience together. Reading

READING: People of Liverpool being urged to read more often © City of Readers, Liverpool

together is a great way to build connections and for families to spend time with each other.”

This weekend saw the distribution of 500 children’s books at Central station in Liverpool and was the first time that the organisation have paired up with another city-wide initiative, Liverpool Counts, which focuses on promoting numeracy incentives across Liverpool.

“Literacy and numeracy often go hand in hand and impact each other, so to have access to activities which highlight and encourage both was a really important part of the day,” Emily added.

As more books are set to be distributed in the coming months, Emily explained how she hoped the scheme would continue to grow.

“I think it would be brilliant if more organisations took up the scheme and it was adopted nationally – we’re very lucky to have had such great support from Merseytravel which has meant we’ve been able to distribute over 4000 books on ferries, buses, taxis and now trains in the Liverpool region.”

So next time you hop aboard a Merseytravel service, be sure to take a moment to see how many readers you’re joined with. And if you forget your own book?

Don’t worry, a Moved to Read copy will never be far away.

‘MOVED TO READ’: over 4000 books have been distributed around the city since the scheme began last year. © City of Readers, Liverpool

GET INVOLVED: Even taxi drivers are taking part in the ‘Moved to Read’ scheme, along with various transport services such including trains and ferries. © City of Readers, Liverpool

Life|Culture|11

Wirral beauty unveils her £2.8million facelift

Excitement is growing for art lovers across the world as the beautiful Lady Lever Art Gallery gets ready to open its doors once again. Lucy Nixon reports

O

riginally built in tribute to a lost love, the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight is steeped with almost as much history as the exhibits it showcases.

Now nearing the end of a £2.8m regeneration project, which has seen its south end transformed, the gallery is set to open its doors once again, this time to a whole new generation of art lovers.

Founded by William Hesketh Lever in 1922, it was originally intended to be a way for Lever to share his art passion with the world. Following the tragic death of his wife Elizabeth, Lever dedicated the gallery to her memory.

With its foundation stone laid

by King George V and its formal opening led by Princess Beatrice, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria, Lady Lever has been used to rubbing shoulders with royalty since its birth.

Born from Lever’s desire to share his personal array of art with the public, his collection goes beyond that of most art lovers containing over 20,000 pieces, many of which are still on display today at the Lady Lever gallery. The diverse collection, containing paintings, furniture, ceramics and textiles, has long been a favourite of art lovers in Merseyside and beyond.

It was Lever’s view that art should be enjoyed by all, hence his decision to open a gallery

that was suitable for all ages, an ethos that is still core to the gallery’s popularity today.

Despite his collection mainly being made up of British works it is Lever’s passion for Chinese porcelain that shines through.

With over 160 Chinese snuff bottles and one of the finest collections of Chinese porcelain in Europe, it is perhaps no surprise that the Port Sunlight gallery attracts attention on a global platform.

The gallery’s collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings is held in such esteem that various pieces have recently been exhibited on a touring showcase across Japan.

The gallery may house a collection of stunning artwork dating back hundreds of years, but walk around the newly refurbished South End and the building itself could be an exhibit in its own right. With original architraves and chandeliers along with glazed doors offering panoramic views of Port Sunlight village, the gallery has been returned to its former glory.

F

ollowing refurbishments in the 1960s which saw original skylights and door frames covered, the gallery rooms were reliant on artificial lighting.

However after the recent regeneration project, the new galleries will boast an array of period features and innovative architectural lighting which will highlight some of the gallery’s most iconic features, including

the South End glass dome.

The recent regeneration, which was part of a Heritage Lottery Funded project, has been ongoing over the past year and a half.

They have seen the South End restored to the concept that Lord Lever originally imagined and the new galleries are set to open to the public next month.

Sandra Penketh, Director of Art Galleries at National Museums Liverpool, said: “The new South End galleries are a true representation of Lever’s remarkable vision. He believed that art should be an inspiration to all and the rooms in this spectacular space were re-imagined with this message at heart.

W

e’ve reversed some of the changes that were made to the South End in the 1960s, opening up the galleries to allow us to display Lever’s outstanding treasures in the best possible way. We’re incredibly excited to reveal the new galleries to visitors and hope that they’ll enjoy exploring the collections in new and inspiring ways.”

Not only does Lady Lever allow people from all walks of life to enjoy the art that Lord Lever so lovingly collected, the building and its surroundings offer inspiration to the artists of today. Surrounded by fountains and gardens and situated in the picturesque Port Sunlight village, it is no surprise that the gallery has been the focal point for Merseyside pieces.

Local artist Hilary Squire often finds herself in the gardens of Lady Lever and the gallery has been the inspiration for many of the artist’s watercolours, which she sells from her garden shed.

“Lady Lever is stunning on the inside and out. It’s so tranquil you would never know you’re just minutes from Liverpool”, she told Liverpool Life.

“What makes this so special is the fact that Lord Lever created it to share his passion and you can tell. As both an artist and an art lover, when you find somewhere special like this you never forget it.”

The refurbished South End of the gallery is set to reopen on March 25th. Shortly after the much-anticipated re-opening, the gallery will host a major new exhibition of Picasso linocuts which will be the first time the prints have been displayed outside of the British Museum.

Lady Lever Art gallery remains open to the public whilst the refurbishments are completed.

Top: Lady Lever Art Gallery set to open. © National Museums Liverpool/fotography Middle: Art lovers enjoy the gallery. © National Museums Liverpool/fotography Bottom: Artwork dates back hundreds of years. © National Museums Liverpool/Pete Carr

Life|Fashion|12

Step into Spring G

irls, if you are wanting to add a splash of colour to your outfits, then a duster waistcoat will be perfect for you. These spring jackets are everywhere and are perfect for layering. This sleevless duster from Heatons is just £29.50. www.heatonsstores.com

T

o keep casual, guys can opt for a simple bomber jacket. This parachute bomber jacket from Debenhams is £55, is ideal this Spring to stay warm and dry. www.debenhams.com

Brighten up your wardrobe for the transition into Spring. While the 70s trend has remained strong, it has materialized mostly as a modern take on clean, casual rich neutrals. As the days are getting longer and the nights are getting lighter, KATIE BRAITHWAITE looks at the latest trends to keep an eye out for. This is what is hot on the Spring 2016 fashion week runways.

L

adies, throw over a longline mac to keep you warm throughout the cooler months. Mac jackets are a simple staple which you can continue to wear into Summer for a classic look like this one from BHS for £50. www.bhs.co.uk

M

ichelle Keegan’s new Lipsy range includes gorgeous items like this beige duster coat for £55.99.

Stay on trend with the neutral and keep your look simple. www.lipsy.co.uk/store/michelle-keegan

Y

ou guys can keep on-trend too with this shower resistant single breasted trench coat from Red Herring for £68. Perfect for layering and an alternative from your winter coat. www.debenhams.com/men/red-herring

Life|Politics|13

Time to talk about Trident The Trident debate continues to divide opinion.

BARRY ROCKS reports on the controversy

B

ritain’s nuclear deterrent system, better known as Trident, divides opinion.

Last week a public consultation on its future was held in Liverpool. It was chaired by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and amongst the attendees were teachers, bookshop owners, engineers and students. There was a recurring theme: stop Trident and save Merseyside.

The Trident scheme is made up of four submarines, each armed with 135 crew members, 16 missiles and 48 nuclear war heads. It is there to threaten would-be attackers of Britain with a red button to end the game. It is a weapon of mass destruction.

It is also in need of renewal. The Ministry of Defence has estimated the cost of a successor at £31 billion. MPs will vote on Trident’s future in the summer and should they vote to proceed with the development of new nuclear weapons the funds will be made available.

In stark contrast to this colossal investment plan, Merseyside and many other local authorities have been decimated by government cutbacks.

Between 2010 and 2017, Liverpool has had £330m – or 58% of its funding from central government slashed.

Recently, when describing how bad the financial situation has become, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson made the unwittingly ironic comparison to Nuclear weapons.

He said: “Watching the deteriorating state of local government’s finances is a bit like a scene in a thriller where the nuclear reactors dial flickers in the red zone. Meltdown is imminent.”

PUBLIC: Mayoral candidate Tom Crone addressing the public. Pic © Barry Rocks

Now in the run up to the Trident vote, expected this summer, the public are being rallied to lobby their MPs into forcing a serious re-evaluation of the allocation of finances.

Last week’s gathering in Liverpool made the case for money to be withdrawn from Trident and pumped back into Local Authorities who are in desperate need.

They assembled inside the Quaker Meeting House in the city centre, young people stood in the corridor craning their necks to listen in. It was a modest gathering, but numerical shortages were more than made up for by passion.

Councillor Tom Crone, mayoral candidate for the Green Party spoke at the meeting. He explained to Liverpool Life why the people of Merseyside should care about Trident.

He said: “The government are making the decisions to do that [government cuts] to local authorities, to regular people. We’re having to take away care packages from old people who can barely get themselves dressed in the morning. We’re having to make really difficult decisions about the most basic privileges that people get in civilised countries like ours and the government are prepared to commit a hundred bullion pounds to a weapons system.”

nothing to protect Britain day to day and is the greatest drain of public funds.

They unanimously agreed to take the action to the streets of Liverpool in the coming weeks, in a bid to raise awareness and educate the public on the issue. To encourage people contact their MP’s and let them know this is an issue they should be talking about as decision time approaches on the future of Britain’s nuclear weapons.

A national rally will be held in London this Saturday, February 27th, For more info visit CND.org.uk

M

ore than 5’000 adults in Liverpool will have their social care packages taken away from them in the upcoming year, this is despite a 3.9% increase in council tax.

Tom added: “For me when you think about it in those terms the priorities are completely backwards. We should be looking after our old people, our disabled people, we should be making sure that we treat everybody in a civilised way and that everybody has an opportunity for a dignified life. You can’t make these decisions and consider ourselves to be civilised in my opinion.”

However Trident remains an emotive subject and the chasm between both sides is immense.

On one side the argument is built on a fundamental belief that Trident empowers Britain and that a nuclear deterrent is needed in world of growing uncertainty. On the other, the unflappable movement striving for change, led by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The pro Trident camp is headed by UK defence secretary Michael Fallon. He stated recently: “We needed the deterrent in the Cold War but we need it even more now,” He said scrapping it would “send a terrible signal of weakness around the world, of Britain stepping back… That is not our role now.”

Anti-nuclear campaigners at the Liverpool meeting last week believe that this is scaremongering. Their argument succinctly put: Trident it is an archaic remnant of the cold war era, it does

PROTEST: Liverpool protest for nuclear disarmament.

Pic © Merseyside CND

Life|Heritage|14

All washed up T

A Liverpool photographer has snapped the once proud Royal Iris in its current state. Steph Bocking reports...

he Royal Iris ferry was a familiar sight on the River Mersey for over forty years.

To many Liverpudlians, she would become known as the “fish and chip boat”; a hub of energy, life, music and laughter.

Earlier this week, Liverpool photographer Dave Wood released shocking photographs, revealing the current state of the former Mersey Ferry. The images show the dramatic decline of the vessel, which was decommissioned in the early 1990s, due to rising repair costs.

Arriving in the River Mersey in 1951, the ship boasted a stage, dance floor and cocktail bar. Throughout the years, its lively atmosphere attracted a host of celebrities and Merseyside icons to perform on-

board, including The Beatles.

The Royal Iris is currently moored in Woolwich, near the Thames Barrier in London.

Dave Wood has been capturing the slow demise of the ferry since 2002, when he discovered the ship was located near his work in London. He told Liverpool Life: “A friend told me that there was a boat called the Royal Iris docked in the Thames and I recalled the name from when I was a kid.

I knew very little else about it really, I just thought I would go down and have a look if it was the same one.”

The architectural photographer added: “I’m not a particularly sentimental person and I had no distinct memories of it compared to any other Mersey ferries. But when I saw the state it was in, I was nearly in tears.

I had my camera with me, so I

just thought I would take a few photos, but thought nothing else of it.”

Over the years, Dave continued to photograph the Royal Iris’ deterioration. He explained that there have been a number of plans to transform the boat- including turning her into a floating restaurant- but none have so far materialised.

In 2009, the vessel became stuck on a sand bank in the river, which caused it to overflow in high tides. He said: “It was in a terrible state. So in 2010 I started the petition to help bring her back to the Mersey.”

T

he Royal Iris Petition is focused on returning the ferry to its spiritual home. The campaign explains that the vessel is understandably not loved in London, as she has no part in its maritime

The exterior of the old vessel seen rusting in its new London home

“When I saw the state it was in, I was nearly in tears”

heritage. It has called for the current owner of the Royal Iris to consider selling the ship to a person or group who wish to return her to the Mersey, where people care for her and can recall the happy days in its history.

Unfortunately, Dave explained that this process has faced some setbacks. He said: “There’s nothing down for her now. Over the years I’ve had one or two people enquire about the boat- but I’m not an expert on it myself. I’ve even tried to make contact with Sir Paul McCartney and Gerry Marsden, as they’ve both performed onboard, but I never did receive a response.”

Despite these frustrations, Dave remains hopeful for a wealthy benefactor to one day help return the Royal Iris back to its Merseyside home.

© Dave Wood

Above: An old dial. Below: the current state of the exterior © Dave Wood

Life|Sport|15

Plotting for the top: Everton manager Roberto Martinez © Wiki Commons

Everton Bourn again

By JAMES GAMBLE

Everton face struggling Aston Villa this coming Tuesday, and will hope to climb the table and get some points on the board.

Having beaten Bournemouth in a difficult, but impressive away win in the FA Cup on Saturday, the Blues will be hoping to transfer their winning form to the Premier League.

Lukaku, who got another goal at the weekend, now has 21 goals across all competitions, 16 of which have come in the league. Lukaku and Barkley have stood out for the Toffees this season, as well as winger Aaron Lennon, who has regained his form from his early Tottenham days.

Villa are threatened with relegation from the Premier League, with a total of just 16 points from 26 games, they are in real

Final Fever

By RYAN JONES

Liverpool take on Manchester City on Sunday in the Carling Cup final in what is the first chance of silverware this season.

Preparation will not be ideal for Jurgen Klopp who needs to beat Augsburg FC at Anfield on Thursday in a match that could make or break their season.

With his side sat 9 points off the 4th place, Jurgen Klopp conceded that the Europa League is the best chance his side have to get into the Champions League, however they were unable to grab an away goal in Augsburg last Thursday in a 0-0 draw.

After beating Manchester City 4-1 earlier on in the season, Liverpool fans may be quietly confident they have what it takes to lift the trophy given that a few of their star players like Daniel Sturridge and Phillipe Coutinho are back from injury.

Second chance for young offenders

By HANNAH ROGERS

A sports initiative is proving to be successful in helping young offenders improve their lifestyle.

CLUB1 is just one of the projects introduced by Wirral Positive Futures, who have partnered up with the Police Crime Commissioner’s Funding. The fitness-based club aims to help mentor young people aged 1425 who have offended, are at risk of offending or have issues with drugs or alcohol.

Colin Hunt, from the council’s Sports Development Unit, said: “We offer a fully inclusive programme which caters for all abilities for males and females. We also cater for young people with disabilities on a more specific programme.”

The main aim of the initiative, which is managed by Wirral Sports Development, is to encourage these young people to

create a sporting habit that will stick with them for life, inspiring them to participate in a host of ‘solo sports’ which do not require a team or the attendance of classes.”

So far, around 50 people regularly attend the sessions which help introduce them to local sports facilities such as gyms and swimming pools. Leasowe Leisure Centre provides a twohour exclusive use of the fitted gym, spinning studio and half the sports hall for the club and Olympic boxer Courtney Fry is often on hand to offer mentoring to those that want it.

The majority of the participants have turned out to be girls, which CLUB1 credits to a trend of a preference to fitness-based activities rather than traditional sports based ones.

The club takes place every Sunday night between 6pm and 8pm at Leasowe Leisure Centre.

Run for it: (above) Training on the cross fit machine ©StreetGames

Team effort: (above) a group of sports goers gathering at Leasowe Leisure Centre ©StreetGames Fighting the system: (left) Youngster aiming to turn their lives around through boxing ©StreetGames

Keith Mills is Linnet to win it

By LISA RIMMER Runcorn Linnets JFC have just appointed new manager Keith Mills following a managerial absence of almost four weeks.

Still celebrating from their recent winning form, Runcorn Linnets JFC were left without a manager at the height of their success.

The team are the under 10 representatives of Runcorn’s main football team. Runcorn Linnets JFC appealed for a new head using social media hoping to find someone who would help them continue their recent chain of wins.

There were concerns that the team would suffer.

Parents of the team were leading the boys through

Training: Runcorn Linnets JFC will have a new fitness regime under new boss Keith Mills ©Lisa Rimmer

their games on a rota basis but there were fears that their lack of knowledge and experience would hinder the club’s success.

The parents took to Facebook in search of a new manager. They hoped to find someone who would continue in the footsteps of Martin Keogh, whose sudden departure from the club has left them with concerns of their future.

Keith Mills’ appointment means that concerns can now be quashed and proper training for the under 10s can continue.

Keith Mills said: “I’m over the moon. I recently left Barnton AFC as their coach so I could spend more time with my kids and this is perfect.

“My son, Michael, plays for the team so I’ll get the best of both worlds. Other parents had approached me to help after Martin left but I was worried that it may be seen as a conflict of interest with Michael being a player, but the other parents told me that it wouldn’t be an issue.”

Tennis ace wins comp

By HANNAH ROGERS A Liverpool born tennis player has come out on top at an international doubles competition this week.

Sarah Beth Askew played alongside Olivia Nicholls to beat an American and another British player 10-8 to take the crown at Bidston Tennis and Leisure centre Cllr Chris Meaden, cabinet member for leisure and culture, said: “The tournament has showcased some of the top up-andcoming players in world tennis, and I’m sure it will inspire our youngsters to get into the sport.

“We want everyone in Wirral to be able to access sport and leisure and the Aegon GB Pro-Series is a showcase event for our great facilities” The week-long tournament concluded on Monday, and local spectators flocked to watch

Sarah the local hero walk away with the doubles prize with her partner.

Two young local players have also been selected to play for Great Britain’s under 10s in France this March after their performance at this tournament.

And Alex Krol, a wheelchar player, will also represent Great Britain at the Invictus Games in Florida later this year.

Dave McIndoe, Wirral Council’s Tennis Development Officer, runs a coaching course in the area.

He said: “It’s fantastic for three of our players to develop their talent in our Tennis Programme and then be recognised nationally for their exploits, all at the same time as an international event is held at our centre.

“It just goes to show how inspirational our hosting of the Aegon GB Pro-Series tournament is for young local sportsmen and women.”

Liverpool

LifeSPORT Wednesday 24th February 2016

CHARITY BOXING NIGHT IN MEMORY OF JAMES BULGER

Inside Sport

Facebook helps find Linnets manager

TEAM JAMES: Participants in the chartiy boxing night

By AMY COLE Boxing contestants are stepping into the ring whilst raising money for charity this Friday night.

Around 15 boxing contests will take place at Fusion nightclub on Fleet Street to raise money for the James Bulger Memorial Trust and various other charities of the contestants’ choices.

Over the last six weeks 30 hopeful boxers have been raising money through JustGiving pages alongside their vigorous training for Friday night’s event. Contestants will be paired off for threeround matches using White Collar boxing rules.

Kirsty Lucas, Events organiser for IWA Boxing, said: “Although each bout has a decision at the end we truly believe there are no losers as every participant will have given it their all, improved fitness, met great friends, learnt new skills, gained more self-confidence and raise money for a great cause whilst doing all of this.”

The men and women participating all chose their own charity, including 11 boxers supporting the trust.

Whoever fundraises the most for their charity will receive a prize from IWA Boxing.

Kirsty continued: “They have

Pic © Rowland Goodman

READY TO RUMBLE: The fight night will take place this Friday night

never done anything like this before, taken the time out of their daily lives and work lives. We are so proud of the gang.

Each beginner boxer will try and win in the ring and raise money for their chosen charity.

A spokesperson for the trust

said: “We have gone into the world of White Collar Boxing with the help of Alex from Masda MuiThai Gym. “It’s great to see a lot of people want to help the charity in a unique way.

“We will be looking to do more

of these events with the help of Alex.

“If you want to become part of #TeamJames please contact the charity.”

Doors open at 7:30pm with the first fight starting at 8:00pm.

Tickets are available for £25.

Victory in Wirral for tennis ace

Cricket club to raise awareness for liver disease

By LISA RIMMER

Members of Runcorn Cricket Club are holding a 12 hour game of cricket next weekend to raise awareness for Liver disease.

This follows the diagnosis of Budd Chiari Syndrome for one of their long-standing mem-

bers and previous players, Alan Greaves.

Alan, 52, of Percival Lane, was diagnosed with liver disease last summer.

The British Liver Trust are doing research into Alan’s condition, Budd Chiari Syndrome, which has similar symptoms to liver cirrhosis.

Alan told Liverpool Life: “I started suffering from shortness of breath. I’ve always been pretty fit so it was unusual for me but then I started to get severe tummy pains and my skin started to go yellow and that’s when I started to worry. Budd Chiari isn’t that well known so The British Liver Trust have

given me loads of help and support so it’s nice that the cricket club are helping me give back to them.”

The club are hoping that their 12-hour continuous game of cricket will raise money and awareness for the charity and little-known disease. Rob Beech, Chairman of Runcorn

Cricket Club, said: “Whatever we can do to help Alan we will do. The nice thing about being part of the cricket club is the fact that it’s like a community.

It’s going to be a tough slog playing cricket for 12 hours in this weather but if it raises awareness for liver disease, then it will all be worth it.”

New hope for young offenders