Liverpool Life 9:12 February 24 2021

LL Liverpool Life

THIS WEEK

ARTS

LIFESTYLE

FROM THE HEART OF THE CITY

> Tough times in the job market

February 24 2021

> City’s role in tackling apartheid

> A taste of Liverpool’s top vegan takeaway

PUTTING THE WORLD TO RIGHTS > Meet the entrepreneur starring in a new documentary

> Exhibition traces Liverpool’s role in the fight against apartheid - pages 18-19

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CONTENTS THIS WEEK

4&5 Farmers: Unsung victims of lockdown 6 The ponies walking for World Encephalitis Day

Photos: Aiden Crisp, JanePalash @

7 Community farm’s plans for re-opening LIFE

Photos: Ruairi Walsh

8&9 From Wine to Prime 10 A year indoors: Fashion in lockdown 11 The power of influencers 12 Listen hear - and mind your language 13 Liverpool’s top vegan takeaway 14 Why Lent is different this year 15 Finding work in the pandemic 16 How to get the salon treatment at home 17 Massage: The physical toll of isolation ARTS

18&19 Liverpool’s anti-apartheid role Welcome to the latest issue of our Liverpool Life magazine.

Once again, we are publishing more in-depth articles, as we hope to bring you interesting and insightful stories from across Merseyside, reflecting the interests and concerns of our readers.

A layered and diverse magazine, we aim to tell the stories you might otherwise miss, while also keeping you informed of the local implica-

Once again, it’s a wonderful Life tions of national and international events.

Reporters are people too, and as such we have a variety of interests that influences what stories we find, so we have structured the magazine to reflect this, from how to take care of your mind and body during lockdown, to local events and people

making the news happen.

We’re also learning how to report and produce a magazine while working remotely.

Our aim is to provide an interesting local news magazine that tells your stories, and we hope you enjoy reading what we find.

Ryan Wykes, Lifestyle Reporter

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Picture©pascal-debrunner-by-zyMn_e-R4@unsplash.com

Farming in crisis With the pressures of Brexit and a global pandemic, the isolated life of a farmer can be tough. Reporter TONI BROWN investigates the impact this is having on the lives and minds of agricultural workers

Picture © Toni Brown

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Picture©Agricontract

“All of that isn’t happening anymore, so there’s a lot of farmers that won’t be seeing anyone and it’s just making sure that they know to pick up the phone and speak to people if they are finding it difficult.”

The Liverpool-based farmer and Chairman of the NFU North West Combinable Crops Board has been running workshops with a trained psychotherapist for the past few years.

The idea was to help people who visit farms (vets, agronomists and so on) to spot the signs of depression and mental health issues in agriculture and farmers. They can then keep an eye on the farmer and be there for support, but also not say the wrong things.

Mr Harrison lost a friend to suicide a few years ago, so this topic is extremely close to his heart.

According to a recent survey by the Farm Safety Foundation, 88% of young farmers rate poor mental health as the biggest hidden problem they face.

The farming industry has been hit hard in the past year with Brexit delaying exports, coronavirus shutting down processing plants and a poor harvest meaning an increase in crop

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Very sadly, we have more problems with mental health now than we do with COVID-19 on farms

prices.

Charlie Dewhirst, Senior Policy Advisor to the National Pig Association (NPA), said: “Actually, very sadly, we’ve got more problems with mental health now than we do with COVID-19 on farms.

“It’s really quite distressing and it’s a combination of all the things I’ve just said. It’s all come at people at once.

Then, when they get home, they aren’t even living a normal life because of the restrictions we are all living under and that’s just making it even worse.

We are trying to work hard to address that and we work with various organisations who can assist with that. But, it’s not easy for them.”

There are lots of online resources that are still operating during lock-

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n social media, it appears that everyone is struggling more with this lockdown than any other with many saying it is because of the weather.

Winter is a hard time, due to the shorter days and the poor weather.

During the pandemic, this has been heightened with the added isolation and lack of inspiration to go outdoors.

Now think about those living and working alone on a farm, or with a small number of other people.

Out in a field all day with no-one to talk to, just a radio for company. Long hours in the pouring rain, wind and snow. Separated from friends, family and colleagues. Now add the pressures of Brexit and COVID-19, and what do you have? A farming crisis.

The winter months are the hardest periods for farmers as they have less work and the weather can be extremely poor. A lot of farmers will not see anyone for long, drawn out periods.

Olly Harrison, manager and partner at T. and O. Harrison farms, said: “In the winter and the times when we are a bit quieter and the weather is bad, we would be going to conferences and meetings about different things and planning for next year.

down, to provide people with any help and support they need.

Stuart Roberts, Deputy President of the National Farmers Union (NFU) said: “The pandemic will no doubt have taken its toll on our mental health but help is at hand.

“For many people, the first step is recognising when there is a problem and talking to someone about it and, where needed, getting professional help. Thankfully, the farming community has a multitude of strong support networks such as RABI [Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution], FCN [Farming Community Network] and YANA [You Are Not Alone] which have maintained their telephone help lines throughout the pandemic.”

Helplines if you are feeling low or are worried about someone: RABI – 0808 281 9490 FCN – 03000 111 999 / help@fcn.org.uk YANA – 0300 323 0400 / helpline@yanahelp.org 5

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Horses lift spirits in Liverpool Encephalitis Day 2021

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By BRENDAN THOMAS

horse-riding school travelling Liverpool dedicated their final walk to World Encephalitis Day on Monday.

Park Palace Ponies have been travelling many streets in Liverpool during lockdown which has brought much joy to the community. Whilst following Covid-19 guidelines, the horse-riding school have been visiting neighbourhoods allowing people to interact with the ponies, feed and stroke them which attracted a lot of attention on social media.

They announced their final stop on Monday would come to an end at the Liver Buildings which lit up red to raise awareness for encephalitis. The Encephalitis Society use the colour red to raise awareness for the illness and encourage supporters to go #Red4WED by wearing red each year and get people talking.

The disease, which affects up to 6,000 people in the UK each year and potentially hundreds of thousands worldwide is an inflammation of the brain caused by an infection invading the brain or the immune system

Mia Smith Encephalitis usually begins with a ‘flu-like illness’ or headache.

Typically, more severe symptoms follow hours to days, or sometimes weeks later. The most serious finding is an alteration in the level of consciousness. This can range from mild confusion or drowsiness to loss of consciousness and coma.

Other symptoms include a high temperature, inability to speak or control movement, seizures, aversion to bright lights, sensory changes, neck stiffness or uncharacteristic behaviour.

One spectator who visited the ponies, Mia Smith, attended as

Liverpool Liver Building 22nd February 2021

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she wanted to raise awareness for encephalitis.

She said: “An event like this is so good during these current times as “it has brought a much-needed smile to everybody’s face here and it brought attention to World Encephalitis Day. “Encephalitis needs so much awareness as it can affect anybody so events like this are so important for people understand what it is and how people are affected by it. Just by being here, you can hear people talking about it which is so good because it’s getting the conversation started and raising awareness.”

Photographs © Brendan Thomas

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Open sesame!

Park gets set for life after lockdown Reporter AIDAN CRISP looks at how workers and volunteers at a family attraction are looking forward to opening their doors again to the public

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orkers and volunteers at a Liverpool family attraction are looking forward to welcoming visitors again as soon as they can.

That could be as early as April 12, under the phased relaxation of lockdown restrictions announced by the Government yesterday.

Croxteth Park Farm is one of 32 farm attractions for children in Liverpool that is temporarily closed as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

Its closeness to the city centre and its vast array of unique animals makes the farm extremely popular in Liverpool.

The Park Farm, which has been open for many years, is located within the grounds of Croxteth Hall and the country park and is home to a wide variety of endangered species including unusual breeds of cows, sheep, pigs, and ponies.

Visitors to the farm can expect to get up close and personal with many vulnerable and at-risk animals such as the Native Aberdeen Angus cow and the British Lop pig.

Representatives of the special farm announced their most recent closure on January 4 via social media, the statement said: “Following the announcement tonight, the farm will be closed until the lockdown is lifted. If you have booked to visit, we will call you during the next few days.”

After nearly two months of being closed, Sandra Richardson said: “We’re actually waiting to see what Boris says. We’re hoping that things will be opening up a bit in the future.”

She added: “All the staff are quite excited to get back into the swing of things because it’s been such a long time now. Plus, it’ll be nice for the animals as well.”

It seems both humans and animals alike are eagerly waiting for the farm to permit visitors again. However, the farm still has at least one method of income despite not taking bookings it’s very popular café.

The official Facebook page released a statement last week saying: “Our cafe is still open for takeaway, food and drinks, daily from 8am.”

Whilst you are unable to interact with the animals, I must advise you indulge in one of the café’s hot chocolates. They’re delicious!

‘We’re hoping that things will be opening up a bit in the future’

Images © Aidan Crisp

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LL LIFE

Above: Katherine Jones holding her popular wine.

© Katherine Jones

Flowers and bubbly; a nice day with ThinK Wine Group

Photo credit: ThinK

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From wine to Prime LL LIFE

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TALLULAH SULEMAN explains why one Liverpool businesswoman will be appearing on our streaming screens in the very near future

iverpool businesswoman Katherine Jones has been scouted to appear in an Amazon Prime docuseries focussing on solving social and economic issues that are harming the planet.

The series called ‘The Social Movement’ will see 40 CEOs from around the world working to find solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. These issues include income inequality, access to health care, global warming, hunger, support for homeless people and the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking about the CEOs, series creator Chris LaVoie stated: “I recruit key playmakers from across the globe that shared the same values to help carry this important work into the future. I adore these beautiful minds.”

Katherine has two businesses. She runs an Influencer Marketing agency called We Are SN, which manages people with large social media followings, mainly reality TV stars, and has also launched a wine business, the ThinK J Wines Ltd, trading as ThinK Wine Group.

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atherine was contacted by a producer for the series online to see if she would take part.

She said: “They approached me on LinkedIn. I’ve been posting on there for the past year and have really been consistent with it.

“Just by me posting on LinkedIn, one of the producers just saw me and reached out to me and asked if I wanted to take part.”

Filming for the series will begin in summer 2021.

ThinK Wine Group is a relatively new business venture, having only launched in September 2019. It came about after Katherine saw a gap in the market for a healthier version of sparkling wine.

She said: “At the time, I was hanging around with influencers and because I used to go to a lot of events, I found myself gaining a lot of weight.

I realised it was purely because of the alcohol and its calorie content.

“So I thought that if I could make a vegan, reduced-calorie, reducedsugar and really tasty wine, it would really pay off.”

Katherine wanted everything about the wines, from production to ingredients, to be eco-friendly.

For example, 100% renewable energy sources are used in the production of the wines. The wines are also 100% plant-based.

Additionally, with every wine made

Katherine makes sure her three principles are met: producing a quality product, that has fewer calories and is vegan.

ThinK Wine Group currently has two wines available, a Prosecco and a Pinot Grigio Sparkling Rose (ThinK PinK) - both reduced in sugar and calories and are vegan and organic.

The wines, costing £21 a bottle, are made with either Glera or pinot grigio grapes from a family-run vineyard in Treviso, north-east Italy.

Though ThinK Wine Group launched before the pandemic Katherine revealed that lockdown helped to boost her sales.

She said: “The response has been phenomenal, particularly through lockdown. The influx in our sales online was huge and we had only just launched so it was quite a shock to us.

“We were using influencers to promote the wines and the wines were just flying out. I do think half of that was because people were just looking online specifically for reduced calorie wine.”

With only having two wines at the moment, Katherine is keen to release more in the future.

She said: “I will definitely be launching more wines in the future.

We haven’t got them ready yet but I am preparing to launch a red wine and I would also like to do a champagne in the future as well. The most requests that we get is for a red, so I think that’s going to be my next focus.”

Katherine Jones, the businesseswoman behind ThinK © Katherine Jones

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People were just looking online specifically for reduced calorie wine

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Prosecco and Pinot Grigio sparkling rose bottles Photo credit: ThinK

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Why we’ve all been

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ast year was a weird and turbulent period for everyone. From March onwards the entire world was forced into submission and found themselves waving goodbye to any chance of a social life, as the plummeting feeling sunk in that lockdown was the new norm.

For many, staying at home proved the perfect excuse to slumber in PJs all day and bask in the glory of a makeup free face and unbrushed hair.

Because let’s face it… who was there to impress?

Like many other aspects of life in 2020, fashion saw a stark change and experienced a noticeable shift in what people wanted. If there’s one thing we can say for certain, it’s that 2020 was the year of dressing down.

Jeans were swapped out for joggers and fitted tops replaced with sweatshirts, as the desire for comfy alternatives began to rise.

The revolution of loungewear began sweeping the globe, offering the perfect combination of style and comfort to the fashion-conscious fiends.

Online fashion brand Missguided saw loungewear sales skyrocket by 700% in 2020, as the work-fromhome culture dominated the industry.

According to the online fashion giant, loungewear sales began to spike in June and July, following a peak in active jogger sales in May as people jumped on the trend of home workouts as a source of entertainment during lockdown.

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eorgia Heathman, a fashion lover, aged 30, from London, was one of many who joined the loungewear hype.

She said: “I did buy quite a few pieces of loungewear over lockdown like big hoodies. I also bought a tracksuit from a blogger that I follow, after a collaboration she released.

“I went into lockdown thinking that I would just dress like I normally do, and after a week of still working from home, going on walks, and just lounging around, there was no need to wear jeans anymore which is why I started to buy loungewear.

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loungingaround With spring collections looming and Liverpool fashion week gearing up to return to the city in March, HEIDI HEWLINGS reflects on what was certainly a distinctive year for fashion

“I think I was definitely a sucker for the marketing email. There was a lot of marketing from different loungewear brands that I signed up to and I was certainly taken in by that.

But also, it was because my whole life had changed and I wasn’t going out anymore.”

With the closure of High Street shops to aid social distancing, the way clothes were viewed and purchased completely changed. Along with pretty much everything else in a new Covid reality, sales took place over the internet and online shopping became the only alternative.

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or many, browsing their favourite online stores turned into part of a daily ritual.

During the pandemic, the growth of E-commerce saw a real boom and COVID-19 is thought to have contributed £5.3 billion to e-commerce in the UK through 2020.

Georgia added: “I was definitely shopping more in lockdown, certainly in the first one, but not so much now.

In the first lockdown I was online shopping and buying myself presents as a way to cheer myself up and for something to look forward to, which sounds slightly consumerist now.

“I also bought things that I wouldn’t have normally bought, like more one-off pieces from smaller companies rather than bigger brands. I shopped a lot at stores like weekday, Arket and Other Stories and sometimes I would buy from Asos and direct from the store. I also bought a couple of items from small London designers as well.”

Online fashion specialist Asos more than quadrupled profits during lockdown, as its audience of mainly shoppers in their 20s bagged baskets of comfy casual wear.

Fast fashion brands Boohoo and Pretty Little Thing, both known for quickly jumping on popular trends, were part of many online brands wid ening casual wear selection to keep up with high demand. In the six months leading up to 31 August 2020, Boohoo saw a 45% year-onyear growth in revenue, while pre-tax profit for the group surged by 51%.

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lmost every business had to adapt to the unprecedented circumstances of lockdown, however, smaller independent businesses in particular have heavily felt the effects of the setback.

Pearl Boutique, an independent Fashion Boutique in Liverpool explained how important an online presence has been during the pandemic. he owner of the business, Katrina Smith said: “Lockdown has been really hard. I have my regular

customers who visit me in my store every week and have done for nine years. We all have a girly catch up, counselling session as we all need at the moment and a shop. “It’s so important for our mental health to have those interactions and and girly times.

Without the website my store would have had to close down. The website has actually been amazing, and I am so, so, so grateful for every single order and customer who has continued to support my little business. I wouldn’t still be here without them.”

Not only has lockdown impacted the growth of E-commerce sites, it has had a detrimental effect on High street stores and many have collapsed into administration.

With the closure of well-known shops including Topshop, Debenhams and Dorothy Perkins, shopping is increasingly becoming an online activity and internet sales look like they will continue to dominate the fashion scene.

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Influencer - Jenna Ellis

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hile we while away the hours of living in lockdown online, an exponentially dominant new form of advertising is now proliferating our social media feeds.

Influencer-led marketing has revolutionised the way brands target their marketing budgets.

Before the rise of social media in the mid 2000s, brands and businesses relied solely on traditional media: such as print and TV ads, email campaigns and product placement to drive sales and develop brand salience and customer loyalty.

The trouble with that, however, is that traditional advertising forms are not only extremely expensive and time consuming to create, but the ads do not reach the right people and target the relevant demographic.

Now Pandora’s box has been opened and Instagram Influencers invaded the digital world. It’s a phrase that the average high street shopper may not be completely familiar with yet... but with them popping up on TV with the label influencer - they have found their place in the pantheon of modern celebrity culture.

In layman’s terms ‘influencers’ are Instagram users with a large following, who promote brands and products on their feeds.

Influencers have reach, impact and the ultimate advertising elixir... they have nailed the Instagram algorithm – particular things that many companies have not yet mastered.

Brands can take advantage of the fact that these creators have a specific following, with a clear age range, gender majority and an audience with shared interests.

Many accounts on Instagram adopt a niche category of posts like beauty, fitness, lifestyle, and travel.

This type of platform is like gold dust to companies looking to reach a target market. Labels can guarantee the type of audience who will see their products like never before.

To put it simply, it would make more sense for a fitness company

By HEIDI HEWLINGS to reach out to a fitness account on Instagram to promote their product to millions of followers, than to spend thousands of pounds on a TV advert, that they can’t be sure is reaching the right fitness fanatics and their exercising eyeballs. There is a niche Instagram following out there for pretty much everything.

Instagram influencer Jenna Ellis, 19, who has almost 10,000 followers on the platform, spoke to LL about how she earns money from social media.

She said: “I never really planned to be what they call an influencer but as my Insta followers have grown, I’ve had a lot more companies DM me and ask if I want to collab.

“Normally it’s beauty-related products like makeup, eyelashes, skin care, jewellery, that kind of thing.

Sometimes on posts that I’ve worked with a brand on that I’ve posted like eight months, I still get messages from people asking if I still have a discount codes for and girls asking me about the product and whether I recommend it.”

She added: “It’s no skin off my nose to put up a couple of posts on Instagram of a product I genuinely use myself, and then get paid for it.

Who wouldn’t want to do that?

“I mean there’s not really anything to lose. It doesn’t cost me anything, I’m helping out a brand, and I’m literally being paid to post on Instagram…it’s great.”

Being bombarded with endless ads and products claiming to be the next best thing is an all-too familiar experience when scrolling through your Instagram feed.

But as tedious to some users as it

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How to win friends and influence people - on social media may be, the proof is in the pudding.

This stuff actually works.

A recent Twitter poll, revealed that one third of people admitted to buying or being tempted to buy a product they had seen advertised by an influencer.

Amber Courtney, a 20-year-old Instagram lover, from Plymouth, told Liverpool Life: “I’ve bought clothes that I’ve seen influencers advertise quite a few times actually. Mainly from collabs they’ve done with brands like Pretty Little Thing and Missguided and sites like that.

“If I can actually see the influencer wearing the clothes and how they

The new way for advertising is being paved by social media

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style them, it makes me want to buy them more and is a good way to judge if the pieces will be the right fit and length on me.”

Billy Grove, a 24-year-old gym addict, from Cornwall, said: “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been swayed from stuff I’ve seen advertised on Instagram.

“Say you wanted to try a new protein powder or something, you’re obviously going to look for recommendations first. If you see that someone with loads of followers on insta has tried it and loves it and is raving about it, then you’re going trust it more.”

Let’s face it, traditional adverting methods like TV ads will probably not die out any time soon.

But the new way for advertising is being paved by social media and may just be the solution to companies trying to increase sales and grow in popularity. If there’s one thing that’s popular in this day and age, it’s Instagram.

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Power of podcasts: Escape from lockdown

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ith more than 7 million people in the UK listening to a podcast each week, there is no doubt that this on-demand service is becoming one of the most popular ways for us to spend our free time.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last march, Spotify has released that their podcast listening figures have doubled meaning that with more spare time on our hands than ever, listening could be the new watching.

The first ever podcast is considered to be The Backstage Pass, a weekly radio chat show launched in 2003 by Matt Schichter featuring an array of celebrity guests, which was recorded and then uploaded online for dial-up streaming. At this time, there was no widely accepted name for this type of on-demand audio service, and it wasn’t until around a year later where a Guardian journalist, Ben Hammersley, coined the term “podcasting” in an article – a combination of iPod and broadcast.

The name stuck, and the podcast trend has exploded over the last decade. It is now reported that as of January 2021, there are currently over 43m episodes held on the Apple

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By ISABELLE CAIRNS podcasts app alone.

If you don’t fancy searching through all those episodes yourself, here’s LL’s top 7 recommendations for podcasts to help make the lockdown days move a little faster.

All Killa No Filla – Rachel Fairburn and Kiri PritchardMcLean (Spotify, Apple podcasts) This podcast is perfect for true crime junkies who love a laugh too and, with over 70 episodes focussing on a different serial killer, there’s plenty to get your teeth in to. The podcast is hosted by comedians Rachel Fairburn and Kiri PritchardMcLean, who approach the individual stories with sensitivity and are always keeping the victims at the forefront of the cases. The dark content is balanced with light-hearted chatter and hilarious anecdotes about the duo’s daily life experiences and escapades. 5 stars.

The Walkers Switch – Lauren Peters and Augustine Cerf (Spotify, Apple podcasts) Do you remember the Walkers crisps switch? 2 in 3 people remember Walkers switching their packaging colours of salt and vinegar and cheese and onion – except

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earning a new language is proving to be one way to beat the lockdown blues, writes TALLULAH SULEMAN. Since the start of the pandemic restrictions, language apps have increased in popularity as people use their downtime to brush up on their language skills.

The two main apps are Duolingo and Babbel, with Spanish being the most popular language on both platforms.

To aid learning, free app Duolingo focuses on what people want to achieve when learning a language.

This is done by lessons focusing on day-today activities such as ordering at a restaurant.

Learners develop the vocabulary and grammar needed to achieve that goal through lots of varied practice in reading, writing, listening and speaking. They also offer learning through interactive stories and podcasts. The app has five lives and every time you get an answer wrong, you will lose a life.

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Walkers claim it never happened.

This piece of understated investigative journalism looks in depth at the “switch” and tries to crunch down to what changed; or maybe didn’t change. Highlights include one of the presenters drunkenly apprehending Gary Lineker, and what the Tory party has to do with it all. 4 stars.

No Such Thing as a Fish – The QI Elves. (Apple podcasts, Spotify) If you want to broaden your horizons over lockdown and learn something new too, No Such Thing as a Fish is packed full of fun facts and information to wow your mates with at the next zoom pub quiz. The writers of the hit BBC show, QI, discuss the best things they’ve found out this week with some banter and the odd special celebrity guest thrown in for good measure. With almost 400 episodes you’ll never have to google anything again! 4 stars.

The Missing Cryptoqueen – Jamie Bartlett (Apple podcasts, Spotify, BBC sounds app) With the rising value and popularity of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, its easy to get sucked into the madness. This podcast explores what happens when things go wrong, following the case of OneCoin and the mysterious disappearance of its creator, Dr Ruja Ignatova, after persuading millions to join her “financial revolution”. The podcast is shrouded

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in mystery and leaves the listener on tenterhooks – will Dr. Ruja ever be found and held accountable? 5 Stars.

M’s the Word – Stef and Hanna Michalaks (Spotify, Apple podcasts) Need a bit of escapism from lockdown? M’s the Word is the world according to married couple Stef and Hannah, who create cinematic content across their YouTube and Instagram pages of their hometown of Bath. Get lost and feel involved in the friendly chit chat between the couple, often over a few drinks, with content to make you laugh and think. 4 stars.

The Slow Newscast – Basia Cummings (Spotify) If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the news at the moment, The Slow Newscast reports on the biggest news stories from the week and slows it all down to an easily digestible pace.

Keep up to date but without the intensity, listen to thoughtful interviews and research that looks deeper into the stories we see every day. 4 stars After Work Drinks – Isabelle Truman & Grace O’Neill (Spotify) Get in your favourite bottle of wine, some tasty snacks, and tune in to some good old girls’ talk. Magazine editors and best friends Isabelle and Grace chat about the topics that are important to them, always with feminism in mind, and with plenty of laughs thrown in. 5 stars.

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Rise of language apps Many people have been using language apps as a way to keep proactive in lockdown.

LJMU student Oliver Price said: “As we’re in the third lockdown I felt as though I wasn’t challenging myself enough, so I decided to download Duolingo and continue learning Spanish.

I learnt Spanish in school, so it was easy to get back into. It’s nice to do something other than uni work.”

Fellow LJMU student Amy Stanfield said: “I started using Duolingo during the first lockdown because I wanted to learn French and it gave me something to do while I was stuck inside. I have continued to use the app and my French is getting better day by day.”

Babbel is a subscription-based app that that allows you to learn a range of different languages. This is achieved by dialogue training, speech

recognition and the review feature.

During the first lockdown, Babbel saw an increase in users. A Babbel spokesperson said: “We saw a huge spike during the first wave of the lockdown.”

Babbel requires a monthly payment that differs depending on what option is selected. The team at Babbel believe having a paid subscription is necessary.

Earlier this month Babbel launched ‘Babbel Live.’ This is an online learning class that allows users to learn with other people in small groups while being monitored by qualified language teachers.

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@wootanscran

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@wotanscran

There are lots of places in Liverpool doing great vegan options, but none of them had what we had, and we knew there was potential for it

The vegan takeaway that’s taking over the food game Liverpool’s first-ever vegan chippy has continued the roaring success that it achieved during the first national lockdown last year when it was one of the region’s most popular takeaways

By MILES PARKES-MAUDER

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iverpool’s first ever vegan chippy has continued the roaring success that it achieved during the first national lockdown last year when it was one of the region’s most popular takeaway.

WooTanScran, based on Lark Lane, was busier than ever during the first lockdown, with the plant-based menu proving a hit with vegans and non-vegans alike as it was the most ordered from takeaway venue in Liverpool according to data from Deliveroo and JustEat. However, questions were undoubtedly asked as to whether this popularity would last in the long term and whether businesses like WooTanScran could weather the storm of not just a second, but also a third lockdown.

These questions have been answered, with WooTanScran’s popularity steadily growing, and order numbers following the same positive trajectory, One of the owners of WooTanScran,

Jay Baker, spoke about what makes their food and ideas so appealing and what has helped launch them to be such a success in Liverpool.

He said: “We saw a gap in the market, and we saw something that we felt Liverpool needed.

“We’re an ambitious bunch of lads so we were confident that Woo Tan would be a success, but even we were blown away by just how much love and support there was during that first lockdown and the months that followed.”

Jay, 29, first launched WooTanScran in October 2019 with the help of Tim Leah, Conrad Sharp and Alex Woo. Yet what makes this takeaway so appealing to such a wide audience, according to Conrad, is that it mixes the nation’s two favourite takeaway

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cocktail bar ‘Ripolin’.

Jay explains: “The idea behind Ripolin was that as it’s located directly below Down The Hatch, once people finish their delicious meal, they can simply go downstairs and enjoy a couple of drinks of some of the best cocktails around.

“Having the experience of Down The Hatch has definitely helped when opening Woo Tan and Ripolin. I think Woo Tan has really benefitted from our experience and I’m confident Ripolin will enjoy similar success owever, WooTanScran is not Jay’s first venture into the food when we can enjoy having our amazing customers back!” and drink business.

The success of WooTanScran in For several years now, Jay has also Liverpool has been so great, that the been running restaurant Down The boys have had to close early several Hatch, which specialises in ‘Vegan junk food and desserts’, and he has also times due to them running out of been one of the founders of brand new stock to make the meals because of high demand.

With the takeaway regularly updating their menu with fresh and innovative ideas, it’s no wonder why a city such as Liverpool has taken such a liking to it.

The boys have dealt with several lockdowns and come away with success, the question now is how much further can they go? options in one. A chippy and a Chinese.

He said: “There are lots of places in Liverpool doing great vegan options, but none of them had what we had, and we knew there was potential for it.

“It’s amazing the feedback and love we’ve had in just over a year.”

Such positive feedback has quickly seen their business grow in the world of social media, with their Instagram page rapidly amassing a loyal following of over 17,000 people.

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The success of WooTanScran has been so great that the boys have had to close early due to them running out of stock

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Lent?

“Not this year...”

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’m not religious, and I’m not very good at sticking to routine. But every year I try and do Lent. For 40 days and 40 nights I give something up, as a personal challenge to see if I have the will power. But not this year.

It’s easy to say you’ll give something up – a bad habit like smoking, eating chocolate, drinking alcohol. It’s easy to say that until you actually have to do it, and with a thing like Lent, it’s perhaps even harder because you’re not just seeing how long you can last, there’s an end point, a goal. Forty days is a long time to not have something for, even if it is bad for you. But the reason we do it - perhaps apart from those who see it as a religious matter - is because we want to prove to ourselves that we can.

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o be fair to myself, I normally give up chocolate, sweets, crisps… all the comfort foods that bring me joy. Now, I could talk about how the time without them makes me realise that I don’t need to eat as many of these foods, and how my body is healthier by the time I’ve finished the fast. But I would just be lying, .I don’t think about any of that when I’m trying to cram as many Easter eggs in my mouth as I can. But I do feel a sense of accomplishment, knowing that I managed to curb my cravings for a little while, before I make up for it.

By BETH HARWOOD

Thinking about the past year we’ve all had, with the dreaded lurgy running the show and how much we’ve all had to give up already, I thought Lent this year should be different. So instead of challenging myself to stop doing something, I’ve challenged myself to start doing something instead. And that something is (drumroll please) … exercise!

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es, how original of me. For the next 40 days I challenge myself to do some form of physical fitness each day. It would be nice to challenge myself to run five miles every day, but let’s keep it realistic.

Now, I know that for some of you, exercising is a piece of cake (or should that be a piece of fruit?). But for someone as lazy as me, getting off the sofa for longer than it takes to walk to the fridge is a decent challenge.

You get rid of bad habits by stopping doing something, but you gain good ones, by starting something. So, if you’re giving something up for Lent this year, why not do the opposite and start something? And if you want to ask how my new Lent is going, I’ll be the one on the floor in a pool of sweat.

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LL LIFE

The slog for a job REECE PAPE looks at the situation facing recent graduates looking for work in the current Covid landscape

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hanks to a certain respiratory illness, the job hunt has become slightly disrupted. Instead of roaming the work jungle, machete in hand, slashing through the corporate vines and feeling the lukewarm watercooler rain splashing against your face, many have had to put away their tools and tackle the search virtually.

Face-to-face interviews, networking events, having your mum tell you to take your CV to every shop in the city centre – these have all become things of the past.

People looking for work over the past few months have had to grapple with various video chatting services – the names of which probably don’t need saying, but they rhyme with Reams, Boom, or if you’re trapped in the early 2010s, Mype – as well as a considerably longer wait to hear back from potential employers.

The world of work has undoubtedly changed, and some of those attempting to break into it have found it more of a struggle than others - one of whom is recent psychology graduate, Liam Walsh.

“Finding something is much more difficult than I expected,” he said. “ It seems like there’s a lot fewer opportunities for work out there, most because of the restrictions put in place.

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completely understand the reasons why they’re there – I’m not going to advocate for people to risk a huge spike in infection rate – but it’s still slightly frustrating that there’s a small number of opportunities available.

“There’s only so much you can do from home, or at a distance, especially in terms of the experience

seen a massive change from normal.

Anna Kelly, another recent graduate, has found the process to be less daunting to deal with than the usual face-to-face method of interrogation.

She said: “I don’t really mind virtual interviews, because it accomplishes the same thing really without having to go out of your way.

“There’s no reason to travel for a long time, to somewhere that you might not even really know, and e added: “I’ve been looking there’s a lot less pressure because for work as a teaching you’re in your own environment. assistant, and, obviously, as “It has been one of the upsides of it the schools have been closed, not a really. I don’t think I would have got lot of opportunities have presented the job I have now if I had done the themselves. interview in person.

“I’ve applied for NHS positions, “Doing interviews before, I would care assistant roles, always mess them up and and they’ve either really panic too much. not got back to me Doing this one at home, I or they’ve replied was able to calm myself months afterwards. down a bit and not get too You would expect worked up.” that with this whole As we (fingers crossed) pandemic scenario and the mental health There’s only so begin to move out of lockdown, there may some crisis going on that hope on the horizon for there would be plenty much you can those struggling to find of positions within work. mental health care, A recent study from the but the reality is it’s do from home, Chartered Institute of Perjust as competitive as it ever was, if not or at a distance sonnel and Development suggests that more than more. half of UK employers in“I’ve applied to tend to recruit new workers what feels like over in the next three months, 30 positions, and I’ve as the economy slowly atprobably only heard tempts to re-open its doors, back from five. with the highest hiring intentions “Even applying for roles outside belonging to the healthcare, finance, of this – like in supermarkets or call insurance and education sectors. centres – have been hard to break With this in mind, whilst still as into. “ competitive and occasionally annoyIf you’re lucky enough to hear back ing as usual, the job hunt may finally from an employer, the next step is be concluding for some. Hopefully, it usually an invitation to an interview. doesn’t end bloody and full of ethical Like everything else, this has also I’m after.”

Liam, who graduated last year, was seeking to build up experience in order to further a career in psychology, which meant seeking roles or placements in schooling facilities, care homes or universities.

Despite applying for many positions, he was faced with a or simply no correspondence at all.

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Salon treatments

at home

ELEANOR DOWD shares how to look and feel your best in lockdown and recommends the products to get your hands on

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ne lockdown was challenging enough, but a third calls for some serious pampering. With all salons closed due to the coronavirus, people have been left with outgrown roots, overgrown eyebrows and stubby nails.

Although it may not be quite

but defined look. The brand Eylure has a dye kit called Dybrow which retails at around £7 including up to 12 applications with each application lasting six weeks, meaning this method is much cheaper than getting eyebrows done at a salon.

solution which leaves skin looking as though you’ve just had a facial. Costing around just £6, it’s definitely worth a try.

Another product that has become Lockdown haircut

Skin

£30 from Amazon, you can have unlimited gel nails without the salon prices!

Keeping skin healthy and hydrated is so important to help us feel confident and happy. Even if you

Hair

Jade roller: Image by Eleanor Dowd

the same as being treated in a salon, we can still look after ourselves at home.

Eyebrows

There are many steps we can take to tame our brows, for example plucking and trimming. However, if you want to up your brow game then dying your brows is the way forward. The trend now is thick, dark brows and eyebrow dye gives a subtle

popular recently to tone and firm the face is a jade roller. You simply apply a face oil and massage the roller over the skin, which helps circulation, improving elasticity and helps skincare products function properly. Jade facial rollers usually cost no more than £15 so, again, very affordable.

Hairdressers are people that almost everyone is missing during lockdown. To avoid hair disasters, you need the right tools to get that fresh cut. Doing your hair at home is possible for men and women, plus it saves time and money. For men, hair clippers with different blades for different hair lengths range from £20. For the women that want to splurge, the Dyson Airwrap includes attachments to dry, curl, wave and smooth hair, giving that bouncy salon look for £500.

Nails

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veryone knows don’t have time for a rigorous skin having a fresh routine, you can take simple steps set of nails to get glowing skin. The Ordimakes you feel nary is an affordable yet effective ten times more skincare brand which has become confident, so investing in an increasingly popular and gives at-home gel or shellac kit is great results. One of their most a must. Costing as little as

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popular products is the peeling

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Aches, pains and bending spines need massage magic

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uch has been discussed about the effect that three lockdowns have had on our mental wellbeing, yet something that hasn’t been touched upon is the physical toll of sitting in bed in front of our laptops all day.

Although ideal for some, this is a dismal reality for many working from home who do not have access to proper office chairs or desks, and are forced to blankly stare at computer screens whilst slumped on their sofas for hours on end.

It’s not just a lack of essential office equipment that’s bending spines the wrong way.

As a student living in rented accommodation, I can safely say that even watching a film can be a physically-taxing experience due to the poor quality of furniture provided in many student houses.

Masseuses and masseurs across the country will likely have their work cut out for them when they are eventually able to return to their jobs.

In a study during the first lockdown, The Institute for Employment Studies found that there had been a “significant increase in musculoskeletal complaints”.

It said: “More than half of the survey respondents reported new aches and pains, especially in the neck (58 per cent), shoulder (56 per cent) and back (55 per cent), compared to their normal physical condition.”

I gained a distinction in Massage Therapy three years ago, so I am fortunately able to relieve my housemates of their sofa-induced physical ailments, should they ask. Yet not everyone just so happens to live with a massage therapist.

Home massages are key to getting rid of aches and pains created by working from home, CHARLIE LAU (left) reports Craig King, a 60-year-old MCR Operator at The Farm Group, said: “Working from home means so much sitting around, which has been excruciating for my lower back.

“Consequently, I’ve taken to standing up working, placing my PC on top of a chest of tall drawers. Of course, too much standing is bad for my varicose veins, so health wise it’s been a no-win situation.”

A home massage can be a simple and effective way of relieving stringent shoulders and bad backs.

However, massage therapy’s resurgence in the modern era has led many of its ancient techniques to be overpopularised by the unprofessional hand, and many home massages can be rushed and ineffective.

So the advice is to take it slowly.

It is vital to not jump straight into deep, compressive movements with your hands when massaging. Tissue and tendons must be relaxed and warm before a massage and this can be done using a technique called Effleurage.

Effleurage involves broad stroking movements of muscles with your whole hand, which serves to break down adhesion, warm the tissue and clear nerve pathways, breaking tension. It is a soothing technique and it must be done before and after any deep, kneading techniques for an effective massage.

The main body of a home massage is to use a technique called Friction.

With fingers and thumbs, repeat a deep, compressive kneading motion on the affected muscles in the shoulder, back and neck to separate tissue and restore independent movement.

Make sure to once again use Effleurage when you are finished to cool the tissue down once again.

A final tip for a home massage would be to surround yourself in a healthy environment. Massage therapy is a holistic healing method, and its effects would be far greater in a colorful, lively room than an uninspiring and rigid one. Find a meditative frequency to listen to on YouTube, and your all set to go.

This can be used to replace the deep kneading technique of Friction. Just make sure to warm up the muscles first!

Where to buy: Amazon, £50

Although this won’t make your back, shoulders and neck any better on its own, it can be used as part of the cool down phase of the massage to refresh tissue Where to buy: Shared Earth, Bold Street, Liverpool, £10

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How city stood tall with Mandela

“

The injustices of the apartheid system in South Africa were something that resonated in Liverpool, a city that has a rich and ethnically diverse population and history

”

One of the displays in the Museum of Liverpool’s new anti-apartheid exhibit © Andrew Dinely

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hen Nelson Mandela was released from prison on Robin Island on February 11 1990 it represented the beginning of the end of the apartheid regime in South Africa and a huge victory for the anti-apartheid movement around the world.

This was especially true in Toxteth and the L8 area of Liverpool, which was the heart of the anti-apartheid movement in the city and is now being commemorated in a new exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool.

The city has had a long past of protesting apartheid with a boycott on South African goods being brought in by the city council in 1960 after student protest campaigns and Liverpool dockworkers refusing to handle South African goods.

Famously, students at the University of Liverpool in 1970 staged a sit-in to protest the university’s investments in South Africa and the removal of the then Chancellor Lord Salisbury, a known supporter of the racist regimes in South Africa and Rhodesia. This protest led to the expulsion of many students, including future Channel 4 newsreader Jon Snow.

It was the diverse Toxteth area of the city though which was the heart of the anti-apartheid movement in the city.

During the 1980s people in the area tirelessly campaigned for the release of Mandela and of political prisoners such as the Sharpeville Six who were wrongly arrested and sentenced to death for the murder of the deputy Mayor of the town.

Campaigners such as the Liverpool 8 group against apartheid spearheaded the struggle through demos, product boycotts, park runs and the Free Nelson Mandela Campaign and major events such as the Mandela Freedom Festival took place on Granby Fields in Toxteth in July 1988.

The materials for the new exhibition in the Museum of Liverpool has been curated by Stephen Carl-Lokko working closely with the Mandela8 organisation, a charitable incorporated organisation who want to see a permanent artwork “to celebrate, commemorate and pursue the legacy of Nelson Mandela’s outstanding achievement for humanity”, The display will contain objects such as campaign posters and badges, along with images of L8 community demonstrations and marches and the voices of local community activists.

By RUAIRI WALSH Creative Director of Soft Octopus, Andrew Dineley, who helped to put the exhibition together, said: “As detailed in the exhibition, Nelson Mandela’s plight and the injustices of the apartheid system in South Africa were something that resonated in Liverpool, a city that has a rich and ethnically diverse population and history.

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remember the period well as I was just connecting with politics and did my best to be part of the boycott of South African goods, wearing a badge is a small thing one can do to show solidarity.

Sadly, however according to Mr Dineley, the public will have to wait to see the due to the pandemic.

“COVID-19 has really hit public spaces hard as they have been closed to the public. This exhibition was delayed by almost a year due to the pandemic and even now the space isn’t open to the public.

“It is always exciting to see my design work in these contexts. It’s so different seeing something on the screen of my Mac and then in real life at such a large scale.

“As this isn’t open to the public yet, the only feedback I have had is from the Museum who are really pleased with how it worked out.

“I have however also been following things on Twitter and can see there is a bit of a buzz and anticipation about the exhibition.

“Usually there would be a public launch to help promote exhibitions but sadly that hasn’t been possible on this occasion”

TOP: Liverpool city’s student and trade union movement ABOVE and left: Mandela freedom festival, Granby Field ABOVE: Sharpeville demonstrations © L8 Law Centre, courtesy of Liverpool Central Library and Archives

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St John’s Beacon © DANIELLE NORTON