Liverpool Life 5:5 November 9 2016

9 - November - 2016

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE...

NEWS

PAGE 3

Decision day for America

LIFEextra

PAGE 8

We speak to two men who were wrongly jailed

SPORT

PAGE 12

Aspiring footballer appeals for new wheelchair

CITY’S PRIDE Liverpool unveils its own honours list for 2016

By LAUREN REECE People who have made an outstanding contribution to Liverpool are to be honoured with a prestigious civic award.

Some of the city’s most influential individuals are in line for the honours, which will be decided in a Liverpool City Council meeting today.

The honours credit a selection of creative and inspirational people who have made a positive impact on Liverpool, ranging from the worlds of film, art and music to those who supported the Hillsborough campaign.

One of the nominees is Liverpool dance pioneer James Barton, the founder of Liverpool super-club ‘Cream’ and universal music festi-

val Creamfields. Barton was named as the most influential person in dance music

by Rolling Stone magazine in 2014 and his club nights have played host to the biggest DJs in the world.

Harry Potter director David Yates is also up for nomination to receive a Citizen of Honour award.

The St Helens film-maker directed the last four films in the Harry Potter series and chose to head back to Liverpool last year to film the spin off ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ where scenes were filmed at Liverpool’s very own St. George’s Hall.

Liverpool Film Office tweeted congratulations to David Yates, who they have worked closely with, saying his nomination was ‘richly deserved’.

Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Roz Gladden, said: “These individuals have, and continue to, make a real contribution to Liverpool life and I am delighted that they have been nominated to receive these civic honours.

“Becoming Citizen of Honour is very special and gives recognition to those who have made a positive difference to the city and to the lives of those that live here.”

Other famous names that have been nominated for their contributions for the city include international music conductor, Vasily Petrenko who played a huge part building the reputation of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; Tom Murphy, a sculptor whose work can be seen all across Liverpool including John Lennon Airport

and Lime Street station and Professor Michael Parkinson, who is an adviser to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool and Executive Director of the Heseltine Institute.

The Citizen of Honour awards were introduced in 2008 to credit Liverpudlians who have made a significant contribution to the city and since then there have been 27 people to accept the honour.

In previous years winners of the award have included Allan Williams, the original Beatles manager, iconic LFC manager Bill Shankly and transgender campaigner April Ashley.

Dates have not yet been set for the awards to take place as these will be set in consultation with the individuals concerned.

Nominee: Vasily Petrenko ©Brenda Dalle/Creative Commons

Find out what’s driving Ashleigh mad with excitement

Turn to Page 3

Life|News|2

A fond farewell to legendary Herbert

By HAMISH ELWOOD & KRISTON MURPHY Friends of celebrity hairdresserHerbert “The King of Bling” Howe said a sad farewell to him in a ceremony which saw hundreds line the streets of Liverpool to rememeber one of the city’s most well-loved characters.

The 72-year-old died of cancer last month but would have been proud of the colourful goodbye.

Herbert’s cortege, which included three stretch limousines and his signature Cadillac, drove from the Bling Bling Building on Hanover Street to the Anglican Cathedral where over 1,000 packed in to pay their respects.

Friends of Herbert’s at the funeral included the comedian Ken Dodd, Jennifer Ellison, Claire Sweeney Ray Quinn and Danielle Lloyd.

Danielle, former Miss England and Miss Great Britain, told Liverpool Life: “Today I attended the funeral of my dear friend Herbert Howe. Herbert was one of a kind; he was very talented, funny, witty, and so very kind to

By JAMES HARRISON

everyone he met. The love of his home City Liverpool was very special”.

“When I saw him at Marie Curie he said, ‘I’m going to have the biggest send-off ever. I want every one to come to the Cathedral and you best turn up!’ My mum and I cried and I said to him, ‘You’re not going anywhere Herbert you can’t leave us’.”

Herbert’s family requested that all attendees dress in pink and black, with pink being his favourite colour and the colour he painted his house.

Danielle continued to say: “He wanted a celebration of his life and I am so grateful that his wishes were fulfilled. Thousands of people turned out to celebrate his life, his love, his passion and his kindness to others. It was a pleasure to have known Herbert and I will treasure his memory and friendship forever in my heart”.

Herbert was presented with a “Scouseology” award for his services to Liverpool, other winners including Paul McCartney, Kenny Dalglish and Cilla Black.

Above: Pink umbrellas line the streets for the funeral. © Laura Hughes/JMU Journalism Left: Herbert Howe: 1944-2016 © Trinity Mirror

Volunteers needed for local foodbanks

By MOLLY COPOC

More than 2,600 packages have been given out by North Liverpool Foodbank over the past six months.

A third of these packages between the months April and September, were for children.

A growing number of 77,000 food packages have been given out across the North West over this sixmonth period and concerns have arisen amongst local council members who feel the number of people in need around Liverpool is

Life

Feeding Liverpool: Volunteers collect food for The North Liverpool Foodbank. © @standrewslive/Twitter alarming and action needs to be taken. A significantly low number of people are voluteering at The North Liverpool foodbank, sup-

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Cancer research centre to open

ported by the Trussell Trust foodbanks. This lack of volunteers could be the reason why a number of people are in need of food packages

around the North West area, particularly North Liverpool.

Operations manager for North Liverpool foodbank, Simon Huthwaite, spoke to Liverpool Life about the help the foodbank receives from outsiders: “Our main areas of need are around donations of time and money.

“We rely heavily on volunteers to staff our warehouse and support us as we hand out food at our nine distribution centres. Our stock is maintained entirely through donations mainly from local churches but also from our static collections points

and corporate collections in partnership with local supermarkets.

“We are very grateful for the help and support we receive but always need more time and food.”

The latest benefits cap and other recent changes to benefits could be one of the reasons why so many people in Liverpool are now turning to food banks for help.

The benefits cap meant adults, couples and parents benefits were slashed by thousands of pounds, meaning help for food banks is needed now more than ever.

• Benefits cut misery: p5

Pyjama party helps the homeless

By ANDREW NUTTALL The number of children who are left homeless this Christmas is set to reach an eightyear year high with more than 120,000 on the streets across the UK, according to analysis by leading housing charity Shelter.

In a bid to help, Pyjama Party Liverpool was set up in response to the growing need.

Speaking to Liverpool Life, a spokesperson for Pyjama Party Liverpool said: “From the outset, we only anticipated that we would collect pyjamas between family and friends and donate to our local family shelter. However, the project grew really

quickly and we were receiving messages of support and donations from Italy, Portugal, America as well as other counties in the UK, it was totally unexpected but once we saw the response we knew we had to continue and we are now in our 4th year!”

As temperatures drop across Merseyside, it is more important than ever to help.

“Even one homeless child, in our city is one too many.

Children should not be homeless at any time of year, especially at Christmas, when everything is centred around the home and family.”

With just under six weeks to go until the festive season,

the charity is urging people to think about those who are in desperate need this winter “Pyjamas are only a small thing, but they represent warmth and comfort and let the children know that someone is thinking of them. The charity received over 2,000 pairs of pyjamas in 2015 from across Merseyside and, with various drop off points across the region, it couldn’t be easier to help Pyjama Party Liverpool and spread a bit of warmth across the city this Christmas.

Check on their Twitter page for where you can drop off your pyjamas at https://twitter.com/Pyjamapartyliv

The Knowledge Quarter in Liverpool has attracted the attention of a cancer research firm, which is set to be built in the Life Sciences Accelerator development.

Proton Partners International has signed a 10-year lease for space at the building, which is due to open next year and will mark the first part of a ‘health campus’ surrounding the city’s £335 million Royal Liverpool Hospital.

Mike Moran, chief executive of Proton Partners International commented: “We are delighted to be making this commitment to establish our research and data centre in what is going to be a flagship healthcare research building in the UK.” A planning application has been submitted to Liverpool City Council for the development, which has been designed by Falconer Chester Hall and is expected to get underway on site in summer 2017 if given the go ahead.

Delkery cafe helps animals

By JAMES HARRISON Delkery, an eatery on Dale Street, is taking donations until the end of the month for Freshfields animal rescue.

Donations can be dropped off in the café during opening hours and in turn for the act of kindness, people who donate will be offered a free cup of coffee or tea.

Donations of food must last until the end of the collection time as everything will be donated all together at the end of the month.

Items being accepted for donation include towels, blankets, toys for any animal, food for dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, cats and birds. The specific details can be found on the Facebook event page: : https://www.facebook.com/ events/351573301856574/

READER’S LETTER It was great to see the full page on Pauline Daniels in Liverpool Life (October 26). Just a shame that there was no mention of Andrew Sherlock, who held the conversation with her nor of the Drama Department who had organised the event as part of a series of in conversations.

Dr Ros Merkin, Reader in Drama, Liverpool Screen School

Life|News|3

Olympian Sam ready for rumble in the jungle Band

By ANDREW NUTTALL

ITV has revealed the lineup for the new series of I’m A Celebrity … which includes Wirral Olympian Sam Quek.

The famous jungle will be returning to TV screens this Sunday with a whole host of famous faces.

Sam claimed gold in the recent Rio Olympics as Team GB beat the Netherlands by penalties, making history as the first time the British women’s hockey team has won the title.

Sam said: “It has been such a whirlwind since I got back from the Olympics.

“We were just hockey players trying to achieve

our dream, and to come back as a gold medallist has meant that whatever we say is picked up immediately in the press.”

Showing her true competitive spirit, Sam says there is no way she won’t try her hardest in the jungle.

“I am embracing everything and to have been given the opportunity to do I’m A Celebrity is unthinkable and it’s just so crazy.

“I am really looking forward to the challenge but gosh going in the jungle is way tougher than playing in that penalty shootout in the final of the Olympics!”

The 16th series of the show will air on ITV on Sunday November 13.

howlin’ for lost gear

By KRISTON MURPHY

Jungle ready: Some of the celebrity line up for this year’s Get Me Out Of Here on ITV, above. Right: Former model Sam smiling before she heads into the Australian jungle

Driving ambition for learner Ashleigh

By ANDREW NUTTALL A Merseyside woman has embarked on what is probably the longest driving lesson in UK history this week.

Despite only starting her driving lessons two months ago, Ashleigh Howey, 21, from Halewood will be driving the length of the UK, from John O’Groats to Land’s End. The world-record attempt is also raising funds for both Alder Hey Hospital and The Alzheimer’s Society.

Speaking to Liverpool Life, Ashleigh said: “Alder Hey has physically saved my life hundreds of times.

“I’ve got very ill health and I wouldn’t be here today without them so I thought it was time to give back.

“My driving instructor’s father has Alzheimer’s so we just wanted to raise money for both.”

By her side the whole way will be her driving instructor, Peter Moon, who approached Ashleigh with the idea.

He said: “I decided to try and raise money for the Alzheimer’s society because

Clothes Show is back

Fundraising: Alder Hey © Rept0n1x/CreativeCommons my dad was diagnosed with dementia last year and I’m a driving instructor, so it just seemed a good way to raise as much money as possible for a great cause.

“Ashleigh is doing amazingly well and coped with everything brilliantly.”

In a journey that will cost around £200 in petrol, Ashleigh and Peter will drive over 860 miles in a period of four days.

The gruelling prospect of driving for eight to nine hours a day would daunt even the most experienced of drivers.

However, this isn’t stopping Ashleigh from becoming the first learner driver to complete this route, as well as the

youngest.

“We’re just setting off on the second leg from Glasgow to Liverpool today and everything is going really well.

“Ashleigh is doing amazingly well and coped with everything yesterday brilliantly.

“Ashleigh volunteered to do the drive and she’s been in and out of Alder Hey all of her life so we decided to split the money between the two charities,” John added.

“Straight after she gets back, she will be taking her driving test and hopes to pass first time. After a 200 mile lesson, she will be as prepared as possible!”

By MOLLY COPOC

Driving ahead: Ashleigh with instructor Peter Moon

Shock as Trump pulls off historic election victory

By MATTHEW NOONAN

Liverpool Guild of Students party © Tom Begbie

Donald Trump has won the 2016 Presidential Election after one of the most unpredictable and divicine election races in modern times.

Students at the Liverpool Guild watched the event on huge screens as the results poured in across the country.

The event included US-

themed food and drinks, including chicken wings, topped fries, nachos and pizza.

Analysis was also provided by experts and commentators in international and American politics at the University of Liverpool.

The election had become one of the most polarising in American history, predom-

Howland, a band from Brighton whose gear was stolen after playing a gig in Liverpool, are crowd-funding to replace it.

The young musicians had played a small gig at Maguire’s Pizza Bar and left their guitars, amps, drums and pedals at Sound Food and Drink on Duke Street overnight.

Unfortunately for the band, the bar was broken into during the night and the perpetrators made off with the three guitars they had with them.

Howland told Liverpool Life News: “We left our gear somewhere safe and someone broke in and by chance, took it. Left us with no instruments to play the rest of our tour dates on and made us miss our journey home.”

The band are trying to raise £800 through the crowdfunding page justgiving.com and have, at the time of writing, had donations totalling £655.

Howland have now given up on getting their guitars back, which meant a lot to them, but are determined to replace them and finish their tour.

inantly because of the temperament and character of Republican candidate Donald Trump and the controversial past record of Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The polls had been very close, with the latest national poll of polls before the vote showing Clinton on 48pc and Trump on 44pc.

The result was met with

shock and surprise by students gathered at the Liverpool Guild – with many expecting a clear win for Clinton.

Student Luke Jones, 20, said: “I can’t believe how tonight has gone. I had a great time at the Guild tonight but I’m shocked at the result now.

I never expected Donald Trump to actually win.”

One of Britain’s biggest fashion shows – The Clothes Show - has announced it’s relocating from Birmingham to Liverpool in July 2017 and will take over the city for a three-day festival.

The show, organised by Haymarket Media Group, will be based around numerous locations: The Albert Dock, The Echo Arena, ACC, The Anglican Cathedral and Camp & Furnace at the Baltic Triangle and St. George’s Hall. The event will be rebranded as British Style Collective presented by The Clothes Show.

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Life|News|4

Santa Claus is coming to town!

By RHYS EDMONSON Festive shoppers are in for a treat this Thursday when Liverpool switches on its Christmas lights.

The public have been told to be prepared for a spectacle at the switch on, which will start at 4pm, including live performances, rides and even an opportunity to meet Shrek.

Also on the bill is a visit from Mr Father Christmas himself who will be accompanied by his band of elves at Paradise Street.

This will be followed by the eventual switch on of the lights at 6pm.

Boost for Palm House

By EMMA WHITE Sefton Park Palm House raised almost £9,000 hosting its second fundraising dinner in honour of its founder, Henry Yates Thompson.

In a bid to pay tribute to the man who donated £10,000 to build the Palm House which opened in 1896, staff are hopeful of matching this by the end of the year.

Hosting the evening was long-time friend of the Palm House and BBC Radio Merseyside presenter Roger Phillips.

A great turnout saw 200 supporters enjoy a threecourse meal with wine and fizz, dancing and a quiz, finished with some spectacular firework displays.

All profits go directly back into the Trust.

Merseyside marks Somme centenary

By HAMISH ELLWOOD

On Remembrance Sunday the nation looks back as one to those who have lost their lives in the First World War, the Second World War, and all further conflicts.

This year will be especially memorable as November 18 will mark exactly 100 years of the ending of the Battle of the Somme.

However, The Royal British Legion, which runs the Poppy Appeal, is looking to send a slightly different message. ‘Rethink Remembrance’ is asking the nation to recognise both the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces of the past, and those made by today’s generation.

Remembrance Sunday and the remembrance poppy, have been used since 1921 to commemorate fallen military personnel. Their message for 2016 is: “While we will always remember them, the Legion wants to raise awareness of a new generation of veterans and

Service personnel that need our support.”

Armistice Day traditionally falls on November 11, with Remembrance Sunday on the closest Sunday, which this year is November 13.

The commemorations in Liverpool this year will begin on Armistice Day, with a two-minute silence on Friday at 11am at the Cenotaph at St George’s Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend the ceremony and arrive no later than 10:15.

The Garden of Remembrance Opening in St John’s Gardens will not take place this year due to it being Armistice Day, but the garden will still be open to receive tributes.

Liverpool’s Remembrance Sunday will begin with The Royal British Legion leading a march as they have in previous years.

The Ex-Service Parade and the City of Liverpool Remembrance Service will run in consultation with the City and Merseyside Police and it

Solemn: Remembering the falllen at a previous service has been agreed that the Ex Service Parade route will be unchanged. The Parade will congregate at Lime Street railway station by the junction with Skelhorn Street, and will march down Lime Street and onto the Plateau.

The parade will be due to leave at 10:25 and will be led, as always, by the Duke of Lancaster’s Band.

The service has been

slightly reduced this year, amending the wreath laying which will be similar to last year’s service. There will be a total of 30 places for non-marching veterans who wish to attend. The Kings Regiment will form at the side of the parade at the end of the service and march off the plateau, followed by the Standards and the remainder of the Ex-Service Contin-

© JMU Journalism gent. The following services will be held in the Wirral: The Cenotaph at Hamilton Square, Birkenhead, 10:55am; Bidston, St. Oswald’s Church, 10:30; West Kirby, at Grange Hill, 10:45; Moreton at the Cenotaph, corner of Maryland Lane and Pasture Road, 10:45 and New Brighton at the War Memorial on the Magazines Promenade, 10:55.

Healing hair ... one follicle at a time

By MOLLY COPOC

University of Liverpool student Claire Namukolo is preparing to launch a nationwide charitable campaign which aims to provide emotional support to men who are experiencing hair loss or baldness.

Claire spoke to Liverpool Life about the research into her campaign – Hair Heals: “I have performed a simple research interview with students on whether or not they have experienced any form of hair loss and it has been

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discovered that a large portion of student’s lose hair due to stress or anxiety leading up to the exams.”

Claire has spent many years hosting the Liverpool Urban Hair Show. An event dedicated to celebrating hairdressing and supporting local charities.

Her experience of hosting the hair show inspired her to spark up a new campaign, she explained: “I realised individuals without hair were being marginalised from getting involved in the event and decided to start a pro-

ject that will ensure hair loss sufferers are also included, heard and are not marginalised which lead to the idea to start the Hair Heals charitable campaign.

Men and hair loss is a topic that is rarely addressed and the campaign looks to address the self-esteem and confidence effects of hair loss.

The Hair Heals charity campaign has gained support from the Liverpool Women’s Organisation and will officially be launched as a charity in January 2017 at Sirens Café, based in the Baltic Triangle

area, near the waterfront.

Claire encourages anyone who may be in interested in volunteering for the campaign to come forward by contacting Hair Heals via email: hairhealsorg@mail. com.

Hair Heals also wishes to gain interest from campaigners and sponsors who are interested in fighting hair loss of any kind, which includes: Postpartum Hair Loss, Alopecia, Genetic Thinning, Trichotillomania, Male Pattern Baldness and hair loss caused by chemotherapy, injury or

surgery.

Help from these sponsors and campaigners would aid Hair Heals by hosting public awareness campaigns leading up to the official launch, early next year.

The campaign will also be the selected charitable organisation for the 3rd annual Liverpool Urban Hair Show.

The show is set to be held at Mountford Hall on May 7th 2017.

Any profits raised from hairdressers entries will be donated towards the Hair Heals campaign.

Bike gang upsets funeral

By MATTHEW MAGUIRE

A police car was damaged in the aftermath of schoolboy Frankie Murphy’s funeral procession in Roby.

Hundreds gathered on Monday to pay their respects to the popular teenager who was tragically killed in a road accident in October.

A cortege of cars drove through the Page Moss area towards St Aloysius Church, engulfed by the sound of scrambler bikes riding alongside the procession.

Frankie’s body was carried within a Land Rover.

The bikes, one of which Frankie was riding when he was hit by a car and killed on Liverpool Road, have been a source of controversy in Liverpool over recent weeks.

A number of incidents have occurred throughout Sefton, Huyton and Liverpool between police forces and scrambler bike gangs.

In October, house raids and the seizing of several vehicles took place in Dovecot and Gaston, prompting officers to set up plans to ensure the funeral procession went as smoothly as possible.

However, once the cof-

fin and the family reached the church and the service began, conflict emerged between a number of bikers who had remained outside the ceremony and the waiting police forces.

A small number of riders’ surrounded a patrol car near Twigg Lane, damaging the vehicle and causing police forces to send out a number of cars in response.

Speaking after the funeral Assistant Chief Constable Ian Critchley blasted the bikers for affecting what was otherwise a peaceful send-off.

He said: “This is completely unacceptable and we

will be relentless in finding those responsible.

“Not only has their behaviour been dangerous and criminal, they have failed to heed the wishes of Frankie’s family at this upsetting time.”

The funeral procession itself was without incident, with a huge crowd of people on bike and on foot gathering to show their condolences towards the family.

Elliott Walsh, who attended the event, told Liverpool Life: “What happened to Frankie was horrible, so it was decent to see so many people turn up to show their respects.”

Life|News|5

Carers join in disco fun

By SARAH WILLIAMS A community centre in Kensington has been getting visitors moving with their weekly disco.

The All Saints Church Community Centre holds a disco every Thursday for adults with disabilities and their carers and families.

There is also bingo, a raffle and occasionally a live band.

The disco is organised by support agency Active Community Enterprise, which also runs 22 other events for people with disabilities across Liverpool.

Steven Anthony Reed, 46, founder of Active Community Enterprise, said: “It encourages them to be more independent. My pleasure is seeing people who were shy when they first came in, seeing them now befriending people, gaining a lot of confidence and getting up on the stage and dancing.”

Around 150 people attend the event on average each week, with people coming from the Wirral, St Helens and Warrington to attend.

Protests for peace in Turkey

By JAMES HARRISON A protest for peace took place in Liverpool yesterday after recent government attacks in Turkey.

Volkan, 25, who helped lead the group Rise for Kurdistan spoke to Liverpool Life, saying: “The aim of this protest is to raise voices, we have held protests in Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, London, we held a demonstration there which saw more than 6000 people join in.

“A couple of days back, a statement was released which showed that Turkey was the fourth biggest weapon buyer from the USA, and Turkey is helping ISIS and in front of everyone, they don’t even bother to hide it anymore.”

Performers bring the beat on Bon�ire Night

By AMY SHIRTCLIFFE

Controversy may have surrounded the weekend’s River of Light festival but one part of the event has been hailed a success with those who turned out to watch the spectacle.

While the fireworks did not live up to expectations the build-up to the River of Light event was a spectacle in its own right, as various locations on both sides of the river put on a show of fire, drums and pyrotechnics all rolled into one, providing hours of unique entertainment.

Bring the Fire Project opened the entertainment, with simultaneous demonstrations spread wide across Merseyside.

The fire performers looked every bit the part as they

twirled batons, hulahooped and swung around nun chucks, all of which were engulfed in flames.

Szymon Mamys, director of Bring the Fire Project, said: “It was the biggest fire and drums collaboration we ever made and the biggest Liverpool’s ever seen with 5 locations, 24 fire dancers and 40 drummers with beats and rhythms, fire and sparks, hoods and masks.

“I strongly believe it was a great success and a huge milestone in developing Bring the Fire Project and the fire community in Liverpool.

“Fire dancing is a really beautiful and diverse art that everyone can enjoy, it can tell the story, it creates a great base for collaboration, it can amaze with

special effects and performers skills.”

While the fire dancers got into the swing of things, the entertainment continued as Twister Aerobatic Team took to the skies. The buildup also featured a parade by world-renowned drummers Les Commandos Percu and Deabru Beltzak.

Martin Draycott tweeted: “Definitely more impressed with the street performers than the fireworks.”

Shellie Hilton posted on Facebook: “The drummers and pyrotechnics were by far the best bit of the night, they were really good.”

Meanwhile Twitter user Swainy Swainy tweeted: “That awkward moment when the pre-show (which was superb) is a lot better than the actual fireworks display!”

Sparks are flying: Performers livening up the crowd up before the fireworks at the event

Cuts to benefits hit Runcorn families

By MATTHEW MAGUIRE

Around 200 families in Halton are expected to be hit by the newly-introduced benefit cap, losing hundreds of pounds of support money, a charity claims.

The Children’s Society released statistics indicating that homes in the Widnes and Runcorn areas are to be affected by the benefits cap introduced by former Chancellor George Osborne this week, as part of the government’s austerity plan.

The original household benefits cap was £26,000 a year across the country, but has now been dropped to £23,000 for homes in London and £20,000 for homes outside the capital.

The charity has estimated that around 25,000 children and nearly 10,000 homes across the North West will be affected by the new cap.

Gary Jackson, North Area Director at the Children’s Society, believes that the Government are failing to honour their word of protecting all families across the country, to

Benefit cuts: Former Chancellor George Osborne ©Wikimedia the detriment of children.

He said: “Given the Prime Minister’s talk of making Britain a country that works for everyone, it is deeply disappointing that the Government is pushing ahead with an ongoing agenda of cuts to financial support for children in low-income families.

“This is a blunt instrument trying to solve a complex

problem. The policy is targeted at workless adults, but the reality is that children are considerably more likely than adults to lose out and there is nothing fair about trying to balance the books on the backs of poor children.”

The charity’s main fear is that the tighter restrictions on money allocated to families receiving benefits could

Worst hit: Runcorn homes will lose hundreds of pounds ©Wikimedia result in people becoming homeless and children being forced onto the streets.

Of the 88,000 homes expected to be hit by the cap,

around three quarters of them will see their budgets cut by around £39 a week, while the remaining houses will lose around £62 a week.

Life|Focus|6

Brexit won’t bring us down T

SACHI KONDO looks at the impact of Brexit and future government policy as efforts to control migration continue

he UK has seen a number of unpleasant changes following Brexit such as the weakening of the British Pound, shortage of Marmite, but what has been overlooked are the figures of foreign students pursuing higher education in Britain.

Reducing the number of international students has become a part of a wider scheme to control net migration to a ‘sustainable level’, as the government claims it is an easy route for economic migrants to enter Britain.

The UK is the second most popular destination for international students, who contribute approximately £16bn to the economy, potentially rising as high as £26bn in 2025, according to a BIS research paper.

Although the International Passenger Survey has previously suggested an inaccurate number of 110,000 over stayers a year, a government research reported by The Times has revealed that only 1 per cent of students extend their welcome.

Mostafa Rajaai, International Officer for the National Union of Students claimed that, due to Theresa May’s approach to international students, the number of foreign students coming to the UK has decreased for the first time in 30 years.

With Brexit underway, UK universities risk slipping behind competitors like Canada and Australia, whose ‘National Strategy for International Education 2025’, a 10-year plan to expand Australia’s international education sector, contrasted markedly with that of UK. It is believed that the British student visa regime is one of the toughest and least welcoming in the world. But recent proposals plan to enforce even stricter visa regulations on students applying to lower-ranked universities and courses. The goal would be to allow only the best students to study at reputable institutions in the country, such as Russell Group universities.

Corina Doran, Head of Curriculum of Study Group and LJMU’s International Study Centre, told Liverpool Life:

“That policy is inherently unfair. As an academic, this is not necessarily a good measurement of whether those pupils are effective students.

“I understand and experience that there is a plethora of students who have different characteristics and strengths and it would be very unfortunate to lose a lot of variety in our student body. We would lose skills and cultures, too.

If they did that they would be targeting a whole culture of students and basically not allowing them to access UK education,” she added.

Adi Rajesh, 20, a secondyear Games Design Development student from India, told Liverpool Life: “I think it should apply to all students in all universities because you can’t measure someone’s worth by which institution they attend. Only a few universities offer the course I’m studying, so if they limit my options to strictly high rank universities and courses, I would’ve probably ended up in another country.”

A

ccording to a publication by the Institute for Public Policy Research in September 2016, while immigration is a key public concern, only 22 per cent of the public see international students as immigrants and only 31 per cent want to reduce migration flows by reducing student numbers.

However, Corina Doran explained that international student figures are part of the

Together: The International Society at LJMU’s freshers fair immigration statistics.

She told Liverpool Life: “If the Brexit voters taught me anything is that the UK population do look at international students in a negative light.

The general populace doesn’t understand what these students bring to the economy.”

Julia Daer, 21, President of LJMU’s International Society and second year marketing student from Italy, said: “I understand the UK has problems with migration because they’re an island and it’s getting more populated and they have a housing problem but I know loads of Europeans move out of their countries when they’re 20 even 30 to look for work.

“Same goes to non-EU stu-

dents who come here looking for better education and quality of life. People tend to ignore that fact.”

She further claimed that, according to rough figures from the Liverpool SU, international students only take up 1-2% of the whole student population in LJMU. “It’s very small. I would like to think it’s more than that,” she told Liverpool Life.

While many believe the number of foreign students could see a substantial drop as a result of Brexit and Theresa May’s crackdown policy, LJMU itself has not witnessed a negative impact.

The International Study Centre, an embedded college for international students in

© Adi Rajesh LJMU, has seen a surge in student numbers even after the EU referendum result was announced. It found a 10-20% rise since last year.

“It could be because of Brexit, the exchange rate has lowered so in a sense it is now cheaper to study in the UK,” Corina Doran told Liverpool Life.

She then reminded international students to not worry as LJMU, as well as other UK universities and private institutions, have policy around increasing the number of international students.

There will still be an effort to make foreign students feel welcomed as they secure capital for UK universities’ business plans.

Changing the face of men’s health

B

ack in 2003, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery met in Melbourne for a beer. By the end of the evening they had thought of a concept that would change the world’s view on men’s health.

Since that evening, over £402 million has been raised to help fund more than 1200 men’s health projects. Now, Movember is an annual, fun event involving the growing of moustaches and beards during the month of November.

The foundation raises awareness for men’s health problems; including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health and physical inactivity.

The global charity has begun to break down the stigma attached to men’s health across the world. With 21 countries now involved, many young

CHEYENNE HANSEN takes a look into how the Movember movement gets people talking men’s health people have become committed to growing a moustache throughout the month of November in aid of the charity.

Drama students at Liverpool John Moores University are raising money for the Movember foundation. Some people are growing moustaches, others are helping by organising fundraising events such as raffles and auctions.

Ross Howson, 20, from Rochdale, is one of the Drama students involved. He told Liverpool Life: ‘’ I really like the idea of both literally and metaphorically changing the face of men’s health. It is still such a taboo subject, especially where I am from. I think the most important message

of Movember is solidarity and the more people see how big the campaign is, the more conversations there will be about cancer and men’s mental health.’’

A

ccording to the Movember foundation, a man dies every minute from suicide. Men, regardless of age group, often don’t recognise when they are experiencing a mental health issue. They are also more likely to be in denial about physical symptoms than women.

The disheartening truth is that some of the conventional forms of masculinity are killing men.

Registered Mental Health

Movember: Men take part in growing their facial hair worldwide to raise awareness © Kris Walton/Creative Commons Nurse, Ann Hansen, 63, from Staffordshire, told Liverpool Life: “I think that traditionally men tend to not discuss their health problems as they think that they will be seen as unmanly.

“In general, there is a stigma against any mental health issues, men are not talking about them and they’re sweeping them under the carpet. This is an area where a lot of people do not want to

come forward and admit they have a problem.”

David Wotherspoon, 76, a former journalist,from West Lancashire is a survivor of cancer and has spoken about his prostate and bladder cancer struggles.

He was first alerted to his prostate cancer after a routine blood test in 2004, it resulted in his GP noticing a climbing level of PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen), which is an indica-

tor of prostate cancer.

He had an operation to remove the prostate altogether.

This was undertaken before the cancer had a chance to spread.

Eight years later, David noticed blood in his urine, however he lived with this for 12 months before a trip to A&E brought the matter to a head, resulting in him being referred to a consultant.

David said: “My delaying, looking back, was extremely stupid and I think perhaps could have proved fatal. I certainly needed some sort of reminder, possibly through a campaign, that I was dicing with death.

“I think probably with the advent of the internet and wider awareness of health issues there has been an improvement in men being open with their health.

“I think younger men are more likely to seek advice than my generation.”

Life|Arts|7

LIFE EXTRA How Scarlett's teenage dreams became a reality

G

rowing up, it was unusual to find Scarlett Russell without a copy of Sugar or Just Seventeen, meaning her pursuit into the world of magazine journalism came naturally to her.

And it was this passion for the glitzy and glamorous world of women’s magazines that sparked her love for “writing about interesting people and interesting topics”.

Now, ten years after graduating from Liverpool John Moores University, Scarlett works as a freelance journalist in London where she has accumulated a wealth of experience working for titles such as Glamour, Grazia and In Style UK. With a year-long stint in New York working as a dating columnist for Ask Men UK also under her belt, it appears Scarlett has been very fortunate in her quest for success. Although this is all a result of hard work, she says.

“I started doing work experience from when I was about 17. I was really lucky as I was living with my parents in London so I could afford to work for free.

RHYS EDMONDSON speaks to graduate Scarlett Russell about life as a freelancer after leaving LJMU In summer holidays and reading weeks I would contact magazines and ask if I could do work experience.

By the time third year came round I already had loads of experience so I went back to these magazines.

"I kept going back to Closer, which is a women’s weekly and that soon turned into an assistant job, which was very little money but it was something.”

But it was working as a freelance journalist where Scarlett really found her forte, an area in which she has worked for more than four years. When asked about the pros and cons of working freelance, she said: "A pro is writing for a variety of different titles on a variety of different topics. You can’t really do that when you’re working for one title so it does give you a lot more freedom.

"Like any job, working for yourself and being your own

WHAT’S ON

boss is liberating as you have more control over your dayto-day life. The downside is the fact that it’s a really tough industry and at the moment there isn’t much work out there and budgets are being slashed here, there and everywhere.

"The money isn’t always great. I suppose working freelance can be unreliable.

You have to work quite a bit harder to make sure you are guaranteed commissions.”

W

ith such a wealth of experience, Scarlett understands the demands of working in such a competitive industry although she is still learning to become more thick skinned.

“I have learnt that the hard way. You have to be because there is a lot of competition, there is a lot of rejection and there are a lot of big personalities in this industry and you have to be able

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to put up with that. I think that’s something I wish I had mastered earlier on.”

Despite the difficulties that arise on occasion, the North Londoner remains passionate about what she does.

“The best advice I got was; ‘life is copy’, which basically means that the best features will come from your own experience. For example, when I used to have feature meetings at Glamour, the best features would come from talking about our relationships or our friendships or anything we were going through.

"My best feature writing would come from just sitting with my mates in the pub.

Anything that is happening to you, you can turn into a feature. I think it’s really important to look at it that way.

"The advice I would give is this - say yes to every single opportunity that comes your way. Just make the most out of everything. No job should be too little. Be prepared to work for nothing. Be prepared to work for very little.

"Take every single opportunity, even if it sounds like something you might not want to do - and be nice to everyone. Do everything with a smile!"

THEATRE:

Looking the part: Scarlett turned her dreams of writing for a woman's magazine into a reality © Scarlett Russell

COMEDY:

MORE:

WHITE CHRISTMAS @ Empire Theatre 17th - 20th November

Camp and Furnace Every Saturday – Doors 7:30pm, Show 8:30pm

Based on the muchloved movie starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, White Christmas tells the story of two ex-army pals who team up with a singing sister-act to put on a show to save a remote ski lodge in Vermont,

BILLY CONNOLLY: The High Horse Tour @ Echo Arena 19th November

Liverpool Christmas markets @ St George's Plateau outside St George's Hall on Lime Street

25 Years of Reeves & Mortimer: the Poignant Moments @ Echo Arena 16th December

Opening November 18 The markets will feature more than 40 stalls selling food, arts and crafts from across four continents.

Life|Focus|8

Life after prision: Robert King, left, and Albert Woodfox, two of the ‘Angola Three’ - the third member, Herman Wallace, died in 2013

We were A jailed for crimes we didn’t commit ... but we never gave up hope

© Cheyenne Hansen

After spending a total of 72 years in solitary confinement Albert Woodfox and Robert King are free and sharing stories of their ordeal. CHEYENNE HANSEN reports lbert Woodfox and Robert King spent a total of 72 years in solitary confinement in Louisiana State Penitentiary. Now, they are crossing continents to inform and educate others about their ordeal, as part of their European Freedom Tour.

They are sharing their experiences as activists for a reform against brutal prison conditions and campaigning to free fellow political prisoners.

Albert and Robert are two of the ‘Angola Three’. Herman Wallace was the third, but lost his battle with cancer in 2013, just days after he was released from prison.

The Angola Three endured wrongful imprisonment at the hands of the American penal and judicial system because they were part of the Black Panther Party. Support groups and activists spent decades campaigning for their release.

Originally, they were all serving shorter sentences in Louisiana State Penitentiary, Herman and Albert were then accused of stabbing a prison guard in 1972.

They have always maintained their innocence, stating that they were targeted because of their involvement with the Black Panther Party, as they were planning to address the horrific conditions at the Angola prison.

Robert King was convicted for a separate murder of another prisoner, of which he was eventually cleared.

He was the first of the Angola three to be released and became a free man in 2001 after being held in solitary for 29 years. He then campaigned for Albert’s release.

Robert told Liverpool Life: “I wanted to get out with dignity, I knew many people

were supporting us based on the fact that we were innocent.”

Albert was eventually released in February. He told Liverpool Life: “Robert made a promise to us, he said that as long as we were in Angola he would never stop until we were all free.

“In that time, he never broke faith, although we lost Herman he died a free man, and I’m free.

“Robert single-handedly defeated the Louisiana department of correction and the racist judicial system.”

T

he Freedom Tour included an inspiring and emotional event in Liverpool, where Albert and Robert highlighted the importance of justice and reform.

The city was always an important part of Robert’s journey in the UK and a key place of support for the campaign from community at Liverpool John Moores University.

Footage from their new documentary, Cruel and Unusual, was shown to the audience of over 200 which included activists, academics and students.

The pair received a standing ovation for the bravery and determination they have shown throughout their lifelong campaign.

The documentary will be released on Channel 4 later this year.

The documentary revealed that Albert spent 23 hours a day in a six-by-nine cell, the Angola two are now campaigning for the abolishment of solitary confinement.

Albert told Liverpool Life: “Since being out [of prison] Robert, myself, and Herman in spirit, are trying to start a national dialogue about political prisoners, we are trying to change the conditions and get innocent political prisoners freed.”

Albert was the longest solitary confinement prisoner in United States history.

When asked how he survived so many years, he told Liverpool Life: “We made a conscious decision when we were first placed in solitary confinement that we would not be institutionalised - we would be shaped by society and not by the prison.

“I define who I am and society played a very big part in me being able to survive all those years.

“The inspiration came from the men and women in society, I think that played a role in allowing us to stay focused and defeat the blatant racism of the department of correction.”

Inspiringly, Albert and Robert stated that they do not feel anger towards the system that kept them confined.

Robert said: “I may be free from Angola but they will never be free of me.”

‘I wanted to get out with dignity, I knew many people were supporting us based on the fact that we were innocent’

Life|Focus|9

THE DINERS WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE DARK ANDREW NUTTALL REPORTS ON THE BLIND DATE THAT IS CHANGING LIVES

H Diners: Dave Kelly, centre, poses with the Lord Mayor and her husband © Aaliyah Rugg

Food for thought: Liverpool Life reporter, Andrew Nuttall, tastes soup whilst blindfolded © Aaliyah Rugg

ave you ever had a meal and not known what was in front of you?

Had no idea where your food was on the plate? A charity night held this week at The Devonshire Hotel did just that.

The Kensington-based hotel played host to an event where diners, including the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, were encouraged to don their blindfolds as they attempted to enjoy a three course meal from the perspective of someone with visual impairments.

The Dinner in the Dark evening was held by Daisy Inclusive, a small charity based in Liverpool, that brings abled and disabled people together, taking those from isolation to inclusion. Based in Everton, Daisy is ‘the can do charity that does’ which aims to break down the barriers around disability within our society.

Charity manager, Dave Kelly, said: “Tonight marks the seventh year we have been doing this. We will have a 3 course meal blindfolded so they can share what myself and many others with visual impairments go through.”

Dave lost his sight 18 years ago due to a rare condition known as Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP).

Speaking about his condition, the former dairy producer said: “I spent three years stuck in the house coming to terms with my blindness, I lost everything, including my wife. There was no-one to help me.”

At the end of the successful event, he told Liverpool Life: “Everyone has felt empathetic tonight for what it’s like to lose one of your main senses. They have realised the importance of sight. It’s been a cracking evening, we’ve all enjoyed ourselves and have gotten out of it what we wanted, giving people an experience to take away with them and tell other people and to be a bit more aware of the needs of people with disability. It’s been an eye opener, pardon the pun!”

The room was filled with various volunteers from Daisy Inclusive and some key figures in the community. In attendance at the top table with Dave was the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Roz Gladden.

Speaking of her experiences of dining blind, she said: “The first thing you notice

even without eating is how isolated it is not being able to talk and make contact with people. You feel really alone and when it came to eating the food I just gave up. It all went very cold and I just ate the broccoli, I don’t even like broccoli!”

Fitness instructor Jo Parry works with Daisy Inclusive to support the disabled community by holding a Zumba class every Wednesday.

When asked about her experience of the evening, she said: “Eating a meal with a blindfold on was extremely difficult. The whole logistics from cutting your food to finding your mouth, it was really hard work. It’s raised awareness of what people with vision impairments have to go through in everyday life. However, it’s been a really enjoyable night we are all having lots of fun.”

The JMU Journalism team were given the chance to take part in the experience of dining in the dark, the challenges became even more clear once the blindfolds came on.

The event really highlighted how much we take our sight for granted in everyday life. If you thought eating soup was difficult now, try doing it blindfolded!

‘I spent three years stuck in the house coming to terms with my blindness, I lost everything...’

DID YOU KNOW? • There are almost two million people in the UK living with sight loss. This figure includes around 360,000 people registered as blind or partially sighted in the UK, who have severe and irreversible sight loss.

• Over 50% of sight loss can be avoided.

• There are almost 25,000 blind and partially sighted children in Britain. That is equal to 2 in 1,000 children. As many as half of these children may have other disabilities.

• The number of people in the UK with sight loss is set to increase dramatically.

• It is predicted that by 2050 the number of people with sight loss in the UK

will double to nearly four million.

• Sight loss affects people of all ages.

Sight loss affects people of all ages but especially older people: 1 in 5 people aged 75 and 1 in 2 aged 90 and over are living with sight loss.

• Two-thirds of registered blind and partially sighted people of working age are not in paid employment.

• There is a link between sight loss and reduced wellbeing. Over one-third of older people with sight loss are also living with depression.

• Around 360,000 people are registered blind or partially sighted in the UK. •63 per cent of people with sight loss are female, 37 per cent are male

Blinded: Police officers enjoy what’s on offer © Andrew Nuttall

Life|Fitness|10

CHILL OUT

Sport’s new cold miracle cure is freezing out the pain to raise money for Help for Heroes

By ANDREW NUTTALL There are many methods of relaxing after an intense session in the gym, but have you ever considered being immersed in a bath of liquid nitrogen gas to de-stress?

Once you’re inside the chamber, you’ll get a burst of nitrogen gas every thirty seconds or so.

The freezing gas surrounds your entire body which causes your blood to rush away from your limbs and towards your core in an attempt to warm and protect your vital organs from an icy funeral.

Darren O’Connor, who owns the only full body cryotherapy chamber in Liverpool, said: “There’s a lot of benefits that come with cryotherapy.

“I have pro boxers and footballers coming in to use the chamber because the cryotherapy process flushes all the toxins out of the body and helps you recover faster.”

The process puts your body into a ‘survival mode’ according to the gym owner and replenishes your blood with oxygen.

Upon stepping out of the chamber, the blood immediately rushes back through the body, re-oxygenated and producing a warm sensation.

While the thought of being blasted with air that is colder than the Antarctic atmosphere is daunting, there are virtually no risks that come with using the equipment.

He said: “It’s a completely safe process. Although it’s really cold, and can reach well below -100° C, you’re not actually in it long enough for the cold to affect you in a bad way.”

Mark Holloway was at the gym in Bootle this week and got to experience the benefits of cryotherapy after a hard training session.

He said: “Today was my first cryotherapy session. I ran 20 miles, quite quickly and with a lot of hills, I really over did it! But after three minutes in the chamber, I felt brand new!”

The former soldier, from Burscough, has been training for the World’s Toughest Mudder competition in Las Vegas in 2017 and has been raising money for Help the Heroes.

There are only two other full-body chambers in the UK at the moment, in Manchester and one in London.

As well as recovering from sports injuries, cryotherapy has many other benefits such as easing skins conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

It is also claimed to help insomniacs.

Antarctic: The chamber can hit temperatures of minus 180 C

Cold Work: Mark in action, above, and, top, in the cryochamber

© Andrew Nuttall

© Liverpool Cryotherapy

What can cryotherapy do for you?

1

WEIGHT LOSS

Just one treatment doing cryotherapy can help to burn additional calories, however the results of this may vary from person to person. It does this through helping blood circulation and boosted delivery of oxygenated blood, helping to increase metabolic rate, shedding extra weight.

2

ATHLETIC RECOVERY

Athletes all around the world are turning to cryotherapy to help them recover and perform better. The treatment allows athletes to train harder and longer as well as recovering from the workouts quicker.

3

ANTI AGEING

The treatment is one way to help reduce signs of ageing such as wrinkles and fine lines. It does this through stimulating collagen production in deeper layers of skin, by shocking the body into action by increasing blood circulation and boosting immune and central nervous systems.

4

REDUCE SORENESS

Whole body cryotherapy can be used to treat soreness all over the body. This may be the main reason why athletes use it; however, others can still benefit from this as it helps to reduce muscle pain through muscle metabolism.

Life|Sport|11

Merseyside Champions Dinner for charity. © Twitter: MerseysideSport

Aintree to host charity dinner

By CAI GRIFFITHS-STURGE The Merseyside Sporting Champions Dinner is being held to raise money to fund bursaries for future local sports stars.

The event, sponsored by Sports England and the National Lottery, will honour numerous sporting and coaching achievements across the county.

Awards will be presented to the Coach of the Year, Club of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Young Sports Person of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement award.

Radio City presenter Steve Hothersall will be the compere for the evening with guest speakers such as Rio 2016 Paralympian, Jack Hunter-Spivey also speaking.

The dinner is being held on November 19th at Aintree Racecourse and tickets are available for £50.

Gerrard’s final whistle?

‘Swifty’ Smith bids to win first world title

By JOSH DOHERTY Liverpool boxer Stephen Smith believes that the experience of already fighting for a World Title will prove vital as he attempts to become World Champion at the second time of asking on Saturday night.

Smith is taking on America’s WBA Super-Featherweight Champion, Jason Sosa, and will be hoping to secure a world crown, after narrowly falling short against the unbeaten Jose Pedraza last April.

Despite that defeat though, ‘Swifty’ believes the experience will help him secure World honours this time around.

Speaking to Liverpool Life, Smith said: “I’ve been there, done it, just haven’t won it.

So I’ve got to go back, got to perform again and I’ll do it.”

Nevertheless, despite his confidence, Smith is fully aware of the quality his opponent possesses and is preparing for a tough contest.

Speaking to Liverpool Life, the 31-year-old said: “[Nicholas] Walters is no mug and

he got a draw with him, although I didn’t think he did… he got it on paper.

Javier Fortuna is a very good fighter, very strong and Sosa knocked him out.

“I’ve got to respect him.

He’s a world champion, not by accident, and he’ll get my full respect, but it’s a fight I believe suits me and a fight I know I’ll win.”

Smith, whose record shows 24 wins and two losses, also believes that victory in Monte Carlo will provide the catalyst for him to reach new heights and help him fulfil his potential. He told Liverpool Life: “When I win a world title it’ll be a weight off my shoulders.

“A lot of people have expected it from me since I turned pro after a good amateur career and I expect it from myself. After I win the world title I think you’ll see the best of me.”

The 31-year-old also provided an update on his youngest brother, Callum, over his future.

The WBC Super-Middleweight Champion, Badou Jack, whose belt Smith was

the mandatory challenger for, opted to fight in a unification bout against James Degale instead, but the Scouse boxer said: “The winner has got to fight Callum.

“He’s going to defend his British title against Luke Blackledge, get another notch on that belt, get another good win and bounce into that fight against the winner.

“He’s very confident against either.”

Fight: Smith in action. © Lawrence Lustig

Everton in the Community launch heart scheme

By CHEYENNE HANSEN

By CAI GRIFFITHS-STURGE Liverpool FC legend Steven Gerrard may have played his last professional match before he retires.

The LA Galaxy midfielder lost the Western Conference semi-final to Colorado rapids which signals the end of his MLS career with his contact set to expire next month.

Gerrard made 504 appearances for Liverpool over a 17-year period, scoring 120 goals and winning nine trophies, including famously captaining the side to win the 2005 champions league final against AC Milan.

The Whiston-born midfielder has previously signalled his desire to move in to coaching, with the possibility of him returning to Melwood to work under Jurgen Klopp looking his most likely next career move.

Klopp has left the door open for a return of Liverpool’s former captain as eithwer a player or coach.

Contender: Stephen ‘Swifty’ Smith. © Josh Doherty

Screenings: Everton in the Community launch new healthy hearts initiative. © Everton in the Community

Everton in the Community are launching an event this weekend to try and reduce the number of young people dying from heart attacks in Merseyside.

The official Blues charity will be delivering a three year Healthy Hearts programme. The charitable trust Medicash have donated £10,000 to make this possible.

The programme will see Everton in the Community deliver heart screenings at Goodison Park on November 12th between 9am and 3pm. They are aiming to screen up to 300 people aged 15- 35 years old over the next three years. It is expected

that they will identify up to 20 young people with an undiagnosed heart condition.

Director of Health and Sport at Everton in the Community, Michael Salla, said: “This generous donation from Medicash will help us to save lives.

“The statistics around sudden cardiac arrest speak for themselves.

“The money means we can now deliver a programme that will provide free testing to young people across the area and reduce the number of deaths from this tragic and silent killer.”

The tests are non-invasive and take 10 minutes, they will identify if a young person may be at risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

A spokesperson from the Everton in the Community press office, told Liverpool Life: “Every week in the UK, 12 young people die as a result of sudden cardiac arrest. A ten-minute test can identify a young person who might be at risk of this condition therefore allowing provisions to be implemented to prevent a death and the sheer devastation to a family.”

The screening event will be open to Everton in the Community participants, Everton Free School pupils and the general public.

Places are available to book on the Everton website with further screenings taking place over the next three years.

Liverpool

LifeSPORT 9 November 2016

LUCAS APPEALS FOR WHEELS

By CHEYENNE HANSEN An aspiring footballer with Dystonia and Cerebral Palsy is appealing for help to buy a new wheelchair so that he can continue to play and compete in the national league.

Lucas Knight, 26, from Liverpool, has always enjoyed playing football, he now plays for Bolton Bullets Power Chair Football Club.

The 26-year-old has been in a wheelchair for his whole life but has struggled more with his condition as he got older. Dystonic Cerebral Palsy is characterised by involuntary muscle contractions that result in slow twisting or repetitive movements that are triggered by attempts to move. It also affects posture and balance, it can be difficult to control and painful.

Despite his struggle, Lucas has always enjoyed keeping active. He told Liverpool Life:

Fund set up to get new sport wheelchair “I had limited mobility whilst I was growing up but I still enjoyed my sports, however when I was a teenager I lost a lot of confidence.”

At Lucas’s most difficult time, he did not want to leave the house or attend school, but his weekly football sessions with Everton in the Community were something he continued to strive from.

Last year, Lucas had brain surgery to try and cure his Dystonia, the aspiring footballer told Liverpool Life:

“Normally, in these cases, the surgery more or less always works, but with me it was different, it didn’t have the desired effect that I was hoping for.

“I expected it to have more of a positive impact on my life. The only thing that it has helped with is driving my wheelchair; this is why I will benefit from the new sports wheelchair.”

The wheelchair Lucas is hoping to purchase is called a Strike Force, a chair designed especially for playing sports as it is more manoeuvrable, responsive and safe.

He told Liverpool Life: “I have been playing competitively for about three years now, if I had this new wheelchair it would mean I could compete to the highest level.”

To help Lucas play, please visit his Gofundme page at: https://www.gofundme. com/LUCAS7500

© Everton in the Communityge

Everton to launch healthy hearts initiative

Appeal: Lucas needs a new wheelchair © Lucas Knight

LJMU Fury off to roaring start to the new season

By GARETH McCULLOUGH

Liverpool John Moores American football team are preparing to kick off their new season with a win as they face the University of Nottingham this Saturday.

Fury are on the back of a stellar season, following their triumph of the Northern Division two. The society has seen rapid success in the last few years earning notoriety for their rapid progression.

This progression must continue if they are to get off to a winning start against this weekend’s opponents. Both players and president are aware of their opponent’s capabilities but are confident they can take the challenge in their stride.

Liam Hulse, a line-backer for team Fury said: “We are

Inside Sport

playing the best team in the whole of division one, according to double coverage, so of course there are some nerves but I’m personally more filled with excitement.

We get to compete against the best and as they say you have to beat the best to become the best.”

President Evans was keen to stress the important preparation which has gone into the upcoming season, both on and off the pitch.

“We spent a lot of the season recruiting the right types of guys this year. Obviously taking a step up, we knew it was going to be quite physically demanding. We’ve made an effort to try and recruit athletes, people who have the right body type to play American football and obviously deal with the physical demands of the game. We’ve gone into a di-

vision we think we can do well in and we’ve prepared the best we can.”

Last year’s champions have seen their accomplishments warranted having been named 2014’s ‘Most improved sports team’, as well as their ‘Achievement of the year’ award for 2016. The society’s rise through the ranks can be seen as a result of sheer hard work which is displayed in last years inspired championship win.

Mr Evans said: “It was the final of a lot of hard work, it was a long season. The long trip to Edinburgh was sort of the making of the team really.

“A lot of our games our local so getting on a coach to Edinburgh and shutting them out in the semi-final and then coming back to our home ground for the final was really good.”

© Joshua Doherty

Smith ready to become World

© WikiMedia Commons

Aintree to host sports Charity dinner