Liverpool Life 7:8, March 6 2019 by Steve Harrison

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ISSUE EIGHT MAR 6 - MAR 19

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Liverpool Life contents Vol 7 Issue 8 MARCH 6 - MARCH 19 What you should give up for Lent

Cash boost for New Ferry

Millennials and mental health

Female photography in focus Index puts censorship in spotlight

Speaking out against hate

23 Tackling loneliness with football

Director Who?

Back to the Yellow Brick Road

Young boxer hitting the heights

Albert Dock

LL Production: George Adams, Nadia Breen, Orlaith Clinton, Liam Cork, Christa Daley, Lori Dunlevy, Emma Fegan, Summer-Marie Gedall, Ben Higgins, Stephen Killen, Abigail Lawrence, Harry Leahey, Adele Matthews, Chantelle McKeever, Seanan McSheffrey, Liam Plumbley, Simran Roy, Megan Tattersley, Rebecca Thomas, Chloe Tomkins, Nick Ware, Ellie Watkinson, Annie Williams Front page picture © Activate Digital

NEWS LL 3 Region at top of league for knife assault injuries

New Ferry to receive cash boost from council By DAVID HAYCOCKS A local campaigner has welcomed fresh funding from Wirral council following the New Ferry explosion which destroyed homes and businsesses. Earlier this week, Wirral council approved a 2.99% rise in council tax and at the same time announced an extra £200,000 of funding for the area. It has been two years since the devastating explosion in New Ferry and the local community are happy to finally receive some good news. Chairman of the New Ferry Town Team Mark Craig, who has been pushing for investment for the town long before the blast, told Liverpool Life: “The New Ferry community welcomes this as a regeneration. “The council have got New Ferry’s plight close to their heart and obviously want to be seen to be doing something.” The explosion has had an emotional and financial impact on members of the community, and there are still people struggling

By ROHIN JALOTA

New Ferry precinct to move on two years after the blast. New Ferry resident Ann Grimes told Liverpool Life: “There have been so many wrongs since this happened and the council have not helped with life. “The fact that the council have pursued affected people for money regarding the whole area’s safety in itself is appalling.” To this day, there are people, who are out of their homes racking up financial debt and Mr Craig believes the insurance companies are to blame. He said: “The insurance

© Harry Leahey companies have found every loophole that they can to wriggle out of their responsibilities and paying. “There’s one resident I know in particular who is still not back in her home and her insurance company will only pay rent for the property she has moved into. “She has been mounting up debts ever since the explosion and has had to go to loan sharks. “This is an example of the type of financial stress that some people are still dealing with two years on.”

Chester racecourse’s £100m masterplan falls at first hurdle By JACK GIBSON Cheshire west and Chester Council has surprisingly refused Chester Racecourse’s proposal for a six storey pavilion grandstand and multi-storey car park Chester Racecourse was hopeful for a major revamp with an outline approval proposed for a £100m masterplan development to meet current and future needs to secure Chester‘s position as a leading UK racecourse. But these plans ended up being rejected at a council meeting yesterday due to the blockade of historic sites and the wellbeing and consideration of residents. The masterplan included five key phases of development, such as the the demolition of the existing Leverhulme Stand, followed by a replacement with a six-storey pavilion grandstand with bar, restaurant and private box facilities.

Chester Racecourse The application suggests that the development would have created an additional 50 jobs. Because of issues raised by local residents, which include concerns regarding traffic congestion and noise, it was decided by the council to block the plans for the time being. However, remaining commited to the development, Chester Race Company’s Chris Clay-

© Wiki Commons ton said congestion would not be an issue as they would do everything they could to stop traffic congestion and would work with local residents to come to an amicable agreement which works best for both parties He also stated that this would be a huge benefit to Chester and was something that could not be passed up on.

The North West has the highest number of hospital admissions, outside of London, for assaults with knives. Figures released by the BBC confirm 710 hospital admissions from 2017-2018 across the region, which is 140 more than the next closest region. Between 2017-2018 Manchester had the highest recorded offences with 1,953; over one thousand more than any other area in the North West. Knife crime in Merseyside has increased more than anywhere else disturbingly up 56% since 2010. The findings come after the #NoMoreKnivesCampaign was launched following the death of Sam Cooke in 2017, who was fatally stabbed whilst out in the city centre. Paul Bentley who is one of the people behind the campaign said: “We need to make an example of these kids now. “That’s what needs to happen. And it’s not just a case of putting one kid away for five years and he is the unfortunate one. It has to be continuous. “If these kids want to go out stabbing people then they need to know that if they are going to ruin someone else’s life that their life is going to be ruined too.” In an attempt to combat the issue, Merseyside Police have erected arches outside clubs in the city centre and have encouraged every bar or club to use metal detecting wands in a hope to deter potential carriers. However, stabbings in the city and the wider region continue to be a common occurrence, with a 15-year-old boy slashed in Liverpool and 17-year-old Yousef Makki fatally stabbed in Manchester, both this week. A crowdfunding page set up for Yousef’s family has already raised over £14,000. Following Yousef’s death Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said a “culture change” is needed to tackle knife crime, saying options such as stop and search, a knife amnesty and tougher penalties for people carrying a knife should all be considered.

LL NEWS

BIG goals for little library after 60,000 book giveaway By SEANAN McSHEFFREY Meet the Liverpool library which has given away 60,000 books for free. The BIG Little Library is a joint venture between Gateacre School and Belle Vale Shopping Centre. Both are always looking for ways to engage with their surrounding communities. BIG Little library (BLL), which is situated within the shopping centre, offers customers a haven of peace where they can browse at their leisure, find books of their choice or be introduced to a different author they may not have read before. The multi award-winning community library came about from a simple idea of wanting to help improve literacy within the community. When the BIG Little library began, Gateacre school had no idea how successful it would be. Lisa Mitchell, community co-ordinator at the school, said: “The BIG Little Library by Gateacre School began as a pilot project in 2015 for three months. The idea came from an initial meeting between Gateacre School and Belle Vale Shopping Centre, which ended in the centre offering the school a shop unit for free to do with as they see fit as long as it was to do with literacy. “After the three months, we had to close, but due to its success, we

By JACK GIBSON

BIG Little Library were asked to reopen a year later in 2016. Since the reopening, the BLL continues to grow, having now served over 53,500 customers and given away over 60,000 books free. We will celebrate our third birthday this month.” Lisa said: “The BLL is a social hub for the local community. All the books are free to take and do not have to be returned, but customers are encouraged to pass books on, or donate books to the BLL for other customers to enjoy. “We have a group of community volunteers who help keep it open. “They are a varied mix of former students, recently retired, parents, school governors and even a couple from Australia over on holiday who stayed to help they have taken real ownership of the project and added their own experience and

© Seanan McSheffrey expertise. “The volunteers run creative writing classes, shared reading groups and knitting groups, regularly knitting for specific causes, such as Sixty Million Trebles, a project to highlight the 60m refugees currently in the world. We have also held a Wigathon with Wigzee Woo to create funky knitting wigs for children going through chemotherapy and hair loss.” Not only has The BIG little Library given away 60,000 free books, they are passionate about their charity work giving back to those in need. “Through our Knit and Natter group, we have created items specifically for charities such as Zoe’s Place, Wigzee Woo, Dogs Trust and Sixty Million Trebles.”

Cheers as regulars fund defibrillator By DAVID HAYCOCKS Pub customers in Greasby have banded together to get a defibrillator installed at the Coach and Horses in the Wirral village. The pub’s darts team put on fundraiser events to raise £1,200 and an electrician from Greasby donated his time and resources to install the equipment. The closest public defibrillators to the village are in Woodchurch, which is around 20 minutes away, or Moreton. With a number of older residents in the Greasby and Frankby area local peole wanted to make sure there was equipment closer in case of emergency. After receiving so much support from the local community, co-owner of the Coach and horses Claire Turner, 30, said: “It’s like we are one big family. The customers here have always been

Diner to remain open despite closures

quite close and this pub has its own little community.” When asked about the reasoning behind the idea, Claire told Liverpool Life: “It was something the village needed because there wasn’t one anywhere around. “I think the closest one is in Moreton which is about a 10 or 15-minute drive and when you’re in that kind of emergency that is too far to go.”

The Coach and Horses pub, left, has funded life-saving equipment, above © David Haycocks

Restaurant workers could face losing their jobs after the owner of the Giraffe and Ed’s Easy Diner chain, which has restaurants in Liverpool and Cheshire, revealed plans to close 27 of its 87 sites. The restaurants are owned by Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG), who stated that like-for-like sales had risen since they took over the businesses, but they are still not making the required profit. Ed’s Easy Diner has restaurants in Lord Street, Liverpool, and Cheshire Oaks, while there is also a Giraffe in Cheshire Oaks. The Liverpool and Cheshire Oaks diners are set to stay open but one in Chester will close. BRG are set to enter a Company Voluntary Agreement that will ultimately see 27 restaurants close and rents cut at another 13. The company made underlying losses of over £1.6m and the owners feel that a new structure needs to be put into place to save money and make a profit. Tom Crowley, chief executive of BRG, said: “We have been examining options for the two brands for some time and the CVA is the only option to protect the company.” Joint administrator Rob Croxen said: “While we are pleased the transaction preserves around 700 jobs, our immediate priority in the coming days will be to liaise with those employees who have been affected by redundancy and ensure that in addition to receiving all back pay owed, they are provided with any assistance they need.”

NEWS LL 5

Public to have say over £3m floodwall plans By DAVID HAYCOCKS

The public will be granted a consulting role in the plans to build a £3m floodwall on the South Parade in West Kirby. AECOM, the company put in charge of the design by Wirral Council, will put the designs on display and drop-in sessions will take place from March 12 to 19 to gain the views of local people. The plan to protect the area from flooding over the next century was bolstered after the Environment Agency approved a £1.7m grant last year. There was mixed reaction

amongst local people about the project. Matthew Jones, 21, from Prenton said: “I think it’s a great idea. West Kirby is a really nice area and this will add to the scenery.” In contrast to Matthew’s views, Jessica McDonald, 32, from Frankby, told Liverpool life: “I think it will look nice but the Wirral needs investment in other areas like Birkenhead. West Kirby is already a nice area.” The project is in place for future flood prevention, which was questioned by 27-year-old Ellie Plaske, from Upton, who said: “I don’t understand why investment is going into preventing future floods when there’s issues happening

now across the entire Wirral.” Whether they were for or against the floodwall, some West Kirby residents believed the Wirral needed investment in other areas Liam Cox, 33, from West Kirby, told Liverpool Life: “I love living in West Kirby and I think the marine lake area is already fantastic, however, investment in Birkenhead is needed.” Although many Wirral inhabitants would like investment in the peninsula as a whole, long-standing West Kirby resident Debra Withey, 76, said: “I’ve lived in West Kirby for over 30 years and it’s been great to see it improve and I hope that it continues to do so.”

Artist’s impression of the West Kirby flood wall

Museum re-opens following death fall By JACK GIBSON The Musuem of Liverpool has re-opened following the death of a man at the weekend. On Sunday morning, a 38- year old man died after falling from the musuem’s second floor atrium. The museum was closed on Sunday and Monday as police investigated the death and the staff recovered from the tragic death. Laura Pye, Director of National Museums Liverpool, said:”Yesterday was a very sad day for National Museums Liverpool and particularly for our colleagues and visitors at Museum of

Liverpool. Sadly, at around 11am on Sunday morning there was an incident in the museum, which resulted in the death of a 38-year-old man. “First and foremost, our thoughts are with his family and friends at this incredibly sad time.” A North West Ambulance Service spokesman said three ambulances attended the scene - with a manager and an advanced paramedic - and a woman was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Merseyside Police have said they are treating the death as unexplained at this stage, but it is not believed to be suspicious.

The Museum of Liverpool

Roadworks to end in year’s time By LUCY JONES Liverpool’s commuter chaos will be over by March 2020. The city council say the series of extensive roadworks which have affected much of the city centre will be finished by this time next year. One of the first schemes to be completed is Russell Street, off Brownlow Hill, which is due to re-open at the weekend. The road had been closed for three weeks because of a new service by Scottish Power. This is part of a bigger scheme in partnership with Better Roads, which aims to repair roads and potholes. So far, they have been able to fix 13,938 roads across the region. The council have acknowledged that people’s journeys are being affected by the roadworks - but have said information to help people plan around the work will be provided soon. For more information on road closures, visit Better Roads website at https://betterroads. co.uk/

LL NEWS

Charity fundraiser for the homeless is thriving By MEGAN TATTERSLEY

A Liverpool bar invited people to cram their bags with clothes to boost homeless charity the Whitechapel Centre. The ‘Fill a Bag Evening’, at Leaf on Bold Street, enabled customers to buy a £10 plastic bag and fill it with as many clothes as they liked from stock donated to the charity’s shop. Susan Ryder, manager of the Whitechapel charity shop Open Door, told LL: “Having something like this is a good and quick way to raise a good sum of money and it helps us shift some donations.” A selection of clothes was piled onto to the tables and rails that people could rummage through to bag a bargain. Everyone was given the same size plastic bag to make it fair but everyone had the chance to purchase as many bags as they liked. As well as public donations some of the clothes were from retailer Very, which has a partnership with the charity. Anna Beadle was one of the many visitors of the night. She told LL: “This was a light-hearted and fun way to raise money for an important charity. “I liked that there was a big range of items, so that everyone, of any age or size could find something,” the 20-year-old added.

Clothes for sale at the event

This is the third event of this kind to be organised by the charity. Last November it organised a Fill A Bag evening that raised £1,000. Within half an hour of opening, Ms Ryder said she had already seen an increase in the number of visitors from the previous dates.

Pictures © Megan Tattersley

She believes that hosting in the city centre has helped increase the crowds. The event began at 6pm and finished around 8pm and despite the large turnout at the opening time, more clothes were added throughout the night to give everyone the chance to update their wardrobe.

City’s shame as increase in death rates By MEGAN TATTERSLEY News that Liverpool has the third highest number of deaths of homeless people in the country was greeted with dismay but no surprise by the Whitechapel Centre. Ruth McCaughley, fundraising manager for the Liverpool charity said the figures from the National Office of Statistics (NOS) did not come as a surprise. She told LL: “It is a complex situation and unfortunately rough sleeping has an average life expectancy of 44.” New figures from the NOS showed that Liverpool, along with Bristol and Camden, had an estimated 17 deaths of homeless individuals in 2017. This is the second year in a row that Liverpool has had this total of deaths and been the third worse local authority in the country for the most deaths. Ms McCaughley added: “Sadly people that do spend time indoors and sleeping rough will quite often have illnesses and physical health issues which could have a long impact on their health. This means they still could pass away at a much younger age.”

Looking through the eyes of a woman By CHRISTOPHER MEGRATH The Open Eye Gallery will be showcasing a powerful exhibition consisting of art shot by female photographers to mark 100 years since women won the right to vote. ‘209 Women’ focuses on the women in politics in order to reflect the century since the historic suffrage act was passed. All of the portraits on show are a representation of the powerful social and political movements introduced and led by women in what is still a male-dominated environment. The exhibition launched in the Houses of Parliament on December 14, 100 years to the day since the first women voted in a UK

general election. The year-round programme is in partnership with Culture Liverpool, to champion the achievements of women and highlight the continuing need for gender equality. The exhibition intends to reflect on how much progress has been made towards gender parity, whilst also highlighting how much more needs to be done, across all spheres of society, every day. The works will show that women can be displayed in all their diversity, showing there is no set way to be a politician or a woman. The founder and curator of ‘209 Women’, Hilary Wood, also created the first image of the series, Alison McGovern MP, from which this initiative evolved and is now joined by 208 UK based female

photographers to complete the series. Hilary Wood crowd-funded the entire project and all profits will be evenly distributed to all 209 women involved. The exhibition will run until the 14th of April.

Exhibtion Photos Pictures © The Royal Photographic Society

NEWS

Night times back at city museums By ANNIE WILLIAMS National Museums Liverpool has announced plans to launch a new “after hours” events programme following the popularity of last year’s calendar. More than 26,000 guests experienced exclusive night-time access to some of the city’s most popular exhibitions in 2018. This includes the Terracotta Warriors exhibition, and now the team at Hosted by National Museums Liverpool are bringing the much sought-after occasions back. After undergoing a recent rebrand, the award-winning team is expanding its portfolio in a bid to continue its growth over the next 12 months. Katie Roberts, Head of Events at Hosted by National Museums Liverpool, told Liverpool Life: “Last year was incredibly exciting for us and saw the team organise and host a plethora of high-profile events for our guests. “Most notably, our private and ticketed dinners to coincide with the widely-acclaimed China’s First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors exhibition saw us host over 6,000 guests across 54 dates, attracting visitors from around the world. “Following its profound success, we have been busy planning a

One of the exclusive events © Cheryl Mullin. Inset: Terracotta Warrior © National Museums Liverpool number of exciting commercial ventures for the coming year in conjunction with National Museums Liverpool’s diverse exhibition programme.” Highlights for spring 2019 include a showcase of work by Charles Rennie Mackintosh as well as a display of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci from the Royal Collection Trust, both on show at the Walker Art Gallery. Upcoming ticketed events held by Hosted by National Museums Liverpool will give visitors after-hours access to world-class exhibitions and artwork in the museums’ historic surroundings,

accompanied by meals provided by a team of in-house chefs. Katie added: “As 2019 gets well under way, it brings new prospects for Hosted by National Museums Liverpool and we are confident that our growing reputation will see us welcome new audiences in to our breath-taking venues. “We hope that we can build on the monumental success of last year’s events and experience a higher level of growth by 2020, placing us as a leading destination for occasions, meetings and private hire within the North West region and indeed the UK.”

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Merseyside TV looks to the future By MEGAN TATTERSLEY A Merseyside production company is creating a new futuristic television series. Lime Pictures has confirmed it is working with author Ben Oliver on his young adult trilogy The Loop. Phil Redmond formed the television company, formerly known as Mersey Television, in the early 1980s. Nearly 40 years later the firm has created some of the UK’s most popular shows like Brookside and Hollyoaks. Their new creation is centred on a man called Luka who has been wrongfully imprisoned inside The Loop - an ultramodern equivalent of death row. Inmates have the chance to push back their execution date by taking part in medical and scientific experiments. After hearing whispers of war and noticing the government issued rain stops failing, Luka realises he needs to break out of The Loop.

Scouser tan-trum By CHLOE SMITH Channel 5 has a new TV programme called “Who Needs a Man When You’ve Got a Spray Tan?” The show features three single mums from Knowsley. Scousers have spoken out and are not happy with the show, as they feel that it is promoting false stereotypes of Liverpool women.

Merseyrail passengers facing disruption By NICK WARE Commuters in Liverpool and Wirral will face more rail disruption this month as Phase 7 of the Merseyrail platform upgrades commences. As part of the £460 million project managed by Merseytravel to install new state-of-the-art trains by 2020, the next upgrade will start on March 2 and will aim to be finished by April 2. Commuters on the Wirral line will be affected, with rail replacement buses running between

Hooton and Rock Ferry, calling at all stations until March 22 The rail replacement buses will also call at Hamilton Square. Then, later on in the month from March 25, the replacement buses will run from Chester and Hooton up to April 2nd. Passengers travelling from Rock Ferry, Green Lane or Birkenhead Central will be able to board the train but there will be a reduced service, which will run every 15 minutes.

A spokesperson for Merseyrail offered an update on the situation, telling Liverpool Life: “These are upgrades that have been planned for a long time so there is no need for commuters to panic. “We don’t anticipate any delays, but we will be sure to let people know if there are any further updates.” For more information and the rail and bus timetables visit the Merseyrail website at https://bit. ly/2NsBvtP

New train

LL FOCUS

Labour campaigners visit city to renew commitment to socialism By ANNIE WILLIAMS

grassroots movement aimed at putting nationalisation back at the heart of the Labour Party has visited Liverpool as part of a national tour. Labour4Clause4 is a campaign set up by Labour Party members and trade unionists last year with the aim to bring back Labour’s commitment to socialism by reinstatingClause 4 of the party’s constitution. The clause commits the party to bringing key industries and utilities into common ownership. Talking at the Liverpool meeting, president of the BFAWU bakers’ union, Ian Hodson, spoke about the importance of bringing back the clause. He also addressed the current state of the country’s politics, with the formation of the new Independent Group of MPs. Ian said: “I think it is important that we reclaim the Labour Party and put the Clause 4 back at the heart of the Labour Party. “In 1995, our general secretary at the time campaigned to retain the clause, so this is an old fight from us. “We had it right then when we opposed the change of the constitution and I think it is right now that we have the conversation about why the change back to a constitution that enables the Labour party to represent the working class in this country is

Clause 4 of the constitution critical.” Addressing the rising homeless rate across the country, Ian added: “When you walk down the streets of Liverpool, the amount of people sleeping on our streets is appalling and that is because we don’t really have a political party that represents the interests of our community anymore. “Both of the main political parties have in their constitution a recognition that, actually, they represent the interest of the bosses more than the interests on the people.” This year will see the Labour4Clause4 campaign, which kick-started late January, touring the nation, after the inspiration of the 2018 “democracy roadshow”, in which leading Labour activists toured the country discussing

©Annie Williams how to empower grassroots members. Having raised the idea at a fringe meeting at the last Labour Party conference, the proposal has been enthusiastically adopted by local supporters of the campaign with volunteers to host meetings pouring in from all over Britain. Addressing the roadshow, a representative from Labour4Clause4 told Liverpool Life: “We need to return to these fighting words. Our task is not to patch up this crisis-ridden capitalist system – but to overthrow it. “That is the message of the Labour4Clause4 Roadshow.” However, one person not being held accountable by the Clause 4 campaign was leader of the Labour party, Jeremy Corbyn. The union president said: “Since

the election of Jeremy Corbyn, politics in this country is changing - but it will only change for as long as Jeremy Corbyn is the leader of the Labour party, if we don’t change the constitution of the Labour party. “That is why this fight is important, it’s a fight for what we stand for as people and what changes we want to see in our society. “It is important that Labour is a political party whose vested interest is in the working class, whose aim and objective is to secure the necessities for a decent, sustainable life, and that is why to me, and my union, the Clause 4 campaign is as relevant today as it was when it was being campaigned for in 1995.” The next Labour4Clause4 roadshow is in Sheffield.

Clause 4 in a nutshell

Labour4Clause4 campaigners ©Annie Williams

Back in February 1918 at a special Labour conference at Central Hall, Westminster, after the direct impact of the newly-sucessful Russian Revolution, the Labour Party adopted a new constitution that contained the famous Clause 4. “To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry and the most equitable distribution thereof that may be possible upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange, and the best obtainable system of popular

administration and control of each industry or service.” (Clause 4, Part 4) In adopting this clause, the party expressed itself in favour of the socialist transformation of society. However, controversy arose when the clause was removed under the leadership of Tony Blair almost 23 years ago. Today, over a century since its inclusion in the party constitution, conversations surrounding the reintroduction of the clause and the discussion around its meaning have become extremely relevant once again.

FOCUS

Why Sally is speaking out for the women without a voice

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EXPRESSION: Sally Gimson with a copy of the magzine and, inset, with Lewis Jennings © Lucy Jones

Lucy Jones meets a journalist who listens to the stories of those who often go unheard

ally Gimson finds giving a voice to women across the world who normally go unheard the most satisfying aspect of her job. That’s because the deputy editor for Index on Censorship magazine helps defend free expression worldwide. Her main role is to edit the cultural aspect of the magazine, which usually consists of a short story, play or poem, with a theme. She told LL: “For me, the personal stories are the most interesting. In the last issue, we did taboo issues around women and birth and violence in Russia. “We found there was resonance with this topic all over the world, so women feel like they cannot talk about their bad experiences or perhaps they are culturally controlled by their society. To me, that is interesting to read. “I’m really proud to be working on the magazine; I love and adore the job. “Being the editor of that section, I enjoy bringing things out of people and finding interesting subjects and talking to people about them that no one is going to read anywhere else.” Index’s aim is to raise awareness about threats to free expression and the value of free speech as the first step to tackling censorship. Sally was promoting The Tim Hetherington Fellowship, an award which is open to recent LJMU journalism graduates. The

year-long position gives them valuable experience working with a world-renowned free speech organisation. Sally was accompanied by LJMU graduate Lewis Jennings, who is the current Fellow and works as editorial assistant. The magazine is published every quarter and focuses on a specific theme, with three distinct sections for their readers. For the next issue, they focus on stories relating to fake news and how technology is a main cause and why we cannot exactly tell whether articles on the internet are bogus or not - these convincing forgeries are known as ‘deep fakes’. Lewis explained he was grateful that Liverpool John Moores helped him get the opportunity to work with journalists such as Sally to publish a powerful magazine. Lewis told LL: “Liverpool John Moores helped me a lot. With the placements in January and even jobs after university, they helped me stay in journalism. “When they send out emails giving you opportunities to go and try something new, just do it; that’s how I’ve landed working for Index on Censorship.” Their latest issue out now is ‘Birth, marriage and death’, about why different societies stopping people discussing the most significant events in life. • For more information about Index on Censorship, visit www. indexoncensorship.org

How Tim put spotlight on human side of war Liverpool-born Tim Hetherington was known for his filmmaking and for capturing individual experiences in war zones. Tim’s talent took him travelling from the UK to Africa where he lived and worked, capturing the conflict around the continent. The US fighting forces in Afghanistan was another focus of his work, which led to his Oscar-nominated film Restrepo and Infidel photo book. In 2011, Tim Hetherington was killed while covering the Libyan civil war. In his memory, his family created the Tim Hetherington Trust to help keep his legacy alive and continue his mission to create a better understanding of the world. The LJMU Tim Hetherington Fellowship is a partnership between Index on Censorship and Liverpool John Moores University, which allows graduates to become hands-on in the magazine and website to

Tim Hetherington at a photo session in Huambo, Angola in 2002 © Michael von Bergen help gain valuable journalistic experience. The Trust works closely with creative writers, artists and authors in other countries who experience censorship from governments, religious groups and others.

THE GUIDE

B*Witched cast a bingo spell By ANNIE WILLIAMS

ollowing on from sellout shows in early 2018, Bongo’s Bingo has revealed a Liverpool show for St Patrick’s Day, including a guest appearance from 90s hitmakers B*Witched. In keeping with the bingo’s tradition of unusual events and special guests, this promises to

be a spectacular show for the city on Thursday March 16 at Camp & Furnace. The guests of honour for the St Paddy’s Day date is Irish quintet B*Witched. Responsible for 90s hits C’est La Vie and Rollercoaster, the band were the youngest girl group ever to reach number one in the UK pop charts. The untraditional bingo game has swept the nation since throw-

ing its first event in Liverpool in 2015. Now Bongo’s Bingo continues to expand across the UK and beyond, with new locations planned for around the world. It’s hard to capture the unique mix of everything that happens at Bongo’s Bingo, pictured above. The night mixes the traditional elements of bingo with dance-offs, rave intervals, plenty of heckling, audience participation, countless

hands-in-the-air anthems and, of course, the chance to win prizes too, from Henry Hoovers, boxes of Coco Pops and life-size cardboard cut outs, to actual cash, this is an event suitable for all ages over 18. Doors open at 6:30pm and guests are encouraged to arrive early to get yourself settled in with a drink and some grub in time for the first game at 8pm.

A thrifty arrival for vintage fans By SHANNON LYON

new vintage clothing fair has arrived in Liverpool city centre. Curious Orange, who runs her own Etsy shop, is the organiser of the Thrifty Bazaar event. She said: “I’ve been selling vintage myself for a very long time. I kind of just wanted to create an event because as an independent business you tend to work by yourself a lot and not everyone has shops. “This gives a platform to little start-up businesses that maybe don’t have enough money to rent a regular space for a shop. Also, it’s helping to build a community

as it’s nice to get together. “I have done many events before and I thought ‘I could do this.’ They asked me to do it as the person who used to do it, stopped doing it. It’s nice to be asked.” She ensured the cost of hiring the stalls was very cheap so that more businesses could get themselves involved and promote their work. The vintage market had many affordable items, with the prices clearly shown so that the event was not intimidating for the customers. Within the market, there was an array of women’s and men’s cloth-

ing, bags, shoes, records, jewellery and accessories. The usual shopping arcade was filled to the brim with lots of local independent businesses who had set up stalls bursting with wonderful finds. It also featured food/drink and amazing music supplied by a Dj. The event focusses on how you can be kind to the environment by choosing to be vintage, in the hope of eradicating the fast fashion movement. The Thrifty Bazaar will feature on the first Sunday of every month at The Shipping Forecast, from 12 until 5pm.

Vintage clothing fair © Shannon Lyon

THE GUIDE

Compiled by ANGELICA DAY

Theatre Royal line up is revealed

programme full of family-friendly entertainment, music and dance will be available at St Helens Theatre Royal this month. Audiences will have the chance to see the world-renowned psychic and the UK’s award-winning medium Sally Morgan, left, on

Thursday March 7, celebrating her 10th Anniversary Tour with a promising night full of entertainment and humour. Musical legend Prince will be remembered in Mark Anthony as Prince on Sunday March 10, taking the audience on a rip back to the iconic star's best hits, with

all songs to be played live. The luck of the Irish will also be appearing through an international phenomenal Irish dance show named Gaelforce Dance on Tuesday March 12. Full of intricate choreography, the enchanting tale will be sure to impress.

Enjoy out of this world views of the universe

his spring, Liverpool’s World Museum invites you to experience an Earth’seye-view of the universe. Astronomy Photographer of the Year will be open to the public from May 3 to September 1 2019, a half century on from the moon landing.

The exhibition will feature 100 photographs including the winners and shortlisted images from the 2018 competition organised by the Royal Observatory Greenwich. The competition attracted more than 4,200 entries from amateur to professional photographers

from 91 countries. There will be a free programme of events and activities for all to enjoy at the Museum as well as the striking images in the exhibition. Tickets are £3, adult, £2 child and National Museums Liverpool Members go free.

Star's backing for next generation of talent

cclaimed actor Maxine Peake, left, arrived in Liverpool ahead of the launch of #MeToo Media Merseyside project, writes Christa Daley. The project, headed by notfor-profit media organisation Clapperboard UK in partnership with BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) was launched today at FACT Picturehouse. It featured a special screening of Maxine’s low budget British

feature film Funny Cow in association with the BFI. The #MeToo Merseyside project begins in May 2019 with funding support from the BBFC. The project is aimed at people aged 14-26 and aims to nurture the creative talents of this generation. The project will enable them to develop their own media website, as well as challenging prejudices of all forms through writing.

Zip into action at Goodison Park

he Goodison Zip Slide will be returning on Saturday March 24 for the first time since 2013. From an initial idea, when Duncan Ferguson joined Evertonians in zipping across The Old Lady, the thrilling ride is back by popular demand. EFC are now looking for thrill-seekers to take part to raise money for the Club’s official charity. The zip slide will run from the Top Balcony in the Main

Strand and will travel across the hallowed turf and land at the Paddock in the Lower Bullens Stand. For more information, email fundraising@evertonfc.com or secure your place by signing up on the website for a £10 registration fee. *Those taking part in the zip slide should be at least 15 years old (parental consent required for anyone under 18) and weigh no more than 17.5 stone (111kg) and no less than six stone (38kg).

Zipping along at EFC

©Carpe Diem Events

LL COMEDY

Landing in hot water was perfect for Paul Scouse funnyman Paul Smith has had a meteoric rise over the last few years. ROHIN JALOTA sits down with the city’s most talked-about comic

o be a successful stand-up comic takes guts, nerves, immense determination and, of course, the ability to make a room full of people laugh, arguably the most difficult of tasks. Scouse comedian Paul Smith certainly has all these attributes, proven by his meteoric rise to fame in the last few years. Videos of Paul’s performances at Hot Water Comedy Club in Liverpool City Centre have been viewed by millions across the world via Facebook and YouTube, which has led him to become one of the country’s biggest upcoming comedians and certainly the most talked-about comedian in Merseyside. A spectacular few years for Paul has just culminated in a full UK tour. Paul told Liverpool Life: “It has been an unbelievable year; never in a million years did I think I’d have a full UK tour. “To play at the Hammersmith Apollo and the Echo Arena was mind blowing. I was so nervous, but it was an amazing experience. “I’m not a hugely ambitious act. Anyone in the industry will tell you that I’m the last guy most people would have said would be playing the Hammersmith Apollo.” Following seven packed nights at The Auditorium at the Echo Arena, Paul Smith ended his ‘Hiya Mate’ tour with a special grand finale in the Echo Arena. “Playing on the main stage at the Echo Arena was a dream come true, I just cannot believe the support I have received, it was one of the best experiences of my life and I’m just so grateful to everyone who supported me,” he told LL. The rise of Paul Smith, especially in the last year, appeared to come from nowhere. Thanks to videos published on social media, the quality of Paul’s performance is there for all to see. He said: “To be honest I had no idea that people would watch the videos on

Facebook. My good friend Paul Blair, one of the owners of Hot Water, pushed me into getting involved and I’m eternally grateful,” he said. Paul admitted a career in comedy was never an intended path but something that found him. The comedian told LL: “I was going through a self-improvement phase in my early 20s and an opportunity came up to do a stand-up comedy course. I thought if I could do that I could do anything. I never planned for it to be a career, just a one off. It’s very addictive though.” Standing in a room full of strangers and attempting to make them laugh is certainly a daunting task, but when it goes to plan it can be one of the most rewarding and proudest moments for a comic.

or Paul, the highlight of his career was his first solo performance in 2013. “It was at the Crown Hotel on Lime St in Liverpool, which was the home of Hot Water at the time. I really thought nobody would come but they did. Nearly 100 people turned up, all but one had seen me before, the show was lovely. I still smile thinking of it,” he said. No comedian in history has ever gone through his, or her, career without a few horror stories to tell. Paul is no different to any other comedian and has had his fair share of scary moments. “All comics die. We all do badly. My first death was in a big competition at the Edinburgh festival. Everything had gone right up to that point and I was cocky. Nothing better than a room full of Americans staring at you at midnight after an eleven-hour coach trip to really bring you down to earth.” Liverpool is a city renowned for comedians from Paul Dodd to Stan Boardman to John Bishop, all of whom started their careers performing in bars, pubs and

LAUGH: Rohin Jalota, left, with Paul Smith comedy clubs across the city, and without these places local comedians would have no platform. The Hot Water Comedy Club is the most talked-about comedy venue in the city, showcasing the best comedy talent not just Merseyside, but the UK, has to offer. It was here Paul was given his platform and he is now the club’s resident compere and their biggest performer. The scouser told Liverpool Life: “The club has boosted my career an unbelievable amount. The club is winning awards all over the place. It’s grown into the best club in the country and I’m very lucky to be a part of it.” Establishing a career in comedy is an extremely difficult task, it requires huge amounts of work and the determination never to give up, most of all it takes patience and that is Paul’s message

to anyone looking to break into the industry. The comedian said: “Too many acts rush off and try to get famous. That may happen but it’s unlikely. It’s more realistic to assume that you’re going to spend the first few years at least just learning. I’m not saying ambition is a bad thing but it makes a lot of new acts fail if they get ahead of themselves.” The future for this scouse comedian looks very bright indeed, with another UK tour for 2019 just announced. He told LL: “A second tour is just a dream come true, something I could never have imagined happening. I honestly can’t believe it.” His tour kicks off at the end of July. Tickets are still available and details of the tour and how to buy tickets can be found on the Hot Water Comedy website.

TELEVISON

Director Who

Tammy-Lee Walsh speaks to Director of Doctor Who and Coronation Street, Graeme Harper

raeme Harper, a British director, with a career spanning over three decades is best known for his work on Doctor Who. He recently sat down with an audience of Doctor Who fanatics at Toxteth TV studio, to reflect on his career and share the advice he’s gained over time. From the Tardis to Coronation Street, he has garnered an impressive collection of work on television, working on iconic scenes such as Corrie’s 25th anniversary tram crash to the first Doctor Who regeneration scene to end with the incoming Doctor. Most notably, the first serial Harper directed, The Caves of Androzani allowed him to exhibit his innovative directing skills when he was challenged with reviving the series on a low budget. The director explained that at the time of the episode’s production, the series was receiving little funding. He said: “The BBC were trying to kill the show off. They felt that it had run its course but I could see the potential. It was obvious from the dedicated fan-base that still exists to this day. “But we were now competing with the likes of Star Wars, which obviously had a lot of money thrown at it. I was eager to get whatever funding we could for Doctor Who to make it a worthy competitor.” The director managed to use the lack of

resources to his advantage. He said: “It doesn’t matter how many special effects you have, if the story is useless, it won’t make a difference. So I decided to focus on the performances and on making the setting into something that the viewers would be familiar with. “I thought instead having it take place on some spaceship, we’ll make it Maggie Thatcher’s world but on another planet. We had bullets flying instead of lasers and the caves helped to make it creepy instead of going all

“I even considered bringing in a catapult to launch the Dalek into the air as though it were flying.” out on expensive sets. In the end, all those compromises helped to make it a very special story.” Despite the praise he has received from a large and loyal fan-base, it’s clear that Mr Harper is humble about his work. His impact on the original series of the show was acknowledged in 2009 when The Caves of Androzani was voted by fans as the single best televised Doctor Who story in a poll by Doctor Who Magazine.

Interview with Graeme Harper Pamphlet © Tammy-Lee Walsh

But Harper jokingly credits his creative directing approach to being ‘absolutely bonkers’. He said: “I had no fear in approaching anything because I was surrounded by great talent. At one point we were faced with the task of showing that Daleks could fly when fans questioned how they managed to get up the stairs. “To get around the issue of special effects, I even considered bringing in a catapult to launch the Dalek into the air as though it were flying. “Of course on set they thought I was mad but over time I’ve become fearless about how we could achieve things because I’ve seen they can be done.” Sadly the vision of the flying Dalek never came to light but the ideas suggested are still a testament to the director’s perseverance in cultivating an immersive experience for viewers.

Graeme Harper at Purple Revolver © Tammy-Lee Walsh

Dalek © WikiCommons

LL ARTS

Pembroke Place’s intruiging history is brought to life

Nick Stinks

Liverpool Life’s Adele Matthews explores a new exhibition which uncovers a hidden part of the city’s heritage

he history of Liverpool is a long and complex one - but with the help of a new exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool, some of its forgotten past has been unearthed. Pembroke Place is next to London Road, guiding traffic east of the city. It’s home to Liverpool’s school of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) as well as other establishments, such as Benson for Beds. However, back in the 18th century, Pembroke Place was a thriving hub of the community and was the final part of Liverpool to feature “court housing” - backto-back houses standing around central courtyards. The two-year project, during which the museum worked in partnership with LSTM and

70 volunteers, discovered the beautifully ornate facade of P. Galkoff’s Kosher butcher shop. The shop’s precious emerald green tiles underwent careful conservation to be displayed in a life-size reconstruction, with the original gold art deco embellishments and Hebrew signage standing proud in the centre of the exhibition. Dating back to the 1750s, the Jewish community in Liverpool is one of the oldest outside London. Percy Galkoff opened his Jewish butcher shop in 1907 and traded until 1970. Research by the museum and LSTM found there have been approximately 50 kosher outlets in Liverpool, but now just one remains, in Childwall. In the 19th century, Pembroke Place became notorious as an

area of ill-repute. Its murderous activity made the headlines in 1893 when a woman found that her husband had visited local brothels - so she chained him to the bed, before beating him to death when he struggled free. It wasn’t all bad news, though. The project found that a zoological garden was clearly marked on a map dated from 1835, while articles in local newspapers advertised ‘The Pembroke Skating Rink’, where visitors could skate to live music during the 1870s and 1880s. The exhibition, titled ‘Galkoff’s and the Secret Life of Pembroke Place’, is on the top floor of the Museum of Liverpool and features more wonderful stories about a fraudster, a boxer/pub owner and further glimpses into the life of Percy Galkoff.

Pembroke Place: memories of a by-gone era from the exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool © Adele Matthews

15 Pictures © Liam Cork

THEATRE

Follow LL reporter LIAM CORK over the rainbow to a magical experience at The Epstein Theatre this April with LHK Productions’ faithful adaptation of The Wizard of Oz

brand new adaptation of The Wizard of Oz will be coming to Liverpool this Easter. The play is being staged by LHK Productions and the star-studded cast will feature X-Factor finalist and “panto veteran” Sean Smith playing Tin Man. He will be joined by fellow X-Factor star Lola Saunders, who will be playing Dorothy. Liverpool favourite and Royal Court regular Lindzi Germain will play Lion, and LHK star Lewis Pryor will be performing as Scarecrow in his seventh performance with the company. Michael Chapman, with his eccentric portrayal of The Wicked Witch, has also been tasked with writing the script for this adaption of the legendary story. Chapman, who is used to playing the hero, has welcomed the challenge of playing the baddie, saying: “There’s good and bad in everyone - but I never used to be such a nasty piece of work!” Sean Smith, who is returning after three years away from the city, when he last played Aladdin for Lee Kelly’s production company, told LL: “The last time I was here the people really took to me, it meant so much and it was a no-brainer when Lee asked me to come back.” Sean has had a successful career as one half of Same Difference, who made it to the X-Factor finals in 2007 and subsequently went on to release a gold-selling album,. However he admitted that it is on the stage where he gets his kicks. He said: “I’ve been so lucky because I’ve made music but alongside it I’ve had the chance

to perform in musicals and pantomimes. That’s where the fun comes from and where you actually get to see the appreciation from the audience.” As a relatively fresh face on the city’s theatre circuit, Lola expressed her gratitude at the chance to be able to work here, she said: “I love the city and I’m excited that I get to work here for a few solid weeks.”

ola, another X-Factor contestant, has turned to theatre to build on her skills and looks to Sean for inspiration, she told Liverpool Life: “With Sean his singing is very theatrical, I would love to be like that, he’s got the sod it attitude and just goes for it, that’s the sort of barrier I struggle to get past.” Lindzi has had many years of theatrical experience and is looking forward to taking a different approach to her acting. She said: “I usually play one of the bolder characters so playing the Lion, who is shy and not totally sure of herself, will be a change and hopefully it will win the kids over!” While this is not her biggest performance to date, Lindzi expressed her excitement at finally getting to perform in an adaptation of one of her favourite childhood films, having watched it regularly with her father. She said: “It’s just so magical in its own right, and now we’re bringing it to the stage. We get to bring the kids to the theatre to

come and see a great story.” Lindzi was inspired to become an actor after seeing ‘No Holds Barred’ at the Everyman, a Scouse rendition of some of Shakespeare’s most notable works by Michael Stark and Drew Schofield. She said: “I was 14 and I thought it was absolutely amazing. It was there that I decided I wanted to become an actor.” She added: “If I can make that difference to one kid, who is inspired, then I’ve achieved what I wanted to do.” The cast are certainly looking forward to the launch of the play

in a few weeks’ time, and judging by the amount of fun they’re having together already, the performance will undoubtedly have the audience in stitches. The play will be running at the Epstein Theatre on Hanover Street between April 11th22nd.

LL TECHNOLOGY

MWC (Mobile World Congress), which has just ended in Barcelona, is the biggest mobile tradeshow of the year and the tech giants who attended certainly delivered. ROHIN JALOTA chooses his favourites for Liverpool Life

The future

is folded

Huawei Mate X

Samsung Galaxy Fold

The Mate X took MWC 2019 by storm when it was unveiled at Huawei’s conference. Unlike the Samsung rival the Mate X’s screen folds outwards, bringing a more immersive display to the fantastic OLED display which can expand to an 8-inch ‘tablet’. Highlights also inclde super-fast 5G connectivity, an all-new Leica camera array and a 4500 mAh battery. Huawei have yet to confirm a release date, however Vodafone and EE will stock the phone. £1999 : 8GB RAM/512GB storage

Samsung has taken a different approach to Huawei with its foldable phone, opting to fold the screen so it’s enclosed like a book. The main tablet-like Dynamic AMOLED display is 7.3 inches, and Samsung is using a smaller 4.6-inch display on the outside of the device as the phone section. The Galaxy Fold also boasts 5G connectivity, a fantastic camera and a 4380 mAh battery. Galaxy Fold is set to release at the end of April. £1800 : 12GB RAM/512GB storage

Nokia unveiled the Nokia 9 PureView, a flagship Android smartphone with five rear cameras (you read that right) that could put other phone cameras to shame. Five rear cameras seems like overkill when you consider other phones like the Galaxy S10 and S10+ are just now starting to add a third rear camera. But old Nokia was legendary for its over-the-top cameras. It’s in the brand’s DNA to be THE camera phone.

Microsoft HoloLens 2 Comfort, better visuals, easier to use with your hands. That’s the takeaway from HoloLens 2, Microsoft’s follow-up to the Space Age goggles it announced four years ago. The technology behind the £2,700 HoloLens 2 device, which Microsoft calls “mixed reality,” overlays computer images

on the real world. Imagine arrows directing you down the street as you walk, or repair instructions floating over a machine as you fix it. That’s MR’s promise, Microsoft says. There is no release date yet but it is available for pre order on Microsoft’s website.

It’s 2019 and everything can bend. Foldable phones might be the rave, but wearables are also flexing their stuff. Roll up, the Nubia Alpha, a “wearable phone”. The screen is a 4-inch, flexible OLED and there’s eSim and LTE or Bluetooth and wi-fi models to choose from. A 5MP camera for stills and video calls, and stainless steel and 18k gold finishes, and you’ve got one of the strangest devices at the show. The Nubia Alpha will launch in China first, then Europe later this year. It’s priced at €549 for the 4G eSIM model and €449 for the Bluetooth-only version.

FOOD & DRINK

Liverpool's

5 Best Beer Gardens

Liverpool Life offers you the perfect guide to spring and summer drinks. Whatever your tipple, there’s a beer garden for everyone

No.1 The Elephant Pub, Woolton

This south suburb of Liverpool is a great area for a spring pub crawl but The Elephant boasts the best beer garden. When the sun shines there’s plenty of atmosphere and the colourful bunting will really get you in the mood for the summer holidays.

No. 2 Kazimer Gardens, Seel Street

Lying between the parallel streets of the Ropewalks area, Kazimer Gardens is an urban nightime spot which describes itself as ‘a hybrid of nature and technology.’ This perfect hispter spot offers an outdoor stage for regular performances and a garden kitchen serving food and cocktails.

No. 3 Free State Kitchen, Maryland Street

Most city centre beer gardens are just a backyard with a few tables but Free State Kitchen compares to a countryside paradise which has actual grass and trees. The secret garden at 1 Maryland Street serves classic American deli food as well as craft beer, wine and cocktails. The garden is fully accesible for wheelchair users and is dog-friendly over the summer months.

No.4 Botanical Garden, Baltic Triangle

The Botanical Garden is a hidden gem in the heart of The Baltic Triangle. Every Friday and Saturday, The Botanical Garden has a variety of DJs playing their sets of all styles and genres. The nights have a chilled-out atmosphere but don’t be shy to get up and dance. It offers a variety of cocktails with gin being the main ingredient, but you can also opt for a beer.

No.5 The Club House, Liverpool One

The Club House has quickly become one of the most popular destinations to head to on a sunny day in Liverpool. Offering outdoor seating and a first floor terrace, you can take your pick from the many seats at one of the city’s newest restaurants. The Club House also offers Ale Tasting Masterclasses - perfect for improving your knowledge of local and world famous beers! Compiled by CHLOE TOMKINS

LL TRENDING

What YOU should give up for Lent! Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent, a time for reflection and abstinence, Liverpool Life reports... By ELLIE WATKINSON

f you’re participating in Lent this year, then it’s time to sacrifice something you would hate to give up, for a lengthy 40 days. But save the wasted attempts at giving up chocolate for another year, because LL has come up with a range of better things to abandon for Lent.

1. PLAYERS

You’re one of the lucky few if you haven’t encountered or cried over a bad boy. So, here’s a quick guide to detecting and removing one from your life: A player will turn texting into sexting, by making sexual references or asking for nudes. They will only text you when it suits them, so expect a 1am notification once a week. Being charming is a ploy for you to feed their sexual gratification before they ghost you. So, before he sends an unwarranted nude, play the player and BLOCK him.

2. PLASTIC Recent figures suggest that the UK uses 5,000 tonnes of plastic each year. This equates to around 15m ‘single use’ bottles used per day. Student Ruby Hindley, 21, told Liverpool Life: “I would give up purchasing plastic; it would be hard as it’s unavoidable in every supermarket, but it’s worth a try for the sake of our

planet.” The best way to tackle cutting out plastic for Lent is to purchase a reusable water bottle, bring your own food container and say “no” to plastic straws.

3. BINGE WATCHING Why is every highly anticipated series released when you have a bundle of deadlines and the work pressure is unbearable? Unfortunately, we’re all guilty of delaying starting that 20-slide PowerPoint document, by choosing to binge watch a season of Gossip Girl in under 24 hours. But the episode will still be there once you’ve emailed your boss with the attached document, and you’ll feel better for getting it done.

4. SCREEN TIME Student Amy, 20, from Edge Hill University, said: “It’s crazy how much time I spend on my phone when I look at my screen time.” If

your screentime is anything like Amy’s – 13 hours a week on Snapchat – and you want to cut down your activity on social media for Lent, then turn off your push notifications or set a daily reminder through the app settings. If you don’t ditch the electronic device for Lent, at least have a go for National Day of Unplugging on Saturday.

5. NEGATIVITY Author Flavia Weedn once wrote: “Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.” The people who care about you will stick around, so cut out anyone from your circle who makes you feel like crap, as these toxic friends will have an impact on your mental wellbeing. Plus, do we really need any more negativity in our lives with Donald Trump as the President?

Baltic Market hosts Fairtrade Fortnight By ANGELICA DAY

ext time you’re dipping into a delicious box of your favourite chocalates, spare a thought for the workers who are paid pennies a day to pick the cocoa for it. That the message from this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight, a promotional campaign to increase awareness about fair trade, in aid of workers from impoverished countries. The 2019 focus is mostly on the women who harvest cocoa for the chocolates that we indulge in. At the weekend, an event was held at the Baltic Market showcasing Fairtrade products. Event organiser Sacha Ogosi, 19, told Liverpool Life: “We enjoy the luxury chocolate but

the women only see a penny in return. That’s why Fairtrade Fortnight is a good reminder that, despite paying the extra pennies towards a delicious bar of chocolate, only a small sum of that will land in the hands of the woman who picked the cocoa for it.” In West Africa, the amount that a cocoa farmer needs to earn in order to achieve a living income is £1.86. However, farmers in Cote d’Ivoire are currently living on 74p a day, meaning that many of these farmers in West Africa live in poverty. But for the women, the situation is worse as they often have to juggle looking after their children, carrying water, col-

lecting wood as well as planting and harvesting on the farm and transporting the cocoa beans to the market. This is why Fairtrade Fortnight is so important, a chance to give them the limelight just for two weeks and campaign for living wage to become reality for the these farmers. Sacha added: “I joked with my friends saying that Fairtrade bananas are good bananas. We forget that Fairtrade is good quality food and products laboured by people who are underprivileged. “Before being selected to be the organiser for this once in a blue moon event, I wasn’t aware that this even took place.” • Independents Day: p20

Stalls at Baltic Market © Angelica Day

WELLBEING

The sound of therapy By MEGAN TATTERSLEY

he singing of a tune or the banging of an instrument is often seen as a fun pasttime. However, music can also have powerful effects, especially helping individuals with learning difficulties engage and express themselves. This is according to director and leader of Vibe - the top music therapy company in the North West, Greg Hanford, who is better known as Greg J. He spoke to LL of a time he worked with dementia patients, and that the use of improvisation allowed the patients to connect with one another. “After a few sessions they began to talk to one another, in some cases for the first time because music gave them a common ground. “We allow the people we work with to do what they want with sounds and express themselves with different instruments.” Like other types of care, music therapy works with people and supports their needs. “With music, people can to express who they really are and in turn we can listen and try to understand,” Greg J explains. Taking part in this form of therapy does not require patients to have any musical experience or immediate talent. “It is a cultural myth that only certain members of the public

can do music - it is available to everyone,” Greg J said. “I have worked with people who have no arms or legs but they can use other elements to create sounds.” There are approximately 1.5m people in the UK who have a learning difficulty , according to the Mental Health Foundation Mencap estimates that two in five of adults with these impediments will have some form of mental health issues, double the mental health rate of the general population. Greg J has been working as a music therapist for 10 years and says it still lacks the funding it needs, especially in areas like Merseyside. He points out that there is a North-South divide in UK, which is down to the amount of money each area receives and where it needs to go. “Music therapy is my life and I believe more people need it. “Mental health cannot be tackled without a clinical approach but at the moment there are obstacles in the way which means the general public cannot always receive this support. Local government just doesn’t have the means,” he added. Music therapy is a relatively new idea and has only been around for about 40 years. Friends, Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins developed this treatment,

Greg Hanford, right, during a therapy session

Music therapist Greg Hanford starting in 1959 through to the 1970s. Nordoff was an American composer and pianist while Robbins was a special education teacher. They worked with vulnerable children and saw how music helped improved their concentration, control, social and self-awareness, both in and out of the sessions. Nordoff and Robbins’ work grew and by 1982 they had a centre in North London, which ran the service and trained individuals. Then, 13 years later, a degree named Nordoff Robbins’ Master of Music Therapy was launched which trained future therapists. The treatment developed in countries across the world from Germany to Japan, yet people still have little awareness of what

Pictures © Greg Hanford music therapy actually is. Today, the work expands beyond children to persons of all ages who face different challenges. Greg J has worked with a range of individuals, from those who are autistic to older individuals who have dementia. The 37-year-old also believes that there needs to be more public engagement on what music therapy is. This is something he is working on with Vibe. He is hoping to expand the company within the next year, which will allow more local people to become aware of the power of music. Sessions from Vibe, which run in Liverpool, Wirral and Cheshire, are priced between £35 to £53 an hour. The length of the meetings depend on the individual.

‘Music therapy is my life and I believe more people need it’

LL BUSINESS

The brains behind the booming Baltic Market

David Williams, one-half of Independent Liverpool, tells LL about the past, present and future of the hugely successful business

David Williams, left, and Oliver Presse By ROHIN JALOTA

ndependent Liverpool have helped to reshape Liverpool’s social scene over the last few years, and continue to go from strength to strength with new ventures on the horizon. Starting out as blog by two best friends, David and Oliver, which came about over a game of Call of Duty, the business has grown to amass a huge social media following and resulted in the opening of the city’s most popular eatery, the Baltic Market. However, the lads are not stopping yet. Baltic Market has only been open since June 2017, but has already become the home of Liverpool’s independent trader scene. Offering visitors the chance to try food from the best local businesses on offer, listen to live music and have a few drinks in fabulous surroundings, it is no surprise it has become so popular. Reflecting on the months leading up to the grand opening, David conceded Oliver and himself had felt nothing but fear prior to the

opening. “It was the biggest risk we’ve ever taken. We took a dingy, run-down warehouse a big walk from the city centre and just hoped people would think the concept was worth walking to. And they did,” he said. On an average weekend, visitor numbers can be anywhere between 8,000-10,000, with even more for special events such as makers markets. Recently a mezzanine was built to provide more space for the huge number of visitors and this is just the start of the expansion. David told LL: “We’re looking into building rooftop terraces and doing loads more and just seeing the effect it has on independent businesses. “Remarkably, we still have thousands of visitors every weekend and we just can’t believe it.” The backbone of the market are the eclectic street food traders who offer delicacies from all across the globe. One of the key ideas when opening the Baltic Market was to con-

stantly refresh the food traders in order to keep the space interesting and keep people coming back. “Now the market is almost a stepping stone between someone’s idea going from a dream to reality, we are looking at giving between two and three month stints so people can make their money back on initial investment of kitchen stuff and offering people jobs etc,” David told LL. He admitted the last few years have been beyond anything they could have imagined for Independent Liverpool. They are continuing to work hard with the Baltic Market but are not forgetting where it all began. He told LL: “Independent Liverpool will be going back to its roots and concentrating on great stories about great people. We’ve toyed with the idea of releasing a monthly magazine to collect all our stories as it can get lost online and this year might be the year we do it.” Independent Liverpool first started after David and Oliver noticed four Costa Coffee stores

had opened up in one square mile in their local area. Worrying that corporations would wipe out the city’s local businesses, they came up with the idea to create a blog to promote locals. “We envisaged Liverpool turning into a scene out of Scooby Doo where everything was the same. Liverpool has fiercely never been like any other city and we just wanted to write that down and remind people.” Besides the blog, the pair also released their own membership card offering discounts to encourage the support of local businesses. Thousands have bought the card so far, although David believes people are more interested in discovering business than grabbing discounts. David told LL: “We’re genuinely in it for the right reasons and we care so much about this city and the independents that make it unique, and we’ve just managed to get lucky and find similar people with the same ideas who want to join us along the ride.”

INDEPENDENTS DAY: Baltic Market

fter I graduated I went through one of the worst periods of my life. I got my 2:1, but for some reason I couldn’t get a job. Sitting around doing nothing all day, and becoming very anti-social, I fell in to a period of depression.” These are the words of a 24 year old ex-LJMU student, who asked not to be named, of their firsthand experience of a millennial suffering from depression. “I just felt sort of stuck, and when you become anti-social your confidence also takes a hit. I think this is a very real problem that many students suffer from following their degree,” they told LL. “Fortunately for me though, I got help, and eventually landed a great job which I am still in to this day. I know however, that there are many millennials that felt like I did, and this is a serious issue. “There are people still out there suffering.” This follows new research conducted by University of Liverpool and University College London that found that young people today are more likely to self-harm that they were 10 years ago. The researchers analysed data from two groups of millennials (those born from the 1980s to the early 2000s), born a decade apart. The younger group was made up of more than 11,000 14-year-olds born across the UK in 2000 and 2001, while the older group consisted of just over 5,600 14-yearolds who were born in Bristol in 1991 and 1992. Levels of depression had increased from 9% for young people born in the early 1990s to almost 15% for those born at the turn of the millennium. Rates of self-harm had also risen from 12% to 14% over a decade.

nterestingly, the research found that anti-social behaviour and substance abuse often thought to go handin-hand with poor mental health - are in decline, but issues such as poor sleep, obesity and poor body image were on the rise, suggesting the risk factors associated with mental health might be changing. This is one of the first UK studies to compare data from two different groups of millennials to investigate the changing trends in adolescent mental health behaviour. LL spoke to UoL lecturer and co-author of the study Dr Suzanne Gage, who said: “Trying to pinpoint the rise of poor mental health in millennials is of huge importance. “Unfortunately the research we

HEALTH

MILLENNIALS and mental health A new study shows that depression in millennials is on the rise, but just how bad is it? BEN HIGGINS investigates have done can’t tell us definitively, so what we are looking to do is follow this up. So we have looked over the past ten years and quite a lot has changed. “A lot of media coverage we got for our research has suggested smart phones and social media and how much it has changed. And of course things such as student fees have been brought in, so more pressure in terms of schooling and more stress, and also the impact of austerity.”

Dr Gage went on to tell Liverpool Life that the research had found an increase in people seeing themselves as overweight. “There has been an increase in this, as well as people having an obese BMI, but we don’t know yet whether one is influencing the other. This could be a product of the world we live in, but more research is needed.” Dr Gage also produces her own highly popular podcast ‘Say Why to Drugs’ with rapper Scroo-

bius Pip, which speaks about recreational drugs, both legal and illegal, and their effects. “The reason I set up the podcast is that there is a lot of misinformation about drug use. It has been received very well and has many young listeners, but I’ve also had emails from parents saying they listen to it and recommend it to their children. “That is really encouraging to hear, but I think there is a long way to go in terms of education.”

Mindful for the mind full

By BEN HIGGINS

indfulness is the psychological process of bringing one’s detailed attention to experiences occurring in the present moment, which one can develop through the practice of meditation. Mindfulness can help people to live more harmonious lives, deal with emotions better and improve our interactions with others. Now in Liverpool there is a way for you to combine this with creative writing. Mindful Arts’ Tom George is an experienced wellbeing practitioner with a special interest in mental health, who is currently running mindful writing workshops - creative writing inspired by mindfulness. Mindful writing is a non-judgemental approach with the process being as important as the end result. The intention is to ‘write from the heart’ - poetry, prose or whatever comes out. There is no marking of work and any

Mindful Arts: Tom George sharing of work is welcomed but voluntary. A mindful writing course is taking place in Central Library in four weekly sessions, the first session beginning last Saturday. Tom George told LL how mindfulness has helped him to write creatively: “Mindful writing has allowed me to just see what comes out, and not to be so concerned with being impressive or producing a great piece of work. It’s more about the actual process than the end result.

“I think creativity comes from somewhere deep within us, that we don’t have control over. You can have a lot of fun, nourish yourself, and open up this world of creativity that we have all got potentially.” Tom also spoke about the positive effect mindful writing can have on your mental health. “A lot of people are seeking ways to feel more whole as a person, and to be less distracted by the things in the world that distract us every day. Family pressures, work pressures, life events and the general busyness of everything.” “It is something that people try to escape from and this is one way to find that escape. That stillness and quietness is hard to achieve but this is a way to do that. “It’s also about attention to detail but in a relaxed, meditative way.” The course includes a range of collaborative exercises as well as chances to be more reflective individually.

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The dangers of silence CHLOE SMITH speaks to one of the founders of a Wirral charity supporting the male victims of domestic abuse SUPPORT: Paul Gladwell aims to set up a support network

aul Lavelle from Rock Ferry was only 50 years old when he was killed by his violent partner in May 2017. Following his death, a foundation was created in his name to raise awareness of domestic abuse involving men. Now, just two years later, the Paul Lavelle Foundation has opened a domestic abuse hub in Rock Ferry, Wirral, four years ahead of its original schedule. A network of 50 friends who knew Paul decided to create the charity in the hope that it would help other men who are the victims of domestic abuse. Their aim is to get people to notice the signs and help men speak out about this issue, as many people keep silent. Paul Gladwell, 49, from Birkenhead, a close friend of

Paul’s, told LL: “My friend Steve McHugh came up with this idea and I helped him set it up. “The charity has only been going 12 months and the plan was to wait five years before we actually opened an office as we are just lads off the street and all funds have come from ourselves mainly, to get to where we are. “However, this now has to change - we need donors and more fundraising to help keep the charity going.” He said: “The idea of the foundation is to help men involved in domestic violence and their families. “Eventually we want a whole network of offices and community hubs. This is a dream at the moment, but we have more goals like this. “To set up the charity, we had a race night to raise the funds to pay

for the start-up, and then we had a fun day and race day that again helped raise funds.” The charity is planning further events to help raise money. This May, to mark the anniversary, there is a 5k and 10k run, which will then be followed by a fun day and a golf event.

ater on in the year, in August, most of the group will be riding from Lands End to John O’Groats in Scotland, which is a distance of 838 miles, to raise money. Their social media pages on Facebook and Twitter have already received many responses. One tweet was seen by half a million people and the social media accounts are receiving direct messages from men in trouble thanking the foundation.

While social media is helping to get the message across that male domestic abuse needs to be spoken about, the group is also always willing to speak at conferences whenever they can to raise as much awareness as possible. The new hub will offer services for men who are suffering domestic abuse and act as a base for future events from the charity. People who are struggling can be referred to another charity run by volunteers, called Mankind Initiative, who offer advice via a helpline. If you know someone who may be on the receiving end of domestic abuse there is advice on their website. • More information can be found by visiting the Foundation website: https:/ paullavellefoundation.co.uk

REAL LIFE

Anthony Walker

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Stand up for Anthony Walker and speak out against hate BY ANNIE WILLIAMS

f you ask anyone across Merseyside about the death of Anthony Walker, to this day they will consider it one of the most horrific attacks in the city’s history. Anthony was just 18 years old when his life was taken from him as he was chased from a bus stop in Huyton and bludgeoned to death with an ice axe by a pair of racist killers. The gifted young student, who had aspirations of becoming a lawyer, was rushed to hospital where medics tried desperately to save him, but Anthony died five hours later. In spite of her grief, Anthony’s mum Gee Walker, a woman of immense faith, chose to forgive the attackers who took her son from her as an act to keep the memory of her eldest son ‘pure’. On top of the forgiveness of Anthony’s killers, the mother-of-six has since devoted much of her life to making sure no other parent would suffer as she has. The year following his attack, Anthony’s family set up The Anthony Walker Foundation (AWF), which aims to promote racial harmony through education, sport and the arts, as well as promoting the celebration of diversity and the realisation of the potential of all young people. Although the foundation operates regionally and nationally, the priority focus is Merseyside. On what would have been the eve of Anthony’s 32nd birthday

AWF staged an event at the Baltic Market. Local performers came together in a show called Remembering Anthony: Standing Up Against Hate, to support the AWF and to speak out against hate. Gee, a learning support tutor who helps those with learning difficulties to stay in mainstream schools, feels the time is right to remind a new generation about Anthony and emphasise that racial attacks are still happening all around us. Talking to LL, Gee said: “Nights like tonight give us hope, it really does give us hope and it’s just amazing to see people coming together to remember Anthony and to address that it is still happening.”

he special show, produced by LIPA Management students and their events team, saw performances by local singers, dancers and spoken word artists as well as a number of guest speakers, including Gee. She gave special mention to three times Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist MD Productions who performed a show-stopping routine at the Stand Up Against Hate event. Gee said: “These guys have been with us since the very beginning of the foundation. “They have showed us so much support and will be at every one of our events which they can physically get to. I can’t thank the company enough.” During her speech, Gee spoke about life without Anthony:

“When I think of his birthday I think that Anthony should be here enjoying it. He should have been married and he should have had a family of his own. “I see families with children, and I wonder what it would have been like for him … for me. “But I can’t see him growing up as a man and I can’t imagine what he would have looked like because everything stopped when he was killed and all I can see is my 18-year-old young boy.” Gee added: “We are seeing a rise in hate crime and knife crime, there’s a massive increase and it’s concerning.” Amongst the evening’s guests was Sharon Williams of Riverside Labour Left. She told LL: “We came to support the Foundation and represent Riverside Labour Left as tonight is something that deserves everybody’s support. “I must congratulate the organisers of this event. It is a wonderful night and the way they have put it on and managed it, it is an absolutely fantastic occasion and I want to congratulate everybody involved.” Anthony’s attack was as senseless as it was horrific, but Gee refuses to let that get the better of her. “What happened to my son should never have happened – but it did. “I can give in or I can keep his memory alive and try to change the path for others - so that what happened to Anthony serves as a lesson for others and so that his death has not been for nothing.”

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CHLOE SMITH talks to JESSICA ARNELL

Jessica with the Claire House mascot, Claire Bear

Jessica with her sister at the Splash Dash

Why there is something different every day for Jess

essica Arnell found her dream job before leaving university. In 2016, the year, she graduated, Jess applied for an intern job at Claire House Children’s Hospice, which is close to where she lives in Wirral, and got the job within a week of finishing her studies After a successful work experience placement in her final year Jess knew that she liked being involved with the charity side of journalism, which is why she decided to go into voluntary sector PR. She told Liverpool Life: “I was interested in charity PR from

my work experience at the Royal Castle Lung Cancer foundation as I loved it there. “So when I did other work experience at a local newspaper and didn’t enjoy it as much I knew what I wanted to do.” Her role as Communications Officer means that she does not just do the same thing all the time, as her job involves a wide variety of tasks. She explained that one of the reasons she loves the job is because “there is something different every day”. “One day I could be doing a photoshoot with kids, another day I’m working on the website and social

media or writing press releases, so it really is something different all the time.” Her favourite part of the job is putting together the Claire House magazine, which she gets to do twice a year. When she first started the job, she thought she would mainly be writing press releases all the time but she also gets to work with families, which she described as “the nice part of the job”. However, she also has to work with bereaved families and she told Liverpool Life: “It can be difficult sometimes but we do have counsellors on hand if they are needed.”

“One day I’m on a photoshoot with the kids, the next day I could be working on the website”

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Tackling loneliness Tiarnan Quigley looks at the fun fitness trend of walking football A special footballing movement in Merseyside is aiming to kick loneliness out of people’s lives. Walking football for the over50s is a relatively new phenomenon in Liverpool, having been set up in conjunction with the Liverpool FA. The game has its own specific rules meaning running or contact between players is not allowed. To ensure that the sport is played safely with full consideration to players’ ages, there are also over-head height restrictions and indirect free kicks. It is gaining in popularity as older participants join in to meet new people. Stuart Carrington, a member of the FA development team, has headed the initiative since its inception and spoke to Liverpool

Life about how it’s about much more than just fitness. He said: “The biggest part of it is the social inclusion part. A lot of these guys are lonely, they do suffer from social isolation and don’t get out much. “It really does give these guys - and ladies - a real sense of belonging.” According to Age UK, more than a million older people say they go for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. Stuart also discussed this issue and described how a game can help people get back on their feet. He said: “Social isolation is a massive problem. For example, you have some guys who will go to the pub just to talk, they don’t have any family or friends.

“With this programme we’re offering the same thing but with extra health benefits. It gives them a reason to get their lives back.” Stuart described how he felt that it needed the mark of professionalism to be taken seriously by prospective players. “We have an affiliated league so it’s all above board. One of our partners is GOAL, a huge enterprise that runs 5-a-side games. “We needed that professionalism, the guys needed to know that it’s serious. We’ve even got qualified FA referees.” Although the average age of a player in the league is around 65, this does not make the games any less serious. “The oldest player we have is 82 years of age and he’s a fantastic keeper, the youngest is 50. Some

of these guys haven’t played since they were at school over 40 years ago in some cases, some were semi-pros. “Some of the skills we see put us to shame - well, it’s either skill or luck! “There are most definitely rivalries. It’s a non-contact sport, but we have the referees because at the end of the day no matter how old you are, you still want to win.” To anyone who was considering taking part, Stuart said: “I would encourage anyone to come along to the sessions no matter what level of skill or fitness. As I always say, if you can walk, then you can play.” For futher information you can contact Stuart on 0151 523 4488 or via email at Stuart.Carrington@LiverpoolFA.co.uk.

Liverpool welcomes the half marathon BY LUCY JONES

More than 5,000 runners have signed up to the challenge of running the 26th annual BTR Liverpool Half Marathon. The 13- mile route will take place on the March, 10 and feature some of Liverpool’s most iconic landmarks. These include Liverpool Cathedral, Sefton Park, Otterspool Promenade, and the Royal Albert

Dock Liverpool. The event will run concurrently with the 4th annual BTR 10 Mile Road Race. The race will start at 9am and begin and finish at the Liver Birds at Pier Head Liverpool. Race Director Alan Rothwell said: “The BTR Liverpool Half Marathon is the city’s longest established race.

“The race continues to prove popular with overseas runners who want to experience the city. “It’s the perfect combination and shows the event contributes to Liverpool City Region’s visitor economy.” For more information on the race, please visit this website https://www.btrliverpool.comcopy-of-halfmar-route.

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Takeover deal saves Widnes Vikings

By LIAM PLUMBLEY Widnes Vikings have secured their future as a Rugby League club after a takeover deal was agreed with the administrators. The Vikings looked almost certain to be going into liquidation last week, but a week of fundraising from many Rugby League fans and a late takeover bid on Friday ensured that the Rugby League club would carry on. It was reported that the former Super League club, now playing in the second tier of Rugby, owed up to £350,000 to Halton Borough Council. Administrators Chris Brooksbank and Peter O’Hara confirmed the news at a press conference during which Mr O’Hara said that the club had simply run out of money. The Vikings fixture against Sheffield Eagles on February 24th was postponed because the club could not afford insurance. Although the club have now been saved from liquidation, a 12-point deduction made at the time of the administration an-

LJMU march into Rugby League final

Widnes Vikings in action nouncement still remains, meaning that they will find it difficult to make an immediate return to the Super League. Bradford Bulls suffered a similar fate in 2016, being placed into administration for a third time in four years and subsequently droppng down to Betfred League One, before earning promotion back to the Championship last year. A member of the consortium who completed the takeover, Jason Shaw, thanked the fans for keeping the club alive, as a num-

ber of fundraisers and fans putting money in to the club helped Widnes avoid liquidation. Widnes fan Daryl Bridge spoke of his delight as his boyhood team were saved. He told Liverpool Life: “I’m so happy. It was obviously a few tough weeks to think that the team I have supported my whole life could have just ended like that, but now we are safe we can now look forward and build towards the future.” With the fans’ help, the Vikings

© Wikimedia had raised £120,000, which was a massive boost to the club, with Mr Shaw claiming that they had collected more than 112,000 members in one week. Just days after the club had been saved, the Vikings ran out 44-22 winners against Featherstone Rovers to end a tough week on a high. Many famous faces played their part in the salvation of the Widnes Vikings, including former footballer, now Match of the Day presenter, Gary Lineker, as he joined the fight to save the club.

Gymnasts prepare for championship glory

By NICK WARE The LJMU men’s Rugby League team are well on their way to making history after reaching the final of the Northern Conference Cup in consecutive years. A convincing 36-10 home win over Newcastle University 2nds set up a titanic battle with University of Central Lancashire’s 1st team this week. The rivals, currently battling each other for second place in the BUCS Rugby League Northern 2A, will face off once again with the Merseyside outfit looking to retain their title after beating Cardiff Metropolitan 56-12 in last year’s final at Nottingham. That was LJMU’s first silverware in five years, with the ‘Boys in Blue’ hoping to usher in a new era of success and claim their second title in as many years, despite a raft of high-profile departures in the last year.

The UK’s top gymnasts are heading to Liverpool for the British Gymnastic Championships 2019. Olympic, Commonwealth and European stars will battle it out for the prestigious British titles in the competition, which will be held at the M&S Arena. With just one year to go until the Olympics in Tokyo, British hopefuls will be looking to make their mark in gymnastics history in front of a home crowd.

The action begins on Thursday March 14 with the women’s espoir and men’s under-12 and under-18 competition. The all-around consists of the men competing on six apparatus and the women over four, with scores from all apparatus combined to find the very best all-rounder. Friday March 15 is day two, featuring the women’s junior all-around and men’s under-14 all-around competitions.

On Saturday March 16 the under-16 men showcase their best routines and compete for medals, while the fight for the prestigious senior all-around British titles get under way for the women. The weekend concludes on Sunday, March 17, with a packed day of explosive finals as the best of the best compete to be crowned champion on each of the six men’s and four women’s individual apparatus.

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Rave on for fitness enthusiasts By CHRISTOPHER MEGRATH

Joe celebrating his victory

©Joe Ryan

Teen star punches his way to prestigious title By JACK GIBSON Local teenage sensation Joe Ryan continued his rise to the top of the boxing world after recently becoming a WBC title holder. This is on top of an already impressive list of achievements for the West Kirby-based 14-year-old. Ryan is already a six-time world champion and won his professional debut in Thailand last year. Ryan has now added the WBC title win and also picked up another gold medal for the International Federation of Muay Thai Amateur and European Muaythai Federation Team GB in Lithuania two weeks ago, knocking out Estonia in the second round of the final.

It has been a hectic last few weeks for the upcoming star, as he also recently secured a first round knock out to make it four wins in just four weeks and is undefeated in the UK for more than four years. He has also competed across the globe, having fought in Turkey, Ukraine, Thailand, Italy and Lithuania, which has resulted in him currently holding the Yokkao World championship. Joe began his fighting career at the age of six and already has a huge following on social media, with over 13,000 followers on Instagram. His father and trainer Karl Ryan said: “He’s a hardworking young

man, easy to train, easy to coach and it’s the same with school, he excels in everything he does. “He’s committed and intelligent, he reads people and watches. He watches fights and notices little things that work, and experiments with them in the gym. “As his dad, I love watching him fight and as his trainer I just can’t believe how good he is at his age, he has so much potential.” He trains at the Two Brothers Muay Thai gym in Birkenhead and helps his dad, a former fighter himself, with training the younger fighters at Two Brothers. The gym runs regular classes for adults and children from the age of five upwards.

Having to decide between a loud night out or a late night gym session is far too much of an issue and not one we want to choose between. Lee Butler has now taken the best of both worlds and created Ravin Fit. The high energy, high fun workout takes all the best aspects of a night out and the gym, but removes the morning after headache and Instagram fitness models taking selfies in the corner. Some of the biggest dance classics of the ‘90s provide the soundtrack to the hour-long rave focusing on a full body aerobic workout, led by a fully qualified and experienced trainer to ensure you are getting the best results possible. Starting as a free event for International Women’s Day, Ravin Fit celebrates its first birthday tomorrow and shows no signs of slowing down. Venues include Lifestyles Walton, Floral Pavilion and Olympia. Happy Ravin!

Close call for Phillips as he marks return with a win By SHAUN DRISCOLL Brian Phillips returned to the ring at the Liverpool Olympia on Saturday night as he defeated Andy Harris via a decision. The 25-year-old fighter from Kirkdale had spent the summer in Los Angeles as part of Team Fury, as the former heavyweight world champion was preparing for his title bout with Deontay Wilder. Phillips made his return to the squared circle under his new promoter VIP Boxing in front of a big crowd at the famous Olympia, defeating Andy Harris after scoring a knockdown in the third round. Phillips told Liverpool Life: “Getting back in the ring, it felt

like I’d never left. I am excited and happy to be back. I never really felt any nerves, I felt confident and really grateful for everyone who came out to watch me. “Regarding my performance on the night, I was disappointed with my timing and ring rust, but that was expected after the long layoff but I was pleased with a mature win and to come out unscathed with no bumps and bruises.” Phillips spoke about how his time with Team Fury helped his development. He said: “My time in LA has brought me on massively. It has helped me develop my own boxing brain, and helped me in training and preparation for fights.”

Brian in action at Liverpool Olympia

LL Liverpool Life

Picture by Ellie Watkinson

Produced by LJMU Journalism Students