Liverpool Life November 12 2013, 2:7 by Steve Harrison

Liverpool

Life

www.jmu-journalism.org.uk

12th - November - 2013

CHERIE BLAIR

“My husband says I’m just a bolshie scouser” More on page 6

STEVE PRESCOTT

The rugby legend loses battle to cancer More on page 15

Cenotaph makes the grade The Government has announced that Liverpool’s Cenotaph is to be upgraded to a Grade I listed building. The monument, pictured left after Sunday’s commemoration, was awarded a Grade II listing in 1952, but will now become one of only three war memorials with a Grade I listing in the country. The only other two Grade I war memorials are in Victoria Park in Leicester and the Cenotaph in Whitehall, both were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. The listing comes after Liverpool remembered the fallen on Remembrance Day, with hundreds gathering at St Georges Plateau to take part in the two minute silence. Wreaths were laid on the Cenotaph as part of the service.

HELP AND HOPE have killed at least 10,000 people. their support. The UN has said that over 11 mil- Liverpool Football Club has The international community has lion people are believed to have launched an online appeal for been affected by the storm, with donations for the Red Cross after rallied to support the people of a fan from the Philippines wrote a 673,000 being displaced. the Philippines as the efforts to As the full horror of the devasta- heartfelt letter to the club. help those affected by Typhoon Haiayn stepped up a gear today. tion brought by the Typhoon be- Jo Li says her country is in “dire The Typhoon which hit the group came clear, charities and govern- need of help”. Full story on page 3 of islands on Friday is thought to ments across the world pledged By Grace Lindsay & Aimée Hamilton

• Millions pour in to Typhoon relief fund • LFC joins the appeal • Charity boss delighted by response

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MPs set to debate bedroom tax By Chantal Dickinson Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson has today blasted the Lib Dems ahead of the vote in the House of Commons to axe the bedroom tax. Anderson said in a tweet: “Today in Parliament is a debate about scrapping the bedroom tax, watch closely and see for yourselves what difference the FibDems make in Government.” The vote will take place tonight after the controversial tax was debated in Parliament,

with Labour calling for an immediate end to the policy. Rumours have suggested that a total of six Lib Dems will go against leader Nick Clegg and vote against the policy. The plan for Labour MPs was to use the debate to show how thousands of people have been affected by the bedroom tax. The tax has affected many Liverpool homeowners, with some even considering taking their own lives as they struggle to pay their bills. Under the policy, anyone who has a spare room will have to pay the tax unless they

can afford to buy a smaller home. However 96% of people could not afford a smaller home and are paying the tax. Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, who coordinated the policy, was not in the House of Commons today to defend the case. Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Rachel Reeves said: “It shows just how out of touch this Government is that Iain Duncan Smith is not bothering to turn up to the Commons to explain why hard-pressed families at the sharp end of the cost-of-living crisis are being

hit with the Bedroom Tax, at the same time as millionaires are getting a tax cut. “He doesn’t want to hear what effect his policies are having on you. The Coalition is scared of the reality. “If Tory and Lib Dem MPs vote against repeal, we won’t let them forget it – and we’ll step up our campaign.”

SELL-OUT: David Kidd

How Liverpool Life reported the story

Student halls are given green light By Abi Bramhall

Knight Knox International has unveiled plans for a £12.9m student accommodation building in Seymour Street. The new building, which will be named X1 The Edge, will be ready for new students enrolling in September 2015. The project is a joint effort between Knight Knox International and X1 Developments. Samantha Jones, head of marketing at Knight Knox International, told Liverpool Life: “The new accommodation will be really secure and there will be security men on hand 24 hours a day and a key fob system. She said: “Every student will have an individual fob which they will need to get in and out of the building. The accommodation will have 231 double bedrooms all with an en-suite. Facilities will include a gym, laundrette and bicycle storage. Samantha added: “There will be a video con system in all of the rooms, which links to the on-site management and they

will be on hand to answer any questions students may have.” This project adds to a number of other student accommodation developments, which have launched in the last 18 months. These include X1 Borden Court, X1 Arndale House and X1 The Quarter. The University of Liverpool saw an 18% rise in recruitment this year whilst Liverpool John Moores saw a 6% increase. Ged Gibbons, chief executive of the City Central Business Improvement District, said: “We have a student population around the city centre of approximately 50,000 – that’s a potential spending population bigger than most towns.” Liverpool City Council have granted full planning permission. The developers are offering a pre-launch price of £54,950 and offering investors an 8% return for ﬁve years. The new student residence will be within walking distance from the city’s two main Universities, Conveniently it is only a ﬁve minute walk away from Lime Street Centre and the city’s shopping centres.

Liverpool

Life

Features Lewis Bell Elen Crean Sports Editor Helen Healey Sports Jess Watters Damian Leonard Pictures Editor Cillian McGinn

Harriet Midgley Do you have any news or feedback? Email us on: liverpoollifenews@gmail.com

By Nick Seddon Halewood residents enjoyed a night of pure Tom Jones magic when an award-winning tribute act performed to a packed audience in aid of charity. David Kidd, AKA Tom Jones, performed to a sell-out crowd at Hollies Hall in aid of the Mayor of Halewood’s Charity Fund, before collecting an award at a live event in Lichﬁeld the following day. Kidd, who appeared on the most recent series of BBC’s talent show ‘The Voice’, was named a UK National Tribute Award Winner for 2013. Cllr Edna Finneran, the Mayor of Halewood, was delighted with the success of the event and explained the money raised would go back into the community. She said: “The event was just amazing, it was a complete sell-out. “We’ve tried to do some charity nights to get more money in the pot, so we put this on with all the money going back into the community.” The event, which was organised and presented by Halewood Town Council, raised £370 for the fund.

SHARED FIREARM TALKS Computer-generated image of the new X1The Edge

Payday loan ﬁrm opens next to Jobcentre

Team

Editor Aimée Hamilton Chief Sub Nathan Pearce News Kirsty McColgan Lauren Cordelle Lucy Bannister Lisa Jones Features Editor

TOTAL TOM JONES MAGIC

Cash Store beside Williamson Square Job Centre by Lisa Kerr Canadian-based money lending company The Cash Store has hit back after receiving criticism over its Williamson Square store. Liverpool civic leaders slated the loan company as it opened its doors… right next to a job centre. The Cash Store, which will charge customers more than 800% on every loan they take, has also used the same green and yellow colour scheme as the job centre. The company claim there was no deliberate opening of the shop because it was near a job centre. A spokesperson said: “This is a sensible premise in a commer-

cial area.” Nick Small, council cabinet member for employment, enterprise and skills has described the location of the Williamson Square store as “cynical and totally inappropriate.” He said: “There’s nothing better to illustrate Con-Dem Britain than the site of this shop next door to a job centre.” “It’s an absolute disgrace that these shops are being classed the same way as banks and building societies, when so many people get into debt through these types of companies.” “There are Citizens Advice Bureaux and credit unions. I don’t believe pay day lenders are the answer to people’s ﬁnancial problems.”

Picture: Cillian McGinn On Twitter, it seems as though the public share the same opinions as Nick Small, with several users voicing their concerns. One user, @Rodger5Waters2h, said: “its like opening a bookies beside pub, utter disgrace.” @sarahlawson73 believes loan shops like The Cash Store are a bad idea because they make people’s ﬁnancial situations worse, rather than helping them like they claim. However, one user made the clever observation that unemployed people could not make use of The Cash Store anyway. @StevenParry1 said: “Be a bit hard to get a payday loan if they have no payslip?” The council is currently campaigning to have these cash

Merseyside Police could start sharing specialist teams with Cheshire Police in a bid to save cash. Jane Kennedy, Police Commissioner said that there was a possibility the Merseyside Police could share teams such as the Firearms squad. Discussions are on-going with John Dwyer, the Conservative Cheshire Police Commissioner. The talks included the potential for sharing more “back ofﬁce” functions like human resources and IT; however services may include non-civilian police work.

INTERNET INCREASE The percentage of people gaining access to the internet in Liverpool has increased. Go On Liverpool has successfully improved the number of people with internet access by 55 per cent. Councillor Nick Small, cabinet member for skills, enterprise and employment, said: “It is pleasing to see that our efforts on Digital Inclusion have been recognised. The councillor added: “We are putting a lot of effort into ensuring more of our residents can go online for the reasons Martha Lane Fox says, to reduce inequality.” Martha Lane, of Digital Inclusion, recently said that technological inequality worsened social and ﬁnancial inequalities.

Life|News/3 Christian Aid launch a new appeal. It is one of the many adverts released after the disaster hit the Philippines Source: Christian Aid

‘Remarkable’ appeal response is praised By Grace Lindsey and Aimée Hamilton

Charity boss humbled by public support

As the Philippines counts the cost of the lives lost and the communities destroyed in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan the international aid effort is bringing hope at last. Today the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) was meeting to brief on the humanitarian situation and to launch an emergency appeal to support the Philippine Red Cross in providing critical assistance to the affected communities. Television and radio adverts were also expected to go live today as the country fought its way back from the brink. Today, people across the capital, Manila, shared their sympathy on the disaster that struck their nation. Chino Yuseco, a 29-year-old ﬁlm director, told Liverpool Life: “Times like these I feel re-

ally blessed, we just got strong winds for an hour, but that was it.” He added: “Watching the news and seeing all those people missing, personally for me the loss of life is heart-breaking.” Chino was spared the onslaught of the typhoon, as Manila was fortunately not hit by the full force of the storm. Alicia Mendez, a student in Manila, told Liverpool Life: “We see the damage done to the provinces that were hit. “It was hard watching it on TV because as much as I want to help, all I can really do is donate goods.” Now, the country’s least-affected communities are helping the relief effort personally. Alicia added: “All the different bars, restaurants and ofﬁce are serving as centres where you can drop your donations.

“Many restaurants and hotels are also offering charity dinners where 100% of the proceeds are donated to the victims.” Haiyan has been recorded as one of the worst storms on record. “It tore through the Visayas region of central Philippines on Friday with deadly force, making landfall ﬁve times, in the provinces of Eastern Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Panay Island and Palawan. It hit the Eastern city of Tacloban where homes, schools and an airport were destroyed. The neighbouring Samar Island was also badly affected, with reports of 300 people dead and 2,000 missing. One area alone hit by the typhoon is reported to have claimed 10,000 lives. A total of 11 million people have been affected by the typhoon according to the UN.

Leyte, a southern island is a “catastrophic” sight and the area has been 100% destroyed according to Nicola Jones, an IFRC representative in the Philippines. Their attempt to travel to deliver aid to the worst affected areas has been difﬁcult. She said: “Thousands of coconut trees have either been uprooted or catapulted across the land, or they have been snapped in two like toothpicks. While it may be passable, the road is strewn with debris left behind by the storm, and we are driving against a tide of thousands of people ﬂeeing the damaged city, some even walking barefoot. Their destination is not clear, but it is apparent that a huge number of people have been displaced.” There have been relief efforts from the United Kingdom. David Cameron announced on

Monday that the original £6million aid had been increased. He said: “Britain is contributing £10m and HMS Daring, currently deployed near Singapore, will shortly be heading at full speed towards the disaster zone.” Cameron believes the implementation of the Royal Navy warship “will be a powerful help to the relief operation”. By this afternoon, Tuesday, the British Red Cross appeal had already raised £1m. Mark Astarita, director of fundraising at the Bristish Red Cross said: “We are very moved and humbled by the remarkable response of the British public to the awful tragedy unfolding in the Philippines.” Reports from Tacloban describe devastation: “A police boat lies marooned on top of a heap of building debris close

to the centre of the city where it was carried in by the wave. Trees hang from the tangle of phone cables and power lines that collapsed.” Nicola Jones from the IFRC said: “What is striking on the road to Tacloban was the way local people are coping. Communities are trying to clear up and using the debris to build shelters that might at least protect them from the rain.” The British Red Cross is a member of the Disaster Emergency Committee, which brings together 14 leading UK aid charities in times of crisis. Donations for the Philippine appeal can be taken on their website. You can donate at www.redcross.org.uk/typhoonappeal; www.oxfam.org.uk/PhilippinesTyphoon and also at www. christianaid.orghoonHaiyan

The Reds give support for typhoon aid Liverpool Football Club has launched an online appeal for donations to the Red Cross after a fan from the Philippines wrote a heartfelt letter to the club. Jo Li, a Liverpool fan living in the Philippines contacted LFC after the club’s anthem left her emotional during their game against Fulham. She started the letter with the iconic lyrics: ‘When you walk through the storm, hold your head up high and don’t be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky and a sweet, silver song of the lark.’ Jo Li said: “Despite the fact that I’ve sang this song countless of times, I found it hard not to choke on the words during the match as I thought of my countrymen who have suffered the

Above: The devastation from the typhoon. Right: a family shelters by a desroyed bus. Below: aid workers handling emergency supplies

brunt of the typhoon Haiyan.” Li compared the spirit of those suffering at the hands of the typhoon to the fans and members of her club. She said: “Though badly beaten and worn, we rise up together to meet the challenges at hand. We don’t give up. Maybe that’s why, despite the distance, Filipino Reds have managed to become faithful supporters of the club.” Jo Li promises to continue her appeal for aid and insists her country is in “dire need of help” not just for the initial disaster but also to sustain life afterwards. She added: “I fear that the aftermath of the typhoon will take more lives if we are not able to provide food, water, medicine, shelter and other necessities. We are in dire need of your help.”

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Nuclear ‘magic bullet’ for cancer patient treatment By Abi Bramhall

The Royal Liverpool Hospital has started using a radioactive cancer treatment that can improve and extend the lives of patients. The Nuclear Medicine team at the hospital have dedicated in-patient ward facilities and a £1.8m PET CT scanner for the Radionuclide Metabolic therapy. Nuclear medicine is becoming available to treat more types of cancer. It can already treat benign diseases such as overactive thyroid glands and arthritic diseases. Dr Chris Mayes, a radiographer at the Royal, said: “A therapeutic molecule, often known as a ‘magic bullet’, locates lesions itself and takes radioactivity to tumour cells to kill them.” He added: “When it sees a

tumour it latches on to it to damage it, knocking it back and extending the life of the patients.” A team from the Nuclear Medicine department has now written a guide about the therapy to advise other medical professionals. It was launched at the European Association of Nuclear Medicine’s annual congress in France last month. Dr Mayes was privileged to be asked to contribute. He said: “This guide will be used in every major Nuclear Medicine department, not just throughout Europe, but also in the rest of the world.” He added: “The use of Nuclear Medicine techniques to treat disease is developing at a rapid pace and I hope this book will both help to improve the understanding and the use of these invaluable therapies.”

Nuclear Medicine Team at Royal Liverpool Hospital. From left to right: Radiologist Dr Chris Mayes, Professor Sobhan Vinjamuri and doctor Ruth Menghis with the book they wrote three chapters for.

Liverpool lights up

Liverpool’s christmas lights were turned on this week. Parades marched through the city with lit up crafted animals, as well as live music and dancers.

LOCAL BUSINESS BID FOR WORK

By Karl Cryer

Local companies have been given the opportunity to bid for work at the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital. The new hospital is estimated to be the largest in the country to have all single beds, with a 40-bed critical care unit, 18 operating theatres and one of the most impressive emergency departments in the North West. It will also boast a CT scanner and designated special lifts for major trauma patients, which leads directly to operating theatres. Austin Bell, Project Director of Carillion, said: “The new Royal will be one of the biggest construction projects in the city and offer huge opportunities for local people, suppliers and sub-contractors.” He said the project will generate genuine opportunities for the Liverpool regional economy and give local people and businesses the chance to get involved and help create a world class hospital of which they can be proud. Carillion, a construction services company, will deliver the new £335 million hospital, a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event this Tuesday. The new hospital is projected to provide 750 full time construction jobs, 60 per cent allocated to local people and 15 per cent from priority wards in the city.

DORRIES SAYS SORRY Liverpool born MP, Nadine Dorries, has been forced to apologise for appearing in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, one year after appearing on the reality show. Nadine came under criticism from fellow MPs and the Liverpool locals in her constituency when she went into the jungle. The Tory MP has now apologised for ‘inadvertently’ breaching Commons rules by failing to register income for her media work, including I’m A Celeb. Nadine broke the MPs’ code of conduct when she refused to disclose the fee she was paid to the Parliamentary Commissioner for standards. Also, eight pieces of work in the media were not claimed due to Nadine believing that they didn’t have to be as they were made to her company, rather than herself directly. Dorries was suspended from the party whip to compete in the show.

SMOKING STARTING YOUNG Pictures taken from Paradise Street on Friday the 8th November, other events took place on Dale Street and Hanover street. Photography: Simòne Foggin

Flu jabs recommended for children in winter By Karl Cryer

The Mayor of Liverpool is urging people to get ﬂu jabs this winter in support with the Public Health England (PHE). Nasal spray vaccines are now being offered to children and

start an extension to the national ﬂu vaccination programme, which is targeted to help 2-17 year olds on a yearly basis. Mayor Anderson said: “Flu is a nasty illness for anyone to get, but for some people it can be a killer.”

The Mayor said he got his flu jab because he wanted to stay fit and well and that he encourages everyone who is eligible to get a free flu jab to do the same. Public Health England is asking for over 65s, adults

and children with long term health conditions, as well as pregnant women to take the free ﬂu vaccination by their GP. Dr Paula Grey, Director of Public Health for Liverpool City Council, said: “Getting the ﬂu can be extremely serious for

some of the more vulnerable members of our communities.” People suffer from ﬂu, as early as November and the vaccination can provide protection throughout the winter season. Vaccines are the best treament for ﬂu.

Figures released by Cancer Research UK have revealed that 570 children start smoking every day - the equivalent of 6,900 classes of 11-15 year olds every year. The statistics come as part of an appeal to standardise cigarette packaging in order to stop children taking up smoking. Cancer Research UK has released a short film called ‘The World Back Home’ which depicts young children smoking. They are calling for Twitter users to retweet the clip, using the hashtag #packetracket.

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GAMING CHARITY BACKS BAN ON BETTING SLOTS by Abi Bramhall The Campaign for Fairer Gambling has reacted positively to the news that a motion to ban gambling machines in betting shops across the city has been passed by Liverpool City Council. An estimated £600 million has been gambled on the fix-odds machines in the last year. Customers gamble as much as £300 a minute by being able to pay with a debit card. The motion calls on the Government to ban the machines across Liverpool, or at the very least give Councils the power to do so. Recent numbers by the Office for National Statistics have shown that the unemployment rate in the North West has risen since May. Adrian Parkinson, campaign consultant for the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, believes that this is one reason why the machines should be banned. He told Liverpool Life: “There are more betting shops in deprived areas, areas with unemployment. People will go into these shops, look at the machines and get attracted to them. “People do not win but they are sucked into that illusion which is the dangerous part. Roulette has even been proven to have the most addictive characteristics.” The gambling industry has hit back saying that there is no hard evidence that the games are dangerous and instead are offering players to limit their own stakes. Recent research has shown that betting shops are becoming more reliable on the machines to make a profit. Councillor Nick Small, who led the motion which was a unanimous vote, said: “These machines are causing real problems in Liverpool. People are losing their jobs, their relationships are breaking down, they are losing their homes, turning to loan sharks or payday loan firms and even committing crimes because of gambling.” David Cameron has now vowed to “have a proper look” at the issue but Adrian and the Campaign urge the government to do it sooner rather than later. Adrian said: “We won’t stop until the issue is dealt with. If the government doesn’t look at this soon then it may become a general election issue as it is a very serious issue affecting the whole country.”

LOCAL DRAMA iPLAYER SUCCESS

Railway ramp robber by Jessica MacDonald

Police have launched a hunt for a man who stole a wheelchair ramp from Liverpool Lime Street Station. CCTV footage displays the man dismantling the ramp on Friday 25th October, then carrying it from platform nine to the stations taxi rank. He then continued his journey, along with the ramp, to a pub on the New Brighton promenade. The police have been left bafﬂed by the theft, PC Richard Melling of The British Transport Police, said: “This is an extremely unusual theft in that it doesn’t appear to have been motivated by greed.

“It is extremely unlikely that he man would be able to sell on the ramp and make a proﬁt from his criminal act. It is however, a theft which impacts on the daily running of the station and seems designed to cause problems for other rail passengers.” Online readers of a national newspaper expressed their outrage at the theft, with Gavin. jackson.792 saying: “Dumb ar*e springs to mind!!” PC Melling added: “I am determined to trace the thief and am calling on anyone with information to come forward.” Anyone with information should contact The British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, quoting B5/NWA 11/11/13.

WANTED: Man who stole disabled ramp from station.

Your PJs can help homeless children

by Bethany Wells

People of Liverpool are being encouraged to spread the cheer of Christmas and donate their pyjamas. A campaign is running throughout the city this year and in the build up to Christmas, Pyjama Party Liverpool is asking for donations of pyjamas for homeless children. It has been predicted that over 80,000 children throughout the UK will be homeless for Christmas, with over 1,000 children in the North West. Figures from Liverpool City Council’s poverty tracker show that in August alone, Liverpool’s Trussel Trust food banks fed 1,338 people, 429 of these were children. These ﬁgures seem to be only set to rise. Susan Jackson, one of the organisers for the campaign, said: “It is an idea we have to spread a little Christmas cheer and there are so many children we know of already, who would love new pjs on Christmas Eve...it’s all part of the magic.” The donations of brand new pyjamas will give boys and girls of all age ranges what may be their only present this year. The cause, which was only set up two days ago, has already had the attention of hundreds of Facebook and Twitter users, along with the ﬁrst donations of pyjamas at their designated drop off points, Waterstones and the Women’s Health advice and support centre on Bold Street,

CHRISTMAS MISSION: Donated presents are needed for disadvantaged children. Liverpool City Centre. Susan added: “It has grown massively! We really didn’t expect this at all.” Their aim is to make sure that all the children receive their pjs in time for Christmas Eve. Meanwhile Pudsey the Bear will be making his yearly appearance this week, raising money for Children in Need. Children in Need is an annual fundraising event, which helps disadvantaged children and young people in the UK. The week leading up to the big night sees people around the country holding events to help raise money. Liverpool is taking part in the fundraising on Friday, with activities such as a Drum Marathon at Dawson Liverpool,

where drummers have been sponsored to play non-stop throughout the day. Another event is being held at Sefton Park Palm House. Other activities include Go Pyjamas with Pudsey which will be a small party for children, including a disco pyjama party. The tickets cost £5, with all the proceeds going straight to Children in Need. National events include Children in Need Rocks concert, which kicks off tonight in London and sees stars such as Gary Barlow, Tom Jones and Madness take to the stage. Ellie Goulding has released the ofﬁcial 2013 song, How Long Will I Love You and other celebrities who will be sporting the spotted bandage include JLS,

Beatles bad-boy: John Lennon detention slips to fetch upto £3000 each at auction by Bethany Wells Beatles legend John Lennon is having his bad behaviour exposed, with detention slips from his school years up for auction later this month. The two slips detail the misdemeanours of 15-year-old John Lennon from when he attended Quarry Bank High School, with punishments set by numerous teachers. Reasons for John’s detentions vary from ‘ﬁghting in class’ to ‘showing no interest whatsoever’. Over the course of three days in May 1955, John received three detentions for ‘Nuisance’, ‘Very bad behaviour’ and ‘Misbehaviour again’. The detention sheets give an insight in to what John was like as a teen, and his behaviour in

‘Moving On’, a Liverpool drama, has become the first ever iPlayer premiere programme. The fifth series of the daytime drama stars Coronation Street’s Natalie Gumede and Downton Abbey’s Amy Nuttall. The programme, which features stand alone films, is written by multi Bafta winning Jimmy McGovern. The programme was broadcast yesterday but has been available on iPlayer.

school. Peter Beech, John’s General Science teacher at Quarry Bank, commented on the detention sheets: “The sheet is typical of John Lennon, he was an extremely cheeky boy!” This page was part of a class detention book that was rescued from a bonﬁre in the late 1970s, after a teacher noticed the name ‘Lennon’ scrawled on the top. The sheets have been authenticated by Lennon’s school friend, Pete Shotton, who also wrote the book, John Lennon: In My Life. The auction will start at £100, but the sheets are expected to fetch up to £3,000 each. A viewing day will be held ahead of the auction at the Hard Day’s Night Hotel, on the 17th of November. The online auction will include the slips as part of their ‘The

VERY BAD BEHAVIOUR: John Lennon detention slip White Album Auction’, which will also include an autographed Beatles’ ‘White album’ LP. The auction will open on the

website tracksauction.com on the 22nd November and ﬁnal bids will be Sunday 1st December 2013.

Terry Wogan and Alex Jones. This year, in the TV line up for the show, Eastenders actors will pair up with Strictly Come Dancing for a dance in Albert square, contributions from Doctor Who and Call The Midwife as well as boy band One direction will take part in the night. Since 1980 Children in Need has raised over £600 million to change the lives of disabled children and young people in the UK.

Radio City is joining in by backing Mission Christmas and Rossie’s playing Santa. Cash for Kids has launched Rossie’s Mission Christmas, asking people to donate Christmas presents to be given to children throughout Liverpool. Last year the charity distributed over £280,000 worth of gifts and money to help over 17,000 underprivileged children within the region. On average, over 1 in 4 children are living below the poverty line. The charity is asking for donations of small toys for children aged 0-18 years old, unwrapped and handed in at one of the many drop off points around the city. Radio City tower will be the most recognisable drop off point, but others included Liverpool Passport Ofﬁce, Liverpool Playhouse and Matalan in Williamson Square. A spokesperson for the charity said: “We’re asking you to buy just one extra present this year – a gift that we’ll give to a disadvantaged child to make their Christmas morning that little bit brighter.” The donations will be distributed to children throughout the region, giving them a small surprise for Christmas. The charity raises money for disabled and disadvantaged children throughout Liverpool. All the money that’s raised by the ‘Mission’ is collected and distributed locally to help children.

Life/News/6

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to ng a visit rpool duri e iv L f o d love often re. r pride an told of he stop-off at LJMU inister Tony Blair, at heart, s a h ir la me M herie B hich included a l a Red she is stil former Pri the city, w ted her husband, couser” and said I back here She admit as “just a bolshie S hildren. en I come ith places h c W r . e g rt h in a e v to dw -lo yh fers er football special place in m like to be associate I h two of h nnialong wit said: “It has a very m and that’s why the 40th a celebrate eople. Mrs Blair where I come fro to l o o rp p e is ” iv ill know this ool John Moores. U returned to L port to terminally d one that she JM n like Liverper Chancellor of L vides care and sup involved with, a g my The form Jospice, which pro side charities she is ol in Crosby. o y f round doin versary o f the many Merse she was still at sch schoolgirl going nt and going It is one o raising for when ago when I was a as the Vice Preside rs nd started fu think all those yea end up 40 years on ds Builde Redmon th t a “I didn’t walk that I would ch,” she said. d e Law. e arriv n sponsored ve a fundraising lu ice in Thornton, sh of Journalism and urnalism a ts sp h Jo n o e h to U m e re erty rt JM th e a th child pov jects with m the dep g a visit to Followin k with students fro wide range of sub links with China, to a a ing to spe ssed her views on nd the university’s cohool of E She discu from tuition fees a of a busy day. ondon Sc iversity, and [L E S L d n n reporters e relaxes at the e ool to go down to people went to u university, so rp g sh and how “When I left Live per cent of youn chance of going to x She said: ly about ﬁve or si nt I had very little dere n r as an un nomics] o working class stud t. y ﬁrst yea m in s a n a fe as I was nt I had a full gra money in my li h e when I w never had so muc I t, c fa “In graduate.

By Aim

“But today, 40% to fund that then of the student body will go to un iv it’ their education af s either high taxation or student ersity and if we’re going s ter Mrs Blair, who is wards and that’s what’s happen themselves paying for involving women closely linked to more than 20 ch ed.” ar and children, wa year. s awarded a CBE ities, particularly those for her charity wo She also spoke ab rk this out another subj ty in the UK. ect that is close to her heart – ch ild pover“It’s a terrible sta Christmas,” said tistic to hear that 80,000 childre n M homes to be built rs Blair, adding that there is a ne will be homeless this an ed for more affo rd In her legal prof d the government is failing to do so at the mom able ession she is know one of the most ent. n as Cherie Booth successful career QC, having achi s of any female 59-year-old adm eved ba itt next challenge. ed she still feels that any lawye rrister in the UK, but the r is only as good as their “One of the reas on become a QC, in s that I became a QC was beca use the ﬁrst wom 1949, was a wom We Liverpudlians an to an called Rose He ilbron from Live women in the law have a good track record in the law, and certainly rpool. .” So, how does th as strong e Prime Minister re leading QC, charity campaigne r and wife of a fo lax? “I like noth rm reading a good bo in ok,” she reveale g better than curling up in my py er d. jamas,

Top: Cherie Blair talks to TV student, Jack Maguire; Second: Journalism students interview the QC; Fourth: Radio student Alexandra Allen prepares to interview on mic

Life|News|7

Too young to ﬁght?

Life|Features|8

AIMEE JONES reports on a new campaign by Child Soldiers International, to raise the armed forces recruiting age from 16 to 18

errence Lord always knew he was destined to be a soldier in the British Army. There are countless pictures scattered around his mother’s home of a young boy dressed head to toe in camouflaged clothing, crawling through the mud. He joined the cadets at the age of 12 and before he’d even completed secondary school, had applied to join the armed forces. Human rights group, Child Soldiers International, are now campaigning to prevent young people, like Terrence, from joining the army. The group has written an open letter to the Ministry of Defence calling for the joining age to be raised from the current 16. Rachel Taylor, spokesperson for Child Soldiers said: “We know that the army target young men and women from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Many of them come from broken homes and it’s unfair that they are targeted. It is definitely a problem in Liverpool as it is such a large recruitment area.” But soldiers like Lance Bombardier Lord, who was born in Ellesmere Port, now 22, do not support the campaign. He says he made the right decision joining at such a young age. He said: “I know I wouldn’t have done anything with my life if I hadn’t had joined the army. It has been six years since I first signed up and I feel I’ve made a success of myself and I’m on a great wage for my age.” Tom Jones, from Wallasey, also joined the army when he was 16. Tom, now 21, feels the same was as fellow soldier Terrence and does not agree with the campaign. He said: “I think they should leave it at 16. I joined when I was 16, it gives you a good experience and grows you up a bit and has been something I am glad I did.”

Tom Jones on tour in Afghanistan making friends with local children

“I know I wouldn’t have done anything with my life if I hadn’t had joined the army. It has been six years since I ﬁrst signed up and I feel I’ve made a success of myself and I’m on a great wage for my age.”

oining ages for the A fresh-faced Terrence Lord at the age of 16 armed forces vary across the world, with the average age being 18. The United Kingdom, however, has one of the lowest ages. The 16-year-old British recruits do have to complete a year of basic straight out of training as opposed to the standard 14 weeks that older recruits school when he complete. was 16 but now he The campaigners argue, though, that a lot of money is is supporting the spent training 16-year-olds who drop out when it gets too campaign. tough. Their open letter to the MoD claims that of all of the He said: “At younger recruits who signed up to the army last year, nearly 16, you’re easily half (410) of them left before the end of basic training. moulded into the With a medal at the age of 19 Terrence argued: “It’s a very personal thing; some 16-yeartype of person the olds are ready for it. Also, I’d like to see the ﬁgures that show army wants and needs and they have you living a very different how many recruits over the age of 18 also dropped out of basic life where you don’t really understand the responsibilities of the training!” real world.” Miss Taylor believes that the British army will raise the He added: “I also believe that raising the age could help lowjoining age within the next couple of years in fear of falling er the number of cases of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) behind the rest of the world. and the instances of suicide as soldiers would have the maturity She said: “Even Zimbabwe have recently changed their to deal with what they’ve seen in places like Afghanistan.” joining age to 18! The UK are very isolated in the way they The MoD said despite the pressure from Child Solders are recruiting now” International, it has no plans to change the recruitment age as it Ex-soldier Craig Butterworth, 28, from Blackpool, also joined believes enlisting is beneﬁcial for young men and women.

The pride of Wales: Terrence on his ﬁrst tour

Life|Profile|9

Liverpool

Life

Card Sharp

Pick of the week

How friends’ idea became a boost for local business

by Joshua Weale

n a society where big businesses rule, taking a walk down high streets around the country has become a rather sad affair for most. As large chain stores take over, smaller independent stores are slowly dying out, meaning cities and towns are losing some of their charm to the coldness of conglomerates. However amidst the hard times on the High Streets two proud Liverpudlians are trying to lead a ﬁght back against the big boys of business by supporting local independents. ‘Independent Liverpool’ was set up by 22-year-old, University of Liverpool graduates David Williams and Oliver Press in January this year after the pair became “fed up of chain store domination”, when a second Costa Coffee opened up on the street where they lived. David and Oliver have been friends for over 14 years and share many passions in life, but the most important thing to them right now is supporting local businesses to make Liverpool the best it can be. Oliver said “It’s what makes the city unique when you come to Liverpool you don’t want to go to Tesco or Costa you can do that anywhere in the world, but if you come here I feel we have got unique places to keep the city interesting and that’s what we want to celebrate.” The venture originally started life as a blog where the pair could write proﬁles on in-

dependent bars, restaurants and cafés around the city to give local establishments exposure. Interest in the blog began to grow and the idea snowballed until eventually David and Oliver came up with something that would give muchneeded support for independents in Liverpool and introduced ‘the card’ offering discounts and perks to people who go local. Now, with over 60 places on the card and over 3,000 cards sold, David and Oliver feel like they are making a difference. After just 100 days of being in existence they estimate that £50,000 has gone back into the local economy already thanks to the card. The guys are now hopeful that ‘the card’ will continue to grow until they reach their target of 100 places on there all whilst still keeping the quality high. They said: “It kind of loses its effect if we got any more than 100 because it’s a nice round ﬁgure and it allows us to avoid adding like one a week and then we could end up at 200 and then places might start to not get used.” Names on the card include popular nightspots, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, bakeries, clothes shops, laptop repairs and even a massage parlour. The list is going to continue to grow and to keep up with every discount offered around the city the guys have brought out an app for android devices and are not far off releasing one for Apple. David and Oliver have a lot of ideas to take independent Liverpool forward and they see the app as a big step for them “It’s just handy for us because it’s got to the

Funny night with Flanagan One of Britain’s biggest comedy stars is coming to the Echo Arena this week. Micky Flanagan will bring his ‘Back in the Game’ tour to Liverpool on November 12th and 13th. The comedian has appeared on TV shows such as Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You and has appeared on The Royal Variety Performance. His previous tour sold over 200,000 tickets and all of the 150 dates were sold out. The DVD of the tour, ‘Micky Flanagan Live: The Out Out Tour’ was the number one selling stand-up DVD of 2012.

Boys on tour David Williams and Oliver Press with Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson point now where we’ve got so many places on board the card it’s easy to forget if someone is on there or not. “You’re thinking, where can I go for lunch but the ordinary person isn’t going to remember all the places so it’s easy just to get out the app and have a look.” They really take pride in what they do and from meeting David and Oliver it’s clear that they really believe in what they are trying to achieve in helping to give Liverpool more independence. One of the most important things to them is that the proﬁles they write for the website are not just food and drink reviews but pieces of writing that really capture what it is that makes Liverpool’s unique places so special. It’s imperative to David that their write up’s stand the test of time and show the places as experiences: “We always try to speak to the manager and go beneath the

surface we want it to be transferable not just from that one night when we were there but what every night there is like.” It’s also clear that they are not in this just for any sort of profit but they are normal guys with a mission in life to make a diﬀerence in the city they love. Oliver summed up what they hope Independent Liverpool gives the people of the city when he said “I think to myself, when I’ve got money what am I happy with in life? And it’s as long as I’ve got good quality food and a few decent beers then I’m happy.” That’s what he and David hope the card will encourage the people of Liverpool to look for in the nooks and crannies of Liverpool. The card is available for only £10 online and in both Utility stores on Bold Street and for a small price allows everyone to help out in the bigger picture supporting the local economy and retailers.

“It’s what makes the city unique, when you come to Liverpool you don’t want to go to Tesco or Costa you can do that anywhere in the world.”

Boy bands McFly and Busted are uniting together as one to form McBusted for a special UK tour. The super-group will stop oﬀ at the Liverpool Echo on 19th April 2014 performing some of their biggest hits. Together, both Busted and McFly have sold 15 million records worldwide, including 14 number ones, 20 top 2 singles and 27 top ten singles. Busted’s founding member and former lead singer Charlie Simpson will not be joining the super-group on tour. He left the band to pursue a solo career in 2005 which prompted the band to split. James Bourne and Matt Willis will represent Busted without Charlie and join all the McFly boys, Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter and Harry Jud. Tickets go on sale this Friday 15th November.

Ken Dodd on show He is known as Liverpool’s best entertainer and now Ken Dodd has his very own exhibition that celebrates his life. Photographs captured by Stephen Shakeshaft will be displayed in the exhibition running from 8th November to 21st April 2014 at the Museum of Liverpool. Shakeshaft’s bond with Ken Dodd led to him becoming an intimate observer to stand in the wings and watch countless shows. The exhibition oﬀers a rare glimpse into the backstage world of the much loved comedian who has been in the business for around 60 years.

Life/Health/10

Giorgia’s Story...

E U L B G N I O G FOR S E T E B A DI by Claire Bynoe

diabetes calendar as it marks the birthday of the man who co-discovered the hormone of insulin, Frederick Banting. Alongside Charles Best, Banting discovered insulin in 1922, beneﬁting those suffering from diabetes as insulin is a key treatment. Diabetes is an incurable disease and within the UK alone affects almost three million people and 850,000 people are estimated to not know that they have it.

e are all familiar with colours that have been claimed by charities and organisations to raise awareness about serious conditions that affect lives everyday. Pink has its associates with breast cancer awareness, green with mental health support and for one day every year, the colour blue takes centre stage for World Diabetes Day. “We know that up November 14th marks the to 80% of cases of campaign for diabetes that Type 2 diabetes can raises awareness about the be prevented and the condition. Over the years, the event has grown to risk can be reduced become globally celebrated by up to 60% after and spreads a vast amount of making some basic information to a worldwide lifestyle changes.” audience. With their recognisable blue Diabetes UK circled logo, the campaign The International Diabetes will create hundreds of activFederation has suggested that ities, screenings and meetings by the end of 2030, half a bilthat will take place internationally this coming Thursday. lion people will be living with diabetes. The condition itself The date itself is particuand the complications that larly signiﬁcant within the

come along with it are largely preventable. Themes that have taken a main focus in the campaign for the past ﬁve years have been education and prevention. It is hoped that the awareness day will play a role in helping to protect the future. Famous buildings across the world are often lit up all blue in support of the day. Last year, The University of Liverpool’s Active Learning Laboratory located on Brownlow hill, was illuminated all blue in place of its usual multi-coloured appearance. Number 10 at Downing Street also took part in the all blue occasion. If you want to take part in the day, you can support the cause by wearing all blue. You can also organise a cake bake event with all proceeds going to Diabetes UK. For more information about Diabetes and the support that is available visit: http://www.diabetes. org.uk/

Giorgia Holly Williams was just 7 years old when she was ﬁrst diagnosed with diabetes. Now 21, Giorgia tells Liverpool Life about how she found out she was diabetic and the importance of raising awareness. “When I was 7 years old, my family and I started to notice a lot of changes in my mood and overall health. I constantly had a thirst and would constantly have a drink in my hand. When I was drinking it would be cordial or anything sugary, but at the time I didn’t know I was diabetic so sugary drinks would make my thirst worse, and I would become very exhausted. Luckily enough, my uncle was diabetic and my mum started to recognise the signs and took me to hospital where I was diagnosed. Over the years I have managed my diabetes myself and I would say I have it under control; however you have to be on the safe side. I carry carbohydrates or a little sugary snack around with me just in case of any hypos. I know that for my mum and my family to adjust to the changes of my life style was also very hard. I believe it is very important to raise

awareness of diabetes as I wasn’t aware of the condition. I believe a lot of people are not aware of it until it happens to them. It is also important for others to know, as diabetics have to inject on a regular basis and not many people are aware of why they are doing so. On my ﬁrst day of my new job I pointed out to them that I am diabetic and showed them my needles and blood sugar and showed them how I do it and also why. The people I work with are great and are now aware of why I do this.”

Did you know? Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high.

Type 1 diabetes: Accounts for about 10% of all people with diabetes. Type 2: Accounts for between Treated by daily 85 and 95 per cent of all people insulin injections, with diabetes a healthy diet and Treated with a healthy diet and regular physical increased physical activity. activity. Medication and/or insulin are It can develop at often required. any age. Becoming more common in Most common type children, adolescents and young of diabetes found people of all ethnicities in childhood.

Is breast best? Jess Hayes ﬁnds out what some women in Liverpool think... A bribe or an incentive? Encouragement or a nanny state? A new government pilot scheme is re-sparking the controversy surrounding one of the most hotly debated topics in child rearing.

Kelsey Ray chose not to breast feed

The debate is of course, breast or bottle? One of the first decisions a woman makes as a new mother is whether or not to breast feed. Already the decision is a difficult one, with pressure on mothers from groups such as World Health Organisation to breast feed for the first 6 months of their children’s lives there is often a stigma attached to those who choose to bottle feed their kids. Now new mothers in deprived areas of South Yorkshire and Derbyshire are being offered £200 in shopping vouchers to encourage them to breast feed. The pilot scheme will initially involve 130 women who will be given vouchers for shops such as Poundstretcher, Asda, Tesco and John Lewis as a reward for

choosing to breastfeed rather than relying on formula milk, but it could be rolled out nationally in the future.

We took to the streets of Liverpool to ﬁnd out what new mums would think if this scheme came to the city: Cliona Garrity, 35-year-old mum of two, breastfed both of her children but isn’t sure if the scheme would be effective. She said: “I don’t know if I’d see it as a bribe or encouragement, I suppose it could be taken either way. But I think if people really don’t want to breast feed then they’re not going to anyway, I don’t think it would make people do it I think it’s just a bonus if you were going to do it anyway.”

©enokson ﬂickr.

Helen Izat, 34, also feels that the scheme wouldn’t have much of an impact. She said: “I breast fed and it wouldn’t have affected my choice, I breast fed because I thought it was best for my daughter but it should be a personal choice.” But even if the scheme was successful and did encourage women to breast feed, is it really right to target women in deprived areas ‘encouraging’ them to make particular life choices? According to young mum, Kelsey Ray who chose not to breastfeed it’s not. She said: “It’s not fair, it’s like we’re being punished for choosing not to breast feed, it’s almost forcing women into it.” Despite a lot of evidence suggesting great beneﬁts of breast feeding for both mother and baby it seems that new mums in Liverpool feel that we should be left alone to decide if breast is best.

Life|Culture|11 Fresh line up as Everyword Festival for the blind returns

Journey of a lifetime by Claire Reid A poignant play by a Liverpool John Moores lecturer is set to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Kindertransport, the World War Two initiative to save thousands of Jewish children from the Nazis. In the winter of 1938 thousands of children had to leave their parents behind and come to the UK to escape persecution. The Kindertransport allowed 10,000 unaccompanied children from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia who were at risk from the Nazis; the majority of these children never saw their families again. One of these children, Jo Hacker, came from Vienna with her two younger sisters in December 1938, leaving behind her brother, who at ten months old was too young for Kindertransport, and her parents. Her family who remained in Vienna were all killed in the Holocaust. Jo went on to have a family of her own - two daughters, Ros and Jane Merkin. In the summer of 2008, along with Max Reinhardt, the sisters came up with an idea to commemorate the day Kindertransport began in Britain. This was the very beginnings of ‘Suitcase’, they decided on a promenade performance to be held at Liverpool Street Station, London. Dr. Merkin, a drama lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, used her 20 years of theatrical experience to create a touching performance. The ﬁrst Suitcase show took place on the 2nd December 2008, 70 years after the ﬁrst Kindertransport arrived in Britain, and was funded by drama undergraduates from Liverpool John Moores University, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and David Baddiel, as well as donations from the Archbishop of Canterbury and Marks and Spencer. Tickets for the show were snapped up with audience members describing it as ‘moving,’

by Nathan Pearce

Left to right: sisters Melanie, Paula & Johnna Hacker. ‘powerful,’ and ‘tremendously emotional’. Now, 75 years since Kindertransport began, the Suitcase team is back with a number of new dates and a tour of ten train stations across the country, beginning in Glasgow on the 12th November and coming to Liverpool Lime Street on 22nd November. Suitcase takes the audience on a journey through the station showing them the reality of Kindertransport: bewildered refugee children; expectant foster parents and confused bystanders. Places for the performances are limited and must be booked in advance at: www.eventbrite. com or on: 07551 050875. Tickets are free but donations would be appreciated, you can do that here: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ suitcase. The performance lasts around an hour and it is on a train platform.

Credit www.facebook.com/suitcase1938

Tour schedule There will be 3 performances at each station – 10.30, 13.00 and 19.30 EXCEPT at Sheﬃeld where the 13.00 performance is replaced by one at 15.00 and Harwich International where the last performance will be at 18.00. 12th November: 14th November: 16th November: 19th November: 21st November: 22nd November: 25th November: 27th November:

Glasgow Central Hull Paragon Interchange Sheﬃeld Leeds Manchester Piccadilly Liverpool Lime Street Bristol Temple Meads Southampton

Liverpool’s Royal School for the Blind and Everyman Theatre are teaming up for this year’s ‘Everyword Festival 2013’. The two-day writing festival which takes place on Thursday 14th to 16th November will be held in the Royal School for the Blind’s old building, which is now owned by Hope Street Hotel. The festival, now in its eighth year, celebrates many local performers such as award-winning artist James Quinn and writer Jeff Young, who has collaborated with the ‘Everyword Festival’ several times before. Dominic Beaumont, Communications and Media Ofﬁcer at Everyman Theatre, said: “All of the performances at ‘Everyword 2013’ are new plays and inspired by the history of the Blind School’s building.” One of the plays being performed for the ﬁrst time is ‘Unsung’, a play about Edward Rushton, the founder of the Royal School for the Blind, who fought for disability rights and against slavery in the 1700s. The play is a collaboration between Liverpool’s DaDaFest and Turf Love and written by John Graham-Davies and James Quinn. Other plays in the festival’s itinerary celebrate the Blind School’s history as headquarters for the Liverpool Police Special Squad in the 1920s and as a base for the trade unionist movements Tickets for ‘Everyword 2013’ are available from £5 and available from the Everyman Theatre.

Role models Life/Lifestyle/12

Debenhams has announced that it will be using ‘plus-size’ mannequins in its stores – Liverpool Life went to find out what you think of the decision. By Bethany Wells and Jessica Hayes

When Debenhams became the first UK department store to use size 16 mannequins to display its clothes it sent shockwaves through the world of High Street fashion. The retailer said it would be using the new mannequins to reflect the average-sized woman and would be putting the new dummies in 170 stores around the UK and the shock wasn’t because the move was necessarily such a bold one, but because it had taken so long to happen. Backing has already come from SNP MSP Dennis Robertson, who lost a daughter to an eating disorder. Mr Robertson will use a Member’s Debate to urge retailers to follow the lead set by Debenhams and change the size of mannequins in their shops as part of a campaign to help tackle eating disorders. Mr Robertson said it is important to celebrate diversity because young people can be influenced by what they see in shop windows, magazines or adverts. He has campaigned on the issue since his daughter, Caroline, died in 2011 at the age of 18. Women in Liverpool gave their support to the Debenhams’ change and said they are now waiting to see the scheme roll out in the Liverpool department store. Sarah Hancocks, 20, Liverpool, said: “There is quite a lot of negative self-imagery for young people so I think this gives a more positive image.” Giving an opinion from an older perspective, Margaret Street, 60, Maghull, said: “I do think it’s a good thing, I don’t think all plus sized people are unhealthy and it would be nice for people to see the clothes on more lifelike models.” The mannequins will sit alongside the shops size 10 mannequins in the store, showing clothes in both sizes. Hannah Cain, 24, Liverpool, said: “I think if you are a bigger size it’s good that you can see the clothes in the window on the plus size mannequins.” Moreen Burge, 61, Liverpool, thinks it is a great idea. She added: “I think it’d be good to see the difference between the two mannequins and you’re not disillusioning yourself!” After a pilot scheme of size 16 mannequins in 2010, Debenhams decided to produce the larger dummies. The introduction of these into store comes just two months after the equalities minister Jo Swinson called for fashion stores to promote a more diverse range of women.

Hannah Cain, 24

Margaret Street, 60

When a Hollywood legend came to town

by Abi Bramhall

ollywood royalty John Waters spoke to a full lecture theatre about his experience as a film director on Saturday and shared his love for the film Boom! The American film director, who directed the original Hairspray and Cry Baby films, spoke to both students and the general public in honour of the Homotopia Festival. The audience viewed Boom!, a 1968 film starring Elizabeth Taylor, before John began his talk. The film has received poor ratings with online film review site Rotten Tomatoes giving an 8% rating. Speaking on the film, John said: “This film is beyond bad and that’s why I think they were all drunk whilst making it! You make bad decisions whilst drunk. It’s the other side of camp but I never tire of it. It’s beyond trash but there is only one word for it…perfect.” John saw the movie for the first time before he made controversial film Pink Flamingos. He said that Boom! definitely influenced him whilst making the film along with other Tennessee Williams work. Amusingly, John revealed that even the star of the film hated it. He said: “I met Elizabeth Taylor once at a party. I told her how much I loved Boom! And she got mad at me at first claiming it was rubbish! “You wonder what Elizabeth Taylor was doing! She was a good movie star and everyone who made fun of her really loved her.” Members of the audience got the chance to ask John

about his own films. When asked which of his films were his personal favourite he replied: “Hairspray would be my favourite because it brought me an apartment in San Francisco!” The 67-year-old director admitted that he has seen the recent 2012 film Spring Breakers and loved it. Speaking about films that reflect youth, he said: “Hairspray and Cry Baby was my own youth. I parodied the Rock n Roll Elvis movies in Cry Baby. A funny thing about Cry Baby is that 20% of actors came in and read it as ‘Cry Berry’!” As the talk came to a close, John insisted that he would never make an adaption. “I don’t want to adapt anything. I only do things that I’ve written. The most fun of

Original advert for 1968 ﬁlm

Life|Lifestyle|13

..no

Now that the festive lights are on, the trees are decked and the shops are booming only a week after Bonfire Night, Liverpool Life’s Nick Seddon, pictured right, asks: When is early too early for Christmas?

hristmas is just around the corner’ is an expression that has been used for many years. It sums up the buzz and excitement that surrounds the last couple of weeks leading up to the holiday season. However, companies appear to have stretched this definition, and the festive period seems to start before the Easter eggs have cleared off the shelves. I personally would define the beginning of the Christmas period as December 1, my birthday and the official start of Advent. By this time, snow threatens to fall and the Christmas lights have sprung up in towns across the country, leading to the warm sensation and tinkle of excitement that overwhelms the period. However, a new definition seems to be creeping into society, where festive television adverts signal the beginning of the frenzy, seemingly shifting the power of the starting gun over to the high street. The idea that an advert has the potential to upstage genuine television is nothing short of genius from a marketing perspective and high street store John Lewis succeeded in upstaging the might of the X Factor on Saturday night, with a number of celebrities tweeting in favour of the ad. The festive advert is a sensation that has taken off in the last few years, with the biggest high street stores locking horns and spending millions of pounds to ensure that

their effort is seen as the best. This ploy is something that has been championed by John Lewis, whose heart-warming adverts have brought tears to the eyes of the country. The premiere of their latest effort aired on Saturday night during the X Factor and found itself toppling the show itself in terms of popularity. Thousands of tweets sprung up in immediate support of the ad, with celebrities also showing their support, including serial tweeter Lord Sugar, who declared that the advert was the best bit of the entire show.

in preparation for the big day. The extension of Christmas would theoretically lead to an extension of proﬁt for the high street stores and it is therefore understandable that they would want to keep the season running for as long as possible, but in my opinion, putting Santa Claus next to a Halloween pumpkin is a step too far.

What are they saying on

owever, whilst the company’s adverts have become a popular festive signal, it is possible that they are only a gimmick and do little to promote the brand as a whole. Whilst tweets tended to be positive towards the store, many showed confusion at whom they are and what products they actually sell. It seems that adverts can therefore kick-start Christmas and make it socially acceptable to have festive shop displays as early as possible. Despite companies taking the stance that it is perfectly plausible to embrace the season so early, I struggle to see how they can justify placing tinsel and lights upon displays in early September. Whilst I can understand that this particular holiday requires a degree of forward planning, even a family of 12 should not need three whole months to buy items

Jack Rowley, 20, from Liverpool: “The question really winds me up! We’re celebrating the birth of a guy that the majority of people think never existed, why do people get so upset about when we start the build up? Shops and products declare when it starts based on their research that will maximize their proﬁts. So really, we’re the ones who are indirectly declaring when it starts with our buying habits of the previous year. If you say that “it starts too early”, I’m afraid to say you’re an idiot. The only reason people don’t complain that Summer starts too early is the fact that we don’t have a sit down meal on a certain day as a reference point.” Robert Morgan, 20, Chorley: “It’s a fantastic time of year and if people want to get excited about it they should be able to. I start to get excited in September!”

Nick’s tweet that sparked his confusion.

Jack Maguire, 20 Jersey: “Xmas shouldn’t start until December 1st. I’m bored with it by mid-December and by Xmas I’m scrooge.”

Life/Sport/14

For club and country

From linesmen to the line of duty: The North West football heroes who lost their lives at war

ir Arthur Conan Doyle said: “There was a time for everything, but there is only time for one thing now, and that thing is war. If the cricketer had a straight eye let him look along the barrel of a rifle. If a footballer had strength of limb let them serve and march in the field of battle.” This was the rallying call of the writer of the Sherlock Holmes stories to the sportsmen of Britain in World War I. Football was the only sport that hadn’t been suspended during the first year of the war, and Everton actually won Division One in the 1914/15 season. It was soon established that the war wasn’t going to be a quick fix and the next season was cancelled. Following Remembrance Sunday, Liverpool Life looks back at the footballers from Merseyside who sacrificed their career for their country. Leigh Roose played goalkeeper for a number of teams throughout his career including Everton. He is remembered as one of the most charismatic players of his generation. He hung up his boots to join British troops in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1916. Although Roose was well over the age of the average recruit he was soon recognised as a very useful grenade thrower. He was promoted the same year to Lance Corporal after being awarded the military medal for bravery. Regimental history recording read: “Private Leigh Roose, who had never visited the trenches before, was in the sap

By Bill Evans when the ﬂammenwerfer attack began. He managed to get back along the trench and, though nearly choked with fumes with his clothes burnt, refused to go to the dressing station. He continued to throw bombs until his arm gave out, and then used his riﬂe with great effect.” The next month, towards the end of the battle of the Somme, Roose was killed and his body was never recovered.

oose was not the only Everton player to lose his life to World War I. Everton Centre Forward Wilf Toman was killed on the Eastern Front in 1917. The Second World War saw 76 Liverpool staff and players enlist in some part of the war effort. Fortunately for the group 75 of the 76 returned from duty alive. The one man not to return was right back Tom Cooper. Cooper had captained England and played over 160 times for Liverpool. When war broke out he joined the military police, he was on an assignment to deliver messages on his motorcycle when he collided with a lorry and was killed. An enquiry took place into his death and the ﬁndings led to a new rule being bought in to enforce that all motorbike riders in the army had to wear a helmet. Following in-depth research it was discovered that Everton had two sister teams in other countries that both experienced big losses. Frank Boundy and Malcolm Fraser were founder members

of Everton Football Club in Chile. They sailed home to volunteer and were both killed during the battle of the Somme.

here was also a sister team in New Zealand that named themselves after Everton following the clubs 1906 FA Cup triumph. The New Zealand outfit lost eight key players during the course of the war and never fully recovered, subsequently folding in 1924. Perhaps the most heart wrenching story was that of Brian Adkins, still waiting for his first team debut, he joined the RAF volunteer reserves. He was posted abroad the same week he would have played his first match for Everton and unfortunately never came back to make his debut. It wasn’t just Merseyside football that felt the effects of the war, the league was suspended during both World Wars because of the government ban on large crowd gatherings and to save petrol. It wasn’t just the clubs’ players that were utilised but also the grounds. White Hart Lane, home of Tottenham Hotspur, was used as a mortuary for blitz victims. Elsewhere things became so desperate that hundreds of football pitches began to be used as potato fields towards the end of the war. Wembley was used as a temporary home for French and Belgian refugees in the Second World War. It was also used for a baseball game between American troops after the pitch was all but destroyed in 1944 by an incendiary bomb.

Rugby ace loses cancer battle

Life/Sport/15

ANDRE WISDOM’S NOT SO WISE by Jack Horrocks Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom was not so wise when he had to abandon his £100,000 Porsche in a swamp on the way to the stadium at the weekend. The defender, who has recently moved to Derby County on loan, was on his way to the stadium when his satnav took him off road where he found himself in a deep swamp with no other option than to ditch his top of the range Porsche Panamera Turbo. Wisdom, 20, had to hike three miles to the nearest main road to get help before his car was towed out later in the day. Getting lost did not affect Wisdom from his playing duties as he helped Derby win 3-0 against Shefﬁeld Wednesday on Saturday. The England Under 21 captain managed to see the funny side of his incident and tweeted on Tuesday: “@ andrewisdom: Enjoy your day people, don’t go down any country roads :-)”

AFC CLOSE GAP AT TOP

AFC Liverpool returned to their winning ways with a convincing 4-0 win against Bacup & Rossendale Borough at the weekend, to close the gap on second placed Maine Road in the North West Counties Premier Division. Second half goals from Ronnie Morgan, Shaun Harris and Rob Lamont secured the three points adding to Ryan Cox’s early goal. Goal scorer Rob Lamont said: “We are happy to have won the game and it was nice to get a goal. Hopefully we can keep winning our games and be in with a chance of the title at the end of the season.” Elsewhere in the North West Counties, Bootle were on the wrong end of a seven goal thriller which saw them lose

TIGERS TAME LIONS Mersey Tigers continued their unbeaten start to the season making it ﬁve wins out of ﬁve with a convincing 12154 victory over Teeside Lions. Raheem May Thompson led the scoring for the tigers with 46 points. Jack Hudson also added a valuable 16 points. The Tigers dominated throughout the match and led the game at each quarter. Tigers made a fast start and raced into a 40-7 point lead which set the tone for the rest of the match with Teeside Lions struggling to recover from their slow start.

ROVERS ON TOP

Tranmere Rovers have drawn nonleague side Warrington Town in the Cheshire Senior Cup. The team are currently top of the Northern Premier League Division One. The tie will be played before the week ending January 18 at Prenton Park on a date yet to be conﬁrmed. Tranmere also progressed to the second round of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win over Accrington Stanley on Saturday. A last minute Ryan Lowe goal was enough to send the Wirral side into the next round where they will face Peterborough United away from home.

by Jack Horrocks

Former Rugby League full-back Steve Prescott MBE, has died aged 39 following a seven year fight against a rare form of stomach cancer. A minute’s applause was held over the weekend before England’s World Cup match against Fiji in Hull before chants of “there’s only one Steve Prescott” rang out before the game. Prescott, a father of two, was an England and Ireland international who played for Wakefield, Hull and St Helens before being diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei in 2006 and only given months to live. He continued to battle his illness and set up the Steve Prescott Foundation in 2007, which has given nearly £500,000 to good causes before receiving an MBE for his services to Rugby League and charity. Since being diagnosed, Steve inspired many people and after setting up the Steve Prescott Foundation, he began the first of a series of gruelling challenges. He walked from Hull to Old Trafford to deliver the match ball to the 2007 Grand Final, completed his first London Marathon in April 2008 and even did a back to back marathon in Paris and London on consecutive Sundays. In the week between his two marathons, Prescott cycled north to Calais, and crossed the English Channel in a rowing boat. Since his tragic death, thousands of fans have signed his website with their condolences and donations to the Steve Prescott Foundation have been flooding in.

Above centre: Steve Prescott MBE playing for St Helens rugby league club Left centre: A standing ovation took place at Hull’s ground on November 9th

Funeral for popular Wirral athletics coach by Aimee Jones Tributes have been paid today at the funeral of one of Merseyside’s most inﬂuential sports coaches, Dave Jeffs. The much loved athletics trainer passed away at the age of 75 after being diagnosed with cancer. His condition rapidly declined over the past six months. Jeffs struggled with his health for ﬁve years before his death. Formerly a runner himself, Jeffs coached at Wirral Athletic Club for more than 30 years. His dedicati on went on into his seventies as he continued training athletes as long as he could. Dave’s dedication and commitment to the sport really showed when he continued to coach even after having a triple heart bypass and surgery to

remove a cancerous kidney. During his time at the club, he helped develop some of the area’s greatest athletes. Dave was involved with middle distance runner, Andy Baddeley from a very young age. Baddeley went on to run the 1500m at the Beijing Olympics and set the British record for the 4x1500m relay with a time of 14:54.57. More recently, the coach was involved with the training of rising athletic stars, Hannah Tarver and James Taylor. His brother Pete referred to him as a ‘true grassroots sort of coach’ and thanked the public for their support and love they showed towards his brother. He added that he was not only an inﬂuence in the Wirral, but across the whole country.

Merseyside stars on international duty by Jack Horrocks This weekend sees another break from domestic football in England, and many of our Merseyside stars will be in action for their respective countries in this weekend’s International friendlies. Seven Liverpool and Everton players have been included in Roy Hodgson’s 28-man England squad for the friendlies against Chile on November 15th and Germany on November 19th. There have been recalls for Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson after his recent form and Glen Johnson who has been injured. Steven Gerrard will captain the side and Daniel Sturridge will hope he can maintain his goal scoring form. Everton trio Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka and Ross Barkley all retain their places in the squad that won 2-0 over Poland in October.

Elsewhere, Belgium host Colombia, which will see Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, included in the squad along with Everton’s Kevin Mirallas and on loan striker Romelu Lukaku. Tranmere Rovers goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams has been included in the Wales squad to face Finland and Liverpool midﬁelder Joe Allen keeps his place. Meanwhile, Lucas Leiva is part of the Brazil squad to face Honduras & Chile as he continues his hopes of being part of the World Cup squad this summer. There will also be international action this weekend for Tim Howard (USA), Steven Naismith (Scotland) and Daniel Agger (Denmark). Going into the international break Liverpool sit in second place after a comfortable 4-0 win over Fulham, whereas Everton were left frustrated after they drew 0-0 with bottom of the

Jeff helped coach Olympian Andy Baddeley

Liverpool

LifeSPORT 12 - November - 2013

Prescott loses fight against cancer P15 The Great Britain trampoline team, Katherine Driscoll, Laura Gallagher, Emma Smith and Bryony Page

Smith helps GB win world trampoline championships By Aimee Jones

Widnes’ Emma Smith helped Great Britain to win the women’s World Championship Trampolining title in Bulgaria. The gold medal winning trio, Emma Smith, Laura Gallagher and 2012 Olympian Kat Driscoll, scored a total of 164.845 points ahead of Can-

ada (159.995pts) and Belarus (158.450). After the delight of finishing in fourth place in the women’s individual trampoline semi-final, Smith, 22, couldn’t repeat her performance and placed eighth in the final. She then went on to score the highest score achieved in the team final

which got Great Britain off to a ﬂying start. Gallagher followed and scored 55.280. With the pressure lying on ﬁnal competitor Driscoll to secure the title, the Olympian completed her routine perfectly and was awarded a score of 53.725 which was enough to win. Driscoll said: “We have

worked so hard over the last two to three years and this comes as an acknowledgment for all our efforts.” Bryony Page was also awarded a gold medal for taking part in the qualiﬁcation rounds. After the win, Smith tweeted; ‘huge thank you to my coach @jayscouler for putting up

with me for the past 8 years! I wouldn’t be where I am today without him!!!’ She joked to her followers that even though she was sad the experience was over, she was glad she could now eat what she wanted, presumably after months of healthy eating and training.

STADIUM MOVE ON THE CARDS By Jack Horrocks

Evo-Stik Northern Premier League side Marine have announced that Everton Ladies are leaving the Arriva Stadium after a 15 year partnership due to media and broadcasting reasons. Everton Ladies have agreed a move to play their 2014 FA Women’s Super League club ﬁxtures at the Halton Stadium in Widnes, which is also home

to Rugby League side, Widnes Vikings and Women’s Super League 2013 champions, Liverpool Ladies. The decision is a major blow for the Crosby outfit, who have benefited significantly from having Everton Ladies playing at the Arriva Stadium, especially since the formation of the FA Women’s Super League. Marine Chairman Paul Leary said: “We were saddened that we could not meet the stringent broadcasting and media criteria

set by the Football Association for the staging of WSL games at the Arriva Stadium. “The facility and technical requirements, especially for the regular filming of live fixtures were impossible to meet giving the logistical layout of our stadium. “This is a significant loss in revenue and exposure for our football club and I am personally saddened at the ending of such a long standing and successful partnership.”

Marine boasts one of the best non-league venues in Merseyside. Paul Leary added: “The reduction in ﬁxtures at our football ground from the decision by Everton Ladies in addition to the ending of our reserve team last season does provide fresh opportunities for the future utilisation of our stadium with new partners for next season and beyond and I would welcome enquiries from interested organisations.”

Everton ladies in action

World War footballers remembered P14

Not-so-wise Wisdom forced to leave Porsche in swamp P15