Liverpool Life 8:6 November 13 2019 by Steve Harrison

Volunteering at 99

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13 2019

Liverpool Life

Memorial to fallen police officers

Front of the cue NEWS EVENTS LIFESTYLE SPORT FROM THE HEART OF THE CITY

Hundreds gather to remember the fallen By STEPHEN RAWLINSON Crowds gathered on Sunday to pay their respects as the annual Remembrance Day service took place at St George’s Hall. BBC Radio Merseyside’s Roger Phillips led the event and introduced the crowd to the different military branches and speakers who took part in the service at the Cenotaph. Mr Phillips mentioned in his speech how every year Remembrance Day “unites the city and helps to commemorate those who have fought all over the world”. It was announced during the service that Culture Liverpool will be providing a digital “roll of honour” which will be permanently online and will allow the families who have lost relatives in conflict over the generations to access photographs and information. Mark Scarisbrick, chief security officer at RAF Digby in Lincoln, spoke of the importance of these services still being held regularly. He told Liverpool Life: “These events are extremely important, not just for everybody that we have lost, but for everybody who is involved in the armed services in some form. It’s good that the youngsters get involved,

we have got to keep this tradition going.” At 11am, the crowd at St George’s Hall held their two minutes silence, using the time to think about those who have and still regularly deal with the effects of war. Poppies were then scattered in the air for the entire crowd to see, before the Lord Mayor of Liverpool councillor Anna Rothery gave the signal for the parade to march off and bring the service to an end. Jenna McGrevey, part of Infantry Training Centre Catterick, attended the Remembrance event. She told Liverpool Life: “We have brought some of our family here with us, so we get to experience this event with them. I have served in Afghanistan, so it is good for us to come here and pay our respects to those who have and are still serving.”

(Top left): Poppy banner hung outside St George’s Hall. (Above): Crowds gather in remembrance. (Right): Poppy wreaths outside the cenotaph © Stephen Rawlinson

Hoylake housing land flooded By LUKE EDWARDS Calls to scrap plans for a new golf resort and housing development in Hoylake have been voiced again, following flooding at the town’s municipal golf course. The proposed development on green belt land is promising a 90-bed hotel, conference facilities, spa, two golf courses, a new road, maintenance buildings, car park, a links academy and social housing, instead of the initial plans of band H luxury houses and apartments. However, the site is on the River Birket floodplain, which has flooded twice within the last two weeks, most recently last Thursday. Wirral Council had undertaken a public consultation over the resort and 1,311 responses out of 1,400 either opposed the plans or had concerns. Resident Peter Martin told Liverpool Life: “I am an allotment holder near-

Green Belt land flooded © Luke Edwards LL by and I’m very concerned about the additional pressure this development would put on the drainage. “We have already problems with drainage and would not like to see our allotments ruined because of this development. “I am also concerned that the proposed development does not appear to include smaller housing for first time

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buyers. It is important that we maintain the ability for local young people to remain within their community and thereby helping to support their elderly relatives. Wirral Council says that the resort would promote tourism and provide 170 jobs. A recent Council Visitor Study revealed that more than 90% of visitors come to the Wirral for the coast, countryside, parks and gardens. Just 0.2% of tourists are said to have visited for golf. There is currently a petition set up by the campaign group ‘Stop Hoylake Golf Resort’ on Facebook calling for a halt to the development which is just under 400 signatures below its target of 7,500. Jeremy Scott wrote on the campaign page: “It is beyond belief that anyone would build on these flood plains. To do so would be a criminal misuse of power.”

CONTENTS

Screening for Lennon biopic By JADA JONES The 10th anniversary of the John Lennon biographical drama ‘Nowhere Boy’ brings with it a special celebration screening. The screening, hosted by Clapperboard UK, will take place on December 5 at FACT. The film was adapted from John Lennon’s stepsister’s memoirs, and tells the story of a teenage Lennon on his path to finding himself. The BAFTA nominated screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh, and along with others, local actor Josh Bolt will be in attendance and will answer questions following the special screening. Josh took on the role of Pete Shotton, a member of The Quarrymen - the precursor to The Beatles - at the the age of 14. He said: “I’m so excited to see it on the big screen.”

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TEAM

You have been reading ...

Weather conditions cause major incidents P3

Friends 500 club raise big money for charity P9

99 year-old Peggy is on a mission P7

Joy as mum smashes record P11

Keith Haring exhibit review P8

Teen snooker player pots their way to championships P12

EDITOR: Laura Kelly PRODUCTION TEAM: Aoife Monohan, Charlotte Kenny, Rosie Patel, Laura Kelly, Demi Williams, Ben Lynch, Solomon Murphy, Ethan JukesMcnee, Faye Wasilowski, Olivia Wagg, Evelyn Edward, Dan Jones, Megan Stringer FRONT COVER PHOTO: Maisie Harvey

Peace Gridlock and rail misery Centre as weather sweeps city vandals on CCTV By LOUISE JAMISON

By MATTHEW NYLAND Three vandals have been caught on CCTV attacking a peace centre in Warrington that was set up in memory of two children killed in an IRA bombing in the area. The youths were seen smashing a window at the establishment on Remembrance Sunday, which has caused thousands of pounds worth of damage. The peace centre was set up in 1995 in honour of the lives of 13-year-old Tim Parry and three-year-old Jonathan Ball, both of whom had been killed in an IRA bombing in the town centre two years earlier. Nick Taylor, CEO of the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace, told Liverpool Life: “We’re very disappointed that there was an incident of vandalism here at the Peace Centre on Sunday night where three young people caused significant damage to our entrance lobby, destroying a huge glass panel which has left us with thousands of pounds of damages. “This is the first time in 20 years of operation this building has ever had such an incident of vandalism.” The building is currently boarded up and the three people involved have yet to be identified. Mr Taylor continued: “We work with people who might be at risk of violent conflict or causing violent conflict, so we have quite challenging people that come into our building at times. “But we’re also the home to a youth club and many other community organisations, all of whom are charities as well, so we have to raise every penny and this isn’t helping us, obviously.”

Good growth boost for city By MATTHEW NYLAND A new economic report from auditors PWC has ranked Liverpool as the second most improved city in the country for growth over the last year, seeing the city rise three places since 2018. The report comes from the annual ‘Good Growth for Cities’, which measures the performance of 42 of the UK’s largest cities. It is measured against a criteria which the public think is most important when it comes to economic well-being. This includes jobs, health, income and skills amongst other things. Liverpool’s rise has been credited to the drive in new businesses and jobs over the last decade.

Severe weather conditions led to a series of transport incidents yesterday, due to flooding and high winds. A man has died at the scene of a crash on the A55 at around 6.25am, when a Land Rover collided with a HGV lorry. The crash initially resulted in a one-lane closure, but later at 8am, a full closure was in place. Delays resulted in rush-hour gridlock on main roads surrounding Liverpool. Another incident involved a cyclist who is in hospital following a crash with a BMW. The impact closed several roads in and around Warbreck Moor. Other roads in this area were also closed due to weather issues. Following the crash, Merseyside Police tweeted: “Motorists please be advised due to a serious road traffic collision on the A59 Warbreck Moor there are currently road closures in place between Erl Street and Hooton Road as investigations are carried out. Please avoid the area or find an alternative route.” Liverpool Lime Street Station also announced on Twitter yesterday morning they were experiencing their own weather difficulties: “We’re hav-

DIFFICULTIES: Some trains were unable to run due to the poor weather © Louise Jamison ing some problems with the overhead wires in Ditton; this is causing a delay to trains between Liverpool and Crewe.” However, this service is now up and running again. Further transport issues have resulted in trains being unable to reach Liverpool Lime Street due to some tracks being under water.

Also yesterday, East Midland Railway services said that due to the heavy rain there has been flooding on the railway, meaning trains were unable to run on the Liverpool Lime Street/ Nottingham/ Norwich route. Arrangements have been made whereby valid tickets can be used with alternative train operators.

New mobile cameras catch fly tippers By DANIEL WILLIAMS Two people have been handed fines after they were caught fly-tipping by new CCTV cameras. The cameras, found in Tuebrook, caught the culprits dumping waste at the rear of the Claremont pub on Lower Breck Road. The cameras, which were requested from Liverpool City Council by the Tuebrook Hope Group, are hidden and move to a new location around the area every fortnight. Speaking to Liverpool Life, local councillor and leader of the Liverpool Liberal Party Steve Radford said he believed the prosecutions will deter other potential fly-tippers. He said: “I am absolutely elated. We’re telling the whole community and the whole city ‘We’ve got cameras in Tuebrook, don’t even think about fly-tipping here. We will prosecute you’. “I think it will save the city council a lot of money. It will also save my residents from the abuse of fly-tipping and it will reduce the risk of vermin, which is a major problem in this city.” The latest catch is a worrying sign as dumping can threaten

DUMPED: Litter left outside Claremont Pub on Lower Breck Road © Steve Radford business, the councillor claims. He added: “We’re protecting local businesses as well as residents. There’s lots of fly-tipping by pubs and restaurants. If there’s an outburst in vermin, those premises could be shut and people will lose their livelihoods. “It’s not just about residents, it’s about protecting their jobs and food outlets which are en-

dangered by vermin. It doesn’t reflect on the cleanliness of a food shop but they could still be closed down.” A report in January revealed that Liverpool is the worst offender for fly-tipping. A survey, published by The Furniture Recycling Group, showed that there were nearly 75,000 reported incidents in the city over the last five years.

Cuts threat looms in bid to plug £12m ‘black hole’ By MAISIE HARVEY Wirral Council is facing difficult decisions on cutting services, as councillors reveal their budget has a £12m “black hole”. The Labour-run authority blames a combination of austerity and pressure on key services. Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, and Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor Jeanette Williamson said: “The situation is really dire at the minute. We have used reserves, and they do need replenishing.” She added: “As it stands, we’re absolutely at our very very legal minimum level. We can’t use them anymore, despite the fact people say ‘just use your reserves’, we can’t do that because we can’t replace them. Reserves are a one-off, and we just can’t take out them anymore.” The Labour councillor also emphasised how hard the council have tried to protect the services they provide, and the staff they employ. She said: “We’ve found great

Scale model of the Brian Epstein statue

Wallasey Town Hall, above. Wirral Council is facing a £12m shortfall and Labour councillor Jeanette Williamson, below, is concerned by lack of funding ways - we haven’t cut any services, we haven’t had any compulsory redundancies. “We’ve absolutely tried our best to get our way out of this situation, and the horrible thing to say is nothing’s off the table at the minute.”

By MATTHEW NYLAND

Crosby clouded by light ...

Residents watch on as Crosby’s latest light installation illuminates the street below By MATTHEW NYLAND A light installation in the shape of a cloud came to Crosby this weekend in celebration of Sefton’s year of Borough of Culture. The light was part of a Liverpool City Region arts project with the hope being it would help local communities rediscover what their local neighbourhoods have to offer. Coun-

cillor Paul Cummings told Liverpool Life: “Anything which brings people to the coastal park and to use the beautiful area we’ve got is for the better, it looked great on the photos.” The free event also included food market stalls such as a vegan café and a Yorkshire pudding wrap stall. As well as the stalls there was a stage in place for live music, Sunday night saw

Epstein statue appeal goes on

the turn of local band Nocturnal Coast who played songs from their appropriately named ep, The Waters Edge. Speaking on whether something like this could happen again in the future, councillor Cummings added: “We look at events all the time, we’re looking to enhance what the hillside centre can do and improve what’s for offer at the coastal park.”

A Crowdfunder campaign that was set up to create a lasting legacy to the former Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein now has less than two weeks to reach its target. Fans of the band are being encouraged to show their support for the campaign as well as music fans worldwide. Brian Epstein is sometimes regarded as the fifth Beatle due to his management of the band, which saw them reach global success. So far, around £10,000 has been donated - however, with the campaign’s target being £60,000 there is a massive task on hand to reach the final sum. Pledges of any amount are being encouraged with incentives now being put forward to add to the appeal. This includes a two nightstay for two people in the Hard Days Night Hotel, a ride in a replica of John Lennon’s vintage Rolls Royce or, for a pledge of £25, there are ten limited edition signed mounted prints. Project manager and cultural activist Tom Calderbank commented: “Brian needs a bit of help from his friends. “We’re encouraging, urging and pleading that people come together and be part of something special to celebrate Brian’s legacy. “We’ve worked tirelessly since the appeal went live – but it’s proving to be quite a task.”

New medical kit gives stabbing victims better chance of survival By LYDIA BAGGS

Top trauma surgeon Nikhil Misra at Aintree Hospital is the brains behind a new “bleed out kit”, designed to offer stab victims a better chance of survival. The KnifeSavers team, based at the Major Trauma Unit at Aintree, have helped design a specialist bleeding control kit containing scissors, gloves, tourniquets and trauma dressings as well as military-grade gauze and chest wound sealant. With a national increase in the last year in the number of deaths caused by knife attacks, these new kits have been distributed to many Liverpool nightclubs and shops in a bid to tackle the issue. KnifeSavers was made possible after Mr Misra submitted a bid to the Aintree Hospital Innovation fund, which led to the project being awarded £25,000. Now, the organisation travels round communities, nightclubs and shops, with trauma surgeons and nurses delivering training on how to use the kits. Dr Kristian Tattam at Aintree Hospital referred to the new kits as an “education programme”. He said: “It isn’t the kit that saves the life, it is knowing how to use it. These kits are very much needed. “The devastation we see in terms of loss of life makes these kits even more vital.” With the estimated emergency response time between seven to 10 minutes and the average time you can bleed to death under seven, these kits aim to educate and equip the public with the necessary training to help

SURVIVAL: The KnifeSavers team at Aintree Hospital stem the bleed whilst waiting for the emergency response unit to arrive. Dr Tattum labelled knife crime as a cultural problem. He told LL: “To combat knife crime will require a cultural shift but reducing the amount of deaths can’t wait for this shift to happen. “Nobody should be dying from a haemorrhage because of a stabbing. It

can be stopped and treated if those at the scene have the right education and training.” Kits costs around £90, with training delivered for free. KnifeSavers have distributed a large number of kits for free during the early stages of the campaign. The funding has also enabled the creation of a new app providing

Winning celebration for Losers label By STEPHEN RAWLINSON The Society of Losers record label celebrated their three year anniversary with a gig that had various performances with their multiple signed local bands. Taking place at Heebie Jeebies on Seel Street, the night included music from Crapsons, Infants and Kin among others. The label has signed many local bands from the Merseyside region and gives them opportunity to play in multiple venues in front live audiences of various sizes, allowing them to gain the exposure they might not usually receive. Craig Twigg, a guitarist in the band ‘Infants’ is one of two people who runs the label along with Krystian Hudson, who is part of the band ‘Salt The Snail’ and was elated with the success of his signed artists He told Liverpool Life: “All of the bands are incredible and are flying the Loser flag proudly. The way we see it is that way success for of of the bands is a success for all of the bands, it all strengthens and shines a light on

Pic © Stephen Rawlinson our platform for them to be seen and heard.” The Society Of Losers began when Craig and Krystian were in the early stages of their own bands. They wanted to make sure that acts were not lost in the shuffle, which had happened to many of the bands they had been in contact with In their careers. The acts that played on the night regularly play gigs around the country and Craig is elated with the success that his label is having. He said: “It’s a great feeling to see

three years of grinding away has gotten to this point with so many people involved in what has really become its own living, breathing community” The label owner is hoping to keep expanding his label in an attempt to highlight the musical talent that the Merseyside scene has to offer.

© Aintree Hospital step-by-step guidance to stemming a bleed, with and without a kit. The app, which will be up and working in the next few months, can offer crucial guidance at the scene of a stabbing and to those wanting to educate themselves. The innovation has already been welcomed, with Liverpool One shopping centre next in line to receive a kit.

Restaurant’s mission to aid homeless A Liverpool restaurant has teamed up with the Whitechapel Centre, donating £1 every time they sell their signature `Bhaji Butty.` Bundobust, the Indian street food restaurant on Bold Street, has joined forces with the centre which supports Liverpool’s homeless. Staff at the restaurant voted unanimously for the charity to be next in line to receive their support. The `Bhaji Butty` is a fried bhaji patty served in a brioche bun with salad. Thom Archer, Marketing and Communication Co-ordinator at Bundobust, told LL: ”We have flyers on every table and posters on display to encourage people to get on board with our charities.”

Delight as memorial to fallen police officers gets go-ahead A tree-lined memorial will be built to commemorate police officers killed in the line of duty. Benjamin Lynch reports from the official launch

erseyside Police have welcomed a new memorial for fallen police officers, which has now been approved. Acting Chief Constable Jon Roy has stated that the new monument, set up by UK Police Memorial, will be good for helping to remember those who have given their lives in the line of duty. He told Liverpool Life: “I’m a Merseyside officer and we’ve experienced far too much loss in recent years, and for me it’s just poignant to remember those officers who are no longer with us today.” Planning permission and the required funding for the monument was approved yesterday, and building is now confirmed to be going ahead in the new year. Confirmation of the plans was announced at the annual Police

Memorial event in London yesterday evening. Sir Hugh Orde OBE, former Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and chair of the Police Aboretum Memorial Trust, expressed his joy at the approval of the plans. He said: “I am delighted to be able to share with you the news that we now have enough money in the bank and have secured planning permission to start the build of the new police memorial at the arboretum. “It’s staggering to think that since the Bow Street Runners were established in 1749, that over 4,000 men and women from UK policing have lost their lives serving our communities and keeping us safe.” ACC Roy was also in attendance. He said: “It’s incredibly important to never forget those officers who fought in the line of duty - and that’s particu-

larly relevant for every force.” The National Memorial Aboretum in Staffordshire will host a groundbreaking digital memorial, which is the first of its kind. Users can employ various digital features on their phone, including the ‘find a name’ feature which will allow users visiting the Arboretum to easily find a name on the Roll of Honour inscribed at the Memorial. The Staffordshire monument is planned to be completed in spring of 2021.

Top: How the planned UK Police Memorial will look. Above: Sir Hugh Orde addresses the audience at the annual Police Memorial event Photos © Benjamin Lynch

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Peggy’s proud of her 80-year mission SARAH ALMOND talks with dedicated volunteer Peggy Maskrey about her time at Charles Thompson’s Mission AMAZING: Peggy Maskrey at the age of 99

iving your time to help those in need is admirable, but to say that you’re still doing it at 99 years old is something really amazing. I took a trip down to Birkenhead to meet volunteering veteran, Peggy Maskrey, who has dedicated 85 years to helping people in her community. We met on Friday, at the building where she spends much of her time. It was plain. Cracked white walls covered the premises, and had one blue sign that hung above the dark wood door which read ‘Charles Thompson’s Mission’. But inside, it was full of life. It was filled with people helping out or using their services. Boxes of clothes, shoes and bedding lined the walls of each room, and children’s toys stacked up on the stage added bright nuances of colour. As a young girl, Peggy would come every Wednesday and Friday to offer support to all who came. She would help clean, or give out hot food, or make cups of tea. “I came as a child of eight, and when I was 14, I still carried on here. Mrs Thompson would say ‘Peggy go make the tea’ and now Peggy is still making the tea 90 years later.” I was surprised when I met her. I was expecting a small, timid woman, just about getting to and from all the rooms in the building. But she was busy sweeping the floors and cleaning the bathroom when I arrived. She was lively and energetic, with great hearing.

It was surprising listening to her talk about her childhood, being able to recall every detail about her time here as a child: “We used to go to camp. All 500 children would spend two weeks in Wales with nothing but the clothes we stood up in and a pillow-case packed with soap, towels, and some more clothes.” Mrs. Maskrey explained how to this day people come up to her and talk about the holiday they shared together as children, and remembers those days fondly. “They were happy times. We had nothing, but we had happy times.” When asked about the services they offer at Charles Thompson’s, she told me how there has been such a high demand that they’ve decided to add dentists, opticians, and even chiropodists all free of charge - I know their feet are definitely well looked after from their very own foot doctor working away on someone’s toes right behind me. She said: “I don’t know what would happen if we

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They were happy times

closed down. We are open to everyone regardless of their situation. They’re sure of a hot meal every day, coffee, tea, whatever they need we will give. Some of them are so hungry they come back for a second helping. One chap I’ve seen come back three times he enjoys our soup that much! “We want to keep them going, lift the morale and let them know people are thinking of them” When asked about the time she received her MBE in 2017, she told me how amazing that day was, but did admit she was slightly disappointed. “I thought I’d get the Queen, but I got the Prince of Wales instead!” she joked. Peggy opened up about why she is here and shared some of her secrets to growing old. “The Mission was my life, and it is my life now. My son died at 55 and my husband died. I had my own family and they had their own families. That’s why I could spend so much time here. The Mission is my salvation.” Peggy Maskrey is an extraordinary case of someone doing all they can to help those around her. Other volunteers at Charles Thompson’s Mission said how much they appreciate her, and how incredible she really is, saying how no one can ever catch her to sit down and chat because she’s always working. At the end of each day, after serving 50 to 70 people, Peggy is still well enough to drive herself back home, already eager to get herself back in the Mission.

Film festival roars into action bringing nature to life

he first national wildlife film festival arrived in Liverpool on Monday as part of a 26-date tour across the country. The different short films shown as part of the Wilderland Festival at the Epstein Theatre were both fun and enlightening, but tackled a wide amount of current and past conservation and wildlife issues in front of a large audience at the city centre venue. All the short films on offer were made by independent international filmmakers, whose films went through a lengthy process to be selected out of the high number of short films that were submitted for this inaugural event. It was the calm before the storm inside the Epstein Theatre, when Dan O’Neill and Isaac Rice, the founders of the Wilderland film festival, took time out of their busy schedule to talk to LL before the event. Dan O’Neill said “We both studied zoology and did a Masters together in Bristol in wildlife filmmaking. We saw a lot of short films being shown in Bristol, because it is such a hub for the wildlife filmmaking industry. “We thought it would be great to get some of these things that we’re seeing that are made in an industry capacity, just for the industry to see them, seen by the general public. “It’s an evening-long event that’s taking you all over the world, from humpback whales to orang-utans to snow leopards to African penguins, in all different forms of mixed media for filmmaking, so there’s animation, standard documentary and also live

A personal insight into the thoughts of the founders of the Wilderland Film Festival by TOM BATTISON

THRILLED: Dan O’Neill and Isaac Rice action drama, with actors and scripts, all in some way connected to the natural world and inspiring people about conservation. “It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it’s a mixture of emotions, but all to hopefully make the audience feel very inspired when they leave, and that tends to be what happens.” When asked if today’s society needs to show more awareness to wildlife issues, Isaac Rice said: “Maybe two years ago, I would’ve said yes, there needs to be more

awareness to this, but I’m very happy with the trajectory now in public opinions, it’s all going in the right direction. “Right now, it is as positive and in the right place as I could possibly have hoped, especially with the election coming up, apart from it being a Brexit election, people are saying it’s going to be the first environmental election, which I think is so great. “We’ve been thrilled with the feedback we’ve been given, across the board everyone just seems to

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We wanted people to have some kind of thought that they would leave afterward with, to be inspired in some way - and we’ve definitely found that on the tour

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love it, they’re walking away more inspired by the natural world and more empowered, thinking about what they can do to save the environment.” Dan O’Neill added “I think for us that was what was so great, we always wanted it to be very conservation focused and give people a feeling when they left the theatre, that was something really important to us rather than just having a beautiful set of films that people left thinking ‘Oh, that was really nice’.”

Keith Haring exhibit splashes colour onto Liverpool By CHLOE MORGAN

screamed 1980s New York, from the taxicab covered in Haring’s graffiti to Liverpool waves goodbye to Keith the black and white snapshots of the Haring’s first major UK exhibition this subway. week. A total of 85 of the late artist’s Videos of the artist along with audio pieces were shown on the top floor of recordings were played among the artthe Tate, including much of his artwork, work, shown in dark viewing rooms or photographs and videos. in small areas where visitors could listen Most of the symbols in Haring’s work through headphones. have become somewhat iconic. The A fluorescent viewing room seemed baby, flying saucer and three-eyed face to be a hit with the majority of visitors, are all heavily associated with the artist. where a collection of Haring’s pieces The shapes are repeated in his work to were lit up under UV lighting and pop convey political and social issues that music blasted through surrounding were not only internationally relevant speakers. Keith Haring beside his artwork but also personal to Haring himself. A lot of Haring’s later work focuses The exhibition showed the scope of on the AIDS crisis and is some of Haring’s career, ranging from his early his most poignant work, primarily as days as an art student, to his work on complications from disease cut his life apartheid and his later pieces on the short at the age of 31. AIDS crisis. The phallic imagery in his work is The thick and almost cartoonish brush- more prominent in his later pieces and strokes used in the majority of Haring’s only add to the almost bizarre nature of pieces work well with the bright colours his work. and huge canvases he worked on, and The exhibit successfully displayed the boldness and quirkiness of his work Haring’s work in a way that told a story reinforces his reputation as a daring and of the artist’s fairly short career. It will passionate artist. also go display in Brussels and Essen Everything about the exhibition before heading back to the States.

Friends club that’s making a difference Nicola Perrins, founder of Merseyside’s own Friends 500 Club

New group raises funds for people in need by donating £1 a week

By LYDIA BAGGS

Merseyside woman created her very own “Friends 500” club and has already raised thousands of pounds and making a significant difference to those who need it most. Nicola Perrins set up the club last October after being inspired by actor Jo Sim’s Friends 500 Club. The club asks members to donate just £1 every week and as soon as £500 is reached, the club donate the money to a cause

or person who is in need. Nicola told LL: “These people, like me, want to do some good but can’t afford a huge amount all in one go. This way it’s a little at a time. The target is always to make the biggest difference to the people who need it most urgently.” With a little help from social media and word of mouth, the club now has 162 members, flourishing as a closeknit community making small differences which add up to a big difference to those in need. Nicola said: “Although it has grown

a lot slower than I had imagined, the group is formed of genuine, kind people and the club continues to grow organically.” The club nominates individuals, families and charities all over the United Kingdom, offering them not only money but also a real sense of generosity and kindness. Nicola described all the nominations as “heartbreaking and genuine”. The club donated £500 to a family a little further away than the UK, giving them a real sense of accomplishment for what they were doing - a family in Indonesia were able to rebuild their home after it was mostly destroyed in an earthquake. Nicola described this as the club’s proudest moment. She said: “We donated the money on Monday, and by Friday a new roof was on. This made

me realise that although 500 doesn’t sound like a lot, it can make some really big differences.” Although the club is slightly short of 500 members, they still manage to provide give-aways every 3 or 4 weeks. Nicola told LL: “ I know there aren’t 500 members right now but I am happy for it to see a slow growth, if it means keeping the people in the club genuine.” Scouse Kitchen, a Liverpool-based charity helping to feed and clothe the homeless, were the latest nominees to receive the generous donation, using the money to continue funding their work in the city centre. This Friends 500 Club is always looking for new members to join them in their quest to make a difference. • Contact Friends500club@gmail. com

Maghull is blooming, thanks to volunteers By MATTHEW NYLAND

team of hard-working volunteers is making sure that Maghull is looking blooming lovely. They work in groups to plant and re-plant flowers or lighten up areas of the town that desperately need it. The group has been running for around 12 years and in that time has worked on many projects in the local area. A lot of their work can be seen in Maghull Square, the local shopping centre, as well Maghull train station and the canal towpath. In Maghull Square and the train station especially the group puts a lot of effort into brightening the areas up through their use of flowers. Group member George Baker told LL: “It helps keep us active, engaged with our community and gives us a feel of wellbeing and achievement when we see the results.” He continued: “Everyone smiles.

We know we can make a difference because local people tell us so every time we are out working. They say the lovely flowers make them feel better, happier. “They want to tell us how much they appreciate it and they do.” The volunteers work alongside Maghull Station Volunteers, Maghull Town Council, Sefton Borough Council as well as local businesses to help achieve their aims. The council provides many things for the group, such as hanging baskets and from this year provided them with a £1,000 grant as part of their ‘Greening Sefton’ awards. The group has experienced a lot since it first began in 2007 - at one point it worked alongside prisoners who were up for release as a way to ease them back into society. Currently they work with a nationally recognised horticulturalist and a multiple Chelsea Gold Medal winner.

The wrestling match that nearly brought down the house

I Above and below: The wrestlers in action

t was a night of firsts at the Tuebrook Hope Centre. It was the first time the Liverpoolbased wrestling company Just Fabulous Pro Wrestling (JFPW) hosted a show in the area, It was also the first time the Centre witnessed a man in tights dislodge a ceiling tile. I was in a front-row seat when it happened. A wrestler was in the middle of being slammed with a suplex when his trailing foot caved in the ceiling. Dust and debris sprayed across the canvas and the tile, connected by a single thread, was swinging through the air. The wrestlers carried on, with one using the tile as a prop to pummel another’s head. It wasn’t until after the match, when a man frantically ran to the stage with a brush in hand, that I knew it wasn’t planned. “It definitely wasn’t staged,” laughed JFPW founder Tom Doolan. “I was in the back when it happened. I was sorting stuff out when one of the lads came running and said, ‘Tom, someone has knocked a roof tile down mate’. I thought, ‘That’s all I need’, but the lads just carried on. It shows their professionalism. “You can put as many plans forward as you want but anything can happen. Wrestling is more unpredictable than you would think.” Doolan, 32, whose stage name is Joey Fabulous, began wrestling over

DANIEL WILLIAMS attends a Just Fabulous Pro Wrestling event - and is eye-witness to several ‘firsts’ 12 years ago after visiting a training school in Runcorn. However, his dream of wrestling began far earlier than that. He told LL: “As a child, my friends and I all watched wrestling. We all wrestled together or wrestled our teddies and action figures. We all said, ‘One day we’re going to wrestle’. It was something I was always interested in, but I never thought it would actually happen.” His hopes of becoming a professional wrestler were put on hold as he entered the world of work. It wasn’t until he was 20, when his friend gave him the opportunity to realise his dreams, that his career started.

oolan added: “I was working at the time as a volunteer when one of my friends said, ‘I’m going to this training school. Do you want to come?’ I thought it was the time to try it. I went to the school every weekend religiously for five or six years.” During the show, Joey Fabulous entered the stage armed with a host of plastic balls and a kebab box that contained an assortment of Lego. But Joey wasn’t always this wacky persona. Originally, he was known as Joey Best, a wrestling villain inspired

by his idol Triple H. He explained: “I never wanted to be a good guy. I always preferred the bad guys. [Joey] was a bad guy, but for me something just wasn’t clicking with what I was doing. It didn’t feel right. “Then, I was sat in a pub with a couple of friends and we were discussing it. I said, ‘I want to change things up. I’m not enjoying it.’ One of my friends said, ‘why don’t you be ‘Joey Fabulous?’. He said it as a joke, but it worked. I have more fun with Joey Fabulous.” While Doolan has been wrestling for over a decade, JFPW has only been an organisation for four shows. The show first started as a fundraiser for the family of Christian Thornton - a pub landlord who was fatally stabbed earlier this year. Three shows later, the former Tuebrook resident is happy with the feedback and is hopeful for the future. He added: “People are enjoying it and the lads who are working for me are happy with what they are doing. People are now contacting me to put shows on. “We are making a really big splash in the world’s biggest pond. If things keep going this way, who knows where we will be in a year.”

Local teams score at football awards By LEWIS BATTY The North West football awards returned for the 12th year with huge wins for Merseyside. The ceremony took place at Old Trafford on Monday night, with Liverpool FC taking away some of the biggest awards. Virgil Van Dijk was awarded premier league player of the season, Trent Alexander Arnold received the rising star award, while Jurgen Klopp was awarded the manager of the season title. Tranmere Rovers player Scott Davies was awarded league Two Player of the Season. Independent media outlet for all things Liverpool FC , The Redmen TV, took away the award for Fan media channel. Everton FC also had a win for the best club marketing/sponsorship or engagement campaign with the 2019/2020 home kit launch ‘Built to Last’ with Umbro.

Muay Thai champ returns By DANIEL HOPKINSON

After a successful return to the ring, Jake Barton will have one more fight this year to restart his career following a lengthy injury. The Southport boxer announced last Friday that he would fight on December 7. The 25-year-old officially returned to the ring last month after 16 months away, to topple Andy Bishop on a point’s decision at the Ellesmere Port Sports Village. The orthodox boxer has only had three professional fights in his career, in the light heavyweight division, and he has won all of them on a point’s decision, despite being away from the ring for 16 months. The Southport man is also a former Muay Thai World Champion, and currently signed to VIP Boxing Promotions. Steve Wood, the owner of VIP boxing companies, is promoting the event, known as Local Bragging Rights, which will be main evented by James Moorcroft. The Bolton Whites Hotel is going to be hosting the event and will be live on VIP Boxing TV. Come December 7 Jake Barton will look to stretch his unbeaten boxing record to 4-0.

Joy as mum of two smashes personal best for England By LEWIS BATTY

A Liverpool mum of two has set a personal best (PB) on her England debut Kirsty Longley, 43, from Crosby helped the England team get to silver at the Abbey Dash 10K in Leeds after setting a PB of 33.40. Kirsty only started running at the age of 30 and has made steady progress over the last 13 years. She said: “I started going to the gym five times a week. A sprint coach saw me there and invited me to running club. “At first I couldn’t believe how unfit I was and on my first 10k I came 44th out of 45 in 44:44 but I knew I’d improve one race at a time. I always set myself little goals and aspirations.” As a voluntary teaching assistant, Kirsty fits her training around her job and is also bringing up two young children. She said: “It was hard when I had my first child. At 34, I dropped a lot because I could only train for half an hour a day, but with my second, I got a jogging buggy and was able to train with them. “After that, I came back stronger”. About the Abbey Dash 10K, she said: “It was absolutely amazing. During the

Kirsty Longley training. Pic © Kirsty Longley. race I switched off everything and felt like I was in a tunnel. It was almost like a trance. “It wasn’t till I saw the finish line till I snapped out of it. I do think I could’ve gone faster though.” Kirsty wants to achieve much more

in her running career including wanting to be No.1 in her age group for 10K runs and attain a cross country England vest. She also wants to complete the Helsby half marathon next year in a time of 75 minutes.

New lease of life for former Blues star By JAMES PENDELTON “It’s a really proud moment for me. I’ve dreamed of playing for this club and this contract is a step closer to doing that,” said a 17-year-old Delial Brewster in 2015 as he revelled in the delight of signing his first professional contract with Everton. Four years later, the footballer has had to reassess his life and career following a series of ups and downs that now see him his plying his trade at non-league Southport. At 16, Delial was involved with Kevin Sheedy’s under-18 side which went on to win the Under-18 Premier League in May of 2014, then in July 2015, he signed his first pro contract with the club. “I remember the day, it was really good. When it happened I was made up to say, ‘I’ve signed a professional deal with Everton, the team I support’, all of that. I was just dead happy.” Just 12 minutes into his debut, the then 18-year-old scored his first senior goal away at Harrogate. “It was scary to be fair, but I felt like I adapted quite well considering I scored in my first game. “They liked me and I really enjoyed my time there, but I had a hernia injury so I had to leave it short.” Upon returning to the club, Delial had his defining moments in an Everton shirt in March 2016, as he helped the under-18s lift the prestigious Dallas Cup for the first time. Delial scored five goals, as well as two in the final against Fulham, as The

Delial with Blues legend and then under-18 manager Kevin Sheedy Blues brought the trophy home. The 2016/17 season was pivotal as he entered the final year of his contract with Everton. A lack of playing time with the under23s was far from the ideal start, but an in-house game against Derby opened up a new window. “I remember playing that game and the Southport manager was there, I scored twice and he messaged me straight away saying he wanted me to sign.” His loan spell ended after just three games as he returned to Everton with the final few months remaining on his contract before leaving in the summer

of 2017. “I wasn’t shocked, I probably knew it would happen, I was just disappointed. I feel like it could have gone a different way, but unfortunately, that’s football. You just don’t get fancied, that happens and you’ve just got to move on.” Now at Southport he is happy to be playing again. He said: “This is the first time in a while that I feel like I want to train, “I’m enjoying working hard and going to football, being with the lads, the feeling of winning, everything about it. “I want it again.”

LLSPORT

Teen snooker players pot their way to championships By MAISIE HARVEY

Two up-and-coming snooker players from Merseyside have qualified to play in the next stage of the English Under-14 Championship. Nathan Barton and Zoe Killington each fought their way through three qualifying rounds in order to secure their places. While 13-year-old Nathan had a clean sweep in each of his matches, Zoe had a somewhat bumpier ride and won each of her matches two frames to one. Zoe, from Wirral, speaking about her final match, said: “I didn’t think I was going to do it when we went level on frames.” The 13-year-old was excited at the prospect of playing in the next stage of the tournament. She said: “It feels good because it’s the last year - I can’t do it next year because I’m too old.” Despite her young age Zoe has already made big strides in the sport and plays on the World Women’s Snooker Tour. She is currently ranked as the 9th best player under 21, and the 37th overall. Zoe got into snooker only two years ago, after going along to play with her dad.

The snooker players who participated in the qualifier. © Maisie Harvey Fellow qualifier Nathan, from Huyton, was also inspired to take up the sport by his family. He said: “My uncle used to play, and so did my grandad – my uncle was a pro. My grandad introduced me to it when I was very young.” The potential future star first took interest in snooker aged just two, which may explain his confidence in qualifying. When asked whether he was confident he would get through, he said:

“Yes, I literally said on Thursday I was the favourite.” He added: “It feels good to know that I’m good enough to get through to the main tournament.” The qualifier was held on November 9 at The George Scott Snooker Club, where all of the young players who participated train. Sessions are held there every Saturday morning between 9am and 12pm for children of all ages and snooker abilities to develop their skills.

These cost £4 and are hosted by coach Neil Johnson. Neil has enjoyed a great deal of success coaching. He coaches Sean Maddocks, who became the youngest player ever to get a maximum break at just 15 years and 90 days old. The next stage of the tournament will be played on December 14 at Levels in Huddersfield and the finals will be played at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds next June.

Football frolics as Liquid podcast arrives in Liverpool By MAISIE HARVEY Thursday night saw the Liquid Football podcast come to Hinterlands in Liverpool for their first recording in front of a live audience. The show was hosted by Sky Sports presenter Laura Woods, and featured current Liverpool goalkeeper Adrián, former Liverpool and Manchester City goalkeeper David James, former Fulham and Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell, and former Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam. The main focus of the podcast was the build-up to Liverpool and Manchester City’s game, which took place on Sunday – the final score was 3-1 to Liverpool. The Liverpool win had been predicted by all on the Liquid Football

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panel, apart from David James – who sat on the fence. Charlie Adam narrowly missed correctly predicting the final score, having called a 2-1 win for Liverpool. David James said: “Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are the best managers in world football. We are blessed in the Premier League to have two managers of this quality at the two best clubs, to be able to watch the two best teams play football, because they are magic.” The panel members also discussed topics such as players’ superstitions, nerves before big games, local derbies, and goalkeeping. They also took part in a challenge to see who could get the most famous

Life after the Premier League

person they know to Facetime them then and there. Charlie Adam managed to successfully Facetime jockey AP McCoy and darts legend Michael van Gerwen, and Steve Sidwell Facetimed England winger Shaun Wright-Phillip who was in Thailand, where it was 4am. Meanwhile, Adrián facetimed West Ham right back Pablo Zabaleta, but unfortunately fellow Liverpool players Fabinho and Mané didn’t pick up. The podcast is expected to be the first of many to be recorded in front of a live audience. Those interested can find it on JOE’s YouTube channel or many podcast apps. • Catch the LL podcast at https:// liverpoollifenews.podbean.com

Longley sets personal best

Joey Fabulous visits Liverpool