Liverpool Life 3:1 30092014 by Steve Harrison

30th - September - 2014

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE... NEWS

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LIFEextra

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Will a Scouser ever win the Ryder Cup?

Our Amy finds dream job after graduation

Liverpool libraries face closures

SPORT

BROLLY GOOD PROLONGED SUMMER: Liverpool basks in the early autumn sun after experiencing the driest start to the season since records began in 1910. Before this, the driest September on record was in 1959, following the eighth wettest August. The UK as a whole received only 19.4mm of rain, just a ﬁfth of the normal amount of rainfall expected for a September month. Photo: Steph Bewley

TOOTH TRAUMA By SOPHIE LOCKETT

One in ten Merseyside three-year-olds are showing signs of tooth decay, according to a national survey.

Experts from Public Health England are warning that 12% of three-year-olds across the country have tooth decay, with 10% of Merseyside children affected by the oral health issue. The national study was the first of its kind carried out, examining the oral health of toddlers in

England. More than 50,000 children took part in the survey which spanned across nurseries, playgroups and children’s centres. Dr Sandra White, the Director of Dental Public Health at Public Health England, said: “Tooth decay is an entirely preventable disease, which can be very painful and even result in a child having teeth removed under general anaesthetic, which is stressful for children and parents alike.” Locally, on the Wirral, 13% of three-year-olds were found to

Dental shock for region’s toddlers

have tooth decay. The North West was also one of the worst affected regions, showing the joint highest levels of decay along with the East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber and London. Of the children who have been affected by the disease, on average three of their teeth were shown to be decayed. It is a concern that in some cases a type of decay known as ‘Early Childhood Caries’ was

discovered in the survey. This affects the child’s upper front teeth and usually appears when children have been drinking fizzy drinks out of baby bottles or from sipping cups. Dr White said: “Thankfully, tooth decay in children can be prevented by following a healthy lifestyle. Parents and carers should reduce the amount of sugary foods and drinks they give their children and support them to brush their teeth twice

a day with a fluoride toothpaste, especially just before bedtime.” She also emphasised the importance of regular trips to the dentist for children so that parents and carers are aware of the best way to keep their child’s teeth and gums healthy. The findings come after a survey of five-year-old children carried out in 2012 found that more than one in four had some degree of tooth decay. This most recent study, howev-

er, improves on these findings, with 88% of three-year-olds in England being tooth decay free. Dr White added: “While there have been significant improvements to the nation’s oral health, some areas still experience problems with tooth decay among young children.” Leicester was the worst affected area in the country, where 34% of tots had rotting teeth compared to just 2% in south Gloucestershire.

Life|News|2

Huyton singer fails to progress

Splash Dash returns for one of a kind race by SOPHIE LOCKETT

by SOPHIE LOCKETT X Factor contestant Maria Ellinas has been knocked out of the singing competition. Although her performance was not shown on TV over the weekend, the Huyton-born singer battled for a place on one of Simon Cowell’s six chairs. The former Miss Great Britain contestant who jokingly threatened to ‘kill’ Cowell during her first audition after he corrected her pronunciation, had to face the six chair challenge alone with no family as unfortunately the competition clashed with the funeral of a family member. She was also thrown further out of her comfort zone when the song she wanted to sing was selected by other competitors Raign Rubin and Robert Pattinson’s sister Lizzy, meaning she had to change her choice. However Maria has the support of Simon Cowell, who has asked her to return to the competition next year and has been approached by music industry figures to record a single.

CHARITY: Participants at last year’s Splash Dash event supporting Claire House Childrens Hospice © Lauren Knight

School’s farmhouse damaged by vandal

A vandal has broken into a school farm, abusing animals and causing around £2000 worth of damage. The offender scaled the perimeter fence of Bebington High Sports College on Tuesday 2nd September around 6pm and broke into the shed, spray-painted the pigs and then set fire to a polytunnel, which contained students’ belongings. A witness who was passing by noticed the smoke and alerted

staff and the fire brigade. Julie Mountfield, Premises Manager of the school said: “The pigs sustained further injuries from fighting between themselves as they are two different breeds, being released together caused territorial fighting.” The school is installing CCTV on the farm which can be linked to the internet, allowing it to be watched from anywhere in order to stop further attacks on the premises.

Liverpool

Life Team Editor Bradd Chambers News editor James Busby News Daniel Wright Josh Handscomb Melissa McFarlane Angharad Millington Imogen Sweeney Features editor Alice Kershaw

Features Georgie Whitworth Josie O’Sullivan James Tomlinson Sport editor Kaltun Abdilahi Sports Michael Glynn Lauren Pulford Picture editor Steph Bewley

The Splash Dash charity run to support Claire House Children’s Hospice took place in Sefton Park on Saturday. A one of a kind race, runners in white t-shirts are splashed with vibrant neon paint as they pass through each kilometer of the 5k distance. Over 800 people ran, walked and skipped their way through the race with 150 people volunteering to throw the paint. Kirsty Simpson, Event Manager for Claire House Children’s Hospice, said; “It represents everything Claire House is about: colour, vibrancy, fun and laughter. This is the first Claire House Splash Dash we’ve done and we’re delighted with the success.” The event was sponsored by Liverpool One who sent down Disney princesses to help support the runners. Liverpool One Estate Director Chris Bliss said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be involved with the first Claire House Splash Dash. Everyone who has ever visited Claire House will tell you that it’s such a positive place with a great sense of fun.” A target of £50,000 was hoped to be raised to help the children and young people with complex medical conditions who access the facilities at Claire House.

Demo to ﬁght libraries cuts by MATTHEW JUDGE & KAYLEIGH WATTHEY

A demonstration against Liverpool City Council’s proposed plans to close 11 libraries will take place at Central Library on Saturday. Liverpool TUC, Old Swan Against Cuts (OSAC) and Liverpool Against the Cuts (LATC) have come together to schedule the city centre rally for October 4th at 1pm, and it has already received strong support in its early stages from similar groups in Sefton Park and Lee Valley. The council is looking to save £2.5m by shutting down 11 of the city’s 18 libraries due to a 58% cut in funding by central government, which has sparked fury amongst many library-goers and campaigners. Martin Ralph, the secretary for OSAC and Vice President for Liverpool TUC, told JMU Journalism: “These cuts will be very discriminatory if carried through. They will penalise the

poor, low paid, looking for work, disabled people, families with children, people with mental health issues etc. The closures will further rip out the social centres at the heart of our communities.” Liverpool’s singer/songwriter Pete Wylie, has showed his support against the closure of the city libraries in the past by pulling out of the Liverpool International Music Festival and recently sharing a number of tweets to over 10 thousand followers on Twitter. Pete’s tweets included one of support for an 11-year-old girl who has started a petition to stop the closure of one of her ‘favourite places.’ A four-week consultation regarding the planned library closures began at the Lee Valley Millennium Centre on Thursday night and campaigners were allowed to voice their anger over the council’s plans. However, a separate meeting at the Old Swan Youth Club

on Derby Lane was also held on the same night by OSAC, with Liverpool’s award-winning children’s author Alan Gibbons amongst those speaking at the event. Mr Gibbons told JMU Journalism: “The demonstration is needed for several reasons. So there is no ‘divide and rule’, trying to keep open one library at the expense of others. We want no library closures. “We want to put public pressure on our councillors to change their minds. To alert the people of Liverpool to the fact that there is resistance. “The rally will say loud and clear that when a library closes there is little chance of it reopening. Huge volumes of evidence say that libraries are popular and effective in raising educational standards and giving the community a hub.” Regarding the council’s plans to cut library services, Belle Vale ward councillor Janet Kent told Thursday’s meeting at Lee Valley

Millennium Centre: “We don’t want to make these cuts … They are appalling but we can’t spend money we haven’t got.” Also fighting the library closures is Liverpool’s Green Party who believe that the money to save the libraries can be found. Ross Campbell, Liverpool Young Greens Chair, told JMU Journalism: “The Party is opposed to the closure of any of Liverpool's libraries, and we would pay for the running costs.” Mr Campbell said they would implement the following changes to the council's budget in order to keep the libraries open. This would include the Mayoral Neighbourhood Fund which currently stands at £1.24m, being reduced to £404k and the Leader’s Fund, cut to £202k. He added: “Those levels should be maintained for 2015/16 and 2016/17. The consequent saving of £1.634m should be used to stop any library closures in Liverpool.”

Facelift year for landmark Eastgate by OWEN SWIFT

Eastgate clock, said to be second only to Big Ben as the most photographed clock tower in the UK, is set to be scaffolded and wrapped up during 2015. The clock tower renovations are a part of a £500,000 scheme to restore the Eastgate Bridge as a whole. The tower itself, replaced and restored

throughout the past millennia, was originally built in the 2nd Century whilst the clock seen today is a comparably spry century old. Masons will be repairing sections of damaged sandstone on the Eastgate, alongside the reguilding of the Grosvenor coat of arms upon the bridge. The dilapidating sections of walls are similarly undergoing

an improvement as of yesterday. Councillor Stuart Parker said that the works are part of the council’s yearly maintenance designed to preserve the two mile wall for its 2 million-plus annual visitors. In order to avoid the clock being wrapped up over the Christmas period, the council have timetabled the works to start in January.

LANDMARK: Eastgate Clock © Flickr/AndrewCallow

Life|News|3

Future of bus lanes hangs in balance By Kayleigh Watthey

Picture ©: rocor/Flickr

Maria’s X-Factor blow By SOPHIE LOCKETT

X Factor contestant Maria Ellinas has been knocked out of the singing competition. Although her performance was not shown on TV over the weekend, the Huyton-born singer battled for a place on one of Simon Cowell’s six chairs. Maria had to face the six-chair challenge alone with no family as unfortunately the competition clashed with the funeral of a family member. She was also thrown further out of her comfort zone when the song she wanted to sing was selected by other competitors Raign Rubin and Robert Pattinson’s sister Lizzy, meaning she had to change her choice. However Maria has the support of Simon Cowell, who has asked her to return to the competition next year and has been approached by music industry figures to record a single.

A meeting will take place today to discuss the possible extension of the suspended bus lanes around the city. A special panel will discuss whether the suspension has benefited the city in terms of congestion and pollution. The meeting will lead to a report going to the council’s cabinet, which in turn will decide on the permanent future of the bus lanes. The nine-month suspension trial for Liverpool’s bus lanes began on October 28 2013 and, according to a report, the extension will cost Liverpool council around £250,000. A council spokesman told the Echo it was important to continue the trial to make sure reliable data was gathered and that the costs would be covered by existing budgets.

The Green Party opposes to the bus lane suspension as they feel it is bad for the environment. Councillor Sarah Jennings, Deputy Leader of the Green Party in Liverpool, said on the Green Party’s website: “Air quality is fundamental to our quality of life. Liverpool isn’t the only urban area that is going to fail to meet these targets. It’s our city and we have the ability to do better in reducing this form of pollution.” She added: “The Mayoral experiment on the city’s bus lanes will not have helped. We need to reduce the number of cars on Liverpool’s roads and ensure priority for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. Nearly half of all Liverpool households don’t have access to a car.” The meeting was taking place as Liverpool Life went to press.

Senior Hillsborough Ofﬁcer on duty ‘anxious’ about pushing and shoving By HOLLIE BRADBURY & LYDIA MORRIS

Festive food market returns By SOPHIE LOCKETT

Harvey Nichols’ pop-up food market is coming back this year for Christmas. This is the fourth consecutive year that the store has been part of the city on Manesty’s Lane. Situated close to the company’s Beauty Bazaar, it will stay open throughout the Christmas period. Chris Bliss, Estate Director at Liverpool One, emphasised his enthusiasm about the return of the food market. He said: “The store is the latest in a long list of leading UK and International brands to have committed to Liverpool One in the last 12 months, and there are more to come before Christmas.” Iain Mackenzie, Store Director for Harvey Nichols in Manchester, said: “Liverpool has welcomed our brand warmly and we have a very loyal following in the region. We’re very much looking forward to opening our doors in the heart of the city’s retail district for another season, hopefully bigger and better than ever before.”

Liverpool bus lanes have been out of use since last October © Josh Handscomb

Fresh ﬂowers laid at the city’s Hillsborough memorial to remember the 96 victims.

The senior police officer who said that somebody “would be killed” if exit gates weren’t opened at the fateful 1989 FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough has today given evidence at the inquests into the deaths of 96 Liverpool supporters which began at Birchwood Park, Warrington, on March 31. Former superintendent Roger Marshall made several radio requests for three exit gates to be opened as congestion built up outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles ahead of the kick-off. He also told the inquest that he had “profound regrets” for not requesting a delayed kick off at the match. Mr Marshall told the inquest: “I think it would have been possible for me to seek a delay in kick-off given the number who were besieging turnstiles at 2:40pm.” He told Christina Lambert,

counsel to the inquest today that at 2:30pm on the day of the semi-final is when he noticed the first problem and by 2:35pm is when he noticed it getting progressively worse. At 2.40pm Mr Marshall got onto the bridge parapet and says that was the first time he got a good view. He says he was “anxious” about the congestion and the fact that people were shoving and pushing. Mr Marshall continued after getting on the parapet he called for a tannoy announcement to stop fans pushing. He said the radio went dead. Ms Lambert asked: ““Do you think it would have been appropriate at that point to have taken steps to manage the crowd?” Mr Marshall replied: “That’s a very difficult question because, with hindsight, I think that’s quite a reasonable suggestion.” The evidence from the most senior officer outside on the ground is expected to last two days.

Building begins at new Alder Hey site

By SAMANTHA GAULTER-GREEN

Construction work has begun to build a dedicated Research and Education Centre at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. The three-storey building will have research, education and treatment facilities that no other Children’s Hospital in Europe has to offer, making Liverpool the leading European city in Children’s Research. The centre will be built alongside Alder Hey’s new hospital ‘Alder Hey in the Park’, which began being built in March 2013 and is still under construction. David Houghton, Project Manager of the Children’s Health Park Project, said: “The Trust’s aim is to be an international leader in children’s healthcare in order to attract

the very best skills from across the world, and ultimately improve our care for our children. Our children deserve the best.” New technologies in the research centre will allow academics and professionals to work on developing medicines that are safer and more effective for children. Alder Hey’s medical professionals alongside those from the University of Liverpool have in the past conducted world firsts, including completing the world’s first trial of a fully licensed drug for children with arthritis. Technological developments will also be apparent in Alder Hey’s new hospital, as investments have been made to deliver innovative ‘magical’ technology. This includes wireless sensors that will be used to monitor children’s conditions

instead of them being covered in wires. Barbara Murray, the Assistant Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services at Liverpool City Council, is certain that ‘magical’ technology will reduce unnecessary, long and costly journeys for patients who come from outside of Liverpool. She said, “Even the lift shafts will have Wifi, making it possible to conduct appointments, diagnosis and check ups virtually by video link”. Mr Houghton believes that dedicating hospitals solely to the care of children is important because their clinical needs are different. He added, “As well as needing space and facilities for their parents and siblings, they need play space, education space, distraction and child-friendly facilities”. Over the years the West Der-

by hospital has treated many sick children, including Jordan Forbes who in 1995 was treated for bacterial meningitis. Jordan, now 24, added, “When you’re five years old being told you have a life threatening illness is terrifying. “Being at the brink of death so young makes you realise how precious your life really is.” “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the doctors and Nurses at Alder Hey, I owe them my life.” Currently, just under £15 million of the £25 million required to complete the education and research facility has been raised, therefore Alder Hey alongside the University of Liverpool are fundraising for the second phase of the building. The education and research facility is set to be unveiled in the hospital’s centenary year, 2015.

Concern grows over lack of recycling By OLIVIA SWAYNEATHERTON

Thousands of plastic bottles, cans and paper are going to landfill in Liverpool due to what is said to be a lack of recycling facilities for people in the city centre. Major issues are with apartment blocks in town as some don’t have a single recycling bin or communal waste area. Additional waste costs the region millions of pounds a year in taxpayers’ money to cope with the amount of waste being dumped, with one report suggesting as much as £65m is being spent tackling the issue. Councillor Richard Kemp told Liverpool Life: “Our recycling rates are not good enough and in particular we don’t use our planning powers with new buildings to make sure they have recycling areas and spaces.” With Liverpool City Council expressing the fact that apartment blocks are not obligated to have recycling bins and space to place bins is an issue they are aware of, and they admit it is something that needs dealing with. A council spokesman said: “In blocks which have space and where there are only purple bins for general waste we will replace half of them with blue bins for recycling and work with managing agents and tenants so there are used properly.” The council’s recycling and waste management working group has set up a sub group to look specifically at where issues of space and access are a challenge. Cllr Kemp added: “We also need to have a much greater education programme to encourage residents not to waste valuable resources. There is also a lot of work to be done to reduce the amount of food waste in the city.”

Green light for new Anﬁeld expansion

By JOSIE TIMMS AND MELISSA MCFARLANE

Expansion plans for Liverpool Football Club’s Anfield stadium have been given the go ahead by council officials, bringing the long-running saga about developing the Reds’ home closer towards a conclusion. Following a site visit at the famous ground, Liverpool City Council’s Planning Committee met at the Town Hall and granted permission for the scheme, subject to conditions and legal agreement. The £100m rebuilding project will result in Liverpool FC being able to create an additional 13,000 seats in the Main and Anfield Road stands, eventually bringing the overall capacity up from the present level of more than 45,000 to around 59,000. Construction work is expected to begin before the end of 2014 or early next year, with aims for the first phase of 8,000 more seats in the Main Stand to be completed in time for the 2016/17 season. The stadium expansion is just one element of a major regeneration plan which was announced by Liverpool City Council in October 2012 to

transform the surrounding district. Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “The overall regeneration will see £260m invested in Anfield and today has been a very important milestone in our ambitions to transform the area, bringing new jobs, investment and housing.” Liverpool FC’s Chief Executive Officer, Ian Ayre, said he was delighted with the planning verdict and the positive feedback received about the new plans for the stadium during a public consultation exercise earlier in the year. Mr Ayre added: “There are still some steps that we need to navigate through in order to give us the certainty we need to proceed with our expansion plans.” However, local residents have expressed anger at the plans as the high capacity would have a huge effect on the road network surrounding the stadium and push match day parking to breaking point. A letter, published in The Mirror, from the Priory Area Residents (PARA) group discusses the residents’ concerns with the plans. The letter states “Residents of Anfield have for years had

ANFIELD PLANS: Proposed stadium interior design of the redeveloped Anﬁeld © Liverpool FC complaints over match day parking and the gridlock caused on the roads prior to and after football matches at the ground. “The number of cars brought into the area by supporters attending the match causes problems to local residents

who find shortage of adequate parking spaces for the to park their cars and severe delays when trying to enter or leave the area for considerable times pre- and post-kick off due to the gridlocked roads. “The planning application seems to take little notice of

the feelings of residents and does nothing to reduce parking and gridlock problems.” Despite these major concerns the council decided to back the club’s proposals, which has increased the wait and now faces a further month long consultation to finalise the plans.

Gum-chewers are facing new litter fines By SAMANTHA GAULTER-GREEN A campaign aimed at reducing the amount of gum that plagues the streets of Liverpool was launched last week. Liverpool BID Company alongside the Chewing Gum Action Group (CGAG), are encouraging visitors and residents to ‘bin it your way’ with their new campaign. Helen Bingham, Communications and PR Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, the company that promotes the CGAG, said: “It costs the best part of £1billion a year to clean the streets of England and gum is one of the most difficult forms of litter to clean up. It costs a local authority an average of £20,000 to clean the gum off one high street”. In the past nine years the CGAG have worked with local

councils and BIDs throughout the country to help develop methods that local areas have overcome their problems of gum litter. Michael Doran, Communications Manager at Liverpool Bid, said, “As a BID company we have a responsibility to make the city centre an attractive place for people to work in and shop, so obviously working alongside a highly respected organization such as Keep Britain Tidy in tackling this problem, assists us to get that message across”. Participating areas last year saw an average fall of 46% in gum litter, with Love Wimbledon BID’s gum litter plummeting by 67%. Helen believes that streets that are covered in gum staining can have a wider impacts on local businesses. She said, “If a retail area looks dirty and

unloved, people are less likely to want to spend time and money there so there is an economic impact”. Similarly, Michael added, “Thousands of people visit Liverpool city centre every day, and you need to make a good first impression. If you don’t make that good first impression your reducing the chances of these people coming back, which damages the local economy.” Six locations within the city centre, including outside Central and Moorfields train stations, will be carefully monitored to see the effect of the campaign. Anybody found littering gum could face a fine of up to £80 which can be given on the spot to offenders. The campaign for this year consists of still shots of professionally choreographed dance

NO STICKY FINGERS: Break dancer takes to the

streets for the annti-Gum Campaign © Keep Britian Tidy moves, with adverts for the campaign appearing on roadside banners; bus stops, and many other areas across the city. Michael added: “We know that people love Liverpool, it is not just a case of saying it, we

all have our individual roles to play. “We can’t make Liverpool clean over night, but we can all individually play our part. We can only make a difference to the cleanliness of the streets collectively.”

Winehouse name lives on in new city health campaign By AMY HOLDSWORTH and HOLLIE BRADBURY

ALCOHOL AWARENESS: Jane Winehouse launches her step daughter’s Resilience Programme. Pic ©JMU Journalism

A foundation set up in the memory of the late singer Amy Winehouse which aims to help young people to avoid the misuse of drugs and alcohol was launched in Liverpool last Thursday. The Amy Winehouse Resilience Programme works to create a level of awareness in young people and aims to be available in as many schools across Merseyside as possible. Amy’s step-mother Jane spoke at the launch which was held at the Young Addaction,

Merseyside Youth Association. Mrs Winehouse told Liverpool Life: “As a funder we want to have our own achievements for the foundation in Liverpool. “It will make a huge change if we find prevention for these substances, as it’s better than a cure.” Amy’s father Mitch Winehouse, a key figure in the movement of the foundation, said: “We all have the responsibility to empower the next generation and to encourage young people to lead healthy, productive lives and to mini-

mise the harm caused by drugs and alcohol USE.” The programme also offers further support through Childline as well as training teachers to better identify and support students who may be at risk of substance misuse. Simon Antrobus, Chief Executive of Addaction, said: “By working with The Amy Winehouse Foundation we aim to have an even greater impact on the lives of children and young people to help them feel empowered and to have the confidence to make positive choices.”

Life|News|4

Bars in bid to cut out groping

By SAMANTHA GAULTER-GREEN A campaign to warn men of the seriousness of groping women is soon to be launched in the city. The campaign by Citysafe, the community safety partnership, warns men that something they may think is just a bit of fun, does in fact constitute as a form of sexual assault. A number of strategic groups, including Student Safety Group and Violence against Women and Girls, sparked the idea for the campaign after expressing their concerns about the amount of sexual assaults being reported in the city centre, especially at night time. Councillor Emily Spurrell, the Mayoral lead on Community Safety said: “We want men to be aware of this and think about what they are doing – it is not a joke or a bit of fun. No one should have to put up with this sort of behaviour and everyone should be able to enjoy themselves without this unwanted attention.” Regular training will even be provided to those who work in bars and on the doors in the city to ensure that they can identify potential problems of inappropriate touching. The training will allow them to offer their support to the victims, and will encourage them to report such issues. The campaign will be highlighted in social media including Facebook and Twitter and will feature a series of posters.

M53 mayhem By KAYLEIGH WATTHEY

The M53 southbound was closed between J3 and J4 due to a serious incident earlier today. Eleven cars, two vans and a lorry crashed in two incidents within an hour of each other when four cars and two vans collided with each other. The North West Ambulance service were dealing with the crash when seven cars and a lorry collided on the same carriage way an hour later. They confirmed that an air ambulance, five ambulances, the heart team, two rapid response vehicles, an advanced paramedic and the medical director were sent to the scene. Four people were taken by land ambulance to Arrowe Park and the Royal Liverpool, Including a woman aged 28 and a man aged 45 and another patient was taken by helicopter to Aintree. Merseyside Police has advised motorists to avoid the motorway as the whole of the southbound carriageway and one lane northbound have been closed while investigations take place. The closed off part of the M53 is due to reopen at 5pm.

Life|News|5

Time to twist and shout again at the Jac By DAN GOULDING The Jacaranda Club is set to re-open its doors at the end of October, two years after shutting down. The club on Slater Street shut down after financial difficulties in 2011 but was renowned for allowing local music acts, including The Beatles, to rehearse for free, in return for playing a set. Part of the marketing and promotion team, Joe Maryanji, 24, said: “Closing the Jac two years ago was one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make. In actual fact, plans for the reopening started the day we closed the doors. We knew from the get go we wanted the Jac to once again become a focal point for the music community.”

The opening night is set to be the last weekend of October, with a mix of local bands and some of the UK’s top established acts set to play at the venue as it hopes to live up to its popular name. The club first opened back in 1958, with the basement becoming a particular firm favourite across the city, with a mural painted by John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe becoming almost iconic, especially after The Beatles’ rise in the music industry. The band themselves used to rehearse for free and in return, perform live sets. Joe Maryanji said: “Providing rehearsal space in exchange for live performances is our biggest tip of the hat to The Beatles and the Jacs heritage. Hopefully it will allow

new acts the same chance to form, grow and develop. You wonder where The Beatles would be if Allan Williams hadn’t given them their first break and a space to rehearse.” The club hopes to bring a variety of old and new things to the club as it tries to bring a ‘new lease of life.’ The décor of the club has been changed and there is a number of new cocktails for sale however, several elements of the club have been preserved including the famous mural and jukeboxes as well as pictures of the Beatles and Merseybeat. Maryanji admitted that there are plans to unveil a new part of the Jacaranda at a later date ‘the cards are very close to our chest!’ “The history of the Jac is almost as important as its future.

The features that made the Jac an iconic watering hole were something we couldn’t allow to be lost,” added the 24-year-old. As the club tries to move in a forward direction, Joe highlighted the Jacaranda’s aim to give back to the wider music community. It is an idea they have tried to promote since 1958. He said: “It’s all about building a community within both the Liverpool music scene and the bar industry.” “The Jac will be for anyone and everyone looking to appreciate great live music and become a part of the community we are trying to create.” Opening times vary. Monday to Wednesday,5pm-12pm, and Thurs-Sun, Midday-2pm. The basement reopens Thursday-Sunday from 9pm till 6am.

its view of the square.” Eve, who is in her final year of university at Edge Hill, studying a BA Honours degree in Theatre Studies, said: “I’ve always wanted to work with my mum but I didn’t know it was going to be as a tattoo artist!” The twenty-year-old fell into tattooing after joking with friends at school. Eve said: “We were talking about what we wanted to be when we were older and I jokingly said I want to be a tattoo artist, but it felt right when I did a tattoo apprenticeship course aged sixteen.” The 20-year-old has tattooed pretty much everyone in her family and admits that the creativeness for her designs come from tattoo artist Kat Von D, who works in the renowned ‘LA Ink’ store in the US. She said: “There wasn’t really any female artists until her and she really inspires me. Any-

thing I see can enthuse me. I’ll have a look around and merge ideas into my head and draw a design until I am happy with it.” Viv works mainly on the spiritual sides of things after her upbringing. She said: “Weird things would happen to me when I was younger like the kettle boiling when it wasn’t even switched on. I could hear and see things when I was little - I thought it was the norm.” At the age of twenty-one, Viv began to do tarot reading and developing her clairvoyance skills as well as learning how to do Indian massages and crystal healings. “Crystals absorb negative energy and returns positive energy- it cleanses the body. I just love crystals!” added the mum. It came as a huge surprise for the Woerdenweber family when ‘Gogglebox’ won

the 2014 BAFTA TV award for ‘Reality and Constructed Factual Programme.” Eve admitted she almost fell off the couch when they found out they won. They both insist their lives have remained “normal” since being on the second series of the show.

WELCOME BACK: The Jacaranda on Slater Street is back again

New venture in store for Gogglebox family By DAN GOULDING

Stars of the BAFTA awarding winning show ‘Gogglebox,’ Viv and Eve Woerdenweber, have opened up their own shop inside the Pyramids Shopping Centre, Birkenhead. The shop, which is called “Pretty Inked and Twilight: Home Of The Unusual,” specialises as a tattoo studio as well as selling spiritual items such as incense and various gothic items. Viv, 52, had a previous shop in Birkenhead market since 2000 named ‘Twilight’ but felt it was right to open a new store with daughter Eve, 20, who is a qualified tattoo artist. Mrs Woerdenweber said: “Eve has always helped out in ‘Twilight.’ She wanted to open a tattoo studio and I wanted to expand the shop anyway, so it just felt right. We then saw the shop and fell in love with it and

New plans for Mayor

By OWEN SWIFT

Merseyside “super council” leader has urged public consultation before a Mayor is pushed on its citizens. Councillor Phil Davies argued that the division of power would be, in his words, “a bit daft,” on account of the recent Scottish referendum and thus the devolution of power towards English regions. He used the Greater Manchester area as an example of a combined authority working well. Mayor Joe Anderson meanwhile advocated the idea of a Merseyside Mayor, stating that one wholly elected Mayor would cause less competition between authorities. When asked whether he would consider running for Merseyside Mayor, were it created, he declined to say Whilst Mayor Anderson said he “probably would” if given the opportunity.

GOGGLEBOX: The Woerdenweber family at home in Tranmere

Tories plan major changes to beneﬁts

By LYDIA MORRIS

Chancellor George Osborne has promised he would freeze working age benefits for two years if the Conservative party are re-elected in May 2015. He said in his televised speech at the Tory Conference in Birmingham on Monday, that this would save up to £3 billion of the £25 billion that needs to be saved due to the high national debt and to secure the country’s economic security. However he said the freeze would exclude disability and pensioner benefits. Frank Field, MP for Birkenhead, commented on the Chancellor’s announcements. He said: “This is the third time the Chancellor has struck at welfare, and Labour has yet

OSBOURNE: Plans set to think out its own position. “The freezing of benefits for two years is a monstrous response, piling yet more of the cost of reducing the deficit onto the backs of the poor.” He added: “The Inquiry I’m co-chairing on hunger in Britain shows that the poor have seen any margin of income eroded by record increases in food, utility and housing costs. “The poor are certainly all in it together in helping cut the

deficit.” The Birkenhead MP also commented on Mr Ian Duncan Smith’s announcement for benefits to be paid onto smart cards to restrict where the claimants can spend their money after saying he was concerned about the way benefits are spent. He said: “The prepaid benefit cards might be a useful addition for workers in the Troubled Families programme in trying to turn chaotic families into reasonable neighbours and citizens. “But we’ve seen from how the benefit sanctions are applied by officers that this power should not be exercised in benefit offices where staff don’t have the skills to know to whom it could beneficially be applied.”

Viv said: “We took it with a pinch of salt. People will literally throw themselves at you when they recognise you. One woman even named her baby after Ralf! (Viv’s husband who also appears on the show) - he was quite touched.” They both said that their recognisability has also helped

with custom in the shop. Eve said: “Some people will hang about until Jay (Eve’s boyfriend who also stars on the show and has been nicknamed ‘Silent Jay’ by fans) serves them, or asks if they need help, they scream ‘Oh my God Jay spoke,’ which is quite funny.” The fourth series

Life|Focus|6

Jolie boosts breast cancer health checks Photo credit: Stephanie Bewley

he number of women being tested for breast cancer has doubled since Angelina Jolie announced she had both breasts removed to reduce her risk of the disease. The 39-year-old actress made the shock announcement in May 2013 telling the world she had preventative double mastectomy surgery, the surgical removal of both breasts, after she discovered she carried the genetic BRCA1 cancer gene, meaning she had an 87% chance of developing the disease. This news caused a stir in the media but also in the amount of women going to get tested for the genetic gene. The NHS has seen a huge 60% rise in women getting screened for the potentially genetic disease across the UK. This increase in women being more active and aware of their health has been dubbed ‘The Angelina Jolie effect’ and it hasn’t just had a short-term impact. GPs around the country have seen a noticeable difference in the year following the Hollywood star’s news. The number of women going to their GPs and special screening units has continued to rise and women the UK seem to be much more aware of their health. Jolie said in her announcement published in The New York Times: “For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options. I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices.”

Actress Angelina Jolie is taking steps towards tackling cancer by speaking out about her surgery. Georgia Dunning reveals how health checks are on the increase Following the surgery, Jolie’s risk of developing breast cancer dropped to under 5%. Professor Evans at The Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Centre conducted the research along with his team. They assessed twelve family history clinics and nine genetic centres in the UK to find there has not only been an increase in women getting screened, but also an increase in women coming forward to find out the history of their family health. Following this research, Liverpool Women’s hospital has revealed it has seen a 63% increase in women from Merseyside getting a genetic test for ovarian and breast cancer. The Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Centre, based in Manchester’s Wythenshawe Hospital, is Europe’s first purpose-built breast cancer prevention centre which saw the biggest increase in referrals with a staggering 84% increase since Angelina’s announcement. There is often a question mark over whether celebrities can help women to pay more attention to their health, and this time, despite the tragic circumstances, Angelina has helped to empower and give women the courage to

get screened. Lynn Greenhalgh, leader of Merseyside’s clinical genetics told the Echo: “Someone of Angelina’s public stature, bringing her story into the public domain was very courageous but was extremely positive. “Not everybody would make the same treatment decision as Angelina Jolie but women are now feeling more able to pursue finding out about their own personal risk when they have a family history of breast cancer.” Christine Lawton, 61, who works for the Women’s Health Information and Support Centre on Bold Street, a charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of women, on Bold Street says they have noticed an increase in women wanting to get screened. She told Liverpool Life: “I think women are just a lot more aware, and that’s why there are more women going because of high profile breast cancer stories like Angelina Jolie and Kylie Minogue.” If you have any questions or believe you are due a breast screening mammogram please contact your GP or visit your local NHS breast screening unit which can be found on the NHS website.

ADVICE: The Women’s Health Information and Support Centre in Bold Street

Life|Arts|7

Liverpool

Life

Dream come true

Critics’ Choice

Theatre

The Everyman Theatre opened its doors back in 1964 and has since become a famous local attraction. It now celebrates its 50th anniversary after years of star studded performances from the likes of Bill Nighy, Julie Walters and Jonathan Pryce. From Friday 3rd until Saturday 25th October, Jeff Young’s epic play ‘Bright Phoenix’ will be playing. Tickets are priced at £10£20. Tickets are available from the everyman website www.everymanplayhouse.com.

Film

The boy band wonder One Direction have released a concert movie which is to be released as a special screening in Liverpool. The Showcase cinema in Norris Green will host four showings of the performance recorded in Milan. The film will be shown at 1pm, 3.30pm and 6pm on Saturday 11th October, and 1pm on Sunday 12th October where tickets start from £10. Tickets can be purchased from the box office at the Showcase cinema.

Arts SUCCESS STORY: Amy on her graduation day in 2007, left, and today as a journalist at Bella magazine, right

fter graduating in 2007 and landing her dream role at popular women’s magazine Bella, Amy Rowland, JMU Journalism graduate, gives an insight into post university life. Originally from Derby, Amy was initially impressed when she came for the open days at LJMU. She told Liverpool Life: “It stood out to me; I was really impressed with the equipment and the tutors. What stood out from the other universities is that it was a bit more hands on, it wasn’t just sitting in a lecture theatre four times a week learning about journalism, it was actually getting involved.” Amy started university before the average went up to £8,354 per year. With help from a supportive family, Amy graduated after three years away from home with a smile on her face: “My family were amazing; my mum was really keen for me to move away, they were so encouraging. I was lucky because it was cheaper when I was there but they helped me financially.” The real world hit Amy hard when she moved to Bristol after graduation. She said: “When I left university I presumed I would move to London and that would be it, but I’ve realised you can’t just walk into a magazine job. “So before moving to London I lived in Bristol and

©Amy Rowland

the Pride of Britain Awards and how she goes home really upset because it’s so hard. She was talking about her family and she doesn’t normally, so she was one of my favourites.” However, writing for a well-known magazine in a fast-moving industry can have its downfalls. Amy told Liverpool Life about her biggest mistake worked at a news agency. I didn’t even know where when writing about a murder case where she hadn’t Bristol was so I think the biggest obstacle for me was checked all the facts but ran the story anyway. doing the groundwork before what I actually wanted She said: “I got my hand slapped for that; that to do.” was really bad because you could get into serious Whilst finding a job seems to be getting more diffi- trouble for it. Now I double, triple, quadruple check cult, Amy spoke about the importance of a degree: “I everything I write!” was the first in my family to go to university. I think As many students are looking for work experience, I knew that to do what I wanted to do, I’d have to do Amy gives her advice on how to make the most out of further education. I read job applications and all of your time there: “When you go on work experience them required a degree.” take away contacts from it, chat to people and don’t As a feature writer for Bella, many people Amy just sit in the corner. Try and write as much as you interviews are celebrities from reality TV shows. can, set up a blog if you haven’t already got one;. Just Amy’s favourite interview, however, was with get on peoples radars.” someone very different, she said: “Earlier this year I With news of some magazines turning digital, Amy interviewed Ed Miliband, he was really open and it hopes there is still life for print journalism. She said: was quite refreshing.” “It’s really sad actually. I don’t know how long the fuAnother favourite interview of Amy’s was with MBE ture’s going to be. For students now it’s best tailoring Carol Vorderman who opened up to her more than yourself to writing for online. I think everyone still she expected. loves to buy magazines so hopefully if we feel like that Amy said: “She was telling me all about people on now it will continue into another generation.”

KATIE DODSON speaks to LJMU graduate Amy Rowland on getting her dream job

National museums across Liverpool are showing their support for ‘Older people’s day’ by hosting a week long agenda of events spread across a number of venue’s from September the 29th until Sunday the 5th October. The week will promote exhibitions such as ‘meet me at the museum’ which is held at the World museum and the museum of Liverpool weekly. The museums are open from 10am until 5pm and is free entry.

Music

Birkenhead rock and blues band The Usual Crowd are performing this Friday at the arts Club on Seel Street. The four piece band formed in 2012, their shows are renowned locally for their hard hitting energetic style and powerful bluesy riffs and have recently supported acts such as the ELECTRIC SIX. Friday 3rd October 2014 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM14 + Tickets: £6.

Events

Michael Palin is celebrating 50 years in show business this year and will be coming to Liverpool’s Echo arena auditorium. He’ll be talking about his career including his travels around the world and his time with Monty Python who have just announced a new tour. Michael Palin is the ECHO Arena Auditorium on October 11th.

Life|Entertainment|8

Cilla’s curtain call by ADRIAN SPEED

onday night saw the finale of the threepart series Cilla, played by Sheridan Smith. It showed Liverpudlian Pricilla White’s ruthless fight to the top while her manager Brian Epstein’s private life affected his support for Cilla. The Scouse singer and entertainer had chart topping success with ‘Anyone Who Had a Heart’ and ‘You’re My World’ but was shown failing to crack the American music scene. Cilla then returned to Bobby Willis who she went on to marry in real life in 1969. The end focused on Cilla resurrecting her career and the emotional events surrounding her move in to television towards the end of the 60s, higlighting the huge influence Epstein played in trying to push Cilla into a role on television to which she had previously been hostile towards. The death of friend and mentor Epstein prompted her to give television a try- a move she admits she may not have made without his untimely death. The contract for a TV show was found next to Epstein’s deathbed and she signed it out of respect for him. However it was a move which went on to become perhaps the most important for her career and saw Cilla become one of the country’s biggest and most loved television personalities. She said that watching it all back was tough especially seeing her husband Bobby portrayed on screen describing it as hell to watch at times. The show was a hit amongst the public with ITV saying it is the most watched TV drama of the year. Liverpool Life spoke to Lynn Saunders, Liverpool Film Office Manager, about what television means to the city.

Lynn said: “We’re thankful really because it showcases Liverpool. It shows Liverpool in the 1960s and also its rich period locations because there is a fashion for period dramas at the moment and this is the best advert we could have to present potential locations for filming.” She also spoke about the attraction to the city for other productions, discussing the filming of hit BBC show Peaky Blinders, set in Birmingham but filmed partly in Liverpool, and crime drama Foyle’s War. “At the end of this week Peaky Blinders will be screened and it is set in 1920s. At the beginning of next year the new series of Foyle’s War will begin, and Channel 4’s One Born Every Minute is being filmed until December at the Women’s hospital. “A small feature film is being shot here also which we will announce the name of later on today,” she continued.

Stars take to Twitter to show their support

iverpool is a historic city and it is this mixture of old and new which makes the city so appealing as a back drop for many of the country’s top shows,” she added: “Liverpool has a wealth of locations and there are plenty of places which can reflect different eras with ease because we have a mixture of contemporary and period locations. For example as shown on last night’s episode of Cilla, shots of London and New York were actually filmed here in the city”. Not only does filming in the city help show its beauty and diversity but also helps the city’s economy and benefits locals. “Filming around Liverpool has a significant impact on our economy because it brings jobs, money and opportunity to really profile the city”.

Schoolboy’s a worldwide dancing sensation by ADRIAN SPEED

Liverpool schoolboy appeared in cinemas worldwide as the hit stage show Billy Elliot was screened on Sunday. Ten-year-old Elliott Hanna, who plays the lead role in the show, has been dancing since the age of four and landed the role of a lifetime last year after beating off competition from hundreds of other boys hoping to become the shows 34th Billy. Elliott’s first love, however, wasn’t ballet and his dancing roots stem from street style dancing such as break dancing and hip hop. At the age of eight Elliott’s talent began to be noticed when he won an Imperial Society of Teachers and Dancing theatre award before going on to be national champion at an event that took place in Las Vegas. This all culminated in his appearance on the Sky 1 TV program Got To Dance where Elliott showcased his abilities to the country for the first time and came third. Billy Elliott is one of the most

sought after roles for young boys in theatre and each new dancer faces stiff competition to land the prestigious eponymous lead, making it all the more impressive then that Hanna achieved this at the age of 10 making him the youngest to ever dance the part. He currently shares the starring role with three other boys, Ollie Joahim, 12, Bradley Perret, 11, and Matteo Zecca, 11, which is essential due to the sheer number of performances. The hit show which is an adaptation of the phenomenally-successful film based around a boy’s love of ballet in a strike-hit Northern mining town, has, since 2005, been seen by over 9.5 million people worldwide, but Sunday saw its biggest single audience as fans in countries including Sweden and Germany joined 554 cinemas around the UK for a special performance of the show from the Victoria Palace Theatre. All 25 past and present stars, including the very first Billy, Liam Mower, now 22, took to the stage for a special finale to celebrate almost

10 years of the success for the stage show. After the show Elliott tweeted: ‘Well that was quite a day! Thank you to everyone around the world that came to watch! Good night.’ Fans at both the Odeon in Liverpool ONE and the Picturehouse at FACT on Wood Street enjoyed the spectacle. Sue Painter, 40, Liverpool, said: “It was amazing! I do love theatre and not everyone can get down to the West End so this is perfect.” Due to the popularity of the live streaming, the performance will be shown again nationwide from October the 2nd to the 5th. There are also plans to stream the stage show to Australia this Sunday and America at the end of November. By popular demand there have also been promises for eventual screenings around the world at a future date and a DVD will be released on November the 24th. Elliott can be seen live at the Victoria Palace Theatre for those wanting to make a visit to the West End and 375,000 tickets are available between now and May 2015.

Life|Entertainment|9

hen Kylie Minogue stepped onto the stage of the Echo Arena, her thousands of admirers had no idea that her fabulous outfits were prepared by a local designer. With over 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, designer Carolyn Marsden knows how difficult it can be to become recognised in one of the most competitive fields. But after years of pursuing her goals in fashion, the Liverpool fashionista will be opening her own boutique in the city later this year. She told Liverpool Life: “I have been interested in clothes for as long as I can remember. My mum always wore lovely clothes so I would always be looking at the labels and playing shopping with them. I would pretend that customers were coming into my own shop; I would tell all these pretend customers about the fabrics and how to wash them. I knew a lot about fabrics and design at a young age.” Despite an obvious interest in fashion, the 43-yearold aspired to be a dancer whilst growing up and only decided to pursue fashion after constant encouragement from her mother. She said: “I decided to go to college and learn how to sew because my mum said that it would always be a skill that could put money in my pocket. I think that you are born with creativity, you can’t learn it, so I studied for three years on quite an intense course involving manufacturing, pattern cutting and designing.” Having taken a year out at the age of 20, admitting she was scared of responsibility at a young age, Carolyn had decided it was time to start making a name for herself and getting her designs known across the city, saying: “My mum gave me a sovereign ring and I actually ended up pawning it and I got £50, I went and bought a load of fabric with the money and straight away I got designing.” A stall in Great Homer Street market, or Paddy’s market as Liverpool locals may know it, is what came next for Miss Marsden. She said: “I worked on the market for over 15 years but began to notice that designer brands were

becoming more and more popular so the markets were getting less and less busy. This is when I knew that I was going to need to go bigger and open up a shop.” In 2006, the designer got her big break when she established her own design label, named Make, and opened up a shop on Town Row in West Derby. For the next eight years, Carolyn showcased her pattern cutting, designing and manufacturing skills in her own business, designing for the likes of Natasha Hamilton of Atomic Kitten and WAG Alex Gerrard. It wasn’t until earlier this year when she made the difficult to decision to take a break from her designing due to the struggle of balancing her working commitments with her personal life. The mother-of-two continued designing from home, on a much more casual basis following the decision to take a break. That was until she received an offer that she simply couldn’t refuse, to go and work on the wardrobe for Kylie Minogue during her concert tour. She said: “I was contacted and asked if I could be interested in working as a wardrobe stylist for Kylie Minogue’s upcoming tour, I was told they were looking for an experienced and skilled seamstress. I knew I had years of experience so I jumped at the opportunity.” Kylie’s thirteenth tour, titled Kiss Me Once, consists of 38 shows across Europe and Australia, with the first show of the tour kicking off in none other than Liverpool. Carolyn told Liverpool Life about her experience and even about when she got to meet Kylie herself, saying: “Mostly, I wanted more experience of seeing how everything works backstage. I wanted to see the costumes and how much hard work actually goes into them. I got the opportunity to meet Kylie and she was absolutely lovely, she had a great sense of humour and really gave me the time of day. It was a pleasure to work for her, she’s beautiful inside and out and I’m really glad I got a chance to see that.” This is by no means the end of designing and dressmaking for Carolyn Marsden, who, after plenty of positive encouragement, will be reopening Make Boutique in a new location on Rocky Lane in Tuebrook in mid-October.

Life|Sport|10

Will we ever see a Scouse golﬁng hero?

After Europe’s convincing Ryder Cup victory at Gleneagles, will Liverpool get in on the act? By ADAM JONES On the last day of the 2014 Ryder Cup, with Europe on the brink of victory, Jamie Donaldson stepped up and expertly chipped the winning shot in to the hole on the 15th, sparking jubilant scenes at Gleneagles. But with Liverpool City Council funding being withdrawn for a couple of municipal golf courses, is it likely we will see a scouse Ryder Cup star in the near future? Nigel Parr, professional at Childwall Golf Club, thinks that while his own club has schemes in place for both adults and juniors, not enough is being done across the board to get people involved in this region. He said: “It’s not as good as other sports, golf is on a bit of a lower profile. At this club we do classes for both adults and children so we are trying our best, also there are one or two extra facilities becoming available. The Ryder Cup could hopefully inspire juniors to get involved in a similar fashion that the London Olympics in 2012 did for other sports, particularly cycling.” Other sports are not experiencing the same issue with scouse stars. The last two captains of the English football team have both been Scousers, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard. In boxing, the likes of David Price and Paul Smith are being granted world title fights and chances to propel themselves to the very top echelons of the boxing game. Golf in the region was given a big boost when the Open Cham-

pionship was hosted at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in 2014, with Rory McIlroy winning at what has proven to be a popular course amongst golfing’s leading professionals. Last year, Liverpool City Council decided to withdraw funding for the region’s municipal golf courses, with the result that those courses could go private and therefore restrict how many local people can get involved in the game. Regarding the North Liverpool golf course, Councillor Wendy Simon said: “We can no long afford to subsidise it to the tune of almost £5 per round, but we know how much it is appreciated by the people who use it and so have worked extremely hard to put together a deal that satisfies everyone. “It will continue to operate at a price that is affordable to users and receive investment to make it sustainable in the long term.” There are exceptions. Lifestyles Fitness Centres offer discounts to LJMU students, this only covers two of the region’s wide range of golf courses (Allerton and Liverpool North), and the sport is never covered in the national curriculum. Lifestyles also offer junior courses and a National Lottery funded “Get into Golf ” campaign is trying to get more adults involved in the game. But, with the introduction of new facilities, schemes such as the ones at Childwall Golf Club and maybe even the Ryder Cup inspiring young people to get involved, the next golfing prodigy could be a Scouser.

FLYING THE FLAG: Europe won the 2014 Ryder Cup with a dominant 16-and-a-half to 11-and-a-half victory over the United States. © Camron Flanders/Creative Commons/Flickr

Non-league pair ﬁnd it tough at the bottom By ANTHONY FISHER Southport FC will be making their way to Blundell Park tonight for their 19:45 kick-off against Grimsby Town following their 1–0 loss to Bristol Rovers at the weekend. Southport are hoping to score a victory against Grimsby Town after suffering four straight defeats. They currently stand in the relegation zone in 21st place with only Nuneaton, Altrincham and Telford below them. Chester FC are looking to overtake Welling in the non-league table with a win against AFC Telford United tonight at 19:45 in News Buck Head. Chester currently stand in 17th place on the table after they were defeated by Grimsby Town last week. The club has another chance to redeem themselves this weekend following their loss in a match against Welling which kicks off at 15:00.

Rovers’ relegation worry

Tranmere face a tough task to end their winless streak with an away trip to third placed Bury on Saturday. Rovers haven’t won in the league since the end of August, a run stretching back five games. They currently sit three places above the relegation zone in League Two.

Life|Sport|11

Tranmere: This is how to run a club By JOSIE TIMMS The Wirral branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is hosting a business of football event at Tranmere Rovers Football Club this Thursday. The event will be held at Prenton Park and include Rovers Chief Executive, Jeremy Butler, giving guests an insight into the running of a football club. A range of topics will be covered involving the business of football such as recruiting a manager, hiring new players, and surviving the summer with no games. The decision to host a business event at the club is due to the backgrounds of the new owners, Mark and Nicola Palios, and their plans to make positive improvements in the club. In a club statement the previous club owner Peter Johnson, has said “As a local lad who played for the club, and a former Chief Executive of The FA with a successful commercial track record, Mark is uniquely placed to help lead Tranmere to a bright future. Nicola is an accomplished lawyer and businesswoman.” He added: “Between them, they have the passion and the experience to take the Club forward and I am looking forward to working on the Board with them. Finding this mix of football and business skills is highly unusual.” The FSB regularly hosts successful events around Merseyside, one of their most recent ones being at the Liverpool Business Exhibition. Although this event is the first of its kind, it also looks to be a success.

Gaelic games start

By SEAN PURVIS Liverpool John Moores University Men’s Gaelic Football team held their first training session of the season last Sunday in preparation for the season ahead. Britain’s most successful Gaelic football university team hope to build on the heroics of last season, when they won the British Championship for a record 9th time, beating old rivals Liverpool Hope University 0-13 to 1-7 in the final in Manchester. With Sky Sports gaining rights to screen some of the Gaelic Football and Hurling championship games for the first time this summer, Ireland’s national sports has seen a rise in popularity in Britain, with many people who have never seen the sport before taking a keen interest. Coach Peter Cosgrove has called any players, old or new, to attend training in preparation for the upcoming season, and has called out on people who have never played the sport before to give it a go. Details can be found on the LJMU GAA’s Facebook Page.

Saints a win away from Grand Final By SEAN PURVIS

St. Helens are just 80 minutes away from the Rugby League Grand Final as they take on the Catalan Dragons on Thursday (20.00) at Langtree Park in the play-off semi-final. Buoyed from their romping 41-0 win over Castleford Tigers two Fridays past, the Merseyside table-toppers will fancy their chances and go into the match full of confidence. But French side Catalan will provide stiff opposition for their counterparts, beating Leeds and shocking Huddersfield to set up a semi-final date with St. Helens. After finishing first in the Super League table St. Helens received the honour of ‘ClubCall’ selection, which gives Saints home advantage and the ability to choose their semi-final opponents. Last Friday live on Sky Sports, Saints chairman Eamonn McManus decided to pit Wigan against rivals Warrington in the other semi-final He said: ‘’There is a lot to take into consideration, current form,

league positions, injuries, and it was a difficult decision. We have chosen Warrington play Wigan. They enjoy each other’s company and we wouldn’t want to deny them that. We will play Catalan, it will need the very best St. Helens performance to beat them, I’m sure they will both be great semi-finals.’’ The two sides met each other twice this season in the league, with the ‘series’ split one apiece. The Saints won their first meeting at home back in March, but it was the Dragons who came out on top in their most recent encounter in June, romping to a 42-0 eight-try win in France to shellshock the league leaders. The Saints are the bookies odds-on favourite to progress and are best priced 2/5 to beat their French opponents and book a place in the final, which will take place at Old Trafford on Saturday October 11. The other semi-final between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves takes place this Friday (October 3), with Wigan fancied to progress.

Reds and Blues face Europe challenge By JOSIE TIMMS Liverpool and Everton have the chance to redeem themselves this week after their disappointing 1-1 draw in Saturday’s 223rd Merseyside derby. Liverpool are up against Switzerland’s Basel on Wednesday night, whilst Everton face a gruelling trip to Russia to play FK Krasnodar on Thursday, offering the teams the opportunity to prove there’s still hope for the rest of the season after getting off to a rocky start. With Everton last week falling 3-2 to Crystal Palace, the Reds suffering a 3-1 loss at West Ham, and the weekend’s 1-1 draw this weeks matches are essential in proving that the teams can come back from their recent losses. The Premier League teams have both suffered with the absence of important players affecting their play this season. With Everton’s marauding right-back Seamus Coleman out of play since sustaining a head injury during their Europa league win over Wolfsburg, and Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge still recovering from a thigh injury picked up whilst training with the England squad, the teams have been at a

disadvantage. Daniel Sturridge will not be included in the squad for tomorrow night’s game. Brendan Rodgers has said: “We needed to see if he could train on the Friday, but I got the message on the Thursday night that he would struggle, so he wasn’t really close to playing. “I’ll see how he is (for Basel). He wasn’t far away for Everton, but he certainly wasn’t fit enough to be on the bench.” Despite the team’s losses, Everton boss Roberto Martinez is also hoping for the best, stating: “I think Krasnodar is going to be a really difficult experience. All we want now is to get all the injured players back. “We planned to have a squad to cope with all these games but obviously when you get someone like Steven Pienaar, someone like Seamus Coleman, someone like Ross Barkley injured, that hurts. We need to get them back. But the mentality now has changed.” However, academy debutant Tyias Browning, 20, made a promising start to his Premier League career at Saturday’s derby, giving Everton a boost but not quite replacing the injured players.

Everton Ladies suffer relegation heartbreak By ANTHONY FISHER Everton ladies’ football club have been relegated after 21 years at the top-flight women’s league. The relegation come after they suffered a 2 – 0 loss to Notts County and failed to secure any victories at all this season, drawing two matches and losing seven. The news of the relegation was met with shock as the ladies have won both the FA and League cups for the past six years. Everton Ladies manager Andy Spence said via the team’s official twitter: “Obviously we’re all devastated but our focus will now go into coming straight back up to the WSL1.” The defeat has been linked to the lack of finance going into the club which has resulted in

some of the team’s best players leaving to play at other Super League clubs. As it stands, nine ladies who helped the team to their FA Cup victory in 2010 are now playing for other tea ms. David Parker, manager of the Birmingham Ladies football club tweeted his support to the Everton Ladies, saying: “All @EvertonLadies players & staff have held themselves with the utmost dignity courage and respect through difficult season #credittothegame.”

Liverpool

LifeSPORT

WORLD TITLE CONTROVERSY 30 - September 2014

By ANTHONY FISHER AND SEAN PURVIS

The World Boxing Organisation is investigating a controversial scoring during a fight between Liverpool boxer Paul Smith and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Super Middleweight Champion Arthur Abraham. The decision to review the scoring comes after Smith came up short in his attempt to win the title from Abraham on Saturday night in Kiel, Germany. Smith arguably fought the best fight of his career against the WBO champion and heavy favourite Abraham, out-boxing him in many rounds. But it was the Armenian who was victorious, albeit in a controversial fashion, as the three officials scored the contest in his favour. Two judges scored the fight 117-111. The other official, Spaniard Fernando Laguna scored the fight 119-109, giving Smith only one round in a decision which left many commentators and boxing pundits bemused. The Liverpool boxer claimed the judge’s scores have ‘dashed his dreams’ and ‘broken his heart’.

MASSIVE It was clear that Smith was not overawed or intimidated by his older, more illustrious opponent Abraham as the opening exchanges were tight. The British super weight champion’s movement was good, as he worked his jabs well and kept in touch with the WBO champion. In the seventh round a massive right hand from Smith clearly shook Abraham, who began to look jaded and tired as the rounds went on. In the ninth round, a big right to the body and a left hook to the face left a visibly tired Abraham rattled, but the 34-year-old hung on and finished the last round strongly against Smith. Many never expected the

judges to so heavily favour Abraham, with Scottish Sky commentator and Former Lightweight World Champion Jim Watt’s scorecard having Smith winning by three points as the 12th round came to a close. The results generally generated negative feedback from commentators and spectators who thought the 31-year-old was robbed and should have won the title.

St Helens prepare to play in Super League semi finals

DEFENCE Watt said the judge’s calls were “nothing short of a downright disgrace” live on Sky Sports One as Abraham celebrated his title defence. Smith was offered support by fellow Liverpudlian Wayne Rooney. The Man U star responded to the results of the fight on his twitter, saying: “Why have judges if they don’t judge correctly. Robbing people of their dreams. The boxing board has to act. @PaulSmithJnr” The WBO then went on to address the situation on their official twitter, tweeting: “The #WBO is waiting to receive the assigned supervisor’s report and replaying the fight before giving an opinion on #AbrahamSmith.” There is some good news for Smith though, as promoter Kalle Sauerland is said to be happy to hand the boxer another crack at the WBO title, as long as there is enough demand for the fight. Smith has also claimed that Abraham made a verbal agreement to fight again with the championship on the line. The likelihood of a rematch for Smith has increased after the WBO President Paco Valcarcel has agreed to investigate Laguna’s scores. He tweeted: “Regarding #AbrahamSmith, I assure you that I review each and every scorecard for WBO title fights.”

Inside Sport

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