Liverpool Life 8:1 October 9 2019 by Steve Harrison

NEWS FROM THE HEART OF THE CITY

I’m free!

Liverpool Life

BROLLY GOOD REMEMBERING LIVERPOOL’S LITTLE ITALY

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9

FUTSAL SOCIETY KICKS OFF

The Umbrella Project: celebrating neurodiversity

•NEWS • EVENTS •LIFESTYLE • SPORT

Wood-be winner

By SOLOMON MURPHY A tree that has stood in Liverpool’s Calderstones Park for more than 1,000 years could be in line for a national honour. Voting has now closed for the 6th annual tree of the year competition and the Allerton oak, which survived both the first and second world wars and is mentioned in William the Conquerer’s doomsday book of 1096, is going head to head with nine other UK contenders in the competition launched by the Woodland Trust charity. Judges have begun deliberating on the nominees and Woodland Trust spokesman Andy Bond said: “A carefully chosen external panel of eager and knowledgeable judges, including some of the UK’s leading tree experts, spend a day reviewing all of the nominations and debate the positives of hundreds of trees to find the best that the UK has to offer.” The winner of this year’s competition will be crowned tree of the year and will be rewarded a grant of £1,000 for the purposes of tree care, and £500 awarded to the runners-up. The Tree of The Year competion has run anually since 2016 with the aim to highlight the nation’s oldest and most beloved trees and raise awareness for wildlife preservation: “We hope the shortlisted and winning trees stand as beacons for the need to protect our special trees and the wonderful tales they have to tell,” added Andy Bond. Trees will also be the focus of a special event to be held in the Wirral this month. Wirral Borough Council and the Wirral initiative on trees will host an anual tree warden forum at Birkenhead Town Hall on October 19, offering networking opportunities for people involved in tree work and wildlive preservation in a changing climate.

Residents evacuated after fire breaks out in city accommodation By ETHAN JUKES-MCNEE Hundreds of people had to be evacuated and traffic was disrupted when fire broke out in a city centre accommodation block on Monday night. The blaze began at about 7:30pm in Grand Central, a high-rise student accommodation block near Lime Street station. The students were forced to leave the building as five fire crews arrived to tackle the blaze. Paramedics were also called to the scene as a safety precaution. It was revealed that the fire had begun on the ninth floor and in order to keep traffic at bay, Skelhorne Street was cordoned off, stopping any vehicles from entering Lime Street Station for more than an hour and causing disruption to taxi services. People were allowed back inside at 9:30pm after waiting two hours for fire fighters to ensure the fire had been extinguished. A spokesperson for Unite Students said: “A small number of students will move rooms for the night while repairs are made.” One of the students who lives in the accommodation said: “We heard the fire alarm go off and thought it was

BLAZE: The scene on Monday

pening. Apparently the cause was a pipe explosion but we can’t be sure.” The flats surrounding the source of the blaze also had to be properly fumigated. Paramedics were called, but nobody was harmed by the incedent, and Grand Central has said the flats will be repaired as soon as possible.

©ETHAN JUKES-MCNEE

Libraries are swapping fines for food By OLIVIA WAGG Libraries across Wirral have teamed up with local foodbanks to support families who are in need across the borough. Locals can now find themselves donating perishable items and toiletries in order to pay off their overdue library fines. The initiative has already been a huge success across America, with one library collecting more than

LIVERPOOL LIFE Film festival comes to LiverpoolP3 LJMU students win £2,000 P5

Formby farmers market P7

a normal fire drill because they happen quite often. Then all of a sudden firemen were knocking on the doors telling everyone to leave the building. We went outside and there was at least two or three fire engines and more arrived after that. Then more and more people started leaving the building but nobody was aware of what was hap-

100,000 food items for local charities and food banks. The scheme is a part of the UK’s National Library Week and will be running until Sunday. There is no limit to the amount in overdue charges that customers can pay off with food or toiletry donations. Donated items can be dropped off at library collection points throughout Wirral.

CONTENTS Keep up to date with the latest fashion trends P9 Dragon boat racing comes to Liverpool P11 New futsal society P12

Birkenhead Central Library ©Wikicommons

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EDITOR: Scarlett O’Toole PRODUCTION TEAM: Grace Plowman, Katie Preece, Tilly Kenyon, Ash Rowe, Emily Roberts, Jose Mari Ruiz, Hannah Martin, Charlie Burgess, Danielle Wilson, Jessica Rigg Front cover photo: Dan Jones on Umbrellas

Liverpool says Shang-HI to unique film festival By MEGAN STRINGER

Ben Crowder set up and busking using sign language in L1 © Ethan Jukes-Mcnee

Busker Ben’s Silent Success By ETHAN JUKES-MCNEE Ben Crowder is a young man with a passion for sign language who is bringing life back to busking with his performances in Liverpool. Ben plays a variety of music from cult classic songs to the current pop songs of today, but does not play an instrument or even sing - as we expect from most buskers on the streets of Liverpool. Instead, Ben translates the song into sign language so that deaf people, particularly deaf children can appreciate the music along with everybody else. He spoke to Liverpool Life about his passion and said that: “I’m currently at level one sign language, but I’m working towards getting my level two qualification so that I can start and run my own group to help children sign language songs.” Ben is busking for a few hours every Friday, Saturday and Monday and spoke about the money he makes after we noticed that he received a large amount of donations: “I wish all the money was going to me! But I collect it all for a good cause and donate it all to the BSL Signing Choir to help the children.” The BSL Signing Choir is the group that Ben is a part of, its goal is to help teach people to sign songs and sign language for deaf people. He currently has his own Facebook group that is a play on words of the British Sign Language (BSL) Organisation and instead has fittingly named it the British Sing Language Organisation on which he posts a lot of his performances for people to watch and gain an understanding of how it works. There are up to 11 million people who are deaf or hard of hearing within the UK, with only 151,000 Sign Language users so there is evidently a need for more education and awareness when it comes to the sector and Ben is working toward being a part of that change.

Liverpool is to play host to the first ever Shanghai Film Week, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the twinning of Liverpool with the Chinese city. A collection of critically-acclaimed films have been selected by the Shanghai Art Film Federation and are going to be shown at Liverpool Hope University’s Creative Campus and Everyman Cinema from October 14-17. The event has been organised in partnership with the Liverpool China Partnership, Liverpool Hope University and LJMU’s Screen School. Director of the Liverpool Screen School, Rachel McLean, will give a short talk at the formal reception to launch the festival on October 14. There will be also be various campus activities at Liverpool Hope University on October 15.

Events will take place in association with LJMU’s Screen School © Megan Stringer

There will be also be various campus activities at Liverpool Hope University on October 15. Dr Lydia Papadimitriou, Associate Professor in Film Studies at LJMU, who liaised with the main organisers of the event to make the event happen, told LL: “We are very excited that the Liverpool Screen School is involved with the first Shanghai Film Week in Liverpool, as partners and co-hosts of the opening reception. “This is an excellent opportunity for cultural links between the twinned cities Liverpool and Shanghai - to develop more closely and for networks for future creative Dr Lydia Papadimitriou, Associate Professor in collaborations to be built.”Film Studies at LJMU © LJMU Deputy Mayor of Liverpool, The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang and ShakuCouncillor Gary Millar said: “Liverpool is honoured to host the hachi: One Sound One Life, on Tuesday October 15. Both are free screenfirst Shanghai Film Week, celebrating the rich history, talent and culture ings. The remaining two films, of Pesteeped in Chinese film and cinema. We’re looking forward to a busy week gasus on October 15 and Old Beast on Wednesday October 16 will be of showcasing the very best in conshown at Everyman Cinema, Victoria temporary Chinese film culture.” Street, Liverpool. Tickets are required There are four screenings throughfor both these screenings and more out the week. Liverpool Hope University’s Creative Campus will host the information can be found at www. eventbrite.co.uk first two films, Sky Ladder:

Walker Art Gallery welcomes Linda McCartney’s photography By BENJAMIN LYNCH

An exclusive showcase of Linda McCartney’s photography is to come to Liverpool next year. The Walker Art Gallery will host ‘Linda McCartney Retrospective’ from April 25-August 31. The collection will show a wide range of Linda’s collections, which includes images of the 1960s music scene and family life with her Beatle husband Paul. There will also be a selection of images taken from Liverpool and Wirral, which have never previously been on display to the public. The exhibition is part of the 2020 National Museums Liverpool programme. Events also include an interactive art experience, showing visitors the future of AI, and the John Moores Painting Prize, whose previous winners include David Hockney and Rose Wylie.

Laura Pye, Director of National Museums Liverpool, said: “From the photography of Linda McCartney, both iconic and intimate, to a glimpse into the fascinating potential AI has to shape our future; 2020 promises to be an amazing year for National Museums Liverpool. “And this year it’s not just about exhibitions. This spring we are also opening ‘Life on board’ a major new gallery at the Merseyside Maritime Museum, which explores more than three centuries of our city’s seafaring history. “While at World Museum we’re looking forward to a series of interventions that brings fresh perspectives to the World Cultures gallery and addresses current de- Linda’s piece ‘Liverpool on wheels: from horses to horsepower bates.” © Liverpool Museum

Entry’s free - if your name fits By MEGAN STRINGER The Beatles Story at Albert Dock is giving free entry to anyone with a name containing John, Winston or Lennon today (October 9) to celebrate John Lennon’s birthday. Not only will you receive free entry, but also a free souvenir - all you have to do is provide valid photo ID at the admissions desk.

Dave Milner, Marketing and PR Executive at The Beatles Story, told LL: “We’re encouraging members of the public, particularly those based locally who have not have visited us before, to come and celebrate what would’ve been John’s 79th birthday with us. “Born on 9th October 1940, John had an incredible life and impact on

the world. Visitors who join us on his birthday will be able to view iconic artefacts relating to John’s career including his ‘Imagine’ spectacles and ‘last piano’.” The number nine was also John’s favourite number, with John’s son Sean Ono Lennon sharing the same birthday (October 9) as his father. Free Entry is for October 9 only.

Two Grand Prix: LJMU students win big at races By ROSIE PATEL Three LJMU students have won £2,000 in a competition run by a motoring magazine. Alex Brabbing, Laura Taylor and Ruth Postlethwaite won the competition by filming a motoring event for Influx magazine. The three Media Production students travelled from Liverpool to the Lakes to take part in a day of filming for the “Barbon Hillclimb: A race to the top” event. The competition was an opportunity for them to gain experience to show future employers, as well as win the prize money. Their video will be released today. Ruth said: “I wanted to push myself as a student filmmaker by taking on a project that from start to finish was completely up to me in what I created. “As a team I think we are really proud of the standard of film we managed to produce, with little experience of filming on location for a project not supervised by tutors. “I really enjoyed the pre-production planning process of making the film, having to come up with a concept and write an industry-standard treatment.” The task required them to spend the day taking shots of the race and interview participants. They also had the task of editing and putting the film together. Despite rainfall making it a more difficult task, all three students were extremely proud of the short film they created and are excited for everyone to see what they produced.

SOLIDARITY: Protesters in Liverpool ©Aoife Monahan

Chinese National Day protests By AOIFE MONAHAN

CHAMPS: Competition winners Laura, Alex and Ruth.

On what should have been a day of celebration for Chinese people in Liverpool, the country’s National Day was instead a day of protest to show solidarity with their Hong Kong compatriots. Violent protests have gripped Hong Kong since June over plans that would have allowed extradition to mainland China. Although these plans were withdrawn at the start of September, protestors have now called for more democratic demands. Chinese students gathered at the University of Liverpool last week to show their support for Hong Kong. They held pictures of the Chinese national flag with writing underneath which translated to “One China, One Dream.” A protestor, who did not wish to be named, told Liverpool Life: “We aren’t asking for independence like the government think we are. We want an end to police brutality and greater democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.” Although the students were ‘mourning’ instead of celebrating the 70th Chinese national day, they still paid homage to their country by holding Chinese flags and singing the national anthem

SAFE SPACE: The women behind the project. ©Pamoja Podcast

New podcast aims to help female immigrants By BENJAMIN LYNCH An audio project to help women who have settled in Liverpool from other countries has been launched. The Pamoja Podcast Project aims to bring women in Liverpool together through a programme of audio training, where they can talk about their experiences in a safe space with other women. The project – which takes place every Saturday – is run by The Youth Base, an organisation that aims to use media skills to tackle social issues. Ami Yesufu, Director of The Youth Base, is hopeful of the positive effects the Pamoja Podcast could have. She

said: “We have people from all over. Spain, Nigeria, Brazil and Yemen among others as well. “This project is all about breaking stereotypes, not just for those taking part, but for us too.” ‘Pamoja’, which means ‘all together’ in Swahili, is aimed at women in Liverpool over the age of 14, specifically those who have moved here from outside the UK. This is so they can share experiences of different cultures, but also make new friends and connections. Ms Yesufu said: “ There are a number of cultures – generally speaking – for whom women are second class citizens. Their voices are not heard so

much. It’s more often you hear things from the male side, so this is about giving opportunities to people who don’t normally have access to them.” The podcast has already gained a few loyal and enthusiastic attendees, one of whom is Brazilian Antonia Carrapeiro, who was drawn to the project by its in inclusion of women from other countries. She said: “I found the idea very interesting because it’s a way I can show other a women little but of my culture. It is also a way to socialise because I don’t have too many friends here. “I get to know the ideas and feelings of other women and other cultures, I think that’s very important.”

Ms Carrapeiro believes the discussions that take place within the project are vital to understanding social issues in the UK and abroad. One of these issues is how men treat women and how it varies from culture to culture. She said: “I really like the freedom you get here in this country. There is a general freedom and respect for women here, particularly for issues like sexuality and what women wear. “The women from Yemen say that even when they are completely covered, men still stare at them. “So it’s not about the clothes, it’s about the mentality of men and how it can be different.”

Cavern Quarter revamp under discussion By STEPHEN BRAMHILL A plan to regenerate the Cavern Quarter will come before the city council on Friday. The council will be reviewing a draft Spatial Regeneration Framework (SRF) that will outline the proposed changes to be made to the area. The plan, which will be open to public consultation later this month, will also affect surrounding areas such as Mathew Street and Williamson Square. The main intention of the plan is to make the area more accessible for visitors to the

Umbrellas brighten city centre to spread message

attractions on offer, such as the legendary Cavern Club or the Magical Beatles Museum which opened in 2018. A spokesperson for the Magical Beatles Museum said the plans would benefit the area: “Liverpool has two main points of tourism, the Beatles and football, so you want the surrounding areas of these attractions to be nice so there’s always people in.” The Cavern Quarter is a historic area in Liverpool for its culture and heritage in music, which is a standout attraction

travel thousands of miles from all corners of the globe because of it. “This is a unique opportunity to establish an experience no other city can offer, with high quality design which will sustain thousands of jobs for generations to come. I welcome these proposals and look forward to the public’s thoughts and feedback.” Liverpool City Council hopes the new plan can be beneficial and a good investment by improving the overall experience of a trip to the Cavern Quarter.

New exhibition to focus on flu epidemic in WWI By FAYE WASILOWSKI

By ROSIE PATEL Two hundred umbrellas have been put up in Liverpool city centre to celebrate neuro diversity. The Umbrella Project 2019 celebrates the gifts, talents and employability of those who are neuro diverse. The umbrellas were put up on Church Alley to raise awareness and challenge the stigma. Each colourful umbrella was signed by an affected child, which said: “My super power is...” It is estimated that one in 67 people are on the autistic spectrum, one in 20 have ADHD and one in ten have dyspraxia or dyslexia. Businesses and individuals are encouraged to donate £100, which would help support a family of a person who is affected. The Umbrella Project, which was first launched in 2016, saw children performing under the umbrellas. They also invited schools to take part by asking them to create their own project by hanging umbrellas from their classroom ceilings. Tony Lloyd of ADHD Foundation said that neuro diversity was part of a global movement to increase the understanding of those who live with ADHD, autism, and related conditions. “The ADHD foundation is in its 12th year and we are supporting more than 5,000 families every year with children and young people living in ADHD,” he said. The foundation believes the best way to reduce the stigma is to start with young people and teach them a different way of seeing the world. Mr Lloyd added: “The Foundation is a leading campaigner in raising awareness of people who are neuro diverse advocating for better understanding and recognition of the dynamic contribution neuro diverse individuals make to our economy, schools, communities and arts, culture and sport.”

for tourists, as well as locals, in Liverpool. The presence of Beatles memorabilia as well as landmarks dedicated to the world-famous band significantly increases tourism for the Cavern Quarter and is a big contributor to Liverpool’s tourism revenue of £90m per year. Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool, who has also created a Beatles Legacy group, said: “Liverpool’s musical heritage is known around the world but we can and must do more to showcase it to visitors who

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A new exhbition at the Liverpool Medical Institution is set to shine a spotlight on the Spanish Flu epidemic which claimed the lives of millions of people at the end of the First World War. The exhibition at the LMI on Mount Pleasant will be open Monday through to Wednesday 10am to 4pm throughout the month of October. A special launch event runnIng from 10.30am to 4.30pm on Saturday will welcome the exhibition to Liverpool. The displays focus on the role of nursing during the period and how medicine developed during the First World War when doctors relied heavily on the medical findings of Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War. The event’s main exhibition will be held in the Council Room and will show the “disturbing” facts surrounding the deadly epidemic. Helen Birnbaum, an MA Art and Sciences student at LJMU has designed “Quarantine Boxes” for the exhibition and historical medical instruments will be at the ready to help to educate people about how 20th century Britain dealt with the Spanish Flu.

Liverpool Life spoke to Adrienne Mayers, a librarian who works at Liverpool Medical Institution. She explained how the virus targeted the young, healthy people over the older. “This is why soldiers were affected as well. Today, if you got influenza, it would be more the frail and old to be ill. More people died from influenza than were ever killed in the war.” The exhibition has a modern-day aim, too. She continued: “This is also a promotion to encourage people to have their influenza vaccine.” Some of the more touching parts of the event will be the first-hand accounts of doctors, nurses and soldiers who battled the Spanish Flu, read from historic letters. Activity and demonstrations are available for all the family at Saturday’s event. Contagion Control is just one. This suitable-for-all activity demonstrates how doctors and nurses protected themselves from the epidemic while still providing care for their patients. Of course, there is fun to be had for smaller children too, with a Messy Monster Germs craft activity. In the main hall of the event building, children from three and above can make their own box of monster germs, whilst learning how germs are spread in the human body. The entire exhibition is family friendly and all are welcome, with no entrance fee.

Make a bee-line for the urban apiary By OLIVIA WAGG

Liverpool ONE is now home to an un-bee-lievable number of bees after the retail destination installed two urban apiaries on top of its roofs. Based in Chavasse Park, the shopping outlet has attracted just over 80,000 bees as part of its ‘green approach’. The beehives are situated on the roof above Barclays, overlooking Lord Street. Alongside the buzz, two ‘bug hotels’ have also been placed to

attract more creepy crawlies, playing host to around 12 species of insects Chavasse Park in Liverpool ONE has been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as one of the very best green spaces in the world, for the sixth consecutive year. In a bid to retain its title, the shopping outlet are working with horticultural experts Nurture to ensure that the bees are managed and maintained.

No more M peas and quiet as market comes to town

arkets may seem outdated to some, maybe even a childhood memory. To the businesses of Sefton, however, markets have started to become a source of controversy. Sefton Markets is a company that organises weekly markets in the borough of Sefton and surrounding areas. The market’s aim is to help assist with stall hire, allowing small business to sell their products to the public. They also use their stalls for hire, for events like fetes and galas. Having the market scheme is helpful to some, but might not be as welcome by others. The types of villages and towns where the markets are setting up are home to smaller businesses, which thrive on the custom they get, which the markets could potentially take away. Cathy Smith owns a cafe with a bakery attached and on a Friday, Formby is filled with market stalls. One of the market stalls selling freshly baked produce, similar to what’s sold in Cathy’s shop. Cathy told LL: “For us at the Bakehouse, we’re happy for the

market to come. We were a little apprehensive at first, but everybody on the stalls is lovely, most of them come into our shop for their lunch or a hot drink. “It also brings people into the village, Fridays are made twice as busy as people come out for the market, which has a knock on effect for us, as people are coming in and trying our cafe, which is brilliant.” However, not all businesses agreed. One business owner, who preferred to remain anonymous, said: “We were completely misinformed by the parish council from the off. We were told a small farmers’ market selling produce would be coming to the village on Fridays and how it would not sell anything else. “I walked along it for the first time to see flowers, jewellery, clothes, phone cases and all sorts. I understand it brings people to the village, but when I am trying my hardest to make a living and someone plonks a stall outside your shop selling similar products, of course I’m going to be annoyed.” The market is run mainly by the parish council, which consists of local residents making decisions that they feel will benefit the community. The parish council was unavailable for comment.

JOURNALIST GARY SPELLS OUT NATURE OF RIOTS Report by HANNAH MARTIN

GARY YOUNGE at yesterday’s event © Hannah Martin

As part of Black History Month, Guardian journalist and broadcaster Gary Younge last night spoke at Blackburne House about the nature of riots. It is the centenary year since the 1919 race riots and to mark the occasion, Gary was also joined by Liverpool’s Lord Mayor Anna Rothery and co-director of Writing on the Wall Madeline Heneghan. Gary spoke about various political environment’s he’d been to which led, or had the potential to lead, to civil unrest. He described it as “oil constantly covering the floor, one spark and it could ignite”. A member of the audience posed the question: “Why aren’t we rioting now?” Gary replied: “I believe because we have the potential option of a Labour government, it gives people enough hope to pause the want to riot.” He later added: “People do not riot recreationally, it is when people have had enough and say

‘F**k it’, that the sparks hit the oil.” Gary’s expertise highlighted the vast variation of the term “riot”. He seemed to understand the reasons why they can occur but also how riots can have societal implications. Gary continued: “Riots are polarising in ways you can’t predict. I don’t always agree they are legitimate form of protest.” Lord Mayor Anna Rothery said: “Growing up in my community showed me the riots aren’t a mindless act, but are a product of lack of opportunity. It made me want to fight against the inequality and injustice that takes place in this city. “I’ve had to fight with the best and the worst within politics, but what keeps me going is that our youth deserves so much better, and we have to learn from our history. “We can’t be afraid to stick out, and we have to ensure we put things right going forward.” • For more upcoming events for Black History Month in Liverpool visit writingonthewall.org. uk or USE their Twitter handle @wowfest.

Meet the Scouse women fighting against unfair pension age

What changes have been made to state pension? Radical changes have been made to the state pension since 2010, when the pension age for women rose to 65 and is now rising higher. The Government has committed to review the state pension age every five years. The age for pension is increasing for both men and women, up to 68. The current age to claim state pension is 65, and will be increased to 66 by October 2020. Female activists all born in the 1950s claimed that the incresaing pension age discriminated against them on the grounds of their age and sex.

Special report by Demi Williams

group of Liverpool women have come together to campaign against changes to their state pension regulations that they say will leave them out of pocket. Millions of women born in the 1950s received little notice when the pension age was increased from 60 to 66. As a result, those retiring and expecting to receive their state pension at age 60 would not get it until six years later. The 1995 Conservative Government’s State Pension Act included plans to increase women’s state pension age so that it was the same as men’s, with retirement age expected to rise again to 67 by 2028. In 2011 the government accelerated its state pension plan so that men and women were on equal terms - but the changes were made so suddenly for women they had no time to make changes. Women against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) are campaigning against the changes, which they claim are unfair and prejudiced. Barbara Allen, one of the coordinators of Liverpool’s WASPI group, spoke to LL about the campaign. She said: “Little or no notice was given to 1950s-born women that pension age was to increase rapidly to age 65. “As a result, many took early retirement or redundancy on reduced sums for reasons of health or caring responsibilities expecting their state pension would kick in at age 60 as it had since the 1940’s only to discover maybe one year before that the goal posts had moved substantially. “For those born in late 1953 the actual loss is £47k, more for those born in 1954 onwards.” There are currently 450 members of the Liverpool WASPI, although some are unable to attend rallies because of caring commitments or poor health.

Those who campaign do it for the majority. The 65-year-old from Liverpool said: “There are still many unaware they will not get their state pension at age 60. The campaign offers support to many and a focus to help each other survive and to fight for justice and equality amongst women. “Now women are discriminated against due to the date they were born, and it’s caused huge inequality amongst women themselves.” Women were given as little as one year’s notice of up to a six-year increase to their state pension age, compared to men who received six years notice of a one year rise to their state pension age.

ASPI has been compared to the Suffragette movement, with some members referring to it as an inspiration. Barbara said: “Helen Pankhurst spoke with us at the Unison conference last year and said her grandmother would’ve been proud of us as there is still much work to be done for women, she supports our campaign. “We’ve been speaking at GMB conferences too and other major Union conferences like RCN and Unison and delegates have shaken our hands and compared our work with the Suffragette movement.” With many women feeling desperate for a resolution, savings are dwindling and age is taking its toll. Barbara said: “It’s been very stressful having £47k effectively stolen and told, ‘Tough - it’s what has been decided’ ... that we, born in the 1950s, must accept it.” Campaigners recently lost a judicial fight in High Court against the government’s state pension rise. However, WASPI have vowed to fight on, and Liverpool WASPI are holding a fundraiser to be staged on October 13.

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Delegates have shaken our hands and compared our work with the Suffragette movement

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Fashionably...on time By Aoife Monahan

iverpool’s Fashion week saw it’s 10th anniversary show kicking off last night, with this year’s theme being “Fashion in the fast lane.” LL spoke to the owner and organiser of Liverpool Fashion week, Amanda Moss, to hear about this years designers.She said: “Every year I try to make the show commercially available to the public so that they aren’t intimidated by big fashion shows.”Themes from past years

have always been something that the scouse public can related to, including the ‘scouse brow’ and ‘sunbeds’. However, this year Amanda said the fashion week is ‘encouraging people to live in the fast lane.’ Liverpool Fashion week has broken barriers in recent years, being the first ever fashion week to use a transgender model, and this year isn’t any different. A 14-year-old autistic boy has set up Oliver John, one of the clothing

lines involved in this year’s show. After being regularly excluded from school, the teen from St Helens used his spare time to start making T-shirts. This then progressed to him having his own clothing line. This year we saw everything from High Street fashion to local boutiques and even hand-painted leather jackets. Yorkshire-based fashion designer Gogairy hand-painted leathers showcased their unique designs. Leather jackets are always a staple

piece in any wardrobe. Amanda said: “Hand-painted leather jackets are unique and something you can keep forever.” Amanda also praised Wirral-based designer ,Molby the label. Owned by Karina Molby, the brand’s focus is to, “eliminate the ‘fast fashion’ market by focusing on a more ethical way of working.” All their clothing is hand made and their new collection focuses more on party-wear with a casual element.

Playtime in Garston as children leave the classroom T by Olivia Wagg

he outdoor education concept, where Mother Nature supplies the learning materials and children have no limits, is proving a great success in Garston where an outdoor pre-school is changing the way children learn. Three-quarters of UK children spend less time outside than prison inmates, according to a new survey which reveals the extent to which time playing in parks, wood and fields has shrunk. Research suggests that outdoor-led play has significant benefits for a child’s social, creative and emotional skills. Throughout the UK, the forest school movement has taken off in the last decade, partly as an alternative to the conventional, test-driven infant and primary curriculum. It is seen as a way of getting children outdoors,

in touch with nature and away from their phones and computers. Here in Garston, Liverpool is home to its very own outdoor pre-school, Nature To Nurture. It is an award-winning nursery school running at an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ standard. Nature to Nurture began in 2012 and runs through a completely child-led play environment - with the provision of highly-skilled adults. Complete with rope swings, hammocks and natural resources, the setting is equipped to ensure that children are free to do whatever they want to. During a usual day at the pre-school the little ones can be found building dens, climbing trees and playing with fire. Owner Julie White told LL: “We use the environment to support the development of children’s gross motor and sensory integration skills, our concept creates more of a ‘can do’ attitude

and the ability to be able to resolve conflicts alongside peers will be easier. We believe that the outdoors helps engender joyful learning and that free play in a natural environment supports children’s inborn desire to learn.” Julie added: “I think that it is gaining popularity because of how the education system is at the moment. There is too much of a testing regime and the mental health of children in the country is just rising year on year. Because of this schools are not able to manage and so learning and that free play in a natural environment supports children’s inborn desire to learn.” The concept was imported from Scandinavia and the lessons are usually outdoors, based in wooded areas, and are learner-centred, and play-based. Julie continued: “More parents are home-schooling and pulling them

out of the education as they want a more facilitated education system and nature provides that.” Despite the evidence of the benefits, there is a lack of formal research findings, according to Laura England, an early year’s author and teacher. She said: “In the early years sector the environment plays a key role, but there are three strands to outdoor education and one of those is the emotional environment, media depicting what one person sees as a beautiful environment. “An early year’s environment is not about having all natural furniture, top of the range resources or even loose parts and authentic resources. It is so much more than that.”

Uncovering the city’s lost history, Evelyn Edward seeks out the tragic past of the Italians who once made it their home

The Riozzi Family. Photo provided by Madeline Wilson

iverpool’s rich history of immigration is wellknown: it is home to the oldest Chinese community and welcomed Norwegian sailors from the docks. However, it also has a large Italian heritage, hidden and often oppressed. Towards the end of the 19th Century many Italian families left Italy to settle abroad. The Napelonic wars had destroyed plenty of infrastructure in the North, and the unification of the country had led to disease and starvation widespread. While many left for New York and Switzerland, Liverpool had a long history of immigration already that had sprung from its port, and a highly catholic culture made for the ideal location for Italian immigrants to come to the UK. Soon the area around Scotland Road began to be known as ‘Little Italy’ due to the concentration of Italians there. “Italians were well liked in Liverpool, probably due to their food and music,” said Debra D’Annunzio who compiled the stories of Italians in Liverpool for her book Liverpool’s

Italian Families. “You couldn’t walk down the street without hearing ‘O Sole Mio on the accordion The Italians arrived mostly in the 1880s and with them brought food, music and art. Work came easily to them as mosaic men, the mosaics in St Georges Hall and in the streets by the Central library can still be seen today, as well as knife sharpeners and fish and chip shop owners. They settled largely around Scotland Road in Vauxhall next to Irish immigrants who had been fleeing the Irish famine. The Catholic faith helped to form a bond between them, and many Italian/Irish marriages took place. However tragedy would strike in the form of World War Two when Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini sided with Nazi Germany, making Italy an enemy of Britain. Overnight the orders came in that Italians in the UK must be rounded up, questioned and interned. The Italian community in Liverpool had been established for over 50 years at this point, and local policemen found themselves detaining people who they knew well. The tensions of war also lead to re-

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REMEMBERING: The Pier Head plaque

Photo by: Evelyn Edward

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Liverpool’s long-lost Little Italy

Italian influence can very much still be seen in Liverpool, even if it’s not obvious

sentment towards the community, and many Italian businesses and homes were vandalised and attacked. The Liverpool Italians were taken to internment camps, mostly the newly built Woolfall Heath in Huyton. A housing estate turned camp, it was a temporary solution before most Italians- along with Germans and Austrians in the UK- would be taken to the Isle of Man where a larger detention camp awaited them. However, the decision had been made to deport many of those interned to Canada or Australia- with many of the boats departing from Liverpool.

Italy, and in 2008 another plaque was placed on Pier Head remembering the SS Arandora. erected on Christian Street dedicated to Little Italy, and in 2008 another plaque was placed on Pier Head remembering the SS Arandora. “Italian influence can very much still be seen in Liverpool, even if it’s not obvious. Even then the legacy of these people who came to the UK with nothing and formed better lives for themselves is to be admired, and hindsight is a wonderful thing.” added Terry.

t was quite ironic” says Terry Cooke, local historian and author of Little Italy: A History of Liverpool’s Little Italy. “That the ships that had given them new lives in Britain were now taking them to another new life, but one they had little control over.” On July 1, 1940 the SS Arandora Star left Liverpool on route to Canada. Aboard were Italian and German British nationals along with prisoners of war. The ship sailed with no escort or Red Cross markings to show it was carrying civilians and a day into its voyage, it was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sunk, killing over 800 people including 486 Italians. These days Little Italy is mostly non-existent. The deported Italians remained in the countries they had been taken to, and many of the buildings in the Little Italy area were destroyed to make way for the vMersey tunnel and other developments. In 2005, a plaque was erected on Christian Street dedicated to Little

ST ANTHONY’S: Bringing together the Catholics and Italians where they settled on Scotland Road.

City flags off Wales rally GB drivers By LOUISE JAMISON

Liverpool waterfront was this year’s starting point for the Wales Rally GB, as part of the world championship series. The event is one of most high-profile motor rallies in the UK and the 2019, 75th edition of the race is the first time since 1999 that the FIA World Championship has started outside Wales. Liverpool had the honour as 53 rally cars roared into life at the glitzy ceremonial start last Thursday. The cars lined up in front of the iconic Royal Liver Building at 3pm, where the drivers met with fans. Louise Cook, who was one of only three female competitors, told LL she was excited to get back into racing after a year out of competing. The 32-year-old, who suffered technical faults and eventually came in 47th place, said: “The goal is to build into the rally and try to build the pace; it’s easy to say that now feeling sensible but once you get behind the wheel, there is a little beast that comes out. It would be nice to get to the finish line to be honest.” The race ceremony began at 4pm where the competitors were flagg. Reigning British Champion, Matt Edwards, took the first drive into the adventure playground in his Hyundai i20 R5. . The race ceremony began at 4pm. Reigning British Champion, Matt Edwards, took the first drive into the adventure playground in his Hyundai i20 R5. Former mayor, Councillor Peter Brennan, said: “Liverpool is the perfect city from which to start the 2019 rally for three simple reasons; this is the UK’s number one sporting city, we have proud and rich motoring heritage in the city and no other city in the UK puts on such a good show.”

Pink dragon team roars into action for charity By ADAM HIGGINS

Liverpool is home to the UK’s first dragon-boating group exclusively for breast cancer survivors, and the team will be hoping to raise cash during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Pool of Life dragon-boat team was established in 2004 and the annual fundraising event is a major focus of their calendar. Pool of Life secretary, Ann Ball, believes that Breast Cancer Awareness month’s exposure of the killer could lead to an increase in survival rates: “Cancer is increasing as a cause of death in total across the UK with one in two people now likely to get it during their lifetime. Specifically 55,000 women and 370 men are diagnosed with it every year. The inspiration for Pool of Life came after dragon-boat racer, Eve Elliott-Pearson visited America. She said: “I was in Philadelphia in 2001, attending an International Dragon boat competition when I first encountered ‘pink paddlers’. It was a five-day event, and one of those days were given to dragon boats full

READY TO GO: The women’s dragon boat team of women who had survived breast cancer. “At the end of each race, every woman got a medal. The ethos was that everyone was a winner, just by being there. It was the taking part that mattered, not who won.

ON YOUR MARKS GET SET, GO: Dragon boats on the Mersey

BOXING CORNER By OWEN MCKENDRY

By PAUL KELLY

After impressing against British rival Dave Allen, David Price will be looking towards the big guns of the heavyweight division. Since tasting defeat vs former world champion Alexander Povetkin and Sergey Kuzmin, Pricey is looking to rebuild his career in what is likely a last-chance-saloon situation. Following three successive wins, the giant from Liverpool has been announced on the undercard of Callum Smith’s homecoming at the M&S bank arena next month. Another win for the big Scouser will more than likely lead to a massive domestic clash with Price currently holding the WBA Continental title. A career that has been full of highs and lows, David will be looking to end his career positively - at 36 years of age, time is quickly running out.

After a stop-start career so far, Craig Glover has the biggest fight of his life lined up for November 23. The Scouse cruiserweight takes on British rival Chris BillamSmith at the M&S Bank Arena on the undercard of Callum Smith’s much-anticipated homecoming. Glover was highly regarded as the next big thing from Liverpool after a comprehensive knockout of Simon Vallily back in 2018. However, since then Glover has struggled to make the step to the next level and suffered a shock knockout defeat to Vaclav Pejsar. Glover did get back to winning ways in July with a points victory over Jiri Svacina, and is hoping that a victory next month will catapult him to British and European level.

“I was already a dragon boat paddler with Amathus, a long established dragon boat team in Liverpool and I launched Pool of Life breast cancer survivors dragon boat team in October 2004.” The group bought its first boat by fundraising. “We took part in the first international PINK BCS dragon boat event in Singapore in 2006, it was fabulous!” Breast cancer remains the most common of the cancers in the United Kingdom, with 55,000 British women subject to the disease per annum. Group secretary, Ann Ball added: “The greater the awareness of all aspects around the disease will lead to it being understood and tackled earlier, increasing survival rates. “Awareness also helps bring financial support through fundraising to find new remedies to fight the disease.” Pool of Life can be contacted on 07743095285 for any queries regarding the group.

LJMU graduate Katarina strikes gold ... again

By NATHAN RYLANDS

The 2019 Doha World Championships turned out to be fourth time lucky for athletics superstar Katarina Johnson-Thompson. The 26-year-old, who graduated from LJMU, set a host of personal bests and smashed Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill’s best score to set a new British heptathlon record of 6981 points in a changing of the guard in women’s athletics. Johnson-Thompson beat Nafi Thiam – Belgium’s Olympic champion and the woman who many regard as the best female athlete in all of sport – by more than 300 points. A stunning performance but the scouser has not always had it easy. She was born and raised in Woolton by her mother, Tracey, while her father Ricardo returned to his homeland of Bahama.Despite living apart for most of her life, Johnson-Thompson maintained a close relationship with her dad until his death in 2017.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson ©Brian Minkoff She described him as having “an infectious laugh” and a “heart of pure love”. Johnson-Thompson attended St Julie’s Catholic High School in Woolton before studying at university. As a youngster, she ran for the Liverpool Harriers and Athletics Club, who she still represents to this day.

LL SPORT Holbrook’s hopes to leave on a high “It would be exactly what I want and exactly what everybody wants, from our playing group, the staff and the town. We haven’t been there for five years but we have played great this year, so it would be fantastic.” These were the words of St Helens head coach Justin Holbrook as his Saints side prepare for their record 11th Grand Final - but for Holbrook, it will be his last. After three highly successful seasons in Merseyside, Holbrook will head back to Australia with the Gold Coast Titans for the start of the 2020 campaign. However, with what he has achieved, his name in the North-West will not be forgotten in a hurry. Since his appointment in 2017, Holbrook has won two league leaders shields as well as reaching two Super League playoffs and a Challenge Cup final. In his debut season, Holbrook guided his Saints side to a fourth-

SAINTS: St Helens stadium

place finish in the Super 8’s – a concept that is no longer around - eventually losing out to the Castleford Tigers. Things improved in 2018, Holbrook turned on the style in the regular season, topping the Super League table with 42 points – 10 more than second-place Wigan. Unfortunately, their place in Old Trafford was just not meant to be after suffering an 18-13 tense home tense home defeat to Warrington. However, this 2019 season has been exceptional for the Saints. An unbelievable campaign saw Holbrook’s side claim a record-breaking 16-point lead on second place. Holbrook insisted that the past is the past: “If we play well, we will win and if not, then we won’t. It sounds simple but we have a confident team and if we play the best we can, then we will win.”

By WILL MOORE

Futsal takes LJMU by storm with new society By ETHAN JUKES-MCNEE A new Futsal society has been formed for Liverpool John Moores University. Futsal is a relatively unknown and underrated sport that has recently seen a surge in popularity. This coincides with the recent Sport Liverpool partnership with Project Futsal at the University of Liverpool in a bid to produce national stars of the future. Futsal is a pint-sized version of football played with five a side on a flat indoor pitch with hockey-sized goals and a smaller ball with reduced bounce. Marios Souris, the head of the LJMU Futsal society, said: “Futsal is one of the fastest growing indoor sports and especially in recent years it’s becoming more and more popular when you look at how many teams participate in the National Leagues. “We decided to form the society as myself and two others have been playing futsal now for a number of years for Liverpool Futsal Club and noticed LJMU didn’t have a team so this was a good opportunity to create the club and for the university to start competing against others.” More funding has been put into developing futsal, and Sport Liverpool are set to push that further across Merseyside. A University of Liverpool spokesperson said: “Project Futsal will deliver regular coaching for children aged

INSIDE SPORT

Goal-den chance to support non-league By ADAM HIGGINS

ACTION: Head of LJMU Futsal society Marios Souris, centre between four and 16 with the view to develop University of Liverpool youth teams, creating a long-term futsal pathway through to BUCS and national level futsal in England. “Project Futsal’s long-term aims are to be the pinnacle of futsal delivery across Liverpool and the North West

Dragon boat race

and to develop a long-term pathway not only for young players to play futsal at grassroots level, but also to one day represent England at international level.” The idea is that due to the brisk nature of futsal it enables participants to develop their skills at a faster rate.

Gold for LJMU graduate

Merseyside’s non-league football teams are hoping they can attract a score of new fans this Saturday as the annual non-league day commences. The one-day a year event aims to conjure up support and finances for non-league teams up and down the country, providing a great chance for teams to gain exposure. Former Non-League Paper writer Aidan Jones said: “Non-League Day is massive for the sport. “Despite all of the attention being on the Premier League, a lot of people forget about non-league football and how much of grassroots it covers.” You can find your most local nonleague game this Saturday on NonLeagueDay.co.uk.

Rally action in Liverpool