17 minute read
Meet the Chamber Chief
Chamber’s new leading lady…
St Helens Chamber’s new Chief Executive tells Local Life how her drive to help people landed her the top Chamber role.
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Sitting in the café at St Helens Chamber of Commerce, it is almost impossible not to notice how quiet this usually bustling business centre is. The Salisbury Street headquarters is normally a hive of activity with networking events, business meetings and educational courses. The current pandemic has changed the way the Chamber team operates, for now, but not even Covid19 can dampen their spirits.
Tracy Mawson is her usual welcoming self as she breezes over to our table: “Oh we’ve missed the café serving time, we could have had a brew!” she greets me. Tracy has been announced as the new Chamber Chief Executive, she will officially take the reins from the long-serving Kath Boullen, on 1 September, following nine years as deputy. “Yes, it will be like starting a new school year, I’ll have my pencil case ready and the blazer dusted off. Kath has trained me well and has been giving me some great advice, the whole team has been so encouraging!” says Tracy. During her nine-year tenure as deputy, Tracy has led the business services department and more recently the education and careers guidance services. Tracy had a nervous wait to hear about her new job. “I waited all day and finally at about 7pm I got the phone call; I was obviously really pleased.” Tracy remembered. “I felt the interview had gone really well but the competition and the rigour of the approach made it difficult to gauge, I definitely could have done with an earlier phone call.” she laughs.
Tracy grew up in Kent with her parents and brother and sister, she also spent time in Somerset and Hertfordshire, before moving up to Merseyside in 2003. Tracy added, “This is my 17th year in the North West, I live in Liverpool with my husband and two sons and have worked in St Helens since 2011.
“In fact my favourite thing about St Helens is the people, I have always found it a really welcoming place, especially the business community. Everyone likes to go the extra mile and we
see that in things like the creation of work experience places and lots of charitable engagement; there is just a really warm feeling that comes along with it.”
For Tracy, her dream job was always going to involve working closely with people, “Careers advice when I was at school was a bit mad – there’s no other way to say it. When I had my careers meeting in secondary school, they came up with a librarian or an archivist”, she laughs.
“I always liked books and I was academic but I’m really sociable and I just didn’t think that was the full picture for me. I thought I may become a politician or a councillor; funnily enough my first job was in publishing at The Oxford University Press, so they were pretty nailed on with the book thing, they just hadn’t thought of publishing. “I definitely didn’t get good careers advice and I think the same can be said for a lot of young people today. That’s why I love what we do here at the Chamber, helping young people to see that there is a full range of options available to them.”
Even after nine years, Tracy can still remember her first impressions of the Chamber, “Oh I was blown away by the size of the operation. To have this facility, the quality and capacity of this building is still exciting. I think of it as a real investment and a symbol of ambition for the town.
There have been many highlights in Tracy’s time at the Chamber so far, but none more so than when the team can recognise achievement. “My favourite part of the job is getting the chance to meet people; in particular the business fairs and the business awards. To see people, succeed and reach their goals, knowing that we as a team have provided a space in which they can thrive, is a great feeling.
Tracy continues, “My proudest moment as deputy has happened really recently, helping our business community navigate the impact of the pandemic has been an eye opener. The business team mobilised within 12 hours of lockdown and all services went online. They have sustained that and have helped more than 1000 firms in the borough.
“By having individual conversations, and tailoring advice we have helped firms to apply for grants, handle their staff and think about how they will reopen and recover. We didn’t furlough anyone; we supported our businesses and I am really proud of that.” Tracy is fully immersed in St Helens life and its clear to see, even when she casually mentions that she has completed the St Helens 10k four years in a row. “I love to run, and I try my best to keep fit and healthy in-between taking my sons to their many commitments.” she says with a smile. Talking about her vision for the future of St Helens and the Chamber Tracy says, “Unfortunately we have to be prepared for economically tough times, I really want to fulfil our mission to help our community succeed, protect people and identify green shoots of recovery around St Helens.
“I think this is a chance for people to take stock and think about what they would like to do, whether that’s starting their own business, developing new skills, or simply seizing opportunities. We will be working closely with the council to build on this and enable the people of St Helens to be prosperous and have the opportunities they deserve.”
Chamber Fact File:
The Chamber currently has 1020 members
20% of businesses in St Helens are members
Membership starts from £135 + VAT a year
The team won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2017
To find out about joining St Helens Chamber Visit www.sthelenschamber.com or call 01744 742125
Houghwood Heroes
A group of local golfing fanatics swung for glory at Houghwood in June to raise an astonishing £15,205 for NHS Charities Together. The golfers met at the Billinge course just before sunrise at 3.45am on 23rd June, going on to play an exhausting 72 holes of golf until the final group completed the challenge by 8.30pm that evening. The challenge of walking over 26 miles of hilly terrain and taking an average of 350 shots each wasn’t a new one, for many of the group who had completed a similar challenge in 2017 and raising approximately £6,500 for the MS Society and Willowbrook Hospice.
Organised by Spencer Anglesea, with the help of Neil Steen and Mark Berry, the event nearly didn’t happen due to lockdown restrictions. Spencer said: “We started planning this event before the country and golf was forced to shut down and it was only in late May that we were allowed to play golf in groups of four which meant all of a sudden we were ready”.
Spencer added: “We’d like to thank the directors at Houghwood Golf, who very kindly loaned us the course for the day and donated a free 12 month membership as a raffle prize, and we couldn’t have done the challenge without Neale and Sue Spence from Muffin Man, who provided food for us throughout the day because the clubhouse was still closed due to lockdown regulations”.
Well done to all those golfers who participated in raising such an incredible amount of funding for NHS Charities Together: Spencer Anglesea, Neil Steen, Mark Berry, Ben Anglesea, Oliver Anglesea, Jonathon Whalley, Matthew Whalley, Paul Mottram, Andrew Mottram, Alan Scott, Andy Ashton, Paul Jones, Paul Miller, Steve Molloy, Steve Simmons, Tony Mather, Simon Cutler, Payton Berry, Joe Webster, Lewis Derbyshire, Tony Derbyshire, Jack O’Brien, Martin Johnson, Neil Bradshaw, Andy Hampson, Harry Elliot, Gareth Leyland and Steve Peet.
Rainbow glass art! WIN
If there’s a prize for the image of the year, the rainbow would win hands down for 2020.
What started off as an idea to providing children with some observational points during those daily walks when schools were first locked down spread like wildfire as the image evolved into a symbol of hope, associated particularly with our beloved NHS. Local glass artist Stephanie O’Brien, the co-owner of Morpheus Glass who are based at the Love It Gallery on Winstanley Road in Billinge, has created a range of exquisite rainbow art to help people commemorate 2020 and we have got three pieces of this art to give away to three lucky readers. The first prize is a rainbow arch with a value of £55, the second prize is a large rainbow heart with a value of £20 and the third prize is a rainbow bee, with a value of £17.95.
Other pieces in the Morpheus Glass Rainbow collection include bowls, candle stands, decorations and discs of various sizes. Prices for the collection start at just £6.50.
There is little doubt that 2020 will be referred to in years to come as a ‘before’ and ‘after’ time in history and it’s well worth visiting Love It Gallery and browsing through the rainbow collection which commemorates this important time.
To win one of our fabulous prizes simply visit our website, www. locallife247.co.uk, click on ‘free stuff’ and then on ‘competitions’ and then answer the following question;
What is the name of the Gallery where you can see the Morpheus Glass Rainbow collection?
The expiry date for the competition is midnight on Wednesday 30th September 2020 and the winners will be notified within five working days. Entrants must be over 16 years of age. Only one entry per household. Local Life 247 cannot accept responsibility for entries that do not reach us. Employees of Local Life 247 Ltd and their families are not eligible to enter this competition.
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Paradise on Earth
Clinging to the southern tip of Croatia, Dubrovnik is a lovely medieval jewel lapped by the blue waters of the Adriatic. Framed by hills fragrant with rosemary and thyme, the old town is enclosed by fortifications where red roofs, spires and domes mingle their reflections in a glistening harbour. Byron called it the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ and graced by a sprinkling of emerald islands just offshore, it feels almost like a dream. Dubrovnik long prospered on maritime trade, ruled in turn by Byzantines and Venetians until it became the Republic of Ragusa in 1358, reaching its golden age in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Rebuilt after the 1667 earthquake, it lost its freedom under Napoleon then was taken over by the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918. Upheavals continued in the former Yugoslavia and in 1991-92, the city was besieged and heavily damaged during Croatia’s war of independence.But today, finely restored and listed by UNESCO, the old town fills you with delight. Steps and cobbled lanes climb up the slopes, sunflowers bloom in hidden courtyards and church bells ring all around. Main highlights are easy to find, from Gothic and Renaissance buildings to Italian fountains, monasteries and churches. The Franciscan monastery boasts one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe (1316) while the Baroque church
of St Blaise displays the patron saint holding a model of the city. The cathedral claims a rich treasury of relics and paintings and a connection with Richard the Lionheart. Caught in a storm on his way back from a crusade, he promised to build a cathedral where he reached land. And so he did, though what we see today was rebuilt after the earthquake. Other cultural sites include the Sponza Palace, housing 7,000 volumes of the city’s archives, and the Rector’s Palace, former home of the Republic’s figurehead and now the History Museum.Time to relax? Watch the world go by on a café terrace, stroll along the
Stradun (the main pedestrian street between the city gates), explore the morning market or head for the harbour and city walls. The walls are two kilometres around and up to six metres thick on the land side. Never breached, they bristle with fortresses, bastions and towers, such as the sturdy Minceta dating to 1464, when every visitor to town had to bring a stone. There are steep steps and spectacular views over harbour and town, while high above an orange cable car glides up to the panoramic hilltop. Beaches stretch along the coast or you can sail or kayak to the nearby islet of Lokrum, full of chirruping crickets. Draped in lush vegetation, it’s a peaceful nature reserve and the perfect escape for romantic couples. Look out for the salt water lake known as the Dead Sea, the exotic botanical garden and the Port Royal tower looking back to Dubrovnik and its old harbour.Tempted? Just follow George Bernard Shaw for “If you want to see paradise on earth,” he said, “you must come to Dubrovnik.”
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Reviews Film
by Bill Robinson
Black Lives Matter
The current global, social and political upheaval has made ever clearer the injustice and unfairness that is shown to people of colour in all aspects of life. This injustice extends to the film industry where, depending where you do your research, black directors make up only 10-15% of all directors of the top grossing films. This is undeniably down to major production companies’ total lack of faith in films made by/about people of colour to be critically and commercially successful, and so I want to cover some of the best films that fall into the underappreciated category.
Hidden Figures (2016)
“Hidden Figures” tells the true story of the unknown black, female mathematicians that were instrumental in the success of the NASA space programme in the early 60s, particularly the famous launch of astronaut John Glen into orbit. I still think “Hidden Figures” is one of the most clever and descriptive names ever given to a film, and the movie itself is just as clever. It manages to highlight institutionalised racism within STEM fields as a serious issue that is holding back some of the world’s greatest minds from showing or discovering their abilities, without creating a film that is totally depressing in its tone. The dialogue can be witty and light-hearted, whilst also being serious when it needs to be. The performances also find this balance, with the three main characters able to deliver humour and sincerity in equal, effective measure. This is totally worth a watch.
Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story (2020)
The most recent film of these three is perhaps my favourite, and as a big F1 fan, it’s certainly the closest to my heart. “Uppity” is the story of Willy T. Ribbs, the first prominent black racing driver in the world. Decades before Lewis Hamilton made a name for himself as the only black F1 driver, Willy T. Ribbs’ story is one of insurmountable odds and an absolutely steadfast dedication of the craft of motor racing. The documentary charts Ribbs’ rise through the ranks of the sport, from lower Formula cars to top level NASCAR and even the fastest race on the planet, the Indianapolis 500. Shamefully, motor racing sorely lacks healthy numbers of black drivers even today, making Willy’s struggle four decades ago, even more of an incredible feat and a must watch documentary. Available on Netflix
Get Out (2017)
I just absolutely love this film. Its brilliant in so many ways. On the surface, “Get Out” is about young African American Chris Washington being taken to visit is girlfriend’s parents for the first time. Nothing sounds particularly untoward at first, until Washington notices some strange things about the all-white, wealthy property he has been taken to. “Get Out” then descends into being one of the most effective and powerful psychological horror films of the 2010s. The film is a potent metaphor for the way echoes of the slavery era still linger in modern, western society, held up by iconic performances and writing that won director Jordan Peele the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Focusing on suspense rather than outright terror, “Get Out” is another film that perfectly fuses the conventions of its genre, with its important and powerful meaning. It is amazing.
Water Sports
You and the family can make the most of the last of the light summer nights by trying out a range of water sports at Scotman’s Flash in Poolstock. Every Thursday night in September, Inspiring Healthy Living (IHL) will be hosting stand up paddle boarding sessions and kayaking. The stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) sessions run from 6.30pm to 8pm, and the cost per person is £15 with equipment hire which consists of a board, paddle and a buoyancy aid. If you have your own SUP, the cost is reduced to £10. The sessions are suitable for everyone aged 12 or over. These are instructor-led sessions so are suitable for all levels from absolute beginners to improvers.
If you have children under 12, then you’ll be interested to hear that there will also be a supervised kayaking session alongside the SUP session for ages 8 and over. The cost of this session will be £10 and a discounted rate of £7 is available for those who have booked onto the SUP session.
You must pre-book for these sessions and you can do so by visiting the website www.inspiringhealthylifestyles. org/wigan/, click on ‘Services’ and then on Scotman’s Flash. Other activities at Scotman’s Flash include rafted canoeing, funboat sailing and topper sailing.
You can also organise group activities or one-on-one sessions. For more detail outdooradventure@ihlmail. org for further details.
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