St Helens First magazine Winter 2016 by St Helens Unlimited

St Helens Council’s community magazine

THROUGH THE LENS

Winter 2016 LOCAL PLAN CONSULTATION

PAGE 20

RAINHILL’S RAILWAY HISTORY

PAGE 5

PAGE 4

OUR NATIONAL LOTTERY WIN SEE PAGE 16-17

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2 St Helens First | Winter 2016 | www.sthelens.gov.uk | 01744 676789

St Helens Council’s community magazine

Winter 2016

Welcome

EDITOR: Sean Doyle St. Helens Council, Press and Public Relations Office, Town Hall, St. Helens WA10 1HP. To contact your news team with suggestions for articles about you or your organisation. T: 01744 676164/5/6 E: seandoyle@sthelens.gov.uk

elcome to the winter edition of St Helens First, a prominent feature of which is a celebration of the funding for the arts and culture scene that the borough has benefitted from this year. In case you missed the news, we won big in the National Lottery Awards for our arts in libraries programme Cultural Hubs (pages 16-17) – make sure you check out the iconic trophy as it makes the rounds of the borough’s libraries. In other news, St Helens is beginning to take form as the centre for logistics I know it can be, for the benefit of our residents and our local economy. With our

CONTACT US Whether it’s finding out how to recycle your household waste, check what’s on, pay your Council Tax or to request a specific service, the way you contact the council is up to you! Wesley House, Corporation Street, St.Helens WA10 1HF Tel: 01744 676789 Minicom: 01744 671671 Fax: 01744 676895 Email: contactcentre@sthelens.gov.uk Online: www.sthelens.gov.uk Please contact us to request translation of council information into Braille, audio tape or a foreign language.

TALKING PAGES

St Helens Council Leader’s column

prime position on the motorway and rail networks and our links to exciting transport projects elsewhere in the North West, we’re ideally placed to seize opportunities for employment and growth. One such golden opportunity – Haydock Green – is covered on page 5. And with winter upon us, you’ll find some great advice on page 14 for vulnerable members of the community on how to stay warm and well. We’re also asking that, if you have elderly relatives, friends or neighbours, don’t forget to look in on them and check they’re okay during the cold weather. Councillor Barrie Grunewald

St. Helens First is now available in talking book form for visually impaired people. For details contact the Press and Public Relations office on Tel: 01744 676164

HATE CRIME No form of hate crime should be tolerated. If you or someone you know is being victimised or targeted because of age, disability, gender, sexuality, race or religion this can be reported confidentially to the following numbers:

News

St. Helens Council: 01744 676789 Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111 Merseyside Police: Non-emergency 101 Emergencies only 999

ADVERTISING St Helens Council does not warrant the accuracy of any description or statement, nor does it endorse any product or service, contained in any commercial advertisement within this publication.

St. Helens First is printed on environmentally-friendly paper.

St. Helens Council has achieved:

5 Haydock Green development 6 Multihog takes on potholes 9 Ancient crafts

Features 4 Rainhill remembered for railway 12 Thatto Heath ladies rugby success 16 Borough gets arts funding 22 Penkford School showcased

Like us on Facebook: sthelenscouncil

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Feature

RAINHILL’S PLACE IN HISTORY CONFIRMED Leading engineers from the UK and US converged on Rainhill Library for a ceremony that reaffirmed the village’s status as the birthplace of the railway. Rainhill was the site of the 1829 Rainhill Trials – won by George Stephenson and his Rocket locomotive. The contest led to the opening of the world’s first public railway the following year between Liverpool and Manchester. To commemorate the event, the library hosts a permanent Trials exhibit – staged in a British Railways Mark 1 carriage within its grounds. Recently however, the Liverpool to Manchester line was celebrated by the British Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, as well as their companion organisations from the USA, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The esteemed visitors unveiled a plaque at Rainhill Library that sees the line – with a route substantially unaltered since its construction – take its place alongside some of the world’s most iconic structures. The Eiffel Tower and the Brooklyn Bridge are among the select group to gain the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Historical Civil Engineering Landmark status. The plaque was unveiled at the library for temporary display and will be moved to a permanent home at Rainhill Station early next year. St Helens Council Leader Barrie Grunewald said: “As both Leader and a Rainhill Councillor, I’m delighted that our place in history is being commemorated in this way. “The world owes much to the pioneering developments that took place in and around St Helens. The economic and social impact of the railway across the globe was, without

exaggeration, immense.” Darrell Matthews, North West Regional Director of the Institution of Civil Engineers, said: “George Stephenson came from very humble origins with no formal education and yet became one of the world’s great pioneering engineers. His son Robert went on to become President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and their achievements literally helped create the modern world. I feel this is a very fitting tribute to them and their work.” Derek Houghton, Chairman of Rainhill Railway

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ABOVE: Liibrary service staff with representatives of the Rainhill Railway and Heritage Society, Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Society of Civil Engineers. BELOW: The British Railways Mark 1 carriage attached to Rainhill Library, which houses the Rainhill Locomotive Trials exhibit.

and Heritage Society (pictured above, third from left) said: “Our thanks go to the sponsoring organisations for this important recognition of the significance of Rainhill in the history of transport and engineering.” “It emphasises the place in history of Rainhill and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and supports our ambition to see the line become a World Heritage site. The society, in conjunction with Rainhill Parish Council, is working towards a major celebration of the 190th anniversary of the Trials, to be held in 2019.”

Logistics centre gets the green light

St Helens Council has given the green light to an ambitious new development that will see an estimated 617 jobs created in Haydock. The Haydock Green plans will see 11 hectares of greenbelt land adjacent to Haydock Industrial Estate prepared for 46,500 square metres (sq m) of warehousing, ancillary office space and a new access off Penny Lane. Great care will also be taken to protect local wildlife, including an ecological mitigation zone for great crested newts.

Construction of Phase 1 (11,689 sq m) is expected to get underway later this year. Upon completion, the site – developed by Morley Estates – will provide state-of-the-art accommodation for three major employers. Council Leader, Barrie Grunewald said: “More and more big distributors are recognising the unique logistics offer that St Helens can provide, so we must be ready and able to seize opportunities that can grow our economy. “We’re continuing to attract large-scale inward

News

investment to the borough, creating skilled jobs, and we’re strengthening our logistics ambitions, with Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) qualifications now available at St Helens College’s new Logistics Academy.” The council is confident that this is the start of up to 300,000 sq m of new commercial space that will be submitted as applications over the next 18 months, on sites adjacent to the M6 and M62 demonstrating that St.Helens is a location of choice for business.

Help shape St Helens’ future It’s time to share your views and help shape the borough’s future, with two consultations that will each have significant bearing on the years ahead taking place over the next couple of months. St Helens Council is preparing a new Local Plan Preferred Options for the borough, which will set out the council’s preferred approach on how much development is required and where new development should be located. It is envisaged that consultation on the Preferred Options will take place over

December 2016 and January 2017. Please keep an eye on the council’s website – www. sthelens.gov.uk – for information and dates on the forthcoming consultation. Alternatively, if you would like to be kept informed you can sign up to our Local Plan Consultation Database by emailing us at planningpolicy@ sthelens.gov.uk or writing to: Development Plans Section, Town Hall Annexe, Victoria Square, St Helens, Merseyside, WA10 1HP.

Why not take the budget challenge using the online ‘You Choose’ budget simulator? With St Helens Council facing unprecedented financial pressures down to continued spending reductions – despite a growing demand for services – the local authority is looking to consult on its budget for 2017/2018 with the people who matter most – residents! Residents are tasked with taking on the difficult challenge of cutting the expected £7.8 million from the 2016/2017 budget, keeping it balanced while continuing to protect critical services. Residents can also provide their comments and views by contacting the council’s Contact Centre at contactcentre@sthelens.gov.uk or on 01744 676789. To take the simulator challenge, visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/ budgetsimulator.

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News

A very vintage Christmas Vintage advocate, Phoenix Apparel is soon to host a Christmas vintage arts and crafts fair at the Town Hall. Back by popular demand following two hugely successful events earlier this year, over 60 businesses will once again set up shop in the historic building, selling everything from vintage clothes, accessories and home ware, to arts and crafts, cruelty free skincare, alternative therapies, vegan food and ecofriendly products. Father Christmas will also make an appearance! If you can’t wait for the fair on Saturday 3 December, 10am-4pm, why not visit Phoenix Apparel’s vintage nirvana on the town centre’s Corporation Street, consisting of three floors of eclectic independent boutiques. Follow Phoenix Apparel on Twitter @ PhoenixApparel_ or like them on Facebook @PhoenixApparelUK.

Multihog takes on potholes War on potholes: The Multihog in action.

St Helens Council tax payers and motorists will reap the benefits of a new machine that looks set to change the face of highway maintenance in the borough.

In road repair mode the Multihog delivers a more permanent repair by removing underlying imperfections. It produces less dust and is quieter than traditional jack hammers.

The Multihog repairs highway defects, including potholes, in a fraction of the time it would normally take. It means more repairs can be carried out daily.

St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Green, Smart and Sustainable Borough, Councillor Seve Gomez-Aspron, said: “The purchase of the Multihog demonstrates the council’s continued commitment to maintaining the highway network to the highest possible standards within our available budgets.”

The versatile vehicle can also be fitted a range of attachments to tackle road gritting, flood prevention, grass cutting and snow ploughing.

Cleaner streets Age UK opens new town centre office and parks Dog owners won’t get caught short when walking their pets as a ground breaking scheme to tackle dog waste arrives in St Helens. TiksPac stations are due to be installed at popular dog-walking locations across the borough and outside local libraries providing dog walkers with 24/7 access to free dog waste bags. Residents of Billinge, Eccleston, Haydock and Thatto Heath are

likely to see the first stations installed with other areas of the borough quickly following on. The scheme allows local businesses to demonstrate their support for improving the local environment and at the same time promote themselves. If you’re interested please contact TiksPac UK Head Office in Newton-leWillows on 01925 593982 for more details.

The Mayor and Mayoress of St Helens, Councillors Dave and Jeanette Banks were guests of honour as Age UK Mid Mersey launched its new town centre office.

Based in Barrow Street, SHAIR (St Helens Advocacy & Information Resource) provides a range of insurance products and services, independent living aids, lottery, and funeral plans, as well as extensive information, advice, advocacy and signposting.

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It is a free, confidential and impartial service for all eligible people (aged 18+) and their families, helping them to make informed choices to improve their lives. Working in partnership with St Helens Coalition of Disabled People, and Deafness Resource Centre, SHAIR are able to give a comprehensive service from signposting right through to advocacy. To contact the new office, call 01744 454 530.

News

Council’s commitment to digital St Helens Council is demonstrating its commitment to the digital age with a range of new and improved digital services. Earlier this year the council’s new website went live, with clearly marked tabs and a brand new ‘self-service’ section that allows people to do business with the council quickly and easily. And self-service kiosks are now available in the Contact Centre! Easy to use, the kiosks allow residents to beat the queues and get served faster when applying for a service, reporting a problem, finding out about Universal Credit or checking the progress of an outstanding call. One kiosk even enables residents to make payments, including Council Tax, school meals, mortgages and business rates. The council has also brought the historic Town Hall building into the 21st Century, with a unique virtual tour, provided by Google Maps. Google search ‘St Helens Town Hall’ and click ‘see inside.’

Digital advocates... council staff with the new self-service technology.

Good luck artists!

Historic Earlestown preserved

Good luck to all local artists who have entered submissions to feature in the world’s smallest temporary pop-up gallery ‘Tight Modern’, a miniature replica of the world-famous Tate Modern that will be stuffed full of works by those on the margins. Set up by Creative Future – the Brighton based national arts charity – the competition is open only to those who find it difficult to access the visual arts either because of mental health issues, disability, ill-health or social circumstances. Entries from across the country will now go to an expert judging panel, with 60 works to feature in the Tight Modern tour, stopping at four UK locations including St Helens libraries from 15 December 2016 and 15 February 2017. Learn more at www. tightmodern.org.uk.

Tight fit... the pop-up gallery will come to St Helens libraries.

St Helens Council has taken steps to preserve a significant part of the town’s heritage with the designation of a conservation area in Earlestown town centre, and has recently followed this up with a Townscape Heritage bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund. Earlestown originally developed around a spine road that connects the Liverpool and Manchester Railway – the world’s oldest passenger line – with an impressive listed town hall, and is recognised as one of the birth places of the Industrial Revolution in the North West. The aim of the bid is to celebrate the original planned layout, reveal original building frontages and shop fonts, as well as provide for improvements to the public realm that will promote additional activity in the town, including in and around the Market Square. Should the bid be successful, it is hoped that the funding will bring about a thriving and sustainable Earlestown.

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News Feature

Skills boost with adult learning service St Helens Council’s Adult and Community Learning (ACL) service is offering exciting new opportunities for adults to develop their skills, interests and prospects across the borough. Many courses are free, run up to five and ten weeks and start this January. Need to brush up on your maths or English skills? Want to help your children with their homework? Learn a new language; boost your employment prospects; become more adept with technology – it’s all possible with ACL. There are loads of courses on offer from positive thinking to first aid. Go to www. sthelens.gov.uk/adultlearning to find out more about the courses in your area, and register your interest by calling the team on 01744 677314 or emailing adultlearning@sthelens. gov.uk.

Support for blind veterans New research from national military charity Blind Veterans UK shows that 237 Armed Forces veterans in St Helens are living with severe sight loss – some of whom may not be aware of the free, lifelong support they can access. Blind Veterans UK provides training and rehabilitation, equipment, employment advice

and emotional support to help veterans discover a life beyond sight loss. The charity runs local lunch clubs to bring veterans together and social activities at their centres in Llandudno and Brighton. It also runs training sessions to teach veterans how to cook and use a computer whilst living with a vision impairment, and has helped

The adventure begins here

veterans to learn photography, archery and many other hobbies they never thought possible since losing their sight. If you know someone who served in the Armed Forces or did National Service and is now battling severe sight loss, find out how Blind Veterans UK could help them by calling 0800 389 7979 or visiting noonealone.org.uk.

The Boys’ Brigade 1st St Helens Company is ready to welcome more boys to weekly activitypacked sessions. One of the biggest youth organisations in the UK, the Boys’ Brigade is well known for offering boys with opportunities for adventure and personal development, drawing on Christian values. And the group is looking for adult leaders and helpers too. Could you

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spare a few hours each week to help enrich the lives of local young people? No formal experience is required and full training is delivered. Company meetings take place on Fridays, 6:30pm at the Ormskirk United Reformed Church, King Street. There’s no joining fee – just a nightly £2 subscription. For more information, contact Iain Paul on 01744 454933 or iainpaul1939@ gmail.com.

News

Green flags fly over borough Victoria Park has joined the 1,600 parks and green spaces across the UK entitled to fly the prestigious Green Flag. Managed by Keep Britain Tidy, the Green Flag award is judged by an army of more than 700 ‘green space experts’, who assess parks against eight strict criteria including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability and community involvement. St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Green, Smart and Sustainable Borough, Councillor Seve Gomez-Aspron, said: “This award is proof that Victoria Park boasts the highest possible standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent

facilities. “Quality green spaces are absolutely essential to happy, healthy communities. They are fundamental to our quality of life, whether in cities, towns or villages.” Elsewhere in the borough, the GreenAcres Woodland Burial Park in Rainford was celebrating its second consecutive Green Flag award. Diane Fusco Customer Services Advisor at GreenAcres said: “This award recognises and highlights that people in St Helens and the surrounding areas are benefitting from a green space of the very highest quality.”

Police launch new messaging service A new free community messaging service which allows members of the public to receive personalised news and crime updates in their local area has been launched by Merseyside Police and the Police Commissioner. MerseyNow will be used to send out appeals, crime prevention messages, offer support to victims and give advice about ongoing incidents. Members of the public can register for the free service and then control the way in which they receive messages – either via text, email or voice message. They can also choose which updates they receive based on the topics that are of interest to them,

such as crime prevention and burglaries. To register, all that’s needed is either an email address or a mobile number. Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Jane Kennedy said: “MerseyNow has been developed to bring the communication of essential police and crime information to the public right up to date. “The aim is to modernise communication between Merseyside Police, their key partners and the communities they serve to reduce crime and keep people safe.” To register for the service go to www.merseynow.org

Ancient crafts Mixed weather failed to dampen the spirits of hundreds of visitors as St Helens Council’s Ranger Service recently showcased some ancient ways of working at Victoria Park. Falconry displays, harp making, pole lathe demonstrations and even tarot card readings were just some of the activities that helped turn the clock back hundreds of years for those who attended a craft fair at the park, but there were also some modern, highoctane pursuits, like chainsaw

sculpting. St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Green Smart and Sustainable Borough, Councillor Seve Gomez-Aspron said: “As well as providing some fabulous entertainment, events like this help to ensure that traditional crafts aren’t lost to future generations.” The event was just one of an ongoing series of events at the newly-refurbished – and now Green Flag award winning – Victoria Park.

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News

New wellbeing website is BOSS! Help young people to flourish with Scouts

The national children’s charity Barnardo’s has unveiled a universal support website for young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

Could you help local young people achieve their full potential? Scouting in St Helens has grown remarkably in recent years with over 700 young people across Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers making friends, learning skills and sharing adventures. But there are still many stuck on waiting lists for local groups. Scouting needs more adult volunteers to become leaders and helpers to allow the organisation to grow and let more girls and boys join the adventure. And the rewards are massive! An awardwinning training scheme means that adults get as much from Scouting as young people. The approach focuses on what you want to get out of volunteering, while respecting how much time you want to offer. Over 90 per cent of Scout volunteers say that their skills and experiences have been useful in

And it’s all specific to services available right here in St Helens. Check it out at www.bosssthelens.co.uk.

their work or personal life. Call Scouts on 01744 26848 for an informal, no-commitment chat. To find out more about Scouting in St Helens visit www.sthelensscouts.org.uk or for the bigger picture visit www.scouts.org.uk

BOSS is free, safe and confidential; has been designed for 11-19 year olds, parents/carers and professionals; and has a range of highly accessible services, including, live chat, online counselling and self-help information on topics as diverse as anxiety, depression, bereavement, low mood, anger, self-esteem, friendship and relationship problems, self-harm and eating problems.

Are you a good listener? The BOSS online service needs volunteers aged 18 and above to chat to 11-19 year olds about wellbeing, particularly on Thursday evenings, 6pm-8pm. Volunteers will work from home, so access to a computer is essential. For more information, email Barnardo’s volunteer coordinator at sophie.cartwright@barnardos.org.uk

Neurodevelopmental support A brand new support service for parents and carers of children with neurodevelopmental conditions has opened in St Helens. ADDvanced Solutions Community Network is commissioned by St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group to deliver pre-, during and post-diagnosis learning, coaching

and mentoring. Mentors have teaching backgrounds, which lends the variety of free, open-access, whole family approach course options a reassuring and well thought out structure. From six weeks, to one day courses, and weekly Community

Network group sessions in the town centre, each can impart some really practical learning and advice for parents, carers and professionals to support and overcome behaviours of a range of neurodevelopmental conditions, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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Autism Spectrum Disorder/ Condition (ASD/C), sensory processing difficulties, dyspraxia and dyslexia. For more information, visit www. addvancedsolutions.co.uk or call 01744 582 172.

News Leukaemia battler Matthew fights back to complete GCSEs There have been a number of outstanding achievements from individual students across the borough, not least former St Cuthbert’s pupil Matthew Lee. In September 2015 just one day into year 11, Matthew was diagnosed with Leukaemia.

Students celebrate exam success For hundreds of students, the anxious wait came to an end in August when they received their A-level and GCSE results, marking another year of hard work and academic achievement in St Helens. Between them, St Helens secondary schools and Carmel College saw 98.6 per cent of A-level entries graded A*-E, higher than the national average of 98.1 per cent. Results at Rainford High this year showed a 10.1 percent

improvement on last year, with 44.9 per cent of students achieving A*-B grades in their A level results. At GCSE level, the introduction of the new Attainment 8 measure, has led to improvement in our secondaries. Last year, the overall Attainment 8 score for St Helens was 46.0 per cent compared to the national figure of 48.4 per cent. This year, St Helens’ Attainment 8 figure is 49.1 per cent. St Cuthbert’s recorded its best

ever results, with 54 per cent of students achieving five A*-C grades. A five per cent increase on last year’s performance. Councillor Andy Bowden, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “I’d like to congratulate all those students across the borough who worked so hard to achieve these results. “They can now look forward to further studies - or the world of work and training. It is an exciting time for them all, and for their futures.”

St Augustine’s welcomes the Anthony Walker Foundation As part of the school’s personal, social, health, economic education and citizenship programme (PSHEEC), members of the Anthony Walker Foundation were welcomed into St Augustine of Canterbury RC High School to speak to students about racism and hate crime. The foundation has been providing young people across the North West with education and information on racism and hate crime for over 10 years since the racially-motivated murder of Anthony Walker in 2005. Foundation worker, Natalie and volunteer, Nelson spoke to year 9 students during an assembly about Anthony in the words of his mother, Gee Walker, before a 30 minute film was shown to demonstrate how racism can take many forms and its impact on recipients.

After eight months of gruelling treatment and a stressful time for Matthew, his family and friends, he returned to school full of determination to complete enough GCSE exams to secure his place at college, where he is currently studying to pursue his dream of becoming a paramedic or police officer. A delighted Matthew said: “I am very proud of myself for everything I have achieved since I became unwell. It was a huge shock and despite being scared at times I knew that I had to be strong and fight, which I did. “I only came back to school after Easter but I was able to sit some GCSE exams and did really well. I am proud to have been a member of Cuthies school and would like to thank all teachers and pupils for all their support over the past year. I just hope that I can now continue to work hard and make a success of the time I have at college, where I have already received loads of support.”

Library expands

Councillor Andy Bowden (back row, second on the left) with St Augustine of Canterbury RC High School students - and Natalie and Nelson from the Anthony Walker Foundation

St Helens College has unveiled a new, larger library for students. Using a charitable donation from the Gamble Education Charity Trust, the college has spent over £1million to create the new space which features more PCs, individual study booths, a performance and exhibition area and a café serving light snacks and Starbucks coffee, together with a wide range of books reflecting the college curriculum.

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Feature

Family fun...cycling appeals to all ages.

Despite only forming in 2013, Thatto Heath Crusaders ARLFC women’s section has certainly come a long way in such a short space of time. Last season, the first team were crowned winners of the Women’s Challenge Cup for the third time, while the reserves lifted the Women’s Challenge Shield to add to their already impressive trophy collection. Under the guidance of head coach Mark Brennan, Dave Rotheram, Geoff Allford and a team of dedicated coaches - the talent and commitment of the players has not gone unnoticed. Nine players were selected to represent the England Lionesses at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

ABOVE: Thatto Heath Ladies First Team

Thatto Heath ladies are on the ball BELOW: Thatto Heath Reserves (Black & Red) with Whitley Bay

And earlier this year, the first team beat French champions Biganos XII 52-6 to be crowned European Champions. More recently, eight players were selected for the National Talent Development weekend, and four of the girls lined up against France in October as part of the England squad. The Crusaders also have four Grand Final victories to their name, most recently with a 36-8 win against Bradford Bulls in the Women’s RL Grand Final in October, in what was an unbeaten season. Jenny Welsby, who captains the first team, said: “Rugby League has given me physical health and strength, confidence, friends for life and I would encourage anyone to get involved with the sport.

“I am extremely proud to captain such a great group of girls and to have lifted so many trophies with them. It’s an exciting time to see so many young players coming through and the future is definitely bright for the team.” If you are interested in joining Thatto Heath Ladies or Girls sides , training sessions take place on Wednesday evenings 7pm-8pm for the girls (11-16 years) and 8pm-9pm for the Ladies (16 years and above) at Crusader Park, Close Street, St Helens.

Download the St Helens cycle map to your phone.

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For more information, email mark.brennan@cronton.ac.uk

Community News

Local table tennis club whips up a storm A local home-grown table tennis club has been keeping residents fit and healthy, and making waves in regional competitions. Dismayed by what he felt were inaccessible clubs elsewhere in the North West, Rainford resident Geoff Pye set about creating his own club with a few friends in 2009. Since then, Geoff’s Rainford Storm Table Tennis Club (TTC) has become firmly established, home now to over 40 members of varying ability. It’s easy to see why – the group gives a warm welcome to newcomers and is proud of its friendly atmosphere, but members also have a strong competitive streak. In fact, they’ve become

quite the contenders in league competitions around the region. Geoff said: “We started off as all clubs do with just a few members but word soon got out about what we do and why, and more and more people came to join. We’re not professionals at the sport but we know enough to help you improve your skills, keep you fit and have fun doing it.” The club is now looking for support from local businesses if it’s to continue to grow and contribute to the community. Want to learn more? Contact Geoff on 07778215552 or via dianecoope.dc@gmail.com, or find Rainford Storm TTC on Facebook.

TOP: The Rainford Storm TTC ABOVE: Eye on the ball…Geoff Pye

Try your hand at Bridge Lester Drive Bridge Club is calling on new players to attend their weekly morning sessions to discover the benefits of taking up one of the world’s most popular card games. Held every Wednesday morning, the beginners’ and improvers’ lessons are a great way to exercise your brain and meet new people - all within the comfort of the volunteer-run Lester Drive Centre in Eccleston. Gordon Griffiths, who started playing Bridge two years ago after giving up golf due to health reasons, said: “I find the sessions really good with a friendly but competitive atmosphere and I would recommend Bridge to anyone who enjoys the company of other people.”

Beginners’ and improvers’ classes take place every Wednesday morning from 9:30am to 11:45am at a cost of just £1.50 which includes tea/coffee and biscuits – and experienced players are on hand to welcome newcomers and teach the basics. Experienced Bridge players meet every Tuesday at 7pm. Single players welcome as a partner will be found. For more information, call Derek Wilson on 01744 29388. To find out more what the Lester Drive Centre has to offer, call Edith Martlew on 01744 26813 or email lesterdrivecentre@ gmail.com

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News Feature

Beat the cold this

WINTER Winter is just around the corner and while for most people it’s just a matter of turning up the heating, for some it can be far more dangerous. Elderly, infirm and vulnerable people are at risk when the temperature starts to drop. In fact, in 2014-2015 there were an estimated 43,900 extra deaths over the winter period in England and Wales. But help is at hand! The council and its partners including Age UK Mid Mersey are working to minimize that risk wherever possible.

Can you help?

St Helens Council and partners are recruiting cold weather volunteers and urging neighbours to keep an eye on older and vulnerable residents in the event of severe weather this winter. Cold weather volunteers should have a reasonable level of fitness as they could be called on to assist vulnerable residents by clearing snow from driveways and paths and gritting. Project partners also want to hear from

people who can act as ‘tele-befrienders’ – who can make regular phone calls to those at risk of becoming isolated in bad weather. If you don’t feel able to formally volunteer, perhaps you can look in on your older or vulnerable neighbours this winter.

Older people who may be frail, or who have existing health conditions, are particularly at risk. “We’re asking everyone to remember the needs of anyone they know who could be at risk. Many people are not aware that by not keeping warm enough, they may be putting themselves in danger”, said St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing Councillor Jeanie Bell.

WINTER SURVIVAL PACKS St Helens Council and Age UK Mid Mersey are once again ready to distribute thousands of Winter Warmer packs to vulnerable people across the borough throughout December at local libraries. Distribution of these free and handy packs takes place in the following libraries on the dates shown from 10:30am-12:30pm, unless otherwise stated. 1 December – Peter Street 2 December - Billinge 5 December – Newton-le-Willows

“Heating homes to at least 18 degrees Celsius in winter reduces the risk to your health. Being too cold can cause serious problems for your breathing if you have a bad chest. Sitting for long periods in a cold home can put pressure on your heart and blood circulation too – leading to very serious problems such heart attacks and strokes.”

6 December – Chester Lane

Prospective volunteers or tele-befriender can register their details with the St Helens Cold Weather Advice line on Freephone 08000 355 878.

15 December – Garswood (2:00pm-4:00pm)

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7 December – Haydock 8 December – Rainford 12 December – Thatto Heath 13 December – Moss Bank 14 December – Parr 15 December – Eccleston 16 December – Rainhill

News

BEYOND THE FRINGE salon, Kiln Lane, goes above and beyond for clients living with dementia.

Are you Dementia Friendly? A move to make St Helens a more dementiafriendly place to live and work has seen major success.

Residents: 1. Become a Dementia Friend online or search for a local face to face session by visiting www.dementiafriends.org.uk

A campaign was launched in collaboration with the St Helens Star at the beginning of the year, with the intention of doubling the number of Dementia Friends within the borough. The campaign featured real stories from local people, businesses and organisations that are each doing incredible things to help people with dementia. Already in the campaign, the spotlight has shone on some every day heroes, like John Kelly, whose own experience of dementia led him to establish support groups for others; some important local voices have been amplified, including people with young-onset dementia; and some of the vital work that goes on to support St Helens’ dedicated carers has been showcased. As a result, we’ve seen Dementia Friends in St Helens rise from 3730 in January – the total for the preceding three years – to a current total of 8798, soaring over and above the target. Dementia Friends is an initiative set up by the Alzheimer’s Society, which seeks to educate people about the condition that currently affects 850,000 people in the UK alone and to remove the stigma and misconceptions associated with it.

2. Spread the word about becoming a Dementia Friend to 5 people and encourage them to do the same 3. Do you work in public facing organisation such as a bank, supermarket, post office, public transport or retail environment? Enquire at work about Dementia Friends. JOHN KELLY established the ‘Looking Forward’ dementia support groups.

Its quick, simple and free information sessions can be accessed online, or face-to-face in convenient groups for a more personal approach. Talking about dementia can be frightening, but seeking help from your GP early offers the best chance of getting the right support, advice and treatment. For more information on dementia, call the Alzheimer’s Society on 0151 420 8010 or visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/dementia, where you can read every inspiring local story from the campaign. Want to get involved and be more dementia friendly?

4. Consider becoming a volunteer Dementia Friends Champion and delivering face to face sessions yourself by searching online ‘What is a Dementia Friends Champion?’

Organisations and businesses can follow these simple steps: 1. Identify a ‘Champion’ to lead the work to provide a dementia-friendly service for your customers 2. Support your staff to become more Dementia Friendly by searching online for ‘Dementia Friends How Organisations Can Get Involved’. 3. Join the St Helens Dementia Action Alliance 4. Contact publichealth@sthelens.gov.uk for more support

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ARTS ALIVE! FUNDING BOOSTS LOCAL ARTS SCENE… St Helens’ resurgent arts scene has benefitted in big ways from external funding this year, proving that the borough is a great place for culture.

CULTURAL HUBS WINS NATIONAL LOTTERY AWARD St Helens Council’s Cultural Hubs has been crowned the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded arts programme in The National Lottery Awards. The iconic award (see cover photo) was presented to the team by actor Ralf Little at a prestigious London ceremony, filmed for the BBC.

The achievement and national recognition comes with a prize of £3,000 to boost Cultural Hubs’ diverse programme of arts based performances, plays, gigs, workshops, courses and exhibitions, enabling more emerging and established artists and performers to showcase their talent and creativity in St Helens. The arts in libraries programme had beaten off stiff competition from over 600 other projects within the Arts category to reach the finals, where it received the most public votes. Councillor Jeanie Bell, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, with responsibility for libraries, arts and culture, said: “We’re extremely honoured and proud that our Cultural Hubs – Arts in Libraries programme has received so much support in the National Lottery Awards from the

borough and beyond. Over the past couple of years, Lottery money distributed through Arts Council England’s Grants for the Arts (Libraries) fund has really helped us to provide a varied programme of brilliant cultural activities across our library network. “St Helens is a shining example of how the arts can be used to enliven library spaces. I’d like to thank everyone who helped us win by promoting and voting for our nomination, and the library and arts services for their dedication and passion.”

NEW HEART OF GLASS PROJECT The innovative arts commissioning project Heart of Glass was successful in its Ambition for Excellence application to Arts Council England. A whopping £487,500 was granted to support

a project designed to raise the aspirations of women and girls in St Helens through interaction with local history and the arts. Rachel Anderson’s ‘With the past in front of me I walk backwards into the future…’ will develop in 2017 and 2018 and will include activities such as readings by psychic mediums, story-telling and sessions led by local historians, family tree researchers and a family constellation practitioner. The project will also see a team of local women trained in construction and design and tasked with transforming a St Helens house into a huge artwork for public enjoyment. Heart of Glass director Patrick Fox said: “We are delighted to be working with our partners [idle women and ANU Productions] on this significant project over the coming years. What we are proposing will be a bombastic

collaborative arts project, something that breaks new ground, and is a first nationally. “Working with women across the borough of St Helens, and creating a new set of productions in the year that the town celebrates its 150th birthday will be a dramatic moment to present stories that have been untold, and realise St Helens as a fertile ground for ambitious collaborative arts projects that reflect the politics of our times.” For more information, visit www. heartofglass.org.uk.

VITAL BOOST FOR CITADEL The Citadel, one of St Helens’ most popular venues, has been awarded £141,050 of funding by Arts Council England. The Waterloo Street venue was given the sum as part of the Catalyst Evolve

initiative, which aims to support organisations with a limited track record in fundraising to attract more investment. The Evolve fund – a pot of £17.5 million split between 140 organisations nationwide – will enable the Citadel to build from individual giving, private sponsorship and private trusts and foundations, and is part of a bid to create a more resilient arts and culture sector. Citadel chief executive, Fay Lamb said: “This funding represents a significant opportunity for the Citadel to create a step change in diversifying its income base and helping us develop successful and sustainable fundraising models for the future. Investing in the Citadel also further demonstrates Arts Council England’s commitment to St Helens.”

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Feature

Showcase your talent Introducing roomoo, the new online platform that can revolutionise the way you build your personal and professional CV and portfolio. roomoo is a highly-accessible and completely free-to-use website that enables people of all ages to take ownership of their portfolios, and the way they find employment. roomoo makes it easy to showcase your talents to potential employers. You can add images and videos to your portfolio to create a truly unique representation of what you have to offer. Users can also choose which parts of their CV and portfolio are visible to employers at any time, putting them in complete control.

What’s more, roomoo was designed as a onestop-shop for modern living, containing a vast wealth of practical advice and information, on everything from jobs, training, interview preparation and opportunities abroad, to money, housing, food and events. Hundreds of people have built their personalised portfolios since roomoo launched in August 2015, including Gary and Brian, who attended a roomoo support session. Gary, aged 21, said: “roomoo has made job searching easier and more fun for me because it allows me to upload pictures I have taken of my certificates and achievements, making it easier for employers to see my skills.” Brian, aged 52, concurred: “We were shown how to make our CVs better and how to bring them to life. We can now all add photos and videos of our achievements to our CVs, which is going to be a massive help gaining employment. I would really recommend roomoo to anyone; it’s a fantastic service!” Conceived and developed in St Helens by young people aged 18-25 who volunteer with Helena Homes, the website is co-funded by

click start your future

You can search for live vacancies, and using your unique URL link – generated once you create your roomoo account – you can direct employers straight to your portfolio. Employers are also encouraged to search roomoo for potential candidates, and with its filtering facility, the website is truly able to match clients with the right employers and vice versa!

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Fusion 21 and Helena. Having received much positive feedback from users, roomoo – currently touring the UK – is now building up its partnership base, looking to work with universities and colleges and big-name employers, and is already advocated by Job Centre Plus, The Princes Trust and St Helens Chamber. Still in its infancy, roomoo is constantly growing and developing. Why not give roomoo a go now at www.roomoo.co.uk, follow it @ room_oo, and let the team know what you think by emailing info@roomoo.co.uk. You can even attend a personal group demonstration of all that roomoo has to offer by emailing the same.

Business News

Helping hand Eco travel for workplace is good health news for companies There is a unique opportunity for St Helens firms to demonstrate commitment to the wellbeing of their workforce. Supported by St Helens Council, local firms can now access funded support to help improve the health of their employees through the Workplace Wellbeing Charter.

It’s widely known that being in work is good for people’s health and wellbeing, but it’s increasingly being recognised that a healthy workforce is beneficial to employers too. By creating a positive, safe and healthy environment for your staff, you can increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and increase morale in your business. The Charter is is a voluntary, self-assessment scheme funded by Public Health England. Whatever the size or sector, your organisation can benefit from working towards Charter standards in many ways. For further information contact Sue Waller, Business Liaison Officer on 01744 676001 or susanwaller@sthelens.gov.uk.

Businesses across St Helens could boost their balance sheets by going green. Steve Whitehouse, St Helens Council’s new Business Support Assistant, has been appointed to help companies and organisations put together sustainable travel plans. “I’d be delighted to hear from any company that wishes to discuss the opportunities and options,” said Steve. “I’ll visit their site for a meeting - when I can also talk about the help that’s available to increase walking, cycling, eco driving and the use of public transport on the journey to work. “I’d also like to hear about transport issues affecting businesses, so the council knows where to focus its funding on supporting sustainable growth.” Steve works closely with Merseytravel, he can help with cycle training and can link employers with the council’s travel trainer – who will help to

Green travel: Council Business Support Assistant Steve Whitehouse

ensure that travel isn’t a barrier to opportunities for some residents. The council has also appointed an organisation to deliver fuelsaver driver training to local

businesses. To contact Steve call 01744 676189 or email stephenwhitehouse@sthelens. gov.uk

Diamonds in the rough If you’re a property developer, vacant properties in St Helens need your help. Right now there are 1022 vacant properties across the borough brimming with opportunity. St Helens Council’s Empty Property Team has been successful in helping private owners and property developers to maximise the re-use of empty properties, with 581 previously vacant homes brought back into use in recent years. The team provides advice and information to property owners, including signposting owners to organisations willing to buy or refurbish vacant properties. If you are interested in being on the Empty Property Developers List, call the Empty Property team on 01744 673473, or visit www. sthelens.gov.uk/housing.

Before and after: Unloved house, now a desirable home.

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Feature

Janette’s picture perfect discovery

ABOVE: Janette (second from left) in her mint-coloured bridesmaid dress. The wedding was held at St Thomas CoE Church, Peter Street. BELOW RIGHT: Janette recognised this picture of her late brother Gerald, and sister-in-law Doreen, which is available to view in St Helens Central Library as part of the St Helens Through The Lens project. BELOW LEFT: Janette (right) uncovered family photographs taken over 61 years ago at a recent Heritage Open Day event at Central Library.

the St Helens Through The Lens project. Little did she know that in that collection contained photographs taken on the wedding day of her brother and sister-inlaw, Gerald Parr and Doreen Mason on 1 October 1955, for which she was a bridesmaid.

For St Helens resident Janette Leatherbarrow, a recent Heritage Open Day celebration event at Central Library proved to be a worthwhile experience when she uncovered several family photographs from over 61 years ago. As part of Heritage Open Days 2016 in September, Janette, from Windle, attended St Helens Central Library to view

Having not seen the images for 61 years, a flabbergasted Janette couldn’t wait to return home to call Doreen, who has most of the photographs in her wedding album back home in Inverness, to tell her all about her discovery. “I couldn’t believe my eyes,” said Janette. “The day came flashing back to me. I recognised everyone in the photos straight away. Even though the pictures are in black and white, I could immediately recall the colour of our bridesmaids’ dresses. And given the quality of the

photographs, I could almost feel Gerald’s tweet suit. “I would encourage anyone to attend the exhibition because you never know what hidden gems you might come across.” St Helens Through The Lens is a Heritage Lottery funded project which aims to engage the public with the George Street Photography Collection, 3000 digitised images including weddings, portraits, sport, events and factories from around the 1950s. Members of the public are invited to come along to see the display of images in the Local History & Archives Room at Central Library. For more information and to follow the progress of the project visit www. sthelenslens.wordpress. com

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News

Free sports for Year 7s New high school pupils can exercise for free at any of St Helens’ four leisure centres until 31 December 2016! This not-to-be-missed offer from Go Active grants current Year 7 pupils free access to a range of leisure activities and sports including swimming, squash, table tennis, badminton, gym and athletics across Queens Park Health

and Fitness Centre, Selwyn Jones Sports Centre, Parr Swimming and Fitness Centre and Sutton Leisure Centre. Ellie Hughes’ (pictured) mum said: “Both Ellie and Eva are always asking to come to the gym. They’ve previously enjoyed swimming sessions but wished they could start using the gym and now they can. It’s also encouraged

PHOTO: Ellie (left), with best friend Eva Yorke from Sutton Academy, Daniel Macdonald from De La Salle, and Go Active’s Beth McCartney.

me to join and come regularly to classes with Eva’s mum!” Ask your school for an application form and simply drop it off at your chosen leisure centre. For more information follow or like GoActiveSTH on Twitter and Facebook or visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/GoActive.

Born to Move Sutton Leisure AstroTurf gets a refresh

A new and unique exercise programme that enables young children to explore and enjoy different ways of getting fit has launched at Selwyn Jones Sports Centre. Specifically designed for children aged 2 to 5 years, Born to Move classes teach age appropriate motor skills that improve agility, coordination, endurance, flexibility and speed through music. Led by a highly trained teacher who knows how to coach the best from each child – while inspiring a love of movement – the 30 to 45 minute classes for 2-3 year olds includes imagination, exploration and music, allowing them to sing and dance their way through a series of simple moves that builds body awareness and balance. Classes provided for 4-5 year olds include an adventure of discovery, action and song to help them discover how their bodies work as they develop a sense of self awareness, balance and coordination and concentration skills as they interpret music, explore and move to a beat. For more information, contact Colette Leather on 01744 677970 or email selwynjones@ sthelens.gov.uk

You’ll have to be quick off the mark to get a place on Sutton Leisure Centre’s AstroTurf pitch, which has recently benefitted from a complete rejuvenation process. The facility at Sutton is very popular and is used for football, hockey and a range of other sports. The rejuvenation process involves the replacement of the used, dirty sand with a new clean layer, which helps to keep the grass fibres upright – key to maintaining good performance. The result is an ‘almost new’ surface which players have really noticed. One of the regular football teams said: “The last two weeks’ games have been fantastic; it’s as if a new pitch has been installed! All of the players have said how much better the pitch has been for the past couple of games since there’s much more cushioning when running and it has helped to make the games more enjoyable.” Book your next match at Sutton Leisure Centre, open throughout winter, by calling 01744 677 375 or visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/goactive

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Feature

Success every

Penkford Penkford School is by no means an ordinary school. It’s a day-maintained special school for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) issues, but more than that, Penkford boasts some quite remarkable innovations in its curriculum and support structure – leading the way forward for SEMH schools. Accommodating 55 young people from Year 4 to Year 11, the school prides itself on being a beacon of best practice for behaviour management, pastoral care, teaching and learning. With Head teacher Julie Johnson at the helm, Penkford’s senior leadership team has guided the school from requiring improvement to good Ofsted ratings across the board, including effective leadership; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare; and outcomes for pupils. Julie, praised by Ofsted as an inspiring leader, said: “We choose

to work at Penkford because we want to make a difference. It is very challenging but extremely rewarding. Staff, pupils, parents and carers and Governors all worked together to move our school forward and we were thrilled by the recent very positive Ofsted report we received. We are now on the journey to become an outstanding school.” The same ambition fuels a number of the school’s exciting innovations, including: • The procurement of a fulltime school counsellor and the introduction of holistic initiatives like the Ozone Zen Garden and the National Lottery-funded Quiet Place project. • An expert-led mental health clinic that focuses on prevention of behavioural difficulties, and offers bespoke staff training. • An involved and active junior leadership team and pupil council, who lead on the pupil-made Penkford Gazette newsletter.

•

Employing a Military Mentor, an amputee who served in Afghanistan, to help and support pupils at risk of exclusion. Close proactive partnership working with the local police with full time Safer Schools Police Officer coverage at the school to help and support pupils and families. Piloting an LA Employability Scheme for Looked After Children offering the first place to a former pupil.

Academic achievement When pupils arrive at the school, most have experienced difficulties in their learning, behaviour and attendance. But thanks to dedicated support and personalised learning, pupils are achieving academically. The most-able pupils are now attaining GCSEs in English, mathematics, science, and art

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and design. Penkford offers the chance for all pupils to achieve external academic and vocational qualifications through different routes or pathways, including both English and mathematics as a minimum. The Building Futures vocational centre enables older pupils to engage in practical learning, such as painting and decorating or motor vehicle maintenance and is staffed by experienced industry professionals and tradespeople. Other special schools and local mainstream schools commission places for KS4 pupils at the popular vocational skills centre, which offers industry recognised qualifications up to Diploma level.

Connected Penkford

While you might expect it to operate in isolation, Penkford School is incredibly wellconnected, sharing experience with other SEMH schools in the region. Teachers are ‘buddied-

Feature

day at

School up’ with staff from mainstream schools to share best practice. The Head and key staff were recently invited to present their ideas and approaches at the annual ADHD Foundation National Conference. Additionally, all of the senior leadership team serve as governors on other school bodies, which Ms Johnson believes instils, “a keener sense of accountability and a much sharper understanding of governance leading to outstanding leadership and management.”

As part of the school’s Outdoor Education provision, Penkford pupils took on an extreme challenge in the Ardeche region of France, kayaking down the Ardeche River gorge and camping out under the stars. “This was our most difficult challenge yet,” said Phil Worgan, Lead for Outdoor Education at Penkford. “Ray Mears himself followed in our footsteps for his ‘Wild France’ programme, when he canoed down the Ardeche River – using the route took by Penkford pupils. “Our pupils have achieved some incredible things; visiting Everest Base Camp, cycling the Tour de France track around Mont Blanc and facing the rapids of the Ardeche River!”

Outdoor Education plays a key role in the curriculum at Penkford. All pupils have access to structured offsite outdoor provision every week, inspired by the likes of Bear Grylls and Ray Mears, who followed in the footsteps of an adventurous Penkford trek earlier this year.

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News

Winter warning on bogus tradesmen With winter fast approaching it’s a time when many homeowners ready their homes for the harsher weather by completing any outstanding maintenance jobs. But this is also a time when unscrupulous and opportunistic bogus tradesmen seek to take advantage of unsuspecting householders. Cases of “doorstep crime” have risen dramatically over recent months with conmen often posing as roofers, gutter cleaners, tree surgeons, council officials or driveway layers. Victims are often left traumatised , having paid hundreds or thousands of pounds for shoddy, incomplete work and in some cases damage is done to the property leaving it in a worse state of repair than before. The advice from St Helens Trading Standards is simple – do not deal with anyone who knocks on your door and remember; •

Use your spy hole or chain.

•

Do not open your door to anyone you don`t know.

•

Use the St Helens Council Trader Register to find a reliable trader – www.sthelens.gov.uk/traderregister or telephone 01744 676299 if you do not have access to the internet.

•

Call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06 to find out your rights or report a suspicious trader.

•

IN AN EMERGENCY RING 999.

In addition St Helens Trading Standards have a supply of window stickers which make it clear that the resident does not deal with uninvited traders and advises the would be tradesmen to leave and to not return. If you would like a window sticker please email tradingstandards@sthelens.gov.uk or telephone 01744 676299.

Assistive Technology group launched A member of St Helens Council’s People’s Service has developed a forum to test, trial and inform people about various types of standalone Assistive Technology and smart phone apps. Assistive technology is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities, but is something that can benefit everyone. The council already provides access to much of this technology but Commissioning Manager Carrie Woods’ NHS Innovations sponsored project aims to highlight how standalone

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technology can be bought directly and does not have to be connected to any wider social care system. “The consumer or focus group will be made up of ‘real’ people whose appraisal of AT products and apps will be used to provide meaningful accessible information,” said Carrie. To become a member of the consumer group you would be expected to attend 2-hour sessions, every six weeks, during the daytime, in a town centre location. For more information, email carriewoods@ sthelens.gov.uk.

News

More mums choosing breast Local mums and babies at a Healthy Living Infant Feeding support group.

St Helens Council is delighted to see an increase in breastfeeding rates in the borough. The increase, though slight, hints at positively changing attitudes to breastfeeding – reinforced by the fact that 99 per cent of residents said they

would support women who breastfeed in a recent survey.

than doubled since September 2015.

The news comes as a new awareness campaign ‘Your Milk’ is launched, focusing on the benefits of breastfeeding. The campaign will build on the great work done by the council’s Infant Feeding Team, users of which have more

The team has extended its service access hours, and is working closely with key partners in Midwifery and Health Visiting. Put simply, more and more mums are learning the benefits and choosing to breastfeed.

Know the risks of alcohol St Helens Council’s Healthy Living team is this year supporting Alcohol Awareness Week (14-20 November), which this year is all about knowing the risks, how it affects us as individuals, families, communities and society as a whole. The team will also be out and about around the borough as part of an awareness campaign over the coming weeks and into ‘Dry

January’, when many of us resolve to cut down or cut out alcohol. The first event will take place in Church Square (16 November), where residents can find out about the hidden dangers of alcohol – including hypertension, diabetes, cancer and depression – and look at trying some healthy, non-alcoholic alternatives. And to that end, Healthy Living has partnered with select bars

and pubs in St Helens to offer a free soft drink to the designated driver of your group, upon presentation of a designated driver keychain and car keys. Sign up to the scheme to get your keychain at www.healthysthelens. co.uk, call 0300 300 0103 or find out more at the Church Square event.

Need support? The knowledgeable Infant Feeding Team offers free and friendly breastfeeding and antenatal guidance via phone, community venues or in the home, every day, 8am-8pm weekdays, and 10am4pm weekends. Call 0300 300 0103 or visit www.healthysthelens.co.uk.

Protect your family from flu

For most of us a dose of flu is unpleasant and means a few days poorly in bed, but for some people flu can be a killer. Each winter hundreds of thousands of people in England see their GP about flu; tens of thousands are hospitalised by it; and hundreds end up fighting for their lives in intensive care with flu complications. The only way to protect against flu is by having the flu vaccine, which you are eligible to receive free if you’re over 65, pregnant or have health conditions. 2-4 year olds can get a free nasal spray vaccination, and 5-7 year olds can get the vaccine through school. Having the vaccine can protect your family, friends and colleagues too! Ask your GP or a participating local pharmacy about the flu vaccine today!

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St Helens Council’s community magazine

Winter 2016

What’s on

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES

Musical fireworks display Sherdley Park Saturday 5 November

November RAINHILL BEER FESTIVAL Rainhill Recreation Club Thursday 10 - Saturday 12 November THE INVISIBLE CITY Pop-up drive in cinema, Alexandra Business Park Saturday 12 November TWOPENCE TO CROSS THE MERSEY Stage play, Theatre Royal Saturday 12 November BETFAIR CHASE FESTIVAL Haydock Park Racecourse Friday 18 – Saturday 19 November SCREENING OF ‘THE COMMUTE’ Lucem House Community Cinema Plus+ Friday 18 November COMEDY NIGHT Ruskin Drive Sportsground Saturday 19 November THE CLONE ROSES The Stone Roses tribute act, The Citadel Saturday 19 November

EARLESTOWN CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON Market Street Thursday 24 November

BLADE RUNNER Part of Small Cinema Book Film Festival, Central Library Wednesday 23 November

HAYDOCK CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON Haydock Library Friday 25 November

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CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON WITH UNION J Victoria Square Saturday 19 November ST HELENS BEER FESTIVAL St Helens Town Hall Friday 25 – Saturday 26 November CRAFTY CHRISTMAS FAIR Mansion House Sunday 27 November

December

RAINFORD CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON Church Road Thursday 1 December DISABILITY FOR DUNCES Comedy, Central Library Friday 2 December ALADDIN Theatre Royal Saturday 3 December CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING Multi-faith ceremony, Central Library Saturday 3 December FATHER CHRISTMAS AND REINDEERS Church Square Sunday 4 December NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS CHRISTMAS FAIR AND LIGHTS SWITCH ON High Street Sunday 4 December CRACKED Theatre production Central Library Sunday 4 December CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT Sutton Walsh Chapel Sunday 4 December HANSEL AND GRETEL The Citadel Saturday 10 December ECHOES THROUGH THE YEARS Theatre and historic photos, Central Library Wednesday 14 December TIGHT MODERN Pop-up gallery, St Helens libraries Thursday 15 December Thursday 15 February CHRISTMAS SPECIAL SING-ALONG (BOOKING ESSENTIAL) Lucem House Community Cinema Plus+ Friday 16 December M:ZONE Under 18s gig, The Citadel Sunday 18 December

PHOENIX APPAREL’S VINTAGE & VEGAN XMAS FAIR St Helens Town Hall Saturday 3 December

January HOW CAN LIFE GO ON? Holocaust Memorial, St Helens libraries Saturday 7 - Saturday 21 January THE FUNNY THING ABOUT… Stand-up for over 6s, Central Library Friday 20 January HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY SERVICES St Helens Central Library/St Helens Town Hall Friday 27 January

For more information

about what’s happening in St Helens, go to www.whatsoninsthelens.com. For regular updates go to facebook.com/whatsoninsthelens and ‘like’ our page, or follow us on Twitter at @whatsonsthelens. Alternatively call 01744 676740.

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First Feedback St Helens Council’s community magazine

Winter 2016

What’s your problem? We do all we can to fix problems quickly and efficiently. But sometimes you’ll become aware of an issue before we do – so we depend on our residents to tell us what needs fixing, moving, inspecting or clearing. If we don’t know about it – we can’t help. BY PHONE – 01744 676789 BY EMAIL – contactcentre@sthelens.gov.uk USING THE COUNCIL APP - search ‘St Helens Council’ in your app store BY MINICOM - 01744 671671 VIA OUR WEBSITE - www.sthelens.gov.uk/self-service

A big thank you to everyone who flagged up local issues to us over the last few weeks. Here are just a few of the problems we’ve helped people with.

Your Problem

Action

Flytipping on Skitters Grove, Haydock , with possible asbestos material.

All waste was removed and the area cleared.

Damaged play equipment at Gaskell Park, and broken glass.

Play area was cleared and swings repaired.

Two black and white birds were reported to be seemingly in distress in Willow Park, unable to fly.

Ranger Service and RSPB confirmed the birds were fledgling magpies learning to fly, and monitored them until they could.

Street light on Railton Road, Rainhill, was not working.

Light was repaired.

Numerous residents reported cold calls from someone falsely claiming to be HMRC.

Matter was reported to Action Fraud, and local media assisted us to spread news of the scam.

Overhanging vegetation was reported on Moss Bank Road, obstructing access.

Vegetation was promptly pruned.

Like us on Facebook: sthelenscouncil

Survey

Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour â&#x20AC;&#x201C; What do YOU think? St.Helens Council, Merseyside Police and other local agencies which form the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) want to know what you think about crime and anti-social behaviour where you live. Simply fill in this quick survey and send it back to us freepost at the following address.

Safer Communities, St.Helens Council, Freepost, NAT 22039, Wesley House, St.Helens WA10 1HF Your views are important to us, and will be used to determine policies and actions to help fight crime and keep St.Helens a safe place to live, work and visit for everyone!

Ethnicity, please select one:

q White British q White Irish q Other White Background q Indian q Chinese q Pakistani q Bangladeshi q Other Asian Background q Caribbean

q African q Other Black Background q White & Black Caribbean q White & Black African q White & Asian q Other Mixed Background q Other Ethnic Group q Not Stated

Your Details..................................................................... Name:............................................................................... Address:........................................................................... ..........................................................................................

Do you consider yourself disabled? About You - Your Gender:

1. How important do you think it is for us to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour where you live? (Please tick one)

Your Age:

q 16-24 q 25-34 q 55-64 q 65-74

Very important Fairly important Fairly unimportant Very unimportant Neither important nor unimportant

2. How well do you think St.Helens Council and its partners are doing in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in your neighbourhood? (Please tick one)

Very well Fairly well Very poorly Neither well nor poorly

3. How well-informed do you feel about the work that St.Helens Council and its partners are doing to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour where you live? (Please tick one)

Very well-informed Fairly well-informed Fairly poorly informed Very poorly informed Neither well nor poorly informed

4. How safe do you feel in the areawhere you live? (Please tick one)

Very safe Fairly safe Fairly unsafe Very unsafe Neither safe nor unsafe

q q q q q

q Yes q No q Female q Male q 35-44 q 45-54 q 75+

Have your say (additional comments) ..................................................................................... ..................................................................................... ..................................................................................... .....................................................................................

q q q q q q q q q

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01744 676789 | www.sthelens.gov.uk | Winter 2016 | St Helens First 29

Vandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage..................................... People using or dealing drugs.................................................................... People being drunk or rowdy in public places......................................... Rubbish and litter lying around................................................................... Abandoned or burnt out cars...................................................................... Street prostitution........................................................................................... Begging/rough sleeping............................................................................... Nuisance vehicles in public spaces (off-road motor bikes etc.)........... Dog Fouling..................................................................................................... People being abused because of their skin colour................................. People being abused because of their sexuality..................................... People being abused because of their disability..................................... People being abused because of their age.............................................. 6. We take all crime and disorder issues seriously, but we would like to know what you think we should be prioritising? (Please tick three in total)

7. St.Helens Council should use CCTV cameras to openly monitor activity in public places for the purpose of reducing, deterring and detecting crime.

Anti-Social Behaviour Business Crime Child Sexual Exploitation Domestic Burglary Domestic Violence & Abuse Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree or Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don’t Know

8. Clear visible CCTV monitoring in public places reduces crime.

Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree or Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don’t Know

9. Clear visible CCTV in public places makes me feel safer.

Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree or Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree Don’t Know

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30 St Helens First | Winter 2016 | www.sthelens.gov.uk | 01744 676789

Drugs Hate Crime Shop Lifting Vehicle Crime Violent Crime

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CCTV The Council’s CCTV service makes an important contribution towards delivering Community Safety Partnerships’ Strategy by helping the Council and Police to prevent and tackle priority issues such as anti-social behaviour, violence and burglary and by making a significant impact on residents’ perceptions of safety. Public responses helps to ensure that we continue to operate an effective CCTV system whilst taking into account the right of privacy of our residents. There are more than 100 CCTV cameras across St.Helens which are constantly monitored 24 hours a day. Please tell us whether you agree or disagree with the following:

Information provided on this form will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. It will be treated as confidential and used only for the reduction of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour. By completing and submitting this form you are consenting to your details being used to let you know about future community safety surveys or news, unless you have indicated an objection by ticking the box here.

Teenagers hanging around on the streets................................................

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Nuisance neighbours or loud parties.........................................................

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5. How much of a problem are the following types of antisocial behaviour in your neighbourhood? (Please tick one box for each type)

Survey

01744 676789 | www.sthelens.gov.uk | Winter 2016 | St Helens First 31

Stay in the home you love, with a stairlift from Ableworld Our aim at Ableworld is to provide caring solutions for our customers, enabling them to enjoy greater independence and more comfortable and active lives. We do this by providing quality products and services at value for money prices. Ableworld are very proud of our highly skilled stairlift division. Our local 'in house' stairlift engineers provide a service second to none. We have new and reconditioned stairlifts, and a range of rental stairlifts. This is ideal for customers who do not need the lift for a long period of time. Our engineer will first do a FREE survey and assessment, to agree which stairlift best suits your needs, and he will quote you a price. You are under no pressure or obligation to buy. If you decide to go ahead, our engineer will fit the lift at a convenient time and date, usually within a half day. * Ableworld only send trained engineers to undertake visits â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no sales teams. * New stairlifts come with 3 years parts warranty and 1 year's labour as standard. Additional packages are available. * Ableworld have a 24/7 help line which is manned locally by trained stairlift engineers. * All staff are CRB / DBS checked.

STAIRLIFTS FREE SURVEY Straight &Curved Lifts Sale & Rental Options

0800 470 4877

Your one stop shop, for all your needs Engineers available for stairlift call-outs, scooter & wheelchair repairs

Bedroom & Lounge Furniture : Wheelchairs : Continence Care : Tables Slippers & Shoes : Mobility Scooters : Dining Aids : Medication Aids Lighting & Magnifying Aids : Walking Sticks : Bathroom & Kitchen Accessories

WIGAN

A B L E W O R L D 17 Caroline St, Wigan, WN3 4EL Tel: (01942) 233200

info@ableworldwigan.co.uk

Adjacent to Anrich Pet Healthcare Centre

ST HELENS

A B L E W O R L D

WAVERTREE

A B L E W O R L D

9 Eccleston St, St Helens, WA10 2PG

140 Rathbone Rd, Liverpool, L15 4HH

info@ ableworldsthelens.co.uk

info@ ableworldwavertree.co.uk

Tel: (01744) 453038 2 mins from ASDA

Tel: (0151) 733 1118

Near Wavertree Railway Station

Further details on all our stores can be found on: www.ableworld.co.uk

32 St Helens First | Winter 2016 | www.sthelens.gov.uk | 01744 676789

SALFORD

A B L E W O R L D Burrows House, Priestley Rd. Wardley Ind. Est. Manchester, M28 2LY

Tel: (0161) 728 1880

info@ableworldsalford.co.uk

200 yards from BOC Gas