Lake 23

Issue 23 • November/December 2016

The local interest magazine for West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols and Caldy

Do you remember ‘The Look-out’ • Calday Swimming ‘Bath’ • The Wirral Society

Welcome to issue twenty-three of The Lake, the local interest magazine for West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols and Caldy.

We would like to thank our readers for your kind comments and to encourage you to keep writing to us with your thoughts and stories.

@lakewirral

We’d also like to thank our advertisers without whom this magazine wouldn’t be possible – we are extremely grateful to them for their continuing support.

The Lake provides local interest and historical stories on a bi-monthly basis and we hope you enjoy it. Please get in touch if there is anything you want to see in future issues, or if you have any stories or pictures of your own that you want to share.

Contact the Editor by email: jon@lakemagazine.co.uk Or by post to: Jon Bion, Editor, The Lake, Royal Standard House, 334 New Chester Road, Rock Ferry, Wirral CH42 1LE. Telephone 07796 945745.

Published by: Wirral Advertising Media Ltd, Royal Standard House, 334 New Chester Road, Rock Ferry, Wirral CH42 1LE.

Contacts:

Our team has years of experience in design, production and distribution.

The magazine is delivered door-to-door to 12,500 homes and businesses in the area and copies are available from various outlets.

Editor Jonathan Bion 07796 945745 jon@lakemagazine.co.uk

If you feel that advertising in The Lake would benefit your business, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you. Please contact Alan Strange on 07788 510868 or email: alan@lakemagazine.co.uk

Sales Director Alan Strange 07788 510868 alan@lakemagazine.co.uk

www.lakemagazine.co.uk Photographs and original material are submitted at the sender’s risk and must be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope if you wish them to be returned. The publishers will not accept responsibility for loss or damage.

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published, Wirral Advertising Media can accept no responsibility for the veracity of the claims made by advertisers. Any views expressed in The Lake are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

Cover image:

©2016 Mason Edwards – card available exclusively from Seagrass, West Kirby.

CONTENTS

Accounts accounts@lakemagazine.co.uk Delivered free to 12,500 homes and businesses in West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols and Caldy For distribution queries please call 0151 644 9475

04 Do you remember ‘The Look-out’

26 A New Home and Hope

05 St Hildeburgh’s – how you’ve grown!

29 Ballantine medals returned to family

08 Have yourself a very merry Christmas

30 The Wirral Society

12 Wine Column

31 Christmas beauty

14 Memories of Calday GGS ‘Bath’

34 Shorelines

16 Fragments from the Front

35 Fitness Queen

18 West Kirby Sailing Club

36 All Things Auctioneering

22 Reunion evening

38 What’s on the Big Screen?

04 The Lake

Do you remember ‘The Look-out’ on Grange Hill, West Kirby?

By Heather Chapman steps lead down to the ground outside. A flight of wooden steps – in those days – gave access to the kernel of the buildings, the Look-out proper. A small circular room, with seven apertures round it, that were fitted to carry seven glasses – over a period of years these telescopes have disappeared, but twenty-five years ago, several were in existence, although damaged, the large centre one had disappeared. During the 1914-18 war a number of recruits had the run of the place. This Look-out room was supposed to represent the bridge on a steamer and the tower of the building is twenty-five feet high and was surmounted by a flagstaff. Naturally the building has, in its time, suffered from gorse fires, especially in the year 1934, when the windows were broken.”

The Grange was then owned by Dr John Logan, who was a medical practitioner and an amateur scientist and used the Look-out as an observatory. In 1948, The Grange was occupied by Lt Commander Charles Hancox RNVB. The next owner of The Grange was Mr Ledger, headmaster, who used the property as premises for Combermere School. I have been told that the Look-out was out of bounds to the school pupils.

During this time Mr Ledger’s sons were in 1st West Kirby Scouts.

When hiking and ‘wide gaming’ on the hill, the scouts were given permission to jump over the wall and practice semaphore signalling from the flat roof.

The Look-out was demolished several years ago and is now just a memory.

Many readers may remember a landmark known locally as ‘The Look-out’ that stood on Grange Hill from the early 1900s.

It was located at the top of the sloping gardens of The Grange, which borders the top of Grange Hill, not far from the present War Memorial, with magnificent panoramic views. The Look-out was used for many purposes during its lifetime.

In 1897 The Grange was owned by shipowner, James Mills. James was connected with the Dominion Shipping Line in Liverpool and built the red sandstone Look-out, so that he could watch his ships passing to and from the River Mersey. James and his wife both died in 1909 and their spinster daughter, Florence Edna, continued living in the Grange for several years. During WW1 a number of military recruits used the Look-out as part of their training.

A newspaper article described the Look-out, thus: “The building, a familiar sight to the inhabitants of the district, stands on a concrete base, 18 feet by 12 feet and is enclosed by a higher and a lower wall, the first being four of five feet high and the second about 12 feet in height. This floor forms a kind of outer court to the room upon the ground floor; a room ten feet high called the ‘summer house’. In those days, it was furnished with chairs and tables and had eight windows, double glass doors and two

The West Kirby War Memorial (unveiled in 1922) now enjoys that same panoramic view. I visited the War Memorial site only last week and must commend the hard work of Derek Longman and The Friends of Grange Hill. The area has been brought back to life and the shrubs pruned and tidied. The magnificent views of Wales, Liverpool Bay, Liverpool and the surrounding areas can be enjoyed by everybody.

The Lake 05

St Hildeburgh’s – how you’ve grown!

The vicar, Rev. Paul Rossiter, says: “We are really delighted at the way the festival has mushroomed.

It started in 2010 with just eight trees decorated by church groups. Now it has expanded to become a calendar fixture for many Wirral families.

“It is a tribute to our organisers, who work amazingly hard for months ahead as well as over the weekend, and to support from the community – both those who enter trees and all the people who come to admire them and enjoy our beautiful church. The cost of admission is frozen for the sixth year running at £2.50 for adults and free to accompanied children and the proceeds go to good causes.”

On Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th December there will be exciting children’s activities, from face-painting to cake-decorating, along with a bustling Christmas market selling festive gifts, decorations and more. Santa Claus will be handing out presents and good wishes from 11am to 1pm on Saturday and from 2.30 to 4pm on Sunday.

A Hoylake Christmas tree festival that started just six years ago with eight entries has grown to an outstanding display of nearly 50 fabulously decorated exhibits this Yuletide.

This year’s three-day event at St Hildeburgh’s Church, Hoylake, will be launched on Friday 2nd December at 6.30pm with a spectacular lighting-up.

As the switch is thrown – by the child who wins a design competition at the town’s Holy Trinity Primary School – the trees will burst into brilliance in quick succession round the church.

Then the festival will begin with Christmas music led by renowned Wirral guitar and vocals group Brian Lupton and Friends while the crowds admire the trees. To add to the seasonal flavour, the festival café will serve wine, soft drinks and mince pies.

There will be live entertainment – music, singing and dancing – throughout the event. Warming soup and other tasty refreshments will be served in the café.

A traditional candlelit Christingle service at 4pm on Sunday 4th December will be followed by a last chance to admire the trees until 6pm.

Festival proceeds will be shared between St Hildeburgh’s and a number of charities.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES at St Hildeburgh’s will include Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday 18th December at 4pm; a family service round the crib on Christmas Eve, Saturday 24th December at 4pm; Midnight Eucharist, starting at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve; and Family Communion on Christmas Day at 10am.

Christmas starts at St Hildeburgh’s…

CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL 50 fabulous trees!

Loads of fun for kids!

Don’t miss Santa!

Friday-Sunday, December 2nd–4th

For details visit: www.sthildeburgh.org or see article above

ALL-YEAR EVENTS at St Hildeburgh’s include Christianity courses and charity concerts, along with regular events…

MESSY CHURCH – games, crafts, songs and stories for children and their families, ending with a hot meal, which attracts more than 100 and is always over-booked.

BACON BUTTY BRUNCH open to everyone each Tuesday.

SOUP AND SANDWICH sessions each month for those in care and carers.

CHECK US OUT at www.sthildeburgh.org or the church office on 0151 632 5339 (open Tuesdays from 10am to 12noon, and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 12.30pm). To receive a free copy of St Hildeburgh’s newsletter, the Weekly Beacon, by email each weekend, notify church.office@sthildeburgh.org HOW TO FIND US St Hildeburgh’s Church (postcode CH47 1HL) is at the junction of The King’s Gap and Stanley Road, Hoylake, opposite the Green Lodge.

Our exquisite showroom in West Kirby is set over two large floors. On the first floor you will find over 100 of the most exclusive top designer gowns, available to order especially for you.

Carry on up the stairs to our Limited Editions Collection. Here we have over 80 beautiful designer gowns handpicked by our fabulous team for you to take away on the day.

We are authorised stockists of the following amazing designers: • Ronald Joyce • Mark Lesley, • David Tutera • Veromia • Amanda Wyatt • Donna Lee • Callista (for our plus size brides) • Snow by Annasul Y (Exclusive to the Wirral/Liverpool area)

Our January Sale starts on Wednesday 28th December - over 100 gowns at a fraction of the original price.

Book an appointment early to avoid missing the dress of your dreams.

Special Christmas present offers will be available to our customers who visit us during November & December.

Keep checking our website for updates.

Opulence Bridalwear, 19-25 The Crescent, West Kirby, CH48 4HL • Tel: 0151 625 9933 • www.opulencebridalwear.co.uk

We look forward to welcoming you at Opulence Bridalwear - Merry Christmas everyone!!

The Lake 07

Beautiful and unique, locally created art, jewellery and crafts, with new work arriving now for Christmas, from over 30 makers and artists.

Commissions of bespoke orders welcome

To celebrate our first Christmas in West Kirby, we’re offering a 10% discount to all late night shoppers, every Thursday 5-8, throughout December. Just quote “Seagrass Lake.”

Seagrass Studio Gallery, 1 Acacia Grove West Kirby CH48 4DD www.seagrassstudio.co.uk Telephone: 07732 533999

08 The Lake

Have yourself a very merry Christmas

By Robert Foster

Christmas means one thing to me – and many others – good food and lots of it! We all love to indulge over the festive period and, as Jamie Oliver has been telling us for years, good food starts with the freshest ingredients. Some might be satisfied with a frozen turkey crown and a prawn ring grabbed during a last-minute trolley dash around the local supermarket, but a little bit of planning and some inside knowledge will guarantee your guests are left suitably satisfied by your tasty spread.

Cranberry Sauce

Vegetables may not be the most glamorous item on your Christmas shopping list, but good quality fresh greens stand head and shoulders above their pre-packaged rivals. West Kirby Farmers’ Market is always a good bet for sourcing locally grown fruit and veg, and the good folk behind the scenes have an extravaganza planned for Saturday 17th December – what better time to pick up your parsnips? For those who can’t make it to the market there are plenty of other local alternatives, including Hoylake’s famous 3 Sisters greengrocers (yep, the one that was on the telly), which is always stocked to the brim.

180g caster sugar

As much as we all love roast potatoes, there is really only one star on the Christmas table. Whether you choose turkey, goose or even a spit-roasted suckling pig, the crowning glory of any festive feast is always going to be the meat. Many a hard-earned pound will be spent in the quest for the juiciest joint, so don’t be afraid to ask your local butcher exactly what they can offer. We’re lucky to have some of the best butchers in Merseyside on our doorstep, including Lewis’s in Greasby and A. I. Roberts in West Kirby. Both of these well-established local institutions pride themselves on the quality of their produce and always go that extra mile to ensure their customers leave with a smile.

But what about the nibbles? Don’t fret, I’ve not forgotten the snacks, dips and treats. Deli culture is really taking off and West Kirby alone has a number of fine food dispensaries to choose from. The newly opened Whitmore & White is well worth a visit, particularly if you love to try new wines, and Deli 1368 is well known locally for its selection of top-notch cheese. And of course, Palms Fine Foods is still doing a roaring trade in all things delicious.

With all this talk of food and festive cheer, I thought it would be rude not to share a few of my favourite festive recipes. Why not give them a try in the run-up to Christmas and share them with your friends and family while you enjoy the good times Christmas will inevitably bring.

Gluhwein Very much like traditional mulled wine, this hot German tipple is simple to make and is guaranteed to warm your cockles when the snow starts to fall: Ingredients: Two bottles of fruity red wine 200ml water 8 tbsp sugar One lemon, sliced One orange, sliced Eight cloves Five cardamom pods Two star anise Two cinnamon sticks Method: Pop all the ingredients into a large saucepan and simmer for one hour without allowing it to boil. Serve hot, preferably beside the tree with friends and family!

Turkey just wouldn’t be the same without a dollop of cranberry sauce.

This is surprisingly quick and is given a real festive feel by the port and orange.

350g fresh cranberries Juice and zest of two fresh oranges 200ml good quality port Method: In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the cranberries, orange juice and zest to the boil. Simmer for ten minutes until the cranberries have softened. Add the port and sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture reaches a thick, saucy texture. Let sauce cool before serving.

Pan Fried Sprouts Love them or hate them, nothing says Merry Christmas like a sprout!

Fortunately, this recipe is as far removed from the boiled sprouts of your childhood as you could possibly get.

50g butter 200g bacon lardons 1kg fresh sprouts, quartered 200g chestnuts, cooked, peeled and roughly chopped Method: Heat a large frying pan until nice and hot, then fry the lardons until crispy. Remove and put to one side. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sprouts and cook for ten minutes until they start to brown and crisp up.

Add the chestnuts and return the bacon to the pan. Cook for another five minutes, then serve. Simple!

The Lake 09

Lasting Powers of Attorney – Providing you with Peace of Mind property and finances, for example, bank accounts, investments and your home. A health and welfare LPA allows your attorney to make medical and care decisions on your behalf. This type of LPA only applies when you lack mental capacity to make decisions yourself. This could also extend, if you wish, to giving your attorneys the right to make decisions about life-sustaining treatment.”

Heather Horsewood

National news headlines have this week reported the tragic circumstances of the case of Wirral policeman Paul Briggs, whose family are fighting a legal battle for the right to be able to make decisions regarding life support.

This is the latest case which has highlighted the importance of having a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney. His family are now battling to have his life support machine switched off, as they believe his wishes would have been for his family to be able to make this decision. As his wishes had not previously been documented in a Lasting Power of Attorney, the case has been taken to the Court of Protection for a legal ruling.

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that enables you (the donor) to appoint the people you want to deal with your affairs and make decisions on your behalf if you are no longer able to.

Heather Horsewood of the Wills, Trusts and Estates department at Lees Solicitors explains: “There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney. A property and affairs LPA gives your attorney authority to deal with your

You can appoint anybody to be your attorney; it should be someone you trust and is usually a family member. If you prefer, you can appoint a solicitor as your professional attorney. It is important that you trust your attorneys as they are given wide powers with regards to your affairs. You can appoint more than one attorney, which ensures that the LPA can continue to be used in the event that one of your attorneys is no longer able to act. This can be done by appointing two or more attorneys from the start on a “joint and several” basis or by appointing a replacement attorney.

If you have not made a Lasting Power of Attorney and you lose capacity to make a financial decision, then it may be necessary for an application to be made to the Court of Protection for an appropriate order, such as appointing another person to make decisions on your behalf.

Making a Lasting Power of Attorney gives you peace of mind and ensures that your best interests are looked after.

The Wills, Trusts and Estates team at Lees Solicitors pride themselves on an approachable, reliable and sensitive service.

A Flexible Service At Lees Solicitors we understand that one of the most important things that we can do is plan our own future to ensure that we protect the futures of those we love after we are gone.

We will provide you with expert, professional and sensitive legal advice, helping you deal with a wide range of matters including; writing your will, dealing with probate, inheritance tax planning, setting up trusts and their administration, and making a Lasting Power of Attorney.

What Lees Solicitors can do for you…

• We offer free half-hour appointments for anyone who wishes to find out more about our services • Heswall office is open on a Saturday (book for an appointment) • Three local offices to choose from: West Kirby 0151 625 9364 Heswall 0151 342 6273 Birkenhead 0151 647 9381 • We offer free safe storage of any will • We can register your will on Certainty’s national wills database Let Lees Solicitors make things a little easier for you and your family.

Contact our Wills, Trusts & Estates team to book an appointment or to chat through your requirements.

Call us free from either a mobile or landline on 0800 387 927.

12 The Lake

W NE COLUMN

By Graham Simpson, Whitmore & White

Christmas at Whitmore & White Christmas is the perfect time of year to splash out on some fantastic food and wine, and where better to start than with your friendly independent wine merchants? Christmas is always a hugely busy time of the year for us, and while it may appear to some that we’re running around like headless chickens packing glorious hampers, wrapping gifts and appearing as in a permanent state of international panic, take it from me, we know what we are doing and we do what we do very well. Christmas is the time of year when our properly knowledgeable wine buffs really come good and do what they do best!

g takin Now s for ng booki mas t Chris

So don’t settle for second best this Christmas, or pick up the same old supermarket plonk! Let us help you find some wines and spirits to remember for the whole merry week! So, without further ado, here’s our six picks for Christmas dinner to get you started…

Deutz Brut NV Champagne £36.95 What better way than to start Christmas Day off with some festive fizz? And what better than Champagne. This topped the poll in a recent Champagne tasting and it’s an absolute beauty. Dry, but with a honeyed, biscuity edge. Perfect for pre-dinner canapés.

Domaine les Vieux Murs Pouilly Fuisse £19.95

Two Courses £14.50 from

Tuesday Wine Offer £15.50 per person

(Not available in December)

For latest menus and offers go to

www.juliansrestaurant.co.uk

Not to be confused with Pouilly Fume from the Loire Valley which is made from Sauvignon Blanc, this is 100% Chardonnay and from the south of Burgundy. For me, this wine punches well above its weight and is comparable to many Meursault and Chassagne Montrachet at almost twice the price. This will go very well indeed with roast turkey.

Riverby Estate Pinot Noir £19.95 For those of you who prefer a lighter style of red, then Pinot Noir is certainly a wine to think about. This is from New Zealand so is riper on the fruit side than, say an equivalently priced red Burgundy.

However, it is no Aussie Shiraz, so works fantastically well with turkey, goose or game birds.

Beronia Rioja Reserva £14.95 Rioja has had a resurgence of late and we are huge fans of the wines from Bodegas Beronia. This is medium bodied, so it’s multifaceted and suit many types of Christmas Day dishes – from vegetarian options to roast beef. Its lush, ripe red fruit characteristics, and smooth tannins make it a great wine in itself, but it works so well with food.

Quinta do Noval Late Bottled Vintage Port £22.95

Christmas at Julian’s Xmas Two Course Menu Tues to Thurs £17.95 Fri and Sat £19.95 Available for private functions For Menu call in, telephone 632 6241 or go to www.juliansrestaurant.co.uk

Port isn’t just for Christmas as I’m sure you know, but it is the time of year when everyone buys a bottle for Christmas Day. It is very much a UK tradition and it does go rather well with after-dinner cheese or Christmas pudding. This is a stunning Late Bottled Vintage Port and is full of figs, prunes, dates and candied orange peel flavours.

Maxim Trijol VSOP Cognac £46.95 It wouldn’t be Christmas Day without some brandy, and I don’t mean the one you pour over the Christmas pudding before setting alight!

I’m talking about proper brandy, in which I really mean Cognac (or Armagnac). Here I’ve chased a VSOP Cognac by a small producer which is sensational. Rich and fulsome with no harsh, fiery edges like so many of the big brand Cognacs on supermarket shelves.

So there you have it. Christmas drinks all sewn up for you! Just pop along to your friendly neighbourhood Whitmore & White and let us take the hassle out of choosing your festive drinks.

Merry Christmas and all the very best for 2017 from everyone at Whitmore & White!

West Kirby – 3 Banks Rd Heswall – 17-19 Pensby Rd Frodsham – 72 Main St Shop Online – www.whitmoreandwhite.co.uk

The Lake 13

Winter approaching – is it time to check your tree?

With the storm seasons approaching no tree is entirely safe, given the possibility that an exceptionally strong wind could damage or uproot even a mechanically ‘perfect’ specimen. It is, therefore, usually accepted that hazards are only recognisable from distinct defects or from other failure-prone characteristics.

Wirral Tree Services would like to share some basic advice, the following are just a few tips but if in doubt please always seek professional advice.

Weak Forks and Branch Union In many tree species, weak forks appear to be the most frequent contributory factor to major failure above ground level. They are thus probably more important than decay as a cause of hazard, although decay can be very dangerous when combined with a weak fork.

Look out for ‘raised bark lips’ where the forks meet

Abrupt bend in branch An abrupt or ‘dog-leg’ bend is likely to mark the point where a side shoot has replaced a pruned, broken or dead portion of the branch. A combination of localised stress and decay, associated with the old wound, can sometimes lead to failure.

Look out for elbows above old wounds points

Butt Swell Certain types of decay at the stem base, if extensive, may increase flexure sufficiently to stimulate extra growth of wood and create a bulge. In many cases, the extra growth is enough to maintain adequate support, but investigation is needed to ascertain this.

Look out for stem cracks, cracks in ground around root plate area and fungal fruit bodies

Wirral Tree Services are a Heswall-based tree surgery and garden maintenance specialist offering professional but cost-effective workmanship to the residential and commercial sectors, throughout Merseyside & Cheshire regions.

Specialist work includes large and technical tree dismantles, hedge reductions and maintenance.

FREE NO OBLIGATION ADVICE

RECENT PROJECTS

Removal of large failing limb to Large Oak

Shaping of large Conifer

Technical dismantle of Sycamore

LOGS FOR SALE STOCK UP FOR WINTER! (please call for prices)

Telephone: 0845 862 0801 or 07444 507 204 Email: info@wirraltreeservices.co.uk • Website: www.wirraltreeservices.co.uk

14 The Lake

Memories of Calday GGS ‘Bath’ in the 1950s

By Rastus

One of our best breaststrokers was Peter Jackson, who could do 50 yards underwater much to his opponents’ surprise when he surfaced for the final touch.

We could also use ‘gudgeon’ and sidestroke techniques in breaststroke and only had to finish with one hand on the pool end.

In those days competitions also included diving from the poolside and from the eight-foot tower into the six-foot deep end! Competitions also comprised style (all four strokes) and the long plunge. I can vividly remember Peter (Peewee Davis) doing a lap and a half in the long plunge!

Our times were slow – 30 seconds for 50 yards freestyle for Under 14 and 27 seconds for seniors were exceptional.

Calday GGS Swimming Team – summer 1955 – outside cricket pavilion changing room

I was in the school swimming team from 1953 to 1960 and, of course, frequently used the ‘bath’ for training, interschool competitions and school swimming galas.

The ironical thing was that we used the bath before summer (hot weather?) from May (just after Whitsuntide) to the summer break in July. The bath was not reopened after the school summer holidays even though we often had ‘Indian’ summer weather in September and early October.

The 60-second barrier for 100-yards freestyle was achieved by David Wilde in 1958 – a record for the outdoor pool.

I can remember at one time there was a leak in the bath; we were continually topping up the water level and occasionally had to compete in a ‘shallow’ water bath.

Because of cost, maintenance problems and the bath falling into a state of needy repair, it was decided in 1960 to either close the bath or to repair and enclose it. Fortunately the school building fund agreed to the latter.

Calday GGS had a strong swimming team with a dedicated training regime supervised by Mr (Sammy) Watts. On Wednesday afternoons in the summer term there was a choice between playing cricket or organised swimming training.

I can well remember in the time after A levels, all Upper Sixth formers were required to work on the bath during our last few weeks at school.

This involved the preparatory work for the indoor pool – carting bricks, digging foundations, etc., with Mr (Sammy) Watts supervising our activities.

Interschool swimming competitions were on a home and away basis – Calday’s bath being the only outdoor bath we used – except for Port Sunlight, which was outdoors BUT heated. Most schools disliked coming to Calday GGS on Saturday mornings for competitions!

As previously discussed, some of the labouring work for the original bath in 1921–1922 was also carried out by Calday GGS scholars!

We did not have a bath attendant to keep the pool clean – this was the task of Mr Moncur’s PE classes. Often we could not see the lanes because of green slime – even in the shallow end. The water level was lowered and everyone was given a scrubbing brush or a yard brush to clean the slime off. This usually took PE classes all day on Thursdays once a month. The bath was then completely emptied and refilled by hose on Thursday and Friday for the Saturday competitions.

Our closest rivals were Wallasey Grammar (who used Guinea Gap) and the return fixture at Calday was always tense. Often we used the slimy bath for competition, but for Wallasey’s visit we always cleaned it ready for the Saturday. When the opposition arrived, we made sure we took the temperature and scooped out the leaves, frogs and newts before we began. Not only was the water cold, but it could be wet and cold on the sides of the bath as well.

Calday GGS ‘old school bus’ – German Student, Ken Rostron, Danny Hare and Ian Godson

I remember that we changed in the old wooden cricket pavilion – no showers or amenities (just a jar of Brylcream), and after the competition we would trundle over to the canteen with our opposition for sandwiches, hot tea and jam doughnuts.

Surprisingly we were never beaten at home…

A highlight of the swimming competition was the annual trip to Colwyn Bay to compete against Rydal. In the late 1950s Mr Gatenby used to drive us in the old school bus to all the venues on the Wirral, Liverpool and North Wales.

In those days butterfly and breaststroke were not differentiated into separate competitions. I can well remember David (Heeney) Wilde winning all our breaststroke events by doing butterfly.

Junior Victor Ludorum – 1956

16 The Lake

Fragments from the Front This series of short articles by Rastus and Betty looks at a soldier’s close connection and correspondence with his West Kirby family from the Western Front trenches during WW1.

‘Community communications’ As we have already seen and noted, the circulation of mail was not only an efficient and essential boost to morale but it was critical to the emotional well-being of soldiers serving on the Front and for the loved ones left behind.

Wallace Pownall (b. 1892) lost his mother when he was just seven years old and his father died when he was 14 years old. He then lived with his grandparents, Joseph and Annie Pownall, at 32 South Road, West Kirby (1911 census), opposite the Ellerkers (15 South Road).

Postcard 2 – from Wallace

Joe and Annie’s home was in the close-knit community of South Road, West Kirby, where most eligible young men had enlisted in the Great War. One can imagine that any mail from one of their loved sons from the Front was welcomed in the South Road Community and any news would soon spread and be the daily topic of neighbourhood conversation.

We are sure that all newsy postcards and letters were circulated in this close-knit community in West Kirby and likewise letters from South Road would be shared by the lads on the Front. The importance of keeping in touch and letting loved ones know that they were “in the pink” and “A1” was vital – on both sides of the Channel.

Of course, today, with our new-fangled social media gadgets, it is ;.perhaps difficult for us to comprehend 100 years ago when the only means of communication was by letter or postcard. Incredibly, by 1917, British soldiers were sending home between one and two million letters and postcards every day – such is the might of the pen! Postcards became known as the “poor man’s telephone”.

Shown here are postcards to Annie from friends in the South Road community serving on the Front. Keeping in touch, not only with parents and relatives, but also with ex-school friends and ‘community contemporaries’, still living in the ‘real world’ was truly very important.

10/12/15 – with best wishes for Xmas 1915

Postcard 1 – from Wallace

Royal Engineers

From 79133 Sapper W Pownall to Annie Eleaker (sic) No. 1 Sec 184 Coy (Cheshire Regiment) B. E. F. A descriptive address from Wallace! (West Kirby near Birkenhead?)

Postcard 3 – from Edgar

Dear Annie

(Thanks to Elizabeth Cooper for this postcard)

From the turret marked X one can see for miles nothing but ruins. And you wonder why I like to be home. Ca ne fait rien. C’est L-guerre. Have not received your letter as yet, still living in hope. Thank Jim B for his kindness and forbearance. I wonder how he stood it. Au revoir. Letter to follow.

On Active Service: 13 November 1915 – Field Post Office 14 – Passed

By Censor No. 2453

Edgar

11/11/15

What a horrible sight for a young West Kirbyite to witness – we share your shock and grief, Edgar!

Dear Annie Many thanks for welcome letter. I am in the pink, hope you are the same. We have had a shower of hail today & looks cold. Yet I hope to see you in a week or two. Close with kindest regards.

Wallace

Serving on the Front necessitated learning the French ‘lingo’ and presumably the local dialect: “Ca ne fait rien., C’est L-guerre, Au revoir.”

Jim B’s “kindness and forbearance” and “how he stood it” are a bit of a mystery, but obviously important to both Annie and Edgar. We are unsure of Edgar’s abode in West Kirby.

The Lake 17 Postcard 4 – from Ted

On Active Service 17 Feb 19 from Field Post Office 2SS – E. S. Lloyd At last I am sending you a P.C. in reply to your letter, which I was very glad to receive. I will let you have a letter at first opportunity.

How are things in W.K. and how are everybody keeping. Kindly remember me to all at home. I remain your sincere friend.

Ted x E S Lloyd is very likely to be Edward Stewart Lloyd (1895–1936), known as ‘Ted’ and his parents were Peter Gleave and Annie Lloyd.

Peter Gleave Lloyd was a builder who built the block of Banks Road shops between Albert and Alexandra Road. The Lloyd family were living at 168 Banks Road at the 1911 census. Annie Elleker was born in the same year as Edward Stewart Lloyd and they were both former pupils of St Bridget’s School.

Postcard 5 – from Tom

To Annie Wishing you a Happy New Year.

From Tom xxx Nice, neat writing and kisses from Tom. We are unsure of Tom’s West Kirby abode and there are too many young men by the name of Tom to speculate which one this is. However, Annie married Tom Linekar, a joiner from Hoylake, in 1926 and this card was possibly from that particular Tom.

18 The Lake

West Kirby Sailing Club

By Phil Shepherd

The haul out of tidal boats is all but complete, and the racing is now down to the dinghies on the lake, in the Frostbite and Christmas series.

Team Racing has also started anew, with teams from West Kirby Sailing Club competing in the RYA Twiname Youth and Junior National Championships, and the Bottled Firefly, a training event for beginners, is already completed. The Optimist and Cadet fleets are also busy with training schedules, so sailing will continue throughout the winter.

This year has seen a wide range of participation, reflected in the big mix of winners who will be applauded at our Annual Prize-giving.

In the Falcon fleet it is lovely to see Talbot Smith back amongst the prizewinners, with many of the usual suspects, including Peter Price, John Burthem and Martin Whittingham Jones.

The Hilbres have had a year where the glory has been shared around, reflecting a competitive fleet. The helms who have done well include Tim Riley, Richard Cornah, Roger Glover and Gareth Wright.

The Stars have had their numbers and competitiveness boosted by the purchase of Sirius by Chris Gaskin and his young family. John Dowler has performed well in the series races.

Fast Handicap racing has been popular both on Wednesday evenings, and on Sundays. Dan Skinner has sailed very well in one of the three RS300s which now race. Other mentions must go to Steve Jardine (Laser), Bob Thompson (GP14), Alan Leyland (solo), Mike and Anne de St Paer (Albacore) and Jean Louis Simons (Finn) ‌indeed, a wide cross section of dinghies!

Bart’s Bash, which this year was a tidal handicap race in memory of Andrew Simpson, was one of the many races where all classes within the club competed, and was won by Drew Gibbons in his Optimist.

The Slow Handicap, like the Optimist fleet racing, has been dominated

by George Creasy, with Dan Bromilow, amongst others, putting in some sound results.

The Youth Handicap included good results from Alex Williams and Simon Hall, and the Cadets were led again by Octavia Owen, with consistent performances by Anna Ledingham and Hannah Owen.

Several Open Meetings were held this year, most notably the GP14s hosted the Northern Championship, the Finns also their Northern Championship, and the Solo Open, all of which attracted substantial visitor numbers to race on the River Dee. Successes in the Solo fleet this year were seen by Martin Hartley, John Dixon and Alan Leyland; in the GPs by Neil Platt, Jean Louis Simon, Bob Thompson and Trevor Jenkins; in Albacores by Mike Hartley and John Carlin; in Fireflies by Chris Kameen, and in Lasers

by James Prosser, Bruce Patterson and Rob Graham.

Images: Alan Jenkins

Hidden talent exposed as no flash in the pan The good folks of Wirral are exposing themselves at Staacks Gallery, West Kirby!

No longer hiding their talents, over 25 local amateur artists will be showing their efforts at an exhibition hosted by Staacks in January 2017.

The success of the ‘Staacks of Talent’ exhibition in January 2016 has inspired art students from the painting classes at Staacks to organise this event. It will be held at Staacks, a local art gallery at 83 Banks Road, West Kirby, CH48 0RA. Come and see for yourself – join us to enjoy the paintings, some of which will be on sale, admire the beautiful displays, and have some refreshments.

Staacks Gallery was established in West Kirby in 2009 and holds monthly exhibitions that support local and UK based artists and makers displaying quality art and craft works which reflect excellence in design and workmanship.

There are also classes at Staacks and students of all ages who arrived for tuition (some with little experience of painting), are, without doubt, now creating fantastic and accomplished work. Those of us who are engaged in learning such skills have the advantage of working among the wonderful images and artefacts in the gallery, which encourages our development and creativity.

Most of us live on the Wirral and, during the sessions, we paint, listen to music, drink coffee, and have become friends who support each other with our endeavours.

The works that will be on show in the exhibition are the results of our keen interest and hard work from the past 12 months. We’ve even been to Anglesey on three occasions, painting on a beach and forging our paths as landscape artists. It is through the enthusiasm, knowledge, skill and a tremendous passion for art and crafts of Derek King, our tutor, that we have found the confidence to show our paintings.

Three of us, who have been with Staacks for only two years, have accepted the responsibility of organising this event, with some occasional guidance from Derek! We hope you will have as much enjoyment looking at our exhibits as we have had in the creation of them.

The ‘Staacks of Talent’ exhibition will run from Monday 9th January to Saturday 14th January 2017 and the artists invite you to join them at a special preview evening on the Monday evening from 7pm onwards. For further information, please contact Derek King (Tutor/Director) at Staacks on 0151 625 0229 or email, derek@staacks.co.uk, 83 Banks Road, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 0RA.

What’s on in Port Sunlight Thursday 17th November Bridge Cottage Workshop; “Intro To Analogue” A Photographic Workshop with Rachel Brewster from Little Vintage Photography.

Go on a mini-photoshoot around Port Sunlight

1.30pm-4.30pm. £30 per person includes Tea and Award-winning Cake (booking essential) Thursday 17th November A Brief Insight into the Life and Works of E. Chambre Hardman, Liverpool Society Photographer.

Presented by Roy Wainwright, a National Trust Volunteer at Mr Hardman’s photographic studios in Liverpool.

The evening talk will take place in the Old School Room at the Lyceum, Port Sunlight. 7pm

7pm. Tickets £6 booking essential.

Tel: 0151 644 6466 Saturday 26th November Bridge Cottage, Old School Room, Church Hall, on Bridge Street Make Do & Merry Christmas Event Handmade Craft Fair & Bridge Cottage Artists.

Pop Up Tea Room and Port Sunlight Gift Shop at Bridge Cottage.

11am-5pm. Free entry

20 The Lake ADVERTISING FEATURE

The Curse of the Fat Wallet Back Pain and how the Bowen Technique can help An article by Bowen Practitioner Jo Lunn

This is great picture (see right) that shows just how much posture can be affected by carrying stuff like wallets around in your back pocket.

Now gentlemen, you may not want to do Joey from Friends and carry a manbag, and you may also become aware of those hostile looks from the female fraternity when you ask ‘could you just carry this for me in your bag...?’

So what can you do? Well, you can either spend all your money so you don’t have to carry a wallet in your back pocket or GIVE THE BOWEN TECHNIQUE A TRY: Bowen Technique works specifically on the fascia and connective tissue of the body and with direct, yet gentle moves, is able to enable the body to release and correct itself – bringing pain relief and balance to not just the pelvis, but to the entire body that has been compensated due to misalignment. When your pelvis is out of alignment the knock on effect throughout your body can be very significant.

Just think of the game of Jenga – if one block in the stack is out of alignment, other blocks have to be moved to keep the balance and stop the stack falling over – this is the same for us when our back goes ‘out’, although for us it is a complex adjustment of soft tissue, muscles, fascia and connective tissue that the body uses to try to keep us upright and functioning.

Consequently, nerves can become trapped and inflamed, causing us the familiar pain and angst, and muscles spasm and become greatly reduced in their ability to move. As a result, our blood and lymph circulation is reduced, our movement becomes reduced, our fascia builds up, we become stiff and aching, we don’t want to move so our blood and lymph circulation are reduced, our movement becomes reduced, our fascia builds up... see where this is going?

It’s one very interesting game of Jenga.

You’ll be surprised what can happen with the Bowen Technique.

P.S. The ‘cursed wallet syndrome’ also holds true for men and women who tend to cross their legs in one direction only.

‘Days of Wonder’ – my adventures in film, books and Olympics Thornton Hall Hotel, 7pm, Wednesday 30th November

Frank Cottrell-Boyce

This charity is now ten years old and we are having a dinner party to celebrate! Over the years, we have donated to Sea Cadets, Sea Scouts, UKN Blind Sailing Association, Liverpool Seafarers Centre, Sailing for the Disabled and many other organisations, and this evening is planned as a thank you to our supporters for their generosity.

We are delighted to have acquired Frank Cottrell-Boyce as our guest speaker. He is a renowned author and scriptwriter having written many books for children and adults, as well as scripts for episodes of Coronation Street and Doctor Who. He also collaborated with Danny Boyle to create the script for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. Recently, he has been invited to write the script for the second episode of the tenth series of Doctor Who, which will be broadcast in 2017.

We want the evening to be a fun and festive occasion, so dress can be informal.

Ladies, get out your party frocks and gentlemen, smart casual please! As well as our distinguished speaker, I have invited a saxophonist and table magician to entertain us and raffle prizes will include a hamper, a case of Bibby wine and a signed Liverpool FC shirt! The Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside, Dame Lorna Muirhead and the High Sheriff of Merseyside, Mr Jim Davies OBE DL FRSA are also gracing us with their presence.

Tickets are now on sale at £35.00 each to include a welcome drink; and can be ordered from Captain P. W. Hutchinson, 44 Axholme Road, Thingwall, Wirral CH61 1BJ. Please enclose your cheque made payable to ‘Friends of the Sea’. If you would like any further information, please contact me on 07866 974064. I will be delighted if you could join us at this very special event.

Patsy Dixon, Chairman

CHRISTMAS SALE OF POTS West Kirby Library – New Exhibition Space at the Concourse Sat 26th Nov – Sat 10th Dec. 10am-5pm every day except Sundays

Large sale of original ceramics made by 14 potters from Wirral and surrounding area

22 The Lake

Reunion evening

10% OFF All labour for January Bookings

A care home in Heswall has invited all former employees of the Cleaver Hospital to come and attend a special cheese and wine reunion evening on Thursday, November 24.

The Hazelwell, a new ‘all inclusive’, care home in Oldfield Road, opened earlier this summer following a £5.5million investment into the old nurses’ accommodation building.

The Cleaver Hospital, on the west coast of the Wirral Peninsula, is remembered with great fondness as a hospital which treated local patients for more than 80 years.

Originally called the West Derby, Liverpool and Toxteth Park Hospital and opening in 1902, it became known as the Cleaver Sanatorium named after Mr HP Cleaver who was the inspiration behind the hospital.

In 1950, the hospital was renamed Cleaver Hospital and in the 1960s a chapel was attached it and a hospital school was also based there for some years.

As the Cleaver Hospital was a sanatorium - a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically tuberculosis – its location on the edge of the River Dee where the air was reputed to be pure, is said to have helped to restore the health of the TB patients.

The Cleaver Hospital continued to serve the local community for more than 30 years before its closure in 1983, following the opening of Arrowe Park Hospital in Upton. It remained without purpose for five years before the land was sold in 1988 for £2.5million.

The hospital was demolished and the Oldfield Gardens estate was built on the site, however, the remaining nurses’ accommodation was opened as Cleaver Residential Home in 1989, before it also closed, sometime in the Noughties.

Now under ownership of Heswall Care Limited, a family-run business, The Hazelwell, is a residential, nursing, palliative and respite care home, built to an exceptionally high standard. Its 55 elegantly appointed bedrooms all have en-suite bathrooms and its leisure facilities include a cinema, salon and nail bar, gym, library and a stunning rooftop terrace with views over the River Dee.

INTERIOR & EXTERIOR COMMERCIAL & DOMESTIC PROFESSIONAL, TIME-SERVED, TRADESMEN FREE ESTIMATES & DESIGN ADVICE CONTACT US: PHONE: STEVE - 07824 632 621 E-MAIL: STEPHEN.BAYLEY@SKY.COM PHASE 2 DECOR

@PHASE2DECOR

PHASE2DECOR

The new facility is managed by Wirral-born Liza Millington, a fully qualified nurse with more than 30 years of experience, who said: “The site The Hazelwell now sits on obviously used to be home to the nurses’ home of the Cleaver Hospital, and having lived in the Wirral my whole life, I know how well thought of the hospital was.

“I believe there are many nurses that used to work at the Cleaver Hospital still based in the Wirral so we thought it would be a great idea to get all former employees together under one roof for a lovely reunion evening with cheese and wine to swap old stories and catch up. It would be the first time they have all met up in 33 years.

“The Hazelwell has had millions of pounds spent on it and has been turned into a truly magnificent and beautiful care home. I’m sure the nurses that used to work here would find it fascinating to see what building looks like inside now so it would be fantastic to show them around. I’m sure they will love the incredible rooftop terrace!”

Any former employees of the Cleaver Hospital who would like to register their interest in the reunion evening can call Liza or Karen on 0151 342 9654 or email info@thehazelwell.com

24 The Lake

to traditional medical needs, and look after the complex needs of our patients – all in an environment that is fit for purpose.

SDS Rejuvenate MediSpa was established to provide a very high level of skincare advice and treatments.

All aspects of skincare are addressed, from simple beauty therapy needs to advanced aesthetician-led care with chemical peels, microneedling, and laser hair removal using state-of-the-art equipment.

There has been a huge increase in those seeking advice and treatment for problems relating to the skin and a significant change in the way that cosmetic skin treatments are carried out and monitored. Unfortunately, however, there has also been an increase in those with minimal training and experience setting themselves up as so-called ‘experts’ in the field. Consequently, there is much confusion among the general public about what treatments are available and a disturbing variation in the quality of the advice and treatments being given. This makes it all the more important that well-managed clinics are established to meet the demand for services that cannot be obtained from the NHS. Here at SDS Rejuvenate MediSpa we as doctors strive to provide safe, high-quality medical advice for all skincare needs, whether purely cosmetic or arising from a medical condition, to all those who seek our help.

We are proud to have opened one of the first such clinics in West Kirby and maintain our high levels of care through continuing professional development and constant review of our practice, aided by the regular feedback we obtain from our patients through questionnaires. We strive to improve what we provide year-on-year, and have recently extended our clinic to answer an ever-increasing demand for newer treatments.

We realised that there was a lack of facilities where patients could obtain assessment and treatment in the same place. Our vision was to create a new clinic that would provide a cosmetic skincare ‘centre of excellence’.

We wanted to provide a more focused and complete service to cover all areas of skincare, from beauty therapy

We welcomed the opportunity to develop one of Wirral’s first MediSpas and have further expanded our already extensive range of aesthetic treatments.

Contact us today for a FREE consultation

The Lake 25 We also have a new SDS Rejuvenate skin care range as we are keen to educate on basic skin care – our aim is to help you to avoid spending money on products which feel or smell good, but lack the ingredients that will produce the best results!

• We offer advanced facial aesthetics (using Anti-Wrinkle Injections and Dermal Fillers) • One of our most popular treatments is the 8-point face-lift, which, as it suggests, achieves lift and reduces sagginess.

• We now have PlexR in the clinic. This is a multi-award-winning, revolutionary treatment for heavy, wrinkling eyelids that previously could only be treated by surgery (Blepharoplasty). PlexR allows us to correct these drooped heavy eyelids with little downtime and at a fraction of the cost.

Our rooms: Room 1 – Consulting and treatment room for anti-wrinkle and dermal filler injections and PlexR. Room 2 – Laser treatments, including hair removal, skin resurfacing, thread veins and fungal toenails.

Room 3 – Cryopen for skin tags, age spots and milia.

Innopen for collagen induction therapy.

• Having doubled the size of the clinic, we now have the facilities to offer beauty treatments, including spray tans, massage, make-up, lash lifts, eyelash extensions and nails, along with our medical advanced aesthetic treatments, in purpose-built rooms.

Room 4 – 3D-lipo – Body contouring and skin tightening, and medical facial treatments, peels and resurfacers.

Room 5 – Beauty and spa room offering lava shell massage, luxurious facials, ear candling and other relaxation treatments.

Room 6 – Spray tan room with various tan brands and colours to offer.

Room 7 – Relaxation room) We have a purpose built make-up counter where we apply our 100% mineral make-up so you can leave clinic looking your best.

Our new beauty area has nail desks for manicures, acrylics, shellac and gel nails. We also have a purpose-built beauty counter where you can try our 100% mineral make-up and book for your ‘special occasion’ make-up. We also offer skin analysis, using high-tech equipment to help us understand what your skin needs so we can give you advice on the choice of treatments available.

Please follow our social media pages for exclusive offers each month for new and existing clients!

158 Banks Road, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 0RH Tel: 0151 625 8080 24 Rodney Street, Liverpool L1 2TQ Tel: 0151 707 3577

www.sdsrejuvenate.co.uk

26 The Lake

A New Home and Hope

‘Emmaus Merseyside’, a local Homeless Charity Home for Christmas? While many of us are looking forward to homecomings, for some it’s just a dream. Merseyside has some of the most affluent areas in the country, but also some of the most deprived.

Homelessness is a significant and sadly growing feature of our county.

While Wirral is a wonderful place to live – the writer has lived here for over 40 years – it too has deprived areas and people in genuine need of a home.

Homelessness affects a wide range of people and for many different reasons – loss of job, family or relationship breakdown, death of a loved one, abuse by oneself or others, poverty, criminal record, business failure, domestic violence, poor physical or mental health, and more.

With such complex issues, overcoming homelessness often means more than providing a roof over one’s head. That’s why Emmaus supports people to work their way out of homelessness, providing meaningful work as well a stable home for as long as needed.

The Emmaus ethos – where ‘companions’ (the Emmaus term for its residents) accept responsibility and undertake work and training, contributing to the maintenance and viability of their community rather than relying on short-term lodgings and benefits – proved attractive to our group of Trustees, which includes three people from Wirral. With assistance from other organisations and enthusiastic volunteers, we have developed ‘Emmaus Merseyside’, which serves Wirral, Sefton, Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens districts from its base in Seaforth.

We have recently had built and opened our bespoke 28-bed Community Home in Seaforth, and companion numbers will grow steadily after the initial proving period. Those who live in our accommodation help to run it: they cook, clean and help maintain the building and gardens as well as work in our Social Enterprise, income from which is crucial in enabling us to become self-sustaining in the longer term.

In 2014 we opened a 7,000 sq. ft ‘Charity Superstore’ which is trading well, and we have recently taken over a ‘Reuse Shop’ based at the Recycling Centre at Irlam Road, Bootle and will soon open another in Old Swan, Liverpool. At each location we collect, repair, upcycle and resell items of donated furniture and other household goods, clothes, books and much more.

Retail Superstore in former Engineering Workshop

We collect and deliver larger items door-to-door and are looking for volunteers to help with various tasks in our shops, including up-cycling.

Please get in touch if you can help in any way or simply wish to learn more. Tel: 0151 928 1588 or Email: emmaus.merseyside@live.co.uk Our Volunteers cover all ages and range of experience; some help for a day, others up to full-time. One unexpected bonus for us as Trustees is seeing Volunteers benefitting from training and mutual support, moving on to paid employment, some for the first time - very rewarding.

A brief Background to the ‘Emmaus Movement’ The first Emmaus community was founded in Paris in 1949

by Abbé Pierre, an MP, Catholic priest and former member of the French Resistance who fought to provide homes for those who lived on the streets of Paris. In 1951, he resigned as an MP to devote himself to fighting homelessness and poverty.

Until then, he had used his salary to pay Georges, the initial Companion, and the other 18 men who had joined them, but leaving his job meant that no money was coming in. Instead, he toured smart restaurants in Paris asking for donations.

When the Companions found out about this they were outraged, feeling that begging would compromise their self-respect. So, to raise money, they became ‘rag pickers’, collecting things that people no longer wanted and selling them on. This was the start of the first Emmaus social enterprise and remains at the heart of the Emmaus ethos.

Since the first community opened in the UK in 1991, Emmaus has grown quickly. There are now 28 communities spread across the UK, with a further four groups currently working to establish new communities. The UK is now the largest Emmaus movement outside of France and there are more than 750 Emmaus companions living at communities stretching from Glasgow to Dover. Each one has at least one shop or social enterprise, with many running successful cafés, shops, gardening projects and removal and recycling companies.

“We’re delighted to finally have our

own purpose-built Community Building.

The Trustees and supporters of Emmaus Merseyside have been working towards this for over ten years. For us, the important work now begins in supporting homeless people and giving them a chance to rebuild their lives.

”

Nigel Mellor, Chair of Emmaus Merseyside

No two Emmaus communities are the same – each has its own individual personality, providing a set of services that meet the needs of its local area. For many, Emmaus offers a welcoming place to visit, to speak with companions, volunteers and staff, and to pick up bargains. To ‘Companions’, Emmaus gives a welcome, but also hope, companionship, support, meaningful work, training and a pathway towards independent living for as long as they need it... and not just for Christmas.

Recent opening of Reuse Shop at Irlam Road Recycling Centre

The Lake 27

The Lake 29

Soroptimist’s celebrate 70th anniversary Soroptimist International Hoylake & West Kirby were delighted to celebrate their 70th anniversary this year with a special lunch for 60 guests held on Saturday 1 October in the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake. Their guest of honour was Dame Lorna Muirhead, DBE, Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside. Also attending were Soroptimist International Regional President Jean Pentecost and the Presidents and members of other Soroptimist Clubs from Wirral, Liverpool, Cheshire and North Wales.

For those who are asking ‘What is a Soroptimist?’, we are a voluntary organization for today’s women working at local, national and international levels to educate and empower women and girls to realize their aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong and peaceful communities worldwide. www.sigbi.org/hoylake-and-west-kirby/ The first meeting of the Club was held on 4 March 1946 at the Marigold Cafe in West Kirby with some 32 ladies present and the Club was officially chartered on 6 October 1946. To celebrate the event a special dinner was held in the Municipal Golf House, Hoylake, where the Guest Speaker was Mr Selwyn Lloyd MP for Wirral.

The first President was Mrs Dorothy Higginbottom, a local Councillor, and the Vice President was Miss Nora Hudson, Headmistress of West Kirby Girls Grammar School.

Hoylake Trinity FC Ballantine medals returned to family In the July/August issue of The Lake an article was published in the hope of returning Jack Ballantine’s football medals to a family member.

Mrs Dorothy Orrell nee Price contacted Ken Halsall, the president of the West Cheshire Football League, to say that she was the niece of John Ballantine.

Ken was delighted to hand the medals over to her.

Jack Ballantine’s wife was Miss Bessie Price of the well known Price family of Home Farm, Meols. Jack and Bessie did not have any children. Jack’s family were originally from Scotland and several family members emigrated to Canada.

Many thanks to The Lake for helping with this quest.

Jack Ballantine during WW1

Heather Chapman

30 The Lake

Chairman Rod Tann discusses current issues concerning The Wirral Society The Society is keen that schemes such as this be promoted as, being sited within the urban ‘envelope’, they have the benefits of good transport links and could help boost the local retail economy.

However, there are wider and more important implications than just their immediate locality. Wirral Council is presently in difficulty in being able show to the Government that it has the required equivalent of five year’s supply of developable building land for housing. It is currently in the process of trying to identify as many potential building sites in the borough as possible in order that it can meet that target. Should it fail to do so, our understanding is that it may have no option other than to identify land for building that is currently within the Wirral Green Belt.

Walls of local sandstone add greatly to the character of our Peninsula.

The Society is keen to see that they are maintained, especially following damage sustained in road accidents or where the stones are loosened following the decay of the mortar. We try to report these instances when we see them before stones are misappropriated. The local authority has a responsibility for many of these walls and we are pleased to see when action is taken promptly to repair them.

It is interesting to observe some recent local examples of where the initiative has been taken to repoint sandstone walls. The following examples appear to be divided between those with little skill and/ or understanding of the materials needed and those who have that knowledge and skill.

In photo the top photograpgh, far too much Portland cement mortar (without a darkening agent) has been applied. As this material is much too hard for sandstone, the softer lime mortar should have been used instead. The bottom photograph on the other hand is a good example of restoration and is indicative of the fine work being undertaken on the restoration of Manor Farm in West Kirby Old Village, which I will cover in a later edition.

As I reach the deadline for publication of this contribution, I know our Committee will been very concerned to see that the so-called ‘scrape’ (the area of water and exposed mud) near to the Gilroy nature reserve at West Kirby has been drained. This small area is home not only to resident birds but also to summer visitors, most notably the Black-Tailed Godwits that mass in flocks comprising some 2,000 birds or more between July and October each year.

Wirral Wildlife has taken a lead in liaising with the Council on how the decision came to be made to take this action, but, at present, this is not clear. The Society has also added its voice to the Council, asking that the situation be investigated immediately and remedial action taken. The Council has readily agreed to establish why this has happened. Fortunately, once resolved, it’s expected the water can be restored to its normal level.

The large advertising boards currently being installed on public buildings around the borough may help bring a few extra pounds for the cash-strapped Council. However, is yet more distracting, officially inspired, clutter the right way to do this?

Regular readers will recall I mentioned the proposal for a major new housing development on the site of the former Cadbury/Burton factory at Pasture Road, Moreton. While this location is somewhat outside the geographical scope of this journal, I nevertheless felt it merited inclusion. It is good to learn that this application has now been approved by Wirral Council’s Planning Committee, especially as the permission is conditional on the ‘Water Feature’ being restored.

Motorists already have to contend with roadside ‘traffic accident statistic signs’ and roadside advertising boards set up often at critical locations such as on roundabouts. Where is it going to end...? The Council follows planning law, but, in doing so, they set an unfortunate example to many organisations and businesses that put up their own distracting signage, without such authorisation.

To do our work, we are very much dependent on people like yourselves who are concerned to see the retention of the Wirral Peninsula’s unique character. We try to keep our subscription to a minimum, in order to encourage as many as people as possible become members of the Society and so provide us with the backing we need to make our voice felt.

The Lake 31

Christmas beauty: Turn time on its head (or body) A few treatments I’d recommend include: microdermabrasion which is great for sloughing away dull, dead skin to brighten and allow products to penetrate; the COMCIT facial, which can boost collagen production in as little as 4 to14 days to plump, rehydrate and rejuvenate; LED light therapy repairs tissues and also counteracts the effects of SAD so is a mood-booster as well as a time-saver; the CACI Ultimate to combat dullness, dehydration and redness; micro-current facial lifting for sagging skin, drooping eyes, lines and wrinkles, which none of us want to have at Christmas or any other time.

Nails Why spend your over-stretched time constantly applying and reapplying nail varnish? Gel nails, Shellac or acrylics are the way to go. A quick trip to a good salon or clinic and you can forget about your fingers and toes for the party season, apart from admiring how great they look.

Body Seeing the children or grandchildren’s eyes light up on 25th December is magical. But, rather than lighting up, it can be hard to keep your eyes open, let alone hide the dark circles by the time Christmas arrives. If you look good, you feel better, but so many people tell me they ‘don’t have time’ or ‘feel guilty’ taking time for themselves in the run-up to Christmas. What if I were to tell you that a visit to a salon or clinic could save you time and help you feel great?

You may be dubious, but read on and my theory will start to make sense.

Hair Think about it. How many times are you going to have to shave this Christmas and New Year? Fair enough, it may be a quick 15 minutes in the shower before you drag on a dress, but add it up. Then factor in the random hairs you’ll miss as you’re in a rush (but will become glaringly obvious as you perch on a bar stool) and both your time and confidence will diminish. Compare that to taking time to have professional waxing or hair removal at a clinic that will last through the festivities and be done properly.

Face Brows: Similar to hair removal. You don’t want to spend your Christmas madly plucking (apart from the turkey)! Opt for a proper brow shape or tint to save time, or go for HD Brows that use up to seven different techniques to give you definition and even lift the look of tired, sagging brows to shape your face.

Why do we all wait until January to try to get our bodies into shape?

And, more importantly how much time do you spend trying on dresses and outfits before you go out, because one shows up your bingo wings, another highlights your tummy bulge, muffin top or saddle bags? With incredible results (sometimes in as little as one treatment) non-surgical body contouring can really change your shape. When we’re happier with our body shape we feel and look good in our skin… and clothes, so you can save all that time and effort trying to find an outfit you feel nice in.

For a really quick fix, make sure you have a good spray tan as this will also help you look slimmer, feel better about yourself, and reduce ‘dress dilemma’ time!

Make time to save time Not only will treatments save you time and stress over the holiday season, they could even give you back time. While you let the professionals get on with making you look and feel great, you can still be getting on with preparations. Think of the mental lists you can go through. Plus, you can also do some shopping at the same time. Nearly all clinics stock great gift products, so you can even tick some names off the list. Or, give something that everyone craves in the modern world… ‘time’, with either a pamper treatment or a voucher.

Happy Christmas!

Tracey Locke, Lead Clinician

Lashes: Clumpy mascara or ‘panda eyes’ are not good looks on anyone and just emphasise tiredness. Semi-permanent lashes add length and fullness, so you can look great, wide-awake and save time every day over the holidays.

Skin: You might not think there’s time to have a facial or (heaven forbid) it’s not important. But, looking after your skin is vital when you’re stressed, not eating as well as you maybe should, dehydrated due to central heating, alcohol, etc. A facial treatment will save you time, too. It means your skin and complexion will be brighter and your skincare products will work better, so you’ll spend less time piling on tons of make-up or squinting at wrinkles.

Serenity Clinic Ltd, 162 Banks Road, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 0RH T: 0151 625 6256 www.serenity-clinic.co.uk

32 The Lake

YOGA for

Healthy Lower Backs

A specialised, research based, 12 week course to give you the skills, knowledge and confidence to improve the health of your lower back.

Simple, gentle and effective.

CLASSES HELD IN WEST KIRBY See www.yogawithkate.vpweb.co.uk or contact Kate Knowles on 0151 625 3316 to book your place.

HESWALL CARPETS DISCOUNT FLOORING CENTRE

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They may need clearing Are your paving & paths getting slippy and leafy?

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Telephone: 0151 342 0008

Kayakers paddle their way to over £5K This year’s charity Coastal Kayak Challenge 2016 has raised a fantastic total in excess of £5,000 for Claire House and other charities.

Organiser of the event Mike Dudley and fellow kayakers presented a cheque for £3,700 to Wendy Purvis from Claire House at a special evening held at Tanskeys in West Kirby.

In addition to the donations for Claire House, several of the participants raised a further £1,400 for other charities. This included: £450 raised for the ITU at Arrowe Park Hospital by Julie Hutton; £350 for The MS Society raised by Alan Shaw (who himself suffers with MS and completed the challenge on a double kayak with Alan Burns for the third time in 2016); £300 for The British Heart Foundation collected by Amanda Swift; and £300 for Stick ‘n’ Step, raised by Roy Ellis.

In its fifth year in 2016, the event, which takes place on the same day as the Wirral Coastal Walk in June, is gaining momentum year on year. This summer saw nearly 40 kayakers take to the water for ten hours, paddling from Harrison Drive in New Brighton to Thurstaston.

The next Coastal Kayak Challenge will take place on 18th June, 2017. “It’s open to anyone,” said Mike, “from expert kayakers to those who’ve never done it before. We can even organise kayak hire. It’s a great day out and is so rewarding to be able to help local charities” To find out more about the next event on 18th June 2017 or to sign up, visit www. facebook.com/kayakchallengewirral

Earlier in the year you may remember an article we did on a local man from Heswall who has taken it upon himself to complete ten events spread over the year to help raise as much awareness and money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Matt Strange, 31, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, is a keen runner and general fitness fanatic. The disease is an inherited disease caused by a faulty gene.

This gene controls the movement of salt and water in and out of your cells, so the lungs and digestive system become clogged with mucus, making it hard to breathe and digest food. There is currently no cure for cystic fibrosis.

Each week five babies are born with cystic fibrosis, and two people die.

The average life expectancy ranges from 30-35 years, so training and keeping fit is an essential part of trying to defy the odds, something Matt is very determined and focused on.

Matt has now completed nine of the ten events; these include six 10k races, one half marathon, Chain Runner (obstacle event) as well as running up and down Snowdon in two hours.

Matt told The Lake: “The challenges so far have really started to take their toll on my body, and I’m excited to rest up after my final event. The hardest event so far was without doubt Snowdon, as this was so demanding on my legs and chest.”

Matt has already reached his initial target of over £2,000 to raise before the end of December; however, he has now increased this to £2,500 so that the little extra can be used to support more research and medications for patients.

If you would like to sponsor Matt and help spread more awareness, you can do so at the following www.justgiving.com/MattTeamCF or you can sponsor by texting MSCF85 £5 (or any amount) to 70070.

34 The Lake

Shorelines

By Stephen G Baker

For a Christian, the event which is celebrated at Christmas is not confined to December or even November. It is not even restricted to being about Jesus’ birth; it is actually about more about Him being God which is a truth which is worth considering all year round.

How does one explain the Almighty stooping to become a tiny infant? Our minds cannot begin to understand what was involved in God becoming a man, entering into the world He knew would reject Him and kill Him. Nor can anyone explain how God could become a baby. Yet He did.

Without forsaking His divine nature or diminishing His deity in any sense, He was born into our world as a tiny infant. How can both things be true?

For nearly two thousand years, a debate has been raging about who Jesus really is. Some say He is one of many gods, a created being, a high angel, a good teacher, a prophet, and so on. The common thread of all such theories is that they make Jesus less than God. But let the Bible speak for itself. John’s gospel begins with a clear statement that Jesus is God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made,” John 1. 1-3. Who is “the Word” spoken of in these verses? John 1. 14 removes any doubt: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”.

The biblical evidence is overwhelming that this child in the manger was the incarnation of God. There are many reasons including: • Fulfilled biblical predictions which are impossible to counterfeit; • The recorded evidence of Jesus’ supernatural knowledge; • The miracles of Jesus that were verified by eyewitnesses.

Let’s just suppose for a moment that it is all true. Jesus is God’s Son. Then, why would God allow His Son to become a man and be born in such a lowly manner and let men treat Him the way they did?

The reason given in the Bible is that “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world,” 1 John 4. 14. He did it to make peace between God and humanity. All of us have sinned. Only Jesus, because He alone is both God and man, could ever resolve the conflict. He takes the hand of a repentant sinner and the outstretched hand of a holy yet loving God, and He joins the two. He can forgive our sins, reconcile us to God, and thus make “peace through the blood of His cross,” Col. 1. 20.

God is not reluctant for that to occur; rather it is the very reason He sent Christ into the world.

www.findingthemissingpeace.blogspot.co.uk www.seekthetruth.org.uk

The Lake 35

Is it OK to sweat out a cold with a workout?

The nights are getting darker, the days are getting colder and the cold and flu season is well under way. When a cold hits you, the only thing you probably feel like doing is sitting on the sofa to watch your favourite TV programme. But if you do fancy getting up, being active, and trying to sweat it out, is it safe to do so? Here, Zara Wylie, Head Coach at Fitness Queen talks you through what’s OK and what will do more harm than good.

If you feel like you have enough energy to work out, but are prone to a coughing and sneezing fit, it’s probably best to steer clear of the gym where you could infect everybody else. Depending on how much energy you’ve got, a brisk walk, light jog, or home workout will do the trick until you are fully recovered. The good news for you is that generally people who exercise regularly recover from illnesses quicker and get milder symptoms than a typical ‘couch potato’.

There are a couple of rules you should stick to if you want to work out while you’re unwell. One of the most important is if you begin to feel worse after you’ve worked out, reduce your effort by at least 50%. If this is still a struggle, stop working out and wait until you are fully recovered.

The second is the above-the-neck rule. If your symptoms are confined to above the neck (runny nose, cough, sneezing) you should be fine to carry on exercising. But if your symptoms are below the neck (muscle aches, chest infection, upset stomach, etc.) make sure you rest until you are completely recovered.

Let us know how we can help promote your events

Lastly, never work out if you have flu or a fever. Fatigue usually goes hand in hand with flu – if you are tired anyway, there is no reason to push yourself. You’ll make your symptoms worse and lengthen your recovery time. The most important thing to do in this case is to rest and let your immune system get to work.

The most ‘working out’ that you should do while you have flu is a gentle stroll to get some fresh air and vitamin D from the sun.

You can start exercising again as soon as you feel well enough, but make sure that you listen to your body. It won’t be able to go back to the same workout straightaway that you were doing before you fell ill. Start out at 50%–75% of your normal workout and build up gradually from there. If that’s a struggle, then give yourself another couple of days off.

If you’re fed up of doing the same workouts at the gym, or want to begin exercising, why not join Fitness Queen bootcamps? Sessions currently run in Heswall and our years of success means that we know exactly what you need to reach your goals. We are serious about fitness, but at the same time always manage to have a laugh.

We guarantee results in just 21 days, so what are you waiting for?

Sign up for your free week trial now. Contact me on one of the three ways below: Email: zara.wylie@gmail.com Tel: 07702844984 Facebook: fitnessqueen Zara x

The Editor, The Lake, Royal Standard House, 334 New Chester Road, Rock Ferry, Wirral CH42 1LE Email: jon@lakemagazine.co.uk • Telephone 07796 945745

36 The Lake

All Things Auctioneering

by John Bathurst Crane

After 35 years I have taken the decision to expand our business. John Crane Fine Arts with Cato Crane Auctioneers has opened an office at 48 The Mount, Heswall, CH60 4RD. This location enables clients in Wirral to visit us for valuations and appraisals and to bring in items for sale by auction or private treaty.

We do have many willing buyers for items of high quality.

There is on-road parking most of the time outside the office and we will be open there on Friday mornings from 8.30 until midday and all other days by appointment. The telephone number is 0151 342 2321 or 01244 680055.

48 The Mount Heswall – The lady’s not for sale!

The season of my annual winter round of talks and presentations has already begun.

Forty-five people attended a talk ‘All Things Auctioneering’ at Irby Methodist Church recently, where an enjoyable evening was had – I think! I certainly had a very good evening.

One person brought in a good French glass bowl by Gallé, which sadly was chipped and cracked. I have now located a glass restorer who can stabilise the damaged piece by using a clear acrylic filler; this should prevent any further splitting. It is possible to totally disguise most of the damage by using a coloured and textured acrylic filler, but as far as I know this technique is only available in the USA; the cost would be prohibitive and more damage could occur in transit.

Discussing the merits of a chair at Shotwick

I have included a photograph of antiques enthusiasts at my second talk at Shotwick Parish Church where the subject under discussion was the age of the mahogany frame of a low-seated armchair. It is often a matter of opinion with people rarely agreeing!

A fun evening with the Vicar in attendance and not in the pulpit! And, no, I wasn’t in the pulpit either…

My next talk will be to the Hoylake Historical Society.

Recently a small oil painting dated 1895 was brought into the Auction Rooms in Liverpool.

It depicted the tugboat named the Andrew Jolliffe, which was built in Tyneside and launched in August 1894. This sturdy vessel was used by the Admiralty in the First World War but was broken up after a life of service in 1935. I have now contacted a member of the Jolliffe family who hopefully will be keen to acquire this picture to add to his collection.

Andrew Jolliffe Tug by J Bourne

The Cato Crane Auction Rooms in Liverpool continue to be busy and successful achieving high prices for vendors of fine quality furniture, pictures and items of vertu.

Our Online Worldwide Live & Local Auctions is a good system to use for achieving good results. Every lot is photographed and published on the Internet on specialist sites to enable bidders worldwide to see your items.

Taiwan and Australia seem to be very active bidders at the moment for desirable objects.

A small 5-inch ceramic c19th Pixiu, one of the five auspicious animals in Chinese mythology, made over £500 in our last sale despite its considerable damage not shown in the image.

The Pixiu has a dragon’s head, a horse’s body and the feet of a unicorn, which I can only leave to your imagination. It feeds on gold and silver and brings good fortune and enhances the ability of those entering universities for advanced learning studies. The other four auspicious animals are the dragon, tortoise, Phoenix and the Chinese unicorn.

Our Annual Beatles Auction held at the Unity Theatre in Liverpool this year had many good results, with the market appearing to be stronger and more buoyant than the previous two years and included a good international attendance. The ‘lost’, and now discovered by us, Paul McCartney’s demo disc ‘It’s For You’ that he wrote and gave to Cilla Black in 1964, made over £22,000 including premium and VAT, which is equivalent to £270 a second for the short recording! It went to a private collector from the Midlands.

Early c20th bronze and ivory figures are still popular with collectors. The one illustrated is not life-sized, but just 12 inches tall. Made by Claire Jeanne Robertine Colinet (1880–1950) in about 1925, it should, with a fair wind to push the bidding along, make something towards the £10,000 mark. A few years ago it could have easily made half as much again.

It is always important to know the right time to sell. To do that, of course, we need to do a lot of gazing into a crystal ball! Experience and knowledge of how the art market ebbs and flows, does assist in decision-making – some clients take heed, but others don’t…

Gallé bowl

Showing the damage

Ceramic Pixiu

Finest bronze and ivory figure on bronze and marble socle

The Lake 37

I have found that collectors come in all shapes and guises and from all sections of society.

A wealthy football club owner said on TV recently that he thought that most people were unambitious and generally satisfied with their lot in life. This does not apply to collectors...

They are restless souls, constantly searching for rare objects.

I heard it said of a person locally that he regarded the objects in his collection as his personal friends and his personal friends as objects! I hope this is not true, as I will give you one guess as to whom they were referring.

I enjoy visiting spectacular collections, whether it is rare plants, tractors, buses, old cars with which owners find it impossible to part, pictures or silver or clocks. There are people, dare I mention, who flaunt, somewhat distastefully in my view, two or three enormous motorised ocean-going ‘yachts’. But I don’t set myself up as being the arbiter of good taste…

So, there we are, another small glimpse into the life of one who is passionately and totally engaged in a fascinating world. You are very welcome to pop into our office on The Mount on Fridays or other times by appointment.

Meeting nice people makes my world go around and it is a biographical adventure, for everyone has collecting stories to share. And I promise, you will NOT be treated as an object, and a warm welcome, a comfy chair, tea and biscuits, and the experience of a lifetime of discovering and auctioning objects awaits you.

Phone me on 0151 342 2321 or CatoCrane. co.uk or follow me on Twitter @catocrane Happy antiques hunting and polo playing to everyone.

What is this used for? Answer next issue

Beautiful athlete waiting to perform

For the really serious collector, the first prize has to go to the pony collector. Polo ponies.

They start at about £4,000 each and the very best may cost up to £100,000 each. There is someone who owns 600 in stables around the world and funds his own polo team. I won’t mention the cost of maintaining this collection, but the feed bill is over £15,000 a week. But worth every penny for the ponies are extremely beautiful and agile athletes. But... hey ho...

I am proud of my Miniature Hosta collection in Wirral!

Dr Valerie Warr, Wirral Arts Festival Director CEO, John Crane and Adam Siddorn of Wirral Radio declaring the new office of John Crane Fine Arts and Cato Crane Auctioneers now open at 48 The Mount in Heswall

38 The Lake Arrival When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team – led by expert linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) – are brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers – and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Prisoners and the upcoming Blade Runner sequel), Arrival stars Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker.

Welcome to The Lake magazine’s film column.

Each issue will provide a rundown of what’s on over the next few weeks, including blockbusters, independent films and art screenings that are available for you to check out in your local cinema.

Also this November: The Light Between Oceans Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Allied Bad Santa 2 A United Kingdom

NOVEMBER A Street Cat Named Bob Directed by Roger Spottiswoode (Tomorrow Never Dies, Under Fire, Air America, Turner & Hooch), A Street Cat Named Bob is the film adaption of James Bowen’s much-loved, best-selling book.

Starring Luke Treadaway (Unbroken, Clash of the Titans) as James Bowen, A Street Cat Named Bob tells the moving and life-affirming true story of the unlikely friendship between a young homeless busker, James Bowen, and the stray ginger cat named Bob who changed his life.

Also starring Ruta Gedmintas (The Strain, The Incident) Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey, Filfth) Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and (of course) Bob, filming took place over six weeks in London, mainly in Covent Garden where James and Bob used to busk.

The Accountant Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a math savant with more affinity for numbers than people.

Behind the cover of a small-town CPA office, he works as a freelance accountant for some of the world’s most dangerous criminal organisations.

With the Treasury Department’s Crime Enforcement Division, run by Ray King (J.K. Simmons), starting to close in, Christian takes on a legitimate client: a state-of-the-art robotics company where an accounting clerk (Anna Kendrick played by Dana Cummings) has discovered a discrepancy involving millions of dollars. But as Christian uncooks the books and gets closer to the truth, it is the body count that starts to rise.

Passengers On a routine journey through space to a new home, two passengers, sleeping in suspended animation, are awakened 90 years too early when their ship malfunctions. As Jim (Chris Pratt) and Aurora (Jennifer Lawrence) face living the rest of their lives on board, with every luxury they could ever ask for, they begin to fall for each other, unable to deny their intense attraction… until they discover the ship is in grave danger. With the lives of 5,000 sleeping passengers at stake, only Jim and Aurora can save them all.

Also this December:

DECEMBER Office Christmas Party In Office Christmas Party, when the CEO tries to close her hard-partying brother’s branch, he and his Chief Technical Officer must rally their co-workers and host an epic office Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and close a sale that will save their jobs.

Office Christmas Party features seasoned comedy performers in the familiar shape of Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston and also includes the utterly brilliant Kate McKinnon (Ghostbusters) and T.J. Miller (Silicon Valley, Deadpool), as well as co-starring Olivia Munn.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Here it is, the first of the Star Wars standalone films, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction.

This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Wen Jiang and Forest Whitaker.

Moana Sully Why Him? – Collateral Beauty During November and December, The Light Cinema New Brighton is hosting a wealth of live cinema including theatre, opera, and ballet.

ROH: Les Contes d’Hoffman Nov 15th The Royal Opera’s lavish production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann), Offenbach’s masterpiece, is a favourite with audiences. This production bring alive a 19th century world of romance, comedy, mystery and menace.

Andre Rieu: Christmas with Andre Nov 19th Christmas with André is a festive celebration, featuring a never before seen 90-minute recorded Christmas concert packed with all the favourites!

ROH: The Nutcracker Dec 8th The Royal Ballet’s glorious production of The Nutcracker, created by Peter Wright in 1984, is the production par excellence of an all-time ballet favourite.

NT Live: No Man’s Land Dec 15th Following their hit run on Broadway, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart return to the West End stage in Harold Pinter’s No Man’s Land, broadcast live to cinemas from Wyndham’s Theatre, London.

Bolshoi: The Nutcracker Dec 18th This beloved holiday classic will enchant the whole family with its fairy-tale setting and Tchaikovsky’s timeless score Craig Barton is the co-director of Pilot Light TV Festival and works within film exhibition at Multiplexs and Film Festivals and is a former lecturer of film and creative media.

Release dates are subject to change and are provided by Launching Films and The Light Cinema.