Lake sept

Issue 22 • September/October 2016

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

West Kirby remembers the Battle of the Somme • Calday Swimming ‘Bath’

Dinner and a bottle of wine EACH plus a movie for £20 per person!

SAT 24TH SEPT

SAT 8TH OCT

FRI 28TH OCT

Remembrance Sunday 13th November 2016 The Poppies perform at 3pm Complimentary sherry for all those wearing a Poppy.

FRI 11TH NOV

SAT 26TH NOV

FRI 16TH DEC SUN 18TH DEC

SAT 17TH DEC

All films will start at approximately 8pm. Booking essential.

SOUTH PARADE, MARINE LAKE, WEST KIRBY • TELEPHONE 0151 625 3882

Welcome to issue twenty-two 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.

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.

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 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: Soroptimist International Hoylake and West Kirby taken in the Marigold Café in 1946

CONTENTS

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

Contacts: Editor Jonathan Bion 07796 945745 jon@lakemagazine.co.uk Sales Director Alan Strange 07788 510868 alan@lakemagazine.co.uk 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 Soroptimists celebrate 70 years

24 The Wirral Society

06 West Kirby remembers the Battle of the Somme

28 West Kirby Methodist Church

10 The Artist Within

29 Dragons’ Den Star hails board game

11 West Kirby Christmas Lights Appeal

30 West Kirby United Reformed Church

12 West Kirby Museum

31 West Kirby RNLI

14 Wirral and the Domesday Book

32 Shorelines

16 Wirral’s Wonderful Waders!

33 Spotlight on adult acne

16 Wine Column

34 Fitness Queen

18 Fragments from the Front

36 All Things Auctioneering

22 Calday Swimming ‘Bath’

38 What’s on the Big Screen

Let us know how we can help promote your events

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

04 The Lake

Soroptimist International Hoylake and West Kirby celebrating 70 years since it was chartered In 1946

Charles Stephens announces new investment to coincide with 120th anniversary Charles Stephens, the Wirral’s largest independent funeral directors, has announced new investment to celebrate its 120th anniversary.

The company has invested in a hand-built glass-roofed Jaguar hearse, due for delivery this autumn. It will be the first of its kind on the Wirral and will add to their growing fleet of Jaguar limousines and hearses.

Following the opening of its new West Kirby branch, work to refit the company’s Heswall and Bromborough offices has also been completed. The remaining branches will undergo refurbishment over the coming months.

And to celebrate the firm’s 120th anniversary, the fourth generation business is offering £50 off its Pre-Paid Funeral Plans. The plans provide people with a caring, cost-effective way to put their arrangements in place.

Gemma Stephens, Managing Director of Charles Stephens, said: “I’m extremely proud of our company’s history of providing the people of the Wirral with a dignified funeral.

“Our staff are committed to the traditions of providing the very best funeral services while, at the same time, ensuring we meet the requirements of today’s families.

Soroptimist International Hoylake and West Kirby are delighted to be celebrating their 70th anniversary this year with a special lunch to be held on Saturday 1 October 2016 in the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, where their guest of honour will be the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, Dame Lorna Muirhead DBE. For those who ask ‘What is a Soroptimist?’, the answer is that we are a vibrant voluntary organisation for today’s women.

We work at local, national and international levels to educate and empower women and girls so that they can realise their aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong and peaceful communities worldwide.

The first meeting of the Club was held on 4 March 1946 at the Marigold Cafe in West Kirby with some 32 ladies present. Our Club was officially chartered on 6 October 1946. To celebrate that event, a special dinner was held on 19 October 1946 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.

If you recognise someone in this photograph taken in the Marigold Café in 1946, do please let us know. You can contact us via our website: www.sigbi.org/hoylake-and-west-kirby

“Our remaining branches will all be refurbished over the next 18 months as we move towards a consistent brand identity across the Wirral.”

The firm was founded in 1896 by Charles Stephens and in 1993 merged with Henry Norman, another long-established Wirral funeral directors.

Gemma Stephens took over as Managing Director from her father Jeremy six years ago. Jeremy continues to act as a senior consultant to the family business.

06 The Lake

West Kirby remembers the Battle of the Somme

By Heather Chapman The West Kirby Museum Research Group continues their rolling project about West Kirby in WWI. In collaboration with Stephen Roberts, author and historian, the Group is researching all the men with a West Kirby connection who lost their lives during WWI. Research completed so far is published on the website: grangehill1922.wordpress.com Victoria Doran and Helen Carr have completed a display about some of the local men who died in the Battle of the Somme, one hundred years ago. The Battle of the Somme started on 1 July 1916 and lasted until November 1916. This was one of the bloodiest battles of WWI – 141 days of horror. The British Army suffered about 420,000 casualties during this battle; there were nearly 60,000 casualties on the first day alone.

To date, the Research Group has found 26 men with West Kirby connections who lost their lives during the Battle of the Somme.

One local casualty was Harold Morris Porter, who lived with his family at 2A Dunraven Road, West Kirby. He was the eldest son of Thomas Henry and Lydia Porter. Harold was an ‘old boy’ of Calday Grange Grammar School, where he was described as a quiet student. He was very much part of the local community, being a sidesman at West Kirby Methodist Church, the treasurer of the Band of Hope and deputy treasurer of The Missionary Society. He had a strong sense of duty and despite being rejected for enlistment twice by the Royal Artillery on medical grounds, finally managed to join the war effort when he enlisted with the 1/6th (Liverpool Rifles) Battalion, King’s Liverpool Regiment in 1915.

Guillemont Road Cemetery

On Friday 1st July 2016, a service commemorating the Battle of the Somme was held on Grange Hill. The service was led by the Bishop of Birkenhead and the Mayor of Wirral was present. At 7.30am members of the Calday Grange Combined Cadet Force blew whistles to mark the exact moment troops left their trenches and went ‘over the top’ at the Battle of the Somme 100 years earlier.

The commemoration service on Grange Hill on 1st July 2016

On Saturday 12th November 2016 there will be a ‘West Kirby Remembers WWI’ exhibition day at St Bridget’s Centre, St Bridget’s Lane, West Kirby, between 10am and 4pm. Entrance is free and the museum will also be open all day. If you have any West Wirral relatives who fought in WWI, please come along and talk to our researchers. We have a database of all local men who lost their lives during WWI which will be available on the day. The Cheshire Home Front, Irons in the Fire, the Red Cross, and many more will be in costume, and their magnificent displays will be on show. Stephen Roberts, author and historian, will be launching his new genealogy business. Throughout the day there will be a series of short talks about West Kirby, Wirral and WWI. The talks are free, but numbers are limited and tickets will be available on the day.

Harold and friends (Thanks to niece, Jennifer Pantall)

Harold is pictured on the right of this photograph, but we do not know the names of his friends. (If you recognise a relative, please let us know.)

Harold died on 9 August 1916 aged 21 years. He is one of 2,265 men buried at Guillemont Road Cemetery, France.

Tailor-made letting services – we measure up!

A range of letting management options We understand that every landlord is different so we aim to be as flexible as possible by offering a range of letting options:

• Fully Managed • Rent Collection • Tenant Find

ACCURATE AND REALISTIC VALUATIONS Our free market valuations consider local features that will appeal to potential tenants - local parks, schools and shopping facilities.

We do not simply give you a high valuation to acquire your business but promise to provide realistic rental figures, based on true market conditions.

CAREFULLY SELECTED TENANTS We operate on the basis that successful letting is about matching the right tenant for every property. Having a tenant who will treat the property with respect is a key consideration for a successful tenancy so we ensure all prospective tenants are: • Fully referenced • Credit checked • Confirmation that they have the legal right to rent in the UK

Northwood Wirral

0151 348 4527

78 Telegraph Rd, Heswall, Wirral CH60 0AQ northwooduk.com

08 The Lake

Port Sunlight 1896 – 1916 captured through the lens Amateur photography groups sprang up around the country, with one such group forming in Port Sunlight. The Bebington Photographic Society began in 1897, and is still active today with over 50 members who meet every week, from beginners to seasoned photographers.

Port Sunlight Village Trust manages and maintains the village for future generations to enjoy, spending over £2 million each year on conservation, preservation and landscaping, so it is fitting that the Heritage team chose photography as their theme as this year’s special exhibition with Port Sunlight village offering so many opportunities to our budding photographers in the making.

Port Sunlight Museum’s special exhibition for 2016 is a fascinating story of three photographers, ‘Jenkins, Cotton and Davies’, who together make ‘Port Sunlight in Focus 1896 – 1916’. This year-long exhibition showcases rare and unpublished images of the village and probes into each of the three photographer’s pasts, sharing an insight into their lives, loves and passion of living and working in Port Sunlight and will explain how they each individually came to capture what is today a very important part of the social history of village life.

The amateur work of Jenkins and Cotton, along with the commercial work of Davies, was used by Lever Brothers to promote the company nationally and internationally. The work of these three photographers contributed in part to Port Sunlight becoming world renowned, but their own stories have never been told before.

In Britain by 1905 it was estimated there were four million amateur photographers actively taking snapshots and with the introduction of a small folding camera and then the introduction of the Kodak Brownie camera in 1900, it made photography affordable and within reach of most people.

Visit Port Sunlight Museum and view Port Sunlight in Focus exhibition which runs until 2017, and with so much to do in Port Sunlight, offering walks, tours and trails, visiting the art gallery, browsing round the garden centre and joining in the events, we look forward to welcoming you to Port Sunlight.

Images credit: Port Sunlight Museum Collection.

The Lake 09

Once, twice, threes times a marriage It is argued that the prime factor affecting the break up of second marriages is that there may be less glue holding the marriage together and in particular children from previous marriages may be a factor.

Tom Fisher

Is it third time lucky or is your first love, your true love!

Statistics have shown that 50% of first marriages, 67% of second and 73% of third marriages end in divorce. So what can be the reasons for this progressive increase in divorce rates?

One common theory is that a significant number may enter a second marriage on the rebound of the first. Often people do not allow sufficient time to recover from their first divorce, or get their priorities straight before taking their vows again.

They may enter the next marriage for the wrong reasons. They are liable to repeat their mistakes, making them susceptible to similar conflicts and another broken marriage follows.

There are some individuals in second or third marriages who consider divorce manageable and not necessarily a tragedy.

They have handled it once so they can handle it again. They may even recognise the warning signs earlier than they did the first time round and are quicker to react, more determined to minimise the agony.

The great majority of children born to married couples are born during their first marriage when their parents are up to 35 years old; most couples in a second marriage do not have common children to bind them together. Furthermore, parent/ child relationships can be a source of conflict in some marriages but, overall, children act as a stabilising factor in marriages and when children are absent the marriage is prone to be rocked by minor storms.

Marriage, however, second time around, can be less complicated when both parties are widowed. When these marriages happen, often in later life, the new husband and wife can often find great comfort in their new ties of affection and companionship.

Older and wiser, both parties are likely to be more mature and perhaps mellower than they were the first time round. With no exes to complicate the new marriage, fond memories of former partners can be shared and are likely to be largely non-threatening to the new partner If you would like to talk to one of our specialist family law advisors, please call us free on 0800 387 927 (now also free to call from mobiles) or email family@lees.co.uk or visit our website www.lees.co.uk/family

At Lees Solicitors we understand that a breakdown of a relationship is upsetting and can be one of the most difficult times in your life. We will provide you with expert, professional and sensitive legal advice, helping you deal with divorce, financial matters and any questions you may have as a parent.

What Lees Solicitors can do for you…

• Fixed fee options available • Out of hours appointments from 5–7pm on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

• Heswall office 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 • Collaborative lawyers If you are in need of family law advice, contact our team to book an appointment or to chat through your options. Call us free from either a mobile or landline on 0800 387 927.

10 The Lake

The Artist Within

By Robert Foster

The smell of barbecue smoke and blackened sausage may still be lingering in the West Wirral air, but autumn is now officially upon us.

The good times enjoyed over the changeable summer months are now confined to the photo album and faces are beginning to drop at the prospect of another gloomy winter. Of course we all love summer and the good times it brings, but the winter months still have a lot to offer if you’re willing to try something new. Not content with hibernating as I count down the days until March, I’ve resolved to embrace this winter by using it to explore my creative side.

I enjoy curling up by the fire with a book as much as the next person, but all too often I find myself getting restless. It may just have been my own lack of patience and short attention span, but by the end of February gone I realised I was in desperate need of a new hobby if I were to make it through the winter of 2016 with my sanity intact. The only question that remained was what should I do? Stamp collecting? Woodwork? Music lessons? So many hobbies, so little time!

fingered creative masterminds before buying their reasonably priced wares. Panoramas of spectacular sunsets, abstract local scenes and perfectly composed photographs were the order of the day, all drawing plenty of interest from passing locals.

Art in the Park started off in 2008 with the aim of placing the spotlight on our local artists. It also served the dual purpose of helping to raise funds for West Kirby’s Coronation Gardens. It has gone from strength to strength over the last eight years, attracting increasing numbers of artists and art lovers alike. Unfortunately, you only have one more chance to take in the exhibition this year – Art in the Park only runs between the summer months of May and September, so if you’re interested make sure you set aside an hour to visit 2016’s grand finale on Sunday 25th September.

Luckily, I had an epiphany as I walked around West Kirby’s ‘Art in the Park’ showcase in Coronation Gardens last month. Surrounded by all manner of fantastic local artwork and handmade curios, I felt that flash of inspiration I’d been hoping for. From that moment on I knew I had to unleash my inner artist and tap into the pool of creativity that must lurk somewhere within me. The bright colours and rich textures that adorned the alcoves of Coronation Gardens really made an impression.

Thankfully, Art in the Park is not the only local source of artistic inspiration for budding Van Goghs. A short walk from Coronation Gardens is perhaps my favourite shop in West Kirby – Staacks.

Full to the brim with reasonably priced local art, photography, craft items and handmade jewellery, as well as a café to boot, it is bound to fulfil your arty cravings throughout the winter months. Staacks is a must if you want to find out more about local arts and crafts. The staff are exceptionally friendly and seek to advise and assist rather than push the hard sell. Luckily for closet paintbrush warriors like myself, they’re also willing to offer advice as to the best ways to progress if you plan on exhibiting and selling your work.

I was clearly in the right place for inspiration. For those who don’t know, Art in the Park is a monthly showcase for local artists that is entirely free for the public. Coronation Gardens provide the perfect venue for a close-up look at the best up and coming artists from our area, providing the opportunity to meet all manner of fleet

I’m not counting on a Turner Prize anytime soon but who knows; with any luck my winter spent at the easel will see me turn out something half decent to hang above the fireplace. If not, at least my idle hands will have been kept busy until Art in the Park returns in the spring and I can pick myself up a real local masterpiece.

The Lake 11

Fabulous new logo and exciting changes coming soon!!

Our same amazing staff will help you find your dream dress

Authorised stockists of Mark Lesley, Ronald Joyce and David Tutera.

Coming soon – Amanda Wyatt Bridalwear Plus size collection in stock soon

Big Sale coming in October – check our website for updates Opulence Bridalwear, 19-25 The Crescent, West Kirby, CH48 4HL • Tel: 0151 625 9933 • www.opulencebrides.co.uk

12 The Lake

Old School Room

St Bridget’s Centre, St Bridget’s Lane, West Kirby CH48 3JT

West Kirby Christmas Lights Appeal

The museum is open every Saturday morning 10am – 1pm and admission is free

Each year West Kirby faces the prospect of not having any Christmas Lights. The council no longer has the budget and there is no local trade body that could fund them. Not many people realise this and nor do they consider that there are considerable costs to install, maintain, buy new, insure, decommission and store all the lights needed to make West Kirby a festive, cheerful and great place to shop, dine and drink every Christmas.

Friday 7th October

History of Ashton Park An illustrated talk by Martin Harrison Tickets £3 – 7.00pm for 7.30pm at St Bridget’s Centre, West Kirby

For the last two years a group of committed residents and business owners have worked together as volunteers under the title of ‘West Kirby Christmas Lights’ to raise the funds needed to purchase and install lights for the benefit of businesses, visitors and residents.

West Kirby Remembers Saturday 12th November – St Bridget’s Centre 10am – 4pm

This year we need to raise £10,000.

We have applied for, and won, some local grant funding, but we still need the help of businesses, schools, voluntary organisations and individuals to help us raise the money.

If we can raise sufficient money, then we plan to hold this year’s Christmas Lights switch on event on November 17th.

The Xmas Lights appeal is being publicised through: • The website www.westkirbychristmaslights.co.uk • Twitter: @westkirbylights • Facebook page: ‘West Kirby Christmas Lights’ • Other advertising media, as well as the local newspapers (Wirral Weekly News, Liverpool Echo) Organisations and individuals who make donations or contribute to fundraising will receive public acknowledgement through these various media sources, unless they choose not to.

An Open Day with free talks and numerous exhibitions about West Kirby in WW1, Animals at War, The Somme etc. The Wirral Home Front Society, The Cheshire Home Guard and the Red Cross will be in attendance. There will be access to a database about the local casualties of WW1 and displays. Throughout the day there will be a series of free short talks about WW1 (numbers limited, book your free ticket on the day).

Changing exhibitions in our new display cases These small exhibitions are changed every few months.

September

Norman Ellison: Remembering Nomad forty years on

October/November/December History of Ashton Park

For more information, visit the website www.westkirbymuseum.co.uk

Whether you are a West Kirby business or a resident, we are asking if you would kindly make an urgent donation to help us achieve our fundraising target in time. We need to raise the money now.

Donations can be made by: 1. Cheque payable to ‘West Kirby Christmas Lights’ 2. Over the counter at NatWest Bank, West Kirby for the account ‘West Kirby Christmas Lights’ 3. By PayPal to westkirbylights@gmail.com 4. Online via the website www.westkirbychristmaslights.co.uk There are also collection boxes in a number of shops around West Kirby – every little helps!

Let’s do it! Let’s Light Up West Kirby this Christmas.

@lakewirral

14 The Lake

Ryan Ferguson tells readers about what we can learn about Wirral from the 1085 Domesday Book So, what does the Domesday Book say about Wirral? Well, first of all, the name was different. Although Wirheal appeared in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Domesday refers to the peninsula as ‘Wilaveston’, or Willaston as we know it today. This is because each region was sub-divided into ‘Hundreds,’ or groups of townships.

Wirral as we know it was then one of the 12 Hundreds that comprised Cheshire, and Willaston rested at the very heart of this area, hence its position of power.

At Christmas 1085, England was a nation fraught with tension.

The threat of Viking invasion pervaded, while resentment at Norman rule still bubbled beneath the surface. Amid the suspicion, King William the Conqueror held court at Gloucestershire Cathedral and demanded from his council a social project unlike any other in European history.

William wanted a full analysis of all land within his kingdom, complete with details of ownership and worth. The result, known colloquially as the Domesday Book, was a seminal document in English history. Indeed, it remains an invaluable portal through which to study the geography and culture of England, or in our case, Wirral, under feudalism.

William was the first Norman King of England. He invaded and defeated Anglo-Saxon King Harold at Hastings in 1066, to widespread disapproval. From thereon, his was a constant fight for legitimacy, and William yearned for a strong legacy. Many believe Domesday was a vain attempt to illustrate his power, while others focus on its manifest purpose of determining taxes owed during the King’s reign. Nevertheless, the Book is shrouded in mystery, not least because of its trailblazing nature.

The King divided England into seven regions and sent men to each, tasked with recording what each person owned and how much it was worth. At major inquests in each region, commissioners asked questions to determine where people lived; how much land they possessed; what the land was used for; how many ploughs, mills and fisheries were nearby; and what kind of people lived in each house.

Attendees were required to give two answers to each question: one for at the time of King Edward’s death in 1066, and one for the present day. This gave William vital information about how the country, and his power, had changed shape over two decades.

Accordingly, many people contend that the main purpose of Domesday was to glorify William’s impact, airbrush Harold from history, and establish the King’s legitimacy once and for all.

Needless to say, it wasn’t very popular.

Over 60,000 people were called to give testimony at the inquests.

Such an intrusion of privacy from government was unprecedented, and it opened old wounds between the Anglo-Saxon public and the Norman elite. There was no way of contesting the decisions made by commissioners, and land could be contested by others and reallocated entirely if proper proof of ownership didn’t materialise.

This sense of doom gave the Book its unofficial name, as division spread throughout England.

The finished product, a tome of 800 pages and almost one million words, became the first public record in our history. Written in Medieval Latin, the Domesday Book mentions 13,418 places by name, although some modern settlements fall under broader titles.

Moreover, certain places aren’t included due to their tax-exempt status, such as London, but this mammoth project still provides a fine starting point for any historical exploration.

The next thing to know is that Wirral was more densely populated than most of Domesday England. Eastham had a population of 79 households, considered very large at the time. Indeed, Eastham was the largest manor in Wirral and the second largest in Cheshire.

There’s reason to believe it stretched along much of the Mersey shore, blanketing swathes of the peninsula’s eastern quarter.

Bromborough, Tranmere, Saughall Massie, and many other settlements may have been part of Domesday Eastham, which was held by Hugh, the Earl of Chester.

In total, the Book mentions 43 places in the Hundred of Willaston.

Upton was the second most populous area, followed by Landican, believed to include modern day Woodchurch. Domesday shows 405 family heads living in Wirral, which suggests a population of between two and three thousand. The land was worth £51 in total, which was a small fortune in 1086.

The Book tells us that Wirral possessed very little dense woodland, but plenty of tree cover to enable farming – a popular occupation.

Fishing was also particularly popular, given the wide array of facilities on the peninsula. Domesday says Wirral possessed many fisheries, with Saughall being most prominent. Indeed, fishing appears to have been the main industry of our Norman Era forebears.

Watermills were recorded at Eastham and Prenton, while windmills were scattered about, notably in Bidston, Willaston and Irby. Most of the land belonged to Norman lords, notably Robert of Rhuddlan, while almost half of the landlords had names of Norse origin, perhaps linking to Wirral’s heritage in that regard.

The entire peninsula was served by just four priests, situated at Eastham, Landican, Neston and Poulton. Again, it’s worth noting the difference in Domesday geography, with modern day Bebington likely falling under the Poulton name, for instance. Other areas mentioned in the Book include Little Sutton, Neston and Greasby; Hadlow, Heswall and Hooton; Noctorum, Poulton and Prenton; Raby, Storeton, and Thingwall; Thornton Hough, Thurstaston and Wallasey.

Birkenhead and Hoylake, two modern hubs of Wirral activity, aren’t mentioned in Domesday. Some of the land was recorded as waste, and these areas were not inhabited on a grand scale for many years after the great survey was orchestrated.

Ultimately, the Domesday Book gave William immense control. Within a matter of minutes, he could study the portfolio of a misbehaving baron and punish him by stripping assets. No other monarch had ever possessed that tool and harnessed that autonomy. In the process, William also managed to mop up the mess of his conquest and draw a line in the sand of English history, which was important as he died barely a year after the project was completed.

From our contemporary viewpoint, more than a little imagination is required to make use of the Domesday Book. But it remains a phenomenal resource for serious historians and interested onlookers alike. The scribbled ink of 11th century commissioners may not reveal a great deal on its own, but reading between the lines, it’s possible to get an outline of Wirral at one of its earliest points of civilisation. To some people, that may not mean a great deal. Yet to me, it’s an incredibly exciting reminder of our beguiling past.

16 The Lake

W NE COLUMN

By Graham Simpson, Whitmore & White

Wines for All Occasions There are lots of wines out there in the big wide world. But sometimes we just want a wine for a specific moment in time. Something that will fit the bill. It could be a wine to celebrate a promotion at work or a wine for an intimate dinner with a loved one. Whatever you’re up to, this month I’ll take you through six wines which I believe are perfect for six occasions.

Wirral’s Wonderful Waders!

The Wirral peninsula is one of the best places during winter in the UK to see the wading birds that feast on the rich mudflats of the Dee and North Wirral shores. To celebrate this natural spectacle, Wirral Coast Partnership has organised a busy programme of events for the second Wirral Wader Festival which takes place on the 1st and 2nd of October.

Karen Leeming, Chair of the Wirral Coast Partnership, said: “Last year, the enthusiasm and ‘can-do’ efforts of the Wader Festival Partnership delivered the first UK Wader Festival despite the adverse weather thrown at us by the storms Abigail and Barney. It was very successful and by popular demand it will be held again this year.

“This is a real community effort to showcase Wirral’s wading birds and a full weekend of events will take place at Wirral Country Park, Thurstaston visitor centre, and at other coastal sites.”

Wirral was approached in 2015 to hold this event, the first of its kind in the UK, by Rick and Elis Simpson of Wader Quest, which is a British-based, but internationally active, charity driving conservation efforts for wading birds. They came on a visit to view the remarkable efforts of the Dee Estuary Voluntary Wardens (DEVW) who protect the thousands of birds roosting on West Kirby and Hoylake beaches at high tide. Wirral Wader Festival was created by DEVW along with Wirral Council’s Coastal Rangers, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and Wader Quest.

Wirral Country Park in Thurstaston will host a range of activities and stalls for everyone from keen birdwatchers to those who would just like to know a bit more about local wildlife. There will also be children’s activities, including a painting completion.

Nearby Shore Cottage Studio, a family-run art centre located at the foot of Thurstaston cliffs, is offering drop-in sessions that will give families the chance to get creative.

There will be high tide watches to allow visitors to marvel at the Knot and Dunlin roosts on Hoylake beach and at Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s Red Rocks nature reserve. Cheshire Wildlife Trust is part of the North West Wildlife Trusts and has been protecting wildlife in Cheshire for more than 50 years. Cheshire Wildlife Trust will be holding guided walks around the Red Rocks SSSI nature reserve and Wirral Rangers will be guiding a walk to Hilbre Island.

At West Kirby there will be live footage beamed direct from Little Eye so visitors can see Oystercatchers and Curlews up close.

Leasowe Lighthouse will host displays and tours of the building.

For full details of the events and activities during the festival, visit www.facebook.com/wirralwaderfest, or wirralwaderfestival.blogspot.co.uk. Most activities are free, but some have a small charge – see websites for details.

Perfect Celebration Wine Really there’s only one wine to open for a celebration and that is Champagne. Yes, you can open a bottle of anything fizzy, be it Prosecco, Cava, or another sparkling wine, but ultimately there is nothing better than Champagne if you want to celebrate something. And my Champagne of choice? It’s one that was the hands down winner at the recent Champagne tasting we held in Heswall.

My choice: Deutz Brut Classic NV £36.95 Perfect Sunday Roast Wine Okay, so there are a number of different types of Sunday roasts – pork, chicken, lamb or vegetarian, but I want to choose the perfect wine for the quintessential Sunday roast – beef. So this had to be red, anywhere between medium and full bodied with good tannic structure. I could wax lyrical about rich and ripe Aussie Shiraz, big and bold Californian Zinfandel or a full-on Chianti, but when it comes to roast beef in my view there is nothing better than a good red Bordeaux. It both lifts and itself is lifted by the beef.

My choice: Château La Croix de Grezard Lussac St Emilion £15.95 Perfect Aperitif Wine We can have many styles of wine as an aperitif. From fizz through whites and rosés to light chilled reds. However, for me an aperitif wine has to be white, light and very refreshing. Because of this I would always go for a Riesling. But would it be from somewhere like Australia where Rieslings are crisp and dry and a minimum of 13% alcohol? On the odd occasion yes, but my perfect aperitif Riesling is from Germany. In general the alcohol levels are lower, so it’s less of an assault on the palate so early in the evening.

My choice: Joseph Leitz Eins Zwei Dry £13.95 Perfect Friday Night In with the Girls Wine Now I’m not suggesting that you buy six bottles between three of you and crack every one open, but if you are looking for a good all rounder to take you through the evening without it getting silly then you could do a lot worse than a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. It’s dry enough to start off with, but has enough fruit and structure to work with all sorts of nibbles of choice. A great ‘start to finish’ wine.

My choice: Riverby Estate Sauvignon Blanc £14.95 Perfect Wine for Romance What I mean here is not what type of wine to give as a gift (always Champagne), but what is the perfect wine to share with your loved one?

Whether you cook a special dinner at home or book a table at a swanky restaurant, there is for me only one winner that will show your partner how much you love them and that is Amarone. It’s rich and luxurious, silky and sumptuous. It is a wine for lovers and hot romance.

My choice: Torre del Falasco Amarone £27.95 Perfect Wine to Take as a Gift to a Dinner Party So you’ve been invited to a dinner party. You have been told to ‘just bring yourselves’, but it’s rude to turn up with nothing and you couldn’t find anything suitable in the department store. So you decide to take a bottle of wine. But what do you choose? Firstly, you should assume that the hosts will have chosen wine for the evening. Secondly, if you know the hosts well enough, choose something you know they’ll like. However, this isn’t always possible, so you need a back-up wine, an inoffensive wine, a well-respected wine. For this occasion you need to go for a Rioja. Everyone loves Rioja and as such is a good ‘go to wine’ if you’re uncertain. My choice?

My choice: Beronia Rioja Reserva £14.95 So there you have it. Wines for all occasions. Until next time, drink with us and drink well!

Graham

18 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.

‘The Forgotten Army of WWI’ Although we realised that Joseph did not return to West Kirby and was not demobbed until January 1920, some 14 months after the end of WWI, it was only through the discovery of these postcards that we have been able to trace his movements and realised the important post-war work he was doing in France and Belgium.

Judging from his postcards this “lucratively paid work” required working with and supervising the Chinese Labour Corps.

The Chinese Labour Corps (CLC, French: Corps de Travailleurs Chinois) was a force of non-combatant workers recruited by the British Government in WWI to free troops for front-line duty by performing support work and manual labour. The French Government also separately recruited a significant number of Chinese labourers.

In all, some 140,000 men served for both British and French forces before and after the war and most of them were repatriated to China between 1918 and 1920.

At the time, the CLC was seen just as cheap labour and the men were not even allowed out of camp to fraternise locally. When the war ended, some were used in clean-up operations – for mine clearance, barbwire dismantling, the recovery of bodies of soldiers and filling in miles of trenches, etc. Their contribution went forgotten for decades and they became known as ‘The Forgotten Army of WWI’. It took some 57 years for their important contribution in WW1 to be recognised when military ceremonies resumed, in 2002, at the Chinese Cemetery of Noyelles-sur-Mer. From the brief comments in these postcards Joseph was largely non-committal about his work, but was obviously very respectful of these Chinese men and their deeds and exploits.

It’s no use you writing to me until I get posted to my Company, which will be above 14 days time. I suppose you know there is very little hope of me getting home for about twelve months, Annie. Of course I shall get leave very shortly. I am expecting but still I shall be getting very good pay (sans faire rien). There are about 200 of us here, but what surprises me they are practically all A1 men. I will write again in a few days, Annie.

Joseph

Dear Annie I arrived at my destination at 2 o’clock this morning & expect starting back at 3 o’clock this afternoon, all being well. The prisoner, I took down, was a Sgt Major of the Chinese. Of course he is now an ordinary chink, in other words a Private.

The Lake 19

he gave me two lovely blankets and several other small things. I am going to send them home if possible. You should have seen his kit, something lovely, spotless clean, Annie.

Your Brother Joseph, hoping there will be a letter when I return.

You might risk a letter, Annie to the address on the right, its sure to find me.

Pte J Ellerker Chinese Lab Depo’ S 59 France

20 The Lake

Long-serving Hoylake RNLI Lifeboat volunteer presented with British Empire Medal

Hoylake RNLI’s Lifeboat Operations Manager has been presented with the British Empire Medal (BEM) at a special ceremony in Liverpool.

David Whiteley, 57, received his BEM from the Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside Dame Lorna Muirhead at the Athenaeum Club on Friday, watched by his family and local dignitaries. He was awarded the medal in the 2016 New Year’s Honours List for services to maritime safety.

David has volunteered with the Hoylake RNLI Lifeboat for over 40 years, including 15 years as the lifeboat’s Coxswain. He joined the Royal National Lifeboat Institution on his 17th birthday in January 1976, following in his father’s footsteps. During his many years’ volunteering for the RNLI David has played a vital role in saving over 150 lives at sea.

In presenting David with his medal, Dame Lorna said: “There are many David Whiteleys around the UK who risk their lives in somewhat treacherous conditions and who consider duty before self. In this case it has not just been about rescues, but all of the other backroom requirements that ensure Hoylake Lifeboat can answer the call of duty effectively and efficiently.”

She added: “In this context, it is the fundraising, training, and fostering of cohesion between crews, families and communities that David has undertaken. This culminates in that those who may require the services of the lifeboat crew can gather comfort knowing that a highly motivated and skilled team is on hand.”

On receiving his award, David said: “I’m honoured and humbled to have received this award. First and foremost, it represents the hard work and dedication of the Hoylake Lifeboat crew and volunteers, with whom I have had the privilege to serve.”

New ‘all inclusive’ care home opens in the Wirral A new private care home has opened in the heart of Heswall that offers residential, nursing, palliative and respite care on an ‘all inclusive’ basis.

The new multi-million pound development at The Hazelwell, in Oldfield Road, has been designed and built to an exceptionally high standard of elegant design with luxurious en-suite bedrooms.

Unlike many other care homes in the UK, residents at The Hazelwell are able to access all of the care home’s facilities without any additional charges. This means that a glass of wine in the care home’s piano bar, a visit to its hairdressers, or a trip into town in the chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz are all covered by the weekly fees.

The Hazewell’s home manager Liza Millington, who has more than 20 years of experience in the care home industry, said: “When you’re choosing the right care home for yourself, a family member or loved one, it’s important to know all of the facts.

“At The Hazelwell, we want to make life as simple, straightforward and enjoyable as possible – which is why everything here is included in the weekly fee, there are no extra costs.

“We are proud to offer an all-inclusive service our residents as we’re keen for every resident to experience all of the facilities, activities, and luxuries available at The Hazelwell. It also gives peace of mind to residents and their families that everything is covered.”

The Hazelwell, also offers day care, and its facilities include a home cinema, salon and nail bar, gym, library, on-site chef, a stunning rooftop terrace and a full activities programme.

The care home has 55 bedroom suites with en-suite facilities and specialist equipment such as nurse call systems. Rooms are spacious enough for residents to entertain guests and personalise. They can even bring in their own furniture, pictures and personal ornaments to make their room a home from home. The Hazelwell adopts an ‘open door’ policy at the home so friends and family can visit their loved ones at any time.

Liza added: “Our entire ethos centres on the word ‘home’. It’s crucial that The Hazelwell feels like home and offers home comforts, whatever each individual perceives those to be.

“Our chefs offer a high standard of cuisine but it’s also about the little things, such as choosing where you would like to eat your meal that day, having your morning coffee on the terrace in the sunshine or having some peace in the library to read your favourite book.

“Our dedicated activities co-ordinator also ensures that there is always something interesting going on for our residents to participate in, which usually involves having lots of fun!”

For more information call Liza on 0151 342 9654 or email info@thehazelwell.com or visit www.thehazelwell.com

22 The Lake

Calday Swimming ‘Bath’

By Rastus

Mr Glasspool thanked Mr Brocklehurst for accepting the invitation to come and open the bath, which had been built out of solid rock.

Most of the excavation had been done by the staff and boys of the upper and middle school. He particularly wished to thank two parents, Mr Weale and Mr Shennan, for expert advice and assistance. Mr Weale had designed the bath and been ever ready to help and advise them for its construction. For the water in the bath their thanks were due to Mr Shennan. Special thanks were due to certain members of the staff, Messrs. Hardwick, Price and Shaw, and to certain boys – Barron, Jones and Weale, for the large amount of willing work done. Mr Hardwick not only supervised the construction of the bath, but with the help of Messrs. Price and Shaw, had made the concrete slabs for the surrounds of the bathb (sic) and the wooden steps for the same.

“Murky and inhabited by growths of algae and minute and slimy fauna” Many readers will have heard about the Calday Swimming Pool in West Kirby and many may have even taken the plunge in this heated indoor ‘bath’. Note, I stressed ‘indoor’ as many readers may not know that this has not always been the case.

Amazingly, the ‘bath’ is nearly 100 years old. It was constructed in 1921/22 as “a large, open-air swimming bath built in the playing fields adjoining Calday Grange Grammar School (Calday GGS)”.

During construction, the boys of the school gave valuable help with the labouring tasks and at the same time gained valuable skills and knowledge.

The opening of the pool and its specifications was reported quite succinctly in the local newspaper. I attach the transcribed text, as reported without alteration, as I could not improve on any aspect of it without diminishing its beautiful English and presentation.

The New Swimming Bath at CGGS OPENING CEREMONY AND SWIMMING RACES “A large open-air swimming bath built in the playing fields adjoining Calday Grange Grammar School, was opened on Wednesday afternoon by Mr Frank Brocklehurst, of Caldy, a member of the Cheshire County Council. There was a large gathering of parents, subscribers and scholars, and at the conclusion of the ceremony a swimming demonstration was given by the boys of the school.

Sir Alfred Paton, introducing the opener, Mr Brocklehurst, C.C., said the idea of a swimming bath occurred to the headmaster when he visited the school as a candidate for the headship.

He conceived the idea of utilisation the water from the pumping station for this purpose.

Mr Brocklehurst discussed the advantages of a swimming bath to members of a public school and congratulated the headmaster, staff and boys on having a beautiful constructed bath on their playing field. The cost of the bath was 700 ponds (sic), 200 pounds of which had already been subscribed by the boys, parents, and friends of the school. He hoped the Old Boys would not allow the headmaster to be short of the remaining 500 pounds very long. He would be pleased to send a cheque towards it and also present a cup for competition between the Houses. He then asked the headmaster to give them a few facts and figures concerning the baths.

The bath is excavated out of solid rock, the quantity of rock excavated by the boys being about 650 tons. The first sod was cut in June, 1921, and rock was encountered about 9 in. below the surface. This was drilled by the School and it was blasted to a depth of 8 ft 3 in, in the deep end and 4 ft 6 in. in the shallow end. The spoil thus obtained has been used to make a bank of an average height of 5 ft around the bath. The whole of this work, with the exception of blasting and of facing the surface of the rock, was performed by the boys in the School.

When the work originally started it was proposed to construct a bath in rock, whose walls and bottom should be made of concrete, but subsequently it was considered that a better finish would be given to the bath if the walls were built of glazed brick. In the middle of May this year, Mr Killip of West Kirby, contracted to build the walls and lay the panel floor of the bath and surround. During this skilled work, the boys of the School have given valuable help in bringing material to this site; incidentally many of them have acquired a fair knowledge of the process involved.

The water is drawn from a stream beside the school field, and passes through a coke filter, 12 ft. by 6 ft., constructed of brick faced with cement. This filter is divided into three compartments and the water passes thence into the shallow end of the bath, giving at present an average temperature of about 70 deg. F. The water will be led away from the bottom of the bath through a stream channel at the bottom of the field.

The valve for the outlet was made by Mr T. W. Hardwick, who is also responsible for many other details of the work. The overflow passes through a footpath of glazed brick and joins the main exit drain.

The bath has the following dimensions: - length 75ft. 10 in.; breadth 25 ft. 10 in. : depth of water at the deep end 3 ft. 10 in. s(sic) and at the shallow end 2 ft. 10 in.

Mr Brocklehurst then declared the bath open by throwing Derry Major, fully dressed into the water. The boy pluckily struggled out again.

Dr McAfee, in proposing a vote of thanks to the opener, reminded them that the field on which they stood belonged to the previous Headmaster, Mr Hollowell, and it was through his kind thought for his old School that he consented to the building of the bath thereon.

The swimming sports were then held, the results of which were: 1. Two lengths, Final: 1. Anderson, 2. Cross.

2. One length (juniors) – 1. Illidge, 2. Pearce.

3. One length, on the back, any stroke – 1. Ross, 2. Lawson.

4. One length, on the back, any stroke (juniors), - Illidge.

5. Four lengths – 1. G. J. Lawson, 2. T. Williams.”

The Lake 23 We are committed to customer satisfaction, reliability and long-term working relationships with our customers. All staff are trained to the latest modern standards and our duty of care to the preservation of trees is utmost.

What We Do All aspects of tree surgery Hedge, pruning and shaping 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.

LOGS FOR SALE

Garden maintenance Tree inspection and free advice Hedgerow management Garden and ground clearance All staff trained to minimum Level 3 Diploma in Forestry & Arboriculture (NPTC Level 3)

Prices from £39 (per cubic metre/ton bag)

Telephone: 0845 862 0801 or 07444 507 204

Email: info@wirraltreeservices.co.uk • Website: www.wirraltreeservices.co.uk Protheroe continues his discourse on the water supply: “This had several repercussions. The water now being static rapidly became murky and inhabited by growth of algae and minute and slimy fauna in spite of daily dosings of chloride, and it had to be paid for, which left those in charge in the dilemma of having to compromise between a costly refill or steadily-thickening brew not unattractive to hardened users, but apt to cause raised eyebrows – not to mention noses – on the part of the more fastidious.

Never the less, swimming flourished greatly, classes in lifesaving taken by the ‘Gaffer’, in person, grew in size – thirty two examination successes ranging from the Instructors’ Award to Bronze Medallions being awarded in 1937 – and well over fifty per cent of the school learnt to swim within the first year of the bath coming into use.”

Preparing for the opening ceremony in 1922 – note the foundation plaque.

Protheroe (in Calday Grange Grammar School, 1976) discusses Headmaster Glasspool’s (1920–1945) two contributions to sport at Calday GGS. These were the changeover from soccer to ‘rugger’ and the building of a swimming ‘bath’. He believed that swimming and lifesaving were of vital importance. The construction of the swimming ‘bath’ enabled him to implement several of his heart-felt educative beliefs – especially co-operation – simple hard work done voluntarily as a team member involving staff, boys and Old Boys.

The proof of his endeavours and dreams are visible today, albeit in a completely different setting. However, the basic (blasted out-of-solid-sandstone rock) ‘bath’ still exists and is in continuous demand today.

Protheroe talks about the water supply. It was originally drawn from a stream and then from the local waterworks. This latter source ceased to be available in 1930 and water was then drawn from the mains. The local water board only allowed filling of the ‘bath’ between 10pm and 5am (low demand time) and it took two nights to fill the pool.

This project was not only the construction of a ‘bath’ – an amazing engineering feat for its time – it was really a story and anecdote about a school and a very successful, cooperative and community effort of scholars, teachers, parents and Old Boys. It was more than just a ‘bath’! The words on the lasting, permanent, memorial plaque and foundation block, set under the diving board (in photograph) epitomise Headmaster Glasspool’s (apt ‘pool’) dream, belief and legacy:

Calday Grange Grammar School This swimming bath is a record of work done by and for the school 1921 - 1922 Unfortunately, the whereabouts of this important foundation stone and plaque is unknown. It would be nice to locate it, especially as the centenary of this local icon is approaching. Can anyone help, please? Readers’ memories, impressions and comments of this remarkable ‘bath’ are most welcome.

I can vouch, that even in the 1950s, the quality of the water had not improved.

Next issue: Memories of Calday GGS Swimming ‘Bath’ in the 1950s.

24 The Lake

Chairman Rod Tann discusses current issues concerning The Wirral Society Members of the Society’s Committee recently met with members of the Hoylake Vision Management Group to discuss the Wirral Society’s concerns about their Neighbourhood Plan for Hoylake with particular respect to the proposed Golf Resort and its impact on the green belt which I’d reflected in an earlier edition of The Lake. It was a useful meeting. On the matter of the boundaries chosen for the Neighbourhood Plan, we accepted the assurance that they were based upon earlier boundaries, and had thus not been contrived to fit with the proposed Golf Resort, as we had previously concluded.

We also accepted an assurance that they had drafted the Plan starting in 2011 in accordance with the legislation which required that they reflect the situation for Hoylake as it currently existed. At no stage has Hoylake Vision expressed a view either way on plans for development (i.e. in this case, the proposed Golf Resort) but has sought policies which protect the green belt and give greater control on housing developments of ten or more. We now look forward to closer cooperation in future as the Plan goes to a Referendum and becomes the basis for Hoylake’s future.

The Society has been working in liaison with local people, including Saughall Massie Village Conservation Area Committee, Councillors, and Wirral Wildlife, to respond to the Planning Application to build a new fire station at Saughall Massie, which would be sited just one mile from the existing Upton Fire Station. To succeed, the Application needs to convince the Council that ‘Very Special Circumstances’ apply, to be allowed to build on the Wirral Green Belt. We have not been convinced by the Fire Authority’s arguments and we hope the Council won’t be either.

Unveilling ceremony (Diane Edwards)

Litter – that lay-by again… Just three weeks after the photograph of the cleared lay-by had appeared in the last edition of this magazine, the litter and dumping problem became evident again.

We have asked the Council if it can be cleared.

The question had been raised as to whether the tragic deaths of the couple in Boulton Avenue, West Kirby, could have been avoided had either the West Kirby Fire Station (or a Saughall Massie Station) been operative. It is some reassurance to learn from the Coroner’s inquest that their deaths had occurred well before the fire had become evident and the alarm raised.

Litter (Rod Tann)

Proposed site for fire station (Rod Tann)

As something different to reading and responding to Planning Applications and Strategy documents, the Society is keen, when finances and opportunities allow, to take its own initiative in helping make the Peninsula a more attractive place.

Recently our Newsletter editor, Judith Railton, designed and produced an illustrated information board which helps identify landscape features and wildlife visible over the Dee Estuary from Thurstaston.

The project, which was instigated to mark the centenary of the start of World War I, received the active support of the Wirral Ranger Service, under the direction of Mr Jo Hanik. He and his colleagues prepared the board for display and undertook its erection on Thurstaston cliffs. A brief unveiling ceremony was held recently to mark its installation.

The Society is maintaining its interest in the formation of the new Liverpool City Region of which Wirral Borough will form a part. Some may see this as a reinvention of the old Merseyside County Council and there may be some justification in that. However, a significant difference is that there will be an elected Mayor (no doubt with an ever-increasing entourage), who will be vested with a number of important powers devolved from central government, including those of Strategic Planning. The Society has recently commented on the organisation’s newly published document: ‘Building our Future – A Growth Strategy’, which sets out its economic aspirations for the region, but also recognises its responsibility to the environment.

In liaison with other interested parties, we will be keeping a close watch on how the Mayor discharges those responsibilities. https://www.liverpoollep.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ SGS-SUMMARY-final-low-res.pdf The Society is keen to invite people who would like to lend us their support, which would add to our lobbying strength. The subscription is just £10 a year. You can find further details on our website www.wirralsociety.net or contact our membership secretary, Mrs Avril Wilmshurst on 051 200 3920.

26 The Lake

Pressure Washing, Sealing, Treatments & Weedkiller Driveways, Patios, Paths, Decking, Walls & other Hard Surfaces Fences, Sheds & Garden Furniture, Artificial Lawn Maintenance

Gutters, uPVC & Wooden Frame Cleaning Gutters: Clearing, Minor Repairs & Camera Inspection Cleaning: Guttering, Fascias, Soffits, Cladding, Window Frames & Conservatories

Contact us for a Quote on:

0151 632 4735 07486 910189

www.evercleanoutdoor.co.uk

Complete Camaro LVT range on display FREE SAMPLE SERVICE HESWALL CARPETS/SAUNDERS FLOORING 208 Pensby Road, Heswall, CH60 7RJ (opposite Sainsburys)

Telephone: 0151 342 0008

HESWALL CARPETS

HESWALL CARPETS

DISCOUNT FLOORING CENTRE

DISCOUNT FLOORING CENTRE

FREE UNDERLAY AND FREE FITTING

CHELSEA LAMINATE NOW IN STOCK

Ask about our expert fitting service

ON ALL CARPETS

Free samples available • Full range of accessories

208 Pensby Road, Heswall, CH60 7RJ (opposite Sainsburys)

208 Pensby Road, Heswall, CH60 7RJ (opposite Sainsburys)

Telephone: 0151 342 0008

Telephone: 0151 342 0008

Would you like to earn extra cash by joining our delivery team?

We are looking for local people to distribute The Lake.

You will need to be reliable and 16 years of age or older.

For further details email: ops@smartdistribution.co.uk or telephone 0151 644 9475

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE FOR JUST £45

+ VAT

Our distribution covers over 12,000 homes and businesses in West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols and Caldy

CONTACT ALAN FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Telephone: 07788 510868 • Email: alan@lakemagazine.co.uk

The Lake 27

Windsors Mazda gearing up for new ‘66’ registration plate APR and a 50% minimum deposit over 36 months. Customers can also opt for a PCP package on the popular roadster paying zero deposit and 3.9% APR~ over 36 months.

Customers can also speak to Windsors about the Mazda2 Red Edition, which brings Wirral motorists a way to stand out from the crowd. Based on the 90ps SE-L Nav, this new model offers a colourful twist, with Soul Red accents to the rear spoiler and rear underskirt. Production is limited to just 400 models, making it an exclusive supermini choice with free-of-charge Snowflake White Pearlescent or Black Mica paint.

The Mazda2 range, priced from £12,195 on-the-road (OTR), is available with a 0% APR Representative Personal Contract Purchase over 36 months with a £750 Mazda Deposit Contribution and £250 available on Mazda2 Red Edition.

For motorists on the Wirral there has never been a better time to visit Windsors Mazda in Wallasey, thanks to the arrival of the new ‘66’ registration plate and some incredible finance deals on the newest special editions. Available until 30 September 2016, the latest attractive finance offers are spread across the entire Mazda range, offering complete flexibility with a number of options to suit every customer.

Mathew Tuomey, Sales Manager at Windsors Mazda said: “Our latest range of Mazda models include the Mazda2 Red Edition and the all-new Mazda MX-5 Icon, both offering customer’s style and an exclusive way to stand out from the crowd. With our outstanding offers deals across the stylish and innovative Mazda line-up, we anticipate our 66-plate registered cars will prove hugely popular this September with motorists in and around the Wirral.”

For customers looking for a spot of open-top driving, Windsors is offering the all-new Mazda MX-5 Icon Special Edition, the latest addition to the award-winning sports car line-up. Based on the 131ps SE-L Nav, the Icon features the 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-G engine and offers fuel economy up to 47.1mpg with 139g/km CO2 emissions. The Icon is available with a choice of Meteor Grey Mica or Crystal White Pearlescent paint

Visitors to Windsors Mazda can also benefit from a range of other offers across the Mazda range, including the Mazda CX-3 compact SUV. Available from £17,595 OTR, customers can benefit from 3.9% APR on Mazda Personal Contract Purchase plus a £1,500 Mazda Deposit Contribution, while customers choosing a Mazda CX-5 mid-size SUV, priced from £23,195 OTR, is available from 3.9% APR on Mazda Personal Contract Purchase, plus a £1,500 Mazda Deposit Contribution.

The unique look is further boosted by 16-inch Gunmetal alloy wheels and heated black leather seats. The Icon also benefits from enhanced standard equipment, including rear parking sensors, dusk-sensing lights and rain-sensing wipers. Priced at £20,995 on-the-road, this model is available on Conditional Sale with 0%

For more information on the all-new Mazda MX-5, Mazda2 and other September registration-plate special offers, call Windsors Mazda on 0151 639 3030, visit the dealership on Harrison Drive or go to www.windsors-mazda.co.uk

28 The Lake

Autumn Fair West Kirby Methodist Church is holding its Autumn Fair on Saturday 15th October, 10:30am – 2pm in the Church hall.

There will be a variety of stalls including cakes, preserves, bric-a-brac, toys, games, fill-a-mug tombola, and a raffle. Refreshments will be available throughout the Fair, with bread and home-made soup available at lunchtime.

Admission is to the Fair is free and all are welcome.

West Kirby Methodist Church is on Westbourne Road in West Kirby, CH48 4DQ. Further details are available on the church website: www.westkirbymethodist.btck.co.uk or by calling the Church Office on 0151 625 3224

Art & Craft Festival

Following the success of the exhibition on ‘Creation’ by Sue Symons in 2014, West Kirby Methodist Church is pleased to announce an exhibition of five of her embroidered panels which tell the Christmas story. These will be displayed in the Church from Saturday 26th November from 9.30am – 1pm and 2 – 4pm as part of the Christmas Art & Craft Festival.

Bacon Butty Service West Kirby Methodist Church is launching a Bacon Butty Service in its Church Hall. Starting on Sunday 2nd October, the services will be held on the first Sunday of the month. Bacon butties and a vegetarian alternative will be served from 9am with the service taking place from 9.15am – 9.45am.

The service will be informal using different formats including music, drama and craft. The bacon butties are on us and all are welcome.

Further details are available on the church website; www.westkirbymethodist.btck.co.uk or by calling the Church Office on 0151 625 3224

Each panel is painted in the centre, with additional calligraphy. This is surrounded by a broad panel of hand embroidery. For each panel Sue has chosen an appropriate flower to feature in the embroidery, often spilling over into the painted picture.

Other aspects of the Christmas story made by members of the local community in a variety of different media including knitting, embroidery, drawing and painting, children’s art and flower arranging will also be displayed in the Church. Admission to the exhibition will be free of charge.

On the morning of Saturday 26th November, 9.30am – 1pm, there will be a Craft Morning in the Church Hall. There will be all kinds of ways to make special decorations for Christmas trees, and the event will be suitable for all ages. Drinks will be available.

The Christmas Art & Craft exhibition will continue to open on Friday and Saturday mornings 10.00 – 12.00 throughout December (except Christmas Eve). For groups outside of these times, arrangements can be made by calling 07802 462 682.

Further details about the church’s heritage and its current activities are available on the church website, www.westkirbymethodist.org or by calling the Church Office on 0151 625 3224

Dragons’ Den Star hails Accentuate® as the next global board game family favourite

Sibling inventors Graeme and Fiona FraserBell walked away with £45,000 in backing from Peter Jones on BBC’s Dragons’ Den in July 2015 for the dynamic duo’s hilarious guess-the-accent game and have since secured multiple independent awards and listings with major retailers.

The game boasts a simple yet humiliating premise – players repeat a famous film quote aloud in a randomly selected accent and see if teammates can guess the accent and movie title! The worse the attempts at accents, the more hilarious the game becomes as players struggle to separate their Geordie from their German, their Scouse from their Spanish. Featuring 30 different accents from around the globe – a third of which are home-grown British dialects – Accentuate players are under blush-inducing pressure to perform, with just 30 seconds to utter one of the 90 quotations in their allotted accent.

As part of his ongoing interest in reviving the board game sector, Peter Jones bid £45,000 in return for 40% of the Fraser-Bell’s business, to be ratcheted down to 25% when paid back, which the Accentuate team are on target to do in early 2017. He said: “Graeme and Fiona have done incredibly well since July last year. I knew when I met them that they had the passion and drive to make Accentuate a great success.

I am convinced that the game’s growth in the UK, USA and Europe will cement Accentuate’s position as a global board game family favourite.”

Following the investment, Neston-based Accentuate® doubled its sales in 2015 with world-wide sales in the first half of 2016 up by a stellar 242% compared with the same period in 2014. The game is projected to sell more than 100,000 games globally in 2017 by leveraging its licence deal with PlayMonster Inc for the US and Canadian markets, increasing sales in the UK through its distributor Esdevium Games Ltd and by securing new licence deals in Europe.

Graeme Fraser-Bell, CEO of Accentuate, said: “We are delighted with our progress since our Dragons’ Den experience. We’ve benefited both directly and indirectly from working closely with Peter’s experienced and talented team.

“Hopefully Peter won’t mind if I say Accentuate is probably his most successful game investment as we will be profitable and have more than 45,000

games in circulation by the end of 2016, which is more than double the volume his own game achieved!”

With multiple awards and a US and Canadian licensing deal behind them, the duo are now exploring the development of a junior version of Accentuate as well as European licensing opportunities.

Graeme’s sister Fiona Fraser-Bell said: “The last year has included some amazing highlights for us, including ITV’s This Morning, being featured by celebrity YouTubers Zoella and Marcus Butler, and played on Capital FM by Hollywood stars Seth MacFarlane and Mark Wahlberg.”

Accentuate is priced at £19.99 and is stocked by Amazon, Argos, Harrods, John Lewis, Hawkin’s Bazaar, Firebox.com, www.accentuategames.com, and a number of independent retailers throughout the UK. The ‘Film Quotes’ expansion pack is £8.99.

30 The Lake

g takin Now s for ng booki mas t Chris

Reordered buildings give voice to vision!

This spring marked the start of significant development in the life of West Kirby United Reformed Church! Improvements to the building, both inside and out, have been undertaken to enable it to better reflect our vision of a growing, welcoming and relevant church with good access and facilities to serve the community.​

Two Courses £14.50 from

per person

Tuesday Wine Offer £15.50 per person For latest menus and offers go to

www.juliansrestaurant.co.uk

Christmas at Julian’s Open Christmas Day Available for private functions Call in or ring 632 6241 and speak to Julian or Jackie for more details or check our website www.juliansrestaurant.co.uk

A new glazed front entrance leads to an open lounge area that is welcoming and provides a kitchen servery, accessible WC, a quiet room and a small crèche. A new glass screen leads into the main worship area where chairs have replaced the pews and the stage area and furniture have been modernised. A new audio-visual system has been installed and the current balcony has been replaced by a larger room for a variety of uses.

An accessible church office has been built beside the current hall entrance, a larger, more welcoming, entrance to the halls created and the WCs modernised. Cycle racks have been installed for hall users.

Phase two of the project will see an enlarged and revamped kitchen with a servery into the halls.

We hope that the changes will enable our building to give voice to our vision “to grow a relevant, Christ-like church that serves our community”. Have a look at the gallery below to see the story of the church’s reordering, or come to visit for yourself - everyone’s welcome at our Sunday services (10.30am and 6.15pm) and at our New Beginnings celebrations this September.

Volunteer RNLI crew members, past and present, gathered at the Marine Lake at West Kirby to celebrate 50 years of service.

The West Kirby volunteers, headed by Dave Henshaw Lifeboat Operations Manager, with the help from the committee and members of West Kirby Sailing Club, hosted the Deputy Mayor Ann McLachlan and her consort Bill McLachlan; George Rawlinson, the Operations Director of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Poole; and countless other RNLI volunteers who served on the West Kirby crew throughout the 50 years of service.

RNLI visitors included volunteers and their families from the charity’s flank lifeboat stations of Hoylake, New Brighton and Flint, both past and present; some particularly from Hoylake who also served on the West Kirby Lifeboat in the early days of the station’s service and someone who currently serves on both the Flint and West Kirby Lifeboats.

Other visitors included personnel past and present from HM Coastguards, the Ambulance Service, Health, Police, Fire and Rescue and Bay Rescue from Morecambe Bay. The volunteers from Bay Rescue proved invaluable approximately four years ago in the efforts to secure our superb launching vehicle the Haglund BV206.

There was a ceremony on the Marine Lake, West Kirby, to celebrate the 800 launches and the 217 lives saved and the countless others assisted during the 50 years, which included speeches from Dave Henshaw and George Rawlinson. This was followed by two displays on the lake by some of the current lifeboat volunteer crew who demonstrated the rescue of a canoeist and the capsize and recovery of a lifeboat. The afternoon proceedings at the lakeside were closed by the vicar of St Hildeberg’s Church, the Reverend Paul Rossiter, who gave a blessing after some traditional mariners’ prayers.

Afterwards, the Deputy Mayor inspected the lifeboat equipment. She met with various volunteer crew members who were impressed by her interest in the boat and equipment, especially of the history and procurement of the launching vehicle and the family connections at the station running through generations of the same families.

Finally, the Deputy Mayor was escorted to the Summer Pavilion at West Kirby Sailing Club where there were further speeches from the Commodore of West Kirby Sailing Club and the RNLI. Then there was a surprise presentation of a Gold Medallion, presented to Lifeboat Operations Manager Dave Henshaw for his service to the institution for over 40 years. This proved to be a popular award and it was met with rapturous applause from the audience.

Afterwards, guests were treated to a Hog Roast buffet and music from the Wirral Ukelele Fanatics followed by a raffle with generous prizes provided by businesses from West Kirby and afar. The cost of the event was supported by donations from Hickories Smokehouse, FC Hardware and National Marine.

Once again the West Kirby Sailing Club Committee and members provided excellent assistance and facilities for the RNLI just as they did some 50 years ago, when the lifeboat was initially installed at West Kirby and when the sailing club provided a base for the new lifeboat until a station was secured on The South Parade.

For further information on the history of West Kirby RNLI Lifeboat Station, please visit the station website.

32 The Lake

Independent Financial Advisers merge to create Wirral’s largest firm Heswall-based Gee & Watson – one of Merseyside’s top independent financial advisers has acquired McEwan Wallace Wealth Management Ltd in a move which will result in both firms merging to become Wirral’s largest firm of independent financial advisers and the second largest firm in Merseyside.

The multi-million pound acquisition will see two of the leading wealth management firms combining to deliver an enhanced service to customers. Gee & Watson was founded in 1974 and the combined firm’s funds under management should exceed £350 million with a team of 11 wealth management professionals.

Whilst Gee & Watson is based in Merseyside, it has a client base throughout the UK. The acquisition will bring together Gee and Watson and McEwan Wallace Wealth Management’s enviable, long-standing reputations.

The combined skills of both firms will benefit existing and new clients.

The organisation will employ 30 individuals dedicated to providing clients with bespoke financial solutions. McEwan Wallace Wealth Management Ltd will continue to trade under the same name from its premises in Lorn Street, Birkenhead.

Adrian Cleator, Managing Director of Gee & Watson, said: “This is a significant development for Gee & Watson – without doubt McEwan Wallace Wealth Management Ltd was a natural choice to support our continued growth. The acquisition of McEwan Wallace Wealth Management will enhance our network and ability to service even more individuals and businesses in Wirral, across Merseyside and beyond.”

Paul Cochrane, a former director of McEwan Wallace Wealth Management Ltd and a former president of the Liverpool Society of Chartered Accountants said: “We have developed an exceptional client base and are proud that we have achieved £120 million of influenced funds. The team at McEwan Wallace Wealth Management Ltd is delighted to be starting this new chapter with such a well-regarded and ambitious business. Bringing together the two businesses and sharing our expertise will greatly enhance the client experience and enable us to offer a wider range of services to both existing and new clients.”

This transaction is Gee & Watson’s third significant acquisition within the last five years.

Shorelines

By Stephen G Baker

For many of you the holidays will be over and you probably feel as if that was in ‘another life’. It doesn’t take long to get back into the routine and forget those idyllic moments away from the workplace. In fact, sometimes it seems instantaneous!

Nevertheless, it’s a great feeling to be off on holiday. Often anticipation of the break is half of the enjoyment. I always look forward to going on holiday. For weeks, and often months, I dream of the mornings when I don’t need to be up at the crack of dawn, when I can have lie in (and not feel guilty) or the evenings when I can read my book and not think ‘Oh no, look at the time – I’d better get to sleep’. But then the holiday comes and goes in a flash and it’s back to ‘brass tacks’, (I don’t know where the saying came from, but I know what it means!).

I really enjoy my holidays. I like the time to reflect, meet my friends, discuss ‘everything under the sun’, eat, read, walk and do lots of other things as well. The Bible teaches the principle of ‘taking time out’. The Lord Jesus told his disciples to ‘come apart’ and ‘rest a while’. When God made the earth He rested on the ‘seventh day’. It all adds up to the fact that we need time to think, reflect, rest and enjoy the results of what we have been busy doing.

Do you take time out? Or is time to think and reflect wasted time in your reckoning? I encourage you to make time to think. Think about life: ‘Why we are here?’ ‘What is it all about?’. We should all ask the dangerous questions and ponder the imponderable from time to time! In my view, the best source of information on these issues is the Bible. Christians believe the Bible is the word of God and that through reading it you can discover God and unveil the answers He provides.

The Bible teaches that everything starts with God. He made us; He gave us life, consciousness, language, imagination, intelligence and the ability to believe. He also gave us the liberty to choose, but that includes good as well as evil! History records that we have repeatedly made bad choices!

This is confirmed in the Bible – ‘Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned,’ Romans 5:12.

Despite this, God sent his Son, Jesus, into the world so that we could get to know Him. He understands that our sin and disobedience bars us from knowing Him personally. Like a good Father He holds us to account for our wrongdoing but unlike most, He is willing to pardon our sin because His Son, Jesus, took the punishment for us when he died on the cross.

Take time out today and learn the truth about you and your life.

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

Paul Cochrane, Adrian Cleator and Paul Bradshaw

The Lake 33

Spotlight on adult acne The starting point is shine-free, balanced skin. It’s vital to implement a balancing regime to underpin the skin’s ability to repair itself and boost its own “building blocks” i.e. cells. Once balanced, the skin begins to heal more rapidly. So, rather than spots that linger for weeks and leave pink discolouration, they come and go in three days leaving no scar tissue.

With increased cell renewal you’ll also see fewer spots appear.

The right balance To achieve shine-free, balanced skin, it’s important to use:

i) Multi-functional products that cleanse, exfoliate and remove excess oils, without disturbing the skin’s natural acidic pH

ii) Oil-free moisturisers

Products should include: • Salicylic acid — this works through sebum and is exfoliating • Glycolic acid • AHA Most people believe acne only affects angst-ridden adolescents.

With over 25 years’ experience in aesthetics and non-surgical treatments Tracey Locke, lead clinician at Serenity Clinic Ltd., throws a spotlight on an upsetting problem that afflicts many more people than you’d think.

To get straight to the point, adult acne is not uncommon. It rates in the top four conditions I treat in clinic and numbers are rising. Yet, many sufferers fail to seek help either due to embarrassment or simply not knowing there are effective treatments available.

Acne is indiscriminate when it comes to age. It can start as early as eight or nine years of age; 40% of females are affected, peaking at 13-17 years and 35% of males, peaking at 16-19 years. But, here’s the important point: 5% of females and 1% of males are still afflicted at the age of 40.

Acne is not a dirty word Some wrongly believe acne is caused by poor hygiene, fatty food, etc., but this is a myth. Over-secretion in the sebaceous glands is the culprit.

These glands produce a liquid called sebum, which contains fatty acids, lipids, and cellular matter, all of which are vital to the wellbeing of the skin. However, if the sebum changes — imagine the normal consistency is that of olive oil, but over-secretion alters it to become more like butter — it gets trapped, blocks the pores and follicles and begins to cause problems.

This makes for the perfect environment for P.Acnes bacteria to flourish, which causes inflammation within the follicle and results in spots, These can manifest as comedones (blackheads) or milia (whiteheads), ranging in size from a small pinhead size pustule to a large inflamed lump with no ‘head’.

‘X’ marks the spot It’s not just outbreaks that cause problems. Spots create lesions that can penetrate the deep subclavian tissue scarring the skin; leave areas of pigmentation where the skin takes longer to heal; or pink discolouration, making it appear that the spot is still there.

To add insult to injury they are usually on the most exposed parts of your body. The chin (a particularly ‘hormonal’ zone in women) is the most commonly affected area; however, anywhere with a higher proportion of sebaceous glands i.e. the forehead, neck, chest and back is prone.

• Lactic acid — a natural exfoliator and hydrator. It normalises skin from within, increases epidermal thickness, and derma proteins, improves the complexion and evens skin tone.

• Antioxidants • Vitamin C • Vitamin A

Clinical treatments As with all advanced skincare, I recommend individual plans, but here is an overview of some treatments that will help you ‘spot the difference’ in your skin.

• Clinical grade exfoliation • Gentle non-chemical skin peels • IPL/laser treatment • Light therapy — from 400nm to 2,000nm has been proven time and again. I have used this since helping Dr Patrick Bowler from “10 years younger” with clinical trials over 20 years ago!

Some clients will need to see a dermatologist, especially those with grade four or cystic acne. But, experienced aestheticians can continue to boost the healing process whilst a client is receiving medication.

Scars can heal Scarring can have a huge effect on your self-confidence, but can be treated: • PRP Therapy — Platelet rich plasma rejuvenating therapy is safe and completely natural. It releases growth factors to promote healing within the tissue. Results are superior to dry needling or rollering.

• Peels • Vitamin A • LED light therapy

‘Spot on’ treatment Adult acne is a very specific condition (there are four different variants) so treatment needs to be tailored to each individual case. Please beware and seek the advice of an experienced aesthetician. They can check flair reactions, hydration, cornification, etc., without ‘gadgets’ such as skin cameras, which often merely produce pre-programmed generic skincare reports and advice.

Please don’t squeeze!

Squeezing spots increases the chance of scarring and can spread the P.Acnes bacteria under the skin. causing increased inflammation and more outbreaks. But, don’t despair. There are effective treatments to reduce spots and prevent outbreaks.

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

34 The Lake

Vitamin D – The best source of vitamin D is the sun and it’s very hard to get enough from diet alone. You should try to spend 15 minutes in the sun every day with no sun cream.

During the winter and on cloudy days it can be harder to get enough vitamin D, but this can also be found in oily fish and legumes to help when there is a lack of sunlight.

Iron – As you go through the menopause your body needs less iron (your doctor can check your iron levels if you think aren’t getting enough). This means that lean cuts of meat (like chicken and lean beef) should give you the amount of iron that your body needs. Eating too much red meat (which is very iron rich) can make your symptoms worse.

Omegas – Both omega 3 and 6 are essential fatty acids that the body needs to remain healthy, but can’t produce itself.

Foods like fish, flaxseeds, nuts and legumes are all great sources of omegas so should be included in your diet.

Adding omegas into your diet will help to maintain healthy skin, hair and nails which can all become dry and brittle during menopause.

Whether you are yet to face it or are currently going through it, all women dread the onset of the menopause. In reality, it affects all women differently, but there are a number of common symptoms like hot flushes, insomnia, fatigue and anxiety.

Here, Head Fitness Coach at Fitness Queen talks you through what to eat to help you feel at your best.

Calcium – Due to a reduction in oestrogen during menopause your bone density can reduce. This means that it is more important than ever to get calcium in your diet. Calcium can be found in abundance in dairy foods like milk, yoghurt and cheese. Eating alkaline rich foods such as fruit and vegetables will also help prevent your bones losing calcium. It can be difficult to get enough calcium from diet alone, so a supplement to help boost your store of this can be helpful.

Fibre – Wholegrains are a great source of fibre that is an essential part of the diet. A diet high in natural fibre helps to maintain a healthy cholesterol level, which naturally increases during menopause. Fibre is also essential for keeping a healthy and regular digestive system. As your hormone balance changes during the menopause, your levels of vitamins and minerals can change making your symptoms feel worse. A good quality all-round multivitamin (such as Super Supplemental, www.zarasnutritionshop.co.uk) can help plug any deficiencies that you may have.

Exercise – Gentle cardio exercise will help to reduce any weight gain and exercises with weights help to strengthen bones which can become weak.

If you want to exercise, but don’t know where to start, why not join Fitness Queen women-only 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

ADVERTISING FEATURE

The Lake 35

The Bowen Technique “Quite simply one of the most straight-forward and effective ‘hands-on’ therapies available” The practitioner uses thumbs and fingers to perform unique sets of rolling type moves to stimulate the muscles and soft tissue of the body. The treatment is very gentle, subtle and relaxing and is not a form of massage. It is carried out through light clothing and is safe for anyone from birth onwards.

Why does it work?

The brain emits 600,000 signals per second. It sends out signals to the body and receives information from the body.

The brain needs to receive a signal telling it what is happening and what to do next.

This forms a kind of looping circuit. It is believed the Bowen move, followed by breaks at certain intervals, interferes with this signal, creating another set of parameters for the brain to examine. The brain starts to re-order the signals and can re-interpret the information coming from other areas, which often set off reactions in areas that have not been treated. This prompts the body to reset, repair and balance itself and so relieve pain, restriction and imbalance.

How Bowen may help The Bowen Technique uses a gentle rolling action over soft tissue to potentially create a signal to the brain. 21st century science is beginning to demonstrate a non intrusive approach with no adjustment or manipulation can aid a balance in the body.

Bowen has been observed to help with pain management, sports injuries, acute and chronic back pain, general aches and pains, sciatica, frozen shoulder and tennis elbow.

Whiplash, jaw discomfort (TMD/TMS), asthma, hayfever, headaches/sinus, stress and tension. Digestive, chronic fatigue, relaxation, heel and foot pain.

To learn more about Bowen Therapy or for further details contact Nicholas Tobin Cert. ECBS in Heswall on 0749 659 6969 or alternatively visit: www.wirralbowentherapy.co.uk

36 The Lake

All Things Auctioneering

by John Bathurst Crane

‘Lost and Found’ or, more to the point, rediscovered. It has happened yet again at Cato Crane and such items rate quite highly on the scale of the thousands of objects we auction every year; I will come to them in a moment!

Six years ago, a visitor to our auction rooms brought in a small portrait by the artist and former president of the Royal Academy of Art in London, Sir George Clausen. It made £190,000 at one of our auctions. A couple of years later I was sorting through a pile of old boxes in a flat near Liverpool and discovered a cigar box which bore the initials of Captain Smith of the Titanic; this made £25,000 and both our auction rooms and the box featured on over 2,000,000 websites worldwide. I made 14 radio broadcasts about the discovery and was interviewed late at night following the auction by the BBC World Service as I was getting into bed... it was on the telephone I hasten to add! Gold football medals won by an 1890s Everton goalkeeper made over £10,000. There are many more examples of such discoveries.

Captain Smith’s cigar box

Last week, a visitor to our auction rooms had driven many miles to bring us a portrait painted by Sir Paul McCartney in 1993. The difficulty is that there is no documentary evidence with it – no letter and no bill of sale.

Comparing the colour palette and signature with other examples, I, and other specialists in Beatles memorabilia, are convinced that it is original and worth several thousands of pounds. The picture was bought by a shrewd investor at an auction in the South of England for a modest sum. It will be interesting to see what sum of money we can achieve for the vendor in Liverpool.

McCartney painting

McCartney signature

Our 25th annual Beatles Auction was held at the Unity Theatre where we auctioned a ‘lost’ Paul McCartney demo disc It’s For You which he wrote for and was recorded by Cilla black in 1964. With the buyers premium and VAT a serious collector parted with £23,000 to own it. Which is about £270 a second for the recording! It was discovered on a pile of Beatles related stuff brought into our auction rooms two months ago !!

known about this artist, but her kitten and cat pictures do turn up throughout the Merseyside area. She signed all her pictures with double overlapping ‘B’s in the bottom right-hand corner. Bessie occasionally painted dogs but these are very rare as are her paintings of multiple cat portraits on long mahogany panel plaques. The ‘Power of Cute’ brings positive results in the auction rooms and these two tiny pictures made over £400 last week at our internet auction. Larger examples of her work can make over £2,000 these days.

‘The Power of Cute’

Demo disc

I drive many miles each week and make many house visits to appraise items for auction. It is enjoyable and interesting as fine and rare objects are still out there to be discovered, but you have to work hard and put in the long hours. To quote the famous golfer Gary Player who said: “The harder I practice, the luckier I become”! All of us at Cato Crane work hard and the auction discoveries and results prove it to be true.

So, on another subject, what has happened to the cat called Larry? Has he stayed or has he gone too? Well, the answer is that he has changed his surname from ‘Larry Cameron’ to ‘Larry May’! Larry, of course, is the permanent cat resident at No.10 Downing Street and often appears as a cute image, like thousands of cats in the country, waiting to be let in at the front door. No doubt he has his own butler and cook – unlike my cat I hasten to add!

Some painted images of domestic pet animals have what I call ‘The Power of Cute’. This seemingly irresistible ‘cuteness’ sells paintings every time, whether it is ponies, baby rabbits, foals, or lambs gamboling in the flower-filled meadows in the spring and so on. A couple of weeks ago I discovered in a flat in Crosby a pair of cat paintings on glass panels which were in a pile of junky prints destined for the skip by the family who had inherited them.

The small, three by five inch pictures were very dusty and looked nondescript under decades of dust! In fact they were painted by a prolific Birkenhead artist called Bessie Bamber who worked about 1870-1910. Little seems to be

Another prolific artist to look out for is Charles Wyatt Warren who couldn’t sleep well and painted Welsh landscapes during the night! He lived in Anglesey and had often more than a dozen pictures in preparation in his front room at any one time. He sold them through gift shops in the area for a handful of pounds in the 1960s and 70s. You will now have to pay 100 times more to acquire one!

So check out all the cat pictures you discover along with any pictures of Welsh lakes and landscapes. You can call me directly almost anytime on 07836 209995 or send an image to me by text.

“We’re going well, we’re going Shell, we’re going well on Shell, Shell, Shell!” Many readers will remember the Shell Petrol song heard on black and white television and cinema screens back in the 1960s. The recording artists were Michael Holliday and Frank Sinatra no less!

The ‘Shell Song’ as it was known had a catchy tune and it was difficult to get it out of your head, even if you only heard it once!

Well that was back in the days when I bought six gallons, about 24 litres, of petrol for the equivalent of £1.67p to fill up my Triumph Herald estate car. It would last the whole week too!

Shell petrol was founded in 1897 by Marcus and Samuel Samuel. Their father was an antique dealer in Houndsditch, London, who imported shells from which Victorian jewellery boxes were made – hence ‘Shell’ petrol.

Shell is now the seventh largest company in the world.

Petroliana as the hobby of collecting petrol items and is big business; obsessive collectors will dig deeply into their pockets for rare items. The Shell petrol pump globe illustrated made just under £300 in our last auction. It was formerly located on a garage forecourt opposite Bank Hall Station in Liverpool. Other named illuminated glass globes to look out for are BP, Aero, Benzol, Conoco, Corys, Dragon, Pratts and many others. I think my favourite though has to

The Lake 37

Shell glass pump globe

be an illuminated ‘Tony the Tiger’ petrol globe. ‘Put a Tiger in Your Tank’ was a slogan invented by Emery Smith in 1959 who was a copywriter in Chicago. The Esso petroleum company wanted a character that would attract the growing number of motorcar owners to use their product and the tiger worked well.

Striped fabric tiger tails were produced (about 2,500,000) and they were to be seen hanging out of car boots and petrol tank filler caps.

The Esso slogan was an extremely successful advertising campaign. You can still find Esso ‘Tiger tails’ being offered for sale to collectors on internet bidding sites.

Petroliana is possibly worth looking at as an area for collecting and I am sure that a few dozen petrol cans on shelves in the lounges of leafy Wirral would not cause comment from anyone!

If petroliana does not excite you, as it may not be for everyone, why not have a look at learning about vexillology…

Every picture tells a story and discovering them and the stories of the people depicted is often a biographical adventure. This football photograph I discovered last week was in a rare 1930 leather-bound presentation volume given to Charles (Charlie) Jones of Arsenal Football Club which he joined in 1928. He formerly played for Merthyr Tydfil and was

a Welsh International five times. Jones was not selected to play in the 1930 final, but got a book instead – number 25 of only 30 produced. It is worth about £800 and contains many good photographs. On the left in the photograph is Tom Wilson of Huddersfield Town who was known as the “gentleman of football”. Huddersfield won the league three times in the 1920s but lost at the 1930 final 2-0 to Arsenal. Tom Wilson played 464 games and once for England. He even appeared in Madame Tussaud’s in London as a waxwork exhibit – fame indeed!

On the right is TR Parker of Arsenal, formerly of Southampton who was sold to Arsenal in 1926 for £3,250. Parker played 294 games for Arsenal, winning many trophies and died only in 1987 aged 89 having returned to his old job of being a ship’s surveyor. The referee was T Crew, formerly of the now famous Leicester City. The 1930 final at Wembley was attended by 92,499 people. About 25 years ago at a football valuation day, a lady brought in a shirt and jumper which had

belonged to Dixie Dean; I wonder where it is now, as rare football memorabilia, especially gold cup-winners medals, are now worth tens of thousands of pounds!

Children’s TV programmes and their characters can have a huge number of followers and collectors, even if only for a limited period. Pinky and Perky, the squeaky singing pigs, spring to mind, as does Noddy of Toyland of course. The Wombles of Wimbledon Common were a huge success in the growing environmentally friendly awareness movement of the 1970s. These tidy creatures were created by Elizabeth Beresford in her books from 1968 and then on TV from 1973, with the voice of Bernard Cribbins narrating.

Wombles memorabilia is still around and recently I came across a Wombles radio in Heswall and a Wombles lightshade! The radio is worth about £20 as is the lightshade.

Most will have been discarded by now. The Wombles were sought all over Wimbledon Common by children who scattered littler for the Wombles to collect and recycle, but this only resulted in mounds of refuse to clear for the local authorities! Hey ho... that’s life!

Wombles radio and light shade

1930 Cup Final

Finally, I have now opened an office on The Mount in Heswall to appraise items and to take in items for auction. It is open on Friday mornings from 9-12 and all other days by appointment. Tel: 0151 342 2321.

Antique Lecture Evenings will be held periodically. Call me for home visits or appointments in Heswall and lots more valuable discoveries this year. 07836 209995.

Happy Antiques Hunting!

38 The Lake Also this September: Hell Or High Water Blair Witch The Infiltrator The Girl With All The Gifts The Magnificent Seven Deepwater Horizon Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children

OCTOBER The Girl on the Train 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.

SEPTEMBER Captain Fantastic Deep in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, isolated from society, a devoted father (Viggo Mortensen) dedicates his life to transforming his six young children into extraordinary adults.

But when a tragedy strikes the family, they are forced to leave this self-created paradise and begin a journey into the outside world that challenges his idea of what it means to be a parent and brings into question everything he’s taught them.

This heart-wrenching look at an unconventional ‘hippie’ family comes with great reviews and is released September 9th.

Don’t Breathe Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex and Money are three Detroit thieves who get their kicks by breaking into the houses of wealthy people. Money gets word about a blind veteran who won a major cash settlement following the death of his only child. Figuring he’s an easy target, the trio invades the man’s secluded home in an abandoned neighbourhood. Finding themselves trapped inside, the young intruders must fight for their lives after making a shocking discovery about their supposedly helpless victim.

Bridget Jones’s Baby Bridget is back! Oscar winners Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth are joined by Patrick Dempsey for the next chapter of the world’s favorite singleton in Bridget Jones’s Baby. After breaking up with Darcy (Firth), Bridget Jones’s ‘happily ever after’ hasn’t quite gone according to plan.

Forty-something and single again, she decides to focus on her job as top news producer and surround herself with old friends and new. For once, Bridget has everything completely under control. What could possibly go wrong?

In the thriller The Girl on the Train, Rachel (Emily Blunt), is devastated by her recent divorce. She spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she sees something shocking happen there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds.

The Girl On the Train boasts a tremendous cast, which includes Emily Blunt, Allison Janney, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, Haley Bennett, Edgar Ramirez, and Lisa Kudrow.

During September and October The Light Cinema New Brighton is hosting a wealth of live cinema including theatre, opera and ballet.

NT Live: The Threepenny Opera September 22nd A darkly comic new take on Brecht and Weill’s raucous musical broadcast live from the stage of the National Theatre.

Michael Buble: Tour Stop 148 September 25th The movie ‘Tour Stop 148’ presents a front row seat for the superstar’s phenomenally successful sold out ‘To Be Loved’ Tour.

ROH: Norma September 26th This new production of Norma for The Royal Opera is distinguished by a superlative cast of internationally renowned singers. Bellini’s classic bel canto opera is full of wonderful melodies and opportunities for star singing.

RSC Live: Cymbeline September 28th Cymbeline is a ruler of a divided Britain. When Innogen, the only living heir, marries her sweetheart in secret, an enraged Cymbeline banishes him. But a powerful figure behind the throne is plotting to seize power and murder them both.

Inferno Academy Award winner Ron Howard returns to direct the latest bestseller in Dan Brown’s (Da Vinci Code) Robert Langdon series, Inferno, which finds the famous symbologist (Tom Hanks) on a trail of clues tied to the great Dante himself.

When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories. Together, they race across Europe and against the clock to foil a deadly global plot.

RSC Live: King Lear October 12th King Lear has ruled for many years. As age begins to overtake him, he decides to divide his kingdom amongst his children, living out his days without the burden of power.

Bolshoi: The Golden Age October 16th A satire of Europe during the roaring 20s, The Golden Age makes for an original, colourful and dazzling show with its jazzy score and music-hall atmosphere.

Miss Saigon: 25th Anniversary Performance October 16th This special one-off recorded show celebrates the 25th anniversary of Miss Saigon and features many of the original cast returning to the stage to celebrate the long-running musical hit.

Trolls

ROH: Così Fan Tutte October 17th How much do you love your partner? How much do you trust them? And can they trust you?

Mozart’s classic opera Così fan tutte puts two pairs of lovers to the test.

DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls is an irreverent comedy extravaganza with incredible music from the genius creators of Shrek. Trolls stars Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect) as Poppy, the optimistic leader of the Trolls, and her polar opposite, Branch, played by Justin Timberlake. Together, this unlikely pair of Trolls must embark on an adventure that takes them far beyond the only world they’ve ever known.

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company: The Entertainer October 27th The Entertainer will be the final production for the Plays at the Garrick season. Staring Kenneth Branagh, John Hurt and Greta Scacchi, the play is sure to be another incredible cinema broadcast.

Also this October: American Honey Storks Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Keeping Up with the Jones’s Ouija: Origin of Devil

Craig Barton is the co-director of Pilot Light TV Festival and works within film exhibition at Multiplex’s 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.