March/April 2014

Issue 7 • March/April 2014

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

Joe Pinnington Interview • Caldy Hill • Ashton Park • Breaking Free • West with the Wind • Plus much more

Welcome to the 7th issue of The Lake, your local interest magazine.

It is hard to believe that it is a full 12 months since our launch and we are extremely pleased with, and encouraged by, the positive feedback we have received so far.

@lakewirral

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our readers, advertisers and everyone who has contributed to a successful first year. We are fully aware that we wouldn’t be celebrating our 1st anniversary without your support.

We have many exciting plans in place for the coming 12 months and we look forward to sharing your stories and pictures to our readership across West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols and Caldy.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Accounts accounts@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.

CONTENTS

Delivered free to 12,500 homes and businesses in West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols and Caldy

Pages 26-29

04 West Kirby Public Hall

30 Breaking Free

06 Caldy Hill

31 Sophia Thornton Memorial

08 Ashton Park

34 West with the Wind

10 Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom

35 Under the Gavel

15 West Kirby Sailing Club

36 Wirral Symphony Orchestra

21 Joe Pinnington Interview

38 Happy Springtime!

25 Wirral Wonders

42 Vegetarian Cooking

04 The Lake

West Kirby Public Hall 1899-1932

By Heather Chapman The completion of the railway line to West Kirby in 1878 resulted in a population explosion. The improved transport links resulted in the building of new houses, local shops, schools and churches and West Kirby became a thriving seaside town.

The year 1899 was indeed memorable for West Kirby. The Marine Lake, with its adjoining promenade, had just been completed and opened to the public. The demand for an entertainment hall was fulfilled with the opening of the West Kirby Public Hall on 13 November 1899 at the junction of Bridge Road and Meols Drive.

The Hall was described in the Liverpool Mercury newspaper as one of the finest in the district.

West Kirby Public Hall

The Great Fire of West Kirby

The architect of the West Kirby Public Hall was Herbert William Keef, who lived with his family at King’s Gap, Hoylake. Another impressive building he had previously designed was the Florence Institute for Boys in Liverpool. This is now a Grade 2 listed building.

The West Kirby Public Hall was managed by the West Kirby Public Hall and Estate Co Ltd. Mr William Alfred Jones (a councillor who lived at Sandlea Park) was the chairman and managing director. The company also built a cafe and Masonic room and a block of 12 shops, between the hall and the railway station.

The principal facade of the new Hall was red Ruabon brick with brown terracotta dressings. The description in the Liverpool Mercury newspaper said: “The hall was of a free Renaissance type, with a frontage of 140ft. with towers on either side of the foyer raising to a height of 75ft. The auditorium measured 80ft. x 50ft., and was flanked on either side by wide corridors, over which were side balconies, with a large central gallery over the foyer.

The height of the auditorium was 39ft., with a stage measuring 50ft. x 21ft. The seating accommodation was 1,500.” The spacious stage enabled theatrical appearances to be given. There were also dressing rooms for the use of the artistes. This popular new venue was in great demand.

Various uses of the Hall During the Whitsuntide holiday of 1900 the Hall staged the West Kirby Grand Eisteddfod and Musical Festival, Arts and Industrial Exhibition. An Empire Bazaar was held in the Hall in 1902. The annual fur and feather society show used the Hall. In 1909

the Hall was used as a skating rink. In 1912 Miss Ella appeared on stage with her three lions, and the following year there was a show starring Consul, the Man Chimpanzee of Bostock’s circus. Consul displayed human characteristics. He wore clothes and walked erect like a human being. He drank wine, smoked cigarettes, rode a bike and had better manners than many humans!

In 1913 the Hall was host to a cemetery protest meeting. The council had acquired Grange Hill, as part of the sale of the Leigh Estate, and many members of the public were opposed to a cemetery being built on this land.

In 1932 the Queen’s Picture House was reduced to ruins in the worst fire in the history of the district. The cause of the fire was unknown, but at 5.00am the fire brigade arrived and the interior of the building was a raging furnace. The West Kirby fire engine summoned assistance from the Birkenhead fire station, but the firemen could only fight to save the fire from spreading to St Andrew’s Institute (now WRO bar and loft) and the British Legion (now Red Door). On the other side of the picture house there was danger of the fire spreading to the garage and petrol station and all the cars were removed as a precautionary measure. Although the hall was completely burnt, the walls still stood: a tribute to the sound workmanship of the builders.

It was a sad day for West Kirby when the Hall burnt down, but fortunately there were no casualties. The West Kirby Public Hall had a short and varied life of just 33 years.

A new cinema was built on the site, designed in Tudor style and appropriately named the Tudor Cinema. The new £30,000 cinema opened in 1933.

In February 1914 Mr Adrian C Boult from Abbey Manor, West Kirby, conducted his first orchestral concert at the Hall. Mr Boult became musical director of the BBC and was knighted in 1937.

From 1914 onwards the Hall began to be also used as a cinema. The Hall was taken over by the military from August 1914 until July 1915.

In 1921 the Hall was renamed the Queen’s picture house. School speech days concerts and various presentations continued to also be held at this venue.

The Tudor Cinema

The Lake 05

Solar update As readers from our January edition will be aware, most of the solar panels which can now be seen on Wirral rooftops are converting daylight into electricity – through what is known as the Photovoltaic (or ‘PV’) process. The generated electricity is used in the system owner’s home in the first instance, with the balance being fed into the National Grid.

eight years or so. System owners are also guaranteed that the payments under the FiT scheme will continue for 20 years.

The Government’s ‘Feed in Tariff’ scheme rewards the system owners for all of the energy that they generate, with further financial benefits to be had as the amount of electricity that the home owner has to buy from the grid is reduced, and the scheme also provides money for the amount of energy sent (‘exported’) to the grid.

Recent figures now put the number of solar PV installations at 500,000 in the UK; however, this looks likely to rise significantly over coming years. As reported in The Guardian newspaper on 29th January, the Imperial College London have concluded that 10 million homes should have solar by 2020. While there are reasons why this number of installations may be unattainable (the ability of our old grid system to cope being one), there is no doubt that the sector will have continued popularity – and those who make the decision now will have the added benefit of the financial incentives that are still on offer through the Feed in Tariff scheme for the next 20 years.

While the FiT incentive has decreased, this has only been in line with cost reductions, and owners of the larger domestic systems can still achieve returns of around £800 £1,000, on a system costing around £6,000.

Panels are normally warranted to generate a minimum of 80% of the year one level in year 25 – and, with the continual increase in electricity prices, system owners generally recoup the cost of their investment within

Tony Edwards, founder of local Solar PV installation company Natural Energy Sources, is hoping that the Government’s ongoing commitment to the technology will continue to provide the much needed certainty for those interested in investing in the technology. Tony explains: “Government support continues to grow for Solar PV – acknowledging that technology works, is good for the UK, and will play a part in the

energy mix moving forward.” In fact, Greg Barker, the Energy Minister, said to The Daily Telegraph on 3rd February, that: “Anyone approaching retirement should consider putting some of their savings into solar panels because they would deliver a better financial return than a pension.”

It isn’t just homeowners who have realised the many positives of Solar PV. Landowners, particularly in Devon, have sought to capitalise by filling fields with Solar arrays, and, closer to home, several councils are taking advantage – with our own Bromborough-based Natural Energy Sources having installed 800 panels across five high schools for Flintshire County Council during 2013.

This is all good news for customers, and companies like Natural Energy Sources.

Tony finishes by adding; “Having been established for approaching four years now, and having recently received an award for 100% customer satisfaction across 150 installations, we went through a worrying period in 2011 due to the Government failing to provide any confidence that they would continue to support new installations of what is a great technology. The future for Solar does though now look very bright.”

06 The Lake

Caldy Hill

for species of owl and sparrowhawks.

Green woodpeckers, which are birds of the lowland heath are also present along with yellowhammers and linnets. Lizards can be seen on Caldy Hill, especially in warmer weather, along with dragonflies.

Lowland Heath

By Graham Lilley

If you are a regular walker on Caldy Hill you may occasionally come across groups of people chopping down trees, mainly in winter. At first glance this may seem a bit odd – surely we should be encouraging trees to grow – especially as west Wirral does not have a great deal of woodland.

Also – shouldn’t we just allow nature to take its course? Well, the aim of this work is to protect what is a rare habitat – lowland heath. By letting trees and scrub develop we would lose this habitat.

Some 80% of lowland heath has been lost since 1800 as improvements have been made in agriculture and as woodland consisting of birch, pine and oak has taken over. In the UK, the largest areas of lowland heath can be found in the south. Devon and Dorset contain the largest areas as well as parts of Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, Cornwall, Norfolk and Suffolk. We are lucky in west Wirral to have a number of areas – consisting of Caldy Hill, Thurstaston Common and the Heswall Dales.

Lowland heath is a rare habitat because the vegetation associated with it can only grow on particular soil types, which are acidic and free draining (the underlying bedrock here in Wirral being sandstone). Woodlands can develop on many different types of soil so that is a commoner habitat.

The main plant characteristics of lowland heath are heathers, gorse, bracken and certain grasses. Ideally these should be of various ages and among them should grow scattered trees as well as there being bare ground, wet heaths, ponds and bogs.

On Caldy Hill there is plenty of the three type main types of heather – ling (Calluna vulgaris), bell heather (Erica cinerea) and cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix). Unlike trees which may grow for many years, heather has a distinctive life cycle. In the pioneer phase the heather establishes itself from seed into a bush. It then enters the building phase, which lasts until the plant is about 15 years old when the bush is well established and other species are excluded.

The mature phase lasts until the plant is 25 years old as growth slows and mosses colonise the soil surface. The degenerate phase, leading to death, is entered into after 30 years – now more open ground is exposed and mosses may proliferate, but gradually seedlings should start to re-establish and the cycle begins again.

On a Sunday in January I joined a group volunteers to work on a patch of Caldy hill, just off Fleck Lane, to help restore an area of heather which was under threat. I have worked previously on Caldy and Thurstaston hills and I have to say it is good fun.

Conservation groups now advertise this type of work as being part of the ‘green-gym’ and it certainly keeps you fit. Our group was made up of a variety of locals and Duke of Edinburgh volunteers under the supervision of Paul Greenslade, the senior area ranger. The aim of the day was to clear the silver birch trees which were starting to proliferate on this area of the hill along with any rhododendron and european gorse which can be regarded as being invasive.

As many of the trees are still young, loppers can be used to cut the trunks but there were some clumps where bow saws were needed to cut through the denser growth.

Over lunch I was keen to quiz Paul on the variety of birds and other wildlife that the heathland attracts. Alas, some of the ‘classic’ birds associated with lowland heathland are not found on Caldy Hill – the area is just too small and too heavily used. On the heathlands of Dorset and Devon, birds such as the nightjar, stonechat, hobby and Dartford warbler can be seen. Nightjars were last seen on Thurstaston hill in the 1960s and 1970s. Despite this, birds such as warblers are present in the summer and the hill provides a great hunting ground

I was also keen to ask Paul a bit more about the management of the hill. Much of the hill is owned by the local council, with a small part owned by the National Trust.

The tree cutting is only a winter activity, as this is the best time to carry out the work when the trees are not growing. In other areas of the country where lowland heath is more extensive, grazing by animals and controlled burning may take place as part of the management process – but this is not possible on Caldy Hill due to its small size, heavy use and closeness to houses.

Incidentally, the fires that are set by vandals on the hill do not help the wildlife as they are indiscriminate, and kill the vegetation which we want to encourage.

Fortunately, the rain held off during the rest of our day’s work and we were able to complete the clearance of our patch. Paul treated the stumps of the trees we had cut with a chemical to stop regrowth. The result of our work was a nice clear patch of heathland where the heathers can regenerate.

I then learned that all of the tree and scrub cuttings we had created were to be removed from the site completely and were to be put to good use – they were to be loaded up and taken to Chester Zoo! Apparently the giraffes love to eat the small freshly cut branches and the elephants like to play with the larger logs!

It’s good to hear that the vegetation is being recycled in this way.

The tree and scrub clearance period is now coming to a close as spring approaches.

Any remaining work dates are advertised on Wirral Council’s website in the ‘What’s On’ section. In the spring and summer there will be more conservation activities - so if you fancy joining one of the events feel free to come along – all tools and gloves are provided.

Finally, I would just like to thank Paul Greenslade for leading the work parties and answering all my questions!

08 The Lake

Ashton Park, West Kirby Opened September 1901

By Martin Harrison The provision of a park for West Kirby overlooking the waterfront, which at this stage had no promenade or Marine Lake, was first debated in 1893. However, it was not till 1896 that the plan moved forward and land was identified for a park, not on the front, but between Carpenters Lane and Westbourne Road with the Hooton to West Kirby railway running through the middle.

Land that was in the ownership of Miss Emma Mary Ashton, and also glebeland held by the Rector of St Bridget’s Church – consisting of mixture of meadow land sloping down to marshy ground where we now find the lake and children’s playground.

In 1841, the population of West Kirby, focused around the old village near St Bridget’s Church and totalled 330 persons, but by 1891 the population had grown to 2,440 persons and a new centre, focused around Dee Lane, Banks Road and the Wirral Railway station (opened in 1878), was developing.

West Kirby as a town was attracting people of independent means, retired merchants and manufacturers, persons working in Liverpool and Birkenhead and was also attracting interest from visitors for their health or for holidays in a seaside town.

Development at this time was rapid, largely funded through borrowing by the Urban District Council of Hoylake and West Kirby.

In 1890 the Hydropathic Hotel was opened and extended in 1896; the promenade was built in 1899, closely followed by the Marine Lake, and electric lighting arrived in 1901.

Lower park view 1909

Liverpool and Dominica, owning coffee plantations in Dominica including the owning of slaves. Emma Mary Ashton, whose agreement to lease the land gave West Kirby its first park, died in 1935 at the age of 90 years without a direct heir.

But that is another story for which there is no room here!

The man charged with building it was the Borough Surveyor, Thomas Fowler, who was authorised by the Urban District Council to proceed in April 1900, but despite a budget of £2,150 things soon encountered problems and delays. The park opened in September 1901 but without a formal ceremony or fanfare, a very strange state of affairs with squabbles over overspend and unfinished elements.

The park was left without shelters, water fountains or bandstand (standard features of parks elsewhere) to save money and the completion of the upper park delayed.

Early years The park changed greatly over the next few years. The original park was provided as a place to promenade and take the air without provision for sports and there was pressure for bowling greens and tennis courts even before it was opened. The upper park was laid out in 1902, a bowling green in 1905, shelters installed in 1906 and wooden bowling pavilions in 1906.

Entertainments such as brass bands and concert groups performed on the pathways

Setting out the park The land required was leased from the two landowners in 1898 – 3.1 acres of Church glebeland and a further 9.8 acres from a Miss Ashton. The story of the Ashton family, who had been considerable local landowners for at least 60 years, is an interesting one. They had amassed considerable wealth trading between

or on wooden stages but no bandstand was ever built.

A dramatic arrival in 1920 was a Mark IV Female Tank a memento of the First World War. This deteriorated in condition and pressure grew for its removal till in 1928 it was sold for scrap – people saw it as an eyesore and an unwanted reminder of a sad episode in British history.

Tennis The first tennis courts were opened in 1904 on the field where the children’s playground is today. In 1924 there was the first mention of a tennis tournament in the park and this led to the levelling of the upper park and the opening of 16 new courts in the upper park.

Happily for the children this allowed the provision of a children’s playground for the first time, in the area vacated by the tennis courts on the site of the current playground.

The tennis tournament went from strength to strength – initially it was open to players residing with 10 miles of Hoylake Town Hall and visitors and then it became the Hoylake Open North of England Championships.

Winners in the 1960s included Mike Sangster, John Newcombe. Virginia Wade, and Evonne Goolagong and Margaret Court.

It evolved into a pre-Wimbledon tournament warm-up giving experience of English conditions on grass courts. In the early 1990s this became an International Tennis

The Lake 09

Events and activities The park hosts a Tree Trail, Orienteering Course and Planets Trail. Copies can be obtained in the teashop that opens on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, weather permitting – contact those below or visit our website. We also organise bat walks, spooky tales and moth breakfasts.

The 2014 programme comprises: 5th May – Ashton Park May Fair 25th May – St Helens Concert Band June – Like a Hurricane Rock Band (Date TBA) 13th July – Ellesmere Port Silver Band

Ashton Park 1969

Tournament but over time financial pressures and competition from more wealthy and better located tournaments led to the demise of the tournament and the area is now used for childrens’ football.

Friends of Ashton Park With Local Government Reorganisation in 1974, the Hoylake and West Kirby UDC was absorbed into Wirral Council and the resources put into Wirral parks fell. The numbers of gardeners declined and many of the carefully tended beds and the colours revealed in this 1969 photo, have been lost.

In 1991, the condition of the children’s playground was so poor that the Friends of Ashton Park (FOAP) was set up to campaign

27th July – Port Sunlight Lyceum Brass

for the retention of the playground and raise money for the work. The playground was saved and the FOAP have continued to work in partnership with Wirral Council for the maintenance and enhancement of the park, to raise money for improvements, organise events and encourage use of the park. Much has been achieved – refurbishment and extension of the playground, installation of a lake fountain, operation of the teashop, provision of information boards, a planets trail, an annual May Fair, brass bands, nature walks, orienteering course, bulb, shrub and tree planting, provision of a multi-use games areas, woodcarvings, resurfacing of the hard tennis courts and open-air theatre.

24th August – Peninsula Jazzmen See park noticeboards and website for more details.

Information The FOAP welcome new members – contact Dave Wade on 625 6184 or Martin Harrison on 625 8535. If you wish to be kept informed of events, developments, activities and volunteering opportunities, contact Martin Harrison and we will send you a regular emailed newsletter. Or you can visit our website www.ashtonpark.btck.co.uk. We welcome photos or other information on the history of our park.

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Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom As many of you will know, The Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom look after the plant displays in the village. The spring bulbs and flowers are all starting to flower now, quite early after this mild, wet winter. We are very excited to be doing the planting for the Open Golf this summer and are looking forward to our ‘floral golf bag competition’.

There is another, rather urgent, issue we are faced with. Our public parks! With the cutbacks, things are getting more and more serious and they don’t look like getting better any time soon, but we are doing the best we can to make sure our parks are maintained. We have The Parade Gardens, Queens Park, Grove Park and the play area at Carr Lane to try to look after.

We have achieved a huge amount in the last few years, but we are now looking for people to form subgroups to help protect the park nearest to them. We will be happy for these groups to be under our umbrella. If we are to be sure our parks are maintained and protected for future generations, we will need to pull together. We must not let our parks disappear.

The picture above, as many of you will recognise, is in Queens Park and is in a very sorry state. The toilets have been closed for years, the seating is behind locked steel bars and paint is peeling off. If we do nothing and the building continues to deteriorate, the council will have no choice but to demolish it and it will be lost forever.

In Queens Park we would like to start a tea and light refreshments kiosk for park users. If you feel you can give an odd hour or two serving in the kiosk or can give a bit of time to help spruce up the building that would be great. We also need mugs, cups and saucers, kettles etc., along with outdoor seats and tables. If you are able to help in Queens Park or indeed any of Hoylake’s other parks please get in touch either through our website www.hoylakeinbloom.co.uk or email contact@hoylakeinbloom.co.uk or telephone 07941 154073 for Queens Park, for all other parks please telephone 07958 385118.

12 The Lake

Why aren’t basins deeper, like they used to be? You can’t get much water in modern washbasins!

After this winter’s rain it is perhaps difficult to accept that we still need to conserve water supplies and moves to do so are as strong as ever amongst the manufacturers of bathroom products across Europe.

Although, as far as basins are concerned, water saving is only part of the reason why they are not as deep as they used to be. Trends in usage are as much to blame. These days we only wash our hands and brush our teeth at a washbasin. When we wash, we shower or bathe.

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

Could advertising in The Lake help your business?

We distribute 12,500 magazines to homes and businesses in the area.

For advertising contact alan@lakemagazine.co.uk or telephone Alan Strange on 07788 510868.

The steps taken to lessen the use of water also include the introduction of flow restrictors in taps and showerheads, and dual flush mechanisms in WC cisterns. Flow restrictors work by introducing air into the water flow giving it that ‘fluffy’ feel and look commonplace in a modern quality basin or bath taps.

In continental Europe, where water pressures tend to be greater than in the UK, manufacturers such as Geberit, Hansgrohe and Keuco, for whom Bathrooms & Wetrooms of Prenton are one of the region’s sole dealers, have pioneered such water saving measures. Such developments are entirely in keeping with the focus on unrivalled quality and value for money these companies pursue.

Examples of these manufacturers’ brassware products can be seen in dedicated displays at Bathrooms & Wetrooms showroom in Prenton Road West (opposite Tranmere Rovers FC). Alternatively, visit www.bathroomsandwetrooms.co.uk to discover the quality of the company’s design and installation expertise via the section on rooms Bathrooms & Wetrooms have completed for customers.

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The Lake 15 WKSC loves to promote participation in the sport of sailing. Amazingly this was the first time the BUSA/RYA Ladies’ National Team Racing Championship had come to the north, though we succeeded with record entries for recent years.

Sixteen teams arrived at WKSC on the friday evening and saturday morning, to be welcomed into members’ homes for their accommodation.

After sausage butties, courtesy of Jane Cornah’s early galley team, the racing commenced on a beautiful sunny, but windy, West Kirby day. Teams from Glasgow to Plymouth vied to get their boats around the course in the best possible combination, achieved by some lovely manoeuvring to hold up the opposition, whilst allowing friends to nip through.

Team racing is a fast and furious spectator sport, whether or not you understand the intricacies of the rules and tactics, especially when observed from the arena of the lake.

Being a fun ladies event, the air was full of whoops of delight during the morning’s activities, then as the wind increased and some capsizes ensued, Adam Whittle, the Principal Race Officer, held his nerve and continued the starting sequences. The wind subsided and the racing settled down at a pace, with a super long course that helped the tacticians in the teams.

As daylight dimmed, the combined efforts of the beach party, umpires, starters and finishers had achieved a staggering 12 races for each team, which the competitors were delighted by.

With more help from club members, and Jennifer Wilkinson’s team of ‘Galley Girls’, a beautiful dinner for 120 celebrated the day, before deteriorating into a karaoke session, led by the talents of Glasgow and Manchester.

West Kirby Sailing Club BUSA/RYA Championship 22nd February 2014

The winner’s trophy was awarded to Birmingham University, the runners up being Bristol University. A promising performance by WKSC’s rising Junior Team earned them a praiseworthy 4th place.

Meanwhile, work carries on apace in the boatsheds to refurbish the wooden tidal craft in preparation for the forthcoming season. Dinghy racing commences on 1st April, and Tidal Launch Down is 12th April.

Contact Phil Shepherd, Vice Commodore 0151 625 5579 www.wksc.org.uk

Forthcoming events 65th Wilson Trophy 9th, 10th, 11th May

Winners Birmingham University, with the Commodore, David Taylor and Principal Race Officer, Adam Whittle

16 The Lake

Tapas evening to raise funds for cycle challenge Angie Erving, of Wirral Therapy Services, and Shona Fletcher are cycling 190km over hilly terrain in May to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital - a children’s hospital charity that is close to their hearts. Bethan, Shona’s 24-month-old niece, has already had four operations at GOSH and will require many more in the years to come. The hospital needs £50 million a year to keep going and to maintain its high standards of care.

Angie and Shona are hosting a Tapas Evening to help raise funds for the challenge. Sue and Andy, owners of Amici Bistro in West Kirby are kindly providing the venue, while Aly Challoner of AbsoluteCooking is planning and preparing the feast that promises to be delicious with a selection of Tapas and chocolate churros!

Tickets are just £15 and include a free drink on arrival and there will be a luxury raffle draw on the night.

Port Sunlight hosts its third annual 10k Following the success of last year’s event, Port Sunlight Museum & Garden Village is pleased to announce that entries have opened for the third Port Sunlight Road Race. The race will take place in the historic village of Port Sunlight and is the second in partnership with experienced race organisers BTR, who also organise the popular BTR Liverpool Half Marathon, Santa Dash, and Mersey Tunnel 10k.

The 10k road race will take place on Sunday, 11 May, and the event will also include a 5k race and 1k Fun Run. This year’s event will also see a unique series of cycle races on the closed streets of the village. The Port Sunlight Wheelers, one of the village’s oldest groups (formed shortly after the Second World War), will officially race for the first time in the village that gave the club its name, and will give spectators a wonderful opportunity to see cycle racing at very close quarters.

Visitors on the day will also be able to enjoy the ‘best bits’ of Port Sunlight Museum & Garden Village’s very popular annual Festival, including a live music stage, food, lifestyle and craft exhibitors, children’s rides, and Pillbox Vintage Fairs.

Katherine Lynch, Manager of Port Sunlight Museum, commented: “These road races create a unique family atmosphere in the village and I would encourage as many people as possible to come and enjoy them, as a runner, cyclist or spectator.”

The village is delighted to have Unilever’s support through its Project Sunlight campaign, in what is another landmark year for Port Sunlight.

All proceeds will go to Great Ormond Street. So why not get your glad rags on, bring your friends and join them at 7pm on 11th April for this fun-filled evening in aid of a great cause!

Please email shonamelaina@yahoo.co.uk or call 07918 559761 for tickets.

18 The Lake

Implants at Pensby Dental Dr ZA Parker BSc BChD

Gill Gunner, Doctor Joe Parker and Jodie Quick

Dr Joe Parker opened his own practice in 2009. Pensby Dental is conveniently located on Ridgewood Drive with ample free parking and disabled access. It is a small and personal independent practice offering a standard of care that will exceed all of your expectations.

As well as providing routine family dentistry, Dr Parker has a special interest in dental implants. Dental implants are the preferred option to replace missing teeth and are also widely used to securely fix dentures in place.

Many people are unsure of what the procedure entails, what questions they should be asking and what the costs are likely to be.

Here at Pensby Dental we advise patients to look carefully at three main areas when considering the investment of an implant.

IMPLANT SYSTEM and GUARANTEE There are many different types of implant systems on the market and they are usually made of titanium.The Nobel Biocare system used by Dr Parker has been successfully used in patients for more than 25 years and has had many scientific research studies. We strongly recommend that patients check the guarantee of their chosen implant system.

TREATING SURGEON It is important to ensure that the chosen surgeon is suitably qualified to place the implant. Perhaps find out what postgraduate training the surgeon has, how many implants they have placed and what their success rate is. Sometimes the surgeon who places the implant is not the dentist who ultimately restores the tooth. At Pensby Dental, Dr Parker does the surgical placement as well as all the restorative work, so you will only ever see the one surgeon.

We also offer the opportunity to speak directly with our patients who have undergone recent implant therapy to discuss the procedure and their overall experience.

CARE & MAINTENANCE When the implant is fitted, what happens next? A factor to consider is the continued maintenance of your dental implant. Detailed instructions on how to look after the implant are vital. At Pensby Dental we offer free implant checks every 12 months. We also offer regular hygiene appointments with our qualified hygiene therapist.

So whether you have missing teeth or are just unhappy with your current denture, why not give us a call. Our consultations are FREE and completely without obligation.

One of our satisfied customers before and after implants

Exquisite Dentistry to Revive Your Smile

• DENTAL IMPLANTS •

The preferred option to replace missing teeth and fill unsightly gaps. Using Nobel Biocare implants which offer a LIFETIME guarantee

• TEETH WHITENING • Professional treatment to safely brighten your smile.

• INVISIBLE BRACES •

Custom made removable aligners to straighten crowded teeth – quickly, painlessly, invisibly

• FINANCE PLANS •

Interest free options available – means you can afford the treatment you require by paying manageable instalments over an extended period of time

• FAMILY DENTISTRY •

Friendly, relaxed dentistry for the whole family.

Children of our regular patients receive FREE treatment. Easy access to 24 hour emergency care. After hours appointments available.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP, PLEASE CALL GILL ON

0151 648 5098 OR EMAIL pensbydental@hotmail.co.uk www.pensbydental.co.uk

67 Ridgewood Drive, Pensby, Wirral CH61 8RF

The Lake 19

Hoylake Racecourse in 1881 now the site of

Royal Liverpool Golf Club

Wirral Coastal Walk for Charity

venue for the

143rd Open Golf Championship

An ideal sporting gift.

The Rotary Club of North Wirral organised the first Wirral Coastal Walk in 1986. From the humble beginnings of a few hundred walkers, it has grown to become a well-known annual event in the Wirral calendar and probably the biggest of its kind in the North West.

In 2013, over 3,000 walkers participated and raised an estimated £300,000 for local and national charities.

In 2014 we are very grateful to Scantec, a local recruitment company, for their sponsorship.

The walk follows the Wirral coastline from the Seacombe Ferry Terminal in Wallasey to the Wirral Country Park at Thurstaston on the River Dee, a distance of 15 miles.

It is a fun event for walkers of all ages and abilities. Its main attraction is the opportunity for walkers to raise money through sponsorship for the charity or ‘good cause’ of their own choosing, as well as viewing the beautiful Wirral coastline. For many local organisations and charities, the Walk has become a significant event in their money-raising calendar.

Wirral Map Reproductions

Bespoke and Personal Map Service We offer a comprehensive mapping service, from one-off high quality prints to a complete mounting and framing package.

All of the high quality prints are faithfully reproduced from our collection of original O/S Maps, (with kind permission of the Ordnance Survey).

All areas of Wirral covered from 1840 to 1950s.

For further information please ring Brian on 07585 778291

or email: wirralmapreproductions@hotmail.co.uk

There is live music at the start and finish of the Walk. There are two control points at five and ten miles at which those who wish to can terminate their walk and receive certificates acknowledging the distance walked. St John Ambulance is on hand along the way, just in case there is a need for first aid, and Raynet provide a radio communication network to meet any emergency needs. At the finish, buses are available which, for a small donation, will transport walkers back to Seacombe Ferry or to West Kirby railway station.

Arrangements are made for free car parking at Thurstaston, courtesy of White’s Farm and at the Seacombe Ferry Terminal.

This year the Coastal Walk will take place on Sunday 11th May and registration is on the day at Seacombe Ferry from 8.30 to 11.00am.

There is a nominal fee for participating of £4 per adult and £1 per child aged 10 and under.

All participants submit a Registration Slip at the start and have their sponsor forms stamped. On completion of the Walk at Thurstaston (or one of the two checkpoints), their forms are signed and stamped again and a certificate is issued.

To participate in the event, all that is needed is to obtain a sponsorship/registration form. Details of how to do this can be found on the website (www.wirralcoastalwalk.org) or by contacting VCA in Wallasey on 0151 353 9700.

So dust off those walking shoes and invite, enrol, persuade, cajole family and friends to join you for a great day out while raising money for a favourite charity or ‘good cause’.

The Lake 21

Joe Pinnington Interview Club Historian Royal Liverpool Golf Club

We talk to Royal Liverpool Golf Club Historian Joe Pinnington about the upcoming Open Championship which returns to the course in July this year.

2014 will be the 12th time Hoylake has hosted the open, but only second time since 1967. Why did you miss out for so long?

How much are you and the members at Royal Liverpool looking forward to welcoming The Open back to Hoylake?

It’s wonderful. When we hosted the Open eight years ago it was the first time since 1967. I joined the council in 1995 and at that time there wasn’t a thought of hosting the tournament here again. But with some forward-thinking members we pulled together a plan and started to talk to the council, the police and the railways, who were all fantastic in their support. There are four motorway exits within five miles of the club and great rail links from Liverpool that allow easy access for visitors. It’s wonderful for people from all parts of the country as well as the Wirral. The fact that we had 230,000 spectators in 2006 speaks volumes for the success of the tournament.

I’m a firm believer that our area is one of the top sporting areas in the world alongside Melbourne, Australia and Boston, USA. The people around Liverpool and Wirral are sport mad. People who’ve never played golf in their lives had the most wonderful time seeing the world’s finest players here. The towns of Hoylake and West Kirby are ideally suited to cope with the influx of people and I’m sure the local people will welcome visitors as they did so splendidly in 2006.

It certainly was a long time! In 1967 Whiter Shade of Pale was No. 1 in the charts, beer was two shillings a pint and petrol was four shillings, nine pence a gallon. The invention of colour TV meant the tournament became a huge event, but at that time we weren’t really thinking towards the future.

On reflection, we possibly lacked the infrastructure to host such a large event and were basically told that there wasn’t enough room on the course or enough hotels locally to handle the tournament.

Our relationship with the powers that be was perhaps not as strong as it should have been. Too many people thought it was unobtainable; apathy set in and the general feeling was ‘will the Open ever return?’ Is it not strange that when one feels that something is unobtainable you say ‘well, we don’t want it anyway’. When a new generation of members came to the forefront in the 80s they started looking again at the possibility of hosting large tournaments. The Amateur Championship came in 1995 and again in 2000 and the R&A were impressed with everything we had to offer – including the space available and the local facilities. Peter Dawson, the new Secretary of the R&A, came with a clean sheet of paper and was willing to consider us as a venue for the Open; after many visits we were chosen to host the 2006 event.

About Joe Pinnington Brought up in Kings Gap, Hoylake, Joe Pinnington joined the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in 1970. He was Captain in 2002 when it was announced that the club would host the 2006 Open Championship for the first time in 39 years.

Joe is the Club Historian and author of the official history of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. He is considered to be one of the leading authorities on the history of golf.

22 The Lake

“

It was brilliant to drive through Hoylake and West Kirby and see the crowds up to 15 deep on the pavements – they were like carnival towns.

What are your memories of 2006?

The weather and the winner! To have Tiger Woods win at Hoylake was superb. If you look at our honours board you can see we’ve had some fantastic winners at Royal Liverpool. I think overall, the crowds, sunshine and the relief of having it back at the club made it a truly memorable experience. It was brilliant to drive through Hoylake and West Kirby and see the crowds up to 15 deep on the pavements – they were like carnival towns. The police were brilliant and allowed the crowds to enjoy themselves, which made for a great atmosphere on and around the course.

The local politicians deserve praise as well as they totally supported the event and did all they could to help make it a success.

Overall the whole community supported us, as I’m sure they will again this year.

The R&A manage The Open Championship and effectively ‘take over’ the running of the whole event. How exactly does that work with timescales and so on?

They have a management structure at the R&A for the event and know exactly what they are going to do. They have been visiting at regular intervals over the last few years, planning out the course and filling in some of the bunkers; this time there will be 12 fewer bunkers than in 2006. Representatives from the R&A work in conjunction with our very willing committee and groundstaff to make sure the course is exactly how they want it; Craig Gilhome, our Green Manager, does a superb job.

So would you like to see the weather a little more severe this time around?

The order of the holes is altered to make best use of the space required. Unlike some Open venues, Hoylake is a very flexible course. The Championship 18th (our 16th) is a perfect final hole, a par five reachable in two but with the danger of out of bounds to the right. John Daly hit two shots out of bounds last time, so it is sure to see some drama again.

I think it would be good to have the sunshine but maybe a good windy day to really test the players. Tiger Woods was truly magnificent last time, but basically conditions allowed him to use irons for practically all four days. I lost count of the number of times he hit the ball ten or 15 yards short of bunkers – superb course management.

In April the scaffolding will come in for the seats – this year we will have seating for 20,000. On 1st July the course closes to members, so for three weeks the R&A have full responsibility for the course. In 2006 they turned off the watering system because they wanted sustainable golf on hard fairways. The R&A are a truly professional organisation and a pleasure to work with.

So how much involvement do you at RLGC have?

”

The members have a huge involvement and we are lucky that they really embrace it. The RLGC Championship committee works alongside the R&A to make sure the tournament runs as smoothly as possible.

There is the catering to arrange as well as the stewards and marshalling for each hole.

Many of our volunteers come from other Wirral golf clubs. Each club is allocated a hole to look after and last time everyone did a fine job. Members are permitted in the clubhouse during The Open, although unfortunately few of the players seem to come in nowadays. Miguel Angel Jimenez enjoyed a bottle of Rioja after one of his rounds in 2006, which was nice to see.

Registration is upstairs in our library so all the players have to walk up the staircase and have a chance to take in some of the history in the building.

Has hosting these tournaments and The Open in particular seen an increase in visitors to the course from afar?

Without a doubt. The effect of hosting the Open has been huge, with visitors from all over the world. We have seen an increase of two, or even three times, the previous amount of visitors. Golf is one of the only sports where you can play on the same field as the top players – you can’t play on the Centre Court at Wimbledon or rugby at Twickenham.

The Lake 23

the golf has encouraged people to invest in the area. Whatever the weather we will have huge crowds, which can only be good for local businesses.

I see RLGC has also been awarded the 2019 Walker Cup. Yes, in 2019, which will be our 150th anniversary. The club hosted the precursor to the Walker Cup in 1921, which was instigated by the members who organised a match between Britain and USA. The great Bobby Jones went to the first tee and was halfway down the fairway before the cameraman was ready. just getting on with it rather than wasting time. How times have changed!

Do you have players having practice rounds before the official practice days?

Phil Mickleson came here for two weeks beforehand in 2006 and practised a whole range of shots. It was nice to see him win at Muirfield last year, showing that dedication pays off. Many of the players will come for practice rounds before the official practice week, but obviously this is not something we publicise. We always do our best to accommodate them when we can.

Back to this year’s tournament. The Open Qualifying Series will comprise 14 events in nine countries on five continents. Do you think this will lead to a more diverse field?

I do hope so; it is called The Open after all.

Since the Americans came back with the likes of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus it has only enhanced the tournament. I think qualifying in America is a great idea if it gets the top players over here. It would be a waste of time and expense to come over here and fail to qualify. It’s a shame Wallasey is not hosting the final qualifying, but I think this is down to the fact that the R&A would have to put a lot of money into the course; they favour courses such as

How do you think Hoylake and the Wirral copes with such an influx of people?

Hillside that have already benefitted from their funding. It amazes me how many Americans win The Open because it’s played on completely different courses and conditions than they are used to week in, week out.

How soon after The Open is the course back open for members and guests?

Within two days. The R&A have the course on the Monday to allow their guests to enjoy a round, but on Tuesday the course is fully open to members and visitors again.

Last time I played on the Tuesday and the greens were like glass – so quick. It just goes to show the quality of the top players that they can judge conditions like that.

With ease. The ‘park and ride’ system works well and the train system means we rarely see the massive queues seen at other venues. It went like clockwork last time and hopefully it will be just as good this time.

Can you give The Lake readers your three players to watch at The Open?

That’s a good question! It would be terrific to see an English player win at Hoylake but whoever wins I’m sure it will be a memorable tournament. I could pick ten and still not find the winner but I will go for Justin Rose, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickleson.

The 2014 Open Championship will be played at Royal Liverpool from 17th-20th July 2014. Practice starts on 13th July. For ticket details visit www.theopen.com

Estimated to boost the local economy by £70m, the tournament obviously brings benefits to local businesses. Do you find them supportive of the event?

Everyone is really supportive and local businesses truly embrace the event. It is nice to see we now have a really good hotel in Hoylake – hopefully the success of

“

It is nice to see we now have a really good hotel in Hoylake – hopefully the success of the golf has encouraged people to invest in the area.

24 The Lake

Hillbark charity night

Meols residents Gavin and Louise Attwood recently organised a charity ball at Hillbark Hotel. The couple are both teachers and after watching the news of Typhoon Haiyan, and having done some travelling in the Philippines, they decided to organise an event to help.

Louise said: “We have three young children and very busy lives but we received so much help from friends, family and local businesses. Hillbark were amazing in the help they gave us and every single entertainer performed for free, including Rory Taylor’s 54321 (between rehearsals for Rent the musical in London), Madison, a fantastic fire juggler, magicians and the wonderful children from West Kirby Primary School.”

The evening raised a fantastic £14,500 for Save the Children Philippines Fund.

Caldy Village Gardens to open for charity Caldy Village Gardens will be opening again in aid of North West Cancer Research from 2pm till 6pm on the afternoon of Sunday, June 22nd 2014, There will be a good selection of different styles and sizes of gardens to see, some of which have not been open before.

Tickets will be available from early May and cost £6.50 in advance, online from www.nwcr.org/ or £7.50 on the day at Manor Farm, Caldy Road or Simonsfield, Barton Hey Drive. The price includes tea and home-made cakes, served in either of these two gardens, and there will be a plant sale in a third garden.

Further details are available on the National Open Gardens website (www.opengardens.co.uk/), by email from simonsfield@btinternet.com and by phone at NWCR HQ on 0151 709 2919.

Posters displaying details of the arrangements for the day will be displayed in local shops, libraries and garden centres nearer the time.

Greasby Players On Friday 25th April 2014, Dr Paul Booth, F.R.Hist.S., will be talking about ‘Wirral in turmoil’ (based on the evidence from the 1353 trailbaston roll during the Black Prince’s visit of that year) at St Bridget’s Centre, St Bridget’s Lane, West Kirby. Doors open at 7.00pm for 7.30pm start.

Greasby Players are performing ‘Dad’s Army’ in West Kirby in May and are urgently seeking an actor to play Private Frazer (otherwise we are ‘all doomed!’). They also need actors for small non-speaking roles as soldiers with the possibility of understudying major roles should the need arise.

If you are interested please ring 677 9187.

West Kirby Museum is now open every Saturday from 10.00am – 1.00pm

Mystery Painting by G D Hope Many thanks to those following the mystery painting, published in the last edition. There have been suggestions that it could be a farm in Lang Lane.

@lakewirral

The Lake 25 WOHAA is a social enterprise scheme for students in school Years 9 to 13. We are fundraising for Wings of Hope, which sponsors children in India and Malawi to receive free education – the charity’s slogan is ‘Empower through Education’. Dr R Sriram and Mrs Rajni Sriram founded the charity as they share the belief that education is key to getting out of the poverty trap. The fundraising award scheme is also competitive as there are some top prizes to be won, including an all-expenses paid trip to India!

The charity’s vision is a world in which every child has the right to a free education and it is working towards the United Nations Millennium Development Goal to achieve a universal primary school education. They also hope to ensure that by 2015 children everywhere will be able to complete a full course of primary school education. Half of Indian children drop out of school before they are 14 years old, and this has been shown to be a prime factor in poverty in the country – if literacy is increased, it is hoped that poverty will decrease.

Fundraising for the charity is done in teams of up to six. We are a group of six Year 10 students called ‘The Wirral Wonders’. We chose to participate in the scheme in the hope of making a difference in the lives of other children by raising money for their education through our own.

We hope to raise as much money as possible by organising fundraising events within our local community and through our school, West Kirby Grammar. Our previous projects include: selling Christmas cards designed by the Indian children themselves, a raffle and a charity bake sale. However,

we have plans to expand our fundraising total through our two future events: an 80s curry night with a disco and an afternoon tea community gathering. We are also trying to raise as much awareness as possible as our team is one of the first groups in the North West to compete in this competition, so on behalf of the charity we are reaching a new audience and, therefore, gaining more support for this worthy cause.

Our Christmas card scheme was very successful – the children drew their interpretation of Christmas and the designs were made into cards for us to sell. One of our team members, Mia Tillotson Home, also designed four of the Christmas cards in a festive red colour to compare a British interpretation of Christmas to the Indian children’s interpretation of Christmas.

Unfortunately we received the cards from the printers late, causing the cards to be sold close to Christmas but despite this, the community response was outstanding, so thank you!

An 80s themed curry night is being held at Aldeley Tennis Club on Saturday 29th March at 7.30pm-12pm and your support would be greatly appreciated, as we are aiming to raise as much money as possible because as students, we understand the value of education. All night disco with a curry buffet and an Indian Shrikand dessert is being provided by Yasmin Limbert, a finalist in The Great British Bake Off. Tickets are £15. Email Issy White at the address issynoodle@live.co.uk to guarantee your place – it will be an event to remember, but half the places are gone already, so book soon to avoid disappointment!

WOHAA The Wirral Wonders

By Isabella White The afternoon tea gathering will be on Sunday 23rd March at Westbourne Hall, in West Kirby. The price is £7.50 for an adult and £4.00 for a child. Adults will enjoy unlimited tea, sandwiches, scones and mini traditional cakes (Victoria Sponge, Lemon Drizzle, etc.). The children get unlimited juice and mini traditional cakes. You can either pay on the door or book a guaranteed place by emailing Amy Vallance-Owen, at the address acvo1999@gmail.com. Your support would be greatly appreciated as we need as many people as possible to make a profit and make the event a huge success!

Even though the WOHAA scheme is primarily about the charity, many opportunities have also opened up to us – in December we were invited to tour Cambridge University, which broadened our horizons in terms of our future. Another event we were invited to, but unfortunately couldn’t attend because it was in London, was a speedmentoring careers advice session with over 60 professionals from 30 industries. We are very grateful for these opportunities and delighted to be one of the first schools outside London to participate in this scheme; we hope it is adopted into other schools in the local community so that it can benefit them as much as it has benefited ours.

Any support would be much appreciated!

Wirral Wonders Isabella, Emma, Amy, Mia, Molly and May.

Wirral Wonders – Isabella, Emma, Amy, Mia, Molly and May

26 The Lake

Mereworth, Caldy CH48

£739,995

Executive Five Double Bedroom Detached Home • Located in the Prestigious and Desirable Area of Caldy • Offering an Expanse of Luxury Living and Entertaining Space • Lounge with Feature Fireplace, Study, Snug, Utility Room and W.C • Impressive High Specification Kitchen Diner with Seating Area • Two Contemporary En Suite Shower Rooms and Family Bathroom Detached Double Garage With Duplex Floor with Gym and W.C • Well Manicured Gardens Laid to Lawn with Large Decking Area

Hoscote Park, West Kirby CH48

£799,995

Prestigious Newly Refurbished Six Bedroom Semi Detached Home • Offering an Expanse of Luxury Living and Entertaining Space • Taken Back to Brick and Renovated to a First Class Specification Two Reception Rooms, Cloakroom and Utility Room • Impressive Breakfast Kitchen of Outstanding Quality • Six Bedrooms Set over Two Floors with Contemporary Bathrooms Driveway, Lawned Front Garden and Enclosed Rear Garden • Located Approximately 190 Metres from West Kirby Marine Lake

The Lake 27

Caldy Road, Caldy CH48

Offers in Excess of

£2,000,000

Croft Drive East, Caldy CH48

£1,800,000

Captivating and Distinctive Seven Bedroom Detached Home • Located in the Prestigious and Highly Regarded Area of Caldy • Standing within Approx. 2.6 Acres of Mature Manicured Grounds • Built in 1929 and has been within the Same Family for over 45 Years Many Original and Unique Features Including Two Turrets and Feature Fireplaces Grand Reception Room, Formal Dining Room and Morning Room • Direct Access to Stapledon Wood and Caldy Hill • Seven Bedrooms full of Character, Bathrooms and Shower Room Sweeping Driveway, Double Garage and Various Outbuildings Internal Inspection Essential to Appreciate this Exquisite Home

Unique Detached Residence Set in the Heart of Caldy • Seven Bedroom Home with Two Bedroom Annex/Apartment • Standing in Little Over an Acre of Landscaped Grounds Luxurious Home Recently Undergone a Wealth of Improvements • Impressive Leisure Suite with Pool and Gymnasium • Expanse of Modern Living and Entertaining Space • Beautiful Mature Lawned Gardens, Ample Parking and Garage • Closer Inspection Essential to Appreciate the Calibre of Accommodation

Thorsway, Caldy CH48

Leas Park, Hoylake CH47

£1,385,000

£964,995

Outstanding Five Bedroom Detached Home • Positioned within Extensive Formal Grounds Appointed and Presented to the Highest of Standards • Three Reception Rooms and Family/ Games Room • Impressive ‘Charles Yorke’ Kitchen with Granite Work Surfaces • Five Double Bedrooms Three with En-suite Bathrooms • Gated Access, Long Driveway and Double Garage Part Exchange May be Considered by the Owners

Substantial Five Double Bedroom Detached Family Home • Occupying a Corner Plot Off the Prestigious Meols Drive • Exceptional Living Accommodation Appointed to a High Standard Large Entrance Hall, Five Reception Rooms, Utility and Cloakroom • Generously Proportioned Kitchen Diner of the Highest Quality • Master Suite with Dressing Area and Four Piece En-Suite Four Further Double Bedrooms all Benefitting from Having En-Suites • Double Garage, Ample Parking and Beautiful Lawned Gardens

Winnington Road, Hoylake CH47

The Royal, Hoylake CH47

£799,995

Attractive and Distinctive Five/Six Bedroom Detached Family Home • Occupying a Large Plot in the Prestigious Area of Hoylake • Substantial and Well Appointed Living Accommodation Many Character Features Including Open Fireplaces • Billiard Room, Lounge, Sitting Room, Morning Room and Cloakroom • Impressive Fitted Kitchen with Granite Work Surfaces and Breakfast Bar • Master Suite, Four Further Bedrooms, Bathroom and Wet Room Beautiful Wrap Around Gardens, Garage and Ample Off Road Parking

£625,000

Substantial Five Bedroom Detached Home • Cul-de-sac Location in the Sought After Area of Hoylake • Enviable Outlook from Terrace Towards the Coastline • Spacious and Well Planned Family Living Space • Lounge, Dining Room, Snug and Downstairs W.C • Galley Style Kitchen, Utility Area and Large Conservatory • Close to the Royal Liverpool Golf Course and Local Amenities Closer Inspection Essential to Appreciate this Family Home

28 The Lake

Bramhall Close, West Kirby CH48

£435,000

Birkenhead Road, Meols CH47

£420,000

Five Bedroom Detached Family Home • Entrance Hall, Study and Ground Floor WC Large Living Room with Smart Karndean Flooring • Separate Formal Dining Room to Rear Substantial Family Kitchen/Breakfast Room • Five Double Bedrooms and Family Bathroom En Suite to Master Bedroom and to Second Bedroom • Driveway to Double Garage, Front and Rear Gardens

Substantial Five/Six Bedroom Victorian Semi Detached Home • Character Property Offering a Wealth of Original Features • Situated in the Prestigious Area of Meols Close to Amenities Exceptional and Tastefully Appointed Family Living Space • Three Spacious Reception Rooms and Downstairs Shower Room • Large Fitted Breakfast Kitchen with Utility/Storage Off Five Bedrooms set over Two Floors with Dressing Room and Bathroom Ample Off Road Parking and Good Sized Enclosed Rear Garden

Elwyn Road, Meols CH47

Banks Road, West Kirby CH48

£410,000

£399,950

Attractive Four Double Bedroom Detached Family Home • Located Within an Excellent Catchment Area for Local Schools • Beautifully Presented and Well Proportioned Accommodation Exceptional Family Living Space with Many Charming Features • Spacious Lounge, Dining Room and Conservatory • Modern Fitted Kitchen with Diner Off, Rear Vestibule and W.C Off Road Parking, Detached Garage and Workshop • Enclosed Well Maintained Rear Garden with Patio and Lawn

Bay Fronted Four Bedroom Semi Detached Home • Attractive and Well Planned Family Living Space • Less than A Minute’s Walk to the Marine Lake • Two Large Reception Rooms and Downstairs W.C • Well fitted Kitchen with Granite Work Surfaces • Benefitting From Double Glazing and Modern Heating System • Gated Access, Driveway and Converted Garage Private Well Established Rear Garden Mainly Laid to Lawn

Salisbury Avenue, West Kirby CH48

Grammar School Lane, West Kirby CH48

£329,950

Attractive 1930’s Bay Fronted Semi Detached Home • Boasting Four Good Sized Bedrooms Located in the Sought After Area of West Kirby • Tastefully Appointed and Spacious Family Living Space • Lounge and Open Plan Dining/Living Breakfast Kitchen • Driveway, Garage, Central Heating and Double Glazing • Enclosed Block Paved Rear Yard • Closer Inspection Strongly Recommended

£299,950

Two Bedroom Detached Bungalow • Occupying a Good Sized Corner Plot • Situated in the Sought After Area of West Kirby • Well Appointed and Presented Accommodation Spacious L Shaped Lounge Diner • New Fitted Kitchen With Utility Room Off • Two Double Bedrooms and New Bathroom Suite • Driveway, Detached Garage, Double Glazing and Central Heating

The Lake 29

Grosvenor Road, Hoylake CH47

£259,950

Charming Three Bedroom End Town House • Beautifully Maintained Period Property Immense Amount of Character and Charm • Lounge, Dining Room and Downstairs W.C Well Fitted Breakfast Kitchen and Rear Hall/Utility • Three Good Sized Bedrooms and Family Bathroom • Benefitting from Gas Central Heating and Double Glazing Front Lawn and Patio, Driveway and Rear Courtyard

Government Road, Hoylake CH47

£209,950

Beautiful Four Bedroom End Town House Set Over Three Floors • Located in the Sought After Area of Hoylake Close to Amenities • Spacious Accommodation with Neutral Decor Throughout Bay Fronted Lounge, Dining Room with Archway to Kitchen • Three Bedrooms to the First Floor With Newly Fitted Bathroom • Fourth Bedroom to the Second Floor with Walk in Store Room Enclosed Rear Yard with Brick Outbuilding with Light and Power • Offered for Sale With No Onward Chain - Viewing Strongly Advised

ANTED SIMILAR W Column Road, West Kirby CH48 •

•

•

Impressive Five Bedroom Detached Home Spacious and Well Appointed Character Property Four Reception Rooms and Large Breakfast Kitchen

•

•

• •

£1,975 pcm

Situated in the Sought After area of West Kirby Five Well Proportioned Bedrooms, En-Suite and Bathroom Available Immediately Early Viewing Strongly Recommended

Castle Drive, Heswall CH60 • Refurbished Traditional Semi Detached • Three Reception Rooms and Conservatory • Brand New Kitchen/Breakfast Room

£950 pcm • Three Bedrooms and Family Bathroom • Double Glazing & Central Heating • Driveway, Gardens and Superb Rear Views • Fantastic Convenient Location

ANTED SIMILAR W Sandy Lane, Irby CH61 •

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•

•

Attractive Four Double Bedroom Detached Bungalow Occupying a Good Sized Plot In the Popular Area of Irby Beautiful Front Aspect Overlooking Rolling Farmland Sun Porch, Dining Hall, Spacious Lounge and Kitchen

£925 pcm • Four Double Bedrooms, Modern Shower Room and Separate W.C • Mature Lawned Gardens to the Front, Side and Rear • Driveway, Garage, Gas Central • Heating and Double Glazing • Closer Inspection Strongly Recommended

The Lydiate, Lower Heswall CH60 • Four Bedroom Detached Cottage • Three Reception Rooms * Gas Central Heating - Double Glazing • Ideal family Home - Viewing Recommended • Idyllic Location in Lower Heswall

£1,100 pcm

• Conservatory - Front and Rear Gardens • Detached Garage - Fitted Wardrobes

30 The Lake

Breaking Free

abuse but he came up to me and put his arms around me and said: “I’m proud of you, Christopher.” I also had a young, Goth-style boy approach me in the street and say: “I’ve read your book twice and I’m going to read it again.” I didn’t even know him. I have very supportive friends who are proud to see me going forward and achieving something. My mum and dad are quite happy. They’re always keen to put the story straight. I never put anybody in the story that I thought shouldn’t be there.

People are proud and wanting this. People like films that are based on their youth.

Wirral-based film

By Stephanie Whalley Breaking Free tells the heart-warming, true story of a young boy struggling to find liberation from his turbulent childhood after witnessing the murder of his family friend in his Rock Ferry home and suffering sexual abuse as a child. As a victim of his circumstances, acclaimed Wirral-born actor Christopher Power, turned to acting to escape a life of drug abuse and petty crime after being restrained in a detention centre at the age of 17.

With perfectly rolled r’s and impeccable manners, it was hard to believe it was the same man who had lived that life of crime and rebellion, recounting his narrative. As he explained to me: “the voice you hear now is not the voice I had then”, and this summarises his film perfectly. An adaptation of his popular biography, Breaking Free is a journey of change and liberation: gritty and hopeful in equal measure, and we’re taking a look behind the scenes…

Christopher, your book had such a positive reception. What inspired you to share your story with the world?

I spent such a long time seeing people in my neighbourhood dying, committing suicide or in prison and I felt I needed to be a voice for those without the strength or courage to speak out for themselves. Issues like hyperactivity and drug abuse need to be talked about and it’s so sad when you see people wrapped up in that world. My story happened during the 70s and 80s, but it is still very much relevant to the youth culture of today and it’s important that parents read and understand it too. Journalists will get it wrong and misunderstand it so I wanted to tell my story from my point of view. I take people on a true journey and give people hope that if Chris can do it, I can too. There is hope no matter what your circumstances. After an interview I did with Wayne Clarke on the radio, the BBC received a letter from a listener saying how much they had been inspired by my story.

That’s why I share it. Plus, in a way, it’s a therapeutic way for me to deal with and address my own issues. I had to deal with my demons and it was hard.

A lot of people are going to ask why you did what you did…

The things I did weren’t because I wanted to be a rebel: it happened because of my past. Being restrained and admitted to a children’s hospital then coming out of that environment was frustrating. It was that frustration that caused my education to suffer and led me down the path I was on.

I wanted to do well but I was searching for an identity and made wrong choices.

Curiosity caused me to became addicted to solvent abuse, which took me away from reality. I was oblivious to the dangers and was forced into petty crime to feed my addiction. I did everything I did in secret, away from my friends. But I managed to turn my life around when my tutor at college took me under his wing. I said to myself, ‘I want to be an actor and I want to be like him’. I know what it’s like to make wrong choices but I found a creativity in me and I nurtured it.

What then encouraged you to adapt your biography into a film?

People have such very powerful imaginations, which is great but seeing something visually has a far greater impact than just reading a story from a book. Visually, things have a much greater effect on all of your senses and tend to register a lot more.

When you are a victim of something, it doesn’t just stop there. It torments you, it eats you. Some people can overcome it but others, like my father, are still haunted by it. I want to connect with people from all walks of life. Also, people asked me to do.

They said, ‘Chris, this story needs to become a film!’ In April last year I was sitting in a film studio and people said, ‘we need a new movie’ and we need a movie that gives youth hope rather than sensationalising or focusing only on youth crime. I wanted to make a film that was gritty and true but has an uplifting ending.

So Breaking Free is very much a true story?

It is very, very close to the truth. So much so, most of the names in the film are even the same. I had to call up and talk to people from my past to get their permission.

You have to take what has happened to you and tell your story but have poetic license in order to draw people in so the story is written in such a way that will appeal to an audience. This is not a kiss and tell story, it’s a journey.

How did the people you contacted react?

Here’s the thing, this will sum up the point.

One day I was out walking with my wife and saw someone I recognised from my past. He looked haggard and worn by drug

Are there any particular filmmakers or directors that you would say are influencing your own style?

There are lots and lots of directors that I like. Richard Burton, Peter O’Toole and Rickman are all influential to me. They all have very distinctive voices with power presences, which I truly admire. They have all made the transition from theatre to film and I like that about them. They’re my British inspiration but as for the Americans; there’s Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro. I’ve learnt a lot from them and I watch their films today. I have also been influenced by films like Quadrophenia and the new romantics. We all had parkas with our names on the back in our group of friends like they do in that film.

If you could have any actor play the part of you, who would you cast?

There are quite a few protagonists in the film playing me at various ages and I’d quite like Freddy Highmore. I’ve been watching him grow as an actor and I admire him because he can show a lot of emotion and that’s what we need for the character of Christopher. Tom Hardy, I love him! We attended the same drama school and I love his acting style or Jamie Bell is another I like.

Liverpool and the Wirral have been as filming locations in many film including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will Breaking Free be added to the hall of fame?

Yes. I have spoken to the local council and we will be filming in Rock Ferry, Birkenhead Park and Conway Street. We may also be filming in Liverpool as there are certain scenes in the screenplay related to the city.

These places are where I grew up and it’s important to support the community and keep it a local thing. Our scriptwriter Nick Molloy is local, our director Simon Trinder is North West based and we’ve had lots of local actors who have done television and film showing interest.

Breaking Free is expected to be completed this year and more information can be found at www.breakingfreefilm.co.uk @BreakingFreeCLP www.facebook.com/BreakingFreeFilm

The Lake 31 Cut out and keep this advert to receive reduced selling commission rates. Expires 30th April 2014.

Fitting Memorial Unveiled in Memory of Sophia A popular and well-liked student, both friends and family wanted to honour her memory. Her classmates named a star in her honour and a small maquette steel bandana was presented as the ‘Sophia Thornton Prize for Inclusiveness’ at the school’s prize-giving ceremony last October, but both the school and her family felt the need to have a more permanent memorial.

Sophia Thornton

An impressive sculpture in the form of a huge stainless steel bandana was unveiled at Hilbre High School at the end of February, in memory of 11-year-old pupil Sophia Thornton, who tragically passed away in January 2013.

The installation, created by local sculptor and metalworker Wolfgang Eibl, takes the form of a bandana — Sophia’s trademark accessory — and is the culmination of numerous events organised in memory of the popular pupil. “Sophia always wore a bandana — it was an aspect of her which everyone who knew her would recognise,” said Sophia’s father, John Thornton.

Although born with cerebral palsy, Sophia’s death was both sudden and unexpected.

“She’d attended school the day before and been on a trip to the pantomime the day prior,” explained Mr Thornton. “She was taken ill on the Friday morning and passed away that evening at Arrowe Park Hospital.

It was so sudden, it was utterly devastating.”

Mr Thornton set to work outlining a sculpture based on the Paisley pattern from one of Sophia’s own bandanas, also incorporating the location of her star in the centre of the base. Meanwhile, pupils and friends set about raising money to pay for the project by organising a ‘Bandana Day’, bag-packing at Morrisons in West Kirby and a sponsored walk. The school then contacted metalworker and sculptor Wolfgang Eibl of Austrometal, based at Carr Farm in Meols, to create the piece.

Working closely with the family it became clear – despite the valiant efforts of the school – that the money raised would not cover the cost of the entire project. It was at this point Mr Eibl offered to donate his time for free. “The funds available just wouldn’t cover the costs involved,” commented Mr Eibl. “But, when the school explained the situation and I realised that they were talking about Sophia, who I knew as a neighbour, I decided I would donate my time free-of-charge. It took two and a half weeks to create the sculpture, but I feel both proud and honoured to have been involved in this project.”

The installation was unveiled at a ceremony — attended by Sophia’s parents and brother (John, Laura and Sam),

family, friends, classmates, teachers, school governors and Sophia’s helpers and support workers, as well as the sculptor, Wolfgang Eibl – and made a huge impression on all those present. Now permanently located in the outdoor quadrant, at the heart of the school, the eye-catching piece is a lasting tribute to Sophia. “It will be a lovely reminder to all the pupils and staff who knew her and it will allow her spirit and memory to continue to exist in school every day,” said Jane Doyle, Operations Manger at Hilbre High School.

Sophia, a tetraplegic, had to use a wheelchair and communicate via a voice synthesiser, but never let physical disability stop her from doing what she wanted. “She’d always attended mainstream school, first St Bridget’s then Hilbre; she was a keen guide and loved doing all the things a “typical“11-year-old does, which involved a lot of gossip and shopping,” added Mr Thornton. “She was the centre of our lives and we are still trying to learn how to cope without her. But I’m delighted that we now have such a fitting tribute to our wonderful daughter and her schoolmates have a tangible reminder of their friend.

Sophia’s classmates with her parents John and Lara and brother Sam

32 The Lake

Spring Clean Your Beauty Regime

By Tracey Locke, Serenity Clinic, West Kirby (www.serenity-clinic.co.uk) Face: Microdermabrasion is a great way to refresh your skin, resurfacing and smoothing.

Eyes: Lash extensions make your eyes look bigger and more ‘open’, which instantly creates a more radiant, attractive appearance.

The Bigger Picture Body: Laser Lipo type treatments have been around for a long time, but newer, painless body sculpting treatments using radio frequency waves are ideal for loose, sagging skin, ‘bingo wings’, cellulite, stubborn fat or larger areas such as bums, tums and thighs.

Hair Removal: Throw that razor in the bin!

IPL/laser hair removal permanently reduces hair and offers a long-lasting solution.

Oh the joys of spring: longer days, rising temperatures and daffodils. But then there’s the dust that went unnoticed in the dark days of winter and worse still… you can no longer conceal dry skin, stubbly legs or less than perfect toes! Don’t panic – help is at hand. Lead clinician and owner of Serenity Clinic, Tracey Locke, has some tips on how to swap winter woollies for a spring glow.

Spring arrives and people take a crowbar to the shed padlock that has seized up over winter to embark on this year’s DIY. And, while you may not see a comparison with your beauty regime, this annual ritual is a great approach to take to your skin and body care. There’s the ‘Spring Clean’ where things are put back in order; the ‘Quick Fix’ with some filler and a coat of paint for an instant lift; and the ‘Bigger Picture’ where real changes are made and seeds are sown for long-term results.

Spring Clean Body: Skin is often dry and dehydrated after months indoors and few of us moisturise as regularly during winter. At home, invest in decent exfoliating products and moisturisers to smooth, soften and rehydrate. Focus on knees, elbows, heels and toes, as these suffer the most. If you can, book a salon exfoliation, as these are more effective at sloughing dead skin cells.

Combined with treatments such as wraps or hydrating massages, they leave skin super soft and make it easier to maintain at home.

Hair Removal: Often neglected in the colder months. If nothing else, a post-winter wax will make you feel a lot better!

Hands & Feet: Whether at home or in salon, it’s time for a manicure and pedicure.

Add some colour with gel nails – there are some gorgeous shades this spring.

Face: Exfoliation and moisturising are again vital and don’t forget SPF, even if it’s not sunny. Hydrating salon facials are also a quick way to boost and brighten your complexion.

Face: Advanced facial therapies such as Mesotherapy, rollering, enzyme facials and peels are the most effective manual therapies for rehydrating the skin and reducing the appearance of wrinkles — which can appear worse as the skin dries out in the cold.

Also consider a cosmedic facelift, which will stimulate your own collagen production for effective, lasting results.

Eyes & Lips: Semi-Permanent lashes, lash and brow tinting, or, for a more advanced solution, semi-permanent make-up. Imagine a summer without having to worry about smeared eyeliner or smudged lipstick?

Spring/Summer Colours 2014

Eyes & Lips: Invest in some new make-up.

It will give you an instant lift... and won’t break the bank.

Eyes & Lips

Quick Fix

• Pinks & Purples: A statement without being as ‘out there’.

Body: Not unlike giving a room a lick of paint, a spray tan gives you an instant boost. Whether you do it yourself at home or go to a salon, make sure your skin is smooth and hydrated first (see Spring Clean above) for even, lasting colour.

Hair Removal: For unwanted or excess hair, threading, electrolysis or alkaline face washes offer a more lasting solution than waxing or shaving.

Hands & Feet: Foot peel. It will remove hard, dry skin and calluses and leave your feet baby soft. Cuticles on both your fingers and toes dry out in winter so a manicure or pedicure including cuticle work is also a great idea.

• Bolds: Oranges and bright pinks.

Definitely for the bold!

Be careful: Pinks can make you look ‘bruised’ not beautiful.

• Subtle Metallics: Shimmering golds rather than ‘Abba’ blues

Nails: • Bolds: All the colours of the rainbow and more: yellows, greens, oranges • Nudes: Milky whites to palest pinks. Matte, gloss or sparkle • Subtle Metallics: Sophisticated yet glamorous

The Lake 33

ADVERTISING FEATURE

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34 The Lake

Local Wildlife West with the Wind

By Matt Thomas

As a long and stormy winter finally draws to a close, my thoughts are turning to the new season - spring.

It is not that I dislike winter; there is much to occupy an aspiring wildlife photographer over the chilly season around the coast of Wirral, but now my memory cards are full to bursting with pictures of waders and wildfowl and now I am in the mood for something new to photograph.

The changing of the seasons and the effect that this has on the distribution and abundance of our local wildlife is something that I love to watch and record. The coming of spring is particularly pleasing to photograph as there are so many classic ‘signs of spring’ to point my camera at. Out and about along the muddy banks of the Dee on early spring days will be frogs spawning, Blackthorn blossoming and Skylarks singing, our local wildlife will be gearing up for the breeding season. However, I am after a different sign of the burgeoning spring, one from further afield. I am searching for Wheatears. These migratory birds spend the winter many thousands of miles south of the Sahara desert and some breed as far north as Greenland and arctic Canada.

On their mammoth journeys between these two far-flung places they pass along our shores, giving us a brief chance to see these great travellers.

Skylark

Wheatear

The birds can pop up anywhere on our coast, but there are a few local ‘hotspots’ that I usually check out in the middle of March so I can bag my first Wheatear pictures of the year. Hilbre is always worth a look, as is Red Rocks, but today I have wandered around to Leasowe Lighthouse and the horse paddocks that surround it.

There is a lot of water standing on the fields from recent heavy rain and this will have brought worms and other grubs up to the surface – great fuel for the long flight north that our Wheatears are undertaking.

I can’t wait to see my first Wheatear of the year – all through February as I photographed Knots and Purple Sandpipers, I had half a mind on the Wheatears. I was imagining them in Africa, over savannahs, sand dunes and oases, feeding like crazy, trying to put on enough fat for their migration, waiting for the winds to change so they can start on their journey.

Last night I checked the weather forecast, and not wishing to get too meteorological or technical, I believe that I will not have to imagine Wheatears for much longer.

Conditions are just right, perfect for what us ornithologists call a ‘fall’ of migrants.

The wind has gone south-easterly and these fair winds should push my birds north and west, hopefully right across my path. There is a colder front dropping down from Scotland that will bump into these Wheatear-carrying winds and when they meet that unfavourable cold front, the birds should, in theory at least, decide to halt their flights, fall to earth and refuel ready to recommence their journey when the weather improves.

As I walk along the footpath adjacent to the paddocks I see that my deductions about the weather have been correct. Close by,

on a pile of horse droppings, sits a fantastic male Wheatear. He is very photogenic, but his perch is not, so I wait for him to hop a little closer before taking his picture. He has a slatey blue back and a peachy front that tends towards orange. His eye-stripe looks a little like a bandit mask, but there is nothing sinister about his intentions, he just wants a bite to eat and a rest.

There are a couple of females nearby as well. They are a little more subtly marked than the boys: their peach fronts have more beige tones than orange but are no less impressive. Scanning across all of the fields I count 25 birds, a seriously good number! Some are probing away at the soft wet ground looking for food, others are taking an opportunity to bathe their feathers and preen them back into tip-top condition ready for the next leg of their epic trek north.

I try to capture all of these things with my camera, as soon the wind will change and these birds will take flight, leaving the paddocks to the resident Starlings and Lapwings. As I hide in the long grass at various points along the path and shoot away with the camera, I start to notice the other signs of spring that I mentioned earlier.

In the hedge behind me the first delicate white Blackthorn blossoms have bloomed.

In the pond by the lighthouse I can hear amorous frogs and see their clumps of spawn, and over the dunes. I can hear the near continuous song of male Skylarks as they display over their chosen territories.

The clouds part and the sun illuminates this exhibition of spring. The Wheatears continue to use the paddocks as a makeshift motorway service station and I settle back down to get more pictures of them and to revel in the onset of the new season.

The Lake 35

Under the Gavel – a View from the Rostrum John Bathurst Crane with his regular column on the auction world...

The Antiques Trade Gazette is the weekly bible for auctioneers and antiques dealers. This publication was founded in 1971 in the good old pre-internet days and it brought sellers in touch with buyers and vice versa.

All our auctions were advertised in it, and that is still so in the auction listings because it still has a worldwide distribution and readership, despite the internet.

A system developed for the internet by the Antiques Trade Gazette is ‘the-saleroom.com’,which allows auctioneers to upload and advertise their auctions, with photographs, to enable buyers worldwide to view their auctions without leaving the comfort of their armchairs!

Better still, buyers can bid with just a click of the mouse while the auction is taking place. This ‘live bidding’ system generally works well and sold items are posted out worldwide to the successful bidders.

Old telephone £80-£150

The question is... does all this extra effort affect the final bidding price?

Well, it certainly does, as items which are not sought after in Britain can be highly prized in Taiwan, hence the need to have thousands of people viewing an auction to achieve the best results.

Some popular objects such as silverplated tea sets can treble their price on internet auctions! We read that people in China are very keen to repatriate their own art – this is also very true.

Dealers in the South of England will bid high prices for mahogany furniture only to paint it to achieve a ‘shabby chic’ look, so auctioneers must not now assume that they know what bidders want in different regions and cultures.

Worcester figures for Auction

Valuation days always need arranging and I enjoy giving talks to interested groups of people around Wirral. A telephone call is all you need to arrange this.

Cato Crane seems to be well equipped to regularly market rare and valuable objects: silver, jewellery, pictures etc.

Michael Morris - ‘Kentish Summer Day’

‘Twitter’ is another internet advertising medium and upcoming objects are ‘tweeted’ for bidders to peruse. Our Twitter account is @catocrane, and at the time of writing we have nearly 1,000 people watching us!

On the 12th and 13th March, Cato Crane is holding two auctions of about 700 lots. You can watch this live online and maybe try a bid or two or three...

Having said all this, we can’t do business by just sitting in an office and I do get in the car every day to do home visits to see clients – and of course, furniture has to be removed by strong men as the internet has no muscles!

Canteen Silver Cutlery £2,000-£3,000

Rare 1730 silver teapot

It is recorded that tea was first imported into Britain about 1650 and the first recorded silver teapot was made in 1670. Recently we discovered a ‘bullet-shaped’ teapot made in 1730 in the same shape as the earlier ones.

This will be in our March auction and should make £1,500 to £2,500 – or maybe more.

So, if you have interesting objects you are considering selling, then please telephone me on 0151 709 5559 or 01244 680 055 (Chester) or directly on 07836 209 995.

I do look forward to meeting you and might even bring the silver teapot for the tea! Happy antiques hunting until we meet.

36 The Lake

Wirral Symphony Orchestra 30 years of musical pearls

By Jonathan Small In part two of our series about the Wirral Symphony Orchestra and its 30th anniversary season, conductor Jonathan Small takes up the story from his appointment in 2008. (Jonathan is principal oboist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra).

It seemed a perfectly natural progression to me, to take up conducting an orchestra like the WSO. I’d been increasingly keen to become a conductor for some years, and when I saw the WSO position come up I instinctively felt this was the right move.

I think it is important that professional musicians living and working in a community have a responsibility to share their experience and skills as widely as possible.

A professional orchestra such as the RLPO exists to provide great music-making for the city and the population at large, but often our keenest supporters and most enthusiastic followers will be those with some musical experience themselves.

So I’ve sought to bring a professional approach to amateur music-making. This is not to expect my WSO musicians to become professionals, of course not, but rather to apply professional methods of training, rehearsal, playing techniques, production of sound, ways of learning music and thinking about it, good approaches to performing in public. All of these are well within the grasp of a capable musician at almost any level, and I am delighted at the way my WSO musicians have responded.

Our first concert together was in December 2008, when we gave Sibelius’s 2nd Symphony and some other works. I sensed immediately that the players had many

skills, and a great sense of teamwork, but also that they were capable of playing at a much higher standard than they were at the time. There was much potential to unleash, and I set about doing this as I got to know my players better.

At that time WSO was giving three symphony concerts a year, perhaps with an extra small-scale one. In my first season we gave a concert in February and July 2009, and a chamber programme of music

by Handel in West Kirby that May. I wanted the orchestra to have the chance to work with soloists of a high calibre, so we engaged RLPO cellist Gethyn Jones to play the Cello Concerto by Lalo in February, and violinist Lesley Gwyther to play Dvorak’s Violin Romance in the July concert.

I also felt that the orchestra needed to perform more often. Playing in public is quite different to practising or rehearsing together behind closed doors, as anyone might imagine. There are pressures playing to an audience, and ‘nerves’ can easily get the better of even experienced musicians at times. There’s no better way to improve this than doing it more often, so for 2009-10 we put on four full symphony concerts, the extra one being in May. I also wanted the orchestra to live up to its name. Being based in Hoylake/West Kirby is fine, but I wanted the orchestra to give concerts for other parts of the Wirral community. Thus our February 2010 concert was the first we gave at Wallasey Town Hall, a lovely Edwardian building, with a concert hall larger than Hoylake Chapel.

The hall is very much in need of refurbishment but still quite usable and has a resonant acoustic which is well suited to large romantic works of the sort I wanted to perform. The programme included Tchaikovsky Symphony No.4, and Rachmaninov 2nd Piano Concerto with RLPO pianist Ian Buckle as soloist. Ian has since returned twice more to perform with the orchestra, to great acclaim.

For the May concert in Hoylake I put together a programme entitled Northern Lights, a good moniker which can be used to embrace quite a range of music. This programme included Vaughan Williams, Sibelius and Nielsen. The latter is rather neglected in the UK but his music is very fine and should be performed more widely, something I hope to address further as we approach his (and Sibelius’s) 150th anniversary in 2015. We gave Nielsen’s short tone poem ‘Saga Droem’ in which a number of the players have to play a free cadenza together, something they enjoyed very much, once we’d all worked out how to do it.

Another new departure finished the season when we gave a gala concert of opera scenes and excerpts, again at Wallasey, in partnership with St Peter’s Singers from Heswall and several fine soloists including Liverpool-based tenor, Nick Hardy and baritone Edward d’Arcy Hatton.

The following season took much the same pattern; highlights included playing Sibelius’s 7th Symphony and Arnold Bax’s Tintagel in February, Suk’s Fantastic Scherzo in May and a French opera gala in July when we performed selected scenes from Bizet’s Carmen.

In terms of technique, we’d worked especially hard on the string sound, to give it much more body and to explore a much fuller range of dynamics and tone colours.

We try always to build the sound from the bass up, which means that we need strong cello and bass sections. If you come to our concerts regularly you’ll have seen that we usually have at least seven to eight cellos and four double basses, often more. This is terribly important, to give the whole sound a proper foundation.

In the autumn of 2011, WSO was invited to take part in the revitalised Rainhill Festival, to the east of Liverpool. A dynamic new committee put on a week of events for families and young people especially, culminating in a performance of Haydn’s Creation at St.Helens Town Hall with a cast of wonderful young singers led by festival organiser Andrew Dickinson, and the St Helens Choral Society. I’d been thrilled at the chance to conduct Haydn’s great oratorio and spent a wonderfully rewarding six months studying it. WSO gave a performance full of character and excellence.

I sought to repeat concerts if we could.

WSO holds around eight rehearsals for each programme, hard work that deserves more than one public performance if possible.

Later in the 2011-12 season we performed Rachmaninov’s 3rd Symphony, a wonderful, passionate and bittersweet work, written for the virtuoso Philadelphia Orchestra with which the composer had a long association in the 1920s and 30s, and a challenge for

The Lake 37 any orchestra, to which WSO rose magnificently. We gave this programme twice, at Wallasey and also in our first visit to Ellesmere Port Civic Hall. This hall is the closest to a ‘proper’ concert hall in the Wirral region, and having played there on occasion with the RLPO I felt it would be a worthwhile venture to take WSO there and give concerts at a hall where, as far as I could tell, there were currently no symphony concerts taking place. We have visited Ellesmere Port in both the following seasons, playing to a growing and enthusiastic audience.

WSO has for some years held a ‘PlayDay’ – a one-day course in the winter at which they tackle music which would likely be thought unusual or ambitious to programme at once. At one of these we played Respighi’s Fountains of Rome, which I then decided we should perform at our May concert in 2012. That year’s PlayDay saw WSO take on Richard Strauss’ Alpine Symphony, a 50-minute work depicting a day climbing in the Alps and requiring a vast orchestra.

The Torintine Suite at Thornton Hall hotel resounded to a 119-player orchestra with a dozen horns, 20 woodwind, five trumpets, multiple percussion instruments and a string section with 13 cellos and nine double basses.

Opera again completed the season in 2012, but this time we gave a whole act, Act 1 of Wagner’s The Valkyrie, with Liverpool tenor Nick Hardy in the role of Siegmund, which he performed magnificently. Over an

Last season ended with Mahler’s First Symphony, again a work that the orchestra had tackled in a previous PlayDay. Mahler is a composer whose music I have instinctively responded to since I was first exposed to it in my teens. I was thrilled with the orchestra’s response to his highly individual and characterful ideas. To say that the concert was a triumph would be putting it very mildly indeed.

hour of Wagner’s seamless and enthralling music was given magnificently by a much-enlarged WSO complete with Wagner tubas and huge string section.

We initiated a Christmas Concert in December 2012, at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton, where we gave a very popular concert with the choir of St Andrew’s School, Bebington. The success of this event means it is likely to be an annual date in WSO’s diary from now on. A first visit to Prescot Festival in May 2013 gave the orchestra the chance to play at the magnificent Parish Church, giving Elgar’s Cello concerto, once more with Gethyn Jones, and Britten’s ‘Four Sea Interludes’ from Peter Grimes.

Congratulations to Tony Roberts This year it will be 50 years since Tony Roberts from Whats Cutting earned his hairdressing diploma after completing his 5-year apprenticeship and attending The Continental Academy in Liverpool.

His talent and commitment to his work and the loyalty of his clients is why our business in West Kirby has stood the test of time and we have remained trading for over 40 years.

We were awarded 5 star status by ‘The Good Salon Guide’ in 1994.

Tony has trained a lot of Wirral’s top stylists over the years who have gone on to own successful salons themselves.

We would like to thank all our loyal customers over the years by offering them a 20% discount off any hair service and would like to invite new clients to the salon with a £5 off voucher on their first visit to redeem on a future visit on production of this advert.

whats cutting.

HAIR & BEAUTY

1st Floor, 34-38 Banks Road, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 0RD

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Which brings us to our 30th anniversary, in very good shape. The orchestra is growing all the time, attracting new members and pushing our playing standards ever higher.

Our anniversary season culminates with an exchange with a choir from Le Havre in Normandy, ensemble Vocale Renaissance who will sing two concerts with us on 2nd and 3rd May, in Hoylake and in Chester Cathedral. At Hoylake we will give Durufle’s Requiem with an orchestral first half, a programme we will take to Normandy at the end of the month, and at Chester we will give Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony.

St Peters Singers and other choristers will join us for this performance, which is sure to be the highlight of the season and not to be missed.

All in all, Wirral Symphony Orchestra has placed itself at the centre of musical life in Wirral and locale – it’s a vibrant and thrilling ensemble with much to offer its members and supporters alike. Come and see what we’re doing.

38 The Lake I had no idea that Cheshire is one of the UK’s foremost scientific areas or that Cheshire and Warrington has one of the best performing economies in the UK (thanks particularly to the chemical, bioscience, engineering and energy sectors). It’s great to think that our region is leading the way in these areas and I can’t wait to get involved in the activities and get my girls interested too - even though they are a little on the young side - call me a tiger mother if you want!

There will be a programme of activities on at Jodrell Bank, Daresbury Science Park, Delamere Forest, Chester Zoo, Macclesfield Silk Museum, Chester Cathedral, Reaseheath Agricultural College, Tatton Park and the Hack Green Nuclear Bunker. I’m sold and am thinking of borrowing some older kids just to make the most of the activities! I mean, who doesn’t want to meet an astronomer and find out more about the planets... is there really other life out there and how did this all get here anyway?!

Muma Leary

Happy Springtime!

Muma Leary is a mum of two and a brilliant blogger!

I am so pleased that spring has finally sprung. The evenings are getting lighter and stepping outside of the front door now needs considerably less planning, wet weather gear and layers.

You can check her out on her blog: http://mummetamorphosis.wordpress.com

And, with spring comes all sorts of brilliant things to get out and see, whatever age your children are.

Or follow her on Twitter @MumaLeary

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MumaLearyWirral

One of my absolute favourite things to see at this time of year is all of the newborn animals. Lambs in particular because they remind me of my family holidays on our grandparents’ farm.

If you want to know more about all sorts of exciting events and activities for the whole family check out Mums in the Know The Wirral.

Being a child means that everything is new and exciting and being a parent means that you can enjoy that feeling for a second time through the eyes and experiences of your children, so make the most of it.

For more information about the science festival check out their website at www.amazedbyscience.com

One of the things that never fails to amaze me, despite my advancing years, is all things science.

I’m talking animals, plants, the life cycle and the changing seasons.

How adding one chemical to another can cause blinding lights, huge explosions and all manner of things that make children gasp and, one of the most mind-boggling of all for me, the planets and solar system.

This year Cheshire is hosting the very first Amazed by Science pan-Cheshire festival, and I am definitely thinking of taking the girls to have a look at what’s on.

The festival will take place from 24th May to 1st June during the May half term holiday and is very much aimed at kids and families, getting us all excited about science again.

The event programme will promote and celebrate science, technology and engineering throughout Cheshire, and hopefully engage older children and make them want to consider a career in science, engineering and technology, things that our area does really well.

One of the prerequisites for a career in engineering is for young people to study Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM). The Amazed by Science festival is a novel way of promoting STEM and encouraging young people to consider a career in engineering.

Selling a Property?

We spoke to Mark Broughton, Principal at Lees Solicitors and Head of the Residential Property Department based at their Heswall office, about selling a property, the pitfalls and how you can avoid them when you sell your property. “Undoubtedly, the most popular question posed to me is simply ‘when will completion take place?’ The answer is not so simple, but with our guidance and support we can make it as smooth and quick as possible for you.”

A number of important, but varying factors have to all come together in order to successfully sell a property.

Essentially, there are five main stages: 1. Preliminaries 2. Before Exchange of contracts 3. Exchange of contracts 4. Preparing for completion 5. Completion day 1. Preliminaries Once you’ve received an offer and accepted it, the estate agents will ask you to confirm who your solicitor is going to be. It is important that you have researched who you wish to represent you in the transaction.

Obtaining quotations from legal firms and talking to the people who will be looking after you is very important;

you need to feel comfortable and confident in your choice. Once this is done the estate agent will produce a memorandum of sale identifying all parties in the transaction and details of the sale.

Your solicitor will then ask you to complete two forms, a Property Information Form and a Fittings and Contents Form. These forms will be relied upon by the buyer and their solicitor so it is important you answer the questions as accurately and truthfully as possible. All relevant information connected to the response in these forms should be provided at the earliest opportunity e.g. copy of planning permission and building regulations approval.

You should also supply details and account numbers of any mortgage providers. This will enable your solicitor to obtain a redemption statement which will confirm the remaining money outstanding on your mortgage account.

2. Before exchange of Contracts At this stage, the aim is to finalise all relevant information about the property and its legal title with the buyer’s solicitors. This will help the buyer and their solicitor conclude any enquiries they may have about the property you are selling. Therefore, if your solicitor

The Lake 39

has all the facts they can respond on your behalf immediately.

During this stage of the process you will be requested to sign a contract in readiness for exchange. Although you are putting pen to paper, this does not finalise the sale. The contract only becomes binding when exchange of contracts is affected. You should sign and return this document to your solicitor as soon as possible.

3. Exchange of Contracts When all of the buyer’s solicitors enquiries have been answered in full and the buyers have arranged their finances, the focus of the transaction will shift to the exchange of contracts.

Upon exchange the completion date is set, as is the sale price of the property. Following this stage you and your buyer cannot back out of the deal.

Mark Broughton

required to sign this document in front of an independent witness, who is an adult, not a family member and cannot be the buyers.

5. Completion Day

4. Preparing for Completion

Completion occurs when your solicitor receives the full balance of the purchase monies from the buyer’s solicitor. As soon as completion has taken place, your solicitor will notify you. At this point you should arrange for the keys to be handed to your selling agent, or directly to the buyer so that they can move in.

As soon as possible, prior to completion, your solicitor will issue a completion statement setting out exactly what money will be sent to you at the end of the transaction. You will nominate your preferred method of payment – whether this be cheque or bank transfer. At this stage you may (if you haven’t already) be presented with a Transfer Deed to sign. You will be

The key to a successful and smooth transaction is being organised and selecting the right solicitor for you.

If you are selling your property, or intend to sell your property in the future, Lees Solicitors has offices in Heswall, West Kirby & Birkenhead and can help you every step of the way. Call 0800 387 927 or log onto www.lees.co.uk for more information.

40 The Lake

An open letter to local residents by Margaret Greenwood Labour Party parliamentary candidate for Wirral West concerning Hilbre Islands and the Dee Estuary.

Margaret Greenwood (©Paul Carney)

Small wonder Hilbre Island and the Dee Estuary are popular with walkers, birdwatchers, boat-lovers and seal-spotters of all ages. This beautiful place is what makes West Kirby.

If UCG goes ahead in the Dee, it may have a detrimental impact on the estuary, local communities, the local economy and the value of property.

The shifting light and ebb and flow of the tide offer an ever-changing view to the hills of North Wales, providing a captivating scene year-round.

UCG trials in Australia in 2011 resulted in the contamination of groundwater. Farmers were unable to feed their cattle, and the trial had to be abandoned. In India in 2012, groundwater was also contaminated, and again the trials had to be abandoned. And in Spain in 1999 the process had to be stopped because of an underground explosion caused by a blockage. None of this augurs well for the Dee.

So it was with real concern that I discovered that the Coal Authority has granted a conditional licence for underground coal gasification (UCG) for the Dee Estuary.

The licence applies to an area of 6,953 hectares – the size of over 9,000 football pitches. It runs from Thurstaston up to West Kirby and round to Hoylake on the Wirral side; on the Welsh side, the edge of the licence area runs from around Greenfield, up through Mostyn to Point of Ayr. The licence is valid for five years and was granted to a company called Cluff Natural Resources in January 2013. The company will need to acquire other permissions and licenses before it can go ahead with UCG exploration.

Together Hilbre and the Dee are at the heart of West Kirby, and local people enjoy a high quality of life because of the sheer beauty of the place.

A walk across the beach and mud flats, dodging the gullies of rippling sea water, skirting Little Eye and Little Hilbre, and then climbing up onto Hilbre Island itself is the perfect way to get a taste of the wildlife around our coast. Checking the tides before setting off is essential.

Walk across the island and you pass sandstone outcrops scoured with dramatic grooves carved over centuries by storm winds, a reminder of the underlying geology and the harshness of Irish Sea storms.

At the northerly end of the island stands the remains of an old sandstone lifeboat station. From here, gaze into the choppy ocean and if you’re lucky you’ll be rewarded by the thrilling sight of seals bobbing in the waves.

The Dee Estuary is internationally renowned for its bird life: hen harriers, merlins, short-eared owls and little egrets can all be spotted; flocks of dunlins can be seen swirling above the waves; along the shoreline curlew and oystercatchers feed in abundance. The raptors are the top tier of an ecosystem which includes a profusion of marine life, such as crustaceans and worms, that thrives in the mud and silt of the Dee. The estuary offers other pleasures for walkers too; clamber down the wooded slopes at Thurstaston to the beach, and you can walk along the shore right as far as the Marine Lake – tide permitting. The Dee is a great place to sail too, enjoyed by members of West Kirby Sailing Club.

So what is UCG? What would be the impact? Can local people have a say in planning the future of this beautiful coast?

UCG has not been widely used in western Europe, and so there are many questions that need answering. How does it measure up to European safety standards? Is it likely to damage the environment of the Dee Estuary? Has it been carried out offshore before?

The technology generally involves drilling two boreholes down over 1,000 feet into a coal seam. Oxidants are sent down one of the boreholes, and the coal is ignited. This generates a gas known as syngas, which is made up of hydrogen and carbon monoxide; it can also contain methane and carbon dioxide. The gas is brought up to the surface through the second borehole where it can then be used to generate power.

Two of the risks associated with UCG are subsidence and the contamination of groundwater. The contaminants in question include benzene, which is associated with leukaemia and bone marrow abnormalities, and toluene, which can affect the kidneys, nervous system, liver, brain and heart.

The Dee Estuary is a most precious resource for the local community.

Contamination of groundwater could have a devastating effect on the birds, marine life and the quality of the beaches where people come to relax and unwind. Pollution of the Dee could also have a serious knock-on effect for West Kirby itself. The beach is a popular visitor destination and many shops, cafés and bars rely on these visitors for much of their trade in the summer months.

We also need to consider what the visual impact of any necessary UCG plant would be. Search ‘UCG plant’ and ‘image’ in Google and you will find images of large, ugly industrial structures and rigs. West Wirral is not an industrial landscape, and I for one do not want to see it become one.

Algy Cluff, of Cluff Natural Resources, recently said on BBC Radio Merseyside that the operation would be offshore and that there would be no development on land. We need to know more about his intentions.

Does he intend to build in the Dee itself? What would the scale of this be? And how much disruption would local people have to endure from lorries supplying materials as part of the building process?

I held a public meeting about UCG in the Dee at the beginning of February; the United Reformed Church in Meols Drive kindly allowed us to use their hall.

I called the meeting because I believe that this is an issue of vital importance to the future of this part of Wirral, and because I believe people have a right to a say about what happens in their community.

I am clearly not alone in my concern: the hall was full. Discussion was lively, and many people indicated that they were interested in getting involved in our campaign to save Hilbre Island and the Dee and to protect the quality of life in West Wirral.

The current UCG licence has four years left to run. We are going to have to be vigilant and well-informed to make sure the voices of local people are heard. I am keen to hear from anyone with strong views on this subject either way.

The natural world is vital to our well-being; in West Kirby it is crucial to the local economy too.

As the Labour Party parliamentary candidate for Wirral West, I am ready to work with people from other parties to ensure that the quality of life around the Dee Estuary is protected and that spotting seals, watching birds and playing on the sands continue to be the safe and healthy activities that they currently are Anyone interested in joining our Save Hilbre and the Dee mailing list can contact us by email at savehilbre@outlook.com and we will keep you informed of developments. You can also find us on Facebook Save Hilbre Island and the Dee and on Twitter @SaveHilbre.

If you have a special area of expertise in conservation, planning or engineering, let us know. If you simply care about Hilbre and the Dee, do get in touch. Help us protect the quality of life in west Wirral.

Do you feel strongly about things happening in the area? Let us know and we’ll do our best to include them. Opinions raised are those of the contributor and not those of The Lake.

The Lake 41

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42 The Lake

Vegetarian Cooking

Black olive tapenade:

Recipe and Juicy Beginnings

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

By Aly Challoner-Jones

1 tbsp olive oil

Light mornings and evenings have arrived! So, providing we don’t have any extreme weather surprises during the springtime, it’s full steam ahead with colourful gardens, homes and kitchens of course! I stumbled upon this rather lovely culinary proverb recently: “A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness.”

(Elsa Schiaparelli). Is that how you feel in the kitchen? My theory is thus: kitchen wizardry originates from the ingredients, the heart and the soul. The magic is revealed when all elements combine to create an atmosphere of appreciation, satisfaction... and comfort.

It doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious. Fresh and simple ingredients, with a few complementary seasonings and herbs are all you need! Fetch your wooden spoon and magic wand, and have a go at this recipe for a light luncheon or appetiser of Pea, Mint and Feta Terrine.

Pea, Mint & Feta Terrine with Strawberries, Balsamic and Tapenade Ingredients for 2 portions: Pea, feta & mint terrine: 60g petite pois, lightly cooked 60g feta cheese 1 spring onion, finely chopped 2 sprigs mint finely chopped Juice of half a lemon Pinch of sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Balsamic vinaigrette: 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

50g black olives, pitted and finely chopped Juice of half a lemon Chopped fresh herbs (basil/parsley) about a tbsp 2-4 strawberries, fanned or sliced A handful of baby spinach A few cherry plum tomatoes, quartered (optional) A few green pepper corns (optional) Soda bread or crusty wholemeal loaf to serve Directions: Terrine: Line 2 ramekins with cling film. Mix together the feta, spring onions, lemon and seasoning.

Layer the peas and the feta mixture in the ramekins and fold the cling over the top.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Vinaigrette: Combine all ingredients and whisk vigorously to form an emulsion.

Tapenade: Mix (or process) all the ingredients together and season to taste.

Assembly: Turn out the terrine, remove the cling film and sit on a handful of spinach. Place the strawberry slices to the side and dress with vinaigrette.

Spoon the tapenade around the plate, alternate with quarters of tomato. Serve with soda bread or crusty wholemeal loaf!

It would be great to hear from you about your experiences of trying out my recipes. Drop me an email at absolutecooking.co.uk or comment on the Facebook page. Perhaps browse the website and check out what else goes on at Absolute Cooking...

So, fancy a fresh juice with your luncheon?

1 tsp sugar

Juicy Beginnings with Fresh Start Health

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Having spent some time exploring local eateries and markets, I thought it would be of interest to introduce you to an ethically-orientated local business. Who’s been on a health kick since New Year? Juicing? Did you join in with the world’s biggest juice detox? Well if you still fancy hopping on, it’s not too late! Meet Melissa Fairhurst of Fresh Start Health, a West Kirby-based Natural Juice Therapist. It’s exciting times for the business, as not only does Melissa offer consultations and supply home juice packages, she has a new Juice Bar and shop opening in Lower Heswall! When?

Well, anytime now I’d say! It’s all imminent.

Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper

Prior to embarking on her journey to becoming a Juice Therapist, Melissa was an NLP Master Practitioner and Amatsu therapist. With the latter being of physical benefit and the former helping with emotional issues, the steps to improved health on the inside seemed a logical progression. Melissa explained that “the three elements fit together” as she wanted to

look at health more holistically. ‘Juice Master’, Jason Vale’s Natural Juice Therapy Course in Wellingborough, was the only course of its kind available. Having attended previous seminars and workshops, Melissa knew this was the right place for her to study. Since the successful completion of her studies, Melissa has gone on to manage the Juice Master Retreat in Turkey and later this year will be stepping in to the shoes of Jason Vale himself to present at the Juice Academy. You get the picture now right? This lady really knows her onions! Or mangoes, 1 of the 2!

The ongoing increase in demand for healthy products and services has led to Melissa developing time-saving solutions for those wishing to boost their health and nutrition... inside and out. She thought about the business concept around September 2013, and quickly realised (amidst the World’s Biggest Juice Detox in January!) that news of the positive effects was travelling at lightning speed and she simply had to respond! So what’s now and next?

As I write, the preparations for opening the new shop are underway and, by the time this article reaches your letterbox, the shop should be well and truly launched and away. The new premises at 19 Village Road, Lower Heswall, will stock a range of home-made fresh and frozen juicy products, lots of healthy unprocessed goodies for munching (gluten and dairy free where possible), ethical ‘no nasties’ skin, body, hair care and cosmetics, even local honey. And if you fancy a chocoholic indulgence, how about some delectable ‘raw’ chocolate for a guilt-free ‘sinful’ sensation!

Ah! Almost forgot! The vegan sausage and roast mix product from my business Absolute Cooking can also be found there, as well as some weekly healthy meat free specials provided by myself and other local businesses.

Melissa has a really flexible approach and wants to responds to requests and enquiries from her existing and new customers. To find out more, look up Fresh Start Health on Facebook or tap in http://fresh-start-health.co.uk to your web browser... let’s get juicy!

Aly Challoner-Jones Vegetarian and Vegan Consultant www.absolutecooking.co.uk

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