July/August 2014

Issue 9 • July/August 2014

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

WIN A Golf Break for 2 in the Isle of Man

West Kirby in the Hands of the Military • History of Hilbre Island • Hoylake and West Kirby Creatives

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

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

@lakewirral

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you feel that advertising in The Lake would benefit your business, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you. Please contact Alan Strange on 07788 510868 or email: alan@lakemagazine.co.uk www.lakemagazine.co.uk Photographs and original material are submitted at the sender’s risk and must be accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope if you wish them to be returned. The publishers will not accept responsibility for loss or damage.

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

CONTENTS

Contacts: Editor Jonathan Bion 07796 945745 jon@lakemagazine.co.uk Sales Director Alan Strange 07788 510868 alan@lakemagazine.co.uk Accounts accounts@lakemagazine.co.uk Delivered free to 12,500 homes and businesses in West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols and Caldy

Pages 26-29

For distribution queries please call 0151 644 9475

04 West Kirby in the Hands of the Military

32 Is Your Sun Protection Below Par?

10 The Caldy Bogey Men

33 Sea Scouts Celebrate 70th Anniversary

12 History of Hilbre Islands

34 The Other Birds

15 Win a Golf Break for 2 in the Isle of Man

36 Gill McGowan’s Photography

16 The Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom

38 Positive Developmental Change

18 Hoylake and West Kirby Creatives

40 Fitness Queen

22 Golf. The Hole Truth

41 Under the Gavel

30 West Kirby Sailing Club

42 Wirral Rangers

04 The Lake

1914 West Kirby

Sep 6 HERITAGE DAY at St Bridget’s Centre, West Kirby from 10.00am to 4.00pm

In the Hands of the Military

THE BIG HISTORY BOOK SALE. Hundreds of local history books for sale at discounted prices.

By Heather Chapman

VISIT THE WEST KIRBY MUSEUM. Church open all day. Morning guided tour of the church (booking essential, contact Menai Dillon 07778391919), see the Hogback Stone, hands-on activities for all the family, displays of old West Kirby, and the ‘West Kirby Remembers WW1 Exhibition’.

Refreshments.

Oct 25-Nov 7 ‘WK Remembers WW1 Exhibition’ at West Kirby library Oct 25-Nov 12 Posters in Grange Road shop windows (showing 1914 shops), Children’s Competition. (Further information in next copy of The Lake magazine). and join in the fun and see the West Kirby Recruits On Parade. You can find further information www.thewro-lounge.co.uk. All proceeds will go towards the West Kirby Remembers WW1 project.

This is the first year of a five-year rolling project, so there will be lots to look forward to in the future.

In August 1914 the seaside village of West Kirby was bustling with soldiers instead of the usual holidaymakers. Just two weeks after war was declared on 4 August the military took possession of the West Kirby Public Hall and several different regiments were billeted there until July 1915. The regiments were in transit to other camps and inevitably to the war zone and the front line. The first regiment to arrive was the 3rd Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment under the command of Captain Mahony.

Corporal James Shaw collapsed and died on the march from Birkenhead to West Kirby and is buried at Holy Trinity churchyard, Hoylake; he could be considered to be the first local casualty of war.

At the onset of war, life must have seemed very exciting and people were apprehensive but optimistic that it would all be over by Christmas 1914. The residents of West Kirby made the soldiers most welcome.

They organised social events to raise money for the war effort and to help the refugees from Belgium.

To commemorate the troops in West Kirby 100 years ago, all the brave men who fought for their country and the West Kirby Home Front, WRO Lounge is holding a ‘Billet Bash’ on Monday 25 August 2014 from 4.00pm. There will be live music, period entertainment and refreshments, singing, dancing and romancing. Come along

The West Kirby Museum Research Group is researching all the men from West Kirby who gave their lives for their country in WW1. We are collaborating with Stephen Roberts, who has already posted some of the biographies of the local casualties of The Great War on his website www.grangehill1922.wordpress.com. It is our aim to remember these men as real people, not just names on a list, and hard copies of the biographies of these men will be prepared. The project was launched with displays and talks at West Kirby Library and WRO Lounge and Loft in April this year.

Two ‘West Kirby Remembers WW1’ walking trails are currently under preparation. One of our researchers specialises in ‘Animals at war’ and we are currently working on a project ‘Women in WW1 West Kirby’.

The Research Group wish to thank people who have already shared their stories and allowed us to copy their photographs.

There will be further opportunities for people to contact us at the events we have planned for the rest of the year.

Please support ‘West Kirby Remembers WW1’ at the following events: Aug 25 ‘BILLET BASH’ at WRO Lounge, Grange Rd, West Kirby, from 4.00pm.

There will be live music, period entertainment and refreshments, singing, dancing and sharing of stories. Come along and join in the fun and see the West Kirby Recruits On Parade. You can find further information at www.thewro-lounge.co.uk. Tickets available at WRO lounge from 25 July.

Oct 10 ‘West Kirby Remembers WW1’ – Officer’s tea at WRO lounge.

Nov 7 Heather Chapman will give an illustrated talk about ‘1914 West Kirby’, outlining the impact on the seaside village of West Kirby when war was declared. The military took over the West Kirby Public Hall in August 1914 and soldiers, instead of holidaymakers, became a familiar sight in the town. 7.00pm for 7.30pm at St Bridget’s Centre, West Kirby.

Nov 8 ‘West Kirby Remembers WW1’ Exhibition at St Bridget’s Centre, West Kirby from 10.00am to 4.00pm. This is an opportunity for local people to share their stories, photos and memorabilia about West Kirby service men and their families during the Great War. Refreshments will be available.

West Kirby Museum Research Group is extremely grateful to Hoylake Historical Society, WRO Lounge, Bar and Loft, and Barclays Bank for their support and sponsorship.

06 The Lake

What’s going on at Port Sunlight Museum?

There’s been a lot going on in Port Sunlight this year, as 2014 marks the 125th anniversary of the commencement of the building of the village. To commemorate this, Port Sunlight Museum has titled its new special exhibition: Port Sunlight 125 years of ‘The Social Suburbs’, giving an insight into past and present history, and working closely with residents, clubs and societies connected with the village. This fascinating exhibition is open to the public from May 2014 until March 2015.

August is proving to be one of the busier months on the event’s calendar at the museum, with an offering of a variety of walking tours, children’s craft activities plus three themed entertainment Sunday’s!

On Sunday 3rd August enter the Free Fun Dog Show for all well behaved dogs, followed by Funday Sunday on 10th August with donkey rides, face painting and children’s entertainment. If Vintage is your thing then Sunday 17th August is perfect for you with our Sunlight Vintage, a day filled with retro clothing, handbags and accessories.

For our younger visitors August has even more creative activities to keep you busy. Drop into any of our Wednesday Craft Days in the Old School Room at the Lyceum, have a go at making a door hanger, personalise a bag, make a scrapbook and decorate a terrific train.

Launch night at the museum

If you enjoy walking, then book onto one of the new guided walking tours, finding out more about the founder, William Hesketh Lever and his vision for Port Sunlight. For those who appreciate good craftsmanship, ‘The Domestic Architecture of Port Sunlight’ will explore the many influences and ideas adopted in the design of village houses and surrounding landscapes. At 2.30pm every Wednesday in August, a brand new walking tour, ‘The Public Gardens of Port Sunlight,’ will guide you through the most scenic vistas of the 19th century garden village, so book early as space is limited!

Call 0151 644 6466 or email info@portsunlightvillage.com for information about events taking place at Port Sunlight Museum this August.

Doreen Cunningham of Meols has contacted The Lake regarding a regular visitor to her garden.

Doreen says: “I am attaching a photo of ‘Henry’, a partially albino blackbird who has been a visitor to my garden for a few months now. With my lack of knowledge I presumed it was a female and christened her ‘Henrietta’.

“However, my friend sent a photo of her to the RSPB and they informed me she was very unusual but in fact ‘she’ was a male and I’d better change the name to Henry.

Apparently the beak was the giveaway.

“Henry is here early in the morning and back and forth during the day and evening.

He is quite famous in the Barn Hey Crescent cul-de-sac. A neighbour said he was here all last summer, so it looks as if he likes it round here. Mind you I do put plenty of bird food, suet balls, mealworms, etc., round the garden under bushes, and on the bird table.

“This photo was taken at 6.15am after waiting patiently for 30 minutes. I have taken quite a few photos, not very clear, but I was very pleased with this one.”

Your Solar Update from Natural Energy Sources As we move further into the most attractive season for generating electricity by using Solar Photovoltaic systems (Solar PV), we thought that readers may be interested to understand how much can be generated from an installation on a domestic property.

We asked Tony Edwards, founder of Bromborough-based Solar PV design and installation company Natural Energy Sources, to explain.

“The online monitoring system that many of our customers have allows us to see exactly how much their systems produce, and at this time of year the output from the average domestic system varies between 15 and 28 kilowatt hours per day. To put this into context, the average modern TV consumes around 50 watts – so the generation from one day alone(!) would power the TV for over 16 continuous full days, more than enough to watch every World Cup match, all of Wimbledon, and all of the upcoming Open golf championship at Hoylake!”

Natural Energy demonstrated the ability of Solar to power equipment without mains electricity at Thingwall Primary School summer fair – when for three hours children were queuing up to play the much talked about Minecraft on a games console on a large LCD screen from a single Solar panel, and without a mains socket in sight.

The 400-500 kilowatt hours generated by a domestic system over an average summer month compares with an average useage of around 200 kilowatt hours, so owners of Solar systems see their electricity bills fall off dramatically at this time of year, as they become increasingly self-sufficient.

Ways to utilise as much of the generated energy as possible were discussed in our last edition, and will becoming a hot topic over the coming years, as those with Solar systems are able to add to the returns that they will receive for 20 years through the Government Feed in Tariff scheme, and far exceed the 10% return that this provides on its own, by using their generated energy in smarter ways.

It certainly looks like the future will be green!

08 The Lake

Fully Licensed Bistro Bar Finalists in 2014 Wirral Tourism Awards (most professional bar team)

Sit back and just dream whilst sipping a glass of Bubbly, or a bottle of our finest wine watching the famous sunset over Hilbre Island – one of the best sunsets in Britain.

Bacon and bubbly for £6.75 licensed from 9am Croissants, Spanish brandy and coffee £6.75 from 9am Open til 11pm every night during The Open

Live music Thursday night – Sam Wise Friday night – Gary Murphy Saturday night – Huckleberry

Our experienced and friendly staff are waiting to greet you.

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

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Bathrooms & Wetrooms Some seven years after opening their showroom in Prenton, innovative designs, featuring quality products and cutting-edge technology, remain at the heart of the Bathrooms & Wetrooms service and its unrivalled position as the Wirral’s leading designer and installer of quality bathrooms, wetrooms, cloakrooms and en-suite rooms.

The company takes great care to produce excellent tailor-made designs to match the exact needs of its customers, which they establish during an initial site visit and survey.

From sketches and photographs taken on site, outline designs are formed using sophisticated computer-based design packages that allow the customer to see in minute detail what their new room will look like.

Wetrooms, a concept pioneered by the company, feature frequently in their designs because they perfectly fit Bathrooms & Wetrooms’ design ideals of clean simple lines.

Even where some construction is needed, this often offers opportunities for inventive designs, such as inset cabinets or mirrors or feature lighting.

Many of Europe’s top manufacturers are represented in Bathrooms & Wetrooms’ Prenton showroom, including Keuco, Laufen, Hansgrohe, Zehnder, Aqata, and Vado.

While they cover a wide range of different product types they all have one thing in common – a focus on design and quality.

Visitors are always welcome at their showrooms in Prenton Road West (opposite Tranmere Rovers FC) or in their newly opened second showroom in Chester.

West Kirby animals at war Helen Carr is involved in The West Kirby Museum Research Group for WW1 and is seeking information about local animals involved in the war. Helen says: “I am very keen to find out any information I can locally, regarding horses that may have been requisitioned in West Kirby or dogs that may have been taken for war work locally.

The army came in and bought any horses they needed to retrain for the war.”

Helen can be contacted on 0151 625 7511.

10 The Lake Cut out and keep this advert to receive reduced selling commission rates. Expires 31st August.

‘The Caldy Bogey Men’ (Brian Davies, Keith Dunlop, Mark Hirons, Mark Hughes, Buddy Owen, Dave Gunnery, Stuart Avis, Nigel Price, Mike Edwards, Simon Ellis) plus a few others, took part in this year’s Macmillan golf charity event – The Longest Day Golf Challenge on Sunday 22nd June.

They teed off at 5am and completed four rounds of golf before dusk. Family, friends and supporters joined them afterwards at Hickorys, West Kirby where most of the Bogey Men slept at the bar!

One team completed the challenge at Caldy Golf Club, Caldy and two other teams played at Wirral Ladies Golf Club, Prenton. They would like to thank both clubs for supporting then in the challenge.

Brian Davies, who completed the challenge at Wirral Ladies said: “We all wanted to take part in this challenge because not only do we like to play golf but most of all, because we all know someone who has been effected by this nasty disease. Anyone who plays golf, will know that this challenge was tough to complete, especially as no buggies were allowed on the day plus we were very limited on daylight.”

The golfers would really appreciate your support in helping us to raise as much money as possible for Macmillan. You can still donate, via their Justgiving page www.justgiving.com/thecaldybogeymen or you can also sponsor via a text message.

Simply text TCBM72 to 70070 for £5 per text (your standard text rate charge will apply).

12 The Lake

History of Hilbre Islands Article from Wyrale

By Greg Dawson Continuing the article on the history of Hilbre Islands by Greg Dawson...

Soldiers en route to Ireland sometimes waited at Hilbre for favourable winds for their ship. One ship used for troop movements in 1600 was the Angel of Hilbre. Soldiers and horses were also shipped at Neston, Hoylake, Liverpool and other local ports. The fleet then gathered off Hilbre before setting sail for Ireland.

There were probably a few people living on the islands during the 1600s and a number of buildings for travellers to stay in while waiting for a change in the weather. Brownbill writes of a survey in 1737 recording the ruins of houses and a mill on Middle Island.

Obviously the innkeeper and his family lived on Hilbre, and possibly others. A marriage recorded in 1762 is of Thomas Parr of West Kirby parish to Mary Rimmer of Hilbre Island in the parish of St. Oswald, Chester. There were also deaths recorded: on 29 January 1764, William Pritchard, a passenger on a sloop at Hilbre, was found washed up on the island.

During the early 1800s, Hilbre was said to be the venue for bare knuckle and cock fights. When the tide was in, gamblers and participants were safe from interference from the law. The old pub on the island probably did a roaring trade. It was believed to have been called the Seagull Inn and closed in the late 1820s.

Bodies were regularly found on or near Hilbre in this period. Margaret Corfe aged 92 was found dead on Hilbre Island in May 1821. Whether she was a resident of the island or a visitor out for a stroll which proved too much for her, I don’t know. In those days large numbers of people from Welsh villages crossed the Dee on foot to get to Neston Market, wading the channel at low tide. Every now and again somebody was drowned, particularly if fog or mist came rolling in causing travellers to lose their bearings.

In 1825 the bodies of a husband and wife named Phillips from Holywell were found two days apart, the husband near Hilbre and the wife on Caldy shore. Between 1826 and 1835 the bodies of at least seven people were found washed up around Hilbre.

The 1841 census records a number of workmen, two families and two farm servants living on the island, a total of 19 people. They were Stephen Barnett, aged 35, born in Margate, Kent, who was registered as a mariner and attendant on

Hilbre Island by Eric Wells

the buoy, his 35-year-old wife Mary Anne, born in Sandwich, their three children and Mary Hewitt, a 15-year-old farm servant.

In another cottage lived Thomas Matthews, the telegraph keeper, his wife Elizabeth, their three children and Elizabeth Evans a 20-year-old farm servant.

At this time the telegraph station and lookout station were being built. The telegraph was used to relay the movement of ships to Liverpool and Holyhead. There were five stonemasons and two labourers living and working there. The stonemasons were John Parry, Joseph and William Captree, Edward Taylor and William Firfield.

The two labourers were Irishman Edward Mulroony and 25-year-old James Hignett; James was the only adult on the island born in Cheshire.

Buildings on the island included a barn, a goathouse and a pigsty. I don’t know for certain what animals would have looked after by the two young girls registered as farm servants, but they probably included a pony for transport, either a milking cow or goats (possibly both) sheep, poultry, pigs and rabbits. The two large islands, Hilbre (11 acres) and Middle Island (five acres) were divided into crofts for growing hay and corn and grazing livestock. There were also kitchen gardens where vegetables grew well in the rich peaty soil. Fresh water came from a well about 40-feet deep, which the monks were believed to have sunk through the solid rock.

The Hilbre people would have been as self-sufficient as possible, as shops and markets were far away and tides and bad weather made regular timetable journeys impossible. The small island, then called Little Lee (now Little Eye), was only a glorified rock and no use for anything. It is now being left to erode away to nothing, and will probably be gone within a few years.

There was something of a population explosion on the island in the 1840s, with Lucy Barnett born there in 1840, William

Henry Matthews in 1841 and Elizabeth Matthews in 1842. Sadly there was also a burial in 1842 – that of Thomas Matthews the 47-year-old telegraph keeper and father of the two babies.

Bagshaws Directory of 1850 quotes the following: “Hilbree Island, an extra parochial liberty, forms part of St Oswald parish, Chester, and is about 20 miles N.N.E. from that city. A cell of monks were established here, which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.” Hollinshead says: “Thither went a set of superstitious fools on pilgrimage to our Lady of Hilbery, by whose offerings the monks there were cherished and maintained.”

Bradshaw in his marvellous life of St Werburgh, gives an account of the miraculous interference of that saint on behalf of the Earl of Chester who was on a pilgrimage to the Well of St Winifred opposite, when he was attacked by a strong party of Welsh, and forced to take shelter in Basingwerk Abbey. The insecurity, however, of this place, induced him to appeal to St Werburgh, and the saint instantly threw up sandbanks which separated the waters and the Baron of Halton, his constable, came to his succour with a body of troops and rescued him from his peril. The wonderful intervention of the saint gave great celebrity to the island, and the pious monks profited not a little by the credulity of the visitors. There is not the slightest relic of this religious establishment left. Landmarks are fixed on the island for the purpose of assisting the navigation into Hoyle Lake. There are two houses on the island: the residents are employed in inspecting the buoys and telegraph. The island comprises about ten statute acres.

A lifeboat station and accommodation for lifeboatmen was built on the island in 1850 but the crew was based at Hoylake.

To be continued in the next issue.

The Lake 13

14 The Lake

The Isle of Man might be just 33 miles long by 13 miles wide, but inside its shores you’ll find nine fantastic golf courses, each with its own unique character and challenges for golfers of all abilities.

Isle of Man Golf Tours is the only dedicated tour operator tailoring golfing holidays around the Island, ensuring golfers get to enjoy only the finest and friendliest hotels, restaurants and pubs – once the ‘serious’ business of the day is over, of course.

The golf courses themselves stand out for their stunning natural beauty, fabulous scenery, and as all nine are so close together, you’re never far away from your next round.

Martin Young and Ged Power at Isle of Man Golf Tours take the headache out of any group holiday, looking after issues such as minibus transfers and club hire. Over the last two years they’ve gained a strong reputation, winning leading awards for their promotion of the Island and its golf courses.

Last year the company won an Isle of Man Award for Excellence for its marketing and PR, and followed that a few days later by being named Best Customer Service provider in the 2013 Isle of Man Tourism Awards.

Martin said: “Our ambition is to give everyone who visits the best possible experience of the Isle of Man and the wonderful golf on offer. We look after everyone as we would when friends come to visit. We make sure they experience our favourite pubs, restaurants, attractions – and of course golf courses – because we want our visitors to go home with some wonderful memories, and hopefully return for some more. Being avid golfers ourselves, we know what makes an unforgettable golfing holiday.”

13th hole at Castletown

5th hole at Rowany

The Island’s nine courses are Ramsey and Glen Truan in the north; King Edward Bay, Douglas and Mount Murray in the east; Castletown Golf Links, Port St Mary and Rowany in the south; and Peel in the west.

Castletown Golf Links is rated as one of the top courses in the world and often likened to Turnberry, while Douglas Golf Course was designed by Alister MacKenzie, famous for designing Augusta National.

“We’ve received such excellent feedback about the Island and its courses in such a short space of time,” Ged explained.

“Visitors love the variety that the courses provide, and the wonderfully relaxed way of life we enjoy in the Island. Groups love the après-golf scene and enjoy activities such as the casino, fishing, shooting, karting, the popular brewery tour, and even an escorted tour around the TT course on a motor trike!”

Isle of Man Golf Tours have fantastic offers for tailor-made trips to suit groups of all sizes throughout the year. New for 2014 are tour prizes for larger groups that include an overall tour winner trophy as well as individual and spot prizes to help make the tour even more memorable.

Meanwhile, Martin and Ged continue the difficult ‘job’ of researching local pubs, restaurants and the local music scene so their recommendations can hit the right note with golfers.

If you are interested in sampling an Isle of Man Golf Tour, why not enter the competition on the facing page to win a trip to the Island.

If you’d like to find out more about Isle of Man Golf Tours, visit www.isleofmangolftours.com

16 The Lake As many readers will know, The Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom, through a great team of volunteers, provide the floral displays throughout the village. As this is a special year with the Open Golf returning, they wanted to really push the boat out by creating a riot of colour throughout the village planting. The new logo, a smiling sunflower, came about from a rogue sunflower which grew very large in one of the flower tubs. Someone picked out the seeds and put a face on it. It just seemed so appropriate as this sunflower helped the village smile.

The reservoirs in the eight double barrier baskets in Hoylake are filled up three times a week. This is done by a rotating team with the water kindly provided by Montrose Court. For the planting this year we used Fuchsia, Geraniums, Lantana, Millenarian Bells and Lobelia.

These roundabout barrier baskets are a wonderful introduction to all Hoylake has to offer.

This picture shows volunteers Margaret and Pat, part of a team of 12, who helped plant the brick planters in the middle of Hoylake. To make these as colourful as possible, we used 360 non-stop Begonia in assorted colours. They looked great from day one – give them a few weeks and they should be fantastic.

For the 15 tub planters in Hoylake and Meols we worked to a precise plan in order to make a unified display. In each tub there are Osteospermum, Risine, Lantana, Bidens, Begonia (million kisses), Golden Marjoram, Million Bells, and in the centre a Purple Millet.

If you would like to become involved in helping the village smile please contact us on 07725 540049.

The Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom (FHMiB) wanted to involve the children of Hoylake and Meols with The Open so they are delighted to present: A Themed Floral Golf Bag Competition, from Saturday 12th July until Sunday 20th July 2014 in ‘The Row’ Hoylake.

They have 19 entries, ranging from a dance studio group and pony school to brownies and art group and many others. It certainly promises to be an interesting display and a great use of discarded golf bags. Each floral golf bag will be decorated with a different theme, creating their own group’s masterpiece. They are very pleased to have Love Wirral supporting the event with Carr Farm Garden Centre providing the compost and plants for each entry.

Lees Solicitors are sponsoring the prize money with1st Prize £200, 2nd Prize £150 and 3rd Prize £50.

All the entries are a closely guarded secret until they are revealed on 12th July. Everyone is invited along before the 19th July to vote for their favourite. The only rule is that the golf bag must be floral – how it is decorated is entirely up to the groups and some terrific surprises are expected.

On the last Saturday of the competition (19th July) there is an additional event sponsored by Hoylake Town Team. It is a children’s fun day held in ‘The Row’, with various craft activities including face painting, and are all connected to FHMiB’s new logo, the smiling sunflower.

The Friends of Hoylake and Meols in Bloom thought it would be a good idea to have some completed floral golf bags to greet all the visitors who arrive by train to attend the Open.

The first problem was where to get some large golf bags for a display.

John Heggarty of The Royal Liverpool Golf Club and Callaway Golf came forward and provided us with six super large golf bags. The next problem was how to go about planting them. Phillipa Harris, the owner of Dovercote Nurseries, came to our rescue. We have been working closely with Dovecote Nurseries for many years and they are our main supplier for the village plants, which speaks for itself.

We have had a sneak preview of these floral golf bags at the end of June and they looked absolutely stunning. The whole golf bag including the zipped pockets, have all been filled with compost, fertilizer and plants.

They will be going on display in Station Road on the I2th July for the last weekend of the Festival of Firsts and remain until the end of the golf. The Friends have decided not to publish a picture at this time preferring the stunning effect they present to be a surprise, so it’s well worth a look after the I2th.

We think this idea has been catching on in Hoylake, as rumours are spreading that local people may be planting golf bags for displaying outside their homes during the golf.

The Lake 17

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18 The Lake

A group called the Hoylake and West Kirby Creatives has been formed in order to populate a pop-up shop at this year’s Royal Liverpool Open Golf Championship.

Between the 14th and the 20th July, six local artists and makers will be contributing to the Hoylake Chapel Gift Shop, open to the public over seven days from early till late.

The Group The name Hoylake and West Kirby Creatives was formed in order to showcase and describe the collective talent of local creatives, with a Facebook group page and Twitter account being set up to aid this endeavour. The hope is that the group umbrella title can be used for a wider membership of local creative talent for future events, following on from the success of our Wirral Open Studio Tour and taking account of the Wirral Festival of Firsts. Six local artisans with previous connections with the Chapel were delighted to be invited for what should be an extremely busy and exciting week.

The Six Marianthi Lainas: Open Space Images Marianthi is a professional landscape photographer who draws inspiration from our wonderful coastline here in the North West. Many of her seascape images are made within a few miles of her Hoylake home, where she finds there is always something new to discover. She regularly

exhibits her work at arts events including the Wirral Open Studio Tour and Festival of Firsts.

Her images have been used in some of the promotional materials produced by the Council to promote our ‘Leisure Peninsula’ to visitors during the Open Golf. You may also have seen her greetings cards on sale in the local shops as well as her popular ‘Love West Kirby’ calendars. www.openspaceimages.com Elaine Hackett: Contemporary Illustrator Elaine is a Wirral-based artist. She trained in illustration and has illustrated children’s books and cards supplying to clients such as Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges and the John Lewis Partnership. The Wirral has long been an inspiration, particularly the natural environment. Incorporating animals, birds, trees and coastline, Elaine produces acrylic paintings including local scenes, as well as making unique relief pieces using a technique she has developed herself, and most recently a more decorative mixed-media style of artwork. www.facebook.com/ElaineHackettArt

Jenny Dunlop: Contemporary Textile Artist Originally from Belfast, contemporary textile artist Jenny Dunlop has been now been living and raising her family on the Wirral for many years. Her unique style is fun, evocative and colourful, using a palate of mixed medias combining watercolours with fabrics, machine stitching and added sparkle.

She is well known for her quirky interpretation of local landmarks both of Wirral and Liverpool which are available in various sizes to suit all pockets. You may often see her work displayed in local shops and cafes. www.jennydunlop.co.uk Clare Bates Photography A photographer who for the last 26 years has specialised in pure fine art photography for museums, art galleries, private individuals and organisations. Having spent the majority of those 26 years recording and photographing the likes of paintings by Rembrandt, Lucian Freud, Joshua Reynolds, along with Egyptian mummies through to artifacts from the Titanic, Clare says she has now turned back to her first love, seeing, capturing and creating her own vision of the world around her through her artwork. www.clarebatesphotography.co.uk www.facebook.com/ClareBatesPhotography

The Lake 19 engraving machinery. Selling online and through local Wirral craft fairs and gift shops, Cleancut Wood’s ranges of solid oak gift boxes, laser-engraved wooden rulers, children’s stools and other gift items have proved very popular www.cleancutwood.com.

Helen Bennett of HeB Designs Helen is a multifaceted West Kirby-based designer and illustrator with a background in graphic design, illustration and education.

Animal and nature mad, she employs mixed media techniques to create a rich portfolio Clean Cut Wood Stuart and Rosie Treasurer started Cleancut Wood in 2010, as a small business designing and making wooden gifts and furniture.

Stuart draws on his background as a product designer to create products that suit small-scale production in his workshop in West Kirby, which can then be individually personalised for customers. The aim was to develop products that would become treasured heirlooms, rather than throwaway gifts, and this led them to a craft-based approach using fine oak, precise detailing and hand finishing, but in conjunction with state-of-the-art computer-controlled

focusing on the Wirral coastline, landscapes and animal inhabitants as well as her new range focusing on humorous observations of ‘Village Life’. Known for her design work for the Wirral Open Studio Tour publicity materials, she is a regular at the Festival of Firsts, exhibits at the Deeside Art Group, the two Rivers Art Group and the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art. She also sells at local markets in Liverpool and the Wirral.

Her rich, colourful and characterful designs can be found in local shops including the Williamson Art Gallery, and on her website. www.facebook.com/HeBDesigns www.HeBDesigns.com Helen says: “We are all extremely excited about this fantastic event and proud to be promoting the fantastic local talent to our regional, national and international golf visitors. We hope to see you there.”

Posters and banners will be popping up locally, and the group will be using social media to spread news of the Hoylake and West Kirby Creatives at the Hoylake Chapel Gift Shop. You can see previews and regular updates of all the artisans on the Facebook group page at www.facebook. com/groups/HoylakeandWestKirbyCreatives or connect with them at @HWKCreatives.

M I L A N T H E

R E S T A U R A N T

Set within the centre of West Kirby and only a pebbles throw away from the Wirral coastline. This fine local eatery has a stylish modern look, with sophisticated decor, original works of art, crisp white napkins with cool jazz playing in the background.

With food that is prepared with obvious care and served with great expertise, the staff of MILAN will make your visit special.

TUESDAY TO SATURDAY – 2 COURSES FROM £13.50 SUNDAY – 2 COURSES £13.95 FRIDAY & SATURDAY AFTER 7PM – 2 COURSES FROM £17.50

0151 625 6767 www.milantherestaurant.co.uk Milan the Restaurant - 95 Banks Road, West Kirby, Wirral CH48 0RB

Love Food - Love Milan!

20 The Lake In response to a letter from Margaret Greenwood, Wirral West Labour Candidate, published in an earlier edition of this magazine, we have recently received the following letter from Wirral West Conservative MP, Esther Mcvey with regard to Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) in the Dee. “Having spoken with Managing Director of the company Algy Cluff less than two weeks ago, something that he told me that none of the Labour Party have bothered to do, I was very surprised to read that a planning application is not far off. In my conversation with Mr Cluff he made it very clear that while he has the licence for the Dee Estuary it is not his intention to do anything in Wirral other than in his words ‘desktop modelling the geology’ and his priorities are in Cumbria and the Firth of Forth.

“The truth of the matter, for this to happen, Cluff NR need authorisation from the Health and Safety Executive, and the Environment Agency as well as planning permission from Wirral Council, and the Council has made its position abundantly clear that they are opposed to UCG in the Dee Estuary.

“So unless Labour, who hold power in the council, are planning to reverse this position and grant planning permission, this application cannot go through.

“Frankly, I’m appalled by the desperate scaremongering the Labour Party is doing, which is all to do with political calculation and nothing to do with effectively acting on behalf of local residents. My constituents can be assured that rather than this type of grandstanding, I have met with and made representations to the company, all relevant Ministers and the Environment Agency since the licence was granted in 2012 and will do everything to ensure that UCG does not happen in the Dee Estuary. I call upon the Labour candidate to stop acting so irresponsibly and creating unnecessary anguish for my constituents.

“I am happy to work with other political parties and Wirral Council on this matter - this shouldn’t be a party political issue - the fact that the Labour Party has made no attempt to work with the local MP on this matter tells you everything you need to know about their real motives.”

Opinions are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Lake.

At The Lake we hope to be a part of the local community, supporting local businesses and groups.

Please let us know how we can help promote you or your events/causes.

Everything Electrical!

Since 1996, Island Electrical have been providing services to customers across the North West. In April 2009, the business expanded to a retail outlet at 28 Market Street Hoylake, the site of which has played host to an electrical shop since 1901!

Island Electrical is an independent electrical shop that supplies both the trade and the public with over 10,000 product lines, including a wide range of well known brands such as Dyson, Humax and Roberts Radio, and a great selection of switches, sockets, plugs, leads, TV remotes, lamps and batteries: in fact everything from a toaster to a jet washer!

“Our concept is simple,” said proprietor Chris Williams, “we provide a quality, friendly service and aim to keep our costs very competitive, to enable people to shop locally and still pay the right price. Why incur the cost of travelling into town when you can get the same products locally, at the same price or less?”

With almost 30 years experience in the electrical industry, Chris is the owner of the family-run business and the name Island Electrical was chosen because of his upbringing on Hilbre Island. Chris, a father of five, is very much a family man and deeply committed to the local community: he is both lifeboat crew at Hoylake RNLI and an active member of Hilbre Bird Observatory.

“It was a slice of luck that the electrical shop in Hoylake was closing due to retirement and that we wanted to set up at the same time,” said Chris. “At the time the economy was not in a good place, so I suppose we were taking a risk. However, people have been very supportive of us and I hope we have responded by providing great service and products at the right price.”

Island Electrical Engineering is an established NICEIC approved contracting business that also offers a range of services, from installing a phone point to a complete home rewire, alarm and CCTV installations, PAT testing: all types of installation work, not only for domestic but also commercial and industrial customers.

No job is too big or too small!

Contact our Editor

ISLAND ELECTRICAL

By email: jon@lakemagazine.co.uk

28 Market St, Hoylake CH47 2AF

By post: The Editor, The Lake, Royal Standard House, 334 New Chester Road, Rock Ferry, Wirral CH42 1LE Telephone 07796 945745.

0151 632 3224 Follow us on Twitter @ISLANDELEC and like us on Facebook

The Lake 21

2014 National Exhibition Wildlife Art

Gordale Garden Centre – 18th July to 3rd August in a gallery space large enough to allow the artworks to breathe and to shine.

It’s informality gives the exhibition a special ambience and Gordale’s 21 acres, covering all interests, make it a fun day out for all the family. And all for free!

The exhibition continues until Sunday August 3rd.

NEWA’s online gallery extends the life of the exhibition well beyond the 17 days at Gordale, with art lovers able to view and buy online at www.newa-uk.com almost all year round.

There will be a new look to the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art (NEWA) when it opens to the public on Friday 18th July at Gordale, on Chester High Road.

For this year NEWA will be hosting the British Wildlife in Art Award, and 50 finalists will be on show alongside the main exhibition.

NEWA has long given awards for excellence in 2D and 3D artworks, sponsored by companies such as Daler-Rowney and GreatArt, but this is its biggest prize ever, with £1,500 going to the winner.

In all, there will be well over 400 paintings and sculptures on display at Gordale this summer.

This will be NEWA’s tenth year at the award winning garden centre. The location was chosen for the beautiful natural lighting

Back at the Hen House by Julie Vernon

22 The Lake

Golf. The Hole Truth To celebrate The Open, Rob Jackson unveils his thoughts on a way to transform golf as we know it!

So, The Open will soon be upon us and Royal Liverpool’s hallowed links will once again play host to the great and the good of golf. And a brilliant time will be had by all, I’m quite sure. However, I feel there’s something not quite right with the game we know and love, and I now humbly offer a suggestion to put it right.

For 99% of us amateur hackers, marvelling at the skills of Phil, Rory, Tiger etc., is as far as it goes. There comes a time when you have to admit that they’re on a different planet.

If the great Bobby Jones considered ‘Mr Nicklaus is playing a game with which I’m not familiar’, then God only knows how little we know about the game these guys are playing.

Which brings me to my first point.

Golf is just too damned hard!

No kidding, you say! Seeing that there are no arguments on that one, I’ll now move on and advocate a way to make it a little easier for us average Joes and Joannes.

Admittedly it’s been suggested before, and even trialled tentatively, but it’s all passed most people by. And that would be a shame, because I believe this could be a possible solution.

And that solution is:

Make the hole a damn site bigger!

Not a measly millimetre or two bigger, but a whole lot bigger. Perhaps the size of a bucket. Certainly no smaller than a fair sized plant pot.

Now, I’ve said it. I’ve lit the blue touch paper and the whole thing’s about to go off with a bang. But I’ve no intention of retiring to a safe distance on this one! Because there are some very sound reasons for making such a significant change to the game we rightly revere:

Reason One. It balances the game better As things stand, you can master the golf swing – no mean feat – and still get nowhere. You can muster the timing, co-ordination, balance, athleticism and latent power needed to propel that little white ball two hundred yards down the fairway. You can master the driver, excel at those dastardly long irons, win awards for your pitching and chipping, and make those rescue clubs work like the RAC. In other words, you can do everything the coaches, books and DVDs all tell you to do, and do it well – and still hand in cards plastered with sixes, sevens and eights!!

And we all know why, don’t we? Because you stink at putting! And that, in my book, just ain’t right!

Now, I’m aware that putting is known as the game within a game for a reason. Indeed, there are those who maintain that putting is to golf what strings are to a violin. And, of course, it is an integral part of the game.

But it is not the game all by itself. Yet for the totally disproportionate influence it has on your scoring, it may as well be.

The Lake 23

“You can always become better” Tiger Woods I specialise in sports performance and motivation.

Today, increasingly sportsmen and women realise that talent alone is not enough. In sport 0.02 of a second can mean the difference between bronze and gold, where 2cm means the difference between making a crucial putt and losing a match.

If you think differently you feel differently – if you feel differently, you act differently, therefore, what you can do expands.

What is needed is a different mindset. You may not know why you are not performing as you know you should, or why your motivation is lacking. What made you miss that penalty or what made you lose to someone you know you should beat?

This is where I can help. It is well documented that a positive mindset can and does change an athlete’s performance. I can provide that mindset. I can change the way you think, which means I can positively improve your results.

Mighty golfing gladiators have been brought to their knees by that fateful slip between cup and lip. Herculean endeavours between tee and green have been rendered as nought by the subsequent failure beyond it.

Years of practice and a technique to make Sam Snead swoon suddenly become valueless because of a twitchy hand.

What sort of game does this to the people who pass every test it sets bar one? I just don’t buy that the last one is the most important one. For me one game per game is quite enough, thank you very much!

To put it into context, rugby still finds a place for the mighty prop forward who can’t spin a pass to save his life. Football has room for the towering centre back who couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo. But golf? If you can’t get it in the hole, all your fine work is undone. You’re a chocolate teapot.

Reason two. We could use the help By ‘we’, I mean the aforementioned brigade of hackers. As I’ve said, golf is just too damned hard. Not for the pros (although even here some may beg to differ). No, they’re playing that game with which we’re not familiar. It’s a party we’ll never be invited to, unless it’s to gawk and slaver, noses pressed up against the window pane.

In truth, we already recognise that the pros are in a different league by making them start way back down the fairway. Not to mention a host of other tricks, from fiendish flag positions to rough that Ray Mears would get lost in. Or greens faster than Usain Bolt running for his last bus.

So, if we all accept that, relatively speaking, we need help everywhere else on the course, why should the putting be any different?

And just imagine what a help that giant sized hole would be? We’ve all been robbed by that blessed 4.25” ring of darkness at some time or other. And those of us who haven’t are probably those who can’t play a lick but suddenly morph into Bobby Locke once they park their trolley and pick up their putter. And they don’t deserve to win!

www.rogerjlane.com

Reason three. It will work!

Even as you read this, golf with a bigger hole is being tried. Tournaments have been played. There’s even a device that can transform the existing cup. There are no conclusive results just yet, but hey, give it a chance.

The usual form for any radical idea is: 1. People ridicule it 2. They get worried and try and ban it 3. ‘Hey, isn’t this just great! Should have done it years ago!’

Golf certainly has to do something. Playing numbers are falling faster than Tiger’s chances of catching Old Jack. Games like golf are just a bit too much for the instant gratification generation, and need some sugar coating. Tennis does it, with that mini-tennis thing. Boxing has headgear and three minute rounds. It’s not just the kids and tyros, either. As I say, we’ve all suffered long enough.

Call me, I can help

07971 488643

Reason 4. A change is as good as a rest So they say, and I’m not arguing! Practically all the great ball games seem to have been invented by imaginative Victorian gentlemen with time and energy on their hands. Yet we can’t blithely assume they got every detail right. The laws and rules we labour under weren’t handed down by The Almighty, and can be changed if circumstances dictate.

Take the size of the goals in football. When first introduced way back when, the average goalie was about 5’6”. Today, they’re about 6’5”! Stands to reason that they should make the woodwork a bit bigger.

I know this sort of stuff will read as sacrilege to the purists, but there are always naysayers. Time marches on.

As The Wirral plays host to the Open, what better time to have this most important of golfing issues out in the open? And when that bigger hole does finally make its bow, please remember – you read it here first.

24 The Lake

Regular Housework • Spring & Emergency Cleaning Cleaning of Business Premises • Ironing & Laundry Carpet Cleaning • Upholstery Cleaning

Call NOW for a FREE quote 29 Village Road, Lower Heswall CH60 0DX Tel. 0151 342 9780 • Mob. 07590 297504 Email. popwirral@hotmail.com Web. poppiesofwirral.co.uk

The Tee Room – the only golfing themed tea room on the Wirral Fantastic Food, Great Value

2 course Table d’hote Menu Tues to Thurs £13.90. Fri & Sat £15.90

Tuesday Wine offer

Specialising in home baked cakes, leaf tea, freshly ground coffee, traditional breakfasts, home cooked lunches and classic afternoon tea all set in a golfing themed environment.

The Tee Room will be open from 8am on practice days and 7am on championship days for The Open Golf at Royal Liverpool.

A breakfast buffet will be available so book now on 0151 625 1887.

172 Banks Road, West Kirby CH48 0RH

Ride on mower hire

wirralmowerhire@yahoo.com Mobile: 0791 983 2568

2 course Table d’hote Menu and a bottle of wine per couple (selected red or white)

Only £14.90 each

Julian’s Masterclasses

www.juliansrestaurant.co.uk

632 6241

Classic Toys for today,s kids Unit 1, Station Parade, Grange Road, West Kirby CH48 4DY Telephone: o151 345 5oo3 www.redballoontoyshop.co.uk

The Lake 25 Open daily for: Local ice cream • Slush!

Fantastic homemade cakes Full English breakfasts! • Pancakes ‘Patchwork’ Pate and cheese boards!

Chips and dips! • Paninis Freshly made sandwiches Oven backed jacket potatoes!

106 Banks Road, West Kirby CH48 0RE Telephone: 0151 625 9792

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE FOR JUST £45 + VAT

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

CONTACT ALAN Tel: 07788 510868 Email: alan@lakemagazine.co.uk

Steve Atkinson Travel & Associates

At your service 100% customer service, reliable and courteous

• Long distance • Cruise terminals

• Airport transfers • Weddings and funerals

Telephone: 0151 625 8709 Mobile: 07887 886818

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

We are looking for local people to distribute The Lake.

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

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

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.

26 The Lake

Boundary Road, West Kirby CH48

£565,000

Impressive Four Bedroom Detached Family Home • Situated in the Sought After Area of West Kirby • Perfectly Blending Modern Touches into a Character Home Bay Fronted Lounge, Sitting Room and Dining Room • Modern Fitted Kitchen and Downstairs W.C • Contemporary Four Piece Family Bathroom • Driveway Leading to a Detached Garage Well Maintained Rear Garden with Patio, Decking and Lawn

Hillbark Road Frankby CH48

£499,950

Stunning Four Bedroom Barn Conversion • Uninterrupted Views Across Rolling Countryside • Beautifully Presented with Many Character Features Dining Hall, Lounge with Feature Fireplace and Sitting Room • Recently Refurbished Kitchen with Appliances and Utility Room • Master Bedroom with Fitted Wardrobes, En Suite and Juliette Balcony Driveway, Garage, Car Port, Central Heating and Double Glazing • Encased in Extensive and Beautifully Landscaped Lawned Gardens

The Lake 27

Croft Drive East, Caldy CH48

£1,800,000

Thorsway, Caldy CH48

£1,350,000

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

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

Lingdale Road, West Kirby CH48

Mereworth, Caldy CH48

£785,000

£699,950

Substantial Seven/Eight Bedroom Detached Family Home • Expanse of Versatile Living Space Set Over Three Storeys • Tastefully Appointed with a Wealth of Original Features Lounge, Music/Sitting Room, Dining Room and Family Room • Beautifully Presented Breakfast Kitchen with Utility Room Off • Seven Bedrooms, Bedroom Eight/Study and Two Bathrooms Gated Access, Driveway, Detached Garage and Outbuilding • Well Maintained Gardens to the Side and Rear with Lawn and Patio

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

Croft Drive East, Caldy CH48

Bertram Drive, Meols CH47

£625,000

Substantial Three/Four Bedroom Detached Bungalow • Situated in the Prestigious and Sought After Area of Caldy • Picturesque Rear Outlook Across Open Paddocks Spacious and Versatile Living Space with Potential to Expand • Lounge, Sun Room, Dining Room, Breakfast Kitchen, Utility and W.C • Three Bedrooms and Fourth Bedroom/Dressing Room/Office • Gated Access to a Block Paved Driveway Providing Ample Parking Private Rear Garden with Patio, Lawn with Well Established Borders

£465,000

Attractive Four Double Bedroom Semi Detached Home • Well Appointed Double Fronted Accommodation • Lounge, Sitting Room and Downstairs Shower Room • Dining Room/Sitting Room Opening to a Modern Kitchen • Four Double Bedrooms and Four Piece Family Bathroom Driveway, Detached Double Garage and Large Front Lawn • Large Well Established Private Rear Garden with Deck and Lawn • Double Glazing and Central Heating • Viewing Strongly Advised

28 The Lake

Beachcroft Road, Meols CH47

£365,000

The Spinney, West Kirby CH48

£349,995

Traditional 1930’s Four/Five Bedroom Semi Detached Home • Situated in the Highly Regarded Area of Meols • Spacious and Beautifully Appointed Accommodation • Lounge, Sitting Room and Downstairs Cloakroom • Impressive Fitted Dining Kitchen with Appliances Laundry Room/Fifth Bedroom and Four Piece Bathroom • Driveway, Garage and Generous Lawned Rear Garden • Offered For Sale With No Onward Chain • Viewing Essential

Large Four Bedroom Detached House • Excellent Family Living Space Spacious and Well Planned Accommodation • Three Reception Rooms and Large Kitchen Diner Four Double Bedrooms and En-suite to Master • Good Sized Enclosed Rear Garden Extensive Block Paved Driveway and Garage • Internal Inspection Strongly Recommended

Salisbury Avenue, West Kirby CH48

Grammar School Lane, West Kirby CH48

£329,950

£294,950

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

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

Dovedale Road, Hoylake CH47

Raeburn Avenue, West Kirby CH48

£269,950

Impressive and Spacious Four Bedroom Semi Detached • Immaculately Presented Bay Fronted Accommodation • Lounge, Sitting Room, Dining Room, Kitchen and W.C Three Bedrooms, Bathroom and Fourth Loft Bedroom • Benefitting from Gas Central Heating and Double Glazing • Large Driveway and Beautifully Landscaped Rear Garden Within the Catchment for Highly Regarded Local Grammar Schools Closer Inspection Strongly Recommended

£265,000

Modern Three Bedroom Detached Home • Situated in the Sought After West Kirby Area Beautifully Presented Family Living Space • Lounge, Dining Room and Large Kitchen Three Double Bedrooms and Modern Bathroom • Gas Central Heating and Double Glazing Driveway and Garage with Utility Space at Rear • Well Proportioned Lawned Rear Garden

The Lake 29

Ferndale Road, Hoylake CH47

£259,950

Ferndale Road, Hoylake CH47

£250,000

Five Bedroom Three Storey Mid Terrace Property • Beautifully Appointed Victorian Family Home Situated in the Sought After of Hoylake • Still Retaining Many Original Features Lounge, Dining Room and Extended Kitchen • Three Good Sized Bedrooms and Bathroom Two Double Bedrooms to the Second Floor • Rear Paved Courtyard Garden • Viewing Advised

Four/Five Bedroom Victorian Mid Terraced Home • Spacious and Beautifully Appointed Accommodation • Modern Living Space Still Retaining Character Features • Lounge, Dining Room, Extended Kitchen and Shower Room • Central Heating, Part Double Glazing / Original Sash Windows • Rear Paved Courtyard and Brick Built Outbuilding • Situated in a Prime Location Close to Amenities

Strand Road, Hoylake CH47

Hoscote Mews, Hoscote Park, West Kirby CH48

£214,950

£187,950

Immaculate Four Double Bedroom Mid Terraced Home • Beautifully Presented and Updated Accommodation • Situated in the Sought After Area of Hoylake • Bay Fronted Lounge with Feature Fireplace • Modern Dining Kitchen with Appliances and Utility • Four Double Bedrooms and Four Piece Bathroom • Gas Central Heating, Double Glazing and Rear Yard Closer Inspection Essential to Appreciate this Home

Neutrally Decorated Two Bedroom First Floor Apartment • Offered for Sale With No Onward Chain - Viewing Advised • Situated in a Purpose Built Development in West Kirby Within Easy Reach of Amenities and the Promenade • Good Sized Lounge and Modern Kitchen Diner • Two Double Bedrooms and Three Piece Bathroom • Designated Parking and Communal Gardens • Gas Central Heating and Double Glazing

Walker Street, Hoylake CH47 2DY

Banks Road, West Kirby CH48

£139,950

Spacious Three Bedroom End Terraced Home • Situated in the Sought After Area of Hoylake Beautifully Appointed Family Living Space • Lounge, Downstairs Bathroom and Utility Area Modern Dining Kitchen with Fitted Appliances • Master Bedroom With Fitted Wardrobes Gas Central Heating and Double Glazing • Courtyard with Brick Built Outbuilding

£109,950

Well Maintained Two Bedroom Second Floor Apartment • Spacious and Neutrally Decorated Accommodation • Situated in the Sought After Area of West Kirby • Within Walking Distance of Local Amenities • Generously Sized Lounge and Kitchen Diner • Two Bedrooms and White Bathroom Suite • Gas Central Heating and Part Double Glazing Allocated Parking to Rear Of Property

30 The Lake

West Kirby Sailing Club Latest Events

By Phil Shepherd The Northwest Junior Travellers’ Trophy is competed for at ten events held at clubs across the region over the summer months.

This encourages young, inexperienced sailors to compete with different peers at very differing venues. WKSC welcomed them on 14th June and was able to give them a fantastic time racing both on the River Dee and the Marine Lake.

Conditions were perfect, with sunshine, a light breeze and high tides to enjoy. Race Officer Chris Hoppins sent the youth fleet off first, then the juniors, followed by the Oppies. They made their way to the windward mark, learning about the tidal currents on the way, and then completed laps of a triangular course.

Handicaps for the two fleets of mixed boats are designed to correct for their differing speeds.

David Taylor, the Commodore, took visiting parents out to sea in the club launch, Tanskey, to allow them to see the action at close quarters, and reward them for bringing their children.

My favourite competitors were the three club youngsters who sailed together in a Feva (meant to have two onboard) and had great fun learning how to race. They, and other novices, were helped by two coach boats we provided as encouragement.

Every time they reached the windward mark they shouted ‘1, 2, 3, GYBE’ as they tacked round (the opposite way), usually achieving a 360-degree circle, sometimes one or two more.

Two good races, and it was time for lunch (thank you Charlotte), before a final session on the lake and prize-giving.

The season has been wonderful so far, with moderate winds and warm sunshine. As well as all the different class races in dinghies on weekday evenings, and the tidal races at weekends, we have had Sunday ‘all day’ lake dinghy racing and many special events on the Dee: a pursuit race, a round Hilbre Island race, a race to Mostyn and back, and the Commodore’s Cruise.

The Commodore’s Cruise is a whole day out for yachts, the tidal fleets, and dinghies alike, which is basically a picnic on the sandbanks of the beautiful Dee estuary. It is very special and reminds us of the lovely environment we occasionally share with the seals and bird life.

On Monday evenings we have been inundated by adult beginners and improvers (40) for whom experienced members have turned out in droves to introduce to the fun of sailing, and coach. Volunteers have cooked their supper afterwards, enabling these new members to mix amicably and become established. We are all grateful for their support.

In July we are looking forwards to our regatta, as ever combined over the weekend with that of Dee Sailing Club.

This year the weekend is very special as we are also hosting the Finn Class National Championships. I am sure you will all recall the sight of Ben Ainslie winning his Olympic gold medal at Weymouth in his Finn, Rita. It promises to be a wonderful weekend.

Contact: Phil Shepherd, Vice Commodore 0151 625 5579 • www.office@wksc.org .uk

The Lake 31

Monday evening training

Junior Travellers

32 The Lake

Is Your Sun Protection Below Par?

By Tracey Locke, Serenity Clinic, West Kirby (www.serenity-clinic.co.uk) Whether you’re heading to the golf course or making a dash for the nearest airport, shops or bar to escape ‘golf-mania’, there’s one thing that golf-lovers and loathers generally have in common… below par sun protection.

A sweeping statement? Maybe. But as Tracey Locke – lead clinician and owner of Serenity Clinic – points out, most people don’t wear the right protection to prevent skin damage and sun-related ageing (photo-ageing). But it doesn’t have to be difficult to get your sun protection up to scratch, avoid skin problems or even reverse previous damage.

‘Screening’ the Products The main problem we face is finding the right product, which is no easy feat with the multitude available and all that jargon-infested labelling. If you feel flummoxed by SPFs (Sun Protection Factor), UVAs and UVBs you’re not alone.

UVA (ultraviolet rays) age the skin prematurely, causing lines and wrinkles to appear, while UVB causes burning. Both cause skin cell damage. When it comes to SPF — especially if you’re spending longer periods outdoors on the golf course or elsewhere — you should opt for a minimum of SPF30 with high levels of UVA protection. Many top brand products have been shown to contain low levels of UVA protection, which is a ‘hidden hazard’.

UVA can cause as much cell damage as UVB, but you won’t see it, as it doesn’t manifest as burnt or red skin. One of the best proven products is Instant Protect, which has been tested to deliver UVA 50 protection.

Physical or Chemical?

Physical sunscreen normally has a high zinc-based content (zinc will be the first ingredient on the list). This used to be thick and white and very visible; however, finely milled zinc in modern products has

banished the ‘white look’. Some specialist facial products now seamlessly combine high levels of UVA protection with Vitamin C and Lico-Vit complex to protect skin cells and DNA against UVA and free radical damage. These physical sunscreens work by repelling the sun’s rays and are ideal for sensitive, irritated skin, Rosacea, etc.

Chemical protection is the most common form of sunscreen and is most easily identified (without getting too scientific) by its ‘unpronounceable’ ingredients. This protection enters the skin, causing a chemical response to repel UVA and UVB rays. These products can cause irritation on sensitive skin.

With sunscreen, quantity is as important as quality. Very few of us apply it thickly or frequently enough. It should be applied generously every two hours, and a hat or cap is a must when you are outside for prolonged periods.

Did you know? Mineral make-up works well on top of sun protection. It doesn’t contain talc, so leaves you with a ‘glow’ rather than a ‘caked’ look. Priori Minerals and Bare Escentuals* give a matt finish with no oily residue. They also have an SPF of 25 so can be topped up during the day.

(Skin)Care-Free Protection One of the biggest summer sins is neglecting skincare and not using products suitable for the sunnier months. This can lead to problems that will manifest themselves come October!

According to Image Skincare, over 97% of skin ageing is caused by sun damage. The skin thickens and the epidermal tissue (the outer cells) cornifies with sun exposure,

which can give the skin a dull, lack-lustre appearance. Brown patches become more prominent as melanin production accelerates – causing hyper-pigmentation and uneven skin tone – which is very ageing! The result: cell renewal becomes inhibited, causing the dermis to lose its thick, firm mattress. But, this can be avoided. Medical-grade peptides, plant stem cells, AHAs and BHAs all help to build and protect your skin at a cellular level.

Dry skin is common in the summer and this thickening causes lines to appear deeper, congestion, blackheads, pustules, papules and whiteheads (milia). Exfoliation, either in clinic (with an active treatment that works on intercellular bonds) or with a high quality, non-abrasive homecare product, is highly effective.

For excess grease and oil, Clear Cell* skin care products are a great choice and opt for antioxidant products to boost and protect your skin.

Undoing the Damage We all have some form of photo-ageing; but it’s never too late to address it and both brown spots and ageing caused by the sun can be effectively treated.

The latest cosmedic treatments such as the Venus Freeze (nothing to do with the cold, it’s about ‘freezing’ ageing) non-surgical facelift can dramatically reduce wrinkles and the signs of ageing caused by the sun.

It increases fibroblast cells (collagen) naturally, without the pain, downtime or cost of surgical procedures. IPL/laser treatment, specialist peels and light therapy produce outstanding results on pigmentation and age spots on the face, body and hands.

Many see sun protection as inconvenient, but with the right products and knowledge, you can get your suncare routine down to a ‘tee’. * To paraphrase the BBC: ‘Other brands are available’.

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Sea Scouts Celebrate 70th Anniversary On Saturday 21st June the 2nd West Kirby Sea Scouts celebrated their 70th Anniversary – they have been meeting in West Kirby Methodist Church Hall since 1928 but temporarily stopped meeting during the outbreak of war, starting again in 1944.

The 2nd West Kirby Sea Scouts have been fundraising for the thousands of pounds needed for two new boats over the past year. They would like to thank everyone in the area who has helped them with their fundraising events.

They would also like to thank Mrs Diana Bevan for her generous donation and local artist Nicky Higgs for her marvellous boat painting, which was used for the boat naming raffle. The lucky winners were Rod Hodgson who appropriately chose ‘Seven Zero’ and Avalon School who chose ‘Avalon’.

Celebrations started with the naming and launching of two new RS Feva boats. The boats were named by The Rt Hon Esther McVey, MP for Wirral West, who said: “I’m thrilled that the Sea Scouts are celebrating their 70th birthday and launching two new boats. With our beautiful coastline and Marine Lake, it’s good to see so many Sea Scouts getting enjoyment from it.”

She then went on to present eight Chief Scout Gold Awards to some of the Scouts who had achieved the highly esteemed accolade.

Then the celebrations moved on to St Bridget’s Church field in West Kirby. Simon Day, 2nd West Kirby Sea Scout Leader, said: “Around 150 people with Sea Scouting connections came from far and wide to help us celebrate, so it was a great

opportunity to catch up with Sea Scouts past and present.

“The Sea Scouts and their volunteer leaders are highly dedicated and accomplished in watersports, partly because we are so lucky to have the Marine Lake on our doorstep.

These new boats will mean we can practise more and compete in national regattas.

Here’s to another seventy years!”

34 The Lake

Local Wildlife

won’t need magnifiers or microscopes to see them. A pair of close focusing binoculars will improve your dragonfly viewing experience, but are not essential.

The Other Birds

By Matt Thomas

Then there is their timekeeping. The aquatic nymphs are present in ponds all year round while the adults, which is what we are really interested in, are on the wing during the summer months. As a result, shorts, T-shirts and sandals are the dragonfly enthusiast’s uniform, rather than the thick fleecy layers and wellington boots required by the winter wader watcher.

Brown Hawker

The Dee Estuary is rightly celebrated for its wealth of wintering waders and wildfowl, but in spring these birds abandon our mud-spattered wilderness to head to the Arctic to breed and leave the muddy banks of the Dee to fall silent.

As someone who watches and studies these fantastic birds, I can get a little restless during the time they are away from our shores. However, there is wildlife other than birds to occupy my time and quench my desire for wildlife photography during the summer. My favourite ‘other birds’ are not actually birds at all – they are dragonflies and damselflies.

These beautiful, brightly coloured insects have been buzzing about the earth since the Carboniferous period some 300 million years ago, making them one of the most ancient groups of insect on the planet. To my mind, they are also one of the most impressive. But when I say this, some people seem doubtful, some people believe that they are harmful and will give you a nasty bite or a painful sting. This negative view of dragonflies led to them being called ‘Horse Stingers’ and ‘Devil’s Darning Needles’. This seems quite unfair to me as they don’t possess proper teeth and they have no stings – they are harmless!

Dragonfly watching is a fantastic summer pursuit. They are very convenient for the lazy naturalist, and I count myself as one of those!

For starters, there are not that many species that occur in Britain and not all of those are present on our patch so there are not too many to learn. Contrast that with the thousands of species of beetles that you are likely to encounter if you decide to get serious with entomology!

There are several very good field guides available which are easy to digest and not too expensive. As bugs go, dragonflies are relatively big and colourful and, therefore, easy to spot and identify, meaning you

Also they are not particularly early risers so the alarm clock can be dialled back from a birdwatcher’s dawn chorus alarm. Dragonflies are poikilothermic, meaning their body temperature is maintained from their environment rather than by their own metabolism and thus can vary greatly.

They will only be able to fly when it is warm enough for their muscles to operate properly.

The nymphs ambush and feed on mosquito larvae in the pond and the adults catch and eat the hatched mosquitoes that the nymphs miss. They really are useful creatures.

So these mosquito-munching, colourful insects, with no nasty bite or sting, are only on the wing during summer in warm sunshine and then barely by mid-morning.

If only all nature watching was this comfortable! There really is no excuse for not getting to know your friendly neighbourhood dragonfly.

On a warm sunny afternoon head to a pond and just wait a while by the edge of the water and soon you will be rewarded with views of dragonflies and damselflies.

Azure Damselfly

Drifting slowly and daintily around the emergent vegetation at the edge of the water should be some damselflies. These are smaller than dragons, with thinner bodies and delicate wings. These they fold along their slender bodies when resting which dragonflies never do. Two very common species on our patch are the Azure Damselfly and the Blue-tailed Damselfly, and with a bit of patience you should find both. There is something very relaxing about watching these vividly coloured bugs as they float around. They never seem in a rush and are always very graceful.

Southern Hawker

Over the open water look for the dragons.

The Emperor Dragonfly is the largest dragonfly to occur in Britain and is a regular on our patch, but I think that my favourite has to be the Southern Hawker. The male has a lovely blue abdomen that joins an equally impressive green thorax. Four clear veined wings glitter in the sun as it patrols the pond looking for a female to mate with.

We also have Brown Hawkers on our ponds and these are handsome insects. Whereas the other dragons have clear wings, these beauties have coloured wings that look like they are made from wafer-thin pieces of amber. If you can get close enough to one you will see it has the most spectacular compound eyes. Its eye is actually made up of hundreds of individual lenses all receiving optical information from almost every direction. Some dragonflies can nearly see all of what is behind them.

Linger by the pond long enough and you might see these impressive insects laying eggs (known as ovipositing in the dragonfly trade). Female dragonflies sometimes do this on their own or with a male in close attendance to guard their offspring.

Damsels will often do this in ‘tandem’. The male clasps the female on the thorax and they fly off together to find a suitable pond to lay eggs in. This allows him to protect the female from other males.

There are great ponds to go dragonfly watching all over west Wirral. At Wirral Country Park, there are some great old clay pits that can have six species circling over them at the same time. Up on Thurstaston Common a pond known as Kitty’s Flash is a dragonfly hotspot, although in prolonged hot weather this can sometimes dry out. Further down to Burton at the RSPB reserve there are healthy ponds with Red-eyed damselflies lounging on lily pads.

This amazing dragonfly show has been going on for 300 million years – isn’t it about time you tuned in? www.fromthemuddybanksofthedee.com

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Church joins English Heritage Open Days West Kirby Methodist Church is once again opening its doors as part of the English Heritage Open Days during September.

Opened in 1904, the church is unusual for the quality of its stained glass, including war memorial windows to members of the church. The WWI memorial window, telling a story from the life of King David, was produced Percy Bacon Brothers who made windows for buildings across the British Empire. The church has many high quality interior features, including fine walnut veneer woodwork in the chancel (dating from the 1930s and designed by Cordingley & McIntyre of Manchester) and a Willis organ from the same period.

It was the place of worship for the families of Selwyn Lloyd, past Foreign Secretary and Speaker of the House of Commons and James Bibby, a well-known Liverpool manufacturer. In later years it had very strong links with the West Kirby RAF camp.

This year there will be a particular focus on the church’s links with those who took part in WWI, including Cyril Gourlay VC who also attended the church.

Displays and an information leaflet will help visitors tour the building. There will be craft activities for children, refreshments will be available and there is wheelchair access.

The organ will be played at times when the church is open.

The church will be open on September 12th and September 13th from 10am to 4pm. On Sunday September 14th the church will be open from midday until 3pm. Entry is free.

@lakewirral

36 The Lake

Gill McGowan tells readers about her passion for photography...

I have been a keen photographer for more years than a lady prefers to acknowledge.

I’m usually found with a camera in my hands, and am always on the lookout for photogenic locations. There are plenty of these to be found around the Wirral, from the uniqueness of Parkgate to the quintessential English village that is Thornton Hough, historical Port Sunlight to the vintage charm of Hadlow Road Station in Willaston, to name but a few.

I always particularly look forward to an evening spent mooching around New Brighton with Welshot Photographic Academy. Photography is a particular pleasure when shared with like-minded people bouncing ideas off one another, and even when the weather is less than kind to us our visits to New Brighton have always been memorable and fun, and include a visit to one of the great cafés along Marine Promenade.

Most recently we went just before the longest day of the year, affording plenty of opportunity to take some daylight photos whilst hoping for an eye-catching sunset to develop. Stuffed full of fish and chips, we were presented with a list of local items to hunt for and photograph, as well as some

suggestions of how to make the best of the light, which set us off in different directions exploring New Brighton. This turned into one of our most enjoyable sessions yet – the weather was warm and dry, and the light during the ‘golden hour’ absolutely spectacular. I had the additional pleasure this time of sharing the experience with two photographer friends from Seattle, who were holidaying in the area and were delighted to join us to meet local photographers and explore.

There’s just so much for the photographer to see at New Brighton – fascinating buildings both old and new, a variety of signage, the beautifully ornate traditional shelters along the Prom, Marine Lake, views across to Liverpool and the docks, the ever changing and almost eerie stream of varied shipping at the mouth of the Mersey - not forgetting the most obvious attractions of Fort Perch Rock, the lighthouse and the surrounding sea defences and beaches, with their pools and moss covered rocks. To say nothing of the ongoing Welshot game of sneaking candid shots of each other! We even managed to spot a tiny crab trying to scale Fort Perch Rock, but he didn’t appreciate the presence of the paparazzi, and declined to pose for us.

As always, we had a great time, which was topped off by a gorgeous, drawn out sunset. The late evening peace on the beach was balm to the soul in a normally hectic lifestyle, and my American friends consider this to have been a highlight of their tour of England and Wales.

Can’t wait for the next Welshot Wirral session – Parkgate, West Kirby, Ness Gardens – who knows?

I am an experienced photographer based near Chester. I started photography taking black and white photos with my Mum’s Box Brownie camera, and developing and printing them in the garage with my Dad. As I grew, so did interest in photography, and my range of equipment. My parents have a lot to answer for! (www.facebook.com/piczology).

Welshot Photographic Academy offers photographers the opportunity to learn more about the craft of photography in a friendly and fun environment, offering a variety of workshops encompassing all genres of photography around Wales and the North West. Photographers of all abilities are welcomed. www.welshotimaging.co.uk

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38 The Lake

Raise your game Positive Developmental Change

By Angela Macaulay With the focus on The Open Golf tournament at Hoylake this month, the recent 90th anniversary celebrations at Caldy Rugby Club and indeed a rich sporting heritage across the Wirral, Angela Macaulay tells us about Hoylake Community Interest Company, Positive Developmental Change, to see how performance coaching can help you raise your game – both personally and professionally, with the added bonus of benefitting the local community.

Positive Developmental Change specialises in training and development in the areas of well-being, mental wealth and performance.

As a not-for-profit, community interest company, revenue from their courses and corporate work is reinvested in the local community through development programmes and workshops, including their work to support Veterans and members of the Armed Forces.

Founder and Director Andy Lee is a lead authority on mental wealth and a Master Practitioner of NLP (neuro-linguistic programming). Here he explains how he can help people to improve their performance in the sports arena.

“Any sportsman knows that to play at the top of their game, they must be both physically fit and in a good mental state: finding that balance between the two is essential to improving performance. There are a number of tools and tips we can provide to help someone to develop their mental capability and to really get in their ‘zone’, including relaxation, NLP and emotional-based coaching techniques to provide ways to bring out the best in everyone.

Andy believes that the key is to prevent stress-related conditions before they become a problem, whether that is on the pitch, in the workplace, or at home.

About Andy Lee

“One example of this is ‘anchoring’ – probably most widely recognised as being used by rugby player, Johnny Wilkinson when he kicks the ball. Tiger Woods is another sports personality who has found greater success by using, amongst others, NLP and visualisation techniques to get in the zone.”

In the business community, Andy also delivers NLP training to businesses as well as mental wealth workshops. One in four people in the UK, a total of nearly 16 million people, will be affected by mental health issues this year. In 2012, stress-related conditions accounted for over 13.1 million ‘absent from work’ days in the UK: this is at a cost to the economy of approximately £900 million.

Andy Lee is the founder of Positive Developmental Change, and has been working as a practitioner and trainer for the past four years. A lead authority on mental wealth, he specialises in helping those affected by PTSD and similar conditions, using his own experiences to deliver a professional and empathetic service.

He served in the Royal Marines for 16 years, during which time he was deployed on operations in both Northern Ireland and Sierra Leone.

Following a medical discharge for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in 2006, Andy found that an alternative approach delivered by someone who had themselves had a similar experience helped in overcoming his issues and creating a more positive perception on life.

He has since gone on to train in alternative therapies, further developing the skills he acquired as a trainer within the Royal Marines, working extensively as both a practitioner and facilitator with groups and individuals throughout the UK and around the world in France, Morocco and New Zealand.

Andy is qualified as a master practitioner and trainer of Spectrum TherapyTM, Creative Communication Therapy, NLP and hypnotherapy.

The Lake 39 opposed to specific events – in this way there is no requirement for a person to revisit a time or place that could lead to retraumatisation. This is in fact quite an attraction for many people of both Creative Communication Therapy and Spectrum Therapy, in that they are ‘content free’ – the client does not have talk about the problem in any great detail and it allows them to effectively create positive changes in their lives.

“In an ideal world, the earlier that steps are taken and put in place to address issues the better. We have had people come to us, often with a problem that originated emotionally in their formative years and have gone on to develop into more serious stress-related conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or ‘burnout’.

Working with younger generations to put preventative measures in place is an area where Creative Communication Therapy would be very simple to implement.”

Creative Communication Therapy is unique to Positive Developmental Change: this has been developed by Andy over the last three years, and is highly effective in helping many people from all walks of life to develop both personally and professionally.

What is Creative Communication Therapy?

Creative Communication Therapy™ (CCT) is a unique process to successfully produce positive change by developing mental wealth, promoting well-being and improving performance on all levels.

Based upon a clinical model for creating positive change, Creative Communication Therapy™ draws upon philosophies from both East and West, and focuses on the emotions that people experience as

Originally developed to help overcome severe stress and trauma-related conditions, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), CCT™ has helped to improve the lives of many individuals from all walks of life. In addition to improved all-round well-being, CCT has helped people return to work after prolonged periods of absence, develop better relationships and has helped to address a multitude of conditions, including the attributable symptoms of persons experiencing bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety.

that we prefer to focus on the mental ‘wealth’ of both individuals and organisations; in essence this is the level of productivity or performance that is achieved when there is synchronicity between the conscious and unconscious mind. Just as an organisation performs better when there is clear communication between the head or management and the workforce, so we can achieve more when there is improved rapport between the conscious mind and the unlimited amount of resources and wealth of knowledge that we can find within the unconscious mind.

To quote Walt Disney: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

To find out more about the work of Positive Developmental Change please visit www.positivedevelopmentalchange.org.uk

In the community

Creative Communication Therapy™ can be used to improve performance in the following arenas: Therapeutic work – during one-to-one and group therapy Business training – to reduce the impact of stress within the workplace and prevent work-related stress Learning environment – easily incorporated into learning and training for persons of all ages, including the National Curriculum, to unlock the mental wealth within and create a positive learning environment.

Positive Developmental Change feel both humbled and privileged to be able to help others in the way that we do.

We often hear about the pros and cons of mental health to the point where so many now turn a blind eye. This is the reason

Competition Positive Developmental Change are offering one lucky reader the chance to win a free day of performance sports coaching.

Simply email SPORT in subject line along with name and address to: pdc@positivedevelopmentalchange.co.uk.

Closing date 22nd August 2014. One winner will be chosen at random and notified by 1st September 2014.

The Iris Programme, a unique and innovative approach to mental health.

Named after the Royal Iris, the Mersey ferry that carried troops in the First World War, the programme incorporates emotional coaching, therapeutic interventions, integrative workshops and educational support to provide individuals with the resources to create long-lasting, positive changes for themselves and the community they live in.

Primarily for veterans and their families to support the transition from military service to civilian life, the programme is open to all members of the local community.

The programme aims to create: • Inclusion for all, regardless of personal circumstances • Greater community spirit • Longevity of mental resilience within the community • Foster the desire to enter further education and employment • Self-sustaining communities able to adjust and develop a robust approach to socio-economic change.

The programme is funded by grants and donations.

40 The Lake

Reign of the Cardio Queens Rhiannon Lewis is a personal trainer on the Wirral, and leads the Fitness Queen Programme for Women in West Kirby.

Here she shares with our readers the key to achieving muscle tone and definition in time for summer.

The majority of women who begin an exercise programme are aiming to increase their fitness, lose weight and tone up… sounds familiar?

We’ve all seen the cardio queens in the local gym or know one of them – they are the women who spend their time pounding away on the treadmill, the cross trainer or stairmaster at every gym visit. We see them working out hard, but still they look the same every time you see them for months on end. Have you ever wondered why? When we perform steadily paced cardiovascular exercises for a longer period of time, the body will automatically use stored glycogen as its preferred energy source before using your fat stores. The problem is, it could take hours to burn through your glycogen stores before you start burning body fat.

Our bodies are extremely efficient and if you are working out at the same intensity day after day, your body will become conditioned to this and adapt. You then end up burning fewer calories as less effort is required, your fitness level plateaus and you stop seeing results.

So what can you do to boost your results? Cardiovascular exercise is great for overall health and fitness but you need to keep it varied to keep the results coming. Intervals training, tempo sessions, longer endurance sessions and recovery days should be included so you are varying the intensity throughout the week.

Resistance training is the key to muscle tone and definition, and is essential to any fat loss programme and increasing your metabolic rate. Perhaps you have never heard of it or maybe you feel self-conscious about lifting weights in front of other gym users.

Resistance training can be off-putting to women as they can feel unsure about where to start, what exercises to perform, how many of each – and can feel concerned about bulking up. However, regular, progressive resistance training will help to reduce body fat, improve muscle definition, improve strength, teach good posture and improve performance. Did you know that resistance training will continue to burn calories for 48 hours after your training session, even when you are doing nothing but sitting down!

Whereas, when you finish your aerobic exercise you stop burning calories immediately. Definitely worth a try, don’t you think?

Resistance training doesn’t have to mean lifting heavy weights at the gym – you can perform a series of exercises that work all of your major muscle groups using just your own body weight, no equipment necessary. When you feel confident, you can chose to progress to a variety of methods, including dumbbells, barbells, suspension training, and resistance bands etc.

Here are some exercises to get you started, demonstrated by members of the West Kirby Fitness Queen Programme who have achieved brilliant results from resistance training combined with cardiovascular activity.

1. Lunge –Targets the legs and bum Stand in a split stance with your right leg forward and left leg back. Slowly bend the knees, lowering into a lunge until both legs are nearly at right angles. Keeping the weight in your heels, push back up to starting position. Keep your back straight and don’t let your knees extend over your toes.

Perform 10-15 per leg 2. Plank – Targets the ‘core’ muscles around the stomach and back Lie on your front resting on your forearms and toes. Keep your legs straight and hips raised to create a straight line from head to toe. Your shoulders should be directly above your elbows. Avoid letting your back dip down. Focus on keeping your abdominals contracted during the exercise and maintaining your breathing.

Hold this position for 10-30 seconds and gradually build this time up.

3. Press Ups – Targets your chest and triceps muscles at the back of your arms Lie face down on floor with hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Bend knees and raise body up off floor by extending arms with body straight. Keeping your body straight and knees bent, lower body to floor by bending arms. Push body up until arms are extended. Repeat.

Perform 10-15 reps.

Fitness Queen includes a component of resistance training in all of our group training. To register for a FREE TRIAL at West Kirby, please contact Rhiannon on 07814 614 145 or by email: info@rlewisfitness.co.uk

The Lake 41

Under the Gavel – a View from the Rostrum John Bathurst Crane with his regular column on the auction world... of the Desert’ is being resold by us again as in ‘Factory New Condition’!

Like them or not, Lladro figures continue to be extremely popular objects with which to furnish and decorate our homes and high prices continue to be achieved in the auction rooms.

Bidders are all over the world – some are private collectors and some are the international dealers who are prepared to bid well for the best examples. The Lladro figure illustrated, ‘Man of the Desert’, one of 750 made, was bought new in Tenerife many years ago, but had remained in the box for many years, as the recipient was afraid of damage! This figure was sold in auction by us in Liverpool three weeks ago for £760.00.

Railway posters continue to command high prices. They generally must be in good condition.

Each railway company had its own style of poster and its own artists. We have been fortunate enough to have a few Southern Rail posters to offer this month along with the original artwork in pristine condition from the studio of D.W. Burley. These relate to excursions to Chessington Zoo, and each original artwork should achieve well over £1,000.00.

rare antique mahogany cheese coaster (illustrated), and another visitor had a gold watch inscribed as being presented to a Capt.

Roberts who was captain of Lord Astor’s private yacht in the 1940s.

Our services are often called upon to conduct auctions to raise funds for charities. Last Friday night, funds were raised for the Teenage Cancer Trust at a dinner for 200 people at the Liverpool Adelphi Hotel.

I continue to give talks to interested groups in Wirral about the real world of the auctioneer.

It can be somewhat different from that which we see on TV! Usually more interesting, and with a much more serious approach to achieving the highest prices possible for vendors and estates. People never see all the background work our removal team puts in and the days and weeks of careful cataloguing and photography which is nowadays required.

Good auction rooms are serious places run by serious, experienced people.

Many local dealers continue to visit the auction rooms and provide a good retail service to the people in Wirral. Many people think that dealers are expensive, but they have to make a profit and many pieces of furniture need considerable restoration to make them ‘shop window ready’.

Dealers know how to do restoration to suit the market and this can be fairly time-consuming – this cost has to be added to the price they paid at auction along with that bit of profit. They also provide a delivery service if needed.

Railway poster DW Burley

Man of the Desert

The dealer who bought it came to collect it and told us that it had been damaged. He pointed out a small piece of ‘tassel’ decoration saying that this had been broken and reattached with glue! The piece was in new condition. I refused to let the dealer have the piece as he demanded it at half the price he paid for it!

We then had a problem: how could a well cared for piece such as this be damaged? Or was it damage at all? One telephone call to the curator of the Lladro Museum in Valencia in Spain solved the mystery. On the larger pieces, some of the very fine decorations do not fire well in the kilns and are made and glazed separately. They are then affixed to the models before despatch from the factory using a well-known fixing product: Araldite!

So, a lesson indeed. And did the experienced dealer from the South of England know this? I will leave that for you to decide… The ‘Man

The last few weeks have been extremely busy for us in the Auction Rooms. Preparing ‘live bidding’ online auctions is time-consuming, as every piece we sell has to be photographed carefully for worldwide viewing on specialist international sites on the internet. It is worth all the extra effort though, as much higher prices are achieved with many more international and private bidders. Private collectors can, and do, bid from their office desks and do not have to take a day off work or travel long distances to attend lengthy auctions. All in all, it is a great leap forward in the use of modern technology and now we, and the sellers, would be lost without our new bidding systems. Having said all this, there is no substitute for meeting people and doing the basic hard work as usual.

A valuation day in Crosby for the Mayor Sefton’s Charity Fund produced some nice, interesting objects. One supporter brought in a

Collinge Antiques

Last week I called into Collinge Antiques in Llandudno Junction where furniture is laid out in room settings (see photo) to give people an idea of size and scale. Nicki Collinge also provides a total restoration service in case you see a piece at auction that you like, but which may need repolishing or replacement handles perhaps. Most dealers will be extremely helpful, but look for dealers with a good reputation and many years of trading and you will not be disappointed.

I make many home visits to appraise objects and furniture in clients’ homes every week. If you would like a visit, please call me on 0151 342 2321 for Wirral or at our Liverpool City Auction Rooms on 0151 709 5559 where Anna will be only too pleased to arrange my visits.

Cheese coaster

In the meantime, visit us at www.catocrane.co.uk or Twitter @catocrane and Happy Antique Hunting to you all.

42 The Lake

Wirral Ranger Service Summer Events and activities July and August Date: Sunday 27th July Time: 10.30am – 3.30 pm Title: Owl Workshop in the Coach House Join the Wirral Barn Owl Trust on this Owl workshop in the Coach House and identify the different owl pellets and other interesting facts about owls. Meet at the Court Yard/Coach House at Royden Park.

The Tea Servery here is open for refreshments.

Special requirements: Suitable outdoor clothing and footwear. Sorry no dogs.

Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Wednesday 30th July Time: 11.00am – 3.00pm Title: Ladybird workshop at Royden Park Come along on this summer’s children’s workshop and discover the wealth and range of ladybirds you can find in and around this area. This activity initially takes place in the Coach House. Meet at the Coach House/Court Yard at Royden Park. The Tea Servery here is open for refreshments.

Special requirements: Outdoor clothing and footwear.

Booking requirements/numbers: Essential Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Sunday 3rd August Time: 11.00am – 3.00pm Title: Summer Fun at Royden Park Lots of activities to join in and see at this fun-filled day for all the family. All taking place on the main events field at Royden Park. Animal Ark and Birds of Prey display within the Coach House.The Tea Servery at Royden Park is open for refreshments.

Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Wednesday 13th August Time: 8.30pm – 10.30pm Title: Bat night at Royden park Join the Ranger on this evening stroll and discover where bats live and hunt.

Meet at the Court Yard/Coach House at Royden Park.

Special requirements: Wind/waterproof clothing and stout footwear are essential. Sorry no dogs.

Booking requirements/numbers: Booking essential.

Please contact Royden Park on 0151 677 7594 Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk Date: Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th August Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm Title: Peninsular Arts and Crafts Display in Royden Park Come and see a variety of crafts all on display in the Coach House at Royden Park. Browse, purchase or potter. The Tea Servery here is open for refreshments.

Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Sunday 17th August Time: 1.30pm – 3.00pm Title: I-Spy Fun at Royden Park Come along on this summer’s children’s event and enjoy an I-Spy fun Royden Park. Collect your clues between the above times. Meet at the Coach House/ Court Yard at Royden Park. The Tea Servery here is open for refreshments.

Special requirements: Outdoor clothing and footwear.

Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Monday 18th August – Sunday 31st August Time: 11.00am – 4.00pm Title: Art Exhibition at the Coach House Royden Park Come and see a variety of paintings all on display in the Coach House at Royden Park. Browse, purchase or potter. Including a children’s workshop all within the Coach House. The Tea Servery here is open for refreshments.

Booking requirements/numbers - None Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Sunday 3rd August Time: 10.30am – 12.30pm Title: Up Hill and Down Dale Enjoy a Ranger led walk over Heswall Dales, taking in the river Dee and the Dungeons. Meet at Heswall Dales/Dale Farm entrance off Oldfield Road, Heswall (CH60 6SN).

Special requirements: Suitable clothing and stout footwear. Sorry no dogs.

Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: dantravis@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Wednesday 20th August Time: 1.30pm – 3.00pm Title: Wild Bug Hunt at Royden Park Come along on this summer’s children’s event and have a go at a Wild Bug Hunt at Royden Park. This activity starts at the Coach House/Court Yard then promptly moves out into other parts of Royden Park.

Meet at the Coach House/Court Yard at Royden Park.

The Tea Servery here is open for refreshments.

Special requirements: Outdoor clothing and footwear.

Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Wednesday 6th August Time: 10.00am – 3.00pm Title: All about Owls at Royden Park Join us and a selection of owls for an informal educational talk followed by some fun activities that will enhance your knowledge of owls for both young and old. Meet at the Coach House/Court Yard at Royden Park. The Tea Servery here is open for refreshments.

Special requirements: Outdoor clothing and footwear.

Booking requirements/numbers: Essential Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Wednesday 20th August Time: 1.30pm – 3.30pm Title: Fun Scavenger Hunt at Heswall Dales Come along on this summer’s children’s event and an excuse to explore and have fun collecting clues and learning about Heswall Dales. Meet at Heswall Dales/Dale Farm entrance off Oldfield Road, Heswall (CH60 6SN) Special requirements: Sorry no dogs Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: dantravis@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Sunday 10th August Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm Title: Static live Birds of Prey Display – Coach House, Royden Park Visit Royden Park today and see these wonderful Birds of Prey from all over the world within the Coach House. These are all birds of Steve Dewsnap of Rockcliffe Raptors. The Tea Servery here is open for refreshments.

Special requirements: Sorry no dogs within the Coach House Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Bank Holiday Monday 25th August Time: 1.30pm – 3.30pm Title: The beauty of Heathlands at Heswall Join the Ranger and Cheshire Wildlife Trust on this guided walk and discover the beauty and wildlife of these heathland habitats within Heswall. The sites are Cleaver Heath and Heswall Dales. Meet: Cleaver Heath on Oldfield Road, Heswall Special requirements: Warm and waterproof clothing and stout footwear.

Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Wednesday 13th August Time: 1.30pm – 3.00pm Title: Be a Nature Detective at Royden Park Come along on this summer’s children’s event and have a go at being a nature detective at Royden Park. Collect your clues between the above times.

Meet at the Coach House/Court Yard at Royden Park. The Tea Servery here is open for refreshments.

Special requirements: Outdoor clothing and footwear.

Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

Date: Wednesday 27th August Time: 1.30pm – 3.00pm Title: Explore Royden Park Come along on this summer’s children’s event and have a go at Fun Explore activities at Royden Park. This activity starts at the Coach House/Court Yard then promptly moves out into other parts of Royden Park. Meet at the Coach House/Court Yard at Royden Park. The Tea Servery here is open for refreshments.

Special requirements: Outdoor clothing and footwear.

Booking requirements/numbers: None Contact numbers/email: midwirralrangers@wirral.gov.uk 0151 677 7594.

ji m bar ro w Est. 1970

For over 40 years Jim Barrow Motor Factors have been providing high quality car parts to local garages.

Our success is based on three important factors Product Range

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Our comprehensive knowledge of the motor parts industry coupled with the widest possible range from the best suppliers means that we can guarantee a price that is always competitive.

Staff

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Contact us today on 0151 609 0609

8 Durley Park Close, North Cheshire Trading Estate, Wirral CH43 3DE Telephone: 0151 609 0609 • www.jimbarrow.co.uk