Wirral Life September 2017 by Wirral Life Magazine

WIRRAL LIFE

WIRRAL’S No.1 FREE PREMIUM LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017

PAULA BASNETT LET’S TALK BUSINESS

PROPERTY • MOTORS • FASHION & BEAUTY • FOOD & DRINK

The ultimate relaxing music mix

LUXURY LIVING IN A PRIME LOCATION AMAZING OFFERS AVAILABLE

Computer generated image of the Chesham

THE CHESHAM, A PRESTIGIOUS DETACHED 4/5 BEDROOM HOME IN A PICTURESQUE VILLAGE SETTING Old Quay Meadow offers everything, from the charm of rural Cheshire with the Welsh Mountains and Dee Estuary on your doorstep, whilst within easy reach of Chester and Liverpool. With excellent schools close by it’s the perfect place for families to enjoy the best both of worlds.

Off Boundary Park, Parkgate, Neston CH64 6TN

0845 481 8807

Also available, stunning 2, 3, 4 & 5 bedroom homes.

Open Thursday–Monday, 10am-5pm

email: oldquaymeadow.sales@elan-homes.co.uk or visit elan-homes.co.uk

Prices from £299,995 or just £239,995 with Help to Buy*

HOMES YOU’LL LOVE INSIDE OUT Terms & Conditions apply and may only be available on selected plots, please speak to Sales Executive for full details. *Help to Buy eligible applicants will be offered an equity loan of up to a maximum of 20% of the purchase price (based on the open market value). Applicants are required to fund at least 80% of the purchase price by means of a conventional mortgage, savings and any deposit where required. Applicants must obtain their conventional mortgage from a Qualified Lending Institution. For the first five years there is no fee charged on the equity loan component. At the start of year six a fee is collected of 1.75% of the market value of the property at the time the loan is entered into multiplied by the outstanding percentage under the equity loan, the annual fee of 1.75% will be uplifted by RPI + 1% p.a. The loan must be repaid after 25 years or earlier if you sell your home whereby the repayment sum will reflect up to 20% of the market value of the property at the time the property is sold or remortgaged. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE. Images are representative only and may include upgrades, please ask Sales Executive for further information. Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

WIRRAL LIFE

EDITORS:

WIRRAL’S No.1 FREE PREMIUM LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Welcome to Wirral Life Magazine. Wirral Life has just turned one! We launched in August 2016 with the aim of producing a high quality, free magazine that showcased all of the great and positive things happening in our area by local residents, businesses and communities. To date, over 120,000 copies of Wirral Life have been printed and circulated; and we’ve had over 60,000 online reads. We would like to thank our advertisers, loyal readers, subscribers and stockists for all your support in helping us to achieve this. In this issue, we have an exclusive interview with Paula Basnett, Chief Executive of Wirral Chamber of Commerce who shares with us an insight into her life, career and role as a foster carer. We also talk to Wirral’s celebrity make-up artist Katie Hayes on her future plans and we have our regular columnists covering everything from history to medical. Finally, if you haven’t already subscribed to receive a copy direct to your door, you still can by visiting www.wirrallife.com/subscribe.

Nicky Rigby-Smith

Si Hall

FEATURE WRITERS:

Lynne Hague: Lifestyle David Green: Whisky Carl Housbey: Food John & Steve Muff: Food Joel Jelen: Wellbeing Andrew Wood: History Conor Magee: Medical Sally Anne Dolan: Medical Gary Tomlinson: Travel Norman Shum: Cars and Coffee Richard Sanderson: Veterinary Richard Gibson: Dentistry Katie Hayes: Beauty Annabel Birtles: Beauty

All imagery shot on Leica cameras.

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER:

Enjoy Wirral Life! Si Hall & Nicky Rigby-Smith

JOIN WIRRAL LIFE CONTACT US FIND US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/wirrallifemagazine FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @wirrallifemag SUBSCRIBE AT www.wirrallife.com/subscribe

Copyright Hall Smith Publishing 2017. All Rights Reserved. The content of the magazine is owned by the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced - in whole or in part, including advertisements - without prior written permission from the publisher. While we take every care whilst compiling the magazine, we cannot be held responsible for claims made, or accuracy of content provided by advertisers or contributors. All prices and dates within the magazine were correct at the time of print. The editor reserves the right to shorten or modify any materials submitted. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily held by the editor or publisher.

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TEL: 0151 363 6403 GENERAL ENQUIRIES hello@wirrallife.com ADVERTISING advertising@wirrallife.com EDITORIAL editorial@wirrallife.com

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IN THIS ISSUE

77 92 66

36 20

INTERVIEWS 20. Paula Basnett 66. Katie Hayes

BUSINESS 80. Wirral Chamber of Commerce 86. The Forshaw Group

FOOD & DRINK 34. The Butchers Cut 36. Izakaya, Liverpool 38. Gastro Grazer

SOCIETY 89. Claire House Party 92. Goodwins Launch 94. Burnt Truffle BBQ 95. Wallasey Cricket Club Festival 96. Leica Store Launch 98. Across Mersey Swim 102. SDS VIP Evening

PROPERTY 44. Old Quay Meadow 47. Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice Properties 56. Interior Inspiration FASHION & BEAUTY 62. AW17 64. Autumn Skincare 69. Beauty Column TRAVEL 74. A Spin in Spain 77. Greece

44 26 62

HISTORY, ARTS & CULTURE 78. Storeton Tramway 104. Leica Photo Competition MOTOR 110. Cars and Coffee

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WRAITH I N S PI R ED BY M U S I C

Step inside the ultimate venue: Wraith Inspired By Music. A sumptuous interior stirs emotions while audio superiority from precision engineered acoustics, tuned to perfection, moves you. Close your eyes and be there; as if it is just you and the artist for a private performance. Available to order in dealerships now.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manchester Road Knutsford Cheshire WA16 0ST Tel: 01565 220 313 www.rolls-roycemotorcars-manchester.co.uk Official fuel economy figures for the Rolls-Royce Wraith: Urban 13.3mpg (21.2l/100km). Extra Urban 28.8mpg (9.8l/100km). Combined 20.2mpg (14.0l/100km). CO2 emissions 327g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions. ÂŠ Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited 2017. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.

IN BRIEF LORD LIEUTENANT VISITS SHAFTESBURY YOUTH CLUB

The Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside, Dame Lorna Muirhead, visited Shaftesbury Youth Club to find out all about the youth engagement work going on in the Club. Dame Lorna was accompanied by her husband, Mr. Ronald Muirhead. The visit was hosted by the Chair of the Club’s Board of Trustees, John E Jones and Chief Executive Officer, Janice Monty, who took Dame Lorna and her husband on a guided tour around the Club’s premises where they met the young people who use the Club, its staff and its volunteers, all of whom make the Club a unique place to attend and be involved with. During the tour the Lord-Lieutenant visited the Memorial Garden (with Trustee, Barry Eaton, explaining its background and importance to the Club to her), the Computer Suite (sponsored by FMC Lithium), the outdoor sporting facilities, the classrooms and the ‘tuck shop’ area. Dame Lorna spent time with staff and young people looking at taking part in the Wirral Youth Parliament. She described to many of the young people present the role and significance of Her Majesty’s position within the UK constitution and her role as LordLieutenant in support of The Queen within Merseyside. Dame Lorna commented: “It was very exciting to come to Shaftesbury Youth Club. The work being undertaken by the Club is crucial to the local community and to its young people. Those I met were all enthusiastic about attending the Club and were very open with me about why. I very much enjoyed my visit. It has given me a glimpse of how the Club cares about its young people, cares about the local community and how lucky they all are that the Club continues its crucial work. Chair, John E Jones added: “It was a pleasure to show Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant around the Club and to introduce her to numerous people who attend, work and volunteer at the Shaftes”.

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL IMPRESSES AGAIN WITH EXAM RESULTS

Birkenhead School is celebrating after pupils achieved excellent results in the recent GCSE and A Level exams reaffirming the school’s position in the region. The GCSE results were the best results for the School since 2013 with 92% of grades at A*- B or equivalent and 38% of grades awarded at the top A* grade or equivalent. The girls highlighted again the benefits of a co-educational learning environment with 79% of GCSE grades being gained at A*/A placing them as the top performing girls cohort in Wirral. This year, the School’s A Level results were led by James Budworth who achieved 4A*s, in Latin, Economics, Maths and Further Maths, alongside a top grade in AS Greek and now progresses onto Oxford University to read Classics. Over 10% of pupils are going on to study Medicine including Connie Sturgess who will study at University College, London after gaining A*s in Chemistry and Biology and an A in Maths. Some students are travelling further afield with Elliot Bainbridge undertaking his university studies in the US after securing a Golf and Economics Scholarship at Knox University in Chicago. Headmaster, Paul Vicars comments: “This year’s results are a great endorsement of the work and spirit of the students and whole School community. During a year of significant national exam turbulence, a constant remains that if you surround hard working young men and women with the appropriate academic and pastoral support, they will achieve great things. Particularly strong performances were in Mathematics GCSE with 23% of pupils gaining the new prestigious grade 9 compared to just 3.5% nationally. I should also mention the results of our girls at GCSE who swept all before them. I couldn’t be prouder of all our students and staff who achieved these results.” Open Day for Seniors and Sixth Form entry is being held on Saturday 23rd September 11am-2pm.

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CHESTER BOUTIQUE HOTEL SET FOR HISTORICAL MAKE-OVER

Bridge Street Townhouse will be transformed by new owners Know Collection. A Chester boutique hotel is set to undergo a £250k transformation with an artistic nod to the city’s Roman past, with their new branding. Bridge Street Townhouse, will soon be rebranded ‘The Townhouse’ and will have the iconic Roman soldier’s helmet, a bronze galea, as its new logo. The Townhouse, which is located in a Grade II listed Georgian building is situated within the historic Roman city walls, will see 30 of its bedrooms given a make-over with features of a real Georgian House coming to fruition. Sumptuous fabrics will be paired with chic modern furniture and wall murals, as well as new flooring, bespoke lighting and a colour palette of teal, gold and grey. The boutique hotel will also see its gym and former offices transformed into a multi-roomed ‘Group Pad’, ideal for burgeoning hen and stag party market in the city. An annex to the rear of the property, which can be hired exclusively and sleeps 24 people, will also see interior designer Patricia Hewlett’s influence. She said: “Chester’s historical setting is so significant and something we wanted to treasure and embrace with the Townhouse refurbishment. We are in a beautifully designed Georgian townhouse so we also never wanted to be cliche or obvious when it came to the designs - it was important to keep it classic but modern at the same time and we can’t wait to unveil the results.” The Townhouse will officially relaunch in November after the first phase of works is complete; which includes a redesign of the courtyard to the rear of the property and a new Roman-inspired lounge and breakfast area. Steven Hesketh of Know Collection, who acquired the site in July said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with the response to The Townhouse since we bought it - we’ve been inundated with new bookings and there’s rarely been a quiet day. What we want now is to bring it up to Know Collection standards - making it an individual business with its own unique identity with the help of our expert team who have a great eye for detail and a passion for bringing a brand to life.” Works are expected to be completed in 2018. For more information and bookings at Townhouse, call 01244 470178 or visit www.chestertownhouse.com.

TWEEDMILL SHOPPING OUTLET ANNOUNCE AW17 FASHION SHOW

North Wales most renowned Shopping Outlet, Tweedmill, is hosting their Autumn Winter Fashion Show. This exclusive event will showcase the latest trends for the upcoming season. On Saturday 23rd September at 1pm, twelve models will take to the catwalk in outfits from the latest winter collections including quality brands: Roman Originals, Klass, Cotton Traders, Brook Taverner, Cotton Traders, Jacques Vert, Skopes, Greenwoods and Bonmarche to name a few. And not forgetting that these collections will be accessorised with footwear from Pavers and Ruby Shoo. Tweedmill Director, Lisa Johns said: “We are really looking forward to hosting the event and it’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase our beautiful brands to our customers in this way. Prosecco and canapes will be served on arrival along with live entertainment, make up demonstrations, goody bag and a free prize draw to win a makeover or a weekend for two in North Wales. All guests also qualify for an in-store discount of £15 against any spend over £50.” Denise Roberts, Store Manager at Roman said: “We are delighted to sponsor the Tweedmill Fashion Show and are looking forward to showcasing our fabulous collection of chic and timeless pieces for every occasion.” Tickets cost £15 and are limited. To book your ticket, visit www.tweedmill.co.uk/fashionshow.

EXPANSION PLANS REVEALED FOR LUNYA Lunya, the family-owned Catalunyan restaurant bar and deli, is moving to a new location in Hanover Street at Liverpool One. As part of its expansion plans, Peter & Elaine Kinsella, owners of the award-winning Spanish eatery are investing a further £150k into the new, more integrated deli, bar & restaurant taking the Liverpool team to 55. Lunya has already become the UK’s largest online Spanish food and drink deli. www.lunya.co.uk wirrallife.com 9

IN BRIEF NORTH WEST COMMUNITY DIAMOND WINS £1,000 CHARITY DONATION

FIT AND FED PROGRAMME COMBATS ‘HOLIDAY HUNGER’

A Wirral resident who volunteers with the Charles Thompson Mission is celebrating after winning a community hero award and £1,000 donation.

Wirral Sport Development brought the Fit and Fed campaign to Wirral this summer to provide 4,150 free, nutritious meals and a whole host of different activity sessions for 220 children and young people.

Swinton Group, the UK’s largest high street insurance broker, launched a nationwide search as part of its diamond anniversary to find ten ‘diamonds’ who make a difference in their local communities. Amy Stanley from the Wirral area has been recognised for her work with the Charles Thompson Mission which supports the homeless in the Birkenhead area. She has raised more than £25,000 for the charity in the last 18 months through overnight sleep-outs and car boot sales. The Mission was founded in 1892 and provides practical support with food, clothing and showers as well as access to counselling, nurses and dentist services. It holds drop in sessions from Monday to Friday, with between 70-100 people visiting daily. It also offers a food parcel service along with children’s trips throughout the year and Christmas parcels for families in need during the festive season. Amy was presented with her cheque by Swinton Group CEO Gilles Normand at the insurance broker’s headquarters in Manchester on Wednesday 23rd August. She commented: “This will make a huge difference to the Mission. We’re only a small charity which relies entirely on donations. At the moment, we use a volunteer’s van to transport and collect donations, so the £1,000 will go towards purchasing our own van. It’ll also help us to buy essential items such as clothing, food and toiletries, and contribute towards the costs of finding accommodation for the homeless.” The team at Swinton’s headquarters has also organised a collection of tinned and non-perishable food for the Mission. Gilles Normand, CEO of Swinton Group, said: “We designed our search for ‘Swinton Diamonds’ to celebrate local heroes like Amy and the fantastic work being done across our communities. We hope this donation and food collection will support the invaluable work that she and the Mission do to support the homeless. Community spirit is incredibly important to us at Swinton, so this is our chance to give something back to those who go the extra mile.” 10 wirrallife.com

Fit and Fed is a nationwide campaign, led by the award-winning StreetGames charity, to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and young people at risk of holiday hunger, isolation, and inactivity. The programme was made possible by gaining external funding sourced from local initiatives and fundraising events. Wirral Sports Development is applying for additional funding to sustain and continue the work carried out this summer for future programmes and inviting residents and local business to support the Fit and Fed national programme via its JustGiving page. There are already plans to continue this work during the October and February half term in the next school year. The Fit and Fed campaign supports both the physical and social development of children and young people and gives an extra helping hand to those in need. The summer programme brought families from across Birkenhead together as a community to enjoy days of fun and sport, along with fresh, healthy meals. According to reports, a third of parents have skipped a meal so that their children could eat during the school holidays and the UK experiences the highest levels of food insecurity in all of Europe. The Trussell Trust gave out over 2,600 food parcels between April and September last year with a third of those going to children. Up to 78% of the households that utilise food banks have experienced severe food insecurity in the past year, some going full days without eating. Over the summer, the Fit and Fed campaign fed 12,000 children across over 100 local UK projects and the StreetGames charity is hoping to expand this programme even further. Stacey Addison, Disability Sports Development Officer for Wirral Sports Development said: “Fit and Fed is an important campaign in Wirral. In the UK, an estimated three million children experience holiday hunger over the summer holidays. The programme has been a great success. The kids have loved it and had a fantastic time meeting new friends, playing sports and getting a good meal at the same time.” Those who wish to donate to the Fit and Fed programme can do so via the Fit and Fed JustGiving page - just Google ‘Fit and Fed JustGiving’.

SURGEON LEADS TEAM OF YOUNG PEOPLE ON UGANDA MERCY MISSION A top Wirral surgeon has been swapping his scrubs for cowboy boots and a second career as a cattle rancher in East Africa. Stephen Blair, a varicose vein specialist at the Spire Murrayfield Hospital, at Barnston, is just back from Uganda and a tenth anniversary tour of duty with young people from his local church group in Heswall. He, his daughter Cathy, and his wife Christine, have spent three weeks in Uganda providing education and health services for people a decade after they first visited the country and set up their Rock of Joy charity. They once again led a group of 30 young people, aged from 16 to 18, from the Parish of Heswall churches, the sixth time they have been to the country where they now support three schools, one in the capital, Kampala, and two in a rural area. Joining them on the trip were Wirral dentist Paul Sherrard of Moreton Dental Care on and his son Ed, a final year dental student in Newcastle. The charity also runs a farm which already pays for two thirds of the running costs of the schools with plans to fund the project completely. Stephen, 62, said: “It was my sixth trip and the tenth anniversary of our first visit in 2007 when Cathy was the inspiration. She had gone out to do a gap year with Oasis Trust in 2005 and spent six months developing a school in the slums of Kampala. She loved it and a couple of years later when she was in university she wanted to go again so together with others in the church and its youth fellowship we ended up going out, in total 36 of us. We came back both shocked at the conditions and realising how easy it would be to make difference, so we’ve been going back ever since.”

In the ten years of visits they have taken out over 180 young people from church youth groups and Spire Murrayfield Hospital have done their bit by providing blood testing services before departure so that in the event of an accident – Uganda’s roads are notoriously dangerous – everyone’s blood group is known. The schools provide education for 1500 children with 140 housed in an orphanage – many of the parents have died from HIV which is rife in the country and so is malaria. Their 50acre farm is on wetlands and Stephen’s team have hit on an effective scheme for making money – they plan to buy scrawny cattle cheap in the dry seasons and fatten them up on the grass they always have: “Six months later we can sell them for twice the price,” he said. “If we have 100 head of cattle that should produce £20,000 a year in income which is a huge return for them.” Stephen added: “The schools came out of what Cathy did but for me to go out there and just look at education wouldn’t be making the best use of my abilities, so we also provide medical and dental services, including minor operations in remote villages where there is no access to medical care. We have a team of about 20 people of which half are Ugandan. We travel around the villages in the countryside and we can treat over three hundred people in a day – hard work but very rewarding. We see a lot of infectious diseases because there are few antibiotics. We treat everything from skin conditions like ringworm to malaria which is a big killer since they can’t afford mosquito nets – our youths put up about 900 mosquito nets in very simple homes. We saw over 2,500 people and we had two dentists with us who removed 1,000 teeth as dental hygiene is very poor there.” For more on the Rock of Joy Trust, go to www.rockofjoy.co.uk

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GCSEs 201

92% 7

5 or more A* - C (or equiv .) inc English & Maths

Best results ever! AUTUMN OPEN DAYS Saturday 23 September Wednesday 8 November 10am-12noon 10.30am-12noon The difference we make is clear. Visit Kingsmead and see for yourself.

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V I TA

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An Independent School for Boys & Girls aged 2-16

Bertram Drive, Hoylake, Wirral CH47 0LL (two minutes from Manor Road Merseyrail station)

Enquiries welcome

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Prenton Preparatory School Boys & Girls aged 2 years 6 months - 11 years • • • • • • • •

Traditional teaching Small classes Dedicated and highly experienced staff High academic standard and excellent results at 11+ A firm but fair discipline Various clubs and sporting activities Pre and after school care Nursery grant available for 3 & 4 year olds

“A step by step approach to educating the whole child”

PRENTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL MOUNT PLEASANT, OXTON, WIRRAL, CH43 5SY

0151 652 3182

enquiry@prentonprep.co.uk

Accredited by the Independent Schools Council

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MEET SPENCER’S FRIENDS Wirral Life talk to Cerys Millington, founder of Spencer’s friends; the children’s mobile shoe fitting service. Tell us about the Spencer’s Friends brand and how you came about the idea of a children’s mobile shoe fitting service? The idea came about because of regular disappointment at the level of service and selection offered when it comes to buying children’s shoes. I really hate bad customer service in any industry, especially when it comes to my son’s well-being. The whole ‘self-service’ culture seen in many stores now is a real worry, people don’t understand the whole measuring process is not black and white. A size in one particular brand will more often than not be different in another brand. Spencer’s Friends hopes to transform the whole buying process which can sometimes be a stressful experience and bring it to the home environment where the whole process is simplified. This has become particularly important with parents and carers of Autistic children. I recently spent time with experts in this field, taking their advice and guidance which I hope will help towards making my service very ‘Autistic Friendly’ wherever possible. Why do you think it has been received so well? Total convenience in a nutshell! You no longer have to sacrifice a huge amount of time to go shoe shopping. I can visit the home at a suitable time to fit in with the customer and the collection can be viewed online prior to making an appointment. Customers can also be reassured of the fact I hold the only professionally recognised shoe fitting qualification in the UK issued by the Society of Shoe Fitters.

This qualification reflects training which can be applied to all brands of shoes not just one or two which is the case in most stores. I also have access to orthopaedic advice if needed. How did you decide on the brands you now stock? I researched the industry for over three years before starting Spencer’s Friends. I visited several trade shows and talked to established independent shoe shop owners which was invaluable. The 3 brands (Geox, Primigi and Pediped) I selected were established and trusted brands which I had previously purchased myself so I was aware of the quality. The Autumn Winter 17 collection is available now and I am in the process of ordering my Spring Summer 2018 collections which are looking amazing and I hope to have these available by March next year. What is the future for Spencer’s Friends? I want to continue to create relationships with the families and children from their early years well into their teens – I want to end up seeing them more than they see their dentist each year! I would also like to possibly develop Spencer’s Friends into a lifestyle brand which is recognisable and synonymous with quality, excitement and one to trust. Who knows, maybe develop the brand internationally. Visit www.spencersfriends.com for more information.

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Photographs © Peter Cook

STORYHOUSE AUTUMN PROGRAMME Music, comedy and dance are at the heart of the inaugural touring season at the £37m Chester arts venue. Storyhouse welcomes the first shows in its inaugural touring season – giving audiences the first chance to see its stunning 800-seater auditorium in all its glory. Chester’s new £37m arts complex has enjoyed a spectacular and successful opening season of homegrown productions since it opened in May, with its company of actors performing in the intimate 500-seat thrust stage space. But now the flexible theatrical auditorium is being transformed to be able to accommodate the season of big-budget musicals, innovative dance, household comedy names, along with a wonderful Christmas show for all the family. The autumn season opens with toe-tapping 80s musical Footloose, which comes to Storyhouse as part of a UK tour. The hit show, based on the 1984 film, stars Maureen Nolan as Vi Moore and features a string of singalong hits including Let’s Hear It For the Boy, Holding Out for A Hero, and the title song Footloose. Comedy fans have snapped up tickets for Jon Richardson with the 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown regular’s new touring show, Old Man, due to play to a sell-out audience on 19 September. He will be followed by Joel Dommett on 26 September, with an evening that promises confetti cannons and a musical number, and on 3 October by comedy giant Stewart Lee, whose show Content Provider is also a sell-out. And later in the season the comedy continues, with grumpy old woman – and Splash survivor - Jenny Eclair gives some tips on How to be a Middle Aged Woman (Without Going Insane) on 19 October, while laconic American funnyman Rich Hall and friends present a gratuitous mash-up of the very best of comedy and music in Hoedown (21 October). Comic opera company Opera della Luna pays its first visit to Storyhouse on 22-23 September with Tales From Offenbach, while musical All or Nothing, which charts the story of the influential 60s mod group Small Faces, known best for hit songs like Itchycoo Park and Tin Soldier, runs from 27-30 September. Willy Russell’s iconic and moving story of nurture v nature, Blood 18 wirrallife.com

Brothers, makes a welcome visit from 9-14 October, starring Lyn Paul as Mrs Johnstone. October also heralds a trio of shows to delight dance and physical theatre enthusiasts, from Cockfight on 7 October, which is described as a cross between The Office and an Australianstyle cage fight, to Tangomotion, which brings the passion of Buenos Aires to Chester on 18 October, and the brilliant allmale dance company BalletBoyz, presenting its new show on 30 October. Singer-songwriter and folk music star Kate Rusby makes an appearance on 20 October to mark 25 years in the music business. There’s a Pythonesque turn of events from 31 October-4 November with the arrival of the hilarious awardwinning musical Spamalot, packed with bold – and not so bold - knights, ladies of the lake, fish slapping, flying cows, a killer rabbit and ferocious Frenchmen. And the autumn touring season concludes with Frodsham writer Tim Firth’s (Calendar Girls, The Band, Neville’s Island, Flint Street Nativity) delightful musical, This Is My Family, at Storyhouse from 7-11 November. The season of touring productions is followed by a world premiere, as Storyhouse presents the first ever stage adaptation of Enid Blyton’s beloved The Secret Seven. The magical Christmas show is penned by Glyn Maxwell and runs from 1 December to 15 January. Artistic Director of Storyhouse, Alex Clifton, said: “We could not have asked for a better start to Storyhouse – audiences have loved the venue and our actors have had a wonderful time performing on the intimate thrust stage. Now it’s a chance to show the people of Chester just how versatile Storyhouse is, as we open up the space to become a full 800-seat auditorium and welcome what is a wonderfully varied and brilliantly entertaining season of shows to take us towards our first Christmas here. This autumn it’s all about having fun. And if you want to be amazed, uplifted and above all entertained, Storyhouse is the place to be.” Tickets for the touring season are on sale now visit www.storyhouse.com or call 0844 815 7202.

Autumn highlights at

sold out

Footloose 5 - 9 September

Jon Richardson 19 September

Tales of Offenbach 22 - 23 September

Joel Dommett 26 September

Cockfight 7 October

Blood Brothers 9 - 14 October

Starring Maureen Nolan sold out

All or Nothing 27 - 30 September

Stewart Lee 3 October sold out

Tangomotion 18 October

Jenny Eclair 19 October

sold out

Kate Rusby 20 October

Rich Hall 21 October

mag Chris ical tm s h ow a s

BalletBoyz 30 October

Spamalot 31 October 4 November

Things I Know to be True 7 - 11 November

The Secret Seven 1 December 14 January

book at storyhouse.com or at a ticket kiosk today

THE INTERVIEW: PAULA BASNETT

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AN INTERVIEW WITH PAULA BASNETT Paula Basnett, Chief Executive of Wirral Chamber of Commerce shares with us an insight into her life, career and role as a foster carer. Born in Birkenhead in 1967, Paula grew up with her parents and siblings John and Sharon. She now lives in Oxton with her husband Mark and her three children, Robert, 24, Jessica, 17, and Emily, 10. They also have six foster sons and daughters aged from 10 to 17.

Tell us what is your normal day like?

Paula worked for Wirral Council for 24 years where she gained valuable experience in supporting businesses with their growth plans. In 2014, she landed her dream job as Chief Executive of Wirral Chamber. Here she talks to Wirral Life in an exclusive interview about her role as Chief Executive, how she led a rescue mission to save the organisation from collapse and her role as a foster carer.

In the morning I often spend time with my senior managers and directors to review progress, opportunities and challenges. I like to keep a handle on our financial position with our head of finance and make time to talk 1:1 with staff to better understand the issues they face in the business.

When you were appointed as Chief Executive of Wirral Chamber in 2014, you led a rescue mission to save the organisation from collapse. It is now the fastest growing chamber, how did you achieve this? We started with a vision that the Chamber should be the best Chamber in the country. Of course that sounds fantastically ambitious given we were starting from such a low base but I firmly believe that a lack of ambition is the greatest limiting factor in business. So we set the bar high. I had the full backing of the outstanding group of business leaders who now comprise the Chamber Board, led by Chair Asif Hamid. Their experience, guidance and support gave me the confidence to aim high and the mandate to lead the organisation through the changes necessary to enable us to deliver on our goals. The transformation we have undertaken has only been possible with the active support of my Senior Management Team, the team of people, both within the Chamber and in partner organisations such as Wirral Council, who have fully embraced this vision and worked with me to realise it. Without them, none of this would have been possible. We still have a long way to go to becoming the best Chamber in the country but the progress we have made in the last 3 years has shown that this ambition is achievable and motivates us to get better each year.

One of the great things about being a Chamber Chief Executive is that no two days are the same so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult to describe a normal day.

Meeting with businesses is central to the Chamber and to my role. Only by understanding what business needs can we ensure that our services are helping them to achieve their potential. I try to meet with businesses most days, either at their premises or through one of our many events for businesses, from round table discussions to network receptions at one of our managed business centres. And partnership work is key too, as it is through our partnerships that we can grow and achieve more for business. So I am regularly meeting with partners, working on how we can develop more and better services for our businesses. Who is your role model of a leader? An early leadership role model for me in my career was a wonderful man called David Hunt. He led Wirralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inward Investment Team and appointed me as his Deputy in spite of my lack of investment experience at that time. He put his faith in me, involved me in key activities and decisions, entrusting me to take on demanding new challenges and I always knew he had my back. That was immensely empowering and helped me develop both personally and professionally to the point that over time I came to lead that organisation. Sadly David is no longer with us but I regularly think of him and try to emulate his empowering leadership style. His motto wirrallife.com 21

was “if your doing today, what you were doing yesterday, you will not be in business tomorrow”. I didn’t fully understand that saying until the last few years and realise how right he was. What has been the greatest challenge you have faced? The greatest challenge I have faced has been managing the rapid growth of the Chamber. Sustained high growth is demanding personally and on staff, it involves change, developing new management structures and delegating responsibilities. It also needs a keen eye on the financials. It involves long hours and constant vigilance. We have managed this process and continue to do so, but I can understand why so few businesses achieve sustained high business growth. It’s vital to have the right people around you to do this. I am very lucky to have a strong and committed Senior Management Team especially Sharon Stanton, Patsy Crocker, Kate Eugeni, Carl Gurnell and Gemma Stewart who have all supported me over the past four years to make the Chamber what it is today. What are the challenges to female leadership? I may not be very politically correct on this, but in my role I don’t see any particular challenges to female leadership – and interestingly most of the Chamber Chief Executives in our region are women. Sure there are some people who make assumptions about you as a woman in a leadership role, but I find that they are soon disabused of those views when they meet me. More generally, I’d love to see more women in business leadership roles as many of the ones I meet are exceptional. For me, the most important person that I needed to convince that I could be an effective leader was myself. Yes, taking that step into leadership was initially daunting but only by taking these steps can we appreciate what we are truly capable of. Three words that would describe you. I guess that is how I can come across as I’m very passionate, direct and decisive, although I do reserve the right to change my mind if I’m persuaded of a different view.

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What is your vision for Wirral’s economy and businesses? My vision for Wirral is a place where our children want to stay to pursue their careers and raise their families. We have some great natural and built assets, for both business and leisure, and it’s a great place to live for many of us. We have to build on these assets and make this a place that our leading businesses – like Unilever, Cammell Lairds, General Motors, Dong Energy, Typhoo, Progress to Excellence and The Contact Company – thrive, grow and attract their supply chains. We need a thriving small business ecosystem, brimming with high growth, innovative companies that sell their services nationally and internationally. We will make the most of our outstanding Liverpool facing waterfront and Wirral Waters schemes to make them business destinations of choice; and we will work with our town centres to make them attractive and sustainable destinations for shoppers and business. And we should achieve much greater inclusion – creating opportunities for all of Wirral’s residents to realise their potential. What is the main piece of advice you would give to those thinking of starting a business? Invest in ensuring there is a real demand for the product or service your business is looking to provide. If you’ve got something people want, at a price that you can make a margin on, then you’re in business. Family is very important to you and for many years you and your husband have fostered children. Why did you decide to become foster carers? There are a raft of reasons we decided to become foster carers but the most significant is the inspiration given to me in life by my mum. She drummed into us as children that we were no better than anyone else, but that no one was better than us. And she lived her life, and still does, to that belief. For years she supported the extended family whilst working full time too and we always had other children in the house with

us growing up. Doing the jobs we do, Mark and I are acutely aware that there are many people, especially children, who have been much less fortunate than we have. There is a chronic shortage of foster carers in Wirral and across the UK to provide caring homes for children who have been taken into care. We had the capacity, with help from my parents and the support of our own children, to offer a home to some of Wirral’s looked after children and it really has been the most remarkable experience. Where do you like to holiday? I’m in love with Italy as a holiday destination. We have been to Bergamo Alta, Rome and Sperlonga this year (all via Liverpool John Lennon Airport with Blue Air) and they were all fabulous. Where do you like to eat? I’m really enjoying EST Italia in West Kirby at the moment – relaxed Italian dining. How do you like to relax? On the sofa with my husband Mark watching Suits! Guilty pleasure? Breakfast in bed. Plans for the future? I am always making plans – at home and in work. I’m quite driven in that way. I still have a big job of work to do to get Wirral Chamber to be the very best in the country and that is my focus for the next few years. Beyond that I’m looking forward to travelling to visit our children as they set up home with their families wherever that takes them.

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PYGMY MARMOSET

CHESTER ZOO NAMED WORLD’S THIRD BEST ZOO Chester Zoo has been named as the third best rated zoo in the world by TripAdvisor – the world’s largest travel site. The zoo is home to over 15,000 animals from over 500 species set in 125 acres of zoological gardens. It is also rated as the best in the UK, according to new rankings based on millions of online reviews. The influential site announced the accolade via its 2017 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards. Jamie Christon, Chief Operating Officer at the zoo, said: “We’re absolutely ecstatic to have been named as the third best zoo in the world. It especially delights us as this ranking is based purely on the millions of reviews and opinions of visitors. It’s a real seal of approval from the public. With us being a registered conservation and education charity it means an awful lot – as every person that pays to come through our gates is contributing to our vital global conservation work, preventing extinction overseas and here in the UK.”

MEET THE UK’S ONLY ‘MINIATURE KANGAROOS’ The UK’s only dusky pademelons are set to make their public debut at Chester Zoo. Rare miniature wallabies, Kai and Aru, will soon hop out into the limelight – the first time the unusual Indonesian animals have ever been seen at Chester. The rare mammals, a species of marsupial, have arrived from Plzen Zoo in the Czech Republic. Mammal keepers hope to eventually introduce the duo to a female as part of a European-wide breeding programme for threatened animals. Dusky pademelons are also known as dusky wallabies and, in the wild, are found in forests on the island of New Guinea. They are listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with their population estimated to have declined by 30% in the last 1520 years. The demise of the species is largely due to hunting for its meat. 24 wirrallife.com

WORLD’S SMALLEST MONKEY GIVES BIRTH TO TINY TWINS A pygmy marmoset, the world’s smallest species of monkey, has given birth to twins at Chester Zoo. The tiny babies, weighing in at just 15 grams, will measure just five inches in length when fully grown. Arriving to mum Audrey and dad Gumi, the mini monkeys were born on 25 July but have only now grown to size whereby they’re big enough to spot. Dr Nick Davis, Deputy Curator of Mammals at the zoo, said: “Pygmy marmosets actually have relatively large babies for their tiny size. An adult will only weigh up to around 150 grams and so each baby equates to around 10% of its body weight. After giving the babies their regular feeds, mum Audrey, like all other female Eastern pygmy marmosets, steps aside while dad takes on the parental chores. The youngsters can therefore often be seen being carried by dad Gumi for long periods of time as mum takes a well-deserved break.”

DUSKY PADEMELONS

GUESS WHOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JUST OPENED A NEW PET SHOP?

LLANNERCH PARK, ST. ASAPH, LL17 0UY, NORTH WALES (JUST OFF THE A55). TEL: 01745 730072 www.tweedmill.co.uk

THE WIRRALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MOBILE VETERINARY SERVICE A FULL RANGE OF ROUTINE AND SPECIALIST SERVICES SUPPORTED BY OUR CENTRAL HESWALL HUB.

sandersonvet UNRIVALLED VETERINARY EXPERTISE

T: 07841 865 855 E: sandersonvet@outlook.com W: sandersonvet.com Room 20, Whitfield Business Hub, 184-200 Pensby Road, Heswall, CH60 7RJ

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THE MOBILE VET Richard Sanderson BVSc certAVP(SAP) GDL MRCVS, Owner of Sanderson Vet and Honorary Lecturer at University of Liverpool talks all things veterinary.

No animal is too old, only ever too ill. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our motto in relation to anaesthesia. Safe anaesthesia is a passion of the practice, as it leads to the best outcomes and recoveries. We aspire to offer anaesthesia like you would get in the best human hospitals. And as such, on a regular basis we safely anaesthetise elderly or geriatric patients. In recent times we have anaesthetised cats over the age of 20, and performed major surgery on dogs in their late teens! The vet should know the patient, and their owners, and forge a trusting relationship prior to anaesthesia in order to create a gold-standard patient-focused anaesthesia plan. We discuss this plan before any anaesthesia is performed at our state-of-the-art hub in Heswall. Each practice offers a different level of anaesthesia, and it is important to understand what your pet will receive. For us, the gold-standard approach is the only safe approach when it comes to anaesthetic safety, and we would urge clients to ask their vets what exactly is included as standard in their anaesthetic before undergoing any procedures. Anaesthetic monitoring is crucial and it is essential to have access to a multi-parameter monitoring devise to assist the team monitoring the anaesthetic. This allows us to monitor temperature, ECG, blood pressure, oxygen and CO2 levels as well as heart rate and respiratory rates. Our monitor comes from a human hospital, and allows us to provide adequate safe anaesthesia whilst minimising the amount of gas needed.

This reduces anaesthetic risk and speeds recovery and should be used as routine. We would never anaesthetise an animal without placing an IV line, and providing fluid therapy. This is essential for emergency access, but also helps protect organs from low blood pressure for example. No anaesthetic should be performed without this! To maintain temperature, active warming devices such as a Bair-Hugger or Hot-Dog should be used as standard. Hypothermia is a known risk factor for organ damage or delayed recovery, and we would never want to unnecessarily risk the patient through coldness. To ensure good anaesthesia, adequate pain relief is crucial. As standard we use multi-modal pain relief (several drugs) alongside local anaesthetic techniques. This helps to control pain and reduce the amount of anaesthetic required, minimising side-effects and risk. Without these things, anaesthesia is simply less safe and less effective. Often these things may not be standard but at Sanderson Vet we believe they are the absolute minimum level we offer. Our standard is the gold-standard. For more information on the service we offer, please contact us on 07841 865855.

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THE ART SCHOOL LAUNCH THE CHAMPAGNE & WINE CELLAR This month sees the opening of The Art School Cellars - a bespoke Champagne and wine cellar, where Chef Patron Paul Askew and the team will share their handpicked selection of premium Champagnes, fine wines, British cheeses and artisan Charcuterie - all of which can be enjoyed in an environment of comfort and relaxation. Inspired by the Pinchos of the Basque Country and the Deli’s of Italy, they want to encourage the culture of ‘gastronomic grazing’ in the hospitable city of Liverpool. With over 300 different wines on offer and an extensive cocktail list coupled with fresh bread and small dishes available to order. All food is prepared daily by The Art School Restaurant team. As part of this exciting new addition to Liverpool, they also have a private Tasting Room. Suitable for up to ten guests, you can enjoy a journey through matched foods and wines, whilst The Art School Sommeliers are on hand to give a detailed explanation for each pairing. Their hope is that you enjoy their Liverpudlian warmth and friendliness whilst experiencing world-class food and drink consumption in sumptuous surroundings. Speaking of the imminent arrival of the Art School Cellars, Chef Paul Askew explains how the new project came about and what guests can expect: “I wanted to expand on the Art School brand and the realisation that our lovely little restaurant bar is simply too small to accommodate all of our guests pre- and post-dining. It also highlighted the fact that a bar like this was needed in the city – a feeling that we needed a Champagne bar version of the Art School to continue the gastronomic journey and the food culture in the city. My other passion, apart from food and drink, is travelling to find out about more food and drink and discovering food culture around the World. For

example, at Peck in Milan, there is every possible cheese, piece of Charcuterie, mushroom, desserts. It is just astonishing, their wine cellar and every level you go up reminds you of the depth of culture and food knowledge and desire that there are in countries like Italy. Then you go to the Basque Country, San Sebastian or Biarritz and there are little Pinchos on the bar that you could win a Michelin star for and a little simple glass of wine but when you put the two together, the sun comes out, the clouds part and everything is wonderful. So, for me, it was trying to capture some of that and put it into an environment that offered that but in a Liverpool way and also in a ‘come and try what this is.’ Just as I want the restaurant to be Le Gavroche of the North, I want the new bar to be the Dorchester or Ritz of the North with the style of service. An international standard of service with food, drinks, product knowledge and environment. We want it to be an exemplar of what the Liverpool food and bar culture can be and I think people want that. The restaurant has demonstrated that the market is there if you do it properly. The key thing is that yes, of course it is for pre and post dinner drinks at The Art School, but we do have a front door so if you’re going to see a show at The Philharmonic, you can pop in and have a glass of wine and a plate of cheese or Charcuterie. These are smaller dishes, the Pinchos are basically miniatures of what we create in the Art School. This gives Gianfranco the opportunity to demonstrate downstairs what we do up in the restaurant. We hope this will lead to guests trying the Tasting Room to sample them with five different wines and Pinchos or try the full Tasting Menu upstairs.” For more information, call 0151 230 8600 or visit www.theartschoolrestaurant.co.uk

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“Port Ruighe doesn’t have an age statement and smoke comes in a sophisticated way. Sweet peat, light, fruity and salty notes.”

THE WHISKY CONNOISSEUR BY DAVID GREEN, THE RED FOX

Talisker is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery located in Carbost, on the Isle of Skye, which is situated off the north west of mainland Scotland and is renowned for its rich, varied landscape. From its soft, serene shores to the dark, jagged peaks of the Cuillin mountain Skye is the largest island in the Inner Hebrides archipelago, it has an indented coastline of peninsulas and narrow lochs, radiating out from a mountainous interior, with a population of around 10,000. Talisker is the only distillery on the island and has a rich history of producing quality malts and perhaps can lay claim on being one of the most remote distilleries of all, but yet is known and loved world wide. Originally founded in 1830, the distillery was rebuilt in 1960 after a still house fire completely destroyed the distillery. The malts produced there today are most frequently associated with a smoky sweetness, perhaps a little medicinal with maritime notes and a spicy edge and are usually matured in American oak casks. Their tagline is appropriate for a distillery representing the Island region of Scotch whisky: ‘Made by the sea.’ They mainly use a malt which is peated to a phenol level of approximately 18–22 parts per million (ppm), which is a medium peating level giving the light smoky flavours. The water is also really important for the flavour; it comes from over 21 springs directly above the distillery via a network of pipes and wells and flows over peat, which adds additional complexity to the whisky. Though the whisky distillery is far from large, its capacity is rather modest by comparison but they are not short of accolades and awards, winning ‘Best Single Malt In The World’ more than once and far to many other awards to name here – but it’s fair to say they must have big trophy cabinet; it’s also claimed that Talisker was the favourite whisky of writer Robert Louis Stevenson.

Talisker produce a range of malts including the flagship ‘10 year’ which has lots of spice and thick tangy peat which is probably the flavour profile most people think of when Talisker is mentioned; however look beyond this expression and you will find many variations on flavours including; the no age statement ‘Storm’ which is not as abrupt as the 10 Year, quite creamy by comparison; ‘Skye’ which uses more toasted casks to give a much sweeter and less peaty flavour, there is also ’57 degrees north’ which is bottled a cask strength and then the pretty amazing ‘25 year’ which is smooth with sweet wood & vanilla notes. My personal favourite is the no age statement, Port Ruighe (pronounced ‘Port Ree’) this is quite a bit different from the rest of the Taliskers on the market as it has been double matured in Port casks imparting a new dimension to this Isle of Skye single malt. Alongside the distillery style there are similarities with the thicker, oilier mouthfeel and wood smoke. Port Ruighe has taken on additional characteristics from the Port casks however, adding sweetness and different notes such as plum and chocolate. Those port casks have definitely had their influence on the nose. So much so that, bar some citrus, the classic Talisker traits are hardly recognisable. Port Ruighe doesn’t have an age statement and smoke comes in a sophisticated way. Sweet peat and light fruity and salty notes. I get mostly dark fruit prunes, dates and a hint of cranberries and chocolate. The peat wants to shine, but is not given the chance. Although there is a medicinal touch in there somewhere, perhaps a pinch of salt and a leaf of mint this is a pretty special dram and lovely to share with friends around a fire. Available at The Red Fox or grab a bottle for £49.84 at www.masterofmalt.com

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Celebrate c h ri s t m a s join us over christmas and new year for our festive party nights and events

from ÂŁ39 per person all inclusive packages from ÂŁ70 Includes, 3 course meal, entertainment, house beers, wines and spirits until 2am events include:

showtime

3 course menu, live band, DJ until 2am

dance the night away 3 course menu, DJ until 2am

festive dining in lawns restaurant Lunch | Afternoon Tea | Dinner

sales@thorntonhallhotel.com

thorntonhallhotel.com

Neston Road, Thornton Hough, Wirral CH63 1JF 0151 336 3938 | thorntonhallhotel.com

THE FINEST WELSH PRODUCE The Mill Farm shop offers an excellent choice of great quality products sourced from handpicked local suppliers, showcasing the very best that Wales has to offer. You will find a wonderful selection of artisan foods from handmade cakes and bread to jams, chutneys and pickles. Not forgetting our extensive range of award-winning Welsh and international wines, whisky, vodka, gin, ale and cider. You’ll also find lots of specialty dishes at our award-winning butchers and deil counter. The tastiest Welsh black beef stir-fry’s, curries, kebabs, burgers, sausages and pies, all made in-house to our own special recipes.

LLANNERCH PARK, ST. ASAPH, LL17 0UY, NORTH WALES (JUST OFF THE A55). TEL: 01745 730072 www.tweedmill.co.uk

THE BUTCHERS CUT BY MUFFS OF BROMBOROUGH

Here at Muffs our business has grown and evolved over the years. To keep up with the ever changing way in which people eat, shop and live their lives we have had to move with the times. Here is an overview of what we have to offer: Dry Aged Beef We have two dry aging fridges where we age our beef to make it tender and intensify the flavour, we age our choice cuts for a minimum of 28 days. Butchery We buy only the very best meat Beef, Pork, Lamb and fresh chickens - we believe that when it comes to meat only the very best is good enough for our customers. Ready meals We have extended our range of ready meals and have a selection of chicken dishes and casserole meals that cook in 30 minutes. Sausages We have won a number of national awards for our sausages. These include: Champion of Champions, London National Champion Best Butcher Sausage in Great Britain, Great Taste Awards Regional Champion Old English Sausage, Gold award for Black Pudding France and many more. Fresh Vegetables We have started selling fresh vegetables. We try to get as much as we can local and visit Liverpool market twice a week. We believe in supporting local growers. Drink We sell beer brewed on the Wirral. Brimstage beer, Peerless beer from Birkenhead and Wirral gin. We also have a wine merchant who recommends fine wine that isn’t available in supermarkets. Preserves We stock a wide selection of preserves including Mrs Darlingtons and Cottage Delight. Cheese We have a selection of good quality local and continental cheeses. We are also delighted to announce that we have launched our new range of top quality Muffs of Bromborough produce at Gordale Nurseries.

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BEEF GOULASH INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • •

1kg good braising steak, preferably chuck steak 1 tbsp sunflower oil 3 medium onions, cut into 12 wedges 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp hot smoked paprika 1 tbsp paprika 1 beef stock cube 600ml cold water

• • • • • • • •

400g can of chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato purée 2 bay leaves 1 red pepper 1 green pepper 1 orange pepper flaked sea salt freshly ground black pepper

METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/Fan 150°C/Gas 3½. Trim any hard fat off the beef and cut the meat into rough 4cm chunks. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 2. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Add the steak and fry over a high heat until nicely browned all over, turning regularly. Tip the onions into the pan and cook with the beef for 5 minutes until softened. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a further minute, stirring regularly. 3. Sprinkle both paprikas over the meat and crumble the beef stock cube on top. Add the water, tomatoes, tomato purée and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, stir well and bring to a simmer. Cover with a tightly fitting lid and transfer the dish to the oven. Cook for 1½ hours. 4. While the beef is cooking, remove the core and seeds from each pepper and chuck them away. Cut each pepper into chunks of about 3cm. When the beef has cooked for 1½ hours, carefully remove the dish from the oven. Stir in the peppers, put the lid back on and put the goulash back in the oven for a further hour or until the beef is meltingly tender. 5. Serve with small portions of rice and spoonfuls of soured cream if you like, but don’t be too generous – soured cream contains less fat than double cream but still has 30 calories per tablespoon.

muffs means meat AND MUCH MUCH MORE!

FINE FOODS AND DELI

EST 1974

Multi-award-winning Steve and John Muff only use the finest ingredients in their sausages, pies and puddings to ensure that they maintain the high quality for which they are known, not only in the North West, but across the whole of the UK.

Muffs of Bromborough. The Cross, Allport Lane, Wirral, CH62 7HQ. Tel: 0151 334 2002. www.muffsonline.co.uk

OUR PRODUCTS ARE NOW SOLD IN GORDALE

IZAKAYA

by Nicky Rigby-Smith & Si Hall

If you think Japanese food is just sushi, think again. Izakaya is a great new Japanese restaurant situated on Castle Street in Liverpool with a fantastic atmosphere. We were welcomed by the very friendly and attentive General Manager, Gabriella King. We started with a couple of glasses of the sparkling Sake - served cold (we had only ever had it hot, it’s more akin to a Japanese Prosecco - really good) and also ordered a bottle of the house white (a decent Pinot Grigio), reasonably priced at £18. At Izakaya an exciting menu lists a huge range of dishes from every corner of Japan; there is the main menu and a separate sushi menu. As there was such an extensive selection, we decided to order a number of small plates to share between our party. First up was the Karrage Chicken Tempura. What can we say - amazing – their own secret crispy coating recipe (KFC’s Col Sanders will be turning in his grave) served with Japanese mayonnaise and lime. The Vegetable Tempura consisted of broccoli, aubergine, red peppers and was served with a Soy & Rice Wine Dressing. Heaven. We all noted how generous the portion sizes were. Feeling very impressed at this point, our next dish landed. Pork Gyoza with a sliced chilli and sesame dressing - very nicely done and the chilli complimented the dish superbly. Next to arrive was the Salmon Teriyaki skewers with spring onion. At £4.95, this was not only excellent value but absolutely delicious, so fresh and buttery – highly recommended.

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Next up was the Hoisin duck Temaki and Sake & Maguro Sashimi. You can watch them all being delicately prepared in the open kitchen. Yet again the presentation was outstanding. The Temaki was served with duck leg confit, hoisin sauce, cucumber, spring onion and sesame seeds wrapped in seaweed. The Sake Sashimi (Salmon) and the Maguro (Tuna) were the thickest cut slices we’ve ever had, so fresh we felt cleansed. Excellent, we could eat this 24/7. For our mains, we ordered a classic Chicken Katsu curry with Japanese pickles and sticky rice, along with Sirloin steak marinated in sake, soy and radish. The chicken was really moist and a really good size portion! The seared sirloin steak was served pink and juicy - perfect for us meat lovers. There is a carefully planned list of Japanese drinks including cocktails such as Sake Spice – made up with sake, ginger syrup, maraschino, dry orange curacao and cardamom, served with an edible flower. All the dishes was presented beautifully, but they weren’t just pretty - they were seriously tasty. It is no surprise that they already have a great reputation due to the consistent excellence of their Sushi and Teppanyaki. Overall, if you want an authentic but modern Japanese gastro experience, this is in our opinion the best place in Liverpool. Well done guys. Full marks. Booking is advisable Tel: 0151 236 2018 www.izakaya-sushi.co.uk

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THE FOREST SIDE

by Carl Housbey

Apparently, the Lake District attracts over 18 million visitors a year, and I think on my recent visit to The Forest Side I was behind every one of them driving past Windermere. Fortunately, the slow-moving traffic gave me plenty of time to admire the stunning scenery, and helped build the anticipation for what I knew was going to be another amazing meal. You see, I have eaten Head Chef Kevin Tickle’s food many times before, not just at The Forest Side, but at other venues as well, including L’Enclume in Cartmel where I was privileged to spend the day foraging with him for the ingredients to make my dinner - an experience I will never forget. Kevin is Cumbrian born and bred, and has spent his whole life exploring the forests and lakes building up an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the local flora and fauna, as well as learning how the best flavour can be extracted from each ingredient before combining them on the plate to maximum effect. The style of food served at The Forest Side is clean, modern and precise, and absolutely packed with flavour, so it’s no surprise whatsoever that they were awarded a Michelin Star in October 2016 after only being open for just over six months. Kevin has built an excellent team around himself in the kitchen, including Sous Chef Martin Frickel who earlier this year received an Acorn Award, which is something only given to the Top 30 under 30. I was here for lunch this time, and I had to choose between the four course “Bait” menu, or the six course “L’al ‘Un”, and it goes without saying that I went for the six course. These are the kind of sacrifices that I make for the loyal readers of Wirral Life magazine, plus who could resist another two courses of outstanding food, not me. 38 wirrallife.com

Lunch started with several exquisite snacks, and a small loaf of warm freshly baked bread with lightly whipped butter. Then it was straight into the first course of pigs tail with coastal greens, apple honey and a side of seaweed broth, this dish was so tasty it left me wishing that pigs came with more than one tail. Next was a duck heart salad, with horseradish and burnt kale, which gives it that lovely crunchy texture with a slightly nutty flavour. This was followed by a precisely cooked fillet of lemon sole that was still wonderfully moist and delicate, with the impression that it had been plucked straight from the sea reinforced by the accompanying mussels and marsh herbs. Main course was a melt in the mouth piece of aged shorthorn beef rib with golden chanterelles that had been cooked in bone marrow to leave them with that slightly sticky lip smacking richness, and some umbelifers on the side – I will leave you to Google that one yourself. The pair of desserts that followed captured the taste of British fruit superbly, first strawberry, clotted cream and apple marigold, then blackberry, douglas fir and cobnut, both dishes were fabulously fresh and mouthwateringly delicious. If you’ve still room after eating all that then I suggest you go for the optional extra cheese course which allows you to choose from a fantastic array of UK cheeses sourced by Courtyard Dairy, that are served at the perfect ripeness with homemade crackers and chutneys. For more information click www.theforestside.com or to make a reservation call 01539 435250. Follow Carl on Twitter @carlhousbey.

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A DV E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

Is your income suffering from record-low interest rates? Wealth management specialist Wilf Burns explores your options.

ncome is important. It’s an obvious statement. The difficulty is that, in an uncertain world, investment income is hard to find right now. Investors looking for income have faced an increasing challenge ever since the financial crisis broke in 2008. Prudence and vigilance became the order of the day as financial institutions across the globe took extreme measures to protect themselves from global meltdown. Central Governments across the world also reacted strongly, forcing interest rates to record lows. Six years on and interest rates in the UK remain almost non-existent. The result is real losses for savers in bank and building society deposits which fail to match inflation.

With dividend payouts on the turn, the outlook for equity income funds could also be on the up. Equity income funds have a strong track record for delivering attractive, sustainable income and steady returns over the long term. But it is worth remembering that not all equity income funds are the same. Some are better for income, while others provide better prospects for total return investors through the reinvestment of income. St. James’s Place offers a range of equity income funds managed by investment managers with complementary styles.

Investors wanting to secure a better level of income have realised that they must look beyond traditional cash deposits.

Corporate bond funds which are, by their nature income producers, remain popular particularly with cautious investors. At St. James’s Place we firmly subscribe to the view that a diversified fixed interest strategy with exposure to investment grade, subinvestment grade and senior secured debt will help position your portfolio to benefit from growth across the credit spectrum.

History shows that investing in equities, or shares, has provided investors with a better chance of outpacing inflation over the long term versus other asset classes, particularly if the shares are able to increase the dividend payments year after year. Positively, there are indications that the recent trend of increasing dividend payments could be sustainable.

Commercial property felt the full effects of the credit crunch and the fall in property values left many investors nursing significant losses. But again, history suggests that commercial property has a place in a portfolio for income investors. Its long-term track record is strong and, importantly, it offers returns that are lowly correlated to other

WILF BURNS Associate Partner Tel: 0151 958 0496 Email: wilf.burns@sjpp.co.uk Web: www.wilfburns.co.uk

Wilf Burns is based locally and is inviting Wirral Life readers to discuss their concerns and discover the opportunities that are available. Call 01234 567890 for more information or your complimentary guide to wealth management. asset classes. Investors should however note that investing in real asset classes (equities, corporate bonds and commercial property) does not provide the security of capital which is characteristic of a deposit account with a bank or building society. The value of capital, and income from it, can fall as well as rise and you may not get back the original amount invested. Those investing for income need to remember that no one asset class is the panacea. With uncertainty around interest rates, a welldiversified, well-managed portfolio which blends a range of asset classes remains the most suitable strategy for investors to satisfy their longer-term income needs. At St. James’s Place we believe that our ability to tailor solutions to an individual’s needs and attitude to risk means your income investments are in good hands. The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.

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Inheritance InheritanceTax Tax could could pose pose aa threat threat to to your your prosperity... prosperity... hile most people are aware of the existence of Inheritance Tax (IHT), it is a subject which gives rise to W mostorpeople aware and of the existence of Inheritance Taxrather (IHT),delay it is consideration a subject which givesmatter. rise to W some hile distaste lack ofareinterest many, not surprisingly, would of the some distaste or lack of interest and many, not surprisingly, would rather delay consideration of the matter. So few people do anything about their potential IHT liability, the result is that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) So few people do£4.7 anything about their potential IHT liability, the result&isCustoms, that HM 29 Revenue & Customs (HMRC) collected around billion in 2015/16 alone (source: HM Revenue July 2016). collected around £4.7 billion in 2015/16 alone (source: HM Revenue & Customs, 29 July 2016). I can create and implement highly effective tax-minimisation strategies, with a particular emphasis on reducing I canestate’s create and implement highly Tax. effective tax-minimisation strategies, with a particular emphasis on reducing your liability to Inheritance your estate’s liability to Inheritance Tax. The levels and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation can change at any time and are dependent on The levelscircumstances. and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation can change at any time and are dependent on individual individual circumstances. For further information, or to request your complimentary guide to Inheritance Tax, contact: For further information, or to request your complimentary guide to Inheritance Tax, contact:

MICHAEL EDWARDS WILF BURNS MICHAEL Associate Partner EDWARDS Partner Partner

Tel: 01234958 567890 Tel: 0151 0496 Email: michael.edwards@sjpp.co.uk Tel: 01234 567890 wilf.burns@sjpp.co.uk Web: www.michealedwards.co.uk Email:www.wilfburns.co.uk michael.edwards@sjpp.co.uk Web: www.michealedwards.co.uk

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PA RT N E R S I N M A N AG I N G YO U R W E A LT H

The Partner represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The Partner represents only St. James’s Place WealthisManagement (which andJames’s regulated byrepresentatives. the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of The title ‘Partner’ the marketingplcterm usedistoauthorised describe St. Place advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The title ‘Partner’ is the marketing term used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

*Terms & Conditions Apply Authorised and regulated by the financial conduct authority WIRRAL SHOWROOM

LIVERPOOL SHOWROOM

291 Woodchurch Road Prenton www.panoramakitchens.co.uk Wirral CH42 9LE 0151 609 0455

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SHOW HOME INSPIRATION FOR ALL THE FAMILY AT PARKGATE & NESTON Take a look inside the show home at Old Quay Meadow and you’ll see a home full of pure imagination and interior inspiration.

mirrored furniture, really makes a statement. The ceiling light in this room features sparkly acrylic baubles which create a lovely presence.

Elan Homes enlisted Stanza Style to dress the five-bedroom Chesham show home at the development in Parkgate and Neston. While many of the design cues are taken from the surrounding natural environment, the stylists have also had lots of fun, creating bedrooms full of character including a Roald Dahl inspired children’s room. Alex Egan, from Stanza Style, explains: “We’ve thought about the type of families who would want to live at Old Quay Meadow and styled the show home with lots of character and personality, while also showcasing the spaciousness and the specification. For example, the open plan, kitchen, dining and family room is the hub of the home, somewhere families will create new memories and recall old ones. We’ve covered one of the walls with a map and pinned postcards to it, creating the impression that this is the home of a well-travelled family. It’s been a real talking point amongst visitors who want to recreate the look in their own homes Upstairs, in one of the children’s bedrooms, we’ve pained a mural of Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka at the factory gates on one of the walls in their bedroom. This characterful room captures the imaginations of parents and children alike and has lots of accessories linked to the story and films. There’s also a teenage girl’s room we like to call the enchantment room. Painted lilac, furnished with a wooden bed with willow sprayed silver and tied to the frame with sparkly LED lights, bird boxes and pinecones, it’s lots of fun.”

The second bedroom features metallic wallpaper and an upholstered beige bedstead. One of the bedrooms is dressed as a guest room with tile effect wallpaper, plus cream and oak furniture, giving it a Moroccan feel. Trellis style wallpaper in the lounge is complemented by a green upholstered coffee table set atop a mauve rug, plus walnut furniture and a statement mirror above the fireplace. Van Gough inspired wallpaper in the dining room has the texture of an oil painting. A quality oak dining table, set for six, with upholstered chairs, emphasises the spaciousness of this room. Gill Dale, field sales manager for Elan Homes in the North, said: “Dozens of people have viewed the Chesham show home at Old Quay Meadow and the overwhelming feedback is that they love the interior styling. We’ve also had lots of comments about how spacious the properties are and the high specification we offer. It really is a must-see for buyers.”

In the master bedroom there are damask purple tones including to a feature headboard with curves or wings on the sides, which along with the curved chaise, plus black and

The Chesham show home is open Thursday to Monday from 10am to 5pm. For more information see www.elan-homes. co.uk/old-quay-meadow or call 0845 481 8807.

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Current prices at Old Quay Meadow start from £299,995 for a three-bedroom property, with a five-bedroom Chesham like the show home, available from £489,995. The new homes are ideally situated to enjoy the coast and countryside, in an area with a strong sense of community. Residents can perhaps take their dog for a walk through Wirral Country Park or enjoy a leisurely stroll along the promenade at Parkgate while tucking into fish and chips or homemade ice-cream.

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T: 01244 328 361

W: jackson-stops.co.uk

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BEST PROPERTIES EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHOICE

Woodend Cottage, Burton ÂŁ950,000 Woodend Cottage occupies a peaceful position on the edge of Burton, surrounded by well maintained gardens and grounds. The property is built of brick and block with painted rendered elevations under a mansard hung tiled roof and is served by oil fired central heating, double glazing and solar panels to supplement the electricity. Woodend Cottage provides spacious and very highly adaptable accommodation arranged over two floors, well laid out for family living and finished to a good specification throughout. From the entrance hall, which has an oak floor and staircase leading to the first floor landing, there is access to the dining room, door to kitchen and double doors opening to the main lounge, an impressive square room with Karndean floor, electric effect fire, three aspects to the gardens, and plenty of space for several sofas, coffee table and piano. Off the lounge is the kitchen/breakfast room which overlooks the rear garden towards the woodland and also has return access into the dining room. Beyond the kitchen is the utility room and access to the conservatory access into the sitting room, hall and games room. At first floor level the accommodation is as comprehensive with five double bedrooms, one of which is presently used as an office, and 3 bath/ shower rooms, one of which is en-suite to the master bedroom.

Contact Jackson-Stops for more information on 01244 328361.

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6 Cwrt Arthur, Ruthin ÂŁ395,000 Cwrt Arthur is a small development by local builders DavCott Developments, comprising just 10 individual dwellings located in the heart of the Vale of Clwyd. Built to a high standard of brick and block under slate roofs served with double glazing throughout and under floor heating, each property will be energy efficient, complemented by quality interior specification including Siemens kitchen appliances and Villeroy and Bosh sanitary ware. Number 6 provides spacious and well proportioned accommodation, suited to a cross section of the market, particularly the family buyer, professional party or perhaps someone downsizing from a larger property. It is located in the centre of the development with a wonderful open aspect at the rear across the surrounding countryside and to the Clwydian Range. From the entrance hall there is access to both reception rooms at the front of the house and double doors into the kitchen/breakfast room at the rear. This provides fantastic everyday living space with plenty of room for a table and chairs, and sofas with coffee table, as well as wide sliding doors opening directly into the rear garden with patio. The first floor is accessed via a turned staircase with oak handrail and glazed panels. The accommodation is comprehensive with four double bedrooms and three bath/shower rooms two of which are en-suite and all fitted with tiled walls and floors and Villeroy and Boch and Hansgrohe fitments.

4838 wirrallife.com wirrallife.com

Contact Jackson-Stops for more information on 01244 328361.

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Cil y Gwynt, Rhoscolyn, Anglesey ÂŁ900,000 An impressive detached house providing spacious and extremely adaptable accommodation occupying a sought after coastal location with panoramic views and within walking distance of the beach. Cil y Gwynt is a detached house which was created in 2003 following a comprehensive scheme of extension and renovation of a smaller period property. It is constructed of stone and block with white painted rendered elevations under a slate roof and provides spacious accommodation arranged over three floors extending to circa 3750 square feet, served by oil fired central heating and double glazing. The layout is highly adaptable, suitable for family living be it as a permanent residence or for holiday use and outside has plenty of space for parking vehicles and boats together with a paddock. Double doors open from the vestibule into the hall which has an impressive turned staircase with, on a half landing, glazed sliding doors looking south over the garden. There is a series of double bedrooms and smaller single or bunk rooms, together with 4 bath/ shower rooms two of which are en-suite along with a useful utility which houses the two Worcester boilers. At first floor level the galleried landing provides access into a large kitchen/breakfast room off which double doors open into the family room, making a fantastic everyday living space with access to the balcony and southerly views to the beach and sea.

Contact Jackson-Stops for more information on 01244 328361.

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Building Plot at Black Friars, Chester ÂŁ425,000 An exciting opportunity to acquire an individual building plot within the city walls with planning permission for an impressive detached house of over 3,000 sq ft . On the 1st March 2016 Planning Application Number 15/03977/FUL was approved permitting the erection of a single residential dwelling with off street parking. The property represents an extremely rare opportunity to create an impressive architect designed detached house located within the historic city walls and a short walk from all of Chesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amenities and the Roodee. Indeed, building plots within the walls for a detached house of such proportions are in short supply. The site is relatively level and rectangular in shape, and the permission provides for a four storey house constructed of brick and block and designed to make best use of the space available not least in order to create garaging, a rare attribute for a property to have in the centre of Chester. The layout is created with everyday modern living in mind which should appeal to a wide range of buyers including families, professional parties and perhaps those wishing top downsize, including an open plan kitchen with dining area opening directly on to a terrace, two reception rooms, presently configured as lounge and office, and 4 double bedrooms complemented by 4 bath/ shower rooms. Of particular note are the south facing walled garden and terraces with views from the third and fourth floors across the rooftops to the Roodee and Welsh Hills in the distance. 5038wirrallife.com wirrallife.com

Contact Jackson-Stops for more information on 01244 328361.

*Terms & Conditions Apply Authorised and regulated by the financial conduct authority WIRRAL SHOWROOM

LIVERPOOL SHOWROOM

291 Woodchurch Road Prenton www.panoramakitchens.co.uk Wirral CH42 9LE 0151 609 0455

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INTERIOR INSPIRATION BY KATE KINGSTON

Kate Kingston, Managing Director of Kingston Shaw, an interior design company with offices on the Wirral, London and Dubai, shares with us the latest trends for creating the perfect home.

ART FOR ART’S SAKE Recently I have purchased some new art for both the office and for home, an indulgent hobby that I love. However, I notice that when I mention it to people they screw their faces up and tend to take a deep breath, inferring that this must be an expensive hobby! Far from it, I am not in the habit or market for buying a Picasso, but I do like to find new artists and I find myself framing almost anything and declaring it art. Bearing the above in mind, I thought it maybe useful to share some of our art sources with you, because as we all know, a well-placed piece of art can make or break a room, so here are a few of our resources and tips for making the most out of your art and redefining your space. 1

Framing is key, whether you are framing your loved ones penmanship, kids hand paintings or a Goya ensure the frame enhances the piece and suits the subject matter. Splurge and go for the museum quality glass as it will protect your art and prevent nasty glares. Framing all your art in the same frames adds a contemporary feel or for a more eclectic look mix contemporary frames with vintage and play with the scale. 3

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Never buy any piece of art you are not crazy about, if it doesn’t speak to you, why would you want to hang it in your house and look at it for years? Don’t be swayed by anyone else’s opinion trust your art gut (it’s located just below your ‘I should have bought two of those’ guts). Art and Frame by www.rocketsttgeorge.co.uk

You don’t have to hang at all, art can be found on the floor, on tables, on the ceiling wherever you lay your art that’s its home!

Invest in new artists, it is so satisfying, joining someone on the start of their career, you never know they maybe the next Damian Hurst. We are loving new young local artist Femi Da Costa Greaves who can be contacted through Instagram @femi_dacosta Finally, if you are anything like me then grouping anything will give you immense pleasure, the more obtuse the better as seen here, but be warned, if you don’t map it out and plan it properly it will look cluttered and not accidentally curated.

Hang the unusual, it doesn’t have to be a square piece of canvas or a photograph, art comes in all shapes and sizes. Consider hanging a gun toting hare like this one from www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

Don’t get hung up about art, choose what you like, it’s all subjective and no one is right or wrong. Our Little Black Book: • www.kingandmcgaw.com • www.romagallaries.co.uk • www.affordableartfair.com • www.sarahmyerscough.com • www.nicolaslaborie.com

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A GARDEN IS TRANSFORMED WITH COLOURFENCE Local Wirral residents, Steve and Pauline Martindale, had a problem in common with many home owners; they had garden fencing in need of repetitive and tiresome maintenance work involving money, time and effort that they know can be put to better use.

fence panels. They then installed attractive low-maintenance Colourfence to provide privacy and security around the boundary of their property. The transformation took place over four days, with the first day and a half given to taking down and removing the existing wall and fence. Steve explains that Colourfence Wirral “did a really professional job removing the existing wall. I was expecting to come home from work to a prospective bomb site but this was not the case at all.’ The Colourfence Wirral team ensured that all debris was removed from the property at the end of each day, leaving the site clean and tidy and ready for the next days’ work.” At the end of the fourth day, Steve and Pauline were delighted with their beautiful new, low maintenance fencing. “The fence looks absolutely stunning, it has made such a difference to the garden” said Steve.

There is often a need to reinstall, nail, patch, repair, or paint timber fencing. However, Steve and Pauline can now relax and enjoy their garden with increased privacy and without the need to get out the paint brushes and tools to replace, repair and maintain conventional timber panels. They have installed the innovative garden fencing system called “Colourfence” and they are delighted with the results. The couple found “Colourfence Wirral” online while looking for fencing solutions and they called Maxine Mitchell to discuss with them the features and benefits of Colourfence. They discovered that Colourfence is made from one of the most advanced steel products - Colorbond steel, and that it features an anti-corrosive coating, guaranteed not to rust. They were impressed by the quality and strength of the fencing materials that will withstand wind speeds of up to 130 mph and that have a 25 year guarantee. They asked Maxine to provide a free measure and quote and found that the good value and superior quality of Colourfence made it an easy choice solution for their garden fencing.

The existing fencing was taken down and the materials removed to a licensed waste depot. Colourfence Wirral installed the new fencing for Steve and Pauline quickly and efficiently. They first removed an existing brick wall 25 metres in length and many old timber 58 wirrallife.com

The new Colourfence installed (Both sides are identical so there is no ‘bad side’) While impressed with the aesthetics of Colourfence, the Martindale’s are content that they will never have to pick up another paint brush or have to carry out any maintenance of their garden fencing. They can rest assured that the high tensile steel of Colourfence will not warp, rust, peel, break or blow over, whatever the weather throws at it. Steve and Pauline can enjoy their garden knowing that their fence is maintenance free with just the occasional hose down with the garden hose to keep it looking good as new. Colourfence Wirral thanked Steve and Pauline for their business. The Colourfence business model is built upon ethical trading. As Maxine explains her company has a no pressure promise when it comes to selling. ‘We never use any “hard sell” tactics; we simply arrange a friendly, no obligation meeting with customers and discuss their fencing requirements. The benefit of having such a great product range is that they ‘sell themselves’. You can be among the first in your neighbourhood to install this superior quality fencing that is sure to impress. Simply call Maxine for a no obligation measure and quote today. For more information, visit Colourfence.co.uk or contact Maxine Mitchell, maxine.mitchell@colourfence.co.uk or 0756 531 5123.

THE STRONG, SECURE AND REVOLUTIONARY COLOURFENCE. The only garden fence you will ever need. Colourfence is high tensile steel making it extremely strong but very lightweight too. The most practical alternative to traditional wooden fencing as it will never rot, warp, corrode or peel and can withstand storm force winds of up to 130 miles per hour. Colourfence has been proven over the years in the harshest climate and high UV conditions of Australia. Colourfence also comes with a 25 year guarantee, virtually maintenance free except for the occasional wash down with the garden hose to keep it looking brand new.

Discover the benefits at Colourfence.co.uk For a no obligation measure and quote call Maxine Mitchell on 0756 531 5123

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AUTUMN SKIN CARE WITH SDS REJUVENATE As the nights draw in and autumn sets in, it’s time to rethink your skincare. We’ve all tried and tested every skincare product on the market, but do we know what our skin is really crying out for? SDS experts suggest that we need to look out for; protection - from both harmful UVA and UVB rays, and environmental pollutants and hydration – following an easy proven skin care regime is imperative if one wants to delay the signs of ageing and to achieve radiant skin. In case you weren’t already aware, there are many benefits for cleansing and exfoliating your skin. It’s the initial step to radiant skin and is considered one of the most important beauty techniques as it removes any dead skin cells for a smoother, fresher feel. In the SDS skincare range we offer two products; a glycolic cleanser (Reveal) which is a hydrating and antioxidant gel cleanser, ideal for dehydrated and mature skin, or a soothing natural daily cleanser (Prepare), which also has anti-ageing, antioxidant and skin softening properties. This cleans skin of daily debris and heavy eye makeup. The concern for skin hydration after harsh summer sun when our skin has been exposed to high intensive rays. To attain a healthy complexion not only do we recommend Hydrate; a Hyaluronic booster serum, which helps to retain over 1000 times its weight in water within the cells of the skin making it an excellent moisturiser. No other biological substance can retain as much water as ‘HA’. Our ability to produce ‘HA’ declines with age which leads to increased dryness, fine lines and wrinkles. Many products bought on the high street and advertised in magazines claim to contain ‘HA’; this is true but the concentration of ‘HA’ in these over the counter products is minute when compared to the levels in our SDS Hydrate serum, which is a recognised cosmeceutical product. 64 wirrallife.com

Vitamin C products give rise to a glowing and vibrant skin, as the combination of antioxidants slow down the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause fine lines and wrinkles. I recommend C10, our vitamin C serum, which not only feels likes velvet as you apply the product but also has a fresh vibrant citrus aroma. Our C10 has fast absorbent properties for greater potency. A night time routine is also a key factor in any skincare regime, which is why we added Recover repair night cream into our products. Containing retinyl palmitate, which is a less irritating form of retinol, making it a gentler ingredient for sensitive skins. This encourages ageing cells to continue their renewal process and regenerate collagen and elastin to prevent the appearance of ageing skin. It is also considered as an exfoliator and its effect of repeatedly shredding the upper dermal layer forcing the skin to produce new cells. Whilst we can try to protect ourselves from the harmful rays, many of us already have visible effects from sun damage on our face and body. There are ways to treat these effects, which do depend on the severity of the damage. The use of resurfacing products or chemical skin peels are frequently used to combat sun damage and brighten up the skin back to its original youthful appearance. It is important to factor in some in clinic treatments which will boost and protect your kin with the attention it needs. These include regular facials and resurfacing treatments. Resurfacing treatments change the bio ecology of the epidermis by enhancing epidermal cell turnover signalling production of new elastin and collagen. Result – healthy, hydrated and vibrant new skin. For more information, visit www.sdsrejuvenate.co.uk.

Fast, effective treatments provided by experienced doctors in Liverpool & Wirral.

Advanced Dermal Fillers Facial enhancement and volumisation have moved beyond surgical facelifts to an approach, which subtly reshapes and redefines. These techniques allow our doctors to develop an aesthetic treatment plan tailored to individual patient needs and is designed to give a natural look. The sequence of specific injection sites can be adapted dependent on each patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s profile, to achieve the optimal outcome.

These injections are performed exclusively by Dr Sally-Ann Dolan MB ChB or Dr Ian R Jones MB BCh MD FRCP

Call to arrange a free consultation today 158-160 Banks Road, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 0RH Tel: 0151 625 8080

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AN INTERVIEW WITH CELEBRITY MAKEUP ARTIST KATIE HAYES BY ANNABEL BIRTLES Wirral’s own young entrepreneur Katie Hayes is founder of the successful Liverpool based company, Kate Hayes Academy. With eight years makeup experience Katie is one of the best in the business, with an already extensive celebrity clientele and top demand from brides around the world. The beauty and makeup academy offers courses to suit everyone and are often fully booked months in advance. Here Katie talks to Wirral Life’s Annabel Birtles about her business, her love for the Wirral, and passion for beauty and makeup. Can you tell us about the Kate Hayes Academy? The Kate Hayes Academy is my dream come true. Personally, I wanted to create a space where anybody of any age and background could come and confidently learn all types of makeup styles and beauty treatments. My team and I dedicate all we can to provide our students with the best possible training and to ensure everyone leaves feeling confident and inspired in whatever they choose to learn. How did Kate Hayes Academy come to life? I began my training at Liverpool’s community college and from there I went to work in a makeup salon. During my time in the salon, I began my own makeup masterclasses and one-to-one lessons - I would teach up to 8 lessons a day. After 5 years at the salon I decided to take a jump and venture out on my own. I started freelance for 2 months until I saved up enough money to rent a small room in The Secret Warehouse where I began my own masterclasses and lessons for aspiring makeup artists. Within 8 months, I had an amazing team of 7 located within 7 rooms offering all types of makeup, hair and beauty training. It has been 2 and a half years since we opened our doors and I cannot wait to see what the future holds. We have big plans for 2018. As such an inspiration to girls around the country—who is you biggest inspiration? There was no one in particular who inspired me as I have always had such a passion for this industry and to succeed in everything I do. My goal is to help young girls live their potential and become the stars of their own show. Congratulations on behalf of Wirral Life for your incredible success—what are your plans for the future?

The aim is to keep growing the Academy by opening more around the country and even globally one day - we have such an amazing teaching strategy for our students which I didn't have when I was younger. You have always got to aim big and set goals for yourself, this way you will always achieve them. Did you ever anticipate this much success? No, absolutely not. You have always got to stay humble and push yourself to become more successful. Never settle and always aim high. I am a strong believer in the Law of Attraction and would highly recommend to anyone considering opening a business. Tell us about your latest business adventures. As a global makeup artist I travel all over the world and I already have 8 weddings booked abroad next year. I am planning a lot of work in Dubai and after Christmas we are opening a new Kate Hayes Academy which is incredibly exciting - the location is yet to be revealed! Where has been you favourite place to travel for a wedding? Definitely Santorini and Lake Como - the wedding was next to George Clooney’s house. What has been your biggest accomplishment? Everything I do is an accomplishment to me, but what really makes me proud is the messages I receive from girls and their parents telling me what a role model I am to them. Being able to help people achieve their dreams is an amazing feeling along with travelling all over the world—I am very lucky. What would be your ultimate achievement? To have a Kate Hayes Academy in every city of course! What is you favourite makeup hack? Always add highlighter to the bow of the lips, through the nose and on top of the cheek bones - this will give your face a natural glow and automatically makes your face look radiant and thinner. Now I know you have previously launched your own makeup brand and products, can you tell us about this? My makeup range is based on my favourite high end products wirrallife.com 67

that are out in the industry. I wanted to make my products more cost effective though so I could give everyone some luxury in their makeup bags without it costing a fortune. We have a new line coming out soon and we are always planning and pushing our products. The top seller is the ‘mother of pearl’ highlighter and the ‘ombrow’. What is the most important lesson you have learnt over your professional years? I would say to take chances and always listen to your gut instinct as it is always right. You have recently announced you will be holding an under 18’s charity makeup masterclass – this is such an incredible idea, could you tell us more? We’re offering a masterclass in aid of NSPCC, the class will be £15 with every penny being donated to this incredible charity. We are so inspired by their work around our local community we wanted to give something back. We have had over 300 students wanting to book onto the masterclass so we are yet to hold a meeting to find a bigger location in order to accommodate for everybody. We’re so excited for this as we feel so strongly about the cause. I imagine you do not have much free time being a top business woman in the North West, but what do you enjoy apart from makeup? I have quite minimal free time but when I do get some I enjoy going to the gym and doing as much activities as possible. I am always up and about on a Sunday, whether it is horse riding or just a walk. The most important thing I do is spending time with my family and my boyfriend. I have recently just bought a house so I am all about interior design at the minute. I love being able to choose all the décor and interior – it is my little project at the minute. If you could say one thing to your 18 year old self, what would it be? It would be to never regret anything. Never look back on the past and never overthink negativity. You must always channel your energy into positivity and that way you are sure to succeed.

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Coming from the Wirral, do you enjoy spending time here? I adore the Wirral and will always live on the Wirral. I have always worked in Liverpool but Wirral is my home and home is where the heart is. I love all of the country pubs and beautiful scenic walks and being able to visit the amazing Wirral coastline on a summers day. The Wirral is where I will bring my children up! Where does you biggest support system lay? Do you have a close relationship with your family? When I was younger it wasn't the greatest upbringing. I must admit I do have quite a dysfunctional family but when it comes down to it my family is my biggest support. My mum, dad, brother, boyfriend and cousin are all my biggest fans and want me to succeed in everything I do. They are the ones who have always pushed me to be the best possible version of myself I can be. Whenever I have had self doubt or been knocked back by criticism and negativity, they are the ones to pick me back up and give me the confidence to go on even when I have felt like giving up at times. Finally, here at Wirral Life we are so very excited to welcome you to our team – please tell us all about your new beauty column and what we can expect to see in the future. When I was first approached to do this I felt so honoured. To be able to write for a magazine that focuses everything around my favourite place in the world is such an amazing opportunity. For our beauty article I have teamed up with the current beauty editor Annabel Birtles, who I am very excited to work with, to give the reader a little glimpse of the life of Katie Hayes with monthly makeup tips, the hottest new beauty products, everything hair and beauty and even some step-by-step guides on creating the perfect glam. We have already had so much fun writing the first article together by coming up with new concepts and I am sure we will continue to grow and create an amazing beauty column for you all to enjoy. To enjoy more of Katie Hayes world, please see the opposite page for our first beauty article together. You can find more about Katie and her Academy at KateHayesMakeup.com or on her Instagram @Katehayesmakeup

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END OF SUMMER PICKS

by Annabel Birtles & Katie Hayes

Together, we have teamed up to bring you a monthly beauty column filled with our favourite looks and products and we cannot wait to get started. This month as a welcome treat to you, Katie has picked her top summer products to make the most of the last of our hot season. Whether you made it abroad or enjoyed a “stay-cation” Katie has got you sorted. We hope you have as much fun reading our pages as we did writing them — see you next month! Love, Katie and Annabel x

L’OREAL PARIS INFALLIBLE MEGA GLOSS DAZZLE FINISH L’Oreal’s dazzle is the ultimate go-to holiday lip-gloss. It’s peachy scent and golden colour will leave you with the taste of cocktails come day or night. The hyaluronic acid and shine colour pigments, leaves lips shiny and hydrated. The delicious glossy look comes without the stickiness and it’s affordable price tag makes it the ideal travel essential. For that perfect pout this gloss comes out on top. £6.99/29ml

LAURA MERCIER TINTED MOISTURISER Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturiser is the perfect base for that no-makeup look and dewy finish. This award-winning lightweight formula works in place of foundation for those particularly hot days around the pool. With a broad spectrum spf20 and a hint of colour visible this will even out and enhance your own natural complexion. It will not only give you a soft glow but the sodium hyaluronate will hydrate your face all day long. £34/50ml

CLARINS BODY SCRUB This exfoliating body salt scrub will leave you feeling like you have just stepped straight out of the ocean. This product is easy to use, either massage into wet or damp skin and just rinse off. The bamboo powder will give the aroma that will transport you to a tropical beach, whilst the Mimosa Tenuiflora and Liquorice extract repairs and softens your skin. An everyday essential. £26/200ml

DOLL BEAUTY HIGHLIGHTER Doll beauty is a recent local brand situated in Chester and it has already taken to world by storm with its eyelash collection. Their new Doll light range is an absolute dream. ‘Like a Diamond’ will leave you with a glow like no other. The highlight catches you on every angle, leaving your skin with a high definition of sun rays no matter where you are. Girls - this product is a makeup must, perfect for every occasion. £15/12g

ARMANI LUMINOUS SILK FOUNDATION This lightweight luminous foundation from Armani, will leave you with that silky finish perfect for those sangria nights. The oil free texture glides onto the skin for effortless coverage and that natural summer glow. The exclusive microfil technology comes in over 20 shades so you are guaranteed to find your ideal one. The spf 20 ensures protection on those particularly hot days next to the pool. £40/30ml wirrallife.com 69

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SHORT CUT OR LONG HAUL? BY RICHARD GIBSON

Richard Gibson, Principal of Wallasey Orthodontics and Consultant to Liverpool University Dental Hospital talks to us about dentistry.

Advances in everyday technology should make things easier or better – but sometimes all they do is give you more decisions to make. Take Sat Nav for example – do you want to take the fastest or the shortest route? Do you want to avoid the toll? The same is true for the availability and accessibility of healthcare. Better access and advances in technology, make people more aware of what is possible but the initial information usually comes from marketing literature and is more geared at grabbing your attention than telling you the whole story! We rarely buy the whole story – we like the headlines! Orthodontics is a great example. There are some tremendous marketing campaigns to sell us straight teeth, but not only straight teeth – straight teeth in no time at all! Within the specialism this is referred to as Short Term Orthodontics (STO) or limited aims treatment – and it has its place but like so many things the whole truth is important. When a patient comes to their first consultation, one of my questions is “what don’t you like or what would you like to change?”. Usually, the response is fairly specific – “my front teeth”, “I hate smiling” or “this particular tooth”. Human nature dictates that we already start working on the solution to the problems we are faced with and this is true here as well. The solutions we consider are usually very targeted at the issues we notice ourselves. As a specialist, I need to consider all the options and present them in a clear way that allows that individual to make an informed decision. STO is often an option and deals with specific problems in isolation from the rest of the teeth and bite. This means that essentially it is 70 wirrallife.com

a compromise right from the start and so it doesn’t usually form part of routine planning for the patients we treat in adolescence. STO accepts the main features of the bite and position of the teeth and makes limited changes (usually to the front teeth) over a short period of time – that’s the headline. But due to the nature of this treatment it inherently builds in instability and without appropriate retention…forever – or as long as you want to keep the teeth straight…the teeth will move back (relapse). It is fair to say that even comprehensive orthodontics (where we try to improve the bite and function of the teeth into the most stable position) does carry the risk of relapse – but rarely do things change all the way back to where they started (even in the most uncooperative of retainer wearers). The opposing teeth and surrounding soft tissues of the lips and cheeks – when in good harmony help to maintain the stability of the result. Without this harmony then things change more readily. That doesn’t mean to say that STO is a poor option as it can dramatically change peoples’ appearance, preserve healthy tooth tissue and improve an individual’s perception of themselves. Similarly, retainers are very manageable in both fixed and removable forms – but it does take commitment and consistency of use for long after the motivation to make the change has left you. Making a decision is a rewarding experience but can only be done with sufficient and appropriate information, so speaking to someone who can describe all the routes - whether they be shortest or most discreet, the issues you are likely to encounter, diversions necessary on the way and importantly whether there is a toll to consider – is priceless! For more information, visit www.wallaseyorthodontics.co.uk

The Secret Behind a Beautiful Smile Incognito braces are the modern and invisible alternative to conventional braces. Incognito braces are an advanced generation of brace that is hidden discreetly on the back of the teeth, not on the front like conventional â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;train tacksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. This allows people to go about their daily routine without feeling self-conscious because their braces are invisible from the outside. Incognito braces are suitable for all age groups - children, adolescents and adults who want to correct their tooth position. The brace is custom made for each patient to maximise comfort and ensure precise results, this is achieved by using the latest computer technology when creating the brace.

Book your consultation today

154 Belvidere Rd, Wallasey, CH45 4PT E: braces@wallaseyorthodontics.co.uk W: wallaseyorthodontics.co.uk T: 0151 630 6345

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IS THE WAY YOU BREATHE THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS? BY JOEL JELEN, BREATHING EXPERT

Of all the articles I’ve written for Wirral Life to date, I’m sure you’ll agree that none will be more headline-grabbing than the one about ‘how struggling to lose weight can be attributed to poor breathing!’ In my field of breathing re-training for clients using the Buteyko method, it’s well known that bad sleep interferes with hormones that make you hungry and make you feel full. However, I promise you that breathing through your nose has been scientifically proven many times over to increase your metabolism and help you lose that weight. Here’s a proven fact... Nose breathing increases oxygen and improves the quality of our sleep which keeps our hunger-suppressing hormones in check. The proof is in the many studies highlighting how poor sleep is linked to increased appetite and a higher chance of obesity. I’m sure you’re wondering why... Well, this is in part due to the connection between sleep and the peptides that regulate your appetite: ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin, known as the ‘hunger hormone’ increases during periods of poor sleep. Simultaneously, leptin – the ‘satiety hormone’ that sends ‘full’ signals to the brain, decreases. So how do you achieve a good night’s sleep beyond all the advice you may have heard previously? Here’s the deal... Unsurprisingly given my passion for optimal breathing, the route to a good night’s sleep is how you breathe during the

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day. If you can start your day by relaxing when you awake rather than e.g. rushing to your favourite piece of technology as you eat breakfast, that’s a good start. Don’t put yourself on a heightened sense of anticipation before you’ve even left the house! Whilst at work, if you work and, if you e.g. use technology, be conscious of your breathing. Is it relaxed? Is it audible, are you mouth-breathing and/or chest breathing? If the answer is yes to any of these then you are over breathing and you will end up spending your day yawning and sighing because taking too much air provokes this as you lose oxygen. What’s the bottom line? The less you breathe, the more oxygen you generate and the healthier you are! It is not the other way round! Whatever your work or leisure time looks like, remember that the more oxygen you lose, e.g. by excessive talking or exercising with your mouth open or through technology apnea (my last article refers) the greater chance you will mouth breathe at night during your sleep. It gets worse... That will do nothing for your weight loss ambitions apart from frustrate you. It really is a vicious circle but, then it gets better... adopting the right breathing during the day and practising Buteyko breathing techniques can bring a huge change to many of your life goals once you know how. Joel Jelen is founder of Reset Breathing. More details can be found at www.resetbreathing.com.

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THE DOCTOR WHO SINGS YOU OFF TO SLEEP… BY CONOR MAGEE MD FRCS, CONSULTANT SURGEON Close your eyes. Now think of the word ‘surgeon’. What do you see in your mind’s eye? Sir Lancelot Spratt from the Doctor in the House films, pinstripe suit and red carnation? Or do you see the American ER type surgeons, impossibly glamorous with movie-star good looks? Perhaps, you even think of the chap in the photograph above this article.

In order to do this, they must become ninja physiologistsspecialists in how your body works, how the heart and lungs work- how they need to be optimized and supported in complex surgery. Furthermore, to achieve anaesthesia they are also experts in drugs and specialized gas agents that bring on the triad of anaesthesia.

Now, concentrate a little bit more and think of the word ‘Anaesthetist’. Can you conjure a picture now? Are you entirely sure what an anaesthetist does? Open your eyes, let me take your hand and lift the veil on the unsung heroes of the operating theatre. It is a great shame that the depiction of surgery in popular culture focusses on the surgeon- almost exclusively male and with an ego of formidable proportions. Lots of shouting and throwing of instruments- and don’t forget the attentive nurse swabbing the beads of sweat from the forehead! The operating theatre is still a theatre- triumphs and tragedies happen there every day- but it is a place where the most finely-tuned team comes works together with the sole aim of making you better. The surgeon may be performing, but they cannot do anything without the skill and dedication of the anaesthetist.

In America, they are called Anaesthesiologists - a term more fitting for the role they play. The training to become a Consultant Anaesthetist is long and arduous, with daunting exams designed to only let the best pass. There is an old joke that describes the blood-brain barrier, (in reality this is a specialized part of the human brain), in theatre it describes the drape between the surgeon and the anaesthetist!

The anaesthetist (from the Greek ‘Without Sensation’) is the doctor who will sing you to sleep- make you unaware of all the unpleasantness of surgery allowing me to do my job swiftly and safely. It is true that there have always been surgeons throughout the ages but without anaesthesia the only operations we could offer would be barbaric amputations aided by a piece of bark to bite on and a stiff drink. The wonders of modern surgerytransplants, heart surgery, cancer surgery, joint surgery are only possible by the provision of anaesthesia. An anaesthetist establishes the ‘triad of anaesthesia’- a combination of analgesia (absence of pain), hypnosis (absence of consciousness) and muscle relaxation. This may appear simple but the anaesthetist takes over the monitoring and response of your body- your life is literally in their hands!

Many patients worry more about going to sleep than their actual operation, however the skill of the anaesthetist is such that having an anaesthetic is incredibly safe. The reasons for this concern is usually the complete lack of control when you go to sleep- and of course the fear that you may not wake up. I recently had a general anaesthetic- I was worried, but more because of the revealing gown I was wearing in front of my colleagues! My general anaesthetic was given by a good friend of mine- and in exactly the same way as thousands of patients, every day of the week. First, a drip is place in your arm (just a small scratch), then you are given oxygen to breathe. Next, you are given some ‘gin and tonic’ into your drip. This completely chills you out and then you are asleep. And then you waken- a bit groggy but not in pain, maybe a bit uncomfortable. That is the magic of anaesthesia. The anaesthetists are the unsung heroes and heroines of the operating theatre- they rarely receive the grateful, thank you card or the well-received bottle of wine the surgeon does. In the most difficult and emotionally demanding cases they offer support, advice and sometimes the finest putdowns to keep me on my toes! They may not all sing very well- but they will get to sleep. And they will wake you up afterward with a welcoming smile. wirrallife.com 73

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A SPIN IN SPAIN - RECOLLECTIONS OF A MOTORCYCLE TOUR Wirral businessman Gary Tomlinson took a trip of a lifetime - a motorcycle tour across Spain. Here he shares with readers his unforgettable experience. After a year in planning that involved several meetings in both North Yorkshire and the Wirral, when more time was spent scrutinising menus and wine lists than studying road maps, the tour finally commenced over the weekend of 22nd July 2017. Starting their journey from Selby, Graeme & Sally travelled to Folkestone and crossed the Channel via the tunnel and headed for a night stop in Tours. The following day, Alun, Ann, Alex and I travelled to Portsmouth for the ferry to Bilbao. As Graeme & Sally continued their journey across France, we enjoyed a mini cruise on-board the Brittany Ferries ship - the Cap Finisterre. After a night stop in Bayonne, Graeme discovered a puncture in his rear tyre, which he managed to repair temporarily with a plug. This allowed the couple to continue their journey to Bilbao, arriving by the afternoon of Monday 24th July, ready for the rendezvous with the ship borne party the following morning. Unfortunately, as Graeme & Sally arrived at the port entrance their rear tyre blew. After several calls to the RAC recovery was arranged and the wheels were set in motion (pun intended) to replace the tyre. At this point it was discovered that Tuesday 25th July was a public holiday in Spain so any chance of making the bike roadworthy disappeared. After an overnight stop was accepted as inevitable, it was agreed that our group would continue to the planned destination of Pamplona. With highways, motorways, toll roads and U turns set as avoidances on the sat nav, the journey began. With only 94 miles predicted an easy pace was possible through, firstly, the urban sprawl of Bilbao and then onto the back roads in the hills 74 wirrallife.com

of the Basque country. The roads were very well maintained and almost devoid of traffic and we enjoyed some tight bends and delightful views. Arriving in Pamplona (Iruna to the fiercely independent Basques) we found our hotel, the Tres Reyes (Three Kings), on the edge of the old city. Part of a national chain, the hotel provided a very high standard of comfort and facilities, of which air conditioning a vigorous shower were a very welcome part. Temperatures had edged up into the high 20’s and on a motorbike in slow city traffic we certainly began to feel the heat. The history of Pamplona stretches back to pre-Roman times and has had a chequered past in terms of national ownership, having been part of an independent kingdom, then part of France before becoming a Spanish possession. The annual festival of the patron saint ‘St Fermin’ includes the now famous bull runs through the old town. Although we would liked to have spent more time in the city, we had an itinerary to keep and our next stop in the Pyrenees town of El Pont de Suert beckoned. Riding in the Pyrenees is one of the great joys of motorcycling. The roads are magnificently bendy and almost traffic free and the views are spectacular. With Graeme & Sally still stuck in Bilbao, the rest of the group set off into a very busy city centre with only sat nav’s to direct our travel. I am sure that Spain has more traffic lights than any other nation in Europe and they are certainly the slowest to change colour. As a consequence, the group were separated and ended up riding individually. One of the mysteries of satellite navigation is that two sat nav’s of the same make, with the same avoidances set will inevitably differ in their choice of routes, some of which can be most bizarre. The choice for both bikes included a 20km stretch of single carriageway road with a surface akin to corrugated iron which descended steeply down a mountain with only a ruined castle that betrayed any sign of human habitation. Having

picked up the N260, which passed by the Parque Nacional de Ordessa, we had the delightful experience of seeing some truly grandiose mountains and gorges, along with numerous tight hairpin bends to test our riding skills. El Pont de Suert is a small picturesque town similar to many in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Our hotel for the night was the Cotori, a small family owned hostelry set in a delightful little piazza. By comparison with the Tres Reyes it was rather rustic, but its charm more than compensated. The next day, we continued our progress through the mountains, with their almost endless panoramic views and challenging roads, to the town of Manresa and a reunion with Graeme & Sally; and we were also joined by Paul & Sharon who had travelled from their home in Torrevieja/Villamartin near Alicante. Manresa is an unremarkable town in Catalonia, with an obvious industrial heritage, some 50 miles west of Barcelona. However, it does contain a majestic basilica set upon a hill and, after being sacked by French troops during the Napolionic invasion the town had to be completely rebuilt. Our hotel, the Turo de la Torre, which is more accurately designated as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hostelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is set on a hill behind a modern industrial estate. The rooms were of variable standards of comfort with the majority being best described as basic but adequate. By contrast the food was good and the hospitality was even better. The day after our arrival, our group travelled into Barcelona by local taxi and started our visit in the traditional manner with a walk down Las Ramblas. It is a sobering thought, writing this article, that we were there only a fortnight before the terrorist attack. It just goes to prove that nowhere is immune and anyone can be in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the advice of those who had visited the city before, we boarded a tour bus, which over two routes provided a comprehensive overview of the main attractions. It enabled those on the bus the chance to identify which places they wanted to visit, and there was much we had wanted to see but did not have the time during our one day excursion. Our return journey to Manresa was something of a challenge as we had decided to go by train. With the assistance of a helpful hotel doorman we were directed to

a subterranean railway station in the centre of Barcelona. With the guidance of some of our fellow travellers we boarded a train that seemed to be going the right way, and after a change en route, we made it back. With our confidence boosted by the success of that train journey, we decided to try our hand at a trip to the monastery at Montserrat. It proved to be a good choice as we were able to buy tickets for both the train and the cable car. It was very hot day and we were pleased not to have to don our biking gear. The monastery, which is most interesting both historically and architecturally, is perched on top of a mountain 4055ft above the valley floor with commanding views of the local countryside. The Benedictine monastery houses the statue of the Virgin of Montserrat (the Black Virgin) the most popular icon of veneration in Catalonia and, by Papal decree, is the formal patroness of the region. As was the case with Barcelona, we ran out of time to see all that we wanted of the points of interest on the mountain. The following day, we departed on the longest leg of our planned tour of Spain with a ride to Madrid of some 350 miles. As the area we intended to cross is mostly flat and featureless, and with the heat beginning to rise daily, we opted for the motorway to cut down the travelling time. The temperature rose gradually on the journey and by the time we arrived at the outskirts of Madrid it was about 40 degrees, 102 degrees in old money. Not for the first time on the tour, the group were separated and Paul & Sharon ended up doing a two hour detour before arriving at our hotel. A problem caused by the fact that the co-ordinates set on the sat nav were for a remote field some 20 miles away from the hotel destination. I wonder how that happened! The hotel H10 Tribeca is located on the edge of the city centre about a 10 minutes walk from the Real Madrid football stadium, which was on the city tour bus route. As with Barcelona, it provided a very useful introduction to the geography of Madrid and its principal places of interest. Having done one of the two routes, we changed buses at the stop outside the Madrid Hard wirrallife.com 75

Rock Cafe, but only after having a cold drink and a perusal of their merchandise. On the second day we ventured out separately as each couple had different interests to satisfy. Some returned to the Hard Rock Cafe to buy items of clothing whilst others went to the waxworks museum, which proved to be both interesting and bizarre given the choice of exhibits and the, at times, dubious quality of workmanship, and included a film that gave a comprehensive history of Spain. The following day, we set off for the next stopover in the city of Zamora, capital of the Zamora Province in the Castile and Leon Region. Again the fickle finger of fate interfered with some of the sat navâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and the group lost Sharon & Paul again, who as it turned out had the best choice of route and arrived at the destination well ahead of the rest. The remaining 6 had a detailed and circuitous tour of Madrid before finding the exit. Zamora is a reasonably sized place off the normal tourist trails with an old well preserved centre with a good supply of bars and restaurants. The Hotel Ares is small, family owned and very friendly. The rooms are well equipped and comfortable and furnished in a shabby chic style. Our next stop was to be Santiago de Compostela, the capital of the Galicia region in northwest Spain. It is world famous as the culmination of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, and the alleged burial site of the apostle St James. His remains are reputedly housed in the cathedral which was consecrated in the year 1211. On our journey we crossed the route of the Camino (the Way of St James), which is signposted by images of the scallop shell that has become the mythical symbol of the pilgrimage, and in the process saw many pilgrims walking to their final destination in Santiago. Perhaps as some sort of sign, we amazingly stayed together on the ride and arrived at the hotel Miradoiro de Belvis as an intact group. This was also the parting of the ways for Paul & Sharon as they headed back to their home in Southern Spain. The remaining 6 rode on to a city called Ponferrada (in English iron bridge) for night stop in the AC Hotel Ponferrada. After the Roman conquest it became the largest mining centre in the Empire and 76 wirrallife.com

it remained a centre of mining for coal and other minerals until the 1980â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The economy is now based on wine, agriculture, wind power generation and tourism. It has a very well preserved walled old town centre, complete with a medieval castle. The penultimate leg of our tour took us from Ponferrada to Ribadsella on the northern coast. The chosen route took us through the Picos Europa (peaks of Europe) mountains, which are majestic and beautiful and provide some of the best motor biking roads in Spain. We had a blast negotiating some tight corners and sweeping bends as we headed northwards some 230 miles to the Cantabrian Sea. Our overnight stop in the Gran Hotel del Sella was satisfactory. Originally built in a previous century it had been extended and modernised. The rooms lacked air conditioning or a ceiling fan, but that shortcoming was more than compensated for by the balconies and the pleasant views over the harbour in one direction and the sea in the other. Ribadsella itself is located in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias. It is a pleasant town with extensive sandy beaches and large harbour. It provides many opportunities to eat and drink and seafood is certainly something of a speciality. From Ribadsella it was just a short journey along the coast to Santander and our ferry home. The crossing was a bit lumpy in the Bay of Biscay, but the sea calmed as we entered the English Channel. After 24 hours onboard, we disembarked in Portsmouth and headed north for destinations in the Wirral and North Yorkshire. By the time we reached the Midlands the weather made a turn for the worst and it absolutely poured down for the rest of the journey, making it a very soggy homecoming after two weeks of almost uninterrupted sunshine. It was a great experience from a motorcycling point of view, covering something like 2,400 plus road miles and we experienced some wonderful places en route and as ever, we had a great craic in the process. We definitely need to do it again, but I must make a note to spend more time reading maps and less reading menus and wine lists.

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TRAVEL INSPIRATION GREECE: FAMILY FUN IN THE SUN Greece has plenty of attractions and fun activities for the whole family – not to mention outstanding hotels and resorts. When it comes to the best family-friendly destinations in Europe, Greece takes centre stage. All-inclusive hotels and resorts are perfectly placed to cater to visitors, fine sand beaches stretch for miles on the edge of the sea and thousands of years of history blend the old with the new in a fascinating way. With sunny summer weather and mild winters that offer a break from the cold, damp grey of the UK, Greece ensures the whole family will be comfortable throughout the year. Here Grecotel, the leading collection of luxury hotels and resorts in Greece, give us their three suggestions to get you started… Explore Crete, the “Great Island” As the largest Greek island, Crete is a great place to start exploring. The Romans, Ottomans and Italians have all left their cultural stamp here in the form of architecture and archaeological sites. Be sure to visit the Fortezza in Rethymno, a 16th-century Venetian fortress overlooking the sea and town. Rethymnon is right in the centre of Crete, so it’s an ideal base to explore the picturesque gorges and villages of the mainland and the exotic beaches of the Libyan Sea in the south. You can also take day-excursions to all major sightseeing spots on the island. Travelling with family means your hotel needs to be located within easy reach of attractions. Just three miles from the city of Rethymno, Grecotel Creta Palace is a 5-star resort with a private sandy beach, 2 landscaped pools, 10 restaurants and bars, plus ultra-spacious and supremely comfortable accommodation on the waterfront. Kids aged 7–14 years can take part in Discovery Adventures, a fun club offering creative crafts, culinary lessons and outdoor activities that inspire them to create awareness of the environment, culture and healthy eating. Families with children aged 0–3 years need not worry: Grecobaby offers babysitting and gives parents the opportunity to order all manner of baby items prior to arrival. As well as enjoying crafts, competitions and celebrations, kids will love playing farmer for the day at Agreco Farm, where they can learn about the organic production of the island’s simple and healthy food.

Discover Athens, the capital of Greece There’s plenty of room for families in Athens, the capital of Greece and its cultural heart. Start with a visit to the Acropolis to be intrigued by the glory of the world’s oldest civilisation. Relax on the coastline before a family dinner at chic restaurants in the town centre. Wander the cobbled streets and pastel-coloured buildings of Plaka, or splurge in the markets of Monastiraki. For nature lovers, a catamaran cruise to the Athenian Riviera is sure to hit the spot. Meanwhile, the Temple of Poseidon at dusk is the prime location for the prettiest sunsets you’ve ever seen. Just opposite the Temple of Poseidon, Cape Sounio, part of the Grecotel portfolio of luxury resorts and hotels, features spacious villas and family bungalows with fully-furnished balconies overlooking Sounio National Park. There are also seven restaurants, two secluded beaches and a seawater pool. Children will love playing in the Grecoland Kids Club, splish-splashing at the pool and frolicking around the beaches and multi-coloured gardens. Live the island life in the Peloponnese If you really want to experience Greece’s natural beauty, look no further than the Peloponnese. Here, you will find far-reaching valleys and forested mountains peppered with citrus, cypress, olive and plane trees, plus plenty of family-friendly activities. Don’t miss Ancient Olympia, the birthplace of Olympic Games, just 45 min away by car. Or take a half-day cruise to the nearby islands of Zakynthos and Cephalonia. Go shopping in Patras, or explore the natural reserve and Forest of Strofilia. Enjoy the best of the Peloponnese at Grecotel’s Olympia Riviera: a mega beach resort comprised of 4 amazing hotels, 20 uniquely appointed restaurants and bars and a multitude of resort facilities, all on a 5 km beach of fine white sand gently sloping to the Ionian Sea. New this year is the Riviera Olympia Aqua Park, the largest megawaterpark in a Greek resort. 12,000m² of adrenaline-pumping water slides, rides and aqua towers provide the ultimate day out for the family in a safe setting. For more information visit, www.grecotel.com wirrallife.com 77

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STORETON TRAMWAY BY ANDREW WOOD

In 1837-38, the railway engineer Thomas Brassey created a gravity tramway for Sir Thomas Massey Stanley of Hooton Park, to take the fine red sandstone from the Storeton quarries to Bromborough Pool where it could be loaded on to barges. The route of the tramway was surveyed by a Mr Henry Hayes (who was probably a Cheshire man), and the earthworks were carried out by the contractor Mr Joseph Jones of Liverpool. During the 1820’s, Brassey had met George Stephenson, who was then building the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and Stevenson had decided to use Storeton sandstone in the construction of the Sankey Viaduct at Newton-le-Willows. This structure was a major engineering challenge, requiring a durable sandstone with high compressive and shear strengths. It seems possible that Stephenson told Brassey that he was intending to replace the original iron rails of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, as they were not strong enough for busy, regular traffic, and that Brassey offered to buy them to use for the tramway. At the 40 foot (12 metres) deep North Quarry, which was leased by a Mr Walker, a tramway line ran along the bottom of the quarry. After being loaded with blocks of sandstone by crane, the wagons would join the tramway’s main line, using a turntable, before being hitched to two horses and heading off along an embankment some 300 yards (274.3 metres) long towards a crossing at Rest Hill Road, where the crossing keeper would swing wooden gates across the road to allow the train of wagons to pass. The tramway then ran through a cutting in Hancock’s Wood and through the 60 yards (54.8 metres) long Mount Road tunnel, the biggest engineering construction on the tramway. After the tunnel, the line ran past the Jackie’s Wood quarry. There, at a passing loop, the horses were unhitched before the wagons descended by gravity to the quay at Bromborough Pool. On the first edition (1910) 1 inch Ordnance Survey map, Jackie’s Wood Quarry is labelled simply as ‘Brown and White Stone Quarries’ but whether this is purely descriptive or a record of the quarry’s legal name is not clear. Today, the infilled site of the quarry can be identified as an area of open grassland beyond another wall of Storeton stone, to the east of Mount Road and north of Bunker’s Hill. Trains from the quarries were probably no more than four wagons. Roger Jermy in his 1981 book ‘The Storeton Tramway’ described two types of wagon, each 7 feet 6 inches (2.28 metres) long and 6 feet (1.82 metres) wide, flat decked for carrying large slabs of stone, and ‘cauldron like’ for crushed stone or small blocks. To this day if you walk along the dead-straight path on the west side of the north wood (where the tramway ran) you can see the remains of sandstone slabs which fell off wagons when they slid off a wagon where the tramway curved sharply to approach the tunnel. Today the north wood is owned by the Woodland Trust. 78 wirrallife.com

The tramway ran through green fields (which would all be built on in the 20th century) in a sweeping curve towards Bromborough. At Bracken Lane there was another gated crossing with the gatekeepers cottage on the south side of the road. The third gated crossing was at Cross Lane, Bebington. From here onward much of the route of the tramway can no longer be seen as it has been obliterated by housing. The final crossing, at Church Road, had no gates but a crossing keeper was employed to warn pedestrians and carts if a train was coming. The present Quarry Road and Quarry Road East in Bromborough are so named because they follow the alignment of the tramway. The original tunnel under the Chester to Birkenhead railway line is still in use as a footpath opposite the end of Quarry Road East. By 1906, the Bebington White Freestone Quarry was leased by a Mr Charles Wells, of whom nothing is known. In 2012, while site preparation for a new building was going on at Bebington Boys Grammar School, a sharp-eyed boy discovered that some of the tramway’s rails and sleepers had been unearthed by the builders, who had not realised what they were. They were some of the original ‘fishbellied’ rails from the Liverpool and Manchester railway. The rails, which each weighed 35 pounds (15.87 kilograms) and were 4 feet 2 inches (1.3 metres) long, would have been bedded on square stone blocks with four iron spikes driven into oak pegs inserted in holes drilled in the stone. Two of the rails have been sited on the alignment in Scott’s Wood at the point where the tramway curved round to pass through the original tunnel under Mount Road. Quarrying at North Quarry had finished by the 1890’s and the tramway was removed, but the South Quarry and Jackie’s Wood Quarry on the other side of Mount Road continued in use. The last wagon to use the line was in 1905, after which the tramway was abandoned although the rails remained in place. The disused South Quarry was filled-in in the 1920’s using material excavated during the building of the Birkenhead Mersey Tunnel. The rock also went to reclaim the foreshore and create a promenade at Otterspool on the Liverpool side of the Mersey. Jackie’s Wood Quarry remained until it and Scott’s Quarry were filled, this time with stone from the construction of the Wallasey Mersey Tunnel. During the Second World War the Mount Road tunnel was converted, apparently on his own initiative by a Mr Jacques, a local man, who fitted it out with bunks and a protective door. Also during the May Blitz of 1941, the Liverpool Customs House, built of sandstone from Storeton, was heavily damaged by German fire bombs which gutted the interior and destroyed its dome. Sadly, the badly damaged building was demolished shortly after the end of the War. Some rubble from blitzed buildings in Liverpool is believed to have been tipped into the quarry so, ironically, it is possible that stone originally from Storeton may have been returned there as rubble.

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CAMMELL LAIRD WELCOMES NATIONAL SHIPBUILDING STRATEGY

LJLA COMPLETES £3M LATEST PHASE OF IMPROVEMENT WORKS

Cammell Laird shipyard is throwing its weight behind the unveiling of a new National Shipbuilding Strategy by Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon. Commenting Cammell Laird CEO John Syvret CBE said: “This announcement is the most significant change to the UK military shipbuilding industry in decades. This is bold and ambitious and will provide the industry with a unique opportunity to pursue export opportunities and create a cost effective and self generating highly skilled industrial base. In adopting the shrewd recommendations of the Sir John Parker report the Government’s new National Shipbuilding Strategy will revitalise the sector making the procurement process more competitive and stream lined leading to significant efficiencies and economies of scale to the benefit of the UK taxpayer.“ “Having an internationally competitive industrial base will create jobs and wealth for multiple communities around the country. Growing the UK navy, and working in partnership with our large blue chip technology industries can result in Britain once again being a proud and world leading shipbuilding nation. Here on Merseyside Cammell Laird will be looking to continue its proud tradition of naval shipbuilding, deploying the innovation and cost benefits from our commercial work to support the Ministry of Defence. We believe we are well placed to play a leading role in building the first batch of Type 31 frigates for our Navy. Moreover, due to our 130 acre site, infrastructure, workforce and management teams, we have the ambition determination and capacity to deliver the export version our international allies.”

SURE SOLUTIONS AWARDED £2.2M ORDER FOR LEADING FOOD MANUFACTURER Sure Solutions, based in the Wirral, has been awarded a £2.2 million contract by a leading UK meat processor to provide a large freezing, chilling and air conditioning refrigeration installation for their new production facility in Bury. The equipment selected is of the very latest highly efficient design and, by using natural refrigerants, offers vast opportunities to utilise ‘heat recovery’ for the factory process and so reduce energy consumption. The client, Cranswick Continental Foods, are part of the Cranswick Group PLC who supply most major supermarkets with own brand and branded meat products. As a firmly established top 10 UK food producer and with a turnover in excess of £1.2Bn, Cranswick are an ideal client for a growing and aspirational SURE Solutions business. The project is now under construction and will take 9 months to complete. This latest project win comes on the back of a recently completed SURE Solutions installation for a large multi-national dairy producer which helped their volume output increase from 1.5 to 2 Million litres of Milk per day.

The latest phase of development work aimed at further improving the customer experience for departing passengers at Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) has now been completed. In recent weeks, the Airport has seen a number of new retail brands start operating, new shops, bars and restaurants open up and the refurbishment and upgrade of approximately 2,000 sq m of the upper floor of the Airport’s Departure Lounge. These works create a more comfortable and exciting space for passengers to shop, eat and drink, or simply pause for a moment before their flight. Based upon feedback regarding the type of shopping and eating facilities that passengers want to see at the Airport, almost £3 million has been invested over the past nine months at LJLA. High Street brands Dixons and Accessorize have subsequently opened new stores offering goods at tax free prices, 20% less than on the High Street, along with a premium Cabin Bar that offers the best views across to the runway, a new Ritazza coffee shop with its extensive range of coffees and the Beer House with its selection of beers, wines and pub food. Other improvements have also included new and improved stores for existing retailers, completely new washroom facilities, large flight information screens, new seating and new lighting to create a lighter and brighter passenger environment. Once the summer season has finished for the Airport, work will then commence during the Autumn and Winter on the next phase of improvement works costing a further £2m, which will see an expansion and redesign of the existing World Duty Free shop and improvements to other areas. Lucy O’Shaughnessy, Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s Commercial Director commented, “Previous investments in a number of passenger facilities at the Airport have seen our customer satisfaction levels reach an all-time high. We believe these latest improvements have created a real ‘wow factor’ for passengers as we welcome them into the Departure Lounge, building on existing positive passenger feedback and further enhancing the customer experience.” wirrallife.com 79

WIRRAL BUSINESS

by Wirral Chamber of Commerce

RED CARPET BECKONS FOR BUSINESS LEADERS Whether it’s to celebrate businesses success in Wirral, or to take advantage of an unparalleled networking opportunity, there’s plenty of reasons not to miss the spectacular culmination of the Wirral Business Awards 2017. With over 500 key business people in attendance, the Awards offers great opportunities to meet new contacts, network with like-minded professionals and enjoy an evening celebrating the very best of Wirral’s business community. Recognised as one of the largest and most prestigious business events in the North of England, the awards highlight and reward the innovation and enterprise which has enhanced Wirral’s reputation as a location of business excellence. Supported by Headline Sponsors, Russell Taylor Group and Progress to Excellence Group, the night will see winners announced in ten award categories as well as the muchcoveted ‘Outstanding Business of the Year Award’. Mark McManus, Managing Director of Stiebel Eltron UK, award sponsor and previous award winner recognises the evening’s importance for all businesses, “This has grown to be one of the UK’s key business award events. It not only pays tribute to the companies producing the highest quality goods and services, Wirral Business Awards offers a unique opportunity to meet with many business leaders in one location on one night – quite simply, it is an event not to be missed.”

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Guests on the evening will be greeted with a drinks reception, followed by a lavish three course dinner. The evening’s festivities will be built around the award presentations, and conclude with an after-dinner bar, live music and a chance to celebrate and network. Paula Basnett, CEO, Wirral Chamber of Commerce, said, “My gratitude goes to our award finalists and in particular our sponsors for their continued and much valued support. Their commitment to this event demonstrates partnership strength that exists in Wirral in helping businesses to succeed. I look forward to seeing you at the Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony.” Wirral Business Awards 2017 takes place on Friday 22nd September in the Walled Garden Marquee at the beautiful Thornton Manor, starting at 6.30pm with carriages at 1am.

A limited number of tickets are still available so don’t miss the opportunity to attend the business night of the year. For tickets, please visit http:// wirralawards.co.uk/book-tickets. We look forward to seeing you on the evening! @Wirral_Awards #WBA17

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THE SUPPORT YOU NEED TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS GROW It can be difficult for an organisation to manage their growth for all sorts of reasons, especially as owners and Directors must focus much of their time on operational aspects of their business. Wirral Chamber of Commerce offers expert guidance and support in the shape of The Business Growth Programme. Our advisors carry out some of the research and planning you simply don’t have time to do. The fully funded programme is delivered by the excellent Business Growth Team, headed by Lisa Furlong. With over 50 years’ experience growing and support local businesses. The team offers a wealth of expertise in a vast array of areas, as well as drafting in expert consultants for specialist support. Established two years ago, the Wirral Chamber team has already worked with nearly 100 Wirral companies, helping with a myriad of common concerns: • • • • • •

To be eligible you need to be largely B:B, that is your customers need to be other businesses and we carry out a full questioning diagnostic. If your business is growing and you were wondering who you could ask and where to go then you should give us a call. The average length of time the Chamber works with businesses is typically a day and a half and is often spread over several days/weeks. Wirral Chamber aims to be your one stop shop for business support and there may be further signposting useful to you once our period of support is completed. The Business Growth Programme is one of the services offered under the Local Growth Hub and is partially funded by the European Regional Development Fund. For more information about the Business Support program, contact Head of Business Growth, Lisa Furlong on 0151 650 5555 or email lisafurlong@wirralchamber.co.uk.

Processes to help you get organised; Marketing, looking at your activities, effectiveness and strategy; HR/recruitment, job descriptions, policies and signposting; Business planning, support with access to finance applications/investors or to simply help you focus your ideas or growth; Guidance with quality management systems such as ISO; Guidance with tender/BID applications and the process around these. wirrallife.com 81

WIRRAL CHAMBER SET STRATEGIC DIRECTION FOR THE BOROUGH

Four more leading companies have joined forces with Wirral Chamber of Commerce to help further guide business growth on the peninsula. Concentric HR, Inteb and the Underground Training Station have become strategic partners and will represent a cross section of Wirral’s fastest growing business sectors in telecommunications, human resources, energy finance, health and fitness respectively. Europe’s leading airline Turkish Airlines will also work closely with Wirral Chamber of Commerce in helping companies across the Liverpool City Region reach new international markets. 18 strategic partners will be represented from across all aspects of manufacturing and professional services on the Wirral Chamber of Commerce strategic advisory board which will launch in October. They are still however looking for a broader range of companies to join them, particularly in the areas of hospitality, tourism, wealth management, automotive, housing and retail. Regular Wirral Life readers have followed with interest the amazing growth of Wirral Chamber of Commerce, indeed many of you will be amongst their burgeoning membership base. We can reveal that Wirral are officially the fastest growing chamber in the UK and have recently been shortlisted for the British Chamber of Commerce national award for excellence in member services. Andy Snell, Head of Strategic Partnerships and International Trade at Wirral Chamber of Commerce explains, “Our Strategic Partners are businesses and organisations who play a vital role in investing in, and supporting, the work of Wirral Chamber of Commerce. They are a crucial sounding board and will help guide the next generation of economic development for Wirral, leaving a legacy in the businesses that they inspire and the jobs they will create.”

If you are a business and would like further information about strategic partnership opportunities in your sector, please contact: andysnell@wirralchamber.co.uk

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CONCENTRIC HR Strategic partners often take the lead in delivering Wirral Chamber’s very popular Business Networking events. Concentric HR, an independent Wirral-based HR Consultancy, run by industry experts Andy and Laura Cross lead masterclasses on a range of positive strategies all businesses can employ. HR is playing an ever increasing role in today’s workplace, a focus on recruiting, training and more importantly retaining the right members of staff has never been more important. Concentric HR are experts in effectively keeping staff engaged, happy and productive, something that the Chamber feels is vital if the Wirral economy is to continue to thrive. Upon signing Concentric HR, Andy Snell commented, “Concentric HR are great as they help companies who do not have an in-house HR Manager. They already work with a number of our members, and really take the time to get to know their businesses so that they can provide a truly bespoke HR and employment law support service.”

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INTEB We are all acutely aware of the rising costs of energy which is why Wirral Chamber see it as a top priority to work with Inteb, who are experts in this sector at bridging the gap between finance and energy efficiency projects Inteb has a strong track record of enabling organisation, to make significant energy savings often through simple changes in behaviour. Clients include large corporate organisations from the public and private sector including BlackBerry, Capita, BUPA, NHS and AXA. Locally the team have helped the owners of the iconic Royal Liver Building reduce their environmental impacts and save energy. Raja Kahn, Commercial Director at Inteb is enthusiastic about the future of Wirral business: ‘It’s an exciting time in the Wirral Business landscape, we look forward to working with the chamber to develop relationships in the City Region and forge alliances with other strategic partners’

UNDERGROUND TRAINING STATION Health and fitness is a sector that has not previously been directly involved in setting the strategic direction of economic development in Wirral. Wirral Chamber recognise that it is important on a number of levels and are excited about working with Underground Training Station. UTS is a cutting edge health and fitness centre who have invested heavily in Hoylake and have earnt a deserved reputation as the leading gym on the Wirral, but Andy is particularly impressed with the broader work that UTS do. “It is crucial for Wirral business that all of the borough’s human capital is fully realised and I have been inspired by the vision and approach of UTS Foundation to empower as many people as possible realise their full potential.” The Foundation’s five year project will provide accessible and free structured coaching, health and well-being sessions to recovering cancer patients and vulnerable community groups across the Wirral. The UTS Foundation will work in partnership with a range of agencies, such as the NHS, police, youth service, youth offending teams, schools, colleges and youth clubs to achieve this. Dr Colin Robertson, Director and Lead Coach at UTS is equally enthused: “We feel both privileged and delighted to be working as a strategic partner with Wirral Chamber. Our shared aim is to guide the development of the borough, not just from a health, fitness, and wellness perspective, but by empowering businesses and giving them the opportunity to play and be an active part in the exciting UTS foundation initiative and vision.”

TURKISH AIRLINES Turkish Airlines will work together with Wirral Chamber of Commerce on the growing number of inbound and outbound international trade and investment delegations they are organising. The latest being to China in November focusing on the food and drink, and advanced manufacturing sectors. As Europe’s winner of best airline for successive years Turkish Airlines are the perfect partner for Wirral Chamber and they will be represented at seminars and events focusing on the opportunities for Wirral businesses to expand globally. wirrallife.com 83

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ARGYLE TAXIS & WIRRAL SATELLITE CARS ANNOUNCE MERGER Two of Wirral’s best known taxi companies are merging – with plans to add more vehicles and open a new office to serve Ellesmere Port.

“We are excited about our combined strengths as we work together to establish a taxi firm of choice for residents, businesses and visitors across Wirral.”

Argyle Taxis and Wirral Satellite Cars have combined to become Argyle Satellite, using an existing fleet of 600 vehicles which will expand to 800 within the next 18 months.

Terry Wilson, director and shareholder at Argyle Satellite, previous director of Argyle Taxi added: “This deal between two already established taxi firms will bring about an efficient, streamlined and dependable taxi service that the people of Wirral deserve.”

The former Argyle Taxis headquarters in Birkenhead will be the home of the new call centre for Argyle Satellite, while the Wirral Satellite headquarters will become the training academy and admin office. The existing Wirral Satellite office in West Kirby will remain open, with a new Argyle Satellite office to be opened in Eastham to serve south Wirral, including Little Sutton, Cheshire Oaks and Ellesmere Port. Between them, the two firms already provide 250,000 journeys every month. Chris Jordan, director at Argyle Satellite, and former chairman of Wirral Satellite Cars, said: “In Argyle Taxis we have found a partner, which shares a similar vision and ambition to provide Wirral with the best local knowledge and customer service we possibly can, while providing local drivers a greater opportunity to earn.

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“Our individual visions are aligned, and we are excited to see how this new chapter evolves as we continue our ambitious growth plans to extend our company into hard to reach communities, which will both unlock the leisure and tourism economy and provide service to local people across Wirral.” The board of directors at the new firm is made up of the shareholders of Argyle Taxis as well as Chris Jordan managing director of Davy Liver Taxis, non-executive director of CabFind and chairman of Wirral Satellite Cars. Plans are also in place to further develop an existing academy, which will deliver training for existing drivers as well as supporting the recruitment and training of new drivers in house. Customers will still be able to call the existing Argyle Taxis and Wirral Satellite Cars numbers, 0151 201 1111 or 0151 201 0001.

The end of the school Summer holidays marks a real turning point in the business year with September, October and November often the three most productive months, so why not make a big long list of the stuff you would like to get do ne… and then give it to us to do!

Recruiting new staff Sharpen up social media Create a beautiful Christmas brochure Plan Marketing Strategy Refresh website content Sell, Sell, Sell WH Y NOT D RO P I N FO R A CO FFE E AND L E T’S SE E HOW WE CAN H E L P YO U TO DAY

/WhitfieldBusinessSupport

@WhitfieldBizHub

@WhitfieldBusiness

CALL U S ON 0151 34 2 6365 G ROW@WHIT FIE L DBUSINE SS.CO.UK

W W W.W H I T FI EL D BUSI NESS .CO.U K

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THE FORSHAW GROUP NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP ACADEMY With far too many training organisations offering places to young people with no real job opportunities, continuity or sustainability upon completion of their training, together with a growing message from the industry regarding an increase in the skills gap, The Forshaw Group have looked at how best to use the existing funding and training opportunities to raise the profile of the construction industry as a better choice for school leavers and young people by providing a sustainable workforce that would bring benefits to their own business and the industry as a whole.

a unique insight into the insurance claims market. The Academy offers ten unique days of exciting interaction for our young people to meet together at organised regional and national awareness days covering adventure, fundraising, charity and skills enhancement to promote a healthy lifestyle and community involvement alongside their chosen vocational training and career choice. The days are sponsored and organised by insurance companies or other participating organisations. The days are developed in conjunction with the companies involved to ensure we all get the most out of them.

With a firm commitment to their corporate and social responsibilities, The Forshaw Group launched an academy that includes a ten day programme of industry days, community days, charity days and challenge/adventure days based around their chosen NVQ apprenticeship training course.

Why have The Forshaw Group developed the Academy? We feel that every business involved in the insurance industry supply chain and peripheral services has a corporate and social responsibility to ensure the future well-being and sustainability of our industry. Clients are demanding more from our suppliers on a daily basis through introduction of new methods of working and new skill requirements. These new demands are as a direct result of our customers individual requirements on a claim by claim basis and it seems right that we support each other to attain and retain these skills over the next few years. We recognise that this is a first in our market and we hope that we can attract other members of the industry to join us in ensuring we make this as simple and attainable as possible whilst creating unique opportunities for new apprentices. Once established, we will look to work with schools and other organisations to help ensure our industry and thus supplier requirements can be met over future years.

The Forshaw Group joint managing directors, Liam Hanlon and Jay Calvert, have a combined construction experience of over 60 years. Having worked through their youth training schemes, trade apprenticeships, technician and various site management roles, Liam and Jay have both acquired good qualifications and understanding of their business requirements. Embracing three decades of changes to working practices and skill base Liam and Jay decided they wanted to offer something different for the young people they engaged with through their Apprenticeship Training Academy. In recognition of this achievement, The Forshaw Group were presented with ‘The Construction Industry Training Board CITB SME Employer of the Year 2015’ which celebrates those who inspire the industry at the Pride of Construction Awards. The Forshaw Group were also invited to the Royal Albert Hall in London for the British Insurance Awards 2016 as part of the Aviva UK General Insurance team that won the ‘Business Sustainability/Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year’ for the successful launch of the Insurance Industry National Apprenticeship Academy. What is The Insurance Industry National Apprenticeship Academy? The Academy is an exciting opportunity to create legacy in bridging the predicted industry skills gap with young people that are leaving school or in the first couple of years of work to consider a career within the building arena aligned to insurance needs. We can achieve so much more for these young people by working together and this is a perfect opportunity to join up with leading insurance companies in the UK on our exciting journey. The Academy will welcome young people from any recognised route of apprenticeship training including CITB, NVQ and City & Guilds. The aim is to encourage the employment of apprentices who will learn industry skills alongside a meaningful trade or multi trades to support the required skills and development creating a future sustainability future for all, whilst offering the apprentices

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How do people join the Academy? Attracting young people into this challenging environment may seem onerous but it has never been easier as there are numerous local government agencies now able to deal with the selection and recruitment of apprentices. Many of these organisations will be linked to specific training providers and funding streams, sometimes the funding can be obtained from more than one source. The main source for the Construction Industry is the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board). The various funding streams available can offer a significant contribution towards the training costs of new apprentices. Each representative company will sign their acceptance of a support and commitment charter and will nominate an Apprentice Ambassador for the company to ensure the apprentices are informed and made available for the Academy training days. Graduation from the Academy To graduate from the academy, apprentices must pass their chosen apprenticeship programme/ training course, meet their individual company demands of attendance, company requirements and attend 9 out of the 10 Academy training days plus the Graduation day itself to graduate from the National Apprentice Academy. For more information, visit www.theforshawgroup.com.

MEET THE FORSHAW GROUP APPRENTICES SAMANTHA DRUMMOND, 20 STARTED MARCH 2017 APPRENTICE ADMINISTRATOR

JOE CHELLEW, 20 STARTED OCTOBER 2015 APPRENTICE DESKTOP SURVEYOR

MICHAEL DRYHURST, 21 STARTED OCTOBER 2015 APPRENTICE DRYING TECHNICIAN

“Prior to joining The Forshaw Group, I had various other roles in different industries which helped me decide that I wanted a career in an office based role. Although I had experience of working in an office environment, I didn’t have any knowledge about the construction sector. Over the last 6 months, with help from my colleagues, I have gained a greater knowledge of the construction sector and my responsibilities within the administration department have grown as a result. As part of the Apprenticeship Academy, I am really grateful for the opportunity to complete my Level 3 Business Administration whilst working in a role I enjoy. On completion of my Level 3 Business Administration, I hope to complete my Level 3 in Accountancy which I have already started. The Academy offers the opportunity to meet other apprentices and clients throughout the country during various activity days such as the Innovation Day at The Building Research Establishment (BRE) HQ in Watford, this also gave me an insight into how fire and floods can happen and be prevented. I am really looking forward to the future ahead of me with The Forshaw Group and being a part of the Apprenticeship Academy.”

“At this stage in my life, I had no real idea what I wanted to do as a career. I didn’t have any amount of building knowledge, but figured out I needed to do something with my life. As the months went by, and a lot of help from colleagues and management, I slowly started to build up my building knowledge and confidence, I started to realise this was something I could see myself doing for a long time to come. Next month I will be starting college to complete a HNC qualification in construction to become a qualified surveyor, something I never thought I would see myself doing. The Forshaw Group and Apprenticeship Academy has opened a lot of doors for me and created a lot of pathways I never thought I would take. Taking part in the Apprenticeship Academy days also helped me to build new relationships with colleagues, other apprentices around the country and interact with different clients of The Forshaw Group, by taking part in numerous charity events and team bonding days, such as climbing mount Snowdon, a visit to BRE HQ in Watford and multiple charity runs with the Tri-4-Life foundation. By being part of the Apprenticeship Academy and The Forshaw Group, I know there will be a great future ahead of me.”

“I had an idea that I wanted to pursue a career in the construction industry, as my family are part of this industry. I didn’t have building knowledge only what my family had taught me. As the months went by, and a lot of help from colleagues and management, I slowly started to build up my building knowledge and confidence as an apprentice drying technician. I started to realise this was something I could see myself doing for a long time to come. Through working for the Forshaw Group over the past 2 years, I have completed my Level 2 in multi skill construction giving me confidence to pursue becoming a drying technician, and knowledge of the construction industry. I am now working for The Forshaw Group on a full time basis running my own drying jobs as a drying technician and currently sitting to achieve a BDMA accreditation. The Forshaw Group and Apprenticeship Academy has opened a lot of doors for me and created a lot of pathways I never thought I would take.”

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AN EXCITING COLLECTION OF OVER 60 HANDPICKED STALLS OFFERING A WONDERFUL VARIETY OF UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS GIFTS. The perfect start to Christmas all under one roof. All proceeds raised go directly to North West Cancer Research.

WEDNESDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 2017 3pm - 9pm THURSDAY 2ND NOVEMBER 2017 9.30am - 3pm Walled Garden Marquee At Thornton Manor Thornton Hough Wirral CH63 1JB Â£4 Admission Refreshments Free Parking

www.wirralbazaar.com Sponsored by

CLAIRE HOUSE PARTY A wonderful evening of live music and great food was enjoyed by over 70 guests who attended this annual Wirral garden party in support of Claire House. Lamborghini Manchester kindly provided a new Huracan Performante which the guests thoroughly enjoyed being photographed with. The music was courtesy of the ‘Silver Saddles’ who played their tunes well into the early hours. The wholesome scouse was supplied by Chantilly’s Tea Rooms and the hog roast was delicious. Dessert was provided by the arrival of a ‘Mr Whippy’ ice cream van to the delight of the guests who immediately formed an orderly queue and helped themselves to extra raspberry sauce and flakes. To show your support for Claire House, visit www.clairehouse.org.uk or call 0151 334 4626.

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GOODWIN’S LAUNCH Goodwin’s, Greasby hosted its VIP launch night to showcase the new restaurant and bar. Guests were welcomed with a fizz reception and a selection of the menu’s starters as canapés before sitting down to enjoy sharing platters that showcased the restaurant’s fabulous steak and burger range. Wirral Life were invited along to try the new restaurant alongside specially invited guests from the Wirral community and VIP Mayor of Wirral, Councillor Ann McLachlan. New general manager, Ronn Taylor, looks forward to welcoming guests through the doors this Autumn.

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MIDSUMMER BBQ AT BURNT TRUFFLE In May, Chef owner, Gary Usher, launched a record-breaking £200k Kickstarter campaign to open a 100-cover restaurant in Liverpool city centre, with a series of chefs offering to host guest chef nights to help raise the target. I, like a great many of our readers put my hand in my pocket to bid on several events and do our bit to help ensure a great guy can BBQ at Usher’s Heswall based restaurant, Burnt Truffle, hosted by some of the UK’s top Chefs, including Michelin-starred Chef Patron of Midsummer House, Daniel Clifford, Executive Chef of The Wild Rabbit, Tim Allen, Chef Owner of Alimentum and The White Horse, Mark Poynton, Collette’s at the Grove’s Head Chef, Russel Bateman, Head Chef of Midsummer House, Mark Abbott and Pike & Pine’s Matt Gillan. So, there we all were stood outside in the rain on August 20th tucking in to sugar pit cured pork ribs, honey and mustard glazed pork neck, charred scallions, charred cauliflower, and barbecue spiced sweetcorn, and washing the whole lot down with copious amounts of beer and Prosecco. Despite the typically British weather, we all had a great time and partied well into the night, and I was really pleased to able to meet many of you and share our love of food. I will hopefully see you all again at the next event, but until then I will leave you with a few words from Gary Usher himself: “I feel so humbled that Daniel made this happen and want to thank all the chefs and their teams for a truly unforgettable evening.”

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WALLASEY CRICKET CLUB FESTIVAL Nearly 4000 people attended Wallasey Cricket Club’s 3rd Annual Summer Festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The event took place in conjunction with the Ship & Mitre pub in Liverpool, whose support was once again invaluable. The Festival kicked off on Friday afternoon with a T20 match between a Wallasey All-Stars XI and a Liverpool and District Superstar XI. An exciting match saw Wallasey win in the last over in near total darkness, with the lights of the Ship & Mitre beer tent flickering in the background. Saturday’s Family Fun Day saw families galore attending, from babies to great grandparents, all had a great day in the sun. A variety of artisan and food stalls sold their wares, while kids were entertained by games, bouncy castles and assault courses. There was music throughout the day culminating in another fantastic performance by local band Night Whispers. Hundreds poured through the doors on Sunday for a day of music with local bands playing including The Delta Songbook and The Foundry. There was also an open mic session with performances from local artists. The Monday saw Wallasey 1st XI take on local rivals New Brighton 1st XI in the traditional Bank Holiday derby. On show for Wallasey was ex England international Monty Panesar. During the tea interval, Monty presented a signed shirt to Club sponsors ‘lampadina’. A sensational last ball win for Wallasey capped off another memorable Summer Festival.

ALL IMAGES SHOT ON A LEICA T

LEICA STORE MANCHESTER NEW STORE LAUNCH The new Leica Store Manchester and Leica gallery are now open. In August, Leica Store Manchester opened its doors to customers at its new purpose built premises on Police Street in Manchester’s city centre. To celebrate, Managing Director, David Stephens, and the rest of the Leica Store Manchester team hosted an opening event attended by over one hundred guests. The American photographer and actress Koo Stark officially opened the store’s gallery with her exhibition ‘Kintsugi’ - a series of photographs that chronologically and visually represent Koo’s fascinating life. Also inattendence were representatives from Leica AG, as well as Bentley Motors, who kindly used their cars to chauffeur guests to and from the event. The new Leica Store Manchester is open daily from 10am - 5pm, excluding Sundays. The new address is: Leica Store Manchester 9 Police Street, Manchester, M2 7LQ T: 0161 834 7755 W: leicastoremanchester.com

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SPECIAL THANKS TO MIKE MCTIGUE, ARTHUR GOLD AND JULIAN SMITH FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY

THE MIGHTY RIVER MERSEY ADVENTURE SWIMMING As the warm gentle, north easterly breeze pushed the incoming tide of the Bank Holiday Saturday, twenty five hardy swimmers gazed across the almost nine meter high water from the Cockle inlet towards Monks Ferry in preparation for the start of the now infamous 24th Annual Swim Across the Mighty River Mersey. At 1450hrs, the all clear was given for the ‘window’ in the busy shipping fairways to start the crossing. New swimmers could be easily fooled by the sunshine and pleasant sixteen degree water temperatures that was perfect for an easy swim. Breaking into the powerful tidal surge, the five swimming pods were soon at the mercy of the mighty Mersey waters as they are dragged rapidly south towards Otterspool and the southern banks. Swimming hard towards their chosen bearings, each pod of five swimmers pushed west towards the Wirral shoreline, passing the Birkenhead Priory, Cammell Laird Shipyard and Tranmere Oil Terminal, before slowing down on the slack water. Each pod then adjusted their bearing towards the shore so not to overshoot the finish point slipway. Within minutes, the tide had turned and was running at six knots towards the Irish Sea. Now swimming harder into the shadows of the colossal mooredup tankers, the swimline twisted and they were pushed by the waves it created. Cries could be heard as swimmers were stung by jellyfish and painful ‘sea bees’. Reaching the calmer waters just off the coast, breathing and voices were amplified and echoed off the ancient sandstone dock walls as each pod regrouped in this eerie space, being carried even quicker in the final surge to breakout of the tidal flow towards the finish point and the welcome home of Monks Ferry Slipway. Congratulations to all the swimmers for a successful crossing. To Mersey legend veterans Joe Kerrigan, 78 and Ray Hanlon, 98 wirrallife.com

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

72, three generations of the Hanlon family, Grandfather Henry Lowther and debut Mersey swimmer, 15 year old grand-daughter Ellie Knight. As with any adventure swimming event it would not be possible without the help and support of safety crews. Huge thanks to Kevin Gerrard and the Ormskirk Diving Club for Paula Jo, Osac Divee and D Boy. Andy Farrell and Andy Morley from Bluepoint Marine Services for the crew and John & Steve of the Big Blue and the Big O vessels. Organisation and safety from Jimmy Tinsley and Mrs J, Bob Jones, Robin Baynes, Ossie Omar and Rob Harrison from Liverpool Heartbeat for the John Hulley 1863 Legacy Event. Our registration team and shore safety - Debbie Hanlon, Emer Sneddon, Andrea Davies, Kiera Hanlon & Dave Roberts. The event organisers would also like to thank Joe Blythe Marine Operations Manager at Peel Ports for their support, the ‘watchfull eye’ from the crew of Marine Fire 1, the Coastguard and all other agencies involved in the success of this amazing event. The swimmers and support team have again raised thousands of pounds for various local charities and good causes. Looking ahead to next year’s 25th Anniversary celebrations, the organisers are hoping to increase swimmer numbers and profile the Mighty River Mersey Swim as ‘The Adventure Swim Challenge of 2018’. Supported by Bentley Motors, 100 years of the Liverpool to Isle of Man yacht race, 25 years of the modern Across Mersey Swim and 10 years since Liverpool European Capital of Culture. For further information contact Liam Hanlon at tri-4-life on 07966 529133.

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ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY BY JO O’BRIAN

SDS VIP EVENING The atmosphere in SDS Rejuvenate MediSpa was electric, despite the grey evening outside. As VIP guests started to arrive on Thursday 7th September, they were welcomed by Dr Sally & Dr Ian, and their team, along with Prosecco and delicious canapes. As they began to mingle with one another, guided tours around the clinic were being given to discover the luxurious treatment rooms and what they had to offer. SDS Rejuvenate showcased their own skin care range and after being offered a complimentary skin analysis, they were able to trial various serums, creams and lotions. To add to the very relaxed evening Dr’s Sally & Ian had invited two eminent Doctors in their own right, Dr Johanna Ward (Cosmetic doctor, GP and co-founder of ZENii skincare), who gave a short presentation on her ZENii supplement and wellness range and Professor Charles Kingsland (Consultant Gynaecologist and Specialist in Reproductive Medicine) on his specialist topic ‘The menopause’ together with Dr Sally, they also discovered the new laser treatment they now offer for mild stress incontinence (the only clinic in the North West). The evening was a complete success and as the guests eventually began to leave back out into the dark night, they were supplied with a goody bag filled with SDS Rejuvenate skin care samples and other products.

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Wirral Life Photography in association with Leica Store Manchester BRIEF 10: WIRRAL BEACH LIFE GOLD: MIKE Mc TIGUE

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GOLD: HELEN OLIVIERI

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BRIEF 10: WIRRAL BEACH LIFE

GOLD:

SARAH ROBERTS JENNINGS

GOLD:

STEVE MADDEN

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GOLD:

STEVE MADDEN

SILVER:

SAM BARNES/AMY MARSHALL

BRONZE:

STEVE ROUGHLY

THANKS TO ALL OF OUR ENTRANTS. NEXT MONTH - BRIEF 11: AUTUMN SUN RAYS. NEW SHOTS ONLY. DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 29. SEND TO editorial@wirrallife.com ADD YOUR NAME TO ALL FILES. UP TO 3 ENTRIES (NO PHONES). GOOD LUCK! wirrallife.com 107 101

Since the release of the Leica M3 at Photokina in 1954, every single M-System camera has represented the pinnacle of innovation for its day. Defined by what is essential for photography. Leica embodies this passion for quality, craftsmanship and its philosophy of photography to this day. More than 60 years of rangefinder expertise, 11 years of digital M-Camera development and invaluable feedback from dedicated M-Photographers have inspired Leica engineers to create the slimmest digital M of all time.

CARS & COFFEE By Norman Shum

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Shot by Paul Halliwell & Matthew Eaton

Braving the unexpected miserable weather at this month’s Cars and Coffee Liverpool was not only our diehard motor enthusiasts, but more importantly Michelle Odwyer and her team of Hula girls, raising money for the Woodland Hospice - this month’s chosen charity. The girls were dressed for the Hawaiian theme in grass skirts, low cut tops and flower garlands. The cold would not stop them from entertaining and bucket shaking the crowds. Within 4 hours they raised over £450. This month’s observation was the amount of classics and retro 70’s- 80’s vehicles that surrounded our 1983 Volkswagen Golf GTI. The car that popularised the concept of the hot hatch. The 1976 Golf GTI was announced at the 1975 Frankfurt Motor Show. However, the Golf GTI was not the first hot hatch, several cars from the early seventies started the trend. Sportier versions of mainstream hatchbacks such as the Autobianchi A112 Abarth in 1971 and the Simca 1100 Ti which was on sale in Europe by 1974. Another early hot hatch was the Renault 5 Alpine which first went on sale in May 1976, pre-dating the launch of the Golf GTi, by two months. This Mk1 GTI in a late 70s period colour called Mars red, like orange similar to the Series 1 Audi Quattro in the hit TV shows ‘Life on Mars’ and ‘Ashes to Ashes’ driven by characters Gene Hunt and the beautiful Alex Drake. The car was designed by the Italian style guru Giorgetto Giugario (voted Car Designer of the Century in 1999 - we’ll be doing a special feature on him in a future issue). Known for notable 70’s ‘folded paper’ designs such as the Delorean DMC 12 (Back to the future movie car), Lotus Esprit (Roger Moore’s - James Bond submarine), The Saab 600 - which was a rebadged Lancia Delta that set the stage for the Saab & Fiat-Lancia-Alfa Romeo partnership, (one of our C&CL members Greg Lunt owns a beautiful red Lancia). He also designed the current Ford Mustang to even the elegant Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT. Oh and if your into photography - the Nikon F4S! On another spectrum resting at the entrance to the Chung Ku restaurant lies Dom Farley’s early 1964 Porsche 356C. This immaculately preserved white 356 was based around the Ferdinand Porsche evergreen air-cooled rear engine VW Beetle ‘folksWagon’ concept. These were a hand-crafted aluminium bodied cars built in the picturesque countryside of Gmund in Austria from 1946. At the time, these cars were entered in a race as a development programme during the formative period of Le Mans. After the first win at Le Mans, the success of Porsche was guaranteed! This particular Porsche 356 has a super 90 engine. 1725 cc. Originally bought by an American airforce pilot in Holland then shipped to the US in 1970, before being shipped here by Dom’s Father. After the success of the first book signing here of Roy McCarthy’s ‘Alphabet of Curious Cars’, Comedian Gary Skyner was invited for a biography book launch. We’d like to thank Matty Kelly and his team from BMW Williams Liverpool, our local 125 Field Company REME Army, all of our motor enthusiasts and everyone that came to support Cars and Coffee Liverpool and our chosen Charity Woodland Hospice. P.s Thank you to Andy McQueen who made a little boy very happy by letting him sit in your Ferrari F430. His father had given him the middle name ‘Enzo’ after the famous founder Enzo Ferrari. Please get in touch with carsandcoffeeliverpool@gmail.com for any help or any interesting projects you have coming up. wirrallife.com 111

THE RS6 HAS ONE MAJOR PROBLEM. FINDING SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS IT. The Audi RS6 is probably one of the world’s finest automotive engineering achievements on the road today. The V8 is sophisticated, not harsh. Complex, not complicated. And intoxicatingly outrageous. So much is the personality of the RS6, that you’ll notice if it’s a little under the weather. But you don’t just get anyone to diagnose and deliver a prognosis. And there lies the problem. Not many understand your RS6 like we do. Because at Unit 20, we’ve been taking them apart and putting them back together for well over a decade. Which is why our customers – from far and wide – return to us with their RS6s for the finest tuning, servicing and repairs. Understandably. If your RS6 is a little misunderstood, call Unit 20 now on 0151 336 6888, or visit unit20.com UNIT 20 | FIVEWAYS HOUSE | LIVERPOOL ROAD | CLAYHILL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE | NESTON | WIRRAL CH64 3RU | TELEPHONE 0151 336 6888.

Porsche recommends

The new Panamera. Courage changes everything. Discover more at porsche.co.uk/panamera

Porsche Centre Chester Cheshire Oaks Cheshire CH65 9LF 0845 8454 911 info@porschechester.co.uk www.porschechester.co.uk

Official fuel economy figures for the Panamera 4S in l/100km (mpg): urban 10.2 – 10.1 (27.7 – 28.0), extra urban 6.8 – 6.7 (41.5 – 42.2), combined 8.2 – 8.1 (34.4 – 34.9). CO2 emissions: 186 – 184 g/km. The mpg and CO2 figures quoted are sourced from official EU‑regulated tests, are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

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