NHS Cheshire and Merseyside has launched a new campaign to increase awareness of online health services after 86% of people surveyed said they wanted to start accessing services online. The NHS, which marked its 75th anniversary on July 5, has rapidly advanced its digital transformation over recent years to offer people a faster and more convenient way to manage their health online. A recent poll of digitally connected adults revealed a strong desire among people who use digital media to make greater use of digital services, with online prescriptions being the most popular service. Almost all (97%) of those using online health services said it benefitted them. Despite the significant interest and benefits, three-quarters (77%) of those surveyed said they were unaware…
Author: Community Contributor
Sefton households with pre-payment gas or electricity meters have just days to claim unused Energy Support Scheme vouchers. Households across the country received £400 through the Energy Support Scheme over the winter to help them cope with soaring bills and the national cost-of-living crisis. People who pay their energy bills by direct debit and have been getting their bills reduced of their accounts credited automatically. But those with prepayment meters should have been sent vouchers, which could be cashed at Post Offices or other locations such as PayPoint shops. Vouchers were sent in the post or via email. With the…
More than three thousand people visited Splash World Southport over the late May Bank Holiday weekend following the reopening of the popular indoor water park. On the back of the incredibly successful reopening, Sefton Council is delighted to confirm the return of Splash World’s Inclusive Nights for those with varying disabilities. The exclusive events, also popularly known as ‘Quiet Nights,’ are specific nights held at the indoor water park designed to create a calming and fun filled atmosphere for those who are neurodiverse or have disabilities. During the Inclusive Nights sessions, access is also given to the child’s parents, carers,…
Fraudsters have been contacting households in Sefton claiming to be offering offer a free Careline service. Careline Telecare is a service that provides care and safety for elderly and vulnerable people through equipment such as personal alarm pendants and motion sensors connected to a monitoring centre. A Sefton Council spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of people being contacted from what sound like fraudulent offers around Careline packages. “The scam calls are being made by someone claiming to offer a free Careline service who may go on to ask for bank details and family contact details. “We would urge…
We are delighted to announce that Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev are making an appearance at this year’s Southport Flower Show on Friday 18th August. Rachel Riley is the numbers expert on Channel 4’s long-running quiz show Countdown and a resident team member on the hit Channel 4 comedy show 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. Rachel has appeared on Room 101, Top Gear and Would I Lie To You (BBC). She co-presented It’s Not Rocket Science for ITV and has appeared on several TV quiz shows raising money for charity including: Celebrity Mastermind, Pointless Celebrities (BBC 1), The Chase (ITV), The Bank Job, Million Pound Drop and Fifteen to One (Channel 4). Rachel is an avid Manchester United fan. She…
Southport Contemporary Arts Angela Birchall ArtHouse, 65 Eastbank Street, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 1EJ 23rd May– 3rd June 202 The stage is all set for the unveiling of Southport professional artist and mentor, Angela Birchall’s new solo exhibition at the ArtHouse on Eastbank Street. A self-confessed life-long devotee of Renaissance painter, Leonardo da Vinci, for her latest presentation Angela has taken the theme of ‘light and dark’ in admiration of his expert use of the technique of ‘chiaroscuro’. The term comes from the Italian words ‘chiaro’, meaning light, and ‘oscuro’, which means dark. Leonardo was a key exponent of the practice of generating…
You may have heard how busy Woodlands Animal Sanctuary is with kittens currently; what you may not have heard it that they also have a full shelter of adult cats who are also desperate for their second chance of a happy ever after. Not only are these cats all missing out on their own forever loving home the longer the stay with the animal charity, but it also means that the team are unable to take in any more cats because they simply do not have any space. Just this week they were unable to help 18 cats & kittens…
Merseyside’s Police Commissioner has released an open letter to the Chief Constable to thank the entire force for their exceptional effort keeping everyone safe during the nine days of Eurovision. Dear Serena, I write as Eurovision draws to a close to convey my profound thanks to you, your senior team and all the officers, PCSOs, staff and volunteers within Merseyside Police for your exceptional efforts keeping everyone safe during what has been an extraordinarily busy and high-profile fortnight for our region. Eurovision has been an incredible spectacle and a fabulous international celebration of music and culture held on a staggering…
It’s Foster Care Fortnight (15th – 28th May), the yearly celebration which raises awareness about how fostering can change a child’s future. Sefton’s children need loving homes Right now, there are just over 600 children and young people in Sefton’s care. With a national shortage of in-house carers, devastatingly some of these children are in unsuitable homes. Sefton needs at least 15 additional carers by the end of the year, to meet the demand. Appeal to local people Sefton Council is appealing to local people to think about giving a child the love and stability they desperately need. Councillor Mhairi…
Local Member of Parliament, Damien Moore, has welcomed extra funding from the Conservative Government, providing schools in Southport with £1,895,316, as part of £2 billion this year and next for primary schools and secondary schools in England. Every state school in England will receive extra cash. A typical primary school will receive an extra £35,000 and a typical secondary will receive £200,000. In total, the schools budget will be £58.8 billion in 2024–2025, with the Conservative Government putting more funding into schools than ever before and school funding is set to rise faster than forecast inflation in both 2023–24 and…
Member of Parliament for Southport, Damien Moore, has today received confirmation that proposals to house 171 asylum seekers in the Royal Clifton Hotel, a Britannia property, have now been scrapped. This news comes after Mr. Moore made strong representations in Southport and in Westminster to ensure that these ill-thought-out proposals would not go ahead. Mr. Moore had previously spoken with the Council, and had identified a range of serious risks with the proposal. From the impact on local services, in particular children’s services, to the impact on the local economy, Mr. Moore argued that the housing of asylum seekers in…
Southport councillor Sinclair d’Albuquerque has joined the Liberal Democrats. Sinclair was elected as a Conservative councillor for Cambridge ward in 2021. He is currently leader of the independent Southport Councillors group and will now join the Liberal Democrat Sefton Council Group. This news follows on from local Lib Dem success in last Thursday’s elections when they secured the most votes in Southport and the most councillors. Sinclair said: “The way the Liberal Democrats proactively represent the people of Southport has been impressive and visionary. Although elected as a Conservative three years ago, I now consider their principles, ethics and values both…
With cases of measles on the rise in the UK, parents and guardians are being urged to ensure that children are up to date with their vaccinations. Measles is a highly infectious disease that can lead to serious problems such as pneumonia, meningitis, and on rare occasions, long-term disability or death. Symptoms of measles include a high fever, sore red watery eyes and a blotchy red-brown rash. It is particularly easy to catch when in close contact with others. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine provides protection from the disease. Children are offered the first dose of the MMR…
Community groups which can provide safe and engaging activities for young people during the school summer holidays are being invited to bid for a share of £110,000 from Merseyside’s Police Commissioner’s Youth Diversion Fund. This is the second time Emily Spurrell has run the Fund during the summer holidays, with the focus on giving young people from struggling families more opportunities and helping to ease holiday hardship. The money will be used to provide safe, engaging, positive activities, with the aim of helping to reduce crime and ASB which often spikes when the schools close, while also providing meals to…
More than 200 Southport families have been referred to one charity for Christmas present support for their children as the cost of living crisis continues to bite. The Salvation Army in Southport runs an annual Christmas Present Appeal which calls on members of the local community to add an extra gift to their shopping list for a child that otherwise wouldn’t have anything to open on Christmas Day and has so far seen over 200 families referred for support. As more families are being pushed into poverty amid the cost of living crisis, the church and charity, located on Shakespeare…
Damien Moore MP has announced that his Children’s A&E petition, launched in September, was signed by “well over a thousand” of his Southport constituents within the first week. The petition calls for the return of the Children’s A&E service at Southport Hospital, which was lost in 2003 under a Liberal Democrat MP and at the direction of the then-Labour Government. The Conservative MP for Southport has confirmed that Ministers and NHS England are looking into the proposal and are pushing for a review of the case for a new Children’s A&E within Southport, following almost two decades without the crucial…
The Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Clare Louise Carragher, has today (Monday 21 November) launched the borough’s annual Christmas Toy Appeal. Each year thousands of kind-hearted Sefton residents, council staff, partners and community groups donate toys, gifts, vouchers and stocking fillers to some of the borough’s most deserving children to make their Christmas extra special. New and unwrapped toys, gift vouchers, toiletries, pyjamas and stocking fillers for all ages are needed and welcomed as part of the appeal. Gift cards and toiletries are especially welcome for older children and teenagers. Gifts and vouchers can be dropped off at several locations across…
Are you interested in learning more about a fulfilling new career? People are being invited to call into a Social Care Jobs Fair taking place in Southport this September. Representatives from six local companies will be on hand to answer any questions and to chat about their experiences of life in the social care sector. The Jobs Fair takes place at the Southport Salvation Army Centre, on Shakespeare Street, Southport PR8 5AJ, between 11am and 2pm on Thursday, 29th September 2022. All are welcome. This is a friendly, informal event with people able to stay for as little or as…
The North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre was delighted to welcome Horatio’s Garden to its specialist rehabilitation centre as part of a gruelling charity cycle challenge. Based at Southport and Formby District General Hospital, the centre is one of eight in England and has been rehabilitating people with spinal cord injuries and helping them live their lives to the fullest since 1947. Horatio’s Garden is a charity that creates and cares for beautiful gardens in NHS spinal injury centres across the UK, and is named after Horatio Chapple, who was tragically killed on an expedition to Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic, aged 17.…
Running Friday 29th July to Friday 5th August, Love Parks Week is a chance to visit and appreciate the many wonderful parks we have here in Sefton. Across the Borough there are over 30 parks and a further 183 greenspaces with 61 children’s play areas ranging from Botanic Gardens in the north to the wide coastal landscape of Crosby Coastal Park and the historic Derby Park in the south. Whether it’s walking the dog, picnicking with friends, exercising and keeping fit, or pushing our little ones on a playground swing, they give our communities, our children, and our pets a…
In a record-breaking year Friends of Rotten Row is raising its prestigious Green Flag Community Award Friends of Rotten Row are celebrating after receiving a Green Flag Community Award for one of 2208 UK winners. The award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces. After two years that have seen our parks and green spaces play a vital role for people through lockdowns as a place to relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely, the news that has achieved the Green Flag Award is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that make the green…
An interactive new art exhibition curated by researchers from Edge Hill University is travelling to nature reserves across the North West to mark Natural England’s 70th birthday. The From the Land to the Sky exhibition forms part of Natural England’s 70th anniversary celebrations to help visitors understand what disadvantaged communities have to say about the natural environment. Professor of Culture, Communication and Screen Studies, Claire Parkinson has brought together artists and disadvantaged groups to produce artworks examining what animals can teach us about our landscapes. Together they explored farms, nature reserves, and allotments to consider the different ways in which people…
The Grand in Southport is inviting talented people to join this exciting new business, and enjoy some of the best training in the region. The beautiful Grade II Listed building on Lord Street will provide visitors with a luxurious, five-star experience when it opens its doors on Friday, 15th July. When fully operational it will also create 60 new jobs with the chance to learn from some of the very best in the business. General Manager Eimear McElroy, who boasts more than 20 years experience in the hospitality industry, worked as General Manager for Ubiquitous Chip for 10 years. She…
The much-anticipated opening date for The Grand on Lord Street has now been confirmed with bookings now being taken for opening weekend. The Grand Brasserie and Chloe’s Piano Bar will be the first venues to open on Friday 15th July with The Princess Grace Suite, one of the finest wedding and function suites in the Northwest accommodating up to 250 people, opening only a couple of weeks later for viewings. Harry’s Rooftop Bar and The Sky Bar are scheduled to be open by Christmas. Reservations for the Brasserie and Chloe’s Piano Bar are now available on the venue’s website, be…
New and soon to be parents and carers have a new champion to give their views and experiences of maternity services to for Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust. Abi Cattlin, 30, from Southport has been appointed as chair of the Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP) in Southport, Ormskirk and Sefton to allow parents to give feedback about their experience. She takes over the role from outgoing chair Dani Gillet which will see her developing, leading and representing the partnership throughout the year. The mother of two who gave birth to both of her children at Ormskirk Hospital said that she…
Brand new TV series, THE GREAT AUCTION SHOWDOWN is filming with one of the UK’s favourite auctioneers, Paul Martin, this summer and is looking for people in Southport to take part. The producers of Yorkshire Auction House and Catchphrase are on the hunt for individuals to come forward with fascinating, precious, unusual or one-of-a-kind items to be featured on the show. Each week, the series will see Paul Martin go head-to-head with a rival expert as they compete to make the most at auction in a fun, yet fiercely competitive new format. Filmed throughout the country, Paul and his…
Residents being impacted by the rising cost of living crisis are being reminded of support available to them via the Sefton Support Hub, a one stop digital notebook of helpful services and advice. Ranging from help with the cost of living crisis, council tax and rent arrears to active fitness and support for new mums, the Sefton Support Hub is designed to be an easy way of signposting vital services for those communities and residents who will need them the most. As part of its continued commitment to putting residents at the heart of what the local authority does, Sefton…
North Meols Lawn Tennis Club, which is situated in Mill Lane Crescent, Churchtown PR9 7PF is hosting an Open Afternoon this Sunday 3rd July from 2pm. – 4pm. Everyone is welcome, from those who have never played tennis before to experienced club players – and of course any budding future stars. The event is free and is run in conjunction with the Lawn Tennis Association. The Open Sessions offer fun for all the family – including those who fancy trying the game for the first time. The club coach, Rob McNulty, will be on hand with coaching, advice and tips,…
Victoria Park in Southport will be transformed into a magical fairytale village as the Far Away Land family festival rolls into town! The event takes place on Saturday, 2nd July 2022 and Sunday, 3rd July 2022 with a huge array of entertainment for children (and adults!) of all ages. Visitors can enjoy: live music from CBeebies favourites Andy and The Oddsocks Yolanda’s Band Jam Horrible Histories Live Jurassic Live Dinosaur Show Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure Roald Dahl Imagination Seekers live high flying wrestling assault course graffiti workshop, with a huge graffiti wall a kids comedy show Plus a huge immersive Lego…
A Southport nine-year-old who has developed an app to help his autistic brother has been celebrated at a star-studded awards ceremony hosted by Eamonn Holmes. Sean Porter wrote the app for his younger brother Adam and it is now being used by other children with non-verbal communication issues. His achievement was recognised at The Child of Britain Awards, the first national awards ceremony to celebrate the courage, fortitude, talents and triumphs of exceptional British children. The awards took place last night (Friday, June 24) at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane. The inspirational and emotional evening featured a stellar…