Hospice launches A Rose to Remember

THIS summer, St. Joseph's Hospice in Thornton is inviting people to remember a loved one by dedicating a rose in their memory as part of its summer remembrance event. The Hospice in Thornton is creating a special Rose to Remember garden in its woodland grounds for families to visit during the summer where they will see their own special rose. Each rose will include the name of the person being remembered and their relationship to the person dedicating the rose.

Maxine Armstrong, head of fundraising and lottery at St. Joseph's Hospice, said:- "It helps families to have a special focus of remembrance at different times of the year and during seasons which hold a special significance to them and the memories they hold. A Rose to Remember is a lovely way that families can pay tribute to the lives of their loved ones and we are very fortunate to have such beautiful woodland grounds which are open throughout the year and are the perfect place to sit, reflect and remember, particularly during the warmer summer months."

At the end of the summer, all those who have dedicated a rose to a loved one will be invited to the Hospice to view the garden and enjoy afternoon tea and cake. Families will then be able to take their rose home or, if they prefer, leave it in the Rose to Remember garden at the Hospice. To dedicate A Rose to Remember, the Hospice asks for a minimum donation of ₤5 per rose. Dedication forms are available to download at:- StJHospice.Org.UK or simply call:- 01519326044 to give your details over the phone. To find out more about A Rose to Remember, please call:- 01519326044 or email:- Events@Jospice.Org.UK.

Sefton Council Town Hall Refurbishments

SPECIALIST improvement and refurbishment works are set to take place on Southport and Bootle Town Halls aimed at reducing heat loss and restoring historic features. The work is set to run throughout this year and will see roof and glazing improvements as part of energy efficiency measures as well as a full paint restoration at Southport Town Hall and repairs at Bootle Town Hall. Ahead of the painting of the Town Hall, mould removal and a render clean will also be undertaken in readiness for the paint application on the Grade Listed II Southport Town Hall building, before restoring the frontage back to the building's original brilliant white colour. Contractors will also undertake work at Bootle Town Hall, to repair and refurbish the building's roof space. A specialist heritage contractor will work undertake the work at both buildings, ensuring that key historic features are maintained and protected. The work will improve insulation in both buildings making them more energy efficient and significantly reducing their carbon consumption.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Cabinet Member for Regulatory and Customers Services said:- "The Town Halls are a vital part of the heritage of the Borough of Sefton and are much loved and valued by our communities, so maintaining them to a high standard is a key priority. I'm delighted to see these carbon saving projects are getting underway at our Town Halls as this is a crucial element of reducing the Council's carbon footprint. We must make every effort to reduce carbon consumption at Council owned sites to make progress towards net zero carbon by 2030. These historic buildings are notoriously poor on energy efficiency and I am pleased that we are addressing these issues as we move towards a greener future."

Sefton Council recently secured over ₤800,000 from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund to undertake works at Bootle and Southport Town Halls to make public buildings more energy efficient. The Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund is part of the:- 'Build Back Better' programme launched by the Government and will save energy as well as carbon. The ₤1 billion scheme is part of a commitment to support the UK's economic recovery from Covid19 as well as net zero and clean growth targets.