Strawberry Field encourages families to:- 'Get Back to Play' with free activities to enjoy through Summer

STRAWBERRY Field, the iconic location immortalised by John Lennon in The Beatles hit:- 'Strawberry Fields Forever,' is the site of the former Salvation Army children's home. The place has a history of children playing in the grounds, from the affectionately known 'Strawbs,' the children who lived in the home, to John Lennon himself, who lived nearby with his aunt and found solace as a child playing in the gardens.

The team at Strawberry Field have launched:- 'Get Back to Play' through Summer, a dedicated day for families to get outside into nature and play together. There's a chance to enjoy open play in the garden in the morning from 10:00am, with games and equipment. In the afternoon, there's a scheduled activity for all the family to enjoy, from 1:30pm to 3:30pm. Through the day, there's a garden explorer tour, where you can explore the gardens and get creative with what you see, hear and feel.

Sue Harvey, Commercial Manager at Strawberry Field said:- "It's all about kids getting back to playing outside and having a bit of freedom after a really turbulent 18 months for everyone, in and out of lockdown and not being able to enjoy what we would normally. So in the morning, it's all about imaginative play and we're encouraging parents, carers, kids to put their screens away and just enjoy themselves playing in the garden. Then in the afternoon, we've got a scheduled activity with a local artist doing art with the children. There's a garden explorer tour too, where you can look at the bug hotels with a magnifying glass and get back to nature. We've got a beautiful garden, at Strawberry Field and this is the perfect opportunity to enjoy all those kinds of things that we've missed over the last 18 months."

Strawberry Field includes an authentic inter active exhibition where "nothing is real!" complete with Media Guides in multiple languages, exploring stories new and old of the site's history and heritage, John Lennon's childhood, and the writing and recording of the famous song as told by John's close friends and family. Under 16s go free in the exhibition with a paying adult. The Imagine More Café provides light refreshments and a picnic bag for a family of four is just ₤10.

Get back to Play is free to attend, but booking on to the afternoon activity is advised. Visit Eventbrite to book on to each activity and visit:- StrawberryFieldLiverpool.Com or call:- 01512526130 for more information.
 

Macmillan to host virtual health and wellbeing event

SOUTHPORT, Formby and West Lancashire residents are being invited to a month long virtual Health and Wellbeing Event in September 2021 being held by Macmillan centres and partners across Cheshire, Merseyside and West Lancashire. Local Health and Wellbeing events switched to an online format in 2020 due to the COVID19 Pandemic. After great success and feedback the virtual format event is back, with more partners getting involved from across the Region to offer a 'bigger and better' variety of support sessions for anyone who has been affected by cancer.

Sessions during the month will help prepare people for all stages of their cancer journey, as well as providing support and information for their carers, family and friends. It will bring together a range of service providers from the NHS, social, community and voluntary organisations across Cheshire, Merseyside and West Lancashire, to deliver sessions online each day throughout the month.

The online sessions will include information on topics such as chemotherapy, clinical trials and how to manage conditions like lymphoedema, sessions about exercise, fatigue, relaxation, hair (including wigs), skin care, emotional support, benefits and financial support, and more.

This year Southport and West Lancashire Macmillan Cancer Centres are working in collaboration with Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust and other partners across the Regions to deliver the online sessions held on Microsoft Teams. As part of the event the 2 local Macmillan centres will be holding an online session to talk about the ongoing support services on offer in each area including regular supportive events.

Elaine Deeming, lead cancer nurse at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust said:- "These events are so important, providing health and wellbeing information and advice, and signposting local resources and services. We are delighted that the 2021 event is going to be a collaborative event across Cheshire, Merseyside and West Lancashire, which means we are able to deliver more sessions and open the event up to people affected by cancer, their family, carers and friends from anywhere in those areas."

Tanya Mulvey, manager at the Southport Macmillan Cancer Centre said:- "Despite lockdown restrictions being lifted we are aware that there are many people who will continue to be very cautious going forward and the health and safety of our residents is always a priority at our events."

Caroline Flynn, manager at the Macmillan Information and Support Service in West Lancashire, said:- "After the success and popularity of last year's online event, we are bringing the Health and Wellbeing Event back in a virtual format, to enable more people to attend in a safe way. We have resumed our face to face service at our centres for those who need this support, with pre-bookable appointments and new infection control measures in place to ensure visitors and staff are protected from Covid19."

For a full timetable of the health and wellbeing event sessions in September and further information, click here. To find out more about support available from the Macmillan Cancer Centre, in Southport, funded by NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), call:- 01704533024, email:- SFCCG.Macmillancic@NHS.Net or visit:- SouthportMacmillanCentre.Org.UK. For information on support from the Macmillan Information and Support Service in West Lancashire, funded by NHS West Lancashire CCG, call:- 01695402164, or email:- vcl.MacmillanWestLancs@NHS.Net.