Liverpool's flagship learning project to sail the country

LIVERPOOL'S Friend Ship is set to embark on a voyage of discovery to new destinations right across the country.

The city's interactive learning vessel is proving to be a huge hit with Liverpool's schoolchildren and could soon be dropping anchor in new berths around the UK.

The Friend Ship, a flagship project during Liverpool's year of Faith in One City, could soon be setting sail to the other cities who bid alongside Liverpool for Capital of Culture status.

The idea for thousands more children to climb aboard the Friend Ship has been put forward to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for approval. Once agreed, the Friend Ship will chart a course towards the cities during 2005, Liverpool's Year of the Sea.

It is hoped children from the cities involved will come to Liverpool for a Friend Ship Festival to celebrate the success of the project, as part of the Mersey River Festival in 2005.

The colourful, vibrant ship is currently heading for each primary and special school in Liverpool at a rate of knots, with 40,000 school children engaging with the ship and its cargo of learning materials and lesson plans and discovering more about the values of tolerance, diversity and friendship.

The Friend Ship was launched in Liverpool in March 2004, with 5,000 schoolchildren expected to have boarded the vessel by the end of July.

LOYAL ORANGE INSTITUTION OF ENGLAND
GRAND LODGE JUNIOR COMMITTEE

GRAND LODGE JUNIOR PARADE
SUNDAY 27 JUNE 2004

CROSBY CIVIC HALL
CROSBY ROAD NORTH

2.30PM SERVICE

OUTWARD:-  Muster 1:15pm Car Park at Crosby Marina (Cambridge Road end), Move Off 1:30pm Via: Cambridge Road, Waterloo Road, Great Georges Road, Church Road, South Road, Crosby Road North, Galloway Road, Back Winstanley Road, Hicks Road into Hall

RETURN:-

Via: Park Road, Bramhall Road, Walmer Road, Marine Terrace, Brunswick Parade, back to Marina

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NATIONAL LOTTERY KEEPS FLOWER POWER ALIVE AND BUZZING IN MERSEYSIDE

IN a ceremony last week, The National Lottery has presented the National Wildflower Centre in Knowsley with a commemorative Blue Plaque to recognise how its £1.9 million lottery grant has benefited the community and its environment, both in Merseyside and across the UK.

The Blue Plaque has been awarded as part of a nationwide campaign to show exactly where National Lottery money has been spent and how National Lottery players have made a difference to communities across the UK.

The National Wildflower Centre was awarded £1.9 million from The National Lottery to develop its award winning nature conservation and education projects. 

Through activities such as wildflower demonstrations, information services, a children's play area and a roof-top nature walkway, over 30,000 visitors a year experience the natural beauty of wildflower habitats and learn about their environmental importance. 

In addition, thousands of children further afield benefit from the centre's comprehensive teaching packs. 

The National Wildflower Centre is one of 50 organisations to receive a Blue Plaque this month, bringing the total presented by The National Lottery to 5,000. This marks the halfway point of 10,000 to be reached by the tenth Birthday of the National Lottery on November this year.

Rats on the run from City Pest controllers

LIVERPOOL's rats, bugs and cockroaches are on the run after the city council's pest control team was been recognised with a new award for the quality of its service.

A prestigious Charter Mark has been awarded to the council's Public Health and Pest Control section because of the high standard of service it offers. At the same time, council employees who look after the interests of Liverpool's private sector tenants have been granted the same award.

Charter Marks are awarded by the Government to public sector workers who can demonstrate that they give exceptionally high quality service.
They are tested for their openness, innovation, service improvements and contributions to the community. 

The city's Environmental Health workers already have four Charter Marks, with the two new awards taking the total to six.

Environmental Health chief Andy Hull said:- "For us in Environmental Health, our customers are king. The two new Charter Marks are an acknowledgement that our services are among the best in the country."