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National
Red Squirrel Week 11 - 19 September
Photograph by Patrick Trollope
THIS year Red Alert North West
(The red squirrel conservation partnership) along with Sefton Council are highlighting the threat to Sefton’s red squirrel populations by the invasion of grey squirrels through the Southport’s Parks. Red squirrel numbers here have been slowly decreasing and grey squirrel numbers increasing here for a number of years. An outbreak of the deadly parapox virus in 2003 caused a dramatic decrease in the number of red squirrels sighted and highlighted an urgent need for action. The Southport population is not only important in it’s own right but is critical to the survival of the red squirrel on the Sefton Coast.
There will be members of the Formby and Southport Red Alert in Hesketh Park and Botanic Gardens over the weekend of the
11 to talk to members of the local community about red squirrel conservation issues.
The National Trust at Formby, the best place in the country to see wild red squirrels close up, are hosting a self guided squirrel spotting trail throughout red squirrel week and a squirrel crafts day on Saturday
18 September from 1:30pm. until 4:00pm. (Please get more information from the entrance kiosk on Victoria Avenue.)
Formby and Southport and Little Crosby Red Alert Groups are hosting a fundraising supper at Shorrocks Hill Eating Room, Formby on the
14. Local business’ have donated raffle prizes, including dinner for two at Shorrcks Hill Country Club and a framed photograph of a red squirrel taken by local wildlife photographer, Steve Young and framed by Artemis framing. Tickets for this event are available from the number below.
If you wish to find out more information about any of the above events, red squirrel conservation issues or report a sighting of red or grey squirrels please ring Fiona Robertson on: 0151 920 3769.
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Former Spinal Injury Centre patients head for the Paralympics
FOUR former patients and two members of staff from the Spinal Injuries Centre at Southport & Formby District General Hospital will join the GB Paralympic Team. They are flying to Cyprus to the pre-games acclimatisation camp before competing in the Paralympics Games in Athens from
18 - 28 September.
Mark Eccleston is the number 1 British Tetraplegic Tennis player and is on target to win Gold in both the singles and doubles competitions. Lynn Riding has competed in two previous paralympics in Table Tennis and is hoping to do well in both the singles and doubles. David Gale holds the world record in his class at Discus and is competing in his first paralympics.
Barbara Hoole is attending her fifth Games as part of the core staff team with the Athletics Team. She is a coach with the throw squad and coaches David Gale in Southport.
Ellen Gouldie-McDougall is going to her fist paralympics as part of the Medical Team providing overall care in Athens.
Pradip Sett, Consultant at the Spinal Injuries Centre said:- "We are proud to see some of our former patients taking part in the Athens Games and wish them all good luck. They are to be congratulated on all their hard work and effort to get them this far after such terrible accidents. Let's all hope they bring back Gold."
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