'pool' to stage party for poetry...

LIVERPOOL will host a celebration of poetic giants and a search for rhyming rough diamonds next month. 'Poetry In The City', which runs from 10 April to 24 April, will be a two week long series of readings, workshops and surgeries across the city to hone the poetic skills from the unpublished, to school age first timers.

And the Liverpool Culture Company is planning to use the fortnight as a forerunner for the city staging its first ever fully fledged poetry festival in 2006.
Headlining 'Poetry In The City' will be two of the city's greatest poets Roger McGough and Brian Patten with a special one-off show, 'Live in the Crypt', in the city's Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King on Friday, 15 April. 
'Live in the Crypt' begins at 8pm. Tickets cost £12 and are on sale today from Liverpool Direct on 0151 233 3007. 

Brian Patten said:- "Roger and I are really looking forward to this live performance. It's always a thrill to perform in your home town, and the venue of the crypt is fantastic. We're also excited by the city hosting an annual poetry festival. It will help unearth many voices which can only enrich the city - especially in 2008."

'Poetry In the City' is being co-ordinated along with local organisations such as the Windows Project, Dead Good Poets Society, Writing on the Wall and Neon Highway, with events staged at libraries, the Walker and one of the city's highest buildings, St John's Beacon. 

Other highlights include a series of impromptu performances on some of the city's more famous streets, such as Mathew Street, called:- ''A Wave to the World'', which will be captured on web cameras and beamed live on the internet.

Distinguished poets also performing include the acclaimed Allen Fisher, South Asian poet Shamshad Kahn, bilingual poets from Liverpool's Circle of Literary Friends and local wordsmiths such as Jim Bennett, Janine Pinion and David Bateman.

Councillor Warren Bradley, Executive Member for Culture, said:- "Liverpool is blessed with celebrated poets and I'm delighted we are developing a platform to celebrate such a vibrant and creative community. Poetry is an intrinsic part of the city's cultural make up. 

Our literary tradition will be very much at the fore of our European Capital of Culture programme. 

Poetry festival fits well with Liverpool and I'm delighted such influential poets as Roger and Brian are giving it their full backing."

A quarter of a million pound splash for Crosby

CROSBY Coastal Park is getting new footpaths and viewing areas in a £200,000 improvements package, funded by Mersey Waterfront.
New footways, which are fully accessible for wheelchair users, will better link the park with the promenade.

The scheme also includes a boost for wildlife with conservation of wetland habitat and dune restoration an important part of the scheme.

The project has been made possible after a Sefton Council bid to Mersey Waterfront, with contractors English Landscapes starting work on site last week.
A further £50,000 funding from Mersey Waterfront has been approved for risk assessments and further consultation over plans for a WATER centre at the marina.
Sefton Council is continuing to develop proposals for the centre which would specialise in providing facilities for people with disabilities.

Director of Mersey Waterfront, Louise Hopkins said:- "It often surprises people that an urban area like Bootle is so close to a beach and marine lake, but these improvements will help bring Crosby more into the limelight. Proposals for the Sefton WATER Centre are particularly exciting, as it's hoped the facility will develop into a national centre of excellence for watersports and outdoor recreation."

Cllr Ian Maher, cabinet member Regeneration, added:- "This is wonderful news. Residents will be delighted with these long-lasting improvements which are sure to also attract additional visitors. We are delighted that Mersey Waterfont share our ambitions to revitalise this area. It is especially timely with this year's Sea Liverpool celebrations and with Capital of Culture just three years away."

Cllr Lord Ronnie Fearn, cabinet member Leisure and Tourism, said:- "I'm delighted that work is underway. This is a very popular spot for residents and also with people who travel from far afield to take in the sea air and stroll along the promenade."

Improvements include:-

· A new footpath around the boundary of Marine Lake which links existing footpaths and completes a circular route.
· A viewing platform, to be completed in June.
· Better access and viewing points designed for wheelchairs and people with mobility difficulties.
· Work to encourage wildlife to flourish.

There is still a long way to go as Sefton develops ambitious proposals for the WATER centre. Members of the public are invited to learn more about the WATER centre proposals at Crosby Civic Centre on Thursday April 7 between 10am to 3pm. Results of a feasibility study will be available and the council is seeking people's views on the plan. For more details contact Kelly Hunt on 707 8000.