Radio presenters sign up to make bike challenge Real fun

PRESENTERS and news teams from Real Radio will be taking part in the 37 mile Manchester to Liverpool Bike Unite for Children on Sunday, 28 June 2009, and it looks as though training is going well. The cycling event is part of their North West Children’s Appeal this year which supports Alder Hey Imagine Appeal and the New Children’s Hospital Appeal for Manchester. Real Radio have already raised a staggering £32, 262 for the hospitals with their highly successful Bring £1 to work day.

Bike Unite for Children has been jointly organised by Alder Hey Imagine Appeal and the New Children’s Hospital Appeal who are delighted that the Real Radio crew including Breakfast presenter Salty, Hometime’s Scott and Glenn, and David Heane are joined by Real Radio Programme Director Dave Shearer and members of the news team on the trek. Additional celebrity supporters will be cycling along including actor and TV presenter Simon O’Brien who now presents To Buy or not to Buy on BBC1 and Olympic cyclist Paul Manning.

Alder Hey’s doctors and nurses are also taking part in Bike Unite for Children and the busy A&E department have put a team of four girls forward.

Tracey Wileman, Emergency Nurse Practitioner from A & E explained:- “Sometimes it can be very difficult motivating yourself to exercise after a busy shift, so by training and participating in Bike Unite it helps me keep fit whilst raising money for Alder Hey a hospital that provides an excellent service to local children and their families.”

The capacity is still not full so why not join them? To sign up and help sick children in the North West go to:- imagineappeal.com or call Rachel on:- 0151 252 5726.


Picture: Real Breakfast presenter Real Breakfast presenter Salty, Hometime’s Scott and Glenn, and David Heane joined by Real Radio Programme Director Dave Shearer prepare for Bike Unite for Children which takes place on Sunday, 28 June 2009.

Northern Ireland learns lessons from Liverpool

CULTURE bosses from Northern Ireland are in Liverpool later this week to learn lessons about the success of 2008.  The Cultural Committee of the Northern Ireland assembly is to spend two days in the city looking at how it has used culture to drive regeneration.

Their remit is to look at examples of best practice from elsewhere and the rationale that other places have used to increase their spending on the arts.

The top nine-strong delegation will be welcomed to the Town Hall by Lord Mayor Mike Storey, who spearheaded the city’s successful Capital of Culture bid.

They will then quiz council leader Warren Bradley about the success of the year - which generated £800 million for the local economy, 15 million visits to cultural attractions and transformed the city’s image – and how Liverpool has used the title to drive forward the renaissance of the city.

In the afternoon they will hear about Liverpool’s plans to capitalise on its success through its Cultural Strategy. This will be followed by a tour of the main cultural sights in the city including St George’s Hall, Central Library, the Bluecoat and the International Slavery and Beatles Story museums.

Councillor Bradley said:- “This visit speaks volumes for how Liverpool is seen across the UK as a cultural beacon. Such was the planning for delivering '08, it has put Liverpool in a very strong economic position and has given our international and national profile a huge boost. The lessons from the year tell us that you can use culture to make huge improvements both for both local residents and the economy. We are now building on that fantastic foundation and have set a template for other places, such as Northern Ireland, to follow.”

The all-party delegation is chaired by Barry McElduff and includes representatives from Sinn Fein, the SDLP, the DUP, Alliance and UUP.

Lord Mayor Mike Storey added:- “Liverpool had a tremendously successful year as European Capital of Culture and I am delighted to be welcoming this delegation to the city to pass on our expertise.”

Belfast in Northern Ireland was one of the 12 UK cities that bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2008.

UK No.1 on-board for Liverpool tennis

BRITAIN’S most exciting young tennis player has signed-up for the 2009 Tradition-ICAP Liverpool International Tennis Tournament.   The 2008 Wimbledon Junior Girls singles champion and UK no.1 Laura Robson has today been announced as the latest addition to a fantastic tournament line-up. Laura was confirmed yesterday as a wild card entry into the main draw of the ladies' singles for Wimbledon 2009 and the Liverpool International will be her final warm-up before she appears at the All England Championships later this month.

The 15 year old star captured the British public’s and the media's attention last year, when she won the Junior Girls title at Wimbledon, defeating no. 3 seed Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand 6-3 3-6 6-1.

She made her WTA debut at Luxembourg in October 2008, a big step up from anything that she had played before, as the draw included Olympic champion Elena Dementieva of Russia and three-time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport of the United States.

Laura also had a great run in the junior event at the first Grand Slam of the year at the Australian Open, before being defeated in the final by no.3 seed Ksenia Pervak of Russia.

Laura told the media that:- “Receiving a wild card from the All England Club means I can play at Liverpool the week before. I know that Caroline Wozniacki has played the event in previous years and I have heard from others that it's a great place to practise before Wimbledon and that it is a great event to get involved in. I am really excited about making the trip to Liverpool, I’ve never been before, it’s always great to discover a new place.”

Laura joins a fantastic line-up of ATP stars and legends, including Sweden’s Robin Soderling, who has become one of the most talked-about tennis players in the world in recent weeks, after achieving the seemingly impossible and defeating World no.1 Rafael Nadal on clay at the French Open. Soderling went on to reach the final - where he was beaten by Roger Federer - and is sure to be a major crowd-puller at the event.

Competing alongside Soderling in the men’s singles event will be fast rising ATP star Mardy Fish (USA), who has already won two tour titles this year, and two-time Liverpool finalist Vince Spadea (USA).

And grand slam legends Mats Wilander (Sweden) and Michael Stich (Germany) will be the main attractions at the tournament. The pair, who have 10 grand slam wins between them, will play the legends element.

Stich, 40, a former world no 2, who famously beat fellow German Boris Becker in straight sets at the Wimbledon 1991 final, will be in action every day and is the eighth SW19 champion to play at Liverpool.

Wilander, 45, a former World No. 1, will play on the final day. The seven times Grand Slam singles winner was the last man to win three grand slam titles in a year (1988) before Roger Federer.

The eighth Tradition-ICAP Liverpool International Tennis Tournament, at Calderstones Park, runs from Wednesday, 17 June to Sunday, 21 June 2009 - and for the first time Finals Day will be on the Saturday, 20 June 2009.

Tournament Director Anders Borg said:- “We’re absolutely delighted that Laura Robson is appearing at Liverpool. She is one of the most exciting talents in British tennis and adds to an outstanding line-up at this year’s tournament. It’s going to be yet another unforgettable event, representing the best of the past, present and future of tennis. Where else could you see a French Open finalist, a Junior Wimbledon Champion, rapidly rising ATP stars and grand-slam-winning legends, all on the same bill? It’s testament to what a prestigious event this has become in the national tennis calendar.”

Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said:- "The Liverpool International continues to go from strength to strength, bringing a feast of world-class tennis to our city. Once again, some of the biggest and brightest names in the sport are coming to Liverpool this year, confirming the tournament’s status as one of the finest of its kind – anywhere in Europe. I’m looking forward to another hugely successful tournament putting Liverpool on the tennis map once again and further cementing our position as a city of sporting excellence.”

The Liverpool International, supported by Liverpool City Council, is famous for spotting talent, and 2009 will be no exception. England's hottest prospect - Liam Broady - is to star as a wild card in his first senior tournament and could face Australian teen sensation Bernard Tomic. Sixteen year old Chloe Murphy from Aintree - picked out by Martina Navratilova as British tennis’ brightest prospect in 2007 – has also been given wild card status for the tournament, while Portuguese starlet Michelle de Britto, 15, is another name to look out for in the women's singles.

The tournament also has an acclaimed youth policy. More than 5,000 children annually go to watch and receive coaching during the week. And new in 2009 will be the introduction of Healthy Active Lifestyles (HAL) which is a programme to inspire schoolchildren through the sport of tennis, supported by Liverpool City Council and selected health organisations.