Kind hearted fun runners boost charity funds
Photography by Paul Francis Cooper.

A team of 120 festive fun runners who took part in the Radio City Liverpool Santa Dash 2017 have raised ₤15,000 for Claire House Children's Hospice.

This was the 14th Annual Liverpool Santa Dash; the UK's biggest festive 5K fun run. Claire House Children's Hospice was the event's official charity for 2017.

The team of 120 Santas pulled on their red and blue Santa suits and training shoes to dash, have fun and raise much needed funds for the charity.

A team of volunteers from Claire House also helped on the day.

Claire House Children's Hospice opened in Bebington in December 1998, caring for just 10 families; now more than 400 families are supported by the charity.

The charity opened its second site, Claire House Liverpool in West Derby, in January 2018, offering daycare services including counselling and complementary therapies.

Sophie Chilvers, Running and Challenge Fundraiser at official Santa Dash event charity Claire House, said:- "We are thrilled that 120 people took part in the Liverpool Santa Dash to support Claire House Children's Hospice. Claire House is all about having fun and making precious memories, so this event was the perfect way to do just that. Funds raised will help us get closer to our dream of reaching each and every child who needs our support, so we want to say a massive thank you to all the Claire House Dashers."

The Liverpool Santa Dash is organised and delivered by BTR Liverpool, the leading independent organisation for creating, managing and delivering headline race events across Liverpool City Region. The event was created in 2004 by BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell.

BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell commented:- "The Liverpool Santa Dash is a real family event so we were delighted to have Claire House Children's Hospice onboard as our official charity for 2017. It's a very special event, the City's kick start to Christmas, and we're absolutely delighted that such a fantastic amount was raised to support the incredible work of Claire House."

The Radio City Liverpool Santa Dash, in association with Arriva Bus, was also supported by SP Energy Networks and St Johns Shopping Centre Liverpool.

For more information about this event and how to enter in 2018 visit:- BTRLiverpool.Com.

Smooth transition of Kingsway residents underway

LIVERPOOL City Council is working with Signature Living to ensure a smooth transition when its temporary homelessness shelter in the City Centre closes next week.

For the last 4 weeks, the Council's housing and homelessness teams have been working with Signature Living to proactively manage the closure of their Kingsway House shelter on Hatton Garden, off Dale Street, and transfer the rough sleepers to other accommodation.

This has included identifying and assessing the service users of Kingsway House and providing personalised options to meet their individual needs; from accessing temporary accommodation to facilitating access to drug and alcohol rehabilitation services.

The Council is sending the message that no 1 from Kingsway House will need to return to the streets when Signature Living closes the building, on Wednesday, 28 February 2018.

Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Frank Hont, said:- "We have taken all the necessary steps to ensure that anyone from Kingsway House can access alternative accommodation.  As part of our Always Room Inside pledge, the Council and its partners have worked hard to ensure that there is sufficient capacity within the system. No 1 needs to sleep on the streets and the residents of Kingsway House are no exception to this."

Cllr Hont added:- "Now we are working together with Signature to offer lasting support tailored to the individual needs of the residents."

Mayors Call On PM to Support Housing Outside London and the South East

ENGLAND'S Metro Mayors were meeting on the 20 February 2018 in Birmingham to call on Government for further investment and devolution for their City Regions. The summit is hosted by Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, the University of Birmingham and the Local Government Association.

5 Mayors, including Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, have co-signed a letter to the Prime Minister Theresa May, calling on the Government to review the way in which funding for new housing is allocated to City Regions.

The letter highlights the specific needs of their regions, such as the need to regenerate brownfield sites and improve the viability of developments where land values are lower than in London and the South East.

Conservative and Labour Mayors call on the Government to review the funding formulae that are used to allocate housing investment, to ensure that City Regions outside London and the South East do not lose out on vital funding.

The letter argues that investment in housing supply, and skills and innovation in the construction industry, will accelerate economic growth and the re-balancing of the UK economy.

This intervention comes at a crucial time for many of the City Regions, as they are negotiating:- "Housing Deals" with the Government, where regions commit to building more homes in return for infrastructure and housing funding.

Since their election on 4 May 2017, the Metro Mayors have met a number of times to lobby the Government to support their City Regions.

Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said:- "Ensuring that we can build the houses we need in the right places is a key element in ensuring that we can drive economic development and prosperity for all of the communities in the Liverpool City Region. It is vitally important that central Government give us the tools we need to make that happen which is why I am happy to come together with other Metro Mayors to ask for a review of how funding for new housing is allocated."

Will you be the next Miss Southport or Miss Liverpool City Region?

ARE you interested in becoming an ambassador for your area? The Miss England heats, Miss Southport and Miss Liverpool City Region have now started their search for this year's contestants. For the Southport area, auditions will take place at The Cocoa House, on Lord Street, from 5pm to 6:30pm and from 7pm to 9pm, at Sacrebleu Bar and Coffee Lounge, on Seabank Road, on 9 March 2018. The auditions will also be held at Portland Hall Spa, on Portland Street, Southport, from 4pm to 6pm, on 11 March 2018. Full information about the event can be competition on:- Miss-Liverpool-City-Region.Com.