Glass littering Southport's roads and pavements

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OVER the last few weeks we have been seeing an increasing amount of broken glass bottles and glasses on our roads and pavements, in and around Southport. These are often a result of people deliberately breaking them and at times throwing them. We have had a number of people reporting to us that they have seen adults, in their mid 20's throwing glass objects at street furniture, especially on the side roads around Lord Street. These broken remains are becoming an increasing hazard for pets and even children and adults alike. Plus we have had quite a few reports of car tyres being damaged as a result of this stupidity. If you spot anyone breaking glass deliberately, please do let the Police know, via calling 101, if safe to do so. Please do let us know what your views on on this issue, via emailing us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

Liverpool Theatre School to Perform The Wind in The Willows Musical at The Epstein Theatre

THE Wind in the Willows musical is set to be performed by Liverpool Theatre School students, at the Epstein Theatre, on 21 June 2018. Ratty, Badger, Mole and Toad will be brought to life as they embark on a series of adventures during a matinee and an evening performance of the new musical adaptation of the treasured children's novel.

Liverpool Theatre School is among the 1st to have been granted the rights to perform the musical, which made its West End debut last summer at 'The London Palladium' starring Rufus Hound, Denise Welch and Gary Wilmot.

The Wind in the Willows musical, is set to keep audiences captivated with comedy, adventure and thrills as performers tell the story of Toad's daring escape to defend Toad Hall after he is imprisoned by the inhabitants of the Wild Wood. The family show also features exuberant choreography by Liverpool Theatre School graduate Graeme Pickering.

Maxine Ellis, Principal at Liverpool Theatre School, whose students have gone on to appear in hit shows from the West End to Broadway, said:- "We are hugely excited to be among the 1st to put on this brand new musical adaptation of The Wind in the Willows. The family show is set to be a wild theatrical adventure and audiences are in for a real treat as students bring this much loved classic tale to life. Rehearsals are in full swing and we are looking forward to putting on a fantastic performance."

The Wind in the Willows has been adapted into a musical by Oscar winning screenwriter and Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes with Olivier award winning composer and lyricist duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

Liverpool Theatre School, based on Aigburth Road, is only 1 of 2 places in the North West to offer students the highly regarded Trinity College London diploma in both professional musical theatre and professional acting.

Tickets to Liverpool Theatre School's production of The Wind in the Willows at The Epstein Theatre cost ₤11 each (plus booking fee) and are available online.

Watch the preview of 'The Wind in the Willows the Musical' can be seen on YouTube.

Ambulance service given thumbs up from OFSTED

TEACHING and learning standards for apprentices at North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) have been given positive feedback from regulator, OFSTED. The Ambulance service changed the way it provides training to apprentices in May 2017 when it became an employer provider meaning it was able to deliver its 1st regulated qualification in house.

NWAS was randomly selected as the 1st new NHS employer provider in the country to receive an early monitoring visit and was found to be making 'reasonable progress' across all 3 monitoring areas in a report published in May.

In the report senior leaders at the trust were found to have a:- "clear workforce strategy and operational plan" to ensure that apprentices "receive good-quality education and training to enable them to perform their job roles to a high standard."

Apprentice recruitment was found to be "rigorous," with all of those recruited from May 2017 still on the apprenticeship.

Most apprentices are "make good progress" and "achieve the targets set for them," the report said.

Currently, 145 apprentices are enrolled onto the Level 4 Associate Ambulance Practitioner (AAP) apprenticeship, to become emergency medical technicians.

Michael Forrest, Deputy Chief Executive for NWAS, said:- "We are extremely pleased with the comments from the report and very proud of the fantastic progress that our new apprentices are making, many of which are now gaining 1st hand experience by working as part of an emergency Ambulance Crew.  There is still work to do to ensure that we continue to improve but the findings of this report gives us assurance that we are headed in the right direction."

The visit was undertaken as part of a series of monitoring visits to a sample of new apprenticeship training providers that are directly funded through the apprenticeship levy.

The Associate Ambulance Practitioner (AAP) apprenticeship involves 14 weeks of classroom based learning followed by emergency driver training before learning on the job by working in practice as part of a frontline Ambulance Crew for the remaining 9 months.

On completion of the programme, apprentices will become qualified Emergency Medical Technicians.

Twickenham Studios is moving into Liverpool!

THE iconic 1930's art deco, former, Littlewoods Pools HQ, on Liverpool's Edge Lane, is under going a transformation into a massive film studios. Developers Capital and Centric have announced officially that part of the new complex will soon become home to Twickenham Studios, who will be moving in by 2020. Twickenham Studios was founded in 1913 and are behind films like the new Blade Runner and classic films such as The Italian Job, but the London Studio has become too small and they have no more space to grow. Liverpool already has more films and TV programs filming around the City than any other part of the UK other than London, attracting major Hollywood and Bollywood film makers to the Liverpool City Region. The chief operating officer of Twickenham Studios, Ms Walker has also joked that:- "Oddly, the building's actually looks like the Paramount building in Los Angeles, America." The new studios will feature 2 new 17,000sq. meters sound stages alongside supporting workshops, wardrobe and prop storage and offices... Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool, has told the media that:- "The arrival of such an iconic film production company as Twickenham Studios to Liverpool is a fantastic vote of confidence in the citys booming film industry." With an estimate that foreign studios spent £1.7bn in the UK in 2017, it's hoped that this deal worth £50 million will hopefully attract more of this income to the Region. The news also comes after UK commercial broadcaster, Channel 4 shortlisted the City as a spot for its new HQ offices and creative hubs, plus we are told that already the site have other major film and TV companies lining up. So will Liverpool become the Hollywood of the UK? Here’s hoping!