Run For Rhys This Sunday

11 year old Everton fan Rhys Jones from Croxteth was innocently caught in the cross fire between two rival gangs. He was shot as he walked home from football training in Croxteth. Rhys lost his life on 22 August 2007.

Run For Rhys was created by the Rhys Jones Community Centre in Croxteth last year as an annual positive legacy event in memory of Rhys Jones. The event provides a platform to raise much-needed funds so the Rhys Jones Community Centre can continue its vital work in the local community.

Run For Rhys has the blessing of Rhys' parents Mel and Steve Jones, who will be joining participants on the start line and taking part for the second year. Mel will take part in the 1 Mile Fun Run, while Steve will run the 5K.

Mel and Steve Jones commented:- "Last year's Run For Rhys was very special, and we were overwhelmed to see so many people take part to celebrate Rhys' life. It was very inspiring and comforting to us as a family. Rhys would have loved it; and it meant such a lot to us to see people running in their special blue T-shirts.  The centre does fantastic work with young people and their families. It's a real part of the community. We hope people stay to enjoy the new family fun afternoon and support the centre."

Mel and Steve will be joined by the Deputy Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Peter Brennan, and Everton Football Club legend and Club Ambassador Ian Snodin, who will officially start the 1 Mile and 5K fun runs.

Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid recently made a documentary about the Jones family's fight for justice.

She sent a message of support: "I was honoured to meet Mel and Steve Jones when making the Police Tapes documentary. They are wonderful people who show remarkable strength, courage and compassion in the wake of losing Rhys. Run For Rhys is a fantastic, positive legacy in Rhys' name and memory. I wish everyone good luck and a great day, and I hope the event raises significant awareness and funds for the Rhys Jones Community Centre."

The Rhys Jones Community Centre 1st opened in August 2013. Each week the centre welcomes almost 300 young people aged between 3 and 16-years-old through its doors, as well as 250 adults weekly. Its key focus areas with young people are building enterprise, business and leadership skills; inspiring change; raising aspirations; and improving health and well being.

Last year's Run For Rhys raised ₤4,000 through fundraising and donations; and organisers are hoping to beat that total this year.

Only recently, the youngsters have started a gift shop as part of their enterprise activity. They are making gift sets to sell at the Run For Rhys, with funds going back into this project so it can continue to grow. While the girls' club have been creating handmade bunting, which will be used to decorate the arts and crafts activity stalls at this year's Run For Rhys.

Participants are encouraged to fundraise for the Rhys Jones Community Centre. Sponsor forms are available or donations can be made online.

Following the 1 Mile and 5K fun runs, the fundraising event will continue into the afternoon with stalls, entertainment and fun activities for all the family including arts and crafts, games and sports demonstrations. The afternoon programme will include performances by:- Liverpool youngster Astrid Smith from The Voice Kids; beat the goalie with Everton in the Community; climbing wall and fire safety advice from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service; and Merseyside Police community safety team. There will also be storytelling sessions; donkey rides; face painting; arts and crafts activities; DJ Jay; and Anfield and North Liverpool Boxing Club with their anti knives campaign, Real Men Don't Carry Knives. Stalls include hand turned wooden goods; jewellery; textiles; dog accessories; toys; and handmade cup cakes.

Fun run participants will receive a specially designed technical running T-shirt, available beforehand so it can be worn for the run. All finishers will also receive a commemorative medal. ​ Fun run registration fees pay to stage and deliver all aspects of the event, including race numbers, T-shirts and medals. Register for the 5K or 1 Mile at:- BTRLiverpool.Com/Run-For-Rhys.

A virtual run option is also available for anyone unable to take part on the day. Runners taking part in the virtual run have registered from:- Broughton, Bury, Chester, Colwyn Bay, Coventry, Diss, Holmes Chapel, Manchester, Nantwich, Peterborough, Reading, Rhuddlan, St Asaph, Telford, Tyne & Wear and Wakefield. As well as overseas runners in Australia, South Korea, and a couple going on honeymoon to Honolulu.

Everyone attending the Run For Rhys and family fun afternoon is also invited to support the Rhys Jones Community Centre food bank to support local families by bringing along an item to the collection point at the event...

Food items required:- cereal; soup; pasta; rice; tinned tomatoes/pasta sauce; lentils, beans and pulses; tinned meat; tinned vegetables; tea and coffee; tinned fruit; biscuits; UHT milk, fruit juice; and baby food.

Toiletries:- deodorant; toilet paper; shower gel; shaving gel; shampoo; soap; toothbrushes and toothpaste, feminine products; nappies; and baby wipes.

Household items:- laundry liquid detergent; laundry powder; washing up liquid.

For more information about the Rhys Jones Community Centre visit:- RhysJonesCommunitycCentre.Org.UK.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority approves ₤20m for new Cruise Liner Terminal

THE Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have approved ₤20m funding from its Single Investment Fund for a new Liverpool Cruise Liner Terminal. The ₤20m will contribute to the construction of a new Terminal building to replace the current temporary Terminal on Princes Dock.

Liverpool City Council is leading on the creation of the new Cruise Liner Terminal, which will also include an adjoining Hotel and Multi Storey Car Park.

The new facility will enable the world's largest cruise ships to dock at Liverpool and is expected to directly create more than 500 new jobs. The current Terminal generates more than ₤7m a year to the City's economy.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "The visitor economy is increasingly important to the whole of the Liverpool City Region; it grew by 66% between 2009 and 2017 and is now worth more than ₤4.5bn per year and a new Cruise Liner Terminal will help this vital sector continue to flourish. This is a unique project with the potential to boost the whole of the City Region which is why as a Combined Authority we are pleased to be able to offer this substantial support to 1 of the City Council's flagship initiatives."

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said:- "The new Cruise Liner Terminal is vitally important and will mean that once again we can welcome the greatest cruise ships in the world to the Mersey. The construction of this new Terminal will mark a new chapter in the City's maritime future as we create a world class experience for the cruise companies and their passengers. We are working in partnership with the Combined Authority and some of the very best in the engineering industry to deliver this facility to the very highest standards."

Councillor Phil Davies, the Combined Authority's portfolio holder for Inclusive Growth, Economic Development, Digital and Innovation, said:- "The visitor economy has become one of the major drivers for economic development in our City Region and ensuring that we have a state of the art cruise liner facility will help to build on that success. As well as directly creating more than 500 jobs, we know that attracting more visitors, in bigger ships, will give a boost not just to businesses in the City Centre, but around the City Region, indirectly creating additional jobs for local people across the supply chain."

The 1st phase of construction on the new Terminal started in May 2018, as site investigations were undertaken to understand the geology of the bedrock on which the new Terminal complex will be constructed.

The main contract works will involve the construction of a suspended deck structure and the erection of a vehicular link span bridge and pedestrian bridge / walkway to connect the new Terminal to the existing landing stage.

Works will also involve improvements to the existing landing stage, including modification of existing buildings such as the lower cruise Terminal reception building, relocation of the building on the northern end of the pontoon and creation of ancillary buildings for storage and use by operational staff; improvements to Princes Parade to incorporate pedestrian crossing facilities, provision of Terminal parking, pickup and drop off facilities, and supporting development.

This year Liverpool will welcome more than 57 vessels, with 100,000 passengers and crew, but the City Council wants to capitalise on the cruise boom by creating a state of the art passenger and baggage facility, complete with:- passport control, lounge, café, toilets, taxi rank and vehicle pick up point, to cater for Liverpool's growing appeal in the cruise industry.

Outline planning application for the new facility was approved by the City Council's Planning Committee, in April. Site preparation at Princes Dock, in Peel Land and Property's ₤5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme, is expected to start in October 2018. Princes Jetty, which will be dismantled to make way for the new facility, has been gifted to the City Council by Peel.