WLLR 2018 Santa Specials Booking Up Fast!

THIS the West Lancashire Light Railway are running full steam Santa Special, starting on Sunday, 9 December and then also running on the weekend of 15/16 December and the final runs over 22/23 December 2018.

The rides are not long, but bring a smile to the faces of young and old. What's more, Children will not only have a ride on the steam train, but they will also meet Santa and receive a present! Don't worry, adults also get a Christmas treat, a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie!

Advance booking fares:- adults ₤5.50, children ₤8.50. Children under 3 free, if a present is not required, and they can sit on an adult's lap. Advance booking is strongly recommended as they sold out last year, well in advance!

Trains run from 10.30 to 17.00 each day and the very last train for 2018 will be run at 17.00, on 23 December 2018.

If you need warning up or want to have some food, hot dogs and hot drinks are also available at the Station House, but these are not included in the ticket price.

Booking is online by clicking on to TicketTailor.Com. Once booked, you can then either print your tickets to bring with you, or show them on your phone.

If you are not 100% certain where the West Lancashire Light Railway is located, it is at Becconsall Station, Hesketh Bank, PR46SP, just outside Southport, on way into Preston.

If you are coming by road, turn into Tarleton Village, at the traffic lights, where the A59 Preston to Liverpool Road meets the A565, to Southport. Turn right at the Mini Roundabout into Church Street and then left into Hesketh Lane, by the Queenscourt Shop. The Railway is 1.5 miles on the right. A car parking is available on site, but on busy days WLLR Stewards will direct you.

The Stagecoach BusRoute Number 2 runs past the railway, every hour, on Sundays and on Bank Holidays.

For more information call:- 01772 815 881 or visit:- WestLancsRailway.Org.

Record low number of children in workless homes

NEW figures from the Office of National Statistics are reporting that the number of children living in workless households is at a record low since comparable records began, decreasing by 85,000 over the last year. In addition, the number of workless households has fallen by almost a million, 964,000, since 2010, as more people are in work than ever before.  The new statistics come of the back of other data which revealed that after London, the North West has seen the greatest fall in the proportion of children living in workless households since 2012. The proportion has fallen from around 18% to less than 13% in 2017, with 69,000 fewer children living in workless households in the region. The rise in working households comes as wages grew for the 8th month in a row in October, with more families benefiting from the regular income that comes with a job as the number of people in work reached a record high.  The figures come as the roll out of Universal Credit completes on 12 December 2018, and as evidence shows the new system is helping people move into work faster, stay in it longer and earn higher wages.  Minister of State for Employment Alok Sharma said:- "We often focus on the person who is doing the job and earning the wage; but there is a bigger story to be told here. More children are growing up in working households and as a result, they are getting a better start in life. With 1 or more parents in work, children are more likely do to better in school and more likely to be in work when they are older. We are creating a cycle of work and prosperity that will benefit future generations, building on the 3.3 million people we have already seen enter work since 2010."

Club 'ledgend' secures grant from Housebuilder’s Community Champions scheme

AN amateur football club, that once boasted the longest serving manager in football history, has secured funding from a leading housebuilder to invest in new kit and facilities. Waterloo Dock AFC has received a ₤1,000 donation from Persimmon Homes North West, as part of the Housebuilder’s Community Champions scheme. Jim Davies, who applied for the cash on behalf of the club, notched up an incredible 50 years at the helm of the club. Although he finally stepped down as manager at the end of the 2012/13 season, he continues to fundraise for the club, who play in the Liverpool County Premier League.

Jim said:- “On behalf of Waterloo Dock A.F.C. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Persimmon Homes for this Community Champions grant which will help us to continue to provide football facilities for the local community. Our club was formed in 1963 and provides amateur football facilities for youths in the community, and in order to continue to do so we are constantly seeking new ways to fundraise.”

Dave Hodgson, Sales Director at Persimmon Homes North West, said:- “Jimmy Davies was a managing legend, clocking up 25 years more than Sir Alex Fergusson. It is a please for us to be able to help him and Waterloo Dock AFC in whatever way we can.”

Community groups, charities and good causes across the North West have benefited thanks to the donations from Persimmon Homes. Organisations can apply for funding by completing a simple online form at:- PersimmonHomes.Com/Charity.

The scheme invites local groups and charities to bid for cash from a ₤750,000 national fund, with 2 donations of up to ₤1,000 being made locally each month.