Free Online Counselling Brought to Young People in Sefton

XENZONE, digital mental health pioneer, has been commissioned by Sefton Council, Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG to provide free and anonymous mental health and wellbeing support via its flagship Kooth service to young people in the area. The service will provide local young people aged:- 11 to 18 with access to online Counselling, self help materials and a safe online community of young people 365 days a year.

Kooth, accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), also offers peer to peer support, an online magazine, access to moderated forums and goal setting and mood tracking tools from any connected device. The site is open 24 hours a day; 1 to 1 Counselling sessions with a qualified Counsellor are available from 12 Noon until 10pm on weekdays, and from:- 6pm until 10pm, on weekends.

The service has been commissioned to increase the number of early intervention services available and in response to young people requesting a digital solution in addition to existing local services. Kooth is available everyday, in and out of School term time.

Councillor John Joseph Kelly, Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Safeguarding, said:- "We are delighted that Kooth is now available in Sefton. All children and young people should have access to mental health support when they need it. Being able to access good advice, guidance and support via mobile phone, tablet or computer is a great way to help make sure that children and young people can develop positive mental wellbeing."

Fiona Taylor, Chief Officer at the CCG's, in Sefton, said:- "We are proud to be involved with Kooth, it will enhance support for young people with mental health issues in Sefton. We need services such as this to be easily accessible and available at a time when people need it most and this ticks all the boxes. We do think it helps being anonymous as some find it hard to speak face to face, this is ideal for people who are perhaps nervous about reaching out and we really do hope it helps them."

Elaine Bousfield, XenZone founder, said:- "We are delighted that we are now able to provide our Support and Counselling Service to young people in Sefton. Digital mental health services like Kooth are beneficial to young people as they are anonymous and free from the stigma some individuals face. We hope through the new commission more young people will seek help for their mental health and wellbeing."

Liverpool cabs to take card payments following City Council ruling

TRAVELLING by black cab in Liverpool will soon be even easier after City Council Licensing Chiefs agreed that all vehicles should provide the facility for customers to pay by debit and credit cards. At a meeting of Liverpool City Council Licensing Committee on Tuesday, 9 July 2019, members backed a proposal to introduce mandatory card payment facilities in Hackney Carriage vehicles.

Chair of Liverpool City Council's Licensing Committee, Cllr Christine Banks, said:- "This is a positive move for the City's Taxi trade and 1 that will make it easier for people to travel by cab in our City. As part of the process, we have listened to the concerns of the Taxi Drivers and acted upon them, by amending the proposals. In an increasingly cashless society, it is clear that card payments are the preferred option for many people in:- shops, supermarkets, cafes and bars. With a Cruise Terminal, an international Airport and many thousands of foreign visitors each year who don't carry cash, it is important that we move with the times and give the customer what they want.  This proposal also plays a big role in public safety because it means that late night travellers will be able to get home safely without the worry of not having any cash on them."

The move means Liverpool will follow in the footsteps of cab drivers in London, who already accept card payments. The proposal originally came before the City Council's Licensing Committee, back in April 2019. Members deferred a decision on the plan, following concerns from drivers about where the card payment reader should be located within the cab. It was originally proposed that the reader would be placed in the passenger compartment but drivers feared this could lead to it being damaged. A revised report to the committee now recommends that the reader be placed in a plastic holder in the partition between the driver and passenger.

Liverpool based UNITE union National Taxi Organiser Tommy McIntyre said:- "In the ever changing world we live in people are using less cash and paying for more services by card transaction. We feel that this is the perfect opportunity to introduce pay by card to the Liverpool Hackney trade. After speaking with the members the general opinion is that this will be fantastic for both the trade and the travelling public and would encourage more passengers to use the City's Hackney fleet."

The Council consulted with members of the trade in the run up to the proposal. Drivers also raised concerns about the need for a printer to be installed alongside the reader to issue receipts. During the consultation, drivers expressed the view that a printer was not needed because they had the option to text or email receipts to the passengers. The new recommendation means it would be left to the driver's discretion whether they installed a printer.

The report to the committee says that the Council has a responsibility to make sure a:- "Safe Taxi Cab and Private Hire service is available to meet the demand across all sectors of the public, especially those vulnerable groups to whom a Taxicab is often the only means of completing a journey."

The card payment readers cost about ₤60, and the drivers will have to meet the cost of the installation. Drivers now have 6 months to make sure their cab is fitted with a card reader.

So what do you, our readers think if this idea? Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?  Please email us with your thoughts to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com and let us know what you really think about this idea.

Review:- "CIRQUE DU SOLEIL - TORUK - THE FIRST FLIGHT, at Manchester Arena"
Review by Dariya Ibrayeva.

THIS is a stunning, STUNNING, production from start to finish, but if you are a loyal fan of Cirque du Soleil, make sure you read the description before attending the show! When they say:- "it is unlike any other Cirque du Soleil experience," they don't joke. And it's not just a loud marketing slogan, Toruk - The First Flight is indeed a very DIFFERENT show to the usual Cirque du Soleil productions, but that doesn't mean it's less epic.

Inspired by James Cameron's Avatar, Toruk - The First Flight is a live storytelling journey. It tells the tale of 3 characters travelling around Pandora in search of the mighty flying predator Toruk, who can help them to prevent a natural catastrophe and save the sacred Tree of Souls. Unlike all other Cirque du Soleil shows, Toruk - The First Flight is mainly focused on the narration, visual effects and puppetry. So if you are after those eye widening and jaw dropping acrobatic acts Cirque du Soleil is known for, better choose another show!

If I say Toruk - The First Flight is big on production, I won't say anything! Just imagine, 4 planes are needed to transport all of the on stage and behind the scenes equipment. The setting and the costumes are INCREDIBLE! With the help of massive set pieces, cutting edge visual effects and large scale puppets Manchester arena was brought to live and I had a 100% feeling I am literally in Pandora right now. I am not exaggerating! It was a truly unique and unforgettable experience and I can clearly say I've never seen something like this before! Plus, the idea of using the app to interact and be part of the show was very interesting and cool; however, it had some side effects. As it lacked a clear explanation and instructions on how to use it, it caused some unnecessary distraction during the show, as everyone around (including myself) was constantly checking the phone. I think the audience should be given more time to download the app or just asked to do it prior to the show.

The app wasn't a big issue, though. The biggest downside of the show, personally for me, was the lack of cirque acts...especially in the second part of the show. It was more Théâtre du Soleil rather than Cirque du Soleil, and I felt that too much time was dedicated just for running around. I understand that Toruk - The First Flight is more about special effects and puppetry, but having seen several Cirque du Soleil productions in past, I was desperately missing that "wow" feeling I always had before. Certainly, there were acrobatics, but none of them made my palms sweat.

Having said that, I still think Toruk - The First Flight is an impressive production and a must see show. Let's put it this way:-

► If you are a fan of Avatar - you gonna love it.

► If you are a fan of theatrical production - you gonna love it.

► If you have kids - they gonna love it.

► If you've never seen any Cirque do Soleil shows before; you gonna love it (But I would suggest you to start your introduction with this amazing company with a different show)

► If you are a fan of Cirque du Soleil – there is a chance you might be left slightly disappointed.

At the end of the day, the mission of Cirque du Soleil is to invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of people around the world, and yet again they did it! It was a great experiment, but I think the main focus should always remain on the world class acrobats… That's why Cirque du Soleil became famous, and that's the reason people love it.

Our verdict:- 4 out of 5