Baby garden rededicated during Hospital Open Day

WEST Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper has helped to celebrate the rededication of the Baby Garden at Ormskirk Hospital, as part of a recent community Open Day. The Baby Garden was restored and replanted thanks to a local family raising funds after experiencing their own loss. The garden is a quiet place near the Hospital reception for all visitors but particularly those who have experienced a loss in pregnancy.  The Rev Martin Abrams, chaplain, at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, conducted the service. It was attended by approximately 100 people, both Hospital staff and members of the public. There was a chance for families to plant:- "bulbs of hope," in memory of lost babies. A 'forget me not area,' created for:- "Our Never Forgotten Babies," was especially created for parents who have never been able to discover where their babies were laid to rest. 

Juliette Cosgrove, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Therapies, at the Trust, also spoke at the service. She explains:- "Baby loss is devastating and the experience can stay with people for the rest of their lives. So creating a beautiful space, in which people can remember and reflect, is very helpful.  We're delighted that this donation has allowed us to improve the garden, so it can be a place of solace and reflection for many years to come."

Rosie Cooper MP for West Lancashire adds:- "I was asked to take part in the formal opening and rededication of the Baby Garden at Ormskirk Hospital. I am aware from my time as Hospital chair at the Women's in Liverpool just how upsetting and life changing the loss of a baby through miscarriage, neonatal or postnatal can be. Support for grieving families at this time is essential and providing places of reflection and remembrance such as this garden are just some of the ways I know Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals are giving that support."

Southport Bijou Cinema Update

THE Southport Bijou Cinema is nearing completion, and will finally see its grand opening in October 2019, with a carefully selected programme making up the Spookport Film Festival. As part of this, over 30 spooky films, for both kids and adults, will screen all the way until November, alongside various other events, such as a Halloween quiz, cocktail parties, and a Children's Storyteller later in the month. The dates for the Spookport Film Festival and the opening of the Bijou itself will be revealed in the next few weeks when Ambient Construction have hand over the building site upon completion of Phase 1.  To find out more about that, please see our report in last weeks edition.

The Bijou is a brand new Community Cinema, where you will be able to see the latest indie films from all around the world, as well as classic films ranging from the 1920's, right up until 2019. The Bijou is made up of one, 70 seat cinema screen, as well as a Cafe and Bar, both of which are on the ground floor and are disability access friendly. Inside the screen is a start of the art laser light projector, as well as complete 5.1 surround sound, to deliver the most immersive film experience there is. The Cafe/Bar offers a wide of alcoholic, soft and hot drinks, and is complete with disabled access toilets. Upstairs is The Lounge, a large room available for party, music, dance or meeting hire, and will be completed for opening by late November. Unfortunately, this space is at this time not accessible by lift.

The Southport Bijou Cinema is a Community Interest, Not For Profit Company, and as such will be operating a Volunteer's scheme to make up the staff, with a number of incentives for doing so!   If you are interested, get in touch with Andy at:- Bijou.Manager@Outlook.Com or Michael at:- SouthportCinema@Gmail.Com, if you're interested in helping out. For more information about the Cinima, we would also recommended our readers to check out the Southport Bijou Cinema's website and Twitter feeds as well.