All aboard the Christmas Express with Liverpool ONE!

LIVERPOOL ONE is welcoming families of all ages to come aboard a magical Polar Adventure experience which will arrive in the City in time for Christmas. Departing from a specially built Station, to be located on Chavasse Park, the Christmas Express land train will take passengers on an enchanted journey to the North Pole, complete with festive music, dancing and even a hot chocolate pit stop.  Available from 15 November 2019 and running until Christmas Eve; the Polar Adventure will be led by the Jolly Station Master and their team of porters to offer a range of captivating Christmas activities fit for the whole family to enjoy.  Following a short journey aboard the Christmas Express, passengers will disembark at a special 'Polar Pop up Party,' where they can enjoy a steaming mug of hot chocolate, Christmas postcard decorating, bio glitter face painting and an extra special story time inside festive yurts. Nestled alongside the Polar Adventure experience, visitors will also be able to enjoy a selection of festive stalls offering food, drinks, gifts and decorations.

Donna Howitt, Marketing Director at Liverpool ONE, said:- "We are delighted to unveil our very own Polar Adventure experience which has been especially created for Liverpool ONE. The Station Master and their festive porters will be waiting to welcome visitors as they embark on a truly magical and memorable experience. This year, Christmas in Liverpool looks set to be our most magical yet. With incredible light installations, live music, performances and, of course, the Polar Adventure, we're thrilled to be bringing something a little different to the City this year."

The Polar Adventure, which lasts for 30 minutes to 45 minutes, as part of Liverpool ONE's packed schedule of festive fun, which also launches during Liverpool ONE's 'Big Christmas Street Party,' on 15 November 2019. Ticketing will be provided by Ticket Quarter, the City Region's Box Office. For further information, please visit:- Liverpool-One.com.  To find out more about what is happening across Liverpool this festive season visit:- VisitLiverpool.com.

Janet Wang Wine Academy launches at Lu Ban Liverpool

ONE of the UK's foremost Chinese wine experts; Janet Wang; who is to spearhead an exciting new wine academy at Lu Ban Liverpool. The International Chinese Culinary Arts Academy, housed in the same location as Lu Ban Restaurant, which opens to the public this week, will be home to the Janet Wang Wine Academy. The new venture further boosts the profile of the both the Lu Ban Restaurant and Academy, which is bringing a totally new dining experience to the City and a menu featuring authentic recipes and techniques from the Chinese Region of Tianjin. Wang, Author of 'The Chinese Wine Renaissance' that has been nominated for the coveted Louis Roederer Wine Book of the Year.  She has also established herself as an expert of Chinese wine and was admitted to the prestigious Circle of Wine Writers in 2018. Janet Wang will be bringing her expertise by advising on the restaurant's wine selections as well as hosting a series of exclusive events at the restaurant.

The 36 Year Old Author and contributor to professional wine publications including Decanter China and Meininger's Wine Business International, said:- "I am excited to collaborate with Lu Ban; which offers a brand new and innovative approach to showcase the incredible richness of Chinese culinary and wine culture. Through the Academy events we will also bring about a rounded narrative of wine culture to include the little discussed, yet hugely exciting, Chinese and Asian wine category."

Mike Mounfield, director of Lu Ban Liverpool said:- "Wang will host a series of exclusive day long events commencing in early December in the restaurant's dedicated wine room, where she will bring to life personally selected wines from across the world, including Chinese wines."

The 1st Janet Wang Wine Academy courses will be held from:- 4 December 2019 to  6 December 2019, with the second series scheduled for:-  29 January 2020 to 31 January 2020. Each day will run from 10am to 4pm and costs ₤295. As well as these courses, the Restaurant will be hosting special:- 'Wine dinners with Janet Wang with selected winemakers, producers and suppliers' events, taking place on Thursday, 5 December 2019 and Thursday, 30 January 2020, where she will share her expertise with diners. Guests can join Janet and sample incredible wines and exquisite food in the Tianjin Private Dining Room or Lu Ban Restaurant Wine Room.

Spaces for both the wine academy courses and the 'Wine dinners with Janet Wang' events are extremely limited and can be obtained via sending the  Lu Ban Liverpool an email. In September, Lu Ban Liverpool announced it was also partnering with Celebrity TV Chef, Ching He Huang, who is backing 2 Apprentice Chef Scholarships. The restaurant is also working with the International Academy of Chinese Culinary Art to actively deliver the next generation of chefs skilled in Chinese Culinary Arts, in the UK.

Dedicated college student makes final of prestigious national awards

HUGH Baird College student, Malcolm Thwala, has been named as a finalist in the Adult Student of the Year Category of the Association of Colleges (AoC) Student of the Year awards. Malcolm came to the UK from Zimbabwe in 2013. On arriving in Liverpool, Malcom didn't know anyone and felt he lacked purpose and direction. Rather than accept his situation, he decided to act and took the brave step to attend his local youth club in Toxteth called FireFit Hub. After 2 years at the club, Malcolm began volunteering at the Centre. He was keen to make others in his area aware of the positive opportunities that were available to them. He began training people in the gym and encouraged club members to play football rather than hanging around on the streets or becoming involved with gangs.

As his confidence grew, Malcom decided it was time for him to further develop his own skills and he joined Hugh Baird College in 2017. He completed Levels 2 and 3 in Motor Vehicle Engineering while simultaneously improving his GCSE grades. As well as studying hard, Malcom threw himself in to College life and was an active member of the College's Student Council and the College's football team. Despite his ever increasing workload, Malcom continued to be influential and positive figure at the FireFit Hub and joined the Centre's YouthBod team. The Team's work is focussed on devising strategies that encourage hard to reach young people to engage with the Centre's services instead of turning to crime, gangs and other anti social behaviours.

Not 1 to stand still, Malcolm also became involved in a charity group called Savera UK. Based in Toxteth, the charity works with female ethnic minority groups to support them through domestic abuse and forced marriages. In 2018, Malcolm produced a short film based on the work of the charity, which he then presented at a National Youth Conference, that was held at Liverpool's ACC Conference Centre. As a result of this, his work is touring local Schools he has to help raise awareness of social issues.

Through his charity and awareness raising work with the Savera Charity and his social inclusion work with the FireFit Hub, Malcom decided to alter his direction at College. In September 2019, he enrolled on an Access to Higher Education qualification in Health and Social Care. His long term ambition is to move on to University before gaining employment in a role that makes a lasting difference to people's lives and the society in which they live in.

Upon hearing the news that he had been named as a finalist and that he would be attending a glitzy awards ceremony on Tuesday, 19 November 2019, in Birmingham, Malcom said:- "It is a great honour to have been even nominated for this award, but I was amazed to hear that I'd been named as a finalist. I don't think of the work I do is anything out of the ordinary, I just believe in doing the right thing and helping people wherever I can. My mother is a real inspiration to me and I hope that this news makes her proud of me. I would also like to thank the staff at Hugh Baird College for believing in me, supporting me and for giving me so many opportunities to improve myself."

Yana Williams, Hugh Baird College Principal and Chief Executive, added:- "Malcom is an extremely driven yet humble student. The positivity he contributes to our College and his local community is remarkable and I am delighted that his efforts have been recognised on a national stage. He is a hugely popular figure here at the College with staff and students alike and I'm certain that we will all be rooting for him on the night of the awards ceremony."

The AoC Student of the Year awards gather nominations from College's from across the UK and judges have commented on the extremely high standard of entries in 2019.