Did you see HMS Queen Elizabeth entering the River Mersey?

THE Royal Navy's Flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth and its 679 crew, not including air element are currently berthed at Liverpool Cruise Terminal, on the River Mersey. The 65000 tonnes of Navil Power makes for an impressive sight and not to be missed. Sadly, public aren't able to board/tour the 280 m (920 ft) long, GB£7.6 billion vessel, but it is still worth taking a look at Her impressive outline on the Liverpool Skyline, from the Mersey Ferries...

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Liverpool 1 gets ready to bloom as it kick starts Spring in the City

AWARD winning leisure and retail destination Liverpool 1 is in full bloom; literally; from this week, as it gets set for spring and unveils a string of floral displays and plans for the season ahead. Running until 5 June, Liverpool 1 in Bloom will bring smiles to the faces of everyone this sprin...

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Telecoms firms must do more to help customers struggling to pay bills

PEOPLE suffering financial hardship should receive better support from phone and broadband providers under proposals recently published by Ofcom. According to our recent research, around 1.1 million households (5%) are...

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Victory in fight against 5G mast outside Crosby Primary School

MPS and Councillors have welcomed the withdrawal of plans to site a 5G telecommunications mast outside a Crosby Primary School. Parents and residents living nearby were shocked to find that Cornerstone Telecommunications had lodged a:- "prior notification procedure" to install a...

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CLA hosts Lancashire Police farm visit farms within Lancashire

THE CLA (Country Land and Business Association), held a meeting with Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Andrew Snowden. CLA members gathered at a farm near Lancashire to air concerns about rural crime and hear from the Commissioner...

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Bill Esterson MP sends evidence to Ministers to support case for rebuild of Lydiate Primary School

BILL Esterson MP has written to Government Ministers to make the case for a full rebuild of a Sefton Primary School. Mr Esterson, MP for Sefton Central, asked Minister for School Standards Robin Walker MP in Parliament this week...

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Merseyside firefighters among those joining national convoy of equipment and PPE to Ukraine

MERSEYSIDE Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) is joining a national convoy to deliver thousands of items of kit and equipment to be sent to Ukraine, to support firefighters on the frontline. UK charity, FIRE AID and International Development (FIRE AID), and the National Fire Chiefs Council  (NFCC) have coordinated donations of....

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Ban fire and rehire now, says Bill Esterson MP following shock sacking of 800 P&O workers

BILL Esterson MP called for an immediate ban on fire and rehire as he joined hundreds of protestors at the Port of Liverpool opposing the dismissal of 800 P&O Ferries workers. Mr Esterson, MP for Sefton Central, said there...

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Public wants action on pavement parking

IN the BPA's latest round of independent consumer research, conducted by ICM Unlimited, which tells us about current public opinion on a wide range of parking issues, respondents ranked pavement parking as the number 1 priority that needed to be tackled, overtaking congestion caused by the School run, which dropped into 2nd place. Safety ranked 3rd...

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Shayne Ward to join celebs in charity football match in aid of Alder Hey Children's Hospital

ACTOR and Singer Shayne Ward, who is best known for winning the X-Factor in 2005 and playing Aidan Connor in Coronation Street, is the latest star to join a dazzling line up of famous faces putting on their football boots later this year...

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People wanting to study for a University degree invited to Southport College event this March

DID you know that you could study for a University degree right here on your doorstep in Southport? The Southport College University Centre, based at Southport College, offers a wide range of degree and HND courses for people of all ages...

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4 out of 5 Liverpudlians Admit to Judging Someone on How They Talk

IT has been revealed that Liverpudlians are most likely to judge people on how they speak, a recent survey finds. Close to 4 out of 5 Liverpudlians admitted to having previously judged someone based on their dialect. A close 2nd was judging someone by what they wear, with only 4% less admitting to having judged someone by their outfit. blu, who conducted the research...

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Take part in the Queen's Jubilee celebrations

WAYFARERS Arcade presented a very special exhibition of wedding dresses for the Queen's Jubilee in 2012. Following on from this, the town centre arcade is to present a fashion exhibition to celebrate Her Majesty's 70...

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Antiques expert Gary Don visits Southport retirement community

HOMEOWNERS and visitors to a retirement community in Southport enjoyed a visit from auctioneer and valuation expert, Gary Don this week. As seen on the BBC's Flog it and Channel 4's Posh Pawn Brokers, Gary Don entertained homeowners and guests at The Sailings on Alexandra Road, with stories about his finds...

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City of Liverpool College expands courses nationally in a bid to create greener future

THE City of Liverpool College is expanding its highly successful apprenticeships programme to tradesmen and budding apprentices across the country, as part of its mission to close the skills gap and contribute to a greener future. From September, the College will...

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Essential works to future proofing a City gem

ONE of the grandest ceilings in the country is getting some much needed TLC to futureproof its heritage for residents and visitors. For the 1st time in more than 70 years, the ceiling in Liverpool's St George's Hall's Great Hall is being lovingly restored by a team of specialists. They are scouring every inch of the...

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Conservatives cannot be trusted on fracking, says Bill Esterson MP

BILL Esterson MP says the Conservatives cannot be trusted on fracking as he pressed Government Ministers in Parliament to confirm their opposition to the controversial technique. Mr Esterson, MP for Sefton Central and Shadow Minister for Business and Industry, urged Ministers to give assurances that fracking would continue to be ruled out by the Government. An...

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Tourism Minister's visit to Southport

UNIVERSAL Attractions and Southport Pleasureland CEO Norman Wallis hosted a visit from Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston and the town's MP Damian Moore on Friday. The Minister was at the park to find out 1st hand about Pleasureland's transformation to a year round international scale theme park and a focal point for the regeneration...

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Steve and Hannah's converted van helped teachers and pupils stay working during the lockdown

SEFTON'S fascinating canal history has been unlocked in a new heritage trail created by volunteers from the Canal and River Trust charity. The trail follows the route of the 200 year old Leeds / Liverpool Canal from Litherland to Bootle; a distance of just...

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Landlord fined for 'systemic failures' at homeless hostel

A Liverpool landlord has been hit with a bill of almost ₤25,000 for exposing vulnerable tenants to serious fire risks in a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO). Step 1 (NW) Limited were handed a ₤20,000 fine by...

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Alcedo launches complex care division

FAST growing Alcedo Care Group continues to expand with the launch of a dedicated new complex care division. The award winning North West based home care provider with its head office in Southport has invested ₤250,000 in the new division which consolidates its existing service offering and enables it to provide an exceptional range of nurse led clinical care services to...

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Upgraded traffic signals for Liverpool City Region to reduce emissions and save money

MORE than 750 traffic signals across Liverpool City Region will be upgraded in a new ₤8.3m project which will save money and reduce energy usage across the local road network. Agreed by Mayor Rotheram and the Combined...

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Southport Town Center closed off for a day following burglary

A burglary in Southport, Merseyside, on Monday, 21 March 2022, at around 9pm, lead to traffic chaos as a large section of the Town Center was closed off to the public, to allow forensic examinations to take place. We are told that the family run Rebecca's the Jewellers, on Lord Street was broken into by a group of...

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Online Safety Bill raises questions over "legal but harmful"

THE UK Government finally unveiled the latest version of the Online Safety Bill, that is aimed at to help tackle fraudulent and misleading adverts, along with adding a:- "duty of care" for website owners. The idea is being pushed out to the public that it is being done to stop children from accessing inappropriate and harmful content, as well as giving communications regulator Ofcom the power to issue fines or block sites that break the rules. Earlier versions of the bill were accused of not being strong enough, and other changes...

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Implementing new rules to help people boost mobile signal indoors

OFCOM is consulting on new regulations that should enable people to buy a wider range of devices that can improve their mobile reception at home. Indoor mobile repeaters; sometimes referred to as:- 'signal boosters' are devices typically used in residential properties to amplify a mobile reception. In November 2021, Ofcom published our decision to extend the range of mobile repeaters that can be self installed without a licence. Today, they are consulting on the regulations that would allow us to introduce this...

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Consultation on expanding Special School places

A consultation is under way on proposals to address a shortage of special educational needs (SEND) places in Liverpool. The Cabinet recently approved a proposal to seek the views of interested parties on a plan to move and expand 3 Special Schools and a Pupil Referral Unit to create more places...

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Scientists use vaccination to successfully treat Covid19 for 1st time

DOCTORS have successfully used vaccination to treat a patient with Covid19 in what is thought to be the 1st instance of the vaccine being used for therapy instead of prevention. Ian Lester, 37, a dispensing optician from Pontypridd who has a rare genetic immunodeficiency, tested...

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Strike ballots open at 6 Colleges in the North West over low pay

STRIKE ballots at 6 Colleges in the North West of England opened today (Monday) as the University and College Union (UCU) told College leaders they must raise staff pay. Over 1,000 UCU members will be balloted at the following 6 Colleges to take strike action in support of an 'inflation plus' pay claim of at least 8.5% for...

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British Sign Language Bill passes through House of Commons

THE Government has today reaffirmed its commitment to improving accessibility for D/deaf people by backing the latest stage of a Bill that will see British Sign Language (BSL) become a recognised language. The British Sign Language Bill, a Private Member's Bill introduced by Rosie Cooper MP, will, if...

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"Back where it belongs!" - Ofsted praises Liverpool School for transformation

TURNAROUND overseen by Headteacher whose father led the School more than 30 years ago. St Nicholas's Catholic Primary School in Liverpool has been praised by Ofsted as a Good School; with inspectors saying that it has high expectations and that its pupils succeed. The transformation of the School comes less than 6 years...

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7 out of 10 North West SMEs don't know their business carbon emissions

NATWEST research has revealed that 77% of SMEs in the North West are unaware of their business's total carbon emissions, despite good intentions; with more than 2 in every 5 (44%) recognising it is important to lower their emissions in the near future. These stark statistics follow NatWest's publication of the:- 'Springboard to Sustainability' report, which detailed that...

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Is the UK Government moving to slowly to install EV charging points?

BILL Esterson MP accused the Government of moving too slowly in the provision of electric car charging infrastructure. Mr Esterson, MP for Sefton Central, said it would more than 50 years before all drivers in the UK could go electric at current rates of public charger installation. Mr Esterson asked the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps in Parliament how...

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SME's see a bright future in 2022 and beyond

RESEARCH from leading professional services consultancy, Fusion Consulting Group, has found that small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are optimistic about the financial year ahead with 75% of those surveyed estimating that 2022 will see increased growth and revenue. Other key findings from Fusion's 'Challenges and Opportunities affecting Small and Medium Sized...

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Filthy public touch screens to be self cleaning with virus killing coating

CAMBRIDGE Biotech firm CodiKoat have developed a self cleaning protective coating that can help clean up "filthy" public touch screen devices and protect against viruses. Tests conducted by London Metropolitan University found that publicly used touch screen devices, such as those used in fast food restaurants, often house a host of harmful, disgusting bacteria that can cause serious illness and even included traces of faeces. From supermarket checkouts to cash machines and public transport, there...

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76 new life enhancing Changing Places toilets to be built across the North West

THOUSANDS of severely disabled people who need specialised facilities when they are out and about will benefit from 76 new Changing Places toilets across the North West The Chancellor confirmed in his Spring Statement over ₤23.5 million has been allocated to 191 Councils across England to install over 500 life enhancing Changing Places toilets in public places and tourist attractions, dramatically increasing accessibility in areas where users want them most. There are currently...

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New UK wide ambitions to accelerate genomic research and innovation in healthcare

PATIENTS across the UK are set to benefit from faster cancer diagnosis and innovative new treatments thanks to a ground breaking agreement, with the nation's devolved Governments. The UK Government, Welsh and Scottish Governments and Northern Ireland Assembly on Friday, 18 march 2022, agreed a series of commitments to improve outcomes for patients through better genomic testing and access to clinical trials. The new Shared Commitment...

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Letter to the Editor:- "Help keeping babies minds nourished"

"FROM the moment babies are born, their minds need nourishment, but it can be difficult to think up new ways for:- Mums, Dads, Grandparents and carers to keep them engaged. That's why, at the NSPCC, we have launched a new campaign to support anyone who helps to look after a baby across Merseyside. Did you know that every time you use silly voices, play or just sing with a baby, you're helping their mind grow? More than that, you're also helping to develop a powerful bond with the baby, which could last..."

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