Free Botanic Gardens Family Fun Day takes place this Sunday

PEOPLE are invited to enjoy fun for all ages when the free Botanic Gardens Family Fun Day takes place between:- 10am to 4pm, on Sunday, 19 June 2022.  Taking place on the same day as Father's Day, it's the perfect place to enjoy a real family day out at one of the North West's most beautiful parks.

The event is sponsored by Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery, Southport.

People can admire the official unveiling of the brand new Botanic Gardens mural by acclaimed logical artist Rob Newbiggin. Also on display will be winning pictures from Churchtown Primary School.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a range of events and attractions, including: performances from local dance companies, The Wigan Brass Youth Band, giant bubbles, inflatables, live music from Sandgrounder Radio and Mighty FM, donkey rides, a petting zoo, and much more besides.

A number of local businesses and charities have signed up to take stalls, including:- Woodlands Animal Sanctuary, Vintage Collectables, Marshside Fog Bell, Sunseekers Kids Books, Forever Melts and Jewellery and more.

Merseyside Police will be on site with a Police van for the kids to see and explore.

The day has been organised by the Make A Change For Botanic campaign group, which is raising money to make vital improvements to the park. Their fundraising efforts recently saw the purchase and installation of 2 new water aeration fountains for the lake.

Make A Change For Ben was set up by David Rawsthorne after the tragic death of his best friend, Ben Smith-Crallan. Ben, 37, died after falling into the lake at the park.

The day is also being supported by the Botanic Gardens Community Association, whose volunteers have been leading the maintenance of the park for the past 12 years.

When the Botanic Gardens Family Fun Day takes place, the junction of Bankfield Lane and Verulam Road will remain closed, as United Utilities continues its work in the area.

There are excellent public transport links and people can also walk if they live close by.

Stalls and attractions will be accepting cash on the day.

While the day is free, people are being invited to donate what they can to support the work of the Make A Change For Botanic campaign.

Botanic Gardens Family Fun Day organiser Jess Thwaites said:- "We are delighted to be bringing this event to Southport and the Botanic Gardens to celebrate the unveiling of the new wall mural. It will be a much-deserved day of fun and entertainment to the whole community. The day is as much about supporting local businesses with their stalls, promoting awareness of the importance of looking after and improving the park along with raising much needed funds. I ask that people come along, enjoy the events we've put on and if they can give a little at the gates to one of our very kind volunteers then that would be amazing. There are too many people to thank for their efforts to help me put this day together, but special thanks to David Rawsthorne, the Botanic Gardens Community Association, Sammie Rudge for the artwork, Replica Print for the printing, Churchtown Primary School for their involvement in getting their children involved, all of the volunteers, Southport Rotarians and Green Sefton for their support. The day includes an art display from the children at Churchtown Primary School who have worked so hard to create some wonderful pictures for us. We also have live dance performances all morning from local dance companies, The Wigan Youth Brass Band in the afternoon along with Sandgrounder and Mighty Radio on site all day. "We have gigantic bubbles, inflatables, rides, stalls, donkey rides, a petting zoo, animal talks, a face painter and a craft tent to name a few. The Settle Inn at the Botanic Gardens will be providing a bbq and refreshments. It's set to be a fabulous event! I can't wait. Programmes with the day's events, times and locations will be on sale for 50p at the gate and I hope everyone can spare that to join in the fundraising. Every little helps! ingers crossed the sun shines too! See you all there."

The Botanic Gardens Family Fun Day will be held at the Botanic Gardens, Churchtown, Southport, on Sunday, 19th June, between 10am and 4pm. It is sponsored by Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery.

Would you like to help the campaign to improve the Botanic Gardens, in Churchtown, Southport? Please join the Make A Change For Botanic Facebook Group.

Damien Moore MP pushes for increased support for unpaid carers in Southport

CARERS Week is an annual awareness week which recognises the vital contribution made by people caring in an unpaid capacity for family members or friends who have a disability, illness, mental health condition, or who need extra help as they grow older.

Mr. Moore attended an event in Parliament to mark Carers Week, during which he met with carers to hear about and better understand their experiences of caring during the Pandemic, as well as the support they need in looking after their family and loved ones.

The 7 charities supporting Carers Week in 2022; Carers UK, Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association, Oxfam GB, Rethink Mental Illness, and The Lewy Body Society; are asking the Government to put in place a Recovery and Respite Plan for unpaid carers, to recognise the lengths people have gone to during the Covid Pandemic and to mitigate the impact it has had on carers' own mental and physical health, as well as on their finances.

Mr. Moore has expressed his support to encourage the Government to fully consider this request, and will himself continue pushing the Government to go further in supporting unpaid carers.

Southport already has an excellent respite centre for those with disabilities and their carers, Revitalise's Sandpipers on the Promenade, which Mr. Moore and Care Minister Gillian Keegan visited in March 2022. Revitalise is currently developing major expansion plans, which will further mark Southport as a holiday destination for everyone, regardless of their specific needs.

Damien Moore, MP for Southport, said:- "Unpaid carers do so much brilliant work across Southport, working tirelessly to support those they care for, and so it is only right that we do everything we can to support them. Millions of carers have gone to extraordinary lengths, particularly over the past two and a half years, to look after family and friends, and I was fortunate enough to hear some of their stories first-hand in Parliament as part of Carers Week. Southport has some fantastic organisations dedicated to supporting carers, such as Sandpipers, and on a recent visit there I saw the great work they were doing to provide a welcoming and relaxing holiday for those who deserve it most. But support must also come from Government, and so building on many of my recent conversations with carers and constituents, I will be continuing to push for more to be done to support those who need it. We need to expand on measures such as training teachers to spot those unidentified younger carers who need support, so that Southport's carers have what they need to look after themselves and their loved ones."