Hop to it - It's Liverpool's Chinese New Year Celebrations!

LIVERPOOL'S Chinatown is set to be a festival of colour and sound this month as it welcomes the Year of the Rabbit. Taking place on Sunday, 22 January 2023, the FREE celebrations of Europe's oldest Chinese community will include:- the traditional Dragon, Lion and Unicorn Parades, firecracker displays, family workshops, Tai Chi demonstrations, live music performances, a fairground as well as food and craft stalls.

 
Culture Liverpool has also commissioned a number of new cultural pieces which are all free and either take place in the run up to the Sunday, and on the day itself to complement the traditional celebrations, or just after. These include:-
 
►  A stunning fire finale, courtesy of Liverpool based Bring The Fire, will see shaolin warriors perform fiery martial arts, beautiful dance pieces and kinetic fire sculpture that will create a mesmerising theatre of moving flames.

►  A projection show will light up the Bombed-Out Church (St Luke's) from:- Friday, 20 January to Sunday, 22 January 2023, 5pm to 9pm each evening. Created by Focal Studios, in partnership with artists Eleonora Asparuhova and Laura Sullivan, a 6 minute show called The Lunar Rabbit will reflect the qualities of the rabbit's personality, projected on the tower inside the grounds.

►  Pagoda Arts, in collaboration with LIMF Academy artists and musician Jah Wobble, will deliver a programme of music masterclasses, which will result in a co-commission called Pearl River to the Mersey River. The instrumental fusion of Chinese and western music will be performed at both the Chinese New Year event on Sunday, 22 January 2023 and at the Royal Philharmonic Music Room, on Friday, 27 January 2023.

►  Focusing on the resilience and strength of the Chinese community post Covid, Silk will see interactive dance pop-ups take place along Berry Street, Bold Street and Great George Street, on Sunday, 22 January 2023, as well as a stage performance at St George Square. It has been co-funded by Movema and Jockey Club England.

►  3 specially designed Chinese New Year rabbit lanterns, standing 1.5 metres high, will take pride of place near the Chinese Arch, created by local artist Becky Bryson.

►  In Conversation events and workshops, including:- lantern making sessions, will take place in FACT on Thursday, 26 January 2023. They will be led by artist-in-residence April Lin.
 
Activity will take place from 11am to 5pm on 22 January 2023 in and around the Great George Square area, and all the information about what to expect can be found on the official  Chinese New Year website.

 
From next week (week commencing 9 January 2023), thousands of Chinese lanterns will adorn the City centre streets around Chinatown and Liverpool ONE, and from Friday, 20 January to Sunday 22 January 2023, a number of buildings will be illuminated in red in honour of the new year; signifying good fortune and joy to everyone. These buildings include Sefton Park Palm House, Cunard Building, Royal Liver Building, Liverpool Town Hall and St George's Hall.
 
Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:- "Our Chinese New Year event is always hugely popular and I love seeing thousands of people come together in celebration of our much loved Chinese community. The day is always a real spectacle, with a whole host of family friendly activities which are free, or are low cost; so it's a great, inclusive way to get people involved. These celebrations always feel like the kick start of our annual events programme which, this year, will see the City hosting 1 of the biggest song contests in the world,,, Eurovision! When this first event of the year is under our belt, we will then be in full Eurovision delivery mode as we use all our cultural credential to make the UK and the Ukraine proud."
 
Secretary of Liverpool Chinese Business Association, Ming Wang, said:- "As we say goodbye to the Year of Tiger, we are coming to the Year of the Rabbit. Our local Chinese community, Culture Liverpool, and other organisations have worked tirelessly together to arrange a series of arts and cultural events for everyone to enjoy. It is guaranteed fun-filled with plenty of activities for children and adults to enjoy. Please come and join the celebrations."
 
Dennis Outten, Co-founder and Managing Director of Focal Studios, said:- "We're thrilled to be commissioned by Culture Liverpool to create a son et lumičre production 'The Lunar Rabbit' for Chinese New Year 2023. Mesmerising projections will take over the Bombed Our Church tower and visitors can also enjoy a beautiful light art installation in the grounds featuring rabbits made using Chinese paper folding techniques. Working with Pagoda Arts, local Schools and the local community of Liverpool, we're drawing together the City's messages of hope for the year."

Animation programme details for Sunday, 22 January 2022...
 
►  11am to 5pm - Great George Square.
 
►  12pm to 12.15pm - DJ Yeti.
 
►  12.15pm to 1pm - Pagoda Arts - Flower Drums, Fan Tai Chi, Dance and Happy Dance!
 
►  1pm to 1.40pm - Firecracker Display - Lucky Man, Dragon and Unicorn Parades.
 
►  1.40pm to 1.50pm - Liverpool Hung Gar Kung Fu Friendship Association - Martial Arts Demonstration
 
►  1.50pm to 1.55pm - DJ Yeti
 
►  1.55pm to 2.15pm - Wah Sing Chinese Community Centre Dancers - Traditional Chinese Dance and Song.

   ►  Bless You - Chinese Dance Performance.

   ► Draw You - Chinese Dance Performance.

   ► Beautiful Taihu - Chinese Dance Performance.

   ► Happy Every Year song - Singing Performance.
 
►  2.15pm to 2.20pm - Friendship Dancers Moonlight Waltz.
 
►  2.20pm to 2.45pm - Tian and LIMF Academy (in association with Pagoda Arts)
 
►  2.50pm to 2.55pm - Wirral Chinese Cultural Association: Classical Dance - Dream in Flowers.

►  2.55pm to 3pm - North East Wales Chinese Women's Association - Traditional Chinese Dance.

►  3pm to 3.10pm - Movema Dance - Silk.
 
►  3.15pm to 3.20pm - UK Phoenix Qipao Chinese Cultural and Art Association... The Big Fan Dance:- 'WanJiang' and The Silk Scarf QiPao show:- 'The Picture Scroll of Love'
 
►  3.25pm to 3.30pm - Friendship Dancers - Beautiful River (Chinese Line Dance)
 
►  3.45pm to 4.10pm - Tian and LIMF Academy (in association with Pagoda Arts)
 
►  4.15pm to 4.25pm - Movema Dance - Silk.
 
►  4.30pm to 4.55pm - Bring the Fire Project.
 
►  5.05pm -  Event ends.
 
All times subject to change. Please check website and social media for any changes.

Full list of buildings lighting up for Chinese New Year:-

►  Liverpool Town Hall, St George's Hall, Cunard Building, St Nicholas Parish Church, Sefton Park Palm House.

►  World Museum Liverpool, Martin Luther King Building, Royal Liver Building, Steve Prescott Bridge (St Helens)

►  Liverpool One, Atkinson Arts Centre (Southport), Southport Town Hall, Greystone Bridge/M62, Mersey Gateway.

►  Wallasey Town Hall, Hamilton Square Gardens, Liverpool Central Library, Toxteth Library and Merseyside Police Headquarters.

Keep up with the latest news by following Culture Liverpool on:- Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Follow the conversation on socials with #CNYLiverpool.
 
The event has been organised by Liverpool City Council's Culture Liverpool team in partnership with the Liverpool Chinese Business Association.
 

North West Ambulance Service calls for more public support during January strikes

WITH further strike action affecting the Ambulance service later this month, we are urging the public only to call 999 in a life-threatening emergency.
 
Ambulance Service staff from GMB and Unison trade unions will go on strike again on Wednesday, 11 January 2023, with Unison and Unite members taking further action on Monday, 23 January 2023. This is a continuing dispute between trade unions and the Government over pay.
 
While Ambulances will still be available on these days, again, we need the public to support us to ensure they are available for people with life threatening injuries and illnesses.
 
Typical emergencies include:- cardiac arrest, loss of consciousness, fits that aren't stopping, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding or allergic reactions and serious head injuries.

Other patients requiring Hospital treatment will likely be asked to take alternative transport, such as a taxi or get a lift from family, or friends.

Equally, people should use 111.nhs.uk, their GP or local pharmacy for help with non-urgent health concerns.

This is all the more important as strike action, on 11 January 2023, will see more staff striking in more service areas. We'll have reduced Ambulance crews but also reduced:- 999 and 111 call handling staff and fewer staff in our Patient Transport Service (PTS).
 
Patients who have PTS bookings, on 11 January 2023, will only now be available for renal, oncology and palliative care appointments. Providers will be in touch to inform you if your appointment is being cancelled or to advise if you need to seek alternative transport.
 
Ged Blezard, Director of Operations, said:- "Firstly, I want to thank the public for their support on the previous day of strike action before Christmas. You heeded our messages, and we were grateful to see 999 call volumes drop significantly. As before, we are maximising our own resources, using private providers and military support where appropriate and working closely with our trade unions to provide cover for the most serious emergencies. We are also working with our healthcare partners to maintain patient safety during these periods of industrial action. But, to get to the people who need us this time, we will require you to do the same again. However, I want to make it clear that if you need us, please continue to ring 999, and we will get there as quickly as we can. Ambulance resources will be prioritising life-threatening injuries and illness. Unfortunately, other patients will wait and may be advised to seek alternative transport if they still require Hospital treatment. We will also be particularly more stretched in our 999 and 111 call centres, which will likely result in longer call response times. Therefore, if you have already called 999 to request an Ambulance, please only call back if your condition has worsened or to cancel the Ambulance. Repeatedly calling 999 can block phone lines for other emergencies. And if you need urgent care, 1st use the symptom checker at NHS 111 online, which will direct you to the most appropriate support. Again, you should call on friends or relatives for transport if necessary."
 
NHS 111 Online can tell you:-
 
►  Where to get help for your symptoms, if you're not sure what to do.

►  How to find general health information and advice.

►  Where to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine.

►  How to get a repeat prescription.

More information can be found online about about when to call:- 999 and more information about when to go to A&E is also available via the national NHS website.
 
If you are calling us about a mental health concern, please use the mental health crisis lines available in your area:-

►  Greater Manchester (Bury, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop), call:- 08000149995

►  Greater Manchester (Bolton, Manchester, Salford, Trafford & Wigan), call:-  08009530285

►  Lancashire and South Cumbria, call:- 08009530110

►  North Cumbria, call:- 08006522865.

►  Cheshire and Wirral, call:- 08001456485.

►  Liverpool or Sefton- 08001456570.

►  Halton, St Helens, Warrington and Knowsley, call:- 08000511508.