Southport artist raffles £1,000 artwork to support Marina Dalglish Appeal and friend with brain tumour

PEOPLE can win a unique piece of artwork worth nearly £1,000 by acclaimed local artist Clare Wright, with all proceeds going to 2 superb local good causes.

You can view the beautiful sculptured heart ribbon artwork, worth £960 and 110cm by 110 cm in size, in the window of the new Clare Wright Art Gallery on Lord Street in Southport town centre.

Tickets are just £5 each. They can be bought online at the clare.wrightartgallery Instagram page or by calling into the Clare Wright Art Gallery shop on Lord Street.

Tickets are also on sale at Capelli hair salon on Roe Lane in Southport and at The Cutting Gallery in Formby or by using an available QR code.

All funds raised will go towards the Marina Dalglish Appeal and also to the Ride4Baz fundraiser.

The Marina Dalglish Appeal works to improve the lives of cancer patients. Its aim is 'to make a difference' and to help cancer sufferers and their families through their journey with cancer.

Ride4Baz was set up to support the family of Baz Fleming, originally from Southport but now living in Mijas in Spain, who was recently diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour.

The raffle draw will take place on:- Monday, 11 November 2024.

It is not just Clare leading the fundraising. Her son, Ben Wright, is preparing to take on the New York Marathon along with friend Michael Sumner, on:- 3 November 2024.

They will be running the race wearing Marina Dalglish Foundation and Liverpool FC shirts.

Clare Wright said:- "The picture is up for grabs at £5 per entry. We're selling lots of tickets at the moment and there are lots of different ways you can enter. We are raising money for two causes which are very close to my heart. Cancer is an issue that affects so many families. It's a very cruel disease. We want to raise as much money as we can. We are also keen to support Baz Flemming too with our fundraising. Baz and his family are delighted with what everyone has done to support them so far, including:- the 1,600 mile bike ride by Graeme Thow from Southport to Spain. This is a unique opportunity to own a valuable artwork in time for Christmas while supporting two fantastic causes at the same time."

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority approves plans to make it even more effective, resilient and quicker to respond

AFTER the recent opening of a new state of the art training centre for firefighters in Merseyside and beyond, the Service has developed plans to build on this innovation and their strong performance in recent years. In their latest Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), approved by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority on:- 17 October 2024, further strengthened their ambition for the Service.

The plan is developed by assessing foreseeable risk in Merseyside, considering the demand for services and the vulnerability of our communities.

Proposals contained within Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service's (MFRS) CRMP 2024-27 represent a continued optimism for the Service after significant focus on improvement, investment and growth, bucking the previous trend of closures and cuts. The positive impact of those changes has been highlighted in two inspections by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) since 2021 which found on both occasions that the Service was:-

• Outstanding at preventing fires and other risks.
  

• Outstanding at responding to major incidents.
  

• Outstanding at making best use of resources.

But the Service won't be resting on its laurels. As 1 of the leading Fire and Rescue Services in the country it will now build on that success introducing plans that:-

• Increase the number of fire engines yet further from 32 to 34 making it more resilient.
  

• Improve the way fire engines are mobilised, making the Service quicker to respond.
  

• Protect frontline fire engine availability, through creative use of its team's retained availability.
  

• Enhance its water rescue response.
  

• Educate communities about wildfire, flood and other emergent risks in their area.
  

• Continue to assist the Ambulance Service protect the most vulnerable.
  

• Target prevention work at people with the highest risk where there is a heightened level of inequality, including:- those in sheltered accommodation.
  

• Provide national and international training at their new Training and Development Academy.

The plan will sit with two other hugely significant plans, the People Plan, and the Medium Term Financial Plan. Together, these set out the organisational ambitions of the Service over the next 3 years.

The Service recognises that people are pivotal in all it sets out to do. The People Plan sets out the ambition of attracting and retaining the best people to work in the Service, developing exceptional people and leaders, embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion in everything they do as part of a strong, positive and inclusive culture.

None of this would be possible without the underpinning finances, and the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) considers the financial climate at both the local and national level together with available resources and budgetary pressures in arriving at a financial strategy for the Authority. The MTFP provides a focus on both revenue expenditure (day to day running costs of providing the service) and capital expenditure (long-term investment in infrastructure, for example:- buildings, operational vehicles, and equipment), as well as setting out the Authority's overall financial strategy.

The plans are all available to view on the Service website:- MerseyFire.Gov.UK.

Speaking about the plans, Chief Fire Officer Phil Garrigan said::- "This plan continues to build on that progress that we have made in recent years, and will undoubtedly make us even more effective, resilient and better able to protect the people we are here to serve. This plan addresses yet further the risks that affect our communities, whilst ensuring we put the safety of our crews at the forefront of our work. Our plans continue to innovate and adapt to all foreseeable risk, introducing new ideas and innovation to ensure the Service and the people who work in it can operate at their best. We are an:- 'Outstanding' Service and don't intend to change any time soon."

Chief Garrigan added::- "I would like to thank everyone who has helped in the development of these plans, the approval of which ensures that the Service is equipped for the future."