Knowsley Online

Knowsley's gems shine at tourism awards

Tourist attractions in Knowsley were recognised once again at this year’s Mersey Partnership Annual Tourism Awards.

Acorn Farm in Kirkby scooped Small Visitor Attraction of the Year, a gong for which The National Wildflower Centre in Huyton was also shortlisted.

Knowsley Hall made the shortlist for Guest Accomodation of the Year, and Partnership for Learning in Halewood was one of only three companies across the whole of Merseyside to be shortlisted in the Business Tourism of the Year category.

The awards are yet another example of some of the fantastic tourism gems which Knowsley has to offer visitors and residents.

Cllr Graham Morgan, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economy and Skills, said: “I’d like to take the chance to congratulate the tourist attractions which were shortlisted or won awards this year.

“Acorn Farm has won award after award and I’d urge anyone who has not yet visited this lovely farm to do so, especially if you’re looking for a fun family day out this summer.

“It goes to show the little gems that we have in Knowsley, and that you don’t have to head into big cities for a great day out.

“This summer it would also be fabulous to see more local people exploring some of the tourist attractions and parks they have on their doorstep.”

Acorn Farm Manager Fiona Smith said: “We are very proud to have received this award which belongs to all the people, both staff and volunteers, who have worked so hard over the years to create Acorn Farm for the community.”

The Mersey Partnership Annual Tourism Awards are organised by The Mersey Partnership and supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Merseytravel, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Liverpool ONE, ACC Liverpool and BBC Radio Merseyside.

They celebrate the very best businesses in the City Region’s visitor economy, now worth £1.3billon a year and supporting 23,000 jobs.

BBC television presenter Ranvir Singh hosted the celebrations in front of 500 guests at the BT Convention Centre, Liverpool on Thursday, 18th June.

Anyone wanting to find out more about Knowsley’s tourism offerings can log on to www.visitknowsley.com. A list of events taking place in the borough is on the council’s website www.knowsley.gov.uk

No alcohol zones introduced in Knowsley parks

Alcohol free zones are being set up in Knowsley to tackle crime and anti social behaviour caused by binge drinking.

The Safer Knowsley Partnership, which includes Merseyside Police and Knowsley Council, is taking the measure after successfully securing the borough’s first Designated Public Place Orders back in 2008.

The orders have been approved in Wignall Park, Court Hey Park, Stadt Moers, Millennium Green and Henley Park, and will come into force on July 16, 2009. The orders will make it an offence for anyone to drink alcohol after being required by a police officer not to do so. Police have the power to confiscate and dispose of alcohol and it is an arrestable offence to fail to co-operate, without reasonable excuse, with a police officer's request. The ban does not affect drinking in any licensed premises.

Knowsley Council’s Licensing Committee approved the orders on June 25, 2009. They are part of the Safer Knowsley Partnership’s  on-going commitment to reduce alcohol related crime and disorder and anti-social behaviour.

The order has been introduced following extensive consultation with the public, businesses, schools, licensed premises and councillors.

Steve Agger, Service Director for Crime and Disorder at Knowsley Council, said: “I am confident that the alcohol free zones will have a real impact on crime and safety in the area. As a partnership, the council and the police will not tolerate what is a national trend to binge drink in public and these new powers will help to reduce crime and disorder and complement other work taking place across the borough including prosecuting outlets who sell to underage people."

Chief Superintendent John Young, Area Commander for Knowsley, added “These new powers will send out a clear message that alcohol related disorder and associated anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. We will continue to carry out education initiatives and enforcement action, working together with local partners, to ensure that our borough is a safer place which everyone can enjoy visiting.”

Disabled children aim high in art competition

Children and young people attending Special School in Knowsley have taken part in an art competition to find out what interests them and how they like spending their free time.

Pupils were invited to enter the competition as part of the borough’s Aiming High for disabled children and young people programme.

The competition was divided into four age categories, which were all inundated with entries of a very high standard.

In two special award ceremonies the lucky winners were presented with a certificate and treated to Argos vouchers for first, second and third prize. The art work from the winning entries will be reproduced for the programme’s newsletters, flyers and other publicity materials and all the entries will be displayed in council buildings around the borough.

Cllr Graham Wright, Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services, said:

“The competition was a great way of encouraging the children to bring out their creative talents. The judges had a tough time choosing the winners because all the entries were excellent and worthy of winning a prize.

“It will be really rewarding for the children to see their work reproduced on publicity materials for the Aiming High for disabled children and young people programme and recognition of the obvious time and effort they put into their entries.”

Prize winners from Knowsley Central Primary Support Centre
(L-R: Daniel Winstanley; Ryan Jones; Daniel Clarke; Paris Foster; Jonathan Horton and Pauline Coulter, Children and Family Services Manager for children with disabilities)

Arts teaching hits the mark

Ten schools in Knowsley have received national recognition for the excellence of their arts education.

Arts Council England has awarded 4 Artsmark and 6 Gold Artsmark awards to primary, secondary and further education centres.

The awards follow rigorous examination of the sort of arts projects and teaching provided.

Artsmark awards went to Huyton with Roby, St Andrew The Apostle, St Joseph's and Westvale primaries.

Artsmark Gold awards went to St Luke’s, Park View , Malvern and Evelyn Community primaries, Halewood College and Kirkby Sports College.

They will be presented with their awards at an evening reception at Brindley Arts Centre in Runcorn in September.

Knowsley’s Cultural and Creative Learning sector is now running courses to help other schools learn how they can reach arts award standard.

Cllr Eddie Connor, Knowsley's cabinet member for Leisure, Community and Culture, said: “This is great news for the schools involved and, most of all, for the pupils who are being given the best introduction and education in the arts possible.

“Boosting attainment in our schools is a key feature of the Knowsley Children’s Plan and we are now running training sessions to help others apply for Artsmark status this year.”

State of the art centre for young people, designed by young people opens in Knowsley

Last night (Thursday 25th June) saw the launch of the new Westvale Youth Centre in Kirkby, offering local youngsters a safe place to socialise, and the opportunity to get involved in a range of activities such as sports and arts along with accredited courses and awards such as Duke of Edinburgh.

The new centre has been designed to the specifications of the young people who will use it and was officially opened by Anne Weinstock, Director of the Youth Task Force. Young people showcased all the centre has to offer with DJing, rapping and an electric guitar performance on the staged area, while others surfed the net and created animation on the new suite of computers. Young people from the centre also prepared healthy snacks and ‘mocktails’ for the guests.

Knowsley’s ‘Big Deal Grants Panel’ made a symbolic presentation to the young people at the centre with a cheque for £80,000, the money was awarded to the centre in October 2008 and has been used to add value to the project through additional interior design and the purchase of equipment.

Jade’s the ideal candidate to succeed

A Northwood teenager who rates Hillary Clinton as her inspiration is aiming to be the first lady to progress with a new Kirkby-based youth charity.

Described as “a jewel” by her tutors at Moorgate Road based Rathbone, artistic Jade Lea Hogg has drawn a line under her troubled past and taken her first steps towards a career in child care. And she believes that the current United States Secretary of State is the perfect role model for any woman wanting to achieve.

“Hillary Clinton is just amazing” says Jade, who recently designed a poster depicting the former first lady’s varied career for her classroom. “She is very successful and has done so much – and she really doesn’t look 61.”

Jade joined Rathbone (which took in its first trainees back in February this year) after struggling with her daily journey to and from her home to St Helens College. Now 17, Jade moved to the Knowsley area from Lowestoft in Suffolk three years ago and found the transition difficult. Upheavals at home meant she couldn’t complete her GCSEs.

Engaging on the Entry to Employment course – which gives 16-18-year-olds the support they need to gain work – Jade has enjoyed picking up new skills and qualifications and will soon go on work placement at a local nursery school. She is also about to move into her own place and being the creative type (she studied art and design at St Helens) she plans to decorate her front room in fetching shades of black and grey!

On your bike – whatever your ability.

A bid to get more of us on our bikes has been underway in Knowsley.

Events for national Bike Week in the borough included a taster day to get children with varying abilities cycling.

The ‘Wheels for All’ day provided demonstrations of bikes that able and disabled young people could use.

It was held at Springfield Special School in Kirkby and there were representatives form Knowsley’s six special schools.

The Council’s cycling development officer, Kelly McKeown and Bike It officer, Ian Alt demonstrated various bikes and training was offered to the children.

Knowsley Council also ran its annual competition that called on primary pupils in Year 5 to design their dream mountain bike.

The two winners who design the most creative cycle will each be presented with a mountain bike later in the year.

National Bike Week ran from June 13 to 20 and promotes cycling as an alternative form of transport as well as a source of fitness and fun.

Cllr Graham Morgan, Knowsley’s’ cabinet member for Regeneration, Economy and Skills, said: “Knowsley Council runs a variety of free bike rides and cycling promotion schemes throughout the year and we are committed to getting more people cycling both for work and leisure.

“The events during Bike Week were aimed at getting young people with a variety of abilities to try out cycling and think about what appeals to them about bikes.”

Cllr Graham Morgan with Sam Walsh at the Wheels for All event at Springfield Special School

History in the making.

Children in Knowsley are helping to revive the building skills of the past.

Skilled professionals are teaching the youngsters how to make bricks, stained glass panels and how to carve stone.

It is part of a conservation project to preserve the area’s historic buildings by teaching the next generation traditional building techniques.

These skills are fast dying out yet demand for craftspeople who know how to work on older buildings is growing.

The lessons in schools are “Have a Go” taster sessions and construction students at local colleges are being taught the methods for real.

The Conservation Skills and Interpretation Project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the taster sessions are being held at St. John Fisher, Overdale and Prescot primary schools.

Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economy and Skills, Cllr Graham Morgan, said: “It’s not often that our young people get the chance to use a chisel and mallet, throw clay into a brick mould or even see delicate pieces of glass being cut.

“The chance to learn these fascinating skills with some of the industry’s finest craftspeople might inspire them to pursue this as a career.

“The conservation project is aimed at preserving our marvellous historic buildings but also passing on these vital building techniques for future generations.”

 Children at Overdale Primary School, Kirkby taking part in stone carving.

A local knitting group in Huyton has attracted a range of budding knitters of all ages.

The Knit Wit Group, funded by Knowsley Council, started off with just two members back in February. Now, the popular class has up to 20 knitting fans of all ages going along each week.

The bug for the old tradition has even spread to the younger generations, as children as young as 11 make sure they brush on their knitting skills during the school holidays.

The group not only provides a place where people can do something they enjoy, but it also enables them to do their bit for charity. The group knit clothing and accessories for babies and young children, donating them to the Liverpool Women’s Hospital. All proceeds made from selling the hand-knitted items go towards buying machinery for premature babies.

The North Huyton Area Partnership Board and elected members in Longview have been involved in the project and helped raised funds since it was first launched last year. The knitters meet at Longview shops from where the council-backed drop-in advice centre runs every week.

Balloons to fill the sky on Rainey Day

Families across Knowsley are being invited to attend the third annual Rainey Day event at King George V Sport Complex in Huyton, on Sunday 28th June 2009.

Rainey Day is a family fun day, organised in memory of John Rainey – a Knowsley Council employee and a champion of the rights of disabled people.

The event is free to attend, and will run from 11am through to 4pm.

The activities will include music, dancing, the NorthernSign Choir, football coaching, wheelchair basketball and boccia – a fast paced wheelchair sport.

There will also be stalls representing local agencies to promote their services, especially those for disabled people.

These will include a Good Neighbours in Knowsley stall, where residents will be able to get free cups, tea-bags, and tea-towels, to encourage them to spend more time with their neighbours.

British Sign Language interpreters will be available on the day.

Leader of Knowsley Council, Cllr Ron Round, said: “It is right and fitting that the event carries the name of John Rainey. The contribution that John made to the rights and opportunities of disabled people in Knowsley was enormous.

“There will be something for all the family to enjoy, and I hope that as many people as possible will be able to attend the event.”

One of the highlights of the day will be the release of three hundred balloons, as part of a competition to see which one can travel the furthest. Last year’s balloon release was won by Paul Walsh from Roby, whose balloon travelled over 269 miles before it landed in West Bexington, Dorset.

Knowsley flies the flag for Armed Forces Day

Representatives from Knowsley Council joined war veterans to raise a flag to commemorate Armed Forces Day.

Cllr Smithson, Mayor of Knowsley, Knowsley Council’s Chief Executive Sheena Ramsey, and local councillors gathered outside Huyton’s One-Stop-Shop where they watched as local war veterans helped raise the flag on the Huyton flagpole.

The flag will remain at full mast until after 27 June, which is the official Armed Forces Day. The occasion recognises the courageous men and women who make up the Armed Forces community throughout the past, present and future.

Mayor of Knowsley, Cllr Smithson who himself is a veteran of the first Gulf War- says “It was an honour to be part of the Armed Forces Day commemorations and to stand alongside those men who so bravely fought in the war. It is important that we recognise the sacrifice men and women have made for our country not only in the past, but those who continue to fight today and will do in the future.”

Cllr Smithson, Mayor Knowsley, and war veteran Jim Bartley raise the flag in honour of Armed Forces Day

The Big Balloon Race

The sky really was the limit for shoppers in Kirkby town centre, as they stopped to watch the spectacle of over 800 balloons being launched last Friday.

The balloons were launched as part of a balloon race organised by Balfour Beatty Construction in association with Knowsley MBC. The balloon race is one of a number of charity events being organised by Balfour Beatty to support a new charitable partnership – ‘Building Better Futures’.

Building Better Futures has been created by the company in association with The Prince’s Trust and Action for Children to help disadvantaged young people. The aim is to raise at least £500,000 by the end of 2009 and Balfour Beatty has pledged to match every pound raised.

Local youngsters from Simonswood Primary School, All Saints Catholic High and Kirkby Sports College attended the launch to help set the balloons off on their journey and a prize has been offered by Balfour Beatty for the balloon that travels the furthest.

Simon McEneny, Service Director for Future Schooling in Knowsley said: “It’s been a pleasure working with local schools and Balfour Beatty to encourage them to take part in the balloon race for charity. It also supports our engagement with schools and pupils in our Future Schooling in Knowsley programme.”

Malcolm Robertson, Contracts Manager for Balfour Beatty said ‘We have been able to raise over £875 for the charity, which is fantastic. All the proceeds will help to support young people on a wide variety of projects and we would like to thank Knowsley Council, the local community and all our subcontractors and staff for their support with the race.’

Pictured are local youngsters from Simonswood Primary School, All Saints Catholic High and Kirkby Sports College with Malcolm Robertson, Contracts Manager for Balfour Beatty (left) and Simon McEneny, Service Director for Future Schooling in Knowsley.

If anyone would like to make a donation to Building Better Futures, they can do so by contacting Josie Neil at Balfour Beatty on 0151 632 8500.

Listening Ear (Merseyside)

Annual General Meeting
2008-2009

Thursday, 25th June 2009
@
St Nicholas’ Centre

Programme

                                12.30    Welcome Tea & Coffee
                                            View displays

                                1.00    Presentation of activities and achievements
                                           in 2008-2009
       
                                Special guests:

                                Cllr. Dave & Sarah Smithson
                                (Mayor & Mayoress of Knowsley)
                                Rosemary Hawley
                                (Chair NHS Knowsley)
                                Gordon Jones
(Joint Commissioning Manager for Mental Health & Substance Misuse Knowsley PCT)
       
                                1.30        Buffet Lunch
                                              Tour of Listening Ear (Halewood) facilities

                                2.00        AGM formal business

KCCLive – 99.8 FM Points the Way

Knowsley’s first youth radio station launches on FM this week.

Rightly or wrongly young people are in the news a great deal, yet the media is largely based at an audience of older people made by older people.

KCC live believe this wasn’t fair, and Ofcom have agreed with that and granted a five year licence for the first radio station exclusively for young people in Merseyside.

With coverage reaching beyond the Knowsley Borough young people of Liverpool finally get a permanent voice.

With over 60 volunteers already onboard producing and presenting quality youth radio, KCCLive is already bringing out the creative qualities and engaging the young(and sometimes the middle age!) people of Knowsley.

Hywel Evans (now presenter on ROCK FM, Kerrang Radio, and Key103 Manchester) is a managing director of the company.  He says “the station has a unique opportunity to play music and deliver content which is purposely NOT of interest to those over 25, who are well served by the commercial sector and BBC”.

KCC Live has been a station at Knowsley Community College since December 2003.  We were created by Sir George Sweeney, knighted for his work within education and then Principal of Knowsley Community College. 

We have run many campaigns including anti-bullying and anti-racism campaigns which have earned the support, involvement, and confidence of local community groups and individuals. Events have included many community broadcasts at key times, such as coverage live from John Lennon airport during terrorism restrictions, or comic relief events such as a live sport-relief mile and a 24 hour radio show for comic relief.

We launch officially on Thursday 18th June.  Over the next 3 weeks we will be launching the station with various events across Knowsley.

 

Festival of fun on the way

A fun packed day is in store for local people as plans are put in place for the annual Halewood Festival 2009.

The event, held at Halewood Leisure Centre on Sunday July 5, is completely free and with lots of new activities to keep everybody entertained, it promises to be bigger and better than ever.

New attractions for 2009 include a community parade with a Rose Queen procession to launch the event at 12 noon . There is still time for local groups such as brownies, scouts etc to be involved in the parade by contacting the event organisers.

A new marquee will also be part of the festival with plenty of information on offer on relaxation and wellbeing including how to lead a healthier lifestyle with free health checks, fitness testing and complementary therapies all provided free of charge.

There is still time for craft stallholders to apply in the Craft Fayre and already there are lots of unusual stalls where you can pick up a great gift for that special someone.

That’s when ‘Good Neighbours’ become good friends

VIEW THE PROMOTIONAL VIDEO ON KNOWSLEY’S YOU TUBE CHANNEL – www.youtube.com/knowsleycouncil
Or click here

Residents in Knowsley have the opportunity to put the borough on the map by holding their very own Big Lunch in their street.
Hundreds of streets have already signed up to support The Big Lunch - the latest ambitious idea from the Eden Project. And more are joining every day. The Big Lunch aims to get as many of the 61 million people in Britain to sit down in their own street with their neighbours and share lunch on Sunday, July 19.

This simple idea has caught the imagination of Britons up and down the country. Over a thousand Big Lunches are already being organised with more people committing to having lunch with their neighbours on July 19 each day.

To encourage Knowsley residents to organise their own Big Lunch, the Knowsley Partnership will provide free goodie bags to keep people entertained and well-watered on the day. The bags will include balloons, colouring books, mugs, tea-bags, and tea-towels, to help with the washing up.

Knowsley council launch a major investigation into the lives of young people

- Merseyside TV Soap creator Phil redmond leads high-profile panel of experts in five-week inquiry into what drives and motivates young people in Knowsley –

Knowsley Council and its partners have commissioned 4Children - a national children’s charity for children and young people aged 0-19 - to establish a Knowsley Commission into the lives of young people.

The Commission will be chaired by the writer, broadcaster and advocate for Merseyside, Phil Redmond, Creative Director of the European Capital of Culture 2008, Chair of National Museums Liverpool and creator of the popular TV soaps Hollyoaks, Brookside and Grange Hill. Redmond will lead a panel of children’s services experts and national commentators in a five-week investigation into the lives of young people in Knowsley. The panel has been formed as part of the Knowsley Young People's Commission that will collect and examine evidence on what motivates and drives young people in Knowsley.

Over the coming weeks the panel will meet with young people from across the borough to find out their views on growing up in Knowsley, the opportunities and challenges that exist. The panel will also meet with parents and those who work closely with young people to gain a rounded picture of young people’s lives.

The Commission is an independent advisory body that will gain an unprecedented insight into the everyday issues that young people and the organisations that work with them face. Its findings will help inform local policies around young people over the coming years.

The Commission began gathering its evidence with a meeting with young people in Huyton last week.

Knowsley children wave convoy off to help Children of Chernobyl

To mark the 23rd anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, which left the world stunned, Knowsley has been raising funds and donating furniture to the Chernobyl Children’s Project.

Students from Christ the King Catholic & Church of England Centre for Learning waved off a truck containing unclaimed furniture and goods from their old school, St Edmund of Canterbury, on a 3000 mile, 10 day round trip to Belarus.

Items include furniture, kitchen equipment, wheelchairs, hoists, school equipment, bicycles and other items like paper, pencils, pens and sports equipment.

The journey will take the 3-truck convoy through Holland, Germany, Poland and into Belarus where they will deliver aid directly into the hands of the people who need it most.

Pictured are Executive Director of Children & Family Services Damian Allen presenting the cheque for funds raised so far to the Chernobyl convoy team, waved on by pupils from Christ the King Centre for Learning.

Knowsley council launches a major investigation into the lives of young people

Knowsley Council and its partners have commissioned 4 Children - a national children’s charity for children and young people aged 0-19 - to establish a Knowsley Commission into the lives of young people.

Phil Redmond, Creative Director: European Capital of Culture 2008, Chair of the National Museums Liverpool and creator of the popular TV soaps Hollyoaks, Brookside and Grange Hill will lead a high-profile panel of experts in a five-week inquiry into what drives and motivates young people in Knowsley.

The panel has been formed as part of the Knowsley Young People's Commission that will collect and examine evidence on what motivates and drives young people in Knowsley.

Over the coming weeks the panel will meet with young people from across the borough to find out their views on growing up in Knowsley, the opportunities and challenges that exist. The panel will also meet with parents and those who work closely with young people to gain a rounded picture of young people’s lives.

Reader in Residence comes to Halewood

Halewood Library are to have their own ‘Reader in Residence’ to promote reading throughout June.

Sarah Mclennan, is a lecturer in Creative Writing at Liverpool John Moores University, and Co-ordinator of the Dead Good Poets Society - an arts organisation that promotes live literature events in Merseyside. She will be visiting Halewood library each Monday through June, and will be on hand to offer residents advice on what will make a good read over the summer; whether it be whilst lazing on the garden or relaxing by the pool on holiday. She will also be looking for recommendations from readers on what great books they have read.

Sarah will have the chance to meet residents of all ages from Halewood during her time as a reader in residence. Secondary school pupils will be working with her as she helps them produce a book on the positive aspects of being a teenager. She will also be dropping into the Arncliffe Centre to reminisce with older residents and on Saturday mornings children will get the chance to spend time with her as they learn about story telling and crafts.

Sarah will also be promoting the borough’s Summer Reading Challenges. Knowsley Libraries are challenging adults and children in the borough to read six books over the summer and win some great prizes.

For more details contact Halewood Library on 0151 443 2086