Knowsley Online

Crowds wowed by kids’ Abba show

More than 400 people were dancing in the aisles when Benny the Bear brought his fantastic Abba Show for kids to Huyton.

The Honey Honey Show – billed as a pop concert, pantomime and cinema visit all in one live theatre performance – was a roaring success with families from across the region.

The show took place at Merseyside’s newest venue – The Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park in Huyton – and was enjoyed by children as young as four who turned out to sing and dance with parents and grandparents.

Afterwards young fans had the chance to meet the show’s star, Benny Bear, and have their photos taken with him.

Over the coming months the Leisure and Culture Park is playing host to a number of fantastic entertainment evenings and colourful cultural events. On Saturday, September 1 The Liverpool Malayalee Association will be holding Onam celebrations including an Indian luncheon followed by a traditional stage show of comedy and dance. And on Saturday, October 27, a spectacular Bollywood Dance Show takes place.

Later in the year there will be a spooky film event on November 3, and the venue has just secured its first Christmas panto – Aladdin – which will be staged from December 9 – 11, with tickets on sale now.

And the Leisure and Culture Park also hosts regular sporting events – being home to the Mersey Tigers baseball team and the Liverpool Futsal Club.

For more information about any of the events at the Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park visit the website at www.knowsley.gov.uk/tickets or call 0151 443 5749.

Young fans of the Honey Honey Show (L-R) Cerys MacDonald, Aimee Reilly and Poppy Simkin meet Benny the Bear and the rest of the cast after the show at Knowsley Leisure and Culture Park.

Queen Elizabeth Liner comes to Liverpool

Download Queen Elizabeth Ocean Liner Day Out

Summer learning and fun

Over 200 primary school pupils from across Knowsley took part in a daily summer camp this week.

The camp, organised by Huyton Arts and Sports Centre for Learning, aimed to promote what the Centre has to offer and help with the smooth transition from primary to secondary school.

Pupils from years 3, 4, 5 and 6 (age 7-11 years) attended each day to learn new skills, take part in a range of activities and meet teachers and staff from the Centre.

Throughout the week, young people took part in a wide range of activities including science workshops, cooking schools including making and tasting foods from around the world, designing a bag as part of a textiles and printing workshop, as well as dance, drama, music and trampoline sessions.

Across the site, young people could be heard performing, communicating, problem solving and laughing, all truly impressive signs that learning can be fun.

Making a splash for Debbie.

When his partner died, John Meadows wanted to say thank you to the people who’d helped her at the end.

So he got the family together and organised a swimathon at Halewood Leisure Centre in Knowsley.

One hundred and ninety six lengths later, they’d raised £1,351 and John now plans to go on raising more for the Marie Curie Cancer Care hospice in Liverpool.

“I was so impressed by the care she’d had at the hospice," said John, who lost his partner Debbie Lyons in April.

“This is what she would’ve wanted me to do and I’m going to carry on.”

John thanked the others who’d taken part in the swimathon and friends, family and neighbours who also raised money.

Debbie left two children when she died, Jake, 14 and Demi- Lee, 18. The schools the children went to have also held events for the hospice and raised £1,141.

John is now hoping to organise a sponsored walk in Debbie’s memory.

The swimathon weekend was one of the most successful hosted at Halewood leisure centre – 27 people took part and clocked up 54.5 miles.

Pic caption: John Meadows and family raise thousands of pounds at Halewood leisure centre in memory of his partner.

Housing award for listening.

A key health and wellbeing team has won an award for listening to what older people want.

New housing has been built across Knowsley for older people and others who need extra help. 

They’re called Extra Care housing developments, there are now three of them and more are being built. 

Knowsley Older Peoples Voice, a group created to give people a say, wanted the developments to be small and built in a variety of places across the borough. 

The Integrated Commissioning Team listened and delivered.  

The developments are smaller than many across the UK and there’ll soon be one in almost every area of Knowsley. 

Now the team have been presented with a good service award from Knowsley Older Peoples Voice for what they’ve done. 

“It’s so important for people to have a say,” said Cllr Jane Aston, Knowsley’s cabinet member for Social Care. 

“Where and how we live is key to our quality of life. That’s even more important when we get older or if we’ve got extra needs. 

“This award is special as it comes from the people that we’re building the homes for. Its great to know the hard work is appreciated.” 

Sheila Bersin MBE, chair of Knowsley Older Peoples Voice, presented the award to Graham Keeling, commissioning manager for Independent Living. 

Extra Care Housing is a partnership between the Council and a number of housing and support providers.

It’s an enhanced version of sheltered housing, with communal social facilities and round the clock, on site care and support.

For more information on Knowsley’s Extra Care schemes, call 0151 443 4766.

Pictured: Sheila Bersin MBE, from Knowsley Older Peoples Voice, presents Graham Keeling, from Knowsley’s Independent Living with a good service award for listening to what people want.

Nominate your unsung heroes

Unsung heroes will be celebrated at this year’s Knowsley Housing Trust (KHT) Community Achievement Awards.

Nominations are now open for those who go the extra mile in their communities – from a good neighbour always willing to help those that need it, volunteers who run a resident group or a vital local service or anyone who makes a difference to those around them.

• There are six categories: KHT Volunteer of the Year (a KHT Resident who helps KHT in their spare time)
• Resident Association of the Year
• Young Resident of the Year (open to all Knowsley residents)
• Community Organisation of the Year
• KHT Resident of the Year (open to just KHT residents)
• Green Champion of the Year (a Knowsley resident who champions all things environmentally friendly)

Bob Taylor, Chief Executive of The First Ark Group, which includes KHT, said: “This is a chance to say thank you and celebrate those people who go the extra mile.

The new Kirkby Market – plans submitted

Plans to create a new and improved Kirkby Market, in the heart of the soon to be regenerated town centre, have been submitted for planning approval.

The proposals outline more than £2.5 million of investment from Knowsley Council. This will create a completely redesigned market which will build upon the existing market which is so popular with shoppers.

The new plans have been developed by the council in close consultation with the market traders. Marty Davies, Chairman of Kirkby Market Traders’ Committee said: “Kirkby Market is a rewarding place to do business and it has been helpful that the council has involved us in the work to shape the plans for its future.

“The council has provided opportunities for us to openly discuss our ideas and requirements and they have been responsive to our comments and suggestions.

“The planning application is a really important step forward for the future of Kirkby Market.”

The plans include better weather proofing / covered areas, improved visual appearance, easier access to stalls, shoppers’ toilets and enhanced links to the town centre.

Great boost, at last, for Town Centre Traders

The new £1.2m Prescot Centre has been officially opened and is already a big hit with customers.

Pictured: (L-R) Cllr Ron Round, Leader of Knowsley Council, MP George Howarth and Mike Harden, Deputy Chief Executive of Knowsley Council, at the official opening of the £1.2m Prescot Centre.

The building brings together the town’s one stop shop and library with the borough’s museum in one modern, fit-for-purpose building in the heart of Prescot Town Centre.

The Leader of Knowsley Council, Cllr Ron Round, unveiled a plaque at the Centre on Friday 20 July to mark a key milestone in the regeneration and revitalisation of Prescot.

Halewood robots win competition

A robotic tennis tournament turned Year 9 students from Knowsley into engineers for a day of hands-on learning.

The students from Halewood Centre for Learning were taking part in The MerseySTEM Vex challenge, designed to bring science, technology, engineering and maths to life.

As part of the challenge the group of four students had to build their own robots capable of grabbing and releasing a tennis ball, following a highly complex series of instructions. Once completed, the robots were pitted against those created by teams from other schools, each competing to collect as many balls as possible in 90 seconds. 

Eventually the Halewood robot emerged victorious, having won six of its division games, coming top of the league and then progressing to the knock out stages and triumphing at the final.

Science teacher, Mr. Blackham said: “It was a fantastic way to bring many elements of learning to life for the students who took part. Building the robots was really challenging and required a lot of concentration, delegation, great team work and the ability to put the science, technology, engineering and maths theories they learn at school into practice.

“Of course, we were thrilled that our robot won – it was a great end to a really enjoyable and worthwhile day.”

Campaign launched to get Knowsley ‘online’

Organisations across Knowsley have come together to champion the internet to the thousands of people in the borough who have yet to get ‘online’.

The Go On Knowsley campaign has now been launched, to promote the benefits of the internet, improve online skills and access to the web.

The campaign aims to recruit ‘digital champions’ who will pledge their time to help someone improve their internet skills and confidence using the web.

Of the 145,000 residents in Knowsley, an estimated 22,000 are not ‘online’ – with no access to the internet or who have never used it.

Knowsley Housing Trust (KHT), part of The First Ark Group, will be running internet taster sessions, signposting people to their nearest internet point, and has formed a partnership with a company supplying discount laptops.

Bob Taylor, Chief Executive of The First Ark Group, said: “The internet is full of opportunities. Jobs are increasingly advertised online and yet around 52 per cent of all unemployed people in Knowsley do not use the internet.