Knowsley Online

Ricky officially opens Fairview Park

'Royle Family' star Ricky Tomlinson was guest of honour as he officially opened Knowsley Housing Trust’s (KHT) new Community Centre; Fairview Park in Halewood.

The name was chosen by the residents who are all over 55 years old and incorporates the three sheltered schemes which are situated there.

The new centre has a kitchen and a meeting room, with a DVD and Multi-media facility as well as being a fantastic meeting place for residents to meet up.

Ricky entertained the residents all day, he visited the various stalls, joined in the bingo, sang and danced with residents and held an impromtu stand up routine.

Ricky commented: “I would like to thank Knowsley Housing Trust for inviting me to open Fairview Park.

“It is fantastic there is a great centre where locals in the community can meet and enjoy each other’s company.”

KHT’s Chief Executive Bob Taylor said: “The centre has been built as a thank you to the tenants who live at our sheltered scheme nearby as we have been doing a lot of work on their homes to improve them.

“We wanted to put on a fantastic day and occasion for the residents who live on the centre as they really deserve it.”

Photo: Ricky Tomlinson and KHT Chief Executive Bob Taylor

Cycling to success

The winners of Knowsley’s Bike to School competition have reaped their rewards.

The Year 6 pupils, Jessica Cheng from Holy Family School in Halewood and Joseph Capper from Millbrook School in Kirkby, were presented with their new mountain bikes at the National Wildflower Centre, Huyton.

The competition was part of Knowsley’s Bike to School week that encouraged parents to leave their cars at home and cycle with their children to school.

Cllr Graham Morgan, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development said: “Cycling is a great, fun way to stay fit and if we get kids in the cycling habit early on, it helps them stay healthy as they grow up.

“And if kids cycle to school, it means fewer of them are being dropped off by car and that makes life better and safer for everyone.”
The competition was part of a whole host of year-long activities, to get more people to experience pedal power.

In support of this, the Pedal Away campaign organises a series of fun, themed, cycling programmes which are free of charge and open to everyone.

They include rides, both long and short, general safety advice, help with repairs and maintenance and bikes for people who do not have one but want to take part.

For more information on Pedal Away contact Kelly McKeown, Pedal Away Project Co-ordinator Tel: 0151 443 2148. 

Winners of the Bike to School Week competition, Joseph Capper from Millbrook School in Kirkby and Jessica Cheng from Holy Family School in Halewood with their new bikes.

£49,000 confiscated from Halewood Counterfeiter

A Halewood man convicted of a series of counterfeiting offences has had £49,000 confiscated following a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court.

Paul David John Marsh, 45, of Calveley Grove, Halewood, last year pleaded guilty to 63 counts of producing counterfeit DVDs, music CDs and computer games for sale.

Knowsley Council launched its investigation into Marsh after officers were tipped off by a member of the public.

Officers from the Council’s Environmental Health & Consumer Protection team searched his house in Halewood and uncovered a cottage industry devoted to the manufacture and sale of counterfeit items. His entire stock was seized together with equipment used by him in their copying and production. He was ordered to pay a total of £4,150 in fines and costs.

Following his conviction, the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) also took up the case and yesterday (November 3), following a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, a confiscation order was made under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Cllr Ken Keith, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Corporate and Customer Services, said: “We were delighted when SOCA decided to further pursue this case, following our successful prosecution last year.

“Counterfeiting is not a victimless crime – it places reputable traders at a disadvantage, which could ultimately leave businesses in jeopardy.

Man arrested on suspicion of illegal money lending

The North West Illegal Money Lending team, working with Knowsley Council and Merseyside Police, executed a search warrant at an address in Halewood on Monday (October 27).

A 40-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of illegal money lending.

He has since been bailed for six weeks, pending further enquiries.

Cllr Ken Keith, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Corporate & Customer Services said “This warrant was executed in response to information from the community.

“I would appeal to anyone who believes there are illegal money lenders operating in their area to contact Knowsley’s Loan Shark hotline on 0151 282 1122 or 0300 555 2222.

If you are the victim of a loan shark our officers will be able to offer you help and support too.”

Get a pedal on for Knowsley cycle rides!

A free bicycle ride will be held in Halewood providing participants with a fun family event and the opportunity to get fit.

The ride will take place on Saturday November 1 between 1pm and 3pm starting from Halewood Country Park.

The ride will be suitable for all cyclists, but is ideal for people who want to rediscover the fun and fitness value of cycling. The ride will be along the Trans Pennine Trail and is all off road. Bicycles and helmets are also available for the duration of the ride, subject to booking.

The bike ride is one of a series which will run throughout the winter, and will be continued across Knowsley in 2009. Pedal Away forms part of the borough’s Target: Wellbeing in Knowsley which offers local people the opportunity to participate in a variety of free, fun cycling programmes.

The cycle rides are organised and delivered by fully qualified National Standards Cycle Instructors who are happy to help and support you.

Everyone is welcome to take part, however, children under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Future bike rides will be held at Stadt Moers Park on November 29, Halewood on December 7 and Cronton on January 24.

For more information about the rides, or to borrow a bicycle or helmet, contact Kelly McKeown on 0151 443 2148.

'Autumn strings' concert

A string quartet, featuring members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra strings section will be performing the concert ‘AUTUMN STRINGS’ in the magnificent surroundings of the 17th Century Prescot Parish Church on Friday 7th November at 7.30pm.

The annual visit to Prescot of members of The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will treat the audience to an eclectic mix of classical, contemporary and new world music including Gershwin, Lennon and McCartney, Mozart and Elgar.

Tickets are available from Prescot Museum 430 7787, Whiston Library 0151 426 4757, The Huyton Suite 0151 443 3761 and from Prescot Parish Church. Tickets cost £5.00 for adults and £3.00 for concessions

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the oldest concert-giving organisations in the world so don’t miss out on this opportunity to hear this quartet play in Knowsley.

For further details contact Knowsley Arts Service on 0151 443 5619.

Can you help?

This letter request has been submitted to us and as it is a very worthwhile cause we thought it may be of interest to our readers.

Hi, I am a resident in Halewood and I am writing to you on behalf of myself and the Lloyd Hotel Bowling Club to enquire if anyone would be interested in sponsoring me for my forthcoming attempt at the Guinness Book of Records “World Outdoor Crown Green Bowls Marathon Record”.

On Saturday 25 October 2008 at 6.00pm, I along with other team mates will commence what will hopefully be two successful attempts at breaking our own World Record for the longest game of outdoor bowls.

As with any record, it’s there to be broken, and we are now aiming to play for a whole week (168 hours), we must be mad I hear you say. Each set of six players play one continuous pairs game with two players resting at any one time. Each player plays for 2 hours and then rests for 1 hour; this sequence is repeated throughout the attempt. It is a tremendous test of stamina and will be a fantastic achievement if we are successful.

We are the only club to have held this world record twice, having first held the record in 2003 when we played for 54.5 hours, and in 2006 when we played for 105 hours. In the process we have now raised over £25,000 for Francis House Children's Hospi ce and The Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Strictly come dancing in Halewood

If the new series of Strictly Come Dancing has inspired you to hit the dance floor then shimmy over to the Arncliffe Centre in Halewood for free salsa dance classes.

The new weekly Latin dance lessons start on Wednesday 24 September from 8pm. Everyone is welcome; young and old, beginners and improvers.

The class will initially run for 9 weeks and admission is free.

The lessons are part of, and funded through, the Shimmy Shimmy Shake Shake dance programme.

For more information contact Knowsley Council Neighbourhoods team on: 443 2180.

KHT and Pete are Blooming Marvellous

Pete Price added his unique stamp to Knowsley Housing Trust’s (KHT) annual Growing for Gold Garden Competition held at the National Wildflower Centre.

Pete entertained the audience throughout as KHT announced this year’s winner and title of Best Garden in Knowsley.

Paul Ramejkis from Kirkby was the deserved winner after he wowed expert judge Graeme Eardley from Whitemoss Horticulture:

“Paul’s garden was simply fantastic.  He had obviously made a huge effort and it really showed.  To win this competition gets more difficult every year as the standard of gardens is simply superb.”

Superb was another way to describe the event which gets bigger and better every year.  Pete kept the audience entertained throughout with fantastic charisma and a great time was had by all.

KHT’s Alan Disley said: “Pete was a fantastic host and the competition was a huge success.  Having a tidy and well kept garden is important in order to make our neighbourhoods brighter and more colourful.”

Other prize winners who won best garden in their areas included Paul O’Connor (Halewood), Elaine Middleton (Huyton) and Theresa Smith (Prescot). Haslemere Residents Association from Whiston was judged to have the best communal garden.

Photo is of (left to right): Paul Ramejkis (winner from Kirkby), Pete Price, Lambanana at Wildflower Centre and expert judge Graeme Eardley from Whitemoss Horticulture Centre

100% pass rate for Halewood students

Students across Knowsley are collecting their A Level results this morning.

Provisional results released today show 93.7% of students from across Knowsley gained A Level pass grades.

In Halewood College student’s excellent efforts contributed to the school’s first ever 100% pass rate.

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

“Our students work extremely hard to achieve success – often overcoming a range of challenges to educational achievement. They should be praised for their efforts and I hope they will go on to achieve great things’

Adding his congratulations, Damian Allen, Executive Director of Children and Family Services at Knowsley, said:

“Our young people should be commended for their hard work, not just at A Level and GCSE but in other qualifications such BTEC Nationals and other vocational qualifications. They are supported by committed teachers and our highly successful 14 –19 Collegiate.’

Eighteen year old Emma Vaughan, from Halewood College is celebrating after getting three As and a B in her A levels this year.

She said: “I am absolutely delighted. I’ve always been really passionate about the environment and I’ve got a place at Edinburgh University to study ecological science.

“This is the first step in the rest of my life.”