Knowsley Online

Kind Huyton Students up for national award

Kind hearted pupils from a Knowsley school have won an award for helping their neighbours fight crime and their fear of crime.

Anti social behaviour was causing some problems for residents of a sheltered housing scheme near Huyton Arts and Sports Centre for Learning.

Some pupils had been using Marshfield Close as a short cut to and from school and this had caused some damage and made the residents anxious.

The students realised that fear of crime had become the problem and this  stemmed from a lack of any relationship between the two groups.

They set up a project to promote a positive image of young people and invited the residents to come to some of the after school activities.

The residents held sessions to teach the young people how to knit and the students entertained them with acting, singing and bingo.

Special winter celebration in Prescot

The historic past of Prescot is being celebrated in a special winter celebration.

The medieval town centre plays host to heritage walks and conservation workshops on 4 December.

There will be demonstrations of old crafts such as stained glass and stone carving and people will have the chance to have a go.

There will also be displays of local history projects in the area, including photographs and maps.

The events coincide with the Winter Food Celebration in the town, where the best of the region’s food will be on sale.

he activities centre on Eccleston Street in the historic heart of the town.

“It’ll be a great day for visitors and local alsike,” said Cllr Dave Lonergan, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economy and Skills.

Arts in Prescot forthcoming events

Saturday 4th Decemebr 7.30pm
Zion Independent Methodist Church, Kemble Street, Prescot
Christmas Concert
with The Lyndale Singers
Admission free - no tickets required

Saturday 27th November 7.30pm
Prescot Parish Church
Fodens Brass Band Concert
with Firework Display

Tickets £10 in advance from The Wool Shop, Eccleston Street

or Rev'd. Canon John Taylor (0151 426 6719)
www.artsinprescot.org.uk

Beer Festival seeks new home

Local charities could lose thousands of pounds of financial support if the Rotary Club of Rainhill fails to find a new venue for its fund raising Beer Festival next year.

The Club’s 8th real ale festival, to be staged next Thursday, Friday and Saturday (11th, 12th and 13th Nov), could be the last following a decision by Knowsley Borough Council to close down Prescot Leisure Centre, the event’s current venue, in 2011.

The three day festival has raised nearly £100,000 since it was first staged in 2003. All the cash has been donated by the Rotary Club to worthy causes ranging from the new Rainhill Guide Hut and St Helens Youth Brass Band to Halton Haven Hospice and the Under 9’s MHS football team at Prescot.

Rainhill Rotary has launched a search for a new location large enough to accommodate next year’s festival but Graham Barker, Chairman of the Club’s Beer Festival Organising Committee, says the task is a tough one. “It is not easy to find a venue that can accommodate more than a thousand visitors over a three day event, but it would be a tragedy if the community was to lose such a valuable source of support.”

Listening Event for COPD Patients

A series of “Listening Events” are being held across Knowsley for people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (sometimes called COPD or emphysema).

The events will give local people an opportunity to share their views with service providers and say how they feel patient experience could be improved. 

Discussion will focus on:

•  What services are available
• Patient experiences 
• The information provided to patients about COPD 
• What areas of service are good and what could be improved
• How people can stay involved with improving services

The events will take place on:

• 15 November at  The Kirkby Suite Cherryfield Drive, Kirkb
• 17 November at  Prescot Leisure Centre (opposite People’s Garage) 
• 26 November at  The Huyton Suite, (next to Huyton Town Centre Library)

All events will start at 10am and finish at 12.30 p.m.

If you would like to attend one of the Listening Events contact Kelly Jones on 0151 244 3457.  If you have mobility issues or transport needs this will be discussed with you.

The events are being organised by NHS Knowsley, in partnership with all local service providers and Hospital Trusts.

FREE weight loss programme for Knowsley people

Knowsley people who are looking to shape up and lose weight have been invited to ‘Measure Up.’

Run by the Knowsley Health & Wellbeing Community Health Development Team, ‘Measure Up’ is a FREE 12 week weight management programme which includes information on nutrition and healthy lifestyles as well as gentle physical activity sessions. 

The programme is open to Knowsley adults of any age who are keen to lose weight and it is completely FREE.

Weekly sessions will run on Wednesdays, 10am-12pm, starting from 19th January at Greenwood Close Community Hall, Greenwood Close, Prescot L34 2SL

For more information, please contact: Paula Thomas on 0151 285 6016.

Prescotians Fight for Future as Knowsley Council Ignore Views

A historic Merseyside town is protesting the downgrading of its leisure centre and museum by fighting back against the council it accuses of selling it short.

Furious at Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council’s plans to replace Prescot Leisure Centre with a smaller pitch-side leisure facility and relocate Prescot Museum from an impressive Grade II listed Georgian house, Prescot residents have launched a campaign to get their views heard.

Whiston teenager Carl Cashman, 18, a former Higher Side student and political activist who was recently elected to the North West Liberal Youth Committee, is behind Save Prescot’s Facebook page, which so far boasts almost 600 members.

“At Knowsley’s consultation with Prescotians, 42.5 percent voted to refurbish the existing leisure centre,” said Carl. “Only 28 percent voted for Knowsley’s plans. Yet council officers have rubbished the first option and pushed for its closure, which the cabinet has now voted through.”

Councillor Ian Smith has backed the campaign and, as leader of Knowsley’s Liberal Democrats, attempted to confront Chief Executive Sheena Ramsey with the concerns of Prescotians in a regularly scheduled meeting. She refused to see him.

Cllr Smith delivered a petition containing 1,500 signatures prior to the cabinet meeting where the council’s plans were confirmed.

Knowsley’s actions are just the latest in a long line of events that have spelt disaster for the town. In the 1980s, the civic hall was demolished, to be replaced in the 1990s with a civic suite that lasted just a few years before being turned into welfare offices. Later, KMBC sanctioned town planning that diverted trade and traffic away from the centre and towards a retail development dominated by Tesco.

Eccleston Street, once the heart of business and commerce in the town, is now overrun by boarded-up shops and suffering visibly dwindling numbers of shoppers.

“What was the point of a consultation when KMBC were determined to ignore the views of ordinary Prescotians anyway?” said Cllr Smith. “We have so much to be proud of in Prescot, and we will not give up its future without a fight.”

KMBC’s plans for the leisure centre will leave Prescot Town Council without a home, and will also see the closure of Scotchbarn Swimming Pool, leaving Prescot without a pool.

“Save Prescot” is a grassroots campaign and is not affiliated to a political party.

 

Craft Exhibition

An exhibition of contemporary craft, design and fine art from makers across the North West

Crafted is an exhibition showcasing and celebrating the work of artists and makers from the North West.

The first stage will be exhibited at Prescot Museum between 21 September – 14 November 2010, and it will then move on to Kirkby Gallery between 30 November – 6 February 2011.

Makers showcased include: Maria Walker, Sylvia Glover, Tania Oakshott, Tara Crooks, Ticky Lowe, Susan Comer, Alison Bailey Smith, Deborah Moses, Stella Correll, Jennifer Hayes, Christina Toh, Pauline Susan Coddington, Patricia M Greaves, Stella Lang, Julie Haslam, Liz Shelbourne. Additional makers and artists to be announced shortly.

There is a wide and exciting range of work on display including textiles, ceramics, glass, jewellery, plastics and more.

400th anniversary celebrations

As part of the 400th anniversary celebrations at Prescot Parish Church, Tim Hall will be giving an organ recital on Thursday 28th October at 7:30pm at Prescot Parish Church.

All are welcome to attend this recital of sacred and secular classics. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. Further information can be found at www.artsinprescot.org.uk

Then to conclude the celebrations, Fodens Brass Band will be performing in the church at 7.30pm on Saturday 27th November.
All are welcome to attend this very special concert culminating in a spectular firework display.

Tickets are £10 and are available by email from Dyane Basinger ([email protected]) or by telephone from Rev'd Canon John Taylor (0151 4266719).

Selling the best of local produce

A Local Producers Market is to be held in the historic heart of Prescot.
 
Market stalls selling a wide range of food and other goods produced by local traders will stretch along Eccleston Street on Saturday October 16.
 
The event will be followed by a Winter Food Celebration in the area in December.
 
The aim of the events is to bring visitors into the medieval town and to promote the work of local businesses.
 
Local bars and restaurants are also being encouraged to run offers after the December event to entice visitors to stay and spend the evening in the town, and let them know what Prescot Town Centre has to offer.
 
“The Farmers Market was a huge success at the Elizabethan Fayre, at the end of May,” said Cllr David Lonergan., Knowsley’s cabinet member for regeneration economy and skills.
 
“Lots of local retailers said their business was up as a result of the event and we want to build on this.
 
“We want to help local businesses promote their food and goods but also to get more people to visit the town regularly.”
 
Knowsley Council will be supporting local businesses and helping them get involved in the event and extra family entertainment will also be laid on.
 
The producers market on Saturday October 16 will run from 9am until 2.30pm approx and the Winter Food Celebration will be held throughout the day and evening on Saturday December 4.