Community Post Type: News

Alder Hey Children’s Charity has publicly thanked fundraising Santas who recently dashed through the streets of Liverpool to raise much-needed funds.

Santas pulled on their festive running attire in December to take part and fundraise for Alder Hey, official event charity partner for the Appreciate Group Liverpool Santa Dash. Collectively they raised more than £15,000 towards the specialist hospital’s new £3m Surgical Neonatal Appeal.

Funds were also raised through a Santa Dash day bucket collection and merchandise stall. Charity mascot Oli the elephant also proved a hit on the day by starting the 1K Mini Dash.

The fundraisers were part of a 5,000-strong sea of red, blue and mini Santas enjoying the return of the 18^th annual festive spectacular, after it was staged virtually in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Alder Hey’s Surgical Neonatal Appeal was launched last Autumn and is being championed by Liverpool Football Club legend Jamie Carragher, who spent the first six weeks of his own life in Alder Hey’s neonatal ward.

The football pundit was invited along on Santa Dash day to join Alder Hey patient and guest of honour, four-year-old Betty from Warrington, who was given the all-important job of officially starting the fun run. Betty and Jamie were joined on stage by the Lord Mayor Of Liverpool Councillor Mary Rasmussen, and In Demand Radio DJ Lee Butler.

Thought to be the UK’s biggest festive 5K fun run, the Appreciate Group Liverpool Santa Dash attracted walkers, joggers, runners, wheelchair participants, tiny Santas in prams, and even four-legged furry Santas.

Alder Hey’s Surgical Neonatal Appeal will help develop a state-of-the-art unit for newborn babies and their families. The new Surgical NICU is a joint project between Alder Hey and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust as the Liverpool Neonatal Partnership. It will offer 22 neonatal cots for Liverpool, including 18 individual family rooms where parents can remain alongside their poorly newborns receiving expert care.

BTR Liverpool is the leading independent organisation for creating, managing, and delivering headline race events across Liverpool City Region.

BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell explained:

“We’re thrilled that our official event charity partner, Alder Hey Children’s Charity, has received a massive £15,000 boost raised by kind-hearted Santas. When we started the Liverpool Santa Dash in 2004, we knew that charities would use the event as a platform to raise their profile and fundraise – and we’re incredibly proud that over the years hundreds of charities have raised thousands of pounds by having lots of festive fun, and will continue to do so for many years to come.”

This year’s Liverpool Santa Dash takes place on Sunday 4 December 2022 entries are open. The entry fee covers all costs to organise and deliver the event including road closures, safety measures, Santa suits, medals, goody bags, and entertainment.

Website: www.btrliverpool.com

February 2022 is the month that Klee Music releases her five track session, which includes a fantastic version of Thomas Lang’s Pale Imitation.

Alison is a singer songwriter from Liverpool. Inspired by the wonderful music of Simon and Garfunkel, her musical style is rooted in folk, with a love of the Beatles thrown in for good measure.

Alison grew up playing the guitar and singing, but fell hook, line and sinker for the ukulele a few years ago…an often derided, but beautiful little instrument, Alison uses it to bring a different sound to acoustic music. To great effect!

“…a serious and noteworthy talent ”  Darrens Music Blog

“Alison Benson is, first and foremost, a storyteller. Whereas some people tell stories by writing books, making sculptures, or dancing, Alison tells her tales by writing songs. And she’s rather good at it!”  Graham Holland, Liverpool Acoustic

TO ACCESS FULL EPK:      https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1y_9B9iK3kIRTLEs9Rp8o79UhR3VB2de2?usp=sharing

A brand-new audio work is being released online concluding a two-year project exploring the resilience, activism and community organising of women in Merseyside over the last 50 years.

The Ballad of 18 Women highlights the stories of 18 Merseyside women giving insight into the incredible contributions women make every day to improve lives in our region. It has been produced by Liverpool-based Collective Encounters thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Interweaving interview footage with poetic commentary, music and song, the ballad is performed by local women who were also researchers for the project. It incorporates the actual voices of the women they interviewed and includes original music by composer Bethany Kay Hopkins; building on the radio ballad format pioneered by Charles Parker, Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger in 1958.

The interviews took place between September 2020 and June 2021 following a call out for women who have made a difference in their communities to share their stories.

Some women came forward after encouragement from their peers, such as Doreen McNally from Women of the Waterfront (WOWs) who generated international solidarity around the Liverpool docker’s strike in the 1990s.

Others, such as Maddy Vaz who runs Sanctuary Family Support in Toxteth and Imogen Woolley who is responsible for the newly established Liverpool Tool Library, were nominated by project volunteers who wanted to recognise the achievements of women in their own communities.

Other interviewees were approached by the project team due to the timely relevance of their actions, such as Chantelle Lunt who set up the now prominent Merseyside Black Lives Matter Alliance, and Zi Lan Liao whose activism made a huge difference to Liverpool’s Chinese community during Covid-19.

The interviews also provide an insight into the experiences of women standing for elected office, the setting up of adult education provision for women, local climate and environmental action, fights for rights at work, queer women’s activism and health initiatives including the ongoing (so far successful) campaign to Save Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

Many more women across our region are making incredible contributions and while it hasn’t been possible to capture every voice, The Ballad of 18 Women aims to honour them all.

As the stories unfold, we see the radical positive differences these committed women have made in the world. Woven together, they give a glimpse of the multitude of positive actions that hold, nurture and empower our communities.

The Ballad of 18 Women will be available in March on the Collective Encounters website, as well as on MayDay Radio, an online oral history project connected to the radical archive May Day Rooms: audio.maydayrooms.org

Listeners will also have access to the full recording of each interview conducted. The interviews will also be held in a permanent archive at the Museum of Liverpool.

Ballad Launch

The ballad will be launched at an online and live event on International Women’s Day (8 March) hosted by Museum of Liverpool.

Time: 12:30pm – 2pm.

The event is free but advance registration is essential. Email marketing@collective-encounters.org.uk call/text 07564356809 or visit collective-encounters.org.uk for more information and to book.

The Reader and dot-art are marking two years of working together (under the most difficult of circumstances!) with a refreshed offer to artists wanting to exhibit their work. The two organisations are re-launching the Art in the Mansion programme, as well as delivering a new season of art classes.

Art in the Mansion is a rolling programme of exhibitions of work by local artists curated by dot-art and hosted within The Reader’s home in the Mansion House in Calderstones Park.

Any artist or group of artists can apply to exhibit work, with exhibitions lasting from 1 to 6 weeks. To ensure this opportunity is as accessible as possible, the hire fee has been reduced, and no commission will be taken on sales. Expressions of interest are also invited from groups and individuals unable to pay fees as there might be opportunities throughout the year when the space can be utilised for free.

To help artists get the most out of the opportunity, dot-art and The Reader will provide promotional materials and marketing support. Artists wishing to staff their exhibitions can also have a presence in the Mansion reception area to chat with visitors.

The partnership will also involve a programme of art classes at The Reader, many of which have links to literature or the building’s location within a green space, such as Landscape Painting, Collage Art Journaling and Illustrating Inspiring Quotes. All classes are suitable for beginners.

As part of The Reader’s outreach programme, workshops will also be available for partner organisations looking to engage their communities in creative activities.

Lucy Byrne, Managing Director of dot-art said: “We launched our partnership with The Reader just before the pandemic started, and so while the last two years have been nothing like we anticipated, we have learnt to adapt and develop together in a truly collaborative way.

“We moved art classes outdoors, sent printed workshop packs through the post and much more. Now we are finally able to welcome people back to the Mansion we cannot wait to showcase some of the amazingly talented artists of the city and beyond in a friendly, supportive and accessible environment.”

Anna Farrell, Head of Programmes at The Reader added: “The Mansion House is a place for everyone and we have greatly missed sharing our home with our Shared Reading groups and artists over the past two years. Our ambition is that everyone who steps inside the building feels at home and we hope to continue to be able to support local artists by working with dot-art.”

Find out more and apply for Art in the Mansion: https://dot-art.co.uk/art-in-the-mansion/

Book an art class: https://dot-art.co.uk/art-classes/

A Scouse musician who has dementia has written an uplifting song to help support others living with the condition, as part of a major research project.

Paul Hitchmough (69) of Speke, Liverpool, is a seasoned songwriter and recording artist. A pioneering dementia research team from the University of Exeter heard Paul’s music online and commissioned him to write a song to share a message of hope based on their dementia research project. Paul worked with his long-time collaborator and friend Tommy Dunne BEM (69), who also lives with dementia, to create the music and lyrics.

The IDEAL Programme – Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life – is an Alzheimer’s Society Centre of Excellence based at the University of Exeter. Led by Professor Linda Clare, a team of researchers have been working with a large number of people with dementia and carers living in the community to understand which things make a difference to the ability to live well with dementia.

IDEAL has been collecting evidence since 2014 and has continued to connect with its contributors through COVID-19 (thanks to ESRC-NIHR funding). As the study reaches its close, the team is eager to share their findings with the world, in this case through music. 

A self-taught musician, Paul has not only picked up drums, guitar and piano, but has also learned orchestration and arranging. Through the song, Paul wants to “give people living with dementia hope, a hope that was not present at the point of diagnosis, but still lurks within a person underneath the surface.

That is why the melody needed a strong lyrical content to get that message across. We do (metaphorically) leave our old world behind, and enter a new one in which we must adapt to survive, so that was when we came together to write the song, and called it ‘Brave New World’, to show our peers and anyone who has a diagnosis of dementia to get out into this brave new world of hope.”

‘Brave New World’ speaks directly to people living with dementia, encouraging them to “keep on doing all the things you do”. Paul and Tommy met with IDEAL to hear about what their research reveals about living well with dementia. Combining this with their wealth of knowledge from personal experience, they created ‘Brave New World’, recording it at Liverpool’s Crosstown Studios – Paul’s “second home”.

As Tommy says, “A brave new world is about facing life following a diagnosis of dementia. It’s about realising that you can live a full, different life, in a world that has hope rather than despair. It’s about us standing beside you no matter what, so that you can live life to the full. Your life may be different, but it should not be less full: you are not alone.” 

Paul and Tommy are two of the Co-Directors ofThred CIC, an organisation which aims to be the agents of change with and for people living with dementia to reduce social isolation. From post-diagnostic support courses in Liverpool, to weekly Twitter chats which have international reach on key topics about the dementia experience, Thred are on a mission to improve the lives of people affected by dementia in Liverpool and beyond.

They are also committed to improving the lives of carers, with Pat Broster and Louise Langham (Thred Co-Directors) having been carers themselves. As Tommy asserts, “the thing that hurts us most is that the carers of those that have dementia have been forgotten. We cannot allow this to go on.”

The IDEAL team work with both people with dementia and carers, and the findings show how interdependent their wellbeing is. The researchers are excited at the prospect of the song’s release, given music’s power to move people.

IDEAL Programme Manager Dr Claire Pentecost said “Our research has shown us that a wide range of factors can make a real difference to supporting people with dementia to live as well as possible. We want to share what we have found, and so we are delighted with Paul’s song and its message that there is hope”.

IDEAL Research Translation and Impact Manager Dr Catherine Charlwood said, “Paul and Tommy are great ambassadors for living with dementia, for embracing life. We want to change the narrative around dementia to one of hope. Listening to their music you cannot ignore their creativity and talent, and the lyrics of ‘Brave New World’ carry the message we’d like society to hear.”  

‘Brave New World’ will be hosted on the Living with Dementia Toolkit IDEAL created, a free resource for people with dementia and carers. This takes the research findings from the project and turns them into practical resources for people affected by dementia to use.

Featuring videos, top tips, animations and more, the toolkit offers a vibrant look at life with dementia which differs from what is often seen in the media. An involvement group of people with dementia and carers coproduced the toolkit, and the team are now gathering feedback to improve and further the resources.

Paul has also written the music for IDEAL’s forthcoming podcast, so his music will once again preface people hearing about dementia – and hopefully allow them to see it in a new light.

‘Brave New World’ follows IDEAL’s recent play ‘The World Turned Upside Down’ which staged scenarios between people with dementia and carers to get the audience thinking about communication challenges in dementia. The interactive production saw audience members suggest alternative behaviours which could lead to better outcomes, with the actors then performing a new version. A documentary film of the process will be released in the coming months.

Access the Living with Dementia Toolkit at www.livingwithdementiatoolkit.org.uk 

To hear ‘Brave New World’ click here (this link will only be publically available once the embargo lifts): https://youtu.be/vH9dKe4-_J0 

To hear more of Paul and Tommy’s music, visit: Thred; and gotohitchmough.com

 

Leading independent North West race event organiser BTR Liverpool have announced a busy programme for 2022 in a bid to bounce back from the pandemic.

Established in 2006, BTR Liverpool organises and delivers some of the region’s headline running events including festive spectacular the Liverpool Santa Dash which returned in December after going virtual during the pandemic, and the long established Liverpool Half Marathon which takes place for the 29^th consecutive year in March.

Now BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell is looking ahead to what he hopes will be a very busy and exciting return to races after navigating the business through the Covid-19 pandemic for almost two years.

Throughout that time, almost all BTR races were either postponed or cancelled altogether, resulting in a challenging time for the organisation itself.

Keen to maintain its strong links with the running community, the team were able to adapt several BTR events to virtual runs. Participants were sent a run number and medal, and completed the distance local to them to ensure they followed Government lockdown guidelines.

BTR Liverpool is the leading independent organisation for creating, managing and delivering headline running events across Liverpool City Region. Its extensive portfolio covers various distances across different terrains, all with an ongoing commitment to sustainability.

BTR Liverpool have now released its full calendar of events for 2022, including the return of Run For The 97 and Port Sunlight Road Race.

The event programme for 2022 includes a 52-mile multi-terrain race consisting of six races across seven days, half marathon, 10-mile road race, 10K and 5K races, 5K fun runs, as well as 1 mile and 1K fun runs for children.

The BTR Liverpool event calendar for 2022 is outlined below, online registration is open for all events.

BTR Liverpool Skyline Half Marathon / 10 Mile Road Race

Sunday 27 March 2022 – Pier Head Liverpool

The programme starts with the 29^th annual Liverpool Half Marathon, one of the longest established races in the region. The 13.1-mile route starts and finishes at Pier Head Liverpool, winding its way through the city and onto Sefton Park, taking in the sights along the way. A grandstand finish on the world-famous waterfront is under the gaze of the city’s iconic Liver Birds. The race also includes the seventh annual BTR Liverpool 10 Mile Road Race.

BTR Medal Muddle 5K

Saturday 23 April 2022 – Hoylake Promenade

Medal Muddle returns with a 5K fun run on Hoylake Promenade, organised in conjunction with BTR Road Runners. It was first staged in August 2019 as part of BTR’s commitment to sustainability and environmental plan. Surplus race T-shirts and medals are repurposed and rebranded. The event raises money for local charities. Charities supported have already included Hoylake RNLI, Pawprints Wildlife Rescue, Hoylake Animal Rescue, Charles Thompson Mission Birkenhead, and Shy Lowen Horse & Pony Sanctuary.

Run For The 97 5K / 1 Mile

Saturday 21 May 2022 – Stanley Park, Liverpool

First staged in 2015, the positive community legacy event celebrates the lives of the 97 Liverpool fans who died at Hillsborough on 15 April 1989, and remembers the families and the survivors who have tirelessly fought for justice with the utmost dignity. It has been renamed to honour LFC fan Andrew Devine, who passed away recently. The four beneficiaries are Jamie Carragher’s 23 Foundation, LFC Foundation, Everton in the Community, and Stanley Park Liverpool CIC.

Port Sunlight Road Race 10K / 5K / 1K

Sunday 12 June 2022 – Port Sunlight Village, Wirral

Port Sunlight Village is the picturesque backdrop for a fantastic Summer race. Last staged in 2019, BTR Liverpool organise the event in conjunction with Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT). The races start and finish at the village green. The 5K route takes runners along the tree-lined boulevards and perfectly manicured gardens of the historic village. The 10K follows two laps, and there is a dual race option. A 1K children’s fun run also takes place.

BTR Tour Of Merseyside (52 miles)

Sunday 26 June to Saturday 2 July 2022 – Southport, Thurstaston, Walton, Otterspool, Stadt Moers in Knowsley, Wirral Coastal Path

This special race has become a firm favourite since it was launched in 2013. It attracts runners from far and wide to take on a week-long challenge in a bid to become a Tourist. Six races of varying distances are staged across seven days, covering 52 miles. Terrains include road, beach and cross country, with runners tour to race in various areas of Merseyside including Southport, Thurstaston, Otterspool and Wirral Coastal Path from New Brighton.

BTR Mersey Tunnel 10K

Sunday 11 September 2022 – Liverpool and New Brighton

Runners will be gearing up to take on the 16^th BTR Mersey Tunnel 10K, one of the most unique races in the country. The point-to-point route starts in Liverpool city centre and takes runners straight into the Kingsway Tunnel to run under the River Mersey. After emerging on the Wirral, runners continue along Seacombe Promenade to Fort Perch Rock and the Marine Lake, finishing at New Brighton’s Marine Point with views overlooking the River Mersey.

If You Know Your History 5K

Sunday 9 October 2022 – Everton Football Club

If You Know Your History fun run is a 5K journey from the Merseyside birthplace of football to a fitting finish alongside Everton FC’s Goodison Park. The route starts at the 1787 Lock-Up Tower, which is at the heart of Everton FC’s famous club badge. Key points of interest along the route will be manned by Friends Of Everton Park and Everton FC History Society. Organised in conjunction with club charity, Everton in the Community.

BTR Liverpool Santa Dash 5K / 1K Mini Dash

Sunday 4 December 2022 – Pier Head Liverpool, Liverpool City Centre

After being staged virtually in 2020, the Appreciate Group Liverpool Santa Dash recently returned and saw 5,000 Santas once again pull on their Santa suits and dash round the city centre. Thought to be the UK’s biggest festive 5K fun run, it was created by BTR Race Director Alan Rothwell and first staged in 2004. The city is transformed into a sea of red, blue and mini Santas, and really does kick-start Christmas in Liverpool.

Grinch 5K

Sunday 12 December 2022 – West Kirby, Wirral

Originally scheduled for 2020, this new family fun run went ahead for the first time in December 2021. In complete contrast to the Santa Dash, this is a very different festive celebration and takes place on the beach at West Kirby. Everyone is asked to dress up and wear something green. There is also a best dressed ‘Max’ competition for four-legged friends attending on the day. The event supports the West Kirby Christmas Lights Appeal.

Website: www.btrliverpool.com

After a challenging couple of years, Liverpool’s nightlife sector is preparing itself for a busy year ahead, and no-one will be celebrating more than the team at LA’GO, based in Colquitt Street.

Launched in 1997, originally as a Motown bar, it soon became known for its affordable drinks and great music. Since then, the venue has weathered every economic and cultural storm, and is looking forward to a packed roster of events, including their Valentine’s Meet Market night on 14th February. The event’s name reflects the LA’GO tongue-in-cheek, witty vibe that they have become famous for.

LA’GO has been around for 25 years by creating its own unique niche: it prides itself on being a safe bar, where the management and staff are approachable and get to know their customers well. And it is also known as a place for a great night out where people can leave their pretensions at the door with people from all walks of life joining them: students, grown-ups, pensioners, prins, the lot!

The drinks menu at LA’GO is also one of the reasons customers return again and again, and its range of shots, from Jagerbombs to Sambucas, to the house special the ‘Baby Stella’ and a whole host of delights in-between, ensure that everyone involved gets to enjoy an affordable night out.

As well as being a place to celebrate any occasion, whether it be Valentine’s Day, any given Monday, the start of the weekend, or the weekend itself, LA’GO is also a place where football lovers head for a good time, as the venue regularly hosts the very best Premier League, Champions League and international matches, where fans can enjoy the LA’GO atmosphere and join in the celebrations.

LA’GO is based at 18-20 Colquitt Street Liverpool L1 4DE.

See their website here.

Liverpool chef Dave Critchley will return to the heat of the Great British Menu kitchen next week.

The executive chef director at Lu Ban, which creates Tianjin inspired dishes, has been invited back to compete in the new series of the popular BBC cookery show.

Critchley is one of four chefs competing in the North West regional heat, which tests the chefs’ creative and culinary skills in the search for the perfect menu.

The weekly heats are aired across three nights and features four chefs going head-to-head in a bid to impress the judges. The North West episodes will be broadcast from February 8th at 8pm on BBC Two.

This is the 17th series and dishes will be themed to celebrate 100 years of Great British Broadcasting.

The series will again be hosted by Andi Oliver and features a new line of judges: Michelin starred, GBM double banquet winner, Tom Kerridge; Restaurateur Nisha Katona, and Comedian and Food Podcast Presenter Ed Gamble.

Critchley, who is making his second appearance on the show, having been in Series 16, said: “I am really looking forward to being involved with Great British Menu again as it was such a great experience last time.

“I’ve been given a second bite of the cherry and I intend to make the most of it. My ambition is to go one step further and to make it to the judges’ chamber.  It is a competition but it is also an amazing opportunity to showcase the Chinese culinary arts I’ve been learning these last two years.”

His North West rivals are Sam Lomas (Glebe House), Stevie Lamb (The Orangery at Rockcliffe Hall), Caroline Martins (Blossom Street Social).

See the Lu Ban Restaurant website here