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All you need to know about getting to the Southport Flower Show

13 August 2018
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council

The Southport Flower show returns this week and thousands of people are expected to flock to the town for the annual four day extravaganza.

A staple of the annual Southport events calendar, Southport Flower Show in Victoria Park is a huge crowd pleaser following the Southport Air Show in July and ahead of the British Musical Fireworks Championships in September. 

As with other fantastic events, Southport is expected to be increasingly busy between August 16 & 19 and we are encouraging residents and visitors alike to plan their journeys in advance.

Traffic & Travel

Visitors to the Flower Show are advised to take advantage of public transport and a Park & Ride shuttle service operating from Birkdale Common. For more information about this shuttle service and additional transport information, click here

Residents who are not attending the Southport Flower Show are advised to plan ahead and travel via alternate routes around Southport. 

Signage will be in place to minimise as much disruption as possible.

Parking

Parking and directional routes to the Flower Show will be clearly signposted upon arrival into Southport.  Two main public parking areas will be made available for an all-day rate of £7 at both Princes Park and Birkdale Common. 

While Princes Park is within walking distance of the Southport Flower Show, Birkdale Common parking will accommodate a shuttle service with a drop off/pick up point at the Duke Street Gate entrance of Victoria Park.

Shopping

A visit to the Southport Flower Show is not complete without sampling the shopping and restaurant delights of the town. 

After taking in the show each day, why not explore the fantastic array of shops, restaurants and bars which Southport has to offer? Lord Street is only a few minutes walk away from Victoria Park.

From the quaint and quirky offerings of Wesley Street to the hustle and bustle of Chapel Street’s high street giants, Southport has it all. The town’s Northern Quarter comes alive after 6pm with an array of wine bars, bespoke beer shops and clubs, while the town centre is renowned for its tasty restaurants and thirst quenching bars 

For additional ideas on what to do during your stay, check out Visit Southport.

Rubbish

Southport is one of many beautiful places across Sefton and we want to keep it that way. We actively encourage both visitors and residents alike to make sure they are responsible for their own rubbish and dispose of it in a sensible manner. 

If you cannot find a bin to dispose of your rubbish responsibly, please take it home with you.

Summer holidays don’t have to spell unhealthy habits

13 August 2018
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Front Page, Health, Latest News

The school summer holidays are a chance to relax, sleep in, and enjoy a break from homework, but it’s best to maintain some routines to stay healthy and avoid a ‘shock to the system’ come September.

Debbie Fagan, chief nurse at NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG, said: “Routines such as regular bedtimes and mealtimes are important for keeping your children on the right learning path.

“Studies show that memory, learning, attention, mood, behaviour and physical health are all improved through sleep.”

Here are some top tips for healthy eating and drinking during the summer holidays:

There’s room for occasional treats during the holidays but it can get expensive to keep buying a round of ice creams for the whole family – try to plan ahead and take some healthier snacks with you on a day out.

Change 4 Life have some great ideas for healthier lunchbox and picnic swaps that are easy to prepare and fun for the whole family: www.nhs.uk/change4life/recipes/healthier-lunchboxes.

It can be difficult to keep food cool on hot days, so follow this advice from NHS Choices on how to prepare and cook food safely, including on barbeques: www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-prepare-and-cook-food-safely. 

Try to limit your intake of sugary drinks – even fruit juices contain sugar. Water is the healthiest option and the best for rehydration on a hot day. You can make the drinks more appealing to kids by adding novelty ice cubes or chopped fruit and cucumber.

Debbie added: “Eating healthily, regular exercise and good sleep all go hand-in-hand and will make the summer holidays more enjoyable and stress-free for the whole family.”

Sefton helps Legions to commemorate 100 years since the end of World War One

13 August 2018
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Health, Latest News, WW1 Centenery Year

Sefton Council have helped to fund a number of events across the borough to mark the Centenary commemorations of World War One.

Throughout the coming months Sefton branches of the Royal British Legion will be holding special events to mark one hundred years since the end of the Great War, including poetry readings, themed lunches and quiz nights.

The following events are taking place across the borough:

Southport: WW1 Themed Lunch (Thursday September 6, 1pm)
Formby: WW1 Themed Quiz Night (Wednesday October 24, 7.30pm)
Netherton & Sefton: Armed Forces Night (Friday October 26, 8pm)
Crosby: Poetry & Reading Night (Friday November 2, 6.30pm)

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, said: “This year marks the centenary of the end of World War One and we are proud to be able to support the various local legions in supporting our communities.

“These events go hand in hand with our Beyond The War Memorials campaign as we look to honour our WW1 heroes and heroines from across the geographical area which now makes up Sefton.

“We’re also looking for budding poets and writers to get their thinking caps on and compile emotive, thought provoking and fitting poetry for our BTWM project.”

More information about the Legion events will be released in due course.

For further details and to obtain an entry from for the BTWM Poetry competition, email information.service@sefton.gov.uk or call 0151 257 6401.

Mayor takes on Liverpool Cathedral abseil for charity

13 August 2018
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Health, Latest News

Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Dave Robinson, will be taking part in a daring abseil in support of a local charity this weekend.

Cllr Robinson will be joining 16 others in the Sefton 4 Good team, including colleagues from WEA North West, Sefton Council, Sefton CVS and members of the community, in the challenge at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral on Saturday August 18.

The volunteers will face a 150-foot, free-fall drop over the main entrance to the iconic building, all to raise money for good causes in Sefton.

Sefton 4 Good is a fundraising initiative from Sefton CVS which provides small grants to local voluntary, community and faith groups across the borough.

“There are so many good causes making a real difference to people’s lives in Sefton,” said Cllr Robinson. “That’s why I want to take part in the abseil, because grants from Sefton 4 Good can really help those groups.”

This year Sefton 4 Good has awarded almost £15,000 in grants to 25 groups, including the Plaza Cinema in Waterloo.

Mike Howlett, Senior Citizenship and Volunteering Officer for Sefton CVS, commented: “Sefton 4 Good is all about encouraging borough residents to support local causes that make a real difference in their immediate community.

“I am so grateful that the Mayor and his fellow volunteers have stepped up to the challenge to help us at this exciting event.”

Anyone who would like to support the Sefton 4 Good team in their fundraising efforts can sponsor them at https://mydonate.bt.com/events/s4gabseil2018

Northern Mayors demand fare freeze on Northern and TransPennine

13 August 2018
Ollie Cowan
No comments
Categories: Front Page, Latest News

The Mayors of Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester, Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham, have today (Monday 13 August) written to the Secretary of State for Transport to demand a freeze on rail fares, ensuring that northern passengers are not hit by proposed fare rises on Northern and TransPennine services in 2019.

The Mayors’ call comes after a summer of chaos on rail routes across Greater Manchester and the North, with the travelling public facing frequent delays and cancellations after a botched timetable change in May.

Traditionally future rail fare increases are set using the July rate of RPI, which is published in August and come in effect the subsequent January. This year the July rate of RPI is expected to be announced on, or around, August 13th.

In their letter to Chris Grayling, Mayors Rotheram and Burnham and say:

“Over the past few months travelling by train in the North has become a lottery, where passengers turn up at stations with no idea if there will be a train or whether they will arrive at their destination on time.

“This crisis has caused real damage to the North – the current estimate is that at least £38m has been lost from the economy – and has led to many commuters turning their backs on using the train and seeking other means of getting around.”

The Mayors argue that a 2019 fares freeze is proportionate given the disruption on both networks over the past few months and the delays in planned service upgrades. They also believe a freeze could help attract back passengers to the railways who have been put off by recent disruption.

Speaking about the letter, Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram, said:

“After a summer of misery – and with cancellations and disruption still continuing – introducing higher fares next year would be a huge slap in the face to the travelling public here in the North.

“With service improvements postponed until May 2019 and no guarantees from the rail operators that they can sort out the current mess anytime soon, it would be wrong to ask people to pay more, for less.

“Whilst we push for the issues to be sorted out – and they must be sorted out – we must also look towards rebuilding confidence in passengers to return to the railway. Freezing fares could help do this. It would also be a strong signal from the Secretary of State that he is on the side of passengers and I urge him to agree to our demand.” 

On Sunday 12 August rail operator Northern cancelled 80 services, including trains on the Liverpool to Manchester Airport line used by families and others travelling to and from summer holidays. It was the third successive week of similar Sunday cancellations.

Additional analysis demonstrates that passengers into Liverpool will be expected to pay on average £110 more per year for an annual season ticket, £91 for those travelling from Southport and across key routes into Manchester city centre stations passengers can expect a £45 increase.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

“The rail industry has caused real misery for thousands of passengers across the North. Not only have people lost time at work or with their families, they have had to shell out for taxis, extra childcare and even hotel bills because of the continuing disruption.

“To ask these long-suffering passengers now to pay even more for a poor, unreliable service is to add insult to injury. A freeze in the current fares is the very least that passengers deserve.”

Andy added:

“The Secretary of State has a chance to show people in the North that he is listening to their concerns and is ready to do the right thing. I hope that he takes it and works with us to support passengers who have already had to put up with far too much.”

The demand is the latest in a series of interventions by the Mayors which has seen them call for compensation for passengers affected by disruption and back TFNs call last week for the Government to appoint a trouble-shooter to get to grips with the ongoing crisis.

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