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Photography exhibition announced featuring fascinating photos of historic Sefton

17 May 2019
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News

Back by popular demand, The Atkinson presents Southport Double Take II (Old Southport Through a Modern Lens), a photography exhibition offering a unique glimpse into Sefton’s past.

The Atkinson has invited local photographer Matt Dodd to capture a second series of over 30 images. The photographs are created by overlaying archive images of the borough (sourced from Sefton’s Historical Archives) with new photographs taken by the artist. The new images show how much, or in some cases how little, the landscape has changed across the borough of Sefton.

“I love comparing the Victorian with modern day it allows for interaction between the ages, one of my favourites is the Victorian couple who appear to be looking out on modern day Southport” – Matt Dodd

Matt’s first exhibition in 2018 was a roaring success with the local community, cultural tourists and local history enthusiasts alike. With one visitor commenting, “How the two eras were blended together in one photo is eerily amazing…I urge everyone to see this”

“People visited us in their thousands last year, commenting how intriguing the photographs were. This year Matt has gone further afield and in addition to new photos of Southport there are images of Bootle, Formby, Aintree, Maghull and Birkdale. – Stephen Whittle, Principal Manager, The Atkinson

Matt Dodd has also created a new publication to accompany the exhibition, which includes reproductions of the photographs and the stories behind them. Visitors will be able to purchase the book from The Atkinson’s shop for £5.

As part of The Atkinson’s Object of The Month series of events, the photographer will also be holding a talk offering insight into the exhibition on Wednesday 12 June at 1pm (free entry).

Southport Double Take II (Old Southport Through a Modern Lens)

18 May – 17 September 2018

Monday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm, Free Entry

Can you give a loving home to a child in Sefton?

16 May 2019
Charlene Smith
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Categories: Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Stories, Young People, Your Sefton

During Foster Care Fortnight (May 13-26), Sefton Council is asking people who live in the borough, to think about giving a loving home to a child who is unable to live with their birth family.

As with most councils, with less people coming forward to foster within the area, this means children have to live in a residential home or with a foster family a long way from their home. They are sometimes split up from their brothers and sisters, or may have to move from family to family and school to school.

Some of these children have experienced abuse or neglect prior to coming into care. Fostering is often their first positive experience of family life. Despite their difficult start to life, living in familiar surroundings with a nurturing foster carer can help to transform their lives and enable them to flourish.

Sefton Council wants to hear from people of all backgrounds regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender or sexuality. Couples, single people, disabled people and people from all cultures are welcome. As long as you have room in your home and the time, compassion and energy to dedicate to children who need it.

The Council is committed to offering support to our carers every step of the way. This includes specialist and peer support, training and a competitive financial package.

Cllr John Joseph Kelly, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Safeguarding, said: “Recent estimates show nationally, over 8,000 foster carers are required to meet the needs of children and young people who need placements, the picture in Sefton reflects this. With the number of children and young people across the borough coming to around 500, the need for more foster carers has never been greater.

“We need more foster carers with the right skills and qualities to make it more likely for the right homes to be found for children, giving them the best chance of a happy and stable childhood and a successful future.”

If you want to know more about fostering, why not come along to our next information evening on May 28, from 6.30pm – 8.30pm at the Vincent Hotel in Southport? Alternatively call; 0800 923 2777 or visit seftonfostering.co.uk.

Additionally, if know someone who you think will make a great foster carer, please help us spread the word!

 

Cllr June Burns has been appointed as the new Mayor of Sefton

16 May 2019
Charlene Smith
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Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Latest News, Sefton Council, Your Sefton

Cllr June Burns has been installed as the new Mayor of Sefton for 2019/20.

She was officially appointed as the new Mayor at a special meeting held at Bootle Town Hall (May 14) and replaces outgoing Mayor, Cllr Dave Robinson.

Cllr Burns has served as a Sefton Councillor for five years, representing the Park Ward. She has also been a Maghull Town Councillor and Mayor of Maghull for two terms in 2016/17.

She has had a very varied career having qualified in all aspects of hospitality at Southport College and going on to work as a cook in various establishments.

After having her three children she decided to change direction and trained as a counsellor, specialising in child bereavement.

In her spare time, she loves tending to her garden and having leisurely walks.

Following her appointment Cllr Burns said: “I am very honoured to be Mayor of Sefton. I am looking forward to representing the borough on a local and national level.

“I always pride myself on putting people at the heart of everything I do and I believe my background shows this. As a counsellor working in child bereavement I worked closely with families at Alder Hey Hospital.

“From this I learnt the true importance of listening to people and allowing their voices to be heard. I intend continue with these values as Mayor of Sefton when engaging and representing our diverse communities.

“I know this wonderful borough has so much to offer and I’m so excited for the year ahead. As we celebrate 100 years since women were given the right to vote, I’m proud to be the first female Labour Mayor of Sefton.

“I would like to thank the outgoing Mayor, Cllr Dave Robinson, for all his efforts in this civic role and hope my term will be as busy and successful as his.”

Sefton’s Festival Of Golf declared a swinging success!

16 May 2019
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: Essential Sefton, Front Page, Health, Latest News

Sefton’s Festival Of Golf has been declared a swinging success after a week of fantastic events, challenges and coaching for all ages.

Over 50 young boys and girls from across the country have now joined the junior ranks of Southport and Bootle Municipal golf courses as part of a local authority celebration to coincide with the British Masters at Hillside Golf Club.

Pro golfers Matthew Baldwin and Oliver Wilson were on hand to deliver intricate one-on-one sessions with youngsters while many tried their hands at the gruelling three club and longest putt challenges in the hope of winning top prizes.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “It has been a fantastic week for our Festival of Golf and we’re delighted to welcome 53 brand new junior members to our courses.

“This includes one eager youngster all the way from Hull who was visiting our beautiful borough for the weekend and will now return to play on our phenomenal courses.

“Our congratulations must go to Kate Dilworth who conquered our longest putt challenge and won tickets to the Southport Airshow, while the three club challenge winner Sean Maloret, along with runner up Jake Maloret, won a four balls round at Hillside and Hesketh Golf Clubs respectively.

“The festival has been a fantastic success and we have welcomed so many people, both young and old, to our courses and we are exploring a number of options to make some of the festival’s features permanent, including the very popular frisbee golf!

“Hopefully our own festival and the highly successful British Masters will leave a lasting legacy for Sefton golfers of the future.”

For more information or to apply for a membership at Southport and Bootle Municipal courses, visit www.sefton.gov.uk/golf.

Be body kind with Sefton’s Community Mental Health Team

15 May 2019
Ollie Cowan
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Categories: 2019 - Sefton's Year of friendship, Front Page, Latest News

Sefton’s Community Mental Health Team offers a range of services to help Sefton residents feel better about their bodies in a bid to improve mental health.

This work mirrors the 2019 theme for Mental Health Awareness Week (May 13-19) which is ‘Body Image-how we think and feel about our bodies’.

The theme was chosen in response to research that revealed that higher body dissatisfaction is associated with a poorer quality of life, psychological distress and the risk of unhealthy eating behaviours and eating disorders.

The social care staff at the Hesketh Centre work closely with health colleagues, Active Sefton and Everton in the Community to support service users to improve their mental health and general wellbeing through being more physically active and socialising with other people.

A raft of activities are on offer to help boost confidence and promote friendships including walking groups, football, cycling, allotment group and healthy blues which is part of the programme offered by Everton in the Community and includes activities like indoor bowls, badminton, table tennis and walking football.

Felicity Shepley, Lead Practitioner for Sefton Council’s Community Mental Health Team, said: “Everyone has a right to feel comfortable and confident in their own bodies and the work we do is not about changing people’s bodies but about helping service users feel better in their own skin by giving them the tools to keep active and create new friendships.”

As Sefton celebrates 2019’s Year of Friendship, keeping active has been proven as a great way to reduce feelings of loneliness and social isolation and groups like those offered by the Community Mental Health team and its partners are an intergral part of this vision.

There are lots of great ways to keep active across Sefton, to find out more visit www.sefton.gov.uk/ActiveSefton

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