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Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram will announce that the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, along with bus operators Arriva and Stagecoach, will provide 3000 bus tickets – 500 for each of its six local authority areas – for the city region’s foodbanks to use to help those with the greatest transport needs.

The announcement comes ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside Derby, as Fans Supporting Foodbanks are calling for more support for the city region’s foodbanks, which are dealing with unprecedented demand.

Fans Supporting Foodbanks is a unique partnership between Everton Supporters’ Trust and Spirit of Shankly, who have come together to tackle foodbank shortages.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “As the UN special rapporteur Philip Alston said earlier this month, this country’s foodbanks are acting as a safety net, literally saving people living in abject poverty from starving to death. It is an affront to common decency that this should be the case in the fifth richest country in the world, but while this is the reality we will support those committed volunteers who provide this service across our city region.

“This weekend the whole city region is coming together to support our foodbanks and I am proud that we are playing our part by making 3000 bus tickets available across all six of the city region’s local authority areas. It’s heart-breaking that we should have to do this but this is a duty that we cannot shirk.”

Half of the cost of the 3000 bus tickets will be paid for by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, with the other half paid for by Arriva and Stagecoach. The tickets will be distributed to foodbanks across the city region, who will distribute them, at their discretion, to clients with the greatest transport needs.

Howard Farrall, managing director, Arriva Merseyside, commented: “Christmas can be a very difficult time of year for many and so it is more important than ever to reach out and help those in need. We’re proud to be supporting this initiative and hope to make things easier for those looking to travel to food banks around the Liverpool City Region.”

Rob Jones, managing director of Stagecoach Merseyside, Cheshire and South Lancashire, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with the Metro Mayor and our city partners to provide free bus tickets to make it easier for people living in poverty to get around. We know access to transport is vital and helps to connect communities and enable people to take up opportunities they may not otherwise be able to.

As an Everton Football Club sponsor, we already work closely with the Club and their charitable arm, Everton in the Community as well as supporting a range of charities and community organisations across the city region, and it’s wonderful to see that the spirit of community is so alive in our city.”

Dave Kelly, Chair of Fans Supporting Foodbanks, said: “We applaud Steve Rotheram for his actions and for his help, advice and support.

“The impact of austerity and the migration over to Universal Credit on the 5th of December will have a profound effect on the most vulnerable people within our communities.
“Our statistics indicate that on average a Foodbank user will have a six-mile round trip to collect a three-day emergency supply of food.”

A host of festive treats, fun filled activities and shopping bonanzas are in store this Christmas across our beautiful borough.

Sefton has already started to buzz with merriment as thousands of residents get into the Christmas spirits, whether it be sampling wonderful Christmas ice rink, donating to the Mayor’s Toy Appeal, enjoying a day out at our leisure centres or taking advantage of late night local shopping!

We’ve put together all the info you need to know to make sure you have the most wonderful time of the year!

Shopping

Whether it’s the hustle and bustle of South Road, the bargains of Bootle Strand, the boutiques of Lord Street, Formby’s Chapel Lane or Central Square in Maghull, Sefton is a huge shopping spree waiting to happen all year round.

And it’s no different at Christmas! A number of retailers across the borough are taking part in Late Night Shopping hours on Thursday evenings in the run up to Santa’s arrival, while local businesses are well prepared for a surge in present buying, last minute scrambles and a flurry of winter buys.

A host of Christmas chalets surround an incredible ice rink in the Town Hall Gardens, Southport from December 7 with yuletide treats galore!  The rink compliments Southport’s other vibrant shops, stunning Christmas lights and the amazing new 60 foot digital Christmas tree.

In Formby Chapel Lane is already buzzing with festive shoppers while South Road, Waterloo is the perfect place for a mouth watering meal and a warming drink!

You can book an ice skating session in advance by visiting www.visitsouthport.com

Toy Appeal

Christmas is a time for giving. And what better way than to donate to the Sefton Mayor’s Toy Appeal?

The Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Dave Robinson, is asking as many people as possible across the borough to get behind this year’s Christmas gift appeal.

The annual request asks all residents in Sefton to try and provide presents for some of the borough’s most deserving children and make this Christmas extra special for them.

Gifts, for children of all ages, can be taken to either Bootle or Southport Town Halls or dropped off at any Sefton Council library, leisure centre or Asda in Southport and Bootle by Friday December 21.

Splash World & Leisure Centres

Splash World is open as usual every weekend on the run up to the festive period until December 17.

During Christmas, Leisure Centres across the borough, as well as Splash World, will have a temporary change to its opening times.

To find a full list of festive opening hours for your local leisure centre, please click here

Pupils at Kew Woods primary school in Southport have planted a time capsule to help mark the planned opening of a new look play area they helped design.

The time capsule was planted by pupils on the school council to mark the construction of Ovington Drive play area in Kew – right outside the school gates.

Earlier this year, pupils worked closely with Sefton Council’s Green Sefton team to come up with a number of designs and suggestions for a revamped Ovington Drive play area.

Their ideas were presented to the surrounding community and have now been realised with the new play area set to open shortly.

It will consist of a newly designed gated area with swings, slides and other play equipment aimed at younger children, costing more than £43,000 to build. Money came from a number of sources including the school PTA, Sefton Council and Kew ward Section 106 funds.

The metal time capsule, which includes items of school clothing and the school logo, a letter from the school council about what they love about the year 2018, and photographs of pupils along with details about their aspirations for the future, is set to be opened in 100 years-time.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “We were delighted with the response from children at Kew Woods who came up with a wealth of fun, interesting and quirky ideas for the new look Ovington Drive play area.

“Those ideas have now been realised with the planned opening of a fun and vibrant play area that is inclusive and welcoming for all which I’m sure will be well used.

“By planting the time capsule it will be a lasting memory for everyone who has been involved in this important project.”

Christina Jackson, headteacher at Kew Woods primary school, added: “We have been fully behind this project and it was a great idea to get pupils thinking on what to put in the time capsule to mark the opening of the new play area.

“Things will change so much in 100 years-time but we want whoever opens the capsule to get a real understanding of what life was like at Kew Woods primary school in 2018 and how the play area has an important part in our community.”