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Sefton Council’s Active Workforce team are hosting their annual 5km Challenge and are opening the doors to anyone who wants to get involved.

Taking place on Tuesday, 28 June, the event will consist of a 5km run or walk around the perimeter of Crosby Marina. As runners make their way around the lake, they will be able to take in the sights of Crosby beach.

The Challenge will begin at 6pm and costs just £15 per entry. Active Workforce members will pay a reduced rate of £10.

Participants can enter as an individual, or as a team of five. Everyone who enters will receive a medal and t-shirt, with an additional trophy for the fastest male and fastest female.

The event, which has been running since 2008, is open to all abilities, with the option to run, walk or stroll the 5km distance. Previous years have seen up to 500 people take part and the Active Workforce team are hoping to see a good turn out this year.

A number of Sefton councillors have already signed up for the Challenge and will be joined by Chief Executive of Sefton Council Dwayne Johnson.

Active Workforce hopes to encourage members of the public to get out and get active while spending time with colleagues, friends and family. The aim of the 5km Challenge is to be a fun event that anyone can enter and complete at their own pace.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said:

“I am delighted to be taking part in the Active Workforce 5km Challenge.

“The team have been working incredibly hard to create events that are accessible to everyone, no matter their ability or experience. This challenge isn’t a contest, it’s about exercising at your own rate.

“It is so important to get outside and maintain a healthy lifestyle and this is something we always look to encourage through events such as this.

“I hope we’ll see a great turnout for what should be a fantastic event.”

To request an entry form, people should contact active.workforce@sefton.gov.uk. Anyone wanting to get involved needs to contact Active Workforce before Friday 24 June to be guaranteed a place.

To find out more about Sefton Council’s healthy living services and memberships, visit www.activeseftonfitness.co.uk/active-workforce

Further to recent information circulating on social media platforms and other media outlets, Sefton Council can confirm that there is no industrial dispute in relation to the Waste Collection Service. 

The Joint Trade Unions are in dialogue with management and all parties are working collaboratively to resolve any issues that have been identified within the service.  Furthermore, the JTU acknowledge that to achieve resolution to the current backlog of bin collections, overtime has been offered to staff to address the backlog.

Sefton Council for Voluntary Service is seeking a new chairperson to continue and develop the work of Healthwatch Sefton.

Healthwatch Sefton works to make sure that NHS leaders listen to and use local residents’ feedback to improve future care. Last year, they helped nearly a million people have their say and get the support they needed.

The non-profit is part of a national network, who address the key health and care areas with the Department of Health and other national organisations.

Healthwatch Sefton is looking for a chairperson to help them to continue in their mission to help people to get advice, share their experiences and drive further improvements in care.

The successful candidate will be someone with drive, energy and enthusiasm as well as an understanding and experience of governance at a senior or board level. The chairperson will also have a seat on the Sefton Health and Well Being Board and will need to take a leadership role within the newly emerging health and care system.

The role will include leading and further developing Healthwatch Sefton, working as one of the Directors, chairing the Board, chairing the operational Steering Group and working with other partners to set the strategic plan and direction.

Volunteer expenses will be paid, but the position itself is voluntary and unpaid. In order to apply, you must not be employed by an NHS organisation or by Sefton Council.

On average, the role will require 40 hours per month, but this can change each month depending on the workload and any meetings.

Applications for this role close on Wednesday 15 June. If you’re interested in applying, or want to find out more visit the Sefton CVS website.

Tens of thousands of food and drink lovers descended on Southport this past Jubilee bank holiday weekend to sample the very best that the North West has to offer.

A diverse range of food such as American, Mexican, Thai, Italian, Indian, Canadian, Lebanese to name a few, were on offer from over 80 street traders, including 25 from Southport alone.

Producers came from over the north west and sold food such as cheese, pies, scones, brownies and fudge with many selling out each day and leaving with smiles on their faces.

As a family event the little ones enjoyed the children’s entertainment where there were regular magic shows, den building and face painting. Inflatables and water walking also provided plenty of entertainment.

Due to poor weather, we were forced to close on Friday but traders and visitors alike were back with a bang on Saturday and Sunday, making the festival a roaring success.

Families and groups of friends attended the event and thoroughly enjoyed their visit with many setting up a picnic area on the grass and enjoying the entire day and beautiful surroundings of Victoria Park.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said:

“We were all so delighted to be able to bring the Southport Food & Drink Festival to Sefton for the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend.

“The sheer amount of families and food lovers who came to the festival is a fantastic testament to how popular this weekend is, which benefits the whole town and the wider borough.

“Over the years the festival has evolved into an incredibly huge and diverse event and is now one of, if not the, biggest food festivals in the North West.

“Hundreds of our amazing local traders in Southport are joined each year by some of the finest food and drink producers from across the region in the fantastic setting of Victoria Park.

“We’re now looking forward to welcoming thousands more visitors for the Southport Air Show in July.”

Sefton welcomes over 8.7 million visitors a year contributing over £518 million to the local economy.

For more information about upcoming events and tickets please visit www.visitsouthport.com