We are absolutely delighted with the news that one of Sefton’s amazing School Chefs, Holly Charnock has won this yearâs national SCOTY title, for her two-course meal, which was presented at Stratford-upon-Avon College, in Warwickshire.
 The LACA organised competition sponsored by McDougalls is a chance for school chefs to showcase their professional skills, in front of a panel of judges. Ten regional champions and two additional âwild cardsâ, battled against one another for the title.
Public transport lights the way for Borough Of Culture!
Sefton Council is making it easier for families wanting to travel and watch all three showings of an amazing light projection show as part of our Borough of Culture year.
The Council has teamed up with Borough of Culture travel partner Arriva to offer free family bus passes while The Nightingaleâs Song is on (March 13-15) at Waterloo Town Hall, Bootle Town Hall and The Atkinson, Southport.
Sefton School Chef gets to the LACA School Chef of the Year Final 2020
One of Seftonâs very own School Chefs has cooked up a storm, making it to the final of School Chef of the Year 2020, organised by LACA – The School Food People.
The prestigious LACA award gives an excellent opportunity to recognise the talents of school chefs and promotes the amazing skills which lie within education catering.
Make sure youâre protected against mumps
With cases of mumps in England at their highest level in a decade, health leaders in Sefton are urging residents to make sure they are protected against the infection.
Provisional data from Public Health England (PHE) shows that there were 5,042 lab-confirmed cases of mumps in England in 2019, compared to 1,066 cases in 2018. This is the highest number of cases since 2009.
Mumps is highly contagious and tends to spread quickly in settings such as schools and offices, which can lead to outbreaks. The MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is the best protection against this infection.
Dr Craig Gillespie, local GP and chair of NHS South Sefton CCG, said: âMumps is often very uncomfortable and can sometimes lead to serious complications including viral meningitis and infertility.
âThe most effective way to avoid getting mumps is to get both doses of the MMR vaccine. It prevents most, but not all, cases of mumps and even if a vaccinated person does get mumps, they will likely have less severe illness than an unvaccinated person.â
Dr Rob Caudwell, local GP and chair of NHS Southport and Formby CCG added: âIf you are a parent, make sure your child has received both doses of the vaccine, the MMR vaccine is very safe and effective at preventing mumps.â
Young people who are away at university or in college are particularly at risk of catching mumps because they are in close quarters. In addition, those born in the late nineties and early 2000s did not receive the MMR vaccine when they were younger.
Rob added: âIf you havenât received both doses of the vaccine, or are unsure if you have been vaccinated, please contact your GP for advice. It is never too late to get the MMR vaccine.â
The symptoms of mumps include painful swelling of the glands at the side of the face, giving the sufferer a distinctive “hamster face” appearance. Other symptoms include headaches, joint pain and fever, which may develop a few days before the swelling. If you suspect that you or a family member has mumps, contact your GP.
For more information on the vaccine for mumps visit the NHS website at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-vaccine/
First glimpse of the new Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre
Sefton council have released images of how the Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre could look following its ÂŁ3million refurbishment later this year.
The existing bistro, conference facilities and bedrooms will close from 1st April 2020 to refurbish the hospitality facilities and improve the accommodation.
The leisure side of the CLAC, including the gym and the water sports activities, will be open for business as usual throughout the work.
The artists impressions show how the brand new 120 capacity restaurant and coffee lounge will appear next to 4 new event spaces, outdoor decking areas and beautifully refurbished bedrooms once the centre relaunches in early Summer 2021.
Once refurbished, the centre will provide an improved range of facilities and services for the local community, guests and visitors alike.
The plan is to transform the hospitality and events facilities at the Centre which include:
- New bar and coffee area with capacity for 120 people
- Fully glazed restaurant extension on the lakeside terrace
- New decking on the outside spaces for events
- Four new events spaces
- Complete revamp the hotel rooms
- A brand new self-contained, purposeâbuilt, selfâcatering accommodation called THE BUNK BARN with an extra 36 beds
- New rooftop decking and garden and seasonal âpop-upâ facilities
For more information on Crosby Lakeside visit www.sefton.gov.uk/clac or email lakeside@sefton.gov.uk
