April/May 2011

April • May 2011

Property • Style • Health & Well-Being • Travel • Motoring • RecipesBook Reviews • Puzzles • Local News & Events • Useful Telephone Numbers

Visit the magazine online at www.yourlocaljournal.com

IIssssuuee NNoo..2288

FFrreeeeCCooppyy

Let’sshare a story...

�e Independent Catholic School for boys and girls of all faiths aged 0-18www.stmarys.ac 0151 924 3926

St. Mary’s College Crosby Trust Limited.

Reg. Office: St. Mary’s College, Everest Road, Crosby, Liverpool L23 5TW

Registered in England - Company No. 05412328 Registered Charity No. 1110311

Inspired to PerformAt St. Mary’s College, academic excellence comes as standard. In 2010, we were once again the top co-educational school in Sefton, with 96% of our pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs at A*– C grade and a 97% pass rate at A Level.

However, success at St. Mary’s is measured by much more than examination results. Our wonderful drama productions are always a sell-out success and we are a centre of excellence for music. Our choirs, orchestras and bands perform regularly at home and abroad, with the annual Festival of Music at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall each spring a particular highlight.

Add to this the outstanding achievements in dance, art and on the sports field and you will see that our pupils are inspired to perform in more ways than one.

St. Mary’s College is the only independent Catholic school in the North West to offer continuity of education and care to children aged 0-18.

Boys and girls can start at our Bright Sparks & Early Years Department (0–4 years) soon after birth and progress to our preparatory school, The Mount (4–11 years) before moving on to the College (11–18 years).

Admissions to all parts of the school are possible throughout the year – scholarships and bursaries are available.

�e Independent Catholic School for boys and girls of all faiths aged 0-18www.stmarys.ac 0151 924 3926

St. Mary’s College Crosby Trust Limited.

Reg. Office: St. Mary’s College, Everest Road, Crosby, Liverpool L23 5TW

Registered in England - Company No. 05412328 Registered Charity No. 1110311

Inspired to PerformAt St. Mary’s College, academic excellence comes as standard. In 2010, we were once again the top co-educational school in Sefton, with 96% of our pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs at A*– C grade and a 97% pass rate at A Level.

However, success at St. Mary’s is measured by much more than examination results. Our wonderful drama productions are always a sell-out success and we are a centre of excellence for music. Our choirs, orchestras and bands perform regularly at home and abroad, with the annual Festival of Music at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall each spring a particular highlight.

Add to this the outstanding achievements in dance, art and on the sports field and you will see that our pupils are inspired to perform in more ways than one.

St. Mary’s College is the only independent Catholic school in the North West to offer continuity of education and care to children aged 0-18.

Boys and girls can start at our Bright Sparks & Early Years Department (0–4 years) soon after birth and progress to our preparatory school, The Mount (4–11 years) before moving on to the College (11–18 years).

Admissions to all parts of the school are possible throughout the year – scholarships and bursaries are available.

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Dear Reader,

Welcome to the April and May Edition of Your Local Journal. Daisy and I

have been enjoying some lovely early morning walks with our friends in

the park and it’s so uplifting to see all the bulbs and shoots appearing

more and more each day. The daffodils are out in abundance and

summer is just around the corner. Daisy is now permanently at the

ready by the back door for fun and frolics in the garden!

The enchanting picture on the Front Cover is all to do with National

Share a Story Month, a fabulous initiative which promotes a love of

reading in children. Alongside the feature are Crosby Writers’ Club who

are celebrating a very special birthday this year. You can read all about

it on page 8. I enjoyed reading from an early age and especially

remember the “Milly-Molly-Mandy” books by Joyce Lankester Brisley

which I still have in my book case. What lovely memories.

The month of April sees The Waterloo Beer Festival at Old Christ

Church in Waterloo and with over 125 beers to choose from you’re

sure not to be disappointed! This event books up very quickly so be

sure to book your tickets early. You can find out more on page 52.

There is a wonderful article about “The Language of Flowers” from by

gone days, which then introduces our new regular competition where

we are looking for somebody who deserves to receive a beautiful

bouquet of flowers. Alexandra’s florist in College Road, Crosby have

kindly offered to donate a beautiful bouquet to our chosen winners

from each edition. For details of how you can enter turn to page 16.

A fabulous new addition to the Journal this month is a comprehensive

“What’s On” section. As well as all our local events it now also features

Theatre listings in both Liverpool and Southport. There is so much

going on! There really is something for everyone to enjoy and I hope

you find it is as interesting and informative as I do.

If you have any interesting news or stories you’d like to share with the

Journal please don’t hesitate to get in touch and don’t forget to let me

know about any events you may have over the next few months. You

can call me on 07531 156758 or e-mail [email protected].

And finally, as always please don’t forget tomention the Journal when responding toadverts; as without our advertisers therewouldn’t be a Journal!

Happy Reading,

BBooookkss,, AA BBeeeerr FFeessttiivvaall && aa BBeeaauuttiiffuull BBoouuqquueett!!

SSaallllyy xx

Published & Edited by:Sally Mills

Graphic Design & Layout:www.yourlocaljournal.com

Advertising & Editorial:Tel: 07531 156758

Distribution: Your Local Journal is delivered to10,000 homes and businessesin Blundellsands, Crosby & Waterloo

Booking Deadline:For June / July 2011 - 4th May

April / May 2011

Whilst every care has been taken toensure that the data in thispublication is accurate, neither thepublisher nor its editorialcontributions can accept and herebydisclaim any liability to any party toloss or damage caused by errors oromissions resulting from negligence,accident or any other cause.

Your Local Journal does not officiallyendorse any advertising materialincluded within this publication.

All rights reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced,stored in any retrieval system ortransmitted in any form electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recordingor otherwise without priorpermission of the publisher.

Your Local JournalJDI Business Centre (Box N)3-11 Mersey ViewWaterloo LiverpoolL22 6QAE-mail: [email protected]

Published & Edited by:Sally Mills

Graphic Design & Layout:www.yourlocaljournal.com

Advertising & Editorial:Tel: 07531 156758

Distribution: Your Local Journal is delivered to10,000 homes and businessesin Blundellsands, Crosby & Waterloo

Booking Deadline:For June / July 2011 - 4th May

Regulars

Features8,9

16

20

22

25

30

32

52

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10

18

24

26

36

40

42

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52

April / May 2011

Contents

Whilst every care has been taken toensure that the data in thispublication is accurate, neither thepublisher nor its editorialcontributions can accept and herebydisclaim any liability to any party toloss or damage caused by errors oromissions resulting from negligence,accident or any other cause.

Your Local Journal does not officiallyendorse any advertising materialincluded within this publication.

All rights reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced,stored in any retrieval system ortransmitted in any form electronic,mechanical, photocopying, recordingor otherwise without priorpermission of the publisher.

Your Local JournalJDI Business Centre (Box N)3-11 Mersey ViewWaterloo LiverpoolL22 6QAE-mail: [email protected]

April • May 2011

Property • Style • Health & Well-Being • Travel • Motoring • RecipesBook Reviews • Puzzles • Local News & Events • Useful Telephone Numbers

Visit the magazine online at www.yourlocaljournal.com

IIssssuuee NNoo..2288

FFrreeeeCCooppyy

Let’sshare a story...

P.7 Alexandra Hall

P.52 Waterloo Beer Festival

A trip down Memory Lane Alexandra HallHealth & Well-BeingAllergies explained by Sue BlainStyleFashion at the RacesTravelSafari in KenyaRoad TestVolvo S60 D5Lois on the AllotmentBack in business!RecipeRoast Pork Loin with Apple StuffingComputersInternet on your T.V. ScreenFilm ReviewThe Fighter (15)What’s On Guide

National Share a Story Month& Crosby Writer’s Special Birthday

The Language of FlowersPlus the chance to win a Bouquet!

The Croft Luxury Serviced ApartmentsThe Royal WeddingIt’s a mug’s game!

27th March -Where were you?Understanding the CensusWindow Blind Safety “Make it Safe” campaign supportedby The Waterloo Blind CompanySefton’s Got Talent The Road to the Final Waterloo Beer Festival 2011

P.32 Sefton’s Got Talent

P.9 Crosby Writers’ Club

P.25 Where were you?

May 1961 - You Bet!

On April 3rd1993, the world-famous horserace, The GrandNational, wasreduced to ashambles.

A disastrous sequence of events began just beforethe race was due to start when protestors ran ontothe track near the first fence. They were removedand the race officials asked horses and riders toline up again.Then there were two false starts caused by horsesbecoming tangled with the starting tape. On thesecond false start, although the red recall flag waswaved it didn’t unfurl, and 30 of the 39 ridersraced away.

Members of the crowd andofficials all tried to recall thejockeys but without success. 11 riders completed the first circuit before theypulled up, and seven riders never realised anythingwas wrong. They completed the gruelling courseand raced to the finish line.Esha Ness, a 50-1 outsider trained by Jenny Pitmanand ridden by John White, crossed the line first butthe race was declared void, depriving the horse’sowner, Patrick Bancroft, of the £76,000 prizemoney.Trainer Jenny Pitman went on to win the GrandNational again two years later, with Royal Athlete.

AApprriill 11999933 - Grand National declared void

To advertise please call 07531 156758 or e-mail [email protected]

On May 1st 1961 theBetting and Gaming Actcame into force, and thefirst betting shops openedin the UK. Prior to January1st of that year, the lawssurrounding gamblingwere inconsistent.

The Act was brought in with the aim of takinggambling off the streets and bringing it undertighter Government control. Prior to the Act,anyone wanting to place a bet on a horse had todemonstrate that they had enough credit to set upan account, and then complete their dealings bytelephone.The bookies sent “runners” to collect from punters.This system was open to abuse. Once the Act was inplace, a bookmaker had to apply for a licence andpermit and was then allowed to take bets. Unfortunately, loopholes in the law meant thatanyone could open a betting shop or casino, andmany became a cover for criminal activity. So, in1970 the Government legislated again, creating anew Gaming Act which tightened restrictionsconsiderably.Since that time, there has been further legislationto allow the creation of a National Lottery and anincrease in the number of casinos.

Journal A Peek into the Past

GLADSTONEMEMORIALInterest is spreading now in theSeaforth Gladstone Memorial.The bust is now being cast inbronze and in a couple of weeks it will be deliveredto JEEVES THE JEWELLERS where the owner hasgenerously agreed to display it in the window with arequest for donations. We now have half of thefunds. On Sunday 8th May I am giving a talk on"Ten Interesting People who lived in Seaforth in the19th century". It will be held in BowersdaleResource Centre in Crescent Rd, Seaforth, wherethere is a fine hall to hold 100 people This will beat 3p.m. and entrance is free. Then we are having asecond Sunday lunch on May 22nd, for 150 peopleat 12.30 for 1p.m. in Old Christ Church, Waterloo.Everyone who came to our first one, in September,enjoyed it immensely. Tickets are on sale inPritchards or from me at 924 2541, for £11.Brenda Murray, Local Historian (SEAGLAM)

We meet in the Methodist Church Hall, MoorLane at 7.30 pm on the fourth Monday of eachmonth from September through to May. Detailsof speakers will be found on

www.crosbyhistorical.org.uk

TTHHEE CCRROOSSBBYY AANNDD DDIISSTTRRIICCTTHHIISSTTOORRIICCAALL SSOOCCIIEETTYY

Alexandra Hall was originally known as Great CrosbyAssembly Rooms and was used as a meeting placefor Great Crosby Urban District Council when theymoved there from a meeting house they used inVictoria Road, which was really inadequate for theirneeds. The Assembly Rooms was an impressive buildingand was opened on the 14th November 1888 byLady Foxwood wife of Sir William Foxwood ofRamleh, Burbo Bank Road, which has since beendemolished. He at the time was Lord Mayor OfLiverpool. As well as accommodation for the Local BoardOffices and council chamber, the rooms featured ahall, a supper room, cloakroom, kitchen and staffquarters. There was a seven foot wide staircase as acentrepiece , which lead to a large reception roomand concert hall and was also used as a ballroom. Atthe opening ceremony Lady Foxwood was presentedwith a key pendant and gold bracelet. The ceremonywas followed by entertainment and dancing until1am. It was in 1902 that The Assembly Rooms wererenamed Alexandra Hall in honour of the then newQueen. In 1954 it was the venue for the ceremony to inductthe first freeman of the borough, Earl Alexander, theMinister of Defence. Since then it has been alsoused for various other occasions. In the early 1960’sduring the Merseybeat era various musical groupsperformed there, amongst the groups was TheBeatles, who played there on the 19th January 1961.In 1969, officials revealed the crumbling buildingwas in desperate need of repairs and had a lifeexpectancy of only 30 years.

In 1972, it became a temporary school for 150 sixthform pupils from nearby Chesterfield High Schoolafter work on a new block was delayed because of abuilders strike.The hall was converted into Crosby’s magistratescourt and they used the hall between 1977 and1992. The building was gradually closed down asSefton Council officers were moved to Bootle andSouthport. By the end of 2002, the hall faced an uncertainfuture and news broke that top secret bids had beenmade to buy the building. Private developers haduntil January 2003 to submit sealed bids for the thenempty hall. The College Road building was sold toChelford Homes by Sefton Council in early 2003.The firm used the site to build 20 luxury two-bedroom apartments.Alexandra Hall was finally demolished in 2003 whenthe bulldozers moved in to demolish the 19thcentury building to make way for a block of flats,which was named Alexandra Court. Thankfully thearchitect called it after the old hall and thesuperficial outline was designed similar to theoriginal building. This article was written by Barbara Thomas who hasrecently set up a new website Crosby Past andPresent. If you have any old photos that you wouldlike to share of the area please get in touch!E-mail: [email protected]/localhistory/crosbypastandpresent

Please mention Your Local Journal when responding to adverts 7

ALEXANDRA HALL

A trip downMemory Lane

National Share a Story Month (NSSM) is Mayaccording to the Federation of Children’s BookGroups and when, each year, events and activities,that celebrate the power of story, are promoted byChildren's Book Groups across the country.The NSSM has a long history, starting as NationalTell-A-Story Week in 1974, the idea of Pat Triggs,Vice-Chair of the Federation at the time.In 1998 it was decided to extend the idea to onemonth and the event became the National Share-A-Story Month.Over the years many events have been held, withnational launches in St. Katherine's Dock, HastingsCastle, The Agricultural College, Humberside, TheRoyal Armouries in Leeds and Belvoir Castle inLeicestershire amongst others. Each of these eventshas involved hundreds of children and adults inpartnership with the local Book Group.The theme this year is “A BOX OF DELIGHTS”.(the title of John Masefield’s children’s novel)Karen Hellewell the NSSM coordinator togetherwith generous support from children’s publishershas made a box of delights for each of the thirtybook groups nationwide.“I selected a variety of objects, photos anddocuments which, in my experience, may excite andstimulate story making and sharing in a group ofchildren, for example in each box there are photosof places and people as well as a feather, a button,

postcards, train tickets and a variety of old letters”Each group organises their own activity, somesharing a story that one object may generate,others improvising drama or creating a story boardfrom several items together. Whatever the activitythe importance and power of story is central.”Anthony Horowitz, creator of teen spy Alex Rider,and for adults Foyle’s war, in a recent speech at theNational Literacy Trust Conference joined the everwidening chorus of concern about library cuts,children’s literacy, and promoting the love ofreading. You can read it here:www.literacytrust.org.uk/campaigns/anthony_horowitz_keynote_speechKaren organises author events throughout theschool year, and audits school libraries who wish torejuvenate and restock the provision. She says “Asan ex teacher I love going into schools to talk tochildren about books and an author can createhuge excitement and energy as well as promotereading for pleasure.”

The purpose of the book group is to bring childrenand books together, to promote a love of reading.

JOIN INIf you are interested in finding out more about theFederation or perhaps are thinking about startingyour own children’s book group in Crosby orWaterloo then go to www.fcbg.org.uk where youwill also find further information about NSSM. TheFederation also runs its own Book Award sponsoredby Red House, which is the only National children’sbook award voted for entirely by children.

If you would like to become involved in NationalShare-A-Story Month 2011, contact the NationalCoordinator, Karen Hellewell [email protected]

National Sharea Story MonthMay 2011


In May 1946, a few keen writers living in Crosbyand Waterloo got together and formed CrosbyWriters’ Club. Their first meetings were held over apub in Waterloo. In 1973, as membershipincreased, the club moved to the small roomadjoining Crosby Library.During the past 65 years, many members havebecome prolific authors. Aileen Armitage who livedin Crosby and presented the club with a special Cupto be awarded each year, went on to become apopular novelist.The late Marjorie Wynne, who was almost thefounder member of the club, wrote educationalbooks as well as novels, and was an inspiration tomany of the would-be writers who joined the club.Marjorie was coming to meetings when well intoher nineties.Elizabeth Murphy, who had her first novel publishedat the age of 70, had eleven family sagas publishedduring the following years. Elizabeth attended theclub, always willing to give advice to new writersuntil her death in 2002.June Francis is presently on her 32nd novel and inspite of her success, still comes to the meetingsgiving valuable advice and constructive criticismto help newer members.Over the years, many members of the club havehad success getting articles and stories published invarious magazines. Some members have had shortstories and poems broadcast on Radio Merseyside.Each year, there are 4 competitions for the clubmembers, when guest speakers act as judges givingvaluable criticism to each entry.Five years ago at the 60th Birthday of Crosby

Writers’ Club they were privileged to have the lateDame Beryl Bainbridge as their guest speaker; forall those present, it was a memorable day. The onlyexpense she asked for was the rail fare fromLondon.In 2009, because of rising costs concerning theirmeetings in the Library complex, the club almostfolded. As the average membership was 18 to 20,the annual subscription could not cover theiroutgoings for two Thursdays a month. Since movingto their new location the average attendance hasbeen 17 at each meeting.Marie Hudson (Treasurer) who is the longestserving member of the club said, “It has beenwonderful to see people who join, reading theirmanuscripts tentatively, then going on to wincompetitions and getting their work published”.So now another milestone in the history of CrosbyWriters’ Club. Little did those early writers meetingin the pub in 1946, think that in May 2011 the clubwould be celebrating it’s 65th Birthday. Congratulations to Crosby Writers’ Club!If you would like more information about CrosbyWriters’ Club or would like to join them please callthe Secretary on Tel: 07902 240309

9

Photo: Crosby Writers’ Club Committee Members from left to right: Bette Stephens, Chairman. Marie Hudson, Treasurer. Anges Terry, AngelaDeegan, Hon. Sec. Hazel Fort, Joan Lewin, Bob McGrath..

THE BLUNDELL BED AND BREAKFAST

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Tel: 07904 687940

Situated in Blundellsands we offer two beautifullyappointed "Boutique Hotel" style bedrooms withbright, modern and spacious ensuite bathrooms inNatural Stone.The larger suite features an impressive bedroom, which has abalcony with table and chairs overlooking the garden, withfantastic views of the setting sun. The second room can bebooked either with a super-king bed, or twin beds. Both roomsfeature flat screen TV's and a refrigerator.A full English Breakfast, or Continental Breakfast is included. We are situated in Blundellsands, only 15 min from LiverpoolCity Centre, 20 mins from Southport, and just a 5 min walk fromthe Blundellsands Station. The West Lancs Golf Club is situated2 mins away, and we are a short distance from both FormbyGolf Club, and Formby Hall Golf Club. The beautiful beach,promenade, and world famous Anthony Gormley Statuesinstallation "Another Place" are just over 10 mins walk away.

A SPECIALBIRTHDAYfor Crosby Writers’ Club

Please mention Your Local Journal when responding to adverts

The term allergy was first used in 1906by an Austrian physician, Clemens vonPirquet. He described an “alteredreactivity” which some of his patientsexperienced in response to substances,allergens, that didn’t affect otherpeople, such as pollen, dust mites oranimal hair.We’ve since learnt that multiple factors areresponsible for allergic symptoms, such as sneezing,coughing, sinusitis or asthma, and allergens are justthe last straw. The allergic reaction is the body’sway of ridding itself of a toxic overload. The liverand kidneys can be overwhelmed so eliminationtakes place inconveniently through the skin, eyes,nose or lungs.Food intolerances are one of the main factorsinvolved but various types of stress, whetheremotional or environmental, can also play a part.Alongside eggs and dairy products, stress is oftenthe main trigger for eczema.There may also be hidden fungal or bacterialinfections present. Commonly occurring Aspergillusmoulds, found in the soil, compost heaps, animalstraw-bedding and damp houses, can beresponsible for permanent coughs and evenasthma. A recent study at Leicester Universityshowed that asthmatics, allergic to the mould, hadnarrowing of the airways. The narrowing was worsein people who had the moulds growing in theirlungs. Evidence may also indicate a link with theirpresence in some cases of lung cancer. There arehomeopathic remedies that will kick start theimmune system to help kill these moulds,supported by a yeast and sugar-free diet, or anti-fungal drugs from your GP. Incidentally dust mitesthrive alongside Aspergillus mould, whichapparently makes skin cells more digestible to thelittle mites!Hay fever can be caused by an allergy to grasspollen so it may help to cut out all grasses fromyour diet during the pollen season. Don’t doubt

that you eat grass! Wheat, oats, rye and barley areall members of the grass family. However it’s notalways as simple as that. Hay fever is triggered bysensitivity to many plants and other foods could beinvolved, such as dairy products.Vitamins E and C with bioflavanoids and omega- 3-rich foods may help reduce inflammation caused byallergies. Try following the example of the 15th CenturyVenetian nobleman, Luigi Cornaro, who waspossibly the first man to work out his own detoxdiet. Close to death at only 40 years of age due toexcessive eating, he decided to eat less and only thefoods that suited him. “Eat less and eat right” washis famous saying. His health was soon restored and despite hisrelatives worrying that he didn’t eat enough, helived until 98 and wrote his first treatise onlongevity at the age of 83!

Journal Health & Well-Being


A Naturopath’sview of Allergiesby Sue Blain

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Eating should be an enjoyable,worry free experience andshouldn't involve drasticdeprivation. It should be simple,sustainable and not requirecalorie counting or weighing.Upto 70 % of weight loss is downto nutrition and lifestyle. Here aremy Top Ten Tips...

1. EAT BREAKFAST LIKE A KING, lunch like a princeand dinner like a pauper!

2. NEVER SKIP MEALS Avoid crash diets with verylow calorie intake as your body will go into “starvation response”. Your metabolism will slow down and you'll burn calories at a slower rate in the future.

3. EAT HEALTHY, NATURAL SNACKS IN BETWEENMEALS e.g. fruit, carrot sticks, nuts/seeds.

4. EAT 8 DIFFERENT COLOURED FRESH FRUIT ANDVEG A DAY (organic if possible) to maximiseyour fibre and provide the antioxidants,vitamins and minerals needed.

5. EAT LOW GL, NATURAL, NON REFINED CARBSe.g. butternut squash, brown rice, wholegrainorganic bread & avoid highly processed, starchy

carbs e.g. white bread, pastry, white pasta andwhite rice.

6. EAT PLANT BASED PROTEIN TWICE/DAY as yourbody can't store it e.g. lentils, pulses/various beans & minimise animal protein e.g. red meat.

7. AVOID ALCOHOL, FIZZY DRINKS, CORDIALS, PROCESSED FOODS high in hydrogenated &transfats, salt, sugar,& artificial additives/toxinse.g. sweeteners, preservatives, emulsifiers and thickeners.

8. DRINK 2-3 LITRES OF FILTERED WATER/DAYincluding herbal teas e.g. organic green,redbush and peppermint teas.

9. GET ORGANISED shop better, don't buy the rubbish! Stock up with raw, natural non-processed food. Plan ahead, healthy food can be quick & convenient!

10. DON'T DEPRIVE YOURSELF COMPLETELY. Allow yourself 1 cheat day /week to indulgein moderation! (If it's chocolate go for darkand organic!)

For more information on weight loss, fitness andnutrition, contact Gaynor at B-Fit PersonalTraining on 07748 298 728 or visit her websitewww.b-fit.uk.com.

Journal Health & Well-Being

How to playFill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through to 9, with no repetition!

That’s all there is to it. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic - there’s no maths involved and no adding up.

It’s fun! It’s Challenging! It’s addictive!

7

1 6

8

9

4 5

6

4

4

5

8 9

1

2 9 7

6

3 2

8

5

4

9

4 6

8

7

8 1

7

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Sports InjuriesHow Chiropractic Can Help?

Dr Rebecca Howell D.C (MChiro) Chiropractor Registered with General Chiropractic Council and British Chiropractic Council

Sports injuries can be a very real problem for all athletes. If you are a sportsman or sportswoman, you have probably suffered from at least one of the following conditions at some time: strains, sprains, tendinitis, bursitis, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, frozen shoulder, back pain, neck pain – the list goes on and on.

How injuries occur?Most sports involve body contact, fast starts and stops, and positioning that places an unusual amount of strain on the back and structural system. If your body is not biomechanically moving correctly injury is to be expected. Forces throughout the body will not be evenly distributed leaving certain tissues susceptible to injury. Altered biomechanics affects nerve function reducing athletes potential strength and speed, again allowing for injury and jeopardizing their overall performance.How chiropractic can help?Probably more than any other health profession, Chiropractic’s approach to health closely relates to the needs of the sports participant. Chiropractic deals with both injury prevention and treatment following injury- Steven M. Horwitz, D.CInjuries are very often a result of a functional imbalance. To allow the damaged tissues to repair the cause of imbalance must be dealt with in conjunction with management of damaged tissues. Until the body is functioning properly recovery will be delayed or prevented.Chiropractic, particularly sports chiropractic, can be of enormous benefit in treating and preventing sports-related injuries, speeding up recovery time and improving athletic performance, as many world-class athletes can attest- British Chiropractic Sports Council. be

lccliverpool chiropractic care

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So, you’ve heard ofspinning and aquaaerobics classes but haveyou ever thought ofputting the two together?Hydrospinning is a newstyle of exercise thatcombines these twoeffective workouts in apool based class. Thetheory is simple; cycling tomusic with an instructor,it’s just that the bicycle isunder water! Gyms areordering their Hydroriderbikes by the drove, it is a set to be a real hit!Hydrospin is a pulse-increasing, musclestrengthening exercise that uses water resistance to

push your body to a new level of condition. It is alittle odd wearing the special shoes with aswimming costume and the feeling of sitting on abicycle in water takes some getting used to. Theinstructor gets you pedalling to the beat of themusic and it gets progressively harder; the fasteryou pedal the stronger the resistance.It is excellent for those who have old injuries, backpains or simply hate aching the day after. Water’snatural buoyancy means that this is a non weightbearing exercise and therefore minimises the risk ofpulled or strained muscles. Hydrospinning couldalso be an excellent way to get people back intoexercise, or indeed start them off, as there is littlediscomfort and stress to the joints. It has other added benefits too. You can work yourupper body at the same time and use the bike inmore ways than on land; hanging off the back ofthe saddle whilst pedalling for example. Anotherproperty of water is hydrostatic pressure. Thisworks to decrease your heart rate meaning you canwork harder for longer. It is just science really, butyou don’t need to understand it all because it’sreally good fun. Just don’t drown if you have to getoff to put your chain back on!Carrie Cartwright-Owen

Journal Fitness

HYDROSPINNING

Sports InjuriesHow Chiropractic Can Help?

Dr Rebecca Howell D.C (MChiro) Chiropractor Registered with General Chiropractic Council and British Chiropractic Council

Sports injuries can be a very real problem for all athletes. If you are a sportsman or sportswoman, you have probably suffered from at least one of the following conditions at some time: strains, sprains, tendinitis, bursitis, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, frozen shoulder, back pain, neck pain – the list goes on and on.

How injuries occur?Most sports involve body contact, fast starts and stops, and positioning that places an unusual amount of strain on the back and structural system. If your body is not biomechanically moving correctly injury is to be expected. Forces throughout the body will not be evenly distributed leaving certain tissues susceptible to injury. Altered biomechanics affects nerve function reducing athletes potential strength and speed, again allowing for injury and jeopardizing their overall performance.How chiropractic can help?Probably more than any other health profession, Chiropractic’s approach to health closely relates to the needs of the sports participant. Chiropractic deals with both injury prevention and treatment following injury- Steven M. Horwitz, D.CInjuries are very often a result of a functional imbalance. To allow the damaged tissues to repair the cause of imbalance must be dealt with in conjunction with management of damaged tissues. Until the body is functioning properly recovery will be delayed or prevented.Chiropractic, particularly sports chiropractic, can be of enormous benefit in treating and preventing sports-related injuries, speeding up recovery time and improving athletic performance, as many world-class athletes can attest- British Chiropractic Sports Council. be

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3A Eshe Road North | Crosby | Liverpool | L23 [email protected] www.liverpoolchiropracticcare.co.uk

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“There's rosemary, that's for remembrance...and there is pansies. That’s for thoughts...”Ophelia’s speech from Shakespeare’s Hamletis recognised by most people and thisexcerpt clearly defines the meaning behindcertain plants. However, the speechcontinues and the allusions created by thewriter are largely lost to the modern reader.An Elizabethan audience would have readilyunderstood all the hidden meanings andtheir intimations, as the language of flowerswas a common method of sending messagesin those days.Victorians took the graceful symbolism embodiedby specific flowers to new levels and sent codedmessages to each other under the watchful eyes ofstrict parents and social rules. Rigorous Victorianpropriety meant sweethearts needed to send secretand subtle messages to one another.A sprig of mimosa passed surreptitiously tosomeone would let them know they had a secretadmirer. Then the full scale of these veiledcommuniqués could begin. The gentleman mayhave sent his favoured lady a posy of whitecamellias, purple lilac, mountain ash, ferns andsweet William, which translate (in order) as “youare perfectly lovely, I am falling in love. You are safewith me, I am sincere and discreet. Please grant mejust one smile!”The recipient could immediately indicate herresponse by either putting the flowers to her lips,implying yes. Or more devastatingly for the man,she may pull a petal off a flower and drop it,meaning no.Alternatively, she could respond with a bouquetexpressing her feelings with carefully chosenblooms. Jonquils, rose leaves and honeysuckletranslate as “I return your love. Keep your hopesalive but I will take time to answer”. Perhaps shehad reservations so instead sent lavender and pinklarkspur; “I don’t trust you as I think you may befickle”.Nowadays the only floral messages we readilyrecognise are the red roses dutifully sent to declareour love, and the Remembrance Day red poppies.As well as being a symbol of remembrance thepoppy is also a symbol for sleep. Red poppies

flourished on the churned up battlefields of Europeafter the Napoleonic and First World Wars so arevery poignant as a tribute to fallen soldiers.Regardless of the language of the flowers youdecide on as a gift for someone, the fact that youtake the time to carefully select a beautifullyconstructed bouquet from a good florist speaksvolumes to the recipient. Giving flowers is such apersonal and touching gesture that it makes senseto go out of your way to choose something reallyspecial. Imagine the message you are sending if you justgrab a random bunch of wilting flowers from thenearest garage forecourt at the last minute!


THE LANGUAGEOF FLOWERS

Do you know someone who deserves to wina beautiful Bouquet of flowers?In each edition of Your Local Journal we'll select awinner to receive a beautiful bouquet of flowerscourtesy of ALEXANDRA’S FLORIST on CollegeRoad, Crosby. All you have to do is e-mail us here atthe Journal in no more than 100 words and tell uswhy they deserve to win.

So what are the qualities we'll be looking for?Well, that's up to you! Maybe people who alwaysthink of others, individuals who've stayed strongthrough difficult times, friends who've showncourage, kindness, selflessness and determination. Even if they don't win this month, they'll still goback into the draw, to be considered again andagain.

E-mail: [email protected]

WIN A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS!

A search is on to find 150 fostercarers in just 150 days for localauthorities in the North West as partof the You Can Foster campaign.Sefton Council and 22 other authorities in the NorthWest want to find 150 new foster carers by June, tojoin the team of amazing carers who already givechildren and young people a safe and secure home.The North West has the largest shortage of fostercarers in the UK, outside of London. The You CanFoster campaign hopes to address this and findmore homes for the children who really need them.You Can Foster features real local authority carers inthe campaign with the aim to show people there isno typical foster carer. Sefton is hoping lots of people with room in theirheart and home will come forward and be one ofthe 150 new foster carers.

Chris Williams, Chair of the North West FosteringLeads groups: “150 people from across the regionreally isn’t a big number so we’re positive this isachievable. There are people out there, just likeyou, who would make a huge difference to the lifeof a child or young person, who have the time, andspace needed, so we want them to come forwardnow. Choosing to foster will be a rewardingexperience for all involved.”Be one of the 150 people that will make adifference to children in the North West and visit:

www.youcanfoster.org�

�

PRESS RELEASE

150 days to find 150 carers

A search is on to find 150 foster carers in just 150 days for local authorities in the North West as part of the You Can Foster campaign.

Sefton Council and 22 other authorities in the North West want to find 150 new foster carers by June, to join the team of amazing carers who already give children and young people a safe and secure home.

The North West has the largest shortage of foster carers in the UK, outside of London. The You Can Foster campaign hopes to address this and find more homes for the children who really need them.

You Can Foster features real local authority carers in the campaign with the aim to show people there is no typical foster carer.

Sefton is hoping lots of people with room in their heart and home will come forward and be one of the 150 new foster carers.

Chris Williams, Chair of the North West Fostering Leads groups: “150 people from across the region really isn’t a big number so we’re positive this is achievable. There are people out there, just like you, who would make a huge difference to the life of a child or young person, who have the time, and space needed, so we want them to come forward now. Choosing to foster will be a rewarding experience for all involved.”

Be one of the 150 people that will make a difference to children in the North West and visit: www.youcanfoster.org

Ends

Editor’s notes

1) You Can Foster is a joint campaign by 23 councils in the North West to tackle the huge shortage of foster carers in the region

2) It is being supported by the North West Improvement and Efficiency Partnership.

For more information on this story please contact Rachael Suthurst, Project Lead Officer, on 01706 924951 or email [email protected]


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Firstly, there is a vast difference between dressingfor a national hunt meet and a flat racing ladies day.Tailored tweed jackets if it is cold, snappy fish tailsuits and shift dresses for warmer weather. Hats arepopular but not essential, so rather than lettingyour head gear wear you try a quirky fascinator,sporty trilby or Zhivago. Flat racing is where thefashion stakes run high, get it right and you’ll be hotto trot, get it wrong and you risk seeing yourself onthe cover of the Daily Mail; complete with plasticpint glass.Look to Alex Curran and Jodie Kidd for inspiration asthey are always odds on favourites at the National.Racing plates are more than just a good idea for the

horses; delicate flatswill keep you trottingaround all day. Justlike ‘Dessie’ greys arealways admired andalong with nudefabrics they are set tobe fancied thisseason.Looking useful aroundthe racetrack is a surefire way to get in withthe owner/ trainercrowd. Invest in abridle or lead rope,even if you are notreally sure whatyou’re supposed to dowith them and danglefrom forearm withpride.There are a couple of indispensable course-sideaccessories that no serious race-goer should bewithout: a pair of short friends with Irish accents(fake or otherwise). This will up your course sidecredibility no end. If you only remember one rule,let it be this: Do not enter any sort of best dressedcompetition; this sort of activity is for WAGs andLabradors, not ladies of elegant reserve.Jessica “Namjinsky”

ear after year I dread thephotographs that appear ofwomen ‘at the races.’ It is all a bitToo: too short, too high, too loud,too big and too desperate!Fashion in the enclosure is allabout effortless utility elegance.

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We have combined quality and style at Beckie-L, aswe only use the finest leathers to create ourCollection. We pride ourselves on the exclusivity ofour pieces and therefore our styles are designedand manufactured in limited numbers making eachpiece in our Collection more desirable.Our Collection is available exclusively atwww.beckie-l.co.uk where we offer customers aluxury shopping experience from the comfort oftheir own home. In each edition of your Local Journal Journal I willbe providing you with the latest trends – what’s hotand what’s not, tips and advice on how to look afteryour Bags, Competitions, as well as what has beenhappening at Beckie-L.If you have any questions or problems about yourHandbags or Purses, then why not e-mail them tome at [email protected] and I will publish theanswer in the next edition of Your Local Journal.

As a special treat we are offeringcustomers 20% off their first orderat www.beckie-l.co.ukJust use the code ‘JOURNAL’ at the checkout. I hopeyou enjoy reading this column. Beckie Eustace

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Tel: 0151 931 3008 Mob: 07717 570 380E-mail: [email protected]

We are a Crosby based Company who sourceVenues to showcase Local Shops and CraftMakers through Shopping Evenings and CraftFairs. If you have a possible Venue where we couldhold a Shopping Evening or Craft Fair or if youhave your own business that you would liketo promote please contact Susie Boden.


NEW FEATURE“What’s Hot and What’s Not!”by Beckie Eustace at Beckie-L


It could be a Christening or a Wedding, a Birthdayor at Christmas time. Maybe you need a little spaceor just fancy a little privacy. Whatever the reason,The Croft is the perfect choice. A former Sea Captain’s Victorian Villa, The Croft waslovingly renovated in 2006 and the attention todetail is outstanding.The Croft has recently beenawarded 4 Stars by visitLiverpool.com andenjoyEngland.com which both signify an excellentstandard throughout. The Croft provides seven luxury one and twobedroom self catering apartments. Each apartmentis stylishly decorated to the highest standard. Livingrooms are fully furnished with 3 piece leathersuites, DVD/CD players and Freeview.The Croft is also the ideal location for meetings,whether they be personal or business orientated.Large tables, comfortable chairs and free Broadbandaccess provide an environment conducive toprofessional presentations or informal discussion.Individuality is key to business and The Croftensures your meeting is set up to your specificrequirements.The accommodation is within two minutes walk ofBlundellsands and Crosby railway station allowingeasy access to both Liverpool and Southport.Thefamous Gormley statues on Crosby Beach are botha five minute stroll from the front door. The surrounding area is well served with restaurantsand bars or, if you prefer, there are some wonderfulcountry eating places within a five minute drive.The Croft is well placed for golf enthusiasts wishingto enjoy the famous courses of Lancashire’s golfcoast with West Lancashire Golf Club on thedoorstep.Each living area contains a 3 piece leather suite, flatscreen TV complete with DVD/CD player andFreeview, desk and an extendable dining room tableand chairs. Apartments also provide a free Wi-fibroadband connection.

The Kitchens allcontain the following:Washer/dryer, Cooker,Fridge/Freezer,Dishwasher, Kettle andSandwich Maker. Upon arrival your flat will be stocked withcomplementary breakfast, tea coffee and fresh milkfor your stay. All bedrooms have their own dedicated bathroomwith luxury soaps, shampoos and conditioners andfluffy towels for your comfort. Housekeepersrefresh the apartments regularly ensuring the highstandard we expect for our guests.

For more details or to make a reservation pleasecall The Croft Manager on 07764 194491 or e-mail: [email protected] can also be made online atwww.visitliverpool.com

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Unless you’ve been living as a hermit itcan’t have escaped your notice that asignificant event takes place thismonth. Yes we all have an extra day’sholiday to look forward to. Oh, andthere’s a nice young couple gettingmarried too.Royal weddings have always been significant eventsin the history of our country. As I type shop shelvesare groaning under the weight of commemorativemugs, while TV adverts exhort us to send off fordecorative gold coins. I’d always assumed that Royalsouvenirs were a relatively modern invention, but infact they have been a popular way of markingweddings and Jubilees for the last three centuries.The earliest known English commemorative itemsdate from the Restoration of Charles II, in 1660.They must have been a hit because more followedfor his Coronation in 1661 and wedding in 1662! Atfirst such items were purchased only by thewealthy, but as new manufacturing methods

developed the ordinary general public was able tobuy a little piece of Royal history too. What theybought hasn’t changed a great deal over the years:the most popular items are and have always beencoins, stamps and ceramics, especially mugs. Oh weBrits do love a Royal mug. I wonder if that’s relatedto our love of tea!Special issue coins were first used to mark theGolden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. Themajority of jubilee coins are issued in ‘crown’ size.This has nothing to do with a royal crown but is infact the size of an old crown coin, which was equalin value to 5 shillings. The reason for this is that thelarge size of the coin allows for more detail. Thesespecial coins are not intended for general use andare almost always collected in uncirculated mintcondition. The first stamps associated with a Royal event werethose issued in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria'sGolden Jubilee. Interestingly they were notintended as commemorative issues and were neverreleased as a set. Specific Jubilee sets of stampswere first issued in 1935 for George V's Jubilee. Ceramics have always been popular Royalsouvenirs. Commemorative jugs, vases, mugs, andplates survive in significant numbers from the reignof George III onwards. But it seems the imaginations of the souvenirproducers know no limits. Everything fromwallpaper to underwear has been given some sortof a Royal twist in times past. This time it’s traintickets, with William and Kate gracing the Oystercards of commuters in the capital.Because most souvenirs are now mass producedthey have little commercial value long term, butthey’re fun and colourful and a nice little piece ofhistory to pass on to our children. I still have mySilver Jubilee coin, given to me when I was a childand my seven-year-old son thinks it’s real Royaltreasure. I won’t disillusion him just yet.

The Royal WeddingIt’s a mug’s game!

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Through a vibrant network of local societies,NADFAS - National Association of Decorative andFine Arts Societies opens up the world of arts toeveryone. With monthly lectures on a broad rangeof topics as well as study days, educational visits andholidays at home and abroad, a NADFAS society isnot just a great way to learn - it's a fun way ofmaking new and lasting friendships.WHAT IS NADFAS?Founded in 1968 by Patricia Fay, NADFAS is an arts-based charity, with over 340 local Decorative andFine Art Societies in the UK and Mainland Europe.We also have Societies in New Zealand and a sisterassociation in Australia (AADFAS). The aims andobjects of the National Association are theadvancement of arts education and appreciationand the preservation of our artistic heritage.The core educational activity of a NADFAS Society isthe monthly lecture. Societies plan programmes fortheir members comprising the monthly lecture,Study Days / Days of Special Interest, visits andstudy tours. JOIN US LOCALLYWe are very lucky to have a Society based in Crosbywho meet at 2pm on the 2nd Wednesday of everymonth at Crosby Civic Hall.

CROSBY DECORATIVE & FINE ARTS SOCIETYThere are Slide shows and talks by Qualified andexperienced speakers on a variety of art-connectedsubjects. There are also day visits to places ofInterest. Lectures planned for the following months:

WEDNESDAY 13TH APRILHarry Fletcher MA.BA.MLIA talks about “The Art ofAdvertising”.WEDNESDAY 11TH MAY Peter Darty BA - The world of Carl Faberge.

All Lectures commence at 2.pm in Crosby Civic Halland we would warmly welcome new members.

Please contact the Membership Secretary on 0151 924 4254.

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ARTHISTORY, ART LECTURES, FINE ARTS, learning new skills,joining an arts society andmeeting like minded people ofall ages?

www.nadfas.org.uk

Above all NADFAS must be fun Patricia Fay - Founder


I prefer to be an individual traveller and would hateto have every second of my adventure planned outfor me. However, Kenya is vast and with so much tosee I decided that a tour operator was definitely theway to maximise my chances of success on my huntfor big game; albeit shooting with an SLR ratherthan an elephant gun!The journey to Masai Mara, in western Kenya, iscertainly more pothole than road; you can opt for ahot air balloon tour of the national park but Idefinitely wanted the real experience. It wasn’t themigration season so there would be no thunderousherds of buffalo, the original fast food. It wasactually just before the rains started, so water wasshort and the animals would hopefully be localisedaround permanent watering holes and rivers.Our lion sighting could have been better, just a lazyold boy sunbathing on a rock; not the stealthylioness I was hoping for! We were told elephantswere nearby because of the trampled grass but Iwas more concerned about the rhinos; apparentlythey can run at 35mph and, because of their pooreyesight, they sometimes charge for no reason!Luckily, our rhino seemed quite content eating andposing while we snapped away. Meeting the local Masai people is an incredibleexperience. You are welcomed with a performanceof traditional dance, giraffes mingled in thebackground, and each member of the smallcommunity comes over to say hello. I must admit Iwas quite embarrassed by the whole affair;American tourists ‘Ohmygaad!’ at every Kenyan they

meet and you also get the distinct impression that,however enthusiastic and talented, the villagers arevery good at the whole ‘we’ve never seen a whiteman before’ routine. In fact, they put us to shamesomewhat; not only do they speak an enchantingAfrican language called Maa, they are also prettygood at Swahili and English too. I just hope they getpaid well for humouring us all. Your trip will usually be split across the parks inorder to maximise chances of seeing everything onoffer. We had a specific afternoon dedicated towatering holes where we saw a herd of zebradrinking in the late afternoon and just caught adistant glimpse of buffalo. Our guide pointed out aleopard in a tree to the other side of our jeep,apparently not hungry enough to hunt the stripysitting ducks. At Lake Nakuru we exchanged our fourwheels for a boat and for the next hour all I sawwere pink flamingos sleeping all along the banks.Our boat put-putted along between enormoushippos that groaned at us for disturbing their rest. My last stop was the Mombassa Jungle where Ihoped to meet a real life King Kong! On the waythere we had to make an unexpected stop to checkon another jeep that had driven off the ‘road’ quitea way; they had pulled in to look at a whole familyof elephants! Unfortunately, we didn’t see anygorillas; apparently they are very shy indeed. We didmeet lots of orphaned chimpanzees, being lookedafter by older members of the group. Kenya overwhelmed me with its hospitality andbeautiful wildlife. I leave it with a full memory card.Hopefully this will not be the last time I watch theAfrican sun go down.

Carrie Cartwright-Owen

rriving in Kenya, I passed ashop called “Guns andCameras- for all yourshooting needs” andthought about howtourism in Africa has

changed. The game I’m used to is morepheasant than big five, so I was eager tosee some seriously exotic specimens.

ALions and Rhinosand ChimpsOh my...!

Journal Travel


And so it came to pass, that therewent out a decree from the Officeof National Statistics that the wholecountry should be counted...I've often wondered what the world would make ofbiblical events if they happened in the here andnow and right now we should all have completed aCensus, much like Mary and Joseph when theytravelled to Bethlehem to do so over 2000 yearsago. Thankfully, none of us will have to have madeany sort of journey to complete our Census form(the "H1 Household Questionnaire") on 27th Marchthis year, because what it wants to know is exactlywhere we were there and then. The Census takes place every 10 years. The last timeit took place was back in 2001, not that long ago inmost of our minds, but things were indeed quitedifferent. Kylie couldn't get us out of her head,Shaggy said it wasn't him and Tony Blair wasoccupying number 10, while George .W. Bushmoved into The White House and the nation camethrough a foot and mouth crisis. Nobody had heardof The X-Factor, Facebook or the phrase "CreditCrunch" - what I call "The Good Old Days".Last time around I was aged 14 and "Person 4". It'ssomething I find difficult to remember being, nowI'm aged 24 and what the Census Form would classas a "Householder". It was a simpler time, WillYoung had yet to win my (still) continuingaffections, Cars were something I was chauffeuredin (rather than being the Chauffeur, as I am now)and school books and worksheets occupied mymind (rather than the accounts books and balancesheets that make up a large proportion of myworkload these days).I have had a real role in it this time around though.Not only completing the form for my household, Ihave been acting as a Co-Ordinator for my area ofWaterloo, Crosby and Seaforth. I have the privilegeof supporting a team of Special Enumerators andCollectors. These are the people visiting homes andother residential establishments to encourage andassist those who have yet to return their formsafter the big day. They'll be able to provide newforms for those that have been lost, damaged ornever arrived and will even be able to collect

completed formsand post them ona householder'sbehalf. Of course, keepingthings modernand new to theCensus this timearound, you caneven completeyour form online.The effort for this Census began a long time agowith field staff out up and down the countryidentifying new properties, those that no longerexist and buildings being used as dwellings.Examples of just some of these being garden sheds,tents and barns believe it or not (maybe if they'dhave said "stable"). Forms should have been with allhouseholds by 25th March 2011, with deliverybeing undertaken by Royal Mail. The Helpline andOnline Help Centre have been available from 4thMarch 2011. SO WHY IS THE CENSUS SO IMPORTANT?For a start, it gives us a snapshot of the entirecountry at a point in time, a time that will of coursebecome history. The information you provide will beheld in confidence, with only the statistics itproduces being used for the benefit of thecommunity. The information is used to help thegovernment plan for services and provisions such ashealth, education, leisure, transport and housing.By completing your form you can help shapetomorrow, not only for you but for futuregenerations. It's why I became involved. I'm a localresident, Business Woman, Daughter and Sister,Renal Patient, but most importantly, a member ofthe community. This is not my day job of course, it'sa role I've taken alongside of my enterprise, tohopefully make some difference. As a nation wethrive on community spirit and it's why I will beattending many of the completion events ([email protected] for times & dates ) foranyone who wants some assistance in completingtheir form. There's a reason this country is called Great Britainand it's not because of it's size; by completing yourH1 Household Questionnaire you can shape abetter tomorrow for us all.

Find out more: www.census.gov.uk

WHERE WERE YOU ON 27th MARCH 2011?by Katie Burgess, Crosby


The S60 is aimed squarely at the “compact,prestige, sporting saloon” segment of the market, inother words it is up against the BMW 3 Series andAudi A4. What is it doing differently that will enableVolvo to take the fight to these titans of theprestige car industry? Well, if we start with thestyling I have to say it looks the part. From the sideprofile it has the curves that, these days, areassociated with a four door coupé and from therear everything is taut and tidy. Unfortunately, untilVolvo decides to completely abandon its boxyheritage, the front end is always going to be aproblem. Even with the trendy LED running lights,the headlights are bulbous and awkward looking. Tomy eye the car looks slightly too high sided andstubby as well.Climb inside and everything is as it should be in anexecutive saloon. The fit and finish, quality ofplastics and all-round ergonomics are nearly upthere with the Audi and ahead of anything BMW orMercedes have to offer. I’m not wild about the slab-like centre console but it is a Volvo after all. Thefront seats are supremely comfortable but if you getin the back you will find that the price of those

coupé-like looks is limited leg room, a centre seatthat is strictly for kids and a slightly claustrophobicfeel. There are also some funky things on theoptions list, how about a collision avoidance systemthat detects pedestrians walking out in front of youand applies the brakes before you run them over? Volvo’s tried and tested 2.4 litre 5 cylinder dieselproduces 204bhp in this guise, enough for a 7.4second 0-62 time and a top end of 146mph. I likethe hefty shove in the back it gives when it hits thepower band and that distinctive 5 cylinder warblemakes it one of the few diesels that I actually enjoythe sound of. The economy figures don’t quite keepup with the likes of BMW, expect around 50mpg inmixed motoring, but are perfectly respectable. Idrove the six speed manual which is fine, but I hearthat the automatic is to be avoided.What about the handling though? After all, Volvohas made a huge song and dance about what asporty drive this car is. I can report that this iswithout doubt the best handling Volvo I have everdriven and I would go further, it is considerablybetter than the class leading Ford Mondeo whoseplatform it shares. Even so, it doesn’t exactly makeyour heart sing and urge you to push it into everycorner as hard as you can. The steering is decidedlylifeless too. By way of contrast the ride is excellent,soaking up the bumps like a bigger car but withoutany wallowing or excessive roll. The way I see it isthat it will be a rare occasion indeed when youexplore the limits of the handling envelope of yoursporty saloon, but a supple ride is something youwill appreciate every time you drive it.The S60 is a solid all rounder and represents goodvalue for money. Somehow though, I don’t thinkthat it will have the German aristocracy quaking intheir boots. Even so, if you are bored with your A4or 3 Series, it is worthy of serious consideration.And if you are quite happy to drive a second tier,prestige sporty saloon, this is definitely the one togo for.Kit Johnson Car tested Volvo S60 D5 £26,745 RRP

Road TestVolvo S60 D5

Volvo has long been viewed assitting in the second tier ofprestige car manufacturers, aclub that includes Saab andAlfa Romeo. The reasons forthis are simple, dynamicallyand stylistically any recent

model Volvo has produced has not been the matchof its rivals from Audi, Mercedes and BMW. Withthe new S60, Volvo has set out to remedy this, orat least that’s what the launch advertisingcampaign would have us believe.

VJournal Motoring



We've all been there, it's 2am,you're fast asleep when suddenlynext door's alarm system kicks off.You know that they are away onholiday, so you do the neighbourlything and get dressed and go andinvestigate.Following a good look around the property youcan't find anything wrong so you go back to bedand try and go back to sleep. After 20 minutes thesounders resets and everything goes quiet. You arejust about to drop off to sleep again and off it goesonce more. Over the next couple of hours this isrepeated over and over again.Next day you try and contact your neighbours, butcan't; through the day the alarm behaves itself, butnext night it's off again. You are now in a positionwhere you don't bother to get out of bed, or if youdo it's to go and switch the alarm off altogether,leaving the house vulnerable, but not annoying therest of the road.The most common cause of alarms randomlyactivating is the back-up battery. If the battery isnot replaced on a regular basis, say every five years,its ability to hold a charge decreases. This effect isincreased when the temperature drops in themiddle of the night. At this point the alarmgenerates random activations.The remedy to help prevent these randomactivations is to get your system regularly serviced.This has a number of benefits. the systems is"health checked" to ensure that it's running at itspeak performance and potential problems can beidentified and remedied before they occur. Mostreputable companies would replace therechargeable battery back up every five years,irrespective of how it tested out. Having an ongoingmaintenance agreement will usually lead to adiscount on your insurance and with premiums setto rise again, every little helps!On a more serious note, the continuous sounding ofan alarm comes under the Environmental HealthAct, in the Noise Pollution section. A court can issuea warrant for the premises to be entered and the

system silenced. In this case the homeowner wouldreturn from holiday to find that entry has beenmade into their premises, the alarms has beendisconnected and they will be getting a substantialbill for the work that has been done. In extremecases, you may be summonsed to court forprosecution, with a fine up to £5000.So what can you do? Get an approved alarmcompany to come and give your system a "healthcheck". As with any electronic equipment youcannot guarantee that a fault will never develop,but a regular check of the system will help toreduce the risk of problems occurring. Take out amaintenance contract; there are companies thatwill offer a maintenance contract to systems thatthey haven't installed themselves, so shop around,as always, remember you get what you pay for, sodon't necessarily go for the cheapest.

Journal House & Home

That Bl**dy Alarm!by Roy Williams - Crosby Intruder Alarms

Advertisingstartsfromonly £15



The British Blind and Shutter Association (BBSA) isurging homeowners and building users wherechildren live or may visit to ensure they considerreducing the possible risks associated with windowblind operating cords and chains.To offer parents support and independent advicethe BBSA has a campaign called “Make it Safe” toprovide practical advice regarding blind cord safetyand to highlight the options available to make yourwindow blind safe. You can download a freebrochure from www.makeitsafe.org.uk or evenwatch a video on what to consider when buyingnew blinds as well as how to make existing blindssafer.The BBSA and its members have been very active indeveloping simple, effective, low cost safetyfeatures that are suitable for all blind styles.There are also different operating methods andeven window blinds which do not have loopedoperating cords or chains at all, so there are lots ofoptions available. Many of these offered by BBSAmembers can be retrofitted to existing blinds, soyou do not have to wait until you replace a blind toimprove its safety.BBSA member Eric Francis of The Waterloo BlindCompany said, “We fully support the BBSA’s “Makeit Safe” campaign and all the blinds we make andsell comply with the relevant standards.”

The BBSA’s advice is very simple for homes orbuildings where children live or visit:

• When buying a new blind consider one whichdoes not have operating cords or chains, hasconcealed cords or an inherent safety device.

• If you have an existing blind keep any operatingcords or chains out of a child’s reach or get a retrofit device to improve safety of cords and chains.

• Do not tie cords together and make sure theydo not twist and create a loop.

• Move cots, beds and furniture away fromwindows and blinds. Ask for a leaflet!

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See Page 61

Downloading the Sefton’s Got Talent applicationform from the Plaza or Marine FC website marksthe start of the journey. And by January, auditionsday one at Marine FC is set to kick off. Everythingfrom magicians to dancers, singers and guitarists,slapstick mime and bands were ready to do theirstuff. Singers warmed up in the corridors, dancerslimbered up in the hall, and anxious parents andloved ones looked on as their little stars were putthrough their paces by the judges.

All types of entertainment was on show, allsupported by mums, dads, or whole families urgingthem on. Some used backing tracks, some sang‘dry’ without music, but all gave it their best for thethree judges. Former journalist and fellow judge Colin Harveysaid it was great to see the range of talent andabilities. “The youngest was just six years old and itwas exciting waiting to see what came through thedoor next!”Former theatrical production assistant Ann Jacksonsaid. “It was a pleasure to see so much enthusiasmfrom such a range of ages”. Auditions day two dawned at Marine FC, andclutching hot coffee, the judges took their places forthe second round, which was even bigger than thefirst. Over sixty acts turned up, and again, the bighall was abuzz with dance troupes and drummers,whilst more singers and comedy acts did their stuffin the smaller room, keeping the judges on themove between rooms.Overall, more than 108 acts were seen, comprisingalmost 300 people, and Peter McCormack said thestandard overall was very high: “We had to extendthe line-up a little because there were some toogood to let go, but we’d like to thank everyone who

took part and advise themnot to give up, tocontinue developing theiracts, and to apply next year.”All the acts were marked out of 100, with technicalability and audience engagement being top of thelist. All the acts were videoed to help the judgesrecall who did what, and later over several cups ofstrong coffee, the final 22 emerged..It was down to Peter to give the finalists the goodnews personally over the phone: “This is probablythe best job, when you hear the delight at the otherend, the gasps of disbelief, people saying things like‘Are you sure you want me?’, it’s great.”“Last year, there was some difficulty comparing asinger with say a dancer, so this year we expandedthe categories to four so dancers, soloinstrumentalists and performing arts were groupedin one category, while singers, choirs and bandswere in another”.The proceeds from the show on March 6th weresplit between Marine FC and the Plaza. But puttingon a show like this is quite costly, so a new sponsor,Waterloo based property company ConcentricLettings was recruited.One of the first tasks as a SGT finalist is to meet thesponsor, so Concentric’s Steve Latham welcomedeleven year old Sophie Clarke, sixteen year old Dinaand nine year old Freddy Kearns and ten year oldHarry Gascoigne to their Waterloo offices inBrighton Road where he explained how he’d grownup in the street just behind the Plaza. On hearingabout their appeal for sponsorship, he decided tostump up the cash.


SEFTON’S GOT TALENTThe Road to the Final by Colin Harvey

Overall Winners - Fusion

Sefton’s Got Talent Finalists Revealed

Steve said “Concentric Lettings is an ethically basedbusiness, fully accredited with all the Merseysidecouncils, offering residential housing for the localcommunity. I’ve spent many happy hours in thePlaza, and was amazed by the excellent projectscarried out there, especially the spirit that Jan Dunnand her team of volunteers brings.”Peter was delighted to have Concentric onboard:“We’re always looking for ways to improve the showand enhance the experience for the youngsterstaking part; thanks to Concentric’s help, we wereable to use professional staging, sound and lighting”With all finalists notified and rehearsing like mad,‘finals day’ started at eight o’clock with a delivery tothe Plaza of miles of cables, staging, sound andlighting equipment. With only six hours before‘curtain up’, there wasn’t a moment to lose. SteveWright and his colleague Jack of locally based‘Studio Services’ were keen to get started. Stevesaid: “I’ve done many types of gig, from jazz to rockfestivals, but I’m always happiest when I’ve got thebasic rig up, the lights lit and the sound on.”It took Steve and Jack more than two hours to geteverything rigged, and the finalists started arrivingfor their sound checks from mid morning. StageManager Colin Harvey ensured everyone got achance to run through their act, while sound wasadjusted to give each act the best sound possible.Colin said: “Each act has up to four minutes, and wemust make sure there are no hitches with the wrongmusic etc. It’s a tight schedule, because we haveopeners Nathan Sanderson and Mitch Mimms tocheck, plus the show closer Chloe Mclaughlan aswell as the 21 acts”An hour to go, and show host, Radio Merseyside’sRoger Philips arrives to go over his script, shortlyfollowed by the three judges; actress and directorSuzy Walker, Dune FM presenter John Cooper andveteran broadcaster and journalist Ian HamiltonFazey.The sound checking stops briefly, when a piece ofthe stage comes loose, but Jack clambersunderneath with a torch and soon, the run-throughbegins again.All checks done, half an hour to go, the doors openand 550 plus people pour into the space clutchingtheir drinks, food and banners, wearing ‘t’ shirtswith things like ‘come on Dance Craze’ or ‘ConnorRocks’. The atmosphere builds and when JudyGarland’s ‘That’s Entertainment’ and the Gleeversion of ‘Make ‘em Laugh’ boom out as anoverture, you know show time is only minutesaway..


An excited crowd builds at the Plaza

Last minute touches for Fusion

Connor Farrell

Roger Philips and Candyman


Debbie Blakemore and PeterMcCormack run the ‘green room’-screen 2 actually, and from there,all the acts are ‘fed’ on cue to thestage. Debbie says: “176performers take some managing,so I make sure while each act ison, we’ve got at least two moreacts waiting here. It’s chaotic, butgreat to see their faces light upwhen I say ‘stand by..”A magnificent kit of midnightblack drums is assembled at theside of the stage ready to bemoved on stage for ten year oldDaniel Bowen, who is to open thecompetition following last year’swinners, keyboard wizard NathanSanderson and ace MichaelJackson tribute Mitch Mimms- nopressure there then! Super cool Daniel works hisflawless magic to great applause,as do the other nine finalists:Space Centre ‘Candyman; EvieEdwards; The One & Onlys;Sparkle & Shine; Dance CrazeJuniors; Harry Gascoigne; SarahLouise Jones; Bethany Lythgoeand the Hatton Hill Singers.Before you can say ‘That’s showbusiness’, we’re into the intervaland stage crew James and Emilyfrom events company ‘RC Parties’are on hand to rig the amplifierand mic for thirteen year oldConnor Farrell, who will open thesecond half, showcasing the 12-18year olds.Stage Manager Colin Harvey atthe side of the stage to keepeverything ticking over says “It’samazing, a lot of these youngstershave hardly performed before,never mind on a stage like this,but as they come off, after they’veperformed, they’ve actually grownin their four minutes; they’re sopleased”.Fellow finalists: Fusion; JessFairley; Dirty Dancing

Remix; Tom Lyon; Dance CrazeSeniors; Beth Readman; Fredina;Sophie Clarke; Space Centre ‘ABC’;St Michael’s High School SambaBand all wow the crowd with theirindividual styles- and then it’sover and the waiting begins.The judges retire and the plaza istreated to an enthrallingperformance of ‘I Dreamed ADream’ from Les Miserables bythirteen year old ChloeMclaughlan, who would havebeen a strong contender had shenot lived outside the area!Judge at the final, Dune FM’s JohnCooper said “I was truly amazedat the array of talent Sefton has,from singers, to fantastic dancegroups, and everything inbetween. The only real losers onthe day where the judges, as wehad to choose only one winner!”Host Roger Philips was equallyimpressed: “I’m amazed how goodeveryone was and how maturethey all were, even the little onesperforming on such a big stagetakes some doing, so well done toall.”Organiser Peter McCormack said“I’d like to thank everyone whotook part, who helped behind thescenes, Colin Harvey, Jan Dunn,Martin Fol and all the volunteersat the Plaza, without whom, wecouldn’t put the show on”.Over 176 performers took part inthe final and apart from the fourcategory winners and the overallwinner, every one reaching thefinal was to receive a specialcertificate, so James and Emily’slast job was to get the table, glassengraved trophies and certificatesready…Finally, the results were in, thecrowd is hushed and Roger Philipsopens the golden envelope…

Cat 1 U12 Winner Bethany Lythgoe

Cat 2 12-18 Winner Samba Band

Cat 2 U12 Winner Sarah Louise Jones

THE WINNERS OF SEFTON’SGOT TALENT 2011 WERE:Category 1 under 12Bethany Lythgoe

Category 2 under 12- SarahLouise Jones

Category 1 12 to 18- Hillside HighSchool ‘Fusion’

Category 2 12 to 18St Michael’s High School Samba BandOverall Winner‘Fusion’

Photos kindly supplied by Susan Nugent


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inter is well and trulyover and what anawful one it hasbeen. Spring has

finally arrived and we are back inbusiness at the allotment.

We have been making repairs to anything that wasdamaged by the frost and snow. The fruit cage lostits roof due to the sheer weight of snow that fell onit, the old mini greenhouses need new plastic coversas the old ones have cracked with the frost and onmore than one occasion I had to retrieve the coldframe from next door’s allotment as the wind hadblown it there! But all in all, I suppose there hasn’tbeen too much damage. So it’s a new start to the growing season - for manyweeks I have been sowing seeds and chittingpotatoes at home in the greenhouse, front bedroomand porch. Our home is overflowing with tomatoes(5 different varieties this year!), peppers, beans,peas, cauliflowers, sweet corn, cabbages etc. Now Ihave to start hardening them off before they getplanted outside. This involves moving trays and traysof plants onto the lawn every morning and thenputting them all back into the greenhouse in theevening until eventually, after a few weeks, they areready to go out into the big wide world (or down tothe allotment in this case!)At least this year there shouldn’t be too muchdigging to do on the allotment. Over the years wehave gradually dug it over and built raised beds andraised old baths and in between these we have laidsheets of weed repressant and covered this withbark chippings. So, fingers crossed there shouldn’tbe too much weeding to do either and it will be a loteasier to manage.My aim this year is to have better success with theparsnips. Last year we sowed loads of seeds and Ithink we got about 3 parsnips for all our trouble!

I don’t know what we did wrong- the seeds werefresh and we tried a few different varieties. Maybe itwas the weather? If in doubt, blame the weather Isay!I would love to keep chickens on the allotment, butmost councils don’t allow this. So, instead Jeanettehas bought 3 hens and keeps them in her backgarden. At first they had free run of the garden butthey were making such a mess with the plants andpots (not to mention their toilet habits!) that sheand her husband Ken built a chicken run. Thisconfines them to one area of the garden but theystill have lots of room to run around. However, therun hasn’t been perfected yet as one little tinker,Ginger, still manages to escape when she gets thechance!One of the best reasons for keeping chickens is thatyou know they are going to have a better life andyour eggs haven’t come from any form of cruelty.There certainly isn’t any profit from keeping a fewhens, but what can be nicer than collecting a nicewarm egg from your garden and having a freshchucky egg for your breakfast? They may not beeasily trained or as affectionate as a cat or dog butthere is something very soothing about listening totheir gentle clucking. In fact there are a few goodreasons for keeping chickens apart from the eggs -they eat slugs. Now anything that reduces the slugpopulation is a friend of mine! Their waste productis also an excellent fertilizer - it is full of nitrogen andmakes a great compost activator. They can also befed any of your cabbage and lettuce which havebolted.So whenever Jeanette and Ken go away I am alwayskeen to do a bit of chicken sitting as I get paid infresh eggs!For more info on keeping chickens go to:www.chickenkeepers.co.uk orwww.chicken-at-home.co.uk

TravelLois on the Allotment

W

Thornton and CrosbyGardeners ClubMonthly meetings are on the last Friday

of each month (except April & December) atST LUKE’S CHURCH HALL, CROSBY VILLAGE

at 7.45pm Membership is £10 per year (Visitors £1)

and this includes tea and biscuits. Interesting speakers, charity plant tables and raffle.

New members and visitors welcomeFurther information from Paul Lovelady - Tel. 0151 924 4901


Good Friday is traditionally the day for planting yourspuds - but it falls a lot later this year, which is justas well as my brother-in-law gets married on GoodFriday and I don’t think he would take too kindly tome turning up to his wedding in my wellies! Soprobably at the beginning of April is a good time toplant them.Start growing salad crops at regular intervals so youhave a continuous supply through summer.Towards the end of April start hardening off tomatoplants and other frost tender crops so that they willbe ready to plant out mid May.This month you can start sowing broad beans, peas,cauliflowers, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, carrots etc.outside - but don’t be caught out! There is still achance of frost. So protect your plants with fleece,net curtains or cut down plastic lemonade bottlesfor individual plants if there is a chance of thetemperature dropping, otherwise your plans can beset back weeks.Keep on top of weeds. They have woken up again! Aregular hoeing session for a few minutes a day cansave you a lot of time in the long run.

Keep an eye on the slugs and other pests. As soon asyou see any, remove and destroy!Don’t forget to keep any egg shells - break them upand put around the base of plants to deter slugs andsnails - they don’t like crawling on the rough surface.Til next time- Happy veggie growing! Lois

APRIL & MAYAllotment Jobs

Start growing salad crops at regular intervals so you have a continuous supply through summer.


ave you ever gazed inadmiration at aneighbour’s glorioushanging basket andwondered why yoursdoesn’t measure up?

Hanging baskets can be things of abundant beauty,but often they are too sparsely planted or worse,look like abandoned birds nests.If you want to be the object of basket-envy thisyear, you need to take on board a few trade secrets.The most important thing to note, if you’re new tobasket-planting, is that size really does matter. For agood basket you’ll need the minimum of a 35cm /14 inch size wire frame type. This will have a depthof 15cm / 6 inches which allows for lots of compostand means that the basket won’t dry out quickly.You can also plant through the sides to give thatreally luxuriant, over-flowing look.Second, for a really showy basket you will almostcertainly need twice as many plants as you thinkyou will! For each wire basket, plan to use at least2 strips (that’s sixteen little plants!) of somethinglike Lobelia or Bidens; two upright plants for thecentre top of the basket - small upright fuchsias orgeraniums work well; four small bushy flowers likeBusy Lizzies or petunias, for round the top edge ofthe basket, and three or four trailing plants -geraniums and trailing petunias would be perfect. This planting ‘recipe’ can be altered to suit yourown tastes. For instance, I sometimes like to swap acouple of the trailing flowers for trailing foliage

plants, such as Lysimachia nummularia or smallleaved ivies.Line the basket with moss raked from your lawn(though not if you’ve used a weed killer) or aproprietary liner. I prefer the liners because ourgarden birds steal the moss and my plants begin tofall out after a while!You’ll need about 10 litres of compost. Mix it withwater retaining granules for best results. Soak theplants really well, then when you remove the littleplants from their trays, you can give the root balls agood squeeze so they will be small enough to pokethrough the holes in the wire frame of the basket.Build the basket up in three tiers, adding morecompost as each tier is planted. The best way to dothis is to stand the basket on a large plant pot forstability.Once planted, you can stand it in a sheltered areafor a week or so if the frosts aren’t quite finished,otherwise you can hang it straight up. Make sureyour brackets are sturdy and secure, or yourbeautiful basket might end up in a crumpled messon the floor.Keep it watered and feed it once a week, as allthose plants crammed into a tiny space deplete thenutrients in the compost very quickly.Finally, sit back and enjoy being the object ofneighbourhood basket-envy.

Journal Gardening

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GOOD LUCK!(Answer on Page 61 )

Journal Recipes

ROAST PORK LOINWITH APPLE STUFFING

Ingredients2.25kg / 5lbs loin of pork, with the rind on2 tablespoons / 30ml cider vinegar1 tablespoon / 15ml oil2 tablespoons / 30g coarse sea salt4 bay leaves4 crushed garlic cloves600ml / 1 pint chicken stock2 teaspoons cornflour

Method

Apple Stuffing3 medium onions, peeled4 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped(Bramleys for preference)2 tbsp crumbled dried sage leaves1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper1 tbsp butter, finely cubed

Apple StuffingIf you don't want your stuffing to be too strong onthe onion (I love the flavour, but it's a personalchoice) parboil the onions in lightly-salted water for10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. If you'rehappy for the full flavour, omit this step.Chop the onion very finely then combine with thechopped apples, sage, pepper and butter.Either shape into balls and bake for 10mins on GasMark 4 (or equivalent) or bake as a whole piece in asuitable dish for 20 mins on the same heat setting.

Lightly score the pork rind, or ask your butcher todo this for you if you're not sure how.For a nice, crispy crackling: Place the pork onto amedium roasting tin. Take your pork over to thesink and pour boiling water from the kettle over thepork rind and soak for about 1 minute and 30seconds. Drain the water and then pour the cidervinegar over the joint. Place the joint uncovered inthe fridge overnight.Preheat the oven to gas mark 7 or equivalent.Drizzle the olive oil over the pork and rub into theskin. Sprinkle over the salt. Place in the oven andcook for half an hour then reduce the temperatureof the oven to gas mark 5 and continue to cook fora further 2 hours.An hour before the end of cooking time add thebayleaves and garlic into the roasting tin.30 minutes before the end of cooking time, add thechicken stock to the roasting pan. When the pork iscooked remove from the roasting tray and allow torest for 15 minutes in a warming place. Transfer theliquid mixture to a saucepan, place on a high heat,add the cornflour and then whisk until the gravyhas thickened.

Preheat oven to Gas 3 or equivalent. Grease a8in/21cm spring form cake tin.Finely crush thebiscuits and combine with the ground cinnamonand nutmeg, then stir in the melted butter.Press biscuit mix into the bottom of the tin andplace in refrigerator for 1 hour until firm.Beat the cream cheese until it is softened, thenbeat in the caster sugar until combined and themixture is smooth and creamy.Stir in the zest and lemon juice then add to thecream cheese mixture, beating until just combined.Combine the eggs, cream, vanilla and lemon extractby lightly whisking them together until soft peak

300g digestive biscuits2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground nutmeg125g unsalted butter, melted750g cream cheese200g caster sugar1 tblspn grated lemon zestJuice 1 large lemon. 4 large eggs, lightly beaten300ml single cream2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon extract1 teaspoon sugar1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

BAKED LEMONCHEESECAKE

Ingredients

Both recipes have been kindly supplied from KatieBurgess from Elegance Cakes & Catering - aCrosby based company.

Journal Recipes

Carnival Walk

LadiesMidnight

Danceand

WarmUp

Zumba

Friday 6 May 2Friday 6 May 2011011Friday 6 May 2011

Samba

Band

Join us for aJoin us for anight to remember!night to remember!

Join us for anight to remember!

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included inregistration

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Our fully guided 10km walk followswell-lit roads through Thornton and

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Guests are welcome to join us on the nightand wave off the ladies on the walk!

Call 0151 932 6035Email: [email protected] www.jospice.org.uk

Charity Reg No. 1090151

form, then add this to the cream cheese mixture,beating as you go, until smooth, being careful not tooverbeat.Pour mixture over the prepared digestive biscuitbase then sprinkle the top with the cinnamon andsugar.Bake for 1 hour in centre of the oven, or until cakeis firm to touch in the centre.Remove from oven and allow to cool for at leasttwo hours and then store in the refrigerator to firmthe cake. Remove from springform tin and serve



or a long time it has beenpossible to connect yourcomputer to your TV using avariety of cables or, morecommonly these days, viasome kind of wireless

connector. This is great, you can watchfilms you’ve downloaded off the internetwithout the hassle of burning them to aDVD or you can, of course, play yourfavourite computer games on a glorious 42inch high definition screen – you can evenplay them in 3D. What you haven’t beenable to do is watch one of your favouritewebsites, for instance YouTube, on yourTV.The advantages of being able to view the web onyour TV are considerable. For starters, forgetFreeview with its measly 50 channels, there arearound 2400 free internet TV channels available,though admittedly many of them are foreignlanguage or of limited appeal. If you want somehigher quality TV output, you have all the morepopular recent TV programs available through thelikes of iPlayer, Four OD and ITV player. This freesyou from the shackles of TV schedules and allowsyou to watch whatever you want at a time that suitsyou – the latest edition of Top Gear at four in themorning? Not a problem! You don’t even have toremember to set your recorder.Then there’s the ubiquitous YouTube. Even if yousubscribe to the appropriate Sky TV package andhave 7 or 8 music channels available, you still haveto watch whatever videos or interviews Sky arechoosing to broadcast at the time. There is now aSky channel available that allows you to choosefrom several thousand music videos and streamwhatever you want to watch but it costs £4.99 permonth. Compare this to YouTube where you canwatch virtually any music video ever made, peoplefilming themselves doing ludicrous things and muchmore besides completely free. All the online movierental outfits such as Love Film now offer video

streaming services so you can watch whatever filmyou choose without having to wait for the DVD toturn up in the post.The big TV manufacturers are now offering internetready models and these are starting to pick up a fairchunk of market share. However, the path theyhave gone down is to set up partnerships with thegiant websites rather than simply make the wholeof the internet available through your TV. Hence, aSony Bravia IRTV will provide access to iPlayer,YouTube, Love Film and Sony’s in-house videochannel. If you haven’t got an IRTV, you can achievethe same result using a PS3.But what if you just want to view whatever is onyour computer on your TV screen? The best device Ihave found is a Veebeam which retails for £99. Thisconnects your PC or laptop wirelessly with the TVand operates in two modes. In desktop mode youjust see whatever is on your computer screen. Aswell as all the advantages I’ve described above, thisis also very handy for giving presentations at avenue where the only facility available is atelevision set. In play-to mode you can play adownloaded film from your computer in HD qualitywhile still continuing to work on the laptop at thesame time – handy when working from home andtrying to keep the kids entertained.There is an increasing concern about theconvergence of TV sets and the internet. The mainworry is children being exposed to adult materialwhile just watching TV in the living room. Thegovernment is trying to introduce legislation whereyou have to actively opt in to view adult contentrather than using parental controls to screen it out.I think this makes a lot of sense but, in themeantime, with a Veebeam the parental controlsyou’ve set up on your laptop also apply to your TV.

Graham Iek - IT Consultant

THE INTERNETComing soon to a TV Screen near you...

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his year the citizens of theUK will be able to enjoysomething they haven’tbeen able to indulge insince 1975, a nationwidereferendum. Sadly, it’s on

an issue that most of us are totallyindifferent to, the switch to the alternativevoting system. It also transpires that mostpeople have absolutely no idea what theAV system actually is so I’d better explainit.Currently we have a first past the post system so ifone candidate gets 36% of the vote and the nearestcontender gets 35%, then the first candidate getselected. Under the AV system, you list thecandidates in order of preference, though you canjust list your preferred candidate. To get elected, acandidate must get over 50% of the vote. If nocandidate does this then the candidate with theleast votes is eliminated and the 2nd preferences ofthe people who voted for that candidate, assumingthere are any, are split among the remainingcandidates. This process continues until onecandidate manages to creep over the 50% mark.This all seems perfectly sensible but I have a coupleof questions. What happens to the third, fourth andfifth preferences? If they’re just ignored, whybother having them? And what happens if therearen’t enough second preferences to push one ofthe candidates over the 50% mark?I can certainly see the appeal of AV to Nick Cleggbecause it is estimated that, if it had been in placeat the last election, the Lib Dems would have won79 seats instead of the 57 they actually won. Betterstill, AV is more likely to lead to a hung parliamentwhich, of course, leaves Nick and chums holding thebalance of power. Gordon Brown had a death bedconversion to the cause just before the lastelection. No doubt he’d worked out that it woulddeliver a few more Labour seats, thoughconsidering that Labour won 55% of the seats in the2005 election with just 35% of the vote, I have tosay the odds are already stacked sufficiently in theirfavour.

Nick has some compelling arguments for AV. It is“fairer” because MPs must win a clear majority inorder to be voted in and it should lead to a closercorrelation between the share of the vote a partyreceives and the number of seats they have inparliament. What’s more, he says, they’ve had AV inAustralia for yonks and they’ve had less hungparliaments than we have.Well, I have a few arguments against it. First pastthe post is actually a very positive system; you votefor the candidate that you want to represent you. Ifyou don’t care which candidate represents you,then don’t bother voting. Under AV, the door isopened to tactical voting; in other words you useyour second preference to keep out the candidateyou especially don’t want to get in, an entirelynegative activity. As for MPs being elected by aclear majority under AV, that’s rubbish. They’re justmaking use of the second choice of someone whoactually voted for somebody else. In any race therecan be only one winner; it really doesn’t matterhow much of a margin they win by. The Liberal Democrats make much of the fact thatthey won 23% of the popular vote in the 2010election but only secured 9% of the seats. I look atit another way, 77%, an overwhelming majority ofvoters, didn’t want a Liberal Democrat government.If voters were distributed even remotely evenlyacross the country they wouldn’t have got any seatsat all. The most compelling argument against AV isprovided by the last time it was used in this country,the Labour leadership election. I firmly believe thatthe wrong guy got the job… and he did so courtesyof the alternative voting system.Howard Clemmow

Journal Opinion

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ANY LOCAL ISSUES OR CONCERNS?Please contact:Cllr Peter Papworth (Blundellsands)Tel: 0151 924 2950 E-mail: [email protected] Martyn Barber (Crosby, Thornton & Hightown)Tel: 0151 924 2532 E-mail: [email protected]: www.martynbarber.yourcllr.com

1 2 3 4 5 6

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Award Winning Baby Development Classes

designed for babies from birth to 13 months

light showsUnique activities that

will surprise and delight both you and your baby!

texturesSpecial equipment and resources exclusive to the programme.

Sessions held on:

Tuesdays

Crosby 10:00-11:00

Formby 14:00-15:00

Starting Jan 2010

The first visit is a free trial session so come along and see what we do!

Techniques to stimulate your baby

Activities for the development of language

Exercises to enhance the bonding process

Varied sensory experience to encourage learning

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A robot whose eyes help a boy to makedecisions? A kiss for an ice statue? Apeeing contest, won by practice? All ofthese and more feature in the weird andwonderful tales in this collection by PaulJennings.If the plots sound vaguely familiar to readers of acertain age, it may be because they featured in thecult kids’ TV series ‘Round the Twist’ which aired inthe late 1980s and early 1990s (the Australian onewith the lighthouse – remember?). Like the series,the stories are unusual, fast-paced and ideal foryoung teenage readers – even reluctant ones.All of the stories tread the line between fantasy andreality with skill. While the events may be strangeand unpredictable, the characters are convincinglyreal. In ‘Sloppy Jalopy’, the bizarre sequences inwhich a mysterious earring attracts rubbish to thewearer are made believable by the narrator

Smacka, a typicalteenage rebel. Jennings’ language isat once inventiveand precise, and thesplitting of thestories into sectionsmakes them easy toread in small chunks.However, you are unlikely to stop until the mysteryhas been resolved and you will probably findyourself looking for the next volume of shortstories. Uncanny, perhaps, or Unbelievable? Thechoice is yours.

Unmentionable by Paul Jennings

Children’s Book Choice

“It is not what children are taught, but how they are treated,

that determines the sort of adult they will become”John Holt - Author and Educator

Journal Children & Education

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From 2nd April – 2nd May, National PetMonth will be encouraging people to gethappy and healthy spending time withtheir pets with its theme of ‘Happinessis...time with your pet’.During the month, thousands of people will becelebrating life with their pets at hundreds ofevents up and down the country. While many ofthese events will raise funds for local animalcharities, National Pet Month is not just about fundraising. It is also all about raising awareness of howpets make people’s lives better, and how they canrepay the pets they love by looking after themresponsibly.It’s a great opportunity for pet care businesses orveterinary practices to get involved and show whatthey have to offer clients – and potential clients. Last year saw National Pet Month become the mostsuccessful to date with a record number of 1200events and nearly £80,000 raised for at least 30animal charities.

Why not be a part of this?National Pet Month’s aims are to:• Promote responsible pet ownership• Make people aware of the mutual benefits ofliving with pets

• Increase public awareness of the role of pet carespecialists

• Raise awareness of the value of working and assistance companion animals

National Pet Month is a registered charity, unique inbringing together animal welfare charities,professional bodies, pet businesses, schools, youthgroups and pet lovers, with the common goal ofimproving the welfare of pets. The trustees areNational Office of Animal Health (NOAH), Pet FoodManufacturers’ Association (PFMA) and Pet CareTrust (PCT).Anyone interested in running events for NationalPet Month should check out the details on puttingon an event.

Details of how to join in and become a supporterare on website www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk..

Journal Pets

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The Fighter charts the struggle of Bostonborn Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), a boxerwith one last shot at making the big time. Hemust not only battle his opponents in thering, but slug it out with his overbearing,crack addicted older brother Dickie (ChristianBale) and their dominating mother (MelissaLeo).If the plot of The Fighter, an honest blue-collar guysucceeding against the odds, sounds like a cliché,

it’s probably because it is. It is very nearly the plotof every other movie ever. On paper this film shouldnot work; it should be predictable and boring withthe kind of ephemeral, saccharine-sweetness thatjust leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Yet The Fighterdoes work, it works extremely well. It worksbecause, through a combination of superb scriptingand top-drawer acting, this old tale plays itself outwith characters you don’t just want to succeed, butcare about enough to worry that they won’t.

Wahlberg has quietly been defining himself not justas a competent actor, but one with extraordinarydepth and range. In the shadow of Bale’s Oscarnominated melodrama, it is Wahlberg’s that makesthe film work. We fear for him not just inside thering, but also outside it which is where he takes thebiggest punches. The script does well to deviatefrom the ‘family is best’ angle of many films of thistype; the not so black and white depiction of loyaltykeeps this one fresh.A careful and controlled approach to this genre iswhat makes The Fighter work; it plays as ifmeticulous effort has been put into all the details,from the casting to the recreation of the fights. Asolid effort all round.James WarrenMy Rating ****


Journal Leisure

Much has been written about the lives ofordinary people during the Second WorldWar, but this fascinating book deals with theless well-documented post war years, as theinitial euphoria of victory wore off and theharsh reality of continued rationing andshortages hit home.Garfield’s book uses diaries originally submitted tothe Mass Observation Project, recording the dailyroutines and experiences of five very different‘characters’ – Edie Rutherford, originally from SouthAfrica and now a South Yorkshire housewife,Herbert Brush, pensioner and poet, George Taylor,stalwart of the WEA, B Charles, a snobbish andjudgemental antiques dealer and Maggie Joy Blunt,aspiring biographer and bored office worker.

The skill of the book isthe way that the storiesseem to cross and weavetogether, despite the factthat none of the writersever met each other.They all react to thesame events – breadrationing, the end of the blackout, the generalelection – in different ways. Alongside this, the smalldramas of their own lives are played out – a foodparcel here, a new job there, a visit from friends ora trip to London. By the end, you are as involved intheir stories as you are in any novel. While theepilogue rounds up the loose ends, you are leftwishing for a sequel and imagining Maggie’sreaction to the changes brought by the 1950s.

A Good ReadOur Hidden Lives by Simon Garfield

The Fighter (15)Film Review


Narnia sold out...nearly 17,000 visitors!The Narnia Experience opened the wardrobe doorson the 7th February 2011 at St.George’s Hall.Visitors walked into the magical, snow filled land,meeting Mr. Tumnus, Mrs. Beaver and the terrifyingWhite Witch. But work on Narnia started monthsbefore with costumes, rehearsals and designing theset. The construction took three days, starting withthe sky and the rest took shape with a team of 80volunteers and intricate planning. The first five days welcomed 78 schools and 4,300children from all around Merseyside. The rest of the

two weeks was open to the public and we weresoon sold out, but managed to squeeze in most ofthose who arrived at the door! In all, almost 17,000visitors came and were looked after by over 300volunteers and were entertained by 1,400 differentperformers in the entrance area! The NarniaExperience offered all the magical land that thebook and film had, but also a thought provokingvisit to the Professor who ended by telling thevisitors of the similarities beween Jesus and Aslan.The 14th to the 29th March saw the NarniaRoadshow, a tour of schools all over Merseysidewith some of the cast, recapping the Narnia storyand explaining the wonderful news of Easter. In May the “Oscar Celebration” will be a chance toget together and celebrate everyone's hard work.

SO WHAT'S NEXT?Our next big event is in the Anglican Cathedral inOctober. It is a journey through the whole Biblewith some BIG props and a BIG cast, aimed at Years7, 8 and 9. We also hope to open the event to thepublic at some stage. Keep an eye out for details onhow to get involved.A few comments from visitors:“Excellent, the children loved it!”Monksdown School

“Fantastic, what an experience, we all loved it!”St. Andrew's Sunday School“Overall, Witch was very nasty, but excellent!Visitor“Fantastic, what a wonderful team we have!”Kate Yates (Chief Steward)

“We love Narnia sooooo much!”Sophie Rice and Hannah Greaves (Dryads)

NEWS FROMBEYOND THEWARDROBE

www.inanotherplace.com.

St Nick’s pupilsDancing on Ice!The Friends of St Nicholas Association organised anIce Skating Spectacular in the school hall with anindoor ice rink. The children of St Nicholas CEPrimary have been watching “Dancing on Ice” and itmade them realise just what a difficult butenjoyable sport it is. Headteacher Becky Woodssaid, “This was a lovely experience that the childrenthoroughly enjoyed. Many thanks to all the familieswho attended and to the Friends for raising somuch money for school.”

Chair and Vuce Chair -Annie Spiers and Lydia Chung


Journal What’s On CCrroossbbyy && WWaatteerrlloooo

Waterloo Beer Festival 2011 will take placebetween Thursday 14th and Sunday 17thApril. This will be the second time theevent has been staged by Liverpool OrganicBrewery in the magnificent surroundings ofOld Christ Church in Waterloo.Last year the event was held in early July with justunder 1,000 people attending, this year LiverpoolOrganic are expecting a significant increase and theFriday evening session already looks like a completesell out: maximum numbers per session are 500.There will by 125+ real ales, 24 ciders and parries, awine bar and a German & Belgian bar run by TheShip and Mitre. Delicious food will also be availablefrom Peninsula Pies and The Liverpool CheeseCompany, and there will be live music in theevening sessions.Old Christ Church is a beautiful building builtbetween 1891 and 1899 of pink Bootle sandstonewith roofs of Westmoreland slate. Although theinternal fittings and furnishings have gone, thestained glass and soaring timber roof vaults arebreath taking. The church was saved fromdemolition in the early 90s by the ChurchesConservation Trust and is now managed by TheFriends of Old Christ Church who promote a verydiverse series of events throughout the year. Eventsinclude Farmers markets, Antique and Craft Fairs,Concerts, Private Parties, and more.A church might at first seem an unlikely venue for abeer festival but the atmosphere last year wastremendous and this year, being bigger and better,should be a super event. In fact as far as suburban

beer festivals are concerned this has to be one ofthe most ambitious in the country: show meanother church serving 125 different beers!

The sessions are;Thursday 14th Evening 6 – 10:30 pmFriday 15th Day 12 – 4:30 pmFriday 15th Evening 6 – 10:30 pmSaturday 16th Day 12 – 4:30 pmSaturday 16th Evening 6 – 10:30 pmSunday 17th Afternoon 1 – 4 pmTickets, at £5.00, are available online atwww.waterloobeerfestival.com where you can alsosee a galley of pictures of last year’s event. Ticketscan also buy purchased directly from the breweryand from selected pubs in Waterloo and Liverpool.Details on the website. Although in theory you can pay on the doornumbers are strictly limited and the eveningsessions in particular Friday seem sure to sell out inadvance, so to avoid disappointment get your ticketin advance.

www.waterloobeerfestival.com

WATERLOOBEER FESTIVAL


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Email : [email protected]

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NEW ARTSCREEN SEASON21st March - 19th Mayfeaturing Saturday Night and Sunday Morning -classic british realism film starring Albert Finney.Showing as part of the Working Class Life and MusicFestival. Other films include Palme d'Or Winner'Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives' - atale of reincarnation (maybe one for the folk ofSkelmersdale), and new British comedy Fish Tank.

FILM CLUBNow Plaza Artscreen fans can see alternative andWorld Cinema for less! For just £10 a year, FILMCLUB membership gives you 2 free Artscreentickets, plus £1 off entry to Artscreen films, andaccess to exclusive special offers!

COMPETITION - WIN A YEARS FILM CLUBMEMBERSHIP! Just answer this question. In whatyear was the cinema first opened, and subsequentlyclosed the same day? Send your answers [email protected]

MARK MCNULTY EXHIBITION / LOOK 11FESTIVAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY13th May - 26th June In demand photographer and local resident MarkMcNulty will be exhibiting a series of images of thePlaza Cinema, some of which were featured in our2011 limited edition calendar. The work shows theinner workings of this amazing art deco buildingand cinephiles paradise, alongside the volunteerswho keep it going. The photos will be on show bothat the cinema and other local venues in Waterlooand Crosby. www.look2011.co.uk

FOOTBALL ARTS AND HERITAGE PROJECTThe Plaza has just launched a website for itsFootball Arts and Heritage Project, that took placeover last year with young people from local schools.The project involved museum visits, media skillstraining, research and discussion about theHillsborough disaster and art, music and dramaworkshops. A film about the project, by local film-maker Tim Brunsden is also on the website -www.footballartsheritageproject.org.ukVOLUNTEERS!We are looking for people to join our team ofvolunteers. If you would like to get involved, for justa few hours a week, then get in [email protected]

CROSBY CIVIC HALLAn Audience withJOHN BOYNEWednesday 11 May, 7pmTickets: £5Sefton Arts in associationwith Pritchards Bookshopare bringing John Boyne,author of theinternationally best sellingThe Boy in the StripedPyjamas to Sefton for thisexclusive event.This special author event (part of Sefton CelebratesWriting initiative) is the first opportunity to hearabout John Boyne’s new book The Absolutist as istaking place the day before the books officialpublication day, giving the Crosby audience thechance to be the first in the country to get theirhands on the new novel.Irish writer John Boyne is the author of sevennovels that have been published in 40 languages.The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, the story of ayoung boy growing up in WWII Berlin, was Boyne'sfirst book for children; written in 2006, it has soldmore than 200 million copies worldwide andbecame a bestseller in the UK, US, Ireland,Australia, Spain, and many other countries, and wasadapted into a film in 2008.

*Pritchards bookshop will be selling JohnBoyne’s books at a discounted price.

Photo by Mark Condren

APRIL 20112nd North Ferriby (A)9TH MICKELOVER SPORTS (H)16th FC Halifax (A)20th FC Utd (at Stalybridge Celtic) (A)23RD FRICKLEY ATHLETIC (H)25th Burscough (A)

MARINE FCFIXTURES

December Sat 4th Dec Ossett Town v Marine Sat 11th Dec MARINE v WHITBY TOWN (date of FA Trophy R1) Wed 15th Dec League Cup 4 Sat 18th Dec FC United of Manchester v Marine Mon 27th Dec MARINE v BURSCOUGH JANUARY Sat 1st Jan Buxton v Marine Mon 3rd Jan MARINE v CHASETOWN Sat 8th Jan Stocksbridge Park Steels v Marine Sat 15th Jan MARINE v WORKSOP TOWN (date of FA Trophy R2) Sat 22nd Jan Matlock Town v Marine Sat 29th Jan MARINE v KENDAL TOWN FEBRUARY Sat 5th Feb Whitby Town v Marine (date of FA Trophy 3) Sat 12th Feb MARINE v OSSETT TOWN Sat 19th Feb MARINE v ASHTON UNITED Sat 26th Feb Hucknall Town v Marine MARCH Sat 5th Mar MARINE v RETFORD UNITED Sat 12th Mar League Cup SF Sat 19th Mar Nantwich Town v Marine Sat 26thMar MARINE v BRADFORD P A APRIL Sat 2nd Apr North Ferriby United v Marine Sat 9th Apr MARINE v MICKLEOVER SPORTS Sat 16th Apr FC Halifax Town v Marine Sat 23rd Apr MARINE v FRICKLEY ATHLETIC Mon 25th Apr Burscough v Marine

www.marinefc.com


Monday 11th April - Friday 15th Aprilfor the Dancing Section. Saturday 16th April for Adult Singing Classes

Tuesday 26th April - Saturday 30th April for Music, Speech and Drama sections.

Syllabus is available and can be requested from:Mrs. Karen Stark, 27 Holmwood Gardens,Formby L371NH

or e-mail [email protected]

Crosby Festival of Music & Dancing 2011

BLUNDELLSANDS EVENINGTOWNSWOMEN'S GUILDCROSBY ART GROUP

Sale of Paintingsin aid of Jospice

at St Helen's Church HallAlexandra Road, Crosby

Saturday 7th May 201110am until 4pm

Sefton Women’s InstituteOur Monthly Meetings are held at Moor Lane Methodist Church

Moor Lane, Crosby on the 2nd Monday of each Month

(except August) at 7.45pm

We would warmlywelcome new members

Crosby Friendship Group

We meet from 2-4pm on 3rd Monday of each month at

The Methodist Church Hall Mersey Road, Crosby (rear entrance)

We have interesting speakers on a widerange of subjects enjoying a cup of teaand a chance to chat and make new

friends.Monday 18th April 2-4pmDebi Jones - The CommunityMonday 16th May 2-4pm

Mike Gardiner - Anecdotes of a Policeman

EVERYONE WELCOMESecretary - Tel: 0151 525 1403


Meets at 8pm in Blundellsands Methodist Church Hall,Brompton Ave., Crosby on the 1st Tuesday and

3rd Wednesday of each month. We meet our friends,have a cup of tea and enjoy ourselves!

Tues 6th April Business Meeting followed by a Craft EveningWed 20th April C.P.O.R. Taylor - “Community Policing”

Tues 3rd May Business Meeting followed by Drama & PoetryWed 18th May Speaker - the fantastic Lucy Pengelly

New members and visitors are always made welcome andif you would like to know more about us call 0151 474 9285.

After all that snowand frost it is hard tobelieve that soon OldChrist Church groundswill be full ofbeautiful bluebellsthat come up yearafter year, a sign thatspring has reallysprung.

This time of year the natural light that floods inthrough the stained glass windows is amazing. Themorning sun pours through the great East windowthat depicts Christ with angels, saints and OldTestament figures and then as the sun goes downthe West window depicts the twelve Apostles.These features are all part of what makes Old ChristChurch so special. Shrigley and Hunt leading

manufacturer of their time created the glassmasterpieces that have survived over 100 yearsthrough wars and all weathers. Now that is trulyamazing!Karen Salmon committee member said “When I seethe sun shine through the church windows this timeof year it is always so bright it reminds me of thewell known hymn “Morning has broken” that as achild I used to sing in school and Cat Stevens eventook into the pop charts in the early 70’s. Oh! Whatmemories.”This Spring through April & May Old Christ Churchbrings to you not only a host of blooming bluebellsbut The Waterloo Flea Market, Farmer’s Market andas advertised on the back cover of this edition ofYour Local Journal, The Waterloo Beer Festival. Thatwill be a refreshing experience!Plus it wouldn’t be complete without a Spring Fairand as it falls this year on Easter Bank holidayweekend there is a special appearance being madeby The Easter Bunny.The Friends of Old Christ Church welcome you andhope there is something of interest for you to comeand enjoy within a fabulous atmospheresurrounded by a magnificent historic Grade II*listed building.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARYAPRILWATERLOO FLEA MARKET Saturday 2nd April 9:00am – 1:00pmEntry 30pWATERLOO FARMER’S MARKET AND FOOD FAYREFriday 8th April 10:30am – 3:00pm Free EntryTHE WATERLOO BEER FESTIVAL Thursday 14th - Sunday 17th April (See Back Cover for full details)WATERLOO FAIRS SPRING FAIRSaturday 23rd April 10:00am - 4:00pmFree Entry

MAYWATERLOO FLEA MARKETSaturday 7th May 9:00am – 1:00pm Entry 30pWATERLOO FARMER’S MARKET AND FOOD FAYRE Friday 13th May 10:30am – 3:00pmFree Entry



OLD CHRISTCHURCH

Easter Goodies, Luxury Chocolates,Hand Painted Silk Goods,

Jewellery and not forgetting delicious Cup Cakes (!) plus lots more.

Entry by Donation

CCrroossbbyy aanndd DDiissttrriicctt LLiioonnss

EEAASSTTEERR FFAAYYRREESunday 17th April

12 - 4pmat Blundellsands Methodist Church Hall

Brompton Ave off Mersey Road

For more detailsCall Lion Lynne on 924 5855Don’t forget the Annual CrosbyLions Carnival on 10th July. Youcan read a Full Feature about theCarnival in the next edition ofYour Local Journal!

MICKY FLANAGAN Thurs 7th Apr 2011Micky is a great comedian who has beenon the scene for a long time. You'll knowhim from his Radio 4 show What ChanceChange? as well as Mock The Week &Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow.DAN CLARKSat 9th Apr 2011Actor, writer & comedian Dan Clark, whohas appeared in TV programmes such asThe Mighty Boosh and Comedy Nation &has even starred in his own Channel Foursitcom The Estate Agents. 'A quirky,talented act with a deft tongue-in-cheekstyle.' MUSIC WITH LAUGHTER Sun 10th Apr 2011Merseyside's finest musicians andcomedians come together for one nightonly! Starring China Crisis, PaulineDaniels, Alternative Radio, Gary MurphyBand, Sean Styles, Phil Jones, Billy Butler,Mickey Finn.THRILLER LIVE Mon 11th to 16th Apr 2011A spectacular, high octane showcelebrating the career of the world'sgreatest ever entertainer - the King ofPop, Michael Jackson, and the Jackson 5.TELL ME ON A SUNDAY Wed 20th to 23rd Apr 2011Andrew Lloyd Webber & Don Black'sshow comes to town with Claire Sweeney.This is the definitive version of the classicmusical, with a wonderful original score.

MATTHEW BOURNE’S CINDERELLATue 26th to 30th Apr 2011New Adventures, returns with a typicallyunique interpretation of the best lovedfairy tale of all, Cinderella. JANE MCDONALD Sun 1st May 2011Jane McDonald became famous when sheappeared on the BBC docusoap TheCruise. Following her hit albums & hitsingles she will be singing at the LiverpoolEmpire.

SWAN LAKE ON ICE Tue 3rd to 7th May 2011The well known ballet Swan Lake takes ona new guise. A performance of this classiclove story on ice comes to Liverpool'sEmpire Theatre. BEAUTY & THE BEAST Wed 11th to 14th May 2011Birkenhead Operetic Society presents themagical Beauty & The Beast. Fun for thewhole family at the Empire Theatre,Liverpool. JEKYLL & HYDEMon 16th to 21st May 2011Marti Pellow, the hugely successful soloartist & front man of Wet Wet Wet,makes a hotly-anticipated return to theUK stage in a major new production ofthe hit Broadway musical, Jekyll andHyde.MIKE & THE MECHANICSSun 22nd May 2011Mike & The Mechanics are an Englishrock/pop band formed in 1984. Theremany UK hit singles include 'The LivingYears', 'Over My Shoulder' and 'Word OfMouth'.ED BYRNE Sun 29th May 2011Ed Byrne is a Perrier award winning Irishstand-up comedian. The voice of theCarphone Warehouse advert has alsobeen seen on 8 Out Of Ten Cats, MockThe Week and Have I Got News For You. SPELLBOUND VARIETY SHOW Mon 30th May 2011A variety show bringing the best of allgenres with national and internationalstars headlined by Britain's Got Talent2010 winner.JOHN CLEESETue 31st May 2011For the first time ever, comedy legendand the most senile member of MontyPython brings his "Alimony Tour” to theUK, offering an evening of well honedanecdotes, psychoanalytical tit-bits,details of recent surgical procedures, andunprovoked attacks on former colleagues,especially Michael Palin.

ROALD DAHL'S TWISTED TALESBy Jeremy Dyson. Enter a wonderfullydark and dangerous world where nothingis quite as it seems and every outcome issurprising.Wed 30 Mar - Sat 23 Apr at thePlayhouse. Evenings:Mon-Sat at 7.30pmMatinées: 1.30pm on 7, 14 & 21 Apr, 2pmon 9, 16 & 23 Apr. Tickets: £10-£21.50.Age: 12+

LILIES ON THE LANDDevised and written by The Lions PartThu 7 Apr - Sat 9 Apr at the EverymanA piece of theatre which celebrates anextraordinary episode in Britain’s history –the Women’s Land Army of World War II.Based on hundreds of letters from andinterviews with the original Land Girlsalong with songs from the period.Evenings: Thu to Sat at 7.30pm. Matinée:Sat at 2pmTickets: £10 - £16. Age: 9+

MARK THOMASExtreme Rambling (Walking The Wall)Sat 16 Apr at the EverymanFollowing his sell-out nationwide showThe Manifesto, award-winning comedianand activist Mark Thomas returns with hisbrand new show: Extreme Rambling(Walking The Wall) Evening: Sat 7.30pmTickets: £12 - £15. Age: TBC


Journal What’s On LLiivveerrppooooll

For bookings call: 0844 847 2277www.liverpoolempire.org.uk

TINY VOLCANOESBy Laurence WilsonWed 20 & Thu 21 Apr at the EverymanStrap yourselves in for a full throttlerollercoaster ride through the dilapidatedattractions of broken Britain, exposing themillions of tiny volcanoes bubbling upthrough our green and pleasant land…Evenings:Wed and Thu 7.30pmTickets: £10 - £16 Age: 16+ Contains verystrong languagePHOENIX DANCE THEATRE:REFLECTEDWed 27 & Thu 28 Apr at the PlayhouseDance works by Ben Duke and RaquelMeseguer, Philip Taylor, Sharon Watsonand Richard Wherlock.Evenings:Wed and Thu 7.30pmTickets: £10 - £16. Age: 11+LOVE, LOVE, LOVEBy Mike BartlettThu 5 May - Sat 7 May at the PlayhouseSmoking, drinking, ambitious andparanoid, one couple’s forty-year journeyfrom initial burst to full bloom. Love,Love, Love takes on the baby boomergeneration as it retires, and finds it full oftrouble.Evenings: Thu to Sat at 7.30pmTickets: £10 - £18. Age: 14+MACBETHBy William ShakespeareFri 6 May to Sat 4 Jun at the EverymanDavid Morrissey plays the murderous kingopposite Jemma Redgrave as LadyMacbeth, in Shakespeare's most visceraland menacing play. Directed by GemmaBodinetz. Evenings:Mon-Sat at 7.30pmPreviews: 6, 7, 9,10 & 11 May at 7.30pmWednesday Matinees: at 1.30pm on 18 &25 May and 1 June.Saturday Matinees: at 2pm on 14, 21, 28May and 4 June. Age: 12+ (containsscenes of violence). Tickets: £10 - £24THE LADY IN THE VANBy Alan BennettTue 10 - Sat 14 May at the PlayhouseBased on renowned British playwrightAlan Bennett’s own recollections of theindomitable Miss Shepherd, The Lady inthe Van is classic Bennett - beautifullyobserved, sharply intelligent andwonderfully witty drama.Evenings: Tue to Sat at 7.30pmMatinées: Thu at 1.30pm, Sat at 2pmTickets: £10 - £21.50. Age: 12+

THE BIG FELLAHBy Richard BeanTue 17 - Sat 21 May at the PlayhouseYoung New York fireman Michael Doyledecides to live up to his Irish heritage byjoining the IRA. He’s recruited by Costello,the charismatic “big fellah” and soonfinds himself sharing his Bronx apartmentwith a killer busted from a Belfast jail.Evenings: Tue to Sat at 7.30pmTickets: £10 - £21.50. Age: 14+Booking details for all shows are either inperson from the Everyman or Playhousebox office or – Box Office: 0151 709 4776Online Booking (24-hour):www.everymanplayhouse.com

THE WIZARD OF OZ6 Apr, (18:00) 7 Apr (14:00, 18:00), 8 Apr(14:00, 18:00), 9 Apr (14:00, 18:00)A spectacular all new professionalproduction of the classic story starring ahost of famous TV stars, includingComedy Legend Bobby Davro asScarecrow, Sarah-Jane Honeywell(CBeebies Mighty-Mites & Tikkabilla) asGlinda, Ben Hanson (Bouncer from TracyBeaker) as Tin Man and Steph Fearon(Over the Rainbow Semi-Finalist) asDorothy plus a full supporting cast and anamazing live band. Come and join in thefun April 2011 as New World Productionspresent this amazing Easter holiday show.Packed with brilliant dance routines,fantastic songs and plenty of laughter forall the family!!DYLAN MORAN : YEAH, YEAH29 Apr, (20:00) and 30 Apr (20:00)Dylan Moran star of ‘Black Books’ , ‘Shaunof the Dead’ and ‘Run Fat Boy Run’ isabout to spread a little happiness with abrand new tour for 2011. Ageing, religion,kids, relationships intertwine with thegeneral absurdities of life. Searingobservations and sumptuous imagery,painted across a large fraying canvas withcruel, curmudgeonly 'Moranesque' brushstrokes and all delivered with Dylan'srenowned, shambolic charm…It's simplyUnmissable. Tickets for Dylans last 2009tour sold-out overnight so it is advised tobook early.

THE BEST OF LIVERPOOL8 May 2011 - 20:00 (opens at 18:30) The grand finale of the Comedy Festivalshows the wealth of talent on theLiverpool comedy scene. Eight of the verybest that Liverpool comedy has to offer,old and young, from a product of the 14-18 year olds’ Stand Out Competition tocomics with more than 50 years stageexperience. This is our last chance tomake you laugh for another twelvemonths so book in, sit back and enjoy!For Bookings call 0870 787 1866 or onlinewww.royalcourtliverpool.com

For further information about theComedy Festival schedule and actsappearing visit the Comedy Festivalwebsite:www.liverpoolcomedyfestival.com

THEATRE IN THE ROUGH FESTIVALFri 1 to Sat 2 Apr Did history happen if there is no one tosay so? And how do we restore thestubborn voices of a silent past? Twonights of exciting new work that bring tolife the compelling stories of Sefton’shidden history. From Dark Age enigmaand Arthurian folklore, to the dare-devilpioneers of early aviation, this bold newwriting brings the past crashing into thepresent. Supported by the NationalLottery through the Heritage LotteryFund, and by Express Sefton.Free (Tickets limited)


Journal What’s On LLiivveerrppooooll

28th April– 8th May

BESIDE THE SEASIDEWed 6 to Sat 9 Apr 7.30pm One fine day, a girl named Mags,decides a trip is needed and fun to be had.Along with her three new neighbouredfriends, they all head of to the lights of thepier end. But everything is not as it seemsfor the fab four, as their bonding trip turnsinto more than they bargained for. Sofasten your seatbelts and hold on to yourseats, the audience are in for a comedicfunfair treat! A Teapot Tantrum productionTickets: £10.00 / £8.00 concessions PIERREPOINT : THE HANGMAN'S TALEFri 15 to Sat 16 Apr at 8pm | DramaThe most celebrated hangman Britainever produced Albert Pierrepointmaintained a grim family tradition as stateexecutioner. He put to death more thanfour hundred men and women, includingNazi war criminals at Nuremberg, RuthEllis, Derek Bentley, Timothy Evans andJohn Christie..Smoothly efficient andcalm, he ended lives without beingtroubled by their guilt or innocence.Peter Harrison’s grim, often disturbing butdarkly funny insight into a hangman’sreality features prominent actor, MartinOldfield.A Cafe Society productionTickets: £10.00 / £8.00 concessionsAND THE RAIN FALLS DOWNWed 13 to Sat 16 Apr | Family ShowSchool shows: 1.30pm & 4.30pm (Wed)11am & 2pm (Thurs & Fri)Imagine a world where every drop ofwater has a life of its own. A world whererainbows form from umbrellas, wherefountains spout from plugholes, andwhere eventually the rain really does falldown. Revel in puddles of fun in thismagical treat, featuring rather a lot ofwater! Created especially for 3 and 4 yearolds, And the Rain Falls Down is a visuallystunning celebration of the watery thingsin the world.p.s. And the Rain Falls Down has elementsof interaction through which your child, ifhe or she chooses to, could get wet!Please bring a change of clothing and atowel. Changing areas will be provided

THE FRIENDSHIP EXPERIMENT Sat 30 Apr and Tue 3 MayAfter a hugely successful run atEdinburgh’s Fringe Festival and UnityTheatre, Big Wow return to The LiverpoolComedy Festival with their sell-out show.

The Friendship Experiment. Part spoofimprovisation, part buddy movie, this is afast-paced hilarious piece of comictheatre. A story about two friends fromway back when. This is theatre without asafety net. In fact there’s not even atightrope. It’s like making it up as you goalong. But different. Performed by Matt Rutter (BeatingBerlusconi) and Tim Lynskey.Scripted and directed by Robert Farquhar(Dead Heavy Fantastic) ‘A duo in the style of The Right Size, theybridge the gap between theatre andcomedy’The GuardianTickets: £8Book Securely online:www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.ukBox Office: 0844 873 2888Email: [email protected] person: 1 Hope Place Liverpool, L1 9BG

THE RAT PACK VEGASSPECTACULARSat 9th April 7.30pmFun all the way, as the "Purveyors ofCool" come to town with a fabulous showfeaturing some of the greatest music ofthe 20th century. Wonderful memories ofFrank Sinatra, Dean Martin & SammyDavis delivered in true Vegas style - andit's all totally live with a hot show band.Tickets £20, £18 & £16 (At £16 seats, 2children maximum go free per payingadult) Groups 1 in 10 freeLENNY HENRY, CRADLE TO RAVEWed 27 Apr 2011 7.30pmCRADLE TO RAVE is the brand new oneman show from Lenny Henry, fresh fromhis award winning stint in NorthernBroadside's Othello. Lenny returns to hisroots with a funky, funny and touchingshow about the thing he loves most:music. CRADLE TO RAVE is a musicaljourney, exploring the role that music hasplayed and will play at every stage ofLenny's life from the womb to the tomb.Tickets £24.50FOSTER & ALLENSaturday 7th May 7.30pmA wonderful opportunity to spend theevening being serenaded and entertainedby the well-loved Irish duo.Tickets £18.50 & £16.50 Live card: £1.50off Concessions:£1.50 off Groups 10+: 1 in10 free

SUPER TROUPER(formerly ABBA MANIA) Sat 4th Jun 2011 7.30pmABBA MANIA the concert takes you backin time by recreating one of the world'sfinest pop groups in a live stageperformance. This highly polished andprofessional production was created in1999 and played its first shows in 2000. Tickets £19 Live card:£2.00 off EBO:£2.00off if booked & paid for before 4 April2011 Concessions:£1.00 off Groups10+: 1in 10 freeBookings: Ticketmaster: 0844 847 2380 www.southporttheatre.org.uksouthportboxoffice@theambassadors.comBox Office open Mon-Sat 11am-4pm for counter sales *subject to booking fee

THE PRICEby Arthur Miller. Directed by Pat Ball.1st to 9th AprilIn the attic of a soon-to-be-demolishedhouse, two brothers meet after a 16 yearestrangement to dispose of their deadparents' property. What is the price thateach of them has had to pay...?DICK BARTON SPECIAL AGENTby Phil Willmott. Directed by Ray Mann.29th April to 7th MayTake the characters from the 1940s BBCradio serial in which the intrepid sleuthfaces Britain’s arch enemies in order to ridthe world of evil in the name of decencyand patriotism.Add ten silly lyrics to popular tunes.Press the male and female leads to playtwo roles each! Stir in the prejudiceswhich were rampant in war torn Europe.Mix together the ingredients in apreposterously silly plot. Season with apinch of tap-dancing . Finally, place theprepared ingredients on to a multi- setstage.HALF A SIXPENCE new version 7A Birkdale Orpheus Society productionMusic and Lyrics by David HenekerNew Version by Warner BrownAdvanced bookings: 01704 56404214th to 21st May each night at 7.30pmwith a matinee on the 21st Box Office: (01704) 530521 / 530460www.littletheatresouthport.co.uk


Journal What’s On LLiivveerrppooooll // SSoouutthhppoorrtt

Prince Street Health CentreWalk-in Treatment CentreLitherland Town HallAbbey Sefton Hospital - Crosby

Local SchoolsChesterfield HighCrosby HighForefield InfantsForefield JuniorsGreat Crosby Catholic PrimaryHoly Family Catholic HighMerchant Taylors’ Boys SchoolMerchant Taylors’ Girls SchoolMerchant Taylors’ Junior School - StanfieldThe Mount St Mary’s College Prep.NewfieldSacred Heart Catholic CollegeStreatham HouseSt Luke’s Halsall CE PrimarySt Mary’s Catholic PrimarySt Mary’s College St Michael’s CE HighSt Nicholas CE PrimaryUrsuline Catholic PrimaryValewood PrimarySt Edmunds and St Thomas Catholic PrimarySt John’s CE PrimarySt William of York Catholic PrimaryThornton PrimaryWaterloo Primary

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Alexanders Stuart Rd, CrosbyBoots Liverpool Rd,CrosbyBoots South Rd,Waterloo Cohens Bridge Rd, Blundellsands GordonShort College Rd, Crosby Higgins Crosby Rd Nth, WaterlooLloyds Crosby Rd Nth, Waterloo Lloyds Moor Lane, Crosby

Carnegie L ibrary College Road, CrosbyTel: 0151 924 5287Mon 9.30 - 1pm & 2 - 5pm, Tues 9.30 - 1pm & 2 - 5pm, Wed 9.30 - 1pm & 2 - 8pmThurs 9.30 -1pm Fri 9.30 -1pm & 2 - 5pm , Sat 9.30 - 1pm

C ro s b y L i b ra r y Crosby Road North,WaterlooTel: 0151 928 6487 or 0151 257 6400Mon 9.30 - 8pm Tues 9.30 - 5pm Wed 9.30 - 8pm Thurs 9.30 - 1pm Fri 9.30 - 8pm Sat 9.30 - 1pm

Chemists

Libraries

Help Lines

Utilities

Merseyside PoliceChildlineElder Abuse ResponseNHS HelplineN.S.P.C.C.RelateR.S.P.C.A.SamaritansTypetalk(RNID)Text:Typetalk(RNID)Voice:

0151 709 6010

0800 11110808 808 81410845 46 470808 800 50000300 1234 999 08457 90 90 900845 140 08450800 500 8880800 731 1888

FloodlineGas EmergencyManweb(Power Loss) Sefton CouncilUnited Utilities(Supply)United Utilities(Leaks)

0845 988 11880800 111 9990845 272 24240845 746 22000800 330 0330151 426 1600

HospitalsAlder Hey HospitalBroadgreen HospitalFazakerley Hospital(Aintree)Liverpool Women’s HospitalOrmskirk & District HospitalRoyal Liverpool HospitalSouthport & Formby HospitalWhiston Hospital

0151 228 48110151 282 60000151 525 59800151 708 998801695 5771110151 706 200001704 5474710151 426 1600

Travel

Liverpool John Lennon AirportGeneral EnquiriesFlight Information

Manchester AirportFlight Information

Mersey TravelNational Rail EnquiriesTaxis (S.R.C.)

0151 227 518108457 48 49 500151 928 3535

928 1457 924 4338928 3070924 3209924 3449 920 6803 928 3169924 3915

0151 928 26940151 475 4667

0151 257 6700

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER USEFUL NUMBERS FOR OUR DIRECTORY? Please call Sally on 07531 156758 or e-mail [email protected]

0871 521 8484 0906 108 8484

09010 101000


Useful Telephone Numbers

Box Office Opens from: 22nd April 2011 at 11.00amBox Office Tel: (01704) 530521/530460

www.littletheatresouthport.co.uk Hoghton Street, Southport PR9 0PA

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CRYPTIC CROSSWORD SOLUTION

LATERAL THINKING Answer: He is driving the wrong way down themotorway.

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Advertisers GuideQuickly find all your local services using our handy index

Alarm ContractorsCrosby Intruder Alarms...29Baby Development ClassesBaby Sensory...46Beauty Products & Gifts O’Naturelle...11Beauty Therapists (Mobile) Erika Jones...19Blind SuppliersThe Waterloo Blind Company...30Car ValetingCrosby Car Valeting...61CinemasPlaza Community Cinema...54Chemists...60Children’s NurseriesEarly Days UK Ltd...47ChirpodistsLoreto Sime...10ChiropractorsDr.Rebecca Howell D.C.Mchiro...15Clubs, Groups & OrganisationsBlundellsands EveningTownswomen’s Guild...55Crosby Art Group...55Crosby Capriol Singers...39Crosby Friendship Group...55Crosby & District Historical Soc...6Crosby Lions Club...56Crosby Past and Present...7Crosby Writers’ Club...9Friends of Old Christ Church...56In Another Place...51Jospice...41Marine Football Club...55NADFAS...23Sefton Women’s Institute...55Thornton & Crosby Gardeners Club...36Computer Sales & Service Ace Computers...43CouncillorsMartyn Barber...45Peter Papworth...45Curtains & Soft FurnishingsAll White Metal Curtain Tracks...31

Hotels and AccomodationThe Blundell Bed & Breakfast...9The Croft...20Leaflet Distribution P.B.Distribution...53MarketingThe Best of Crosby...63Pet ShopsPets Aloud...49PhotographersJacqueline Kirkham Studios...23Piano Sales & ServiceThe Piano Shop...53Plumbing & HeatingSean James Heating & Plumbing...31Restaurants & BarsSaffron Indian Cuisine...35Schools & EducationSt Mary’s College...2TaxisS.R.C Taxis...60Wedding Car HireCrosby Classic Bentleys...22

Decorator’s MerchantsStanley Byron & Sons Ltd...27Dog Grooming Wash ‘n’ Wag...47Drainage Companies Core Independent Drainage...31Embroidery & Sewing Services J.H. Sewing...14Event Planners Absolute Events...19Facial RejuvenationFresh Faces...17Fitness TrainingB-Fit...12-13Function Room HireWaterloo Rugby Club...3Gardening ServicesArchway Gardening...38Gift ShopsElements of Crosby...21Handbags & AccessoriesBeckie-L...19Holistic TherapiesAnne Ryan ComplimentaryTherapy...11Linzi Saunders...11


ADVERTISING STARTS FROM ONLY £15The deadline for the June / July Edition is Wednesday 4th May

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Building ContractorsTel: 0151 476 5739

Dance School Tel: 0151 293 1748

Crosby Intruder AlarmsTel: 0800 917 1441

Tax Advisors0151 285 3660

ContemporaryIndian Cuisine

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Tel: 0800 756 9515

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'Support Local Business' fill in the survey atwww.thebestof.co.uk/survey and win £500! WIN £500!

Thursday 14th April - Sunday 17th AprilOld Christ Church Waterloo Road Merseyside L22 1RF

£5 ADMISSION£5 ADMISSIONby ticket or on the door Tickets will also be available online and from selected Pubs (see websitefor details)

by ticket or on the door Tickets will also be available online and from selected Pubs (see websitefor details)

SESSION TIMES:Thursday 14th...................6pm - 10:30pmFriday 15th...................12 noon - 4:30pmFriday 15th.......................6pm - 10:30pmSaturday 16th...............12 noon - 4:30pmSaturday 16th...................6pm - 10:30pmSunday 17th.......................... 1pm - 4pm(Sunday- Free admission to other sessionticket holders or £5 on the door)

TICKETS ARE ON SALE AT SELECTED PUBS AND FROM OUR WEBSITE www. wa te rl o o b e e rfe s tiva l . com

+ BELGIUM &GERMAN BEER BARby the SHIP &MITRE

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April/May 2011