It's Our World - Spring is in the air... so let's go green!

NEWS Monday, March 29, 201016 ★★★★

Broccoli is the business. Ask Mum, it’s the only green thing I eat. The way shedoes it with cheese sauce is the best. She’s been getting all adventurous latelyand now it’s popping up everywhere, in stir-fries, curries... There’s alwayssome of it in the fridge, well wrapped up, so it doesn’t go soft like Mum.

lovefoodhatewaste.com has more tips and recipes to help you waste lessfood and save up to £50 a month.

★★★★

IN ASSOCIATIONWITH ...

Spring isintheair... so let’sgogreen!16pagesof tips and tales . . .fromarecycledEaster toex-offenderson theallotments


WELCOME to the spring It’s Our Worldsupplement – part of our green section dedicated tomaking Merseyside a better place to live in.

We’re now almost a year into the project andwe’re already seeing big changes. From improvedrecycling rates to more green activities forcommunity groups, the environmental message iscoming over loud and clear in Merseyside. Themany trees that were planted in different projectslast year are now coming into bud and the flowersare coming into bloom.

Over the past few months I’ve beenoverwhelmed by your fantastic green ideas, youringenious tips and the many inspirational thingsyou’ve been doing to make the world a betterplace.

This edition is packed with things to see and do,as well as green news and tips on how we can allmake a difference plus of course, details of howyou have taken It's Our World to your hearts.

Pages 4 and 5 focus on the pioneering rarebreeds work at Croxteth Park Farm which opensto visitors again this weekend after a winter break.

On Pages 6 and 7 there are some greatoutdoor activities, plus young offenders payingback their debt to society by growing vegetablesfor the community and a great competition to winfree loft insulation.

Your Easter will be a little bit sweeter with ourspecial feature on Pages 8 and 9, and on Pages10 and 11 you can grow your own, and see howto keep a food waste diary.

Bridget Jones has got nothing on our fooddiarist Gail Mooney!

On Pages 12 and 13 we’ve got some greatnews on green business initiatives in Merseyside,and Pages 14 and 15 have our bumper listings ofenvironmental activities this spring.

Please do keep your news coming – email me [email protected], or log on to the greenblog http://blogs.liverpool echo.co.uk/ecowarrior/and share your green news with the world.

I’ll feature as much as I can in my weekly pages,and in the It’s Our World supplements which willcontinue to appear every three months in yourpaper.

We know how hard you’re working to makeMerseyside greener.

Now, as spring comes with a burst of new life,it seems like we’re really getting there.

Happy [email protected]

Supplementwrittenandresearchedby JADEWRIGHT

Welcometoourworld ...it’sgreen!

MAGIC: Katie Spivey, 4, cuddles aweek-old lamb at Croxteth HallFarm Picture: GARETH JONES

● THIS Easter hop down to Church Farm inThurstaston. They have organic food, friendlyanimals, beautiful views and fun family events.

The Easter Bunny has hidden lots of eggs inthe forest and needs some help to find them.Go through the farm to the magical forest.

You'll need all your searching skills to findall our eggy clues around the forest. Some ofthe clues are puzzles and games of skill, sokeep your thinking hats on, as well as yourEaster bonnets.

Back at the farm, meet the super-cuteEaster ducklings and chicks and play on theswings, slides and sand diggers.

Tickets must be bought in advance. They’re£7.50 from the farm shop on 0151 648 7838or £7 online at www.churchfarm.org.uk.

● THERE’S a free Easter family event at Ainsdale Sand Dunes nature

reserve this Saturday. From self guided nature trails to face painting and

Easter crafts as well as a traditional Easter egg hunt, there will be

something for everyone to enjoy.Eva Tregidgo, Community Outreach Adviser at Ainsdale Sand Dunes,

says: “The event offers a great family day out and a chance for everyone to

visit the reserve, explore the dunes and pinewoods and learn about the

diverse wildlife on their doorstep.“As well as great crested newts, the reserve is home to one of the most

important populations of natterjack toad in the country. Sand lizards are

also often seen here and the pinewoods are home to a large number of red

squirrels.”The dunes are home to over 450 plant species including 33 that are

locally or regionally rare like petalwort, seaside centaury, yellow bartsia,

round-leaved wintergreen, dune helleborine and pendulous flowered

helleborine.Liz Newton, North West Regional Director for Natural England, adds:

“This event is a great opportunity to introduce young people to nature.

“Having contact with nature is important for everyone. But it is

especially important for our children. Whilst many skills can be gained in

the classroom, others can only be learnt through direct contact with nature

and the sorts of experiences that these events provide.” Poppy Bentley, 3, right, on theChurch Farm Easter trail

Easteregg fun

Monday, March 29, 2010 NEWS 15★★★★

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Daffodils in bloom in Liverpool’s Sefton Park. Below left: Huyton’s National Wildflower Centre and Hilbre Island off West Kirby. Top: Easter chicks Main Picture: GARETH JONES

May 30Wood for the Trees walk, Acornfield, Knowsley, 10am-1pm.

May 31Recycled Arts Workshop for ages 7-12, National Wildflower Centre, free,although admission charges to centre apply, www.the-green-fuse.co.uk,1pm.

June 1Bee Scene – making candles for under-8s, National Wildflower Centre,free places available, 10am-12noon.

Recycled Arts Workshop for ages 7-12, National Wildflower Centre, free,although admission charges to centre apply, www.the-green-fuse.co.uk,1pm.

June 2A Taste of Honey, National Wildflower Centre, free, admission charges tocentre apply, 2pm.

June 3Story Telling Walks, National Wildflower Centre, £2.50 + admissioncharges to centre, 1pm & 3pm.

June 4Bee Beautiful, National Wildflower Centre, decorate a pot and plant a beefriendly plant, free, but admission charges to centre apply, 1pm & 3pm.

June 6Green Fayre, free family event in Court Hey Park, Knowsley,noon-5pm.


April 18Mad Panda Tea Party, National Wildflower Centre, free event.Pre-booking essential on 0151 281 7967, details fromwww.madpanda.co.uk, 1- 4pm.

April 21Simply the Best, Gardening for Schools, National WildflowerCentre, RHS Course. See the RHS [email protected] further info, 9.30am – 3.30pm.

April 24Spring Clean, Mill Farm, Knowsley, 1-3pm.

How to grow herbs, National Wildflower Centre, £7.50, includesentry to centre, 10am – 12noon.

April 25Wild food lunch specials, Cornflower Cafe, National WildflowerCentre, using nettles, dandelions etc. Recipe sheets to take away.

The Victorian Gardener, Croxteth Hall; travel back in time tomeet the Victorian Head Gardener and discover his role in LordSefton's splendid Walled Garden, producing fresh flowers, fruit andvegetables. This event is a ticket only event - book yours by callingthe ticket line on 0151 233 6930. Walled Garden admission pricesapply.

May 1Beating the Bounds, Huyton Wetlands, 12-3pm.

May 2International Dawn Chorus Day, Croxteth Hall, learn about thewild woodland bird population and experience the delights of arousing 'dawn chorus' with Liverpool's Ranger InterpretationService. This is the best time of the year to hear birds singing asthey vie with each other to establish breeding territories andattract a mate. Wear warm clothing and sturdy footwear. Buytickets in advance from the hall gift shop, £3, 5am.

May 5Plant some memories, National Wildflower Centre, for the over50s, refreshments provided, free places available, 10am-12noon.

May 9Liverpool Association of Women's Clubs Annual Walk, CroxtethPark; a popular charity walk in the park. For more detailstelephone 0151 724 3046.

May 15Discover Nature at Stadt Moors Park, 1-3pm.

May 16Discover Nature at Huyton Wetlands, 1-3pm.

May 15Pond Dipping, Acornfield, Knowsley, 1-3pm.

May 29Wildflowers & Folklore, National Wildflower Centre, free,although admission charges to centre apply, 10am-12noon.

April 5Easter Egg Fun, Royden Park, Frankby, Wirral. Follow the clues tofind the eggs. Sorry no dogs. No need to book. Meet at the entranceto the Walled Garden in Royden Park, 1.30pm - 3.30pm.

April 6Egg Rolling, King George V Playing Fields, Knowsley, 12-3pm.

April 7Kite Making, Alt Park, Knowsley, 1-3pm.

How to create a Square Yard Garden, National Wildflower Centre,Huyton, £3 + admission charges to centre; Age 7+, 10am – noon.

April 8Kite making, Jubilee Park, Knowsley, 1-3pm.

Storytelling Walk, National Wildflower Centre, £2.50 + admissioncharges to centre, 1pm & 3pm.

Easter Egg Hunt, Mill Farm, Knowsley, 1-3pm

Dragon Tales and other Fiery Fables, Stories of Flying Fairies andWhirling Witches, Croxteth Hall; Fun storytelling sessions for ages 4- 11. To book a place (£2.50 per child, £1 adult) ring the Hall GiftShop on 0151 233 6930.

April for the Ardent, Wirral Country Park Visitor Centre, aninvigorating walk along the Wirral Way from Thurstaston to theDawpool Nature Reserve, then returning back along the beach andup the steps to the Visitor Centre. Dogs are welcome but must beon a lead. For further enquiries call 0151-648-4371.

April 9Tales of mermaids, magic and creatures of the deep, tales of trolls,tricks and toadstools, Croxteth Hall. Educational storytelling sessionsfocussed on different environment themes, to book a place (£2.50per child, £1 Adult) ring the hall gift shop on 0151 233 6930.

April 10Kite making at Jubilee Park, Knowsley, 12-3pm.

April 11Walled Garden open days, Dibbinsdale Nature Reserve. Visit theEco-garden project at Dibbinsdale Nature Reserve, run by and forpeople with learning disabilities. Wild flowers, trees, insect garden,veg, fruit and composting demonstration area. Plants andrefreshments will be on sale on behalf of the project, 11am-3pm.

Hilbre Island open day, Hilbre Island. Join the Friends of Hilbre on themain island where they will have the Grade II listed Telegraph Stationopen and will have telescopes set up to watch the seals, 12.30 - 4pm.Contact 0151-648-4371/3884 for advice on tide times; or contact theHilbre Ranger at: 0151-678 5488.

April 12Where do you get your eggs from? National Wildflower Centre, £2+ admission charges to Centre, 1pm & 3pm.

April 13Bee Beautiful, National Wildflower Centre. Decorate a pot and planta bee friendly plant, free, admission charges to centre apply, 1pm &3pm.

Didn’twehavea lovelytime,thedaywewentto ....DIARY DATES ...


ACORN Farm in Kirkby has a host ofgreat family activities planned overthe next few weeks. Projectadministrator Tracy Paynter says:“All the sheep have just given birth

over the last couple of weeks so there areplenty of lambs around – 19 lambs includingthree sets of triplets.

“One of our Silkies (fancy breed of chicken)has just given birth to five chicks. We run anincubator package and we have chicks comingback to the farm that have been hatched bylocal schools.”

In addition Roxy the pig is due to have alitter of piglets any day soon.

As well as their farm animals to stroke andfeed, there are plant sales and woodlandwalks.

On Wednesday April 7 there’s a Farmer fora Day workshop for 8-12 year olds. Buddingagriculturalists will be able to find out aboutlooking after rabbits and guinea pigs, feed thechickens and ducks, help to collect and sortthe eggs for sale in the farm shop and milk agoat. The day costs £10 per child and must bebooked in advance.

The next day, April 8, there’s a Horse Day. Itoffers an introduction to horses andequipment, stable management, riding gamesand a horse quiz. Again it’s suitable for 8-12year olds. It costs £15 per child. Book on 0151548 1524 or email [email protected].

Spring is intheaironthefarm

● MORE than a hundred pupils fromacross Merseyside have united to showadults how much better they wouldmanage the environment if they were incharge.

Children from St John’s CatholicPrimary School, in Kirkdale, BishopMartin Church of England PrimarySchool, in Woolton, and Garston Churchof England Primary School have beenparading and singing about climatechange.

Nalina Eggert, the event organiserfrom the Liverpool World Centre, said:“St John’s recently raised £2,000 to helpthe survivors of the earthquake in Haiti.

Garston have been learning aboutclimate change and Bishop Martinpupils have been growing their ownvegetables. We are delighted to havesuch environmentally-consciouschildren on board.”

The school children have been findingout more about climate change and itseffects with Oxfam, CAFOD, ChristianAid and the Liverpool World Centre, andspoke to Arbab Shakar, a Pakistan-basedOxfam worker, on how poor countriesare coping with climate change.

“It’s great to know that so manychildren in Liverpool are interested inlearning about climate change and how

it affects other children in a countrylike Pakistan,” said Arbab.

Mrs Donnelly, teacher for year 5 atBishop Martin Church of EnglandPrimary School, in Woolton, said: “Ithas been great, the children had fun andhave learnt a lot about climate changeand the injustices of it. At school theyare working towards a Green Flagaward. They run a Greener schoolcommittee. They have set up a travellingscheme, walk-in-bus, to reduce theircarbon emissions. They are also lookingafter a garden plot, grow their own vegand 18 baby chicks have hatched thisweek!”

A horse at Acorn Venture Farm Picture: JAMES MALONEY

● LIVERPOOL communityorganisations have received morethan £74,000 to help fundenvironmental projects.

The money comes from LiverpoolCity Council’s Year of theEnvironment Fund, set up last year.The money from the fund has nowbeen fully allocated to a total of 78projects across the city.

Valley Community Theatre, inNetherley, received £2,500 for theirValley Garden project. The projecthas brought together adults withlearning disabilities, older peopleand young people to transform apiece of ground to the rear of thetheatre. The grant went towardsimproving the garden anddeveloping a recycling area withcompost bins and plants.

Lark Lane Neighbour Associationreceived just under £1,000 to helpcarry out two major clean-up eventsfocusing on grot spots in the area.

Liverpool Quakers association wasgiven £1,000 in funding to create asustainable garden which will beused for running educational andrecreational activities and events.

Sola Arts in Toxteth received agrant of £1,000 to fund a series of sixworkshops for local young people.Young volunteers took part inclean-up campaigns and wildlifespotting workshops as part of theproject.

Colin Heaney, Grants Officer atLCVS, said: “The money allocatedhas gone to some really worthwhileprojects which have helped improvethe local communities in Liverpooland bring people in the area closertogether.

“We are particularly pleased withthe way the grants have beendelivered. Instead of decisions beingmade by someone outside thecommunity, panels have used theirlocal knowledge and skills to ensurethe funding achieved the bestoutcome for their community.”

JUMPING FOR JOY: More than 100 Merseyside 10-year-olds got together to show adults how much better they wouldmanage the environment if they were in charge - holding the banner at the back is Cllr John Coyne, left, and Cllr PhilMoffat, together with charity worker Arbab Shakar, and some of the youngsters Picture: JAMES MALONEY


It’sanimalmagic!

CROXTETH’S Home Farmis one of Liverpool’s mostpopular visitorattractions, a place forfamilies to come and see

farm animals in a traditionalcountryside setting just minutesfrom the city.

But not all of the thousands ofvisitors will realise that it alsoplays a valuable role inconserving some of Britain’srarest animals – a living museumfor farming.

Home Farm is much more thana pet’s corner.

It is one of only 14 ApprovedConservation Farm Parks inBritain performing a vital role inconserving genetic diversity infarm animals.

Its conservation role can betraced to the birth of modernagriculture when farmersdeveloped breeds that weresuited to their particular needs.

Often these were most suited toa particular part of Britain –such as the shaggy Highlandcattle, able to weather life in theScottish Highlands, or aRonaldsay sheep, bred to surviveon a diet of seaweed in theirhome on Orkney.

Others met different needs.Tiny Dexter cattle were ideal forsmallholders, supplying a familywith milk and meat from a smallplot. Longhorn cattle and giantShire horses were bred to pullheavy carts and ploughs.

But the needs of farming todayare different from those of ourforebears. Not only have tractorsreplaced horses, modern farminguses just a few breeds,abandoning the older breeds thatdon’t meet current needs. Theseare specialised for high volumeproduction. For example almostall of our milk comes fromHolstein cattle, the familiar black

and white dairy cows. No wonderwhen a pedigree animal canproduce 14,298 pints in one year –that’s 39 pints a day.

Traditional breeds went intorapid decline, a trend that hasbeen reversed by the work of theRare Breeds Survival Trust,founded in 1973 (www.rbst.org.uk)

Croxteth’s Home Farm wasestablished as a Rare BreedsCentre by Liverpool Museum in1982, set up to show visitors aworking farm and to conservehistoric farm breeds.

The farm keeps a number ofbreeds that have historical linksto the Earl of Sefton’s estate, suchas Dexter and Redpoll cattle, butalso some of the rarest breeds inBritain. There are fewer IrishMoiled cattle in the world thanthere are Giant Pandas. AndCroxteth has one of the largestherds in the UK.

The traditional setting ofCroxteth’s farm belies the hi-techmodern approach to breeding.

DNA samples are used to trackthe genetic fingerprint andancestry of the animals, ensuringthat appropriate bloodlines arekept and future breedingprogrammed. Heterozygosity,alleles and back-crossing are asmuch part of the farmingvocabulary as muck and milking.

The rarity of stock means thatartificial insemination, usingfrozen semen from bulls frommany miles away, iscommonplace, ensuring thesurvival of the breeds but alsoproviding a pretty constantsupply of new animals for thepublic to see.

Rare breeds are not onlyconserved for historic reasons.Many people are now seekinghigh quality from their food,something which these breedscan supply.

The BBC’s Food and FarmingAwards, the “Oscars” for foodproduction, are regularly won byrare breed meat producers wherequality, rather than quantity is

the aim. Quality Rare Breed meatfeatures on the menus of manytop restaurants.

More modern breeds mayproduce huge volumes of milkand meat but they also require ahigh input to achieve them,consuming concentratedspecialist food. The old breedsalso ensure a broad gene pool,avoiding the dangers of overspecialisation which can leaveanimals vulnerable to diseaseand inherited conditions. Theability of many rare breeds toflourish on poorer qualitygrazing has also led to theirextensive use for conservationgrazing, maintaining naturereserves by using cows, sheep,ponies or even pigs to naturallycare for a wild environment.

The uniqueness and value ofrare breeds means that they cancommand high prices. Sellingrare breed animals for breedingor meat boosts Croxteth’sincome. W6ell bred bulls will sellfor thousands of pounds.

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MANY of us in our home livesclass ourselves as committedrecyclers. Our local authoritieshave helped with this byproviding kerbside collections

for bottles, paper and garden waste. Wehave now also taken to carrying spare bagsaround with us for our shopping. But howmany of us have seen this approachtransferred to our place of work?

Initial results from the EnvironmentAgency Commercial and Industrial wastesurvey show that the amount of wastebeing recycled has increased from 35.3% in2006, to 59.8% in 2009. This is great news,but more needs to be done.

The amount of commercial waste whichis being produced continues to increase – awhopping 3.9 million tonnes of commercialwaste was produced in the region in 2009,an increase of 2.5% since 2006.

The Environment Agency are working inpartnership with Liverpool City Council inthe Make Waste Your Business campaign,and the Football League Trust to improvethe environmental credentials of footballclubs and their community programmes.

Where business can’t reduce the amountof waste they produce, they need to look atways in which they can reuse or recycle.

Builderscrap Ltd is not only givingadvice on waste management, but are alsohelping to provide a database of customersand surplus materials which can bere-used.

“At the Environment Agency we havealready taken steps to reduce the amount ofwaste we produce,” says Emma Harding,communications business partner.

“We recycle 84% of our waste, but wewant to do more by 2015 sending no wasteto landfill. We’re also committed to furtherreducing the amount of waste we produceby 20% by 2015. These kinds of targets arechallenging and we should be leading byexample for both the public and privatesector business in the region.”

For free environmental guidance on howto manage your business waste visitwww.netregs.gov.uk or contactEnvironment Connect on 0845 006 888.

Work,restand. . . recycle

Waste not,want not, isthe messageyou are nevertoo young tolearn

Get rid of leftover, unused materials andany good quality second hand products

For more information visit our Roadshowat the Huws Gray Builders Centre

Wednesday 31st March - FlintThursday 1st April - Wrexham

• Do you want to know how yourbusiness can reduce its impact onthe environment and improve itsgreen credentials?

• Are you unsure about how to respond tonew climate legislation and what this willmean for your business?

• Do you want to cut costs, realisesavings, and get lean, clean and greenALL at the same time?

• If so then join Liverpool Chamber’sEnvironmental Management Systems(EMS) Club which provides trainingon environmental procedures foryour company.

• Contact Liverpool Chamber ofCommerce today for information onthe next round of training from the EMSclub and opportunities for funding.

Email [email protected] ortelephone 0151 227 1234.

http://www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk

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WE all know thatpublic transportis a greener wayto travel, but itseems that

Merseytravel are going theextra mile.

Their annualenvironmentalsustainability report shows:● A 14% reduction incarbon dioxide emissionssince 2005/6.● 100% of all electricitypurchased from renewableor highly efficient sources.● 32% reduction in wateruse since 2005/6.● 104 tonnes of wasterecycled in 2008/9.

Merseytravel have alsobecome a signatory of theNottingham Declaration, apledge to address the causesof climate change, and toreduce greenhouse gasemissions from its ownactivities.

At the same timeMerseytravel achieved theCarbon Trust Standard, anaccreditation given to

organisations taking realaction to reduce their directimpact on climate change.

Neil Scales, chief executiveof Merseytravel, says: “We’recommitted to protecting theenvironment whiledelivering a world classtransport system to servepassengers acrossMerseyside.

“To achieve this werecognise that the sites wemanage, the services wesupply and the decisions ofour staff have an effect onthe environment and we aimto integrate sustainabilityinto the core of our work,minimising the impact of ouroperations on theenvironment.

“We also aim to work withsuppliers and contractorswith an environmental ethoslike our own, for example thecompany supplying thecleaning products to HattonGarden takes back theirplastic containers and hasthem recycled into children’splayground furniture.”

Cleanandgreen!

The North West hasabove averageCO2 emissionsWe’re committed tochanging this byhelping you, both inthe workplace & athome, to make apositive difference

For sponsorship or advertisingopportunities contact:

Neil JohnsonIt’s Our World Account ManagerTelephone: 0151 472 2705Email: [email protected]


A PROUD HERITAGETHE original Home Farm at CroxtethHall and Country Park was established inthe mid 1800s. The Home Farm was anessential element of the estate fromVictorian times to the death of the lastEarl in 1972. It provided meat, eggs anddairy produce for the Molyneux familyand the estate. Home Farm remains aworking farm but today is mainly a visitorattraction.

Home Farm was only one of manyfarms on the original estate which oncestretched from Halewood in the south toHightown in the north. And the manytenanted farms provided income tosupport the Earl’s opulent lifestyle. Muchof the rest of the land around the Hallwas used for sport.After the death of the last Earl thePark, including Home Farm, wasbequeathed to Liverpool City Councilwhich continues to manage the Farm asa visitor attraction. The farm has aManager who is supported by a team ofeight staff.Today the buildings, pastures andwoodlands remain one of the bestpreserved examples of an EdwardianCountry Estate and are now animportant heritage site.The farm has an extensive educationalprogramme delivering NationalCurriculum topics related to agriculture,food and farming to schools from theLiverpool area and surroundingboroughs.

Animals from a majestic shire horse to tinychicks with everything in between, particularlynew born lambs, are a source of greatfascination to children (and adults too!)

The Big Compost Giveaway!As a big thank you to the residents of Liverpool, we areoffering FREE compost that has been made from the greenwaste that is collected from Liverpool households.

Please bring your own bag and shovels, and help yourself tosome peat free organic compost to help your garden grow!

The Compost Giveaways will be held at the followinglocations between 9.00am & 12noon:

Saturday 17 April Clarke Gardens,off Springwood Avenue, L25

Saturday 15 May Walton Hall Park, main car parkoff Blackthorne Road

Saturday 12 June Sefton Park, car park areaoff Croxteth Drive

Saturday 18 September Croxteth Park, car parkoff Oak Lane and Muirhead Avenue

Saturday 16 October Clarke Gardens,off Springwood Avenue, L25

CREATIVE YOUNGSTERS ARELEADING A BLITZ ON DOG FOULINGPupils from Arnot St Mary’s Church of England Primary School have designedhard hitting posters urging owners to clean up after their canines.

Despite the best efforts of the city council’s street cleansing team,irresponsible dog owners continue to allow their dogs to foul outside theschool. Now, the passionate youngsters have joined the council’s crusade toeducate local dog owners on the dangers of failing to ‘scoop their dog’s poop’.

Gary Shaw, head teacher of the school, said: “Dog fouling around the schoolhas been a problem for years and the youngsters have just accepted it as away of life.

I’m delighted the council is tackling this issue head on and, hopefully, after allthe children’s hard work, people will learn to clean up their dog’s mess.”

Fines up to £1000 are now being enforcedTo report any dog fouling call 0151 233 3001


ONCE upon a time there wasa spoiled princess whoforced a besotted prince tofind a magic singingringing tree.

After many months of travellinghe eventually found the tree, andthen the story began to unfold. Butyou don’t have to go to those lengths.It’s now a permanent attraction atWigg Island in Runcorn.

And its namesake at the popularnature reserve is a far happier placealtogether.

Local artist Angela Sidwell wascommissioned to work with theschools and community groups to

make and design a ringing treewhich can be found in the TrollTrail nature area at Wigg Island.

The project involved two localschools – Runcorn All Saints andThe Brow – along with UptonConservation Group, Halton DayServices and the Guides and severalgroups of brownies from RuncornEast, 10th Halton, 7th & 10thRuncorn.

All groups have created a series ofdesigns which will be used andincorporated onto metal oak leaves.The leaves will adorn the topbranches of an Oak tree hangingalongside ringing bells.

Halton Borough Council'sExecutive Member for Parks andCountryside Cllr Phil Harris, says:“The young people and groupsinvolved in the project have workedreally hard and produced awonderful new attraction for thepark.”

The Friends of Wigg IslandCommunity Park and HaltonBorough Council secured fundingfrom The Mersey Forest and IneosChlor to create the arts project.

All participants who have beeninvolved with the project wereinvited to attend the unveiling of thetree to the public.

Jollygreengiants!

The Ringing Tree at Wigg Island, Runcorn. Inset: Halton Day Services members andhelpers join Ranger Bill Morton at the site

KNOWSLEY Council isencouraging residents to “ThinkGreen” this Easter with somehandy hints and tips for localresidents.REDUCE● Make an Easter basket withsmaller eggs with less or noplastic packaging.● Look for Easter eggs with

recycled cardboard● A tree or plant makes a goodEaster gift and produces nowaste.REUSE● Use old Easter egg plasticpackaging as a mould tomake your own Easter eggs ~athome.● Make your own Easter cards

using junk materials.● Save the stamps from yourEaster post and donate these tocharities.RECYCLE● Be a good egg and recycle allof your Easter cards andenvelopes.● Recycle all your Easter eggpackaging.

Be a goodegg thisEaster!HollyBarnabas, 9,from CrontonCofE School –and pet Miffy –with aselection of ‘noplastic’ Eastereggs boxed inrecycledcardboard


WE all want to eat healthier mealsand save money, but in a busyweek it’s sometimes hard to findthe time. But, as Gail Mooneyfrom Wallasey shows, it’s all about

building up a routine.Gail, 35, has been keeping a food diary to

show how cutting food waste is simpler than itseems.

“I first heard about Love Food Hate Wastein work last year, it has now become mynatural way of thinking,” she explains.

“I thought I’d give it a go after learning Icould save up to £50 a month and reduce theamount of good food I’m wasting. Anythingthat saves money has to be worth a try, but Ifound that I’ve really enjoyed some of therecipes, and tips suggested.

“At first, it does take a bit of time, but itdoesn’t have to be a chore and once you getgoing it actually saves you time.

“I’ve enjoyed making different meals andthinking of new and creative meals we canhave for tea. Having two young children it’salso good to get them eating a variety of foods– and get them in the kitchen. It’s amazinghow many kids don’t ever help out in thekitche, so hopefully its an education thing aswell.”

MondayI made a very large pan of Scouse so that

anything leftover could be stored in

Tupperware tubs. At £1 for 8 at the poundshop they are handy and ever so economical.

TuesdayI made chicken pie with meat from Sunday’s

roast. I always keep the essentials in thecupboard and fridge, so with a few bits toliven up the pie and some leftover veg (alsofrom the roast) for a lovely bubble and squeak.We had a good hearty dinner.

WednesdayA little extra time spent making an extra

portion at the weekend really can give youthat extra helping hand during the week whenthere’s kids clubs to get to, and I’ve workedlate at work. I’m grateful I’ve got Moussakafor tea. I prepared it last week and froze it.

Tip: Keep a list of what you have stored inthe freezer, with the dates of when the mealswere prepared. That way you can be sure to useup all the food you have prepared before it goesout of date!

ThursdayOnce a week I try and make a big pan of

soup. Not only is it a great winter warmer forthe family with a nice piece of crusty bread,but it also freezes really well – and so handy totake to work for a warm lunch option.

Tip: If your bread is feeling a little hard, popit in the microwave for 15 seconds and it’ll soonbe nice and soft (and warm)!

FridayFor tea tonight we’ve had pizza, its not

homemade, that’s not what this campaign isabout. It’s one I bought a few weeks ago it was‘buy one get one free’. I knew we wouldn’t eatit that week so put it in the freezer straightaway, especially for an occasion like tonight –the end of the week and I’m ready to relax. Togo with it, we make some garlic butter and useit with the bread left over from last night forhomemade garlic bread.

SaturdayFridge starting to look a bit empty but

that’s a good thing, at least I know it has allbeen used up and eaten. Need to get a new listdone for next week’s shopping.

I plan ahead and it avoids popping to theshops all the time for a few bits. I used to buya lot of food on impulse which again was quitewasteful; I’ve noticed I do this less now, savingme time and money.

Day off from an evening meal tonight. Mymum is looking after the kids and I’m off withmy husband and some friends for a meal.Even my mum and dad seem to be into theLove Food Hate Waste campaign now,although my dad has always been intocooking.

SundayMade a beef joint – delicious and there’s

meat leftover. I will probably use this up forsandwiches or another meal later in the week,maybe mini burgers or meatballs?!

I also cooked extra vegetables purposelytoday, some for the roast, and the rest to makesome lentil and vegetable soup in the week.

“We’re all eating better than ever, youshouldn’t think that it’s all about leftovers andscrimping we’ve had some real treats,” saysGail. “I’ve got more adventurous as I’ve goneon too!

“The biggest piece of advice I’d give toanyone is give it a go, it’s easier than youthink. Even if you just practice one tip at atime, you’ll build up your confidence and soonbe on your way.

“I never run out of milk or bread now as Ialways have some spare in the freezer (don’tworry if milk goes yellow, this is perfectlynormal).

“All the information you need to get startedis on Lovefoodhatewaste.com. It’s full of timesaver recipes, leftover recipes, batch cookingrecipes, and also tips on how to storeparticular foods.”

● If you would like to volunteer to keep afood waste diary and receive support to go ona Love Food Hate Waste journey pleasecontact Jane Little-Smith on 0151 934 4822 oremail jane.little-smith@ environmental.sefton.gov.uk

● SHARE your ideas, tipsand recipes for reducingfood waste . . . the top fivewill receive a Love FoodHate Waste kit to help youto reduce your food waste.To enter [email protected] date Friday, April 9.

COMPETITION

MyLoveFoodHateWasteDiary...Gail Mooney keeps thefamily meals healthyand tasty ... with helpfrom Love Food HateWaste


HOW do you fancy growing yourown pizza and mash thisEaster? They may not be themost conventional of crops, butit’s the National Wildflower

Centre’s way of getting children to eatmore healthily.

Stuart Kitchen is the man behind GetGrowing, the new community foodgrowing and cooking skillsprogramme in Knowsley, designed toget more people growing vegetablesand learning more about cooking withthem for healthy eating.

“Growing your own has been a bigthing this year,” explains Stuart, thecentre’s horticultural project officer.

“But there’s still the problem that alot of children don’t learn about eatinghealthily early enough. They thinkthey don’t like fruit and vegetables,but once they start growing them,they’ll happily eat them.”

So Stuart has set about designing aseries of family friendly workshops toget families growing and eating morefruit and vegetables.

“We looked at the kind of foods thatchildren tend to like – things likepizza – and thought how you couldbreak it down into things you couldgrow easily in your own garden.

“Obviously you can’t growmozzarella, and wheat isn’t thesimplest, but things like tomatoes,peppers, onions, basil and oreganoare all great to start off with. At theworkshop we’ll be making our ownpizzas, then while they cook I’ll showpeople how to grow the ingredients,then afterwards we can eat thefinished product.”

As well as working in the centre,the Get Growing project is workingin the community with Knowsleyresidents and groups, helpingeveryone start gardening with veg byrunning hands on, creative eventsand arranging informal training tobuild confidence and skills.

The project is also encouragingpeople to cook from scratch anddiscover more about good, local food.

To get involved or for moreinformation call 0151 738 1913.● IF you only grow one thing...

Make it lettuce, says Stuart. “Youdon’t need a garden for lettuce, youcan grow it on your windowsill. But

don’t think you can only grow icebergs,try rocket and mixed leaves. They’regreat for a fresh salad, and the more youcut them, the more they regrow, so youcan keep harvesting more and more allseason. A packet of seeds costs next tonothing, and you’ll save pounds onshop-bought salads in bags. And ifyou’re feeling adventurous, grow sometomatoes in a bucket with a few holes inthe bottom for drainage to go with them.You don’t need green fingers orexpensive equipment. Just give it a tryand you’ll be surprised by the results.”

● AS Liverpool moves beyond the Year ofthe Environment the green agenda remainsa key business priority.

Businesses have realised the need to cuttheir carbon emissions, while still stayingprofitable.

Maresa Molloy, head of policy andinformation at Liverpool Chamber,explains: “There’s a need to develop greenskills in Merseyside within theenvironmental technology sector but alsoamong “ordinary” businesses that need toaddress this issue. We’re keen to build onthe success of Year of the Environment andensure businesses are aware of the

opportunities to increase profits and reducewaste.”

Last year Liverpool Chamber deliveredenvironmental management training to agroup of high-profile organisations includingLiverpool One, the Plus Dane HousingGroup and the UK Borders Agency.Following the success of this development,they plan to repeat the training programme.

Applicants may be eligible for up to 60%funding from the Skillworks programmesubject to the fund’s qualifying criteria. Toregister your interest for the EMS Club,contact [email protected] or telephone 0151 227 1234.

Firmsgoinggreen . . .

Greenpizza&mash

Growing your own is a great way to encourage children to eattheir fruit and vegetables

aroundwastingStop aroundwastingStop aroundwastingStopfreeawithyeara£300 freeawithyeara£300 freeawithyeara£300

home energy checkhome energy checkhome energy check

Hello, Dave here. If you’relooking for easy ways to stopwasting energy and money theEnergy Saving Trust can help.So, complete your home energycheck today.check today.

Call 0800 512 012 or visitenergysavingtrust.org.uk/check

PLEASE READ:Maximum 1 eaga ShowerSmart per household during the period1 Jan 2008 - 31 March 2011. We are unable to supply an eagaShowerSmart if you have already received one within this period.Allow 42 days for delivery. Offer available to Great Britain residentsonly and is subject to availability.

To apply for your FREE eaga ShowerSmart:

We have a free eaga ShowerSmartavailable to every reader.Suitable for non-electric mixer showers orbath/shower mixer taps.Easy self-installation – no plumber required.It regulates the flow rate of your shower without reducing your enjoyment, saving waterand the energy used to heat hot waterCould save up to £60 a year in gas andmetered water bills and 21,000 litres ofwater/year for the average family of 4.Saves over a tonne of CO2 over its lifetime.Saving your pocket and the environment!

······

Free Energyand MoneySaving Gadget

· Go to www.eaga.com/offer· Freephone 0800 953 0033 quoting LNorth WestM

6903


IT’S been the coldest winterin 30 years...

So with temperaturesrising and spring in the air it’sa good time to prepare yourhome for the next cold snap.

There are lots of simpleways to make your homemore energy efficient andsave money too. Half of heatloss in a typical home isthrough the walls and loft soit's worth checking whetheryours are insulated. Insulatingyour loft could save around£150 a year.

To help you on your waythe Energy Saving Trust isoffering five lucky people inMerseyside the chance tokick-start their energy springclean by installing loftinsulation free of charge.

To stand a chance ofwinning the prize all you haveto do is answer the questionin our competition panel, onthe right.

NAME:ADDRESS:PHONE NO:

Send your answer with your name, address and contact telephone numbersto:Jade Wright, It’s Our World/Energy Saving Trust Competition, PO Box 48,Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L69 3EB.Five correct answers will be picked at random once the competition closes.Competition closes April 9. Usual Trinity Mirror Competition Rules apply –for details see www.itsourworld.co.uk.

ANSWER:LOFT INSULATIONCOMPETITION

I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED BY THE ENERGY SAVING TRUST WITHMORE INFORMATION ABOUT SAVING ENERGY

Q: How much could you save each year byinsulating your loft? A: £150. B: £75. C: £50

WINFREELOFT INSULATIONFROMTHEENERGYSAVINGTRUST

Size does matter when it comes to loft insulation

WINWIN

Café Society’s AudreyCousins, left, SheilaMurphy, Lucy Alcockand Mandy Westwellwith the vegetablesfrom the YouthOffending Service

FRESH vegetables grown in Knowsley byyoung people who have been in troubleare being used to help others eat betterfood. The borough's Youth OffendingService has allotments at Bowring

Park, Huyton, and Holland Road, Halewood, aspart of its work to change the behaviour of thepeople it helps.

The produce the young people grow iseither given to charities and victims of crimeor sold to raise money for the victim supportservice.

Last year the surplus vegetables weredonated to the Café Society project, inStockbridge Village. And it’s hoped thesedonations will continue this year.

Café Society helps people cook well and usehealthy ingredients by bringing inprofessionals for them to work with. The foodis then sold in the café.

Knowsley’s Executive Director for Childrenand Family Services, Damien Allen, says:“The allotments give these young people achance to give something back.

“The things they grow help the widercommunity and Café Society is doing great,

practical work to help people change whatthey eat.”

Lucy Alcock, the project manager at CaféSociety is delighted with the link up.

“This is a real bonus for us and the localresidents – fresh produce grown in the area byyoung people who are trying to change.

“Some of the young people on theallotments live in Stockbridge Village so we’rehoping they might join one of our courses andlearn the best way to cook the things theygrow.”● To find out more about Café Society contactLucy Alcock on 07791 455593 or [email protected]

Thedig forvictory● COMMUNITY Payback offenders are helping tocreate new allotment plots from overgrown waste landin Kirkby.

The project, spearheaded by Knowsley Councilworking in partnership with Merseyside ProbationTrust and local allotment holders, has seen 24Community Payback workers clearing and improvingthe site at Delaware allotments in Kirkby.

The work, which resulted in the removal of morethan one tonne of rubbish and brambles, has nowcleared the way for Knowsley Council and Delawareplot holders to bid for funding to create new allotmentplots for use by the local community.

John Flaherty, Knowsley Council Service Directorfor Neighbourhood Delivery, says: “The team havecleared brambles along the entrances and made thesite more inviting for plot holders and visitors.Community Payback is a great form of visible justicefor our communities and this project will bring realbenefits to current and future allotment holders inKnowsley.”

Teensmakefreshstart


AS WELL as thebrightly wrappedEaster eggs and cutechocolate bunnies,why not choose a

gift which could help changesomeone’s life this Easter?

From life-saving mosquitonets and clean water taps toincome-generating beehivesand flood survival kits,Present Aid’s catalogue isbursting with innovativevirtual gifts designed todirectly benefit some of theworld’s poorest people.

Take their new ChocolateStarter Kit, for example,specially created to helpsmall-scale Nicaraguancoffee farmers successfullyadapt to the potentiallydevastating impact ofclimate change.

Soaring temperatures anderratic rains linked to globalwarming and deforestationhave made it increasinglydifficult to harvest high-quality coffee there, but thekit’s hardy cocoa seedlingsand expert training meansNicaraguan farmers cannow start growingheat-loving organic cocoainstead.

Miguel Angel Zelaya, 48, isone such farmer who liveswith his wife Aurora, 46,their five children and twograndchildren in thepicturesque hilltop village ofSanta Rosa, El Cua, in thecountry’s north-centralhighlands.

“Coffee has thrived heresince my grandparents’ time,but the effect of recentchangeable weather patternsmeans it is now far too hot togrow coffee properly and ouryields have already droppedto about one-sixth of whatthey were just a few yearsago,” Miguel explains.

“Over the past decade, theenvironment in Nicaraguahas changed beyond allrecognition and it is nearlyimpossible to predict whatthe weather will be like onany given day,” he continues,pausing only to offer morechilli-soaked tortillas andglance at the shimmeringheat-haze fringing thesurrounding peaks.

“Landslides, hurricanesand floods happen morefrequently in some areas ofthe country but in otherparts it is uncomfortably hotand humid, rainy then dry,cloudy then cold. Who knowsanymore?” he shrugs.

“Because of our worseningcoffee harvests, my wife andI sat down one day to do oursums, and we soon realised ifthis hot weather continues,there will be no coffee farmsleft by the time my childrengrow up.

“Obviously we were veryfrightened by this discovery,but then we got our cocoa

seeds and training withChristian Aid’s partnerSoppexcca. I am pleased tosay early yields are verypromising and we areoptimistic about the future,”Miguel concludes, grinningwidely through silver-platedteeth.

As the matriarch of theZelaya family, Miguel’s wifeAurora could not agreemore.

“The extra income we arealready earning is a hugeblessing,” she says.

“Before the cocoa camealong, we did not know if wecould afford to send ouryoungest children tosecondary school, but nowthat is a real possibility andit makes me happy to knowthey have a far better chanceat a good life than we oncethought.

“I like cocoa for thatreason and, although I havenever tasted real chocolatemyself, I am told Westernerslove it, so it is win-win, eh?”she laughs loudly.

Win-win indeed.Initial cocoa harvests have

been so promising in recentyears that Soppexcca, acollective of 18Fairtrade-certifiedcoffee-farming cooperatives,now hopes to startcommercialisinglocally-grown organic cocoaas soon as next year.

“Climate change is havinga huge effect on everyonehere,” says Fatima Ismael,pioneering director ofSoppexcca.

“This year’s rains are lateyet again, for example,sparking all too familiarfears in the towns andvillages about crop failureand the resulting decline infood and vital income forrural families.

“However, the good newsis cocoa plants flourish inthis hotter weather. Theycan be grown at the sametime as the coffee’straditional ‘dead’period and thelatest cocoaharvests offer areal, tangibleglimmer of hopefor people here.

“Seriously, ifyou are a bit stuckfor something tobuy your family orfriends thisChristmas, justremember a littlereally does go along way here,”she smiles.

Visit the PresentAid website to seethe gifts atwww.presentaid.org

● CYCLE Speke is celebrating spring onEaster Sunday with a special bike ride.

The ride goes to the NationalWildflower Centre, in Court Hey Park,Huyton, and those taking part willreceive a little Easter treat from CycleSpeke.

Following the old railway line, theride goes along the tree-lined Liverpoolloop line, seeing spring flowers along theway.

It leaves Lifestyles Austin Rawlinson,in Parklands, Speke, at 2pm on Sunday.

Those taking part will have some fun,meet other people, get some exercise andsee signs of spring everywhere.

It will be suitable for all who have notcycled in a while and will be at aleisurely pace.

Climatechange . . . forthebetter


At last the weather is brightening up and the eveningsare getting longer. Here are a fewenvironmentally-friendly seasonal treats to put asmile on your face this spring

● IF YOU fancy a more adventurous way toraise money to help those affected by climatechange, try one of Christian Aid’s new MegaMersey Abseils – a 50m descent down theMersey tunnel ventilation station, inBirkenhead.

At the first event, 29 awesome abseilersmade it to the ground with smiles on theirfaces as they raised more than £5,500 to helpChristian Aid put an end to poverty.

“It felt so amazing to be doing somethingexciting, different and adventurous, but itfelt even better to be raising money forpeople around the world who so desperatelyneed it,” says brave abseiler Joanna Boyes.“It is a life experience I will not forget.”

Also showing his support on the day wasformer Hollyoaks actor Junade Khan, whoplayed Ash Roy in the soap.

“Merseyside is a part of the world I knowwell from my time in Hollyoaks, so I joinedothers from the region and took part in thisabseil to help people in some of the world’spoorest countries,” he says.

If you are interested in finding out moreabout Christian Aid’s extensive list offundraising events, visitwww.christianaid.org.uk/events, call 01925582826 or email [email protected]

● COMPOSTING suddenly got much more stylish,thanks to the new collection from Lakeland. Welove the Peely Bin, an enamel coated, stainlesssteel mini lidded bin for scraps and peels. It is amore attractive way to store kitchen scrapsand peelings destined for the compost heap.Ref 10879, www.lakeland.co.uk, £14.99.

While you are there, check out theiringenious Upside Down Tomato Planters.Self-watering, they keep out of the way and outof reach of most pests.

You do not have to garden standing on your headto use this topsy-turvy tomato planter – you just needsomewhere to hang it up.

It works well in a greenhouse, on a patio or even in aporch. Your tomato plants will flourish because all theenergy is used to produce big roots and bumper cropsinstead of being used to support the plants as they growupwards. Ref 51185, www.lakeland.co.uk, £14.99.

● GET creative with Build-A-BearWorkshop.

The Liverpool One store has a greatrange of wildlife-inspired soft toys toget little ones in the mood for Easter.

Each of the bears can be stuffed,dressed and named before takingthem home.

Go to www.buildabear.co.uk.

● THESE pretty bands are a guilt-free way to show youcare.

CRED’s range of gold jewellery has been certifiedFairtrade and Fairmined.

This is part of a drive which will see millions ofimpoverished artisan small-scale miners around the worldbe able to receive independent certification andrecognition for their efforts, along with a fairer price.

CRED are working with mining partner Oro Verde.Their jewellery includes a 10% social premium to

support the education and development of entirecommunities, and a further 5% Ecological Premium willbe payable to miners who extract gold without chemicals.

Wedding bands, from £200, at www.credjewellery.com.

Aurora Elena Blandonharvesting a ripe cocoa podwhile her husband MiguelZelaya watches in thebackground on their farm inNicaragua

Christian Aid abseilerJunade Khan

or thebetter


AS WELL as thebrightly wrappedEaster eggs and cutechocolate bunnies,why not choose a

gift which could help changesomeone’s life this Easter?

From life-saving mosquitonets and clean water taps toincome-generating beehivesand flood survival kits,Present Aid’s catalogue isbursting with innovativevirtual gifts designed todirectly benefit some of theworld’s poorest people.

Take their new ChocolateStarter Kit, for example,specially created to helpsmall-scale Nicaraguancoffee farmers successfullyadapt to the potentiallydevastating impact ofclimate change.

Soaring temperatures anderratic rains linked to globalwarming and deforestationhave made it increasinglydifficult to harvest high-quality coffee there, but thekit’s hardy cocoa seedlingsand expert training meansNicaraguan farmers cannow start growingheat-loving organic cocoainstead.

Miguel Angel Zelaya, 48, isone such farmer who liveswith his wife Aurora, 46,their five children and twograndchildren in thepicturesque hilltop village ofSanta Rosa, El Cua, in thecountry’s north-centralhighlands.

“Coffee has thrived heresince my grandparents’ time,but the effect of recentchangeable weather patternsmeans it is now far too hot togrow coffee properly and ouryields have already droppedto about one-sixth of whatthey were just a few yearsago,” Miguel explains.

“Over the past decade, theenvironment in Nicaraguahas changed beyond allrecognition and it is nearlyimpossible to predict whatthe weather will be like onany given day,” he continues,pausing only to offer morechilli-soaked tortillas andglance at the shimmeringheat-haze fringing thesurrounding peaks.

“Landslides, hurricanesand floods happen morefrequently in some areas ofthe country but in otherparts it is uncomfortably hotand humid, rainy then dry,cloudy then cold. Who knowsanymore?” he shrugs.

“Because of our worseningcoffee harvests, my wife andI sat down one day to do oursums, and we soon realised ifthis hot weather continues,there will be no coffee farmsleft by the time my childrengrow up.

“Obviously we were veryfrightened by this discovery,but then we got our cocoa

seeds and training withChristian Aid’s partnerSoppexcca. I am pleased tosay early yields are verypromising and we areoptimistic about the future,”Miguel concludes, grinningwidely through silver-platedteeth.

As the matriarch of theZelaya family, Miguel’s wifeAurora could not agreemore.

“The extra income we arealready earning is a hugeblessing,” she says.

“Before the cocoa camealong, we did not know if wecould afford to send ouryoungest children tosecondary school, but nowthat is a real possibility andit makes me happy to knowthey have a far better chanceat a good life than we oncethought.

“I like cocoa for thatreason and, although I havenever tasted real chocolatemyself, I am told Westernerslove it, so it is win-win, eh?”she laughs loudly.

Win-win indeed.Initial cocoa harvests have

been so promising in recentyears that Soppexcca, acollective of 18Fairtrade-certifiedcoffee-farming cooperatives,now hopes to startcommercialisinglocally-grown organic cocoaas soon as next year.

“Climate change is havinga huge effect on everyonehere,” says Fatima Ismael,pioneering director ofSoppexcca.

“This year’s rains are lateyet again, for example,sparking all too familiarfears in the towns andvillages about crop failureand the resulting decline infood and vital income forrural families.

“However, the good newsis cocoa plants flourish inthis hotter weather. Theycan be grown at the sametime as the coffee’straditional ‘dead’period and thelatest cocoaharvests offer areal, tangibleglimmer of hopefor people here.

“Seriously, ifyou are a bit stuckfor something tobuy your family orfriends thisChristmas, justremember a littlereally does go along way here,”she smiles.

Visit the PresentAid website to seethe gifts atwww.presentaid.org

● CYCLE Speke is celebrating spring onEaster Sunday with a special bike ride.

The ride goes to the NationalWildflower Centre, in Court Hey Park,Huyton, and those taking part willreceive a little Easter treat from CycleSpeke.

Following the old railway line, theride goes along the tree-lined Liverpoolloop line, seeing spring flowers along theway.

It leaves Lifestyles Austin Rawlinson,in Parklands, Speke, at 2pm on Sunday.

Those taking part will have some fun,meet other people, get some exercise andsee signs of spring everywhere.

It will be suitable for all who have notcycled in a while and will be at aleisurely pace.

Climatechange . . . forthebetter


At last the weather is brightening up and the eveningsare getting longer. Here are a fewenvironmentally-friendly seasonal treats to put asmile on your face this spring

● IF YOU fancy a more adventurous way toraise money to help those affected by climatechange, try one of Christian Aid’s new MegaMersey Abseils – a 50m descent down theMersey tunnel ventilation station, inBirkenhead.

At the first event, 29 awesome abseilersmade it to the ground with smiles on theirfaces as they raised more than £5,500 to helpChristian Aid put an end to poverty.

“It felt so amazing to be doing somethingexciting, different and adventurous, but itfelt even better to be raising money forpeople around the world who so desperatelyneed it,” says brave abseiler Joanna Boyes.“It is a life experience I will not forget.”

Also showing his support on the day wasformer Hollyoaks actor Junade Khan, whoplayed Ash Roy in the soap.

“Merseyside is a part of the world I knowwell from my time in Hollyoaks, so I joinedothers from the region and took part in thisabseil to help people in some of the world’spoorest countries,” he says.

If you are interested in finding out moreabout Christian Aid’s extensive list offundraising events, visitwww.christianaid.org.uk/events, call 01925582826 or email [email protected]

● COMPOSTING suddenly got much more stylish,thanks to the new collection from Lakeland. Welove the Peely Bin, an enamel coated, stainlesssteel mini lidded bin for scraps and peels. It is amore attractive way to store kitchen scrapsand peelings destined for the compost heap.Ref 10879, www.lakeland.co.uk, £14.99.

While you are there, check out theiringenious Upside Down Tomato Planters.Self-watering, they keep out of the way and outof reach of most pests.

You do not have to garden standing on your headto use this topsy-turvy tomato planter – you just needsomewhere to hang it up.

It works well in a greenhouse, on a patio or even in aporch. Your tomato plants will flourish because all theenergy is used to produce big roots and bumper cropsinstead of being used to support the plants as they growupwards. Ref 51185, www.lakeland.co.uk, £14.99.

● GET creative with Build-A-BearWorkshop.

The Liverpool One store has a greatrange of wildlife-inspired soft toys toget little ones in the mood for Easter.

Each of the bears can be stuffed,dressed and named before takingthem home.

Go to www.buildabear.co.uk.

● THESE pretty bands are a guilt-free way to show youcare.

CRED’s range of gold jewellery has been certifiedFairtrade and Fairmined.

This is part of a drive which will see millions ofimpoverished artisan small-scale miners around the worldbe able to receive independent certification andrecognition for their efforts, along with a fairer price.

CRED are working with mining partner Oro Verde.Their jewellery includes a 10% social premium to

support the education and development of entirecommunities, and a further 5% Ecological Premium willbe payable to miners who extract gold without chemicals.

Wedding bands, from £200, at www.credjewellery.com.

Aurora Elena Blandonharvesting a ripe cocoa podwhile her husband MiguelZelaya watches in thebackground on their farm inNicaragua

Christian Aid abseilerJunade Khan

or thebetter


HOW do you fancy growing yourown pizza and mash thisEaster? They may not be themost conventional of crops, butit’s the National Wildflower

Centre’s way of getting children to eatmore healthily.

Stuart Kitchen is the man behind GetGrowing, the new community foodgrowing and cooking skillsprogramme in Knowsley, designed toget more people growing vegetablesand learning more about cooking withthem for healthy eating.

“Growing your own has been a bigthing this year,” explains Stuart, thecentre’s horticultural project officer.

“But there’s still the problem that alot of children don’t learn about eatinghealthily early enough. They thinkthey don’t like fruit and vegetables,but once they start growing them,they’ll happily eat them.”

So Stuart has set about designing aseries of family friendly workshops toget families growing and eating morefruit and vegetables.

“We looked at the kind of foods thatchildren tend to like – things likepizza – and thought how you couldbreak it down into things you couldgrow easily in your own garden.

“Obviously you can’t growmozzarella, and wheat isn’t thesimplest, but things like tomatoes,peppers, onions, basil and oreganoare all great to start off with. At theworkshop we’ll be making our ownpizzas, then while they cook I’ll showpeople how to grow the ingredients,then afterwards we can eat thefinished product.”

As well as working in the centre,the Get Growing project is workingin the community with Knowsleyresidents and groups, helpingeveryone start gardening with veg byrunning hands on, creative eventsand arranging informal training tobuild confidence and skills.

The project is also encouragingpeople to cook from scratch anddiscover more about good, local food.

To get involved or for moreinformation call 0151 738 1913.● IF you only grow one thing...

Make it lettuce, says Stuart. “Youdon’t need a garden for lettuce, youcan grow it on your windowsill. But

don’t think you can only grow icebergs,try rocket and mixed leaves. They’regreat for a fresh salad, and the more youcut them, the more they regrow, so youcan keep harvesting more and more allseason. A packet of seeds costs next tonothing, and you’ll save pounds onshop-bought salads in bags. And ifyou’re feeling adventurous, grow sometomatoes in a bucket with a few holes inthe bottom for drainage to go with them.You don’t need green fingers orexpensive equipment. Just give it a tryand you’ll be surprised by the results.”

● AS Liverpool moves beyond the Year ofthe Environment the green agenda remainsa key business priority.

Businesses have realised the need to cuttheir carbon emissions, while still stayingprofitable.

Maresa Molloy, head of policy andinformation at Liverpool Chamber,explains: “There’s a need to develop greenskills in Merseyside within theenvironmental technology sector but alsoamong “ordinary” businesses that need toaddress this issue. We’re keen to build onthe success of Year of the Environment andensure businesses are aware of the

opportunities to increase profits and reducewaste.”

Last year Liverpool Chamber deliveredenvironmental management training to agroup of high-profile organisations includingLiverpool One, the Plus Dane HousingGroup and the UK Borders Agency.Following the success of this development,they plan to repeat the training programme.

Applicants may be eligible for up to 60%funding from the Skillworks programmesubject to the fund’s qualifying criteria. Toregister your interest for the EMS Club,contact [email protected] or telephone 0151 227 1234.

Firmsgoinggreen . . .

Greenpizza&mash

Growing your own is a great way to encourage children to eattheir fruit and vegetables

aroundwastingStop aroundwastingStop aroundwastingStopfreeawithyeara£300 freeawithyeara£300 freeawithyeara£300

home energy checkhome energy checkhome energy check

Hello, Dave here. If you’relooking for easy ways to stopwasting energy and money theEnergy Saving Trust can help.So, complete your home energycheck today.check today.

Call 0800 512 012 or visitenergysavingtrust.org.uk/check

PLEASE READ:Maximum 1 eaga ShowerSmart per household during the period1 Jan 2008 - 31 March 2011. We are unable to supply an eagaShowerSmart if you have already received one within this period.Allow 42 days for delivery. Offer available to Great Britain residentsonly and is subject to availability.

To apply for your FREE eaga ShowerSmart:

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IT’S been the coldest winterin 30 years...

So with temperaturesrising and spring in the air it’sa good time to prepare yourhome for the next cold snap.

There are lots of simpleways to make your homemore energy efficient andsave money too. Half of heatloss in a typical home isthrough the walls and loft soit's worth checking whetheryours are insulated. Insulatingyour loft could save around£150 a year.

To help you on your waythe Energy Saving Trust isoffering five lucky people inMerseyside the chance tokick-start their energy springclean by installing loftinsulation free of charge.

To stand a chance ofwinning the prize all you haveto do is answer the questionin our competition panel, onthe right.

NAME:ADDRESS:PHONE NO:

Send your answer with your name, address and contact telephone numbersto:Jade Wright, It’s Our World/Energy Saving Trust Competition, PO Box 48,Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L69 3EB.Five correct answers will be picked at random once the competition closes.Competition closes April 9. Usual Trinity Mirror Competition Rules apply –for details see www.itsourworld.co.uk.

ANSWER:LOFT INSULATIONCOMPETITION

I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED BY THE ENERGY SAVING TRUST WITHMORE INFORMATION ABOUT SAVING ENERGY

Q: How much could you save each year byinsulating your loft? A: £150. B: £75. C: £50

WINFREELOFT INSULATIONFROMTHEENERGYSAVINGTRUST

Size does matter when it comes to loft insulation

WINWIN

Café Society’s AudreyCousins, left, SheilaMurphy, Lucy Alcockand Mandy Westwellwith the vegetablesfrom the YouthOffending Service

FRESH vegetables grown in Knowsley byyoung people who have been in troubleare being used to help others eat betterfood. The borough's Youth OffendingService has allotments at Bowring

Park, Huyton, and Holland Road, Halewood, aspart of its work to change the behaviour of thepeople it helps.

The produce the young people grow iseither given to charities and victims of crimeor sold to raise money for the victim supportservice.

Last year the surplus vegetables weredonated to the Café Society project, inStockbridge Village. And it’s hoped thesedonations will continue this year.

Café Society helps people cook well and usehealthy ingredients by bringing inprofessionals for them to work with. The foodis then sold in the café.

Knowsley’s Executive Director for Childrenand Family Services, Damien Allen, says:“The allotments give these young people achance to give something back.

“The things they grow help the widercommunity and Café Society is doing great,

practical work to help people change whatthey eat.”

Lucy Alcock, the project manager at CaféSociety is delighted with the link up.

“This is a real bonus for us and the localresidents – fresh produce grown in the area byyoung people who are trying to change.

“Some of the young people on theallotments live in Stockbridge Village so we’rehoping they might join one of our courses andlearn the best way to cook the things theygrow.”● To find out more about Café Society contactLucy Alcock on 07791 455593 or [email protected]

Thedig forvictory● COMMUNITY Payback offenders are helping tocreate new allotment plots from overgrown waste landin Kirkby.

The project, spearheaded by Knowsley Councilworking in partnership with Merseyside ProbationTrust and local allotment holders, has seen 24Community Payback workers clearing and improvingthe site at Delaware allotments in Kirkby.

The work, which resulted in the removal of morethan one tonne of rubbish and brambles, has nowcleared the way for Knowsley Council and Delawareplot holders to bid for funding to create new allotmentplots for use by the local community.

John Flaherty, Knowsley Council Service Directorfor Neighbourhood Delivery, says: “The team havecleared brambles along the entrances and made thesite more inviting for plot holders and visitors.Community Payback is a great form of visible justicefor our communities and this project will bring realbenefits to current and future allotment holders inKnowsley.”

Teensmakefreshstart


ONCE upon a time there wasa spoiled princess whoforced a besotted prince tofind a magic singingringing tree.

After many months of travellinghe eventually found the tree, andthen the story began to unfold. Butyou don’t have to go to those lengths.It’s now a permanent attraction atWigg Island in Runcorn.

And its namesake at the popularnature reserve is a far happier placealtogether.

Local artist Angela Sidwell wascommissioned to work with theschools and community groups to

make and design a ringing treewhich can be found in the TrollTrail nature area at Wigg Island.

The project involved two localschools – Runcorn All Saints andThe Brow – along with UptonConservation Group, Halton DayServices and the Guides and severalgroups of brownies from RuncornEast, 10th Halton, 7th & 10thRuncorn.

All groups have created a series ofdesigns which will be used andincorporated onto metal oak leaves.The leaves will adorn the topbranches of an Oak tree hangingalongside ringing bells.

Halton Borough Council'sExecutive Member for Parks andCountryside Cllr Phil Harris, says:“The young people and groupsinvolved in the project have workedreally hard and produced awonderful new attraction for thepark.”

The Friends of Wigg IslandCommunity Park and HaltonBorough Council secured fundingfrom The Mersey Forest and IneosChlor to create the arts project.

All participants who have beeninvolved with the project wereinvited to attend the unveiling of thetree to the public.

Jollygreengiants!

The Ringing Tree at Wigg Island, Runcorn. Inset: Halton Day Services members andhelpers join Ranger Bill Morton at the site

KNOWSLEY Council isencouraging residents to “ThinkGreen” this Easter with somehandy hints and tips for localresidents.REDUCE● Make an Easter basket withsmaller eggs with less or noplastic packaging.● Look for Easter eggs with

recycled cardboard● A tree or plant makes a goodEaster gift and produces nowaste.REUSE● Use old Easter egg plasticpackaging as a mould tomake your own Easter eggs ~athome.● Make your own Easter cards

using junk materials.● Save the stamps from yourEaster post and donate these tocharities.RECYCLE● Be a good egg and recycle allof your Easter cards andenvelopes.● Recycle all your Easter eggpackaging.

Be a goodegg thisEaster!HollyBarnabas, 9,from CrontonCofE School –and pet Miffy –with aselection of ‘noplastic’ Eastereggs boxed inrecycledcardboard


WE all want to eat healthier mealsand save money, but in a busyweek it’s sometimes hard to findthe time. But, as Gail Mooneyfrom Wallasey shows, it’s all about

building up a routine.Gail, 35, has been keeping a food diary to

show how cutting food waste is simpler than itseems.

“I first heard about Love Food Hate Wastein work last year, it has now become mynatural way of thinking,” she explains.

“I thought I’d give it a go after learning Icould save up to £50 a month and reduce theamount of good food I’m wasting. Anythingthat saves money has to be worth a try, but Ifound that I’ve really enjoyed some of therecipes, and tips suggested.

“At first, it does take a bit of time, but itdoesn’t have to be a chore and once you getgoing it actually saves you time.

“I’ve enjoyed making different meals andthinking of new and creative meals we canhave for tea. Having two young children it’salso good to get them eating a variety of foods– and get them in the kitchen. It’s amazinghow many kids don’t ever help out in thekitche, so hopefully its an education thing aswell.”

MondayI made a very large pan of Scouse so that

anything leftover could be stored in

Tupperware tubs. At £1 for 8 at the poundshop they are handy and ever so economical.

TuesdayI made chicken pie with meat from Sunday’s

roast. I always keep the essentials in thecupboard and fridge, so with a few bits toliven up the pie and some leftover veg (alsofrom the roast) for a lovely bubble and squeak.We had a good hearty dinner.

WednesdayA little extra time spent making an extra

portion at the weekend really can give youthat extra helping hand during the week whenthere’s kids clubs to get to, and I’ve workedlate at work. I’m grateful I’ve got Moussakafor tea. I prepared it last week and froze it.

Tip: Keep a list of what you have stored inthe freezer, with the dates of when the mealswere prepared. That way you can be sure to useup all the food you have prepared before it goesout of date!

ThursdayOnce a week I try and make a big pan of

soup. Not only is it a great winter warmer forthe family with a nice piece of crusty bread,but it also freezes really well – and so handy totake to work for a warm lunch option.

Tip: If your bread is feeling a little hard, popit in the microwave for 15 seconds and it’ll soonbe nice and soft (and warm)!

FridayFor tea tonight we’ve had pizza, its not

homemade, that’s not what this campaign isabout. It’s one I bought a few weeks ago it was‘buy one get one free’. I knew we wouldn’t eatit that week so put it in the freezer straightaway, especially for an occasion like tonight –the end of the week and I’m ready to relax. Togo with it, we make some garlic butter and useit with the bread left over from last night forhomemade garlic bread.

SaturdayFridge starting to look a bit empty but

that’s a good thing, at least I know it has allbeen used up and eaten. Need to get a new listdone for next week’s shopping.

I plan ahead and it avoids popping to theshops all the time for a few bits. I used to buya lot of food on impulse which again was quitewasteful; I’ve noticed I do this less now, savingme time and money.

Day off from an evening meal tonight. Mymum is looking after the kids and I’m off withmy husband and some friends for a meal.Even my mum and dad seem to be into theLove Food Hate Waste campaign now,although my dad has always been intocooking.

SundayMade a beef joint – delicious and there’s

meat leftover. I will probably use this up forsandwiches or another meal later in the week,maybe mini burgers or meatballs?!

I also cooked extra vegetables purposelytoday, some for the roast, and the rest to makesome lentil and vegetable soup in the week.

“We’re all eating better than ever, youshouldn’t think that it’s all about leftovers andscrimping we’ve had some real treats,” saysGail. “I’ve got more adventurous as I’ve goneon too!

“The biggest piece of advice I’d give toanyone is give it a go, it’s easier than youthink. Even if you just practice one tip at atime, you’ll build up your confidence and soonbe on your way.

“I never run out of milk or bread now as Ialways have some spare in the freezer (don’tworry if milk goes yellow, this is perfectlynormal).

“All the information you need to get startedis on Lovefoodhatewaste.com. It’s full of timesaver recipes, leftover recipes, batch cookingrecipes, and also tips on how to storeparticular foods.”

● If you would like to volunteer to keep afood waste diary and receive support to go ona Love Food Hate Waste journey pleasecontact Jane Little-Smith on 0151 934 4822 oremail jane.little-smith@ environmental.sefton.gov.uk

● SHARE your ideas, tipsand recipes for reducingfood waste . . . the top fivewill receive a Love FoodHate Waste kit to help youto reduce your food waste.To enter [email protected] date Friday, April 9.

COMPETITION

MyLoveFoodHateWasteDiary...Gail Mooney keeps thefamily meals healthyand tasty ... with helpfrom Love Food HateWaste


WE all know thatpublic transportis a greener wayto travel, but itseems that

Merseytravel are going theextra mile.

Their annualenvironmentalsustainability report shows:● A 14% reduction incarbon dioxide emissionssince 2005/6.● 100% of all electricitypurchased from renewableor highly efficient sources.● 32% reduction in wateruse since 2005/6.● 104 tonnes of wasterecycled in 2008/9.

Merseytravel have alsobecome a signatory of theNottingham Declaration, apledge to address the causesof climate change, and toreduce greenhouse gasemissions from its ownactivities.

At the same timeMerseytravel achieved theCarbon Trust Standard, anaccreditation given to

organisations taking realaction to reduce their directimpact on climate change.

Neil Scales, chief executiveof Merseytravel, says: “We’recommitted to protecting theenvironment whiledelivering a world classtransport system to servepassengers acrossMerseyside.

“To achieve this werecognise that the sites wemanage, the services wesupply and the decisions ofour staff have an effect onthe environment and we aimto integrate sustainabilityinto the core of our work,minimising the impact of ouroperations on theenvironment.

“We also aim to work withsuppliers and contractorswith an environmental ethoslike our own, for example thecompany supplying thecleaning products to HattonGarden takes back theirplastic containers and hasthem recycled into children’splayground furniture.”

Cleanandgreen!

The North West hasabove averageCO2 emissionsWe’re committed tochanging this byhelping you, both inthe workplace & athome, to make apositive difference

For sponsorship or advertisingopportunities contact:

Neil JohnsonIt’s Our World Account ManagerTelephone: 0151 472 2705Email: [email protected]


A PROUD HERITAGETHE original Home Farm at CroxtethHall and Country Park was established inthe mid 1800s. The Home Farm was anessential element of the estate fromVictorian times to the death of the lastEarl in 1972. It provided meat, eggs anddairy produce for the Molyneux familyand the estate. Home Farm remains aworking farm but today is mainly a visitorattraction.

Home Farm was only one of manyfarms on the original estate which oncestretched from Halewood in the south toHightown in the north. And the manytenanted farms provided income tosupport the Earl’s opulent lifestyle. Muchof the rest of the land around the Hallwas used for sport.After the death of the last Earl thePark, including Home Farm, wasbequeathed to Liverpool City Councilwhich continues to manage the Farm asa visitor attraction. The farm has aManager who is supported by a team ofeight staff.Today the buildings, pastures andwoodlands remain one of the bestpreserved examples of an EdwardianCountry Estate and are now animportant heritage site.The farm has an extensive educationalprogramme delivering NationalCurriculum topics related to agriculture,food and farming to schools from theLiverpool area and surroundingboroughs.

Animals from a majestic shire horse to tinychicks with everything in between, particularlynew born lambs, are a source of greatfascination to children (and adults too!)

The Big Compost Giveaway!As a big thank you to the residents of Liverpool, we areoffering FREE compost that has been made from the greenwaste that is collected from Liverpool households.

Please bring your own bag and shovels, and help yourself tosome peat free organic compost to help your garden grow!

The Compost Giveaways will be held at the followinglocations between 9.00am & 12noon:

Saturday 17 April Clarke Gardens,off Springwood Avenue, L25

Saturday 15 May Walton Hall Park, main car parkoff Blackthorne Road

Saturday 12 June Sefton Park, car park areaoff Croxteth Drive

Saturday 18 September Croxteth Park, car parkoff Oak Lane and Muirhead Avenue

Saturday 16 October Clarke Gardens,off Springwood Avenue, L25

CREATIVE YOUNGSTERS ARELEADING A BLITZ ON DOG FOULINGPupils from Arnot St Mary’s Church of England Primary School have designedhard hitting posters urging owners to clean up after their canines.

Despite the best efforts of the city council’s street cleansing team,irresponsible dog owners continue to allow their dogs to foul outside theschool. Now, the passionate youngsters have joined the council’s crusade toeducate local dog owners on the dangers of failing to ‘scoop their dog’s poop’.

Gary Shaw, head teacher of the school, said: “Dog fouling around the schoolhas been a problem for years and the youngsters have just accepted it as away of life.

I’m delighted the council is tackling this issue head on and, hopefully, after allthe children’s hard work, people will learn to clean up their dog’s mess.”

Fines up to £1000 are now being enforcedTo report any dog fouling call 0151 233 3001


It’sanimalmagic!

CROXTETH’S Home Farmis one of Liverpool’s mostpopular visitorattractions, a place forfamilies to come and see

farm animals in a traditionalcountryside setting just minutesfrom the city.

But not all of the thousands ofvisitors will realise that it alsoplays a valuable role inconserving some of Britain’srarest animals – a living museumfor farming.

Home Farm is much more thana pet’s corner.

It is one of only 14 ApprovedConservation Farm Parks inBritain performing a vital role inconserving genetic diversity infarm animals.

Its conservation role can betraced to the birth of modernagriculture when farmersdeveloped breeds that weresuited to their particular needs.

Often these were most suited toa particular part of Britain –such as the shaggy Highlandcattle, able to weather life in theScottish Highlands, or aRonaldsay sheep, bred to surviveon a diet of seaweed in theirhome on Orkney.

Others met different needs.Tiny Dexter cattle were ideal forsmallholders, supplying a familywith milk and meat from a smallplot. Longhorn cattle and giantShire horses were bred to pullheavy carts and ploughs.

But the needs of farming todayare different from those of ourforebears. Not only have tractorsreplaced horses, modern farminguses just a few breeds,abandoning the older breeds thatdon’t meet current needs. Theseare specialised for high volumeproduction. For example almostall of our milk comes fromHolstein cattle, the familiar black

and white dairy cows. No wonderwhen a pedigree animal canproduce 14,298 pints in one year –that’s 39 pints a day.

Traditional breeds went intorapid decline, a trend that hasbeen reversed by the work of theRare Breeds Survival Trust,founded in 1973 (www.rbst.org.uk)

Croxteth’s Home Farm wasestablished as a Rare BreedsCentre by Liverpool Museum in1982, set up to show visitors aworking farm and to conservehistoric farm breeds.

The farm keeps a number ofbreeds that have historical linksto the Earl of Sefton’s estate, suchas Dexter and Redpoll cattle, butalso some of the rarest breeds inBritain. There are fewer IrishMoiled cattle in the world thanthere are Giant Pandas. AndCroxteth has one of the largestherds in the UK.

The traditional setting ofCroxteth’s farm belies the hi-techmodern approach to breeding.

DNA samples are used to trackthe genetic fingerprint andancestry of the animals, ensuringthat appropriate bloodlines arekept and future breedingprogrammed. Heterozygosity,alleles and back-crossing are asmuch part of the farmingvocabulary as muck and milking.

The rarity of stock means thatartificial insemination, usingfrozen semen from bulls frommany miles away, iscommonplace, ensuring thesurvival of the breeds but alsoproviding a pretty constantsupply of new animals for thepublic to see.

Rare breeds are not onlyconserved for historic reasons.Many people are now seekinghigh quality from their food,something which these breedscan supply.

The BBC’s Food and FarmingAwards, the “Oscars” for foodproduction, are regularly won byrare breed meat producers wherequality, rather than quantity is

the aim. Quality Rare Breed meatfeatures on the menus of manytop restaurants.

More modern breeds mayproduce huge volumes of milkand meat but they also require ahigh input to achieve them,consuming concentratedspecialist food. The old breedsalso ensure a broad gene pool,avoiding the dangers of overspecialisation which can leaveanimals vulnerable to diseaseand inherited conditions. Theability of many rare breeds toflourish on poorer qualitygrazing has also led to theirextensive use for conservationgrazing, maintaining naturereserves by using cows, sheep,ponies or even pigs to naturallycare for a wild environment.

The uniqueness and value ofrare breeds means that they cancommand high prices. Sellingrare breed animals for breedingor meat boosts Croxteth’sincome. W6ell bred bulls will sellfor thousands of pounds.

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MANY of us in our home livesclass ourselves as committedrecyclers. Our local authoritieshave helped with this byproviding kerbside collections

for bottles, paper and garden waste. Wehave now also taken to carrying spare bagsaround with us for our shopping. But howmany of us have seen this approachtransferred to our place of work?

Initial results from the EnvironmentAgency Commercial and Industrial wastesurvey show that the amount of wastebeing recycled has increased from 35.3% in2006, to 59.8% in 2009. This is great news,but more needs to be done.

The amount of commercial waste whichis being produced continues to increase – awhopping 3.9 million tonnes of commercialwaste was produced in the region in 2009,an increase of 2.5% since 2006.

The Environment Agency are working inpartnership with Liverpool City Council inthe Make Waste Your Business campaign,and the Football League Trust to improvethe environmental credentials of footballclubs and their community programmes.

Where business can’t reduce the amountof waste they produce, they need to look atways in which they can reuse or recycle.

Builderscrap Ltd is not only givingadvice on waste management, but are alsohelping to provide a database of customersand surplus materials which can bere-used.

“At the Environment Agency we havealready taken steps to reduce the amount ofwaste we produce,” says Emma Harding,communications business partner.

“We recycle 84% of our waste, but wewant to do more by 2015 sending no wasteto landfill. We’re also committed to furtherreducing the amount of waste we produceby 20% by 2015. These kinds of targets arechallenging and we should be leading byexample for both the public and privatesector business in the region.”

For free environmental guidance on howto manage your business waste visitwww.netregs.gov.uk or contactEnvironment Connect on 0845 006 888.

Work,restand. . . recycle

Waste not,want not, isthe messageyou are nevertoo young tolearn

Get rid of leftover, unused materials andany good quality second hand products

For more information visit our Roadshowat the Huws Gray Builders Centre

Wednesday 31st March - FlintThursday 1st April - Wrexham

• Do you want to know how yourbusiness can reduce its impact onthe environment and improve itsgreen credentials?

• Are you unsure about how to respond tonew climate legislation and what this willmean for your business?

• Do you want to cut costs, realisesavings, and get lean, clean and greenALL at the same time?

• If so then join Liverpool Chamber’sEnvironmental Management Systems(EMS) Club which provides trainingon environmental procedures foryour company.

• Contact Liverpool Chamber ofCommerce today for information onthe next round of training from the EMSclub and opportunities for funding.

Email [email protected] ortelephone 0151 227 1234.

http://www.liverpoolchamber.org.uk

GOINGGREEN

Guidance andTraining for

Businesses fromLiverpool Chamber

of Commerce

Reduce yourwaste line

Find out ways thatyou can reduce,

reuse or recycle yourwaste by visiting:

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April 18Mad Panda Tea Party, National Wildflower Centre, free event.Pre-booking essential on 0151 281 7967, details fromwww.madpanda.co.uk, 1- 4pm.

April 21Simply the Best, Gardening for Schools, National WildflowerCentre, RHS Course. See the RHS [email protected] further info, 9.30am – 3.30pm.

April 24Spring Clean, Mill Farm, Knowsley, 1-3pm.

How to grow herbs, National Wildflower Centre, £7.50, includesentry to centre, 10am – 12noon.

April 25Wild food lunch specials, Cornflower Cafe, National WildflowerCentre, using nettles, dandelions etc. Recipe sheets to take away.

The Victorian Gardener, Croxteth Hall; travel back in time tomeet the Victorian Head Gardener and discover his role in LordSefton's splendid Walled Garden, producing fresh flowers, fruit andvegetables. This event is a ticket only event - book yours by callingthe ticket line on 0151 233 6930. Walled Garden admission pricesapply.

May 1Beating the Bounds, Huyton Wetlands, 12-3pm.

May 2International Dawn Chorus Day, Croxteth Hall, learn about thewild woodland bird population and experience the delights of arousing 'dawn chorus' with Liverpool's Ranger InterpretationService. This is the best time of the year to hear birds singing asthey vie with each other to establish breeding territories andattract a mate. Wear warm clothing and sturdy footwear. Buytickets in advance from the hall gift shop, £3, 5am.

May 5Plant some memories, National Wildflower Centre, for the over50s, refreshments provided, free places available, 10am-12noon.

May 9Liverpool Association of Women's Clubs Annual Walk, CroxtethPark; a popular charity walk in the park. For more detailstelephone 0151 724 3046.

May 15Discover Nature at Stadt Moors Park, 1-3pm.

May 16Discover Nature at Huyton Wetlands, 1-3pm.

May 15Pond Dipping, Acornfield, Knowsley, 1-3pm.

May 29Wildflowers & Folklore, National Wildflower Centre, free,although admission charges to centre apply, 10am-12noon.

April 5Easter Egg Fun, Royden Park, Frankby, Wirral. Follow the clues tofind the eggs. Sorry no dogs. No need to book. Meet at the entranceto the Walled Garden in Royden Park, 1.30pm - 3.30pm.

April 6Egg Rolling, King George V Playing Fields, Knowsley, 12-3pm.

April 7Kite Making, Alt Park, Knowsley, 1-3pm.

How to create a Square Yard Garden, National Wildflower Centre,Huyton, £3 + admission charges to centre; Age 7+, 10am – noon.

April 8Kite making, Jubilee Park, Knowsley, 1-3pm.

Storytelling Walk, National Wildflower Centre, £2.50 + admissioncharges to centre, 1pm & 3pm.

Easter Egg Hunt, Mill Farm, Knowsley, 1-3pm

Dragon Tales and other Fiery Fables, Stories of Flying Fairies andWhirling Witches, Croxteth Hall; Fun storytelling sessions for ages 4- 11. To book a place (£2.50 per child, £1 adult) ring the Hall GiftShop on 0151 233 6930.

April for the Ardent, Wirral Country Park Visitor Centre, aninvigorating walk along the Wirral Way from Thurstaston to theDawpool Nature Reserve, then returning back along the beach andup the steps to the Visitor Centre. Dogs are welcome but must beon a lead. For further enquiries call 0151-648-4371.

April 9Tales of mermaids, magic and creatures of the deep, tales of trolls,tricks and toadstools, Croxteth Hall. Educational storytelling sessionsfocussed on different environment themes, to book a place (£2.50per child, £1 Adult) ring the hall gift shop on 0151 233 6930.

April 10Kite making at Jubilee Park, Knowsley, 12-3pm.

April 11Walled Garden open days, Dibbinsdale Nature Reserve. Visit theEco-garden project at Dibbinsdale Nature Reserve, run by and forpeople with learning disabilities. Wild flowers, trees, insect garden,veg, fruit and composting demonstration area. Plants andrefreshments will be on sale on behalf of the project, 11am-3pm.

Hilbre Island open day, Hilbre Island. Join the Friends of Hilbre on themain island where they will have the Grade II listed Telegraph Stationopen and will have telescopes set up to watch the seals, 12.30 - 4pm.Contact 0151-648-4371/3884 for advice on tide times; or contact theHilbre Ranger at: 0151-678 5488.

April 12Where do you get your eggs from? National Wildflower Centre, £2+ admission charges to Centre, 1pm & 3pm.

April 13Bee Beautiful, National Wildflower Centre. Decorate a pot and planta bee friendly plant, free, admission charges to centre apply, 1pm &3pm.

Didn’twehavea lovelytime,thedaywewentto ....DIARY DATES ...


ACORN Farm in Kirkby has a host ofgreat family activities planned overthe next few weeks. Projectadministrator Tracy Paynter says:“All the sheep have just given birth

over the last couple of weeks so there areplenty of lambs around – 19 lambs includingthree sets of triplets.

“One of our Silkies (fancy breed of chicken)has just given birth to five chicks. We run anincubator package and we have chicks comingback to the farm that have been hatched bylocal schools.”

In addition Roxy the pig is due to have alitter of piglets any day soon.

As well as their farm animals to stroke andfeed, there are plant sales and woodlandwalks.

On Wednesday April 7 there’s a Farmer fora Day workshop for 8-12 year olds. Buddingagriculturalists will be able to find out aboutlooking after rabbits and guinea pigs, feed thechickens and ducks, help to collect and sortthe eggs for sale in the farm shop and milk agoat. The day costs £10 per child and must bebooked in advance.

The next day, April 8, there’s a Horse Day. Itoffers an introduction to horses andequipment, stable management, riding gamesand a horse quiz. Again it’s suitable for 8-12year olds. It costs £15 per child. Book on 0151548 1524 or email [email protected].

Spring is intheaironthefarm

● MORE than a hundred pupils fromacross Merseyside have united to showadults how much better they wouldmanage the environment if they were incharge.

Children from St John’s CatholicPrimary School, in Kirkdale, BishopMartin Church of England PrimarySchool, in Woolton, and Garston Churchof England Primary School have beenparading and singing about climatechange.

Nalina Eggert, the event organiserfrom the Liverpool World Centre, said:“St John’s recently raised £2,000 to helpthe survivors of the earthquake in Haiti.

Garston have been learning aboutclimate change and Bishop Martinpupils have been growing their ownvegetables. We are delighted to havesuch environmentally-consciouschildren on board.”

The school children have been findingout more about climate change and itseffects with Oxfam, CAFOD, ChristianAid and the Liverpool World Centre, andspoke to Arbab Shakar, a Pakistan-basedOxfam worker, on how poor countriesare coping with climate change.

“It’s great to know that so manychildren in Liverpool are interested inlearning about climate change and how

it affects other children in a countrylike Pakistan,” said Arbab.

Mrs Donnelly, teacher for year 5 atBishop Martin Church of EnglandPrimary School, in Woolton, said: “Ithas been great, the children had fun andhave learnt a lot about climate changeand the injustices of it. At school theyare working towards a Green Flagaward. They run a Greener schoolcommittee. They have set up a travellingscheme, walk-in-bus, to reduce theircarbon emissions. They are also lookingafter a garden plot, grow their own vegand 18 baby chicks have hatched thisweek!”

A horse at Acorn Venture Farm Picture: JAMES MALONEY

● LIVERPOOL communityorganisations have received morethan £74,000 to help fundenvironmental projects.

The money comes from LiverpoolCity Council’s Year of theEnvironment Fund, set up last year.The money from the fund has nowbeen fully allocated to a total of 78projects across the city.

Valley Community Theatre, inNetherley, received £2,500 for theirValley Garden project. The projecthas brought together adults withlearning disabilities, older peopleand young people to transform apiece of ground to the rear of thetheatre. The grant went towardsimproving the garden anddeveloping a recycling area withcompost bins and plants.

Lark Lane Neighbour Associationreceived just under £1,000 to helpcarry out two major clean-up eventsfocusing on grot spots in the area.

Liverpool Quakers association wasgiven £1,000 in funding to create asustainable garden which will beused for running educational andrecreational activities and events.

Sola Arts in Toxteth received agrant of £1,000 to fund a series of sixworkshops for local young people.Young volunteers took part inclean-up campaigns and wildlifespotting workshops as part of theproject.

Colin Heaney, Grants Officer atLCVS, said: “The money allocatedhas gone to some really worthwhileprojects which have helped improvethe local communities in Liverpooland bring people in the area closertogether.

“We are particularly pleased withthe way the grants have beendelivered. Instead of decisions beingmade by someone outside thecommunity, panels have used theirlocal knowledge and skills to ensurethe funding achieved the bestoutcome for their community.”

JUMPING FOR JOY: More than 100 Merseyside 10-year-olds got together to show adults how much better they wouldmanage the environment if they were in charge - holding the banner at the back is Cllr John Coyne, left, and Cllr PhilMoffat, together with charity worker Arbab Shakar, and some of the youngsters Picture: JAMES MALONEY


WELCOME to the spring It’s Our Worldsupplement – part of our green section dedicated tomaking Merseyside a better place to live in.

We’re now almost a year into the project andwe’re already seeing big changes. From improvedrecycling rates to more green activities forcommunity groups, the environmental message iscoming over loud and clear in Merseyside. Themany trees that were planted in different projectslast year are now coming into bud and the flowersare coming into bloom.

Over the past few months I’ve beenoverwhelmed by your fantastic green ideas, youringenious tips and the many inspirational thingsyou’ve been doing to make the world a betterplace.

This edition is packed with things to see and do,as well as green news and tips on how we can allmake a difference plus of course, details of howyou have taken It's Our World to your hearts.

Pages 4 and 5 focus on the pioneering rarebreeds work at Croxteth Park Farm which opensto visitors again this weekend after a winter break.

On Pages 6 and 7 there are some greatoutdoor activities, plus young offenders payingback their debt to society by growing vegetablesfor the community and a great competition to winfree loft insulation.

Your Easter will be a little bit sweeter with ourspecial feature on Pages 8 and 9, and on Pages10 and 11 you can grow your own, and see howto keep a food waste diary.

Bridget Jones has got nothing on our fooddiarist Gail Mooney!

On Pages 12 and 13 we’ve got some greatnews on green business initiatives in Merseyside,and Pages 14 and 15 have our bumper listings ofenvironmental activities this spring.

Please do keep your news coming – email me [email protected], or log on to the greenblog http://blogs.liverpool echo.co.uk/ecowarrior/and share your green news with the world.

I’ll feature as much as I can in my weekly pages,and in the It’s Our World supplements which willcontinue to appear every three months in yourpaper.

We know how hard you’re working to makeMerseyside greener.

Now, as spring comes with a burst of new life,it seems like we’re really getting there.

Happy [email protected]

Supplementwrittenandresearchedby JADEWRIGHT

Welcometoourworld ...it’sgreen!

MAGIC: Katie Spivey, 4, cuddles aweek-old lamb at Croxteth HallFarm Picture: GARETH JONES

● THIS Easter hop down to Church Farm inThurstaston. They have organic food, friendlyanimals, beautiful views and fun family events.

The Easter Bunny has hidden lots of eggs inthe forest and needs some help to find them.Go through the farm to the magical forest.

You'll need all your searching skills to findall our eggy clues around the forest. Some ofthe clues are puzzles and games of skill, sokeep your thinking hats on, as well as yourEaster bonnets.

Back at the farm, meet the super-cuteEaster ducklings and chicks and play on theswings, slides and sand diggers.

Tickets must be bought in advance. They’re£7.50 from the farm shop on 0151 648 7838or £7 online at www.churchfarm.org.uk.

● THERE’S a free Easter family event at Ainsdale Sand Dunes nature

reserve this Saturday. From self guided nature trails to face painting and

Easter crafts as well as a traditional Easter egg hunt, there will be

something for everyone to enjoy.Eva Tregidgo, Community Outreach Adviser at Ainsdale Sand Dunes,

says: “The event offers a great family day out and a chance for everyone to

visit the reserve, explore the dunes and pinewoods and learn about the

diverse wildlife on their doorstep.“As well as great crested newts, the reserve is home to one of the most

important populations of natterjack toad in the country. Sand lizards are

also often seen here and the pinewoods are home to a large number of red

squirrels.”The dunes are home to over 450 plant species including 33 that are

locally or regionally rare like petalwort, seaside centaury, yellow bartsia,

round-leaved wintergreen, dune helleborine and pendulous flowered

helleborine.Liz Newton, North West Regional Director for Natural England, adds:

“This event is a great opportunity to introduce young people to nature.

“Having contact with nature is important for everyone. But it is

especially important for our children. Whilst many skills can be gained in

the classroom, others can only be learnt through direct contact with nature

and the sorts of experiences that these events provide.” Poppy Bentley, 3, right, on theChurch Farm Easter trail

Easteregg fun


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Daffodils in bloom in Liverpool’s Sefton Park. Below left: Huyton’s National Wildflower Centre and Hilbre Island off West Kirby. Top: Easter chicks Main Picture: GARETH JONES

May 30Wood for the Trees walk, Acornfield, Knowsley, 10am-1pm.

May 31Recycled Arts Workshop for ages 7-12, National Wildflower Centre, free,although admission charges to centre apply, www.the-green-fuse.co.uk,1pm.

June 1Bee Scene – making candles for under-8s, National Wildflower Centre,free places available, 10am-12noon.

Recycled Arts Workshop for ages 7-12, National Wildflower Centre, free,although admission charges to centre apply, www.the-green-fuse.co.uk,1pm.

June 2A Taste of Honey, National Wildflower Centre, free, admission charges tocentre apply, 2pm.

June 3Story Telling Walks, National Wildflower Centre, £2.50 + admissioncharges to centre, 1pm & 3pm.

June 4Bee Beautiful, National Wildflower Centre, decorate a pot and plant a beefriendly plant, free, but admission charges to centre apply, 1pm & 3pm.

June 6Green Fayre, free family event in Court Hey Park, Knowsley,noon-5pm.


Broccoli is the business. Ask Mum, it’s the only green thing I eat. The way shedoes it with cheese sauce is the best. She’s been getting all adventurous latelyand now it’s popping up everywhere, in stir-fries, curries... There’s alwayssome of it in the fridge, well wrapped up, so it doesn’t go soft like Mum.

lovefoodhatewaste.com has more tips and recipes to help you waste lessfood and save up to £50 a month.

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Spring isintheair... so let’sgogreen!16pagesof tips and tales . . .fromarecycledEaster toex-offenderson theallotments

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It's Our World - Spring is in the air... so let's go green!