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PCBT Photography

Southport Reporter® is the Registered Trade Mark of Patrick Trollope.

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Southport Reporter® covering the news on Merseyside.

Date:- 20 November 2006

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BILL BRYSON ASKS PUPILS TO DIG THEIR PLAYING FIELDS!

SCHOOL children in Merseyside will this week join forces with the Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, to plant a native hedgerow or copse in their school grounds. The free packs of thirty native trees, which schools signed up as part of the Tree For All campaign, have been given the thumbs up by international author Bill Bryson.

The schools taking part are as follows:-

Aintree Davenhill Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Alt Bridge Secondary Support Centre, HUYTON

Archbishop Blanch CE High School, LIVERPOOL

Arrowe Hill Primary School, WIRRAL

Banks Methodist Primary School, SOUTHPORT

Barlows Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Bishop David Sheppard CE Primary School, SOUTHPORT

Blackmoor Park Infant School, LIVERPOOL

Blessed Sacrement Catholic Junior School, LIVERPOOL

Broughton Hall High School Technology College, LIVERPOOL

Childwall CE Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Childwall School College, LIVERPOOL

Clifford Holroyde Centre of Expertise, LIVERPOOL

Cross Farm Primary School, LIVERPOOL

De La Salle RC High School, LIVERPOOL

De La Salle School, ST HELENS

Eastcroft Park CP School, LIVERPOOL

Farnborough Road Infant School, SOUTHPORT

Farnborough Road Junior School, SOUTHPORT

Formby High School, LIVERPOOL

Greasby Junior School, WIRRAL

Greenbank Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Hilbre High School, WIRRAL

Hillside Primary School, BIRKENHEAD

Holly Lodge Girls College, LIVERPOOL

Holy Cross RC Primary School, BIRKENHEAD

Holy Spirit RC Primary School, BOOTLE

Hope Valley Community Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Hopscotch Childcare, LIVERPOOL

Irby Primary School, WIRRAL

Knolle Park Nursery, LIVERPOOL

Leasowe Primary School, WIRRAL

Manor Primary School, BIRKENHEAD

Millbrook Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Mosscroft Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Mosspits Infant School, LIVERPOOL

New Hutte County Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Nine Tree Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Northway Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Notre Dame Catholic College, LIVERPOOL

Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School, WIRRAL

Overdale Primary School, LIVERPOOL

Park Primary School, WALLASEY

Pensby Infant School, WIRRAL

Pensby Park Primary School, WIRRAL

Peterhouse School, SOUTHPORT

Plessington Catholic Technology College, WIRRAL

Prenton Primary School, BIRKENHEAD

Prescot School, PRESCOT

Rudston Infant School, LIVERPOOL

Rudston Junior School, LIVERPOOL

Sandbrook Primary School, WIRRAL

Shorefields Technology College, LIVERPOOL

Southern Primary Support Centre, LIVERPOOL

Speke Adventure Playgrund, LIVERPOOL

St Albans RC Primary School, WALLASEY

St Annes RC Primary School, BIRKENHEAD

St Anthony Of Padua RC Primary, LIVERPOOL

St Brigids RC Primary School, LIVERPOOL

St Cleopas CE Primary School, LIVERPOOL

St Dominics RC Junior School, LIVERPOOL

St Gregorys Catholic Primary School, LIVERPOOL

St Gregorys RC JM&I School, LIVERPOOL

St Johns Catholic Infant School, WIRRAL

St Johns CE Primary School, LIVERPOOL

St Margarets Anfield CE Primary School, LIVERPOOL

St Mary & St Paul's CE Primary School, PRESCOT

St Michaels Catholic Primary School, LIVERPOOL

St Oswalds C Infant School, LIVERPOOL

St Oswalds C Junior School, LIVERPOOL

St Peters CE Primary School, WIRRAL

Streatham House School, LIVERPOOL

The Elms Special School, LIVERPOOL

Weatherhead High School, WALLASEY

West Kirby Grammar School, WIRRAL

Westvale Nursery, ST HELENS

Whiston Willis Primary School, PRESCOT

Wonderland Nursery, LIVERPOOL

Woodchurch CE Primary School, WIRRAL

Woodchurch High School Specialist Engineering College, WIRRA
 
Bill, a keen supporter of the Woodland Trust, says the children’s work is hugely important:- “Thousands of miles of hedgerows disappeared during the last century, in the wake of agricultural development which is a crime against the countryside. The Woodland Trust’s hedge and copse initiative goes some small way to address the balance by planting new hedgerows. Planting them with help from the next generation is an effective way to get the message across that we need to conserve the hedgerows we have left and to replace the ones we have thoughtlessly and needlessly ripped out.”

The planting of hedges and copses will attract wildlife and give schools ‘living classrooms’ which pupils can enjoy for years to come. Each hedge and hazel copse pack has instructions on how to plant the saplings and worksheets about the various species. Planting and using a hedge or hazel copse can contribute to Key Stage 2 in science, numeracy, literacy and art and design.

Since the launch of the Trust’s hedge and copse scheme in 2004, part of the Woodland Trust’s Tree for All campaign, schoolchildren in Merseyside have contributed to the reinstatement of 60 miles of hedgerows in the UK. This is good news considering that since the 1930s, fifty per cent of the UK’s ancient woods have been felled or damaged and 190,000km of hedgerow destroyed. The packs have reached as far as Fair Isle in the Shetlands, the remotest inhabited place in Britain, to Hull one of the least wooded city in the UK. To find out how your school or youth group can get involved visit the Tree For All website.

Because of modern lifestyles, many children are growing up with little connection with their natural environment. Tree For All - the UK’s largest ever children’s tree planting campaign - is about inspiring young people to become future guardians of the natural environment and to encourage people to become more in touch with nature, increasing understanding and enjoyment of woodland.

Over the past two years the Woodland Trust’s Tree for All project has planted 24,013 trees and involved 15,589 people in Merseyside. This contributes to a UK-wide figure of nearly three and a half million trees by 516,881 people, the majority being school children - that’s enough to fill the Albert Hall 103 times or 7178 double decker buses! In all, 9000 schools, 534 community groups and 100 major partners have been involved so far, not to mention celebrities including Dame Judy Dench, Ray Mears and Penny Smith. In all the Trust has created over 1,618 hectares (4,000 acres) of new woodland.

There is still a way to go to reach the target of 12 million trees – that’s one tree for every child under 16 - so it’s by no means too late to get involved in helping to create new woodland. The Tree for All campaign will be continuing its programme of planting events with schools and community planting sessions across Merseyside, anyone is welcome to attend. To find out how you can get involved or for further information visit the Tree for All website.

We Are Back On Air!

YES, the long awaited return of SCR (Southport Community Radio) will be back on the airwaves for Christmas and into part of the New Year. Jon Jessop, MD of SCR, said that:- "I can confirm that our formal application has been granted and we will be transmitting again. Our second run will be from 18 December 2006 to 14 January 2007 with another month's trial.

This time we hope the next time we are on the air after this trial we hope to be granted a full licence to broadcast for five years... 

As you probably know we ran for our first month's trial in the summer of 2006. That was a huge success and we aim to be better still this time. Sadly last time we were given a frequency that made it hard to be received on many radios in some areas of Sefton. As yet we do not know the frequency that we will be given, but we are in high hopes that it will be a better frequency.

It is because of the public support that we will come back and we will not let you down. From all the team at SCR I would like to thank all your readers for the support and we wish then not only a happy Christmas, but we will also return the support with an even better service."

We can now confirm that here at PCBT Photography (Southport & Mersey Reporter) that we will be running a full news service for SCR and like last time we require your help. If you have any news email us on news24@southportreporter.com as normal, but also please phone in on (+44) 0 20 7871 25 13.

We wish all at SCR the best of luck.

For more information about SCR go to:- southportcommunityradio.co.uk

DOES YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL HAVE THE XMAS FACTOR?


FORGET
the X-Factor, forget the race for Christmas number one, 105.4 Century FM is launching their very own festive talent contest, Sing-a-long Xmas Factor!

To celebrate the holiday season, Tony Wrighton’s drivetime show is inviting the North West’s most tuneful schools to enter a singing competition, which could see them recording their own very Christmas CD!

105.4 Century FM are asking schools in the region to nominate the young singing stars who they feel have the Sing-along Xmas Factor. Schools can choose any Christmas song to nominate – a traditional carol, a festive family favourite or a Christmas party anthem.

Eight schools will be shortlisted with each of the finalists receiving a special visit from 105.4 Century FM’s Road Crew, who will come along to the school do to a recording of the chosen song, so that it can be played on air the week commencing Monday 11 December.

105.4 Century FM listeners will then be asked to vote for their favourite with the winning school being announced on Friday 15 December.

The winning singers will then be invited to the station before Christmas, where they will meet the presenters and record their song – with each child taking home their very own CD.

Chris Dunne from 105.4 Century FM comments: “We’ll judge the entries based on enthusiasm and festive spirit, however it will be the 105.4 Century listeners who make the final decision, selecting the winning school that goes on to record their very own Christmas track!”

The competition is open to all primary and secondary schools in the North West. Schools can enter at www.1054centuryfm.com/xmasfactoror or call Mammy or Kate at 0161 923 4994. All entries must be made directly by teachers or senior staff. Deadline for entries is Friday 1 December 2006.

Ferry Terminal Plans on View


PLANS for the new Pier Head terminal building have gone on view to the public at Merseytravel’s head office in Hatton Garden and at the Pier Head ferries terminal.

All the designs have already been submitted to Liverpool City Council and, subject to approval, work is expected to start in Spring next year with completion in Spring 2008.

The plans at Hatton Garden can be viewed weekdays between 9am and 4.30pm, weekdays only until 23 November 2006.

At Pier Head they can be viewed from 7am until 7.30pm weekdays and 8.30am to 7.30pm weekends until 23 November 2006.

MORE PODS TO HELP FILL TECHNOLOGY GAP

MORE information kiosks are to be installed around the city in continuing efforts to ensure more people have access to council services.

A soon-to-be-published survey on the on street/internal 'pods', will reveal that 60 per cent of those consulted said they had no computer at home and their only internet access came through the kiosks.

The first six pods landed on Liverpool's streets in 2004 and have proved so successful that there are now 39 across the city. The project has also been shortlisted for several prestigious national awards.

The programme, in partnership with BT, will now be completed with a further 12 installations and work will begin before the end of the year, set to be completed by April 2007.

Since their introduction the kiosks have transformed Liverpool's streets, giving people on-the-doorstep access to a huge range of council services, Capital of Culture events, sport, tourism and jobs as well as helping to propel Liverpool into the premier league of tourist-friendly European cities.

The pods have opened up a whole new 'e-world' for residents and visitors. People wanting to contact friends and relatives in the UK or overseas are able to use the pods to send free e-mails, text messages, photomail and even picture postcards.

Each hi-tech pod allows people to contact the council, on-line, round-the-clock. They can report a fault, search their local library's catalogue, make an appointment at a One Stop Shop, or find out who their local councillor is.

Richard Marbrow, executive member for central services, said:- "We have been striving in recent times to put technology at the heart of what we do to create efficient and effective e-government which has a positive impact on people's lives.

These kiosks are a central plank of this policy and customer feedback tells us that they are wanted while being easy to use and they also fill the gap in technology that many people may have at home.

We are committed to making sure everyone has access to computers and technology, and we want to give people as much choice as possible as to when and where they contact the council. The pavement pods mean council services, tourism, culture, sport and jobs are within easy reach of everyone."


The pods also connect people to cultural life in Liverpool helping them to find out about the top five attractions in the area or log on to Liverpool FC and Everton FC's websites.

People can connect to the Capital of Culture website to find out about the latest developments and forthcoming events - and log on to the city's tourism website to find information about attractions and hotel accommodation.

And they can connect to Crimestoppers and Citysafe, as well as searching for the latest local and national vacancies via a direct link to the job centre.

City council leader, Warren Bradley, said:- "Liverpool is using the technology of the future now to connect people to the city's culture, heritage and tourism, and provide instant links to a wealth of council services.

These groundbreaking pavement pods are the latest example of how we are using innovative, forward-thinking projects to make the city more tourist-friendly, business-friendly and customer-friendly.

I am delighted that the pods are a success and have become a recognisable cultural and information beacons for the city."


Users can also click on links to 13 different languages and the kiosks all have texttalk which reads the text for visually impaired people or those with reading difficulties.

Liverpool Direct Limited (LDL) is also continually looking to improve content and would be happy to hear suggestions from kiosk users and city residents.

www.merseyreporter.com

www.liverpoolreporter.com

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