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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
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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.
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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. |
