ARE YOU THE ‘FAN OF THE YEAR’? NOMINATIONS WANTED!

-Winner to be honoured at Football League Awards 2008-

THE Football League have launched a nationwide search to find the EA Sports ‘Fan of the Year’, with the winner to be honoured at a spectacular gala dinner at the London Hilton on 2 March 2008.   The Football League Awards are held in conjunction with FourFourTwo magazine and supporters are now being asked to put forward fellow fans for consideration for this award by submitting nominations via www.FourFourTwo.com.

Anybody who knows a fan who has gone above and beyond the call of duty is encouraged to put their nomination forward, along with the reason why they feel their nominee should win this prestigious award.

Stewart Thomson, Commercial Director of The Football League, said:- “The Football League Awards rightly recognise fans alongside clubs and players. We’re looking for a fan that really contributes to the running of their club and we would like to encourage anybody who knows someone they think deserves this award to nominate them, and give that person the chance to receive the recognition they deserve for their efforts.”

Last year’s winner was Bury supporter Stan McGowen, who enjoyed a memorable trip to London for the awards ceremony as well as receiving extensive national media coverage for both himself and his club. Not only did Stan come up with the idea of getting a minibus for Bury's disabled supporters, he raised the money for it and also drives it thousands of miles every season. “I'm self-employed and I lose money taking the disabled fans to games, but I really enjoy it,” said Stan.

If you know someone you think worthy of succeeding Stan and taking the crown of ‘EA Sports Fan of the Year’ then get your nomination in before the closing date on 7 January 2008.

Success In Stopping the Rot

6 years’ work by Liverpool City Council’s “stop the rot” team is paying dividends in protecting the city’s heritage.  A progress report on the Buildings at Risk project shows that action has been taken on more than 130 buildings which were in poor condition.

The project, which started in 2001, uses legal powers available to the City Council to deal with historic buildings in poor condition to help bring them back into use.  It became part of the Historic Environment of Liverpool Project (HELP), an initiative for heritage-led regeneration in the city, involving English Heritage and other partners.

Buildings at Risk has received £1.4m in funding through the City Council (£424,500) NWDA (£968,000), English Heritage (£45,000) and the Heritage Lottery Fund (£24, 900).

Among the buildings it has successfully helped bring back into use or restored are:-

· The Albany, Old Hall Street
· St Peter’s Church, Seel Street
· West Derby Courthouse
· Fleet Street warehouses
· Nelson Memorial , Exchange Flags
· Eldon Grove (on-going)
· The Post Office, Victoria Street
· 3, Ivanhoe Road
· 12 Rodney Street
· Back Berry Street stables
· 80/82 Seel Street
· 98-102 High Street, Wavertree
· Parliament Street Warehouses (Buddleia Building)

It has also helped retained facades of buildings to allow for developments at 30-33 Great George Street; 71 Shaw Street (on-going), 64-72 Seel Street and Stanley Buildings on Hanover Street.

A report to be considered by the council’s Executive Board on 21 December is recommending that to keep the momentum of the project going an approach be made to the NWDA to use funds from expenditure reclaimed from owners after the council carried out work on their properties for the Buildings at Risk scheme to see it continue until 2010.

Cllr Berni Turner, Executive Member for Environment and Heritage, said:- “The Buildings at Risk project has been a success story for the city. We have targeted some of the most neglected but significant buildings in the city and have helped to bring them back into use.  Our commitment to preserving the city’s unique architectural heritage is not just words – we have backed this with action. This programme has helped restore the West Derby Courthouse, St Peter‘s Church, the Albany and many other historic buildings.

But there is still much more to be done. Unfortunately some owners do not accept their responsibilities as custodians of the city’s heritage and this programme tries to ensure that their attitude does not result in buildings being lost.”