Your favourites set in stone

ARE you passionate about Pride and Prejudice, bewitched by Brief Encounter or captivated by Carmen? 

A brand new ‘Literary Pavement’ is being created as part of the £50m redevelopment of Liverpool’s Central Library and the city council wants you to have your say on the special shortlist.

The 22 metre long and 4.5 metre wide walkway will lead from William Brown Street to the entrance of the beautifully restored library, and engraved on it will be titles from world books, cinema and music; which you can find inside the Grade II listed building. And, not only do you get to share your views on the front walkway, but the city council want to know what you think about the content for two other key areas:-

A unique panel called ‘Literary Liverpool’ which will cover the back of the building. This will showcase writers who were either born in the city, or lived, worked, visited or were influenced and inspired by Liverpool. This list includes the novelist Beryl Bainbridge, poet Adrian Henri and playwright Willy Russell.  Inside there will be an area dedicated to famous quotations which will be visible from each floor of the building. These could include:-

► Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much – Oscar Wilde

► A house without books is like a room without windows – Horace Man

► Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making plans – John Lennon

► A panel of experts from the city’s library and archive service have spent months poring over the thousands of possibilities, and now the three shortlists are available for people to look at and let the team know whether they agree or disagree with the selection.

Liverpool city council’s cabinet member for culture and tourism, Councillor Wendy Simon, said:- “Liverpool’s Central Library will be one of the best public libraries in the UK and we think it’s important to give people the chance to have their say on these important features which will be part of the city for years to come. I’m sure there will be a huge amount of debate around the lists, and people will be keen to get their favourite book or film on the pavement.  The Literary Liverpool section is going to be particularly hard to whittle down – the pool of talent we have would be enough to cover every building in the city so getting it to a select few will be a difficult task.  I’m hoping as many residents and visitors take part and let the team know who they want to see permanently recognised in this fantastic new development.”

For the full lists, go to:- liverpool.gov.uk/central and let the team know what you think by filling in the online form or request one via email. 

The deadline for feedback is 5pm Friday, 11 February 2011.  There are also plans for a poetry circle and a floor-to-ceiling banner showing a timeline of Liverpool firsts.

Work began last autumn on the 150 year old library, which lies within Liverpool’s UNESCO World Heritage site. It will see the full restoration of the Grade II listed parts of the building, which date back to 1860, and the famous Hornby Library and Oak Reading Rooms will be fully open to the public for the first time. 

The sections behind the façade, which were built in the 1950's and 1970's following World War II bomb damage and now suffer from damp and a leaking roof, will be rebuilt to make the most of the available space.

The revamped Central Library will also include a new home for the Liverpool Record Office which will house 14km of archives and some of the city’s most historic treasures from the last 800 years - such as the original 1207 charter - in purpose built secure, climate controlled storage.

Not only will the books be showcased in spectacular surroundings, but a new children’s library will also be created.  There will also be state-of-the-art IT facilities which will allow young people to download music and games onto MP3 and MP4 players, with wi-fi and access to computers.

It is scheduled to re-open in Spring 2013.

The work is being carried out by the Inspire Partnership, which is a joint venture between Amber Infrastructure and Shepherd Construction with architects at Austin-Smith - Lord and Cofely as providers of Facilities Management services.

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI ‘xin mao’

ONE of Europe’s oldest Chinese communities is preparing for New Year.  Sunday, 6 February 2011, sees the arrival of ‘Xin Mao’ – the Year of the Rabbit, and Chinatown in Liverpool will come alive with colour and excitement. At least 10000 people are expected to take part in the festivities against the magnificent backdrop of Europe’s biggest Chinese arch on Nelson Street.  Celebrations will take place between 11am and 4pm in the China town area including Nelson Street, Berry Street, Great George Street and Great George Square where at 1pm there will be a firecracker display. With something for all ages don’t miss the taste of china street market for those who want to sample the delights of the orient. The highlight of the celebrations will be a spectacular, lion, dragon and unicorn parade, along Nelson Street and Bury Street.  Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Culture and Tourism, Councillor Wendy Simon, said:- “The Chinese community is a big part of Liverpool’s history and culture and the New Year celebrations are always a great way for us all to join together and celebrate. Liverpool has always had extremely strong links with China and these were strengthened even further through the city’s presence at Shanghai World Expo 2010. I speak on behalf of the city in wishing the Chinese community a very happy and healthy New Year.”  For all the events, further information and road closures visit:- website.  

Barnardo’s Targets Southport Public Sector Workers with Fostering Campaign

BARNARDO'S is calling on public sector workers in Southport facing redundancy following spending cuts - to consider a new career in foster care.  The campaign is being launched during the children’s charity’s Fostering and Adoption Week that started on 31 January and runs up to  6 February 2011, following research which revealed more than half of Barnardo’s foster carers in the North West are from a public sector background. Many of them made the decision as a conscious career change.  “Fostering is a professional role, and is about looking after other people’s children when they are unable to remain with their own families, providing a safe and stable environment. For anyone facing the prospect of redundancy, this is the perfect opportunity to consider becoming a foster carer,” says Sue Cuffe, Assistant Director for Barnardo’s North West Fostering Service.  People from all sorts of backgrounds make the move to what is a challenging and rewarding career and, while many do have some sort of experience of child care, they come from a wide variety of professions.  There are a few ‘essentials’ as with any role; foster carers need a spare bedroom, to be available full time as the main carer and should have some experience of living / working with children. However, the most important attributes are patience, and a genuine care for children and their well-being. Marie, a Barnardo’s foster carer from Southport, became a foster carer because she wanted a change in direction, and to give something back. She says:- “The rewards of being a foster carer are when young people come back to you after they have left your care and still regard you as their friend.”  Sue adds:- “Obviously fostering is something many see as a career, however we're looking for people who are motivated by the opportunity to make a difference to the children who need their help.” The charity is appealing to people who can provide care for children and young people for a few days, weeks, months or years, depending on their needs.  It can take 3 to 6 months to become a foster carer, however training can be undertaken around current commitments and you can start as soon as you’ve been approved. Foster carers receive an allowance for each child they care for, an intensive support package, and lots of ongoing training and development from Barnardo’s.  To find out more, please contact Barnardo’s North West Fostering team on:- 0845 894 9509.

AT WATER’S EDGE

THE Environmental Photographer of the Year is travelling to Liverpool for an exclusive exhibition hosted by High Tide, an artist-led initiative which seeks to nurture a creative culture of sustainability and ecological consideration. The exhibition will help High Tide continue to explore their core theme of water and its significance to all life on Earth.  The Environmental Photographer of the Year is an international showcase for the very best in environmental photography. Organised by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), the Environmental Photographer of the Year forms the most outstanding collection of environmental, social and natural photographs in the world.  Between 22 February 2011 and 19 March 2011, selected images from the Environmental Photographer of the Year 2009 and 2010 will be on display at EDGEspace, a unique cultural venue promoting ‘Experimental Dialogues for Generating Eco-culture’. EDGEspace is located in the Ropewalks district of Liverpool city centre and is the North West’s creative hub of activity around ethical, environmental and ecological issues.  Supported by the Environment Agency and endorsed by CIWEM, High Tide facilitates inclusive and creative dialogues across communities to address the many cultural and social challenges that climate change presents. The Environmental Photographer of the Year exhibition will help play a significant role in developing a legacy of informed audiences.