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Intrepid sailors
prepare for £50,000 fundraising challenge
A pair of sailors whose
plans for an extreme nautical challenge were scuppered last year due
to bad weather are preparing to try again, with backing from the
Ramada
Plaza Southport. The
hotel is sponsoring former Southport man David Summerville and
fellow sailor Steve Cockerill as they attempt to cross the Irish Sea
in two single handed Laser class dinghies; which are only 4m in
length each.
The duo had planned to make the crossing last September, but 50 knot
gale force winds and a 12 foot tidal swell sadly forced them to
cancel their plans. Now, they will be attempting the challenge from
mid-April, waiting for a window of good weather before they begin
the voyage.
Ramada Plaza General Manager Enda Rylands said:- "David and
Steve will be covering 115 nautical miles during the challenge. They
will set off from my own home town of Dublin and finish in
Southport, aiming to raise £50,000 for mental health charity Mind
and the John Merricks Sailing Trust. It was a real shame that they
had to postpone the challenge last year, but they have had several
months to ensure they are at the peak of physical fitness for the
challenge, which is a really epic endeavour. David actually learned
to sail on the Marine Lake which the hotel overlooks; so it is very
fitting that the Ramada Plaza should sponsor him in this challenge."
David, who grew up in Rawlinson Road and attended
Christ the King Catholic High School in Stamford Road, is a
championship sailor, winning regional and national titles in the UK
and the Middle East.
The 53 year old grandfather of 2 explained that he was keen to raise
money for Mind having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder 16 years
ago. "Mind has really helped me control my condition. A fellow
sailor friend from Dublin has also lost 2 friends to mental illness,
so together we formulated the idea to sail from Ireland to England
in aid of Mind. I have also been a supporter of the John Merricks
Sailing Trust for a long time. It helps many young sailors and youth
sailing organisations to achieve their goals and fulfil their
dreams."
David, who now runs a boat repair business in Hertfordshire, said
the date of the challenge would again depend on the weather and
tidal conditions. David said that:- "We will be fully prepared
and ready to go from mid-April through to mid-September, which will
give us a possible 65 days for the crossing over this five month
period."
Enda added:- "We wish David and Steve all the very best in
their challenge and hope that the weather proves to be kind to them.
We’d also urge as many people as possible to donate to the cause and
raise thousands for Mind and the John Merricks Sailing Trust."
For more details about the challenge or to sponsor David and Steve
visit:-
roostersailing.com/isc.
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New services on
menu at iconic Hall
ST GEORGE’S Hall is hoping
to attract even more visitors with the introduction of a new café
and Tourist Information Centre.
The Heritage section of the Hall is playing host to two new services
which are up and running in time for Easter and some of the biggest
events in the city’s calendar including Sea Odyssey and the Grand
National.
The café will be operated by eight new apprentices recruited by
Liverpool Community College. The youngsters will be responsible for
preparing fresh sandwiches and cakes each day, and will also take on
front-of-house duties to welcome visitors to the newly opened café.
They will also be involved with catering for the functions which
take place at the venue and will also make specific celebration
cakes ranging from wedding to birthday cakes which will be available
to order.
All the food will be prepared at the College Academy Bakery at the
Duke Street Campus.
The new Tourist Information Centre will mean a team of Liverpool
experts will be on hand to help visitors with directions, recommend
attractions and answer any questions tourists may have. They will
also sell Liverpool-related merchandise.
Liverpool’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Frank Prendergast, will get a
taster of the new café on Thursday, 5 April 2012, when he meets some
of the apprentices who will be cooking up a storm in the Hall.
Councillor Prendergast said:- "St George’s Hall is the jewel
in the city’s crown and we want to make sure as many people as
possible get to experience this iconic location on our doorstep. The
2 new services are wonderful news for visitors and the apprentices
working at the café will benefit greatly from hands-on work
experience in what will hopefully be a busy and popular eatery! The
café is as a result of our strong links with the community college
and our commitment to honing the skills of young people in order to
give them an edge when it comes to the job market. The two new
services will also inject new life into the facility and hopefully
attract even more people to the Grade 1 Listed building."
The new apprentices will be in place from mid-April, and in the
meantime existing catering apprentices will operate the café until
the new recruits take over.
The community college’s head of section for hospitality, Gill
Williams, will oversee the running of the café. Gill said:-
"The café will create eight new jobs and provide a wealth of real
life industry experience for our apprentices. It’s also a great
platform to showcase the college’s commercial division and extend
out already successful Academy brand."
The café will be open from 8.30am to 4pm Monday to Saturday and 10am
to 4pm on Sundays.
It is hoped that over forthcoming months the venue will be able to
expand its menu and offer hot food as well as offer a special
tradition afternoon tea aimed at passengers on cruise liners
visiting the city.
Road closures
for Aintree 2012
MERSEYSIDE Police are
urging drivers to be aware of the following road closures due to the
traffic management plan for the Aintree Festival 2012:-
► Melling Road will be closed as it
crosses the course throughout the event.
► On Thursday, 12 April 2012 and Friday,
13 April 2012 and on Saturday, 14 April 2012, from 4pm Park Lane
will be closed between Bridle Road and Ormskirk Road. Ormskirk Road
will be closed between Topham Drive and Park Lane. This is to
facilitate racegoers leaving the site, and will be reopened when
clear.
► Seeds Lane will be closed at Longmoor
Lane from 8am except for residents, taxis and shuttle buses.
► Greenwich Road will be closed at Melling
Avenue before the event and at Longmoor Lane after the event.
► On Friday and Saturday Warbreck Moor
will be closed between the Black Bull in Walton and Park Lane.
More details are available by calling the traffic hotline on 07500
452 242. Regular traffic updates will be broadcast by local
radio stations including:- Radio City, Juice FM and Radio
Merseyside, Radio Lancashire, Radio Cumbria, GMR and Real Radio.
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