A truly inspiring story from Liverpool's veterans charity:- 'The Block Armed Forces Foundation.'

WHEN Kenneth Woods looks back on the past year of his life, he describes it as nothing short of a miracle. At 50 years old, the Army veteran from Kirkby, near Liverpool, has endured the kind of hardship that should have ended his life; yet he speaks with gratitude, clarity and a renewed sense of purpose.
 
Ken served proudly in the British Army, but like far too many veterans, returning to civilian life proved difficult. After leaving the military, he ended up living in a run down Council house that offered little comfort or security. His health deteriorated rapidly: heart problems, colon and liver cancer, diabetes, and chronic pain. He slipped into drug and alcohol misuse as a way to cope.

Everything shifted when he met Tracey, a Macmillan Cancer Nurse whose intervention proved life-saving. Tracey recognised the urgency of Ken's situation; not only his physical decline, but his emotional and psychological distress. She connected him with:- 'The Block Armed Forces Foundation,' a veterans charity based in Liverpool dedicated to supporting ex-service personnel in crisis.
 
It was the turning point Ken didn't realise he desperately needed. The Block welcomed him with open arms, giving him a warm, safe room at their centre in Walton. For the 1st time in years, he felt secure in somewhere he could call home.

Colin Eastaway, Craig Donoghue and the team, at:- The Block, engaged him in peer support meetings, where he connected with other veterans who had all been on their own journeys through adversities. With this support and guidance, Ken began detoxing, healing and rebuilding his life from the ground up.
 
In the summer, he attended a veterans retreat in the Lake District; an experience he describes as:- "profound." Surrounded by nature and fellow veterans, he found peace and clarity he had not felt in years. It was during this time that he embraced Christianity. Today, Ken is completely sober and an active member of Hope Community Church; who have also shown him a great of kindness and support.

History comes to life as Southport schoolchildren visit the Imperial War Museum North

HISTORY came to life this month as Southport children from Linaker Primary School visited the:- Imperial War Museum North, in Manchester.

55 pupils from Year 6 visited the Museum, enjoying an exciting and thought provoking trip as part of their history studies on the 1st and 2nd World Wars. 

Linaker Primary School is part of the Endeavour Learning Trust, which runs 10 Schools across the Northwest.

The visit gave pupils the chance to deepen their understanding of the 2 global conflicts they have been exploring in class.

During the day, the children took part in a range of interactive activities and explored powerful exhibitions featuring real artefacts, personal stories and large scale displays. 

They were particularly fascinated by the Museum's:- 'Time Stacks,' which allowed them to handle objects from the wartime period and the:- 'Big Picture Show,' where immersive projections helped bring key historical moments to life.

Teachers were impressed by the thoughtful questions pupils asked and the mature discussions that followed, especially around the impact of war on ordinary people. 

Mark Cunniffe, headteacher at Linaker Primary School, commented on the visit. He said:- "We all know that history really comes to life when we can see for ourselves, touch and feel artefacts from the past which make it feel real. The trip to the Imperial War Museum North did just that, and our pupils were fascinated by the Museum, artifacts and personal stories from across the Museum."

The trip not only reinforced their classroom learning but also helped pupils connect emotionally and intellectually with history in a meaningful way.

Year 6 returned to school full of enthusiasm, ready to continue their work on WW1 and WW2 armed with new insights and a deeper appreciation of the stories behind the events.

Applications to join Linaker for September 2026 are still open until:- Wednesday, 15t January 2026. To find out more and apply for a place, click here.

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