Looking back on a great year and forward to an exciting 2026!

SEFTON Council Leader Marion Atkinson looks back at 2025 and ahead to 2026.

Marion Atkinson said:- "For Sefton Council, 2025, has been a year of hard work and important achievements. We have been recognised nationally with our Children’s Services being rated:- 'Good' by OFSTED, and our Adult Social Care receiving a:- 'Good' rating from the Care Quality Commission. We were also praised by the Local Government Association for providing excellent services, even when money is tight. The Government has shown confidence in Sefton by giving us funding for major projects. These include the:- restoration of Southport Pier, improvements to Town Hall Gardens and the new Marine Lake Events Centre. We have also secured support through the Trailblazer Fund for the long term regeneration of the Bootle Strand and the surrounding area, including:- the Salt and Tar venue. Around 10,000 people visited the 4 day, 2025, Salt and Tar Music Weekender, which raised over £980,000 for the area. Bootle#s Salt and Tar will be holding another year of events, including:- a Music Weekender in August that will feature Nile Rodgers and CHIC, The Waterboys and the Saw Doctors."

Marion Atkinson went on to say:- "Gold Awards from the Royal Horticultural Society's Britain in Bloom were handed to Bootle, Crosby and Waterloo, Ainsdale and Southport,, which helped bring the:- ‘Champion of Champions' trophy to Sefton for the 1st time in the awards' 50 year history. Sefton has also been chosen as a pioneer for the Neighbourhood Health Programme, which will help improve people's wellbeing and prospects across our communities. Sefton Council has invested heavily in making Sefton cleaner and greener, and we've continued to focus on tackling the things that matter most to you, like fly tipping and litter."

Marion continued:- "Looking ahead to 2026, there's even more to be excited about. Southport will be hosting a world class cultural events programme that kicks off in February and continues until October. And the world famous Open Golf Championship will return to Royal Birkdale, bringing visitors from around the globe. Work will continue on the major regeneration projects in Southport and Bootle, and new public spaces. We will carry on investing in health and education, including our Ready to Learn initiative, which helps young children start School ready to succeed. In October, we announced our Sefton Home 2030 initiative with Sovini Group to deliver 1,000 affordable homes by 2030. Through 2026, this plan will take shape as we invest more and work with Sovini to develop housing for local people."

She concluded saying:- "As we celebrate Christmas and look forward to the New Year, we want to thank our staff who will be working over the festive period in a range of roles from emptying bins to caring for those who need support. We want to thank all the amazing individuals and groups who have given their time to work with us on a vast range of schemes. And a big thank you once again to everyone who donated so generously once again to the Mayor’s Toy Fund to provide gifts for children and young people across Sefton. From all of us at Sefton Council, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Here's to an exciting 2026, which sees us continuing to make Sefton a great place to live, work, do business and visit."

LIVERPOOL'S historic Woolton Picture House has played host to countless love stories over its near century history, and this Christmas Eve, it became the backdrop for another unforgettable moment.

Local residents Jacob Molloy and his partner Lucy got engaged during a festive screening of It's a Wonderful Life, marking a full circle moment for the couple, whose first ever date took place at the:- Woolton Picture House, 10 years ago.

In a heartfelt tribute to cinema and romance, Jacob worked closely with the Woolton Picture House team to plan a surprise proposal inspired by the iconic:- "cards on the doorstep" scene from:- 'Love Actually.' As the Christmas Eve audience gathered inside John Lennon's childhood cinema, Jacob revealed a series of handwritten cards, leading to the emotional moment where he asked Lucy to marry him.

The proposal unfolded during 1 of the cinema's special festive screenings, with fellow audience members witnessing the couple's joyful:- "yes" in what has since been described as a truly magical moment.

The engagement took place during the Picture House's 12 days of Christmas fundraising screenings, which saw the historic venue reopen its doors over the festive period. The limited run welcomed more than 7,000 ticket holders, with many more supporters donating online to help secure the cinema's future.

The festive reopening forms part of an ongoing campaign to raise £700,000 to purchase Woolton Picture House and restore it to its former glory as a community-owned cultural venue, hosting films, live performances and local events for generations to come.

Built in 1927, Woolton Picture House is Liverpool's oldest surviving cinema and the City's only remaining single screen picture house. For Jacob and Lucy, and thousands of others, it remains a place where memories are made, stories are shared, and now, lives are changed.

As the community rallies to save the cinema, their love story stands as a reminder of why the building matters, not just as a historic landmark, but as a living, breathing part of local life.

All details of the project can be found at:- WooltonCinema.Com.