70kg of Rubbish Cleared as Ukrainians and Britons Team Up in Sefton Park Clean Up

MORE than 70kg of waste was cleared from Sefton Park after Ukrainian community members and local volunteers came together for a major clean up on:- Sunday, 29 March 2026, as part of the Europe wide campaign:- "Cleaning Up Our European Home."

The event was co-organized by the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain and KRYLA Culture Community and Art Organisation. On the Ukrainian side, the project is implemented by Strichka; a civic platform and app for active Ukrainians abroad; with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The partner of the event was Friends of Sefton Park.

Around 20 participants cleaned the central area of the park around the Eros Fountain, collecting 16 bags of waste. During the activity, waste was also sorted, and 4 flower beds were planted with flowers in the yellow and blue colours of the Ukrainian flag; marigolds and cinerarias. This colour composition became a symbol of the Ukrainian community's presence and its contribution to the City's development.

KRYLA Culture Community and Art Organisation Co-Founder Yuliia Ivanova, said:- �Such initiatives continue the Ukrainian cultural tradition of coming together, acting collectively, and improving the surrounding environment through simple actions. They strengthen the community, build a culture of mutual support, and demonstrate Ukrainian values in the international context."

According to Deputy Head of the Liverpool branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, Liudmyla Serhiienko, the clean-up demonstrated the strength of the Ukrainian community; its ability to unite around a common goal, support 1 another, and create positive change together.

After the work was completed, participants gathered for informal communication at a park caf�.

Maksym Cofie Squire, an activist of the Ukrainian community in Liverpool, said:- �I was extremely pleased to experience 1 of the traditions of Ukrainian culture; a toloka; which brought us together in Liverpool. Despite the bad weather, many Ukrainians gathered, and the shared work helped us get to know each other better and feel the strength and unity of our community.�

The event became a platform for new connections, interaction between communities, and strengthening of the local community.

"Cleaning Up Our European Home" is a large scale campaign that unites Ukrainians in ten European countries:- Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Estonia, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Cyprus.

Since November 2025, displaced Ukrainians have been:- cleaning parks, alleys, streets, and waterfronts, to thank the countries that sheltered them during the most difficult period of their lives. Through these actions, they demonstrate their readiness to work for a clean and prosperous future for all of Europe.

Strichka is a civic initiative and coordination app for active Ukrainians abroad. Since 2024, the platform has cooperated with 65 partner organizations worldwide and has already implemented more than 20 large global campaigns in support of Ukraine. Through the app, users can complete tasks that benefit Ukraine, earn points, and exchange them for:- military souvenirs, psychological consultations, books, and other useful items.

This material was compiled with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The content of this publication is the exclusive responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Renaissance Foundation.

Southport Pier saw whole community united behind �20m restoration said Silcock Leisure Group
Photographs and report by Andrew Brown

SILCOCK Leisure Group welcomed the news that the �20 million restoration of Southport Pier was given the go ahead by the Government. The Growth Mission Fund panel gave its full approval to the business case submitted by Sefton Council for the full repair of the cherished local landmark.

Opened in August 1860, it is the oldest iron pier in the country. Its length of 1,108 m (3,635 ft) makes it the second-longest in Great Britain, after Southend Pier. Southport Pier attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to Southport every year. It was much-missed since its closure in December 2022.

Once the green light was given, contractor AE Yates could start putting plans in place for the repairs to begin, with the project expected to take up to 16 months to complete.

The pier reopening was set to give a massive boost to local businesses across Southport. They included:- local family business Silcock Leisure Group, which operated ventures on the Pier Forecourt including:- Silcock's Carousel, Silcock's Funland and Silcock's Pier Family Restaurant.

In January 2025, Silcock Leisure Group organised a Southport Pier public meeting, which saw hundreds of local people packing into the Pier Restaurant to call for action to be taken while also offering their support.

Silcock Leisure Group Head of Operations Serena Silcock-Prince said:- "Seeing approval of the business case for the full restoration of Southport Pier is very exciting! It's wonderful news for Southport. We'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone in our Town who supported the campaign to reopen Southport Pier and highlighted its plight. The whole community came together and has been really united on this cause. Southport Pier is such a much-loved landmark for not just Southport but also the whole of the Liverpool City Region, and beyond. It attracts so many families to Southport who love its health and wellbeing benefits; we've all missed walking along it! The public meeting that we held last year, along with the poll run by Stand Up For Southport which showed 97% of respondents wanting the pier to be restored, showed the huge public support for this to happen. We're very grateful for the determined support of Sefton Council and Leader Marion Atkinson, Southport MP Patrick Hurley, Southport Pier Trust, the Pier Society, local businesses and most of all the people of Southport who showed how much they wanted the pier to be reopened. I can't wait to walk along Southport Pier again, and so many people are saying the same! We are really looking forward to seeing AE Yates contractors on site and restoration work taking place."

The Southport Pier restoration was among several positive developments happening.

Serena Silcock-Prince said:- "There is a really positive momentum building in Southport now. We have Southport Pier being restored; the transformation of the Town Hall Gardens; plans to build the new Marine Lake Events Centre; work happening at sites including:- Leo's Bar, the BHS Building and the former Southport Visiter office; a really packed programme of events throughout this year. There is a real sense of positivity in Southport now and an optimism that Southport has a really bright future ahead. The news about Southport Pier has given everyone a real boost. We're now looking forward to a really busy Easter holiday period, and welcoming lots of visitors to Southport."

Sefton Council welcomed the approval of its business case to the Government's Growth Mission Fund, unlocking �20 million to repair, restore and reopen the historic local landmark. Confirmed this week by the Growth Mission Fund panel, the decision meant major works to restore the iconic Grade II listed structure could get underway.

Southport Pier was to undergo a comprehensive restoration programme that went far beyond the original decking replacement plans approved 3 years ago. Sefton's successful funding bid followed extensive planning, structural assessments and public safety measures undertaken by the Council over the past 2 years.

A detailed business case was submitted to the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), setting out the full scope of repairs, long-term maintenance needs and sustainability measures required to secure the pier for future generations.

Restoration work included:-

� Full replacement of decking boards and timber joists.

� Extensive steelwork repairs and replacements due to corrosion.

� Installation of new gates and CCTV.

� Introduction of a robust long term maintenance regime.

Listed building consent was already in place, and the 2 stage design and build procurement process was completed, allowing works to begin swiftly.

For more information on Southport Pier, visit:- Sefton.Gov.UK.

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70kg of Rubbish Cleared as Ukrainians and Britons Team Up in Sefton Park Clean Up

Southport Pier saw whole community united behind �20m restoration said Silcock Leisure Group Photographs and report by Andrew Brown

Southport Pier saw whole community united behind �20m restoration said Silcock Leisure Group
Photographs and report by Andrew Brown