Welcome to “Sunday Snippets” a weekly feature from birkenhead.news. It is a round-up of important local news stories from the last seven days. Click or tap on each story to read the full article.
Third Leverhulme Summer Cycle attracts record crowds
More than 500 walkers and cyclists enjoyed this year’s Leverhulme Summer Cycle on Sunday, raising £1500 for Claire House children’s hospice.
It was a rare chance to explore the tree-lined tracks of Brimstage Hall and Courtyard and also brought together a number of local independent businesses and organisations to provide refreshments, entertainment, and even to tune up bikes, trikes and tandems.
Food and drinks were provided by Ginger Cat Coffee, Ebby’s Espresso, Pen-Y-Lan Pork, The Chocolate Cellar, and Hyacinth Vintage Ice-Cream; bike maintenance by Just Riding Along and Energise Cycles while PopVox Choir, Read Now, Write Now and Little Lambs Tales kept the crowds entertained.
Wirral College responds to rising demand for independent living skills for young people
Wirral Met College has created a purpose-built learning environment where students who are vulnerable, or have special educational needs or disabilities, can learn the skills they need to live and work independently.
The new Independent Living Suite was officially opened by one of the students. The suite is located at Wirral Met College’s Conway Park Campus, is designed specifically to support young people with a very wide range of disabilities and other additional needs.
The suite replicates a ‘home living’ environment thereby enabling skills for life to be explored in a friendly and supportive educational environment. The open plan suite comes fully fitted with a technology-enabled kitchen diner, bedroom and living room and also includes fully equipped laundry and bathroom areas where students can practice and develop home skills further.
Final council tax rebates to be processed
Council Tax payers in Wirral, who qualified for a £150 rebate but hadn’t claimed their entitlement, should now see the amount credited to their Council Tax account.
The government had set an end-of-September deadline for local authorities to have processed this one-off payment, which is designed to help residents living in properties banded A to D for council tax to offset rising energy prices.
The majority received their rebate automatically as their bank details were on record because they paid their Council Tax by direct debit. Others had to make a claim and had the £150 either paid into the bank or taken off their council tax bill for 2022-23.
The Martin Gallier Project announce poignant Christmas event
Wirral-based suicide prevention charity, The Martin Gallier Project, has announced that they will be hosting a very special Christmas light switch on at Carr Farm Garden Centre in Meols on Friday 2 December between 6 and 9pm.
The aptly named, ‘A Forget Me Not Christmas’ appeal is dedicated to remembering those whose lives have been cut short by suicide.
The event, which has been sponsored by Ben Jones and the team from Carr Farm Garden Centre, will see a huge tree lit by thousands of lights in memory of Wirral residents who are lost to suicide each year.
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Recycling centres switch to shorter winter hours
From Saturday 1 October the Centres will be open from 8.00am until 5.00pm – changing from the summer hours of 8.00am to 8.00pm.
There are 14 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in the region. They are operated by Veolia on behalf of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA).
Recycling Centres accept a range of household materials for recycling, from batteries, cans and cardboard, through to garden clippings, glass bottles, wood, and white goods.
James tackles mighty Moroccan mountain for charity
A young travel agent from Wallasey has scaled the highest mountain in North Africa and helped raise over £14,000 for good causes.
James Bennett, 21, from Wallasey only joined Hays Travel North West last year but he jumped at the chance to be part of a Hays Travel team tackling Mount Toubkal in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains.
The three-day trip to scale the 13,671-foot peak saw the 12-strong party endure 40°C heat at the foot of the climb with temperatures plunging to -7°C at the summit and suffer from altitude sickness on a mountain four times the height of Snowdon where James had trained for the challenge.
Sci-Fi theme for October’s Birkenhead International Film Festival
This October, The Birkenhead International Film Festival (BIFF) is back and is bringing you an evening of Science Fiction Short Films from across the globe.
All of the films included in the festival are short films by independent filmmakers. Submissions have arrived from 14 countries worldwide, with the final selection being made on 11 October. The festival is free to attend but should you wish, you can make a donation.
BIFF is an unfunded project at Convenience Gallery and any support goes a long way to continue the work that they do.
Leukaemia patient urges people to join clinical trials after a decade of treatment
“There is always something new around each corner,” says Moira Griffiths-Parr about the 10 years of treatment she has had for blood cancer.
“There have been some difficult times and I’ve had other health problems along the way due to my low immune system – but now I’m on this new clinical trial everything is looking really positive.”
Moira has chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), one of four main types of leukaemia, and though there is currently little chance of a cure, she is living a full life thanks to her treatment in a research study at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.
Wirral Arts Festival returns this October
Some twelve years ago Valerie Warr decided to run a couple of orchestral concerts in Heswall Hall supported by conductor Edward Peak and many musician friends.
Valerie said, “This rapidly expanded to more than a couple of concerts, a play, a dance and, hey presto … ‘Why don’t we create an Arts Festival?’”
Valerie called in many favours from her career colleagues and stage contacts and in six months, with help from the Rotary Clubs of Wirral, they had staged the first Heswall Arts Festival comprising 54 events spread over two weeks.
Eureka! Multi-million pound Seacombe science and discovery centre set to open
The eagerly awaited Eureka! Science + Discovery Centre has announced it will open its doors to the public from Friday 11 November.
With exciting and interactive exhibits including a 12-foot-tall cat complete with swishing tail and a giant climbing tree, the attraction will include hands on learning experiences linked to key themes that run through our daily lives.
Co-created with over 200 local children and young people from Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region, regional industry experts and the team from Eureka!, the Science + Discovery centre will help kids up to the age of 14 to explore STEAM (Science, Technology, Education, Arts and Mathematics) subjects and uncover new and exciting career aspirations.
North Wirral coastal defence scheme completed
More than 1,250 homes and businesses close to the north Wirral coast will enjoy greater protection from the risk of flooding after works to strengthen the sea embankment were successfully completed this summer.
These properties in Leasowe, Moreton and Meols will be better protected for at least the next 30 years after a 1.1km stretch of the embankment was bolstered by the installation of more than 7,000 tonnes of rock at its ‘toe’.
In a scheme funded by a grant of nearly £1.4m from the Environment Agency, the new rock defence will protect the embankment from coastal erosion that was threatening the integrity of the existing structure, potential putting 1,269 properties in the three areas of north Wirral at risk of catastrophic flooding from the sea.
Tranmere secure win over Barrow
A 25th-minute Josh Hawkes goal earned Tranmere victory over Barrow at Prenton Park.
The first 20 minutes was a little cagey from both sides, but Kieren Morris found Hawkes with a fine wide ball and Hawkes fired a low strike across the goal, beating Barrow keeper, Paul Farman in the bottom corner of his net.
Tranmere’s confidence grew following Hawkes’ goal, but despite another attempt at goal from Hawkes and a crack at goal from Elliott Nevitt, as the whistle blew for half time, the score remained 1-0 for the hosts.
Wirral Police weekly news round-up
This is the birkenhead.news weekly round-up of police activity in and around Wirral during the previous seven days.
What’s On? Guide
Visit our “What’s On?” guide for Wirral and the surrounding areas in the coming weeks.
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