Welcome to “Sunday Snippets” a weekly feature from birkenhead.news. It is a round-up of our most popular good news stories from the last seven days. Click on each story to read the full article.
Mersey Arts Zone opens doors to public
In late 2019, Dawn Reck started to get ready to move into Vale House in Vale Park, New Brighton to set up Mersey Arts Zone (MAZ). A date for March 2020 was set to move in and she began networking with art venues and projects on both sides of the river. “I wanted MAZ to be a creative space for exhibitions, events and affordable artwork. It’s for artists, local creatives, musicians and makers to meet up in MAZ and enjoy the space.”, she told us.
However, when March 2020 arrived, everything changed. “The creative sector was closed down, and MAZ could not be opened as planned. “It’s been uncertain times for everyone.”, she says ruefully.
However, the venue opened for the first time this May Bank Holiday weekend. “I’ve been trying to open since 2019 and it’s been delayed. But now we’ve finally done it and we’ve opened.”, Dawn said. “It’s exciting now! It’s been a long journey, it’s been difficult, but it’s great that we’ve finally opened!
Leverhulme Summer Cycle to return in September
Families will once again be able to explore the tree-lined tracks of the Leverhulme Estate with the return of the Leverhulme Summer Cycle.
The event was last held in 2019 with hundreds of cyclists of all ages enjoying the opportunity to explore some of the hidden paths of the Estate.
Now Leverhulme, along with event organiser Rethink Now, have confirmed that the event will return on Sunday, September 12, after missing a year due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
Wallasey and Birkenhead named as national property price hotspots
New data reveals Wallasey as the property price hotspot, with asking prices almost £24,000 more expensive than a year ago, a jump of 15.6%. Throughout March and April one in three properties in the town sold within a week of being marketed on Rightmove.
Birkenhead features at fourth place in the table, with an increase of 12.4% more expensive than this time last year.
Building Back Better: Mersey Maritime Awards to return in September
As the country emerges from an unprecedented and challenging year dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mersey Maritime is confidently looking forward as it launches the seventh annual Mersey Maritime Industry Awards, 2021.
The MMIA21 will acknowledge and celebrate the very best of the maritime industry and are widely acknowledged as being the leading regional sector awards in the UK. In a year that has seen the whole economy impacted by the challenge of coronavirus, the theme for this year’s awards has been carefully chosen: Building Back Better. This aligns with both the government’s agenda for growth and levelling-up across the country, so critical for the industry going forward, but it will also celebrate and reflect on the resilience, innovation and vibrancy of the maritime and logistics industry in response to the biggest challenge we have faced in peacetime for the last 100 years.
The award event will take place in Liverpool on Friday 17 September 2021, at the end of a major week for the maritime industry in the UK, coming at the end of London International Shipping Week 2021 and listed as one of the official events at this major showcase for the sector.
Community campaigner Christina Muspratt named councillor of the year
A campaigning councillor has received the mayor’s award in recognition of her selfless work for the community.
Bebington councillor Christina Muspratt is this year’s recipient of the Andy Day Memorial Cup. Also known as ‘councillor of the year’, the honour is given to a member who wholeheartedly serves their community.
Glen Affric scoops six awards at 2021 European Beer Challenge
Glen Affric Brewery, based in Birkenhead, has won 6 medals at the 2021 European Beer Challenge, including 4 Gold medals.
The brewery prides itself on being a world-class brewery and the addition of these 6 awards to their existing portfolio of awards continues to solidify their position in the industry as a leader in world-class beers at affordable prices, including World’s Best Lager (Micro Variation, 2019) & World’s Best Pale Ale (Highland Suntan, 2020.)
Craig McCormick, Cofounder of Glen Affric Brewery said, “We’re all buzzing with excitement at the news of our awards haul at the 2021 European Beer Challenge! We continue to push ourselves to produce best-in-class beers and the addition of these awards to our existing portfolio of awards helps to prove that our hard efforts continue to pay off.
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Mobile app to support Wirral hospitality and retail businesses emerge from lockdown
Ordering food through a mobile app may be commonplace, but two Wirral men are trying to boost the Borough’s high streets bounce-back-ability as hospitality and retail comes out of lockdown – by serving up their own app.
At the end of last year Meols man and restaurateur Dave Otter launched Mimu, a mobile app developed and designed by his cousin Andrew Jones from Birkenhead and his brother-in-law David Ogilvie O’Neil.
The app helps people order more safely and easily and pay instantly at restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars during the Covid-19 pandemic and provides greater purchasing and ordering options.
Buses across Merseyside to carry important cycle safety warning ads
Cyclists are the only group in Merseyside where the numbers of those killed or seriously injured has increased across the last five years.
2019 saw 87 cyclists in Merseyside killed or seriously injured – 10% more than the year before – and 2020 looks set to see another increase (although the official figures can’t be released until they are validated by the DfT).
Grieving family of ‘Nicola Faith’ skipper present £11,500 donation to RNLI
The family of the late Carl McGrath, skipper of the fishing vessel Nicola Faith today presented a kind gift to the RNLI which has been raised by the family and friends of three lost fishermen.
The donation was accepted on behalf of the charity by Llandudno Station Coxswain Graham Heritage.
The family received a warm welcome from Llandudno RNLI volunteers, who along with Rhyl, Conwy, Beaumaris and Hoylake RNLI crews collectively spent over 90 hours searching for the missing vessel.
Join the North West Region Scouts on a virtual scavenger hunt
Every year since 2014 the Scouts North West Region have run a Scavenger Hunt around Liverpool city centre. And in 2021 the hunt makes a return – with a difference.
This year they are organising a Scouts North West Region ShelterBox Challenge. With a difference.
Ditton Lane Nature Reserve to be protected under new local plan
A Wirral beauty spot is to be designated a Local Wildlife Area in the new Labour-led Wirral draft local plan.
Ditton Lane Nature Reserve, owned by Cadbury Typhoo, is a well-loved local space. Located in Moreton between the Birket and Ditton Lane and Pasture Road, the site is a haven for wildlife, trees and birds and also an important part of the designated flood plain.
Anita Leech, Wirral’s Chair of Regeneration and also a Leasowe and Moreton West councillor, said, “I’ve been working with the residents’ group for many years, in particular a resident in my ward Paul Ivan, in attempts to preserve Ditton Lane Nature Reserve.
List of mobile symptom-free COVID-19 testing locations in Wirral
Wirral Council continues its move toward a more flexible and targeted approach to testing as we move along the Government’s roadmap and restrictions ease.
This weekend will see the two symptom-free testing centres located in Greasby and Eastham libraries close at the end of testing on Sunday 9 May.
Election Special: Wirral’s local council election results
The 2021 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on Thursday 6 May 2021 to elect members of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. The election was originally due to take place in May 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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