A small selection of photos from today's craft fayre in Birkdale.
The ladies who were fundraising for Queenscourt Hospice raised £77.00 we believe, and it was a good day all around.
Support our local businesses!
More information:
Saturday 18 May 2024
Monday 13 May 2024
Summer Craft Fayres in Southport
We have a few spaces left for this coming weekend (18 May).
We are also taking names for our 8th June event.
Support our local businesses.
Friday 3 May 2024
LYNNE WINS - BY A SUBSTANTIAL MARGIN
Congratulations to Ainsdale's Lynne Thompson on her election win.
Lynne fought hard and defeated all challengers, holding onto her seat in Ainsdale, last night.
FULL SEFTON COUNCIL LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS
Monday 29 April 2024
Ainsdale Tories: undisputed champions of community invisibility and masters of getting it all wrong!
It’s almost beyond the bounds of credulity when we hear today of Tories telling the Woodvale community that they want ‘more houses’ in the area, and that they have campaigned hard for residents.
This is big news to locals who are sincerely scratching their heads at such ridiculous Tory claims. These habitually invisible Conservative politicians seem to have made up their minds, all by themselves, to grab a few votes by launching into absurdity.
The very last thing the increasing burdened community area needs is more houses.
Lack of hospital services for kids, not enough schools, overcrowded infrastructure, ongoing law, and order issues, etc. The list is endless!
Let’s fill Woodvale with even more houses, say the seriously gormless Tories, and bring in yet more families.
For goodness sake – the poor old police cannot cope with the existing ongoing turmoil on the ground at street level, without adding more troubles to their heavy workload!
I reiterate that the Tories here in Woodvale are invisible – unless of course, an election is close at hand.
Lest we forget what happened in 2015…
As an old warrior once said:
“Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
Politicians from both Labour and Liberal Democratic camps arrived to show strong support for our campaign to keep the Brookdale Resource Centre open. This was, and still, is an essential Dementia care centre.
We initiated the fight because we were deeply concerned for the continuation of the centre, following despicable Sefton Council threats of closure.
However, Ainsdale Ward’s Conservative councillors, Terry Jones and Ted Hartill never even came anywhere near the campaign or the facility. They showed ZERO interest in the fight and were demonstrably dementia - unfriendly!
Thankfully we won that hard – fought battle, yet no thanks to these two elusive councillors. Not surprisingly to many astonished residents, today these two specific politicians have vanished entirely.
Nevertheless, if anyone was in any doubt about how totally ‘out of touch’ the Ainsdale Tory coterie really still is today then their latest self - promotional pamphlet should spell it out very clearly!
Asking locals what they actually think about local issues is a good thing to do, for any wannabe politician. Conversely, making up nonsense to make it look like you are doing something helpful, when you clearly are not, is counterproductive. It’s also an insult to the people who you wish to represent!
Some of us have been working hard behind the scenes for years to seek improvements for the existing community. We reiterate; more houses would create even more problems and overcrowding!
I say, vote for the person and not the party.
Saturday 27 April 2024
Pictures from today's Birkdale Craft Fayre
Supporting local businesses and good charitable causes in Southport
A small selection of photos taken at the Birkdale Craft Fayre, held today (27th April 2024) at the Methodist Hall (Red Brick Church), Liverpool Road.
Please check the link below for our next fayre dates
Friday 26 April 2024
SPEED KILLS: Southport’s deer population is suffering from vehicular impacts!
Drivers warned to 'Slow Down' along Sefton's deer-run areas, after fatalities.
***** Please sign and share our petition below *****
The velocity of a car etc hitting a deer, fox, hedgehog, hare, or any other form of British wildlife is massive and frequently lethal.
More speed equates with more injury and death. That is simply common logic.
Therefore, if anyone is genuinely serious about saving these wonderful creatures then first, they must address the excess speed problem.
In this case we are talking about the deer found along the Sefton coastal areas from Southport to Formby, etc.
Bringing speed limits down significantly, in known deer- used areas, will save lives and have a positive effect on our precious UK wildlife. Roadside deer barriers may or may not be effective, but properly enforced speed restrictions are a doable policy to save lives.
Authorities must therefore implement lower speed limits within zones where deer are known to cross busy roads, like our coastal roadway in Southport.
At least three deer have been hit in the last week alone.
More deer warning signs may help too, like the ones implemented by Ainsdale's Councillor Lynne Thompson on the Coastal Road.
Of course, deer signage will NOT stop the average immature, ego-driven, speed merchants, who think that it's somehow OK to break every speed limit they come across. Only legal speed enforcement and stiffer penalties against these selfishly dangerous drivers will help herein.
If you see or are involved a deer collision please contact: Sefton Coastal Rangers and or Green Sefton
Another valid point to bear in mind is that dog owners do need to have their animals 'under control' when near deer zones, because they can scare deer and chase them to their deaths onto open roads.
Moreover, a large deer hitting a car is also potentially fatal to the person(s) driving. This may result in an accident endangering human lives. Therefore, this puts more pressure on local authorities to action now!
Consequently, at least give these poor frightened animals a chance. Drive with caution and slow down!
Sefton Council puts great importance, funding and kudos, on protected Natterjack toads and Sand lizards, yet the deer seems to be perceived as insignificant. Why?
PLEASE SHARE OUR PETITION
According to The British Deer Society, it is estimated that annually the number of deer killed or injured on UK roads is likely to exceed 40,000 and may well be nearer 74,000.
There is an estimated population of between 650,000 and 2 million deer in the UK (The Mammal Society, DEFRA) comprising 6 different species: red, roe, fallow, sika, muntjac and Chinese water deer.
More:
The great US plan to exterminate the buffalo and starve out the native peoples
US LAND GRAB POLICY AGAINST THE NATIVE PEOPLE.
The great US plan to exterminate the buffalo and starve out the native peoples
During the 1800s, the U.S. Army realised that destroying the buffalo herds aided their efforts to force indigenous peoples onto reservations. The government of the US realised that as long as this food source was there, and as long as this key cultural element existed, it would have difficulty getting Indians onto reservations.
Colonel Richard I. Dodge in 1867 at Fort McPherson, Nebraska, said to a group of British hunters: "Kill every buffalo you can. Every buffalo dead is an Indian gone. “
The self-righteous US administration called the native people ‘savages’ yet their genocidal ways and plan to exterminate the buffalo proved beyond doubt that the real savages wore smart uniforms, not tribal head dress.
The government believed that the hasty disappearance of game from the former hunting-grounds must operate principally in favour of their efforts to confine the Indians to smaller areas, and force them to jettison their ancient, nomadic, traditional, customs.
For many thousands of years buffalo had served as the primary food source and the livelihood for many Native Americans.
The great buffalo massacre by settlers of European descent is recognised as an infamous ecological catastrophe. Of the estimated 30 million buffalo that wandered the Great Plains in the 1850s, only a few thousand remained in isolated pockets in 1883.
Buffalo were the Indians’ lifeline. They had a symbiotic relationship with them. They honoured the powerful beasts for the countless blessings they provided for the tribe. To the tribal peoples these animals were as important as the sun and rain, for their very survival depended upon them.
In October 1868, General Sheridan write to General Sherman that their best hope to control the Native Americans is to “make them poor by the destruction of their stock, and then settle them on the lands allotted to them.” The plan was clearly to starve them out!
Sheridan’s wicked proposal to exterminate a whole animal species clearly displays the gross level of shameful depravity in mankind, within that tragic situation.
Professional hunters trespassing on sacred Indian lands killed over four million bullalo by 1874. The popular US folk hero, “Buffalo Bill” Cody, is implied to have killed 4,282 buffalo in 18 months.
Most of the animals killed were reportedly left to rot where they fell.
This entire situation must have been one of the worse crimes again nature ever committed!
A gun – happy nation with many damaged egos holding a loathing for the native peoples, and millions of large innocent animals to mow down like grass in a field. What heroes they truly were!
More:
https://news.emory.edu/stories/2023/08/esc_bison_impact_24-08-2023/story.html#:~:text=The%20mass%20slaughter%20of%20North,of%20the%20iconic%20animals%20remained.
Wednesday 24 April 2024
LABOUR MADE THE DECISION TO REMOVE OUR CHILDREN’S A&E SERVICE!
Back in 2003, Southport lost vital hospital services for our kids, at the hands of the Labour administration.
Many young parents today possibly have little understanding of past events, yet some of us kept our promise and retained archived material.
I wrote an open letter (as below) to Labour’s Health Secretary, Dr John Reid, about his party’s hated removal of Southport Hospital Services.
PUBLIC OPEN LETTER TO JOHN REID, HEALTH SECRETARY REGARDING CUTS TO CHILDREN'S EMERGENCY SERVICES IN SOUTHPORT
From Southport dad, Pat Regan
March 2005
Dear Mr Reid
As a father of four children, I was utterly shocked and appalled by the removal of Southport children’s A&E service etc, which have as you know, now been relocated to Ormskirk – a small town that is in another county.
Like the 3000 incensed residents that went on the protest march and the 20,000 that signed the petitions against these outrageous NHS cuts I wish to tell you that feelings have most certainly ‘not’ changed.
We still insist that our children’s emergency services must be returned ‘before’ the first real fatality occurs.
When the first sick/injured child dies due to having to travel the extra ten miles to Ormskirk, say after a car accident, the blood will make no mistake ultimately be on the hands of ‘your’ government. Residents will rightly point the finger of blame at you and your superiors for not reversing this disgraceful health policy decision, which is apparently based on the inconsistent Shields Report.
Southport is a flourishing tourism town which holds international events such as the Air Show, Flower Show etc. Being unable to offer not only our own local children but also visitors’ children from all over the world proper on-site A&E cover is totally ridiculous, highly dangerous, and unworkable in the extreme. I have spoken to numerous politicians and medical people including ambulance technicians, doctors and nurses and they have all agreed that these cuts are preposterous and put children at greater risk.
You clearly stated in your speech to the 2003 Labour party conference in Bournemouth:
“If your child, or your mother was in pain and the means to relieve it quicker were available free at the point of need. Would you refuse them it? I wouldn't. And if I wouldn't refuse that relief to my family, then I'm not going to refuse it to any other family in this country.”
I hold you to this promise, which you appear to have forgotten – at least for the children of my town! What is your word actually ‘worth’ Mr Reid?
The BBC also reported, after anti-hospital cuts campaigners delivered the 20,000 petitions to your leader Mr Blair:
“Health Secretary Doctor John Reid has agreed to re-assess the decision.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/3502255.stm
Well Mr Reid, are you going to keep your promises which I have pointed out as above or are Southport and Formby’s combined population of 120,000 to get yet more bureaucratic justifications for this ongoing fiasco rammed down their throats which are based on stifling political spin?
Southport’s parents are not interested in empty excuses – they just want you to ‘finally’ do the right thing for their children!
A contemporary holiday resort like Southport MUST possess an A&E facility for ‘all’ children – anything less is a half-baked compromise which endangers young lives.
Please stop playing politics with our children’s lives and reverse this dreadful decision.
I for one demand that you reinstate our vital children’s health services now!
Yours in disgust
Pat Regan
............................
Below is the lacklustre 2 - page response from Reid's office...
Prior to this correspondence the CARES anti-hospital cuts action group had tried and failed to pin Labour's, rather elusive, Health Secretary down.
CARES reported on the event, as below
Protest at Formby Hall Golf Club
(Friday 28th November, 2003)
At short notice, CARES were informed that Dr John Reid, Health Secretary, was to be at Formby Hall Golf Club for a Labour Party event.
Very quickly supporters joined together and arrived at the entrance to the golf club. Police asked us to wait outside; we unrolled banners and handed out leaflets to people that were attending the event. Protesters from Liverpool’s Fazakerley Hospital were also there to protest against closures of local maternity services etc.
Cold yet determined protesters from the left to the right wing of politics were present. We were then informed that the Health Secretary would speak to us when he arrived, so we thanked officials and waited patiently in the cold.
Once Dr Reid had arrived we were then informed that due to lateness he could not see us. Obviously we were all clearly very disappointed. Everyone present held a good peaceful demonstration and did everything instructed by the police.
One of the reasons we wanted to meet with John Reid was to discuss his Labour party comments at Bournemouth on the 1st October wherein he stated:
“As long as I am Secretary of state it will remain the basic principle of Labour Government health policy- that all our fellow citizens should have equal access to health care free at the point of need.”
He continued:
“If your child or your mother was in pain and the means to relieve it quicker were available at the point of need would you refuse them it? I wouldn’t. And if I wouldn’t refuse that relief to my family, then I’m not going to refuse it to any other family in this country.”
CARES ask:
Why as yet are these fine and noble sentiments by Dr Reid not being followed up by effective policies within our communities?
Why did Dr Reid originally offer to speak to CARES etc and then approximately ten minutes later decide he was running so late that a couple of moments serious discussion about this life and death services loss situation was out of the question?
Clearly, the glitzy Labour spin over our children's lost hospital services did match their transparent lack of concern at ground level!
When eventually cornered by protesters Labour's health chief made a ultra-fast exit.
Adding insult to injury against Southport parents
Labour also went 'against' expert medical advice (which they had previously relied upon), when they 'rejected' a key element of the Shield's Report, that could have aided Southport families.
You may of course not believe this, so just look at the well-recorded background behind this situation...
Labour's hypocrisy and Southport's lost hospital services.
Back in April 1999 there was a merger of the Southport & Formby NHS Trust and Ormskirk NHS Trust, which at that time offered all services at both hospitals.
Due to increasing problems such as retention of staff and other concerns thought to possibly impact significantly on the smooth running of services, it was suggested to the Health Authority by the new Trust that there should be a merger of some services. They called one a ‘hot site and the other a ‘cold site’, depending on what services would be put where. Southport ended up being the ‘cold site’.
The Minister of State for Health (then Labour) asked the NHS Executive to commission a report on services being offered at that time by the two hospitals.
The person who undertook the writing of the report was Professor Robert Shields, this was published in 1999. Professor Shields concluded that most services should stay where they were, but made 38 recommendations which the Secretary of Health agreed to.
Paediatric surgery beds for Southport & Formby Hospital ‘rejected’ by Labour’s Secretary of Health
However, one crucial recommendation (number 25), “recommended the provision of 4 paediatric surgery beds at Southport & Formby DGH for pre- and post-operative care of children by paediatric-trained nurses”. The Labour Secretary of Health rejected this.
Double standards against our kids!
Consequently, it's certainly worth reiterating here that LABOUR were not only behind our lost children's hospital services - they also went 'against' the same medical advice (Shield's Report) that they had previously relied upon to remove our kids' vital A&E.
'97% of respondents clearly wanted to see A&E reinstated at Southport'. Source: A survey by CARES, reported in their press release (14th June 2005), distributed throughout local schools and children’s play groups, in and around Southport and Formby.
https://southportcares.yourwebsitespace.com/
Sunday 21 April 2024
Southport Community Cupboard raises funds at Birkdale Craft Fayre
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Above: Fayre Organiser Cath Regan (right) was presented with a lovely bunch of flowers by Debbie and John from ‘Southport Community Cupboard’.
The allotted fundraising stall at the latest Craft Fayre in St Peter’s Parish Hall yesterday was ‘Southport Community Cupboard’.
They raised almost £100 in donations, which will go to supporting the many families who depend on it. Other donations such as good clean new or used items such as bric a brac unwanted gifts etc are also welcome. These can be left at the cupboard or arrange a collection by contacting Debbie on 01704 550019.
This is the background of the group and how it works.
Louise and Lucinda, founders of The Cupboard Network, are passionate about combating food waste and promoting sustainable living whilst also helping those in need.
Through their network of community cupboards, they distribute surplus food from supermarkets and other organisations such as Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury's, Aldi, Lidl, Pret, KFC & Bookers, ensuring it reaches those in need. Their initiative has significantly impacted local communities, exemplified by The Cupboard Southport, managed by Janet and Graham. Servicing hundreds of families every week, they've become a cornerstone in Southport, alleviating food insecurity and fostering community support.
The cost of living crisis has exacerbated food insecurity for many individuals and families across Southport and its surrounding areas. As prices rise and incomes stagnate, more people are struggling to afford basic necessities, including food. "The Cupboard" has become a lifeline for these communities.
The Cupboard is stocked every day, 365 days a year with a variety of food. Availability varies each day depending on what the stores have donated. The service is entirely free to access, but donations are always gratefully received. Limits are applied on certain items at different times to ensure fairness for service users.
At The Cupboard Network, the ethos of sharing fairly and supplementing existing resources is central to their mission. Service users are encouraged to take only what they need, ensuring that everyone has access to the available provisions. The aim is not to replace regular grocery shopping, but to provide additional support to as many people as possible. By fostering a culture of sharing and cooperation, this allows resources to be distributed fairly among the community. This approach maximises the impact of donations, allowing them to reach a greater number of individuals and families in need.
With approximately 1000 families relying on their service every month, The Cupboard Southport is now a crucial resource for those facing financial difficulties. People from all walks of life, from different parts of Southport and its surrounding areas, turn to The Cupboard for support. It has become a symbol of community resilience, providing not only food but also a sense of belonging and solidarity during challenging times.
As the cost of living crisis persists, initiatives like The Cupboard Network play an indispensable role in ensuring that no one goes hungry and that communities can support each other in times of need.
All of the volunteers are dedicated not only to providing essential food support but also to breaking down the stigma associated with accessing such services. In a society where seeking assistance for basic needs can be viewed negatively, The Cupboard fosters an environment of inclusivity and non-judgment.
Every individual and family is welcomed with open arms, regardless of their circumstances. The team behind The Cupboard understands that anyone can face hardships, and their goal is to offer support and compassion without stigma or shame. By promoting inclusivity and creating a judgement-free space, The Cupboard Network encourages people to seek help when needed, fostering a sense of community and solidarity among its users.
"We are so much more than just a cupboard. We are an exciting treasure trove of food, conversation, and community. We are a meeting point, a talking point, a point of pride, and that’s our strong point!"
Operating entirely on donations, The Cupboard Network relies on the generosity of individuals and organizations to sustain its vital services. Donations are the lifeblood of the organisation, allowing them to purchase equipment, maintain cupboards, and cover operational costs.
To support their mission, contributions can be made conveniently via PayPal at southportcommunitycupboard@gmail.com or through direct bank transfers. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference.
Cath Regan stated:
"Our regular fayres are benefiting many local businesses. They're also helping charities and groups like Southport Community Cupboard to raise much - needed funds to help people in need. We welcome Debbie and John to join us again in the future. We feel both delighted and honoured to be a part of the symbiotic liaison in such ongoing initiatives."
Join our growing community - new stallholders are always welcome.
22° Halo over Southport
An impressive 22° halo around the Sun showed itself this afternoon, over Southport's sea shore.
Such halos form as sunlight (or moonlight) is refracted by millions of hexagonal ice crystals that are suspended in the atmosphere. Its radius, as viewed from Earth, is about the length of an outstretched hand at arm's length.
See also
Thursday 18 April 2024
It's ELECTION TIME – but have YOU been conned?
When self – publicity is the name of the game. Could an election be close at hand.
Councillors and their candidates must be publicly judged on the merits of their entire workload ‘throughout the year’ and NOT just on the massive volume of superfluous pre-election, happy clappy, photographic crap they upload about themselves, their political candidates, adorable pets, nice flowers, etc, onto social media sites.
These politicians totally bombard forums with shed-loads of irrelevant images, which contain links right back to their political party chums.
They most certainly should NOT utilise trusting community groups to feather their nest and further their political objectives. This political ruse is happening right now in a town close to where you live. Your trusting unawareness of the situation just goes to show how successful their political subterfuge actually is!
As a local vocal whistleblower I (and others) have been stung by similar situations, thinking that some voluntary projects were for environmental and community benefit when in fact they turned out to be clandestinely based on self - promotional political engineering.
One can only speak from hard-won personal experience!
https://woodvalewp.blogspot.com/
I have written many blogs and books about this dirty political situation before. Here are just a few examples...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dirty-Politics-Mr-Pat-Regan/dp/1482031248
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1788083644/
Using whatever means are available, prior to the election, to gain political support is a trick as old as the hills.
Do YOU know of similar situations wherein politicians have highjacked social media platforms, etc, to promote their specific political aims?
Alternatively, are YOU one of the many gullible types that political parasites rely on to make it past the post at election time?
No matter what party - Do NOT let them con you!
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