Operation Christmas Child (OCC) Update
As I write this we are celebrating the success of our Olympic and Paralympic athletes. It’s been wonderful to come together as a nation to enjoy the achievements of our athletes; and also to take pride in the way in which all of the events have been planned and executed.
The success of the games has ultimately depended on each person involved playing their role, from the top athletes to the many volunteers – the Games Makers. We can’t all be gold medallists but we can all do our part in making a difference to our community and our world, we can all be “Difference Makers”. That’s what we do at OCC – we make a difference to the lives of children. These children may be orphaned, diseased, homeless, traumatised by war, and /or living in poverty; they are the last, the least, and the lost. A shoebox filled with gifts can make an enormous difference to the child who receives it – each box brings joy and each box brings the love of the person who packed it. The shoebox itself will not solve the material problems that the child endures, but it brings hope to the child and to others in the community.
Last year the generous people of Wirral wrapped, packed and donated 11,283 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. That’s 11,283 happy children in Romania for whom Christmas was a time of real joy! This year we have a new challenge as for the first time ever about half of our boxes will go to Swaziland. A landlocked South African country which around 1.2 million people call home, Swaziland is a nation that has in recent years become synonymous with two words: HIV and Poverty. The rate of HIV is staggering; it is the highest of any country in the world, with 26% of the adult population HIV positive. The poverty statistics don’t make much better reading, 63% of the population live below the poverty line, surviving on less than £1 a day. It may seem impossible that we can do anything about such conditions but we can! Speaking at the Samaritan’s Purse conference earlier in the year Wandy Shongwe from Swaziland said of shoebox distributions “When in life is it ever solely about the children? There are traumas we can go through as children that stay with us through life and can manifest in adulthood. What about when a child receives a shoebox? Finally it is all about them! There is such anticipation and joy when a child gets a shoebox. Children are often so excited that they go off in private to open their box. The whole experience is positive and will impact them later in life. A shoebox can transform the rest of a child’s life. Who knows what the potential of a box is?”
This year the OCC video is entitled “From One Community to Another” – do you want to become part of this global community? Do you want to be a Difference Maker? Through OCC you can impact the live of one child; you can reach out and make a difference. The motto of the London Olympics & Paralympics is “Inspire a generation; do you want to be part of a global community is truly inspiring a generation?
If you haven’t already done so, now is the ideal time to start collecting items to fill a box (including greatly cut-price Olympic/Paralympic goodies). If you have a school-aged child can I encourage you to ask if the school will be “doing boxes” this year? Often the first that parents hear about the campaign is when they find the OCC leaflet crumpled up in the bottom of their child’s school bag during the Autumn half-term.
Do you want to know more? Please contact our Area Coordinator, Margaret on 07708037969. You can also leave a comment or question on our “Wirral OCC” Facebook page. We are always happy to answer questions and we have trained CRB-checked speakers who are more than happy to speak to groups, small or large, about OCC. Please get in touch!
Patricia Hardman
Coming Soon
We can now report that Chimichanga, a national Mexican restaurant will be opening within Marine point in the coming months. The unit will be located on the lakeside next door to the Prezzo Unit. Chimichanga is the sister company of Prezzo, the move is testament to Prezzo’s belief in New Brighton as a destination, which will lead to further job creation and significant investment from the company.
We are also in advanced negotiations with a national bar and restaurant chain to take a unit again on the lakeside. This will leave us with just one unit remaining in the lakeside block. We hope to be in a position to announce more news on this shortly, we also anticipate that this unit will be open before Christmas.
We can also confirm that the fit out of the children’s soft play centre will finally begin in the next couple of weeks.
This is likely to be completed by the end of the year to ensure the centre opens in January 2013. This will create a further 30 jobs on the development, and will provide a large facility that will draw people from across the Wirral and many parts of the northwest.
Other News
Neptune continue to engage with national and local operators for the vacant units within the development, we hope that the encouraging trading figures from existing tenants and other operators within the New Brighton will lead to further new tenants.
Landscaping
The landscaping at the development has been subject to much criticism since the development was completed, by members of the local authority and members of the public. I would like to assure all who have concern, that we are fully aware of the issues with landscaping and have been embroiled in long drawn out discussions with the main contractor to ensure the problems are rectified, the landscaping problems have been caused by the actions taken by the main contractor and they have now confirmed they will rectify the issues. This process will be carried out through coming months to coincide with the start of the new planting season. We are confident that the new planting scheme put forward by the contractor will survive in the development, we are more concerned about the landscaping than anyone, and will ensure that any further issues are put right by the contractor.
The New Palace and Adventureland
The New Palace and Adventureland in New Brighton, Wirral, is celebrating a whopping 100 years of entertaining the general public. For the huge anniversary, quite an achievement, Wilkie Leisure wants to share its exciting history with you.
At the end of the 19th century, two brothers worked at a Birkenhead rope factory and they created what today is known as an Arial Ropeway. They ran the ropeway from the roof of the factory into bales of hay just for fun in their break times. This was so popular with their work mates they joined the local fairground with their newly invented ride. The fairground visited New Brighton at the turn of the century. 12 years later when the brothers set up in the Old Palace buildings in New Brighton George Wilkie, the uncle of David Wilkie’s grandfather began a journey that taught them how to create the ultimate entertainment.
From its humble beginnings in the original Palace building, where Britain’s lovely weather couldn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, the entertainment fairground was passed down through the generations of Wilkies to become a hugely popular attraction.
With beautiful 1920’s extensions of the promenade on to the golden sands and the lavish opening of the ‘New’ Palace, in 1938, more and more happy visitors flooded to New Brighton.
The 60s, 70s was a great time for British holiday and the entertainment businesses everywhere. With a massive decline in the 80’s due to cheaper holidays abroad it was tough times but they survived. Now with major redevelopments things are looking up for New Brighton once again!
With the New Palace and Adventureland now safely in the hands of David Wilkie, business has continued.
Generations of time and money have been invested, and 100 years of hard work. This together with the new developments and regeneration in New Brighton means that there’s no better place to be this summer.
Why not visit today and enjoy the, Dodgem cars, arcade games & rides, huge indoor children’s play area and fun activities for all the family . Call Collette on 0151 639 6041 to book parties, group events or to find out more about the attractions on offer or visit our website www.wlgltd.co.uk
Staff and children at New Brighton Primary were delighted , on their return to school, to see their new school mini-bus.Staff have already enjoyed a trip to Oldham where they purchased a treasure chest of reading books for every class in the school and we are all eagerly awaiting their arrival this week.Owning our own bus will enable us to transport our numerous sports teams, quiz team and our award-winning choir to their events and will allow us to extend outdoor learning through local visits.We would like to thank the PTA and our parents who have supported events throughout the year.Money raised has contributed to the purchase of the minibus and events in the future will help with running costs. So, feel free to give us a wave if you see us out and about – we’ll be hard to miss in our sunshine yellow bus!
As a new member of the team at Vale House, I would like to extend a warm welcome to customers old and new.
We are your friendly café operating as a social enterprise dedicated to the upkeep of Vale House and employing and creating opportunities for local people. We are situated in the heart of Vale Park, Magazine Lane, New Brighton and we are open 7 days a week and we value and need your support.
Our location in Vale Park means that we benefit from the park’s green flag status, wonderful views across the River Mersey, regular entertainment from the band stand and a newly fitted children’s play area in addition to the beautiful and peaceful rose garden. Great in summer but seasonal changes can really affect the sustainability of our efforts and the opportunities for local people.
We are currently redecorating and planning the opening of an affordable tea room in the Orangery. Home made cakes, fresh sandwiches and a range of fine teas served from good old fashioned china tea services at prices that won’t break the budget for a little treat or ‘me time tlc’. We want to make Vale House a place to head even when the weather isn’t great and I would like to invite our local community to get in touch with any ideas, offers of voluntary help, unwanted tea sets, gifts in kind etc. We are aiming to have an official opening in December but in the mean time the work continues so please feel free to
Email me at; [email protected]
Or drop me a line; Elaine Owen, Vale House, Vale Park, Magazine Lane, New Brighton
NOTES FOR EDITOR
Elaine owen 07980 642626
At one end of the park is the famous New Brighton promenade, running up from Seacombe to New Brighton for 3.5km, perfect for seaside strolling or bike riding with spectacular views across the River Mersey of the Liverpool Waterfront panorama.
There is plenty of free parking in Magazine Lane and limited parking within the park from Vale Drive. We are only 2 minutes walk from local bus stops that serve Wirral and Liverpool and about 10 minutes walk from New Brighton Train station, all of the new New Brighton developments (Morrison’s, The Light etc) and Seacome Ferry.
A MEETING FOR THE COMMUNITY
A meeting has been arranged on Thursday 18th October at 4 pm at New Brighton Community Centre by New Brighton Community Association, New Brighton Community Partnership, the New Brighton Heritage Centre and Vale House Community Centre. There will be a presentation from the Council and an opportunity for community members to ask questions and to fill in the Council’s questionnaires.
This will be followed by and update on the seafront developments and a presentation regarding sand replenishment proposals.
People asked to decide ‘What Really Matters’
Wirral Council is asking local people ‘What Really Matters’ as it faces unprecedented cuts to its funding from central government.
A massive consultation has been launched across the borough to help the authority make vital savings in light of the fact that one third of its net budget will be removed over the next three years.
Residents, local businesses and anyone with an interest in the services that the Council provides are being urged to get involved by completing a questionnaire, which amongst other things, asks about peoples’ highest and lowest priorities and whether it would be right to increase fees for certain chargeable services. The survey also asks whether the Council should consider outsourcing or sharing some local services with other organisations and which, if any, services should be stopped or reduced.
The intense process of gathering peoples’ views started today at Asda in Woodchurch where Council Leader, Phil Davies and Chief Executive, Graham Burgess met with staff and shoppers. Amongst other places, the Council will be visiting shopping centres, supermarkets, community centres, cinemas and bingo halls during the course of the consultation to make sure that as many people as possible get the opportunity to have their say.
Leader of the Council, Councillor Phil Davies, explained:
“The scale of the savings we are being forced to make is greater than anything we have faced before. The removal of one third of our net budget means that we must reduce our spending by around £100 million over the next three years.
“I cannot stress enough how important it is that people get involved in this process. We have no choice but to become a different Council and this is going to mean radical and rapid change, making sure that our remaining budget is carefully targeted at our residents’ main priorities. We need to know what services matter the most to people and their families so that we can make sure that we spend our reduced budget on the right things.”
People have until 19th October to take part, at which point the results will be used to develop specific options for achieving the savings that the authority has to make. Further consultation will then take place to gather views on these options before final decisions are made on how the savings will be found.
The questionnaire, along with a video explaining the consultation, can be found online, at www.wirral.gov.uk/whatreallymatters. Hard copies are also available from any Council One Stop Shop, Library,Leisure Centre or Children’s Centre.
NEW BRIGHTON ONLINE TV WEB SITE
New Brighton Online TV has a new web site www.newbrighton.tv showing videos of events happening in the New Brighton, Wallasey area.
The aim of the site is to record, edit and to show events in an informative and enjoyable way. The videos may be of interest to those perhaps who where not able to attend an event and for those just to remember.
The site will be updated once a month showing videos of that months events. The site is evolving and will change, hopefully for the better, as the months go on.
A new front page is to be added and will include space for showing videos of weddings, christening etc happening in the area. So if you want your event filming, free of charge, and a small video clip putting on the site ring 07963 560 951 and ask for Fred.
There will also be space to advertise your business at a cost of £20 per month.
If there is anything you want to be included on the site ring the number above or email [email protected].
Why Merseyside Can Feel Proud Of The Lasting Legacy of Brendan McCormack … John Lennon’s Favourite Guitarist.