FirstSt. Helens Oct 2007 – Jan 2008 St. Helens Council’s Community Magazine Saints Homecoming special Cool new recycling campaign One degree above St. Helens Youngsters are Contents a degree above leader’s column Inside this issue Oct 2007 – Jan 2008 Welcome to the October 11 24 edition of our award winning St. Helens First which I hope will be of interest with its usual mix of news and features about our Borough. Particular focus has been given to local communities in this edition with news about what is going on in your local neighbourhood. 14 17 Teentalk Once again First celebrates local successes Feature News and all that the Borough has to offer people who P4 Mayor’s diary P15-18 In and around your P12 Reaching for the stars live, work and visit. community P5-8 Saints’ homecoming P13 Help for carers I hope everyone will special P19 ‘City slicker’ living take an interest in the P14 Leading role for Rachel Council’s campaign to P9 Teeing off for sport P20-21 New health P23 Museum milestone increase recycling fi gures developments P10-11 Tasty treat for P28-32 Your What’s on guide and read the informative pupils P24-25 Recycle for two page feature on what St. Helens P33-36 Teen Talk you can do to be greener and help in the fi ght against global warming. Watch out for an exciting Editor: Chris Cahill new announcement about News Editor: Kay Dingsdale Saints’ and the special St. Helens Council, tribute being prepared for Whether it’s to find out how By text: Ask about signing up to Press and Public the club by the Council to recycle your household our new SMS text alert service Relations Office, waste, check what’s on, pay when you call the Contact Centre. Town Hall, St. Helens, befi tting a world class your Council Tax or request a WA10 7DN. specific service, the way you At the library: Call into any club and team. contact the Council is up to you! library in St. Helens to pay To contact your news team with There are also features your Council Tax or contact suggestions for articles about you Online: www.sthelens.gov.uk us via our dedicated Council or your organisation on city slicker living Email: contactcentre@ Access points*. coming to town as well sthelens.gov.uk Tel: 01744 456166/5 St. Helens Council offers a Fax: 01744 456168 as healthy school meals, Telephone: 01744 456789 translation and interpretation Email: [email protected] children’s sporting success (8am – 8pm, Monday – Friday service including foreign St. Helens First is printed on recycled paper. and 10am – 2pm, Saturdays) languages, British Sign Language, and the major developments Braille and Audio Tape. All public Minicom: 01744 671671 areas in the Town Hall have Talking Pages taking place in our Face to Face: Contact Centre, disabled access. This magazine is available hospitals and health centres. Wesley House, Corporation inin talkingtalking bookbook andand BrailleBraille Street, St. Helens (open 9am – *Council Access points in on request by contacting 5pm, Monday – Friday). selected libraries only. 01744 456166/5. Council Leader Designed and printed by Engage Group www.engagegroup.co.uk Group Engage by Designed and printed Brian Spencer Mayor’s diary page Memorable days for terminally ill people The Mayor of St. Helens Cllr Sheila Seddon is supporting a relatively new The Mayor Cllr Sheila Seddon is pictured in the Mayor’s charity through her Mayor’s Appeal. Parlour at the Town Hall. The St. Helens-based own special day, event or improving the quality of life and healthier lifestyles in HoneyRose Foundation weekend away. More than of seriously ill adults aged 16 whatever sport people have was set up almost three years 120 families have already to 40 through the provision of chosen to participate in ago by Lynn Duffy in memory benefi ted from the charity’s special days. regardless of their age or of three of her friends who, work and activities organised The Foundation relies ability. The charity liaises despite suffering terminal for them help to bring a entirely on fund raising closely with communities, illnesses, were determined to degree of normality back into and donations. To fi nd out schools, the voluntary sector achieve personal goals for as their lives at what can be an how you can support it and the Borough’s sporting long as they were able. extremely diffi cult time. The call into the shop in Hall clubs to encourage more The Foundation helps Foundation works closely Street between 10am and people to take part in sport terminally ill adults of all with the MacMillan Nurses 4.30pm from Monday to and to boost standards. ages who fi nd themselves at Willowbrook Hospice and Saturday, call 01744 451919 Clubs that are members of in the same situation to the Willow Foundation – a or visit the website www. the Sports Council can apply achieve and enjoy their very national charity dedicated to honeyrosefoundation.co.uk for grants or loans to enhance The Mayor is also their facilities and equipment. supporting St. Helens The charity also helps District Sports Council – clubs to achieve accredited Big drive for charity an independent body and quality standards both registered charity. It aims to locally and nationally. The Mayor of St. Helens Cllr Sheila Seddon improve quality of life by For further information says a big thank you to everyone who helped providing leadership that about the Sports Council go make her Mayor’s Appeal Golf Championship promotes physical, active to www.sthelensdsc.co.uk such a success raising more than £3,000. Thanks go to everyone who was involved in organising, sponsoring or donating to the tournament which was held at Sherdley Park Golf Club. A special thanks goes to the club for hosting the event. All proceeds go to the Mayor’s Appeal. Cllr Seddon said: “Once again, many thanks to all the companies listed below for making the event so successful.” Brian Ball Butchers, Stan Shuker and Sons Butchers, ASDA, Morrisons, Tesco, Nexus Nightclub, Bullock Construction, Shiels Brothers (Fishmongers), Haydock Park Racecourse, CR Fishwicks and Co, Dowhigh Ltd, Mr Culy Top, Thistle Hotel, Hilton Hotel, Fairfi eld Independent Hospital, Pinder & Sims, NatWest, Dairy Crest Ltd, St. Helens Town Partnership, Burns Jewellers, Prescot Self Drive, Wrenco Contractors Ltd, Halton & St. Helens PCT, Waterfi elds Bakeries, Brakes Groceries, Pilkington plc, A & B Builders, St. Helens Star, St. Helens Reporter, GPW Recruitment, Fosters the Florists, Newton le Willow Blinds, NGF Europe, Jackson Lloyd Building The Mayor greets Saints legend Apollo Perelini on the stage at the Council’s Contractors, St. Helens Chamber of Commerce. special homecoming celebrations. See pages 5-8. 4 www.sthelens.gov.uk Saints’ statue honour St. Helens Council has announced plans to commission a statue to celebrate the unprecedented success of St. Helens Rugby League Club. The statue will be placed in a prominent position yet to be offi cially announced. Talks have already begun with a sculptor to discuss the project brief and talks will be on going with the rugby club to progress the details. The statue will refl ect the results of a community competition to name fans greatest ever Saints’ player. The statue announcement was made at the civic reception to celebrate the teams Wembley Victory in the Challenge Cup over Catalan Dragons. Council Leader Brian Spencer said: “This tribute is long overdue. The statue will be placed on one of the most prominent gateway sites into the Borough which will fi ttingly be near the site of the proposed new stadium site. “The club have been marvellous ambassadors for our Borough and we thought it was ‘Wello’ wows the crowds with the ‘Wembley silver.’ Team pic with representatives time we chose to honour the from St. Helens Council who held a victory homecoming for the club club for their sporting and community achievements over their long and prestigious history. I am very proud to be making this announcement in recognition of a world class sporting club which is such a vital part of our Borough’s past, present and future.” In 2001 the Council awarded the club Freedom of the Borough status following its record breaking sporting achievements. 3 www.sthelens.gov.uk 5 V for victory is written all over this A trio of young fans wait to young fans faces as the tension mounts welcome home their heroes and the crowds wait to welcome home the Wembley winners Thousands of fans lined the roads along the victory route off the M6 and into Victoria Square 6 www.sthelens.gov.uk One young fan is held high to get a better look at the players paraded on the stage Council Chief Executive Carole Hudson with Saints’ Chief Executive Tony Colquitt pictured with the trophy which went on display at the homecoming Saints’ Chairman Eamon Mcmanus takes to the stage to thank fans for their support The Mayor with the Lance at Wembley and during Todd Trophy joint winners the season in which he Leon Pryce and Paul Wellens hopes to bring home more trophies www.sthelens.gov.uk 7 An artist’s impression of the proposed new stadium on the site of the former United Glass works PPlanninglanning pprocessrocess beginsbegins A mountain of paperwork has built up in the Council’s Planning Section after three applications ooded in. relating to Saints new stadium fl A mountain of work awaits Council planning officers as they go through the 30 boxes containing the three planning applications Development Control Manager Stuart Barnes (centre), pictured Since the original date of submission, there has been an with Planning Team Leaders Melanie Hale and John Waddilow, are assessment of the nature and content of the information awash with documents.