INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE...NEWS PAGE 2 LIFEextra PAGE 11 SPORT PAGE 14-16

ERA OF THE TRIPLE-DNABABIES

3 - February -2015

© Chester Zoo

ZOO WELCOMES NEW VIP

#SmearforSmear in the frame Alan Kennedy and Graham Stuart take part in 96.5KSt Julies High School gets a £20 million investment

Fara makes her debut. Full Story on page 5

of mitochondrial replacement techniques and has been subject to more reviews than any other technology.

Liverpool Wavertree MP, Luciana Berger, Shadow Public Health minister, said: “Legalis-ing these techniques would en-able us to eliminate mitochon-drial disease that would break the chain of misery a� ecting families.”

She told MPs that the reg-ulations make it clear that a mitochondrial donor would not be treated as a parent. � e process has been subject to extensive reviews and said those using this treatment for the � rst time would have to take a “leap of faith.”

Prior to the vote, Steve Rotherham, MP for Liverpool, Walton told Liverpool Life: “� e research process has been long and considered and the regulations are very speci� c and cover only mitochondrial DNA, not the nuclear DNA that determines our physical characteristics.

By MELISSA MCFARLANE and JAMES BUSBY History was made today when MPs cast a landmark vote to allow the use of a technique to prevent deadly genetic diseases being passed from mother to child.

� e UK has now become the � rst country in the world to legalise so called “three-person babies” - this would help out about 150 couples of year.

� e measure to allow the use of “mitochondrial donation” was passed by 382 votes to 128, a majority of 254.

� e technique was developed in Newcastle, as a result of a campaign by Sharon Bernardi from Sunderland who has lost all of her seven children to the disease and whose son Edward died last year at the age of 21.

In the Commons this a� er-noon, Jane Ellison, the health minister, opened the debate and gave details about the e� ects of mitochondria and what they do. She said there had been exten-sive consultation with the public on the matter. So far there have been three reports into the safety

Continued - page 4

Mersey MPs in historic debate

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Life TeamBringing you the news every TuesdayEditorStevie Pickering

News EditorOlivia Swayne- Atherton

News Matthew JudgeLaura SchumannHannah AndersonRebecca Cookson

Features EditorJosh KelsallFeaturesAmy NicholsonMegan HillAmy HoldsworthEmma MarsdenSports EditorEmily LewisSportsSam PeersLiam Cotton

A campaign has launched on the streets of Liverpool this week to challenge prejudice and reduce the stigma of mental health is-sues.

Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust are working with a number of partners to promote the national ‘Time to Talk’ cam-paign.

‘Time to Talk’ day will take place this � ursday but the city will see a number of events this week to help generate awareness of mental health issues and to encourage people to talk about their feelings.

Lord Mayor Councillor Erica Kemp CBE is encouraging everyone in Liverpool to take part in the big conversation by talking for � ve minutes with friends or family members.

She said: “� is is a great initia-tive challenging the stigma that can sometimes exist around the subject of mental health, and en-abling people to feel more com-fortable to talk about how they are feeling.

One in four people in the UK will experience mental health problems at some point in their life.

On � ursday, giant speech bubbles and photo frames will be moving around the city to en-courage conversations through face to face and social media alongside trained health promo-tion sta� to answer any ques-tions.

A LJMU graduate who su� ers from anxiety spoke to Liverpool Life about the di� culties that surround talking about the prob-lem.

� e ex-student, who wished to remain unidenti� ed, said: “� ere

is a lot of stigma and discrimina-tion attached to mental health is-sues which is one of the reasons why people like me � nd it hard to talk about their personal prob-lems.

“Not just that, you feel as though no one will really un-derstand how you’re feeling be-cause, quite honestly, neither do you. Mental health issues a� ect the way you’re thinking so it can be hard for people to think in a way which will help you to take steps forward in making positive changes to your life.”

Paul White, Mental Health Lead for Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust, speci� ed the problem of silence in men.

He said: “We know that men aren’t always good at talking about how they feel, especially if they are feeling down or strug-gling to cope with stress or anxi-ety about things.”

By ALICE KERSHAW

Speaking out against stigma

In with the new: £20m facelift plan revealed © ZBI

� e � rst images have been re-leased of the new St Julie’s Catho-lic High School, which will ben-e� t around 1,000 young people and their families in Woolton.

� e £20 million development will create a new building for up to 1,100 pupils as well as open-ing up most of a privately owned woodland behind the school to compensate for the loss of less than � ve percent of a neighbour-ing � eld.

� e building will replace a worn-out 1960s design which is no longer � t for modern teach-ing methods and needs signi� -cant repairs and maintenance to be brought up to standards.

� e new school is being sym-pathetically designed in line with the Woolton Village Conserva-tion Area, and will be further away from the Grade I listed Woolton Hall than the existing school.

� e complex will also include a multi-use games area and sports hall which will be available for use by the local community, and will give the school more outside play space than it currently has.

Councilor Jane Corbett, Cabi-net member for children’s ser-vices, said: “� is scheme will deliver a fantastic new school for the area, bene� ting hundreds of families who live in and around Woolton, as well as the wider community.

“It is vital that the area gets a new school and we have been

able to come up with a plan which delivers a new school largely on the existing site.

“� ere is also an exciting op-portunity here to develop a new piece of public space which can be used by the whole communi-ty, and deliver an increase in the amount of land available for use by local people.”

Tim Alderman, head teacher of St Julie’s, said: “We are absolutely

� ousands of Liverpool’s street lights are being replaced in a programme which will produce millions of pounds of savings to the city.

More than 20,000 of the city’s existing yellow sodium lights, which have concrete columns, are being replaced with LED lights on steel columns. So far more than 8,200 lights have been replaced.

� e � rst phase of the programme, which is being delivered by Amey, one of the largest companies working for the public and regulated sectors in the UK, is due to be � nished in March and will save up to £275,000. Around 900 tonnes of carbon has also been saved.

Overall there will be an 82% reduction in energy consump-tion and on-going maintenance costs will also be reduced by more than £100,000 per year when the programme is com-pleted.

Mayor Joe Anderson said: “We have decided to bring LED street lighting to Liverpool to improve the lighting across the city and make our streets safer. � is will help to make our city greener and a better place to live by saving over 1,400 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

“Our maintenance costs will also reduce by £2.7m overall over the next � ve years once all of the street lights have been converted. We can then reinvest this saving in to other key ser-vices for the bene� t of our local communities and the prosperity of Liverpool.”

� e new vehicles incorporate the latest health and safety design features and also have fuel-e� cient engines.

Delight as schoolunveils new look

delighted with the plans for our new school, which will enable current and future generations of students in this community to bene� t from fantastic educa-tional facilities.

“I hope the community will use our range of facilities out of school hours too, as well as en-joy the woodland areas that the Trustees have said could form part of this proposal.”

Out with the old: The current building © St Julie’s Catholic High School

In the frame: People showing their support for the campaign © Twitter

By JOSH HANDSCOMB

Bright lights to save millionsBy ALICE KERSHAW

A copy of the Magna Carta will be carried on two of the iconic Cunard’s ‘� ree Queens’ liners when they arrive on the River Mersey in May.

Salisbury Cathedral is lending the rare facsimile of its Magna Carta to the Liverpool-based luxury cruise line and is one of only four original 1215 docu-ments in existence.

� e Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria will carry a reproduction of the most im-portant document in English history – signed 800 years ago – during their visit to Liverpool to mark the 175th anniversary of Cunard.

� e document will be dis-

played in the Grand Lobby of Queen Mary 2 from early May until September and will be transferred to the Queen Victo-ria when the ship docks in Liv-erpool – along with the Queen Elizabeth.

Chairman of Salisbury Ca-thedral Robert Key, who will accompany the document on board and explain its history, said: “� e impact of the Magna Carta was not only felt ashore, but in these lectures we have a golden opportunity to explain and explore those fundamental freedoms that give Cunard ships the right to sail the seven seas – rights that we won 800 years ago and for which people the world over are still prepared to � ght and to die.”

Cunard Queens to carry Magna Carta to LiverpoolBy JAMES BUSBY

� e government has announced that all children in England will be expected to know up to their 12 times table when they leave primary school.

Pupils would re-sit planned new tests until they passed, but the school could be subject to measures if they failed.

A school that fails to get every pupil to pass the tests for two years running could end up being paired with an outstanding school to gain extra support. � ere could even be a teacher swap where heads of departments from good schools take over temporarily. Healh Secretary Nicky Morgan, said: “We have to be ambitious for our young people. If you don’t get it right at primary, then it becomes much harder.”

Pupils to brush up on tablesBy JAMES BUSBY

Life|News|3

Wintryweatherset tohit cityLiverpool has been given a se-vere cold weather warning with the possibility of snow through-out this week.

� e Met O� ce has warned that Liverpool is at 90 percent risk of snow and ice and has warned people to keep an eye on those who are more vulnerable in cold weather. � e warning also states that delivery service may be disrupted.

From today, cold conditions will persist, with widespread overnight frosts, locally severe, and low daytime temperatures, until Tuesday 10 February.

� e cold conditions will be accentuated at times by strong winds, most notably across east-ern and southern England later in the week.

Snow showers will occur, some becoming heavy, especially across Northern England, lead-ing to slight accumulations of snow.

� ere is also a risk of icy stretches or widespread ice forming on untreated surfaces during the night time periods, particularly across eastern areas.

By ALICE KERSHAW

Chinese New Year kicks off with a bang in China Town

CELEBRATIONS: Chinese New Year gets underway in the city © Josie O’Sullivan

By JOSIE O’SULLIVAN

� e start of Chinese New Year celebrations saw the ‘opening eye’ ceremony take place in Liv-erpool’s China Town this week-end ahead of the Year of � e Goat which will commence on the 19th of February.

� e ceremony saw the per-formers from Liverpool Hung Gar Kung Fu School wearing the traditional dragon heads accompanied by a percussion band. � e event was attended by Deputy Councillor Li and Councillor Woo of the Chinese Embassy in Manchester.

In the run up to the New Year, Celebrations across the city will welcome the New Year in with many events from arts com-panies, with one being Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra - who are the � rst and largest Chinese Youth Orchestra in Europe.

Just a few of the celebrationswill include: Chinese New Year

Exhibitions, Chinese culture open day various workshops and a � nal celebration which will feature an a� ernoon of Chinese food, music, dance and lion dance to celebrate the year of the Sheep.

A spokesperson for Pagoda Arts, Zi Ian, told Liverpool Life: “Liverpool is one of the oldest Chinese communities in Europe.

“It is a very nice way to show-case the community cohesion within the Liverpool people. Chinese New Year symbolises family being together. � is gathering will symbolise we are a one big family.”

All members from Pagoda will take part on the day of the celebration, expecting over 50 members doing various perfor-mances and about 30 volunteers helping out throughout the day.

� e last time it was the Year of the Goat was all the way back in 2003.

Student eyes help for science project By MATTHEW JUDGE

A Liverpool student is hoping to generate more interest in her grant-aided communities project which provides free science cur-riculum for families across the city before funding runs out.

Jackie Bell, 26, saw her ambi-tious plans to deliver science tuition for children and parents in North Liverpool beat o� ap-plicants from across the country to receive more than £20,000 in support from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in September last year.

� e initiative, which is called ‘CommuniSCI’, the only free-of-charge science project catering for families in North Liverpool, sees children and parents attend classes in the areas of An� eld,

Everton and Walton every week to develop their knowledge of the subject.

Bell, a University of Liverpool PhD student in � eoretical Phys-ics and long-term youth worker for Walton Youth Project, is keen to banish the “geeky” tag which is o� en attached to science and wants the subject to become popular amongst kids in the city by making it more accessible.

She told Liverpool Life: “I went to a couple of conferences and saw that most science outreach is catered towards gi� ed and tal-ented young people.

“I decided I wanted to make the subject accessible to everyone and take science into communi-ties.

“As well as the children, I really wanted to get parents involved

and educate them, too. Parents sometimes don’t know about what their child is learning in science and that can put the child o� .

“Parents’ attitudes towards sci-ence can have a big impact on how their child feels towards the subject.

“I think it’s really important that the children and the parents take something home with them. I have found that the parents ask a lot of questions which has been great.”

However, while ‘CommuniSCI’ is currently pulling in numbers of 20 to the An� eld and Walton classes, with the lessons in Ever-ton reaching around 10 families, funding for the project runs out in April this year.

� e funding has provided three

places for families to receive their science education in the shape of Walton Youth Project, Everton-based Shrewsbury House Youth and Community Centre and St Columba’s Church in An� eld, along with trips out and equip-ment for experiments.

Bell, who is assisted by two young volunteers at the classes, says she is pleased with the re-sponse her project has received from local communities and hopes more interest and back-ing can help a bid to get further funding come to fruition.

“� e funding from the Depart-ment for Business, Innovation and Skills runs out in April so if I can generate more interest in the project then hopefully I can ap-ply to more funding bodies,” she added.

“I’ve had great backing from one of the local communities I work closely with, Pinehurst, and St. Columba’s Church and Wal-ton Youth Project have also sup-ported me. I have to spend the money upfront and then claim it back from our funders and Wal-ton Youth Project have been re-ally helpful with all of that.”

Everton classes take place from 3:30pm to 4:30pm on Tuesdays, An� eld lessons are held from 3:45pm to 4:45pm on � ursdays and Walton Youth Project hosts sessions in that area from 5:15pm to 6pm on Fridays.

For those interested in more information regarding ‘Com-muniSCI’, they can email Jackie at communisci@gmail.com or alternatively via Twitter on @CommuniSCI.

New PRhead forcouncilLiverpool City Council has appointed Kevin Meagher, who acted as a special advisor in the Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement, as their new head of PR.

Mr Meagher has also acted as a special advisor to St Helens MP Shaun Woodward as well as for a number of large successful or-ganisations such as Birmingham and Cheshire East authorities.

He is taking over the role as head of communications at the council which has been vacant since June 2014 when Louise Douglas le� the post.

As Northern Ireland secretary, Mr Meagher took a key role in the � nal part of parliamentary devolution in Northern Ireland.

Liverpool City council has struggled to replace John Rams-den as head of PR when he le� in 2011 and was embroiled in a political row over the appoint-ment of the former head of PR at Coventry council Mark Fletcher-Brown, who le� a� er 75 days in September 2013.

By MICHAEL GLYNN

Fresh make-over for smash Mersey showBy JAMES TOMLINSON

A best-selling book and musi-cal is to return to Liverpool next month as a straight stage show.Twopence to Cross the Mersey is back in March at the Epstein � eatre.

It began as a best-selling book by author Helen Forrester and became a musical in the nough-ties which had a series of success-ful runs at Liverpool’s Empire � eatre in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009.

� e new version, which is a straight play, is being staged by Pulse Records LTD in collabo-ration with producer and stage writer Rob Fennah and new co-producer Bill Elms. � ey are joined by director Bob Eaton.

Producer and stage writer Rob Fennah said: “� is is a new stage play adaptation of Helen’s book and follows our very successful musical version.

“But I must point out, every-thing about this production is di� erent; new set, new script, new director.”

Twopence tells the true story of a young girl and her formerly wealth family as they are sud-denly thrown into poverty dur-ing the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Mr Fennah added: “Together with the strong and talented cast we have found to tour this Spring, taking the play across Merseyside theatres and introducing more theatregoers to Helen’s fascinat-ing story is something we are all looking forward to.”

Members of the cast include Liverpool theatre veterans Jake Abraham and Emma Dears.

Christopher Jordan, Maria Lovelady, Daniel Stephen Davies and Brian Dodd make up the rest of the eight person cast.

Jordan, who plays the Father in the play, told Liverpool Life: “� ere are a lot of similarities between the time this is set and now, such as the struggle for jobs. � ere are a lot of parallels and we share some of the same problems.”

� e touring production opens with a three-week run at the

Epstein � eatre from the 10th of March, followed by visits to Southport, St Helens and New Brighton.

Brian Dodd, who plays Mick and others, also told Liverpool Life: “I feel like it makes sense for Merseyside and beyond. It makes sense for people to see it because it feels so important.”

Jordan added: “� e unique thing about this city is that the productions are done for the citizens, and the support is great. � ere seems to be a lot of inter-est.”

� eatregoers also have an ex-tra incentive to catch the show following a collaboration with Merseyrail – they can travel to selected performances at two Merseyside venues for just two pence.

More information can be found at www.merseyrail.org/two-pencemarch or www.merseyrail.org/twopenceapril.

Tickets are on sale at Epstein � eatre, Southport � eatre, St Helens � eatre Royal and the Floral Pavillion. MERSEY RETURN: The Twopence cast. © Özgür Gülaşik

Pic © Ida Husøy

Life|News|4

Liverpool comedian Ted Rob-bins, who collapsed on stage on Saturday, had been due to have routine heart surgery.

� e 59-year-old su� ered a car-diac arrest during the opening night of the Phoenix Night Live show at Manchester Arena. He received a lifesaving procedure in the arena, performed by a doctor and paramedic who were in the audience.

His collapse was down to a pre-existing condition of rheu-matic fever that Robbins su� ered from as a child which damaged his heart valve. He was due to have a routine heart procedure within the next three weeks.

His family have con� rmed he is now stable and doing well in hospital.

Walton brightened up with new mural

A new mural has been unveiled on County Road in Walton.

� e street art features a woman with multi-coloured � owing hair on the former Ethel Austin building, which has been empty for years.

It has been created by proli� c street artist Whoam Irony, with sca� olding being removed over the weekend to reveal the huge mural.

Local Councillor Roy Gladden said: “I know people are going to be absolutely blown away by the artwork that has been created on this building.

“� is is a landmark site on County Road and the mural will grab the attention of people as well transforming a build-ing which has lain empty for a while.”

It comes as a part of a regener-ation plan for County Road, one of the main shopping districts of the area.

Cllr Gladden added: “� is is just the � rst stage in a series of exciting plans that we are work-

ing on to improve County Road. It is a very important shopping district in the city and we are committed to working with traders to make it better.”

� e Country Road Regenera-tion group commissioned the mural from Mark It Street Art Festival.

� e project was funded by Mary Portas High Street Regen-eration money.

Pamela Sullivan from the Liverpool Street Art Festival, said: “� is is a very new thing for County Road, the area has seen a lot of problems and issues with vandalism over the last few years.

“Shops are closing down and many buildings are falling into serious disrepair. � e Ethel Aus-tin building, once a sign of real economic growth in Liverpool, had been empty for over 10 years with no sign of a tenant or buyer.

“� e mural on the whole has been well received, the people I spoke to during the painting loved it and thought it was a re-ally positive thing for the area.”ART: The mural on County Road © Instagram: laurenvlr

By JAMES TOMLINSON

� e Walton Centre has opened its Sid Watkins Building which provides new accommodation for relatives of patients who can now stay there while their loved ones receive treatment at the trust.

� e new facility was paid for entirely by public donations which totalled £50,000 and around £63,000 was raised by former Liverpool striker David Fairclough, who hosted the ‘Jan Fairclough Ball’, named a� er his late wife, to raise money for the trust.

� e building has been named a� er a famous Neurosurgeon from Liverpool, Sid Watkins, who played a signi� cant part in the Trust and greater NHS when he was alive.

� e unit provides 30 beds for patients in need of intensive rehabilitation while recovering from injury and illness, replac-ing a previous 20-bed unit. A large gym, therapy rooms and a specially designed courtyard in the centre of the building o� er therapeutic activities, among other facilities.

� e centre is the only special-ised brain and spine hospital in the UK and the added eight bedrooms ensure that relatives of patients with no place to stay can remain close to their loved ones.

Centreopensnew unit

Comic stable A residential road near Liver-

pool City Centre has become a hotspot for � y tipping and a target of night time bin rum-maging.

Little Canning Street is a prime target for rubbish being dumped with builders and landlords abandoning gas boilers, � ooring, showers and rubble.

� e issue of rubbish has had over 100 complaints from one resident of Little Canning Street, Andrew Morris who told Liverpool Life: “I moved to Can-ning about two years ago and refuse and � y-tipping has been a persistent problem, I’ve reported over 100 incidents to Liverpool City Council, it makes the area undesirable for families.”

Residents are worried that people rummaging through bins at night may be related to identify the� . Mr Morris added: “I had to chase a woman away

from Little Canning Street last night who I saw ri� ing through the bins for documents.”

Due to low levels of recycling combined with very few bins available the refuse has wors-ened. Recycling collectors aren’t able to take bins if rubbish inside is classed as ‘contaminated’ - items which are not on the Liverpool City Council recycling list which leaves people with no option but to leave their rubbish on the street.

Greenbank Ward Councillor James Roberts told Liverpool Life: “As a local councillor, I have been very keen to work with di� erent partner organisations to ensure that streets all over the city, are kept as clean and tidy as possible. We have worked very closely with LSU’s Community Reps who have run a number of initiatives, including community events and litter picks.”

Liverpool City Council were unable to comment on the matter.

By JOSIE O’SULLIVAN

City becoming a dumping ground for rubbish

TIP: Rubbish left on Liverpool streets © Josie O’Sullivan

By MICHAEL GLYNN

“I appreciate that for the parents who are at risk of passing on mitochondrial inherited disease to their children time is pre-cious, so it important there is no further delay.

“� at is why I will be voting in favour of these regulations, subject to strict safeguards, in today’s vote.”

Not everybody agrees. Sandra Jones, who has over 30 years of nursing experience, told Liver-pool Life: “� is is a good debate, I can understand why they are doing it, however rather than an expectant mother putting herself and child through this compli-cated treatment, why not adopt a child?”

� e Advanced nurse practi-

tioner added: “� is could be an accident waiting to happen, and although designing babies for the “perfect gene” is considered wrong, nobody has considered the psychological e� ect this could have on the child who would then have three parents, in the future.”

� e mitochondria compart-ments are in every cell in the hu-man body, their process converts food into useable energy.

Defective mitochondria which are passed down only from mother to baby can lead to brain damage, muscle wasting, heart failure and blindness.

Today’s decision will bring hope to families across the UK and will be welcomed by those whose lives have been devastated by the condition.

Claire House hospice, Wirral, cares for such children. Speaking in an interview last year, Jemma Gregory, whose daughter Isa-belle visits the hospice, regularly said, “When we were introduced to Claire House, it was for end of life care.

“� ere was no talk of respite when she was older, but just

knowing that Claire House would be there to support us when the worst happened, was so comforting.”

When Isabelle was born, a 34-week scan showed Jemma and her husband Craig that something was wrong and that their daughter would only live for days a� er she was born. But she is now approaching her third birthday.

� e ground-breaking new technique uses a modi� ed version of IVF to combine the DNA of the two parents with the healthy mitochondria of a woman donor.

As a result, three-parent babies will have 0.1 per cent of their DNA from the second woman and is a permanent change that will be passed through genera-tions.

MPs say yes to three-DNA babies

MP Steve Rotheram ©Steve Rotheram

Continued from page 1

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A Mersey Ferry has received a ‘dazzling’ makeover to celebrate World War I centenary events.

British pop artist, Sir Peter Blake, the man who co-created the legendary Beatles Sgt Pep-per’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover, has been commis-sioned by Liverpool Biennial in conjunction with Tate Liverpool, 14-18 NOW and Merseytravel to ‘dazzle’ the Ferry called the Snowdrop.

� e Ferry is the third in a series of Dazzle Ship commissions a� er Induction Chromatique à Dou-ble Fréquence pour l’Edmund Gardner Ship / Liverpool, Paris 2014 by Carlos Cruz-Diez on the Liverpool Waterfront and Tobias Rehberger’s Dazzle Ship on the River � ames in London.

Sally Tallant, Director of Liv-erpool Biennial, said: “It is an honour to commission Sir Peter Blake to revisit the practice of

‘dazzle camou� age’ and to invite him to paint the Snowdrop – an iconic Mersey Ferry.

“Millions of people will have the opportunity to see and en-gage with the artwork and we are delighted to be able to bring this exciting project to Liverpool.”

Artist Norman Wilkinson founded the technique during World War l known as ‘dazzle camou� age’.

He explained that it works not by concealing but by ba� ing the eye, making it di� cult to esti-mate a target’s range, speed and direction.

It consists of complex patterns of geometric shapes in contrast-ing or monochrome colours in-terrupting and intersecting each other.

� e ship is the � rst of the Daz-zle Ship commissions to be a working vessel, as it continues its commuter service, River Ex-plorer and Manchester Ship Ca-nal Cruises.

As well as being a moving art-work, visitors who board the Snowdrop can learn more about the history of dazzle and the role that the Mersey Ferries took in the First World War in a display developed by curators from Na-tional Museums Liverpool and Tate Liverpool.

Jenny Waldman, Director of 14-18 NOW, said: “We congratu-late Peter Blake on this wonder-ful artwork.

“Snowdrop o� ers a completely new way for visitors to experi-ence Dazzle ship and learn more about the rich maritime history of Liverpool and the Mersey Fer-ries during the First World War.”

It is also underpinned by an education programme which includes a digital resource for schools and commissions by art-ists and writers.

� e public have plenty of time to see the Snowdrop as it can be seen on the River Mersey from Spring 2015 until the end of 2016.

By JAMES TOMLINSON

LAUNCH: Mersey ferry sailing © Ida Husøy

Ferry receives the first dazzle ship makeover ready for spring return

� e University of Liverpool has started its £250m master-plan to upgrade and rebuild cam-puses across Liverpool.

� e project will start with the building of a new £90m student village in the south of the city – with the aim to create brand new halls of residence, and ren-ovate the existing facilities on the university’s Greenbank site in Mossley Hill.

Under this renovation will be the 18th century Green-bank House, which was le� to the university by the Rathbone family, and will bene� t from a £5m investment which will increase the number of rooms available to students by 40%.

� e plans for a student vil-lage were announced last year by Kelvin Everest, the former pro-vice-chancellor for student experience who, said:

“We know that there is in-creasing demand for accom-modation on our city campus and we hope to better meet the requirements of our di-verse student community and provide an environment that matches the high standards of this popular residential area of Liverpool.”

� e opening of Vine Court and Crown Place in 2012 pro-vided more than 2,000 addi-tional rooms, with students being able to live in close prox-imity of Se� on Park and vari-ous restaurants and shops.

It is hoped that new project will bring new students to the city to study and take advantage of the new facilities that will be available to them in the future.

Beatle house under auction� e childhood home of Bea-tles legend Sir Paul McCartney is to go under auction.

McCartney lived in the three-up, two-down terrace council house in Speke with his parents Jim and Mary from the age of four, in 1947, until the mid 1950s.

He has described the proper-ty as “the � rst house I remem-ber” and reportedly speaks highly of his time there.

It’s expected to go for up-wards of £100,000 in the auc-tion at the Cavern Club on February 26th at 7pm.

� e property is expected to be sought a� er by any keen Beatles enthusiast wishing to own a signi� cant part of Paul McCartney’s history.

� e auction came a� er for-mer bandmembers houses have also been sold on the market to the public.

John Lennon’s childhood home at 9 Newcastle Road sold for more than three times its guide price at £480,000 in 2013, and George Harrison’s at 25 Upton Green sold for £156,000 last October.

Studentvillageunder wayBy JAMES BUSBY

Chester zoo celebrates the circle of lifeChester Zoo is celebrating the birth of Fara, an endangered Black Rhino.

17-year-old mum Kitani gave birth to the rare baby at 8:15 on Saturday morning. � e calf land-ed safely a� er a ‘textbook’ birth according to the zoo’s curator of mammals, Tim Rowlands.

He said: “Kitani and her new arrival are doing well and the

rhino house has been closed to give the pair some special time together.”

� is is the � rst time Fara’s fa-ther, 15-year-old Sammy, has sired a calf since moving from Japan in 2002 to join the Euro-pean Endangered Species Breed-ing Programme for the critically endangered animals.

Mr Rowlands said: “We put great e� ort into protecting black rhinos in the wild, supporting

a number of sanctuaries across Africa.

“However, as the demand for rhino horn intensi� es, poaching continues to become a bigger and bigger problem.

“We hope that, one day, we can put an end to this crisis once and for all.

But in the meantime we need to ensure we have an insurance population and that’s why this arrival is such brilliant news.

“� is means there’s a very happy team of keepers, vets and conservationists here at Chester Zoo today.“Fara will also one day play

her own breeding role in a pro-gramme, which, in some cases, has already seen some black rhinos return to Africa to help boost numbers. “For the time being though she

is forging very important early bonds with mum.”

Some black rhino facts:� ey are classed as a critically endangered species; the average height of a black rhino is 5� 2in (1.6m);Black rhinos weigh between 1,760 - 3,080lbs (798 - 1,397kg and the animals live in tropical and subtropical grasslands, sa-vannas and deserts, they are also native to Africa and are found in other countires of the world such as Namibia.

By ALICE KERSHAW

LGBT History month is well un-derway in Liverpool

� e city is celebrating its lesbi-an, gay, bisexual and transgender heritage with a series of events to raise awareness and promote wel-fare of LGBT people.

An exhibition of April Ashley, the � rst UK citizen to undergo gender reassignment surgery, is entering its � nal month at the Mu-seum of Liverpool.

One of the � nal exhibition tours ran today on the same day that the Home O� ce LGBT network, Spectrum, hosted their annual conference at Liverpool’s Hilton Hotel.

� is year’s theme was ‘LGBT and…’ which looked at the mul-tiple identities LGBT people have beyond their sexual orientation

and gender identity.� e conference featured speech-

es by Home O� ce sexual orien-tation champions alongside the director of diversity, LGBT faith groups, UK Black Pride, Gay and Lesbian Humanist Society and Home O� ce sta� sharing their own personal stories.

Kay Jones, Curator of Commu-nity History and Curator of the April Ashley Exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool, told Liver-pool Life:

“For National Museums Liver-pool and a lot of museums now, it is really our responsibility to tackle hidden histories and untold stories.

“Obviously we deal with Liver-pool’s history from the present day right through to the ice age but within that it is really impor-tant to tackle subjects like this for

people to have that wider under-standing so we can tackle social justice through lots of di� erent subjects, themes and working with di� erent community groups to help them tell their story in their own words.”

Liverpool-born April Ashley, formerly George, knew from an early age that she wanted to be a woman but the subject was con-sidered taboo even among the most liberal in society at the time

Following two suicide attempts, she was imprisoned in a mental hospital where she was pumped with male hormones and subject-ed to electric shock treatment.

She escaped to become a fre-quent face of Vogue magazine but her success was short lived a� er a friend sold the story of her sur-gery.

Kay added: “People will hope-

By JOSH HANDSCOMB

fully understand more about April’s personal story. She is

probably best known as a Vogue model and an actress but more recently she was a massive pio-neer for trans rights.

� ere is lots of negative press about the trans gender com-munity and transphobia in the media so hopefully an exhibi-tion like this which presents the trans community in a very positive way will help change opinions.”

In another boost for the city’s LGBT community, the former Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Gary Millar, has been commended for his active role in making a di� erence for LGBT people in business.

Gary ranked 16th in a list published by � e Telegraph last month.

He was the UK’s � rst out LGBT Lord Mayor and has raised money at over 1,500 LGBT events.

ROLE MODEL: April Ashley; UK’s fi rst transgender ©SallyPayne/CreativeCommons/ Flickr

City celebrates its rainbow communityheritage

Life|News|6

By BRADD CHAMBERS

Cosmopolitan magazine has taken a stand against the abuse of women. A ‘mock up’ of February’s front cover shows a woman su� ocat-ing in a plastic bag, urging the reader to rip it open to save her. Karma Nirvana, a UK char-ity helping those a� ected by arranged marriages and hon-our-based abuse, appears at the bottom of the page with writing ‘Remember the British girls who have lost their lives through honour killings.’ � e cover, created by Leo Bur-nett Change, is believed to rep-resent Warrington girl Sha� lea Ahmed, who was killed by her parents a� er she refused to agree to a forced marriage in 2003, and aims to raise aware-ness for women living under these circumstances. Afrah Qassim, the chairwom-an of Liverpool’s Savera, an or-ganisation set up for such vic-tims, believes the cover raising awareness is great. She said: “We campaign all the

time to raise awareness of this issue so people can become aware.” Although the organisation has only been around since 2010, Afrah believes they’ve tried their best to get their name out there. “We have done a lot of work around engaging with the com-munities because our point is about engaging with them, raising the awareness, letting them know how it’s a� ecting those young people or people that are a victim of this issue,” she added. “� e family lose their child and the child lose their family so it’s di� cult both ways.” Afrah and her team are trying to give young people choices and bring the family together rather than the issue tearing them apart and are urging peo-ple who need help to contact the police immediately. She said: “� ey can contact Woman’s Aid helpline, our service helpline, any services that will be able to support that young woman to get out of that situation.”

Student Union launches vote register plan By KALTUN ABDILLAHI (with additional reporting from Melis-sa McFarlane)

Liverpool Student Union has launched a Generation Vote campaign aimed at getting students to register their vote for the upcoming general in May 2015. President of Liverpool John Moor-

es Student Union, Sam Davys, has spoken out about the importance of students making their votes count in the upcoming general election.She told Liverpool Life: “All of us here

at LiverpoolSU believe that students going to the polling stations and making their collective voice heard is highly important. � e student popula-tion is a large and in� uential demo-graphic that is o� en forgotten about by politicians. � is must change.” � e student representative organi-

sation is encouraging the 24,000 plus students that go to Liverpool John Moores to make their vote by o� ering the opportunity to register with the Student Union. By voting in the gener-al election, students are told that they can force government to pay attention to them despite young people being one of the lowest voting groups in elections. Sam believes the student vote will

only help hold the next government to account when it comes to student issues.

� e SU President added: “� e activ-ities that all Students’ Unions across the U.K. are undertaking highlights the collective commitment in holding the next government to account on changes they make and making sure they’re relevant to the student popu-lation.” Some of the activities planned by the SU for their work with students registration to vote includes working on a collective manifesto that caters for students from LJMU, Liverpool Hope and also University of Liverpool.“From there they will holding a

hustings in April to engage students in going out to the polls and exercising their right to vote.”More than 60,000 students live in or

around the Merseyside area which this means they can make a di� erence both locally and nationally. Liverpool has one of the 197 swing seats in the UK and if the majority of students liv-ing in that ward exercised their right to vote, the result would change the make-up of politicians in that area. Councillor James Roberts, who repre-

sents Greenbank Ward and is a former JMU History student, told Liverpool Life: “Only 44% of 18-24 year olds voted in the 2010 general election, compared to 76% of people over the age of 65. If politicians know that a particular group are unlikely to vote, or only vote in small numbers, they are less likely to take their concerns seriously.”

Mag stands up for victims of abuse

PRESIDENT: Sam Davys

LiverpoolSU will be across campus this week encouraging students to register to vote.Mini LiverpoolSUs will be re-branded to become Registration Stations encouraging as many students as possible to register and make their voice heard.At certain times Domino’s Pizza will also be on site to help out. All students need to do is register to vote and enjoy a slice of pizza. You can register on the following dates and times.

Wednesday 4 February, 10am - 2pm at the Mini LiverpoolSU Space at Tithebarn Street.� ursday 5 February, 9am - 3pm at the Mini LiverpoolSU Space at Byrom Street.Friday 6 February, 10am - 3pm at the Mini LiverpoolSU Space and LiverpoolSU Student Social Zone in the John Foster Build-ingLiverpoolSU’s student sta� will also be in reception areas in a range of halls in the next few

days.Wednesday 4 February 5-8pm at North Western Hall, Gren-ville Street and Apollo Court.� ursday 5 February, 5-8pm at Capital Gate.Friday 6 February, 5-8pm at Grand Central. Saturday 7 February, 3-6pm at Capital GateSunday 8 February, 5-8pm at MaryboneMonday 9 February, 5-8pm at Atlantic Point

Life|Arts|7

CRITICS’ CHOICE

It’s hard work but a lot of fun!

SOPHIE LOCKETT spoke to JMU Graduate Judy Cogan about her role as a Lifestyle Editor living and working in Dubai.

Maimi, Panama, Jamaica, Azer-baijan, Lebanon. Just the start of an incredible list

of places that JMU graduate Judy Cogan has travelled to a� er she was bitten by the travel bug at the age of 19.

Her journey began in China on an internship at � e Shanghai Star, where she knew that she wanted to combine her love for travel whilst working as a report-er full-time.

She told Liverpool Life: “I was terri� ed doing interviews in a completely di� erent culture and environment, but I learnt so much and it was a good boost to my con� dence.”

A� er graduating, Judy found herself in the disheartening po-sition of being a fully-� edged journo battling for jobs until she read BBC reporter Kate Adie’s autobiography.

“She mentioned she applied for jobs all over the country and refused to be tied to a location. I took her game plan and ended up in Berkshire! How exotic.”

She began working for Wes-sex Features Agency where she learnt to juggle stories and meet

deadlines. She found herself talk-ing to commissioning editors on publications like News of the World, � e Guardian, Grazia and LOOK.

She said: “My � rst major fea-ture at Wessex stands out for me. It was really-hard hitting and I’d never tackled anything like it be-fore. It involved a domestic vio-lence case which turned into one of the biggest gun sieges in UK Police history.

“A woman was held captive and only got help by writing ‘Help Me’ in her own blood on the bed-room window. It was very har-rowing and I was completely out of my comfort zone, but it got a great response.”

Judy also travelled to Flori-da with the Sunday People in 2010 to write about Caudwell Children’s charity ‘Destination Dreams’ trip, where children with life threatening diseases and their families visited Disney World.

She said: “I was honoured to be there and having spent time with the sta� , volunteers and families I felt a real responsibility when writing it up. What surprised me was how fun the trip was too and the amazingly strong people

I met.”Although she wanted to make

the move abroad, Judy wasn’t keen on the soaring tempera-tures in Dubai at � rst and said it felt, “a bit like a ghost town”.

However, a� er taking up the o� er of covering maternity leave at Gulf News Friday magazine as Lifestyle Editor, Judy was ready for the challenge and began to fall in love with Dubai.

“It’s hard work but a lot of fun and fast-paced so you never get bored. � ere’s so much going on all the time and exciting people visiting like Kim Kardashian, Sarah Jessica Parker and Prince Harry.

It’s more cosmopolitan and there’s such a wide scope of nationalities living here. I’ve got colleagues from the UK,

India, Africa, Canada and the Philippines. With that comes dif-ferent ways to dress, food, and of course work ethics.”

Judy thinks that being able to write well and having a good rep-utation is more important than 100 words per minute shorthand.

“Keep in touch with people you meet,” she said. “I’ve had to call in favours with contacts from the strangest of places, but return those favours and you’ll end up making great friends.”

She � rmly believes in tradi-tional values like a good attitude, hard work and enthusiasm, but what are her � nal pearls of wis-

dom?“Always check your spelling

and don’t be late. Take your on-line presence seriously. Don’t take people’s outbursts person-ally. Oh, and never ever wear a tangerine velour skater dress in a national newspaper that sells 3.3mil copies a day! � at’s hard to shake o� !”

Above: Dubai’s vibrant skyline and Judy makes a new friend.

MUSICKate Bush Tribute: Before the Dawn

CRAFTSJewellery making with Helen Leigh

Dolan

Learn the basic techniques of jewellery making in metal and make your own stunning creations! Includes how to use a jewellers piercing saw, drilling, � ling and polishing metal correctly and how to create colour, texture and patinas on metal. All materials and tools will be provided. Tuesday evenings starting 27th January 2015 at the Bluecoat. (£160 for 10 sessions).

SPORT

Top Gear Live at the Echo Arena

Top Gear will embark on its � rst ever UK-wide arena tour with the presenters set to perform their

latest and greatest stunts in arenas up and down the country. Coming to Echo Arena on Friday 13, Sat-

urday 14 and Sunday 15 February 2015, and fronted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James

May, Top Gear Live brings to life the massively popular BBC 2 TV programme.

World Cup Challenge

� e World Club Series will be played in the UK over three days from Friday February 20 to Sunday Febru-ary 22, climaxing in the World Club Challenge to determine the world’s best rugby team.

LIVE

THEATRESimon Amstell at the Epstein � eatre

Following an incredible year welcoming national and internationally acclaimed comedy acts through its theatre doors, � e Epstein � eatre continue with their � rst 2015 o� ering, as British Comedy Award winner Simon Amstell comes to the venue on � urs-day 12th & Friday 13th February.

Be blown away by the genius music and breath-taking vocal styling of one of the UK’s most successful solo performers of the past 35 years. Saturday 14th February at the Lantern � eatre Liverpool.

THEGREATINSURANCE !

TOP TIPS!

© JMU Journalism

Ask any 17-year-old what they want – it’s to bag that driver’s

licence and hit the road in their very own wheels. But this eager mentality comes with a costly price tag.

A new survey conducted by gocompare.com shows that those under the age of 25 are having to push the boat out to get their new car –the average cost of getting on the road has gone up by 18% over the last � ve years to almost £6,768.

New driver 21-year old Allana McGivern purchased her � rst car last month and pays £2,488 for the insur-ance on a Ford Fiesta.

She said: “I think the price of young drivers’ insurance is ridiculously overpriced. We all get penalised by such high prices because of a handful of young drivers who are over con� dent on the roads. � ey are the drivers who are likely to be involved in an accident. But, you also have a lot of older drivers whose prices are around a third of what young drivers pay – and they are road racers and get dirt cheap insurance prices.”

Youngsters are spending an average of £3,825 on their � rst car, up from £2,477 in 2009, according to gocom-pare.com. � e website states that car insurance makes up a third of the total bill at an average of £2,232 for a 17-year-old driver, down from £2,455 in 2009.

22-year-old Daniel Burns has been a car owner for the past four years and only pays £770 a year.

He said: “It depends on the person and how they drive. It’s easy to generalise about young drivers. I can see how drivers with little experience on the road are a higher risk, but the starting point of prices are too high.”

Scott Kelly, car insur-ance expert at gocompare.

com defended the cost of insurance.

He said: “Inexperienced drivers tend to pay sub-stantially more for their car insurance than more expe-rienced motorists because, statistically, they are more likely to have accidents and incur higher claims costs. Radical measures have been suggested to restrict how, when and what such groups can drive.”

According to Diamond Car Insurance women have a di� erent driving pattern to men.

In fact, it’s young ladies who are better drivers than men because they have fewer expensive accidents. � is was previously re� ect-ed in how much a female’s car insurance premium was compared with their male counterparts - but not anymore.

On 21st December 2012, a change to the Insurance & Pensions Directive was implemented that meant insurance companies could no longer calculate insurance premiums based on gender.

Car insurance compa-ny, Diamond said: “� is change is likely to have an impact on how much young females pay.”

� e Association of British Insurers (ABI) found that male drivers under the age of 21 are 10 times more likely to have an accident than male drivers aged 35 years or over. Before the changes, young women could pay up to 40% less than young male drivers due to the fact they are statistically safer.

A� er all this number talk - we’ve been kind, and put together techniques which could slash the costs of that killer insurance. But, for some young drivers, the premiums will always be excessive. You need to decide - is it really worth it?

- DO FIT A SECUITY DEVICE- DO REDUCE YOUR MILEAGE

- DO PARK AND DRIVE CAREFULLY- DO TRY MULTI-CAR POLICIES IF YOU

LIVE WITH PARENTS

- DON’T ASSUME THIRD PARTIES ARE CHEAPER THAN COMPREHENSIVE

- DON’T PUT SOMEONE ELSE AS FIRST DRIVER IF IT’S YOUR CAR- DON’T PIMP YOUR CAR

- DON’T BE TEMPTED TO LIE

As insurance prices for under 25s continue to rocket, STEPH BEWLEY investigates...

Life|Driving|8

Life|Fitness|9

Liverpool Life’s Angharad Millington and Dan Wright went out onto the streets of Liverpool to see whether people made resolutions and actually stuck to them

Abbi Jones, 33, Liverpool

“No I didn’t stick to it. I tried to start

exercising more everyday but only

lasted 10 in the end.”

Ann McCullock, 62, New Ferry

“No. I tried to give up biscuits but

I can’t seem to have a cup of tea or

a coffee without them. Especially

the chocolate ones.”

Tina Butler, 60,Bromborough

“It was to clean every cupboard in the

house and currently we’re about half-

way through. I’ve tried stuff like smok-

ing and dieting but it just never sticks.”

Eric Bradley, 75, Kensington

“I Don’t make them to be honest.

Just never thought about it. Never

into that sort of thing.”

Jodie Moss, 27, Walton

“Just don’t do them cause they nev-

er stick do they? I’ve tried to stop

smoking, drinking and exercising

more but they’ve just never worked

out.”

Bill Humphries, 76, City Centre

“Don’t make them cause I n

ever

stick to them and to be honest

there’s not much I want to change. I

don’t smoke and I don’t drink and

I got rid of the wife 3

0 years ago!”

Your New Year’sresolutions

New Year, New You?

Compete with a spouse, partner, or friend: It’s been proven that exercising with a friend can improve your dedication to exercise regimes!

Exercise even if you can’t a� ord the gym: Jogging is free, � nd your nearest park or � nd some home workout videos on Youtube.

Set a speci� c goal: Enter yourself into a charity run or event which you can train for and build up your stamina.

Make it a habit: It takes 7 days to make a habit of something, get into a routine and make time to exercise.

Find a sport or exercise that you enjoy: Working out can be fun if you’re doing somthing you enjoy as well as working as a team.

Make sure you mix up your workouts: It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, by mixing up your workouts you dont get bored of the same routine.

It’s been just over a month since the � rst of January. A time where New Year’s Res-olutions were in full force. Be it that you wanted to stop smoking, exercise more or just limit the amount of alcohol that you consume, most people looked to better themselves with a new rule or two.

But those unused gym memberships, along with January’s Blue Monday and other excuses just seem to stack up more

and more. Have many even stuck to the promise they made to themselves when the bells struck 12 on January 1st?

With spring fast approaching and nights staying lighter for longer what better rea-son to get your body � ghting � t for 2015? Beach body season is looming too so get the body of your dreams with Liverpool Life’s top tips.

feeling greatLooking goodClothes

Nike Shape Swoosh Gym Bra£26 AsosActive Printed Full Length leggings

£15 Misguided

Yoga Seamless Three-Quarter Tee

£56 Stella Mccartney for Adidas

Nike Swoosh Long Sleeved T-Shirt£20 Asos

trainers

£60 New Balance

£72 Nike

£63 Adidas

£35 Topshop

£59 Nike at Asos

£72 Nike Roshe

£50 Reebok

bags

£21 American Apparel

www.asos.com

£40 Nike at JD Sports

£30 Nikewww.johnlewis.co.uk

www.asos.com

www.JDsports.co.uk

£69.99 Mi-Pac Liberty

£28 Lazy Oaf www.asos.comwww.asos.com

www.asos.com

www.asos.com

www.Topshop.co.uk

www.adidas.co.uk

www.nike.com

www.asos.com

www.adidas.co.uk

www.missguided.co.uk

www.asos.co.uk

www.asos.co.uk

If your New Years resolution has lasted until February it’s time to treat yourself to our gym wear top picks.

Life|Style|10

Life|Health|11

lives withSaving

#SmearForSmear

What to do?! Put on your lipstick Smear your lipstick and take your selfi e Hashtag #SmearForSmear and @JoTrust Share it on your social networking Get your friends to take a selfi e

Cara Delevingne

Chloe Simms

Georgia May Jagger

Rita Ora

lipstick

Why not share your #SmearForSmear selfi e to raise awareness of cervical cancer this month?Liverpool Life reports on the trend by looking at celebrity selfi es, facts about smear tests and why they are so vital.

Girls all over social networking sites such as Twitter and Instagram are taking selfi es with their lipstick smudged as part of a campaign by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust by hashtagging SmearforSmear.

Celebrities such as catwalk model Cara Delevingne, Georgia May Jagger and Rita Ora have all taken to Instagram to share their #SmearForSmear selfi es.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust says that one in three women between the ages of 25 and 29 ignore their smear test invitation, which is why the charity wants to spread the message for to encourage more girls to attend their appointments.

According to the charity in the UK along eight women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every day in the UK and the trust is inviting people to nominate their friends when their selfi e is shared, to reinforce the message that it is vital that cervical cancer can be treated as soon as poissble.

Runway model Cara Delevingne was nominated by fellow model Georgia May Jagger. Cara nominated her friends Kendall Jenner and Zoe Kravitz to share the message.

Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is the largest cervical cancer charity in the UK. The campaign was launched after they followed reports showing the number of women diagnosed has soared in the last decade. New fi gures revealed more than one million failed to attend smear tests last year.

Rates of women failing to attend smear tests have risen 4.8 per cent in the past year.

The #SmearForSmear campaign is said to be as big as the ASL water challenge which happened last year.A cervical screening test (smear test ) detects

abnormal cells on the cervix which could lead to cancer.

The earlier on the cells are spotted, the better as once the abnormal cervical cells are detected they can be removed.

The smear test itself is not a screening to test for cancer but just to check the cells of the cervix on women. According to the NHS around 1 in 20 women the test will show abnormal changes.

In some cases the cells have to be removed so they don’t become cancerous. However in most these changes won’t lead to cancer and may just go back to normal by themselves.According to the NHS around 3,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK.

The smear test usually takes around fi ve minutes to carry out using an instrument called a speculum.

Sex and relationship expert Tracey Cox said: “I had cervical cancer when I was 30 years old. If I hadn’t had a smear test, the doctors said I would have been dead within two years. Getting a regular smear test stops it ever getting to the frightening stage.

“I’ve spent my life telling all my friends to get regular smear tests. They all dutifully go now and I love knowing they’re safe and healthy.”

Text ‘CCPW01 £3’ to 70070 to donate

Words: AMY HOLDSWORTH

Life|Arts|12

A happy return for Rita!One of Liverpool’s best-loved plays is to return to Merseyside for a special birthday show

By Georgie Whitworth

Willy Russell’s ‘Educating Rita’ is returning for a revival production in Liverpool to celebrate the 35th anniversary of its London premiere.The hit play, which charts the relationship of a university lecturer

who tutors a Liverpudlian working-class hairdresser, will run at the Liverpool Playhouse theatre from 6 February to 7 March.The lead roles of Rita and Frank will be played by Leanne Best and

Con O’Neill. Julie Walters was the fi rst to play the role of Rita on stage in 1980, and went on to reprise her role in the 1983 fi lm adap-tation alongside Sir Michael Cane.Russell praised Best and O’Neill as “superb actors” whilst expressing

his delight to have the play performed in the place where his career began.Born just outside of Liverpool, Russell shot to fame with 1974 Bea-

tles-inspired play at the Everyman- John, Paul, George, Ringo...and Bert. He achieved further recognition with Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine and Blood BrothersThe play will be directed by the Everyman and Playhouse’s artistic

director Gemma Bod-inetz who said: “I’ve had a lovely collaborative conversation with Willy for months now about the play.“And it’s really exciting. He was very keen on Leanne and Con.

We’ve all been aware that Leanne has got to play Rita one day! It’s thrilling for us.”

Dan Kenyon ©

‘Sometime students end up being the best teachers’

2015- The play returns to the Liverpool Playhouse

1980- Educating Rita premiered in June 1980 in

London, where Julie Walters played the lead role

1983- The play was adapted into a fi lm in which Julie Walters

reprised her starring role as Rita opposite Sir Michael Caine

2000- Kirkby-born Angela Clarke took the title role in the 21st

anniversary production at the Liverpool Playhouse in 2002,

directed by former Everyman artistic director Glen Walford.

Life |Culture |13

countdown to culture

1. Chinese New Year- 19-22nd February

As we wave goodbye to the Year of the Horse, Liverpool is getting ready to welcome the Year of the Goat with celebrations commencing on

Sunday 22nd February. A street parade will take place as part of the celebrations, starting at 12

pm from the Arch in Chinatown.

3. Grand National- 9th- 11th April

Each year Liverpool’s Aintree Racecourse welcomes thousands of spectators to watch world famous horses and jockeys race across the legendary fences including Becher’s Brook, Canal

Turn, Valentine’s and � e Chair.

2. St Patrick’s Day- 17th March

As Liverpool has the highest proportion of residents with Irish ancestry of any English city, it comes as no surprise that St Patrick’s Day is one of the biggest days on the city’s social calendar. Revellers across the city

come together to enjoy a wide range of music, cultural events and the traditional parade.

4. Sound City- 21st- 24th May

Liverpool Sound City is the largest international music, digital and � lm festival and conference in the UK, responsible for bringing some of the most exciting breakthrough artists to the city. Previous years have seen performances from the likes of Florence and the Machine, � e Macca-

bees and Ed Sheeran. In 2015, Liverpool Sound City will be moving from its original home in and around the venues of Wolstenholme Square to

the iconic Bramley Moore Dock

5. Cunard Line’s � ree Queen Meeting- 25th May

To celebrate its 175th anniversary, Cunard will return to its original home in Liverpool this May. Cunard’s three Queens – Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria – will meet on the famous

Liverpool waterfront in a special event expected to draw tens of thousands of people to the banks of the Mersey.

6. Africa Oye- 20-21st June

Africa Oyé is the UK’s largest free celebration of African music and culture and takes place annual-

ly in Liverpool’s Se� on Park.

7. Independence Day- 4th July

Independence Day celebrations with the Departure of Queen Mary 2 Liverpool to New York. � e world’s biggest ever ocean liner, the RMS Queen Mary 2, leaves the Mersey for North America on US

Independence Day.

8. Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF)- August

LIMF celebrates greatness, discovers the new and inspires the next. � e festival has grown from the Mathew Street Music Festival, developing the

city’s biggest music event into an international showpiece, looking not just to the past, but to the future.

9. North West Fashion Festival – 12/13 September 2015

� e North West Fashion Event, hosted by Chic Networking and Events, will be returning for their annual event for the weekend in September. Featuring an ar-ray of fashion exhibitions, pop-up shops, free hair and make-up demonstrations and short seminars from industry experts – the fashion show is set to be packed

full of North Wests best.

10. Pumpkin Picking for Halloween- October

Preparations for Halloween are gathering pace at one Merseyside farm, where you can spy a sea of orange from the road as you drive by. � ere are many to choose from: Church View Farm in Lydiate, Downholland

near the Scarisbrick Pub and Poplar farm in the same vicinity.

11. Bon� re Night Celebrations- November

As in previous years, there will be organised � reworks displays at Se� on Park and Newsham Park. Both displays, which will be synchronised to music, will

start at around 7.30pm on Wednesday 5 November.

12. Christmas Shopping Markets- December

� e continental market opens on Lord Street and Paradise Street in November and runs until December.

Williamson Square will host a food and cra� village and St George’s Hall holds a Winter Arts Market, with stalls

selling handmade jewellery, paintings, photography, cards and decorations.

A new report has revealed that 2014 was a record breaking year for Culture Liverpool.

� e report from the Liverpool council found that summer events in Liverpool brought £55 million to the local economy, funding secured nearly 1500 jobs and a record number of 1000 weddings took place at St George’s Hall.

� e report also found that � e Giant Spectacular, the International Mersey River Festival, Music on the

Waterfront and Liverpool International Music Festival brought in 1.4 million people, with 173,000 coming from outside the North West and 34,000 from overseas.

Director of Culture Claire McColgan said: “Liverpool is an incredibly ambitious thought provoking international place and an inspirational canvass for all artists, creative and entrepreneurs. And 2015 promises to build on this.”

Liverpool Life counts down the to the year ahead ...Words: Georgie Whitworth

Life|Sport|14

Triple champs’ play-off joyBy IMOGEN SWEENEY

Liverpool to host Netball World CupBy ALICE KERSHAW

New deal for JenningsBy LAUREN PULFORD

Deadline Day Round-up

Toffees sign Aaron Lennon on loan from Spurs

Liverpool sell mid-field duo Suso and Ous-sama Assaidi

Lambert rejects Villa move to fight for place at Anfield

Reds make no new signings in January transfer window

Steve Jennings has signed an 18-month contract extention at Tranmere Rovers.

Extending the 30-year-old’s third spell for Rovers until summer 2016.

Recruiting Jennings was a prior-ity for Tranmere manager Micky Adams, who took the player on a loan from his former club, Port Vale, in October.

In an interview with the Liver-pool Echo he said: “� is place is a big part of my life, I’m glad I’m settled again and I can knuckle down.”

Jennings established himself as the mid� eld anchor in Adams’ Tranmere side, providing defen-sive balance.

He has had a signi� cant role in turning Tranmere’s results around since Adam took over at Prenton Park.

He is con� dent results will con-tinue to move in a positive direc-

tion and push Tranmere up the table.

Jennings began his career in Tranmere’s youth team before turning professional in 2002, making his � rst-team debut the following year.

By the time he made the move to Scottish Premier League club Motherwell as a free agent in 2009, Jennings had played 167 games and scored 10 goals for Tranmere.

A move back to League One club Coventry City in 2012 ini-tially went well until the club ran into � nancial di� culties with Jennings contract being termi-nated.

Jennings was a free-agent for over a month before agreeing a half season deal at Prenton Park last year.

Jennings said: “I’m happy to be back and have a contract sorted out now. I will be here for the next 18 months, playing for the cause.”

� e International Netball Fed-eration (INF) has today an-nounced that Liverpool will host the 15th Netball World Cup in 2019, the � rst English city to do so since 1995.

� e tournament will be held at ACC Liverpool which has previously hosted the World Netball Series.

INF president, the Hon. Molly Rhone, OJ, CD, said: “On behalf of the Board of the International Netball Fed-

eration, I am delighted to an-nounce that Liverpool will be the hosts of the 2019 Netball World Cup.

“England put in a strong bid and we are con� dent that they will deliver an outstanding event in an excellent venue in the city of Liverpool.

“It is an exciting time for netball right now, which is growing at an unprecedented rate throughout the world. We look forward to seeing this growth continue to soar and to working with the Organis-ing Committee in bringing the

INF’s most important event to England in 2019.”

� e 2019 Netball World Cup forms part of UK Sport’s Gold Event Series, which is invest-ing around £40million of Na-tional Lottery funding to bring up to 100 world-class events to Great Britain to help build a strong legacy from London 2012 and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

� e news will be a boost to English netball players, as the host nation automatically quali� es for the tournament, along with the holders.

FLYING HIGH: Ladies are currently unbeaten in 49 competitive matches ©Twitter @WaterlooRugby

� e ladies team from Firwood Waterloo Rugby Club have quali� ed for the Premiership play o� against � urrock following their championship title win for a 3rd time in a row.

� eir recent victory against Loughborough Ladies resulted in a 43-5 score plac-ing them at the top of the Rugby Football Union for Women league table within the North.

Helen Duggan, forwards coach for the U12s and club director is preparing the ladies for the playo� match taking place later this month.

She said: “� e girls have been going from strength to strength each season. � ey are now 49 league games undefeated. It has helped bring players into the team and Firwood Waterloo is ex-tremely proud of the side, it has helped inspire our mini and juniors and increased support for the ladies team across the club.”

She added: “� e ladies are feeling con� dent. In rugby you can get a bonus point if you win by � ve tries or more and the fact they win the league on maximum bonus points is a great boost going into the playo� .”

With an upcoming match this weekend, coach Helen, who joined the club in 2005, hopes the Premiership will help promote local rugby.

She said: “It’s all about pulling together as a squad, making that commitment to turn up to training even when it’s cold. Many of them are eating right and hitting the gym to gain that extra edge.

“We also have three cup games to prepare for against Premiership sides so every-one is pushing themselves to win their place on the team sheet.”

LJMU lecturer Mark Smith has volunteered as a coach for just under a year, follow-ing encouragement from his son to get involved in sports activities.

He said: “� e success of the teams across the club is very exciting, from mini, junior, academy and senior men and women’s. All the players and coaches are great role models for every young person, they embody the ideals of hard work, having fun and sup-porting your friends.”

� e club, which is run by volunteers including direc-tors, coaches and players, believe the ladies’ unbeaten season of 14 game wins will bring huge success in the upcoming playo� .

He added: “It would be fantastic for the women’s team to go up into the pre-miership.

“� e playo� match will be incredibly tough, but if they play to their full potential there is no reason they can-not win.”

Boxing round-up

Fry plans youth sport Boxer Courtney Fry is set to open a business in Liverpool to help encourage underprivileged people to compete in sports.

� e London-born � ghter, who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, moved to Merseyside a� er the games in Australia, during which time his Liverpool-born girlfriend became pregnant with his � rst child.

He told JMU Journalism: “� e business is all about working within communities. For many years now I have used my sport-ing background as a tool to build rapport.

“� e business has strong beliefs in ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ and wants to encourage a healthy lifestyle to support ongoing suc-cess.

“Sports, engagement games and goal-setting are just a few ways I am able to spring board into helping others.”

� e 39-year-old cruiserweight is still juggling his boxing career alongside his newly-found pas-sion and admits it can be di� -cult, saying at times he has even

considered quitting the ring in order to focus on his career with-in the community.

He said: “I once worked as a security o� cer in a community hall. � ere were lots of unruly young people causing trouble, smoking and drinking. I knew I could have worked against them and I o� en did when they stepped out of line, but then I de-cided I wanted to help them.

“When the sports hall was free, I would arrange for them to com-pete in di� erent sports together and tried to encourage them to be more proactive. I found a job I loved.”

Speaking to those who believe that boxing is teaching aggres-sion in youths, Courtney said: “It’s a load of rubbish.

As a young person I was mis-chievous and angry and boxing actually calmed me down.

“It has shown me great focus, determination, dedication and discipline.

“Fighting is the last thing on my mind as a boxer.

“What boxing does to young people is take out any need for aggression, it starves it so any an-ger is le� at the gym.”

By ANTHONY FISHER

INSPIRATION: Courtney Jones Picture: Anthony Fisher@JMU Journalism

Stalker in Echo Arena comeback

Liverpool’s European and com-monwealth medallist for Team GB, Tom Stalker, is to make his comeback at the Echo arena on March 6.

� e 30-year-old light-welter-weight is set to make his return on the undercard of the city’s big-gest ever boxing show.

He had his � rst career loss in a � ght against rival Jack Catterall in October last year.

He said: “Unfortunately for me the � ght with Catterall was the night that it all went wrong.

“I came up short but my team at the MGM have done a great job and stuck by me.”

He added: “� ere’s no shame in it, it happens in boxing and the

main thing is that you stick at it and come back stronger and now I’m looking to the future.”

� e � ght is an eight-round-er and is headed up by Derry Mathews’ challenge for the WBA World Lightweight title against champion Richar Abril.

Stalker is using Mathews, who lost nine times in his career, as inspiration to get his career back on track towards champi-onship honours.

He said: “He’s had an incred-ible career, he’s lost and come back.

“He’s stuck at it and now he’s � ghting for the world title in our home city which is fantas-tic.

“If that’s not inspirational, I don’t know what is.”

By LAUREN PULFORD

Derby kick-off plea dropped

Merseyside police have with-drawn from what became a legal challenge to bring the kick-o� time of the Merseyside derby forward to lunchtime.

� e much-anticipated derby is set to be broadcasted live on Sky Sports and due for a 5:30pm kick-o� , making it the latest for the game to start in 15 years. Just � ve days before the game, Police had made an appeal at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court for their decision against the late kick-o� but have now withdrawn their appeal.

Police may not have been con� dent of winning the legal battle, but despite its withdrawal, it has publicised its strength in not caving into broadcasters demands.

Anne Whyte, representing the Police, said that the hosts for the game, Everton, had undertaken to “alter and improve” segrega-tion arrangements between fans from both clubs.

Everton Football Club have already con� rmed to the Pre-mier League that it can host the game at its scheduled kick-o� time but any late changes to the scheduled time will have caused problems for both for the broadcaster and fans travelling arrangements.

An earlier kick-o� spot is already taken up on Saturday for the North London derby

at White Hart Lane due for a kick-o� at 12:45pm and will be televised on BT Sport.

Liverpool supporters’ union, Spirit of Shankly, voiced its disappointment at the Police de-cision to lodge a legal challenge against the scheduled kick-time for the Merseyside derby. In a statement the group said: “It is disappointing that the police have again sought a change, but more disappointing that such a change is being pursued at this late stage.

“Supporters of both sides will have made travel arrangements and plans for the day. Instead,

they face uncertainty. It is our understanding, having taken advice, that there is very little supporters can do other than await an outcome.”

� e statement added: “� e reason for this would be that we are not an ‘Interested Party’ under the act which the police are taking this action. We � nd it incredulous that supporters are not seen as interested party. Once again, loyal and paying supporters are taken for granted and not even given the courtesy of being informed, let alone in-cluded in decisions that directly impact on them.”

Police have stated that the late kick o� would put a strain on their services and concerned that the time could fuel an-ti-social behaviour from drink-ers who will gather around the city to watch the game in bars.

Liverpool Mayor Joe An-derson had his request to the Premier League asking for the game to be moved to an earlier time rejected, while City Council’s licensing committee turned down a police request to bring the game forward to 2pm or earlier.

By KALTUN ABDILLAHI

HOPEFUL: Everton prepare to face their old rivals © JMU Journalism

Grand National fast approachingAintree is preparing for eight days of jump racing with the highlight being the three-day Crabbie’s Grand National Festi-val which runs from � ursday, April 9 to Saturday, April 11.

� e entry date for the race has now closed and the names and numbers will be announced by the BHA (British Horseracing Authority) tomorrow.

Last year there were 115 en-tries, an increase of 31 on the 2013 renewal.

� e BHA Head of Handicap-ping will take the list of entries and decide which horses will carry the heaviest weights and which will carry the least.

� e handicap system is de-signed to give every horse a fair chance of winning the race, good horses will carry more weight than those perceived to have less ability.

Bookies are taking ante-post bets on some horses that are not yet o� cial entrants in the 2015 Grand National.

Ante-posts bets can be placed on some well-known horses such as Rocky Creek, Shutthe-frontdoor, Balthazar King, Tea-forthree, Spring Heeled, Across the Bay, and many more.

By LAUREN PULFORD

PRESTIGE: They’re off! © Ponderosa Group

� e � rst match of the 2015 Six Nations Championship is set to kick o� this Friday between Wales and England at the Mil-lennium Stadium in Cardi� .

Wales’s winger George North is thought to be making his comeback to international duty a� er missing a Welsh victory over South Africa in November because of concussion.

� e 22-year old from North-ampton, who has scored 19 tries in 45 Tests for Wales is currently under pressure from Coach Warren Gatland.

He said: “We don’t think he has played that well in the Welsh jersey in the last few games, so there is a lot of pres-sure and expectation on him to perform.”

England won the champion-ship in 2011, whilst Wales’ hasn’t li� ed the trophy since 2013.

Without a doubt it is the world’s greatest rugby tourna-ment, with national team players from England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales touring across Europe.

Games between Italy and Ire-land, and France and Scotland,

will also be shown live the following day.

� e match will be shown live on BBC1.

� e Six Nations Champion-ship is an annual international rugby union competition in-volving teams such as England, Scotland and France and is sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Debut match for Six Nations rugby

Life|Sport|15

By IMOGEN SWEENEY

Liverpool

LifeSPORT3 February 2015

RUNNINGFOR THE 96

Liverpool Football Club mid-� elder Philippe Coutinho has extended his stay at An� eld with a new four and a half year deal.

� e 22-year old Brazil inter-national dubbed Liverpool FC’s ‘little magician’ by manager Brendan Rogers will now play for Liverpool until 2020.

Coutinho signed from Inter Milan for £8.5m in 2013, and since then Rodgers has been keen to reward the mid� elder for his outstanding perfor-mance in recent months.

� e Liverpool boss said: “� e rhythm of his game is good. His courage and bravery to get on the ball is fantastic. If he can continue to improve – he can improve his goal scoring abil-ity – then he will get into that

bracket of being world class.”Rodgers has praised Coutinho

for his performance against West Ham in Saturday’s 2-0 win.

He added: “� e � rst pass was incredible invention, he was half looking away when he made the pass and the second one looks an easy pass but he has put it to the correct side for Daniel’s touch and � nish.

Hopefully in the years to

come, the goals will come more readily for him.”

Rodgers has likened Coutin-ho’s role at Liverpool to the contribution of Real Madrid duo Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

He said: “He is a top class player who opens the door for the team in the centre of mid� eld. Toni Kroos is another of that type - a wonderful foot-baller and a great passer.

“� ose two maybe don’t get as many goals as their technique would suggest but that goes back to their role in the team.”

� e change in system for Liv-erpool has returned Coutinho to his role behind the striker and Rodgers added:

“He’s a class act, and he’s still got so much growth and devel-opment to undertake here.”

Derby date: p15

Coutinho signs new Liverpool deal

Inside Sport

LadiesRugby Club win againp14

Localchampionsinspirep15

City to host Netball World Cupp14

by ANGHARAD MILLINGTON AND DANIEL WRIGHT

Liverpool and Everton legends Alan Kennedy and Graham Stu-art are joining forces to support a new community running event in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the Hillsbor-ough disaster.

In what is already a massive week for football in the city, with the highly anticipated Mer-seyside derby to be contested on Saturday, the pair are putting aside their rivalries to promote the run in remembrance of the 96 victims of the tragedy.

‘� e Run For � e 96 5K’, backed by the Hillsborough Family Support Group, will take place at Stanley Park in April, in the shadow of both An� eld and Goodison Park, which is a � tting backdrop to the event, according to Kop veteran Kennedy.“From my point of view it’s great,” he said.

“I can’t do enough to sup-port the Hillsborough Family Support Group. I must admit I’d do anything for them and always ask how we can help.

It’s wonderful to get Everton involved like we did with the Rhys Jones charity. We can’t do enough for each other and for me that’s what it’s all about.”

� e event also seeks to fund-raise for the charitable arms of both clubs – the Liverpool FC Foundation and Everton in the Community – an initiative for which former To� ee Stuart is an ambassador.

He said: “Irrespective if you’re Red or Blue, this is an event for both sides to come and support us, to raise awareness and run for the 96 – not only for those who lost their lives but also for their families.

“It’s gone on too long and nobody should be put through that length of pain.”

However the duty of promot-ing the event has not just been le� to the city’s football royalty but also to Hillsborough sur-vivors such as Chris Lam who has in the past run from as far as She� eld back to Liverpool in homage to the 96.

“I was 19 at the time and I’d gone with a friend. Luckily all of us made it out of Hillsborough but some of my friends and people I stood with on the Kop didn’t make it out,” he said.

“It’s always with you and not something that could go away. I was one of the lucky ones but there’s 96 families who are still struggling for justice and having to go through very harrowing experiences at the inquests.”

� e o� cial date of the run has

been set for Sunday 19th April with both Kennedy and Stuart set to take part, but the duo have yet to make a start on training for the event.

Graham, who played for the Blues from 1993 – 1997, said: “I haven’t done an awful lot to be honest – don’t want to peak too soon. � ere’s a method in the madness. I’ve got a little bit of time and it’ll do me the world of good.

“It’s also important that I give the message that it’s not about how quickly you can get around – it doesn’t matter how long you take or whichever way you choose to do it walk it, sprint it, jog it doesn’t matter just please lend your support. It’ll hopefully be a warm Sunday morning.”

Kennedy, 60, said: “Training will be just like any other day – I’ll worry about it when I get round to training. I did the San-ta Dash in December and I do honestly look forward to it - it gives me chance to get in shape.”

But when asked about this weekend’s derby, neither could call it. Graham said: “It’s really tough to call. Liverpool are in a decent run of form at the moment but slowly but surely Everton are turning things around.”

Alan, said: “As long as it’s a fair game, that’s the main thing.”

by IMOGEN SWEENEY

© Yellow Book

© Andman8

CHARITABLE: Football legends Graham Stuart, left, and Alan Kennedy support event © Daniel Wright

© @Waterloo Rugby