Kick the habit

Fag Ends will be in Heatwaves Community Centre in Stockbridge Village every Monday until the 26^th July. Each session starts at 1.30pm.

Fag Ends is part of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Research Group who are obviously keen to help people beat their addiction. No one nowadays needs to be told of the damage that smoking can do to your health, never mind the big financial hole it makes in your purse, pocket or wallet.

Fag Ends invite you to come along so that you can make that important step to a healthier and wealthier lifestyle.

Picture: Wendy Feeney of Fag Ends, pictured here with members of Villagers First and the Stockbridge community.

All credit to Stockbridge!

Credit Unions are community banks for the people, run by trained volunteers who live in the community. The management is undertaken by people who have been specifically trained to do the job.

Training for the new management team is already under way at St. Albert's Youth Club. A course in Computer Studies has also begun. Gerry Hill, Pop Muldoon, George Jewell and Angie Dillon are the people behind Villagers First Community Association. They believe that the Credit Union will be a real asset to the community: building community spirit, boosting the local economy, giving people a stake in their community and helping to develop confidence in the area.

If you would like to find out more about the Stockbridge Credit Union then call one of the Villagers First Community Association Committee members on the numbers below.

Community Pride for Hillside

Over the past 12 months the community has been working hard, in consultation with Knowsley Council and Merseyside Police, to formulate a strategy that will effectively design out crime and rejuvenate the estate.

With financial support from Huyton HELP local people have worked together to regenerate the central part of the community - an important pedestrian route through the heart of the estate. Once a target for vandalism, the land at Bruten Road has now become a new landscaped garden for local people to enjoy.

High quality fencing has been created and local children have planted flowers and shrubs, demonstrating just how a community can regain ownership of common land.

"There are plans to roll out other schemes," explained District Housing Manager Steve Gow. "It is hoped that these landscaping works will be a catalyst for more people to get involved and lead to further projects being in the pipeline."

Steve continued, "It is our primary aim to help the local community regain control of their own neighbourhood. We want them to be able to live in a place that they can be proud of which means getting them involved at every stage."

Picture: PC Brendan Boyce with children and parents from the Hillside estate.

St John's Move into the new Millennium

The Millennium Green Steering Group will now begin the process of forming the Trust, which will be open to all members of the local community over the age of 18. People under this age may still participate in the steering group, which will be accountable to the Trust.

With the formation of the St John's Millennium Green Trust and the registering of the Trust as a charity with the Charity Commission, the trust can begin the process of planning and developing the new Millennium Green. The first formal meeting of the Trust will be held in September 1999.

KMBC Parks and Countryside Service and the Design Consultancy Section will manage the project. It is intended that the contractors will begin work on the new Green in November 1999 and finish by March 2000.

A community Fun Day has been organised in partnership with St John's Millennium Green Steering Group, JAC, Knowsley Arts, Parks and Countryside and Community and Youth Services. The event will take place on Sunday 25th July on St John's Field (behind the shops on Manor Farm Road) from 1.00-4.00pm. Come along and enjoy an afternoon of activities and entertainment on Huyton's Millennium Green!

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