Cathy Sheel

Pupils and teachers across Knowsley have been enjoying free pizza parties as an end of term ‘thank you’ from the council’s education and school meals teams.

It’s Love Parks Week, 23 July – 1 August, and there’s never been a better time to get out and enjoy all the great things Knowsley’s parks and green spaces have to offer.

Councillors have approved Notices of Motion backing fair pay rises for school and council workers, the scrapping of immigration fees for servicemen and women from the Commonwealth and opposing controversial proposals to remove local residents’ rights to object to planning applications.

A package of investments worth almost £2.5m supporting young and older residents have been agreed by Knowsley’s Cabinet.

With temperatures continuing to rise in the coming days, follow our tips to make sure you keep yourself, and those around you, safe and well in the sun.

There’s extra advice for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable to help them stay safe following the announcement about the lifting of Covid 19 restrictions from 19 July.

Schools, community groups and organisations across Knowsley are invited to ‘Plant a tree for the Jubilee’ as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. Groups can apply for free packs of tree saplings to be planted from October, through to the end of the Jubilee year in 2022. 

Huyton-based The Big Help Project and Kirkby’s Centre 63 have been awarded funding from Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority & Veolia’s £165,000 Community Fund to deliver projects aimed at encouraging us to reduce waste, re-use and recycle more.

This Shared Lives Week Knowsley’s Shared Lives team is recruiting carers to provide home-based care for disabled adults and older people needing support. Shared Lives families and supporters can also get involved in events running throughout the week.

Play areas at parks in Halewood, Huyton, Kirkby and Whiston will see the arrival of new, state-of-the-art play equipment, thanks to a programme of improvement works currently underway.

Community groups and organisations working to support the health and wellbeing of residents as they recover from the Covid pandemic are invited to apply for a share of the Knowsley Foundation Covid-19 Support Fund.

Carers Week takes place from 7 to 13 June and aims to raise awareness of the challenges carers face and the contribution they make to families and communities. There’s also information about the support available to carers in Knowsley.

Knowsley’s Green Space Rangers have organised a number of ‘Wildflower Walks for Wildlife’ at parks across the borough to mark Garden Wildlife Week – 31 May to 6 June.

Knowsley residents who are living with dementia, or caring for someone who is, are asked to take part in our survey which will help shape the future of dementia services in Knowsley and form part of the dementia friendly strategy for the borough

During Dementia Action Week (17-23 May) there’s lots of online support, advice & fun aimed at helping those living with dementia, as well as their families and carers. Find out how you can get involved.

The Military Veteran Support Programme offers a range of health and wellbeing support services for veterans of all ages and their families.

Household waste recycling centres in Huyton and Kirkby are extending their opening hours to 8am to 8pm over the summer months.

Knowsley Council Leader Cllr Graham Morgan talks about the council’s recovery from Covid and its commitment to supporting residents and businesses towards a brighter future.

At its meeting this week, Knowsley Council will be asked to agree a Notice of Motion backing the Right to Food campaign and calling on the Government to make access to food a legal right for everyone.

Schools and community groups in Knowsley can find out more about what happens to their recycling by joining free, online ‘Recycling Live’ sessions run by Veolia’s Recycling Materials Recovery Facility.

Knowsley Council is launching the latest recruitment round for aspiring social workers to join the 14-month ‘Step Up to Social Work’ programme.

Knowsley Council has launched a consultation seeking residents’ views on proposed improvements at Littledale Meadow in Kirkby

Growing charity Incredible Edible Knowsley, in partnership with The Big Help Knowsley Foodbank, has opened a new Community Food Club offering discounted food and provisions at Court Hey Park, Huyton

Clinically Extremely Vulnerable residents are now eligible for additional support from their energy providers as they can now be included on the providers’ Priority Service Register.

Advice to help keep your children safe from the potential hazards of blind cords.

Knowsley Council has confirmed it will be stepping in repair the pitches at Whiston Juniors FC after they were damaged by flooding.

Knowsley Council’s front line neighbourhood services – Street Scene, Waste Management, Parks, Fleet Management, School Meals and Building Cleaning – has all achieved the prestigious ISO9001:2015 quality standard.

Residents are invited to join two online Community Conversations – part of the KnowsleyFutures storytelling project. The events on 1 and 8 February are a fun and social way to listen to and share stories about life during the pandemic – and hopes for the future.

Knowsley Council has approved the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2020-2025 which sets out how Knowsley’s Health and Wellbeing Board and partners will work together to tackle the health and wellbeing challenges facing the borough,

Cabinet has approved the council’s Whole Life Commissioning Plan 2021 – 24 which outlines how the council will commission its social care services for adults, children and Public Health over the next three years.

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch invites people to join the world’s largest wildlife survey and spend an hour counting the number of birds seen in their garden, street or local park.

Growing charity Incredible Edible Knowsley is offering green-fingered residents the chance to get involved with their seedlings donation initiative once again this year.

It is important to know the difference between ‘support bubbles’ and ‘social bubbles’ – and to only form support bubbles when they are genuinely required in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

There are new winter-themed adventure trails at four Knowsley parks. The trails can be found at Court Hey Park, Huyton, Halewood Park, Stadt Moers Park, Whiston and Mill Dam Park, Kirkby.

People with long term health conditions are urged to get their free flu vaccination. Flu is a highly infectious disease and can lead to serious complications for those with underlying conditions.

Mayor of Knowsley Cllr Frank Walsh and Cllr Sean Donnelly, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, were given a tour of the Volair leisure centre in Kirkby which is one of the three COVID-19 testing facilities for people who are not displaying symptoms.

There are lots of things you can do to have a greener Christmas this year – everything from recycling your cards, wrapping paper and real Christmas trees, to buying products with less packaging.

A £1.3m grant from the Urban Tree Challenge Fund is bringing a major tree plating programme to Knowsley. The coming months will see the completion of a project to plant almost 3,000 new trees across the borough.

Incredible Edible Knowsley has launched a fun drawing competition asking young people to create a new identity for their home grown hero Constable Sprout.

Following the announcement that all areas of the Liverpool City Region are set to roll out mass testing (known as SMART testing), Knowsley has confirmed that all its residents will have access to regular testing facilities in a number of locations across the Borough from later this week.

With a severe cold weather warning issued for the coming days, please follow our top tips for staying safe and warm as the temperature drops.

The council’s green waste (blue bin) collection service will be suspended over the winter months. There will be no blue bin collections after Friday 27 November, until the service resumes from Monday 1 March 2021.

Anyone with a learning disability is eligible for a free flu vaccination as they are more at risk from serious illnesses if they catch flu. Carers of those with a learning disability are also entitled to the free vaccination.

The council’s Community Support and Volunteer Line on 0800 073 0043 is still here to help residents who are self isolating without support from family or friends and those facing financial hardship.

Free flu vaccinations are offered to all two and three year olds. The flu nasal spray is the best way to protect your child and can prevent the spread of the virus.

Knowsley Council has launched a survey aimed at helping to shape the future of youth services in the borough and is asking groups, organisations and individuals involved in providing services and activities for young people to share their views

Works to create new and improved paths and walkways at Court Hey Park are well underway, thanks to £94,000 of funding grants from Veolia in partnership with the Mersey River Trust, and Viridor Credits, in partnership with the Friends of Court Hey Park.

While we’re unable to take part in outdoor commemoration events for Remembrance Day this year, there are a number of ways we can pay our respects and Remember from Home.

Outdoor events for Remembrance Sunday have been cancelled following the introduction of restrictions to help reduce the spread of coronavirus.

KnowsleyFutures is a unique, online storytelling project that invites people who live and work in Knowsley to share their experiences of living through the Covid pandemic – and their hopes for the future.

Residents are being invited to have their say on proposals to bring improvements to Millbrook Park Millennium Green in Kirkby. There’s an online survey for those wanting to get involved in the consultation.

Community groups across Knowsley are invited to apply for a share of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s £500,000 Community Environment Fund which will support projects aimed at improving the environment.

Knowsley’s Adult Social Care services continue to perform well compared to regional and national performance levels, according to the latest Outcomes Framework report.

Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is now taking bookings for a limited number of vans to visit its Household Waste Recycling Centres at Huyton and Kirkby.

The free flu vaccination is now available to eligible groups. It’s the best way of protecting you and your family from flu.

This Recycle Week we recognise the efforts that key workers and householders have made to keep recycling going during the Coronavirus pandemic. A big ‘thank you’ to everyone for their recycling efforts, but there’s still more we can do.

Knowsley Older People’s Voice is asking Knowsley residents over 50 to take part in a survey asking about their use of the internet. The survey will help to identify barriers preventing people accessing the internet and how these barriers can be addressed.

Work to create an attractive green space at Roby Fields in Huyton has been completed. Improvements have included the creation of a wetland area and wildlife habitats, a wildflower meadow and new grassed areas.

Proposals outlining the next steps for the Knowsley Better Partnership and how it will work to empower and involve communities will be considered by Knowsley Council’s Cabinet at its meeting this week.

Knowsley’s draft Adult Social Care Recovery and Transformation Plan 2020-2023 comes under the spotlight at this week’s Cabinet Meeting. The plan details how services will be developed over the next three years to best meet the care needs of Knowsley’s most vulnerable adults.

Blood Pressure UK’s, ‘Know Your Numbers’ week – 7 to 13 September – is an annual campaign encouraging people to take control of their own blood pressure. You can do this by checking your blood pressure at home if you have your own blood pressure monitor.

At this challenging time, everyone is being asked to be even more vigilant and to report any concerns they may have about the possible abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult.

Knowsley Council Leader Cllr Graham Morgan and his Cabinet have sent personal messages of thanks to the many individuals, volunteers, businesses and community groups who have supported Knowsley’s Community and Volunteer Hub during the Coronavirus crisis.

£50,000 of funding from the Government’s ‘Pocket Parks’ funding programme will bring a range of improvements to Halewood Park and St Chad’s Gardens in Kirkby.

The council is about to go into detailed talks with organisations who have submitted bids to run the historic Bowring Park and Golf Course to ensure its future sustainability and success.

From 1 August lockdown restrictions have been lifted for previously ‘shielded’ residents, so please show some support and kindness to those who may find it difficult readjusting to life back in the community.

Wellbeing Enterprises is asking people to vote to decide which park will be home to Knowsley’s latest park bench. The organisation is donating the bench to mark its 15th anniversary working in the borough.

The council’s Climate Emergency Scrutiny Committee has been updated on progress made to tackle climate change and reduce carbon emissions in Knowsley, following the declaration of a climate emergency in the borough earlier this year.

The draft Knowsley Adult Social Care Recovery and Transformation plan 2020-2023 outlines how Knowsley’s adult social care services will deal with the coronavirus pandemic and be transformed in the years to come. Please take a few minutes to complete our survey and let us know your views.

Businesses have donated electronic tablets and delivered training to care homes so that residents can keep in touch with loved ones during lockdown.

Sign up for the free ‘Make do and Mend’ online recycling activity pack. Every month you’ll receive ideas for recycling in the garden, craft and sewing projects and creating recipes with left-over food.

How to stay safe at our playgrounds and outdoor gyms when they reopen from 4 July. Follow our simple advice and help prevent the spread of Coronavirus when visiting our parks.

We’re spending much more time in our gardens at the moment, so here’s some helpful advice about how to tackle the common problem of overhanging trees and hedges.

Local growing charity Incredible Edible has been donating crops of vegetables to be included in food parcels distributed by Knowsley Foodbank.

Playing pitch improvement works are underway at Lord Derby Playing Fields in Huyton. This is the first phase of a programme to bring a new sports and community facility to the site,

You can book a bulky waste collection from 29 March, with collections being made from Tuesday, 6 April.

Natural wildflower verges are being introduced to some roadsides across Knowsley