Cathy Sheel

Councillors debated a number of Notices of Motion, including a Race Equality Declaration of Intent, at this week’s council meeting.

Knowsley parents are being invited to have their say on flu vaccinations for children by completing a short survey.

All those interested in improving the life chances of young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) are invited to two Preparing for Adulthood online workshops.

A range of measures aimed at tackling Child Criminal Exploitation in Knowsley have been agreed by Cabinet.

More financial support is coming to families whose children are eligible for free school meals.

The Tall Tales illumination in Stockbridge Village will now take place on 4 & 5 February 2022

There are a range of support services available for those experiencing loneliness this Christmas.

There’s lots of helpful advice for householders planning to visit one of Knowsley’s Household Recycling Centres this festive season.

Find out about the help available to households who may be struggling to buy food or pay for fuel over the festive period.

Think Ahead’s mental health social work training programme is launching in Knowsley. Applications are invited from graduates and career-changers looking to make a real difference to people with mental health needs.

The new Morrisons superstore in Kirkby Town Centre has welcomed thousands of shoppers since it opened eight weeks ago and store manager Eddie Pritchard has thanked local people for their support.

Households in Knowsley are to get warmer, greener homes, thanks to a £1.854m funding award from from the Government’s Local Authority Delivery Scheme and the Home Upgrade Grant.

Following the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls (also known as ‘White Ribbon Day’)…

Find out more about your rights as an unpaid carer and the practical support available this Carers Rights Day, 25 November.

With the Christmas festivities fast approaching visitors are being urged to play their part in taking care of Knowsley’s new and improved town centres.

Find out more about the different types of adult abuse and neglect this Safeguarding Adults Week – and the role we can all play in helping to prevent it.

The new ‘Know your Recycle Rights’ campaign helps take the guesswork out of recycling by highlighting some key ‘do’s’ and ‘don’t’s’.

Find out how Knowsley is taking action on climate change for COP26 – and how you can reduce your carbon footprint.

Soccer legends Alan Kennedy and Ian Snodin helped celebrate the opening of AFC Knowsley’s new-look grounds and the completion of improvement works at Lord Derby Playing Fields in Huyton.

The council’s Covid 19 Support Fund has awarded £587,00 to more than 40 Knowsley organisations to help them support the health and wellbeing of residents as they recover from the pandemic.

Carers – those receiving Carer’s Allowance, or those who are the main carer of an older or disabled person – are entitled to a free flu vaccination to protect themselves and those they care for from flu.

King George V Playing Fields, (Brownsfield), Prescot is the latest park in Knowsley to be awarded a prestigious Green Flag. The latest award brings the number of Green Flag parks in Knowsley to 19.

The transformation of the former National Wildflower Centre site at Court Hey Park, Huyton has taken a step forward as One Knowsley plans to base its new HQ and community hub at the Courtyard buildings.

Knowsley’s Cabinet has given the go-ahead to appoint Oneday, a company specialising in partnerships aimed at creating thriving public and private sector assets, to manage the historic Bowring Park and Golf Course in Huyton.

Kirkby Amateur Boxing Club needs public votes to be in line for a share of a £1 million charity fund aimed at supporting under 18s across the UK.

There are free, fun fitness sessions for the over 50s organised by the Knowsley Older People’s Olympics charity at Volair leisure centres in Huyton, Kirkby and Halewood.

The flu and Covid-19 booster vaccines are available to boost our immunity and protect against infection this winter.

Parents and carers in Knowsley can find out about an innovative, digital mental health support service for children and adults by signing up for a free online event on 13 October.

Parents, carers and adult social care staff have celebrated their involvement in aromatherapy and gentle massage workshops aimed at helping young people and adults with support needs.

The Board met to review the latest Covid data available and provide updates on the current level of COVID-19 cases in the Borough.

Parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities are invited to coffee mornings organised by Knowsley Parent Carers Voice and hear about the help available to them.

Local volunteers and businesses joined a community action day to transform community growing charity Incredible Edible Knowsley’s base at Court Hey Park in Huyton.

It’s Recycle Week and paper containers with metal ends, such as Pringles tubes, hot chocolate, nuts and other products, can now be recycled at Knowsley’s two Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in Huyton and Kirkby.

It’s Recycle Week and there are lots of simple things we can all do to recycle more and help in the fight against climate change.

Primary school teachers, pupils and parents across Knowsley still have time to access a free, interactive website to learn more about air quality and its impact on our communities.

Knowsley residents over the age of 19 can access free, digital mental health and wellbeing support, thanks to an innovative partnership between Knowsley Council and Qwell.

Farmers and landowners across Knowsley are invited to apply to the national Trees for Climate programme which provides grants for tree planting schemes.

During Know Your Numbers Week there are lots of simple ways you can look after yourself and make lifestyle changes which could help you to keep your blood pressure under control.

Knowsley’s Health Visiting and School Nursing service will be delivered by Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) from February 2022.

Plans are well underway for the redevelopment of Huyton Town Centre, following the adoption of a masterplan and ten-year delivery plan.

Tex-Mex chain Taco Bell is the latest business to open its doors in Kirkby Town Centre today.

Knowsley Council has announced it is working with Oxygen Finance to introduce a new early payment initiative to improve cash flow for its suppliers.

A Tinnitus support group and a Hard of Hearing support group will be starting in Knowsley over the coming weeks.

Find out about the benefits of breastfeeding and the support available to mothers and babies during World Breastfeeding Week.

Tempt children away from the TV, games console or other device this summer with the return of the 10-minute Shake Up – fun, Disney-inspired games to help children get active and keep moving throughout the holidays.

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

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.

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

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.

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 have now been completed, thanks to £94,000 of funding grants from Veolia, 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.

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.