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Staff wait for
the stars to pop in to their pop-up luggage shop
PREMIER league football players and
television's hottest soap stars are regular customers for staff at a
new Birkenhead luggage store. Sibelle Comert and Katt Owen are
used to rubbing shoulders with top stars when they nip into the
Antler shop at Liverpool John Lennon Airport to pick up last-minute
luggage before jetting off on their travels. And they hoping they're
going to attract a similar celeb clientele at the pop-up Antler
store they have just opened in The Grange and Pyramids Shopping
Centre in Birkenhead. Along with colleague Laura Greenaway,
who usually works at the Antler store at the Cheshire Oaks outlet in
Ellesmere Port, the team will be selling a wide selection of the
long-established company's designer luggage; some items at up to 70%
off; at the temporary shop for the next 6 weeks.
Sibelle said:- "Katt and I usually work together and last June
we opened the Antler shop at the airport. During that time we've
seen lots of famous faces coming in. That includes the stars of
Liverpool and Everton Football Clubs like Steven Gerrard, Jamie
Carragher, Phil Neville and Jan Mucha. We also saw the American TV
star David Guest when he was in pantomime at the Liverpool Empire
and members of the cast of the television soap Hollyoaks are always
at the airport filming. I'm a big fan of Hollyoaks and watch it
every night and I was thrilled recently to spot one of the cast
using an Antler product – a blue Liquis case. So far we haven't had
anyone famous coming into the pop-up store but so many well-known
people live and work around the Merseyside area that I'm sure it
will happen. They're sure to get a warm welcome from us if they come
in."
Derek Millar, Commercial Director for The Grange and Pyramids
Shopping Centre, said:- "We are always looking for ways of
improving what we have on offer for our shoppers at the centre so it
is fantastic to welcome the team at Antler who are offering some
terrific deals to their customers. We are all dreaming of heading to
those far away warmer climates and for those of us who will be, the
Antler store is well worth a visit."
The pop-up store at The Grange and Pyramids Shopping Centre opened
its doors for the first time during the recent very cold weather.
But Sibelle said:- "That didn't seem to stop people coming in.
We were very busy on the first day, which shows you that even if the
weather is bad people are still thinking about buying things for
their holidays in the spring and summer. Amongst the most popular
items we sell are the superlight cabin cases which are specially
designed to fit the hand luggage requirements of airlines like
Ryanair and Easyjet. We're selling large, medium and cabin-sized
luggage from the Antler range and also the Revelation range, which
is also part of Antler and is a little more affordable. We see this
temporary store in the Grange and Pyramids as an exciting challenge
and we are all bringing our own particular skills to running it. For
instance, I love meeting people face to face and building a rapport
with the customers. We are hoping to make it a success over the next
6 weeks and there are some fantastic discounted prices for people to
take advantage of."
Liverpool Biennial
Appoints Curators for 2014
THE Liverpool Biennial announces the joint
appointment of Mai Abu ElDahab and Anthony Huberman as curators of
the 2014 Biennial, which will take place from 5 July to the end of
October 2014. Liverpool Biennial is now the largest
contemporary art festival in the UK. During the festival every two
years it commissions the most exciting artists from around the
world, attracting over 690,000 visitors in 2012 and contributing
£20m to Liverpool's economy. Mai Abu ElDahab is a curator from
Cairo currently living in Brussels. She was from 2007 to 2012, the
director of Objectif Exhibitions in Antwerp, where she curated a
programme of solo shows including exhibitions by Guy Ben-Ner,
Mariana Castillo-Deball, Michael Stevenson, Hassan Khan, Michael
Portnoy, Norma Jeane and Tim Etchells, Patricia Esquivias and
Barbara Visser, amongst many others. She recently edited and
co-edited several publications including After Berkeley (2012), From
Berkeley to Berkeley (2011), Circular Facts (2011) and Hassan Khan
"The Agreement" (2011), all published by Sternberg
Press. Prior to assuming the directorship in Antwerp, Abu ElDahab
realised exhibitions as a freelancer as well as having been
co-curator of the abruptly cancelled Manifesta 6 set to take place
in Nicosia, Cyprus. She has written for notable publications
including Artforum, Metropolis M, Mousse, and has been involved in
an editorial capaCity with Dot Dot Dot, CAC Interviu and Aprior.
Most recently, she commissioned and produced a 10-inch vinyl of
songs written, composed and performed by artists entitled Behave
Like an Audience, also published by Sternberg Press. Anthony
Huberman is a curator and writer from Geneva currently based in New
York, where he is the founding director of The Artist's Institute
and a distinguished lecturer at Hunter College. In August 2013, he
will become the Director of the CCA Wattis Institute, in San
Francisco. Previously, he worked as chief curator of the
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, curator of the Palais de Tokyo,
Paris, and curator of SculptureCenter, New York, and has organized a
wide variety of independent projects around the world. At The
Artist's Institute, he worked with artists such as Thomas Bayrle,
Haim Steinbach, Rosemarie Trockel, Jimmie Durham, and Jo Baer. As
chief curator of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (2007–10), he
organized exhibitions of Richard Artschwager, Elad Lassry, Gedi
Sibony, Lutz Bacher, Bruce Nauman, John Armleder, and Olivier Mosset,
and he initiated The Front Room, an ongoing exhibition series with
young artists. He has written for magazines such as Artforum,
Afterall, Dot Dot Dot, Flash Art, and Mousse, among others, and is a
contributing editor to Bomb magazine. The 2 curators will join the
creative team under Artistic Director Sally Tallant who is
developing the on-going programme of public discourse and long-term
commissions and projects. "I am delighted that Anthony and Mai
accepted our invitation to curate this edition of the Biennial.
Together they bring extraordinary expertise and I am looking forward
to working with them both to develop an exciting Biennial for 2014
in Liverpool." |
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MERSEYSIDE POLICE CHIEF
CONSTABLE & POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC
INTENTIONS FOR FORCE
MERSEYSIDE Police Chief Constable, Jon Murphy
and Police and Crime Commissioner, Jane Kennedy have agreed a number
of strategic intentions to reinforce Merseyside Police's position to
fight crime and protect communities for 2013/14.
Chief Constable, Jon Murphy has announced his ambition to preserve
the level of serving police officers at 4000 in order to focus on
serious and organised crime and maintain the force's commitment to
neighbourhood policing as outlined in the Commissioner, Jane
Kennedy's Police and Crime Plan 2013/14.
Chief Constable, Jon Murphy said:- "I am proud to say that
even in the face of unprecedented funding restrictions Merseyside
Police continues to respond with courage, courtesy and
professionalism, building upon strong community confidence and
reducing crime levels; but we cannot afford to rest on our laurels.
In order to face the future with confidence while delivering an
excellent policing service to the people of Merseyside, I am
committed to achieving and maintaining an operational capaCity of
4000 officers. This is combined with our dedication to retain as
many of our experienced and skilled support staff as possible,
ensuring that we have the right people in the right roles. We are on
target to achieve the savings required by April 2014, but further
Government cuts have yet to be announced. We therefore cannot afford
to be complacent, and will continue to make changes to our back
office functions to ensure that officers can be returned to front
line policing roles. We will continue to act with openness, honesty
and integrity and strive to find the most efficient and cost
effective way to deliver policing in Merseyside. Throughout the
process of identifying savings we have done everything in our power
to protect front line policing and remain committed to proving an
excellent policing service to the communities of Merseyside."
Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, Jane Kennedy added:-
"Since taking up the post of Police and Crime Commissioner, I
have been focused on ensuring that Merseyside Police has the
resources it needs to tackle crime and keep Merseyside safe. This
has not been an easy task, particularly in the face of massive
budget cuts imposed by the coalition government, but I have been
working closely with the Chief Constable to identify priorities in
order to make sure that the force can continue to respond to the
needs of the public in a resilient and effective way. My Police and
Crime Plan sets out a number of priorities that the public and
partners have told me matter to them. This includes a focus on
serious and organised crime and neighbourhood policing. By
committing to bringing officer levels to 4000 and maintaining this
number moving forward, myself and the Chief Constable are taking
steps to ensure Merseyside Police can actually deliver on these
priorities and provide the best service possible."
CAN YOU HELP GIVE DANIEL A VOICE?
5 year old Daniel Jones from Prenton on
Merseyside needs a specialist communication aid so he can tell
people when he is happy or sad, hungry or in pain.
Daniel has Athetoid Cerebral Palsy which means he has no functional
use of his limbs and is unable to talk. He currently has to rely on
facial expressions and eye pointing to make his needs known; but a
specialist communication package could transform his life.
Daniel has trialled an Eye-gaze communication system, which will
enhance computer accessibility, through his school – Elleray Park in
Wallasey; but there is no statutory money available locally for
funding. The cost of the equipment – £4,160 – prompted his family to
turn to leading UK children's disability charity Newlife Foundation
for help.
Newlife has funded £206,646 of disability equipment for 160 children
in the Merseyside area. But the charity is experiencing hugely
increased demands on its resources; calls to the Newlife Nurse
Helpline:- 0800 902 0095; have shot up and there are thousands more
hits on the charity's
website.
Newlife CEO Sheila Brown, OBE, said:- "Swingeing budget cuts
across UK-wide statutory services mean more families than ever
before are turning to Newlife for support in funding essential items
of equipment like this communication aid for Daniel. So we are
calling on 'local heroes' to help us help Daniel and his family."
Daniel's mum Sharon said:- "He has had an opportunity to trial
the equipment and his teachers were amazed at how quickly he was
able to understand and use it. Daniel has recently been assessed by
an educational child psychologist who has said if he can get this
communication package it will bring his development on so much.
Daniel is a bright little boy but he is trapped in his body and he
can't make his thoughts known to us. He understands everything we
say to him, but he can't reply. The Eyegaze will give him a voice
and greatly increase his opportunities through his education. The
availability of different software packages means it will grow with
him, enabling him to learn and develop in a way which isn't
currently possible."
If you think you can help, the Newlife Community Fundraising Team
can be contacted on freephone:- 0800 988 4640. Any individual or
organisation thinking of running a fundraising event is asked to
contact the team, who can offer support and guidance.
Newlife guarantees that 100% of any gift or donation will go
directly to support disabled children on Merseyside. The charity is
currently working with seven families in the area, with equipment
needs totalling £7,388. Any money raised in excess of Daniel's needs
will be used to help other disabled and terminally ill children on
Merseyside.
UPDATE -
Unfortunately Aled Jones is still
UPDATE - Unfortunately Aled Jones is still
suffering from a severe chest infection and inflamed vocal chords
which makes it impossible to sing. On doctor's orders, Aled had to
cancel further performances this week at Gloucester Cathedral on 10
April and has now cancelled the Liverpool Cathedral event that was
due to be held on 12 April 2013. Aled is very much hoping to
continue the tour on Monday in Norwich. Refunds available at point
of purchase.
Event listings update for 3013
WE are finishing off an update of are event
information database and would like to know if you have a charity
event or entertainment event on Merseyside, please let us know when,
where and how to get more information about it. Email us to or
newsroom email address:-
news24@southportreporter.com all your information in the
following format:- When, Title of the event, location
and contact info, is it a pay for event or free event. Then
please add your contact information should we require any more
information. Please do not send pdf posters or leaflets.
Keep it simple and to the point! |
