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LIVERPOOL TO
DANCE FOR ST GEORGE
LIVERPOOL is to putting on
its dancing shoes for a spectacular St George's Day Festival on
Sunday, 27 April 2014. Now in its second year, the festival will
kick off a jam packed series of events by hosting the launch of the City's International Dance Day celebrations.
In association with City Central BID, MDI will present an afternoon
of world dance featuring performances from all the nations which
celebrate St George's Day. There will also be free workshops for the
public to get involved. And after proving a huge hit in the
inaugural festival, TV character Mike the Knight is back by popular
demand to show off his moves.
The focus of the festival, which has been organised to promote the City's historic St George's Quarter, with highlights including a
historical medieval banquet in Queen Square.
There will be a host of indoor fun too at the World Museum, Royal
Court, Liverpool Playhouse, Walker Art Gallery and St George's Hall
ranging from medieval arts workshops and story-telling to costume
dressing and a knight's trail.
Children are being invited to attend the FREE event in fancy dress
on the theme of Knights, Dragons and Princesses with a prize for
best dressed at under-10 and under-5.
Those attending in fancy dress will also be able to enjoy discounts
at restaurants in Queen Square and discounted car parking at Queen
Square Car Park.
Liverpool's St George's Day Festival will begin at 11am when Mike
The Knight launches the International Dance Day programme at
Liverpool bandstand in Williamson Square. The event is scheduled to
end at 5pm.
Gillian Miller, Chair of the St George's Quarter group, said:-
''Last year's St George's Day Festival was a big hit with
families and this year we've got an even better and bigger programme
of free events for everyone to enjoy. To have the City's
International Day of Dance involved is a huge coup and we look
forward to seeing everyone getting involved in having fun. We hope
the app will give people a new way to enjoy and explore the unique
heritage of the quarter.''
Tracey Crosbie, Events Manager of City Central BID, said:-
''St George's Quarter is a jewel in the City's crown and this
festival reflects that position and gives the City a chance to
celebrate St George's Day in style. It's a great advert for
Liverpool that so many partners have come together to produce such
an amazing day.''
Steve Judd, Director of World Museum Liverpool said:- "We are
delighted to be part of the St George's Day Festival and be involved
in such a fun day. We'll have a whole host of free events on offer
on the day so hope to attract many knights, princesses and dragons
to our Museum and also up the road at the Walker Art Gallery."
Karen Gallagher MBE, MDI Artistic Director, added:- ''MDI is
once more delighted to be celebrating International Dance Day in the City and would encourage everyone to get involved. Dance is a
universal language and accessible to all, we at MDI are looking
forward to bringing a variety of dance styles to the festival.'' |
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Plans for
Merseytravel 'Walrus' smart ticketing programme to go to
Committee
AN electronic Smart card
for travel on Merseyside will be a step closer should elected
Members approve recommendations for its initial roll out at a
Merseytravel meeting on Thursday, 6 March 2014.
Members at the General Purposes Committee are being asked to agree
to the first available product on the 'Walrus' card being an
electronic version of the Saveaway ticket – Merseytravel's day pass
which can be used on buses, trains and ferries.
Should plans get the go-ahead, it is expected that the new Saveaway
will initially be able to be bought in Wirral from the autumn, with
roll out across the whole of Merseyside in the months that follow.
The Walrus Saveaway would be available alongside the existing paper
version during the phased roll out.
It is hoped that individual operator tickets will be able to be 'loaded'
onto the Walrus cards during the first half of 2015.
Alongside the work to get the initial Walrus product up and running,
Merseytravel has begun a review of its existing pre-paid tickets to
get a real understanding of what customers need and want and their
travel patterns in order to develop a new suite of tickets. The
overall pricing and zonal system is being looked at as well as new
ways to purchase travel.
The report acknowledges that the Walrus smart ticketing project has
not progressed as quickly as originally anticipated due to the
complexities of integrating technology across different transport
businesses with different systems and processes and commercial set
ups; challenges not unique to Meseytravel.
Said Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of Merseytravel:- "Should
Members approve the recommendations then this is just the start of
making buying tickets and travelling more flexible and that much
easier. The Smart ticketing programme was launched
prematurely without consideration of all the complexities. That's
why I commissioned a review. There is now a reinvigorated work
programme which will ensure that the scheme is rolled out with
proper consideration as to what customers need and want. This
is not just about putting existing products on the cards but
ensuring that what is available and how the products are bought
reflects the modern world and modern traveller. We're no strangers
to smart enabled cards. There are already around 320,000 issued for
concessionary travel accounting for around 3 million journeys a
month on Merseyside. It's about taking what we've learned here and
feeding it in to a wider commercial operation."
The report which sets out the full rationale and recommended
approach to Merseytravel's pre-paid smart ticketing programme is
available
online. |
