Park Improvements Completed

Children from Merton Bank Primary School, St.Helens helped to put the finishing touches to improvements at Nanny Goat Park, Parr.
The work, carried out by St.Helens Council and local people, has been funded by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. It has included tree planting,wild flower sowing, other landscape improvements and upgrading the children’s play area. Children from Merton Bank helped to plant trees.

Pryce Signs Up for Long Term Saints Deal

Great Britain stand-off Leon Pryce has ended speculation over a switch to rugby union by signing a new four-year contract with St Helens.

The 26-year-old former Bradford utility player, who had 12 months left on his current deal, has pledged his future to the Grand Final runners-up until the end of the 2011 season.

"We are delighted to have secured Leon's services for a further four years," St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus. "We have now signed up James Roby, Jon Wilkin, James Graham, Paul Wellens and Leon as we continue to invest in the future of the club."

He added: "Not only will these players form the backbone of the side in years to come, but also the core of the Great Britain team."

Pryce, who had been linked moves to Saracens and Gloucester where his younger brother Karl had a brief spell last year, has scored 30 tries in 66 appearances since joining Saints from the Bulls two years ago.

Ramada Hotel Comes to St Helens

The finishing touches are being put to a £7million 'boutique hotel' set to open in St Helens next month.

International hotel group, Ramada this week confirmed the February 18 launch date for the 102-bedroom venue, which has been built just off the East Lancashire Road in Haydock.
The owners say the Ramada Encore will feature an imaginative "contemporary, stylish and vibrant design" and will also include six conference rooms, a restaurant and a bar.
Already more than 180 bookings have been taken for the hotel as it reaps the benefits from the increasing popularity of Haydock Park Racecourse, and the pull of major attractions across the North West.

The company says the venue will be one of its first "boutique concept" hotels in the UK.

The new hotel's manager, Billy Rice, said: "The hotel's location just of the East Lancs Road (A580) and the M6 couldn't be better for serving visitors to Liverpool, Manchester and pretty well the whole of the North West.

"I'm really looking forward to running one of the first of Ramada's new Encore boutique concept' hotels in the UK as there's no doubt that this exciting style that will prove popular with guests."
Mr Rice has previously managed hotels in Dubai, Spain, the Channel Islands, London, Scotland and the North West over the past 30 years.

Come on Fellas! Get Belly Dancing!

Arabian Belly Dancing is among a range of new activities on offer at a Merseyside community centre.

So if you want to shed the pounds accumulated over Christmas enrol at Newton Community Centre for the sessions every Thursday from 11am - 12.30pm. Belly Dancing has many benefits aiding posture, breathing and balance, as well as stimulating the senses, releasing muscle tension and improving co-ordination. It can release tension and depression and help improve general fitness and well-being. There is no need to book - just turn up on the day.


And, if you don’t know your jpegs from your pixels why not try the digital photography course - Friday 10am-12noon (from 1st February) It is suitable for beginners and those with limited experience. This is a very popular course so contact the Centre and book your place now. An evening course will also run - start date to be confirmed - just leave your contact details.


The centre is also running Jewellery Making on Thursdays between1.00pm-3.00pm which is suited for those with little or some experience in jewellery making. Come along and create unique pieces of jewellery for you, your family and friends.
For details of these and other courses contact 01925 224731.

Do You Recognise This Man?

Police have issued a CCTV image of a man they want to trace in connection with a hoax 999 call that claimed St Helens nightclub Nexus was on fire.

Shortly before 2am on Saturday, January 5 2008, the emergency services received a call claiming Nexus, on Westfield Street, was ablaze.

Two fire engines attended but the call was found to be a hoax.

The CCTV image - issued today by police - shows a man, who officers believe will be able to help them with their inquiries.

They are urging him to come forward and contact the police

A Message to All Those in St Helens with Welsh Ancestry

Calling all Welsh people or descendents in St Helens and surrounding areas...

Whatever your family ties or connections with the Welsh, please contact me urgently on: 07861117678.

We-our Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Preservation Society are hoping that quite a few of the public in St Helens and the surrounding areas will come forward. We are hoping to re-write history in this year of: 2008 in the month of June, at Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel, Sutton, St Helens-WA9 3EX.

We are hoping to spark off a revivalist meeting at our chapel, like they did back 1904.we are hoping it will go down in history, like it has done before us.

Interested? Please contact either: 07861 117678 or 07975 580618. Cofion/Regards-Paul Jones.

To read a little more about The Chapel click here

or contact Paul via their website

Turks Head St Helens Reaches Final Four of CAMRA competition

It has just been announced that the four finalists for CAMRA's National Pub of the Year award are:

• The Turks Head, St Helens, Merseyside

• The Land of Liberty, Peace and Plenty, Heronsgate, Hertfordshire

• The Old Spot, Dursley, Gloucestershire

• The Blue Peter Hotel, Kirkholm, Dumfries, Galloway

Well done to Amanda and her team! The pub has a great local reputation and is Liverpool CAMRA's Pub of The Year. With friendly staff who know how to pull a pint you are assured a warm welcome whenever you visit. Thursday is curry night!

CAMRA's Director of Pubs, Julian Hough, said: “ There are around 60,000 pubs in the UK and to be named the very best is an incredible honour. Each of these pubs works tremendously hard to ensure the standard of their beer is matched only by their warm welcome. It will be exciting to see who emerges as the overall winner"

The award will be made on February 15th. Good Luck

Saints are the Team to Beat - McLennan

New Leeds coach Brian McClennan claims St Helens will be the team to beat in engage Super League XIII.
The former New Zealand Test boss, who has taken over the reins at Headingley from England coach Tony Smith, inherits a side boasting 12 full internationals who are fresh from handing out a 33-6 beating to Saints in October’s Grand Final.
But McClennan, speaking at the Rhinos’ pre-season media day said: “St Helens have been the top club in the last two years without a doubt.”

Source:PA

Saints Unveil 2008 Kit

St Helens Rugby League have officially launched their home and away replica shirts for 2008.
The home shirt features a traditional red-vee design while the away shirt is light blue.
Replica shirts are priced £32 for kids from five-years-old upwards and £45 for sizes small to XL.
It is available in club stores at Knowsley Road and Church Square from Thursday, February 7.
Ladies shirts are available from size 8 to 18, priced £45.
The full replica range is available to pre-order now online at www.saintssuperstore.com or by calling 01744 455050

Saints supporters can also get great deals from Domino's Pizza St Helens, one of the club's Official Partners by clicking here

St Helens Birdwatching - and This Doesn't Mean a Visit to Lapilicious

Join St.Helens Council’s Rangers for two bird themed events next weekend. (January 12th and 13th)
On Saturday January 12th you can find out what to feed the birds during winter and how to cheaply make bird feeders at Bankes Park, Billinge at 1pm.
Then a Winter Bird Walk takes place on Sunday January 13th through the Sankey Valley during which up to 50 species of birds may be seen or heard. Anyone who is interested should meet at the country park’s visitor centre at Blackbrook, off Blackbrook Road at 9am. Binoculars would be useful and due to the nature of the walk dogs should be left at home.
For more information on either event call the Rangers on 01744 677772

Happy New Year 2008

The UK ushered in 2008 with pyrotechnic displays large and small. This one was the latter, sent in by Malc Brookes who is local to St Helens, and performed by his wife and two daughters.

Nice One Malc

Christmas Card Recycling Appeal

Now that the festive season is over, don't forget to recycle your Christmas cards

As Christmas trees come down and decorations are packed away, St.Helens Council is encouraging local people to recycle their Christmas cards.

The Woodlands Trust's target for Christmas card recycling is 100 million cards. This will enable it to plant 24,000 trees around the country.

Cards can be taken to the following shops in St.Helens from 2nd to 31st January.

WH Smith
TK Maxx
Marks and Spencer
Tesco (Including some express stores)