I am an enthusiastic supporter of The Atkinson arts centre in Southport. I have been ever since I was a member of the Sefton Council Arts and Libraries Committee in the very early 1980s.

As such I am happy to support this request from them for your vote. (Ed)

After a challenging year for arts and culture, The Atkinson is proud to be nominated twice in the 2020 Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Awards. We are a finalist in The People’s Choice award for Outstanding Contribution to Culture as well as the Impact Award – Covid-19 Creative Response.

We are happy to be a finalist in The People's Choice Award alongside Liverpool Theatre Festival, BlackFest, Imaginarium Theatre, Milap and Writing on the Wall.

It’s your decision who will be named the winner of The People’s Choice Award. Voting closes Tuesday 26 January.

You can cast your vote online.

 

Joan Rimmer local historian of Formby

Local author and life-time resident of Formby Joan Rimmer recalls some of her memories of life in Formby from just before WW II to the sixties.

Her books on Formby are highly valued and praised by everyone, she is a skilled chronicler and she rightly deserves this spot in the limelight. And on a personal note, she is one of the nicest people I know in Formby and an important local champions for all things good about Formby.

This video is the latest in a series entitled 'Sefton Lost Voices' and is well worth looking for on the Sefton Council web pages.

I am noticed this in on the Xmas lights organisers Facebook page and thought you'd like to see it, particularly if you don't use Facebook.

Announcement by the former Christmas Lights Team

It will come as no surprise that we cannot have the annual Christmas Lights Switch-on event to welcome in the start of the Festive season in Formby village. In fact it was looking doubtful as to whether we would be able to have a Christmas lights display at all!

The Christmas lights and the switch on events have been organised by local volunteers for the past 10+ years, and paid for by contributions from local traders and local organisations. This year, there was no way we could’ve asked our local businesses to put their hands in their pockets, yet again. 

So, it is with enormous relief and thanks, that Formby Formby Parish Council have stepped in! Although we cannot have the switch-on event, the PC have agreed to fund the lights and arrange a Christmas tree in the village for this and future years.

We are very thankful for this and for the hard work and dedication that previous Christmas lights teams have have made to ensure that Formby had amazing Christmas Lights display and events!

In particular, thanks go to:

Denise Dutton

Pat Wordley 

Kevin Haygarth

Peter Dunne & Anne Dunne

Paul Evans

Heather Davies, Jamie Scorgie and team at Formby Pool

Formby Rotary Club

Paul Lally (the Festive Decorator) 

Simon Jamieson

Mark Kenny (Sefton Engineers)

Norman Wallis (Southport Pleasureland)

Graham Moreton (Tarleton Photography)

St. John's Ambulance

Sefton Security & Cleansing Depts

Dowhigh Construction

Acorn Insurance

We are also very thankful for the many singers, musicians and entertainers who entranced us each year and to you, our fantastic Formby Community for coming out together and making the lights switch-on event so very special. 

Christmas is all about hope, so here’s is hoping that normal service will be resumed in 2021!

Note: A number of the people listed above have begun Imagine Formby a Community Interest Company (CIC). To work in an unpaid voluntary capacity for everyone living in Formby.

Discover the next generation of artists in Sefton

The Atkinson in partnership with The Arts Society Southport invited Young Artists aged 11-18 living in the Sefton Borough to submit one photograph of an original artwork to the competition, exhibited on The Atkinson’s website.

Visit The Atkinson Web page and click on the thumbnail images to view each work of art.

Discover the next generation of artists in our #Sefton Young Artist of The Year competition. 🙌 View over 120 entries showcasing a variety of artistic practices. Winners chosen by @TheArtsSociety_ on 28 May. 🎨 All Eyes On Me, Jessica Dolan, Mixed Media https://t.co/hU91Fp9Cvg pic.twitter.com/ZwBzMsFpTN

— The Atkinson, Southport (@AtkinsonThe) May 13, 2020

SOUTHPORT FLOWER SHOW CANCELLED

Southport Flower Show organisers have announced the disappointing news that the 2020 show has been cancelled. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to events with large public gatherings being cancelled throughout the whole country and the Southport Flower Show is no exception.

It is therefore with regret that the organisers have announced the cancellation of the 2020 Southport Flower Show which was due to be held 20th-23rd August.

Chair of the Board Max Steinberg CBE said

“We have closely monitored the situation over the past few weeks and it has now become clear that we now have no other option but to cancel the show this year. The first consideration must be the health and wellbeing of everyone involved in the show, staff, volunteers, visitors, exhibitors and traders. The show has become a much-loved fixture in the horticultural calendar and in Southport/Liverpool City Region’s summer events programme and the decision to cancel has been taken with a heavy heart. The safety of all of those who support the show is of paramount importance to us and we believe this to be the only course of action as we work through this pandemic.”

This will be the first time since the Second World War that there has not been a show in Southport and it is a huge disappointment to the management team who work so hard to make this event happen...

For the full story: Southport Flower Show