SO WHAT IS GOING ON AT 36 WINDSOR STREET? My name is Val Price, I was born in Old Swan in 1945 – my involvement in the community started in the year of 2008 – when Liverpool became the European Capital of Culture…and at the end of that year I felt the pride was back in the City. I became aware of my City and was shocked to hear that we had 4 of the poorest districts in the UK and already 6 food banks existed. For years I had lived in the city and been totally unaware of much more than my own family life….so how did this make me feel……devastated….I had known such happiness and though my young life had been a struggle I had fond memories. I had worked all my life and enjoyed a comfortable life achieving success in my business life. But…….2008 – what happens next…retired and suddenly aware ….I needed to do something! So Proud of Liverpool came into being (initially Pride in Liverpool) and I started to look at ways to make a difference. Being a 08 volunteer and also involved in Young Enterprise I had worked across the city and it had given me so much knowledge about my city and its people and the challenges that existed. Right from day one I knew what I wanted to do…the community I was born into was exactly that – a community that was supportive and a happy one. They had set to after the war to improve their lives now that the war had ended….with so much to do….but the warmth and strength of the community was so special…you seldom felt alone – not sure I ever did then. So how do you to this – no easy answers…and also a lifestyle that had changed so much….families had moved out, dereliction still existed, poverty was evident and above all the inequality that still exists in our City and I dare to say it…a lack of caring. So now in Windsor Street we have a building which offers us an opportunity to make a difference. So Proud of Liverpool, its amazing directors and supporters…together with response to a challenge to people to make the difference is where we are at… We are preparing to launch the L8 Community Hub in end of May/June….which is at the same time that we have the IFB 2014…where Liverpool is hosting the International Business Event for the UK…a tremendous opportunity for the City and one which will make a difference to our City. It is not just about business it is about the City itself…still so needy though so many fantastic events and changes have taken place…so let’s make it special. The Hub is about Communication – we need to know more. Information – we all need to know what is happening in our city and finally and to me most importantly Collaboration – together we can all do so much, combining our skills, being economically aware will make all our efforts to be the City we want to be – make our dreams a reality. The hub is there to serve the community in every way we can…especially concentrating on the small businesses and the impact they can make. We need jobs, we need to train old skills and new skills to be competitive in the world. We need people to be healthy….isolation is a major problem and the increase of dementia is unacceptable. We need to review our current poverty levels where food, housing and warmth are not for everyone…this can’t be right. Liverpool’s past and its achievements are mind blowing. It is not about the buildings, sorry not the football teams or even the Beatles….we have these… It is about the future for our young and our yet to be born ‘scousers’. It is about creating a better and more importantly a more equal society. We can do this in our own City….so the challenge is • Do you want to make a difference? • How would you do that? • What have you to offer? • What ideas do you have to achieve this? • Where can you make the difference…on your street, in your neighbourhood, in your City! We all know people who are inspirational and have the ideas…yes some seem off the wall, but why not capitalize on our skills and come together to share them, make them grow, adapt them and then put them into effect… So on the 14th & 15th the Hub is open for visitors to come and see what we have achieved to date and what is possible….and what can you do to make that difference. (11.00 to 3.30 on those days).
Posted on: Mon, 07 Apr 2014 21:37:39 +0000
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