Eric Martyn

We hope eating disorders awareness week helps oliver and novotel paddington village mum emma

“My little boy is just 3 and terrified of food.”

Mum Emma’s hope in raising mass awareness of ARFID diagnosis

Oliver was just 2 years old and losing weight. He spent Christmas Day to New Year’s Day of 2022 in hospital. He was clinically malnourished and dehydrated.

Throughout 2023, he spent the night being fed for ten hours hooked up to machines, along with 4 hours during the day.  He is still entirely reliant on his gastrostomy tube for all his nutrition and fluids.

It’s now 17 months since he’s eaten anything orally..

A heartbreaking story “but one that needs to be told far and wide” says mum Emma Taylor who along with husband Matty have hope that with a huge increase in awareness around Oliver’s condition, more resources can be devoted to treating children like Oliver.

“Oliver is diagnosed with a condition known as Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID),” explained Emma.

“We want to urgently raise mass awareness of ARFID so that it can be better understood.”

It’s an especially good time to speak out because the final week of February is designated Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

ARFID is an eating disorder that involves intense avoidance or restriction on the amounts of food or types of food a person eats. It is characterised by a pattern of eating that avoids certain foods or food groups entirely and/or is restricted in quantity (eating small amounts).

“Contrary to some misconceptions, ARFID isn’t affected by a person’s beliefs about the size and shape of their body and someone with the condition doesn’t restrict their food intake for the specific purpose of losing weight.

“Yes it’s an eating disorder but children as young as two can be diagnosed.”

“For Oliver, who is also autistic, it’s very much about sensory issues and fear. He is absolutely terrified of food.”

After 4 months with a NG Tube, Oliver underwent surgery in April last year when a more permanent tube was fitted into his stomach. “Yes he’s gained a third of his body weight in almost 12 months thanks to tube feeding but you can imagine the impact on him and our family.”

“He still gets very distressed around food and we miss out on a lot of things like family meals and birthday parties.”

Oliver sees a specialist dietician every month who helps the family try to tackle Oliver’s fear around food but to him, it’s the scariest thing in the world.

“Too many people have said that he’ll eat when he is hungry but Oliver won’t, he will literally starve himself.”

“It’s been well over a year now since he’s put any food in his mouth at all.”

Husband Matty as you can imagine is as passionate about raising awareness of ARFID and is taking on the Liverpool Half Marathon next month.

Emma who works as a Regional Finance Manager based at Novotel Paddington Village in Liverpool continued: “Matty is no runner but he’d do anything to help others understand what Oliver is going through. My employer Legacy Hotels & Resorts and Hotel General Manager  Howard Lewis have also been so good in enabling me to work and maintain caring for Oliver. I’m so grateful.

All proceeds raised from Matty’s marathon efforts will go to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and ARFID Awareness UK

https://www.justgiving.com/page/mattytaylorsrun?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fmattytaylorsrun&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

Follow Oliver on socials…

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emsytaylor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emsytaylor82 #oliversarfidlife

Risk support services recruits top talent as part of expansion plans

Risk Support Services, which is the risk management division of Butterworth Spengler Insurance Group, is poised for growth after recruiting new members of staff with decades of industry experience.

The business, which has its headquarters in Merseyside, specialises in health and safety risk management and training, offering courses from their offices, where they have comfortable training facilities, as well as online courses and e-learning.

They are well-known throughout the North West as an established and trusted provider of health and safety training and also offer a wide range of services to identify and control exposure to risk and ensure that businesses are legally compliant and the team travels nationwide as needed to support their clients on-site.

The company’s director, Jeff Cunningham, worked as a project manager within the construction sector prior to moving into the health and safety industry and has worked on various contracts ranging from but not restricted to industrial projects, hospitals, educational, sports and office developments. Jeff discovered a passion for health and safety and began working with Risk Support Services in early 2019.

Jeff is keen to build upon the business’s success in providing specialist training courses, saying: “I’m looking forward to steering a fantastic team at Risk Support Services to a healthy bright future with stability through sustained growth. But don’t forget to enjoy the view; we all have to climb the mountain together.”

Thomas Platt recently joined Risk Support Services as a health and safety consultant and trainer, having worked as a health and safety manager and advisor across many sectors over the last 14 years. He said: “I am really excited to be part of the team at Risk Support Services; the depth of knowledge and support and the approachable manner of the team is fantastic.”

Hayley Richardson recently joined the business as team coordinator, bringing the benefit of over 25 years of administration and HR experience, 17 of which have been with Risk Support Services’ sister company, Butterworth Spengler.

Peter Kellett and Mark Green also joined the company recently as client directors (following a company merger). Peter has worked in property compliance for the last 20 years around the whole of the UK. His work includes Energy Performance Certificates, TM44 Inspections (Air conditioning), Fire Risk Assessments and other bespoke health and safety audits.

Mark specialises in the asbestos industry, and has over 25 years’ experience, ranging from asbestos building surveying, asbestos removal, remediation and encapsulation projects. Mark is also part of the team responsible for undertaking Legionella (Risk Assessments) Projects, ensuring complete legislative compliance for the company’s clients.

They join Charlie Jones, who has worked as a health and safety advisor for the firm for five years and Alan Daly, who has worked as a health and safety advisor for the last three years and also Risk Support Services’ finance manager, Vicky Charters, who has worked for the company since 2022.

Recruiting industry heavyweights is part of Jeff’s growth strategy to deliver more courses, while continuing to serve the business’s longstanding clients. The recent recruitment drive has been accompanied by a complete rebrand, including a redesign of the website.

Commenting on the rebrand, Jeff said: “I am thrilled with the new Risk Support Services rebrand and identity image. The new logo and website reflect the company’s growth and evolution over the past decade. Our new logo represents our focus on strength, integrity and relationships, which are the core values of everything we do

Website: https://risksupportservices.co.uk/

Hope through heritage: multiple award-winning nicholson group begins 2024 on a high

A multiple award-winning North West property developer that has grown from humble beginnings to amass a near £40m property portfolio has begun the year with another set of accolades.

Nicholson Group based in St Helens who acquired their first property in 2008 following a £17k property investment swept the board across Merseyside with their lettings arm winning All Agents ‘Best Lettings Agency’ in both St Helens and separately, Liverpool.

Founder and CEO of Nicholson Group and Managing Director of Nicholson Lettings, Paul Nicholson said: “We’re thrilled to win these awards as we place such a huge brand emphasis on customer service through the company in every aspect of our business.

“Consistency is huge for me in our industry. We were also awarded ‘Gold Award’ status for lettings in the 2022 All Agents Awards for customer service proving we go above and beyond expectations for our customers. I’m extremely proud of our team and am grateful for their hard work and for their constant commitment to both the business and to our clients. It’s a rare accolade to win one of these top national awards twice in succession. Our business strategy is based around employing the best in class and these awards are a good measure of that.

The group’s wider focus in 2024 is very much heritage-driven working on renaissance development projects in close collaboration with St Helen’s Council alongside Rotary Club St Helens who recently paid a visit to their Beecham’s regeneration scheme.

Paul Nicholson added: “Our passion for making a difference, being community-driven, and regen-focused working in partnership with civic bodies is driving our momentum in completing Beecham’s Building which we hope to showcase in February 2024.

“We’ve spent considerable time in 2023 immersing ourselves in the regeneration conversation of the town and finished it recently with both a great meeting with Rotary St Helens and strong support with glowing feedback from a 50-strong delegation which we look forward to sharing in the new year. 2024 is the start of long-term huge change for the better for St Helens and we’re proud to be a part of it.”

https://www.team-nico.com/

Transformation of iconic former mersey ferry into a major liverpool attraction is set for completion this year

A £2.5m project to transform the former Mersey Ferry, MV Royal Daffodil into a major destination is set for completion in 2024. 

Liverpool City Region entrepreneurs Philip Olivier and Joshua Boyd have spent several years working on the exciting new venture. Reborn as Daffodil, the iconic former Mersey Ferry vessel will have a permanent home on Liverpool’s Waterfront, with planning granted for a berth at Canning Dock, next to Royal Albert Dock.

Daffodil is set to become a valuable addition to the city, which attracts tens of millions of visitors every year. It will offer first-rate food, drink and entertainment and will create almost 100 local jobs. Three outside sun decks across two levels – Promenade Deck, Daffodil Garden and Funnel Deck – will provide dining areas for more than 66 covers. In addition, her Upper Deck features a multifaceted space for a café, cocktail and wine bar, with all-day dining available for 63 seated covers.

The Main Deck will feature an 84-cover restaurant, while the Lower Deck features the Engine Room event space having capacity for 240 people. This will host live music and events. In total, the vessel will have space for up to 560 guests at any one time.

For six years until 2019 MV Royal Daffodil lay in Birkenhead’s East Float Dock before Philip and Joshua began their rescue mission, towing her to Bromborough to undergo an extensive rip out, before later continuing her full restoration in Liverpool at Garston Dock from 2020.

Experts from Liverpool maritime and engineering sector firms have been working on the transformation, despite the disruption caused by the COVID pandemic.

Now, early in this new year, the vessel is lined up to be towed to the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, where it will be fully repainted prior to some final tweaks being carried out. From there, restored to its former glory, it will be towed to its final destination at Liverpool’s Canning Dock.

Phil (below) said: “This isn’t just a business investment for me, my Father and Josh, this has been a true labour of love. There has been a ferry across the Mersey for more than 800 years and they hold huge, historical significance to the region. As a picture-postcard image, the ferries are world famous. The people of Merseyside have an emotional attachment to these vessels and there’s a lot of positivity around the coming future for this icon vessel and we will be so proud to see it brought back to life.”

Philip and Joshua are also seeking to secure funding to develop a mini-museum exhibit in the Wheelhouse of the ship, intended to honour the history of the Mersey Ferries, their captains, crew and passengers.

As part of a planned recruitment drive for the venture, the team are set to work with the Department for Work and Pensions and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority via back-to-work training and Skills Bootcamps. The wide range of available roles across management, catering and service are now published on the company’s website.

Daffodil will partner with La Salle Hotel School, a not-for-profit charity and community interest company based in Croxteth, to develop apprenticeships and traineeships for young people; whilst supporting sustainable food growing and hospitality education. “We are so excited about this re-launch,” added Joshua (below ). “Daffodil will be yet another amazing asset to Liverpool’s world class waterfront that’s rooted in strong local pride and impact. Liverpool City Region’s Visitor Economy grew to £5.18bn value in 2022 with 55.84 million people flocking here from across the world. They expect to view world class attractions and that is exactly what Daffodil will be – a unique place for locals, visitors, the business community, foodies, culture and heritage fans.”

Originally named Overchurch, the vessel served our region as a cross-river transport and cruising vessel following her maiden voyage in April 1962. She was re-named Royal Daffodil in 1999 following an extensive refit as a party and dance cruising vessel. After a further decade of active service, she was eventually decommissioned in 2012 due to a breakdown in one of her two engines.

With this recent full refurbishment nearing completion, it is expected that the Daffodil will now have a bright and successful future ahead of her

WEBSITE: https://www.daffodilliverpool.co.uk/

SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.instagram.com/daffodilliverpool/

https://www.facebook.com/daffodilliverpool

Help someone special to enjoy the perfect day

Two popular Liverpool entrepreneurs want to hear from you in the hope that you will be able to sprinkle a little magic stardust and make something special happen for those deserving of a ‘Happy Day’.

Happy Days Group founders and co-owners Alan Cosgrove and Peter Schriewersmann (an adopted scouser!) have both overcome their fair share of lows and adversity themselves and the pair decided it is time to give something back to deserving local people who have gone, or are going through, tough times.

They are asking people across Liverpool City Region to think about someone they know who deserves their dream Happy Day to come true.

Alan (on right of picture with Peter) are both extremely passionate about bringing happiness to the people of Liverpool and beyond; and so to celebrate the annual International Day of Happiness, which takes place on Wednesday 20th March 2024, they are asking people from across the Liverpool City Region to think of someone who is deserving of an enjoyable experience; – A Happy Day – and your nomination could help that person to enjoy that special experience!

Do you know a neighbour, a family member, someone from your local community shop or centre, or someone from your local school, who has been through a tough time, or you believe for whatever reason that they deserve to experience their perfect Happy Day? If so please nominate them via the website listed at the foot of this page.

There are four nomination categories; 

A child/young person aged 17 and under ♥ An adult aged 18 – 64 ♥ An entire family ♥ A person aged 65+

 THE INAUGURAL AWARD CEREMONY WILL TAKE PLACE ON:

WEDNESDAY 20 MARCH 2024

Alan and Peter hope that this initiative will be the first of many and that in the future it will evolve into a bigger movement, dovetailing into the many other amazing initiatives that are already operated by a variety of amazing scousers across the region. Peter says: “Liverpool is a special city. We look after our own. We believe that all of us have our own network and platform – and we need to use it for more than just financial gain. It’s this sharing and supportive spirit that will get us all through these tough times.”

The application process for 2024 nominations will close at 5pm on Monday 12 February 2024

 TO MAKE YOUR NOMINATION, PLEASE VISIT:

 www.yourhappydays.org

Intro Photo by Stan B on Unsplash www.yourhappydays.org

Sean o’neill starts creating a legacy 20 years after his arrival in liverpool

‘Adopted’ Liverpudlian Sean O’ Neill pays it forward to create entrepreneurs of the future

An Irishman who came to Liverpool more than two decades ago has set up a foundation to give back to the city he immediately fell in love with.

After building a large property portfolio and investing in more than 30 businesses across the city, Sean O’ Neill wants to continue with what he sees as the core principles of his business – people – meeting them, understanding who they are, whether they have the same work ethic as he does, and how he can help them improve their business or make their journey a little easier.

“I’ve spent the past 20 years meeting people but more recently I decided to make meeting people more official and to make it a core part of what I do because it’s essential to who I am.”

And so ‘Meet Sean O’Neill’ was born.

Sharing the values of many Liverpudlians in business that he struck up a friendship with, Sean was initially reluctant to ‘go public’ on a brand campaign to help spread awareness of how he wanted to give back.“I’m quite happy to remain relatively low profile, continuing to build my business portfolio further whilst helping others establish and build theirs too. However, I am also good at taking advice from people who are better than me at making marketing decisions and that’s how the brand was born.

“After all, having a dedicated brand when I started in business has enabled me to understand how I find my business partners and the conversions and processes involved in creating some really successful brands over the last 20 years. I want to meet more people and share my knowledge, team, and process to help other people become successful entrepreneurs and make new friends along the way.”

Working with his team, the ‘Meet Sean O Neill’ brand consists of four pillars that embody who Sean is, his background, goals, vision and aspirations for 2024.

The pillars include MSO Club, MSO Foundation, MSO Invest and MSO Events.

“MSO Club is about sharing knowledge, contacts, and resources from people at all stages of their entrepreneurial journey – the first MSO Club took place on November 23rd in San Carlo’s private dining room and was a resounding success.

“MSO Foundation aims to empower and support Liverpool-based individuals, groups and community-focused initiatives by providing financial support, educational resources, and mentorship opportunities with a £75k foundation grant.

“MSO Invest will nurture and support the next generation of entrepreneurs in the Liverpool City Region with a £250k+ investment support package.

“MSO Events will educate and inform through a series of events that provide actionable and practical lessons on building a successful brand.”

Sean started life on a rural farm in Northern Ireland and it was here that his passion for entrepreneurship began, from selling fireworks to school friends to hustling on the snooker table and winning the 2001 Northern Ireland Amateur Snooker Championship. Since making Liverpool his home, he has bought and sold several hundred properties in addition to his thirty-plus business investments and has travelled to 59 countries.

Now it’s time for his four new projects to support other businesses, entrepreneurs and good causes in the Liverpool City Region.

MSO Invest: https://meetseanoneill.com/mso-invest/
MSO Foundation: https://meetseanoneill.com/mso-foundation/
MSO Club: https://meetseanoneill.com/mso-club/
MSO Event: https://meetseanoneill.com/mso-events/

Auteur media director joins the ghostwriters agency

The Director of Liverpool-based firm Auteur Media has been accepted as a member of the Gostwriters Agency (GWA), which matches authors and clients with experienced and best-selling ghostwriters.

AUTEUR MEDIA director, Nikki Croft-Girvan, is an experienced ghostwriter who began ghostwriting following an extensive career as a true-life journalist and commissioning editor. Specialising in true life books across a range of challenging topics, Nikki has worked with publishing houses including Bonnier Books UK, known for its John Blake and Blink imprints, Orion, one of the UK’s leading publishers, and world-leading book publisher Harper Collins, who have been publishing great authors since 1817.

Her collaborations include two Chris Wild’s books, Damaged and The State of It, along with The Boy Who Disappeared by Valerie Nettles, and two anthologies for the RNLI, Surviving the Storms and Saved from the Waves.

The Ghostwriters Agency is the first agency of its kind in the UK, with all ghostwriters accepted onto its roster having a proven track record. Unlike traditional literary agencies, the GWA does not negotiate contracts or get involved with bidding wars, it simply matches established, independent ‘ghosts’ with new clients. The GWA is run by two best-selling ghostwriters, Shannon Kyle and Teena Lyons, whose mission is to make finding a ghostwriter easier and create a supportive network for best-selling ghostwriters everywhere.

Speaking of the joining the GWA, Nikki said: “Throughout my career I have called myself a journalist, a PR, a Copywriter, but  what I actually am is a Professional Storyteller. Nowhere is this more true than in my ghostwriting work. I’m incredibly proud to have joined the GWA alongside a host of extremely talented industry peers, not just due to the potential for exciting future collaborations but also for the chance to be part of a creative community leading the industry as well.”

To find out more about ghostwriting and the GWA visit: https://www.theghostwritersagency.com/

https://auteur.media

Morecrofts marks a decade of service in allerton 

Morecrofts Solicitors is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its office in Allerton.

Since opening in 2013, the office has doubled in size and now accommodates up to 15 lawyers and support staff working across a range of legal matters including property conveyancing, family and employment law.

During its first decade, staff at the Allerton  office have represented more than 5,000 clients, often working alongside neighbouring estate agents, accountants and other local professional advisors.

Pictures by Gareth Jones

Morecrofts managing partner Alison Lobb says the achievement is all the more impressive considering that other law firms have closed their offices during this time.

“When we opened the Allerton office, our ambition was to establish ourselves in a thriving high street and lend our support to the local community, and I am delighted we have been able to do that for a decade. There have certainly been changes to the area during that time and we have seen lots of fellow occupiers, including law firms and banks, moving out or reducing their footprint. Our commitment is steadfast and we look forward to further expanding our presence and our impact here in the coming years.”

 

£32k bathgate deal brings fitness franchise to bromborough

West Kirby-based business finance specialist, Bathgate Business Finance, has brought fitness franchise, Transform Hub, to Wirral, with a £32k own-book deal.

Transform Hub’s Bromborough site opened in October 2023 and is the first to open in the borough, with two more sites planned for the CH postcode in the next two years. The £32K funding for Bathgate was secured to purchase equipment including free weights, resistance, and cardio machines.

There are currently 20 Transform Hub gyms in the UK, primarily in North West England, but with some locations in Greater London. The Wirral sites will be led by Directors Nick Hodson, who boasts more than 25 years’ experience running a family-owned healthcare recruitment business and as a business consultant, and Jamie Leighton, who has been a personal trainer and Professional Coach since 2009.

Transform Hub offers personal training in a group setting, nutritional advice, a fun and community-focused environment and compassionate coaching to provide accountability and help clients stay on track. As a franchise model, Transform Hub, also offers potential business owners the chance to purchase its method of setting up and running a successful fitness business.

Director Nick Hodson said: “We sought external funding to support the launch of our first Transform Hub in order to preserve some headroom for working capital, which is always a challenge with a new business. We approached three different funders and Bathgate’s process was the simplest by far. Once approved the cash was in our account and ready to use when we needed it. Bathgate’s reputation is second to none for SMEs looking for finance and we certainly had an excellent experience.”

Director Jamie Leighton added: “Transform Hub is unique in that we’re not targeting ‘gym bunnies’ but rather people who have tried lots of different diets and gym programmes without success. The funding provided by Bathgate has helped us to bring a different offer to Bromborough.”

Bathgate’s Ian Adams said: “Transform Hub’s business plan demonstrated a unique offer for customers, a sophisticated and considered sales process, and sound basis for a successful franchise model. Nick and Jamie’s extensive combined experience in both business ownership and development and the fitness sector also makes this an exciting venture for Bathgate to support. We’re looking forward to seeing the Bromborough site flourish and eagerly anticipate the opening of the next two sites.”

The Transform Hub deal is a further demonstration of Bathgate’s award-winning support for SMEs and its commitment to service excellence. In September 2023 it was named winner in two categories at the prestigious NACFB Commercial Broker Awards 2023 – the SME Champion and Service Excellence award – and in October 2023 won Professional Services Business of the Year at the Merseyside Independent Business Awards (MIBS).

For more information about Bathgate Business Finance or to find out more about its own-book lending visit bathgatebf.co.uk, call 0151 625 7323 or email [email protected]

Pictured at top are: L-R Nick Hodson (Transform Hub) Ian Adams (Bathgate) Jamie Leighton (Transform Hub)

Photograph by: Andrew AB Photography

The choir with no name kicks off city’s seasonal celebrations

The Choir with No Name (CWNN) Liverpool, a choir involving people impacted by homelessness, successfully kicked-off our city’s festive season with a big Christmas singalong at the Tung Auditorium, Oxford Street, on Friday 8th December. The annual festive event saw the Choir join a host of special guests in starting the season in the best way possible – with a rip-roaring, fun-filled Christmas extravaganza as crowds gathered to join in the singing of their favourite festive songs.

Building on the success of its annual ‘Big Gig’ at the Everyman earlier this year, The Choir with No Name were joined by special guests the Liverpool UNIty Choir and the Asylum Link Merseyside Choir for an evening of truly joyful performances, filled with festive magic and sing-alongs chosen to release the Christmas spirit, and raise the roof of the auditorium, with the audience in fine voice.

CWNN Liverpool Choir Manager, Ema Quinn, said: “We and our fabulous special guests were delighted to be able to treat our audience to some real Christmas magic, as we welcomed so many people to our inclusive, positive and joy-filled show, spreading the festive cheer far and wide. As well as being bags of fun, the profits made through ticket sales and donations on the night support the cost of keeping our weekly choir rehearsal running and our members singing well into the future, which will be the very best Christmas present for us all!”

The Choir with No Name is a UK charity running choirs involving homeless and marginalised people since 2008. The Liverpool choir was founded in January 2014 and has been a joyful choir community for some of the most isolated and disadvantaged residents in the city ever since. The Choir is a supportive family where a conventional family may not exist and singing together is proven to be hugely beneficial to health and wellbeing, meaning members build the support network, self-confidence and resilience needed to move away from homelessness long term. The choir rehearse on Wednesdays at The Quaker Meeting House, School Lane, Liverpool, L1 3BT. Doors open at 6.30pm for a cuppa and catch up before singing together and sitting down for a hot dinner together afterwards, cooked by a team of volunteers.

The Choir with No Name is registered charity no. 1136173

Follow them on social media:

Facebook.com/choirwithnoname | @cwnnlpool