Lancashire News Archives - Page 31 of 31

Creative employment taster session for teens

Are you aged 16-18 years of age and interested in a career in music, DJing, film, gaming or performing arts? St Helens Council’s Ways to Work team may have the solution for you.

Together with Merseyside-based entertainment industry specialist, MD Productions, the team will work with local young people during a free six-week Creative Kick Start programme at Peter Street Community Centre to give them the opportunity to channel their creative skills, while also refining their employment and everyday life skills.

To give those interested an insight to what’s on offer, a free to attend creative session will be held at St Helens town hall later this month where experts from the world of film, Djing, music, magic and performing arts will be on hand for a selection of taster master class workshops.

The creative taster session will take place in the town hall assembly room from 6pm to 7:30pm on Tuesday 23 January.

For more information, call Ways to Work (Careers Direct) on 07980 601165/08432 211 012 or email waystowork@sthelens.gov.uk

QUALIFIER THREE SUCCESS FOR SMITH

MICHAEL SMITH whitewashed Zoran Lerchbacher 6-0 to claim the Coral UK Open Qualifier Three title, as he ended nine-dart star Michael van Gerwen’s unbeaten start to 2018.

The St Helens star followed up Friday’s run to the Qualifier One final by going all the way to claim the £10,000 top prize as the weekend’s three events at Wigan’s Robin Park Tennis Centre concluded.

Smith had lost out to Van Gerwen in the final of Friday’s opening event, but gained revenge with an outstanding display to take a 6-1 triumph from their quarter-final.

He had reached the last eight by virtue of 6-0 whitewashes of Mark Wilson and Steve Beaton, while he also overcame Adam Hunt 6-2 and German newcomer Gabriel Clemens 6-3.

Smith’s romp against Van Gerwen was then followed by a 6-4 semi-final defeat of David Pallett, sealing the victory with a 132 bull-bull-double 16 combination.

The 27-year-old remained in clinical mood throughout the final, with Lerchbacher missing double 16 to claim the opening leg only to see Smith finish 78 to break and then take out 66 and 111 to lead 3-0.

Finishes of double 16 and double ten moved the Premier League star five legs clear, and he took out 89 in two darts to complete a brilliant performance and secure his eighth senior ranking title.

“My aim this year was to win four titles,” revealed Smith. “Michael stopped me on Friday and that hurt me because I thought I was playing well, but I got my own back on him today.

“I think the closest game was David Pallett. He took me all the way to four-all but then missed a double and let me in to break, and then I checked the 132 out.

“To get my first title in the first weekend, I’ll take that.

“My ranking is based on my floor events, not on TV – but this is my eighth title now and I can concentrate for the rest of the year now. I’m not chasing a win, I’ve got it in the very first weekend.”

Austria’s Lerchbacher followed up his only previous appearance in a PDC final, at a Players Championship last July, by winning through to the decider as he picked up £5,000 prize money and secured his second successive UK Open appearance.

A three-time World Championship qualifier, Lerchbacher overcame Tony Newell in a deciding leg to open his day before seeing off Dennis Smith, Robbie Green, Matthew Edgar and Paul Nicholson to reach the last 16.

There, he defeated Dave Chisnall 6-3, dropped one leg against James Wilson in the last eight and then battled past John Henderson 6-4 in the semi-finals.

Henderson’s run to the last four was his best ProTour finish since September 2016, as he overcame Martyn Turner, Paul Rowley, Mick McGowan, Dave Prins and Jamie Hughes.

Pallett’s semi-final appearance was his best result since reaching the same stage in a European Tour event in September 2015, with the Shropshire ace defeating Martin Schindler, Bradley Brooks, Peter Hudson, Jamie Lewis, Kim Huybrechts and Joe Cullen.

Wolverhampton’s Hughes followed up a last eight finish on the PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour last weekend and Saturday’s run to the last 16 with a quarter-final on Sunday.

Cullen and Wilson joined Hughes and Van Gerwen in the last eight, while Qualifier Two quarter-finalist Mervyn King and Qualifier One quarter-finalist Huybrechts were amongst the last 16.

Prins was appearing in the last 16 for the second time over the weekend, and having also reached the last 32 is in line to compete for a third time in four years at the UK Open, having previously qualified twice as an amateur.

Van Gerwen’s nine-dart finish – the third of the weekend in Wigan – came during his last 16 clash with fellow Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena, before the world number one saw his hopes of completing a weekend treble ended by Smith.

The Coral UK Open Qualifiers conclude next weekend with the remaining three events from Friday February 9-Sunday February 11, after which the top 96 players progress to compete in the Coral UK Open in Minehead from March 2-4.

Qualifiers Four-Six will be streamed live through PDCTV-HD at www.pdc.tv, with play in Friday’s event beginning at 2pm and Saturday and Sunday’s events commencing at 12pm.

Coral UK Open Qualifier One

Sunday February 4, Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan

Last 16

Michael Van Gerwen 6-2 Jermaine Wattimena

Michael Smith 6-3 Gabriel Clemens

Joe Cullen 6-4 Mervyn King

David Pallett 6-4 Kim Huybrechts

Jamie Hughes 6-1 Michael Rasztovits

John Henderson 6-3 Dave Prins

James Wilson 6-5 Keegan Brown

Zoran Lerchbacher 6-3 Dave Chisnall

Quarter Finals

Michael Smith 6-1 Michael Van Gerwen

David Pallett 6-4 Joe Cullen

John Henderson 6-3 Jamie Hughes

Zoran Lerchbacher 6-1 James Wilson

Semi Finals

Michael Smith 6-4 David Pallett

Zoran Lerchbacher 6-4 John Henderson

Final

Michael Smith 6-0 Zoran Lerchbacher

Lancashire News

St Helens Chamber named as one of Country’s Top Training Providers

St Helens Chamber is pleased to announce that we have been shortlisted by Times Educational Supplement as one of the country’s leading training providers in their Further Education Awards.

The Awards, which were held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Friday, are designed to celebrate inspirational individuals and outstanding further education organisations.

The Chamber was among eight training providers from across the UK to be shortlisted for the award, with Sussex based training provider HIT Training claiming first place on the night.

Joanne Abraham, Director of Training Services said: “We were delighted to have been shortlisted for the TES FE Training Provider of the Year Award.

“Getting to the final stages for the Award and being recognised as one of the top training providers in the country is a fantastic achievement and one we are very proud of. It is a testament to the high quality training we provide across Merseyside, in businesses, for young people and to help people into work.”

To find out more about the training delivered by St Helens Chamber visit www.sthelenschamber.com/business-school, email workforce@sthelenschamber.com or call 01744 742333.

Lancashire News

£10,000 RAISED AT ANNUAL DINNER DANCE

St Helens Chamber’s Annual Dinner Dance took place at Haydock Park Racecourse in January, welcoming guest speaker Johnny Vegas back onto home territory.

The Chamber’s black tie networking event of the year saw over 250 guests in attendance to be entertained, network and raise money for charity.

Johnny Vegas has become one of Britain’s best-loved comic actors but as guests discovered, before he came to fame, he attended Catholic boarding-school St Joseph’s College to train for the priesthood. Feeling homesick, he returned home after just four terms, going on to embark on a career in comedy. Guests on the evening we treated to an hilarious example of Johnny’s very own brand of comedy.

The headline news from the evening was the £10,000 which was raised for charity, through auction and other fundraising activities. The funds will be split equally between The Steve Prescott Foundation and Willowbrook Hospice.

Lucky auction bidders on the night took home some fantastic prizes including a signed Anthony Joshua framed montage, a luxury Spa Package from Chill Out Spa, two tickets for a luxury trip on the Orient Express, four tickets for a Haydock Park Race Day, including lunch in the Kauto Star restaurant, and two tickets to a recording of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.