The Scottie Press 'Changing Face of Local Communities' exhibition is to be displayed at various locations (including Sheltered Accommodations) around the city of Liverpool. Support for the exhibition has been given by English Heritage who have donated £750, for three pull-up display stands for the photographs. We picture Louise O'Brien (English Heritage) together with Lesley Black and Joan Higham when these three display stands where at the Lee Jones Centre (Limekiln Lane) on Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th February. The pull-up stands were also displayed at the VNC 55 plus clubs afternoon at the Silvestrain Club on Thursday 21st Feb and at Crompton Court Care Centre on Friday 21st Feb and at Portland Gardens on Monday 25th February. The Scottie Press also thanks Tommy Torbo for his support with promoting the exhibition. Tommy is pictured at his hairdressing shop on Scotland Road viewing a selection of the photos displayed in Calendar form.

Successive Governments and Local Councils have constantly looked at problems within the inner city districts and communities of Liverpool. At the end of the 1960s The Home Office Community Development Project (CDP) was a major initiative that was to be 'a radical' experiment in community development involving the local and central government, voluntary agencies and the universities in a concerted search for better solutions to the problems of deprivation. The Vauxhall district - or "Scottie Road" as it is known locally was chosen by the CDP as a project area. At this time (1969) "Scottie Road" shared the familiar catalogue of problems found in any rundown inner-city area. But it had characteristics that made it unique. Among the strategies and programmes devised by the Community Development Project in 1969 was the creation of a local newspaper run by local people representative of the community. The paper was seen as a way of encouraging community identity and presenting in the "Scottie Road" communities own words a powerful portrait of local problems to the local authority. The first issue of the "Scottie Press" Community Newspaper was published in February 1971 when Rod Stewart with "Maggie May" and The Mixtures with "The Pushbike Song" were in the 'top twenty charts'. Since that date the paper has focussed its lens on the Scotland Road - Vauxhall community and surrounding communities and as such has recorded 'The Changing Face of Local Communities' such as Pownall Square pictured in 1987 and showing the Rose & Crown Pub and the Salvation Army Hostel with Highfield Gardens to the left and Vauxhall Gardens to the right. To sponsor a pull-up display stand for inclusion in the touring exhibition please contact Ron Formby on 0151 482 2000 or email ronformby@scottiepress.org.