Layla Wright is a journalist in Liverpool, specialising in documentaries & investigations. Following her documentary “Gangs, Guns & Grassing” for Radio City last year which explored Liverpool’s code of silence & the fear of being a snitch – BBC Radio 4 asked her to investigate knife crime in Liverpool.    For Radio 4’s “Beyond Today” podcast she got together a group of teenagers to find out why people are prepared to carry a knife.    The 3-month long investigation came out last week & revealed that older gang members across Merseyside are paying young people hundreds of pounds to stab each other, to avoid carrying out the attack themselves.     The particular kids Layla spoke to for the podcast said their best mate was the target of a £1,000 bounty.    The claims made directly linked to one recent Merseyside stabbing but after weeks of research following the interviews, it was confirmed by young people & gang members that this was happening across the region.  

Let’s help save Zoë’s Place! It’s as simple as that this week.  Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice is 1 of only 3 baby specific hospices in the UK who provide respite, palliative and end of life care to babies and children age 0-5 with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Zoë’s Place Liverpool has been here for nearly 25 years based in West Derby, but needs the support of the community and companies around them like never before. With many children requiring their specialist nursing care and respite, and having to close 2 of their 6 beds through the week due to lack of funding, they are looking to continue & build their support even more.  Hear the fun ways you can get involved and meet the ladies behind this wonderful hospice.

Happy Father’s Day weekend!chatting dad drama with Pete Price this week. Trust him to have not one but three dads to talk about. You might be surprised to hear this opinionated, strong willed talk radio host open up about life with a father that beat his mum, his search for his birth father and the random place they first met. Plus dad number 3 from Italy who he met on tv! Get it in your ears.

This week we hear from local sexperts Imogen and Lucy. They dispel those hilarious sex myths that we used to believe, discuss porn and how this is effecting today’s young people and we even mention those two words..... blue waffle! Brook is a nationwide organisation that offers sexual health advice, contraception and lifestyle advice to young people under 25. They have been around since 1964 and through out that time have grown to provide not only clinics but education and outreach clinics in schools, colleges and anywhere else we are needed!  Dealing with vulnerable young people the brook staff help enable them to live healthy lives and have healthy sex lives with all the information they need. Its free, confidential and  can help you with most life problems not just sexual health!

Everyone loves Crissy Rock! Scouse award-winning actress, stand-up comedian, and best-selling author; most notable for her role as Maggie Conlan in the 1994 film Ladybird, Ladybird and as Janey York in Benidorm, She also appeared in I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!  Hear the ups and downs of her love life and career including her role in Achy Breaky Bride at St Helens Theatre Royal!

I wanted to introduce you to the CEO/ Founder at Pro Blo Group Rebecca McCann. Rebecca is from the Wirral and is flying the flag for female entrepreneurs. Rebecca has been awarded Merseyside Woman Of The Year Entrepreneur along with National business awards, and took her idea from her mums kitchen to a business turning over 1 millions year on year. Hear how Coleen Rooney helped put this ppi sales girl on the map and how hard work and belief in herself and her product led to her reaping the rewards she so deserves.

Let’s talk about sleep deprivation. Hear from a private baby & Infant sleep consultant who has words of wisdom for us all. She believes if parents were educated in those early days post birth on small things to put in place to prevent erratic sleep patterns, we could avoid those long endless nights stressing about sleep. Sleep deprivation affects all parts of a family, relationships, child’s & parents mental health.  Are you aware of the shocking number of parents told they have PND rather than being offered support on tackling the routine of the sleep deprivation? Well parents who have been there and those going through it today tune in and join the conversation!

Bootle lad Anthony Russell has had not one but two shots at xfactor stardom and today he talks to me about the stories behind the tabloid headlines.  In his own words check out his version of events and the impact those moments have had on both him and his family.  Ahead of his Liverpool gig this month he talks us through his journey from childhood to present day and what I think you’ll find quite refreshing is Anthony’s honesty.  He is the first to admit that he’s made huge mistakes and is not afraid to open up about his life and addictions, how he is desperately trying to change the ending of his xfactor story and the stars who reached out to help him. Find out who the ladies of Liverpool are helping him daily to keep moving forward.  Wishing you lots of love and luck Anthony x

Let’s put this ‘women can’t drive’ nonsense to bed! Meet Kathy Higgins an award winning business woman and an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI). After she passed the IAM Advanced driving Test in 1995 she has amassed an array of driving, business and coaching qualifications. If fact she has taken all of the advanced driving tests and is an examiner for the DIAmond Advanced Driving Test as well as the RoSPA RoadTest. She is now the secretary and a Fellolw of the IMTD, Institute of Master Tutors of Driving.    Kathy progressed from being a franchisee of a national driving school to running her own multi car driving school Insight 2 Drive Ltd, who have just won a national award called The Golden L Award for the Best Local Franchised Driving School, Insight 2 Drive have manual and automatic instructors covering Merseyside and North Wales.  She has won the EVA award (Enterprise Vision Award) in the Training and Coaching Category, she has a certificate in Coahcing for Driver Education from The University of East London and is constantly developing her skills and is an NLP Practitioner. More about Kathy can be found at http://www.insight2drive.co.uk/kathy-higgins/

Are you aware of period poverty in our city?  The Department for Education has pledged to fully fund the supply of sanitary products in secondary and primary schools in an effort to eradicate period poverty, which results in girls from low-income families missing school because they cannot afford sanitary protection, according to campaigners. Two local ladies have been providing these products for a long time to our city’s children and will continue to do so until next year. Their story and actions will warm your heart! In this weeks podcast we discuss the severity of period poverty, how to talk to young girls about periods, address the need for men to acknowledge that periods are not something to be ashamed of and how we should bring dads into the conversation! Hear all about pads for dads and let’s stop hiding our period products and embrace our time of the month!