IN BRIEF
LIVERPOOL BUSINESSWOMAN BUYS SCHOOL UNIFORMS TO HELP FAMILIES
DJ HARRY MAC BECOMES AN INTERNATIONAL SENSATION
Businesswoman Kate Stewart has bought 120 school uniforms for struggling Anfield families , and is urging other businesspeople to do the same .
Kate , who owns The Sandon Complex in Anfield , and regularly supports the local community with OAP days , sponsoring local football teams and organising free football festivals with entertainment for the whole family , has taken her generosity a step further amidst the cost of living crisis .
The mum-of-four , who fell pregnant with her first child at just 16 , recalls only too well the days where she personally struggled before becoming an entrepreneur .
Kate said : “ The cost of living crisis is crippling people who need help the most and I know that there will be parents who are worrying about affording new school uniforms for their children . I ’ ve been in that position when my eldest daughter Kaitlin was young and I had to lend money to get her uniform and pay it back weekly . With the rising costs of pretty much everything at the moment , uniforms on top of this could push people over their financial edge and the thought of a child going back to school without a uniform is heartbreaking .”
Kate is passionate about helping families in deprived areas within Liverpool , but with her business in Anfield and regularly connecting with parents and children there , she felt compelled to support them before school returns .
She contacted Anfield Councillor Billy Marratt , to see how she could help best and decided to purchase 120 full school uniforms for children in the area .
Kate continued : “ Since the Government is doing very little for the most deprived areas , I ’ m calling on the people in Liverpool , whether you ’ re a businessowner or can spare some extra cash right now , to take back control and help those who need it . We ’ ll wait forever for anything from Westminster and in the meantime , children are suffering and going without .
‘ If we all pull together , we can help families across the city to make their lives a little easier .”
Liverpool ' s Harrison McDonald also known as Harry Mac has now become a star after a clip of him DJ ' ing went viral .
Harrison now plays gigs regularly in his home city of Liverpool and internationally . He ' s played alongside established names such as Liverpudlian singer-songwriter Jamie Webster - who went to Harrison ' s secondary school years before - and rock band The Lightning Seeds . Nerves don ' t affect him before gigs : " I thrive off the people there . I guess the only thing that may concern me is picking the right song but it ' s great when it fills the dance floor ".
His musical journey began at age 11 when he was starting secondary school and his father bought him some equipment . Despite an intense schedule with bookings each week , he doesn ' t feel the pressure : " Due to gigs being on the weekend , balancing is never really an issue ."
Harrison says he tries to ensure he has time to be " a normal teenager " and meets up with friends and family . This year Harrison got what most DJ ' s would call a dream come true - a residency in Ibiza . The event at Bam Bu Ku called elKiddo , is a day time event for families . Harrison feels at home in Ibiza where he lives with his father Barry , the stardom doesn ’ t faze him and he has recently been rubbing shoulders with Fat Boy Slim at the legendary Mambu in Ibiza .
Mersey Life caught up with him at Car Fest North where he headlined with such big names as Judge Jules , Natalie Imbruglia , Nile Rodgers and many more . This year Harrison performed for crowds at a blockbuster event in Paris ahead of the Champions League final . Harrison spinned out house and disco tunes to 100,000 people in the French capital . Harrison said the honour was " probably the best moment of my life ."
Harrison continued : ' I am very grateful that my dad has provided me a platform to do what I love . I owe it all to my dad really , he got me lessons and pushed me to become the best I can . I ' m very appreciative of what he has done for me ."
His advice to young people would be to just do it , as many people contemplate pursuing something and never do .
" Becoming a DJ has given me so many fantastic opportunities ."
6 merseylife . com