Wirral Life April 2017 | Page 6

IN BRIEF VILLAGE RALLIES AROUND RESIDENTS OF NEW FERRY AND PORT SUNLIGHT FOLLOWING EXPLOSION GENEROSITY OF WIRRAL PEOPLE HELPING THURSTASTON COMMON Port Sunlight Village Trust staff have been working tirelessly alongside local contractors and Wirral Council, to ensure the welfare of village residents in securing properties damaged by the recent blast. At least four tenanted homes have been very badly affected in Port Sunlight, with more than 35 tenanted properties suffering damages to doors, roofs and windows. The Trust are working with all properties including owner-occupiers in Port Sunlight and residents of New Ferry to put the appropriate next steps in place. Paul Harris, Chief Executive of Port Sunlight Village Trust, commented: “Firstly, our thoughts are with the residents of New Ferry and Port Sunlight following the explosion, especially those who have been injured or suffered damage to their homes. The events of the weekend have shocked us all; however our communities have shown great resilience and community spirit. Over the coming weeks, once the police have completed their investigation and the site has been made safe, a full assessment of all damaged buildings will be carried out and repair work will begin. In some cases, this work will take several months to complete and we are working with Wirral Council to ensure all affected residents are suitably accommodated.” The Trust have also assisted with setting up a storage venue in Port Sunlight to cope with