With works to transform St Helens town centre now well under way, please remember that there are still lots of brilliant independent businesses in and around that area of the town centre open for business that you can support.

We've been asking people why they #LoveStHelens. Whether it's the community spirit, the heritage, our beautiful green spaces or the mighty Saints - there's so much to love about our wonderful borough and the people that make it what it is.

👀 Do you see me? 👀 People with a learning disability want what everyone wants - to be heard, seen and included. No more prejudice. No more being left out. Just equal opportunities and the right to live a full, brilliant life. #LearningDisabilityWeek #WithYouForYou

In case you missed it, we kicked off #RefugeeWeek with our Communities Together Festival on Saturday. There's a whole host of activities taking place throughout the week as we celebrate this year's theme - Community as a Superpower. www.sthelens.gov.uk/refugeeweek #LoveStHelens

This week saw the official launch of our supervised toothbrushing programme in local early years settings & primary schools. Coinciding with #NationalSmileMonth, it brought together council & healthcare partners and featured visits from mascots Captain Tuck & Crocosmile.

Today's the very first World Day for Assistive Technology - designed to raise awareness & improve access to assistive technology. We're proud to be nationally recognised for our innovative approach to tech-enabled care - helping residents live independently in their own homes for longer.

Allotment holders across St Helens borough are benefitting from free compost thanks to St Helens Borough Council and SED Services Ltd. 350+ bags of compost were distributed by our Open Spaces Team to council-run allotments after being donated by SED to mark International Compost Awareness Week.

Whether it's the people, the mighty Saints, the beautiful green spaces or the way the borough pulls together when times get tough, there are plenty of reasons to #LoveStHelens ♥️

Today marks 80 years since Victory in Europe (VE Day) — a historic moment that signalled the end of World War II in Europe.

What a busy 12 months for our highways team, carrying out 5,767 carriageway & footway repairs, clearing 40,232 gullies and fixing 6,745 street lights. Well done team 👏

Recycling and waste collections will be as normal over the Bank Holiday. Please make sure your bin & containers are out in their usual collection spot at 6.30am on the day of your collection. Check when your next collection is at sthelens.gov.uk/collections

The doors have opened to St Helens Borough's first Community Hub, offering residents a wide range of services right on their doorstep. Read more 👇 sthelens.gov.uk/article/1317...

Do you have an RTS electricity meter? From 30 June these will stop working. If you think you might have an RTS electricity meter or want to check, contact your energy supplier. 👉 www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-... #RTSswitchoff

Our Schools Catering team had a busy couple of weeks over the Easter holidays, preparing more than 2,300 packed lunches for children attending our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.

Who's excited for the pop up market this weekend? Head down and check out an array of stalls including handmade products, sweet treats, street food, arts & crafts and more! 📍Church Street & Church Square 🗓️Saturday 26th April ⏰10am - 4pm

📰 St Helens Borough Council has submitted a planning application for the demolition of the former Parr Swimming and Fitness Centre – a positive step forward in unlocking the potential of the prominent site on the edge of St Helens Town Centre.

📰 The next significant steps to deliver the transformation of Earlestown town centre are set to be discussed at a Cabinet meeting at St Helens Town Hall on Wednesday 23rd April. Full story 👇

📰 More than 99 per cent of parents and carers in St Helens Borough have secured one of their preferred primary schools for their children for September 2025 on #NationalOfferDay. Full story 👇

Demolition works have started in St Helens town centre, signalling the next step in its transformation. Work is being carried out overnight to minimise disruption to the travelling public and nearby businesses. Read more - sthelens.gov.uk/article/1297...

📰 St Helens Borough Council has today (Tues 15 April) launched a grants scheme to support residents and community groups to provide library facilities in their area. Full story: www.sthelens.gov.uk/article/1299...

If your bins & recycling are normally collected on a Monday, there will be a slight change over the Easter period. Collections due on Easter Monday 21st April will be collected two days earlier on Saturday 19th April. All other collection days remain the same. sthelens.gov.uk/collections

📰 Overnight work is due to start this Sunday to commence the demolition of buildings that adjoin the current bus station in St Helens town centre as part of our once-in-a-lifetime regeneration project. Full story 👇

St Helens Town Hall Chamber is all set for hosting our @lpoolcityregion.bsky.social meeting this afternoon ✅ The meeting will be available to watch from 1:00pm by visiting the link below 👇

📢 Save the Date! 📢 The St Helens Heritage Festival is back on Saturday 31 May! 🚗 Classic Cars 🚩 Stalls and Local Groups 🚌 Vintage Bus 💃 Morris Dancers 🛍️ Artisan Pop-up Market 🏛️ Church & Museum Tours 🎨 Craft Workshops & More! 🧭 Heritage trail 🎉✨- with thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund

📰 We're pleased to announce that Elevate® - the leading provider of full fibre business internet and networks - has been awarded a contract to build a state-of-the-art, full fibre internet network as part of our transformational Digital Infrastructure Programme 🛜 Find out more 👇

📰 Senior councillors joined adult social care and ICT & Digital staff at Brookfield Support Centre earlier this week to celebrate our recent iNetwork Award win for our approach to tech enabled care which is supporting people to live independently in the own homes for longer. Full story 👇

TRAFFIC REPORT: There has been a road traffic collision on the East Lancashire Road at its junction with Moore Park Way, Haydock. Drivers are advised to find an alternative route to avoid delays.

Work is continuing in St Helens town centre as part of its once-in-a-generation transformation. Representatives from ECF - the council's regeneration partner - visited recently to take a look at the progress to date.

The days are getting longer and warmer and that means it's time to say goodbye to our gritters. During the winter, our highways team carried out 52 grit runs, spreading 2,544 of rock salt over 9,256 miles of road! #WithYouForYou

On Sunday 30 March, we'll be carrying out road relining works around College Street and The Landings in St Helens town centre. To facilitate the works, three-way traffic lights will be needed throughout the day.

Enabling works are continuing around the Hardshaw Centre in St Helens town centre, with demolition of nearby empty buildings involved in phase 1 of the once-in-a-life-time regeneration set to begin very soon.

We are absolutely delighted to be a finalist at this The MJ Awards for our approach to tech enabled care. This short video gives an overview of the project and some of the technology involved. #MJAwards #TechEnabledCare #SocialCare #LocalGovernment

Ever wondered what happens to your garden waste once it's collected? Well wonder no more as this short video explains how your grass cuttings are transformed into nutrient rich soil conditioner. Not signed up for our garden waste service yet? Head to sthelens.gov.uk/gardenwaste

Who else is excited for this month's St Helens Pop Up Market? Tuck into some incredible baked goods while shopping for handmade jewellery, gardening goodies, 3D printed designs, wax melts, candles, skincare and more! 🗓️ Saturday 29th March 📍 Church Square & Church Street 🕙 10am - 4pm

Get ready to add a splash of colour to your summer with the return of the St Helens Colour Run! Run, walk or skip the 4k route in aid of Willowbrook Hospice. 🗓️ Saturday 28 June 📍 Victoria Park, St Helens Sign up👉 www.willowbrook.org.uk/st-helens-colour-run/

Don't forget, The Teenage Market is returning to Earlestown tomorrow! There'll be a range of products and performances from talented young people, as well as several spring-themed walkaround characters. 🗓️ Saturday 22 March 🕙 10.30am - 3pm 📍 Market Street, Earlestown

Planning a wedding? Look no further than the stunning St Helens Town Hall. Come and take a look at the beautiful rooms for yourself at our wedding open day on Friday 14th March. We still have spaces for viewings between 11am - 3pm. Email [email protected] to book your place 💕

📰 Ahead of #IWD2025 on Saturday, a blue plaque has been unveiled at Cowley International College Sixth Form site to honour the legacy of Sarah Cowley - a trailblazing local woman who passionately campaigned for free education for all, regardless of social class and religion. Full story 👇

Elephant Lane is currently closed in both directions, from Sutton Heath Road to Sherdley Road, following a burst water main. United Utilities are on site carrying out repairs. For more updates, please go to 👇 www.unitedutilities.com/emergencies/...

Following the success of an inaugural event towards the end of last year, The Teenage Market is returning to the historic Earlestown Market later this month for a spring celebration. Find out more, including how to sign up for a stall for free 👇

Ramadan Mubarak to everyone in St Helens borough celebrating.

St Helens Borough Council is set to appoint Mark Palethorpe - its current Director for People's Services as it's new Chief Executive. A cross-party Appointments Committee has recommended council approve the role at a Council meeting next Wednesday.

The council, in partnership with St Helens Parish Church and Halton and St Helens Voluntary Community Action, is hosting a special church service on Sunday 9 March to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2025 Garden Waste Collections will start on Monday. Sign up today to get your Green bin collected: www.sthelens.gov.uk/gardenwaste

Cabinet have approved the proposed Revenue & Capital Budget for 2025/26 that will invest millions in transforming St Helens borough & supporting every resident. The budget will now go to Council on 5th March for final sign off. youtu.be/Arr6DMLqsGg

Our garden waste collection service resumes next week. Don't worry if you've not signed up yet, you still can at sthelens.gov.uk/gardenwaste

Who's coming to the St Helens Pop Up Market this Saturday for some homemade bakes, handcrafted homewares, delicious cakes and much more? Join us from 10am – 4pm with a FREE children’s crafting area where the little ones can create a paper plate rainbow to display at home! #ShopLocal

❗Traffic update❗ Due to a large funeral procession tomorrow, Thursday 20 February, there is likely to be some disruption around the Clock Face area, St Theresa's Church and St Helens Cemetery from 9.30am-12.30pm. Recycling and waste collections may also be affected.

Roses are red, Violets are blue, We recycle them in our green bin, And so can you! 💚 Sign up for our garden waste subscription at sthelens.gov.uk/gardenwaste and your collections will start w/c 3rd March.

We're proudly flying the pride progress flag above St Helens Town Hall to mark LGBT+ History Month, which celebrates the lives and achievements of the LGBTQIA+ community and aims to promote equality and diversity.