This year, Liverpool Twestival (taking place 24 March) is supporting local charity Lister Steps.

We are appealing not just for hard cash donations (but we'll take it if you've got it), but also for practical support-in-kind.

We need anyone with the following skills or resources, plus the time and inclination to help make a difference to get in touch:

  • Somebody to check the portakabin roofs and do some repairs
  • Anyone who can help provide replacement doors
  • Electricians
  • Plumbers
  • Landscape gardners

If you, or anyone you know, might be able to help, please get in touch with us at @TwestivalLiv on Twitter, contact @PaulineCoxy on Twitter or at Pauline@virtuallythesame.co.uk

Who are Lister Steps?

Lister Steps is a community based organisation, founded by parents for parents in 1997. They offer family support services and childcare to families living in and around Tuebrook. Tuebrook is in the top 1% of disadvantaged UK wards.

Lister Steps care for over 700 children aged between 6 weeks and 14 years each week.

They operate from a series of 29 leaky portakabins on the site of the Old Lister Drive Primary School. Many of the children who go to Lister Steps experience disadvantage and the organisation works extremely hard to redress the balance and give the children opportunities to learn skills that will help them achieve their potential both academically and socially.

Lister Steps also enables parents to go out and find work, training or continue with their education and achieve their own potential. As well as supporting local families into work they employ 24 local people, many of whom were unskilled and unemployed before working with the charity.

During 2011 Lister Steps need to fundraise £10,000 to carry out essential repairs to their buildings and grounds to ensure that the building is safe and that the children who currently benefit from the services are able to continue to do so in the future.

So, please, please, please (not too needy?) help us help them build a better future for the families who rely on Lister Steps.

Contact us at @TwestivalLiv on Twitter, @PaulineCoxy on Twitter or at Pauline@virtuallythesame.co.uk