Pals join forces to make community a happier place

TWO Liverpool friends joined forces to help people in north Liverpool understand each other better and help to improve everyone's lives.

- By DANNY GUTMANN ECHO Reporter

Since 2023, the Social Brokers has been providing what they call “social CPR” to the people of Kirkdale and nearby areas.

‘As an area which draws its population from many countries and cultures it's easy for misunderstandings to spiral into distrust and these two born and bred Liverpudlians want to make sure that doesn’t happen and reverse some of the tensions seen in the area in recent years.

After the outbreak of racist violence on County Road in August 2024, they see their role in the community as being more important than ever.

Moving away from their previous careers, co-founders Paul Walmsley, 56 and Peter Owens, 58 came together in a bid to bring about positive change in the community and they set up their hub based just outside St Lawrence Primary School.

Before co-founding the Social Brokers, Peter had worked for the fire service for 30 years, and towards the end of his time there had been involved in the Violence Reduction Partnership, a Liverpool City Council scheme that brings together “police, the fire service, youth offending and other organisations to make our communities safer and healthier” Meanwhile,