LET’S back our local retailers and businesses in the run up to Christmas.

It’s a clear and simple message from your Star this week, but one we hope our readers will support.

We know the town centres in the borough are enduring their struggles, but hundreds of retailers – employing thousands of people – remain.

Collectively, by buying some Christmas presents locally, spending money in cafes and bars, or booking work Christmas meals here, people can make a significant difference to the economy and help protect jobs.

The council has introduced free parking on Saturdays and last weekend there was an encouraging response, with a strong footfall in St Helens town centre.

Hopefully, that marks a positive start and with plenty of free entertainment lined up for forthcoming weekends we will see high streets and shopping centres bustling with families.

n It's great to see another range of success stories running through the pages of this week's Star. Schools, teachers and GPs have all been lifting regional awards – and doing St Helens proud.

A fortnight on from the Pride of St Helens awards these achievements underline the hard work, honesty and talent of the people in our communities.

We’ve also marked University Centre St Helens’ graduation ceremony on Saturday, with four pages of coverage (see 34 to 37). Watching the graduating students march through the town centre to Parish Church for the ceremony is a special moment and it deserves to be celebrated.

It is important we continue to instil a sense of ambition, self belief and aspiration in young people across the borough, which is something Eamonn McManus, in his role as chairman of the St Helens Economy Board is working hard to do.

Hopefully Eamonn’s words urging them to “never take a backward step” and “make sure nobody tells you, you cannot succeed when the opportunity arises,” will resonate.

- A warm welcome to the new Saints boss Kristian Woolf, who looked right at home taking command of pre-season training. Many of us are still basking in last month's Grand Final triumph (and rightly so) but time doesn't standstill at top level sport and the new boss is already plotting how to make Saints better for next season.

- The thoughts and prayers of Star readers are with Johnny Vegas this week after the death of his mum Pat. We had the privilege of working with her when she was the guest of honour at the opening of the new M&S store. She was an absolute gem and the the video interview of her with Paul Sculthorpe (during which Scully struggled to get a word in edge ways) will live long in the memory.