Garstang Focus Magazine - March 2021 by Focus Magazines

FOCUS MAGAZINE 'The Green Book'

GARSTANG - Scorton - Cabus - Garstang - Catterall - Bonds - Bowgreave - St Michaels - Churchtown

Issue 245 March 2021

The Covid-19 vaccine Are you 65 or over? All people aged 65 or over are now being offered the free MHRA approved vaccine. Join the millions of people who have already been vaccinated and start to get life back on track. Remember, you need two doses to get maximum protection from Covid-19.

You’ll be contacted when it’s your turn. Find out more at nhs.uk/Covidvaccine

Welcome to Focus Magazine... Garstang Volunteer Force.............................4

Catterall Gardening Club...............................27

Census 2021..........................................................4

Garstang Library Garden...............................27

Bowls: An Appeal...............................................5

Garstang Quakers..............................................28

Garstang Free Methodists.............................5

RHS Garden Bridgewater..............................28

Calder Vale Methodist Church...................6 Inglewhite Church.............................................7 Lost: Chruchtown Memorabilia..................7 Garstang Wine Circle.......................................9

Garstang Camera Club...................................28 Cardiac Risk in the Young..............................31 Banish the Fear...................................................33

Calder Vale Country Club..............................9

Hearing to Remember....................................35

Garstang Speakers Club................................10

Soroptimists..........................................................37

South Lancashire Speakers Club..............10

Garstang Town Council...................................39

Harmony & Health.............................................10

Ben Wallace..........................................................41

Lancaster Signers..............................................12

Festival Bowland March Events.................44

Garstang Library.................................................14

Wyre Flood Forum............................................45

Garstang Arts Centre.......................................14 Garstang Poetry Group Quiz Special......15 The Inner Wheel.................................................16 Symptom Free Covid Testing......................17

Garstang Fairtrade Quiz.................................48 Grey Matter Test.................................................49 Crossword..............................................................49

Garstang Medical Practice...........................19

Fairtrade Quiz Answers...................................50

Gardening Jobs for March.............................24

Poetry Group Quiz Answers.........................50

Our Community Orchard................................25

Grey Matter Test Answers.............................51

Garstang Gardening Club.............................26

Crossword Answers..........................................51

APRIL 2021 DEADLINE DATE

The April deadline for editorial and adverts is 5:00pm on Monday 15th March Deliveries of the April edition of Focus Magazine will commence Thursday 25th March Over Wyre & Garstang Focus Magazines www.focusmags.co.uk | (01253) 813433 | www.facebook.com/focusmags Event Advertising & Editorial: editorial@focusmags.co.uk Business & Commercial Advertising: helen@focusmags.co.uk Postal submissions: Focus Magazine, 132 Highfield Rd, Blackpool, FY4 2HH Cover design by Phil S Clarkson | Printed by Moulton Printing | © Focus Magazines 2021 While every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine to ensure accuracy, Focus Magazines cannot be held responsible for editorial content supplied by contributors. Our acceptance of an editorial item or an advertisement does not necessarily indicate our endorsement of the products, services or views contained within it.

GARSTANG VOLUNTEER FORCE Our brilliant volunteers are helping the Garstang Medical Practice by marshalling their Covid vaccination clinics. Despite the freezing and sometimes very wet weather, they have been making sure that people get in and out of the medical centre for their appointment as quickly and easily as possible, and we have received some lovely feedback from patients.

local school pupils so that they can continue learning during lockdown. So far we’ve helped children from St. Thomas’s Primary, Garstang Community Primary and Garstang Community Academy. We are really grateful to the Bellflower for being a drop off point for us, to Dawn Cheetham for arranging PAT testing and Plexio UK for data wiping all the laptops before they go out again.

We have had some lovely gifts of supplies to help keep the volunteers going, including biscuits from the Royal Oak, tea, coffee and snacks from Sainsburys and sparkling water from the Wyrebank - a big thank you to them all.

Our call centre is currently not operating although someone will occasionally pick up any voice-mail messages that are left. The best way to contact us is by sending us a message via our Facebook page as this is from where we co-ordinate everything.

We’ve also sorted out patient transport for someone needing urgent hospital appointments when NHS patient transport wasn’t available.

Mary Randles fb: Garstang Volunteer Force

We have been taking donations of laptops for

We hope that restrictions will start to ease soon, but in the meantime stay safe everyone.

CENSUS 2021

Census 2021 Will Provide a Snapshot of Modern Society Households across Wyre will soon be asked to take part in Census 2021. The census is a once-in-a-decade survey that gives us the most accurate estimate of all the people and households in England and Wales. It has been carried out every decade since 1801, with the exception of 1941. It will be the first census run predominantly online, with households receiving a letter with a unique access code, allowing them to complete the questionnaire on their computers, phones or tablets. ‘A successful census will ensure everyone from local government to charities can put

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CENSUS 2021 (cont)

GARSTANG FREE METHODISTS

services and funding in the places where they are most needed’, Iain Bell, deputy national statistician at the Office for National Statistics, said.

How lovely that the daylight hours are noticeably longer and we are looking forward to the end of lockdown and warmer weather!

‘This could mean things like doctors’ surgeries, schools and new transport routes. That’s why it is so important everyone takes part and we have made it easier for people to do so online on any device, with help and paper questionnaires for those that need them.’ Census day will be on Thurs 21st Mar, but households across the country will receive letters with online codes allowing them to take part from early March. The census will include questions about your sex, age, work, health, education, household size and ethnicity. And, for the first time, there will be a question asking people whether they have served in the armed forces, as well as voluntary questions for those aged 16 and over on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Our building work is complete and we are planning to start live streaming worship with in-person services when it is safe to do so. Until then all our weekly GFM @Home services are available to view on our website. On there you will also find links to our kids’ services and details of the meetings we are holding virtually on Zoom. There are also links to helpful information on parenting and mental health. We can’t wait to start up all our regular activities again when we are able to - from Toddle-In to Friday Focus - and we look forward to welcoming you back. Katie Devany e: info@garstangfmc.org.uk www.garstangfmc.org.uk

Results will be available within 12 months, although personal records will be locked away for 100 years, kept safe for future generations. www.census.gov.uk

BOWLS: AN APPEAL Garstang Subscription Bowling Club plans to hold ‘Introducing Bowling Days’ when conditions permit. It is a great way to exercise and meet throughout the spring and summer. But first, an appeal. For any number of reasons bowlers stop bowling - if you have any crown green bowls that are no longer needed and they can be donated to the club it would be a huge help for when we invite new players to attend our open days in springtime. We will arrange collection. Just call or text on the number below to arrange. Dave Rochester 07767 428 923

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CALDER VALE METHODIST CHURCH Along with most other churches in the area we await the reopening of our church for Sunday worship. If you would like details of our weekly Sunday worship, bible studies and coffee mornings (via Zoom) please contact me. These can be accessed by telephone if you don’t have access to online services. There are also weekly Lent studies available, and, of course, lots of paper-based material. Our weekly Friday Lunches are still going strong. It is almost a year since we started the weekly deliveries from the Lunch Box. Don’t forget these need to be pre-ordered via me. The period of Lent has already begun. Pancakes eaten and maybe chocolates put to one side for a while. In this extended period of lockdown when we have given up so much maybe we need to focus on what we can do rather than what we can’t.

Activity Village - www.activityvillage.co.uk - has lots of free printable material and ideas relevant to the seasons of the year. One thing they suggest is ‘Spread a Little Sunshine’ - the idea being to send a postcard or letter to someone different each day to say you are not forgotten and you are very much in my thoughts. It needn’t be a card or letter - perhaps a phone call or text. Anything that lets someone know they are not alone. There are many symbols associated with Lent: ashes, sackcloth, rocks, bread, hot cross buns, fasting, lilies and foot washing to name a few. Here are two more I came across with their relevance to these times. Pussy Willow: a name given to many smaller species of willows and sallows whose catkins in early spring are covered with fine, greyish fur which people have likened to the fur of kittens or “pussies.” These soft, male catkins last about two weeks before leaves begin to emerge and the catkins disintegrate. Because pussy willows are one of the earliest budding trees in spring, they have become a symbol of Lent and Easter. As the soft buds emerge on the barren willow branches, so Christ rose from the barren tomb and brought life out of His death. Lord, in the barren places of our lives, we need your soft touch and the hope of new life. Grant that this hope bud in us, Lord. Amen. Open Hands: ready to give and ready to receive. We come before God with open hands, to receive what He wants to give us and then to return it to others. Open hands symbolize the spirit of Lent. We come before God in fasting and prayer, receptive to His Spirit. Then we go out into the world, giving freely our alms of time and money to those in need. Lord, give me a spirit of openness to you and to your gifts. Let me return to others what You have given to me. Amen. Stay well and stay safe. Edith Gorst (01995) 602078

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INGLEWHITE CHURCH Coffee Stop As we move into spring we’re still unable to open our community cafes in Catterall or Inglewhite and invite you in for a cuppa. It will be a real joy when we can! Alpha Course Meanwhile we have an exciting invitation to share with you: Alpha is a chance to explore life and the Christian faith in a friendly, open and informal way. Covid has caused us all to question, so maybe this is the perfect time to explore life together. If you have a spare few minutes maybe access more information via this link www.alpha.org.uk/watch The Alpha course starts on Sun 7th March at 7:00pm via Zoom. It will be wonderful to welcome you to join us. Don’t be put off by the tech, we will support you to get connected.

Why not try Alpha? There’s no pressure, no follow up and no charge. What have you got to lose? If you would like to find out more or to register for the first session please contact us via this email address inglewhitechurch@outlook. com and we will gladly be in touch. We look forward to connecting with you soon. Lesley Hardman

LOST: CHURCHTOWN MEMORABILIA Churchtown Millennium Book & Box File Your urgent assistance is required to locate the important memorabilia created to mark our personal record in history. The Millennium Book and accompanying box file have been on display at Patronal Festivals in St Helen’s Church, Churchtown. They are now both misplaced.

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CHURCHTOWN MEMORABILIA (cont) In the run up to the year 2000 many residents within Kirkland Parish compiled an album, recording the lives, thoughts and memories of people living in the parish at that time. People donated photographs, newspaper cuttings, posters and audio tapes for the album so that they may be kept in one place for future reference as an archive. The finished product consisted of a beautiful book with a sycamore wood cover containing the original accounts and an accompanying box file containing additional material. Both the book and the additional items were placed in green baize boxes. Many people were involved and went to a great deal of trouble to complete this record for future generations to enjoy. The funding for this project had been supported by a grant from the Awards for All organisation. It is quite possible these two items were packed away in error along with someone else’s exhibits after an event’s final day! Another scenario to the loss of these items, is that they have been loaned out but were sadly never returned!

Est. 1970

Although large - both are about the size of a traditional box file - they could easily be sitting unnoticed somewhere at the bottom of a bookcase or under a pile of books, or now languish in some forgotten corner waiting to be discovered.

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Despite previous attempts to trace the lost items, we now implore all residents of the area to assist in finding the whereabouts of the two green baize boxes. Your efforts are greatly appreciated, thank you. If you are able to assist in relocating the lost items please get in touch. Anne Walmsley t: (01995) 602660 m: 07779 273980 e: ae.walmsley@gmail.com

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GARSTANG WINE CIRCLE Our speaker for this meeting was Richard Harrison, who whisked us around the other side of the world to give us a presentation of New Zealand wines. In a change of format for the meeting, Richard suggested that members should decide on their own selection of wines from the stock at Booths, with six reds and seven whites on his list. The presentation was a general overview of New Zealand wine, with details of the wine producing areas in the country. This clearly showed the bias towards the production of white wine in New Zealand. Hardly surprising, as since the 1980s, wines produced from Sauvignon Blanc have dominated the offerings from that country on our supermarket and wineshop shelves. The expansion of the industry however has resulted in the production of significant amounts of red wine, particularly from Pinot Noir, some of which is highly rated by wine drinkers. The presentation covered the Hawkes Bay area in more detail as Richard has family living there, with plenty of pictures of vineyards and the wonderful food available in that area. Our thanks must go to Richard for the excellent and interesting presentation. It certainly brought back memories to me of two wonderful visits to the country. The next meeting on Mon 15th March will look at Italy with a presentation by Jennifer McNamee. Mervyn Stokes

CALDER VALE COUNTRY CLUB Another month in lockdown has passed. Spring is round the corner and the pandemic is showing signs of retreat! So, hopefully we can look forward to fewer restrictions and a cautious return to ‘normal’. We will be ready to open as soon as we are permitted. Ros Ashworth (01995) 603776

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GARSTANG SPEAKERS CLUB

STH. LANCASTER SPEAKERS CLUB

How much higher up the promotion ladder could you get if your speaking and presentation skills were practised and honed in a friendly supportive environment?

The club is meeting via Zoom. It is amazing how successful these meetings have been.

The ability to speak and listen at business meetings is an important addition to any CV. The fundamental skills learned at a speakers club are fully transferable to any work based activity. Garstang Speakers Club is currently meeting on Zoom starting at 7:00pm on Tues 2nd &16th March. Even Zoom skills are necessary at this time so come and see what we can offer. Sue Hubbard t: (01253) 701019 (Sheila Croft) e: garstangspeakersclub@gmail.com fb: ‘Garstang Speakers Club’ www.garstangladiesspeakersclub.org

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Friendly and welcoming with no pressure. People join us to become more confident. More confident both in work and in everyday life situations. People join us to socialise. People join for a variety of reasons or perhaps no definable reason at all. The club usually meets at the Methodist Church Schoolroom, Forton but currently we regularly ‘Zoom’ on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at 7:30pm. We can show you how to join us in a Zoom meeting on your laptop, desktop, tablet or phone if you are unfamiliar with the platform. Become a better speaker, better presenter and better leader or just make new friends! Give us a try. You will be made very welcome. What have you to lose? Diana Douglas t: (01995) 600621 e: louisej333@gmail.com www.southlancasterspeakers.club

HARMONY & HEALTH Remote Singing Sessions We would like to extend an invitation to anyone out there who would like to join us for our remote singing sessions. You will need to have a device with internet connectivity and my husband and I will fully support you, if you are unfamiliar with the technology. Words and music are provided through your computer/tablet/laptop and there is no cost for joining in. Our sessions are held on Tuesday afternoons from 1:30pm - 2:30pm and on Wednesday mornings from 10:00am - 11:00am. You are not committed to attending for a specific number of sessions. If you are interested, please get in touch. Ann Cameron 07966 126999 Alan Cameron 07825 271344

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LANCASTER SINGERS Come & Join our Rehearsals Have you ever wondered what it’s like to sing online? Well, it’s different, that’s for sure. And while it will never replace the warmth and joy we get when we’re together, we’re making the most of what we’ve got. We meet via Zoom at 7:30pm on Tuesdays and usually begin with a ‘catch-up’ in smaller breakout groups. Duncan Lloyd, our inspirational director, then takes charge and will start with some physical and vocal warm up exercises. It’s good fun and you may even find one or two muscles you didn’t know you had. You can always leave your camera off if you’d rather. We’re currently working on a new collection of beautiful folk songs and some other pieces and are planning for live performances later in the year. We stay ‘muted’ and sing along to recorded tracks. To get the music, you can borrow books from our library, download PDFs, or buy it - the folk song books are about £12. Why not give it a go? We’ve recruited two new ‘virtual’ members so far and there’s plenty of room for more. If you need help on the technical side, there’s loads of support available and we can always put on a prerehearsal ‘tech’ session. In the first instance call Sarah Jackson on 07929 031 466 or email welcome@ lancastersingers.org Lancaster Singers is an auditioned choir, so our usual ‘light-touch’ auditions will resume when we eventually get back together. You’ll get all the support you need when that time comes. So what are you waiting for? We hope we’ll see you on Tuesday! Chris Haughton - Chairman m: 07976 875 586 www.lancastersingers.org

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GARSTANG LIBRARY Garstang Library is open with reduced opening hours and limited services. If you only want to return books, you can drop them into a returned books container during the revised library opening hours, without an appointment or entering the library building. Garstang Library will also be open for essential computer use, photocopying, printing, at the door collection of pre-issued reservations and Six of the Best selections, with measures in place to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. All charges have been suspended until further notice. Access Your Library at Home Did you know that you can access free eBooks, eAudiobooks, comics, magazines and daily newspapers? Find out more and download step-by-step guides through our digital library on the website.

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Home Library Service You can use this service if you can’t get to a library because of your age, disability, poor physical or mental health, caring responsibilities or mobility problems. You may want to use the service all the time or for a short period, such as only in winter or when recovering from an illness or operation. A friend, relative or carer can collect books for you. If you can’t arrange for someone to collect them for you, volunteers can deliver your books to you free of charge. If you are interested in joining the Home Library Service or for more information get in touch. Mobile Library There are some changes to the service to keep everyone safe, so please call Glenys on 0771 754 3763 or email garstang.mobile. ml3@lancashire.gov.uk to find out more information and to find out times of stops near you. Contact the Library For the most recent updates on opening times and the services available at Lancashire Libraries, please get in touch: t: 0300 123 6703 e: garstang.library@lancashire.gov.uk fb: @lancslibraries twitter: @lancspublib www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries-andarchives

GARSTANG ARTS CENTRE Songbirds Hello ladies. Yet another month has slipped by which makes it a year since we were together singing for pleasure. I am sure, like me, you are missing the joy of each others company, sharing conversation,

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GARSTANG ARTS CENTRE (cont)

GARSTANG POETRY GROUP

a brew and of course the music.

Quiz Special (ans page 50)

Let us hope that it wont be long before our lives can be back to some sort of normality (have we forgotten what that is) but in the meantime do keep well, stay safe and hopefully see you soon. Avril Bevan Garstang Musical Productions After a very productive AGM, GMP are planning our next exciting adventure. We are moving into the 21st century and have formed a virtual choir. We are rehearsing on Zoom and are working hard to perform on social media for the first time on Mothering Sunday. If you would like to hear the performance, you can follow our Facebook page which will also keep you updated with 2021 news and plans. Rebecca Sudell

Calling all poetry whizzes - do you know your Burns from your Blake? Test your knowledge of these famous opening lines and the poets who penned them with a special poetry quiz from Garstang Poetry Group. 1. Oh, to be in England now that April’s there 2. Let me die a youngman’s death

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GARSTANG POETRY GROUP (cont) 3. Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white 4. Tyger! Tyger! burning bright 5. Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths 6. The bells of waiting Advent ring 7. You may write me down in history 8. Be nice to yu turkeys dis Christmas 9. I saw a jolly hunter 10. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? 11. Do not go gentle into that good night 12. Nobody heard him, the dead man 13. The curfew tolls the knell of parting day 14. Do not stand at my grave and weep 15. If you can keep your head when all about you 16. O my luve’s like a red, red rose 17. Yes. I remember Adlestrop 18. “Is there anybody there?” Said the r Open fo & s s busine g in r e adh ty fe a s o t es guidelin

traveller 19. This is the night mail crossing the Border 20. ‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Garstang Poetry Group

THE INNER WHEEL CLUB Who would have thought that the ominous clouds developing and that we now know as Covid would still be with us? Nearly a year ago did any of us really think that our lives were going to be impacted in such a devastating way? Our club now sees Zoom as a way of life, albeit temporarily. We drink coffee together, host guest speakers and indeed encourage guests to join us if and when they can. We do, however, all long for the day when we can meet in person. Is there a chink of light on the horizon? We have to believe that there is.

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THE INNER WHEEL CLUB (cont)

SYMPTOM FREE COVID TESTING

The vaccination programme has been truly amazing. All our members who are eligible have had their first dose and some have dates for their second. Our members want to pay a very special tribute to all those involved in the programme - the medical staff, of course, but also the legions of helpers. You have all given your time so willingly and often standing out in the cold weather for long periods of time.

For Workers in Wyre

Hopefully the good times are not too far away and our club will be able to do our bit for the community without the risk of either contracting or transmitting this awful disease. We will have some fun, fellowship and fundraising. But not just yet. Please get in touch if you would like to know more about the work of Inner Wheel.

The centre is open from 9:00am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday. Testing is free and you do not need to make an appointment.

Mary Mason t: (01995) 603447 e: marytmason@icloud.com

Wyre Council is offering regular, rapid Covid testing to symptom-free workers who have to leave their home to work. A new lateral flow testing centre has been set up at Thornton Leisure Centre and symptomfree workers are now encouraged to get tested at least once a week and if possible every three to five days.

Lateral flow testing devices are used with results given in around 30 minutes. You need a mobile number or email address to register when you arrive. You do not need to wait at the centre for your results - these will be sent to your mobile number and / or email address. If you have symptoms, you must not attend these drop-in sessions and should self-

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SYMPTOM-FREE TESTING (cont) isolate immediately. Anyone feeling unwell can book a test via the NHS website, the NHS COVID-19 app or by calling 119.

is concerned they may have Covid should book a test in the normal way - through the NHS website, app or by calling 119.

Councillor David Henderson, Leader of Wyre Council comments, ‘We’re inviting anyone who has to leave home to work to get tested at least once a week. The centre is open for anyone who is self-employed or who works for a business not currently offering testing.

‘The centre is a pilot for Wyre and if it proves to be successful we will look at how we can offer the testing at other sites in the borough.’

‘Symptom-free testing is currently voluntary, but it will help people to make informed decisions to help keep themselves and their families safe.

Councillor Henderson continues, ‘Selfisolating is crucial for stopping the spread of Covid and is a legal requirement for anyone who tests positive. By staying at home you are stopping the spread in the community, literally saving lives. If you are on a low income, you may be entitled to the self-isolation support payment and if you don’t have the support of friends or family our community hub is here to help.’

‘It is estimated that around one in three people might not display symptoms but are still infectious. In order to bring rates down it’s vital to break these chains of infection and repeated testing may help us do that. ‘The testing centre is for those who can only work by leaving their home. Anyone else who

Anyone testing positive will need to selfisolate for 10 days, along with their household or support bubble.

www.wyre.gov.uk/coronavirus

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GARSTANG MEDICAL PRACTICE Covid Vaccination Thank you to everyone who has attended our Covid vaccination clinics over the past few months. Special thanks to Garstang Volunteer Force for helping our patients to navigate the car park and ensure safe entry and exit to the building. Thanks to Garstang Town Council and Kepple Lane Park Trust for their support and ongoing permission for our staff to park on the scout hut car park on vaccination days. And a big thank you to all our clinical and non-clinical staff and volunteers for all their hard work ensuring the smooth running of the vaccination programme. At the time of writing (Thurs 12th Feb) we are very pleased to announce that we have now vaccinated 30% of our patient population. Patients will continue to be called in age and risk category order in accordance with the current government guidelines.

Please be assured that we are here to offer you the medical support and care you need. If you have any concerns about your health you must contact us. We respectfully request that you do not come down to surgery unless you have an appointment. If attending for an appointment, please do not arrive any more than five minutes before your appointment time and to maintain social distancing, please do not enter the reception area unless you have pressed the intercom and spoken to a receptionist first. Self-Care During Covid Pandemic Any self-care you can administer to yourself and your families for minor ailments during this time will obviously help to ease the pressure on our clinicians. Please see our website for advice on appropriate self-care or visit the Self Care Forum.

One by one we are all working together to ensure, in the words of the late truly inspirational Captain Sir Tom Moore #TomorrowWillBeAGoodDay. For more on the Covid vaccine visit www. nhs.uk/CovidVaccine Appointments Due to the current uncertainty around the schedule and delivery of the vaccines we are unable to offer pre-bookable routine GP appointments at this time. Appointments are available every weekday and we would encourage patients to contact the surgery from 8:00am each day to arrange a consultation with one of our clinicians for the same day. Pre-bookable appointments with our nursing team will continue as normal. We hope to resume our normal routine appointment booking system as soon as possible.

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GARSTANG MEDICAL (cont) Blood Pressure Monitoring: Lots of people take medication to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Traditionally you may have been asked to come in to see your practice nurse, pharmacist or GP to get your blood pressure checked periodically. It’s recommended that all adults over 40 years of age have their blood pressure tested at least every five years so any potential problems can be detected early. If you are on treatment for high blood pressure, you will be asked to undertake monitoring more often, at least annually. We know that home blood pressure monitoring can provide a clearer, more accurate picture of your true blood pressure and give a better overview of how well any medications you take are controlling things, allowing you to keep a closer check on your condition in the long term. During the current pandemic, having the ability to check

your blood pressure at home is a useful way of reducing unnecessary face-to-face interactions with other people. Blood pressure monitors can be purchased from around £15. Most pharmacies will have these in stock to buy and of course they are also easily available online from stores. Your local pharmacist can give you some advice about how to use the machine if needed. Domestic Abuse Domestic abuse is unacceptable in any situation, no matter what stresses anyone is under. Measures introduced to tackle Covid have seen people’s day-to-day lives drastically altered and, in many cases, increased isolation and vulnerability. Government advice to ‘stay home’ can cause anxiety for those in difficult home situations. The stay-at-home instruction does NOT apply if you need to leave your home to escape domestic abuse. There is concern at both local and national level the numbers of disclosures of domestic abuse are rising. Domestic abuse does not just relate to physical abuse. Domestic abuse is often a hidden crime and not reported to the police. That said, the crime survey for England and Wales estimated that 2.3 million adults aged 16 – 74 had experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2020 (www.ons.gov.uk). It was not until 2015 that coercive and controlling behaviour within an intimate or family relationship was established as a criminal offence in the Serious Crime Act 2015 and came into force in December 2015.

•

Does someone close to you threaten you?

•

Do they call you names and put you down?

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GARSTANG MEDICAL (cont) •

Is your life being controlled by the person you live with?

•

Are you feeling isolated?

try to keep the line open. The operator will immediately inform the police that you have used the ‘55’ code and will send urgent help.

•

Are you afraid to go home?

•

Would you like to talk to someone in confidence about abuse that affects you or someone you know?

•

Would you like to know your options?

Fylde Coast Women’s Aid - (01253) 596699: FCWA offers free advice to individuals living in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse

•

National Domestic Violence Helpline - 0808 2000 247: The Helpline can find a refuge vacancy for you and your children. They can also help you find specialist support in your community

•

Respect - 0808 802 4040 or visit their website www.respectphoneline.org. uk: Confidential helpline, email and web chat service for anyone concerned about their violence or abuse towards a partner or ex-partner and wanting support to change

Patients will always be encouraged to call the surgery and speak to a member of our team to seek help or ask for advice. There are also many professional agencies available who can help. All of the agencies listed below can be contacted directly. None of them require a referral from a GP, Police or other agency. The Silent Solution: If you are in danger but cannot talk, dial 999 then press 55 and

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ARE YOU EXPERIENCING

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ASK FOR ANI

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Our pharmacy has the ASK FOR ANI symbol on display, this means we are ready to help.

STEP 2

Approach a member of staff and ASK FOR ANI.

STEP 3

They will offer you a private space, provide a phone and ask if you want a 999 police response or to speak to a domestic abuse support helpline. For further information VISIT: GOV.UK/DOMESTIC-ABUSE

Action Needed Immediately 22

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GARSTANG MEDICAL (cont) •

Men’s Advice Line - 0808 801 0327 or visit info@mensadviceline.org.uk: Provides confidential support to increase the safety of men experiencing domestic abuse (and the safety of any children)

•

Galop - 0800 999 5428 or help@ galop.org.uk: National LGBT Domestic Violence Helpline

•

Lancashire Victim Support - 0300 323 0085

•

Clare’s Law: The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (known as Clare’s Law) allows people who are concerned about the possibility that their partner may have a history of violent or abusive behaviour to contact the police to formally request information regarding this. This request can be made by phoning the police on 101 or online at www.lancashire.police.uk

•

Ask for ANI: Thousands of pharmacies across the country have signed up to launch the new government scheme designed as another way for victims to safely access help and support. Participating pharmacies will have posters displayed both outside and inside to advertise that their staff are trained and will understand if someone asks for ANI (pronounced Annie). Kepple Lane Pharmacy and Well Pharmacy Garstang are among some of the local pharmacies who are engaged with the scheme. The person asking for assistance will be taken directly to a private space and help will be obtained.

#YouAreNotAlone t: (01995) 607399 e: fwccg.gmpadmin@nhs.net fb: @garstangmedicalpractice www.garstangmedicalpractice.nhs.uk

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A FOCUS ON GARDENS GARDENING JOBS FOR MARCH March heralds the start of spring. Usually, by mid-month we can expect sunny days which give the gardeners amongst us a long-awaited opportunity to get busy in our gardens, but heed the wise words of Jan from Catterall Gardening Club who advises us to not overdo it too much when starting back in the garden – we need to get those gardening muscles going again! Here’s a few top jobs to tick-off this month: •

Weed and tidy up flower beds and borders, then mulch generously with garden compost

•

Top-up your containers with fresh compost

•

Use general-purpose fertiliser on flower beds and around roses, shrubs and hedges

•

Protect new spring shoots from slug damage

•

Plant summer-flowering bulbs such as lilies and crocosmia

•

Start sowing hardy annuals such as chrysanthemums and poppies

•

Feed ericaceous shrubs (camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas etc) with an ericaceous fertiliser

•

Lift and divide overgrown perennials to promote vigorous growth

•

If we experience some dry days, give your lawn the first cut of the spring

•

Finish pruning both bush and climbing roses (best done early in the month)

•

Plant early potatoes, shallots and onions

Happy gardening readers!

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A FOCUS ON GARDENS OUR COMMUNITY ORCHARD Last year, whilst visiting Sedbergh in Cumbria, I was inspired by a community orchard that had been developed on the edge of the town. I loved the idea of a place that could be enjoyed by our school families and the local community.

that will follow! I will also look forward to seeing the Reception children standing next to their tree when they are in Year 6, about to move on to high school.

Taking the idea back to school, my forest school leader and I considered how and where we could develop an area of our school site. We are lucky to have a huge sports field which is just a short walk from our school. Although it is a great resource, it is under-used as it really only lends itself to PE lessons in the summer and football training.

This is a significant and poignant moment for our school and one that has been clearly appreciated when reading the positive feedback we have since received. The Covid pandemic has been incredibly difficult for everyone so being able to give something back to the community is so important and fulfilling.

We decided that we would use the top section of the field, closest to the pedestrian gate to plant our orchard. Local suppliers were used to source fruit trees and we also acquired some from the Tree Council. We asked our school families if they would like to donate a tree and the response was incredible! Over the next few days, we were inundated by requests to plant a tree.

Victoria Gladwin - Acting Headteacher t: 01253 810324 www.fleetwoods.lancs.sch.uk

In the week of planting in February, we were blessed with dry but very cold weather. Our families were invited to book an individual slot to come and plant their tree and by the end of the week we had planted an orchard of 36 trees! This was a very special time for all involved; particularly those who planted a tree as a memorial for a recently lost loved one. Eventually, each tree will have a plaque to identify who it was donated by and we intend to further develop the area with benches and spring bulbs. Hopefully this will become an area that families and members of the local community will come and visit and enjoy for many years to come. We are all excited for the first sightings of blossom and of course the fruits

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A FOCUS ON GARDENS GARSTANG GARDENING CLUB A Brief History

The seeds which led to the formation of the Garstang and District Gardening Club were sown by Ben Andrews. Ben retired in summer 1986 as a horticultural lecturer at Myerscough College and started up a day course in gardening at St Thomas’s Parish Hall, Garstang. After 12 months Ben and his ‘pupils’ decided to start a gardening club. Around 40 people attended the first meeting, and 80 a month later. A committee was formed, with Ben as acting chairman. A programme was arranged, with meetings on the first Monday of the month through the autumn and winter along with summer visits to gardens, nurseries, etc.. The first evening session was in September, 1987, when Fred Downham was guest speaker.

In its first year membership peaked at 147. More recently it has been around the 100 mark, with attendances being widely variable depending on both subject and weather. Fred Downham, a personal friend of Ben’s and very much a ‘character’ (probably then at the height of his career as a writer and broadcaster) was elected club president early on and proved of huge value through his wide range of contacts. The programme has remained fairly constant over the years with summer activities expanded to include a range of evening local visits, full day coach trips and a three day gardens tour. There’s a summer show with flowers, fruit and vegetables and a spring show which coincides with the annual meeting, which centres mainly on bulbs. The biggest change at the club was the move

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A FOCUS ON GARDENS GARSTANG GARDENING (cont) from St Thomas’s Parish Hall, Garstang, to the Crofters Hotel, Cabus. The change came about in autumn 2012 due to the poor condition of the parish hall (since converted into several new homes).  * This is an updated version of an article on the club’s website. Ben Andrews died in January 2020.  * The club’s programme is currently suspended due to the Covid crisis, though members receive an occasional newsletter. Once restrictions are lifted and meetings permitted, full details will appear in Focus Magazine, other local print and online. Anthony Coppin

CATTERALL GARDENING CLUB Another gardening season approaches and we were hopeful that we would be able to meet in person again after missing the whole of our programme last year but it is looking like we will have to wait a while longer. We had re-booked almost all last year’s speakers for this year in anticipation of a March start but that will not now be possible and we will have to take each month as it comes and make a decision as near to the time as possible. We certainly hope that, with the roll out of the vaccination programme and the protection it gives, we will be able to meet in person at some point this year (fingers and everything else crossed). We have the email addresses of those of you who joined as members in 2019 and will use that as a way to get information out to you and we do have a Catterall Gardening Club Facebook page. Please note that you do not have to have a Facebook account to view this as it is available to everyone. In the meantime we hope you are limbering up your gardening muscles ready for another year of digging, sowing, planting and pruning

and, of course, weeding! For further information please get in touch. Jan Finch (01995) 604771 / 07990 893800 Netta Parker (01995) 605385 fb: @catterallgardeningclub

GARSTANG LIBRARY GARDEN The daffodils at the front of the library have brought a smile to all our faces. If, like the staff here, you would like some inspiration for your own garden, why not check out the selection of gardening e-books and magazines that are available via our digital resources? www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries-andarchives/libraries/digital-library

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A FOCUS ON GARDENS GARSTANG QUAKERS

RHS GARDEN BRIDGEWATER

The Meeting House Springs to Life

RHS Bridgewater Opening May

Our Quaker Meeting House is, of course, still closed, however the flowers don’t know that and are just starting to come to life. People are welcome to come and enjoy the spring bulbs and flowers in the peaceful and tranquil setting. Judith Taylor e: garstangquakers@gmail.com

The Paradise Garden at RHS Bridgewater

The Royal Horticultural Society is developing its 5th public garden at Worsley, Greater Manchester.

They had hoped to open the 154 acre site last year but due to the Covid epidemic the opening had to be postponed but is now scheduled for May 2021. Further details about the garden can be obtained from www.rhs.org.uk/gardens Joyce Wilson

GARSTANG CAMERA CLUB

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Hello to all camera enthusiasts and others wishing to improve their skills. Since I last wrote we have had two excellent presentations... Dave Bibby who talked on ‘A-Z Back to Basics’. It’s quite easy to forget early lessons in photography as we advance (or maybe that’s just me). He is quite an established photographer but

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GARSTANG CAMERA CLUB (cont)

HOME

MAINTENANCE SERVICES has started to shoot many of his images on his smart phone so anyone out there without an array of kit, this is a good opening. Roger Geldard gave us a trip around Japan’s Winter Wildlife. Funny, but I never thought of Japan having deer, monkeys and eagles in such climatic conditions. Still, it is quite close to Vladivostok. Roger introduced most members to some excellent Sony cameras too. March Programme •

Wed 3rd March: Judging of our internal competition ‘Anything Goes’. Who knows what to expect?

•

Wed 10th March: Mike Martin on ‘It’s Not What you See, it’s What you Make’

•

Wed 17th March: Lee Sutton on ‘My Photographic Journey’

Lockdown has prevented us from getting out and about with our gear but as I write this, there are ‘rumours’ that this may end sooner than I expected according to the press (I don’t know why they are not in the House of Commons!). Anyway, what will be will be. It may be that we can meet in the Arts Centre for next years session. Who knows? Keep on keeping safe, no matter what the outcome is.

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CARDIAC RISK IN THE YOUNG Matthew Hesmondhalgh Memorial Fund With freezing February frosts, below zero temperatures and icy blasts we’re definitely in the depths of winter’s grip as I write this; however, the outstanding big-heartedness of many once more warms the soul. For some the cold weather has provided an opportunity for creativity to blossom and we’re grateful to our crafty devotees for the lovely items that have been made and to those who have given them a new home in exchange for a donation to the fund. For others ‘Lockdown’ has provided a chance to get out and explore our lovely locality and we’re very grateful to Visit Garstang Centre who promote and sell ‘A Ramble around Catterall and District’ by Joe Lane, and to our friend and author who very generously continues to donate the proceeds to Matt’s Fund. Despite the pandemic causing their show ‘Under the Glitterball 2020’ to be cancelled, the pupils, families and sponsors of The Paula Boscott School of Dance still managed to raise an amazing £2,691 in what has been a very difficult year. Well done, and a huge thank you to everyone involved. Recently CRY have received several donations directly to Matt’s Memorial Fund via their website. On behalf of those who will be screened (when Covid permits), we’d like to say a huge thank you the family of Jean Hill, to David Coppini and to Garstang Musical Productions for your kind words and support. March usually heralds our delightfully colourful springtime Country Coffee Morning. Instead, like so many, it seems we’re destined to remain nestled-up to the log burner for a little longer this year. Let’s hope it’s soon - we miss you all! Take care and keep safe. Paula Hesmondhalgh t: 07785 106 976 e: paulahez.ph@gmail.com fb: @The Matthew Hesmondhalgh Memorial Fund

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LYTHAM, ST ANNES, BLACKPOOL, STAINING, POULTON, BISPHAM, THORNTON, CLEVELEYS, FLEETWOOD, HAMBLETON, STALMINE, PREESALL, KNOTT-END, PILLING, GARSTANG, ST MICHAELS, SINGLETON.

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BANISH THE FEAR Fear. Cold hearted fear holds you. One bony hand upon each shoulder holding you down as you stare at the screen before you, its flickering light feeding you with terror. As far as I can make out, may of our media outlets now behave as immoral manipulators of propaganda. No dissenting voices and no context, but one narrow aspect of a very complex story - just the bit that grabs the headlines. Death. Their tactics are simple: Take a headline – ‘51 US school children died of Covid last year’, interview a devastated parent, show a picture of their poor child in a hospital bed, a desperately sad tale that makes us scared for our families, then move on to another terror headline. No context. No perspective. Just death and scare mongering. Now let’s add the context. The above occurred in America where there are 56 million children of school age. Therefore, there is less than a one in a million chance of it happening. That does not make it any less sad but it does help us understand without fear. Now some perspective: the year before, in 2019, 650 school age children died of flu in the USA. Each and every one of those deaths equally sad and awful but never mentioned. This is not about making one death worse than another, it is about showing the living, those of us burdened with the sadness, how we can carry on without fear. Late last September the Cambridge University Press attempted to put the Covid crisis in some perspective and their well-balanced piece, ‘The COVID 19 Pandemic: The Public Health Reality’ called for a restoration of responsible journalism. This fell on deaf ears. Let me try to dispel some of this fear with a few facts: Did you know if you have the virus and go home to a partner their chance of becoming ill is just 17%. Your partner has an 83% chance of not getting ill. Yet you live with them, breathe the same air as them, share a

bed, a bath, a sofa with them. The odds when you are out in normal life are about 4% (when you are with, or close to, an infectious person for quite a while). If you are in the open air the chances of becoming infected are virtually zero. So those unsettling moments where someone crosses the street or veers out of your way staring at you in terror are more a result of the psychological abuse they have been subjected to than scientific fact. Now let us put 2020 in context shall we? Over 95 per cent of the total number of deaths attributed to Covid in the UK had at least one pre-existing health condition. Of the remaining 2,697 in which a pre-existing health condition didn’t appear on their death certificate, just 486 were under 60 years of age in 11 months of the epidemic. 1 There is more than four times the risk of dying on our roads if you are under 60. And if your Vitamin D levels and metabolic health are good and you are older, then the risk is also small. We have an ageing population. Numbers of people in their 70s and 80s has increased substantially. If one takes this into account when looking at deaths last year we see that 2020 was surpassed in terms of deaths per 100,000 by the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. And if we take just all cause mortality 2020 comes in at 12 on the list from the last 79 years. Never before have I encountered such a sense of desperation in many of my patients, caused in the main by the isolation and claustrophobia of lockdown. I am sensing unhappy people close to breaking point. My own dear Aunt tells me to not even stand in her garden because, ‘The risk is too great.’ She is bound down by unrelenting fear. Is the risk too great? Is this fear helping her or ruining what remains of her days? I do not doubt that such scenes are familiar to many of you. None of us have been untouched

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BANISH THE FEAR (cont) by the last year and all that has gone on. So I appeal to all of you for compassion as you read this; compassion for each other, care for one another and love for the positive aspects of being human. I will refrain from dismantling the harm of lockdown here, but I have included a reference to 30 scientific papers that do the job for me. The media and their reaction to Covid has been nothing but sensationalist and, at times, so badly out of step with reality that it has done nothing but pour fuel on the flames. The regular use of words such as ‘horrifying’, ‘alarming’, ‘terrifying’ without any context or relation to the bigger picture has simply led to an entire population being horrified, alarmed and terrified. My advice to everyone is to switch off the news, switch off your social media, bin your newspapers and return to life.

References 1. A factual overview: https:// architectsforsocialhousing. co.uk/2021/01/27/lies-damned-lies-andstatistics-manufacturing-the-crisis/ 2. Damage of lockdown: https:// thefatemperor.com/scientific-analysesand-papers-on-lockdown-effectiveness/ 3. Risk of secondary transmission: https:// scopeblog.stanford.edu/2020/11/19/ study-probes-household-transmissionof-sars-cov-2/ 4. A call for responsible journalism and perspective: https://www.cambridge. org/core/journals/epidemiology-andinfection/article/covid19-pandemic-thepublic-health-reality/39CB4DCE119F0B 64E28927C01D834AA2 Nick Tofolos (01995) 602833

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HEARING TO REMEMBER difficulty, older adults with hearing loss may avoid social situations, increasing risk of isolation and dementia[2].

Keeping your Brain Active Hearing loss is one of the most common health conditions in older age. According to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People it affects around 70% of people aged 70+[1]. Hearing loss can be frustrating, making communication hard, particularly in noisy environments. Being able to socialise is important for maintaining quality of life and independence in older age and it helps keep our brains active. But, due to communication o We als ton in s g lo supply of logs & ets bags, n ﬁregrates g, n li d e kin h mor & muc

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HEARING TO REMEMBER (cont) work harder to fill in the missing information. To do this, the brain might make use of other systems, like the memory system to compare the message to stored information. But, this changes how the brain typically operates - it may drain the resources in the memory system, leaving fewer resources and potentially compromising memory function[4]. What can we do to keep our brains active during the Covid pandemic? Check your hearing: Speak to your GP or audiologist if you think you might need hearing aids or if you don’t feel like your current hearing aids are working for you. There is even a free online hearing test on the Specsavers website. Embracing hearing aids might help to maintain social connections. Carry on chatting: Even though our social lives have been drastically affected by the pandemic, it is important to maintain

communication as much as possible. Try to stay social, even if that means virtually. Enjoy a good phone call with a friend or relative, or try video calling. You can also sign-up to telephone befriending through organisations such as Age UK and Lancashire Volunteer Partnership. Do not suffer in silence if you feel lonely and want to chat. Nurturing social connections helps keep our brains active. We are conducting online studies in the Neuroscience of Speech and Action Laboratory at Lancaster University about the effect of the pandemic on memory and hearing function. If you are interested in contributing to our research, please email us or visit our website. We would love to hear from you! Sources 1. Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) (2020) Hearing Matters. 2. Mick, et al. (2014)

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HEARING TO REMEMBER (cont) The association between hearing loss and social isolation in older adults. Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. 150, 378–384. 3. Livingston, et al. (2020) Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. The Lancet. 4. Slade, et al. (2020) The Effects of AgeRelated Hearing Loss on the Brain and Cognitive Function. Trends in Neurosciences. 43, 810-821.

communications officer at The Wish Centre in Blackburn, talking about the ‘Impact of Policing, Family Courts and new Domestic Violence Bill on Victims of Domestic Abuse’. This covered the nature and impact of domestic abuse and the ways we can spot and help tackle it.

Dr Kate Slade & Dr Helen Nuttall (Pilling resident), Lancaster University nosa@lancaster.ac.uk http://wp.lancs.ac.uk/nosalab

We also had an update from Preston Soroptimists on their work with Partners in Education Swaziland (PIES) - a long-standing project we have all been supporting - and their plans for the future. Fingers crossed the next meeting in June will be a real one, but if not then at least we know that we can still manage to work well in the virtual world.

SOROPTIMISTS Women Inspiring Action, Transforming Lives Friendship Let’s start with the progress of the meeting with our friendship group from Wakefield. This was arranged via Zoom in lieu of being able to physically meet. We had a fantastic turn out from both clubs and enjoyed swapping stories of what we’ve been up to and how we’ve all managed to keep activities going remotely.

Backpacks No new numbers on our BackPacks project just now, but Annemarie is hoping that we can send some more off soon as she is again running out of room! Watch this space.

We were able to exchange contacts for good speakers and project work which we can do whilst in isolation. We came away rejuvenated, with lots of fresh ideas and the thrill of anticipation of when we can actually meet again, Friendship – locally, nationally and internationally is a vital part of what Soroptimism is all about. Regional Meeting To this end, we held our regional meeting in February when all the clubs in North West gather for a catch up. Again, not a physical meeting but one held on Zoom. More than 60 members from all around the region joined in to hear a wonderfully inspiring presentation by Rebekah Wilson,

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SOROPTIMISTS (cont) Laptops for Home Schooling This is a very simple project which we are supporting at the moment, collecting and passing on our unused IT equipment - laptops and tablets. This is part of the Laptops for Kids appeal for unwanted laptops for kids to do school work on during lockdown. So far six laptops and three tablets have been collected and wiped clean ready for passing on and we have a few more promised. Let us know if you have any (including chargers) you may want to donate. Derian House We’re also turning our lack of being able to meet friends for coffee etc into a fundraising opportunity by participating in ‘100 Coffee Breaks’.

Although we can’t go out for a coffee, why not phone/Zoom/Face-time a friend or family member and have a chat and coffee with them and then pop a couple of pounds in the pot – cheaper than going out for coffee. Our aim is to have had 100 coffee breaks before our AGM in April and the money raised will go towards the funds for our Derian House project. So, a simple action that serves two purposes; keeping us in touch with friends and help promote our mental health and helping raise funds in a way that is relatively easy and can be easily shared by all members. Coming Up Next We had to go to press just before our latest venture - online yoga! Helen Dixon will be taking us through our paces with a session of armchair yoga to suit all ages. We’re looking forward to a gentle approach to yoga and a

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SOROPTIMISTS (cont)

GARSTANG TOWN COUNCIL

chance to learn new things too. We’ll give you a full report next month and perhaps give you the courage to have a go yourself.

The signs of spring are starting to appear, and with significant progress being made every day with the Covid vaccination programme, we hope everyone is starting to feel that there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

And Finally… The petition of the month - ‘Save Bees from Deadly Pesticides’. Head over to the Greenpeace website to see what this is all about where you can join us in signing https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/page/s/ save-our-bees Interested in What we Do? Just drop us a line or give our membership co-ordinator, Muriel Burnham-Airey a ring on (01995) 606604. We’ll be happy to talk to you and answer your questions. w: www.sigarstang.org.uk facebook: SoroptimistsGarstang twitter: GarstangSoropt

New Town Council Website At the moment we’re still not able to meet with you in person, so we are particularly pleased to say that our new town council website is up and running. It is a significant improvement on the old site, with information about our agendas and council business being more accessible than it has ever been before. We hope as many of you as possible will take a look, we’d love to hear your feedback. Town Emergency Plan A couple of months ago we reported that we had approved the creation of a Town Emergency Plan. The plan being a framework to support our response to, and

SITE SUPERVISOR VACANCY GARSTANG COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL The Governors of Garstang Community Primary School are seeking to appoint a hard working, highly skilled person to undertake the role of Site Supervisor. The person appointed will have a range of practical skills that will ensure our site is clean, safe and welcoming. We are looking for an individual who takes pride in their work, is able to prioritise and organise their own workload, follow policy and procedure and who can take a lead role in implementing health and safety procedures in our school. Candidates must be aware that the majority of the hours will be cleaning, and an interest in DIY would be an advantage. Cleaning is carried out on a daily basis, system testing is carried out weekly and monthly, and ‘deep cleans’ are scheduled during the school summer closure, as is a lot of the contract work. Please note that this is a full year post and leave cannot be taken during school term time. Monitoring of systems within school are also part of the job description, as is the supervision of the contract cleaner. Hours will be 6:45am - 9:15am and 3:00pm - 6:15pm. Please note, CVs are not accepted. To apply, you need to complete the application form available from school. Please contact Mrs Robinson on 01995 603622 for further information.

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GARSTANG TOWN COUNCIL (cont) recovery from, any major incident affecting the town’s residents and businesses, such as a serious power outage or flooding. Rapid progress has been made and we were successful in applying for a grant from LCC Champion’s Grant Fund for Parish and Town Councils. We have been awarded £400 to facilitate and roll out the plan Dementia Awareness Training At the start of last year, the council agreed to support a Dementia Awareness Training session. Sadly, this was cancelled due to Covid, but the issue of dementia awareness is as important as ever. Therefore, councillors have agreed to attend the training session virtually. The training will be hosted by Sandra Perkins from Garstang Memory Cafe. Potholes The evidence of the recent frosty weather is very clear to see on the roads of Garstang, KILN DRIED ASH LOGS FROST PROTECTION SMOKELESS FUEL SEASONED LOGS SNOW SHOVELS COAL DOUBLES DEICING SALT KINDLING

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and potholes have been a hot topic for many. It is easy to report potholes to LCC using their online tool. You can report problems anywhere in the local area, and the website will tell you if it has already been reported. Head to the link below where you can report potholes and many other issues such as blocked drains and faulty traffic lights: www.lancashire.gov.uk/roads-parkingand-travel/report-it/ Get in Touch As always, we are keen to hear your thoughts on how the town council are doing and about any issues or concerns that you would like us to look into. Much of our information is available online or you can call our town clerk. Edwina Parry - Town Clerk t: 07592 792 801 e: clerk@garstangtowncouncil.gov.uk w: www.garstangtowncouncil.org

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BEN WALLACE MP Vaccination Roll-Out Supporting an As I write this article, we Independent Lifestyle have given over 15 million people the first dose of a A local private business providing seniors vaccination against Covid HOME SUPPORT and, by the time this article Cooking, Shopping, Cleaning is published, that number Paperwork & Calls, Sitting Service, will have gone up greatly. Arranging / Attending Appointments, Nationally we are meeting our targets and I Support After Hospital Discharge sincerely hope this continues.

Locally, Lancashire is moving at pace and I would like to highlight the amazing work of all involved with the vaccination process. This includes medical practice staff, the emergency services, the wider NHS, the armed forces, volunteers and anyone who is involved in any way. I have been contacted locally and informed that constituents have been impressed with the way these vaccinations have been administered throughout Wyre. While, of course, this is very encouraging and there is light at the end of a very long tunnel, please continue to adhere to all Covid restrictions and follow government guidelines. We will get through this. Covid Support Please remember, for up to date information on the pandemic go to: www.gov.uk/ coronavirus and www.nhs.uk Please also remember your community hub, Wyre Together (01253) 891000. Also, the Department of Health and Social Care helpline for any on-going Covid queries - 0300 303 2713 (lines are open from 7:00am - 11:00pm daily). If anyone is showing symptoms of Covid they will be able to arrange testing. Scams I have been alarmed recently about the amount of scams that are being reported throughout Lancashire. Lancashire Trading

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BEN WALLACE MP (cont) Standards has said, ‘Reports have been received of cold callers offering tarmacking work, knocking on doors in rural areas surrounding Garstang. On two occasions, a small amount of work was agreed, but the traders continued to carry out further work that had not been agreed, asking for payment in the thousands of pounds. Family members and the police were made aware and the money did not change hands.’ The advice is, do your research and never feel pressured into making a hurried decision to agree to work. There are also many scams being attempted online: one is an internet provider scam which targets home workers. Another is a fake NHS Covid vaccine email using the vaccine roll-out as a cover to steal personal details. It is disappointing to know that there are people trying to use the current situation to their advantage. If you would like more information on scams please the Lancashire County Council website at: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/ news/details/?Id=PR21/0029 Local Crime Levels Consistently Low I receive regular updates from the local Police who tell me that overall crime is consistently low in the Over Wyre area. I believe this is a result of residents being vigilant and having a good relationship with local police. Stay in the Know

about fires and other emergencies and you can learn about what your local neighbourhood policing team is doing. For more information stayintheknow.co.uk

www.

Local Planning Issues As always my mailbag has been full of many issues ranging from the current pandemic to local planning issues. I continue to liaise with Highways England with regards to the A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool improvement scheme. I do understand some temporary lights are necessary but I do hope these are kept to a minimum and any work requiring road closures are carried out at night. Keeping in Touch Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any comments on how the work is being carried out. I welcome letters and emails because it lets me know the issues which really concern constituents on a daily basis whether personal, local or national issues. It is important for me to understand how people are coping whether in their business, work or home lives. I also know some businesses may have questions about our new trade agreement with the EU - please remember I’m here to help. The most effective way to contact me is by email, at wallaceb@parliament.uk with a brief description of the issues you wish to raise, along with your contact details (including home address).

I would just like to inform you of a scheme the police are running called ‘In The Know’. You can also ring my Office at the House of Residents can sign up online to find out Commons on 0207 219 5804 or write to me at the House of Commons, London, SW1A what’s really happening in your area. 0AA. You will receive regular crime updates, information on road closures, information Ben Wallace MP

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CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP A FAREWELL FROM GILL NEWHOUSE NEW TREATMENTS AVAILABLE IN OUR CLINICS

I would like to take the opportunity to say a fond farewell to all my patients, past and present.

Verrutop: A new type of treatment for warts and verrucae. Suitable for adults and children as young as six years. 80% of patients saw clearance within four simple applications.

After 20 years as a Podiatrist in the Wyre area, I have made the heartfelt decision to relocate to Anglesey.

Finestra Technique: A new technique for the treatment of fungal nail with clinical trials indicating a high success rate. FULL RANGE OF TREATMENTS AVAILABLE AT OUR CLINICS IN KNOTT END & GARSTANG We would like to reassure our patients that we are taking all precautions to offer a safe clinical environment, following government guidelines. Our clinics at Knott End and Garstang continue to operate during this time and will remain open unless directed by the government. Full PPE is in place to protect our patients and employees including hand sanitisers, treatment screens and face masks.

I would like to thank my wonderful patients for your loyal support during the time that I worked both in the NHS and, in later years, running my own Podiatry business. I will miss you all terribly, especially the many laughs and tears that we have shared over the years. However, I will be leaving you in the very capable and experienced hands of Laura Austin. Laura has worked with me for 10 years and will take over the business from 1st March 2021. At this time, Gill Newhouse Podiatry will cease and will be known as Laura Austin Podiatry. I wish Laura every success for the future and I am sure that she will enjoy her new venture as much as I have.

Gill Newhouse

Your health is our priority 3 Thomas’s Court, Thomas’s Weind, Garstang, PR3 1LL 01995 601106

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CH35517

FESTIVAL BOWLAND EVENTS Maintaining Traditional Buildings Tues 2nd March, 6:30pm - 8:00pm Bowland’s many traditional farm buildings add to the AONB’s landscape character and sense of place. Join architect and historic buildings consultant, James Innerdale, as he shares practical ideas and helpful tips on how to care for, and maintain, them. Online event. Booking essential. For more information and to book a place please email sandra.silk@lancashire.gov.uk or phone 07973 923 142. In the Footsteps of Extraordinary People Tues 23rd March, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

All aspects of internal and external carpentry and joinery undertaken. No job too small. Over 30 years’ experience. Free estimates.

Mob: 07846 510 953 Tel: 01995 606 179 Advanced Vega Allergy Testing Do you suffer from any of the following? Chronic muscle/Joint pain Frequent bowel movements Dairy intolerances Skin conditions Exhaustion/Fatigue Wheat/Gluten intolerances

This online event introduces some of the nonconformists, reformers and change makers researched by the volunteers of the Pendle Radicals project. And it introduces The Radicals Trail, a new way of exploring our rural communities around Pendle Hill. Meet some Pendle Hill people who changed the world! You will encounter the first Quaker, plus a Higham boy who became a beacon of the Enlightenment, the pioneers of the Independent Labour Party, and campaigners for women’s suffrage and for the right to roam. We’ll tell you about themed ‘Radicals’ walks and about future plans to grow and extend The Radicals Trail. Pendle Radicals is led by Mid Pennine Arts, and is part of the Pendle Hill programme, supported by National Lottery players through the Heritage Fund.

Booking essential. Please book at: http://bit.ly/bowland-footsteps This is a free Also Available: event, but donations to Champion Bowland M.L.D (Manual Lymphatic Drainage) - Aromatherapy are welcome via www.championbowland. Over 20 years experience - St.Catherine's Hospice for 8 years org.uk For more information please Jean Shaw Garstang Natural Health, High Street, PR3 1FA email jayne.ashe@lancashire.gov.uk 01995 602833/07834269542

www.forestofbowland.com

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WYRE FLOOD FORUM The next meeting of the quarterly Wyre Flood Forum will be on Thurs 11th March courtesy of Microsoft Teams (similar to Zoom). The meeting will be attended by officers from Wyre and Lancashire Councils, the Environment Agency (who have statutory responsibility for Flood Defence), United Utilities, Natural England, River’s Trust and Flood Action Groups (FLAGs), comprising residents and local councillors with a particular interest in their areas. There are FLAGs in Garstang, Chuchtown, St Michaels, Great Eccleston, Hambleton, Preesall and Thornton. You would be most welcome if you wish to become involved. Details can be found on the Wyre Council website. After weeks of torrential rain and anxiety the responsible authorities are assessing the evidence of the density and pattern of recent weather and working out how they should respond and take local opinion into account.

investigate innovative funding opportunities for implementing Natural Flood Management (NFM) measures, to help reduce the risk of flooding from the river Wyre and its tributaries. ‘The project will explore the potential for securing green finance from investors which can be paid back over several years by a range of organisations, which will benefit from the reduced flood risk and all the other environmental benefits from the project. The overall goal of this project is to achieve “investment readiness” for a catchmentscale NFM solution for Churchtown that could be implemented with social and green investment capital. This will involve testing the initial flood modelling, working with the relevant landowners to get permission for the works, identifying the mechanisms and beneficiaries to repay the capital investment and building the business case.

The Times recently carried a story about the ‘hard’ engineering proposed by the Environment Agency aimed at saving the centre of Kendal from flooding caused by excess water in the River Kent illustrated by one photograph of the existing iron railings comparing them with an enhanced photograph of solid glass panels designed to hold the water back. Local opinion is divided-’Flood Defences will ruin our town, say Lake District’s storm victims’. There lies the difficulty facing government. Closer to home, Wyre River Trust headed by Scientific Officer, Tom Myerscough explains how Natural Flood Measures (NFM) will, in the years to come, contribute to reducing the flow into the up-stream Wyre and give protection to down-stream settlements, particularly Churchtown: ‘The Rivers Trust and Wyre Rivers Trust are leading a new pioneering project to

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WYRE FLOOD FORUM (cont) ‘The project is now well in development, the hydrological model has been reviewed and a financial model has been developed. The project is now at the stage of negotiating contracts between the buyers and sellers of ecosystem services. The aim is to get to ‘investment readiness’ by the end of March 2021. ‘This project is being delivered by The Rivers Trust in partnership with the Wyre Rivers Trust, Environment Agency (EA), United Utilities, Triodos Bank, Co-op Insurance and Flood RE with funding from Esme Fairbairn Foundation.’ You may have read in the January issue of Focus Magazine that the Forest of Bowland AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) has received a grant of £233,900 from the Governments Green Recovery Challenge Fund which is a key part of the Prime Minister’s 10 point plan to kick start nature recovery and tackle climate change. The AONB have teamed up with Yorkshire Wild Life Trust in a Peatland Restoration Project at Holme House Fell in the Parish of Bleasdale in Wyre and, importantly, close to the source of the River Brock which eventually flows under the A6 near to Barton Grange, under the Lancaster Canal before flowing into the Wyre at St Michaels bringing with it all the energy it accumulates from the fells.

In the 1960s and 70s the then Government gave grants to landowners to strip away the ‘grips’ forming pools keeping water in the fells so that the land could be used for sheep grazing. The water instead of sinking into the ground ran off into the rivers causing flooding. These schemes are doing the exact reverse and raising the water table by restoring vegetation by planting plugs of cotton grass which will absorb water to be retained by natural timber and stone dams and re-engineered gullies. The project addresses the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change while creating and retaining jobs as part of the green recovery. It will take time before the benefits show through but those involved believe in the value of what they are doing. Roger Brooks - Garstang Town Council Representative, Wyre Flood Forum

The landscape scale ecological project which kicks off this summer will restore peatland habitat on the 127 hectare at the centre of the Bowland fells Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), part of the largest expanse of blanket bog and heather moorland in Lancashire. The scheme, which will support green jobs, will include work to reduce surface water flow (attenuation) reduce carbon loss caused by carbon erosion, improve water quality and increase the potential of the habitat to act as a carbon sink.

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FAIRTRADE QUIZ (ans page 50) 6. If no action is taken, many cocoa growing regions will become too hot to grow cocoa and that means no more chocolate. What year will this happen by if no action is taken? a) 2050 b) 2060 c) 2070

For the last three years, Garstang Fairtrade has run a Town Trail Fairtrade Quiz with the co-operation of Garstang businesses and well-wishers. This year we have had to change due to the Covid restrictions. So, we hope you will enjoy our alternative way of running the quiz. Unfortunately, there will be no prizes for getting the answers correct but help make the Fairtrade farmers and producers winners by buying Fairtrade .

7. How many people from Cote d’Ivoire have the same carbon footprint as one person in the UK? a) 11 b) 21 c) 31 8. What percentage of the world’s cocoa is sourced from Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana a) 40 b) 50 c) 60

How much do you know about the climate crisis, Fairtrade and the impact of the climate crisis on farmers and workers overseas. 1. What were the first three Fairtrade products to display the Fairtrade Logo a) Chocolate, Olive Oil and Tea b) Coffee, Tea and Bananas c) Chocolate, Tea and Coffee 2. On average how many Bananas does a person in the UK eat each year? a) 50 b) 100 c) 250 3. If you weighed all the chocolate we eat in the UK each year it would be the same weight as which of the following? a) 400 Hippos b) 4000 Whales c) 40 Elephants 4. Which continent is most vulnerable to the climate crisis? a) Asia b) Africa c) South America 5. Name three Fairtrade products that are at risk because of the climate crisis.

9. Name one way that Fairtrade supports farmers to combat climate change. 10. Approximately how many litres of water does it take to make one cotton t-shirt a) 750 b)1600 c) 2700 11. There are about 1.6 million Fairtrade farmers around the world. What proportion of this total are women? a) 23% b) 33% c) 43% d) 53% 12. How can you support farmers and workers overseas to cope with the challenges of the climate crisis? Peter Ryder fb: @garstang-fairtrade www.garstangfairtrade.org.uk

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GREY MATTER TEST (ans page 51) 1. What name is given to a bell tower not attached to a church? 2. What is the best hand in a game of poker? 3. What word commonly describes a spasm of the diaphragm? 4. Princess Margaret was advised against marrying Group Captain Townsend for what reason? 5. Which Latin words did the Queen use to describe the year 1992? 6. Number 22 in bingo is represented by two little what? 7. Who said ‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’?’ 8. Which punctuation mark would an American call a period? 9. According to legend, what will happen if the resident Ravens of the Tower of London leave? 10. Who was the second wife beheaded by Henry VIII?

CROSSWORD (ans page 51)

11. What colour are the seats in the House of Lords? 12. What childhood disease is caused by the same virus as shingles? 13. From which country did Genghis Khan originate? 14. If you buy pamplemousses in France what will you get? 15. What was crossed on a tightrope by Charles Blondin in 1855? 16. What colour smoke announces the election of a new Pope? 17. What building was Donald Trump in when he realised he would become President? 18. Where would you be stood if you were looking at the Doge’s Palace? 19. What element is designated by Pb in the Periodic Table? 20. Where were the Lancashire Witches tried and hanged? Across 1 Mystery (6) 7 Sky-blue (5) 8 Sayings (6) 9 Bird’s claw (5) 12 Fantasy; delight (5) 13 Glad; joyful (5) 14 Stimulus (5) 17 Yes! Without doubt! (6) 18 Practice (5) 19 First-born; oldest (6) Down 2 Experience; endure (7) 3 Meanders; switchbacks (7) 4 The Orient (4) 5 Attract; drag (4) 6 Plant with fronds (4) 10 Gifted; bestowed (7) 11 Fish eagles (7) 14 Gnaw; mouthful (4) 15 Egg-shaped (4) 16 Prong; spike (4)

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FAIRTRADE QUIZ ANSWERS

POETRY GROUP QUIZ ANSWERS

1. a)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

2. b) 3. b) 4. b) 5. Chocolate, Bananas, Coffee 6. a) 7. b) 8. c) 9. Three main ways that Fairtrade supports farmers: i) Provides higher incomes to help farmers respond to climate emergencies ii) Supports farmers to protect biodiversity iii) Trains farmers in environmentally friendly farming practices 10. c) 11. c) 12. Choose Fairtrade!

Robert Browning Roger McGough Alfred Lord Tennyson William Blake W B Yeats John Betjeman Maya Angelou Benjamin Zephaniah Charles Causley William Shakespeare Dylan Thomas Stevie Smith Thomas Gray Mary Frye Rudyard Kipling Robert Burns Edward Thomas Walter de la Mare W H Auden Lewis Carol

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2021 Deadline Dates Issue

Deadline Date

Delivery Starts

April

15/03/2021

25/03/2021

May

19/04/2021

29/04/2021

June

17/05/2021

27/05/2021

July

14/06/2021

24/06/2021

August

19/07/2021

29/07/2021

September

16/08/2021

26/08/2021

October

13/09/2021

23/09/2021

November

18/10/2021

28/10/2021

December

15/11/2021

25/11/2021

January 22

13/12/2021

06/01/2022

Editorial: editorial@focusmags.co.uk Advertising: helen@focusmags.co.uk

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GREY MATTER TEST ANSWERS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

Across Campanile 1 Puzzle Royal Flush 7 Azure Hiccough 8 Adages He was a Divorcee 9 Talon Annus Horribilis 12 Dream Ducks 13 Happy Muhammad Ali 14 Boost A Full Stop 17 Indeed The Kingdom and the Tower of London 18 Train will Fall 19 Eldest Catherine Howard Down Red 2 Undergo Chickenpox 3 Zigzags Mongolia 4 East Grapefruit 5 Pull Niagra Falls 6 Fern White 10 Awarded Trump Tower 11 Ospreys St Mark’s Square, Venice 14 Bite Lead 15 Oval Lancaster Castle 16 Tine

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