Over Wyre Focus Magazine - May 2021 by Focus Magazines

FOCUS MAGAZINE 'The Green Book'

OVER WYRE - Knott End - Preesall - Pilling - Stalmine - Hambleton

Issue 257 May 2021

CORONAVIRUS

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Welcome to Focus Magazine... The Covid Roadmap - Step 3......................4 Over Wyre Medical Centre...........................6 Over Wyre Art Society.....................................8 Over Wyre Social Activity Club...................9 Pilling Lane WI....................................................10 Knott End Library...............................................10 The Inner Wheel Club.....................................13 Pilling Band 200 Club......................................14 Preesall Fire Station.........................................15 Cat Smith MP........................................................16 Ben Wallace MP.................................................20 Preesall Town Council.....................................24 Hambleton Parish Council ...........................28 Stalmine Parish Council.................................30 SSRA..........................................................................31 Harmony & Health.............................................32 Hambleton Flood Action Group.................34 Wyre Flood Forum............................................36 Garstang Camera Club...................................38 North Fylde Photographic Society...........39 Rotary.......................................................................39 RSPCA......................................................................41 Cardiac Risk in the Young..............................43

Soroptimists..........................................................45 Carters News........................................................49 Pilling Fleetwood’s Charity School..........51 Crossword..............................................................53 1st Stalmine Scout Group..............................54 Lancashire West Trefoil Guild.....................55 1st Pilling Scout Group...................................55 Fairtrade..................................................................56 Garstang AFVBC.................................................57 Grey Matter Test.................................................57 Scorton Food & Gift Fair.................................58 Plant Sale...............................................................58 Green Homes Grant..........................................59 Covid Testing Now Easier..............................60 The Immune System Miracle......................61 Knott End Golf Club..........................................62 Wyre Villa Football Club................................63 Fylde Coast YMCA.............................................65 Wyre Juniors Football Club..........................65 Garstang Tennis Club......................................66 Forest of Bowland AONB...............................67 RNLI...........................................................................69 Puzzle Answers...................................................70

JUNE 2021 DEADLINE DATE

The June deadline for editorial and adverts is 5:00pm on Monday 17th May. Deliveries of the June edition of Focus Magazine will commence Thursday 27th May. 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 David J Ansell | 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 content supplied by advertisers or editorial 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.

ROADMAP STEP 3 So what will life look like as we enter Step 3? Social Contact

From Mon 17th May, people in England will hopefully see restrictions continue to lift as we enter the third step of the government’s four-step roadmap. The decision to continue easing restrictions will be based on four tests: •

the vaccine deployment programme continues successfully

•

evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated

•

infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations

•

assessment of the risks is not changed by new Variants of Concern

As part of Step 3, no earlier than Mon 17th May, the government will look to continue easing limits on seeing friends and family wherever possible. This means that most legal restrictions on meeting others outdoors will be lifted - although gatherings of over 30 people will remain illegal. Indoors, the rule of six or two households will apply. As soon as possible and by no later than Step 3, the government will also update the advice on social distancing between friends and family, including hugging. But until this point, people should continue to keep their distance from anyone not in their household or support bubble. Business & Activities Most businesses in all but the highest risk sectors will be able to reopen. In all sectors,

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ROADMAP STEP 3 (cont) Covid-secure guidance will remain in place and businesses may not cater for groups bigger than the legal limits. Indoor hospitality will reopen. Customers will have to order, eat and drink while seated. Other indoor locations to open up in Step 3 include indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas and children’s play areas; the rest of the accommodation sector, including hotels, hostels and B&Bs; and indoor adult group sports and exercise classes. The government will also allow some larger performances and sporting events in indoor venues with a capacity of 1,000 people or half-full (whichever is a lower number), and in outdoor venues with a capacity of 4,000 people or half-full (whichever is a lower number). In the largest outdoor seated venues, where crowds can be spread out, up to 10,000 people will be able to attend (or a quarter-full, whichever is lower).

Events Up to 30 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions and wakes, as well as funerals. This limit will also apply to other types of significant life events including bar mitzvahs and christenings. Review of Social Distancing Finally, before Step 4 begins, the government will complete a review of social distancing and other long-term measures that have been put in place to cut transmission. This will inform decisions on the timing and circumstances under which the rules on 1 metre plus, the wearing of face coverings and other measures may be lifted. This will also inform guidance on working from home – which should continue wherever possible until this review is complete. www.gov.uk

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OVER WYRE MEDICAL CENTRE GP Appointments Throughout the second wave of the pandemic, GP appointments could be booked urgently on the day as required. As restrictions are easing, we have reverted to a system that allows patients to book routine or urgent daily appointments depending on the clinical problem. All clinical presentations are triaged initially over the phone. If the medical problem can be dealt with in this way, we endeavour to do so. If examination is required, follow up face to face assessment is arranged. We are pleased to say that the system appears to be working efficiently and safely. When comparing GP appointment numbers now to pre-pandemic levels in 2020, the doctors are offering more consultations weekly and the ‘did not attend’ rate is down from 3% to 0.5%. This allows us to have an increased capacity to deal with clinical problems that require our attention. We feel that opening up faceEstablished over 14 years

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to-face appointments without prior clinical triage risks jeopardising these efficiencies we are seeing at the moment. We will therefore continue to function using a triage first system but keep this open to review. Menopause Let’s talk about the menopause! Some women breeze through this period in their lives; many don’t. For some ladies, the transition can be debilitating. For most women, the perimenopausal time begins in her mid-forties and can last for many years. Common symptoms include hot flushes, irritability, urinary symptoms, joint aches and lethargy. This is often accompanied by a disrupted menstrual cycle which can mean heavier periods and variation in cycle length. If these symptoms occur earlier than 45 years of age, blood tests can help determine whether the menopause is starting. After 45 years, when symptoms are in keeping with those of the menopausal phase, blood tests are not recommended. Knowledge and information can be empowering for women going through these changes. I would recommend the Menopause Matters website and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG) website for a wealth of useful information relating to lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise and treatment options, including natural and prescription medications. If symptoms are overwhelming and debilitating, hormone replacement therapy can feel like a magical cure. Some women prefer not to take hormonal therapy or would be advised against it. However, there are some effective non-hormonal options proven to help with symptoms of the menopause. If you are unsure about your options, but are struggling, early consultation with your doctor can really help to clarify what is best for you. Important non-hormonal treatment options for

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OVER WYRE MEDICAL (cont) menopausal symptoms include gabapentin, venlafaxine and clonidine. These drugs are usually used for alternative clinical reasons however, evidence shows that they can be used to treat hot flushes in the perimenopausal phase. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the alternative. This comes in various preparations including patches, oral tablets and gels and can be given continuously or cyclically depending on what is right for each patient. Women must be clear that HRT is not effective contraception and therefore, HRT needs to be taken alongside contraception if required. The Mirena Coil (a hormone containing intrauterine coil) can be very useful as it can serve a dual purpose in perimenopausal ladies. Many ladies worry about the long-term side effects of HRT. The general consensus is that HRT before the age of 50 years is beneficial in terms of bone protection and cardiovascular risk. Between 50 and 60 years of age, the benefits of HRT are thought to outweigh the risks in symptomatic women. Over the age of 60 years, the risks need closer consideration and often the risks are felt to outweigh the benefits. Bleeding patterns can impact everyday life quite significantly during the menopause. Often this is just part of the course; however, heavy, irregular or prolonged periods may require investigation. A consultation with your GP to discuss these symptoms would be recommended to determine if any further investigation is required. Dr Vicky Simpson t: (01253) 951165 fb: @overwyremc www.overwyremc.co.uk Why not keep it local and support our advertisers?

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OVER WYRE ART SOCIETY Are you interested in painting and drawing? We at Over Wyre Art Society welcome you to join us. We are a friendly and helpful group which regularly welcomes visiting professional demonstrators to improve your skills. We also have work along and group activities. So, are you ready to join us? We start back weekly at St Oswald’s Church Hall on Lancaster Rd Knott End on Wed 19th May at 2:00pm. You will be welcomed from 1:30pm to observe hygiene and social distancing regulations. We have a spacious hall with attractive gardens for outside painting, also toilet facilities but you will need to bring your own refreshments for a tea break at 3ish finishing at 4:00pm. Here is our programme for the next few weeks (although you are invited for a one week trial before joining). •

Wed 19th May: Settling in and starting a painting (bring art materials)

•

Wed 26th May: ‘Quick Sketches of members’ (bring materials and any props)

•

Wed 2nd June: Finishing a painting for the Woody’ Competition with prizes

•

Wed 9th June: Glenda and Sylvia Combo ‘Watercolour Techniques’ Work Along (bring materials)

•

Wed 16th June: Finishing your painting or work outside in the gardens

We have lots more lined up for you over the summer including charismatic visiting artists who will share their skills and maybe an exhibition soon to show off our skills! Contact me for more details. Sandra Langhorne - Secretary t: (01253) 813739

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OWSAC Over Wyre Social Activity Club I do hope you are managing to enjoy your newfound freedom now that covid restrictions are beginning to lift. I’m sure we shall all proceed with caution as we meet up, at last, with family and friends. Those amongst us who bowl or play golf are already out in force enjoying the fresh air and exercise. As yet we still have no date for the regrouping of OWSAC, but we shall be putting fliers all round the village as soon as we get the go ahead, and, of course, there will be an announcement in Focus Magazine. Meanwhile I would like to say thank you to the person or person’s unknown for the creation on the pillar box at the corner of Ashton Avenue and the Esplanade (near the Bourne Arms). I don’t know if this is a one off, but it has created much interest, and become quite a talking point. It must have been there going on two weeks now, and considering no one has tampered with or spoiled it in any way, says an awful lot for the area we live in. As always stay safe. Penny Drabble

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KNOTT END LIBRARY

As I write the news is good. The government has introduced the next step to end lockdown and all seems to be going to plan.

It is so wonderful to be open again and we are all so pleased to welcome you back into the library for browsing.

Thanks to all the hard work across the health service and the scientific community, cases are falling and the vaccine seems to protect us from serious illness.

As things are changing at a pace, all our up to date information regarding opening hours can be found on the website.

If things stay on track and the powers that be follow the ‘road map’ it means can get back to some normality by summer. The very first date that we can meet up will be in July and with this in mind the committee are working hard to plan our programme of events for the rest of the year. Let’s keep our fingers crossed! As always, if you need anything or just want a chat, please ring up. Janet Astley t: (01253) 467978

If you only want to return books, you can still drop them onto a returned bookshelf during library opening hours, without entering the library building. Please note: Charges will be waived until 4th May. If you enjoyed the books we chose for you, Six of the Best collections are still available to order by: • • •

completing the request form online; asking staff; phoning (Monday to Friday 9:00am 5:00pm)

Free PC access is available in 45 minute slots. If you’d like to pre-book, ask a member of staff during opening hours or call the library. The Library’s 50th Birthday Knott End Library, in its current location, was opened on Fri 21st May 1971 when a ceremony was held with Mr Walter Clegg MP for North Fylde who was the guest of honour. The original library was housed in the old cinema called the Verona. There was one room for the library and no staff amenities. To go to the toilet, the library had to be closed and staff would then dash across the road to the public toilets. The Verona building is now known as ‘The Squash’. Throughout the month of May, we are offering computer sessions in partnership with our colleagues at Lancashire Archives where you can listen to the much-publicised Opening Ceremony with speeches from County Alderman, D.H Elletson and Councillor T. Parkinson. Some of you may have even attended the even! So why not take a trip down memory lane? Any memories you have

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KNOTT END LIBRARY (cont) will be greatly received and added to our memory book. Booking is required and we ask for you to bring your own headphones to be Covid secure. Please ask staff for details. It was hoped to host a celebration event for the Over Wyre Villages, alas due to current restrictions we are having to put it on hold until later in the year. Watch this space for a further announcement! To celebrate instead we are looking for a ‘golden ticket lucky winner’, so why not visit us and bring the whole family to choose some books and see if there is a golden ticket in your selection? There are some special prizes to be won for everyone. Your Library from Home Take a look at our ‘Library from Home’ where you can discover wonderful resources for you and your family. There’s something for everyone! Home Library Service

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For those in the community who are unable to visit the library because of poor health, we offer a Home Library Service, where we pack a choice of books and our volunteers will deliver to the door. Again, this is a Covid secure service where strict measures are in place and which is proving more vital than ever before, so if you would like to be part of this service, do please contact the library. Groups & Events Our groups and events are currently paused, however we are looking forward to seeing you all as soon as is safe to do so. Take care everyone.

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THE INNER WHEEL CLUB Garstang & Over Wyre Inner Wheel was founded in 1924 by a group of ladies in Manchester. It has grown to the extent that there are now clubs in over 100 countries throughout the world. It was formed on the principles of friendship, service and international understanding. Membership today totals over 106,000. In these challenging times members continue to uphold these three principles wherever and whenever they can, and in order that the organisation remains fit for purpose, a triennial conference is held to examine and amend the constitution, each club having one vote. This year the convention should have been in Jaipur in India, eagerly anticipated by delegates from all over the world looking forward to renewing old acquaintances and making new ones. Because of the pandemic,

this was not allowed to go ahead and the host nation took the brave decision to ‘go virtual’. It was an amazing undertaking in a very short time and was a wonderful success. 4500 attendees enjoyed a feast of Indian culture and hospitality. From national dances and cooking demonstrations to travelogues there was even a selfie booth. The constitution was debated at length and adjusted accordingly with a few hiccups in the electronic voting system soon ironed out. And so after two very long days Inner Wheel found itself in good shape and, once again, up-to-date constitutionally. For those of us in Great Britain and Ireland the good news is that Manchester has been awarded the 2024 Convention in our Centenary year. We are delighted to be hosting this event right back where Inner Wheel started nearly 100 years ago.

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THE INNER WHEEL CLUB (cont) Closer to home, our club hopes that it won’t be too long before we can meet again in person, but in the meantime we continue with our virtual meetings. Please be in touch if you feel you would like to join one of our meetings. You would be very welcome. Mary Mason t: (01995) 603447

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PREESALL FIRE STATION Welcome to Preesall Fire Station monthly editorial. We currently have 12 crew who all live within seven minutes of the fire station. We respond immediately if our ‘alerter’ goes off. That is our signal that someone in the area has dialled 999 and requested the fire service. Watch Manager - Paul Charnley This month we will introduce our watch manager, Paul Charnley who joined Preesall as a firefighter 22 years ago and is also crew manager at Preston Hi, my name is Paul Charnley, I am the watch manager here at N33 (our station designation) Preesall.

I joined the crew here in 1999 when I moved to the big city of Knott End from Pilling/Out Rawcliffe were I was brought up on a farm. When I first moved here I was a joiner but in 2009 I joined the whole-time fire service, since then I have worked at a variety of stations and I am now a crew manager at C50 Preston. The fire service is a brilliant job: I have got qualifications that I never dreamed I would achieve; I have teaching/assessing qualifications; I have a power boat driver qualification; I am qualified to operate an ariel ladder platform and lots more. The service has taken me all over the UK to complete these qualifications. Joining the fire service both on call and whole-time was one of the best decisions of my life. Recent Call-Outs Recently the crew have been to a barn fire,

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PREESALL FIRE STATION (cont) a small fire in the open, a cooking fire, a chimney fire and a dishwasher fire. Preesall’s Fire Cadet Unit At Preesall Fire Station we also run a fire cadet unit for 14 to 18 years old. This has had to adapt due to Covid, but we are hoping to recruit again in the summer for a new September intake. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for details. Get Involved Finally, if you have regular spare hours during the day or at weekends and want to earn extra money, learn new skills, develop yourself and support your community we’d love to hear from you. Sarah Holden e: sarahholden@lancsfirerescue.org.uk fb: @Preesallfire

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CAT SMITH MP Dog Thefts My heart goes out to the thousands of pet owners who, in the last 12 months, have had their dogs stolen by callous thieves. Even in rural areas like Over Wyre, dog owners have been targeted. It’s estimated that dog thefts have risen by a staggering 250% since the pandemic began. It’s a deeply distressing crime and one that Labour MPs believe should be made a specific offence. That’s why we’ve tabled an addition to the Policing Bill to make it a separate offence. At present, dog theft is not defined as a specific crime - instead pets are classed as ‘property’ under the Theft Act of 1968. This means that people who steal animals can currently be punished in the same way as someone who steals a mobile phone or a laptop. And according to the Kennel Club, as it stands, less than five per cent of cases result in a criminal conviction. For example, several years ago, a gang of four were tried at Lincoln Crown Court for stealing 15 Cavalier King Charles spaniels from a Lincolnshire breeder. Only one of the dogs was later recovered and reunited with its owner, having been thrown from a moving vehicle. All four of the accused pleaded guilty to theft – and the gang members received suspended sentences of between 12 and 16 months. A few months later, a dog thief who pleaded guilty at Leicester Magistrates Court to stealing two pugs was ordered to pay £200 compensation, £400 costs and received a drugs rehabilitation order – the stolen dogs remain missing. The amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill would create a specific offence for pet thefts. Offenders could face up to two years in jail and factors

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CAT SMITH MP (cont) such as if the pets are stolen for commercial gain and whether distress is caused to the pet, its owner or dog walker would aggravate the offence. In the meantime the Dogs Trust says that many dogs are taken from homes and gardens and are urging all dog owners to make sure their gardens are secure and to never leave your dog alone in the garden. They also say owners should never leave their dog unattended when out and about, always keep them in sight and also make sure they are trained to come back to you. By law all dogs must be microchipped, but make sure you keep your contact details up to date which gives you the best chance of having your dog returned if the worst happens. Westminster It’s been a busy month at Westminster. I’ve

tackled the Government in the chamber of the House of Commons over why university students can get a haircut, work in nonessential retails and watch their siblings head off to school each day, whilst they’ve been told they can’t return to in-person teaching at university when they’re paying more than £9,000 a year for their further education. I was successful in calling for a debate on local government reorganisation in the north of the constituency and delivered my speech directly to the Local Communities Minister. Remembering the Duke of Edinburgh I was also pleased to add my voice to those from across the world to remember the Duke of Edinburgh. Thousands of young people in the Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency have benefited over the years from taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme – and long may it continue.

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CAT SMITH MP (cont) Local Elections - Thurs 6th May In the next few days, we’ll all have the opportunity to vote in our local elections to choose our next representatives to serve on Lancashire County Council. Councils spend a lot of our money. Local government spending amounts to about 25% of all public spending in the UK. The largest slice of budgets goes on education, followed by social services - much of which is spent on elderly care - and the police, as well as council staff. But councils are having to make do with less cash - and who is in power will determine where savings are made. Councils get money from a variety of pots but central government funding is being cut each year. In this climate, some authorities are trying to reduce their bills by handing over services to private companies. Do you feel strongly about this? Should elderly care be

provided by the council or at arm’s length by the private sector? Would rubbish collection be more efficient if it was done by a profitmaking refuse company? Your vote could help determine how much say you have over local services in the future. Also, small things that bug you are probably the responsibility of the local authority. Potholes for example which I know are a real problem in Over Wyre. Local authorities build, manage and maintain about 96% of roads in England and when budgets are tight, road maintenance is the sort of thing which often gets squeezed. The ballot box is not just the place to have your say on the quality of local services. It’s also where you decide who the person will be on the other end of the telephone if you need to be re-housed or appeal to get your child into the school you wanted. Make sure you choose the person who you believe will listen

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CAT SMITH MP (cont) to you and act on your behalf. What your area will look like in ten years’ time is also to some extent determined by the local authority. Lancashire County Council is responsible for strategic planning, such as where housing and industry should be built. You’re putting your faith in councillors to make decisions on your behalf – so make sure you choose the person most likely to do this honestly and effectively. Finally, equal voting rights for men and women in the UK have only been around since 1928, following a long campaign for female suffrage. So, in thanks to all those amazing women who risked their lives for democracy I feel the least I can do is go and vote – and I hope you’ll join me on Thurs 6th May. Cat Smith MP

BEN WALLACE MP HRH The Duke of Edinburgh I was deeply saddened by the news of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh’s passing recently. The Duke of Edinburgh dedicated the majority of his life to serving this country, be it in our military as a Royal Naval Officer, as a patron to many charities (notably founding the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme which so many of our young people have benefited from), and in supporting HM The Queen as her Consort. I am sad to see his passing and will remember his life of service and devotion to our Queen and country. I would like to thank all constituents who have written to me about the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh and for sharing their thoughts and tributes.

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BEN WALLACE MP (cont) Looking Ahead On a more cheerful note, I am delighted to say I have been enjoying the Lancashire sunshine recently and long may it continue. I think we all deserve a long, hot summer this year. As the vaccination programme continues I am greatly encouraged by how many constituents have been in touch praising the way it is being rolled out. The number of cases of Covid continue to go in the right direction but, once again, I would like to say please be vigilant and follow the guidelines so the great progress made can continue.

in just 30 minutes. One in three people with Covid do not experience any symptoms and may be spreading the virus unwittingly. This rapid testing detects cases quickly, meaning positive cases can isolate immediately. They can also bring great peace of mind. I know that as well as taking these tests on a regular basis, some people are taking these tests ahead of spending time with vulnerable friends and family members. Hopefully these tests are another tool in helping us return to a more normal way of life.

You can find your closest collection point online here: https://maps.test-and-trace. nhs.uk Please remember, for up to date Covid Testing information on the pandemic go to: www. Everyone in England is now able to access gov.uk/coronavirus and www.nhs.uk free, regular, rapid coronavirus testing. Please also remember your community These lateral flow tests are for people with hub, Wyre Together (01253) 891000. Also, no symptoms. They can be collected from the Department of Health and Social Care pharmacies and are easy to take, with results helpline for any on-going Covid 19 queries

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BEN WALLACE MP (cont) (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.

April also saw the launch of the Government Loan Scheme which should ensure that businesses continue to have access to the finance they need.

Supporting Local Businesses

If you have a business and need support, a good starting point in looking for funding is the gov.uk website at www.gov.uk/businesscoronavirus-support-finder Please contact me if you think I can be of any assistance.

The Government has worked hard to protect jobs and livelihoods throughout the pandemic. At the start of April, I was pleased to see that five businesses from the constituency (Knight Rigging Services Ltd, Blitz, Highest Point Festival, Arranpaul Audio Ltd and KRS Productions Ltd) are to benefit from over a million pounds worth of investment from the Culture Recovery Fund. The fund is aimed at helping culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced. We have some amazing cultural businesses in Wyre and Preston North and I’m pleased that I have been able to offer my support.

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Overseas Travel Anyone hoping to travel abroad once the Covid travel restrictions are eased might find it helpful to check now whether their passport needs to be renewed. HM Passport Office is predicting a significant increase in applications over the coming months and is recommending that everyone think ahead. Read more here: https://www.gov.uk/ government/news/people-urged-to-applynow-for-british-passport Building Flood & Coastal Resilience In other news, I am delighted that Wyre Council has been successful in its bid for funding to trial a new approach to building flood and coastal resilience. Wyre Council aims to enhance coastal resilience to the consequences of climate change by creating Ecological Community Owned Coastal Buffer Strips, such as natural wooden barriers to capture sediment, the seeding of plants or by establishing saltmarshes. I would like to congratulate Wyre Council on this success. You can read more about the funding programme here: https://www.gov.uk/ guidance/flood-and-coastal-resilienceinnovation-programme Get in Touch As always, my mailbag has been full of letters covering many issues. I say it often but, please do keep the letters coming. Although I do pride myself on traveling around the constituency listening to residents, I can’t speak to everyone and it is vital for me to

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BEN WALLACE MP (cont)

PREESALL TOWN COUNCIL

know the issues that concern people on a daily basis in order for me to carry out my roll as your Member of Parliament.

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As we continue to come out the other side of the pandemic, I know business will take time to recover and 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 with a brief description of the issues you wish to raise, along with your contact details (including home address). You can also ring my office at the House of Commons or write to me at the below address. Ben Wallace MP e: wallaceb@parliament.uk t: 0207 219 5804 a: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA r Open fo & s s busine g in r e adh y t fe a s to es n li guide

Do you enjoy working outside and want to make a difference to our community? If so, come and join Preesall Town Council as our new lengthskeeper. This is a traditional role that can be traced back to the 1700s, when it referred to the person whose job it was to keep a length of road neat, tidy and passable. Today the role involves a range of general maintenance tasks from installing benches to cutting back vegetation, grass cutting and litter picking, all of which help keep our parish neat and tidy and enhance the environment within the boundaries of Preesall and Knott End. This is an employed position offering 25 hours per week on a flexible working basis. Some weekend working may also be required to support activities such as Remembrance

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PREESALL TOWN COUNCIL (cont) Day, the gala and other civic and community events. Tools, equipment and training will be provided. The salary is £12,792 per annum. As an employee of the council, you will also be entitled to 22 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time work) and enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme. For further information and to apply for this position, please contact our town clerk. Council Meetings The council is still holding meetings on Zoom. Details can be found on the council’s noticeboards and websites. Members of the public can raise matters or view proceedings. Anyone wishing to join the meeting should contact the clerk on the number below.

We’re on Facebook The council has set up a Facebook account to offer residents another route for keeping up to date with civic events and matters in the neighbourhood. Why not take a look? (address at the end of this article). The page will also feature council news from Wyre and Lancashire that affects Knott End and Preesall. Pothole Worries Councillors are concerned over what they believe is the lack of quality repairs to potholes in the township, and the highways authority, Lancashire County Council, is to be made aware of this dissatisfaction. Sea Wall Signs Signs politely asking sea wall users to be considerate to others are on the way. These will be placed at strategic points this summer,

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PREESALL TOWN COUNCIL (cont) subject to delivery.

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Rogue Traders The council is aware of rogue traders who have taken payment for cleaning drives and then delivered unsatisfactory work. Residents are urged to beware of uninvited callers and not to pay in advance. Lancashire County Council Road Closure Park Lane Preesall: the prohibition will be operative daily from 9:00am to 3:00pm on Thurs 20th May until Tues 25th May or until completion of the works within this period. An alternative route for vehicular traffic affected by the closure is via Park Lane - Sandy Lane - Lancaster Road Burned House Lane. Back Lane Preesall: The prohibition will be operative from 8:00am on Wed 2nd June until 4:00pm on Fri 4th June or until completion of the works within this period. An alternative route for vehicular traffic affected by the closure is via Back Lane – Park Lane – Cemetery Lane. Next Meeting Preesall Town Council will meet next via Zoom on Wed 5th May at 6:00pm. This is a public meeting and residents are welcome. An opportunity to raise matters is available. This meeting will be followed by the annual meeting of the town council. The public may view this meeting, however there will not be an opportunity to speak. Please keep an eye on the council’s website and noticeboards for updates. Alison May - Clerk e: clerk@preesalltowncouncil.org t: 07739 868 212 fb: @preesalltowncouncil www.preesalltowncouncil.org

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HAMBLETON PARISH COUNCIL Parish Council Next Meeting The next Annual Parish Council and Ordinary Parish Council meetings will be held on Tues 4th May via Skype starting at 7:00pm. The June Ordinary meeting will be held on Tues 1st June staring at 7:30pm (all being well we will be able to meet face-to-face in the Village Hall). Members of the public are encouraged to attend. Please contact the Clerk for joining details. If you are unable to join but have an issue you would like the Council to consider, please let the Clerk know so it can be added to the agenda. Hambleton in Bloom It is now time to put in requests to sponsor the summer flowering tubs that are placed around the village, the price for 2021 will be £33. Also, due to the pandemic, the usual fund-raising for In Bloom could not take place. If you would like to donate to the cause or

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book a flowering tub please contact the Clerk (details below). Hambleton Flood Action Group (FLAG) To keep up-to-date on flooding in Hambleton a full list of current issues and minutes from FLAG, Wyre Flood Forum and Making Space For Water meetings are available on the Hambleton Parish Council website. Bob Williamson Park The use of the Car Park is for users of the Bob Williamson Park only. Councillors and volunteers are locking the car park each evening (the park itself is still open to pedestrians). If your car is on the car park when the car park is due to be locked you run the risk of your car being locked in until the car park is opened the following morning. Fly Tipping Sadly, like many areas, Hambleton has become a popular destination for fly tippers. Wyre Council do, and have, prosecuted when they have sufficient evidence. Known cases are generally from outside the Wyre area but still, if you see rubbish dumped in public spaces please report to Wyre Council and, if you are getting someone to clear away your rubbish, please ensure that you get to see their waste carrier license and check that it is appropriate for the type of items being removed. You can check whether a business has a licence and what type of licence at www.environment.data.gov.uk/publicregister/view/index Speeding in Village The Parish Council are taking the lead in setting up a Community Speed Watch Group to look at issues of speeding around the village. If you have concerns about speeding, you have been involved in an accident or near miss due to speeding in the village or if you have children and are concerned for their safety on the village roads please contact the

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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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HAMBLETON COUNCIL (cont)

STALMINE PARISH COUNCIL

clerk to register your interest.

Council Meetings

Coronavirus Support

The council continues to hold its meetings via Zoom. Details can be found on the council’s noticeboard and website. There is still an opportunity for members of the public to raise matters of concern. Anyone wishing to join the meeting should contact the clerk on the number below before 3:00pm on the day of the meeting.

If you are confined to your home and need any practical help (shopping, prescription collection/delivery etc) or just someone to have a chat with, the parish council, along with a local army of volunteers are here to help. Please ring the clerk to discuss your needs. Huge thanks go out to all the people in the village who have offered their help during this time. Please, everyone, keep safe. Facebook Page Follow us to keep in the know with parish council events and village developments. Yvonne Walton - Clerk t: 07703 773 785 e: hambletonpc@yahoo.co.uk fb: Hambleton (Wyre) Parish Council www.hambletonparishcouncil.org.uk

Annual Meeting of the Parish Council This year’s meeting will be held on Tues 4th May at 7:00pm via Zoom. Jubilee Talks Councillors held a minute’s silence for the late Duke of Edinburgh at the April meeting, and thoughts are now turning to the Queen’s jubilee celebrations next year, which will mark the 70th anniversary of her ascent to the throne. Initial discussions on collective input into how the village marks the jubilee are to begin soon. Planning Action The council is very concerned about the increasing number of planning breaches in the village and Wyre Council’s response, which it believes to be inadequate. This discontent is to be made known to Wyre’s planning department. Footpath Signs After a fruitless wait for new public footpath signs from Lancashire County Council, Stalmine council has decided to take alternative action in its determination to improve the village’s rights of way. This is to build on the good work of last year on stiles and signs by the plantsman. Store Thanks The council expressed its gratitude to McColl’s for acting so quickly on its request for a broken-down vehicle and rubbish to be removed from the store’s car park.

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STALMINE PARISH COUNCIL (cont)

SSRA

Homes Allocation

Stalmine with Staynall Residents’ Association

After concern over comments by a Regenda employee, the housing group has confirmed that the council has been fully independent of the process of allocating homes. Hedging at Stalmine Playing Field The council is disappointed to report that a number of the new hedging plants have been ripped out and thrown round the play area. In addition, five of the trees have been stolen. Anyone with information on the theft should contact the clerk or the police. Get in Touch For further information contact any councillor or contact the clerk. Alison May - Clerk t: 07880 657 761 e: clerk@stalmineparishcouncil.org w: www.stalmineparishcouncil.org

Speeding in Stalmine Please, please drive slowly through our village. Residents are concerned about the speeding and often reckless driving taking place past our primary school especially at drop-off and pick-up times. Children are often very excited to see their families at the school gate after their school day and we ask drivers to take this into account when approaching and driving past the school. Please, please GO SLOW! Surely it is not too much to ask? At the current rate, it is only a matter of time before we hear of yet another serious road accident in our village. We understand that many of the frequent accidents on the A588 do not appear on the official recorded data as there was

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SSRA (cont) no personal injury involved. This is very concerning. Maybe, if we are unfortunate enough to be involved in such accidents, we should all make a point of reporting it to the police and request a log number. That way, hopefully, we will ensure that the official data tells the whole story of the A588. We believe there have been five such serious accidents fairly recently that fall into non-recorded data as they did not involve personal injury. If you have any conflicting information about this, we will be delighted to be proven wrong in our understanding. Planning Application We believe that Wyre Council’s decision on the application for two eighty-bed care homes and over 50 more houses, to be next to Linley Grange on Stricklands Lane, Stalmine, has been deferred. Let’s hope

common sense applies and it is refused. Your SSRA submitted a very thorough objection report that can be viewed on Facebook, Wyre Council Residents’ Voice, 13 January 2021. 7. SSRA Meetings The dates of our next two meetings are still unknown at this point but will be as soon as allowed. They take place on the first Wednesday of the month, 7:00pm at the Seven Stars. Finally, please re-read the first paragraph. For further information on any SSRA details please use any of the following contacts: • • • • •

Pauline Andrews 07808 058 097 Ann Ralph 07713 852 639 Peter Swarbrick (01253) 702675 Chris Hyde 07949 590 897 Susan and Andy Haydock 07879 477 779

Pauline Andrews - Secretary

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. 7 Rope Walk, Garstang, PR3 1NS

If you are interested, please get in touch. Ann Cameron 07966 126999 Alan Cameron 07825 271344

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HAMBLETON FLOOD ACTION GROUP Hambleton Flood Action Group is a small group of Hambleton residents who lobby for action regarding flooding issues in the village. Flood water management involves; Hambleton Parish Coucil (HPC), Wyre Borough Council (WBC), Lancashire County Council (LBC), Environment Agency (EA), United Utilities (UU) and riparian owners (land owners across/under which water flows, local residents and farmers). There are quarterly meetings; Hambleton FLAG & WBC liaison, a technical meeting called ‘Making Space for Water’ (MSFW) and general meeting called ‘Wyre Flood Forum’ (WFF).

Birkirigg & The Coppins Property Flooding In 2012 the area flooded and has been with the MSFW and WFF since then. In 2014 LCC installed road gullies draining to a piped culvert. The gully gets regularly blocked by silt washing from the higher field, and the

piped culvert flows are insufficient. In 2015 another road gully was installed further north. In 2018 LCC cleaned the gullies. In 2020 LCC installed new underground pipe connecting to a northern outfall, however this was unsuccessful in alleviating flooding. In 2021 EA recognised that the unconsented piped ditch (noted in 2013) needs their intervention. There is a higher level of flood risk in the Birkirigg and The Coppins area, however there are contributing factors that can be managed in mitigation. 1. Flow into the Area (WBC, LCC): Surface water used to flow into a water course which has now filled. Consequently the water flows onto the A588 causing flooding. We hope LCC can consider re-establishment of the watercourse and introduction of a culvert/pipe under the road. A field to the north uses this solution. We have asked WBC or LCC

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HAMBLETON FLOOD ACTION (cont) if there are specific farming techniques that can be recommended to reduce run-off to the A588 and what powers and responsibilities LCC have regarding road flooding and accident risk.

4. Flow Away from the area (EA): The open watercourse ‘Kiln Lane Pool’ - EA id 348633, drains the local area into ‘Wardley’s Pool’ EA id 376083. MSFW minutes of Mar/2014 indicated a silt survey was carried out by EA. EA has been asked when the next survey is planned, and what can be done with regards to improving drainage flows for the area. Mike O’Flaherty t (01253) 702288 e michael.oflaherty@yahoo.com www.hambletonparishcouncil.org.uk

Y SIDE FLO TR RI

S ST

CO U

2. Flow Across The Road: (WBC, LCC, UU): LCC installed a new pipe in 2020 and also new road gullies in the past. However these, together with the underground pipes, soon silt up and the piped culvert, upon which they rely, easily floods. We have requested information with regards surface water drains and foul drains in this area from WBC. LCC and UU to better understand the issue. The current system of gully cleaning/ unblocking relies on the public reporting system. We have asked LLC if they maintain a register of gullies that require targeting for regular cleaning because of inherent silting/further investigation.

3. Flow Away from the Properties (EA, LCC): Removal of the unapproved pipe would assist water flows. This was surveyed and noted in 2013 without action. The latest minutes of the MSFW meeting notes an action for EA.

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WYRE FLOOD FORUM The weather in April has been benign with plenty of sun and clear blue skies. One feature of pandemic restrictions has been the absence of vapour trails which have been a constant sign of Atlantic travel for the post-war years. Today, you struggle to find one when raising your gaze upwards. One wonders what all those high flyers now do with their time but less stellar pollution will do us no harm. Back with our feet on the ground there has been no recent flooding incidents and our statutory authorities are, we hope, working hard to fix the long list of issues that have accumulated as a result of the quarterly Flood Forum. The forum has proceeded, undaunted, by electronic means despite our inability to meet face-to-face. We next meet in June and I suspect it will be from the comfort of home and office. I have mentioned in previous bulletins that

the Environment Agency are planning to replace the west gate at the Garstang Flood Basin and this is the latest news from senior engineer Graeme Kelly; ‘We are hoping to start the work to replace the west gate ram cylinder around the end of June. The cylinder is in working condition but we’ve decided to replace it in light of the leak that developed on the east gate cylinder, which has now been repaired, as they were both installed at the same time. ‘We’re also commissioning a report to identify what steps can be taken to increase the resilience of the Garstang flood structure. The report will look at all the main elements of the defence to determine their current condition and set out the future maintenance programme. This report will be delivered by the end of the current financial year. ‘That is good news for all the settlements downstream who can be confident that the

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WYRE FLOOD FORUM (cont) crucial storage basin behind the old railway line will do its job in an hour of need.’ Although we rely on ‘hard engineering’ to control flood water, there are more and more schemes to replicate the natural world that previous generations would have taken for granted. The March edition of Lancashire Life featured an account of experimental work being pioneered by Lancashire Wild Life Trust at Winmarleigh to regenerate the naturallyrecurring capture and storage of carbon by retaining water in the site of special scientific interest, simultaneously sowing several varieties of sphagnum moss which takes carbon out of the atmosphere. Keeping Winmarleigh well and truly at the forefront of research, the BBC released a short programme in April (which can be accessed on the BBC Sounds App) under the widely advertised ‘39 Ways to Save the

Planet’. The programme featured jaunty interviews with scientists and volunteers who are creating six hectares, or 15 acres in old money, of wetland covered in brightly coloured sphagnum plugs, 150 thousand in total, which will be monitored for its impact on greenhouse gasses. It is also critical for the storage of surface water run off into our rivers and the control of flood water in our vulnerable low lying areas. Apparently, the surface of the planet contains only 3% of peatland and is a precious commodity. We can see for ourselves that parts of Wyre have had peat stripped away for fuel and fertilizer as well as agricultural use leading to campaigns to prevent peat being cut and sold. A drive through the centre of rural Wyre demonstrates with imagination what the landscape would have looked like centuries ago before its removal. The success of the Pilling potato has everything

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WYRE FLOOD FORUM (cont) to do with the nutrient free soil below the peat. There is a balance between having enough land from which to feed ourselves and looking after the planet.

We are approaching the end of the Club’s year with just a few meetings remaining as listed here: •

Roger Brooks - Garstang Flood Action Group & Garstang Town Council

Wed 5th May: Kylie-Ann Martin ‘My Journey so Far’

•

Wed 12th May: AGM Presentation Evening.

GARSTANG CAMERA CLUB

•

Wed 19th May: Chris Upton ‘Travels with my X (Fuji Cameras)’

Greetings to all readers. By the time you read this (hopefully), we will be in the merry month of May. If all of Boris’s plans go to order, alcoholic drinks may be served outdoors and, if the weather permits, then it may well be a merry month!

As I write this, a spell of stable weather is predicted (kiss of death?) and so

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As I mentioned in my last article, we hope that ‘proper’ meetings may be held again at the Arts Centre in September and, with a degree of optimism and a following wind, we may achieve our goal. However, we will still be using Zoom for many of the presentations but at least we will be able to converse with each other (whilst social distancing) much more satisfactorily.

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GARSTANG CAMERA CLUB (cont) photographic opportunities should present themselves more readily. Our Summer outings will have started. These were listed in the April magazine and they can also be found on our website (below). We have said goodbye to an enthusiastic photographer, a keen amateur for many years, HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. We send our sincere condolences to all the Royal Family at this sad time. Good shooting, but still stay safe through the new stages. Maurice Barker www.garstangcameraclub.co.uk

NORTH FYLDE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOC The club will take a summer break from May until September. We will still be doing Zoom meetings on Tuesday evenings, so we can stay in touch and talk about our photography.

provide the opportunity for them to participate in a vast range of outdoor adventures and challenge themselves to change their perceptions to make positive and lasting changes to their lives. There many activities including climbing, horse riding, canoeing, sailing, orienteering, hand bike and cycling, and a wheelchair challenge course, to name but a few. There are indoor facilities for relaxation in the evening plus a games room and a hydrotherapy swimming pool.

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ROTARY Calvert Bear’s Five Peak Challenge

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ROTARY (cont) Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the trust has suffered a £1m shortfall in income. In December the Calvert Trust launched their bounce-back appeal to stay in business.

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The Rotary Club of Keswick has teamed up with the Lake District Calvert Trust to launch an appeal named ‘The Calvert Bear’s Five Peak Challenge’. The target is to raise a minimum of £25,000 towards the project with the assistance of Rotary Clubs throughout Lancashire and Cumbria.

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As Garstang Rotary Club is hopeful and full of optimism as we see the possible end of the lockdown and pandemic restrictions lifted, it is time for the ‘Old Bears of the Garstang Rotary Club’ to come out of hibernation. Four club members have set themselves the task of completing part of the route the Rotary Club of Keswick have set themselves. They are planning to climb Skiddaw in the Lake District to sponsor contributions for this cause. This is planned to take place in June, and this appeal is to ask you to put your paws into your pocket and dig deep into the piggy bank. Any amount would be really appreciated. If you are able to donate £5 or more to support the Calvert Trust challenge and help us to achieve our goal, please could we ask you to donate by using the fundraising page at: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/ TheCalvertBearChallenge Stephen Iles - Event Organiser t: 07484 298854 e: stephen.iles1@btinternet.com www.calvertlakes.org.uk

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RSPCA Special Appeals Jenny Adorable Jenny, who is 13 years old, came into our care after her owner became too unwell to care for her. We quickly noticed something unusual about her - Jenny has no tail, however this seems to pose no problems for her. It just adds to her character! When Jenny first arrived she was a little nervous and it took her a few days to settle in with us but with a little reassurance she quickly gained her confidence. She enjoys lots of strokes but prefers all four paws firmly on the ground. Jenny is looking for a quiet retirement home to live out her senior years comfortably and would make a great companion for someone. She’s ideally suited to a home without young children and she would like to be the only pet in the home. Beaky Beaky, an Eastern Rosella parrot, was found as a stray. We are unsure of the sex but a leg ring indicates the year of birth as 2018. Beaky has settled in our care and has become more vocal but still doesn’t seem to want to interact much with the staff. From the bird’s behaviour, we don’t think it’s has had much socialisation or handling so we are looking for a home with someone who has previous bird experience, preferably with this breed. Beaky would benefit from as much space as possible so an aviary with heating is ideal.

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RSPCA (cont) Eastern Rosella’s do have a life span of up to 25 years so this needs to be taken into consideration when applying to adopt Beaky. Casper Casper was found as a stray in a local park. Casper is now in our care in the hope we can find him a new forever home. He is a relaxed and friendly rabbit who is always eager to see what’s going on and get involved. He enjoys being groomed despite being a little wriggly to start off with! Casper is looking for a female bunny who will provide him with much needed companionship. For information on suitable rabbit accommodation and what is required in terms of space, please contact the branch.

Outdoor Book Sale We are holding our first event at the animal centre in over a year on Sun 16th May between 11:00am and 3:00pm. The event will be outdoors only where we will have a large variety of books available to purchase. There will also be stalls with DVD’s, CD’s, plants and pet supplies. Please note, that Covid restrictions apply throughout the event and access to the animal units will be restricted. Charity Shops We are delighted that we have finally been able to reopen our charity shops. The shop managers and volunteers have worked hard to get them ready and ensure that we abide to the Covid restrictions. We are currently asking for donations of small furniture and working electrical items to help increase our much needed income.

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RSPCA (cont) Should you have any items available for us to sell, we can collect so please call us on 07434 537 232 to book a collection. Hannah Kirrane - Animal Centre Manager t: (01253) 703000 e: enquiries@rspcablackpool.org.uk www.rspcablackpool.org.uk CARDIAC RISK IN THE YOUNG Matthew Hesmondhalgh Memorial Fund Forthcoming Event (How nice does it feel to be able to say that?): Team Matt will be hosting a new and pre-loved stall outside Garstang Market Hall, on Sat 15th May from 9:00am – 3:00pm. Thank you to everyone who has donated goods over the past year for this. We are so looking forward to meeting friends old and new at this event. From time to time activities develop and happen before we get a chance to tell everyone about them in this little green book. The beautiful pebbles that were kindly painted by Trisha Barker and entrusted to Ruth Forshaw of ‘Longridge Highland Cow’ (Facebook page) fame to fundraise for CRY was one such instance.

every year in the UK some 9 years after Matt died. The major messages of the programme highlighted the huge value of screening but also evidenced the dire need for more research, something we have always backed wholeheartedly. Matt’s fund was set up solely to provide local screening events to try and prevent other families suffering the same tragedy and the screenings also provide CRY with data which is invaluable for their research. We also try to raise awareness where we can. Over the years we have been asked if contributions can be made towards Matt’s fund that would also benefit research but we haven’t been able to accommodate this, signposting those who wished to support research to CRY directly. However, after further chats with CRY we can now offer this choice with funds being made in Matt’s memory as long as we know at the time the

Ruth and her team displayed and offered the delightful pebbles in exchange for a donation with an amazing £329.68 being raised and shared equally between Matt’s fund and that of Andrew Key, a young man from Longridge who so sadly passed away from SADS in January this year. Our thoughts have been very much with the family since we heard of his untimely death at just 32 years old. It really is so heart breaking. Some of you may have seen the documentary ‘Sudden Death: My Sister’s Silent Killer’ on BBC1 recently. Watching it we cannot help but recognise the parallels between Patrick’s experiences and our own. It is so frustrating when these mostly preventable deaths are still happening to over 600 young people Tell them you saw it in the Green Book

Sea Bank House

A special home for special people Sea Bank House is a residential home for elderly people who are unable to live independently in their own homes. Or philosophy of care is based on the belief that it is the right of any resident in the home to be respected as an individual, and that everyone has the right to be allowed to live as full and active a life as both their mental and physical condition allows. We endeavour to provide an environment which is not only comfortable and homely, but gives the warmth and understanding normally associated with family care but supported by specialist equipment and well trained care staﬀ. Needs are met maintaining personal dignity, privacy and encouraging independence where possible. Activities, passive and active are encouraged throughout the day by trained care staﬀ under the guidance of the Home Manager. Each care plan takes into consideration the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs, in order to create a care plan that is relevant to individuals. Recognising, nurturing and encouraging the residents remaining skills and ability to communicate is or paramount importance to the quality of care given at Sea Bank House.

Call Joanne and her team on 01253 810888 E: info@seabank-house.co.uk www.apexhealthcare.co.uk

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SOROPTIMISTS

CRY (cont) donation is made. Whilst our priority is - and always will be - screening, this is a great complement to our fund and a lovely tribute to mark what should have been Matt’s 32nd birthday last month. Another fantastic homage comes from our terrific Milk Bottle Challengers. Literally hundreds of people support this initiative, some at home and some in shops and workplaces, and we’re delighted to say a further £5,000 has been raised in this way – enough to pay for a 2nd full day of screening at Garstang when we are permitted. It proves the old adage that small actions really can made a big difference. A tremendous thank you to all! One of the lovely things about where we live is the enchanting displays of wool craft that sporadically appear around the village. When passing by most days we see young families exploring and having photos taken with them. Recently Matt’s Fund received a surprise donation of £15 directly linked to these delightful creations. The anonymous donor had loved the knitted Easter chicks so much she had requested some for her family from the ‘Crazy Daisy’ team (part of Catterall in Bloom), the instigators of the displays. Generous as ever with their skills, the ladies fulfilled the request and suggested the donation of cash received for them go to CRY. Thank you for this and for all your hard work and creativity that brighten the village and uplift the soul.

Women Inspiring Action, Transforming Lives Another month and the light is getting clearer at the end of the tunnel and we are getting busy preparing for a new Soroptimist year. AGM We had our AGM at the end of April and had the great pleasure in welcoming another new member, Fiona to our group. She’s already hit the ground running, taking an active role

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Thank you also to those who choose to help through the use of the recycling bin on Catterall Village Hall. A further £195 has been sent to CRY from your much appreciated donations. Well done. Take care, keep safe and hopefully we’ll meet soon. Paula Hesmondhalgh t: 07785 106 976 e: paulahez.ph@gmail.com fb: @The Matthew Hesmondhalgh Memorial Fund

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SOROPTIMISTS (cont) in the recycling project we’re supporting for blister packs. You know, those annoying tablet strips that don’t go into any of the regular recycling schemes and end up in landfill. Why don’t you get involved, take a look at our Facebook page which has all the details? T

exciting and very absorbing speakers

he AGM is always a special meeting as it’s the time we get together, recap on the year and our achievements just passed. We welcome the new management team and club President Kathy and get the first glimpse of our exciting new theme and programme for the new year. The theme this year – Soroptimist 100th year – is 100. So lots of our activities will involve providing, collecting, planting etc and you will hopefully see the link coming through.

Felicity provided an overview of the recent impact of Covid and what it means to women and girls in Kenya – ‘The crisis is creating circumstances that have already contributed to a surge in reports of violence against women and girls, and may increase child marriage and FGM.’ (UN Report on SDGs 2020).

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In March we welcomed Felicity Jones, founder of Thinking Philanthropy and co-founder of SDG Changemakers, who presented ‘Moving Beyond FGM: Building Futures for Girls and Women in Kenya’ (www.linkedin.com/in/ felicity-jones-7001988).

She provided an insight to the work in the West Pokot County of Kenya (the Kenyan Government are committed to ending FGM by 2022). It could have been a dispiriting session but the work of Beyond FGM, CICR and AfriReuse, even during the pandemic, is making a difference. The key is local, community-based conversations alongside developing alternative social and economic support mechanisms. The Alternative Rites of Passage ceremonies are a positive example. AfriReuse’s Dignity Packs are also a powerful and positive symbol of the change that women can create locally. The overall spirit of the presentation was captured by the words of Everlyne Prech, the Executive Director of CICR (and a local midwife): ‘We believe that when our girls are protected from FGM, early marriage and other forms of violence, when they can claim their right to health, to education and to decent work, then they can become powerful agents for change.’ To read the full report, take a look at our Facebook page, not only an interesting article but also lots of links for you to learn more.

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SOROPTIMISTS (cont) Derian House In April we had fantastic talk by Mick Croskery, Community Fundraising Manager at Derian House (one of our chosen charities for 2020/21). www.derianhouse.co.uk We had a comprehensive overview of the work of Derian House and the support and facilities it provides to children and young people who need palliative or end of life care. Despite it being an extremely sensitive subject, Derian House is there, not only for the child/young person. It’s also there to support the parents, families and siblings with respite care, toddler groups, music therapy, sensory garden, sibling support groups, and holiday lodges, the list

just went on - suffice to say the mantra of ‘big smiles on small faces’ rang true. Mick’s presentation touched on the impact of the pandemic in terms of Derian House’s fundraising efforts – fund raising has been severely curtailed so it was a pleasure to be able to inform Mick that through our Soroptimist fund raising efforts we have raised over £1350 to date (and we are still counting up the pennies). Quite an achievement when we haven’t been able to run our usual fundraising events – but fingers crossed, the parched peas will be back this year. Again, a more comprehensive report can be found on our Facebook page. But instead of just reading about what we do - why not come along to a meeting or just Zoom in, and find out for yourself just how easy it is to make a difference and to be a part of 100 years of history and achievement.

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SOROPTIMISTS (cont)

CARTER’S NEWS

Meetings

Summer is finally here and along with it some great outdoor adventures!

One major thing we’ve learnt this year is the flexibility we can have by embracing technology. Although we have now provisionally booked our meeting room at our favourite venue, Garstang Golf Club, so we can once again meet in the flesh later in the year, there’s still the option to use Zoom in our meetings and enable people to be involved even when they physically can’t get to a meeting. Why not look into joining us to help make a difference? Just drop us a line or give our membership co-ordinator Muriel BurnhamAirey a ring. We’ll be happy to talk to you and answer your questions. t: (01995) 606604 (Muriel Burnham-Airey) w: www.sigarstang.org.uk facebook: SoroptimistsGarstang twitter: GarstangSoropt o We als ton s g lo in supply of logs & ets bags, n ﬁregrates g, n e kindli h mor m & uc

We have been busy revamping and rejuvenating the front garden areas in school to be usable areas for the whole school community. We now have a fabulous ‘Carter’s Allotment’ with each year group and after school club having their own raised beds to grow a variety of produce. If all goes well, who knows…. we may have a veg stall up and running before you know it! A ‘thank you’ goes out to John Thompson from John’s Workshop for his kind surprise donation of our allotment sign. We have also worked on our early years area in the front garden, where lots of plants and trees have been transplanted to other garden areas so we can have a ‘construction’ area outside – fantastic! The next project is a water wall and plans have been submitted to Wyre Council for a bug hotel – they already want to

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CARTER’S NEWS (cont) now have an up-andrunning ‘eco warrior’ team of staff and pupils who are starting to work with the whole school towards awards such as the Eco Schools Award and RHS School Gardening Awards. add an extension! Watch this space…. The nature garden is also in the process of having a face-lift so we can introduce more forest school activities as well as already running beach school activities. A very big thank you to those who have donated water butts, compost bins, stone, tools and other bits and bobs to help improve the areas. It’s an exciting time in school as we

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Pupils and staff get so much from outdoor activities - it’s great for teamwork, cooperation, resilience and just being in the outdoors working towards a goal is great for the mind and body too. As restrictions are (hopefully) easing, we are, as much as possible, looking forward to having a more ‘back to normal’ term, with classes heading out on beach visits as well as Year Six being able to attend their residential

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CARTER’S NEWS (cont)

PREESALL FLEETWOOD’S CHARITY

to Hothersall Lodge for fun and adventures.

The School on the Hill

Our after school club can now offer more variety of activities and all pupils are allowed to book and attend – including dodgeball disco, archery, craft and cooking to name just a few.

I can’t believe it is the summer term already! We are incredibly grateful to have all our pupils back in school and it does now feel as though we are moving closer to some kind of ‘normality’. Since Easter, we have had some lovely weather which has meant teachers have been able to take learning outdoors.

We have had some lovely messages from our local care homes and individuals and families in the community following our Easter Egg sharing. They were completely fat free – beautiful Easter egg artwork that we shared to brighten up people’s lives over the Easter holiday At Easter, we said goodbye to Mrs Holden who has retired from Carter’s after over 30 years of dedication and commitment. We were unable to give her a proper send-off but wish her much happiness and relaxation after all those years of working with our children. I do wish to add my praise and gratitude for the way in which our school community has acted over the last 12 months in fighting to limit the impact of Covid on the life and workings of school. We have only had two positive cases in school in all of that time so have been very lightly touched by this dreadful disease.

At Fleetwood’s Charity School, we firmly believe that high quality learning does not have to take place in the classroom, sitting at desks. We are blessed to have amazing grounds and outdoor spaces and the views from the top of Preesall Hill are second to none! It is the first thing any visitors to school comment on when they see the panoramic view stretching from Morecambe Bay and the Lake District hills, to the Bowland Fells and round towards Blackpool. It certainly has a calming effect whatever the weather! Our pupils love being outdoors – we

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As we head out of restrictions to a more recognisably normal way of life, it’s heartening to see that the determination has not dimmed. If you want to keep up to date with what is happening in our school, you can follow us on Facebook @carterscharityschool – it’s an open page so families and friends of school can keep an eye on what we get up to. Stay safe, and we hope before long we can start welcoming the wider community back to our wonderful school.

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PREESALL FLEETWOOD’S (cont)

encourage outdoor learning all through the year but the summer term gives us the best opportunities for using our outdoor environment to its full potential. Being outdoors is particularly good for positive mental health and it allows children to learn more practically. We know that some children need more space and sensory stimulation to access learning more effectively. We have a beautiful on-site, mature forest

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where all pupils from Pre-School to Year 6 have forest school sessions. Forest school helps children develop a whole range of really important skills such as co-operation, teamwork, perseverance, resilience and independence as well as physical skills. Our pupils climb trees, build dens, cook on the camp fire, learn to use tools, explore nature and share amazing experiences. Believe it or not, all subjects in the primary National Curriculum can be delivered in a forest school session! Next to our forest we have a nature area with an established pond, wildflower bank and bug hotel. This area is perfect for exploring habitats and learning about wildlife but it is also somewhere calm and quiet to sit and reflect or read a book. Our Pre-School, Reception and Year One pupils have access to wonderful outdoor areas which are an extension of the classroom. The activities are carefully planned to engage young learners and to enhance their learning. Learning through play is key in the early years of schooling, building the foundations for more formal learning in later years as they progress to being competent readers, writers, mathematicians and more. Earlier in the year we started to develop another outdoor classroom area on the grass at the back of school using old tyres fixed vertically into the ground for seats. This has already been used for outdoor science,

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PREESALL FLEETWOOD’S (cont) worship and story sessions. Our current project is a prayer garden, which the pupils will help design, this will be used for quiet times and reflection. The plan is to include planters with fragrant plants so it can also be a sensory garden.

excited for the arrival of the first fruits! At the other end of the field we are going to plant a wildflower meadow to do our bit for supporting conservation. Teaching our pupils about how to look after the environment is also an essential part of their education.

We have a greenhouse and growing area where the pupils help to plant a range of fruits and vegetables. These are then used to make soups, jams, cordial and other delights! In the summer, we have an extra-curricular gardening club who enjoy helping to maintain the vegetable and flower beds around school.

The best days in the summer are when you walk around school to find quiet, empty classrooms. Our whole school can be outdoors, all working in different areas. This is when we realise how lucky we are to spend our days in such a fabulous location.

On many occasions we have been awarded a Wyre in Bloom Gold Award and we also have a Gold Award from the Woodland Trust for planting trees in the environment. In February we planted an orchard on part of our sports field on Park Lane. In total we planted around thirty-five trees. These are now just coming into blossom so we are all

CROSSWORD (ans page 71)

‘The best classroom and the richest cupboard is roofed only by the sky.’ (Margaret McMillan 1925). We look forward to hearing from you! Victoria Gladwin - Acting Headteacher t: (01253) 810324 fb: @preesallfleetwoodscharity www.fleetwoods.lancs.sch.uk Across 1 Stiff paper; one of the pack (4) 7 Still available (6) 8 Whoop; uplift (5) 9 Feature; appearance (6) 11 Blackberry creeper (7) 14 Thwarting; avoiding (7) 17 Badge; symbol (6) 18 Started (5) 19 Cheat; violin (6) 20 Schedule; roster (4) Down 2 Stage; stadium (5) 3 Hard-wearing (7) 4 Knocked lightly against (6) 5 Guiding light (6) 6 Covering over a wound (4) 10 Sleep (7) 12 Stay (6) 13 Tune (6) 15 Metal bar (5) 16 Hereditary unit (4)

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1ST STALMINE SCOUT GROUP Each week over half a million young people and adults join together across the UK to enjoy scouting activities. Whilst the last 12 months have seen many changes to how we run scouting, our young people at Stalmine 1st Scout Group have been joining together each week via Zoom and have enjoyed lots of activities including badge work, arts and crafts, cooking as well as a virtual group camp. As restriction are being eased, we are now returning to face-to-face scouting, and our current term’s programme includes a mixture of both virtual and face to face activities across the group and it is hoped that for our summer term we will be able to be outdoors doing lots more fun activities. All our activities are risk assessed and we have Covid procedures in place to ensure both our young people and adult volunteers are safe.

As the number of young people wanting to join 1st Stalmine Scout Group increase, so does the size of our group, and we are pleased to announce that in the coming months we are looking at introducing a Scout Section (open to those aged 10 ½ -14) to the group. Could you be the one? Think that’s scouting is just for young people? Then think again… With over 150 thousand volunteers across the United Kingdom, we have the role which is perfect for you, and we are after volunteers to join our fantastic Leadership Team to help deliver and support our programme for young people aged 6 - 8 years old (Beavers) 8 - 10 ½ year olds (Cubs) and soon for our 10 ½ 14 year olds (Scout section). Training and support is provided and an enhanced DBS will be completed prior to starting. We also have the opportunity for young

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1ST STALMINE SCOUT GROUP (cont) people to join us at 1st Stalmine Scout Group too ... as an inclusive organisation we are open to both boys and girls so if your child is aged six to 14 and you would like them to join us then please contact us for further information. If you are interested in any of the above roles or opportunities, then please get in touch Andrew Graham e: andrew.graham@wyrescouts.org.uk fb: @1ststalminescouts www.wyrescouts.org.uk

LANCASHIRE WEST TREFOIL GUILD We are now looking to meet face-to-face very soon. Our members have been busy on Zoom coffee mornings and craft activities. Poulton Trefoil Guild is decorating squares of felt to make into a banner depicting lockdown 2020/21. As soon as we get the go-ahead we will be organising a programme for the coming months. We can’t wait! If you are looking for a new challenge out of lockdown and want to meet new friends please give me a call. Elaine Robinson (01253) 790692

1ST PILLING SCOUT GROUP After several months of meeting weekly on Zoom our Beavers, Cubs and Scouts are at last meeting face-to-face outdoors. Our last Zoom meeting was a virtual visit to Croydon Fire Station with a conducted tour by a member of London Fire Brigade which was enjoyed by us all. Our first outdoor face-to-face meeting was a games evening held outside the chapel at the end of April. Over the following weeks we will

Welcome back!

We would like to extend a warm welcome back from lockdown to our patients. All our services continue to be provided in a COVID secure environment and we ask that you continue to wear a face mask when attending Clinic.

Laura & Team

Treatments

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1ST PILLING SCOUT GROUP (cont)

FAIRTRADE

plan walks and other outdoor activities.

Events

We meet in school term time and welcome boys and girls aged six to 14 who will learn life skills and have fun and make new friends.

The Royal Lancashire Show is currently planned to go ahead from Fri 30th July to Sun 1st Aug where Fairtrade Lancashire volunteers hope to run a Fairtrade stall.

Our uniformed group is part of the Scout Association in West Lancashire County. Wyre District Scouts and 1st Pilling Scout Group has very dedicated leaders and helpers. We have been planning and carrying out risk assessments prior to the opening up of outdoor activities with Covid in mind. •

Beavers six to eight years

•

Cubs eight to 101/2

•

Scout: 101/2 to 14

We are looking long term to introduce indoor activities as Covid risk reduces. Rod Robinson (01253) 790692

Efﬁclean

On Sat 8th May Garstang Fairtrade is planning to mark World Fair Trade Day by putting on a display in the Market Hall window and hopefully set up a stall outside to raise awareness of Fairtrade, climate change and World Earth Day. Schools Update From information which had been sent out by the Fairtrade Foundation we approached ten local schools concerning climate change and Fairtrade from which we could offer various talks and support. We were really delighted and encouraged by their positive responses. We were also approached to see if we could help with a Fair Trade project that is being planned to mark Fairtrade Day at a special needs school in Preston. Meetings Whilst we still cannot hold our normal meetings, we have embraced technology and met several times using Zoom. Moving Forward It was agreed that our AGM will hopefully take place in September. Recipes

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We are putting together some new Fairtrade recipes to update our website cookbook and, if possible, include them in our monthly Focus article. So, roll on June when you can try Masterchef finalist 2015, Tony Rodd’s Banana Souffle and Vegan Chocolate Mousse We need you - How to get involved with Fairtrade As the world’s first Fairtrade town, this is a great opportunity to get involved with your local Fairtrade group. We are keen to

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FAIRTRADE (cont) encourage new members who could help us with campaigning, promoting Fairtrade in schools, encouraging local businesses to make more of a commitment to Fairtrade, liaising with other Garstang community groups, organising events, and helping us to develop our use of social media. All whilst making new friends and helping some of the world’s poorest people to use Fairtrade as a means of improving their quality of life. For more details just email us. Peter Ryder garstangfairtrade@gmail.com

GARSTANG AFVBC Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club The next Garstang Veterans Breakfast Club walk will take place in the Winmarleigh area on Sat 8th May at 9:30am. The walk will start from St Luke’s Church Car

Park, Church Lane, Winmarleigh, PR3 0LA and will take approximately 1 – 1.5 hours. All local veterans are welcome to take part, including family members. Most of the walk is on footpaths but there is one part across open fields, so a slightly shorter and easier alternative route has been arranged for buggies and wheelchairs. The walk will finish at the church (built by Lord Winmarleigh for the people of the village). Although small, it has a unique history and some rare stencils on the walls. If anyone is interested in seeing inside of the church and hearing a little about its history, subject to socially distancing rules, this will be available at the end for those who may be interested. Important details (may be subject to change): •

We can walk in groups of up to six (or two households).

GREY MATTER TEST (ans page 71) 1 In which city would you find the Gorbals?

12 According to Paul Simon, how many

2 Which Tropic runs through Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique?

ways are there to leave your lover?

3 Who founded the first US detective agency in 1850? 4 What type of animal is a macaque? 5 What is the name of the Professor in the game ‘Cluedo’? 6 Of which Dickens novel is Pip the central character? 7 How many yards in a furlong? 8 Who played Baldrick in the Blackadder comedy series? 9 On which metallic element does verdigris form? 10 Who was the first woman MP to sit in the House of Commons? 11 What was the name of Dorothy’s dog in the Wizard of Oz?

13 Baffin Bay lies between Canada and which other country? 14 What was Robert Burns’ “wee sleekit, cow’rin’ tim’rous beastie”? 15 What is the capital of Austria? 16 Whose book of Household Management was published in parts from 1859-60? 17 Which hill in Paris is the gathering point for artists and portrait painters? 18 Who is the patron saint of travellers? 19 Who wrote the Enigma Variations? 20 Who were given to the destruction of new technology in the Industrial Revolution?

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GARSTANG AFVBC (cont)

SCORTON FOOD & GIFT FAIR

•

Whilst on the walk you should maintain two metres social distancing or one metre if you wear a face covering.

Mon 3rd May, 10:30am - 4:00pm Scorton Village Hall

•

We may not be able to meet and socialise with members of the other groups during or after the walk, if that means you are now in a group of more than six (or two households).

•

We will ask for your contact details before the walk for the purpose of Track and Trace i.e. name and phone number.

•

If you have been at all unwell or in contact with anyone who may have Covid, you must not take part in the walk.

Featuring 25 stalls selling tasty foods and fabulous gifts including cheese, preserves, textiles, jewellery and soaps, traditional crafts, sweets, chocolate, glassware and candles. Entry is free. There’s sadly no cafe this year and we are operating as an indoor market so face coverings must be worn. Joanne Golton e: scortonvillage@outlook.com t: 01524 791818

PLANT SALE

We look forward to seeing you.

Sat 15th May, 10:00am - 1:00pm Croston House, Garstang

Roger Dunn f: Garstang Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club www.afvbc.net/clubs/garstang/

Plant sale hosted by Cancer Help Preston Ltd at Cancer Help, Croston House, Croston Rd, Garstang. For more details, please contact Vine House on (01772) 793344.

NURSERY | SHOP | TEAROOM | DELI • • • • •

Well-stocked nursery full of homegrown perennials, grasses & a good selection of shrubs and trees Garden shop stocking tools, seeds and horticultural sundries Main shop stocking WhiteStuﬀ, Mistral & Nomads clothing, homeware, house plants & pots Our brand new deli is now open Our tearoom is now open for outdoor dining. Please phone 01524 587066 to book

Daisy Clough, Station Lane, Scorton, Lancashire, PR3 1AN www. daisyclough.com | Tel - 01524 793104 58

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GREEN HOMES GRANT’ if they’re eligible. It takes minutes and costs them nothing.’ Properties eligible for the grant are those with a low Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D,E,F or G. If the property meets the criteria then the household must also be eligible to access the grant. Eligible households will have a combined income of no more than £30,000 with savings of less than £16,000. Anyone in receipt of benefits is likely to qualify.

Government’s ‘Green Homes Grant’ is Available to Wyre Residents Qualifying residents in Wyre can access this energy-efficiency grant scheme which is worth up to £10,000 per property. The grant scheme is available to owners-occupiers, private tenants and social tenants, although a contribution from a landlord will be required for all rented properties.

Councillor Berry added: ‘Residents need to hurry though. The scheme closes in December so I’m urging people to find out today if they’re eligible and the quickest and easiest way to do this is by visiting the CHiL website - www.chil.uk.com or contact their friendly team on 03306 061 488.’ www.wyre.gov.uk

Green Homes Grants are now available via ‘Cosy Homes in Lancashire’ (CHiL) the Affordable Warmth initiative established by the 15 Local Authorities in Lancashire with the aim of reducing fuel poverty across the County. ‘CHiL’ can help you access the scheme which covers the cost of installing energy saving measures, such as solid wall insulation and renewable heating technologies, to make your home warmer now and in the future and ‘CHiL’ will pick up the bill. This funding does not cover gas boiler replacements. Councillor Roger Berry, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety said: ‘We’re really encouraging all residents who are struggling to heat their homes in winter to get in touch and find out Tell them you saw it in the “Green Book”

COVID TESTING IS NOW EASIER Do your bit – get tested and keep those you’re meeting up with safe Coronavirus testing is helping to stop the spread of the virus. One in three people don’t have symptoms and can pass the virus on without knowing. Regular rapid testing is a quick and easy way you can play your part and help stop the spread. Everyone can now access rapid coronavirus testing and the Government is encouraging people to take a test twice a week. Now that we are able to meet up with more people outside, it’s more important than ever to get tested as a way of protecting those you plan to see – even if you’ve had your vaccine. There are lots of ways you can access test kits: •

You can collect home testing kits at your local test site during specific test

collection time windows. •

There is now a new ‘Pharmacy Collect’ service, where people aged over 18 without symptoms can visit a participating local pharmacy and collect a box of seven rapid tests to use twice a week at home - find your nearest site.

•

Many business now offer workplace testing programmes, on-site or at home.

•

Through your school or college.

•

You can also get tested at our lateral flow test centres at Poulton YMCA and Kirkland and Catterall Memorial Hall.

Remember that if you do have symptoms you must self isolate immediately and book a PCR test through the NHS. Do not visit a lateral flow test centre or a collection point. www.wyre.gov.uk/testing

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THE IMMUNE SYSTEM MIRACLE Nature Knows Best We humans, for all our inspiration and creativity, often interfere with nature in such a rudimentary and short term way that it comes back to bite us. The desire for convenience that created the ingenious and versatile plastics has well and truly poisoned the entire planet. It is such a clever invention but has now made its way into every single living creature and water course on the planet with its potential to be toxic and dangerous. Clever huh? There is a powerful intelligence at work in nature that we cannot truly grasp. Our attempts to mimic nature can never truly replicate it. An example of this is breastfeeding. Mums generally know all about the benefits they bestow upon their child by giving them nature’s finest food. The profound and lifelong positives from being breastfed are truly miraculous.

Your nose has mucus and hairs which act as highly effective filters, it also warms the air we breathe so that in cold weather we do not shock our system by breathing in ice cold air. However, that’s the basic mechanics. There are astounding things going on inside your nose. When viruses or bacteria are breathed in they are transferred to microscopic channels in your nose that provide an immediate immune response that kills the invader. The cells responsible for this also then send messages to your internal immune system to prime itself to attack. Your body is highly aggressive towards invaders. I have mentioned it before but it is worth saying again; we are not a sitting duck waiting to become ill. In fact, if that was the case the human race would have died out long ago. Nick Tofolos (01995) 602833

Breast milk changes as the baby develops to meet its needs every step (or crawl!) of the way. When a mother sniffs her baby within 20 minutes the mother’s milk has created antibodies to help the baby stay healthy, the feel of the baby even signals the volume and concentration of the milk required. This is astounding and miraculous biofeedback in action. For those who have to bottle feed for whatever reason, we have formula milk. This provides nutrients but cannot possibly be as intelligent a food as breast milk. That is not a criticism of bottle feeding by the way, it’s just a fact. In the end we all know that nature knows best and the intelligence that has evolved to allow such miraculous attention to detail without us even realising it is astounding. This applies to our remarkable immune system. The first line of defence is our skin but let’s take a look at our second line of defence, our nose. Tell them you saw it in the “Green Book”

KNOTT END GOLF CLUB Ladies – Interested in Learning to Play Golf? Can I invite you to take advantage of ‘Get into Golf’ under the Women in Golf Charter, a new initiative launched by England Golf and the R&A. It encourages clubs to support women of all ages, abilities, race and ethnicity to come and try golf and hopefully join a progressive club. Free starter lessons and free hire of equipment is often available to help you try the game. Interested? As a lady golfer and ‘Charter Champion’ I would be delighted to meet you, email or chat on the phone about coming along and trying out the facilities available at your local golf club. Ladies’ sections at golf clubs are usually very social (coffee mornings, days and overnights away, fashion shows, Spring and Christmas fairs, speaker lunch and all manner of fun things). Golf clubs can also offer a diverse

selection of mixed social events e.g. quizzes, dinners and dances (Covid permitting). Social membership is normally available at golf clubs for those not inclined to venture onto the course. Golf is great for both physical and mental health, you can walk four or five miles without realising. I’m not a gym person so I get my exercise at the golf club. A full membership can cost not much more than joining a gym. Golf is a game that you can play by yourself, with friends and family, in competitions, at home and abroad. Why not give it a go? You’ve nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain. Don’t be scared of coming along and becoming part of this fantastic sport right here in your community. Keep an eye on Focus Magazine for details of Golf Club Open Days and other invitations in your area. If you would like more information, please get in touch with me or just visit/ring your local

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KNOTT END GOLF CLUB (cont) golf club. We will be pleased to help.

April Results

Joyce Wright - Women in Golf Charter Champion for Knott End Golf Club t: 01253 700875 e: charterchampion@kknottendgolfclub. com www.knottendgolfclub.com

First team:

WYRE VILLA FOOTBALL CLUB Villa 4-4 Milnthorpe We kicked off our return to football hosting fellow division one side Milnthorpe in the Regional Cup competition. The visitors started the game well and after taking their first half chances they lead 2-0 at the break. The second half started much like the first with the visitors adding two more goals to make it 4-0. Villa never gave in and duly got on the scoresheet when Zach Crosbie headed in at the near post from a cross. The visitors lead was halved when Paul Passmore converted from the penalty spot to make it 4-2. A few minutes later Villa got to within one when Curt Roskell scored to make it 4-3. The comeback was complete when Danny shot past the keeper at the near post to make it 4-4 in the dying embers of the game. Storeys 2-1 Villa Our second game was away to Storeys where we fell to a 2-1 defeat. We took the lead when Nathan Crosbie headed in Sam Bowling’s corner at the front post on the stroke of half time. Storeys scored two goals in the second half turning the game around resulting in Villa’s first defeat in the group. Villa 2-5 Slyne We were defeated in our third game of the group against Prem division side Slyne, the visitors scoring two late first half goals. Zach Crosbie continued his goalscoring form with two in the second half but could not stop Villa from falling to defeat.

• • •

Villa 1st 4-4 Milnthorpe Storeys 2-1 Villa 1st Villa 1st 2-5 Slyne

Under 18s: • • • • •

Garstang U18 2-0 Villa U18 Villa U18 1-0 Fishwick U18 Fishwick U18 2-3 Villa U18 Villa U18 2-4 Squires Gate U18 Villa U18 2-2 Garstang U18

We have one game this month as we host Carnforth Rangers at home Sat 1st May, 3:00pm KO. Come and support the team and enjoy a drink under our new outdoor canopy. Matthew Bowling t: 07951 396 178 #upthevilla

FOCUS MAGAZINE

2021 Deadline Dates Issue

Deadline Date

Delivery Starts

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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FYLDE COAST YMCA Wyre Council and Fylde Coast YMCA are celebrating the reopening of the borough’s leisure centres this week and are delighted to welcome residents back safely to swimming and the gym. After the huge public interest in the reopening of the centres, the YMCA is offering their best ever membership at their lowest ever sale price to help people make an easy choice to invest in their health, fitness and wellbeing after a difficult year. Residents can make huge savings until Mon 31st May this year, gaining a full year Y: Active Adult Membership for just £199 reduced from £299. That’s unlimited access to every gym, swimming pool, fitness class and more across the YMCA Fylde Coast network for less than £4 a week. Residents can take advantage of this £199 Y: Active Adult Membership offer until Mon 31st May, with memberships also available on a monthly direct debit plan, also on offer until Mon 31st May for just £25 per month.

under review, with a view to reopening it before September. In the meantime Poulton leisure centre is being used as a coronavirus testing centre, providing a vital service for people leaving home to work. Fitness classes at the open centres will start again on Mon 17th May in line with the current roadmap. Fylde Coast YMCA is contracted to operate the leisure centres in Wyre on behalf of the council. To keep up to date with information about reopening and membership offers go to www.ymcayactive.org

WYRE JUNIORS FOOTBALL CLUB Football is back on at Wyre Juniors. Whilst we are waiting for the next phase of easing lockdown measures, we are unable to run our tuckshop or invite spectators not accompanying a player, however there is still

Fylde Coast YMCA offers options to suit everyone, swimming enthusiasts can choose a Y: Aqua Membership, with Y: Teen Membership and Y: Kids Aqua options available too starting from as little as £12 a month. It’s easy to sign up at www.ymcayactive.org or by calling into one of the open centres. With national lockdown restrictions easing steadily in the coming weeks, Wyre Council and the YMCA are excited to once again offer residents the chance to get back into the gym and the pool followed by their favourite fitness classes in just a few weeks. To the delight of many residents across Wyre, the gyms at Thornton and Garstang Leisure Centres reopened this week, with the gym and pool at Fleetwood and the pool at Garstang on track to reopen on Sat 1st May. The YMCA will keep the centre at Poulton Tell them you saw it in the “Green Book”

WYRE JUNIORS (cont) a great buzz at both Preesall Park and Pilling Park. We all look forward to being able to run at full capacity once again. If you have a child looking to start playing football, this is open to children in Reception and Year 1. These sessions are run by FA Level 1 Qualified coaches. Just turn up at 10:30am on a Saturday morning to join in. Sessions are £3.

Morning Football Club. We are looking for people to volunteer their time at the club and manage one of the two newly-formed teams. We will ensure that you receive all the necessary training and guidance as you begin working with the team. So if you have always wanted to get involved or you have a child in Year 1 going into Year 2 in September who would like to come along with you, please contact us on the below number and we will do the rest.

Year 8 & 9 Players

Angela 07799 110 146

Saturday Morning Football Club

We are looking for players for our U13s and U14s teams. If you are in this school year and would like to be involved with Wyre Juniors, please get in touch and we will point you in the right direction. U7s 2021/22 Season Our new U7s for next season have come along in leaps and bounds at Saturday

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GARSTANG TENNIS CLUB Ready to Start the Season Like all clubs, Garstang Tennis Club’s competitive season was wiped out in 2020 due to Covid. However, it is now preparing its teams for the Ribble & Fylde Leagues which are due to get underway on Mon 17th May and Mon 24th May. Of course, there will still be rules and precautions that will need to be observed but it will nice for the club to hopefully enjoy matches again both in the Summer and in the Autumn. There is still social tennis available on Thursday mornings. For the time being, social tennis on Monday evenings will not be taking place but will hopefully recommence later in the season if not sooner. Anyone interested in playing on Thursday mornings to get a feel for this friendly club should contact Pam Heatley on (01995) 602839. Coaching is still available through the club for both adults and juniors. Further information about coaching and joining can be found by going to https://clubspark. lta.org.uk/GarstangDistrictTennisClub/ Contact Andrew Ragsdale

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FOREST OF BOWLAND AONB Name That Bee! Do you know your white-tailed from your bufftailed or your early from your bilberry? If not, these Festival Bowland online bumblebee ID sessions could be just the ticket. Bumblebees are fascinating creatures – and play a key role in producing our food - but sadly, along with other pollinators, their numbers have seen a decline in recent decades. One way we can help in their conservation is by learning how to identify and record them. Why not join the Forest of Bowland AONB and Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust to learn about the bumblebee lifecycle, why they are important and how to recognise the species we find in Bowland? Bumblebees for Beginners Thurs 6th May, 12noon – 1:00pm: New to the world of bumblebees? Come along to find out the basics and learn how to identify our seven more common species. Free event. Booking is essential. For more information and to book a place, contact carol.edmondson@ lancashire.gov.uk

Bowland’ Guide, members of the AONB’s Sustainable Tourism Network are gearing up for a busy year. As well as offering practical advice and information on making the most of their holidays and short breaks in Bowland, the Discover Guide also tells the stories of how a number of local businesses reinvented themselves during last year’s lockdown. These positive ‘lockdown diaries’ include: Courtyard Dairy, which pivoted to online tastings and nationwide delivery to replace some of the business lost during the closure of the hospitality industry Slaidburn Central Stores, which became a community groceries hub and essential lifeline for outlying communities Bowland e-bikes, which accelerated its growth plans as demand for eco-friendly electric bikes rocketed as lockdown lifted

Bumblebee Identification - Intermediate Fri 14th May, 10:00am - 12noon: This session is intended for people who already have a grasp of basic bumblebee identification. The workshop, delivered by Ben Hargreaves from Lancashire Wildlife Trust, will introduce you to identifying the scarcer bumblebees and the cuckoo species. This event is free. Booking is essential. Please email catherine.mercer@ ydmt.org for more information and to book a place. Bowland’s Businesses Build Back Better Rural businesses in the Forest of Bowland will soon be ready to welcome visitors back to Bowland as demand for domestic ‘staycation’ holidays in the countryside looks set to rocket. As the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty launches its 2021 ‘Discover Tell them you saw it in the “Green Book”

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FOREST OF BOWLAND (cont) The 112-page guide also includes a series of five detailed short break itineraries and useful information on accommodation, hospitality, events and outdoor activity providers. Rural accommodation providers were hit hard by last year’s restrictions, but this year, many visitors are expected to seek fresh air and plenty of outdoor activities on UK staycations in rural settings. www.forestofbowland.com

RNLI Warning Ahead of Upcoming Spring Tides

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Anne Brookes, from Fleetwood was dramatically rescued by the local RNLI volunteer crew recently when she became cut off by the incoming tide whilst walking her two dogs With bigger than usual tides at this time of the year, she has teamed up with the RNLI and is using her experience to warn others about the importance of checking the weather and tides. Fleetwood RNLI lifeboat launched their new inshore lifeboat following a call to HM Coastguard from National Coastwatch at Rossall. The volunteer crew arrived to find Anne holding her dogs in her arms, as they became engulfed by the tide.

Knott End

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Anne said: ‘I was so relieved to see the RNLI lifeboat. It was a frightening experience.’ The RNLI is warning people in the North West to take beach safety seriously ahead of some of the highest tides of the year, which often see people becoming cut off and requiring the charity’s help.

Barton Square Knott End, FY6 0BN Tel: 01253 812090

The RNLI is urging anyone choosing to visit the coast to make sure they keep themselves and their families safe by following beach safety advice along with the government’s advice on travel and social distancing.

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GREY MATTER TEST ANSWERS

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

1 Glasgow 2 Tropic of Capricorn 3 Allan Pinkerton 4 Monkey 5 Professor Plum 6 Great Expectations 7 220 8 Tony Robinson 9 Copper 10 Nancy Astor 11 Toto 12 50 13 Greenland 14 A Mouse 15 Vienna 16 Mrs Beeton 17 Montmatre 18 St Christopher 19 Edward Elgar 20 Luddites

Across 1 Card 7 Unused 8 Cheer 9 Aspect 11 Bramble 14 Eluding 17 Emblem 18 Began 19 Fiddle 20 Rota Down 2 Arena 3 Durable 4 Bumped 5 Beacon 6 Scab 10 Slumber 12 Remain 13 Melody 15 Ingot 16 Gene

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