Inside Hazel Grove & High Lane Issue 67

inside september - october 2018

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Issue 67

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ha zel grove

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I’ve often wondered whether anyone reads these little welcome messages. Now I know some do, because I’ve received quite a lot of comments about my Colombian adventure!

So, a little update. It really was an amazing experience from beginning to end and it was fabulous to meet up with our daughter and share the last few days of a totally brilliant trip.

Colombia is a country of contrasts – we stayed in old colonial cities and modern ones, traditional hotels and ecolodges under the stars, we walked on Caribbean beaches at the edge of the jungle and beaches in the rainforest on the Pacific coast, we trekked, we went whale watching. It was quite remarkable and, as Colombia hasn’t been an obvious choice for tourists until relatively recently, it felt even more special. I’m so glad I didn’t let my fear of the unknown get the better of me.

I’m also very glad I put a Spanish dictionary app on my phone before we went. We Brits are so used to people in other countries having at least a basic grasp of English – believe me, when they don’t, the resulting exchanges can be quite comical!

What’s INSIDE this month 4 Diary of a Geeky Knitter 6 Recipe 9 Inside People 13 Caravanning uncovered 17 NGS late summer gardens 18 tired of call centres?

21 simply books book club choice 24 The Walk 26 stars of the autumn garden 28 In Touch 31 Puzzles 32 speciality touring 34 INSIDE Guide 39 Just 4 Kids 40 Children’s Activities 44 Puzzle Solutions 45 Useful Numbers 46 Classified Index

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Editor: Claire Hawker

Tel: 01625 879611

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Inside Magazines, 352a Park Lane, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1RL. email: info@insidemagazines.co.uk www.insidemagazines.co.uk The canal at High Lane

by Garth Aspinall.

Copy deadline for the next issue: wed 10 october

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Inside Hazel Grove & High Lane is produced by Inside Magazines Ltd. We cannot be held responsible for views expressed by contributors or any advert content, including errors or omissions, or endorse companies, products or services that appear in this magazine. We endeavour to ensure that all local information given in this magazine is accurate, but we cannot always guarantee this. © Copyright Inside Magazines Ltd 2018. Material from this magazine may not be reproduced without prior written permission from Inside Magazines Ltd.

Design and artwork by Spring Creative | www.spring-creative.co.uk | 01925 714203

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Diary of a geeky knitter Regular readers of INSIDE (particularly INSIDE Bramhall readers) might recognise the face of a young, budding journalist who visited me and my colleagues at work for a couple of weeks in early August!

Jasmine Jenkins, who found her literary voice within the pages of INSIDE Bramhall a few years ago, joined us to help out with writing some features and generally some great assisting! It was so lovely to work with Jasmine, and, luckily for me, she was very interested in learning how to crochet - I continue to take over the world, one new crochet fan at a time. up the lessons to more in the office. It’s been such a lot of fun to teach my co-workers and friends how to do something that I love, and it’s an added bonus when I can see that they start to enjoy it as much as I do.

My masterful plan to take over the world through crochet first started at work really, when last year I launched a lunchtime ‘crochet club’ to teach others in the office how to work yarny magic. Admittedly, the plan hasn’t much progressed past teaching, but I am confident that the next masterful stroke is just around the corner - something to do with covering everything in a snuggly blanket. I’ve written before about the mental health benefits of knitting and crochet, so it was a no-brainer, in a busy work environment when someone asked me how to crochet, that I should open

If you like to knit, crochet, sew, craft, weave, or any other craft, and feel comfortable showing others how to do the hobby that you love, I really encourage you to take a leap of faith and have a go at sharing and teaching it to your friends and colleagues. Not only will it give you more people to talk to about your favourite hobby, as well as set you on your own world domination path, but you will find that after time, your confidence, self-esteem, and public speaking skills will naturally just improve in a very informal and lowpressure environment. And having a lunchtime club at work is a lovely way to get to know people you haven’t had the chance to speak to much. I very much look forward to Wednesday lunchtime when all my crafters get together now.

Do you run any little clubs at your school or place of work? I’d love to read about any clubs that you do, or would like to start up. jennythegeekyknitter@gmail.com www.thegeekyknitter.co.uk www.etsy.com/uk/shop/geeksgamesandknits

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Apple Strudel September brings a glut of apples. Make the most of them with this delicious strudel recipe.

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 40-45 minutes Serves: 6-8

Ingredients ■■ 750g/ Bramley apples, peeled, cored, quartered and sliced ■■ 1½ tsp ground cinnamon ■■ ½ unwaxed lemon, zest only ■■ 2 tsp lemon juice ■■ 100g golden caster sugar ■■ 75g raisins ■■ 95g butter ■■ 40g white breadcrumbs ■■ 6 large sheets filo pastry ■■ 1 tbsp icing sugar

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2. Mix the quartered apples with the cinnamon, lemon zest and juice, sugar and raisins. In a small frying pan, melt 20g butter and fry the breadcrumbs until golden-brown, then add these to the apple mixture.

3. Melt the remaining butter in a pan. On a clean, dry tea-towel lay a sheet of the filo and brush with some of the melted butter. Lay another sheet on top and repeat until you have used all the filo.

Layering the pastry with the melted butter helps to create flaky layers.

4. Place the filling along the length of the pastry on one side, about 2-3cm from the edge. Using the tea-towel to help you, roll the pastry up to enclose the filling. Tuck the ends in and roll the strudel seam-side down onto the lined baking sheet.

Brush with the remaining melted butter.

5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden-brown.

Leave to cool to room temperature and dust with icing sugar. Slice and serve with cream, ice cream or custard.

inside people alice bell

Alice Bell was born in Henley on Thames in 1965 but brought up in London where she attended school, later studying at Bristol and Manchester universities and taking a degree in mathematics and economics.

After working in banking, in 1991 she changed career and became a teacher of mathematics. Alice worked in schools in Altrincham, Poynton and Tameside before taking up her current post at Aquinas College.

Alice has a brother, who still works in banking, is married to Phil and has a son, Tom, aged eighteen.

Although brass bands are stereotypically Northern and a part of working class culture, the Stockport brass band, where she is the administrator, has become her great passion. The band is made up of a beginners’ section for absolute new starters, a junior, intermediate and senior band, so the ages of the players range from six to eighteen. Members of the band come from schools in Stockport, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Manchester.

As a child, Alice had enjoyed learning to play the trumpet, so some ten years ago, she encouraged her son to join the Stockport band. Her husband later bought her a trumpet as a Valentine’s Day present, her interest was rekindled and she now plays cornet.

The band meets every Saturday between 9.30am and 12 noon at the Stockport Music Centre and has performed concerts in the Town Hall, the Plaza, local churches and the Royal Northern College and regularly enters competitions across the country. Each year the band does a European tour, this year heading for Belgium where they will perform at Ypres and Bruges and they will lay a wreath at the Menin gate on behalf of Stockport war veterans.

Recently the band celebrated its 40th anniversary, with a concert attended by many former players, some coming from as far afield as New Zealand.

The philosophy of the band is very much focussed on inclusivity and all are welcomed. Sessions cost £2.50 per morning and players can hire instruments for £40 a year.

Details of concerts, tickets for which cost around £5 (and less for concessions), can be found on the What’s On page of the website.

Alice stresses that playing in a band is about more than making music. It also involves mutual support, develops team working skills, provides a sense of identity and builds confidence.

Alice is a vegetarian, enjoying a wide range of foods and has a broad and eclectic taste in music including indie folk, jazz, classical and of course brass band music.

She has no regrets and likes to think she has made the best of the choices she has made. She also has no pet hates. “I had a lot when I was younger but I think I have become more tolerant as I’ve grown older.”

When she was younger, Alice travelled widely, to Thailand, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Jordan and lived for six months in Israel. Over the last few years, the family holiday budget has been largely spent on providing opportunities for her son but now he is eighteen she will be reclaiming the holiday funds. Meanwhile there is a trip to Belgium with the band to organise and a visit to the Green Man music festival in the Brecon Beacons.

Alice dislikes “relaxation”. She loves her job, the band, and being busy, so finds sitting doing nothing stressful.

She loves creating order out of chaos.

Last Word from Alice Always keep learning and look for the positives and opportunities, not the barriers. Stay excited by life.

Anyone interested in joining the band can find further details on their website at ssbb.org.uk and can contact Alice on 07976 672241 or by e mail at ssbb.org@gmail.com

by Ed Blundell

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Here at Uniquely Chic Furniture we source and sell quality pine, oak, vintage and shabby chic furniture.

We have a vast range of stock which changes constantly. New pieces arriving almost daily.

We also paint furniture. Our painting team are experts at transforming our furniture, or yours, into hand painted, individual, unique pieces. If you have a favourite or inherited piece that fits your space why not have it upcycled and uplifted in our workroom? We occasionally buy your furniture or sometimes we even do part exchanges, so why not pop in and see us, or email us.

As well as furniture, we also sell lighting, mirrors, shabby chic home accessories and gifts. New and returning customers always use the same two phrases when they visit...”Aladdin’s Cave” and “Treasure Trove”! We are open 6 days a week, including weekends. Come and visit us, you never know what you will find when you step through the door. @shabbychicuk Official stockists of Frenchic ecofriendly chalk paint and accessories.

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Canalside, Goyt Mill, Upper Hibbert Lane, Marple SK6 7HX Tel: 0161 484 5116 or 07785 794308 Email: uniquelychicfurniture@hotmail.co.uk www.uniquelychicfurniture.co.uk Opening Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10-5.30pm Sunday 11-4.30pm Closed Mondays (except Bank Holidays) @be_uniquelychic

Caravanning Uncovered If you had asked me two years ago what I thought about caravanning, you would have received a very dismissive response. “Caravans are just a slow and unsightly nuisance on the roads” or “Why would you want to spend 14 days on one campsite?” How little I knew then or understood. But ask me now and you would get a totally different response. Yes, I’m the proud owner of a small caravan and can’t wait to hit the road again.

Our story started about three years ago when Ann mooted the idea of owning a campervan. “We could drive anywhere we want, stop whenever we want and do anything we want”. My eyes glazed over as I contemplated endless hours of driving, claustrophobia and mechanical breakdown. Much better, I thought, to leave any vehicle behind, fly somewhere exotic, be waited on in a plush hotel, or even head off on a city break to London, Paris or Rome.

But, somehow, over time, Ann’s dream stayed alive and my resistance faltered. In November 2017, we

by Garth Aspinall

found ourselves at the NEC Caravan and Motorhome Show and were now intently comparing the layout and features of a hundred different campervans and small motorhomes. After a few hours, tired of foot, weighed down with brochures and hopelessly confused, we decided to call it a day. And then, just as we were about to leave, we happened upon the Eriba Caravan stand and everything changed. We almost immediately fell in love with one Triton 420 GT, quickly reviewed the merits of a caravan relative to those of a campervan and within 15 minutes our decision was made. Fast forward to June 2018 and the scene is of two excited owners of a two-berth Eriba caravan, about to experience their first caravanning adventure.

We collected our van from the Bournemouth dealership and spent a few days at South Lytchett Manor caravan site in Poole. This gave us a chance to get over any teething problems. We then headed off to France and in the company of friends, Liz and Alex, spent three glorious weeks in the Loire Valley, just outside Saumur.

Here we enjoyed wonderful evening meals, fetched croissants from the local boulangerie, cycled the quiet lanes around Montsoreau, experienced the amazing atmosphere of the annual Anjou Vintage Bicycle rally and visited more chateaux than I care to mention.

On our return journey we stopped over at Avranches and visited the fascinating Mont Saint Michel before catching the Cherbourg-Poole ferry. Back in Blighty, we revisited the south coast where we entertained our daughter and grandchildren who live close by in Chichester.

In July, we stayed a few days just a few miles north of York but took the opportunity to drive to Bridlington on the East Coast, where we strolled along Bempton Cliffs, Continued over

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cooling in the breeze of a hot sunny day. For August we have planned a week in the Scottish Highlands and for September, a week in The Netherlands or Spain.

All right, I am laying it on a bit thick and of course not all plans will reach fruition, but suddenly the world appears to be our oyster!

I won’t pretend that those initial days were easy. Aged 75 and still recovering from major surgery, I wondered at times whether we had bitten off more than we could chew. There seemed to be so much to learn – how to load and distribute the caravan load safely, how to hitch and unhitch, how to work the various controls for water, gas and electricity, how to mount our bikes securely on the bike rack and of course, how to tow without any serious mishap. But I need not have worried for a variety of reasons – for all the reasons, in fact, that can make caravanning so very special for people of any age.

ferry and campsite bookings and the South Lytchett Caravan site staff who helped us to get safely installed on our very first pitch and gave us the confidence to begin this wonderful adventure.

We quickly realised that amongst the many benefits that caravanning has to offer, independence, freedom and the flexibility to roam as you please cannot be underestimated. At any time and without the need to plan or make hotel reservations, you can hook the caravan up to the car and go almost anywhere you want. And, of course, you can always change your plans, at little or no extra cost. Nothing terrible will happen if you decide to turn right towards Saint-Tropez instead of going to Rome. Furthermore, in contrast to traveling between hotels, you don’t have to constantly unpack and pack again. Your luggage is always in the same familiar place.

A night on a caravan site will cost about a quarter of what you would spend on a reasonable hotel room. And how else can you so easily enjoy fresh air, birdsong, trees, the hum of cicadas, the trickle of a nearby stream or the crashing of waves on a beach?

So, there you have it. I’m a caravan convert! If you are curious to know more about owning a caravan, campervan or motorhome, you could visit some of the many websites providing a wealth of information on this subject. Alternatively, you could spend a day at a forthcoming Caravan and Motorhome show and become an expert overnight!

Good luck.

Anjou Velo Vintage Cycling Festival

Caravanning is all about relaxing and caravanners seem to effortlessly sense what others around them require – a little help, a chat, or maybe just a smile. Everyone involved in camping seems to exude a spontaneous ‘joie de vivre’ and ‘camaraderie’ - if you are seen to be having trouble (as we learners demonstrated on more than one occasion) a little friendly help or advice is always on hand.

This ethos of friendliness seems to permeate every part of the caravanning community - Towing Solutions (who delivered an invaluable half-day towing course); the Camping and Caravanning Club who assisted with the

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Late summer gardens Late summer gardens have become increasingly popular, probably because so many designers and magazine features now show perennials and grasses in riotous assembly; eventually these ideas filter down to us everyday gardeners and allow gardens to continue into September. (Although, with the present heatwave - as this is written - it requires hard work and a lot of water to keep them going!

A newcomer to late summer openings is 61 Birtles Rd, Macclesfield (SK10 3JG), which also opened earlier in the summer. The planting and structure of the garden, though will, we are sure give a great show at this later time.

The season of openings for the National Garden Scheme in Cheshire is brought to a close by the opening of the Lovell Quinta Arboretum, (CW12 2LD) with its specialist collections of pines and ash, together with much autumn colour on other species. This will be on the Sunday 30 Sept.

And located adjacent to the Swettenham Arms, what could be better to complete your visiting season than calling in for an afternoon tea!

Remember that many gardens also offer private visits to groups from clubs. The booklet, website etc will give you details of how to arrange those.

Lovell Quinta Arboretum

Finally, the NGS is always interested to hear from people who might wish to open for us and raise money for our mainly nursing charities. In the first instance, contact john.hinde@maylands.com or 0151 353 0032, or any member of our volunteer team listed in the booklet or on the website.

Mount Pleasant, near Kelsall, (CW6 0TB) opens on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 September. It’s a garden of stunning ambition, on a hillside looking west to the Welsh hills. Different areas reflect different themes, eg Japanese, New Zealand etc. There are usually plenty of sculptures to see, dotted around the garden. Featured on North West Tonight.

Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 Sept sees the garden of Cheshire’s great dahlia expert Geoff Hoyle, 39 Osborne Street, Bredbury, (SK6 2DA) opening again. Whether you are a fan of dahlias or just a lover of good gardens, you can’t fail to be impressed by the blaze of colour, variety and arrangement of his planting. Rumour has it that the colour is so intense that the garden can be picked out from a plane taking off from Manchester!

by John Hinde www.ngs.org.uk

61 Birtles Road

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Tired of impersonal call centres?

Visit a local business for great customer service Our local independent retailers provide a great antidote to frustrating impersonal automated telephone answering systems. If you value a personalised approach for your finances, then you’ll probably appreciate Stockport based Vernon Building Society which provides the individual care and attention to its customers that has been sadly lacking from many other businesses.

Established in 1924, the Vernon has been on the local landscape for almost 100 years. Of the 13 Societies founded in the town, the Vernon is now the only local Building Society serving the Stockport area with its six branches. It plans to remain as a trusted provider of financial products to the local population and expects to still be here for many years to come.

I initially approached the Vernon after reading an article in the business section of The Telegraph about Retirement Mortgages. The customer service we received was second to none and we were particularly impressed with the “family” ethos of the Society.

We would thoroughly recommend the Vernon.’ S Wilding Jones

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Society embraces new technology to improve the customer experience, computers do not make decisions - experienced mortgage underwriters take time to understand a borrower’s situation, which can sometimes be quite complicated.

“It is a pleasure to deal with a local building society that I know contributes to the community.” Mr C, Davenport The Society works hard to contribute towards local causes, their Community Awards Programme has donated over £60,000 to a variety of local charity and community groups in the last 6 years making a lasting impact on the Stockport community. Previous winner representative Adrian Rigby-Bates, Disability Football Development Officer, said “Being part of the process not only helped to raise much-needed funds for the project but also helped build awareness about the good work we do as a charity in the local community’.

As a Building Society, the Vernon is a mutual institution which means it is owned by and run in the interests of their members (unlike a shareholder-owned bank).

Members have voting rights at the Society and are invited to attend their Annual General Meeting every year to have their say.

The Vernon employs local staff at their six local branches – including convenient locations such as Hazel Grove - who know the area (and many of their customers) personally. As they don’t use call centres and automated answering systems callers go straight through to the relevant branch or department, meaning they can quickly speak to the same person each time they call.

Steve Fletcher, Chief executive at the Vernon said: “Being local, we provide value to the area where we can, providing employment, exclusive products and contributing to worthwhile community causes and events. We believe in treating our customers as we would treat our family members and this ethos applies throughout the organisation, meaning we offer fair products and a caring personal service. If you haven’t visited us yet, then please pop in to your nearest branch – we’d love to get to know you!”.

Qualified mortgage advisers are available in each of the Vernon’s branches who spend time understanding a customer’s circumstances to make sure they get the right mortgage advice, whether they’re first time buyers, moving home or remortgaging. Whilst the

For more information about Stockport’s Vernon Building Society and their exclusive deals for local customers visit www.thevernon.co.uk, your local branch in Hazel Grove, or call 0161 429 4313.

AUTUMN AT THE FORUM We kick off with a performance of the Pink Floyd classic album The Wall from 26 to 29 September, with special permission from Roger Waters. Featuring a live rock band and talented cast, we follow the story of Pink, a successful musician who looks back on his isolated childhood. He recalls his upbringing during which he built a symbolic wall as he coped with the death of his father and overbearing ways of his mother. Including smash hits such as Another Brick in The Wall, Hey You and Comfortably Numb, join us for this unique presentation of an historic rock album.

And who’s ready to start thinking about Halloween?

Beetlejuice and his crazy gang of spooks and ghouls are ready to invite you to an Adult Cabaret performance unlike any other as we host a live rock show featuring characters from The Rocky Horror Picture Show alongside legendary Halloween creatures such as Count Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster and Wolf Man. Tables of up to 12 available - what better way for a group

of work colleagues or friends to celebrate the spooky season in style? With a late bar and disco after the show, make it one unforgettable night out. Tickets £15 now on sale (Fancy dress encouraged and with adult themes throughout, this one is not for children.) So, join us this Halloween to celebrate the witching season in style as The Forum Theatre hosts The Rock and Horror Graveyard Show!

Tickets 0333 666 3366 www.theforumtheatre.co.uk

Discount code “INSIDE10” for 10% off all tickets for readers of INSIDE Hazel Grove

simply books book club choice My first choice this month is Larchfield – a debut novel by Polly Clark. This is an unusual novel – weaving together the stories of historical characters with the fictional life of Dora Fielding, a young poet who moves with her husband to Helensburgh on the west coast of Scotland. Newly married, and expecting her first child, she’s excited by the prospect of a life that combines family and creativity. She thinks she knows what being a person, a wife, a mother, means – sadly she soon comes unstuck. Dora finds the realities of small town life suffocating, and, eventually, terrifying. Her life becomes a battle to hang on to a sense of her own self and her only respite comes with the discovery that another poet once lived in Helensburgh.

Wystan H. Auden, brilliant and awkward at 24, with his first book of poetry published, should be embarking on success and society in London. Instead, in 1930, fleeing a broken engagement, he takes a teaching post at Larchfield School for Boys where he is mocked for his Englishness and suspected - rightly - of homosexuality. In the face of local hostility Wystan nevertheless falls in love for the first time and composes one of his finest and most influential poems, The Orators.

Polly Clark’s beautifully written novel explores the connection between these two vulnerable outsiders who, in finding each other (and here there’s a need to suspend your disbelief) create a shared reality of their own which becomes their salvation. An ingenious and haunting story.

Beautiful Animals by Lawrence Osborne is a complex and layered thriller. During a white-hot summer on the idyllic Greek island of Hydra, two girls fall into one another’s lives with devastating effect. When Samantha, a young impressionable American, meets Naomi, a Brit with a taste for danger, their relationship quickly takes on a special intensity. Their imaginations are sparked one day when they find a young Arab man, Faoud, washed up on the shore, an apparent refugee from the crisis on the other side of the Med. A seemingly simply plan to help the stranger goes horribly wrong and the lives of all involved unravel with disastrous consequences…

Simply Books 228 Moss Lane, Bramhall, Cheshire SK7 1BD 0161 439 1436 Open Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5.30pm Andrew Cant www.simplybooks.info

And for children…we have been enjoying Wizarding for Beginners the latest book by our BOOK FACTOR WINNER Elys Dolan. When Terrence the Terrible kidnaps the talking animals of Castletown there are only two brave heroes who can stop him.

Dave the dragon knight, and his trusty steed Albrecht the goat!

Together they plan to teach Terrence a lesson – with the help of a very special book: Wizarding for Beginners. Hilarious and completely off-the-wall humour which will appeal to both boys and girls aged 7-10.

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Brown Knoll and Peep-o-Day Walk description: A moderate circular walk with several easy uphill sections, rewarded by amazing views across parts of the Dark Peak, including Kinder Scout. The walk starts in Hayfield where there are plenty of pubs and cafes, but the only place to eat and drink on the walk is the Lamb Inn. Distance: 6.5 miles Map: OS Explorer OL1 - The Dark Peak Start: To reach Hayfield, follow the A6 as far as the New Mills turn off in Newton. Go left at the lights and follow the A6015 into Hayfield. At the T junction turn right for about 100 yards on the A624, and then first left into Hayfield village. Follow the main street over the river bridge, bearing left past the shops and the Packhorse Inn; where the road widens, there are plenty of free street parking places on both sides of the walled road.

Set off back through the village and up the main street past all the shops until you reach Highgate Road.

(SK037870) Leave the village up this road which is fairly steep to begin with, and eventually make a left turn down a track opposite Highgate Farm, (SK032865) soon keeping to the right at a fork in the track. Continue up the on a gentle incline as it eventually changes to a concrete surface. At the end of the concrete section and now in open country, take a right fork again and head towards a copse of trees on the horizon. Go through

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the gate at the trees, and perhaps choose to have a coffee break at this point.

Once refreshed, head diagonally towards a ladder stile, and once over this stile follow a gently rising path to a right hand bend. From this point, on a clear day, you have wonderful views of William Clough, the Downfall, Kinder Scout, South Head and Mount Famine. Looking ahead you will notice three hillocks; by keeping close to the wall on your right, follow the path up and over all three hillocks having a steep drop to your left hand side before finally descending to a gate where you join a track coming up from the left. Go through the gate, and bear right downhill until you reach a T junction of tracks. (SK050854) At this point turn left up the Pennine Bridleway for about 400 yards, and then bear right at the fork eventually passing a farm named “VORPOSTEN�

(SK054846) or Advanced Post. From here the path veers to the right through a gate. Keeping a wall on your left, you meet another path coming from the left. Turn right here and then soon turn right again diagonally across a field to a gap in the wall. Continue along the path to another gate where you begin to drop gently downhill to a road, the Hayfield to Chapel Road. (SK049843) The Lamb Inn is close by to your right if you choose to stop for a while.

Otherwise, cross carefully as this can be a very busy road, and then slightly to your left is a concrete track

by Barbara and David Stewart, Marple District Rambling Club

leading downhill to a group of houses. By the last building, go through a gate on the right hand side and cross the field diagonally to another gate. Passing through this gate, you will see a further gate ahead which leads uphill along a narrow track to a minor road at Ashen Clough. Turn right along the road uphill until you reach a stone built house known as “Peep-o Day”.

(SK048850) Its name refers to seeing the sun rise each morning over the hill opposite. Passing to the left of the house there are two paths. Take the higher one through a gate and keep along this path, which follows the contours, always heading towards Hayfield.

In about one mile you come to two gates, one metal barred and the other a small wooden one. Take the small wooden gate and proceed down a very steep muddy track, crossing the stream at the bottom of this little valley. Now climb up the hill from the stream past a group of dilapidated buildings. Here take the uphill track straight ahead through a gate and over a couple

The Walk

of stiles until the end of the field (SK034864) where you cross another stile on to a concrete track. Proceed downhill to a street with houses on either side. Cross the main road at the bottom and go ahead past the car park to a Pelican Crossing which leads you back into Hayfield Village and a return to your car.

Presented on behalf of Marple District Rambling Club; with over 350 members, the Club organises and leads up to 5 graded walks every Thursday and Sunday.

For further information, contact our Chairman, Sue Gilmore on 07775 620398, or our Membership Secretary, Claude Prime on 0161 483 8596. Alternatively, you could visit our website www.marpleramblers.org to learn more about our Club’s programme of walks, socials and walking holidays.

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Stars of the Autumn Garden If one flower embodies the joy of the autumn garden then it must be the Aster, or Michaelmas Daisy to give it its common name. These brilliant bloomers come in a vast array of heights from low mounds for the front of the border to stately, towering giants for the back, and in colours including violet, blue, crimson, pink and white. To cap it all there are even asters that bloom in spring!

The biggest range of colours and heights comes from the New York asters including low growing ones like the Red Robin, through to 5ft giants. These are the most prone to mildew and good growing conditions are essential. This includes: compost-rich, moist soil and a good dose of fertiliser in the spring. The clumps should be divided regularly in spring and the small sections should be planted around 9 to 12 inches apart to ensure good air circulation. Cut the stems down after flowering and clear away dead leaves and mulch in late winter.

The Heather-leaved Aster (Aster ericoides) has tiny leaves like a heather but grows into a 3ft tall bushy plant and is covered with masses of tiny flowers in autumn. This one also needs good growing conditions.

The New England asters like the tall pink Connie and the equally tall purple Helen Picton are generally free of problems and tolerate drier soils.

The Italian Asters, like Violet Queen are low growing mounds of colour from mid-September and are generally trouble free although they do need dividing every three years.

Asters aren’t just good for us to enjoy, they also provide a wonderful nectar source for butterflies like the Comma, Peacock, Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell that continue to feed well into October. To see a tall plant of Aster Daybreak (Octendgloren to give her the proper Dutch name) covered with butterflies on a sunny October day, is such a thrilling sight.

Some Asters give great value in the garden from their dark, almost black, glossy leaves and stems: Calliope is the best of these and looks great for months before

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by Martin Blow > www.specialperennials.com

the masses of small, lavender-blue flowers burst forth in October. She grows to 4 or 5ft tall and spreads to form a sizable clump. The pale violet-flowered Vasterival is similar in habit.

There are some Asters that come from dry, woodlands and these are great low-growing plants for covering the soil under trees or against a north-facing wall or fence.

Beware, they do spread! Good ones include Aster schreberi with white flowers and Aster Twilight with pale purple flowers.

Asters look great planted with autumn flowering grasses or low growing Ice Plants (Sedums) or even planted en masse for a dazzling display of colour.

Oh, and that spring-flowering one? It’s the Alpine Aster and you can grow this little plant from seed – look out for Aster alpinus.

Janet and I will be at the Plant Hunters’ Fairs at the wonderful Henbury Hall Garden, Macclesfield (SK11 9PJ) on Sunday 16 September with entry to this lovely, rarely open, 12-acre garden and plant fair only £2.50; For full details of these and other Plant Hunters’ Fairs see www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk We are happy to bring orders to plant fairs for you to collect.

in touch your local community noticeboard september - october 2018

HAZEL GROVE MUSICAL FESTIVAL Did you know here is an annual competitive Music Festival held in Hazel Grove? All ages can enter from primary to adult and the event includes classes in Speech and Drama, Instrumental, Vocal and Choral categories. The festival benefits from the skills of qualified adjudicators and accompanists.

Would you like the opportunity to perform in this prestigious event? You will be amazed at the wealth of talent within our local communities!

Hazel Grove Musical Festival takes place over four days, early in 2019, as follows:

Friday 22 February Classes for 5 to 18-year olds in Speech and Drama, Instrumental including Piano, Strings and Woodwind and Vocal Solo.

Saturday 23 February Adult classes in Piano Solo and Duet and Vocal Solo and Duet

Saturday 2 March Junior Choir, Vocal Ensemble and Choral classes.

Saturday 9 March is the Winners’ Concert – not to be missed! Entry forms are included in the 2019 Syllabus, which will be available on our website from September 2018 www.hazelgrovemusicalfestival.org.uk

THE ARTS SOCIETY NORTH EAST CHESHIRE Are you interested in the Arts? The Arts Society supports the Arts of yesterday, today and tomorrow. We meet every second Wednesday of the month when we offer a range of activities including a monthly lecture at the Brookdale Club in Bramhall, and visits to museums, galleries and other places of interest. Details of our programme can be found at www.theartssocietynortheastcheshire.org.uk. Potential new members are always welcome.

If you are interested, please contact Maggie Schofield on 0161 427 9451 or info@theartssocietynortheastcheshire.org.uk

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in touch - your local community noticeboard

DISLEY WEA AUTUMN CLASSES Please join us in Disley at the Ring O’ Bells for a new look at the history of the 19th Century - a 10-week class starting 27 September. We have three day schools on the Alexander Technique, Psychology and the Appian Way. In Macclesfield there will be a Birdwatching class starting on 18 September, and an Art History class starting on 27 September.

Details from the secretary on 01625 877255 or look for our branch leaflets in libraries.

Enrolments ring 0300 303 3464 or visit enrolonline.wea.org.uk

STOCKPORT SANDS SUPPORT GROUP The Stockport Sands support group was relaunched in 2017 and meets on the last Friday of the month at the Torkington Centre, Hazel Grove, from 7pm until 9pm. Bereaved parents and their families in Stockport and the surrounding areas are welcome to drop in for a cup of tea and a chat, whether they are newly bereaved or long ago bereaved.

Sands (Stillbirth and neonatal death charity) supports anyone affected by the death of a baby. The charity provides free support through its freephone national helpline on 0808 164 3332 online forum and network of support groups.

Sands trains thousands of midwives, doctors and other professionals so that they can provide the care and support parents desperately need when their baby has died. Sands’ vision is a world where fewer babies die and every bereaved family gets the care and support they need for as long as they need it. The charity also funds research to reduce the number of babies who die every day in the UK. But there is much more work to be done.

Sands has over 100 local support groups across the UK which are run by bereaved parents to support other bereaved parents. For further information please email the committee on support.stockport@sands.org.uk or visit www.sands.org.uk

POYNTON G & S PERFORMs PRINCESS IDA Poynton Gilbert & Sullivan Society is presenting its annual stage show from Tuesday 2 October to Saturday 6 October, at Poynton Civic Hall.

This year’s show is Princess Ida which first opened at the Savoy Theatre in London on 5 January 1884, at a time when the idea of women’s rights was beginning to take hold (the first women finally won the right to vote in 1918, a hundred years ago this year). Ida, a medieval princess, ignores her betrothal vows, made in infancy to a prince of a nearby kingdom, and founds a women’s university from which all men are banned! But the prince does not give up easily: he and two friends sneak into the university and disguise themselves as girl graduates. But their secret is discovered and, despite attempts to hide their true identities from the princess, she finds out that they are men… let battle commence!

Tickets are £12 for adults, and £7 for children (16 and under), and are available either by phoning 01625 876394 or emailing tickets@poyntongands.co.uk They are also available from the Civic Hall or MATES DIY shop on Park Lane, as well as on the door each evening.

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in touch - your local community noticeboard

HAZEL GROVE ROTARY CLUB It may seem a little early to be mentioning Christmas, but some things just wouldn’t happen without lots of advance planning! For many years, the Hazel Grove Rotary Club has collected considerable sums of money from residents by undertaking collections at local stores and visiting homes around Christmas time, with Santa on his float Many thousands of pounds have been donated to local charities as a result. Last year, thanks to the generosity and support of residents, we collected a total of £6420 from our house to house and store collections. The main beneficiary was the Together Trust, a charity based in Stockport, offering care, special education and community support to young people, adults and families. We also made donations to local groups who assisted with our collections.

This year collections will commence on Friday 7 December and continue until Wednesday 19 December.

Collections will involve house to house, store and public house collections and for the first time this year, we will have a JustGiving page. Specific details of routes, dates and times will be published on our Facebook page. The main beneficiary of our 2018 collection will be Stockport based ‘When you wish upon a Star’ whose primary aim is to grant the wishes of children suffering from a life threatening or terminal illness.

If any individual or group would like to be involved either helping with collections, driving the float or acting as Santa please contact hazelgrovexmasfloat@gmail.com. We would also like to hear from any person with joinery or painting skills who could assist in refurbishing the float prior to our collections.

Peter Carter - Hazel Grove Rotary Club

POPPY FEST COMMEMORATING 100 YEARS SINCE END OF WW1 The Knit and Natter group at Hazel Grove Methodist Church is organising a Poppy Festival to remember those who fought in the brutal war. They especially want to remember the 200 young men who went to war from their church, 27 of whom did not return. They will also remember those from London Road Methodist Church and Napier Street Methodist Church who also made that sacrifice.

The organising group has been awarded ten silhouette statues as part of a nationwide initiative run by the Armistice and Armed Forces Covenant programme; these will be displayed amongst the poppies. During the weeks following the festival, the church will be open to schools from the area who will be bringing round groups of children to see the exhibition. Items have been borrowed from the Imperial War Museum and a trained team will be there to demonstrate.

The decorated church will be open from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 October, from 10.30am to 4pm on Friday and Saturday, then 1.30pm to 4pm on Sunday.

On Saturday, 10 November there will be a Home Front afternoon tea, with entertainment from Offerton Methodist Choir, and songs and poems from the era. This will be a ticket-only event – these will be on sale during the festival weekend.

The closing ceremony will take place on 18 November, in conjunction with Hazel Grove British Legion

Any groups who would interested in coming to the church after the festival weekend should contact the church to arrange this.

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quick crossword Across 7 Puff, wisp, waft (6) 8 Medicine which induces vomiting (6) 9 Dwell (4) 10 Transparent danger to drivers (5,3) 11 Hiking over fells (4,7) 14 Suitcase storage on train (7,4) 18 Destroying (8) 19 Taunt, catcall (4) 20 Administer with a needle and syringe (6) 21 Smaller, not as important (6)

down 1 Little House on the ______ (7) 2 Sheet of glass (4) 3 Persistent irrational fear (6) 4 Pass comment (6) 5 Calculator (8) 6 Finely chopped meat (5) 12 Catapaulted, hurled (8) 13 Plotter, conspirator (7) 15 To blame, at fault (6) 16 Chortle, chuckle (6) 17 fashion, mode (5) 19 Make joke (4)

sudoku How to play Sudoku Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

You don’t need to be a genius. These puzzles use logic alone.

Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.

Solutions on page 44 31

speciality touring

Many of our clients have discovered group tours as an easy and relaxing way to take a holiday; with a tour guide taking care of the details, it’s much easier to sit back, relax and enjoy the view. For those with a special interest or hobby, sharing a group tour with an expert guide and fellow enthusiasts adds much more to the holiday. At Travel by Design we work with a number of specialist companies covering a wide variety of tours with a focus on art, history, music and much more.

The very special feature of these tours is that the group size is small, sometimes only a dozen people and usually not more than 16 or 20 people, making it a very pleasant environment for both travel and meeting like minded souls who share your interest.

you can really take your time to explore, or listen to an expert; a curator, or often the Head Gardener or even the owner. Tours include the garden of pioneering gardener Beth Chatto, and those designed

by Gertrude Jekyll. Further afield we have some lovely tours exploring the gardens of the French Riviera, Lake Como, Galicia’s Camellia Route and for something very different, the gardens of Copenhagen and Zealand.

Music…

Every autumn Kirker Holidays host the Kirker Ischia Music Festival, with a full programme of concerts each day, which are private and arranged exclusively for the tour guests. They have created similar tours to Tenerife, Mallorca and Lake Como, all with the same high standard of musicians and concerts. Other excursions to local gardens and art galleries are also offered as part of the tour. There are also a range of similar tours in the UK for those who prefer to stay closer to home.

Gardens…

A group garden tour will often give you access to gardens not generally open to the public. This means your group will be the only visitors at that time, so

32

History…

Whether relatively recent, such as tours of the battlefields of WW1, to tours of Ancient Greece, there are a number of specialist companies who cover both of these or anything in between! Join a private chartered gulet cruise (approx 20 guests max) around the Greek Islands taking in archaeological sites ranging

from Bronze Age cities to Classical temples, Byzantine monasteries to Crusader castles. The expert guides will bring all this to life as you travel through the pages of history. For the military historians among you, why not join a tour exploring the story of the Duke of Wellington and the Peninsular War, or a trip to Italy to learn about the Battles of Monte Cassino.

Art… Spending time in an Art Gallery whilst on holiday is often a real treat, but how often would we like to know more about the artist, about the story behind the picture, or what it is telling us about life at the time it was painted. Without doubt, an expert art historian is essential to find out the most about the treasures we are looking at, and a great addition to tours to Amsterdam, Madrid, or – very much in the news at the moment – Russia and in particular St Petersburg.

Food and wine...

Often combined in many of the themed tours above, but for real foodies, tours to the Champagne region of France or the winelands of South Africa, are a big hit. Back-Roads Touring, with groups generally around 16 in size, have a delightful tour of Cornwall, including a visit to the largest estate in Cornwall, Tregothnan, where you’ll have a private tour of the grounds and tea plantation, and a meal at one of Rick Stein’s restaurants. Many other of their tours, whilst including all sorts of local points of interest, will also include a local vineyard, a cooking class in Tuscany, truffle hunting in France and the production of Jamon Iberico in Spain. Most of these speciality tours are very small groups which means the meals can be booked at authentic local restaurants, where you will experience local cuisine at its finest.

To learn more about our range of specialist tours, please visit us at Travel by Design, 28 London Road in Alderley Edge. Brochures for these specialist holidays are limited, and we will guide you to the best tour and operator for your special interest.

by Kristina Hulme travelbydesigngroup.com

inside guide

selected events in your area

Tuesday 4 September

Thursday 13 September

North Cheshire Photographic Society. Tesni Ward – Photography in the Peak District. This talk will concentrate on the landscapes and species of the Peak District. Hosted by North Cheshire Photographic Society. Non-members £5 on the door. For more information visit www.ncps.org.uk or www.tesniward.co.uk Poynton Civic Centre 7.30 for 8pm start

St Thomas’ High Lane Men’s Forum AGM & Terry Browne “In the Steps of Livingstone.”

St Thomas’ Church Hall, Buxton Road, High Lane 2.15pm

Thursday 6 September Would you like to meet new friends? Are you over 50 and single? Thursday Group is a friendship group for men and women, with several activities run by the members every week. These include walking, dancing, badminton, theatre and restaurant visits.

For more info see www.thursdaygroup.co.uk or ring Bill on 07505 076838, or just come along to new members night on the first Thursday in each month where you will be met by group members.

The Bulls Head Pub, 30 Wilmslow Road, Handforth, SK9 3EW 8.30pm

Saturday 8 September Messy Church. A time of welcome, crafts, celebration and a meal together. For further information call Revd Canon Janet Parker on 01663 764519 St Thomas’ Church, High Lane 3.30pm to 5pm

Wednesday 10 September The Arts Society North East Cheshire. The Emperor’s Underground Army. A lecture about the Terracotta Army given

by Lars Tharp, lecturer, broadcaster and art historian. Potential new members welcome. To attend as a visitor please contact Maggie Schofield on 0161 427 9451 or info@theartssocietynortheastcheshire.org.uk Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall. Coffee from 9.30am

Tuesday 11 September East Cheshire National Trust Association Lecture - The National Gardens Scheme with Anne Britt Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall, Stockport, SK7 3AB 2pm

WEDNESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER Disley & District Flower Club. A flower demonstration by Lynne Stott entitled ‘Destinations.’ Visitors welcome.

High Lane Village Hall 7.30pm

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september - october 2018

Thursday 13 September The Family History Society of Cheshire, Bramhall Group AGM followed by Researching the RAF by Geoff Simpson.

A look at the allied airmen who took part in the Battle of Britain in 1940 with reference to Stockport and the rest of historic Cheshire. Admission charge £2. All visitors are most welcome.

United Reformed Church Hall, Bramhall SK7 2PE 7.30pm

Friday 14 to Saturday 22 September Carver Theatre presents Wife after Death, a comedy by Eric Chappell.

The mood changes amongst friends and colleagues when an unfamiliar woman in flamboyant mourning clothes turns up at a funeral!

Tickets: £9 or £8 (over 60 concession) via carvertheatre.co.uk or Hollins of Marple 0161 449 8363. Early bird First Friday discount if you book 2 weeks in advance. Season Tickets (for four plays) from £20 (First Friday) £31(concessions) £35 from boxoffice@carvertheatre.co.uk Group rate for Saturday matinee: one free with ten bookings. No performance Sunday.

Carver Theatre, Chadwick Street, Marple SK6 7AX Evening 7.45pm, Sat matinee 2.30pm

Sat 15 & Sun 16 September The Model Show 20+ working layouts, sales, trade support, society & club stands, Plastic kit, Sci-fi, War Gaming, Miniatures, Card Modelling, Dioramas, Miniature engineering, radio control aircraft and maritime. Adults £7.50, Uniform ID UK forces and Service personnel £6, £4 after 4pm Sat only U/16s free (max 2 per adult) Full disabled access, hot and cold refreshments, ample free parking. www.themodelshow.co.uk Poynton Leisure Centre, Yew Tree Lane, Poynton, SK12 1PU 10am to 5pm (Sun 4.30pm close)

Monday 17 September Hazel Grove Townswomen’s Guild Barbara Brooks will speak about Canada. Enquiries to 0161 483 9559 Hazel Grove Civic Hall 1.30pm

Monday 17 September

Saturday 29 September

Hazel Grove & District Gardening Club ‘The Making of Bridgewater’ Bridgewater will be the fifth RHS garden, opening in 2020. Sarah Witts, Walled Garden Manager, will talk about the history, future plans and progress to date. Further information 0161 483 6051 or www. hazelgrovegardeningclub.com St Peter’s Church (Parish Centre) 16 Green Lane, Hazel Grove, SK7 4EA 7.30pm

Disley & Lyme Horticultural Society coffee morning .Time to collect your trophies!! Coffee, cakes, plants and much more!

For further information please visit our website www.dlhs.weebly.com High Lane Village Hall

Tuesday 18 September North Cheshire Photographic Society Andrew Brooks – The constructed Image. Andrew will be talking about his constructed images, which are put together using his photographs to create something very unusual.

Hosted by North Cheshire Photographic Society. Non-members £5 on the door.

For more information visit www.ncps.org.uk Poynton Civic Centre 7.30pm for 8pm start

Friday 21 September Flog It Peter Ashburner, of Wright Marshall Auctioneers, Knutsford, will give a talk on antiques, antiquities and Flog it. Wine and nibbles included in the price of £5. Please contact June Gibbs Tel: 01663 764935 for further details or tickets.

St Thomas Church Buxton Road High Lane 7.30pm

Friday 21 September Stockport Historical Society “Manchester’s radical mayor: Abel Heywood, the man who built the Town Hall” by Joanna Williams. Visitors very welcome Admission £3. Further information from Tony Nightingale 0161 440 0570 Stockport Sunday School, Nangreave Road, SK2 6DQ (Next to Aquinas College) 7.45pm

Saturday 22 September Stockport Symphony Orchestra. Bernstein Candide Overture.

Grieg Piano Concerto soloist: Peter Donohoe. Shostakovich Symphony No 5. www.stockportsymphony.co.uk Stockport Town Hall 7.30pm

Wednesday 26 to Saturday 29 September NK Theatre Arts presents The Wall With special permission from Roger Waters, performed by live rock band and talented cast.

Tickets from £12.50, 24 hr Box Office 0333 666 3366 www.theforumtheatre.co.uk The Forum Theatre, Romiley, Stockport SK6 4EA

Tuesday 2 to Saturday 6 October Poynton Gilbert & Sullivan present ‘Princess Ida’ Adults £12, Child (16 or under) £7 Email tickets@poyntongands.co.uk or call 01625 876394 Also available from the Civic Hall or MATES DIY shop on Park lane, as well as on the door each evening.

Civic Hall, Poynton 7.30pm

Thursday 4 October Would you like to meet new friends? Are you over 50 and single? Thursday Group is a friendship group for men and women, with several activities run by the members every week. These include walking, dancing, badminton, theatre and restaurant visits.

For more info see www.thursdaygroup.co.uk or ring Bill on 07505 076838, or just come along to new members night on the first Thursday in each month where you will be met by group members.

The Bulls Head Pub, 30 Wilmslow Road, Handforth, SK9 3EW 8.30pm

Friday 5 to Saturday 6 October Disley Arts Society Exhibition Framed and unframed originals and cards. Parking and disabled access. Raffle, cakes and refreshments. Open Friday 5pm to 9pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm www.disleyartssociety.weebly.com Disley Methodist Church, 70 Buxton Road, Disley SK12 2EY

Sunday 7 October Autumn A Cappella Cheshire A Cappella and guests will treat you to an afternoon of musical entertainment.

Tickets £8/£7 concessions to include cream tea and a glass of fizz. See page 15.

High Lane Village Hall, Windlehurst Rd, High Lane 3.30pm

Tuesday 9 October East Cheshire National Trust Lecture AGM and For Ever: For Everyone – Eleanor Underhill Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall, Stockport, SK7 3AB 2pm Continued over

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WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER

Wednesday 17 October

The Arts Society North East Cheshire The Melting Pot of Malaysia. This lecture by Viv Lawes traces the history of Malaysian fine art practice to include styles such as post-Impressionism and the celebrated expressionism of masters like Latiff Mohidin and Syed Ahmad Jamal, unique forms of expression such as batik painting, the New Scene movement of the 1970s to the Malay-Islamic formulation that dominated the 1980s, and ending with the pluralism of the last 20 years. To attend as a visitor please contact Maggie Schofield on 0161 427 9451 or info@theartssocietynortheastcheshire.org.uk Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall. Coffee from 9.30am

Poynton Luncheon Club Our Winter/Spring season of lunches starts with us celebrating our Pearl Anniversary. Speaker Sir Thomas Ingilby - Behind the scenes at Ripley Castle followed by an excellent lunch at The Deanwater.

Want to join us? Contact membership sec. Pam Orton on 0161 483 4557

Thursday 11 October St Thomas’ High Lane Men’s Forum Gordon Longworth “The River Nile – A Journey of 5000 years.

Part 1 – From Cairo to Aswan.”

St Thomas’ Church Hall, Buxton Road, High Lane at 2.15pm

Saturday 13 October Messy Church A time of welcome, crafts, celebration and a meal together.

For further information call Revd Canon Janet Parker on 01663 764519 St Thomas’ Church, High Lane 3.30pm to 5pm

Monday 15 October Hazel Grove & District Gardening Club ‘Growing & Arranging Seasonal cut flowers’ Alice & Andrea, from Delamere Flower Farm, give a talk and demonstration. Further information 0161 483 6051 or www.hazelgrovegardeningclub.com St Peter’s Church (Parish Centre) 16 Green Lane, Hazel Grove, SK7 4EA 7.30pm

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FRIDAY 19 OCTOBER Stockport Historical Society The Stockport Riots by Ruth Faulkner.

Visitors very welcome Admission £3.

Further information from Tony Nightingale 0161 440 0570 Stockport Sunday School, Nangreave Road, SK2 6DQ (Next to Aquinas College) 7.45pm

Friday 26 to Sunday 28 October Poppy Fest Commemorating 100 years since the end of WW1 Friday & Saturday 10.30am to 4pm Sunday 1.30pm to 4pm Closing ceremony on afternoon of 18 November with Hazel Grove British Legion Hazel Grove Methodist Church

stand out from the crowd

with our paid INSIDE Guide listings.

Call 01625 879611 or email info@insidemagazines.co.uk for further details.

Compiled by Claire Hawker > email: claire@insidemagazines.co.uk

39

Answers: Screwdriver, chisel, screws, drill, spanner, hammer. Extra letter answer: Pliers

just 4 kids

Children’s Activities Things to do with pre-school kids

Monday High Lane Baby & Toddler Group 9.30-11.30am Term time only. High Lane Village Hall. Contact Sarah on 01625 268 301 for more information.

Story Time 11-11.30am High Lane Library. Contact 0161 217 6009 for more information.

St. Thomas’ Children’s Choir 5.45-6.30pm St. Thomas’ Church, High Lane. The choir is completely free and will help children to learn to sing and how to read music. We will sing a wide variety of music and songs; children’s music, pop songs, show songs and some sacred music.

Tuesday

For more information please contact marc.hall@me.com

Parents & Tots 9 - 11.15am Term time only. St Thomas’ Church, High Lane. A chance for all parents/carers to meet other carers in a safe environment – lots to do and refreshments provided. £1 per adult and up to two children. Contact Rev. Janet Parker on 01663 764519

thursday

Story Time 11am Hazel Grove Library. Stories, rhymes and songs followed by some colouring. Contact 0161 217 6009.

Playtime Toddler Group 1-2.30pm Term time only. Offerton Community Centre, Mallowdale Rd, Offerton. Lots of toys and room to play, song and snack time plus craft activities. Free of charge but donations welcome. Contact Sharon 07843094039.

Wednesday Baby & Toddler Group 9.15-11am Term time only. Brookside Primary School, High Lane. £2 for one adult and child, £1 per extra child, price includes a snack.

Contact 01663 308 008 for more information.

Sing & Sign Opportunity Group 9.30-11.30am Independent Options, 67 Chester Road. Especially for children with additional needs/learning disabilities, this session encourages children to start to use speech, or gives them signs if difficult. £4 per child. Book into the session on 0161 482 7933.

Norbury Toddler Group 10 - 11.30am Term time only. Norbury Parish Church, Hazel Grove. Cost £2 (includes a drink and biscuits). Please phone before to ensure there are spaces. Contact Cath on 0161 487 2390 or email cath.downs@norburychurch.org.uk www. norburychurch.org.uk

If you run a local activity for young children and email would like to be included on this page please uk es.co. agazin nsidem c.blackie@i

40

Story Time 2pm Great Moor Library, Gladstone Street. Stories, rhymes and songs followed by some colouring. Contact 0161 217 6009.

Norbury Toddler Group 10 - 11.30am Term time only. Norbury Parish Church, Hazel Grove. Cost £2 (includes a drink and biscuits). Please phone before to ensure there are spaces. Contact Cath on 0161 487 2390 or email cath. downs@norburychurch.org.uk www. norburychurch.org.uk Sensory Stories 9.30-11.30am Preschool group offering interactive story time for children with additional needs and their siblings.Independent Options, 67 Chester Road. £4 per session.To book on the session email Sam on swalsh@independentoptions.org.uk or ring 0161 4566502.

Friday Toddler Group 9.30-11.30am Independent Options, 67 Chester Road. £2 for one child, £1 per additional child. Book into the session on 0161 482 7933.

Wesley Street Stay & Play 9.45-11.30am Hazel Grove Methodist Church, Wesley Street.

Contact Kelly Heath on 07530 460 087

saturday Messy Church 3.30pm-5pm, 2nd Saturday of every month A time of welcome, crafts, celebration and meal together.

St Thomas’ Church, High Lane. For further information call: Canon Janet Parker 01663 764519 or Ann Lambert 01663 764521.

Weekly Baby Splash Life Leisure Hazel Grove. Call 0161 439 5221 for lesson details.

Compiled by Clare Blackie > email: c.blackie@insidemagazines.co.uk

From one local business to another Would you like more local customers?

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One of six magazines delivered to over 45,000 homes

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Pondering Podcasts Can podcasts help our GCSE students?

By the time you read this article the first lot of students who sat GCSEs under the new system (Grades 9-1) will have received their results. At the time of writing no-one knows how they will have fared.

The consensus from teachers seems to be that the new syllabus and grading system requires a lot more breadth and depth of knowledge, and in some subjects and classes, students and teachers struggled to get through the syllabus in time to allow for revision and consolidation before the exams.

As parents we want to help our young people achieve their goals, but it can be hard to know where to begin, especially if your child is struggling in an area you know little about yourself.

Enter the era of podcast-learning. Most teens are familiar and comfortable with podcasts and online audio platforms such as Spotify. Well, there are now podcasts on every subject from Maths to Spanish and many of them are free or cost a fraction of what a private tutor might set you back.

The BBC is revamping its BBC Bitesize platform to reflect the content of the new exams. The podcasts are short and offer a mix of text, audio and occasional video clips.

Most importantly they are free to all students with access to a PC (some of the content does not work well on a smartphone.) bbc.com/education Mr Allsop History is a free History revision website, created by University of Cambridge History graduate and current teacher Scott Allsop. It’s comprehensive and he

updates it regularly. There are useful sections on revision skills and exam techniques. mrallsophistory.com There are also paid-for platforms like Audiopi. This is an educational resource created by teachers, examiners and academics. It aims to inspire GCSE and A-level students with their coursework and revision. It produces exam board–specific audio tutorials for English Literature, English Language, History, Biology, Religious Studies, and Science so far. You can purchase access to one subject or a whole range of subjects for around £5 per month. They even offer a free trial. audiopi.co.uk One of the most comprehensive platforms is GCSEPOD These are engaging, well thought-out, easy-tounderstand podcasts which tailor their content to specific exam boards. They get the balance between ‘understandable’ and ‘enough depth’ just right. The good news is that some schools subscribe to this on behalf of their students so check to see whether your child’s school offers this useful resource. Don’t panic if they don’t because you can subscribe as a parent. Access to the full range of subjects will set you back around £200 for the year, but contrast that with private tuition and it looks very reasonable indeed. gcsepod.com One of the most fun (and free resources) for science students is The Naked Scientists. Their primary aim is to strip science down to its essentials. While not specific to any curriculum, it’s an addictive way to gain insight into any difficult-to-understand parts of the syllabus. thenakedscientists.com As our teens move towards their GCSEs, hopefully these podcasts will provide them with useful and empowering tools for learning.

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puzzle solutions

don’t forget!

Copy deadline for the next issue is Wednesday 10 October Call 01625 879611 or email info@insidemagazines.co.uk to secure your space.

44

useful numbers Churches Norbury Parish Church Hazel Grove Methodist Church St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church Hazel Grove Baptist Church St George’s Parish Church, Stockport Short Street United Reformed Church Parish Church of St Thomas, High Lane Windlehurst Methodist Church

Schools 0161 483 6325 0161 483 0150 0161 483 3476 0161 487 3708 0161 480 2453 0161 285 5229 01663 764519 0161 483 3706

Hazel Grove High School Hazel Grove Primary & Infant School Norbury Hall Primary School Moorfield Junior & Infant School St Peters R.C Primary School Torkington Primary School St Simons Catholic Primary Brookside Primary School High Lane Primary School

0161 483 6222 0161 426 5250 0161 426 9292 0161 426 9777 01663 762222

Police

Doctors Beech House Medical Practice Springfield Surgery Haider Medical Centre Dean Lane Medical High Lane Medical Centre

Hospitals Stepping Hill Hospital NHS Non-Emergency

0161 483 1010 111

Leisure Centre Hazel Grove Leisure Centre Life Leisure Hazel Grove

0161 456 3467 0161 439 5221

Libraries Hazel Grove Library High Lane Library

0161 217 6009 0161 217 6009

Local Government Stockport MBC

0161 480 4949

Non Emergency

0161 456 4888 0161 483 3699 0161 483 1786 0161 483 4521 0161 483 2431 0161 483 2188 0161 483 9696 01663 763943 01663 762378

101

Utilities Electricity – Power Loss Gas – Emergency Water- Faults, United Utilities Environment Agency Floodline

105 0800 111 999 0345 672 3723 0345 988 1188

Helplines Alcoholics Anonymous Al-Anon Citizens Advice Bureau Childline Crimestoppers Directory Enquiries National Dementia Helpline RSPCA Samaritans The Wellspring, Stockport

0800 917 7650 020 7403 0888 03444 111 444 0800 1111 0800 555111 118 500 0300 222 1122 0300 1234999 116 123 0161 477 6344

Travel Bus & Train Times National Rail Enquiries Manchester Airport

0871 200 2233 0345 748 4950 0808 169 7030

Post Offices Hazel Grove Post Office Fiveways Parade Post Office High Lane Post Office

0161 483 2332 0345 611 2970 01663 766877

pharmacies Peak Pharmacy, High Lane Scorah Chemists, Hazel Grove

01663 762235 01625 872267

45

classified index ADULT EDUCATION Spanish Classes

ESTATE AGENTS 27

BEAUTY Cosmeticare

ENTERTAINMENT

FUNERAL SERVICES

Eco Dazzle

Adlington Memorial Park 5 Brian Sharples & Son Inside Back Cover

PATIOS

37 38

GARAGE DOORS 44

HEARING SERVICES Cheshire Hearing Centre

ROOFING

38

SOLICITORS

12

STAIR RENOVATIONS

KITCHENS Matt Finish The Granite & Marble Shop

37 7

45 27

16

Swift Tree Services

Travel By Design

38

The Window Repair Centre

33 More Than Loft Ladders

44

32

WINDOW & CONSERVATORY REPAIRS

LOCKSMITHS City Lock & Safe

TREE SERVICES TRAVEL

LOCAL GOVERNMENT William Wragg MP

8

LOFT LADDERS 22

Don’t forget!

Copy deadline for the next issue is Wednesday 10 October Tel: 01625 879611 email: info@insidemagazines.co.uk 46

20

SECURITY

The Stair Shop 36

ELECTRICIANS SCZ Electrical Services

33

16

Manners Pimblett Inside Front Cover 33

DRAINAGE Pure Clean Drainage Solutions

GARDEN MAINTENANCE & LAWN CARE

Carrington Doors

DECORATORS Graham Wallace

27

City Lock & Safe 22

CHURCHES Hazel Grove Baptist Church

10

11

OVEN CLEANING

Pure Clean Drainage Solutions

Robinsons Garden Maintenance

CHIMNEY SERVICES Mr Soot

Hazel Grove Osteopaths

Abstract Roofing Services 19

CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Safeclean

15 20

FURNITURE Uniquely Chic

23

OSTEOPATHS

21

BUILDING SOCIETIES Vernon Building Society

Come Walk With Us

Cheshire A Cappella The Forum Theatre

BUILDERS Coppice Joinery & Building Whitehall Builders Ltd

NETWORKING Back Cover

11

BOOK SHOPS Simply Books

Snapes

Secure your space now!

42