Inside Wilmslow & Alderley Edge Issue 71

inside december 2019 - january 2020

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Issue 71

wilmslow & alderley edge

The local magazine our readers love to keep One of six magazines delivered to over 45,000 homes

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inside wilmslow & alderley edge 2019 has been quite a year for us with a graduation, a wedding and finally a house move!

The idea to ‘downsize’ swept over us when we rented a small cottage in Anglesey for new year and loved it! When we came back to a house with rooms that weren’t used, full of ‘stuff’ not people, we started taking more interest in For Sale boards!

Funnily enough we stumbled across exactly what we wanted very quickly, so the process of selling ours was soon under way. Not something I’d repeat in a hurry! Sorting and getting rid of stuff we’d acquired over 20 years was a challenge (but a very satisfying one) and everything went remarkably smoothly until the last few days. I can’t recommend having two vans, with all your worldly goods packed in them, when there is still every possibility the chain might collapse completely – but we hung on in there and all was well.

So… goodbye 2019 and hello 2020, a new decade! Goodness knows what’s in store – in the meantime Season’s Greetings from Claire and Clare and see you next year!

What’s INSIDE this month 4 Wilmslow Then & Now 7 Diary of a Geeky Knitter 8 panettone Recipe 11 scott’s journey 16 simply books book club choice 19 Travel - costa rica

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23 In Touch 27 christmas at quarry bank 28 The Walk 30 Puzzles 34 Real Life Motoring 37 INSIDE Guide 42 Children’s Activities

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44 Just 4 Kids 47 prairie planting 50 running & mental health 52 Puzzle Solutions 53 Useful numbers 54 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 Quarry Bank © National Trust/John Millar

Copy deadline for the next issue: mon 13 january

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Inside Wilmslow & Alderley Edge 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 2019. 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

wilmslow then... ...and now The Waggon and Horses at the north edge of Handforth once served passengers travelling the turnpike road to and from Manchester. It benefited from being conveniently situated near to a toll bar. In a time when progress was slow and horses needed frequent rest and refreshment, there was no shortage of such establishments. Victorian passengers departing from the coaching houses of Wilmslow such as the Ring o’ Bells, Swan and Coach and Four, would have already passed the Blue Bell, Bull’s Head and Greyhound in little over two miles before reaching the Waggon and Horses.

The coming of the railway significantly changed life in Handforth and would no doubt have impacted trade for these publicans. At first there was no station and trains were stopped at a hut by the side of the line by a manual signal or with a lit candle after dark. Later, Station House, a property since demolished, was built to serve the station and house a railway clerk, an American born in Virginia called John Rodger.

The Waggon and Horses, now a Greene King public house, still exists but is a substantially different building.

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Photographs: Wilmslow Historical Society Collection

by Jon Armstrong > Wilmslow Historical Society

Diary of a geeky knitter Many crafters are probably starting to think about the same thing at this time of year, whether you be sewists, knitters, crocheters, or everything in between.

It’s that time where we plan beautiful projects and homemade gifts for everyone we know, from loved ones to office colleagues, and even the mum of a friend we happened to hear mention that they liked a particular style of hat you know you like to knit. I can’t speak for everyone, but I always start off with the best intentions in the world, then I decide I need to be a little more selective with what I’m making and for who, and then I reach 11.30pm on Christmas Eve when I am furiously finishing a scarf for someone, battling through the red wine and port from that evening. Last year was no different, except I was finishing the hems on dresses for each of my sister and sister-in-law. As I mention, with the best intentions, I’m trying very hard to rein in my present making this year, particularly with a new house to decorate, but

the draw of the crochet and knitting (and sewing) is too great, and the draw to show someone how much I love them through my craft is something other crafters reading this will know all too well.

I’ve not just © Practical Publishing Ltd been up to gift planning this year in the run up to Christmas though. I’ve been busy designing for one of the other magazines that I help work on from time to time. Your Crochet & Knitting is a fun magazine that comes with 6-8 balls of yarn every issue, enough to make at least one of the projects you’ll find inside. A few months ago, I designed a pretty hexagon motif cowl in pastel colours that I love, and in an issue coming out before Christmas I’ve knitted a gun sampler scarf with lots of interesting stitch patterns to keep you interested. The colours were a joy to play with, and I’m very proud of these projects. Make sure to keep an eye out for the magazine in your local supermarket, and maybe one or two loved ones this year may find themselves opening these accessories as gifts come 25 December...

Merry Christmas everyone!

© Practical Publishing Ltd jennythegeekyknitter@gmail.com www.thegeekyknitter.co.uk www.etsy.com/uk/shop/geeksgamesandknits

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Mini Panettone Little festive treats Method 1. Soak the fruit overnight in the orange juice.

2. Mix the flour and salt, the yeast and the milk in a mixer with a dough hook. You can do it by hand, it just takes longer. Gradually mix in two beaten eggs and the vanilla. Knead until the dough is smooth and springy. Leave in a bowl, covered with a damp cloth and allow to rise until doubled in size.

Preparation time: 45 minutes (allow 4-5 hours for proving time) Cooking time: 20 minutes Makes: 6

Ingredients ■■ 250g good quality plain flour ■■ 1 tsp dried yeast ■■ Pinch of salt ■■ 100ml whole milk, warmed (not hot) ■■ 3 eggs (Two beaten together, one extra) ■■ 1 tsp vanilla extract ■■ 50g golden caster sugar, plus extra for dusting ■■ 100g softened butter ■■ Zest and juice of one orange ■■ 100g raisins ■■ 100g sultanas

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■■ 100g mixed peel (for non-peel-lovers you can substitute cranberries)

3. Add the sugar, butter and the yolk from the remaining egg. Mix again, either with the machine, or by hand, until the dough is smooth again. Add the fruit and zest and knead quickly until it’s all incorporated into the dough. Leave in a bowl, covered with a damp cloth, in a cool place for at least two hours until doubled in size again. You can leave it in the fridge overnight if you prefer.

4. Line a large, six-holed muffin tray with paper cases. Divide the dough into six portions and roll into balls. Place one ball into each muffin case, cover with a damp cloth and leave for 20 minutes.

5. Heat the oven to 180C / 160 fan or Gas mark 4. Brush the tops of the panettones with the remaining egg whites and dust with caster sugar.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the muffins have risen and are golden in colour. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

6. Variation - Add some brandy to the overnight soak in orange juice for a little extra kick.

Scott’s journey Jenny Cooke talks to local resident and family man Scott Surtees - Michelin starred chef and Head of Catering and Hospitality at Warrington and Vale Royal College.

‘I’ve always wanted to be a chef ever since I was seven or eight years old,’ says Scott. ‘I used to bake a lot with my Mum, and she had an old Bero Flour cookbook complete with brown photos. I loved pulling up a chair, standing up on it at the counter and baking. I got filthy with flour, but I loved it. Cooking was just in me and I’ve never changed my mind.’

Photo by WVR College

Scott went to Tytherington High School in Macclesfield and in Year 10 was the only boy who did Food Technology. Aged 15 Scott did work experience at the Tytherington Golf and Country Club and after two weeks in the restaurant and kitchen they offered him a weekend job! ‘I loved Sundays in the kitchens with the chefs. It was amazing and my best time ever.’

Scott left school at 16, did catering at Macclesfield College including butchery, fish preparation, chocolate qualifications, even food hygiene. It all fascinated him.

Then came a big moment: his lecturer, Keith Birch, suggested he try for the Francis Coulson Scholarship sponsored by Relais & Chateaux, the prestigious worldwide hotel and gourmet restaurant company. ‘Imagine

by Jenny Cooke

what it felt like to hear I’d won it, the first person in GB to do so.’

‘It was the start of me working in some of the finest restaurants in the UK - Middlethorpe Hall in York, The Sharrow Bay in the Lake District and Hambleton Hall on Rutland Water with its four rosettes. It was there that Aaron Patterson the head chef, taught me everything I know about seasonality in British food. Later I became the head pastry chef at The Alderley Edge Hotel and during my time there, alongside head chef Chris Holland, it was awarded three rosettes and a mention in the Michelin Guide as one of the top restaurants.

More recently, Scott moved into education, gaining qualifications at Macclesfield College. ‘When I’d done my training as a Pastry chef, I qualified to become a chocolatier,’ says Scott, with a twinkle in his eye, ‘even though I don’t eat it a great deal. I haven’t got a sweet tooth – perhaps as well!’ He and the students at Macclesfield made a three feet high chocolate chef as the centrepiece for a signature dinner at the college.

They sculpted and moulded the chocolate, solid at the base and hollow higher up. ‘It certainly brought in the wow factor!’

Scott is now head of Catering and Hospitality at Warrington and Vale Royal College. He and his ‘fantastic team’ have worked hard to bring the catering department there to its present status: it’s won one rosette for the second year running from the AA College Restaurant Guide, each time Highly Commended. He and some of his students brought back a gold medal from the Welsh International Culinary Championships at Llandudno this year. ‘The department is run as a restaurant called Buckleys,’ he explains. The restaurant is popular in the town and one of the highest rated (see www.wvr.ac.uk/our-campuses/buckleys-restaurant/ for details and opening times.)

‘Students come at 16 and immediately it’s like the world of work. They must be on time, work industry hours and shifts, be clean and tidy. If things go wrong, we remain calm and they learn how to put it right. If a melting chocolate fondant bursts on the plate, the whole table has to be held back for 15 minutes whilst another one goes in the oven for 8 minutes and then rests before being served. Yet the students rise to the challenge.’

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Scott never knows who he’s going to cook for, ‘I was working in the kitchen at The Sharrow Bay hotel one day when we heard that Sir Paul McCartney and his new wife Heather Mills were staying. For dinner they chose the vegetarian menu. Well of course, that was me. I cooked it and it was served in the restaurant to them. Next morning the kitchen door burst open and in walked Sir Paul McCartney and he said, “Who cooked the food last night?” Very cautiously I said, “Me, Sir.” He shook my hand and said, “That was an amazing meal last night.” He autographed the menu for me, and it’s now framed on the wall in my house. I’d met my ultimate hero and he’s a really, really nice man.’

Scott laughs. ‘Food is my life… but food isn’t worth my life. The most important thing in my life is my family, my wife Emma and son Ethan. After all,’ he says, ‘I just cook people’s dinner!’

Scott’s TOP TIPS for stress free Christmas catering ■■ Don’t give yourself too much to do on the big day.

You need to enjoy it too.

■■ Be realistic, even have a smaller menu. And don’t apologise.

■■ Be organised. Get things ready in advance ■■ Understand your own limitations and your kitchen’s limitations eg size of oven ■■ The freezer is your friend - straight from freezer to oven wows unexpected visitors ■■ Finally, clean kitchen and clean food

Scott’s Lemon Pavlova Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: ■■ 3 egg whites ■■ 185g caster sugar ■■ 1¼ teaspoons cornflour ■■ 1 unwaxed lemon ■■ 25g flaked almonds ■■ 150mls double cream ■■ 160g homemade lemon curd Method: 1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Beat egg whites until peaks form, then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.

2. Sprinkle the cornflour over the meringue, then grate in the zest – a fine microplane is best for this – of ½ lemon and add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.

3. Gently fold until everything is thoroughly mixed in.

Mound onto the lined baking tray in a circle approx 24cm in diameter, smoothing the sides and the top with a knife or spatula.

4. Place in oven. Immediately turn the temperature down to 140°C and cook for 45mins.

5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, but don’t leave it anywhere cold as this will make it crack too quickly. If your kitchen is too cool, leave the Pavlova inside the oven with the door completely open. When you’re ready to eat, turn the Pavlova upside down onto a large flat plate or board.

6. Toast the flaked almonds, by placing them on a baking tray. Bake in a 170ºc oven for approx 8 mins.

When they’re done, remove to a cold plate so they don’t carry on cooking.

7. Whip the cream until thick.

8. Put lemon curd into a bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon or spatula to loosen. Taste the lemon curd (if it’s shop-bought) and add some lemon zest and juice if it’s too sweet.

Photo by WVR College

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9. With a spatula, spread the lemon curd on top of the meringue base. Top with the whipped cream, peaking it as if it were a meringue topping. Sprinkle with the zest of the remaining lemon followed by the flaked almonds.

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simply books book club choice I’m starting this time with a work of non-fiction. The Salt Path

by Raynor Winn is part-travelogue and part-memoir. Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, they lose their home and livelihood. Scammed by a close friend they are left with not much more than the clothes they are standing in and no source of income. Impulsively they decide to walk the 630-mile South West Coastal Path – from Somerset via Lands End to Dorset. Living wild and free – but penniless and at the mercy of the sea and sky – they discover a new, liberating way of living. This is an astonishing (and inspirational) story of two people dragging themselves from the depths of despair along some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country, looking for a solution to their problems and along the way finding themselves. Met with kindness and hostility – often in equal measure – it’s a remarkable journey, underpinned by the love and care that Raynor and Moth share for each other.

Simply Books

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

Station Eleven by Canadian author Emily St John Mandel is one of the most intriguing and compelling post-apocalyptic novels you will ever read. One snowy night in Toronto famous actor Arthur Leander dies on stage whilst performing King Lear. That same evening a deadly virus touches down in North America. The world will never be same again. Twenty years later Kirsten, an actress in the Travelling Symphony, performs Shakespeare in the settlements that have grown up since ‘the collapse’. The story hops back and forth between the days immediately preceding ‘the collapse’ and its aftermath two decades later – painting a mesmerising picture of a world disoriented by devastating loss but where beauty and culture still strive to find a place. This is one of most unsettling and thought-provoking books I have ever read – in the end not so much about the apocalypse itself as about memory and loss and the power of art to bring a broken society together.

And for the children…two highlights this Christmas are Meerkat Christmas by Emily Gravett - follow Sunny the meerkat as he travels the world in the search of the perfect Christmas – and The Crayons’ Christmas by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers – an hilarious interactive book with letters, games, ornaments, a poster and even a pop-up Christmas tree - perfect for the festive season!

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costa rica

I have been to some amazing places on my travels, but it’s been a few years since my last ‘tropical’, long haul adventure. I’m excited to share with you an inside view from a recent trip I took to a real emerging hot spot, Costa Rica, and I’m convinced I can tempt everyone to go!

In early October I was lucky enough to be invited to experience the highlights of Costa Rica. It’s amazing how diverse the country is, and in only eight days we saw everything from volcanoes and thermal hot springs to sloths, monkeys, cloud forests and the Pacific Ocean.

Here’s a quick guide to the places you should visit:

Arenal & La Fortuna One of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica and with good reason. This area is stunning and is, of course, home to the impressive (active) volcano. Arenal is a real adrenalin junkie playground with numerous companies offering action packed (and in my opinion, slightly mental) zip lining parks, bungee jumping sights and white-water rafting. To be fair, we went zip

lining (very impressed with myself) and the adventure parks are very well organised and totally focused on health and safety. If adrenalin sports are your thing, you will love it! And after all that action, the area is full of beautiful luxury hotels, many with their own thermal hot springs where you can relax and enjoy the gorgeous, tranquil surroundings.

Monteverde After Arenal you should head down to Monteverde, the Cloud Forest, a ‘must’ on your Costa Rica tour. Only 60 miles from Arenal, Monteverde is in the Cloud Forest and the best word for it is, magical. This ecosystem is something you can only experience in a few spots on Earth and I felt very privileged to be there. If there’s one thing you will quickly discover in Costa Rica it’s that the locals are so proud and respectful of the world around them. Costa Rica is one of the greenest and more biodiverse countries in the world and the people are dedicated to preserving the environment. It’s almost as if the plants and animals come first and the people come second; it’s heart-warming and refreshing to discover this mentality.

Manuel Antonio Further south on the Pacific Coast, you see another side to Costa Rica, the beach! Costa Rica has many gorgeous beaches and offers great variety as not only can you visit the Pacific Coast, but you can also go north to the Caribbean.

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Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to go to the Caribbean, but our trip to Manuel Antonio did not disappoint. Manuel Antonio is becoming a real backpacker paradise, though it’s worth pointing out there are some wonderful, luxury hotels here too.

You can visit the national park; lush rainforest, brimming with wildlife and lots of naughty white-faced monkeys (they’re thieves, beware!) The best part of this park is where two worlds meet; you follow the trails through the rainforest and emerge on to absolute paradise beaches! As we were there in low season, we practically had the beach to ourselves which was amazing.

Costa Rica has something for everyone. If you want to go and relax on the beach, you can. If you are a nature lover, it’s absolutely one of the best places on earth to visit and if you are an adventure seeker then there is plenty to keep you occupied.

At Not Just Travel, we can organise tailormade trips for all ages and all budgets and now I’ve been I can share with you my first-hand knowledge.

Thinking of going somewhere different in 2020?

I would highly recommend Costa Rica.

Lucy Allen Personal Travel Consultant Notjusttravel/waitingworld

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lucyallen.notjusttravel.com e: lucy.allen@notjusttravel.com p: 07512 784700

in touch your local community noticeboard

december 2019 - january 2020

TWO CHRISTMAS REMINDERS Don’t forget to buy a real Christmas tree so that you and your family can enjoy the traditional scent and look of a piece of nature in your home.

Also, if you buy it from a supplier who advertises that their trees are from a sustainable source, nature will not suffer for your enjoyment!

But what about the inconvenience of disposing of your tree? The East Cheshire Hospice Christmas Tree Collection will come to your property to take the tree away for recycling.

We’ve done that with over 75,000 trees in the last 19 years!

After last year’s momentous topping of One Million Pounds raised for our hospice, this year’s 20th Anniversary Collection has a very clear 20/20 vision to raise even more money in 2020!

On 11 & 12 January we shall once again be collecting your Christmas trees to take them away for recycling in an eco-friendly process.

So, the second reminder is to book in for a collection.

Just log on to our website www.echtrees.org.uk to register. To save a load of volunteer and staff time, you can make your donation here as well. Perhaps you could tell your family, friends and neighbours about us too.

If you need to talk to us, please phone 01625 708939

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in touch - your local community noticeboard

SEASON’S GREETINGS FROM ST GEORGE’S SINGERS Christmas is approaching fast and St George’s Singers are stocking up on candles, mulled wine and mince pies for their traditional family Carols and Brass by Candlelight concert on 7 December at St George’s Church, Stockport. As well as carols from the choir there will be Christmas songs from the delightful children of Bradshaw Hall Primary School, dazzling brass from the supremely talented Chetham’s Brass Ensemble and of course plenty of opportunity for the audience to join in the celebrations.

Tickets are £13, £11 concessions, £4 students and children and refreshments are free. This year SGS are delighted to announce that, with the help of Poynton Round Table they are able to provide a coach to the church with pick-up points in Macclesfield, Poynton and Hazel Grove. Contact the ticket secretary on 01663 764012 or email tickets@st-georges-singers.org.uk for tickets and coach booking.

There’s another chance to sing with St George’s Singers on 18 January when they hold their annual Singing Day at St George’s Church, Poynton, led by their outstanding musical director Neil Taylor and accompanied by one-man orchestra-at -the-keyboard, Pete Durrant. This year the chosen work is John Rutter’s Requiem.

The Singing Day is a great musical event but it’s also a great social event, renowned for the friendly atmosphere and wonderful home cooked food. Contact Gillian Banks on 01925 213949 or email stgeorgessingingday@gmail.com but don’t delay as this event will sell out.

Both events can be also booked at www.st-georges-singers.org.uk

ALDERLEY EDGE NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN The residents and businesses of Alderley Edge gave the Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) resounding support during the recent public consultation. All but one of the policies received over 80% support, with some achieving a 99% approval. 94% of respondents supported the plan overall.

The NDP, which is now well on its way to being finalised, will provide development policies covering the design, size and quality of the new houses planned for the village, amongst other policies such as those providing support for the businesses of Alderley Edge, protecting our green spaces, sports and leisure facilities and giving a clear indication of where the residents would be happy to see additional car parking, which a majority still feel is much needed.

Residents and businesses will get a chance to review the final plan later this year, before it goes to inspection and referendum in 2020.

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NEW LIGHTING STORE

LIT held a successful opening day event on Saturday 16 November. Lots of people came to the heart of Stanley Green retail park to enjoy Prosecco, cake, coffee, pastries and orange juice; and people loved the diverse collection of lamps, outside and indoor lighting, and smart bulbs that were on display.

Ongoing offers include free delivery, free bulbs and free installation, all on selected products. If you can’t see something you like, ask to see their catalogue or enquire about bespoke lighting.

Well done, LIT

Christmas at Quarry Bank Quarry Bank in Wilmslow is set to host Christmas celebrations this winter that will give visitors a fascinating, first-hand glimpse into the festive traditions of the past from two differing perspectives.

Families can step back in time to experience the mill owners’ Georgian home decked with Christmas decorations, while over in the Apprentice House, they can discover the more modest festivities which the child workers at Quarry Bank would have had.

A cup of tea and a slice of current loaf were one of the few festive treats enjoyed by the children who worked at Quarry Bank. “The apprentices rarely had a treat, or even a day off, so a cup of tea at Christmas was a real luxury,” said Quarry Bank Programming Manager, Suzanne Kellett.

‘While people are starting to think about what’ll be on their Christmas menu for the big day, we’ve already started getting into the festive spirit in the kitchens at Quarry Bank. New festive recipes we have for visitors to enjoy this year include mulled wine, mince pies and Christmas cakes. Plus, we have classic favourites including hot chocolates and gingerbread men, all freshly made in the kitchens at Quarry Bank.’

Out in the gardens, families can experience a more modern twist to Christmas as they follow the winter reindeer walk through the grounds, seeking out as many as they can find to win a festive reindeer prize.

The historic glasshouses in the gardens at Quarry Bank will also be decorated with handmade, natural Christmas decorations, and after a frosty walk, visitors can warm up with hot chocolates, refuel with mince pies, or rest little legs with a sit on Father Christmas’s sleigh parked on the mill meadow outside the mill.

And no Christmas is complete without a tree which will be taking pride of place in the mill yard at Quarry Bank.

The shop at Quarry Bank will also be decked out with Christmas gift ideas for all the family, including locally made artisan collections, unique homewares, garden essentials and tasty treats. For a really unique present for crafty friends or a homemade Christmas present, visitors can also buy from Quarry Bank’s range of fabrics, woven inside the mill on the heritage looms and printed locally in a variety of patterns, including - for the first time ever – a special Christmas print.

For more details about Christmas at Quarry Bank, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quarry-bank

© National Trust/John Millar

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BOLLIN VALLEY AND QUARRY BANK MILL Walk description: This is a circular walk out through Styal Village, across fields to the edge of Manchester Airport and returning along the Bollin valley through Quarry Bank Mill. It is mainly easy with 3 short steep climbs along the Bollin Valley pathway.

Distance: 4.25 miles circular from Quarry Bank Mill (SJ835830), or 6 miles starting from the Twinnies Bridge Car Park at SJ840821 – the western end of The Carrs.

Map: OS Explorer 268 Wilmslow, Macclesfield and Congleton Start: Quarry Bank Mill National Trust Car Park.

Alternatively, the walk can be extended by 1.75 miles by starting from the Twinnies Bridge Car Park* see note at the end.

Leave the car park along the adjacent path and exit through the Main Entrance building. Because you are heading away from chargeable areas, explain that you are going out through the Village. Cross the road and take the pathway diagonally opposite leading towards Styal Village, keeping to the left of the fence alongside the Apprentice’s House kitchen gardens. The young apprentices, both boys and girls, employed in the Mill, came from poor houses or work houses in Liverpool and some as far from home as Hackney and Chelsea.

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By Annie Durham

After a day’s work, they had to attend school and help in the kitchen garden, a hard life.

The path remains straight crossing over one track separating two fields, until you reach Styal Cross by Norcliffe Chapel. This medieval cross remained a stub until it was relocated and then restored in 2010. Keep straight on to the row of cottages ahead and turn right between these and their neat front gardens. All the cottages in the village were built by Samuel Greg for his workers, offering a scullery kitchen and two bedrooms.

The path reaches the road where you go straight across to the stile into a field. Keep to the right of the wall and follow the path up to a gateway ahead. Keep straight on across the next field heading for a gate next to a white cottage. This leads on to a track for about 100 yards where you turn left through a small gate and walk out alongside new fencing. At the end of the fencing, keep in a straight line to a main gate leading out from the field. Here, a short path heads over a stile and on to Holly Lane.

Turn left and follow the winding road to a T-junction.

Turn right as far as the sharp bend to the right, cross before the bend and head for the private road to the left, signposted as the Orbital Cycleway and Laureen’s Ride. Keep on this road, formerly Moss Lane, until you reach the perimeter security fence of Manchester Airport. Follow this track round to the left, and walk to the endless sounds of aeroplanes taxiing, landing

or taking off. After the path eventually follows a ‘dog leg’ bend, take the gap in the fence in the left, turn left up a small pathway and arrive at a flat grassy area where you could enjoy a lively and very different but memorable lunchtime picnic watching the planes.

From here you can see both runways, the main terminals and servicing hangars as well as the hospitality building housing the Royal Concorde. The airport was first known as Ringway from 1935 until 1938 when it became known as RAF Ringway during World War 2, and after the war expanded rapidly.

Terminal 1 opened in 1962, the first wide bodied Boeing 747 appeared in 1970, and in 1982, the main runway was extended by passing over a new tunnel route for Altrincham Road from Wilmslow. In 2001, a second runway was built and in 2010 Emirates landed their first “big one”, the A380.

Returning to the track, turn left and walk 100 yards before going left down towards the Bollin Valley. After the second gate, take a path down to the left and go through a wooden gate on to the river trail. Go left and head along this delightful woodland route all the way back to Quarry Bank Mill. When you reach the first river bridge, ignore it and head on past open fields where rare cattle breeds are grazed in the summer. This path is a little uneven and can be muddy in places so take care along it. Eventually you reach the woodland on a good path, leading up to Giant’s Castle, and a steep flight of steps up and down but with rest benches part way.

After the descent, cross over the Giant’s Castle Bridge and head up to a further climb over another river cliff.

The Walk

As the path flattens out down by the river, you reach Oxbow bridge. Cross here and turn left until leaving the river meander on the left. Bear right until you join the river closer to the Mill grounds. Cross over the small Kingfisher Bridge and then bear left up the wide path which has a flight of steps up the middle. Where it levels out at the top, take a pathway to the right which leads you past the expanded and developing garden area.

The path bends left past this area and leads to the road going down to the Mill. This magnificent 18th Century Mill was first built in 1784 using water power from the Bollin and became a busy cotton factory close to the cotton capital of Manchester. As the Industrial Revolution gathered pace, the Mill was expanded in 1860. Before then, it had acquired a Boulton and Watt steam engine to power the machinery when river levels fell. This NT owned working museum is well worth a visit or alternatively return another time but stay and enjoy the cafe and the shop, before returning up to the car park by the steps and winding accessibility pathways. *If you prefer to extend your walk, you can begin from the Twinnies Bridge Car Park at SJ840821 – the western end of The Carrs. From there take the path past the toilet block (now closed), over a river bridge next to the road, and stay inside the road before taking the second turning to the left. The path goes straight up to a gateway and continues in a straight line as far as Quarry Bank main car park where you pick up the earlier guided route. To return from the Mill, head up the path from the courtyard where small tables and chairs are set out. Keep above the fencing and follow the good path along the River Bollin. Where it divides go right along the river bank and join the outward pathway by the bridge, and return to the car park.

Marple District Rambling Club organises up to nine walks each week on Thursdays and Sundays. For more information, either ring our Chairman, Sue Gilmore on 07775 620398, or our Membership Secretary, Claude Prime on 0161 483 8596.

Alternatively, you could visit our website on www.marpleramblers.org to learn more about our Club’s programme of walks, socials and walking holidays.

quick crossword Across 1 Outskirts of a city (7) 5 Follow orders (4) 10 In good physical shape (3) 11 Rotor blades that power a plane (9) 12 Ogle (3,2) 13 Clothes-maker (6) 15 Rounded paving stone (6) 17 Gentle bell-like sound (6) 18 Castle tower (6) 20 Ceremony, celebration (5) 23 Skittish, highly-strung (9) 24 Admiration (3) 25 Celtic stringed instrument (4) 26 Spotty infectious disease (7)

down 2 Disentangle, release (5) 3 Abhorrence, disapprobation (12) 4 Increase, improve (5) 6 Sandra _______, Speed actress (7) 7 Woollen thread (4) 8 Crime, infraction (7) 9 Unhesitating, resolve (12) 14 Small falcon (7) 16 Nightclub doorman (7) 19 Chart, diagram (5) 21 Delete, abolish (5) 22 Netting, tracery (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.

30

Solutions on page 52

33

Electric Vehicles

The very clever Kia e-Niro is pointing the way towards the immediate future of personal and private transportation. But let us not get ahead of ourselves here as this is not a review of the e-Niro just yet, rather a rumination regarding the practicality of electric vehicle travel right here and right now.

range for the time spent charging. Turns out they’re not all the same... Checkout the What Car? EV charging guide online and look for rapid chargers rather than just fast on Zap Map.

TIP 1 - download Zap-Map

Take a good look next time you see an EV charge point at the services. They all look the same, don’t they?

Now look closely at the charging cables available and you’ll notice that some have a Type 2 charger (capable of charging from 7 kW to 22 kW, fully charging an EV in 3-4 hours) on one side and a Chademo on the other and yet others have a CCS (rapid DC units which are at least 50 kW and will charge the majority of EVs to 80% in around 30-60 minutes) and Chademo charger. Which to choose? It’s different for some EVs (Nissan, Renault, Mitsubishi and Tesla) but generally and from my own experience with the Kia, it’s the CCS type charger that you need when looking to maximise recharging.

Before going anywhere, you absolutely must download the fantastic Zap-Map app which is compatible with both Android and IOS and is packed full of invaluable features. Without going into detail, you input your own EV information and then have access to a UK-wide charging point map (constantly updated) currently showing over 6,000 charging locations and 19,000 connectors. There’s also a superb route planning feature that you can customise to your own required specifications. Believe me when I say that this superb app helps extinguish any doubts regarding range anxiety.

Tip 2 - know your charger Familiarise yourself with the type of charger you need to find on the journey so that you can access maximum

by Martin Hall

Tip 3 - maximise recharging

Tip 4 - don’t charge to 100% Don’t waste time charging twice at a charge point (one 45 min charge followed straight away by another) trying to get the battery up to 100%, as it takes longer than just finding another charge point as and when you need it. Most, if not all, EV manufacturers recommend

that charging to 80% rather than 100% will help extend the real-world lifespan of the EV’s battery pack. Indeed, Tesla themselves recommend charging to 100% only if a longer journey is to be undertaken. And then there’s the time it takes to fill the final 20%, which takes longer to complete relative to the first 80%. So, charge to 80% and off you go.

Tip 5 - use more than one app Download and register with several of the most popular EV charging apps available on either IOS or Android, allowing yourself the luxury of choice when it comes to charging your chosen EV. You really don’t want to be wasting time trying to set up the correct app and payment card on the journey itself. Try out Zap Map, ChargePoint, PlugShare, Polar Plus, Pod-Point and Electric Highway.

Whether we like it or not the electric vehicle revolution is here to stay. Prices will come down, range will increase and charging times will reduce, but until they do, take on board the advice given and carry on enjoying the drive. It’s going to be an electrifying journey.

Where will you go?

Martin Hall writes www.motormartin.com a ‘real life’ motoring blog that focusses on the car itself rather than lap times, a blog to see if the car you want is good for shopping or commuting, a blog that recognises that ‘real life’ motoring should also be fun on the bends.

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inside guide

selected events in your area

Sunday 1 December

Wednesday 4 December

Capriccio Vocal Ensemble perform a concert of seasonal music with guest soloist Jayne Carpenter in aid of The Christie in Macclesfield. This will be a delightful afternoon of choral music, both ancient and modern, concluding with an audience singalong. Tickets £10, under 18s free. Available from 01625 829805, cherry@tmsservice.co.uk or on the door.

All proceeds to The Christie in Macclesfield.

King’s School Girls’ Division, Fence Avenue, Macclesfield SK10 1LS 3pm to 5pm

Wilmslow Historical Society Social. Following the meal, raffle and quiz, John Wallace will give a lively presentation entitled “Rock ‘n Roll, Wrestling and Chevrolet Bel Air - an unexpected history of the Alderley Edge Festival Hall. “ This is a pre-paid ticketed event for our members.

The Large Hall, United Reformed Church, Chapel Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 1PR 7.15pm

Sunday 1 to Sunday 8 December Journey into Light Art Exhibition An exhibition of 40 pieces of artwork produced by prisoners from HMP Styal and HMP Thorn Cross, Cheshire. The aim of the exhibition is to demonstrate to visitors that behind every prisoner’s conviction and sentence, is a personal story of love, hope and loss. “There is life beyond prison and during this first week of Advent, we want to celebrate renewal and restoration and the hope of a brighter, more optimistic future.

“No admission charge. Refreshments available. www.alderleyedgemethodistchurch.com aemcchurchoffice@gmail.com Alderley Edge Methodist Church, Chapel Road, Alderley Edge, SK9 7DU Open daily 2pm to 4 pm

Tuesday 3 December Handforth Gardening Society Demonstration of Christmas wreaths - Ian and Sheila Lowe St Chads Church Hall, Romiley 7.30pm for an 8pm start

Tuesday 3 December Graham Brook presents Tuesday Jazz and Swing - Wales Plays Brazil. £8 on door. For details of the remaining events in December see www.grahambrookjazz.co.uk or call 01625 528336 Upstairs at Wilmslow Conservative Club, 15, Grove Avenue, Wilmslow, SK9 5EG 8.30pm

Wednesday 4 December The Portrait Group – every Wednesday Models provided. For more information call 01625 524954 The Drum & Monkey, Alderley Edge 11am to 1pm

stand out from the crowd

december 2019 - january 2020

Thursday 5 December Wilmslow Guild Natural History Society Social Evening including Judith’s ‘fiendish’ Natural History Quiz (with prizes!) members’ presentations and seasonal fare. Visitors very welcome (£4) Details from Steve Osborne 01625 879087 or www.wilmslowguild.org The Guild, 1 Bourne St, Wilmslow SK9 5HD 7.30pm

Thursday 5 December Would you like to meet new friends? Thursday Group is a social group for unattached people of mature years, 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 7 December The Lindow Singers and Mereside Brass Band present a Christmas Concert. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served.

Tickets £12 available from choir members, on the door or ring 01625 611124 St Bartholomew’s Church Wilmslow SK9 1 AA 7.30pm Continued over

with our paid INSIDE Guide listings.

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

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Saturday 7 December

Tuesday 10 December

Carols & Brass by Candlelight. Family Christmas Celebration with St George’s Singers Tickets £13, £11 concessions, £4 students & children, from the Ticket Secretary on 01663 764012 or online at www.st-georges-singers.org.uk St George’s Church, Stockport

Simply Books presents … much loved radio broadcaster and TV presenter Mark Radcliffe takes us on a personal journey through some of the iconic tracks which have changed music history and reflects on his own experiences going in search of the stories behind them as told in his new book Crossroads.

Tickets: £10 To book call 0161 439 1436 or book online at www.simplybooks.info Fords Lane Church, Fords Lane, Bramhall 7.30pm

Sunday 8 December Cheshire A Cappella and guests. Join us for an afternoon of festive entertainment! Tickets £8, concessions £7 (includes a festive drink and mince pie) Email: den.jane@gmail.com or Tel: 01625 429602 or 07801 103479 Morley Green Club, Mobberley Rd, Wilmslow SK9 5NT 2.30pm

Sunday 8 December Afternoon Tea in aid of the RVS Luncheon Club, Alderley Edge Light popular music to complement the Journey into Light Art Exhibition.

All proceeds in aid of the RVS Luncheon Club. www.alderleyedgemethodistchurch.com or aemcchurchoffice@gmail.com Alderley Edge Methodist Church, Chapel Road, Alderley Edge, SK9 7DU 2.30pm

Sunday 8 December Barnby Choir Handel Messiah - Conductor Lloyd Buck, accompanied by Musica Nova Tickets £12 or £10 concessions, £5 students. Available on the door on in advance (recommended) from 01625 520193 Wilmslow United Reformed Church, Chapel Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 1PR 7.30pm

Monday 9 December East Cheshire Alpine Garden Society Christopher Grey Wilson - a lifetime of alpines.

We have a book stall, plant quiz, plant raffle, plant interest table and plants for sale. £4 admission for visitors, a warm welcome awaits. For more information contact Bob Worsley 07808 974753 Wilmslow Preparatory School, Grove Avenue SK9 5EG 7.30pm

Monday 9 December AZ Aloud Christmas Concert Join us for some Christmas music and carols.

Tickets are £8.50 and include a light refreshment and biscuit.

For information or tickets, please contact Liz Jennings on 07748 761232 Tytherington Club 7.30pm

Wednesday 11 December Wilmslow U3A Christmas Party - Sambamba (Community Samba Band) URC School rooms, Chapel Lane, Wilmslow 2.30pm

Wednesday 11 December Simply Books presents… an exclusive ‘in conversation’ event with award-winning comedian Russel Kane talking about Son of a Silverback, his hilarious and deeply moving memoir of life lived under the rule of a Silverback (Alpha Male) Dad! Tickets: £20 (includes a signed copy of Russell’s book) To book call 0161 439 1436 or book online at www.simplybooks.info Simply Books, Bramhall 7.30pm

Wednesday 11 to Saturday 14 December Wilmslow Guild Players Christmas Pantomime Sleeping Beauty by Norman Robbins Tickets: adults £8, children £5 Book online: www.wgp.org.uk or tickets@wgp.org.uk Wilmslow Guild, 1 Bourne Street, Wilmslow 7.15pm (also 2pm on Saturday)

Saturday 14 December Christmas Cheer! The Robins Singers Christmas Concert Tickets are available from members of the choir and on the door. Further details may be obtained from sec.robins.singers@gmail.com Bramhall United Reformed Church, Robins Lane, Bramhall SK7 2PE 7.30pm

Sunday 15 December Christmas Extravaganza with Alderley Edge Symphony Orchestra Charity concert in aid of The East Cheshire Hospice Alderley Edge Methodist Church, SK9 7DU 3.30pm Continued over

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

Sunday 15 December

Thursday 9 January

Vivaldi Four Seasons The Lindow Ensemble will perform a varied programme including The Four Seasons by Vivaldi. The programme also features a new piece by a local composer, Adrienne Spilsbury.

Admission free, retiring collection, the proceeds of which will go to Cancer Research UK. The ensemble consists of only twelve players and is directed from the violin by Steven Wilkie, who will be the soloist in the Vivaldi. Its members are full-time professional musicians, students at the Royal Northern College of Music and good amateur players.

Wilmslow United Reformed Church, Chapel Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 1PR 3.30pm

Would you like to meet new friends? Thursday Group is a social group for unattached people of mature years, 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 20 and Sat 21 December ‘Classics at Christmas’ concert with Epiphany Join Epiphany for their annual ‘Classics at Christmas’ concerts.

Programme to include beautiful classics, theme tunes from ‘The Deerhunter’ & ‘The Godfather’, Troika and other Christmas favourites.

Tickets £16, £12 (concs) Advance booking advisable from 01625 858802 (or available on the door) St George’s Church Poynton, 7.30pm on 20 Dec and 4pm on 21 Dec

Wednesday 1 to Saturday 4 January Cheshire Youth Pantomime Society (CHYPS) pantomime Aladdin Tickets: £10 - £15 Book online: www.chypspanto.com or tickets@chypspanto.com or 07910 187583 Woodford Community Centre, Chester Road, Woodford, SK7 1PS 1.30pm and 7pm

Tuesday 7 January Handforth Gardening Society Gardening Quiz – In house St Chads Church Hall, Romiley 7.30pm for an 8pm start

Wednesday 8 January Wilmslow Historical Society Alan Cooper, Chairman of the Society, opens 2020 with a presentation entitled “Robbie Burns (1759 - 1796) - his life, times and legacy”. Visitors are welcome £4 including tea/ coffee and biscuits. Students a free.

The Large Hall, United Reformed Church, Chapel Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 1PR 7.30 for 8pm

stand out from the crowd

Saturday 11 January Open Day with Cheshire A Cappella We’re looking for new singers (ladies only!) and would love you to come along and sing with us for a day. We’ll assess your vocal range, then we’ll all learn a song together. Free of charge, lunch provided!Email: cheshireacappell@gmail.com or call Elspeth on 07521 101409 to reserve your place.

Morley Green Club, Mobberley Rd, Wilmslow SK9 5NT 10am to 4pm

Tuesday 14 January East Cheshire Association of the National Trust Lecture – Mick Jagger slept here – Barbara Foster Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall, Stockport, SK7 3AB 2pm

Wednesday 15 January Lunchtime Concerts. A piano recital by Rose McLachlan Light lunches available from 12 noon. Concert performances commence at 1pm Admission by programme £6 Tel. 01625 586713 www.alderleyedgemethodistchurch.com aemcchurchoffice@gmail.com Alderley Edge Methodist Church, Chapel Road, Alderley Edge SK9 7DU

Wednesday 15 January Wilmslow Civic Trust This meeting will focus on the Jim Evison playing fields, with Scott Storey from Sports Wilmslow discussing options for future improvements and their implications.

Refreshments will be served before the meeting. All welcome, non- members £3 on the door Wilmslow Library 7.15 for 7.45pm

with our paid INSIDE Guide listings.

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

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Thursday 16 January

Wednesday 22 January

Wilmslow Guild Natural History Society The Flowers of the Drakensberg Mountains – illustrated talk by Judith Lovelady. Visitors welcome (£4) Details from Steve Osborne 01625 879087 or www.wilmslowguild.org The Guild, 1 Bourne St, Wilmslow SK9 5HD 7.30pm

Wilmslow U3A. Keith Vigurs - Mystery Shopping URC School rooms, Chapel Lane, Wilmslow 2.30pm

Saturday 18 January St George’s Singers annual Singing Day Led by musical director Neil Taylor and accompanied by one-man orchestra-at-the-keyboard, Pete Durrant. This year the chosen work is John Rutter’s Requiem. The Singing Day is a great musical event but it’s also a great social event, renowned for the friendly atmosphere and wonderful home cooked food. Contact Gillian Banks on 01925 213949 or email stgeorgessingingday@gmail.com St George’s Church, Poynton

Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 January Steel Magnolias - A hilarious and touching comedy drama 0161 302 2302 Brookdale Theatre, Bridge Lane, Bramhall Curtain up 7.45pm

Thursday 23 January Wilmslow Guild Floral Design Club. New Year’s Lunch at Deanwater Hotel, Woodford with demo “The Secret Life of Colour” Mark Entwhistle, Floral Enthusiast.

Tel: 01625 523903. Visitors fee: £7 (special events as advertised) www.wilmslowguild.org www.nafascheshire.org.uk.

Wilmslow Guild, Bourne Street, Wilmslow SK9 5HD 1.45pm

Saturday 18 January

Saturday 25 January

Transition Wilmslow Repair Cafe Worried about the amount of trash we are leaving in the world? Would you like to repair your favourite items rather than throw them in the bin? Bring along your small electricals, toys, bikes, small items of furniture, soft furnishings and clothes that could do with some attention and our skilled volunteers will do their best to help you fix them. Join us for coffee and cake and see what a repair café is all about! www.transitionwilmslow.co.uk/repaircafe We are always in need of people who would like to volunteer to be a repairer, particularly those with electrical skills. If you can help, please contact kenwallace0111@gmail.com for more information.

United Reformed Church, Wilmslow, SK9 1PR 10am to 1pm

Stockport Symphony Orchestra. Bruch Violin Concerto soloist Martyn Jackson. Shostakovich Symphony No 7 “Leningrad”.

Conductor Rob Guy. www.stockportsymphony.co.uk Tickets available at the box office, online or on the door £15 full price/£13 concessions/students £5/accompanied children under 16 free Stockport Town Hall 7.30pm

Don’t forget!

Copy deadline for the next issue:

Monday 13 January Tel: 01625 879611 email: info@insidemagazines.co.uk

keep in touch We’re only a very small team at INSIDE so we rely on you, the reader, to let us know what’s coming up in your area. We can’t guarantee to include everything we’re sent but if it’s local and community-based there’s every chance we will.

Email: info@insidemagazines.co.uk

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

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Children’s Activities

Things to do with pre-school kids

Monday

Thursday

Songs and Rhymes. 9.30am and 10.15am Term time only. 20-30 minutes of informal singing for 0-4s with their grown up. £1.50 per family. Refreshments and mini play area available afterwards. For more information please contact the church office on 01625 528892. Wilmslow Methodist Church

Under 5’s Rhyme Time 11-11.30am Term time only. Wilmslow Library. Children must be accompanied by a parent or carer. Contact 01625 374060

WFA Little Strikers Pre-School Football 10-11am 18 months – 4 years Term time only. Wilmslow Parish Hall, Cliff Road. £6 per session, no pre-booking required. Contact Erik on 07792 791382 Under 5’s Story Time 11-11.30am Term time only. Wilmslow Library. Children must be accompanied by a parent or carer. Contact 01625 374060.

Under 5’s Story Time 2.30-3pm Term time only. Handforth Library. Children must be accompanied by a parent or carer. Contact 01625 378272

Tuesday Under 5’s Rhyme Time 10-10.30am Term time only. Alderley Edge Library. Children must be accompanied by a parent or carer. Contact 01625 374030.

Under 5’s Rhyme time 11-11.30am Term time only. Handforth Library. Children must be accompanied by a parent or carer. Contact 01625 378272

Wednesday Tiddlywinks Mini Church 10am Term time only. Story, songs and craft for under 5’s. £1 donation appreciated. Refreshments and play area available.

Please call the church office 01625 528892 for information.

Wilmslow Methodist Church.

Mums, Dads and Tots 1.30 to 3pm Term time only. St Benedict’s Church Hall, Hall Road, Handforth.

Lots of toys for under 5’s, come along for a cuppa. Contact Jo on 07762 494843.

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

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Baby Massage 1.30pm Term time only. At Wilmslow Methodist church for babies 8 weeks plus. £5 per session, including refreshments. Please call the church office 01625 528892 or make an enquiry online to book a place www.wilmslowmethodists.org.uk Thursday Tots 2-4pm Term time only, Wilmslow United Reformed Church, Alderley Road. For pre-school children and parents/carers. £1.50 per family.

Contact thursdaytots@hotmail.co.uk, or phone Barbara on 01625 584267.

Friday Friday Tots 10-11.30am Term time only, Alderley Edge Methodist Church, Church Hall, Chapel Road. Contact Susan Moran on 01625 585166.

TinyTalk baby sign classes 10.45am and midday.

Our award winning classes support their language development and confidence in communicating. At Wilmslow Library. For more info contact Claire 07941 904033 www.tinytalk.co.uk/clairebar Baby Rhyme Time 2.15-2.45pm, Alderley Edge Library.

This is for babies aged under 1 who are not walking. Sessions run throughout the year. There is no requirement to book a place and the sessions are free.

Saturday WFA Little Strikers Pre-School Football 10.45-11.45am for 18 months to 4 years. All year round. Outdoors - Ashdene Primary School, 11 Thoresway Road, Wilmslow, SK9 6LJ £6 per session, no pre-booking required. Contact Erik on 07792 791382

Sunday Messy Church 4pm onwards First Sunday of every month, Wilmslow United Reformed Church, Alderley Road. For more information please contact messychurchwilmslow@hotmail.com or phone Barbara on 01625 584267.

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

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46

Prairie Planting - part 2 Prairie gardens are a recent trend in garden design and mark a shift towards more natural looking, low maintenance perennial beds and borders. Part 1 of this article covered how to plant a prairie garden. This time I’m going to take a closer look at some of my favourite plants for this style of garden.

Possibly the most iconic prairie flowers are the Coneflowers – Echinacea and Rudbeckia. These are closely related plants with large daisy flowers with prominent central cones. Echinaceas come in a large range of colours but particularly pinks and whites.

“Rubinstern” (“Ruby Star”) and “White Swan” are old favourites but there are so many new varieties available as well. Echinaceas need good drainage in winter to do well. Most Rudbeckias are hardier but come in shades of yellow mostly (except the tender, and usually biennial “Hirta” types which are also red and bronze). Rudbeckias will tolerate colder, damper conditions. Best for the prairie are “Goldsturm”, “Deamii” and “Little Henry”.

tops of the stems off in late spring to encourage them to bush out rather than up. Old varieties like Autumn Joy and Brilliant have large heads or pink flowers. One of the brightest coloured is Red Cauli. There are lots of new varieties coming out with bronze or chocolate coloured leaves. The only pest to watch for is vine weevil grubs eating the roots in winter – check the plants are well rooted in late winter.

Bergamot (Monarda) have aromatic leaves smelling of Earl Grey tea and unusual and striking flowers on top of stems between 2 to 4ft (60-120cm) tall depending on variety. They are ideal for a prairie planting because they spread to form large mats of leaves quickly covering the soil. I add lots of compost at planting time and give a really good feed each spring. Their one drawback is the tendency to get powdery mildew (white powder on the leaves) in late summer. This doesn’t kill the plants but can cause leaves to drop off. Chemical fungicides can be used to prevent this, but I find improving the plant vigour and soil moisture is usually enough. Don’t mulch Monardas! There are lots of varieties and colours including Gardenview Scarlet, Pink Supreme (short) and Violet Queen.

Ice Plants (Sedums) make ideal plants for the natural garden: they are tough, drought tolerant and form good sized clumps. They come in a range of heights from ground hugging mats to knee-high with large cauliflower-like heads. The taller ones can become topheavy if grown in rich soils so it may be best to take the

by Martin Blow > www.specialperennials.com

Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum) is another easy plant for the prairie with mid-high stems clothed in bee-friendly flowers. The variety Dropmore Purple has a really natural look and is ideal. Beware that Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia) is a different plant and some of these can be invasive.

Continued over

Talking of invasive plants, be very careful if planting Cirsiums in the garden – these are the thistle family, and some are really pernicious weeds. However, the Purple River Thistle (Cirsium rivulare Atropurpureum) doesn’t invade and doesn’t seed and the tall rich flowers look great in the prairie garden.

No prairie planting is complete without grasses and among the best and toughest is Moor Grass (Molinia).

These come in a range of heights from 2ft (60cm) up to 6ft (180cm) and will grow in dry or very moist soils and are really hardy. The shorter ones are ideal for windy places. My favourite short one is Moorhexe and for a tall one I love the see-through stems of Transparent. Some like Windspiel take on brilliant colours in autumn.

Other grasses for this style of garden are Panic Grass (Panicum) which never ceases to move in the breeze and Feather Grass (Calamagrostis) with large flower heads in late summer. These are some of my favourites, but you can include all sorts of plants in a prairie planting. You might want to try Mullein (Verbascum), Veronicastrum, Gay Feather (Liatris), Masterwort (Astrantia), the list is endless!

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Janet and I run Special Perennials, website www.specialperennials.com We sell at Plant Hunters’ Fairs throughout the season. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2020. We will be at the Plant Hunters’ Fairs at Bramall Hall, Stockport on Sunday 5 April 2020; The Dorothy Clive Garden, TF9 4EU (4 miles south of Bridgemere) on Sunday 12 & Monday 13 April; Cholmondeley Castle, Malpas SY14 8AH on Sunday 26 April and at Adlington Hall, Macclesfield on Sunday 10 May. All gardens offer half price or better entry for these special event days. Please see www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk for full details of these and other fairs.

Running and Mental Health There are many barriers as to why people do not exercise and I spend a huge proportion of my job as a running coach trying to break down these barriers.

We know that taking up a sport like running has a huge amount of physical and psychological benefits, as is widely reported, but what happens if you just can’t get out of the front door due to anxiety and depression?

Starting something new, especially later on in life is a big deal and anxiety levels can go off the scale just at the thought of doing something that you may already think you are not very good at. People can even experience feelings of low self-worth for not trying something that is deemed to make them feel better.

can run. And these thoughts aren’t gender specific to women, I have the same emails from men as well.

A lot of people run to lose weight so that they can start leading the life that they want to; “when I’ve lost that weight, I will be happier, look like someone else, live a different life.”

A great deal of time can be wasted comparing ourselves to others, when in fact we should be looking at what we have achieved already. Comparison to others can lead people to experience even more anxiety and it can be a very lonely and destructive road to go down.

Learning to run and sticking to running is hard, we live in a world of instant gratification, where we get results quickly, lose weight quickly, smash our 5k time quickly.

Sometimes we need to just slow down, breathe and work with the body we’ve got right now. A small shift in attitude towards starting something new, like running, is so beneficial as you’ll appreciate not only the physical benefits, but also the impact on your mental health.

Looking after your mental health is just as important as physical health, learning to self-care and be kind to yourself can only be a good thing.

Join a supportive running group - find a group that says it’s ok to be slow and it’s ok to walk when you need to. A group like this where you will always be supported, no matter what your speed is, may be the difference between failure and success.

I receive a lot of emails from people saying they won’t start running until they’ve lost some weight or can run 5k already. The perception is that we need to be really good at exercise before we even start or we just shouldn’t do it.

In my experience there seems to be a message that until you have the body of someone who exercises then you can’t exercise. A common theme in my email communication from prospective clients is “I’ll be the obese one!” I’ve never met that person, they don’t actually exist, only in the head of the nervous wouldbe runner who just wants to give it a go to see if they

by Verity Wright > www.runverity.com

Confidence - taking up running later on in life can give you confidence that you never knew you had. You may even achieve goals that you never thought were possible.

I will to I can - running enables you to go from I will to I can, starting at one point, in most cases zero, and becoming adept at that goal, gives you the belief that you can meet new challenges. This enables you to build up a healthy relationship with running so it becomes less of a chore to get out of the front door.

51

puzzle solutions

Don’t forget!

Copy deadline for the next issue:

Monday 13 January Tel: 01625 879611 email: info@insidemagazines.co.uk

52

useful numbers Alderley Edge Churches Methodist Church Office St Mary’s Church with Birtles St Philip’s Church (Vicarage) St Philip’s Parish Office St Pius X Church

Local Government 01625 586713 01625 585440 01625 583249 01625 581477 01625 582386

Wilmslow Churches Methodist Church, Wilmslow St Ann’s C of E Church St Bartholomew’s Parish Church St Chad’s Handforth St John’s Lindow St Mary’s Methodist Handforth St Teresa’s RC Church St Benedict’s RC Church Wilmslow United Reformed Church Quaker Meeting House Dean Row Unitarian Chapel

01625 528892 01625 520309 01625 520309 01625 532145 01625 583251 01625 528892 01625 523384 01625 522776 01625 532600 07974 997798 01625 402952

Doctors/Medical Centres Alderley Edge Medical Practice Wilmslow Health Centre Handforth Health Centre Kenmore Medical Centre Hulme Hall Medical Group

01625 584545 01625 548555 01625 529421 01625 532244 0161 426 5844

Fire Service (non-emergency) Wilmslow Fire Station

01625 524066

Hospitals Macclesfield Hospital NHS Non-Emergency

01625 421000 111

Leisure Centres Wilmslow Leisure Centre Macclesfield Leisure Centre

01625 533789 01625 383981

Libraries Alderley Edge Library Handforth Library Macclesfield Library Wilmslow Library

E. Cheshire Council Info Services

0300 1235500

Police (non-emergency) (non-emergency)

101

Post Offices Alderley Edge Post Office Handforth Post Office Wilmslow Post Office

01625 599655 01625 522946 01625 524036

Alderley Edge Schools Alderley Edge Pre-School Playgroup The Ryleys School Alderley Edge Primary School Nether Alderley Primary School Mottram St Andrew Primary Alderley Edge School for Girls

01625 599300 01625 583241 01625 704510 01625 383060 01625 383000 01625 583028

Wilmslow Schools Ashdene Primary The Wilmslow Academy Gorsey Bank Primary Lacey Green Primary Lindow Primary Pownall Hall School St Anne’s Fulshaw St Benedicts Catholic Primary Styal Primary Wilmslow Grange Primary Wilmslow High School Wilmslow Preparatory School

01625 383232 01625 383333 01625 383020 01625 525157 01625 384383 01625 523141 01625 523536 01625 520207 01625 383253 01625 526566 01625 526191 01625 524246

Travel Traveline Bus & Train Information National Rail Enquiries Manchester Airport

08712 002233 03457 484950 0808 169 7030

Utilities 01625 374030 01625 378 272 01625 374000 01625 374060

Electricity – Power Loss Gas – Emergency Water Floods Water Leaks Environment Agency Floodline

105 0800 111 999 0345 672 3723 0800 330 033 0345 988 1188

53

classified index ADULT EDUCATION Wilmslow Guild

ELECTRICIANS 39

BATHROOMS Dave Beal

Tatton Studios

Brilliant Fires

Fedora Investigations

Dave Beal

ASM Gas, Heating, Plumbing

Potato & Cake

RETIREMENT PROPERTY

Adlington Memorial Park

Inside Front Cover

Adlington Retirement Living

Abney Court

18

GARAGE DOORS

Falcon Security

Alice Chilton In Home Care

22

Carrington Doors

20

Cavendish Court

17

Garolla

49

singing

Brookview

10

Hazelmere House

10

HEARING CENTRES Cheshire Hearing Centres

22

STAIRCASE RENOVATIONS

Hear Pure

26

CHIMNEY SWEEPS Cheshire East Chimney Sweep

46

CLEANING Alice Chilton Cleaning

35

L & L Decorators

23

Steve White

45

Trinity House Dental Care

6

Westgate Dental Practice

33

33

20

Town & Country Carpentry and Joinery 25

48

Matt Finish Transform Your Kitchen Queensgate Glass Splashbacks

DRIVEWAYS & PATIOS Pure Clean Drainage Solutions

48

Techni-Pave

46

EDUCATION & TUTION 43

49 9 13

25

LOCKSMITH Shorewood Locksmith Services

Cheshire A Cappella

46

36 & 51

The Stair Shop

32

17

TOY SHOP 45

TRAVEL Lucy Allen Personal Travel Consultant 19

TREE SERVICES Swift Tree & Arboricultural Services 52

WINDOW CLEANING Cavendish Window Cleaning

35

WINDOW & CONSERVATORY REPAIRS The Window Repair Centre

Inside back cover

LIGHTING LIT

SECURITY SERVICES

Crookilley Toy Emporium

KITCHENS

DRAINAGE

Greenbank Preparatory School

52

JOINERY Shorewood Joinery

DENTAL CLINICS

Pure Clean Drainage Solutions

Jane Fox

14

ASAPP

HYPNOTHERAPY

DECORATORS

5

TAXIS

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PROPERTY MAINTENANCE F.T.W Services

46

RESTAURANTS & CAFES 26

FUNERAL SERVICES

CARE HOMES & SERVICES

46

PLUMBING & HEATING 21

45

Pure Clean Rental Solutions

17

PLASTERING Back Cover

FRAUD INVESTIGATION 31

BUILDING SUPPLIES & RENTALS

54

Mosley Jarman

FIRES 16

BUILDERS JS Services

52

ESTATE AGENTS 46

BOOK SHOPS Simply Books

OFFICE SPACE

C J C Electrical

20