Lancashire local issue 12

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Issue. 12

Inside This Issue: Leisure • Care • Weddings • Out and About • What’s On • Jobs

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Chief’s commendation for

man who saved woman’s life

A mystery man who was tracked doing using social media after saving the life of a stranger has been given a commendation from Greater Manchester Police’s Chief Constable this week. Captain Sam Hairsine, 34 and living in Hulme made the headlines back in January when GMP appealed for information on his identity after the incident on Arch Bridge in Hulme. A suicidal woman had climbed over the railings on the bridge, threatening to jump.

Along with PC Gareth Edwards, Sam stepped in to help, putting his own life at risk. A Director of Music

in the Royal Marines Band Service, Captain Hairsine climbed the railings and, with help from PC Edwards, held on to the woman before she was brought to safety by the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

GMP’s Chief Constable gives out commendations throughout the year, recognising members of the public and officers for an impressive contribution to their community.

The latest awards evening was held on April 19 at Hough End and saw members of the public and officers receive commendations for their brave actions. Chief Constable Ian

Hopkins said: “Captain Hairsine’s selfless actions to help this woman were incredibly brave and I am honoured to have recognised them this evening. “He stepped in when a stranger needed help and then walked away without asking for any credit whatsoever, something that many people would not do so readily. He has also been very humble when receiving the award, always talking about the help that he received from members of the emergency services.

“It’s really important that, as members of the Greater Manchester community, we all step forward to

help those who need it. Captain Hairsine encapsulates this and I would like to thank him for his brave actions.” The social media campaign to find Captain Hairsine’s actions was shared almost 100 times after GMP’s Inspector Jon Middleton set out to identify ‘Mr X’. Captain Hairsine came forward after 5 days. Captain Hairsine said: “It's a great honour to receive this award. I am very grateful to the Chief Constable, and to Inspector Middleton for nominating me. GMP do fantastic work and I was privileged to have been able to be part of a team helping a lady in a very dark time of her life. “The most important thing is that she is alright and hopefully on the mend, but I must pay tribute to PC Edwards and all those who were there helping on the day. The care they all showed, both at the time and after, is a tribute to their professionalism, and shows what fantastic people they are.”

Page 2. Issue 12. Lancashire Local

Salford staff raise money for new bed

at local hospice

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Major improvement

work starts on

Monday 25 April in Preston

Police in Salford have launched an appeal among officers and staff to raise £3,700 to buy a new bed for St Ann's Hospice.

The 12-month campaign has already got off to a flying start with almost £1,000 donated in the first few weeks.

Staff across Salford are holding monthly fundraising initiatives including a quiz, fitness class, soup day and 'station donations.'

This involves staff taking used clothes to stations at Swinton, Eccles, Little Hulton and Pendleton for sale in the hospice charity shops.

Superintendent Mark Kenny said: "We're delighted to support St Ann's Hospice which has strong links with the local community in Salford and surrounding areas.

They provide a fantastic service and this is our way of supporting their vital work with patients and their families.

"Hopefully, we'll receive enough donations to buy a new bed and can therefore see something tangible from our efforts. We've had a terrific response so far and I'm sure everyone will rally round for such a good cause."

Donations of bread and soup from Heinz and Morrisons prepared by police staff in their own time allowed staff at the Salford Division's HQ to serve a warming lunch to colleagues in lieu of a donation.

Clinical Services Manager Sian Burgess said: "We have a programme to replace our beds over the next few years, as the specialist beds we have at the hospice only last a certain amount of time with constant use before they cost more in repairs.

"It's important our patients are as comfortable as possible during their stay and we're extremely grateful for the kind support of GMP Salford in helping us towards the cost of a new bed."

Major improvement work starts on Monday 25 April along New Hall Lane in Preston, with changes to the road layout, parking and the local environment.

Enhanced pedestrian crossings will be provided and the amount of street clutter will be reduced. There'll be more space for pedestrians and increased parking spaces, with changes to the permitted parking times. Improvements to cycle routes are also being introduced.

The changes are being carried out

by Lancashire County Council, as

part of the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal. The aim is to encourage economic development by making the area more attractive to investors and visitors.

The first stage involves work to create space for new tree planting, followed by new paving due to be put in from mid-June.

The two existing road junctions will be improved towards the end of the project, with completion of the work early next year.

The improvements on New Hall Lane will run from the junction

with Mosley Street and extend just beyond the junction with Acregate Lane. The aim is to improve facilities for pedestrians, with wider footways and a larger crossing in the centre of the shopping area, in particular near the school and church.

There will also be improvements to the pedestrian crossings at the junctions with Acregate Lane and Skeffington Road.

Changes to the location of bus stops and measures to give priority to buses will make it easier for people to use public transport.

Phill Wilson, City Deal project manager, said: "This work will make New Hall Lane a much nicer area, particularly for shoppers, residents and businesses.

"We know that there'll be some short term disruption while this work takes place.

Shops and businesses will remain open during the work, and we'll be doing everything we can to keep any inconvenience to a minimum."

New Hall Lane forms part of the wider Warton to Samlesbury Enterprise Zone Public Transport Priority Corridor, which will see improvements to public transport, cycling and walking over the ten year City Deal period.

The need to improve this section of New Hall Lane was identified in the Central Lancashire Highways and Transport Masterplan, which was published in 2013.

More off-road bikes seized,

as SpringWatch campaign heats up

Following the recent re-launch of the SpringWatch campaign, which aims to clamp down on anti-social behaviour during the

lighter evenings, Merseyside police have confirmed that more illegal off-roaders have been stopped in their tracks. Now in its sixth year, the SpringWatch campaign sees St Helens Council, Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service join forces to target issues such as off-road vehicle nuisance which often increases when the clocks go forward. Reports had been received of a Suzuki motorbike with no registration plate being ridden on Cherry Tree Drive in Parr. Following enquiries, the bike was located in an address in Cherry Tree Drive and the bike was recovered on suspicion of being stolen.

A 17-year-old male has been issued with a Section 59 warning in relation to anti-social use of motor vehicles.

Meanwhile, a further two bikes were seized by police last week after a bike was found abandoned in woods just off Broad Lane, Bold – and another at the rear of the Evergreen Way estate,

New Bold. Colette McIntyre, AntiSocial Behaviour Manager for Safer Communities at St Helens Council, said: “We hope that these latest seizures act as a warning to those thinking of riding off-road bikes that we take this offence very seriously and we will be on to you.

“Not only is riding an off-road bike illegal, it is also extremely dangerous, with those responsible not only putting themselves at risk, but also members of the public – including families, dog walkers and young children.

“If you see off-road vehicles out causing a nuisance in the community, please report it to the Police on 101.

This type of behaviour will not be tolerated. Neighbourhood Inspector Elaine Collins said: “These recoveries are further proof of the success against the anti-social and dangerous use of scrambler bikes in St Helens.

Reports from the public suggested that this bike was causing a nuisance to local residents, and were acted

upon by officers. Operation Springwatch is running during April to make our communities a safer place to be, and we would encourage any members of the community to report similar concerns.”

"We are keen to know who the users of such vehicles are, where they are stored and the details of any vehicles they are using to transport themselves from place to place. This is so that we can visit them in their homes and exercise our powers to rid our roads and open spaces of these vehicles.

With your help we want to make life safer and more peaceful for all residents.”

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 3.

Amazing images from Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic 'Endurance' expedition exhibited at Central Library

One of the greatest ever photographic records of human survival is to be exhibited for free at Central Library.

‘Enduring Eye’ is an incredible photographic record of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s exploration of the Antarctic, from 191417 - with newly digitised images revealing previously unseen details of the crew’s epic struggle for survival, before and after their ship was destroyed.

The Endurance was completely

trapped in ice in early 1915 and sank some ten months later – but all expedition members were successfully rescued, having survived on the floating ice.

Images taken by expedition photographer Frank Hurley were selected and saved from the sinking Endurance by Hurley and Shackleton – and have been preserved from the original, fragile glass plate negatives by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

The plates vividly capture the spirit of endurance, trust, courage and judgement shared by Shackleton and his team. Their extraordinary 800mile rescue-voyage in little more than a rowing boat, and the survival of the men and photographic plates, remains unsurpassed in Antarctic history.

Enduring Eye – which is free to view, with no booking required - is the first major exhibition to be held at Central Library’s new dedicated Exhibition Hall, on the building’s

first floor and is linked to the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)’s HLF-funded ‘Shackleton’s Endurance: Discovering our Shared Antarctic Heritage’, exploring and uncovering people’s links across the UK with the expedition.

The Exhibition Hall will be a space to exhibit many of the library’s fascinating archive collections to the public, plus hosting touring national exhibitions. The move restores this area to the function

it originally served, when Central Library first opened in 1934.

Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Rosa Battle, said: “This incredible new exhibition, which documents the immense courage of Shackleton and his team of explorers in vivid detail, is the perfect way to open our brand new Exhibition Hall at Central Library to the public.”

Alasdair MacLeod, Head of Enterprise and Resources from Royal Geographical Society (with

IBG), said: "We are delighted to be working with Central Library as the first UK tour venue for the exhibition and local links project; giving us the opportunity to share this extraordinary story through our Collections with the widest audience possible.”

Enduring Eye: The Antarctic Legacy of Sir Ernest Shackleton and Frank Hurley - 1st Floor Exhibition Hall - Saturday 9 April to Saturday 11 June (free)

Three Preston men jailed

for child sexual exploitation

Three men from Preston have been jailed after they pleaded guilty to a number of sex offences against three girls aged between 14 and 15. at Preston Crown Court James Ruehle, 68, of Whinfield Lane, Preston; Michael McDougall, 31, of Ashworth Street, Preston and Kert Birtwistle, 20, of Arundel Place, Preston were charged with various sexual offences following an investigation which began in November 2014 when police were made aware of reports that three girls, two aged 14 and one aged 15, had been subjected to sexual abuse at a hotel in Preston in August 2014.

The investigation established that the three men had come into contact with the victims at JR’s Chicago Hot Dogs takeaway on Fishergate, a small food outlet owned and managed by Ruehle.

Birtwistle and McDougall were members of staff at the premises.

It emerged that the victims were lured to the hotel under the promise of potential modelling work but instead they were given alcohol and cannabis before they were sexually abused.

James Ruehle was sentenced to ten years and four months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of attempted sexual activity

with a child. He also pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a fourth victim aged 17 at his takeaway in September 2014.

Michael McDougall was sentenced to nine years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual activity with a child.

Kert Birtwistle was sentenced to four and a half years in a young offender’s institution after he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child.

All three defendants also pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children. DC Ian Marsh from Lancashire Constabulary’s Public

Protection Unit said: “These men took advantage of the vulnerable child victims, who were taken to a hotel under false pretences.

They were given drugs and alcohol and subjected to appalling sexual abuse. I am pleased that the offenders have now been jailed for their abhorrent actions and I hope the victims, who have been extremely brave throughout this investigation, are able to move forward with their lives now that these men have been brought to justice.

“We are committed to protecting children and keeping them safe from being abused and exploited and I hope this case gives other victims of sexual offences the confidence to come forward and report it to police, safe in the knowledge that we take all reports of sexual abuse extremely seriously and that victims will be dealt with sensitively and professionally throughout.”

Page 4. Issue 12. Lancashire Local

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Students rewarded for

showing their artistic side A group of adult learners with additional needs have been rewarded for producing individual and group collages, as part of a course provided by the Workers Educational Association.

The 11 week course, held at the Citadel Arts Centre, saw the group from the St Helens Day Opportunities service -which supports adults with disabilities to maximise

their potential for independent living - look at the element of design and have fun with basic shapes and texture with tutor, Barbara Anders.

Each participant received a certificate for their efforts which included producing a piece of art using tissue

paper and other materials to create their very own version of the Flying Scotsman steam train. “I enjoyed the topics and everyone working together and getting on,� said one service user.

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 5.

£500 fine for to the Mounted Branch

Force welcomes ‘Finnigan’

unregulated city

centre collection

A man has been fined £500 for conducting a charity collection in Manchester city centre without permission.

Mr Nick Dodd, 27, of Beverley Street, Blackley was fined £200 and order to pay £300 in costs by Magistrates after selling items on the street which claimed to be for charity without the necessary permit.

On Friday 4 September 2015 Mr Dodd was seen by Manchester City Council officers talking to members of the public on Market Street and accepting cash for booklets.

When the booklet was examined there was a clear statement thanking the reader for their purchase and saying an unspecified amount of the proceeds

would be donated to un-named ‘British homeless children’s charities’, which meant that the legitimacy of the collection could not be verified.

Mr Dodd was informed that he required a Street Collection Permit and advised to cease his activity.

Despite the warning Mr Dodd was seen again the following day, Saturday 5 September 2015, selling the same booklets, therefore the council prosecuted him for the offence.

On 23 March 2016 Nick Dodd was convicted in his absence of the offence of conducting an unregulated Street Collection.

Councillor Nigel Murphy, Manchester City Council executive member for neighbourhoods, said:

“We are not in the business of preventing people form donating to charity, however we regulate cash street collections to make sure they are legitimate and do not abuse the generosity and compassion of local people.

“If anyone has doubts about any cash charity collection ask to see a council permit before donating – any genuine collector will be happy to show you their permit.

“Unregulated charity collections have the potential to deceive people about the final destination of their donations and take advantage of their good will – which is why we take the issue extremely seriously and wherever possible will prosecute.”

Exciting times continue at

Penrith Farmers’ and Kidd’s Auctioneers

Penrith Farmers’ and Kidd’s Auctioneers in Penrith, Cumbria are a regional hub for auction sales of all manner of items – from general house clearance right through to Fine Art and Antiques.

PFK sell over 20,000 lots a year through a series of 26 auctions from their purpose built 1500 square metre warehouse saleroom close to Junction 40 M6. Their convenient access is a major asset, with clients travelling far to attend the auctions which can be viewed on Saturday mornings prior to the sales.

In addition, every lot is photographed and available to buy live online at www.ukauctioneers.com, reaching a worldwide audience.

Currently, PFK are working towards their April 13 Major Fine Art and Antiques auction and are inviting entries of valuable, interesting and unusual items of all types – from fine jewellery right through to furniture.

Free valuations are available throughout Lancashire and beyond.

In addition to the April Fine Art and Antiques auction, PFK are continually accepting entries for their popular

Fortnightly General auction. Items in this sale include interior design pieces, modern, vintage and retro furnishings and general household and good quality electrical items – a real treasure trove!

For further information, contact Saleroom Manager Michael Roberts directly on 01768 890781.

Lancashire Constabulary’s longserving Chief Constable has been recognised with a unique honour after the Mounted Branch’s newest recruit was named. Horses in the mounted division are usually named after places in the county, but in a break with tradition, ‘Finnigan’ was unveiled at Hutton earlier this month.

The black shire gelding, measuring 17.3 hands high – the equivalent of 5ft 11in – met his namesake, Chief Constable Steve Finnigan, at the police stables in Lindle Lane.

Staff at the Mounted Branch decided to name the horse after Mr Finnigan in recognition of his 11 years as Chief Constable. In June he marks 40 years as a police officer and will retire from

the service next year. Mr Finnigan said: “I was genuinely surprised and really touched when the Mounted Branch team said they wanted to name a horse after me.

“I was very taken by the warmth and affection that the branch officers have for their horses and I know Finnigan is in good hands. “While it is an unexpected honour, I am very pleased to hear the name ‘Finnigan’ will continue to serve Lancashire Police for years to come.”

Finnigan, born in 2009, was acquired from a private owner in Freckleton

by Lancashire Police in January.

Originally named Simon, the gelding was trained for a month before entering service in February.

The Force’s Mounted Branch has 17 horses, named after several places in the county including Silverdale, Darwen and Lancaster. The only exception, apart from Finnigan, is Guild, named after the Preston Guild in 2012. Sgt Christine Driver, of the Mounted Branch, said: “We usually name our horses after towns and villages in Lancashire but having been our Chief Constable for 11 years we thought it would be nice to remember Mr Finnigan with a suitable horse.

“Finnigan will be out on quiet patrols in the next few weeks, including areas such as Preston, Lytham and St Annes. “He is very impressive and will hopefully be working at football matches by the end of this year.”

Page 6. Issue 12. Lancashire Local

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GROSVENOR PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE 2016 SEASON ANNOUNCED A new adaptation of the children’s classic Stig of the Dump and Shakespeare’s As You Like It and The Two Gentlemen of Verona will be staged at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre this summer.

Opening on Friday 1ST July and running until Sunday 21ST August the 2016 season is the biggest to date, with 59 performances in the season’s schedule. Alex Clifton, Artistic Director, Storyhouse, who

produce the season said: “We are thrilled to be announcing our 7th season of Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, at the heart of a monumental year for Chester’s cultural scene.

Our 2016 season presents two very

different Shakespeare comedies – an anarchic farce and a magical romance – which we can’t wait to share with our summer audiences.

We are really proud to be bringing our 7th new play to Grosvenor Park, this year a reworking of the children’s classic Stig of the Dump by Olivier winner Jessica Swale. Above all we look forward to welcoming back our spontaneous and joyful audiences to our glorious open air festival.’

One of the century’s best-selling and enduring children’s classics, Stig of the Dump by Clive King, adapted for Grosvenor Park by Olivier award winner Jess Swale. Stig will be brought to the open air theatre by the same team as sell out hits Wind in the Willows and The Secret Garden. The Bard’s incredibly popular pastoral comedy As You Like It is the season’s headline Shakespeare, performed in rep with the ‘ridiculous’ The Two Gentleman of Verona.

In 2015 the award winning season of open air theatre welcomed over 25,000 theatregoers to its 9 week season. It won Event of the Year in the region’s tourism awards, beating off competition from Chester Zoo and Just So Festival.

Children under 12 can attend the theatre for free (one child per full price paying adult), under 20s can go for £12 and students get £4 off Tickets are on sale now, to find out more and book visit www. grosvenorparkopenairtheatre.co.uk

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 7.

Page 8. Issue 12. Lancashire Local

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Come and enjoy our

fabulous parks

events in May

There are some fabulous free events for all the family being organised by West Lancashire Borough Council’s Parks and Countryside Service in May. If you fancy getting out and about on the bank holiday Monday on 2 May, then why not join the health walk exploring the wonderful wildlife corridors linking the Mere Sands Woods to the Rufford Canal. The walk is between four and six miles and sets off from Rufford Marina at 10am.

Walkers can stride out again on the eight-mile Lathom Circular Walk on Sunday 8 May. The walk sets off from Ruff Wood at 10am.

There is no need to book for either walk but please wear sturdy footwear.

You can find out what Coronation Park in Ormskirk may have looked

like 1,000 years ago by coming along to the Ormskirk Medieval Weekend on Saturday 14 May and Sunday 15 May. Between 11am and 5pm on both days visitors can experience the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of the past as Historia Normannis take them on a journey through time.

The park will be alive with interactive displays, including medieval crafts and archery demonstrations. A similar event held last year was hugely successful with about 6,000 people attending over the weekend.

If you get a buzz from nature events then come along to Beacon Country Park to enjoy An Introduction to Bee Surveying at Beacon Country Park on Saturday 21 May. This will involve an interesting look at bees and habitats - led by an expert from Plan Bee – and starts at 2pm

from the park’s Ranger Station. The event is free but booking in advance is essential. Please call the rangers on 01695 622794 or email beacon. park@westlancs.gov.uk.

Booking opens seven days before the event takes place. On Saturday 28 May visitors to Beacon Country Park can join the Rangers on the Useful and Edible Plants walk, starting at 10am.

This is a gentle three-mile stroll on which local experts will reveal some of the fascinating uses for different plants found growing all around us.

No need to book, just turn up on the day. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult if attending any of these events. Please wear clothing and footwear that is suitable for the weather, ground conditions and the activity taking place at each event.

Diary of becoming a

Samaritan by Kathleen

I attended the selection day which was held on a Sunday at the branch in Blackburn - there were around twenty potential volunteers.

We were an extremely mixed bunch, from young students right through to retired folk, with lots of different backgrounds. The atmosphere was warm, friendly and relaxed. We got a chance to mix with each other and some current Samaritans and to find out more about the organisation and how it trains its volunteers.

There were various activities which I now know were to help Samaritans find out more about us, the potential volunteers. They told

us that they were not looking for any special educational qualifications or experience but they do want people who can listen to others and are willing to understand different points of view. There were no written tests or exams but during the day each potential volunteer had a short private interview with a couple of Samaritans, a time for them to find out a little bit more about me and my reasons for wanting to become a Samaritan. It was not at all like a job interview and I was put at my ease and felt comfortable.

We were made aware that becoming a Samaritans listening volunteer does

involve a regular commitment. In my local branch this would involve one four hour session per week for qualified listening volunteers after training. Initially though we would have to commit to attending weekly training sessions which would be held in the evening at the branch in Blackburn.

I was able to say that, if selected, I would be able to commit this time. A day or two later I was phoned to say that I had been selected and could start the training course. I was pleased that the next stage of my journey to try and become a Samaritans volunteer was about to begin... ( To be continued)

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 9.

Page 10. Issue 12. Lancashire Local

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Say “I Do” At 450ft With A Sky High Wedding at

British Airways i360 Imagine saying “I do” at 450 feet, high above the beach, as a breathtaking panorama of 26 miles of Sussex coastline gently unfolds around you. From September, happy couples will be able to do just that on British Airways i360, the world's tallest moving observation tower opening this summer on Brighton beach and one of the world's most unique wedding venues.

The futuristic looking pod, which can hold up to 198 people for wedding ceremonies, provides 360o views through hand-crafted curved Italian glass and glides slowly up the 162m tower.

There is even a Sky Bar on board where guests can toast the bride & groom with a glass of Champagne before descending gently into the beach building where celebrations can continue. Couples can also take their vows in the heritage 1866 West Pier Toll Booth or choose the beachside event space, each with their own private terraces offering stunning views of the West Pier, Brighton beach and out to sea. The flexible spaces can cater for more intimate groups of 38 people to larger ceremonies of up to 202 people, including the bride and groom. Wedding reception menus will use the finest local ingredients from the South Downs and Sussex region. For those wanting a more informal style celebration, British Airways i360 wedding packages include a BBQ and bowl food option or for a very special touch, couples can book the talented duo of Josh Stanzl and Steven Edwards, winner of MasterChef: The Professionals 2013.

Wedding reception packages start at £70 per person.

Couples will benefit from the help of a dedicated wedding planner and the happy couple can even return to celebrate their first anniversary with a complimentary Champagne flight, courtesy of British Airways i360.

Said Eleanor Harris, CEO of British Airways i360, “Originally we intended to take wedding bookings from February 2017, but due to popular demand, we have brought this forward so that our first weddings will start from September 2016 and we have already got couples booked

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 11.

How far would you go in your quest for a cheap wedding?

According to Yorkshire minister Reverend David Newton

a £100 wedding is both affordable, and achievable...

One church minister has decided it's high time to show that you don't have to spend in excess of £50,000 to enjoy your dream wedding day. Reverend David Newton has set out to prove that a budgeting bride-to-be can get married for as little as £100, by sacrificing sizable spends on your wedding dress, wedding rings, wedding photographer and of course, the all-important wedding venue. "When I said that I could organise a great wedding day for £100 I received two reactions," the Yorkshire clergyman said.

"Most people said it was not possible, but others began to tell me stories about how they had been married on a very low budget."

Whilst the penny-pinching priest has published a range of money saving tips in order for couples to achieve a cheap wedding, one spend that cost-cutting couples will not be able to avoid are the legal requirements of getting hitched. "There is a minimum cost for the legal fee to the government for the Marriage Licence — you can get this from your local registry office for £67," he says.

Church or Registry Office ceremonies can often cost up to £500, but the minister advises an affordable alternative; "Baptist churches will host a wedding for little more than the cost of the licence." As the majority of weddings are hosted by Anglican churches, the small friendly congregations of Baptist or Pentecostal Churches jump at the chance to hold a wedding, as it's considered a real treat for them. In addition, expending minimal money on material goods is essential if couples plan to tie the knot for under £100. "Rings don't have to be new or gold," Reverend Newton said. Car boot sales, flea markets, and second hand shops are amongst his alternative suggestions. Ebay and Oxfam are both part of his proposal for pursuing for a cheap wedding dress. Furthermore, he urges budgeting brides-to-be to borrow a wedding dress off married friends or family members.

Instead of hiring a wedding photographer, the minister advocates asking guests to bring their own cameras to record the day, and to share their snaps online. The cost of this? "Not a penny piece," he says.

Page 12. Issue 12. Lancashire Local

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What does your part of the

country think about weddings?

We are a nation divided when it comes to our wedding day apparently, with big differences emerging depending on what part of the country we are from, particularly in religious

ceremonies and the amount of money people are likely to spend…

These were the two main findings from planning website, hitched. co.uk‘s annual survey of newlyweds

– 2014 saw its largest ever survey interviewing a huge 1,893 newly married couples.

While over two in five weddings from respondents from the North East were

religious (45%), this fell to under a third for those from the East Midlands (30%), and not much more for South West newlyweds with 31%.

The spend on the wedding day also

varies greatly. For Londoners, the average cost of a wedding in 2014 was £17,332 – this is compared to the £9,907 average for newlyweds of the North West! Newly married couples from the South West were also the most traditional when it comes to the wedding cake with 76% sticking with the traditional tiered cake. Meanwhile Londoners and the Welsh were the most experimental with 17% of each opting for cupcakes or a cake made of cheese.

In other findings: • Patriotic North

Eastern newlyweds were the most likely to honeymoon in the UK (32%), followed by the Welsh (26%) and then West Midlanders (24%) • The Scots were least likely to take a honeymoon, with 14% not taking one at all, followed by the North West (11%) • There were also big variations in paying for drinks. 37% of Londoners paid for all the drinks at the wedding, conversely under 1 in 10 of brides and grooms from the North East, North West and Scotland foot the bill According to Caroline Hendry, editor of hitched.co.uk: “It is fascinating to get an insight into the big variations when it comes to the most important day of our lives. The big differences in the economies of the different parts of the country are really highlighted by the different costs, but also there are big variations in terms of religious ceremonies and to what extent traditions are observed. It shows the diversity of the country and the splits we have in terms of our behaviour.“

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 13.

Call to protect children

against measles

Manchester Libraries launch new scheme to

support young people’s mental health

Manchester Libraries have launched a new scheme to support young people by making a collection of expert-endorsed books on mental health issues available.

'Reading Well for young people' is part of the hugely successful Reading Well Books on Prescription national scheme, which provides 13-18 yearolds with high-quality information, support and advice on a wide-range of mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harm, plus difficult life pressures, like bullying and exams.

One in ten young people have a diagnosable mental health issue* and with the proportion of 15-16 year olds reporting that they frequently feel anxious or depressed having doubled in the last 30 years**, there is an enormous need for qualityassured mental health information and advice for young people.

Co-created with a panel of young people who have had experience of mental health issues, the Reading Well scheme helps young people to understand and manage their wellbeing and emotional resilience.

The books can be recommended by GPs, school nurses, counsellors and other health professionals, as well as being free to borrow from the library.

To celebrate the launch of the scheme, Manchester Libraries are working with Lifeshare, a Manchester-based homeless charity that works with vulnerable young people. Manchester Libraries will continue to work with the charity to ensure that their users are welcome in all libraries and are aware of the services available to them. There will also be further information and collections of all the

books available in every library in Manchester, to borrow free of charge.

Reading Well for young people’s recommended reading list of 35 books were selected by mental health experts and young people.

The list includes a wide range of selfhelp and information titles, as well as memoir, graphic novels and fiction - from hugely influential novels The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky; popular non-fiction such as Mind Your Head by Juno Dawson and Blame My Brain: The Amazing Teenage Brain Revealed

by Nicola Morgan; to the self-help guides Banish Your Body Image Thief and Breaking Free from OCD. Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Rosa Battle, said: "The new Reading Well for young people scheme is another great way in which Manchester's libraries can help young people to access important, high-quality information that can be really beneficial and improve lives."

Natasha Devon MBE, founder of the Self-Esteem Team, said: “In a time when information on mental health is instantly accessible, abundant and mostly unverified, one of the commonest questions the Self-Esteem Team are asked by young people is ‘how do I know who I can trust?’

"That’s why Reading Well provides such a crucial role in mental health and wellbeing; it is a much needed, trusted source and therefore a place where young people can feel that most important of all things – safe.”

Gaby, a Young Advisor from YoungMinds, who helped

select the books on the list, said: "I believe Reading Well will challenge stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding mental illness, educating young people about mental health in general.

"The easy accessibility of the books that are part of the scheme is key, enabling young people to explore the topic of mental health discretely and at a speed they are comfortable with."

The scheme is delivered by The Reading Agency, in partnership with the Society of Chief Librarians and the Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians. It is funded by Arts Council England and the Wellcome Trust and supported by a range of health organisations, including NHS England (IAPT), Public Health England, Mental Health Foundation, Mind and YoungMinds.

Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chair, Arts Council says: “At the Arts Council, we’ve long believed in the transformative powers of arts and culture for people’s health - and libraries play a large part in this.

"The new Reading Well for Young People programme has the potential to make a real difference to the lives of young people and so I’m delighted that we have been able to invest in it.”

Simon Chaplin, Director of Culture and Society at the Wellcome Trust, said: “The Wellcome Trust is proud to be working with the Arts Council for England, the Society of Chief Librarians and The Reading Agency to support public libraries' universal health offer.

"Reading Well is one example of the power of public libraries to make us better and to make our local communities better places.”

Doctors are calling for children to be protected against measles as recent figures from Public Health England show a rise in the number of cases.

The cases have spread throughout Southeast England, mainly affecting teenagers. In the last few years there have been large outbreaks of measles in Merseyside and Swansea, so Public Health England and St Helens Council are alerting people now to avoid another. Sue Forster, Interim Director of Public Health for St Helens Council said: “Although most children have been vaccinated with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, one in eight children and young people in St

Helens aren't fully protected. I would urge parents and carers of children and young people to check with their GP practice that they have had the full MMR protection if they are unsure.”

Dr Paul Rose, local GP and public health lead for St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “Measles is a serious illness that kills children every year.

It can affect young children, teenagers and adults and once infected there is no treatment.

The child has to fight off the infection usually over the course of 7-10 days.” Measles is a highly infectious illness and unless children are vaccinated with two doses of

the MMR vaccine, they are at risk of catching it. About one in five children with measles experiences complications such as ear infections, diarrhoea and vomiting, pneumonia, meningitis and eye disorders. One in ten children with measles is hospitalised. There is no treatment and vaccination is the only defence.

A guide for parents and carers to help them manage childhood illness has been produced by St Helens CCG. It has information on measles and many other conditions affecting children, with tips on how to prevent and treat common illnesses. Copies are available from GP surgeries, health visitors and children's centres.

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 15.

Wigan care home makes ‘Time for a

Cuppa’ and supports dementia charity

Residents at Ash Tree House care home in Wigan made ‘Time for a Cuppa’ on 7th March by hosting an event to raise money for Dementia UK. Ash Tree House, operated by Ideal Carehomes, opened its doors to the local community providing hot drinks, home-made cakes and a good old natter, all for a very worthy cause.

Dementia UK offers specialist oneto-one support and expert advice for people living with dementia. Sarah Austin, Community Fundraising Manager at Dementia UK, said “We want to thank Ash Tree House for

their support and for raising funds for Dementia UK by making ‘Time for a Cuppa’ – we hope that the residents and staff enjoyed themselves!”

The ‘Time for a Cuppa’ week ran from 1st to 8th March and is a UK wide event to raise money for families facing dementia. With the help of their Regional Activity Executive, Natalie Ravenscroft, Ash Tree House also put together several hampers which were raffled off and the event raised a grand total of £125 for the charity. One of the visitors to the home commented that “this has been a lovely event, a very enjoyable

afternoon and for a very good cause”.

Home Manager, Kathryn Disley, said: “We were all really excited about this event and had a great time. There is always something going on at Ash Tree House but you can’t beat a cuppa and a natter, especially when it is for such a good cause. Our residents always enjoy meeting new people and are delighted to invite guests to enjoy our beautiful home.”

Ash Tree House is a high quality residential and dementia care home which provides a great place to live, making a real difference to the lives of the people who live there.

Warrington's children's care homes 'Outstanding' Warrington Borough Council’s children’s care homes have all been rated as Outstanding by Ofsted with ‘children making excellent progress in a very high quality of care’. The reports on the six homes included comments such as: ‘the young people benefit from excellent relationships with each other and the support from a committed, knowledgeable and caring staff team’; ‘young people’s views are central to the care provided…. they are empowered to take a greater role in any decisions made about their lives.

They have made excellent progress in their education and in gaining employment.’

One young person said: “I love it here you wouldn’t believe what I was like before, I was rock bottom, look at me now. I’ve got a job and I’m moving into my own flat

next week.” Another said: “I love it here, the staff are brilliant. I feel very safe here.” And “I love the staff and after I have left I know they will still look out for me because they care.”

Cllr Jean Carter, executive board member for children’s services said: “The council’s children’s homes have been on a journey of improvement for some years and the inspection results are a culmination of hard work and commitment alongside high quality care to some of our most vulnerable children. “The children in our homes are receiving outstanding levels of care and this has improved the outcomes for these young people and prepared them for successful adulthood. “I am delighted that

the homes have all achieved the rating of Outstanding from Ofsted and I would like to recognise the high calibre of staff and managers working in our homes.

“The council is supporting the campaign for residential care to be extended to the age of 21, fully funded by the government. The campaign is gathering momentum and the more councils that follow Warrington’s lead, the closer we get to our goal of ensuring that the best services and measures are in place for youngsters.” There are currently 11 children living in the six homes including one respite home for children with disabilities. The age range is 9-17 years

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 17.

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New bike rides to tour St Helens’ woodlands

St Helens Council has teamed up with The Mersey Forest in an exciting new Merseyside-wide project, which aims to tackle physical and mental health inequalities using the natural environment.

Called Nature4Health, the scheme supports local groups to provide high quality, evidence-based sessions utilising the assets of the local natural surroundings.

It's about providing healthpromoting, enjoyable group activities in a green, therapeutic space.

And the council is looking to extend that offer by organising more free, regular bike rides over the summer, intended for cyclists of all abilities.

Based at the Cycle Hub at Bold Miners’ Neighbourhood Centre, Fleet Lane, the bike rides will take in the

natural beauty to be found at Colliers’ Moss Common near Broad Lane.

The common falls under the Bold Forest Park area, which is itself part of the St Helens Mersey Forest area.

Residents now have the opportunity to shape these planned bike rides, and should register their thoughts and interest with Adam Molyneux, by emailing cycling@sthelens. gov.uk or calling 01744 676174.

Developed in partnership with Sustrans, the Cycle Hub has a stock of bicycles, helmets and hi-vis gear available for public use.

There are five others across the borough, at Sherdley, Victoria and Taylor parks, Sankey Valley Visitor Centre and Four Acre. The Cycle Hubs are intended to be invaluable resources for the community, opening

up a range of events, activities and opportunities that are free to access and can improve your physical and mental wellbeing.

Why not take advantage of these great resources in 2016?

As well as providing a meeting place for free weekly, organised bike rides, the hubs act as a central point for cycle skills, maintenance training and general information on using a bicycle for regular transport, creating a culture of cycling in St Helens.

Nature4Health is a three-year project funded by The Big Lottery’s Reaching Communities Programme, with a total of £419,597 awarded for work in targeted communities across The Mersey Forest including St Helens, Liverpool and Sefton.

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 19.

LANCASHIRE ENCOUNTER TO

RETURN THIS SEPTEMBER

Preston City Council has been successful in securing £70,000 from Arts Council England to deliver a full scale festival in September, following the successful pilot of Lancashire Encounter last year.

Utilising the city’s outdoor spaces the event will aim to deliver a bigger and more ambitious programme.

The event will open on Friday 23 September with a mass performance piece utilising light and combining physical theatre, playful movement and slapstick.The large red canopies featured last year will return providing pop up temporary venues linking the city’s spaces together with top quality performances programmed across three days.

Streets surrounding the main hub will be populated with theatre and buskers, along with pop up artisan

markets showcasing Lancashire artists and organisations, as well as a range of free creative workshops celebrating and sharing the county’s different cultures. The quality festival programme will showcase Lancashire’s tradition of great art, making and participating, and will attract visitors from all over the region.

A co-ordinated programme from other venues in Preston will add to the festival’s offer across the weekend and will include performances, installations and exhibitions.

The spectacular finale will bring the weekend to a close, including a large scale light procession engaging communities from all over Lancashire. Artist, participant and volunteer opportunities will launch over the coming months with

full details of how the public can get involved, making Lancashire Encounter a true community celebration. Lorraine Norris, Chief Executive of Preston City Council said: “Lancashire Encounter is a

fantastic event. Last year it attracted thousands of people into Preston City Centre with a real celebration of arts and culture across Lancashire.

We are delighted with the funding from the Arts Council which is

a wonderful endorsement for Lancashire Encounter and for Preston. It means we together with our partners can put on an even bigger and better festival programme which offers something for everyone.”

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New camping sitcom pitches for laughs

A new sitcom based around the camping trip from hell is about to pitch up on the small screen. Camping is the latest dark comedy from Julia Davis – the creator of the award – winning Nighty Night and Hunderby.

She writes, directs and stars in this tale of a couples’ camping trip that’s less about toasting marshmallows and more about simmering resentments, as a stuffy middleclass birthday break goes badly wrong.

Planned to a fault by the controlling Fiona (Vicki Pepperdine), the trip is supposed to be a 50th birthday celebration for her husband Robin (Steve Pemberton of League of Gentlemen and Benidorm), but it’s the recently separated Tom (Rufus Jones) and his new girlfriend Fay (Davis) who crash the party and grab the spotlight, prompting things to turn worryingly debauched and deranged.

The first of the six episodes will be shown on Sky Atlantic at 10pm on 5 April and will also be available on Now TV. The complete series will also be available with Sky Box Sets.

Read what the show’s stars have to say about the show and their own experiences of camping: JULIA DAVIS So what’s Camping all about?

It’s about a group of couples going away for someone’s 50th birthday, and one guy unexpectedly arrives with his new girlfriend, which sort of messes up the whole holiday and it kind of descends into a bit of a nightmare by the end.

And what inspired you to write it? Have you been on any horrendous camping trips in the past?

No, that’s what’s weird. I went on a really nice one, but I think while I was there I kept thinking of all the things that could go wrong. Who do you play in the series?

She’s called Fay and she’s very flaky. She just wants to have a good time, really, with whoever. She turns up kind of move on. She’s, I suppose, with one guy, but if that’s not working out she’ll just not horrendous, but not particularly moral. Do you think the series says anything about the English middle class and their holiday habits?

Possibly – I think that it particularly will connect with some people.

Especially the character Vicki Pepperdine plays [Fiona] – who’s addicted to keeping everything on schedule at the expense of actually enjoying the holiday – I think that is quite a British thing.

What was it like shooting the series? Did you have to contend with any terrible weather?

No, I was honestly so lucky, because we went down to do the recce and it was absolutely pissing down in the week leading up to it. And I just thought, “Oh my God, why couldn’t we shoot this abroad? This is going to be a nightmare.” Then literally, it was six weeks of sun, so that was really lucky. Then, also, for me, as a first-time director, I was just very lucky with the crew. They were just sort of nonmacho, really nice blokes, who kind of helped the whole thing.

This makes it all sound like a lovein, but it was really good being with actors who are friends. It was not a horrifically daunting thing to do and I imagine if your debut directing thing was with some huge stars, it would be quite scary.

RUFUS JONES Tell us about Camping It’s about three couples who, every year, go on a camping trip. They’re very polite, suburban, middle-class couples who bring their kids out into the countryside and have a lovely sedate, quiet holiday. Except this year, my character, Tom, has an enormous mid-life crisis and he has left his wife and kids and brought along his new squeeze, Fay, who is played by Julia. This kind of blows

a hole in the polite, middle-class atmosphere and by the end of it we’re all completely screwed up. What do you think the show says about middle class holiday-making habits?

It’s about how middle class English couples interact and exist, and there are these long-standing frustrations and difficulties within marriages, which often become a lot worse on holiday and they’re often a lot worse on camping holidays as well.

Never let it be said that camping holidays are relaxing – the Primus stove is designed to destroy marriages. How would you describe your character?

At heart Tom is actually a very polite, very straight guy, but he’s had a cataclysmic mid-life crisis. He’s left his wife and children in a moment of misguided abandon and he’s fallen into bed with Fay, who is everything that his ex-wife wasn’t. She’s sexy, she’s a bit of a hippy and she introduces Tom to all of these things that his polite life has never involved, like healing crystals and past-life regression.

Tom thinks that all his boats have come in at once, except, like all mid-life crises, they are often hiding something more fundamental, and Tom can’t really run away from his past. Tom’s my age – he’s late 30s – and like a lot of men in their late 30s having a mid-life crisis, he’s doing a lot of shopping in Topshop and Zara, and the problem with wearing Topshop clothes in your late 30s is you look like quite a significant sex offender. Tom thinks he’s reborn and Fay is the beautiful midwife to his rebirth, but his friends are looking on in horror, really.

STEVE PEMBERTON How would you describe your character?

My character’s called Robin and the

camping trip is to celebrate his 50th birthday. He has arrived with his wife Fiona and their little son Archie, and he’s very positive in spite of the fact he’s very put-upon. He’s the most browbeaten, hen-pecked, picked-on character, but he’s very good natured.

He’s seemingly trapped in this awful marriage, but he doesn’t ever get down about it, which is lovely.

Did you go camping as a child?

My only real experience was with the Cubs. We went to Scotland and camped by the river Annan and – not to stereotype – but a load of Scottish drunks came and terrorised us in our tents. We were just quaking in our boots, they were really hurling abuse.

It was probably only about half nine, we’d done our campfire singsong, and we were quite terrified. I think there is something about the fact that there is only this wafer-thin piece of canvas between you and whatever’s on the other side. It’s a classic horror thing as well – things like The Blair Witch Project and Nuts in May, I don’t think there’s ever been a really happy camping film that I can think of – maybe Carry on Camping.

This is a bit of a different holiday vibe to Benidorm.

How did shooting in the sun compare to rural England?

It was glorious, we were going to these beautiful locations like Lyme Regis and Budleigh [for Camping].

We were on the beach, sitting in the sun, with a lovely group of actors and crew, having these really funny scenes to do, so they were really similar actually. But Benidorm’s now in its ninth series, and I don’t know if the characters in Camping would ever go back on holiday with each other after what happened. But it was a very similar vibe, it’s lovely to work outdoors in the sun, it puts everyone in a good mood.

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New apps make planning and

booking camping at UK Sites and rallies easier than ever before

The Camping and Caravanning Club has updated its hugely popular SiteSeeker app – used for planning escapes to Club Sites, Camping in the Forest Sites and Certificated Sites – and has now launched a new app called Out & About for members interested in social camping too.

The SiteSeeker app has already been downloaded by 150,000 campers, caravanners and motorhomers. As well as containing detailed information on more than 1,600 UK campsites, the much-improved SiteSeeker app allows users to filter and browse sites by pitch type, facilities and location.

The app can track user location and suggest local campsites for holidaymakers currently on the road. It now also contains advice for those new to camping, and information on joining the Club.

The SiteSeeker app is now supported by an all-new app aimed at social camping called ‘Out & About’. It lists details of all Club Meets, Rallies and Temporary Holiday Sites, which can be enjoyed exclusively by Club members.

This information is still available in the Club magazine and on the Club website.

For campers who are looking to travel around a region and attend one or more or attend several Temporary Holiday Sites, the app makes it easier to search by specific location rather than by region. It’s the perfect tool to help members take advantage of social, cost-effective camping with the Club.

The launch of the app ties in with changes for the print magazine: Camping & Caravanning is the award-winning monthly publication

of The Camping and Caravanning Club. In its News & Events section the You are Invited pages are now called Featured Events, Holidays Every Weekend becomes Club Meets while Sites for Holidays is now Temporary Holiday Sites.

Simon McGrath, Camping & Caravanning Editor-in-Chief, said: “The improved SiteSeeker app, and the all-new Out and About app, represent a great leap forward for campers planning a UK holiday.

“Whether they’re campers researching a full-facility UK Club site, or Club members considering social camping for the first time, the two apps are a fabulous resource, providing them with information at their fingertips on their smartphone or tablet, and making camping more accessible than ever before.

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Lancashire Markets

There are traditional market towns dotted all over Lancashire and for a true taste of the area the local markets are a good place to head.

Our markets – outside on the streets and sheltered in historic halls – are the epicentre of local food. Butchers bring meat from the Ribble Valley, fresh fish and seafood from the North Sea and Morecambe Bay is laid out by the fishmongers and veg from West Lancashire is freshly dug.

Clitheroe and Garstang have possibly the oldest markets here – both having regular markets since the 12th Century.

Clitheroe market opens Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and benefited from a new hall in 1995. Garstang

has a traditional outdoor market each Thursday fanning out from the iconic Market Cross, and stalls in the market hall Wednesday to Saturday.

Another market which centres on a landmark can be found in Ormskirk on Thursday and Saturday where food producers and other traders set up around the clock tower.

The most modern Lancashire market is surely in Blackburn. The ground floor, fully accessible site was opened in 2010 and is integrated in to The Mall shopping centre – linking it to high street fashion stores via lifts and escalators. The centre has over one hundred traders and on the food side these include everything from a traditional tripe stall to fishmongers

and cheese experts. The market is also open Monday to Saturday and there are over 1,000 parking spaces – so room for everyone!

Of course, being an area with such a rich food producing tradition, we have plenty of famers and producers markets across the region. If you are looking for artisan breads, local honey, speciality meats or cheese direct from the dairy then it is worth coming along to a farmers market and chatting with the producers. Farmers markets allow us to meet the people who are making or growing our food.

Lancashire’s producers are only too happy to tell you how they grow something or to give you suggestions on how best to use their produce.

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The Boathouse at Thompson Park has officially opened for the spring/summer season and invites residents and visitors for a splashing good time

The facility, which offers a great opportunity for visitors of all ages to try different water activities, has opened over the weekend and is expecting an even bigger wave of visitors than last year.

Managed by Burnley Leisure the Boathouse has a wide range of equipment to choose from including rowing boats, Canadian canoes, and sit-on-top kayaks, which don’t require any previous experience to be able to use them.

As well as paddling around the lake, people can also sit down and enjoy ice cream and fresh coffee from the Boathouse café.

Claire Newton, Burnley Leisure’s project activator, said: “The Boathouse provides a fantastic opportunity to get involved in water sports without even having any previous experience.

“Our staff members are always on site to offer help and training to those who might need it.

“I’d like to encourage everyone to visit the park, have a splash about and enjoy all of the great things the park has to offer including the children’s play area, a paddling pool, and a miniature railway.”

The facility is open on weekends and bank holidays between 11am and 5pm. During school holidays, it is open seven days a week.

For more up-to-date information, please visit the Boathouse Facebook page at www.facebook. com/theboathousethompsonpark.

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 25.

Burnley’s parks

showcased worldwide

The best of Burnley’s award-winning parks, and the people who help make them so beautiful, are featured in a series of videos on YouTube. Local company Huckleberry Films has made three short videos showing some of the imaginative work that’s been done in parks across the borough. It’s part of a national scheme to show good practice Working with the innovation charity Nesta (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts), Burnley Council has developed a new approach, under a programme called “Go to the park”.

The borough’s six main parks – Towneley, Thompson, Queen’s, Scott, Ightenhill and Memorial have long been recognised as among some of the best in the country through the national annual Green Flag awards.

Councillor Bea Foster, Burnley Council’s executive member for leisure and culture, said: “Burnley is well-known for its beautiful parks. People visit the town to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and all the amenities they have to offer.

“It’s wonderful that our parks are being featured on YouTube for the whole world to see and we should all be very proud that they are being held up as examples of best

practice. Burnley is leading the way where it comes to managing our parks and other areas are learning from us.

“It’s also a testament to the hard work and dedication of our parks staff and all the volunteers who help and support them and who make a visit to any one of our parks such a delight any time of the year.”

High levels of resident satisfaction (85% of those questioned in a Citizens’ Panel survey) have been maintained even though budgets have had to be reduced in the light of funding cuts.

The council’s greenspaces and amenities staff have been able to adapt and develop their service in challenging times, whilst engaging people in the local communities, finding a way to maintain high service standards, and showing that contributing to ‘the green agenda’ can make financial sense, and be popular.

Head of greenspaces and amenities, Simon Goff, said: “Towneley and our other parks are perfect examples of Britain’s traditional parks: well presented, and loved by generations in their current form.

“However we have to recognise that change is necessary and we need to rethink how we manage our heritage parks.

We’ve gone from controlling nature to working with nature and it’s proving a real success.”

The council has adopted ecologically friendly and permaculture techniques in its management of parks, learning from and working with the local Offshoots permaculture charity, managed by Newground, which has long pioneered these “green’ and sustainable” approaches.

This includes introducing more wildflower meadows in the parks and replacing expensive bedding plants with herbaceous perennial plants that require less maintenance and are less costly and time-consuming.

At the same time the council has understood and acted upon key issues raised by local residents, including: High standards of litter clearance Feeling of personal safety in public parks. Keeping green spaces free from dog fouling Provision of children’s play areas Encouraging wildlife Ensuring that dogs are kept under control. To meet all the different needs and pressure, the council has moved from a model for managing greenspaces which centred on maintenance of a large number of formal arranged gardens to increasing the extent of semi-natural areas, all of which are also wildlife friendly.

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Athletes make a splash

at Padiham Aquathlon

Athletes young and old descended on Padiham to test themselves in a gruelling swim and run sporting event at the weekend. The adults’ race, the aquathlon, took place first where competitors swam 600m at the Padiham Leisure Centre pool before taking on a 5km run on the picturesque Padiham greenway.

The race was won by Adam Weightman who improved on last year’s second place and also helped set a new course record with a total time of 27 minutes and 11 seconds.

The first female to complete the event was Hannah Lambert, who successfully returned to defend her 2015 win, in a time of 34 minutes and 2 seconds. Then it was the turn of the youngsters, who took part in junior aquathlon events, swimming and running various distances

depending on their age. The 8-9 year olds category was won by Joshua Stutchfield, while the race for 10-11 year olds was won by Faye Bayman for the second year running. The 12 to 13 category was scooped by Charles Booth, who improved on last year’s second place. Organiser Garry Stein from Burnley Leisure said the event was a big success. “It was a very successful day with more than 70 athletes competing at the event from the age eight and upwards. We saw some good racing and some really good times posted. The weather was a bit cold but we received some good feedback, people really seem to enjoy these events,” said Garry. He added: “I’d like to thank all the participants who turned up to take part and the volunteers and staff who helped out on the day. The event was truly an

excellent start to the new sporting season.” The next sporting event in Burnley’s calendar is the popular Burnley 10k run on Sunday, 5th June.

Residents are invited to register with Burnley Leisure to be part of their charity team. The charity places available for just £20 and leisure trust asks runners to raise sponsorship money if possible to contribute to the charity. All runners will receive a free running t-shirt and a great deal of training support from Burnley Leisure instructors including a free leisure pass. To sign up please contact Michelle Grimes on 01282 477167 or email mgrimes@burnley.gov.uk

At Cavendish Park Homes we are committed to providing quality and value with a wealth of knowledge of this increasingly popular lifestyle choice. With over 20 parks nationwide we have locations and homes to suit most customers’ needs. In every respect todays park home is a spacious, modern detached low maintenance bungalow, fitted out to a very high specification.. Our parks offer good accessibility and local amenities.

Park homes can be supplied to a

pre-arranged design or can be built to your own specification. Our Northern Parks boast beautiful locations with plots available at Carter Hall in Haslingden and Croft Park in Leyland. There is also a showhome on each park available for immediate occupancy.

Meadow bank in Cheshire is situated in the small village of Moore, surrounded by canals and beautiful countryside. This small but vibrant site is undergoing development and has a vast range of plots available

in varying sizes. Come along to our special OPEN DAY EVENT to meet the team and discuss your requirements. Our sales team are available 7 days a week to answer any questions you may have or to book a viewing on any of our prestigious parks.

OPEN DAY EVENT CHESHIRE SAT 30TH APRIL & LANCASHIRE 01ST MAY FROM 10AM – 4PM Please call 0800 756 5623 or visit our website www.cavendishparkhomes.co.uk

Cavendish Park Homes

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The Lakes to ignite

again this spring

This year’s instalment of ‘Lakes Ignite’, will run between 30 April and 22 May to celebrate and highlight the rich cultural life of the Lake District, Cumbria.

Lakes Ignite 2015 was a great success, with the event and Lakes Culture gaining coverage in local, national and international press, local and national radio and TV. As well as a raft of digital media outlets including websites, blogs, social media platforms. The event drawing visitors from major cities across the North of England, as well as from further afield including London and the South East. Visitors and residents alike said that their experience of Lakes

Ignite had increased their likelihood to revisit the Lake District, attend other arts and cultural events in the area and recommend the destination to others. It is this momentum that has encouraged United Utilities to become involved and support this year’s event programme.

2016 promises to be bigger and better and this time the theme will be examining the region’s relationship with water in all its forms, which is especially relevant considering what the area has faced in the earlier part of this year.

With that in mind the Lakes Ignite team would firmly encourage all businesses in the tourism sector to get behind the programme and make

the most of the resources that United Utilities have kindly supported to help promote the events programme and the Lake District’s cultural offer.

The project team have developed information about key events, have devised a series of itineraries and created a range of downloadable resources for businesses keen to make the most of Cumbria’s cultural offer. To find out more and download the promotional tools please visit: http://lakesculture.co.uk/lakesignite-toolkit. This year there are three very distinctive and differing art experiences for to reflect this year’s theme centred on the region’s long and complex relationship with water in all its forms. The Lakeland

landscape was shaped and continues to be moulded by water in all its forms. Every day we choose water metaphors to define our thinking. We chlorinate it and pipe it, soothed by our certainty that it will pour from our tap when we need it. Perhaps the 2015 floods have changed our attitudes to water? Certainly it is time to re-examine our connection, and develop a new relationship with this most essential to life substance.

There is a museum of water and water bar, there is a nocturnal creation using the very latest in LED technology, paying homage to Turner’s painting ‘A Shower, Buttermere’, and there is an opportunity to join one of the UK’s leading digital artists and learn to

create art using handheld technology.

You can find out more about what’s on, where and when by visiting: http://lakesculture.co.uk/category/ lakes-ignite-2016 John Hilton, United Utilities Project Director for West Cumbria, said: “We are thrilled to be supporting Lakes Ignite. The Lake District provides 35% of the North West’s drinking water, keeping the taps flowing for millions of our customers. We hope this festival will attract even more visitors to the Lakes this spring, and remind everyone of just how much our region owes to this unique landscape.”

Aileen McEvoy, Curator Lakes Ignite, said: ‘’ Lakes Ignite is a fantastic

initiative bringing together tourism and the arts. We are exceptionally pleased that United Utilities have decided to support this year’s events and helps us to showcase the region’s very rich and defined culture, including music, drama and visual arts. Indeed the support UU are providing has helped us to also further promote a number of works in this year’s programme which make use of relatively new media formats, including film, electronics and engineering to highlight the contemporary relevance of culture in the Lake District.’’

To find out more about art and culture in the Lake District, Cumbria please visit http://lakesculture.co.uk

Carlisle and Hadrian’s Wall Great Guided Tours

Carlisle, Cathedral City of Cumbria.

Bordering Scotland and proud to host part of Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site.

Almost 2000 years of history from the Roman occupation to the modern city of today, its local pink sandstone warm and welcoming. We have been offering guided tours for over 36 years; our team of Tour Guides are delighted to share their love of the area and local knowledge. Secret City Walking Tours are a big favourite and are an easy stroll around the heart of the city even pointing out some favourite tearooms and specialist shops.

Carlisle Castle and Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life are two great places to explore within the Norman walls of the castle.

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery is across the road from the castle and specialises in local border history and has an impressive Roman Gallery. Old Tullie House is a lovely surprise and a hidden gem.

Carlisle Citadel and Old Crown Court, two sandstone Towers at the southern entry to the city welcoming passengers arriving via Citadel Railway Station. Originally built on the order of Henry VIII. We regularly offer guided tours of this grade 1 Listed building.

Our tour guides especially enjoy introducing visitors to the World Heritage Site on The Hadrian’s Wall Tour Bus. The Tour Bus departs from Tullie House Museum but on Saturdays in August it departs from outside the Railway Station making it handy when travelling the West Coast main line. It is only 15 minutes to walk to Tullie House for a weekday departure unless you stop to visit our fantastic Tourist Information Centre in The Old Town Hall!

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BBC's The Night Manager Prompts

Surge in Bookings to Mallorca

CheapOair.co.uk has seen a rise in bookings to Palma de Mallorca thanks to the success of the BBC's John le Carré adaptation staring Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie.

With Brits busy planning their May bank holiday getaways, the online travel agency has seen the Spanish Island enter the top 10 (sixth) booking destinations for the first time ever as holidaymakers are lured to the destination by the stunning villas, clifftop restaurants and secluded beaches, used as filming locations in

the BBC's most successful show this year. Interestingly, compared to the same period in 2015, Ibiza (now at 11) and Lisbon (12) have also entered the top 20 European destinations for the first time ever. CheapOair.co.uk has also seen Alicante jump from six to two; Tenerife from 18 to seven and Murcia from 17 to ten based on bookings made with CheapOair.co.uk for May 2016 when compared to May 2015.

Peter Grover, managing director, CheapOair UK said:

“Increasingly we are seeing travellers head to locations inspired by film and TV locations and The Night Manager is no exception.

Thanks to the incredible Mallorcan scenery taking centre stage in the BBC's latest drama success, the destination has not only entered our European top 20 for the first time ever but it's proving more popular than traditional warm weather locations such as Rome and Tenerife by coming in sixth so soon after the show finale.”

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Places To Stay

For exploring the great outdoors.

The best places to stay in Cumbria to explore this rich landscape include: Sharrow Bay a luxury retreat with top notch cuisine and walking straight from the door.

For something a little less extravagant check out the Howtown Hotel near Penrith. It's very old fashioned, down-to-earth and is hugely popular with walkers.

Another great place to stay is the Wasdale Head Inn, famous with the climbing fraternity and spectacularly situated below Scafell Pike.

For culture. The legacy of the past is here in prehistoric and Roman remains. Stone circles and burial cairns dot the land. Old Roman roads and forts still command attention.

Historic places of worship and ruined castles speak of Norman times.

Country houses and gardens delight the visitor. If Norman history is your thing then a stay at the Tufton Arms should suit - Appleby castle is on your doorstep.

For walkers. Walkers call this county 'paradise'. Everywhere the grandeur of the scenery speaks to the glory of Cumbria. The best places to stay in Cumbria for walkers reflect its atmosphere and rugged surroundings.

A warm welcome, good food and a comfortable bed are at their heart.

New House Farm is off the beaten track, but boasts fabulous views plus a 17 acre garden with hot tub.

The Pheasant Inn is situated near Lake Bassenthwaite in the less touristy Northern Lakes and is staunchly traditional but in a good way - roaring log fires and oak panelled bar.

For enjoying the lakes For those who

simply want to visit Cumbria to lap up the beauty of the Lakes, then book a room at Linthwaite House Hotel.

It's an Edwardian pile with glorious views over Windermere and a great restaurant.

The Swan Hotel and Spa overlooks the river Leven on the southern shore of Lake Windermere. As well as luxury accommodation it offers top notch spa, plus swimming pool and gym - so plenty to do if the weather's not playing ball.

For families. Last but not least in our summary of the best places to stay in Cumbria is Augill Castle a family friendly treat for everyone.

It's a quirky property with great atmosphere and more importantly all sorts of thing for the kids to get up to - including their very own children's cookery school.

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Enjoy the spectacular Lake District

with the help of the ‘Super Six’

If you are looking for the ideal day trip or short break, head to the Lake District to experience the great outdoors at its very best , packed full of fun and adventure.

The Lake District ‘super six’ attractions are a unique group of leading family attractions located in this beautiful National Park. A whole range of activities such as a steam railway, aquarium, motor museum, historic house with adventure play and the famous World of Beatrix Potter Attraction which celebrates 150 years of Beatrix Potter this year.

All these fantastic attractions are perfectly linked together by the area’s leading way to explore England’s largest lake, Windermere Lake Cruises. A trip on a Windermere Lake Cruises ‘steamer’ is a quintessential Lake District experience which is an idyllic way to sit back and enjoy the

backdrop of the iconic mountains, wooded shoreline and miles of rolling countryside and the 18 small islands dotted around Windermere. You can sail from eight lakeside locations, with over 100 daily sailings.

VisitEngland ranks Windermere Lake Cruises in the top ten of the countries paid for visitor attractions. You can enjoy an on-board commentary explaining more about the fascinating landscape, heritage and wildlife around Windermere . The Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway provide a really special experience stepping from boat to train at the lovely Lakeside connecting platform.

Travel back in time when you climb aboard this steam train with distant memories of bygone years for some and an exciting new experience for others in the picturesque Leven Valley at the southern end of

Windermere. Travel from Lakeside to the Haverthwaite station on the scenic 18 minute journey and enjoy the views from your carriage whilst experiencing this fabulous journey.

On arrival at Haverthwaite why not take a break from your travels and enjoy the warm, welcoming and nostalgic surroundings of the Station Restaurant.

Then explore the station, engine sheds, picnic areas, play area and a great little woodland walk.

A short stroll from Haverthwaite Station, (or short bus ride from Lakeside, included in any of the combined attraction tickets) you can head further down memory lane to the Lakeland Motor Museum and feast your eyes on a fabulous collection including 140 classic cars and motorbikes, all carefully assembled over the last 50 years. In

total, the Lakeland Motor Museum offers 30,000 exhibits for visitors to enjoy. Star exhibits include the Isle of Man TT Tribute Exhibition and the Campbell Bluebird Exhibition.

Nestled in the scenic Leven Valley and open seven days a week, the Museum isn’t just about cars.

The entire collection is presented in a social context, with a host of rarities to awaken some special motoring memories. The Lakes Aquarium is also situated at Lakeside and brings you face to face with a vast array of creatures from the furthest reaches of the globe – from fierce piranha and dainty seahorses, to menacing pike and diving ducks.

The huge “Morecambe Bay” marine tank brings you so close to huge Cod, Rays and British Sharks that you could actually reach out and touch.

From the underwater tunnel, you can see the incredible diving ducks and be stunned by the huge carp, starlet and perch swimming overhead. Lurking at the bottom of the tank you may discover the colossal wels catfish, the biggest of which is 6ft long. Back in Bowness The World of Beatrix Potter™ is a vibrant family attraction, bringing to life all 23 enchanting stories in a magical recreation of the beautiful Lake District countryside.

The exhibition features favourite characters from the famous books including Peter Rabbit and Mrs Tiggy-winkle, and the quaint outdoor Peter Rabbit Garden offers visitors a timeless view of Mr. McGregor’s vegetable patch. Children can enjoy a free activity sheet whilst grown ups absorb themselves in Miss Potter’s history in the fascinating virtual world and interactive area. With a superb character-themed family friendly café and a fantastic gift shop, all generations of visitors can experience a little bit of Beatrix Potter

magic, whatever the weather! Just a short cruise from Bowness on board one of Windermere Lake Cruises’ 16 vessels, a day out at Brockhole on Windermere is a great option. If the children are feeling more adventurous, here they can even swing or bounce through ancient woodland on Treetop Trek and Treetop Nets. Down by the lakeshore, you can hire kayaks and rowing boats, or catch the cruise boat across the lake. There’s also archery, bike hire, pony rides and play mini golf on offer.

The perfect way to relax after all the adventure is by taking in the stunning lake views towards the distant Langdale Pikes at the terrace café, while enjoying local ales and dishes.

There’s also a well-stocked gift shop and ever changing exhibition space to enjoy indoors. The beauty of the super six is not just the surrounding landscape and majesty of Windermere but the seamless link between these wonderful attractions which ensure any visit, however long, will become a treasured memory forever.

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 35.

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Record high of 31.42

million people in work

More people are in work than ever before, new official figures have revealed.

Full-time work has driven an increase in the number of people in work, which now stands at 31.42 million – up nearly half a million from a year earlier.

The UK’s employment rate is 74.1%, the highest since comparable records began in 1971, and wages (before bonuses) have risen 2.2% compared with last year, while inflation was close to flat. Private sector employment, meanwhile, is the highest on record at 26.1 million.

The unemployment rate still stands at 5.1%, the lowest in a decade, and the number of people claiming unemployment benefits has fallen to its lowest level since 1975.

Employment Minister Priti Patel said: This is another strong set of figures showing private sector employment at the highest since records began, wages rising and a near record number of job vacancies available in the UK economy.

This strength is a real credit to hardworking people and businesses alike.

With unemployment now standing at 5.1% – half the Eurozone average – it’s clear that we are delivering on our promise to support people to get on in life, and c r e a t e greater economic security for all. The latest labour m a r k e t statistics, released

today by the ONS, also show: the female employment rate is at a record high of 69.1%, with a million more women in work since 2010 the number of young people claiming unemployment benefits stands at 153,000, the lowest since the mid-1970s the inactivity rate – the number of people not in employment and not looking or not available to work – is at a near record low Read the Labour Market Statistics – March 2016 from the Office for National Statistics.

Today’s statistics are released as the nation marks National Apprenticeship Week – a weeklong celebration of apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on people, businesses and the wider economy.

The government has committed to creating 3 million more apprenticeships by 2020.

A separate set of figures, also out today, show over 400,000 people have now made a claim to Universal Credit – with around 10,000 new claims being made to the revolutionary new benefit every week.

Top 5 job search tips

Knowing how to get a job is not always easy if you have limited experience in the job market, but there are some things everyone can do to increase their chances.

1. Get networking. Many people find jobs from people they know rather than traditional means such as job adverts. Talk to family, friends and other people you know to find out where work might be on offer.

2. Attract employers. Rather than hunting down jobs, consider getting potential employers to come to you. Post your CV online and you could save yourself a lot of time and effort job hunting.

3. Target companies. Look at the organisations which might make a good employer and hone in on them. This may mean you only look at the big employers in your area or it might mean that you look into one sector only but on a nationwide basis.

4. Remain positive. We all get a few knock backs when looking for work. Don't take it personally if you are rejected or don't even get a response because it is probably not because of anything you have done wrong.

5. Find hidden vacancies. Many jobs can be landed before

they are advertised if you can get in quickly. Look into internal recruitment and seek out word-of-mouth advice as good ways of getting your foot in the door early.

Knowing how to find a job is a skill in itself. Once you have been successful in landing a job, you will find that the process becomes easier if you ever find yourself looking for employment again.

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 37.

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Aghayere Offered New Terms

Burnley Football Club announce that Youth Team goalkeeper Tony Aghayere has been offered new terms to remain at Turf Moor.

The Madrid-born goalkeeper, 18, who is currently on loan at non-league club Colne FC until the end of the season, will linkup with the Development Squad next season.

Aghayere will join fellow scholar Khius Metz in the U21 group, and Academy Head of Goalkeeping Craig Mawson is happy to keep the evolving Spaniard.

Mawson said: “I’m very pleased

to have Tony on board for next season. He works hard every day and he has improved massively over his two-year scholarship, and we are confident there’s still a lot to come from him.

“We sent Tony out to Colne really to expose him to first team football, however we didn’t expect the overall improvements to his game that he has added.

“He is a big lad and you forget sometimes when you’re looking at him that he’s still only 18-years-old, and to give him another 12-months in this environment will only improve

his game further.” The former Manchester City youngster has matured in his loan spell, something that Mawson was looking for out of the loan. He added: “With the loan to Colne, we just really wanted him to feel what it’s like to walk into a dressing room of men not knowing anyone on and off the pitch.

“He was really out of his comfort zone but he really needed to work on his social interaction skills, communication, personality and his pitch presence, but in the short time of him being there, he has certainly improved in all of them departments.

“Colne are near the top of the league, playing in front of crowds, playing for points and there’s a real pressure to win points, things that he has embraced and has really kicked him on.”

Mawson added: “I can’t express how thankful we are to Colne for all of their efforts with Tony.

“The manager Steve Cunningham and all of his staff have really looked after him and they have shown brilliant professionalism towards him the way they have developed him and to give him an opportunity which is vital.

“It’s been great to forge this link between local nonleague clubs and from my point of view, we won’t have any problem in doing this again in the future, as Colne can take great credit in the all of the progress Tony has made in his short time there.”

Wilson’s At the Double

There is just something special about a sibling double act in Sport, whether that be the Murray brothers bringing home the Davis Cup for Great Britain or the Klitschko brothers conquering all in the boxing ring for the past decade and who cannot forget the magic of watching Jonathan and Alistair Brownlee battle one another for Triathlon Gold at the London 2012 Olympics. Rugby has its own fair share of sporting siblings just in this country alone, take the Vunipola brothers or the Youngs brothers for instance and it becomes a treasured commodity. To witness the ability of a family to come together over the love of a sport and see two individuals push each other right to the very top is remarkable and very commendable.

I am positive that if you asked any of the siblings I have mentioned above, they will tell you the enormity of the impact made on them by there siblings.

Now Lancashire has its very own up-and-coming family twosome; Emily and Jack Wilson. Both have at the same time progressed from Littleborough’s junior teams to play for the county and what is even more fascinating is the fact that

they both play loosehead prop. It is not often you find this kind of family.

Father Richard Wilson has been playing senior rugby for decades and his offspring as most young children do, followed their dad home and away intrigued at the game they now love.

Jack (16) started his rugby career at Littleborough RUFC back in 2005 at the tender age of 5. He worked his way through Tag Rugby into full contact and is now showing promise for the future at a very good standard. Over the years Jack has won various trophies’ including Most Improved, Coaches Player and Junior Clubman with Littleborough and this summer he will be off to play rugby in Australia with his school team Crossley Heath. His father Richard said about Jack: “Me and Jill were looking for an outlet for a boisterous young lad and rugby seemed the place to go and I am so glad we did.”

Emily a year younger at 15 wasn't far behind, she watched her brother with enthusiasm and it was only a matter of time until she was on the pitch showing a little girl power amongst the lads. Having to put up with an “annoying big brother” gave Emily an edge that some of the opposition were not ready for! Taking on and beating boys with strength and power came

all natural. Emily played from the age of 6 until 12 years old in mixed teams at Littleborough winning accolades similar to her older counterpart.

At one time it was looking like she may have to travel away from her beloved club to find girls only rugby from under 15 onwards. Not so,,, Emily and her playing partner Georgia Turner along with Clair Carson (Manager) started a girls under 15 team with massive success

and Littleborough now have 3 girl only teams 13's 15's and 18's giving the club a new lease of life. Between the two of them, they have accumulated 13 appearances for the county and set an unprecedented record of being the first brother/sister to play in the same position for Lancashire. After standing out amongst her peers at Lancashire, Emily had been touted for North of England junior women’s team but unfortunately missed the cut.

Jack meanwhile continues to produce for Lancashire with a strong possibility that he will also be involved with the North of England junior side come the time he moves to the next age grade.

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Lancashire Local. Issue 12. Page 39.

Gally 'Happy To Play

Through The Pain

Paul Gallagher insists he is happy to play through the pain barrier in order to help the Club in the final run in.

Though his performances haven't suggested he is injured, the midfielder has been playing with a groin problem for months, but the midfielder is happy to wait for surgery until the season is over and give his all for PNE in that time.

Speaking to PNE PlayerHD ahead of Tuesday's trip to Birmingham City, the 31-year-old said: "I've given everything all season, I've had it for quite a long time but I'm happy to play through the pain barrier to help get this Club to where it wants to be.

"For us to be in the top ten at this time of the year in the Championship in our first season back is an incredible achievement. I am sure we were probably one of the favourites to go straight back down so we've shown some great character and great team spirit and some great ability to be where we are in the division.

"When you look at the players we've had missing for many months of the season, it's a true credit to the staff and to the players to acheive where we are in the league.

"But we don't want to just rest on our laurels and stay where we are, we want to try and get a bit higher, that's how ambitious we are as a team and as a football club.

"It's been a good first season back but we want to try and finish it off in the right way."

"We need to look at the first game first, and that's Birmingham away, they've had a good season themselves so we know it's going to be difficult.

"On our travels we have done quite well this season and managed to pick up quite a few points so we go there looking to bounce back with a reaction from a poor second half on Saturday.

"It's down to us to go down there and roll our sleeves up and give 110 per cent performance."

Volunteers step up to set national

standard for junior football facilities

A group of volunteers who are behind a scheme to revamp community football pitches are aiming to set the standard for a reinvigorating grassroots football.

The East Lancashire Facilities Development Association (ELFDA) made up of ie representatives from the three junior football leagues operating in the town are behind a plan to bring a collection of football pitches back into use that will then be managed by the volunteers.

After a year-long hunt to realise the project, the group have secured around £500,000 from Sport England and the Power to Change charity to improve the Blackburn based pitches.

Work will begin on Monday, April 4 to level, drain and refurbish the dilapidated Woolridge and College playing fields at Pleckgate which will then be used for local youngsters.

The works that will take around four months will see the nine new pitches that are have been unplayable for many years due to poor drainage and levels, brought up to scratch for the new football season September

2016.

In a ddi t i on changing rooms nearby that have fallen out of use will also be refurbished for the players to use.

The scheme that has been supported by Blackburn with Darwen council is attracting attention from national f o o t b a l l organisations and clubs around the country as a model to improve playing facilities around the UK. The pitches will be used by junior teams who play in the local leagues as well as Blackburn Rovers ladies and girls teams.

They will also be made available to both Holy Souls and St Gabriels Primary schools who will be able to

use them during the week when they will also be available to the wider community as open play space.

It is intended that the facilities once refurbished will be some of the best facilities for Junior football in the country Bill Maynard the Chairman of ELFDA said that this project is a massive boost to the local

community and grassroots football in the area. “There is a national problem of poorly drained football facilities, particularly for Junior football. This project will ensure that the boys and girls of the Borough will be able to use well drained, maintained and level pitches for generations to come.

“I’m delighted that this project has been hailed as a flagship for the rest of the country and just shows what can be achieved by local councils working with voluntary organisations working together.”

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