Lancashire Local Issue 27

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Page 2. Issue 27. Lancashire Local

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Inside This Issue: Care • News • Christmas • Weddings • Jobs • Sports

Accrington man, 20,

wanted by police

Police are appealing for the public’s help in finding a wanted man from Accrington. They want to trace Connor Dewhurst, 20, of Stanley Street, in connection with offences of assault and burglary in November.

Dewhurst, who has links to Oswaldtwistle, Blackburn, Hyndburn and Rossendale, has avoided arrest since and is believed to be travelling around the East Lancashire area. He is described as white, 5ft 6in tall, of stocky build, with fair hair. He has blue eyes and a piercing in his right ear.

Dewhurst has previously been charged with assault and members of public are being urged not to approach him.

Sgt Paul Schofield, of Lancashire Police, said: “We are appealing for the public’s help in finding Connor

Dewhurst, who is wanted in connection with offences of assault and burglary.

“Despite extensive enquiries, Dewhurst has avoided arrest for two months and it is crucial we find him as soon as possible. “We believe he has travelled around the East Lancashire area to avoid police and on occasion threatened people with violence so they will harbour him.

“We would urge anyone with information about his whereabouts not to approach him but instead contact police immediately.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 101.

Issue. 27

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Road casualties to be tackled with average

speed cameras Eight routes where 13 people have lost their lives in collisions in almost six years (01/01/2011 to 01/10/2016) are being targeted in a bid to cut down on the number of casualties. The routes across Lancashire have seen a total of 406 casualties with 62 people suffering serious or life changing injuries since 2011.

Now the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership has given the go ahead for new average speed enforcement camera systems on the routes, with the hope of reducing the death toll and making the roads safer for all to use.

The routes are (cameras will cover traffic flow in both directions): A565 Southport Road (1.2m) between B5246 at Mere Brow and the Gravel Lane roundabout at Banks.

A583 Preston New Road (7.5m) between M55 Junction 4 (Peel Road, Peel Hill), through Kirkham bypass, and Blackpool Road at Preston Old Road, Clifton.

A588 Head Dyke Lane, Pilling (2m) between Fold House Caravan Park and Bourbles Lane. A59 Brockholes Brow, Preston (0.5m) between M6 junction 31 and Glenluce Drive.

A6 London Road, Preston (0.7m) between Capitol Centre (Winery Lane) and Albyn Street East.

A675 in Belmont (8.5m) between

M65 junction 3, through Abbey Village and Belmont to Scout Road.

A682 Gisburn Road, Pendle (5.2m) between A59 at Gisburn and Whittycroft Avenue (between Barrowford and Blacko).

B6232 Grane Road, Haslingden (4.7m) between A56 through Haslingden Grane to A6177 Elton Road junction with Sough Lane.

The cameras will use number plate recognition technology to detect vehicles and calculate their average speed by measuring the time taken to travel between fixed points of a known distance apart. Average Speed Check signage will be used to inform drivers that they are entering an average speed control zone .Lancashire Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable Tim Jacques, Chair of the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership, said: “We don’t want to catch you speeding.

Our primary aim is for all drivers to adhere to the safe speed limits on our roads, and these particular roads are proven to be amongst some of our most dangerous.

Installation work will begin on Monday 9 January on the first route, the A6 London Road, Preston, between the Capitol Centre (Winery Road) and Albyn Street East, with enforcement likely to begin around March. The other routes will have a staggered installation period with all cameras in force by the end of 2017.

Page 2. Issue 27. Lancashire Local

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First glimpse at new Bolton

Egyptology gallery

Bolton Museum has revealed for the first time how its new Egyptology gallery could look. Conceptual designs for the Eternal Egypt gallery have been drawn up by Huddersfieldbased exhibition designers Leach Studio. The images show four different stages of the potential visitor experience to Eternal Egypt.

However, the designs are continually evolving and interested parties will be invited to give feedback in the New Year on what they think works and how they would like the exhibition space to look. On entering the exhibition, visitors look set to be welcomed by an area called the Rotunda which will set the scene and give an explanation of why Bolton

Museum has such an extensive Egyptology collection.

A section named Land & People has also been proposed which will be devoted to artefacts showing the everyday life of Egyptians. The focus will be on subjects like the environment and beauty, and feature an interactive mummy as centrepiece.

The Eternal Egypt experience could then take visitors through to the darkened Beliefs section – focussing on death and the afterlife – before leading to the museum’s facsimile tomb of Thutmose III. The tomb is a full size reproduction of the Pharaoh’s burial chamber which will be the jewel in the crown of the exhibition. Finally, the Reflections

area could live up to its name and offer visitors the chance to reflect on why Boltonians are similar to Ancient Egyptians, looking at the similarities between the two groups hundreds of years apart. The images will be shared on the museum’s Facebook page, and amongst community groups and school groups, to establish the public’s views on the designs.

More detailed concepts will then be drawn up in early 2017 and final designs submitted in the Spring, with the museum re-opening to the public in 2018.

Bolton Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Youth and Sport, Cllr John Byrne, said: “As initial concepts for the new Eternal Egypt gallery, these

designs are really exciting and give a flavour of what our museum could look like.

“These designs are subject to change as we are just at the start of this creative journey, but I can’t wait to see the finished gallery and welcome visitors to our fantastic museum. We’d love to hear what people think and would encourage them to get involved on social media.”

Nichola Ward, Head of Creative, Leach Studio, said: “We’re delighted to be involved in such an exciting project, and look forward to working with the Bolton community as our creative designs begin to evolve.

Museum and heritage is at the heart of our business and we can’t wait to bring Egyptology to life!”

To keep up to date with what’s happening at Bolton Library and Museum Services, follow them on Twitter @ BoltonLMS or like their Facebook page.

The conceptual designs will be posted on the museum’s Facebook page in the New Year so members of the public can leave feedback.

Roads revolution - more than £100m to be invested

in radically improving Manchester's roads

Manchester City Council has announced proposals to dramatically increase investment in maintaining the city's roads over the next five years.

An extra £100m will be invested to get roads to a good standard and keep them there - with the busiest roads brought back to 'as new' condition - and help support the city's future growth.

The majority of this funding, £80 million, will be devoted to a comprehensive programme of resurfacing and other maintenance designed to tackle potholes and stay on top of repairs.

A further £20 million will support other roads and maintenance schemes designed to help support the city's continuing growth.

It comes on top of £2 million a year being added to the Council's highways budget.

This was added as a one-off in the budget for 2016-17 but has now been made permanent.

Taken together, the funding increases are set to deliver significant improvements to the city's roads.

Executive Member for the Environment, Councillor Rosa Battle, said: “Manchester residents

have told us that improvements to the city’s roads are among their top priorities, which is why we are taking comprehensive action to ensure their condition gets better and stays better.

"We have listened to people who say they are fed up of potholes and put together this major investment programme to address this. We will ensure this work is phased over a period of time to start delivering improvements as soon as possible while minimising disruption.

This is about making things better for drivers.

"We recognise the vital importance of improving the condition of our roads to support the city’s continuing economic and residential growth and ensure it remains a great place to live.

That's why there are no reductions to highway maintenance in our proposed budget and, instead, we are planning this major investment programme which will significantly reduce the blight of potholes across the city over time and ensure high quality roads.”

Funding pressures since 2010 following deep cuts to the Council's government funding have contributed to a gradual deterioration of some of the city's roads, with around five per cent of Manchester's roads

currently assessed as being in need of priority resurfacing work. Unless action is taken, it is estimated that this figure could rise to as much as 62 per cent within five years.

Reactive maintenance currently costs the council £3m annually - a bill which is expected to rise to £7m per year by 2021,

unless action is taken. The proposed investment programme would eventually halve the council’s pothole repair bill to around £1.5m per year.

The long-term, phased investment, is being proposed as part of the Council's Capital Programme is being brought forward as part of the Council's budget setting process.

If it is agreed, work to secure a contractor to carry out the schemes will begin, with the first improvements works expected to start later this year.

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Lancashire Local. Issue 27. Page 3.

Burnley Bridge Extension to

Pub landlord fined for late

Create More Jobs for Burnley night noise

Burnley is set to attract more inward investment and jobs thanks to the approval of plans to extend the 70-acre Burnley Bridge scheme with a new ten-acre development comprising 110,000 sq ft of accommodation.

Located at Junction 9 of the M65, the initial scheme from property company, Eshton, is already credited with creating 1,400 jobs for Burnley and the second phase is expected to bring a further 270 jobs to the town. The 10-acre ‘Titanium Park’ site adjoins the existing development to the north and will provide a mix of accommodation for business and employment use which will be tailored to meet occupier needs. Part of Eshton’s ongoing commitment to investing in Burnley, Titanium Park will bring the total accommodation figure to more than 860,000 sq ft. James Chapman, managing director of Eshton, said: “It was clear from the very beginning of the Burnley Bridge scheme that there is significant demand for high quality, flexible industrial and warehousing accommodation in this excellent location.

“The success of phase one reiterates that. Just two speculative units totalling 12,500 sq ft remain at the original Burnley Bridge site following deals with Fagan & Whalley and Exertis for more than 635,000 sq ft of accommodation.

“We are delighted to have secured planning permission for Titanium Park which will build on the success of the original 70-acre plot and look forward to bringing more high quality industrial and warehousing accommodation to Burnley.” Kate Ingram from Burnley Borough Council adds: “Eshton’s new plans to extend BBBP are great news for Burnley, providing opportunities for inward investment, business growth and employment.

“The success of the existing business park demonstrates the appeal of Burnley to businesses of all sizes and we are delighted that Eshton plans to leverage the advantages of this location and dynamic business community to build on the variety of premises the town can offer.”

Burnley Council Leader Mark Townsend, said: “More good news for Burnley. What a great way to end 2016 with the announcement of another fantastic development which will bring new jobs to Burnley in 2017, in addition to the recent announcement of work staring in Vision Park in January and a Primark store for Burnley.

“The town is being recognised as a go to place for business, with a ‘can do’ approach to supporting businesses. Hailed as a town with the best growth prospects in Lancashire by Experian, and a top 5 north west boom town set to thrive by the Estates Gazette, businesses are cottoning to Burnley’s potential and the new 10 acre Burnley Bridge extension, and Vision Park development will open up new space for businesses to relocate to Burnley, adding to the towns stateof-the-art business infrastructure set to create many new jobs for Burnley in the next couple of years.”

A pub landlord has been fined after complaints about late-night music blaring out and disturbing neighbours.

Christopher Toothill, licensee of the Sun Inn at Harle Syke, Burnley, pleaded guilty at Burnley Magistrates’ Court to two offences of unlicensable activity after a prosecution was brought by Burnley Council.

Following complaints from local residents, officers from the Pennine Night Time noise nuisance team monitored the pub over two weekends in June and July and witnessed live music being played beyond permitted hours.

The court was told that the officers were able to clearly hear the music from the street and had seen customers entering and leaving the premises. The problem was made worse by the fact that windows were left open on occasion.

Magistrates heard that the pub’s licence allowed music to be until 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday, and to 9.30pm on Sunday.

The court were told that on one occasion music was heard playing from the pub at 1am and another occasion at 11.48pm.

Toothill was warned that he was breaking the conditions of his licence and the pub would be monitored but music continued to be played beyond the permitted hours.

Toothill, who was the designated premises supervisor, was interviewed by Burnley council officers and told them he was aware of the hours for regulated entertainment but said he didn’t think they were late enough. He said that he had to get bands on to get people into the pub to make money to pay the bills.

Councillor John Harbour, the council’s executive member responsible for licensing, said: “We appreciate that pubs provide entertainment for customers to enjoy in what can be difficult times for some premises. However this can’t be at the expense of local residents who have a right to a decent quality of life. ”In cases like this prosecution is a last resort and we would initially seek to work with the premises to achieve compliance and minimise nuisance.

Council officers repeatedly contacted Mr Toothill and warned him about his behaviour and the possible consequences but he continued to allow music to be played beyond the permitted hours.

The magistrates fined Toothill £200 and ordered him to pay £175 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Joe’s Final Bow…For Now

The Dukes Artistic Director, who was five when he first stepped into the Lancaster theatre, is stepping down from his leading role on January 6.

Over the past nine years, Joe Sumsion has steered The Dukes through some choppy waters but leaves it on an even keel and returns next summer as the freelance Director of the theatre’s walkabout production of Treasure Island.

After his first visit to The Dukes in 1973 to see a Christmas production, it was the park shows which lured Joe back in 1988 when he was Assistant Stage Manager on As You Like It and Alice Through The Looking Glass.

And in 1991, he crewed on the outdoor production of Treasure Island. “I’d just finished at Bristol University but didn’t get back for the degree ceremony because I was too busy digging a hole in the mud in The Dell,” Joe remembered.

But all that experience paid off when Joe became The Dukes Artistic Director in 2008 and the first play he directed was Beauty & The Beast in Williamson Park.

Since then, he has directed all but one of the walkabout productions

for which The Dukes has become nationally famous and which won a UK Theatre Award for Best Show for Children and Young People in 2016.

It was the icing on the cake for someone who already knew he wanted to be a Director by the age of 19. “And I always wanted to be Artistic Director of The Dukes,” said Joe who was born and raised in Kendal.

“I had an affinity with it through my involvement with the park shows and it was very exciting to become the Director of Lancashire’s leading cultural centre, a building based producing company with three spaces which also included a cinema.”

Joe took over at a challenging time as funding cuts had hit hard, leading to low staff morale but with the help of those staff he soon developed an artistic policy and recruited Associate Artists to bring in new ideas.

“A big part of what you can do here is to help people achieve their creative ambitions and I’m really proud of that.” He also encouraged the wider community to make suggestions and get involved.

“What’s great about Lancaster is that you can make change quite quickly,” said Joe who chaired the newly

formed Lancaster Arts Partnership for three years.

And one of the quickest changes to happen when Joe arrived was the opening of a refurbished studio, renamed The Round, which enabled that space and The Rake to be used at the same time.

Most of the inhouse shows Joe has directed have been staged in The Round and it was his decision to move the Christmas productions there which has proved popular.

But it hasn’t all been plain sailing as in 2012 Joe had to take the ‘hideous’ decision to cancel the park show following further funding disappointments, which was the lowest point in his Dukes tenure.

However, five years on and The Dukes continues to thrive with annual attendance up from 82,000 to 140,000 since 2008 and the ratio of grants to earned income completely turned around. It also has more than 1200 Friends supporting the theatre along with a significant number of Patrons and Guardians.

The Dukes now runs projects of national significance such as A Life More Ordinary, its pioneering scheme for people with dementia, and has developed a Cultural Partnership with

Lancaster University. It also takes a lead role in producing Light Up Lancaster every November working closely with Lancaster City Council and Lancaster Arts Partners.

But after nine years at the helm, Joe is moving on to become a Lecturer in Acting at the University of Central Lancashire and a freelance Director and it’s The Dukes own productions which will remain most memorable for him, especially last summer’s The Hobbit and A Christmas Carol in 2013.

Joe’s commitment to new writing, including such productions as Quicksand, by Zosia Wand, also led to some standout moments and a Writers Guild of Great Britain Olwen Wymark Theatre Encouragement Award.

But his favourite highlight has to be the time he saw Vicky Flynn wrestling Jonny Phere in The Round during a production by The Dukes Shattering Images company for young people with learning difficulties.

“When Vicky first came to The Dukes she was quiet and reserved yet three years later, there she was taking centrestage in an original play inspired by her own life. It was brilliant.

Page 4. Issue 27. Lancashire Local

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More boosts for health as food

across the borough gets top award

A Local hospital, restaurants, takeaways, schools, nurseries and shops have been awarded the Recipe 4 Health accreditation.

The awards celebrate menus with more healthy options giving people the chance to make better, healthier choices when picking a meal. A total of 28 new places achieved the accreditation at a ceremony at Blakey’s in Blackburn.

The awards scheme, run by Blackburn with Darwen Council in partnership with Lancashire County Council, recognises local businesses, schools and nurseries which provide healthier food choices to those they cater for. The list of the new awardees will be added to Lancashire County Council’s campaign website: www. lancashire.gov.uk/business/tradingstandards/recipe-4-health/awardholders.aspx

More than 250 places in Blackburn with Darwen now hold the award. Cllr Mustafa Desai, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Care, presented the awards. He said: The Recipe 4 Health campaign is going from strength to strength and is a great way to promote healthy eating and smart food choices all across the borough.

It’s fantastic that so many establishments across the board are signing up to it, from nurseries to restaurants and the hospital. I hope this will help people of all ages across the borough boost their health and wellbeing.”

The places receiving the awards are: Precious Moments, Darwen, Royal Blackburn Hospital, William Hopwood Court, Turncroft Nursery, Darwen, Age UK, Postal Order, The Big Sandwich, Bridge Café and Coffee Lounge, Greggs, Shadsworth Infant School, Essence, Lees Cantonese, Darwen Vale School and Studio, Dolce, Yang Seng and Brookhouse Primary School.

Also: Shad House, Waheeds, Victoria Hotel, Barnabas Nursery, Rainbows Nursery, Mangiamos, Curry Palace, Bradley’s Sandwich Shop, Yeung Sing, Jo’s Little Sandwich Shop, Buxton’s Bakery and Mega Bite.

Parents in Stockport encouraged to be food smart with launch of new Change4Life campaign.

Stockport Council is encouraging parents to “Be Food Smart” and take control of their children’s diets.

This follows shock findings from Public Health England which show that children consume half the daily recommended sugar intake before the morning school bell rings.

Public Health England’s new Change4Life campaign urges parents to ‘Be Food Smart’. A new “Be Food Smart” app has been developed

to highlight just how much sugar, saturated fat and salt can be found in everyday food and drink that their children consume.

The free app helps and encourages families to choose healthier options and works by scanning the barcode of products allowing parents to compare brands and features food detective activities for children and mini missions the whole family can enjoy.

Cllr Tom McGee, Stockport Council’s

Executive Member for Health said: “Our latest child obesity figures indicate that over a fifth of 4-5 year olds are overweight or obese rising to nearly a third of all 10-11 years. Our kids might seem fine on the outside but too much sugar and saturated fat can lead to the build-up of harmful fat on the inside that we can’t see. This fat around their vital organs can cause weight gain and serious diseases in the future, such as heart disease and

type 2 diabetes.

It’s therefore really important for families to know what their children are eating so they can make healthier choices. I would encourage families to download the free app and join the thousands of other Stockport families who have already registered with Change4Life."

Read David's story

Last Christmas was a very different affair for David Teague. Struggling to cope with crippling anxiety, he would barely leave his home. Less than 12 months later, and thanks to the Help for Heroes Career Recovery programme, he will be spending this Christmas in full-time employment and with a new-born son.

David, who grew up in Nantyglo, Gwent, and now lives in Tidworth, Wiltshire, was only 16 when he joined the Royal Engineers in 2005. Hoping to see the world and learn a trade, he spent five years abroad in Germany, did two tours of Afghanistan and was also deployed to Jordan and Austria His life was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

From being active and outgoing, he found himself feeling constantly on

edge and anxious: “I lost confidence and couldn’t make decisions for myself. I had massive social anxiety being around people.”

In need of support, David spent time at Tedworth House Recovery Centre, and joined the Band of Brothers.

But it was earlier this year, when he spent time on Heritage Heroes, a partnership between Canal & River Trust and Help for Heroes, that things really started to change.

The project aims to train wounded, injured and sick service personnel, veterans and their families for an accredited qualification as they restore forgotten canals across the country.

Being part of the project was a huge benefit to David’s ongoing recovery and, just one month after it finished, he landed a job as a delivery driver

with Ocado: “Heritage Heroes was the best thing I ever did because it got me out of the house and back into a routine. It gave me something to aim for and brought me back to the real world.

“If it wasn’t for H4H support and the confidence they gave me, I never would have secured a job I love.”

David is now looking forward to Christmas with his wife, daughter Claire-Florence and their newborn son Ben-William.

“If you’d have told me 12 months ago I’d be this happy, I’d have said there was no chance. I was in such a bad state. I’m nowhere near the person I used to be and I have a sense of purpose. All I wanted to do was get to a stage where I can support my family again. I’ve reached that and more, all thanks to Help for Heroes.”

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Lancashire Local. Issue 27. Page 5.

Sherann Hillman awarded MBE in 2017 New Year Honours List

Stockport Council is pleased to announce that Sherann Hillman, Chair of Parents in Partnership Stockport (PIPS) has been awarded an MBE in the 2017 New Years Honours list.

Sherann's MBE is for her Services to Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Sherann has worked with children, young people and families in voluntary roles for just over 18 years in the community of Stockport and was previously awarded the Proud of Stockport "Community Champion"

award in 2013 for her role as Chair of Parents in Partnership Stockport.

Sherann has been a parent rep for the last 8 years and has worked in partnership with Stockport Council ensuring that children, young people and families are at the heart of all services. Sherann has been a strong voice for parents and carers of children and young people aged 0-25 years with special educational needs and disabilities in Stockport, as well as bringing reform nationally through her involvement in the SEND

Reforms including the Children and Families Act 2014, and other relevant national legislation to benefit parents and families of children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Cllr Dean Fitzpatrick, Stockport Council’s Executive Member for Education says, “We are delighted that Sherann’s dedication and achievements have been recognised for all the work she has done to support and represent families in Stockport and nationally. We congratulate her in gaining this prestigious honour”

Wildlife in danger.

The canals are long wildlife nature corridors threading through the towns, cities and countryside and should be preserved and treasured On the Lancaster canal, we have vast ribbon lengths of tall weed beds, health and safety hot spots, a danger to overturned small craft, replacing what used to be grassy windflower havens.

These are now often displaced by large beds of invasive species that crowd out native plants.

Wildflowers in abundance

Where is the canal?

When the canal was in use commercial it was pretty grimy in places, but despite this, the wildlife flourished.

Now we allow ourselves to be ruled by the tunnel vision of the Nature Stazi.

Ducks must not eat bread, beavers, wolves and linx are being reintroduced into Britain, to join the grey squirrel population, which is killing off our native reds.

Bees are in serious decline. Butterflies have been decimated and nature in

general is shrinking fast through want of attention. For example, 200 years ago they had a swan mortuary in Lancaster and obviously thought wildlife important. If you report any sick or dying swan to any of our many ‘Wildlife Organisations’ now, you are lucky to get past the ‘Join us and donate’ page on their website. One wildlife organisation saying, “Why have you contacted us?”

Perhaps the two pictures can make us realise which road to follow.

Art & Soul Tattoo Studio

Art & Soul Tattoo Studio is owned by Nick Bleasdale, who is a local man from the Preston area, having lived in Penwortham and Preston all his life.

He has had an interest in tattoos since the age of fourteen, and he gets his talent for drawing and painting from his father, who was an accomplished amateur artist with a wicked eye for caricatures.

Nick and his father did not always see eye-to-eye concerning his determination to be a tattooist, and he spent some time travelling the length of the country with his tattoo kit in his rucksack, before returning and settling down in Leyland. He attended the University of Central Lancashire and obtained a degree in Fine Art and Illustration to prove that he was serious! If you want to

know anything about the history and development of tattooing, Nick is the man to see. You can drop in for a chat any time provided he is not busy with a customer, and you will get a brew and a very interesting discussion on the subject – just be prepared to spend an hour or so! Although Nick’s first love is the tattoo, he is also accomplished with an airbrush or paintbrush, pencil or charcoal, and any medium will do – your skin is the first choice, but if you have a scooter, motorcycle, sidecar, car, van, fence or wall, (inside or outside) in need of adornment he will be happy to oblige.

In his leisure time Nick is somewhat of a musician; he plays guitar, Mandolin, banjo, drums, penny whistle, flute and probably anything else if you hand it to him.

Page 6. Issue 27. Lancashire Local

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GMP awarded for their use

of camera technology

Greater Manchester Police has become one of the first police forces to be awarded by the Government for its use of body worn cameras.

The certificate was awarded to GMP in recognition of its compliance with a number of set guidelines related to the use of body worn camera surveillance.

GMP, along with only the Metropolitan Police, has clearly demonstrated that it complies with all 12 of the guiding principles of the surveillance camera code, which the Government has legislated for all police forces in England and Wales to show due regard to.

In order to achieve full certification auditors had to independently judge GMP on a number of principles, including an individual’s right to privacy, safeguards against unauthorised access and to ensure that all surveillance materials are destroyed when no longer required.

Achieving full certification means that the public of Greater Manchester can be reassured that GMP is complying with the code and use body worn video (BWV) technology, and the information gathered, in the most appropriate manner possible.

GMP Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, said: “Receiving this certification clearly demonstrates our commitment at GMP to

use body worn cameras effectively and proportionally.

“This technology will continue to aid us in the fight against crime, and the general public can be assured that their right to privacy is maintained.”

Tony Porter, the Government’s Surveillance Camera Commissioner who awarded GMP the award, said: “I am delighted Greater Manchester Police has achieved my certification mark for Body Worn Video.

GMP, together with the Metropolitan Police, are the first forces to have achieved this award nationally.

“It is important that the public recognise that such technology is used to the highest standards.

Certification demonstrates compliance to the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, that its use is transparent and that it places public privacy as a priority.

“Ultimately it will ensure ongoing public support in the use of this technology that is there to support the police in its work and reassure the community as to its use.”

Planning approved for

housing development

designed by Wayne

Hemingway MBE

Planning has been approved for a new housing development in Blackburn that will aim to set new standards for family living.

The development called Green Hills is the brainchild of award winning designers and husband and wife team, Gerardine Hemingway MBE and Wayne Hemingway MBE along with architects ID Partnership and housing developers, Kingswood Homes.

The team are planning to create a new community of barn inspired homes set around two interlinking village greens.

Called Green Hills to reflect the surrounding views, the development will also have new cycle ways and footpaths to incorporate the existing Witton Weavers Way, as well as a new community hub.

The scheme, on Livesey Branch Road, will provide 167 detached and semi-detached properties as part of the wider Gib Lane masterplan and was approved by Blackburn

and Darwen Council’s planning committee last week.

The designs feature houses that have been specifically designed and developed for the site with a variety of exterior finishes and internal layouts that will sit around rural landscaped courtyards or facing the open space.

In addition, the first phase of 61 properties will showcase 41 different designs that the team says aims to avoid the look of ‘an estate with identikit little boxes’.

Paul Jones managing director at Kingswood Homes, said: These will be aspirational, attainable properties for people looking for quality of life and a new house they will be proud to call home.

With green open spaces, village greens, cycle routes and views across rolling countryside, our new homes will definitely be worth waiting for.

The first phase of development at Green Hills is due to start early in 2017.

Manchester to lead the way

in housing affordability

A new plan to accelerate the delivery of affordable homes in the city and create up to 2,000 every year has been unveiled by Manchester City Council.

The housing affordability framework, which was approved by the Council’s executive this week, sets out the city's determination to ensure a strong supply of decent, secure housing to rent or buy for those below the average household income for the city.

The strategy covers a range of tenures including social housing, affordable rent properties, shared ownership or shared equity, and rent to purchase homes.

There are a number of ways the Council can support affordable building in Manchester, and each development will be considered an opportunity to boost affordable provision in the city. The Council will work with public and private sector partners to make use of funding streams, such as the government’s National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF), and will take advantage of the relaxation of restrictions around grant funding for affordable homes.

Successful bids will form an important part of Manchester’s Housing Affordability Fund, alongside other types of investment using council land, assets and borrowing power, where appropriate. In the last five years, 2,721 homes were built through the city’s Affordable Homes Programme, but in the same period 1,800 affordable homes were lost through demolition, Right to Buy

and Right to Acquire – leaving a net gain of 921 new affordable homes.

However, this is not enough to support the housing needs of Manchester people, but the new framework aims to accelerate this to deliver between 1,000 and 2,000 new affordable homes a year.

At the same time, the Council will

use a range of resources to replace social housing lost through right to buy and demolitions, maintaining social housing at the current figure of around 70,000.

Councillor Bernard Priest, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester is leading the way to ensure the city can deliver decent

and secure housing that meets the needs of residents that are below the average income for the city.

“Decent housing shouldn’t be a luxury. It should be something that everyone in Manchester can enjoy. We intend to make sure up to 2,000 homes a year are built that are decent, secure and affordable.”

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Lancashire Local. Issue 27. Page 7.

Page 8. Issue 27. Lancashire Local

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Virgin Trains opens new Bike

Hub at Preston station

Virgin Trains has officially opened its new Bike Hub at Preston station, transforming the facilities for cyclists at the station.

Designed to enhance the experience for customers travelling to and from Preston station by bicycle, the Bike Hub offers a secure space for up to 200 cycles – making it the largest on the West Coast Mainline. It also features a specialist cycling shop, managed by a family-run business, Leisure Lakes Bikes, who are based in Preston. The shop offers bike maintenance services, bike hire and access to a wide range of cycling products including bikes, clothing, parts and accessories.

Working in partnership with the Department for Transport (DfT); Lancashire County Council; Leisure Lakes Bikes; Preston City Council; and the Rail Delivery Group; Virgin Trains created the Bike Hub using funding from the DfT’s Cycle Rail Fund.

Virgin Trains, who are a member of British Cycling’s Choose Cycling network, have invested nearly £500,000, as part of its latest

scheme to improve facilities for cyclists on the West Coast Mainline.

Mark Hendrick MP for Preston officially opened the Bike Hub in front of guests from the city’s cycling community.

Shirley Ross, Virgin Trains Station Manager at Preston, said: “At Virgin Trains we want to make our customer’s end-to-end journeys seamless and supporting cyclists is a great way to achieve this. With a growing cycling community in Preston, we want to make it easier for cyclists to integrate a bike into their rail journey.

We’re really proud of the Bike Hub and hope it encourages more people to get on two wheels before and after they board our trains.”

Jimmy Khan, Head of Sport & Leisure at Preston City Council and Chair of Preston Cycling Forum, said: “Preston City Council welcomes this exciting opportunity for cyclists, which will provide them with the comfort that their bikes will be kept safe and, if required, maintenance for them too. What is particularly pleasing is that those who wish will

be able to hire bikes to get about the city. Virgin Trains should be congratulated on having the vision to develop this Bike Hub in Preston.”

Lucy Noy, Manager of Leisure Lakes Bikes at Preston station, said: “We’re really excited to be a part of this project that is continuing to improve cycling in Preston. Our new bike store will give people the opportunity to travel to Preston and hire bikes right from the train station, so they can enjoy the Guild Wheel and surrounding bike paths.

We’ve seen the government-backed Cycle to Work scheme get lots of people switching from driving to cycling for their local commute. It’s not only helping the environment by getting cars off the road but also saves money and improves fitness on the daily commute. We’re confident Virgin Trains’ Bike Hub will increase the number of people cycling to work, as the 200 spaces give commuters a safe and easy place to secure their bike during the day.”

The Bike Hub is located near to the entrance on Butler Street and offers direct access to Platform 7

A junior football club in Rochdale has blown the whistle on smokers who light-up on the touchline as part of a pilot that could be rolled out across the borough.

Bridge Juniors Football Club in Rochdale is promoting healthy behaviour by having smokefree training sessions and matches to protect children.

The club has been chosen to take part in a 'Smokefree Sports' pilot, which has been set up by local social enterprise Healthier Futures in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council.

'This is an important step towards our goal of a smokefree borough' Officers from Healthier Futures and

the council's stop smoking service will be on hand to help parents and coaches kick the habit on Saturday, 4 February 2017, providing information about the positives of healthy, shared community spaces for families, and the negative impact of smoking on children's health. Parents will also be able to offer their opinions and sign a smokefree sports pledge.

The pilot will run initially from January to March 2017. It is hoped that it will then be rolled out permanently across the borough.

Research shows that demand for smokefree events and spaces with children present is high across Greater Manchester. A survey carried out by Healthier Futures in 2015, found that

83% of people surveyed in Greater Manchester agreed that there should be no smoking at outdoor events which are specifically for children and families.

'This campaign will protect our children and ensure a healthy smokefree space for them to play in' The pilot campaign has been organised by Manchester-based social enterprise Healthier Futures on behalf of Greater Manchester local authorities who want to address the impact of smoking on children.

Councillor Janet Emsley, Rochdale Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, said: "I am extremely pleased that a Rochdale club has been chosen to take

Touchline smokers shown the red card

part in the smokefree touchlines pilot and I look forward to working with them to make our borough a healthier place to live. We have been doing some fantastic work to protect our residents from the harm of tobacco such as educating our children about the dangers of smoking, preventing underage tobacco sales and providing stop smoking support for our residents; and this is another important step towards our goal of a smokefree borough. Sports and smoking don't mix, and are not part of a healthy sporting lifestyle. We hope to see more local clubs take this positive step to protect children and families." 'We are challenging the myth that smoking is normal'

Bridge Juniors Football Club secretary, Barry Woodburn, said: "As Club Secretary, I am really excited to be part of this campaign which will protect our children and ensure a healthy smokefree space for them to play in.

At Bridge Juniors Football Club, we are always looking for ways to encourage healthy living for the children, their parents, our coaches and other club officials and taking part in this pilot campaign underlines our commitment to this."

Andrea Crossfield, chief executive of Healthier Futures said: "Young people consistently overestimate the prevalence of smoking, with 60% thinking it's the 'norm', when

in reality 4 out of 5 people don't smoke in Greater Manchester. Often children, whose primary role models smoke, assume that it is normal behaviour.

By introducing smokefree sports, we are challenging the myth that smoking is a normal activity that most people do, as well as increasing the amount of clean and healthy environments in Greater Manchester for children and families to play in.

This is about promoting healthy behaviour to children. The more spaces that become smokefree, the less likely children are to take up smoking – preventing them from entering into a deadly addiction that kills 1 in 2 long-term smokers."

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Lancashire Local. Issue 27. Page 9.

Page 10. Issue 27. Lancashire Local

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Trust Rated GOOD overall

following CQC Review Inspection

Following a ‘well-led review’ inspection by the CQC (Care Quality Commission) on 20 and 21 September 2016, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has received the news it has been waiting for – the Trust has now been rated as ‘good’ overall.

The CQC ‘well-led review’ was a follow up to the focused inspection conducted in October 2015 which reviewed core services and rated Blackburn and Burnley hospitals ‘good’.

The review looked at the Trust’s responses to the last inspection report and current practice including governance and risk management support for the services inspected to give a revised rating.

Chief Executive, Kevin McGee, was delighted with the rating, and paid tribute to staff, saying: I am delighted that the CQC have rated our Trust as ‘good’ – this is a reflection of the hard work that our committed and dedicated staff have been carrying out ever since the Trust was put into special measures in 2013.

I am very proud to say that there is now official confirmation that people in the local area can have confidence in the services the Trust delivers and be assured that they will receive the best care and treatment from our staff.

I have read the key findings in the CQC report and there is so much

to be proud of. Our next goal is to patients with neutropenic sepsis referral to treatment target A full bereavement service was underway with local religious leaders improve even further, ensuring those The Trust had achieved better than Nurse staffing had improved across available across the Trust which was to improve on its utilisation by BME areas still requiring improvement are the England average for the 18 week all areas well received by families, with work groups. tackled, and work towards receiving an ‘outstanding’ rating in the future.

Thank you to all our staff, patients and stakeholders for working with us on this journey and ensuring we have a clear vision, direction and stability which contributes to our continual improvement.

The CQC inspection looked at services rating them on being safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. The report noted a number of highlights: Staff were caring, kind and respectful to patients and involved them in their own care Staff were proud of the work they did and both they and patients told inspectors they felt well engaged with and their views were valued Cleanliness and hygiene was of a high standard throughout the Trust The Trust had clear vision, objectives, values and improvement priorities achieved using a bottom up process with all staff engaged in its direction and The Emergency Department/ Urgent Care Centre had introduced a number of innovations that had improved patient care, experience and outcomes. It is now the second best provider in the region for treatment of

Pioneering ‘problem solving’ youth

court scoops national award

Blackburn with Darwen’s Youth Justice Service was named a winner for the delivery of a Problem Solving Court for young people at the Children and Young People Awards in the Youth Justice section.

Problem Solving Courts (PSC) were developed in partnership with Blackburn Magistrates Court and Blackburn Youth Justice Service (YJS), with input crucially from young people aged between 10 and 17 using the service. The PSC works alongside partners GO2, the local substance misuse project, Nightsafe, which supports young people with accommodation needs, the Supporting Families Project,

which is for those parents who are unemployed, with children displaying anti- social behaviour, problems with school attendance and displaying offending behaviour and New Directions to support young people back into education, training or employment.

There is also the Fast 4wd Project which supports those adults experiencing problems with alcohol or substance misuse, and the Carer’s Service for partners, parents, family members affected by another person’s addiction. The focus is early intervention to prevent further offending and give early help and support through a multi-agency

approach. The Problem Solving Court has been upheld as best practice nationally. David Fleming, Service Leader for Youth Justice, said: I am really pleased that the partnership has won this award and want to give my biggest congratulations to everybody involved.

The Problem Solving Court provides an excellent service to young people and their families and has been recognised as the gold standard nationally. This award also reflects the high standard of work and support from our staff and volunteers and it is an acknowledgement of their dedication to providing a consistently excellent service for young people.”

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Lancashire Local. Issue 27. Page 11.

Thompson Park secures

National Lottery investment

Burnley Council has received confirmation that it has secured a grant of £861,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards the £1.19 million costs of restoring Thompson Park, it was announced today (Monday 9th Jan).

The project aims to restore the Grade II listed park and to celebrate its heritage, from its opening in 1930 to the present day.

Council leaderCouncillor Mark Townsend said: “We’re absolutely delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us this grant. We can now look forward to restoring this much loved and very popular park which will be enjoyed by the people of Burnley and our visitors for generations to come.”

Michelle Wolfendon, Chair of the Friends of Thompson and Queen’s Parks, said: “The Friends group has been working with the council to improve Thompson Park for nearly 20 years and the award of this grant is a dream come true.”

HLF’s chief executive Ros Kerslake, said, on behalf of HLF and Big Lottery Fund: “Public parks play a vital role in our health and well-being. With this investment from National Lottery players, there’s real opportunity for a rejuvenated Thompson Park to deliver huge benefits to the whole community.”

Designed for relaxation, entertainment and exercise, the park still fulfils these roles and retains almost all of its original facilities. The park’s original design is intact with only minor alterations and additions.

The restoration project will focus on three key areas: 1. Restoring the park’s traditional recreational facilities

2. Restoring the parks buildings and structures 3. Celebrating the social and cultural heritage of the park

The proposed works include: • Restoring the pavilion café for use as a multi-purpose community room with kitchen, disabled toilets and park ranger office. It will be used by visiting schools, volunteers and for Friends activities, etc.

• The boathouse will be converted into a café with tables and seating to create a pleasant area to sit overlooking the lake.

• Refurbishment of existing toilets to include an improved disabled/family toilet, tiled floors and new sanitary ware.

• The Paddling pool is one of the few remaining in the north west. The pool, steps and paving will be resurfaced and repainted and a new pipework installed to facilitate filling/emptying.

• Play area:Major re-vamp including introduction of sand and water play and new play equipment to replace old and worn out items.

• General improvement to the gardens and park:Restore the Italian and rose gardens, repairing bridges, resurface paths and replace noticeboards and signage • Car parking:Create new pay and display car park with improved access from Colne Road and adequate disabled parking spaces.

The council will also launch an activity programme, working closely with local volunteers, Burnley College and Burnley Leisure on projects to explore the history of the park and surrounding area, and promote a series of weekend and school holiday sports activities.

Council officers will work with volunteers of all ages to support the maintenance of the park, including planting and other gardening work, as well as promoting its natural history.

Work on the restoration will start in early autumn 2017 and will be complete by Easter 2018.

Check out Chorley in a Hollywood film

CHORLEY’S Rivington Pike and surrounding landscape is currently starring in the Hollywood film, A Monster Calls, which is out in cinemas now.

The film, which stars Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones and the voice of Liam Neeson as the monster, features the local Rivington landscape as the backdrop in several scenes, which were filmed back in October 2014.

At the time, nearby residents and visitors spotted dozens of the film’s crew near the Pigeon Tower up at Rivington after filmmakers got in touch with Chorley Council

and other land owners for permission to film in the area.

For the purposes of the film, the pike’s tower has been edited out and replaced with a house set amongst some trees but the landscape is still recognisable to people who know the area. The film tells the story of 13-year-old Conor, played by newcomer Lewis MacDougall and is a fantasy movie based on the book by the same name by Patrick Ness.

Councillor Peter Wilson, the Deputy Leader of Chorley Council, said: “With its rugged landscape, historic features and scenic views, Rivington and Rivington Pike make excellent backdrops for lots of different filming opportunities.

We were delighted when we were approached by the location manager of a Hollywood movie to do some filming in the Chorley borough and couldn’t turn down the opportunity.

“The story sounds very dramatic and emotional and it is fantastic to see

Rivington play a part in the film.

A lot of people already visit the Rivington area for walking, cycling or other recreational activities but we’re hoping this will provide even more exposure, encouraging people to come and see the locations where the film was shot for themselves.

“Attracting visitors is really important to Chorley, helping to boost local businesses and the local economy and having the area feature in a major Hollywood film is a great opportunity to put Chorley on the map.

“In 2016, we launched our first visitor website checkoutchorley. com to inspire people to visit Chorley. We know we have some of the most beautiful countryside in the region, a thriving town centre, beautiful canals, parks and historic halls but we want more people to know that Chorley has lots on offer visitors for a great day out.”

Filming for A Monster Calls took place around Rivington Pike in Chorley on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 October 2014.

Page 12. Issue 27. Lancashire Local

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Get up and running in 2017 with the award-winning Couch to 5k project

Burn off that Christmas excess by taking part in St Helens Sports Development’s award-winning community sport project which gets people off their couch, to running a full 5k in just 10 weeks.

The Sport England funded ‘Couch to 5k’ initiative, which was awarded Community Project of the Year at the Merseyside Sporting Champions Dinner 2016, has seen over 1,000 inactive local people get involved in physical activity by attending weekly sessions on Sutton Leisure Centre’s athletics track where they have slowly built up their fitness over 10 weeks.

On the tenth week, participants have the option to run a full 5k on the track and then take part in the successful St Helens parkrun in Victoria Park which has seen three generations of the same family - and several people over the age of 60 - attend.

At a cost of just £10 for the ten weeks, or 33p a session if attended three times a week, runners confident enough can then progress on to one of the many local jogging groups available.

Sports Development Officer, Gemma Webster, said: “Feedback over the past year has been phenomenal, with most people recording a weight loss, improvements in sleep, mental health, and general fitness.

"There’s no pressure at all because you work at your own pace in a safe and supportive atmosphere where trained staff are on hand to support you throughout the programme and keep you motivated.”

Sessions take place every Monday and Wednesday, 6pm to 7pm, and Saturdays 9:15am to 10am, with week one commencing on Monday 9 January.

‘Outstanding’ start to 2017 for

Grange Valley

Primary School

Grange Valley Primary School has started 2017 in the best possible way after receiving an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted report.

Inspectors visited Grange Valley mid-November (2016) and were so impressed with what they found, they scored the previously ‘good’ Haydock school as outstanding across all areas.

Key findings from the glowing report found phonics to be exceptionally well taught; children in early years provision get off to a ‘flying start’; pupils have confidence in their teachers; safeguarding of pupils is a high priority – and that the school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is outstanding.

Inspectors were also full of praise for headteacher Dianne Holcroft’s 'aspirational and ambitious leadership’ which has taken the school from strength to strength in achieving the best possible outcomes for students.

Mrs Holcroft, who has been at the helm for four years, took over the reins at Grange Valley when it was rated as a ‘good’ school.

Putting the latest report down to a great team effort, a delighted Mrs Holcroft said: “I’ve known for a while what a hardworking and ambitious school we are, so for Ofsted to leave such positive comments about staff, pupils and everyone associated with Grange Valley, is a very proud moment for me.

“We’re delighted with this outcome and it is remarkably satisfying to know that we enter the New Year as an outstanding school.”

St Helens Council’s portfolio holder for education, councillor Jeanie Bell, added: “This recent report shows the great strides Grange Valley has made in the last few years and reflects the school’s positive attitude in not settling for second best.”

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Lancashire Local. Issue 27. Page 13.

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HISTORIC LISTINGS UPGRADED

ON WAR MEMORIALS The war memorials in Oldham Town Centre and Crompton have had their historic significance boosted.

Historic England now consider the two landmarks as ‘particularly important structures of more than special interest’ and have upgraded them from Grade II to Grade II* listed.

In 2013 Oldham War Memorial – originally sculpted by Albert Toft and unveiled in 1923 - was refurbished by the council and the Oldham Liaison of Ex Service Associations after a financial contribution of £30,000 was secured from the War Memorials Trust. Student volunteers from Oldham Technical College also helped

out with the project. The sculpture occupies a prominent position in Oldham’s historic town centre and has a strong visual relationship with several listed buildings, principally the parish Church of St Mary and St Peter, listed Grade II*, and the old Town Hall opposite, listed Grade II. Crompton War Memorial, in the Memorial Gardens in High Street, was sculpted by Captain Richard Reginald Goulden and was unveiled in April 1923. It has recently undergone extensive refurbishment work.

Councillor Barbara Brownridge, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Co-operatives, said: “We are delighted these two important and

historic war memorials have received further recognition from Historic England.

“Our war memorials are extremely important to residents as a reminder of all those people from the borough who sacrificed their lives for this country.

“I’d like to congratulate the council staff and volunteers who continue to maintain and look after our memorials - they deserve huge credit.”

Over the last few years the council has carried out £50,000 worth of works to make our 16 war memorials safer and more accessible to the public.

The borough now has 13 Grade II* structures/facilities.

WORK PROGRESSING WELL ON

NEW £8M AUDI DEALERSHIP

Work is progressing well on Oldham’s new £8m Audi dealership – which will create more than 80 new jobs.

The 17-car showroom and 24 bay service workshop off Chadderton Way will be run by Jardine Motors Group, one of the largest dealers of the prestigious German-marque in the UK. The new hub, which will also offer a full aftersales and pre-delivery inspection service, is set to open in summer 2017.

Councillor Jean Stretton, Leader of Oldham Council, recently met with Stephen Pettyfer, Group Property Director at Jardine Motors Group to see how work is coming along. She said: “It’s great to see how much construction work has been done on site already.

“In 2014 Jardine Motors Group informed Oldham Council they were interested in coming to the borough so it’s great to see all the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes is coming to fruition.

“Audi is the type of high end global brand we are looking to attract to the borough. We’ve done it already with ODEON in the Old Town Hall Cinema and this shows that blue chip firms see the borough as a place where they can do business.

“Jardine has also confirmed that they are committed to our Get Oldham Working campaign, and are looking forward to working with local colleges and supply chains, which is great news for jobseekers and the local economy.”

Stephen Pettyfer, Group Property Director at Jardine Motors Group, commented: “I’d like to thank Councillor Stretton for coming down to the site to see its progress.

“This will be a key site for Jardine Motors Group, and we are working closely with Audi to develop a new dealership that will be a benchmark for the future of automotive retailing.

Our ambition is to include the latest technology and introduce tailored customer services for buyers, to really shake-up and modernise the

car buying industry – moving away from the traditional one-size-fits-all approach when buying a new car.”

The new hub – on a four and a half acre site that formerly housed Westhulme Hospital – will be a vital addition to Jardine Motors Group’s existing Audi businesses across the region and will create approximately 87 jobs and see millions of pounds invested in the site. The deal for the hub came about after Oldham Council officers worked with their counterparts at the NHS trust, which owned the site, to facilitate the deal paving the way for the surplus site to be brought back into use.

As part of the deal a grass kick pitch, serving the local community, is proposed to be built on an alternative part of the site by Oldham council, which was a planning requirement from a previous land deal the council concluded with the NHS. A new access junction off Chadderton Way will also be built.

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Lancashire Local. Issue 27. Page 15.

Factory will power £1.1 billion

boost for Manchester's economy

An update report about Manchester City Centre’s new St. John’s neighbourhood and progress on Factory will go the Council’s Executive in January 2017.

The report, which will first be considered by Economy Scrutiny Committee, notes responses to a consultation on the regeneration framework for St. John’s and progress on Factory’s funding and operating model.

At the heart of the new creative-led neighbourhood of St. John’s, Factory will be a unique ultra-flexible venue bringing a world-class arts programme to audiences of up to 7,000 at a time.

The presence of Factory will act as a ‘cultural anchor’ to St. John’s, a vibrant new neighbourhood on the former ITV Granada site which will encourage independent and creative businesses as well as including 2,500 residential units.

The new venue will welcome almost 900,000 visitors a year, growing local cultural audiences – rather than competing with existing venues - as well as attracting around 200,000 visitors a year from outside Greater Manchester.

Training for the next generation of technicians, producers and other creative roles in the arts and events industries, along with education and volunteering programmes, will be delivered from the building.

It is predicted that within a decade,

Factory will create or support, direct and indirectly, almost 1,500 fulltime jobs and add £1.1 billion to the city’s economy over a decade.

The total budget for Factory is £110m.

The government has identified funding of £78m via Arts Council England and the approvals process for this is progressing smoothly. An application for a further £7m lottery grant has been submitted and the Executive will be asked to approve a Council contribution of up to £20m which will be mainly funded from income received from land and property sales.

The remaining £5m will be made up by fundraising via donations and sponsorships. If, as hoped, the fundraising target is exceeded the Council will be able to reduce its funding contribution.

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “The cultural sector already plays a massive part in the success of Manchester, both through the economic benefits generated by visitors and as part of the inspiring mix which makes this a city where people want to be.

“But Factory will be a complete game-changer, building on these already outstanding foundations to make Manchester and the wider region a genuine cultural counterbalance to London. It’s not just significant for Greater Manchester

– it’s significant for the UK. “As well as delivering world-class events, it will act as a catalyst to the whole creative economy and open up extensive new opportunities for local people, and

especially young people, to gain jobs and skills in the creative sector.

“The Council’s one-off financial support for the costs will secure £90 million of external investment and £1.1 billion of economic

benefits for the city over a decade with more to come."

A planning application for Factory will be considered on 12 January 2017.

Subject to approval, construction will start later this year with Factory

scheduled to open by early 2020.

The Executive are recommended to approve the revised regeneration framework for St. John’s, which will guide development in the area.

Page 16. Issue 27. Lancashire Local

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The best Spring

wedding ideas

Due to the very nature of wedding planning, we begin piecing together our perfect day several months if not years before the day itself.

Though it might not currently be Spring, as we’re sipping cups of tea under blankets on the sofa.

For the wedding industry, the change of the season presents a completely new set of trends to work with, from colour palettes to themes, locations and even outfits, which means for Wedding News, a whole host of new content embracing the changes that come with the new season.

We’re here to bring you the best Spring wedding ideas, so let’s get started! Firstly, with a colour palette, we think it’s a stunning idea to choose a range of shades which will complement the seasonal tones.

From pastel shades to bright colours, these will all work beautifully with

your surroundings. Yellows, mint greens and soft pinks are exceptional for this time of year – particularly when the sun is shining and the flowers are in bloom, though of course it’s important to choose colours which you just adore to make your day even more special.

In Spring, especially in Britain, it’s one of the few times where we can count on decent weather.

Though it might not be the sunniest or particularly the warmest, it should be dry, and if you’re blessed with a day where the sun is shining, it would be a real shame not to take advantage of the great outdoors – both for your wedding photographs and for the actual day itself too.

Try and incorporate the outdoors into your day – whether this is choosing a venue with a stunning outdoor section, ensuring your photographer is briefed

to make the most of the good weather or even opting for a more BBQ-type of food choice to allow everyone to eat outside and embrace the Spring as it was intended.

Decorating your outdoor space with lanterns, candles and paper lanterns are the perfect finishing touches for a stunning Spring wedding.

Your outdoor decorations can be as lavish or as budget-friendly as you wish, with a range of different stores offering the perfect accessories for a Spring wedding in a range of different colours.

No matter what you plan for your Spring wedding, embracing the season as much as you can will ensure a perfect day for yourself and your guests, and a wealth of stunning photography that will help keep the memories alive forever

Top wedding complaints revealed

If you are in the planning stages of your wedding then you will no doubt want to impress, wanting to give yourself, the wedding party and the all-important guests a great day to remember. With guests talking and reviewing their wedding experience it can often feel impossible to please everyone. In a recent poll conducted by the Daily Mail guests revealed that they do notice things like awkward silences and bad canapés.

Here are the top guest bugbears for

you to take inspiration from.

A wedding that starts too early – Apparently the later the wedding, the better, with many guests not enjoying the inconveniences and expenses a morning wedding encourages.

Canapés – While many enjoy putting on a unique food spread for guests many wedding attendees prefer a more traditional meal, finding canapés difficult messy and difficult to eat. Bad budget management – nothing gets guests more miffed than

having to pay for their own drinks.

So, to keep your guests talking for months to come make sure you have a free bar!

A silent feast – There is nothing more important than encouraging a smooth-running wedding day, ensuring the day doesn’t go stale.

A part of the wedding always prone to criticism is the wedding meal, with eating in silence often boring guests. This is why many decide to put some background music on.

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Top 5 hen and stag

party ideas

The hen and stag party is the last chance for the bride and groom-to-be to let their hair down, being the last moment of freedom to share with friends and family. If you have been appointed as Best Man or Matron of Honour then it is your responsibility to ensure they exit single life with a bang! Here are a few suggestions of ours, we hope they help!

Dance Lessons Dance lessons can be a fun and outof-the-box idea for the hen. Whether they are a ballet, street or jazz dancing kind of girl you will find a wealth of teachers and dance schools dotted throughout the country, there and waiting to show the hen party how to

own a dance floor.

This can also help the bride or groom prepare for that all-important first dance.

Activities Us Brits love to challenge ourselves with outdoor activities such as gokarting and whitewater rafting making for superb hen and stag celebrations. From paintballing to horseriding, it is safe to say you can experience just about anything in the great British outdoors.

Spa Getaways The wedding planning process can be extremely stressful, with a relaxing day well needed. By booking a spa break you will be sure to give the

hen party the luxury they deserve, allowing them to indulge in a touch of Euro Trip A Euro Trip is a popular way for hen and stag parties to celebrate the upcoming event, getting together and exploring their chosen destination. A weekend getaway to mainland Europe will guarantee your group the time of their lives! There's plenty on offer from classic and stylish weekends in southern France, to nightclubs and drinking in Amsterdam, all the way to exploring history and culture in Prague.

Adventure Another category that can serve as an ideal day out for men and women, adventure weekends are for those who fancy an adrenaline rush before they tie the knot. White water rafting, coasteering, quad biking, 4x4 off road driving, powerboating and George scrambling, if you're in the mood for some thrills and chills these options are perfect for you. Whatever you decide on, don't forget to book your chauffeur-driven luxury car hire from Wedding Car Hire. Whether you are going for a meal, weekend away or need airport transfers for a trip overseas, it makes sense to make use of our fleet for the occasion.

From Rolls Royce and Bentley cars to limousines and performance vehicles, have faith that we have the [perfect vehicle to make your stag or hen party a memorable occasion.

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Lancashire Local. Issue 27. Page 21.

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Council launches healthy living

campaign to stem rising obesity rates With New Year’s resolutions still fresh in the mind, Bury Council is launching a healthy living campaign to encourage people to consider the health impacts of being overweight.

The council’s campaign coincides with National Obesity Awareness Week (9-13 January) and is aimed at raising awareness of the effects that obesity and other lifestyle choices have on our overall health and wellbeing.

The campaign will include a community road show at Asda Bury on Friday 13 January (11am to 2pm) and residents are invited to come along and speak to experts from local services including the Lifestyle Service, Bury Leisure and Helping Yourself to Wellbeing course.

Councillor Trevor Holt, chair of the council’s health and wellbeing board, said: “In Bury, we know that 70% of adults are considered to be overweight, around 7% have diabetes and, in England, 40% of all adult deaths are related to the effects of diet, inactivity, smoking and alcohol.

It’s clear that we need to work with people to support them to make better lifestyle choices, improve their health and wellbeing and self care.

“With New Year, the time has never been better to make plans for the year ahead. Simple changes like cooking meals from scratch, eating less salt and sugar and being more active can make a massive difference to how you feel. Making and sticking to those New Year’s resolutions can really pay off with better health further down the line.”

Many diseases and long-term health conditions that arise in later life are linked to behaviour when younger.

Research shows that 42% of adults in

middle age are living with at least one long-term health condition that could increase their risk of early death or disability. Action taken now can pay dividends in later life and extend life expectancy.

The NHS now spends more than £11bn a year treating illnesses related to lifestyle choices and these costs could be slashed if people eat a healthier diet, be more active, stop smoking and drink less alcohol.

The council’s healthy living campaign highlights that, while the effects of obesity can be far-reaching for individuals and their families, there is a wealth of advice and support available in Bury to help people achieve their resolutions to eat well,

move more and take better control of their lifestyle choices.

Services like the Bury Lifestyle Service, Bury Exercise and Therapy Service (BEATS) and courses like the council’s Helping Yourself to Wellbeing (HY2W) course offer free advice and support for residents to lose weight, eat well and do more physical activity.

You can find out more about the council’s healthy living campaign and support available on the Bury Directory. Alternatively, you can follow the campaign on social media.

Look out for tweets and facebook posts from @burycwb and @ burycouncil, or use twitter hashtags #NOAW2017 or #OneYouBury.

Stride out in the new

year and walk your

way to better health

Let your feet hit the street in 2017 by joining West Lancashire Borough Council’s health walks.

Grab some comfortable walking shoes and join our walk leaders for short, sociable walks across different locations in West Lancashire. Walks are open to all, are approximately one hour long and a well-earned ‘cuppa’ awaits you at the end of the walks. You don’t have to book in advance, so come along and get some fresh air into your lungs. Councillor Yvonne Gagen, portfolio holder for Leisure, said: “One of the top priorities in the Council Plan is to be ambitious for the health and wellbeing of our communities. If you want to be more active and healthier in 2017 our health walks can really help you with that. So let your feet hit the street and come and join the walkers. A warm welcome awaits you. No need to book, just turn up!”

The weekly health walks start again for 2017 from the week beginning 9 January. The meeting points for the walks are as follows: Tuesdays, 10am-11am, starting from the bowling pavilion at Richmond Park, Burscough, L40 2XY Tuesdays, 10.30am–11.30am meet outside Skelmersdale Library,

Southway, Skelmersdale, WN8 6NL Wednesdays, 1pm-2pm, starting from the bowling pavilion at Coronation Park, Ormskirk, L39 3BY Thursdays, 10am-11am from Banks Leisure Centre, Banks, PR9 8BL Walks will take in a mixture of on-street footways and offstreet paths. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear for the weather and ground conditions.

For more information about the health walks, please contact Leisure Services on 01695 555804 or 01695 585145. If you fancy longer walks the Council’s Parks and Countryside Ranger Service organises regular countryside walks, including the popular Walking Festival, which runs throughout August. There will be intermediate walks of about 5/6 miles on the first Monday of each month and a longer walk of between 8-12 miles on the 3rd Sunday of each month. People taking part can explore beautiful countryside and discover the wonderful wildlife in West Lancashire. Walks coming up are the Beacon Canal Loop of approximately eight miles on Sunday 15 January (meet at Beacon Country Park’s Ranger Station at 9.50am for a 10am start), and the five mile loop around Abbey Lakes and Dean Wood on Monday 6 February (meet at Abbey Lakes 9.50am for a 10am start). For more information contact the rangers on 01695 622794. Due to the advanced nature of these walks it is advised that you wear suitable sturdy footwear with ankle support and suitable clothing for the weather.

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THOMSON PREDICTS

THE RISE OF THE

MICROADVENTURER

Holiday brand reveals its travel trend predictions for 2017: An increase in demand for multicentre holidays A growth in city breaks popularity Top five destinations: Vietnam, Cuba, New York, Singapore, Sardinia As 2016 draws to a close, and people spend the festive season dreaming of the holidays they will take in the New Year, leading holiday company Thomson has predicted the latest travel trends Brits will be adopting in 2017.

Following a somewhat unpredictable year, holidaymakers are looking to make the most of their trips, packing more into a typical week-long break whilst looking for ways to make their money go further.

Thomson is predicting that holidaymakers in 2017 will be looking to experience more during their annual holiday, resulting in the rise of the ‘microadventurer’. With a growing emphasis on experiences and people now sharing pictures and

memories more often than buying souvenirs, microadventurers are increasingly seeking a trip that lets them embrace the sense of adventure; visiting more than one destination and trying something new.

To meet this demand for microadventures, Thomson is launching multi-centre holidays for 2017 winter via its website using market leading technology with six exotic, long-haul destinations currently on sale – Costa Rica, Cuba, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Goa and our new destination Vietnam. This will be the first website in the UK where customers can design and book their own holiday visiting multiple resorts.

In the coming months holidaymakers will be able to book over 40 different multi centre types with more than 1,500 options including Tour & Stay combinations. Thomson is predicting that key destinations for multi-centre holidays will be USA, Cuba, Italy, Croatia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Thailand. Thomson is

also expecting a growth in city breaks with microadventurers looking for a shorter break but still wishing to maximise their experience.

Destinations such as New York, Las Vegas and Singapore have long been at the top of many bucket lists and are now, with the addition of Thomson’s new city breaks programme for 2017 using its partner scheduled airlines, more accessible than ever before.

Thomson expects big demand for US city breaks with more than half of its city break customers expected to book New York, Las Vegas and Miami. Closer to home, short and mid-haul beach destinations such as the Balearics, mainland Greece and the islands of Corfu and Rhodes will continue to remain firm favourites with Brits, however far flung, longhaul hotspots are again expected to top the wish list in 2017.

With more than three-quarters of people (77%) happy to travel more than nine hours to find their perfect break, many more are expected to book exotic holidays in 2017 with Vietnam, Cuba’s Cayo Santa Maria and St Lucia topping the list of predicted ‘hot’ long-haul destinations next year.

Mark Hall, Director of Product at TUI UK & Ireland, said; “2017 promises to be another exciting year for travel.

We’ve seen strong demand for our favourite destinations like Spain and Greece but this year we’ve also seen a big trend for ‘microadventurers’ looking for holidays that offer more than just a week on the beach.

Our multi-centre and city breaks programmes are catering for this demand and we’re predicting that Brits will be heading to more exotic and relatively undiscovered destinations such as Vietnam and Cayo Santa Maria.”

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Floodlit swan

evenings

WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre is hosting special Floodlit Swan Evenings every Tuesday night in January from the 10th until 24th.

Floodlit swan evenings is a great opportunity to be on site afterhours, meet the wardens and see large numbers of swans by floodlight.

During the evening you will learn all about the swans including their migration route, why they come to Martin Mere, the research we undertake and what we have learnt over the last 20 years.

Reserve Manager, Tom Clare, said: “Each swan is individual and has a unique bill pattern, similar to how humans have fingerprints as well as many of them having a ring around either their left (female) or right (male) leg which makes them very easy to identify. From this research we have been able to build up family trees, learn divorce rate in swans and get accurate information as to where they spend the summer.

It is absolutely fascinating to get to know the swans on a personal level and it is exciting when you spot a swan with a ring on its leg as you know you can find out all about it.

Evenings like floodlit swans means you can come along and learn about the swans in a lot more detail.”

You must book in advance to come along to a floodlit swan evening by calling 01704 895181. The cost for an adult is: £9.73 and a concession is:

£7.11. The evenings start at 6.30pm and last until approximately 8pm.

In other news at the centre, the centre is continuing with the swan theme by introducing a swan booklet that highlights 8 of our ringed swans for visitors to go out and search for, as well as a swan pipe in the exhibition hall for visitors to walk through a swan catch as a swan – take measurements, create your own ring and then be released back into the grounds to search for our 14 GIANT

celebrity designed Dusty Ducks.

WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre is open every day (except Christmas Day) from 9.30am to 4.30pm during winter months and parking is free of charge. Situated off the A59, it is signposted from the M61, M58 and M6. The Centre is also accessible via the Southport to Manchester and the Liverpool to Preston line by train from Burscough Rail Stations. Visit the web site http://www.wwt.org.uk/ martinmere/ to find out what’s on all year round at Martin Mere and the other eight WWT Wetland Centres

Ten reasons to visit The Lake District, Cumbria this winter

1. The Lake District, Cumbria now boasts the highest concentration of Michelin stars outside of London after Gilpin Hotel’s restaurant and new-comer Forest Side both received their first star recently.

They join The Samling, near Ambleside and Simon Rogan’s 2-star L’Enclume in Cartmel on Cumbria’s superior foodie list.

2. The brand new Christmas markets.

Both Windermere and Penrith are hosting Christmas markets for the first time this year. They are the perfect opportunity to find unique Christmas treats and precious presents or to spoil yourself, helped along by a glass of mulled wine to really get you in to the festive mood.

– Penrith’s Christmas Bazaar 2016: Sat 26th November – Sat 3rd December – Windermere Ja German Christmas Market: Sat 10 – Sun 11th December 3. Discounted theatre tickets. Watch Neil Duffield’s stage adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Nightingale at Theatre by the Lake.

The colour, movement and spectacle of Chinese theatre combine with the beauty of the nightingale’s song is a feast for the senses that will delight the whole family and get £3 off per ticket with a Love Cumbria Card.

4. Our cosy winter pubs. In every corner of the county you will find a cosy country pub, with many serving locally brewed beers. Try The Kirkstile Inn at Loweswater where their own brewery Cumbrian Legendary Ales supplies the goods, including the award winning Loweswater Gold.

5. Stunning winter walks, which can be accessed by everyone. Tarn Hows near Coniston was once owned by children’s author Beatrix Potter. Now it’s open to the public and offers an idyllic circular walk suitable for young and old. You can also hire National Trust trampers at Tarn Hows, an all-terrain mobility scooter

available for use on the circular track, free of charge.

6. Glamping is on trend. In the last five years, alternative accommodation has seen a upturn in bed spaces across Cumbria so there are plenty of options to choose from for your winter staycation. With insulation and electrical sockets, there’s no reason the winter should stop your glamping trip.

7. The funny men are coming. Venues across Cumbria are hosting a whole host of professional comedians this winter. Big names include Omid Djalili. James Acaster and Joel Dommet, fresh from the ’I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’ jungle.

A list of comedy events in Cumbria can been see the GoLakes website.

8. Indulge in your own chocolate and prosecco.

Cocoa Bean in Hawkshead is opening its chocolate factory to adults for the first time this winter. They have created special truffle making

workshops where you create 14 of your own delicate truffles for you to take home or if you can’t wait, enjoy them there and then with a glass or two of complimentary prosecco. (18th November, 7th and 14th December) 9. We have our own Christmas spirits.

The Lakes Distillery on the shores of Bassenthwaite has, in only two years, created an award winning portfolio of distilled spirits including; The ONE blended whisky, The Lakes Gin, The Lakes Vodka and new this year The Lakes Sloe Gin and The Lakes Damson Gin. The very first batch of Lakes Malt Whisky will be available from 2018.

10. The Lakes – well, obviously.

A visit to The Lake District, Cumbria wouldn’t be complete without experiencing a lake.

Whether it’s Coniston, Windermere, Ullswater, or Derwentwater you can join a launch or steamer service and take a relaxing, sightseeing cruise on the water.

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CANARY ISLANDS MOST POPULAR FOR BRITS THIS WINTER

BUT MAJORCA & PHUKET OFFER BIGGEST SAVINGS

TripAdvisor Winter Holiday Value Report Highlights Most Booked Destinations for Winter Spain boasts five of the top ten most popular destinations for Brits travelling abroad this winter, according to the travel and booking site, TripAdvisor.

The Canary Islands come out on top with Tenerife at number one, followed

by Lanzarote and Gran Canaria respectively, while Fuerteventura comes in seventh. Flying the flag for the Balearics is Majorca coming in tenth. The TripAdvisor Winter

Holiday Value report published today reveals the ten most popular destinations for British holidaygoers this winter travel period (1 Jan – 31 Mar 2017), based on booking interest, along with the average one-week holiday costs for hotels, airfare, meals and attractions.

The seasonal report helps travellers discover savings at these destinations by highlighting the least expensive week to visit, highly-rated value hotels and must-see bookable attractions on TripAdvisor.

Lanzarote offers Brits best bargain

When comparing the average cost of a week’s holiday among the ten destinations over the winter travel period, Lanzarote offers the lowest cost overall at £1,268.

When looking at specific travel dates, a winter holiday to Lanzarote is still the cheapest on offer compared to other destinations but travellers can enjoy a saving of £46 compared to the average price if they book on TripAdvisor for the week of 20th February, with prices coming in at £1,222 that week.

Fuerteventura offers the second best

bargain on average this winter and also comes in second when looking at specific dates. If travelling on mid-January, Brits can book a trip to Fuerteventura on TripAdvisor for £1,293 versus the average price of £1,368, making a saving of £75.

Biggest savings made when booking Majorca and Phuket While Lanzarote cements its position as the cheapest winter getaway destination this year, Brits can still enjoy big savings on some of the more expensive destinations if they pick their dates wisely. While Phuket and Majorca are

the fourth and fifth most expensive destinations on average respectively, they also offer some of the biggest range in prices during the winter season – meaning significant savings for those travellers who opt for the cheapest weeks available.

If travelling to Majorca at the end of March, for example, travellers will save over £200 (13%) booking on TripAdvisor compared to the average price, while Phuket can be booked for £164 (10%) less than the average when travelling in mid-February.

“This report proves that travellers

who plan ahead and are willing to be flexible can reap the rewards, with savings of up to £200 on offer during the winter months.

While Lanzarote offers the cheapest winter getaway this year, those far flung destinations don’t need to be off limits.

For example, if travelling the week of 23rd January, you can book a trip to New York on TripAdvisor and save over £160 against the average cost over the rest of the winter,” advised Hayley Coleman, TripAdvisor spokesperson.

ABTA reveals top five scams as busiest holiday sales period gets underway

As the busiest holidays sales period of the year kicks off, ABTA is warning holidaymakers about the risks of booking with fraudulent companies, after seeing an increase in fake websites, online scams and noncompliant travel companies that have no financial protection in place.

With a third of summer holidays typically booked during January and February, ABTA is concerned that people looking for a bargain may be duped by fraudsters – travel fraud is up 425% year on year and costs holidaymakers £11.5 million according to the City of London Police*.

ABTA has put together the following list of warning scams and signs to look out for: Businesses not providing financial protection

In 2016 more than 100 travel businesses were identified by ABTA as selling package holidays without having proper financial protection in place, and referred to the relevant authorities. All package holidays sold in the UK should include protection, where holidaymakers are not only entitled to a refund or repatriation, should their travel company go out of business, but also other specific legal rights, should there be a problem with the holiday. All ABTA Members provide protection for their package holidays. People booking a holiday that is ATOL protected should always receive an ATOL Certificate.

Scam websites Some websites are set up purely to defraud customers, and these scam or fraudulent websites are an area of growing concern for ABTA. On

a legitimate website, there should be a locked padlock symbol in the browser window frame, which appears when you attempt to make an online payment, or the web address should begin with ‘https://’.

Cloned websites These are websites that are copies of a genuine site with subtle changes made. Fraudsters can clone legitimate websites but will change the last part of the web address, such as from . co.uk to .org. They can also produce a realistic-looking website, but with the spelling of the address slightly different from that of the authentic site. Check that the website address that appears in the top window is correct. If you are suspicious of a website, carry out a web search to see if you can find out whether or not it is fraudulent.

Payment via bank transfers. Be suspicious when the only payment option is a bank transfer. Not only is this an indication that no bank is prepared to provide credit card facilities, but if you are dealing with a scammer it will be virtually impossible to get your money back.

False credentials Some fraudulent companies may falsely use logos of official bodies such as ATOL, or of organisations such as ABTA and IATA. If the company you are using claims to be a member of a trade association, you should be able to easily verify membership on the trade association’s website, for example on https://abta. com/find-a-member.

Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, commented: “Booking a holiday should be an exciting experience,

however it can be ruined by clever and unscrupulous scams. We have seen a significant increase in fraudulent activity over the past year, so we are encouraging all holidaymakers to stop and think about the company they are booking with.

I would encourage people to book with an ABTA travel company, so they can rest assured that their holiday company is genuine and covered by our Code of Conduct.”

ABTA is launching a nationwide advertising campaign today (4 January) in response to the growing issue of fraudulent websites, online scams and non-compliant travel companies that have no financial protection in place. The advertising will promote ABTA’s ‘Travel with confidence’ message and encourage consumers to book with an ABTA travel company during the busiest holiday sales period of the year.

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Campaign promotes

benefits of breastfeeding

St Helens Council’s Healthy Living Team has launched a new campaign to promote breastfeeding and its benefits for mum and baby.

The campaign, called ‘Your Story Your Milk’, has been developed following insight work, which gathered local people’s views on breastfeeding and discovered what information mums, mums-to-be and families would like about breastfeeding.

The campaign highlights key benefits such as protecting babies from tummy bugs, reducing the risk of breast cancer and helping mums to bond with their baby.

Stories from local mums and dads about their experiences of breastfeeding are also being shared in the hope that they will reach out to others and encourage them to

continue or take up breastfeeding.

Councillor Jeanie Bell, portfolio holder for children, families, young people and education, said: “This is a fantastic campaign providing mums with an informed choice for infant feeding.

Being a mum myself, I only wish that I had the same information and support when I had my children.

“Breastfeeding provides babies with the best start in life, with a whole range of health benefits including the reduced risk of respiratory infections - and, it’s completely free and readily available. I hope the campaign encourages more mums to breastfeed.”

The campaign also promotes the Healthy Living Infant Feeding Team, who provide breastfeeding support for mums and mums-to-be,

breastfeeding support groups and accredit premises with the ‘Baby Welcome’ status, which shows that the venue welcomes mums to breastfeed.

One local mum said: “I would like to thank the team for all the support they’ve given me, they’ve been amazing.

With my first two children I did try to breastfeed but I struggled and wasn’t able to continue. With my third I was determined to breastfeed and 8 weeks later, we’re still breastfeeding and it’s all thanks to the support from the team.”

If you would like more information about the breastfeeding support on offer, call the Healthy Living Team on 0300 300 0103 or visit: www. healthysthelens.co.uk/our-services/ infant-feeding/

A PORTAL TO THE PAST

FOR PEOPLE LIVING

WITH DEMENTIA

People living with dementia in Oldham can now return to yesteryear in a nostalgic 1950s-inspired room which helps trigger old and new memories.

Thought to be the first of its kind in Oldham, the memory room is decorated exactly as a home would be over sixty years ago.

It is located at Trinity House on Godson Street – an Oldham Council Extra Care housing scheme which is independent living flats for people with some care and support needs.

The room is full of 1950s memorabilia and decor; including a black and white television,

newspapers and posters from yesteryear and a record player playing familiar music.

The time-warp room helps people living with dementia relax and feel comfortable through triggering memories from their past.

Cllr Jenny Harrison, Cabinet Member for Social Care and Safeguarding, said: “Dementia is such a difficult condition for those who have it and it’s heart-breaking for their families and carers. We must do everything we can to help those with this cruel condition have the best quality of life they can.

“That’s why I’m so impressed with this memory room. The amount

of time and effort that has gone into it is remarkable and if this gives someone just one precious memory back then it has been well worth it.” The room was made possible through donations of both money and old artefacts from staff, members of the public and Oldham Masonic Hall and Horton Lodge.

It is available to anyone affected by dementia locally and can be booked by contacting Jodie Ashton on 03701924286.

For more information on dementia and the support available locally for those affected, email donna. atherton@ageukoldham.org.uk or call 0161 622 933.

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TEACHING IS A NEW YEAR RESOLUTION FOR MANY

IN LANCASHIRE IN THE JANUARY JOBS MARKET

Package of support available for people looking for a new, rewarding career The trend of New Year career resolutions looks set to be as popular as ever with data from last January (2016) showing online search terms relating to “new job” the highest in the last five years.

Figures from the national Get into Teaching campaign support this trend. January was the busiest month in the 2015/16 academic year with almost 2400 registrations of interest

in teaching from people in the North West – including nearly 1600 from people currently working in other fields.

As the New Year dawns, many people in Lancashire may be considering different careers that will be more fulfilling in 2017. Separate research*** carried out recently on behalf of the national Get into Teaching campaign shows that less a third (31%) of non-teachers feel they have the opportunity to inspire people every day – compared to two thirds

(68%) of teachers. Former lawyer Helen Winter, Assistant Headteacher and Director of Teaching School at Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy in Croston, Lancashire, said: “I’d always been interested in teaching, but my life took me in a different direction for a while.

Although having already pursued a successful career as a lawyer for nearly ten years, I decided that I needed a new challenge to focus on, and so the time felt right to research a career in teaching. I looked online at the practicalities of training to be a teacher in Lancashire and what the job would entail day-to-day, whilst deciding on the best next steps. I registered my interest, and am now a fully qualified teacher. “I’ve not looked back and I absolutely love being a teacher. The moments I get to be part of – for example when something clicks for a pupil for the first time - are priceless, and often give me goosebumps. I’m proud of the job I do each day and of the decision I took to pursue a different career.

My work life now is very different to the one I used to lead, which is a positive change for me. I’d advise other people who are looking for a rewarding career change to consider teaching too – especially if you enjoy working with young people, are interested in a particular subject area or are keen to find a career path with a wide range of opportunities.”

Commenting on the findings, Roger Pope, Chair of the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL),

an executive agency that provides a comprehensive programme of support to aspiring teachers, said: “Naturally New Year marks a time of reflection and ambition setting, especially when it comes to jobs and careers.

If people are not feeling fulfilled in their current role, they may wish to shake off the January blues by considering teaching and taking their skills and experience into the classroom. Teaching is a fantastic career as it gives you the opportunity to inspire young people to fulfil their potential. It is also a career that offers great opportunities for progression, so you could make a real difference this year to both your future as well as theirs.”

To support the latest generation of new year career changers, NCTL is hosting six online events this month, which are specifically designed to show what teaching can offer, the routes into the profession and the financial support packages on offer for those making the change from established careers: Tuesday 17 January, 6.30-8pm: Managing a career change into teaching: shared experiences Thursday 19 January, 6.30-8pm: Gaining school experience as a career changer Monday 23 January, 6.30-8pm: Professional skills tests Wednesday 25 January, 6.30-8pm: Support with your application To help attract people with the passion and potential to be

exceptional teachers, tax-free bursaries and scholarships are now available in a range of subjects. For example, trainees in physics can receive a bursary or scholarship of up to £30,000 while they train.

Scholarships worth £27,500 are also

on offer for chemistry, computing, geography, maths and modern foreign languages.

Anyone looking for more information about getting into teaching should visit www.education.gov.uk/ getintoteaching or call 0800 389 2500

Twit T’woo Tutoring

The Story Frog Early Literacy Course has been designed by an early years specialist, qualified teacher and mum to give you and your child the best foundation required to understand the process of young children learning to read and write through phonics and early literacy skills.

Not only does this course aim to encourage children and empower parents but it offers an understanding and overview of the skills and knowledge young children can acquire in preparation for entry to school, in line with expectations outlined in the Early Years Curriculum. Story Frog Phonics is a wonderful introduction to the very earliest sounds for reading and writing. All children develop and learn at different rates and consolidate what they know through play, which is the most important part of their learning.

This phonics course has been designed to help you, the parent or caregiver, provide your child with the necessary opportunities to learn early sounds and literacy

skills. What is clear is that when children begin school having been introduced to these sounds and the associated skills, they have a far greater chance of reaching and exceeding their potential in reading as they work their way through school. The course is designed to be delivered to children from age 2 and up, although children will gain different skills and progress at different rates depending on their age. In addition to reading and writing skills: fine and gross motor skills, messy play, creative play and language are all included within the sessions as they are fundamental for your child’s development and enjoyment. Sessions are at Little Munchkins Activity Café, Cavendish Street, Skipton, BD23 2AB every Monday and Thursday from 10 – 11am. Here you will find a ground floor pram park, sensory texture trays, ball pool and specialist Children’s menus made from locally sourced produce and homemade on site – why not stay for a play and some lunch after the phonics session?

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Hameed nominated for British Ethnic Diversity Sports Award

Roses rivals Haseeb Hameed and Azeem Rafiq have been nominated to maintain cricket’s consistent presence at the Lycamobile British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards in 2017.

Hameed, who became England’s youngest-ever opening batsman when he made his Test debut in India last November after an outstanding summer in county cricket with Lancashire, is one of three contenders for the Youth Sports Trust Young Sportsperson of the Year.

And Rafiq, a 25-year-old offspinner from Barnsley who represented England at junior levels, is in

contention for the UK Sport Inspirational Performance of the Year in recognition of his comeback with Yorkshire last summer after two years out of the game for personal reasons.

England fast-bowling coach Ottis Gibson has also been nominated in the England Athletics Coach of the Year category with Brighton football manager Chris Hughton and Sunil Birdy from the Paralympic sport of Boccia.

They follow in the foosteps of Moeen Ali, who was named Sportsman of the Year at the inaugural BEDSAs in 2015, and Adil Rashid, who was

one of the three contenders for the main male award won by Lewis Hamilton last year. Sir Mo Farah, England rugby union forward Maro Itoje, Olympic Taekwondo silver medallist Lutalo Muhamad and gold medal winning rower Mohamed Sbihi are shortlisted for the Sportsman of the Year award for 2016.

Three Olympians - Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, boxer Nicola Adams and hockey player Sam Quek – are joined

by Rio Paralympic gold medalist Kadeena Cox on the shortlist for Sportswoman of the Year.

The awards are organised by

Sporting Equals, the national partner of Sport England and advisors to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, to recognise and celebrate sporting excellence within Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony hosted by Sir Lenny Henry at the London Hilton Park Lane Hotel on Saturday March 18th.

The judging panel included Leicestershire chief executive Wasim Khan, and former Surrey and England opener Mark Butcher, as well as former England footballer

Rising Reds star repays Rainhill

High with signed debut shirt

Liverpool FC defender, Trent Alexander Arnold, paid a special visit to his old school to present a personalised signed shirt to his former teachers and students as a thank you for their support during his time at school.

Reds full back, Alexander Arnold, joined Rainhill High aged 12 and recently returned to participate in a specially organised assembly, before handing over the signed shirt he made his professional debut in back in October 2016; a 2-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup. After participating in the presentation, Alexander Arnold, said: “I had a fantastic six years at Rainhill High School and cannot thank the teachers and

staff enough for their support. They really helped me to balance playing football at the Academy, while making sure I got an excellent education, so I would like to personally thank them.”

“To be able to visit the school as a first team player makes me immensely proud and I think that getting a good education is really important in any walk of life, so I would encourage any of the current students to take school as seriously as possible.”

Rainhill High School Headteacher, John Pout, said: “It is brilliant to be able to welcome Trent back to the school to meet some of the younger students and to receive a special signed shirt. Trent has an excellent attitude, got excellent GCSE results, is a polite young man and I am delighted that he is doing so well with LFC. We have a fantastic relationship with Liverpool FC which has existed for eight years now and it makes us immensely proud to see Trent and fellow former students Sheyi (Ojo) and Jordon (Ibe) making their debuts for the first team.”

Sol Campbell, Olympic athletes Derek Redmond and Jason Gardner MBE, and Channel 4 Paralympics host Ade Adepitan MBE. Densign White, Sporting Equals Chairman and three-time judo Olympian, said: "We

are delighted by the quality of our shortlist for the 2017 BEDSAs and looking forward to celebrating all that is good in BAME sport at the Hilton Park Lane with Sir Lenny Henry and our esteemed sporting guests."

Page 36. Issue 27. Lancashire Local

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Preston North End’s New Year soccer school once

again saw members of the PNE first-team squad pop in to surprise participants at PNE's Community Training Centre Hendrie Extends

New signings Tom Barkhuizen, Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle made their first appearance at our popular soccer schools, and they were joined by Jordan Hugill, Mathew Hudson, Aiden McGeady, Tommy Spurr, Liam Grimshaw, John Welsh

and Calum Woods who met kids of all ages who’d been enjoying non stop football delivered by the Community and Education Trust.

Participants left with signatures and smiles on their faces as well as gaining an insight into the life of a footballer

with the players stopping by for a quick question and answer session.

Fresh from PNE's New Year Soccer School, the Community and Education Trust are taking bookings for February's half-term holiday camps which is just over a month away.

PNE's soccer schools are the perfect way to keep your kids busy throughout the February half-term break which begins on Monday 13th February and runs till Friday 17th February.

Participants can enjoy a schedule of non stop football at PlayFootball, Ingol (PR2 3TX) but if it’s not football that interests your child, we also offer an activity zone as an alternative where youngsters are kept busy with multi-sports, arts and crafts and much more with parents utilising our holiday camps as affordable childcare.

As with all of our holiday camps, participants will be joined by the PNE first-team squad during the February halfterm, subject to training schedules and availability.

It’s £12 a day, or parents can take advantage of our discount where participants can book on for the full five days for £50!

To book, or to speak to a member of the team at PNE Community and Education Trust, call 01772 693309 or email community@pne. com.

Killie Stay

Full-back Luke Hendrie has extended his loan at Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock until 31 May, 2017.

Hendrie, 22, has enjoyed a successful six months with Killie, making 18 starts, following previous loan spells at Sky Bet League Two sides Hartlepool United and York City.

Meanwhile, defender Alex Whitmore is back at Turf moor at the conclusion of his six-month loan at league Two Morecambe.

The former Youth Team captain, who joined the Clarets in 2012 as a first-year scholar, made 23 appearances at The Globe Arena.

YOUR LOCAL TEAMS FESTIVE FIXTURES

MANCHESTER UNITED Sun 15th Jan LIVERPOOL (HOME) PREMIER LEAGUE Sat 21st Jan STOKE CITY (AWAY) PREMIER LEAGUE Thu 26th Jan HULL CITY (AWAY) EFL CUP SEMI FINAL 2nd LEG Sat 28th Jan WIGAN ATHLETIC (HOME) FA CUP 4th ROUND MANCHESTER CITY Sun 15th Jan Everton (AWAY) PREMIER LEAGUE Sat 21st Jan Tottenham (HOME) PREMIER LEAGUE Sat 28th Jan Bolton or Crystal Palace (AWAY) FA CUP 4th ROUND

Wed 1st Feb West Ham (AWAY) PREMIER BURNLEY Sat 14th Jan Southampton (HOME) PREMIER LEAGUE Tue 17th Jan Sunderland (HOME) FA C 3rd ROUND REPLAY Sun 22nd Jan Arsenal (AWAY) PREMIER LEAGUE Tue 31st Jan Leicester (HOME) PREMIER LEAGUE BLACKBURN ROVERS Sat 14th Jan Ipswich (AWAY) CHAMPIONSHIP Sat 21st Jan Birmingham (HOME) CHAMPIONSHIP Sat 28th Jan Barnsley or Blackpool (HOME) FA CUP 4th ROUND

Weds 1st Feb Leeds (HOME) CHAMPIONSHIP PRESTON NORTH END Sat 14th Jan Brighton (HOME) CHAMPIONSHIP Sat 21st Jan Aston Villa (AWAY) CHAMPIONSHIP Sat 28th Jan Ipswich (HOME) CHAMPIONSHIP Tue 31st Jan Cardiff (AWAY) CHAMPIONSHIP WIGAN ATHLETIC Sat 14th Jan Burton Albion (AWAY) CHAMPIONSHIP Sat 21st Jan Brentford (HOME) CHAMPIONSHIP Sat 28th Jan Man United (AWAY) FA CUP 4th ROUND

Tue 31st Jan Norwich City (HOME) CHAMPIONSHIP BOLTON WANDERERS Sat 14th Jan Swindon (HOME) LEAGUE 1 Tue 17th Jan Crystal Palace (AWAY) FA CUP 3rd ROUND REPLAY Sat 21st Jan Southend (AWAY) LEAGUE 1 Sat 28th Jan Charlton (HOME) LEAGUE 1 ACCRINGTON STANLEY Sat 14th Jan Cheltenham (AWAY) LEAGUE 2 Sat 21st Jan Carlisle (HOME) LEAGUE 2 Sat 28th Jan Middlesbrough (AWAY) FA CUP 4th ROUND

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