Contours Day Spa

Contours Day Spa BySarah Ridgway

This week we spoke to the owner of Contours Day Spa Lesley Barrow who has over 32 years of experience in the beauty and holistic sector.

The luxurious spa facilities include a private spa suite, seven treatment rooms, an outdoor hot tub and on-site plantbased restaurant and much more. Nestled in the gorgeous Lancashire countryside, Contours is the perfect spot to feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

What sets Contours apart from other Spas in the area?

The beautiful location was a large factor, so when this place came up for sale, I wanted it straight away as I have lived in Wheelton most of my life and knew it well. It is perfectly located as it is rural which fits our holistic theme perfectly but immediate access to the M61, M65 or the M6 makes it easy to reach. Contours is also a private and exclusive spa so rather than sharing your day with hundreds of people, which is not always relaxing with everyone chatting, you can come with your best friend, partner or whoever as it is a minimum of two people and have exclusive use of the spa. Our experience is more personal as you get the spa to yourself, which is also a popular choice with many faiths that prefer privacy. Our key thing is private use so nobody will be in the spa when you are, and all clients enjoy full one-hour treatments with their chosen package. We have an onsite restaurant Whins Green Kitchen offering delicious plant-based food, including breakfast, vegan afternoon tea and a la carte menu that changes every eight weeks depending on the season.

Tell us about your existing team of therapists and what’s on offer?

We have a fantastic team of 8 therapists with a wealth of experience in holistic and beauty treatments and

seven treatment rooms. We offer massages, facials, and spa treatments but also more specialised treatments such as CACI a non-surgical facelift, Radio Frequency Skin Tightening which is exclusive to us, Omnilux regenerating light facials, MicroNeedling - so much more choice than your basic spa. Tell us about your holistic treatments

We offer a Holistic-Hopi Ear Candling Treatment which soothes and releases tension. It is a traditional treatment that helps to clear sinuses, head pain, clear blockages from the ear to balance the head and the mind. We also do sea clay body wraps, hot stone massages and other types of massages to suit all requirements. I used to teach this profession at Blackburn College, and I am still an assessor and internal verifier, so I train many of my spa therapists and currently work in the salon three days a week. Which products/brands do the spa use and why?

Everything in the salon and restaurant is vegan which aligns with our ethos as a business. We use ESPA products and Delilah make up which are all vegan and contain no animal products or test on animals. ESPA products are all recycled, and we refill the glass containers they provide.

You offer very affordable wedding make up packages, tell us about them:

I started my career with Estee Lauder on their makeup counter when I was 16 years old. It was normal for me to do at least 10 make up looks a day on different people. I am the make-up artist for wedding and prom makeup, and we have an on-site hairdresser. It is a very good and affordable package and keeps us busy.

WHINS GREEN KITCHEN

Tell us about Whins Green Kitchen

There are not many vegan restaurants in this area, so it attracts people from all over not just the locally. Absolutely everything on the menu is plant-based except for local free eggs which we offer at breakfast. The kitchen opened in December 2019 and has been open sporadically due to lockdowns. During that time, we were still able to offer takeaways, hot drinks, cakes etc to keep it going so are relieved to be fully open again. We have just acquired our evening licence to open Fridays and Saturdays, so we are expecting to be booked up and busy which is exciting. What should people expect from the menu?

My partner David and I are the creative team from devising the recipes, taste testing, to the presentation we do it all. I have been a vegetarian since I was 13 and vegan since I was 21 when it was a much harder time to be vegan but now it is much easier with so much on offer and we want to get that message out. Our aim is to veganise people’s favourite dishes, so everything that people love to eat just without meat and animal products. We have lots of traditional wellloved British dishes on the menu but our vegan version of them and our best-selling dish by far is the Vegan Wellington, which is unique to us. It is packed with lentils, walnuts, chickpeas, perfectly seasoned and mixed in a homemade puff pastry accompanied by gravy and roast potatoes, it is just gorgeous. The Whin Burger is also very popular and is a pea protein that looks just like meat. Other dishes on the menu include cottage pie, Thai veg curry, fajitas, beetroot risotto, and a full Christmas dinner. Our vegan afternoon tea is very special, with delicious cakes and club sandwiches made with aubergine bacon and vegan scones made with soya milk which are super creamy and very popular. We got voted the Best Vegetarian Restaurant in the North West during National Vegetarian Week, even though we

are plant-based, and cater to allergies offering gluten and dairy-free options etc. The menu changes around every 8 weeks dependent on the season and has had great feedback on everything so far which is rewarding.

Funding from the European Agricultural Fund for rural development, how has that been used and invested in the business?

We received some money from The Agricultural Fund whose aim is to help create local employment opportunities in the greenbelt. We now employ a team of 14 people in the restaurant from the local community, so nearly everybody that works for us can walk or cycle to work which is great for the environment too. We support local businesses by buying our produce from local farmers, milkmen, and suppliers, we recycle everything, and all our dishes are made on-site keeping our carbon footprint small in the process.

Finally, what is new for Whins Green Kitchen in 2022?

We are looking forward to opening Friday and Saturday evenings and will be expanding the team as we start getting back to normality. We will hold something special for Valentine’s Day, and in the warmer weather the outdoor terrace will open, we have a pizza oven and will offer hot dogs and burgers etc. so that will keep us busy for the foreseeable future. Contours Day Spa M Whins Barn

Whins Lane

Wheelton

Chorley

Lancashire

PR6 8HN N 01254 831111 E contoursdayspa@hotmail.co.uk D www.contoursdayspa.co.uk F @contours.dayspa T @contoursdayspa

HYNDBURN

By Sarah Ridgway

The Lancashire Borough takes its name from the River Hyndburn of which its towns lie alongside. It is situated between Blackburn and Burnley, with the Forest of Rossendale to the south and Ribble Valley to the north. The administrative council is based in the borough’s largest town of Accrington, which holds 50% of Hyndburn’s population.

The area proudly maintains a strong sense of community, with several local charities supporting its residents. It is a place of innovation with the first handpowered spinning wheel originating in Oswaldtwistle and the “The Nori Brick” produced in Accrington formed the foundations of Blackpool Tower. Karrimor International, the well-known manufacturer of outdoor clothing and equipment was founded in nearby Clayton Le-Moors in 1946. In 2003, Sports Direct acquired the trademark and the brand is still sold throughout their stores nationwide.

Redevelopment and Investment

Accrington Town is set to receive a £70m investment to transform the town’s-tired retail centre and has proposed a plan to attract new residents by building up to 140 new homes. The huge injection of money hopes to generate up to £9.6 million each year for the local economy, encourage more visitors annually and create hundreds of new employment opportunities. The 10–15-year plan will prioritise sustainability to create better environmental quality in the town. According to Government data, some areas of Hyndburn are amongst Lancashire’s most deprived areas and the ambitious plans have garnered some criticism from other areas of the borough. Great Harwood councillor Patrick McGinley raised concerns that the other 50% of people in the surrounding area won’t benefit from the investment. Innovation: The Spinning Jenny

In 1764 cotton weaver James Hargreaves from Oswaldtwistle developed a concept for a handpowered spinning wheel that could spin eight threads simultaneously, greatly reducing the workload of producing yarn. Named the Spinning Jenny, after his daughter, it was a huge step towards the industrial revolution, and later production would advance to spinning eighty threads. In 1768 several Spinning Jenny’s were destroyed when a group of hand spinners broke into Hargreaves’ home. Fearing the invention would result in them being replaced and without employment, the group set out to destroy their competitor. The incident sparked Hargreaves to leave the area and he relocated to Nottingham where he opened a small mill using his Jenny’s to spin yarn for hosiery, in 1770 his Spinning Jenny received a British patent.

The Accrington Brick

What does Accrington have in common with the iconic Empire State in New York? The answer is bricks. Thousands of the Accrington Bricks better known as the “Nori Brick” built the foundations of what was the tallest building in the world until 1970 standing at 1,454 feet. The Nori brick, world-renowned as the hardest brick on the market due to the clay used to manufacture them, was of the highest strength, acid-resistant and a distinct red colour. First produced in Altham by the Accrington Brick and Tile Company Ltd from 1887 till its closure in 2008, after coming back into fashion in 2015 the factory’s doors reopened and former Prime Minister David Cameron made a stop at the factory during an election campaign visit to the area. The Lancashire brick is used in several structures such as Battersea Power Station, Blackpool Tower and thousands of factories, schools, and homes throughout the north of England. The 11th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment better known as the Accrington Pals were a group of friends from the town who enlisted to form a volunteer battalion during the First World War. In response to Kitchener’s call for volunteer armies nationwide, the battalion recruited 1,100 local men by September 1914. The men would perform their training drills throughout the town and the much-loved soldiers were given a grand send-off when they departed for their official training at Caernarvon in North Wales in 1915. On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July 1916 tragedy struck, resulting in over 600 casualties and several deaths. Accrington lay devastated and much of the town was affected by the loss of many husbands, sons, brothers, and friends killed on the battlefield. The Accrington Observer & Times reported after that there wasn’t a street in the Accrington district that didn’t have their curtains drawn as the bell at Christ Church tolled in the men’s memory for the entire day. The battalion gallantly re-assembled and was in action until the end of the war, a memorial chapel at St John’s is dedicated to their service.

Julie Hensmondhalgh: From the Streets of Accrington to the Country’s most Famous Street

Julie Hesmondhalgh was born in Accrington in 1970 and is best known for playing well-loved Hayley Cropper on Coronation Street from 1998-2014. A proud Accrington local and a huge part of the community, the actress was made a Freeman of the Borough of Hyndburn in 2015 with a glitzy ceremony celebrating her career and achievements. Life began on Rough Lee Road, where the actress resided with her parents and brother in a modest two up two down terrace house. Her father left school early due to extenuating circumstances but was described as a very spiritual man who wrote wonderful poetry, and his love of books and music filled the house. Her father worked at Crowns Paints, Darwen and her mother at an engineering firm at the end of their street in-office roles. Julie’s older brother Dave went on to attend Oxford University and is a professor. After attending Accrington and Rossendale College the aspiring actress applied for drama school and aged 18 was accepted at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. After graduation, she won parts in The Bill, Catherine Cookson’s The Dwelling Place and Victoria Wood’s comedy film Pat and Margaret which also starred Julie Walters. In January 1998 the actress made her first ground-breaking appearance on the famous cobbles of Coronation Street as Hayley Patterson the first transgender character in a British soap. Hayley was involved in several dramatic storylines including one concerning a gender transition but will be fondly remembered as one half of a much-loved couple with Roy Cropper who she married in 2010 becoming Hayley Cropper. The actress is a patron of Trans Media Watch a charity that aims to improve media coverage of transgender and intersex issues. On 20th January 2014, nearly 10 million tuned in to watch Hayley’s final scenes, suffering from pancreatic cancer Hayley took a lethal cocktail and died by suicide in the arms of her beloved Roy’s arms. That year Julie won a National Television Award which she shared with her co-star of 15 years David Neilson. After the credits rolled the actress worked with pancreatic cancer charities and attended a parliamentary debate regarding the subject in 2014. After hanging up Hayley’s iconic red anorak the actress cocooned herself into a cottage in the Lake District with her dog and her father’s diaries which spanned from 1946. Over a few days of solace, the actress devoured her father’s diaries and poetry, later developing them into a play which she showcased to a soldout audience including her mum and brother above a Manchester pub. In 2015 Hesmodhalgh undertook a role in the BBC film, Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster about the murder of 20-year-old Sophie who was kicked to death in a Lancashire Park in an unprovoked attack while out with her boyfriend. Julie played Sophie’s mother and became friends with the real-life Sylvia Lancaster and is patron of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. That year the actress took home the Royal Television Award for Best Female Actor in a Drama for the role.

Heart of the Community: Maundy Relief Charity

Maundy Relief is a registered charity that aims to help anyone in need whether it be from physical, emotional, or mental health. The organisation began in an Accrington printers’ shop in 1998 when three people, Sister Dorothy McGregor, the Rev Len Singleton and Alan Freeman met by chance. After witnessing the struggles and division between the rich and poor in the community the trio pledged to help. Starting with homemade food parcels their services extended to offering a friendly ear to those who needed a friend and today Maundy Relief is a registered charity providing social care and is a wellrespected part of the community. Services include counselling which operates Monday to Friday on a contribution basis, but they state inability to pay will not block use of the service. The Maundy Relief Key Scheme is another service that assists in finding suitable accommodation and helping with the tenancy paperwork. The charity offers a free community lunch Monday to Saturday and provides food parcels at their drop-in centre. The Maundy Relief charity shop uses its profits to help run the charity but relies on its volunteers and donations to operate so ongoing fundraising is ever prevalent. In December 2020, Accrington Stanley chairman Andy Holt met Lucy Hardwick, manager of Maundy Relief at the club’s foodbank collection. Holt gave Lucy £100 and challenged her to turn it into £500. The charity utilised the money by purchasing chocolates and baskets to create chocolate hampers that were sold at the Accrington Christmas Light Switch On. The hampers raised £478; a supporter very generously doubled it making the total an incredible £1,000 for the charity. In 2020 this special charity received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Award, an MBE for volunteer groups and the highest award given to charities.

THINGS TO DO IN HYNDBURN

Crack the Clues at the Whalley Spy Mission Treasure Trail

Sharpen your minds as you prepare to walk the secret Whalley Spy Mission Trail.

A great day out with friends or with the whole family (not pram friendly) the trail stretches two miles and takes approximately 2 hours to complete but can be done entirely at your own pace. Each group will need to purchase a Trail Booklet, (one is suitable for 4-5 people) from the website to test the imaginations and crack those clues. If some of the clues leave you completely baffled, don’t worry there is a free mobile phone text service to reveal the answers so the mission will be completed.

The Lancashire mills are packed to the rafters with fun things for children and grown-ups to enjoy including crazy golf, several soft play areas, museums, and art galleries. Mini golfers can enjoy the views as the 12-hole mini-golf course journeys through a wildfowl reserve so spot local birds while you putt. The children can run riot at the Mr Bubbles play area that is set across 10 multiple levels and suitable up to age 10. After all that activity time, soak up some local knowledge at the display areas about Oswaldtwistle and the history of the mill. Finish your day by indulging in some retail therapy with over 80 discount outlets to choose from. The stunning cycle route offers a congestion-free trail that is also perfect for walkers. Along the way, you will come across local sites such as the Haworth Art Gallery, Accrington Water Park, old mills, and canals. There are several routes to choose from taking you through Baxenden, Accrington Town Centre, Church, Rishton and Great Harwood.

Soak up some Local Culture at the Haworth Art Gallery and Artists’ Studio

The Haworth Art Gallery is housed in a grand Tudor Style house dating back to 1909 and the home of William Haworth, a textile manufacturer. The house lies in nine acres of luscious parkland and is a popular wedding venue choice and a great day out for culture vultures alike. The museum boasts the largest collection of Tiffany glass in Europe, the collection which includes jewels, glass tiles and mosaics was gifted to the museum by design apprentice Joseph Briggs. Briggs emigrated to the United States from Accrington aged 17, after working for Tiffany for 40 years, in 1933 he sent his collection of Tiffany home to Accrington. The art gallery houses a collection of stunning paintings from the 18th and 19th Centuries and a collection of watercolours. The old stables are now transformed into artist’s studios that hold workshops, exhibitions, and events throughout the year. End your visit with a stop at The Gallery Kitchen for some afternoon tea.