The Lancashire & North West Magazine | February 2022 by The Lancashire & North West Magazine

February 2022

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Designer Living in a countryside setting with Create Homes A FRESH START WITH Lakeland

with Balance Counselling and Coaching Ltd

Bespoke Understairs Storage By Giobella

MIRANDA CHRISTOPHER My Obvious Next Step...

Put your life in balance

PLUMBS Quality that speaks for itself

Out with the old

in with the Newberry

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CONTENTS...

126

136

146

Knutsford

Poulton-le-Fylde

Rawtenstall

Features 10

92 154

118

Murder Mystery

Shor Story Competitio 30 Wan t se your story published i th Lancashir & North Wes Magazin? Simply send us a 2,000 word murder mystery short story and submit to: editorial@lancashiremagazine.co.uk by April 29th 2022. If your story is short-listed, you will be notiﬁed and we will ask you to send a photo of yourself and a brief biography by email.

206

National Heart Charity Grants Over £6,000 To Cheshire-Based Exercise Project For People With MuscleWasting Conditions

150 Award For Youth Group’s Campaigns For Nature

Designer living in a countryside setting

An extended profile on Sir Robert Walpole

152 Crabs and Lobsters Unite the Parties and Move One Step Closer to Being Included in UK Law

LUXURY HOMES THAT LAST A LIFETIME

154 DALISO CHAPONDA: APOCALYPSE NOT NOW Tour 2021/2022

“Lying here, wasting away”… not The Royston Club

156 Bring The Lion In This Winter

Murder Mystery Short Story Competiton

Creating Bespoke and Revolutionary Storage Solutions for Your Home

South Liverpool Homes Take Centre Stage For National Campaign

Plumbs

Redrow Launches Larger Family Homes at ‘The Orchards’ in Fulwood

Woodford Luxury Apartments Give Retired Couple a ‘New Lease of Life’

Sooner or Later

WHAT IS COSTCO?

Frederick’s Ice Cream

HEALTHIER HEART – HAPPIER LIFE

WHY I BECAME A COUNSELLOR & COACH

Vital Funds for Repairs to Tudor Browsholme Hall, in Lancashire

Gordon Buchanan - 30 Years in The Wild The Anniversary Tour

Morecambe Bay

102 The Real Keys To Success 106 10 Notable Library Buildings in the North-West

118 Catch of Tomorrow - The Future Fish Suppers Scuppered by Plastic 122 EG Photography

160 One Billion Pound Development Project Surrounding New East Lancashire Freight Rail Terminal Takes A Step Further 168 Sound Drums And Trumpets! (Shakespeare, King Henry VI) 170 Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip - Mindful Eating 172 New Year New Country 174 Spectacular Immersive Art Installation Set to Light Up Liverpool Cathedral 176 Macmillan Info Centre in Preston Undergoes £48k Make-Over

116 Dan Whiston & Cast of Young Skaters Launched a Magical Experience in Blackpool

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140 Steve Norman JOURNEYS TO GLORY

112 Creativity on Prescription

140

132 2021 LEGENDS OF INDUSTRY AWARDS

178 Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip - Sugar Awareness 180 Eve Shepherd announced as winning sculptor of A Statue for Emily Williamson 182 SKIN REJUVENATION Love the skin you are in. Beauty is more than skin deep! 188 Birds, bees, and butterflies suffer as Brexit farming promises broken 192 Fund will increase nature as a path to recovery 194 Best of Bolton 196 ALBERT HORNBY - A Victorian Sporting Great 199 The Ultimate Sacrifice Challenge 202 ELIZABETH RAFFALD - Finally Rescued From Oblivion 206 The Knife Angel Prepares to Fly North 208 SheInspires Awards

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

...CONTENTS

Regulars

February 2022 • Volume 45 Number 2

100

164

Aiming Higher

Balance Counsellor

Books

Catherine Dean Coaching

Colour Me Beautiful

158

Deborah Hatswell

162

Denise Mullen

166

Fleetwood RNLI

HayMax Column

190

Laura Pearson

Life of Di

Mama Shar’s Caribbean Cooking

Miles Consult & Construct

100

Miranda Christopher

186

Positive Change Coach

Tenet & You

142

Totally Local Lancaster

130

UFO

205

Zodiac Predictions by Manish

186

166

164

February 2022

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Managing Director: Natalie Christopher natalie@lancashiremagazine.co.uk Editorial: 01253 336580 editorial@lancashiremagazine.co.uk Design Manager: Tanjé Beach Sales Enquiries: 07918 685673

Designer Living

Accounts: 01253 336588

in a countryside setting with Create Homes A FRESH START WITH Lakeland

Bespoke Understairs Storage By Giobella

MIRANDA CHRISTOPHER My Obvious Next Step...

COVER: Create Homes

Put your life in balance

with Balance Counselling and Coaching Ltd

PLUMBS Quality that speaks for itself

Out with the old

in with the Newberry

General Enquiries/Subscriptions: Sharon Henry • 01253 336588 accounts@lancashiremagazine.co.uk The Lancashire & North West Magazine Ltd, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 6NZ

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Writers: Aiming Higher Alijan Kirk Becky Haslam Catherine Dean Deborah Hatswell Denise Mullen Diane Wade Emily Walker Ethan Goodrich Harold Cunliffe Janet Broughton Jason Gleaves Joel Newman Kate Gostick Kath Taylor

Laura Pearson Manish Kumar Arora Marcia Trotter Margaret Brecknell Martin Dawber Max Wiseberg Megha Seth PADI Aware Foundation Paul Cusimano Peter Pearson Sarah Harris Sharmen Frith-Hemmings Sharon Henry Virgin Pure

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Note to contributors:- While every care is taken with manuscripts, drawings, photographs and transparencies, no responsibility is accepted during transmission or while in the Editor’s hands. The contents of this magazine are fully protected and nothing may be used or reproduced without permission.

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IN THIS ISSUE...

e start this month with a great feature on Kathryn Taylor from Balance Counselling and Coaching Ltd on why she became a counsellor and coach. Dan Whiston and a cast of young BIDCA ice skaters launched a magical experience. Gill Mathison, founder of Blackpool-based house builder Create Homes, freely admits that she is obsessed with delivering beautiful and functional homes and we showcase some young talent with photography by Amy of Churchhouse Photography and Ethan of EG Photography. We have launched our very own 2,000 word murder mystery short story competition for all you budding writers out there. Margaret Brecknell talks about the 10 notable library buildings in the North-West and also has two fantastic features; one on Albert Hornby - a Victorian sporting

great and the other on Elizabeth Raffald and her 1769 book, The Experienced English Housekeeper, which is recognised by modern food historians as being among the very first cookery books. Water filtration system Virgin Pure has partnered with marine conservation charity, PADI Aware Foundation, to launch a new initiative to highlight the ongoing threat posed by plastic waste at sea. Deborah Hatswell talks about the magic of the Callanish Standing Stones in Hutton-le-Hole on the Isle of Lewis and Jason Gleaves, international author of ‘UFO PHOTO’ and ‘The Ufology Umbrella’, talks about the The Russian Roswell incident.

Chaponda has announced a UK tour with a brand new unseen show entitled ‘Apocalypse Not Now’ and Steve Norman, co-founder, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist of the world-famous Spandau Ballet has announced he will celebrate the bands 40th anniversary of their ground-breaking debut album, ‘Journeys To Glory’ with a full UK tour in 2022.

We also have a fantastic interview with one of the most prominent wildlife presenters and filmmakers working today, Gordon Buchanan. Malawian born stand up Daliso

And of course, as always, we have features on homes, health, delicious recipes, fascinating history, and a bit of wildlife and more - all in our February issue.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

Our featured towns this month are the ancient upscale market town Knutsford, the vibrant town of Poulton-le-Fylde and Rawtenstall with its cobbled streets, dramatic landscape and stone architecture.

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New homes across Lancashire How very Redrow We pride ourselves in building quality homes throughout Lancashire

Images typical of Redrow homes. Details correct at time of going to press.

Discover more about the new homes in Lancashire

Visit: redrow.co.uk/lancashire

Redrow strive to create environments that will stand the test of time, where people can appreciate and enjoy their surroundings. We create homes that are designed for the way we live today, yet are rooted in the time-honoured traditions of craftsmanship and care.

National Heart Charity Grants Over £6,000 To Cheshire-Based Exercise Project For People With Muscle-Wasting Conditions Many in the target group have heart devices fitted but feel there is a lack of rehabilitation and advice provided. NMC have found from previous projects that accessible and monitored exercise, combined with better lifestyle choices, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular challenges and that some heart health improvements can be achieved.

Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

he Neuromuscular Centre (NMC), which aims to improve health and wellbeing for people living with neuromuscular conditions, has been awarded £6,000 by Heart Research UK for their new programme ‘Active Bodies, Active Hearts’. The programme targets people who have cardiomyopathy (a general term for diseases of the heart muscle) or are at risk of getting it due to their muscle-wasting condition. NMC will deliver group and online exercise classes to the target group, as keeping the heart and respiratory system as healthy as possible is vital for them. Staying healthy will support people’s longevity and help them to have a better quality of life. Progressive muscle-wasting conditions often result in the need for those affected to use a powered wheelchair and other specialist equipment and rely on others to care for them. People with these conditions are also at high risk of heart disease as the heart is subject to the same levels of wastage as other muscles. 65% of people with neuromuscular conditions will experience heart failure and will require a heart device such as pacemaker or defibrillator fitted.

In addition to exercise classes, NMC’s Cardiac Rehabilitation practitioner will also be delivering a series of education workshops on how to live well for a healthier heart. These workshops will cover a range of topics including eating well, benefits of active exercise for heart health and how to self-manage heart health with a device. The money for the grant was raised through Heart Research UK’s partnership with Subway, through instore donations across the country. Since 2001, Heart Research UK has awarded over 300 community grants, directly benefiting the hearts of over 70,000 individuals and countless wider community and family members across all regions of the UK. Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion and Education at Heart Research UK, said: “We know that many people with neuromuscular conditions and heart disease have lost strength due to lack of physical activity during Covid-19. Therefore, we’re incredibly happy to be able to support the ‘Active Bodies, Active Hearts’ programme which will help people with neuromuscular conditions stay active and keep their hearts healthy.” If you’d like to find out more about the Healthy Heart Grants, please visit https:// heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-heart-grants/

If you’d like to support Heart Research UK’s vital work into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease, please visit www.heartresearch.org.uk for inspiration on how you could help. 10

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

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NEW BOOK TELLS THE STORY OF LANCASHIRE POWs You Must Endure: The Lancashire Loyals in Japanese Captivity, 1942-1945 ISBN (978-1-910837-35-1) is available NOW with a 10% discount direct from the publishers, priced at £9.99

he time was 7.40 p.m, the date 15 February 1942. The light was fading fast, the Allied forces were encircled, and the bombardment was relentless, as Singapore fell to the Japanese. Discarding their weapons, the Lancashire Loyals quietly withdrew to their quarters, where they ‘composed themselves as best they could for the silent ordeal of the night, numbed and galled by the bitterness of enforced surrender’. So began three and half years of incarceration at Keijo POW camp in Korea. This is the previously untold story of the brave Lancastrians who endured, told by Chris Given-Wilson, whose father was one of those captured. It is a story of brutality, starvation and disease, but also one of survival, determination and creativity. Among the many ways the prisoners sought to keep their spirits up were the staging of surprisingly sophisticated shows, complete with Gloria d’Earie, the resident female impersonator; the growing of fresh vegetables to improve their health; and the regular publication of Nor Iron Bars (co-edited by the author’s father), with its satirical portrayals of camp life.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

Copies of this banned journal were successfully concealed from the guards to be smuggled home, and can be seen at the Lancashire Infantry Museum. Chris Given-Wilson writes with warmth and humour, to reveal both the best and the worst of human nature. This book should be read by everyone, but perhaps especially all proud Lancastrians. – Fully colour, illustrated with photographs & prisoner artwork – Includes ‘prisoner stories’, in their own words and pictures – A story that is as uplifting as it is harrowing You must endure: the Lancashire Loyals in Japanese Captivity, 1942–1945 by Chris Given-Wilson is £9.99 (ISBN 978-1-910837-35-1) and is available NOW with a 10% discount direct from the publishers on 01524 840111, or by visiting www.carnegiepublishing.com, and in selected booksellers.

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All Create Homes offer quality kitchens and appliances as standard

Designer living By Becky Haslam

in a countryside setting

Create Homes build developments across the North West, where location, space and quality combine to create the perfect place to call home. QUALITY NEW HOMES IN THE PERFECT LOCATION

uilding in desirable locations throughout the North West, Create Homes prides itself on providing intimate developments and quality homes that are packed with style and designer touches for modern, aspirational living.

Gill Mathison, Founder of Blackpool-based house builder Create Homes, freely admits that she is obsessed with delivering beautiful and functional homes www.lancmag.com

that allow people to live a peaceful rural home life, whilst remaining close enough for easy access to the main commuter routes across the county. Gill explained: “Since our inception in 2015, we have developed a strong reputation in the new-build housing market in the North West in terms of quality and design. Using top brands for all fixtures & fittings, we provide a luxury finish throughout, such as incorporating SieMatic kitchens with Neff appliances. We have listened to our customers and build homes that are packed full of quality features, with lots of space and style, both inside & out.”

Architect’s impressions of new house designs

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 13

“Every Create Home offers the discerning buyer a perfect mix of quality, space, style and location...”

Create work with top architects and interior designers to showcase impressive homes, both inside and out

INTRODUCING THE NEW ‘PRESTIGE COLLECTION’ n After the fantastic success of their first developments in Inskip, Pilling and Longton, the design team at Create Homes have evolved and developed the design of their most popular house types and also recently added some new house designs to their portfolio. All homes in their new ‘Prestige Collection’ offer a choice of stylish and spacious living options, and are available to purchase at ‘The Sandpipers’ in Longridge in the Ribble Valley and later in the year at ‘Chapel Mill’, in the award-winning village of Elswick, well known for it’s stunning flower displays and community spirit. Other prestigious Create Homes developments are also currently being planned for 2022. FANTASTIC KERB APPEAL n Every Create Home is situated in a fantastic countryside setting and comes with bags of kerb appeal. From the beautifully designed brick façades, through to the paved driveways and landscaped front & rear gardens, they are truly homes to be proud of. www.lancmag.com

SPACIOUS INTERIORS n As soon as you walk into the show home, the quality of the doors, woodwork, stairway and paint finishes really delivers the WOW factor. Every little detail is perfect, from the impressive entrance hall right through into every room of the house. GLAMOROUS BEDROOMS n The impressive bedrooms in every Create Home really deliver on space and style. Each Master has its own ensuite and all bedrooms have plenty of room for furniture and storage. LUXURY ENSUITES & FAMILY BATHROOMS n Create Homes believe that the bathroom is a sanctuary. All the family bathrooms and ensuites not only look extremely beautiful, but are fitted with high-end fixtures & fittings, including white Vitra sanitary ware, Hansgrohe thermostatically controlled showers and mixer taps, heated towel rails and beautiful Porcelanosa ceramic wall tiles, all of which add designer style and practicality to each luxurious space. LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 15

DESIGNER KITCHENS AT THE HEART OF THE HOME n Spacious kitchen/diners are at the heart of every Create Home. In order to achieve the aim of providing a top quality product for their buyers, Create Homes have invested heavily in the award-winning, global SieMatic brand that epitomises the luxury and quality of their homes perfectly. The spacious kitchen/diners, provided by Stuart Frazer, are of top-quality materials, offering plenty of storage, as well as high-end appliances and ergonomically designed layouts. The kitchens have been planned to incorporate a number of convenient features for every family to enjoy. Founder of Create Homes, Gill Mathison, was very impressed by the high-end kitchen company when she was looking for a new kitchen for her own home over 15 years ago. Gill explained: “The design and quality of Stuart Frazer kitchens stood out from the competition and the service I experienced from the team

was second to none. My beautiful kitchen looks as good as it did when it was first installed and the design and quality have stood the test of time.” AN EXCELLENT BUYING EXPERIENCE n Every buyer of a Create Home has access to a team of passionate professionals, who are with them every step of the way, proving help and guidance, making the buying process both an enjoyable and satisfying one. They also help buyers personalise their homes with a choice of exciting options and upgrades. ch

FIND OUT MORE OR BOOK AN APPOINTMENT n You can find out more about Create Homes and their developments, book an appointment, make an enquiry, or even try out the KITCHEN COLOUR VISUALISER on their website. VISIT: www.createhomes.com

Light and airy kitchen diners are at the heart of every Create Home

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

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Designer Living IN A COUNTRYSIDE SETTING

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Top 10 Tips for Early Season Hay Fever by Airborne Allergens Expert, Max Wiseberg

If you’re one of the unlucky people with hay fever starting in February, there are many things that you can do to help avoid that pesky tree pollen. Trusted airborne allergens expert, Max Wiseberg explains, “Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen and other airborne particles such as pet allergens. Although most people who suffer from hay fever are allergic to grass pollen, many early season sufferers are allergic to tree pollen, which starts as early as February with alder and hazel, and peaks in March and April each year. Here are my top 10 tips to help sufferers…”

Stopping the pollen getting in to your body is a good strategy for dealing with symptoms. If it’s not in your body, you can’t react to it! Try using an organic drug free allergen barrier balm such as HayMax (www.haymax.biz), which can be applied to the nostrils and bones of the eyes in the morning and throughout the day. It has been proven to trap over a third of pollen particles before they enter the body[1] where they can cause symptoms.

You can create your own hay fever first aid kit, consisting of one or more natural product (such as an allergen barrier balm), only one antihistamine, only one nasal spray and eye drops.

There are several things you can do to reduce your exposure to tree pollen outdoors. Wear wraparound sunglasses when taking part in outdoor sports or exercising outdoors to prevent pollen particles coming in contact with your eyes. Also, tie your hair up and wear a hat or cap when outside to prevent pollen particles being caught in your hair.

Taking a shower and changing your clothes after returning from outdoor activities and exercise helps remove

pollen from your hair, body and clothes, and reduces the amount you breathe in.

Vacuum the house regularly (especially beds and fabrics) to remove pollen particles and damp dust surfaces to remove pollen and prevent it being dispersed back into the air.

9 10

If you own a pet, then ensure that it is well groomed and shampooed as much as possible to remove pet allergens and pollen particles.

Shower at night before sleeping to remove pollen particles and pet hair from your hair and body. This will also help you get a good night’s sleep and feel less sluggish the next day.

Antihistamine tablets and capsules can relieve most symptoms – sneezing, itchy, runny eyes, skin irritation, itchy nose and throat – though they are less effective for nasal congestion.

3 4

Antihistamine nasal sprays can quickly ease itching, sneezing and watering but are generally only proof against mild symptoms.

Steroid nasal sprays and drops can reduce inflammation in the nose and sprays sometimes clear eye symptoms too. Eye drops may reduce itchy, watering, swollen eyes. REFERENCE: [1] Chief Investigator: Professor Roy Kennedy, Principal Investigator: Louise Robertson, Researcher: Dr Mary Lewis, National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit, 1st February 2012

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An extended profile on Sir Robert Walpole By Alijan Kirk

single Prime Minister from before their lifetimes, excluding Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, depending on how young you are. To put it simply, I want more people to know who our Prime Ministers were. I personally believe Lancashire to be one of the greatest counties in this country, if not the single greatest. I am determined to have Lancashire champion not just local history, but national history because we are a county that goes above and beyond. So over the next year, I am going to profile each of our Prime Ministers, get in a few key points and maybe even throw in something local about them. I haven’t decided yet whether I’m going to give just the facts straight up or add my own personal spin. It can be a surprise for you all. I’m intending to cover five Prime Ministers an issue over the next year, and I thought we could get the ball rolling with an extended profile on our de facto first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole.

One of my greatest annoyances when it comes to politics has to be just how uneducated people are about it. As a public, we’re expected to vote for who we want in power, yet we know so little about them and what they stand for. Don’t even get me started on political history. History is getting more and more under-appreciated, and if you want to know about politics, you don’t just need to know what’s happening now, you need to know what happened in the past.

big part of American History education is devoted to making sure students know each and every President of the United States. Yet in Britain, I would be shocked if the average person could name a 20

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

Robert Walpole will always have an important role in British political history as being our first and longest serving Prime Minister. A Whig and the MP for King’s Lynn, Walpole benefited from the new King, George I, having a distrust of the Tory party. The King believed that the Tories opposed his right to succeed the throne. Thanks to this, the Whigs ascended to power where they would remain for the next fifty years. Another benefit for Walpole was that his brother-in-law, Lord Townshend was one of the most dominating figures in the Cabinet, which Walpole was now in as Paymaster of the Forces. In 1715, the head of the administration, Lord Halifax, died and within the year, Walpole had been appointed both First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer. However, the Cabinet was often divided over important issues, usually split by Walpole and Lord Townshend on one side of the argument, and James Stanhope and Lord Sunderland on the other. One of the dominating issues of the rifts was foreign policy, especially in regards to the belief that the King was conducting foreign affairs in the interest of his German territories as opposed to Great Britain. The King himself gave his support to the Stanhope-Sutherland faction, and in 1719 they had Lord Townshend removed from his posts. The next day, Walpole resigned from the Cabinet in protest and joined the Opposition.  www.lancmag.com

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 This began what was known as the ‘Whig Split’, which kept the party divided for three years. Following the Stanhope-Sutherland Government’s failure to get their Peerage Bill passed, the two reconciled with Walpole and Townshend, who were appointed as Paymaster of the Forces and Lord President of the Council respectively. By 1721, Sunderland had resigned following a corruption scandal and Stanhope had died, leaving Walpole as the most important figure in the Government. That April, he was appointed First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons. It was this moment that most date as the beginning of Walpole’s tenure as Prime Minister, although he rejected that title. The title Prime Minister wouldn’t come to use until the late 19th century. As Prime Minister, Walpole was able to defend the credibility of the King and the Whig Party in Parliament following the financial crisis brought on by the South Sea Bubble as well as expose a Jacobite plot formed by the bishop of Rochester. Walpole’s number two, Lord Townshend, who was in charge of foreign affairs, helped keep Britain at peace, negotiating a treaty with France and Prussia in 1725. With Britain now free from Jacobite threats, war and financial crises, the country grew prosperous and Walpole acquired great favour from the King. In 1727, Walpole’s position came under threat. The King had died and was succeeded by his son, George II, who had initially liked Walpole, but fell out of favour after joining George I’s government, which George II had shown disdain for. In the initial few days, it looked like Walpole would be dismissed but following advice from the Queen, the King agreed to retain him. In addition, Townshend remained, despite the King’s dislike of him. The Walpole-Townshend partnership continued to operate for the next few years but started to clash over foreign affairs, particularly in regards to Austria. Walpole gradually became the more dominant of the two and Townshend retired in May 1730. The departure of Townshend enabled Walpole to get the Treaty of Vienna signed, thus creating an alliance between the two nations, lasting until 1756, when Walpole was out of office. Walpole had a policy of war avoidance, which secured him the support of both the people and the House of Commons. Furthermore, he had enough influence by 1733 to prevent the King from entering the War of the Polish Succession, which Walpole understood was a dispute between the Houses of Bourbon and Habsburg and thus did not require British intervention. By avoiding war, Walpole was able to lower taxes. He reduced the national debt with a sinking fund, as well as negotiating lower interest rates. He also reduced the land tax to only one shilling by 1732. The next year, Walpole had brought a bill to impose excise taxes on wine and tobacco, however it was extremely unpopular and was strongly opposed by the 22

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

nation’s merchants. Walpole therefore agreed to withdraw the bill before Parliament voted on it but he dismissed the politicians who dared to oppose it in the first place, resulting in him losing a considerable element of the Whig Party to the Opposition. Following the election of 1734, Walpole’s government was returned to the Commons with a smaller majority. While he maintained his parliamentary supremacy and popularity in his constituency, Walpole’s broader popularity had begun to wane. An increase in the tax on gin in 1736 caused riots in London, and in Edinburgh, the even more serious Porteous riots broke out after the King pardoned a captain who commanded his troops to shoot a group of protesters. While Walpole’s popularity decreased, his parliamentary majority remained and he highlighted his domination over the Commons by easily securing the rejection of a plan to reduce the interest on the national debt. Walpole was also able to persuade Parliament to pass the Licensing Act of 1737, which regulated London theatres, as well as revealing a disdain of the literary figures who attacked his government in their works. As 1737 progressed, it was becoming clear that Walpole was on the decline. His close friend and supporter Queen Caroline died, and while his increased influence with the King remained, Walpole was struggling to maintain his domination of Parliament. His opponents also acquired a vocal leader in the Prince of Wales, who was deeply estranged from his father, and several young politicians including future Prime Ministers George Grenville and William Pitt the Elder formed a faction known as the Patriot Boys and joined the Prince of Wales in opposition. Walpole’s eventual fall from power came from his failure to maintain his policy of avoiding military conflict. Following disputes with Spain, Walpole failed to convince the King, the House of Commons and his own Cabinet to not go to war and thus commenced the War of Jenkins’ Ear. Following the 1741 election, the new Parliament thought that the aging Walpole was incapable of leading the military campaign. With Walpole’s detractors now as numerous as his supporters, he was investigated on charges of presiding over increases of corruption. In 1742, the House of Commons was prepared to determine the validity of a by-election in Chippenham, which Walpole agreed to treat as a motion of no confidence. Walpole was defeated in that vote. On those grounds, Walpole agreed to resign from the Government and the news of naval disaster in the Battle of Cartagena de Indias had prompted the end of his political career. When handing in his resignation, the King reportedly wept and begged to see him frequently. Walpole would remain politically involved as an advisor, and his former colleagues were still pleased to see him. Upon his resignation, Sir Robert Walpole was elevated to the House of Lords and was made the Earl of Orford.  www.lancmag.com

LUXURY HOMES THAT LAST A LIFETIME

MAKE PRECIOUS FAMILY MEMORIES IN A NEWBERRY HOME FIT FOR ROYALTY Introducing The Windsor and The Belfry by Newberry Homes, luxury 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom homes in the idyllic Fylde village of Great Eccleston.

rotected within the exclusive gated community of Pinfold Place, The Windsor and The Belfry combine solid construction with security, so you can sleep soundly every night. These breathtaking homes span three floors, with almost 3,000sq ft of living space within each.

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On their ground floors you’ll find a stylish lounge, utility room, WC and study, which is perfect for remote working or quiet homework sessions. The huge open-plan kitchen and dining area brings everyone together at the end of a busy day. Each kitchen comes with bespoke modern fittings and integrated NEFF appliances, with the addition of a large quartz topped island in The Windsor - perfect for entertaining. The lounge provides a cosy-yet-contemporary retreat, and you can soak up the sun in the spacious landscaped rear garden. www.lancmag.com

The Windsor and Belfry exude luxury through their inclusion of a master suite on the top floor, which gives a real wow factor and penthouse feel. Each comes with its own dressing room, so there’s always space to indulge in some retail therapy. Both properties come with plenty of storage space, including fitted shelves for the linen and open spaces for suitcases and decorations. The possibilities prestige homes are with rooms of these transform them into family desires. www.lancmag.com

within these endless and size, you can anything your

The Newberry family have gone above and beyond with an unrivalled specification. All properties are future proofed through the installation of fibre to the premises and a CAT6 network across the home, as well as being ready to move into by including all flooring and landscaping. The Windsor and The Belfry could be yours for £750,000 and £650,000 respectively. Newberry Homes is a Fylde coast family business, with community at the core of every home we build. Not only are you buying a oncein-a-lifetime property, but you’ll be looked after by a team who cares about your move as much as you do.

Book Your Appointment Today Call Kate on N 07568 326324 or email E sales@newberryhomes.net

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TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT: Pinfold Place is an exclusive gated community of luxury family homes and bungalows in Great Eccleston, Fylde. Purchasing a home within a protected community also means buying security for your property, and safety for your family. You won’t need to worry about busy roads with young children or disturbance from traffic noise. Communal areas and gardens within Pinfold Place are maintained by a monthly estate charge. WHAT MAKES THESE HOMES SO SPECIAL? Homes of this grandeur are truly unique in Fylde, very rarely built to this scale and standard. Their master suites offer the space of a separate accommodation in their own right. Many new homes are built in busier residential areas, but in Pinfold Place your home is tucked away from traffic and congestion. No matter your family’s size, both The Windsor and The Belfry offer vast amounts of space for your loved ones, plus visitors. 26

WHO WILL THESE HOMES APPEAL TO? If you’re looking for a luxury home without the hustle and bustle of a busy town or motorway noise, these executive homes are the perfect choice. Whether you’re upsizing to accommodate a growing family or need a home you’d be proud to entertain in, every room will exceed your expectations. If you’re looking for the peace of a gated community with the option to socialise in a charming village, call our team today. LOCAL LIFE: A stone’s throw from your Pinfold Place community is the charming market village of Great Eccleston. With two Ofsted ‘Good’ primary schools, the village is ideal for raising young families. At its heart lies the market square, where traders set up their stalls weekly. There’s also an award-winning bakery, butchers, and three pubs. Everything you need is on your doorstep, including a medical centre, dental practice, post office and a convenience store.

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“Lying here, wasting away”... not The Royston Club By Sharon Henry Tom, Ben and Dave were friends at secondary school and started the band in 2017 due to their love of Indie music. Then in 2019 Sam joined them. They recorded their first single ‘’Shawshank’’, followed by ‘’Waster’’ and ‘’Kerosene’’. In 2019, they headed to the famous Parr Street Studios in Liverpool to record their first E.P. ‘’This State I’m In’’ which is very apt, as they remind me so much of the Young Beatles, definitely an influence there.

I was listening to my music one evening and decided to see if the Red Rum Club were playing anywhere local anytime soon - to my delight they were playing in my hometown of Blackpool at the Bootleg Social the following Friday, so I quickly purchased my tickets.

had no idea who was supporting them but was equally delighted to find out it was a young band from Wrexham, who I also regularly listen too, The Royston Club.

The band consist of Tom Faithfull (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Ben Matthias (lead guitar and main song writer), Dave Tute (bass) and Sam Jones (drums).

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The band went back to Parr Street studios in August 2020 to work with producer Alex Quinn, who has worked with the Blinders. They then released ‘’Mr Narcissistic’’ and ‘’Coasting’’, which was mastered by Robin Schmidt, who has worked with The Blossoms and The Vaccines. 2022 is going to be a huge year for them - hopefully this time they can give up their day jobs. Because they loved Blackpool so much, they are starting their headlining tour back at the Bootleg Social followed by supporting the mighty Lathums at Sound City in Liverpool. So a busy time ahead for this energetic band, if they are coming near you I advise you go see them - you will leave with a smile! Management: james@modernagemusic.co.uk Live agent: geoff.meall@paradigmagency.com Email: theroystonclub@gmail.com

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Murder Mystery

Shor Story Competitio

Wan t se your story published i th Lancashir & North Wes Magazin? Simply send us a 2,000 word murder mystery short story and submit to: editorial@lancashiremagazine.co.uk by April 29th 2022. If your story is short-listed, you will be notiﬁed and we will ask you to send a photo of yourself and a brief biography by email. 30

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‘That’s not my bowl!’

Importers & stockists of exceptional tiles, stones & wood flooring

The life of Di

A monthly column by Di Wade, the author of ‘A Year In Verse’

In the bleak midwinter... it helps if the heating stays on...

waking not late exactly but later than I’d meant this morning, I duly leapt out of bed like a scalded cat, (complete with accompanying expressive yelp), and first raced downstairs to switch the computer on: And while that was whirring and grinding itself into life, rushed back upstairs for a quick wash - two minutes into which, my befuddled brain registered that the water hadn’t exactly got tropical. More to the point, it hadn’t actually moved on a jot from its original Arctic state – which five minutes later remained the case. Thus more in hope than expectation, I turned the heat up, just in case I’d accidentally turned it down so far last night that the hot tap COULDN’T on this occasion surpass the temperature of a penguin’s behind. However, I bought this idea to roughly the same extent as I routinely bought sackloads of cabbages and Brussel sprouts, so wasn’t especially surprised when not a sausage happened. All the same, if I CAN do a thing myself, I blooming well will, so while polar bears congregated in the back yard, I womanfully worked away on my computer, in sixteen jumpers+, periodically adjusting the heat in case this time, it and the hot water might soon be miraculously restored. But zilch. By lunchtime, I was obliged to phone my parents for advice, whereupon my superstar dad undertook to be there in twenty minutes. Two minutes later, one of the smoke alarms started bleeping. It was mercifully in the innocent fashion indicating its battery needed changing. However, the shrill yip every few seconds, besides going right through plus frightening the life out of one, was unhelpfully distracting, and attested

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to another job regarding which I’d have to impose on my dad - so it was a mixed blessing when it shut up prior to his arrival: On the one hand, it’d clearly set up again soon, but till it did, we’d no way of knowing which alarm it was so couldn’t do anything - and meantime we had peace – to try and work out why the dratted heating wasn’t coming on. Well I say “we”, for my part, I hadn’t the foggiest what might be either the problem or solution, so just trailed my dad like a lost sheep, nervously biting my lip as he inspected displays and cupboards, and finally produced the welcome click followed by the glorious roar of sound which indicated that the boiler was back on: My admiration was considerable, my relief unbounded, and I vowed there and then never to take heating for granted ever again. Well one never should I think. Nor to a greater or lesser extent should one properly underestimate any benevolent warmth, whether it take the form of the kindness of friends, family, or others, meetings with friends and family, (which after the past year and a half should arguably be a source of thankfulness for evermore), the homely embrace of a local hostelry, (whether the Italian Orchard, Wetherspoons in St Annes, the Red Lion in Bispham, or Stanley Park Café), or just the uplifting glow of local autumn trees. There’s lots of rubbish in life, but there IS good, which should be appreciated all the more for the rubbish. So says your resounding Blackpudlian non-Socrates. Stay safe, and well, and warm this winter. www.lancmag.com

BESPOKE UNDERSTAIRS STORAGE

BY GIOBELLA

ONLINE QUOTE › TECHNICAL SURVEY BESPOKE MANUFACTURING › EXPERT INSTALLATION › WARRANT Y

Various colours and finishes available

For sizes and price guide visit understairs.co.uk/price-guide

MAKING THE INACCESSIBLE… ACCESSIBLE

UNIT 22 SHERDLEY ROAD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, LOSTOCK HALL, PRESTON, PR5 5JF | 0161 624 5000

Creating Bespoke and Revolutionary Storage Solutions for Your Home By Emily Walker & Joel Newman

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www.lancmag.com

Photography by: DH Photography

The space under the stairs is statistically the most underutilised place in most houses. In some houses it is simply boxed off, in others it is a dumping ground for children’s toys, shoes and jackets, it usually lacks structure and nearly everything ends up on the floor.  www.lancmag.com

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ntil two years ago when Understairs started business this was perfectly understandable but now they have revolutionary storage designs to bring order to the under the stairs chaos. The Father and Son team behind Understairs have over 40 years in Master joinery, Engineering and the Staircase renovation industry, with their initial roots in Designing and Installing bespoke Italian and German Kitchens.

As their work diversified throughout the home it became apparent that the resources and companies providing any form of Understairs Storage was very limited; such limitations meant that the options available were either very expensive or of poor quality imported from Europe. Identifying such a substantial gap in the market, design and development of a solution to this issue began and this Family team Formed ‘Understairs’ a company that would provide bespoke, quality

understairs storage options. Formerly based in Manchester the team put down roots at their production unit in Preston investing heavily in state-ofthe-art machinery specifically adapted to produce the angled furniture. They began to introduce their high-quality furniture to the local area of Lancashire and Greater Manchester and have now extended their service area to cover Cheshire Merseyside North Wales and West Yorkshire but insist that they are willing to work outside of the region with consideration to the distances involved. Understairs were not just looking to fill the gap in the market, they also wanted to increase the quality of the product and the level of service that accompanied the work. Their ‘Process of Care’ is a way of working to ensure the highest possible service levels, all orders are checked by a visit from a professional surveyor to ensure the measurements and the angle of the design is correct for each home, the surveyors visit is also to help and advise on the best configuration of furniture for your individual requirements. Once the specifications are agreed the furniture goes into production, it is then assembled at their manufacturing unit and checked for size and rigidity before

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being delivered to the client’s home, this is a marked improvement from the ‘Flatpack’ approach available on the market. Understairs have increased their standard guarantee from two years to five years from the date of installation and now offer an increased drawer capacity of 45 Kgs up from the previous 35 Kgs. The final part of the Process of Care is the installation. This is never rushed and the ultimate care is taken, most installations are completed in one or two days depending on the work involved. Understairs will remove stud partition walls and safely dispose of them together with any packaging and offcuts once the work is complete. Should there be a more substantial brickwork wall underneath the stairs then it is asked that this is removed prior to installation by a qualified builder of the client’s choice This Process of Care method is setting a new benchmark and is a vast increase in levels of customer service to anything that had previously been offered in this area of work. It was also an ambition of the company to add some variety to the market, the limited choice that was

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currently available through other companies offered few styles and colour variations. Understairs did not just want to equal this but set an entirely new standard as they currently offer nine different designs, showcasing combinations of 3, 5 and 6 drawers and angled doors included in a single frame. In addition to these stylistic options there are also available in a variety of colours including: alpine white, light grey, alabaster and cashmere allowing customers more choice to compliment the style of their home. These designs all have a sleek and modern feel and would provide both style and practicality to any interior. There are also useful accessories available to tailor this space to your needs including shoe rails, muddy shoe drawer liners and motion sensor lights.

on the market that left edges open to moisture ingress and mould/bacteria, ultimately this new design would be more durable and the product would last longer. The next focus of the design was the fronts of the cabinet, Understairs protect the frontages with a durable 2mm thick PVC edging. This is easy to keep clean and will not need painting or treating in the future.

In addition to stylistic changes from what was already available Understairs felt that improving the materials used for the designs was essential. Understairs decided that for the main frame of the designs they would use white 18mm thick melamine faced furniture board with all leading edges protected by a durable PVC edging as used by highend kitchen manufacturers instead of the 15mm thick MDF with no edging, that was currently available

Visit:

Understairs are constantly progressing and have attained a solid reputation with incredible reviews on both their website and trustpilot page ‘Understairs by Giobella’. FOR PRICES VISIT UNDERSTAIRS. CO.UK/ PRICE-GUIDE TO BOOK YOUR BESPOKE STORAGE INSTALLATION OR FOR MORE INFORMATION.

understairs.co.uk

Email: info@understairs.co.uk Call:

0161 624 5000

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South Liverpool Homes Take Centre Stage For National Campaign WITH award-winning homes, and located in one of Liverpool’s most sought-after areas, Allerton Gardens is used to being the centre of attention.

Above: Rerdrow’s drone footgage filmed at The Groves

Above: Redrow’s drone footage filmed at The Groves kitchen scene

Now, in what is believed to be the first by a UK housebuilder, Redrow has produced a first-person view (FPV) drone footage video - and the new homes in Allerton took centre stage.

from Redrow’s Arts & Crafts inspired Heritage Collection were deemed perfect for the location – and those homes were deemed perfect for Redrow’s national campaign.

The five-bedroom detached Highgrove show home at Allerton Gardens features in the two-minute-long video, which takes the viewer on a journey throughout the house and garden during a BBQ party between neighbours.

Redrow’s North West interim sales director Simon Bennett said: “We’re extremely proud that our fabulous new homes in Allerton were chosen to be an exemplar of the Redrow brand on a national platform.

The complex, one-take drone shot is a filming technique that is still in its relative infancy and has recently become popularised by several high-profile viral examples, such as Paris St Germain’s video unveiling the signing of Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi.

“The drone is a wonderful piece of technology and the footage captured offers the home buyer a step further than our online gallery and floor plan.”

Expert filming was undertaken by Aerial Photography Ireland, who have previously worked with the likes of Channel 4, Sky, Facebook and Lidl, and have described the Redrow shoot as their most complex to date.

Homes in the Allerton Gardens phase are virtually sold out, but Redrow is busy planning the next sales release for The Groves, which will include examples of the Harrogate, Cambridge and Sunningdale four-bedroom detached homes. Properties will be available in the new year and prices are expected to start from around £500,000.

Allerton Gardens is actually two developments in one and also features The Groves, with its selection of luxurious three and four-bedroom family homes. The homes are set in one of Liverpool’s leafiest and most sought-after suburbs, close to a superb collection of parks and paths, as well as having a vibrant community of shops, bars and restaurants right on the doorstep. Premium homes 38

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The video can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/LQLS1gwMOhc

The development has also recently won a prestigious UK Property Award, one of 13 for Redrow.

To find out more about The Groves, call 0151 3915585 or visit www.redrow.co.uk/thegroves www.lancmag.com

Based in the rural village of Goosnargh, Laurel Farm Kitchens has been recognised as one of only a few truly bespoke kitchen manufacturers in the North West receiving a reputation, second to none, on quality and craftsmanship over the past 25 years. “Our aim, through the creativity of our kitchen designers and their ability to bring out the best in our client’s ideas is to create the most imaginative and workable kitchens from the canvas supplied.”

ASK MILES CONSULT & CONSTRUCT... WHAT’S NEW IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN INDUSTRY FOR 2022?

appy New Year to all my readers! It is without a doubt that the previous year has been very difficult for all of us. There have been occasions where we just wanted 2021 to end. My husband always tells me to never wish time away and be grateful for every moment. He is certainly right and hopefully, everyone will be able to make the most of 2022 by enjoying their time with loved ones travel. The best way to start is on a positive note and talk about all the exciting trends and predictions for the design and construction industry in 2022. The growing aversion to fast fashion translates to the home too. With home working being the “norm”, more and more people are wanting to renovate their rooms to make them look the part. People are keen to invest in timeless, beautiful quality items now more than ever. It’s all about treasured investments that tell a story and make a home unique, rather than fast furniture. It’s all about expressing yourself and bringing out your true personality.

While marble continues to dominate in bathrooms, kitchens and smaller-scale furnishings such as coffee tables and accessories, stone is having a big moment in furniture too, with warmer tones like travertine making a splash with a sophisticated, Italian-inspired elegance.

Biophilic Design

Sustainable Design

The Living Future Institute Australia (LFIA) has launched the Biophilic Design Initiative to provide education and knowledge sharing opportunities, to inspire built environment professionals, and reconnect everyone with nature to improve our daily lives.

There is a growing awareness of the impact synthetic fibres are having on not just our planet, but on our health too. A lot of people are unaware of what their flooring is made from - be it carpet or rugs - and have been unknowingly filling their homes with polyester, which is in fact plastic!

Biophilic Design is a requirement of the “Living Building Challenge”1 – the world’s most rigorous certification that calls for the creation of buildings that operate as efficiently and beautifully as nature’s architecture.

Sustainable interior design is about creating interior environments using design principles such as functionality, accessibility, and aesthetics with a focus on people and planet. Sustainable interior design is guided by environmental considerations to help reduce energy consumption, pollution and waste. A simple example is a natural rug in a room, which is a way of bringing nature into your home and also helping the planet.

The development of the biophilic design movement encourages a closer connection to nature in the way we’re building shared spaces. Bringing biophilic elements into the home is an efficient way to maintain that connection whilst indoors. We are seeing this in natural timber finishes and furnishings in favour of man-made, or synthetic finishes everywhere in the home. Kitchen and bathroom spaces, including vanities, walls and ceiling linings are adopting finishes in raw timber, stone and concrete. 40

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Above: Travertine effect outdoor 20mm porcelain tile

Efficient use and future proofing of a space might include making doors wider than standard and floors flush throughout to allow future wheelchair access, orientating rooms so that they make best use of natural daylight or creating safe zones so that children can play while a parent works at a desk nearby. www.lancmag.com

...A DEDICATED COLUMN

FOR ALL YOU DIY LOVERS AND PROFESSIONALS

WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION

AND DESIGN INDUSTRY

Colours of the Earth

Colour trends for 2022 also reflect our need to be close to nature, ranging from Eucalyptus and olive greens to clay browns. Even darker colours are set to make a comeback in timbers. Brown is going to be the new black. Especially caramel, tan and chocolate browns combined with soft creams. If bold colours resonate with you they’re on their way, but for now use them in limited amounts. Small hints of bold primary colours such as blue, yellow and red are being introduced in a sophisticated, simple ways. Natural lights, more artificial lights and brighter ambience is a thing in 2021, and it will continue to trend in 2022. People go outside and are used to natural light so having brighter ambience at home will be like second nature. This also creates an ambience that is relaxing and soothing especially when paired with Earth tones.

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Lines

Reflecting our need for getting life back on the straight and narrow, design trends for 2022 are all about geometrics and symmetry. Slim lines are everywhere, with the use of reeded glass expanding into kitchen cabinetry, room dividers, windows and doors. Tiles too are becoming more obviously geometric, with the linear finger mosaics, or “kit kat” tiles featuring in bedroom walls. Curves Curves are still as hot as ever! Especially quirky wavy forms or the more imperfect, organic curves. Soft, rounded shapes are appearing in homewares. These continue to dominate architectural detailing, with a leaner, more direct profile cocooning our spaces in furniture, cabinetry and feature walls. Zig Zags With life zigging and zagging constantly, no wonder this trend is being reflected in our homes. Shapes of vessels, detailing in furniture and patterns in zig zag are just coming online now in bold colours and bright shades. LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 41

Floor to Ceiling Sheer Curtains Ceilings inside homes are trending to reach tall heights, but must be insulated against heat, cold and prying eyes. Sheer curtains are back. The colours are more contemporary, delicate swathes of goodness to shield what’s unwanted and diffuse the light beautifully. Feature Walls These continue to provide a perfect expression of one’s personality. Whether a bold wallpaper, a hand-finished artisan surface or an applied geometric profile, choose your wall and your weapon to make a statement in colour, texture or pattern. This is my favourite way of expressing your true feeling for a room or an area. It is easy to change, as soon as you feel like a change. These are just some of the hot trends that will be big in 2022, but I am sure over the coming months we will explore even more extravagant designs and ideas. 42

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If you want anymore ideas and tips then feel free to get in touch. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL OR SEND AN EMAIL TO: E N N D

sajedah@milescc.co.uk +44 (0) 1772 759 345 +44 (0) 7581 014 867 www.milescc.co.uk

@milescc2021 @milescc2021 Sajedah Maka-Ismail Sajedah Maka-Ismail

Reference: [1] https://living-future.org.au/living-building-challenge/

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Specialists in Made-to-Measure Covers, Reupholstery & Curtains

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Showroom Opening Hours: Mon-Thurs - 9am-4:30pm Friday - 9am-4:00pm Saturday - 9am-3:00pm

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Plumbs Trusted in Home Service • Family business for over 60 years • No busy shops - use our local service • We come to you - in the safety of your own home • FREE expert advice • Personal service • Over 800 fabrics available

Plumbs is a family owned fourth generation business, with over 60 years experience. We are specialists in Made-to-Measure furniture covers, curtains and reupholstery and proud of the local service we offer on a national scale. We also offer an array of co-ordinating finishing touches, such as cushions, blinds, bedroom accessories and matching new recliner furniture.

A message from our Managing Director – Sarah Page When my family introduced Plumbs special in home service many years ago, they were clear the service needed to be easy, friendly and without any pressure to buy. Today the same standards are still applied. 44

During your free home visit from your Plumbs local home consultant, you will be shown Plumbs full range of beautiful fabrics and soft furnishings, all you need to do is sit back and relax in the comfort of your own

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home. We have over 800 beautiful quality designs, including a large selection from famous names such as Sanderson, Clarke and Clarke and Linwood. We look forward to helping you transform your home with Plumbs.

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Quality that speaks for itself

Our in home service includes a FREE quotation, FREE measuring and FREE fitting

As a family company with over 60 years experience in soft furnishings, you can feel safe in the knowledge that we take great care and expertise with every product we make, and our quality and service are of the utmost importance. When we transform your furniture and windows, everything is Made-to-Measure by hand for a tailored fit to meet your exact needs, no matter how unusual your size and shape requirements. We take pride in the fact that we have such a renowned reputation for our quality and its all done for you through our easy in-home service.

Not got time to visit our showroom? We have good news... You can now purchase all our discounted factory stock online! Our new website lets you enjoy huge discounts on great quality products, fabrics and accessories – without having to leave the house!

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Mon – Thurs 9am – 4.30pm • Fri – 9am – 4pm - Sat – 9am – 3pm 01772 259 995 - website: showroom@plumbs.co.uk www.lancmag.com

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FURNITURE

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TO LAST A LIFETIME Handcrafted British furniture with removable, washable covers As we all try to be a liile greener in our day-to-day lives, it makes sense to start at home. Fable & Plumb offer a variety of Briish made furniture with removable covers - meaning they can be washed and changed to suit your family lifestyle for years to come. With five different styles, and a large range of sizes, Fable & Plumb pride themselves on offering customisable furniture for every home. From the imeless Ophelia design (lee) to the more modern Anderson (below), all Fable & Plumb sofas come with over 400 fabric opions - many of which are machine washable too. All Fable & Plumb furniture is handcraeed in the UK by experts with over 60 years in the furniture industry. As a family run company, the Fable & Plumb team know about the everyday wear and tear that sofas face, and set out to create a high quality soluion th that is comfortable, pracical and beauiful too.

The Lancashire based company oﬀer a 15 year frame guarantee on all sofas and chairs - which is double the lifespan of the average sofa in the UK. Plus, if you choose to change your décor, there’s no need to head back to the furniture shops, you can simply recover and relax. Your home and your sofa are all about expressing your own style and telling your story. Fable & Plumb furniture is designed to do just th that and then adapt for every chapter of life. Start the story of your sofa today and order a free swatch pack online. Find out more online at www.fableandplumb.co.uk or follow us @fableandplumb.

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Redrow Launches Larger Family Homes at ‘The Orchards’ in Fulwood FAMILIES in the market for a larger family home could enjoy a fruitful end to their property search as the newest phase of Redrow’s Fulwood development goes on sale.

Above: An example of Redrow’s Richmond property, which is available to reserve at The Orchards at Tabley Green in Fulwood, near Preston

The housebuilder has launched The Orchards, part of its popular Tabley Green venture, near Preston, which will feature a choice of generously proportioned three and fourbedroom homes.

features with contemporary interiors.

Adjacent to its existing development on Lightfoot Lane, The Orchards features a collection of 25 homes in an exclusive setting. They include some of Redrow’s largest house styles, not previously available at the location.

The magnificent four-bedroom detached family home offers generous proportions in every room: from the wide entrance hallway to the expansive open-plan kitchen, dining and family room which spans the rear of the property and large lounge with its bay window.

Sales director of Redrow Lancashire, Sian Pitt, says: “By offering a choice of three and four-bedroom homes in Fulwood we are meeting strong demand from buyers for larger properties that offer spacious interiors with a mix of openplan areas and private spaces. Our homes also offer flexible layouts, which are adaptable for those working from home on a more regular basis, and many properties feature generous gardens, garages and private driveways.” House styles currently available at The Orchards at Tabley Green include the four-bedroom detached Henley, Balmoral and Richmond designs, priced from £466,995 to £524,995. All are from Redrow’s Arts and Crafts inspired Heritage Collection, which blends timeless period-style architectural 48

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At 2,030 sq ft, the Richmond is one of Redrow’s premium homes and among the largest in the Heritage Collection.

The downstairs also features a utility room off the kitchen with access to the garage, plus a cloakroom and storage cupboard. Moving upstairs, leading off the galleried landing there are four double bedrooms, with bedrooms one and two each benefitting from an en-suite and the main bedroom also boasting a walk-in dressing room. There is also a family bathroom on this floor. “Customers who reserve a home early on will also have the opportunity to personalise their home through our ‘My Redrow’ online portal. This members’ only area gives homeowners the chance to choose their interior specifications by choosing from an extensive range of options and paid-for extras,” adds Sian. www.lancmag.com

Fulwood offers an array of local amenities including a Sainsburys and a Post Office and is located just over four miles from Preston city centre. www.lancmag.com

Show homes at Tabley Green are open daily, 10am – 5pm. For more information call 01772 507449 or visit www.redrow.co.uk/tableygreen LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 49

There’s still time to use your ISA and JISA allowances By Peter Pearson Independent Financial Adviser, Tenet&You

With the end of the tax year (5 April) in sight, now is the ideal time to double check you’ve taken full advantage of all your annual allowances with an experienced Financial Adviser assessing your options.

n Individual Savings Account (ISA) is a common account often associated with tax year end as it is a special type of account that gives you the opportunity to save or invest a certain amount of money every year, without having to pay tax on any growth in your investments or savings. However, it is important that you don’t leave it too late to act or you’ll run the risk of missing out, 50

as you can’t carry over any unused allowance to the next tax year. So if you have cash you won’t need access to in the short term, now’s the time to invest it.

contributions subject to annual and lifetime limits, ISAs are a very useful tool in topping up retirement income. There is no Income Tax or CGT payable on ISA proceeds.

Your ISA Allowance

In certain circumstances, investors can use existing holdings to open or top up their ISAs, this arrangement is known as a Bed & ISA. This is a way of transferring assets held outside an ISA into an ISA so that future investment income and growth are sheltered from tax. The investments are sold, cash is transferred into the ISA and the investments are repurchased. Charges apply and you could end up with a CGT liability if the gain you make on selling the asset, together with any other taxable gains you make within the tax year, exceeds the annual CGT allowance.

Standing at £20,000 for the 2021/22 tax year, you can save or invest up to this amount each tax year into either a Cash or Stocks and Shares ISA whilst shielding any interest, dividends or capital gains from tax. You can also adopt a mix and match approach, putting some into Cash, some into Stocks and Shares and the rest into Innovative Finance if you wish. However, the combined amount must not exceed your annual ISA allowance of £20,000. With pension

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

www.lancmag.com

A Lifetime ISA is another option available to open for those aged 18 or over, but under 40, who want to buy their first home or save for later life. You can put in up to £4,000 each year, until you’re 50. The government will add a 25% bonus to your savings, up to a maximum of £1,000 per year. This contribution counts toward your annual ISA limit of £20,000. Conditions apply. Junior Individual Savings Account (JISA) contributions Why not take the time to give your children’s savings a boost? JISAs are a tax-efficient way to build up savings for your children (and grandchildren) and can be opened for any child under 18, living in the UK. The money can be www.lancmag.com

held in Cash and/or invested in Stocks and Shares. They work in exactly the same way as your own ISA; however, the maximum investment is £9,000 per child for the 2021/22 tax year. A great opportunity With interest rates currently so low, it’s more important than ever to ensure your savings are working hard for you. The ability to save up to £20,000 taxfree is one way of achieving a higher return, especially for those in higher or additional rate tax bands, who don’t benefit fully or at all from the Personal Savings Allowance. Talk to an adviser For advice on using this tax year’s ISA allowance before it’s too late, get in touch with the Tenet&You team to arrange an appointment with one of our

Financial Advisers, who will take the time to understand your objectives and advise you on the course of action most appropriate for your circumstances. Whether you’re in a position to use some or all of your allowance, we can help; rest assured small, regular contributions soon add up. You can reach us by calling 01772 787011 or come and visit us in person at Tenet&You, 327 Garstang Road, Fulwood, PR2 9UP. Alternatively, you can also find out more about Tenet&You on our website, www.tenetandyou.co.uk. The value of investments and the income from them may go down. You may not get back the original amount invested.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 51

Woodford Luxury Apartments Give Retired Couple a ‘New Lease of Life’ WHEN their large family home became a chore to maintain, Woodford couple Len and Joyce Evans set their sights on new high-quality apartments being built nearby.

Above: Len and Joyce Evans at The Courtyard at Woodford Garden Village

Having lived in the Cheshire village of Woodford for over 30 years, the couple wanted to stay local, and started to consider bungalows and retirement homes: “The former we dismissed because they generally needed to be gutted then renovated,” explained Len. “The retirement properties we looked at were attractive as newbuilds but were high in annual add-on costs and generally with single parking and without a garage; we also wanted to be with a generational spread of people.” Impressed by the look of Redrow’s latest development Woodford Garden Village, the couple visited the sales office looking at the possibility of a smaller house. Joyce, said: “By coincidence it was the weekend when Redrow launched The Courtyard at Woodford Garden Village. We were one of the first to view their plans and by February 2020 we had put our house up for sale and in March put a deposit on the top corner apartment, all based on computer designs and plans.” The Courtyard, is a collection of high-quality apartments, each with two double bedrooms, fitted wardrobes, an en-suite to the 52

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main bedroom, and a family bathroom. The open-plan living area features a fully fitted kitchen, dining area and lounge, opening to a private balcony or terrace, making this home feel even more spacious and adding a touch of luxury to everyday living. Each apartment also comes with its own single garage, plus space for parking a second car. Unfortunately, the pandemic and national lockdown meant Len and Joyce’s plans to move were put on temporary hold. However, despite delays to their apartment being completed, the couple decided to continue with the sale. “Firstly, because we had a reservation on the Redrow apartment we wanted, it was in a key position and the right location,” said Len. “Secondly it was important to us to find younger buyers who would look after our old house. We had built it up as the family home over 30 years, and we wanted someone to enjoy the next 30 years just as we had done. We eventually moved into our new apartment in September this year.” Joyce added: “Our experience has been excellent right through www.lancmag.com

from sales to the site management and the follow up customer service. We had seen the show apartment, which is the same design as our apartment. However, having bought off plan we didn’t know what to expect overall. We are delighted with the spacious gardens, the excellent garage/gated paved areas, and the entrance to the apartments. All are spacious, unlike other building developments where developers try to keep such spaces to a minimum. All fittings and features of the apartment are to a very high standard.” Redrow area sales manager Amanda Hollins said: “Len and Joyce were our first residents at The Courtyard, and I am thrilled to hear they have settled in so well. “These apartments really are flexible for all walks of life, perfect for young professionals, great for smaller families and ideal for when you want a flexible, easy to manage home in later life; they do not disappoint.” Having previously lived in a traditional house the couple decided to go modern in furnishings for this new chapter in their lives. www.lancmag.com

“Our favourite room is the lounge/ kitchen-diner because of the large open plan space and the excellent balcony view,” said Joyce. Len added: “This new apartment really has given us a new lease of life.” Set within Redrow’s flagship Woodford Garden Village, residents of The Courtyard have access to acres of open spaces, including woodlands, linear parks and a traditional village green. The garden village will also have its own school, shops, and social facilities, along with a dedicated health centre. The larger towns and villages of Poynton, Bramhall and Wilmslow are nearby for wider amenities.

Current prices for The Courtyard apartments start from £366,495 and a fully furnished show home can be viewed. For further information or to make an appointment contact the sales team on 0161 768 8139 or visit www.redrow.co.uk/ thecourtyard

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 53

Sooner or Later By Harold Cunliffe

When you reach a certain age you acquire a number of tales relating to characters you have known from the past. It is with this wealth of material that my two grandchildren usually request an interesting tale before they take to their slumbers.

f all the tales which I have related there is one which has remained in their minds, one which I am reminded of each time we pass under a certain railway bridge. It all began when as employed as the Parks and Cemeteries foreman, one of the gardeners had previously spent time as a ‘rag and bone’ man touring the district with his horse and cart. By all accounts Mike enjoyed his time collecting old clothing due to the number of items which was in good condition and he could make use of. My two little girls however enthralled by the tale of when Mike would visit the dealer at the end of his working day. This depot was located in Chadderton, Oldham. The most direct route was via Jumbo, or Middleton Junction. The highway passes under a railway bridge, being the line to Rochdale. Each day Mike had to prepare himself for action, because upon entering the tunnel his horse would take fright at the echo of its own hoofs, its ears would pick up, followed by its hoofs. He commented that the animal would race up the highway for two miles before it calmed down and came to a standstill. So whenever passing this bridge, two little voices in the rear seat of my car enquire, “Is this where the horse frightened itself granddad?”

of procuring a cigarette or a little money to enable him the buy a breakfast. It was a waste of time him asking me, I was possibly more hard up than him. I found out many years later that this man was a retired pig farmer named Les, so this was how he gained his nick name. He was well known in the town due to the antics he got up to. It transpires that he would board a bus carrying with him an old sack. In the sack was a quantity of pig muck. After travelling a couple of bus stops he would exit the bus and leave the sack under the seat. The passengers were left to ponder where the awful pong originated. A shop keeper who witnessed him driving a horse and cart during the time he did some ‘totting’ related the story of when he allowed the horse to proceed through a red traffic light in the centre of town. A policeman observed this incident and gave chase. But when he reprimanded him for allowing his horse to go through a red traffic light he jumped from the seat of his cart and went to have a word with his horse. He stood in front of the poor animal, waving his finger he swore and cursed at the horse, exclaiming, “How many times have I told you not to go through a red light.” Les would be seen out and about, walking the streets around eight o’clock each day, so maybe he gained board at the Men’s Hostel which was located close to the centre of town. This hostel was owned by Mr Deakin, who also owned a small chip shop which was a timber construction, supported by wooden stilts and positioned over a river. Our image shows the building following its closure. The left hand room was the dining area; the right hand room was where the coal fired cooking range was located. Deakin said that he stood no messing. He had a trap door near the counter and should anyone kick off he would open the trap door and they would find themselves in the river below. He also had a strict rule at his hostel. He requested everyone be out of their beds at a certain time each morning. He found that some of the customers were reluctant to vacate their beds. To remedy this situation he had all the beds removed and the rooms were converted to hold hammocks. Should anyone fail to vacate their place of slumber Deakin would cut the rope attached to the hammock. A large coil of rope was visible in the corner of the room so this type of wake-up call must have been adopted with regularity. 

Above: Rag and bone man Image: David Lappin

“PIGGY” The gardening staff that was responsible for maintaining the Central Garden area would commence work at 7:30am. Then half an hour later an elderly chap would canvass the workmen, exchanging pleasantries in the hope 54

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Above: “Deakin’s,” Chip Shop

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HOW IT ALL BEGAN Being interested in the history of the town in which I live commenced at a young age. Around the time that I sat the 11 plus exam, one of the teachers reached retirement age so cleared out her cupboards. It was while Miss Taylor was sorting through her huge pile of documents and old papers she found an old map of the town. Looking in my direction she said, “Cunliffe, you can have this, it will help, you are always getting lost.” Upon inspection I found that most of the roads and streets that I knew were not on this map. The town was very succinct in those days. Best of all though were the adverts placed by local businesses which were printed around the outside edge. They too did not exist today. The map dated to around 1930. The next item to arouse my interest in how the town once was came about when I visited a stationers shop in the mid 1960’s. There I noticed that the only picture postcards available gave scenes of the town at a post-war period. At this time I was employed as apprentice gardener which entailed maintaining the central area of town. This included the Central Gardens, Market Place and a large park near the local library. My first postcard purchased from the stationers depicted Market Place just after the Second World War.

years I would supply the reporters with stories and items of interest. It would seem that the readers enjoyed these tales from a bygone era, because, out of the blue I was asked if I would help to produce a weekly feature known as “Bygone days.” The feature was a hit with the readers which resulted in many of them donating items, or offering pictures and stories for copying. “SOONER” Regular readers of my column were Keith and Wendy Connor, now friends of our family, who loaned photographs and slides which enriched the retro photographic archive. Keith decided to take pictures of the shop in which his sister was employed. Today the only images which exist of the now demolished ‘Boots the Chemist,’ are those taken by Mr Connor. The chemist had a resident cat, a real character which had the unusual name of “Sooner.” It transpires that the animal gained this name when it would ‘sooner relieve itself in the shop rather than go outside.’ Keith and Wendy loaned many old photographs of the town which were previously unseen. Special thanks for their generosity. Two pictures are featured, one shows ‘Sooner’ on the dispensing table and the second depicts the front of the chemist shop 

Above: Sooner the cat Above: Post war Market Place with ARP shelter arrowed

The site was used as a Market with Air Raid shelters visible. It was while I was maintaining the grassed area that the position of the shelters could be found via using the postcard as a reference. In the location were two cast iron access covers. One to support the 35 foot Christmas tree, the other gave access to the shelters, which were still in place. Entering the passages was not easy. Metal “D” rungs were set into the brickwork which acted as a ladder. This was a great place for a gardener to cool off in summer. Along the passages three doors still existed, doors to the toilets, which still were still in place. A wooden seat was fixed to a tin bucket which was ox-blood in colour. The seats and woodwork were covered in a white cob web type of material, a mycelium fungus, due to lack of fresh air and lack of use for over twenty years. So the postcard purchase sparked an interest in seeking out more to show how the town once looked. This how I became interested in the past. June 1974 following my appointment as Parks Foreman I became known by the staff at the local newspaper. This was also a good tool to be used by the council; media coverage with events had its benefits. Around the festive period, the reporters would struggle to fill the columns of their paper. Back then nothing happened, everyone went home and no news was created. For many www.lancmag.com

Above: Boots assistant outside the Chemist shop

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 55

they tick. A reporter, who was allocated the task of writing the story detailed the saga very well which made good reading, thus giving the piece the title, “Bus Driver Takes Passengers on a “Joy Ride.” The head reporter upon reading this promptly rejected the item, returning it for alteration, she commented, “This title will not do, in newspaper terms we write, “Bus Driver Kidnap’s Passengers.” OLD MCDONALD

Above: Street scene showing Boots

showing Margaret, Mr Connor’s sister. During the time I produced this feature, the method of submitting a story was to write the text in long hand, plus submit photographs for Imaging to scan in to their system. Normally the feature would be submitted a week in advance. The story was written up; the photographs were to hand, all I required was the title. Going over the story, we have a cat and a chemist, what do I come up with. Time was ticking away. Then sitting in my car outside the newspaper office I could not believe my eyes, the perfect title was looking at me. At the Civic Theatre a large sign had the words, “Puss in Boots.” “SEE YOU LATER” The working of a busy newspaper office is an interesting place to the outsider. Should a news item prove to be of interest, the staff are keen to cover the subject and make the story as interesting as possible. One amazing event happened during one of my visits to the office. Within the newsroom there were four reporters and one senior member of staff who would oversee the stories being uploaded into the system. This person was named the ‘matriarch.’ On this particular day news came in that the driver of a local bus company had a grievance with the management and was not happy at his job. The driver in question was allocated the route which transported passengers from the district to the newly opened Trafford Centre. Having a fairly good compliment of passengers aboard, the driver at first took the correct route along the M60 at Heaton Park, and then join the westbound carriageway, along the M62 towards Manchester. Feeling somewhat annoyed at the treatment he had received that day from those in charge, he decided to turn right, heading in the opposite direction towards Leeds. Many of the elderly passengers wondered what on earth is going on, had they boarded the wrong bus? A number of them mentioned to the driver that he was going the wrong way, but this did not change the direction of travel. Passengers then used the mobile phones to inform their families and friends. Some telephoned the police while others chuckled when they related the situation to friends who awaited their arrival at the Trafford Centre, that they would be a little late. Explaining the situation that they were heading towards Yorkshire was hard to believe. As soon as the situation became clear the police wasted no time in resolving this situation and gave chase, they managed to stop the bus near Bradford. Some of the passengers however enjoyed the ride out. But what interested me the most is how newspapers work, how 56

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A well-known character, Annie McDonald, from Hulme, Manchester visited various suburbs of the City seeking work, plus hoping to fool the police by changing her location. It transpires that during the Second World War the 72 year old had taken to drink. While there is nothing wrong in this practice, you should not drink until you can’t stand up. Annie however made her place of slumber on the footpath outside the local library during August, 1942. A policeman on duty in the early hours of the morning requested that she stand up. He noticed that she smelt strongly of drink and could not stand without his assistance. For her own wellbeing he took her to the police station, on route passing the Market Place shelters, she could have slept there if she had not been so drunk. In court the Chairman asked McDonald, “Have you anything to say?” Prisoner: “I was tired. I have been house-keeping for a lady and got a few drinks. I have been getting an honest living, and if you will let me go I will go back again.” The Clerk of the Police Court stated, “The prisoner has previous. On the 15th July 1942 at Salford, charged with being drunk she was discharged with a caution. On February 24th she was sent to prison for a month, but ten days prior on the 14th February she was fined 10s, (50p). It was stated that McDonald had been before the bench 236 times previously.” The Chairman: “You will pay 20s, (£1) or thirteen days in prison.” THE MISSING LINKS Imagine being the keeper of the Mayoral Chain of Office at the Town Hall, then one day opening the strong room door to find that the solid gold chain was missing. This situation arose in one Lancashire town during the Second World War. Suspicion was at first with the keeper who took charge of both keys to the strong room, and this was an inside job. In fact the theft of the £900 chain was made by a former junior clerk in the Treasurers Dept. Seventeen year old Eric Clayton had left school aged 15 years and had found employment at Mather and Platt, engineers, Newton Heath, where he served for two months before taking up the position at the council in which he was in receipt of 23/- a week, which is £1-15p today. Upon leaving the Treasurers Dept he enrolled at the Wireless Training College at Liverpool with the view of entering the Merchant Navy once qualified. To finance his studies he hatched a plan of stealing the Mayoral chain and cutting up the gold links to sell as scrap. During his time with the council he had observed the keeper of the chain securing the strong room then placing the key in a certain drawer. Clayton broke in one night and stole the chain. This theft made the national news. Eric Clayton was eventually located in Liverpool when he tried to sell one of the medallions from the chain; the jeweller suspected the item to be stolen and informed the police. In a suitcase at his Admiral Street lodging the chain was found. A number of links had been damaged, some missing along with a medallion, which was never recovered.  www.lancmag.com

Clayton was tried at the Preston Quarter Sessions, where some forty magistrates heard the case. The Chairman said that they would postpone the case for six months and the sentence would depend upon the action and activities of the prisoner during this period, then they would decide what action would be taken. The magistrates wondered why this case was not dealt with locally, it was not necessary to bring it to the Quarter Sessions. It would seem that the magistrates looked leniently upon Clayton due to him wanting to help his country during wartime. He used the money for his education.

JOHN WILLIE The name of Wilcockson was known to everyone who lived in the district of Jumbo, and beyond. Ultimately it was their family run haulage business which made them famous. The Wilcockson’s were original from Yorkshire, living at Running Hill Head, Uppermill, Saddleworth. The family, consisting of a mother, father, who was a joiner by trade and three sons. They moved to Middleton Junction around 1870. John Willie and his brother Reuben, who was a clog maker, set up business in a shop on the main road through the village. It was when the revolution of motor transport came about John Willie and his brother decided to set up a haulage business. John however was well known for being a hardworking man, thrifty and a non-smoker. It is interesting to note that during weekdays the vehicles were used to transport goods around Lancashire, plus visiting Fleetwood Docks to collect fresh fish. Then at the weekends the lorries would be converted into a coach by bolting on a body which contained seating. This way the vehicles did not sit idle, they brought in income by members of the public enjoying excursions to places like Bill o’ Jacks or Hollingworth Lake.

Above: Actress Dora Bryan has her hands on the gold chain worn by Cllr Frank Whitworth

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As the firm expanded tours to resorts much further afield were undertaken. Our image shows a party of holiday makers visiting Bournemouth. A notice on the chassis states that the maximum speed allowed was 12mph. It would take quite a while to travel to venues on the south coast. John Willie Wilcockson was a Primitive Methodist and financially supported his religious belief. He was described as a well-built person who would have been taller in stature if he had not suffered from a dislocated hip as a child. It was said that he was an imposing figure of a man. 

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 Not many people can claim to have had their photograph taken with the Royal Family, yet John Willie did. It all began when he took a holiday at Southport, and took a trip to Liverpool. Upon arriving he noticed that there was a civic event taking place. The streets and buildings were decorated with streamers and bunting. He then found out that the Prince and Princess of Wales was to visit, they were coming to open the new Post Office. Many prominent people were to attend including Lord Derby.

stairs to be met with a police inspector who asked who he was and what did he want. “Press.” Replied John Willie. “What paper?” “Oldham Chronicle,” was the reply. He subsequently witnessed the arrival of the Royal carriages and the proceedings.

Mr Wilcockson in his desire to see the Royal couple attempted to gain a position where the ceremony was to take place, but the police were keeping the area clear. It looked like all the residents of Liverpool had turned out to witness this event because it was two streets away before he gained a spot at the roadside.

At the local store where you can purchase decorating, gardening and

When the ceremony was over the occupants were photographed on the platform for use by the press and the seat next to the Royal couple was occupied by John Willie Wilcockson. TALES FROM THE GRAVE

household supplies I was asked a question by one of the assistants. She asked if I was the person who contributed the nostalgia series in the local newspaper. She commented that while in the staff canteen a copy of the newspaper was being read and a staff member mentioned that I shop in their store. She was obviously shocked by the way I looked, I must not look like a historian, because she said, “I thought that this column was written by an old man, who had possibly lived in town all his life and was probably dead.” n

He was unhappy at this spot, so took the decision to walk down the centre of the road in a manner of authority, head held high, in the search for a better spot. He was an imposing and well-dressed figure. The first policeman he encountered stared at him, then Wilcockson held out his hand to greet him with, “Good afternoon, officer.” The policeman in was flattered by this, replying, “Good afternoon, sir,” allowed him to pass. Before long he was at the carpeted platform where the ceremony was to be performed. Mr Wilcockson went up the

Above: Wilcockson on tour at Bournemouth

Above: John Willie Wilcockson (circled) outside the house he built along with the Primitive Methodist Young Men’s Association in 1933 Image: Alan Ogden

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LAKELAND ARTISAN Award winning Food and Drink

Lakeland Artisan run by husband and wife team Geoff and Mary Monkman is an award-winning artisan food and drink company producing high-quality, hand-crafted products using the finest natural ingredients with no artificial flavours.

The company produces delicious preserves, chutneys and fruit syrups under Cumbrian Delights, a range of soft drinks and cordials as Mawson’s Original Drinks, a range of Gin, Vodka, Rum and Whiskey Liqueurs as Lakeland Liqueurs, new this year is Yan Gin by Herdwick Distillery, and finally Lakeland Hampers that brings all the brand together as well as other quality local produce. With over 65 Great Taste Awards to date and many other accolades - a truly awardwinning company. All our products are naturally delicious with no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives and handcrafted with love and care at our premises on the outskirts of Kendal in the English Lake District.

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A L T R I N C H A M

Hill & Hill The Jewellers is one of the most beautiful jewellery shops in the North West, and winner of Store Design of the Year in a national competition. They stock some of the UK’s top jewellery designers and last summer they opened a stunning new PIERCING studio, offering high-end needle piercing. Their aim is to make the region more beautiful one ear at a time.

t’s the New Year and time to give your ears a little love. So, Hill & Hill The Jewellers in Altrincham are offering a brand new and totally unique service; A Piercing MOT! Bethy Highton is Hill & Hill’s manager and licensed needle piercer. “Are your piercings

uncoordinated and mismatched? Maybe they are ill fitting, causing irritation or need a clean? If so, come and have a piercing MOT!” The 30 minute consultation is aimed at getting the most out of your piercings, and maybe add a few more. “It’s a huge trend to have more than one piercing in each ear, but it’s a look that needs care and attention.” Fiona France is also a licensed piercer at Hill & Hill and can help create what is termed the “curated ear” look. “We will clean all your jewellery, check your piercings, and have a look at how we can re-arrange what you have, or maybe add a few more piercings.” Says Fiona “We stock a stunning range of fine piercing

M 60 George Street, Altrincham, WA14 1RF | F

“We want to thank all our customers for their outstanding support in the last year. Our simple aim to be the best. Happy Christmas.”

jewellery, and we love making ears look stunning!”

into valued but outdated pieces of jewellery.

The whole piercing industry has changed in recent years, now men and women are going for that high-end “curated ear” look. “We are dedicated to bringing really beautiful jewellery to Altrincham, and our range of piercing jewellery reflects that. We have gold, diamond and other precious stones, all in exquisite designs. Our jewellery stylists will help make your ears even more beautiful.”

“We want to make the whole process of designing and making jewellery as accessible as possible. We have designed and had made some stunning pieces. There’s been a lot of tears of joy from customers… and from us too! We love what we do. And we can’t wait to see what the new year brings!”

Hill & Hill’s piercing studio is certainly like no other. They have a large luxurious lounge with big comfy sofas. Jo Hill, owner of Hill & Hill says, “We wanted to make piecing a luxury experience. So our lounge is perfect for friends and family to come together, enjoy a relaxed personal consultation, choose jewellery from our beautiful collection, and have as many piercings as you want. Or you can just come in for a piercing MOT and revive the piercings you already have.”

You can book for a Piercing MOT for £20, or an piercing appointment on 0161 929 5018.

Hill & Hill The Jewellers opened two and half years ago and have already won awards. Not only are they proud stockists of some of the top UK Jewellery designers, they also have a hugely successful bespoke and remodelling service. Jo and Bethy are both accomplished jewellery designers, making pieces from scratch, or breathing life back

I hhthejewellers | N 0161 9295018 | D https://hhtj.co.uk

WHAT IS COSTCO? Costco Wholesale Corporation operates an international chain of Costco membership warehouses which carry quality, brand name and related private label merchandise at substantially lower prices than are typically found at conventional wholesale or retail sources. The warehouses are designed to help small to medium sized businesses reduce their costs in purchasing for re-sale and for everyday business use. Individuals are also allowed to purchase for their personal needs.

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 63

Frederick’s Ice Cream

We at Frederick’s Ice Cream are a 3rd generation Italian family business. The current directors are Mr Anthony and Mrs Elisabeth Federici and three of their four children Donna Townson, Roseanne Rooney and Louis Federici. Anna Federici owns and runs her own successful café bar in Weir, Bacup called “Anna’s”.

rederick’s Ice Cream Ltd manufacture over 200 varieties of luxury ice creams using our grandfathers’ original recipe and import the finest ingredients to create vibrant, on trend best sellers and seasonal specialities along with the classic flavours that we all know and love! We wholesale our homemade ice cream and sundries across the North West with a weekly trade delivery service to your door. With over 100 years of experience, we can offer help and advice to you as well as the best tasting ice cream for your customers. We can offer guidance on setting up your own ice cream business and assistance with design, staffing and products.

We ourselves, own and run three retail parlours all with their own individual design but all with the same fabulous ice cream, coffee, desserts, pizza and wines. We offer a modern, clean environment with excellent customer service and all our parlours are open 7 days a week and every day except Christmas Day! FLAGSHIP STORE Bolton Rd Chorley PR74AL

In the very near future we aim to develop our outdoor event and private function offering, extending to more ice cream carts, bikes and vans to attend weddings and parties and markets and to expand and develop our Vegan range of ice creams and desserts. If we can help in any way, trade or private please give us a call on 01257 263154 or email infofredericks@gmail.com

TOWN CENTRE Massa’s Dessert Cafe Bar, 3 Cunliffe Street, Chorley PR72BA PARK PARLOUR The Pavilion, Mesnes Park, Wigan WN1 1TU More details available at: www.frederickicecream.co.uk Our most recent venture created in lockdown is our own online parlour and delivery service. Customers can select from a large range of ice creams, desserts and sundries in the comfort of their own homes and all at click of a button at: www.fredericksdelivery.com

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Saul Hay Gallery Contemporary Art

Mark Gibbs - Hero Mixed media 42x12x56cm £1,500

Julia Chance - When I Close My Eyes - Mixed media on Board 75x75cm £950

La Toja Sun Acrylic on canvas 76x76cm £1,200

Kevin John Pocock - Barrier. Acrylic on canvas 122x76cm £1500 Julia Midgley - Titania. Ltd Ed Etching with Aquatint 47.5x49.5cm £300 framed, £240 unframed

Gerry Halpin, Adrift, Acrylic on canvas, 50x60cm £1,200

OPENING TIMES DURING EXHIBITIONS Wednesday - Saturday: 10.30am - 6.00pm | Sunday: 10.30am - 5.00pm

RAILWAY COTTAGE, BEHIND BASS WAREHOUSE OFF CASTLE STREET, MANCHESTER, M3 4LZ E info@saulhayfineart.co.uk | N 0161 222 4800 www.saulhayfineart.co.uk

HEALTHIER HEART – HAPPIER LIFE 3 little known strategies to reduce the worries of heart-disease, high blood pressure or weight struggles without being a lifelong guinea pig of generic ‘expert’s’ lifestyle advice

There is an old saying that if we do not look after our bodies, then where are we going to live? But everybody knows how difficult it is to stick to the latest dietary regime to lose weight or try to reverse diabetes for example.

ost people cannot set time aside to exercise. And you know how we would love to take good care of ourselves if it was quick and easy? It’s HEART HEALTH MONTH – everybody knows someone with high blood pressure, weight struggles and the worries cardiovascular disease (CVD) brings. CVD is the No.1 cause of death worldwide. Around 450 people in the UK die daily from it. “Unexpected, fatal heart attack” was the message I had to pass to my mum when she was just driving to her mother for a surprise visit. No good bye or warning, my grandma gone in an instant. Silence. The pain of this experience fuels my passion to share about options everyone has to help prevent such devastating moments. CVD and other health worries are preventable. Too late for my family, but here are 3 little known strategies for you, that I use daily in my clinics, and that can help you make better choices for a life with less worry and maximum quality. 66

1. “Say YES to NO” Scientists call Nitric Oxide (NO) the ‘Miracle Molecule’. NO aids the flexibility of all your blood vessels and improves blood flow leading to reduced blood pressure and less plaque build-up and thus, reduces the risk of heart attacks and stroke. In our 40s, the body produces only about 50% of the NO required for a healthy system. L-arginine and L-citrulline, amino acids in certain foods, are the power ingredients to help produce more NO. Getting the right amounts on our plates for the ‘miracle’ to happen is difficult but a high quality supplement can help (but beware of marketing and ‘empty’ promises; do research!). 2. “Fix the Gut = Fix the Problem” Yes, your gut is directly linked to the health of your CV system, too. Gut Dysbiosis, the imbalance of your gut’s household (the Microbiome), and Leaky Gut Syndrome lead to increased inflammation everywhere in the body, including your blood vessels. Restoring the health of your gut has countless benefits from improved heart health to better immunity, moods and behaviours, improved sleep and weight to name but a few. All media reports about it and the programme I use was featured on Channel 4 - hear for yourself: https://whypurify.co.uk/?tm=jr

and what could trigger dormant lying health issues, like CVD for example. You are unique! A superfood for you could be an inflammation causing food for someone else. Do a DNA test to personalise your lifestyle based on your blueprint. Facts – No more guesswork! YOU HAVE THE POWER OF CHOICE FOR A HAPPY HEART In my clinics I combine science, nutrition and mindfulness to improve your health and performance with programmes built around YOUR lifestyle, delivered with a concierge level of service to help you become the best version of yourself.

3. DNA testing to read your blueprint Your lifestyle - food, exercise, environment - directly impacts your DNA. Nutrigenetics DNA tests help us ‘see’ the possible effect on your genes and defines what is best for you

CONTACT: Julia Riewald

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1-2-1 mentoring, corporate programmes – bespoke approach, measured progress, online portal support. Coaching for health professionals on proven methods and programmes that help achieve results for their clients faster.

– Success & Health Coaching N +44 (0)7902 214534 E Julia@percent-edge.com www.lancmag.com

People come to stay with us when an aspect of their life is overwhelming all else. Whether it be their relationship with alcohol, substances or behaviour, we help guests heal and take back control. Delamere Health Ltd is the UK’s only purpose-built behavioural health clinic. Set discreetly amidst six acres of grounds beside Delamere Forest in Cheshire, we offer exemplary care in a dignified setting. To find out more, visit Delamere.com or contact our admissions team on 0330 111 2015

YOU CAN’T RELY ON MOTIVATION Or How To Find The Right Motivation To Help You Finally Achieve Your Health Goals Catherine Dean is a Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach supporting women feel better, have more energy and ditch diets. Her approach to health and wellbeing isn’t about quick fixes or fad diets. It’s about helping you to create healthy habits that fit around your busy life, make a real difference and, most importantly, last in the long term. Struggling to make your New Year’s resolutions stick? You’re definitely not alone. There is even an official day for letting go of resolutions that aren’t working for you. It’s called Quitter’s Day and it usually takes place on the second Sunday in January. If you’re finding it difficult to stay motivated and your New Year’s resolutions are already a distant memory, it’s not that you lack discipline. It’s not

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because you’re lacking in willpower. It’s much more likely that you haven’t found a strong enough reason why. When it comes to creating new habits, motivation isn’t everything. Want to create new habits that last beyond? Relying on motivation alone probably won’t be enough. You may already know that motivation can be unreliable, unpredictable and erratic. Not the strongest foundation for creating lasting change. Motivation does matter though. While we may not be able to rely on motivation alone we do need a reason to keep us going when things get challenging.

Finding Your Why? Let’s say weight loss is your goal. Before you get started, it’s important to know why you want to lose weight. If your focus is on how you want to look or other people’s opinions of you, it probably won’t be enough to keep you going in the long-term. There are two types of motivation, extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation comes from outside sources and intrinsic motivation is where your motivation comes from within you. I’ve also heard these called fear-based and loved-based motivations, which is the definition I’m going to use in this article.

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A few years ago I did a (almost) half marathon in Tours, France. I say almost, it was 12.5 miles, so I’m claiming it as a full half marathon. My motivations were purely extrinsic. I wanted to:  Look good in my wedding dress  Raise some money for charity  Do a half marathon (it was close enough!) and get a medal So extrinsic or fear-based motivations aren’t necessarily bad, in fact we need them in life so we do things we don’t want to do. They can give us a much-needed kick-start. For many of us, extrinsic motivations are what get us up and out of the house in the morning on the days we really don’t feel like going in to work. But, when it comes to things like weight loss or improving our health, extrinsic motivations are usually the quickest to fizzle out when things get tough. Once I’d got my medal and fit into my wedding dress, I stopped running completely. The motivation just wasn’t there anymore. A few years before that, I used to go to Parkrun regularly. I found it easy to get up early on a Saturday morning to go running in a cold and rainy park in Bolton. Why? Because the sense of community, support & friendliness of the other runners always made it worthwhile.

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Examples of extrinsic or fear-based motivations include:  Focusing on praise from colleagues, friends or family  Doing things to avoid being judged by others  Activities that bring rewards such as grades or trophies When you understand your love-based motivation and focus on these reasons your chances of success are far higher. Loved-based motivation looks like: • Doing something because you enjoy it • You feel rewarded • It gives you sense of accomplishment • You feel like you’re learning & growing • It boosts your confidence & self-esteem. • It gives you a sense of purpose • You feel a connection with others. Some specific examples of loved-based motivations: • To have the energy to play with my kids when I get home from work • To wake up every morning feeling refreshed • To feel a sense of belonging when taking part in group activities • To have a sense of accomplishment when I learn a new skill

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Bringing it back to the weight loss example, it’s about focusing on the journey and the benefits from working towards our goal. How much more energy we have when we eat less processed foods. How much better we sleep when we reduce our alcohol intake. How much stronger & more confident you feel when you do exercise you enjoy. How much more relaxed you feel when you are consistently taking steps to manage your stress. When you know your lovebased or intrinsic motivation, your chances of success are much higher. If you’ve struggled to make your New Year’s resolutions stick, it’s likely that you haven’t found a strong enough why yet. Try to find a love-based or intrinsic motivation that is strong enough to keep you going when things get tough. Intrinsic motivations are much more likely to help you achieve long-term success.

 What do you think you should do, that you don’t want to do? Why?

Still unsure what your intrinsic motivations are? Try these journaling prompts to help you get a clear idea of what’s behind your goals. Grab a journal or notebook, pen and a cuppa then spend some time answering these five questions:

As a Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach I can help you dig deep and find your why, the intrinsic motivation that will help keep you going when things get tough. To find out more about this, get in touch using the contact details below.

 What would you like to do more of?  What would you like to learn more about?  What’s stopping you doing these things?  If you weren’t worried about other people’s opinions, what would you do?

If you’re ready to ditch diets, feel less stressed and have more energy a Nutrition & Coach could be exactly what you’re looking for. To find out how fully personalised nutrition coaching could help you to achieve your health and weight loss goals, head to: www.catherinedeancoaching.co.uk Have a nutrition question that you’d like to be answered in a future article? Send your questions to Catherine at: info@catherinedeancoaching.co.uk

Spend some time working through these questions and see what comes up. Often we make decisions about life that come from other people’s expectations. Use the answers from these journaling prompts to help you focus on what you really want and what your next steps might be.

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Balance Counselling and Coaching Ltd with Kathryn Taylor

MOMENTS OF INSPIRATION PRODUCTS I am delighted to announce my ‘Moments of Inspiration’ product range is now available to buy via my website: www.balancecounsellingandcoaching.co.uk/store The ‘Moment of Inspiration’ cards, have been designed with an Inspirational message to spark focus, instil trust within yourself, find acceptance and uplift. The 31 cards – one for each day of the month are 70 x 120mm in size and are a premium finish. Printed on 300gsm paper, they are presented in a high-quality textured box and ideal as a gift. Perfect as words of encouragement, to lift spirits, inspire others or for use as decoration or on a mood board. Use them as you wish, work through the pack using one each day, pick a random card or dip in and out as you feel. There is no right way just your way. The ‘Moment of Inspiration’ coasters are the latest addition to the range and are packaged in a beautiful gift box. The Set of 4 coasters has an individual high-resolution picture and inspirational quote on the front . Each coaster has a high-gloss and wipeable melamine finish and an anti-slip cork bottom. They make ideal gifts. The ‘Moment of Inspiration’ notelets are made from quality card and completed with a matt lamination. They are presented in packs of 5 alongside their own envelopes. Each notelet has a different inspirational quote on the front cover and are blank inside leaving space for your own personal message. Made from quality card and finished with a matt lamination. The ‘Moment of Inspiration’ calendar is a glossy A3 calendar on quality card displaying the days of the month with a different Inspirational quote for every month. The quotes are complemented with beautiful images that will inspire and motivate you. These all make perfect gifts for friends, family or those people in your life that just need a moment of inspiration. As well as being something for you to use yourself to help motivate and inspire you. We have a Return & Refund policy for each of our products, see the website for details. All items are dispatched within 48 hours of your order (Monday - Friday) and aim to be delivered to you within 3-5 working days.

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Balance Counselling and Coaching Ltd

PUT YOUR LIFE IN BALANCE By Kathryn Taylor

I have had many times in my life where I have felt that I was no longer in control of my destiny, be that through stresses of work, relationships or just life in general, today I want to focus on the impacts this can have on your mental health and then provide some easy to follow, achievable, steps that you can take for yourself, at any point that you start to feel, anxious, stressed or just plain overwhelmed in life.

ut before I do that, I just want to start by giving a brief explanation of what stress is, what causes it and the impact on the body physically and mentally.

What is stress? Stress is the body’s natural response to any situation where it perceives a threat, real or imagined, the body then responds by triggering physical reactions in the body most commonly know as the “Fight or Flight response”. This is the bodies way of trying to protect you and keep you safe. Highly useful when you are in an emergency situation as it puts the body into a state of heightened awareness. The heart rate increases, the adrenaline pumps, your breathing quickens all helping to increase your strength and stamina as well as improving your focus and increasing your reaction time. Ensuring you are ready to stand and fight or run for safety. Examples of this would include: • Someone breaking into your house at night • Being followed by a stranger Sometimes, this reaction can also be useful in helping you face challenges in your life for example facing new opportunities, doing a presentation to others etc. After the perceived threat has passed it usually takes the body about twenty to thirty minutes to calm down after a stress response. When is stress bad for you? Stress is bad for you when it becomes your base state, when you start to feel overwhelmed frequently. I have listed below some of the behaviours and physical symptoms you may see if you or someone close to you is suffering from stress/ overwhelm. 74

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Behavioural Impact

Emotional Impact

Sleep issues (too much/too little)

Crying constantly

Substance abuse (Alcohol/Drugs)

Feelings of overwhelm

Eating (more/less)

Moodiness (Angry/Irritable)

Procrastinating

Anxiety

Mental Impact

Physical Symptoms

Inability to concentrate

Chest pains

Seeing only the negative

Stomach Upsets/Nausea

Constant worrying

Aches and Pains

When we are in a constant state of stress it prevents us from being able to respond in a rational and balanced way and our ability to deal with and manage our emotional responses reduces greatly so we are more likely to overreact and catastrophise about situations. This can lead us to become locked into a way of thinking where we can only perceive the negatives of the situation and find it difficult if not impossible to see the potential for solutions and opportunities As implied above many different things can cause stress some externally driven and some that we create for ourselves, however the feelings of overwhelm and stress have the same impacts. The top ten causes of stress as defined by the “Homes and Rahe Stress Scale” are: 1. Death of a spouse 2. Divorce 3. Marriage/Partner separation 4. Imprisonment 5. Death of a close family member 6. Injury or illness 7. Marriage 8. Job loss 9. Marriage reconciliation 10. Retirement

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What can you do to reduce your stress in your life?

2. Ways to calm the mind and reduce the stress responses.

There are several steps you can take to reduce the feelings of stress and anxiety to bring you into a calmer state and enable you to put plans in place to enable you to reach a place of peace.

Breathing exercises

Ways to reduce stress Below are some ways you can look to reduce stress in your life and bring yourself back into a balanced state. 1. What are the areas causing you stress? • List all the things that is currently causing you concern. • Do these all fall into different categories or are do they fall in one area of your life? Home, Relationships, Work etc? • Look at each individual category separately and focus on one issue at a time and write down what you know about it.

• BOX BREATHING a. Sit up straight in a chair with your feet flat on the floor b. Close your eyes c. Then breathe in for a count of 5 d. Hold your breath for a count of 5 e. Breathe out for a count 5 f. Hold your breath for 5 g. Repeat steps c – f for up-to 5 but a minimum of 2 • BELLY BREATHING a. Sit up straight in a chair with your feet on the ground or lie down

• Is this a fact and if so, what evidence do you have to support it?

b. Place your right hand on your chest and the left on your stomach

• If it isn't a fact what is the actual reality of the situation? How can you find out the facts?

c. Breathe in slowly through the nose allowing the breath to move down to your stomach area

• What steps can you take to resolve or reduce the impacts. Ensure these are broken down into small steps.

d. You should feel your stomach push your hand upwards. The hand on your chest should remain still

• What alternative ways could you achieve the results you want? Try to think of several different options so that should one option turn out to not be viable you have alternatives to fall back on.

e. Breathe out through pursed lips, the hand on your stomach will drop down

• Decide on your own achievable targets and set deadlines.

f. Repeat steps c to e for 5 minutes • 4-7-8 BREATHING a. Sit up straight in a chair with your feet on the ground or lie down

• Take action

b. Breathe in for a count of 4 c. Hold your breath for a count of 7 d. Breathe out forcibly through your mouth for a count of 8 e. Repeat steps b-d 4 times

For a confidential discussion email: info@balancecounsellingandcoaching.co.uk or call on: 07794 143 171 or visit: www.balancecounsellingandcoaching.co.uk www.lancmag.com

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Balance Counselling and Coaching Ltd

WHY I BECAME A There were two really key moments in my life that led me to train to become a counsellor.

he first time was fairly early on in my career when a very popular member of my team began to suffer from depression and was having suicidal thoughts. I worked with the HR team at the time and we provided internal support via regular meetings with the individual and also by ensuring that they received professional support from a therapist and support team.

What if I had added in another 1-1 on Friday, could I have changed things, could I have made a difference? It took many months for me to come to terms with what had happened and acknowledge that I/ the business had done what we could to support in providing professional aid and working with them supporting them in the workplace. Even though I came to accept what had happened it was always something I reflected on when other individuals in my life both professionally or personally talked to me about how they were feeling.

Sadly, despite all the support that was provided, after some bad news the individual received, they felt that they couldn’t cope with it at the time and sadly they decided and succeeded in taking their own life. The death happened over a weekend and whilst covering a shift on a Sunday, inevitably the rumours started that the individual had committed suicide, with no senior support or HR team available at the time, I made a decision to bring my team back into the office, (we worked in a warehouse spread across three old mills and comprising of approx. 12 different floors) and briefed them of the possibility of their colleague’s death. I had to repeat the information on the following Monday for every member of the team but this time I was confirming their death. The next few months were difficult times in supporting his colleagues and ensuring they had the emotional support they needed at that sad time. It also impacted me in terms of the constant thoughts of what if? What if I had done something differently?

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Moving on…. Several years later and I was working for a different company in a progressively senior role and having noticed a change in the behaviour of one member of the team. I asked them if they were they ok. They opened up and talked to me about their personal issues and struggles with depression. They were having suicidal thoughts and struggling to cope with things like getting out of bed, coming to work, doing anything really.

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COUNSELLOR & COACH By Kathryn Taylor They had had several absences because of this but had been unable to tell their manager the real reason for the absences so had reported stomach upsets each time and they were now been managed for their absence which was just adding to their feelings of what’s the point?

I spoke to the HR team and was given advice which to me felt wrong and likely to push the individual over the edge. Luckily, I was in a position senior enough to be able to acknowledge their advice but respectively ignore it and do what I felt would be more helpful.

I spoke to him and supported him as best I could, referring him to our Healthcare provider for professional support and ensuring he got it quickly, provided a space where he could come and talk to me and off-load what was going on for him and gave him space to share his feelings and emotions. I was always conscious that I felt out of my depth and worried I would say or do the wrong thing.

time with the support of both the Healthcare team and the support in work he recovered and started to move forward again and have fortunately not felt that low or depressed since.

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On this occasion my decision was right and over

At the time the second incident happened it brought back all the memories of my early management experience of one of my team committing suicide and throughout all my conversations it was in the back of my mind.

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A Career in Counselling It was at this point I spotted an advert for a 10-week evening course called ‘An Introduction to Counselling’ which I decided to enrol on to help me understand what I should be doing or saying in situations like the ones I had experienced. The course was really good, informative and useful but, despite this, in the end, I had learnt a lot but was conscious of the fact there was so much more that I didn’t know or understand and it left me feeling I needed to know more. I signed up for a 12-month Certificate in Counselling and that led on to several more years of training before I became a fully qualified counsellor. Collectively and in tandem with the other skills I trained as a coach, and NLP master practitioner and trainer and since I have continued to develop both my counselling and coaching skills with continuous professional development learning new skills and keeping up to date with changes in the industries.

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It wasn’t an easy journey through my training, as throughout it, I had to face up to some of my own issues and demons but the process helped me understand what a client can go through, the feelings of vulnerability, the fear of judgement, feeling out of control etc and made me more determined to succeed on this path and be able to help others in a professional way utilising all I had learnt. I used my qualifications by undertaking voluntary work initially alongside utilising the skills in my career in logistics but found that more and more the part of my role I enjoyed most was supporting individuals to develop and grow or just understand themselves and what made them feel/behave the way they do. Based on this I made the decision several years ago to set up my own business and focus on coaching and counselling working both with businesses and individuals to provide a vitally needed service. Since 2013, I’ve been working as a certified Counsellor and Coach who specialises in helping people cope with their issues. I work with my clients in a variety of ways based on the individual/business and what they require/best works for them.

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I offer counselling and coaching, face to face, over the telephone and via Zoom. I offer a variety of services to my clients including: • Counselling Life can be a struggle sometimes. It’s been a difficult and challenging year for many. Difficulties at work or at home, worries about the future, or just the general stresses of life can take their toll on your confidence and ability to cope. Big changes - like the loss of a loved one through bereavement or divorce, redundancy, children leaving home, or a trauma such as a car accident or being the victim of a crime can leave us feeling rudderless and unsure of where we go from here. • Coaching o Business Coaching – working with business supporting managers and staff to develop o Executive Coaching – Working with senior managers to provide, coaching, mentoring and use as a sounding board o Private Coaching – I can help you to become more confident, improve your relationships, change your career or improve your existing one? I can also help you to take control of your destiny and be clear on your goals and how to achieve them? As COVID 19 became part of our daily life and impacted everyone in terms of how they lived and worked, it affected me in similar ways and had a major affect on my business as companies shut for long periods and staff worked from home and like many other businesses and individuals I had to look at different ways to operate and ensure I had enough business to cover my salary and pay my bills.

During this period I had to change the way I worked, all my sessions were now being completed over zoom which had some benefits but many challenges especially initially as people got used to using it. I also had to look at ways to replace the income I had lost. That’s what drove me to create my moments of inspiration range, which started as an idea for a set of inspirational quotes that I wanted to be unique and not just copies of someone else’s words. There are 31 individual cards to enable you to have a different quote for each day of the month should you want but they are designed to be used in whatever way you wish. You can work through the pack using one each day, pick a random card or dip in and out as you see fit. There is no right way just your way. That has then led on to a full product range that includes, coasters, notelets, calendars and posters (framed and unframed). I started a blog which had been on my to do list for months and that in turn has led to me starting to write my own book. Something I never thought I would do. The book is going to be a self help book which is a mix of: • events in my life that have been challenging to myself and will share how I overcame the obstacles and moved forward • techniques and guidance on how you can achieve results for yourself and turn your life around I am facing some challenges in creating this as I have decided to self-publish and am on a steep learning curve but am aiming to have it launched early in the new year.

If you would like to know more about my services / products and how I can help, please contact me either via the website www.balancecounsellingandcoaching.co.uk or email info@balancecounsellingandcoaching.co.uk or call on 07794 143 171

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Vital Funds for Repairs to Tudor Browsholme Hall, in Lancashire

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Browsholme Hall near Clitheroe has received a vital cash boost from the Historic Houses Foundation to fund essential repairs.

rowsholme Hall, the oldest surviving family house in Lancashire’s has been given a major financial boost by the Historic Houses Foundation to help make long overdue essential repairs. The Foundation made the award from a £2.1 million Heritage Stimulus Fund programme it manages for Historic England. Its grants help support properties in the heritage sector which have experienced very sharp falls in revenue during the pandemic, directly impacting their ability to maintain, repair and renovate their buildings. The Historic Houses Foundation is a leading funder of architectural conservation and one of the only bodies able to support buildings in private ownership. The grant will allow essential repairs to roof of the property which is badly in need of renovation.

at risk the building, the oak panelled interiors and the historic collection.” Work will begin immediately and continue over the winter months before the start of the new tourist season in Spring 2022. It will provide welcome employment to a wide range of traditional craftsmen and building professionals in addition to other local employment opportunities. The nationally recognised expertise of the Historic Houses Foundation’s eight volunteer Trustees makes it ideally suited to identifying projects most in need of support.

Browsholme Hall dates from Tudor times. It has served as a family home to fourteen generations of the Parker family, Bowbearers of the Forest of Bowland, since it was built around 1507. The oak panelled Tudor house, which was extended in the Regency period, has an important collection of portraits and perhaps Britain’s finest antiquarian collection. The grant makes it possible to repair the slate roof, the leadwork & chimneys to ensure the survival of these historic interiors.

Norman Hudson OBE, Chairman of the Historic Houses Foundation said “We are delighted to have been selected as a Delivery Partner for this important round of Government funding. As a small nimble charity, we know that the money will kick-start restoration projects postponed by the pandemic. This money arrives just as we have launched our first major fundraising campaign which will expand our abilities to help threatened historic buildings, keeping them at the centre of their communities and creating specialist jobs.”

Owner, Robert Parker said, “We are delighted that, thanks to the Historic Houses Foundation, we are able to go ahead immediately with urgent repairs to the main roof and chimneys. Without this funding it would not have been possible to carry out such major work and further delay in not doing so would increasingly put

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: ”From local churches to ancient buildings and landscapes, the UK’s unique heritage makes our towns, cities and villages stronger, more vibrant and helps bring communities together. This latest funding will help protect sites and help them build back better from the pandemic.”

For more information about the Historic Houses Foundation, please visit: www.historichousesfoundation.org.uk For more information about Browsholme Hall, please visit: www.browsholme.com

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Colour and Style

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OUR SECTION ON COLOUR AND STYLE WITH S A R A H H A R R I S F R O M ‘ CO LO U R M E B E AU T I F U L’

ebruary can be a grey and dull month maybe that is why Valentine’s day falls at the beginning! Let’s add some colour to our wardrobe - different shades of colour that will suit everyone, and can be added to your neutrals which will lift your mood in this cold month!

Brighten Up Your Wardrobe by adding Colour! ALL-EMBRACING PURPLE Purple is such a vibrant colour! And in the Colour Me Beautiful world, it’s a very special colour because it is one of the very few colours that suits every without exception. Purple encourages creativity and radiates calmness. It is also the birthstone for February (amethyst). Often associated with royalty and mystic purple is a complex and diverse shade. It’s not a colour that many will feel comfortable wearing top-to-toe, but works well worn as an accent with a neutral palette. There is a shade of purple that will suit everyone as seen below;

I’m Sarah Harris and I’m a Colour and Style Consultant who trained with Colour Me Beautiful the world’s leading Image consultants. My background is in fashion and after leaving school at 16, I travelled to London to work as a Fashion/Photographic Model, I enjoyed the life and it allowed me to travel the world, during my career I also worked in wholesale/retail within the fashion industry. I learnt all about fabrics, business, international companies and trying all those clothes on – the quality, cut and fabric. I took a break from the business when I married and had our two children. I retrained as an Image Consultant with Colour Me Beautiful who have been changing the lives of women and men for over 35 years. I’d like to inspire you with Colour, Style and Skincare tips every month, I’m hoping to give you an interesting read. If there is something that you would like to know about please email me and I will do my best to help. E sarah@sarahharrisstyle.co.uk D www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk 82

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 Molly Square Neck www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk

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KNOW YOUR NEUTRALS There is something very puttogether about neutral and you may be surprised to learn that I always start a colour analysis by showing my client their best neutral shades; black, white, navy, grey, stone, cocoa, pewter to name but a few. People often have black in their wardrobe although it isn’t always the most flattering colour!

 Merino Crossover and Lambswool Coatigan www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk

The left pictured navy and white neutrals look great with the pink shoes and equally with a colourful scarf or bag. The pop of colour brightens it up! Building a wardrobe of core basics in your best neutral colours will enable you to make many different outfits, saving you money as you won’t need to buy as much. Adding a few fashion colours each season will enable you to remain current and on-trend. Try wearing a shade other than black as it isn’t a colour that suits everyone! LIGHTS (Cate Blanchet, Gwyneth Paltrow)

 Purple Scarf and Purple Rain Lipstick by www.colourmebeautiful.co.uk

ULTRA VIOLET EYES An easy and instant way to Inject some purple into your look is by experimenting with Make-up. At Colour Me Beautiful we have a fabulous make-up range which has been developed with the six dominant colour categories in mind.

Have some fun experimenting with these different looks which will bring you bang up to date this year. If you’re unsure about which make-up combinations to try, get in touch for an informal chat, make-up lesson enquiry, or go all the way and get your colours done for 2022. www.lancmag.com

Your look is light and delicate and wearing black close to your face can make you look tired and unwell. Try swapping this out for medium grey or rose brown. The key is to mix these with lighter shades such as pastel pink or light apricot. DEEPS (Catherine Zeta Jones, Michelle Obama)

You do actually get black in your palette as your look is dark and strong and you carry it well. However, it’s easy to ‘play it safe’ but your wardrobe could end up lacking variety. Aubergine and dark navy are sufficiently deep to balance out your look and will add interest to a monochrome wardrobe. Lucky you, you can team these with other deeper or even lighter shades. LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 83

WARMS (Beyonce, Nicola Roberts)

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Black looks very flat against your rich, golden look. Bronze and chocolate are far more flattering shades for you to play around with. You can enhance these colours further by adding other yellow-based shades to them, such as amber or lime. COOLS (Judi Dench, Viola Davis)

As with Deeps, you have a very strong look and black therefore features in your palette. But try charcoal or teal which looks wonderful against your skin tone. You look your best with some contrast so team with icy blue or rose pink. CLEARS (Courtney Cox, Michelle Dockery)

Your overall look is contrasting (very dark hair, bright eyes) so this is another strong palette. Black can be exchanged for dark navy or charcoal and for maximum impact team with lighter, brighter shades such as light aqua or blush pink. SOFTS (Kate Winslet, Amanda Holden)

Have a Wonderful February and Happy Valentine’s Day! Whatever you are doing add some colour and see how it will lift, lighten and brighten your mood! Look after yourselves and each other! Warm Wishes, Sarah x E sarah@sarahharrisstyle.co.uk D www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

With your mousey/light brown hair and soft, muted eyes, your look is very blended. You will always look better in medium depth colours so black isn’t one of your better shades. Try pewter and cocoa and wear these tonally with other colours of similar depth. Sage and light periwinkle will work particularly well.

Style

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Prosecco with industry veteran Jon Peek

A Bottle of prosecco £15

Jon has over 15 years of top-end experience and working alongside Marco Pierre white for over 10 years, including most recently as General Manager at Marco Pierre White’s luxury hotel, The Rudloe Arms in Bath. The Cross Guns Inn has undergone an extensive renovation project and offer a selection of modern and traditional English dishes cooked to an exceptional standard. With pub favourites at the forefront, the menu has been re-designed to tempt and delight all tastebuds whether its for an intimate meal for two, a family get-together or Celebration. The Cross Guns also include a private function room for 60 guests, an open plan kitchen as well as a beautiful Art Deco cocktail lounge and outdoor drinking and dining area with its own bar.

Available Monday - Friday from 3pm until 6pm Telephone 01204 291204 Email info@thecrossguns.co.uk

@crossgunsinn

Website www.thecrossguns.co.uk Address 354 Blackburn Road, Egerton, Bolton, BL7 9TR @thecrossgunsegerton

THE NATURE ISLAND OF THE CARIBBEAN By Sharmen Frith-Hemmings

Imagine beautiful rolling lush mountains, hot water springs and the sound of rivers meandering through vegetation into the open mouth of the sea. The hustle and the bustle of a people who embrace you like you belong, a culture so rich it makes you want to stay. Yesss! We are back in the Caribbean, on another beautiful Island. We are touching down in Dominica an English and Creole French speaking Island, not to be mistaken for the Dominican Republic which is Spanish.

Dominica National Bird

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ominica is officially known as The Commonwealth of Dominica a small Island-Nation nestled between the French islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique and Marie Galante. The island gained independence from Britain in 1978. Dominica is perhaps one of the few islands that still have their original tribal ancestors living on the island. The Kalinago territory (reservation) is estimated to have a population of around 3,000 Caribs making it the largest settlement of indigenous people in the Caribbean. Through history the Caribs on Dominica have fought against the Spanish and the European settlers. Despite their best efforts, the population decreased, and they were forced into remote regions of the island as European settlers and imported African slaves, grew in number on the island. The Caribs successfully held out, with some help from runaway slaves also known as maroons. The reserve now houses a model village, where tourist can visit and see crafts such as baskets and mats been made, which are then sold to tourists. This part of the island forms part of Dominica’s rich culture that tourists have returned to enjoy time and again however this is not the only attraction on the island, Jimmy Cliff’s Many Rivers to Cross rings true 365 of them to be precise, one for every day of the year. Growing up with a Dominican Stepdad I had the pleasure of enjoying some of these rivers on my visit to Dominica. Playing in the cool waters of the nearby rivers in the village of Bence with friends, catching crayfish and watching parents wash clothes on the

Dominica National Flower

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banks of the ever-running fresh water. Back then the worst we had to worry about was the coldness of the water and with the sun blazing that was a welcome commodity. Dominicans are very proud of their natural resources and almost every household would have a vegetable garden planted whether at home or in the mountains. They export banana from the ever-growing banana fields this I too visited with my grandparents Daddy Lewis and Mama Della. I remember my little tired legs treading well into the rain forest where the banana’s and other ground provisions grew. Ground provisions are vegetables such as yams, dasheen, christophene / chow chow sweet potatoes and plantains to name a few. These are the staples of a Dominican diet and would be cooked daily. In addition to being great farmers, Dominicans make great fishermen and fish would be added to the diet or other meats and poultry. Cooking is a big part of daily life and especially using local produce. Dominica has adopted Callaloo soup as it national dish since 2013 when its former National Dish of Mountain Chicken and Provisions became an endangered species, thereby making it illegal to catch them. The adopted dish is made from the young leaves of dasheen or tannia or when not available spinach like leaves called callaloo can be used. Although a mainly vegetarian dish Dominicans add smoked or salted meat or crab to it to enhance the flavour. The national dish is enjoyed at special occasions, including the festivals and when they want to enjoy a touch of culture. The Nation of Dominica is a hardworking and industrious people who know how to enjoy themselves too! Dominica has many celebrations including its Carnival which is celebrated a week before Ash Wednesday. It is comprised of local pageants, calypso performances (local artists singing songs written either by themselves or other artists), dancing, and music. Let’s not forget the wash of vibrant colour and fun of the carnival costumes in the parade and people coming out to play Mas. Other festivals include Jazz and Creole Festival show casing local Jazz Musicians performing live, World Creole Festival much anticipated by the whole Caribbean. At all or many of these festivals the Dominica National dress is worn. Made from the Dominica Madras the brightly coloured dress of white, red, green and yellow is a worn with national pride of a people who love and value their culture. Let’s not forget the annual Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival held in April or May. This aims to increase awareness of the

Dominica National Dress

birds found in the Caribbean, through lectures and exhibits and arts. There are many birds found only in the Caribbean including Dominica’s National Bird. The Imperial Amazon also known locally as the Sisserou, is a parrot found only on Dominica, is now a critically endangered bird with only 50 mature birds left in the in the wild So come enjoy a slice of culture and history next month as we journey to another beautiful Island in the Caribbean.

M 5 Brennand Street, Burnley BB10 1SU E info@mamashars.com N 07988 890974 F @mamashars I @mamashars

MAMA SHAR’S CARIBBEAN COOKING

We boast authentic, delicious and affordable Caribbean meals and Celebration Cakes. We can work with any budget and give you amazing flavour and homemade taste.

SHAR FRITH EVENTS

We provide event planning, catering, festivals, street food. We provide an altogether high standard of service to all our clients.

Photography credit: John Cox

MAMA SHAR’S CARIBBEAN COOKING E info@mamashars.com N 07988 890974 FI @mamashars

Dominica Carnival

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Dominica National Dish

SHAR FRITH EVENTS #E info@sharfrithevents.co.uk N 07988 890974 FI @sharfrithevents

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Mama Shar’s Left Over Bread Pudding Recipe By Sharmen Frith-Hemmings

Try this mouth-wateringly good recipe from Mama Shar’s upcoming recipe book. You will need: 1½ Loaves of Stale Bread or Leftover Bread 2 Litre Bottle of Milk 250g Sugar 1 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon 1 Teaspoon of Ground Nutmeg 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Essence

Method: Place all of the dry ingredients in to a large bowl. Add the flavouring and pour in the milk until all of the ingredients are covered. Leave to soak for about an hour, until all of the bread is saturated with milk. Mix by hand or using an electric mixer on a low setting until all of the ingredients are combined. Add more milk if necessary to create a very wet mixture. Grease and line a large baking dish.

2 Handfuls of Dried Fruit

Pour the mixture in and bake at gas mark 4 until firm. This may take 2 to 3 hours.

50g Margarine or Butter

Remove from the oven and serve. Goes great with custard or ice cream to make a fab dessert.

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Gordon Buchanan - 30 Years in The Wild The Anniversary Tour

One of the most prominent wildlife presenters and filmmakers working today, Gordon Buchanan’s journey is a remarkable story to tell.

aving produced some of the most popular wildlife programmes on the BBC, we have been able to see his incredible passion for the animal kingdom and the unique ability he has for presenting such hidden animal worlds to an audience. For the first time, Gordon will be taking a look back at his incredible 30 years working both behind and in front of the camera. This will be a rare opportunity to discover what has continued to drive his career and the landmark stories that take pride of his work.

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With three decades worth of expeditions to guide us through, this will be the first time Gordon is able to show us his favourite wildlife encounters. The tools and traits he has developed over the years to be at the forefront of wildlife filmmaking. This will be a showcase of both his most celebrated work, and that never seen before, a behind the scenes insight of how these successful programmes are made. Always reflective Gordon Buchanan is taking this opportunity to understand how his time within the wildlife industry has changed and what the future potentially holds for us and the animal kingdom as co inhabitants of our rapidly changing ecological landscape.

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presents

Gordon Buchanan

30 Years In The Wild – The Anniversary Tour Star of ‘Animal Families & Me’ (BBC TWO) 30 January 1 February 2 February 3 February 4 February 5 February 6 February 7 February 8 February 9 February 10 February 11 February 12 February 13 February

Dunfermline, Alhambra Billingham, Forum Whitley Bay, Playhouse Loughborough, Town Hall Dorking, Halls Nottingham, Playhouse Cardiff, St David’s Hall Bury St Edmunds, The Apex Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall King’s Lynn, Arts Centre Christchurch, Regent Theatre Stafford, Gatehouse Lichfield, Garrick Exeter, Northcott Theatre

@gordonjbuchanan @gordonbuchanan_wildlife

www.josarsby.com

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

February February February February February February February February February February February February February February

Yeovil, Westlands Plymouth, Quad Basingstoke, Haymarket Coventry, Albany Theatre Bristol, St Georges Monmouth, Blake Theatre Winchester, Theatre Royal Morecambe, The Platform Edinburgh, Assembly Rooms Aberdeen, Tivoli Theatre Inverness, Eden Court Stirling, Macrobert Arts Centre Glasgow, City Halls Oban, Corran Halls

gordon-buchanan.co.uk

An Interview With Gordon Buchanan

Tell us a bit about your childhood - how did it prepare you for a career in wildlife film making?

I grew up on the Isle of Mull, which is a very wild part of Scotland, and I think that drove my passion for being outside, and close to nature. School didn’t do it for me: academically I wasn’t really present - all I wanted was to be outside, and the classroom was torture. I was a daydreamer, and I always knew I was never going to work in an office. I’d see the scallop divers, and I’d think: that’s a really good way to spend your working life. I grew up in the late seventies and eighties, and David Attenborough’s documentaries were big on the telly - and I devoured them. Attenborough is tremendous: his career has lasted so long, he’s such an important voice, and he has so much respect, right across the globe. I thought my admiration for him could go no higher - but then I met him, and it soared even more. 94

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Q A

How did you get into making nature films as your career?

I was right in at the deep end with making wildlife films. I was 17, and working in a restaurant on Mull at weekends and evenings to earn a bit of money - and the husband of the owner was a cameraman. He was going to Sierra Leone for 18 months to make a film about the animals in the Gola rainforest, and he asked me if I wanted to come along as his assistant. I knew nothing about what it involved, and I had no idea really what I was getting into - but I knew it was the sort of life I wanted, and I never wavered from that belief. So having never been abroad - never even been on a plane - there I was a month after leaving school, setting off for a year and a half on the other side of the world. But if getting there was serendipity, and while it was definitely the best break I ever had, those 18 months were tough going. I was so young, and being so far from home was hard. But I knew it was the way forward, I knew it was www.lancmag.com

an incredible opportunity - and I knew I’d be able to build on it and move into the life I’d love.

Q A

How has wildlife filmmaking changed over the years you’ve been doing it?

Right now I’m on my way to Brazil for a conservation series - we’ll be filming jaguars. Big cats are the pinnacle for me - watching them hunt is utterly fascinating. The technology has changed hugely over the three decades since I started out - it’s always been about showing viewers the parts of nature we’ve never been able to see before, and technology allows us to do that more and more. But the other huge change across the years has been the increased realisation about how vulnerable and fragile these areas of the world where I’m filming actually are. Thirty years ago we didn’t know - the world was a lot bigger then, and we simply didn’t realise the impact human beings were having on wildlife. Now we understand that so much better, and I’m acutely aware of it in every way, from my own carbon footprint to questions around changes that need to be made by governments across the globe, if we’re going to stop the damage. Right now we’re losing animals before we even knew their species existed - that’s a tragedy.

Q A

Given all that, how optimistic are you about the future?

Despite the immense difficulties I do have hope for the future. I spent time at COP26, in my home city of Glasgow, and I was really moved by how children and young people are making their voices heard. At the moment it’s the suits who are making the decisions - but soon it will be the turn of the new generation, and they’re going to understand the climate emergency in a very different way, which I think will make for real change. My growing-up years were the eighties, when we were all in awe of the US and consumption - it was all about big cars and having stuff. But the mentality has changed, and tomorrow’s decision-makers are being formed by that.

Q A

How does it feel being somewhere really remote when you’re making a film?

Sometimes it’s me completely on my own - and when you’re trying to witness something that requires great sensitivity, that’s the best way to do it. But usually I’m working in a team of four - the camera operator, sound operator and director. We tend to be a pretty tight bunch, because you’re relying heavily on one another, especially when you’re in a dangerous situation. www.lancmag.com

Q A

How did Animals with Cameras come about and are the animals ok with it?

We knew Animals with Cameras was a great idea a long time ago - but the technology had to get there. And it’s so good that it has, because it’s one of those programmes that really captures the imagination, and also it’s about genuinely seeing animal behaviour without human interference. We’re very careful about making sure the camera-carrying animals aren’t upset - we have very strict rules about the weight they can carry. If they weren’t comfortable with it they wouldn’t behave naturally, and that wouldn’t work from the point of view of the programme either.

Q A

There must be a lot of contenders for this but could you share a few career highlights?

A few years ago I was working with arctic wolves on Ellesmere Island in Canada; it’s really remote, there are no people there. I got to meet a pack of wolves who had no preconceptions whatsoever about humans. What I realised is that wolves have been vilified for centuries by humans - but they’ve been totally misrepresented. They’re actually highly intelligent animals, and I felt honoured to spend time with them. Another incredible moment for me was seeing polar bear cubs emerge into the world for the first time. They’d been in their winter den, under the snow, for the first four months of their lives, and I was there to see them coming out into the daylight, seeing what was outside, exploring it with a sense of wonder. I remember thinking about the lives they had ahead: it’s incredibly tough to find food, to live the way they do. And yet it’s the life they’re equipped to live. Another amazing time was the two years I spent living in Brazil, travelling up the Amazon by boat. I remember the incredible sense of awe at being in the last great wilderness on the planet - that memory has stayed with me, and it always will.

Q A

Do you ever find yourself in danger? What sort of scary situations have you been in?

I’ve been chased by bears, tigers and elephants - but not all at the same time. And let me tell you: that’s when you discover how fast you really can run.

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Morecambe Bay By Joel Newman and Emily Walker

orecambe Bay is a stunning place with many incredible landmarks on offer, here is Morecambe Bay through the eyes of local photography student Amy Churchhouse.

 Eric Morecambe Statue The bronze statue of Eric Morecambe stands centrally along the promenade in Morecambe Bay, in tribute to one of Morecambe Bay’s true stars. The sculpture stands six and a half feet tall so is slightly larger than a true life representation and depicts his renowned Bring Me Sunshine pose. The ground surrounding the figure displays an array of Eric Morecambe’s famous quotes such as “All of life is based on timing” and these

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inscriptions are accompanied by the name of the guests on the Morecambe and Wise show. This attraction draws the attention of many as they queue to have their photo taken alongside the legendary Eric Morecambe. The picture here taken by Amy illustrates the silhouette of the iconic pose that the artist was determined to recreate when they composed the statue and is backed by the picturesque backdrop of the Lake District. www.lancmag.com

 The Beach

 The Winter Gardens

There are several incredible beaches along the coast of Morecambe some of which have attained the ‘Seaside Award’ for safe, attractive and clean beaches. With a vast selection of interesting features along the extensive sandy plane there is a struggle to encapsulate the grandeur in just one photograph. From dunes to coves, nature reserves and views heading out to sea the beaches truly are a stunning place to visit.

The Winter Gardens is one of the oldest and most iconic buildings in the area. It is a space that is fully supported and appreciated by the locals, resulting in a team of volunteers being pivotal in restoring the grade II listed building to its former glory. In its time the Winter Gardens has hosted prominent names such as the Rolling Stones and Shirley Bassey on its stage.

Amy’s picture illustrates beautifully the extensive sands and encapsulates the magical moment as the suns sets on the open water.

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Amy’s image depicts poignant features of the building’s original grandeur in the unique shapes and forms of the structure´s exterior features.

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 The Midland Hotel Another notable building gracing the sea front is the Midland Hotel. The structure is renowned throughout local history as an iconic art deco building and has since been restored with some integral modern finishes. The hotel curves along the west coast displaying iconic views of the bay. The image depicts the strong glass fronting of the building that provides a shelter as the hotel visitors gaze across the bay, with the external seating to bring that even closer feel of the sea.

 Pleasureland Pleasureland is Morecambe’s leading family entertainment hub, offering attractions such as Johnny’s Fun Factory, Trawler´s Fish and Chip Shop, not to mention some of the more seasonal events such as the car boot sales and fairs. The picture displays the iconic front of the building with a glimpse in to the busy, bustling and fun atmosphere that can be expected inside.

All of the photographs are the work of Amy Churchhouse. Amy is an avid photographer who’s portfolio has an extensive range of work from landscape to still life more of which can be seen on Instagram: I @churchhouse_photography 98

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Is a private online space which has been designed to connect like-minded people in business and inspire personal and business growth. We offer some free and low-cost services to really help people to raise their profile and generate leads. Thrive & Grow is for businesses who are serious about growing their business.

WHAT DO WE OFFER? TRADE & GROW Our very own Marketplace equivalent. This is a free space where our members can promote their own products and services to their fellow Thrive and Grow members. It’s a great opportunity to advertise their wares!

RELATIONSHIP AND REVENUE REVOLUTION Networking for Switched on Business Owners and Entrepreneurs! This is not your usual run of the mill boring pitching to the room. This is networking designed to maximise the number of people a business can connect with and gives an opportunity to move from connection to lead in double quick time.

MINERVA MEET UPS A membership which has monthly online meet ups and helps businesses to decide what they want to achieve, support them in planning the route to get there and most importantly we provide the accountability to get them there. EXCITING NEWS - FREE MINERVA Manifesto™ APP COMING SOON - Watch this space!

MINERVA PARTNERS We are always on the look out for partners to help us to provide Minerva Meet Ups across the country. If you are passionate about helping others to succeed and would like a second income to run alongside your current business. Drop us an email we’d love to hear from you info@thriveandgrow.club

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ANY OF THE WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER YOU CAN FIND US AT https://thriveandgrow.club

MIRANDA CHRISTOPHER I was delighted to be invited to write a regular article for you and would love to share how I put into practice the success education I teach. And this month it’s about creating space.

ollowing some changes in my personal life, I really had to remind myself of one of the particular tools that I teach my clients. Especially pertinent for those who struggle with being too busy. It’s so simple to do yet challenging at the same time. Maybe you are one of those people who find inspiration comes to them in the shower? You are enjoying the moment under the jet of the water and “pow” it is obvious what you need to do. Well, it’s like that but without water. It’s called creating liminal space. Liminal space is the space between “what is” and “what is next”. I invite my clients to take a business and life prescription; three times a week take ninety minutes out of your day, go to a place that refreshes and inspires you. For me, it’s either sitting on a favourite bench in a local park or grabbing a coffee sitting at the window seat in a café watching the world go by. I then ask them to just notice. Nothing else. They are not there to figure stuff out, it’s a time to be. And then I ask them to write down in their journal what is obvious to them. As you can imagine, I hear many objections to this simple activity. “I’m too busy to do this”, “My head is just full of thinking of stuff I need to do”, “I’ve got the kids to see to and all my housework”. You maybe having a similar reaction. 100

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My Obvious Next Step... Yet, those clients that choose to implement this technique in their lives are able to more than double their revenue whilst reducing their working hours or, turn a six figure income to seven whilst spending more and more time with their families. As a young person I used liminal space in a particular way, without realising what I was doing. I would lie on my bed next to the window and look up at the clouds, wondering about life. I could spend hours like this, I called it my ‘wonderland’ time. As I said, life has recently given me challenges and, at a time when my tasks were mounting, I went to Leyland Park sitting in my favourite spot, had a coffee sat watching the world go on the promenade at Fleetwood and a took a trip to one of my favourite places in Lancashire, Brockholes. Other times I have sat in my conservatory just noticing the birds flying in and out of the trees. In noticing what I noticed, a number of things became obvious to me. By taking that time out, I’ve designed a new mobile app for business and made much needed refinements to the structure of that said business. I’ve also been able to introduce much more harmony into my personal life. When I created my MINERVA Manifesto™ workbook, I took myself off to an Airbnb® in Silverdale for a few days. It’s a similar concept to the 90 minutes however, I went with the intention of having the workbook ready for the designer and editor. Starting from scratch, in just four days the workbook was ready for them. When we suffer from the epidemic of busyness we are playing according to the rules of our hidden rulebook. One such rule is “you have to work hard to make money”. Now think about www.lancmag.com

that. Why would anyone consciously choose to work hard over easy? Using my “sitting with it” approach and just noticing, I become aware of these life limiting beliefs and am able to neutralise their power over my life. So many people start their own business to move away from working long hours, eliminating frustrating commutes or to increase the time with loved ones. Sadly, too many implement their employment ways of working as their business way of working, leading to working even longer hours, often bouncing around seeing as many people as they can. A former client of mine, who is also a coach, described how, when she started her business, she drove 40,000 miles driving in her first year, just networking. She did do some business but subsequently recognised that there were much smarter ways of operating. The way she was working in those early days reflected the role she had in her employment. Implementing my simple prescription meant that she was able to access insights that opened up a whole world of possibilities for herself; doing business (and life) on her own terms.

It does take will and focus to go for what you truly want. In 2009, I was at a cross roads in my life, I used to sit on a bench on a hill that overlooked a reservoir, dare I say in Yorkshire. The scenery was breath taking. In sitting with the tension in my life, I was finally able to see my next obvious steps, which back then was to leave a relationship that was making me very unhappy. And the good news is, the only investment you have to make is the time to take a step out of the day to day.

Are you ready to take that time and create a life you love?

As you are reading this, you may be thinking that this is obvious. Well, on one level it is. Yet, we all have blind spots and are operating under our unconscious rulebook that creates blinkers to the obvious. We get stuck in a groove of “this is how life works for me”. Simple tools, like this creating space tool, helps you to step out of the groove and see that there is a whole other way of being and doing things in life. Even though all the tools and techniques that I share with clients are simple, their implementation may feel challenging to start with. We all experience resistance when it comes to changing the way we operate in life.

www.mirandachristopher.com

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The Real Keys To Success BY MIRANDA CHRISTOPHER

All Photography By: Pam Sciambarella from Shoot & Bloom Ltd

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Most entrepreneurs describe becoming their own boss like falling off a cliff. On Friday they leave employment and on Monday they are self-employed. Whilst the physical change is straightforward, the psychological identity change is often too great to bear.

ou may have heard the phrase “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway”, yet most of us just feel the fear and end up feeling stuck or moving two steps forward and the three backwards; the latter known as ‘oscillating’. Ultimately the psychological tension created leads to failure and it’s why, as a business mentor, I used to advise people to start their business alongside having the regular income of a job. Once a buddying entrepreneur has regular income from their selfemployment, the next obvious step is to go part-time before leaving employment all together. By taking this approach they are able to develop their self-awareness without falling off the cliff. And self-awareness is a primary key to building a life and business you love. If you’ve read my book MINERVA Manifesto™, you will have gained some awareness of how we follow our unconscious rules of “how it is in life” for us. These are the rules that we learnt as children to ‘survive’ in the world. Everything, and I mean everything, in your life is dictated by these rules. The relationships you have, your health and definitely your results in business. www.lancmag.com

Ordinarily, to create success, I teach people how to engage and operate from genius - the highest level of creativity. However, this requires a level of self-awareness that most entrepreneurs develop only from falling off the cliff and becoming stuck or oscillating! A real Catch 22.

I first observed this in my corporate transformation consultancy work. The business had to be literally hanging over the edge to allow me to do the rapid transformation work I became so renowned for. Up until that point, “the way we do things around here” – the unwritten rules of the organisational

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culture – wouldn’t allow anyone to change the way things were. There has to be that tipping point. When I hit life changing burnout in 2014, something I now know was a direct result of my unwritten rule of “not good enough”, I had the opportunity to develop my own selfawareness. Sometimes, we need others to call it out to us, and that’s what I’ve built it into the MINERVA offerings focused on accountability and support, hosted inside Thrive & Grow which is a community of people raising their awareness and thus their results, co-founded with Brand and Marketing expert Judith Wright.

Now, with my vision for my life and business – both of which I love – my focus easily creates the reality that I choose. Notice the difference? What I also observed during my research was that, until we develop our awareness, our vision isn’t actually really our vision. It’s a product of that unconscious rulebook. Why? Because your beliefs, definitions and

have your dream life. Another Cath 22. Your focus is on money and that’s not what you truly desire, you then build up resistance to having it, which then stops you having it. It becomes that self-fulfilling prophecy. I don’t want money becomes “no money” and thus no time for what you really desire, like more time with the family. When we learn to create the right

Did you know there are two ways that you can become stuck? The first is that your ‘next step’ was just too big. Your egoic identity or culture, in the case of businesses, doesn’t recognise who you are becoming, and thus enforces the unwritten rulebook. The second way is when someone (or an organisation) has so many great ideas that they try to implement them all at once. They lack the understanding of how they fit into the bigger picture and are driven by fear and lack. They both lead to the outcome of not achieving very much and usually end up blowing the budget, plus some. Which is why I share inside Thrive & Grow a simple system called Debt Free Living to help those who started their business by using credit and been unable to pay it off. Again, awareness factors, helping us to face up to the situation and all that psychological stuff that means we get in our own way. This system has helped thousands around the world clear their debt and become savers. In doing my research into the failure rate of businesses, I recognised a common theme; most of the people I interviewed didn’t have a clear vision for their life and thus for their business. In fact, most people put more effort into planning a holiday than they do for their business. Focus creates reality. If you are following unconscious rules of “never good enough” like I was for a very long time, what do you think the ultimate result will be? Yes, I was able to create a multiple six figure business however I worked very long hours unconsciously trying to prove I was good enough! Until my body said enough. 104

meanings you have in life create what you think is possible for you. You may state you want a million pound business, but your rule book will do it’s best to make sure never happens. That said, it’s unlikely that money is one of your true desires in life, and by setting money as your vision, unwittingly you have now created a barrier that you have to overcome to

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kind of focus, we can neutralise the psychological tension created simply by comparing now and “how it is” to what’s next. By just sitting with the difference, it allows the obvious next step to emerge. Our hidden rulebook has it’s first chapters written in early life by the influences of our immediate family, these early chapters are built on www.lancmag.com

by the cultures we are part of such as a religious affiliation and our experiences of education. All within the story imposed by the wider society we are in.

putting in changes to run 10k under his personal best. His journey to health is one of taking the next obvious step, his focus on his end result is creating his reality.

I was brought up under the influence of a particular religion. Guilt and lack of worthiness were the foundational stones on which my life was built. So when, as a child I was told “it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven”, little did I understand how that would shape my life as an entrepreneur. This simple metaphor had been stored directly into my hidden rulebook as “making lots of money is a bad thing”. Can you imagine how that impacted on my initial results?

By now, my hope is that a light bulb is beginning to switch on for you, especially in business. When I created the MINERVA Manifesto™, I identified two islands. The island of pain and the island of pleasure. The island of pain has very steep cliffs, it’s where you really don’t want to be, your current situation. The island of pleasure is your own definition of success. In between the two there is a sea of sharks and devastating currents. You set out, either away from the island of pain or towards the island of pleasure in your dinghy.

Another common “rule” for women, which isn’t so obvious, is how women create a self-imposed income ceiling based on their fathers equivalent income whilst they were growing up. It sounds bizarre, however, the more I explored this concept the more women I discovered were following an unconscious rule about respecting the man of the household and how earning more than this father figure was disrespectful. Thankfully for our up and coming female entrepreneurs, we have more and more females as role models and society as a whole is adjusting through diversity awareness to break these types of rules.

Because of that hidden rulebook combined with a lack of awareness, what most people fail to see is that there are other ways to cross this expanse of water. They fail to see that there is a lift down to a tunnel that links the two islands, totally bypassing the water. And for those that are not keen on tunnels - there is a bridge further round the coast line!

And it’s not just business where focus creates our reality. Maybe you want to become healthy? After all, what’s the point of becoming successful and not being able to enjoy the rewards of it? The traditional approach to health would have you follow a set plan to achieve success, and maybe you get there. But it’s likely to be a struggle. This is very prevalent in the weight loss industry. It’s a cyclical business model designed to make money from oscillating – achieve the goal weight using our plan then pile it all on again so you still need us. I’ve been observing my other half creating improved health in his life. He holds his vision of being healthy in mind. He began with completing a 5k park run. He then worked on improving his personal best time. He then challenged himself on different terrains. He explored how changing his eating habits affected his performance. As I write this he is www.lancmag.com

Either route, it’s one step at a time using the structure of the tunnel or bridge. When you take the next step, I can’t guarantee that you won’t encounter obstacles on your journey - you most likely will. However, knowing where you are going helps you to course correct as you encounter and overcome those obstacles. The more awareness you gain, the easier it is to do this. You can still use the boat on the choppy seas full of danger and hit the island of pleasure. I’ve seen many people do this. They arrive exhausted, stressed by their experiences and at the expense of a happy balanced life. Just as I did. At the foot of the cliff, the panic sets in and when we experience this level of stress, it precludes us from our creativity – our genius. We revert back to the rulebook. We can’t see the possibilities for our business and thus our lives. We treat our business as a self-employed job, only working way too many hours and usually taking a personal income that is less than the minimum wage. When I was a teenager, my personal circumstances meant that I spent

many hours lying on my bed looking out through the window at the clouds. I would contemplate the meaning of life, trying to understand why people did what they did. I guess I was one of those intense teenagers, dressing from head to toe in black! What I now appreciate is that this gave me the discipline to step away from the day to day to create a space to allow inspiration to come to me. It was a discipline that followed into my college years. When my peers were doing their night before last minute “cramming” – which is actually useless under stress - I was in the student bar playing pool. They expected me to fail; the reality was that the total opposite happened. When I observe most entrepreneurs, I see they are working 50+ hour weeks stuck in busyness, I am grateful for this discipline. This, and developing my awareness has meant that I am highly productive, currently work no more than 15 hours a week and spending quality time pursuing other interests. My intention for this year is to reduce my working hours to 5 hours at the same time as significantly increasing revenue. At this point you are probably in one of two frames of mind, either you are highly dubious about what I am sharing or your curiosity has been piqued. As a final note, when I trained in this work, the guy who owned the company I trained with had started his education business from scratch. Within two years he had hit £10m+ annual revenue – working just two hours a week. Just remember, your focus creates your reality. Question is, are you focused on the hidden rules of “how life should be” that you created as a child or are you focused on creating a life (and business) that you love?

Co-founder, Thrive & Grow for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners. www.thriveandgrow.club

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10 By Margaret Brecknell

Notable Library Buildings in the North-West

Interior of Chetham’s Library, Manchester Photo Credit: Kelly Whittlesey / Shutterstock.com

Many of the North-West’s public libraries have played a vital role in their local communities for well over a century now and indeed, one has been in existence for over 350 years.

n offering free access to books, these institutions have particularly, over the years, given less affluent members of society the chance of an education which may have otherwise been lost to them. The buildings, in which the region’s libraries are housed, have come in all shapes and sizes, but sadly, because of cuts, not all have survived to the present day. Here are ten of the most notable library buildings in the North-West.

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CHETHAM’S LIBRARY, MANCHESTER Chetham’s Library has been in continuous use as a public library for over 350 years and thus can rightly claim to be the oldest free public reference library in the Englishspeaking world. It was established way back in 1653, under the terms of the will of Humphrey Chetham, a prosperous local textile merchant and philanthropist. Towards the end of his life Chetham devoted himself to charitable schemes with the aim of providing local underprivileged boys with an education, believing that this gave them the best chance of escaping poverty by finding a decent job. Free access to books was an important factor in enabling this to happen and so upon his death he made provision for a library to be founded, instructing the librarian “to require nothing of any man that cometh into the library”.  www.lancmag.com

Manchester Central Library Photo Credit: jean.cuomo / Shutterstock.com

The library is housed in one of Manchester’s oldest buildings, a medieval College House which was originally designed to accommodate priests. The beautiful old sandstone building dates to 1421 and probably would not have survived if it had not been selected to house Chetham’s Library, as by 1653 it was already falling into a state of disrepair.

premises, but plans to construct a new building were put on hold at the outbreak of World War I in 1914 and for years the library was housed at a temporary site in what is now Piccadilly Gardens until the new Central Library was planned and completed. Since opening in 1934, the Central Library has become one of the city’s most familiar and best-loved landmarks.

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels famously met at Chetham’s when Marx visited Manchester in the summer of 1845. The research they undertook at the library led ultimately to their Communist Manifesto, which was first published in 1848. The desk at which the two men worked may still be viewed by visitors today.

In 2011 work was commenced on an ambitious £50m modernisation programme including plans to refurbish the Great Hall, the library’s iconic first-floor domed reading room. The library was closed for three years, during which time its books were famously stored down a salt mine in Cheshire. The new improved library has been hailed as a triumph, blending successfully the old and the new.

Ancient cat flaps can also still be seen at the bottom of two of the original medieval doors in the cloisters. The library is situated so close to two of Manchester’s rivers, the Irk and the Irwell, that its resident cats have always had an important role to play in keeping the mice and rat population down to a minimum, thus ensuring that its valuable books were not damaged by rodents. MANCHESTER CENTRAL LIBRARY Manchester’s Central Library was officially opened by King George V on 17th July 1934. Designed by architect Vincent Harris, the building’s unusual circular design, reminiscent of the Emperor Hadrian’s Pantheon in Rome, immediately captured the imagination of the Manchester public and led to nicknames such as the “Corporation Wedding Cake” and “St Peter’s Square Gasometer”. Manchester had been one of the very first places in the country to open a library established under the provisions of the Public Libraries Act of 1850, which first gave local boroughs the power to set up free public lending libraries. The official opening ceremony for Manchester’s first Free Library at Campfield took place in September 1852 and was attended by, amongst others, Charles Dickens. Subsequently, it became necessary to move to larger www.lancmag.com

THE HARRIS, PRESTON Currently closed for refurbishment, Preston’s iconic museum and library building owes its existence to a wealthy 19th-century lawyer called Edmund Harris. In 1877 Harris left the then considerable sum of £300,000 in his will to create a charitable trust that would fund the creation of several new public institutions in Preston including a free public library and museum. 

Above: Harris Museum and Art Gallery in Preston

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Picton Reading Room at Liverpool Central Library Photo Credit: David Wilmot/CC BY 2.0

The foundation stone for the new building in the Market Place was laid during the Preston Guild of 1882. It took eleven years to be completed, but it was well worth the wait. The Harris is now widely acknowledged as one of the most remarkable Victorian public buildings in the whole of England. The neo-classical style of its exterior is reminiscent of the world-famous British Museum in London and reflects the aim of the architect, Preston-based James Hibbert, to celebrate “the prodigious superiority of the Greeks over every other nation, in all works of real taste and genius”. Its interior is equally impressive and again highlights Hibbert’s love of classical architecture. The current refurbishment plan, which is expected to take three years to complete, aims to restore the Grade-1 listed building to its former glory and reveal some of the original architectural details which have been hidden.

the existing interior, and create a new five-storey library building behind the Grade II* listed historic façade. At the same time the Picton Reading Room, Hornby Library and Oak Room were lovingly restored to their former glory. Now mixing the old with the new, the success of the library’s transformation has been widely praised since the building reopened in May 2013. North-West author, Jeanette Winterson, memorably described it as an “alchemical library”, where “past, present and future are transformed into a beautiful and energetic space that celebrates the life of the mind and the community spirit of books”. 

Everton Library Photo Credit: John Bradley/CC BY-SA 3.0

LIVERPOOL CENTRAL LIBRARY The library, on William Brown Street in the heart of the city’s cultural quarter, originally opened in 1860. The Picton Reading Room, designed by Cornelius Sherlock with a distinctive semi-circular frontage and Corinthian columns, was added during the 1870s and was the first public building in the city to use electric lighting instead of gas. The Hornby Library, next to the Picton Reading Room, was added in 1906 and the Oak Room in 1914. Unfortunately, the library suffered extensive damage in bombing raids during World War II, and most of the building, except for the façade, was destroyed, leading to two significant rebuilding projects in the immediate postwar years. In 2008 a multi-million plan was announced to demolish these two later extensions, as well as much of 108

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EVERTON LIBRARY Once known as “the jewel on the hill”, Everton Library was first opened in 1896 and as one of Liverpool’s earliest public libraries played a vital role in the development of the city. The building is known for its striking brick and stone design, an eclectic mix of Jacobean and Arts & Crafts styles, including an ornamental turret at its southern corner. Its architect was Thomas Shelmerdine, who held the position of City Surveyor in Liverpool during the late Victorian era. The library played an important part in the local community for over a century, but sadly it closed its doors for the last time in 1999. Despite being given Grade II listed status by Historic England as far as back as July 1966, the building has suffered two decades of neglect since its closure and has fallen into such a serious state of disrepair that it was recently named on the Victorian Society’s list of the top ten most endangered buildings in England and Wales. Several projects to restore this once fine building have been proposed over the years, but none have come to fruition. However, in its 125th-anniversary year, a new scheme has been recently announced, which would see the building reopen as a multi-purpose hub once more at the heart of its local community. BLACKPOOL CENTRAL LIBRARY Blackpool’s imposing Central Library on Queen Street, not far from the North Pier, celebrated its 110th anniversary this year.

When the town’s pre-existing free library outgrew its original premises, the decision was taken, in 1908, to build a new library and art gallery on a plot of land which had been previously used as a bowling green. The art gallery was financed to the tune of £2,000 by artists Cuthbert and John Grundy, after whom it is named. The then considerable sum of £15,000 was donated by the Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie to fund the building of the library. Blackpool’s Central Library was one of hundreds across the globe, to which Carnegie donated money. He believed that by giving people free access to books, public libraries provided people with an opportunity to acquire the knowledge to improve themselves which otherwise would not have been available to them. Carnegie’s library grants are now considered to be one of the most generous acts of philanthropy, by value, in world history. Scottish-based architectural practice, Cullen, Lochhead and Brown were chosen to design the new building and work began in 1909. Sadly, the project’s lead architect, Alexander Cullen, died shortly before the building was completed. The Fleetwood Express noted that on his last visit Cullen had remarked that “he had never put into any building as much soul as he had into the designing of the Blackpool Library”. This fine Edwardian Baroque red-brick building has remained relatively unchanged, although a year-long renovation project was undertaken to coincide with the library’s centenary in 2011. 

Blackpool Central Library Photo Credit: Michael Beckwith/CC BY 2.0

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Clitheroe Library Photo Credit: Michael J P / Shutterstock.com

CLITHEROE LIBRARY Also funded by Andrew Carnegie, Clitheroe’s new Free Library was opened in October 1905. Previously the town’s library had been situated in the adjacent building, which served as the Town Hall before the local council moved to new purpose-built offices in the late 1970s. Located at the fork of two roads (Church Street and York Street), the influential historian, Nikolaus Pevsner, described the new library’s distinctive architectural style as “Loire”, because of its similarity to the French chateaux of the Loire Valley. It was the work of Lancashire-based architects, Briggs and Wolstenholme.

was designed to harmonise with its neighbour, the Old Town Hall (now Lancaster City Museum), which had been constructed some 150 years earlier. In an article published five years after its opening the Lancaster Guardian described the new library as one of Lancaster’s “most cherished assets”, whose “popularity since the opening has more than justified its need”. It remains popular today, offering regular cultural events and craft activities as well as a full range of library services. 

When a significant refurbishment programme was undertaken in the late 20th century, the library was extended into the adjacent building, meaning that it once more occupied the former Town Hall premises. LANCASTER CENTRAL LIBRARY Lancaster’s first public library was established in 1893 and for many years was housed in the Storey Institute before it became necessary to move to larger premises. The Storey is still in use today, housing Lancaster’s Visitor Information Centre as well as being home to a thriving arts centre and a popular café. In May 1932 Lancaster’s grand new Central Public Library was opened in the north-western corner of the city’s historic market square. Built in the neo-Georgian style, it 110

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Above: Lancaster Public Library Photo Credit: Antiquary/CC BY-SA 4.0

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Darwen Library Photo Credit: Oliver241088/CC BY-SA 3.0

Borough. In his speech Carnegie indicated why he took so much interest in libraries, explaining that “My father was a handloom weaver. Seven handloom weavers met in a workshop and resolved they would combine their own little libraries and open these books to their fellows. My father was one of those seven”. Designed by architect Raymond Harrison, Historic England awarded the building Grade II listed status in 2017, citing the library as a “striking and well-designed civic building, executed to a high standard and demonstrating high standards of craftsmanship”. ST ANNE’S LIBRARY

DARWEN LIBRARY When Darwen Library celebrated its centenary in 2008, a local brewery created a new beer in honour of the occasion, which gives an indication of the affection in which the library is held within the local community. Darwen Library was another whose building costs were funded by businessman Andrew Carnegie and it is notable for the fact that the great philanthropist officiated himself at the opening ceremony in May 1908. To mark this auspicious occasion, the Stars and Stripes flew over the entrance and Carnegie was made a freeman of the

The foundation stone of St Anne’s beautiful Grade 2 listed Library on Clifton Drive South was laid in August 1904. A plaque inside the library’s entrance bears the following inscription which tells its history, “The land on which this building is erected was presented to the Council by the St Anne’s-On-The-Sea Land and Building Co Ltd and the cost of the building (£3,500) was defrayed by Mr Andrew Carnegie”. Designed by local resident, John Dent Harker, the library was opened in January 1906 and was later extended in 1932. It was memorably described by Nikolaus Pevsner as “every inch the early 20th century Carnegie library”. 

Above: St Anne’s Library Photo Credit: St Anne’s Library Image Collection

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Creativity on Prescription By Martin Dawber

Above: Autumn Leaves by Jeanne

Picasso’s maxim that “we don’t grow older, we grow riper” underpins the welcome truism that age is no longer a barrier in the creative arts. Luckily we now live in an inclusive age that provides many different ways for older adults to express and enjoy their creativity by fostering a sense of shared experience that celebrates the diversity and history of their lives.

esearch has already shown that getting hands-on with creative activities can be incredibly fulfilling, boosting health and wellbeing. This is particularly beneficial to the elderly, where regardless of skill level it is the taking part that counts. The 2017 report by the AllParty Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing found that participating in the arts is essential to healthy ageing, mentally, emotionally, and even physically.

further studio spaces at ClayWorks and ArtsLoft in order to meet the demands of an expanding local community of artists and makers. Taking up a new creative activity in later life can often loom like a daunting prospect. However, SCA’s programme offers plenty of creative options, where the experiences gained throughout life can eventually be allowed to step into the limelight to take centre stage. Whether as a natural progression or an outlet for untapped opportunities, each individual is now able to explore their creative side working at their own pace. SCA certainly believes that creativity forms a vital part of selfdevelopment for all who are willing to ‘have a go’. The diversity of SCA’s portfolio of workshops now includes ceramics,

knitting and crochet, textiles (including printing), life drawing, oil painting groups, mixed art classes, an autistic friendly group, felting, young creatives group and portraiture/life drawing. The opportunities seem endless. Echoing contemporary artist, Grayson Perry’s observation that “Art, like Science and Religion, helps us make meaning from our lives, and to make meaning is to make us feel better”, SCA has always promoted that being in a positive mood goes hand in hand with artistic creativity. SCA Director, Norrie BeswickCalvert, who has always encouraged creativity in the community, believes that people should incorporate more creativity into their lives: “SCA has run classes in a wide range of visual art and contemporary crafts for over

Below: Jeanne’s artwork at ArtHouse

This is supported by AGE UK’s ‘Index of Wellbeing in Later Life’ that confirms “creative and cultural participation is the top-most contributor to wellbeing in older age”, citing participation in enjoyable, meaningful activities being the biggest direct factor for wellbeing and health. Tamlin Conner, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand, concluded in her recent national survey “doing creative things today predicts improvements in well-being tomorrow.” The Southport Contemporary Arts network, set up in 2009, fully embraces these sentiments. SCA opened The ArtHouse on Eastbank Street in 2012, providing a permanent space for showcasing local artists. Recognising that Southport is home to a host of different art practitioners, from all ages and backgrounds, working in various disciplines and skill bases, SCA expanded from its base at the ArtHouse and quickly established www.lancmag.com

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10 years now, and we have seen, 1st hand, the positive impact that getting involved, talking about, designing and making 2D and 3D pieces of original work, has on all ages. We know that time out, in a creative and supportive environment, gives people the opportunity and confidence to immerse themselves in learning & developing new skills and can boost their mental wellbeing.” American activist, Betty Friedan’s observation that “aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength” is certainly borne out in SCA’s current membership. Norrie confirms: “We feel that our older students really benefit from working in a mixed aged, group environment, where they are challenged and stimulated by our tutors and the class as a whole. It is also the case that they bring as much to the classes as we give them; sharing skills and also perspectives on life that we all benefit from in so many ways. Often, however, they are so critical of their endeavours, and so, it is immensely satisfying when they create work that they feel confident enough to showcase in the Gallery.”

each other and swapping ideas. Being engaged in making and learning has massive benefits for the mental and physical health of both student and tutor. Jeanne is my oldest class member and never fails to surprise me with her enthusiasm and willingness to try anything new- she is an amazing example to us all.” Marie Kershaw, 87, who drives from Lytham to attend the weekly Ceramics classes confirms that “if I didn’t come to the class I would sit at home in my workshop without speaking to anyone for days. By coming to the class I meet interesting people, have the opportunity to interact and exchange ideas and get feedback on my work.” By dedicating time to creative endeavours, whether alone or in a group situations, certainly helps to keep the mind alert and is proven to have a positive impact on self-

esteem. If you feel that you would also benefit from attending any of the SCA classes, please call into The ArtHouse for more information about the current series of workshops or visit www.sca-network.co.uk. The ArtHouse, 65 Eastbank Street, Southport PR8 1EJ Opening Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 10.00 - 15.00 Saturday: 11.00 - 16.00 In line with current Government guidance, the SCA team have introduced strict measures to keep visitors to the Gallery as safe as possible: There will be a policy of 5 visitors at a time, with social distancing once inside, and hand sanitize dispensers at the door to use on arrival.

Below: Marie at ClayWorks

Jeanne Milbourn is SCA’s oldest student. Taking full advantage of the classes on offer, at last month’s Autumn Open exhibition Jeanne was successful in finding a buyer for her ‘Autumn Leaves’ painting in the same week as her 90th birthday: “My art and creative textiles, have both helped me stay mentally positive, especially through the COVID Lockdown, when I was able to use both, to keep me busy and sane. Going to my classes, mixing with other lovely, creatively minded people helps me keep a sense of myself and reminds me that there is value in my ideas and skills. I think also it keeps me interested in new things and confident to talk to all different age groups, which I think are important to looking forward and enjoying life.” Jeanne also attends the Creative Textiles workshop run by Formby artist/designer, Jo Landy, herself a mature student from Liverpool John Moore’s University’s School of Art and Design: “Every week I see in my class how important being creative with like minded people is, inspiring 114

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Christmas Came Early For Us This Year Winner Of

‘Retailer Of The Year’ We Wish To Thank Everyone For Their Continued Support

Dan Whiston & Cast of Young Skaters Launched a Magical Experience in Blackpool Credit: VisitBlackpool

Dancing On Ice star Dan Whiston opened Blackpool’s Christmas By The Sea skating rink.

lackpool-born Dan opened the 40m-long synthetic rink on the Tower Festival Headland together with young cast members from children’s charity BIDCA who performed excerpts from the musical, Mary Poppins. The hour-long launch event took place on Friday 19 November 2021 to mark the official opening of the Christmas By The Sea outdoor village, which also included simulated snowfalls, log cabins, a magical forest, larger-than-life light installations, festive light projection shows and Magical Express tram rides along the Golden Mile. Dan has performed in all series of the Dancing On Ice ITV show since its inception in 2006 and has won the series on three occasions. 116

Since 2019, he has been the show’s Associate Creative Director, responsible for creating professional routines and training all celebrity contestants. Both he and his sister, Emma, started out as skaters with BIDCA. BIDCA usually perform a children’s Christmas ice show at Blackpool Pleasure Beach Ice Arena during December featuring a cast of 70 young skaters, all aged under 18. The show raises thousands of pounds for local children’s charities. Sadly, due to COVID, they have had to postpone their planned show, Peter Pan, for the past two years but are planning to go ahead in December 2022.

rink was free to use and included skate hire. Supported by Northern, the Christmas By The Sea village remained in place until January 3rd 2022 as part of an extended Blackpool Illuminations season. Credit: VisitBlackpool

Instead, a small group of 17 cast members joined the opening of the Christmas By The Sea village to perform some of their favourite routines from Mary Poppins On Ice, which they staged in 2018. Standing in the shadow of the iconic Blackpool Tower, the skating

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art craft heritage

free entry

Exhibitions - Artists' Studios - Heritage Workshops - Craft Gallery - Tea Room

www.farfieldmill.org

Please check the website for opening days & times Garsdale Road Sedbergh Cumbria LA10 5LW

Catch of Tomorrow

- The Future Fish Suppers Scuppered by Plastic By Virgin Pure and the PADI Aware Foundation

• Water filtration system Virgin Pure has partnered with marine conservation charity, PADI Aware Foundation, to launch a new initiative to highlight the ongoing threat posed by plastic waste at sea

• The campaign delivers home truths about the dangers humankind faces as a direct result of the plastic waste being dumped into our oceans, from diminishing fish stocks to the invisible threat of micro-plastics in our food

• Four popular fish dishes have been re-imagined for 2050, to include actual plastic fished from the sea in place of fish and seafood to highlight the problem, including British staples such as fish & chips and fish pie

• The campaign aims to raise awareness and influence drastic changes to the way we consume single-use plastics, like water bottles, which as a planet, we’re currently buying at a rate of one million per minute3

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o help hammer home the severity of the issues of plastic pollution home water filtration system, Virgin Pure - which has made it a mission to reduce the number of single use plastic bottles we consume in the UK - has partnered with marine conservation charity, PADI AWARE Foundation, to re-imagine four classic fish recipes as they might be in 2050, by including one incongruous ingredient: PLASTIC.

bottles are bought across the UK each year, resulting in substantial amounts of single-use plastic waste4. Data from PADI AWARE Foundation, which works with scuba divers across the world to remove plastic waste from

the seas, also reveals there are over 8 million pieces of plastic entering the ocean each day; it estimates that there are 46,000 pieces of plastic in the ocean for every square mile, with the majority (80%) of that plastic coming from the land5.

Imagine tucking into a hearty portion of fish and chips, or a comforting fish pie, but instead of eating fish, you’re confronted with dirty, discarded plastic. The starkly damning image of whole fish replaced by plastic waste could well be a reality by 2050, when research predicts there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans2. It may seem an extreme image, but it is already happening, albeit invisibly; studies continue to reveal how much we consume in the form of microplastics in our food1 and water. The average Londoner still buys more than three SUP water bottles every week, an eye-watering 175 bottles every year per person. In total, some 7.7 billion plastic www.lancmag.com

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Virgin Pure has recreated four recipes as a wake-up call to all bottled water buyers: Golden BeerBattered Fish with Chips, a seafood Linguine, a traditional Fish Pie and a Seafood Paella to the same quality standard but with one additional stand-out ingredient replacing the majority of the seafood in each: plastic. All the plastic used in the dishes has been retrieved from the ocean by PADI Aware Foundation, meaning it’s the exact plastic rubbish that’s being dumped into the world’s oceans which causes serious issues for marine animals and the environment.

that are commonly found in regular tap water, giving a better reason than ever before for people to stop buying bottled water. We’re delighted to be supporting the work that PADI AWARE Foundation does by partnering them, and proud to be able to offer a solution for those who want to kick the plastic bottle habit for good.”

Danna Moore, Global Director, PADI AWARE Foundation adds: “We hope this campaign helps bring to life just how severe the problem is, and encourages people to do better, get involved in ocean conservation and cut down on single-use plastic bottles. Whether you are a certified diver, a fisherman or a small child building

These plastics are not only ingested by animal life, but through the water we drink and the food we eat. In fact, researchers believe that between 10 and 30% of fish in any sample will be contaminated with microplastics6. Tom Stazicker, CEO of Virgin Pure, comments: “None of us want to be consuming plastic, visible or not. Our products filter out harmful substances like chlorine, rust and micro-plastics 120

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a sandcastle at the local beach, the declining health of the oceans affects us all.” One of the benefits of Virgin Pure is that it provides clean tasting, filtered drinking water on tap, making it that much easier to stop buying bottled water altogether. The devices also filter out micro-plastics from tap water, the same micro-plastics that are also commonly found in fish and other seafood.

To donate to PADI Aware Foundation, visit: https://netdonor.net/ page/81717/donate/1 REFERENCES: [1] pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.est.0c02337 and www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2021/february/plastic-microfibres-found-in-the-stomach-ofdeepsea-fish.html [2] www.futureagenda.org/foresights/plastic-oceans/ [3] www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/2017/07/the-worlds-population-consumes-1-million-plastic-bottles-every-minute/ [4] www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/waste-and-recycling/single-use-plastic-bottles [5] PADI Aware Foundation [6] www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2021/february/plastic-microfibres-found-in-the-stomach-of-deepsea-fish.html

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EG Photography By Ethan Goodrich

I __eg.photography__

I’m Ethan, I am 18 and currently studying photography at A-level.

have always appreciated photography and how an audience can interact with a photo and find different meaning and have a varied emotional.

For me, photography is very sentimental and can capture a memory. It allows me to remember special moments 122

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within the past. I’ve always been a creative person and so photography was just a natural hobby that came with no surprise. Within photography I find that I get a lot of gratification when I can see that my work shows an emotion or feeling. I think I enjoy photography so much because it allows me to express creatively without any boundaries. www.lancmag.com

 • STREETS OF CRETE • This photograph was taken in a street in Crete, Greece. The beauty the architecture within the building specifically the details in the archway shows the incredible work that can be done with simple tools. I find the flowering plant to be a nice contrast to the stone building. The natural lighting gives the building an interesting shadow as the sunlight flows through the leaves.

 • OVERGROWN WITH OBSTRUCTION • This photograph features two of the things I find beauty in, architecture and nature. I find beauty in architecture as it allows for a way of connection into the past. It lets us share the same beauty from the past within the present. I find that architecture also has a kind of valuable lesson to be seen, it gives examples of hard work and passion and how we are capable of such wonderful things. I find beauty in nature for similar reasons, in my opinion we owe the gratitude to nature. It allowed for us to establish the life we have today and is a relaxing place for many. I think this photograph inspires me, although it has an eerie feel, I think it has a sense of calmness. It shows that even without the help of us, nature continues and it always will. Although the fern has an obstruction it still managed to flourish and grow. I think this could be an important message to the Society we live in today, we can do anything we put our minds too even if there are a few obstructions, we will always get through it and carry on. www.lancmag.com

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 • A WINDOW INTO CREATION • This photograph shows a view from a window inside the Edinburgh botanical gardens. I find beauty within the detail on the walls and the unique shape of the window. The contrast between the neutral colours of the walls and the bright greenery outside complement each other beautifully. The photography has a sense of peace and shows a serene space to escape the scorching sun.

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 • SEATED WITHIN NATURE • Within this photograph I find beauty in the way nature entangles the rocking chair. It’s as if nature is taking a seat and having a break from the hard summer months. The similar tones of the flowers allow for the stark white chair to protrude from the greenery making it almost ethereal. The way the flowers are positioned on the chair almost tell us that taking a break is okay, and that taking a break shouldn’t be frowned upon like it’s normally perceived, it can actually can be quite lovely. www.lancmag.com

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KNUTSFORD By Megha Seth

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While long holidays are sought after as a way to rejuvenate the soul, let’s not forget the importance of short trips and journeys that offer one of the best forms of breathers. They need no extensive planning as such and make the best impromptu travels.

nutsford is an ancient upscale market town in Cheshire East. Cheshire would not be the same without a little bling and Knutsford most certainly lives up to its standards. If you’re looking for a destination to get away to for a day or two, this charming market town would be an ideal fit with its vibrant social and cultural life, not to forget its historic appeal. Without much further ado, let’s take a look at what this quaint town has to offer.

PLACES TO VISIT IN KNUTSFORD Here are the main attractions of this town that can be covered within a day or two: Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre This world-famous discovery centre and observatory is a major player in the space race. It has made quite a contribution to the field of astronomy, including capturing the landing of Eagle lander carrying Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon in the year 1969. Unravel the wonders of this universe as you learn all about space and the solar system. There are several funfilled activities that both adults and kids can participate in. These include a fascinating telescope talk, an Orrery demonstration, exploring the Jodrell Bank Arboretum and the children’s playgrounds where many outdoor exhibits are on display. You can also take back souvenirs of your educational fun trip from their gift shop. www.lancmag.com

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Gauntlet Birds of Prey – Eagle & Vulture Park If you’re a nature enthusiast who has a penchant for wildlife spotting and birdwatching then there is no better place than Gauntlet Birds of Prey in Knutsford. Catch a glimpse of the world’s most amazing flying predators up close as you spend an interesting day in this Eagle and Vulture park, where you can watch and learn about vultures, owls, hawks, and eagles, among many others. It’s never a boring day here as exciting events take place daily. These include flying demonstrations and meet and greets with the feathered inhabitants of this wildlife park—time to get your cameras and binoculars ready!

have been filmed here. Still standing upright after so many years, this first-class building is now open to the public to revel in its beauty. The rooms display 1st collection of English paintings ever made. In addition to that, they also retain their original features including the build, furniture and various artworks. It also has an outstanding tea room that one must not miss for a peaceful and delicious afternoon tea on their visit to this state-of-theart venue. Tatton Park Looking for an outdoor spot where you can spend a leisurely day with your loved ones? There is no better place than Tatton Park to plan your escapade adventures for a couple of hours.

PLACES TO STAY IN KNUTSFORD This vibrant little town has a whole lot of accommodation venues that you can choose from based on your budget. Here are some of our favourite picks. The Mere Golf Resort and Spa is a four-star deluxe destination that provides you with a luxurious experience. After all, is your Cheshire experience really complete if you haven’t splurged a little on the bling? With 81 luxurious suites, the resort also has an award-winning spa and health club that you can take full advantage of to unwind as you feel the stress leave your body. Their other facilities include a bar and lounge, a contemporary swimming pool, a workout room, a tennis court and a golf course. An immersive experience altogether!

Knutsford Heritage Centre The Knutsford Heritage Centre is the best place to learn about Knutsford’s history and its vibrant culture. There are several exhibits giving you sneak peeks into the history of the town and its people. Their main theme revolves around the social history of the town. The museum also has an award-winning garden where you could spend some leisure time as you relax and unwind.

This 18th-century mansion with its huge 50 acres park and a gigantic 1000 acre deer park is a favourite go-to spot for tourists and locals alike to spend a day with their families. Explore the grandeur of the medieval Old Hall in this stunning neo-classical mansion. Apart from its huge gardens and a gigantic deer park, this regal historical estate also has a rare breed farm. Makers Market Knutsford

This museum is located in a 17thcentury timber-framed building that was previously known as Musgrave’s Yard. This heritage building is situated right at the town centre and is hard to miss! The Tabley House Stately Home Have you ever wondered what would it be like to be on the set of one of your favourite TV series? Well, that is possible when in Knutsford and right here at The Tabley House Stately Home. This exquisite Palladian house was built in 1761 for the Leceister family, which is a very fine example of architectural splendour. Several famous TV series that have a huge fan following spanning across continents like Peaky Blinders, The Black Prince and the Forsyth Saga 128

The Makers Market in Knutsford is definitely a must-visit. This upscale market town has one of the biggest markets that set stall only once a month, owing to which it could get a little busy. But what good is a visit to a market town when you have not delved into their authentic local market scene? The size of the market will definitely leave you spellbound. There are various stalls that sell a variety of interesting goods that you can take back home for yourself and for your friends and relatives. These include items like handmade crafts, clothes, artisan food and drinks, etc. You can never leave empty-handed when at the Makers Market since there is a wide variety of goods suited for all.

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Golden Pheasant has been owned by a family for over 90 years while the heritage property itself is over 200 years old. Their impeccable spacious and aesthetic rooms, brilliant service and an amazing award-winning pub make it a favourite amongst travellers who want to indulge in the Knutsford experience. Pickmere Country House dates way back to 1772 and is a Grade II listed property that was originally a farmhouse. With picturesque views of the countryside from the hotel, this beautifully located family-run hotel is situated in the middle of Pickmere village, a few miles from Knutsford. If you want to settle in cosy at someplace peaceful, then this accommodation would be the best pick.

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WINE AND DINE Here’s a curated list of top-rated restaurants and pubs that you must check out when in Knutsford to satiate your taste buds and take some tasteful memories back home. Courtyard Coffee House and Restaurant is the perfect place for breakfast and lunch. With great decor, both indoors and the outdoor seating area, brilliant food and lovely service, this lovely cafe is not so easy to find but totally worth it. Their British cuisine is impeccable both in terms of quality and quantity. There are a wide variety of vegan meals too, that you can choose from. Dun Cow is a destination pub that has been owned and run by a family for several years. Their specialities range from pub food to fresh seafood

and a la carte options like cheese and onion pie, beer steak, Sunday roast and so much more. The beer garden at the rear and a children’s ground makes it a perfect hangout spot to bond over some food with your family. Pastiche is the best place in town that serves the finest Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. If you’re craving some authentic pizzas, risottos, tapas or chorizos in red wine, you know where to head. They say life is what happens while you’re busy making excuses. So, take some time off as you set out to explore places, Knutsford in this case. You will certainly take one of your best travel experiences back home.

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The Russian Roswell Dalnegorsk UFO Crash the ‘Height 611’ Incident By Jason Gleaves, international author of ‘UFO PHOTO’ and ‘The Ufology Umbrella’ plus Ufonly on Facebook, Twitter and Onstellar. New Documentary ‘Multidimensional’ available on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Apple tv, Google Play, Microsoft Store.

contained a majority of elements of the known periodic table. The alloy was incredibly strong; nothing but a diamond cutter could cut into it. During the analysing process strange unexplained things had happened to the metal fragments to, certain metals had been miraculously substituted by others. After melting the alloy in a vacuum, spectrum analysis did not detect previously present particles of gold, silver and nickel, Instead interesting elements as titan and molybdenum appeared. The ground had been subjected to extremely high dense temperatures. Also much of the rocks had been covered in a black unnatural film. Some of the rocks when analysed had what turned out to be lead on them.

Dalnegorsk UFO Crash - the so called ‘Height 611 Incident’ (named as the crash took place at 611 Metres, altitude) on Mount Izvestkovaya which is a hill located in the Russian Dalnegorsk region.

he Russian well known Newspaper ‘Pravda’ reported that hundreds of people witnessed this interesting event. The UFO crashed into the rocky mountains located in the town of Dalnegorsk. A strange spherical Shaped object had slightly brushed upon the mount at approximately 20:00, on the 29th January, 1986. Witnesses claimed they saw a bright flash but did not hear anything out of the ordinary. The glow from the fire appeared rather strange, the blue aureole lasted for about an hour and a half. The object was described as reddish and about half the size of the moon in size (when viewed from the ground - at a distance of ‘611 Metres’). At first, local residents thought it was a rocket from the nearest military base. However, as it turned out, neither (Russian military) or Foreign Armed Forces had been conducting any kind of training at that time. In a few days after the strange incident, a group of rescue workers and researchers headed by Professor Dvuzhilin climbed up to the area, and managed to collect vitrified metal fragments for analysis. Scientists were mesmerised by the results, the fragments

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The radiation levels were normal in the location and the investigating scientists took images using several different types of camera (camera make and models unknown) however during the development process all the photographs turned out blank when the film was developed. Back in 1986 scientists could not come up with a logical explanation and simply called it “mysticism”. The main surprise however was yet to be discovered, some of the fragments contained unusual unexplainable gauze. It was made up of the finest carbonic and metal threads (only 17 micron wide), they in turn were made of twisted combined fibres. It was virtually impossible during that era to create or manufacture anything that would resemble the process. Experts were baffled to its main purpose, Russian scientists did not want to mention or regard it be of possible Extraterrestrial origin and simply assumed that the crashed unexplainable object was an man-made manufactured apparatus; and the gauze a mere example of advanced revolutionary technological material. After the USSR’s collapse, all of those fragments (collected at 611m height) were introduced to English, American and Japanese scientists to inspect and analyse in much more detail. All important qualified personnel were all allowed to attend the actual location of the incident and document/record the surrounding landscape. www.lancmag.com

Valeri Dvuzhilin contacted his American colleagues to verify the data, however they weren’t much help and American scientists as a whole disproved the assumption that the unknown object had anything to do with any Secret covert project or ground breaking technologies of the time, In the end all parties concerned began suspecting foul play by the KGB.

moving quietly, it was also seen hovering over the nearby sea and land area. It stayed in constant view and disappeared after about an hour. After the event, local fishermen discovered a rather strange unexplainable substance in sea water. Interestingly, it was similar to the one found and examined by Dvuzhilin in 1986.

Interesting previous history of the location

Another much later expedition that was sent to the mountain region to examine the area more thoroughly and detected a major anomaly at the height 611 location. After that unexplained UFO crash, even silicon strangely became magnetised in the area. To this day It simply can’t be explained in any known scientific theory.

Going back some years before, many unidentified flying objects (UFO’s) were sighted near Dalnegorsk. They also hovered motionless at ‘611 metres’ and illuminated the entire surface area of the hill. Military personnel observed the numerous displays along with hundreds of local residents. Television and radio stations announced that the anomalies were simply “weather conditions.” Everyone connected to the events preferred to forget or stay quiet about what happened at Height 611. However, events of recent years brought the memory of this historic event back to life. Army personnel of the Nakhodka region spotted a Triangular Shaped UFO. The object was located approximately twenty five kilometres away from Dalnegorsk. This triangular-shaped machine witnessed appeared to be equipped with what looked like six propulsion engines and was described as www.lancmag.com

Valeri Dvuzhilin stated “We acquired various samples such as metal particles, wood fragments and stones. They were later sent to Moscow along with earlier acquired samples for further analysis. They were examined in several different research centres for more objective results.” Preliminary analysis yielded sensational results: those were neither traces of natural cataclysms, nor products of earthly technologies. According to Valeri Dvuzhilin, Dalnegorsk ‘Height 611’ attracts many UFO’s due to some unique fields of rare metals and elements, If this is a true fact then it must be classed as a UFO Hotspot.

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2021 LEGENDS OF FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Aiysha Ali, The Nolans and Karina Jadhav BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Mansoor Ali, Anton du Beke, James Martin, Mike Chapman, Tony Blackburn and Richard Ainscough

Business leading lights and celebrities from the worlds of TV and radio broadcasting, dance, the music industry, comedy, the culinary arts and elite international sport were in Manchester to receive their Variety, the Children’s Charity, Legends of Industry Awards.

usiness leading lights and celebrities from the worlds of TV and radio broadcasting, dance, the music industry, comedy, the culinary arts and elite international sport were in Manchester to receive their Variety, the Children’s Charity, Legends of Industry Awards.

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INDUSTRY AWARDS THIS YEAR’S HONOURS LIST INCLUDED • Commercial property entrepreneur Richard Ainscough • New Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke • Grammy-nominated music industry hit-maker Mike Chapman • Restaurant and hospitality innovator Karina Jadhav (Menagerie, Manchester) • Music and TV figures The Nolans • Veteran broadcaster Tony Blackburn • Charity champion and first ever recipients of a Local Legends of Industry Award, Manzoor and Aiysha Ali • TV chef and award-winning restaurateur James Martin • Paralympian rower Lauren Rowles MBE • Comedic alter-ego character ‘Keith Lemon’ also receives a Legends of Industry Award but was unable to attend the evening. SEE BELOW FOR WHAT AWARD RECIPIENTS HAD TO SAY: Variety, the Children’s Charity Development Director for the North West, Lyn Staunton, said: “We are deeply honoured to bestow awards upon some of the finest people who achieved so much in their chosen careers. We have been overwhelmed by the support of our event sponsors and our dedicated supporters in Manchester who have Variety in their hearts and are there to help as we work to support sick, disabled and disadvantaged children. “The evening is the flagship event for the charity, and the night was a huge success.” www.lancmag.com

Richard Ainscough: Network Space CEO “Our (Richard and his wife Amy are hard-working supporters of a number of children’s charities, including their own – and Variety, the Children’s Charity) aim is simply to help young people fulfil their potential. There are some really hard-working and aspirational young people out there who are at a disadvantage, whether that is to do with economics, disability or access to training and education. We just want to help them achieve their goals and dreams. “I’m not sure I’m that well known or respected, so I was surprised, but delighted, to be told of the award. It is certainly different to receive an award that is outside the scope of your sector, and quite humbling to know you have been recognised. I love the work that the charity does which means I appreciate the award even more.” Anton Du Beke Dancer, Choreographer, Strictly Come Dancing Judge “I was honoured and thrilled [to receive this award] because fundamentally I’m a dancer and if I could only do one thing, that is what it would be. So I’m delighted and humbled to be recognised for this award. Speaking of his experience as Captain of the Variety Golf Society, he added: “It allowed me to see first-hand the work the charity does and then be able to hand over the Sunshine Coaches. I get a massive thrill from doing this and am so proud to be associated with the charity and be a part of it and the magnificent work they do. “ Anton says he was thrilled to be given the opportunity to join the Strictly judges’ panel for this series.

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The Nolans with event sponsor Michael Josephson, owner of 2015 Ltd

“I was elated to have been asked. I miss dancing on the show, obviously, but I loved my short stint judging in the last series and at least this way I am guaranteed to make the final! Win win! “The great thing about Strictly is that it allows all generations to sit down together and enjoy it. It has something for everyone. And because each year it has a whole new cast it always has a fresh, new narrative.” James Martin, Award-winning Restaurateur & TV Chef “I’m very honoured to even be nominated for an award, let alone receive one. It is never the intention 134

when you set out with work to achieve anything like this, however, it is gratefully received and is testament to a great team I have working alongside me. “It’s so important that charities, and everybody associated with them, keep the awareness and support going, through the tough times. None more so than now after what we have all gone through in the last few years. We know that everyone’s belts are tightening, however, the rewards and benefits you see from your actions are more than any financial reward.”

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Lauren Rowles MBE, Paralympian Rower “The work of charities like Variety is genuinely life changing for children who are, like myself, disabled with dreams of doing more in their lives than just the negative narrative that is written for them by society. All children should have the ability to pursue their greatest dreams and with grants and funding from people like Variety we can achieve those goals. “Real heroes are not only the people that live super successful lives but the ones who show you how harsh life can be and show how to use failure as a tool for growth, my mom has done that for me.” www.lancmag.com

“Our food aid organisation helps everyone and anyone. We just help ‘people’. And look what we, as a community, can achieve.” Karina Jadhav, Restaurateur: Manchester’s favourite celebrity hangout Menagerie “It’s incredibly important to give back. I like to support small charities (Menagerie supports the city’s Wood Street Mission: Variety, the Children’s Charity has supported Wood Street mission for many years) and in particular those with a focus on children, making sure children have what they need. I think that’s a cultural thing. My Dad’s Hindu, and that’s a big part of the culture – to give as much as you can to help others. “I look at my son and see how lucky, how happy he is. I want to make sure we do our bit to help provide the things every child should have - clothing, food, toys. This is so important.” Tony Blackburn, Radio broadcaster “I was very excited when I heard this news, I’m always happy to get another award – particularly from Variety, the Children’s Charity. “ Tony’s late sister Jackie was born with polio and unable to walk so he is only too well aware of the difficulties facing children and young people with disabilities. Manzoor Ali (and wife Aiysha), Charity workers & first ever Local Legends of Industry Award winners “[When we (Manzoor and wife Aiysha began] it was a very difficult time for us, I would say we were just a month or two away from needing food aid ourselves. But there were people in need, and we took the decision to help where we could. [This award] It’s crazy. It’s very humbling. You never feel deserving. For everyone helped there’s another person we’ve missed; we don’t do what we do for a pat on the back, but this is great recognition for how the community is helping itself. We all work hard. www.lancmag.com

“It’s so, so important to carry on raising awareness and money. It’s always been my opinion that disabled children shouldn’t have to rely on charity but whilst they do, it’s great that Variety, the Children’s Charity are there.

Mike Chapman, Grammy-nominated song writer and music producer “There are awards, and there are awards. The Variety Legends of Industry Award has an entirely different significance to me. To receive an honour such as this for a lifetime of accomplishments is way deeper than any award for writing a song or producing a record. I am absolutely thrilled!” A native Australian, Mike moved to the UK as a young man and from the early 1970s created a string of hits including, Can The Can and Devil Gate Drive for Suzi Quatro, Tiger Feet and Lonely This Christmas for Mud and Heart of Glass for Blondie. He has worked with some of the greats, including Tina Turner, Rod Stewart and Agnetha Foltskog of ABBA fame. He holds numerous global awards for his work. Guests included Variety, the Children’s Charity ambassador Dante Marvin. The teenager, who was born with brittle bone disease and scoliosis, has spent much of his life in hospital but has thrown himself into fundraising and awareness campaigns for Variety, the Children’s Charity. His motto is “There are no disabilities, only abilities”. THE LEGENDS OF INDUSTRY AWARDS EVENT, AT THE KIMPTON CLOCKTOWER HOTEL, MANCHESTER, WAS SUPPORTED BY: PARTNERSHIP SPONSORS: Michael Josephson MBE Stocks 2015 Ltd The Geddes-Wood Family Trust

“My sister Jackie was my hero. She was disabled all her life – she could never walk for example – but she never grumbled. She taught me so much, particularly about people. She made me aware how silly we were for worrying about the smallest of things. Sadly she passed away in March this year.”

AWARD SPONSORS: Grant Thornton a2e Industries REWARD Finance Group Davenham Asset Finance VIP RECEPTION SPONSORS: We Do Finance DRINKS RECEPTION SPONSORS: Spitfire Heritage Gin with The Salty Rim Co

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Poulton-le-Fylde By Megha Seth

oulton-le-Fylde is the perfect place for tourists to get away from the bustling monotony of loud cities while also retaining the perfect social life you would want to explore outside of your city. This vibrant town has its historic charm, quaint peacefulness, and also a dynamic night-life for the spirited souls, one that you cannot miss when in and around the area.

HISTORY OF POULTON-LE-FYLDE Poulton-le-Fylde is an ancient market town in Lancashire. This North-Western town is situated near Fylde Coast. Home to high-quality and well-known independent stores, the vibrant town flourished as an important trading centre in the post-medieval period. The history of Poulton-le-Fylde, commonly known as Poltun (farmstead by a pool or creek) during the 11th century AD, dates back to 12,000 years ago with human settlements being found in and around the area. The area has also been an archaeological site for finds belonging to Roman settlements in England. Also described as “Metropolitan of the Fylde” in 1837, its commercial importance started to fade away in the mid-nineteenth century with the upcoming port towns neighbouring the area.

PLACES TO VISIT IN POULTON-LE-FYLDE Satisfy your travel bug as you discover this ancient market town, its underrated gems, and various popular spots: St. Chad’s Church St. Chad’s Church has stood the test of time and looked over the Polton Town Centre for over 900 years. Soak yourself in Holy Divinity as you enter this zone of tranquillity. In spite of its location in the middle of the town, the churchyard and gardens offer a peaceful respite. The church is open to all for prayer and reflection apart from when services or ceremonies are being carried out. If you happen to be at Poulton-le-Fylde around spring, you can also witness the magnificent views of crocus blossoms—a blue sea of beautiful flowers carpeting the gardens of the church to herald the arrival of spring every year.

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Skippool Creek Located on the Western Banks of River Wyre, a quick visit to Skippool is mandatory to take in the historic essence of what Poulton-le-Fylde used to be before the later constructed neighbouring ports started flourishing. The dock had been in constant use since the end of the Middle Ages and used to receive goods from all over Europe and North America. It is now a historic dock area that has become a harbour for run-down vessels. But its rustic charm with the surrounding greenery will certainly transfix you as you are shipped to another era. Marsh Mill Marsh Mill Windmill is a monumental property in itself. It was built in the year 1794 by Ralph Slater. This Grade II listed building is extremely well preserved and one of the finest and of its own kind in England. Standing 70 feet tall, it is one of the tallest windmills on the Fylde. The windmill opens up for the public on selective dates throughout the year. Step inside the windmill and into the past as you figure out its historic mechanisms. A windy day will definitely turn the sails in your favour. The surrounding Marsh Mill Village is a recreational courtyard with shops, cafés, a pub and also a fine dining restaurant. Wyre Estuary Country Park This park is a favourite amongst locals and tourists alike. One of the best spots in the town to laze around on a Sunday afternoon with friends and family for a picnic spread, the Wyre Estuary County park also has quite a few accolades and a green flag to its name. Located on the banks of River Wyre, the park has a variety of scenic estuary and riverside views. You can also spend a day birdwatching and wildlife spotting here. The park also hosts events all year round. There are ample facilities like a children’s natural play area, woodlands including an area for den making, picnic spots, a cafe for light refreshments, so on and so forth. An ideal place to spend a leisurely Sunday! Poulton Town Centre The Poulton Town Centre is a perfect place to explore on foot while taking a stroll and doing some window shopping. Is a holiday trip ever complete without bringing back souvenirs for yourself and your loved ones? LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 137

A market town certainly has a reputation to live up to and Poulton-le-Fylde has a lot to offer. With an interesting blend of shops, you will come across high street names and also independent local retailers who can vouch for the quality of their products. The Poulton-le-Fylde Market Square also organizes a weekly flea market every Monday which is famous for a selection of goods including gifts, home ware, confectionery, clothes and local produce. So shop till you drop!

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Blackpool Beach A 20-minutes drive from the main town of Poulton-leFylde, a visit to a lively harbour town is never complete without a trip to the beach. The Blackpool Beach Resort is one of a kind in England which boasts of three piers. A perfect place for sandcastles, sunbathing and a fun-filled family day, the beach’s Southern Shore also boasts of one of the most famous themed amusement parks of England, the Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

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tourists speak a great deal about its value for money. Singleton Lodge Country House Hotel is a delightful country house set on five acres of peaceful park-lands. Situated on the outskirts of Poulton-leFylde, the hotel offers one of the best lodging experiences with beautiful rooms overlooking the property grounds. Apart from accommodation, the property is also known for its quality dining services and also has a banquet for various events. Gourmet’s Delight There are several experiences that make a trip unique and memorable. Food is most certainly one of the best ways to explore the local culture of places. Buckingham’s Public House is the best pub in and around. With amazing food and drinks at dirt-cheap prices, lovely ambience and great service to complement the menu, one must visit this “brilliant little pub” when in Poulton-le-Fylde. Miller & Carter Poulton-le-Fylde is one of the best steak houses in Poultonle-Fylde, both in terms of quality and taste of food. The restaurant has also made its way on the Traveller’s Choice list in 2021 and right so. Miller & Carter has a lovely ambience and a wide variety of options to choose from. They also serve vegan and gluten-free meals. This makes this place a go-to for everyone to enjoy a wholesome and hearty meal. Their exceptional speciality includes the chateaubriand steak. Hive is the perfect place to be if you’re on the lookout for a scrumptious breakfast or brunch.

BEST ACCOMMODATIONS IN TOWN The travel checklist is never complete without choosing the perfect place to stay. Here are some options you can explore when in town: Breck Poulton-le-Fylde is the perfect way to spend a luxurious life away from home. There are 12 luxurious suites available for long and short stays. The condominium has a range www.lancmag.com

of one to three-bedroom duplex apartments set in a beautiful location to make your vacation memorable. Saracen’s House is a 19th-century building that has been tastefully renovated into a pub and an excellent bed-and-breakfast. The property boasts clean spacious rooms, amazing service and a plethora of in-house meals made of fresh local produce. With affordable rates and wonderful hosts, the reviews left behind by

This pretty little cafe serves the best breakfast and cafe meals that are light on your stomach yet linger around on your taste-buds long after you’ve left Poulton-le-Fylde. Their in-house specialities include cakes, quiches and gourmet sandwiches. Poulton-le-Fylde has a number of places that can be covered within 2-3 days which makes this place ideal for a quick getaway. With its picturesque charm, intriguing history and wonderful night-life, this upbeat market town is truly a breather in the form of a short but fun trip.

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Steve Norman STEVE NORMAN, co-founder, saxophonist and multiinstrumentalist of the worldfamous SPANDAU BALLET has announced he will celebrate the bands 40th anniversary of their ground-breaking debut album, ‘Journeys To Glory’ with a full UK tour in 2022. The tour takes in 14 dates and starts on 8th February at Wokingham The Whitty and culminates at Glasgow’s Oran Mor on 25th February.

JOURNEYS TO GLORY

he charismatic performer, accompanied by his fivepiece band ‘The Sleevz’ (that includes his son Jaco on bass), will perform the album in its entirety for the first time. ‘Journeys To Glory’ includes the band’s first hit single, ‘To Cut A Long Story Short’ and other singles, ‘Musclebound’ and ‘The Freeze’. The show will also feature later Spandau classics, including ‘True’, ‘Gold’ and ‘Only When You Leave’, and will showcase Steve’s prowess as a talented vocalist and guitar-player alongside his more wellknown sax and percussion duties.

Steve has played saxophone, guitar, percussion, and sang for a wide selection of artists over the years including Holy Holy featuring ex-“Spider from Mars” Woody Woodmansey, Tony Visconti (David Bowie producer) & Glenn Gregory; Marc Almond; Earl Slick (Bowie guitarist); Mike Garson (Bowie pianist & keyboard player); Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Bruce Foxton (The Jam); Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols); Kim Wilde; Paul Young and many others. However, he achieved a personal goal when he performed on-stage with the legend that is Iggy Pop.

STEVE ON THE TOUR:

THE FEBRUARY DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

“As much as it pains me that my main band is not currently a working unit, I simply cannot let this important milestone slip by without further pomp and ceremony. Spandau will always have a special place in my heart, as will JK, Gary, Tone and Mart. This tour is me and The Sleevz rocking a fine line between our interpretation of the songs whilst keeping true to the integrity of the original versions. And ultimately and most importantly, the audiences’ ears. Luckily, I’m in both bands. I’ll make sure we don’t stray too far. I’m already fired up and thoroughly looking forward to performing this album in front of a live audience. For a few weeks in February 2022 myself and The Sleevz, flying the Spandau flag.”

Tuesday 8th

Wokingham – The Whitty

Wednesday 9th

London - Half Moon Putney

Friday 11th

Altrincham – Bowdon Rooms

Saturday 12th

Darlington – The Forum

Sunday 13th

Lytham St. Annes - Lowther Pavilion

Tuesday 15th

Guildford – The Boileroom

Wednesday 16th

Norwich – Epic

Thursday 17th

Birmingham – Hare & Hounds

Saturday 19th

Southend On Sea – Chinnerys

Sunday 20th

Brighton – Patterns

STEVE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ‘JOURNEY’S TO GLORY’

Tuesday 22nd

Lancaster - Grand Theatre

Wednesday 23rd

Barrow In Furness – The Forum

“Little did I know when I formed a band with my school chums back in 1976, that we would not only reach that Holy Grail of signing a record deal but that the resulting record would play a major part in representing and inspiring a whole new generation. Our fellow ‘movers and shakers’ of the Blitz crowd in 1979/1980 had sparked a new youth movement that was now erupting out of clubland and rippling out across the globe - The New Romantics. And my band with ‘Journeys To Glory’ were right there at the front. Our scene was creative, vibrant and powerful. We felt invincible. The collective Blitz kids’ wave was unstoppable, and Spandau had all the established bands looking over their shoulders wondering what the hell was coming through, and if they should be moving out of the way. Right there, was when our hopes and visions of the future finally materialised. Back when the saxophone, my future signature instrument, was just a twinkle in my quiff covered eye.”

Thursday 24th

Edinburgh – Liquid Rooms

Friday 25th

Glasgow – Oran Mor

Norman’s many career highlights including performing at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium and being involved on Band Aid’s Christmas classic ‘Do They Know Its Christmas’. With Spandau Ballet, he has toured the world playing to huge audiences in stadia and arenas. In 2015 Spandau Ballet released a critically acclaimed documentary movie about the band’s story called “Soul Boys Of The Western World” that premiered at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas. www.lancmag.com

TICKET LINK: https://linktr.ee/thesleevz

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By Paul Cusimano, Joseph Clothing, Lancaster

There was a period in my life where I would ask myself “I wonder what awaits me today ?”, each morning. In truth, that was during a particularly testing time in my life. I still regularly ask myself the same question, but not necessarily in a negative context.

I have spent the last thirty six years attending the same place of work. Despite this I have always felt that each day is different to the next. The difference, is largely down to the people that walk through the door on any given day, the human interaction I so missed during the Lockdowns.

t was on one such day back in June twenty-twenty, the weather was lovely and I was filled a great sense of relief being able to trade again, that a young man walked into the shop. After a few minutes a general conversation struck up. Nok Hei Lee (Percy) was an under graduate at Lancaster University, studying ‘Philosophy, Politics and Economics’. During our conversation I expressed a sense of disappointment in the University’s lack of promotion of, and engagement with, the City’s

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businesses. He too was disappointed that the University was not actively promoting all that the City had to offer. It must have only been a week later when Percy returned accompanied by his friend Wing Yan Leung (Josh), a fellow under graduate studying ‘Management and Organisational Behaviour’. We talked some more. Five minute video promotions of each business and a YouTube channel was their suggestion. True to their word they began contacting the independent businesses in the City. Within weeks, the first of the fabulous videos was loaded up on to the newly created YouTube page ‘Popber’. These were in turn shared on the businesses own social media platforms. To date there are over one hundred videos, promoting everything from the Charter Market stalls to the highly prestigious ‘Banks Lyon Jewellers’. Each created to the highest quality in terms of content and imagery.

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During the summer of twenty twenty one, in order to try to further bolster the hospitality sector, they organised and ran ‘Lancaster Coffee & Tea Festival’. The idea was to arrange a ticketed Event at a number of venues where the guests would sample the establishments tea or coffee, along with various pastries or cakes that would best accompany the drink.

But this is not the end of the story. Percy and Josh have fallen in love with Lancaster - not just the place and all that that entails, but the people also - and have decided not to return to their native Hong Kong, for a few years at least.

The hosting business would introduce their business and then go on to explain the reasons for their chosen blend(s), how they make and serve their tea/coffee the way they do and why certain cakes accompany the chosen drink better than others.

Inspired by Bruno’s vision to bring Italy to Lancaster, ‘Lancaster Festa Italia’, they are embarking on bringing ‘Chinese New Year’ to Lancaster. Whilst working with the businesses, Percy recounts “As we’ve been working with the businesses, the overwhelming wish of the owners is for more events like Festa Italia and Lancaster Music Festival.

The tickets were limited and the vast majority of the Events were a sell out. At the end of each Event, the attendees were set a quiz with a prize awarded to the winner. They were fun, informative and a real treat for the palate. All monies raised through the ticket sales went directly to the hosting businesses, despite Percy and Josh incurring costs for things such as the promotional materials etc

This prompted us to have discussions with the wider community and students about it. We then decided to organise a similar event to mark the Chinese New Year for 2022, which falls on Tuesday 1st February. Moreover, we all know that the pandemic has hit everyone hard, with people being forced to stay at home, shops and businesses closed and people were separated.

Percy and Josh were doing all of this whilst in the final year of the Degree, and they both achieved a 2:1 Honours degrees in their respective subjects. Their voluntary work supporting and promoting businesses was recognised by the business community, and they were named ‘Young Persons of the Year 2021’ at the ‘Love Lancaster BID’ Business Awards.

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“As a Chinese, we understand that the core values of the CNY are to reunite everyone together and to bless and bring happiness to the people around you. We believed that those values have strongly matched the situation in the Lancaster community where people need an event at the beginning of 2022 to reunite and share happiness, and positive energy, to the Lancaster community that we all love.” What is Chinese New Year (CNY)? Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year. It is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. Historically, China and other Asian countries within Sino-sphere were heavily reliant on agriculture. They discovered and followed the lunisolar calendar for planting and harvesting, to better maximise their yield.

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They therefore divided the year into twenty-four solar terms and ‘Lichun’ is the first day of the spring term, the date of the Chinese New Year. The CNY festival is a celebration of marks the end of winter term and the beginning of the spring season. Traditionally, activities would usually take place from the Chinese New Year’s Eve until the 7th day of the Chinese New Year . With modern day advancements, there is less reliance on the lunisolar calendar for agricultural purposes and instead the Chinese New Year has been transformed into a festival of family reunion and bringing happiness and joy to the people around them. New Year Shopping, Decorations and Customs Leading up to Chinese New Year’s Eve, people buy New Year’s food and snacks, decorations, new clothes, fireworks etc. Chinese people will spend generously

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during their traditional festivals. For example, they buy everyone in the family new year clothes. On the days leading up to the festival, there are many New Year’s Street markets. Most people put the decorations up on New Year’s Eve. Houses are decorated with red lanterns, red spring couplets, paper cuttings, and New Year’s paintings. The New Year’s Eve reunion dinner is a “must-do” dinner with all family members reuniting. It’s all about family and friends and everyone makes a big effort, often travelling long distances. to sit at round tables and enjoy the food and time together. This meal is comparable to Christmas dinner in the UK. The moment New Year arrives there is a cacophony of fireworks and firecrackers all around, even in rural China. Families stay up for this joyful moment. In many rural areas, it’s customary to set off firecrackers before dinner, each day from New Year’s Eve to day 3 of CNY; this is why Firecrackers are a must in any CNY celebrations. On the first day of New Year, Chinese people put on new clothes, and say “gongxi” (恭喜/gong-sshee/literally ‘respectful joy’, meaning ‘greetings’ or ‘best wishes’), wishing each other good luck and happiness in the New Year. From the third to the seventh day of New Year, Chinese people visit relatives and friends. To go to different friends and families houses for meet up and wish them all the best in the year. It is also the best period to invite people to your home. What activities will be held in Lancaster? Josh explained “There are many activities that people do during CNY. We have picked several traditional events and made them part of our Festival. First, there will be 700 Red Chinese lanterns and banners hanging across the street in Lancaster including New Street, Upper Penny Street, Upper Market Street and Market Square from mid-January to the 8th of February.

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Secondly, we are collaborating with more than 50 independent shops and restaurants in Lancaster which they will be sticking Red Spring Couplets, paper cuttings and lanterns on their windows and inside the shops. Indeed, the shops that have a lantern inside will be offering discounts and promotion to their customers. Thirdly, we will be partnering with the Dukes Theatre to present two Chinese Movies during the CNY week. Fourthly, there will be Chinese New Year Gala in the Grand Theatre on the 5th of February (Saturday) from 12-2pm. There will be performances by Lancaster University students, famous Kung Fu masters and his students, Professional Chinese dancers and screen drama artists. Tickets are available from the second week of December. Finally, The Chinese Carnival will be held in the Market Square on Sunday 6th of February from 11-4pm. There will be a Lion and Dragon Parade around streets of the City centre, namely Penny Street, Market Street, Cheapside, Church Street and New Street. In addition, there will also be Chinese Cultural related Art and Craft and food and drinks stalls with additional performers around Market Square/Street.” Back in June of twenty twenty, it was not a case of ‘what awaits me’, but rather ‘who’. A chance meeting. A chance conversation. A desire to give. A passion for a cause or place. Sometimes, it doesn’t take many people to make a difference, just a will.

Come and celebrate Chinese New Year in Lancaster where you will be sure to see Lancaster’s newest son’s, Nok Hei Lee and Wing Yan Leung - Percy and Josh. F Lancaster Chinese New Year D www.chinesenewyear.com I Lancaster_CNY

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RAWTENSTALL By Megha Seth

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Rawtenstall is the best possible place to visit if you’re looking for a destination for quick rejuvenation. Lying 17 miles over the north of Manchester, earlier, Rawtenstall was a part of the enchanting Forest of Rossendale.

oday, it’s the largest town in the borough of Rossendale, Lancashire. The Forest of Rossendale has largely been replaced with rolling hills and meadows but still has the most postcard picturesque views to offer and explore. A typical Lancashire town, Rawtenstall has many tourist attractions that you can delve into in addition to the breathtaking views it offers. With its cobbled streets, dramatic landscape and stone architecture, this place is not just pleasing to the eyes but has a couple of activities that you can take part in with friends and family. Let’s take a look at what makes this place so delightful amongst its visitors:

PLACES TO VISIT IN RAWTENSTALL There are a couple of experiences that you must indulge in when in Rawtenstall. Here’s a hand-picked list of places that you must visit when in the town. Learn about Rawtenstall at the Whitaker Set in the quaint location of Whitaker Park, the Whitaker Museum and Art Gallery is the best place to begin your Rawtenstall tour as you can get to learn about the town’s history, its social life and the culture of the place. www.lancmag.com

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The museum is set in a mill owner’s mansion and has art pieces dating back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, displaying topographical scenes and portraits by acclaimed local and national artists. The portraits explain the social scene of the town in detail. Because of limited space, not all pieces are on display at once. The gallery aims to build on and enhance existing collections by giving top priority to local artists with local scenes as the subject matter. If you’re a history and art enthusiast willing to learn all you can about a place when in a holiday mood, this is the best place to begin your quest for knowledge and aesthetic pleasure. The tour of Whitaker Park is a delight in itself as you can traverse the picturesque views and also stop at their cafe for light food and refreshment. Get Your Adrenaline Pumping at Ski Rossendale If you’re an adventure junkie all set to look for experiences that get your adrenaline pumping then Ski Rossendale is the perfect spot to get your ski gears ready. Ski Rossendale is a dry ski slope that aims to bring the delights of skiing to anyone, be it a beginner or someone who has been into adventure sports for years. A winter sports centre that is open all year round and can be enjoyed during any season! The facilities include a 200-metre slope, a freestyle park and a new teaching slope with Snowlfex surfacing to make the experience as real as possible. There are also a wide variety of lessons and clubs for different age groups! There are tubing facilities, a wellness location and a cafe within the premises. Enjoy a Lovely Walk at Alexandra Park Looking for a leisurely day out with the kids to enjoy a walk amidst woodlands and landscaped gardens, find the perfect picnic spot and also enjoy boating and paddling? Alexandra Park is a favourite spot amongst tourists and locals alike to 148

enjoy a relaxing day outdoors and catch some sunlight. The park has various facilities like a play area for children, woodland walks, a paddling and boating area and so much more. Experience the Countryside With Animal Quackers Animal Quackers is a popular attraction in Rawtenstall amongst all age groups. It is a petting farm that will keep you engrossed throughout the day with its one of a kind farm tours, as you have a lovely time with the cutest animals while petting them. Learn about a wide range of animals from Farmer Terry as you also enjoy the bird of prey display up close. Definitely a fun and educational tour. A win-win situation for both the children and adults. Spend a Day Outdoors Touring Astley Hall Astley Hall dates back to 1580 and boasts of architectural and historical splendour of over 400 years. For all

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history buffs, this Grade-1 listed house is the best place to catch a glimpse of intricately detailed and the most impressive ornate plaster ceilings and English oak furniture that dates back to the 1800s. Whatever interests you—a woodland walk, a picnic in the Walled Garden, a game on the sports pitch, a cup of tea at the Coach House Cafe, or one of the many exhibitions or activities provided throughout the year—you can find it here! The 43.75 hectares of Astley Park are the perfect place for families, friends, young and old to enjoy the outdoors together. Shop at Bank Street Bank Street is located at the heart of Rawtenstall and is an amazing shopping centre for those seeking to celebrate independent and local businesses. From clothes to jewellery to boots to mementoes, there are so many selections of goods that you can take back home from your Rawtenstall trip. www.lancmag.com

Shop till you drop at the town’s main shopping arcade! Bank Street also has a line of restaurants and pubs for refreshments after your shopping spree. You can also drop by at the Artisan Rawtenstall Market for some fresh farm produce and homemade goodies on Thursdays and Saturdays.

BEST STOPOVERS If you’re looking for places where you can stay the night at Rawtenstall, we’ve got you covered. Astley Bank Hotel aims to provide you with the best stay where you can experience the feeling of home away from home in an exquisite way. The grounds of the hotel are as breathtaking as the building. With rooms overlooking the beautiful gardens and delicious dishes brought straight to your bedroom door from their famous Othello’s restaurant, Astley Bank Hotel is the finest place to immerse in a sweet retreat.

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Red Hall Hotel was originally a farmhouse that has been converted into one of the loveliest hotels over 40 years ago. With the best price for its value, the hotel boasts of spacious rooms that are very well furnished and clean. The staff service is so impeccable and so is the stay which is visible in the string of good words that visitors have left behind in the form of reviews. The in-house restaurant and bar & lounge area are equally impressive.

LOCAL CUISINES The best way to get to know a place better is through the food it offers. Rawtenstall has a number of eateries and bars that you can explore to satiate your tastebuds when in town. The Whitchaff Inn has been in the running for years serving the best burgers, fish and chips, and pies in town. A perfect place to relax as you enjoy your food and drinks, the service and food provided are impeccable both in terms of quality and quantity. There are a wide variety of veganfriendly dishes to choose from!

The Fig Tree is the place to be if you want to drop by for a light lunch. Their food is made with the freshest possible ingredients and has a lovely bright ambience. This gem of a cafe has the best breakfast options in town and also sells a host of gluten-free dishes. Be it their Eggs Benedict on sourdough toast or their fresh Greek salad, every dish will leave you wanting more! Fitzpatricks Temperance Bar is a very charming cafe popularly known for its desserts, sundaes and milkshakes. If you are looking for a cafe where you can drop by quickly to indulge in their sweet delicacies, then this cafe is the perfect spot in town. Rawtenstall is a charming town in Lancashire that offers an incredible experience for a short getaway. With its attractive touring spots, fun outdoor activities and vibrant socio-cultural life, this place certainly ensures fun-packed days during your stay.

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Award For Youth Group’s Campaigns For Nature A group of young conservationists from the North West have received national recognition for their work in campaigning for wildlife.

he Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside won the Dame Mary Smieton Award for putting young people at the heart of its activities and empowering them to lead and influence its work. The award and £1,000 were presented at the national Wildlife Trusts’ Annual General Meeting today. The Trust’s Youth Council has been involved in campaigns and volunteering across the region. They have been involved in policy discussions and had a high profile in the media for the COP26 environmental summit in Glasgow.

Funded by Our Bright Future and The National Lottery, the Youth Council has been involved in the peat-free campaign, asking gardeners to stop using peat compost, and not to mow their lawns in May. They have met and given their views to high-ranking politicians like Lindsey Hoyle, Andy Burnham and Steve Rotherham. The Youth Council were recruited by Youth Advocacy Officer Eleanor Lampard and Myplace Senior Project Officer Emma Bartlet. Emma admitted she was “grinning like a Cheshire cat” after hearing the news. Lancashire Wildlife Trust Chair, Julian Jackson said: “We are so

proud of our Youth Council, they are young people who are really making a difference and are the future faces and voices of conservation and the Wildlife Trusts. Eleanor and Emma have recruited a team of young environmentalists who have led the way for concerned young people in their actions and words. They are an example to us all.” Applications for the next Youth Council begin in December. If anyone is interested in joining the Youth Council go to Youth Council | The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside (lancswt.org.uk).

Photos: Lancashire Wildlife Trust Youth Council

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The Wildlife Trusts The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is dedicated to the protection and promotion of the wildlife in Lancashire, seven boroughs of Greater Manchester and four of Merseyside, all lying north of the River Mersey. It manages around 40 nature reserves and 20 Local Nature Reserves covering acres of woodland, wetland, upland and meadow. The Trust has 30,000 members, and over 1,200 volunteers. To become a member of the Trust go to the website at www.lancswt.org.uk or call 01772 324129

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Crabs and Lobsters Unite the Parties and Move One Step Closer to Being Included in UK Law

It’s rare to hear about cross-party consensus in UK politics, but on Monday 06 December this happened in the House of Lords at Westminster and for a most unusual reason – crabs and lobsters.

he ten-legged crustaceans were debated late into the night, with Lords agreeing to support a government amendment declaring that animals like crabs, lobsters and prawns experience feelings such as pain and should be included in the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill1. The amendment was laid on behalf of the government by Conservative peer Lord Benyon, and sponsored by opposition Labour peer Baroness Hayman of Ullock and Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville. It is believed to be only the second time this has happened in recent history. Following Brexit, the UK government launched an Action Plan for Animal Welfare, including the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill1 which is currently making its way through UK Parliament. After the debate in the House of Lords it will now include decapod crustaceans (animals like crabs, lobsters and prawns) and cephalopod molluscs (animals 152

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like octopus and squid). If passed into law their welfare would have to be considered in any future policy decisionmaking. It would also pave the way for their inclusion into other UK animal welfare legislation such as the Animal Welfare Act. “It’s rare to hear about cross-party consensus in UK politics, but yesterday this happened in Westminster” The UK will be joining countries who already have protections for these animals in law, including Norway, Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand and various Australian territories and cities in Germany, Netherlands and Italy. The issue is particularly relevant for the UK, where approximately 420 million crabs, lobsters and langoustines are landed in UK ports by UK vessels each year. On the 19th November 2021 an independent report2 was released that reviewed the evidence for sentience in decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs. The report was commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The review, led by Dr Jonathan Birch3 of the London School of Economics (LSE), analysed over 300 scientific studies over several months. The team concluded that there is strong scientific evidence www.lancmag.com

of sentience in decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs, and recommends that they should be included in animal protection legislation. The government amendment4 that was supported by the House of Lords, was drafted directly in response to the findings and recommendations of this report.

lobsters and prawns being included in the UK Sentience Bill. The peers have reviewed the extensive scientific evidence in the LSE report and taken the findings seriously. Knowing that these animals can feel pain, we now need to ensure that inhumane practices such as boiling them alive are stopped.”

Crustacean Compassion, the leading group campaigning for the humane treatment of animals like crabs and lobsters, has welcomed the news. They have shown this issue to be of public concern and to have significant expert support. Their petition calling for decapod crustaceans to be protected in law has been signed by almost 60,000 people to date, and their open letter5 was signed by scientists, veterinary organisations and public figures, including the British Veterinary Association, RSCPA and wildlife broadcaster Michaela Strachan. Claire Howard of Crustacean Compassion said: “There is no longer debate about whether or not animals like crabs, lobsters and prawns can feel pain. The scientific review published by London School of Economics has shown the evidence is clear and compelling. In the UK this has now led to government recognition of their sentience for the first time. It would be great to see this inspire legal protection for these animals in countries around the world.” Juliette Booker of Crustacean Compassion said: “It is fantastic to see this cross-party support resulting in crabs,

For more information visit www.crustaceancompassion.org.uk

REFERENCE: [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/animals-to-be-formally-recognised-as-sentient-beings-in-domestic-law [2] https://www.lse.ac.uk/News/Latest-news-from-LSE/2021/k-November-21/Octopuses-crabs-and-lobsters-welfare-protection [3] https://personal.lse.ac.uk/birchj1/ [4] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lobsters-octopus-and-crabs-recognised-as-sentient-beings?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_ source=994c7ffd-9c00-4347-9563-bc9a0754ecad&utm_content=immediately [5] https://www.crustaceancompassion.org.uk/open-letter

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Impatient Productions in association with Blue Book Artist Management proudly presents

DALISO CHAPONDA: APOCALYPSE NOT NOW Tour 2021/2022

The Malawian born stand up Daliso Chaponda has announced a UK tour with a brand new unseen show entitled ‘Apocalypse Not Now’.

was in Malawi, he went from golden boy to someone who the locals threw stones at…. He was condemned by proxy. During that time, he hired a spy, after his father’s office was set on fire, after he realized that his father’s house was bugged – talk about change!

he tour starts on 30th July at Leeds Wardrobe and culminates next May! Daliso has performed all over the world, including two previous UK tours and at the Edinburgh, Melbourne, Singapore and Cape Town comedy festivals.

Daliso shot to fame and captured the hearts of the nation on Britain’s Got Talent 2017 where he reached the final and was Amanda Holden’s Golden Buzzer act. He has gone on to amass an outstanding 300 million plus YouTube & Facebook views!

“Can’t wait to have an ACTUAL audience in front of me and make ACTUAL people laugh. I am overcapitalising because I’ve been entertaining people on a screen for a year. ACTUAL people. You’ll cry with laughter; I’ll cry with joy. It could get messy.” DALISO CHAPONDA JUNE 2021

Last November he performed on The Royal Variety Performance (ITV1) with other notable TV appearances under his belt that include three appearances on QI (BBC2) and is a series regular on the Apprentice You’re Fired (BBC2). He is also due to appear on this years Rhod Gilbert’s Growning Pains for Comedy Central. His Radio 4 show ‘Citizen Of Nowhere’, which he wrote and stars in, is back for a third series this October.

2020-21 has felt quite a lot like an apocalypse for Daliso, who by now should have done a full season at the Edinburgh Fringe, a national tour, and who knows how many more gigs! As one of the UK’s hardest working comedians he didn’t stop and during lock-down built a whole new following online with his daily crowd-sourced comedy shows (he completed 200!) – one of the success stories of the pandemic! The last few months also inspired him to write ‘Apocalypse Not Now’ – a show about change not just in the world but in himself. He spent the first two lockdowns totally alone trying not to go crazy. He was Mr Independent and now, after his elongated period of solitude, he has changed his opinion on being alone, in fact he asked a friend (who was in an abusive relationship and has mental health issues) to move in with him. Finally he was forced to COMPROMISE and this made him realize that freedom isn’t everything!

His last stand-up show ‘Blah Blah Blacklist’ received critical acclaim from the Edinburgh Festival and his previous show ‘What The African Said’ sold out a 50 + date UK tour and also received much critical praise. In addition to Stand up Comedy, Daliso is also a prolific fiction writer. He has published science fiction and was a finalist in the ‘Writers of The Future’ competition run by L. Ron Hubbard publishing based in the USA and he has had his murder mysteries and fantasy fiction in numerous magazines and anthologies. Over the past 6 months he has also written his first young adult novel ‘The Page Divers’ about a young Iranian girl who can physically pull objects out of books!

www.dalisochaponda.com

In this show he also talks about his father, who was wrongly accused of a crime, for which he went to trial and was acquitted from. Over a three-year period, when Daliso

2022 DATES:

BOX OFFICE:

JANUARY

T @dalisochaponda F www.facebook.com/dalisocomedy

2022 DATES:

BOX OFFICE:

MARCH

• Saturday 22nd January Barnard Castle – The Witham

N 01833 631107

• Sunday 6th March Otley – Courthouse

N 01943 467466

• Saturday 29th January Sale – Waterside

N 0161 912 5616

• Saturday 19th March Stockton – Arc Stockton

N 01642 525199

• Thursday 31st March Brighton – Komedia Studio

N 01273 647100

FEBRUARY • Friday 4th February Maidenhead – Norden Farm

N 01628 788997

APRIL

• Saturday 5th February Oxford – North Wall Arts

N 01865 319450

• Saturday 23rd April Warrington – Pyramid Arts Centre N 01925 442345

• Saturday 12th February Burton-On-Trent – The Brewhouse N 01283 508100 • Sunday 13th February Bath – Komedia • Saturday 26th February Cambridge – Junction

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MAY • Friday 4th May Birmingham – Glee Club

N 0871 4720400

• Thursday 5th May Peterborough – The Key Theatre

N 01733 207239

N 01225 489070

N 01223 511 511

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Bring The Lion In This Winter

World renowned wildlife photographer George Logan brings the heat of the African plains into our homes this festive season, with his book of stunning images, Lion: Pride Before The Fall – also available for the first time as an ecofriendly e-book. “No one, in my view, more strikingly has caught the multiple dimensions of lions’ behaviour and depth of character than George Logan.” Virginia McKenna OBE

• George Logan’s ‘Last Lions of Meru Fund’ ensures proceeds protect lions in Born Free’s heartland – Meru National Park in Kenya, where Elsa the lioness was returned to the wild • Available now as an eco-friendly e-book and large format hardback coffee table book

ith fewer than 20,000 African lions remaining in the wild, the clock is ticking for the future of one of our most iconic species.

• Beautiful 176-page photography book, raises awareness of Africa’s dwindling lion population and Born Free’s remarkable conservation work

To protect and re-establish prides of this magnificent creature, acclaimed photographer George Logan, in partnership with Born Free, is raising funds for their survival through sales of his book Lion: The Pride Before The Fall.

• Exquisite imagery of wild lions is a stark reminder of what we stand to lose

The collection of incredible imagery is the culmination of more than a decade of George’s work with Born Free

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following and photographing wild lions. It is with great pride that through his ‘Last Lions of Meru Fund’, proceeds from the book will directly benefit animals in the very location famed for the release of Elsa the Lioness. This year alone, conservation work in Kenya’s Meru National Park has produced lasting change, with new cubs being born and Born Free’s field team rescuing one young lion from a potentially lethal snare. Despite such successes the fate of wild lions is in peril. Therefore, in addition to powerful photography Lion: The Pride Before The Fall captures the threats faced by the species in series of conceptual digital images. Canned hunting, habitat loss, trophy-hunting and human-wildlife conflict are brought to life in moving and thought-provoking images, created through a unique collaboration with some of the UK’s top creative agencies. Award-winning photographer, George Logan said: “The lion is Africa’s signature wild animal, yet it has vanished from 90% of its historic range. In my lifetime, their numbers

ABOUT BORN FREE Born Free was founded by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, who starred in the movie classic, Born Free (1966), together with their eldest son, Will. Born Free’s mission is to ensure that all wild animals, whether living in captivity or in the wild, are treated with compassion and respect and are able to live their lives according to their needs. Born Free opposes the exploitation of wild animals in captivity and campaigns to keep wildlife in the wild. Born Free promotes Compassionate Conservation which strives to enhance

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have dropped from approximately 100,000 to less than 20,000. At the current decline, they will be gone from the wild by the middle of this century. This seems ironically perverse, when everywhere you look you see lions. Except where it matters most. In the wild.” Born Free Co-Founder, Virginia McKenna OBE, said: “This remarkable book opens our eyes and hearts to the beauty of nature and of wild animals. We are in Africa, home to one of our planet’s most magnificent and yet vulnerable wild creatures. Lions, the symbol of power and strength have, all too often, had their other characteristics forgotten or ignored. Loving, loyal, protecting of their young – and also jealous, competitive and ferocious. No one, in my view, more strikingly has caught the multiple dimensions of lions’ behaviour and depth of character than George Logan.” Lion: Pride Before The Fall is available now at https://shop. bornfree.org.uk/collections/books/products/copy-of-lionpride-before-the-fall priced at £45 for a hard-copy or just £10 for an environmentally friendly e-book.

the survival of threatened species in the wild and protect natural habitats while respecting the needs of and safeguarding the welfare of individual animals. Born Free seeks to have a positive impact on animals in the wild and protect their ecosystems in perpetuity, for their own intrinsic value and for the critical roles they play within the natural world. For more information about Born Free please visit: www.bornfree.org.uk ABOUT GEORGE LOGAN George Logan is a long-time supporter of the Born Free Foundation. He has been following and photographing lion prides for the last ten years across Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 157

DEBORAH LILITH HATSWELL is a phenomenonist,

writer, podcaster, Investigator and the founding member of the Being Believed Research and Investigations group. Deborah is the UK’s leading expert on the British Bigfoot and Dogman phenomenon and she has taken or researched over 3000 personal witness reports from all across the globe. Deborah is based in Lancashire and has formed a team of volunteer investigators researching the many witness reports that are reported each week to BBR.

Deborah is a witness herself to an impossible creature that she saw in 1982: “It took 30 years for me to find an official body that would take myself and my experience seriously. During those years, I found thousands of people in a similar position. Their experiences were with Reptilian or Cryptid

THE MAGIC OF THE CALLANISH STONES - A TRANSCENDENTAL EXPERIENCE Hutton-le-Hole is a small popular The Callanish Standing Stones on the Isle of Lewis are one of Scotland’s well-known stone circles, the stones were erected at the site around 5,000 years ago and there is some evidence that earlier structures existed at the site previously. Recent research has confirmed that the stones were deliberately constructed to align with the orbits of the sun and the moon. The stones are known as ‘the False men’ and legend has it that the stones were Giants that were turned into stone by St Kieran because they would not convert to Christianity. The old legend tells how a white fairy cow came to save starving islanders by giving milk at Callanish. The beast, with red ears, emerged from the sea as a desperate woman waded into the water with the intention of drowning herself. It spoke with a soft, tuneful voice telling her to return home, fetch her milk-pail and tell her neighbour to come with their own pails to the stones of Callanish.” A pailful of milk was provided every night to all the women until one visitor, seeking two pails, brought an end to the giving. The woman turned out to be a witch. She returned with one pail but had fitted a sieve to the bottom of the bucket. After milking the cow dry, it was never to be seen at Callanish. One of the regular readers to my blog contacted me via email and shared his very moving experience when he walked amongst the Stone Giants at Callanish. Witness Jake Kay: “Hi Deb I am really enjoying your new articles 158

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Creatures, Alien Beings and Shadow People, Invisible Entities and all manner of Dimensional Entities. Many of the witnesses are abductees who have had a lifetime of interaction. Some families have had to deal with phenomena for generations. There are cattle mutilations and missing people all across the UK.” Deborah set up BBR to help those people find somewhere they could report their experiences to and encourages them to investigate the cases and theories for themselves. Now it is time to bring all of the so-called ‘alternative subjects’ under the same roof and let’s share our knowledge bases in the hopes of answering some of the still unanswered questions...

and podcasts encompassing all of the strange things that happen to us humans. The high strangeness of it brings to mind an experience I had in the summer of 1973, when I was 17. I was on holiday with my family on the Isle of Lewis and I visited the standing stones at Callanish. It was probably mid-morning on a summer’s day, fairly bright weather but with a strong wind. As I walked among the stones, lost in wonder, I touched one of them and I suddenly felt as if I were out of time. Only later, my family said they had called me to return to the car but I hadn’t heard them. That night, I had a marvellous astral projection in which I consciously rose out of my bed in a hotel in Stornoway and rose through the ceiling of my room and straight into a starry night. The sky was dark and millions of stars simmered and I was elated to rise into their midst where I suddenly dissolved into a kind of mist which dispersed into the ether. It was a transcendental experience; so peaceful and free of mental activity. I seem to remember descending through the roof of the hotel as the sun was rising, dropping smoothly back through the ceiling into my bed. I had a wonderful peaceful sleep and I awoke refreshed. Somehow, I felt renewed spirituality and at one with the universe. That knowing of identity with the universe has intensified as I’ve grown older. Even now, the experience is vivid in my recollection - as if the astral body continues to experience it. The whole episode feels like a blessing by the universe of which all beings are an undifferentiated part. After Callanish, I became fascinated by astral travel and tried to learn as much as I could about it. Somewhere I came across a method for inducing it: after getting into bed and when about to fall asleep you visualize that you are www.lancmag.com

breathing through your solar plexus. Quite often that would give rise to astral travel, but on occasions one would be startled by a fairly loud cracking noise and wake up. The sound was somewhat like a noise of wooden furniture contracting sharply as it cools at night.

return to my body; I could just stay on the astral plane and exist there, totally free, without care. It came to mind that my body would eventually be found lifeless in the bed and the astral body would be adrift on another plane of existence.

So, using this method very regularly I often travelled on the astral plane and the experiences there, though lucid, were unremarkable. This went on for a few years and culminated in an experience after which I didn’t initiate ever again the method to begin astral travel.

The next thing I knew, I woke up and enjoyed the warm feeling of an enjoyable experience on the astral plane and I knew at once that if I continued to travel astrally there would be a real risk that one time I would not return. Looking back on the experience I can’t remember feeling afraid of not being able to return to the body but the feeling that I might not return to it shook me up enough that I didn’t want to run the risk of choosing not to return. There was a feeling that travelling onwards on the astral plane was an option that I could choose if I wanted to, leaving my body an empty shell, and although the astral travel was enjoyable I knew in some deep part of my being that the body was a vehicle to be used for a time.”

Again, the experience is vivid in my recollection: it was around May or June in 1978. I was 22 years old and living alone in London. Immediately before waking up on a sunny morning, I was aware of descending from the astral plane and suddenly seeing myself asleep in bed. The whole scene was very clear because the bedroom curtains were unlined and the sunlight shone through them, illuminating the whole room. Although I could clearly see my body in the bed, I could not tell if the body was asleep or dead. Seeing myself in the bed, I was transfixed by the realization that there was no need to

...Until next time, Deborah

E debbiehatswell@gmail.com | D debhatswell.wordpress.com | T BbrDeborah

PATREON: www.patreon.com/DeborahHatswellBigfootReports YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/channel/UCYGn8pR90PO_oBzO jiZ23tA/ SPREAKER: www.spreaker.com/show/british-bigfoot APPLE PODCASTS: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/british-bigfoot-dogman/id1480592906?uo=4

One Billion Pound Development Project Surrounding New East Lancashire Freight Rail Terminal Takes A Step Further

Above: Debbie Francis OBE Chair of the LEP Was the Key Speaker at the #AmazingAccrington Business Leaders Meeting

#AmazingAccrington has a very real opportunity to support the development of a new East Lancashire Freight Rail Terminal on the site of the former Huncoat Power Station. Some infrastructure is already in place, and the area is ready for further development. Bringing a freight rail terminal to East Lancashire will tie into levelling up plans, give an economic boost to the region, and create cost, resource and carbon savings for businesses.

he World Economic Forum estimates e-commerce could rise from 19.2 per cent to 53 per cent of all goods purchased by 2028. The UK government plan for a zero-emissions economy emphasised the importance of dedicated distribution hubs, served by rail. The increase in goods being delivered, plus the urgent need to reduce road traffic, mean that freight rail volume is projected to treble by 2050. In 2019 only 8% of domestic freight was moved by rail.

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The East Lancashire Freight Terminal will be a game changing opportunity for development. The historic power station site has disused freight rail sidings, and the surrounding land is already designated for future freight rail development. It is ideally located in the centre of East Lancashire’s industry, engineering and aerospace, in between the existing rail and road network. Speaking at an #AmazingAccrington business leaders meeting in September, Daniel Cochlin, head of external affairs at Northern Powerhouse, indicated that the future of the East Lancashire Freight Rail Terminal lies with local businesses and business leaders, who right across the region, can pull together to turn the plans into reality, rather than looking at The Northern Powerhouse, the answer is what can businesses do for The Northern Powerhouse. A meeting was held on Friday, 26th November, to discuss how to progress to the next stage, which would be an economic feasibility study. The purpose of this is to establish the facts of the great benefit to the region, and the private sector development opportunity.  www.lancmag.com

decarbonising our transport system. If we move containers from road to rail, we save 76% of the carbon emissions. It makes sense on so many fronts and we need this campaign to build.” Sara Britcliffe, MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden added: “One of the things I’ve been working on is, I want to attract businesses, not just to Hyndburn but the whole of the North West. Something like this project would just bring so many jobs and many opportunities to our borough. It will improve life prospects for our children. It will give them the jobs, and skills that they need for the future.” Above: Sara Britcliffe MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden at the #AmazingAccrington Business Leaders Meeting

#AmazingAccrington business leaders met to discuss the plans, including representatives from Studio, the area’s largest employer, the Department for International Trade, Hyndburn Borough Council, the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Northern Automotive Alliance, Chamber of Commerce East Lancs and many businesses who would welcome a freight rail terminal. They watched a new video outlining the opportunity, then heard from Debbie Francis OBE, Chair of the LEP, who was the key speaker and comes from a background in rail freight, as well as Miranda Barker, Chair of East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce & Industry, as they outlined how to access funding and formulate a business case for the project to be able to take it forward.

to be needed to create the business case that shows the value that this is going to give. “There has been some really innovative thinking, some really great ideas coming out from people and a lot of real interest and commitment from the area.” Miranda Barker, said: “It’s important for the competitiveness of our businesses, they need to export their freight to Europe and to the world, and we’re just too expensive and too slow right now. “We need this to make sure the UK can compete and to make sure we are

Murray Dawson, Chair of Amazing Accrington and MD of Scott Dawson Advertising, commented: “The new Freight Rail Terminal will be transformational for the local economy and unlock so much more development. Businesses are calling out for this to help them grow, reduce costs and reduce carbon emissions - it is urgently needed. “It looks like business leaders will need to be the catalyst in this, so it was refreshing to see them pledge hard earned cash on the day - if we can raise £50k, £1k x 50 businesses, then I am confident the LCC and local authority will also contribute so we can do the economic study to support the development. Cheques are already coming in and just short of £10k has already been committed.” 

Below: Murray Dawson Chair of Amazing Accrington Welcomed Business Leaders to Discuss Exciting Plans For a New East Lancashire Rail Freight Terminal

Debbie Francis OBE, added, “The leaders have been really interested in the subject, are clearly behind it and can see how it is going to benefit them and the area. “We’ve had difficult conversations because there has been an awful lot of change in what might happen with transport networks and everyone is aware of that. “We are trying to find our way through those conversations and thinking about how we make everybody see that this is it, as well as how do we get the money that’s going

You can see the video for yourself on the #AmazingAccrington website here: www.amazingaccrington.co.uk/onebillion-pound-development-project-surrounding-new-east-lancashire-freight-rail-terminal-takes-a-step-further/

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Denise Mullen is a journalist, columnist, writer and entrepreneur.

CARAVAN CRAZY …. DOESN’T END WELL! By Denise Mullen

Dredit: Karl Aage Isaksen / Shutterstock.com

he tale I’m sharing this month is one of marital harmony (not mine!) brought to the brink of disaster. We are going back some years to a simpler time. The tale was related to me by our friend Kev and it came from an elderly Irish couple he sort of adopted, we think it involved random attacks on their biscuit tin and tea caddy (when there were such things). 162

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The lady wife was from Northern Ireland and her man was from Southern Ireland. At the time they were in their 40s and had caught the caravanning bug. In those days there was no internet, no mobile telephones. Caravans were the size of a hat box and could be easily towed by a Morris Minor (very old small car). www.lancmag.com

They had been trolley-bobbing around the mainland UK countryside, enraptured with their freedom and in love with the fact that wherever they went, their home was right behind them. That Saturday they had already done a long stretch on the road and the wife, in the passenger seat, was starting to nod. Her husband’s big, string-backed driving-gloved hands pulled their little rig into a lay by. ‘Why don’t you hop into the caravan and get your head down?’ he said. Then, as now, it was illegal to tow a caravan with a passenger in it. But that wasn’t going to stop this hardy pair. ‘Good idea’ she chirruped before nipping through the caravan door to get into her nightie and hit the hay as it were. Her husband carefully manoeuvred them back onto the A road and put in another fifty or so miles before having to attend to a call of nature in a handy bush. Caravans had zero sophisticated mod cons back in the day and also, with his Mrs asleep in there, he thought better of introducing a blast of cold night air to her nest. Having sorted himself out he returned to the car, walking round the front of it to the offside to climb into the driving seat. At the same time, his wife, who had woken with a question, nipped out of the caravan, the door to which was nearside, next to the curb, to speak to hubby in the car. As she closed the caravan door, the car and the van rumbled off the pull in and onto the road. She ran out into the road, waving and shouting, but to no avail. It was 11.30pm. It was October. It was an unlit road. It was cold. She was in her nightie and slippers. By now she was running down the road (there was no pavement) that was bounded on each side by forest. Around half an hour of freezing and shivering, she managed to wave down a motorbike. She breathlessly, and between chattering teeth, told the motorcyclist that she was on her www.lancmag.com

holidays, she’d lost her husband and they needed to catch him quickly. Her white knight, a local as it happened, urged her to ‘hop on’ and drove her directly to the local asylum, about two minutes away, where he pulled up the bike, took his passenger by the arm and knocked on the door. While his be-nightied lady in distress began screaming, about her holidays and her husband abandoning her, her rescuer relayed to asylum staff the tale that he’d found ‘one of yours’ wandering on the road, hysterical and endangering herself and road traffic. She was becoming more and more agitated. A restraint jacket was produced, slipped over her head and she was led away. Everything looked grim until a facility headcount revealed that everyone was present and correct - and in bed. The jacket was removed, and the police were telephoned. An operation began where single male drivers towing a caravan were pulled over and questioned. Her husband was quickly pulled over by a motorcycle officer. ‘Do you have anyone in the caravan, Sir?’ he was asked. ‘Absolutely not officer, that would be illegal, I would never do that, so I wouldn’t,’ came the emphatic answer. ‘Ah on you go then,’ came the officer’s reply. The husband drove on. Some miles later he was stopped again, this time by a patrol car. ‘Evening Sir. Do you have anyone in your caravan?’ ‘No officer, I would never do that, it’s illegal.’ ‘Yes, I know Sir, but someone who says she is your wife and was asleep in the back of your caravan is 30 miles back down the road in her night attire and slippers. Just in case that IS you, would you mind checking for me?’ Given the stress and the drama, it’s a credit to the old fashion ‘bobby’ that the couple were reunited without blood being spilt and sent on their way with a little telling off. It wasn’t a patch on the telling off her husband got, once back inside the interior of the Morris Minor. LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 163

Aiming Higher YOU CAN DONATE TO AIMING HIGHER USING THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

WEBSITE | www.aiminghighercharity.org.uk/donate JUST GIVING | www.justgiving/aiminghigher/donate/ PAYPAL | Found on Aiming Higher website or call to make donations by phone POST | Aiming Higher, 231 – 233 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 3PB. To see more of what we do please visit our website www.aiminghighercharity.org.uk or follow us on facebook @aiminghighercharity. Please ring us on 01253 206447 for further information.

Improving our Early Years Children’s Communication through the Power of Sign Aiming Higher has several services that we offer, one of which is funded by Children in Need. The project, established in 2019, has a timetable of activities, all configured to compliment Early Childhood Development. Many of the disabled children who access this service are behind in meeting their developmental milestones. The sessions we provide are an extra support for parents to try and get them closer to meeting their individual goals.

afternoon, 30 minutes practical learning through song and repetition and 15 minutes wind down in the sensory room. (Seen pictured overleaf)

LEARNING OUTCOMES

ne of the weekly sessions we provide is Makaton. Makaton is a fun and easy way to learn an alternative form of communication, for those who are preverbal or anyone living with a learning difficulty. Incorporating simple signs and symbols, alongside speech, can have a powerful impact on the user, promoting independence and inclusion.. At Aiming Higher we are fortunate enough to run Makaton training in partnership with Berni Ashworth, Blackpool’s Communication and Interaction Support Worker. We invite both parents/carers and children under 5 to attend the 6-week course at our centre on Church Street, Blackpool. Sessions take place on a Thursday

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Many of the children who attend our preschool groups often present in the preverbal stages of communication. Acquiring the skills to sign/gesture their needs and wants can often eliminate frustration. Ryan and his Mum Amanda, (pictured overleaf), have found the course so beneficial that they have signed up to repeat the course, to affirm their learning.

On completion of the short course: 1. Have a basic understanding of Makaton 2. Understand how Makaton can be used with singing 3. Understand how to facilitate choices using symbols and signs 4. Understand that songs can be adapted to suit the differing abilities of individuals or small groups 5. Be informed about other Makaton workshops and courses, access to signs, symbols and resources 6. Be informed about additional resources that can support session content www.lancmag.com

Weekly handouts are available to take home to practise the new signs studied that week. On completion of the course, parents and carers will receive a Makaton Signing for Babies, pocket sized book of signs and symbols. This includes the signs and symbols that have been learnt, along with additional everyday signs. A certificate of attendance is awarded to both parent/carer and child. Berni also runs the Early Bird and Cygnet Programmes in Blackpool. These are support programmes for parents and carers, offering advice and guidance on strategies and approaches to working with autistic children. For more information: National Autistic Society (autism.org.uk). Many of our Parents have accessed these courses and found them invaluable, following an autism diagnosis within the family. If you are a parent/carer or are aware of anyone who may benefit from these sessions, please use our contact details provided to book. Like all charities, Aiming Higher saw fund-raising activity decrease in 2020 and 2021, so if you can support them in any way possible, any assistance will be gratefully received. Please send your ideas to: latoyasykes@aiminghighercharity.org.uk www.lancmag.com

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BY KEN HARCOMBE -Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Fleetwood RNLI

WE ARE THE RNLI THE CHARITY THAT SAVES LIVES AT SEA

police in Lost and Missing Person Searches (L&MPS), and are DEFRA recognised for Flood Rescue Response.

National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) Tower

There are over 350 Coastguard stations in the UK, forming the Coastguard Rescue Service, all manned by volunteers, with four in Lancashire, at Morecambe, Lytham St Annes, Knott End and Fleetwood. In fact, Fleetwood is the recognised receiving port for the eastern part of the Irish Sea, should a major incident occur and all casualties would be processed through Fleetwood RNLI lifeboat station, by the Coastguard, before being handed over to other agencies. The Coastguard have a vast array of equipment at their disposal to help with searches, including an Argocat, an eightwheel drive tracked vehicle for mud rescues, helicopters and fixed winged ‘planes. They even have two jet-skis at Arnside, at the top end of Morecambe Bay ! In 2019, Fleetwood CG was the busiest Coastguard station in the UK, with 285 callouts. 2021 was considerably busier. Multi-agency rescues are vital in some instances. For example, if there is a missing person or boat, it would be impossible for two or even three lifeboats to search such a large area, especially when time is critical. This is where the Coastguard’s fleet of helicopters and fixed wing ‘planes are called to assist as they can help cover large areas of both land and sea, quickly.

The RNLI quite rightly has a world class reputation for its search and rescue operations and having done so for nearly 200 years, is fully aware of the importance of working as a team. Not only does that include our volunteer crew members, both afloat and shore based, but equally as important, our search and rescue (SAR) partners.

with our SAR partners, we actually share the same building. Having a close working relationship means there is very little panic when an emergency arises and both teams have confidence in each other’s skills and knowledge.

he RNLI works very closely with HM Coastguard in particular and indeed, it’s the Coastguard that requests the RNLI to launch, should people find themselves in difficulties at sea or on the coast. 999 is generally a number associated with the Police, Ambulance and Fire Brigade, but the Coastguard is the fourth emergency service that can be reached by this number, should people be in danger at the coast or on the sea.

‘HM Coastguard is one of the Primary Search and Rescue organisations and operate from 10 Maritime Rescue CoOrdination Centres (MRCC’s) around the UK 24/7. along with the Police. The Police obviously have responsibility for landbased searches and the Coastguard for maritime searches. Both organisations can call upon other agencies for assistance, be that the RNLI, Fire Service, or ambulance.’

At Fleetwood, not only do we work closely

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But what area of rescue does each organisation cover? Mark Sumner, Coastguard Station Officer at Fleetwood explains.

Equally as important, once casualties are returned to port, it is often critical that they receive immediate medical attention by the experts. Paramedics are sometimes called upon to meet a lifeboat and they are generally assisted by the Coastguard. A good example of a multi-agency rescue occurred in 2016. Two young girls, out riding across the sands at Knott End, suddenly found themselves in difficulty, when the horses sank to their stomachs in mud. The dramatic scene was witnessed by volunteers at Fleetwood RNLI, who happened to be at the lifeboat station at the time. They were requested to launch by the Coastguard and as the rescue was anticipated, the RNLI in-

National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) Tower

All Coastguard Rescue Teams are trained to operate for coastal searches, alongside

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www.lancmag.com

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT FLEETWOOD RNLI GO TO: www.fleetwoodlifeboat.org.uk TO DONATE OR SUPPORT THE RNLI GO TO: https://rnli.org.uk/support-us Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a charity registered in England and Wales (209603), Scotland (SC037736), the Republic of Ireland (20003326) and the Bailiwick of Jersey (14)

shore lifeboat arrived at the scene minutes later. Fortunately, the horses had managed to extract themselves from the mud and the riding party continued to shore. But then one of the horses, again, sank into mud. This time, extraction was more difficult. The three RNLI volunteer crew members requested immediate assistance from their colleagues across the river. The Fleetwood – Knott End ferry was requisitioned to carry them and Fleetwood Coastguard across the river to help. Using a floating raft and life-jackets from the ferry, the rescue team started digging around the horse, which was unaware the people around were trying to help. Frightened and desperate, it thrashed around, trying to extract itself from the muddy prison it was encased in. To make matters worse, the Spring tide was coming in at some speed. Time was not on the side of either the rescuers or the horse. As the tide reached the stricken animal, one of the volunteer RNLI crew from Fleetwood, sat in the mud, holding the horse’s head above the water, whilst the others dug as quickly as they could. Lancashire Fire Service arrived on scene, but were unable to help as the tide rose higher and higher. Such was the concern on the outcome of the operation, it was decided to call a vet from a local practice, in case time ran out and euthanasia was required. By now, a large crowd had gathered both in Knott End and across the river in Fleetwood, people holding their breath and crossing their fingers, hoping the horse could be saved. The horse’s owner and rider, called on her steed, called Ernie, to make one big effort to rise out of the sludge. The volunteers joined in with this encouragement and each time the horse heard his name, it seemed to give it an extra spurt of energy. The RNLI volunteer crew and Coastguards were determined to rescue the horse and as time slowly, but inevitably ran out, the horse appeared to know that there was

Mark Sumner, Fleetwood Coastguard Station Officer

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little more that could be done. But by the horse suddenly appearing to give up and relax, it became easier to dig around it and within minutes, it was out of the potential muddy tomb and walking back to shore. The relief was enormous, both from the rescuers and the watching throngs and spontaneous applause rang out. The Coastguard Rescue Service isn’t the only voluntary organisation that help SAR operations. Around 30 years ago, over 300 small coastguard stations around our coasts, closed. Whilst technology and sophisticated systems are aids to improved safety, a computer cannot spot a distress flare, an overturned boat, or a yachtsman or fisherman in trouble. All vulnerable activities like canoeing, diving and wind-surfing, are made safer by visual surveillance. In addition, walkers, with or without man’s best friend off leash, are easily cut off by rising tides and everyone’s nightmare, the adventurous child drifting out to sea in an inflatable toy, are more common since the rise in Staycations Nearly 50% of people who drown around our shores each year, have no intention of going into the sea or indeed, of even getting wet. As such, the entirely voluntary organisation, National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) was formed in 1994, following the drowning of two fishermen within sight of an unmanned Coastguard station at Bass Point, Cornwall. The local community were so saddened by the deaths of these fishermen, they reopened the old Coastguard station and NCI was formed. We are fortunate in Fleetwood to have NCI’s most northerly operational watch tower, at Rossall Point. Over 50 voluntary Watchkeepers assist in the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the safety of people using the foreshore and beach for recreational purposes. Reporting to HM Coastguard and with occasional training sessions with RNLI Fleetwood, NCI Watchkeepers are assessed annually to ensure of their competence in an emergency. Because of the vast expanse of sandbanks

Fleetwood CG on a mud rescue

at Fleetwood, walkers being cut off by one of the highest tidal ranges in the world, is not uncommon. The higher viewpoint from their ‘station within Rossall Point tower, means that not only are they better placed to see people a long distance away, but also if they are partly hidden in the deep gullies that run parallel to the shore, thus able to assess the potential level of danger they are in. The NCI volunteers are also able to guide the low-level in-shore lifeboat to a casualty and reduce the time a casualty may be in the water. NCI Fleetwood has an array of technology to assist them, including radar, Automatic Identification System (AIS), short wave radios and weather station, thanks to local fundraising, especially from the Goal-den Girls, who donated £7,500 in 2013, following their successful Edinburgh Marathon run. The NCI station in Fleetwood opened in 2008, in the old Coastguard tower, where HM Coastguard kept watch, full-time in the tower, until 1996. NCI have now moved to a more modern, and considerably more comfortable and warmer tower, built by Wyre Council and was opened in 2013. Martyn Cripps, NCI Station Manager at Rossall Point, told me how proud he is that the volunteers are operational for 365 days a year, eight hours a day in summer and six hours a day in winter. It takes an immense commitment from the volunteer Watchkeepers and they’ve always been very fortunate to have help and support from the local community in Fleetwood. The RNLI has a fantastic reputation for its life-saving service at sea, but on occasions, the support of our SAR partners is vital, and necessary, in reducing casualty numbers. There are a number of volunteering opportunities available across the RNLI. Some supporters think that you can only volunteer as crew and aren’t aware of ‘land-based’ roles that are essential to saving lives at sea. To find out more on how you can support the charity visit https://rnli.org.uk/support-us

Ernie the horse during the multi-agency rescue at Knott End in 2016

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Sound Drums And Trumpets! (Shakespeare, King Henry VI)

Henry VI: Rebellion, a major new RSC production of Henry VI Part II, running in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon next year will feature 12 participants from Blackpool. They will be drawn from a group that are part of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Grand Theatre Blackpool’s adult participation initiative, Shakespeare Nation.

he first half of the play is made up of a series of group scenes each featuring a different group of eight to twelve characters representing the people of England. The second half includes a large pageant in which the people rise up in revolt as part of the infamous Jake Cade Rebellion. The RSC is looking for these scenes to include groups of adults drawn from communities from six of the RSC’s partner theatres (including Blackpool) involved in its Shakespeare Nation adult participation initiative. Twelve participants from each of the six areas will appear alongside a cast of 26 professional actors in Stratford at selected performances in April and May 2022. 168

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Rehearsals will take place in the

Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall

with the hope of building a

Blackpool area, working with

Nottingham, the scheme works

lasting relationship between the

RSC Assistant Directors and

with groups who often have little

community and its theatre.

practitioners, with support from

or no experience of Shakespeare,

The Grand Theatre, Blackpool. The Blackpool participants will then rehearse and perform in Stratford for their selected performances from April onwards. Henry VI: Rebellion hurtles through one of the most turbulent periods in English history, asking the question: can the people ever really decide their own future? The production will also feature young performers who are part of RSC Next Generation Act, a unique talent development programme made up of young people aged between 13 and 18 from the RSC’s nationwide network of 222 Associate Schools. The production runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon between 1 April – 28 May 2022. Ruth Eastwood, Grand Theatre Chief Executive said ‘We are delighted that once again our Shakespeare Nation group have the opportunity to perform with one of the greatest theatre companies in the world. Blackpool Grand’s partnership with The RSC has developed over the years and many of our Creative Learning participants have had the opportunity to perform on Stratford’s renowned stage.’ Shakespeare Nation is the RSC’s adult participation programme supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation which aims to create a nation of Shakespeare and theatrelovers across the country. Working hand-in-hand with a network of twelve partner theatres including www.lancmag.com

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Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating is an approach to food where you pay full attention to eating. Research has shown that eating mindfully can improve digestion, help regulate appetite and helps us enjoy our food much more.

a rushed experience or something we do on autopilot. Whether you’re chopping, slicing, or marinating, the art of being mindful when you are cooking is an ideal opportunity to focus your attention on textures, sounds and smells. If your mouth waters – you know you’re on track!

Here we share some simple ways to incorporate mindful eating into your daily routine:

Slow down

Preparing your food For many people, cooking can feel like a chore but it doesn’t have to be 170

Taking the time to eat and chew your food thoroughly will enable you to taste the essence of the food. During a meal, you could practice taking smaller bites of food and try to put down your knife and fork between

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mouthfuls. You may be surprised at all the flavours that are released that you may not normally notice. Eating around the table When life gets busy, it can be easy to slip into the habit of eating on the run and neglect taking time to sit down together. Trying to factor in time for sitting around the table can be beneficial for all members of a family or household. It can help everyone switch off from the stresses of the day and provide an opportunity to reconnect over a meal.

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No distractions We tend to eat more mindlessly when we are distracted. We also don’t taste and experience the food as much because our mind is elsewhere. Try eating with no distractions; this means eating without your laptop or phone, or when reading or watching TV so that you can relax and enjoy your food in the moment.

Mindful eating takes practice, and the more you practice, the more natural it will feel! To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website:

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heartresearch-uk-cookbook

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heartresearch-uk-recipes-2

If you’d like to support Heart Research UK’s vital work into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease, please visit www.heartresearch.org.uk for inspiration on how you could help. www.lancmag.com

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NEW YEAR! NEW COUNTRY! By Kate Gostick

Time differences make parties last longer, allowing you to travel through time to celebrate the same time around the world all in one night. It’s the trick Santa uses to deliver all those gifts you know.

ven when traditions were the same in two countries we still managed to benefit from being an international family, as we celebrated in multiple time zones whilst existing at that moment in only one time and place. New Year’s Eve seemed to last all day as we celebrated English New Year with English friends and five hours later American New Year with American friends. Boston kindly put on a parade that culminated in fireworks at 7 pm, allowing American families with young children to all be in bed long before midnight. In the beginning, we wandered the streets looking at the ice sculptures all around the city and then followed the parade from Copley Square to the Common, enjoying the bands and performers, people on stilts, baton twirlers and floats and marchers from local groups. At 7 pm, English New Year, fireworks filled the sky over the 172

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Common, bangs echoing off the skyscrapers and bright colours reflected in their glass. We hugged our friends and rang our families and then set off home. We had a quick sit down and a cup of tea and then set off to a friend’s house to bring in the American New Year with them, watching the ball drop in Time Square as we would have watched Big Ben chime twelve deep bongs at home. We then crossed arms much to the surprise of our American friends and sang a verse or two of Old Lang Syne, before the universal kisses and hugs. As the years progressed the parade and ice sculptures were replaced by a meal close to the Common on a table that stretched into the distance with British friends and their children. By now the Americans would cross hands as though this had been their tradition for generations and generations and then shake their arms vigorously up and down sharing the love around the circle. Germany had its own traditions some we would attempt to adopt and others we were glad to leave behind. We invited friends over to celebrate the New Year and watched Dinner for One, a British black and white movie, unknown to British audiences, but loved by Germans every New www.lancmag.com

Years’ Eve as the Wizard of Oz in England or the Grinch in America. Freddie Frinton, who plays a butler, drunk from sharing a drink with his 90 year old employer with each course of a very long meal, ends the ten minute film with a wink in response to the old ladies comment of “Same procedure as last year,” implying he won’t just be tucking her into bed, but will climb in with her and help the year go out with a bang! Germans would often interrupt their German spiel with an English, “same procedure as last year”, expecting us to understand the implied meaning, but this was a cultural reference for them, not us, even though it had come to them from the flickering black and white images of an English butler. This was not uncommon in America. Whenever my friend, Marcia, introduced herself she would be greeted with a smile and a quickly recounted, “Oh Marcia Marcia” to which she would nod knowingly and share an unspoken memory. If I had greeted everyone named Betty with a Frank Spencer “OOOh! Betty,” I would soon be referred to as the odd English woman, unless of course I too was in England, where it would be echoed back in a quavering voice and joined by an, “I’ve had a bit of trouble. The cats done a woopsie on the carpet”. Catchphrases unite people of the same generation and the same culture. My children were not united with their parents who were raised on another continent in another millennium and would respond to renditions of the Benny Hill song with a sigh and an observation of that “not being a thing.” In Germany at New Year, although it had never been a thing for us, we began melting the Bleigiessen, little pieces of lead shaped as hats or pigs or a whole host of random shapes. As it melted in the spoon you thought of the year to come before pouring the molten silver liquid into a glass of water, watching it solidify into a new shape. Great discussion then ensued as to what the new random shape was, a tree symbolising you would experience loyalty in love over the next year or a lantern to signal your upcoming moment of enlightenment. Maybe it was a bird telling you to move more, or an anchor telling you to make your safety a priority. The reality of the situation was that you should always see an anchor, as one’s safety was soon to become a major priority as we all marched up the hill to the highest, darkest field in town. www.lancmag.com

I took the advice of the Bleigiessen in that I only climbed that hill once. Just that one year. What was there was one of the most terrifying things I had ever seen. Drunk German voices echoed out of the darkness, accompanied by the chink chink of beer bottles wishing good health to a friend, only a couple of feet away, whose shadow moved in the moonlight. You could not see the empty bottles being buried only an inch into the mud, the remaining six or seven inches protruding out of the dirt, a receptacle for death. It was only as the clock on the tower in the town wall struck midnight that the purpose of the bottles was revealed, illuminated by lighters igniting the wicks which hung down their sides. Bang! Bang!, as fireworks exploded from bottles all over the ground around us, swishing past us as they journeyed into the sky. Bang! Bang!, as the bottles fell and rockets flew, not into the sky as intended, but along unforeseen trajectories, whizzing past jumping Germans and fleeing children. In America, the police would be called and warnings would be spelt out in the orange bulbs of motorway signs. In Britain a series of government sponsored advertisements would flash between favourite TV shows and judgemental tuts would be made of the perceived perpetrators over cups of tea, but in Germany, this was a yearly activity accompanied by raucous laughter and even more drinking. Fireworks were only sold between Christmas and New Year and it was illegal to set them off at any other time other than Sylvester, New Year’s Eve. For some reason, the government saw the danger of giving drunken men explosives, but felt the need to allow an end of year purge of those who were not quick enough or sharp eyed enough to avoid explosives on sticks hurtling towards them through the cimmerian shadows. Fireworks had terrified me since I was little, when each year the second operation to remove a birthmark from my left cheek was put back as the paediatric plastic surgeons were too busy repairing the faces of children burnt by Bonfire Night fireworks. This left a new mark on me as I was left with penetrable fear of explosives in untrained hands. Needless to say, we melted lead and ate marzipan pigs holding clover and ladybirds and watched Dinner for One, laughing at its predictable farce, but the fireworks we left to the professionals on Boston Common. LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 173

Spectacular Immersive Art Installation Set to Light Up Liverpool Cathedral

Space, The Universe and Everything’ will Take Visitors on an Incredible Journey through Space and Time with a Magnificent Display of Lights, Projections and Sound.

n immersive art experience, known as ‘Space, The Universe and Everything’, is set to transform the inside of Liverpool Cathedral with an extraordinary display of lights, projections and sound, which will see visitors surrounded by the awe-inspiring wonders of the universe as they walk through the building’s vast splendour, The breathtaking installation will

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come to life after dark as the stunning Gothic architecture of Liverpool Cathedral becomes a canvas for an incredible exploration of space and the universe, with a spectacular sonet-lumière performance taking place every evening between Friday 18 – Sunday 27 February 2022. Combining the dazzling projections of sculptor, Peter Walker, with the beautiful atmospheric sounds of www.lancmag.com

excited about bringing ‘Space, The Universe and Everything’ to such a remarkable building. Liverpool Cathedral has an amphitheatre of space about it and to fill such a vast area of Gothic architecture with galaxies and the universe is going to be absolutely phenomenal.

Images copyright of Liverpool Cathedral, taken by Gareth Jones

composer, David Harper, ‘Space, The Universe and Everything’ is the work of award-winning artistic collaboration, Luxmuralis, the team behind ‘Angel Wings’ and ‘Peace Doves’ at Liverpool Cathedral. Speaking on returning to Liverpool Cathedral with a powerful new immersive art installation, Peter Walker, Artistic Director of Luxmuralis, said: “We’re incredibly www.lancmag.com

“Mankind has only scratched the surface of space discovery and this artwork explores the amazing wonders of the universe, capturing the excitement of what the next steps might be as we see far away galaxies emerge before us. ‘Space, The Universe and Everything’ gives visitors the chance to lose themselves in space and time as we take them from the first step on the moon to the edge of the universe and back again in just one night. It really will be an unforgettable experience.” The Dean of Liverpool, The Very Revd Dr Sue Jones, said: “Liverpool Cathedral is well known for hosting contemporary artworks and we’re thrilled to welcome back Luxmuralis with our most ambitious installation yet. ‘Space, The Universe and Everything’ is set to be a real highlight on the city’s cultural events’ calendar in 2022 and it’s going to be truly magnificent to see Liverpool

Cathedral’s stunning architecture come alive with light and sound. “As the largest cathedral in the UK and one of the biggest in the world, just being inside the building at night is an incredible experience so flooding the space with the wonders of the universe will be simply spectacular. I hope people will enjoy the immersive installation and encounter Liverpool Cathedral in all its architectural splendour as we offer a chance to reflect and find a sense of serenity in the beauty of creation.” ‘Space, The Universe and Everything’ runs from Friday 18 Sunday 27 February with shows starting every 15 minutes between 6pm - 8pm. Tickets for the immersive art experience, which lasts around 40 minutes, must be booked in advance at Ticket Quarter. Ticket booking link: https://bit.ly/3o3cPf7 TICKET PRICES: Adults (over 17) - £8 Children / young people (3-17) - £6 Children (under 3) - Free Family (2 adults and 3 children) - £25

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Macmillan’s Cancer Information and Support Service in Lancashire has undergone a £48k refurbishment to help enhance the experience for people living with cancer.

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he service, which has three sites based at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, two at Royal Preston Hospital and one at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, supports anyone affected by cancer across Lancashire and South Cumbria.

The Macmillan centre, which launched in 2013, has helped more than 17,000 people affected by cancer over the years providing essential practical, emotional and financial support.

The service is also appealing for new volunteers to join the team and help deliver the vital service, which makes such a difference to peoples’ lives.

y we raise means Macmillan can be right for more people living with cancer. All the sites have been given a fresh makeover, while the main hub based at Royal Preston’s Rosemere Cancer Centre has added a new quiet room, which offers a safe space for people to talk in confidence and away from any disturbances. Martin Bond, Centre Manager at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals’ Rosemere Cancer Centre, said: “We are so pleased this work has been carried out and are grateful for the support of Macmillan and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and everyone else who has helped make this happen.

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and we can now go on and deliver an even better people-centred service for our patients and anyone affected by cancer. “We are here for anything from a chat and a cup of tea, to help with a form or a referral to a support group. The centre is there for anyone - patients, family, friends, carers or professionals. One in two people will get cancer in their lifetime, so this important service is needed now more than ever.”

Where practical under Covid restrictions the team will start to offer the service in community settings, such as GP practices, faith settings and community venues so that people with cancer can access help and support closer to home. Anne Tomlinson, Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse and End of Life lead at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, added: “The pandemic has been particularly hard for people with cancer and has caused much more anxiety. “We are very grateful to Macmillan for funding this much needed refurbishment and we can now offer pleasant, calm and private spaces for people with cancer and their carers to access the support and information they need. Macmillan have also funded a member of staff to offer support in the community.”

Anyone affected by cancer – or is interested in volunteering - can contact the centre on: 01772 523709 or email: Cancerinfo.centre@lthtr. nhs.uk, Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm (excluding Bank Holidays).

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England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.

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Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip

Sugar Awareness

Here are some healthy heart tips to ensure you are keeping an eye on your sugar intake. Sugar Recommendations • Consuming too much sugar in your diet can lead to weight gain and becoming overweight or obese.

Tips to reduce sugar intake • Choose products that are labelled ‘no added sugar’ or ‘no sugars’. • Reduce consumption of sweets treats such as cakes, biscuits, and sweets. • Swap out canned fruit in syrup for fresh fruit.

• ‘Free sugars’ are sugars that are added to foods as a flavour enhancement or to act as a preservative (increasing shelflife of products). This is the type of sugars that adults and children in the UK need to cut down on.

• Switch sugary breakfast cereals for unsweetened cereal and add fresh fruit for sweetness.

• The government recommends that free sugars should not make up more than 5% of the energy you get from food and drink each day.

• Cut down on sugar in hot drinks or try adding sweetener instead

This means: AGE

MAXIMUM FREE SUGAR/DAY

4 – 6 years

19g

7 – 10 years

24g

Adults

30g

• Swap sugary drinks for water, sugar-free or diet alternatives. • Limit fruit juices and smoothies to 150ml a day.

Checking Labels

Ingredient list:

Nutritional labels can help you reduce your intake of free sugars. The “of which sugars” figure on the nutrition labels (part of the carbohydrate information) will help you understand the amount of sugar. Labels on the front of the packaging use a traffic light system to distinguish the amount of sugar in a product:

Watch out for these names which may suggest there are added free sugars: • Glucose • Xylose • Treacle • Honey • Dextrose • Sucrose • Sugar (palm, raw, beet, brown) • Cane juice • Fructose Being aware of the amount of sugar in different foods & drinks and following these healthy tips can reduce your sugar intake and consequently, lower your risk of developing health complications such as heart disease! To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website:

- RED = high (more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g) - AMBER = medium (more than 5g but less than or equal to 22.5g of sugars per 100g) - GREEN = low (less than or equal to 5g of sugar per 100g)

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-ukrecipes-2 Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-ukcookbook

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Eve Shepherd announced as winning sculptor of

A Statue for Emily Williamson www.emilywilliamsonstatue.com @EmilyStatue @emilywilliamsonstatue @emilywilliamsonstatue

Above: Eve Shepherd announced as winning sculptor of a statue for Emily Williamson. Announcement made at Manchester Art Gallery.

After the casting of thousands of public votes Eve Shepherd has been chosen as the sculptor who will create a statue of RSPB founder and eco pioneer Emily Williamson (1855-1936). 180

nce an untold story, this is now a story that has captured the heart of the nation and which Eve will bring alive with her beautiful sculptural tribute to Emily. Over 12,000 people have voted in this final stage of the campaign, with the public having already narrowed down from 24 initial designs to four shortlisted designs, each of which was created into a maquette (miniature statue).

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Eve’s striking design is truly captivating; it both encapsulates Emily Williamson the young woman and then, though Eve’s creative genius, reflects her story and her legacy in the ruffles of her crinoline skirt. A look with a closer eye reveals Emily’s skirts are actually a cliff-face punctuated with vignettes depicting the birds once used in Victorian millinery that she campaigned to save.  www.lancmag.com

Eve Shepherd’s most recent work celebrated the achievements of another great woman; educational and equality campaigner Betty Campbell, whose statue was unveiled in Wales in September 2021. Sculptor Eve Shepherd says, “I’m deeply honoured to be chosen to create the Emily Williamson statue for Fletcher Moss Park, Manchester and the bird loving community. I feel very humbled and privileged to sculpt such an important pioneer and eco-activist. She was an incredible visionary, a quiet, yet stoic woman, who stood against the norms of her day. She cocreated a legacy, the RSPB, a charity that has saved countless bird lives and protected precious natural habitats for future generations to enjoy. In my eyes Emily is a shining beacon of how we can save our fragile ecosystem in these unprecedented times. “Emily Williamson was one of those amazing women who has been forgotten because of her gender. This statue will be a triumph, a milestone, for how far we have come to balance the scales of equality for women within public sculpture, though we still have some distance to go. I am so very delighted and excited to have been selected to be part of this!” Beccy Speight, CEO of the RSPB, says, “I’m delighted that over 12,000 people took part in the vote to decide this important, timely statue for Emily Williamson. 100 years ago, alongside other determined, inspirational women, Emily successfully campaigned to stop the slaughter of millions of birds for fashion. While the RSPB which they founded has

grown and evolved, campaigning is still at the heart of what we do, perfectly illustrated as we took to the UK’s streets during COP26 to demand that world leaders urgently address the nature and climate emergency which threatens wildlife, habitats and humanity itself. “Eve Shepherd’s glorious, beautifully detailed vision of Emily serves as a reflection to the past, our heritage and the unbreakable bond between nature and people. But crucially, this statue can inspire the next generation, who understand the power and fragility of nature, and will be reminded by Emily’s legacy, that there is always hope, and the fight must continue.” Chair of the Emily Williamson Statue Campaign, Andrew Simcock, says, “We had four exceptionally high quality entries on this shortlist. On behalf of the Selection Committee I’d like to thank Clare Abbatt, Billie Bond and Laury Dizengremel for their massive contribution to this contest. Their designs all polled well with the public and it is telling that less than 1% of those voting said ‘none of the above.” “As I toured the four countries of the UK visiting RSPB reserves with the maquettes there was tremendous engagement with the designs. Eve’s, in particular, was a big hit with children. There was a real sense of their delight as they realised how many birds were present in Emily’s skirt. “Many congratulations to Eve and I really look forward to working with her to create this statue of Emily Williamson.”

Author and social historian Tessa Boase, who has done so much to bring this project to life, says, “Sculptor Eve Shepherd is renowned for the depth of her research, and her iconoclastic approach to public artwork. Her statue of Emily Williamson will be an inspiring monument not just to a woman, but to the beauty and vulnerability of birdlife. “If we want the next generation to cherish nature and to safeguard biodiversity, we need to engage young minds and hearts – through telling stories. This statue will contain a multitude of stories and species, drawing the viewer back again and again. Shepherd’s proposed use of augmented reality technology to enhance interpretation will bring an exciting extra dimension.” The Emily Williamson Statue Campaign will be focusing on fundraising activities in the coming months, which will include the release of twenty limited edition maquettes of Eve’s design. To make an expression of interest email: andrew4didsbury@gmail.com Emily’s statue will be unveiled on 17 April 2023 (her birthday) and will stand in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury, in the grounds of her former home and from where her campaigning began.  For further information on the Emily Williamson Statue Campaign visit: www.emilywilliamsonstatue.com

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SKIN REJUVENATION Love the skin you are in. Beauty is more than skin deep! By Marcia Trotter

Skin rejuvenation refers to any cosmetic treatment that renews the surface appearance of the skin. Rejuvenation treatments are typically for superficial skin concerns such as wrinkles, dark spots, scarring, and skin laxity, which are all skin-related concerns that occur on the upper-to-mid layers of the dermis. Dermaplaning Our most superficial treatment is Dermaplaning.I love this as it completed quickly and gives the skin an instant lift. Dermaplaning is an extremely popular and effective treatment. It rejuvenates the overall health and appearance of your skin. It is non invasive, fast and painless approach to helping you skin stay refreshed glowing and youthful. It also fabulous combined with more intense treatments too. Weeks of dead skin cells are removed along with the fine vellus hair/peachy fuzz. This hair can trap dirt and oil causing breakouts and a dull complexion.

It is a new year, a time for change. Our skin is our largest organ and are we doing anything to preserve and take care of it?

ince reopening our clinic after the pandemic we have seen an increase in our Skin Rejuvenation procedures. Both men and women have become more aware of the appearance of their skin tone and texture and are looking to maintain and improve it. I also think selfcare is so important and taking time out of the day to do something to make you feel good about ourselves is essential. Aesthetic treatments have become increasingly more popular over the last decade. The variety of treatments is endless and could be extremely confusing of what may be the best for you. The menu of treatments now goes way beyond anti wrinkle and dermal filler injections. Skin rejuvenation is a fabulous alternative or works hand in hand depending on your desired outcome. You may be wondering what Skin Rejuvenation is. It includes various treatments that aim to restore your skin from any damage. Skin damage could be a result of sun exposure, an underlying health condition, or a normal sign of aging.

The physical exfoliation triggers the cell regeneration process and allows products to penetrate the skin better and when makeup is applied it looks flawless. Microneedling We also love microneedling, this is a treatment that can be performed on the face to minimise wrinkles and small scars, ideal for acne scars but also the body to help with the appearance of skin tone and texture but also scars and stretch marks. It is a mildly invasive cosmetic procedure that’s used to treat skin concerns via collagen production, also known as collagen induction therapy. We have three microneedling procedures to choose from, MesoME, Meso Plus and the Diamond Facial. They all work in a similar way but vary in intensity. All treatments are fabulous as a one off but amazing results are achieved if treatments are carried out regularly. I always explain to me clients, it would be like going to the gym or exercising as a one off. You will feel great but the results are not lasting as you would need do a few sessions to see a result. Our Micro needling sessions rejuvenate the skin, stimulating natural collagen while interrupting and slowing down the formation of wrinkles. The use of serums tailored for your skin type are infused during the needling adding

You would be very lucky if you have never suffered with problematic skin at some time in your life or would like to improve some area. You may consider something mild with little down time that can be worked into you day like Dermaplaning which could be carried out in a lunch break to a laser skin resurfacing procedure with amazing results but will take several weeks to renew. With the dwindling production of collagen, skin can lose structure, become dry, have less fat, and begin to appear wrinkled, loose, and saggy. Skin rejuvenation encourages collagen growth to help skin become fuller and more youthful. www.lancmag.com

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vitamins and minerals to improve your skins appearance and though it may be visible immediately the results improve over the course of treatments as MesoME relies on skin cells having time to heal and reproduce before the most visible results appear. MesoME is a 100% risk free treatment that works naturally. This is a gentle skin needling treatment that delivers incredible results. Boosting cell rejuvenation it helps improve dry, dehydrated skin and fine lines and wrinkles with minimum downtime leaving an instant healthy glow which continues to work for several weeks. Meso Plus takes it to the next level, a slightly more intense treatment. Instantly boosting the skins appearance, hydrating dull, tired and dehydrated skin. Improves certain skin conditions like rosacea and acne. Delivering the serum into the correct layer of skin to get the optimum results. The secret to youthful skin. Digital Collagen Induction (DCI) and Meso+ infusions are the aesthetic world’s latest answer in anti aging procedures.

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The Diamond Facial is a luxury combination of Digital Collagen Induction, Meso Microneedling and Dermaplaning using the medically grade skincare range Cell Biologique. Working your skin from the inside and out this treatment has been designed to leave you with brighter, flawless complexion and visibly less wrinkles. The skin is cleansed then exfoliated to remove up to 3 weeks of dead skin cells and the villus hair (peachy fuzz). A peel to brighten then completed with targeted microneedling combined with a bespoke serum infusion for your own skin type. Meso is the aesthetic world’s latest answer in anti aging and skin tightening. The results are instant with ongoing benefits for over 4 weeks. To get the maximum benefit of your treatment we recommend looking after your skin at home, we love Cell Biologique Skincare.

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Cell Biologique is an advanced dermaceutical skincare collection offering corrective solutions for both women and men. It is packed full of natural active ingredients to encourage cell rejuvenation. No Parabens … No animal testing … Safe Precision … Innovation All our treatments are suitable for both women and men. All clients are invited for a consultation and skin analysis before any procedure. I am often asked why products are more expensive than others. Again, this is endless. Sometimes we can be paying for huge marketing campaigns and packaging. I would advise to look at the percentage of active ingredients. If it is so low you could bathe in it and it still would not have any great effect. Ask for a consultation and check if any samples are available before taking the plunge to invest if potentially it does not suite your skin type. Going into a salon or clinic may not be for you. You can achieve brilliant results at home too. Get yourself into a good routine of cleansing, toning and moisturising. Add in a serum and exfoliation. You will notice a difference in no time.

“Healthy skin is not an overnight process”. Marcia Medical & Cosmetic Clinic 10a Shaftesbury Avenue Timperley, Altrincham WA15 7LY N 07773 229 229 E Email: info@marcia.co.uk www.marcia.co.uk

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 185

I am Janet and I am your resident Positive Change Coach bringing you techniques and insights to help you navigate the changes in your life positively. I have 15 years experience and now work globally from Costa Rica to New Zealand and everywhere in-between.

What holds you back in life? Fear of failure? Not feeling good enough? Fear of change? Feeling trapped? Fear of rejection? Believing the world is a scary place?.

ou are not alone, yet we rarely discuss these fears and beliefs. These feelings and beliefs have a source, which you may or may not know, but they influence the decisions you make and the way

you live your life. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have at your finger tips a way of removing those fears and beliefs that hold you back and replace them with peace, joy, confidence, self-belief? I have the answer! Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT/Tapping)

does as it says on the tin – it emotionally frees you. The changes you want come from within yourself, situations that felt overwhelming now become manageable and even enjoyable. By removing the negative feelings we can think clearly and make informed choices, you regain control of your life.

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“I really enjoyed working with Janet. Our sessions really

Whilst it is relatively straight forward to learn the Tapping

helped me process a lot of things that were holding me

points, how we work with a client and uncover the issues

back from living my best life. I am much more confident

(generally people come with the tip of the ice burg) is

and excited about my next chapter.” MD – Scotland.

where the skill lies. When seeking a Practitioner make sure they are qualified via an accredited training programme –

EFT simply put is Acupuncture without the needles! The

the professional body is EFT International, the Practitioner

lines of energy that run through the body (Meridians), need

Training Programme is 12 months. Equally ask for evidence

re-aligning and the points that we tap are where groups of the

of insurance.

ends of meridians meet, are closest to the skin and therefore the most sensitive, a gentle tapping back into alignment

Tapping Into Freedom Introductory Workshop 7pm Tuesday

brings your emotions into balance.

8th February 2022 - Go to Website and Events to Book Online.

“I found your therapy to be very beneficial as at the time I was struggling to cope with life. Your aid gave me the relief I needed. Thank-you.” DM – Lancashire Broken Back to Yoga Teacher! When I first experienced EFT 17 yrs ago my issue was muscular back pain from breaking my back over 12 months earlier. The body reflects the pain we are feeling. Having removed the negative feelings, the pain left my body and I went onto train as a DRU yoga teacher. Having had this wonderful life changing experience I wanted to help other people find the relief that I had experienced emotionally, mentally and physically. “Janet’s enthusiasm, warmth and sensitivity have been key to a successful 8 weeks of sessions, which resulted in a lot of self-discovery and a significant shift in negative feelings.” IG-E, SE England I trained as an Advanced Practitioner and then a Master Trainer using my teaching skills (I have been a teacher in Further and Higher Education since 1982), and my passion for helping people to spread EFT across the world.

Head to my website for more information D https://thepositivechangecoach.com For a complimentary 30 min., 1-1 Positive Change Discovery Session contact me E janetbroughton@thepositivechangecoach.com DRU Yoga classes available live online or via YouTube Y Janet Teaches DRU Yoga Claim your Free Positive Change Personality Quiz to discover your Change personality, how it affects your life and how we can empower you to live your Best Life.

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 187

Birds, bees, and butterflies suffer as Brexit farming promises broken The Government’s “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to transform farming from being a leading cause of declines in UK wildlife has been greeted with disappointment by conservationists.

he Wildlife Trusts, National Trust and RSPB are deeply concerned that the Government’s Sustainable Farming Incentive is failing to come up with ambitious financial rewards, undermining their ability to boost nature-friendly farming. The three organisations feel that Sustainable Farming Incentive standards must have a minimum requirement on farmers and land managers to manage 10 per cent of their land for nature and an option for improving access – it does not do this. They believe that promises made by Government in its 25-year environment plan are now in jeopardy, instead of playing a central role in nature’s recovery. And it would mean nature-friendly farmers will be left behind as larger farms will reap the benefits. Conservationists and farmers were hoping that the Government would encourage farmers to stop harming the environment with air and water pollution and soil erosion, but the plan will mean few changes.

And in Lancashire, where the Wildlife Trust’s pioneering carbon farm is offering an agricultural solution which can benefit the environment, wildlife and farmers, there is concern that this and similar innovative opportunities will be missed. The concerns have risen as the Government published details of the eagerly awaited scheme to pay farmers for managing land more sustainably, restoring nature and tackling climate change. It comes on the first anniversary of the Agriculture Act – a significant moment revealing the extent of the Government’s ambition to improve the 70 per cent of our land that is farmed since Brexit and our departure from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. But today’s does not bode well for nature, climate, or farming. Instead of causing air and river pollution, nature-friendly farming can help clean up our countryside and reverse the UK’s label of being one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world to a shining

Photo: Sphagnum moss plugs at the carbon farm at Winmarleigh Moss Photo Credit: Lancashire Wildlife Trust

example where nature is in recovery. That vision is now in peril. Farming accounts for more than 10 per cent of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, so transformation is also critical to help tackle the climate emergency. Tom Burditt, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchesster and Merseyside, says: “We’re spitting feathers. This is bad news for nature and bad news for small farmers around the North West, especially all those who love nature and have been working so hard to look after and restore it. “Don’t be led by the positive spin being put out that this is good for soils. That is just a small step in the right direction but from a sustainable and nature friendly farm business point of view this glass is only 10 per cent full. In other words, it is 90 per cent empty. It is a huge missed opportunity for ensuring that our tax payers money is being used to help to deliver the “public goods” we all so badly need like thriving wildlife, cleaner air, less flooding, and the slowing of catastrophic climate change.” Craig Bennett, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts, says: “After leaving the EU, we were promised that the billions of pounds of taxpayer’s money given to farmers would be used to improve our natural world. But today’s publication shows a shocking lack of ambition which does very little to address the climate and nature crises. The Government seems intent on perpetuating the iniquities of the EU’s much derided

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Common Agricultural Policy. Worse still, nature-friendly farmers look set to lose out too. “There’s so much that farmers could be rewarded for doing, such as restoring peatlands and employing ambitious measures to prevent soil and pollutants from washing into rivers – to help wildlife and store carbon. It’s an absolute scandal that the Government has failed to seize this unique and important opportunity to improve farming so it can help restore nature and address the climate crisis.” Beccy Speight, Chief Executive of RSPB, says: “Leaving the EU and its divisive Common Agricultural Policy gave us the perfect opportunity to reform the way we produce and consume food whilst also tackling the nature and climate crises. However, this Government is letting this opportunity slip through their fingers by not supporting nature friendly farming and not delivering on previous promises. Not only does this go against public wishes but it also undermines the Government’s ability to deliver their own environmental targets as a result. Farmers want to be doing more but they need incentives in place to help them.” Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust, says: “Nearly four years has passed since the Government set out its vision for the future of food, farming and the environment in a ‘Green Brexit’, centre-stage being the delivery of a better and richer environment in England. But the future of wildlife and climate now looks uncertain as today’s announcement falls short of the ambitious reforms promised. Farmers need a clear path to a future where nature is at the heart of sustainable and secure food production, not the short diversion this new scheme creates.

with a carefully-designed scheme, but Government also needs to help farmers quickly embrace a new business model that delivers for farming and the environment. With wildlife and climate ‘on hold’ until the New Year, we hope our concerns will be met with a new resolution to turn things around and move at the speed that farmers, people and nature needs.” The UK has stated its ambition to be a “world leader” on climate and nature, but it cannot tackle these twin crises without wholesale reform of farming policy. Today’s announcement falls far short of the Secretary of State’s statement at COP26 that the Government is “leading the way through our new agricultural system in England, which will incentivise farmers to farm more sustainably, create space for nature on their land and reduce carbon emissions.” Instead, the new scheme is at risk of recreating the status quo by funding basic good practice, and in some cases will not require any extra benefits for nature at all. George Eustice was clear at COP26 that “there is an urgent need to reform the way we grow and consume food in order to tackle climate change.” But worryingly, nature-friendly farmers are a risk of being left behind by today’s announcement. All farmers are anxious about reforms and need clear messages from Government. Additionally, the Government needs to outline objectives and a pathway for an ambitious scheme that will

rise to the challenges of the 2030 biodiversity and 2050 climate goals. Wildlife losses over recent decades have been largely caused by modern agricultural policy and farming methods which have contributed to: the disappearance of 97% of lowland meadows that support wildflowers, insects, mammals, and birds – and 80% of purple heathlands which are home to bilberries, sand lizards and curlew. Rivers are in deep trouble too: in England, only 14% of rivers meet standards for good ecological status, much of this is due to agricultural pollution, causing 13% of freshwater and wetland species in to be threatened with extinction. Butterflies and moths have been particularly hard hit with numbers down by 17% and 25% respectively. Mammals also fare badly with more than 26% of species at risk of disappearing altogether. CONTACTS: Emma Robertshaw The Wildlife Trusts E erobertshaw@wildlifetrusts.org N 07779 657 515 Jeannette Heard National Trust E paul.adcock@nationaltrust.org.uk N 07884 473396 Martin Fowlie RSPB E martin.fowlie@rspb.org.uk N 07740 756 624

Photo: Irrigation ditches cross the carbon farm at Winmarleigh Moss Photo Credit: Lancashire Wildlife Trust

“We want farmers to be justly rewarded for playing their part

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Declutter With Laura

o often we live our lives unintentionally. We do things out of habit or routine. We do things the way that we’ve always done them. We think the same thoughts (we are largely governed by the subconscious mind). We go to the same places. We speak to the same people. We use the same things. We do things because we think we “should” be doing them. We stay in jobs, relationships, living arrangements because we’ve historically been in them. We are creatures of habit and pattern. And it doesn’t necessarily allow or support us to live our best lives. Living intentionally is the antidote to this. Intentional essentially means “done on purpose”, “conscious”, “deliberate”. It’s about taking a step back and reflecting on what we are choosing and whether we are mindfully or mindlessly choosing it. Living intentionally is all about living on your terms. An intentional life is one that you craft, create and consciously choose. When you live intentionally, you feel meaningful, fulfilled, self-aware and at peace. You feel connected to yourself, guided by your intuition, and confident as your true self. You break free from expectations, “shoulds”, and external validation. You let go of things that don’t serve you and live in alignment with what you truly desire. An intentional life doesn’t leave you questioning whether there is more to life.

Laura Pearson is an Intentional Life Coach and Professional Declutterer & Organiser, based in Lancashire. Her mission is to help people to consciously create, live and love their own version of an intentional life and clutter-free, organised space.

The beauty of living intentionally is that you get to define, choose and create it, based on how you want to live. This is what inspired me to create my 1:1 Coaching Programme: Intentional and in this month’s column, I’ll be sharing five ways that you can be more intentional.

CATCH YOURSELF This is an important place to start. Catching yourself is all about noticing your thoughts, your patterns and habits and becoming self-aware. It’s about catching yourself when you fall into routine, habit or pattern and pausing for a moment before you act.

CHOOSE CONSCIOUSLY After the pause, we usually have to make a choice. We all always have a choice. Sometimes it might be from options that we don’t particularly desire, but there’s always a choice. And

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5 Ways To Be More Intentional when we’re living intentionally, we make more conscious choices. Before you make a choice or decision, ask yourself “am I being intentional?” or “Is this what I really want or am I doing it out of habit?”. A great example of this is coffee drinkers. Are you waking up and reaching for the coffee because you actually want it or has it become a pattern that you mindlessly do every morning because you’ve been doing it for so long?. (FYI - Patterns can be broken).

IDENTIFY YOUR PRIORITIES By having clear priorities, you will find yourself being more intentional. When we live our lives without having clear priorities, we often overcommit ourselves. We often say yes to things that aren’t in alignment with what we truly want. We often spread ourselves too thin and end up feeling burnt out. When we have clear priorities, we can easily identify how we want to spend our time, who we want to spend our time with and what we want to do, be and have. Do you need to get clear on your priorities? Take a moment to reflect on this.

your space, you create more room, capacity and intention in your mind and you’re more likely to be deliberate and intentional. When we live in spaces that are cluttered, disorganised and don’t support our lifestyles, this often shows up in other aspects of our lives. We often feel stressed, overwhelmed and unproductive. We often procrastinate, avoid sorting things out and overthink. By simplifying your space, you simplify your life and make decisions that allow you to be more intentional. Ask yourself whether there are any particularly cluttered or disorganised spaces in your home? (And remember that you can get help to sort through them with a Coach).

“Let go of things that don’t serve you and live in alignment with what you truly desire”

IMPLEMENT BOUNDARIES Boundaries can sometimes we challenging, but implementing them can be life changing. Boundaries help us to protect our energy levels, stay true to what’s important to us and take better care of ourselves. Have you ever said yes when you mean no? Most of us could probably get a little better at owning our no. “Can you work late tonight?” “Can I come to your house this morning?” “Just have one more drink with us?” Whenever you say yes when you mean no, you’re not honouring your boundaries. Think about how you can own your no with confidence and remember that no is not a nasty word

MAKE SPACE Your external world impacts your internal world. The space that you live in influences your mind and mindset. By decluttering and organising

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Living intentionally is all about living a life that feels good to you. It’s about choosing consciously, rather than doing things out of habit or routine. Decluttering your mind and gaining clarity is a great place to start if you want to become more intentional.

Which tip did you find the most helpful? I love to hear from you! Email or reach out to me on social media to let me know. Do you want to become more intentional and start creating your version of an intentional life? Enrolment is open for my 1:1 Coaching Programme: Intentional. Quote “Lancashire” for 30% off the 6 or 12 week programme. Connect with Laura D www.laurapearsoncoaching.com I @officiallaurapearson F @officiallaurapearson E laura@laurapearsoncoaching.com Download Laura’s free guide – 5 Steps to Start Decluttering your Life at: www.laurapearsoncoaching.com/ 5-steps-to-start-decluttering-freebie LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 191

Fund will increase nature as a path to recovery Nature has been a blessing for people who have felt lonely or isolated over the past two years. nature as a prescription to health issues that have dominated the lives of many people, through its Myplace project. Myplace promotes green wellbeing – or ecotherapy – through activities reconnecting people with the natural world in innovative ways and wild places. Supported by experts from the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, Myplace has already helped close to 2,000 people, with more than 20,000 sessions in woodlands, meadows and our own network of greenhouses across the region.

rom waking to the sound of a blackbird or a thrush singing, to listening to skylarks above meadows and moors, wildlife is the soundtrack that has dragged us out of our homes into the fresh air. The pandemic has raised anxiety about health, mental health, well-being and unemployment, among both the young and old. And, over the last month, fears about the Climate Crisis have shaken many people, adding to worries about everyday life.

learned loads. Most of all, you’ve helped me massively whilst I’ve been adjusting to life without my medication. I’m in a much better place mentally thanks to you and for this I’m eternally grateful.” Myplace has made a huge impact on many lives and, as a result, The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside has been selected to take part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021, the UK’s largest match funding campaign. Last year, thanks to generous supporters like you, the campaign raised over £20 million for participating charities.

The project also benefits everyone of us, Myplace’s young people and adults have improved over 200 local greenspaces for nature, creating wild habitats, benches, bird tables and bug boxes in gardens, community land and nature reserves.

For £30 you can provide a place for someone to attend a Myplace session and start to use nature to manage their wellbeing, and meet like-minded people. What’s more, for every £1 spent, the social return on investment is £6.88, so we can really make your donation go further.

Myplace has already made a difference to so many lives. We know this works and can have a huge impact and we need your help to continue this and change even more lives.

• Your donation will help us improve the lives of many people suffering from mental health issues, and make a direct impact:

After just a couple of sessions, participants are more confident and have something to look forward to. One said: “I’ve had a great time and

• Improve the wellbeing of those people who most need it, building their self-resilience and ultimately reducing health inequalities, loneliness and social isolation.

While millions of people have felt traumatised by the crises around them, nature has been a prescription, helping with many of the problems. Walking in parks and countryside, listening to birds singing and bees humming, discovering hedgehogs and frogs in your garden, have lifted spirits. And The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside have been at the forefront of using

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• Embed a green social prescription service for anyone experiencing the early signs of low wellbeing and poor mental health. • Reconnect people who are nature deprived with their local green space, and empower them to take an active role in conservation activities and the development of Nature Recovery Networks. Donations to this project will be matched for seven days from Tuesday, November 30, #GivingTuesday. That’s one donation, but twice the impact. We have a match pot of £850 from which your donations can be doubled, and in total we need to raise £26,000 to really make an impact. What happens during the Christmas Challenge? Donations made to our project via theBigGive.org.uk will be doubled during the campaign, whilst the match funds are available. If you would like to support our work this year, we highly recommend doing so during the Christmas Challenge, when your donation will be doubled and make even more of a difference to us. What do I need to do? • Visit our campaign page here: https://donate.thebiggive.org.uk/ campaign/a056900001wXcVcAAK • Have your 3D-secure card details ready when you make your donation. • Share our campaign page with your family and friends to help us spread the word. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at membership@lancswt.org.uk Alan Wright, Campaigns Manager at the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, has experienced the amazing work of the Myplace team first hand and other projects that use nature as a prescription to mental health issues.

Sitting on the beach, running your hand through the sand is one of the most natural things in the world, isn’t it? Not if you have spent the pandemic in your home, fearful of leaving the house. Speaking to some of the participants on our Myplace and The Bay projects, helps you to realise just how deeply this COVID 19 crisis has affected many, many people. And not just COVID, Climate Change, unemployment, crime, isolation and loneliness, have all been massive contributors to the mental health of thousands of people in the North West. It is not exaggeration to say that millions of people in the UK have really been afraid to leave their homes – or just haven’t been able to get themselves into a happy or healthy routine. When I speak to Myplace participants many of them tell me about family bereavements or financial problems that have built up and put a dead stop to their lives. They feel stranded, unable to ask for help for many reasons, including embarrassment and hopelessness. Once you get to a certain stage you feel nothing and nobody is there to help you. And, yet, when they speak about Myplace, and nature and making friends, their faces change, there is a sudden joy, excitement and passion for what they are doing. “I am building a bird box!” “I saw a kestrel today.” “I have just eaten a tomato, which I grew myself.” The chains of misery that have been weighing them down are suddenly lifted and there is a light at the end of the darkest tunnel. Some of them will really open up to you and their stories are heartbreaking, some of them have been driven to very edge before friends, family or a health professional eased them back. Myplace is about keeping busy, having something to look forward to and discussing your life with new friends, who have probably had similar experiences or reached similar,

devastating stages in their lives. Going back some time, I remember a week when I was totally under pressure for days and was feeling exhausted and at my limit. I actually spend a day with our Nature Friendly Schools team. Like Myplace, it was looking at people with particular problems, in this case children, and how nature can help them. Parents were at the school that day and I noticed one little boy, running around, delighted to be outdoors with his friends. His mum was in tears, previously she had been told he was uninterested and disruptive in class. He hardly said a word in the classroom. He had become a chatterbox and fascinated in the wild things all around, just by being outdoors. This affected me and a day spent with these young people raised my spirits, I was ready for a couple of huge challenges at work over the following weeks. This natural prescription to a whole range of physical and mental issues has been the basis for Myplace over the past five years. Some of the stories do bring tears to my eyes, even now just thinking about them. It is a difficult conversation talking to someone who has contemplated suicide, but hearing about how our patient and sympathetic Myplace team have helped them to turn their lives around is amazing. The stirring thing is that most of the participants just want to play their part in society. Through Myplace they are making a difference for themselves, their community and other people who will see them as a shining example of how they can life themselves up too. During Big Giving Week, beginning on Tuesday, December 30, any money you donate to Myplace, will be doubled and go towards helping people in your community to get on the road back from the dark place they have fallen into.

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Offering support and expertise in how to do marketing the correct way and in turn advising businesses how to grow their business, Faz has been working with a wide range of clients ensuring they not only survive, but thrive in these difficult times. At the end of Dec 2021, Faz presented awards to multiple Businesses and charities, who survived and thrived throughout the Pandemic, and hard work in the community. Faz is a certified marketing coach, and owner of Beyond The Bold, a marketing agency with a difference, Beyond The Bold offer a number of packages including a 1-1 coaching service where Faz works with businesses by teaching them the right marketing tools and tactics to use and holding them accountable and instilling responsibility. As well as this Beyond The Bold also provide a full ‘donefor- you’ marketing service for the business owners who either don’t have the time to do it themselves or those who are simply too busy with the main day-to-day grind. As well as the marketing side of the business, Faz also hosts business networking events and business shows.

Faz Patel, the owner of thebestofbolton & Beyond The Bold, born and raised in Gloucester. Faz moved to Bolton in 2010 when she got married.

az was always interested in technology and computers from a young age. Fortunately, her career then took the same path and she worked as a contractor in various roles ranging from the NHS to blue chip companies. Once she relocated to Bolton, Faz began working with a charity where she accidentally fell into the role of a marketing & creative manager Faz learnt a lot in the role and thoroughly loved what she was doing. From creating artwork with a team of designers to planning and executing a huge family fun day event where a total of £75k was raised for the charity, helping those who were most in need. It was after the success of the charity events that Faz decided to set up her own business, producing design and marketing assets to improve growth for local businesses and charities. In September 2018 the opportunity arose to acquire Thebestofbolton. It was an amazing opportunity and complimented the work Faz was already undertaking for her clients. Faz admits it hasn’t been an easy ride taking over such a huge and well-established business, but it’s also been a great experience. Along the way, she has met some amazing people and formed some great relationships. Thebestofbolton is all about championing Bolton businesses by improving their marketing and providing access to networking and business growth opportunities. Since Covid-19, the businesses model has slightly changed from just being a directory of businesses to becoming a support network to businesses. www.lancmag.com

“A big part of growing and marketing your business comes from networking and building relationships. I encourage all my clients to work on building relationships through networking, and not to puke out sales talk. That’s not how business is conducted. Building relationships takes time, and instead of trying to be a pushy sales person I believe It’s more important to be a helpful, useful person and show Your true value to your prospective clients” Faz and her team have some exciting plans for 2022. “2022 is going to be exciting and our best year yet I believe, we have seen some tremendous growth over the last 18 months and we anticipate this to grow even more. My mission is to help as many business owners as possible and make a difference. I will be putting on various workshops, networking events and we have doubled the size of our business expo for this year! It’s going to be great. I am genuinely excited and looking forward to the future.” Faz wanted to end the article with some special words: “I would like to give a huge thank you to my family for always supporting and inspiring me to do more. The love and support of my parents and husband have given me a drive to be a success since I started my business. My Father had his own pharmacy and retired at an early age of 43, him and my mother worked very hard to provide myself and my sisters with a great upbringing which gave us the perfect foundation to build my career on. So once again a HUGE thank you for all you have given us.” You can contact Faz in multiple ways: 01204 382785 bolton@thebestofbolton.co.uk faz@beyondthebold.co.uk www.beyondthebold.co.uk LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 195

ALBERT HORNBY – A Victorian Sporting Great By Margaret Brecknell

Albert Neilson Hornby was born 175 years ago in Blackburn, on 10th February 1847. His father, William Henry Hornby, was a successful local businessman, who owned a cotton mill in nearby Brookhouse and would later serve as the town’s first Mayor and its MP. Albert would go on to enjoy even greater fame as one of the Victorian era’s bestknown sportsmen.

he first hint of young Albert’s future sporting success came during his time at Harrow School, when he played twice for the school in the annual cricket fixture against Eton at Lord’s Cricket Ground. He was so diminutive in stature at the time that he was called “the Little Cricket Wonder”. His schoolmates came up with a slightly less complimentary sobriquet, calling him “Monkey” because of his lack of height and seemingly limitless energy. The latter nickname would continue to be used on occasion throughout Hornby’s long sporting career. In 1861 the Hornby family moved to Shrewbridge Hall, which was situated close to Nantwich in Cheshire. The talented young Hornby began to make regular appearances for the Cheshire cricket team from 1862 onwards, as well as playing in the town of his birth for the then recently formed Blackburn Alexandra Cricket Club. Later, in 1892, this club, under the name of the East Lancashire Cricket Club, became one of the founder members of the Lancashire League and is still going strong today. 

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Hornby was undoubtedly an asset on the field for the Blackburn club. In one innings in 1870 he scored a spectacular 213 not out. However, his behaviour off the field was occasionally not to his opponents’ liking. During one fixture, in 1872, against their East Lancashire rivals, Burnley, the locals took exception to what they viewed as Hornby’s excessively aristocratic manner. When Hornby was asked by the umpire to stop practising near to the scorer’s tent, he apparently refused in such a forceful manner that one local paper accused him of attempting “to assume the position of an autocrat”, adding that “he must respectfully understand that such conduct will not be tolerated by the cricketers upon the banks of the Brun, in this latter portion of the nineteenth century”. Soon afterwards Hornby left to play his club cricket with Nantwich. By the time of this incident Hornby was also already playing cricket regularly for Lancashire County Cricket Club. He had first come to Lancashire’s attention when playing for a Gentlemen of Cheshire side against them in 1866. He made his debut for Lancashire the following year in a game with a unique claim to fame, as it was the first ever official Roses Match against Yorkshire at Whalley. At a time when cricket was beginning to evolve into the game we know today, Hornby would go on to become a powerful influence in the Lancashire dressing room, both on and off the field. He was a stalwart of the side every season from 1869 to 1891, serving as county captain for much of the time, and then, after a break of six years, returned, aged 50, to captain the county for two more seasons in 1897 and 1898. In later life Hornby served as the county club’s President, only eventually retiring from the role in 1916 not long before his 70th birthday. For much of his county career Hornby opened the batting with Richard “Dick” Barlow. Lightningquick between the wickets, Hornby was described in one newspaper article as “a terror in running short runs”, meaning that there were occasions when “he or his partner had to pay the penalty of his daring”. However, notwithstanding www.lancmag.com

the occasional run-out, the pair formed an extremely successful opening partnership, with Barlow’s careful defence making the ideal foil to Hornby’s more flamboyant and attacking style of play. Preston-born writer, Francis Thompson, was so moved by having seen the pair opening the batting against the legendary WG Grace’s Gloucestershire side in 1878 that nearly three decades later he immortalised the occasion in the poem, At Lord’s, recalling wistfully, “O my Hornby and my Barlow long ago”. Hornby also played cricket for England, although he did not enjoy the same level of success that he achieved at county level. He was not present for the first officially recognised Test Match between England and Australia, which took place at Melbourne Cricket Ground

in March 1877, but he was asked to join the next tour of Australia during the winter of 1878/79. In the days before the advent of air travel, the journey to the Southern Hemisphere by boat was prolonged and arduous and England only played one official Test Match there, which Australia won comfortably. This tour was also notable for an incident in Sydney when a game had to be abandoned because of rioting spectators. The trouble started when a home batsman was controversially given out by one of the umpires and spectators invaded the pitch in protest. Hornby’s response to the rioters appears to have been typically robust. He is reported to have grabbed a stump, before single-handedly catching one of the ringleaders and dragging him off the field, at which point he handed him over to the police. 

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He played club rugby for Preston Grasshoppers and, later, Manchester Rugby Club to such a high standard that, in 1877, he was selected to play for the England national side against Ireland in the first ever 15-a-side international match. He played for England again in 1878, but was compelled to miss the following season when his cricket commitments took him overseas.

When an Australian side toured England in 1882, Hornby was asked to captain the England team in that summer’s only Test Match, which was played at The Oval in late August. This game is notorious in cricket history for being the first occasion on which England lost a Test Match on home soil. The defeat led to the first use of the phrase, “The Ashes”, in connection with English and Australian sporting rivalry, when, soon after England’s unexpected defeat, the following mock obituary appeared in The Sporting Times, “In affectionate remembrance of English cricket, which died at The Oval on 29th August, 1882, Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. NB The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.” Remarkably, cricket is not the only sport in which Hornby captained his country during 1882. During the 1860s Hornby had played a form of football for Brookhouse, a club whose players were mostly drawn from men working in the Hornby family’s own cotton mill. At the time rugby and association football had not yet been properly established as distinct sports with their own sets of rules, but the Brookhouse club seems to have played a version of what later would become association football. On subsequently playing rugby for the first time, Hornby is reported to have been confused as to the difference in rules between the two games, but he clearly adapted quickly. 198

He did, however, subsequently return to the England rugby team, playing the last of his nine international matches in March 1882 when he captained the side against Scotland. The Blackburn-born man remains one of only two men to have captained England at both cricket and rugby union, the other being another notable 19th-century all-round sportsman called Andrew Stoddart.

Hornby’s recent appearance as a character in the 2020 Netflix drama series, The English Game, has brought his name back into the public consciousness. Written by Julian Fellowes, the story centres around the birth of modern football in the late Victorian era. Sadly, no mention is made in the series of Hornby’s successful cricket career or his other sporting achievements, so, as the 175th anniversary of his birth approaches, it seems only right to recall the many accomplishments of this great sporting all-rounder from Lancashire. 

Below: Ashes Urn on display at Lord’s Photo credit: Daniel Greef/CC BY 2.0

Hornby’s main passion in life was undoubtedly sport. As a young man, he seems to have shown only limited interest in joining the family business. Following his time at Harrow, Hornby went to study at Oxford University, but only lasted a few weeks there before deciding the academic life wasn’t for him. He was extremely fortunate in coming from a privileged background which meant that he was able to focus entirely on his sporting career, but he certainly made the most of the opportunities which were presented to him. As well as his success at cricket and rugby, Hornby also played football for his hometown club, Blackburn Rovers, on several occasions. In the club’s early days Rovers played their home fixtures at Pleasington Cricket Club, before, in early 1878, deciding to move to Alexandra Meadows. Hornby was well-acquainted with the new ground, as this is where he had played cricket with Blackburn Alexandra, and he made his debut for Rovers in the first game at Alexandra Meadows, a friendly against Scottish side, Partick Thistle. Hornby was also a fine all-round athlete, accomplished horseman and more than useful boxer. He is reported to have sparred with one of the most famous professional world heavyweight champions of the era, Jem Mace.

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The Ultimate Sacrifice Challenge By Sharon Henry

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I had the pleasure in December of chatting to Brian Wood MC, a former Colour Sergeant of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment a few weeks after he had completed one of the toughest challenges in his career. Unfortunately, he was full of flu due to his immune system being low, after his gruelling task. But being the true unassuming hero he is, he insisted on talking to me to bring more awareness to his cause.

rian, now aged 41 was awarded the Military Cross, one of Britain’s highest awards for gallantry in combat, by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, following his courageous leadership under enemy fire during the war in Iraq. During a heated battle, outnumbered, he seized the initiative, taking a split-second decision to lead his men into the teeth of enemy fire in the first bayonet charge by British soldiers in 25 years. He put his own life in great danger by leading from the front and under his command, his men defeated the enemy without sustaining any serious casualties themselves. Their actions that day saved many other soldiers’ lives.

Above: Painting of Brian Wood MC by Manchester artist Justin Eagleton

During his 16 year military career, Brian led British troops across the full spectrum of battle from training to fighting; from operations in the Balkans to high intensity combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Having to make life-or-death decisions throughout his Army career in hazardous battle situations, usually under great pressure and often against the clock. He had to motivate and lead his men, often gaining their trust when their lives were on the line, means being a competent planner and commander. Brian needed to ensure that the names of the lives lost in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts would be remembered and this was his motivation to complete his challenge... to run a mile for every life lost - a total of 635. 200

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When I spoke to him he had raised the amazing amount of £164,532 and still growing. He had his life story put into film in 2020 which was shown on BBC2 and was one of the highlights of his lifetime achievements. The drama, directed by Sam Miller and starring Toby Jones as the corrupt lawyer has been nominated for a broadcast award for best single drama. Danny Boy tells the story of Brian and other soldiers, who were falsely accused of killing and torturing civilians and prisoners while serving in the Iraq War. He was just 24 years old when he fought in what’s now thought of as one of the fiercest battles of the Iraq war - the Battle of Danny Boy. Brian is a frequent broadcaster, and is also a highly inspirational public speaker, delivering compelling sessions on leadership and grit. He has released a book called Double Crossed – A Fighting Man Under Fire and has also launched a fitness wear brand called Keep Attacking.

He tasked himself with a minimum of 26 miles a day over 25 consecutive days. This is no mean feat to prepare for. He started on November 1st, 2021. The final marathon was completed at Hogmoor Inclosure, which is a former training track for off-road Army vehicles, which is now used as a Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space for the local communities in Whitehill and Bordon. He said ‘’You have to be 70% mentally focused, as your body will have no idea what to expect as well as fit for the task ahead. The first 12 marathons were the hardest whilst my body adapted to what was happening. It put enormous stress on my ankles, causing both Achilles to double in size. The challenge tested me beyond endurance and had me on the floor in tears with excruciating pain. Most mornings I would slide down the stairs on my backside because www.lancmag.com

my legs were battered. I felt under immense pressure however, I showed up every morning with the mission to remember 26 lives that were on the back on my t-shirt.’’ Brian said the pain he suffered throughout this challenge was nothing compared to the pain the families endure daily. On Remembrance Day, he set off from London and finished at the Iraq and Afghanistan memorial. This was a very poignant moment for him. He was greeted and joined by Ben Shepherd, a presenter on Good Morning Britain T.V. Who rode his bike due to a knee injury. He set himself the challenge of raising £20,000 for the Walking with the Wounded charity, which he had already achieved before he set off on his first marathon. This is said encouraged him more.

Brian currently lives in Hampshire, with his wife and their two children. If you would like to donate, please visit http://Brianwoodmc.co.uk If you would like to know more about Brian’s fitness brand, please visit: KEEPATTACKING.CO.UK

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ELIZABETH RAFFALD

– Finally Rescued From Oblivion By Margaret Brecknell

married three years later, following which they moved to Manchester. The rules of the house at Arley Hall did not permit married servants to work there. Elizabeth was already 30 years of age by the time she arrived with her husband in Manchester, but she does not appear to have been fazed in the least by the prospect of having to start afresh. Soon after arriving in Manchester, she opened an outside catering business, followed by a confectioner’s shop, which was initially situated on Fennel Street, close to Manchester Cathedral. Contrary to what the name may suggest today, an 18thcentury confectionery business traded in far more than just sweets. When the business moved to new premises in 1766, the following advertisement, which Elizabeth placed in the Manchester Mercury, indicates the range of different products on sale in the shop, “Elizabeth Raffald begs leave to acquaint her friends and the public that she has opened a shop near the Bull’s Head in the Market Place, with a large assortment of confectionery goods, as good and as cheap as in London. Where may be had, jellies, creams, possets, lemon cheesecakes…also, Yorkshire hams, tongues, brawn, Newcastle salmon and sturgeon, pickles and ketchups of all kinds, a fine portable soup for travellers, coffee, tea and chocolate”. The advertisement also reveals that by this time Elizabeth had already expanded her business activities to include a celebration cake-making business and a “Register Office”, an 18th-century version of today’s recruitment agencies which focused on providing domestic staff to potential employers. She is also known to have run cookery classes for the daughters of well-to-do local families from the back of the shop.

Elizabeth Raffald’s 1769 book, The Experienced English Housekeeper, is recognised by modern food historians as being among the very first cookery books. However, this is only one of this remarkable woman’s many achievements. One of Manchester’s first female entrepreneurs, she ran a variety of different businesses, as well as being responsible for creating the area’s first ever trade directory.

In 1769 Elizabeth published the book, The Experienced English Housekeeper, for which she is best remembered today. Dedicated to her former employer, Lady Warburton, this comprehensive work contained nearly 800 original recipes, which, according to an early advertisement, had “never before appeared in print”. The book is divided into three parts, of which the first relates to savoury dishes, the second section desserts and confectionery and the third section preserves, pickles and vinegars.

Drawing on her own experience of producing celebration cakes, the book includes Elizabeth’s personal recipe for “bride cake”, which is regarded as the forerunner of today’s wedding cake. She was the first to suggest decorating the cake with royal icing and almond paste, a method which is still often used for celebration cakes today. Other notable “firsts” in the book include recipes for “Burnt Cream” (better known today as crème brulée), Eccles cakes, crumpets and even piccalilli. All are Elizabeth’s own creations. 

lizabeth was born in Yorkshire in July 1733, the daughter of a Doncaster schoolteacher called Joshua Whitaker. By the age of 15 she had entered domestic service and after more than a decade of hard graft at houses in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, she took on the prestigious role of housekeeper to the Warburton family at Arley Hall in Cheshire. Here she met John Raffald from Stockport, who was working as the head gardener. The couple were 202

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The book quickly proved to be a big success, selling in huge numbers across the country, and only two years later a second edition was printed, which included yet more new recipes. In total, the book was reprinted 13 times including an edition especially printed for the American market. In addition, there are known to have been over twenty pirated editions. In August 1772 Elizabeth published The Manchester Directory, the first trade directory of its kind for the then rapidly expanding urban areas of Manchester and Salford. This enterprising woman was never slow to realise the potential in publications which allowed local entrepreneurs to advertise their businesses. She is known to have played a part in establishing a local newspaper, Prescott’s Manchester Journal, in 1771, as well as offering financial assistance to the Manchester Mercury when it seemed likely to close. At around the same time, Elizabeth and her husband moved to run the King’s Head, a coaching inn on Chapel Street in Salford. Sadly, this business venture did not prove to be a success. By the 1770s John Raffald is reported to have become an alcoholic with suicidal tendencies. The story goes that one day, having stayed in bed until midday, he came down to the bar and announced he was so tired of life that he intended to go and drown himself. Elizabeth is said, in exasperation, to have agreed that it would be the best step he could take. Her husband is reported to have never again expressed a wish to kill himself. www.lancmag.com

Even Elizabeth’s hard work and business acumen were not enough to save the couple on this occasion. In early 1779 the Raffalds, deeply in debt, were compelled to leave the King’s Head and returned to Market Place in Manchester, where they ran the Exchange Coffee House. The following summer Elizabeth set up a catering stand to sell refreshments to wealthy racegoers at the then popular Kersal Moor Racecourse, which roughly occupied the site where Salford City FC’s ground is today. The following notice, which appeared in the Manchester Mercury, publicised this new business venture,  LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 203

before the author’s biography was published. Middlewood is said to have recalled that “he saw Mr Baldwin hand over to Mrs Raffald a large roll of bank notes, which it was stated amounted to £1400; that being in fact the sum which Mrs Raffald received for the copyright of her work on cookery”.

Above: Arley Hall, Cheshire Photo Credit: Jeff Buck/CC BY-SA 2.0

“The Ladies Stand on Kersal Moor will be opened on Wednesday next for the accommodation of ladies and gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood of Manchester, where coffee, tea, chocolate, strawberries, cream, etc, will be provided every Wednesday and Friday during the strawberry season by the public’s most obliged humble servant, Elizabeth Raffald.” Around this time Elizabeth is also known to have started to co-write a manual on midwifery with noted Manchester surgeon, Charles White. She may be certainly said to have had plenty of hands-on experience of the subject. At the same time as she established her many business interests and coped with her husband’s decline into alcoholism, she is known to have given birth to at least nine children, although she did not have her first baby, Sarah, until the then relatively advanced age of 32. The manuscript is believed to have been completed, but sadly Elizabeth did not live long enough to see it published. In April 1781 Elizabeth died of a “spasm, after only one hour’s illness” (so possibly a stroke), at the age of just 48. She was laid to rest in Stockport Parish Church. Following her death, John Raffald was plunged once more into debt and appears to have sold the copyright for the midwifery manual, as it was never printed in her name. He later remarried and is reported to have become a reformed character, outliving his wife by nearly 30 years. Elizabeth’s recipes were frequently copied by later 19th-century cookery 204

writers, including the famous Mrs Beeton, but they were not generally acknowledged as being hers. Less than a century after her death it appears that Elizabeth Raffald’s name had been largely forgotten. In 1843 John Harland published a biography of Elizabeth Raffald, whom he described as “a celebrated and highly respected personage in Manchester about the middle of the last century”. Much of the information for Harland’s account was provided by Elizabeth’s last surviving granddaughter and it has provided an invaluable record of the life of one of the North-West’s earliest notable businesswomen, which would otherwise have been lost. Elizabeth is described as “a fine, dignified, lady-like woman, of high bearing and carriage, and with a considerable spice of pride”. Harland continues, “She was very kind to the poor, and had many pensioners on her bounty, who almost daily received cold victuals, cast-off clothing, etc, at her hands”. It speaks volumes for Elizabeth’s character that the woman who endured her own financial difficulties was always prepared to help those who were worse off than herself. One interesting story in Harland’s account of Elizabeth’s life relates to a meeting at the King’s Head witnessed by her then young nephew, Joshua Middlewood, between his aunt and her London publisher, Robert Baldwin. It seems plausible to assume that Middlewood gave a first-hand account of the incident to Harland, as he had only died, aged 93, months

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Baldwin is then reported to have asked her permission to alter “several terms in the book which were in general use in the north, but which he was sure would not be understood in the south”. The strong-willed Elizabeth is said to have replied “with a marked emphasis” that “What I have written I proposed to write at the time; it was written deliberately, and I cannot admit of any alteration”. John Harland ends his account by declaring that “The compilation of three such books as a work on the whole range of cookery and confectionery; a directory, the first ever published of Manchester; and a work on midwifery, affords ample proof that Mrs Raffald was an extraordinary person”. It is hard to disagree with this assessment. Yet, despite his stated intention “to have her name rescued, however imperfectly, from oblivion”, the story of Elizabeth’s remarkable life and achievements remained virtually unknown until the modern day. Only with recent research into the early trailblazers of culinary history has this 18th-century version of Delia Smith or Mary Berry returned to public view. After so many years in the shadows, Elizabeth is finally commemorated today in the city where she made her name in the form of a blue plaque, close to the spot where her successful confectioner’s business was once situated in the centre of Manchester. In 2013 three of her recipes for lamb pie, pea soup and rice pudding made it onto the menu of the restaurant at Arley Hall, the stately home where she once worked. Her story has even been featured on Channel 4’s Extreme Cake Makers, which seems quite fitting. One can well imagine that if Elizabeth were around today, she would have become a huge media star like some of her modern-day counterparts. 

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MANISH’S ZODIAC PREDICTIONS

anish Kumar Arora is a renowned KP Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Reader & Vastu Consultant. He has been rendering professional advice to clients with a reasonable degree of success. He has been conferred with the title of ‘Jyotish Varahamihir’ and ‘Jyotish Aryabhatt.’ He has been writing monthly astrological columns for many international magazines.

ARIES: (21 Mar - 19 Apr) This is a time of increased psychological understanding, intimacy, and perhaps accumulation of wealth if you manage your resources well. This is an excellent time to work on financial planning and strategy. Your ability to understand and accept anything that is deep in meaning or significant is enhanced now. It’s time to let go of some of your fears that you are not doing enough, to develop more compassion and understanding of others, and to be humble, feeling safe in the knowledge that you (and others) are not perfect. Favourable Dates: Feb 5, 6, 14, 15, 23, 24 Favourable Colours: Yellow & Blue TAURUS (20 Apr - 20 May) You might become more intellectually curious now, and academic pursuits are likely to benefit you and run smoothly during this cycle. Business dealings, particularly long-distance ones and those involving publicity and promotion, are likely to be profitable now. You may have opportunities to travel, study, go abroad, expand your horizons, and meet people who are of diverse backgrounds. You are more capable of helping friends and loved ones who are dealing with a crisis–you can be leaned upon. You are also more credible and reliable, which others appreciate. Favourable Dates: Feb 2, 10, 11, 19, 20, 28 Favourable Colours: Yellow & White GEMINI (21 May - 20 Jun) Your mind is more expansive and tolerant, and you are under less stress than usual. You are more intellectually curious, and you may have opportunities to travel, study, go abroad, expand your horizons, and meet people who are of diverse backgrounds. You are less inclined to sweat the small stuff. These positive circumstances won’t necessarily fall into your lap, and are unlikely to come all at once. You need to keep your eyes open for opportunities in these areas of life. Family matters are stabilized and actually a source of great pleasure, joy, and increase. Favourable Dates: Feb 4, 5, 13, 14, 22, 23 Favourable Colours: Yellow & Red CANCER (21 Jun - 22 Jul) It’s a time when the need for progressive change suddenly becomes apparent. You might take risks and can open yourselves up to new ways of thinking now. However, you could also too easily avoid taking responsibility for things that truly matter. You are open to new energies, approaches, and attitudes. Fortunate events occur as a direct result of your willingness to entertain the unusual and to think outside of the box. Relationships are intense, serious, and changeful, but also extremely rewarding. Depth in your connections is what you seek. Favourable Dates: Feb 3, 7, 12, 16, 21, 25 Favourable Colours: Blue & Red

LEO (23 Jul - 22 Aug) Career matters, while they might begin rather sluggishly in the first few days, are approaching a very pleasant peak. Building your skills and expanding your reach are very advisable now, as they will benefit you greatly as you move towards an especially successful period in your life. There are likely to be some pressures on the home front, but also opportunities to really get your domestic life into order. Educational and travel opportunities expand your horizons. Intimate relationships can be highly colourful, perhaps with spiritual undercurrents, but possibly a little confusing. Favourable Dates: Feb 2, 3, 11, 12, 20, 30 Favourable Colours: White & Black VIRGO (23 Aug - 22 Sept) This can be a time of sudden insights and opportunities for emotional renewal or healing that give you a sense of power and self-mastery. Opportunities arising now can be exciting, but do keep your eye out for the future and do consider the practical side of any new endeavour. Romance, creative pursuits, children, and partnerships may be involved in the process that jolts you out of your routine this month. Your ego may be a little frail at this point, and, as a result, you may be harder on yourself than you need be. Favourable Dates: Feb 2, 4, 11, 13, 20, 22 Favourable Colours: White & Purple LIBRA (23 Sept - 22 Oct) You are less inclined towards a personal philosophy that is traditional now, and more attracted to more avant-garde or simply progressive belief systems. The people that you meet this month end to stir you into new ways of thinking. The urge for adventure and new experiences that introduce you to new cultures, beliefs, or feelings is likely very strong. Sudden opportunities to expand your horizons, such as through travel, adventure, or learning can arise and jolt you out of your routine. This month heightens your optimism and generosity, and the entire cycle has the potential for being a relaxed, fortunate, and hopeful time in your life. Favourable Dates: Feb 5, 8, 14, 17, 23, 26 Favourable Colours: Blue & Red SCORPIO (23 Oct - 21 Nov) You may, receive a cosmic push towards expressing yourself more creatively and experience an increased drive to take charge of your life. The work you do could find financial support, or your work may be related to others’ talents and resources and supporting them. Some of you may find more recognition or could get a promotion or a position of increased responsibility. Small talk no longer seems to satisfy you, and you could feel quite a bit of pressure to make better and more efficient use of your time. Favourable Dates: Feb 1, 6, 10, 15, 19, 24 Favourable Colours: Yellow & Red

SAGITTARIUS (22 Nov - 21 Dec) There is a sense of “old versus new” this month, as you weigh the pros and cons of sticking to tried and true patterns and moving forward to unexplored territory. Some of you will be struggling with a strong desire to reach new levels of achievement and success, and the simultaneous desire for security by keeping the status quo. This is a time for streamlining your life, getting organized and solving problems in practical ways. Relationships are intense, serious, and changeful, but also extremely rewarding. Depth in your connections is what you seek. Favourable Dates: Feb 1, 5, 10, 14, 19, 23 Favourable Colours: Yellow & Green CAPRICORN (22 Dec - 19 Jan) This month can bring closure or re-evaluation to issues you have been dealing with regarding finances, personal possessions, values, and comfort matters. You are searching for something more fulfilling and deeply satisfying on the job front, and this trend will slowly unfold over this month. Demands of your job and for some of you, studies and learning, can be weighty this month, and you might not always find it easy to focus on them. You could feel an unusual pressure to structure your time and effort, and to cut out communication that seems unnecessary. Favourable Dates: Feb 3, 5, 12, 14, 19, 23 Favourable Colours: : Blue & Grey AQUARIUS (20 Jan - 18 Feb) Changes are certainly in store for you and mostly of the pleasant variety! You will find that your natural enthusiasm and sense of humour returns with gusto. Optimism, however, can take a few shots as you face some botched plans and practical concerns, but you have a sense of making progress and of looking forward with freshness. You might be less patient with people who are too conservative or not as responsive and open as you, and some friendships are likely to face tests during this month. Favourable Dates: Feb 5, 6, 14, 15, 23, 24 Favourable Colours: Blue & Yellow PISCES (19 Feb - 20 Mar) The urge to break free from limiting conditions or, more likely, attitudes, is intense now. Inspiration can come along suddenly from something you read, a conversation, a co-worker, or perhaps even a dream. Finances are going through some changes, starting off on the sluggish side, but improving as the month moves forward. Great opportunities for increasing income from your job arrive this month. You might meet someone with whom you establish a serious friendship, or you might become a member of a group or affiliation that you devote much of your time to. Favourable Dates: Feb 3, 8, 12, 17, 21, 26 Favourable Colours: White & Yellow

Manish Kumar Arora, 91-9871062000 | K.P. Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Card Reader & Vastu Consultant F www.facebook.com/manishastroconsultant | E manish@manishastrologer.com

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 205

The Knife Angel Prepares to Fly North

Carlisle, in Cumbria, are beginning preparations to host the iconic Knife Angel in December, making them the most Northern location the sculpture has been to so far on its National Youth Anti-Violence Educational Programme.

reated and designed by The British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, The National Monument Against Violence and Aggression (otherwise known as the Knife Angel) is touring the country to bring education and awareness to our youth and communities on antiaggression and violent crime, and the devastating impact these can have nationwide. With the Knife Angel planned to be situated outside of the Town Hall in Carlisle city centre, it will be on display from 2 December until January 2022. Carlisle will be the 16th host location for the Knife Angel. Serving as a catalyst for social change, as well as a 206

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memorial to all families and communities affected by violent crime, The Knife Angel has been created from over 100,000 knives collected from all 43 British Police Force Constabularies. Details are yet to be confirmed for the event, but Carlisle police force plan to host their unveiling of the Knife Angel on 2 December 2021. They will also be organising intensive education workshops and activities throughout their hosting period. The Knife Angel is currently located in outside Blackburn Cathedral, in Lancashire, throughout November. After Carlisle, the next stop on the Knife Angel’s National tour will be Barrow, in Cumbria. If you would like to find out more about The Knife Angel and the National Youth Anti-Violence Educational Programme, please visit www.britishironworkcentre. co.uk/show-areas/the-knife-angel-official, or contact The British Ironwork Centre directly. www.lancmag.com

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Chorley Woman Wins Prestigious Award

Suzy Orr from Euxton, Chorley has won a SheInspires Award for 2021 against strong national competition. Rose Dummer, Bolton’s very own Cake Diva, presented the award and the announcement given by BBC North-West presenter, Annabel Tiffin: “This award is for Women in Networking, Hospitality & Events and will recognise a remarkable woman whose authentic and unique style of event organising and management draws the best results. Whether organising networking or other events, her excellent leadership, communication, innovation, commitment in organising and managing an event or events should inspire and set the bar for other professionals. “Our winner has not only made it her mission to inspire other women but has created a supportive environment for women to develop and given them a great opportunity to run their own networking groups.” “Her use of the networks to raise funds for local charities is to be applauded and her all-round approach to do good for those around her. She is a diamond in the Networking Industry.” “Our 2021 Winner for Women in Networking, Hospitality & Events is…Suzy Orr”

uzy who founded Unique Ladies Networking almost 7 years ago, won the Networking, Events & Hospitality category for inspiring over a thousand women across the North West through her supportive networking groups, which she has also franchised enabling more women to benefit. “I was absolutely delighted to win,” explained Suzy. “The competition was very strong this year and there were some amazing finalists. I’m very grateful for the nomination and would hope to build on my work by growing the franchise opportunity far and wide, every town should have a Unique Ladies group.” This is the seventh year that the SheInspires Awards have been held and, after going national last year, the first time they have been international. Entries have come in from countries including Denmark, India, South Africa, the United States, the UAE, Australia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Egypt, and Turkey as well as from across the UK. Awards’ organiser Gulnaz Brennan commented: “The quality of the nominations has been really outstanding. We have had 145 finalists in 18 categories and the job of the judges was particularly difficult. “Opening up the awards internationally has proved very successful this year and we plan on repeating this next year. They are a special way of recognising truly amazing women from around the world today and I’m very proud of their success.” The awards’ event was held at the Bolton Whites Hotel and online across the globe with BBC North-West presenter Annabel Tiffin hosting. Contact details: Suzy Orr E Suzy@uniqueladies.co.uk N 07979 695550 D www.uniqueladies.co.uk

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Bolton Couple Win She Inspires Award

Maura Jackson and Ian Shockley won the prestigious She Inspires ‘Couple of the Year 2021. Maura has been CEO of Backup North West since March 2012.

ackup is a registered charity, a service for young people aged 16-25 who are homeless. Backup offers great standard accommodation plus a variety of support packages to meet all level of needs and issues. The aim is to ensure young people are not homeless and whilst in our temporary accommodation are equipped with skills and knowledge for independent living. They have a staff team of 67 people. Plus 20 more sessional workers and 18 volunteers. They believe that in order to deliver exceptional services to young people and to make a lasting difference to their lives they have to recruit exceptional staff and we have to look after them. Maura wrote and secured two successful bids for contracts in 2012 and 2019, which secured the charity’s financial position and secured jobs and services. Maura said ‘’I try to include everyone and make work fun from time to time by making music videos, developed 2 charity calendars with staff dressing up, seeking input in projects for young people or neighbourhoods, (family fun days and charity events for other charities, not us). Our AGMs are not typical of the sector, always ending with singing and making fun of me; light hearted stuff. Backup gained GOLD accreditation in 2020 for the third time. (2014 and 2017) This is worth celebrating by itself. But the fact I am a charity CEO but operate as a business, with ethics and values, makes me proud. I have worked hard to develop a culture based on respect and kindness. Promote customer focus, move away from services people should www.lancmag.com

be grateful and implement new attitudes that young people who are homeless deserve the very best we can offer. Being a finalist also shows stakeholders that I am a credible, trustworthy leader with integrity. That’s good for Backup and improves perceptions across the charitable sector. It is good for staff morale and staff retention. In the last 2 years our personal situation has turned upside down too. Following a physical assault on my 1 year old grandson in November 2019, he and his sister were temporarily placed in our care for a child protection investigation. My daughters partner had battered him. This led to 74 weeks of care, then lockdowns, moving house for additional bedrooms, and a special guardianship order in April 21 putting them permanently in mine and my husband’s care. They are now 10 and 3. I am 50. This wasn’t my vision for my fifties but my daughter remained loyal to the perpetrator of the assault and so the courts wouldn’t allow them to return home. Winning this award helps support sustainability and added value in future applications for contracts and funding. It offers reassurance to stakeholders that the organisation is credible, cares about colleagues, delivers quality and highly skilled staff. My advice to anyone thinking about entering for an award is do it. Don’t assume someone else is more worthy.’’ Back Up North West Charity, Ground & First Floor, Bridgeman House, 77 Bridgeman Street Bolton BL3 6BY Phone: 01204 520183

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The Lancashire & North West Magazine | February 2022

Articles inside

ALBERT HORNBY - A Victorian Sporting Great

Best of Bolton

Laura Pearson

The Knife Angel Prepares to Fly North

Fund will increase nature as a path to recovery

The Ultimate Sacrifice Challenge

ELIZABETH RAFFALD - Finally Rescued From Oblivion

Birds, bees, and butterflies suffer as Brexit farming promises broken

Positive Change Coach

SKIN REJUVENATION Love the skin you are in. Beauty is more than skin deep!

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip - Sugar Awareness

Eve Shepherd announced as winning sculptor of A Statue for Emily Williamson

Macmillan Info Centre in Preston Undergoes £48k Make-Over

Spectacular Immersive Art Installation Set to Light Up Liverpool Cathedral

New Year New Country

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip - Mindful Eating

Fleetwood RNLI

Sound Drums And Trumpets (Shakespeare, King Henry VI)

Denise Mullen

Bring The Lion In This Winter

Aiming Higher

One Billion Pound Development Project Surrounding New East Lancashire Freight Rail Terminal Takes A Step Further

Deborah Hatswell

Crabs and Lobsters Unite the Parties and Move One Step Closer to Being Included in UK Law

Award For Youth Group’s Campaigns For Nature

2021 LEGENDS OF INDUSTRY AWARDS

Totally Local Lancaster

Steve Norman JOURNEYS TO GLORY

UFO

EG Photography

Catch of Tomorrow - The Future Fish Suppers Scuppered by Plastic

Dan Whiston & Cast of Young Skaters Launched a Magical Experience in Blackpool

Creativity on Prescription

Miranda Christopher

10 Notable Library Buildings in the North-West

The Real Keys To Success

Morecambe Bay

Gordon Buchanan - 30 Years in The Wild The Anniversary Tour

Mama Shar’s Caribbean Cooking

HEALTHIER HEART – HAPPIER LIFE

Vital Funds for Repairs to Tudor Browsholme Hall, in Lancashire

Catherine Dean Coaching

Balance Counsellor

WHY I BECAME A COUNSELLOR COACH

Frederick’s Ice Cream

WHAT IS COSTCO?

Sooner or Later

Woodford Luxury Apartments Give Retired Couple a ‘New Lease of Life’

Miles Consult & Construct

South Liverpool Homes Take Centre Stage For National Campaign

Tenet & You

Plumbs

Redrow Launches Larger Family Homes at ‘The Orchards’ in Fulwood

Creating Bespoke and Revolutionary Storage Solutions for Your Home

National Heart Charity Grants Over £6,000 To Cheshire-Based Exercise Project For People With Muscle- Wasting Conditions

Life of Di

“Lying here, wasting away”… not The Royston Club

Designer living in a countryside setting

Books

An extended profile on Sir Robert Walpole

HayMax Column

LUXURY HOMES THAT LAST A LIFETIME