Local Life - Chorley Town - Mar/Apr 2014 by Local Life 247 Ltd

Chorley Town Edition

Mar/Apr 2014

The End Of The Line Beeching’s Axe

Photo: Astley Hall © Peter Bretherton

Jack’s Tracks visits Pennington Flash Class from the Past Duke Street Primary www.locallife247.co.uk

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Selfie-Obsessed?

In this issue

Is the new craze for taking ‘selfie’ photos an indication of how individualistic society has become? Everyone’s at it – pop stars, actors, even our own Prime Minister got in on the act with President Obama at a recent Nelson Mandela memorial ceremony.

16 22 28 30 32 36 38 40 40 42 46

Granted, it is generally just a bit of harmless fun but nonetheless it does give an interesting insight into our psyche. It has been many years in the making though. Ever since the internet took off in the late 1990s, everyone now has a platform to publish whatever they like. Having dinner? Post a pic of it on Facebook, and people are ‘liking’ it within seconds. Stuck on a delayed train? Vent your spleen on Twitter, preferably with a hashtag. There are downsides though to this seemingly new wave of self-obsession. It’s now hard to engage anyone under the age of 25 without them being glued to their smartphones. But does a lack of awareness have a more sinister side. Recently, there was a disturbing report of how passengers on a London train recently refused to give their seats up for a visibly pregnant women who had fallen ill in transit. That said, social media can be a force for good , it can raise awareness of injustices and also charitable and voluntary organisations . These types of groups rely on something which is already hardwired into our DNA; you don’t need a smartphone to display it, and can go ‘viral’ quicker than any You Tube video – simple human kindness. By using technological advances together with our own natural instincts, we can make our communities better places to live.

Next issue - December

Advertising deadline - Friday 14 March Published - Friday 4 April Publisher: Local Life 247 Ltd, Unit 8, Hewitt Business Park, Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7XB T 01257 498 329

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Editorial: David Sudworth Sales: Chris Pearce Design & Production: Peter Bretherton Accounts & Distribution: Sally Boon

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Local Life is published every month. The magazine will be distributed into the following edition areas on an alternate monthly basis. The Chorley Rural edition is delivered to 12,500 homes and businesses in Adlington, Anderton, Bretherton, Charnock Richard, Coppull, Croston, Eccleston, Euxton, Heath Charnock and Mawdesley. The Chorley Town edition is delivered to 12,500 homes and businesses in Astley Village, Chorley, Buckshaw Village, Clayton Green, Clayton-le-Woods, Higher Knowley, Wheelton and Whittle-le-Woods. You can also pick up a free copy of Local Life, on or around the second weekend of the month at Morrisons in Chorley, Tesco in Buckshaw or at farm shops in the Chorley area. Alternatively, you can check out our online publication at www.locallife247.co.uk. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause.

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End Of The Line - Beeching’s Axe Puzzle Corner Class From The Past - Duke Street Primary Garden Diary Jack’s Tracks - Pennington Flash Recipe Of The Month What’s On Planning Matters Puzzle Solutions Home Services Useful Numbers

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When you receive the new edition of Local Life - remember to recycle the old one.

First Time Lucky! Melissa Klavins struck it lucky by winning a year’s free gym membership at Leyland Leisure Centre... after reading her first ever copy of Local Life! Melissa, 26, of Collingwood Road, only moved to Chorley in December. A few days later, a copy of Local Life dropped through her front door and she spotted our competition in conjunction with South Ribble Leisure. Melissa explained: “I was looking through it because I wanted to know more about the area and that’s when I saw the competition. I can’t believe it was the first time I’ve entered a competition with Local Life, having never even read it before, and I won. It’s been a fantastic welcome to the area!”

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Melissa is pictured enjoying a workout alongside fitness suite assistant Andrea Brewer.

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Gorilla Talk

Blood Donor?

The Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda and Uganda is the next talk to be enjoyed by member of Chorley & District Natural History Society. It will be given by Dr Kath Edwards on Thursday, March 20, at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Parish Centre, West Street, Chorley. Visitors welcome.

You might not have to give an armful like Tony Hancock… but you can donate some of your blood at St Joseph’s Parish Centre on Harpers Lane, Chorley. Sessions take place on Tuesday, March 18, from 1.45pm3.45pm and then from 5pm-7.30pm.

For more information, call Phil Kirk on 01257 266783 or visit www.chorleynats.org.uk

To book an appointment, call 0300 123 2323 or visit www.blood.co.uk

Soft Fruits

Akido Course

Phil Dunnet is giving a talk on soft fruits at Brindle Gardening Club’s next meeting on Thursday, March 20. The talk is being held at Brindle Community Hall, Water Street, from 7.30pm. Non members are made welcome. The entry fee is £2. For further information, contact Alice Grice on 01254 853885.

An introductory course is available to local people who want to try the martial art, Akido. Classes for those aged 16 and over take place on Mondays from 8pm-9pm at the United Reform Church Hall, Hollinshead Street, Chorley. For more information contact Alan on 07805 151258 or email alan.lock9@gmail.com

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Follow The Leader A free ride leader course takes place in the area this month. Chorley Council has teamed up with British Cycling to find new ride leaders who will inspire people in the area to get on their bikes and start cycling for fun. The free course will take place on Saturday, March 22, from 8.45am to 5.30pm at Albany Academy, Bolton Road, Chorley. Participants do not need to be a cycling expert or competitive racer but must be confident riding in a group and have a good level of fitness. After completing the leadership award, ride leaders will receive free kit and British Cycling membership. In return, British Cycling expects ride leaders to be flexible with their weekend availability and commit to leading guided rides on no less than four weekends during 2014. Expressions of interest forms can be filled in at http:// www.goskyride.com/News/ShowArticle/Become-aBritish-Cycling-Ride-Leader

Market Drive Cuerden Valley Park’s Farmers’ Market is taking place on Sunday, March 23, from 10am-2pm. The park is situated on Berkeley Drive, off Shady Lane, Bamber Bridge. Call 01772 324436 for more details.

Step On Work has started in Astley Park to restore some steps after they nearly disappeared altogether. The steps, which lead from the main driveway, by the lake, down to the woods are being restored to their former glory after Chorley Council was approached by the Friends of Astley Park group to save them. Now as part of an Astley Park improvement project, the steps, which were thought to be originally constructed in the 1920s, are being carefully restored by local craftsman Jack Ashurst from Adlington Dry-stone Walling. The project is set to be completed soon with a snowdrop trail also planned alongside the steps and along the banks of the River Chor.

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Open Spaces Watch

Councillor Vacancy

Chorley’s Neighbourhood Watch scheme has been expanded to include the area’s open spaces. Using the same principles as street-based watches, the Open Spaces Watch encourages people to keep an eye out while in the more rural areas. This can be done while out jogging, rambling, fishing, birdwatching and so on.

Astley Village Parish Council has a vacancy for Parish Councillor. Any person wishing to serve as a Councillor should write to the Council giving some details and information about themselves, background and why they wish to become a Parish Councillor. To qualify, a person must be a British subject, over 18 years old and an elector, must reside within Astley Village, or within three miles of it, or occupy as owner or tenant any land or premises therein, or have their principal or only place of work there, and must not be disqualified from holding office as a Councillor. Write to the Clerk to Astley Village Parish Council, 9 Ambleside Avenue, Euxton, Chorley, PR7 6NX.

Anyone interested in helping out should call Margaret Rushton, the Community Crime Prevention Officer for Chorley Police, on 01257 246384.

Buzzing Group! Bumble Bees Baby & Toddler Group meets at Astley & Buckshaw Children’s Centre, Chancery Road, Astley Village, each Monday from 1.30pm-3pm. For more information call 01257 248980.

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Wheely Good! New parents can take a stroll in the fresh air and make new friends thanks to Chorley Pram Walk. Set up in 2008, it meets each Thursday at 10am for a gentle stroll on pram-friendly routes through Astley Park. The meet up point is at the bench beyond the memorial, at the top of Astley Park, just down from the big gates on Park Road. The walk culminates at Cafe Ambio, near Astley Hall, and all are welcome to stay for a brew and a chat. There’s no obligation to attend every week. For update visit: www.facebook.com/groups/chorleypramwalk

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Big Book Swap A local, independent optometrist is on a mission to get people reading and raise money for eye health charities at the same time. Suzanne Dennis’s four practices in Eccleston, Coppull, Parbold and Standish will be hosting a Big Book Swap throughout March and April. During that time, people are encouraged to take in their unwanted books. In return people can call in and browse the selection and donate 50p for any book they want to take home and read. Monies raised will go towards Galloways Society for the Blind, The Macular Society, RNIB and RP Fighting Blindness. Suzanne said: “The book swap is a great way to recycle books and encourage people of all ages to think about eye care as well as supporting some very worthy charities.” Books can be donated to any of the four practices. For more details visit www.suzannedennisoptometrist.co.uk

Blaze A Trail

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Sound of Music

Charity Concert

The Semi-Quavers music for babies and toddlers group meets on Tuesdays during term time at Buckshaw Village Community Centre, on Unity Place. The group meets from 10am-11:45am with baby singing at 10:15am, snacks at 10:45am, toddler singing at 11:30am and arts, crafts, toys and messy play throughout.

A special evening featuring Leyland Male Voice Choir in aid of palliative care charity Sue Ryder takes place on Saturday, March 22. The concert, led by conductor Dr John Wilson, is being held at Leyland Methodist Church, on Turpin Green Lane, from 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 including refreshment and can be reserved from Bev Sharrock on 01772 432985 or Andrew at Leyland Electra Centre, 72 Hough Lane, Leyland, PR5 2YB, telephone 01772 424372.

Friendship Centre Chorley and District Over-50s Friendship Centre is looking for new members. The centre meets at St Peter’s Church meeting room on Harpers Lane, Chorley, on the last Wednesday of the month at 2pm. It offers a wide range of social activities including coffee mornings, lunches, theatre visits, speakers and visits to places of interest. For more information or a programme of events ring Jennie on 01257 265721.

Bowls Appeal An appeal has been issued for anyone interested in running Clayton-le-Woods and Whitte-le-Woods Indoor Bowling Club. It meets on Thursdays, 1pm-3.30pm, at the Parish Hall on Preston Road. Anyone interested should call Elsie Roberts on 01257 412761.

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Help for Women Chorley Women’s Centre is offering free counselling, legal advice and support via its drop-in service. Services on offer include free pregnancy testing, a library and relaxation/meditation sessions. No appointment necessary, just call in on Tuesdays and Fridays (10am3pm) or Saturdays (10am-1pm). Call 01257 265342 for further details.

They’re All Art Leyland Artists are looking for new members. They provide a weekly, friendly forum for like-minded people to get together and paint in watercolours and other media. They meet every Thursday evening from 7pm in Jubilee Court Residents’ Lounge, West Paddock, Leyland. For more information, visit www.leylandartists.co.uk

Still Waters Chorley Library presents Another Evening with Vera Waters at the Union Street venue on Friday, March 14. The local author, broadcaster and life coach is giving a talk about the famous people she has met during her career. Refreshments will be available and Vera will also be signing copies of her book. It starts at 6.30pm, tickets are free and to reserve a place, call 01257 277222.

Heritage Call Do you have any photos or artefacts relating to old Chorley? If so, you are invited to take them along to Chorley Heritage Support Group’s exhibition, entitled Walking Through History, at Chorley Library, Union Street, on Monday, March 24, between 10am-noon. For more information, call the group secretary on 01257 263245 or visit www.chorleyheritagecentre.co.uk

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Have a Ball…

Distributors Wanted

Dance Moves is holding new ballroom and Latin American classes for beginners on Mondays at 8pm at St.Joseph’s Parish Centre, Harpers Lane, Chorley. General dancing with no tuition takes place every Monday at the St John Ambulance Hall, Library Street, Chorley, from 8pm.

Local Life requires distributors aged 13 and above for this Chorley Town edition of our magazine. Distributors will typically work for 2/3 hours every eight weeks. The areas we currently require distributors is as follows:

For more information on all classes, see www. dancemoves.me.uk. Alternatively, ring Kay on 07925 510245 or Ann on 07749 881883.

Footprints Coffee, cake and fellowship is on offer at Two Worlds Christian Book Centre’s Footprints Afternoon, on Avondale Road, Chorley, every Thursday from noon3pm. All welcome.

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End of the Line David Sudworth examines how ‘Axe Man’ Dr Beeching’s Report drove the final nail into the coffin of two Chorley rail lines Oh, Dr Beeching what have you done? There once were lots of trains to catch, but soon there will be none.

In the Chorley area, Beeching’s report sounded the death knell for not only the line between Chorley and Wigan, but also the line serving the town and Blackburn.

So goes the song sung by Su Pollard’s character, Ethel Schumann, in the mid ‘90s BBC programme Oh, Doctor Beeching! Set in the fictional area of Hatley, it charts a community’s battle against the planned closure of its railway station thanks to the very real-life character of the aforementioned British Railways chairman Richard Beeching.

In his report, Beeching said: “It would be folly to suggest widespread closure would cause no hardship anywhere or to anybody. Most areas are already served by a network of bus services more dense than the

The Hatley saga may have been an entertaining sitcom, but for many real life communities, Beeching’s cuts, set out in his 1963 report, The Reshaping of British Railways, were no laughing matter. Installed as BR’s top man in 1961, Beeching was brought in by the Government for his private sector background. The rationale was he’d use his expertise to halt the haemorrhaging of cash in what was then a nationalised industry. His report, published two years later, was forensic in detail but, to the chagrin of many, fairly unsentimental about the railways. Beeching certainly did not share celebrated poet Sir John Betjeman’s romantic vision of quaint stations with smiling ticket inspectors, couples embracing on the platform and proud engines bellowing out small plumes of steam. Beeching’s own view was that the nation had created a noisy, dirty and crucially unaffordable behemoth which needed to be tamed.

rail network that would be withdrawn. There, it appears hardship will arise on only a very limited scale.”

Heapey Station

His plans caused a national uproar. Speaking on the day the report was published, Lord Stonham, chairman of the National Council on Inland Transport, said: “It will in some areas reduce public transport to a lower level than in the horse age.” Such was the cacophony of noise surrounding Beeching’s proposals that every closure was blamed squarely on him. However, this is possibly unfair given that a number of lines, including the two serving Chorley station, had started scaling back even before Beeching got his size nines under the desk at BR. One of those was White Bear Station, which opened in 1869 and was situated just off Park Road in Adlington. The station closed in early 1960 but the line itself continued to be used for goods until 1971. Its name continues to live on today thanks to the White Bear pub and White Bear Yard.

380 ft, the viaduct itself was 300 feet long and stood proudly for 100 years before being blown up in the late 1960s to make way for the M61 motorway. Jed McCormick, from Wheelton, lived close to the line at Heapey and was there on the day the Botany Bay viaduct was reduced to rubble. Jed, who is now 55, told Local Life: “A load of us went to watch and I suppose, as a youngster at the time, it

Beeching’s report also dashed any hopes of reviving the Chorley-Blackburn line, which was ailing at the time. Opened in 1869 by the Lancashire Union Railway, it took three years to build and was created primarily for the transportation of coal between Wigan pits and East Lancashire’s mills. Stations which served it included Heapey, Brinscall, Withnell, Feniscowles and Cherry Tree. One of the highlights of the line was the nine arch stone viaduct at Botany Bay which took it over the Leeds-Liverpool canal before reaching the A674. At a height of approximately

An aerial view of the A6/Harpers Lane area with the since demolished Chorley to Blackburn line on the right. Photo courtesy of www.white-coppice.co.uk

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Chorley Station

was very exciting. Looking back now, I wish they’d have kept it as it would have been a good feature for the local landscape. I’ve since done research on the line and put it on my website www.white-coppice.co.uk so others can look at what the area used to be like.” Just over half a century on and Beeching’s legacy can still be seen. Many of the stations closed during that era are no longer there, while some have been turned into private homes. Chorley Station itself is still there, but drastically different having been rebuilt in the 1980s.

saying: “The reality is he made the tough decisions that anyone in that position would probably have had to make.”

And Transport Minister from 2008-2009, Lord Adonis, claims: “Among hate figures, Dr Beeching is one of the least deserving. Even with hindsight, he was mostly right. The problem was the failure to modernise properly. Today, even after three decades of growing passenger numbers, rail policy has still not properly learnt Beeching’s modernising lesson.” As for the fate of Hatley Station, the BBC writers left us guessing. Did Su Pollard’s pleas go in vain? It would be nice to think that Hatley may have been among the small clutch of stations given an 11th hour reprieve. Then again, if Chorley’s experience is anything to go by, probably not…

Even though he passed away back in March 1985, Beeching is still a target for opprobrium. Monty Python star Michael Palin labelled him a “villain” while Ian Hislop, whose magazine Private Eye mercilessly lampooned Beeching at the time, said: “There are a lot of people who hate him. Not just people who were put out of work or had local lines closed, but people who see his model being applied to local hospitals or other not particularly cost efficient public services that come up against the bean-crushers. He was the first of those sorts of accountants.”

Brinscall Station

However, the man running the railways today, Network Rail chief executive Sir David Higgins, defends Beeching,

The viaduct at Botany Bay spanning the Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Adlington White Bear Station

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Chorley Mile

Toddle Along

Local residents will once again be doing their bit for Sport Relief 2014 by taking part in the Chorley Mile. Taking place on Sunday, March 23, participants of all ages will be sponsored to run, walk, skip or hop their way round the stunning Astley Park for either one, three or six miles.

The Big O’s Parent & Toddler Group meets at Buckshaw Village Community Centre, Unity Place, every Thursday from 10am-11.45am term times only. The cost is a £1.50 donation per family. Snacks and refreshments included.

The Chorley Mile is being organised by Chorley Council and is part of the national Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile. The event will be open from 10am until 1.30pm with the three and six mile distances setting off at 10.30am and the one mile commencing at 11.30am. Entry costs are £6 for adults, £3 for children and £15 for a family of four. For more information and to enter, visit www.sportrelief.com

Knight Talk

Stay Safe Chorley residents are being urged to keep themselves safe from being conned by using Lancashire County Council’s Safer Trader scheme. It comes after Trading Standards chiefs warned that cowboy firms are targeting the area. Some bogus roofers have deliberately targeted people who have already been victims, promising to put right the work already done by rip-off merchants. In a recent case, one vulnerable resident was found to have paid approximately £70,000 over the last few years to bogus roofers.

Local historian Adam Cree gives a talk on ‘Chorley’s Hidden Heroine in War and Peace’ on Saturday, March 8. He will focus on the life of Susannah Knight, who campaigned to have the sacrifice which local men made during World War I recognised.

The County Council’s Safer Trader scheme lists reputable companies and can be found at www.safertrader.org.uk

The talk takes place at 7pm in the Great Hall at Astley Hall, on Park Road. Tickets are £4 and available on the door. Proceeds will go towards the Friends of Astley Hall.

Buckshaw Women’s Institute is looking for new members. It meets on the second Thursday of every month at 7.30pm at Trinity Primary School, Unity Place. For details, call or text Leah Maguire on 07961 115441.

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Dial David! Are you in a local community group? Do you want to publicise a talk, school fair or charity fundraiser? If so, get in touch with us today! Local Life is distributed to thousands of homes across Wigan, St Helens, Chorley and West Lancashire. Each edition is crammed with stories for local events, and your group could be appearing in our next edition. Not only that, we can also tweet about your event to our 1,600+ followers on Twitter! So how do you go about it? Simply contact our Temporary Editor David Sudworth (pictured) with the details of the event - what, where, when, why, who for, how much - and anything else you want to tell our readers. The earlier you can provide the information, the better the job we can do.

David said: “Every month, we give community groups and organisations publicity in our magazines. Our readers enjoy keeping an eye out for local events so if you want to draw a crowd to your club or group’s latest gathering, you need to be in Local Life.” So don’t delay – contact David today by calling 01257 498 329 or emailing him directly at editorial@locallife247. co.uk

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Wordsearch Sudoku

Puzzle Corner

Guess where? Photo courtesy of Lancashire County Council. For more images visit www.lanternlancashire.gov.uk Answers are on page 40 of this magazine

Find all the types of tea. Breakfast Darjeeling Assam Earl Grey Rooibos Ceylon Jasmine Sencha

Lapsang souchong Peppermint Chamomile Keemum Lady Grey Kenya Royal Blend

L A P S V E E L P F A P Y D E O Y R P G M L R I E E N N Y T I S A M R Y S K D A F C J R W

S U Q M Y U S E K J Y W R H C

A W D A R J E E L I N G Y A D

N V B S O G N Y U T E F F M P

G S O J D E T U H S A M Y A L O Y W G L I T X G Z D J B O P K Z F N N O A W W O M I Y R O

U C G N D F E R B L F E S H E T R J D M N T L Y Z M L E O I

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Use your conservatory in comfort! It’s as easy as 1-2-3

A Guardian Warm Roof is a solid replacement conservatory roof of the ﬁnest quality. This has an incredibly low U value of 0.16, (indicating minimal heat loss) and this visually stunning roof, sets the standard for conservatory roofs for years to come. Freedom are the only approved installers of the Guardian Roof in the Wigan area and all our installers are part of Team Guardian™. For more details, visit www.guardianroof.co.uk and then call Freedom for a quote.

The Freedom Bespoke Roof conversion is hand-built to ﬁt your conservatory perfectly, and is our top ‘own brand’ product. Our proven system combines structure with strength. The sleek look of this roof is achieved by the use of Tapco Slate, which is an approved building product by the British Board of Agrément. Prices start from just £2,995, the installation takes 7 days on average, and the work is completed by our own experienced installers. For more details and a free survey, call Freedom on the number below.

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Hundreds Of Satisﬁed Customers 24

You can transform your conservatory into usable living space 365 days a year! Freedom Conservatory Roof Conversions, one of the most experienced companies in this ﬁeld and dedicated to this type of work, are proud to present a selection of options for you to make your conservatory warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Whatever your budget, there is a conservatory roof solution for your home and you can depend on Freedom to bring you that sunshine lifestyle you’ve always wanted.

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Happy with the look of your existing roof? Why not opt for the Freedom Internal Conversion? This transforms the internal appearance of your ceiling, without the need to alter the existing roof. We use Superquilt, an insulation that’s approved by Local Authority Building Control.

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A LESSON ON ISAs

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KELVIN DAHL

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Class from the Past - Duke Street Primary, Chorley

This month’s Class from the Past comes from Duke Street Primary School in Chorley.

Peter Dawson, Michael Mocket, Leslie Shuttleworth, Roy Kenyon and Graham Oller.

Names provided are as follows: Geoff Sharples, Irene Entwistle, Margaret Jones, Susan Heald, Joyce Taylor, Jennifer Kingston, John Moore, Olwen Rutter, Norma Woods, Jean Hargreaves, Sheila Miller, Margaret Gardiner, Judith Rearden, Phyllis Marsden, Norma Mountain, Hilary Latham, Irene White, Sylvia Birchall,

Remember, if you have an old class photo you’d be happy to share, we’d love to hear from you. Ideally, the photo should be from anytime between 1930 and 1990. If you can help, please email us your photo to editorial@ locallife247.co.uk

Support Group

Dance Classes

Chorley, Preston & South Ribble Breast Cancer Support and Self Help Group meets on the first Monday of the month at St Ambrose’s Church hall , Moss Lane, Leyland, from 2pm-4pm. All welcome. Contact Monica on 01257 792501 for more details.

Dancing for Wellbeing classes are held on Tuesdays at Whittle-le-Woods Community Hall, Union Street. They are one hour long from 6.45pm and the cost is £5 per session, or £20 for five. Contact Anne Marie Nissen on 01257 263165 or Annemarie@greenbank.co.uk

Hedge Your Bets

New Members

Get back to nature with a hedgelaying course at Cuerden Valley Park on Sunday, March 9. It takes places from 9.30am-3pm at The Barn, Berkeley Drive, Bamber Bridge, and the cost is £60 per person. Call 01772 324436.

Chorley Lodge Artists are welcoming new members. They meet on Wednesday evenings (except the second Wednesday in the month) at St Chad’s Social Club, Town Lane, Wheelton. For more information visit www. lodgeartistschorley.org.uk

How can you protect your home and savings? • Are you prepared to lose your home to pay for longterm care fees? • Would you be happy for your grandchildren to lose 40% of your estate to Inheritance Tax? • Do you want your finances to be subject to Court of Protection control? • Have you protected your children’s inheritance from family divorce? • Are all your beneficiaries capable of managing their inheritance?

If you have answered ‘no’ to any of these questions, please join us at our free seminar on Wed 26th March at The Pines Hotel to discover how to protect your assets. Over the centuries, the UK’s richest people have written and supported laws to guarantee that their wealth will pass down through generations safe from divorce, remarriage, illness and tax. How can you do the same? Come to our seminar and discover how to protect your wealth for your children and grandchildren.

Call us today on 01257 463672 to book your place.

Did You Know? Making a will is important, but is rarely enough to protect your home and savings properly. Come along to our seminar to discover how to protect your estate properly. If you are unable to attend the seminar, please call us on 01257 463672 for a free consultation.

Keep it in the Family Free Seminar

Wed 26th March @ 10am The Pines Hotel, 570 Preston Road, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley PR6 7ED

1B, The Common, Parbold, WN8 7DA

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Garden Diary - by Angie Barker

Plan now for summer scent When I was a little girl (Hubby is chuckling to himself as he ponders just how long ago that was!) our garden had a large Lilac tree. The flowers were pale mauve with the most wonderful perfume and now that I have a Lilac growing in my garden, I look forward to every spring when I can breathe in its perfume and be transported back in time to my childhood. It’s funny how scent is so closely linked to memory. This is the perfect time of year to start planning for summer scent in your garden and whilst we all have our favourites, I think these are some of the best: Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ is one of the nicest. They do like good drainage so if you garden on heavy clay, best to put them in pots with free draining compost. A line of them edging a path looks lovely and as you brush past you can take in the perfume.

Award Winner

Herbs – these are a wonderfully fragrant group of plants, Thyme. Mint and Rosemary being my favourites. A word of caution, don’t plant Mint in a border – it will completely take over – keep it in a pot. Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus (or Daylillies in English) – each flower only lasts one day but there are so many of them they seem to flower for ages with a lovely scent. And of course you can’t mention perfume without thinking of Roses. Be careful when selecting your Rose because not all of them are scented and some more so than others. David Austen has a wonderful selection and the website is excellent, giving lots of detail of each one’s particular perfume. Pergolas and trellis will give you the opportunity of growing scented climbing plants. Jasminum officinale (needs a warm sheltered spot) and Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’ (Honeysuckle) are fabulous. Place near a patio and before you know it you’ll be sitting in your garden on a warm summer’s evening, not only sipping a glass of wine but drinking in some heady perfume – life doesn’t get much better! (Hubby agrees).

Sweet Peas – annuals have the best perfume and there are lots of colours to chose from. Remember with these that you can’t plant them out until the last frost has passed.

Angie is a qualified award-winning garden designer who will plan your garden to your needs from start to finish, supplying reputable contractors and the ideal plants.

Call Angie now for your free consultation! Author: Angie Barker Dip GD (Inst GD) BA (Hons) Garden Design For All Seasons Tel: 01942 522 405 Mob: 07857 008 383 www.angiebarker.co.uk

Award Winner

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Jackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tracks

Pennington Flash This walk is a bit different from our usual jaunts, which veer more towards informal. Large parts of this walk are man-madeâ&#x20AC;Ś making it the perfect all-year-round stroll.

Situated just a few minutes off the East Lancs Road, Pennington Flash is considered to be something of a hidden gem. The 70 hectare lake, coupled with interesting wildlife, historical aspects and plenty of photo opportunities, make the area well worth a visit. I can also testify to its medicinal benefits; at the start of the walk I was still shaking off a rotten cold. By the end of it, my head felt clear for the first time in weeks. Who needs paracetamol when Mother Nature is on call 24/7? We parked up near the golf course, stuck £1.20 in the ticket machine and off we trotted. Heading southwards, we crossed Pennington Brook then took the sweeping path right which runs adjacent to the Flash. Around 10 minutes in, it starts to veer away from the water’s edge into reed beds before heading back towards East Bay bird-watching hide. It’s then a case of carrying on through Sorrow Cow Farm onto Green Lane. Go past the row of terraced housing on your left and eventually you come to the headquarters of Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club. At this point, we took a right onto Sandy Lane, following the road round onto Byrom Lane. Dog walkers need to think about using a lead at this point as the traffic can be somewhat heavy at times. About a third of the way up Byrom Lane, take the gated public footpath on the right towards Mossley Hall. It’s here that the route is prone to getting muddy, something we experienced on our afternoon there. The upside to having had lots of rain is that there’s a large amount of natural growing fungi around, some of which I spotted on the banks of Hey Brook.

We’re now heading towards Slag Lane, there is a path which keeps you off the road itself so may be suitable if you have a dog with you, especially if they are anything like Jack who likes to wander off. Otherwise you can use the road and this briefly takes you outside of the country park itself. However, you’re quickly back into it by taking a right and heading onto the northern part of the park. Again, depending on the time of year, it’s probably better to stay away from the lower areas near the Flash as they were quite muddy. We used the higher path but, as a variation, there’s always the option of going up to the draw bridge on Plank Lane and taking the canal towpath towards Leigh. We hit the canal later on anyway just opposite Common Lane.

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Plank Lane Draw Bridge

Leeds & Liverpool Canal

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Slag Lane

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Pennington Flash Country park Club House

Pennington Flash

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Mossley Hall

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Aspull Common

Fire Station

Leigh Sports Village

From this point onwards, it is virtually a straight route back to the car park. Coming back to the car park from this angle, you get a different perspective of what’s available, with a children’s playground and picnic benches – perfect for a short family afternoon out with the little ones. If you have older kids, the 3.4 mile walk is ideal; we managed to do it in one hour and 40 minutes. As I said at the beginning, the walk is virtually weatherproof due to the amount of man-made paths on it. Having tried to negotiate boggy paths across windswept fields in the past, this one is luxurious in comparison. It’s worth noting though, particularly in summer, that the bird hides and visitor centre toilets are locked by 8.30pm each evening. I’d say that once tried, this walk will definitely become a firm favourite – definitely not a ‘Flash’ in the pan! Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear whilst walking. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the walk is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause.

From Dust To Ducks Pennington Flash was officially opened in 1981 as a formal recreational facility, but its history can be traced back much further. In the late 19th century, the area was farmland which was crossed by railways and Hey Brook. Coal mining activity was widespread in the area and this caused the land to sink. By 1905 a large lake had formed. Since then, the lake has been partially filled in from colliery waste to prevent flooding on the adjacent A572 St Helens Road. In the 1960s, ideas first started emerging about creating a formal country park, and this was eventually realised in 1981. It’s now seen as a high quality bird spotting site with more than 230 species recorded on site. Among them are the rare Black-Faced Bunting, Nightingale, Marsh Harrier, Spoonbill and Leach’s Petrel. For more information, visit www.wlct.org/wigan/ parks/pennington-flash/

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Recipe of the month

Potato & Tomato Herb Galette This simple recipe is a real crowd pleaser and makes a great lunch in its own right or a delicious side dish. Use fresh herbs if possible but you can substitute with dried if necessary. The galette may be made in a pie dish or individual steel food rings. Ideally floury potatoes should be used for this recipe as they have more starch which holds the galette together better. If you don’t have food rings this can be made in a pie dish in exactly the same way but will take longer to cook.

Ingredients

Method Melt the butter in a pan. Using some of the butter grease the rings and the baking tray where the rings will sit. Place rings onto greased area.

Serves: 4

• 2 large tomatoes • 3 or 4 medium sized floury potatoes* • Handful of fresh thyme and chives • 60g butter

Wash and chop the herbs, dry on kitchen roll to stop them sticking together. Reserve a small amount for garnish. Thinly slice tomatoes with a sharp knife and leave on a cooling tray to allow excess liquid to drip.

• Salt & pepper

Thinly slice the potatoes using the food processor and use immediately.

* King Edwards are a good choice - Maris Piper work too although they’re not as floury.

Layer 2 or 3 slices of potato in the rings.

Equipment

Using a pastry brush or the back of a teaspoon, paint the layered potato with the melted butter. Season lightly, sprinkle some herbs and top with tomato.

Food processor with slicing disc or mandolin. Sharp knife. Food rings and a baking tray

Repeat until you have filled the rings, finishing with a potato layer which should be buttered to brown nicely.

Oven

Pop in the oven for 30-40 minutes and remove when the crust is golden brown and the potato feels tender with a knife.

Gas Mark 7, 220°c

Scatter with herbs to garnish and serve piping hot.

Water Way To Learn! Make a ‘note’ of this – local tuition specialists Clearwater Music are holding an open day on Saturday, April 12. Alex Danson, 22, has been playing guitar and piano for more than 10 years, and started Clearwater in 2012. Since then, his business has expanded and he now has music school premises at The Old Bank, Railway Road, Brinscall. Alex, from Hoghton, told Local Life: “I’ve always enjoyed playing music so doing it for a living is a dream come true. Having formal lessons helps you to learn quicker, helps you acquire good techniques and stops you from falling into bad habits. It’s a structured way of learning and even those people who have been playing for years learn something new by having lessons.” The open day runs from noon-4pm and, alongside refreshments, there will be free 10 minute taster lessons available, as well as performances from some of Clearwater’s students. For more information, visit www.clearwatermusic.co.uk

Trumpet Voluntarily If you are aged 8-18 and can play a brass or woodwind instrument, then Buckshaw Youth Band wants to hear from you. The band is non-profiting making and rehearses on Mondays, from 6pm-8pm, at The Lodge, Buckshaw Retirement Village, on Oakbridge Drive. Call Peter on 01257 411926 or email musicarama@fsmail.net

Pals Pilgrimage History enthusiasts from the Chorley area are being invited on a nine day escorted tour of the World War I battlefields in France and Belgium. Some of the major sites and memorials will be visited such as Serre for the Accrington and Chorley Pals trenches and memorial, as well as Ypres for the Menin Gate and The Last Post ceremony. The tour is likely to take place in May/June. For more information contact Steve Williams, the secretary of the Chorley Pals Memorial, on 01254 854298.

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Would you like to play an instrument? Try a

session FREE taster Day at our Open pm th April 12-4 Saturday 12 be booked in advance) ons must

(10 minute sessi

Clearwater Music offers 30/60 minute music lessons from qualified instructors in; Guitar (acoustic, electric & bass) Keyboard & Piano Singing Brass To book your FREE taster session or to enquire about music lessons call Alex on 07843 575 035 or email: alex@clearwatermusic.co.uk

Clearwater Music Learn. Play. Live.

The Old Bank, 77A Railway Road, Brinscall, Chorley, PR6 8RJ

www.clearwatermusic.co.uk

What’s On in the North West Thursday, March 13 12 Degrees North 12 Degrees North, the fresh and dynamic North West Graduate Dance Company, premieres new work by the talented and award winning choreographer, James Wilton. The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ. £12 plus £2 booking fee on Tickets must be booked in advance on 0843 208 6000.

Sunday, March 9 RLPO at Preston The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Vasily Petrenko perform Mahler Blumine, Strauss Horn Concerto No 2 and Elgar Symphony No 2. The Guildhall, Lancaster Road, Preston, PR1 1HT Tickets £19 and £26 via website www.prestonguildhall.com

Saturday, March 15, 8at 8pm Tom Wrigglesworth

Sunday, March 16, 10am-2pm Direct from a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival, funnyman Tom presents his new show, Utterly At Odds With The Universe. Chorley Little Theatre, Dole Lane, Chorley, PR7 2RL. Tickets £12/concessions £10 on 01257 264362 or at www.chorleylittletheatre.com

Tuesday, March 11 Moscow State Circus Returning to the UK with its latest production, this State Circus production is set in the mystical Park Gorkogo. Liverpool Empire Theatre, Lime Street, Liverpool, L1 1JE Tickets £18.90-£28.90 via website www.liverpooltheatres.com/empire

Hoghton Tower Farmers’ Market As featured on Radio 4’s The Food Programme, feast your eyes on produce at what is said to be Lancashire’s largest local producers’ market. Hoghton Tower, Hoghton, Preston, PR5 0SH www.hoghtontower.co.uk

Sunday, March 23, 10am-4pm Antiques & Collectors Fair 75 stands selling a wide range of items including china, furniture, old postcards, militaria, vintage textiles, books and lots more. Free valuations also available. Dunes Leisure Centre, Esplanade, Southport, PR8 1RX 01938 580438 www.vandafairs.com

Tuesday, March 18 at 7.30pm Literature Live Writer and performer Rosie Garland, winner of the Mslexia Novel competition, will be reading from her novel and poetry as well as hosting an open mic slot. Bolton Octagon Theatre, Howell Croft South, Bolton, BL1 1SB. Tickets £5, with concessions available at £2 & £3 www.octagonbolton.co.uk

Saturday, March 22, and Sunday, March 23 (10am-4pm both days) Open Studio A wide range of pieces by glass designer Stephanie Bowen will be on show. Many items with up to 70% off Morpheus Glass Unit 11 Hewitt Business Park, Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan, WN5 7XB www.morpheusglass.co.uk

Sunday, March 23 King’s Singers One of the world’s most celebrated ensembles, The King’s Singers, bring their Great American Songbook tour to the area. Ormskirk Civic Hall, Southport Road, Ormskirk, L39 1LN Tickets £25 plus £2.50 fees at www.ormskirkcivichall.info

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Saturday, March 29 Touring Cars Display This British Automobile Racing Club weekend features a feast of saloon car action from several post-war generations of touring cars. Oulton Park Circuit, Little Budworth, Tarporley, Cheshire CW6 9BW £14 on the gate or book in advance at www.oultonpark.co.uk

On until Sunday, May 11 Britain in the 1980s Keywords: Art, Culture and Society in 1980s Britain is a new take on how the changes in the meaning of words reflect the cultural shifts in our society. Almost sixty works by artists such as Rita Donagh, Rotimi FaniKayode and John Latham. Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock Adult £8.80, concessions £6.60. www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-liverpool

Puzzle Corner - Solutions

Planning Matters Astley Village 20 Merefield: Conversion of existing garage to additional living accommodation, erection of new attached garage to side with office accommodation above. Demolition of existing rear conservatory and erection of single storey rear extension. Erection of porch and bay window to front (Application reference: 14/00118/FUL). The application expiry date is March 10.

Chorley 8 Cranbourne Street: Single storey rear extension measuring 6m in depth by 3m wide by 2.3m to the eaves and 3.5m to the ridge (Application reference: 14/00133/PDE). The consultation deadline is March 14. 10 Claremont Avenue: Erection of single storey outbuilding to form garden store/workshop (Application reference: 14/00158/FUL). The consultation deadline is March 20. Council Depot, Bengal Street: Change of use of part of existing depot to a recycling centre including provision of living accommodation and training rooms in existing building and associated alterations. Erection of 3m high palisade fence, demolition of existing storage building and store (Application reference: 14/00121/CB3). The consultation deadline is March 13.

Clayton-le-Woods 40 Higher Meadows: Single storey extension to front and rear (Application reference: 14/00180/FUL). The consultation deadline is March 20. The photo on page 22 is of the A6 Preston Road at the junction of Sheep Hill Lane, Whittle-le-Woods

Random, Moss Lane: Erection of garage to side of existing dwelling (Application reference: 14/00163/ FUL). The consultation deadline is March 12. 22 Wilderswood Close: Erection of single storey rear extension (Application reference: 14/00153/CLPUD). The target decision date is April 14.

Whittle-le-Woods Rosewood, Parkside Drive South: Proposed single storey nanny flat side extension (re-submission of approved application 05/01161/FUL). The consultation deadline is March 17. For more information on these, and other, planning applications, visit www.chorley.gov.uk

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