Local Life - St Helens - June 2017 by Local Life 247 Ltd

LocalLife St Helens Edition

June 2017

Educating

Willy

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LocalLife

old

he phrase “youth is wasted on the young” always tickles me, partly because it has a grain of truth, especially when it comes to education. At school, my timetable was divided into two: lessons I loved (English, French, German, Latin) and lessons I hated (everything else). I particularly had a loathing for maths and science, something which amuses my other half as she teaches the latter and thoroughly enjoys quizzing me on my times tables. I think I got it into my head that anything other than linguistics was a waste of time. My subsequent career as a journalist would add weight to that theory. Yet now I’m starting to see just how useful other subjects can be. Recently, I’ve been doing more and more DIY around the house. Some of my tasks have been mixing cement (so ratios come in handy) and cutting wood (so measuring angles). Although I reckon I’d be more Jim Bowen than Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, I’ve been rather chuffed with my creations. So it was with great interest that I had the opportunity to chat to Willy Russell recently (see page 35) about his foray back into the classroom to learn about art, a subject he wasn’t particularly good at when in full-time education. Having seen Willy’s work, it’s hard to believe he hasn’t been painting his entire life. I guess it proves the old adage that, even if you’re a bona fide star with countless awards to your name, you’re never too old to learn...

David Sudworth, Editor

In this issue Is it stress

or anxiety?

22 Educating

Willy

Regulars 10 16 26 37

Planning 41 Jack’s Tracks Class From The Past 46 Test Drive Puzzle Corner 50 Garden Diary Events2Go

Sections 6 Local News 41 Motoring 50 Gardening

49 Home Services

Next issue - July 2017

Advertising deadline - Tuesday, 20 June Published - Friday, 30 June

31 Win treatments

worth £300

28 Jack’s Tracks visits

Astley Green

41 Test Drive

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid 46 locallifemagazine247

LocalLife Local Life 247 Ltd, Unit 8, Hewitt Business Park, Winstanley Road, Orrell, WN5 7XB

Telephone: 01744 649 722 Publisher: Chris chrisp@locallife247.co.uk Sales: Clare sales@locallife247.co.uk Editorial: David sthelensnews@locallife247.co.uk Design: Dylan, Peter design@locallife247.co.uk Distribution: Sally sallyb@locallife247.co.uk Accounts: Sam accounts@locallife247.co.uk Local Life is published every month and distributed into the following areas on an alternate monthly basis. This issue is delivered to over 12,500 private homes and businesses in Rainhill, Eccleston, Prescot, Eccleston Park, Windle, Prescot Road and parts of Nutgrove and Sutton Heath. The next issue is delivered to over 12,000 private homes and businesses in Rainford, Billinge, Garswood, Moss Bank, Haresfinch, Carr Mill and selected areas of Haydock. 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. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced without the prior written consent of Local Life 247 Ltd.

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events2go

Candidates confirmed Ten local candidates for the snap General Election have been confirmed.

St Helens South & Whiston

The poll, which takes place on Thursday June 8, will see several candidates across both local constituencies vying for votes.

•

Mark Hitchen (UKIP)

•

Ed McRandal (Con)

•

Jeess Northey (Green)

•

Marie Rimmer (Lab)

•

Brian Spencer (Lib Dem)

In St Helens South & Whiston, Marie Rimmer is hoping to make it three election victories in a row for Labour, having held the seat since Shaun Woodward’s departure in 2010.

St Helens North

In St Helens North, incumbent Conor McGinn is also hoping to see off challenges from the Lib Dems, Conservative, Green and UKIP candidates. The full list of candidates standing in each seat has now been confirmed and are as follows:

•

Conor McGinn (Lab)

•

Tom Morrison (Lib Dem)

•

Jackson Ng (Con)

•

Rachel Parkinson (Green)

•

Peter Peers (UKIP)

£3m extra for Windle island St Helens councillors have agreed to borrow almost £2m to fund a revised Windle Island improvement scheme. The scheme is being tweaked to “maximise capacity” at the busy junction, Some of the key features will include a new ‘deceleration’ lane for traffic turning left towards St Helens from the East Lancs Road. It also includes a ban on vehicles leaving Tesco Express, rejoining the East Lancs and then immediately turning right towards Rainford. The full list of changes has pushed the overall cost of the scheme up from £4.2m to £7.2m. To bridge

the funding gap, councillors have decided to use £1m from the highways capital programme and borrow the rest at a cost of around £80,000 per year. A report on the scheme said: “The A580/A570 junction is the second most complex junction on the A580 in terms of traffic/pedestrian volumes. Within the site boundary, largely unchartered intersecting underground trunk utility services exist. “Substantial feasibility design work, detail site investigation, traffic modelling, validation and public consultation has been undertaken to provide an optimised scheme fit for purpose that will provide: operational capacity for proposed scheme at 87% (i.e. 13% future growth capacity).”

Plain sailing

Graveyard shift

Pilkington Sailing Club is planning to celebrate its

Locals are being urged to help clean up the churchyard at St Ann’s, Rainhill. Anyone who can spare some time should meet at the church at 9.30am on Saturday, June 10. Bacon butties and hot drinks will be provided.

60th anniversary with a series of events. The club, which sails on Eccleston Mere, on Burrows Lane, is affiliated to the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). It sails every Sunday afternoon throughout the year and most evenings from spring to autumn. If you are interested in finding out more please phone Freda on 01744 21770 or Rob Tyler on 01744 884821. Alternatively, email pilkstraining@ gmail.com or visit the club’s website at www. pilkingtonsailingclub.co.uk

New members Kendrick’s Cross Women’s Institute is welcoming new members. It meets every fourth Tuesday of the month, at 7.30pm at Rainhill Village Hall, Dane Court. For more information, call Ruth on 0151 430 0696.

Planning Matters Eccleston

Rainhill

72 Broadway: Single storey rear extension projecting 5.1m from the rear 3.27m high overall and 2.27m to the eaves. (ref: P/2017/0411/HHPA ).

Site of former Greencroft, Mill Lane: Erection of two detached eco-friendly dwellings (ref: P/2017/0418/FUL). A decision is due soon.

A decision is due soon.

Windle

69 Daresbury Road: Demolition of existing conservatory and erection of a single storey rear extension, single storey side extension, pitched roof to existing two storey rear extension, rendering exterior of dwelling, and creation of new driveway access (ref: : P/2017/0405/HHF). Decision due soon.

165 Dentons Green Lane: Single storey extension to side and rear elevation, pitched roof to existing two storey flat roof side extension, and front porch (ref:P/2017/0420/HHFP). A decision is due soon. 40 Bishop Road: Demolition of existing single storey rear extension and conservatory and erection of a single storey rear extension (ref: P/2017/0412/ HHFP). A decision is due soon.

For more information on these and other planning applications, visit www.sthelens.gov.uk

Deadline looms for In Bloom The deadline for entries to this year’s Whiston In Bloom competition is fast approaching. Residents and groups can enter up to three of the following categories: Best Residential Garden (including, front, back, side garden); Best Allotment Garden (vegetable, fruit, flowers); Best Commercial/ Institution/Shop front/Window display; Best Community Garden/Allotment (as a group); Young Gardener of the Year 2017 (18-25 years) and Best Container: planters, hanging baskets, tubs. There will also be an Overall Winner category- 1st Prize Certificate, £50 cash, shield and a plaque, with second and third place contestents getting a Certificate of Merit The overall winner will be the entry judged to represent “the hallmark of gardening in Whiston with significant and influential contribution effect in the beautification of Whiston Township”.

The winner will be entitled to retain the shield for a year and return it before next year’s competition; but will be entitled to keep the plaque. Entry forms can be accessed via http://www. whiston-tc.gov.uk/Garden_Competition.aspx or you can request a paper copy from Whiston Town Council Office, Whiston Town Hall, Old Colliery Road, Whiston. Telephone 0151 430 7200 or email whistontowncouncil@tiscali.co.uk The deadline for entries is July 10.

Tell Us Your Story! Local Life is always on the look out for news stories from the local communities we serve. Are you raising money for charity? Are you a member of a community group with something to shout about? Maybe youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got an unusual talent, or have a claim to fame? If so, let us know and you could be appearing in the next edition! Simply contact us on sthelensnews@locallife247. co.uk or call us on 01695 627999.

Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s honour A Former St Helens Mayor has been made an Honorary Alderman of the borough for his long service to the community and council. Tom Hargreaves MBE served as a councillor for almost 30 years between 1987 and 2016. He was sworn in as Mayor of St Helens in 2011-12, during which he set up his charity, Hargreaves Dementia Trust, for people in St Helens living with dementia. The title Honorary Alderman is the highest award that can be made to a former councillor in recognition of exceptional service to the council.

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Delays expected

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Motorists are warned to expect delays in Haydock

Railway buffs are being advised that two steam trains are likely to pass through Rainhill during the summer.

until early July. Improvements to A58 Liverpool Road at the junction with Tithebarn Road and Millfield Lane are now underway, and include an upgrade of the signals, footway and carriageway works and some tree clearance. The M6 Junction 24 will remain accessible from Liverpool Road, with temporary four-way traffic lights set up at the junction during the works. A council spokesman said: “This will result in some inconvenience for residents and businesses in the area but every attempt will be made to keep the impact to a minimum.”

They are as follows: Saturday, June 10: The Coast to Coast Express, Liverpool – Scarborough Saturday, July 23: The North Wales Coast Express, Liverpool - Holyhead Times and updates can be found at www. railwaytouring.net

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Golfers enjoy a tee-rific day Over £4,000 was raised for Prescotbased Willowbrook Hospice at an annual charity golf day. More than 20 teams of golfers teed off at Huyton and Prescot Golf Club for the event. Scooping first place for the second year running was the ‘Stano’s Stars’ team captained by Paul Stanton. Mark Pilkington, from Willowbrook Hospice, said: “It was a fantastic day and I’d like to thank all of the golfers who took part, our sponsors GPW Recruitment and all the staff at the golf club who helped make the event such a success.” After a day on the golf course, players enjoyed a three-course dinner which was followed by presentation and prize raffle.

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Class from the past

This month’s Class from the Past is from Rivington Road School. It’s believed this photo was taken in the late1960s. Maybe you can spot a familiar face?

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Consultation on hold A consultation into potentially axing every lollipop patrol in St Helens is still on hold. Councillors have agreed to consult on a series of cost-cutting measures, which includes possibily making them all redundant. Other options include axing patrols in “low-risk” sites or those which already have traffic calming measures in place. There is also the potential of simply transferring the responsibility of providing a crossing service to individual schools. It comes as St Helens Council looks to save around £130,000 a year. However, because of the General Election, the council cannot, by law, start the consultation until

June 9 at the earliest. As Local Life went to press, a date had not been confirmed, although it’s likely to commence sometime later this summer. A report, endorsed by councillors, said: “It is intended to carry out a consultation based on the following options; cease to offer a traditional SCP Services; transfer the responsibility of delivery to schools (or) disestablish low risk sites and those with engineering measures. If the SCP Service were to cease, all school crossing patrol staff would potentially be at risk of redundancy. All staff would be offered redeployment and support in accordance with the council’s redeployment policy. “If the Governing Body decide to deliver the SCP service then the current employees assigned would be employed by the Governing Body.”

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Pastors to expand St Helens Street Pastors are looking to expand their team. They want to expand the current team from 10 pastors, including three recruits who are currently undergoing training. The pastors partrol on the second and fourth Fridays of each month between 10.45pm and 3.30am and provide assistance to anyone that may need help getting home or someone to talk to. However, their vision is to be be present on the streets every Friday and Saturday night in the town centre, offering practical help to the community. In order to achieve this year round, approximately 40 volunteers would be needed. For more information contact Debbie Williams on 07496 033689 or email sainthelens@streetpastors. org.uk, visit http://streetpastors.org/locations/ sthelens/

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Health & Fitness

Is it stress,

or anxiety By Ella Walker

tress is a normal part of life, and everybody will experience a sense of anxiety from time to time but both these things can also be signs of mental health problems, or an indication that we possibly need to slow down or seek some support. But how do you tell them apart? They can feel and exhibit themselves in a similar manner, so if you’re confused as to whether you’re stressed or anxious, here are some key signs to look out for... How to spot stress In the simplest terms, stress is caused by a specific factor, or ‘stressor’ - for example, a major life change. This can include any situation, event or scenario that makes you feel angry, frustrated, humiliated, nervous etc. For example, moving house, starting a new job, a big meeting or exam you haven’t prepped for, your mother-in-law has invited herself for Christmas. These are actualities that directly cause you stress, usually because you feel unprepared for them, overwhelmed, or are struggling to find a way to deal with them.

23 Everyone gets stressed now and again, it’s a normal response to situations that frighten or worry you (which are different for everybody), but over time, if you are under constant amounts of stress, it can cause health worries.

However, excessive anxiety - or generalised anxiety disorder - where you worry disproportionately and often without an obvious trigger, can severely disrupt day-to-day life.

Common symptoms (according to the NHS): feeling irritable, fearful, low self-esteem, indecision, difficulty concentrating, headaches, dizziness, tiredness, appetite changes, short-tempered, racing-thoughts, physical tension

Common symptoms (according to the NHS): restlessness, sense of dread, feeling on edge, lack of concentration, feeling irritable, dizziness, tiredness, muscle aches, fast heartbeat, trembling and shaking, dry mouth, headaches, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, pins and needles

How to spot anxiety

How they’re linked

Anxiety can manifest itself even when you don’t have something stressful to link it to, and instead, tends to present as an ongoing feeling of unease, or a sense of impending doom.

Stress and anxiety often share symptoms, from tiredness and dizziness, to muscle aches and headaches, and both are connected to the fight-orflight response, and neither are remotely enjoyable. However, both conditions can be eased with the right treatment, from mindfulness and relaxation methods to release pressure and minimise stress, to medication and talking therapies for anxiety. If you are struggling or concerned about how anxious or stressed you’re feeling, always speak to your GP.

It’s normal to feel a bit anxious or worried, for example, in scenarios that make you feel apprehensive, like speaking in public, confronting your boss, bungee jumping etc.

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Puzzle Corner

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ocal Life has teamed up with Beauty by Helen French and Environ Skin Care to bring one of our readers a fabulous prize; a four point treatment plan designed to knock years off your facial appearance. This treatment plan, applied by Beauty by Helen French at their salon Kiln Lane in St Helens, includes a series of four Collagen Power Facials. Manufactured by top skin care company Environ, these peptide-packed facials help to boost collagen, soften fine lines and tighten lax skin, resulting in a more youthful look. The treatment uses gentle soundwaves to drive a special nutrient packed serum deep into the lower layers of the skin, deeply hydrating the skin and giving it a plumper, more radiant appearance.

This prize is a culmination of the anniversary celebrations being held at Beauty by Helen French, which celebrates its 20th year of trading in 2017. In an industry where start ups rise and fall every year, there are very few salons in the UK who have lasted twenty years. The secret of longevity at Beauty by Helen French lies with Helenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing drive to offer customers a full range of quality treatments using the very best products, applied by a team of highly qualified and friendly beauty therapists. Top brands used at the salon include Clarins, Jessica and St.Tropez, and Beauty by Helen French is the only salon in St Helens which is permitted to use Environ Skin Care products.

Situated in a prominent position on Kiln Lane which has easy and convenient parking, Beauty by Helen French consistently deliver a high standard of treatments whilst using the best products on the market to deliver the results their clients demand. Environ Skin Care was founded by a top cosmetic surgeon back in 1990, and is now known as one of the top manufacturers of skin care products in the world, loved by movie starts, supermodels and dermatologists alike. And now you can benefit from the state of the art technology behind Environ’s Collagen Power Facials. Just answer this question; How many years has Beauty by Helen French been trading? To enter the competition, visit our website www.locallife247.co.uk and click on ‘Free Stuff’ and then on ‘Competitions’ to enter your answer. The expiry date for this competition is 30th June 2017, and the details of the winner will be publicised in the August issue of Local Life. For more details about Collagen Power Facials, call Beauty by Helen French on 01744 736170, call into the salon at 82 Kiln Lane, St Helens or visit www.beautybyhelenfrench.co.uk

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Educating

Willy

The playwright talks to David Sudworth about his upbringing and a new-found love of painting

rom humble beginnings in Rainhill, he’s now one of the country’s most celebrated playwrights. His shows have been staged all across the world, and Hollywood stars have played characters he created. But even Willy Russell admits that he got first night nerves when an exhibition of his artwork opened in Knowsley recently. For Willy, who turns 70 soon, this is fairly new territory. He only picked a brush up 10 years ago, and since then he’s become a student again. For a man who freely admits that he “hated school and school hated me,” the irony is not lost on him. But there was part of him which didn’t want his paintings on public display. “I did think at first that I wanted this to be just for me. But then I started thinking whether it was a bit self-indulgent of me not to share it.

32 “I knew that it would be seen through the gauze of everything that I’ve done before. “But famous people - Bob Dylan, Noel Coward, Beryl Bainbridge to name a few - have painted and exhibited before. And also, as you get older, you get a thicker skin. “In my early days, I’d read the newspaper reviews. That’s because not only is it a chance to review your art, but it would give an indication about the future of a play. I wouldn’t write plays for the West End, I’d write them for specific theatres. So for Shirley Valentine, it was for The Everyman in Liverpool. “I remember one critic in the London Evening Standard kicking seven shades of s**** out of Educating Rita, so I thought that would be the end of it. Then that weekend, a Sunday national newspaper absolutely raved about it.

“The only thing you’ll be drawing is the dole” “If it hadn’t been for that review, I may not be speaking here now speaking to you.” Fortunately, Educating Rita did go on to be an on to be an outstanding success. But there were few signs in Willy’s childhood that he’d be treading this sort of path, Born on August 23, 1947, his official biography says he is from Whiston. However, that is only a partial truth. “I was born in Whiston Hospital but when you’re asked where you were born, it really means where you grew up. “I lived on Dee Road in Rainhill. But at that time, Rainhill was synonymous with the psychiatric hospital, so my mates who lived there said they were from Whiston,” he laughs. The family lived in Rainhill untill Willy was five years old, by which time they’d moved to Knowsley Village. “I’m not quite sure of the actual reason. My father, who came from Up Holland, had

Julie Walters and Michael Caine in Educating Rita gone to work in Canada but while he was away, I’d become ill. I get something called nephritis which is nothing today but back then, it was serious and I was in hospital. During that time, my mum got ill with pleurisy so my father came back. He said he came back to look after the family, but my mum said it was because he couldn’t hack it in Canada. The truth is probably somewhere inbetween the two.” Being one of the youngest in his year and school, and his time in hospital, meant that Willy’s education suffered. He went to several schools, including Knowsley Maypole Primary, Woolfall Secondary Modern and, aged 15, he moved to Rainford High. “I was in the same year group as people who were 12 months older than me. So although I was tall, I wasn’t as developed in other ways. Teachers used to say ‘are you thick Russell?’ “I was kicked out of art class and told the only thing I’d be drawing was the dole, and that’s if I was lucky. “I went to Rainford because I was caned so many

33 legs were cut to pieces. These days, it would have been a najor newspaper scandal but back then, it just happened.” It was while at Rainford, during a Silent Reading session, that Willy started to understand the power of words: “I looked up from the novel I was reading, realised that I was in state of serenity, and thought: “I want to create the same feeling in others”. At the same time, I thought: “What a ludicrous idea. You are destined for the bottle factory.” It was also at Rainford that he first heard Shirley Valentine, as it was the name of a girl in his class. Years later, Pauline Collins would portray her as a bored housewife whose life takes a dramatic turns when she unexpectedly wins a holiday to Greece. Having left school with one O-Level in English language, he became a ladies’ hairdresser. However, he continued to fulfill his creative ambitions by becoming a part-time singer/songwriter. “Even to this day, people come up and ask me who did the music for Blood Brothers. And they’re amazed when I say it was me!” he smiles. Aged 21, he decided to try and reclaim the years of education he’d lost as a child by going back to college, and training as a teacher. While studying, Willy began writing drama and, in

Pauline Collins and Bernard Hill in the film version of Shirley Valentine 1972, took a programme of three one-act plays to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where they were seen by writer John McGrath. Suitably impressed by what he saw, McGrath recommended Willy to the Liverpool Everyman Theatre who in turn commissioned the adaptation, When The Reds… - Willy’s first professional work for theatre. It was a couple of years later, in 1974, that Willy’s first big hit came with Beatles musical John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert.

“I can’t abide mass-male banter...” Commissioned by the Liverpool Everyman, it ran for a then unprecedented eight weeks before transferring to the West End. Other hits followed, including Our Day Out (1976) and Stags and Hens (1978). But it was the film versions of Educating Rita and, later on, Shirley Valentine, that his work was propelled to a much wider audience. It’s been noted many times how he draws on his own past when creating characters. His own personal characteristics, such as his loathing of communal, male banter, also feeds into this.

Willy Russell promoting his 1974 play John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert

“I really can’t abide groups of men together. As individuals, they are fine but when they’re together, all the banter starts and they change their behaviour. It usually starts with things like ‘So what road did you take to get here then?’

“At school, I was told I didn’t have any sort of talent for painting... and I believed it” “It’s almost as if they’re competing between themselves to find the lowest common denominator as quickly as possible.” 45 years on from his initial play and Willy’s body of work has cemented his reputation, alongside the likes of Alan Bennett and fellow Liverpudlian Alan Bleasdale, as one of the UK’s most celebrated playwrights. Despite his fame, Willy has chosen to be based in his home region - living in a cottage in Woolton, south Liverpool, with his office based in Canning Street, in the city centre. His foray into painting came around 10 years ago when, while at his holiday home in Portugal, he started ‘doodling’ on a pad which the children had been using earlier that day. “At school, I was told I didn’t have any sort of talent for painting, and I believed it. “Even when I was a young adult, people would ask me for input into posters for my plays but I would just say that I’m no good at any of that stuff. “I enrolled in art classes and it was lovely just being a student of art, learning something new. It was especially nice for me because when you’re a

writer, people like directors, actors and so on are always looking to you to provide the answer. Being a student meant that someone else had to provide the answers other than me.” The parallels between Willy’s thirst for education as an adult and the plot for Educating Rita are striking.

“I’d see Rita as a fellow journeyman” Would Rita be proud of Willy for, like her, giving education another go? “That’s an interesting way of looking at it. I’ve always been at heart and enquiring sort of person and enjoy studying people. “I’d see Rita as a fellow journeyman. Yeah, we’d probably get on well...” Willy Russell: Another Aspect is at Kirkby Gallery, Norwich Way, Kirkby, L32 8XY, until September 2. Opening times are: Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm and Sat 10am to 1pm.

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Southport Food Festival

Heart Walk

Friday, June 2 – Sunday, June 4, 10am – 6pm

Monday, June 5, 12.45pm

If you love food then make a date with the Southport Food and Drink Festival – a ‘foodies’ paradise with a little something for everyone to enjoy.

Oddfellows gentle 30 minute walk around St Helens Fosters Park is all about getting you moving in a fun and friendly way, whatever your age or ability.

Victoria Park, Rotten Row, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 2BZ. Contact: visitsouthport.com

Town Hall, Victoria Square, St Helens, WA10 1HP. Contact: julie.webster@oddfellows.co.uk

Picnic in the Park

Moonlight Walk

Saturday, June 3, 1pm – 10.30pm

Saturday, June 10, 9pm – 2am

Rainford’s first live music festival is said to be a fun day for all the family. With a range of musical acts and activities for the family to enjoy. Bring your own food and drink (no glass please)

The Moonlight Walk is back for its eleventh year! Entry is £15 for adults and £5 for children (all online entry fees include processing fees.) This year’s walk starts from Willowbrook - The Living Well building on Borough Road.

Jubilee Playing Field, Church Road, Rainford, St. Helens, WA11 8HE. Contact: rainfordfestival.co.uk

Willowbrook, Borough Road, St. Helens, WA10 3RN. Contact: events@willowbrookhospice.org.uk

Pat-a-Cake Baby

Somewhere in Time

Sunday, June 4, 2pm

Saturday, June 10, 7.30pm

Long Nose Puppets present a gorgeous show full of rhyme, puppets and cake. Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult.

Strictly’s favourite couple are back with a bang after their first successful UK Tour. Ian and Natalie have developed a whole new show with newly choreographed routines of their favourite Ballroom and Latin dances.

The Citadel Arts Centre St Helens WA10 1PX. Contact: 01744 735 436

Merseyside Dogs Trust Day Sunday, June 4, Noon – 4pm Dogs Trust Merseyside are hosting their annual Fun Day at Inglenook Farm for the second time! Last year’s event proved a huge success with all money raised going to an amazing cause. Inglenook Farm, Moss Nook Lane, Rainford, St. Helens, WA11 8AE. Contact: 01744 886812

St Helens Theatre Royal, Corporation Street, St. Helens, WA10 1LQ. Contact: 01744 756000.

Wonderland Monday, June 12 – Saturday, June 17, 7.30pm Frank Wildhorn’s Wonderland receives its UK and European premiere in this brand new British Production. Liverpool Empire Theatre, Lime Street, Liverpool, L1 1JE. Contact: atgtickets.com/shows/ wonderland/liverpool-empire/

Business Breakfast

The Big Lunch

Tuesday, June 13, 7.45am – 9am

Sunday, June 18, 10am – 2pm

Membership at the Chamber is all about helping your business to grow and what better way to make new contacts than a Business Breakfast? For members it’s free and non-members £24.

Greenslate community farm are taking part in the nationwide ‘Great Get Together’ and are inviting the whole community to come along and try their hand at making pizzas and cakes for others! Come along and celebrate the community!

St. Helens Chamber, Salisbury St, Off Chalon Way, St Helens, WA10 1FY. Contact: 01744 742000

Prescot Festival Friday, June 16 – Sunday, June 25 Arts in Prescot is a voluntary community organisation promoting and organising arts, culture and entertainment events in the historic Lancashire town of Prescot. Prescot Parish Church, Church Street, Prescot, L34 1LA. Contact: prescotfestival.co.uk

Brass and Hotpot Friday, June 16, 7pm For the first time Prescot Festival welcomes one of the UK’s finest brass bands, with an international reputation, now in its 71st year, to entertain us with nostalgic tunes and classic melodies. Celebrate the opening night and the spirit of Lancashire with a delicious Cottom’s hot pot in the interval. Tickets are £8 and can be bought via the website. Prescot Parish Church, Church Street, Prescot, L34 1LA. Contact: www.prescotfestival.co.uk

Prescot Carnival Sunday, June 18, 11.15am Prescot Town Council present their annual afternoon of stalls, games, food, fairground rides, live entertainment and more for all ages. The parade assembles on Eccleston Street at 11.15am, arriving at the carnival at 12 noon for the official opening. Entry for this event is free. Brown’s Field, Wood Lane, Prescot, L34 1NU. Contact: prescotfestival.co.uk

Greenslate Community Farm Greenslate Road Wigan, WN5 7BG. Contact: 01695 221950.

St Helens Chamber Golf Day Thursday, June 22, 8.30am – 6pm St Helens Chamber Golf Day provides an excellent opportunity to network with other businesses or entertain your own clients at a premier North West venue. The day will start with breakfast and an optional 9 hole practice. After lunch the main tournament will commence. Grange Park Golf Club, Prescot Road, St. Helens, WA10 3AD. Contact: 01744 742028

Liverpool’s Make Fest Saturday, June 24, 9am – 5pm Liverpool MakeFest, the north-west’s biggest Makers event! Free entry to a friendly one day festival celebrating all things ‘makey’. 200 Makers showcasing science, technology, crafts, creations, inventions and gadgets. There will be hands-on activities, ranging from coding to crafts! Liverpool Central Library, William Brown St, Liverpool L3 8EW. Contact: facebook.com/liverpoolmakefest

Mersey River Festival Saturday, June 24 – Sunday, June 25 The International Mersey River Festival is a celebration of Liverpool’s wonderful and historic waterfront in a completely free three day extravaganza of family fun, amazing music and entertainment along the iconic River Mersey. cultureliverpool.co.uk/merseyriverfestival

Business Breakfast

Brass and Hotpot

Tuesday, June 13, 7.45am – 9am

Friday, June 16, 7pm

Membership at the Chamber is all about helping your business to grow and what better way to make new contacts than a Business Breakfast. For members it’s free and non-members £24.

For the first time Prescot Festival welcomes one of the UK’s finest brass bands, with an international reputation, now in its 71st year, to entertain us with nostalgic tunes and classic melodies.

St. Helens Chamber, Salisbury St, Off Chalon Way, St Helens, WA10 1FY. Contact: 01744 742000

Celebrate the opening night and the spirit of Lancashire with a delicious Cottom’s hot pot in the interval. Tickets are £8 and can be bought via the website.

Prescot Festival

Prescot Parish Church, Church Street, Prescot, L34 1LA. Contact: www.prescotfestival.co.uk

Friday, June 16 – Sunday, June 25 Arts in Prescot is a voluntary community organisation promoting and organising arts, culture and entertainment events in the historic Lancashire town of Prescot, Merseyside. Prescot Parish Church, Church Street, Prescot, L34 1LA. Contact: prescotfestival.co.uk

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Astley Green O

ne of the recent family holiday ideas up for discussion was visiting the Western Isles of Scotland. We were particularly looking forward to sampling a Lewis Sabbath. Sunday is a strict day of rest on the Isle of Lewis; shops close, there are no Sunday newspapers and even activities such as riding a bike or pegging out washing are frowned upon. Goodness knows then what these islanders would make of Astley on a Sunday then, where the noisy activities of the Rixton Clay Pigeon Club and the Leigh Moto Cross Club did their utmost to disrupt a 4½ mile country walk, so if you’re looking for solitude and silence, best sample this walk on another day. Park up at the end of Ellesmere Street (M29 7QP), and then follow the bridleway heading in the

by Chris Pearce

same direction for 600 hundred yards when you will arrive at a crossroads. Turn right and follow this path through more dense woodland until you arrive at what’s left of a wooden gate just before a rough moss, where walk symbols point left and right. Ignore these signs and choose the welldefined path that runs diagonally to the right. Follow the path and you’ll reach a wooden gate. Go through the gate, cross the shale track immediately afterwards and then you’ll go over a small wooden bridge and up a bank to the Bridgewater Canal. Turn right and within 100 yards you’ll come to a metal bridge running over the canal. Go up the bank and over the bridge, and turn right to follow the towpath along the canal for a further 100 yards

42 until you come to a dual metal wood stile leading away from the canal.

Hop over the stile into the horses paddock and head towards another stile in the right hand corner of the paddock. Once you have crossed this stile, head in the same direction. Though this path isn’t that well defined, you will soon arrive at the 90 degree bend of a more established track. Turn left and follow the track across open countryside for 250 yards.

Take this path through the pleasant woodland for 600 yards and you’ll eventually arrive at Lower Green Lane. Turn left onto the road and walk in the same direction for 575 yards, crossing a mini roundabout en-route, until you reach Oak Villa Farm on your right hand side. Take this private road towards the farm and head towards the stile on the top right hand corner of the farmyard.

The track takes a left hand bend and immediately you’ll see a green bridge on the right. Ignore the bridge and carry on right down that track for 700

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Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear while walking. While 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.

yards. Straight ahead, the trees of Bedford Moss and its single wind turbine will increasingly loom into view, and you may spot the odd low flying aircraft coming into land at Barton Aerodrome. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve passed though Hills Farm and Gregory Butts on the way, until you meet a single track road (Moss Road). Turn right and follow the arrow straight road for 650 yards until you reach a public footpath sign on a left hand bend. Turn right off the road, along this path.

Navigate your way round two tree trunks and then cross the bridge over the brook. Follow the clearly marked path for 100 yards and then take a left turn across a field. Bear in mind that the field also hosts clay pigeon shooting every fortnight on Sundays so make sure you have any dogs on leads at this point. Once you have crossed the field, turn right and follow the single track for 600 yards. On the way youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll pass the site of Astley Car Boot and a sand quarry. The track will split into three, but follow

44 the right hand track until you arrive at Morley’s Hall, a Grade 2 listed building surrounded by an ancient moat. Bear right round the moat and cross the private road, hop over two successive stiles and you’ll arrive at a compound centred around Morley’s Bridge, which carries the East Lancs traffic over the canal. Keep to the right and you’ll come to the canal bank.

Turn right along the canal bank and follow the towpath for ¾ mile. Look out for some moto cross action at Astley Raceway on the right and, further along on the left, you can enjoy some fine views of Bolton, stretching up to Winter Hill. Once you see the pit shaft at Astley Green once more, turn off the canal just before the bridge, turn left and cross the bridge and walk 500 yards until you see the starting point of Ellesmere Street on the right. Footnote: Have you got the OS Maps app on your phone? This walk is filed under JT Astley Green.

Mining Museum In the heart of Astley Green stands the Colliery Museum which occupies some fifteen acres of the old colliery site. The colliery began its life in 1908 to exploit coal reserves in the south Lancashire Coalfield and closed in 1970. The museum houses Lancashire’s only surviving headgear and engine house, both of which now have scheduled monument status. Apart from the steam winding engine and headgear the museum houses many exhibits, not least of which is the collection of 28 colliery locomotives, the largest collection of its type in the UK. The museum is now run and maintained, on behalf of the community, by the Red Rose Steam Society Limited, a registered charity based in Lancashire. Opening hours are 1pm-5pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. For further information, please visit the website www.lancashireminingmuseum.org

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Test Drive

Toyota

Prius

et’s get one thing answered – the new 2017 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is not exciting, okay? But, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car. This is one very ingenious machine, with some awesome features – the most outstanding being the solar panel roof that can place just enough ‘go’ into the Toyota’s drive battery for an extra few free miles every day. The Prius PHV - as it’s abbreviated to - also has a refreshed electric powertrain. A large 8.8kWh lithium ion battery is housed under the floor of the Toyota’s boot, together with a hi-tech electrical arrangement to move clout through it. This works well and provides, what is essentially a fourth-generation Prius, some worthwhile shove,

Plug-in Hybrid

by Tim Barnes-Clay

especially as the car also has a twin motor hybrid powertrain. This raises pure electric power from 72PS to 103PS. All this gives the Toyota five-door hatch a maximum speed of 84mph when driven in

47 unadulterated electric mode. Mind you, you can only get away with this form of propulsion for so long – the electric range is 39 miles, but expect 2025 miles real-world. The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid also has a 1.8 petrol engine, and along with the electric wizardry, 122PS is produced – giving a zero to 62mph time of 11.1sec and a maximum speed of 101mph. Hardly exciting, as I said earlier – but it’s not abysmal performance, either. More importantly, the Prius PHV breaths out a tiny 22g/km of CO2 and it’s possible to get 283mpg out of the car. No, that’s not a typo – that’s the claimed figure. Of course, reality doesn’t always match up to what we’re told, and on a long motorway stretch, I only managed to get 59mpg – but then I did have my foot down – and hardly used electric mode. Instead, I mucked around with the ‘Normal’ ‘Eco’ and ‘Power’ settings, seeing what difference they made to the car. It’s difficult to tell much difference between ‘Eco’ and ‘Normal’ – but the ‘Power’ mode does give you a bit of a push in the back – and a lot more noise – reminiscent of a slightly unhinged vacuum cleaner. Anyway, away from the tech and figures, the new Prius PHV is similar to the normal Prius – apart from a couple of things. Unlike the regular model, it’s only got two seats in the rear – so it’s a strict fourseater - and the boot is smaller. This is all due to the bigger, newer battery. Oh, and I nearly forgot - there is one other notable way of telling the PHV apart from the usual Prius: its rear lights are horizontal, not vertical. I think it looks better this way. On the move, the car is hushed, due to extra sounddeadening materials, and, when I did venture off the motorway onto Spanish rural routes, the Prius handled corners with barely any lean at all. This is down to retuned suspension springs and dampers. However, the tauter set-up means the car does bang and crash over potholes. Yet, back on smooth surfaces, the Toyota feels refined and, when using electric-only mode, I found the car almost silent. Only the whoosh of wind and tyre rumble disturbs the otherwise library-like calm in the cabin. Once I’d stopped hooning the PHV and started

using the electric settings, I achieved a hybridmode fuel economy figure of 69mpg – which is better than many Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) will do. Alas, that’s only a tiny fraction – probably about 5mpg - better than you’d eke from a run-of-the-mill Prius. It’s also hard to recommend this car over the regular Prius – due to its strict fourseater configuration and its shallower boot.

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“And...

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omething rather exciting happened in my garden last month. I’m not referring to the Delphiniums which came into flower – those wondrous perennials with tall flower spikes of pale blue and white. Nor am I talking about the Paeonies with their blousy white petals flushed with pink. No, as exciting as these events were, I am in fact referring to a visit by a BBC producer! I received a call from the BBC in London who had found my garden under the National Garden Scheme website, and were looking for a garden to film in the North West. There is a programme called Garden Rescue, where Charlie Dimmock (remember her from Ground Force?) goes up against the Rich brothers (Chelsea Flower Show medal winners) to design a garden for someone who needs help with creating a new garden on a theme. Throughout the programme, snippets are thrown in from completed gardens which demonstrate the particular theme for that programme. The trend they were looking for from my garden was contemporary cottage garden. The producer (Dean) was extremely nice and put me at my ease as we chatted and he set up his camera for an interview with me, before spending three hours filming in the garden. The VT (that’s video

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.

tape to me and you) would be condensed down into four minutes for the show. Dean explained how he would have to stop when his sound mike picked up anything untoward. It was quite a challenge for the poor lad filming in Hindley Green with planes going to and from Manchester airport, dogs barking, lawn mowers whirring and Hubby who kept asking if anyone wanted a cup of tea. The show was due to be aired on BBC 1 at the end of May/early June so when you read this I might already be a television star. (ha ha). It was a brilliant experience – and if you want to take a peek at the garden yourself, please come along to the garden open day on Sunday 25th June, between 11.00am and 4pm. Entry is £3.50 and all proceeds go to cancer charities. PS. They really do shout “and ….action” !

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Mossy Lea Road

Call Clare: 01925 387 025 - Warrington 01744 649 722 - St Helens

...and general Don’t forget, we also offer all of these services daily...

Dennis Goulding A49

LocalLife

Heat Pumps

LED Lighting

with and listening to our customers to give them exactly what they want. We will treat you with respect every step of the way and on that you have my word! Stuart Goulding

Energy Glass Cut to size, Sealed Double Glazed Units Manufactured on site, Savings Same Day Service, Safety Glass, Toughened Glass, Mirrors, Greenhouse Glass, Glazing Service, Misted Units Replaced

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Book Unit 16, Ainscough Business Park, Mossy Lea Road, Wrightington, WN6FREE 9RS your home survey VICING SER Telephone: 01257 000 and we’ll VAN provide 427 toowith you a cycles CAR & detailed motorreport showing the (Drive onto ‘Ainscough Building Supplies’)

Open Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm; Saturday: 9:00am - 12:00 noon

...andreturns available

from your www.dglwindows.co.uk

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Unit 4a, Cricket Street Business Park off Miry Lane, Wigan.

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Slash your electricity and water heating bill

Protect your household from future energy price rises ReduceE your household’s impact on the environment

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embraced the latest changes in energy efficiency regulations, and still remain a local family business that cares and takes pride in what we do. We don’t employ pushy salesmen, but pride ourselves on working

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01744 649 722

Wind Turbines

money is the clear beneﬁt!

Solar Thermal & Solar PV

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Established in 1984 as an emergency glazing service, today Dennis Goulding has grown and moved forward to offer all you need to maintain, enhance and expand your home. We continually invest in and

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603923

DING & WEL

Mark Mitchell

Stained Glass & Leaded Lights • Traditional Leaded Lights & Stained Glass • Manufactured & Repaired • New Commissions • On-Site Repairs • 25 Years Experience Unit 15, Chalon Way Industrial Estate, St Helens, WA10 1AU Tel: 0151 426 2814 Mob: 07711 841735 www.markmitchellstainedglass.co.uk

locallife247.co.uk

LocalLife

01744 602931 or 07756 274503

7 Albany Avenue, Eccleston Park, L34 2QN

Specialists in boiler installations, repair & maintenance All work fully warranted

Book a boiler health check for £65

& get a carbon monoxide alarm (RRP £29) FREE!

Call the team on

Email ops@hotmail.co.uk

01744 892437

S. Taylor Decorators

All aspects of decorating undertaken

Call Scott on 01942 209 031 / 07713 912764 18 Station Road, Garswood, WN4 0SA

MARDEC Painters & Decorators

Internal and external work Domestic or commercial jobs welcomed Free inspirational advice & quotes No job too small Established 1992

01744 894 431 07931 282 896

Transform your home with a brand new driveway Resin Driveways

Summer

Savings Now On! Save The VAT!

Made in Lancashire Established over 25 years

Tarmac Driveways

J.P.Surfacing jp-surfacing.co.uk

42, Seymour Road, Astley Bridge, Bolton, BL1 8PT

01204 590 499

M H Roofing

Established over 15 years Friendly advice and competitive rates No job too small

• High Performance Felt Flat Roof Systems • Storm Damage and Insurance Work • Slating and Tiling full roofs • Poiniting and Guttering • Fascia Boards

Call 01744 884117 or 07702 693225

Fully Insured & Insurance Backed Guarantees

www.mhroofingltd.co.uk

NEED A FIX IT GUY ?

MultiSkilled Handyman Roofing & Roofline- repairs and replacement Decorating, Building, Gates supplied & fitted Plastering, Gardening For all your home improvements - No job too small

All aspects of DIY • Plumbing Repairs • Flat Pack Assembly • Landlord & estate agent services • CCTV fitting • Locks changing

All the jobs you hate - We’ll do!

PlC MAINTENANCE

Fully Insured

07847 394040 ~ 01744 606938

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