Local Life - Wigan - June 2017 by Local Life 247 Ltd

LocalLife Wigan Edition

June 2017

A matter of life

& death Jack’s Tracks visits Astley Green Local News Motoring Jack’s Tracks Garden Diary Event2Go Home Services locallife247.co.uk

Photo by David Sudworth

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Healthy

debate

or those of us who are now closer to retirement than our 21st birthday, our report on page 31 makes for illuminating, if not slightly disturbing, reading. The difficulty with the NHS is that it is, and always has been, a political football. So it is almost always a zero sum game, with more heat than light. That’s why, on a national level, there is a fundamental misunderstanding about the NHS. First, the term National Health Service is slightly misleading. While there is a general, over-arching theme across the UK, the system is fragmented. Each area has its own NHS Trust, not to mention Clinical Commission Group and other assorted bodies which make up the NHS. This is why postcode lotteries occur. Another reason is that the whole debate surrounding the NHS is viewed through the prism of life at the time of its birth in the 1940s. The world has moved on massively in the intervening years. Simply calling for more doctors and nurses is not enough. The service needs to evolve to take into account the health needs of people in 2017 Britain. Back in the 1940s, dementia was hardly on the agenda. Why? Because people didn’t really live long enough to develop the condition. They’d usually succumb to diseases which have either since been eradicated, or can be controlled by modern medicine. Wigan’s Dr Martin Farrier is to be congratulated for raising this pressing issue. The parties vying for your vote on June 8 would do well to listen.

Chris Pearce - Publisher chrisp@locallife247.co.uk

In this issue A matter of life

& death

Regulars 44 Class From The Past 78 Garden Diary 48 Puzzle Corner 82 Test Drive 55 Events2Go 98 The Lump

Sections 31 Is it stress

or anxiety?

6 Property 11 Local News 50 Health 62 Legal & Finance 64 Business View

68 Food & Drink 77 Pets 78 Gardening 86 Home Services

Next issue - July 2017

Advertising deadline - Thursday, 8 June

50 Dishing up family

food love

68 Jackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tracks visits

Astley Green

74 Test Drive

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid 82 locallifemagazine247

Published - Thursday, 22 June

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

Telephone: 01695 627 999 Publisher: Chris chrisp@locallife247.co.uk Sales: Chris, Sally sales@locallife247.co.uk Editorial: David wigannews@locallife247.co.uk Design: Peter, Dylan 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 13,039 private homes and businesses in Standish, Shevington, Whitley, Appley Bridge, Standish Lower Ground, Aspull and Haigh. The next issue is delivered to 13,034 private homes and businesses in Orrell, Billinge, Winstanley, Up Holland, Highfield, Marus Bridge, Roby Mill and Pemberton. You can also pick up a free copy of Local Life at Sainsburys or Tesco Extra in Wigan. 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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More consultation on Rec A majority of Standish residents want changes at The Rec. That’s the verdict of a public consultation on options for the future of the public open space at Southlands Avenue. According to Standish Voice, which undertook the consultation, 83% of those who responded wanted something done about The Rec. The breakdown is as follows: A park with a small car park (60%); a park only (23%) and leave it as it is (17%). The next stage of the consultation is asking the public what specific changes they would like. A spokesman said: “This is an opportunity to have

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your say on how the Rec can be improved. We particularly want young people to have a say in what kind of park and play facilities should be provided on The Rec, so if you represent young people, it is important to ask their opinions too. Any policy to improve The Rec in Standish Neighbourhood Plan will go out for further consultation when the whole draft plan is published. This is due to be made public in summer.” Please email your suggestions until the end of May to standishplanconsultation@gmail.com

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

Wigan •

Mark Clayton (Lib Dems)

•

Lisa Nandy (Labour)

The poll, which takes place on Thursday June 8, will see several candidates across the Wigan and West Lancashire constituencies vying for votes.

•

Will Patterson (Green)

•

Nathan Ryding (UKIP)

•

Alex Williams (Conservative)

In Wigan, Lisa Nandy is hoping to make it three election victories in a row for Labour, having held the seat since Neil Turner’s departure in 2010.

West Lancashire

In West Lancs, incumbent Rosie Cooper is hoping to go one better with a fourth victory since she took over from Colin Pickthall in 2005. The full list of candidates standing in each seat has now been confirmed and are as follows:

•

Jo Barton (Lib Dems)

•

David Braid (War Veterans Pro-Traditional Family Party)

•

Rosie Cooper (Labour)

•

Sam Currie (Conservatives)

•

Nate Higgins (Green)

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Haigh, it’s showtime! This year’s Haigh Show is back on for horse competitors - although the venue has changed. Organisers have been able to secure space at Leisure Lakes, The Gravel, near Tarleton for the August 20 event. It comes after a decision was taken not to use the usual Windmill Field location this year due to ground issues sustained at last year’s show. A spokesman said: “As many people involved in last year’s show will attest, the wet weather immediately before the show was unrelenting and show weekend activities resulted in considerable ground damage. It is the committee and landowners view that both

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the Windmill and adjacent car parking fields will not have recovered sufficiently to withstand the rigours of this years show. The Haigh Show Horse Section will be holding its competitive classes at Leisure Lakes for this year only. “This promises to be a wonderful day for all the family. We would be delighted to see as many people as possible come out to support the show and celebrate the excellent quality of our horse section.” For more Haighshow

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All change at bus station Wigan’s new bus station should be open by 2018. That’s the message from transport bosses who are

hoping that work will start on the new facility this summer. It will replace the current station, which was built in 1987. Transport for Greater Manchester says that all bus services will be maintained during the construction of the new bus station. TfGM is working with Wigan Council to organise temporary arrangements for bus services that minimise the disruption to passengers, town centre traffic and bus operators throughout the construction period.

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A spokesman added: “We will offer alternative solutions to people travelling in the area, for example locating temporary stops within the town centre and advising passengers of other existing route stops where possible.”

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 you’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 email us at wigannews@locallife247.co.uk

Join the chain gang Wigan bike enthusiasts - including those with vintage or unusual bicycles - are invited to get pedaling this coming May Bank Holiday weekend. The one-day CycleFest takes place in Croston - and local cyclists are invited to show off their bikes on a short route through the picturesque village. Organisers Damian Fearon and Jon Back said: “We’re celebrating the history of cycling. The mini festival is a way to get the message out there that it’s not all about lycra and cycling 100 miles. Cycling is a sport that families and all ages can participate in for very little cost.” The cycle parade starts at 2pm on Sunday, May 28, with a barbecue and craft ales running alongside in the pop-up bike village at Twin Lakes Velo Cafe In Croston. Full details and how to sign up for the parade can be found on the cafe’s Facebook page.

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Badges of honour Three young boys have helped their cub scout group commemorate a special anniversary. Corey Coggins, James Lowe and William LoweI all designed a new, occasional badge to mark 60 years of 1st Standish Scout Group. The boys came top in a competition which had 30 entries. Katy Warriner, cub scout leader, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The competition was blind judged by ex leaders of the group. Three designs were chosen as all have elements the judges loved and these designs were combined to produce the badge we will all be wearing for the next year. 1st Standish Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers

meet at Standish Methodist Church every Monday in term time. For more information, email standishcubs@gmail.com or call 07544044258 .

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Zak’s beaming with Pride A co-founder of Wigan’s Pride Festival has told of his anguish at admitting his sexuality to his family. Zak Bretherton says the experience changed him for the better - and he’s since gone on to help others. He came out as gay to his family by writing a letter to his mum Cheryl, 45. In it, he told how he was being bullied at school for his sexuality and how he hoped his family would not reject him for who he was. Once written, the then teenager set out on his Saturday job, fitting kitchens with his joiner dad Ted, leaving the life-changing letter at home.

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21 At work he texted his mum asking her to read it and waited anxiously for her reply. “It was overwhelming to have that release,” said Zak now aged 22. “It was the best thing I’ve ever done. All the difficulties I had beforehand and the anxiety and all the worry just went away.” Mum Cheryl said: “I was heartbroken to read that he was going to run away, that he thought he could be rejected or bring shame on the family. “We just cried. The fact that nothing was said before. We just got this letter out of the blue and we didn’t know anything about the bullying. I just wish he’d done it years ago. He’s now a lot happier. He’s more confident and smiling more. He’s always been very loving but it just shines through now.”

His father Ted, 55, admits it took him a little longer then Cheryl to be comfortable with his son’s sexuality: “I did find it a bit of a struggle at first but I’m pleased he’s come out and I accept who he is. I’m very, very proud of him.” For Zak, coming out sparked the beginning of a new happy chapter in his life. It also spurred him on to help others in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) community who may not have a supportive family network like him. Zak became the co-founder of a successful support group, BYOU+, for people aged 18 and over in Wigan and Leigh and is also co-founder of Wigan Pride - the annual celebration day which is returning to Wigan for its second year in August. For more on BYOU+ visit: www.byoupluswigan.com

Kids are the business! Move over Richard Branson - the pupils at St Joseph’s in Wrightington are on your tail! They took part in an Enterprise week recently organised by parent volunteer Louise Cherry. The event was run to educate children on how to exceed in business by learning about areas such as finance, project management, sales and advertising. With guest speakers including Hepplestone Art Gallery located at Heskin Hall, and activities such as making TV commercials, the pupils had a busy week. The event also had an arts and craft theme with the end goal seeing the children organise and run an art exhibition and craft fair, with all goods being made by the children themselves.

Louise said: “Helping the children to understand the business world has been a worthwhile and rewarding challenge. We could have just inspired the next Richard Branson or Pablo Picasso!”

Raise your profile Community groups are being offered the chance to raise their profile in Wigan town centre. Wigan Rotary’s 2017 Community Day is being held on Saturday, July 8. The annual event is a free opportunity to raise the profile of the community group or charity you’re involved with. Groups can raise funds, recruit new members and volunteers, provide information and advice or sell merchandise on the day. The Rotary Club has obtained the necessary licences for community groups and charities. Groups will be allocated a nine foot frontage for the day. To book a stall there will be a £10 refundable cheque deposit (made payable to the Rotary Club of Wigan) which needs to be sent to Rotary Club of Wigan, 18 Spencer Road West, Wigan WN6 7HP. Any queries ring Mervyn Revees on 01942 242950 or email him at mervyn.reeves@blueyonder.co.uk

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Animal attraction A rare exhibition of ancient Egyptian animals is being held in Wigan. The Museum of Wigan Life is just the fourth museum in the UK to play host to a prestigious exhibition produced by Manchester Museum. Animal Mummies Uncovered offers a fascinating insight into the world of Ancient Egyptian animal mummification. This myth-busting experience features original cat, crocodile, bird and jackal mummies and applies cutting edge technology such as ultrasounds and 3D printing to help visualise the contents inside. Only Manchester Museum, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and World Museum Liverpool have hosted this touring exhibition. Lynda Jackson, community history manager at the museum said: “The items on display will detail why animals were so important to ancient Egyptians as a link between the human and spiritual world, how animal mummies were discovered and the different techniques used to excavate, display and research this fascinating topic.” The free exhibition runs until January 13. For more information visit wigan.gov.uk/museum, call 01942 828128 or email wiganmuseum@wigan.gov.uk

Bus changes

Bank axed

Changes have been made to the Hindley Local Link

Lloyds bank has closed its Standish branch. The

service, which covers part of Aspull. The service now extends to the Coupland Road area of Hindley Green. However, due to low demand, the service will no longer make trips to Wigan town centre. Transport bosses say the changes were in response to requests from local residents. Hindley Local Link now covers the areas of Ince, Platt Bridge, Aspull, Pennington Green, Castle Hill, Leyland Park and Hindley Green.

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The Hindley branch closed a couple of days previously, and bosses have now confirmed that another Wigan borough branch, in Tyldesley, will also be axed on August 3. A spokesman for Lloyds said: “We have made the difficult decision to close this branch because of the changing way customers choose to bank with us, which has resulted in customers using it less often. Customers can continue to use any other Lloyds branch”

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Deputy Editor Wanted We are looking for a journalist trained to NCTJ/degree standard who is ambitious, hard-working and has a passion for local news and events. The role will include: • Sourcing and writing local news stories and events • Sourcing unique content for our social media channels • Deputising for the Editor in his absence The role would suit a recently qualified graduate who wants to make their mark in the local area.

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A matter of life

& death

Change is desperately needed to cope with the demands of Wigan’s ageing population. David Sudworth reports...

avid Bowie, George Michael, Muhammed Ali, Terry Wogan, Ronnie Corbett, Paul Daniels, Gene Wilder. It’s widely agreed that The Grim Reaper was exceptionally busy in 2016. Or was he? For one Wigan medical consultant, the reaction demonstrated how much society has almost forgotten how to deal with mortality. “We have lived through a time where death was distant. It is no longer distant. And Wigan is at the vanguard of this change. You can see it in the figures.” Dr Martin Farrier is a consultant paediatrician at Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh NHS Foundation Trust. He also analyses death rates at the Trust’s hospitals. And recent trends have led him to warn that unless action is taken soon, we are “sleepwalking into a disaster.”

32 For a while now, the number of hospital deaths in Wigan had been increasing. It reached a tipping point last summer when the number of deaths almost doubled year-on-year, and were the highest for 10 years. Perversely, this has come at a time when hospital admission figures have been historically low. So the figures, as a percentage, have become massively skewed. “Looking at those figures, it was just weird,” said Dr Farrier. “The reason is partly to do with ‘brain failure’. As social care collapses, we are seeing a flood of older people coming into hospital. But they don’t need acute care, which is what hospitals are geared up to delivering, they actually need human care.” Once in, there average stay is up to seven days. Two to three month stays do happen, but are rare and anything over six months prompts “lots of gnashing of teeth”.

“Baby boomers are dying and there’s a lot of us” The seeds for today’s problems were sown a long time ago. Over the years, the medical profession has been increasingly successful in treating diseases. This prolonged life to a certain point. Few people with diseases ever reached the age where ‘brain failure’ ever took hold. But because life expectancy has continued to rise, people with heart/lung/kidney problems are also developing dementia. It’s a bittersweet irony that advances in medicine have dealt with one issue, only to inadvertently create another problem. “And it hits places like Wigan - poor northern towns - first,” says Dr Farrier. “Generally, if you are loaded you live longer. But it will get to places like Bournemouth eventually. “The only places it won’t really affect are cities like Salford. That’s because they are generally populated by younger people. Those same young people move to towns like Wigan in their 40s, so you see how it become an issue. “We are reaching the end of the low mortality rates from increased life span. It had to arrive, but it goes on for a long time. Baby boomers all have to die - and there are are a lot of us.

33 “Rates won’t fall again until that has happened, and that could take up to 35 years. The dominant death issue is brain failure not heart, kidney, liver or lung failure. And we don’t have any treatments for brain failure.” Because of increased lifespans, Dr Farrier believes that family units have, to a degree, lost the art of selfsufficiency when it comes to dealing with death. “We have stopped being used to people dying. In the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s, people would die at home. And they’d be laid out in the front room, curtains half closed and so on. That was just what happened. And yet it now feels like a tale from a bygone age. Most people don’t want to die in a hospital, but actually, most people do Unless we plan ahead, we can’t make those choices. “When we leave them unsaid and unplanned, the reality is that we end up receiving acute healthcare. It’s not what we wanted, and it’s not what society can afford. “We need society to understand that planning for death is not about failure of medicine or a morbid preoccupation. “Planning ahead needs to become a social norm.” For Wigan’s health professionals, the challenge now is to either try to enact social change - the way we deal with illness and death - or change the system to essentially “industrialise” human care. Therein lies a multitude of issues. Over the years, there have been numerous campaigns to dissuade people from using Accident & Emergency unless it was absolutely necessary. These have had mixed results but, for many, it remains the default place to go. In the absence of a large-scale shift in societal behaviour, the only option would be to create services which would provide the appropriate human care. “We recognise that too many people arrive in A&E. Turning them away is not helpful however. They

chose to arrive, and they still have a problem no matter where we send them. “It would be easier to set up facilities to manage the people who arrive, and direct them to the one they need, such as an Acute Healthcare Village. “It means that we would have a range of services on site including some GPs and out-of-hours GP services. It’s just easier for everyone, and we can send people to the right service without sending them away. It’s probably more efficient too.

“Planning for death is not about failure” “In order to work with other services in Wigan, we need to link up healthcare records. We now have electronic healthcare records at the hospital and so do many GPs. Better information will support better decisions. We should work to make sharing a normal process.” Another thorny issue is how would it be paid for. Dr Farrier believes it’s only a matter of time before the issue of taxation will have to be addresses. “If you look at the statistics, the current ratio is 0.5 dependents to every one independent. That is due to go up to 0.75 and eventually could go to 1. That is scary. Sooner or later, taxes would have to go up.” Any reconfiguration of services would however

34 present an opportunity to deal with the NHS’s own staffing issues. “Our workforce is ageing and we have valued doctors and nurses working with us until they are older. “We need to have jobs that adapt to them too. Their posts may well fit into the development we need in supporting new types of care facilities. “ Dr Farrier has now presented his findings to hospital bosses, but believes the Government also has to get a grip of the situation. “The Government has put it all in their ‘Too Difficult To Deal With’ box. “People are broadly aware that there’s a problem with social care but it’s fairly broad brush. This is the detail. “I want to wake people up to the changing healthcare needs of our society. We are sleepwalking into a disaster. Planning care for the frail elderly is crucial, but it shouldn’t include hospitals very much, if at all. One of the dilemmas is the understanding of the word ‘frail’. People often think I mean their granny who is a bit wobbly when she comes around for Sunday lunch. I don’t. I mean patients who have

many illnesses, don’t know where they are, can’t care for themselves, may be bed-bound or, worse, may be mobile but ‘wandersome’. Over the next 10 years, we can see that funding of the NHS will not meet the needs of an aging population. At present, social issues cause the occupation of much of the facilities of our hospital.

“In the ‘Too Difficult To Deal With’ box” “In the past, we have been good at starting treatments, but there was never really a plan as to when to stop the treatments. As a result, many elderly patients end up on lots of medicines, some of which are no longer helpful to them, and occasionally may even be harmful. Preventative care for elderly patients may be as much about stopping treatments as it is about starting them.”

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Planning Matters Aspull 1 Caldford Close: Plan to extend dwellinghouse

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Tel: 01942 386 140

single storey to side (ref: A/17/83956/HH). 1 Dukes Row : Plan to extend dwellinghouse single storey to rear (ref: A/17/84004/HH). Shevington 101 Coach House Drive: Proposal to retain amateur radio HF operation (ref: A/17/83967/HHRET). Standish 59 Pepper Lane: Proposal to extend garage to rear to be used as granny flat (ref: A/17/83894/HH). The Lychgate Tavern, 5 Church Street: Proposal to extend Public House single storey to front (ref: A/17/83944/FULL). For more information on these and other planning applications, visit www.wigan.gov.uk

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Rounders players

Flood repairs boost

A newly-formed sports club is looking for women

Roads and tunnels damaged by Storm Eva will be

players. Orrell and Winstanley Rounders Club meets on Wednesdays, 7pm-8pm, at Winstanley College, Winstanley Road. The cost is £2 a week and it’s available for girls and women from the ages of 14 and upwards. There’s no need to book - simply turn up and play. For more information, email a.leyland@ wlct.org or call 01942 828420.

repaired.Wigan Council has received £857,000 from the Department of Transport. It follows works which have already been carried out at Crooke village, at Yellow Brook and St Elizabeth’s Road, Aspull.

New members Parbold, Newburgh & District U3A is looking for new members. It meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 1.30pm-3.30pm at the Scout Hut on Parbold Hill. Contact 01257 400254.

Make new friends Trinity Luncheon, Club on Milton Grove, is looking for new members to join them on Wednesdays. The club starts at 11.30am, with tea or coffee on arrival then a two course lunch around noon. After lunch members play bingo or dominoes while enjoying another hot drink. The cost is £4.50. For more information, call Peter Rowe on 01942 571409.

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20% improvements fees Locals wanting to make significant home improvements are set to be hit in the pocket. Wigan Council now has the power to increase planning fees by an inflation-busting 20% from this July. This would hit homeowners wanting to undertake projects such as extensions and porches over a certain size. It comes after the Government offered local councils the power to raise fees. However, this is under the strict condition that any additional income from the fee hike would only be able to be used for planning services. A report into Wigan Council’s decision states: “This will allow the council to invest in its planning service

and enable it to process applications in a timelier manner and to improve services. “The alternative option is to freeze planning fees. This would mean that the planning service would have to deal with the expected increase in planning applications without any investment. This would put pressure on a service that, like the rest of the council, has endured funding cuts of 40% since 2010.” A Wigan Council spokeswoman told Local Life: “The 20% increase is expected to come into force nationally on July 1. We won’t know details and exemptions until we get more information from the government but expect it will be across the board for the type of developments where fees are charged. At the moment we only charge for planning applications.”

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Class from the past

This month’s Class from the Past is from St David’s, Haigh. It’s believed this photo was taken in the 1950s. Maybe you can spot a familiar face?

Remember, if you have a photo you’d be willing to share, contact us today by emailing wigannews@ locallife247.co.uk

Bin collection changes Plans to suspend green bin collections over winter have been scrapped. Wigan Council had considered not undertaking garden and food waste collections between November and March, but public outcry saw them shelve the idea. However, from Monday, September 25, blue, brown and black bin collections will only take place every three weeks. Green waste collections will remain at fortnightly intervals.

Neighbouring council West Lancashire’s controversial green bin charging scheme goes live on June 5. From that date, householders will have to pay an extra £30 per year, per bin. Any additional bins cost £25 each. Payments can be made as of April 19. The council says it will deliver a leaflet to every household in the borough, giving information about how to sign up and pay, and further details of the service. Information is also provided on the website at www.westlancs.gov.uk/gardenwaste

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Everyone’s a winner! These are the latest lucky Local Life readers to have won a prize in our recent competitions. Alden Brandon, of Hartley Green Gardens, Billinge, and Kathryn Hewitt, of Runshaw Avenue, Appley Bridge, were thrilled when their names were picked out of the hat in the GreenThumb lawn care competition. They’re pictured above being congratulated by Ian Johnson, of GreenThumb. Steve Halliwell, of Lincoln Drive, Aspull; Pam Harrison, of Lower Lyndon Avenue, Shevington, (both pictured), and Joyce Dennis, of Walkden Avenue East, won copies of Frank Orrell’s book Just One More following our interview with him in the last ediition. And congratulations to Katherine Ackerley, of Arbour Lane, Standish, (below left) who won a £25 Marks & Spencer gift voucher in our distribution survey draw. If you get Local Life through the letterbox at home, you too can register for this free draw. We’ll email you a survey every couple of months to check on our distribution team; the survey takes just 20 seconds. To register for the free draw visit http://locallife247. co.uk/free-stuff/prize-draw/

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LOGIC PROBLEMS Can you work out which stock was bought for which client, how much the share price was and which market sector it was in? CLUES 1. The person who bought JMO stock was not in the energy sector 2. The PSTO stock that was sold for £50 3. QMZ was in the health sector 4. Chrissie bought £25 of JMO stock 5. Mark bought stock in the energy sector

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Puzzle Corner

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.

51 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. 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

How to spot anxiety 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. 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. However, excessive anxiety - or generalised anxiety disorder - where you worry disproportionately

52 and often without an obvious trigger, can severely disrupt day-to-day life. 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 they’re linked 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.

WELLBEING NEWS 62% of UK adults not aware lack of exercise increase bowel cancer risk It’s among the most common forms of cancer, but it seems lots of us aren’t fully clued up about bowel cancer risk factors. More than half (62%) of UK adults did not know that a lack of regular physical activity is associated with an increased risk of the disease, a new poll by the charity has revealed. But research shows that 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity - such as brisk walking or cycling - a week, can cut your risk by as much as 12%. Bowel Cancer UK’s now launched a new fundraising challenge, Step Up For 30, challenging people to do 30-minutes of exercise every day in June (in reference to the fact that, every 30 minutes, somebody dies from the disease). To sign up or find out more, visit bowelcanceruk.org.uk/stepupfor30

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Willy Russell: Another Aspect

Family History & WW1

Tuesday, May 9 – Saturday, Sept 2, 9am – 5pm

Thursday, June 8, 2.30pm – 4pm

Following his successful exhibition in Kirkby Gallery in 2015, Willy Russell is returning this time to show an entirely new side to his creative portfolio.

If you have an ancestor involved in the First World War and want to find out more, this is the workshop for you. Booking is required.

The Kirkby Centre, Norwich Way, Kirkby, Knowsley, L32 8XY. Contact: tina.ball@knowsley.gov.uk

Museum of Wigan Life, 41 Library St, Wigan WN1 1NU. Contact: 01942 828128

Downy Duckling Week

Worm Charming Day

Saturday, May 27 – Sunday, June 4, 11am – 4pm

Saturday, June 10, 11am

See the whole egg-to-duckling process, watch chipping eggs in anticipation and meet newly hatched ducklings and more.

Come and have a try at worm charming! There will also be entertainment and a variety of stalls.

WWT Martin Mere, Fish Lane, Burscough, L40 0TA. Contact: 01704 895181.

St Elizabeth’s Vicarage, Bolton Road, Aspull, Wigan, WN2 1PR. Contact: committee@ friendsofhaighcountrypark.co.uk

The Importance of Being Earnest

Pink Floydian

Wednesday, May 31 – Saturday, June 10, 7.30pm

Saturday, June 10, 7.30pm – 11.30pm

A legendary masterpiece of comedy, romance and Victorian manners written by Oscar Wilde and directed by Collette Kerwin.

Pink Floydian return to The Old Courts with a reputation as one of the best Pink Floyd tributes in the UK. Tickets available on the door £12.

Wigan Little Theatre, Crompton Street, Wigan, WN1 3SL. Contact: 01942 242561.

The Old Courts, Crawford Street, Wigan, WN1 1NA. Contact: 01942 410499.

Food & Drink Festival

Last Night at the Proms

Saturday, June 3, 10am – 4pm

Saturday, June 10, 7.30pm

Live music, entertainers, dance classes, magicians, free crafty corner and face painting plus lots of merriment - something for all the family to enjoy.

The Rotary Club of Wigan presents ‘The Last Night at the Proms at the Mill’. This is a seated concert and tickets priced £10 are available online.

Town Hall, Blackburn Road, Accrington, BB5 1LA. Contact: craftyvintage.com

Trencherfield Mill, Wallgate, Wigan WN3 4BF. Contact: www.ticketsource.co.uk/alra

Open Farm

The Big Lunch

Sunday, June 11, 10am – 2pm

Sunday, June 18, 10am – 2pm

Celebrate food and farming, and get up close with your favourite residents.

Greenslate community farm are inviting the whole community to come along and try their hand at making pizzas and cakes for others!

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

Fashion Show Monday, June 12, 7pm Barbara’s of Standish are holding a fashion show. Drinks on arrival. Tickets are £10.00 Tunley United Reformed Church, Mossy Lea Road, Wrightington WN6 9RW. Contact: 01257 425330 or 463407 or 426252

Haigh Fest Rewind Saturday, June 17, 11.30am – 7pm The return of one of Wigan’s most popular music events. Six carefully selected bands will each play a 45 minute set. Tickets cost £4.99 available in advance or on the day, parking will be limited. Haigh Hall Country Park, School Ln, Wigan WN2 1PE. Contact: boxoffice.wlct.org

Appy Days: Connecting Carers Wednesday, June 21 and July 12, 1pm – 3pm A free session to help people get to grips with using their tablets and mobiles. Booking is not needed. Wigan and Leigh Carers Centre, 7 Fredrick street, Hindley, Wigan, WN2 3BD. Contact: wigan.gov.uk

Fashion Show Friday, June 16, 7.30pm

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

St. Teresa’s School Fair Saturday, June 24, 12.30pm St. Teresa’s are holding their annual summer fair with a variety of stalls and entertainment. St Teresa’s School, 23 College Road, Up Holland, WN8 0PY. Contact: bursar@st-teresas-upholland. lancs.sch.uk

Melodies of Stage & Screen Saturday, June 24, 7.15pm Staring Bolton Cancer Voices with special guests Affectside Choir and Salford Symphony Orchestra. Victoria Hall, Knowsley Street, Bolton, BL1 2AS. Contact: 01204 522569

Summer Fair Saturday, June 24, Noon – 3pm Entrance to the event is 50p for adults and children go free. There will be lots of activities for all ages. All Saints C of E Primary School, Finch Ln, Appley Bridge, WN6 9DT. Contact: 07825 371461 (Jenny)

Parbold & Newburgh U3A Tuesday, June 27, 1.30pm – 3.30pm

Tickets (£4 each) are available from The Hoot (open Wednesday to Sunday), Mrs Lyon’s Tearoom (open

This month’s speaker is Dennis Moore with his talk entitled ‘Laughter is the Best Medicine’. U3A annual membership costs £13.50, with something for

Tuesday to Sunday), the Friends of Standish Library.

everyone, such as art, theatre trips and walking.

Unity Club, 2 Cross Street, Standish, WN6 0HQ. Email: standishneighbourhoodforum@gmail.com

The Hut on The Hill, Parbold, Wigan WN8 7TH. Contact: Pam Ashton 01257 400254

Blackrod Scarecrow Festival

Ladies Day

Saturday, July 1 – Sunday, July 2, 10am – 7pm

Wednesday, July 5 – Saturday, July 15, 7.30pm

Displays will appear from 10am until 7pm each day for you to stroll around and enjoy the creations. Programmes are just £2 and contain full details of where the scarecrows are, where to get food, photographic competition details and what events are happening throughout the weekend.

This is an exuberant comedy about four likely lasses from the Hull fish docks on a day trip to the races; from the author of Be My Baby which was so well received last season.

Blackrod Village, Greater Manchester BL6 5EN. Contact: 01204 691575

Wigan Little Theatre, Crompton Street, Wigan, WN1 3SL. Contact: 01942 242561.

Parbold Village Show Saturday, July 8, 1pm – 5.30pm

Wigan Bike Ride There will be two rides (5 miles & 50 miles) both starting and finishing at the Mesnes Park. The event is organised by Joining Jack. Register now!

This year’s theme is ‘Down on the Farm’ and there will be some fantastic activities for all the family. There will be rare breeds of animals, donkey rides, birds of prey, bouncy castles, fair rides and lots of musical entertainment.

Mesnes Park Terrace, Wigan WN1 1TU. http:// wiganbikeride.co.uk/

Alder Lane Playing Fields, Alder Lane, Parbold, Wigan, WN8 7NL. Contact: parboldonline.info

Sunday, July 2, 9.30am

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Trinity Girls in Concert

Silent Film Showcase

Saturday, July 8, 7.30pm

Sunday, July 16, 7.30pm

Girls in Brass ‘ with guest soloist Sheona White (solo horn with the famous Brighouse & Rastrick Band).

These timeless films provide romantic nostalgia! Make sure you reserve your free place now!

St Thomas Church, 18 Warrington Rd, Ashton-inMakerfield, WN4 9PL. Contact: 01942 718229

The Old Courts, Crawford Street, Wigan, WN1 1NA. Contact: 01942 410499

Community Day

As You Like It

Saturday, July 8, 8am – 4pm

Friday, July 21, 6pm – 9pm

Back for the fourth year! There will be a performance area where jazz groups and talent from the local community will be entertaining all day.

Join the Handlebards all-female troupe for a bicyclepowered production of a Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’. In usual Expect riotous amounts of energy, a fair old whack of chaos, and a great deal of laughter.

Standishgate, Wigan Town Centre. Contact: 01942 242950 or mervyn.reeves@blueyonder.co.uk

Picnic Brass Sunday, July 9, 1pm – 3.15pm Bring along your picnic, set your blanket on the ground and enjoy the music. Haigh Hall Country Park, School Ln, Wigan WN2 1PE. Contact: facebook.com/haighwoodlandpark

Tennis Open Day Sunday, July 9, 11.30am – 3pm Come and try your hand at tennis, with no charges and free coaching available. There will be complimentary refreshments.

Haigh Hall Country Park, School Lane, Haigh WN2 1PE. Contact: handlebards.com/tickets

Tennis Club Open Weekend Fri, July 21, 7.30pm & Sun, July 23, 1pm – 4pm Winstanley Tennis Club is hosting a weekend of Wimbledon themed events, with Friday providing a Summer cocktail evening at the clubhouse which includes refreshments and music. Tickets are £5. On Sunday, there is an open day which invites families to join in an afternoon of free tennis and strawberries and cream. Winstanley Tennis Club, Hall Lane, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7XN. Contact: billdow@hotmail.com

Bellingham Tennis Club, Bellingham Drive, Wigan WN1 2NF. Contact: 01695 627866 or annmilleruk@ aol.com

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Community Festival

Over 50s Racquet Sports

Saturday, July 22, 10am – 10pm

Every Monday, 3pm – 5pm

A Community Festival will be held at Orrell St James ARLFC. The day will be packed with family fun events inc bouncy castles, full bar facilities, children’s face painting, craft stalls, family BBQ. All this fun will coincide with a rugby league 9s competition involving our own U14s and U15s teams who will take part in a rugby tournament.

These sessions provide an opportunity for people to play badminton, table tennis, and short tennis under the guidance of a fully qualified coach. All equipment will be provided. Each session is £3.40.

Orrell St. James ARLFC, Bankes Avenue, Orrell, Wigan, WN5 8HU

Wigan Live Festival

Haigh Foodie Friday

Wigan Live is a free festival hosted from many of the venues in Wigan Town Centre. Think of it as a musical pub crawl and you’ll be on your right track!

Friday, 28th July @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Leigh Sports Village, Sale Way, Leigh, WN7 4JY. Contact: 01942 615883

Friday, August 18 – Sunday, August 20,

This is a great new street food and drink event on the last Friday of the month. Kitchen Courtyard – Haigh Woodland Park resident vendors ,plus a tasty mix of guest street food traders will provide a feast of treats and drinks to sample. Adventure Golf and Play open until 8.30pm Free entry and free parking Follow @HaighFoodieFri on Twitter

Various Venues throughout Wigan Town Centre. Contact: wiganlivefestival.co.uk

Haigh Hall, School Lane, Wigan, WN2 1PE

Listen to great music, eat and drink great food and drink, as well as some themed stalls and a child’s fun fair to make sure there’s something for everyone.

Picnic Brass Sunday, July 30, 1pm – 3.15pm Bring along your picnic, set your blanket on the ground and enjoy the music of local brass bands. An afternoon combining traditional brass sounds and the historic and beautiful surroundings of Haigh Woodland Park. A great family event. All Woodland Park attractions open as normal during each performance. Haigh Hall Country Park, School Ln, Wigan WN2 1PE. Contact: facebook.com/haighwoodlandpark

An Americana Music Festival Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20, Noon – Midnight

The Park Hotel, 625 Wigan Road, Ashton-inMakerfield, WN4 0BY. Contact: seetickets.com/ event/an-americana-music-festival

Over 50s Jammers Every Wednesday, 12.30pm – 2.30pm The group is open to anyone that would like to pop along; all you need is an instrument and if you’re struggling to get hold of one then we may be able to help. If you have a passion for music, can play an instrument and would like to meet like-minded people, then this is the group for you. So pop along and have a jam and maybe learn something new. No tickets or pre booking - just £3.50 on entry. The Old Courts, Crawford Street, Wigan, WN1 1NA. Contact: 01942 410499.

Financial Planning

Predicting the

Future by David K Barton APFS Cert CII(MP),

Chartered Financial Planner and Managing Director

hilst yesterday’s retirees settled for a modest post-work life, the demands and expectations of those who retire today are so much grander, with desires to travel the world or the pursuit of expensive hobbies top of the wish list. Of course, they need to have the income to afford that wish list and for most people, the state pension isn’t enough to enjoy a comfortable and active retirement. And, increasingly, additional income from other pensions is proving unable to bridge the gap too. The Challenge People are urged to save and build a fund for retirement. In my view though, there’s not been enough publicity for an equally pressing issue that many approaching (or in) retirement face; and that is the challenge of making savings last all the way through retirement.

This is more of a concern now than it has ever been in the past with interest rates being so low and standard annuities offering poor value. Having other sources of income is going to be important to those who want to achieve a comfortable lifestyle in their retirement. (Those sources of income will not be guaranteed for life in the way traditional pensions are and will therefore need careful management.) When people save for retirement they are usually saving towards a fixed retirement date. Once they have retired a very different challenge appears, and that challenge is how to manage a pot of money over the rest of their life, a life that has no pre-determined ‘clocking out’ date. The Risks There are a number of specific risks that need to be factored in when evaluating how to generate a sufficient income from retirement savings. These include; Longevity: people are living longer than expected Inflation: rising prices are eating into the value of savings Balancing Investments: Will the mix of your investments be the right ones? Withdrawal risk: taking too much, too soon and running out of income Long Term Care: will you need funding for care in the future? Planning for retirement when considering all of the above risks can be a daunting task. Sadly the lack of a crystal ball means that the future can be very difficult to predict. How can Prosper help? Whilst we do not have a crystal ball, we do have many years’ experience of dealing with clients approaching retirement who were looking for strategies to enable them to achieve their retirement dreams /aspirations. If you are within a couple of years of making the move into retirement please do not hesitate to give us a call on 01257 423800. The initial meeting will be at our expense and is without obligation.

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Scheme on hold Wigan’s regeneration chief has sought to calm concerns after plans to rejuvenate part of the town centre were put on hold. The council has decided to temporarily postpone the public realm redevelopment works at Market Place “to ensure we can create the best town centre possible.” According to Town Hall chiefs, the Market Place scheme, which was due to start this month, has been put on hold due to feedback from partners and members of the public, relating to the importance of heritage and culture within the town centre. Karl Battersby, Wigan Council’s director for economy

and environment, said: “We are very grateful for the recent feedback from private sector partners, businesses and members of the public about the town centre plans. “It is important that we review the Market Place scheme which was initially devised some years ago and ensure it meets the future needs of the town centre.

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“I must make clear that the council remains fully committed to investing in the town centre as set out in the town centre masterplan and to supporting town centre retailers and businesses. “This is a crucial time for the future of Wigan town centre and it is vital we make the right decisions for its future prosperity and vitality.” The £1m regeneration programme for Leigh town centre will go-ahead and will start in the coming weeks. This will mean significant improvements to Bradshawgate and Albion Street. High quality block paving, new modern seating, LED lighting and tree planters will transform the centre creating a much more attractive space for shoppers, visitors and businesses.

Free marketing advice

Business campaign

Tips on how to market your business will be offered

Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce has

to a free event in Wigan. The Digital Marketing Roadshow, supported by Launch Events and Attain Digital, takes place on Wednesday, June 7, from 9am-3.30pm at DW Stadium.

launched its Campaign for Business 2017. The document pulls together the views of Chamber members and sets out under six themes the key issues that business want to see from the next government.

Included in the free event are presentations entitled ‘Why Trust is The Most Important Tool’, ‘Reach New Customers Online’, ‘How To Make Your Email Marketing Work For You’ and ‘15 Ways To Create Engaging Blog Content’. The event is also an opportunity to network, get clarity on digital jargon and get new ideas to get one step ahead of your competitors. To register, call 07763 633749, email hello@ launcheventsnw.co.uk or visit www. launcheventsnw.co.uk

Chris Fletcher, director of marketing and policy at the Chamber, said: “It’s fair to say that the announcement of the election came as a bit of a surprise. We are in a way though fortunate, coming as this does immediately on the back of the recent mayoral election and several consultations on business and economic issues, so we have been able to put this together to give the most accurate representation of business views available.” Visit www.gmchambercampaigns.com for more information.

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Business View

Important tax

changes

by Chris Alcock - CMA Accountancy

new tax year has begun and as usual, there are changes to rules and regulations that will affect individuals and small business owners. Here’s a quick summary of what you need to know: Income Tax rates raised From 6th April there are changes to the Personal Allowance, the Basic Rate Limit and the Higher Rate Threshold for individuals. You’ll pay a new rate of Income Tax on your earnings. Here are the new Income Tax rates, compared to last year’s rates; • The Personal Allowance has increased to £11,500 in 2017/18 (from £11,000)

which you may decide to do based on the changes to the flat rate scheme, then you’ll be able to do that if your VATable sales are below £83,000 a year from 1st April 2017 (before that date the threshold was £81,000). National Living Wage increased The National Living Wage was raised from £7.20 to £7.50 on 1st April. For anyone under 25, the National Minimum Wage still applies. If you’re an employer, you are legally obliged to pay wages that meet the National Living Wage to any employees aged 25 and over.

• The Basic Rate Limit has increased to £33,500 in 2017/18 (from £32,000)

Corporation Tax reduced

• The Higher Rate Threshold has increased to £45,000 (from £43,000)

from 20% to 19% for financial year 2017/18. If your business is registered as a limited company, you’ll pay Corporation Tax at a lower rate than you did last year.

New VAT flat rate scheme rate Since 1st April 2017 certain businesses with a low cost base (e.g. who don’t buy many goods) are now known as ‘limited cost traders’. A limited cost trader is defined as one that spends less than 2% of its sales on goods (not services) in an accounting period, or spends less than £1,000 a year on certain goods. If you’re a limited cost trader then you can still use the flat rate VAT scheme, but your percentage will now be 16.5% and you may want to reconsider if this scheme is the best scheme for you. VAT thresholds increased If you’re not yet registered for VAT, from 1st April you won’t have to do so until your VATable sales go past £85,000 a year (or within the next 30 days). If you’re already registered but want to de-register for VAT,

Starting on 1st April, Corporation Tax has reduced

This is just a summary of the many changes introduced. If you’re unsure of what any of these mean for you or your business, feel free to talk this through with us. We offer a free consultation for any sole trader business, landlords or companies that would like to speak to us about these changes. Alternatively drop by the office on Skull House Lane in Appley Bridge and we can discuss these further over a coffee. There will be no charge for the initial meeting.

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Food & Drink

Dishing up family

food love

By Kate Whiting

“I

don’t serve plain pasta and my kids would think it was weird,” says Claire Thomson, family food ambassador for the National Trust, chef and mum-of-three. “They’re excited by the food in front of them, the kitchen is the axis of my home life and I want them to feel that food is a really normal thing, that it’s not fetishised or not given enough credence. “We’ve got a tiny kitchen but a great big kitchen table, because I think it’s important that Grace should be sitting there doing her spellings, or Dot will be colouring in while I’m cooking - it’s just dayto-day a real normalcy around food.” If this sounds like a manifesto for how to give kids a love of good food, it is. Thomson, 37, has spent the last five years showing the world exactly how we could be feeding children through her daily ‘5oclockapron’ Instagram and Twitter posts. And you won’t find a plain bit of pasta in sight. The dishes she makes for her daughters at five o’clock each day (“they’re just so tired after school and I don’t want to fill them full of snacks”) include sumptuous-looking bowls of ‘tamarind & turmeric chicken broth with soba noodles & cucumber’, or ‘seared monkfish with potatoes, chard stalks, serrano ham & rosemary’. Two years on from her debut cookbook, The 5’Clock Apron: Proper Food For Modern Families, Thomson has now penned the National Trust Family Cookbook.

“The recipes are all pretty easy. It takes three minutes to slop some chicken thighs in a bowl in the morning, drop some yogurt on and cardamom and stick it in the fridge. Then when you get back from work, you’ve just got to bang that in a hot oven - the longest thing to do is preheat the oven. And then you chop a quick salad and make tzatziki, which the children can help with. “It’s really important to get them to help you, otherwise the food lands in front of them and they’re expected to eat it,” Thomson adds. “They should set the table or pour the water. There’s a community to being in a family; I don’t want to be running a restaurant for my children until they’re 18 and leave home!”

National Trust Family Cookbook by Claire Thomson is published by the National Trust Books, priced £15

Risi e bisi

Serves 4 Ingredients 60g butter 3 rashers of unsmoked streaky bacon or 80g pancetta, finely diced (optional) 1 onion, finely diced 1 leek, white part only, finely diced (or use extra onion) 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 200g risotto rice Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1L hot chicken or vegetable stock 450g frozen peas (or use fresh cooked)

Method Melt two-thirds of the butter in a large wide pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon if using, the onion and leek and cook for about eight to 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the rice, stirring for two to three minutes to coat the grains in the melted butter mixture and warm them through before you add any liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the hot stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add the peas and cook for a further five minutes until the rice is just cooked through.

Approx 80g Parmesan, grated

Remove the pan from the heat and add the Parmesan, the parsley and the remaining butter.

Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

Check the seasoning, then serve immediately.

Fish-cake sandwich

Method Boil the potatoes in salted water until cooked through - about 15 minutes. Drain well and leave to steam dry in the colander, then mash the potatoes and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, shred the smoked fish into flakes.

Serves 4 Ingredients 800g floury potatoes (about 2 large potatoes), peeled and cut into 4cm cubes 400g smoked fish (trout or mackerel), skin and bones removed 2tbsp Dijon mustard 1tbsp mayonnaise, plus extra to serve 1 large egg, beaten Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2tbsp fine dried breadcrumbs, plus about 50g to coat the fish cakes Small bunch of chives or parsley, finely chopped Vegetable oil for frying Buttered soft rolls, to serve Soft lettuce leaves, to serve 1/2 lemon, to serve

Stir the mustard, mayonnaise, egg and half teaspoon salt into the mashed potatoes. Gently fold in the flaked fish with two tablespoons of breadcrumbs and the chopped herbs until everything is evenly distributed and holding together nicely. If you think the mix is too wet, add another tablespoon of breadcrumbs. Scoop a tablespoon of the fish and potato mixture and roll it between your palms to form a ball. Pat each ball into a flat patty (round or oblong to match the shape of your rolls) about 3cm thick, set aside on a plate and continue with the remaining mix. Sprinkle the fish cakes both sides with additional breadcrumbs. Coat a non-stick frying pan with vegetable oil and place the pan over a high heat. You want the oil very hot before you add the fish cakes. Fry them in a single layer, being sure not to overcrowd the pan, for about two minutes on each side until the fish cakes are golden brown with a good crust. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towel to soak up excess fat while you fry the remaining fish cakes. To serve, add the fish cakes to the rolls with a leaf or two of lettuce, some mayonnaise, salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

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Squashed-fly cherry spelt biscuits

Method In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer, cream the butter with 75g of the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and beat to combine. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the creamed butter mix, add the cherries and stir through. Mix thoroughly to combine. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for half an hour to firm up. Preheat the oven to 180C (170C fan). Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

Makes 15-20 biscuits Ingredients 120g butter, softened 90g caster sugar 1 egg, separated 210g spelt flour, plus extra for dusting

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 5mm and cut into rectangular shapes (each measuring approximately 7 x 4cm), using a knife. Arrange the shapes on the baking sheet, leaving a space between each biscuit, and place in the fridge for a further 10 minutes. Bake the biscuits in the oven for about eight minutes until they are just beginning to turn golden. While the biscuits are in the oven, beat the egg white until stiff.

Pinch of salt

Remove the biscuits from the oven, brush with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with the remaining sugar, then bake for a further two to three minutes.

70g dried cherries (or currants or dried cranberries), chopped

Leave the biscuits to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

1/2tsp baking powder

sponsored by

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

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

75 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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Postcode M29 7QP

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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 you’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 you’ll pass the site of Astley Car Boot and a sand quarry. The track will split into three, but follow 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,

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.

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.

Opening hours are 1pm-5pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. For further information, please visit the website www.lancashireminingmuseum.org

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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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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 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.

Fast Facts • 0-62 mph: 11.1 secs • Combined mpg: 283 • Engine layout: 1798cc; 4-cylinder petrol; electric • Max. power (PS): 122 • CO2: 22 g/km • Price: £34,895

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.

84 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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A View From The Lump Local gossip, gripes and goings-on Vote of thanks

A big Deal

Before 2009, I thanked the Almighty that, as each day passed, I was edging closer to retirement. Recently, my gratitude has been focused on the fact that each passing 24 hours represents a small step towards the end of the General Election campaign. The first time I ever cast a vote was back in 1964. Sir Alec Douglas Hulme - probably the poshest leader ever of the Conservatives in modern history - was a 60-yearold Prime Minister and Harold Wilson (who spent his time hiding his cigar habit in favour of a ‘man of the people’ pipe) was in opposition at the age of 48.

Speaking of the election, one thing which people have whinged about constantly is the ‘strong and stable’ mantra trotted out ad nauseam by the Prime Minister. I reckon her advisers have been copying Wigan Council, who seem to be able to get a mention of The Deal into every news story. My personal favourite was a reasonably dull item about the election writ having been served to the council, meaning that the election period was officially underway. Surely there was no way they could shoehorn any mention of The Deal into this completely unrelated story? Step forward returning officer Donna Hall: “I’d urge everyone to get involved and have their say at the ballot box – which is a key part of The Deal.”

This election may not be scintillating but I’m pleased that at least we seem to have returned to an era where leading politicians aren’t barely out of university. For the past 20 years, Prime Ministers have been getting younger and younger. Whatever you may think of May and Corbyn, at least they have solid parliamentary experience behind them. Mrs May first became an MP 25 years ago while Mr Corbyn’s service is now at 34 years and counting. Is the cult of youth and inexperience finally over? I’d vote for that...

Even a cynical, jaded oldie like me has to agree that was a good one...

Cool idea I’m not so silly as to think that things haven’t changed since my day, but do schools really enjoy winding parents up more now? I only ask because grandson number two is currently at war

with his parents over a school trip. When I was at school, outing usually involved going to the nearest pond. But the aforementioned grandson’s class is apparently off to Reykjavík next year. The cost is a princely £895 but not to worry, as the school says you can pay it in instalments with the first nonrefundable £250 due in by the end of June! I’m not sure where they get these costs from, because I could take him to Iceland for a fraction of that price. In fact, he could go for free, provided he carries the bags of shopping home for me as well...

Doctors take note Finally, does anyone else feel slightly unnerved that, when visiting their GP, they always seem to turn to the internet for a diagnosis? It’s happened to me a few times now, and hardly fills me with confidence. I yearn for the days when my doctor could do spot diagnosis, but waited five minutes to tell me while he wrote indecipherable notes in Latin. Somehow, that felt more ‘proper’ than having the meanderings of a quack from Guatemala relayed to me in a shiny, new ‘hot desking’ consultation room.

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