Wigan Edition
December 2015
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4
Dig
H
deep
ere’s a confession; I do have this awful reputation of speaking before putting my brain into gear, so the entire office (including the dog) collectively held its breath when I asked our Editor, a man of quite an ample girth, to help out Wigan Rotary on their Santa Floats by dressing up as Father Christmas. Fortunately, he’s a jolly good sport and immediately agreed to help out, as did the rest of the Local Life team, who will be ‘on the streets’ of Shevington Moor between 6pm-8pm on Monday, December 7. Wigan Rotary are a legendary organisation within the town, having raised over £85,000 for cancer research with their annual RUN4ALIFE event. Members meet every Thursday lunchtime at The Owls in Standish. Their ‘Dragon’s Den’ initiative, where community groups based in the WN1, WN3, WN5 and WN6 areas can apply for grants of up to £500 is funded via the Rotary Santa Floats, which run from 30 November right up to Christmas, mainly through housing estates but also at selected Wigan supermarkets. They raised over £14,000 last year – a fantastic testimony to both their efforts and your generosity. Please dig deep again this year, and do pop out and say hello if you’re in the vicinity of Shevy Moor on the 7th. But if you can’t get there, do accept our best wishes for a very Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Chris Pearce - Publisher chrisp@locallife247.co.uk Next issue - January 2016
Advertising deadline - Wednesday 9 December Published - Thursday 31 December Local Life Media
@locallifemedia
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In this issue Rethink
Win a fused glass
bowl
pink 28
76
My New Year
Win a
wish
Christmas Hamper
58
81
Avoiding dizzy
Jack’s Tracks
spells
Lightshaw
62
92
Regulars
Publisher: Local Life 247 Ltd, Unit 8, Hewitt Business Park, Winstanley Road, Orrell, WN5 7XB
Telephone: 01695 627 999
40 Puzzle Corner
97 What’s On
52 Class from the past
105 Useful numbers
Sales: Clare Glover, Nicola Gray
55 Planning Matters
122 View from the lump
Editorial: David Sudworth wigannews@locallife247.co.uk Design: Peter Bretherton
Sections 8 Property
80 Food & Drink
18 Local News
92 Leisure
28 Fashion
106 Motoring
62 Heath & Fitness
110 Gardening
70 Legal & Finance
112 Home Services
72 Business View
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Local Life is published every month and distributed into the following areas on an alternate monthly basis. This issue is delivered to over 13,000 private homes and businesses in Standish, Shevington, Whitley, Appley Bridge, Standish Lower Ground, Aspull and Haigh. The next issue is delivered to over 14,000 private homes and businesses in Orrell, Billinge, Winstanley, Up Holland, Highfield, Ashton, 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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Parky exceeds
target
A Standish women’s year-long fundraising campaign has culminated with a £15,000 raised for three cancerrelated charities.
Christine Parkinson launched the Parky’s Promise campaign following her battle with breast cancer in 2013 and in memory of her uncle, Ken Merrill, who died of cancer last year. The campaign was set up initially as a promise to raise £10,000 in 12 months from March 2014 to March this year. By January, the former Deanery pupil had already exceeded the £10,000 target, so she decided to carry on to £15,000, which resulted in £5,000 each going to Cancer Research, the Cancer Care Centre at Wigan Infirmary and Wigan and Leigh Hospice. During the year, Christine organised a wide range of fundraising activities, both at home and at Wigan Job Centre, where she works. Christine compiled and sold a recipe book containing the signature
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dishes of her family and friends, she organised a bake-off at work, a World cup competition, a handbag sale, a Tesco bag pack and a Christmas party among other things. Christine’s cousin, who runs Andy’s Chip Shop in Platt Bridge, also donated all of his takings for a whole day towards Christine’s fundraising campaign, in memory of his dad, Ken, who received treatment at the hospice last year. Christine said: “I have been absolutely overwhelmed by everyone’s support and would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has helped me and donated over the year. I really felt like I wanted to give something back by spending a year fundraising. It has been hard work but a fun and memorable year.”
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Distributors wanted
Rambling invite
Local Life requires distributors aged 13 and above for this edition of our magazine. Distributors will typically work for 2/3 hours every eight weeks. The areas we currently require distributors is as follows:
Wigan Rambling and Climbing Club is looking for new members. It meet every Tuesday at Wigan Cricket Club, off Park Road at 8.15pm. It runs a coach every month as well as car rambles. On November 29, they are off to Llangollen while Slaidburn, Trough of Bowland, awaits those wanting to go on the January 31 outing. The cost of the coach is £12 for visitors and £10 for members. Membership is £10 annually. Meanwhile, the club’s Christmas party, takes place on Tuesday, December 15, at Wigan Cricket Club. Tickets are £6 including a buffet and entertainment but it’s necessary to book a place. For further details, visit www.wiganwalkers. com or contact the club secretary, Jill Shilladay, on 01257 421926.
Whitley – Spencer Road, Whitley Crescent, St Clements Road, Chorley Road and Trevore Drive Appley Bridge – Appley Lane North & South, Mill Lane and Herons Wharf Springfield – St Andrews Drive, Lyon Road and Toulston Road Aspull & Haigh – Ratcliffe Road, Stanley Road and Haigh Road Email your name, address, landline number and date of birth to sallyb@locallife247.co.uk
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Restaurant bid A pub in Standish Lower Ground is set to be made into a restaurant. Plans have been submitted to Wigan Council in respect of the Royal Oak pub, on Wigan Lower Road. Advance Electrical and Solar Ltd of Up Holland, want the go-ahead to extend the building, and split the first floor flat into two flats with a new entrance. A decision is set to be made soon.
Library changes New opening and closing times are coming into force at Aspull Library as of Friday December 4. From then, it will open from 10am each day except Wednesdays and Sundays, when it is closed. The closing times will be 1pm on Mondays, 7pm on Tuesdays, 4pm on Thursdays and midday on both Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit www.wigan.gov.uk/libraries
Fines clampdown West Lancs motorists who evade paying on-street parking fines by driving away while a warden is booking their vehicle are facing a clampdown. Highways chiefs at Lancashire County Council have now tightened up the rules, so that a ticket will be issued by post if the driver flees. A report to highways boss and Wrightington/Appley Bridge County Cllr John Fillis explained: “Where a Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) has been unable to issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) to the vehicle, the county council is able to issue postal PCNs. The service has always taken a cautious approach on this matter and only issues postal PCNs where the PCN has already been printed but the CEO was unable to serve the notice. Postal PCNs will (now) be issued, provided that the CEO has started the issuing process.” The changes have now been implemented and are active.
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Page
turner
A Standish youngster has penned his first paperback novel. Lewis Davies started writing Dragonfire: Sphere of Eternity while at Standish High, and it is now available on Amazon. The book is the first in a series of exciting new fantasy novels for fans of Lord of the Rings, Hobbit and dragon fantasy in general. Lewis’s mum, Alison, said: “Lewis knew what he wanted to do from an early age. While studying at Standish Community High, he decided to take the leap and started writing his first novel in what he envisages to be the Dragonfire series. After two years of writing, editing, proof reading and illustrating the final version has now been released. It’s very exciting and we are proud of him.” The book is available to buy at www.amazon.co.uk
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Plan fuels
objections
A decision over plans for a plastics-tofuel recycling plant in Appley Bridge is set to be made before Christmas. The application for Appley Biomass To Energy Ltd Depot, on Appley Lane North, is due to be considered by Lancashire County Council’s Development Control Commttee on Wednesday, December 9. Denbighshire-based applicants P-Fuel Ltd wants permission to use a process called low temperature thermal cracking to convert non-recyclable plastics into diesel and gasoline. They claim the technology is already used in Asia. If passed, it would be a 24/7 operation, and say they would build a 17.5m high stack to “provide adequate dispersion of emissions to ensure negligible impacts.”
George Somerville from £225
However, Wrightington Parish Council says it strongly objects to the plans. In a letter to the county council, parish clerk Carolyn Cross said: “The parish council, and the residents of Appley Bridge and surrounding parishes, are extremely concerned that, to allow these proposals to go ahead, would have a significant detrimental impact on their quality of life. The council believe that a Health Impact Assessment should be undertaken by an independent body to determine the short and long term effects of the pollutants from the exhaust stack on local residents living close to the plant and, on the 200 primary school children attending All Saints Primary School which is a mere 500 metres from the proposed plant, and also on the local wildlife found in the nearby Fairy Glen, along the Canal Bank and Parbold Hill. “
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Sporting chance Final plans for a new sporting and community hub in Shevington have now been formally submitted to Wigan Council. The parish council wants to turn Vicarage Lane fields from agricultural land into allotments and open-air recreational and sporting facilities with car parking provision for 122 vehicles. A final decision is due to be made soon.
Pot luck
Hall’s heritage recognised Appley Bridge Village Hall is set to get extra heritage protection status. The building, on Appley Lane North, has been nominated to be added to West Lancashire Borough Council’s Local List of structures of historical and cultural value. Another proposed addition in Appley Bridge’s war memorial and Old Harrock Mill in Wrightington. A final decision on whether to add them to the list is due soon.
An underlying defect is causing potholes near Junction 27 of the M6 at Wrightington/Shevington Moor. Highways England says the concrete below the surface is causing continued break-ups. They have now developed a scheme to address the underlying issue, and expect to deliver this within the next few months. In the meantime, they have pledged to monitor the situation to ensure it is safe for road users.
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NEW Morning Group Opening! Starts 9.30am - Tuesday 5th January 2016 Shevington Methodist Church Gathurst Lane, Shevington, WN6 8EA Existing groups meet every Tuesday at this venue; 3.30pm, 5.00pm & 7.00pm
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Distraction
alert
Residents in Standish and Aspull are being urged to stay on their guard following distraction burglaries in the area. On each occasion, offenders have claimed to be working for a water company called Dyno Field and are there to test the water pressure and drains. At one location, a gold watch was taken from a property on Ashfield Drive and on another occasion, a victim in the Greenways area was charged £2,700 for work that was allegedly carried out on his drains. PC Alan Crabtree said: “These men are purposefully targeting people and claiming they need to get into
their home for genuine reasons. At some point the victim has been distracted and property has been stolen. “I would ask anyone who believe they may have seen these men or been approached by them to contact police. “I would also like to remind residents of the importance of asking callers for identification and even then, if you are unsure, do not let them into your home.” Anyone with information should phone police on 0161 8567124 or 101 quoting incident number 1275 on 05/11/15 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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Latest fashions
Rethink
pink
by Katie Wright
H
ow many items of pink clothing do you have in your wardrobe?
Not many is probably the answer: Barbie’s favourite colour evokes everything from mild dislike to outright fear, but even the most ardent chromophobe will be rethinking their stance when they clap eyes on the rose-tinted AW15 collections. Prada led the pack, with all but a handful of looks featuring the frosted hue, from salmon trouser suits to leather opera gloves and silk Mary Janes.
Also in Milan, Dolce & Gabbana’s ode to motherhood included blush capes and shift dresses, made all the more girly with the addition of red rose embellishments. But it’s not all about flashy fuchsia and ultra-feminine styling - crisp minimalism and ladylike chic are the buzzwords this season. And when the sugary shade looks this good, you’ll be dying to indulge your sartorial sweet tooth...
The perfect match What to pair with pink now? It’s easy to mix with dark staples, so think black cigarette trousers or a grey midi skirt with a pink silk blouse. “If you’re a red head, then try coral and salmon pink, these look fabulous worn with golden brown and moss green,” says Henderson. “If you’re blonde, try wearing it with a contrasting colour, so baby pink with plum would be a fabulous combination.” Candy Top, currently reduced to £79 from £99; Daxton Skirt, £79 (www.damselinadress.co.uk)
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River Island Pink Leather Pom Pom Gloves, £25 (www.riverisland.com)
Jane Norman Pale Pink Zip Detail Boucle Coat, £70 (www.janenorman.co.uk)
Phase Eight Madison Trousers, currently reduced to £48 from £69 (www.phase-eight.com)
Marc Cain Ash Rose Fine Rolled-Neck Pullover, £175 (www.marc-cain.com)
Mademoiselle R Wide Leg Trousers with High Waist and Zip Fly, currently reduced to £17.40 from £29 (www.laredoute.co.uk)
Radley Keats Grove Light Rose Medium Zip-top Grab Bag, £229 (www.radley.co.uk)
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Pink all over "The shade of pink that is most popular with the fashion pack right now is a pale, pastel pink," says Veronique Henderson, managing director at Colour Me Beautiful, who advises that Prada-style head-to-toe rose is best for those with lighter hair colours. "If your overall look is more muted, then you have a soft colouring and can embrace a powder pink, blush or even salmon." A sharp Sixties or Seventies style coat is an easy way to tap into the trend. Pair it with pleat-front trousers if you want to go all-out or match with a similarly cool-toned grey rollneck or jumper dress.
Fizzy mix For an equally fashion-forward take on the trend, create a patchwork of pinks by mixing different shades in one ensemble. "If you have light colouring [fair hair with blue eyes and light skin], then you could try mixing warm and cool coloured shades of pinks together, apricot and salmon pink with powder or opal pink," suggests Henderson. The key to keeping in step with the season's minimal vibe is to choose block-coloured pieces in soft and silky fabrics - think satin, cashmere and neoprene, and avoid chintzy prints.
Marc Cain Silk Top, ÂŁ155 (www.marc-cain.com)
Chloe Lewis Edit Pink Satin Cami Top ÂŁ26 (Little-Mistress.com)
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On the bright side If icy hues leave you feeling washed out, you'll be pleased to hear the season's pink palette isn't limited solely to the sherberty end of the spectrum. "If you have deep colouring, then pink is a great colour for casualwear, but you'll need to go a little stronger than the pale tones seen on the catwalks," says Henderson. Likewise, if you've got red or black hair, steer clear of pinks that lean towards white or grey, instead you want warm-toned blush or coral. Or you could cheat a bit and choose an item that isn't worn near your face: a bag is a great way to grab a colour trend if you're feeling timid.
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Jewels May is a gorgeous independent jewellers shop nestled amongst 50 small rural retail business in Heskin Farmers Market and Craft Centre. This little treasure trove of sparkle boasts an amazing collection of antique, vintage and modern precious luxury jewellery items. The owner has a passion for old cut diamonds and precious stones in amazing unique settings, and the shop also specialises in pre-owned luxury watches.
Treat yourself to an affordable extravagance! Heskin Farmers Market & Craft Centre, Wood Lane, Heskin, Chorley, PR7 5PA T: 01257 450 448 E: info@jewelsmay.com www.jewelsmay.com
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Wigan has flower Shevington, Standish Lower Ground Crooke Village and Appley Bridge were among the pride of Wigan at this year’s North West in Bloom Awards.
power! The groups captured an array of awards and, in Shevington’s case, a gold medal and winner of the Preston Silver Dish for Best Town. Elsewhere, the It’s Your Neighbourhood categories saw accolades for Wigan Flashes Nature Reserve and Friends of Ashton Community Garden while the town as a whole got a gold medal, the Clean Sweep Award and was the winner of the Adactus Housing Trophy for Best City/Metropolitan Borough. Wigan’s environment chief Cllr Kevin Anderson said: “We are fortunate to have so many excellent volunteers throughout the borough who dedicate an enormous amount of time to make the borough bloom. “These groups are crucial to having neighbourhoods of which we can be proud and help make our
33
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borough such an attractive place to live. “We now have the opportunity to show what we can do in the national Britain in Bloom competition which is a fantastic showcase for the borough.� If you are interested in joining an In Bloom group please contact Nick Burdekin on 01942 489325 or email n.burdekin@wigan.gov.uk
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mon real - tues ale o nly
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Minister Gill gives
praise
A church minister has praised the formation of a new community group in Aspull. Gill Sharp, minister at Aspull Methodist Church, believes the Aspull and Whelley In Bloom group will ensure the area is kept sparkling. The newly-formed group is made up of local volunteers, Aspull churches network, Friends of Whelley Loop Line, the women’s centre on Haigh Road, local councillors and is supported by
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Wigan Council. The group have set short-term and long-terms goals to improve the area which include tackling an area of overgrown land on Haigh Road. They are hoping to also involve local primary schools in the team. Gill said: “Aspull in Bloom came about because of that week and because we wanted to get involved with the community. We’ve had a walk around the area to look at various things which need clearing up and we are also going to start by putting some more planters around.”
Don your jumper for Joe People across Wigan are being urged to join in a special Christmas Jumper Day. The event is being run by Joseph’s Goal, a charity set up by five-yearold Joseph Kendrick’s family. Joesph has NKH (Non-Ketoic Hyperglycinemia), an extremely rare life-limiting genetic disorder which severely affects development. The charity now wants people to arrange, with their place of work or place of education, to set aside a day where everyone can make a donation to wear their Christmas jumpers. Share you pictures via @josephsgoal on Twitter using #JoesJumperDay
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40
Puzzle
corner
Guess where? Wordsearch Sudoku 6
4
3 8
7
4 1
9 3
5
4
7
5
9 3
6
8
Yuletide fun
3
1 6
5
8
Answers are on page 96 of this magazine
2
Carols Snowflake Turkey Presents Elves Bells
Tinsel Sleigh Snowman Cards Frankincense Mistletoe
Reindeer Yule Santa Noel Holly
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£30 to empty green Taxpayers in Wrightington and the West Lancs part of Appley Bridge may have to stump up £30 a year to have their green waste taken away by the council. The suggestion from West Lancashire Borough Council forms part of a wider consultation over plans to help save over £1m a year. Other suggestions include cutting funding to parish councils such as Wrightington. In terms of internal council spend,
bin?
there are plans to stop sending Christmas cards, cease sending a representative to the Royal Garden Party, stop producing year books and diaries and stop presenting a commemorative jewel to outgoing Mayors when their term of office comes to an end. Joint managing director Gill Rowe is also taking voluntary redundancy next year. Members of the public are being asked for their views on these plans up until January 10. Final decisions will be made at a meeting of Full Council in February. To have your say, visit www.westlancs.gov.uk
You’re all art The Village Art Gallery at Shevington Library is looking for volunteers. A training programme is available which includes an induction, basic health and safety, customer care and marketing. For more information, call into the library on Gathurst Lane.
MP’s surgery Local MP Lisa Nandy is holding an advice surgery at Shevington Children’s Centre, Miles Lane, Shevington on Friday, December 11. Appointments available by calling 01942 242047.
Free check ups Folk aged 40-74 in West Lancashire are being urged to take advantage of a free health check with their GP. The Stay Healthy for The Ones You Love campaign encourages people to ask their doctor for a free health check and to attend if they are invited for an appointment. It’s aimed at people aged 40 to 74 without a pre-existing medical condition. If any underlying symptoms are diagnosed, advice and support will be given Visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/ health
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18 years and going from strength to strength LR Finance offer helpful, friendly, professional advice – that’s what our customers say about us. Established in 1997 we relocated from our Library St office to the Victorian quarter of Wigan at 30, Hallgate in 2011 and we now have a team of NINE We have a strong team of advisers and support staff and continue to offer Independent “Whole of Market“ advice and recommendations for Mortgages - Insurance - Pensions and Investments.
Featured Adviser - Janet Rodan Many local people will know Janet as she worked in the local branch of the Halifax for over 23 years and joined us at the beginning of 2014 to become a “Whole of Market” adviser. Janet loves the fact that she is able to offer her customers both old and new access to a wide range of products that suit their circumstances not just a limited range offered by one provider.
Our latest recruit - Deborah Marcroft Due to increasing demand for mortgages and in order to ensure our existing customers continue to get the best rate for their circumstances we recruited a new mortgage adviser to our team this year. Deb has worked for a High Street lender in the past but is now enjoying having access the “Whole of the market” for her customers.
The old timers - Elanor Hill, Matthew Halliwell & Victoria Whittle Matt & Vicky continue to advise our customers on their mortgages and protection, whilst Elanor specialises and focuses on providing Independent advice in relation to Pension and Investments.
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Inquiry bill
dispute
A war or words over the cost of a failed bid to get Ashfield Park listed as a village green looks set to rumble on.
disappointed the application has gone through a long drawn out process which has cost the council £32,000. We have always maintained that the park is safe from development.”
Standish councillor Gareth Fairhurst has accused Wigan Council of inflating the cost of the process by some £20,000. It comes after an independent inspector rejected Cllr Fairhurst’s bid to give the park added protection over fears it will eventually be built on - a claim Wigan Council has sought to scotch.
But Cllr Fairhurst claimed: “The only real cost of Ashfield Inquiry was £8,675. This is for the inspector’s fee plus the press notice. The council chose to go and hire a barrister at the cost of £15,000. They have their own solicitors so why couldn’t they get one of their own, rather than hiring someone from London?”
Deputy leader Cllr David Molyneux said: “We are
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Lane repairs
Crafty villagers
Resurfacing work on Gathurst Lane, Shevington, is set to finish around December 11. Highways chiefs said the repairs to the footway between Greaves Wood and the canal bridge would be done during off peak periods. Until the works are finished, temporary traffic signals will be in use.
Mossy Lea Crafters meet is welcoming new members. It meets every other Friday, 10am-noon, at the village hall on Mossy Lea Road, Wrightington. The next meeting is on December 4. For more information, call Andrea Gaskell on 07590 116912.
Shrub hubub
Busy staff Standish Library welcomed 10,831 visitors between July and September this year, according to official figures. Data shows that in total, 11,338 items were issued, and 1,204 hours-worth of public internet access took place. The number of volunteer hours in that period reached 38.
Concerns have been voiced about overgrown hedgerows on Red Rock Lane, Haigh. Locals are worried that the mature shrubbery could be reducing sight-line visibility for drivers. The matter has been reported to Wigan Council.
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Here comes
Santa!
Keep your eyes peeled - because Santa is coming to a street near you soon! He will be helping My Life at Standish Equestrian Centre on Monday, November 30, from 12.30pm until 3.30pm. Santa will also be at local supermarkets several times throughout December, including Tesco at Central Park, Asda in Newtown and Sainsbury’s in Goose Green. On Saturday, December 12, the Rotary Choir will be singing carols in the Grand Arcade. and the Local Life team will be getting in on the act by helping out on Santa’s float around Shevington Moor between 6-8pm on Monday, December 7
The money raised in the collections, organised by the Rotary Club of Wigan, will go to local good causes. For more information, search for Wigan Rotary Club on Facebook or visit www.twitter.com/ rotary wigan
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Mon Nov 30: Copeland Avenue, Churchlands Lane areas
Mon, Dec 14: Pepperwood Drive, Crowther Drive areas
Tues, Dec 1: Hodges Street, Barnsley Street areas Weds, Dec 2: Kenyon Road, James Square, Avondale Road areas
Tues, Dec 15: Whitcroft Road, Navemby Road, Fulbeck Avenue areas
Thurs Dec 3: St Andrews Crescent, Norfolk Street, Rylands Street areas
Sat, Dec 19: Woodnook Road, Runshaw Avenue, Newgate Avenue areas
Fri, Dec 4:
Churchland, Inward Drive, Vicarage Lane areas
Sat, Dec 5:
Elmfield, Redwood, High Park, Longbrook areas
Sun, Dec 20: Whitley Crescent, Hazelwood, Sittingbourne Road, Romney Way area
Sun, Dec 6:
Woodhurst Drive, Langham Road, Green Lane areas
Mon, Dec 7: Shevington Moor, Hesketh Drive, Cressell Park areas Tues Dec 8:
Danesway, Swinley Lane, Holme Avenue areas
Mon, Dec 21: Melrose Drive, Ravenswood Avenue, Tan House Diver areas Tues, Dec 22: Crestwood Avenue, Clapgate Lane, Cromer Road areas
Weds, Dec 9: Mersey Road, Coniston Ave, Broxton Avenue areas Thurs, Dec 10: Shirewell Road, Naburn Drive, Wilsham Road, Lynbridge Fri, Dec 1:
St Wilfrid’s, Cranleigh, Grove Lane areas
Sun, Dec 13: Boars Head Avenue, Hartington Drive, Pilgrims Way
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A Cat’s
tale
Ryan McCracken looks into the legends surrounding one of Standish’s oldest buildings
M
uch Standish folklore focuses on Cat i’th Window Farm - a bleached white cottage with three jet black felines adorning the sealed in windows. Scratch beneath the surface, and there are stories to be told. But what is the truth behind them? Jennifer Lowe, who owns the cottage, has now revealed far more fascinating than many could ever imagine. “The actual farm is just up the road, I just own the cottage. There are old stories of a milkman who lived here, but there are better stories about the painted cats.” It transpires the farm was indeed once the centre of religious tension, but on a level we’d find hard to comprehend today. “The story derives from the English Reformation, when Catholicism
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was outlawed. Standish had always been a Catholic parish, and the law came down hard on Catholic priests,” said Jennifer. Indeed, the punishment for simply being a Catholic priest was death, and this is where those famous cats come into play. The original Reformation farm and cottage would have had only one cat in the window, made of plaster: “This would signal that the Catholic Priest had come out of his hiding hole in the local church when government troops were nearing the area.” There would be a secret Catholic church service being held shortly. This would be in the nearby, and now demolished, Standish Hall. It’s a stark reminder of people who lived on a knife edge, fugitives in their own country simply for following a different religion. After this initial tale of cat and mouse all those years ago, Jennifer went on to describe the fate of the property more recently. “The original building
burned down in 1901, and even today no one knows for certain why there are three cats in the windows, rather than just one that would have stood watch in the Reformation. All that is for certain about the current building is that two of the windows were blocked up due to the window tax.”
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Class from the
past
This month’s Class from the Past is from Crooke School. It’s believed this photo was taken in the 1956s. Maybe you can spot a familiar face?
Remember, if you have a photo you’d be willing to share, contact David Sudworth today by emailing wigannews@locallife247.co.uk
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Planning Matters Aspull
Shevington
5 Pennington Green Lane: Plan to extend dwellinghouse, two storey to side and rear including dormer to front, increase in ridge height, single storey rear extension with balcony together with associated alterations (ref: A/15/81587/HH) A decision is due soon.
31 Churchfield: Plan to extend dwellinghouse single storey to side and rear (ref: A/15/81578/HH). A decision is due soon.
Haigh 3 Toddington, Toddington Lane: Extension; two storey to side with balcony to rear, single storey to side and single storey to front, along with roof dormer to front. Following demolition of single storey side extension and outbuildings. (ref: A/15/81506/HH) A decision is due soon.
Standish 121 Pepper Lane: Single storey to rear with enclosed decking area (ref: A/15/81511/HH). A decision is due soon. 65 Church Street: Change of use from chip shop to a house (ref: A/15/81392/CU). A decision is due soon. For more information on these plans, visit www.wigan.gov.uk
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Free publicity for YOU! Are you in a local community group? Do you want to publicise a talk, school fair or charity fundraiser? If so, get in touch with us today! Local Life is distributed to over 100,000 homes across Wigan, St Helens, Chorley and West Lancashire. Each edition is crammed with stories for local events, and your group could be appearing in our next edition. The types of events we publicise are as follows: - Charity fundraising events - Local school, church or community fairs - Amateur concerts or performances by community groups - Talks which are open to the public - Pleas from community groups or associations for new members - We’re also on the look out for old school photographs, street scenes from yesterday and want to hear from you if your group is celebrating a special milestone. Simply contact our Editor David Sudworth with the details - what, where, when, why, who for, how much - and anything else you want to tell our readers. The earlier you can provide the information, the better the job we can do. So don’t delay – contact David today by emailing him directly at wigannews@locallife247.co.uk
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My New Year
wish
David Sudworth finds out why this Appley Bridge man is pushing for a mass prostate cancer screeening programme
B
etween now and 2018, more than 27,000 in England alone will die from prostate cancer. Kevin Vardy knows he is likely to be among them.
The Appley Bridge husband has what is known as T4 prostate cancer, where the disease has spread to other parts of the body. It now affects his spine, hips, ribs and pelvis. “I’ve not had a prognosis because I don’t want to know when I will die,” says Kevin. “Usually, with my condition it’s about two years but some people live longer than that. I just don’t think it’s helpful to have a fixed date set in your mind.” He’s now using what time he has left to campaign for a change in Government policy, and has organised a nationwide petition. Kevin wants men to be proactively screened for the disease in much the same way in which women are for breast and cervical tests - something which doesn’t happen currently.
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Originally from Leyland, Kevin has lived in Wigan for almost 30 years, first in Poolstock and, since 1990 in Appley Bridge with his wife Susan. For the past three years, they’ve run Ucycle2, a electric bicycle company from a farm in Heskin, the same place they keep their two horses. Earlier this year, Kevin went to the doctor’s complaining of back problems and waking up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet. His father, Ivor, died of prostate cancer, in 1999 aged 76, and had suffered similar symptoms. “I asked for a test which measures the amount of prostate specific antigens (PSA) in your blood. However, despite the fact that if you’re over 50 you have a right to ask for a PSA test, some GPs don’t recommend them. I was in so much pain that I just told them to give me some pain killers.”
“I just told them to give me painkillers” With the symptoms persisting, Kevin eventually had tests which discovered his PSA level was, by that point, 92. A further examination just a week later showed it had risen to 116. The usual score is around 4. The news was devastating - Kevin’s cancer was terminal. “When I went for the results it didn’t come as a massive surprise. I subsequently did a lot of research and found out a lot of things. “Basically, there is something called the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme but it is only guidance and GPs do not have to follow it. Therefore, across the country, the take up is quite patchy. “That got me more angry because prostate cancer is the most treatable male cancer, even up to a PSA score of around 30. So I started thinking that if my PSA score went up by 24 in one week, then if it had been found just a few weeks’ previously I could have been treated. By the time it gets in your bones it’s too late. And a PSA test costs justs £2, so I was upset and angry.”
Kevin with his dad Ivor However, further reading up on the subject leads Kevin to believe that the sheer numbers involved could be a barrier: “Look at it like this; there are 11.5 million men over 50 in the UK, and if every one of them had a PSA test, based on the percentage of men who get prostate cancer, 7.5 million of them would have readings which would show a higher PSA count. So then they’d techincally have ‘cancer’ and that means they’d have to be under ‘watchful waiting’ where they’d be monitored for a period of time to see if their levels went up. “They’d then have to have a biopsy or MRI scan which costs between £800-£1,000 each so before you know it, the whole thing would cost billions of pounds and that would probably break the NHS. Not to mention there’s the whole psychologic impact of being told you have cancer, even if it is something which is completely treatable.” Kevin has now launched a petition calling on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to implement a national screening programme. It has attracted more than 50,000 signatories so far. He is also holding talks with a company which says it has devised a test which claims it can give more accurate readings and therefore cut out the need for the expensive, and in most cases unecessary, elements of the post-PSA test process: “They say it is 98% accurate which is the same as a cervical smear. I’m prepared to work with them because I’m not just saying ‘here’s the problem’ I’m also looking at
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ways to find a solution. I’ve even drafted a standard letter which they could give out to men over 50 in the same way they write to women for breast and cervical screening. “ “Men aren’t written to, they have the right to a PSA test but many don’t know about that and some GPs don’t push it, because it can be costly.” As well as pushing for a national screening programme, Kevin wants to raise as much awareness as possible about the fact that men over 50 have a right to the PSA test. “When I started the petition, I couldn’t believe how many people were in the same boat as me. There are some people who are basically being talked out of PSA test and end up losing their lives. I can’t stress enough to any men, or wives of men who are reading this, that they absolutely have a right to a PSA test and they shouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. “I’m now having some treatments which are helping. I’ve also changed my diet; I’ve cut out sugar, eating broccoli soup every day and drinking magnetised water which gives me extra oxygen. “It’s now a case of living life to the full. I don’t have a bucket list, I don’t want to see the Taj Mahal or anything like that - I’m just happy walking in the
countryside with Sue, the dogs, and we’ve got our horses. It’s hard sometimes but friends have been brilliant. You know how it is when you haven’t seen mates for ages and you always say ‘we must catch up sometime’... well that time has become ‘now’. “A while ago a TV producer contacted me about
“I haven’t got a bucket list” appearing on a show where they film people as they are dying. The film is then shown to your loved ones after you’re gone. I was OK with that but when I explained everything, and how I could live for the next two years, we decided I wouldn’t be suitable. The producer said to me: ‘Well, the best thing I can say to you is that you’re probably too well to be in the programme.’ At that point, I gave him the thumbs up and said: ‘That’ll do for me!’” To sign Kevin’s petition, visit www.change.org/p/ the-rt-hon-jeremy-hunt-mp-national-prostatecancer-screening-for-the-uk For more information on prostate cancer, visit www.prostatecanceruk.org
‘I started talking to my cancer, and wrote a song...’ Kevin has teamed up with his old college pal Karl Walsh to release a song named My Life. “I’m not a musician or anything; I can’t read music but I’ve always written lyrics. One morning I got up early, as I always do, and it was as if I started talking to my cancer. In my head I started saying ‘if you kill me, then you die too, have you thought about that?’ Over the next day or so I wrote more and sent them to Karl, who has been my friend since we were both in Billy Liar at Runshaw. He’s toured with Bob Geldof and was signed to Tony Wilson’s Factory Records. A few hours later it sent it back and there were tears in my eyes; this was a song made by me. We’ve
Kevin with Karl and wife Susan now released the song on iTunes, Google Play and Amazon to help raise money for the campaign.” To buy the song, visit www.kkvpca.com
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Health & Fitness
Avoiding
dizzy spells By Ella Walker
E
ver felt a bit light-headed after standing up? Most of us have experienced that momentary dizziness from time to time - but researchers at Harvard have warned that those who regularly experience more severe dizziness, at least three minutes after standing up (known as ‘delayed orthostatic hypotension’), may have a higher risk of early death and developing degenerative brain diseases. The study, carried out by Dr Christopher Gibbons of Harvard Medical School, looked at the nervous systems of 165 adults with an average age of 59, over 10 years. Those who did suffer with delayed orthostatic hypotension had death rates of 29% over the decade (9% in healthy subjects) and their rates of degenerative disease (such as Parkinson’s or dementia) was 31%, compared to 8%. Dr Gibbons said: “Our findings may lead to earlier recognition, diagnosis and treatments of this condition, and possibly other underlying diseases that may contribute to early death.” Again, the results only apply to these regular, significant delayed orthostatic hypotension events - so there’s no need to panic that every wave of light-headedness indicates a serious problem. There are many ways to explain fleeting faint spells and waves of dizziness, and often the causes are harmless - though ‘attacks’ can be alarming. If you are concerned, or experiencing more frequent bouts of dizziness, always speak to your GP to get things checked out, just in case. In the meantime, here are eight ways to help keep dizzy spells at bay...
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Hydrate Even mild dehydration can affect your balance and induce lightheadedness. Aim to drink six glasses of water a day, and always carry a bottle of water so if you get too hot or feel unwell, you have something cool to sip.
Rest and recuperate If you get hit by a wave of dizziness, sit down immediately so you don’t have a fall. If you are experiencing vertigo, lying down on your side can help everything shift back into focus. Take your
time when standing up, and if you are feeling faint or dizzy, relax. Don’t push yourself to get on with things, it might make you worse.
Drugs Extreme dizziness, or vertigo, is not always related to heights, in fact, in most cases it is related to an inner ear infection, labyrinthitis. For people who regularly suffer from vertigo, doctors may prescribe benzodiazepine to calm the central nervous system and antiemetics, which prevent nausea.
Retrain your brain If your dizziness is linked to an inner ear problem that knocks you off balance, Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy can be an option. Using a series of exercises, it’s a method of teaching your central nervous system to compensate for the deficit in the inner ear. Ask your GP for a referral.
Stress less Stress and anxiety are often linked with dizziness. If you feel like you’re about to start panicking, sit down. That way, if you do faint you won’t hurt yourself. Take deep breaths to steady your heart rate and have a sip of water until it passes.
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Sugar hit If your blood sugar levels are running low, you will become more prone to a dizzy spell. Make sure you’re eating regularly, and have snacks on hand for an extra boost if you feel like you’re flailing.
Boost B12 A lack of the vitamin B12 can lead to low blood pressure and feeling off-balance. Invest in a supplement, and make sure there’s enough meat, dairy products, and fortified breakfast cereals in your diet - all good sources.
Things to avoid Bright lights, alcohol, hunger and loud, grating noises can all exacerbate an attack of dizziness.
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5 unusual ways to keep colds
at bay By Kate Whitin
I
f you work in an enclosed space with lots of other people, use public transport, or regularly hang around with people who do, then chances are, you’re going to get at least one cold at some point this winter. Of course, there are things that can help (or at least make us feel like we’re trying!) to ward off the germs - and that doesn’t just mean spritzing the antibacterial hand gel and popping Echinacea and vitamin C. Here are six less common methods for beating the seasonal sniffles...
Drink camomile tea Growing up, I had a Peter Rabbit plate with a picture of the bunny in bed that read: ‘Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed, and made him some camomile tea’. Turns out mummy Rabbit was right - people who drink camomile tea have high levels of the antiinflammatory hippurate, which can ease cold symptoms. Plus, the herbal drink will help you keep hydrated, which makes your body more able to fight infection.
Hibernate OK, we don’t actually mean go to bed until spring, as tempting as that sounds. But this year, research at the University of California, San Francisco,
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found that a good night’s sleep helps us fight off infections. Those who slept for less than six hours a night were four times more likely to get ill than those who regularly got more than seven hours’ shut-eye.
Run a bath Wonder why we’re more prone to catching flu in winter? There are a number of factors, of course (and no, it’s not merely because of a drop in temperature), but according to scientists in the US, whose study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, flu viruses love cold, dry air. These conditions dry up people’s mucus, making it harder for the body to repel particles of the influenza virus. With this in mind, a hot steamy bath could help keep those vital mucus functions in top bug-beating condition too.
Swap seats It might seem rude, but as airborne germs can fly up to 3.5 metres when someone coughs or
sneezes (according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), the easiest way to avoid them is by moving away from the person on the bus/train/ desk with a cold.
Adopt a dog Stroking a dog for 18 minutes can boost immunoglobulin A antibodies that fight infection, according to a study in the US. So what are you waiting for? But remember: a dog’s for a life, not just to help you fight colds.
The Wright Touch Therapies BRAND NEW
Holistic Therapy Business in Orrell, Wigan
Treatments Available include: • Reiki £30 • Reflexology - specializes in fertility and maternity £30 • Aromatherapy Massage £35 • Swedish Massage £30 • Tibetan Head Massage £25 Gift vouchers • Hopi Ear Candles £30 available for • Holistic Facial £30 xmas • Waxing (please call for prices) • Pamper Parties and Mummy Me Time Parties (please call for further details)
RELAX
REFRESH
RENEW
To arrange a home visit or an appointment in the Therapy room, please contact Nicola on:
07541 214 317
nic@thewrighttouchtherapies.com www.thewrighttouchtherapies.com Nicola Wright IIHHT Level 3 VTCT trained, Reiki Master
Same day denture repairs Pick up & drop off service available Stephen Lander Dental Designs Laboratory are a team of professionals in the art of dentistry, especially producing quality Crowns, Veneers, Bridges, Implants and a whole host of other cosmetic teeth. Stephen Lander Dental Designs 28 Parliament Street, Up Holland, WN8 OLN
Call - 01695 623334
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Care in your OWN Home ASK AMANDA! Amanda Barlow is the Registered Care Manager for Right at Home – she answers your questions.
How do you recruit care staff? ANSWER. The great thing about being a carer is that a wide range of people can do it. It can suit people who want 70 hours work a week, people who want to work days, evenings, overnights or weekends. It can fit around other jobs, retirement, university or family. Right at Home are a good employer. We encourage our staff to complete training and qualifications, and our regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) insists on certain training being in place. Having said this, care is a great opportunity because you do not need formal qualifications or previous experience. The most important attributes are to have a “caring nature”, enjoy
helping people, being reliable and being able to relate to older people is a must. At Right at Home we apply what we call the “mum” test. If someone comes for a job we ask ourselves if we would feel comfortable with them looking after our own relatives. If the answer is “YES” we are more likely to give them a trial. Personal appearance does matter, our customers expect certain standards and our staff must meet these. We will provide mandatory training, seek references, complete criminal records check and then allow the person to “shadow” existing staff. People come to us for a job from all walks of life. We have professional carers with a track record. We have trainee doctors, business owners, a micro-biology student and a female firefighter. One of the strangest was a customer’s daughter who got on so well with us she came to work here! For employment you must be over 18 and have a car. If you are interested in a job in home care, or you someone requires support please give me a call on 01257 696 050.
Quality Care & Companionship in the comfort of your own home Support & Companionship Outside Your Home Days & nights out, appointments, holidays etc 7pm ‘til 7am Emergency Respite & Care during the night Hospital to Home Quality Care following time in hospital Cancer Care in your own home Right at Home in partnership with St Catherine’s Hospice
Right at Home carers are reliable, friendly and well trained - many are Dementia & Parkinson’s specialists.
Call Amanda or Nicky on 01257 696 050
01257 696 050
or visit rightathomeUK.co.uk
Locally based
Registered with the Care Quality Commission. Each Right at Home office is independently owned and operated.
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Financial planning
Volatility - things to remember by David K Barton APFS Cert CII(MP), Chartered Financial Planner and Managing Director
A
n explorer who set off in early January and returned today to check his FTSE 100 tracker investment may have thought that the intervening period had been uneventful. The UK FTSE 100 registered a slight fall of just under 1%. In fact, that lack of progress masks much greater volatility, including a new all-time high for UK equities and a new all-time low for UK gilt yields.
Volatility is a normal part of long term investing From time to time markets will experience bouts of volatility. As an investor your mind-set is absolutely critical. If you are prepared for volatility you are less likely to be irrational with your decision making and consequently your focus should remain on your long term investment goals. Equity investors tend to get rewarded for the extra risk they take by potentially achieving higher average returns over the longer term when compared to cash and bonds.
Market Corrections can create attractive opportunities The type of market correction that we recently witnessed is a normal part of investing and can happen more than once during the course of a bull market. These can often be good times to invest in equities as valuations generally become more attractive. Some of the worst historical stock market losses were followed by rebounds and breaks to new highs. Avoid stopping and starting your investments; investors who remain invested tend
to benefit from a long upward trend. If you try to time the market you run the risk of denting future returns by missing the best recovery days.
Diversification It is important to spread your risk by investing into different sectors and regions in order to reduce the likelihood of concentrated losses. Holding a combination of equities, bonds, property as well as defensive assets such as cash and government bonds can help smooth returns over time.
Don’t be swayed by sweeping sentiment The popularity of investment themes ebbs and flows. They key point is not to allow the euphoria or undue pessimism of the market cloud your judgement. For the last twelve years Prosper have been helping clients manage their investment and pension funds. During this time we have endured the global credit crunch, the Greek crisis, Russian Ruble concerns, US debt issues, large oil price swings and more recently the fun and games in China. Our investment philosophy throughout this period has never wavered. We have stuck to our diversification and risk management principles, and consequently our clients have been rewarded for their patience. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like us to work with you
The value of investments, and the income derived from them, can go down as well as up and you can get back less than you originally invested.
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Have you retired or are you about to? Join the many hundreds of local clients that have benefitted from partnering with us on their retirement journey. Focus on the important things in your retirement such as hobbies, holidays or family; don’t spend time pouring over your investments and pension options... that’s our job!
Why should you choose Prosper? We are a local firm with a national reputation for outstanding service and have been looking after the needs of investment and pension clients since we launched the company in 2003. We now manage in excess of £100 million on behalf of 450 individual and corporate clients throughout the Wigan area and beyond and work very closely with most Wigan law firms.
We “take the hassle away” from managing your money as your financial wellbeing is our sole focus.
Whilst we do not require a minimum investment level for our services you would ideally have at least £100,000 liquid funds to invest or have existing investments at this level. We were the first independent financial advisers in Wigan to be awarded the prestigious “Chartered Financial Planner” status.
Call now for a consultation
01257 423 800 Prosper Independent Financial Advisers Ltd. Prosper House, 99a High Street, Standish, WN6 0HD
www.prosper-ifa.co.uk
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Business view
Auto enrolment made
easy
by Chris Alcock - CMA Accountancy
T
he law on workplace pensions has recently changed. Since April 2012 every employer in the UK now has a legal duty to enrol all eligible workers into a qualifying pension scheme by a specific deadline (“staging date”). As an employer you must by law create and maintain detailed records of correspondence with workers, workforce assessments, joiners, leavers and pension payments. This is one of the most onerous challenges to face businesses in recent years. It is called auto enrolment because it is automatic for your staff, they don’t have to do anything to be enrolled into your pension scheme. If you are an employer you need to take steps to make sure they are enrolled.
• Liaise with your IFA (if applicable) • Maintain on-going responsibilities Whatever the size of your business, including director only companies, you will find one of our Auto Enrolment options to suit your needs. We have the following packages available: • Essential Set Up – for those on a tight budget and want the essential things doing to be compliant • Full Set Up – Our most popular option ensuring complete peace of mind including reviewing planning opportunities • Premium Set Up – The best option for larger businesses with more complex requirements
The penalties for non-compliance can be very severe. There is a fixed penalty of £400 and then a daily penalty starting from £50 per day for a business with up to 4 employees can be applied.
We can offer you a free initial consultation to discuss AE planning and any other accountancy requirements you have such as cloud accounting and tax planning, either at our office or yours, at a time to suit you. Contact us for a no obligation meeting.
Here at CMA, as part of our proactive payroll service, we can provide a solution to help you with the Auto Enrolment process. We can develop your AE Action Plan to ensure that you:
01257 255521 info@cma-accountancy.com www.cma-accountancy.com
• Confirm your staging date • Assess your workforce for eligibility • Assist you with employee communications • Set up your pension scheme
CMA Accountancy 39 Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge, WN6 9DR
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Looking for hands on, proactive & friendly accounting with fixed fees? AT CMA ACCOUNTING, WE ARE PROUD TO OFFER YOU A HANDS ON, PROACTIVE, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE ... We provide fixed-fee, value for money accountancy services to new and existing businesses of all sizes. We work proactively with business owners and managers to implement modern solutions to achieve their goals. Contact us for a no obligation consultation to see how we can improve your financial processess and performance.
new website
www.cma-accountancy.com info@cma-accountancy.com Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge. 01257 255521
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Love
it!
hen it comes to the art of giving gifts to loved ones, inspiration and good taste make the difference between the recipient being thrilled to bits and facing a long wait in the returns queue at M&S.
The gorgeous Love It Gallery isn’t like other shops, it’s a virtual potpourri of giftware, home furnishings and art in an elegant and spacious setting. Headed up by the owners of Morpheus Glass, Stephanie O’Brien and Ian O’Brien, Love It Gallery is a welcome and imaginative addition to the North West’s world of retail.
For those of us hanging around the back of the queue when inspiration and good taste were given out, there’s a range of perfect Christmas gifts at Love It Gallery, which is based at the old Billinge Garden Centre site on Winstanley Road (near Winstanley College).
Morpheus Glass now supplies fused glass work to galleries, shops, interior designers, architects and independent traders both nationally and internationally, and Fused Glass artist Stephanie enjoys working with clients on a range of varied and exciting bespoke commission projects.
W
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As you’d expect, Love It Gallery carries a beautiful, unique and original range of contemporary fused glass products from Morpheus Glass, but there’s so much more on display at the Gallery, including gifts, ceramics, hand-crafted jewellery, furnishings, bags and more from many talented UK designer/makers. Adjacent to the gallery is the inspirational splashback showrooms, where customers can see how fused glass splashbacks can make a stylish enhancement to a dream kitchen or bathroom. Coming soon to the site is the new Bag & Bean Café, where you can enjoy delicious coffee, yummy cakes and light lunches six days a week. With Christmas just round the corner, a trip to Love It Gallery is a must! Love It Gallery Winstanley Road, Billinge WN5 7XG 01695 624182 Opening hours are; Tuesday-Saturday 10-5pm Sundays 10.30am-4pm www.loveitgallery.co.uk www.morpheusglass.co.uk
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Win a fused glass
bowl!
Here’s your chance to win a gorgeous hand crafted bowl from Morpheus Glass, one of the UK’s leading fused glass companies. This fused glass bowl, which would normally retail at £120, will be personally created for you; designed to suit your tastes and using colours chosen by you.
What is the name of the Billingebased gallery where Morpheus Glass exhibits their work?
Leading glass artist Stephanie O’Brien of Morpheus Glass uses a range of advanced glass techniques to create a unique and original range of contemporary glass products. Each piece of work is created using many different materials and design elements including coloured grains, metals, foils, silver and copper wire and also glass powders.
Only one entry per household. Entrants must be over 16
You can view the work of Morpheus Glass at their Love It Gallery, which is based on the site of the old Billinge Garden Centre on Winstanley Road in Billinge. To win the bowl simply visit our website www. locallife247.co.uk, click the ‘Enter our latest competition’ graphic and fill in your details along with the answer to this question;
The expiry date for this competition is Sunday 20th December 2015. years of age. The winners will be notified within 14 days of the closing date. Employees of Local Life 247 Ltd and their immediate relatives are not eligible to enter this competition. Winners’ names will be published in the February 2016 issue of Local Life.
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Credit where it’s
due...
An Appley Bridge company was the biggest winner at this year’s North West Finance Awards. IKO plc, which specialises in waterproofing and roofing products and is based on Appley Lane, were shortlisted for nine categories in all. On the night, they went home with three awards; Credit Star Award, Credit Team of the Year and Outstanding Business Performance. The awards took place at Bolton’s Macron Stadium and achieved record attendance, with entries submitted from all sectors of business across the North West. Group managing director of IKO plc Andy Williamson said: “I’m really proud of our finance team and their achievements. They work extremely
hard and are well deserved winners of all three awards It was a fantastic and memorable evening.”
*Aspray is paid by the insurer for all property reinstallments and repairs. Please note any excess stated in your insurance policy will still apply. ** Aspray will give you £100 towards your insurance excess when you instruct us to manage your claim and all reinstatement works have been completed. Terms and conditions apply. Aspray is authorised and regulated by the Finanacial Conduct Authority for claims handling only.
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Julie’s
double
The Standish-born chief executive was doubly delighted when she scooped two top business awards. Julie Robinson, who now lives in Shevington, has been named Business Person of the Year in the Bolton and Bury Business Awards 2015 for her role at Horwich-based Alliance Learning. Just moments before, Julie headed the team which picked up the SME of the Year trophy. Julie began her career at Wigan engineering company Gullick Dobson as an office junior, then moved to Metro-Tec as an NVQ co-ordinator before joining Alliance in 1994. “It was absolutely amazing,” said Julie, “When we were made finalists in two categories, I would have
chosen the SME award to win. But when we won both – well, all I can say is that it was very emotional. The first person I wanted to share the news with was my 81 year-old father, Tom Holcroft, who is my hero.”
Meets at 6pm,Tuesday, 1st December at Doc’s Symposium, 85 Mesnes Street, Wigan
Networking and support in a friendly and informal atmosphere for all Wigan Borough-based businesses.
Admission £5 Please pre-register your attendance at
www.wiganbbc.org.uk @WiganBBC
Free, no obligation discussion for all your bookkeeping needs Contact Petra on Telephone Mobile
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Food & Drink
Cooking up a
storm By Jeananne Craig
T
he sun didn’t always shine during Rachel Allen’s recent road trip along Ireland’s stunning Atlantic coast, but the chef and writer insists that was all part of the charm. “When the weather wasn’t great, it was wild and dramatic and windy. We had a couple of boat trips that did more than clear out the cobwebs,” says Allen, who spent a month journeying along the rugged western terrain from Ballymaloe in County Cork to the rugged headlands of Donegal. She visited numerous foodie locations along the route - and each stop-off forms a chapter in her new book, Coast, which is packed full of recipes inspired by her ‘culinary odyssey’. There was Sneem village in Kerry, where she met black pudding-producing butchers; Galway City, to stock
up on farmhouse cheese, and Rathmullan House in County Donegal, where Allen sampled some locallybrewed Kinnegar beer. “The characters you meet along the way and their passion is just wonderful,” says the author and TV presenter, who teaches at the acclaimed Ballymaloe Cookery School. “I also learnt how to free-dive for crabs and went snorkelling, looking at different seaweeds. I was constantly learning.” Allen believes Ireland’s gastronomic output in recent years has helped reverse the opinion that it houses a “nation of potato and cabbage eaters”. Want to try one of Allen’s tasty recipes at home? Here are three from Coast...
Coast: Recipes Inspired By Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Coast by Rachel Allen is published by Harper NonFiction, priced £25 (eBook £12.99). Available now
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Competition
Win a
Christmas Hamper O
ur popular Christmas hamper competition is back and this year, one lucky reader in Wigan will win a luxury Christmas Hamper! This Christmas hamper will be filled to the brim with luxury produce, much of it locally sourced. Most of our food is from the Food Hall at Derby House in Wrightington. The Food Hall at Derby House in Wrightington carries a great range of tasty local and regional produce, particularly in the run up to Christmas. The finished contents of the hamper was still being finalised as we went to press, but we can tell you that each hamper will include Christmas cake, chocolates, mince pies, cheese, shortbread, wine, real ale, nuts, sweets and lots more besides. The goods are packaged in an attractive and sturdy wicker basket, and expertly wrapped in cellophane and ribbons. Even if you’re not a foodie, these hampers would make a wonderful present for someone special in your life. To win one of these hampers simply visit our website (www. locallife247.co.uk), click on the competition graphic, complete your contact details and tell us the name of the Lancashire village where Derby House is located.
Your entry MUST be with us by Sunday 13th December, and the lucky winner will receive their hamper on the weekend of 19/20 December 2015. Crossword Competition Rules Only one entry per household. Entrants must be over 16 years of age. The winners will be notified within 14 days of the closing date. Local Life 247 Ltd cannot accept responsibility for entries that are delayed. Employees of Local Life 247 Ltd or their immediate relatives are not eligible to enter this competition.
Good luck to all who enter - and a Happy Christmas to all!
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Irish onion
with blue cheese toasts
soup
Method
Serves 4 as a starter Ingredients 25g butter 600g onions, peeled and cut into 5mm thick slices Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1L chicken or beef stock 150ml double or regular cream For the Blue Cheese Toasts: 8 x 1cm thick slices of baguette, white yeast bread or sourdough 75g blue cheese, crumbled
Melt the butter in a saucepan large enough to take the onions. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and stir. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for one-and-a-quarter to one-and-a-half hours, until the onions are very deep golden brown. You’ll need to stir the onions and scrape the bottom of the saucepan every few minutes while cooking. When the onions have caramelised, add the stock and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cream, bring to a simmer and season to taste again with salt and pepper, then take off the heat. When ready to serve, preheat the grill, then toast the bread on both sides and cut into smaller pieces, about 4cm. Pour the hot soup into heatproof bowls and top with the toasted bread. Crumble the blue cheese over the top, place the bowls under the hot grill and cook for one to two minutes until bubbling.
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Christmas Fayre 1 Course £11.95, 2 Courses £15.95 3 Courses £19.95 TO START
TO FINISH
Hot Winter Vegetable Soup (V) Topped with parsnip crisps & warm crusty bread
Traditional Christmas Pudding Coated in a rich brandy sauce
Confit Duck Leg Terrine Rye bread, grape & plum chutney
Lightly Spiced Apple & Raisin Strudel Rum & raisin ice cream
Scottish Oak Smoked Salmon Caper berries, brown bread and lemon gel Marinated Goats Cheese & Beetroot Carpaccio (V) Pea shoots and balsamic glaze Queenie Scallops Chorizo, coriander & chilli
TO FOLLOW Traditional Roast Turkey Homemade stuffing, pigs in blankets, goose-fat roast potatoes, carrot, swede, sprouts, homemade gravy and cranberry sauce Braised Shin of Beef Creamed potato, red cabbage and chestnuts Pan-Seared Salmon Almond crumb, turnip broth and curly kale Spiced Winter Vegetable Salad (V) Glazed gnocchi, red pepper coulis and melting Brie
Irish Cream Cheesecake Orange liquor compote Boathouse Cheeseboard (£2 Supplement) Water biscuits, celery, homemade grape chutney and walnut bread
******** Coffee & Homemade Mince Pies £2.50
Mill Lane, Appley Bridge, WN6 9DA
01257 252456 www.appleybridgeboathouse.com
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Taste test
Food to about
Rave-n by David Sudworth
L
ike death and taxes, the inevitability of having to go Christmas shopping each year fills most normal people with dread.
This year, however, the experience was surprisingly pleasant, as I took an inadvertent trip down Memory Lane by heading to The Raven on Wallgate. It’s years since I stepped foot inside this well-established local, built in 1904, to try out its food. I’ve had mixed experiences when eating in Wigan town centre, but The Raven’s emphasis on ‘proper food’ persuaded me to give it a try.
First, a confession. Although I’m a Wiganer, I mostly avoid pies. Before you slam the magazine down in disgust, let me explain. I did once enjoy the odd pie, but the amount of rubbish which passes for filling these days has left me conducting a one-man boycott of Wigan’s most famous snack. Notwithstanding all that, the Raven’s pies are, well, being raved about by many, so I reckoned it was time for an evaluation. I met my colleague Chris, who was also in town that day, for a lunchtime fill, and boy did we get one! I went for the Steak and Stilton Pie, served with chips, mushy peas and gravy. When it came out of the kitchen, piping hot, I was immediately 15 again, eating proper food in Wigan town
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the first sip was just how clean-tasting and hoppy it was. This was a beer which didn’t rest heavy on the stomach, so an ideal partner for any of The Raven’s dishes.
centre. Back then, it was invariably at the chippy near Tom Whalley’s old pet shop in Millgate, but in 2015, it’s The Raven doing the honours. Not only was the pastry fresh and tasty, the filling was simply delicious. Real meat in a pie, who would have thought it? But actually, as anyone north of Watford knows, the real treat of a chippy dinner is being able to sample each part of the dish all on the same fork. There’s something quite northern about this little ritual but on a cold winter day, it feels just right. A bit like my wariness for pies, Chris usually isn’t one for burgers. In fact, he’s never been in a burger joint since reading a book detailing the typical contents of a fast food chain burger. But when bossy World Health Organisation (W.H.O.) started lecturing people again on what not to eat, it provoked just one reaction with Chris - bring on the burgers!
What Chris and I like about The Raven was how it was a ‘proper’ pub but doesn’t come over, unlike many, as contrived or ironic. The front of the Raven is where the regulars perch, while at the back you can sit down to a honest fayre. With a mix of stripped wooden and original tiled floors, and an abundance of dark wooden fixtures and fittings, The Raven could double as a location set for 1970s cop show Life On Mars. But don’t for one second think that you’ll be served up the type of rubbery nosh we took for granted back then. The menu is peppered with Wigan classics; chippy teas, hot beef barms, fish finger butties, even the kitsch scampi and chips in a basket, at prices designed to leave some money in your pocket for the rest of the Christmas shopping. One day, they will have pubs like The Raven in the City of London, serving Giles and Tabitha main courses like Babby’s Yed, chips and mushy peas for 85 quid a throw. They’d do better to hop on the West Coast Main Line to Wallgate, where it’s done the proper way.
His tasty and succulent Raven Burger weighed in at around 6oz, was speckled with chilli and encased in a large bun with chilli relish, red onions and an ohso- generous helping of cheese. A plentiful portion of delectable chips took him back to the 1970s; proper chips cooked like his mum used to make. His W.H.O-approved salad was, perhaps subconsciously, left untouched. The Raven is also noted for its fine ales, so I decided to partake in a glass of Platinum Blonde by Lancashire brewery Black Edge. One thing I noticed almost at
5 Wallgate, Wigan, WN1 1LD
01942 239 764 www.theravenwigan.com
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Raw beetroot, feta & avocado
salad with toasted almonds and balsamic dressing
Makes 4 to 6 as a starter Ingredients 30g whole almonds, cut lengthways into three slices 180g raw beetroot, peeled and sliced on a mandoline or a vegetable peeler 1-2mm thick One large ripe avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled and flesh cut into about 18 slices 30g watercress, separated into little sprigs 30g red onion, peeled and sliced on a mandoline or vegetable peeler 1-2mm thick 90g feta cheese, crumbled Few pinches of sea salt flakes For the balsamic dressing: 1tbsp balsamic vinegar 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil (the best you have) Pinch of fine salt Twist of black pepper
Method Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas mark 6. Combine all the ingredients for the balsamic dressing and set aside. Put the almonds on a baking tray and cook in the oven for three minutes until golden under the skins. (You can also do this in a frying pan on a mediumhigh heat.) Set aside. Arrange the salad ingredients evenly on the plates: a layer of beetroot, about three slices of avocado, sprigs of watercress, red onion slices, crumbled feta, a pinch of sea salt flakes and a scattering of toasted almonds. Drizzle each plate with a generous one to one-and-ahalf teaspoons of dressing and serve immediately.
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Festive Lunch
Served from 12 noon starting on Monday 23rd November 2015
1 course £9.95
2 courses £14.95
3 courses £17.95
Menu
Slow Roasted Tomato Soup
with rocket & tapenade croutons
Goosnargh Chicken & Pork Terrine with spiced pear compote
Potted Hot Smoked Salmon
with a dill créme fraiche, melba toast
Lighty Creamed Wild Mushrooms with garlic & herbs on toasted brioche
Traditional Turkey
with seasonal trimmings
Grilled Fillet of Sea Bass
with a crayfish & leek essence, crushed new potatoes
Butternut Squash Ravioli
with herb & parmesan cream, courgette ribbons
Pan Roasted Rumpette Steak
with béarnaise sauce & skinny fries
Traditional Christmas Pudding with brandy sauce
Baileys Créme Brúlée with shortbread
Eton Mess Blood Orange Bread & Butter Pudding with rum & raisin ice-cream
Derby House, Mossy Lea Road, Wrightington, WN6 9RE Tel. 01257 426514 Email. enquires@thepaddockrestaurant.co.uk www.thepaddockrestaurant.co.uk
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Irish cream liqueur baked
cheesecake Method Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas mark 3. Put the base of a round 25.5cm (10in) spring-form cake tin upside down into the tin and secure the clasp. Put the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor (or in a plastic bag) and whiz (or bash with a rolling pin) until they reach the consistency of coarse breadcrumbs. Tip out into a bowl, add the melted butter and cream and stir to combine. Press firmly into the bottom of the tin to create an even layer and flatten the top. Place on a baking tray, just in case any mixture leaks onto the floor of the oven while the cheesecake is cooking.
Serves 8 Ingredients For the base: 300g dark chocolate digestive biscuits 50g unsalted butter, melted 2tbsp double or regular cream
Put the cream cheese, sugar and eggs in a large bowl and whisk well to combine and get rid of any lumps in the cream cheese. Mix in the coffee and liqueur and pour into the tin on the tray. Place the tray in the oven and cook for 35 minutes or until almost set. There should still be a thick wobble when you give the cheesecake a little shake. Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside to sit for 30 minutes, then remove and leave to cool in the tin.
100ml strong coffee
To remove the cheesecake from the tin, run a small sharp knife around the side of the cake, carefully unclip the tin and, with the help of a palette knife, slide the cheesecake off the base onto a serving plate (it should slide off easily because you have turned the base upside down).
100ml Irish cream liqueur
Cut into slices to serve.
For the top: 500g full fat cream cheese 150g caster sugar 4 eggs
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Eating out
guide
The Rigbye Arms This pretty pub with its low beams, quirky rooms and real fire, has centuries of hospitality steeped into its timbers. Offering a variety of fresh local produce and local game, there is something for everyone. 01257 462354 2 Whittle Lane, Wrightington, Wigan, WN6 9QB rigbyearms.com
Papa Luigi’s
Lovels Bistro
Traditional Italian cuisine at its best! Enjoy a little bit of Italy in elegant surroundings and a warm friendly atmosphere, where you can relax and unwind or celebrate in style. Book now for Christmas. 01942 231558 Wigan Lane, Wigan, WN1 1JP papaluigiswigan.co.uk
Tasty food, happy times and great value - you’ll not be disappointed with the quality, taste and service. We’re more than just a great wedding venue. 01695 624 426 Holland Hall, Lafford Lane, Up Holland, WN8 0QZ hollandhallhotel.co.uk
The Corner House
The Stocks Tavern
Fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere - perfect for any special occasion or a casual get together. Our traditional menu sources local produce. See our website for special offers. 01257 451400 9, Wood Lane, Wrightington Bar, Wigan, WN6 9SE cornerhousewrightington.co.uk
Warmest and friendliest of welcomes with award winning chef Mike Heap, who uses only the finest, freshest, local ingredients to ensure you leave completely satisfied. 01257 462874 16, Alder Lane, Parbold, WN8 7NN thestockstavern.co.uk
Advertise
here £48 + VAT
Call 01695 627999
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Rigby’s Coffee Shop Enjoy a trip out to Pimbo Garden Centre and tuck into a wide
rigby’s Coffee Shop
selection of delicious home cooked, locally sourced, food served seven days a week at Rigby’s Coffee Shop. 01695 622601 Pimbo Garden Centre, 32 Pimbo Lane, Up Holland, WN8 9QQ pimbogardencentre.co.uk
The Paddock Informal dining in Wrightington. Locally sourced, freshly made food served daily. Theme nights with live entertainment. In house butcher and fruit & veg shop. 01257 426514 Derby House, Mossy Lea Rd, Wrightington, WN6 9RE thepaddockrestaurant.co.uk
Advertise
here £30 + VAT
Call 01695 627999
The High Moor Restaurant From set menus to a-la-carte meals and a traditional Sunday lunch, The High Moor Restaurant has an enviable reputation for superb food, outstanding wines and genuine hospitality. High Moor Lane, Wrightington, Wigan, WN6 9QA 01257 252364 highmoorrestaurantwigan.co.uk
Delph Tavern Award-winning CAMRA freehouse with a fast growing reputation for excellent quality food at reasonable prices. Traditional British classics served, plus some exotic surprises too. Food served Wed-Sun only. 01695 622239 Tontine, Orrell, WN5 8UJ facebook.com/TheDelphTavern
Plantation Restaurant
Fifteens @ The Fox
Now Open! From wholesome breakfasts and a delicious lunchtime menu to traditional Lancastrian afternoon teas, the new Plantation Restaurant at Warbreck Garden Centre is the place to go. 01695 722960 Lyelake Lane, Lathom, L40 6JW warbreckgardencentre.co.uk
With real fires burning, local fresh food and great cask ales, Fifteens @ The Fox offers a perfect combination of a traditional pub with relaxed fine dining, seven days a week. 01695 628178 Roby Mill, Up Holland, WN8 0QF fifteensatthefox.com
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sponsored by
Dover Lock &
Lightshaw by David Sudworth
Y
ou can’t make a omlette without cracking a few eggs. So if the new High Speed Rail (HS2) line goes ahead, expect a fair few shells to be cast aside for what some say is for the national good. Sadly though, it’s not only foodstuffs which are likely to be affected; in this part of Wigan it would cut through designated green areas and be close to at least two Grade II listed buildings. So there is a sense of ‘enjoy it while you can’ about part of this walk. We parked up in a small layby just off Warrington Road (WN2 5XY). Although cars are allowed on it, do ensure you don’t block the bus stop, which according to the signage, is used for school buses only.
From here, we headed south-eastwards down Crankwood Road. I always get a bit nervous when venturing down roads which, to all intents and purposes, look like private drives or tracks. The signage on the gate at the entrance to Lee Lane Farm indicates that while it is a private road, walkers are welcome. As we carry on, past Chadwick’s Farm, the formal path turns into a woodland path but soon, after dodging the overhanging vegetation, we find ourselves on the adopted part of Crankwood Road. At this point, we pass through this hamlet with only really a handful of houses to its name. A bit of open countryside and some
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picked up the pace and headed over Gerrard’s Bridge, which allowed us access over the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. At this point, there is the option of simply picking up the towpath back towards the starting point, but we decided to venture further south. Around two minutes in, there is a clearing on the right hand side where you get a lovely view across South Lancashire.
grand houses later and we find ourselves, again, at another small clutch of properties. Opposite the junction in Montreal Street/Durban Street, there’s a signposted public footpath on the right, down the side of the farm.
It wasn’t long before we found ourselves on disused railway banking which now acts as a public footpath. Back in its day, this used to be part of the Wigan Junction Railway, which was constructed in 1876 and allowed a connection between Glazebook in Warrington with the old Wigan Central Station. It was closed in 1964 to passengers and in 1968 to freight as part of Dr Richard Beeching’s infamous cull of rail lines.
Regular readers will know I’m a bit nervous of animals at the best of times, but this path is quite narrow so with horses on one side and cows on the other, I was a little trepidatious. There was no need to fear though as the cows, resting in the mid afternoon sun, barely batted an eyelid while the horses were too busy feasting on the luscious pasture to give us the time of day. From here we
By poplar demand Lightshaw Meadows is home to the rare Black Poplar tree. During the 1900s, many of them died in the Wigan area due to air pollution. Although action was taken, they are now under threat from a scab disease common in poplar trees. Those at Lightshaw’s Copse Field are taken from root cuttings from mature trees in Cheshire , and have been DNA fingerprinted to ensure they are the correct type. This is because poplars often hybrise and it can be difficult to tell them apart.
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Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear whilst walking. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the walk is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause.
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Having pondered on what types of thunderous locomotives made their way down this very path years ago, we find ourselves at Slag Lane. Turn right and within a few yards we take another right down the path leading to Apple Tree Stables Equestrian Centre. This is where the walk does test your skills of awareness. This is primarily a private site, Critchley House, with a public footpath running through it. The signage is of the homemade variety which is great in one respect, but you do have to wonder why there are no official waymarkers. I suspect this is why perhaps this part of the route feels as if it’s not used very often; certainly the vegetation is much denser here. That said, having been left
Over 30 Lancashire
walks
to its own devices, there are plenty of wild plants growing. Once you’ve ploughed your way through, you start noticing signage for the Lightshaw Meadows project. Managed by the Wildlife Trust, the Meadows is a very sensitive site for wildlife and part of it is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It was once home to a hive of coal mining activity from the 19th to mid-20th Century, leaving large voids underground. This ground has since collapsed and become flooded, creating the landscape we see today. The Copse field is also home to a species of tree called The Black Poplar, which is now under threat. Around 10 minutes later, we go past Lightshaw Hall, one of the Grade II listed building mentioned earlier. The hall dates from the 16th Century and at one point was surrounded by a moat. It was among the first in Wigan to be listed, with it being granted the honour in 1966. Once at the end of this path, we found ourselves, very briefly, on the A573 Wigan Road before turning right onto yet another disused line heading towards the canal towpath. This line was one of the very many mineral tracks in the area which transported coal from the old Garswood Hall Colliery, where the Three Sisters Racing Track is today.
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From here, it’s pretty much a straight line to the canal, and another one to Dover Lock, where you leave the towpath at Aye Bridge Road. The Dover Lock pub awaits thirsty or hungry walkers, but for us time was of the essence so we simply walked right, across the bridge, and back to the car. I was surprised this walk was 5.1 miles (10,682 steps according to my smartphone app). It’s not a route which can be done wholly on a bicycle as some of the paths are narrow and/or muddy in part. However, if you’re just getting into walking or even a seasoned pro, this is a cracking little trek which takes you to an area which only really the locals know about. And if HS2 becomes a reality in the next few years, it’s likely there will be little time left to enjoy unencumbered access to a peaceful and delightful part of Wigan.
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The photograph on page 40 is of Pepper Lane, Standish
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Events & Leisure
What’s
on
Indoor Car Boot Sale Saturday, November 21 10am to 1pm at Up Holland Methodist Church, Alma Hill. Refreshments available. £10 per table – please contact Linda to book on 01695 622414 or linda.w@talktalk.net
Christmas Fair Saturday, November 21 & Sunday, November 22 Held from 10am-4pm at Sunshine House Community Hub, Wellington Street, Scholes. £6 per table - book via pt.artandcrafts@gmail.com or on 01942 820026.
Christmas Gift & Craft Fair Sunday, November 22 A Billinge Residents Association & Almost Vintage event held from 1pm- 4pm at Birchley St Mary’s
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Grassington Dickensian Festival Saturday, December 5, 12 & 19 For three Saturdays before Christmas between 11am-5pm, Grassington travels back in time for the annual Dickensian Festival. Visitors are treated to a glorious array of sights, tastes and smells from a bygone era. The village is adorned in Christmas lights, the square and streets come alive with a traditional market with shopkeepers and villagers dressed in Victorian costume. Visitors can revel in delight at the musicians, dancers, street entertainers and exhibitions of traditional country crafts. The Park and Ride at Threshfield Quarry costs £10 per car. The postcode (for sat nav users) is BD23 5PA. For all enquiries please contact the Dickensian Co-ordinator on dickensian@grassington.uk.com
Catholic Club, Trent Road, Billinge. To book a table please contact 07767 870977 or 01744 603210
The Mummies Unmasked Thursday, November 26 A special look beneath the bandages of Manchester Museum’s Egyptian mummies using CT-scans interpreted by Dr Campbell Price, Curator of Egypt
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and Sudan. Held from noon-1.15pm at the Museum of Wigan Life, Library Street, Wigan town centre. Cost is £2.50 - booking essential via 01942 828128 or email wiganmuseum@wigan.gov.uk
Lancashire Day Friday, November 27 Standish Community Forum & Royal British Legion event in the War Memorial Garden from 11am. Following the laying of a red rose and the reading of the official Lancashire Day proclamation, there will be the official opening and dedication of the new railings. All welcome from 11am.
Duran Duran Friday, November 27 British music legends Duran Duran start the UK leg of their Paper Gods tour at Manchester Arena. It’s now 33 years since their classic hit Rio hit the radio. To date they’ve sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and the British quartet are still making music and going strong. Their new album, titled Paper Gods, had their highest chart debut in 22 years. Enjoy their classic hits such as Hungry Like The Wolf, Girls on Film and The Wild Boys. Tickets from £39.37 via www.eventim.co.uk
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The Snowman Thursday, December 10 This Christmas, The Snowman is coming to The Blackpool Tower Ballroom. The timeless film will be shown on a large screen accompanied by a live, professional orchestra. Tickets £17.50 for adults, £11.50 for children or £51 for a family of four. Starts at 7pm and finishes at 8.30pm. Visit www. theblackpooltower.com liverpoolphil.com
Murder Weapon Wednesday, November 25-Saturday. December 5 Wigan Little Theatre production from 7pm-9pm. When Chief Constable Bligh accompanies her friend Diane Tulliver home to Dysart Hall after a night at the opera they arrive to a horrifying scene. Diane’s husband Paul has been shot dead and ex-convict Charley Mirren is standing over him bearing a gun. Tickets via www.wiganlittletheatre.co.uk
The Ultimate Christmas Fair Thursday, November 26-Sunday, November 29 Held at Liverpool Exhibition Centre, Kings Dock,. Opening times are Thursday, 10am – 9.00pm; Friday and Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 10am-3.30pm. Tickets are £14.95 for adults and £5 for those aged six-16 in advance, or £18 and £6 respectively on the door. Book via www.theultimatechristmasfair.co.uk
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The Lancashire Hotpots
All Saints Event
Friday, November 27
Saturday, November 28
The Old Courts are proud to present, live in The Grand Vault, the Lancashire Hotpots on their 50 Shades of Gravy Tour. The undisputed kings of the Northern knees up are back with a truly fun packed night of music, comedy and song. Playing songs from their ninth album A Fistful of Scratchcards as well as all your favourites like Chippy Tea and Shopmobility Scooter grab your flat cap and get ready for the biggest party night of the year. Tickets £13 via www.theoldcourts.com
From 10am-12.30pm at Standish Methodist Church on High Street. Entertainment from Prospect Band and an array of stalls.
The Way We Used To Live Friday, November 27 Event courtesy of the Making Memories dementiafriendly support group at Standish Library, Cross Street, from 10am-noon. Entry is £2 per person. Call 01257 400496.
Christmas Lantern Parade Friday, November 27 Tatton Park welcome Father Christmas and his Reindeers during a beautiful lantern parade. Enjoy the glow and atmosphere of this wonderful welcome. Light his route with your own lanterns as he makes his way through the twilight parkland to Tatton’s festive stableyard. Please take along any unwanted toys to donate to the Manchester Children’s Hospital. Starts at 6pm. Free entry. For further information about the lantern parade please call Bridget Roberts on 01625 374405.
Festive Market Saturday, November 28 Christmas fair held at All Saints School, Finch Lane, Appley Bridge, from 11am-2pm.
An Evening With John Cunningham Saturday, November 28 Wigan Music Society event starting at 7.30pm at Trinity United Reformed Church, Milton Grove, Wigan. John is Principal Guest Artist at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. All welcome.
Christmas Fair Saturday, November 28 St Matthews Church, Highfield, event held from 11am-1pm in the school hall. There will be lots of stalls including books, toys, jewellery, face painting, bottle tombola, white elephant, chocolate, grave pots, lucky dip, table centres, toiletries and more. There will also be refreshments available. Father Christmas will be in his grotto.
Christmas Fair Saturday, November 28
Tunley United Reformed Church in Wrightington is to hold its Christmas Fair in the hall from 11am1pm. All welcome.
Held at St Teresa’s RC School, College Road, Up Holland, from 12.30pm. Organisers will be running a variety of stalls including cakes, wine raffle, tombola, sweet jamboree, ‘death by chocolate!’ toys, books and DVDs. If you are interested in selling your goods and promoting your business then contact the school. 01695 623842.
Christmas Fair
Art Group Exhibition
Tunley Fair Saturday, November 28
Saturday, November 28
Saturday, November 28
Held at Orrell Book Cycle , Orrell Road, from noon4pm. Attractions include craft and food stalls, Santa’s grotto, facepainting, barbecue and tombola.
Event hosted by Ashton Phoenix Art Group at St Thomas’s Church Hall, Warrington Road, Ashton, from 11am-1pm. All welcome.
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Milltown Sound Chorus Sunday, November 29 Festive event at Haigh Hall, School Lane, from noon4pm. Tickets are £18.95/£9.95 for children and includes a four-course meal and live music. Booking essential via 01942 832895.
Christmas Tree Lighting Wednesday. December 2 At Bispham Methodist Church, Crank Road, Billinge. Carols at 6.30pm with Trinity Girls Brass Band followed by switching on of Christmas tree lights by Father Christmas.
Up Holland High Christmas Fair Thursday, December 3 Held from 6pm to 8.30pm by Phoenix Friends, the school’s Parents, Teachers and Friends Association. Attractions include Santa’s grotto, lucky dip, tombola, raffle, cake stall, refreshments, bouncy castle, music, external stalls and much more. If anyone would like to book a stall, please contact Shirley Rigby on 01695 625191 or by email phoenixfriends@upholland.lancs.sch.uk
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Cinderella with Torvill & Dean Saturday, Decmember 5, to Sunday, January 3 Torvill & Dean make their pantomime debut as the Fairy Godparents at Manchester’s Opera House, and will be wowing audiences with their amazing routines. They will be joined on stage by Wicked star Liam Doyle as Prince Charming with his loyal sidekick, funny-man Samuel Holmes. Stand-up comedian and actor Andre Vincent will play the smitten Buttons with the beautiful Eloise Davies in the title role alongside the best boo-able ‘Uglies’ in pantoland Tim Hudson and Dave Lynn as her nasty stepsisters. Usually two performances a day, at 1pm and 5pm, and tickets are priced from £11.90 upwards via www.atgtickets.com
Parbold Late Night Christmas Shopping Thursday, December 3 Held from 6pm-9.30pm in the village. Enjoy complimentary drinks and nibbles while you browse around local shops.
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Spirit of Christmas Wednesday, December 23 Christmas begins at home as Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s gathers its family of musicians. There’ll be classic carols and seasonal readings from Classic FM’s John Suchet while folk star Kathryn Tickell brings the timeless magic of the Northumbrian pipes to the sound of the Phil’s choruses and full orchestra. Starts at 7.30pm and tickets cost from £18-£43 via www.liverpoolphil.com
Farm Fun Saturday, December 5 Festive fun down at Greenslate Community Farm , Tracks Lane, Billinge, from 11am to 3pm. There will be craft demonstrations, local artisans, and fresh produce from the farm shop. For more information, email info@greenslatefarm.org.uk or call 01695 229150.
Paddy McGuinness Saturday, December 5 One of the country’s best-loved and most popular comedians Paddy McGuinness has announced a brand new UK tour for 2015 & 2016. The star of Phoenix Nights and ITV’s Take Me Out will return to his performing roots, with his first stand-up comedy tour since 2011. Held at Preston Guild Hall, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets
Festive Fair Saturday, December 5. Held from 11am–2pm at Parbold Village Hall. The Green. Lots of stalls selling jewellery, toys, speciality cheeses, painted stones and woodcrafts.All proceeds raised will go the Hut-on-the-Hill – home to all of Parbold’s Guiding and Scouting units.
Christmas Fair Saturday, December 5 From 11am-2pm at Bispham Methodist Church, Crank Road, Billinge. Stalls including cakes, toiletries, gifts, jewellery, books, DVDs, toys and activities for children.
Holgate Christmas Fair Sunday, December 6 Held from 11am-1pm at Orrell Holgate School, Moor Road. There will be stalls galore including Santa’s Grotto, children’s face painting, new and used items, cakes, chocolate tombola and much more, For further details, call Nichola Unsworth on 07950 688169.
Christmas Celebration Thursday, December 10 Standish Women’s Institute event from 7pm at Ashfield House Hotel. New members and visitors welcome. Call 01257 401047 for more details.
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Carols By The Tree Thursday, December 10 Organised by the Forum for Aspull, Whelley & New Springs Forum, this event starts at 7pm and will be held at the Christmas tree off Bolton Road in Aspull. Music from Standish Brass Band. Refreshments served in Aspull Church School.
A Christmas Cracker
Strictly Come Dancing Tour
Friday, December 11
Tuesday, February 2
Standish Chorale presents a selection of familiar and not so familiar Christmas music from 7.30pm at Standish Parish Hall . Tickets £8, £7 (concessions) and £2 (students) - available at the door or telephone 01257 427284.
An arena tour of the hit BBC1 show at Liverpool Echo Arena. As with the TV version, the show will pit celebrity dancers and their partners against the judges. Audiences at each venue will then be able to vote live from their seats via text message. Tickets for two shows, one in the mrning and again in the evening, via http://prideofmanchester.seetickets. com
Roy Wood’s Rock & Roll Band Big Christmas Party Friday, December 11 What better way to party during the festive season than the man who wrote and sang Wizzard’s 1973 hit I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday? Having written more than thirty UK to 30 chart singles Roy Wood is without doubt a true British song writing legend, he has won many awards, including the Ivor Novello Award for Most Outstanding Song Collection. More recently a Kerrang Songwriter Award, Rock Radio’s Classic Songwriter Award , and Mojo Honours List , Classic Songwriter Award. Held at Warrington’s Parr Hall from 8pm. Tickets are £20 via www.pyramidparrhall.com
A Christmas Cabaret Friday, December 11 Held at St James’ Club, St James’ Road, Orrell, in aid of Wigan Infirmary Heart Unit. Entertainment from comedia Terry Cotta, vocalist Charlotte James and local duo Crawford & Brown. Charity raffle and hot pot supper. Tickets £10. Doors open at 7pm. Call the club on 01695 623902 or Frank Mernagh on 074818 66372/01744 309760.
A Christmas Cracker Friday, December 11 Standish Chorale presents a selection of familiar and not-so-familiar Christmas music from 7.30pm at St Wilfrid’s Parish Hall. Tickets are £8 , £7 concessionary and £2 for students. These are available on the door or by telephoning 01257 427284.
‘80s Night Saturday, December 12 Orrell Rugby Union Club event at St James’ Club, St James’ Road. Tickets are £10 each and include live music, a DJ, hotpot supper and raffle. Contact John on 07809 374201.
Dick Whittington Saturday, December 12 - Sunday, January 3 Live at the Liverpool Empire Theatre, starring Starring Sally Lindsay and Eric Potts (Coronation Street), Radio City’s Leanne Campbell, City Talk’s Pete Price as Alderman Fitzwarren and Kurtis Stacey (Emmerdale) in the title role of Dick Whittington. Tickets from £10 upwards via www.atgtickets.com
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Flower Power Wednesday, December 16 Talk by Alan Foxall and hosted by Parbold, Newburgh and District Garden Society. Starts at 8pm at Parbold WI Hall, The Common. Visitors welcome. Call David Pennington on 01704 821984.
Christmas Carol Service Wednesday, December 16 The Old Courts, on Crawford Street, Wigan town centre, will be hosting a special Christmas carol service in its Victorian Court Room performed by Wigan Choral Society. Classic Christmas carols with excerpts from Handel’s Messiah. There will also be mince pies and refreshments available and The Court Room bar will be open for drinks. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets available from www.theoldcourts.com
Rogers Floyd Saturday, December 26 Pink Floyd tribute act at Wigan’s Old Courts from 8pm-10pm, with support from John The Baptist Tickets are £6 and available from the old courts or online at www.seetickets.com or £7 on the door.
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Dick Whittington & His Wonderful Cat Friday, January 8-Sunday, January 17 St Michael’s Amateur Dramatic Society’s 69th season starts with this panto at St Michael’s Parish Hall, on Shaw Street, Swinley. Performances are 7.30pm and at 2pm on the Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are £6 or £5 concessions. Call June on 01942 236260 / 07806 787250.
Soap Making Thursday, January 21 Talk by a representative of Tiger Muffin Soaps at 7pm in Standish Library, Cross Street. Entry is £3.
Lancashire Folk Night Friday, January 22 Held at Simms Road pub, Garswood, starring Chonkinfeckle plus AD. Cooke. Free entry.
Wigan Youth Zone’s Annual Charity Boxing Dinner Friday, January 22 This event, titled The Lords of the Ring – One Ring to Rule Them All, will be held at Wigan Youth Zone, Parson’s Walk, from 6pm and is a black tie do. The bouts will include army boxers from The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers as well as amateur boxers from across the North West. The Corp of Drums and also a military pipe band will be performing on the night. They are also hoping to have special guest presentations from Ray Winstone and Paul Scholes (TBC). The night will also include a charity auction, raffle and other fundraising games. Tables are available at a cost of £1,000 per table of 10 or £100 per ticket. Email Spencer Parry at spencer.parry@ wiganyouthzone.org
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Charity Live Music Night
Babes In The Wood
Friday, January 29
Saturday-Sunday, January 30-31, and Saturday, February 6
Standish Churches Men’s Fellowship and Standish Marie Curie Fundraising Group presents this event at Standish Unity Club on Cross Street. From 7.30pm-midnight, with entertainment from The Bluenotes and Equal Terms. Admission is by ticket only, which costs £10 and includes a hot pot supper. Call Dave on 01257 425776 or Stan on 01257 426638. All proceeds to The Christie Hospital and Marie Curie Cancer Care.
St John’s (Pemberton) Dramatic Society 2016 pantomime. Times are as 3.30pm on the Saturdays and 4pm on the Sunday, and evening performances are from 7pm. Tickets are priced at £7 for all adults and £5 for school children. To order your tickets, please contact Anne Parfitt on 01942 621701.
Useful Numbers Councils and Councillors (Wigan) Wigan Council Wigan Council (out of hours) Cllr Conway (Aspull & Haigh) Cllr Hilton (Aspull & Haigh) Cllr Ready (Aspull & Haigh) Cllr Collins (Shevington) Cllr Crosby (Shevington) Cllr Edwardson (Shevington) Cllr Debbie Fairhurst (Standish) Cllr Gareth Fairhurst (Standish) Cllr George Fairhurst (Standish) Cllr Davies (Wigan Central) Cllr Hunt (Wigan Central) Cllr McLoughlin (Wigan Central)
01942 244 991 01942 404 040 01942 486 853 01942 736 215 01942 736 218 01942 487 684 01942 486 860 01942 487 674 01257 423 212 01942 487 671 01257 407 078 01942 486 864 07766 478 296 01942 487 686
Councils and Councillors (West Lancs) West Lancs Council 01695 577 177 Lancashire County Council 0300 123 6701 Cllr Baybutt (Wrigh’ton & App. Bridge) 01257 255 501 Cllr Evans (Wrigh’ton & App. Bridge) 01695 624 683 Cty Cllr Fillis (Wrigh’ton & App. Bridge) 07876 844275
Local Life Magazine
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Test drive
New Jeep
Cherokee 2.2 Diesel by Tim Barnes-Clay
J
eep is celebrating its most fruitful year in Britain ever. It is a vital market for the company because we Brits buy more Cherokees than anywhere else in Europe or Africa. The American auto maker aims to echo this success in 2016. But how is it going to do it? Well, one way is to give the admired Cherokee line-up more ‘oomph’. So, that’s why the good-looking Jeep is now obtainable with 185hp and 200hp outputs. It offers an appreciably wider spread of pulling power from low revs, giving greater bang for your buck. But it isn’t just about enriched performance,
the 2.2 Cherokee oil-burner now offers better fuel economy than the departing two-litre 170hp automatic lump. Available only with Jeep’s smooth changing ninespeed automatic gearbox, and paired to the company’s Active-Drive four-wheel-drive systems, the all new Cherokee 2.2 versions are inundated with equipment. The range now has more spec as standard, including an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, an automatic anti-dazzle rear-view mirror with built-in microphone and an electric tailgate. Perhaps more
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step-up from the unit it supersedes. You no longer have to work the engine like a dog to make spirited progress. It is even quite soothing when you’re not pushing the pace.
significantly, though, all Cherokees score highly with safety – achieving the maximum 5-stars in Euro NCAP’s tough tests. But back to the new engine under the bonnet. It is assembled for our market in the Pratola Serra plant, near Avellino, Italy. Armed with the 4x4 Jeep Active Drive I system, the Cherokee 2.2 MultiJet II 200hp reaches a maximum speed of 127mph. It accelerates from zero to 62mph in 8.5 seconds, has a typical combined fuel consumption figure of 49.6mpg and CO2 emissions of 150g/km. The Cherokee 2.2 MultiJet II 200hp with Active Drive II and low-range has a top speed of 126mph, 0-62mph time of 8.7 seconds, and a combined fuel consumption of 46.3mpg, with 160g/km of CO2 emissions. Finally, Longitude and Longitude+ trim levels are provided with a 2.2 MultiJet II 185hp variant, in combination with 4x4 Jeep Active Drive I and the nine-speed automatic transmission. Prepared in this way, the Cherokee reaches a maximum speed of 125mph and gets from zero to 62mph in 8.8 seconds. Combined fuel economy and emissions are 49.5mpg and 150g/km. Behind the wheel of the quickest diesel – the 2.2 MultiJet II 200hp Limited 4WD automatic with Active Drive I - I found everything rapid enough. Certainly, the more commanding motor is a real
Undeniably, one of the Cherokee’s fortes is its ride. For a mid-sized sport utility vehicle (SUV) with off-road know-how, the Cherokee handles adeptly. The only time you notice the Jeep get a little unsettled is if you throw it in to a bend. Then there is perceptible body roll. The new 2.2 MultiJet II engine certainly places the Jeep Cherokee towards the crest of the mid-size SUV class for pace, poise and proper efficiency. It is no BMW X3 but it brings the fight to the likes of Honda’s CR-V – and is sure to put the fabled motor manufacturer on track for even more success in the United Kingdom next year. The Jeep Cherokee range starts at £26,095 for the 2.0 MultiJet II 140hp Longitude FWD manual, rising to £37,995 for the 2.2 MultiJet II 200hp Limited 4WD automatic.
Fast
facts
Max speed: 127 mph 0-62 mph: 8.5 secs Combined mpg: 49.6 Engine layout: 2.2 turbocharged diesel Max. power (bhp): 197 Max. torque (lb.ft): 324 CO2: 150 g/km Price: £36,795
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Have you got it
Award Winner
covered? by Angie Barker
M
any of us don’t have the time, or inclination, to spend hours weeding in the garden. The best solution for a low maintenance planting scheme is ground cover. These are low growing plants which cover the soil to help to keep weeds at bay, as well as providing another layer of interest to your borders. (A word of warning - avoid any species described as invasive). You can use ground cover planting to form a tapestry of colour and texture and here are a few of the best: Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ – yes quite a mouthful I know so let’s use its common name of Black Lilyturf. It looks like a short, black grass but is actually a member of the Lily family. Pale pink flowers appear in summer but it is really the black, evergreen foliage which is its selling point. Partner it with low growing, yellow grasses like Carex oshimensis hach. ‘Evergold’ or Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ – a real wow factor combination. Persicaria affinis ‘Donald Lowndes’ – forms an evergreen mat with long lasting pink flower spikes during all of summer. The leaves will turn brown in winter so don’t think the plant has died – they will green up again in spring 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.
Pachysandra terminalis – forms an evergreen mat, very attractive planted en-masse and an excellent solution for shade under trees and shrubs Lamium maculatum ‘White Nancy’ – with really pretty white flowers above silver foliage – great for dry borders in shade Ajuga reptans ‘Catlin’s Giant’ – evergreen dark purple foliage with purple flowers in summer. Again looks great planted next to low growing yellow grasses. There are many more to chose from and I’ve not even touched on hardy Geraniums! So pop down to your local garden centre and while the rest of the family is giggling at the talking reindeers and twirling santas, go outside and look for ground cover - remember garden centres aren’t just for Christmas! And what does a garden designer ask Hubby for? Tickets to Hampton Court Flower Show next July would be a real treat – with at least one night stop over in London! A dear do I know – hopefully he thinks I’m worth it. Have a very lovely Christmas everyone – I hope you all get what you wish for.
Call Angie now for your free consultation! Angie Barker Dip GD (Inst GD) BA (Hons) Garden Design For All Seasons Tel: 01942 522 405 Mob: 07857 008 383 www.angiebarker.co.uk
Award Winner
111
St Helens
Call 01695 627999 The little magazine with a big reach
locallife247.co.uk Give your garden a makeover! We offer high quality landscaping, garden design and ground maintenance services Quality work and reliability at competitive prices
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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 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 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
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Dennis Goulding
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A49
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Open: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10AM - 7PM, Saturday 10AM - 6PM orEngineers Closed ThursdayTwinLakesMot & Sunday
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Visit our showroom at Unit 4a, Cricket Street Business Park off Miry Lane, Wigan. WN6 7TP
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J.Dillon Electrical Call: 01257 424918 or 07821 139826 • Rewires & Upgrades • Interior & Exterior Lighting • Alarms & CCTV • Extra Sockets & Lights
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Good Trader Of The Year Winner in the Wigan Trading Standards Best of the Best Awards 2013/14.
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• All types of electrical work • 20+ years experience • Friendly, fast and reliable • 24 hour call out service
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Call Graham today for a friendly, no obligation, chat about your home security requirements
We do landlord checks and all work is fully insured Garage and entrance doors For a free quote and friendly advice, call Graham Suite 1A in matching Contact Us styles 01942 836 937 or 07557 914 788
Kirkless Ind. Est. 01942 836 937 Cale Lane Wiganghe_info@yahoo.co.uk 07928 050 611
Is your garage door broken ? Call us today for a free estimate to Repair or Replace it
CJM Garage Doors Ltd, Unit 10, Hewitt Business Park Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7XB t: 01942 738347 w: www.cjmgaragedoors.co.uk
114
K Stone Building Services
All types of building work undertaken 25 years experience
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Arley Cabinet Company Ltd • Kitchens & Bedrooms since 1952 •
We measure we make we fit and have done for 60 years. Visit our showroom or call us today for a FREE estimate
Arley Cabinet Co. Ltd 214a Gidlow Lane Wigan WN6 7BN Mon-Fri: 8am - 4.30pm Sat: 9am - 12pm
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PH www.clbathrooms.co.uk
PH
WINDOWS DOORS
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PETER RODAN LTD • All Heating & Plumbing work • Full Heating Installations • Boiler Servicing & Repairs • Boiler Conversions • 20 year experience
Tel: Mob:
Free programmable room thermostats fitted with new Combi Boilers!
John Bailey - 01942 495785
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Standish based
221213
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or 07721 040620 & 07710 153238 Based in Kenyon Road, Wigan
C &D
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Heating & Bathroom Specialist Chris Heaton M.I.P.H.E.R.P 07973714222 01695625171
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117 • Complete central heating installations • Full bathroom/wetroom renovations
PATON PLUMBING
& HEATING LTD
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542856
M: 07825 323 711
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Landlord Gas Safety Certificates Telephone
07814 639 430 l Geails N £15
Upvc Windows & Doors I Conservatories, Soffits & Fascias I Composite Doors I Bi-Fold Doors
ally
rm
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Denise is very good, and very clean in her work. We would definitely use her again; this is the second time she has done work for us, excellent.
Saving money is the clear benefit!
Solar Thermal & Solar PV
w
no
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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 embraced the latest changes in energy efficiency regulations, and still remain a local family business that
LED Lighting
cares and takes pride in what we do. We don’t employ pushy salesmen, but pride ourselves on working 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
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VAN CAR & motorcycles too es E ...and Lash Tan Book X y your FREE Spra H ils home survey eds A k Sunb & GeTl Na Health ChecTelephone: 01257 427 000 ic Car U rton Acryl and Brethe Don’t forget, we also offer all of theseEnergy services daily... Savings
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Dennis Goulding
A49
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s
Natalie
Mossy Lea Road
01695 627999
FREE B5250
For more information call
Unit 16, Ainscough Business Park, Mossy Lea Road, Wrightington, WN6 9RS (Drive onto ‘Ainscough Building Supplies’)
and we’ll provide you with a detailed report showing the returns available from- 12:00 yournoon Open Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm; Saturday: 9:00am own solar panels n www.dglwindows.co.uk
Crosto dio 84nts of you need me! for all reside Stu until A5209
(10% typical return)
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me 7PG Check e WN5Keep HealthVisit our showroom at , Billing 400 FREE Car on - 6PM Unit 4a, Road 4 619 your Shevington 10AM ford ay Book Cricket Street Business : 0781 Call now Saturd hone : 84 Rain - 7PM, 23 off Miry Lane, Park Telep Standish
Open 10AM y , Friday & Sunda ngineers esday Thursday TwinLakesMotorE ay, Wedn Closed
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01772
REPAIR
6039
Wigan. WN6
DING 7TP & WEL
Slash your electricity and water heating bill
Protect your household from future energy price rises Reduce your household’s impact on the environment
Call us now
0843 224 9555 07595 420237 or
Email: info@docsolarelectrical.co.uk Website: www.docsolarelectrical.co.uk
we make it our business to help yours
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Newman Roofing Mr Newman was quick to identify the source of the condensation and suggest a solution. The service was fast, reliable and professional.
Just Imagine UK
Design & Print Flyers, postcards, brochures and distribution service
Freshbuild Construction Freshbuild Construction worked with a profes sional manner. They kept us informed throug hout the whole house renovation, and it was exactly 9 weeks. They were clean and tidy and removed all waste.
J. Dillon Electrical Services I am completely satisfied with all work carried out. J Dillon Electrical Services did a wonde rful job replacing the electrics and kept disrupt ion to the property and decor to an absolute minimu m.
Call Dave now for a free quote...
201323
Arley Cabinet Company Ltd Excellent service from start to finish. From my initial contact right through to completion of the work, nothing was too much trouble. I am more than satisfied with the quality of their work. Highly recommended.
FG Welch Central Heating & Gas Services Ltd Having been let down by two other traders - not part of the Wigan Good Trader Scheme it was a pleasure to find a firm that displayed compe tence and integrity in a friendly and courteous manner.
The comments above are testimonials from Wigan residents taken from the Wigan Council Good Trader scheme For details visit www.traderregister.org.uk/wigan If you’re a tradesperson who wants to apply to enrol on the scheme, please email Trading Standards at ts@wigan.gov.uk
118
H AT E D E C O R AT I N G ? We don’t - we enjoy it so much that we make a living out of it! We are a husband and wife team, CRB cleared with references available. Awarded a Certificate of Excellence by Wigan Council Trading Standards
• City & Guilds Qualified • Plastering services available • Competitive Rates • Fully Insured • Standish based
Call Alice or Neil on 01257 435412 or 07810 753062
Lady Decorator
Professional Interior Decorating Service Reduced rates for Pensioners Clean, tidy and conscientious Tel: 01942 366996 or 07962 422856
Just Imagine
Decorating - Interior Design - Soft Furnishings
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01695 627 999 Ian Martland
Painter & Decorator Established 1990
• All aspects of Decorating • Interior & Exterior • Free Estimates
01695 632 477 | 07748 195 809
Need a new look for your home?
Skilled interior and exterior work undertaken at reasonable prices!
Create your Dream Home today… Our Master Craftsman Derek and his friendly team will help you create your dream home. All aspects of decorating - from simple painting or wallpapering to complex murals. 50 years wallpapering expertise. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Call Derek today for a free consultation & quote
Call 07831 505 672
email franklindecorators@gmail.com
Chris Smith - Painter and Decorator
01942 518126 or 07545 065119 Orrell based business
www.wigandecorators.co.uk
119
Providing professional carpet & upholstery cleaning since 1993 Carpets Leather
Upholstery Curtains Oriental Rugs Hard Floors
For more information call:
01942 470 081
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning • traditional service, state of the art results •
Visit our website and check out the testimonials.
www.alliancechemdry.co.uk Wigan Good Trader Of The Year 2015
5 star rating with Wigan Trading Standards Good Trader Scheme
plus, Awarded the Certificate of Excellence in recognition of consistently high standards of feedback from customers in 2009/10/11/12
Domestic cleaning Oven cleaning Carpet cleaning Ironing service Dry cleaning
01257 806 134 / 07739 754 432 www.dreamcleanswigan.co.uk
Call today for a free consultation & no obligation quote
Call - 01257 251221
Mobile - 07908 770808
www.manorhousecleaning.co.uk
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Domestic & Commercial Roofing • Re-roofs
• Slating & Tiling
• Pointing
• Fascias & Soffits • House Painting • Flat Roofs • Guttering
07710 627998 www.elements-roofing.co.uk Email: info@elements-roofing.co.uk
First Class Workmanship • All types of re-roofs • Strip & re-slate or re-tile • Built up felt/flat roofs, dormers etc. • Insurance work undertaken • Roofline uPVC fascias, soffits & guttering
W.Newman ROOFING & REPAIRS
01695 627 212 MOBILE: 07774 943 706
52 HALLBRIDGE GARDENS, UP HOLLAND Established Over 30 Years
121
3 Maggotts Nook Road, Rainford
122
A View From The Lump Local gossip, gripes and goings-on Judge for yourself The professional shroudwavers have been out in force recently telling us about how policing across the country is at breaking point. Greater Manchester Police Federation chairman Ian Hanson even claimed that police numbers would soon be back at 1970s levels, and can “no longer cope with the burgeoning demands that are being placed upon us.” I do wonder whether this includes the judging of Shevington’s Christmas Shop Front Competition. A recent parish council meeting reported that: “The Inspector for Wigan NW area says he thinks it would be a good idea if PCSO Whitehouse were to judge the competition.
However, we have so far not received written confirmation of this from the PCSO herself. “ Let’s hope The Thin Blue Line can cope with such an arduous task in the face of all these ‘burgeoning demands’...
Going into meltdown The good burghers of Appley Bridge were already peeved at the idea of getting a plasticsto-fuel recycling depot on their doorstep, and now fear their individual voices are being silenced. Apparently, ‘several hundred’ letters have been sent to Lancs County Council from private individuals but at the time of writing these hadn’t been made public on the council website. One local said this may be due to data protection concerns. However, Lancs County Council says that representations are uploaded to the site. If that’s the case, they’d better get on with it - the concerned residents of Appley Bridge demand action now!
Saddle sore Local folk are apparently steaming over the amount of horse muck which is being deposited on local roads recently. T’is true that, in this part of Wigan, the amount
of countryside does lend itself a fair amount of equine adventure. The good news is that defecating on the Queen’s highway is illegal under a 1980 Act of Parliament. However, successful prosecution apparently would have to rely on “sound evidence of the offence taking place.” Pretty much impossible given that most offences take place on the hoof...
Ruffling feathers It was nice to see Wigan crowned the tidiest town centre in the North West recently. Of course, Library Street’s finest were quickly out of the traps, organising a press photocall for the street cleansing team. The self-praise is understandable, but surely they should also pay tribute to the local pigeons for their hard work in securing the honour. Day in and day out, these beady-eyed vultures sit at the top of Wallgate’s buildings, waiting for the slightest crumb to fall from the hands of office workers as they attempt to dodge the assortment of charity collectors and street vendors on their way back to work. And yet not even a solitary word of recognition from the Metro. It’s tough at the top sometimes...
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Established 1999
We’ve got it covered! Roofing Emergency Repairs General maintenance Full re-roofs Flat/pitched Roof Conversions Velux Windows Roofline Fascias & Soffits Cladding Gutters
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The Old Coach House, George Street, Ashton in Makerfield, WN4 8QD