Local Life - Wigan - March 2022 by Local Life 247 Ltd

LocalLife Wigan Edition

March 2022

Title

Orrell RU Vets Mark ’72 Win

Jack’s Tracks - Cheshire Castles

Pages 17-20

Upholland GS Through the Ages Pages 47-50

Labour of Love Pages 68-69

Pages 70-72

New!

Alan Titchmarsh Column Page 74

Colour your Home Happy Pages 44-45

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’m far from being a Royal cheerleader, but I have, I suspect like many readers, an enormous amount of respect for Her Majesty the Queen.

For someone to pledge, as she did in 1947 to the nations that make up the Commonwealth, ‘that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service’ was a substantial commitment from a 21-yearold, and remarkably, one that the Queen has adhered to in the 75 years that have passed since. Not sure about you, but I don’t remember much about being 21 (apart from the hangover from hell the day after my birthday), but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have had the presence of mind to promise anything of that magnitude and still be able to uphold that promise 75 years on. Would you? There’s lots going on to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, but if you’re planning to host a local celebration then we’d love to help you publicise it in our next issue free of charge. Just email details of the event to editorial@locallife247.co.uk along with your name and contact number. See you next time

Chris Pearce, Publisher chrisp@locallife247.co.uk

Keep in touch with the LocalLife Team!

LocalLife

Telephone: 01695 627 999 info@locallife247.co.uk

locallifemagazine247 @locallifemedia Local Life 247 Ltd, PO Box 779, Wigan WN1 9UB 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.

This month’s highlights

Contents

17. Veterans Commemorate Cup Win

12. Beauty 16 genius beauty hacks.

22. Health The dangers of ultra-processed foods.

26. Food Seared lamb fillets with garlic dressing.

28. Baking Gluten-free chocolate caramel tarts.

44. Colour Your Home

47. Upholland Grammar

52. Home A facelift for your front door.

56. Tech Keep taking the tablets.

68. Puzzle Pages Try these brainteasers for size!

74. Greenfingers... New! The Alan Titchmarsh column.

70. Jack’s Tracks - Cheshire Castles

75. Home & Garden Services Find the best local traders for you.

58. Top 5 Cruises

64. Labour of Love

Next Issue - April

Advertising deadline - 9th March Published - 23rd March

Want to promote your business in

LocalLife?

01695 627 999 www.locallife247.co.uk

Planning a Platinum Party? There’s a double Bank Holiday weekend being held in June (2-5 June) to commemorate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The country and the Commonwealth will be celebrating The Queen’s 70 years of service.

Wigan residents should download the application form here; https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Docs/PDF/Resident/ Parking-Roads-Travel/Roads/Street-Party-ApplicationForm.pdf

This event, and the end of those damned restrictions, give us a great opportunity to party like we never have before! Street parties have long been associated with times of national celebrations, and if getting together with your neighbours at bunting-covered tables laden with food and drink to chat, laugh, sing, and dance the day (and night!) away is your idea of fun, then this is an opportunity surely not to be missed.

Residents of West Lancashire should download the application form here; https://www.westlancs.gov.uk/ more/your-community/roads-and-travel/organising-astreet-party.aspx

Good planning is essential for any party, and the larger the party, the more planning is needed. The first thing you’ll need to do is ask the council’s permission to close your road (or part of your road), so that everyone can enjoy the celebrations safely, and it’s best to do this as early as possible. As long as your road isn’t a major transport route it should be a smooth process.

Both councils recommend that you take insurance cover for street parties, and if you plan to do so, then you can expect to pay at least £50, depending on the scale of the party. They may also ask you to check with other residents on the street to make sure there are no objections to the party. There are a number of organisations including www. streetparty.org.uk and www.edenprojectcommunities. com who can provide free packs offering great ideas, inspiration, and tips to help you get the party started and can also help you overcome any obstacles. Party on!

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Healthwatch Asks Every year Healthwatch Wigan and Leigh asks the public what their top concerns are regarding the improvement of health and care services, and they are waiting for you to get in touch. The Healthwatch team are the independent champion for people who use health and social care services. They’re here to make sure that the people running health and care services, put people at the heart of health and care services. They would like to know what you think they should be focusing on over the next 12 months, what your top three priorities are within health and social care services and what you feel are the main issues are with those services. To get in touch with a member of the Healthwatch Wigan and Leigh team please call or text 01942 834666, email info@healthwatchwiganandleigh.co.uk or complete the short survey at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ M93WMWW

Ashton Pantry Local businesses, together with St Thomas & St Luke’s Church in Ashton are working to reduce the amount of food going into landfill. The pantry at St Thomas’ Church Hall on Warrington Road is regularly stocked with food that is near its sell by date but can still be used to feed bellies, not bins. The annual membership of the Pantry is £5 with a minimum donation of £3 per visit and a maximum of 2 visits per week. The pantry is open Tuesday 11am-12pm, Thursday 3pm-4pm, Saturday 11am-12pm and Sunday 3pm-4pm. Money raised by the initiative, will be used to build a pantry and kitchen behind the Church Hall. For more information, please call 01942 727275.

Tell Us Your Story! Local Life is always on the look out for news stories from the local communities we serve. Are you raising money for charity? Are you a member of a community group with something to shout about? Maybe you’ve got an unusual talent, or have a claim to fame? If so, let us know and you could be appearing in the next edition!

LocalLife Wigan Edition

March 2022

Title

Orrell RU Vets Mark ’72 Win

Season Starts The Orrell YMCA Crown Green Bowling Club opens on Friday, April 1 for the summer season. The club is open from 10am-8pm every day up until October and is located on Winstanley Roadin Orrell behind the YMCA. New members are always welcome, at a cost of £25 for the season. For more information about membership, please contact Brian Atherton on 01695 622138 or Harold Preston on 01942 519042.

Pages 17-20

Upholland GS Through the Ages

Pages 47-50

Labour of Love

Pages 68-69

Jack’s Tracks - Cheshire Castles Pages 70-72

New!

Alan Titchmarsh Column Page 74

Colour your Home Happy Pages 44-45

Simply contact us on editorial@locallife247.co.uk or call us on 01695 627999

Clean Air Zone Update The Clean Air Zone, planned to start in Greater Manchester on 30th May, has been abruptly delayed after a blizzard of protests from residents and businesses across Greater Manchester. The scheme was put on hold after Boris Johnson branded the GMCA plan as ‘completely unworkable’ at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons and said that the GMCA ‘must find an alternative that doesn’t punish local residents’. A few days later, a joint communique from Jo Churchill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Cllr Andrew Western, GMCA portfolio lead for clean air included this statement: “We have agreed to a short time-limited pause. We will work together to deliver, by the middle of the year, a plan for clean air for Greater Manchester, one that is fair to the businesses and residents of the city-region. “ A statement released by #RethinkGM, the 85,000 strong Facebook group that opposes the Clean Air Zone says

that ‘RethinkGM welcomes the mayor’s proposals, but stipulates that any charging scheme is not acceptable, and using new technology, construction methodologies, transport window modelling, vehicle movements, highway design and other methods could be utilised to meet targets, without financial burdens being imposed on Greater Manchester citizens.’ #RethinkGM also claims that the ‘TfGM, GMCA and the Mayor’s office created the scheme, imposed it on residents of Greater Manchester and agreed the financial subsidies.’ The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said that while it was positive news that the concerns of companies were being listened to, the measures announced were insufficient and the entire Clean Air Zone needs to be put on hold for a comprehensive rethink. The FSB’s development manager for Greater Manchester Robert Downes said: “We are pleased to see business sentiment is at last being listened to be decision makers within the GMCA, but what they have proposed amounts to precious little and doesn’t go nearly far enough”.

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Fun on the Farm

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It’s ten years since Greenslate Farm in Billinge opened as a Community Farm, and the members will be celebrating its 10th anniversary by holding a series of events throughout the year. The Farm has a long-standing reputation for staging vibrant and engaging community events, and members are promising a return to those type of events now that Covid restrictions have eased. The first is a Family Fun Day, which is being held on Sunday 10th April from 10 am to 4 pm. This will consist of an artisan market, an Easter Egg Hunt for the children, live music

Delicious coffee and cakes, tasty snacks and wholesome meals will all be available at the Straw Bale Cafe and, of course, the donkeys and other animals will be welcoming visitors, just as they do every weekend. If you are a local person looking to sell your craftwork or produce at the Family Fun Day, or you’re a musician who could help to entertain the visitors, please contact the Greenslate Community Farm Community Nurture Team via patdavies99@icloud.com or bowyer21@hotmail.co.uk

Green Fingers The social group Ashton Circle has added another string to its bow after acquiring a little allotment on Bolton Road. The group hopes to grow fruits, vegetables, flowers and create habitats for local wildlife. Group members are currently in the process of clearing the land but once it is safe and ready, they would love to welcome members old and new to go help out. To become a member or get involved with the allotment, please email becky@community-circles.co.uk

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Anniversary Concert The Golborne Ex-Miners will be hosting their 43rd anniversary concert at St Thomas’ Church in Golborne on Friday, March 18. The concert takes place in remembrance of the Golborne Colliery disaster in which an underground explosion led to the death of ten miners, exactly 43 years to the day on March 18, 1979. Joined by the Parkside Colliery male voice choir, this will be a fitting tribute to those who were killed and those who survived. The concert will begin at 7.30pm and the entry fee is £6 per person, payable on the door.

Baby Goods Sale From cots to buggies and toys to baby clothes, the Poolstock Pre-Loved Baby Sale will have it all this Saturday, February 27. The sale will take place at Clifton Street Community Centre on Poolstock Lane, next to The Bold Pub. If anyone wants a table, there is still time to secure yours for a cost of £15 - please contact David on 07487 835489. Entry is free and the sale will run from 11.30am-1pm. Refreshments will be available to purchase and there will be free chicken nuggets and chips for any children who attend.

St Patrick’s Parade The Brian Boru Club in Ashton are excited to invite you to their 36th annual St Patrick’s Day parade On Sunday, March 13. After missing the last two parades due to the pandemic, club members are determined to make this the biggest and best parade they’ve ever had. Members will be hosting a St Patrick’s Mass from 12pm at the club on Bryn Street, followed by the parade around the town leaving from Ashton market square at 1pm. You can enjoy the best craic in town with outstanding Irish entertainment, including the Liverpool Irish Pip Band, the Comhaltas musicians, Wet the Tea and Michael Coyne. For more information, please contact the club on 01942 7275376 or go online at www.brianboruclub.com

From make-up tips to haircare advice, these tips could make your life easier.

When you paint your nails, start from your little finger rather than your thumb. You’ll lower the risk of smudging your freshly painted nails.

Matte lipstick is on-trend but very unforgiving. Before using it, mix a dash of olive oil with half a teaspoon of brown sugar to treat your lips to a DIY lip scrub.

Clean your make-up brushes regularly with facial cleanser or a mild shampoo. Rinse thoroughly and leave to air dry.

4 5

Don’t test foundation on your hand – you won’t get a good colour match. Instead, try it on your jawline.

Wrap a small scoop of porridge oats up in a muslin cloth and tie the ends to secure. Drop it in your bath while the water is running. The oat oils work wonders on dry skin.

Leave at least a day between shaving/waxing and applying fake tan. Otherwise, you risk causing irritation and ending up with a patchy tan.

Not keen on heavily fragranced body oils? Switch to pure almond oil. Add a few drops of essential oil if you want a hint of natural fragrance.

Leave your facial cleanser to soak in for a few minutes before wiping it off. It’ll act as a mini face pack. This works particularly well with balm cleansers.

Apply eye cream with your ring finger. It’s the weakest so you’re less likely to pull at the skin. Dab (rather than rub) the cream in.

If you often forget to apply SPF in the cooler months, try swapping your foundation for a tinted SPF cream.

Hair feeling lank or lacklustre? Try switching to a shampoo that’s free from sulphates and silicones. Sulphates can strip hair of its natural, healthy oils, while silicones can build up over time and weigh hair down.

Put wet hair in multiple plaits before bed for easy curls the next day. Brush through if you want looser waves.

Freshly washed hair is harder to style. So if you have a big night out coming up, wash your hair the day before. It’ll then hold its style better for your evening out.

Rather than splashing out on expensive travelsized products (they can be more than double the price per ml), decant your usual products into small reusable containers.

Do you subscribe to Birchbox or a similar subscription box? Save the products you don’t fancy throughout the year. By Christmas, you’ll have a stack of cracker prizes and stocking fillers. You could even use them to fill a personalised advent calendar for a friend.

Skin and hair changes as we age, so what worked for you a few years ago may not be as effective today. Embrace the chance to try something new!

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Having a Ball The Wigan Youth Zone are hosting their annual ball next Saturday, to bring back some much-needed glitz and glamour to Wigan’s social scene, and to help the charity raise funds to help them recover from the damage caused by COVID restrictions. Join the team and their army of supporters at Kilhey Court Hotel, on Chorley Road in Standish next Saturday 5th March, 19.00 till late. The ball will be an evening of celebration and glamour starting with a champagne reception, followed by a three-course meal. During the evening there will be entertainment from young people and opportunities to raise funds for the WYZ, before everyone takes to the dance floor at the end of the evening with a live act followed by a DJ. The cost is £1000 for a table of ten, with tables already selling fast be sure to get in touch and reserve yours.

+ VAT

1,000

To book your table or to discuss other way of supporting the Wigan Youth Zone, please contact Sharon on 01942 612061 or email Sharon.mclaren@wiganyouthzone.org.

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Beer Festival Returns To the disappointment of drinkers from miles around, 2021 was the first year for 33 years that the Wigan Beer Festival didn’t run, but the good news is that it’s back for 2022! Drinkers can quench their collective thirsts next weekend (3rd-5th March) at the festival, which is being held at the Robin Park Sports Centre in Newtown. Organisers at Wigan CAMRA are incredibly excited. Sandy Motteram outlines the selection of drinks available at the festival, “We have a huge selection of real ale, craft beer, cider, perry and foreign beers for enjoyment of festival goers, and our friends from the Wayfarer in Parbold are joining us to offer a range of gins, prosecco and rum, so there should be something for everyone. “You will also discover new food vendors and we’ve laid on some incredible entertainment too, including Baron Otto Von Funcke & The Schunkelers, Annette Fairclough, Andy Mack and the Easystreet Big Band.” Fellow organiser Brian Gleave added “We wouldn’t be able to run our festival without the support of our

sponsors including Prospect Brewery, Swinley Plumbing & Property Services, Real Crafty, The Swan & Railway Hotel, Bank Top Brewery, Blackedge Brewery, Wily Fox Brewery, Hophurst Brewery, the H Taphouse and the Bobbin Micropub.” The sessions will run from 5.30-11pm on Thursday 3rd, noon until 11pm on Friday 4th, and 11.30am -9.30pm on Saturday 5th March. For those who prefer to enjoy a quiet drink, the quieter sessions are on Thursday evening and Friday afternoon. Wigan Transport Trust will again be running a free shuttle bus service from Hallgate and Wigan North Western railway to the festival using their beautifully restored heritage buses. For more information, please visit the website www. beerfestival.wigancamra.org.uk

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Veterans Commemorate

Cup Win

50 years ago, in April 1972, Orrell RU first hit the rugby spotlight after winning their first-ever Lancashire Cup. Veterans from the winning team are now organising an Anniversary Dinner at Houghwood Golf to mark the occasion. Chris Pearce sat down with five of the 1972 team; Peter Bayman, Bill Lyon, Barry Fishwick, Peter Philips and Bernard Lundy, to get their take on that great day and what life was like as an Orrell RU player in the 1970’s. Back in the 1970’s, rugby union clubs in England only played friendlies and cup competitions, and so the re-introduction of the Lancashire Cup in the 1971/72 season, after an 80-year long hiatus, was welcomed by the Lancashire clubs.

Just a few years earlier, in 1968, Orrell became the first rugby union club in Lancashire to have floodlights installed, and this move enabled the First XV to play matches in midweek, in addition to their weekend games. More matches meant better a standard of fitness for the First XV and, once news emerged about the re-introduction of the Lancashire Cup, Orrell fancied their chances. According to Barry, Orrell’s fitness quest gave them the edge over their competitors at the time. “Ken Taberner and Des Seabrook were a great team for Orrell, Ken used to do the physical stuff and Des was the tactics man, and along with the floodlight situation, this meant we were fitter than many of our opponents.

(l-r) Peter Philips, Barry Fishwick, Bill Lyon, Bernard Lundy and Peter Bayman

18 Barry Fishwick, scoring Orrell’s second try

“Training took place twice a week, and, in addition, matches were often played on Wednesdays and Saturdays. “The Lancashire Cup final was my 50th match of the season, that’s how many games we used to play.” Bill added, “We all had full time jobs, and then we’d get to training for 6.30pm and finish at 9.30 at night.” “All except me, I was a student at the time”, chipped in Peter Philips, who travelled back from university to play in the final. Strange as it may seem today, when some sportsmen and women earn hundreds of thousands of pounds a week, the players of this Orrell team played for the pleasure and the honour. To emphasise this point, the players shared a story of one brave member of the team who approached the Club Chairman, Eric Smith, after the final to ask if the club would organise a memento of the final for the players, suggesting something like a commemorative tankard, and was summarily dismissed by Eric who allegedly said, ‘You might have been one of the 15 who were lucky

enough to be on the pitch, but it was Orrell won the Cup, not you’. Club discipline at the time was strict and competition for places was fierce, stressed Barry, “If you didn’t train, you were dropped – it didn’t matter who you were or how long you’d played for Orrell. “And Orrell had a good second team, so if you were dropped, those players would step up and you might lose your place for good.” Bill highlighted how vital the Lancashire Cup was to Orrell: “The Lancashire Cup was very important, as the winners got a place in the following season’s National Cup (renamed in 1976 to the John Player Cup) and it gave us a chance to play against the big teams of the time, such as Coventry or Northampton.” Peter added, “None of the big clubs wanted to play Orrell, we were dismissed as a minor team from ‘up North’ but if we won the Lancashire Cup, they would have to play us.” The road to the first Lancashire Cup Final was straightforward. In fact, Orrell didn’t concede a single point in the Lancashire Cup that year, a great achievement.

19 They beat Southport in the first round 23-0, overpowered the aviation company team Hawker Siddeley 47-0 in round two. Orrell then scored 40 points without reply from Ormskirk in the third round and narrowly beat St Helens’ West Park 6-0 in the semi-final, to qualify for the Lancashire Cup Final against the mighty Liverpool, to be played at Waterloo’s ground in Blundellsands on Sunday 16th April 1972. Orrell, playing their first Lancashire Cup Final, were the definite underdogs, as Bill admitted, “Liverpool were the big names, we (Orrell) were the nobodies.” Liverpool’s team had two internationals playing, one was Fran Cotton, the Wigan lad who went on to represent England and the British Lions and is the former co-owner of the clothing firm Cotton Traders. The day of the final began like any other match day, Barry confirmed, “We met, as we normally did, at the Colliers Arms on Moss Road (now demolished), for lunch and a chat, then we travelled by coach arriving at Waterloo’s ground in Blundellsands about 1.30pm.” One national newspaper put the crowd at 11,000, and though many of those spectators were from other clubs

rooting for a win for the underdogs, a fair few travelled from Orrell. Bill scored the first try and Orrell went into half time 7-0 in front. The second try, scored by Barry, came in the very closing seconds of the game to wrap up a 16-0 victory for Orrell. Orrell’s after-game celebrations at Waterloo went on for so long, that the crowds waiting to welcome the team back in Orrell had long since retreated into the Orrell clubhouse by the time the team arrived. Bernard confirms, “Three old ladies on the corner of Edge Hall Road waving, that was our welcome when we arrived back in Orrell.” The Lancashire Cup victory in 1972, and the subsequent wins in 1973, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1982 and 1983 set the tone for the glory years, when Orrell played and beat many top teams in the National/John Player Cup. The fitness regime established by Ken Taberner at Orrell also helped the club to succeed at 7’s rugby. Over a period of around 10 years, the squad won 30 major tournaments all over Britain.

The Lancashire Cup winners of 1972

20 The patronising attitude of Rugby’s big boys towards Orrell still persisted though. This was epitomised by a comment from a committee member at London-based Harlequins, who complained after a loss at Edge Hall Road about being ‘beaten by a layby off the M6’. When the Courage League was founded in 1987, the opening season of a national rugby union league, Orrell joined Waterloo and Sale as the northern representatives amongst the upper echelons of Division One. In 1992, only the width of a goalpost stopped Orrell being crowned English champions; and that season represented the highest summit of Orrell’s story.

1972 Lancashire Cup Final Orrell 16 - Liverpool 0 Orrell Team: T.J. Abbott, P. Phillips, W.Lyon, S.M. Littler, B. Fishwick, S.M. Lockwood, J. Waring, J.S. Leigh, D. Jones, W.F. Anderson, M.J. Derman, D.Seabrook, B. Lundy, M. Beattie, P. Bayman

Orrell’s Lancashire Cup Wins

So far.

1972

16-0

Liverpool

Despite not being based at Edge Hall Road, Orrell RU is still a thriving club with three open age teams, nine junior/kids teams and a girls section. They enjoy the fantastic facilities at the Drive Medical Arena at St John Rigby College and have advanced plans to build a new home with Winstanley Park Cricket Club, next to Winstanley College. For details visit the club’s website; www.orrellrugbyunion.com

1973

32-7

West Park

1975

9-3

Manchester

1978

12-3

Liverpool

1981

12-6

Liverpool

1982

17-12

Liverpool

1983

26-3

Liverpool

Fingers crossed, the club’s time for glory will come again, and that one day, they will emulate the heroes of 1972.

1988

23-6

Liverpool St Helens

1989

48-6

Broughton Park

1997

27-17

Preston Grasshoppers

Edge Hall Road today

The Anniversary Dinner will be held on Friday 6th May at Houghwood Golf on Crank Road, Billinge. If you’d like further details about the event or you’d like to book tickets, please call Bernard Lundy on 07986 825096.

The dangers of ultra-processed foods More than half the calories we eat in the UK now come from ultra-processed foods. But what does this mean for our health, and how can we cut back? Ultra-processed food is everywhere, and it probably makes up more of your shopping trolley than you’d think. The term is often used interchangeably with ‘processed food’ but they’re not the same. So, what exactly are ultraprocessed foods, how are they affecting our health and what can we do to cut back? Generally, most of the food we eat has been processed in one way or another. Milk is pasteurised to make it safe to drink, beans are dried and canned to extend their shelf life, and seeds are pressed to produce oils. However, this doesn’t necessarily make these foods unhealthy. Ultraprocessed foods, on the other hand, contain ingredients you wouldn’t typically find in your kitchen cupboard. Chemicals, colourings, sweeteners, preservatives – ultraprocessed foods are littered with them. Some of the foods that fall into this category are unsurprising. Crisps, fizzy drinks, biscuits and ice cream are all highly processed, but did you know that even breakfast cereals, white bread and ready meals are too?

It can be hard to detect highly processed foods, which unfortunately makes us even more likely to add them to our shopping basket. But what damage does this do to our bodies? Created to be convenient, cheap and tasty, ultraprocessed foods are typically high in sugars, refined grains, fats and salt. They also have very little nutritional value and are highly addictive, which explains why they’re so prevalent in our diets. They’re hard to resist! Recently, highly processed foods have also been linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and even some cancers. As with anything though, moderation is key. There’s nothing wrong with a biscuit dipped in your cup of tea or a takeaway every now and again. The trick is to eat ultraprocessed foods as part of a healthy balanced diet. So, how can we limit the amount of highly processed foods we consume?

Check your labels One of the easiest ways to check whether a food product is highly processed is to read the ingredients list. A label full of long words you can’t pronounce is one sign that a food is highly processed. You can also check the Nutrition Information Panel to identify foods with high amounts of saturated fat, sugar and sodium (salt).

Find substitutes There are plenty of substitutes to ultra-processed foods on the market. Instead of crisps try low-fat popcorn, which is wholegrain and a good source of fibre. Swap sugary cereals for unsweetened oatmeal, and replace white bread with a homemade or granary loaf.

Cook more meals from scratch When you prepare a meal from scratch, you have more control over the ingredients you’re consuming. You can also pack in plenty of whole foods, such as vegetables, beans, legumes and whole grains. Start compiling a list of quick and easy meal ideas to prepare when you’re feeling lazy. Salads, omelettes and stir-fries require little effort, and are super tasty too.

Be wary of false advertising Don’t be fooled by phrases like ‘fat-free’, ‘natural’, ‘no added sugar’ and ‘sugar-free’. Foods that are advertised as healthy often contain artificial ingredients or other chemical additives, such as artificial sweetener, which make them significantly more processed – and unhealthy – than they might first appear. Remember to check the ingredients list!

Keep healthy snacks on hand If you’re in a rush, grabbing a packet of crisps and a cereal bar on your way out the door is tempting. However, keeping your kitchen stocked with portable, nutritious snacks can make it much easier to make healthy choices on the go. Fresh fruit, unsalted nuts and hard boiled eggs are all good examples of simple but tasty snacks that’ll keep you energised throughout the day.

Take it slow If ultra-processed foods constitute a large portion of your diet, it’s a good idea to reduce your intake of these foods slowly at first. This is because going cold turkey increases your likelihood of craving the high-fat, high-sugar foods your body has become accustomed to. Plus, sometimes highly processed food is simply more convenient. Start by trying to enjoy one unprocessed or minimally processed meal a day, and gradually increase as you see fit.

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Parking Crackdown A camera car will be used to enforce a Red Route Clearway to stop parking problems at Fairy Glen in Appley Bridge, frequently named as one of the UK’s most popular spots for day-trippers. Lancashire County Council’s cabinet are introducing the clearway to stop parking across the entire width of the highway, including the pavements and grass verges at the beauty spot. Fairy Glen has seen huge numbers of visitors, especially in the past two years, with many people visiting from outside the area. County Cllr Edwards said that the red route measure was designed to “discourage inconsiderate parking, remove the potential damage that can occur on footways and verges and keep the route clear of potential visual obstruction due to parked cars”.

it’s much more efficient and something we would be [looking] to implement further across the network in the future”. Aside from a lay-by opposite, Fairy Glen has no dedicated parking and the large numbers of cars parked along grass verges on the A5209 between Parbold and Appley Bridge has raised serious safety concerns for visitors for and other traffic on a busy road.

Head over Heels If you fancy learning your bridge from your backwards walkover, then have a look at the adult gymnastic classes at Wigan & Ashton Gymnastics Club. The classes are aimed at everyone over the age of 13 and all abilities are welcome, with structured and unstructured classes available on request.

Cllr Edwards explained how the council would ensure that visitors stick to the rules.

The classes take place at the gym on Richard Street in Ince (WN3 4JN) every Thursday between 8.30-9.30pm.

“With these red route clearways, we can enforce them by a camera car, where we have these available. A car just needs to drive down the road and [penalty charge notices] will be captured as part of the journey – so

Your first session is free and £5 per session thereafter, with discounts for block booking. For more information or to book your space please contact the gym on 01942 568 440.

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Seared Lamb Fillet with Beans and Garlic Minted Dressing Serves 4 Prep time: 15 minutes Marinate: 1 hour or overnight Cook time: 50 minutes Succulent beef served with a delicious rich and tangy garlic and herb sauce makes a sensational feast. Any leftover meat can be served cold with salad the following day.

Ingredients 500g lamb fillet 1 garlic clove, crushed Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tbsp olive oil plus a little extra for frying 150g green beans or sprouting broccoli, trimmed 250g mixed green leaves, baby spinach or rocket leaves 150g cherry tomatoes, halved ½ red onion, finely diced Dressing 1 bulb of garlic Drizzle of olive oil 200g Greek yoghurt Handful of mint leaves 1 tsp honey or maple syrup 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar Pinch of cumin ½ tsp Dijon mustard

Method 1. For the lamb, mix together the garlic, lemon zest, cumin and olive oil and rub over the lamb. Leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight. 2. For the dressing, place the garlic bulb in a piece of foil and drizzle over a little oil. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Cool slightly then squeeze out the garlic pulp into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients for the dressing and blend together. Season to taste. 3. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 7. Sear the lamb in a frying pan with a little olive oil so that it is brown all over. Place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice thinly. 4. Blanch the beans or broccoli in boiling water until al dente, drain and refresh under cold water. Pile the green leaves on a platter and top with the beans, tomatoes and onion. Arrange the lamb on top and drizzle over the dressing to serve.

Nutritional information per serving: 437kcal, fat 33g (of which saturates 15g), carbohydrates 6.7g (of which sugars 5.7g), protein 28g, fibre 1.9g.

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Caramel Tarts Makes 8 or 12 tartlets, or one 20cm tart Serves 8-12

Ingredients Pastry 200g gluten-free plain flour ¾ tsp xanthan gum 100g butter, cut into small pieces 1 egg Caramel filling 150g pitted soft dates, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then drained 40g maple syrup 2 tbsp peanut butter or almond nut butter 3 tbsp coconut oil 2-3 tbsp boiling water to blend 1 tbsp vanilla extract Chocolate Ganache 50ml double cream or coconut cream 200g dark chocolate chips

If you love Snickers this is the dessert for you! With a gorgeous caramel centre and topped with chocolate, this is a rich indulgent treat. For smaller portions, use a pastry cutter and line a 12-hole tart tin in the same way as if making jam tarts.

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas mark 5. 2. Make the pastry. Place the flour and xanthan gum with the butter in a food processor and whiz to form breadcrumbs. Add the egg and a little water, if needed for the mixture to come together, to form a moist, slightly damp dough. 3. Roll out the pastry between two sheets of cling film – this will make it easier to roll out. 4. Line either 8 individual tart tins or a 12-hole tart tin, or one 20cm / 8-inch fluted tart tin. Ideally use tins with removable bases to make it easier to remove the tarts when baked. 5. Prick the bases all over with a fork and line with baking paper, then fill with baking beans and bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are just browning. Remove the baking beans and paper and bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until golden brown all over. Cool completely before using. If using a 12-hole tart tin bake them for around 5-10 minutes until golden. 6. To make the caramel filling, simply place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend to form a thick paste. 7. Spoon the caramel into the tart cases then chill for 1 hour to firm up. 8. Place the cream and chocolate in a small saucepan and warm gently. Beat well until the chocolate has melted and you have a thick ganache. 9. Pour the chocolate over the caramel filling and place back in the fridge for 1 hour to set.

Nutrition per serving (one tartlet of eight): 470kcal, fat 30g (of which saturates 19g), carbohydrates 42g (of which sugars 24g), protein 7.6g, fibre 2g Nutrition per serving (one tartlet of twelve): 314kcal, fat 20g (of which saturates 13g), carbohydrates 28g (of which sugars 16g), protein 5.1g, fibre 1.3g

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YOUR HOME IS AT RISK IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER LOAN SECURED ON IT. Alexander Ross Mortgages is a trading style of WE Financial Services Limited FRN: 480853 which is an appointed representative of LJ Financial Planning Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is entered on the Financial Services Register. www.fca.org.uk/register with firm reference number 429142. Registered in England and Wales. Registered office address: 8 Whitehall Avenue, Appley Bridge, Wigan, England, WN6 9JU. Company registration number: 06445369.

Trader Scheme Offer Every year, over 40,000 residents of Wigan Borough use the Good Trader Scheme to source good quality local tradespeople to do maintenance, improvement and emergency work in their homes and gardens. The Good Trader Scheme has been run by the Trading Standards team at Wigan Council for over 15 years. It’s amongst the top ten local authority schemes in the country, with over 180 local trader members. For tradespeople, the scheme obviously offers the chance to gain local work within the Wigan Borough, and you can also save hundreds of pounds in advertising costs. Joining the Good Trader Scheme will cost your business

a fraction of cost of joining similar schemes such as CheckaTrade, Rated People and TrustATrader. The Good Trader Scheme is offering local traders the chance to join with no membership fees up to the end of March 2022. Businesses will just need to pay a one off £40 administration fee to process their application. If you like the scheme and the benefits it brings your business, you can renew in April for less than £100 for a standard membership. For details please email regulation@wigan.gov.uk. If you want to join the 40,000 local residents using the Good Trader Scheme, visit www.goodtraderscheme.com.

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efforts further and would appreciate the support of anyone who sees them perform at local events.

Local Vocals Community Choir has earmarked Wigan and Leigh Hospice as their charity of the term. The choir was founded just twelve months ago by Laura Bennett, a graduate of LIPA, and has since grown to nearly two hundred voices across three choirs in Wigan, Rainford and Leyland.

If you would like to know more about Local Vocals or you’d like to support their charity fundraising efforts, visit their website www.localvocalschoir.com or email office@ localvocalschoir.com.

Research shows that singing in a choir has tremendous benefits for physical and mental wellbeing and the opportunity to meet weekly with likeminded people can help us guard against social isolation. As well as the weekly rehearsal, Local Vocals have access to a host of resources online and the chance to engage in community activities ranging from art sessions to rambling. Each term, a charity is chosen by the choir members and all events are targeted towards raising money for that charity. In their first year, Local Vocals raised well over four thousand pounds for Wigan Stars, Derian House and Northwest Blood Bikes – something they are very proud of. This year, they are hoping to increase their fundraising

Rugby Women Wanted Ashton Bears Rugby League team, based at Low Bank Road, are recruiting for their brand-new women’s openage team, starting in 2022 or 2023. You don’t need to have any previous playing experience, just a drive to improve. If you’re interested then please call Mark Webster on 07795 101260

Take a Punt Local American Football team, Wigan Bandits are currently recruiting for the 2022 season. No experience is necessary, but you need to be aged 16-19. Full kit will be supplied. To start your American Football journey simply email wiganbanditsyouth@outlook.com

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Shops QUIZ

What name would be used in the UK for what would be called an op shop in Australia and New Zealand?

2. The 2018 BBC TV documentary series Flatpack Empire went behind the scenes of which retailer?

3. A

2021 Christmas TV advert for Tesco was cleared of causing widespread offence after over 5,000 complaints were made regarding a scene in which Father Christmas proves he is what?

4. In the film Notting Hill, Hugh Grant’s character owns a shop that sells what?

5. Which

well known retailer has a logo that features a yellow arrow going from the first letter in its name to the fourth to represent the wide variety of products it sells?

6. In January 2021, which online retailer bought

the Debenhams brand and website for 55 million pounds?

Get into Golf Deanwood Golf Club will be hosting a free Open Day starting at 11am on Sunday, March 13, with an aim to show ladies how golf can help them to achieve their fitness goals. The ladies’ ‘Get into Golf’ programme at the Lafford Lane course was hugely successful in 2021, and the club welcomed a number of new ladies. Golf can go a long way to helping you feel good about yourself. You can master a new skill, and push yourself to achieve your 10,000 daily steps in beautiful surroundings. If you’re worried about your current skills with a club, fear not as the club’s PGA professional, Sam will teach you the basics of golf and offers 10-12 lessons for just £100 if required. Once you’ve got the hang of the game, you will be able to progress at your own pace, right the way through to full membership. Current ladies will be waiting to help you, and will share their experiences and passion for the game. If you’re interested, call the club on 01695 622219 to register for the Open Day.

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name of the company QVC stand for what three words? that sells what?

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10. In 2019, who launched an online shop called

Gross Domestic Product, with a disclaimer saying it “may prove to be a disappointing retail experience - especially if you’re successful in making a purchase”?

Quiz solutions can be found on page 85 of this magazine

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On the Stage Towards Zero, a nail-biting thriller written by Agatha Christie and Gerald Verner, is the next production scheduled at Wigan Little Theatre in Crompton Street.

Albert Nobbs had expected. Instead of taking things at a leisurely pace, Albert finds himself bored and nagged senseless by his wife Connie.

When a house party gathers at Gull’s Point, the seaside home of Lady Tressilian, Neville Strange finds himself caught between his wife Audrey, and his new flame Kay.

But Albert’s world is rocked by the sudden death of Connie, and he struggles to find a reason to carry on – until Connie returns as a ghost and sets about organising a fulfilling retirement for Albert, including setting him up with her best friend Rose.

The play probes the psychology of jealousy before bringing the story to a pointed ending. Towards Zero runs from Wednesday 9th to Saturday 19th March. And arriving in April at the Wigan Little Theatre is Gordon Steel’s comedy, Albert Nobbs. After a life of hard graft, retirement isn’t at all what

Albert Nobbs runs from Wednesday 20th to Saturday 30th April. To book tickets, visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/wiganlittle-theatre-box-office/ or call in at the Box Office.

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Keeping Good Tenants Rents in the UK are increasing at the fastest-ever rate as tenant competition doubles, according to a recent survey from Rightmove. Average asking rents are now £924 per calendar month in the North West, an increase of 12.5% year on year, and the average yield in the region is now 6.6%. Rightmove predicts that asking rents will rise by 5% in 2022. Therefore, it’s not surprising that landlords are striving to ensure that their rental income is maximised by keeping hold of good tenants. As a landlord, some of the reasons tenants move on are out of your control, while others can be managed. Here are five of the most common reasons why renters choose to move on, and how you can possibly prevent that happening… Can’t Afford the Rent - Tenants may move out because the rent has become too expensive for them as some landlords increase their rental price annually. Another reason could be a change in their own financial situations. Sometimes it can be advantageous to keep the rent low and dodge the void period… just make sure the numbers add up! Time to Upscale - A marriage, the birth of a child, starting a home business, relatives coming to live full-time are just some of the reasons that can force your tenant to search for a bigger property. There’s not much you can do to add space, but if you have a bigger rental available yourself, it might be worth mentioning it to them. Neighbours - As the theme tune goes, everybody needs good neighbours. But what can you do if the neighbours are annoying your tenants to the point where they want to

move? This might sound like something that’s out of your hands, but it is resolvable. The first thing to do is speak to the neighbours yourself as they may not realise they’re doing anything wrong. If they’re renting too, the next step is to have a discussion with your fellow landlord. If all else fails, turn to the council and seek advice on how to address issues such as noise and poor levels of hygiene. Ready to Buy - With some rental prices increasing each year and interest rates low, many are making the leap to buy homes whilst they can. This could be due to various reasons, for example, they can finally afford to join the property ladder, they are expecting a family or are relocating. Poor Maintenance – It is your responsibility as landlord to keep the structure and exterior of the property well maintained and in good repair and provide your tenant with a safe place to live in. Landlords are responsible for: pest control, damp, gas, water and electricity, leaking roofs etc. By acting quickly and resolving maintenance issues as they pop up, you’re much more likely to save money in the long run by keeping a good tenant and avoiding void periods. If you’re too busy or live far away, a letting agent is a good solution, able to solve problems as they arise, especially in emergency situations. Final thoughts: There are several reasons good tenants can leave, even if they like the property they are in. Smart landlords will get out in front of these issues and find ways to keep those tenants in their property to avoid turnover costs. For more information about successfully letting properties in the Wigan area, please give me a call.

Alan Batt is a member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and has worked within the Wigan property market for over 40 years.

Alan Batt

For more of Alan’s tips, guidance and analysis on the Wigan property market, check out his blog at

www.alanbatt.co.uk

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Old Courts Update The Old Courts are starting 2022 as they mean to go and making up for lost time with a packed schedule of incredible productions.

And rounding up the month at The Old Courts is a production called Sleepover, which takes place on Thursday, March 31.

An Evening without Kate Bush is your first offering on Tuesday March 1; enter a strange Phenomena and howl with the hounds of love as acclaimed performer SarahLouise Young explores the music and mythology of one of the most influential and iconic voices in British music.

The year is 1990, a time of back combed fringes, Just Seventeen magazines and White Musk perfume. Go and join the cast as they discuss all the best things about being a teenager and leave all your grown-up responsibilities behind.

Next up is Black is the Colour of my Voice on Wednesday, March 9 – This production is inspired by the life of Nina Simone, a successful jazz singer and civil rights activist seeking redemption after the untimely death of her father.

To book tickets for any of these productions please go online at www.theoldcourts.com or call the box office on 0343 208 6015

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Out & About BeWell Wigan have announced a series of new activities for older adults at Haigh Woodland Park. The ‘Out and About’ sessions are designed to include those living with dementia and their friends and families. All the sessions are fully accessible for wheelchair and walking frames and include nature walks, adventure golf, arts and crafts, boccia and other indoor activities. Each session costs £3 per person and tea and coffee will be provided. The next couple of sessions will take place on Monday, March 14 and Monday, April 11 between 10.30am – 11.30am. For a full timetable and to book your place please email activeinclusive@bewellwigan.org

Funding Support Community groups hoping to launch a project have an opportunity to get a helping hand through the crowdfunding scheme run by Wigan Council, who are ready to match funds of up to £1,000 or 25% of a project. Anyone launching a project aimed at benefitting the

aqua:

people of Wigan Borough can take advantage of the offer by setting out their funding goals on any of the major crowdfunding platforms, including JustGiving and GoFundMe. Once a project has been launched, support can be applied for through the council’s website. If you are looking for advice on how to get the best results, you can attend one of Wigan Council’s bi-monthly Funding Friday events. The next one is due to be held on Friday 4th March at Shevington Library between 1pm and 3.30pm.

Saturday Social If your child likes to get out into nature and explore their belongings, then we have the Saturday Social for you! My Outdoor Classroom will be running a Saturday group at Greenslate Farm in Billinge for children aged 4-11. Children will be given the chance to learn forest survival skills, make new friends, play in the woodlands and wolf down a few toasted marshmallow treats. The sessions will take place weekly between 10am-12pm and cost £12 per session or £50 for 5 sessions. For more information or to book your child’s place please go online at www. myoutdoorclassroom.co.uk

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Pokemon Club If you’ve got children between the ages of 5 and 16 then chances are you know your Pikachu’s from your Charizard’s. The Pokémon club event in Wigan takes place between 10am-12pm at the Geek Retreat on Standishgate and gives Pokémon fans the chance to get together and chat about all things Pokémon, trade their cards and generally have a great time! The event is for under 16s and entry is £5 per child, which includes a booster of Pokémon cards. New players are very welcome, and staff will be on hand to help. There is also an in-store café with a great selection of hot drinks and good food to keep the parents happy.

on Enfield Street opposite Lidl, and all are very welcome to join. Meetings usually include demonstrations of fresh flowers by qualified demonstrators from the National Association of Flower Arrangers and the arrangements are raffled at the end of the evening. Meetings start at 7.15 pm and for more information on attending or becoming a member, please call Elizabeth Scally on 07881 483053 or Jennifer Halliwell on 07808 811490.

Band Returns

Flower Power

Upholland Community Band have resumed their rehearsal schedule after their forced hiatus due to restrictions. If you know how to play a woodwind or brass instrument, then the band would like to hear from you. The group rehearse every Monday at 7:30pm in the Parish Room in St. Thomas the Martyr CE Primary school on Highgate Road.

Fresh flowers can lighten the dullest of days, so if you fancy brightening up your days and delving into the world of flower arranging, then make sure to contact the Wigan Flower Club. The group meets on the third Wednesday of each month at the Pemberton Band Room

Band members range in age from 13 to 60+ so, everyone is welcome. If you are interested and would like more information, please email the band at uphollandcommunityband@gmail.com or text 07906 234593.

For more information, please search for the Geek Retreat Wigan Facebook page or give them a call on 07722 265736.

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Colour Your Home Happy Lift your spirits and freshen up your space by introducing bold, clear shades

Go for a tropical vibe with a bright and breezy accent lampshade, featuring abstract palm trees, a gold lining and looped fringing. Ravenala lampshade, £180, mindtheg.com

Use colour in unexpected places – such as on a staircase, dado rails or skirting boards. This cheering yellow makes a great contrast to a grey sofa that’s adorned with fun cushions. Harlow grey L-shaped sofa, £999.99, furniturechoice.co.uk

Choosing and using bright colours

This cool lamp, in a ‘mootard’ glaze, would liven up any desk, table or shelf.

• Choose shades that are fresh and clear rather than muted or muddy, and neither too pale nor too dark. Mid-spectrum brights such as sunny yellow, fuchsia pink, emerald green and brilliant blue will make your home sing.

Nellie table lamp, £112, with 35cm straight empire shade in Heraldic Ikat, £79, pooky.com

Replacing some cushions is one of the easiest ways to introduce personality and pops of colour. Combine plains with bold patterns for variety and interest. Jonathan Adler Milano Concentric Loops cushion in emerald/navy, £134, sweetpeaandwillow.com

Nothing beats a blanket or throw as an easy way to introduce fresh new colour, texture and pattern, whether over a sofa, chair or bed. Manhattan reversible super-soft merino lambswool blanket, from £150, thefinecottoncompany.com

• For this look, keep things simple with a backdrop of white or a pale neutral, which will allow you to experiment with adding pops of bold colour here and there as you wish. Some say it’s best to keep the area that’s covered by bold colours to around a quarter of the room at most, so as to let the eyes rest and not be overwhelmed. • Choose two, or maybe three, bold colours and add them in gradually – an accent sofa or chair, a cushion or throw, a vase or candlestick, and so on. Alternatively, make bold colour part of the architecture by painting or papering a feature wall, or even sections of woodwork. See how things look together, and move them around (or even take them out again) as necessary. • Lovers of pattern may feel confident enough to mix pattern-on-pattern with brights; most of us, however, will prefer to play a little safer and stick to plain colours plus the occasional minimal pattern. Simple geometrics look great with this look, and have a mid-century style that works really well.

45 Coloured glass is one of the prettiest things – and this delightful vase is very ontrend, since Pantone’s colour of the year 2022 is Very Peri, a dynamic violet-blue.

The smallest accessory in the right combination of colour and pattern can make all the difference, and a distinctive piece such as this terracotta vase, hand made in Portugal, is a great example.

Small cushion vase in amethyst, £27, dartington. co.uk

Tangerine Bold pitcher, £42.99, softstore.co

Bold colour probably won’t work all around the room, but used on a small section can create an eyecatching feature. Out of the Blue paint by COAT, £42 per 2.5l, coatpaints.com A sofa, chair or – in this case – loveseat can make a good focal point in a room, especially in a warming, bold colour such as this. The Rebel 1.5 Snuggler in marmalade velvet, £899, snugsofa.com

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Upholland Grammar Through the Ages

by Nicola Gray

Grammar schools have been a part of our educational history for 500 years; their aim was to provide a quality education, defined by their pursuit of academic excellence and preparing their pupils for life, not just for testing.

Ladders in Bell Tower to upper classroom

One shining example of the dedication to schooling was Upholland Grammar School. Many people believe that the grammar school operated continually from 1661 in a stone building that still stands on School Lane in the village. But the road to Upholland’s scholarly success was formed almost sixty years earlier, in 1604, when a rudimentary version of the school existed in connection with the priory, known today as St Thomas the Martyr Parish Church. Little detailed information remains about the original school and the teaching practices of the day; we do know that pupils would attend their classes in a number of rooms that were located on top of each other,in what is now the bell tower of the church, gaining access to the tower from the now demolished monks’ quarters along a small corridor. Imagination only can conjure up what the classroom working conditions would have been, with little in the way of heating and the only source of light being an oil lamp.

Bell Tower - former lower classroom

Former entrance to the Bell Tower

48 The school records jump to the early 1640s when headteacher, Adam Martindale was forced to close the grammar school and cease teaching due to the ‘constant alarms’ in the village during the civil war period. Some years after the wars had ended, in 1661, Upholland Grammar School, with thanks to the generosity of local benefactors, re-opened its doors to pupils just a short way down the lane from its priory birthplace. Some of the rules by which pupils were expected to conduct themselves makes for charming reading of a bygone era. The school day started at 7am from February 1st, till the 1st of October and school departed at 5pm, with ‘the residue of the year we meet at eight and (de)part at four’. Another rule declared, ‘That offences against God immediately such as are cursing, swearing lying either within the school or without as also profaning of the Lords Day by playing or otherwise and such like offences be duly and truly corrected’. During the first 200 years of its history, Upholland Grammar School endured a roller coaster existence and the perseverance of all those involved to keep the school open is testament to the importance of and need for education in the area. The school found itself in decline and falling pupil numbers pointed to a curriculum that needed to move with the times. Fortune favoured the changes made by Reverend John Braithwaite, who was headmaster from 1782 to 1812. He changed the name of the school to Up Holland Academy

Model of former Priory buildings

Plaque for William Berridge in St Thomas Martyr Church

and offered a more modern approach to learning to attract children from more middle-class families. Many pupils boarded with him and his family in one of the old priory buildings. In the coming years new headmasters tried and failed to reinstate a more classical curriculum, dominated by Latin and for many years the school again struggled for its existence. In 1864, Reverend William Berridge was appointed headmaster and immediately began to re-

49 Berridge left the school in 1890 and his presence was missed, and the school standards dropped again.

vitalise the upper school. He attracted more grammar school pupils but life on School Lane was congested and increasingly unbearable. The problem was partly solved when the junior pupils moved to a new building in Church Street in 1875, leaving both floors of the old grammar school to Mr Berridge and his pupils.

By 1909 the school was under the financial control of the Lancashire Education committee and questions were asked about its ‘uncertain usefulness’. In fact, governors of the school were advised to consider its closure. In keeping with the spirt of the school, they appointed Charles Cox, who turned out to be a remarkable headmaster, turning round the fortunes of the school. He introduced many of the facilities, which were later to become common place in schools – including a library, debating society, games, museum, weather station, visits and field work.

Under William Berridge, Upholland Grammar School made remarkable progress and in 1878 the school moved to new premises on the Ox House Heyes Estate – the site of the present Upholland High School. The existing house, which became Upholland Grammar School had, since the 1700’s been the home of the Gaskell family of Upholland, and remnants of the original building can still be seen today in the high school grounds. The new building was ‘admirably adapted for scholastic purposes’ with a charming Government Inspector commenting that the school’s only ‘misfortune is the name of Wigan on the address’. William

The school continued to attract increasing numbers of students, with records of pupils coming from Orrell, Billinge, Upholland, Wigan, Rainford, Kirkby, Knowsley and Bickerstaffe. The Ox House Hayes building was bursting at the seams. As a solution, Lancashire County Upholland Grammar School locations 2nd 1st

ORRELL

Orrell Road

Church Street

Orrell Post

M58

Sefton Road

Hall R Edge

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St Thomas the Martyr Church Upholland

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Tontine

Orrell Station

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Higher End

2nd School Lane

College

4th

hu r

Crank

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3rd Ox House Heyes Estate – Sandbrook Lane

Upholland Road

Orrell Water Park

4th Winstanley Road

Road

Greenslate Farm

50 Council proposed the merger of Upholland Grammar School and Ashton Grammar School on a new site. The outbreak of the Second World War put these plans on hold and, as we know they were never revisited. Just before the outbreak of war, Alfred Maggs became headmaster, and his first task was to steer the school through the difficult war years. He also had to contend with an influx of pupils, following the Education Act in 1944 which stated that all grammar school places should be free to those pupils who passed the 11+ exam. The Ox House Heyes site had become unfit for purpose and a parent described the classrooms as ‘faintly reminiscent of the dungeons of the Tower of London’. The local community again stepped in and help for Upholland Grammar School came in the shape of Squire Bankes from Winstanley Hall. In July 1944 he made ‘a most public spirited and munificent gift’ of 20 acres of land on Winstanley Road for a new school. By the time the new facility had been finished it was September 1953 and Alfred Maggs moved all 461 of his pupils to start the next chapter in the school’s winding history. Brian Ellis was the next headmaster to take the reins and in true Upholland Grammar School style it continued to prosper and develop. In 1965 Lancashire Education Committee unveiled proposals to introduce comprehensive education in the county, which would mean that Upholland Grammar School could be changed beyond recognition. Their fears weren’t unfounded as the borough saw itself as being in the forefront of educational change and the same fate was befalling other schools in the area; Wigan Grammar School for boys had disappeared in 1972, becoming Mesnes High School, with Wigan Girls’ High School also closing to become Whitley High School and then a housing estate. In 1974, following local government reorganisation, the control of Upholland Grammar School transferred from Lancashire County to Wigan Metropolitan Borough. On 30 August 1977, Brian Ellis became the first Principal of a new sixth form college opened in the grammar school buildings. Upholland Grammar School came to an end and Winstanley College was born. Winstanley College has navigated its way successfully through the education tables and is consistently ranked as one of the best sixth forms in the country. The Upholland Grammar spirit is embedded in the ethos of the college and continues to pay tribute to the founding members who endeavoured to provide a top-class education by the light of an oil lamp. Collection of Grammar School student photos

With thanks to David Robinson a former Grammar School Pupil and owner of Mugs61.co.uk a site for all ex pupils and anyone with an interest in up Holland Grammar School. If you would like to know more about the school or have any information you would like to share please go online at www.mugs61.co.uk or email davidrobinson@mugs61.co.uk

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52 Porto design hinged door set in a RAL-painted finish in black. Urban Front: 01494 778 787; urbanfront.com.

First impressions count, so give some thought as to how you can transform your entrance with colour, hardware, lighting… or even a whole new door.

Front door painted in Lavender Quartz. Dulux: 0333 222 7171; dulux.co.uk/en/products.

It’s a welcome to visitors, the first thing that greets you after a hard day at work, and vital security that keeps out noise, draughts, intruders and the outside world in general. But is your front door up to scratch? Taking a long, hard look may reveal ways in which it, too, can be improved. Both practically and aesthetically, the difference can be remarkable. When choosing a replacement door (if, for example, your door has warped, rotted or shrunk beyond repair), you may wish to replicate exactly what was there before – or it may be possible to update it with something better. It’s important to get it right, as a great front door is an investment that could even enhance the value of your home; get it wrong, however, and the reverse could be the case. Start by researching styles to suit the period of your property, and consider what material will work best. Wooden doors are still the most popular, and are ideal for period houses, while uPVC is usually a cheaper option that can be complementary for modern homes. Aluminium, though expensive, combines strength and stability with a cool, industrial look.

Sometimes it may be appropriate to include some glazing with your new door – ideal for introducing extra light into a dark hallway. Consider whether you would prefer clear, frosted or perhaps even stained glass, depending on the overall style, how much privacy you require and whether security is an issue. Double-glazed, laminated glass is the best option to ensure intruders can’t gain access. Speaking of security, an upgrade to your locks may also be a good idea – check with your insurers, but a five-lever mortice is usually best for timber doors, while a uPVC door should have an anti-snap lock and multipoint locking system.

53 Any door should fit well within its frame, but it may still be an idea to improve its energy efficiency by adding seals around the edges, and a brush strip along the bottom. An internal letterbox flap or brush is also a great idea. Good lighting is vital for when you’re struggling to find your keys or simply need to see the front path on a dark evening. It should not be too difficult for an electrician to swap your existing light for a swanky new one – or perhaps a pair, one on either side of the door. Again, you will probably wish to coordinate your lighting with the architectural style of your property, whether it’s a carriage, lantern or bulkhead model, a decorative hanging pendant or a sleek and minimal wall washer. If possible, add a motion sensor and always ensure the fitting is suitably rated for safe exterior use. The fastest way to transform an existing timber door is to give it a fresh coat of paint. What colour? It’s a matter of personal preference, of course, unless limited by a planning restriction, but it’s always a good idea to try to coordinate the colour with the style of your property and to take account of local approaches. A garish pink in a historic terrace where everyone else’s door is neutral may result in some unhappy neighbours! Painting a door also helps protect it from the weather, so it’s important to do

Etch-effect house name with Edwardian text, from £45 per m2. Purlfrost Window Film: 020 8992 4024; purlfrost.com.

it properly. Start by washing it down with soapy water, and either remove or cover the hardware. Remove loose or flaking paint, fill any holes or cracks, and sand down. Use primer on unpainted wood, or undercoat on previously painted or uPVC doors – you may need several coats – then finish with a couple of coats of the final colour, in tough, exterior gloss. A lovely finishing touch is a brand new set of hardware – letter plate, knocker, knob and numbers, which are available in an array of durable styles. Provided you measure up correctly, it is surprisingly easy to swap them over for an instant refresh and smart new look.

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Keep taking the tablets The best tablets for everybody and every budget Amazon Fire HD 8

Tablets are among our very favourite devices. They’re fantastic all-rounders, capable of turning into glossy magazines or movie screens, children’s games or serious workhorses. And there’s never been a better time to buy one, whether you want a budget bargain or a highend tablet for work. Amazon’s Fire HD range offers exceptional value for money, with models starting at just £49 for the Fire 7 to £149 for the Fire HD 10. That’s less than half the price of Apple’s iPad, and Amazon offers big discounts on Fire tablets every time it has a big sales event. You can’t access the Apple or Google app stores but Amazon’s own App Store is very good, and there are models specifically for children, with features including tough protective cases and excellent parental controls, as well as a year’s free subscription to Amazon Kids books, games and TV shows. The 500lb gorilla of the tablet world is Apple, whose iPads are arguably the best tablets around. The pick of the range for most people is the standard iPad at £319, but if you need more power the iPad Air (£579) and its smaller sibling the iPad mini (£479) are better still. And if you need the ultimate iPad, the iPad Pro starts at £749 for the 11-inch and £999 for the 12.9-inch. If you’d rather have a Windows tablet, Microsoft’s Surface Pro (£995) is a real rival to the iPad Pro, while the more affordable Surface Go (£369) is an excellent alternative to the iPad and iPad Air. There are also lots of nice tablets and 2-in-1 laptop/tablet hybrids from the usual PC names. Android tablets don’t have a great reputation – the cheap ones are usually awful – but Samsung’s tablets are up there with Apple in terms of quality. Our pick is the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (£298), which is the best value Android tablet if you want to run apps from the Google Play store.

An ideal simple tablet for surfing on the sofa, its’s easy to use, has a good selection of apps including the big names, and doesn’t cost much. £89, Amazon.co.uk

Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Like the normal Fire HD, don’t pay full price for this kids’ tablet: Amazon discounts them when it has sales. The Kids edition includes a year’s free subscription to apps, e-books and TV shows. £139, Amazon.co.uk

Apple iPad Apple’s control of the hardware and software delivers an unparalleled user experience, making them the best tablets made right now. The basic iPad is fine for most. £319, Apple.com

Microsoft Surface Go 3 Prefer Windows to iPadOS? Microsoft’s excellent tablet running Windows 10/Windows 11 is fast, good-looking and very flexible. £369, microsoft.com

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite It’s not quite up to Apple standards in terms of software, but the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a good option if you’ve already invested in Android apps or just prefer Google’s way of doing things. £298, Samsung.com

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Top five

Cruise

destinations

Is there anything more idyllic than waking on a cruise ship and drawing your blinds to reveal an endless expanse of ocean? Add in cocktails by the pool, daily entertainment and shopping galore, and you have all the ingredients for the perfect holiday. That’s not even touching on the destinations you stop off at along the way! From the Greek Islands to Scandinavia’s Norwegian fjords, cruises can take you all over the globe. To give you some inspiration, here are five of the world’s most popular cruise destinations for 2022.

The Norwegian Fjords If you’re more interested in adventure than sun, sea and sand, Norway’s dramatic fjords are sure to deliver. These narrow inlets make up the majority of the country’s northern coast and boast some of Scandinavia’s most exceptional scenery.

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Exploring from a cruise ship promises to bring you close to Norway’s tumbling waterfalls and skyscraper cliffs; keep an eye out for rare seabirds and sperm whales if you’re lucky! Most cruises will also stop at remote fishing villages, where you can sample some of the freshest, most delicious seafood.

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The Greek Islands With more than 6,000 Greek islands peppering the Aegean and Ionian seas, it’s no surprise that islandhopping cruises around Greece are some of the most popular cruises around. This is a corner of the world made for exploring by ship. Start in Athens and spend your first couple of days exploring the capital before embarking on your journey. Top cruise destinations include Mykonos with its waterside cocktail bars and white-sand beaches, Rhodes with its Old Town and uninterrupted swathes of sand, and Santorini, where the sunsets are world-renowned. Many cruises will also take you to the archipelago’s lesser known islands too, Chania and Thessaloniki being good examples.

European Rivers For bags of culture, river cruising is a great option. Two popular cruising choices are the Rhine, which flows from Basel, Switzerland, to Amsterdam, passing primarily through Germany along the way, or the stretch of the Danube between Budapest and Passau, Germany, that runs primarily through Austria.

A cruise here will make you feel like you’ve walked straight into one of David Attenborough’s documentaries. Sail past gigantic glaciers, snap photographs of sea lions from the ship, take a shore excursion to see brown bears and witness breaching whales; the cruise itineraries around Alaska’s largely untamed landscape are hard to beat. You can also expect visits to Alaska’s state capital of Juneau, only reachable by air or by water, Glacier Bay National Park, and Skagway, a compact city saturated with history from the Gold Rush era.

Cruises along the Rhine and the Danube meander through a mix of big city culture, small town sleepiness and a few stretches of genuine rural scenery. On the Rhine, the big cultural capitals are energetic Amsterdam and Cologne, with Strasbourg and Basel also included, whilst on the Danube, you have Budapest and Vienna.

The Caribbean The Caribbean’s wealth of white-sand beaches washed by turquoise seas make it an incredibly popular cruise destination for sun-seekers. Thanks to the islands’ close proximity, you could be snorkelling with turtles in Tobago one day and dancing to reggae beats in Jamaica the next. Although equally colourful, each island has its own distinct character, meaning there’s enough to please wildlife lovers, history enthusiasts, foodies and anyone who just wants to laze on the beach.

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Short Term Noise It has certainly been an eventful start to 2022. “Partygate” has dominated the headlines in the UK along with the military situation in Ukraine and, of course, we are still navigating our way through the pandemic as restrictions begin to be lifted again. The cost of day-to-day living continues to rise – with energy prices in particular, increasing significantly. This threat of inflation and the future path for interest rates as a result, has unsettled the global stock markets, leading to greater volatility – which can be quite unsettling when you consider the positive performance of stock markets over the second half of 2020 and 2021. The global stock market is down by around 7% and the US by circa 9% at the time of writing this article. Those growth companies that performed particularly well through the pandemic, have been impacted the most. In contrast, the UK’s stock market has performed comparatively better on the world’s stage. The reason for this is largely due to the type of companies that are listed in the FTSE (e.g. energy companies, mining stock and banks – which have been more resilient). Naturally, because of all these goings-on, investors start to feel a little unsettled. It is in our nature to want to “fix” things when they don’t appear to be going our way. But a key ingredient to investment success is patience - not panicking, not ‘fixing’, trying not to let the short-term ‘noise’ distract you from your objectives and the bigger picture.

There’s an old saying: ‘Life knocks you down. Get up’, and so often, this is how global markets react as well. They roll with the punches, and sooner or later they tend to bounce back from adverse events. The trick is waiting for the storm to pass.

Beyond the ‘Noise’ There are positives too: we have the first indications of success from our national vaccination programme and people in England are now able to go about their business mask-free, if they feel comfortable doing so. Travel restrictions are easing, making it far easier to see friends and family and for some maybe even the thought of a holiday this year (if you can navigate all that paperwork of course!). We can all now see that there will be an end to this pandemic. Revisiting your financial plan is another way to look beyond short-term events, to re-focus on your objectives and look at current events from a wider perspective. It’s worth remembering that money only takes on true meaning, only achieves its true potential, when we turn it into financial security for ourselves and our family, or turn it into enjoyment, by drawing it out and spending it. This is where we see the financial plan becomes the most important thing to focus on. As long as that is still linked to where you want to be, and what you want to do, you can start looking beyond the short-term and ignoring the noise. We’ve built in the lifebelts to ensure you’ll still get from A to B, no matter how turbulent the journey. If you need any guidance please feel free to contact us on 01257 423800. The initial meeting is at our expense and is without any obligation.

David Barton APFS Cert CII (MP)

Chief Executive Officer The value of investments can fall as well as rise which could result in investors receiving less than initially invested. Past performance should not be seen as an indication to future returns.

Labour of Love Thirty years ago this month, on Friday 13th March 1992 to be exact, approximately 600 miners reported for their last shift at the last remaining pits in Wigan Borough – Bickershaw and Parsonage. The closure of Bickershaw and Parsonage left just Parkside in Newton-le-Willows as the last pit standing in the Lancashire Coalfield. Parkside closed just a year later in 1993. Careful environmental management, along with Mother Nature, has hidden the black landscapes, spoil heaps and other excesses, and nowadays many residents enjoy the legacy of the Lancashire Coalfield by walking round, fishing and enjoying a multitude of activities on the flashes in Wigan and at Pennington. The largest physical reminder of the Lancashire Coalfield is in Astley Green, a tiny village off the A580 near Leigh, which hosts the last surviving headgear and winding house in Lancashire at the Lancashire Mining Museum. The museum is on the site of the Astley Green Colliery, close to the Bridgewater Canal, and was opened in 1908 by Edward and Alfred Pilkington. Astley Green was finally closed in 1970 by the National Coal Board, who cited that the pit was uneconomic to operate. The headgear and winding house, both of which now have scheduled monument and listed building status, and since 1980, a group of dedicated volunteers called the Red Rose Steam Society Limited have run the 15 acre-site. Currently the site is a work in progress. The winding house is at the centre of the attraction, with many historic exhibits and visitors can also browse round the miner’s cottage, the vintage tea-room and ride the narrow-gauge railway. The museum also hosts an increasing number of events such as markets, Santa rides, a community bonfire, all of which raise the profile of the site and raise funds. You can check on future events on the Facebook page @ TheRedRoseSteamSocietyLtd1. The far-reaching vision for the Lancashire Mining Museum is illustrated in a five-year plan which is available on their website www.lancashireminingmuseum.org, but highlights include the creation of an archive and library centre, an heritage education centre, a Miners Memorial

Garden and the creation of an underground experience. Plans also include the opening up of the area between the site and the canal to facilitate tourism and to link up with other attractions, such as the historic Worsley centre, Spinners Mill in Leigh and the new RHS centre at Bridgewater. For the hardworking Red Rose volunteers, many of whom are retirees, developing the Mining Museum site has become a labour of love. Bidding for pots of money from various sources to fund restoration and development of the site has become an ongoing task, but if future plans come to fruition, the museum will become a fitting tribute to those miners who worked the Lancashire Coalfield. The Lancashire Mining Museum is operating on winter opening times until 31st March and is open from 1pm-4pm on Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more details, visit the website www. lancashireminingmuseum.org

Peaky Blinders Fans of the hit show Peaky Blinders will recognise the backdrop of the museum site from series 4 – some dramatic scenes were filmed there. A Set Dresser for the show, Alan Shaw, came back after filming was complete to produce an amazing reproduction of a miner’s cottage, which is now used as a feature for the museum.

image credit: Dave Green

CMA Accountancy

Tax Planning Opportunities for Individuals & Companies By Kieran Fitzgerald MAAT Our previous article covered the Self-Assessment deadline which has now passed for the 2020/21 tax year submissions. Although the Government allowed some room for late submissions, if you are yet to file a return and require some assistance, contact our team without any further delay. As is the way with all matters tax, the focus switches now to the end of another tax year, the 2021/22 period that ends on the 5th April 2022. Now is a good time to stop and take a wider view of the actions required to make good use of the relevant tax planning opportunities that may apply to your individual and/or companies’ situation. In a perfect world, you would be making use of relevant opportunities throughout the course of a year. However, it is important to stop and take time to reflect and ensure the correct opportunities are pursued. Make the most of your ISA allowance ISAs are free from income tax and capital gains tax. The overall ISA allowance is currently £20,000 across all different types of ISA and does not carry over between tax years. The limits for different ISA types are:

• • •

Stocks & Shares: £20,000 a year

•

Lifetime ISA: £4,000 per year

Junior ISA: £9,000 a year Help to Buy ISA: £200 a month (now closed to new applicants)

Make use of your personal allowances within a couple If you are married or in a civil partnership, you may be able to save money by structuring your finances to take advantage of both spouses’ tax allowances. This can be particularly lucrative whereby one spouse pays tax at a lower rate than the other.

Review your buy-to-let profit sharing Further to the tip above, in a circumstance where one spouse is a basic rate taxpayer and one a higher rate taxpayer, it makes sense for the lower earner to receive a greater share of rental profits so as to legally avoid a higher rate tax charge. Utilise your annual allowance for pension contributions Investments in your pension are free from income tax and capital gains tax. Each year you can contribute as much money as you earn, usually up to £40,000 (although this tapers down to £4,000 for higher earners). Basic rate tax relief is obtained at source and higher rate tax relief is obtained via your annual tax returns. You may also be able to make extra contributions by carrying forward any unused allowance from the last three tax years. Plan for the High-Income Child Benefit Charge This tax charge allows the Government to recover some, or all, of any Child Benefit claimed where the annual taxable income or the claimant or the claimant’s partner exceeds £50,000. To keep your taxable income below that threshold, you could reduce it by exchanging salary in return for employer pension contributions, or by making personal pension contributions. Our expert team of accountants are ready to help with all aspects of your tax planning needs. Check out our website at www.cma-accountancy.com for the latest and greatest tips, and you might want to sign up to our weekly newsletters whilst you’re there!

Kieran Fitzgerald – CMA Accountancy 39 Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge, Wigan, WN6 9DR 01257 255521 info@cma-accountancy.com www.cma-accountancy.com

67 SA d

ea d

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Puzzle Pages CROSSWORD down 1.

Building for housing horses (6)

German submarine in World War II (1-4)

Frame supporting the body of a car (7)

Appear suddenly or unexpectedly (3,2)

Windlass used when weighing anchor (7)

Soft yellow substance secreted by aural glands (6)

Expert in art, food or drink (11)

14. Blue-flowered trailing plant (7) 15. Brilliant and showy technical skill (7) 16. Group of people assembled to sing (6) 17. Mary ___, women’s pentathlon gold medal winner in the 1972 Olympic Games (6) 19. Lofty nest of a bird of prey (5) 21. Mixture of rain and snow (5)

across 1.

Ornamental plaster used to cover walls (6)

18. Book of the New Testament (7)

Native North American tribe (6)

20. Long, narrow passageway (5)

Pear-shaped fruit with green skin ripening to black (7)

22. Measuring stick (5)

10. Writing material (5)

23. Small guitar with four strings (7)

11. Asian water lily (5)

24. Agitated (6)

12. Volatile liquid used chiefly as a solvent (7)

25. Insect which rests with forelimbs raised as if in

13. Narrow strip of rubber formed into a loop for holding

prayer (6)

objects together (7,4)

Wordwheel Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.

target Excellent: 50 or more words Good: 43 words Fair: 38 words

WORDSEARCH

Fishing

SUDOKU

ANCHOVY

CUTTLE

HAG

SARDINE

BARRACUDA

DACE

HAKE

SHARK

BASS

DOLPHIN

HERRING

SKATE

BREAM

EEL

PIKE

SOLE

CARP

FLOUNDER

PIRANHA

TENCH

CATFISH

FUGU

POLLACK

TROUT

COD

GUPPY

SALMON

TURBOT

word LADDER Change one letter at a time (but not the position of any letter) to make a new word - and move from the word at the top of the ladder to the word at the bottom, using the exact number of rungs provided.

LEAF

WIGGLE WORDS CLUE: The belief or hope that the third attempt at something will be successful. Trace a path through all the letters to find the word or phrase that fits the clue.

I M E M

T T S R

D H A A

R I C H

STEM

All the puzzle solutions can be found on page 85 of this magazine

Cheshire Castles by Chris Pearce Distance: 4½ miles Difficulty: Easy When choosing Jack’s Tracks to feature in Local Life, we usually opt to choose the Lancashire area, often to the Trough of Bowland or the West Pennine Moors. However, Cheshire has its fair share of notable walks too, and it’s there that we turn to this month for the Cheshire Castles walk.

Leave the main car park opposite the castle entrance, turn right, and head up the footpath between the castle wall and the overflow car park. Stay left at first as you enter the pine woods, and the path eventually drops to Tattenhall Lane, from where you can see Peckforton Castle in the distance.

At just over 4½ miles, this walk takes in two very different castles. Peckforton Castle was built in the 1840’s by the Tollemache family within their 36,000 acres of Cheshire countryside. It’s now best known as a hotel/wedding venue and features regularly on TV shows such as Cheshire Housewives.

Turn left on the road, and after a few yards you’ll pass Tabernacle Cottage; at this point turn right on a footpath. Follow the footpath into the distance until you come to a stream. After you cross the wooden bridge, the path splits. Follow the path denoted by the ‘S’ marker, which heads away from the stream through a field towards Peckforton Castle.

But we start the walk from the car park at nearby Beeston Castle (CW6 9TX). Beeston Castle was built by Ranulf, the 6th Earl of Chester in the 1220’s, and the castle ruins and the woodland park are now looked after by English Heritage. Members of English Heritage can use the car park free, otherwise the cost is £3.

After 200 yards, the path splits again; go right through the steel gate and head towards the black and white timber framed houses in the distance. When you exit the field by the houses mentioned, turn right down the single-track lane (Horsley Lane) for 240 yards.

71 Elevation

For those with the OS Maps app on your desktop,

150m

mobile or tablet, this walk is named: JT-Cheshire-Castles

Lowest 64m

100m

Highest 173m

https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/11130280/JT-Cheshire-Castles

Total ascent 139m

50m 0.0km

2.0km

4.0km

6.0km

7.5km

Beeston Castle

Castlegate Farm

Ta tte nh

all La ne

Castleside Farm

Ettley Hill

Peckfo rton Ro a

Beeston

Gregory’s Wood

Crimes Brook

st on

eT ra i

Moathouse Farm

Hor

sley

River Gowy Lan e

Peckforton Castle (Hotel)

Willis’s Wood

The Table Rock Peckforton Mere

Pennsylvania Wood

n ouse La

Stone H

Stanner Nab

Way ury

isb Edd

k rac

Bar

s La

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Higher Burwardsley

Peckforton

Waste Hill Peckforton Hall Lane

72 Just past Ivy Cottage, there’s an entrance on the left to the Peckforton Estate. Take this path, again denoted by the ‘S’, and after a bit of a climb, the path flattens out and you’re treated to great views over the Cheshire plains. Eventually you’ll arrive at a junction by a black barrier – take the path that goes straight on. A little further on, the path forks; take the lower path that is denoted ‘Cheshire East’ and head downhill. You’ll exit the woodlands shortly afterwards and head uphill on a quiet single-track road, which merges into Pennsylvania Lane. Pass the Pheasant Inn and then turn left at the crossroads into Fowlers Bench Lane. 40 yards further on and you’ll take a left into Rock Lane. Rock Lane forks shortly afterwards; take the right fork and follow this single-track road for over half a mile. You’ll pass a barrier as the road becomes a path going through woodlands, which eventually bears left as you reach a disused railway bridge. Once you’ve passed under the bridge,

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carry on down the cobbled lane heading towards a barrier. Forty yards on from the barrier, take a left turn by the yellow salt bin and then, ten yards after the turn, look up and take the path on the right that’s on a higher level. Follow the path downhill, over the stile and directly through the next field until you reach a stone stile that takes you down to Stonehouse Lane. Turn left and follow the road for ¾ mile past the grand entrance to Peckforton Castle until you reach a T-junction. Bear right onto Peckforton Road and follow the road for a further 1/3 of a mile into Beeston. Turn left at the Smithy Cottage into Tattenhall Lane, and then turn right 100 yards later into Chapel Lane. Follow the road uphill and round a right-hand bend and you’re back at your starting point. 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.

New Starts

Forget January, there’s no better time for a new beginning than spring… The Meaningful Money Handbook – Pete Matthew If you need to get your finances in order (that’s most of us then), The Meaningful Money Handbook could prove invaluable. It’ll help you to cut through the confusion, figure out how to get out of debt, create a personal financial plan and grow your savings. If you’re already starting to wince at the thought of reading a book about finances, rest assured that there’s no jargon or judgement – just plenty of straightforward advice and useful tips.

Atomic Habits – James Clear All too often, major change feels so daunting that we don’t act, or we give up after a few days. Instead, James Clear recommends making tiny tweaks to your daily routines. Atomic Habits shows the reader how to break bad habits and start new ones. James Clear sets out, step-by-step, how to make small improvements that, over time, become life-altering. His advice is backed by psychologists, but as Clear says, this book is “not an academic research paper; it’s an operating manual.”

Consumed – Aja Barber Feel like you shop to fill a void? Uncomfortable with your role in fast fashion? Or do you just want to learn how to enjoy fashion sustainably and ethically? Whatever your motivation, this book is well worth a read. Aja Barber shares her story of how she came to understand the systemic injustices in the fashion industry. You’ll learn about the history of the textile industry, the growing issue of fast fashion and, crucially, what you can do to bring about change.

Survival Skills for Freelancers – Sarah Townsend At some point, everyone dreams of quitting their job and becoming their own boss. Whether you’ve already made the move or you’re just thinking of taking the plunge, this book can help you to ride the roller coaster that is self-employment. It’s full of helpful advice, from how to avoid burnout and look after your mental health to how to tackle imposter syndrome.

Decluttering at the Speed of Life – Dana K. White Clutter can be overwhelming. The more possessions you have, the more time it usually takes to organise, tidy and clean your home. Unlike other decluttering books, this one isn’t just a ‘how to’ guide; it also addresses the emotional challenges that make it difficult to let go of unnecessary possessions. It’s also packed with practical advice and tips. Plus, it’s funny.

30 Day Kick Start Plan – Joe Wicks It’s hard to make healthier choices in the depths of winter, but lighter evenings and warmer days are just around the corner. 30 Day Kick Start Plan can help you eat better, move more and stay motivated. You’ll find 100 recipes to try, along with six workouts and weekly plans to help you stay on track. There’s also advice on everything from sleep and meditation to goal setting. In short, it’s far more than just another healthy-eating cookbook.

Greenfingers… the Alan Titchmarsh column He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh talks about how our gardens can move us to a place of peace. While gardens mean different things to all of us, it’s when I venture into these tranquil spaces that I truly get a sense of their calming and healing power, and I find that hugely enriching. Most gardens and landscapes naturally come with a real feeling of gentleness – from the choice of flowers and plants, to gentle sweeps and curves that guide the eye onwards, to a softness and subtlety that may be a world away from some of the physical or emotional struggles we are going through; and I feel it is this dramatic contrast that really transports someone back to a place of comfort, even if just for a little while. What is also really important for me when I visit gardens at hospices and hospitals, is the reminder that these spaces are not just for those who are residents. They also give hope, clarity, peace and a sense of calm to visiting families and, most importantly, the people who work there. Certainly, with everything that has happened over the past couple of years with Covid, and the realisation that we need to consider and protect workers and staff who look after us, I would like to think those on the frontline can wrestle back their own sense of contentment when soaking up the fresh air and beauty of a garden, where they can move away from a job that’s very hard and emotionally draining.

I would like to see more attention given to gardens and outdoor spaces in our health institutions, and in workspaces in general. They are more important than we imagine. Simple sweeps of flowers, plants and foliage are inspiring; the sight of an olive tree can move our minds to far-off places; and we all know how calming a cascade of water can be. It’s all very peaceful and there’s nothing complicated or frenetic. Gardens are evolving, living things that are always changing – in fact they’re much like us in that respect! For me, on those days where I feel everything’s a bit fraught and frantic, and when I just can’t get to grips with anything, I go to sit in the garden or potter about to find myself, and it really works! Life is a compromise, and you can’t always be on top of things, but gardens truly prove to me the healing qualities that exist within nature, and we’re so fortunate to have them.

SMN

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What is the new

Range Rover up against?

The new Range Rover has arrived, bringing with it a predictably luxurious take on the SUV recipe. Packed with technological advancements, the new Range Rover looks set to be the most futuristic to date, while a series of plug-in hybrid powertrains – alongside traditional petrol and diesel options – means that it’s more electrified than ever. But the Range Rover’s job isn’t an easy one. There are more rivals for it than ever, so let’s dive in and check out what this latest Range Rover is up against.

BMW X7 The X7 sits at the top of BMW’s SUV range, effectively sitting as a high-riding version of the firm’s luxurious 7 Series saloon. It’s a hard car to miss, too, with its ultra-large front kidney grilles giving it a whole lot of presence out on the road. It’s also got space for seven, so it does have a focus on practicality, too. With a huge amount of interior space, it’s a really comfortable choice for longer journeys.

Bentley Bentayga The Bentayga has proved to be a real hit for Bentley, encapsulating the luxury feel of the firm’s saloon and coupe models but in a high-riding SUV body style. Much like the new Range Rover, it’s available with a traditional petrol engine but also a plugin hybrid option, giving zero-emissions running at lower speeds. Bentley recently added a more sporty ‘S’ version too, kitted out with a powerful 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8.v

Audi Q8 Though we could opt for the popular Q7 in this list, it’s the Q8 that stands out in Audi’s range of SUVs. Bringing a coupe-like design, the Q8 looks truly futuristic on the road, with its full-width rear light bar giving the car a really cool appearance at night. It’s just as futuristic inside, too, with a good range of materials ensuring that the Q8 feels particularly upmarket.

Aston Martin DBX Aston’s first SUV – the DBX – has really made waves, delivering a sporting driving experience alongside a level of quality that you’d expect from the firm. Both comfortable and involving, the DBX is a car capable of making a twisty road fun while also taking the backache out of longer journeys. It’s also got a design in keeping with the rest of the Aston Martin range, while a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine means it’s got the performance to match, too.

Mercedes-Benz GLS The GLS is the largest SUV Mercedes offer and is, in fact, one of the largest SUVs on sale today. It’s fitted with some of the firm’s latest technology, too, including a superb MBUX infotainment operating system, accessed via a pair of 12.3-inch screens set underneath one single piece of glass to create a full widescreen effect. It’s also supremely comfortable, while the option of a range-topping GLS63 adds a performance variant for those who want it.

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Puzzle Solutions CROSSWORD

WORDWHEEL

Across: 1. Stucco, 4. Apache, 9. Avocado, 10. Paper, 11. Lotus, 12. Naphtha, 13. Elastic band, 18. Hebrews, 20. Aisle, 22. Ruler, 23. Ukulele, 24. Shaken, 25. Mantis. DOWN: 1. Stable, 2. U-boat, 3. Chassis, 5. Pop up, 6. Capstan, 7. Earwax, 8. Connoisseur, 14. Lobelia, 15. Bravura, 16. Chorus, 17. Peters, 19. Eyrie, 21. Sleet.

WORDSEARCH

SUDOKU

aNSWER: MINARET / RAIMENT

T I W N E R

WIGGLE WORDS Third Time’s a Charm

WORD LADDER Here is one possible solution (others may exist) LEAF leak leek seek seem STEM

PUB QUIZ 1. Charity shop (“op” is short for “opportunity”) 2. Ikea 3. Vaccinated

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7. Quality, Value and Convenience 8. Magic wands 9. b) Marks and Spencer 10. Banksy

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• FREE Pre-Inspection Visit & Quotation

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helen@carrolls-cleaning.co.uk

Quality Upholsterer required for these pages

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Call - 01257 251221

Call 01695 627 999

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LocalLife

www.manorhousecleaning.co.uk

www.locallife247.co.uk

External Cleaning Specialist • UPVC & Conservatory cleaning • Pressure Washing for Driveways & Patios • Roof Cleaning, Sealing & Coating • Drain Clearing & Cleaning • Decking Cleaning & Sealing • Imprinted Concrete Sealing & Re-Colouring

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Quality Flooring Fitter required for these pages

quote@procleanecs.co.uk

Design & Print Flyers, postcards, brochures and distribution service.

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LocalLife

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Call 01695 627 999

LocalLife

oPEN Mon-Fri 8AM-6PM

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Having a Clear Out?

Whatever you’re clearing – call us today! • House & garden • Garage or Shed

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available for removals

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prices start fr om

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let us clean your oven so you don’t have to! • professional oven cleaning • environmentally friendly • we repair ovens too! call Steven on 07393 818 392 www.ovenrescue.co.uk/wigan

Get your oven looking like new! We clean ovens, hobs, microwaves and fans for over 500 regular customers.

0 Single ovens only £5 We only use non-caustic, totally safe liquids.

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Aspinall’s Chimney Sweep • Chimney Sweeping • Chimney Pots & Cowls – supplied & fitted • Bird Nests removed & Birdguards fitted • Chimney Stacks re-pointed • CCTV Chimney Inspections

No Mess

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Contact Patrick for a free quote

01942 375 076 07449 456 980

www.aspinallschimneys.co.uk e-mail patrick@aspinallschimneys.co.uk

Outdoor Adventures Spring Cleaning Your Home’s Exterior

In your home, you’ll realise when maintenance jobs need doing and rooms need cleaning. But particularly during the winter months, any deterioration to the outside of your property is likely to go unnoticed until the brighter spring days.

The Roof If any part of your roof is north facing, near trees or both, you are very likely to see a build-up of moss. This is not only unsightly, it’s not good for your roof and the moss is likely to block your gutters too. If your roof is at a low level or can be accessed from an upper window, gently brush the surface to loosen the build-up. Generally though, unless you happen to own the specialist equipment to ensure you are safe on a roof, this really is a job for the professionals.

The Gutters Some debris in your gutters will get washed away and will mulch down, but more often it’ll just build up. If your gutters are overflowing every time it rains, you are going to need a long ladder and a pair of thick rubber gloves to clear the slimy mess. A professional will have a camera on a pole to see where the worst spots are and to help them clear out all the winter debris. Ask about having gutter guards fitted, too to help prevent future build-ups.

Facias and Soffits There are two options if your facias and soffits look tatty and the paint is peeling: repainting is lower cost but it won’t last that long and is fiddly to do; replacement facias

and soffits are made of uPVC and will last for years. It’s well worth considering replacing the guttering at the same time.

Pathways The inexpensive way to clean your path is a bucket of water and a stiff brush. Alternatively, a jet washer is very thorough and reasonably affordable, although you only need to use it once or twice a year. This is a job you can do yourself, but it’s blooming hard work! You will get quite a workout controlling the pressure washer hose or sweeping a brush.

Windows This is another one of those jobs that is hard work and while it’s easy to access the inside of your windows, the upper floor of the outside is much more difficult. Furthermore, a one-off clean is not enough – you are looking at your windows all the time so you’ll notice them getting dirty again within a month or two. It’s better to have a regular arrangement with a cleaning company who will usually have a pole system to reach the heights. They normally use purified water, meaning that the windows dry sparkling clean.

In Summary There are many jobs around the home that you are probably capable of doing yourself to save the pennies. But these external tasks don’t need to be done very often and a specialist will have the equipment, the safety training and the insurance to do the job efficiently and quickly.

ROOF CLEANING

01942 470 089 07834 241 642 www.conservatorycleaningwigan.com

any ser ok v

get your gutters cleared

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e ic

Call Clint for a free no obligation quote

• Moss Removal & Bio-Treatment • Softwashing / Low Pressure

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SPEC ES IAL OFFE R - 20% OFF ALL CLEANING PACKAG

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Unit 6a, 1 Miry Lane, Wigan WN3 4AG

One-stop cleaning jobs for your home and garden • • • • •

Clean your dirty Driveway or Patio Seal and Protect your Driveway or Patio Clear out your blocked gutters with our video SkyVac Make your Conservatory sparkle • Render cleaning Clean Gutters, Soffits and Fascias

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Check out our fantastic 5* reviews on Facebook & Google

Call or text David now for a no obligation quote

Your local family business

01942 530483 • 07771 924 887 • www.totalcleaningnorthwest.co.uk

A Genuine Family Run Business With Friendly & Courteous Staff Specialists in central heating installation, boiler replacements and upgrades

WE REPAIR ALL MAKES OF BOILERS!

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www.blueflameltd.co.uk 626792

craig@blueflameltd.co.uk Family run business with 20+ years experience. Check out our reviews:

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www.gphwigan.co.uk • info@gphwigan.co.uk

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0% Finance available

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Douglas Drive, Orrell, Wigan www.ljplumbingandbathrooms.co.uk

hartheatingwigan@gmail.com 651511

Winstanley-based

92 Quality Flooring Fitter required for these pages

Kitchens Bathrooms Floors Walls Pools & More 16 years experience We lay all tiles, including marble, limestone, porcelain, ceramics and mosaic. Call Dan now to discuss your ideas and designs.

07980 258 678

Or email huxtilingservices@gmail.com

Huxtilingservices

AGBathrooms.net Quality bathrooms at reasonable prices Complete bathroom installations from design to completion.

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Great Value Bathrooms!

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Convert your bath to a

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LocalLife

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AJC

Design & Print Flyers, postcards, brochures and distribution service.

WALK IN SHOWERS Typical price

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We also fit full bathrooms!

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s Nursery Bridge | WN6 9DT Little AcornLane | Appley

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of WJD Retail is the trading name Number 1248484 Bespoke Flooring Ltd – Company & Online Solutions

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LocalLife

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GDR Driveways ALL ASPECTS OF PAVING & turfing

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Call 01695 627 999

• TV Aerials Installed • TV Wall Mounting • Telephone Lines • Setup Service

LocalLife

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We can also revive your old drive! Ask about our sealing service

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Installations, Upgrades & Repairs

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om £395

fr New systems

erience 12 years exp

d lied and fitte CCTV – supp Friendly & reliable service

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DF Alarms | 58 Chapel St | Pemberton | Wigan

W.Hurst & Son Ltd ELECTRIC CONTRACTOR www.whurstandson.co.uk

• All types of electrical work • 35+ years experience • No job too small • Friendly and reliable For a free quote & advice call Jeff

01695 622 191 07850 622 191

J.Dillon

Electrical Services Ltd Electrician ~ Standish • All types of electrical work • 30+ years experience • Friendly, fast and reliable • 24 hour call out service

Call: 01257 424918 or 07821 139826

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Domestic and commercial work welcome Free security assessment provided Emergency lock openings Lock changes No call-out charges 24-hour service 60 mins response

Call 01942 669505 www.uklocksandalarms.co.uk info@ianwalkerservices.co.uk

A.J.S.

BAILEYS

ELECTRICAL

All electrical work undertaken Free quotations

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01942 215 769 07739 709 005

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Over 30 years’ experience Call Steve on 07874 352501 or 01744 368055 www.billingeelctrical.co.uk

Jon Wright Electrical Ltd All types of Domestic & Commercial work undertaken

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Email: jonwrightelec@live.co.uk Certificate of excellence winner 2017, 2018 & 2019

a Installation & Maintenance a Inspection & Testing a Nest Pro Installer a CCTV & Alarms

Tel: 07738 117712 Orrell based

JIB Approved Electrician All domestic electrical work 24/7 call out service Friendly, reliable & professional

Call 07557 795 892

www.johnboughey-electrical.com Parbold/Wigan Areas

95 Quality Fencer required for these pages 30 Years Experience

Superior craftmanship at competitive rates • Home improvements • Loft conversions • Garage conversions & Extensions • Staircases • Windows & Doors

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Extensions & Refurbishments Kitchens & Bathrooms

LocalLife

Windows & Doors Roofs & Fascia Boards Decking & Balustrading

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www.locallife247.co.uk

Conservatories & Orangeries

All aspects of building works No job too small

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Day: Eve:

07961 516 677 01942 745 428

• FENCING AND POINTING. • GENERAL HOUSEHOLD MAINTENANCE.

Cambridge Road, Orrell

No job too small! Call Mike Darbyshire on

01942 513 584 07917 352 181 Orrell based

• Conservatory repairs • Locks, handles and hinges • Replacement glass • Windows and doors installed • Replacement conservatory roofs Call MARK now on

01942 737 381 0776 315 1720 conservatoryrepairs@gmail.com www.fixmyconservatory.com

Specialists in Replacement Double Glazed Units

Design & Print Flyers, postcards, brochures and distribution service. Quality carpets

& flooring,

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tive prices

at competi

rural Village NUrSErY

Ring with sizes for a FREE estimate Open 7 days 8am - 8pm

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(LVT) oPEN Luxury Vinyl Tiles Mon-Fri 8AM-6PM Carpets and Rugs g Laminate Floorin g Hard Wood Floorin .co.uk www.bespoke-floors

| bespoke@wjdfloorin

rated by oFStED as oUtStANDINg FUNDED PLACES Available for 2/3/4 year olds

£37.50 per day

LANgUAgE & SPortS LESSoNS for pre-schoolers

Large outdoor PLAY ArEA

QUALITY CHILDCA

We cater for CHILDrEN

3 months - 4 years

NEWLY rEFUrBISHED in 2019

g.co.uk

Road, Smithy, Church No.2 The Old 8HD Rainford WA11

01744 88 55

Nursery Little Acorns TRUST! RE YOU CAN

All Saints’ Primary

Call Sarah on 01744

Established Local Family Company

01942 470 085 0800 328 8573 www.steamywindows.net

s Nursery Bridge | WN6 9DT Little AcornLane | Appley

School | Finch

47 01257 2526 sery.com

-daynur www.littleacorns

of WJD Retail is the trading name Number 1248484 Bespoke Flooring Ltd – Company & Online Solutions

886166 for more information

or admin@cranknursery.net www.cranknursery.co.uk

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Call 01695 627 999

LocalLife

www.locallife247.co.uk

Re-modelling your home in 2022?

PH Profiles

Quality orangeries, conservatories and sunrooms designed and constructed. Finest installations of all windows, doors bi-folds, porches and UPVC Roofline.

Call Paul today for a free estimate and friendly advice. 01942 204421 | 07841 923230 | www.phprofiles.co.uk 6 consecutive Certificate of Excellence awards

Des Pilling Plastering Call us now for ALL your roofline requirements! Facias, soffits, cladding, dry verge and gutters We specialise in seamless aluminium gutters. Clean, stylish and guaranteed for 25 years!

Call: 07917 352 182 / 07917 352 183 www.orrellroofline.co.uk

• Plastering • Skimming • Artexing

Coving & Cornice work also welcomed Orrell based – Established 1986

Call Des on 07787 513 235

www.lakelandplastering.co.uk www.despilling.org.uk

K Stone Building Services All types of building work undertaken • Brickwork • Pointing • Garden Walls • Patios

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25 years experience

01942 495412 07974 496676

Oak Doors from

£155

First Class Workmanship 4 All types of re-roofs 4 Strip & re-slate or re-tile 4 Built up felt/flat roofs, dormers etc. 4 Insurance work undertaken 4 Roofline uPVC fascias, soffits & guttering

W.Newman

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01942 590514 • 07988 260621 www.orrelljoinery.co.uk

• Timber cladding • Bespoke furniture • All aspects of joinery • Fabrication / steel work Contact:

07800 580532 01744 747787 www.funkytimber.co.uk Unit 17b, Wharton Street, St Helens, WA9 5AA

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01695 627 212

Colin: 07958 302 166 Brian: 07760 160 988

MOBILE: 07774 943 706

www.wilson-bros.co.uk

52 HALLBRIDGE GARDENS, UP HOLLAND Established Over 30 Years

Price includes supply & fit Orrell All aspects based of joinery

Est. 1985

All aspects of roofing & roofline NEW ROOFS REPAIRS FASCIAS, SOFFITS & GUTTERS

Dormers and Garages

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Your local fully qualified tradesman

with 30 years experience Rubber Cover Roofing Specialist Guaranteed 50 years

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M: 07894 687 384

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LocalLife september 2019

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