Wigan West Edition
Mar/Apr 2014
Hitting The Buffers Dr Beeching’s Cuts Where Are They Now? Colin Greenall
Taste Test in Parbold Jack’s Tracks visits Pennington Flash Local Townswomen’s Celebration Time www.locallife247.co.uk
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Back To Basics
In this issue
Of all the bad news stories to hit the papers in the last few weeks, there were a couple that jumped out as examples of how far standards have slipped since the old days. Initially installed after a successful trial in the busiest stores across London’s transport network, WH Smith’s honesty boxes are being scrapped at certain locations due to them being used as receptacles for chewing gum, litter and foreign coinage. In the same week came the shocking story of those passengers on a London train who refused to give their seats up for a visibly pregnant women who had fallen ill in transit.
17 Class from the Past 24 Town’swomen Guild 26 Puzzle Corner 29 Planning Matters 32 Dr Beeching’s Cuts 50 Taste Test - The Stocks Tavern 56 Recipe 58 Where Are They Now? 62 What’s On 64 Jack’s Tracks visits Pennington Flash 68 Angie Barker 69 Garden Services 72 Your Pets 74 Motoring 78 Good Trader Guide 86 Useful Numbers
Call me old fashioned (and there are plenty who do!), but this lack of basic human decency worries me greatly. It’s the sort of behaviour my Mum used to give me a slap around the head for, and quite rightly too. Is it just a London thing? If so, can we move those border controls, scheduled to be delivered in September to Alex Salmond, a couple of hundred miles south to say, the Mersey, and stop this kind of behaviour happening round here? Or is it too late? Sticking with trains, we run a fascinating feature on Dr Beeching’s planned cuts for the railway network. For many the most thought-provoking part of the feature will be the fact that, had they been further up Dr Beeching’s ‘hit list’, stations such as Pemberton, Orrell and Garswood would have been consigned to the railway history books. Food for thought for all commuters. Hope you enjoy the read, see you next time.
Publisher: Local Life 247 Ltd, Unit 8, Hewitt Business Park, Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7XB T 01695 627 999
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Sales & Editorial: Chris Pearce, David Sudworth Design & Production: Peter Bretherton Accounts & Distribution: Sally Boon
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Local Life is published every month. The magazine will be distributed into the following edition areas on an alternate monthly basis. The Wigan West edition is delivered to over 12,500 private homes and businesses in Orrell, Billinge, Winstanley, Up Holland, Highfield, Marus Bridge, Roby Mill and parts of Pemberton. The Wigan North edition is delivered to over 12,500 private homes and businesses in Standish, Shevington, Whitley, Appley Bridge, Standish Lower Ground, Parbold, Newburgh, Wrightington and Hilldale. You can also pick up a free copy of Local Life at Sainsburys or Tesco Extra in Wigan.
chrisp@locallife247.co.uk
Local Life is also published in the West Lancashire, Chorley and St Helens areas.
Next issue - April
Advertising deadline - Friday 7 March Published - Thursday 27 March Local Life Media
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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.
When you receive the new edition of Local Life - remember to recycle the old one.
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On Display Up Holland Artists Society members’ work will be on display at Skelmersdale Library, on Southway, from Monday, March 3, until Saturday, March 30. Paintings will be for sale and locals are encouraged to go along. The society meets on Mondays, 7pm-9pm, at Up Holland Library in Hall Green. All welcome.
Eight is Great! Orrell Holgate Primary School PSFA’s fundraising efforts saw two cheques totalling £8,595 being presented recently. The parents, friends and staff group handed over £2,595 to the Skye Dainty Fund, set up in memory of a pupil who died last year, and £6,000 for the school. Pictured receiving the cheques with pupils is headteacher Mike Wilson and PSFA treasurer Ian Lancaster.
Social Nights
All the latest
collections from John Charles Condici
Wigan Rambling and Climbing Club holds social nights every Tuesday at 8.15pm at Wigan Cricket Club. New members welcome. Contact secretary Jill Shilladay on 01257 421926 or email Jill.shilladay@btinternet.com for more information.
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Dog Days A local volunteer is appealing for likeminded people to put their best foot forward and help elderly or ill pet owners. Andrea Buxton, from Billinge, has helped out with the Cinnamon Trust for the past four years. The Trust is made up of volunteers who look after the pets of older or ill people who are having either short or longterm issues with animal care. Examples include taking a dog for a walk for a housebound owner, temporarily looking after pets when owners need hospital care or even cleaning out bird cages etc. Andrea (pictured opposite) wants to raise the profile of the Trust locally to attract volunteers and also make eligible pet owners aware that support is available.
She told Local Life: “I walk two small dogs twice a week for a housebound gentleman in Worsley Mesnes. He has two adorable small dogs; a cavalier and a chihuahua. Due to work commitments I can only walk them at weekends and the dogs would benefit greatly from regular daily weekday and weekend walks to keep them fit, active and happy. “Volunteers can walk the dogs for as little as half an hour once a week or as often as the owner and volunteer agree is feasible. “It’s a great way to get more active by walking regularly, fun for the dogs and a relief for their owners. It’s truly rewarding all round.” For more information, contact the Cinnamon Trust on 01736 757 900, visit www.cinnamon.org.uk/ volunteers or email volunteer@cinnamon.org.uk If you can help walk Andrea’s two dogs, contact the Trust and quote reference number DW1136.
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Stroke Fundraiser If you’re looking to have fun and raise money for a good cause at the same time, an event in aid of Think Ahead Community Stroke Group will be held at St Luke’s Church Hall, Lodge Road, Orrell, on Saturday, March 8. Organised by the Wigan Thistle Society, the Evening of Song and Dance features Age UK Silver Choir and a display of Scottish country dancing, as well as dancing for everyone. The evening starts at 7.30pm, admission is £4 and includes light refreshments. Take your own drinks and glasses. All are welcome to go along and join in the fun. For tickets, you have the option of either paying on the door or booking in advance. To do this, please call Kathleen on 01942 861539 or Margaret on 01942 247403.
Makeover your home for spring
Improve your mind, body and spirit in 2014 Monday, 10.00am – 11.00am Classes start 03rd March 2014 Wake Up Yoga DROP IN Shevington Methodist Church, Gathurst Road, Shevington Mondays, STARTING SOON Baby Yoga BOOKING ESSENTIAL The Grange Community Complex, Highfield Grange Avenue, Winstanley Monday, 4.30pm – 6.00pm Classes start 03rd March 2014 Yoga for Pregnancy BOOKING ESSENTIAL The Grange Community Complex, Highfield Grange Avenue, Winstanley Thursday, 6.45pm – 7.45pm Yoga DROP IN Mount Zion Methodist Church Hall, Enfield Street, Pemberton Saturday, 9.00am – 10am Yoga for Sport DROP IN Wigan & Leigh Wrestling Club, Eckersley Mill, Wigan (opposite Snugworld) Please bring yoga mat, a blanket and water
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Pussy Galore!
Looking Back
If you’re feline fine on Saturday, March 8, then heading down to Robin Park Sports Centre may be the purr-fect way of passing the time. Lancashire Cat Club is hosting a Cat Show at the Loire Drive centre, with hundreds of beautiful cats on display, as well as trade stalls and stands. Public admission starts at 12.30pm and tickets are £18 for members.
The lives of Wigan women in the early 20th Century come under the spotlight in March.
For further details, visit www.lancashirecatclub.co.uk
To celebrate Women’s History Month, author and historian Elizabeth Roberts is giving a talk about their experiences on Tuesday, March 4, at the Museum of Wigan Life on Library Street. It takes place between noon and 1.15pm, entrance is £2.50 including tea or coffee. To book a space, please call 01942 828128.
Dance Class
All Welcome
Orrell folk can learn to keep fit and active at Dance ‘n’ Tone classes for adults. They are held on Thursdays, 8pm-9pm at Salem Church Hall on Church Street. For further details, call or text Amanda on 07789 521248.
A coffee morning and book stall will be held on the first Monday on the month, starting on March 5, at Orrell Post Methodist Church. The event takes place at the Orrell Road venue from 10.30am-noon. All welcome.
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Housing Objections Objections have been lodged over plans to turn the old Farmoor Residential Care Home site in Orrell into housing. Oaktree Developments Ltd submitted an application to redevelop the Church Street site by knocking down the current, derelict building and erecting seven detached homes in its place. As Local Life went to press, Wigan Council’s planning department told us that some objections have been received and a final decision on the site is due to be made in the near future.
£10 off! colours
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Baby Sensory West Lancs
Charity Day
It’s No Yolk!
A charity March Hare Dash and Family Fun Day is being held at The DW Stadium on Sunday, March 16. The event is being held in aid of Three Wishes - Wigan, Wrightington & Leigh NHS Trust’s official charity.
Kiddies will get the chance to ‘eggsplore’ for hidden surprises along Beacon Country Park’s Easter trail on Tuesday, April 15. The free Easter Eggstravaganza, which is aimed at five to 12 year olds, starts at 2pm. Arts and crafts activities will also be taking place, including making and decorating Easter baskets. Places are limited and booking is required. Under 8s must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at the Ranger Station, Beacon Lane, Up Holland. Call 01695 622794 or email beacon.park@westlancs.gov.uk
The March Hare Dash is a 5k race starting at 10.30am and finishing inside the DW Stadium. Registration is £15 per adult and £5 per child (under 16). The 1k Wheels ‘n’ Heels Fun Run starts at 12 noon and is a stroll for adults and children to walk, cycle, jog, skateboard or wheelchair around the DW Stadium. Registration is £5 for adults and free for accompanied children.
Tot Time
For further information, please contact Elizabeth Titley, Three Wishes Fundraising Officer, on elizabeth.titley@ wwl.nhs.uk or call 01942 773805.
Toddler Rhyme Time is held on Thursdays between 2.15pm-2.45pm at Up Holland Library at Hall Green. All welcome.
Crepe Expectations It’s Shrove Tuesday on March 4 – and Shevington Women’s Institute is holding a special celebration. The Pancake Day event is being held on the day itself at Shevington Methodist Church hall, on Gathurst Lane, from 10am-noon. Tickets are £1.50, including refreshments. For more information, call Sylvia McHugh on 01257 401963.
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Order Granted
Confidence Boost
A crackdown has started on anti-social behaviour in the area. Wigan Police and the council have now been granted a Section 30 Dispersal Order covering the centre of Pemberton and Redwood Park. It will be in place until August 7 and give the police extra powers to deal with any incidents in the zone area. . It comes after officers saw an increase in cases from two to 20 cases in only two weeks last December.
Do you live in Up Holland or Roby Mill and want to get your confidence levels up? A free course is being offered to West Lancashire residents via Help Direct. It will be held in Ormskirk on a date to be confirmed, but probably on Mondays between 1pm-3pm.
To report anti-social behaviour in your area, contact police on the non-emergency 101 number.
fo FR r EE 34 PL ye AC ar E ol S ds !
Superintendent Andrea Jones said: “Dispersal Orders are used in a number of areas in Wigan and are successfully decreasing levels of anti-social behaviour. The order will only be used against youths and groups of people who are involved in, or are likely to be involved in, anti-social behaviour, and is just one of a number of measures being taken to address this issue.”
For more information or to register your interest, call 0303 333 1111 or email info@loc.helpdirectlancs.org.uk
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Class from the Past - Up Holland High School
This month’s photo is from the late 1960s and shows pupils at Up Holland High School. Names provided are as follows: Jean Sherry, Janice Jenks (nee Garrigan), Linda Thorley, Jane Atkinson,Doreen Moyers, Carol Platt (nee Cain), Barbara McFadyen, Anne Bishop, Denise Ayres, Michael Brown, David Bannister, Ian Gaskill, John Barker, David Cadman, Colin Betts, Ian Abbott, Barbara McFadyen, Philip Smith, Jeff Brown,
Janet Smith, Trevor Grundy, Derek Wainwright, David Cadman, John Barker, David Farley, Anne Liptrot, Denise Goodwin (nee Ayres), Janice Garrigan, Janet Smith and Dave Roberts. Don’t forget we are always on the lookout for old photos so if you have any you’d be happy to share, drop us a line at editorial@locallife247.co.uk
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Choral Performance
Licensing Application
Wigan Choral Society will be performing Ein Deutsches Requiem by Brahms, and Magnificats and Nunc Dimitti, by Stanford, on Saturday, April 12, at Trinity United Reformed Church, Milton Grove, Wigan. The concert will start at 7.30pm and finish at 9.30pm. The conductor for the evening is Paul Chamberlain and he will be joined by organists Carol Wareing and Richard Lea. Tickets are available on the door and priced at £8 for adults, £7 for concessions and £3 for children.
The Co-Op Group Food Ltd has applied to Wigan Council for a licence to supply alcohol from 6am-11pm between Mondays and Sundays at its unit in The Winstanley Centre. The authority’s licensing department is currently inviting public comments on the application for the Holmes House Avenue store.
Friends Reunited
Fundraiser
A reunion of ex-Up Holland Grammar School pupils takes place on Saturday, March 15, at St James’ Social Club, St James Road, Orrell. Tickets are £10 each including buffet supper. Contact David on 07904 593540 or Alan on 07989 151312.
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The deadline for consultation responses is Wednesday, March 12. To make representations, visit www. http:// kinnear.wigan.gov.uk/licensing/
A Latin-themed fundraiser for Marie Curie Cancer Care Daffodil Appeal and the Fairtrade Foundation is being held at Standish Unity Club, Cross Street, on Friday, March 7. It starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £7.50.
Cash Windfall A big-hearted Orrell businessman has been splashing the cash with local schools. Colin Wilson, of Will Bounce inflatables, set up an innovative ‘cash back’ scheme whereby parents or schools who hire his products have the chance to direct a 10% slice of the cost back into the school coffers. Colin recently visited St Teresa’s Primary on College Road, Up Holland, to present deputy headteacher Kathryn Berry with a cheque. Kathryn told Local Life: “We are really pleased to be working in partnership with Colin and Will Bounce. It’s a great idea which benefits both us as a school and the business.” Among other schools benefitting from the scheme include Winstanley Primary, Up Holland High, Marus Bridge Primary and Birchley St Mary’s in Billinge. For more information on Will Bounce, visit www. willbounce.co.uk
New Group
Taster Session
A new baby and toddler group is starting up in Orrell. It will meet every Tuesday (term times only), starting on March 11, from 9.45am-11.30am at Orrell Methodist Church on Church Drive. For more details, call Kath Lewis on 01695 625288.
A drawing and painter taster session is scheduled to take place at Up Holland Library on Hall Green this summer. Lancashire Adult Learning is hosting the session, from 10am-noon on Tuesday, June 17. To enrol, call 0845 600 1331.
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Clog Fighting A fascinating exhibition exploring the history of clog fighting in Wigan is being held in the town until Saturday, April 26. Purring – Sport of the People, by ex-Winstanley College student Anna FC Smith, examines these brutal working class contests. It reassesses the activity, in the context of the era, as a self-regulated sport played with a bawdy good humour and strong vein of chivalry. The exhibition is being held at the Museum of Wigan Life on Library Street. Community history manager Lynda Jackson said: “This is the first time that information has brought together in this way, so it’s a great opportunity for people to take a step back in time to learn more about a really interesting piece of Wigan’s heritage.” If you would like to find out more about the exhibition, call the museum on 01942 828122.
Want to Coffee Mornings learn how to play music?
Orrell & Billinge Network holds coffee mornings on the last Friday of the month, from 10am-noon, at the Methodist Church on Church Drive, Orrell. Among the attractions are homemade cakes, books and bric-a-brac. All welcome.
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Spring Celebration
Parlez-vous Francais?
The nights are getting lighter, and Spring is in the air. So why not welcome the new season with Standish Chorale’s Spring Celebration with music by Dvorak, Haydn, Vaughan Williams and Rutter. It takes place at Whitley Methodist Church, Spencer Road, at 7.30pm on Saturday, March 22. Admission is by ticket only - £8 and £7 on the door, and for students the cost is £2. For more information, call 01257 424919 or 01257 427284.
Do you enjoy speaking French? Leigh French Circle welcomes speakers of all levels to enjoy a chat, a talk by a speaker and a glass of wine at its monthly meetings. The group meets at 7pm at The Image Centre, Walmsley Road, Leigh. The next meeting is on Thursday, March 20, with a talk on Haussmann’s transformation of Paris. The admission fee is £4.50. For further information, please call Julie on 01942 489193.
Getting Hitched?
Member Drive
Are you planning to tie the knot this year? Holland Hall Hotel, on Lafford Lane, Up Holland, is holding Wedding Open Evenings from 5pm on Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4. For more information, visit www. hollandhallhotel.co.uk
Pemberton Community Association is looking for new members. The group meets regularly at the White Swan pub on Ormskirk Road. To find out more, contact the secretary, Helen, on 07925 867070.
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Going To Town! Winstanley & Highfield Townswomen’s Guild is celebrating its 40th birthday. David Sudworth talks to some of the founder members… Wigan in the early 1970s was a town undergoing large-scale change. The post-war baby boomers were coming of age, and needed homes in which to raise their own families. Faced with a housing shortage, large new estates were built to cater for this new generation. Land once used as farming were earmarked for development, including areas of Winstanley and Highfield. Although physical change was to a large extent embraced, social attitudes towards parenting were still very traditional. Mum would generally stay at home with the children while dad would go off to work. However, unlike previous generations of new mums,
social mobility meant many of them were living far away from their families, and as such felt a little isolated. One of those was 26-year-old Jean Perry. Originally from Liverpool, Jean was at home in Berkeley Avenue bringing up her two sons, Christopher, aged six months, and Richard, aged 4. “There was nothing to do, we were quietly going mad,” she laughs. “I noticed a poster in the shops on Holmes House Avenue, which had only been built about 18 months previously. It was about setting up a Townswomen’s Guild in the area, and inviting people to a meeting at St Matthew’s Parish Hall. That would have been in October 1973. My mum had been in the TG so I persuaded a few of my friends and we went along.” The organisation itself can be traced back to Suffragists Eva Hubback and Margery Corbett Ashby who saw the need to create an organisation aimed at ordinary women where they could develop new skills, exchange ideas, discuss topical issues and organise charitable events. In 1929 the TG movement was born and by the early ‘70s thousands of branches had sprung up across the country. It was at this time the South Lancashire Federation set about creating a new branch to cater for the newly-built residential areas of Winstanley and Highfield. At that first meeting were Tina Marshall and Lilian Winstanley, who were also young fulltime mums in a new area and, like Jean, looking for a social outlet. Tina, who is originally from London, said: “Usually, if you wanted to be part of a social group it was associated with the church. Nobody had cars then, so if we wanted to get into Wigan it was either the bus or walking miles.” Founder members Jean Perry (left) and Tina Marshall with the TG’s old scrapbooks
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Anthorn Road Community Centre, Hope School and The Grange, they now meet at St Paul’s Parish Hall, on Clapgate Lane. In that time they’ve had days out, held socials, taken part in community events, put on performances, raised money for charity, lobbied Members of Parliament and even helped set up an Orrell TG branch in the early 1990s.
At the Goose Green Summer Fair in 1979 St Helens-born Lilian agrees: “We were all around the same age, in the same situation as young mothers and looking for something local. I’m proud to still be a member after 40 years.”
To mark their 40th birthday, a special celebration was held at Ashfield House in Standish, where members were able to reminisce with the help of a number of recently rediscovered scrapbooks, filled with press cuttings, photographs, programmes and cards spanning the four decades.
Following the packed out St Matthew’s meeting , the new Winstanley & Highfield Townswomen’s Guild was established. A preliminary meeting took place in January 1974 at Clowes Methodist Church on Enfield Street. Jean recalls: “On my way out of the door, my husband said to me: ‘Don’t come back as chairman!’ so I didn’t… I came back as vice chairman instead!” The job of first chairman went to Pat Adams, of Pine View, while Jean’s close neighbour at the time, Kath Hesketh, was appointed to the role of secretary. A number of local people addressed their first meetings, including Mr Reid, of Abbott & Smith Ltd, Pemberton, who gave a film and talk show about carpets. There was also a talk from Orrell butcher Peter Clayton, who gave a talk on cuts of meat, and another from Mrs I. Brookes, who spoke about her work as a Police Inspector in the old Wigan borough and latterly Lancashire Constabulary. 40 years on and members no longer meet at Clowes Methodist Hall; following periods at the Railway pub,
21st birthday party in 1995 Despite massive changes in how people now spend their leisure time, the branch now has around the same number of members as when it first started. Jean, who is now the chairman, believes the reason is simple: “We are all likeminded people, we get on very well and look after each other. If any member is ill we always do our best to help. There’s also always something to look forward to, we keep very busy with our social calendar.“ The branch meets on the second and fourth Monday of the month, excluding Bank Holidays, at 7.30pm. For more information, call Jean on 01942 217142 or Tina on 01942 235321.
Current members of the branch in 2014
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Wordsearch Sudoku
Puzzle Corner
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Guess where? Photo courtesy of Wigan World www.wiganworld.co.uk Answers are on page 84 of this magazine
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Business Review
Location, Location, Location! If you’ve ever been charged with organising a function, you’ll know that the choice of venues locally leaves a bit to be desired. Do you opt for the church halls and ask guests to BYOB, a tired old social club to keep your costs down, or splash out for a fancy hotel ‘do’ and look to save costs elsewhere? Well, it came as a surprise to discover a hidden gem of a venue located right at the heart of Pemberton that fits nicely in between the above options. Pemberton Masonic Hall is situated on Chapel Street, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Pemberton’s shops and right behind England’s Butchers.
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The Hall is smart and modern, with a main ball room (with dance floor) and a smaller upstairs function room, and both rooms are equipped with fully stocked bars. The main ballroom seats 120 comfortably and 150 at a stretch, whilst the smaller room upstairs seats 40-50. There’s attendant parking for between 50-60 cars, and there is full disabled access throughout the building. The Hall works with Waterford Catering (www. waterfordcatering.co.uk) to provide a full range of attractive food options for every occasion, and the food is prepared in the on-site industrial kitchens. You also have the option of using your own caterers though. So whether it’s a wedding reception, a special birthday, a conference, a dinner dance or just a family party, do check out the Pemberton Masonic Hall before you book a venue. For flexibility, convenience and cleanliness, you’ll travel a long way to find something better! For a look around and an informal chat about the venue, call Lee on 01942 211316 or 07858 604590, or email pmhenquiries@yahoo.co.uk. Pemberton Masonic Hall, Chapel Street, Pemberton WN5 8JP www.pembertonmasonichall.co.uk
Planning Matters Orrell 65 Gathurst Road: Rear dormer roof extension and single storey extension to rear (ref: A/14/78892). Decision made - Approved with conditions. 28 Tarnside Road: Plan to extend dwellinghouse by single storey to rear following removal of existing single storey extension (ref: A/14/79012). The deadline for neighbour representations is March 10. Land to the rear of 7 Gathurst Road: Replace existing 19.2m High Dynamic concepts pole with a 20m Hutchinson Jupiter Streetpole (ref: A/14/79015). The deadline for neighbour representations is March 13. 349 Gathurst Road: Single storey extension to rear projecting 7.5 metres with a height to the eaves of 2.6 metres and height to the ridge of 3.9 metres (ref: GPD/14/00067). A decision is due to be made in March.
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Winstanley 45 Erradale Crescent: Single storey rear extension with a projection of 4.5 metres, height to the eaves 2.4m and height to the ridge 3m (ref: GPD/14/00070). A decision is due to be made in March.
Billinge 9 Melford Drive: Single storey rear extension with a projection of 5.7 metres, height to the eaves 2.2m and height to ridge 3.9m (ref: GPD/14/00069). A decision is due to be made in March.
Pemberton Youth Centre, Woodford Street: Erection of five, two storey terraced dwellings following demolition of existing youth club (ref: A/14/78974). A decision is due to be made in March.
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St John’s Church Of England School, St John Street: To erect replacement fencing, overall height 2.4 metres (ref: A/14/78945). A decision is due to be made in March. 31 New Street: Single storey side extension to dwelling (ref: A/14/78979). The deadline for neighbour representations is March 3.
Marus Bridge Hope School, Kelvin Grove: Single storey extension to existing school to create two classrooms, WC, changing room and store room following removal of pre-fabricated classroom block (ref: A/14/79007). The deadline for neighbour representations is March 10.
review of working and restoration conditions on an old mining permission (ref: LCC/2014/0008). No objections from West Lancs Council. A final decision is due to be made by Lancs County Council in April. Land at rear of 126-132 Ormskirk Road: Erection of detached dwelling with integral garage (ref: 2014/0033/ FUL). A decision is due to be made in March. 12 Back School Lane: Erection of detached dwelling (ref: 2014/0018/FUL). A decision is due in March. 10 Grasmere Avenue: First floor extension, including dormer to front (ref: 2014/0094/FUL). The deadline for neighbour representations is March 10.
Marus Bridge Primary School, Kelvin Grove: Plan to extend existing school to form new classrooms, toilet, resource room and store room (ref: A/14/78920). A decision is due to be made in March.
Tontine
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G Cross (2000) Ltd, Sandbrook Service Centre, 69 Sandbrook Road: Erection of seven dwellings (ref: 2014/0034/FUL). The consultation deadline is March 11.
Former railway bridge, land west Of Appleton Grove, Little Lane: Infilling of void and formation of embankment following removal of redundant bridge deck and associated works (ref: A/14/79004). The deadline for public representations is March 6.
Up Holland 34 Tower Hill Road: First floor side extension. Addition of dormer windows to front and rear to create accommodation at first floor level (ref: 2014/0090/FUL). The deadline for neighbour representations is March 5. Ravenhead Works, Chequer Lane: County Matter Application under the Environment Act 1995 for the
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17 Kilburn Road: Two storey side extension, extension to existing front dormer and rear dormer extension (ref:2014/0019/FUL). A decision is due in March.
Roby Mill The Fox Inn, 24 Roby Mill: Listed Building Consent Retention of existing stonework exposed in existing rendered walls (ref: 2013/1360/LBC). A decision is due to be made in March. To view more information on applications in the Orrell, Billinge, Winstanley, Pemberton, Marus Bridge and Goose Green areas, visit www.wigan.gov.uk. More details on the Up Holland, Roby Mill and Tontine applications can be viewed at www.westlancs.gov.uk
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Branches: Coppull 01257 793880, Beech Hill 01942 829200, Standish 01257 422011, Scholes 01942 820526, Leigh 01942 261415, Bryn 01942 271392, Tyldesley 01942 887312, Upholland 01695 622099
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Money & Investments - by David K Barton APFS Cert CII(MP)
Choosing Your Financial Adviser A good financial adviser is like gold dust. Like your most influential teacher at school, they will inspire as well as reassure you in order that you can enjoy a better financial future. A poor adviser will put their interests before yours and will sell you a product you don’t really need and have no interest in your future. It’s about them, their ego and their sale. Worryingly both advisers will be FCA registered, both have at least a Level 4 qualification (it is now the minimum standard to trade as a financial adviser ), and both will sound plausible. So how do you select the right adviser for you? 1. The right qualifications You want an adviser who takes professional knowledge and development very seriously and is completely independent. Look for an adviser who is a Chartered Financial Planner or a Certified Financial Planner- or is actively working towards these qualifications. These are Level 6 qualifications - equivalent to a university degree and are the “Gold Standard” amongst financial advisers. 2. A clear plan A good adviser will ask challenging questions and map out a plan to achieve your goals. They will spend considerable time listening to you and asking smart questions to help you define your short, medium, and long-term objectives, to determine your desired future lifestyle.
Your adviser will create a David K Barton financial plan to meet your APFS Cert CII(MP) objectives, ensuring that account is taken of tax-efficient planning such as pensions, and considering estate planning too, if that is a priority. A financial plan is a living plan. We can be pretty certain that events won’t turn out exactly as the plan indicates and your adviser will review and update the plan on a regular basis. 3. Relationships count Your relationship with your adviser is also a very important consideration. They will become an important professional person in your life so it is important that you get on well. Ask yourself whether the adviser really cares about you, genuinely wants you to reach your goals, and is willing and able to challenge you along the way. 4. And finally, fees Fees should be open, transparent and fair. You should feel you are getting good value for money. Given that a good adviser could potentially make a difference of many thousands of pounds to your financial position over time, we suggest that you base your decision primarily on qualifications, approach and relationship as opposed to price alone.
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Hitting The Buffers It’s 50 years since the first ‘Beeching Axe’ rail stations began closing for good. David Sudworth looks at his legacy locally.
As political spin goes, its title takes some beating. Yet despite the seemingly innocuous name, The Reshaping of British Railways report was packed with dynamite. The author was 57-year-old physicist and engineer Dr Richard Beeching. Installed as the chairman of British Railways in 1961, he was brought in by the Government for his private sector background in an effort to stem massive losses in what was then a nationalised industry. In 1963, his report was published. Forensic in detail, it was fairly unsentimental about what Beeching regarded as an ailing service draining millions from the public purse every year. The doctor’s prescription was some very tough medicine indeed; closure of thousands of miles of track and the stations which served them. No area of the country was left untouched. Several in this area were on Beeching’s hit list, most notably Wigan Central, which stood on the old Station Road near Wigan Casino. The bulldozer also beckoned for Orrell, Pemberton, Up Holland, Rainford Junction, Newton-le-Willows, Bryn and Garswood. In his report, Beeching said: “It would be folly to suggest widespread closure would cause no hardship anywhere or to anybody. Most areas are already served by a network of bus services more dense than the rail
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network that would be withdrawn. There, it appears hardship will arise on only a very limited scale.” His plans caused a national uproar. Speaking on the day the report was published, Lord Stonham, chairman of the National Council on Inland Transport, said: “It will in some areas reduce public transport to a lower level than in the horse age.”
Just over a year later and the report’s decisions started to be implemented. One of the first casualties was Wigan Central Station, which was shut to passengers in November 1964 and closed completely the following May. Opened in 1892, Wigan Central served as a terminus for the Glazebrook and Wigan Line. Among its more quirky aspects was the style of its frontage prompting one rail heritage grandee to describe it as “one of the most exotically ridiculous wooden stations to be erected in England.”
Wigan Central Station
Photo courtesy of Wigan World
Allan Moore served as an apprentice at the old Vulcan Foundry Locomotive Works in Newton-le-Willows and gives talks on rail history to local groups. He believes the U-turn was more down to the logistics than finance: “The report’s recommendations were mind boggling in what he wanted to do. I personally think he’d been given a directive from Transport Secretary Ernest Marples and later on Barbara Castle to push road transport. But when it came to the logistics of closing all these stations, he probably discovered it wouldn’t work. That’s probably why a number of them weren’t closed in the end.” 50 years on – and 29 years since his death – Beeching’s name still prompts hoots of derision, and even hatred, from some quarters. Monty Python star Michael Palin labelled Beeching a “villain” while Ian Hislop, whose magazine Private Eye mercilessly lampooned Beeching at the time, said: “There are a lot of people who hate him. Not just people who were put out of work on the railways or had local lines closed, but people who see his model being applied to local hospitals or other not particularly cost efficient public services that come up against the beancrushers. He was the first of those sorts of accountants.” However, the man running the railways today, Network Rail chief executive Sir David Higgins, defends Beeching, saying: “The reality is he made the tough decisions that anyone in that position would probably have had to make.” However, the less flamboyant stations which were originally mooted for closure – such as Orrell, Newtonle-Willows and Rainford - were surprisingly given a reprieve.
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And Transport Minister from 2008-2009, Lord Adonis, claims: “Among hate figures, Dr Beeching is one of the least deserving. Even with hindsight, he was mostly. The problem was the failure to modernise properly. Today, even after three decades of growing passenger
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numbers, rail policy has still not properly learnt Beeching’s modernising lesson.” “The real pruners-in-chief were Ernest Marples and Barbara Castle, who ran the ministry of transport for most of the 1960s. They were happy to blame it all on Beeching, the implacable bean-counter recruited from ICI to make the railways pay. But Whitehall regarded rationalisation as essential and only a small number of Beeching’s proposed closures were countermanded. “We had the cuts without the investment. That is why Beeching’s 50th anniversary will have few celebrants.”
Out of Steam… While some parts of the Wigan area escaped Beeching’s chop, others weren’t so lucky. As a result of the closure at Wigan Central, the stations at Lower Ince, Hindley South, Bickershaw & Abram, West Leigh & Bedford and Lowton St Mary’s were also shut. They all closed on November 2, 1964, after 80 years in use but the line between them was used for goods up until around 1968. However, a number of lines locally had already started closing well before Beeching. For instance, Ashton-in-Makerfield’s station, which was located near the Warrington Road entrance to Haydock Park Racecourse, was closed to passengers in 1952. On the other side of town, the Boars Head Station (pictured below), near the Boars Head pub in Wigan Road, Standish, closed in 1949 although the West Coast Main Line, which it served, is still in use.
Boars Head Station, Standish
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MP Surgery
Anything Goes
Makerfield MP Yvonne Fovargue holds an advice surgery at St Luke’s Church hall, Lodge Lane, Orrell, on the third Saturday of every month from 12.30pm1.30pm. To make an appointment, call 01942 824029.
Wigan Musical Theatre Group’s latest production Anything Goes by Cole Porter - is being staged at St Michael’s Parish Church hall, Shaw Street, Swinley, in April. The performances run from Tuesday, April 8, to Saturday, April 12. Tickets are £8, concessions are £7 and available from 01942 706106.
Night Challenge A Night Challenge orienteering event takes place on Monday, March 24, Haigh Hall Country Park (Hall Lane) from 7pm-8pm. It is for people aged 11 and above – there must be a minimum of two people per team, and at least one must be aged 16 or over. Cost is £2 per person. Each participant must take a torch and wear hivisibility clothing, but vests can be supplied. For further information contact Bill Bradley on 07950 313505 or email runningwithbill@btinternet.com
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Spring into Action Goose Green Methodist Church, on Sefton Road, is holding a spring fair on Saturday, March 8, from 11am2pm. The event, which is being held in the church’s 150th anniversary year, is to raise funds for ongoing repair work. Admission is free and stalls will include tombola, fancy goods, household, cakes, white elephant and there will also be a cafe serving light lunches.
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Distributors Wanted Local Life requires distributors aged 13 and above for this Wigan West edition of our magazine. Distributors will typically work for 2/3 hours every eight weeks. The areas we currently require distributors is as follows: • Orrell - Church Street, Edge Hall Road, Station Avenue, Farm Meadow Road, Harswell Close • Pemberton - Chapel Street, Cromford Drive, Ormskirk Road, Fleet Street
Miller Time
• Up Holland - Grove Road, Hallbridge Gardens, Mill Lane, Dingle Road, Tower Hill Road, Ormskirk Road, School Lane, Church Street
Highfield Cricket Club, on Billinge Road, is holding a pre-season dinner on Friday, March 21. The speaker will be ex-England player Geoff Miller, who is the current Chairman of Selectors for the England cricket team.
• Highfield - Clevedon Drive, Culcross Road and Billinge Road
Entertainment will also be provided by comedian Bill Woolland. Tickets are priced at £30, and include a three course dinner and entertainment. Early booking is advisable - contact Gary Speakman on 07721 639970.
If you are interested, please email your name, address, landline number and date of birth to sallyb@ locallife247.co.uk
• Goose Green - Crestwood Avenue, Prestbury Avenue and Denford Close
Improve your home in 2014 Vale of Wigan can replace or modernise your existing staircase with a traditional oak staircase with wooden spindles, a more contemporary staircase with glass and chrome or a bespoke design of your choice. Call Vale of Wigan now for a free no-obligation survey. • Add instant value to your home • A typical install takes 2/3 days • Fully guaranteed for 10 years • Family run business est.1998 Rear Mill, Wood Street, off Chapel Lane Wigan WN3 4HL
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Travel
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Escorted touring holidays have long been popular with the more adventurous traveller. After all, it is the perfect chance to experience several new locations and cultures in a comfortable and convenient way. There’s no need to worry about how you will get from A to B; the itinerary is already planned and a Titan Tour Manager is on hand to look after you throughout. And it’s also the perfect chance to meet like-minded people. In many cases your fellow travellers become long-lasting friends.
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Local independent travel specialists Marken Travel, based in the heart of Billinge, has appointed multi awardwinning escorted tour operator Titan to offer you an exciting range of tours for 2014. If you are looking to soak up history and culture in Europe, then The Way of St James – Paradors and Pilgrims is for you. Following in the footsteps of early pilgrims, your journey will commence in Bordeaux, France, and finish in the beautiful northern Spanish cathedral city of Santiago de Compostela via Pamplona and Leon, staying in a number of stunning paradors, (hotels located in historic buildings in beautiful settings). From just £1,495 per person, it represents both value for money and quality. If you feel like venturing further afield, why not look at Titan’s 14 day tour of the Kingdom of Himalaya. This is the first time Titan has taken an escorted holiday to this region of the world, as it opens up its treasures to more visitors. Holidaymakers will have an opportunity to visit Nepal, Bhutan and India’s Kolkata, including some of its stupas, dzongs (fortresses) and holy shrines as well museums and conservation projects. Departing in October, November and December 2014 the holiday costs from £3,395 per person and includes flights, 26 meals, 11 nights’ hotel accommodation and two in-flight, many excursions, transfers and Titan’s VIP Home Departure Service® . Don’t forget that as well as land, Titan offers some fantastic river cruises, including the UK exclusive A Douro River Cruise on the Royal Barge. This is where you will get the chance to go aboard HM The Queen’s Royal Barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, as previously seen on the River Thames during her Golden Jubilee pageant,
and now redeployed as a luxury cruiser on Portugal’s Douro River. Costing from £1,895 per person, the eight day holiday combines a short cruise with a stay in an historic Portuguese Pousada. There’s also the Journey on the Mighty Mississippi - a 15 day cruise and tour of America’s Deep South. It’s here where you can absorb the music cultures of Nashville and Memphis with their long-held links to icons such as Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and BB King as well as taking a guided tour around Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion. Then join the laid back world of Mark Twain’s riverside America with a seven night cruise aboard American Queen, the largest and only authentic overnight paddlewheel steamboat in the US for a journey along the mighty Mississippi. Departures are this November and in March, April, May and June 2015, with prices starting from £3,395 per person, and include flights, 6 nights in hotels and 7 nights’ cruise on American Queen, 22 meals, many excursions, transfers and Titan’s VIP Home Departure Service® . All Titan tours include as standard door-to-door transfers from any address in mainland UK, flights, accommodation, and the services of a Titan tour manager, sightseeing as detailed in the itinerary and all meals on cruises including all airport taxes, security charges, applicable fuel surcharges and UK Air Passenger Duty (APD). So if 2014 is the year you want to really explore, there’s no better way to do it than with Marken Travel. To find out more, why not call into their shop for a brochure, call them on 01744 893291 or even better go along to the informal evening on Escorted Tours on Tuesday, March 18. Full details can be found below.
Join us for a relaxed and informal evening to discover the world of Titan Tours Wine & nibbles served
Independent travel specialist with a vast range of choice.
Tuesday 18th March 6:30pm
Call us now for friendly expert advice.
RSVP to confirm your attendance Marken Travel
| 200 Main Street, Billinge
www.locallife247.co.uk
| Telephone: 01744 893291 |
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In Stitches!
April 12, there will be a concert night with rock ‘n roll show band Rattled, with the fun starting at 7.30pm.
You’ll be in stitches (literally!) at the Knit and Knatter group which meets at Jireh Baptist Church, on Chapel Street, Orrell. It meets every Tuesday, 1.30pm-3pm, in school term time.
And on Easter Sunday (April 20), there’s a Family Afternoon with characters, games and Easter eggs. It starts at 2pm and tickets are £2 per child. For more information, contact the club on 01942 211121.
A warm welcome awaits new members, whether you are wanting to learn how to knit (needles and wool are provided) or simply want some new ideas. For more details, call 01942 218717.
That’s Entertainment! St Aidan’s Parish Centre, on Highfield Grange Avenue, is hosting a number of events over the next couple of months. On St Patrick’s weekend, The Sultans will be playing on Saturday, March 15, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 including hot pot, disco, bingo and raffle. On Saturday,
U3A Welcome Up Holland & District U3A is welcoming new members. Membership is open to anyone no longer in full time employment, including those in part-time employment. There is no lower age limit and there are no other entry qualifications. A meeting for all members is held on the third Tuesday of each month, at St Teresa’s Club in College Road between 10am and noon, when they have refreshments and a chat with friends. More information is available from www.uphollandu3a.org
For a top quality deep clean carried out by experienced specialists Traditional service - state of the art results Shevington based family business 5 star rating with Wigan Trading Standards Good Trader Scheme plus Awarded the Certificate of Excellence in recognition of consistently high standards of feedback from customers in 2009/10/11 The most thorough clean, or it’s free! Call today for a free consultation & no obligation quote
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My Boy Jack With the centenary of World War I now upon us, Wigan Little Theatre is staging a product straight from that era. My Boy Jack explores the nature of a man who loses his balance when devotion to family and country clash. Jack, the son of literary great Rudyard Kipling, is determined to fight in the Great War but the army and navy both reject him because of his extremely poor eyesight. Kipling uses his influence to land Jack a commission in the Irish Guards, sparking off a bitter family conflict. My Boy Jack will be showing between Wednesday, March 26 and Saturday, April 5. Information on availability and ticket prices can be found at www. wiganlittletheatre.co.uk
Podiatry Chiropody Service • In-growing toenails • Nail care & cutting
Half Price* Consultation Step forward for a podiatry consultation at our Podiatry Chiropody Clinic and save £14! Normal price £28 – offer price £14! Offer limited to Local Life readers – please mention the magazine when booking. *Offer limited to new clients first consultation - ends 31/03/2014
• Corns & callus • Nail surgery • Verrucae • Podiatric Acupuncture Shoe fitting & ordering service available Appointments are not always necessary, but booking is advisable.
Dorothy J Nolan BSc (Hons) & Associates Established 1997
Podiatry Chiropody Clinic 26 Preston Rd, Standish, WN6 0HS 01257 427 288 4 Jaxons Court, (nr Bus Station), Wigan, WN1 1LR 01942 826 305 Both clinics at ground floor level
www.dorothyjnolanpodiatrist.co.uk
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Not enough hours in the day for you? Want to spend quality time with the family?
Then why not use
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• Regular hourly rate only £9.25 • Hours to suit you (minimum 2 hours per week) • Most domestic duties provided • Reliable, friendly staff are fully vetted by Maid2Clean • One off spring cleans available • Insurance for workers provided
Every working home deserves a Maid2Clean Perhaps you have an elderly relative or friend who could use some help around the home? We can also clean your Office please phone for details
Call us now on 01942 203442 or 0800 043 0722 email - joanne.maid2clean@gmail.com website - www.maid2cleanwigan.co.uk Your friendly local family business
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Have a Try Is your child the next Sam Tompkins or Josh Charnley? Wigan St Judes are now recruiting five to seven year olds to play in their squad. If your child fancies being part of the team, training is on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6.45pm-8pm at St Judes’ school field, on Worsley Mesnes Drive. For more information, contact Scott Ashley on 07824 49285, Kevin Hickey on 07828 440475 or visit www.wiganstjudesarlfc.com
End in Sight Roadworks affecting motorists going between Winstanley, Windy Arbour and Garswood are set to finish soon. A section of Winstanley Road was closed last month as a culvert, which carries Down Brook underneath the road way, needed to be replaced. A diversion was put in place going through Billinge. St Helens Council now says the works are due to be completed by Friday, March 14, and apologises for any inconvenience caused.
Library Volunteers Marus Bridge’s Hope Library is looking for volunteers on Tuesday/Thursday evenings or Saturdays. The Highfield Grange Avenue facility wants people who can help
customers choose books and put returns back on the shelf, help out with the public self-service machine, and administrative tasks. For more information, call 01942 777545 or email alison.marsh@wlct.org
Check Plea Voters in the West Lancashire area are being urged to check their their details are correct following the publication of the 2014 Register of Electors. The revised version of the full Register of Electors is now available for inspection, under supervision, during office hours at the Council offices, 52 Derby Street, Ormskirk. You can also check your details by calling 01695 585018. European Parliamentary and Borough Council elections will be held on May 22. People who are not on the Register of Electors will not be able to vote in those elections.
r e e r a c a y c n a F change? Ever fancied running your own business?
If you have trade skills or you’re a competent DIYer, Total Bathroom Restoration want to hear from you! The UK's first and biggest bathroom restoration company are expanding and are now looking for motivated, ambitious individuals. The company’s mission is to restore bathrooms at a fraction of the price of a new bathroom. You will be given an exclusive territory, first class ‘on the job’ training, development and support, and you’ll be able to pick up tips from existing franchisors too. For more information visit the website or call
Call Andrea on: 07827 774471 Email: areid@bookkeepingsolutions.org.uk
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0161 406 1878
www.TotalBathroomRestorationFranchise.co.uk
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Use your conservatory in comfort! It’s as easy as 1-2-3
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A Guardian Warm Roof is a solid replacement conservatory roof of the finest quality. This has an incredibly low U value of 0.16, (indicating minimal heat loss) and this visually stunning roof, sets the standard for conservatory roofs for years to come. Freedom are the only approved installers of the Guardian Roof in the Wigan area and all our installers are part of Team Guardian™. For more details, visit www.guardianroof.co.uk and then call Freedom for a quote.
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The Freedom Bespoke Roof conversion is hand-built to fit your conservatory perfectly, and is our top ‘own brand’ product. Our proven system combines structure with strength. The sleek look of this roof is achieved by the use of Tapco Slate, which is an approved building product by the British Board of Agrément. Prices start from just £2,995, the installation takes 7 days on average, and the work is completed by our own experienced installers. For more details and a free survey, call Freedom on the number below.
www.freedomconservatoryroofs.co.uk
Hundreds Of Satisfied Customers 44
You can transform your conservatory into usable living space 365 days a year! Freedom Conservatory Roof Conversions, one of the most experienced companies in this field and dedicated to this type of work, are proud to present a selection of options for you to make your conservatory warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Whatever your budget, there is a conservatory roof solution for your home and you can depend on Freedom to bring you that sunshine lifestyle you’ve always wanted.
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No Deposit required Any like-for-like quote beaten No planning permission required 10 year insurancebacked guarantee Building Regulation Approved Construction Please note that, depending on the quality of the initial construction, not all conservatories are suited to conversion systems.
Happy with the look of your existing roof? Why not opt for the Freedom Internal Conversion? This transforms the internal appearance of your ceiling, without the need to alter the existing roof. We use Superquilt, an insulation that’s approved by Local Authority Building Control.
Call us today for a free, no obligation, survey!
Prices start from just £1,195, the installation takes 4-5 days on average, and the work is completed by our own experienced installers. For more details and a free survey, call Freedom on the number below.
Showroom: Hot Tub Outlet, Unit 1 - JGB Investment Park, Stephens Way, Goose Green, Wigan, WN3 6PG
Call 01942 465 000 | 07761 966 024 www.locallife247.co.uk
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Are you looking for a new independent financial adviser? Due to changes introduced by the Financial Services Authority there has been a reduction in investment and pension advisers. Consequently, there are now even more “orphan” clients than ever that need to seek out a financial adviser that they can trust to look after them over the long term.
Orphan clients? “Orphans” are those investors that have invested capital into pensions and investments a number of years ago who are no longer receiving ongoing advice/guidance.
How can this happen?
We are based locally (on the High Street in Standish) and have been looking after the investment needs of local clients for over ten years.
Our business is designed around the long term interests of our clients and not the short term interest of our advisers. As a result we now review in excess £75 million on behalf of 350 individual and corporate clients throughout the Wigan area and beyond. Are our services suited to you?
• Your adviser has now retired and sold out resulting in you becoming a client of a much larger firm with typically no local presence. • High Street Banks no longer offering financial advice • Advisers moving offshore i.e. Cyprus, to avoid the new tougher regulatory regime.
Entrust your financial future to Wigan’s only Chartered Financial Planners. Call us today to arrange a consultation with one of our friendly experts…
01257 423 800
About Us?
• Do you want someone to advise you rather than being sold to? • Are you about to retire or have you already retired and need an adviser to manage your financial wellbeing throughout retirement? • Have you been orphaned by your previous adviser and been left with investments and pensions that you think may need reviewing? Whilst we do not require a minimum investment level for our services you would ideally have at least £75,000 liquid funds to invest or have existing investments at this level? If you feel that we can be of assistance please do not hesitate to get in touch. The initial meeting is at our expense and is without obligation.
Prosper IFA are the FIRST firm of financial advisers in Wigan to be awarded the prestigious Chartered Financial Planners Status.
Prosper Independent Financial Advisers Ltd. Prosper House, 99a High Street, Standish, WN6 0HD
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www.prosper-ifa.co.uk
Accountancy - by Chris Alcock ACMA
Accountancy Guide to Online Accounting CMA is a firm of Chartered Management Accountants based in Appley Bridge. We provide all the usual services such as annual accounts, business tax and personal tax planning. We look to work with you on a companies and individuals on a close level and look behind the numbers to give you a comprehensive view of your business and help you achieve your long term goals. No matter how large or small your business is, tracking your business accounts is vital in today’s economic climate. Whether you are just starting out in business or have been trading for a number of years, it is vital that you have a firm grasp of your numbers. This is best achieved by using accounting software to track your finances. CMA are experts at helping businesses implement and use online accounting systems. We support clients using both the Xero and Kashflow accounting systems. The following are just some of the benefits to a business of an online system: • Simple and Easy to Use – By cutting out the accounting jargon you don’t need to be IT savvy or an accountant to use them. • Secure Access on PC’s and Tablets – The system is always accessible from anywhere in the world. • No Installation or IT Maintenance Required – You can be up and running in a matter of minutes. • Low Cost on a Pay as You Go Basis – There are no lengthy contracts involved as you just pay a small
monthly fee to access the software. Costs start from around £15 per month. • Real-time Collaboration with CMA – We can help you with your finances on a real time basis and advise you using the latest financial information. • Smart Reports – There is a range of simple but effective reports to help you manage your finances.
Special Offer If you would like to arrange a free demonstration please contact our office and we will show you the full range of benefits this could bring you. If you decide to switch to an online solution we will give you the software for free for 6 months!! Tax Tips of the Month – How Much Tax Could You Save • Check your tax code for 2014/15. The personal allowance increases to £10,000 from 05 April and you may pay too much tax if you tax code is not right. • Don’t forget the kids! Children are entitled to the same personal allowance that is available for adults, so they can receive a certain amount of income tax free . • If you own a rental property don’t forget to register with HMRC as you will need to complete a tax return and declare you income. HMRC are currently running a Let Property Campaign to allow landlords to bring their tax returns up to date. To see how we can help you please get in touch:
CMA is a proactive accountancy firm based in Appley Bridge. We provide the usual services such as accounts and payroll services. We can also help you with your bookkeeping if you hate doing this!!
www.locallife247.co.uk
Chris Alcock ACMA CMA Accountancy 39 Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge, Wigan, WN6 9DR Tel: 01257 255521 Email info@handsonaccounting.co.uk www.handsonaccounting.co.uk
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Want a new kitchen, bedroom or study in 2014?
Traditional cottage kitchens or the latest contemporary designs – we have a kitchen to suit your style and budget.
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Visit your local factory shop in Appley Bridge 8 - 5 pm Monday - Thursday, 8 - 4 pm Friday 10 - 1 pm Saturday
On a budget? Ask about our kitchen makeover service!
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Made in Wigan
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Telephone: 0 1 2 5 7 2 5 5 8 3 1 www.cabinetmaster.co.uk
Dial David! can do.
Are you in a local community group? Do you want to publicise a talk, school fair or charity fundraiser? If so, get in touch with us today! Local Life is distributed to thousands of homes across Wigan, St Helens, Chorley and West Lancashire. Each edition is crammed with stories for local events, and your group could be appearing in our next edition. Not only that, we can also tweet about your event to our 1,600+ followers on Twitter! So how do you go about it? Simply contact our Temporary Editor David Sudworth (pictured) with the details of the event - what, where, when, why, who for, how much - and anything else you want to tell our readers. The earlier you can provide the information, the better the job we
David said: “Every month, we give community groups and organisations publicity in our magazines. Our readers enjoy keeping an eye out for local events so if you want to draw a crowd to your club or group’s latest gathering, you need to be in Local Life.” So don’t delay – contact David today by calling 01942 387329 or emailing him directly at editorial@ locallife247.co.uk
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Taste Test - by David Sudworth
Rising Stocks
to past experiences, my expectations were low as I’m used to salty nachos, topped with 2lbs of melted cheese and a dollop of insipid sauce. When it came out though, the relief was palpable. I was presented with three neat dishes each bursting with flavour, particularly the chilli which had a distinct richness to it. Having shot my fox with the starter, Sally proceeded to rub salt in the wound by telling me
When the weather takes a turn for the worse, there’s only one place to seek sanctuary and that’s in a traditional British pub. You know the drill; a glowing open fire, fine selection of hand drawn ales and good, honest home cooked fayre. It’s the stuff which got us through some of our darkest hours… the Black Death, two World Wars and 26 years of Des O’Connor Tonight on our TVs.
Thankfully, all of those are distant memories but the qualities of what makes a great venue for such necessities are very much alive and kicking. One local hostelry is The Stocks Tavern in Parbold. Built in 1810 and situated on the corner of Alder Lane and Mill Lane, the Stocks has an increasingly well-deserved reputation for its food. My colleague Sally and I made the short trip from Local Life HQ in Orrell on a blustery Friday afternoon. Despite the atrocious weather, the pub was a hive of activity. The great thing about the Stocks is its ample parking, with designated spaces on either side of Mill Lane. Inside, a welcoming coal fire roared in the corner, beside which sat our table with views of the Mill Lane conversation area. When out for lunch with Sally, we sort of have an unwritten rule that we order different dishes. Of course, being the perfect gent I let her choose first in the vain hope she’ll not order what I want. So Sod’s Law meant she just had to plump for the warm black and white pudding with chorizo salad, croutons and aioli. Cheers Sally…. Thankfully, the homemade chilli beef, nachos, sour cream and jalapenos had caught my eye as well. Due
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how delicious it was. I think I heard her saying some very obliging things, but I was too busy sulking to listen. For the main course, there were a number of dishes which I would have been happy with. After much deliberation, I went for the pork loin steak, chunky chips, thyme and garlic stuffed tomato, flat mushroom and shallot rings. For me, the star of the dish was perhaps not the most obvious thing. Having grown my own
tomatoes, I’m very fussy about flavour. Instead of just sticking it in the oven and hoping for the best, head chef Mike Heap really brought out the flavours of the season by inserting delicate slices of garlic inside. That little trick, so simple yet so effective, for me made the dish, especially when eaten alongside the hand cut chips which reminded me of those which my mum used to make – thick, slightly browned and quite frankly the best I’ve tasted since.
fantastically light, putting all those mass produced teeth crushers firmly in the shade. On this most miserable of winter days, Sally rounded off with a comforting apple and honeycomb crumble, served with cream. Boy did it look and smell good. I have a soft spot for these sorts of puddings so I’ll definitely be ordering it on my next visit. That’s the thing about the Stocks, it’s a place you’ll find yourself wanting to come back to. I noticed they open for breakfast on Sundays, from 10am-noon (all you can eat for £6.95, or £1.95 for children), followed by Sunday lunch from 12.30pm-8pm. I’m already planning to go for the breakfast one weekend soon, I may even stop for Sunday lunch. After all, if ‘climate change’ is anything to go by, I will increasingly need to seek refuge in a traditional, yet modern and vibrant, rural pub. And after this visit, the Stocks definitely features at the top of my list. The Stocks Tavern 16 Alder Lane, Parbold, WN8 7NN 01257 462874 www.thestockstavern.co.uk
While I was busy thinking of superlatives for this article, Sally was busy savouring the chicken breast stuffed with wild mushroom, creamy leek risotto and confit cherry tomatoes. The chicken was full of flavour and avoided the age of problem of it turning dry. But the pièce de résistance was the risotto. A tricky food to deal with at the best of times; undercooked and it can be like eating shotgun pellets, overcooked and it can turn into one gloopy mess. The stakes were high but the Stocks did not disappoint. In fact, it was so tasty that had there been a piece of baguette handy, I could have easily lost my table manners and wiped the plate clean.
www.locallife247.co.uk
Free bottle of house wine Offer is available on Wednesdays or Thursdays between noon-2pm and 5pm-9pm, upon presentation of this voucher. * Only available when ordering a three course meal off the Early Bird Menu or Stocks Menu. Maximum of one bottle per table. * Expiry Date 3 April 2014
There was just room for a homemade chocolate brownie dessert. Originally, the brownie was going to have chocolate ice cream on it but I asked for vanilla instead. I’m glad I did because visually, it gave it more ‘kerb appeal’. I also didn’t have to contend with a potential chocolate overload, but that’s purely down to personal preference. The homemade brownie itself was
FREE Wine Offer! 51
! s y a D Happy ’s something re e th , is y a d e Whatever th olts Arms! H e th t a n o g in go
St. Patricks Day
Mothers Day
Irish Music & Traditional Irish Food Guinness £2.90 per Pint Sat 15th & Sun 16th March
Treat your mum to a wonderful meal with us on Sunday 30th March
Book your table NOW First come, first served!
Sunday Roasts
Choice of meats with all the trimmings. Two can dine for less than £14!
FREE bottle of wine for every table of 4
Tuesday-Friday
2 meals for £10 ! GREAT lunchtime offer for all! 12-2.30pm
Fabulous Fridays
Buy 2x large wines and get the rest of the bottle free after 5pm every Friday. DJ Every Friday Evening from 8pm
Please check out Facebook or Website for further theme nights and offers
Keep an eye on our social pages for upcoming events Holts Arms (The Foot)
@HoltsArms
Holts Arms the
Crank Road, Billinge, WN5 7DT
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01695 628 006
www.holtsarms.co.uk
Come and meet our new Hostess & Head Chef Good Food
Good Atmosphere Good Service
New Menu Daily Specials Home Made Desserts Open For Lunch
Don’t miss our Carvery Every Sunday! Buy 2 large glasses of House Wine and have the rest of the bottle on us!
Winston’s www.locallife247.co.uk
#
#
Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Expiry date 6th April 2014.
25%
Food Bill
OFF when presenting this voucher Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Expiry date 6th April 2014.
190 Upholland Road, Billinge, WN5 7DJ | 01695 627692
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en t Un de r Ne w M an ag em
Food Ratings Hungry locals can now ‘check out before they eat out’ thanks to Wigan Council’s food hygiene rating website. The scheme rates the area’s food outlets on their hygiene standards, which are based on inspections carried out by the authority’s food safety officers. Food businesses which meet the legal requirements receive a rating of 3 to 5. Those which don’t pass are given a rating of 0 to 2 and are assessed as ‘improvement required’. Julie Searing, group manager of business compliance and improvement at Wigan Council, said: “The scheme makes it easier for everyone to choose places where food hygiene is taken seriously. We are working with those businesses with low hygiene ratings to improve on their situations, and are pleased to recognise those businesses which meet the legal requirements.” “
WHITE LION Up Holland Village
Food is back!
We offer good home made pub food from Thursday to Sunday
Fantastic Value!
Main courses are £4.95 or less!
Great Entertainment! Live music every Saturday night (60s, 70s and 80s music)
For more information, visit www.wigan.gov.uk/FoodHygieneRating
Buffet Lunch Winstanley Tennis Club on Hall Lane invites the local community to a buffet lunch on Sunday, March 2. It takes place between 1.30pm-4.30pm. Tickets are £6 for adults and £3 for children, which includes entertainment from a DJ. For tickets, call Kath on 01942 217326 or Monica on 01942 213034.
Cuppa and Chat School-run parents are invited to have a cuppa and friendly chat at the Parish Rooms on Billinge Road, Highfield. The drop-in takes place on Mondays between 2pm and 2.30pm. All welcome.
Bingo once a month Sky and BT Sports Quiz Night every Thursday We are a family friendly village pub Church Street, Up Holland, WN8 0ND Telephone: 01695 363 236
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Same day denture repairs Pick up & drop off service available
Eating Out? Getting food in?
The food hygiene rating scheme rates local food outlets on their hygiene standards
Check before you choose Check the local food hygiene ratings at www.wigan.gov.uk/FoodHygieneRating WiganCouncilOnline
www.locallife247.co.uk
wigancouncil
@wigancouncil
wigan.gov.uk
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Recipe of the month
Potato & Tomato Herb Galette This simple recipe is a real crowd pleaser and makes a great lunch in its own right or a delicious side dish. Use fresh herbs if possible but you can substitute with dried if necessary. The galette may be made in a pie dish or individual steel food rings. Ideally floury potatoes should be used for this recipe as they have more starch which holds the galette together better. If you don’t have food rings this can be made in a pie dish in exactly the same way but will take longer to cook.
Ingredients
Method Melt the butter in a pan. Using some of the butter grease the rings and the baking tray where the rings will sit. lace rings onto greased area.
Serves: 4
• 2 large tomatoes • 3 or 4 medium sized floury potatoes* • Handful of fresh thyme and chives • 60g butter
Wash and chop the herbs, dry on kitchen roll to stop them sticking together. Reserve a small amount for garnish. Thinly slice tomatoes with a sharp knife and leave on a cooling tray to allow excess liquid to drip.
• Salt & pepper
Thinly slice the potatoes using the food processor and use immediately.
* King Edwards are a good choice - Maris Piper work too although they’re not as floury.
Layer 2 or 3 slices of potato in the rings.
Equipment
Using a pastry brush or the back of a teaspoon, paint the layered potato with the melted butter. Season lightly, sprinkle some herbs and top with tomato.
Food processor with slicing disc or mandolin. Sharp knife. Food rings and a baking tray
Repeat until you have filled the rings, finishing with a potato layer which should be buttered to brown nicely.
Oven
Pop in the oven for 30-40 minutes and remove when the crust is golden brown and the potato feels tender with a knife.
Gas Mark 7, 220°c
Scatter with herbs to garnish and serve piping hot.
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Where Are They Now? - by David Sudworth
Colin
Greenall Wigan Athletic (1995-2000)
Most footballers who play for their hometown club usually start their careers there. With Colin Greenall, it was the complete opposite… and the irony isn’t lost on him. “I suppose looking back it was strange but it didn’t really matter to me, I just wanted to play football,” says the Billinge-born centre half. Signed by the late Alan Ball, who played a pivotal role in England’s 1966 World Cup success, Colin made his league debut for Blackpool FC at the tender age of 16. A decade-and-ahalf later, he pulled on the blue shirt of Latics, the club he would eventually finish his playing days with. We meet at the Lancashire Football Association headquarters in Leyland, where works as Head of Coach Education. Despite his rather grand job title, he likes to get stuck in working with the grassroots. Born in December 1963, Colin grew up in Royden Road, Billinge, with parents Harold and Joyce, and siblings
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Did you know? ...that you could play at one of Lancashire’s oldest and most picturesque private member golf clubs for just £11.31 per week*? That’s right - not £11.31 per round, £11.31 per week*! Dean Wood Golf Club is now looking for new members across our Mens, Ladies and Junior sections. Membership is inclusive of the following:English Golf Union and Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs Fees Comfortable and well appointed clubhouse 15% members discount on bar prices Sky Sports Full sized snooker table Recently refurbished locker rooms On site PGA Teaching Professional & well stocked Pro Shop Reduced Green Fees at over 200 courses in the UK
Call our Membership Secretary now on 01695 622 219 or visit our website for more details
DEAN WOOD GOLF CLUB Lafford Lane, Upholland, WN8 0QZ 01695 622 219 info@deanwoodgolfclub.co.uk www.deanwoodgolfclub.co.uk
The Perfect Bir�hday present!
*based on 5 day (Monday-Friday) membership for 18 months. No joining fee.
www.locallife247.co.uk
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Stephen and Debbie. He attended St Mary’s Primary in Billinge before going on to St Peter’s High in Orrell. His footballing talents were evident from a young age; he turned out regularly for Wigan Town Team. Colin was eventually spotted by former Northern Ireland international Peter Doherty, who was working as Blackpool’s Chief Scout, and was guaranteed an apprenticeship at Blackpool even before he’d left school. “It was probably the worst thing you could say to a young lad at school with his exams coming up!” laughs Colin. “Mum and Dad were brilliant, they took me all over the place playing football and really support me. Without them, I wouldn’t have been a professional footballer. I had trials at Coventry but Dad said I’d have a better chance getting first team football by going to a lower league club. “Blackpool was great and Alan Ball was really good with us younger players. Although he had a World Cup winner’s medal, he was just a normal person like one of us. I made my debut on the Saturday and three days later I played against Everton at Goodison Park in a League Cup match. I don’t remember much about the match itself but I remember playing against the likes of the great Bob Latchford.” It was a busy few years for Colin. Not only had he broken the club record as its youngest ever league player, he also scooped the PFA Fourth Division Player of the Year Award and secured an England youth squad call up. Upon leaving Blackpool in the mid-80s, Colin then became something of a journeyman, heading south playing for Gillingham and Oxford United. While at Oxford, Colin got his first taste of top flight football. However, it was a turbulent time for the club though as they were fighting to stay in Division One. Just a few weeks later, manager Maurice Evans resigned and was replaced by Match of the Day pundit Mark Lawrenson.
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Colin also recalls the time disgraced club chairman, Robert Maxwell, visited the dressing room: “He came in and went out shortly afterwards without saying a word to us. Once he’d gone, everyone was like: ‘Flippin’ eck!’ but I didn’t really know who he was. I wasn’t interested in all the off-field stuff, I was just there for the football.” In 1990 he headed back north to turn out at Bury and then Preston North End before teaming up with Latics legend Graham Barrow at Chester City where he was player/ manager. “Graham was absolutely fantastic and when he left for Wigan, I basically followed him. He’s the reason I ended up at Latics. I had some great times at Wigan and it was fantastic to get promoted and win the Football League Trophy at Wembley.” After playing, Colin was first team coach to Steve Bruce for a while but is now immersed in his work with the Lancashire FA. He’s lived in Blackpool for around 20 years now and has two children, Nick, 25, who is a plumber, and Louise, 23, who is about to start work for the Department of Education in London. He’s been with his partner, Diane, for two and a half years. Like many ex-players, Colin worries about the widening gap between the Premier League clubs and the grassroots: “When I was playing, you had the likes of Alan Ball, a World Cup winner, managing a lower league side. These days, when you make it to the top you usually stay there. When I started out, I was on £28 a week and that went up to £80 when you turned pro. Nowadays, some players make more in a year than I did throughout my whole career. To be honest, I don’t blame them but being worth millions doesn’t make you a better player.”
CALL TODAY FOR FREE, NO OBLIGATION QUOTE
Freephone: 0800 0853 987
SHOWROOM/HEAD OFFICE/FACTORY: 95 Newton Rd, Billinge, Wigan WN5 7LB
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What’s On in the North West Sunday, March 2 Castlefield Artisan Market
Sunday, March 9 RLPO at Preston The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Vasily Petrenko perform Mahler Blumine, Strauss Horn Concerto No 2 and Elgar Symphony No 2. The Guildhall, Lancaster Road, Preston, PR1 1HT Tickets £19 and £26 via website www.prestonguildhall.com
Photo © Mark McNulty
Fine foods, crafts and vintage items at the largest event of its kind. Upper Campfield Market Hall, Liverpool Road/ Deansgate, Castlefield, Manchester M3 4FN www.castlefieldmarket.org.uk
Thursday, March 6, & Saturday, March 8. Both start at 7pm
Sunday, March 16, 10am-2pm
Macbeth at The Lowry
Hoghton Tower Farmers’ Market
Opera North present this Shakespeare classic, with grippng music by Verdi.
As featured on Radio 4’s The Food Programme, feast your eyes on produce at what is said to be Lancashire’s largest local producers’ market.
The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ. Tickets must be booked in advance: 0843 208 6000
Hoghton Tower, Hoghton, Preston, PR5 0SH www.hoghtontower.co.uk
Tuesday, March 11 Moscow State Circus Returning to the UK with its latest production, this State Circus production is set in the mystical Park Gorkogo. Liverpool Empire Theatre, Lime Street, Liverpool, L1 1JE Tickets £18.90-£28.90 via website www.liverpooltheatres.com/empire
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Sunday, March 23, 10am-4pm Antiques & Collectors Fair 75 stands selling a wide range of items including china, furniture, old postcards, militaria, vintage textiles, books and lots more. Free valuations also available. Dunes Leisure Centre, Esplanade, Southport, PR8 1RX 01938 580438 www.vandafairs.com
Tuesday, March 18 at 7.30pm Literature Live Writer and performer Rosie Garland, winner of the Mslexia Novel competition, will be reading from her novel and poetry as well as hosting an open mic slot. Bolton Octagon Theatre, Howell Croft South, Bolton, BL1 1SB. Tickets £5, with concessions available at £2 & £3 www.octagonbolton.co.uk
Saturday, March 22, and Sunday, March 23 (10am-4pm both days) Open Studio A wide range of pieces by glass designer Stephanie Bowen will be on show. Many items with up to 70% off Morpheus Glass Unit 11 Hewitt Business Park, Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan, WN5 7XB www.morpheusglass.co.uk
Sunday, March 23 King’s Singers One of the world’s most celebrated ensembles, The King’s Singers, bring their Great American Songbook tour to the area. Ormskirk Civic Hall, Southport Road, Ormskirk, L39 1LN Tickets £25 plus £2.50 fees at www.ormskirkcivichall.info
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Saturday, March 29 Touring Cars Display This British Automobile Racing Club weekend features a feast of saloon car action from several post-war generations of touring cars. Oulton Park Circuit, Little Budworth, Tarporley, Cheshire CW6 9BW £14 on the gate or book in advance at www.oultonpark.co.uk
On until Sunday, May 11 Britain in the 1980s Keywords: Art, Culture and Society in 1980s Britain is a new take on how the changes in the meaning of words reflect the cultural shifts in our society. Almost sixty works by artists such as Rita Donagh, Rotimi FaniKayode and John Latham. Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock Adult £8.80, concessions £6.60. www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-liverpool
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Jack’s Tracks
Pennington Flash This walk is a bit different from our usual jaunts, which veer more towards informal. Large parts of this walk are man-made‌ making it the perfect all-year-round stroll.
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Situated just a few minutes off the East Lancs Road, Pennington Flash is considered to be something of a hidden gem. The 70 hectare lake, coupled with interesting wildlife, historical aspects and plenty of photo opportunities, make the area well worth a visit. I can also testify to its medicinal benefits; at the start of the walk I was still shaking off a rotten cold. By the end of it, my head felt clear for the first time in weeks. Who needs paracetamol when Mother Nature is on call 24/7? We parked up near the golf course, stuck £1.20 in the ticket machine and off we trotted. Heading southwards, we crossed Pennington Brook then took the sweeping path right which runs adjacent to the Flash. Around 10 minutes in, it starts to veer away from the water’s edge into reed beds before heading back towards East Bay bird-watching hide. It’s then a case of carrying on through Sorrow Cow Farm onto Green Lane. Go past the row of terraced housing on your left and eventually you come to the headquarters of Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club. At this point, we took a right onto Sandy Lane, following the road round onto Byrom Lane. Dog walkers need to think about using a lead at this point as the traffic can be somewhat heavy at times. About a third of the way up Byrom Lane, take the gated public footpath on the right towards Mossley Hall. It’s here that the route is prone to getting muddy, something we experienced on our afternoon there. The upside to having had lots of rain is that there’s a large amount of natural growing fungi around, some of which I spotted on the banks of Hey Brook.
We’re now heading towards Slag Lane, there is a path which keeps you off the road itself so may be suitable if you have a dog with you, especially if they are anything like Jack who likes to wander off. Otherwise you can use the road and this briefly takes you outside of the country park itself. However, you’re quickly back into it by taking a right and heading onto the northern part of the park. Again, depending on the time of year, it’s probably better to stay away from the lower areas near the Flash as they were quite muddy. We used the higher path but, as a variation, there’s always the option of going up to the draw bridge on Plank Lane and taking the canal towpath towards Leigh. We hit the canal later on anyway just opposite Common Lane.
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Plank Lane Draw Bridge
Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Golf Course
Slag Lane
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Pennington Flash Country park Club House
Pennington Flash
Start/Finish (WN7 3PA) Atherleigh Wa y
Mossley Hall
Byrom Lane
Slag Lane
Sailing Club Green Lane
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Sorrowcow Farm
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Aspull Common
Fire Station
Leigh Sports Village
From this point onwards, it is virtually a straight route back to the car park. Coming back to the car park from this angle, you get a different perspective of what’s available, with a children’s playground and picnic benches – perfect for a short family afternoon out with the little ones. If you have older kids, the 3.4 mile walk is ideal; we managed to do it in one hour and 40 minutes. As I said at the beginning, the walk is virtually weatherproof due to the amount of man-made paths on it. Having tried to negotiate boggy paths across windswept fields in the past, this one is luxurious in comparison. It’s worth noting though, particularly in summer, that the bird hides and visitor centre toilets are locked by 8.30pm each evening. I’d say that once tried, this walk will definitely become a firm favourite – definitely not a ‘Flash’ in the pan! Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear whilst walking. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the walk is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause.
From Dust To Ducks Pennington Flash was officially opened in 1981 as a formal recreational facility, but its history can be traced back much further. In the late 19th century, the area was farmland which was crossed by railways and Hey Brook. Coal mining activity was widespread in the area and this caused the land to sink. By 1905 a large lake had formed. Since then, the lake has been partially filled in from colliery waste to prevent flooding on the adjacent A572 St Helens Road. In the 1960s, ideas first started emerging about creating a formal country park, and this was eventually realised in 1981. It’s now seen as a high quality bird spotting site with more than 230 species recorded on site. Among them are the rare Black-Faced Bunting, Nightingale, Marsh Harrier, Spoonbill and Leach’s Petrel. For more information, visit www.wlct.org/wigan/ parks/pennington-flash/
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Garden Diary - by Angie Barker
Plan now for summer scent When I was a little girl (Hubby is chuckling to himself as he ponders just how long ago that was!) our garden had a large Lilac tree. The flowers were pale mauve with the most wonderful perfume and now that I have a Lilac growing in my garden, I look forward to every spring when I can breathe in its perfume and be transported back in time to my childhood. It’s funny how scent is so closely linked to memory. This is the perfect time of year to start planning for summer scent in your garden and whilst we all have our favourites, I think these are some of the best: Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ is one of the nicest. They do like good drainage so if you garden on heavy clay, best to put them in pots with free draining compost. A line of them edging a path looks lovely and as you brush past you can take in the perfume.
Award Winner
Herbs – these are a wonderfully fragrant group of plants, Thyme. Mint and Rosemary being my favourites. A word of caution, don’t plant Mint in a border – it will completely take over – keep it in a pot. Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus (or Daylillies in English) – each flower only lasts one day but there are so many of them they seem to flower for ages with a lovely scent. And of course you can’t mention perfume without thinking of Roses. Be careful when selecting your Rose because not all of them are scented and some more so than others. David Austen has a wonderful selection and the website is excellent, giving lots of detail of each one’s particular perfume. Pergolas and trellis will give you the opportunity of growing scented climbing plants. Jasminum officinale (needs a warm sheltered spot) and Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’ (Honeysuckle) are fabulous. Place near a patio and before you know it you’ll be sitting in your garden on a warm summer’s evening, not only sipping a glass of wine but drinking in some heady perfume – life doesn’t get much better! (Hubby agrees).
Sweet Peas – annuals have the best perfume and there are lots of colours to chose from. Remember with these that you can’t plant them out until the last frost has passed.
Angie is a qualified award-winning garden designer who will plan your garden to your needs from start to finish, supplying reputable contractors and the ideal plants.
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Call Angie now for your free consultation! Author: Angie Barker Dip GD (Inst GD) BA (Hons) Garden Design For All Seasons Tel: 01942 522 405 Mob: 07857 008 383 www.angiebarker.co.uk
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Give your garden a makeover! We offer high quality landscaping, garden design and ground maintenance services Quality work and reliability at competitive prices
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Love Your Pets - by Dr Shams Mir BVSc&AH,MVSc,DrMedVet,MRCVS
Stay Ahead of Snails and Slugs Slugs and snails can transmit potentially deadly lungworm infection to dogs. With our weather becoming warmer and wetter, we are likely to see more of them around. If we appreciate the nature and implications of the link between dogs and these slimy creatures, we can act to protect our pet dogs. The adult lungworm Angiostrongylys vasorum measures up to an inch long. They live inside the major vessels carrying blood from the heart to the lungs and sometimes in the associated chambers of the heart. They breed in these vessels and lay eggs which reach the finer blood vessels where they hatch into first stage larvae. The larvae penetrate the vessel walls and enter the tissues of the lung from where they are coughed up, swallowed and eventually expelled with faeces. Foxes are known to contribute to the spread of this infection. The larvae in the dog faeces find their way into some slugs and snails, which if consumed by dogs transmit the infection. Dogs may eat slugs and snails voluntarily or accidentally when rummaging through undergrowth, eating grass, by drinking from puddles or outdoor water bowls or picking them up from toys. It is also suggested that live larvae can be present in the slime track left by the snail and thus dogs eating such slime covered grass can be infected. The larvae eaten with slugs and snails
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mature in the bowel and ultimately reach the blood vessels of lungs to complete the life cycle. Symptoms may vary depending on the level of infection. Some dogs may show no symptoms if the infection is very light. Others may display vague symptoms like weight loss or intermittent lethargy and vomiting. In others it may develop into prominent cardio-respiratory symptoms like cough, exercise intolerance, difficulty breathing, nose bleed and coughing up of blood. Some dogs develop neurological signs like spinal pain, paralysis and fits. Confirmatory diagnosis depends on demonstration of larval worms in faeces, which is a tedious test. At Sunrise we use an in-house modern and very specific laboratory test to facilitate diagnosis of this disease. The lungworm infection can be prevented and treated by using appropriate worming medication. However, such medicines are not available over the counter. There is no point in giving worming treatment to a dog just for the sake of it. It is important to ensure that the worming treatment given is really effective and broad spectrum to address all potential worm related threats. Let us be at least a step ahead of slugs and snails. If I can be of any help in this regard, please do not hesitate to get in touch on 01257 463 142.
Dr Shams Mir BVSc&AH,MVSc,DrMedVet,MRCVS Veterinary Surgeon Sunrise Veterinary Surgery 6 The Common Parbold WN8 7DA Tel: 01257 463 142 www.sunrisevets.co.uk
A well trained dog is a happy dog! Jo Pay is a fully qualified Dog Trainer who offers:
Agility classes UK Rally Obedience classes Puppy classes One to one training Puppy socialisation parties Give Jo a call today on 01257 423726 or email her on jo@standishdogtrainer.co.uk
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n When ca k to I go bac arm Dukes B Farm? Boarding kennels for all breeds of dogs. Heated accommodation. Recommended by vets & clients for over 35 years. Local authority licensed & approved. Open 9am – 6pm Mon – Sat Closed to customer visits on Sun.
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Test Drive - by Tim Barnes-Clay
Citroen DS3 Cabrio THE FRENCH are at it again. They’re often regarded as fashionistas – and the new DS3 Cabrio from Citroën lends further support to that perception.
be opened or shut at speeds of up to 75mph - which is also exclusive in this segment. Quite frankly, rag-top driving has never been so simple.
The latest development in the chevron adorned motor company’s stylish DS line is the top-down version of the DS3. The car features intelligent design and glittery looks to make open-top driving easier and even more pleasurable.
Continuing the DS line’s customisation levels, the Cabrio is available in seven body colours with three colour-coordinated roof designs for a choice of fourteen combinations. There are nine different wheel styles to let you express your personality even further, and you can specify 16” or 17” alloys in an array of shades and patterns.
The Cabrio boasts all the characteristics that have made its hatchback sister so popular - daring styling, chic elegance, all-embracing personalisation and an enjoyable motoring experience. But Citroën’s unique selling point is that it is the only five-seater in its class and features a larger boot than key rivals such as the MINI Convertible and FIAT 500C. The powered roof can
Apart from the lid peeling off, another hip highlight is the motor’s attention-grabbing, three-dimensional LED tail-light signature. The all-new technology was inspired by the designs on Citroën’s Revolte and Survolt concept vehicles. The central part of the light is made of a rectangular set of 31 LEDs with mirrors that reflect the light into ‘infinity’. Inside, the DS3 Cabrio offers a typically classy French cabin. There is white LED ambient lighting around the ceiling console and white lights in the instrument cluster. The strong softtop material delivers soundproofing comparable to the hatchback with some of the best acoustic insulation against road noise and the elements in its class. Behind the wheel, the DS3 Cabrio is comfy yet athletic. A button on the overhead console controls the roof to three positions
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- intermediate, horizontal and total - with the covering fully opening or closing in just 16 seconds. Even in the horizontal setting, your rear passengers get a clear view overhead. When the roof is open, a very useful aerodynamic front deflector provides further ear-soothing assistance by deflecting air currents and preventing air buffeting. If only the seats repelled the cold as effectively – heated seats would definitely be beneficial for die-hard roof-off British motorists. The Cabrio inherits all the well-located technology of the conventional DS3, including Citroën’s integrated satellite navigation system, which features a colour screen, Europe-wide navigation; Bluetooth® and USB connectivity. And with rear parking sensors fitted across the range, you have that extra reassurance when parking with the roof down. For added well-being, whatever the weather, automatic air conditioning is also available. Adding to a range praised for its enjoyable handling and boasting a strong World Rally Championship (WRC) pedigree – the Cabrio remains a pleasure to drive, retaining the nimble and alert feel of the original DS3.
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At the same time, the car offers comfort, control and safety, always putting you firmly in command. The new model is available in the DS line’s three signature trim levels - DSign, DStyle & DSport - with ownership starting at £15,045 for the VTi 82 DSign rising to £19,675 for the THP 155 DSport. The most popular variant is forecast to be the VTi 120 DStyle at £17,425 and the sales split is expected to be approximately 65 percent retail and 35 percent fleet/business.
FAST FACTS •
Max speed: 132 mph
•
0-62 mph: 8.2 secs
•
Combined mpg: 47.9
•
Engine: 1598cc 16 value turbo petrol
•
Max. power (bhp): 155 at 6000 rpm
•
Max. torque (lb/ft): 177 at 1400 rpm
•
CO2: 137 g/km
•
Price: £19,675 on the road
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L
FastPass
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No Mess, No Fuss, No Dust
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Need a new look for your home?
Skilled interior and exterior work undertaken at reasonable prices! Chris Smith - Painter and Decorator
01942 518126 or 07545 065119 Orrell based business
Ian Martland
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PAINTING & DECORATING From interior to exterior - we do it all!
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Create your Dream Home today… Our Master Craftsman Derek and his friendly team will help you create your dream home. All aspects of decorating - from simple painting or wallpapering to complex murals. 50 years wallpapering expertise. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Call Derek today for a free consultation & quote
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Your one stop solution to a clean, tidy home and garden!
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Great Value Bathrooms! A Genuine Family Run Business With Friendly & Courteous Staff
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• WILSON BROS • Est. 1985
Roofing & Roofline Specialists • All aspects of maintenance & repair
First Class Workmanship • All types of re-roofs • Strip & re-slate or re-tile • Built up felt/flat roofs, dormers etc. • Insurance work undertaken • Roofline uPVC fascias, soffits & guttering
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For Roofing & Roofline we’ve got it covered! Roofing Emergency repairs General maintenance Full re-roofs Strip and re-slate Flat/pitched roof conversions Installation of Velux windows Roofline Fascias Soffits Cladding Gutters including Seamless Aluminium Gutters Supply only service available
Domestic & commercial work undertaken Flat roof problem? Don’t felt it, GRP it! This new flat roof treatment will last 30+ years!
Protec Roofing is a long established roofing company that serves domestic and commercial customers throughout the North West. Whatever your roofing requirements are, from emergency roofing repairs to new roofs to roofline, Protec Roofing are there to help you. We promise our customers; • No emergency call out fees • Emergency repairs done asap • Free consultation & estimates • Day and evening appointments • Free advice from experienced roofers • A 10 year insurance-backed guarantee If you’re thinking of improving the appearance of your property by installing new roofline, please give us a call. We can supply and fit a huge range of quality products including our revolutionary new aluminium seamless gutters. Because when it comes to roofs, we’ve got it all covered!
CALL TODAY TO GET A FREE QUOTE
01942 665 270 0774 876 7845 or 0770 221 8867 www.protecroofingnw.co.uk
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Restore your bathroyo! m to its former glor At a fraction of the price of a new bathroom After
Before
• Grubby Grout Returned to Ice White • No More Scrubbing at Mouldy Silicone • Tiles Polished to Perfection • Screens Returned to Crystal Clear • Give Your Bathroom the “Wow” Factor with a Mini-Makeover • Experts in Baths or Shower Cubicle Restoration
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Call Now for Information & Your Quick Pack Quote
www.TotalBathroomRestoration.co.uk
sponsored by Total Bathroom Restoration
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