EDUCATION SPECIAL Pages 10-15
Courier The WIGAN
Green light for Haigh Hall hotel development
AMBITIOUS PLANS to preserve the future of Haigh Hall by turning it into a boutique hotel and spa have been given the green light by the Council’s planning committee. With the estate in need of multi-million pound investment, councillors at Wigan Council agreed to grant planning permission to Contessa Hotels who will now restore the Grade II* Listed hall to its former glory. The plans will see the hall, which will still be by Wigan owned Council and leased to Contessa Hotels, turned into a luxury four-star boutique hotel complete with 30 en-suite
bedrooms, a spa and a fitness centre. A new car park, access off Higher Lane, landscaping and an additional ceremony room located on the roof of the hotel also form part of the plans. The £6m restoration of Haigh Hall is at the centre of a wider regeneration masterplan for Haigh Woodland Park, which includes a new family adventure zone with a high ropes area and an innovative adventure golf course, improved footpaths and heritage trails and a kitchen courtyard within the existing Stables Courtyard. Once the works have been completed, Haigh Hall will be removed from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register, which aims to protect and manage the historic environment, by reducing the number of
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An impression of the plan for the area around Haigh Hall showing the new road from Higher Lane. ‘at risk’ historic places and sites across England. Councillor David Molyneux, deputy leader of Wigan Council, said: “This is a really important step in securing the future of Haigh Hall. As part of the plans, the hall’s original features will be brought back to life and areas that are off limits will be brought back into use. This is a really exciting time for residents across the borough, many of whom will have fond memories of the hall, despite not being able to access much of the building. The restoration of the hall, together with the improvements to the grounds, will mean residents will have more opportunity to enjoy Haigh Woodland Park. “Our main priority now is to finalise the plans to enable the work to begin as soon as possible.” Wigan Council’s planning department has been working closely with
Contessa Hotels and consulting conservation bodies, Historic England and The Georgian Group to develop plans which aim to protect and preserve the hall’s rich heritage. Craig Baker, Director of Contessa Hotels, said: “This whole experience has been such an exciting journey to developing a luxury offering to the borough. The planning committee provided us with the best outcome, especially their unanimous vote to Contessa Hotels officially coming on board and the whole team couldn’t be happier. We are very much looking forward to getting started.” Haigh Hall and Country Park is already a major visitor destination attracting around 300,000 visits each year. However, research indicates that enhancing the site and improving the existing facilities could attract even more visitors and bring muchneeded revenue to the area.
The Good News Paper
September 8th 2015
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Issue no 259
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Foden’s Band at Reet Good Beer Festival THE WIGAN COURIER - WIGAN’S ONLY FREE NEWSPAPER THAT COVERS LOCAL SPORT
The MacMillan
Coffee Morning Friday 25th September 2015 at The Methodist Hall, High Street, Standish 9.00 a.m. - 12 Noon The Standish Churches join together Come and join us everyone is welcome Cake stall, bric-a-brac, tombola, raffle and various stalls
ONE of the world’s premier brass bands is heading to Wigan this month for the first time. Fresh from appearances at the Royal Albert Hall and performing at the Bridgewater Hall with the Halle Orchestra, Foden’s Band will hit the first Reet Good Beer Festival on September 20th.
The band will perform as part of the Beer and Brass family day at the beer festival organised to raise funds for Wigan Youth Zone. They will be joined by local favourites The Pemberton Old DW Brass Band. Band Manager Mark Wilkinson said: “We are really looking forward to this performance. This is the first beer festival we have played and I’m pretty sure this is the first time we have performed in Wigan. “We are thrilled to be working alongside the Pemberton band and of course raising money for such a great cause.” Foden’s band were established in 1900
and today currently hold the record for the number of area contest wins with an unprecedented 18 North West titles. Most recently the band have cemented themselves as one of the leading Brass Bands in the world winning a rare and exceptional “Double”, being crowned 2012 British Open champions and the 2012 National Champions of Great Britain. Around the world Foden’s Band is a trademark that musicians associate with inestimable class and musicianship. This fact is reflected in the wide variety of countries that the band has toured; Italy, Switzerland, America, Ireland, France, Norway, Finland and Israel to name but a few. Pemberton Old Band has a long and outstanding history that dates back to the late 19th century. In recent years the organisation has gone from strength to strength and has an established Championship Section Band. They also have a ‘B’ Band currently well placed and conducted by Peter Ashley and a
Junior Band that boasts some 30 youngsters trained by John Don-Duncan. The Reet Good Beer Festival will take place from Thursday September 17th to Sunday September 20th on Mesnes Field, the green space across the road from Morrisons Wigan. The weekend will feature around 100 ales from across the country as well as lagers, ciders and perries. A hog roast, delicious snacks, fresh ice cream, a prosecco bar. Adult tickets for Sunday’s Beer and Brass family day cost just £3, or £1 concessions, and can be purchased in advance on the website or on the door. It is the only day children will be allowed into the festival and under 18s go free but must be accompanied by an adult. Thursday will feature acoustic music, Friday Indie music and Soul and Motown will entertain Saturday’s crowds. For more information and the full beer line up go to festival www.reetgoodbeerfest.co.uk
Rotary Club invitation to a community singalong
WIGAN Rotary Club is inviting everyone to come and join in a one hour singalong every fortnight, on Thursdays at Standish Community Centre, Moody Street, Standish from 2.30pm. Next session is September 17th.
Although the sessions are open to anyone, they are designed for people living with dementia and their carers and are free of charge with tea / coffee provided. The cost is covered by a grant from Wigan Council taxpayers, following the creation of a Dementia Friendly Network for Standish and Shevington, with
funding provided for a range of projects throughout the week. Wigan Rotary President Keith Trencher explained: “You don’t have to be a good singer, and you don’t need to be able to read music. “If you can reasonably manage to sing Happy Birthday then you’re in!’ He continued: ”The songs will be chosen by
the singers and the sessions will be run by a retired music teacher, all we now need is for lots of people to come and enjoy some good company and a good singalong.” Booking is not required, and for more details or queries, please ring Wigan Rotary Club on 07813 471000.
Royal British Legion, Standish
Meet 2nd Tuesday of each month, at Standish Unity Club, Cross Street, Standish, 7.30 pm. All ex-service personnel are very welcome.
Wigan Rambling and Climbing Club
The club hold social nights every Tuesday at 8.15 pm at Wigan Cricket Club, Bull Hey, Parsons Walk, Wigan.
Making arrangements
New members welcome. Contact Jill Shilladay on 01257 421926.
Wigan Floral Art Club meet on the third Wednesday of the month at St Michael’s Church Hall, Shaw Street, Wigan.
Get writing
All arrangements done by qualified demonstrators.
Standish Writers are looking for new members. Third Wednesday of each month, 7.00 – 9.00 pm.
The Crown Hotel, Bradley pembertonjacky@hotmail.com
Lane,
Standish.
For
details
contact
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Geoff Carr Memorial event success
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THE INAUGURAL Geoff Carr Memorial Event took place on 22nd August. This was the day that an ambitious Triathalon / Cycle ride / Walk came together, alongside a large community event within Shevington Moor. An 11th hour logistical glitch nearly stopped the IRONMAN part of the event, when organisers realised they would need additional support vehicles, however, WESTWOOD MOTOR GROUP from INCE stepped in with one of their large vans to help across the weekend. Aintree Racecourse saw the first entrants arrive at 07.30, within this group were the Elite athlete group; together with Geoff Carr's daughter, son and granddaughter. Geoff's widow Pauline Carr together with Carl Pastor, Aintree Race Courses Operational Manager, set the first wave off to travel back the 26 mile cycle/walk or 29 mile IRONMAN.
Mountain Monkeys team ensured a safe event. On the finish line participants were literally "sang in" from the on-stage performance from the Wigan Youth Zone PIE FACTOR contest, the youths performed as part of their "X-Factor" style competition; and similar to the TV show there were professional Artists that performed alongside them to give the audience a "reet good time". Dave Hollington -Cheshires Ultimate rat pack singer, and Amanda Hayes – Classical opera singer, gave the youths inspiration and words of advice throughout the day; whilst Adam Reid from kaleidoscope entertainments, announced them on stage to make sure they felt like stars for the day. Although the organisers couldn't get the Lady Lord Mayor to burst into song she was very happy alongside Pauline Carr to officially open the event that attracted hundreds from the community, and spent time following this wandering the stalls and attractions before heading on her way.
The course had been plotted along the Leeds-Liverpool canal which had taken a beating with the weather the previous 24hours, this made for a difficult ride for all entrants. Appley Bridge saw the transition from Cycle to Kayak for the IRONMEN, with Mountain Monkeys & St Helens canoe club providing safety and assistance on the canal. Cyclist left the canal at Appley Bridge to battle uphill a full mile towards dangerous corner, to then ride past one of the events benefactors Wrightington Hospital, part of the Three Wishes Charity.
No outside event would be complete without children's entertainment, and boy was this the place to be, Paramedics from Northwest Ambulance Service let children and adults alike see inside the £80,000 front line ambulance, even demonstrating life saving CPR sessions. The 8 meter climbing wall was a compulsory part of the IRONMAN competition but was also available for all to have a go on. The Double Decker fun palace kept those smaller children entertained while they waited for the Princess Anna and Elsa to take to the stage, as did the
Meanwhile back on the IRONMAN route Ben Guymer from the Boathouse team (which eventually took the winning team title) was finding the Cross Country run a struggle, the route had cut across John Pit and had been turned into a mud bath, former Royal Marine "Mitch Mitchell" in true IRONMAN & Marine style wasn’t leaving a man behind, even if Ben was from a rival team; coaxing Ben up to where the route eventually joined the path. Mitch ran in 6th place with Ben on his tail at 7th. Cyclist John James from the JP Oils team had already finished in a ground breaking time of 1 hr 53 mins for the 26 miles cycle event and took the 1st place ,where IRONMAN winner Paul Marsham POMMY had come in at 2hrs 29 mins. The IRONMAN finish wasn't without controversy when leader and veteran triathlete "PaddyAllen" on the last part of the route, took a wrong turn and gained a 5 min penalty which allowed POMMY to pip him at the post. Team BUPA entrants had a 6 strong team all of which cycled in impressive times, other BUPA colleagues had also volunteered as marshals for the event; who alongside the
bouncy castle supplied by Leila and Claudias bouncy world. The day also saw a visit from a Fayle Plant Hire’s steam traction engine from Appley Bridge, and was able to park up and soak up the sun thanks to the generosity of the Waterworth family. This event was part of the on-going Geoff Carr Memorial events for 2015 with all proceeds going to the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Three Wishes Charity. So far the events have raised over £5,000 with sponsorship money still to be calculated. There are still 3 more events planned for this year one of which will see the Silver Tally FIREWALK in October.
RESULTS: Cycle Event 1st - John James, 2nd - Darren Carr, Joint 3rd Paul Sefton, Jay Edwards, Mike Foster (all crossed together) IRONMAN Event 1st - Paul Marsham, 2nd - Edmund Allen (after 5 min penalty was added), 3rd - Stephen Nolan. Walking Event Joint 1st - Janet Wheatley & Andrew Higham. Winning Team overall team - The Boathouse. Pictures courtesty of Beechcroft Photography.
MacMillan Coffee Morning & Handbag Auction With Jane and Joy from Cooperative Funeralcare, Standish
Wednesday 16th September at The Standish Community Centre, Moody Street, Standish 11.45 a.m. - 2.30 p.m. Come and join us everyone is welcome Tea, Coffee and Cakes All proceeds to MacMillan Charity
ORDE R NOW FOR GUARANTEED FITTI NG BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Co-op fundraising events 6
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JANE Davenport from the Cooperative Funeralcare in Standish has been busy fundraising recently by firstly holding a 'Mini Manicure' event at the Standish Community Centre to raise funds for new crockery. Jane who is a qualified NVQ Level 3 Beauty therapist spent her time at the Centre and raised £50.00 towards the crockery. The Centre volunteers were thrilled and would like to say
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a big thankyou to Jane. A Raffle was then organised and was drawn on August 27th at the Standish Methodist Church. The basket was donated by the Cooperative Funeralcare and was drawn by Jane Davenport who organised the event which raised £113.00 for new tableclothes for the Church Hall that will be made by Janes sister. The winner of the basket was Kathleen Tebay. Our pictures show Jane busy doing her manicure and with volunteers from the Methodist Church Hall after the raffle.
Join a warm and friendly group near you today.....
Tuesday Shevington - Barbara Shevington Methodist Church, Gathurst Lane 3.30pm, 5pm and 7pm Wednesday Standish - Barbara Standish High School, International Language Centre Kenyon Road, Standish at 5.30pm and 7pm Thursday - The Community Centre, Standish - Karen Moody Street, Standish at 9am Thursday ParboldVillage Hall,The Green - Carol at 4pm & 6pm
Hospice funds boost
MARKS AND Spencer staff in Wigan have raised £2,200 for their charity of the year - Wigan and Leigh Hospice.
The town centre store took part in a wide range of events and activities to raise the money, including a Onesie Walk, a Christmas raffle, bake sales and book sales as well as various instore antics, such as an organ player and a staff exercise bike challenge. The store donated £2,218 to the Hospice, which cares for people with life-limiting illnesses across Wigan and Leigh.
Lisa Uniacke, M&S store manager, said: “We have had great time fundraising for the Hospice this year. All our staff have got involved and our customers have really done us proud so we would really like to thank them. Julie Dennis, community fundraiser, said: “On behalf of the patients, staff and volunteers at the Hospice I would like to say how grateful we are to Marks and Spencer in Wigan for their generous fundraising efforts over the last year.” Our picture shows the presentation of the cheque to the Hospice by M&S staff: left to right, Kay Smallman, Lisa Uniacke, Maureen Wood and Zoe Riley.
New theatre company launching soon
A brand new community theatre company for Wigan is set to welcome new members this September.
Supported by Wigan Council’s ‘Deal for Communities’fund, local arts consortium, Healthy Arts, will be delivering drama training and rehearsals towards an innovative new local theatre production next Spring. ‘Platform Theatre Company’ will integrate young people aged 13 plus with adults, creating a real intergenerational flavour.
With a home in the new creative hub of The Old Courts on Crawford Street, Healthy Arts is on the way to becoming a strong local provider of creative workshops and events for the residents of Wigan & Leigh. Director of Platform Theatre Company, Martin Green, has a strong background in community drama. He will be heading up the production which also offers skills-training in
voice and movement, confidence-building and an opportunity to create and take part in a thought-provoking new piece of theatre for the town. The group will meet weekly on Wednesday evenings from 7.30 – 9.30pm, starting on 16th September. Some taster sessions have already taken place and participants have said, “It was fantastic. Everyone is really friendly and I’ve learnt some really good acting skills. Plus you can be as dramatic as you want, great fun!” Platform needs a few more people to make it a real success so don’t be shy if you’ve always fancied treading the boards but never found the right opportunity. There will also be professional development opportunities for volunteers, leading to potential employment in other areas of the dramatic arts – from administration to stage management and technical support. Arts Award training has been built into the programme to support both freelance practitioners and those not in employment, education or training. Contact Martin on 07542 114383 or email martin@greenroom-creative.co.uk for further information or to register your interest.
Imagine a complete kitchen start to finish IMAGINE Kitchens are a thriving kitchen business based in Shevington, Wigan. Business owner Billy Davies and his tem provide their customer with high quality, bespoke services from designing to installing the finest kitchens in the area. Imagine Kitchens are now Wigan Council award winners in the Good Traders Scheme. The scheme is run by Wigan Council to recognise the best traders in the borough. Billy and his team of qualified fitters have just received a ‘Certificate of Excellence’
which is in recognition of consistently high standards of customer feedback in 2014. At Imagine Kitchens they have built up a great reputation in assisting families and homes with a friendly, reliable and very honest service to give them that new kitchen that they are looking for to complete their home. Their service is a start to finish professional and personally overseen procedure were everything needed to refurbish your kitchen is done by our fully qualified tradesmen.
This includes • Fully Fitting Service • Electrics • Plumbing • Plastering • Tiling • Painting If all the above is not required they also offer a supply only service. As customers of Imagine know, the company caters for all tastes incorporating modern and contemporary to traditional and practical but far more importantly they always focus on the quality of the product and installation. There is a wealth of exquisite stock to view and all kitchens are made to order and built by cabinet makers, no mass production here! The kitchen of your dreams is available under one roof, all it takes is a no fuss 30 minute home survey with none of the pressure of the hard sell tactics. Imagine Kitchens are open 6 days a week for customers convenience to take a peak and to obtain some styles and ideas. For further information on their services visit the website www.imaginekitchenswigan.com Book a FREE design appointment call Billy on 01257 403003 or 07835 639753.
Don’t just take our word for it. Imagine Kitchens, Wigan really do go that extra mile for all of our customers. Here are just some of our satisfied customer comments.
To Billy and team Thanking you for a great design & excellently fitted. Rod & Denise Parkinson Just wanted to say a big thank you. There was always great attention to detail and all work was to the Highest standard. Billy thank you for your guidance & support and for my amazing kitchen. Linda Bird Thank you so much for our lovely kitchen. All the workforce were so professional and helpful. STANDARD OF WORK 1ST CLASS. Wouldn’t hesitate in recommending you to anyone. Jill & John Maguire For customer care, that is second to none. Much appreciated. Jim & Karen Shovelton.
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What a pantomime!!! Courier
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KUNDALINI YOGA (As taught by Yogi Bhajan)
STAFF at Derian House Children’s Hospice are going all out to sign up as many people as possible for their brand new Dames on the Run event!
The charity wants to recruit men from every area of the community who are prepared to go all out to support their local children’s hospice by dressing up as their favourite pantomime dame and taking part in the 5K Run. With prizes for the winner of the race, Best Dressed Dame and a “Selfie” Photo Competition, there’s something for everyone!
The event, which will take place on Sunday October 11th in Astley
Park, is being staged in support of all the Derian Dads who do so much to support their family in the face of their child’s illness, and the impact it has on them both emotionally and financially. Susie Poppitt, Head of Fundraising at Derian House said, “We really need people to get behind this event now and make it the biggest fundraising success of 2015 for Derian House! The concept of using pantomime as the theme for the event came from the fact that, whilst not the main character in the show, the pantomime dame is the glue that holds the entire plot together. So it is with the Dads of the children at Derian House. While Mums are the ones at hospital with their child, or here with them at Derian
House, it’s the Dads who hold the rest of the family together and maintain some sense of normality in the face of extreme adversity. So, on behalf of all the Derian House children and their amazing Dads, we want as many men as possible to sign up and help us raise at least £5,000 sponsorship. The money raised will help us make a real difference to the many life threatened children and families we support throughout the North West. So, come on guys, get out those dresses, put on the makeup, and start training for the race of your life!” For more information on the go to event www.derianhouse.co.uk/dames or call the Derian House Fundraising Team on 01257 271271.
Standish Methodist Thursday event
Why not go along to the Standish Methodist Church, High Street, Standish for a chat and cup of tea, coffee, cake and crumpets. Its all free and a good way to get to meet other people from the community.
Shevington Reading Group
The group meets on the 2nd Monday of each month, from 12 Noon till 1.00 pm. For more details call at Shevington Library or ring 01257 252618.
HAVE COURAGE, HAVE AN OPEN MIND AND FEEL
ALIVE! You don’t have to be super flexible or super fit just have a positive attitude and a willingness to have fun! It will change your life!
ALL CLASSES £5.00 FOR DETAILS CALL ANGELA ON 07877 557841
NEW ADULT CLASS STARTING TUESDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER - 7.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. Absolute beginners welcome!
SHEVINGTON YOUTH CLUB & COMMUNITY CENTRE Highfield Avenue, Shevington, Wigan, WN6 8HB also at YMCA, Hilton Street, Ashton in Makerfield, Wigan, WN4 8PD MONDAY 6.45pm to 8.15pm Rainford Brook Lodge C P School Rainford, St Helens, Wigan, WN4 9EE WEDNESDAY 7pm to 8.30pm
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MICHELLE ON 01257 400026
Standish Media Services STANDISH Media Services is the parent company of the Wigan Courier, and specialises in providing media and information services to a wide variety of businesses and organisations.
Staffed by a small and efficient team of people with many years of experience in the media, SMS can help you and your organisation develop and maintain a website, produce real time leaflets and brochures, develop a media and communications strategy, help you to communicate more efficiently and cost effectively with your existing customers, help you to win new customers - and much more. Our pricing structure is transparent, highly
Logans ‘Alphabet Poem’ Alphabet Poem by Logan Duckworth
LOGAN Duckworth has just left Woodfold Primary School, Standish and started High School.
He is an animal lover and keen cyclist and also plays rugby.
Logan also enjoys reading and writing, especially poetry and plays. He wrote the ‘Alphabet Poem’ by playing with words using funny images and sounds. His next project is to write a book for his little sister Amber who is at nursery. We would like to share Logans poem with our readers.
A was an angry apple. B was a big monkey who ate his brother. C was a crusty chicken who kept eating crabs. D was a dirty dinosaur who got dirty every day by jumping in dirty puddles. E was an exciting emu who played on X-box. F was a fancy fruit who ate himself. G was a grin whose cheeks ached. H was a haunted house who scared itself. I was a weird person who was very itchy. J was a jumping jaw which bit people. K was an orange kangaroo from the Milky Way. L was Logan who laughed all the time. M was magnificent marvels. N was the word ‘NO’ said by you. O was an annoying orange. P was a tasty pineapple walking along. Q was a Queen with tiger’s eyes. R was a wrinkly rat nibbling cheese. S was a sneaky snake staring at a banana trying to beat it in a staring contest. T was a tiny pistachio on the beach. U was Amy Wilding playing the ukulele whilst singing. V was valentine venom dashing through the bloodstream. W was a warm winter racing through the season. X was the crosses on wrong homework. Y was a young boy playing You Tube in his bedroom. Z was a zebra snoring big zeds.
competitive and we specialise in fixed quotations for work done to your exact requirements. SMS staff work alongside you to complete the job, and are fully aware of the time and resource pressures that face many business organisations, especially sole traders and small companies like ourselves. Our commitment is simple - we work fast and to your accurately specification until the job is complete to your satisfaction. Please feel free to call, fax or e-mail us with your requirements, plans or challenges - the process of coming up with a positive solution is a matter of talking over the phone or better still over a brew, and involves no obligation on your part, and all solutions are bespoke to your organisation.
For your truly personal service and expert advice visit Julie Reid at her new Bridal Boutique in Standish
35 Preston Road, Standish, WN6 0JH
Telephone: 01257 424624
E: reid-julie@hotmail.com W: julesbridalboutique.co.uk
New Bridal Boutique opens
AT Jules Bridal Boutique we believe that choosing your wedding dress should be an enjoyable and memorable experience.
At our brand new shop we offer a warm, friendly service to ensure that the way that you look for your big day is very special and personal to you. Choosing the perfect wedding dress is an important decision and we want to give you the best possible experience. When you’re ready, we can book an appointment for you and your party so that we can offer a truly personal service while you take your time choosing the ideal gown. We also have a great range of accessories and will show you how to complete your look for your big day. Jules Bridal Boutique offer an intimate
and private setting for brides, so that we can focus on your needs and wishes. Through out designers Lillian West Madeline Gardner New York - White Rose and Morilee we have gorgeous couture collections with all the recent designs that cover both classic and contemporary designs. Whatever your style, whatever your budget, we’re here to help. Our aim is to find you just the right dress to meet your dreams. Owner, Julie who previously worked at a bridal shop in Billinge is passionate about weddings and brings years of experience in dressing brides so that they look stunning and feel beautiful. Your wedding day will be one of the best days of your life. So, naturally, you want to to look and feel fabulous. We can help you to do that!
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Courier EDUCATION
Spectacular GCSE success for Standish Community High
WE would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations to the Year 11 cohort of 2015 for their outstanding performance in this year’s GCSE examinations. The great commitment and focus of our Year 11 cohort, supported intensively by staff, paid off with many individuals achieving, and in some cases surpassing their personal goals and Outstanding Progress Targets.
The outstanding performance of Year 11 students in their examinations meant that an incredible 78% achieved 5A*-C grades including Maths and English, while an impressive 37% of students achieved 3 or more A*/A’s. These figures represent a significant and highly pleasing increase on last year’s figures, and have been achieved in an examinations climate where it has been significantly more challenging to achieve grades A*-C generally and at A* grade specifically, particularly in core subjects namely, English, Maths and Science.
We have been particularly delighted with the A*-C figures of English and Maths at 89% and 83% respectively and 86% of students making or exceeding 3 levels of progress in English and 76% of students making or exceeding 3 levels of progress in Maths. Standish Community High School Headteacher Andy Pollard said, “I could not be more delighted with these results which most importantly mean that our fantastic students get the opportunity to decide for themselves what the next steps in their lives will be. They certainly have a great platform on which they can now build. Many students achieved outstanding personal results, a great reflection of their abilities and the support of those teachers that have nurtured them during their time at Standish Community High School. Results like these are only achieved when students, staff, parents and Governors work closely and supportively together, and I would like to extend my thanks and congratulations to everyone who made such a great contribution.”
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Courier EDUCATION
Best ever A Level results at the Deanery 6th Form College
achieved Distinction star levels within vocational courses- an astonishing 80% of vocational results were awarded Distinction star or Distinction. At AS the number of A grades and equivalents has increased three-fold from last year and more students than ever have achieved A-B grades.
THE Deanery Sixth form students are celebrating another great set of results, with their best ever A-Level pass rate of 100% in all 28 subjects,
and best ever AS level pass rate approaching 90%! Almost ¾ of A2 and equivalent results were A*-C and a record number of students have
is exceptional This from our performance hardworking students and reflects the hard work of the students and staff alike. Each and every result will help to ensure successful futures for our students, the majority of whom will be continuing with their studies at University. Mrs Friend, Head of the Sixth form Colleges said “We are very proud of all our students and congratulate them on their achievements! The Deanery Sixth Form intends to build on this success with the introduction of some new courses from September, including AS Photography, when we will welcome our new cohort of students. Congratulations to all our students. Our picture shows some of the high achievers.
Another pleasing set of results
THE Deanery are pleased to announce that 2015 has seen another pleasing set of GCSE results for our students, with both English and Maths being above the national averages for A* – C grades. Students who have followed BTEC courses have also seen successful outcomes.
We have seen some truly exceptional results from some of our students. Over 20% of pupils achieved A* - A grades. Twin brothers Mark and Daniel Wade managed to amass 12 A* and 9A grades between them. Vincie Tsang has achieved an incredible 10 A* and 1 A grade and Ioana Cojorcariu who achieved 5 A* and 5 A grades.
This follows last week’s A Level results, where the pass rate was 100%. Head teacher Janice Rowlands commented, “Another successful year for our students! A lot of hard work and commitment from both staff and students has certainly paid off! We are very proud of all our students and I would like to congratulate them on their achievements. We are now looking forward to seeing many of our Year 11 students back with us in our Sixth Form in September, but whatever plans our students may have for the future, I wish them every success.” Our picture shows students celebrating their results.
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Courier EDUCATION
CELEBRATING OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN 2015 5 A* - C including English and maths 62% 21% of students achieved 3 or more A*- A grades OFSTED says: “The behaviour of students in class and around the school is extremely good.” “In the very large majority of lessons the climate for learning is excellent. Students are punctual, attentive and keen to learn.” “The curriculum provides an excellent range of options for students of all abilities.”
OPEN EVENING - TUESDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER 2015 Headteacher’s Welcome at 5.30pm, 6.30pm & 7.30pm
TOURS WITH OUR HEADTEACHER, MR GRANT Wednesday 23rd September 9.50am, Thursday 24th September 9.50am \& Thursday 1st October 9.50am
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Courier EDUCATION Another record breaking year at St John Rigby The A level pass rate has once again exceeded 99% and the high grade passes (grades A*, A and B) have increased by a staggering 8% to nearly 49%, meaning that practically every other grade is a high grade. These figures exceed all of the latest benchmarks for sixth form colleges, which is particularly impressive when considered in the context of St John Rigby College being highly inclusive and providing many young people with the opportunity to study A levels which would not be afforded them at some other colleges.
ST John Rigby College students have achieved another remarkable set of results, surpassing all previous records and continuing the year on year improvements that have taken place over the last four years. Students following vocational qualifications achieved a similarly remarkable set of results with an amazing 100% pass rate being realised for the third consecutive year and with more than 85% of students being awarded a Distinction or Distinction*, an increase of nearly 10% from last year. Across all courses this represents another leap forward in the raising of aspirations and is certain to result in another year of outstanding ‘value added’ performance. The Principal, Peter McGhee said: “This is a day of celebration for our staff, students and their parents. These are quite exceptional results from a remarkable group of young people who have worked extremely hard and have been well supported in order to achieve their potential. I am delighted that their efforts have been rewarded and that they are leaving College with an exceptional set of grades plus the self-confidence and independence that will assist them in excelling as they progress to employment or further study.
At St John Rigby College we have faith in our students and in our work and we believe that there should be no ceiling to achievement. Since arriving at the College five years ago I have been privileged to enjoy and be part of a transformation in the aspirations and the outcomes of our students. Something very special and very powerful is happening within our community and I believe that this is a result of students being prepared to work hard and being taught and supported by inspirational staff who are passionate about improving the life choices of those with whom they work. This is clearly demonstrated by the improvement in A level high grades. Whilst the inclusive nature of our student body has remained constant, high grade achievement has increased from 31% in 2011 to almost 50% in 2015. I am certain that the main contributory factors to our students’success are the pastoral care that they receive and the extra time that our staff spend with them outside of ‘normal’ lessons. We provide extra classes and additional support in order to enhance students’learning and to build their confidence. It is a joy and a privilege to work with them and I hope that they are as proud of their achievements as I am. With these grades behind them our students can look forward to a very bright future. I am confident that we will be hearing about the
successes and achievements of this group of students for many years to come as they now carve out their own achievements in higher education and in their chosen careers. ”
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Courier EDUCATION
Upholland High GCSE results success
AUGUST saw GCSE Results Day come around once more.
Up Holland High School is pleased to announce that, once again, results in Maths and English have exceeded national figures. The overall percentage of pupils achieving A* to C grades stands at 74%. In the majority of subjects, the number of pupils making greater than expected progress has exceeded target. Headteacher, Mrs Barton said “this is particularly significant as it means that, in most subjects, more pupils have gained A* and A grades than expected” she added, “everyone has worked hard to achieve these results and the performance of some of our pupils has been outstanding”.
A number of subjects did of fantastic job of ensuring pupils capable of achieving the highest grades did so with some notable improvements on the number of A*/A grades achieved last year. Mrs Barton said “this shows that we work to stretch our pupils so that they do the best they possibly can and it was lovely to see the pupils happy and smiling on Results Day”. Pupils from Up Holland will be starting at a number of local colleges in September and the majority have got into their first choice destinations having secured the grades they needed; “now the work starts again with our new year 11” said Mrs Barton “and we hope to be sharing another great set of results with them this time next year”
Sports day and Housewarming
UP HOLLAND Sports Day and ‘Housewarming’ Party a great success.
For the second year running, Up Holland High School pupils and staff decamped to Robin Park sports stadium in Wigan for our annual Sports Day. Whilst the track and field events took place in the stadium, some pupils were involved in a football tournament on the nearby 5-a-side pitches. The events gave pupils the opportunity to contribute to the overall points total for their House. At Up Holland we have four Houses called Cook, Livingstone, Mallory and Sharman; they are named after famous
British explorers which ties in with our school motto ‘Quo Vadis’ - meaning ‘Where are you going’. The motto was chosen as it reminds us that we are all on a journey and, as a school, we want to support our pupils on that journey, whatever the destination may be. Sports Day was a great success with all the pupils taking part in one event or another, and some in several. The pupils – and staff – were dressed in their House t-shirts and the weather was good. Afterwards, a party was held back at school to which the pupils joining the school in September were invited along with their parents. Here the pupils enjoyed various stalls and activities and it was a great opportunity to welcome our new year 7 pupils to our community.
Medieval day
PASSERS-BY stopped in Sandbrook Road to watch in awe as a Harris Hawk silently pursued a girl running across the school playing fields. The majestic creature, with a wingspan of four feet, was not trying to hunt her down but was part of a falconry display which provided the finale to our 'Medieval Day'.
Pupils from local primary schools enjoyed taking part in a variety of activities. Archers explained how bows and arrows were used in Medieval warfare; through Drama they looked at Medieval theatre and in Art produced their own full length version of the Bayeux Tapestry. At lunch time the dinner hall was transformed into banqueting space with cakes in the shape of Motte and Bailey castles. For many pupils and staff though the birds of prey came out tops. Bob, the enormous Indian Eagle Owl, flew over Mrs Barton and six pupils as they lay on the floor touching them with his wings and the sky cleared of gulls when the peregrine falcon circled and swooped between children and teachers...and the small girl? She survived and managed to pant, "That was amazing!'. This was one of many events and ‘Taster Days’ held for pupils from local primary schools to help them make up their minds about which secondary school is right from them. They allow the Year 6s to start to build a relationship with Up Holland and feel comfortable here ready for the big day in September when they come and join us.
Mesnes Park, Wigan Park Newly Refurbished
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Mesnes Park Wigan Park Which One Do We Mean Both Are The Same Everyone Can See
Mesnes Park Wigan Park What Do We Find One Man With A Shoe And A Fountain That Is High
COUNCILLOR George Davies, Wigan Central decided to put pen to paper and write his own poem about Mesnes Park.
He says: "This poem is to thank The Greenspaces workforce and officers, The Friends of Mesnes Park and the volunteers for their outstanding work in Mesnes Park." "Also a big thank you to the people of Wigan Borough who enjoy visiting Mesnes Park."
Mesnes Park Wigan Park What Do We See Full Of Flowers And A Pond And A Flag Of The Colour Green
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Southport flower show success THIS years Southport Flower Shop should be given the title of 'best ever'.
The show which ran from August 20th until August 23rd saw thousands of visitors turn up everyday. Entertainment, events, food demonstrations and garden designs entertained visitors throughout the four day event. The entertainment was provided from H & M Dogs, Ben Potter Hawk Display, Vander Brothers - Quad Wheel of Death and the Drakes of Hazard to name a few. In the bandstands the likes of The Bus Pass Buskers, Mike McArdle and The Kings of Rythmn stole the show with the music and cookery demonstrations from Brian Mellor, Andrea Mellon, Duk Pond Restaurant and JeanChristophe Novelli. Liz Broad, Arthur McDonald and Aaron McManus provided some interesting floral demonstrations. Wigan Couriers guests for the day Colin and Pam Hafez
from Scarisbrick said: "As always the show was magnificent and the displays were amazing. There are so many talented gardeners who all deserved a medal." "The entertainment, music and demonstrations were also wonderful to watch. Our picture shows a display from the show.
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Review courtesy Auto Express, your No1 stop for news and information about the motor trade
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AS THE current entry point into Mini ownership, the One has traditionally been overlooked by critics who dismissed it as too gutless for such a
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fine-handling car, favouring the warmer Cooper or hot Cooper S.
But to answer that, Mini has slotted a new 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine that brings extra punch, more flexibility and improved emissions. It’s essentially a smaller-capacity version of the 1.5-litre unit found in the Cooper, with 33bhp less as a result. While it impressed us as a threedoor, will the added weight of this five-door make you wish you’d splashed out the extra on a Cooper? Fire it up and you’d be hard pushed to notice any difference from the Cooper. The 1.2 is hugely refined for a threecylinder, with no noticeable vibration at idle. It pulls smoothly from 1,500rpm, with useful torque to make the most of the economy-biased long gear ratios. It’s also silky smooth to rev out, with a pleasingly muted growl right to the redline. It even features the same rev-matching tech as the Cooper to ensure smoother downchanges. It’s a more pleasant drive than the old Mini One, but it’s still not all that quick. A 0-62mph time of 10.1 seconds is only 0.2 seconds down on the three-door model, but it isn’t quite enough to make the most of the One’s agile chassis. Overtaking requires a bit of planning, and
recommend adding the extra doors as it the Mini makes infinitely more flexible and doesn’t affect the dynamics. The opening is quite narrow, but there’s more rear 72mm Verdict: The MINI One is no longer legroom and the larger the weak point of the range. With a 278-litre boot is on a par new turbocharged petrol engine, it's with more conventional supermini rivals. more refined and punchy than youʼd It’s no Honda Jazz, but expect from a base model. Itʼs also it means the Mini can efficient, but keen drivers would be finally be considered by better served avoiding some of the small families in need of extra space and myriad options and spending practicality. £1,500 on the livelier Cooper. If you The only downside of can live with the slightly awkward the five-door layout is styling, weʼd favour the five doorʼs the slightly odd exterior proportions it brings, extra flexibility, too. which combined with (58.9mpg vs 60.1mpg), characterful and feels the plain white of our though in real-world extremely well put- test car made it look driving you’re together. frumpier than the unlikely to notice For just £600, we’d sleeker three-door. much difference. If anything the gap could prove even larger, due to the fact the 1.2 needs to be worked that CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE bit harder to make Telephone: 01257 472552 decent progress. Nevertheless the One remains an entertaining drive, with very direct steering, an eager turnin and minimal body • MOT Prep • Service • Brakes roll. It rides better than it • Battery’s • Tyres • Exhausts used to as well, • Diagnostics although it’s far from soft and tyre roar is an All Body repairs from a issue at motorway bumper scrape to an speeds. The skinny eco insurance claim tyres on our test car also lacked outright grip • Restoration • Re-Sprays • Smart compared to the bigger Repairs • Alloy Wheel refurbs wheels available from the options list. • Valeting • Buffing and detail Inside you’d be hard 25 High Street, Standish pushed to notice any difference from the (behind La Mamas) £1,500 more expensive 01257 472552 considering the car’s emphasis on being funto-drive, you sometimes find yourself wishing for the Cooper’s extra lungs. Official fuel economy is ever-so-slightly down on the 1.5
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Veterans pedal their way to more than £5,000
Courier SPORT
Orrell St James record an historic first win, Aspull score 123 points
TEAM TALK: Aspull talk tactics at Douglas Valley on Saturday where they recorded a crushing 123-12 win over Wigan. Picture courtesy Christian Walsh
Geoff Lightfoot on the weekend’s Rugby Union
THE FORMER veterans of Wigan Rugby Union Club successfully continued their ‘summer session’ of charity bike rides with the third one being held to raise funds for Derian House Childrens Hospice at Chorley. The weather at times on the day was atrocious, ground conditions on the off road route were like a quagmire but despite this over sixty riders turned up to help raise another four figure sum on the day. The dismal weather was quickly put to one side as the riders enjoyed convivial hospitality and comradeship along the route. That helped bring the total raised in the three bike rides this summer to over £5,000! The money raised so far has been donated to Christies, the Steve Prescott Foundation and Derian House. The day was marked by great generosity along the route from Heatons Bridge to Wigan, via various hostelries, with the riders finally making it back to Sams Bar in Scholes where the host, Tracy Summers, once again doing the bikers proud with a warm welcome, buffet and further fund-raising activities. Organiser Malc Holland commented ‘After seeing the weather conditions first thing in the morning I feared the worst as regards numbers turning up but I should have never have underestimated the resilience of the riders. It really is a tremendous achievement that we can raise over £5,000 for such worthwhile causes. What started out as a single casual bike ride seven years ago in memory of our former colleague, Gerry Cooper, has now turned into a major fund-raising exercise in aid of local charities. It has indeed been a record year for numbers of participants and I can’t thank everyone enough. Each ride was a fantastic day out for such a worthwhile cause and we are all looking forward to the last one! The Vets finished their bike riding campaign with a final ride on Bank Holiday Sunday the 30th of August for the British Heart Foundation. This was in memory of Sams Bar regular and friend of many Maurice Tait, pictured above, who sadly passed away suddenly this Summer. The ride is from Worsley, Manchester back to Wigan and is open to everyone, all off road, a great day out and of course, it’s all in a good cause. Full details on the Wigan Vets facebook page.
Opinion straight from the goalmouth
By our Latics columnist Sam Oliver
West Park 48 Wigan 12 S Lancs & Cheshire 1 DESPITE an encouraging first half performance Wigan eventually succumbed to the pace of the West Park backs after injuries forced them to switch a forward into the centre. Conceding an early try and penalty, Wigan got back with a penalty try when Lewis Connell was impeded 'in goal', Andy
Whittle slotting the conversion. Park then scored again for a 13-7 lead at the break. Connell and Matty Price were then both forced to withdraw leaving Wigan exposed wide out. Park took full advantage and raced in for five converted tries although Wigan gained some late consolation when Mike Rigby forced his way over. Garstang 13 Orrell 19. S Lancs & Cheshire 2 ORRELL STARTED the new League season, in the
new league Lancashire North away to Garstang, the club they had played and beaten in a cup game the Saturday before. Orrell started well but in giving away a number of penalties the home side opened the scoring with a converted try, going further ahead with a penalty. Orrell still had to defend, only good work by No. 8 Mick Caldwell stopping a Garstang attack as they were held up over the line. Half time Garstang 10 Orrell 0 In the second half as
Garstang lost the ball in what looked a promising attack James Glover picked up and jinked his way through the Garstang defence for a try, converted by Gary Nicholson. Minutes later, from a Garstang overthrow at a line out, Jon Pegg sprinted in for the second, the conversion by Nicholson affording Orrell the lead for the first time. Garstang however continued to have most of the possession with a penalty making it a one point game but Orrell were not to be denied as Tom Halsall collected the restart and from the ruck Pegg and Max Huxley got Louis Whitfield over to seal the win. Wigan 3rd 12 Aspull 123 Raging Bull Div 3N NEWLY-PROMOTED Aspull’s first outing in Division 3 North turned
into a stroll as they soundly thrashed a new Wigan 3rd team at Douglas Valley. The visitors scored at will in a game that did wonders for Aspull’s points difference whilst not yet proving a guide to how the season will pan out for the Emus. Try scorers were: Tom Johnson with 5, Kieran Ford with 3, Michael Webb with 2, Joel Prescott with 2, Nathan Bennett with 2 Aidan Clark and Craig Smith. Conversions by John Silcock. Bolton 4th 12 Orrell St. James 67 Raging Bull Div 5N ORRELL ST JAMES made history on Saturday when they pitched up to Bolton as the first cross code amateur rugby club in Lancashire. The game started with OSJ kicking to Bolton as
Jack McHugh got the season underway. Orrell's defence was robust with the strength and power of the Orrell pack too much for their counterparts and the strong, direct running of the backs tore great holes in the Bolton line. The scoreboard ticked over regularly with tries from Brad Roby (5), Tom Whittle (3), with McHugh and Matt Foy crossing for one each. There was one conversion. Simm did some sterling work in the lineout and the loose for OSJ. WIGAN’S 2nd team got off to a good start in Raging Bull Div 2North with a 51-12 home win over Aldwinians 2nds. Aspull 2nd XV's game vs Colne and Nelson was cancelled at 1-30pm on Saturday as Colne could not raise a team.
Capital stuff as Warriors wow London
WIGAN CHAIRMAN Ian Lenagan must feel like a happy man this week, after his decision to take a big Super 8 fixture on the road was almost entirely vindicated. Against the apparent expectations (and hopes) of many, Wigan ran out 42-16 winners over Catalan Dragons, securing their place in the Super 8 semi-finals and in the process attracting over 8,000 fans to The Den, Millwall FC’s very pleasant south London stadium.
Lenagan is a relaxed and affable chap at the best of times, but even he must have been feeling the pressure last week as the online opposition to the Millwall fixture reached fever pitch. As usual, the bulk of the abuse (and some of it did border on the blatantly abusive) came from a small section of malcontents who seem hell-bent on opposing almost anything different the club tries to do. But it would be untrue to say that the silent majority weren’t also a little bit uneasy, their main fear that such an important fixture might end up playing out in front of only a few hundred spectators, and as such Wigan losing the ‘home advantage’ and maybe the points. In the end, these quite reasonable
fears proved groundless. Wigan’s recent good form continued, and the majority of the Wigan fans – who when the chips are down always seem to prove that they were rightly honoured with the number 18 shirt in the weekly match-day roll-call – turned up in droves (8,101 was the official attendance, a big improvement on the 5,350 that Huddersfield drew to their own very important match against Castleford, and nearly four times the 2,186 that Salford attracted at Halifax) and providing a huge fillip for their team, who can’t have been unaware of the controversy and maybe, possibly, were in some danger of being affected by it. Perhaps on reflection, it wasn’t that much of a gamble for Lenagan. Catalan were hardly likely to bring an army to Wigan. There was more chance they’d bring a few to London, so the away gate was never going to be an issue. By the same token, Wigan fans have proved many times that they’ll travel, especially if it’s to an ‘event’ game – and Lenagan and his marketing team, with a lot of help from Millwall FC, went above and beyond in their efforts to turn this into one such special
remaining fixtures are at home, while two of Leeds’s are away – the latter against Huddersfield and Catalan, who are never easy on their own ground. Despite all the predictable hot air surrounding Leeds’s effortless Wembley win over a jaw-droppingly useless Hull KR outfit, about how the Loiners must now be odds-on to win occasion. But at the end of the day, rather the treble etc, Wigan have suddenly than just having a good day out, this manoeuvred themselves into a position one was more about spreading the from which they can not only launch a word, raising the game’s profile, and bid for the Championship title at Old forging new business links for Trafford, but for the League Leader’s Wigan Warriors (the latter of which, Shield as well. I’m told, is now well underway). Seriously, how nice would it be to In that regard, the whole thing must claim two of those three titles that be regarded as a roaring success. But apparently – according to the usual that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a brave suspects in the media – were the decision by the club. It would be nice Rhinos’ for the taking? now to see others of our leading Super Not that I think this would be in any League names take similar chances in way easy, but week-in and week-out the near future. You’d certainly expect the likes of Wigan are now looking much stronger Leeds and St. Helens to prove a big and more organised than they were draw on foreign fields, but somehow earlier in the season, and they have to I’m not holding my breath in be in with a good chance. anticipation of any such On the subject of improvements, announcements. At least, not at the last weekend was a personal moment. triumph for Matty Bowen, who’s On the subject of Leeds Rhinos, copped some cruel criticism from there is one other big outcome from the terraces this season, but against last weekend’s programme, mainly the Dragons rediscovered the that thanks to the Rhinos losing to electrifying form that made him a Saints, Wigan now have lots more to North Queensland Cowboys regular play for. Even though the Warriors are for 12 years and saw him represent already cemented into the top four, Leeds are only two points ahead, and Queensland 10 times and Australia both clubs still have three matches to once. Another thrilling aspect of the play. Moreover, two of Wigan’s
Millwall performance were the classy touches from George Williams and Oli Gildart, which once again proves that success can be brought from within. This is another area wherein Ian Lenagan’s management team at Wigan Warriors have been slated by certain groups of supporters, and it’s pretty unbelievable when you consider it – for promoting youth rather than signing superstars. Firstly, how many superstars are actually affordable in the age of the Salary Cap? And secondly, how can it be wrong to bring through a conveyor belt of exciting kids? I do agree that you can’t create a top team purely from U21 starlets, and that no club should shy away from signing experience and quality when it’s within reach. I myself have several times this season asked the question is the Wigan playing roster good enough? Well, we’ll know within the next few weeks, but even the most pessimistic Cherry and White would have to admit that it’s suddenly all looking very nice indeed. At some point, it’s just possible the word might finally get out to ALL corners of fandom that Ian Lenagan, who since he’s arrived at Wigan has supervised two victories in the Challenge Cup Final, two victories in the Grand Final and the winning of two League Leader’s Shields, might actually know what he’s doing.
Latics beginning to get their season together
SIX GAMES played, three won, one drawn and two lost. Despite a huge turnaround in playing staff over the past few months, Wigan Athletic are starting to find their feet in League One. Last weekend’s epic finale against Chesterfield exemplified just how far the team has come since last season’s disastrous campaign. The character and desire the players showed to come back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 was well deserving of the three points. The fact we scored all three goals in the final nine minutes made the victory even sweeter!! The performance in the last 15 minutes
was a joy to behold. It was almost as though the swagger we played with during the glory days of Paul Jewell had returned – Caldwell deserves massive amounts of credit for getting the team to perform with their hearts on their sleeves. The young players on the pitch didn’t let their heads drop when we were two goals down; they got stuck in and showed great character to turn the match around.
The man who got the winner, Huddersfield Town loanee Jordy Hiwula, seems like a cracking player and made an instant impact on his debut. If we play like that for the rest of the season we might just achieve David Sharpe’s target of “smashing the league with 100 points”. I was also massively impressed with the Latics’ dealings in the transfer market before the window slammed shut last
week. My pick of the deadline day signings was Slovenian international Haris Vuckic, on loan from Newcastle. Vuckic will be a massive signing for us having already had massive success with spells at Rotherham and Rangers. He’ll add extra firepower alongside the impressive duo of Craig Davies and Will Grigg. Jack Hendry and Andy Kellett also look like impressive young footballers, with the former being transferred to Wigan from Partick Thistle for a club record of £250,000. However, the most exciting thing so far this season has been the standard of our performances at the DW.
Our results there last season were
absolutely dire so it’s nice to see
impressive results already against the likes of Scunthorpe and Crewe.
We need to make the DW into a place
where visiting teams fear to come and it
looks like we’re on the way to doing just that. If we continually perform at home it’ll give us a massive edge over our opponents throughout the season.
Overall, it seems like things are going quite well so far. Let’s hope it continues. Up the ‘tics!
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