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February 2018 · Issue 226

TELFORD AND WELLINGTON’S

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INSIDE The Cinderloo Affair - why we should remember Tom Palin of nts Gia Gia nts yof le DDaw awley , places and ple Peo Peo ple, pla cesped and that hel eve events nts tha helain ped shapetBrit shape Britain

Augmented reality dinos aurs seen at Enginuity

WILDLIFE

HALF TERM 19 - 23 FEBR UARY

With local photographer Tim Preston

WIN FISH & CHIPS!!

MOTORING

Heritage View (Wrekin News Banner) W-C 22.01.18_Layout 1 26/01/2018 14:39 Page 1

PRIZES

YOUR LETTERS

don’t miss out! This is your last chance to buy an award winning new home at Heritage View. Be one of the lucky few and reserve your’s now.

www.lioncourthomes.com 1 Front Page.indd 1

Heritage View, Sommerfeld Road, Hadley, Telford, TF1 5RY

Help to Buy

29/01/2018 20:27

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News PLEASE TAKE YOUR COPY

February 2018 · Issue 226

THE REGION’S FAVOURITE MAGAZINE

01952

50 10 50

TAXIS, BUSINESS ACCOUNTS, www.gocarz.co.u k

HALF TERM FUN AND IDEAS

AIRPORTS

Or download the easy to use APP for priority booking!

INSIDE

The Cinderloo Affair - why we should remember Tom Palin Giants Giantsofof Dawley Dawley People, places and People, places helped and events eventsthat thatBritain helped shape shape Britain

Augmen reality dinoted saurs seen at Enginui ty

WILDLIFE

HALF TERM 19 FEBRU23 ARY

With local photographer Tim Preston Heritage View (Wrekin

WIN FISH & 1CHIPS!! 26/01/2018 14:39 MOTORING Page 1

News Banner) W-C 22.01.18_Layout

PRIZES

YOUR LETTERS

don’t miss out! This is your last chance to buy an award winning new home at Heritage View. Be one of the lucky few and reserve your’s now.

www.lioncourthome

s.com

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1 Front Page.indd 1

29/01/2018 20:27

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Tel: 01952 522562 Fax: 01952 522567 Editor: James Baylis james@plus2media.co.uk Editorial Support: Tania Baylis tania@plus2media.co.uk Publisher & Design: James Baylis Contributing Photographer: Malcolm Couzens Contributing writer: Dwayne Forrester

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A thoughtful collection of timeless kiloverbs written by the wrekin’s favourite columnist

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Anthony Carline

24/04/2017 12:27

ROUND THE WREKIN IN KILOVERBS

Here are 1,000 thoughts for under a tenner! 01/12/2016 13:11

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Read the memories of a well-known Wellington man who has watched the world change over the last ninety years. People, shops, homes, cars, schools, clothes and especially communications have all greatly altered over the years. Few things are as they used to be. Was it better or worse back in the ‘Good Old Days’? Can you imagine the lives of your own ancestors? Here’s a book written by someone who lived through and can remember the changes to ordinary people. Can you imagine going into the market with your Saturday penny to buy a wonderful toy from Peacock’s Penny Bazaar? A penny for your thoughts?

BY GEORGE EVANS

To subscribe to Wrekin News please call Tania Baylis on 01952 522562

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02 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 2, 3 Welcome.indd 1

29/01/2018 21:26

Welcome Tel: 01952 522562 · james@plus2media.co.uk

Welcome to the February issue of Wrekin News!

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ELLO everyone and welcome to the February issue of your favourite local lifestyle magazine Wrekin News. I hope you enjoy the articles, letters and features inside and please remember to tell our advertisers were you saw their advert. Our letters pages are once again bursting at the seams with some wonderful contributions from plenty of our regular scribes. However we are always on the lookout for more of your memories, stories and pictures so please do find the time to sit down and share your memories with us no matter how old or young you are - we are waiting to hear from you! You don’t have to write an essay or a novel, just a few paragraphs and maybe if you have a picture available you could send that too. (All pictures can be scanned and returned to you). If you prefer we can write your story for you! Call Tania on 01952 522562 to make the arrangements. Once again our January issue was full of some great competitions and prizes and we offer our congratulations to the following winners: Sandra Perkins from Church Aston who won tickets to see the Johnny Cash Roadshow at The Place. Congratulations to Martin Stamp from Hadley who won the tickets to see Chicago Blues Brothers at Theatre Severn. Wendy Gregory from Apley was the very lucky winner of the Ironbridge Gorge annual family pass. Jennifer Bradley from Albrighton won the family ticket to see the Aladdin Panto at the Little Theatre. Whilst our two Odeon Cinema winners were Aileen Ward from Bratton and Christine Lewis from Admaston, we hope you all enjoy your prizes! Once again we would like to thank all of our kind sponsors who support the magazine by offering the fantastic prizes that you can win each month... If you have a story to tell or want some help from our readers with some local history then please do get in touch, the Wrekin News continues to be the number one local resource for printing your letters and memories and keeping people throughout our community connected!

THE LION

I hope you enjoy the issue..

Ja m e s

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2, 3 Welcome.indd 2

29/01/2018 21:17

Win Fish & Chips

Victorian Fryer

Furnace Lane Trench Telford Tel: 01952 618123

Wrekin News has teamed up with the Victorian Fryer of Trench to offer one lucky reader the chance to win fish & chips for four! To enter send your name, address and daytime telephone number to: Tania Baylis, Wrekin News, Fish & Chips, Bridge Road, Wellington, Telford TF1 1RY. Or email your entry to: tania@plus2media. co.uk - closing date for entries is Thursday 22 February 2018 - Good luck!

Albrighton & Cosford Community First Responders motor forward with £25k fundraising appeal

GROUP of medically trained volunteers that save lives in Shropshire have kick-started a major fundraising drive to purchase a new response vehicle. The Albrighton & Cosford Community First Responders, which have been operating since 2004, are looking to local individuals, community groups and businesses to back an appeal that could help them deliver more lifesaving treatment at the scene. They have already secured over £4000 towards the ﬁnal target of £25,000, which will cover the purchase of a 4x4 vehicle (ideal for accessing farmland and country roads), navigation and communication systems and essential ﬁrst aid equipment.

Dave Fitton, Stuart MorganWilliams, Phil Kenny, Derek Mattinson and Craig Jones are the five volunteers that not only give up their own time to offer this essential service, but currently also have to operate in their own cars. “With the Ambulance Service stretched to the max, we can often be the first medical specialist on the scene of an emergency and, in serious cases, this can be the difference between life and death,” explained Craig, who works full-time for the RAF. “The first few minutes are critical, where even simple medical intervention - performed as soon as possible - can save lives and prevent disability. This is why we want the best possible chance of getting to all

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First Responders (l-r) Dave Fitton, Stuart Morgan-Williams, Derek Mattinson and Craig Jones locations in our catchment area and need a vehicle that is reliable and able to store all of our equipment.” He continued: “We’ve worked out we need £25,000, which we appreciate is a lot of money. However, the initial response has been great and we are currently finalising a number of events that will help us hopefully reach our target.” Albrighton & Cosford Community First Responders carry immediate lifesaving equipment, such as defibrillators and oxygen and are all trained to the recently launched Ambulance Service Community First Response national qualification. This means they can carry out CPR, stop blood loss and help with breathing issues, as well as dealing with falls, sprains and potential broken bones. The current response area is primarily Albrighton and Cosford, although they do also cover the local hamlets of Badger, Beckbury, Ryton and Tong. Dave Fitton, Chairman, continued: “So far we have received kind donations from previous patients,

their families, the Albrighton Traders Association, the RAF and our two local councils. This has taken us past the £4000 mark, but there’s a long way to go and we need the community to really get behind us. He concluded: “Local employers can also get involved by sponsoring the car or by choosing us as their charity of the year. There are even some limited opportunities to have branding on the response vehicle when we purchase it.” The Albrighton & Cosford Community First Responders are always looking for committed individuals to join their ranks and to extend the hours they can offer a service. Recruitment is run by the West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) and full training is provided. For individuals or companies looking to back the appeal, please contact Dave Fitton on 07450 658078/Craig Jones on 07450 491148 or email cfralbrighton@gmail.com. The JustGiving page is https:// www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ cfralbrighton

04 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 4 News.indd 1

29/01/2018 18:20

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23/12/2017 09:20

Millie’s great adventure

E live in Shrewsbury, and on December 29th my son Joe said “Dad how about we take the dogs up the Wrekin and Paul and Jane try and look for the missing dog Ruthworth write to called Teddy”? thank everyone “Yes ok” I heard myself reply. who helped in the Little did I know that the next seven days and six nights was to be the longest week of our lives! search around the We walked up the Wrekin with our two dogs off Wrekin for their the lead, each time they would come back everytime missing dog we whistled… then 300 yards from the top, they took Millie off down towards the firing range and that was the last we saw of them! Mazy (our Beagle) was found at Wrekin Farm and taken to the vets in Wellington, we picked her up the same night… however Millie, our very nervous Parsons Jack Russell was nowhere to be seen. The Shropshire Prostate We have had both dogs for four years, Millie was a rescue dog and cancer group recently had been harshly treated when she was a puppy, she is very nervous dontated £4,000 to local of people, so how on earth could she survive the night out on her own groups. with foxes on the prowl, not to mention the cold? The line up from left The power of Facebook put us in touch with 100’s of dog lovers all to right shows: Dennis eager to help look for Millie. We have made some wonderful friends, Briggs (chairman of and throughout the next seven days and six nights, where we hardly SPCSG), Charlie Miller slept; our friends and family and the people of Shropshire were on (president of Ironbridge the lookout and searched all over the Wrekin for our little dog, 10-12 and Severn Gorge hours a day. Lions), Ian Bolingbroke She fooled everyone by eventually appearing eight miles away in (Treasurer of SPCSG), Madeley. On the final morning I drove with Jane towards the latest Ann Lovatt (Joint Secretary) and Kath Pagett (Joint Secretary). sighting, and I remember saying on the way, “look shes been in the The money will be used for a future free testing evening helping to wild now for a week, she might bite us.” We tracked her down to diagnose Prostate Cancer. Recent PSA test evening carried out in Newport a school field, we had to get the Headteacher to unlock the gate, and Madeley attracted over 700 men, at Madley 15% of men were flagged and we walked around the field with Mazy the Beagle getting more up as having abnormal PSA counts. Lives are being saved as a direct result excited with every step. We stopped by a hedge full of brambles, of these blood tests for prostate Cancer. I peered in and saw something white “Millie”?.. Jane dropped to her knees in the wet grass, Millie crawled out and straight into Janes arms… it was just like a film! Everyone was crying, the teacher was crying, even a 6ft tattooed bloke with three teeth was crying! We had found her! Thankyou to the people of Shropshire (and especially my sister Julie) for all your help! Millie is now a very famous dog in fact she wont go out of the house without wearing dark sunglasses!

Shropshire Prostate Cancer Support Group

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Wrekin News has teamed up with GB Dog Training to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a dog training session with Gavin and a dog lead. All you have to do to enter is send your name, address and daytime number to: Tania Baylis, Wrekin News, Dog Training, Bridge Road, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1RY. Or email your entry to: tania@plus2media.co.uk - closing date for entries is Thursday 22 February 2018 - good luck!

06 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 6 News.indd 1

29/01/2018 17:12

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28/01/2018 12:21

George

EVANS

My Market mates W

ELLINGTON market is a great place, constantly changing with the times and yet having some stallholders who have been serving customers for several generations. I first went there in a pram, ninety years ago and my early memories include Peacock’s Penny Bazaar which sold toys for a penny and a character who sold china after smashing a few crocks to get a crowd round him. Over the years many of the traders have become old mates and this article is about some of them. Unfortunately there’s not enough room for all the stallholders who have become my friends and I must apologise to those who should be here but are left out. Maybe I’ll squeeze them into another article some time. On the way in from Walker Street, just past Allan’s Camera Shop, where he now sells wonderful fireworks, is a new paint stall, Rainbow, where the young chap is building a fascinating collection of paints and the tools to go with them. Then there’s an Indian clothes shop that’s just ending forty years of trading; that’s a pity. Across Rowland Gate in the outside market are a most efficient watch and phone stall, where I’ve often bought things and a lovely lady who sold me ribbons to tie on a tree on The Wrekin. Graham sells repaired vacuum cleaners (good ones, I know) and is extremely helpful, with Raj, his Sikh neighbour, who’s a specialist in bespoke kitchen furniture and also a skilled musician. There are many stalls here that were operated by the Baker family for three generations; their move to a shop in New Street has created a big hole that’s being gradually filled. I wish the new traders the best of luck. Inside is an underwear and nighty stall; I’m wearing some of her briefs. ‘Margaret the Eggs’ is a regular character and we often exchange chat and jokes as well as eggs and cash. Only on Thursdays there’s what was the WI stall selling jam, marmalade and cakes. The stall is taken on Saturdays by the Clifton Cinema group, who have my best hopes of success. Then there’s ‘Up in Smoke’ where I get my regular ‘fix’ of Pensioners’ Mix tobacco. Kevin spends a lot of time walking and running on The Wrekin. Opposite Kevin’s baccy stall is Dave who’s taken over from his dad selling picture frames and tools. Most

ROUND THE KIN WRE THEIN UNDVER ROKILO BS IN WREK INS B K ILOVER

ROUND THE WREKIN IN KILOVERBS - A new book by George Evans is OUT NOW . . . man who has watched Read the memories of a well-known Wellington years. the world change over the last ninety and especially People, shops, homes, cars, schools, clothes over the years. hed in the communications have all greatly altered watcback has worse better whoor to be. Wasn itman Few things are as they usedn Well ingto know Days’? ‘Good Old s. of a wellyear ty of ancestors? own memories imagine your es especiallyHere’s a book lives thenine and the last Read the Cangeyou changes ols, cloth cans.remember the andyear chan over throughthe scholived in the cars, who by someone the world written s, homes, greatly altered over worse back or shop er le, people. Peop to ordinary Was it bett penny ons have all used to be. into the market with your Saturday you imagine going communicatiCan ’s a book A penny for s are as they ? Here Bazaar? Penny Peacock’s Few thing ancestors buy a’?wonderful toy from toDays the changes of your own and can remember lives ‘Good Old your the thoughts? ine ugh y lived thro Can you imag one whoare tenner! aSatu rday penn 1,000 thoughts for under some Here y for with your written by people. ar? A penn the market to ordinary imagine going into Penny Baza ock’s from Peac Can you derful toy er! to buy a won ? under a tenn ghts your thou thoughts for 1,000 are Here

ROU D UNND ROTHE E THEKI WR N WREINK IN IN KILOVERBS S KILOVERB

Published by Plus two media limited publishers of wrekin news

by Published media limited Plus twowrekin news of publishers

£8.99

A thoughtful of l collection A thoughtfu kiloverbs tion of timeless collec byverbs written eless kilo tim by Wellington writt’senvery y own gton’s ver llinGeorge We Evans own George Evans

Evans Evans George By By George

13/12/2017

13:48

13/12/2017 13:48

£8.99

Front Cover Section.indd 1

LARTER JAMES BAYLIS DESIGNED BY ILLUSTRATION BY JON FRONT COVER

Front Cover

Section.indd

See page 21 for more information of the many pictures on walls and windowsills at my home came from there and, like many other market traders, he couldn’t be more helpful. Roger Maddox’s family greengrocery stalls have sold excellent food at low prices for generations, some of it home grown. At the shoe repairs and key stall there is a genius who has solved problems for me. The Army Surplus stall is fascinating and I’ve bought clothing from here which is sound and very wearable. Just outside is Aladdin’s Cave, an amazing collection of household tools and such, which Mark ﬁnds easily, often hanging from the ceiling. Tell him what you want the thing to do and he’ll produce three different versions. That includes kitchen or alarm clocks, whisky or wine glasses, saucepans, frying pans, clothes horses and anti-slip

bath mats. Then there’s Stuart whose stall is called Rosemary after his mother. He sells curtains and had some chairarm protectors custom-made for me. He’s also a skilled rescue worker at weekends. Near Stuart are several stalls of books run by Rob, who has expanded from a tiny stall to a great place for browsers. Unfortunately Rob doesn’t sell new books as he has the only book shop in Wellington. He is very good at matching books to readers as I have found. When I started writing local history, needing to know more about the general subject, I went to him and the library. Rob is highly recommended to bibliophiles. Over in what used to be called the

The Wrekin’s favourite columnist! 8, 9 George Evans.indd 1

29/01/2018 11:58

Help at Hand is celebrating its 14th year in service

We have offered this excellent service since 2004 which has assisted hundreds of elderly people to continue to live independently in their own homes by helping with general household tasks, visiting service, grocery shopping, laundry, ironing, and cleaning internal windows. The client has the same support worker each time who are DBS checked and are trained to deliver a professional, friendly service. This is what some of our clients have said about the service: Very happy with our support worker, she comes in every week to help with housework and ironing. Mr W –Wellington I am very pleased with the Help at Hand Service and am very happy with my support worker, she works hard when she is here and nothing is too much trouble, she is an absolute gem and a credit to your service. Mr R - Sutton hill Very pleased with the cover support worker I had while my regular support worker was on holiday; she was very helpful and polite. Mrs T -Stirchley I would like to say how happy I am with your service. I have had a couple of different support workers in the past and all of them are very helpful, polite and trustworthy. Many thanks, I would not know what I would do without the help from your service. Mrs W-Wellington Thank you to my support worker she does a really good job and such a lovely lady. Mr T-Ketley. If you think this service would help you around your home or you know of someone who would be interested please call the ofﬁce on 01952 380924 for a free quote or to arrange a free home visit to discuss the service further.

potato market (for the obvious reasons) has been for over forty years a large clothing stall owned by Mr Sodhi, who has now retired. It seems to have been taken over and is the same size. I hope it’ll survive. The nearby rug stall is fascinating. Back inside, after the big cake stall, is David, the relatively new computer man. Lots of people nowadays quickly change their computers and smartphones as soon as a newer version arrives and David is very skilled at rejuvenating their old ones and making them reusable. ‘Are they guaranteed?’ you may ask. Well, like all our market traders, David lives on his reputation and that’s the guarantee; it’s better than a legal one. In our market customers are much more important than in multiple shops and trading is all done on a personal basis. Before buying anything from David I

asked around and found he had done a good job for a friend, so I went to him for help and have been several times since then. The shoe stall has expanded a lot over the years and now seems to take up ﬁve or six units, selling shoes, slippers and boots for almost everyone. I’ve been known several times to go there and say, “A new pair like these I’m wearing, size 10 please.” They’re always quick to serve, knowledgeable and friendly. No wonder they have prospered. Opposite them is the big sweet stall selling everything between liquorice boot laces like I bought for a farthing before the war to the latest kids’ fads and including some extra strong mints I’m fond of. Lesley’s Larder annoys me; she sells the most beautiful cheeses and I love them, but they give me belly ache so I can’t eat them. Good luck to those who can, it’s a lovely stall.

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8, 9 George Evans.indd 2

29/01/2018 11:58

YOUR WELLINGTON

Christmas dinner for the homeless “On Christmas day, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Glebe Street, Wellington, came together to serve the community and provide Christmas Dinner to the homeless and to those who may have been on their own at this special time of year. Around thirty meals were served throughout the day, and a warm welcoming atmosphere was enjoyed by all. The first sittings were preceded by a small carol service, organised by the members, which lifted the spirits of all who attended. Thanks to the hard work of the local Council and local charities, no-one was left homeless on Christmas day and so twenty additional meals were served into trays and delivered to shelters in the Telford area. The members of the Church would like to thank Authentic Hogroasts, Cherrington Farm Butchers, Ken Francis Butchers, Shropshire Vending Services, Telford Stags Walking Football Club, and Smithfield Traditional Fish & Chips for their generous donations towards the running of the “Soup Kitchen”. We would also like to thank Dawn Collins from the KIP Project in Wellington for all her assistance and advice in organising the event, and a special thank you to all the volunteers (both members of the Church and the local community) who gave their time to serve those in need. Plans are already being drawn up to hold this event again in 2018 and in future years and the members of the Church are looking into other opportunities to serve the community throughout the upcoming year.”

Telford’s Inspirational Woman of the Year Award 2018 There are women who inspire us through their achievements, their commitment and their wonderful personalities. This year we are pleased to pay tribute to these inspirational women in Telford. If you know an inspirational woman who has demonstrated a selfless contribution, made a significant difference to an individual or group, or succeeded against the odds, you can nominate them to receive the Telford’s Inspirational Woman Award 2018. She could be a colleague, a friend, a neighbour, a family member or a woman you just know about and admire. Please use the following link: www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk/event/telfords-internationalwomens-day-and-woman-of-the-year-award-2018/ to obtain a nomination form and return by the 26th February 2018.

The latest news and events from Wellington Town Council

International Women’s Day March 8th will see Wellington Town Council’s first International Women’s Day event. The format of the day will be as follows: ● 10.30am - 10.45am - Key Speaker ● 10.45am - 12.00pm - 2 Workshops - attendees can choose which one they prefer: ● ‘Everybody’s Doing Social Media - Get Your Strategy Sorted’ by Hollie Whittles. ● ‘Love curves’ Nina Blakemore Curve Ambassador ● 12.00pm - 12.45pm - Networking & Lunch ● 12.45pm - 14.15pm ‘From Crazy to Calm’ A workshop for modern women by Helen Leathers. ● 14.15pm - 14.25pm Break. ● 14.25pm - 15.00pm Announcement of the Winner(s) of the Inspirational Woman of the Year Award.

Tickets The event is being held at the Wellington Civic offices. Tickets are £15.00pp and can be obtained at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/wellington-town-council

www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk 10, 11 Wellington Town Council DPS.indd 1

29/01/2018 09:53

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11 Adverts.indd 1

29/01/2018 11:38

History group make final plea as book nears completion

EMBERS of a history group in Telford have made a final plea for information to help them complete a book. Wellington Remembers 1914-1918 would like to hear from anyone with information, stories, photographs, or descendants of the 184 commemorated on the Lych Gate at All Saints Church in Wellington. They are also appealing for anyone else who is interested in the project and volunteers who would be willing to help search for final pieces of information. Mary Rogers, of the group, said the project is reaching an exciting climax. She said: “After receiving Heritage Lottery Funding we have spent many months pouring over war diaries, census details and listening to the stories of local people and we have now reached the stage of completing a first draft of the book. “Before we publish the long awaited book, we are making one final push for information to enhance the stories.” The group have written biographies for most of the names listed, including one woman, Laura Birch who worked at Shawbury for a short time before being killed in a motor accident. They have no information on three of the names - D E Shuker, B I Thomas and A Thomas of machine gun corp, but A Thomas is believed to be a duplicate. “We need to get this all compiled as soon as possible,” Mary added. “It has been a huge undertaking for this small group of dedicated volunteers. “We are all very passionate about the project and excited to reach the stage we have - we are just urgently searching for the final pieces of the puzzle.” Wellington Remembers 1914-1918 has some photographs but would like to find better quality images if possible. Using their £9,500 grant the not for profit group will employ a

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professional proofreader to ensure the document is of high quality. The project will produce both digital and a limited number of hard copies of the biographies. If you believe you can help please contact the group on wellingtonremembers@outlook.com, call 07944 435 978, search for Wellington Remembers 1914-1918 on Facebook or visit wellingtonremembers.wordpress.com. You can also post documents to the group using the address Wellington Remembers c/o The Old Granary, Limekiln Lane, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 9EZ.

Sweet creations and much more! When I asked Debbie Baxter about opening her ﬁrst premises, she said; ‘I don’t know where to start!’ Well, after spending time with the new occupier at 19 Tan Bank Wellington, you soon realise this is a lady who likes to work hard and doesn’t let anything stop her from making her business a success. From starting out on Facebook, Debbie has grown her business making bespoke sweetie and chocolate bouquets for any occasion. Sweet cones for all, including children’s parties, baby showers, weddings and hen parties. To now opening the doors on her ﬁrst premises. ‘I make wedding favours with many choices of sweets, ranging from toffee, fudge, Haribo, sugar almonds or the popular Ferro Roche.’ ‘We hire out sweet glassware with accessories, with the option to have the sweets at an additional cost. Or you can hire the candy table that comes with everything

including personalised bags. As with all our orders, if anyone in your group has any special dietary requirements please let us know, so we can cater for them.’ Including Moo Free, Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian and Diabetic. D’s Sweet Creations and Gifts for all occasions, opened on 12 December, with the aim of offering occasional gifts and all the accessories needed, cards, wrapping paper etc., for a one stop shop that offers you the opportunity to give a unique gift that shows thought, care and love. For all those special occasions and life moments, birthdays, weddings, baptism, holy communions, anniversaries, births, and seasonal gifts for all, make Debbie your ﬁrst and only place to go. Let D’s Sweet Creations open the way to stress free gift buying! For more information call 01952 258272.

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12 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 12 News.indd 1

29/01/2018 21:43

Win tickets to see Cinderella! The Crown Players Presents

CINDERELLA At the Charlton School Wellington Monday 19th - Saturday 24th February 2018 Monday - Thursday 7.30pm Friday 6pm Saturday 1pm & 6pm Tickets: Adults £6.50 Children/OAP £3.50 Family (2 adults & 2 children) £18.00 For tickets call Julie on 01952 240621 or 07538 035737 Or email: thecrownplayers@gmail.com ALL PROFITS WILL BE DONATED TO SEVERN HOSPICE

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Wrekin News has teamed up with The Crown Players to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a Family ticket to see Cinderella! All you have to do to enter is send your name, address and daytime telephone number to: Tania Baylis, Wrekin News, Cinderella, Bridge Road, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1RY or email your entry details to: tania@plus2media.co.uk - closing date for entries is Thursday 15 February 2018, so please get your entries in quickly and good luck!

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13 Adverts.indd 1

29/01/2018 13:16

ADVERTORIAL

News from your hospitals Bringing you updates from The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH):

Unique sculpture to mark the NHS 70th year A unique sculpture to mark the 70th year of the NHS will be unveiled at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust’s (SaTH) annual Fun Day – thanks to a special partnership with the British Ironwork Centre.

HE Centre, which is based on the A5 between Oswestry and Shrewsbury, has agreed to make a striking sculpture using obsolete hospital equipment to celebrate 70 years of the NHS – and both organisations are now calling on you, the people the NHS belongs to, to come up with design ideas. Old pieces of equipment that can no longer be used or repaired include: obsolete blood pressure monitors, parts of hospital beds, surgical hands, microscopes, a former anaesthetic machine, a broken dialysis machine and wheelchairs. Anyone with ideas for the sculpture should contact us via www.sath.nhs.uk/nhs70 before Friday 16 February. Every suggestion will be discussed by a panel from SaTH and the British Ironwork Centre before a final design is created and unveiled at SaTH’s Charity Fun Day. The NHS – one of the nation’s most loved institutions – is turning 70 on 5 July 2018. SaTH will hold a special NHS 70 Charity Fun Day on Saturday 7 July at the Shropshire Education Centre at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Richard Jones, Senior Communications Specialist at SaTH, was the man who originally floated the idea of working with the British Ironwork Centre to create a sculpture to mark the landmark. He said: “I have known the team at the British Ironwork Centre for many years, and having been involved in a number of exciting projects with them in the past, I knew they would be the perfect partners to create something that reflects how passionate we all are about the NHS.” Clive Knowles, Owner and Chairman of the British Ironwork Centre, said: “We are delighted to be working with SaTH to create a stunning sculpture to mark the 70th anniversary of the NHS. “We want to create something that stands the test of time and not only reflects our love for the NHS but also the kind, caring and hard-working people who work in the organisation throughout Shropshire. “A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and became seriously ill, and although I have now put that behind me it has given me great empathy with the NHS and with hospitals generally. I was in hospital for three months – first at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and then at The Christie in Manchester – and I will always be grateful for the care I got from our National Health Service.”

Pictured with obsolete hospital equipment is, from left, Clive Knowles, Ian Morris-Jones (SaTH’s Logistics Manager) and Nigel Watkinson (Medical Engineering Manager).

The sculpture will be created by Luke Kite, an extremely talented artist from Shropshire. The British Ironwork Centre has several examples of his work on display in their showrooms and they always prove popular with visitors. Clive added: “Charity work and community engagement runs through every ﬁbre of our business, it is at the very heart of what we do, so we were delighted to take up this opportunity to work with our local acute hospital Trust.” Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Governance, met with Mr Knowles this week to discuss the project, and said she was extremely grateful for their support in agreeing to make the statue free of charge. “We have big plans when it comes to celebrating the 70th anniversary of the NHS so to have a sculpture created, with input from the people we serve, is really very special. “It is also great that the sculpture will make use of obsolete hospital equipment which otherwise would be sent to scrap. SaTH takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously and therefore I am delighted we are recycling old equipment and reducing the amount of waste that potentially goes to landﬁll. “We want people to get in touch by submitting their ideas via www.sath.nhs.uk/nhs70 by Friday 16 February and tell us ‘what one image you think best celebrates the NHS?’ “We are so grateful to the British Ironwork Centre for their support and look forward to working with them on this exciting project.”

Family Ties Genealogy

Wills are valuable to family researchers

NLY the wealthiest made wills in Anglo Saxon England, when will making began; by the Middle Ages more modest people began to write wills, although farmers and urban craftsmen only began leaving wills during Tudor times. Labourers and poorer people did not generally make wills, even in later times, as property transmission was usually a straightforward process. Before 1750 undisputed wills were unproved, saving the expense of taking the will to probate; unfortunately these were unrecorded and so lost to us. Before the 1858 Probate Act passed probate powers to the High Court, probate was decided by ecclesiastical courts. Wills are valuable to family researchers, sometimes detailing family members and relationships, or giving the names of married children and their spouses. Occupation, land and property owned may be detailed and even an inventory of goods included, giving valuable insight into how people lived. Adult children may not be mentioned, or may only receive a small legacy, having received their share as a marriage portion. Interests of younger children were often safeguarded in the will, because should their widowed mother remarry, property automatically belonged to their new spouse, until the Married Women’s Property Act of the 1800s. Widows and spinsters made wills, although until 1882, a married woman could only do so with the permission of her husband. Before 1837 a will could be made by any male over the age of 14, and female over the age of 12; after 1837 a testator had to be over the age of 21.

14 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 14 News NHS.indd 1

29/01/2018 11:52

Loyalty card scheme Pay for 8 cuts and get the 9 th FREE!

Family Ties Genealogy We are family history researchers with a joint 50 years experience. As we are located in Shropshire, we have easy access to local Shropshire records, which are not online, located at Shropshire Archives, and in our local libraries, for those looking to research parish records and records pre 1837.

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29/01/2018 11:32

The Cinderloo Affair - why we should remember Tom Palin O

NE of the spectators called out in an affectionate Dawley manner, “Ow bist Tom?”. The executioner lifted the cape which he had already been drawn over Tom’s eyes who turned towards the place where the shout had come from, recognising the person in the crowd he nodded. After a few seconds, the drop fell. Tom suffered intensely being seen to struggle for the space of five minutes and after hanging the body was cut down and given to his friends. Tom Palin was tried and hung for riotous assembly and remaining after the riot act was read following the ‘Cinderloo riots’ that took place at Old Park, near Thomas Telford school, on 1st February 1821. Little is known of Tom who appears to have played a major role in organising and standing up to the mine and furnace owners who were trying to reduce the wages of the miners at a time of severe hardship and poverty for the working-class communities of the Dawley coal fields. The story of Cinderloo is not widely known other than the court proceedings recorded in the local press and the excellent account written by Paul Sherry http://www. dawleyheritage.co.uk/DawleyBook.pdf . But nearly 200 years on it feels like a good time to try and find out more about Tom and what lead to his execution at the hands of the local establishment. It is a tale explaining the relationship between capital and labour and the punishments that faced those who stood up for their class and the powers that the ruling class have at their disposal to deal with those that challenged injustice. The story is taken up by a Mr William Turner, clerk to the magistrates who said he accompanied the magistrates and Shropshire Yeomanry to Cinder-hill, where he saw about 500 men on the hills and 1500 men and women supporters gathered beneath them. Along with Messers Eyton, Cludde, Edward Cludde, Charlton and Childe of Wrockwardine all of them magistrates and 2 of them officers in the Cavalry they spent about a quarter of an hour remonstrating with the crowd on their conduct. As they didn’t disperse silence was called for so that the riot act could be read by Mr Eyton. This only led to the crowd becoming angrier. The crowd, had armed themselves with a variety of weapons – sticks, bludgeons and the raw materials of the cinder hills themselves and had the temporary advantage of elevation. They were agitated, angry and threatening, shouting ‘We will have our wages.’ After the hour had passed the leader of the Yeomanry, Lieutenant Colonel Cludde, commanded the cavalry to advance to break up the crowd and ordered that the ringleaders and any rowdy protesters be arrested. The constables arrested two men Hayward and Hassall, and others were taken into custody by the constables who attempted to transport them to the lock-up at Wellington. This was the catalyst for violence. The colliers on the cinder hills nearest the road rained down stones, heavy lumps of slag and anything else that came to hand, showering the troops below. Several of the crowd shouted “Yonder they are, let us get together. If we are to fight for it, let’s all get together” Tom Palin successfully led a group to free the arrested strikers. This seemed to create panic in the ranks of the Yeomanry, who were unable to pursue them up the steep, treacherous slag heaps. Lieutenant Colonel Cludde ordered his men to open fire. The consequences were serious. One miner, 18-year-old William Bird, was killed outright.

With its 200th anniversary approaching Wrekin News reader Pete Jackson has put together a Kiloverb (1000 words) on the Cinderloo Affair drawing on newspaper articles from the time and inspired by the publication of George Evans’ new book reviewed in last month’s edition.

GiGainatnstsofof wwley DDaa ley le, places and opop PePe le, pl edd lpan hees thatac en ev eventsts that heitain Br lp e ed ap sh shape Britain

Another, Thomas Gittins, was mortally wounded. Tom Palin received a gunshot wound, as did several other strikers and spectators. Although it was said that many of the Yeomanry were also injured from flying debris from the cinder hills, it seemed from later testaments that most of their wounds were insignificant. On the 6th February, an inquest into the deaths of Bird and Gittins returned a verdict of justifiable homicide and more protesters were arrested in the days and weeks that followed the battle. Nine of the prisoners were tried before Salop Assizes on 25 March 1821: Christopher North, John Payne, James Eccleshall, John Grainger, Robert Wheeler,

16 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 16, 17 Pete Jackson.indd 1

29/01/2018 09:20

Wildlife . . . around the Wrekin

with Tim Preston A Kingfisher photographed by Tim at Tee Lake in Wellington

> Pete Jackson’s artist impression of Tom Palin.

John Amies, and John Wilcox pleaded guilty to the minor charge of common law riot, and were sentenced each to nine months imprisonment, with hard labour. Tom Palin and Sam Hayward were condemned at the Shrewsbury Assizes for riotous assembly, remaining after the riot act was read and injuring the iron works and were found guilty of felonious riot and condemned for execution. Hayward was subsequently reprieved. The proprietor of the Old Park furnace works and other local dignitaries attempted to have the sentence rescinded but Tom’s fate was deemed necessary to make him an example of the consequences of standing up for workers’ rights. On 7th April Tom Palin mounted the scaffold in what was described as an ‘intrepid manner’, sat himself down for a few moments and appeared to gaze unconsciously at the dreadful apparatus of death in front of him. He rose and resigned himself into the hands of the executioner. Piecing together the story of Tom Palin you are struck by the lack of detail recorded of the events leading up to cinder hill and the personality and motivation of Tom and his fellow workers that lead them to attempt to take on the local mine and furnace owners. Whilst the family back grounds of the other participants like the Cluddes, Foresters and the Charltons, the industrialists like Thomas Botfield have memorials and records of their ancestry going back generations. Tom Palin has no painting, no statute or even a written acknowledgement for the ultimate sacrifice he made fighting for the rights of the common people of the Dawley coalfield.

A passion for the great outdoors, wildlife and photography combined

FEEL extremely privileged to be writing this Wrekin News column. I thoroughly enjoy flicking through the pages each month and I do love reading George’s articles. “So, who am I?” I’m Tim Preston, I have lived in Wellington for 15 years. It’s such a fantastic little town. “What am I doing here?” Well, this column has arisen from my three passions in life, excluding my family of course, they’re being outdoors, photography and wildlife. It’s great I can combine all three and I feel honoured to be able to share it with you on a regular basis. In our glorious county we are lucky enough to have superb habitats that are home to an abundance of wildlife. We have everything from the Goldcrest, our smallest bird, through to larger mammals such as Fallow Deer. The Pine Marten which was presumed extinct in England has recently been discovered in Shropshire too. Each month I’ll endeavour to share our local wildlife with you. I’ll let you know the kind of equipment I’m using, camera settings and the type of habitat you can find the species in. As an introduction I’d like to share these two photos. A Kingfisher from Tee Lake in Wellington and the Otter was on the River Tern. Water is a great place to find wildlife and these two species depend upon the waters inhabitants for their very survival. I’ll go into greater detail of signs to look for which will help you find them in future columns. Tim Preston

Perhaps that should be rectiﬁed?

Get involved . . .

If you are interested in the story and would like to be involved in contributing to events around the 200th anniversary in 2021 you can contact Pete at Pete62jackson@gmail.com or join the Facebook page Cinderloo. We hope to publish more stories about these events in future editions of the Wrekin News.

An Otter on the River Tern

www.wrekinnews.co.uk · 17

16, 17 Pete Jackson.indd 2

29/01/2018 09:20

New Year, New You!

By D.A. McGrath

T this time of year, we all feel reflective. We ask ourselves questions like, why did I eat so much at Christmas? Do the kids watch too much TV? How am I going to get my finances back in order? And so on. It is the time of year when we join gyms, start new hobbies, and think about whether it is time for a change in relationships, whether personal or professional. I found myself in the position of craving a career change at the start of 2017 and wanted to share my experiences. At the beginning of the year I had left an office job that I no longer felt passionate about. I had worked solidly in one profession for over 23 years and decided I needed a complete break to do some thorough reflection, and consider what I intended to do with myself for the next twenty, or so, years. I did my due diligence, I worked out that I had enough money saved that I could afford to take a year out, and still have a roof over my head at the end of it (although the kitchen refurbishment was going to have to take a back seat), and I set a goal that, by the end of the year, I would know what my next adventure was going to be. For someone who had worked consistently, and in the latter half of my career, long and challenging hours, to suddenly have so much time on my hands was startling. Even now, after twelve months, I still feel a need to structure my days, making sure that I am always busy, otherwise a sense of guilt sets in. The difference now, however, is that being busy doesn’t necessarily mean that I am constantly working, it could (and does) mean scheduled time with family, or friends, which has been wonderful. I have even, hold the front page, done some spontaneous things, like popping to the retail park in the middle of the working day! The first time I did this it felt deliciously naughty, and that feeling hasn’t worn off since. So, what have I done for the last year? Well, firstly, I did a lot of research on the internet about how to approach a career change. If you are in a similar position and want to read up on it, you will find that there are lots of free resources that you can download, and exercises that you can complete to help guide you. If you are lost for a starting point, try looking at

D.A. McGrath lives in Telford, Shropshire. She is an author of children’s fiction. Her debut novel, ‘Under the Light of a Full Moon’ is available to download from Amazon. Her second novel ‘A Gypsy Curse’ is scheduled to be published in February 2018. www.damcgrathauthor.com

“Career Change” boards on Pinterest. I found and completed a free, online questionnaire, that asked me about my skills and experience, and then told me that I would be perfect for an office job (great, thanks for the insight!). I also covered several blank pieces of paper with lists of my skills, things I had enjoyed in my previous job, and what I didn’t like. This process of research and self-reflection took several weeks. It was interspersed with watching TED conference video’s, which were very inspiring (if you’ve never heard of them, Google it), and spending time doing physical things, like giving the house a deep clean and tidying up the garden. By the end of the process my house was cleaner and tidier than it had been for many years, there were flowers blooming in the garden rather than weeds, and importantly, I felt in control of my life for the first time in years. I found that the online research, and the exercises, had been cathartic, rather than enlightening. They assured me that I was not

going crazy or having a mid-life crisis, and that wanting to change career is a common desire (as evidenced by all the self-help books available on Amazon). And, whilst they weren’t too sure how to interpret my sudden desire to ditch a successful 23-year career, my family have supported me, throughout. So, what next? Honestly? I am still working it out, day by day. I decided that the thing I was most passionate about was writing, so I have spent the last six months learning the trade of being an author. While I find it easy to lose myself for hours writing stories, it’s everything else that comes with wanting to be a successful author, that has been a real education. For example, the need to build a completely new support network and learn how to use social media effectively – for someone who was previously terrified of Facebook, I have now managed to set up a professional author page on it, as well as my own website. But I am still learning, and I couldn’t have arrived at this point without the inspiration and resources made available by other authors, who have gone through the same career change process, like Joanna Penn and Rachel Abbott. Also, I am now working from home, which is a whole new experience. The lack of a required commute has meant I can have a longer lie in the mornings (yay), and I can please myself what time I have lunch or if I want to write in the house or whilst sitting out in the sunshine, but it also has its downsides. I am dreading what the heating bill is going to look like at the end of the winter. And, even an introvert like me needs to speak to other human beings every now and then! Committing to a career change is not a quick process and there are no short cuts if you want to do it successfully. It is going to take at least a year to learn a new skill and set up a new support network. If you cannot afford to take a year out, as I did, then you will need to work around your main source of income, effectively working two jobs at the same time. Or, you may want to consider going part-time (say, four days a week). It’s going to be a few years before I can earn enough money from writing to focus on it completely, and that will necessitate looking for a part-time job in the coming months, but, I have achieved my goal. Writing is what I want to do. There won’t be any exotic holidays for the foreseeable future, the kitchen refurbishment may have to wait for a few more years, but it will be worth it. I will be passionate and fulfilled in my work, and all the happier for it!

18 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 18 New Year, New You.indd 1

28/01/2018 22:55

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Dea r Editor . . .

Letters

SHARE YOUR SPECIAL MEMO RIES AND PICTURES THROUGH THE MOST POPULAR PAGES OF THE WREKIN NEWS

A busy year ahead for local History Group

ELLINGTON History Group began its programme for 2018 with a talk on the history of road travel from wagon to stagecoach. As always we have tried to vary the programme and speakers; Ray Farlow will select from his huge collection of post-cards some that will be of interest to people of Wellington; David Preshous talking about Wilfred Owen’s literacy legacy, appropriate in this the centenary of his death; Diana Clarke will show some of her collection of post-cards from the period of World War 1, with two of the cards relating to Wellington families. Alongside actual war images there are colourful, decorative, sentimental and humorous cards, and all are viewed as historic social documents in their own right. These are but a ‘taster’ of the ‘fruits’ for your entertainment; third THURSDAY of the month. Although it is in March, Saturday 3rd, it is appropriate to note the date for your diary – Wellington Charter Day and the supporting Community History Day. So what’s it all about? Well, on February 29th 1244, King Henry III signed Wellington’s ﬁrst market charter. It was amongst the earliest awarded to a Shropshire town; it’s an occasion worth marking. So, the ﬁrst Saturday of March each year is celebrated as Charter Day. (https:// wellingtonsoup.org/events/charter-day/) The activities in the town streets celebrates the granting of a Charter in 1244 not to the town, as it is usually mistakenly assumed, but to the Lord of the Manor – Giles of Erdington. The Charter was a grant of permission, to the Lord of the Manor, to

hold a fair or market. The Lord would then charge tolls to the stall holders, to those coming to buy and sell at the market – a really good ‘moneyspinner’ for the Lord. More about this can be found in a Special Paper, written by the late Sylvia Watts, published by Wellington History Group and ‘downloadable’ FREE from our web-site; https:// wellingtonhistorygroup.wordpress.com/. In the Library a variety of local study groups, will be displaying much of their research ‘ﬁndings’; books written about local history, photographs of people and places from local history; transport,

industry and the ‘lost’ past of Wellington and its surrounding area; if you have a question about Ancient Parish of Wellington or its environs come and ask, if you have pictures or stories you wish to share come and talk to those who will be interested. ● Finally a reminder that our next talk is Thursday 15th February in the Library at 7.30pm.

We love hearing from you!

For 17 years Wrekin News has printed pages and pages of your letters and pictures and we want to publish more! Please keep our editor’s inbox full and send your letters and pictures to: The Editor, Wrekin News, Bridge Road, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1RY or email your contributions to: james@plus2media.co.uk 20 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 20, 22, 23, 24 Letters.indd 1

29/01/2018 11:23

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Letters

SHARE YOUR SPECIAL MEMORIES AND PICTURES THROUGH THE MOST POPULAR PAGES OF THE WREKIN NEWS

World War One in the Wrekin area and Wem

VERYONE in Britain was affected by the Great War and huge numbers of the population were keen to find ways to help the war effort. For some this meant raising money for the Soldiers’ Comfort Funds or knitting socks. There were lots of ways for those at home to get involved and help to win the war. The page below is from a small book that was included with paper pattern pieces and gave instructions for the construction of the garments ranging from a helpless case shirt (for a man who was not going to survive) to a surgeon’s coat. Individuals or working parties would donate or raise funds to buy the recommended amount of material and would then make the garments using a sewing machine. Group efforts had to be managed and a card at Sunnycroft for Adelaide Slaney shows that she was responsible for buying of materials, accounting and sewing at the workroom in Wrekin Hall. J.V.T Lander’s wife Mary also volunteered there. Some of the young women from our area volunteered as nurses. This could be local work as the Workhouse in Wellington was used by the military authorities as a hospital treating over 100 men with less serious injuries. Before the end of 1914 the Town had volunteered its own newly established Cottage Hospital for the wounded. Further centres were created in the Wrekin Buildings at the corner of Tan Bank and Walker Street. In 1917, Wellington College (later to become Wrekin College) offered the use of “..two commodious houses nicely situated on Constitution Hill” to establish a St. John V.A.D. auxiliary hospital. On 22nd June the first patients for this venue “were met at the railway station by motor cars, lent by local residents”. All did not go as well as expected; some of the men who hailed from Liverpool were accused of bad conduct and were removed back to that town. By 31 July the College “hoped to start the hospital again, but not with men who did not know how to appreciate the kind and generous services rendered them….”. Other nurses found themselves in places further afield. During our research we have found some of the soldiers’ sisters helping the wounded. The photo shows Lillian Reynolds, the sister of Evan William Harris Vaughan, one of the men listed on the Lychgate, on the extreme left of the middle row serving as a WW1 nurse, though sadly we

❂

WELLINGTON REMEMBERS

By Wendy Palin

> Wellington College Hospital mentioned in the article

do not know the location. Emily Kathleen Chilton, whose brother Hubert is on the memorial, worked at the War Hospital in Guildford. Six benches were supplied on the outskirts of the Wellington for the use of invalided soldiers. “Canteens for Soldiers” were set up in the town providing free refreshments for those in uniform (though it was requested that those who could afford it should offer some payment). Wounded soldiers would have been an everyday sight in Wellington and the surrounding towns. Many of the women and remaining men would have been involved in these activities in some way. A great deal of this work was of a voluntary nature. A little further aﬁeld, though still within our county, a rather more intriguing and noteworthy activity took place. On the mosses and bogs in the Wem area women

22 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 20, 22, 23, 24 Letters.indd 2

29/01/2018 12:19

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moss is from a 1919 issue of the Wellington Journal and Shrewsbury News. Other acknowledgements: Photo of Lillian Reynolds courtesy of Keith Reynolds. Booklet W.J.Palin. Wellington College Hospital by kind permission of Wrekin College. Wellington Remembers is supported by Heritage Lottery Funding

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20, 22, 23, 24 Letters.indd 3

29/01/2018 12:19

Marjorie shares her Oakengates memories The following article is a small sample of the stories shared to the members of the Oakengates History Facebook Book group. For those of you who don’t do Facebook, you don’t have to miss out on this type of History of the Town and Surrounding areas, as we now have a Oakengates History Group, that holds meetings every two months at the Wakes Building, Theatre Square, Oakengates, TF2 6EP. The next one is Thursday 5th April at 7pm.’

The Duke of York, Oakengates in the 1960s - about ten years after Marjorie had left.

Marjorie Nicholls nee Procter

WAS born at the Duke of York Inn. Market Street Oakengates, in 1929. My parents were Benjamin and Minnie Procter, who kept the Duke for over 25 years. They kept the Greyhound first but moved to the Duke in about 1924. They retired in 1951, moving from the Duke shortly afterwards. My sister Jean was also born at the Duke, and she still lives in Oakengates. My father was once a professional footballer, he played for Blackburn Rovers, where he came from, then Stockport County, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Wellington Town, finishing his career at Oakengates Town FC. I remember during World War Two, the Duke Pub was always packed with soldiers from the Donnington Camp and many times we sold out of beer. During the War Three Army convoys came through Oakengates, one day after another, staying overnight then leaving the next morning after breakfast, they were billeted at various locations in the Town, and quite a few slept in our club room at the Duke, the officer in charge slept in our spare bedroom. They put the field kitchens in the back yard of the Pub, under an open shed and the tables and benches in the yard. We helped by making

Military Police enjoying their beer behind the Duke Pub, oakengates with mum and Mr Nock during the War when they billeted at The Oxford Hotel. sandwiches in our kitchen. Needless to say, we enjoyed some good meals during the three days the convoys went through, curtesy of the Army Cooks. What not to give serving soldiers? Mother gave two lovely soldiers some damsons which had been soaking for two years to make damson gin, needless to say they got so tipsy that she had to make some strong coffee before making it back to camp. We used to be an Ansells pub and there

used to be a couple of open sheds between the Station Inn and the Duke, some market folk used them on market day. I think the Duke could have been a coach stop in the past, I can remember many stables in the back yard. Mr Merrington who made yummy pork pies, his shop was in Oxford Street just before the post ofﬁce, he used to come in the Duke on a Sat night to sell what he had left.’ My Husband, Tony and I emigrated to Australia in 1999.

24 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 20, 22, 23, 24 Letters.indd 4

29/01/2018 12:48

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29/01/2018 10:01

The

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Friday 2nd March 2018 7.30pm “When peace is won, we fight for the land we love”…

WINGS OVER ABBEY ROAD

Shazia Mirza’s new show ‘With Love From St. Tropez’

£13.50

“WINGS OVER ABBEY ROAD” IS A CELEBRATION OF THE BEATLES FROM THEIR BEGINNINGS TO THEIR PEAK, AND PAUL MCCARTNEYS WINGS.

Saturday 3rd March 2018 7.30pm Shazia’s new show, a satire on Brexit, French beach wear and a bipolar White House, is about lies, lies and more lies, the truth is so 1980’s.

£12

NO FINER LIFE BY GRAHAM HARVEY PERFORMED BY REBECCA BAILEY

Friday 16 February 2018 to Saturday 24 February 8.00pm

WITH LOVE FROM ST

CRAIG CAMPBELL FRIDAY 2 MARCH 2018 Easy Tiger BOX OFFICE: 2017/2018 World Tour

01952 382382

Age restriction 18+ Don’t miss Fizzog’s hilarious parody of Wicked and the Wizard of Oz (Age 14+)

Darkside performing The Pink Floyd Show

Darkside, The Pink Floyd Show, is a tribute to the music of Britain’s greatest progressive rock band

£15

Saturday 10th March 2018 8.00pm

The majestic mountain moose in a tiger striped onesie brings his thrilling new show ‘Easy Tiger’ out of the Fringe jungle and onto the world stage for his third solo tour. Queens and Toms pack some nip and prowl on down to screech and howl the night away! Craig recently supported Frankie Boyle for the third time on his national tour and was a hit on ALAN DAVIES’ As Yet Untitled (Dave). He’s also performed on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow (BBC One) and Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC Three).

W IN TICKET S

Top class musicians and vocalists performing and celebrating top class songs from world-class artists!

CONTACT

01746 766477

admin@theatreonthesteps.co.uk www.theatreonthesteps.co.uk Stoneway Steps, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 4BD

26 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 26, 27 Entertainment.indd 1

29/01/2018 09:21

GO LIMITLESS . . . SEE ALL THE FILMS YOU WANT, AS OFTEN AS YOU LIKE!

big

N T S

Imagine being able to see all the ﬁlms you want, week in, week out. Mid-week romcom? Saturday night blockbuster? With huge potential savings and access to exclusive member treats, joining Limitless means you can watch all the ﬁlms you want as often as you like for one monthly fee.

screen In association with

Big adventures. Far-far-away lands. Unforgettable characters.

The enchantment of cinema starts from your very first visit. Share this experience with the whole family at our ODEON Kids screenings. Magical worlds come to life before your eyes every Saturday, every Sunday and every day when school’s out for summer.

From fairytale fantasies to animated favourites, we pick the most spellbinding screen stories for children. This is a place to let your imaginations run wild. And since our films change every six to eight weeks, there’s no end to the worlds you and your family can escape to.

ODEONSAYS The concluding chapter of the worldwide phenomenon, ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ sees Ana and Christian finally get married. But although their life seems perfect, nothing is ever that simple. Everything that belongs to Christian is now Ana’s as well. Fabulous wealth, beautiful houses and even a private jet are now hers. But unfortunately, Christian still has his fair share of demons – and those are Ana’s to deal with as well after their marriage. Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan turn down the lights one last time in ‘Fifty Shades Freed’. Mrs Grey will see you now.

26, 27 Entertainment.indd 2

Welcome

Odeon, Telford General Manager Annette Small welcomes you to 10 screens of ﬁlm magic screening stunning RealD 3D. You can treat yourself to an exclusive entertainment experience with our Premier seats, cafe culture at Costa or icy indulgences at Ben & Jerry’s. Parking is available at the cinema for the perfect spot!

Baby-friendly screenings of the latest releases

We understand that being a new parent is a rewarding, yet sometimes demanding, experience. ODEON Newbies are our special film screenings designed for you and your little one. This is a place to leave behind your stresses, escape from the everyday and lose yourself in the latest releases. Remember, while you’re with us, you’re our guest. From the moment you get here to the moment you leave, we’ll do everything we can to make you and your baby feel welcome and comfortable. These screenings are only for parents and guardians and their babies. So there’s no need to worry about disturbing other guests while your film’s playing. Softer volume. Ever-so-slightly brighter lights. Our special in-screen conditions are a lullaby to your baby. This is a peaceful setting, where you can gently rock your little one away to the land of nod and ease yourself into the world on-screen. *ODEON Newbies is in selected cinemas only

WIN CINEMA TICKETS

the Odeon s teamed up with Wrekin News ha ader’s a pair re ky offer TWO luc to rd lfo Te a, m Cine of your choice. a tickets to a film of standard cinem e and telephone contact to: m Just send your na kets, Bridge News, Odeon Tic kin re W s, yli or email: Tania Ba Y 1R 1 n, Telford TF Road, Wellingto ia.co.uk tania@plus2med

! ETS TO BE WON 2 PAIRS OF TICK

29/01/2018 09:21

TADLOP COMMEMORATE 50 YEARS OF THE FIGHT FOR EQUAL PAY Telford and District Light Operatic Players stage Made in Dagenham during anniversary year.

WARD winning musical society TADLOP (Telford and District Light Operatic Players), are preparing to bring a taste of the 60’s to Telford. As Telford begins celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, TADLOP are also looking to celebrate another golden anniversary. In 1968 a group of ladies from the Ford Dagenham factory went on strike after having their job skill level downgraded. What started as a fight to be recognised as skilled workers ended in a national fight for equal pay for women. The story was then turned into a classic British film and then into a full musical production. “2018 is a big year of celebration. It is Telford’s 50th anniversary but it is also 50 years since the strike that started the movement to equal pay and women’s rights, as well as 100 years since woman’s suffrage.” says publicity manage Lyndsey Bird. “It seemed only right in this momentous year to perform Made in Dagenham and remember these strong women that paved the way for us. It is a new musical with plenty of laughs, heartwarming and stirring moments. We are having a great time in rehearsals for this show as there is always a funny moment or catchy song that’s brings the spirit of the 60’s alive.” Made in Dagenham follows Rita O’Grady and her fellow machinists at the Ford Dagenham factory as they find out their job skill level has been downgraded. At first they just fight to have their work recognised as skilled but soon realise that they could instigate major change in equality between men and women. Made in Dagenham takes place at Oakengates Theatre from the 28th29th of April at 2:30pm and 7:30pm The Box Office is open and tickets are £14 and can be purchased from society members or via The Place at www. theplacetelford.com. For more information check out our website at www.tadlop.com, or find us on Facebook.com/tadlop and Twitter @ tadlop1.

Ticket JUST

THE

To advertise in

JUST THE TICKET Please call Irene on 01952 522562 or email

irene@plus2media.co.uk

Augmented reality dinosaurs seen at Enginuity

O ALONG to Enginuity, near Ironbridge during the February half-term holiday between 19 and 23 February 2018 and be the star of an extraordinary Dinosaur Augmented Reality experience. You can also design and build your own flying Pterodactyl and become an archaeologist as you ‘Dig-up a Dinosaur’. Immerse yourself into a wonderful Augmented Reality world where state of the art technology projects you onto our big screen amongst the dinosaurs, giving you the chance to ‘meet’ our friendly virtual dinosaurs. The Augmented Reality experience is included in the admission charge to Enginuity. Other activities taking place during the whole halfterm holiday (Saturday 17 to Sunday 25 February) at Enginuity include making Pterodactyl Fliers using brightly coloured craft materials. Once the design is finished kids can launch their rocket powered Pterodactyl and see it fly across Enginuity. Young archaeologists will be able to find hidden artefacts in our ‘Dig-up a Dinosaur’ sand-pit everyday over the

Half-term 19 - 23 Febr uary 2018

break. The workshop runs from 10.30am to 3.30pm. There is an additional costs of £1 per Pterodactyl. All other activities are included in the admission fee. One of the 10 Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Enginuity is open from 10am until 4pm; entrance is £9.75 adults, £8.75 60 plus and £7.65 children 5-16, under 5s free. For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk. A great value Annual Passport Ticket allowing unlimited entry into all ten Ironbridge Gorge Museums costs £25 per adult, £20 for seniors, £15 for children (16 years or under), £68 for a family of two adults and all their children and £50 for a family with one adult; under 5s free (terms and conditions apply); Passports can also be bought online in advance saving 5% and individual entry tickets are available at each museum. Activities will vary from day-to-day and some additional costs will apply.

BACK TO BACHARACH is coming to TELFORD WIN BACK TO BACHARACH celebrates the magical music of Burt Bacharach, one of the most accomplished popular composers of the 20th Century, who together with Hal David penned some of the most memorable and iconic hits that stand the test of time. This exciting production has been touring throughout the U.K. since September 2015 and is performed by 3 of the finest west end singers accompanied by a live 10 piece band recreating Burt Bacharach’s timeless hits. Songs featured in the show include Alfie, Anyone Who Had A Heart, Arthur’s Theme, Always Something There To Remind Me, Close To You, I Say A Little Prayer For You, Magic Moments, Walk On By, What’s New Pussycat?, 24 Hours from Tulsa, Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head and many more. Back To Bacharach is a fantastic show for all ages, friends and family! Tickets for the TELFORD – Oakengates Theatre on Saturday 17th February are available from:

Oakengates Theatre / Box Office No: 01952 382382 Time: 7.30pm

TICKETS

Wrekin News has teamed up with Back to Bacharach to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a pair of tickets to see the show on Saturday 17th February at Oakengates Theatre. All you have to do to enter is send your name, address and daytime contact number to: Tania Baylis, Wrekin News, Back to Bacharach, Bridge Road, Wellington, Telford TF1 1RY or email your entry to: tania@ plus2media.co.uk - hurry closing date for entries is Tuesday 13 February 2018 - Good luck!

28 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 28, 29 The Ticket.indd 1

29/01/2018 15:53

Try intaglio printing at Blists Hill Victorian Town Visit Blists Hill Victorian Town, near Ironbridge in Shropshire over the February half-term break between 17th and 25th February and try your hand at the intaglio printing technique, which was used by the Victorians more than 100 years ago. The ‘Create Another World’ print workshop will take place in the Town’s Goods Shed. Use your imagination to create an image from another world or another time and make an etching of your design. Carving lines into a printing plate creates a pattern of small grooves. By adding ink then cleaning the surface of the plate, the grooves remain ﬁlled with colour and your design can be transferred onto a sheet of card under the immense pressure of the printing press. The prints are dry immediately and ready to take away. This fun activity is included in the admission price. There will also be two self-led trails to follow around the Town and discover more about the Victorian era as well wonderful storytelling sessions. Afterwards tuck into some traditional ﬁsh and chips at the Fish Fryers or pop into the New Inn for some tasty refreshments. Open 10am to 4pm Blists Hill Victorian Town is one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums. A great value Annual Passport Ticket allowing entry into all ten museums costs £25 per adult, £20 for seniors, £15 for children under 16, £68 for a family of two adults and all their children and £50 for a family with one adult; under 5s free (terms and conditions apply); Passports can also be bought online in advance saving 5% and individual entry tickets are available at each museum. Activities and workshops vary day-to-day and some carry an extra charge. For further information, call the Ironbridge Tourist Information Centre on 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk. The Gorge is easily reached via the M54 motorway exiting at Telford junction 4 or 6.

CREATERE ANOTH WORLD

CARADOC COACHES www.caradoccoaches.co.uk

Tel: 01694 724522

*** 2018 DAY TOURS *** Our Official Charity of 2018 is The Royal British Legion FEB 17th – Worcester Charity Day - £6pp (coach only) FEB 21st – JCB Factory Tour - £34pp (incl ent) MAR 3rd – Liverpool & Beatles Tour - £24pp (incl tour) MAR 10th - Leicester & Space Centre - £27pp (incl ent) MAR 14th - Guide Dogs Breeding Centre - £21pp (incl ent) MAR 17th – Lichfield & Nat. Arboretum - £18pp (free ent) MAR 20th - Banbury & Upton House - £30pp (incl ent)

*** 2018 HOLIDAYS *** HOLLAND IN BLOOM – 26th - 29th April - £369pp SCOTTISH HIGHLIGHTS - 14th - 18th May - £269pp APPLEBY HORSE FAIR - 8th - 9th June - £109pp NOSTALGIC YORK – 17th - 19th August - £199pp GREAT YARMOUTH – 10th - 14th Sept - £299pp YPRES & BATTLEFIELDS - 3rd - 6th Oct - £399pp THURSFORD XMAS - 29th - 30th Nov - £159pp XMAS LIGHT WKEND - 7th - 9th Dec - £149pp Prices based on 2 people sharing

Tel: 01694 724522

www.caradoccoaches.co.uk

AT ENGINUITY

Mon 19 - Fri 23 Feb See yourself on the giant screen surrounded by dinosaurs.

Sat 17 - Sun 25 FEB MAKE A DINO FLYER & ‘DIG UP A DINOSAUR’

IRONBRIDGE.ORG.UK www.wrekinnews.co.uk · 29

28, 29 The Ticket.indd 2

29/01/2018 15:35

24th & 25th Feb 2018 Telford International Centre

Half Term Fun All Undercover!

TICKETS

£10 (3yrs+) £5 (1 & 2 yrs) £3 Adults

BOOK ONLINE NOW! shropshirekidsfest.co.uk

Welcome to Whittingham Dance Whittingham Dance provides classes of the highest standard for children and adults in classical ballet, modern, jazz, musical theatre, tap and body conditioning for pupils from the age of eighteen months upwards. All classes are taught by the principal Emma Whittingham-Clarke who has a vast amount of teaching experience spanning 20 years. Emma trained at Merseyside Dance and Drama Centre under the guidance of Gaynor Owen achieving Advanced 2 Vocational Exams in ballet, tap, modern and national with the ISTD one of the world’s leading exam boards. Emma also graduated with four teaching associates in the above genres resulting with Distinction. Realising her passion for teaching, Emma secured a job working on the beautiful island of Jersey in 1998. Emma has since worked in Liverpool, Telford, Kent where she ran her own school, East & West Sussex, London and has now settled back in her home county of Shropshire. Emma added Licentiate member status to her qualifications in 2004. The aim of the school is to encourage a love of dance in response to music and to promote the development of good physical coordination and strength within the framework of sound technical training. The school focuses on well-disciplined and professional classes with a happy and friendly atmosphere, which helps to inspire all pupils to fulfil their individual potential, whether they simply dance as a hobby or want to pursue it as a career. Emma is a busy mum of three children, Beau and Zach aged six and Dulcie aged four. She is delighted to be running her own school again based at Epic in Horsehay. Emma also teaches at Lawley Academy, Redhill Primary and Nursery, Oakmeadow Primary and Birchfield School. For more information find Whittingham Dance on Facebook or call Emma on 07984 159743.

Half-term special timetable announced

The Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway announce a new February Half Term Winter Special train timetable for selected days in February. Ride our heated carriages from Llanfair Caereinion to Castle Caereinion return and finish up with a drink in the cosy tearoom at Llanfair Caereinion. The special return fare of £9.50 for adults and £4.00 for children includes a hot drink for adults and a juice box for children. Please note that all trains start and finish at Llanfair Caereinion only where there is plenty of FREE parking. This is a new early start to the year for the railway and we welcome customers old and new who would like to travel on this charming and scenic railway, close to the Shropshire border. The Llanfair station postcode is SY21 0SF, You can book online www.wllr.org.uk or simply turn up on the day. (If you are part of a large group we would appreciate advance notice). Trains depart Llanfair Caereinion for the appoximately 1 hour return journey at 11.00, 12.45 and 14.30. See our timetable for these dates and other normal running days and special events throughout the year. www.wllr.org.uk

30 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35 The Ticket.indd 3

29/01/2018 16:27

THE Christopher’s Restaurant SWAN Bar and Rooms at

The Swan Hotel Valentine Night

Free House

Wednesday 14 February with Steve Best (UB40 tribute) Two course meal

THE SWAN CARVERY

Wednesday · Friday & Sunday

SPECIALS

MONDAY Chefs Special Night including pint, glass of wine or soft drink ................. £7.95 TUESDAY Sizzler Night ............................. £7.95 WEDNESDAY All Day Carvery 12-9 .................£4.50 THURSDAY Steak, Chicken & Fish Night........ £7.95 or any two for .. £15.00 FRIDAY All Day Carvery 12-9 .................£4.50 SATURDAY FULL A LA CARTE MENU AVAILABLE SUNDAY Three Course Carvery 12-6 ........£8.95 Kids Under 10 .....£5.95

Braised Lamb Shank · Grilled Sirloin Steak · Breast of Chicken topped with Cheese & Bacon · Selection of Vegetables · Choice of Desserts or Selection of Cheese & Biscuits

£11.95 - Bookings Advisable

CELEBRATE CHINESE

NEW YEAR Saturday 17 February All you can eat Chinese buffet

Crispy Spare Ribs · Pancake Rolls · King Prawn Curry · Sweet & Sour Chicken · Beef in Black Bean Sauce · Crispy Pork Chow Mein · Fried Rice · Noodles · Prawn Crackers

£10.50 per head (booking advisable) Call 01952 223781

AFTERNOON CREAM TEAS NOW BEING SERVED £6.50 per head (Bookings Only)

S AT UR D AY - F U L L A LA C A R T E ME N U AVAIL ABL E WEDDING PACKAGES AVAILABLE

The Swan FP issue 226.indd 1

Watling Street, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 2NH

www.swan-hotel-telford.co.uk · Tel: 01952 223781 E mai l : chr i s . w i t t on@ aol . com

SKY SPORTS & BT SPORT SHOWN HERE

CAN BE HIRED FOR PRIVATE FUNCTIONS & WAKES

28/01/2018 12:19

Wednesday 14th February 7.30pm

Valentines by Candlelight

Table for two · Three course meal Bottle of Prosecco · Live Singers Beautiful Valentines Decor

Advanced Bookings Only www.caseysvenues.co.uk/tickets Call 01952 606588 - BOOK EARLY!

UK’s Number 1 Entertainment Venue - 2 years running

3PRIVATE HIRE · WEDDINGS · CONFERENCES · MOBILE BAR HIRE · CATERING · ENTERTAINMENT

01952 606588

www.caseysvenues.co.uk Caseys Advert.indd 1

28/01/2018 12:18

An introduction to wine tasting with Shropshire Wine School! WIN

TWO

TICKETS

> Gary Carter of Shropshire Wine School

We’ve teamed up with the newly-launched Shropshire Wine School to oﬀer one lucky reader and a partner the chance to go along to an Introduction to Wine evening, on Wednesday February 28 at the Lion Hotel in Shrewsbury!

HE evening will introduce the winner to the wonderfully diverse and quirky world of wine and is perfect for those new to wine or who want to understand the basics of wine tasting. They will taste at least six delicious wines from around the wine making world and provide many helpful tips to help enhance your enjoyment of wine. By the end of the evening they will have learned how to taste, swirl and sniff like a professional; how to identify aromas and flavours in wine; about the influence of climate and weather on wine and the influence of oak and other wine-making techniques on the wine in your glass. The evening, which takes place from 6-8pm usually costs £25 per person and more information can be seen here: http://www. shropshirewineschool.com/product_info.php?id=500 Shropshire Wine School has been set up by local wine enthusiast Gary Carter to provide tastings at all levels from introductory evenings to 8-week courses, and Saturday wine experiences including Champagne and lunch. Food and wine matching workshops as well as unique wine tasting experiences for corporate and private clients also feature at the school. Gary, who lives in Shrewsbury said “We aim to help customers navigate the sometimes confusing world of wine and encourage them to discover new wines. All of our events are designed to be fun and informative with a focus on enjoying wine with like-minded people in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. Shropshire Wine School is the latest addition to the successful and rapidly expanding www.localwineschool.com family – a UK-wide network of more than 25 independent wine schools established in 2000 in Newcastle upon Tyne. The school also offers its events as gift vouchers which are perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day presents. For further information about Shropshire Wine School, visit www. shropshirewineschool.com, email info@shropshirewineschool.com or call Gary on 01743 624021 or 07411 652651.

HOW TO ENTER

To enter please send your name, address and daytime telephone number to: Tania Baylis, Wrekin News, Wine Tasting, Bridge Road, Wellington, Telford TF1 1RY or email your entry details to: tania@plus2media.co.uk, closing date for entries is Thursday 22 February 2018, good luck!

OPEN MEETING Telford Patient First Group are holding an open meeting on 7 February at Dawley House, 22 Burton Street, TF4 2ES (2pm4pm). There will be two guest speakers and attendees have the opportunity to ask questions concerning the healthcare services within Telford and Wrekin.

Support for people experiencing tinnitus in Shropshire

If you or someone you know experiences tinnitus, and require further information on this condition; Signal Charity offers a drop-in session led by a trained British Tinnitus Association volunteer. Call in for free information and support. For more information telephone Signal 01743 358356/Text 07950 782819 Drop into Wellington Library Wednesday 7th February between 2.30pm-4pm.

TELFORD ORCHESTRA CONCERT Conductor Alwyn Green

Leader Laura Browsell

Soloist Peter Thomas PROGRAMME WEBER DER FREISCHUTZ OVERTURE JOAQUIN RODRIGO GUITAR CONCERTO DVORAK SYMPHONY NO 8 THE PASTORAL

SATURDAY MARCH 17TH 7.30PM ST.MICHAEL’S CHURCH, MADELEY, TF7 5BN

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR £8 / STUDENTS FREE www.telfordorchestra.org.uk

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29/01/2018 11:07

SPRING OPEN EVENTS

VISIT US AT OUR OPEN EVENTS FOR 2018

OPEN DAY

Walford Campus, near Baschurch Sat 10th February 2018 - 10am-2pm

OPEN EVENINGS

Oswestry Campus Wed 7th February 2018 - 5pm-8pm Shipley Campus Wed 7th February 2018 - 5pm-8pm Aspire Centre, Burford Wed 28th March 2018 - 3.30pm-7pm

SPRING LAMBING DAY Walford Campus, near Baschurch Sun 25th March 2018 - 10.30am-4pm

01691 688 000 WWW.NSC.AC.UK

T: 01952 820810 62 High Street Newport TF10 7AQ

SPECIAL OFFER! February 50% off a child’s meal with any full paying adult with this advert

Mon - 10am - 3pm Tue-Thu - 10am - 6pm Fri-Sat - 10am - 8pm Sun - 12pm -4pm

Open Late nights till 2am Fri & Sat Live Music every last Friday of the month Look out for our Theme Nights!

ORTH Shropshire College (NSC) is planning for the annual Spring Lambing Day Event which takes place at the Walford Campus. This year the fun filled event will take place on Sunday 25th March, 10:30am-4:30pm with tickets costing just £10 per car / family on foot. The College has a large flock of ewes to lamb over the weeks leading up to the day, with the first few arrivals this week. In addition to the lambs which are stars of the show, the event offers a variety of fantastic attractions for families to take part in. On the farm, visitors will be able to watch our futuristic robotic milking machine in action, along with the farm animals being fed. This year there will also be a lamb cuddle corner and a pony club equine display. The event will also see the grand unveiling of NSC’s new Milk Vending Machine by a VIP guest at 11.30am. The fun doesn’t stop there, on the adjacent side of the campus there will be a range of exciting activities taking place ensuring everyone can join in! There will be live music in the walled garden, face painting, a climbing wall and the Walford Zoo will be open where our alpacas, meerkats, reptiles and marmoset monkeys are all located. Refreshments will be available

to purchase, however visitors are welcome to bring a picnic if desired. Lucy Evans, Marketing and Customer Service Manager at NSC, comments, “The day offers a wonderful and affordable experience with a wide range of activities to take part in suitable for all the family! Visitors can expect to see lots of lambs and every year there are new lambs arriving for those lucky to be in the right place at the right time. We can’t wait to build on the previous years’ success and are looking forward to another fun ﬁlled Spring Lambing Day.” If you would like to have a stall or host an activity at the event, please contact Penny Hardy on p.hardy@ nsc.ac.uk or 01939 262187. Visitors can park on Campus (SY4 2HL) or you will be able to take part in the Park and Ride which there will be more details announced closer to the event. There is no need to pre-book, just come along on Sunday 25th March any time between 10:30am4pm. For more information about courses at the Walford Campus, directions and general information about the event, please visit the website at www.nsc.ac.uk Pictured: Chloe Edwards, Schools

Liaison and Marketing Co-ordinator at NSC, with a new arrival at the Walford Campus Farm.

Win tickets to see Rob Cairns

Food served

(Bookings required for Parties)

NSC annual Spring lambing day preparations underway

BOOK YOUR SPECIAL OCCASION AT THE BARLEY IDEAL VENUE FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES, CHRISTENINGS, ETC.. Breakfasts Served from 10am - 12pm

NEW MENU

www.thebarleynewport.co.uk

The Gower Heritage & Enterprise Foundation, a charity involved with regenerating The Old School House in St Georges have booked Rob Cairns for their latest fundraising event. Cairns who starred in the TV programme, Stars in their eyes as Marc Bolan racked up over 96,000 telephone votes and it promises to be a fantastic evening for all to enjoy. The event will be on Friday 2nd March, starting at 8:30pm at The Maddocks Club, Oakengates, TF2 6BU. Tickets for this fanastic show are available at only £5 each from The Maddocks Club, Forge Wellington, Christines Florist Oakengates, or the Goodﬁllas Cafe in St Georges. For further information please telephone the Gower Group on 07985 398600 or Stephen Handley on 07814 536715. Wrekin News have teamed up with The Gower to offer three lucky readers the chance to win a ticket for the show. All you have to do to enter is send your name, address and daytime telephone number to Tania Baylis, Rob Cairns Tickets, Wrekin News, Bridge Road, Wellington, Telford TF1 1RY. Or email your entry details to: tania@plus2media.co.uk closing date for entries is Thursday 22 February 2018, good luck!

34 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35 The Ticket.indd 4

29/01/2018 11:19

Local dog lovers help change and enrich lives

OCAL dog sitters, Barking Mad Telford/ Shrewsbury, are asking fellow dog lovers to join them in helping to change lives. The dog holiday specialists have ofﬁcially partnered with Dogs for Good, a life transforming charity which creates partnerships between people living with disability and specially trained assistance dogs. Anne Kessell of Barking Mad Telford/Shrewsbury enthused: “We are so proud to announce that Dogs for Good is Barking Mad’s chosen charity for 2018! Dogs for Good train assistance dogs to support adults and children with a wide range of disabilities and also children with autism, in order to enrich and improve lives. This is particularly relevant to the work which we

undertake with our own dog sitting Host Community. We offer the opportunity to care for someone else’s dog whilst its owners are away and through this initiative, we witness the amazing difference that canine companions can make in terms of improving social interaction and ﬁtness every day.” Cathryn Simpson, Corporate Partnerships Manager for Dogs for Good said, ‘We’re absolutely delighted to be working with Barking Mad in 2018, there’s obvious synergy between the two organisations in respect of the dogs but more importantly the ethos of both organisations is closely matched and this is important to ensure a successful partnership. Thank you to everyone for getting involved!”

How can you get involved? Barking Mad’s ultimate wish would be to raise enough money to fund the training of a Dogs for Good puppy and would really appreciate your help! Throughout 2018 they plan to hold fundraising events and would love to hear from you if you would like to get involved. Anne Kessell can be contacted on 01952 677704 or email: anne.kessell@barkingmad.uk.com and you can also visit: www.barkingmad.uk.com to find out more.

Dog Dog lovers lovers wanted wanted

Join our local host community Join our local host community

Speak to us about our FREE Nurse Clinics • Noise phobia advice • Dental checks and advice • Dietary advice • Weight checks and weight management plans • Lifestage checks puppy/kitten/adult/senior • Worming • Flea control • Basic behavioural training • Pre/post neuter advice • and much more - just ask

Find out more at your local branch

Companionship, friendship Companionship, friendship and fun are guaranteed! and funto are guaranteed! • Dogs suit your lifestyle •• Dogs to suitflexible your lifestyle Completely Completely •• Trial stays toflexible ensure compatibility •• Trial stays toand ensure compatibility Full support advice •• Full support and advice A playmate for your own dog • A playmate for your own dog

BarkingMad.uk.com BarkingMad.uk.com

01952 677704

www.wrekinnews.co.uk · 35

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29/01/2018 11:00

The Tipple! by

Sue Ladds

Duck? No, chickens actually!

HE one factor not mentioned (that l’m aware of) in the Carillion carnage is that all the businesses large or small have had to stump up far more in wages thanks to recent legislation. Living wage and workplace pensions, both set to continually rise, will have been damaging to many businesses in the “just about managing” sector. Higher wages, higher business rates and higher rents for many thanks to a national review by the Valuation Ofﬁce. House of Fraser has made a polite public request for rent reductions from its various landlords. Carillion was a gloriﬁed workforce and logistics agency and as such would have been highly susceptable to adverse changes to wages, which should be considered as a contributary factor in it’s demise. Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) appointed as the Professional Scavengers, sorry, liquidators have suggested the contractors and suppliers will get less than 5p in the £1 of money owed. Many businesses will not survive, many will not try. Tendering for contracts now becoming available will be intense as now idle companies rush to claim whatever is going, but this will lead to poorly thought thro’ agreements which, in turn will collapse. As more people rein in their spending, unsure, for their wages then more businesses will suffer, leading to more job cuts and layoffs. When Government decides on a populist move to increase wages they must be advised of the side affects to be expected. The road to hell, the other one - not the M25, is paved with good intentions. never has this statement been more apt. Expect perhaps to suggest you duck. The chickens are coming home to roost. 2018 may be the year of no job for many.

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Love Food Sugar: Pure, white and deadly Ralph Early is Professor of Food Industry in the Department of Food Science and Agri-Food Supply Chain Management in Harper Adams University, a Council Member of the Food Ethics Council and a member of the Guild of Food Writers.

HILDREN ought to consume fewer sugary snacks and those they do eat ought to be limited to no more than 100 calories. This advice was released by Public Health England almost immediately that 2018 had begun and just over a week after the British traditionally mark the season of good will to all men with festivities glorifying hedonistic gluttony, conspicuous excess and extraordinary levels of food waste. Apart from coinciding with the termination of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, the announcement on 2nd January also corresponded with the launch by some supermarkets of chocolate Easter eggs. This of course in strategic readiness for the second most important confectionery sales point in the year, when British consumers can be enticed to consume vast quantities of sugar, fat and empty calories at vast expense, creating vast profits for certain sectors of the food industry. British children, it seems, consume far too many chocolate bars, biscuits, juice drinks and fizzy drinks. Because of this they consume far too much sugar. Indeed, of the sugar that children eat, 51.2% comes from unhealthy snacks. The confectionery and fizzy drinks sectors, like many other parts of the food industry, know of course that sugar sells food products, and it sells them so easily to children. This is why these sectors have consistently targeted children with their advertising over the years, so much so that governments have implemented policies regarding, for example, TV advertising targeting children with unhealthy foodstuffs. Yet even though restrictions on advertising may be applied to e.g. confectionery and fizzy drinks products, as well as some sugary breakfast cereals noted for their associated child-focused marketing strategies, invariably the manufacturers find other avenues to propagate their child-oriented messages, such as websites and social media. Of the various components that make up food, sugar is the one that humans can simply do without. We forget today that we have caveman digestive systems, which is why modern, highly processed food products are now implicated in so many dietary disorders. Essentially, we have not evolved to eat virtually sterile, over-processed convenience foods, ready meals, snack foods and confectionery, etc. lacking in fibre and other components that make for the effective digestive processes that maintain good gut health. And certainly we have not evolved to consume sugar as we do in Britain today. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have experienced little sugar in

by Professor Ralph Early their diets, the most likely source being fruit sugar and it is this sugar that links with the noted sweettooth of children. Vitamins form an essential part of the nutrition of growing children and one of the most important sources for our ancestors would have been fruit. Evolving a liking for sugar in childhood would provide an advantage when it comes to ensuring that growing bodies obtain important vitamins and, of course, sugar is a source of readily usable energy which means that fruit could give children a quick energy boost. Confectionery and fizzy drinks manufacturers know that children have an evolved sweet-tooth, which is why they design products so cleverly with the intention of beguiling young minds. But children don’t need sugar in their diets any more than adults need it in their tea or coffee. In 1972 the late Professor John Yudkin, of Queen Elizabeth College, London, published a work entitled, Pure, White and Deadly: How Sugar is Killing Us and What We Can Do to Stop It. This was a groundbreaking for its time, both prescient and packed full of informed wisdom, as it foretold the problem of sugar and diet related disease that we now experience as a public health issue today. In many ways Professor Yudkin was simply using good science to draw attention to an avoidable public health problem just as, at around the same time, attention was being given to another industry-caused public health disaster, that of cigarettes. Yet even though Professor Yudkin was accurate with his assessment of the dangers in sugar consumption, parts of the food industry went out of their way to dismiss his ideas. Money talks and for many decades the sugar industry, from the farming of sugar beet to its processing and the use of sugar in food products, received active policy support from governments as well as financial incentives in the form of subsidies, and therefore challenged sugar’s growing body of critics. The truth is that we don’t need sugar in our diets. Invariably, we are socialised into sugar consumption as children because we are exposed to so many sugary food products in childhood. However, children that do not experience sugar develop no sweet tooth and usually have no craving for confectionery and other sweet foods as adults, with consequent benefits for health and longevity. So, if your family has a liking for sugary food products, perhaps it’s time to reflect and add another New Year’s resolution to the list. Cut out sugar for yourself and your children. It can be done and only takes a bit of will power. In the end your family will feel much better for it.

36 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 32 Wine and Dine.indd 1

29/01/2018 09:22

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home

garden and

FEBRUARY - TIME TO PLAN YOUR GARDEN

EBRUARY is a quiet month in the garden as most growth has stopped and the weather often prevents outside work. Do not be tempted to go onto water logged ground as your weight will compact the soil and do keep off frosty lawns or you will be left with damaged grass. It is the correct time for planning changes to the garden from the comfort of your armchair, perhaps a new border or the rearranging of existing plants. Most plants are dormant at this time and, in this state, will move more successfully than an actively growing specimen. Moving plants can be undertaken when there is a mild spell provided the plan has been thought through carefully beforehand. When lifting the plants to reposition them always take as much of the existing root system as possible. The larger the plant the larger the root system should be, so try to take a large root ball, this comprises both roots and soil to the new planting site. This will assist the plant in recovering as quickly as possible. If you are brave enough to move a tree you will inevitably cut the tap root, the large root which goes straight down, this gives the tree its stability and when lost must be replaced usually by a stake until nature has time to replace the roots. This can take two years. Another easy issue which can be carried out at this time of the year, weather permitting, is pruning. The cold spell just before Christmas will have stopped most growth and, with the leaves off the deciduous trees and shrubs, pruning is easier. Most people are very nervous about pruning fearing they will damage the plant, it is, however, very difﬁcult to kill a plant and nature will help to cover up your mistakes by new growth, even if it does take a while to do so. The one exception to this is the conifer family, these rarely grow back if you cut too deeply into them. Most conifers only have live buds on the outer growth, where they are green, here you must only trim to shape and always leave green showing all over the plant. Some pruning may well be necessary as the snow before Christmas was very heavy and may have snapped branches which will need to be removed. With shrubs and trees pruning is easier as most have dormant buds which when exposed will grow to regenerate the plant this is the principle behind the old method of hedge laying. It is purely down to personal taste the shape you prune a tree or shrub to, some people Andy Allmark trim to a neat round shape, others take out any crossing branches to leave an open shape, it is Painter & all down to what you like. Decorator With fruit tree and bushes there are more rules which do need to be followed. Where vigour is needed, prune hard, where less vigorous growth is wanted, or needed, prune less, i.e. with a well performing fruit tree prune lightly. Some varieties, the best known being CALL NOW ON: the Bramley apple, actually bear fruit buds on Tel: 01952 248119 the end of last year’s growth so any pruning Mob: 07816 781196 will reduce the next crop. In these cases great OR EMAIL AT thought needs to be given before any pruning d.allmark@sky.com

Written by

Robert Hudson of Lilyhurst Plant Centre

is carried out, and it may pay to get some specialist advice before doing anything. DO NOT prune plum trees (including greengage) at this time of the year as this can result in disease being introduced to the plant, they should only be pruned when in active growth. With soft fruit such as raspberries the summer fruiting varieties should have the fruiting canes removed and this year’s new growth tied in. The autumn varieties, which have performed very well in the last two years, cropping from August until well into November, should be cut to the ground as they fruit on the new growth each year.

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38 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 40, 41 Home and Garden.indd 1

29/01/2018 09:24

Simon Bradbury Tel: 07725 040408

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Where does time go? January 2018 is already complete and Christmas is a fading memory with maybe a few inches still on the waistline, so how was it returning the Xmas decorations to the loft? Everyone has a different method of getting access to the loft. Many search the garage or shed trying to locate the trusty step ladders, before scufﬁng their way through the house up the stairs. Others have a chair, bookcase or other strategically placed piece of furniture to clamber up. Once through the hatch its balancing time with the torch whose batteries always need replacing and kicking and coughing your way through the dusty insulation. It doesn’t have to be this way. We at Revealaspace get lots of calls from customers because they’ve decided it’s time to have their loft storage updated in line with the rest of the house. We specialise in the lowest cost way of giving you up to 30% more space in your home by ﬁtting a loft ladder and changing your loft into a well-lit, easily accessible and boarded storage space. We get enormous satisfaction in seeing our customers faces light up when they see their new space, and the transformation usually takes less than a day. Make a change in 2018 and give us a call today.

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www.wrekinnews.co.uk · 39

40, 41 Home and Garden.indd 2

29/01/2018 09:24

‘Keeping kindness at the heart of our care’

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40 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 40 Adverts.indd 1

28/01/2018 12:16

Care & Community In later years . . . Wrekin News NEW 17.pdf 1 31/03/2017 14:28:43

Could a lifeline alarm from WATCH offer peace of mind between care visits?

Independence and peace of mind at the touc

A WATCH lifeline pendant alarm gives peace of mind for the times a carer C is not able to be close. The Shropshire based alarm service offers a telecare alarm solution. Its M lifeline pendant alarm simply connects to a phone line and is operated Y by the touch of a button, via a pendant worn around the neck or wrist. A powerful microphone on the alarm unit means CM that help can be called from anywhere in and around the property. The alarm can also be adapted to each person’sMYneeds with a range of add-on equipment such as falls detectors, door contact sensors and pill CY dispensers. Customer, Miss Egan explains: “I’m epileptic and CMY with my WATCH alarm I know that if I have a fit my mum will be called or a paramedic can K get in if necessary.” Unique to WATCH is a Mobile Response Officer service which is available to people living in the TF postcode area. The first aid trained Wrekin News NEW 17.pdf 1 31/03/2017 14:28:43

ofﬁcers act as an emergency response to alarm activation, attending the property if necessary. This is useful for people that may not have friends and family nearby or if a carer is on holiday. WATCH is accredited by the Telecare Services Association (TSA) which provides assurance to its users that they deliver quality in what is otherwise a largely unregulated industry. For more information and a free demonstration phone 01952 217151 or email: enquiries@watchalarms.co.uk.

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41 Community Sanct.indd 1

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Syd

Taylor

The region’s nu mber one motoring journalist

BIG HEART A SMALL CAR WITH A

Fiat PANDA 4x4

Y friend Captain Dirk Mallory RN (Rtd.) - well known collector of brass telescopes - looked out across the estuary from the vantage point of the clapboard Belvedere Tower of his retirement complex before quietly passing the observation..”I suppose that the watery domain is the only element inaccessible to the new Fiat Panda 4x4.” “It doesn’t ﬂy, Captain” I reminded him. At this he put down his pipe, rubbed his hands together and said “Well I suppose we jolly well should continue with the road test.” “Anchors away!” I shouted and presently we found ourselves at a private parking spot by the waterside, ready and able to put the Panda 4x4 through its paces. Just as we were about to climb aboard a ragged indigent begged a small consideration from the navy man. “Any spare Pieces of Eight Cap’n?” “I’m not the purveyor of after dinner mints” the Captain responded frostily. On the road his demeanour underwent a positive change as he warmed to the little Fiat’s characteristic joie de vivre. “If Nelson had a car like this at The Battle Of The Nile he’d have been able, no doubt, to bring a couple of pyramids back home - for seldom have I seen such a small car with such a big heart and such a capacity for carrying the little essentials of life. As you know”

he added with a twinkle in his eye “There’s nothing in this world as essential as a pyramid or two”. I quietly passed him a piece of Toblerone. Fiat’s little Panda is a gem and it’s real fun to drive. There are lots of ‘City’ cars. They’re all good but they are rather dull compared to a Panda. And what’s more this 4x4 variant has the added capability to venture off-road. Not mountain climbing you understand but able to get you across muddy ﬁelds and along rutted tracks where most cars

42 · www.wrekinnews.co.uk 42, 43 Syd Taylor.indd 1

29/01/2018 09:25

Care & Community In later years . . .

would fear to tread. Cute looking and with enough body protection and a slightly raised ride height, you can venture off piste - confident that you won’t get stuck. (If you really want hardcore off-roading capability you would buy the Panda Cross which is capable of getting where Land Rovers can’t go. I know: I’ve driven one). Steep gradients, roughish terrain, squelchy ground - are brushed aside with a bellisimo dash of bel canto brio. (With apologies to my Italian friends for playing ‘fast and loose’ with their beautiful language - but they will understand that having experienced a masterpiece I am speechless). I found this £16,505 Panda variant to be totally confidence inspiring and capable of dealing with difficult conditions with insouciant aplomb. “Rumbly and bumbly on the road is it?” I hear you ask. Absolutely not because ninety eight per cent of the power goes to the front wheels when driving normally and it is only when slipping is detected that the viscous coupling diverts power to the rear. And there’s an electronic diff lock if the going gets tough. Naturally you want a decent engine and that’s what you get. Either the 875cc Twin Air petrol

and six gears or the 95bhp 1.3 Multijet diesel with a five speed gearbox tested here. It’s a brilliant little engine that shames a recently tested Teutonic rival. It’s quiet, smooth and responsive - and can take you to 105mph yet it sips diesel at a claimed 64.2mpg; and that’s about what you really get. No false claims here. Of course, these days we have to suffer one of those infernal ‘stop/start’ systems that surely will destroy your starter motor and ring gear prematurely but thank heavens Fiat programme the electrics so that when you switch it off it stays off. I’d buy a Fiat for this alone! Inside this little five door hatch it’s a roomy enough cabin for four with ‘a bridge full of decent quality and charm’ as the Captain put it. And he felt the cargo hold was a good size and a good shape too. Despite the rather tall stance (easy for getting in and out) we found it to be secure and stable as we whizzed along twisty roads with ride comfort ‘spot on’. On the Spanish Main motorway the little Panda forged ahead with all the assurance of a Dreadnought. Here is a cuddly car with a purposeful edge - a slice of good old common sense in today’s flaky gimmick-laden world.

Older people urged to access help to keep their homes warm A local charity, which supports older people, is urging those aged 60+ to access help when it comes to keeping warm in their homes. With the recent temperatures plummeting, keeping warm this winter is a huge issue for many homeowners in Shropshire, warns Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin. Many people live in poorly insulated houses which are not on the main gas grid and are therefore expensive to heat. This can have shocking consequences resulting in over 285 older people dying every winter in Shropshire from cold-related causes. There is help out there. Keep Shropshire Warm is a partnership between Shropshire Council and Marches Energy Agency. Shropshire residents can access free energy advice on bills and suppliers as well as grants towards insolation and even boiler replacements and heating upgrades. Marches Energy Agency is also working with Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin to provide free Home Energy Checks for the over 60s to help make homes warmer and save money on heating bills. Phil Newcombe, Project Manager of Marches Energy Agency, said: “The people I visit are finding the Home Energy Checks an interesting and enjoyable opportunity to think about how their homes work for them. Some people have been keen to change energy providers or tariffs, others have benefitted from draught proofing of doors and windows. Other householders have needed help with installing new heating systems and insulation or urgent action on damp and mould or fuel debts.’’ Heather Osborne, Chief Executive of Age UK STW, said: “The Home Energy Check only takes an hour. We are not trying to sell anything, we simply want to offer impartial advice about how to reduce your energy bills and make your home as energy efficient as possible. We’ve had a brilliant response but we have until the end of March when the funding comes to an end and we want to visit around 20 more homes before the spring, so please do pick up the phone and talk to us.” Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is also running two other campaigns to combat loneliness and support older people in the winter months. February is Wear It Woolly month where the local charity encourages people to wear something woolly for a day and donate £1 to the charity. The Surviving Winter Grant Scheme is another great way to donate to the local charity, if you can manage without your winter fuel payment, donate it to Age UK STW who will pass it on to someone who desperately needs it. If you would like to find out more call Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin on 01743 233123, or Marches Energy Agency on 0800 112 3743. www.wrekinnews.co.uk · 43

42, 43 Syd Taylor.indd 2

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New public toilets in Dawley

Great Dawley Town Council have set out its plans for a new public toilet facility in Dawley. The Town Council has agreed the development of the project which will see public toilets return to the town. The Town Council consulted with members of the public, business and market traders for a new toilet provision to replace the previously demolished toilets with modern facilities. This will include baby changing facilities, be stoma friendly and be accessible for disabled users. The original toilets were demolished due to the poor condition of the building some years ago. Great Dawley Town Council has identified the location of the toilets to be installed on a small grassed area next to The Lord Hill Public House, King Street, Dawley this is on a direct bus route to Telford Town Centre. This area will be covered by CCTV and high standard modern lighting. Great Dawley Town Council are currently in the process of gaining planning permission for this new provision. This provision will be free and is planned to be open by early Summer 2018, dependant on planning permission. Councillor Shaun Davies, Chair said “Great Dawley Town Council are really pleased that this project is now moving forward for the benefit of residents and visitors to Dawley High Street.” Councillor Jane Pinter, Mayor of Great Dawley Town Council, said “I am really pleased the Town Council are installing new toilets. This will make our town more accessible and convenient for all.” In the meantime, Great Dawley Town Council encourages residents to use the toilets at Dawley Town Hall which is open during office hours.

Improving parking in Hadley

Work to create a new car park in Hadley has started thanks to joint working by Hadley & Leegomery Parish Council and Telford & Wrekin Council. The work will include resurfacing a formerly derelict site in Hadley centre, marking out parking bays including a disabled parking bay, installing improved lighting, drainage gullies and a new footpath with dropped kerb crossing points. The improvements are being done to increase parking in the centre, which has been an issue for shoppers and visitors to the nearby health centre. Councillor Shaun Davies, Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council and cabinet member for Pride in Our Community, said: “The Pride High Street Fund is helping local organisations, including town and parish councils, to make their centres more attractive and inviting for shoppers and visitors, which also beneﬁts local residents and businesses. Parking in Hadley was put forward for funding by the parish council, as the lack of parking there was a real issue.” Work on the car park is expected to be completed early next month.

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45 Adverts.indd 1

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Sport WREKIN NEWS

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BUCKS LEFT WITH PLENTY TO DO

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Away Home Home Away Away Home Home

COMBINATION of inactivity and poor results has seen AFC Telford United fall into the National League North relegation zone. Manager Rob Edwards will be well aware that his side have failed to consistently put in the calibre of performance that would have seen points put on the board, writes Lez Dean. Why this might be is open to question. There are several players in the Bucks ranks that have excited. Whether that would be the speedy goalscoring machine Marcus Dinanga, the tricky Elliot Newby or the mercurial Anthony Dwyer. These are supported by a group of players, many of whom have shown that they have much promise and who have contributed signiﬁcantly. Ryan Wilson, Jordan Lussey and Connor Johnson being just a

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trio of examples. All of whom are competent competitors and well worthy on their day of being a part of this Telford side, or indeed many other sides in the division. So why does the club find itself in such a dire position? Might I suggest lack of experience? In a division generously peppered with hardened ex professionals and battle hardened non league veterans some of the AFC Telford United squad can look a little out of their depth. In short the Bucks are often outmuscled and outmanoeuvred by their opponents. They are basically a skilful side that possesses pace and vision but are a side lacking experience and on field leadership. These are attributes most needed in a time of crisis, a crisis like a relegation battle. Telford showed their tendency to inconsistency on their visit to league leaders Salford. Edwards men matched the home side throughout the first half and even threatened to take the lead. However, once Salford forged ahead soon after the break by way of an own goal from debutant Ryan Leak the Bucks fell away

meekly, sliding to a three nil defeat. On a snowy Tuesday night at the Bucks Head, Telford hosted in-form York City. This time Edwards’ side were a mirror image of the previous game. York raced into a two goal lead inside fifteen minutes and were 4-1 up at the break following a defensive horror show. They then quickly added a fifth following the restart. Only then did Telford start to play and give their guests a fright as they dominated and pulled back goals through Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Johnson to salvage some pride in a 5-3 reverse. Once again failure to produce a consistent ninety minutes of quality football was Telford’s undoing. The Bucks have now recorded just one win in ten league games, in anybody’s language that is relegation form. Now is the time to add steel and experience to the significant talent that already don a Bucks shirt. That could be the biggest and most important challenge facing boss Rob Edwards in his fledgling managerial career.

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