Wigan Edition
June 2012
Lucky Hens in Wigan
Jack Tracks
to Heskin
Taste Test
in Parbold
! n i W ts to Family ticke rk Haydock Pa
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Have you noticed that… Publisher: Local Life 247 Ltd Unit 8, Hewitt Business Park Winstanley Road Orrell Wigan WN5 7XB Advertising Sales: 01257 498329 sales@locallife247.co.uk Editorial: 01257 498329 editorial@locallife247.co.uk Accounts: 01695 627999 accounts@locallife247.co.uk The July issue of Local Life will be published on Thursday 28th June. The copy deadline for this issue is Thursday 14th June. Local Life is published every month. Distribution areas will alternate each month between two separate edition areas; Edition 1 is delivered to over 12,500 private homes and businesses in Standish, Whitley, Shevington, Appley Bridge, Parbold, Wrightington, Newburgh and Hilldale. Edition 2 is delivered to over 12,500 private homes and businesses in Orrell, Billinge, Winstanley, Up Holland, Highfield, Marus Bridge, Roby Mill and Pemberton. You can also pick up a free copy of Local Life, on or around the first weekend of the month, at Tesco Extra in Wigan or at Sainsbury’s in Marus Bridge. Or you can check out our online publication at www. locallife247.co.uk. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause. No part of this publication, including pictures, may be copied or reproduced without the prior written consent of Local Life 247 Ltd.
When you receive the new edition of Local Life - remember to recycle the old one.
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According to the sign illustrated, which has just been erected near the Standish motorway junction, we Wiganers have entered the realms of two word place names like Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes. Should we be calling ourselves Wiganers any more, or are we to be known as Wigan Councillors? Perhaps we should be thankful that the Council didn’t go for the three word place name enjoyed by a seaside resort near Bristol, or we’d end up living in a place called Wigan-super-Council!
Joking apart though, this sign disturbs me greatly. Wigan has much to be proud of and, as a Wiganer, I want my town to be promoted in the best possible light to visitors as a great place visit and to live. Some people would no doubt prefer the signs to mark the town’s sporting prowess, others would focus on its industrial heritage and some would highlight the impressive countryside. I’ll go with the flow on any of those suggestions, because they all reflect positively on the town and they are all reasons why people might visit Wigan. Whilst Wigan Council has obviously played and continues to play an important role within the development of the town, it’s just an organisation doing what it is paid to be doing by the tax payers of this town. As we can read in Borough Life, the Council is clearly proud of the work it does and of its staff. There’s nothing wrong with that, but that still doesn’t give it the right to claim ownership of the town’s boundaries. If this upsets you as much as it does me, drop me an email or write in and I’ll pass on your comments to the Council.
chrisp@locallife247.co.uk
In this issue Lucky Hens Rescued! Pedal Power in Heskin 50% off conservatory Perfect Fit Blinds! Convert that Conservatory! NEW! Puzzle Corner Enjoy retirement living at Belong Money and Investment with Prosper New Councillors say Hello! Top Tax Tips from CMA Local Life meets Terry Leahy Taste Test in Parbold Focus on Florida with Got 2 Go Win Tickets to Haydock Park What’s On Jack’s Tracks to Heskin Chocolate Sorbet Recipe Angie’s Garden Diary Motoring Services Home Services
16 20 21 32 37 40 43 44 45 46 48 52 54 56 58 62 63 66 68 Local Life
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tickets for these events please call Gary Ward on 07774 954531.
Diamond Geezers
Shevington is celebrating the Diamond Jubilee in style on Friday 8th June, with a concert from local band ‘Gifted’. The concert runs from 7.30pm until late at Shevington Methodist Hall and tickets are priced at £6 which includes a buffet meal. ‘Dress to Impress’ is the word, so get your glad rags on! Tickets are available from 01257 401540 or 01257 401963.
Lovely Jubbly!
Pemberton Community Association are holding a Family Fun Day on Sunday 3rd June as part of the Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations. The Fun Day, which is being held at the Pemberton Masonic Hall on Chapel Street in Pemberton, will run from 12pm to 4pm. In the hall there will be a variety of stalls, including information stalls, cakes, sweets, tombola and various other things.
Hilldale Celebrates!
The tiny village of Hilldale is putting on a patriotic front for a fantastic weekend of Jubilee celebrations! On Friday 1st June, there’s a Lancashire Night at Hilldale Village Hall, consisting of a Folk band and a hotpot supper. The Diamond Jubilee Village Fair takes place the following day (Saturday 2nd June) on the Village Field between 1.30-4pm. There will be a Dog Show, lots of stalls, a bouncy castle, cream teas, a BBQ and a band to enjoy, so come along and bring all the family!
In the car park outside the Hall will be a special visitor; Del Boy’s Reliant Robin, which will be the centrepiece of a ‘Guess the Number of Balloons’ competition. Also in the car park will be a penalty shoot-out, a bouncy castle, police and fire vehicles, a climbing wall and lots more too! If you would like to book a stall at the event or you’d like to volunteer to help, please contact 07925 867070 or email pembassoc@mail.com.
Later that evening, musical entertainment in the shape of Last Resort and a special guest takes place at the Farmers Arms in Hilldale, and regulars will be dressing up in fancy dress. And the following day (Sunday 3th June) there will be a Picnic on the Park on Hilldale Village Field from 1pm onwards. For all enquiries and
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Local Life
Ready, Steady, GO !
You can get ready for the Olympics by celebrating Wigan’s sporting achievements past and present at the Museum of Wigan Life. Created by the Museum’s Youth Heritage Action Team, this interactive exhibition takes a fresh look at all things sporty, from sporting heroes to community sport. The display is now open at the Museum of Wigan Life in Library Street, Wigan and admission is free! For more information please ring 01942 828128.
Plant Sale
St Marie’s Church Hall in Standish is the venue of a plant sale this Saturday (26th May), which is being hosted by the Standish Community Allotment Society. Bedding plants and border perennials will be on sale, and you can also have your hanging baskets and tubs refilled. New hanging baskets will also be on sale at the event which runs from 9am until 1.30pm.
biggest box office attraction during the 30’s and 40’s and his cheeky Lancashire humour made him a huge draw. The cost of the evening is £2.50 per person; to book a place please ring 01942 828128.
Farmers Market
Don’t forget you can enjoy the Farmers Market at Appley Bridge on the third Saturday of every month at Appley Bridge Community Centre on Appley Lane North. Stalls include cakes, pies, sweets, jams, chutneys, breads, soaps, organic vegetables, crafts and plants; all from local producers. Parking is available at the railway station next to the Centre and the next market takes place on Saturday 16th June from 10am. If you’re a member of a community group and you want to publicise your next event free in Local Life, then just email details along with a contact name and number to editorial@locallife247.co.uk.
George Formby
Gerry Mawdesley, the President of the George Formby Society, will be the host of a special George Formby evening on Thursday 31st May from 6.30pm7.45pm at the Museum of Wigan Life in Library Street, Wigan. The music hall and movie megastar was the
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Centenary Celebrations
St John’s Church in Coppull is 100 years old in 2012 and kicks off its centenary celebrations with a Songs of Praise event at the church this Sunday (27th May) at 6.30pm. The service will be led by the acclaimed choir of St Michael’s High School in Chorley and the centenary booklet will be released at the service. The church follows that up with the Annual Summer Fair on Saturday 23rd June at 2.30pm. This year’s fair has an Edwardian theme and includes a variety of craft stalls, music from the Wigan Ukulele Club, morris dancing, guided tours up the church tower and refreshments. Also planned for this year is a Flower Festival, designed by the Parbold Flower Club, which will be held from 5th-7th of October.
Discover your Past
If you are interested in researching your family tree but don’t know where to get started; then come along to one of the Museum of Wigan Life’s family history workshops. These workshops are led by experienced
volunteers who will help you to get started and make progress with your family history. Sessions are aimed at those with family connections in the local area and cost ÂŁ5 (including printouts). For more information, please call 01942 828128 for further information.
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Lane. Flower, plant, cookery, craft and photography enthusiasts of all ages are welcome to enter their exhibits into the Craft and Flower Show, but please take along your exhibits to the school on Friday 15th from 3.30-4.30pm or to the craft marquee on the day of the show between 10am-12 noon. For more details on the Fair, please visit the website www.newburghlancs.co.uk.
Performance Arts
Newburgh Fair
It’s June and all roads lead to Newburgh for the 35th Newburgh Fair! The Douglas Valley Lions Club are holding their Summer Charity Concert on Wednesday 13th June, and the evening stars the ‘Stars in Their Eyes’ winner Mike Powell, a Michael Buble tribute act. Tickets are £10 and are available from Ron on 07739 802777 or Brian on 01257 463409. The following night (Thursday 14th) is the PTA Ladies Night, which is being held in aid of school funds of Newburgh, Our Lady & All Saints and Dalton St Michael’s primary schools. The evening stars singer Peter Hill, starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £15 each, which includes hot buffet, entertainment and disco. Tickets are available from Jane (07794 212707), Faye (07905 626066) or Debs (07554 425334). And the Newburgh Show itself takes place on Saturday 16th June at Newburgh School in Back
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With those long summer holidays looming, working parents will be looking to plan activities for their offspring during the summer. Those with mini drama queens can put their theatrical talents to good use by enrolling them in a Performance Arts Summer School from 13th-17th August. Hosted by Domino Partnerships, the school is being held at Burscough Wharf. All teaching is done by qualified practitioners and all staff are CRB checked. For more details call 01704 896590 or email info@domino-partnerships. co.uk.
Hanging Baskets
If the awful early summer weather has put you off sorting out your hanging baskets, then you might be interested in an event this Saturday (26th May). You can go along to St Anne’s Parish Rooms on Church Lane in Shevington and make your own baskets – baskets, soil and plants are provided – for just £5 a basket! The sessions run at 1.30pm and 2.30pm, so please call Eileen on 01257 402097 or Margaret on 01257 254576 to book your place.
Local Life
Paralympics Star Visits
Appley Bridge Women’s Institute are due to welcome Deborah Cornwall to their monthly meeting at Appley Bridge Village Hall on Appley Lane North. Deborah will give a talk on her life, From Mountaineering to the Paralympics, to members on Wednesday 13th June from 7.30pm. Deborah suffered a spinal injury in 1981 whilst rock climbing in North Wales, but within 12 months she was back teaching primary school children, and in 1988 represented her country at Fencing at the Seoul Paralympics. Everyone is welcome at the meeting, please come along and bring your friends.
Social Dance
Dust off your dance shoes and spruce up your glad rags; there’s a Social Dance being held at the Masonic Hall on Chapel Street in Pemberton on Friday 15th June. Tickets for the event, which starts at 7.30pm, are £5, which also includes a hot pot supper and a dessert. Call Carol on 0774 994 7461 or Jacqui on 0792 766 5546 for your tickets.
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Local Life
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Anniversary Celebrations
Here’s one for your diary! St Anne’s Church in Shevington celebrate their 125th Anniversary in July with a Fun Day planned for Saturday 14th July from 3pm-7pm and a Celebration Service in the church from 10am the following day (Sunday 15th July).
Summer Ball
If dressing up and having a great night out is your idea of fun, then how about booking your place at the Charity Ball in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust being held at the Beeches Hotel in Standish on Saturday 7th July? You can enjoy a fine 3 course meal and bop away the night, all for £34 a ticket! Last year’s ball raised £1,300 for Cystic Fibrosis; will you help beat that total this year? For tickets and further information about a top night out, just call Sandra Gee on 01695 622849 or 07725 045 748.
The Fun Day is held in and around St Anne’s Parish Centre on Church Lane in Shevington and will consists of various games and refreshments, including a BBQ. The Fun Day is free, but you’re urged to collect tickets from the Parish Centre Office for the event so that the organisers can finalise the catering arrangements. Call 07896 770093 for more details. If you’re a member of a community group and you want to publicise your next event free in Local Life, then just email details along with a contact name and number to editorial@ locallife247.co.uk.
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Local Life 11
Zorb Fun
The place to be on Saturday 30th June is St Teresa’s in Up Holland. The school’s PTFA are holding a joint Summer/Craft Fayre, which is being held on the school playing fields and in the church Club next door from 12.30-3.30pm. This event really sets the standard in local summer fayres, so don’t miss it! The attraction list is a lengthy one, so be prepared for some serious family fun! Top of the bill is the Aqua Zorbing, which is basically running around in a giant hamster ball on water – this is not for the faint at heart! You’ll also have the chance to test your aim at archery, hoopla, welly-throwing or you can really take out your frustrations at the plate-smashing stall or in the water fight arena! If you like your fun at a less-than-frantic pace, there’s a beat the goalie stall, a high slide and bouncy castle,
a beanbag game and also demonstrations from dance and ju-jitsu groups. The outside stalls include Tombola, water to wine, a home-made cake stall and there’s also a grand raffle with some fantastic prizes! There will be a number of private stalls in the church club selling local crafts and goods, and the popular cafe will also be available in the club. Refreshments include a BBQ and an ice cream parlour. A special visitor at the event will be one of the Olympic torch bearers, who will be bringing along a torch which children can pose with at the event. St Teresa’s PTFA are always on the lookout for helpers for this and other events. If you can help or you can donate a raffle prize for the organisation to use please email the group on ptfa@btinternet.com.
Fun in the Sun!
Also on Saturday 30th is the St Bernadette’s Primary School in Church Lane, Shevington. The school’s annual Summer Fayre takes place on that date, and visitors are promised a fun afternoon in the sun! The Fayre starts at noon and attractions include a bouncy castle, fairground rides, lots of stalls, a balloon race and refreshments, including a BBQ. The theme is red, white and blue, and visitors are invited to participate in a fancy dress competition. There are fun games and activities for all of the family and much, much more and what’s more, admission is free!
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Coffee Club
Whether it is family or friends, we’ve all been touched by the devastating effect that cancer has on peoples’ lives. You can do your bit to help research funds by coming along to Carolyn’s Coffee Club, which is held on alternate Fridays at Mossy Lea Village Hall in Wrightington. The session runs from 10am-1pm and you’ll be able to buy books and gifts, enjoy some delicious homemade cake with a coffee, or just some tea and biscuits. Everybody is welcome and you might even win a prize in the raffle too! There are three June dates for
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Carolyn’s Coffee Club; Friday 1st June, Friday 15th June and Friday 29th June. All proceeds from the Club go to Cancer Research UK.
Breakfast Coffee
If you like to get out and about on Fridays, then we can recommend a trip to the Breakfast Coffee mornings held at the Parish Centre on Woodhouse Lane in Springfield. The events take place on the last Friday of the month and the proceeds from each one supports a different charity. The Breakfast Coffee mornings start 10am and run until 12 noon, and tea, coffee, juice, biscuits, cakes, toast, toasties, crumpets and toasted tea cakes are served. Admission is free and there’s also a chocolate tombola, a raffle and a hand-made card stall. Forthcoming Breakfast Coffee mornings are scheduled to be held on 25th May for Christian Aid, 22nd June for Derian House and 27th July for Myasthenia Gravis.
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Film Club
St Wilfred’s Film Club are hosting the classic western El Dorado, starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, at St Wilfred’s Parish Hall in Standish on Wednesday 6th June. A sandwich lunch will be served at 12 noon and the curtain rises at 1pm on the main feature. Lunch is £3 and is only available for those who have booked at the Parish Office by Tuesday 5th June. For more details, call the Parish Office on 01257 422538.
Yee Hah!
You can celebrate the Jubilee western style with an energetic hoe-down at the Church Hall in Wrightington on Saturday 9th June! The event, which has been organised by St James Church in the village, features the Cheshire band, Bandwagon and a great time is promised! Tickets are just £10, which include supper, and are available from 01257 424105. The night starts at 7.30pm, and there is also a fancy dress competition too!
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Local Life 15
Life’s a Yolk for Lucky Hens
Six years ago, an estimated 300,000 households were at it, and now everyone agrees that numbers have continued to grow. The credit crunch, coupled with TV programmes that contained grisly details of the lives of battery hens to make most people gag on their scrambled eggs, have prompted a huge growth in the number of households embracing hen-keeping. The hen has been part of the food chain for at least 8,000 years. Starting in south-east Asia, they flapped eastwards into Europe to help our forefathers get their protein fix. The image of a feathered pets in the back garden, popping out fresh eggs for the breakfast table is an attractive one, and even celebrities have jumped onto the bandwagon with Jeremy Clarkson, Liz Hurley and Amanda Holden all keeping their own hens. We took a trip down to Lucky Hens, a rescue centre based just off the main road between Ince and Hindley to meet Alison Thorpe, a remarkable woman who has rehoused over 5,000 ex-battery hens in the past few years to new owners from as far away as London and Scotland. Alison, who is originally from Hindley, comes from a family of poultry farmers. Her family moved onto Ince Farm in 2005, and are now living in a caravan on the site whilst farm buildings are being renovated. She first got involved with caring for hens when an injured hen, later known as Gertrude, was handed to her by a local resident who later returned with three more hens in a bad way. When she heard of a nearby battery farm about to slaughter its stock, Alison moved quickly and mobilised support from friends and family, rescuing the doomed hens and bringing them back to Ince Farm. After appealing in the local press for new homes for the hens, Alison was inundated by requests and Lucky Hens was born!
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Local Life
Lucky Hens is now a non-profit CIC (Community Interest Company) and carries out regular rescue operations from farms across the North West. Potential owners register an interest in the hens and are invited along to a Rescue Weekend at the farm where they can choose their new additions to the family. The next Rescue Weekend is on Saturday and Sunday the 7th/8th July. Lucky Hens ask for a minimum donation of £4 per hen and, as hens are flock birds, Alison recommends a minimum number of 3 to 4 hens. The few hens that are in a bad way on the return to the farm are cared for in a separate run until they are healthy enough to be rehoused. Alison enthused “It’s a great hobby, hens are no trouble and you needn’t worry about space. A small garden is fine and you will find that they soon become like pets”. Her enthusiasm for Lucky Hens is infectious and Alison reckons that you should be able to collect a couple of eggs a day from 4 hens, though this isn’t guaranteed. If you’d like more information about keeping hens or you’d like to an appointment to attend the next Rescue Weekend, please give Alison a call on 01942 233375 or 07887 30763 between 10am-4pm or drop her an email at luckyhens@gmail.com. Lucky Hens Rescue, Amberswood Common, Manchester Road, Ince, Wigan WN2 3DR
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Summer Fair
Parishioners at St. Matthews Church in Highfield are holding their annual Summer Fair on Saturday 16th June from 1 pm-3 pm in the Vicarage garden (If wet, the event will be in the Parish Rooms opposite the church). There will be the usual stalls as well as the Grand Draw with a 1st prize of ÂŁ150 worth of vouchers, and many other prizes. Crowds will be entertained by
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the Cheerleading Troupe, and there will be a bouncy castle and a football penalty shoot-out. Refreshments will be available and admission is just 50p.
Festival of Flowers
Tunley United Reformed Church are celebrating their 350 year history this year with a fascinating event that chronicles their history from 1662-2012. A timeline of local and national events spanning the period will be unveiled at the Festival of Flowers event which runs from Friday 29th June to Sunday 1st July, and there will also be period flower arrangements from 1600 to the present day. Refreshments will be available, and there will be various stalls at the Festival. Admission is ÂŁ3 per adult (children go free), and the event runs from 11am - 6pm Friday, 10am-7pm on Saturday and 10am -6pm on Sunday. There will also be a Fun Day on the Saturday, with entertainment for children. For further information, please contact Sue Bodill on 01257 426252 or Sandy Smith on 01257 463407.
Local Life 17
If you’re looking for somewhere to book your parties, private functions, business meetings, seminars, exercise clubs, you’ll find a warm welcome at the centre and much more. These facilities are available to hire from as little as £9 per hour, with the full use of the modern kitchen. The centre opens daily open from 9.30am for tea and coffee, and is an ideal meeting place to get together with other locals. For more information at the facilities available at the centre, contact Alison on 01257 421048 or 07795 084261.
Warm Welcome!
Dance Work Outs
A warm welcome is guaranteed at the Summer Fayre being held at St Aidan’s Catholic Primary School, on Holmes House Avenue, Winstanley on Saturday 30th June from 12 noon till 4pm. There will be various stalls such as beat the goalie and hook-a-duck, as well as a bouncy castle, glitter tattoos, children’s fun TV characters, a bakery and books for sale. Visitors can also enjoy refreshments and hot dogs as well as trying your luck at the tombola. Come along and join in the fun!
You can party yourself into that bikini this summer by joining the Zumba classes at Parbold Village Hall every Monday! The sessions run from 6.30pm7.30pm and all classes are £4. For further details, please contact Louise on 07920 281935 or email louisezumba@hotmail.com. And is your taste is Street Jazz rather than Zumba, then boogie along to the Parbold WI Hall on Thursdays between 5.45pm-6.30pm, where you can shape up by trying Street Jazz. For more details call Lorraine on 07939 888447.
Community Appeal
Volunteers Wanted
Standish Community Centre has been in touch with us to remind the villagers of Standish that the centre is still here and it’s full of cheer! Located on Moody Street, just off Church Street, the centre is a home to a wide variety of groups including; Pleasant Hour, Kickboxing, Lacemaking, Lip reading Society, Northwest Amateur Radio Club, Townswomen’s Guild, Slimrite, Bingo (every other wed), Art Group, Quilters Group, the Standish Forum and local Councillors.
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Local Life
Volunteers are needed by Queenscourt Hospice to join a friendly shop team in Burscough. There’s no experience necessary, just bags of enthusiasm. Full training will be given. Even if you can only spare just a couple of hours a week, you’ll be made to feel very welcome. Please contact the shop directly for more details on 01704 891637.
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Local Life 19
On Your Bike!
When Local Life heard that there was an ebike hire business opening up at Old Heskin Hall Farm on Halfpenny Lane in Heskin, we had to, well….get on our bikes and go and see what all the fuss was about! Ucycle2 has been set up by local businessman Kevin Vardy to sell electric bikes and offer bike hire to those who would like the chance to explore the beautiful Lancashire villages such as Heskin, Mawdesley, Eccleston and Wrightington. Kevin, who lives on Stoneygate Lane in Appley Bridge, has been ebiking since 2007 when the fuel prices rose dramatically. He explains, “I had purchased an ordinary mountain bike just a few months earlier but I found it extremely hard at times so when I got my first electric bike I was astonished how easy it was. The thrill of riding a bike again without the pain and huffing and puffing was great!” “When a unit came available at the farm”, Kevin continued “I immediately asked the owner Mrs Cooper, if I could use it for selling and hiring electric bikes. Mrs Cooper was very supportive and excited about the idea. The farm has a Tracking Solar Installation to help supply energy, so the batteries we charge up for the electric bikes are effectively powered by the sun!” Hire cost for the e-bikes is just £10 for 4 hours, and cycle locks and helmets are provided if required. Laminated maps for the local area are supplied so
you can easily find your way to local attractions such as Cedar Farm, Heskin Hall Farmers Market, Bygone Times, Rufford Old Hall, as well as taking in some glorious countryside. And as for our little ride on the e-bikes…well, it was fantastic! It’s very easy to pick up how to ride them and you’re in full control at all times. The top powered speed is 15 mph, which compares well to the average leisurely cycle ride of 8-12mph, and it’s just all so easy! The e-bikes aren’t designed to do all the work for you; they just make pedalling a heck of a lot easier! To book your hire sessions, call Ucycle2 on 01257 253936 or for more information visit the website www.ucycle2.co.uk. The company will be holding an Open Day on Tuesday June 5th, with some price promotions on that day. Please note that it is against the law for children under the age of 14 to ride e-bikes.
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Local Life 21
Jubilee Party!
The Friends of Upholland Library and Community Room would like to invite you to the Up Holland Village Jubilee Party on Thursday 7th June at the Upholland Library, Community Rooms and Garden. From 10 am to 1pm, children and families can enjoy a community picnic in the Library garden, Free arts and crafts activities, a toddler royal rhyme time, storytelling, a treasure hunt and an exhibition of 1950’s memorabilia. Other activities will include face painting, a cake sale, a ‘We Love To Boogie’ family dance and some West End dance and drama sessions (booking required). From 2.30 til 4pm there will be a 1950’s Singalong and a tea party for older residents, with 1950’s fancy dress optional. For more information or to book a space on some of the activities ring Louise on 01695 622 368 or email us at upholland.library@lancashire.gov.uk
Step Up
You can step out this summer with a new ten week dance course starting this Monday (28th May) at St
Wilfrid’s Church Hall in Standish. You’ll learn or brush up your dance skills in waltz, quickstep, Cha-Cha , tango and more! The sessions are supervised by Bridie Moss and run from 5.45-6.45pm every Monday. For more details about the course, please call Bridie on 01257 421791.
Reading Group
The Parbold Library Reading Group will be holding their first get together on Thursday 28th June at the library, and the first book up for discussion is the Daphne Du Maurier novel, Rebecca. Copies of Rebecca are now available for loan at the Library. The session runs from 8pm-9pm on the 28th and all subsequent meetings of the group will take place on the last Thursday of the month. For more information about the group, email jessicadowner@gmail.com.
Choral Highlight
Wigan Choral Society are holding a Diamond Jubilee Celebration this Saturday (26th May) at the United Reformed Church in Milton Grove, Wigan, starting at 7.30pm. The show is in words and music and features Handel’s Coronation Anthems, Parry’s ‘I was Glad’ and ‘Blest Pair of Sirens’. Admittance is £8 (£7 for concessions and £3 for students). For more information, call 01257 400852. If you’re a member of a community group and you want to publicise your next event free in Local Life, then just email details along with a contact name and number to editorial@ locallife247.co.uk.
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Picture House
Parbold’s Picture House rolls into summer with a superstrong selection of the latest Hollywood blockbusters My Week with Marilyn screens at the Picture House this Sunday (27th May). This is Colin Clark’s fascinating back-stage story of the meeting of the world’s greatest actor, Sir Laurence Olivier, and the world’s greatest film star, Marilyn Monroe, on the set of ‘The Prince & The Showgirl in 1956. The film stars Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh, and is directed by Simon Curtis.
hours of the banking crisis that changed the world. The Parbold Picture House is a community run cinema that screens in Parbold Village Hall every second Sunday, starting at 7pm. All tickets are just £3 and the doors open at 6.30pm; tea and coffee is available. For more information, visit www.parbold. info. The venture welcomes volunteers to help at the box office, serving drinks and with the projectionist function; if you can help, please call Clare Gillard on 01257 454533.
Fun Day
If you’ve not left town for the long bank holiday weekend, then head up to Shevington Library on Saturday (2nd June) where there is a Jubilee Fun to be had between 10am-noon. Kevin the Clown arrives at 10.30am and you can also enjoy a floristry display and music too. Refreshments on the day include coffee, tea and cakes.
The Artist, winner of five Oscars and three BAFTA’a this year is a black and white, silent movie which is a delightful feel-good homage to 1920s Hollywood and the advent of the talkies. This film of the year screens at the Picture House on Sunday 10th June. Margin Call, described by the New Yorker as the best Wall Street movie ever made, screens on Sunday 24th June. Written and directed by J. C. Chandor, and starring Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons and Demi Moore the film encapsulates Wall Street’s mood in the first 36
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On yer Bike!
Four men from Standish are gearing up to take part in the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride to raise money for Wigan Hospice and the Alzheimer’s Society. Gary Lowton, Jonathan Belshaw, Neil Whittingham and Ben Gray, all former Standish High School pupils and Standish residents, will take part in the charity event on Sunday 8th July. Starting from Ben’s spiritual home, Manchester United Football Ground at Old Trafford, the 60-mile ride will take them along country lanes to the finish on the South Promenade at Blackpool for a well-earned drink in the beer tent.
of fitness and stamina so the team is currently in the middle of training by cycling at the weekends. Ben, whose wife Nicola Gray works as a Sales Executive for Local Life, said: “We are definitely on track, based on our training, it’s a massive decision to take part in a big ride and we’re all really looking forward to the challenge.” Former Standish Councillor Neil Whittingham added, “We are all cycling to raise money for Dementia and Wigan & Leigh Hospice, because the charities give support to causes which have affected all our families in one way or another.” In total, the team hopes to raise about £2,000 to split between the two charities so dig deep and sponsor the boys if you can. For more information about the charities or to sponsor the team please visit www. justgiving.com/ben-gray2 or www.justgiving.com/ neilwhittingham
Downy Duckling Days
Martin Mere are presenting a series of Downy Duckling Days from Saturday 2nd to Sunday 10th June at their Wetland Centre near Burscough. You can take your children on a a tour through the duckling nursery and let them enjoy an ‘egg to duckling’ experience! Also at the centre to enjoy is the relatively new canoe safari and boat tours, den building, play area and lots more. Visit www.org.uk/martinmere for more details.
The route that the ride takes requires a good level
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Local Life 25
Old Hall are currently looking for a front row cornet player to complete their line-up. Formed originally from the remnants of the old Orrell Silver Band, Old Hall have been established for over 25 years and are now based in Roby Mill. The band has a busy but enjoyable concert schedule in 2012. If you’re interested, please call Paul Sudworth on 07889 271291, or email debbie@oldhallbrass.com. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. Further details about Old Hall Brass can be found at www.oldhallbrass.co.uk
Brass Notes
Local brass band, Old Hall Brass, will be once again performing their annual concert at Southport Little Theatre. Tickets are now available and are selling fast! The concert will take place on Sunday 17th June at the theatre, which is located in Hoghton Street in Southport. Tickets are priced at £7 (£6 over 60’s, £3 under 16’s), and tickets can be obtained from Debbie Sudworth on 01942 715684.
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School Fair
St James School are holding a Summer Fayre on their playing fields off St James Road in Orrell on 16th June 2012, from 12 noon to 3pm. Attractions include a bouncy castle, bottle and chocolate tombolas, a coconut shy, face painting, BBQ, a dance performance by Step by Step, raffle and much more. Admission is free.
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Totally Perfect Bathrooms
Before
There’s no better feeling than slipping into a hot bath of bubbles, for me a bathroom has to be spotless before I can relax and feel really clean. After years of dedicated service a bathroom can start to show a few age spots that you think no amount of elbow grease is ever going to remove! And you’d be right conventional cleaning won’t have your bathroom looking spic and span, but we know a company that can help and you won’t have to spend an arm and a leg. Total Bathroom Restoration are experts in restoring bathrooms to their former glory all over the North West, and all at the fraction of the cost of a new one! Owner Ian Read believes that almost any bathroom can be rescued from the damage caused by unsightly mould and mildew that occurs naturally over time. From his experience in property management he realised that most bathroom problems showed a consistent pattern; leaks, grout failure, mouldy silicone, chipped bath trays and cloudy shower screens. Does this sound familiar? Ian and his team now have bathroom restoration down to a fine art and can restore any bathroom to its original state whilst causing you the minimum amount of disruption. Think ice-white grout, perfect tiles and a bathroom to be proud of; that’s the service that Total Bathroom Restoration can offer to you.
After
Don’t take our word for it - here’s what our latest customer had to say…
Mr Summers of Newton-le-W illows told Local Life, “I wanted to take this opp ortunity to thank the team for their outstanding work”. “The job was awkward and other trades had tried and failed to rectify what was a poor initial install, despite this the team dea lt with all the issues and managed to fully restore the tiled shower enclosure with a finish far superior than the original installation”. “Despite being a messy job the Bathroom was left clean and tidy and read y to use the next day. We were grateful for your expertise in delivering exactly what was required .”
Ian says “As well as restoring your bathroom we can also help you bring to life an outdated bathroom with a few simple tricks. We can source designer taps, slim line shower trays and even help with flooring and decorating. We are really proud to be able to offer a full bathroom makeover service that we know you’ll love.” Don’t just shut the door on your dull and outdated bathroom, breathe a new lease of life into it with a Total Bathroom makeover, call the team now on 01257 368 021 or 0800 542 9984. For more details visit their website www.totalbathroomrestoration.co.uk. www.locallife247.co.uk
Total Bathroom Restoration 01257 368 021 or 0800 542 9984 www.totalbathroomrestoration.co.uk. Local Life 27
Prosper acquires Principal Wealth Management I recently caught up with David Barton, the Managing Director of Prosper Independent Financial Advisers Ltd. The Standish-based Independent Financial Adviser has continued to grow its client numbers both organically and through acquisitions during the last few years despite tough economic conditions. Prosper have just completed the purchase of North West based Principal Wealth Management, the first of three new business acquisitions the company plans to make this year. David is extremely excited about the prospects for the business as the financial services industry goes through radical change. The acquisition of Principal Wealth Management was an excellent fit for Proper’s existing business. Chris Davies (pictured below with David Barton), the Senior Partner at Principal Wealth Management felt that his client base would welcome the level of transparent investment planning offered by Prosper and was confident that his clients would be in safe hands with Prosper. Prosper now manage investments in excess of £75 million and the business is on target to surpass the £100 million mark by the end of the year. David tells Local Life “I have met with a number of other business owners who now wish to exit the industry because of the changes which are due to be implemented in January 2013. From that date, all Independent Financial Advisers will need higher levels of qualifications and cannot take commissions on investment and pension business”.
David adds “During the last eight weeks alone we have taken on in excess of fifteen new investment clients whose current advisers are in the process of leaving the industry, and as a result of this increased demand we have recently recruited Richard Noone (pictured above with David Barton) from Preston based MR financial services. Richard is a very experienced adviser who will further strengthen our advisory team”. The business principally provides advice to clients that have liquid savings in excess of £100,000 that they wish to invest. As well as providing ongoing reviews / updates and quarterly newsletters to their clients, David feels that it is the personal touch that makes Prosper different. “Our investment proposition means that all clients are allocated with a dedicated consultant who will continue to look after their affairs. We have a ‘client for life’ philosophy which remains critical to our business success”. David wraps up our meeting by reminding Local Life readers of the importance of being happy with their own financial adviser. He adds “If you feel that are either not getting the level of service you want from your current adviser or you are concerned that your adviser is about to retire or leave the industry, then please do give me a call on 01257 423 800. We have strengthened our team and we can promise to give new investment clients a very high level of service”.
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Local Life 29
Hi De Hi!
Its summertime, school’s (almost) out and the sun is shining – so get in the mood for a holiday by coming along to Wigan Little Theatre’s stage adaptation of the hugely popular TV series, Hi De Hi! Revisit the 1950s and Maplins Holiday Camp with its host of colourful characters. It’s the start of a new season and founder Joe Maplin announces that he is setting up a camp in the Bahamas. He needs females to go and work out there and the annual Miss Yellowcoat competition will decide who is to go.
escorts Jeffrey into his chalet late one evening? Will Peggy ever get her much-coveted yellow coat? Written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, Hi De Hi runs at Wigan Little Theatre from Wednesday 13th June to Saturday 23rd June 2012. For more details on this comedy and to buy tickets, visit www. wiganlittletheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01942 242561.
Book Club
If you’ve been put off joining a Book Club because your taste in reading is on the lightweight side, then try the Chick-Lit Book Chat group at Shevington Library. Enjoy a relaxed friendly atmosphere with no pretentious high brows guaranteed! The group meets on alternate Wednesdays from 6-6.45pm, where you can enjoy a chat and a coffee. Call the library on 01257 252618 for more details.
But why is Ted forced to employ numerous moneymaking schemes? What happens when Gladys
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Dennis Goulding Glazing – Our Story Established back in 1984 with a fast friendly and professional service, a true local family business! After all this time our core principles remain the same, we have preserved the ideals of the past but have expanded the horizons for our future. We have developed and moved forward adopting the latest techniques and technologies but with the true art of fine workmanship never far away. From the very early days of a small emergency glazing service todays Dennis Goulding has grown to offer everything you need to maintain, enhance and expand your home. Using the latest energy efficient systems you can rest assured that all of our products and services meet the new and demanding BRFC Energy Ratings. Giving you peace of mind that an order placed with us will not only comply with the latest regulations, but will result in your total satisfaction. Throughout our many years in business, we have not and will never compromise on quality, performance and service. On that you have my word!
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Local Life 31
Conservatory Living is a Myth! There – I’ve said it! All those glossy colour Sunday supplements extoling the virtues of having a conservatory; extra family space to relax in the sunshine without actually braving the outside elements are just an overblown sales campaign to sell conservatories. Whilst they are high on our wish list when it comes to improving our homes, conservatories rarely live up to expectations. A conservatory is supposed to be a calm and tranquil space, one that lets us linger over the Sunday papers without having to put on an extra layer or jumping up to retrieve the lifestyle section from the rose bushes. In reality, you probably have a love/hate relationship with what can only be described as your glass box. They overheat in the summer and winter temperatures rival the North Pole; all in all you start to feel like you haven’t benefited from the extra room you paid for. In fact, research shows that, in the British climate, a conservatory in unlikely to provide more than two hours of comfortable temperatures per day. Well, before you seal those French doors shut for good we’d like to tell you about a local company who might just have the answer to all your conservatory woes. Freedom Conservatory Roof Conversions promise to give you back the extra room you have always dreamt about. With their innovative ceiling modifications they can make your conservatory up to
Freedom did our porch and conservatory and we now have balanced heat throughout the down stairs and I am saving £15.00 per week alone on Gas. The fitting team were brilliant and had it all done in 3 days. Our best room in the house is now our conservatory, which before freedom came a long, was unused - Mrs Gillbanks
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90% warmer in the winter and up to 75% cooler in the summer! After suffering with the same problems in his own conservatory, the Billinge-based owner of Freedom Conservatory Roof Conversions Paul Stubbs came up with a revolutionary idea to combat the problems associated with plastic ceilings. Freedom has already helped people save on their energy bills and given them a room that they can use 365 days of the year. The process does not alter the external appearance of your roof or remove any part of your conservatory causing a minimal amount of disruption to your home and because the work is internal there is no need for any planning permission. Paul says “Following our three-day installation you will no longer need to look at an ugly plastic roof, you will have a plastered and painted ceiling with a bespoke lighting and audio package of your choice. Before we plasterboard we lag the plastic roof with insulation that helps to deflect heat away and keeps heat in and the material we use meets all the current building regulations and fire certificates.”
So if you would like to claim back the use of your conservatory and possibly save on your energy bills, call the team now on 08456 860542 for more details.
Well done Freedom for the best idea I have seen since double glazing! I now have a 7 metre lounge with Freedom doing a full makeover and that new ceiling looks amazing in the conservatory especially with the new lighting system that was fitted. Thanks - Mr Dale from Winstanley
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Conservatory roof before “Conservatory overheats in the summer and winter temperatures rival the North Pole!!”
Conservatory roof after “...save on their energy bills and given them a room that they can use 365 days of the year”
20% OFF your Conservatory Roof Conversion Exclusive Offer for Local Life readers
Very pleased with the results, we now have our living room in our once not-used conservatory. There is no glare so we can see the TV & even when it rains we can hear the TV as the new ceiling muffles the rain on the plastic roof. Altogether a splendid job & everything was done as Freedom promised. Mr Monk from Pemberton
Pay initial deposit - balance payable over 10 months interest free! Offer valid until Friday 29th June 2012
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Local Life 33
Pub Walk Invite!
If you can’t get enough of our Jack’s Tracks walks, then why don’t you pop along to join the Wigan Rambling and Climbing Club when they host a 2 hour ‘pub’ walk on Tuesday 12th June? The walk begins at 7.20 p.m. prompt and starts and finishes at the Crown, Worthington, so there’s a chance for a pleasant relaxing drink afterwards at the home of Wigan’s best pint! If you fancy going further afield, the Club has a wide choice of walks to suit your taste including a trip to Rivington Lodges
on Sunday 17th June. Or if that doesn’t take your fancy, why not try a coach ramble to Troutbeck in the Lake District on Sunday 24thJune? For more details, contact the club secretary Jill Shilladay on 01257 421926 or visit www.wiganwalkers.com.
Walk On
If you enjoy walking then the Parbold Ramblers would like to hear from you! This friendly and sociable group are looking for new members to join them. Walks are on the 1st Sunday of every month leaving the shops on The Common at Parbold to go to that month’s destination. Membership is £15 per year, but a Day Membership is also available for first time joiners at just £1.25. Further details and a list of future walks can be obtained by calling Jimmy on 01257 463057 or Liz on 01257 462121.
Barn Dance
The Toll Bar Band will be returning to the Parbold Festival Barn Dance, which will take place this year on Friday 13th July in the marquee on Parbold Douglas playing field. Tickets are £13.50 and include an all you can eat barbeque! Numbers are limited, so please call Steve Morgan on 01257 463772 to secure your tickets. If you’re a member of a community group and you want to publicise your next event free in Local Life, then just email details along with a contact name and number to editorial@ locallife247.co.uk.
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Lansafe CCTV Security. Protect your home. Protect your business. A professionally installed CCTV system can act as a serious crime deterrent. It’s a proven fact, that people are less likely to commit a crime if they know they are being watched. With CCTV monitoring and recording, residential and business premises can view suspicious or criminal activities. More importantly they’re less likely to be a target for robbery and crime.
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A vigilant eye from anywhere! Our quality CCTV systems allow you to access your cameras from any device with an internet connection, like your PC or smartphone. We supply quality cameras with DVR recording equipment - all neatly installed in the building. CCTV Cameras are fully equipped with infra-red vision which records direct to a secure hard drive - no tapes or manual maintenance needed.
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Flower Power
Parbold & District Flower Club are on the lookout for new members! The group hold monthly meetings at Parbold Village Hall and new members and visitors are most welcome. Member subscriptions cost £34 per annum and the fee for visitors is just £6. They meet on the second Wednesday of the month (except during August, December & January) at 1.30pm and finish at approximately 4pm.
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On Wednesday 13th June the group welcome Vanessa Wellock, who will be demonstrating her theme ‘Design with a Difference’ and on Wednesday 11th July Margaret Williams will be at the meeting demonstrating ‘Walk with Me’. The demonstrators who visit Parbold & District Flower Club are all National Association of Flower Arrangement Society trained to either area or national level. They demonstrate approximately five arrangements each meeting, all linked to their chosen title for the afternoon and the accompanying talk is usually amusing and informative. The lovely floral designs are raffled off at the meeting – with lots of lucky winners taking home the most wonderful flower arrangements. There is also opportunity to make new friends, have a friendly chat and a cup of tea or coffee during the break. Come along and make new friends. If you would like to know more about the club please call Eileen Martin 01704 893124 or visit the club.
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Photo credit; Wigan Heritage Services http://wig
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Answers at the back of this magazine!
Fed up with those never-ending aches and pains? Banish them now – Call 01942 321235! First consultation FREE until the end of July. Please quote ‘BONES’ for this offer.
The Bridgeman Centre has been treating the people of Wigan since 1981. The Centre offers physiotherapy, acupuncture, reflexology & also specialises in the treatment of M.E. The Bridgeman Centre, 18 Bridgeman Terrace, Wigan. WN1 1TD T: 01942 321235 or visit www.bridgemanphysiotherapy.co.uk www.locallife247.co.uk
Local Life 37
Your Health Depression
Depression has been with the human race since ancient times, in fact, so much so that Aristotle explored the condition at some length in his writings. Throughout history many famous figures have been afflicted by depression, including Vincent Van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway, Winston Churchill and Stephen Fry. I mention this very brief list of luminaries to illustrate that anybody can be affected by depression. Depression is also extremely common, with estimates ranging from one to several people in ten suffering from the condition at some point in their lives. I hope that these two points are sufficient to convince people that the condition should not be stigmatised and that it is perfectly normal to suffer from depression. By this I do not mean that the condition is not serious (it often can be very much so), but that we shouldn’t feel ashamed if we are depressed and need some help. There is no specific formal test for the condition, but some of the symptoms include: low mood (i.e. “I’m feeling down”), difficulty taking pleasure in things, decreased appetite (and weight loss), Sleep difficulties such as getting to sleep and waking early, inability to concentrate, feeling worthless, inappropriately guilty, thoughts of or attempts of suicide. This is a long and very general list; different people may experience only some of the symptoms and in individual ways. The important thing is that if these symptoms have been troubling you for two weeks or more, or are becoming a recurrent problem, then get help. If you are unsure whether you need help, you probably do. It can often require quite a degree of bravery to ask for help, but in doing so you will have achieved the first step towards recovery and feeling better. Seeing your GP is often the best place to start as he or she can provide you with access to treatment options. A number of medical conditions can cause or contribute to depression and your GP can test you for these. If you are fortunate enough to have a friend or relative that you can confide in, this may provide additional support. Treatment is based around medications such as anti-depressants and talking cures, which includes various forms of counselling. Many people find that with treatment they return to being much happier. Believe it or not, some people find that they enjoy life more than ever on recovery. Dame Kelly Holmes suffered from particularly severe depression in 2003. She then went on to win double Olympic gold medals in 2004 at Athens.
Farmer Ted Winners!
The winners of our Easter crossword competition in the April issue of Local Life were as follow; Nick Dalfen of Glenside in Appley Bridge (pictured above with wife Keely and daughters Maisie & Lola), Jennifer Garner of Pinedale in Standish (pictured below with daughter Kathryn), Mrs Rigby of Mossy Lea Road in Wrightington, Peter Brown of Willowbrook Drive and Jeff Rourke of Parkfield, both in Shevington, Sarah Hill of Whitley Crescent in Wigan, Eileen Wharton of Cornwall Crescent in Standish, Georgina Wilding of Mill Lane in Appley Bridge, J Saunders of Eastmead in Parbold and Margaret Davies of Monument Road in Wigan. The lucky winners won a family pass to Farmer Ted’s Farm Park in Downholland. Well done to them, and many commiserations to all the other entrants. In this issue of Local Life, you can win one of ten family passes to a great family fun day out at Haydock Park race course – turn to pages 54 and 55 for details of this great competition!
Tai Chi Thursday
Thursday is now Tai-Chi day in Up Holland, where instructor David Keegan is running classes in Yang-style Tai Chi. The classes run at the Up Holland Community Centre in Hall Green between 7pm-8.30pm. Classes are £5 per lesson and club membership and insurance will set you back a further £5 a year. For further details, please call David on 07425 133347.
Dr Mike Paull (Chiropractor)
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suFFeRING WITH MusCLe, jOINT OR NeRve PAIN?
What sorts of problem can you help me with? We can relieve pain that is caused by a variety of muscle, joint and nerve problems. This includes both new and old pain resulting from your job, sports, poor posture, accidents and some types of arthritis or wear & tear. We specialise in treating neck and back pain as well as pulled muscles, stiff joints and trapped nerves.
How soon can you help me? We are open six days a week and offer appointments the same or the next day. We are open Monday-Friday 8am-7pm, Saturdays 8am-4pm.
Why do we offer gentle treatments? Because we treat young children and senior citizens, we know that people prefer gentle, painless treatments.
Don’t suffer with muscle, joint or nerve pain!
How can you help me? We always start
Find out how we can help you:
off with a 45 minute consultation and examination to find the underlying causes of your problem. We then use gentle, safe hands-on treatments to relieve your pain.
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01942 498480
Why do you have a digital x-ray department? We have our own digital x-ray department at the clinic so that we can take and show you your pictures within 24 hours. This helps us to show you the underlying causes of your problem, allowing us to start treatment quickly and get you out of pain.
Mike Paull Doctor of Chiropractic
Dr Matt Birch Doctor of Chiropractic
• Consultation & Examination £59 • Digital X-ray pictures (per area) £59 • Treatment sessions (each) £35
Chris Green Sports Injury Specialist
Jenny Richmond Sports Injury Therapist
© Designed for Wigan Family Chiropractic Clinic by Lindsey Brightwell e.designaddiction@hotmail.com
A
t Wigan Family Chiropractic Clinic, our team of Chiropractors and therapists can help to relieve most types of muscle, joint and nerve pain.
Low back or neck pain? visit our clinic WIGAN FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC
TReATMeNT FOR YOuR sPINe, MusCLes, jOINTs & NeRves 27 BRIDGeMAN TeRRACe. sWINLeY. WIGAN. LANCAsHIRe. WN1 1TD LBWFC1 051111
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Local Life 39
Why Belong Wigan is good news for older people
Members of the wider community can also access ‘Experience Days’ in the village: programmes created around their interests. For example, customers can enjoy a film in The Venue, a pamper session in the Hair Salon and therapy suite or arts and crafts activities in one of the village lounges. Experience Days are co-ordinated by a member of staff and support is provided to those who need it.
Dementia expertise
With all the news reports about loneliness, poverty and isolation in later life, it can seem hard to find good news about growing old. Yet there are attractive options for older people who wish to be part of a community without sacrificing their independence.
For the most frail, the village offers round the clock care in six self-contained households, staffed by qualified support and nursing staff. These family sized settings are specifically designed to meet the needs of people with dementia and offer a secure environment where residents are well known to those who look after them.
Belong Wigan is one such place – an award winning community village that is actively chosen by many older people. Opened in 2009, it features apartments for independent living alongside a village centre with a range of facilities open to the public. From bistro to hair salon and exercise studio to function rooms, the village has a range of amenities and a vibrant entertainment programme that is open to all.
Belong Wigan general manager, Gill Menguy, sums up: “Belong villages were created to give older people a positive choice about where they spend their final years. Over the years, we have created a very special environment here in Wigan and we welcome anyone who thinks it may be for them to come and take a look.”
Independence and support combined Equally, the village setting is designed to support those who need it. There is a 24 hour emergency response service for apartment residents, who can also receive care packages from home care providers, such as the Belong at Home domiciliary service. 40 Local Life
Belong Wigan will host an open day from 10am – 4pm on Thursday 28 June. Reserve a place on a village tour by calling 01942 316616. www.locallife247.co.uk
Belong Wigan Open Day Thursday 28thJune Join us for an open day at your award winning community village, Belong Wigan. Tours will take place throughout the day and give you a chance to find out more about older people’s accommodation, services and facilities on offer. These include: Independent living in modern 1 or 2 bedroom apartments, for rent or sale Small group living in Belong Households - each with modern en-suite facilities providing specialist dementia and nursing support Belong at Home domiciliary service providing practical and emotional support to you in your own home Experience Days service – a refreshing alternative to traditional day care
Village centre open to the public with amenities including licensed bistro, hair and beauty salon and exercise studio If any of this is new to you, and you are interested in learning more, then please join us on our Open Day, Thursday, 28th June from 10am – 4pm. We will be delighted to show you round.
To find out more, call on
01942 316 616
FREE COFFEE AND CAKE
This invitation entitles you to a free coffee and cake in the Belong Wigan Bistro. Valid on 28th June only – this advert to be presented at the Bistro to claim.
www.belong.org.uk
Belong Wigan. Millers Lane, Wigan, Lancashire WN2 5DD. Tel: 01942 316 616
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Money & Investment Maximise Your Retirement Income
You usually only get one chance to decide who will provide your pension and since this can determine the income you receive for the rest of your life, it’s not a decision that should be taken lightly. There are many pension providers offering retirement annuities and so it makes sense to shop around for the best deal. By shopping around it allows you to choose the annuity provider that can offer you the highest income from your investment, in the most appropriate manner for your circumstances. This is where exercising your Open Market Option comes in. From our experience it is very rare that the pension provider with whom you have accrued your benefits offers the best annuity rate for you, unless there are guarantees attached to the contract. Indeed if you have suffered some health conditions, or you smoke, there is more than likely the opportunity to purchase an Enhanced Annuity. These cases are underwritten on an individual basis and just a relatively minor condition can have a considerable effect on the level of income you can achieve. Prosper recently advised a client with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, who obtained an income 42% greater than what he was offered by his existing pension provider. But it isn’t only if you have a medical condition that using your right to the Open Market Option can benefit you. Indeed, for a client with no history of any health complaints Prosper Brought to you by David Barton of Prosper Independent Financial Advisers. David is a specialist in retirement and investment planning for the over 50’s
were able to obtain an income 9% higher than he would have received from his existing providers. Don’t forget that this substantially increased income is for life. There are also other considerations that you need to take into consideration when purchasing an annuity, such as including a spouse’s benefit, whether to opt for escalation in order to try and counter inflation or to plump for a guaranteed period. Purchasing an annuity is just one way of obtaining your retirement income and may not necessarily be the way for you. The most likely way to maximise your retirement income in the best way to suit your circumstances is by obtaining independent financial advice. If you’re coming up to retirement and you need to secure the right annuity for you, we can take you through your options and get you the best deal for your future. Call us now on 01257 423 800 to for a free, no obligation, consultation.
Choosing a financial partner may be the most important decision you’ll ever make. ● Financial Advice ● Investment Solutions ● Portfolio Management ● Inheritance Tax planning ● Regular Financial Reviews Call Prosper today on 01257 423800 to arrange your FREE no obligation initial consultation. Prosper Independent Financial Advisers Ltd Prosper House, 99a High Street, Standish. WN6 0HD 01257 423 800 www.prosper-ifa.co.uk
Visit us online at www.prosper-ifa.co.uk 43
New Councillors
The recent local elections threw up a few surprises – we spoke to some of the Councillors elected and asked them to say a few words to the electorate. There were no elections this year in Parbold or Newburgh.
Gareth Fairhurst - Standish
I would like to thank all those that voted for me on the 3rd May plus all my team with the Campaign. It was an incredible result that Standish delivered to Labour. With a winning majority of over 1150+ it is quite clear who the residents wanted. One thing that was quite prominent in the election campaign was the lies and dirty tricks that Labour and their friends in the Town Hall tried. With the evidence out there for all to see the Town Hall got a strong message that the residents of Standish will not stand for their lies and dirty tricks, including from the Chief Executive of Wigan who is meant to be impartial! Over my 4 year term of office I will work closely with Cllr George Fairhurst to continue the exceptional work that he does for Standish and this will now get better with two of us. We aim to represent the residents of Standish by putting them first in all we do. We aim to secure Ashfield Park once and for all. We will oppose all new housing developments as Standish is full and we will fight for a better deal for Standish. We are also already working on a number of projects too. But it is important that if residents have a small issue, like a street light not working, that they feel that they can contact us on these small issues. Surgery: Every Saturday in Standish Library between 10am -11am. Contact Details: Email: gareth.fairhurst@wigan.gov.uk Tel: 01942 487671
Damian Edwardson - Shevington
Firstly I would like to thank everyone who voted for me on May 3rd. I am extremely honoured to have been given the opportunity to work on behalf of the residents of Shevington with Lower Ground and will work closely with my colleagues; Cllrs. Mike Crosby and Paul Collins to ensure that all areas of the ward benefit from our endeavours. Over the next 4 years my main aim is quite simple; I want to do the right thing for the residents of Shevington with Lower Ground, I want to make a positive contribution by helping others in these difficult times. Issues such as rising unemployment and the increased cost of living affect us all and although I won’t pretend we can fix everything, my fellow ward Councillors and I will work
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as a team to stand up for the people of Shevington with Lower Ground to ensure their needs and concerns are addressed appropriately and we get the best possible outcome for our residents. I believe passionately that local facilities and services such as libraries, health and travel etc. are vital to us all and it is essential they are not only protected but improved. Finally, I also believe in the power of strong communities and I want to work with residents and our fantastic volunteer groups to help make our streets and villages across the ward the best that they can be. I look forward to working with, and on behalf of all residents over the coming years. Surgery: First 3 Saturdays of the month - Shevington Library 11.30am - 12.30pm (shared with Cllr. Collins and Crosby) Contact Details: Email: D.Edwardson@wigan.gov.uk Tel: 01942 487674, Mob: 07879888966 Twitter: @CllrDamianE
Carolyn Evans - Wrightington
As the standing County Councillor for this area, I have already fulfilled many promises I made when elected in 2009, such as the 20mph signs outside schools and residential areas, something close to my heart as my little brother was killed outside school by a speeding car. I also put double yellow lines outside Wrightington Hospital, as cars were parking on Hall Lane, obscuring the view of people leaving. The residents of Appley Lane South were devastated when railings were placed outside their houses without consultation, these were an eyesore, so I got them changed . I am aware of the views of my constituents regarding the issue of redevelopment of Chequer Lane and Mill Lane in Upholland and I will make their concerns known at the highest level. Our roads and pavements must continue to be improved, and I have a regular meeting and tour of the area with the Public Realm Officer to note the problems. I am Chairman of the Upholland Library Committee room, and have recently obtained funding to put a proper kitchen in place so that this room can be used to its full potential. Thanks to funding from our Mayors Charity and the Tawd Vale Lions we have obtained a defibulater for this area. We have CCTV funding which is being placed in strategic places in this area to make residents feel more safe, and to help stop youth crime and speeding cars. Tel: (01695 624683 Mobile 07771338896 Website www.councillor.info/lancashire/cevans
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CMA Accountancy Guide to the 2012 Budget
Hello and welcome to this month’s article from CMA, a proactive accountancy and business advisory firm based in Appley Bridge. This month we are reviewing the recent budget and how this will impact you. Although it was April that the budget took place the changes impact your business and personal finances for the next 12 months. The changes introduced in the budget effect everyone in different ways depending on your circumstances. If you are lucky enough to earn over £150k then the changes certainly helped you as your tax rate has been cut to 45%! However, if you are a pensioner then future tax changes will cut your personal allowances from 2013. The following are the some key points that may affect you depending on whether you run a small business or are employed. • Personal Allowances increase to £8,105 for everyone from 6th April 2012. It is important to check that you have the correct tax code on your wage slip. From April 2013 this will rise to £9,105. • Changes to Child Tax Credits – Payments depend on your circumstances and the rules have changed. If you are unsure about how these changes may affect your please contact us for advice. • Company Car Drivers – The tax paid on the benefit of having a company car will increase. There are incentives for choosing a car with low CO2 emissions and these should be looked at when selecting your next car. There are also changes to company car and van fuel benefit taxes which you may need to review. • Child benefit to be partly removed – There will be a change where at least one person earns over £50,000 – This has softened from previous plans. Child benefit will be partly removed where at least one person earns over £50,000.
• VAT – The main rate of VAT remains at 20%. If you are a business, the threshold for registering for VAT has increased to £77,000. If you run a business and need any advice on VAT please contact us. We can take away this hassle and let you focus on running your business.
Tax Tips of the Month – How Much Tax Could You Save ● HMRC issued new codes for the 2012/13 tax year. Check that yours is correct or you could end up paying too much tax! Remember, your personal allowance s increased in April. ● ● If you run a business and are vat registered all returns must be now be submitted online. It is quite straightforward to do this but if you any help with this please contact us.
If you would like to find out more about any of the issues discussed in this article CMA offers a free initial consultation, either at our office or yours, at a time to suit you. If you would like to see how we can help please get in touch.
Contact Details
Chris Alcock ACMA, CMA Accountancy 39 Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge, Wigan, WN6 9DR Tel: 01257 255521 Email info@handsonaccounting. co.uk web www.handsonaccounting.co.uk
• Business Capital Allowances - The energy saving enhanced capital allowance will be updated to include heat pump driven air curtains. Certain other technologies will be excluded. There are a number of incentives available to companies purchasing “green” assets
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Leahy maintains the book, which charts the 10 steps to successful management and business, is for everyone working within an organisation, not just those at management level. “We didn’t want any management jargon in it, just a clear description of how people can work together in any organisation for mutual benefit. It questions how to get away from the notion of working on your own, to really utilising the skills of others. It sounds so simple, but it’s something that’s still missing from so much of business. Naturally, despite having stepped aside, Sir Terry still examines the evolving factors in the business world – and Tesco’s recent dip in profits doesn’t escape scrutiny. So what’s causing the lull? “I don’t think anything is going wrong,” Leahy says. “As a business, Tesco’s sales continue to grow. We’ve had a recession since 2007, it’s understandable that no business is going to come through that unscathed, and Tesco has had to batten down the hatches through that period. It’s very sensible that when we start to see some kind of recovery in the economy, the business holds back its profit growth for a while, to invest ahead of that recovery. An important spur for Sir Terry’s success in the big chair at Tesco was his ability to step down from the corporate ladder and properly integrate himself with shop floor workers
Talking Shop Former Tesco CEO Sir Terry Leahy talks to Local Life about his unique take on the career ladder. He’s the man who, over the period of almost three decades, elevated Tesco from being the 3rd most profitable retailer in the UK to 3rd most profitable in the world. With that in mind, it’s fair to say Sir Terry Leahy knows a thing or two about business. The former CEO of Tesco has just penned his first book, Management in 10 Words. From the outset, the softly spoken Liverpudlian is at pains to state the publication is nothing like an autobiography, even if it does chart his rise from shop floor to executive suite. “At times it was a challenge to write because I’m not overly comfortable talking about myself. But readers would need to know a fair bit about me if they were to take seriously some of the points that I go on to raise. And I think the combination works well – I’m very proud of what’s been created.”
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“Every year I’d spend a week a year working as a member of shop floor staff. Doing something is much better that watching it being done. I got a good sense from working the tills, stacking the shelves, working the night shift and more, because those are the jobs that people do in our business. You gain an appreciation of what systems are working well, and what rules and policies aren’t working so well. “And I guess coming from a poor background was an advantage in the job that I ended up doing. Most of our staff are people who work in the shops. I felt completely at ease with those people. If I’d gone to Eton, I’d feel a bit stiff around the customers, and on the shop floor.” “It really is about respecting the people around you. Why should business be any different to how we treat our families and our loved ones? The next generation has the chance to alter the make-up of business. They’re doing it already through technology, but that’s the tip of the iceberg.” Sir Terry Leahy’s book, ‘Management in 10 Words’, is out on June 7, RRP £20.00. Photo Credit: Estelle Vincent
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Animal Instinct by Nicola Gray
Call it animal instinct, but for me, few things come close to the satisfaction of a really well-cooked steak, so when the call came to check out the local Miller and Carter, I couldn’t wait to set off! We were promised a unique steakhouse experience and, as first impressions go, we were impressed. Low lighting and chic furnishings greeted us at the refurbished restaurant, which is located atop of Parbold Hill, and the place is a world away from its Brewers Fayre predecessor, gone are the pub stools and the gambling machines, to be replaced with stylish leather sofas and elegant decor.
light and crunchy and after digging into the centre the goat’s cheese oozed out to join the rest of the risotto. I’m a fully paid up member of the ‘Steak Well Done’ club, which can bring its own problems at certain establishments when a plateful of cremated meat lands in front of you. I’m delighted to say then that the 8oz rump steak was succulent, flavoursome
We opted for a seat by the window, knowing that this restaurant has one of the best views out over the stunning Lancashire countryside. The variety of food is extensive for a selfprofessed steakhouse; whatever your preferred cut of meat is, there is something to suit your taste. The menu explained that all cuts of beef are reared especially for the restaurant, so the only place to try a Miller and Carter steak is at Miller and Carter. There’s plenty more besides steak on the menu though; you can build your own burgers, pick a freshly prepared salad or try the numerous chicken and fish options. For his starter Ben went for the Prawn Cocktail, but this dish was nothing like the kitsch 70’s version where a few anaemic prawns drown in lashings of Marie Rose sauce; the Miller and Carter version was packed with firm and fresh North Atlantic prawns, the lettuce was crisp and the creamy tang of the cocktail sauce was really indulgent, all finished off with a generous hunk of wholemeal bread. I’m partial to a risotto to start a meal, I ordered the spring onion version. The rice was cooked just how I like it; soft but with a bit of a bite. The dish was pleasingly creamy and came topped with a goats cheese fritter. This was my idea of food heaven, the batter on the fritter was 48 Local Life
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and was melt-in-the-mouth perfection! The dish was topped off with a rich red wine bordelaise sauce and accompanied by a generous slice of onion loaf. Onion loaf is not something I’d tried with a steak before, but the tangy flavours of the onion went perfectly with the sweetness of the meat. Ben likes his steak a little more blue than I do and after a lengthy chat with the waitress he went with a medium rare 12oz sirloin. When the dish arrived, his eyes lit up like Homer Simpson’s! The steak boasted a firm texture and a delicate flavour that was balanced nicely with the punchy peppercorn sauce. This main was accompanied by seasoned fries and an iceberg lettuce wedge. The wedge arrived in a rustic wooden bowl, drizzled in bacon with maple and Dijon dressing – absolutely delicious and so well presented too! After a short break we decided to try and squeeze in a dessert, just to let you readers know what to expect at Miller and Carter. Hey, it’s a difficult job but someone’s got to do it! When I spotted the Lemon Bakewell Tart on the menu all bets were off, whilst Ben indulged his sweet tooth and went for the New York style vanilla cheesecake. My Lemon Bakewell looked divine, the pastry was cooked well and was flaky too. As I cut into the pastry case I found it had a sweet surprise with lemon syrup hiding under the classic almond sponge. The lift of the lemon really made the whole dessert feel really light, served with whipped cream I couldn’t fault it!
– Miller and Carter has got the lot! Rest assured that Miller and Carter don’t just offer run-of-the-mill steak and chips; each meal arrives from the kitchen looking as if Gordon Ramsey might have slipped in for a shift. Whether you’re planning a surprise birthday meal, a business lunch or just a cosy table for two this is the place to be. Don’t just take our word for it though, book a table, enjoy your free bottle of wine and I guarantee you will fall in love with Miller and Carter just like we did! Miller and Carter Parbold Hill WN8 7TG 01257 462318 Or book online at www.millerandcarter.co.uk
Free bottle of house wine! when 2 adults order from our main menu. Voucher valid until 30th June 2012 at Miller & Carter Parbold excluding Bank Holidays This voucher cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
Ben’s Cheesecake looked just as professional, served with a mixed berry compote and lashings of whipped cream. The generous portion size went down very well, and it was a mouth-watering end to a delicious meal. We’re lucky enough to eat out on a regular basis, and there was honestly nothing we didn’t like about Miller and Carter; friendly service, tasty food presented well, fantastic views and reasonable prices www.locallife247.co.uk
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Steam Rally
If you’re stuck for inspiration on Jubilee bank holiday weekend, then take a trip out to Heskin to attend the 20th Vintage and Steam Rally and Country Fair that is taking place at Heskin Hall this year between Saturday 2nd to Tuesday 5th June. The entire family will enjoy looking at the vehicles of yesteryear which include steam engines, vintage commercials, cars, tractors and motorbikes. A group of Bernese Mountain Dogs will put on a display, and there will also be a birds of prey display too. Children will love the fairground rides and the bouncy castle, and there are also refreshments on offer. Admittance is as follows; adults pay £5, concessions pay £3 and a family ticket is £13. For more details call 01257 267433 or 01995 640192.
Sharks on Hunt
Sharks are looking to recruit boys and girls who are interested in trying out for Rugby League. The club runs teams for children from the age of 6 and upwards. For more information, please call Martyn Ellis on 07976 777563 or Jennie Campbell on 07728 236236, or for more information about the club, visit their website at www.shevingtonsharks.co.uk.
Jubilee Activities
Standish Library is hosting a raft of Jubilee-related activities for all ages over the next few days. Children aged 5-11 can join in the fun at the library’s Jubilee Craft Club, which is held on Wednesday 6th June from 10.30am-11.30am. The Under 5’s won’t want to miss out on a Jubilee Storytime at the library between 2pm3pm on Thursday 7th June, when crafts and stories are on offer. And for Mum (or Dad?), there are two Jubilee Flower Arranging sessions this Thursday (31st May), from 1pm-2.30pm and from 2.40pm-4.15pm. Limited places are available at the sessions, so please contact the library on 01257 400496 to book a place. A £6 charge is required in advance for the Flower Arranging sessions to cover the cost of materials. If you’re a member of a community group and you want to publicise your next event free in Local Life, then just email details along with a contact name and number to editorial@locallife247.co.uk.
If your youngster fancies being the next Sam Tomkins, they might be interested to hear that Shevington
The Beer God
At The Crown we are preparing for the Great British Summer with lots of events sporting or otherwise to get you cheering and feeling patriotic. It is now a well-established practice amongst microbrewers to do special beers for these occasions. The next event to test the imagination, recipes and naming skills off the Brewers is the Queens Diamond Jubilee so start looking out for these regally named beers appearing in the cask ale pubs near you. The two stand-out ales for the Jubilee are Royal Box at 3.8% is from a microbrewery called Box Steam; this is a mild ale with a dark reddish colour. With a sweet aroma of caramel and some roasted malts this is a pleasant Royal beer. The limited edition Diamond Jubilee from Marston’s at 5% is a true thoroughbred and is brewed to give a dry, balanced and overall moreish drink.
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Over the Jubilee Bank holiday weekend the Crown will have 13 hand pulls on for you to try, all featuring Diamond Jubilee beers including Sovereign at 4.1% from Northumberland and Sovereign Tribute at 4.1% from Lytham Then it’s on to the European Football championships for footy themed beers, the Golf Open at Lytham (we’ll probably get a beer called bacon sandwich) and then the big one - The Olympics!! Loads of material here for some cracking real ale, I predict lots of golden beers. So despite the wettest drought on record there are lots of reasons to get down to your local cask ale pub and celebrate our great summer of celebration with a pint of great British ale. See you soon and wherever you be drinking good ale, let me know your ale tales! www.crownatworthington.co.uk
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Florida Fun! If you’re looking for guaranteed family fun in the sun, Florida should be top of the list! Florida, known as the Sunshine State, enjoys a warm climate all year round, and summer temperatures are ideal for those that love the hot sun. It’s no wonder that Florida is such an attractive proposition for holiday companies; it’s the perfect year round holiday destination! Florida is, without a moment’s hesitation, the theme park capital of the world. From the vast Disney complex that boasts numerous outstanding theme parks, to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, Aquatica and Busch Gardens in Tampa, there are a large number of outstanding theme parks waiting to be discovered by children and adults alike. Whichever combination of them parks you discover, you’re sure to go home with a suitcase full of fun family memories.
The Sunshine State is much more than simply a theme park paradise though. From Florida Keys in the south, to the cities of Miami and Tampa, the beautiful seafront setting of Naples and Sarasota, and the wilds of the Everglades, Florida is a state with an abundance of outstanding places to visit. Shopping there is legendary, while golf is also popular and the accommodation, whether you are staying in a hotel or a villa, is also generally first rate. Since Got 2 Go Travel opened four years ago, we have specialised in Florida holidays, and we send many families every year to enjoy the Fun in the Sun that Florida offers. You can rely on Got 2 Go Travel to find the best deals for you, and below are just some of the brilliant packages we can fix up for you.
Package Holidays
Check out these brilliant school summer holiday prices!
Family of 3 from only £2,198! Family of 4 from only £2,749!
Price includes flights and 7 days hotel ccommodation in Kissimmee or International Drive. There is no child age limit on the above packages
Villas
Check out these fantastic High Season prices!
Luxury Town homes 3/4 bed from £315 p.w. 3 bed pool villas from £379 p.w. 4 bed pool villas from £419 p.w. 5 bed pool villas from £498 p.w.
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Walt Disney World Resort
There really isn’t a better way to holiday in Florida than staying on site at Walt Disney World. Got 2 Go Travel is just one of only two agents in the UK who can work with Disney direct to bring you our own ATOL protected holiday packages. We have two fantastic offers for you if you choose to stay on site at Walt Disney World; Free Disney Dining – all your food and drink is free of charge. This includes meals in and around the parks and resort (not just the hotel) and you can even dine with the characters! 14 Day ultimate ticket for the price of a 7 day ticket! The fun just won’t stop, when you stay on site for two whole weeks! This offer is now available to book for selected dates in 2013 including the School summer holidays, and on all 2013 Walt Disney World packages we will be giving up to £200 free spending money!
Twin and Multi centre holidays
Best of Florida FlyDrive Tour Spend 6 nts in Orlando, 3nts in Clearwater , 2 nights in Naples and 3nts in Miami Beach.
Family of 3 from just £3298 Family of 4 from just £3998 Prices relate to August 2012 and include flights and 14 nights hotel accommodation. There is no child age limit on the above packages. In addition to the package above, you can also include a 4 night cruise to the Bahamas or Cozumel for an extra £500!
Local Life Offer!
Mention Local Life when you book a Florida holiday from Got 2 Go Travel and you can get FREE tickets for the whole family to one of the following attractions;
• Gatorland • Boggy Creek Airport Rides • Arabian Nights Dinner Show This is just a small selection of the fantastic deals we have on offer, but they are limited, so call in and see us as soon as possible at 22 High Street in Standish or call now on 01257 472113.
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Win one of ten family passes! Serious sport – serious fun! For sheer excitement and value for money, there are not many sports that can offer as much excitement and value for money as a day at the races. Fixtures last for most of the day and the thrill and spectacle is second to none. Combine this with Haydock Park’s superb hospitality facilities and entertainment, a festival of top quality racing throughout the year and the very best in corporate hospitality, leisure and entertainment and you are onto a winning formula.
Haydock Park offers a spectacular 33 days racing in 2012, with a feast of top quality races combining the very best in both Flat and Jump Racing.
Local Life has got our paws on ten family tickets worth £25 each for Haydock Park’s Go Wild in the Jungle themed raceday on Thursday 9th August. Simply complete the crossword on the opposite page and you can win a great day of summer family fun at Haydock Park! Send your competition entry to Local Life 247 Ltd, Unit 8 - Hewitt Business Park, Winstanley Road, Orrell, Wigan WN5 7XB. Or you can email your entry with your contact name, address and number to crossword@locallife247.co.uk. The closing date for entries is Saturday 30th June, and the names of the lucky winners will be published in the August issue of Local Life.
The Old Newton Cup (Saturday 7th July):
Upcoming feature racedays include:
The Temple Stakes (Saturday 26th May): The Group 2 Temple Stakes raced at Haydock Park for the first time in 2008 and is now the feature race of a fantastic afternoon’s racing. Haydock Park’s oldest race with over 200 years of history, it is the feature race on their most popular summer raceday, a truly magnificent day out for all ages.
The Rose of Lancaster Stakes Day (Saturday 11th August): The red rose has deep roots in Lancastrian history and the race that bears its name has come to represent one of the main highlights of their flat season, often providing a fascinating clash between progressive members of the classic generation and their elders.
The Sprint Cup (Saturday 8th September):
The Sprint Cup is the feature race of Haydock Park’s flat season, attracting the very best six furlong horses from across Europe. Previous winners include Diktat, Royal Applause, Somnus, Goodricke and Reverence.
The Betfair Chase Festival (Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th November): This weekend sees quality racing in abundance, offering racegoers the perfect opportunity to get involved in two days of the very best jump racing on the racing calendar, culminating in the competitive Betfair Chase on the Saturday. 54 Local Life
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Along the feature races, their fixture list offers non-stop entertainment on and off the track with events such as glamorous ladies evenings with the new for 2012 Top Model competition where two lucky winners (one male, one female) will win a modeling contract with top Liverpool model agency, Pulse, summer family fun with the Go Wild in the Jungle themed raceday (9th August) and LIVE music nights with artists Madness (6th July) and Steps (21st July) playing LIVE in concert after racing to raceday visitors from across the country. Haydock Park knows how to look after your guests too. Bring clients, work colleagues or business associates for a day at the races and entertain them from the privacy of your own suite, marquee or private box. The setting is beautiful, the food is phenomenal and the action is non-stop. This is top class hospitality that never fails to impress. Choose from a range of flexible packages and hospitality facilities from private viewing boxes for 1540 guests to larger suites accommodating up to 400 and they will deliver the banqueting options to match, with packages starting from as little as £44 plus VAT per person. For information on how to book your tickets and raceday hospitality facilities, visit www.haydockpark.co.uk or alternatively, call the 24-hour Ticket Sales Hotline on 0844 579 3006 or the Hospitality Sales Team on 01942 402 624.
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Across EclipseCrossword.com
1. Suggs sings for this Haydock Park-bound band 6. Outgoing resident of Parbold Hall, Sir Peter_ 7. Canalside village near Standish Lower Ground
Down 2. 3. 4. 5.
Queen celebrates _ Jubille in 2012? London’s big event 2012 Latics ‘miracle-man’ manager, Roberto _ _ Park under threat in Standish
Name Address
Post Code Telephone Number Email Crossword Competition Rules 1. Only one entry per household. 2. Entrants must be over 16 years of age. 3. The winners will be notified within 14 days of the closing date 4. Local Life 247 Ltd cannot accept any responsibility for entries that are delayed or damaged in the post. 5. Employees of Local Life 247 Ltd or their immediate relatives are not eligible to enter this competition. Local Life 247 Ltd is registered under the Data Protection Act and abides by the guidelines of the act. We will never sell or pass your details to any third party company. However, we would like to contact you by email with news of great local offers and also to check our magazine distribution in your area. If this is acceptable to you, please tick this box
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The What’s On Guide Sunday 27th May
Family Fun Day An open air event on Mawdesley Millennium Green for all of the family. There are various stalls, a Bouncy Castle, Slide and fun rides, Dog show, Brass Band, Talent Competition, Vintage and Classic Cars. Refreshments plus many other stalls etc. Cost: Free entry Time: 1pm--5pm Sat Nav Ref: L40 2QT
Thursday 31st May
Family Hog Roast Hoe-Down Family evening in aid of Rainbow House with live band music from James Brammer and a Hog Roast Supper by Taylors Hog Roast BBQ Company. This event will be held to be held in a marquee at Heskin Hall, nr Chorley. Cost: £10 adults, £3 Children or £20 for a family ticket (2 adults & 2 children). Time: 7pm Contact: 01704 823276 or visit www.thelegacyrainbowhouse.com Sat Nav Ref: PR7 5PA
Saturday 2nd June
Diamond Jubilee Village Fair Annual traditional country fair in the West Lancashire village of Hilldale. Cream Teas served. Brass band; BBQ; Dog Show; Bouncy castles & slide; Morris Dancers & Ice Cream. Crowning of Gala Queen. Many stalls and games. Picnic tables available around the field, or bring your own picnic blanket and chairs. Come along and enjoy the fun! Cost: Adults £1, Child 50p (Stalls £10) Time: 1.30-4pm Contact: 01257 462764/ 01257 464969 /01257 464353. Sat Nav Ref: WN8 7AL
Saturday 2nd June
Roman Weekend The Romans will re-claim Chester for the whole weekend as one of the highlights of the MBNA Chestival 2012. Hundreds of Romans will be descending on Chester for a full weekend of activity, including Gladiatorial Roman Games, a working Roman village with a live archaeological dig, original 56 Local Life
Roman Kids Army, Military Displays and a Roman march through the city centre. Also runs on Sunday 3rd June. Cost: Free entry Time: 11am to 5pm Contact: 0845 241 7868 or visit www. chesterfestivals.co.uk Sat Nav Ref: CH1 1RF
Saturday 2nd June
Downy Duckling Week Martin Mere hand rears a large number of captive birds every year to offer us the Downy Duckling Week, showing the whole egg to duckling experience (runs from Sat 2nd to Sun 10th June). Also opening in early June is the fantastic new adventure play area. The guided boat tours are brand new at Martin Mere offering visitors a tour of wetlands, watching wildlife, spotting dragonflies, listening for warblers, admiring wildflowers or simply enjoying the peace and tranquillity . Cost: Adult £10.45, Concession £7.75, Child £5.10 & Family £28 Time: 930am - 530pm Contact: 01704 895181or visit www.wwt.org. uk/martinmere Sat Nav Ref: L40 0TA
Thursday 7th June
BBC Antiques Roadshow BBC ONE’s ever popular Sunday evening programme Antiques Roadshow will be filming for its 35th series at Port Sunlight in Wirral. Cost: Free Time: 930am to 430pm Contact: www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow Sat Nav Ref: CH62 5DX
Friday 8th June
Southport Food & Drink Festival Runs until Sunday 10th June, this year’s festival is even bigger and better than last year and has a new seaside location on Princes Park! Highlights of this year’s event include the fantastic chef demonstrations in the Live Cookery Theatre, including appearances by Alex MacKay and Southport’s own Masterchef 2012 finalist Jay Tinker. New features include the Children’s Food & Drink Festival, a Teddy Bear’s Picnic, the Southport Bake Off and Community Bake Sale, a real ale festival, www.locallife247.co.uk
What’s on Guide events key
and even a chocolate festival! Cost: Free Time: 9am-6pm Contact: 01704 533333 Sat Nav Ref: PR8 1AX
Sunday 10th June
Vintage, Antique and Handmade Fair at Cedar Farm The Razzle Dazzle Travelling Vintage Fair have up to 40 stalls of antique, handmade and vintage curiosities at the superb venue of Cedar Farm. There is something for everyone here with a coffee shop and restaurant on site, animals, a play area, artist studios and retail shops. Admission price includes entry into a prize draw to win a £25 voucher. Cost: £1 entry Time: 10am-4pm Contact: www.cedarfarm.net Sat Nav Ref: L40 3SY
Saturday 16th June
Newburgh Fair Traditional Village Fair. Procession with band and floats, Morris dancers, Rose Queens etc. Events and stalls on school field, entertainment, bar, refreshments. The procession starts 12.00 from Back Lane and the fair opens at 1pm. Contact: www.newburghlancs.co.uk Sat Nav Ref: WN8 7XB
Tuesday 19th June and Wednesday 20th June
Cheshire County Show This is the largest and longest established two-day event of its kind in the North West. It is enjoyed by over 80,000 visitors each year. The Show is host to a wide variety of well represented sections including: cattle, light and heavy horses, vintage machinery, WI, rural life, dogs, rare breeds, cheese and wine. The Show also includes a game fair area, a play zone, a large food hall of regional producers and a food live theatre. With also over 700 trade stands, the Cheshire Show is a firm favourite for all the family. Also runs on Wednesday 20th June. Cost: Adult £16, Senior £13, Child £7 & Family (2 adults & 2 children) £32 Contact: 01565 650200 or visit www. cheshirecountyshow.org.uk Sat Nav Ref: WA16 0HJ www.locallife247.co.uk
Events and Festivals
Walks & Nature
Family
Special Interest
Saturday 30th June
Stars & Stripes Classic American Car Show Also on Sunday 1st July. This is the NW’s premier event for lovers of all things American at Tatton Park! Huge Fins ‘n’ Chrome cars from the 1950s & 1960s. Corvettes, Mustangs, Cadillacs, Hot Rods, Custom Cars and more, plus the famous Wall of Death! Trade stalls selling American related items & general trade stands, live music and refreshments. A great day out for all the family! Cost: Adult £7.50, children under 12 free. Normal Park entry charge applies Time: 10am to 4pm Contact: 01565 723 863 or visit www. cheshireeautopromotions.co.uk Sat Nav Ref: WA16 6QN
Saturday 14th July
Scarecrow Festival and Vintage & Craft Fair An eclectic mix of vintage & craft stalls to browse around the National Wild Flower Centre at Court Hey Park in Liverpool. The annual Scarecrow festival also takes place this weekend, supported by entries from local schools and clubs. Prizes will be awarded to the best within age ranges. Also on Sunday 15th July. Cost: Free Time: 11am to 4pm Contact: 0151 738 1913 or email info@nwc.org.uk Sat Nav Ref: L16 3NA
Saturday 21st July
Green Fayre The Green Fayre, held at Beacon Country Park in Up Holland, is West Lancashire’s premier countryside event, celebrating the great outdoors and countryside life. There will be a variety of displays, crafts and lots of activities for children. Also on Sunday 22nd July. Cost: Free Time: 11am to 5pm Sat Nav Ref: WN8 7RU
Local Life 57
Eccleston
Bygone Times
ne La Kno wles Woo d
e an it L lt P Sa
Dark Lane
Hall Gree n La ne
Heskin Old Hall Farm
Mawdesley
Ha lf Pe nn y
Bannister Green
ith sm er nn Ta
e Lan lls a n n Wre
Spring Wood
Heskin
Farme
La ne
Rid ley La ne
Heskin Hall Walk This easy 4.25 mile walk through the countryside around Heskin has got the lot! It’s only a few minutes drive away from the Standish area; it has picturesque countryside, good shopping venues, plenty of points of interest, nice places to stop for refreshments and, though we did the walk just after a period of heavy rainfall, it wasn’t muddy at all! The best time to do this walk is now – the end of May - when the bluebells are out in force. For some great shopping or some refreshments en route, you can stop off at the Farmers Market at Heskin Hall or at Bygone Times in Eccleston.
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Heskin Hall - Eccleston
Park up at the Farmers Market and Craft Centre on the Heskin Hall estate. The owners do welcome walkers, but please park at the back of the building. Do pop in before you go for some lovely coffee and some gorgeous home-made cake to sustain you on your travels! Once you leave the front car park, bear left and you’ll immediately see a stile on the right next to a metal gate alongside a footpath sign. Go over the stile and head diagonally across the field towards another metal gate, also with a footpath sign.
n Hall
ers Market
Wo od La ne
Heskin Green
Hop across that stile and carry on the right hand side of the perimeter of the field. Through the woods on the left you’ll see Heskin Hall through the woods. Go over two further stiles, staying on the right-hand boundary of the woods. You’ll then go down a dip, hop over another stile and you’ll see Syd Brook. Follow the path to the left alongside Syd Brook until you reach the second bridge. If you cross the bridge at this point you’ll enter Eccleston. Instead, don’t cross the bridge; turn left and walk up the hill (next to the makeshift bike ramps). Continue up this tarmac path which subsequently morphs into Mill Lane. Once you reach the main road, turn left and then 100 yards later turn right onto Wrennalls Lane.
Eccleston - Mawdesley
After approximately 550 yards, you’ll come to a bungalow on the left called Low Ridge; take a left turn straight after Low Ridge, hop across the stile and take the path through a farm. Continue through the farm on the left hand side and go over the stile on the left hand side situated opposite the end of the barn. Carry on in the same direction down the path, towards some woods. Jump across a stile at the end of the path and
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you’re in Knowles Wood. Bear right and go downhill on the cobbled path to a bridge over the stream.
Cross the bridge and go up the bank the other side, carry on through the woods on the footpath. When you reach a green barn, bear to the right a little and carry on down the footpath, which runs parallel to the brook, right to the end of the path. You exit onto the driveway to Heskin Hall Farm, which is built on the site of the original Heskin Hall. At this point, turn right and when you reach the end of the lane, turn right again onto Halfpenny Lane. You will now face a three way junction - Halfpenny Lane, Tannersmith Lane and Hall Green Lane; the public footpath you need to take is situated opposite the Tannersmith Lane road sign.
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Cottage until you reach Blue Stone Lane. Turn left and walk 400 yards along the road, taking in a sharp right hand turn along the way, and turn left into Dark Lane. Walk 250 yards up a slight incline and then bear left onto Ridley Lane for a further 575 yards.
Mawdesley – Heskin Hall
Just before you reach St Peter and Paul Church, take a left turn down Salt Pit Lane (signposted Croston and Eccleston). Once you have passed Salt Pit Cottages on the left, the road bears round to the left and then you turn right at the public footpath sign down the driveway to Salt Pit Farm House.
Hop over the stile on the left hand side of the metal bar gate and then keep to the left hand side of the perimeter of the field. When you reach the corner of the field, cross another stile and carry on in the same direction. Hop over another stile at the corner of that field directly onto Salt Pit Lane, turn left and walk 50 yards, and then turn right down the public footpath, opposite Barratts Farm Stables. Stick to the right hand perimeter of the field and when you get to the right hand corner, carry on down the footpath beside a house called Little Blue Stone
Just before you reach a second enclosed driveway to Salt Pit Farm House, you’ll need to take a 90 degree left turn down another footpath. You’ll arrive at a metal stile, beyond which is a small enclosure. Go over the stile and head over to and cross a similar metal stile. Turn right and follow the footpath alongside the right hand perimeter of the field. Once you reach the corner of the enclosure (where the trees stop), carry on walking in the same direction over middle of the field. Cross over the stream via the concrete slab onto another field, then stick to the left hand perimeter of this field, once you reach the metal bar gate on the left. Cross the wooden stile on the right of the gate and then follow the pathway through the farm to its junction with Halfpenny Lane. Go directly across Halfpenny Lane and cross the stile on the other side of the road. Keep on the right hand perimeter of the field down a slow slope. Once you reach the corner of the field, you’ll see the a little wooden bridge and a stile. Cross the stile and go over a second stile onto a road called Bannister Green. Turn left on the road and head up Bannister Green for 250 yards, right through an S bend; ignore the path with stone chippings, and carry on until you reach a red metal bar gate on the right hand side where the public footpath sign is. Turn down this path and you’re back on the Heskin Hall estate; follow that path for 475 yards and you’re back at Heskin Hall. Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear whilst walking. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the walk is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence,
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Dish of the Month Chocolate Sorbet
Light, refreshing and gluten-free! Prep time: 15 mins Freezing time: 3-4 hours plus chilling time
Serves 4-6
Ingredients 100g / 3 ½ oz good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) broken into pieces 100ml / 3 ½ fl oz filtered or mineral water 60g / 2 ½ oz cocoa powder
For the sugar syrup 250ml / 9 fl oz filtered or mineral water 150g / 5oz caster sugar
Method 1. Prepare the sugar syrup by placing the sugar and water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil without stirring and leave to simmer until the sugar crystals have dissolved (about 5 minutes). Remove from the heat. 2. Melt the dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl suspended over a saucepan of just-simmering water. When it has melted add the 100ml / 3 ½ fl oz water and reheat until warm. Whisk in the cocoa, then add the melted chocolate, whisking together until smooth. 3. Let the mixture cool, then chill it by placing the bowl of sorbet mixture over a bowl of water filled with ice cubes. Stir occasionally but don’t let any water splash into the sorbet mix. 4. For the smoothest results churn the chilled mixture in an ice cream maker until ready. 5. If you don’t have an ice cream maker then place the mixture in a shallow bowl and freeze it in the coldest part of the freezer. Take it out every hour and whisk it to break up the ice crystals. Made this way it will have a slightly more granular texture but it will still be delicious. 6. Remove from the freezer about twenty minutes before serving.
Serving suggestions Although this is lovely on its own you could try serving it with: 1. Strawberries dipped in melted chocolate, then chilled. 2. Rich butter shortbread (obviously not if you’re on a gluten-free diet!). 3. With a glass of coffee, chocolate or mint liqueur poured over.
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Angie is a qualified award-winning garden designer who will plan your garden to your needs from start to finish, supplying reputable contractors and the ideal plants. Call her now for your free consultation!
Award Winner
Get ready for the Chop! Have you heard of the Chelsea chop? (Oh dear, Hubby thinks it is something to do with John Terry.) No, it is in fact a horticultural technique for getting some of our taller herbaceous plants to grow stockier, thereby needing less staking, and to flower later in the season when there is traditionally a lack of colour.
buds and all! I know it seems a crime but just bear in mind the benefits which come later. Not all plants respond well to the Chelsea chop so for more detailed information visit the excellent Royal Horticultural Society’s website at www.rhs.org.uk and give it a go - if you dare! On a different note, Hubby and myself both have birthdays this month - he is like a fine wine - maturing very nicely with age and not at all corked. As for me, well I’m at that stage in life when I actually get on with my daughter - her now being a mum herself - which makes me feel very old. Still I like to think that my enthusiasm for plants and gardening helps me to retain a youthful, optimistic outlook on life … as I reach for my secateurs.
It is called the Chelsea chop because it is usually done during the week of the fabulous Chelsea flower show, ie the end of May or early June. You require nerves of steel because this process involves chopping off around a third of the top growth of the plant - flower
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Author: Angie Barker Dip GD (Inst GD) BA (Hons) Garden Design For All Seasons Tel: 01942 522 405 Mob: 07857 008 383 www.angiebarker.co.uk
Award Winner!
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Your Local Directory of
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Give your home some
Summer Sparkle! call Parkinson Decorators today
From exterior to interior painting and decorating you can rest assured you’ll receive the best quality, professional finish and superb value for money!
Call today for your free quotation
01257 402045 or 07702 360597
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Local Life Jobs
Domestic Cleaners Required - All Areas Growing company requires cleaning staff for immediate start. You must be honest and reliable, and all references supplied will be checked. Flexible hours to suit your lifestyle and good rates of pay for the right candidate. For details call Stephen or Joanne on 0800 043 0722 or 01942 203442. Distributors Required Local Life requires distributors (aged 13+) to deliver the magazine. We currently have vacancies for distributors in the Shevington Moor area, the Naylor Farm/Oval estate in Shevington, the Cranleigh area of Standish and the Whitley Crescent/Spencer Road area of Wigan. We welcome applicants from all other areas for our waiting list too. Distributors will typically work for 2/3 hours every 8 weeks, delivering in their own neighbourhoods. You must be fit, enthusiastic and reliable. Please email your name, address, landline number and date of birth to sallyb@locallife247.co.uk.
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Guess this Place!
The photograph on Puzzle Corner is of the old cafĂŠ on Parbold Hill circa. 1960. The cafĂŠ building now makes up part of the Miller & Carter restaurant.
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The Useful Numbers Medical
Boston House Concourse Walk-in Centre Linacre Centre Ormskirk Hospital Parbold Surgery Shevington Clinic Shevington Surgery Standish Clinic Standish Medical Practice Wigan Infirmary NHS Direct Emergency Dental Repairs
Police
Greater Manchester Police Wigan Policing Team Lancashire Police West Lancs Local Team
Other Useful Numbers Parbold Library Shevington Library Standish Library Local Life magazine
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01942 482000 01695 554260 01942 244000 01695 577111 01257 463126 01257 501300 01257 253311 01257 501320 01257 421909 01942 244000 0845 4647 01695 623334
0161 872 5050 0161 856 7124 01695 566134 01257 462239
Councils and Councillors (Wigan) Wigan Council Wigan Council (out of hours) Cllr Collins (Shevington) Cllr Crosby (Shevington) Cllr Edwardson (Shevington) Cllr Fairhurst (Gareth) (Standish) Cllr Fairhurst (Standish) Cllr McGurrin (Standish) Cllr Davies (Wigan Central) Cllr Hunt (Wigan Central) Cllr McLoughlin (Wigan Central)
01942 244991 01942 404040 01942 487684 01942 486860 01942 487674 01942 487671 01257 407078 01942 486861 01942 486864 07766 478296 01942 487686
Councils and Councillors (West Lancs) West Lancs Council Cllr Pope (Newburgh) Cllr Blake (Parbold) Cllr Kean (Parbold) Cllr Baybutt (Wrigh’ton & App. Bridge) Cllr Evans (Wrigh’ton & App.Bridge)
01695 577177 01704 894540 01257 463636 01695 633396 01257 255501 01695 624683
01257 463769 01257 252618 01257 400496 01257 498329
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