CI Didsbury - January 15

community

January 2015

Didsbury

View the latest edition at www.communityindex.co.uk

Delivered FREE to homes & businesses in Didsbury

Contents 9

Ministry of Craft

Didsbury People

44

17

January in your Garden

Joe Beech

On the cover

editor@communityindex.co.uk 07875 895 604

Christ Church in 2014 from the collection of Andy Robertson

Editor

Lesley Swann Director

Deadline for next edition

Linsey Parkinson

Content 12th January Advertising 14th January

advertise@communityindex.co.uk 07870 988 601

Contributors

Marketing & Development

Sam Paechter

Deborah Grace

accounts@communityindex.co.uk 07939 077 036

Katherine Watson

Accounts

Andrew Simpson Geoff Garnett

@communityindex www.communityindex.co.uk

149 Ayres Road, Manchester M16 9WR

Linsey Parkinson

Didsbury People

by Deborah Grace

John Robinson Former civil servant turned community gardener, John Robinson, on striking gold for Didsbury In Bloom.

How long have you lived in Didsbury?

I was born in Moss Side and spent the first 21 years of my life there. I met my wife, Judy, at university in London and we moved to North Reddish in 1974, and to Didsbury in 1980. We’ve lived here, in Parrs Wood Avenue, for nearly 30 years.

Tell me about Didsbury In Bloom

Parrs Wood Avenue was awarded Gold at last year’s North West In Bloom Awards, which recognise the achievements of communities in improving their local neighbourhoods. Altogether, the Didsbury In Bloom team picked up eight Gold awards and two Silvers, claiming the prize for Best Urban Community in the North West. That means we’ll be going forward to the RHS Britain In Bloom national final next summer.

How did you get started?

I stopped working in 2009, just short of my 62nd birthday, and

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for the first couple of years I struggled with my retirement.

I started doing stuff for the National Trust, Oxfam and the Rural Studies Centre, but nothing hit the spot. I’d always mowed the verges in the avenue and done some litter picking and I noticed the embankment was a mess. There was rubbish everywhere and people had clearly been walking their dogs there. So I started picking up the cans and litter. I mowed the grass and painted the rusted railings.

In 2011 the Council was giving away free bulbs, so I organised a mass bulb planting, with about 30 of us planting 2,500 daffodils, crocuses and bluebells. We’ve since planted another 800 bulbs as well as a number of cherry and woodland trees at the top of the embankment.

community and helped bring people together. The place looks a lot better too!

What has winning the award meant to the community?

Complete the sentence, ‘I love Didsbury because…’

On the day the RHS judges came round, there were people in their eighties weeding and tidying.

This has really energised the local

Have you always been a keen gardener?

Not at all! My mum and dad would be laughing if they could see me now. Judy and I were keen tennis players when I was working, so there was no time for gardening.

Any other interests?

I’ve been a semi-professional musician for 20 years, playing the guitar and singing. I’ve got a gig in Wales on Saturday at the Deganwy and Colwyn Bay Yacht Club Ball. I play every day even if it’s just mucking about playing scales. I find music very therapeutic and couldn’t live without it.

It’s a vibrant, cosmopolitan place and there are a lot of fantastic people who do things for the right reasons.

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New Year, New Hobby, New Friends Make Do and Mending at Ministry of Craft Disposable fashion and mass-produced homewares are so last year! In 2015, have a go at making your own clothes or furnishings: not only will you save money, but you’ll also learn new skills. It’s going to be great!

The trend for ‘make do and mending’ continues to grow and there’s no better way to take your first tentative steps into the craftiverse than with a bit of group crafting. Social crafting and creativity makes you happier! Whether it’s joining a local knit and natter group, or taking part in the virtual shared hug that is #MeMadeMay (a social media celebration of DIY dressmaking), getting together for a spot of making en masse is proven to be relaxing, therapeutic and it’s a whole lot of fun too!

There are so many sources of inspiration out there, not to mention an enormous range of materials: from gorgeous fabrics to luxury yarns, fantastic handmade papers and cute craft kits.

If there’s something you’ve always fancied trying, or your skills need a general brushup, our friends at the Ministry of Craft have courses for all tastes and ability levels. One of the most popular courses has always been Conquer Your Sewing Machine, the perfect way to get started with sewing or to rekindle a love of stitchery that may have lain dormant since school. More hardcore?

Then try a spot of Fair Isle knitting. Courses are based at Fred Aldous, the art and craft supplies shop in the Northern Quarter.

There are plenty of art and craft retailers in Chorlton and Didsbury too, so you won’t run short of materials - or ideas.

Fancy a go? New courses starting in 2015 include options to make tops or tunic dresses; fabric lampshades, and snuggle quilts. There are also options for making decoupage jewellery, screen printing and that all-important Fair Isle knitting. Places fill up fast though, so you need to er… get weaving.

Visit www.ministryofcraft.co.uk for the full story

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Moving on in 2015?

Get the right people on your side

Mark Heptinstall, Partner and Head of Family Law at Slater Heelis At Christmas, the focus is usually on celebration, but it can also be a fraught time when relationships are put under enormous strain.

As the decorations come down and the New Year begins, many people re-evaluate their lives and decide that their relationships just aren’t working.

If you feel you can’t face another year with things as they are, you need to take action. Talking to a family solicitor is a vital first step: and it certainly doesn’t mean you’re heading for the divorce courts. There are times when a damaged relationship just needs first aid: a good solicitor can refer you to a number of organisations that can help you talk things through and stay together.

If separation is your chosen

option, your solicitor knows and understands what a difficult decision you’ve made. Help settling affairs fairly and amicably can reduce distress for all parties. A meeting with a trained mediator is useful in a number of ways: by keeping lines of communication open, you can make your own decisions about your future, avoid expensive legal battles and reduce tension and hostility. If you’re parents, your children will appreciate the fact that you’re working together to reach a solution.

If mediation doesn’t work for you and you need a greater level of legal support, the collaborative approach to separation involves both parties, each with their own independent solicitor, sitting around a table and working

through settlement options.

Again, this can reduce costs and ensure that everyone’s interests are protected. This approach can be particularly helpful where custody and visitation rights are involved.

You can find advice about relationship counseling, family problems and legal options online: try www.relate.org.uk , www.resolution.org.uk and www. familylives.org.uk

Slater Heelis is a Manchesterbased law firm with expertise in mediation services, dispute resolution and collaborative law. If you want to address your relationship problems, but you’re not sure where to start, give them a call 0161 969 3131 or visit www.slaterheelis.co.uk

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Stay fighting fit this year

Learn new skills at North West Chinese Kickboxing

What do you get if you take the best bits of Kung Fu and combine them with the best bits of Kickboxing? As well as a cracking cardio workout, strength and skill, you also get Chinese Kickboxing.

And you can learn it here in Chorlton.

It’s Monday evening, inside a unit on the Albany Road Trading Estate, behind Morrisons. A group of 15-20 men and women, of mixed ages, shapes and sizes are training and they’re clearly having a great time. They’re developing co-ordination, concentration, respect and discipline and they’re also getting fit and making friends.

There are three high grade Black Belt instructors in the class, so everyone is getting personal help and advice and they’re all improving fast.

Many people enjoy kickboxing as an exciting form of exercise and sessions incorporate aerobic drills, strength, flexibility and conditioning. First you learn basic boxing and kicking; then you get stuck into the focus mitts and kick pads – not your classmates!

It’s a fantastic way to vent the

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day’s frustrations!

The club was founded by Chris Boughey, who also just happens to be the England team coach for the World Kickboxing Council.

It’s been in Chorlton for over ten years now and has seen hundreds of people progress to Black Belt and beyond. There’s a range of classes, including adult beginners, women-only and mixed ability. There’s a kids’ class too, where children as young as four can come and learn with Sue Cox. There are even special family rates, because the family that boxes together stays together!

There’s no membership to pay, just pay each time you train. It’s simple, but you learn from the best. Feel free to call or drop in to the gym for a chat.

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Didsbury Through Time

A look at the history of Christ Church Avenue

by Andrew Simpson Now, I have to say that Christ Church in West Didsbury has rather been ignored by me.

And even though I travelled past it every working day for 35 years, I never really noticed it or bothered with its history.

As Andy Robertson says “the old main gate and old main entrance are now only about two metres from the kerb of one of the busiest roads in Manchester.” But back in 1881 it was still surrounded by open countryside, standing on Christ Church Avenue which was a wide, tree lined avenue leading from Barlow Moor Road down to the rectory and church, which

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had been built that year. And given its location, it was known as Christ Church in the fields.

I have come across a few pictures of the church, but this one, of the Barlow Moor Road and the arched gateway to Christ Church Avenue about 1925, fascinates me. The lodge is to the right and a for sale sign to our left.

In 1932 Princess Parkway was cut south of Barlow Moor Road, as the main link to the newly developing estate of Wythenshawe. It was built over Christ Church Avenue and eleven fine looking houses with gardens were built from the corner of Barlow Moor Road

down to the church.

So Christ Church Avenue had a short life, just a matter of 51 years, which means that I will have to do some more digging.

I am hoping that there will be people with memories of the church in the years just before and after the new road was cut.

And it may be that there will be some more photographs of the building and surrounding land.

Picture; Christ Church in 2014 from the collection of Andy Robertson, the arched gateway from the Lloyd Collection

Read more on the history of Didsbury in Andrew Simpson & Peter Topping’s book Didsbury Through Time. chorltonhistory.blogspot.com

Book Reviews The Manchester Anthology 2014

‘ We need new writers to help the world re-imagine itself’ Jeanette WInterson

A Collection of New Writing from the University of Manchester Poetry, novel extracts, short stories, and short, short stories provide an impressive showcase of talent in this collection from the University of Manchester’s Centre for New Writing.

Among the 20 contributors (all students on the university’s Creative Writing MA) are published authors, prize-winners and brand new writers. This makes for an eclectic mix of styles and themes: from bingo in Bury to frontline action in Afghanistan.

In Sue Kaberry’s She Could Have Had Anybody, a middle-aged woman, celebrating an unexpected win at bingo, forces herself for the

first time to confront the lie which trapped her into a dismal marriage.

In Jack Brodie’s Hot Air Balloon, the protagonist, lost and aimless in early retirement, finds new interest and purpose down at the local supermarket. In an hilarious piece of micro-fiction, Sarah Clare Conlan exposes the fraught and perilous world of cinema dating etiquette.

And in an extract from his novel, Silence in the Valley, A.E. Pearce recounts a harrowing episode of violence and sexual exploitation in South Africa …

Introducing the anthology, Vona Groarke references the famous novelist who slammed creative

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writing courses as a ‘waste of time’. To paraphrase: ‘You can’t teach it; they either have it or they don’t.’ Happily, what this diverse collection illustrates is that the best creative writing courses are less about ‘teaching’ students to write than encouraging individuals to develop their own unique voices.

• Review by Deborah Grace

Nora Webster Colm Tóibín

In the late 1960s in rural Ireland, Nora Webster looks after her four children and struggles to rebuild her life following the death of her husband.

Highly intelligent and often uncompromising, Colm Tóibín’s heroine is no meekly grieving widow. Fierce in her apparent self-possession, she resents the flow of well-meaning visitors, arriving at her door to commiserate, and immediately makes plans to dispose of Cush, the family’s coastal holiday home. ‘What surprised her was the hardness of her resolve, how easy it seemed

to turn her back on what she had loved, leave this house on the lane to the cliff for others to know, for others to come to in the summer and fill with different noises.’ The danger is, of course, that Nora will remain forever locked in icy grief, unable either to feel emotion or to respond to the considerable emotional needs of her children.

Gradually, however, she emerges from her depression and begins to discover, in her solitary, widowed state, a new freedom and opportunities that were denied to her in her marriage. There are no great dramas or revelations here.

Instead, what unfolds, through Colm Tóibín’s quiet and deceptively simple prose, is a series of little, human moments and insights in which, nevertheless, everything that is important is contained.

• Review by Deborah Grace

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January In Your Garden

By Katherine Watson

January gardens tend to be a bit boring, unless you have the space for a Hellebore field or a Daphne thicket (I once knew a Daphne Thicket – nice woman, if a little brusque).

So it may be worth spending a bit of winter time thinking about the other things that can enhance the main event of plants and design in the garden. For instance, many of us will add pots to our schemes and, for years, I’ve relied on the staple terracotta and glazed purple and blue pots that are widely available and cheapish. Nothing wrong with that at all, but sometimes it’s about having the time to think about what other options might be around and how they might just lift the garden a little in a particular style direction.

Very popular at the moment are the galvanised and zinc planters evoking a bygone era: Cox and Cox have a good variety as do Garden Trading and the Garden Planters Shop online. I’ve got a couple of zinc planters that are quite large – one given over to an Acer and the other to Euphorbia characias wulfenii and Carex everest.

Another option is to visit one of the many reclamation and architectural salvage shops in Cheshire: Ashley Reclamation; Reclaimed World and Beeston Reclamation all have a rolling stock of proper old planters and garden objects.

For more modern pots and planters, visit iotagarden.com or cadix.co.uk.

As well as pots, there are lots of other decorative paraphernalia available for the garden. A ‘friend’ bought me a wolf whistling gnome for my front garden but we won’t talk about that. My dad has passed down to me a love of Green Men plaques for the garden – entirely undesignery but I can’t resist a few tucked around the garden for nephews and nieces to find.

Proper garden art is worth investing in, even if you have limited space, and it can make a dramatic impact, particularly to the winter garden. I have a lovely burnt wood sculpture by local artist Audrey Hayes (audreyhayes.co.uk) which adds some drama and contrast to the planting and I’m after some stone wings from Cox and Cox for a boring bit of garage wall - but don’t tell anyone ‘cos they’ll all be after some.

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Sport in Didsbury

By Geoff Garnett

Golf: Northenden Juniors back in action Northenden Golf Club Juniors were some of the first players to get back into action after the devastating fire that destroyed their clubhouse.

A new trophy had been donated, in memory of the late Sandy Busby, former President and son of Sir Matt. Unfortunately the trophy was destroyed by the fire but the competition still went ahead with some fine play from the boys.

The winner with 40 points was Joel Clarke after a cpo with Dan Benson and third place went to Matt Booth with 38.

Joel receives his prize from Larry McDonald and Denis Law With the catering facilities destroyed, the boys enjoyed some huge pizzas before the prizes were presented by Captain Larry McDonald and United legend Denis Law, a great friend of Sandy Busby.

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Snooker: Tight at the top

A titanic struggle is in progress for the division one title in the Levenshulme Snooker League. Just four points separate the top seven teams and every game is a real battle.

Current leaders are Longsight B with 45 points, but chasing them all the way are the Lauriston Club 44, Sale Excel and Withington Globetrotters, both 43, Crucible 42, Denton WMC 41.5 and Openshaw A 41.

Longsight hung on to the top spot, despite losing out to Withington Globetrotters 5-2, who had Ash Alaaraji posting a 37 break. Reigning champions, Lauriston, jumped back into second place with a 5-2 win over Ladybarn.

A close local derby saw Levenshulme Bowl edge out Didsbury’s Albert Club by 4-3. This dropped Albert to eighth spot but they are still only five points adrift of the top.

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Community Index Local groups and useful numbers Clubs, Societies & Groups

Acting For Fun Central, Didsbury 431 4794 Didsbury Civic Society didsburycivicsociety.org.uk Didsbury Cricket Club didsburyccsports.co.uk Didsbury Good Neighbours Every Tues 10-11.45am coffee morning. Holt Pavilion, Didsbury Park 07749 504298 www. didsburygoodneighbours.org.uk Didsbury Ladies’ Probus Club Alternate Monday afternoons in East Didsbury.

Joan Woodall 434 2532 Didsbury Men’s Probus Club Alternate Thursday mornings in East Didsbury.

Bill Woodall 434 2532

Didsbury Lawn Tennis Club Bob Peel, 445 0465 didsburyccsports.co.uk Didsbury Players celestaplayers.co.uk

Didsbury Village East Residents Association dvera.co.uk Didsbury Village WI www.didsburywi.co.uk

Dolls House and Miniatures Group 2nd Monday of each month, 8-10pm, Whalley Range Venue.

Ann 07814 861285 Eat Green free cookery school, food bank, garden tool libraries and community growing activities. info@eatgreen.co.uk www. eatgreen.co.uk Ford Bank Residents Association fordbankresidents.org.uk Frets community guitar and singing, Fridays 10am, Didsbury Sports Club 07813 121478

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Friends of Didsbury Park friendsofdidsburypark.co.uk

Friends of Fletcher Moss Park Alan Hill 215 0971 awhill@globalnet.co.uk

Friends of Marie Louise Gardens marielouisegardens.org.uk Lipreading and Communication Skills classes Free to deaf people and their families and friends.

Wednesdays 1 -3 pm at Mauldeth House 0161 832 0444 enquiries@ manchesterdeafstudies.org Manchester JKF Karate Club Didsbury MMU Sports Centre, Tuesdays 8.30pm Ben Pollock, 07894108944

Oneness Deeksha Meditation Saturdays 11am-12 at The Didsbury Parsonage. Donation £2 Christine 07734 072040 South Manchester Camera Club Mondays at 8-10pm, Didsbury Methodist Church smcc.org.uk Didsbury Over 50s Group 247 2323

South Manchester U3A 1st Tuesday of the month 2pm, Emmanuel Church. Edna 434 2509

West Didsbury Bookgroup Meets every four weeks at 7.30pm.

Lively mixed group of all ages.

Call 445 4483 leaving your name, address & landline West Didsbury Residents Association westdidsburyresidentsassoc@ gmail.com westdidsbury.org.uk Withington Civic Society Roger Smith 445 1473 withingtoncivicsociety.org.uk

Are you part of a voluntary or community group?

Drop Joe an email on editor@communityindex.co.uk

Social & Support Groups Manchester Diabetes Support Network 860-5688 diabetesinmanchestersouth@ gmail.com

New Family Social UK charity for LGBT adopters, foster carers and their children. Meets every month in south Manchester. newfamilysocial.org.uk email: nwdevelopment@newfamilysocial. co.uk Rethink Manchester Carers in Action www.rmcia.blogspot.co.uk 07757 082 976 Useful Numbers Didsbury Library 227 3755

Environment on Call 954 9000 Mersey Valley Countryside Warden Service 905 1100 Manchester City Council 234 5000

Didsbury East Councillors Andrew Simcock cllr.a.simcock@ manchester.gov.uk James Wilson cllr.j.wilson@ manchester.gov.uk

Bridie Adams cllr.b.adams@ manchester.gov.uk

Didsbury West Councillors Josie Teubler cllr.j.teubler@ manchester.gov.uk

Carl Ollerhead cllr.c.ollerhead@ manchester.gov.uk David Ellison cllr.d.ellison@ manchester.gov.uk Local MP John Leech - MP

8 Gawsworth Avenue M20 5NF Tel: 434 3334 johnleechmp@ parliament.uk

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Business Index Aerials

Dale Communications

Bathrooms

Bathroom Angels

Building & Maintenance Best Cellars

Carpenter

Didsbury Carpenter

Chimney Sweep

Acorn Chimney Sweep

Cleaning

Oven Wizards Profresh Carpet Cleaners

Copywriting Chin Up Duck

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Biodanza

Fat Grass Garden Design

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Green Designs

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Graphic Design

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Health & Wellbeing

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Joe Beech

Interiors

Leapfrog Home

Language School Alliance Francais

8

Leaflet Delivery

8

Carol Smith Home Improvement

Physiotherapy Village Physio

Social Club Solicitors

HLF Berry Slater Heelis

Sunblinds

North West Sunblinds 17 2

24

Community Index

21

Chinese Kickboxing

13

Martial Arts

Painting & Decorating

The Albert Club

Alexander Technique 10 Butterflies Holistic Therapy 8

Instituto Cervantes 6

6

Gardening

21

Crafts Ministry of Craft

Dance Classes

Tree Services

10 19 7 23 19

Tree Station

17

Dig Vintage

9

Vintage

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Are you separating and unsure which path to take?

Slater Heelis has provided clear direction for over 240 years.

Our team of Resolution family specialists are here to support you with first class legal advice and provide the direction you need. The team focuses on divorce, separation, civil partnerships, same sex marriages, finances, pre-nups/post-nups and children arrangements.

Our family team all live in and around the South Manchester area; living within the same community offers us a unique insight into what affects all our daily lives.

You are just a tram ride away from one of our offices in Manchester city centre or Sale.

““I’ve I moved its bohemian, livedto in Whalley ChorltonRange for 10 for years and love vibrant atmosphere and being so close to the attitude and culture of the place.

Chorlton.

Having the independent bars and We love the bars and restaurants, especially shops all within walking distance is great the Beagle, Electrik,San Juan and the cafénot to mention the tram links to the city.” in Longford Park”.

Mark Heptinstall Head of ourSolicitor Family Department Helen Thompson | Consultant

Get in touch with our family team

family@slaterheelis.co.uk 0161 835 3681 www.slaterheelis.co.uk

@familylawnw

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