The Lancashire & North West Magazine | April 2021

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April 2021

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Delamere Clinic by JDA Architects

The Origins of April Fool’s Day

Mountain Oak Woodcraft Turning local wood into beautiful projects

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Dr Maurizio Bragagni billion pound journey from Merseyside to global business

Take a visit to Sausage Island Co-op Funeral Director reveals how lockdown impacted bereaved families across the region

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Contents...

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Heysham

Rivington

Skelmersdale

Features

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Daniel Defoe’s tour of 18th century Lancashire

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Tips on buying art for the first time

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The origin of the April Fool

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Lakeland Motor museum ticket competition

30

The Fairy House makers. A mother & daughter team becoming Fairy property developers

34

Shakespeare Day

46

Profile of artist Alistair Makinson

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JDA Architects vision

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Stay active with these Treasure Trails

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The tale of Sausage Island

92

The story of Floor-D

106 Levens Hall conservation

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112 Mountain Oak woodcraft 124 A busy time for O’Donnell solicitors 134 Liverpool Theatre return 142 A Bury denture clinic transforming smiles 152 A hot tub company with an impressive history 160 The story of Marcia Trotter, who took on a different direction during lockdown

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164 From Merseyside to a global business, the path of Dr Maurizio Bragagni

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168 Energising your life. Why do we need electrical energy for optimal wellness 172 World Earth day. Supporting environmental protection 188 Soul Analyse, jewellery with positive affirmation

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192 Paul Joseph tells his personal story of Lancaster 204 The poems of Dean Fraser

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Contents Regulars 64

Books

82

Deborah Hatswell

85

Subscribe to our magazine

April 2021 • Volume 44 Number 4

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130 PT Health 140 Nicola Parker - Herbalist 151 Peter Rutt 158 The life of Di 178 Nelly’s Blog 182 Colour me beautiful 196 Moo Style 200 Aiming Higher 208 Horoscope 210 Business index

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April 2021

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Managing Director Natalie Christopher natalie@lancashiremagazine.co.uk

Delamere Clinic by JDA Architects

The Origins of April Fool’s Day

Mountain Oak Woodcraft

Turning local wood into beautiful projects

Creating positive affirmation jewellery

Editorial 01253 336588 editorial@lancashiremagazine.co.uk Sales Enquiries • 07918 685673

JDA architects

Their award winning vision of the future

Dr Maurizio Bragagni billion pound journey from Merseyside to global business

Take a visit to Sausage Island Co-op Funeral Director reveals how lockdown impacted bereaved families across the region

COVER: The Delamere Clinic by JDA Architects

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In this issue...

Daniel Defoe, the author of famous titles such as ‘Robinson Crusoe’ and ‘Moll Flanders’ to name a few, took a tour of 18th Century Lancashire. He also wrote a book titled ‘A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain’ and is one of his best-known works of non-fiction. In the case of North-West England, Defoe explains that his account does not result from “the observations of one single journey”, but rather is an impression formed from his visits to the region on five different occasions. In this issue, we take a look at his thoughts on the places he visited in Lancashire.

Talking of writers, April 23rd is Shakespeare Day. Between 1592- 4 the plague decimated London and the theatres were closed to stop the spread in much the same way as we have been ‘locked down’ because of Covid 19. During this period, Shakespeare started a connection with the North West, Knowsley Hall in Prescot in particular.

We have a nice story of how a motherdaughter team became Fairy property developers... to Reverse the Lockdown Low. After the first house appeared on a woodland trail in Lancashire. When mum 6

Rivington

Above: Hattie, left and Katherine with one of Katherines Fairy Houses

and daughter team Katherine and Hattie Grimes went back to visit their small people’s ‘show house’ two weeks later they were amazed and delighted to find local children had left little house warming notes for the new Fairy residents. So the journey to Fairyland began.

A former Lancashire town played an important role during the pioneering days of our proud British Railways, that town was Newton-Le-Willows. By the mid 1800’s the vast majority of NewtonLe-Willows was employed by the railway industry. Our story charts the rise and fall of the steam train industry.

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Fancy a trip to Sausage Island? Our writer Kate Gostick tells of her experience of paddling in the water near the island.

Being forced into a work break during the pandemic Marcia Trotter used the time to take her medical and cosmetic transformation business in a different direction. It began 14 years ago when she took sisterly love to a whole new level after her brother Brooke was involved in a lifechanging accident.

He was the innocent victim of a hit and run driver who drove his car into him as he waited to cross the road in Manchester city centre. We learn how Marcia went on to help her brother and other people in similar situations.

And as always - our regulars. The towns this month are, Heysham, Rivington and Skelmersdale. Deborah Hatswell has a witness encounter of the Rivington Pike Beast. Nicola Parker explains how herbal medicine stars in the kitchen.

Paul Thompson shows us why we should prioritise some physical activity each day.

And as always, book reviews, fashion, food, and more, all in our April issue.

Hope you enjoy the magazine. www.lancmag.com

Daniel Defoe’s tour of 18th century Lancashire

By Margaret Brecknell

Daniel Defoe, who died 290 years ago in April 1731, is best remembered today as the author of novels such as Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders. However, Defoe only came to novel writing relatively late on in life and was better known to his contemporaries as a journalist and political commentator.

Above: Portrait of Daniel Defoe in National Maritime Museum London

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Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain is one of his best-known works of non-fiction. First published in three volumes between 1724 and 1727, Defoe’s Tour was based around his extensive travels across the length and breadth of the British Isles.

Part of the third volume is devoted to Lancashire and the North-West, and it is fascinating to read Defoe’s impressions of the places he visited before the Industrial Revolution changed the landscape of this region forever.

This literary giant’s roots are surprisingly humble. He was born as Daniel Foe in London in about 1660 (his exact birth date is disputed), the son of a butcher called James Foe. Defoe himself later added the “De” to his original surname,

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at a Dissenting Academy with the expectation that he would become a Presbyterian minister.

Above: Daniel Defoe in the pillory – Credit “Wellcome/CC BY-4.0”

presumably with a view to sounding more aristocratic than he really was.

His early life was not easy. Defoe’s parents were Presbyterian religious dissenters at a time when those who chose to worship outside the Church of England were still subject to persecution. As the child of a dissenter, Defoe’s educational opportunities were limited. He was not allowed to attend any of the leading educational establishments of the day, but instead was taught

Defoe had other ideas. He set up in business in London and became interested in politics. Defoe is thought to have published his first literary work in 1683, the first of many satirical pamphlets which ridiculed the leading figures of the day. He was also prepared to advocate religious freedom at a time when it remained dangerous to do so. After publishing one satirical pamphlet in support of religious dissenters in 1702, Defoe was arrested on a charge of seditious libel, thrown in prison and made to stand in the pillory.

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Even a sojourn in prison did not dissuade the indefatigable Defoe from putting pen to paper.

The following year he set up a periodical called The Review and he also continued to produce political pamphlets, often using a pseudonym. He is believed to have published hundreds of pamphlets over the course of his literary career and is known to have written propaganda pieces for both main political parties of the time, the Whigs and the Tories. Despite this prodigious output, and at one point even being recruited as a paid spy by the British Government, Defoe often found himself in debt.

Defoe was in his sixties by the time A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain was published in the 1720s. Visit a bookshop today and you will find a whole section devoted to travelogues of this kind. However, at the time of its publication Defoe’s Tour was viewed as highly innovative, as it represented the first time that an author was writing about places he himself had witnessed at first-hand.

In the case of North-West England, Defoe explains that his account does not result from “the observations of one single journey”, but rather is an impression formed from his

Above: St Peter’s Church Liverpool c.1922 shortly before demolition

visits to the region on five different occasions.

Defoe starts the description of his travels through the North-West with Liverpool. During this period Liverpool was expanding rapidly as a trading port. Its position on the north-west coast meant it was ideally placed to benefit from the growth in transatlantic trade with the new English colonies in North America and the West Indies. A ship called the Liverpool Merchant, which set

Above: The Massacre of Peterloo by George Cruikshank

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sail from the port in late 1699, has an infamous claim to fame. It is believed to be the first slave ship to sail from Liverpool and is recorded as having sold a cargo of 220 African slaves in Barbados. Defoe witnessed first-hand Liverpool’s extraordinary growth during this period, observing how “the large, handsome, well built and thriving town” which he first discovered in 1680 had grown significantly by the time of his second visit ten years later and how on his third visit “it was more than double what it was at the second”.

As Liverpool prospered, new building work took place all over town. Defoe describes in glowing terms the new church of St Peter’s on Church Street which was consecrated in 1704, describing it as “a noble, large building, all of stone and well furnished”. This served as Liverpool’s parish church for over two centuries until it was replaced by the current Liverpool Cathedral on St James’s Mount in the early 20th century and was subsequently demolished. Defoe also refers to the construction of Liverpool’s first wet dock, which when it opened in 1715 was the first of its kind in the country.

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Chetham’s Library – Credit “Michael D Beckwith/CC BY-3.0”

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Juan Fernandez islands old view (probably Robinson Crusoe dwelling in Defoe inspiration). Created by Lebreton, published on Magasin Pittoresque, Paris, 1842

He concludes his account of Liverpool by declaring that “there is no town in England, London excepted, that can equal Liverpool for the fineness of the streets, and beauty of the buildings”.

commemorated as the Peterloo Massacre, armed cavalry charged the crowd with drawn swords. In the ensuing chaos an estimated 18 people were killed and many more were seriously injured.

In contrast, Manchester is described by Defoe as “the greatest mere village in England”. This comment is not intended to be in any way derogatory about Manchester’s size, but is meant to draw attention to a political anomaly. Manchester’s glory days at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution when it evolved into one of the north’s great powerhouses were still some decades away. However, by the early 18th century, when Defoe’s Tour was published, Manchester had already become a prosperous market town, known for its manufacturing industries, with, Defoe estimates, a population of some 50,000 people. Despite, according to Defoe, being “greater and more populous than many, nay, than most cities in England”, the town did not elect its own MP, nor did it have any proper system of local government.

Over a century after Defoe had expressed the hope that “this increasing town will, some time or other, obtain some better face of government”, Manchester finally elected its first MP following the Reform Act of 1832.

This lack of representation eventually led to one of Manchester’s darkest days. By the early 19th century Manchester had grown into a major industrial city, yet its people still did not have the right to elect a Member of Parliament. In August 1819 a peaceful rally of some 60,000 people gathered at St Peter’s Field to campaign for democratic representation. In an event which is now 12

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Defoe speaks well of early 18th century Manchester, praising new developments such as the “fine new square”. This presumably refers to St Ann’s Square, which was built around this time on a site called Acres Field, the location of an annual fair since medieval times. He also refers to Manchester’s “four extraordinary foundations, viz. a college, a hospital, a free-school and a library, all very well supported”. One of these, Manchester Grammar School, had already been in existence for two centuries by this time and, is of course, still thriving today. Similarly, Chetham’s Library, established in 1653, is still going strong and can now boast of being the oldest public library in the Englishspeaking world.

When Defoe turns to his account of Lancashire’s more northerly towns, Preston and Lancaster, he shows a marked preference for the former. Preston is described as “a fine town”, whereas Lancaster “has little to recommend it but a decayed castle, and a more decayed www.lancmag.com

port”. Like so many northern towns, Preston would be transformed by the mechanisation of the textile industry which commenced some 50 years later. However, Defoe’s impression of Preston in the early 1700s is markedly different, remarking that “Here’s no manufacture; the town is full of attorneys, proctors and notaries”. As for Lancaster, its “decayed port” would become one of the busiest in the UK during the 19th century, benefiting significantly, as was the case with Liverpool, from its location on the north-west coast.

Defoe’s account of North-West England is full of other interesting details. Warrington is described as “a large, populous old built town, but rich and full of good country tradesmen”. The town held a weekly market renowned for its “huck-a-back” linen, which was produced locally. According to Defoe, this was a highly lucrative trade, with linen sales from one market day alone amounting to a then substantial “five hundred pounds value, and sometimes much more”. Bury, on the other hand, is, according to Defoe, known for its “woollen manufacture of coarse sorts, called half-thicks and kersies, on which the whole town seemed busy and hard at work”.

A Tour Through The Whole Island of Great Britain proved to be one of the few real commercial successes for Defoe during his lifetime, but his financial struggles continued. When he died in April 1731 from what was www.lancmag.com

described as “lethargy” (thought to be an 18th-century term for a stroke), he is said to have been in hiding from his creditors.

Much of the detail of Defoe’s personal life remains shrouded in mystery, with much intriguing detail such as his work as a spy remaining tantalisingly out of reach.

In some ways, the same may be said of his literary career. He published his work under so many different pseudonyms that it is entirely possible that some of the political pamphlets he produced have still not been correctly attributed to him.

However, his reputation as a literary trailblazer is well-deserved. Not only did he play a significant role in establishing the novel as a literary form through works such as Robinson Crusoe, but also he is rightfully celebrated as the father of modern journalism. He was among the very first to realise the value of putting pen to paper as a means of sharing information.

His Tour Through The Whole Island of Great Britain, which was seen as groundbreaking by his contemporaries, has also proved invaluable to future generations. In his preface Defoe expresses the hope that his work will be “both pleasant and profitable to the reader”. His first-hand account of the state of affairs in early 18th century North-West England certainly lives up to this aim.

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Tips on Buying Art for the First Time – Advice from Ian Hay, Art Advisor & Director of The Saul Hay Gallery

Now might be the perfect time to invest in art.

With UK consumers restrained from spending money on things like holidays or eating out like they used to, many of the more fortunate ones will have a bit of extra cash to spend on things that can add real beauty to their home.

Ian Hay, Director of The Saul Hay Gallery in Manchester says: “With people stuck inside more and more, they’re taking time to re-evaluate the environment around them. A statement piece of art placed in an eye-catching part of the room can completely transform a home, making a talking point for guests but most importantly, bringing you joy - something personal and unique, that breaks up the monotony of current everyday life.”

But how do you go about buying art or starting a collection if you’re you’ve never tried before?

Ian Hay is the Director of The Saul Hay Gallery (www.saulhayfineart.co.uk) where you can find the very best contemporary art from the vibrant art scene of Manchester and the UK. He shares his top pieces of advice on buying art for the first time: Do your research – look at as much art as you can. When allowed, head to as many galleries as possible as nothing beats seeing something in 14

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the flesh. In the meantime, and as well as - look online; there’s an infinite amount of places you can get inspiration from with major galleries and commercial collections having fantastic online catalogues. Other online platforms such as Saatchi Art (saatchiart.com) contain work of artists from all over the world to browse through. You can even search by specific types of work, colour, size and style. The more you see, the more you appreciate and the more you will form your own taste Buy what you love rather than finding something purely for investment purposes.

Unless you are a top art expert, you’re not going to be able to second guess what will go up in value and what won’t. The fact remains that if you buy a good quality piece of art from a reputable gallery by an artist with a good output then the chances of it going down in value are very slim. Art is rarely going to be a bad investment but often it can take years, if not generations, for art to go up significantly in value. Think that what you’re investing in is 30 years of enjoyment of the piece and buying something that you could pass down to your family.

Support local artists that resonate. Buy art that means something special to you; perhaps the artist www.lancmag.com

is from the same place as you, or you have a special connection somehow. For a lot of our collectors, there’s a great philanthropic feeling when buying a piece knowing that you’re supporting a talented local artist whose work you really like where you’re

actively helping to keep their career going. It’s the same when you buy from any creative who is still alive or in the early stages of their career; by investing in them you’re encouraging them to produce more incredible work.

Have confidence in your own taste. No one can tell you what you like though people can make suggestions, of course. I compare art to music; you don’t need to justify your taste in music or art – it’s often very hard to do so in words. Art, like music, is instinctive so trust your taste and follow your intuition.

A statement piece of art placed in an eyecatching part of the room can completely transform a home www.lancmag.com

Mark a milestone - Buy a piece of art that marks a milestone, whether that’s a key birthday that you can’t celebrate right now, a wedding or a smashed target at work. Seeing it every day will remind you of the celebration and make you smile.

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Don’t compromise - If you are buying a piece of art as a couple who have different tastes, please don’t compromise. If one partner loves a piece and the other doesn’t, let them have their piece and they’ll let you have yours. As soon as you start to compromise on art, you’ll buy something that neither likes enough which will only lead to disappointment.

Measure Up - When it comes to buying for your home, measure the space that you want to fill.

Come equipped with these figures when you’re shopping in galleries so you know if fitting your favourite piece in your home is actually achievable.

Acknowledge styles - Notice the period styles of your home and if this is something you feel you’d like to stick to. Call on the advice of an interior designer to get their opinion on what style or pieces of art would work best if you do have a distinctive period property.

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“Artists that I recommend include Sheffield based Mandy Payne, who is a contemporary painter exploring urbanisation and marginal space.

Manchester artist, Jen Orpin similarly focuses on the urban environment and together they’re due to feature in our Brutal exhibition when it opens.

Finally, there’s Peter Davis. He’s had a long and successful career in advertising and started to paint full time over the past few years and is making waves with his zeitgeist series – his obsession with people using their personal technology.”

The Saul Hay Gallery plays hosts to a vibrant collection of artists from the Manchester art scene and beyond.

For more information or to shop online visit: www.saulhayfineart.co.uk

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Make a plan to stop smoking Although rates of smoking have decreased in the UK in recent years, approximately 6.9 million people over the age of 18 are smokers. Smoking harms almost all organs in the body and it is a leading cause of preventable death. Smoking can damage your heart and blood vessels, which increases your risk of having a heart attack. Quitting smoking can be difficult, but it is an important step for reducing your risk of heart disease. We provide some tips to help you stop smoking.

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Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip,

by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

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List the reasons to stop smoking

Manage your cravings

If you want to stop smoking, an effective and simple thing you can do to stay on track is to write a list of the reasons why you wish to quit smoking.

Whenever you feel the urge to smoke, you can read this list and it should inspire you to keep going.

Cigarette cravings are intense urges to smoke and they can last for 5 minutes. Quitting smoking requires a huge amount of willpower. When you get a craving, try to distract yourself for 5-10 minutes until it passes. You could try planning a healthy dinner or plan a route for a cycle ride or a walk. Once the craving has passed, you can give yourself a pat on the back.

Decide when to stop As soon as you stop smoking, your risk of heart disease will reduce. The sooner you decide to quit the better. Choose a date within the next two weeks.

If you leave it too long, you will give yourself time to change your mind.

Get support

Make a plan Make a plan to quit smoking and ask your friends, family and co-workers for their support. Identify triggers that make you want to smoke and work out how you will overcome them in advance. For example, if you usually smoke during your break at work, plan to go for a walk instead. www.lancmag.com

Getting support to stop smoking can increase your chances of success. You could try contacting your local Stop Smoking Services or chatting to your GP. You could also seek advice from a friend or family member who has successfully stopped smoking or someone who is also trying to quit. You could also consider using a stop smoking aid, such as nicotine patches, gums, lozenges or nazal sprays to help stop the cravings.

You can get further support with stopping smoking from the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 19

Origins of April Fool’s Day

By Mark Bateman

Above: Mad folks of Gottam

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April Fool’s Day is celebrated annually on April

pointless ‘fool’s errands’ purely for the humour value of it. Ultimately the servant recognises that he is being pranked as an April Fool’s joke.

1st throughout the world. It is marked by people playing good- natured jokes and hoaxes on each other. It’s as popular today as it has ever been, these days even the media get involved, but its origins and roots stretch back thousands of years.

Another possible origin theory for the day comes from France in 1564 when the citizens were ordered to (under the Pope’s edict) reform their calendar by moving the end of the year from the end of March to the 1st of January. Those citizens who refused to change and still celebrated New Year between the 25th of March and April 1st were mocked and had pranks played on them. For example, pranksters would often stick paper fish to their victim’s backs and refer to them as ‘Poisson D’Avril’ (April Fish) which is still the French term for April 1st.

Almost every culture has a long-held tradition of what were known as ‘renewal festivals’ held at the start of April to celebrate the end of Winter and the return of Spring. These often involved forms of misrule and mayhem where people played pranks on friends and even their masters. Social order was inverted with children playing pranks on parents, servants on masters.

Behaviour normally frowned upon such as lying, deception and playing pranks was tolerated but only until 12 midday when order is restored.

April’s Fool’s Day is believed to have evolved from festivals held as far back as Roman Times.

The Romans celebrated a feast called ‘Saturnalia’ at the end of December. This involved lots of dancing, drinking, and exchanging of gifts. A king of misrule was elected who oversaw a temporary inversion of the normal social order, where slaves could pretend to mock or even rule their masters. This idea of a ‘lord of misrule’ and a fool who could question, and mock, his social betters was to become popularised in the U.K. by Shakespeare in the 16th Century.

The tradition of fooling and the character of ‘the fool’ hence became embedded in popular culture.

Towards the end of the 16th and into the 17th Century the playwright William Shakespeare’s plays became very popular. Shakespeare included over 20 ‘fools’ in his work such as ‘The Fool’ in ‘King Lear’ who, under his guise as a fool, was able to point out the King’s errors and follies.

Another character Falstaff in the King Henry IV plays was a ‘lord of misrule’ serving to challenge and undermine the nobility’s position through clowning and acting up.

Above: The Washing of the lions

In the Middle Ages festivals that have similarities to April Fool’s Day became popular. These included ‘Hoke Tide’ or Hock – Tide and involved men and women tying up strangers of the opposite sex and charging them a tax to be released.

The tax was usually donated to the church.

Another festival ‘Shig- Shag’ (or Shick -Shack) was celebrated on May 20th when people put sprigs of Apple- Oak in their buttonholes to honour Charles II who was said to have hidden in an Oak – Apple tree to escape Cromwell. Anyone not wearing a sprig was mocked, or fooled, but only until midday.

The Town of Gottam (or Gotham) in Nottinghamshire also features in a comic tale about April 1st. In the 13th Century it was law that any road King John stepped on became public property. The citizens of Gottam did not want their road to become public property so they refused him entry. The furious King sent his soldiers to the town but when they arrived there they found the citizens engaged in such foolish activities as trying to drown fish and cage birds in pens with no roofs. The soldiers reported back that the Citizens of the town were mad so there was no point going anywhere near it.

Then in 1561 Flemish writer Edward De Dene who published a humorous poem about a nobleman planning to send his servant on a series of www.lancmag.com

Fooling continued in the U.K. On April 1st, 1698, several people were tricked into going to the Tower of London to see the ‘lions being washed’ after a fake advert in a newspaper. This became a popular prank claiming at least a handful of victims each year.

The tradition of fooling continued to be recorded, for example when a writer wrote in the Gentleman’s magazine in April 1766 that there was, ‘A strange custom prevalent throughout the kingdom, of people making fools of one another on the 1st of April.’

In modern times the tradition of pranking people on 1st April has continued. The media, with its large audience, and the BBC in particular has played some great pranks on the nation as a whole. In 1957 on its ‘Panorama’ news show they appeared to show footage of the Swiss ‘spaghetti harvest’ being gathered in. The BBC was subsequently flooded with enquiries as to where people could buy the plants before they declared the hoax the next day.

April’s Fool’s Day is believed to have evolved from festivals held as far back as Roman Times

Then in 1965 the BBC announced they were trialling a new type of technology where smell could be transmitted over the airwaves in so- called ‘Smell-o-vision’. Dozens of people contacted the BBC to say it had been a great success before the BBC again confirmed it was a hoax.

April fooling is seen as a great benefit to mental health, it brings people together and it gets them laughing which increases people’s well- being.

Just remember if you’re planning any fooling, keep it light and good – natured and do it before 12 midday otherwise you become the fool!

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Lakeland Motor Museum to mark 100 years since birth of speed legend Donald Campbell

As the Lake District prepares to mark 100 years since the birth of speed daredevil Donald Campbell this March, bosses at the Lakeland Motor Museum say its dedicated Campbell exhibition is the ideal place for visitors to pay tribute - when the time is right for people to return.

Born on 23 March 1921, Campbell - whose adventurous exploits cemented his name among the biggest legends of the 20th century - was tragically killed on Coniston Water on 4 January 1967, while he was attempting to break his own world water-speed record in his legendary Bluebird K7 craft.

Above: Bluebird Electric and Bluebird K7 replica (right)

In total, Campbell set seven world water speed records in K7 from 1955 to 1964: The first on Ullswater in 1955 where he reached more than 202mph, and further afield, he achieved the Australian water speed record of 216mph on Lake Bonney Riverland in South Australia in 1964 – a record he repeated on Lake Mead in the US. Campbell was awarded the CBE in 1957 for his record-breaking speed runs and was posthumously awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct in 1967.

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For a chance to win a FREE pair of tickets to the museum, (we have 3 pairs of tickets to give away, a pair to each winner) just tell us how many world water speed records Sir Donald Campbell set.

Email your answers to info@lancashiremagazine.co.uk or post them to The Lancashire Magazine, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 6NZ by April 15th 2021.

Campbell’s legacy – along with that of his father Malcolm, is chronicled at The Lakeland Motor Museum, where full-size faithful replicas of some of his most famous land and water vehicles including the famous K7 Bluebird craft are proudly displayed in their very own on-site exhibition, with his classic blue coloured 1937 Bentley also housed in the main showroom.

Sales and Marketing Director, Jennifer Cormack, says, “With 2021 marking 100 years since the birth of Donald Campbell, we’re looking forward to our dedicated exhibition reminding everyone of just how far both he and his father Malcolm pushed the boundaries and left such an impressive and exciting legacy of speed in the record books.

When it’s safe for people to return, the museum will be continuing to follow government guidance to ensure the wellbeing of each and every visitor, with individuals or their bubble groups being asked to book their visit in advance and entry times staggered at 15 minute intervals to ensure social distancing can be respected.

Above: Sir Malcolm Campbell’s 1935 Bluebird car

‘Hands-on’ interactive exhibits such as vintage games remain off-limits until further notice. All Covid-19 secure operating measures will also remain in place, including increased cleaning regimes, reception screens and floor signage with designated ‘passing places’.

“Our full-size replicas of some of the best-known high-speed craft are astounding reminders of the Campbells’ bravery and ingenuity.” www.lancmag.com

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Heysham

By Lucy Bullough Picturesque coastal villages and nuclear power are not things you would usually associate together, but they are both synonymous with Heysham. A delightful seaside village, Heysham is in the Lancaster district and sits proudly overlooking Morecambe Bay giving it close proximity to much larger settlements. But Heysham has a charm all its own, making it worthy of a visit in its own right. So take a look at some parts of Heysham you might not have been aware of and decide for yourself which you’d like to see more of...

The religious history of Heysham Ancient buildings including cottages and churches sit at the core of Heysham, elevating its status to beyond simply being a poor relation to the better-known town of Morecambe and one of historic interest instead. Whilst there has of course been plenty of development in the area, there is still a maze of narrow lanes and pretty streets to navigate on an afternoon of exploration. So significant is the history of the village that there is a Heritage Centre located on Main Street for you to learn more about this 24

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charming place, run by the village’s very own Heysham Heritage Association.

The stories to be uncovered in pretty little Heysham are grander than you might realise upon first visiting, especially when it comes to the religious buildings. In fact, it is rumoured that the local parish church might be one of the oldest places of continuous Christian worship to be found in Europe! That site is of St Peter’s Church, whose history can be traced back for over 1,000 years to validate its authenticity. It is also said that a church could have been in Heysham since as long ago as the 8th century

Above: St Peter’s Church in the village of Heysham

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and there are certainly artefacts to be found from this time in other locations.

Within St Peter’s Church itself, there is an 8th-century Viking hogback gravestone which is one of the most interesting features to be found therein.

It is carved with intricate and beautiful elements such as symbols from Norse myth (including figures of Sigmund and Sigurd) and a broader collection of Christian and pagan symbols.

To the exterior of the church, there are more interesting features to note from the Saxon times. There is an ancient arch standing in the corner of the churchyard and a blocked west doorway. Renovations of the church are thought to have been the reason the arch was removed from the north wall, but it is still believed to be of Saxon origin. Sitting alongside the path in the churchyard is the carved base of a Saxon cross and an early Norman coffin. An 18th century wellhead known as St Patrick’s Well is set in a semi-circular recess in a wall just outside the churchyard too.

But there’s more than just St Patrick’s Church at which to marvel. If you are to venture

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out onto the headland, you will stumble upon the ruins of an incredibly old chapel, known as St Patrick’s Chapel.

The story states that St Patrick had become shipwrecked in the area as far back as the 5th century and when he became settled ashore, he established his chapel. It underwent a couple of renovations over the years, being rebuilt in both the 8th and the 10th century but sadly, it fell out of use afterwards. Today, it has no roof but retains a doorway with a rounded arch from Viking times. There is also a

Above: St Patricks Chaple Ruins, Heysham

Below: Rock-cut tombs, Heysham village headland

stone thought to have a socket for an outdoor preaching cross because the chapel was so small, worship had to be conducted outside.

If you get even closer to the cliff edge, you’ll find the solid rock is home to six shallow graves which have been cut into it. The human shape they take is clearly visible with a tapering body and an obvious area for the head. It is at this head area where sockets can also be seen, thought to have once been used to support stone crosses to mark what lay there. Some historians who have visited Heysham believe these are no ordinary graves.

Instead, they are thought to be reliquaries (for holy relics) and would have held disarticulated bones rather than a complete body and one was even perhaps the final resting place for St Patrick himself. This gives a much more impressive air to the whole chapel area as many believe it to be a place for veneration and a destination for early pilgrims to visit. If you do head to Heysham, it is certainly worth visiting to see this piece of history against a stunning seascape for yourself.

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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Whilst tastes differ and it is indeed true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there are very few people who will visit Heysham and fail to be charmed by its picturesque appearance and backdrop of the open sea. The village itself will enchant you thanks to its quaint 17th century cottages and even a pretty pub known as the Royal Hotel. The pub is near the ferry port giving great views and is a perfect spot to recharge your batteries with some delicious food and a fine cask ale. You can even spend the night if you wish to stay a little longer.

The nationwide accolade known as RHS Britain in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in the UK and Heysham has been the proud winner of an award not once, but twice.

Approximately 1,600 communities from all over Great Britain enter this competition annually after having garnered local volunteers to tidy up and make their home town or village look as beautiful as possible. This is a competition which has been in operation for almost 20 years and Heysham has won the village category twice.

The natural beauty of Heysham has also been deemed worthy of committing to canvas too as JMW Turner painted it against an incredible 26

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Lakeland backdrop. This British landscape painter toured Lancashire in the 1790s and was so captivated by the village that he felt compelled to unleash his creative flair to recreate what he saw. He visited again in 1816 and his development style was to make sketches of the area which would then be translated to paintings when he returned to London.

The sketches of 1816 inspired the watercolour he painted called Heysham and Cumberland Mountains.

Above: The Royal Heysham - Geograph5770707-byBob-Harvey

Industry, power and transport Amongst all the natural and striking scenery of Heysham is another story and it would be remiss not to mention what many associate with the area. A port, ferry, oil and gas pipelines and of course, the famous power stations can all be found in Heysham. But it is important to note that the charm of the village is not adversely affected by these beacons of modernity. In fact, as with most towns and villages, advancement must occur or the population struggles to thrive.

And thrive Heysham does.

The Stanlow-Heysham oil pipeline has its terminus in Heysham (as the name suggests) and the Morecambe gas field also finds its pipeline terminated in Heysham. The oil pipeline culminates at Heysham Refinery www.lancmag.com

which sits between Heysham and Middleton on the peninsula, far enough away to not mar the skyline of the village but close enough to provide an economic boost to the area.

In terms of other power, Heysham is the only site in the UK to have two operating and individually managed nuclear power stations known as Heysham 1 and Heysham 2. Each of the stations is powerful enough to provide enough energy to run 2.5 million homes at peak running times – that’s the equivalent of three cities the size of Birmingham. The output of the plants is so high, they provide approximately 22% of the UK’s nuclear energy and 3.86% of the UK’s total electricity supply. Not bad for a small village on the Lancashire coast! If you’re wondering what the environmental impact on the region is, it’s fortunately kept to a minimum.

The Health and Safety Executive mandate that an area of 80 acres surrounding the stations must remain undeveloped. Furthermore, thanks to the close proximity to the sea, the huge volume of water required by the power stations can be drawn from this source, thus minimising the impact.

Transport is another key feature in the Heysham area, with its port first opening in 1904. From here you can take a ferry 66 miles across the

Irish Sea to the port of Douglas on the Isle of Man. They sail daily (apart from Christmas Day and New Year’s Day) and the journey takes approximately three and a half hours, depending on the weather conditions. If you wish to take your car and multiple passengers to explore the beauty of the Isle of Man, this is the perfect way to travel. With a strong Celtic and Viking heritage, medieval castles, rural landscape (including a mountainous centre) and rugged coastline, there is plenty to see here so it’s a journey worth making from Heysham.

Below: aerial view of Heysham Nuclear Power Station

Above: Two ferries out on the bay approaching Heysham Port

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What to do in and around Heysham Heysham is a destination with many benefits so it is well worth a visit when you can find the time. It’s easily accessible from the A683 to the south west of Lancaster and south of Morecambe on the A589. There is a large car park in the centre so you can set off on foot and explore as much of the surrounding area as your legs will allow.

You’ll find yourself wandering the quaint streets, marvelling at the obvious history which pervades the village. If you want to learn a little more, you can of course head to the Heritage Centre situated in a 17th century barn on Main Street. Head to the religious sites of St Peter’s Church and the ruins of St Patrick’s Chapel plus the enigmatic rock cut graves and in doing so, you’ll be able to admire the sea which lies beyond it.

Take a walk around some of the beautiful cliffs in an area known as The Barrows and you’ll fill your lungs with the clean sea air. Here, keep an eye out for any remaining tools and pottery that you could uncover – it is thought that this was once an ancient burial ground! Although the chances are it has all long since been excavated.

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Heysham Moss Nature Reserve is perfect for nature lovers as it consists of a variety of habitats where many different species call home.

There is an area of raised bog, woodland and scrub and also wet grasslands which you can explore. If you have an interest in ornithology, you’re in the right place as breeding and wintering of many species of birds takes place here. Lapwing, Skylark, Grey Partridge, Shelduck and Grasshopper Warbler all breed here whereas Redwing, Snipe, Jack Snipe, Teal

Above: Northern lapwing with reflection

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Take a walk around some of the beautiful cliffs in an area known as The Barrows and you’ll fill your lungs with the clean sea air and Woodcock are known to winter here.

Walking is of course one of the key attractions in Heysham, thanks to the expanse of coastline and rural land that is found there so don your walking boots and get exploring! If golf is your passion, you could tee off Heysham Golf Club too. And when you’ve exhausted yourself, you can head back into the village and refresh yourself in the Royal Hotel, or one of the multiple cafés you can find here.

One of the best parts of Heysham is how close it sits to other major places of attraction so you are within easy reach of other towns such as Lancaster and Morecambe. Here you’ll find castles and coastlines, shopping, museums, breweries and parks, even a butterfly house!

Heysham really does sit in a lovely part of our North West region so the next time you are seeking a day out, consider this stunning village and you won’t be disappointed.

Above: A secluded sandy bay on Heysham Head

View over Morecambe Bay beach from the historic Heysham barrows

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Boredom – The Father of Creativity?

How a mother-daughter team became Fairy property developers... to Reverse the Lockdown Low

By Denise Mullen

T

he first Fairy House appeared, magically, alongside a popular woodland trail in Lancashire. It was a sturdy trunk of ash boasting a tiny slate roof, a sun terrace balcony with French doors, an impressive entrance and a little swing for the Fairy Folk children from a sturdy branch off to one side. The more you look at, the more incredible detail you find.

When its creators, mum and daughter team Katherine and Hattie Grimes went back to visit their small people’s ‘show house’ two weeks later they were amazed and delighted to find local children had left little house warming notes for the new Fairy residents. Parents had added their

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own thanks to the ‘developers’ for turning a simple walk into a fairy story their children couldn’t stop talking about. The first house was Hattie’s initiative, it was the start of a special journey.

Lockdown had been difficult for both women.

Hattie and her partner had just welcomed their new baby into the world, they could have done with an experienced extra pair of hands and their little girl was missing her grandmother terribly.

It cut both ways, Katherine was desperate to help her daughter and just dying to cuddle newborn Tommy and hug granddaughter Ila.

Above: Hattie, left and Katherine with one of Katherines Fairy Houses

Talking with small children through devices via www.lancmag.com

video isn’t always easy. Shared tasks seemed a much better way to go to maintain a bond and keep the conversation flowing.

Creativity courses through the Grimes’ DNA – granddad Steve is a member of the 90s Indie band The Farm (remember All Together Now?). He is the talent behind the music for the band’s hits and, when the band isn’t touring, turns his attention to writing club anthems and, now, a number of film scores.

These days he’s branched out yet again. This time its writing and narrating a charming series of children’s books. This was his Covid-inspired step to ensure his special Granddad bedtime stories could still be relied upon - even during the most challenging social distancing restrictions.

And, of course, daughter Hattie (32), a talented artist in an endearing and accessible naïve style, designs the book covers.

What started with the first Fairy House inspired a little more magic. That first very attractive detached residence got the women thinking. They had worked together before. Katherine is a trained and qualified florist and artisan jeweller with a BA hons in 3D design.

Team Grimes ran The Chocolate Shop in Churchtown, Southport, which featured their stunning

What started with the first Fairy House inspired a little more magic bespoke jewellery alongside outstanding sweet treats for some years. The muchloved little treasure trove of confectionary and gorgeous adornments closed only when Hattie was expecting Ila. Instead the women turned to Etsy and other quirky online platforms to sell their original works.

In the background Katherine had been working at garden centres.

Both women share a passion for nature and Hattie’s little ones are showing clear signs of the apple

not falling very far from the tree.

Hattie and Katherine, who qualified to teach floristry at HE colleges, and had been teaching courses at garden centres, started thinking about where next for the duo. They knew they needed to find something that was right for them, and they understood just how engaging, energising, fun and mood-lifting their creative endeavours at home had been.

They were enjoying themselves and they wanted others to benefit. When the Fairy Dust settled, Nature’s Treasure Trove rose like a sustainable phoenix from the fanciest of ashes.

“Nature is very much our major influence; we are poor mimics but we never stop trying. We both love the work of William Morris and that of more current artists like Andrew Goldsworthy.

I’m also a fan of European floral arts, they have a much looser style and invite nature in, beautiful wild rose hips aren’t uncommon, I’ve never seen them for sale here,” said Katherine.

“Being back working together again really works for us, both of us have our individual strengths.

Its great as we can bounce ideas off each other, it helps that we are both open to new ideas.

“Getting crafty has helped many people recently, some

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of whom we know have been struggling with mental health issues thanks to imposed isolation and a lack of stimulation. Being cut off is so difficult, and at such an important time for Hattie - we were no exception, we felt it too.”

Hattie added: “If we can share and inspire people to have a go at doing something arty from using just the things from the garden or elements from nature you can pick up on a walk through our “how to” videos on YouTube and Instagram that’s job done and very satisfying.

“So far everything we have shared is low cost and most of the materials can be gathered from nature, so without much effort or skill everyone can produce something simple and beautiful.

Honestly on your daily exercise you will start looking at nature with new eyes, it’s a larder!!!”

So the journey to Fairyland began. During the spring lockdown of 2020, devastated at being unable to see her grandchildren Katherine went, in a small way, into the property business in her daughter’s footsteps. The plots were free, the building materials also, and labour, well she built everything herself.

“I wanted to make a connection I started adding to a fairy trail Hattie had already began in woodland behind her home.

I added pieces for Ila to discover on her daily walks.

Not only did Ila find them, so did others, and they delighted in them.”

In fact the Fairy postbag was bulging.

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I wanted to make a connection I started adding to a fairy trail Hattie had already began in woodland behind her home

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Katherine went on: “Other children began to add things, it was very sweet and definitely helped some children who had become fearful in those early days.

“I had the bug now, discovered how much I enjoyed creating an imaginary world with stuff I had lying around. This sweet mini obsession spread. My brother-in-law made tiny slate tiles for roofing houses and a neighbour helped me with drilling 2-pence pieces as an alternative coppery roof material.

“My sister was involved in re-imagining a green space attached to a school in Bootle, Liverpool. The team was making it into a place where children can explore (many don’t have gardens) and discover nature. She invited me along to help with plant advice - although if you saw her allotment one would wonder why!! But at home we have two ponds so I guess I have decent knowledge. Also she saw the fairy houses I’d made and knew a few would fit in perfectly. The original plan was to open the new space autumn term 2020 – and we all know why that didn’t happen – but once some sort of normality returns we will finish the green space and the children can start using it. See Katherine and Hattie’s Autumnal Leaf Tree tutorial, here: Natures Treasure Trove Autumnal Leaf Tree.

We hope in the future to run our own workshops but can’t realistically see it happening before autumn 2021, when hopefully restrictions will have been relaxed and people once again have to confidence to mix.

Check us out from time to time if your interested in joining us for a session. We can also come to you if your in Merseyside, Cheshire or Lancashire and run a private group session. Feedback from workshops ran at Bents Garden and Home was all positive.

As a mum spending so much time with little ones, Hattie has found nature to be an excellent www.lancmag.com

distraction from pandemic worries.

“Taking kids out for a wander in the woods and looking for wildlife – foxes’ tracks, birds’ nests, looking out for ladybirds and caterpillars.

Feeding the birds in the garden and watching them demolish their food is a lovely sight.

“Seeing the bulbs emerging makes me feel instantly more positive. We are focused on sustainable arts that make the most of what is around us. I love the idea of making crafts / gifts that are made of natural products, with no plastic or glitter!!

“I can sit and make felt birds with my daughter, it’s therapeutic. Also when the kids are in bed at night I enjoy making them whilst watching TV.”

When Katherine isn’t making stunning displays or creating new homes for Fairy Folk she shares a love of beekeeping – and beer and cider making – with husband Steve.

Natures Treasure Trove letterbox dried flower bouquets start at £15.95 and their free video tutorials can be found on their Youtube channel. Follow them on Facebook or contact Katherine kathgrimes28@gmail.com to find out more about tutorials (which can be conducted via zoom).

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World Shakespeare Day

By Mark Bateman April 23rd, 1564 is widely acknowledged as the Birthday of arguably our greatest ever living playwright William Shakespeare. On this day, every year, thousands of people worldwide, but especially at his birthplace Stratford Upon Avon, celebrate the great works and enduring legacy of the Bard of Avon.

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Shakespeare is believed to have written over 39 plays, as well as 154 sonnets and two long form narrative poems. His plays have been translated into every modern language and are still performed more often than any other playwright.

He was born and raised in Stratford Upon Avon Warwickshire and attended the King’s New School in the town. There are few surviving records of his youth and young man hood, but it was recorded that aged 18 he married Anne Hathaway. Together they had three children, Susanna, and the twins Hamnet and Judith.

Between 1585- 92 Shakespeare began his career as an actor, writer and part owner of a theatre company known as the ‘Lord Chamberlain’s men’ later the ‘King’s men’ when they started to receive Royal Patronage from King James I. By 1592 his works were being performed on the stage in London. The first recorded performance of his plays were the historical epics (very popular at the time) ‘Richard III’ and the three parts of ‘Henry VIth’.

From this time on Shakespeare could afford to maintain two residences and divided his time between working and living in London, and his family in Stratford Upon Avon.

However, between 1592- 4 the plague decimated London and the theatres were closed to stop the spread in much the same way as we have been ‘locked down’ because of Covid 19. But Shakespeare was undeterred, he returned to Stratford and wrote his two famous narrative poems, ‘Venus and Adonis’ and the ‘Rape of Lucrece’. Both poems dealt with the consequences of uncontrollable lust.

It was during this time that Shakespeare’s connection to the North – West was forged.

Knowsley Hall in Prescot had the only specially built indoor theatre outside of London. It is believed that several of the actors who made up the ‘Lord Chamberlain’s men’ were originally part of the Earl’s acting troupe known as www.lancmag.com

‘Strange’s men’ after the Earl’s title (Lord Strange) before he became the fifth Earl of Derby.

When he then became the fifth Earl of Derby (the Stanley Family) he continued to sponsor the ‘Lord Chamberlain’s men’ who of course included William Shakespeare.

Then when the plague struck the capital the ‘Lord Chamberlain’s men’ left London for a while and performed at Knowsley Hall.

‘New Place’ and had no fewer than ten fireplaces and vast grounds which incorporated two barns and an orchard.

This connection has been continued with the construction of the Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot which is due to be completed and opened to the public in 2022.

It was during this time that Shakespeare’s connection to the North – West was forged.

To return to Shakespeare’s history, after the theatres re-opened from 1594 the players in his group performed at ‘The Theatre’ in Shoreditch. In 1597 they moved to ‘The Curtain Theatre’ and from there in 1599 they moved to the first incarnation of the most famous of Shakespeare’s theatres, the ‘Globe Theatre’ where the first performed play was ‘Julius Caesar’.

Shakespeare’s continued involvement with the increasingly successful ‘St James’ Men’ as an actor, writer and founder member made him a wealthy man and in 1597 he bought the home in Stratford that he was to live in until his death.

This huge residence was called

Above: Knowsley Hall

He continued to write plays at a dramatic rate. Next came ‘Titus Andronicus’ the ‘Comedy of Errors’, ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ and the ‘Two gentlemen of Verona’. After the success of these he moved more towards comedies

and romances with works including ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and then possibly his most loved work the tale of the two ‘star crossed lovers’ ‘Romeo and Juliet.’

But Shakespeare’s work was always evolving and reflecting current social trends. His next works were his so – called ‘problem’ plays where great characters (usually men) were brought low by faults of character or rash decisions.

They included ‘Hamlet’ where the Prince’s fault is indecision, ‘King Lear’ where a mighty King’s vanity, stubbornness and ‘blindness’ bring him to ruin, and ‘Macbeth’ where a soldier (and his wife’s) over- reaching ambition leads to a terrible act with tragic consequences.

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It was not just plays he was writing during this time. In 1609 he published a total of 154 sonnets.

These magnificent sonnets have prompted much speculation about Shakespeare’s love- life as many of them concern a mysterious ‘Dark Lady’ who the author lusts after and others ‘a fair youth’ who may or may not have been the subject of amorous attentions from the author.

In his final period of play writing, he appears to have softened somewhat and concentrated on writing tragi - comedies with elements of romance in them including ‘The Winter’s Tale’ and ‘The Tempest’ both of which end with reconciliation and forgiveness of what could have been tragic errors.

Not much is known about Shakespeare’s death other than it was on 23rd April 1616 and he died of a fever possibly contracted after a bout of excessive drinking, but his works continued to be performed and celebrated right up until the present and the annual Shakespeare Day. What is it about his work that makes him so admired even to this day? The most probable reason is that many of Shakespeare’s characters were what is known as ‘universal’ figures types that can still be seen in life and art today. For example, Antony in ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ is a great career soldier who is distracted from greater glory by his love for an amazing woman. Macbeth is another man whose ambition is so immense he is prepared to kill for what he believes is his destiny.

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with the lead characters in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, two young lovers whose parents don’t want them to be together. Variations on these examples can be found in many modern plays, films, and books all of which take their lead from Shakespeare’s creations.

Above: The Shakespeare Day Parade

Shakespeare day is a massive celebration of his enduring legacy. In Stratford Upon Avon pageants and processions take place with the mayor leading a procession of dignitaries and costumed actors to lay flowers on Shakespeare’s grave at Holy Trinity Church.

In some schools normal lessons are put aside to focus, for a day, on examining his word dressing up in period costume and even speaking in Shakespeare’s dialect. For those who find the ‘thou’, ‘thee’ and ‘ye’ of Shakespeare’s day difficult to follow there are plenty of interpretations in book and film which use more modern language.

Shakespeare’s legacy is not just his plays and the theatres dedicated to him in London, Stratford, and Knowsley. For example, he is credited with adding over 3000 words to the Oxford English dictionary including ‘addiction’ from ‘Othello’, ‘Assassination’ from ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Belongings’ from ‘Measure for Measure.’

There is even a long- standing campaign to make Shakespeare Day a national holiday, and after all who could object? If we are prepared to listen, then the ‘bard’ speaks to us now through actors in modern theatres just as much as he did back when his plays were first performed. www.lancmag.com

Live the countryside dream, apartment style – in Woodford

The kitchen, living and dining space inside a Courtyard apartment

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recent survey conducted by homebuilder Redrow showed that one of the top places people dream of living is in the countryside and within walking distance of green open space.

Redrow’s Woodford Garden Village has plenty of green areas both inside the development and in the surrounding countryside.

The southerly tip of Greater Manchester, Woodford village was historically in Cheshire and still enjoys a semi-rural ‘place in the country’ feel.

Simon Bennett, interim sales director at Redrow NW says: “Creating thriving communities is one of the key pillars of Redrow’s business and at Woodford Garden Village we have done this through designing generous, accessible and good quality green spaces.

“The whole of Woodford Garden Village will be peppered with open spaces, 19 of them to be exact, including a village green and areas for informal recreation.”

Customers who purchase an apartment at The Courtyard

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The Courtyard at Woodford Garden Village

can also enjoy exclusive access to its own private courtyard that comes with seating areas.

Another priority the survey found was the desire for more space inside people’s homes. The good news is that the apartments at The Courtyard are larger than average, varying in size between 947 sq ft and 1060 sq ft – making the floor space equivalent to some houses. They also come with a private garage and a gated entrance for extra security. www.lancmag.com

DO you dream about living surrounded by lush green space with plenty of options for country walks? Turns out you’re not alone and a collection of luxury apartments in Woodford may be the answer.

A bedroom in The Courtyard

Simon adds: “The Courtyard apartments really offer a luxurious lifestyle and boast a superior specification that make them perfect for professional couples or discerning downsizers in equal amounts.

“Indulgent features of every apartment include underfloor heating and bi-fold patio doors onto a spacious balcony or terrace and all apartments have two bathrooms, including an ensuite for bedroom one. The Courtyard also has lift access to all floors and open aspect views.”

Priced from £364,995, the apartments feature Amtico flooring in the kitchen, a choice of either Amtico or Porcelanosa tiles in the bathrooms and carpet in the bedrooms. There are also fitted wardrobes to bedroom one, downlights, USB charging points and Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) for ultra-fast broadband speeds, ensuring they are fully up to date and ready to move into straight away. There is also the option to include further upgrades through Redrow’s website, MyRedrow. www.lancmag.com

Those choosing a new apartment at The Courtyard will benefit from being close to popular places like Wilmslow, Poynton and Bramhall, as well as being within commuting distance (13 miles) of central Manchester. It’s part of the wider Woodford Garden Village development, which features a diverse range of new homes from mews style properties to large and luxurious five-bedroom executive detached houses. It will also have its own shops, children’s play areas, a pub and primary school.

To find out more, make an appointment to visit the sales centre at Woodford Garden Village open seven days a week from 10am-5.30pm, call 0161 636 0798 or go to www.redrow.co.uk/thecourtyard.

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Sanctuary, Last Drop Village is an exclusive, secure and gated community offering a collection of stunning homes set in an idyllic location, surrounded by beautiful views of the Lancashire countryside.

This innovative concept from Jones Homes offers bespoke mature living for those looking for something special that will last a lifetime.

At Sanctuary, our low maintenance, high specification homes have all been built with your lifestyle, security and independence in mind.

With 3 & 4 bedroom homes now available from £369,950, there really has never been a better time to find out more.

We are pleased to advise that we have created a safe environment for you to visit our Show Homes and are open for 1-2-1 appointments and personal viewings, so why not contact us today let us help you to buy your new home.

Sanctuary Last Drop Village Bromley Cross, Bolton BL7 9PZ 01204 859003

jones-homes.co.uk

Jones Homes brings new concept in bespoke mature living to Bolton Jones Homes has launched its new concept in bespoke mature living in Bolton, unveiling luxury homes for active adults at Sanctuary Last Drop Village.

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et in the grounds of the Last Drop Village Hotel at Bromley Cross, Sanctuary is a collection of apartments and houses which offer security, convenience and first-class facilities.

Sanctuary Last Drop Village is located on the edge of the Lancashire countryside. Jones Homes is building lifetime homes which are adaptable to future needs, all within an exclusive gated community.

Above: The show home at Sanctuary Last Drop Village in Bromley Cross, Bolton

Below: The show home lounge at Sanctuary Last Drop Village

Residents will have access to facilities at the hotel’s gym and spa, including a swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room and fitness suite. The hotel also has a tea room, bar, restaurant, hairdresser, specialist clothes shop and a chocolate shop.

The one-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses are being built to the exemplary standards for which Jones Homes is known. Two show homes have now opened so visitors can view their ideal home at Sanctuary and see the enviable lifestyle that awaits.

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“Having access to bar, restaurant and leisure facilities gives people the confidence to downsize in the knowledge that they still have space to entertain when they need it.”

Gemma Pownall, Sales and Marketing Director for Jones Homes North West, said: “Sanctuary Last Drop Village is our second development under the Sanctuary brand. The launch of Sanctuary Wilmslow in 2019 confirmed that there is an appetite for new mature living communities. These are maintenance-free homes, each with their own front door, in a beautiful setting.

“Often, Sanctuary buyers are self-employed or semi-retired people with busy lifestyles. Others are retired people who want a home that they know will be as secure while they are on holiday as it is when they are home.

“The Sanctuary team is on hand to arrange window cleaning and gardening, so our residents have more free time to enjoy.

“Having access to bar, restaurant and leisure facilities gives people the confidence to downsize in the knowledge that they still have space to entertain when they need it.” www.lancmag.com

Above: A street scene from Jones Homes’ Sanctuary Wilmslow development

The Sanctuary concept was inspired by Jones Homes’ active adult living developments in Florida, USA and is set to reinvent the new homes offering for active adults in the UK. Gemma said: “Our bespoke mature living developments in the USA are built around the principle that residents want to be part of a community yet still require the privacy of their own home. This is replicated at Sanctuary Last Drop Village and at Sanctuary Wilmslow.”

Sanctuary Last Drop Village is a collection of 41 homes, designed with a variety of layouts to meet people’s individual needs. Each home can be fitted with a lift, either at the point of purchase or anytime in the future. The lifts can accommodate a wheelchair or two people. For added peace of mind, a 24-hour emergency call facility is installed as standard.

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The show homes at Sanctuary Last Drop Village are a two-bedroom cottage, called The Osborne, and a three-bedroom townhouse, The Chatsworth A. The Osborne has a contemporary kitchen dining area, with a hallway leading past the downstairs cloakroom to a spacious lounge.

This opens out through patio doors onto a paved patio and lawned garden. Upstairs, both bedrooms have en suite bathrooms and there is a balcony to the master bedroom. The cottage has a private block-paved driveway.

The Chatsworth A offers incredibly flexible living spaces. On the ground floor, the hall gives access to the garage, and leads through to the third bedroom, en suite and utility room. The bedroom space would function equally well as a study.

The first floor has a spacious open-plan layout with kitchen, living and dining areas. French doors from the living area open to a Juliet balcony. The kitchen dining area to the rear opens through patio doors to a paved patio with bench seating and a lawned garden.

Above: The show home kitchen at Sanctuary Last Drop Village

“The homes are built to the highest standards with features such as fitted wardrobes, flooring, tiling and even appliances included. To take the stress away from moving, Jones Homes can help to arrange removals and interior packages. We can even help people to sell their current home.

“Sanctuary Last Drop Village is a particularly special development as it benefits from the established facilities and services offered by the hotel. This ready-made lifestyle package will be attractive for people looking for a low-maintenance home close to the countryside, yet with everything you could need on the doorstep.”

Sanctuary Wilmslow is also a gated development, located next to Handforth Dean Retail Park and close to Handforth Railway Station. The development will benefit from a clubhouse which is under construction and due to open in the summer. The clubhouse will become the base for the Sanctuary team. It will have a gym, sauna, steam room, hair and beauty treatment rooms, and meeting spaces for gatherings of family or friends.

The top floor has two generously-sized bedrooms, both with en suite bathrooms.

Gemma added: “Jones Homes has a long heritage in bespoke mature living developments. We are proud to expand the Sanctuary concept to Bolton, an area where we are well known for creating attractive new communities.

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Prices for homes at Sanctuary Last Drop Village currently start at £369,950 for a three-bedroom townhouse. For more information call 01204 859003 or see Jones-Homes.co.uk. www.lancmag.com

Alistair Makinson, the celebrated Lancashire artist, is enjoying his painting as much now as when he turned professional 30 years ago

Art wasn’t going to be Alistair’s chosen career, in fact he spent many years with his own business selling agricultural supplies.

It was whilst he was recovering from a broken elbow that he started to paint.

With the onset of “Mad Cow” disease, and other restrictions, Alistair looked to Art to provide a living.

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Above: Ingleborough Available as a Limited edition print.

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An exhibition of his paintings was held at Britania Gallery in Mellor Brook, his paintings proved to be popular with the local buyers buoyed by this success he turned professional, exhibiting at various venues in the county. At this time he was working from a bedroom at his home, but converted the loft space into a purpose built studio.

It was in the mid 1990s that his work was noticed by a London art dealer, and several exhibitions were held at his gallery in St James’s in the city. www.lancmag.com

Above: Crossing the Track

Right: Above the Lune

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One of his exhibitions, with a theme of Scottish landscape, was attended by H.M The Queen Mother

Above: Spring, Aughton wood

Left: Silverdale

One of his exhibitions, with a theme of Scottish landscape, was attended by H.M The Queen Mother, and her daughter H.R.H Princess Margaret.

Whilst the art dealer has retired, Alistair is still represented in the capital, showing his work with James Purdey and Sons, Gunmakers, and purveyors of luxury goods.

There prominent shop is in the heart of Mayfair.

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Left: Grouse on Mallowdale

Left: The Hodder in Autumn

Alistair has a growing number of patrons and collectors, including the Dukes of Westminster, Roxburghe, Sutherland, and Bedford. Two years ago he sold a piece to the King of Bahrain, this was through the London gallery.

Alistair’s work can only be found in a few galleries, Along with Purdeys of Mayfair, the House of Bruar in Perthshire, which is a very popular venue, and E Stacy Marks Gallery in Helmsley, North Yorkshire.

He mainly sells privately and undertakes commissions.

Alistair continues to show his work at various country shows throughout the year, this year the plans are to have stands at The Scottish Game Fair, Scone Palace, Chipping Show, Westmorland County Show, and the Lancashire Game Fair at Scorton. Other venues may be considered near the time. It all obviously depends on the Covid 19 restrictions.

Alistair now has a studio in the garden of his home, which is situated in the beautiful Lune Valley, an ideal location for any artist, and a constant source of inspiration. The area has the wild fells of Bowland, the lush valley of the Lune, the coastal strip of Morecambe Bay, it’s close proximity to both the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. It all makes for the ideal location.

Alistair Makinson Sporting Artist www.alistairmakinson.com alistairjmakinson@gmail.com www.lancmag.com

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Redrow buddies up with the friends of Congleton Park A VOLUNTEER group helping to maintain an award-winning park in Congleton has found a friend in Redrow.

Redrow’s Melanie Ferris lends Glen Williams, from the Friends of Congleton Park, a hand with tree planting

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he Friends of Congleton Park has ambitious plans to improve the entrance points at St Stephen’s Church to Hankinson’s Playing Field and Congleton Park, with the overall project expected to cost more than £10,000.

A wildflower meadow is set to form part of the scheme and the Friends received £500 from Redrow’s Congleton Community Fund towards this.

Friends of Congleton Park chairman Glen Williams said: “Congleton Park is a fantastic open space that’s achieved the Green Flag Award for 13 years in a row and, for the first time, the Green Heritage Site Accreditation for management of its historic features.

important than ever in light of the Coronavirus pandemic, helping to boost mental and physical health. Less than a mile from our homes at Cranberry Gardens, Congleton Park is a lovely community space and we were happy to be able to help towards the wildflower meadow. It sits well with our ‘Nature for People’ biodiversity strategy, which aims to make the most of natural features in the new communities we create.”

“Some of the work on the entrance improvements has been delayed because of the pandemic, but we’ve recently carried out tree planting and with funding from Redrow we’ll be creating a wildflower meadow. This will provide an attractive, low maintenance area which will welcome human visitors but also improve the ecological value of the site by encouraging pollinating insects and other wildlife.”

Redrow’s support for the Friends of Congleton Park was via the homebuilder’s voluntary community fund attached to the Cranberry Gardens development of family friendly homes.

The scheme has shared around £10,000 amongst good causes in the area.

Redrow area sales manager Amanda Hollins said: “Being able to spend time in green open space has become more 50

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Redrow’s Melanie Ferris pictured with volunteers from the Friends of Congleton Park with tree planting.

For more information about the Friends of Congleton Park see www.friendsofcongletonpark.co.uk.

To find out more about the homes at Cranberry Gardens call 01260 241525 or visit www.redrow.co.uk/cranberrygardens. www.lancmag.com

JDA New ways of: CARING LIVING WORKING LEARNING Liverpool

Manchester

T: 0151 665 0112 Unit 400 The vanilla Factory, Fleet Street, Liverpool L1 4AR

T: 0161 336 5011 The Warehouse, Saxon St, Denton, M34 3DS

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Cheshire Rehabilitation Clinic Wins Prestigious Northern Design Award 2020

Just months after opening its doors in March 2020, Delamere Health has won the Best Amazing Space category at the Northern Design Awards 2020.

Delamere is a purpose-built Northwich-based clinic dedicated to helping people overcome addiction through holistic rehabilitation.

Judged by some of the most revered designers and architects, the Amazing Space category serves to recognise those that ‘break the mould’ to deliver stunning visual environments with exceptional function and innovative style.

The £7m rehabilitation centre that was designed

by JDA Architects pushes the boundaries of traditional medical facility designs, focused on creating a unique and supportive atmosphere that will aid in the treatment.

Recognising that the environment around you has a significant effect on your mindset, Delamere and JDA Architects were intentional with their groundbreaking designs.

The rural retreat in Cheshire sits on six acres of idyllic green space and the building boasts floor to ceiling windows and cedar cladding which gives a luxury barn feel. The strong connections to nature are prevalent in every part of the Delamere facility, even being the home to horses which are used as part of the therapy process.

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Martin Preston, Founder of Delamere Health Ltd, said: “We are thrilled to be recognised with this award, especially as we just opened. We hope to pave the way for modern rehabilitation facilities which can offer patients more than just a treatment but a haven where they can better themselves”.

Principal at JDA, Rob Henderson added: “The scheme was an incredible experience of a client with a real vision coming together with a Design team that truly commits to a scheme that has changed the lives of 200 people already this year alone. This is truly remarkable and if the architecture contributes just a small amount… we’ve done our job.”

Delamare continues to offer addiction treatment and 24/7 help throughout COVID-19.

If you need support with your recovery contact: www.delamere.com or call 0330 111 2015 We are with you (formerly Addaction) NHS online www.lancmag.com

Fionn Whitehead to Star in New Digital Production of The Picture of Dorian Gray The Dukes in Lancaster are set to be a partner venue for a brand-new online production of The Picture of Dorian Gray, a modern adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic.

Left: Fionn Whitehead The Picture of Dorian Gray. credit Pip

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he Picture of Dorian Gray, which runs for two weeks from 16-31 March, will reunite the creative team behind What a Carve Up! with Henry Filloux-Bennett writing the new adaptation with direction by Tamara Harvey.

Fionn Whitehead, star of Dunkirk and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, will take on the titular role in the upcoming contemporary digital adaptation.

Most recently seen starring in the Lionsgate and Saban Films’ Don’t Tell A Soul, Fionn Whitehead is best known for his critically acclaimed performance as the protagonist Tommy in Christopher Nolan’s Academy Award nominated war film, Dunkirk.

The Picture of Dorian Gray, from the team behind the celebrated digital production of What a Carve Up!, is set to push the theatrical form like its predecessor; utilising elements found in radio plays, films, documentaries as well as traditional theatrical techniques.

Set in a profile pic-obsessed, filter-fixated world where online and reality blur, influencer Dorian Gray makes a deal. For his social star never to fade. For the perfect self he broadcasts to the world to always remain. But as his mental health starts to decline, as corruption and murderous depravity start to creep into his world, the true and horrific cost of his deal will soon need to be met.

On being reunited for this new production Henry Filloux-Bennett and Tamara Harvey commented,

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“So many of us have found ourselves living in an ever more online world over the last year. But the benefits and the connections digital have offered us come with a darker side - deterioration in mental health, isolation, online manipulation to name just a few. Following ‘What a Carve Up!’ we really wanted to explore what would happen if you brought Oscar Wilde’s Faustian tale kicking and screaming into a world of Instagram, Facebook and dating apps.”

The Barn Theatre in Cirencester, the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield and the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich will return to co-produce The Picture of Dorian Gray with Oxford Playhouse in Oxfordshire and Theatr Clwyd in Mold joining the collaboration as co-producers.

The production will be available internationally, running until 31 March. More information and tickets can be found at www.dukeslancaster.org/ the-picture-of-dorian-gray with audience members receiving a screening link which will activate on their booked performance date for a 48-hour period.

Tickets are priced at £12 which will include both a link to the production as well as a digital programme. Audio description and closed captioning will be made available for the production during its run.

The show is advised for audiences aged 16 and over.

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JDA Architects

Vision into the future is something most of us wish we had, certainly at one time or another. But it is the reserve of a gifted few who are able to look beyond what is happening today and see what will be needed going forwards. It’s exactly that gift which is found at the heart of JDA Architects and that they bring out in the clients they work with. And work with the clients they do, for this is a firm with a difference and collaboration is key to their success. It enables the vision of the client to be realised in ways they never thought possible through something as seemingly straightforward as buildings.

It is the combination of vision, experience and leading design which has seen JDA Architects win many awards over their 20-year life and it clearly sets them apart from the competition. This exciting approach to projects is what dominated my conversation with Rob Henderson, Director of JDA Architects. We chatted in-depth about the company, its ethos and the difference their most recent project will make to many lives. Here’s what he had to say…

Left: Inside Outside – the building connected to the landscape

The history of JDA Architects Launched in 2000, the senior team have a wealth of experience in the industry which has enabled JDA Architects to become the accomplished, well-rounded service provider it is today.

This company is a true success story of the North West. With offices in both Manchester and Liverpool, there is a team of 25 passionate employees who come together and create forward-looking buildings that will stand the test of time. This well-established team boasts a variety of talent from multiple architects, to the technical minds required to build large scale structures, to interior designers who will elevate the internal décor and finish to suit the grandeur of the build.

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industries which necessitate large buildings each with their own requirements and particulars to make it suitable. When asked what they focus on, Rob told me “our projects can be hugely diverse. We’ll take on the design, build and finish of a show-stopping, ultra-luxury mansion that needs to be buried deep in the countryside. Then we might be liaising on the construction of as many as 800 housing association units. Thanks to successes in many projects, we have become well recognised for our work in the care sector. Today, we have many schemes on our books and it is an area which will remain in our focus.”

Naively, I assumed ‘care homes’ were purely for those in their more advanced years, but Rob set me straight. “Whilst we absolutely do look after that type of care www.lancmag.com

Right: The quality resident spaces

home, we also get involved in the build of a new breed of care home too. In fact, one of our latest completions is for those struggling with various issues and is designed to be beneficial for ‘today’s’ participant. Times have changed and as a result, so has our design,” Rob explained. But there’s more on that project later; it’s worthy of a full explanation.

There are of course many other construction ‘strings’ to their bow. A quick browse of their website shows just how JDA can adapt their design and build to meet the surroundings and the purpose for which the building is intended. And regardless of the project, industry or finished building, you can see how much attention to detail goes into every single one. Their service is the definition of high spec.

Moving with the times Rob and I of course couldn’t help discussing the somewhat challenging year we have all faced as a result of the global pandemic. But the focus was more on the positive changes

it has forced in certain areas as opposed to the tragedy which has struck. Rob was candid in admitting the past 12 months have changed mindsets within JDA, and he recognises that there are repercussions of the situation reverberating around many industries. These repercussions are significant too; changing many of our outlooks on a fundamental level.

For example, as we have been forced into limiting our activities, many of us have

Their service is the definition of high spec

Below: The three blocks form a resident courtyard

discovered the great outdoors.

Whether it be a walk in the park, sitting in the garden or, when permitted, scaling the local highlands, the health benefits of nature have come to light. Space is now an absolute priority and putting ourselves in comfortable environments to facilitate productivity is more of a consideration too. All of these things will of course influence the design of buildings going forwards and JDA are at the forefront of pioneering these changes.

“At JDA, we have always prided ourselves on well-considered design that accommodates modern needs and requirements, so are ahead of others in that respect. Natural light, open spaces, a flow to layouts and so much more have been factored into our projects for many years now,” Rob told me. He went on to say, “Our properties are of course built not just for today, but for the future too, and as such they have to stand the test of time.

That means thinking beyond our current situations and lifestyles and really considering what changes might be to come.”

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Who knew that architecture would benefit from a crystal ball reading? But this attitude to futureproofing their creations means that the finished result is truly exceptional every time. And there is one in particular which Rob can’t avoid talking about – Delamere.

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Pushing boundaries together JDA Architects has extensive experience in the care industry, providing the type of residential homes that make those staying there feel comfortable and settled. Rob and the team will even ensure the necessary certifications are granted, removing the need for the client to complete it.

This is just one of the ways that they exceed the expectations of those who work with them, and it’s one of the reasons recommendations for them pass around the various sectors in which they operate.

Above: The barn like residential block

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And their excellence is how Rob and the team became engaged in the project to create Delamere.

Delamere is a private, purpose-built addiction rehabilitation clinic in the heart of the stunning Cheshire countryside. It is the brain-child of Martin Preston and is named due to its proximity to the Delamere Forest, a beautiful area known for being an oasis of peace and quiet. “The location was extremely important to Martin as he had a clear view of the type of care he wanted the facility to provide to those who choose to be treated there,” Rob explained to me. As he continued, it all started to become apparent as to why it mattered so much to this establishment that, as twee as it may sound, broke the mould when it came to rehab centres.

The vision for Delamere was to support those with some kind of addiction, whether it be to substances, alcohol or anything else. It is also a haven for those seeking respite from burn out or other mental health issues. Rather than focus purely on the symptoms, as a former addict himself, Martin understands that in order to treat the issues the guests face, the centre really needs to get to the root cause of the problem. This is a new breed of care, with a new approach to creating programmes (formulated by Clinical Director, Mike Delaney) that consider the individual, creating bespoke treatment that is right for them.

But how does the design of a rehab centre influence the effectiveness of its care? Rob told me that there are quite clear ways of doing this. “Firstly, it is made up of three different buildings, each with a different purpose. Essentially, one is for sleeping, one for eating and one for treatment. Having to move between the separate locations means guests have to physically go outside, into the open space and beautiful countryside and this gives them the ability to change their mindset to prepare for their next situation, whatever that might be.

Secondly, a lot of light is used within the buildings with large glazed panels which encourage a connection with the external environment. It’s set on six acres of its own, but the surrounding forest being so close by brings with it a calming tone.”

The vision for Delamere was to support those with some kind of addiction, whether it be to substances, alcohol or anything else.

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As the third and final point, Rob explained one of the key differentiators; “Martin’s vision was to allow the guests of the facility to maintain their dignity throughout the challenging process. Many other treatment places don’t offer that so it really does set Delamere apart. The end result was to be akin to a 4-star hotel and it’s exactly what we achieved by collaborating so closely. There are three barn style structures making up Delamere. The 27 bedrooms are all en suite, spacious and above all else, stylish.

The food served is high quality and nutritious. The staff have a genuine desire for the participants to get the most out of their stay and as such, the successes are plentiful. It would be remiss to say LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 57

that the layout, unique design and internal finish didn’t play a part in that.”

Such a fantastic establishment could not have been created were it not for the close partnership formed between Rob and Martin, and Rob went back to basics in order to get it right. “I started my work with Martin using hand drawn sketches. That way, I could get a real feel for what was required and could change it with each conversation we had.

There was an existing building on the plot which we could have adapted but it would not have met Martin’s vision. Delamere needed to be constructed the way we have and it’s one of JDA’s finest achievements to date. I’m proud to say it has been the recipient of a Northern Design Award too, which is testament to the effort everyone involved in the project put it.”

(think larger spaces, balconies and so on), there is much to be done with building design in the future.

It’s an exciting time to be an architect, working on such large projects, and we have a lot more coming up. We’ll be helping to make a fundamental change in the way the buildings we inhabit can influence our way of life for the better.”

With such dedication to creating the right space for the needs of their clients and intended users, JDA Architects really will be leading the way within the world of architecture. So who knows what kind of ingenuity they will create next?

Above: Hotel like accommodation

Below: Lofty dining spaces critical for recovery

Whatever the project JDA Architects focuses on, there is attention to detail as standard. But the most important elements they bring to the table are their belief in collaboration and the ability to design buildings that meet a vision for a future.

Their forward-thinking approach means that in a post-Covid world, their projects will be sympathetic to a new style of care, working and living. Rob finished by telling me, “with a new focus on outdoor space, acknowledgment of the benefits of the environment, residents of care homes needing more independence and improved personal environments 58

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(A6) Garstang Road | Brock | Nr Preston | Lancashire | PR3 0RD Tel: 01995 643455 | Email: info@rockform.co.uk | Web: www.rockform.co.uk

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Take a Screen Break With These Lancashire Treasure Trails What with working from home, kids being taught virtually, and Netflix beckoning, we’re all looking for ways to keep active, entertained, and reduce our screen time during lockdown 3.0.

There are more than 1,200 Treasure Trails across the UK – and 12 to choose from across Lancashire:

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Blackpool (Detective Mystery) – 1.5 hours, 1.5 miles Starting in front of the North Pier, this Trail takes in the Grand Theatre and world-famous Blackpool Tower. Your finish point is along the promenade on the magnificent Comedy Carpet.

reasure Trails offer all three in one, and are a fantastic way to get outside with your household locally in Lancashire, get your steps up, and keep kids – and adults – entertained.

These themed selfguided walking Trail booklets (only £9.99 each) take explorers on a circular outdoor route of approximately two miles. En route, you have the added challenge of working together to hunt down clues and solve a puzzling Detective Mystery, Treasure Hunt, or Spy Mission.

Whilst you catch crooks and track down spies or hidden treasure, Treasure

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Lancaster Castle and Quay (Treasure Hunt) – 2 hours, 1.9 miles This Trail starts outside the City Museum in Market Square and winds through the city’s Georgian streets, alleyways and squares before heading up to medieval Lancaster Castle.

Trails showcase your local surroundings in a fun and adventurous new light. Each puzzle incorporates clues on local landmarks, signs, statues, monuments, images, engravings, and other eye-catching features.

Treasure Trails are a great solution to responsible entertainment during lockdown; they are local, socially-distanced, and can be incorporated into your daily exercise. Plus, anyone of any age can enjoy them – they’re not just for kids!

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“A really good morning’s exercise… One of the few things you can still do with Covid restrictions!

We will definitely do more in future.”

Clitheroe (Detective Mystery) – 1.5 hours, 1.2 miles This mystery Trail starts at the Castle Museum and leads around the quaint streets of this delightful market town in the heart of the Ribble Valley.

Condor Green and Glasson Dock (Treasure Hunt) – 2.5 hours, 3 miles This walking or cycling Trails starts at the Conder www.lancmag.com

Whalley (Spy Mission) – 2 hours, 2 miles Begin in the centre of this attractive historic village and follow the quiet back streets – you will pass the medieval church as well as the impressive 13th century Abbey and its Gatehouse.

“A Treasure Trail is a fun and challenging activity which can be enjoyed with your household, with the benefit of getting outside in the fresh air and discovering something completely new about your local area,” said Aaron Hutchens, General Manager of Treasure Trails.

Green picnic site and takes you along the scenic riverside path to Glasson Dock. You can also enjoy stunning views out across the Irish Sea.

and shopping streets.

The route continues through the beautiful Lowther Gardens.

Fleetwood (Treasure Hunt) – 1.5 hours, 2 miles Starting at the Knott End ferry terminal, the Trail takes you past this fishing town’s museum and lighthouses, before following the promenade to finish at The Mount.

Morecambe (Spy Mission) – 2 hours, 2.2 miles Take a tour through the historic back streets of the old fishing village of Poulton. You will then return along the promenade, past the Eric Morecambe statue and iconic art deco Midland Hotel.

Garstang (Detective Mystery) – 2 hours, 2.3 miles Begin at the Visitor Centre before exploring scenic riverside and canal side paths. The route then leads to its finish in the main street and market square of this bustling market town.

Pendle Witches (Detective Mystery) – 3 hours, 1.5 miles This Trail starts at the Pendle Heritage Centre in Barrowford and takes you along quiet lanes with fantastic views.

Explore the beautiful villages of Downham and Newchurch-in-Pendle.

Lytham (Treasure Hunt) – 2+ hours, 2 miles Begin opposite the Green alongside the seafront and journey around the town’s flourishing centre

Preston Parks and Gardens (Spy Missions) – 2 hours, 1.6 miles Your self-guided Spy Mission begins at Fishergate in the city

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centre, and will have you hunting for mind-twisting clues through the gardens of Winckley Square and alongside the River Ribble.

St Annes-on-Sea (Detective Mystery) – 2 hours, 2.25 miles This Trail starts at the Pier and takes you through Ashton Gardens and the attractive centre of town.

The route finishes along the promenade’s gardens close to the start point.

Treasure Trails are available to buy online at treasuretrails.co.uk; they can be downloaded as a printable PDF or posted as a printed booklet.

What people are saying about Treasure Trails: “A really good morning’s exercise… One of the few things you can still do with Covid restrictions!

We will definitely do more in future.”

For more information please contact: Sarah Runnacles sarah@flamingo-marketing.co.uk 01637 873379 LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 61

Chorley duo’s hard work rewarded during ‘year like no other’ A CHORLEY sales consultant and customer service manager have been awarded for being at the top of their game at Redrow’s annual employee awards.

SCOY Paul Fishwick

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aul Fishwick and Leonie Sharrock have earned the top titles as Redrow Lancashire’s Sales Consultant of the Year and Customer Service Employee of the Year respectively.

The awards are celebrated every year by the national housebuilder and took place virtually this year to ensure those who have excelled in their customer facing roles still gained deserved recognition.

Paul, 34, has been with Redrow for nine years and won Sales Consultant of the Year after beating off stiff competition from sales colleagues at developments across Lancashire, Greater Manchester and parts of Merseyside.

“Before I worked at Redrow, I worked in estate agency sales but I made the switch to new homes because it’s much more personal and allows me to develop really strong bonds with our customers,” Paul said.

“Taking them through from that first enquiry to the day when they get their keys is the most rewarding thing about my role,” says Paul.

Paul has most recently been working across two developments, Worden Gardens in Leyland and Willows Green in Clayton-le-Woods.

He added: “The last year has been a challenge to say the least. However I’ve remained positive to ensure I could make Worden Gardens, and more recently Willows Green, a success. Winning this award is a huge personal

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achievement and it’s good to feel that my hard work has been recognised.”

Customer Service Employee of the Year Leonie Shorrock, 35, has been with the company for five and a half years.

After completing a degree in Deaf Studies and Linguistics, Leonie worked within the deaf community before she joined Redrow as a customer service coordinator. She was promoted to the role of customer service manager in 2019.

She said: “I work within such a strong and hardworking team so I’m incredibly honoured and proud to have won the award. The last year is one we’ve all had to adapt to, but our priority has been ensuring we have kept in regular contact with our customers to reassure them that we are here to support them.”

Claire Jarvis, managing director at Buckshaw Village-based Redrow (Lancashire) said: “Both Paul and Leonie are such a positive, hardworking and dedicated members of the team and so deserving of these awards. They have risen to every challenge put in front of them and deliver an outstanding level of service to our customers. Their commitment to the business has shone though over the last year.”

For details of where Redrow is building new homes go to www.redrow.co.uk/lancashire; to find out more about a rewarding career with Redrow visit: www.redrowcareers.co.uk www.lancmag.com

BOOKS Our roundup of this months literary delights

Preston Based Poet Terry Quinn’s New Collection of Poetry Examines ‘How Our World Broke Down’

‘Notes on the Cause of the Third World War by JC Dunne’ is the latest collection of poetry written by acclaimed Preston based poet Terry Quinn, that examines the effects and aftermath of a potential third world war.

A powerful collection of poems produced in uncertain times, the poetry reflects on the work of JC Dunne, a fictitious historian who realizes that he can no longer use traditional academic disciplines to explain how the third world war came about. In his search for answers, Dunne reflects on his own life examining underlying trends that led to the world breaking down.

‘Notes’ is a blend of Quinn’s own research and imagination in a compelling read that is both prescient and disturbingly plausible, and is published at a time when poetry’s popularity has increased significantly as a way of release and reflection throughout the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

Terry Quinn reflects on his latest collection of poetry and says: “I wanted to write a sequence of poems that drew together the concerns I feel about our world now.

I felt this could be best achieved though the voice of a single character who could blend today’s facts and tomorrow’s fictions with objective authority but touches of his own humanity.”

A Preston based poet and retired NHS Medical Engineer, Quinn’s previous poetry collections include ‘Away’ and ‘The Amen of Knowledge’ which won the 2012 Geoff Stevens Memorial Poetry Prize. A joint collection with Melbourne based poet Julie Maclean ‘To Have To Follow’ was published in 2016. His poems have been published widely in UK magazines, in anthologies, broadcast and even displayed on a Guernsey bus.

Quinn is actively involved with Preston Poets and Damson Poets.

‘Notes on the Cause of the Third World War’ front cover

Terry Quinn Profile

Published by Indigo Dreams Publishing on 11th January 2021, ‘Notes on the Cause of the Third World War by JC Dunne’ is a 34 page pamphlet of poetry, available in paperback at a retail price of £6.00. It can be purchased online from Indigo Dreams Publishing at www.indigodreams.co.uk/tqnotes/4595124140 or from major stockists including Waterstones.

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Hall, Park and Gardens

OPENS SPRING 2021

RAINBOWS, ANGELS, & SUNRISES...

Join us for this beautiful exhibition of Evelyn De Morgan’s paintings looking beyond crisis towards brighter days ahead FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK YOUR VISIT: www.towneley.org.uk

Towneley Hall Museum, Towneley Park, Burnley BB11 3RQ

Rivington

By Lucy Bullough

T

he village of Rivington is one which sits proud amongst a huge surrounding area of natural beauty with the famous Rivington Pike towering over it. Approximately six miles south east of Chorley and eight miles north west of Bolton, this rural enclave is a civil parish in its own right which came from the original township of the ancient parish of Bolton le Moors. Moorland, agricultural land and several hill summits all make up the wider area of Rivington and it forms its own part of the West Pennine Moors.

With such a stunning backdrop against a village with plenty of amenities to enjoy, a trip to Rivington should be on the cards when you next plan a day out. Here’s a little more about it and the other sights to see in close proximity...

Above: Rivington Pike and Winter Hill above Anglezarke Reservoir

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Below: Rivington Pike

A town with a past The findings of the area have included a flint knife, arrowheads, scrapers and even the remains of cremations. These were all excavated from a Bronze Age cairn in the 1950s and 60s so it is entirely probably that settlements were in place in the Rivington region since this ancient time. Additionally, a stone with markings was discovered near Lower Rivington Reservoir in 1999 which dates back to some time between 2000 and 3000 BC so we know it has a very long story to tell!

Anglo-Saxon settlements are also in evidence, particularly in the names of the area such as that of Coblowe. Coblowe sits on the eastern bank of the Lower Rivington Reservoir and the name comes from the Old English for hill – hlaw – and makes reference to an ancient barrow and burial place. Rivington itself was first recorded in name in 1202 with the different variations of Rowinton, Rawinton, and Revington.

It became Ruhwinton in 1212, Riuiton in 1226, Rowynton and Rouynton in 1278, Roynton in 1332, Rouyngton in 1400, and finally Rovington and Ryvington in the 16th century, much closer to how we know it today.

Industry came in the form of the construction of the reservoirs, farming, and textiles like much of Lancashire until the industrial revolution changed this. Tourism has always played a large part of the area’s prosperity so if you do decide to visit, you’ll be in good company! And there are certainly plenty of reasons to visit Rivington.

Here are a few highlights so read on and see if you’d like to explore any of them...

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It is even said it’s one of the best viewpoints in the north of England Below: Rivington Pike over or Horwich, Bolton near Chorley

Rivington Pike Rivington Pike is extremely well-known in the local area, and is a hill just waiting to be climbed by locals and those who travel from far and wide. At its peak, it stands at 1,191 feet high (or 363 metres) and is the most westerly high point of Winter Hill in the West Pennine Moors. The views from the summit can be spectacular on a clear day with views to Rivington, Adlington, Chorley and way beyond too – as far as Cheshire, the Lake District and the Isle of Man. It is even said it’s one of the best viewpoints in the north of England. The Pike is the perfect walk for all the family as the loop can be just 1.7 miles if you follow the Rivington Pike Circular Walk, although there are several ways to get to the top. The circular loop starts at Rivington Hall Barn which is easy to find, it has plenty of free parking and these paths are wellmaintained. If you take the route on the western side, you’ll wander through Rivington Terraced Gardens and is one of the most popular thanks to its scenic backdrop. When you get up there, in addition to the views you’ll find a tower (a Grade II listed building) which dates back to 1138.

The pike is, of course, as old as the hills themselves, and there have been flint chippings found on the summit which indicate it had some significance in prehistoric times. There may well have been some kind of prehistoric monument there too but no one can really confirm this. The suggestion comes from an uneven piece of ground which is discussed in various places with no solid definition as to LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 67

what it is. A prehistoric barrow, an old Bell Pit, the original platform for the defence beacon or even a wartime gun placement are all ideas which have been mentioned over the years. It could be a cist burial that has been looted and it has most likely been a little exaggerated given the landscaping and stabilisation works which have had to take place over the years There are official written records of this stunning landmark dating back as far as 1280.

But its use as a defence beacon will no doubt have been in place since well before that. It was almost certainly used by the Earl of Chester over a century before for the Scottish raids of 1138 which would explain the addition of the tower as a watch point. There are other mentions of the pike (or ‘peak’) over the years in various places too. In the early 1500s, one of Henry VIII’s chroniclers noted it down as ‘Faierlokke’, but he acknowledged the locals called it ‘Rivenpike’. Later that century, it is known that the Pike was indeed used in the July of 1588 in retaliation to viewings of the Spanish Armada who were coming to invade.

Rivington, Yarrow Reservoir and Anglezarke, were designed by Thomas Hawksley and built between 1850 and 1857. For many years after their construction, they remained at the cutting edge of reservoir design thanks to the filter beds which were added to aid water treatment. There is even another local reservoir too, named High Bullough, which is smaller but pre-dates the other, designed to provide Chorley residents with their water requirements.

The reservoirs are of course still extremely useful but they are also beautiful additions to the area and enhance the backdrop of the walking scenery. Explore them as you make your way around this stunning part of the North West.

Above: View of Yarrow Reservoir Rivington Anglezarke

Below: A Beautiful summer afternoon at Rivington reservoir

The Rivington Reservoirs The Pike might be the most talked-about part of Rivington but the three reservoirs are very much a part of the landscape and indeed the industry that has put Rivington on the map.

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Winter Hill Again, one of the most wellknown features of the area, Winter Hill is the highest point of the West Pennine Moors sitting at 1,496 feet or 456 metres high. It overlooks Rivington and the surrounding areas and is extremely popular with walkers thanks to its location on Rivington Moor and the spectacular views and scenery you can enjoy.

However, it is probably best known for the TV mast which spikes up, visible for miles around. This mast is responsible for broadcasting across a huge part of the North west but there are other telecommunications masts there too for mobile phone signals, radio and even for use by the emergency services. In fact, Lancashire Constabulary was one of the early adopters and started using the area in 1950 with a rumour that policemen themselves built the road there!

The name ‘Winter Hill’ probably comes from the Old Norse as the earliest name recorded is ‘Wynterheld’ and literally means winter hill. At

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this time, the word ‘winter’ also meant ‘wet’ so it’s entirely feasible it really meant ‘wet hill’ originally, which isn’t so hard to believe for this part of the world!

In terms of walks on Winter Hill, there are several paths to take including from Rivington in the borough of Chorley, Belmont in Blackburn with Darwen and from Horwich and Blackrod in the Bolton Borough. It’s very central for all the local districts!

Some of the shortest walks up to the summit are just 1.25 miles so it doesn’t need

Above: Aerial view of Upper Rivington Reservoir

Below: Looking towards Rivington tower and winter hill TV masts.

Rivington

to be a particularly arduous adventure if you don’t wish it to be. The views from the top on a clear day take in multiple areas and you will be able to see as many as four national parks – the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District, the Peak District and Snowdonia.

Whilst you’re up there, you can explore the Two Lads; two memorial cairns which have been noted as the graves of two children of Edgar, a Saxon king (which has a bearing on the fact that at one point, Winter Hill was known as Edgar Hill). Also have a look at two burial mounds near the peak.

There isn’t a great deal known about them but they weren’t discovered in the modern day until the late 50s when excavation works showed they had been previously excavated 250 years prior. But they are thought to have originated as long ago as 1,500 BC in the Middle Bronze Age. The area isn’t without sadness though. You can see the real-life inspiration for the poem ‘Scotchman’s Stump’

by John Cassidy of Bolton.

The monument known as Scotsman’s Stump sits on Winter Hill to commemorate the death of Scottish merchant George Henderson. He had been walking along this

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route from Horwich to Bolton when he was murdered by gunshot on 9th November, 1838 and the monument was erected in 1912 to replace a bush which had previously been there. Winter Hill has also been the site of several air disasters, including one known as the Winter Hill Air Disaster of 27th February 1958. A freighter travelling from the Isle of Man to Manchester crashed into the hill just a few hundred yards away from the transmitter and there is a memorial plaque dedicated to the tragedy in situ. A two-seater also sadly crashed in the 1920s and during World War II an American plane crashed on 7th August and one from the British 410 Squadron crashed on Christmas Eve 1943.

Wildfires ravaged the area in 2018 with over seven square miles scorched before they could be brought under control. Helicopters were seen making regular drops of water to try to extinguish the flames and a man was arrested on suspicion of arson. The fires, including those of Saddleworth Moors, were described as the “worst series of moor fires in living memory”.

For those looking for something a little more spooky, UFOs have been sighted in the area, as far back as the 1950s when a dark, flat, iron-shaped object was reported to have been hovering close to the ground. The Murphy Incident of 1999 was when a sighting by a farmer was investigated by the Manchester Aerial Phenomena Investigation Team (MAPIT). MAPIT said they were followed throughout the duration of the investigation and the farmer was apparently ‘warned’ by officials and has since not been traced. Even our own

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Above: Rivington Pike, Horwich, Lancashire, UK Memorial plaque to those that lost their lives in an air dxisaster in 1958

Below: Rivington Hall Barn - Geograph010975-byRuth-Harris

government has released information on UFO sightings with one object spotted over Winter Hill.

Rivington Hall Barn The barn is one of the mainstays of the local area and dates back to the Saxon era whose construction is still in evidence in its original beams. It had been originally built for agricultural purposes but in 1905, it became the location for a tea room. Then after a refurbishment in the 1950s, it has been used as an event venue and remains as such today.

Weddings can be absolutely spectacular here as can corporate events and any other type of celebration you wish to hold. It is still a familyrun enterprise since the original refurb, owned and managed by the Salmon family.

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And there’s more...

As if all this wasn’t enough for you to explore, there is so much more on the doorstep of Rivington, most of it centred in natural beauty.

For example, Red Moss, Roddlesworth Woods and Lead Mines Clough are all worth a visit.

Red Moss is a huge area of peat moss wetland that was a site of moss cutting and coal pits, farming and pumping station. Today, it plays host to a range of wildlife. It’s also an area of industrial archaeology for you to explore but don’t forget your wellies! Take your dog for a fun time in Roddlesworth Woods and wander along the beautiful pathways spotting as much of the local wildlife as you can. And why not hunt for fossils in nearby Lead Mines Clough? A mineral vein sits alongside a geological fault line and there is evidence of the previous mining that used to take place here. There is a brook with waterfalls, wildlife, scenery and exposed rock for you to marvel at on your trip here too.

There is so much natural beauty in and around Rivington but are many more attractions and things to see than just those we have listed here.

So if you’ve never visited this beautiful part of the North West, it’s perhaps time you added it to your list!

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And why not hunt for fossils in nearby Lead Mines Clough?

Above: Waterfalls Roddlesworth

Above: Lead Mines Clough Anglezarke Rivington

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Donald Campbell’s Birth to be celebrated

by The Ruskin Museum

Left: Donald Campbell_ Rectangle Badge

M

arch 23rd, 2021 will see the 100th anniversary of Donald Campbell’s birth and to celebrate this, the Coniston Institute and Ruskin Museum Trust are to issue two limited edition pin badges.

Money from the badges, which have been commissioned by the museum and authorised by the Campbell family, will go towards maintaining and enhancing the Campbell Collection based at the Ruskin Museum in Coniston.

Tracy Hodgson, Manager at the Museum said: “2021 marks the 100th Birthday of Speed Legend and Coniston’s adopted son, Donald Malcolm Campbell CBE. To commemorate his life and achievements, The Ruskin Museum and The Campbell Family Heritage Trust are planning a year long programme of events to coincide with all eight of Donald Campbell’s world records and details of these will be announced later, along with a number of other limited-edition items.”

She added: “The limited-edition pin badges will be available for sale in the coming weeks in our online shop and in the museum shop when we re-open. We are grateful to BZ Marketing for their designs which have captured the Bluebird logo and will mark the anniversary in a very special way.”

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Gina Campbell, Donald’s daughter said: “I am so happy, honoured and delighted that Coniston village together with The Ruskin Museum are celebrating my father’s centenary in such a befitting and interesting way. Coniston is of course my father’s and Bluebird’s “spiritual” home, so for all these events to be taking place there is for me personally very touching; I am humbled by the generosity of everyone concerned to mark this special year in such a celebratory way. A huge thank you from the entire Campbell family.”

Left: Donald Campbell_ Round Badge

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WE ARE STILL HERE WORKING ON YOUR BEHALF ONLY IN A DIFFERENT WAY Our teams are working from home, taking calls and answering any questions you have about moving home, family matters, Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney. We can still do all of these things for you and more, just in a slightly different way.

www.vincentssolicitors.co.uk

To find out more call us on 01772 555 176 to speak to any of our team or email enquiries@vslaw.co.uk. We are here for you.

Newton-Le-Willows, Britain’s first railway town

By Anthony Joseph Wiaczek

Above: A month after the Normandy invasions, a Vulcan locomotive lands on Juno Beach for use in Europe, 26/07/1944

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Right: Matilda Tanks roll out of the factory for testing.

W

hen you stand on Vulcan Park Way in Newton-LeWillows, overlooking the relatively new housing estate; it can make you wonder what stood there before.

Especially when you are surrounded by the name “Vulcan”, with Vulcan Village across the road, The Vulcan Inn, home to great food and drink not half a mile away and Vulcan Football club around the corner.

Why Vulcan? Well, those of you who brushed up on your Roman mythology will know Vulcan as the God of volcanoes, fire and the forge, and the latter is exactly where our story ties in with Newton-LeWillows. The former Lancashire town played an important role during the pioneering days of our proud British Railways. Home to the Vulcan Foundry created in 1832 (as Charles Tayleur and Co.) to support the newly opened Liverpool and Manchester Railway built by George Stephenson, featuring his forever famous locomotive “Rocket”.

Located halfway on the 30-mile

run between the two great cities, the town was an ideal location to support the railway infrastructure, as Stephensons workshops were mainly located in Newcastle, proving ineffective to transport fabricated parts and locomotives. However, due to the immediate success of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the foundry found themselves producing locomotives for local and international railway projects.

As the initial shockwave of the railway-mania boom sent hundreds of entrepreneurs and businessmen investing into the new-fangled and effective method of transportation.

Within five years of its inception, the foundry in the little town of

Left: Tanks on the production line.

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Newton-Le-Willows was sending locomotives to Belgium, Russia and the United States.

By the mid 1800’s the vast majority of Newton-Le-Willows was employed by the railway industry.

Between the Vulcan Foundry, the LNWR and Viaduct Foundry (established in 1833) resulting in the establishment of such places as Vulcan Village and Viaduct Village in Earlestown, named after Sir James Hardman Earle, a director of the company. Hundreds of cottages were funded and built to support the growing workforce, as well as financial assistance in public buildings and schools cemented Newton-Le-Willows as a historic railway town. Not only supporting the East-West venture between two cities but also a NorthSouth stretch between Carlisle and London as the LNWR (London and North Western Railway) consolidated all lines in the area.

This has made Earlestown station (opened 1830) one of the oldest stations in Britain, not located within a city.

With the LNWR consolidation of independent railway lines from London up the west coast, it naturally inherited a number of foundries and rolling stock

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workshops associated with these lines. Many of these were liquidated and moved to the company chosen workshops, Crewe for locomotives, Wolverton for carriages and Earlestown (Viaduct Foundry) for freight wagons. Fortunately, the Vulcan Foundry survived this corporate exercise due to the associated patents within their designs and international clientele. By 1870 Vulcan products had circled the globe, providing the first railway locomotive to run in Japan which has since been preserved as a Japanese national treasure. Other curious products include the Fairlie locomotives, designed facing in both directions unsure if it is coming or going, one would usually see these creeping through the tight valleys of the Welsh Highlands. This design proved very popular in the mountainous regions of New Zealand and South America.

At the turn of the twentieth century, a dark cloud loomed over Europe foreshadowing the Great War. Leading up to this, by 1906 the Vulcan Foundry employed over 1500 workers and by the start of the war in 1914, over 3000 locomotives had been built. Now, production had to change and diversify to support the 76

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greater good of the war effort. Shells, gun mountings and mine sweeping equipment was the staple of manufacture on the shop floor, any manufactured locomotives also found themselves in the service of the war department. With the war over, Vulcan returned to doing what it did best, being a pioneer of the railways. Now making some of the largest locomotives ever built, measuring at over 28 meters in length and destined for China. Also, new technologies developed during the war began to creep in, more reliable diesel and electric motors giving a glimpse of the railways future. Once again war loomed over Europe as many nations began armament programs. It was during this time that the Vulcan foundry earned a proud reputation.

The design of the Matilda-II infantry support tank was entrusted into the hands of the Vulcan team in 1937, to make this a reality and support the upcoming war effort. By 1938, versions of this tank were ready for trials.

In order to give the tank the most realistic scenario-based trials, it wasn’t uncommon to see these machines powering through the undulating community green spaces, followed by trips through the tight streets of Vulcan

Above: Diesel locomotives on the production line.

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Right: A steam locomotive is tested before shipping to Asia.

Village. Soon in 1940, the ominous hum of the Luftwaffe was heard overhead, as the Battle of Britain began. Vulcan grounds were used to make air raid shelters as well as mounting anti-aircraft guns. As a prime target, the factory underwent a facelift, designed by camouflage artists to blend into the area in hope of evading Gorings aerial scourge.

Throughout October of 1940, the area was strafed with bombs, as the Luftwaffe would use railway lines and landmarks as a lead for targets. In some instances, ground units deployed on the Sankey Viaduct would use long poles raised and thrown into the air, to damage aircraft propellers as they flew so low. Although bombs dropped locally causing death and devastation, the Vulcan was unscathed. By 1944 with the Allied war effort gaining momentum, Vulcan was making locomotives again for the War Department, this time to the large “Austerity” design intended for use on British rails as well as European. With over 900 built (390 at Vulcan) this would prove to be one of the most produced locomotives in Britain.

Of this number only one survives to this day, repatriated from the Swedish Arctic Circle to Haworth in 1973, it has since been restored and run at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

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Above: The only surviving War Department 8F locomotive, of 390 built at Vulcan. Residing at the Worth Valley Railway in Haworth.

Below: An aerial view of the Vulcan Foundry at its height, note Sankey Viaduct in the upper left.

By the end of the war, Vulcan had amassed 4128 employees on the books contributing to the manufacture of 850 tanks, 10,000 torpedo parts and 1700 machine gun mountings. But now changes were on the horizon, steam power was in decline, being superseded by the cleaner diesel engines. This was a sign of the times, the company needed to diversify and so after several product collaborations, Vulcan was sold to English Electric in 1957.

While it was still a high time for the company, producing many diesel engines, a number of which are still in use to this day. It also signified the past was the past, many historical records dating back to the 1840’s were destroyed under English Electric supervision on the loose pretence of “making space”.

The records that did survive were ones that had been sneaked out of the back door by employees wishing to preserve history.

Factory output declined as European competitors filled the market. The works changed hands several times until MAN Diesel purchased the site in 2000. By 2002 the works closed and in 2007 the demolishing of all ex-factory buildings began. Now, not a single brick of the old factory site remains, replaced by a housing estate. But remembered by names such as Deltic Close, Paravane Close and the terrace rows of Vulcan Village funded by the railway companies that essentially made Newton-Le-Willows the town it is today.

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The Naked Truth of Sausage Island.

What is your taboo? Is it the same as my taboo? By Kate Gostick Were you born with that taboo and will it stay with you throughout your life? I would propose that our taboos are different and evolve. We are not born with them, but they are bestowed on us by our culture and those significant in our lives. They change when the significant people in our life change and are shaped by the actions of those in our community.

For those who stay in the same community with the same people shaping their thoughts these taboos will probably remain constant.

They won’t even think of them as unique to their culture, assuming the same views are shared by all those in the civilised world, but this is not true. Taboos are a cultural phenomenon and as you move from one culture to another you begin to question them and see the absurdity they create, yet still, they are so important to acceptance that you cannot ignore them. When we moved to Germany, we discovered that nakedness was part of life there. It was not a taboo. It was not something they even thought about until they were greeted by the shocked face of their transatlantic visitors and then they would just laugh at the absurdity of the puritan Americans for whom the naked human body was most definitely taboo. This created conflict since taboos are not to be questioned.

I first realised this when we were instructed to buy swimming attire by the school, very small, tight, navy blue speedos, budgie smugglers as my husband referred to them! The newly arrived American parents were horrified!

They discussed how the school was culturally unaware and that this was totally unacceptable. As time went on they would realise that they had bigger things to worry about as they inadvertently signed permission slips for a school trip to the local brothel and were confronted with sex education in almost every year from preschool to Year 10, at which point it was assumed all pupils had lost their virginity so additional instruction was now redundant. The anxiety of the budgie smugglers seemed to be passed on to their offspring since parents informed the school that their children were having difficulty sleeping, consumed by the worries of displaying the silhouette their meat and two veg in the new attire. My boys were less anxious obviously having absorbed some of my British cultural norms which lay half way between those of the Americans and those of the Germans. I realised 78

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that I had raised kids with high self-esteem when one emerged from the sports shop changing room informing the whole shop floor that he could “pull this off” because he had “a small bum and a great physique”. All of this was set to the soundtrack of his younger brother gyrating his hips as he pranced around the shoe section devoid of shoes, but happily wearing nothing, but his new budgie smugglers singing “I’m sexy and I know it!” All the kids soon learned to adapt and the parents soon moved on to the next cultural juxtaposition to become anxious about.

Even school trips for kindergarteners were fraught with danger. Henry was at that age where he had not developed any inhibitions and where body parts were the funniest thing in the world. He was starting to become aware of the differences between the sexes, but any confusion on the female form would definitely be explored and fully resolved on his trip to Explora Museum. As the bus pulled up at the museum of visual illusions, as it had been described on the consent form, there would be plenty of opportunities to examine the differences between the male and female forms in glorious technicolour and 3D. There would be plenty of opportunities for the American Kindergarten teacher to regret not checking the museum out before she brought the whole class and their puritan parent chaperones for a visit!

The excited children alighted the bus and skipped over to play in the playground and enjoy their last few moments of innocence before the museum opened. As the clock struck ten they were rounded up and herded in to see what the educational facility had to offer. We stood in the foyer and one teacher purchased the tickets and met our guide while the other teacher looked at the huge picture of Sigmund Freud on the wall next to her. His high forehead sloped down to two thick black eyebrows above his deep set eyes and the profile perspective of the picture highlighted his hooked nose on which wire rimmed spectacles were perched and his thick very bushy beard.

She was just about to explain to the children who Freud was and ask them to look at the picture when she looked a little more intensely and noticed that Freud was in fact made up of naked women and his eyebrow was, actually, a thick bushy clump of her not so private areas

resting above the bent provocative leg which made up his nose. She quickly stood with her back to it obscuring the delights of his bushy beard from view as a host of six year olds battled to see the now intensely interesting poster.

This was not the only piece of art she would obscure that morning as she would spend a lot of her day with her back to pieces of art wishing

she had checked out the museum first! The whole museum was filled with what first appeared to be innocent artwork, but turned out to be pictures of numerous sexual acts some which were even an education to me. Naked bodies twisted into unimaginable positions to reveal their full glory and I will never forget the sight of three six year old boys stood in a row, backpacks clinging to their backs, staring at a picture in their 3D glasses, mouths wide open, eyes unblinking, amazed by what they saw, whilst a horrified first grade teacher tried in vain to encourage them to move on.

To the Germans, this was not an inappropriate school trip. The museum was full of young minds open to new sights and concepts. Germans did not think of an unclothed body any differently than a clothed one. It was an educational experience both in visual illusions and in sex. To Germans, this education started in preschool and was no different from Maths or English. Nakedness was normal.

Sausage Island was the perfect example of the relaxed attitude this rules orientated country, of Germany, had to the human form. Looking for an alternative to the local pool we were introduced to Sausage Island by a teacher from the boys’ school and their family. We shook out our picnic blanket and settled down on the grass which overlooked a large oval-shaped lake with an island in the middle. A beach lined the whole circumference of the lake and a thick privet hedge with a gate seemed to separate it into two distinct zones, although everyone was free to pass from one zone to the other and it was easy to swim between them.

As we paddled in the water you could feel large, brown, dappled fish brush against your legs which was unnerving, but the water was

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clear enough to see them swimming around your feet which brought the reassurance of unpolluted waters. A little snack shack sold the obligatory sausage and schnitzels and drinks and ice creams and, as the parents drank beer and tucked into the sausage, we assumed the venue had got its colloquial name from the snacks and this island. The boys finished their ice creams and decided to go for a swim.

They asked if they could try to swim to the island in the middle of the lake and, since they were strong swimmers and we could see the rough outline of sunbathers on the island laying under the shade of the trees, we told them to enjoy themselves but stick together. When they later returned we discovered that the island was in easy reach of both beaches in the two distinct zones around the lake. We discovered that they had spoken to Mr. Simmons an English teacher at their school and that he had decided to swim there from the other beach, the nudist beach! We also discovered why the island had got its name and that Mr. Simmons had been browning his sausage very nicely on the island! This trip made me question which cultural norms are so deeply entrenched that you never adjust and which are still malleable. I never adjusted to the American view of education, in which regurgitating predetermined facts, devoid of critical thinking, was acceptable, but nudity was something where I adapted to the crowd becoming more prudish in America and loosing my inhibitions in Germany. What was it about one that made it fixed and the other that made it amorphous? I still don’t know the answer, but I learnt what I was prepared to adapt to and what for me was sacred.

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We Saw the Rivington Pike Beast in 2012 Witness Report: “Hi Deborah I have been struggling with something that I experienced with a few of my friends a number of years ago now.

Writing it down to send

to you made it more real somehow, and I have to admit after hearing about the other reports of creatures around here I started thinking about that night

I

lived in the local area at the time and as my other half was working that night, I’d invited a couple of my friends over so that we could go and watch the beacons being lit. We didn’t want to be in a mad crush of people as we wanted to take our dogs with us, so rather than going to one of the beacons nearby, we decided to go up to Great Hill to watch from there as we would be able to see a few different ones from that spot like the one over at Rivington, Darwen Tower, Pendle Hill etc.

My friends came over around tea time and we had something to eat and then set off with our dogs about an hour before it was due to go dark. I drove my Land Rover up Well Lane to the gate leading onto the moors and we walked to Great Hill from there. I do remember that it was quite a nice evening as I had got a pair of flip flops on and a pair of ¾ jeans. We took up a flask of coffee and some crisp and cakes and a radio so we could have a little party up there – only realised later on that we’d forgotten to take a torch with us.

The first thing that was odd – not at the time but it sort of made sense later on when I was going over things in my head – was as we got up to Great Hill, there were quite a few sheep milling about and they made no attempt to 82

and wondering what I saw.

My experience happened back in 2012 – the night that all the beacons were being lit for the Queen’s Jubilee.

us – but he’d come like a proper hiker with a rucksack and head torch etc and then a big group of people came up the White Coppice gorge and joined us and surprisingly one of the group was a girl that my two friends and I work with. So we all hung out chatting, listening to music, and the big group had fetched beers with them so they were all getting merry and enjoying themselves, and our dogs were playing around together and exploring in the dark.

move. My friend’s Cairn Terrier wasn’t good with livestock and she was worried about not being able to let her off her lead, my dog was used to working sheep as we used to live on a farm, I got him to run the sheep off.

But I had to do this 3 times as they kept coming back which as I said was very odd as they’ll usually take off if a dog is near and won’t come back.

Just before it went dark, a bloke on his own turned up with the same idea as

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I can’t remember what time the beacons were lit, but we saw the one over towards Rivvy, Darwen, Pendle and some in the far distance that may have been the south lakes. Quite a few fireworks were also set off in various places so we stayed to watch those and then after about an hour we all decided to walk back down from the hill together. My friend who owned the Cairn terrier was having a good chat with the bloke who had turned up alone, about hiking and camping and fell running and so on as she was wanting to get into that and as it turned out he’d parked his car in the village, so I made a joke about 3 unprepared women out in the dark and I offered him a lift back down Well Lane to his car in exchange for him lighting the path for us with his head torch. www.lancmag.com

So we all set off and when we got to the left hand pathway that leads off the main path down towards White Coppice gorge we said goodbye to our work mate and all her friends and they all started trundling off down the pathway. I do remember saying that I thought they were mad doing that in the dark as the path is dreadful in spots but they were laughing about it and headed off.

At this point, I’m walking with my friend “L” and the two dogs were in front of us and my other friend “R” was walking, chatting to the bloke with the headtorch and they had dropped quite a distance behind us.

It was dark, but I seem to remember that it was a full moon that night and as the pathway there is a sort of lightcoloured stone surface, we could see where we were going so rather than hang about for them we just strolled on with the dogs. The voices of the other group going down the gorge were now quite faint (we’d been able to hear them laughing and talking until they dropped below the level of the flat bit of moors on our left) so now all we could hear were the two dogs mooching about and our friend “R” and her new pal chatting behind us. I’m not sure how far behind us they were by now – I’m going to guess around 100 feet or so. Although we could hear them chatting, they weren’t www.lancmag.com

close enough for us to hear what they were saying – just the sound of their voices - and the light off his head torch wasn’t lighting anything up for us. I remember glancing back and had a bit of a giggle with “L” joking that it looks like “R” has pulled and as I turned back to look in the direction we were going, I walked straight into my dog and nearly fell over.

He was standing there rigid, looking off to the left and all of his hackles were up. “R”s dog was also standing stock still at his side looking in the same direction, but her tail was tucked right underneath her back legs.

I started to tell him to move, I said something along the lines of “come on lad shift yourself” or something similar when I heard a really low growl/snarl coming from the direction the dogs were looking at. My friend “L” was talking away slightly behind me (she talks really loudly) so I said “what the f*ck was that. Did you hear that?” then I followed with “shut up yapping for a minute will you” she tried whispering and said “what? What was it? No I didn’t hear anything” and as she finished talking I heard it again and this time she heard it too. Again, I did swear and said f*cking hell is that a dog? Which made me panic as my dog was a bit of a fighter if he came across another male dog, but had nothing to back it up with and my first

thought was that it was a lost dog or something and my dog would end up getting hurt by starting something he couldn’t finish, but he wasn’t making any move to go towards it.

He wasn’t a big dog but he had balls of steel and he wasn’t afraid of anything so to see him in a bit of a state of alarm/fear/concern spooked me. It felt like we were there standing there for ages but it probably wasn’t any longer than a minute. I suggested that we keep walking and try to get past this “dog” and hope that my dog didn’t decide to leg it after it in the dark and end up getting hurt. So I nudged him with my foot and said go on, get on, and he was literally talking one step forward at a time with very stiff legs with his tail up like a poker and never once took his eyes off the spot we’d heard the growl come from.

I’d guess it was maybe 20 or 30 feet from the path at that point.

My friend “R” and the bloke she was chatting to had caught up with us quite a bit but seemed totally oblivious to what was going on with us or the dogs, so “L” and I walked on but at a lot slower pace than we had been doing, and we now had a bit of light from the headtorch hitting us and the sides of the path. Both dogs were sticking pretty close a little way in front of us, but although they were

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still on alert, they weren’t looking as disturbed as they had been.

ourselves that we had imagined most of it. As you do.

“L” and I started talking quietly about what we had just heard and started trying to rationalise it by saying it must have been noise floating up from White Coppice Gorge and the growl wasn’t as close as we thought it had been and so on. So we started to relax a bit and were chatting about nothing much.

But the following week when I saw the other girl we worked with and casually asked her if she’d got down the gorge ok and if they’d heard anything weird, she said it’s funny that I should ask that because one of the lads in her group kept saying to the rest of them that he thought someone was following them down the gorge when they had first separated from us and went off the main path but as they were a bit pissed, they didn’t really pay a lot of attention to him.

But he was convinced someone was creeping through the grasses off to the side of them.

Suddenly my dog was once again standing stock still maybe 10 to 15 feet in front of us and this time he was growling really low in his throat and his hackles were up from his neck right down to his tail. His tail was poker straight and my friend’s dog was once again at his side only this time she was also doing a low whining. This is right before there is a right hand bend in the path with a slope to the right and open moors to the left and in front, and both dogs were looking straight ahead towards the bend, but then both dogs started to turn their bodies towards the right and ended up standing sort of looking towards the right hand slope as it was ahead of us.

Then both started turning and standing looking towards the open moors maybe at the 11 o’clock position from where we were standing.

And right at that moment ‘R’ and the hicking bloke behind us had got close enough that the head torch was hitting the moors in that direction and I saw a big dark shape that I actually thought was a cow (I know, daft really as there are no cows up there, but that was my first thought) I saw this ‘cow’ dart across the line of the light and head in the direction we were heading. At the same time as both dogs followed the direction it had gone in with their heads and then their bodies.

“L” saw it too and I lost it. At this point I was really scared and was shouting to the other two “Did you see that?” and “What the f*ck was that” but the bloke said he hadn’t seen anything and “R” sort of shrugged as if she didn’t know what I was on about, so I was trying to explain the growling we’d heard and the shape we had seen over on the moor and the dogs being freaked out. We got both dogs onto their leads and for 84

the rest of the way back to my car across the open moors we stayed as a tight group as I was insisting we all walked back together with no gaps.

The dogs continued watching one side of the moors, then the other as though something was moving around us but we didn’t hear anything. No growling.

No sign of anything in the heather. But there was definitely something there.

I was doing some sort of weird half walk ,half run, but wearing flip flops I was stubbing my toes on loose stones and rocks, but I was trying to make everyone else just hurry up so we could get back to my car. Maybe 2 or 300 feet from my car as the pathway starts to drop down I saw it again.

This time it was off to the left of us where there are some ruins of an old farmhouse. I just saw a big shape on four legs sort of leap over what is left of what I think is part of a house wall, and then it vanished.

And then I heard it growling again.

A very low deep growl. The growling was really close to us. So whatever it was had moved from the ruins up to within maybe 30 feet of us in seconds.

I bolted for the gate, unlocked my car, got everyone inside, locked all the doors and got down that lane as fast as I could. Once back in my house, when it was just us three girls, “R” admitted she’d heard and seen it too but she didn’t want the bloke she was talking to thinking she was a d!(k so didn’t say anything while we were up there. After a few wines and a lot of chatting we started convincing

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So that’s what happened.

I told my other half when he got off duty, but he told me I was full of it and had an overactive imagination.

Even when I told him about the others seeing and hearing it, he said it’s just contagious fear and we all were scaring each other. So I never discussed it with him again. However, a couple of days later when he was on his 4 day rest period, we took the dog up to the moors for a walk and went up to Great Hill and back, and we found a torn up sheep quite close to the top of the hill. Which made me wonder if that was why the sheep were acting strangely when we first got up there. Is that why they kept coming back despite me using the dog to run them off. Maybe whatever it was had been stalking the sheep as we arrived or was lurking there in the grass? Although the dogs never reacted to anything while we were up there, so I don’t know. I have never gone up there again on my own. And absolutely will never go up there unless it’s broad daylight”

If you have experienced anything like this or know of someone who has, please get in touch via debbiehatswell@gmail.com

Until next time...

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Riz Ahmed’s The Long Goodbye: A unique 30-minute performance of music, storytelling and theatre Streaming On Demand via mif.co.uk from 28 January 2021 for one month

R

iz Ahmed rounded off 2020 with The Long Goodbye, a very special digital performance blending music, storytelling and theatre which was a sellout event when it aired in December. Due to the popularity and interest of this one-off show, it will now air on demand for one month from 28 January until 1 March 2021.

Presented by WeTransfer and developed especially for the digital realm, this online performance was written, filmed and performed entirely by Riz Ahmed and is a companion piece to last year’s critically-acclaimed The Long Goodbye album and the live stage show commissioned by Manchester International Festival (MIF) and Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) that was due to take place before the pandemic. Weaving together storytelling, music and immersive sound to guide audiences through an emotional landscape, it tells the story of this moment through a personal journey and asks, ‘how did we get here?’

2020 saw the Emmy Award winning artist release the critically acclaimed album and short film The Long Goodbye, 88

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standalone single Once Kings and the revered films Mogul Mowgli and Sound Of Metal, for which Ahmed won Best Actor at Gotham Film Festival.

The Long Goodbye album and short film (directed by Aneil Karia) have already received several prestigious accolades. The record was included in BBC 6 Music and Rough Trade ‘album of the year’ 2020 highlights and the short film has won Best Short at Raindance Film Festival, Best Special Project at the UK Music Awards, Best Digital Music Campaign and a Lovie Award. Across Mogul Mowgli and The Long Goodbye Ahmed has also been shortlisted for 8 BIFA Awards, a Critics Choice Awards nominated and won Best Narrative Short at South London Film Festival.

The Long Goodbye Livestream Edition is available to watch at mif.co.uk from 28 January to 1 March and tickets are priced on a pay-what-you-feel basis at £5, £10, £15 or £20.

Image: Kelly Mason The Long Goodbye www.lancmag.com

New homes across Lancashire How very Redrow We pride ourselves in building quality homes throughout Lancashire

Images typical of Redrow homes. Details correct at time of going to press.

Discover more about the new homes in Lancashire

Visit: redrow.co.uk/lancashire

Redrow strive to create environments that will stand the test of time, where people can appreciate and enjoy their surroundings. We create homes that are designed for the way we live today, yet are rooted in the time-honoured traditions of craftsmanship and care.

New Backford Cross community takes shape

The Oxford Lifestyle

KNOWING your neighbours and forming strong relationships with them is more important than ever and, with that in mind, there’s the chance to join a brand-new community at this West Cheshire development.

A recent survey conducted by Redrow showed a quarter of respondents agreed that finding a home within a strong neighbourhood was more of a priority post-lockdown than ever before.

In the same survey, 23% also said that they would make more of an effort with their neighbours if and when they moved to a new house.

Being part of a new development is a great time to forge new friendships and The Pastures in Backford Cross has started welcoming its first families, with the new community really starting to take shape.

Fourteen families have already been welcomed to their new homes at The Pastures, where a total of 100 new homes will sit alongside open space and footpath links to the surrounding neighbourhood.

Simon Bennett, interim sales director for Redrow NW, says there are many benefits to moving to this blossoming community: “Most of us will have realised over the last year 90

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The Oxford Lifestyle kitchen and dining area just how important it is to have friends and neighbours around to help out should we need it. With this in mind, people are now more conscious of where they move and are keen to be part of a strong community.

“It’s up there with factors such as having more space inside and outside the home to make lockdown more bearable and features such as high-speed broadband to facilitate working from home.” www.lancmag.com

A bedroom in the Oxford Lifestyle

The three and four-bedroom homes available at The Pastures tick all these boxes and more. They include the three-bedroom detached Oxford Lifestyle, priced from £332,995.

This home is from Redrow’s ‘Lifestyle’ range meaning there are fewer but larger bedrooms that each come with an ensuite. The main bedroom also enjoys its own dressing room.

Downstairs, the kitchen and dining area spans almost the entire length of the home with doors leading out into the garden, plus the spacious property has a handy utility and cloakroom and separate lounge.

All of the homes at The Pastures are from Redrow’s iconic Heritage Collection, inspired externally by popular Arts & Crafts architecture, while boasting stylish, modern interiors designed for today’s lifestyles.

Prices currently start from £251,995 for a three-bedroom semi-detached Letchworth, while a detached four-bedroom Marlow is available from £336,995.

Located in Backford Cross, only five miles from Chester and close to Cheshire Oaks, The Pastures has the best of everything on its doorstep. It also enjoys a semi-rural location close to countryside, while being within easy reach of the motorway network and Capenhurst train station for travel further afield. www.lancmag.com

All three bedrooms come with their own ensuite in the Oxford Lifestyle

The show homes are currently open seven days a week by appointment only; for more information call 01244 435393 or visit www.redrow.co.uk/thepastures LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 91

Floor-D About Floor-D Floor-D is a one-stop-shop flooring solution for the residential market whereby clients can obtain costs for supply and installation of a range of flooring products whilst in the comfort of their home. There is a huge range of options available from luxury vinyl tiles, carpets on underlay, artificial grass and so on. The unique ideology of Floor-D was borne from the 25 years’ experience in the domestic and commercial flooring market by Nick Abbott, the Managing Director. Previously, Nick had been a Director of one of the largest independent flooring companies in the UK. 92

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Whilst the commercial marketplace has evolved in terms of procurement, the residential/ domestic marketplace was outdated and frankly technophobic. Instead of shopping online as you can now with most purchases (in and out of the home), you still have to get in your car, drive and park and then walk around a shop’s limited selection looking for inspiration. Why can’t this be done whilst having a cuppa at home?! This was the inspiration behind Floor-D Ltd. You can purchase holidays, kitchens, bathrooms, curtains, blinds and electrical items remotely. Why not flooring? www.lancmag.com

stories came from those businesses who not only met this need to help home owners make some stunning improvements, but who were also able to retail online, keeping interaction safe and to a minimum.

So it is no real surprise that certain companies have seen great growth and it is refreshing to realise that as consumers, our past buying behaviour has been challenged somewhat and improved for the better. After all, trekking around showrooms for items will only ever allow you to see a small portion of whatever is on offer and can take up a huge amount of your time.

One such success story has been that of Floor-D, launched with impeccable timing about 12 months ago by Nick Abbott. This business, based just outside Manchester, might be brand new to the market, but it brings with it almost a quarter of a century of expertise. Nick himself has worked in the flooring industry for nearly 25 years so whilst Floor-D might be in its infancy, his experience is most certainly not!

A background in the big stuff Nick discussed his previous career in the flooring world; “The majority of my career to date has been providing all manner of flooring solutions to main contractors, developers and PLCs. From schools, to hospitals, hotels, office blocks and universities, I’ve worked on many large, prestigious projects over the years up and down the country, such as the new 30,000m² Co-op Headquarters in Manchester, the new 40,000m² Defence and Rehabilitation Centre in Loughborough and the Ned Hotel in London, which involved circa 20,000m² of Axminster and vinyl finishes.” Nick also went on to say, “Throughout this time, I’ve also been involved in some smaller scale residential fit outs but these were few and far between really. However, as time has marched on, I wanted to put my idea to the test and peddle my own boat.”

A changing world The past 12 months have most certainly not played out the way any of us expected them to.

Fundamental changes to our lifestyles occurred with schools closing, more working from home than ever before and major restrictions on leaving the house combined to change our behaviours completely. With that came the opportunity to spend more quality time with our families and also encouraged a huge number of people to look more inwardly at their living spaces and want to make some changes. Whilst many industries and retail outlets struggled throughout 2020, the success www.lancmag.com

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It was of course a natural step for Nick to consider establishing himself within the residential flooring industry. Not only does he have more than enough experience to ensure his service will excel, he also has a passion for it too. Floor-D have become members of Checkatrade and Trustpilot, which underlines their commitment to client satisfaction and service levels. So it wasn’t long before he went ahead and launched Floor-D, a flooring company with a refreshing, different approach within the market.

A flooring provider fit for the modern day Not only have the various lockdowns and fears for our personal safety changed the way we prefer to shop for quite literally everything, the shift towards

buying more online had already started years ago.

By browsing the internet, we not only get access to more choice, we can do it at our leisure at a time that suits us and we are also able to verify pricing and the reputation of the provider more easily. All important factors in today’s busy lifestyles. Nick noticed that the way consumers purchase their home flooring was dragging significantly behind almost every other industry and saw an opportunity to change this, and that’s what makes Floor-D different to all the rest.

In the past, you would have had to give up a day of your time to traipse around the local showrooms, selecting samples of what they offered to return home and make your decision. Pricing would be 94

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...and that’s what makes Floor-D different to all the rest.

determined after someone visited your home to measure up and let’s be honest, once this amount of time had been invested by the retailer, the majority of customers felt somewhat obliged to go ahead with the purchase from them, even if they couldn’t quite get a perfect product to suit them.

After the deal was down, the materials would be ordered and a third-party carpet fitter would be required to install it, and often these had not been appropriately vetted by the flooring retailer. As such, you were at the mercy of the timescales and quality dictated by them. Not exactly a modern, customer-centric way of making a rather large purchase is it? www.lancmag.com

Enter Floor-D, which will shake this up for the whole industry, certainly on a local scale if not beyond! Nick understands that this is no longer a suitable way for the majority of people to select and buy their flooring so his website does things differently. You’ll simply head to www.floor-d.co.uk and select the type of flooring you prefer. After entering your floor’s dimensions, you’ll be given a bespoke price for your new covering which will include fitting too. The price is given to you in an instant, no matter what time of day or night you submit your information meaning the service is at your convenience. And you can restassured that these fitters are trade accredited floor layers and have all been personally selected

by Nick, using his high industry standards and experience to ensure they are the right fit.

If you have any doubts as to the exact sizing you require, or indeed any other queries, you’re not left to your own devices either. First of all, you can take advantage of the multiple guides they have produced so you know exactly what you’re doing from the outset. If you still have some questions, there is an online chat function available or contact via the instant messaging platform, WhatsApp so you can have a very open and clear conversation with them. If you’d like a physical conversation with

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Floor-D offers a much more customerfriendly way of buying flooring

an expert, you’ll have the option of a live consultation – all digital of course, in this new age we find ourselves in! This can be an extremely valuable method of communication which will save you time and offer absolute peace of mind. In the event of any really tricky set ups, the team will even pay you a visit too so you can have absolute peace of mind that you’re ordering exactly what you want, for the price you want to pay.

beyond recognition and then the events of 2020 further cemented it. Floor-D offers a much more customer-friendly way of buying flooring, that focuses on the person buying it and their needs, rather than making it easy for the retailer instead.” Nick’s focus on ease of use for the customer is what really sets Floor D apart and is what will see this company’s success grow over the years to come.

Nick says, “ultimately I could see that the previous ways of purchasing flooring were simply not fit for purpose any longer. The retail world was already changing

As with everything in today’s world, there is an awful lot of choice when it comes to your flooring options and Floor-D of course want to make sure they offer exactly what you want. As such, they don’t limit themselves to simply carpets, but also offer luxury vinyl tiles, vinyl and even artificial grass (although that’s usually best installed in your garden!!). With wellknown brands such as Polyflor, Axminster carpets, Crucial Trading, Cormar carpets, Kahrs and many more on offer too, you will have as much choice as you desire. In fact, Floor-D offer over 1,000 different types of flooring in total, all at the touch of a few buttons.

What’s on offer

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The luxury vinyl tiles come in a range of colours to suit your taste and other décor, from darks, to greys, naturals and whites. You can also pick from a multitude of different effects, both stone or wood with plenty of different ones available. The vinyl options can be even ore striking; in addition to the colours on offer, you can also choose a bold pattern if you so desire. Carpets again come in a range of colours, patterns and even materials so you can choose the type which will not only look the part, but will suit your household’s needs too. Speak to them about artificial grass too as a replacement for a traditional lawn. The benefits of this can be huge, especially if you have pets or young children. No mud, no mowing, no bald patches from your pet’s activity and it looks perfect all year round so can be a great solution for your garden and lifestyle.

The right solution for your home Nick’s wealth of knowledge in the industry and his ability to understand the customer’s needs and put them before the company’s is what really makes a difference. The experience in the field shows with how easy to use the website is, from its functionality to its choice, the information available and the support on offer. You certainly won’t need any kind of technical wizardry in order to order the right flooring for your home, it is as easy as it looks. Not only that, but it’s a much more up-to-date way of buying flooring so if you’re in the market to replace yours, get right onto the Floor-D website and you won’t be disappointed!

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Why choose Floor-D? Professional Fitting Service After choosing your perfect floor, the fully qualified fitters will install your flooring at your home.

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Quality Products Floor-D only stock the finest quality flooring products, made & fitted precisely to measure. www.lancmag.com

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East Lancashire Railway warns trespassers to stay off the tracks The East Lancashire Railway (ELR) has issued a stark safety warning to trespassers to stay off the railway tracks while it remains closed during lockdown.

ELR Chairman Mike Kelly said walking on the line remains dangerous as maintenance trains are still running, despite it being closed to the public.

The heritage railway has issued the warning after Rossendale Police and Bury North Police confirmed there have been issues along the line, which runs for 20km between Heywood and Rawtenstall*.

Mike Kelly comments: “We were extremely disappointed to hear of further trespassing incidents that have recently taken place despite repeated safety warnings.

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“While East Lancashire Railway lines have remained closed during lockdown, there are still a number of unscheduled maintenance trains running.

“Trespassing on railway tracks is a criminal offence for good reason.

It is incredibly dangerous and people who walk on the line are putting themselves at grave risk of serious injury and fatality.

“We thank Rossendale Police for bringing the issue to everyone’s attention and warning people that walking on the line is still perilous during lockdown.”

In a tweet, Rossendale Police said: “Please can we remind people to keep off the railway tracks of the East Lancs Railway.

Above: ELR - Photo by Kevin Whitehurst

“Although passenger trains are currently suspended the track is still being used by a works train which has encountered numerous people walking the line without high vis clothing and in clear breach of the law.”

East Lancashire Railway is now closed until further notice, and once again the public can help ensure it can reopen again by donating to the ELR Support Fund.

To support East Lancashire Railway visit: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk

“As well as potentially committing an expensive offence, it’s a dangerous place to be walking.

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BOOKS Our roundup of this months literary delights

A STRING OF PEARLS Landscape and Literature of the Lake District.

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he Lake District’s awe-inspiring fells, crashing waterfalls and dramatic still waters have inspired writers for centuries. Famous poets such as Wordsworth and Simon Armitage, bestseller authors such as Ian McEwan and Bill Bryson, and modern thriller writers such as Val McDermid, have all drawn on the setting. In this lavishly illustrated anthology, Margaret Wilson has selected the best Lake District literary extracts, each paired with a specially commissioned, stunning local landscape from photographer Helen Shaw.

EDITOR’S PREFACE The relatively small area of the Lake District has seen many visitors over the last 6,000 years or so. Neolithic man produced axes from the hard greenstone of the Langdale Pikes. The Romans built forts at Hardknott and near Ambleside, and the road which gives its name to the High Street ridge. Saxons settled and farmed in the lowlands, then Norsemen arrived to farm the higher hills and started building the dry-stone walls.

It is these centuries of forest clearing and farming that have shaped the landscape that we know, also leaving linguistic traces in the local words beck, fell, tarn and force. Early travellers in the Lakes who recorded their experiences include Celia Fiennes in 1698 and in 1724 Daniel Defoe commented that the country was ‘the wildest, most barren and frightful of any that I have passed through in England’. Poet Thomas Gray visited in 1769 and wrote of his travels and Thomas West

wrote the hugely successful Guide to the Lakes in Cumberland, Westmoreland and Lancashire in 1778. Encouraged by the first proper guidebooks, tourists started to visit the Lakes, but this landscape was initially seen as wild and frightening; visitors were loath to attempt walking in the mountains, that was for sheep farmers and miners. Ann Radcliffe, however, who wrote hugely popular gothic novels, travelled there and climbed the hills then described the experience in extremely flowery 100

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TITLE: A String of Pearls AUTHOR: Margaret Wilson & Helen Shaw PUBLICATION DATE: 22 April 2020 • BINDING: Jacketed hardback ILLUSTRATIONS: Colour throughout • ISBN: 978-1-913159-24-5 FORMAT: 260 x 214mm • PAGES: 128pp • PRICE: £20

language. William Wordsworth was born in Cockermouth and spent his childhood exploring the hills. He and the other Lakes poets were central to the English Romantic movement and, with Nature as their muse, described the Lakes as wild, but uplifting rather than frightening, which helped alter the way people thought of this dramatic landscape. The Napoleonic wars made the Grand Tour of Europe difficult and increased the appeal of travel through English mountain scenery, www.lancmag.com

PATRICIA NOLAN Racing the Wind As summer approached, the nagging time began. ‘When can I go into white socks, Mum?’ ‘When the last snow has gone off Scafell.’ No arguing with that. ‘Can I wear summer dresses now? It’s boiling. ’ ‘Please can I go bathing?

The others are going.’ There were pools in the river close by, small and rocky, sometimes only waist deep, but any time there was a glimmer of sun we were off across the field with our old faded bathing suits, and would leap into the glassy surface, and plunge to the bottom head-first like squawking ducks, chasing minnows and retrieving stones from the green underworld.

We stayed in the water till our teeth chattered and our skin was translucent, and had to play chasing games till we were warm again. Rarely supervised. I had the good fortune to be born towards the end of July, so my party was often a picnic by the river; the place where we swam is now cordoned off, considered to be too dangerous for access due to a whirlpool further down. It was a perfect site, a good-sized pool and a long stretch of volcanic rock, smoothed away through the ages, where you could tuck in a hollow and chew your sandwich in comfort. My mother would sit back on a cushion reading The News Chronicle while we played. ‘Mum, look at me! Look at me!’ ‘Mrs Nolan! Pat’s doing dangerous things!’ ‘Mmm,’ she would say absently, still reading the paper, ‘be careful.’ Then when she finally looked up, ‘Get down off there, now!’

Racing the Wind: a Cumbrian childhood, Patricia Nolan, Merlin Unwin Books, 2019 A beautifully written account of Patricia Nolan’s childhood in a tiny, remote community in Eskdale in the 1950s.

helped by a guidebook written by Wordsworth which, to his irritation, was better known then than his poetry. And Alfred Wainwright’s beautifully drawn guidebooks have encouraged millions to visit the Lakes but with increased awareness of the toll taken on the landscape leading to greater concern to care for it. Good writing can always be appreciated, no matter how unfamiliar the setting, but knowing that setting must add to the understanding of it. Wordsworth’s words surely resonate a little more with those who have walked in Gobarrow Park where his daffodils grew, or with those who have ‘made one long bathing of a summer’s day’, or with those who, when the tourists have gone, recognise the ‘November days, when vapours, rolling down the valleys, made a lonely scene more lonesome.’ People who grow up in the area (Wordsworth, Norman Nicholson, James Rebanks) know how lucky they are to do so but those who choose to move there (Robert Southey, Thomas de Quincey, Beatrix Potter, A. Wainwright) also put down deep roots. The huge variation in geology and therefore landscape produces dramatic peaks, fells and waterfalls, valleys, lakes and gentle pastures which inspire these writers to produce a similarly huge variety of literary works. I hope that the pieces I selected, this collection of gems made into a string of pearls, matched with Helen’s stunning photographs, will delight those who know the area and inspire those who don’t to explore our beautiful Lake District, which Wordsworth called ‘the loveliest spot that man hath found’.

Margaret Wilson, January 2021 www.lancmag.com

Merlin Unwin Books, Palmers House, Corve Street, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1DB Telephone 01584 877456 Fax 01584 877457 email: books@merlinunwin.co.uk www.merlinunwin.co.uk Margaret Wilson, who compiled this anthology, is a professional book editor and proofreader. She also compiled the Shropshire anthology Nearest Earthly Place to Paradise.

Helen Shaw is the photographer and author of: The Pennines, Land’s End to John O’Groats and The Forest of Bowland.

These images are a selection from the book

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Skelmersdale

By Lucy Bullough

Coal mining, brickworks, Welsh immigrants, a football team, military cadets and a status as a ‘new town’; there is much to know about the town known locally as ‘Skem’. So whilst you might think you are familiar with Skelmersdale in Lancashire, how much do you really know about it? Here, we delve a little deeper into the history of Skelmersdale and how it is today so you can learn a little more about this town sitting on the River Tawd.

Left: Beacon Country Park - Geograph4716760-byDavid-Dixon

Where exactly is Skem?

The accent to be heard in the residents of Skelmersdale is a blended one and for those who aren’t fully familiar, might be of the belief that the town sits in Merseyside. But it is actually very much a part of our wonderful county of Lancashire, sitting six miles west of Wigan and 15 miles south west of Preston. It does, however, sit just 13 miles north east of Liverpool, making for an easy route to this stunning city.

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Helens to the south and the village of Upholland is to the east which leads on to Wigan and Greater Manchester.

Skelmersdale is in a small valley on the banks of the River Tawd which is a tributary of the River Douglas, joining it in Lathom. It’s a surprisingly verdant town, as it has been designed to incorporate plenty of plant life in addition to the housing which was being built and even in the town centre, there is a large amount of forestation in-keeping with this ethos. www.lancmag.com

The early history Whilst today it might be known as a ‘new town’ (find out more about this later), Skelmersdale can actually trace its roots across 2000 years! It was mentioned as Skelmersdale in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a village between Up Holland and Dalton and was under the rule of Uctred as part of the West Derby Hundred (one of six subdivisions of the county of Lancashire, this one covering the south west part of the county). But Skem’s story stretches much farther back to Roman times, a further millennium before that, when it was a Roman resting point. It seems there may be even more of a story to tell from the Vikings too as it is thought the town is based on a Viking settlement and the name itself is said to be of Viking origin. Apparently, the name Skelmersdale means ‘Skjaldmarr’s valley’, from the Old Norse personal name Skjaldmarr, and the addition of what is likely they Old Norse, ‘dalr’, meaning dale or valley. The name was then recorded as Skalmeresedel in 1136.

More recently As late as the turn of the 19th century, the town of Skelmersdale was still very small indeed, with a

population amounting to just a few hundred people. But over the course of the next 100 years, it grew significantly with one of the key reasons likely to be the mining in the town. This change in industry not only encouraged a population boom, but it also gave the residents a new occupation and a boost to the local economy. It also brought improved amenities such as gas lighting in the town, a town hall built in 1877 and a public water supply installed in 1879.

There are still nods to the mining industry around the town, with street names named after those who had come to mine there such as Durham Street, and Glenburn School

Above: The Concourse - Geograph4825239-byDavid-Dixon

Below: Windmill Colliery Ruins - Geograph702524-by-GaryRogers

is named after one of the collieries. A heritage society was established in 2019 to place greater emphasis on that which had gone before and to pay it the respect it deserves.

By 1880 there were 14 different collieries in Skem but they weren’t without tragedy.

In a period of just 49 years (from 1851 to 1900), 100 fatalities were recorded with no real record of how many other serious injuries where incurred. But mining was of course a real pull to the area and as a result, there were many migrants from Wales who brought with them a dissenting religion of nonconformist Christianity adding a new dimension.

Becoming a new town Although the majority of the collieries closed between the two world wars in the 1900s, it was after the second that the town really began to change significantly. Due to its close proximity to the large conurbation of Merseyside, Skelmersdale was a great town to ‘overspill’ to, so housing was required for the growing population. Post-war Liverpool was not a great place due to www.lancmag.com

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The Co-operative Geograph-2077701-by-Raymond-Knapman

overcrowding so moving to a comparatively small location such as Skelmersdale will have appealed to many. As a result, it was awarded ‘new town’ status in 1961 and was the first place in the North West to be deemed this.

These ‘new towns’ in England came about after the New Towns Act of 1946 was launched, specifically to help those living in very poor areas or even those which had been bombed in the war. One of the key ways of enabling this to happen was for these so-called ‘new towns’ to be upscaled in order to accommodate the soon-tobe-grown population and as far as Skelmersdale was concerned, it was a success. Initially, control of the new towns was taken away from the local authorities and put under the supervision of a development corporation only for these to be disbanded at a later stage and the towns passed back to local authorities and the Commission for New Towns.

Skelmersdale saw a boom from the low thousands to as many as 40,000 residents which is approximately how it still stands. Not all of them came from Liverpool either; Skem has always been a town with open arms and has seen people move from many different parts of the country although most have come from the surrounding North Western towns. Fortunately, the road network was actually developed to accommodate as many as 80,000 inhabitants 104

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and contains very few traffic lights so congestion is almost a non-issue. And there aren’t many towns which can boast that these days!

The local economy Despite this hugely positive turn for the town, there was a period of hardship which followed, as a result of a general economic downturn in the 1970s. The loss of many key industrial businesses saw poverty become rife and crime escalate. Today, however, it is a very different picture and West Lancashire in general has a much lower crime rate that the national average. Not only that, there is a huge amount of big-business calling Skem its home and 25% of all the businesses in West Lancashire can be found there. Names such as Walkers, The Co-operative, DHL, Asda, P&G, Victorian Plumbing, Matalan and Chemist 4 U all have a major presence here so it doesn’t seem short of job and economic opportunities!

A shopper’s paradise As with any town, large or small, there is a focus to be had on the retail side of it and Skelmersdale is no different. It now boasts the impressive ‘Connie’, or Concourse Shopping Centre in the town centre for residents or visitors to indulge in some retail therapy. It is home to a range of national chains but you’ll also find smaller, independent boutiques and www.lancmag.com

a budget market area too. Cafés, restaurants and fast food are all found there too for when you need a break and new developments are in the planning although recent global events have caused somewhat of a barrier. All being well however, the Concourse will include bars, bowling, amusements, mini-golf at some point in the future so watch this space! This is all in addition to the almost-finished cinema and all together, it will be turned into an entertainment venue that really has it all.

An area of beauty Green space is something you won’t struggle too hard to find in Skelmersdale and there is something for everyone if you just know where to go. Beacon Country Park is one of the most famous in the area and is perfect for all the family particularly if you choose to visit when one of the many events they host is in progress, or if you opt for one of their selfguided activities. These include Beacon Bingo, a minibeast trail and a snowman trail in the colder months. It’s spread over 300 acres and has wildflower meadows, grasslands, natural ponds and semi-natural woodland all waiting to be explored.

Tawd Valley Park is a hidden jewel in the heart of Skelmersdale and is often referred to as the green heart of the town. This lush wooded valley is the perfect spot for some R&R, particularly if you are a wildlife enthusiast. You might be lucky enough to see birds of prey, kingfishers and wagtails, one of the beautiful species of butterfly, frogs, and even deer.

But if your idea of getting back to nature is spending time strolling the greens of golf courses, you have a couple of options there too.

Beacon Country Park is home to an 18-hole golf course but one can also be found at nearby Dean Wood Golf Club.

particularly when times have been a little tougher for all.

If you do fancy an outing to Skelmersdale, getting there is pretty easy as it sits close to the M58 and M6 motorways. There is a station nearby in Upholland which will allow access around the wider North West region. But as an outsider, I’d certainly recommend driving, if only to experience the lack of traffic lights! You can navigate the famous ‘Hope Island’, one of the Europe’s largest roundabouts and take in the

Above: Roundabout Art - Geograph066821-by-SueAdair

artwork dedicated to cancer sufferers which sits on the middle of the island.

Skelmersdale isn’t a town like many others in the North West region but it is certainly one you might want to consider heading to when you get the chance. It’s a town which has been on the up and up for a long time now and with continued investment, this doesn’t look set to change any time soon. So now you know a little of the history, why not take yourself these so you can respect what went before, but take note of that which is to come to?

Above: Tawd River - Geograph4825284-byDavid-Dixon

A community with a difference Although Skem is now a sizeable town, there is still a great sense of community to be found at its centre. Celebrate Skelmersdale is run by locals to allow pride in the achievements of locals and to spread the word of initiatives which are taking place. A New Year’s Honours list is published to celebrate those deserving, nominated and voted for by those within the community themselves. Categories include focuses on the arts, wildlife and nature, the town’s heritage, improving health and wellbeing and services to the environment. It’s reassuring to see that despite growth and change, there are some communities which will go above and beyond to help and support one another, www.lancmag.com

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Levens Hall Conservation Work Helps Protect Royal and Commonwealth Treasures

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ital heritage conservation work and structural repairs, currently being undertaken at Levens Hall and Gardens near Kendal, will help preserve some items of huge historic interest, including the last letter King James II wrote before fleeing to France and the correspondence of Canada’s very first Governor General, Sir Charles Bagot.

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The 16th century Hall, remodelled by the Bellingham family around a medieval pele tower and the original home of the de Redman family, has many links to leading historical figures and is home to items once belonging to the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte. The House and Gardens are currently enjoying their traditional winter closure but are planning to open to visitors in March, as usual, if the current UK lockdown eases.

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Levens Hall’s North Tower is currently scaffolded and benefiting from the conservation skills of a variety of local craftspeople, architectural specialists and builders, able to devote all their expertise to its Elizabethan walls.

The North Tower’s state of repair is of huge importance to the Hall’s Deed Room, which contains the James II and Charles Bagot correspondence, along with a complete history of Levens Hall, dating back to the 12th century.

Water ingress into this room has been of major concern but is now being rectified thanks to a new grant from the Historic Houses Foundation, which has drawn on the financial support offered by the Government’s Heritage Stimulus Fund and Historic England.

A team of local Cumbrian conservation experts are working on a project led by architect Chloe Granger, of Crosby

Granger Architects, and implemented by builders Brendan Teasdale Ltd. The work sees a return to traditional methods of protecting the ancient tower. Originally, this was rendered in lime, which was then replaced in the 1950s by hard cementitious mortar. The cracking of this mortar has been the cause of water ingress,

Levens Hall’s North Tower is currently scaffolded and benefiting from the conservation skills of a variety of local craftspeople, architectural specialists and builders, able to devote all their expertise to its Elizabethan walls.

so it is now being removed, to allow masonry to be repaired and repointed in traditional lime mortar.

The North Tower will then be coated in new rough cast lime render and limewashed. A small section of the tower will also be re-roofed and two chimney stacks repointed and rendered.

Richard Bagot, owner of Levens Hall, says, “We are extremely grateful to the Historic Houses Foundation for their support. Without this funding, we would not be able to undertake the major structural repairs needed, to preserve the North Tower. Covid-19 led to impacts on visitor numbers in 2020 and falling income, so this funding has enabled us to undertake crucial work that might otherwise have been delayed.

“We are delighted to work with local conservation experts to enable the long-term preservation of our heritage. The project is providing employment for a variety of local experts, tradespeople and craftspeople and should ensure we are ‘ready to go’, opening our doors to the public again, whenever allowed to do so.”

Levens Hall and Gardens is following all Government advice with regard to its re-opening and the operation of its superb Levens Kitchen, a business operating as a separate facility.

Levens Kitchen has delayed its own re-opening, following what was intended to be a short festive break, to ensure visitors are not encouraged to travel into the area, breaking lockdown rules. It will reopen when all authorities deem it appropriate for Cumbrian cafes and eateries within the visitor economy to offer either just takeaway options, or full service.

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Move more when staying at home Getting motivated to exercise outdoors during the cold, dark winter months can be challenging. Keeping physically active this winter, while the gyms and sports facilities are closed due to COVID-19, presents us with a unique challenge. Regular physical activity is strongly associated with a reduced risk of chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as improving mental health. Even small increases in physical activity can positively impact on health. Heart Research UK have some tips to help you keep active when staying at home.

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Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip,

by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

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Don’t be a couch potato Rather than spending your evenings sitting on the sofa without moving much, why not try a few gentle exercises, such as leg raises, while watching your favourite TV show. Examples of some exercises you can do from your sofa can be found on the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/ Documents/sofa-workout.jpg

Exercises you can do inside your home Find exercises that you can do at home in short bursts of ten minutes or more, at regular intervals throughout the day. For example, you could try some gentle weight-lifting, using cans of baked beans. The NHS provide tips for exercising without gym equipment: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/ exercise/gym-free-workouts/

Reduce screen time for kids It is common for children and young people to spend too much time sitting in front of a screen.

Why not talk to your children about the importance of staying active and agree on a set amount of screen time each day/week and schedule in some time for getting active. You can find some fun indoor activities for kids on the Change 4 Life website: Indoor Activities for Kids | Kids’ Activities | Change4Life (www.nhs.uk)

Replace your daily commute with physical activity If you are working, or studying from home, you may be saving time that would normally be spent on your daily commute. Why not put this time to good use by scheduling in some physical activity. For example, you could go for a brisk walk, jog or cycle outdoors or walk briskly around the house, including going up and down flights of stairs.

Find hobbies that get you moving If you tend to engage in hobbies that don’t require you to move very much, look for new hobbies that will get you moving, such as gardening, walking, weight-lifting or dancing.

Avoid long periods of inactivity Set a timer to go off at specific times throughout the day to prompt you to do ten (or more) minutes of physical activity. Any activity is better than none. You can include a variety of light, moderate and vigorous activities. E.g. a brisk walk, sit-ups, weight-lifting, gardening or housework.

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Mountain Oak Woodcraft Natural. Traditional. Local.

Renewable. Beautiful.

Products that can claim all of these titles are not easily found in the North West of England.

But find them you can if you head a little north of Lancashire and stop off in the delightful enclave of Witherslack. Here, you’ll find Jack Holden and his team hard at work with pieces of local wood, turning them into something

town folk wouldn’t think possible. Mountain Oak Woodcraft make this craft look easy but anything could be further from the truth – you only have to listen to how hard Jack and the team had to work to get to where they are to know that.

Above: Framed cruck pailing gate

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fter years of passion in the outdoors and a lengthy path of formal training and hands-on experience, Jack himself is an accomplished and skilled woodsman. He works with like-minded individuals who create all manner of items from the raw materials they have on the doorstep.

From timber frames, to gates, garden structures such as potting sheds to fences, the end result is always precision finished and as stunning as you would expect from such good quality local wood. So what is Mountain Oak Woodcraft’s story, how did Jack end up a woodsman and what is his real passion?

The path into the woods Growing up in the Ribble Valley, Jack most certainly wasn’t deprived of beautiful scenery and ever since he can remember, he has had a passion for the great outdoors.

Somewhat conversely to his current career, Jack read

Growing up in the Ribble Valley, Jack most certainly wasn’t deprived of beautiful scenery and ever since he can remember, he has had a passion for the great outdoors.

English Literature at the University of Cumbria, the Lancaster campus. When questioned on this seemingly odd choice, Jack told me “I managed to incorporate my love of nature into my degree by specialising in nature writing. In fact, that’s what I wrote my dissertation on.” And all of a sudden, it becomes a little clearer. Shortly after uni, and a sojourn globetrotting, Jack increasingly saw others launching projects and it was something he wanted for himself. It made sense for his

Above: The Witherslack Workshop. Built by hand just last year using traditional timber framing joints and featuring a ‘cruck’ frame at the end which is formed from the natural curve of the tree as it grows and bends to seek sunlight.

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vocation to incorporate his love of the outdoors and so, the Mountain Oak Woodcraft journey began.

But it wasn’t as simple as just ‘going for it’. No, a craft such as this needs to be respected and the skills required take a great deal of time to build up. So Jack invested three years of his life into an adult apprenticeship, run by the Bill Hogarth Memorial Trust and known as BHMAT. “In order to complete the training, the apprentices need to work on the job and you’re essentially self-employed through the process. I was lucky enough to secure a position with Lakeland Coppice Products and the owner, Ian, was a great support to me,” Jack said. Without this kind of opportunity, who knows how difficult it might have been

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for Jack to enter into this career path and as such, he has chosen to offer the same help to others now he has his own business. He told me, “I don’t know how I would have got where I am today without the help of schemes such as the apprenticeship. So I have taken on my own apprentice to give someone else the same opportunity I had. Now Tom and I work together and he is a great help in the workshop and in the woods too.”

After Jack’s training was complete and he had gained enough experience to go it alone, that’s exactly what he did by launching Mountain Oak Woodcraft in 2016. In the five years since inception, the business has continued to grow with an increasing number of services added as well as a few team members. They have a very special ethos and see their work as a vocation, rather than just a job. So exactly what happens there in the depths of the Cumbrian woodland?

level, supporting the company beliefs and ethos that focus on ‘woodland to workshop’. But there’s a much deeper root to it than that, as Jack explains, “thanks to our proximity to the woodland, and our beliefs, we have a unique ability to be fully in touch with the grain we work with. We care sustainably for the trees and in return, they provide us with an incredible material.”

Above: Cottage garden pergola

An ethos with a difference Witherslack, the home of Mountain Oak Woodcraft, is nestled in the foothills of the Lake District and is in the largest areas of ancient woodland in the whole of Cumbria. Which is exactly why the spot was picked for the permanent business home. The area resonates with Mountain Oak Woodcraft on a personal 114

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Above: Stowe pailing fence

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Jack has more to say though, so deep is his passion for the world in which he operates. “For thousands of years, trees have been integral to the way we have built, kept ourselves warm and connected with our world. Practicing traditional woodland management allows us to work with the seasons and be part of the natural cycles of coppicing and harvesting trees around the South Lakes” he explains. This connection to their surroundings has an almost circle of life proposition as Mountain Oak goes on to use the felled wood to create the timber structures or other carved pieces they are known for.

They are capable of turning trees into high quality sawn wood with great accuracy and efficiency. The stunning end result is a testament to the respect paid to the materials which is why their products are so highly sought after. The offering to customers has grown over the years, starting with gates and fences made from the local wood, to now include timber frames and garden structures. Mountain Oak create high quality firewood from offcuts or overly large pieces to minimise waste and the team also manage private woodlands in order that they flourish. It really is a holistic process.

A unique service in a stunning location The products and service you will receive from Mountain Oak Woodcraft are different to those you will find elsewhere. The focus on the materials themselves is the first stage in ensuring the end result is the best it possibly can be. Whilst they will use wood from ash, beech and yew trees, oak is the material in greatest supply in the area which is what inspired the company name. The native sovereign oak simply thrives in the woodlands around the www.lancmag.com

South Lakes region and the durability and natural beauty of its timber mean it is perfect for both indoor and outdoor craft pieces. Oak is a wood which has been used for years and with good reason – when handled and treated properly, it is extremely hardwearing and will always stand the test of time. There is certainly a reason why English shipbuilding has its heritage in using oak beams!

The trees used in the creation of the timber frames and structures come from the local area and usually from the woodland they manage.

When the felled trees reach the workshop, Jack explains, “they are cleft, sawn, hewn and hand-shaped via a process which combines traditional woodcraft with modern sawmilling capabilities. That way, we can find and fulfil the true potential of every tree we work with giving us the best result.”

Rather than using heavy-duty machinery they use more traditional methods so that they are truly in touch with the items they craft. Jack says of their process, “building by hand and eye is an alchemy of wood, steel and craftmanship. It is a meeting of nature, function and beauty. Like the tools we use, our craft crosses generations, drawing on historic cleaving and hewing techniques, traditional timber frame building and green woodworking.” When combined with the way the raw materials are sourced, it’s really no surprise that the items Mountain Oak Woodcraft produce are of such high quality.

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But really, the whole process starts with the woodland management side of Mountain Oak Woodcraft as this forms the basis of their respectful approach of ‘woodland to workshop’. gate is required, for example. The high tannin content of oak means that items do not need to be treated and cleaving to split the grain, rather than sawing through the fibres, will afford more strength and durability. Everyone at Mountain Oak puts their heart into every project because “each one is unique. It is a celebration of how our local trees grow and communicate their story. Looking up into the sweeping boughs of oak trees gives us inspiration for what is to come; the future crucks, rails, beams and braces that we are yet to make. It allows us to pay homage to the great legacy of living and working with trees.”

But really, the whole process starts with the woodland management side of Mountain Oak Woodcraft as this forms the basis of their respectful approach of ‘woodland to workshop’.

It ensures that they are in touch with every stage of the materials Jack and the team work with and also allows them to positively contribute to the rural economy. It offers complete transparency over their supply chain to maintain good environmental practice, ensure the quality of the timber products and also means that the business operates with complete integrity to nature, their woodland client and the end customer of their products.

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Mountain Oak has a number of projects on an ongoing basis which can range in size from the thinning of smaller woodland areas to a full-scale coup of a coppice. The day-to-day management of woods also helps in a way that the lesser-informed might not realise. Jack says, “traditional woodland management is actually great for wildlife as it allows more light into the area to encourage a burst of growth and flowering for woodland plants. Not only that, but it increases the diversities of the species you can find and the vegetation on the woodland floor will grow to different heights. A properly coppiced woodland will also encourage a diverse range of insects, plants and animals such as the woodland edge butterfly. In a derelict coppiced woodland, these species are likely to disappear.” Who knew that chopping down trees could have such a positive effect?

A focus on sustainability The ethos and passion at Mountain Oak Woodcraft is abundantly clear throughout every element of the business. They have turned woodcraft into an art form that pays the necessary respect to the environment in which the raw materials originate. It’s a truly sustainable model because not only do the trees require felling in order to allow the natural www.lancmag.com

Left: Rose Arch

Above: A Five Bar Gate

surroundings to flourish, the resultant product is then used to form the basis of stunning pieces that could accentuate any home. Whether it be a timber-framed workshop you require, a potting shed or a private bar for the corner of your garden, the team at Mountain Oak will create you a bespoke space that caters to your needs perfectly. They’ll also be able keep your property secure with the range of gates and fencing on offer, again all of which can be custom-made. And of course, if you have your own woodland that requires management in the local area, give them a call and see how he can bring it to its full potential.

So whether you are looking for a garden office, the perfect place for a G&T, a robust gate or wood to keep the home fires burning, Jack and the team at Mountain Oak Woodcraft are the perfect choice for you. You’ll be buying an ethically and locally sourced, traditionally produced, durable and beautiful item regardless of the product you choose.

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What their customers have to say “We saw Jack demonstrating his skills at a local show and got his contact details. We sent him a photo of a gateway and he designed and built a beautiful cleft oak garden gate. It is 6ft by 3ft wide and is vertically hinged in traditional Cumbrian fashion (you can view it on his website). When it was built, Jack came and fitted it and his attention to detail and imaginative problem-solving were outstanding.

We absolutely love the gate and it sets off the walls either side and gives a lovely perspective from the garden.”

John and Elaine Hudson

Above: Jack Holden

Please get in touch if you have a bespoke project to discuss and arrange a visit to the workshop.

There are plenty more testimonials and stunning pictures of Mountain Oak Woodcraft’s work at www.mountainoakwoodcraft.com and follow them on instagram.

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Nature reserves helping to control flood waters North West nature reserves have played their part in preventing catastrophic flooding of homes as well as providing habitats for wildlife.

Below: Bickershaw Nature Reserve flood management by Mark Champion

L

unt Meadows, Bickershaw, Lightshaw Meadows, Wigan Flashes and Brockholes have been managed to create areas where floodwater can run, before reaching residential areas.

And while this may cause some disruption to wildlife, things get back to normal fairly quickly according to the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.

In past week, serious breaches of the banks of the River Alt, saw thousands of gallons of water flooding into the Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve in Merseyside. The water levels rose so high that parts of the car park were flooded, but it stood firm and prevented major problems in nearby Sefton and Maghull.

Lunt Meadows has been designed to act as both a flood reservoir and a nature reserve, providing wetland habitats for species, such as water vole, marsh harrier and kingfisher, while also holding excess rain and river water. The water is then either absorbed by plants and soils, returns to the atmosphere or is slowly released back into the River Alt, taking the pressure off drains and reducing the likelihood of flooding in more built-up, urban areas. Recent work at Bickershaw in Wigan has created a water storage pool on the site, reducing local flood risks, similarly to Lunt Meadows.

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Above: Flooded carpark and entrance at Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve by Adam Graham

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Above: Bickershaw Nature Reserve flood management by Mark Champion

Meadows from the River Alt was badly damaged by the pressure of the water as it poured over into the reserve.

Paths are submerged, and the water remains very deep on site, with only the tops of some bird screens visible.

Nevertheless, the wildlife is still at home on site, with barn owls spotted hunting of an evening, hundreds of lapwing displaying and greylag geese swimming across the fields in which they normally graze in the day.

Above: Bickershaw Nature Reserve flood management by Mark Champion

The Wildlife Trust’s Lunt Meadow’s Project Manager Cheryl Ashton said: “We are working closely with the Environment Agency to get the site open but while the reserve remains flooded and inaccessible, we don’t yet know the extent of any damage, and therefore the best approach to fix any issues. The water is slowly retreating and the wildlife is still present, but we have got to be patient and only open up again when it is safe.

Damaged embankment at Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve by Graham Roberts

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View of flooded Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve by Graham Roberts

“This event shows the importance of Lunt Meadows in the local area. Not only is it a brilliant site for wildlife – it is proving vital in protecting local communities from severe weather events. Every town needs a Lunt Meadows.”

Close to Leigh in Greater Manchester, the Bickershaw Nature Reserve along with the Lightshaw Meadows filled up with water in its floodwater storage area, preventing major damage to more than 100 properties on the Common Lane Brook area of Westleigh.

The Wildlife Trust’s Wigan Projects Manager Mark Champion said: “Overall there was around 50 hectares of wetland which is able to store hundreds of thousands of cubed metres of water. It is fabulous to see Bickershaw doing its job of slowing the flow and water storage.

“It will be interesting to follow the story on, to look at how the site and surrounding areas cope with these deluges, like Storm Christophe, in the future.”

Bickershaw’s flood management was designed and implemented by Wigan Council, the Environment Agency and the Wildlife Trust, which manages the site.

Other Wildlife Trust reserves have been designed to act as flood plains, keeping damaging amounts of water away from towns and villages.

The iconic floating Brockholes Visitor Village rises with the water from the River Ribble when it is flood. The reserve closes on a few occasions when water levels get too high, but it is just doing its job.

Areas of peat around Manchester and North Lancashire and on the moors, soak up rain water, slowing the flow of any floodwater.

Wildlife Trust Campaigns Manager Alan Wright said: “This is why these areas are so carefully managed to hold vast amounts of water and prevent problems spreading to homes. If you need evidence of how things can go wrong you only need to look at the moors where there are areas that are deliberately kept too dry. When it rains

heavily the water runs off the moors into rivers and floods towns and villages.

“We are really proud of the work that has been done at Lunt, Bickershaw and Brockholes because it has prevented many thousands of people having to deal with the misery of their homes being flooded.

“While rising water levels are not always ideal for wildlife, once the waters slip back nature just gets on with life. We have designed these habitats to allow that to happen.”

Alan stressed that nature reserves would re-open when they are safe.

He said: “We would ask people to be patient and not travel to these reserves until we have the all clear.

Just remember they are protecting people’s homes and the wildlife will be there when you return.”

Anyone keen to visit their local nature reserve during lockdown should consult the website www.lancswt.org.uk or www.brockholes.org or check local media to see if they are open.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is dedicated to the protection and promotion of the wildlife in Lancashire, seven boroughs of Greater Manchester and four of Merseyside, all lying north of the River Mersey. It manages around 40 nature reserves and 20 Local Nature Reserves covering acres of woodland, wetland, upland and meadow. The Trust has 27,000 members, and over 1,200 volunteers.

To become a member of the Trust go to the website at www.lancswt.org.uk or call 01772 324129. For more information about Cheshire Wildlife Trust call 01948 820728 or go to cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk.

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Get moving Over the past year, it is fair to say that plenty of us have become more sedentary due to the effects of COVID-19.

All those extra hours spent watching Netflix, with reduced travel time to work, and no gyms or sports facilities available, has meant that we haven’t always been paying attention to our hearts. Heart Research UK have some tips to break the cycle and get us moving anyway we can:

Tracking your step count The majority of us nowadays have technology that calculates our step count, heart rate, sleep time, stress levels and more. Using your phone/watch to count your daily steps has been shown to increase how likely we are to meet daily physical activity guidelines, and lead to more successful weight-loss.

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Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip,

by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

Most of us don’t realise how few steps we are taking per day, or the significant impact we can have on our step count with just a short walk. Setting yourself a daily step goal can be a great first step towards improving your heart health. It is recommended to try aiming for 6000 steps per day to start with. You don’t need to achieve this all-in-one go, and it is possible to meet this goal through taking regular breaks and walking around your house. www.lancmag.com

Going to the supermarket tends to be one of the only times many of us leave the house nowadays. Have you considered taking a backpack and walking to the shop to do your shopping? This will increase your step count and be a great way to fit in some physical activity which involves walking with additional weight. If the supermarket is too far, why not drive part of the way there and walk the rest, or even park the furthest you can in the supermarket car park from the entrance. Every step counts!

activity per week in the UK is 150 minutes. This can be made up however you like as long as your heart and breathing rate increase! It is suggested that we aim for 30 minutes 5 times per week, but that doesn’t mean you can’t break up that 30 minutes into 3 x 10 minutes or even 6 x 5 minutes.

Avoid the ‘All or Nothing Attitude’ Have you ever thought “I will do the washing today” and then time becomes a problem so you end up thinking “I will leave it all to tomorrow then”; This is an all or nothing attitude. Plenty of us have this approach to many things. A way to avoid this is to break jobs up into parts. You may not have had time to do all of the washing, but you could have done some of it.

This can also relate to exercise and being physically active. One of the biggest barriers against physical activity is time, in general we tend to think if we can’t do a whole 30 minutes or 1 hour straight of exercise then there’s no point doing it at all. However, this isn’t true! The recommended amount of physical

The key is to aim for little and often rather than all or nothing. For example, why not try doing some calf raises whilst brushing your teeth, or some mini lunges whilst waiting for the kettle to boil? Most of us spend a lot of time sitting, whether that be watching TV, playing video games or working from home. Set yourself a number of times per day that you need to stand up out of your chair. Before you walk away from the chair you could do 10 sit-to-stand exercises in a row, essentially this would be like doing 10 squats every time before you get out of your chair if you did this 5 times a day you would have achieved 50 squats!

For more ways to reduce sitting time follow www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/why-sitting-toomuch-is-bad-for-us/?tabname=exercise-tips. www.lancmag.com

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O’Donnell Solicitors

The past 12 months have been an incredible rollercoaster for pretty much everyone.

But while some have been left twiddling their thumbs, others have been rushed off their feet. And there are few others who have been as busy – professionally speaking, of course – as Claire Egerton. Claire is one of the Directors of O’Donnell Solicitors, based in stunning Saddleworth on the outskirts of Oldham. Despite her jam-packed schedule, Claire did find a few minutes in her busy day to have a chat with me to tell me a little more about O’Donnell Solicitors, what her role is and about some of the team she works with there.

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A booming market Certain industries have struggled much more than others, that is for certain.

Fortunately, Claire’s team has been one of the local success stories; she heads up the firm’s residential conveyancing department. As we all know, the housing market has seen an unprecedented boom in the last year and it’s all thanks to the change in the stamp duty thresholds making properties more affordable. This government initiative was put in place to help stimulate this part of the economy and stimulate it it did! Claire said, “I’ve worked in residential property for many years and I have never seen the market quite as buoyant as it has been recently. We’ve been completely inundated with house sellers and buyers looking to take advantage of the lower stamp duty fees. In what has been an otherwise dark time for so many, it’s been a real shining light of positivity for us, and for all of those who have managed to secure their

Claire Egerton

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dream home without having to pay a huge amount of tax on it!”

For that’s exactly what stamp duty is; a tax on property, with it officially known as Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). It used to be the case that 2% of the property’s value was payable up to a house price of £250,000 and 5% was payable up to a house price of £500,000. The stamp duty ‘holiday’ which was introduced on the 8th July 2020 meant that nothing was payable at all on properties up to the value of £500,000 – this has saved house buyers up to as much as £15,000! And, at the time the initiative was launched, 78% of the houses listed on Rightmove fell under this new, higher threshold so it’s no wonder people have been itching to move.

The ‘holiday’ officially ends on the 31st March 2021 so the final couple of months have been a mad dash for Claire’s team to ensure as many as possible could complete within the timeframe and avoid the rather large bill.

Claire explained to me, “having such a significant reduction in stamp duty has been so great for the residential housing market and I do genuinely believe that without this ‘holiday’, it would have been stagnant. It’s been very busy, but it’s also been really reassuring to see that not everyone has been in extreme difficulty in this tough period and there’s still an appetite to move onwards and upwards.”

But what is it that Claire and her team actually do that has meant they in particular have been so busy?

The Head of Residential Conveyancing Residential conveyancing is the formal term for the legal process of buying or selling a house.

As with all legalities, the best way to navigate the process is with the support of a Solicitor in order to ensure every step is followed. And that’s where Claire and her team come in. Before joining O’Donnell Solicitors, Claire was already a highly respected property lawyer, having been a partner at another law firm based in Altrincham. Highly accomplished, she joined the Head Office of O’Donnell Solicitors as a Director, joining those who were already in situ, including the firm’s cofounders – more on this later.

Claire is well known as a property expert at both a regional and national level, thanks to the connections and reputation she has built up in key areas. Of her appointment, Director and Head of the firm’s Commercial/Corporate and Commercial Property Team, James O’Donnell commented; “This is another major appointment for the firm www.lancmag.com

which takes us to another level. Claire has clearly demonstrated her tenacity in her field. Claire is a formidable Property Lawyer. She brings with her vast experience in handling volume new build acquisition work, starting with site acquisition and/or handling volume plot sales/purchases as well as general real estate transactional and commercial agreement work and will head up the already thriving Property department. Claire’s appointment is another example of local talent coming away from the larger firms to work with the team here at O’Donnell Solicitors. Her experience and ability to effectively manage a large team, together with her knowledge of the processes and procedures expected of the larger developer clients will mean more transactions are completed with more robust systems in place to bolster the firm’s approach to risk management.

There is no doubt that this is another major milestone in our continued growth. Claire meets all of the criteria that we as a firm look for in a candidate, both in terms of her knowledge and legal ability, but importantly her personality. Claire’s appointment is another strong indicator that we are now being

...but it’s also been really reassuring to see that not everyone has been in extreme difficulty in this tough period and there’s still an appetite to move onwards and upwards. looked at by the bigger firms as a strong contender in our fields.”

Even before joining, Claire was the Panel Solicitor for several of the major national housebuilders and sits on the panel of companies including Redrow Homes, Gleeson Homes, Elan Homes, Rowland Homes, Seddon Homes and Barratt Homes. It’s one of the reasons she was appointed as the firm had a vision to grow the residential property department, particularly within the new build and real estate finance sector. How much of a challenge Claire was to face thanks to a global pandemic and continuing national lockdown could never have been predicted. But she used the same tenacity that saw her rise so quickly through the ranks in her early career and, when pressed, modestly told me of the department’s growth under her management.

“Throughout the pandemic, we are all really proud that we added five new developers to our portfolio.

At the start, we couldn’t have predicted how things would turn out but we’ve managed to hit some of our growth targets early!”

This is great news for a local firm and is testament to the hard work put in by Claire and her team.

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I couldn’t help but wonder though, with the huge boost to the volume of house sales, did their customers not experience a slowdown in the service offered? Claire was quick to tell me how they avoided this; “fortunately, we were able to put measures in place that meant we could uphold our side of the residential conveyancing process even though we were busier than ever. We took on additional support staff in advance of the stamp duty holiday and refined our processes to ensure they were as efficient as possible. There were, of course, some delays but sadly they were out of our hands. Searches took longer because local planning officials were overwhelmed and when we were dealing with other Solicitors, they were sometimes not quite as well-equipped as we were so that caused a few issues.”

All in all, it sounds as though Claire is running a tight ship in terms of residential conveyancing and this will facilitate continued growth in the future.

She said, “as the market settles down, we expect to be able to focus on growing our partnerships with developers. There is a huge need for more housing which is why the government have put such an emphasis on it. As such, we want to work with more companies to ensure that those in need of a new home have a straightforward process when they purchase one. We’ve got the capabilities and the vision to make this happen so we are all looking forward to the future.” And rightly so, it would seem. Claire has clearly found her niche and the firm in which to excel so it will be interesting to see what she achieves in the years to come!

Commercial Property and Commercial and Corporate Law acting on behalf of some of the leading North West Companies as well as other notable national companies. Described as a ‘strong adversary’, he is fair, pragmatic and tenacious, fighting hard for his clients.

In recognition of his early work following qualification, attracting many new commercial clients, James was made a Partner of his then firm, aged just 26, later becoming a Director on incorporation for a period of nine years. In 2015 he, together with his wife Rebecca, decided to launch O’Donnell Solicitors and the firm has seen staggering organic growth throughout its five years.

James lives with his wife and three children and (when allowed) he enjoys a busy social life. He also enjoys running, skiing in winter, golf in summer, breaks in the Lake District as well as exotic holidays and eating out.

Rebecca O’Donnell

A team destined for success Claire joined a well-established team of Directors so she is in good company. Here’s a little more about them: James O’Donnell James is a highly experienced Solicitor heading up the Commercial Property and Commercial/ Corporate team at the firm. James practices

Director Rebecca O’Donnell heads the firm’s Private Client department, is heavily involved in the management of the firm as well as having a niche in contested estate litigation. Prior to setting up O’Donnell Solicitors together with James, Rebecca was a Director at her previous firm. She enjoys a multi-disciplinary range of experience and is well-connected in the local area. She is highly regarded for her work in the areas of Lasting Powers of Attorney, Wills and Court of Protection matters.

Rebecca is frequently appointed as professional trustee, executor, and / or attorney for individuals but still works with private clients in the residential property field.

She loves to spend time with her young family, holidaying to new places, dining out and nights out, if a babysitter can be found! She also loves to exercise, relaxing at a spa and indulging in afternoon teas and the odd cocktail too.

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Anthony Jones Anthony’s speciality is very much Family Law and he is an Accredited Specialist with Resolution, an organisation with 6,500 family lawyers and other professionals committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes. He resolves complex financial situations in divorce and separation and handles all sensitive matters constructively and non-confrontationally. He joined O’Donnell Solicitors in July 2016 and set up the new family department which was an exciting expansion for the

on behalf of children where the parents are not married and wealth protection which includes prenuptial agreements, post-nuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements. Gianna is also a member of Resolution and has had writings published as well as having broadcasted on radio and Sky News.

In her spare time, Gianna spends time with her husband and two children and enjoys socialising and cooking.

More about Claire Egerton We already know that Claire’s specialty is very much in the residential conveyancing arena but what else? Claire made partner at her first company within three years of her qualifying and has seen her career go from strength to strength.

In her spare time, Claire spends time with her husband and three young children. She is the Honorary Secretary for the local Amateur and Dramatic Society partaking both on and off the stage. She is also a Parent Governor at Milton St Johns Primary School, Mossley. She was honoured in 2018 to be asked to take part in the Strictly Come Dancing competition in Oldham in aid of Dr Kershaw’s winning the infamous Glitter Ball!

firm and was testament to his extensive experience.

Anthony was appointed a Director after his first year and has enjoys leading the continued growth of his department.

When not working or taking his children here, there and everywhere, Anthony enjoys going to the gym, running and playing golf.

Gianna Lisiecki-Cunane Hailing from Saddleworth, Gianna joined O’Donnell Solicitors in January 2020 after gaining

Award winning O’Donnell Solicitors has certainly made a big impact on the North West legal scene and continues to make key appointments. Now with five Directors, multiple fee earners and over 30 support staff, the team continues to attract top talent with the latest appointment being Associate Solicitor Katrina Fox who joins from International Law Firm Eversheds Sutherland in April 2021.

If you want any more information concerning the firm’s residential property offering, visit www.odonnellsolicitors.co.uk, contact Claire by email on Claire.egerton@odonnellsolicitors.co.uk or phone on 01457 761320.

Alternatively, contact any of the other Directors depending on your particular need.

Awards Oldham Business Awards 2017 – Winner of Business of the Year – under £1m Oldham Business Awards 2017 – Winner of Start-Up Business of the Year ML Awards 2018 – Finalist in Law Firm of the Year – small

her experience in family law as a partner at a wellknown Manchester-based firm. She specialises in key aspects of family law including divorce and the financial matters, cohabitation disputes, child arrangement disputes, financial applications www.lancmag.com

The LFS Conveyancing Awards 2019 – Winner of Small Conveyancing Firm of the Year The Law Society Excellence Awards 2019 – Shortlisted for Celebrating Excellence

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Who we are?

We are the largest business development organisation in the North West. We represent the business community across the region and support growth and development to promote the north as the place to do business. For the last 34 years, we have been building strong networks and connections to help businesses thrive.

We have nearly 300 members.

Governed by a non-executive Board of Directors made up of senior individuals from within our membership, we increase professional excellence through knowledge sharing, creating partnerships and staying ahead of the ever-changing business environment.

Member Benefits Personalised activity calendar When you join, we will create an action plan to ensure your business makes the most of all the member benefits. This will ensure you are engaged in key activities throughout the year and that your profile is raised throughout the business community.

Introductions We love to introduce members to each other. Take a look at the member list, identify and email your targets and we will do you an email introduction.

We can also introduce you in person at live events – when these come back into the program!

Speaking opportunities Members can present at a pro-manchester webinar or event that we will produce and promote to the membership for you. The content would be of your choosing and we can also pair you up with other members to do joint webinars/events.

Webinars/Events Access a wide and varied events programme, attracting over 10,000 delegates a year. As a member, our webinars and events are generally free of charge so keep an eye out on the calendar for areas of interest to you and your business.

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PR and Marketing Newsroom allows members to publish news stories, events and other information free of charge to our whole network. With an audience of over 20,000 subscribers, our newsletter provides a weekly review including business information and research. Our members can also provide content for the pro- manchester blog.

Sponsorship Our wide and varied programme of activity means we have a number of different sponsorship opportunities. With over 150 events attracting 10,000 delegates that are advertised to wide reaching mailing lists, there are sponsorship and advertising opportunities to suit all budgets.

We have represented the business community in Manchester and the North West for 35 years. We are dedicated to providing business development opportunities and insight across key growth sectors in the region.

We have programmes on the sectors below to help our members.

Healthcare Reviewing the initiatives that will need to be considered to keep the region healthy, including private sector and social care.

Hospitality We look at the changes in consumer spend and interaction across this industry and how these changes impact related businesses. www.lancmag.com

Retail and Ecommerce

GM Engagement

Examining key trends and challenges in a fastevolving industry.

Transport and Infrastructure Looking at current infrastructure, the challenges faced and the impact on businesses.

pro-manchester is at the heart of the business community in Greater Manchester working in partnership with the all local leaders and key stakeholders to support the strategic ambitions for the region.

Fintech

Skills Committee

This new committee, run in collaboration with MIDAS – Manchester’s Inward Investment Agency, supports one of the fastest growing industries.

The Skills agenda is a programme of activity and initiatives designed to focus on the development of skills for businesses...

Regeneration and Property Supporting the regeneration of Manchester and improving the economic and social prospects of residents.

Manufacturing Examining developments in a key emerging sector.

Financial and Professional Services pro-manchester was originally set up to service this sector and these companies continue to make up a significant proportion of our membership.

SME CLUB The SME Club provides free and useful information to small and medium sized businesses, supplying them with the tools and information needed to accelerate growth and achieve business goals.

Being part of our network, you can provide insight to help attract new business through expert advice.

As a member you can produce content for our SME Club that is sent out to over 10,000 SMEs.

Health Hub Providing dedicated support, help and advice in a time of uncertainty Committee We have represented the business community in Manchester and the North West for over 30 years. We are dedicated to providing business development opportunities and insight across key growth sectors in the region. Our committees made up of members firms help us to shape and steer the type of activity we deliver.

Future pro Dedicated to promoting and developing young talent within Greater Manchester’s business community. We aim to help young professionals within membership develop new business skills, build relationships and network with like-minded people through a variety of activities.

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How it works Membership fees are based on the number of employees you have working in Greater Manchester.

To sign up please complete our online form or contact our membership manager katherine.barr@ pro-manchester.co.uk who will send you everything you need. Alternatively request a membership meeting and we will guide you through the process. pro-manchester Level 9, Tower 12, The Avenue North 18/22 Bridge Street, Spinningfields Manchester United Kingdom M3 3BZ LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 129

Hi, I’m Paul, Your Resident Health Coach...

Paul is a successful and multi-award nominated health coach working for PT Health Coaching, based in Darwen. With over 15 years experience in the field of health, fitness and wellbeing, Paul takes a holistic approach to helping people make positive lifestyle changes.

Born to Move

Why human health benefits from being active and what you can do to stay well

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edentary behaviour is becoming more commonplace as technology makes it easier for us to do everyday tasks.

We drive to places, we speak to people via social media or video calls, we have our supermarket shop delivered to our door and we even order a takeaway that comes direct to your door within a few clicks on a mobile phone. It takes very little physical exertion to complete any task these days. In terms of human evolution, technology has evolved more quickly than our bodies have been able to adapt.

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We are designed to move We are ultimately designed to move. Our heart is a muscle that pumps blood throughout our body. The more it is trained, the more efficient it becomes. Our lungs then move in sync with our heart to supply oxygen to the working muscles that power our movement. In a healthy adult, muscle makes up the biggest component of our composition. Even our skeleton tells a story of movement. It is relatively light, compared to the rest of our body’s structures. Take the femur, for example. The longest bone in the human body. There is a large cavity down www.lancmag.com

“Nowadays, it is even more important to prioritise some purposeful physical activity each day, particularly if your job means you are sedentary for most of the day”.

the middle where blood vessels and bone marrow are found.

The structure of the bone itself is classed as a porous network, meaning it is full of independent cells. Think about breaking an Aero chocolate bar in half. This means that bones are not only string, but extremely light. Why? To prevent breakage (stop injuries) and to move. Think of a bike with a carbon fibre frame…. Extremely light but very strong.

Then there are the health benefits. The links between regular physical activity and reduced risks of long-term health conditions and increased longevity are well reported.

We spend almost 10 hours of our day sat down.

Adults of a working age in England spend about 9.5 hours per day sat down. That’s not including the time we spend asleep. www.lancmag.com

71% of UK adults don’t reach the recommended 10,000 steps a day. Unfortunately, our population is around 20% less active than in the 1960s. If current trends continue, it will be 35% less active by 2030.

How do we achieve the health and wellbeing benefits from exercise?

Nowadays, it is even more important to prioritise some purposeful physical activity each day, particularly if your job means you are sedentary for most of the day. Completing 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity a day, has been shown to have significant health benefits. Moderate intensity activity is that which means you are warmer and slightly out of breath, but where you are still able to hold a conversation. An example would be a brisk walk. You can accrue this in separate bouts of 10 minutes or more throughout the day.

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Secondly, try to spend less time sat down. If you work at a desk, make an effort to get up every hour for at least five minutes to move around and stretch. Not only will that have a positive impact on your health, but it will boost your concentration levels and productivity afterwards. If you work in an office, think more about activity rather than efficiency of movement. Get up to go to the printer regularly instead of making one trip, have a conversation in person (where safe and possible) rather than over the phone and aim to take the stairs, rather than the lift.

shown to reduce blood pressure, reduce feelings of anxiety and stress and improve overall wellbeing.

So, being active outdoors is therefore associated with increased benefits. Bike rides, outdoor swims, climbing, walking and running in parks and in the countryside are great ways to combine the two.

So as the spring arrives and along with it comes the warmer weather, create the space in your calendar to get moving.... your body and mind with thank you.

Muscular strength is an important component of health and can be achieved by participating in activity where you lift objects or your own body weight repetitively. This may be some gardening or DIY. It could also be household chores, such as vacuuming or laundry. You could also participate in yoga, weight bearing exercises or lifting weights.

The physical activity we participate in can be even more impactful if it takes place outdoors. Just spending time in nature, without exercise, has been

Paul is a Health and wellbeing coach and consultant for individuals and organisations and is Lancashire Magazine’s resident Health Coach. To find out more or to get some support contact him on: Tel: 07495 89298 Email: paul@pthealthcoaching.com 132

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Live theatre is set to return as by the waters of Liverpool announces the continuation of its uk tour the helen forrester play based on the best-selling book will run from september 2021 visiting seventeen venues across the uk

Roy Carruthers Lucy Dixon and Mark Moraghan in BTWOL - credit Anthony Robling

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he acclaimed stage production of Helen Forrester’s, By The Waters Of Liverpool was cut short last March after just three venues into a seventeen venue tour; but now producers have announced the continuation of their UK tour in Autumn 2021.

Writer and Co-producer Rob Fennah said: “When we launched By The Waters Of Liverpool last year the response was so overwhelming we were determined not to let the pandemic get the better of us. We have a mantra when things get tough, ‘don’t give up – don’t give in!’

“By The Waters is not only returning to the stage

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in September, it is going to be bigger, bolder and more glorious than ever.”

Co-producer Bill Elms added: “With the vaccine roll-out going so well, we can now see the light at the end of a dark tunnel for the theatre industry and we just hope people will feel safe enough to come back in their droves; embracing theatre and live performance more than ever before.”

The stellar cast featured star names from stage and screen, including Sian Reeves, Mark Moraghan, Parry Glasspool, Lucy Dixon, Eric Potts, Lynn Francis, Danny O’Brien, Roy Carruthers, and Chloe McDonald. www.lancmag.com

Lucy Dixon as Helen in BTWOL - Credit Anthony Robling

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By The Waters Of Liverpool opened on Tuesday 3 March 2020 at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton – just a few miles from the author’s birthplace in Hoylake. It was there a blue plaque was unveiled by actors Sian Reeves and Mark Moraghan to coincide with the opening of the tour which received a raft of 4-5-star reviews.

After an enforced 18 month break due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the tour will now continue to run from September 2021, opening in Lytham, then visiting towns and cities across the UK, including Lancaster, Darlington, St Helens, Warrington, Bolton, Stockport, Crewe, Halifax, Coventry, Winchester, Rhyl, Hayes, Chesterfield, Malvern, Southport and Wirral.

By The Waters Of Liverpool is a stunning period drama produced by the team that brought the smash hit Twopence To Cross The Mersey to the stage, produced by Pulse Records Limited in association with Bill Elms, written by Rob Fennah and directed by Gareth Tudor Price.

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Depression. Her family were forced to leave behind the nannies, servants and comfortable middle-class life in the South West of England. The Forrester’s chose Liverpool to rebuild their shattered lives, but they were in for a terrible shock. Taken out of school to look after her young siblings, Helen is treated as an unpaid slave. So begins a bitter fight with her parents for the right to go out to work and make her own way in life. But by 1939 and with Britain on the verge of war, Helen now aged 20, has still never been kissed by a man. But things start looking up for her when she meets a tall strong seaman and falls in love.

Above:

Sian Reeves and Mark Moraghan as Mother and Father in BTWOL - Credit Anthony Robling

Helen Forrester’s best-selling volumes of autobiography include Twopence To Cross The Mersey, Liverpool Miss, By The Waters Of Liverpool, and Lime Street At Two.

The new production of By The Waters Of Liverpool also features sizeable chunks from Helen Forrester’s Liverpool Miss and Lime Street At Two plus flashbacks to Twopence To Cross The Mersey.

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LISTING INFORMATION Roy Carruthers Lucy Dixon and Parry Glasspool in BTWOL credit Anthony Robling

Helen Forrester’s By the waters of Liverpool

LOWTHER PAVILION - LYTHAM Thursday 9 – Saturday 11 September 2021 West Beach, Lytham St Annes, FY8 5QQ Website: www.lowtherpavilion.co.uk Box Office: 01253 294221 LANCASTER GRAND THEATRE Monday 13 – Tuesday 14 September 2021 St Leonardgate, Lancaster, LA1 1NL Website: www.lancastergrand.co.uk Box Office: 01524 64695 DARLINGTON HIPPODROME Wednesday 15 – Thursday 16 September 2021 Parkgate, Darlington, DL1 1RR Website: www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk Box Office: 01325 405405

WARRINGTON PARR HALL Thursday 23 – Friday 24 September 2021 Palmyra Square, Warrington, WA1 1BL Website: www.parrhall.culturewarrington.org Box Office: 01925 442345 BOLTON ALBERT HALLS Monday 27 - Tuesday 28 September 2021 Victoria Square, Bolton, BL1 1RU Website: www.alberthalls-bolton.co.uk Box Office: 0843 7080500

CREWE LYCEUM Friday 1 – Saturday 2 October 2021 Heath Street, Crewe, CW1 2DA Website: www.crewelyceum.co.uk Box Office: 01270 368242

THEATRE ROYAL WINCHESTER Friday 15 – Saturday 16 October 2021 21-23 Jewry Street, Winchester, SO23 8SB Website: www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk/ Box Office: 01962 840440 PAVILION THEATRE - RHYL Monday 18 – Thursday 21 October 2021 East Parade, Rhyl, LL18 3AQ Website: www.rhylpavilion.co.uk Box Office: 01745 330000

ST HELENS THEATRE ROYAL Monday 20 – Wednesday 22 September 2021 Corporation Street, St Helens, WA10 1LQ Website: www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com Box Office: 01744 756000

STOCKPORT PLAZA Wednesday 29 – Thursday 30 September 2021 Mersey Square, Stockport, SK1 1SP Website: www.stockportplaza.co.uk Box Office: 0161 477 7779

THE ALBANY THEATRE - COVENTRY Wednesday 13 – Thursday 14 October 2021 Albany Road, Coventry, CV5 6JQ Website: www.albanytheatre.co.uk Box Office: 02476 998964

BECK THEATRE HAYES Monday 25 – Tuesday 26 October 2021 Grange Road, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 2UE Website: https://becktheatre.org.uk Box Office: 020 85618371 POMEGRANATE THEATRE CHESTERFIELD Monday 1 – Wednesday 3 November 2021 Corporation Street, Chesterfield, S41 7TX Website: www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk Box Office: 01246 345222 MALVERN THEATRES Friday 5 – Saturday 7 November 2021 Grange Road, Malvern, WR14 3HB Website: www.malvern-theatres.co.uk Box Office: 01684 892277 THE ATKINSON - SOUTHPORT Tuesday 9 – Friday 12 November 2021 Lord Street, Southport, PR8 1DB Website: www.theatkinson.co.uk Box Office: 01704 533333 FLORAL PAVILION - WIRRAL Saturday 13 – Sunday 14 November 2021 Marine Promenade, New Brighton, CH45 2JS Website: www.floralpavilion.com Box Office: 0151 666 0000

VICTORIA THEATRE – HALIFAX Monday 11 – Tuesday 12 October 2021 Fountain Street, Halifax, HX1 1BP Website: www.victoriatheatre.co.uk Box Office: 01422 351158 Left:

Sian Reeves and Chloe McDonald in BTWOL Credit Anthony Robling

Adapted by Rob Fennah Directed by Gareth Tudor Price Produced by Pulse Records Limited in association with Bill Elms Fully endorsed by the Helen Forrester Estate Website: Facebook: Twitter:

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www.bythewatersofliverpool.com facebook.com/ByTheWatersThePlay @bythewatersofl1

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Skating on wild ice

Icy lakes can look inviting,but they are dangerous by Alan Wright

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he Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside are warning winter sports enthusiasts that nature reserves are not the place to get their skates on.

And the Trust has two reports of members of the public walking on the frozen lake at Foxhill Bank, in Oswaldtwistle, and skating on the flooded Lunt Meadows in Merseyside.

Campaigns Manager Alan Wright said: “It is concerning to hear that our wetland nature reserves are being used for Dancing on Ice practice, but we need to warn people that this is dangerous.

“These lakes are deep because of the recent floods and there will be areas where the ice is going to be thin.

“Our reserves, by their nature, are remote places and if anyone gets into difficulties, there will only be a few, if any, people around to help.”

The Trust has also stressed that skating and boating on lakes when the weather is warmer, are not good for the wild creatures that inhabit the nature reserves.

Trust Health and Safety Advisor Ben Turpin said: “Frozen lakes pose a significant risk to life and must not be used for any recreation or entertainment. The Trust’s ability to provide immediate emergency response is limited and these incidents put extra pressures on staff and resources.

“It is also recognised that over half of people who have drowned under ice are those trying to rescue other people or dogs, so please ensure you treat frozen lakes with the respect and care they demand.”

People are putting their lives at risk by skating or walking on frozen lakes on North West nature reserves.

Icy lakes can look inviting,but they are dangerous by Alan Wright

The Trust also received a report of a rubber dingy snagging on a post, concealed under the water, and deflating at another nature reserve.

Alan said: “We do not manage these areas for sporting activities, they are primarily for wildlife and for people who want to see wildlife.

“If someone decides to set sail on a wetland there are plenty of hazards and you are disturbing the birds and other beasts during the most important time of the year, the breeding season. There is a good chance you will scare birds from their nests and fledglings later in spring.

“There are specialised places where you can take part in these activities in much safer conditions and leave our nature reserves for people who appreciate undisturbed wildlife.”

Icy lakes can look inviting,but they are dangerous by Alan Wright

The Wildlife Trust manages more than 35 nature reserves in the region, many of which are accessible to nature lovers.

Find our more at www.lancswt.org.uk.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is dedicated to the protection and promotion of the wildlife in Lancashire, seven boroughs of Greater Manchester and four of Merseyside, all lying north of the River Mersey. It manages around 40 nature reserves and 20 Local Nature Reserves covering acres of woodland, wetland, upland and meadow. The Trust has 27,000 members, and over 1,200 volunteers.

To become a member of the Trust go to the website at www.lancswt.org.uk or call 01772 324129. For more information about Cheshire Wildlife Trust call 01948 820728 or go to cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk.

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Boys Run for Mind Charity James Bowie and Ollie Cook, two Y10 pupils at Bolton School Boys’ Division, have so far raised £1,206 for Mind, the mental health charity. The boys completed a 26km (16 miles) run from Bolton to Deepdale, Preston North End Football Club’s ground, in horrendous weather conditions. They were delighted to well and truly smash their target, which had been £350.

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lthough they trained by building up the distance of their runs neither of them had ever completed such a distance before. Having fuelled up on carbs the previous evening, they found the first leg simple enough but then the second and third sections became more challenging because of the weather conditions - heavy rain and even snow at some points!

James planned the running route to ensure there were pathways most of the way and that there were two break points for refuelling, one after 6.4 miles and the other after 11.5 miles. Most of the route was along the A675.

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Ollie and James arranged the fundraiser themselves and they hope the money raised will go towards a helpline for teenagers struggling with mental health issues. There is still time to donate to the cause here.

Two proud mums Andrea Cook and Jane Bowie said: “We are really impressed with the boys - they came up with the idea themselves and selected the Mind charity because it felt like the right thing to do with so many cases of mental health developing as a result of the pandemic. People are still giving money to the cause and the boys are really grateful to everyone who has donated so far!”

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I always say that herbal medicine starts in the kitchen...

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ippocrates, the father of medicine himself said “Let thy food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be thy food.” Modern society is so removed from that concept these days that I wanted to bring some good old fashioned kitchen medicine into the limelight.

Good nutrition is important for good health, but did you know that your spice cupboard could be key to tackling specific symptoms? Last year I gave a talk to a class of 9 years olds on herbs and their medicinal properties, but I wanted to make it about herbs they could relate to. When I started looking around my kitchen I even shocked myself at how many of those ingredients are also stored in medicine bottles in my clinic.

Take garlic for example. Garlic is immune boosting and antiviral, it’s also a great combater of mucous. If I have a poorly household, the garlic comes straight out, usually crushed into a paste and then added as the base of a curry, chilli or soup. I rarely get complaints as I’m surrounded by garlic lovers but the goal is always to have them sweating it out the day after. Naturally, I don’t tell them this, but if they’re sweating the garlic out I know my meal was strong enough to do its job.

Sage is another handy herb. It makes an excellent gargle for sore throats, but it can be equally useful to load it into stuffing or on roast potatoes, especially for fussy children who might not like the taste. I sell a sage and echinacea throat spray that’s usually popular at this time of year as the onset of coughs and colds come as the children return to school.

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Sage is cooling and can reduce hot flushes induced by menopause or hormone treatment for prostate issues. I recommend making a pint of strong tea with it then letting it cool in the fridge and sipping it throughout the day. Sage is very effective for temperature regulation and the tablets I keep in my shop are sold purely for that.

Ginger and chilli are possibly my two kitchen favourites. They thin mucous so always go into my recipes with the masses of garlic I use while the house is suffering with a cold. Ginger is antinausea and gentle on sickly tummies when one is recovering from a stomach bug. You can easily

If I have a poorly household, the garlic comes straight out, usually crushed into a paste and then added as the base of a curry, chilli or soup. www.lancmag.com

make your own ginger cordial, biscuits, cakes or syrup, but if kitchen creativity isn’t your thing then most supermarkets and health food shops will stock these items.

You can easily make your own ginger cordial, biscuits, cakes or syrup

Ginger and chilli work on inflammation, so they can help with pain when rubbed into the sore or injured muscles and joints. A large jar of oil, sat in the sun for a few days and stuffed with chilli makes a beautiful bright red capsicum oil. I actually use my own capsicum oil for nerve pain and neuropathy more than I do for injuries. Nerve pain is notoriously stubborn to treat but chilli seems to nail it where other herbs fall short.

The first time I made my own capsicum oil, it was for a lady with diabetic neuropathy. All standard pain killers had failed to touch the pain and the new morphine they’d given her was making her feel unwell. After making my own Capsicum oil I blended it with some ginger, mint and rosemary and popped the leftovers on the shelf in my shop in case she wanted to come in and buy a second bottle. I called it Nerve Oil as I’m fairly uncreative when it comes to naming mixes but that trusty Nerve Oil has never left my shelf. My lady with diabetic neuropathy is getting relief and everyone else that has tried it has come requesting more.

As a simple herbalist I couldn’t be more proud that my humble kitchen medicine did what morphine couldn’t and I’ve been encouraging people to get hands on in their herb cupboards with a fresh enthusiasm ever since. Herbs can be powerful, accessible and fun to play around with.

As some of our original medicines, they can be just as relevant today as they were many years ago.

Above: Fresh ginger root

Nicola Parker MNIMH has a herbal medicine clinic located on the picturesque coast Morecambe Bay where she offers face to face and virtual appointments. For more information on the topics she writes about or to book an appointment, contact her clinic on 01524 413733 or via email at helpmebehealthy@gmail.com.

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Bury Denture Clinic

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he past 12 months have seen a shift-change in behaviours across all aspects of our lives. One in particular has been an increased focus on our overall health and well-being which many of us have started to think about in a holistic sense. With many dentists closed unless there has been an urgent need for treatment, it might be the case that your oral health has been neglected. But thanks to the likes of Bury Denture Clinic remaining open as much as possible, that needn’t be the case. So if your pearly whites need a little TLC, that’s one reason to choose them. But there are plenty more too!

I took some time to speak with Simon Jackson, one of the two owners of the clinic, to hear more about the services they offer and the way they work.

It was immediately apparent that their lengthy experience in the industry has stood them in good stead for setting up by themselves. Here’s what Simon had to say…

What services do Bury Denture Clinic offer?

Based in the heart of Bury on Manchester Old Road, Bury Denture Clinic has several strings to its bow in terms of the services on offer. I asked Simon if it was all as straightforward as I presumed and he explained their experience covered: • Cosmetic Dentures • Gum Shields • Denture Repairs • Implant work for dentists • Dentures • Emergency Denture Repairs Thanks to Simon’s more recent qualifications, they are even able to offer home visits for fitting dentures, but a little more on that later. All in all, they offer a comprehensive range of services thanks to their years of experience, with technicians who are fully qualified in all areas of denture work from complete construction to minor repairs.

As specialists in the field, they have an excellent reputation within the field for transforming smiles of clients by using a combination of traditional and innovative procedures. So whether it’s emergency

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denture repair work you need or a full set of new teeth, Bury Denture Clinic can help.

In the past, Simon and the team had always worked just with dentists. The patient would visit their dentist, the situation would be appraised, casts taken and the work given to Bury Denture Clinic. Today, the service goes further now Simon has the ability to see patients himself which streamlines the process.

He went on to explain a little more about their story.

A long history of perfecting smiles Simon and his business partner, Karle Hopkinson, have quite the curriculum vitae when it comes to their dental work.

As a twosome, they have well over 50 years of combined experience putting much of their competition to shame.

Simon himself started his fiveyear apprenticeship as a dental technician back in 1985 so has been qualified for over 30 years

(but don’t remind him too much of this!). After a lengthy career working as a dental technician, it was just four years ago when he decided he wanted to take the next step. This saw Simon pick up his studies once more, a period which spanned two years and saw him qualify as a Clinical Dental Technician. When I quizzed him on the difference, Simon said, “it means I have the ability to see patients to fit dentures myself, rather than

...they have an excellent reputation within the field for transforming smiles of clients

them always having to see a dentist first. Unless there is a medical requirement for them to go, it can make the process for fitting or fixing dentures much more straightforward for the patient themselves.”

So what drove Simon to head back to school as it were and undertake more training?

The answer was quite simple really and was borne of his and Karle’s decision to go it alone.

Bury Denture Clinic had been operational for many years, but back in 2016 they decided to buy it off the former owners and run it themselves. “The time had come for both of us to be able to deliver the service exactly as we wanted to and have a clinic that we could run as we see fit. So when the opportunity presented itself, we didn’t want to turn it down which is how we became the owners of Bury Denture Clinic”, Simon told me.

Looking after your oral health in a way that suits you When it comes to something as serious as oral health, of course it is always advisable to follow the formal methods but, in many cases, it wasn’t necessary to see a dentist first and could have just resulted in delays and additional

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expenses incurred. Certainly, throughout lockdown, it was a huge benefit that Simon could see patients himself as it reduced exposure to risk for the patient by seeing fewer people. It also enabled their dentures to be fixed or fitted even in the event of their dentist practice being closed. Simon has also been able to make home visits too, again making it far easier on the patient. It also broadens the reach of the clinic’s services as Simon lives in the heart of the beautiful Ribble Valley in Clitheroe.

“In the past, our patients would have had to travel to Bury to be seen which might have put many people off. But now I am able to offer home visits in a safe way, I can attend to people all over the Ribble Valley and beyond. Then, of course, those living nearer to Bury can pop in there – it suits many more people this way”, Simon explained. And let’s be honest, if the options are to travel to a clinic or have a visit in the comfort of our own home, the majority of us will choose to stay put! Which is why Simon and Karle’s set up is perfect in so many ways.

He does, however, explain a few intricacies of when you will need to see your dentist and when you can be seen by Bury Denture Clinic directly – and some of the information might surprise you.

“If you have a full set of dentures, we’ll be able to see you without you needing to visit your dentist first. That’s simply because there is a reduced risk of issues if they are no remaining teeth to worry about,” but he goes on to say a little more.

“However, advancing years of denture-wearing or patients who are a little older will still need to have check ups with their dentist, just to ensure there are no problems starting.”

If you have a requirement for just a partial set of dentures, a bridge or anything else, there is absolutely a need to see a dentist to get sorted. But of course, the way it works is that the dentist will send over the details to Bury Denture Clinic and they will still be able to craft your additional teeth to ensure your smile is one you love.

I asked Simon why this was and he explained what the dentist is looking for. “Many people think that dentists deal only with teeth but the reality is that there is much more to look at before we can go fitting any type of dentures. It isn’t a case of looking solely for cavities and plaque, but about looking at the health of the whole mouth and even the face. A dentist will inspect the quality of all the surrounding tissues, the gums, they will also include the tongue and everything around the mouth too. That way they can hopefully pick up any problems before they become serious, or that might be aggravated by denture-wearing,” said Simon. A lot of this was news to me, especially when he started telling me about oral cancers and their causes. Of course, smoking is known as one of the key reasons for people getting cancer in that part of the body, but 144

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I was completely unaware that drinking spirits regular could also have the same effect! The check ups, therefore, are more than understandable when it is explained in such serious terms.

You’ll be in safe hands

Above: Top: Before treatment, below: after treatment

When I started to ask Simon about the rest of the team at the clinic, it became apparent that this wasn’t just a group of people who simply work together. Instead, it’s much closer than that, and I don’t say that lightly! As twee as it sounds, the team is like a family and by the sounds of it, they wouldn’t have it any other way. There are six of them including Simon and Karle, and all of them have worked together for an extraordinarily long time – almost 30 years in fact! The only exception is Matthew, the driver, but that’s because he is the son of Brenda who handles all the admin needs of the business. So when we say a it’s a family affair, we really mean it!

In addition to Simon, Karle, Brenda and Matthew, two others work there; Julie and Jim. Julie is a support technician who directly helps Simon and Karle with patients whilst Jim is the ‘plaster man’.

He casts the moulds needed for the denture so that they can be created to perfectly fit the patients.

Just like with every family, everyone has their role and part to play but is it always happy? I asked Simon, “working together for such a long time is www.lancmag.com

What their clients say..

Here are just a few of the thank you messages received, often as handwritten cards thanks to the exceptional service provided by Bury Denture Clinic: “I should like to express my appreciation of your care and attention. These teeth are the best I have ever had and although I have called for quite a few appointments, Simon has been approachable and responsible, providing excellent after care with a laugh and a joke.

I would have no hesitation in recommending yourselves to any of my relatives and friends.”

quite unusual these days. But essentially, we really enjoy working together and know each other’s little quirks. We do have the occasional disagreement but nothing is ever overly serious and it’s always resolved quickly. Just like any ‘normal’ family, I suppose!”

When it comes to matter of physical health, it’s great to hear that there is such a strong story behind the team; they certainly sound as though they operate like a well-oiled machine. But after almost 30 years together, that could be expected! You know with Bury Denture Clinic, you’ll be getting the very best for your mouth and that’s not something to be underestimated as problems in that area can cause serious discomfort.

It was a refreshing change to chat with a company doing something as different as dentures and you can tell Simon is extremely passionate about his work – an ethos they all clearly share. So if you’re looking to have yours seen to, then give Bury Denture Clinic a call on 0161 764 0329 or visit www.burydentureclinic.co.uk. Don’t forget, if you can’t make it to the clinic itself, home visits are available to suit you.

“Thank you for the most perfect dentures. Over and above what I expected.”

“Thank you for your patience! Mum is thrilled with her new teeth.”

“Many thanks for all your help and patience. You’ve done a fabulous job and all the very best for your future.”

“Thank you for your care & attention.

Good luck in continuing your career.”

Bury Denture Clinic Bury Denture Clinic, 12 Manchester Old Road Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0TB Tel: 0161 764 0329 • Tel: 0161 797 7988 Email: burydentureclinic@gmail.com www.burydentureclinic.co.uk

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SME News Lifts the Curtain on the Northern Enterprise Award Winners of 2020 SME News is pleased to announce the winners of their annual Northern Enterprise Award.

From regional flooding to a recent deep freeze, and all during the worst health crisis in living memory, it would be understandable to witness the people of Northern of England falling to the pits of despair. That, however, is not the Northern way. A region noted for its strong work ethic, never-say-die attitude and entrepreneurial spirit, the Northern Enterprise Awards on SME News is here to remind everyone why the North of England is still the place for sound investment in skills, innovation, transport and culture.

A scant three years ago, Northern England was touted to become the new London as an emergent industrial revolution crested the horizon in the region. Initially appearing to be a slow burn movement instigated by Northern Powerhouse, dramatic transformations could soon be seen, as local infrastructure, technology and transport all saw increased investment.

Investments which then stalled as confidence began to falter due to the pandemic.

Throughout it all, however, the Northern spirit continued to shine, like the proverbial silver lining and there to bear witness to the awardworthy achievements across the region has been SME News, as it accepted nominations from the best and brightest businesses the North has to offer. Martyn Walters, Lead Researcher for SME News commented, “It is always heartening to see the lengths businesses and companies take to ensure they offer the best products and services, but to witness the perseverance and ingenuity of enterprises, large and small, as they contend with the challenges thrust upon them is truly inspirational. If this list of award-winning enterprises doesn’t foster confidence for renewed investment in the region, I’d be surprised.”

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Unique Ladies UK Ltd - the United Kingdom

Best Women’s Business Network 2020

No matter where you are on your business journey, Unique Ladies works because they build relationships, we offer Free Membership, our costs are low, the venues are accessible, and we understand, to get business this way, we must follow up each and every conversation, get to know the other ladies and business happens!

Each monthly session is 9.30-11.30, currently via Zoom, includes a warm welcome, support, general networking, breakout rooms and we end with a truly inspirational lady speaker.

“Suzy Orr, founder of Unique Ladies, said she is “thrilled to bits” to be voted the Best Women’s Business Network 2020 in SME Northern Enterprise Awards. Suzy goes on to say “t’s been a tough year for everyone, and as networking physically was completely banned, the way our groups adapted to online networking, has been a credit to everyone involved. All 12 groups across the North West have continued to support established women in business, local charities and start ups, it doesn’t matter where you are on your business journey, you’ll always get a warm welcome, support, and we have fun too!! “ Always keen to support local women in business, Unique Ladies events can be viewed and more information found, as well as booked via their website www.uniqueladies.co.uk” www.lancmag.com

The Bold And The Beautiful – Rugs and Cushions That Will Make Your Interiors Pop Daniel Prendergast, Design Director at The Rug Seller advises: “Changing up your colour scheme doesn’t mean having to completely redecorate. Neutral walls and carpets can open up endless possibilities when it comes to building in colours and patterns to a living space or bedroom. Revitalise any space with some

Let the cushions take centre stage: Whether it’s clashing patterns and colour combinations or uniform geometric prints, these cushions in the season’s must have colours will make a style statement on your sofa.

thoughtful accessories that will add a new perspective to your existing palette, as well as injecting some much needed texture and pattern into tired spaces. 2021 is all about positivity and bringing joy into your home and rugs and cushions are the perfect way to go bold!”

L-R: Hot House Botanical Designer Cushion By Clarissa Hulse in Multi, £40, Christian Lacroix Sunset Mix cushion in Crepuscule, £110, Zodiac Geometric Cushion in Pink Grey, £26, Christian Lacroix Rosetta Cushion, £99. www.therugseller.co.uk

Abstract Floral Cushion by Joules in Multi, £40, Senna Geometric Cushion in Yellow from £43, Jungle Designer Cushion by Clarissa Hulse in Tropical, £40, Salvia Designer Leaf Cushion By Clarissa Hulse in Pink, £40. www.therugseller.co.uk

Paddy Cushion by William Yeoward, £79 (available in 17 colours) – shown here in Blood Orange, Mustard and Forest. www.therugseller.co.uk

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www.lancmag.com

Take to the floor with maximum impact rugs that will bring colour and joy to any room:

Combining both pattern and colour will take your floor to another level. Set against white walls and with complimenting accessories these rugs will completely transform a room.

Funk Modern Wool Rug in Multi and Funk Triangles Rug in Multi, both from £334.99 from www.therugseller.co.uk

2021’s take on geometrics and chevrons is unashamedly big and bold. Make a statement with rainbow brights or opt for a slightly more muted colour palette to keep the look fresh and contemporary.

Spectrum Samba Rug in Multi and Spectrum Dynamic Geometric Cubed Rug In Multi, both from £39 www.therugseller.co.uk

Combining pastel shades with bold geometric patterns and chevrons will create a burst of colour that is far from subtle. This palette is the perfect way to add colour and pattern that still packs a punch but with slightly less drama. www.lancmag.com

For more information and to buy online visit www.therugseller.co.uk

Zest Chroma Geometric Rug in Multi, from £115.00, Sketch Geometric Rugs in Retro Pastel Multi, Rhombus Pastel Multi and Hexagon Pastel Multi from £98.00, www.therugseller.co.uk

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Why being an apprentice is just the beginning of great careers TWO former apprentices, now in site management roles, are proof that a Redrow apprenticeship is a great way to kick-start a career.

Jason Booth is now an assistant site manager at Redrow after doing a bricklaying apprenticeship

J

ason Booth, from Chorley, has progressed to assistant site manager and Rob Jones, from Moston, has been a site manager for two years.

Jason, 25, says those considering an apprenticeship should “go for it” as they won’t look back. He’s now got qualifications deemed to be equivalent to a degree and has earned money throughout his training.

His comments come as the Government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency celebrates National Apprenticeship Week in England (February 8-14, 2021) and Redrow prepares to recruit another 80 apprentices in England and Wales later this year.

Jason completed a two-year bricklaying apprenticeship with Redrow after initially doing a bricklaying course at Preston College. After his two-year apprenticeship came to an end, he secured a permanent role with Redrow as a trainee assistant site manager and completed an NVQ level four in site supervision.

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Jason’s studies have continued and he is now looking after site operations at Willows Green in Clayton-le-Woods as he progresses towards becoming a site manager in the near future.

“I’m just finishing an NVQ level six which is the equivalent of a degree. One advantage of an apprenticeship over attending university is, instead of getting into student debt, I’ve been paid since I started my apprenticeship. Redrow even paid for my NVQ qualifications so it’s been a very beneficial way of developing my skills.

“When you start as an apprentice, many people think that you’ll just work in that trade for life, but there are so many more prospects. An apprenticeship is just the start of that journey.”

Jason says he wouldn’t have got to where he is today without working alongside a fantastic team of people at Redrow, including five-time NHBC award-winning site manager Simon Nix: “He taught me so much on top of what I learned during my apprenticeship. This is just another highlight of an apprenticeship - you work with skilled, experienced people who pass on their knowledge.”

Redrow site manager Rob Jones, 27, also began as an apprentice bricklayer but is now in charge of site operations at Oak Leigh Gardens in Clitheroe.

Rob was so keen to work for Redrow that he used to visit a site close to where he lived in Moston on a daily basis asking if they would take him on: “Finally, I started a three-year bricklaying apprenticeship with Redrow and after that I was offered the opportunity to work my way up to management.

I’ve been a site manager now for two years.”

Rob says he had a vision of what he wanted to achieve and the apprenticeship was a way to get his foot in the door.

Redrow Lancashire’s construction director, Keith Collard, says: “Jason and Rob are just two examples how far an apprenticeship can take people. It’s a great way of learning a skill and developing a career while doing the job and getting paid for it. As Jason says, you also work alongside our highly skilled site teams and have our support throughout.

“Here in Lancashire we’ll be looking to recruit four new trade apprentices this year, as well as apprentices in other office based and technical roles.”

Redrow’s apprenticeship programme is just one element of its commitment to nurturing talent and inspiring the next generation to build. It also runs a number of graduate training programmes and has launched its own Construction Management in Housebuilding sponsored degree programme run in conjunction with Liverpool John Moores University and College Cambria.

For more about apprenticeship opportunities with Redrow and how to apply go to www.redrowcareers.co.uk/apprentices www.lancmag.com

A catch up with Peter Rutt Our monthly coloumn by Peter Rutt.

P

art 1 of 3. Regular readers will know I love weird and wacky stories, even if they are not true.

So imagine my pleasure when I came across the sensation of alleged time slips in Liverpool.

Various people claim they slipped back in time, usually to the 1950’s or 1960’s. One claimed he slipped back to early 1900’s. He said as he walked down Bold Street the sky went very dark and what had been that year in the decade of the 1990’s changed to early 1900’s judging by the fashion he spied. Also the shops were old fashioned. Gone were the modern day stores as were modern day cars, replaced by horse drawn carriages.

There wasanniversary air there pril marks the third was sound and if he felt more confident the column has been running in he would have interacted with a person. this vibrant and modern magazine Imagine whipping out your smartphone and the thirtieth anniversary of me to show someone from the early 1900’s! standing in a police line-up!

Or go a step further and take photos In January on a Monday or film what you1991 see. What would your Iphone was made record?redundant for the first time in my young looking There is the storylife. of aWhile man who for a similar job to return to, I walked near to Bold Street and he became inwas a wellalleges asahesecurity turned aguard corner, known men’s clothes shop. faced with a dead end. An old wall thatThe wasn’t there the previous day had store manager told me suddenly Like the previous that stockappeared. was being stolen by man he said the skythrough became suddenly opportunists and an insider, darker this obstacle there. out theprior backtodoor.

He alsobeing explained He even the trading construction and the storetouched had been a year it wasnever solid.made Confused, he headed and a profit due toback theft. the this way point he came.

At I had not received any Mosttraining of the stories a formal and centre I knewonnothing period making of 1993-1997 apart arrest! from the about a citizen’s one in the next paragraph. They may But I managed to deter many well be Urban Tales and tall ones at from day one. I am a quick learner that. But it is thought provoking. But and after a short time the shop there are three particular stories I will made centre its on.first pre-tax profit as thefts had been quashed and the This one allegedly occurred in 2006 insider sacked. when a lad called Sean admitted he One day couple of uniformed shoplifted an aitem and ran out of the police officersbysauntered to As shop pursued a Security over Guard. me. earn Sean“How got to awould corneryou (andlike thetosky went five standing in anonidentity dark)pounds he turned and carried running parade the localback police but whenathe looked he station?” noticed

A

www.lancmag.com

I asked a few questions. A time was set.

I walked to the police station and told the lady on the front desk I was there to attend an identity parade.

After giving my name and address the lady pressed a buzzer and a side door automatically opened. I was met by another uniformed officer and we walked down a narrow corridor, through another door into a room with six other men. Most of them were police officers in civilian clothes. “Right you ‘orrible lot” his pursuer nowhere to be“Iseen. the man inwas charge started. want Relieved, he stopped and in his each of you to enter thattook door there surroundings. was wearing and stand in aEverybody line one arms width clothes from theother 1960’sfacing and cars were between each forward. old fashioned from this era.

Starting If you are asked to step forward by to worry hein brought hisdo modern the officer chargeout you so. You mobile phone, but it displayed do not speak and you do notno make signal.

As he walked back past the store any facial expression.

Right, in you he robbed he noticed it wasn’t the one go.” While we assembled I noticed he entered earlier. As he looked ahead there was a gap between the second he could see the modern world. When man and the third man because he took a look behind him it was still there were seven of us. Another the 1960’s. Frightened by his experience door opened and in bus walked he caught a (modern) to getthe away. alleged accused.

I thought he looked The Security Guard that chased him aasserted bit likethat mehe too much. into was only aHe fewgot paces position three. hadasnot noticed behind the thief Ibut he got to thatwe all had the a number ourHe heads. corner, lad had above vanished. was Ibemused was under number seven. by this.

Nothing happened for a few minutes but I could make out a wooden cabin in front of a door ahead of us. And as my eyes became accustomed to the dark space ahead, the window had a flap over it so we couldn’t see who was in there. We all heard a lady’s footsteps approaching the wood cabin. She stepped in and mumbled something to a police officer with her. He bellowed out “Step forward number three.” The man did so. More incoherent chatter and she left. The man in number three change position Therequested other two to stories appear in so he chose swapped places.

May’s editionme. andWe a plausible answer to A femaleBut witness thesecond conundrum. going entered back to an the cabin.

The officer her earlier point, which is of with interaction, I ponderedout on “Step this. If forward you talk to bellowed number someoneWhile from aI long ago era and three.” thought I wondered influence themthree to take a different course who number was I suddenly to one they did take, thought Ohhistorically my goodness thatwould was that The have bellower ramifications the here me. wason about to and now?

Also if you collect an item from repeat but I guiltily stepped forward. the 1950’s, does it travel with you back I heard the woman say “Yeah that’s to the present day? ‘im.” I stepped back to the wall when ordered to do so.

When it finished I felt guilty accepting the five pound payment even though I hadn’t done anything illegal.

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The Hot Tub Outlet

T

he past 12 months have been the perfect time to fall in love with your home. For some, it will be because there has simply been no choice due to the amount of time spent there. For others, it might be as a result of plenty of TLC showered upon it to create a dream home thanks to our much-changed circumstances. This TLC has come in many forms, from DIY, to decorating, to gardening to full-scale renovation projects. So really, it is no wonder the home-based industries were one of the lucky few to see a boost throughout what was otherwise a tough year in 2020.

The glorious weather we experienced for much of last year was certainly an extra incentive for many to create an outdoor space that was to be enjoyed rather than endured. Gardening was one of the few activities we could indulge in and sprucing up the areas meant we had somewhere nice to be outside in the pleasant weather. This trend saw a huge uptake in many different outdoor accessories from new furniture, to barbecues, to hot tubs and even swimming pools and that is where The Hot Tub Outlet come in. I had a chat with Tony and his partner Carole who own The Hot Tub Outlet, to find out a little more about the company and what they offer to those of us who want to maximise our enjoyment at home.

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What is The Hot Tub Outlet?

When I spoke with Tony, it was clear from the outset that he is a real expert in his field and it is no wonder given how long the company has been around. He told me, “We set up the business in 2003, and to still be trading as the original company, in the hot tub world, is quite rare. No one else in the North West has had the same longevity we have for trading under the same name and www.lancmag.com

ownership. We’re quite proud of the fact we are still going strong nearly 20 years later and have gained a lot of experience over those years.” Proud he should be, for this is no mean feat. Especially given the challenging times we have been through economically over the years so, they are immediately set apart from their competition.

One quick look at Tony and Carole’s website will reveal they have a wealth of knowledge that simply cannot be amassed in a short period of time.

However, when I delved a little deeper, there was yet more too. In fact, Tony has held some highly esteemed positions within well-recognised bodies in the wet leisure industry but he was reluctant to blow his own trumpet. Therefore, I will do it for him! The Hot Tub Outlet is a member of BISHTA (the British and Irish Hot Tub Association) and Tony was a long-time Chairman of this organisation plus he remains a serving committee member. BISHTA is part of the British Swimming Pool Federation and again, Tony was president of that from 2010 to 2012.

Currently, he is a Director on the Board of SPATEX, the UK industry’s largest and best-known exhibition for all things spa, swimming pool and wellnessrelated. Holding such high-profile roles with the most important bodies in the industry makes for a pretty impressive CV!

there is probably nowhere else in our region that can offer the same level of expertise and advice when it comes to installing one of these amazing outdoor additions to your home

Tony’s knowledge and passion for the industry is clear to see and is no doubt a huge part of the reason why The Hot Tub Outlet continues to flourish today, after so many years in the business.

“From day one, our business was and continues to be specifically Hot Tubs and wet leisure products only. We haven’t diversified into anything else, so there is nothing to take our eye off the ball re our commitment to our customers, and our products.” says Tony.

As a result, there is probably nowhere else in our region that can offer the same level of expertise and advice when it comes to installing one of these amazing outdoor additions to your home.

Based in Wigan, they are within easy reach for all of Lancashire and the surrounding areas, not that anyone has been able to visit the showroom much of late! However, fortunately, the desire to have a hot tub for many people has not been quelled by the lack of ability to see one in person. Quite the opposite in fact.

“We have a fantastic showroom where you can see just how impressive the hot tubs are. So we were a little worried when we had to initially close due to lockdown in March 2020, especially when it was to continue for such a long time,” Carole admitted. “But it didn’t seem to stop people from

wanting to buy and we ended up having a VERY busy year last year!”

A booming business with a wide reach The reality was so good that The Hot Tub Outlet sold more hot tubs in the first 12 weeks of the 2020 lockdown than they would normally sell in a year.

It sounds incredible until you start thinking of just how much the hot tubs will be getting used now www.lancmag.com

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and, in the future, as they make a fantastic addition to the home. After all, whilst trips and holidays will always be on the agenda, it seems as though mindsets have changed for the long-term with more people than ever appreciating their home life.

Although The Hot Tub Outlet’s retail showroom is based in the heart of Wigan, their network actually extends far beyond the boundaries of Lancashire. Retail sales are made all over the North West – they have a fantastic website to whet the appetite of those interested – but there is more too. For Tony and Carole do not limit themselves to solely being customer-facing sellers; they have also been importing and distributing hot tubs all over the UK for 16 years. They are instrumental in the supply of quality hot tubs to other retailers, just like themselves, who will then go on to be the specialists in their own regions, selling their hot tubs to the public.

Carole explains the success of the distribution network; “This allows for the purchasers of the hot tub to not only see it in the flesh, in a local showroom before purchasing, but it gives them confidence that if there are any requirements relating to the hot tub, the dealer is right there to help, not at the other end of the country”.

She goes on to reveal a slightly more glamorous clientele too, who appreciate the extremely high standard of product provided; “Although we sell mainly to the general public, we have had some famous customers buy our hot tubs over the years including Ed Sheeran, Michael McIntyre and James Milner, to name but a few”. High praise and a great endorsement for their hot tubs indeed!

American-made products One of the most redeeming aspects of The Hot Tub Outlet is their focus on quality, both in terms of the products they sell and the service they offer.

The first point to mention is that all the hot tubs they sell are designed and manufactured in America and Canada. Tony tells me “we have three key suppliers that provide our hot tubs, all of which have an exceptional standard of build”. They work specifically with: Saratoga Spas in New York State – Who have over 30 years of experience in manufacturing hot tubs to the highest standard. They supply Conquest Spas, a 3-line brand of spas, handpicked by Tony & Carole from the vast number of models manufactured by Saratoga. The Hot Tub Outlet are proud to be the only distributer of Conquest Spas in the UK and the chosen models offer a variety of specifications to suit different customers. Saratoga actually sought out Tony and Carole via their connections in the industry in the USA to sell their hot tubs. As they were so impressed with their ethos, passion and knowledge about the hot tub industry.

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Innovaspa in Montreal, Canada – they have been manufacturing quality spas for 20 years which meet the most stringent requirements. Different models will suit different individual needs.

This is a brand new line for 2021 to The Hot Tub Outlet. Having ‘road tested’ sample models in 2020, they are moving forward with this exciting brand in 2021 LPI (who own Premium Leisure Spas) in Tennessee – these are the makers of the Premium Leisure Swim Spas with ergonomically designed swimming areas and seating to suit all tastes and also offer a little more room to move.

There are many many different models available from these suppliers, but Tony says, “We offer a variety of options to our customers that we have hand-picked ourselves. Having been in the business so long, we have a good understanding of what will best suit individual needs and ensure we always have the right choice available. If you need any advice, we are the best place to come along to, to have all your questions answered.” www.lancmag.com

You may have noticed a mention of swim spas within the models offered by The Hot Tub Outlet as something a little different, but these are not the only way to get a little more movement in the water.

Tony, Carole and the team are also agents for their long-standing business associates Compass Pools UK, who are award-winning suppliers and installers of swimming pools, for those who have the right space and environment for one. They offer, amongst others, two key types: the Aqua pool and the Trend pool.

The Aqua pool is ceramic with a compact design making it perfect for slightly smaller homes.

However, you can have it equipped with a counter current so you can still achieve a proper work out if you so desire. Non-slip steps, a built-in safety handrail and a security platform around the perimeter help to ensure this pool has the maximum security for small children and pets.

The Trend pool is a larger affair, with a length of eight metres making a fantastic area to exercise and play games. It is another ceramic model and with the addition of the right lighting, you can create a real sanctuary in your garden. This model also has safety features such as non-slip stairs, a security platform and handrail on the longitudinal sides.

These additions prove that style does not need to be compromised by safety, as this would be a stunning addition to your home.

Overall, with the depth of their knowledge, the years of experience and the perfect products on offer, you simply would not be in better hands.

Overall, with the depth of their knowledge, the years of experience and the perfect products on offer, you simply would not be in better hands

A company focussed on service Talking to Tony immediately showed me just how important not only his customers, but his team are to him and Carole. After all, staying in business for almost 20 years in a comparatively niche market must mean they are doing something right!

The Hot Tub Outlet is so concerned with this that they achieved and maintained the Investor in People (IIP) status in 2007. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without having the right team in place,” Tony explains, “so it was important for us to make sure we had our ‘house’ in order. Not only does it mean that our employees are well invested in and cared for, but it also means that we follow the right practices which will help the customer get the best experience too and that’s crucial to us.”

It has certainly helped with the continuation of the business over the years and the care and attention extends beyond the internal team and beyond the initial retail sale of the hot tubs and pools. It goes without saying that the Hot Tub Outlet will install whatever hot tub you choose onto your property, after the necessary site visit of course! However, not only that, they also offer a comprehensive after care service and not just on the products they themselves have sold.

They are a Balboa Approved Dealer – a status to be revered as the Balboa Water Group are regarded as the manufacturers and designers of the most innovative and reliable hot tub control systems in the world. Tony proudly explained, “To get this stamp of approval from Balboa is testament to the amount of work we undertook in order to understand and maintain the systems we sell. It shows real respect and for that we are thankful, as we are really passionate about our products and delivering the best service we possibly can.”

Tony added, “We are also quite rare in the fact that we have staff who have had training on site at the factory to enhance their skills and knowledge regarding the workings of the hot tubs”.

The Hot Tub Outlet are genuinely impressive in terms of their passion for their trade, the focus on quality and the sheer amount of experience they bring to the table. Making such a sizeable purchase become much easier when you know you are in the hands of a company you can trust such as Tony and Carole’s team. They really know what they are talking about so you can rest assured that whatever you go for will be right for you, at the right price and installed and maintained correctly.

So have you decided to take the plunge yet?

Unit 1 J G B Investment Park, Stephens Way, Goose Green, Wigan, WN3 6PG Email: admin@thto.co.uk • Web: www.thehottuboutlet.co.uk

Telephone: 01942 233 211 www.lancmag.com

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LOVEmyBEACH - Help protect the coast from pollution incidents See it. Report it. Prevent it

K

eep Britain Tidy project LOVEmyBEACH is calling on all regular beach users to help identify and report signs of coastal pollution to help protect the North West coastline.

Thanks to the hard work of LOVEmyBEACH volunteers and the Turning Tides Partnership, the North West coast is the cleanest and safest it has ever been, but pollution incidents still occur occasionally. Coastal pollution has the potential to harm our beaches, seas and wildlife, so LOVEmyBEACH is calling on beach users to help See it. Report it and Prevent it.

Although all of our bathing waters are of a great standard, the various sources of pollution can impact bathing water quality while also being unpleasant for beach users. That’s why LOVEmyBEACH is calling on regular beach users to help spot pollution and report it to the relevant authority.

Emily Parr, Fylde Beach Care Officer says: “Major pollution incidents are well reported, enabling swift action to prevent further damage. In comparison, minor pollution incidents often go unreported and have the potential to cause ongoing and significant environmental damage. Regular beach visitors are likely to be the first people to spot these smaller incidents, maybe just by noticing a change to the usual appearance of an area or unusual occurrences.

“We can all play a part in protecting the environment and now we have created a free toolkit to help regular beach visitors be our eyes and ears on the ground so that pollution incidents can be swiftly reported and the appropriate action can be taken.

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“This will mean that our beaches are even cleaner and that we are preventing damage to our oceans and wildlife.”

Once the relevant authorities are aware, they will be able to investigate and take action, hopefully preventing further damage.

To help identify coastal pollution and know how and where to report it, LOVEmyBEACH have created a new leaflet, with information on the different types of pollution and what to do if you see it. This is available for anyone to download for free from the LOVEmyBEACH website - https:// lovemybeach.org/resources/ The most common signs of pollution that might be noticed are: • Signs of sewage (e.g. sewage solids, pipes discharging dirty water, fungus growing or grey clouds around a pipe).

• A significantly large rainbow coloured film or thick sludge, indicating oil • Abnormally high levels of litter or dumped waste.

Or large quantities of one particular material e.g. a deluge of microplastics • The presence of a new substance or material on the beach, e.g. palm oil Together we can keep our beaches and seas clean and free of pollution!

If your organisation would like some printed copies of the leaflet, please contact enquiries@lovemybeach.org www.lancmag.com

• • • • •

Longest established Hot Tub company in the North West Over 20 models available 10 models on display at our showroom Sales, Service & Repair Full BISHTA Members

Conquest

JGB Investment Park

Stephens Way, Goose Green Wigan, WN3 6PG T: 01942 233211 admin@thto.co.uk www.thehottuboutlet.co.uk

A Collection of Spas by:

The life of Di A monthly column by Di Wade, the author of ‘A Year In Verse’

OK so it’s been the swine of the century, but Covid HAS had its moments.

There was the time my mum phoned the pharmacy, and went from being “No4 in the queue” to “No3” to “No2” to “No9”. Chortling merrily, she hung up at that point, but perhaps overhastily as on retrying the next day, she started out at “No13”, and was then promptly answered. Clearly they were experiencing some disruptions.

Then there was my Royal Mail collection of braille books, which was supposed not to be possible for two days, but ended up interrupting my lunch two hours later. Halfway through my tuna butty, the doorbell rang, and over the intercom, a guy announced that he was Royal Mail and there to collect some packages. Having first sent him to the next street but one, I’d to chuck these out any old how, hollering when I was done – and causing two seagulls and a passing poodle to die of fright forthwith. Well ordinarily, the books would’ve been outside waiting for him – what with their postage being prepaid, and in the interests of social distancing and all that. Moreover, with another book nearly finished, I elected to keep the original booking – on which day, the only shows were a fleeting blackbird, and a guy offering to de-moss the roof.

Not that I was complaining. When I’d stumbled on mention of the service some months back, I’d believed in it like the tooth fairy. Well it was surely too much to hope that Royal Mail truly 158

COULD collect my finished RNIB braille library books, saving my parents having to lug them to the Post Office, (particularly helpfully just now - or when I’d borrowed the Encyclopaedia Britannica). I confidently expected Royal Mail to know nowt about it. On the contrary however, they were fully cognisant, and for the next four months, I enjoyed an excellent service seamlessly delivered. It was only come the New Year that if one didn’t want to hang on the phone for 60+ minutes, one could but keep trying, and hope for a shorter wait time some time in the next three weeks – with who knew what at the end.

But this was clearly down to Covid, so no blame to anyone - plus I’m not averse to a good lottery.

Then there’ve been three people round claiming to want to read my electricity meter. I say claiming as the first two at least came hard on the heels of a card through the door saying electricity companies weren’t doing this kind of thing at the moment. Well why would they? Their operatives surely wouldn’t want to be going into people’s houses any more than people would want them there. The third however showed up two days after my mum’d read my meter, and submitted it for me via the company’s automated service. So I phoned up to find out what was going on – and ended up in India, straining every nerve and sinew to understand a guy who might’ve come from Jupiter. Half an hour on however, I’d grasped that they’d received my meter readings satisfactorily, so called it a day,

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feeling for all the world as though I’d completed a marathon. The troupe of wannabe meter-readers remained unexplained and unresolved, but it perhaps didn’t matter. Ultimately, Covid had but put the tin lid on my attitude to unexpected callers, who, with my eyesight, could be anyone from Father Christmas to the heir of Slytherin, (cuddling a dementor, and draped in a basilisk), so wouldn’t be getting admitted any time soon.

Then I’ve particularly enjoyed the programmes I’ve enjoyed lately, including many rich in northern input: The Vixen was impressive on Beat the Chasers, Jonas Armstrong was terrific in The Drowning, I’m loving The Bay, and I’d picked Joe-Warren to win Dancing on Ice – till Covid did for him. I also had to exercise considerable restraint during the Australian Open, remembering just in time the baffled silence likely to follow any texts to friends raving about Kyrgios and Thiem, and Djokovic and Fritz, even with the added drama of the crowd having to be kicked out pre-close of play in order to be home by midnight and the start of another lockdown.

There’s no question Covid has rendered many moments more dramatic or significant, and in my case made me even prouder if possible of the landscape and landmarks of my famous seaside home town. Well it’s an ill wind – plus I’ve seen nowt else for months..

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Joint partnership signals boost for pre-hospital care workforce Memorandum of Understanding signed between UCLan and RCSEd highlights future collaboration and joint partnership intent The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), setting out their mutual commitment to collaborate and explore future opportunities for joint working in the areas of medical education, training and research.

At a recent virtual signing ceremony UCLan’s Professor Cathy Jackson, Executive Dean, Faculty of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences and Professor David Lockey, Chair of The Faculty of PreHospital Care (FPHC) at RCSEd, signed the MOU on behalf of their respective organisations.

As an immediate benefit under this new formal relationship, UCLan will grant automatic Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)* for candidates who successfully pass the examination for the FPHC’s Diploma in Urgent Medical Care (DUMC).

The collaboration will enable existing healthcare professionals to have their hard work and learning recognised from www.lancmag.com

RCSEd and converted into academic points.

This in turn will allow students to choose multiple pathways into higher postgraduate programmes, enabling them to concentrate on specific learning needs and opening opportunities for future career progression.

UCLan’s Professor Cathy Jackson, Executive Dean, Faculty of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, said: “UCLan’s School of Medicine together with our National Centre for Remote and Rural Medicine in West Cumbria are delighted to be working with RCSEd to ensure the highest standards of educational provision are in place to train healthcare professionals.

“Urgent care is one of

“Its provision has never been more important to the NHS with more demand being seen in emergency departments as result of the pandemic.” a number of mutual interest areas we have been working on with the College. Trained medics working in this vital area can make a real difference by providing urgent or unscheduled care in settings outside of hospital.

“Its provision has never been more important to the NHS with more demand being seen in emergency departments as result of the pandemic.”

Professor David Lockey,

Chair, Faculty of PreHospital Care within RCSEd, added: “The Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care is delighted to have reached this agreement with UCLan. Healthcare in the UK is increasingly based on multi-professional care, dependent on postgraduate education.

Developing synergistic relationships between educational providers, to provide this type of education, ensures efficiency that benefits health professionals and patients. This is exactly what this agreement will achieve.”

Both UCLan and RCSEd look forward to exploring additional opportunities for future collaboration, under the terms of the newly signed MOU.

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Work takes a different direction for Marcia during lockdown

By Sue Redmond

F

orced into a work break during the pandemic Marcia Trotter used the time to take her medical and cosmetic transformation business in a different direction.

It began 14 years ago when she took sisterly love to a whole new level after her brother Brooke was involved in a life-changing accident.

He was the innocent victim of a hit and run driver who drove his car into him as he waited to cross the road in Manchester city centre.

It left him dangerously ill in a coma in Hope Hospital, brain damaged and with terrible facial injuries.

He had to learn to walk again, not because of the injuries to his legs but because of the part of his brain that had been damaged in the accident.

Marcia got through the dark days by focussing on finding ways to reduce her brother’s facial scars.

She rubbed Bio Oil into the angry red marks daily in an attempt to reduce the long-term damage to the skin tissue. Her relentless routine gave the skin back some of its elasticity but although the scars were greatly reduced, they were still visible.

Marcia left her job as a senior customer service agent with British Airways at Manchester Airport and used her voluntary severance money to pay for various cosmetic and beauty training courses both in the UK and abroad.

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Brooke before

Brooke after

Her interest in permanent corrective cosmetic techniques came from the vested interest in her brother’s welfare. While learning about postoperative cosmetic treatments for patients with various medical conditions she began to think about a more permanent way to reduce Brooke’s scars.

Her hard work and training paid off. Four years after the accident Marcia had completely restored Brook’s good looks using a a revolutionary scar rejuvenation technique. www.lancmag.com

When a wound heals the brain accepts it is dead skin and doesn’t do anything more to repair the scar tissue. By introducing a hypodermic needle into the scar site, it reintroduces a minor trauma and the brain starts a healing process again.

“The results were quite amazing. When I started injecting the scars on Brooke’s face there was a visible improvement.

Gradually the scar tissue began to break down and almost disappear. The scars were virtually gone, he was delighted with the result”.

Marcia trained in semipermanent make up application and was continuously keeping ahead of what was new in the business; improving and developing her skills. She signed up to workshops and training programmes at the top academies in the UK and Europe.

Her cosmetic enhancement work includes helping people with areola restoration following breast reconstruction, disfigurement, burns and injury scaring as well as body tattoo removal.

and private clinics to work with patients who have low esteem or confidence due to their physical appearance.

A fully qualified trainer she is much sought after by consultants

Although lockdown has forced Marcia to temporarily close

For men who suffer from baldness the result is a very realistic look of a freshly shaved scalp.

her Timperley clinic she has used the time to launch a new complimentary business, helping men and women suffering hair loss.

Specially trained technicians at Scalp North will use Micropigmentation to offer clients the opportunity to disguise baldness as a result of natural hair loss, hair thinning or medical conditions such as alopecia.

The technique is exactly what it says on the tin, tiny dots using colour matched pigment, implanted directly onto the scalp.

It is semi-permanent so can last for years before needing an easy top up.

“Baldness and hair loss can cause severe psychological damage, it’s a part of our bodies we can’t easily hide and it’s not practical to permanently wear a hat or a cap” claims Marcia.

Scalp male before

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Scalp male after

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can be applied over the whole scalp or in targeted areas where there is hair thinning. Scalp hair follicles aren’t like any other on the body, they can have up to three hairs in each one so we have to make sure we mirror that.

“For men who suffer from baldness the result is a very realistic look of a freshly shaved scalp.”

Scalp North will be based at Marcia Medical & Cosmetic Clinic in Timperley, Altrincham.

Marcia, right, with one of her technicians Jessica Marsh.

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“The pandemic has had a profound effect on people, now more than ever there are increased levels of anxiety, people are suffering from low esteem and confidence. I have seen first-hand what that can do and how medical or cosmetic micropigmentation can improve quality of life by enhancing physical appearance.

“It’s not about vanity it’s about giving people confidence and helping to give their lives back.”

Websites: www.marcia.co.uk • www.scalpnorth.co.uk Brooke’s Blog: www.braininjurybrooke.co.uk www.lancmag.com

Northwich and Knutsford churches challenge ‘commercialization’ of Valentine’s Day to kick off RealLove campaign

Although there will be no romantic meals for two at restaurants across the country this Valentine’s Day, there will be the usual pressure to buy cards, flowers, chocolates, and trinkets to show your other half they are loved.

Northwich Churches are giving out 500 cards to those who are isolated and vulnerable but also the unsung heroes of the community such as teachers. The cards (photo link attached at the bottom) were created by a local man and show a rainbow with the word “Hope” written on the front.

Partnering with RealLove is Zac’s House Kingdom Community Church led by the Rev Neil Stanton who says Christians want people to know they are “seen, valued and loved”.

T

his year, however, churches across the North West will be joining others across the country to launch the RealLove campaign (reallovestory.co.uk) which will continue throughout the year, to replace bought presents with free gifts.

Churches in Knutsford and Northwich are taking part. Every precaution is being taken to make the giveaways ‘Covid secure’. The hearts distributed are all quarantined before being distributed and everyone uses hand sanitizer before distribution. All food is cooked in kitchens which are cleaned in line with Covid requirements and packed the same way.

Why? The idea behind the hearts is to reach people with the message that they are not forgotten and are loved and valued – particularly during the pandemic when many are struggling with their mental health: loneliness and isolation.

Organiser and Wakefield Methodist minister, Rev Rob Cotton says: “We want to show that Jesus’ love is real and free and that Christians, in local communities, are taking the time to reach out because they want to share the love of Jesus with as many people as possible at a time when loneliness and isolation are rife.

“The exciting thing at this time is that as we launch the ‘Real Love’ campaign this weekend, it is becoming part of a much wider movement within the church, where we put our faith into practice.

“At this time, we are particularly concerned about people’s mental health and feel that ‘Real Love’ will generate a ‘feel-good factor’ in local communities and give everyone a much-needed boost.”

Rob wants to this to be the start of a movement that reaches more people.

The cards add to the work the church is already doing such as giving out food parcels at Christmas, to those in need, called ‘Boxes of Hope’.

Contact Rev Neil Stanton on 07881 367729

Knutsford Christians in the Knutsford area have sent out over 100 handmade Valentines’ cards to people who are isolated, and vulnerable in the area. The cards are building on the work they already do as part of the ‘Buddy scheme,’ where church members team up with people who are elderly, may have dementia, be on their own, and/or isolated because of Covid. Church members speak regularly to their ‘buddy’ on the telephone or, when Covid rules allow, they help with shopping and often just have a ‘socially distanced’ chat.

So far, Methodist churches in the area have given out small gifts of posies on Harvest Festival Sunday, poppies on Remembrance Day, and cards at Christmas. The Rev Alan Bradley, a Methodist Minister, says the Valentine’s cards are intended to say to people ‘that they are loved, loved by God’.

“It’s to remind people that we are praying for them, and they are in our thoughts, and that they are loved by God. It’s keeping that contact and something physical just helps people and they can put it on their mantelpiece and it just reminds them that they are not alone at this time.”

For further information please contact Alan Bradley on 01565 652251 web site www.kmc.org.uk.

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20 year & £1 billion journey from Merseyside to put a value to global business Isonitapossible career? Well, it’s not a

straightforward question and there probably isn’t a shoot-from-the-hip answer.

Left: Maurizio and family with His Holiness the Pope

Far left: Dr Maurizio Bragagni, CEO Tratos Ltd

I

talian-born British citizen Dr Maurizio Bragagni swapped a tranquil and scenic village in Tuscany to become an adopted son of the UK, a gamechanger for the fortunes of the Merseyside town of Knowsley and the driver of a new global future for his family business.

He recalls the day he started in his family business. He was handed work boots – ‘nice boots, actually’ he recalls – and a broom. It was not what he was expecting. He was working on the shop floor during the day and studying English at night.

Not bad for an ambitious young lawyer who, having just completed his doctorate in law at the University of Pisa, found himself invited to join the family’s cable making business Tratos, (www.tratosgroup.com)give up his plans and move to Britain with no English.

What he did get, apart from the fondly -remembered boots, was sound advice and mentoring. For all he was a million miles from Italy’s lofty legal circles, his uncle and his father were serious about his success. On his mentors’ advice he dropped his ‘Dr’ title. It was not really going to work with his colleagues on the shop floor.

He thought about it, recognised he wanted it, made the decision and, crucially, ‘burned his boats’. There was no going back. Not only was he in a strange country, but he was starting at the bottom. What he had in his favour was he was already an Anglophile. At school he would rather choose fencing over football. After all, as a small boy he had loved those old movies featuring swashbuckling on the high seas, bloodthirsty pirates and fearless Englishmen fighting for Queen and country.

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So how do you measure the value of this unusual career? Twenty years in the making, it’s still hard to quantify.

In that time he’s travelled thirty times round the globe with 79 countries visited, 395 new markets opened and 48,000 hours on the road and in the air. Just how long does it take, and how far do you have to travel, to create more than £1 billion worth of value?

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Left: Maurizio with HRH Prince Charles

Over the last 20 years this CEO has done all that - and kept a record. While he hasn’t added up the miles travelled he can count off the 36 offices set up worldwide, involvement in just under 130,000 negotiations and a hand in closing deals with 37,920 agents.

His family’s cable manufacturing business is one of the UK’s most unusual and enlightened – it has been built around quality and innovation and it’s standing on its own two feet in international markets. In 2019 it joined a very exclusive club.

It was one of a small number of companies recognised with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation. More it is also one of 35 companies

involved in the world-scale ITER project. Tratos developed and manufactured cable capable of withstanding an immensely harsh environment and perform without compromise in this, the world’s biggest fusion experiment aimed at mimicking the power of the sun to produce green energy.

A passionate supporter of the Northern Powerhouse initiative, Dr Bragagni chose Knowsley, Merseyside, as his UK manufacturing base. Why? Because his company’s mission - the same mission it’s had for more than half a century - is to create jobs in the areas that need them most.

He began his journey within the family business on September 1 2000. Since then he has been appointed Hon Consul for San Marino, been awarded an Italian Knighthood, been granted the freedom of the City of London, achieved a Masters in Business Administration from the University www.lancmag.com

of London Business School (formerly Cass) and accepted a number of honorary degrees and doctorates including a new role as an Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow at the University of London Business School.

Above: Esharelife children

He also founded the charity Esharelife, which raises money to fund proven education and skills training for some of the most disadvantaged children in Kenya’s slums, he is an advisor to the Government’s Department for International Trade, offering global industry insights to the Rt Hon Liz Truss as the Government pushed to sign off trade deals and every Christmas holiday he and his family choose to volunteer at food banks.

In Knowsley Dr Bragagni won over investors and soon a new purpose-designed factory was built in a town that had been one of the UK’s cable technology heartlands.

Along the way he focused on offering education and skills training to the Knowsley workforce and LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 165

set up the Tratos Academy - dedicated to opening up the world of innovation driven or enabled by cable. He continued to lead by example, going on to gain further Institute of Director qualifications at the highest level.

He said: “It’s Spring, a time of year for looking back - and forward to new beginnings for most of us. For me I’ve reached that 20-year landmark.

I’m reviewing the journey so far - and planning next steps. The world has not been itself, but it hasn’t always been smooth running over the last two decades. The Twin Towers abomination and the resulting War on

Terror shook the world. The financial crisis of 2008 seemed beyond rescue.

We came through, we will again.”

He’s a fervent supporter of the UN’s 17 sustainability goals and Tratos has signed up to deliver against every one, setting the company’s sustainability bar high and this year launching Tratos’ Sustainability Strategy.

Above: Maurizio far right with Tratos board and Theresa May

The author of three books about business, with a fourth due out soon selling on Amazon and Kindle with all proceeds going to Esharelife, what does he do in his spare time? The answer is there isn’t any. He and his wife have four daughters.

Bottom left Maurizio graduating at London Business School.

COMING SOON

Alice Cearreta Maurizio Bragagni

Maurizio Bragagni info@bragagni.uk mauriziobragagni Dr Maurizio Bragagni MBA

BREXIT, BUSINESS AND A BETTER BRITAIN

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Money, mistakes, magic and metamorphosis

Insight to Hindsight

The Art & Science of Making the Impossible Possible

BREXIT, BUSINESS AND A BETTER BRITAIN

Designed and produced by: acumencommunications.co.uk

by Dr Maurizio Bragagni MBA

Family Businesses

A two-year month-by-month social commentary offering surprisingly accurate foresight around events as they happened from one of Britain’s most innovative business leaders.

By Dr Maurizio Bragagni MBA

By Dr Maurizio Bragagni MBA

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PEMFiT UK Energising life

D

id you know that lightning strikes the earth approximately 10 million times per day? This high voltage phenomenon literally causes the ground on which we walk to pulse at low frequency with electromagnetic energy (known as Schumann resonance) and we all take it in our stride. The reason for this is that human beings are actually a bundle of electricity themselves, with every function, physical or mental, powered by electrical energy through our body.

The world’s natural electrical energy The earth itself has what is known as an electric magnetic field; an invisible area of energy. The ground itself emanates an electro-magnetic frequency which is low, but ever-present. For obvious reasons, the majority of us are not consciously aware of it in our day to day lives. As such, it can sound somewhat alien to talk about electrical energy in this way and the role it plays within our bodies. The reality is that we should all be paying more attention to it as we are losing the connection we have to this native EMF energy, and it’s to our own detriment.

Historically speaking, people were much more connected to the ground. We would wear natural fibre shoes and clothing, and spend more time working and generally living outdoors. Today, we are much more confined to buildings, and the we

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have multiple barriers to absorbing this natural energy of which we have always been in receipt.

We wear rubber-soled shoes and walk much less, our food isn’t homegrown or foraged. We also use equipment daily that emits a great deal of non-native unnatural electrical energy too so all in all, we end up with a balance that may not suit our bodies, and that’s when problems can arise.

Problems that Pete Marroni of PEMFiT UK is trying to address for those who visit his Pulse Studio sanctuary in Lancaster and Reading with what he calls “a big dose of nature”. I took some time to hear all about Pete’s services that are right here on our doorstep in the North West and was amazed at what I learnt. At the beginning of our conversation, Pete was very clear to point out that PEMFiT is “a wellness technology company, not healthcare.

We don’t diagnose, treat or cure anything. PEMF devices do not treat a specific condition. Instead, they support the body’s natural self-healing and self-regulating function. At Pulse Centers, we consider PEMF to be cellular exercise or passive exercise.” It sounded very interesting and I was keen to learn more.

Here’s what I found out about how PEMF plays a bigger part on the physical and mental wellbeing of us all, and just how we can recharge our levels to feel better on so many different levels. www.lancmag.com

EMF and the human body The body is filled with electricity, albeit at a low voltage – our energy and movements are powered

by ATP (Adenosine triphosphate). Diagnoses in hospitals can involve ECGs, EEGs and EMGs to find the root cause of the problems we face. Most of us are familiar with the term ‘electrolytes’ and know that these can become depleted when we exercise or become dehydrated and need restoring. In the past, well before the NHS, if you could afford to go to a doctor, the remedy for a multitude of ailments was to head to a Spa where you would expose yourself to different extremes of temperate, immerse yourself in natural spring water and drink it too. Alternatively, you might have been sent to the coast to talk long walks on the beach and breathe the fresh air or bathe in the mineral rich sea water.

All of this was to help restore the body’s natural balance and ability to produce more ATP, although at the time they didn’t understand the mechanism behind this until the German born British Nobel Prize winning biologist, physician and biochemist, Sir Hans Krebs, discovered this as a professor at Oxford university.

But why do we need the electrical energy for optimal wellness? Pete explains, “at a basic level our bodies are a bag of somewhere in the region of 100 trillion human cells. Each one of these cells www.lancmag.com

Left:

Pete Marroni is a like a mini battery to hold a charge and power the functions it needs to complete to keep the body healthy. Whether that be healing a wound, powering our movements, renewing tissue, thinking and speaking – whatever – the cell requires electrical energy to complete its task. And just like any other type of battery, the cells need to be charged.” He goes on to say just why the cells might become depleted of the electrical energy they require, “a combination of age, improper diet and electrolytes, a lifestyle which doesn’t allow it, genetics; all of these can have an impact on the cell function as the electrical energy becomes depleted over time. As a result of this, the cells fail to make the right amount of ATP which they need to do their job.”

And apparently, it also applies if you have suffered an injury. That’s simply because the cells will not only need their usual amount of energy to function, LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 169

they will need more voltage in order to quickly undertake the healing required. The production of a greater level of ATP requires a higher cell voltage, so if you’re already lacking, your recovery will be slowed. All of this started to make a little more sense to me as Pete continued, “Textbooks such as “Healing is Voltage” by Gerry Tennant MD, PhD state this is the reason we heal much more quickly in our youth – our cells hold a higher charge to begin with.

And I have made it my mission to focus on wellness to help others get to a healthy place, one they are happy with.”

It all sounds rather straightforward until you consider just how you can replenish electrical

energy within the body in a safe way! And that’s exactly where Pete specialises with his equipment which is the finest in the business, which I don’t say lightly. He runs what is known around the world as a Pulse Center in which you can find a piece of machinery that uses Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Fields or PEMF. The machines Pete uses at PEMFiT are the only two of this standard in Europe – both of which are here in the UK and both are run by Pete.

PEMF, PEMFiT Ltd and Pete PEMF has been studied scientifically for over 100 years so whilst it may sound like a new concept, that’s only because we aren’t really aware of it. The reality is that the science behind it is extremely robust and backed up by impressive institutions such as Yale Medical University. In 1932, they conducted research which proved that reduced electrical energy in the body is one of the main causes of feeling unwell and PEMF is able to give the energy levels of the body a boost. This would in turn allow the cells to do their job more successfully, 170

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PEMF has been studied scientifically for over 100 years so whilst it may sound like a new concept, that’s only because we aren’t really aware of it

supporting self-repair and optimising wellness.

PEMF is even approved by the FDA in the US (the Food and Drug Administration) and is used in many countries around the world to improve the body’s ability to address depression, injuries of the brain, stress incontinence problems and complex fractures that struggle to heal, known as non-union.

The PEMF machines specifically used by Pete is the Pulse Centers Excel Pro Elite System and is the best on the market. It is so good in fact, it is used by the likes of Madonna to prepare for tours, sports stars such as LeBron James and other celebrities such as Stevie Wonder and Gerard Butler. With endorsements such as that, who am I to argue with its efficacy?! The beauty of this impressive machine is the non-intrusive way it helps those who pay a visit to Pete’s studio in the heart of Lancaster, or indeed his even newer studio in Reading. The machine at PEMFiT can be used in ways which suit the individual so you might be seated or lay on the full body contoured bed. Pete will set the machine www.lancmag.com

to the appropriate level and it will work its magic on your cell energy while you relax.

The whole experience is a holistic one.

You’ll choose which music to listen to and the environment is designed to ensure a full sensory experience including aromas being filtered. The lighting is incandescent and bio-resonant. The stunning location in an old glassworks in Lancaster, has kept original stained glass windows from the 1700s and views of the castle, Priory and roman baths. The air is purified and you will even be able to enjoy ionically charged and structured water which will help facilitate the process of oxygenating the cells and speed up the ionic exchange. This then results in the body flushing itself of cellular debris more efficiently with the remaining ones working better. Pete says of the space, “clients seem to really love it here and I am pleased. I wanted to ensure they had a comfortable and relaxed experience at every visit. I’ve created an area of bio-resonance in order to boost the process as much as possible and given the results we have seen, it seems to be really working!”

and repair so my diet, lifestyle and use of PEMF technology means that I am truly a better version of myself today than I was back then.”

It’s hard not to be impressed when you hear all the intricacies of the PEMF technology, the fact that it is based on well-proven research and the natural energy of the world itself. It’s no wonder really that it can help clients at PEMFiT to be the best versions of themselves.

But regardless of how you look at it, he has to thank his clients for being his salesforce thanks to their amazing word of mouth marketing.

“Since opening last year, I haven’t had to do any advertising whatsoever,” Pete admitted, “and I’ve been extremely busy. The results my clients are seeing are so great that they can’t help but tell friends and family and soon they are booking in for themselves. The human body is such a wonderful thing, it has always been able to recover and maintain a state of homeostasis – it’s a shame our modern lifestyles may have challenged this.”

Whilst chatting with Pete, I couldn’t help but wonder how he discovered PEMF and how he became a trained and certified PEMF practitioner and global expert on PEMF, so he told me a little of his story. “I had been sick for 30 years and was fed up with it. I had been a healthy teenager and managed a very successful career as a Management Consultant within the automotive industry but I was constantly unwell. I did everything I was told to from a diet and lifestyle point of view and yet nothing helped. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome at one stage which can be debilitating. But onwards I continued, only to find myself feeling very unwell 5 or 6 years ago.

At this point I started to really explore other ways I could re-take control of my wellness and I eventually discovered the PEMF technology. I also took a much greater interest in how I was nourishing myself and the lifestyle I was leading and fortunately, the results have been fantastic for me.”

It turned out that Pete had malfunctioning mitochondria within his cells and it was this which needed supporting in order for his body to fight all the problems he was experiencing. Miraculously (or not really), it worked. In fact, if you look at pictures of Pete a few years ago compared to how he looks now, it’s like looking at a new man. But he himself states, “really, I am a new man! Our cells regenerate all the time, with areas such as the gut lining renewing every few days and the liver completely renewing every six to nine months. So the reality is that the person you are looking at today is made of much healthier cells and tissue. The quality of the regeneration of our cells all depends on what we put into them and the energy we have to grow www.lancmag.com

With technology like this on our doorstep and Pete’s plans for organic expansion over the coming years, clients will be facilitated to optimise their wellness and daily performance. If you want to find out more, or maybe even try a couple of sessions yourself, Pete has plenty of information on his website www.pemfit.co.uk. A quick chat with him will no doubt have you keen to try it and see how it helps your body perform at its best.

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World Earth Day

By Mark Bateman

S

tarted in the United States in 1970, World Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22nd to show support for environmental protection. It now includes events on a global scale taking place in over 190 countries, and involving millions of people, all co-ordinated by the Earth Day Network.

and they financed, printed, and mailed all the literature for the first Earth Day.

The origins of World Earth Day can be traced back to the tragic Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969 when a well blew – out off the coast of Santa Barbara. The resultant oil slick killed more than 10,000 seabirds, dolphins, seals, and sea lions.

The First Earth day in 1970 was a massive affair. It included activities in 2000 colleges and Universities, up to 10,000 primary and secondary schools, and in hundreds of U.S. communities. 20 Million Americans took to the streets to peacefully protest for environmental reform and legislation.

Environmental activists mobilised quickly to clean up the spill and also to create environmental education and legislation. Many of the earliest founders of Earth Day were on the front line of fighting the disaster. These included Selma Rubin, Marc McGinnes, Bud Bottoms and Denis Hayes all of whom were respected environmentalists.

Then later in 1969 at a UNESCO conference in San Francisco peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to celebrate the Earth and world peace on March 12, 1970.

Denis Hayes also commented that as well as this group Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin had been inspired to suggest a World Earth Day after seeing the devastation of the 800 square mile oil slick from his plane.

Nelson also proposed the idea to hold an environmental ‘teach- in’ on April 22nd, 1970 and hired Denis Hayes to be the national co-ordinator of the event.

It took a lot of work and financial muscle to get the first Earth Day organised and Hayes has commented that The United Auto Workers of America (U.A.W.) were instrumental in helping to support the first Earth Day. The U.A.W. gave $2000 as well as providing telephone capabilities

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As well as this Walt Kelly a renowned Disney animator created a poster with his well- known cartoon possum Pogo with the slogan, ‘We have met the enemy, and he is us,’ to publicise the event and encourage people to take action.

In New York Fifth Avenue was shut to traffic and Central Park was made available for Earth Day events and talks. Crowds of up to 20,000 at any one time flooded into the park and it is estimated that over 100,000 people in total attended events in Central Park.

Even the President got involved, Richard Nixon and the First Lady Pat Nixon planted a tree on the White House South lawn to honour the day.

Earth Day was then scheduled to take place every ten years and grew every year especially in its spread across the world. Its reach and influence got even bigger, in 1990, after 20 years, the event finally went massive on the world stage when it involved millions of people in over 100 countries.

Then in 2000 the Earth Day movement was able to harness the power of the internet for the first time and reach out to 5,000 environmental groups based outside of the U.S. With the internet now at the planning group’s disposal it was decided to turn Earth Day into an annual event. Celebrations for the Millennium were ramped up and long-term environmental campaigner Leonardo Di Caprio was brought in as the official host of the event.

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The growing influence of the movement could be seen in 2016 when the ‘Paris Agreement’ was signed on World Earth Day. It was an agreement signed by the U.S. China and 120 other countries that formulated a series of laws on climate change. Its central tenet was an agreement to keep annual global temperature increases to below 2 degrees centigrade, preferably closer to 1.5 This was to be done by reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases mainly Carbon Dioxide and Methane.

In 2017 a tool kit was created to help organisations wanting to hold ‘teach ins’ at local educational establishments.

The kit contained four elements which were. First, the Earth Day action tool kit which was about educating and activating communities for change.

The second was an environmental ‘teach-in’ toolkit. The third was how to get involved in a global conversation about the environment which involved local government and the final one was called, ‘Mobilize U’ and was a campus teach-in toolkit.

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school’s curriculum across the globe.

Then in 2019 the organisation turned its focus to a world- wide mission to reduce the use of plastics and especially single use plastics like water bottles. The organisation paired with ‘Keep America Beautiful’ and held a ‘National Clean – up Day’ with all States becoming involved.

In 2021 in the U.S., a new president means the environment is once again centre stage. President Joe Biden has convened a global climate summit to be held on Earth Day 2021. Also, in 2021 there will be a United Nations climate summit to urge all governments to make ‘climate literacy’ part of all

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But it’s not just in the U.S. that people are involved. Here in the U.K. people are being encouraged to get out and clean up their local environment. The foundation has even developed an ‘earth challenge’ mobile app which allows people to record data on their local area including water quality.

Insect populations, climate change and plastic pollution. It is hoped that the app will allow billions of individual observations from all across the world to build up data on each country’s environmental health.

The Earth Day foundation is also encouraging everyone to carry out their own, ‘act of green’ every day, whether this is recycling, litter picking or planting a tree there are many ways to get involved. Despite the pandemic Earth Day 2021 looks set to be the biggest one yet, so for inspirations and ideas of how to get involved go to www.earthday.org and continue helping to make this world a better place for future generations. www.lancmag.com

Adam Partridge Auctioneers

Della Robbia Ceramics

Della Robbia domed angel panel in the Renaissance style, with painter and modeller monograms and dated 1898

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any ceramic items are sold at auction in the category of decorative arts and some of the most distinctive were made locally in the north west of England. The Della Robbia factory was founded in 1894 by artist Harold Rathbone and sculptor Conrad Dressler. Dressler left in 1897 but Rathbone was joined for some time by sculptor and potter, Giovanni Carlo Manzoni. The influence of the dynastic Della Robbia family of sculptors and ceramicists is apparent in the name Rathbone chose for his company and his wares sought to replicate the modelling and glazes of 15th century Florence and Italian maiolica generally.

Rathbone came from a wealthy merchant family in Liverpool who were religious dissenters and reformers and he was able to combine improved working conditions in his factory with the influx of workers into Birkenhead.

Rathbone was interested in the revival of traditional handcrafted skills and pride in workmanship, using local materials. His rejection of mass production and belief that local people, including women, could be creative as artists, potters and designers, chimed with the ethos of the Arts and Crafts Movement and the Pre-Raphaelites. www.lancmag.com

Della Robbia ship mark with initials, probably Liz Wilkins

Della Robbia green glazed vase with incised decoration

Rathbone had been a pupil of Ford Madox Brown, his portrait was painted

by William Holman Hunt and he embraced the values of William Morris.

Della Robbia ceramics were sold

by Morris’s company, by Liberty of London and at art pottery exhibitions around Britain.

Many of the ceramic wares were domestic vessels: vases, chargers and dishes, but numerous plaques and architectural panels were also made to adorn the outside of local buildings, drawing on the angels and swags typical of the renaissance Della Robbia family combined with Burne Jones and other Pre-Raphaelite motifs. The finish was high gloss, tapping into the popularity of late Victorian glazed ceramics such as internal brickwork. The style and modelling were enhanced by colourful glazes, often scraped back, with strong use of sgraffito or incised decoration, and the distinctive colours running (deliberately) one into another, creating the Della Robbia look.

Other glazed wares were made at the time but Della Robbia ceramics seem to be the most vibrant. Their products are easily identifiable by the ship mark inscribed freehand on bases and backs,

flanked by D and R on either side.

Modellers and decorators also inscribed their own initials close to the ship mark.

In 1900 Della Robbia pottery joined with an ecclesiastical/architectural company and the art pottery part of the business became somewhat sidelined.

Despite Rathbones’s Arts and Crafts ethos and the distinctive product, Della Robbia pottery was not a financial success and the factory closed in 1906, having never made a profit. It is likely that Rathbone’s lack of business acumen was the problem, as it is said that the cost of making the pottery was greater than the price of the finished product.

However, with the current popularity of all things Arts and Crafts, and the rarity value of these objects created in such a small twelve year window of production, the desirability of Della Robbia ceramics now goes from strength to strength.

Adam Partridge Auctioneers is fortunate to have one of the country’s leading studio pottery and 20th century ceramics specialist who regularly attends our Macclesfield auction room and our Preston valuation office.

Please call for more information 01772 347 380.

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Easter gift roundup Here we have a few Moshi products that may be of interest for any Easter gift that you might be thinking of getting someone who doesn’t want chocolate.

From portable chargers, a crossbody wallet and iPhone accessories.

Moshi IonGo 5K Duo Portable Battery for iOS and Android – Available from Moshi for £74.95

With built-in Lightning and USB-C cables, you’re always prepared to power up wherever you go. This iOS and Android friendly-battery, guarantees to charge both devices simultaneously thanks to its bi-directional charging feature. Recharge your iPhone and IonGo 5K Duo at the same time so your battery is always topped up. Using the same battery technology used in the latest electric vehicles, the cells are optimized for charging, discharging, and low internal resistance.

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Moshi SnapTo™ Premium Vegan Leather Crossbody Wallet – Available from Amazon for £59.95

One wallet with many possibilities—hit the town in style with easy access to your cash, cards, and phone. The built-in SnapTo™ magnetic array allows you to simply snap on your phone to enjoy hands-free carrying and effortless removal to answer calls, snap photos, or attach to a Moshi SnapTo™ wall or car mount. Remove your phone from the SnapTo™ Crossbody Wallet with just one hand to answer calls, make a payment, or take photos. When you’re done, simply snap it back into place and a set of strong magnets keeps your phone secured inside the wallet for a safe carry.

A detachable and adjustable crossbody strap gives you handsfree convenience when on the go. Extremely versatile, it can be carried on the shoulder, crossbody, under the arm, or as a clutch.

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Moshi IonGo 5K Portable Battery with built-in Lightning and USB-A Cables – Available from Amazon for £69.95

This sleek portable battery features built-in Lightning and USB-A cables so you never have to worry about bringing extra cables with you again. Its 5,000 mAh capacity keeps you charged all day long, while a magnetic vegan leather cover keeps the cables neatly tucked away when not in use. Made from stylish vegan leather, this 5000 mAh battery comfortably fits into your pocket or bag for convenient carrying. IonGo 5K gives you approximately 100% more battery life for your iPhone, keeping you productive and connected all day long.

With pass-through charging, recharge your iPhone and IonGo 5K at the same time so your battery is always topped up.

Fast charging with a 12W output, it also uses the same battery technology used in the latest electric vehicles, the cells are optimized for charging, discharging, and low internal resistance.

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Moshi SnapTo Universal Car Mount with Wireless Charging – Available from Amazon for £79.95

Mount and charge your phone with just one hand. Seamless. No awkward arms to fiddle with or cables to search for in the dark. The charger supports fast wireless charging, keeping your phone powered up even when using GPS. 4 mounting options are available for your Tesla monitor, windshield, dashboard or car vent. Certified by the Wireless Power Consortium to ensure quality and reliability and with multiple options for mounting, it can be used on the windshield, dashboard or car vent for convenience. The car mount also works with Tesla and can be mounted to the central touchscreen to keep phones in plain view.

Moshi Overture Case with Detachable Magnetic Wallet – Available in Luna Pink or Jet Black from Moshi for £54.95

Moshi iVisor AG Antiglare Screen Protector – Available from Moshi for £29.95

Moshi Altra Slim Hardshell Case With Strap – Available from Moshi for £49.95

A premium 3-in-1 case and wallet that provides your phone with military-grade drop protection. The wallet features two card slots and a full-length pocket for cash and receipts.

Crafted from quality vegan leather, non-toxic and BPA-free materials. Compatible with our SnapTo Series of magnetic mounts. Overture fully encases your phone—including camera lenses—to help to protect them from scratches and bumps which can occur when placing the phone on a table, or in a bag with keys, coins and cables. Need to snap a photo? Simply lift your phone away from the wallet and you’re ready to shoot. Built to withstand the impact of daily life, Overture’s inner hardshell frame protects against drops and shocks and features a TPU pattern top improve grip when held in the hand. A raised bezel protects the touchscreen from scratches when laid flat and military-grade drop protection ensures your phone can withstand drops from all angles (MIL-STD-810G, SGS-certified).

iVisor AG is a matte, antiglare screen protector that provides complete edge-toedge protection to cover the full screen of your iPhone. Unlike other screen protectors, iVisor’s patented technology allows for an effortless installation and is guaranteed to be 100% bubblefree. Once installed, iVisor AG won’t affect screen clarity or touch sensitivity and edge-toedge coverage protects every inch of your iPhone’s touchscreen display. Surface-treated to maintain maximum clarity of your iPhone’s screen.

This slim case features a detachable wrist strap to open a new world of hands-free convenience.

The textured pattern improves grip on your phone.

Like all Moshi iPhone cases, Altra is 100% nontoxic and BPA-free. This case is compatible with the SnapTo Series. No need to juggle your phone when you’ve got your hands full; keep it within easy reach and protect against expensive drops. Moshi’s exclusive quick-release ring design allows you to easily remove the wrist strap and place the phone flat on the table, upright on a wireless charging stand or in the pocket. For added protection, Altra is treated with Moshi’s proprietary NanoShield™ antimicrobial coating which kills germs and bacteria upon contact. Altra’s textured grip provides improved purchase while holding one-handed or taking photos, and soft-touch buttons provide easy access to key controls. Built to withstand the impact of daily life, Altra also provides militarygrade drop protection, tested to ensure your phone can withstand drops from all angles (MIL-STD-810G, SGS-certified).

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Ultra-hard outer layer resists scratching from keys, coins, and other hard objects for longlasting protection

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Antonella Talks Fashion Sometimes when we are struggling with our mental health, we can feel extremely lonely, it feels that the whole world does not understand what is wrong, and that is because, often we don’t know either. No one’s anxieties or struggles are the same, we are all in the same boat right now, however we are all riding those waves differently. That doesn’t mean that you are on your own, because you’re not. There are many people, including myself that are struggling with mental health issues now more than ever, and that’s okay.

My advice is, to talk about how you are feeling to someone, please don’t bottle up your feelings and think that nobody cares, because they most definitely do. You are NOT a burden and you DO matter.

It’s important to find a positive in every day, I was making my bed and felt incredibly unmotivated and really couldn’t be bothered, I then realised how lucky I was to actually have a bed, when many people don’t actually have the luxury of being able to sleep in the comfort of a bed. Sometimes when we are anxious or suffering from depression, it is good to put life into perspective. We are extremely lucky to just be blessed with life. So many people have lost their lives, loved

Well hello F lowerpots, Welcome to my most recent blog, this one is going to be a bit different than your usual Nelly Blog as today I would like to talk about a little bit of fashion but mostly about mental health. For everyone who doesn’t know me already, I became a hit on social media when I started reviewing products, Antonella the uncensored reviewer was quickly born, and all is history. I am also co-owner of the wonderful boutique Ruby and Daisy alongside Helena and Louie where we have a huge range of beautiful, affordable clothing that is accessible for everyone. In 2019 I became an ambassador for mental health, as this is something that is very close to my heart and I would very much like to talk to you about this.

I want to be completely honest with you all, lockdown three has been difficult. I have been shielding due to having chronic brittle asthma which has meant that I have been on my own most of the time for most days. I am lucky that I can see my mum every now and then as she is in my bubble, we have to make the most of these days as they are few and far apart. It has been very hard; I am a social butterfly that enjoys the company of other people. I thrive from human interaction and no amount of zoom calls can bring the warmth of another person’s love.

Need it now Nelly top £10

However, I am a huge believer that we are our own strength, there are many things that we can do to cope with how we are feeling right now, we know that tensions are high, mental health issues are rapidly on the rise due to the pandemic and I wanted to tell you that you are not alone.

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Foggia £10

and show up. Why not try something new? Taking up a new hobby can give you something to distract your mind. Did you also know that a healthy diet and exercise can affect your mind massively? They do say, you are what you eat. I often find when I am struggling with my mental health that I want to eat anything and everything in sight, I want to binge and I can’t be bothered doing any exercise whatsoever. However, from experience I now know that this isn’t how it should be, I have to get up, be strong, eat healthily and keep fit, and I know that it helps improve my mindset and it’ll help change yours.

Set yourself achievable goals every day, it’s important that we have something to work towards, even if it’s something really small it really doesn’t matter, once you get through your goals you will feel a sense of achievement. This makes you feel that you’re making a difference, that kind of euphoria you feel when you complete your daily tasks can help so much. Goal setting can massively help change your mindset, it gives you a sense of self worth, and we know all too well that anxieties can cause us thoughts or self-doubt and worthlessness. Let me tell you, you are important, I know that and it’s time that you learnt how to love yourself again.

Loving yourself is something that we work on massively at Ruby and Daisy, we believe that everyone deserves to love how they look in their clothing and know how it feels

ones and friends due to this incredibly unforgiving virus.

Please remember that life is precious and your life matters.

Lazy Lounge Suit £22

When we are feeling vulnerable and weak, it’s important that we stay strong, but also at the same time to be humble when you are feeling victorious. To people who don’t or who have never suffered from mental health issues, I ask you one thing. Be kind, please. You don’t know how close someone may be to breaking, you may see your colleague, your neighbour or family member as the person who always wears a smile, however they may be struggling more than you know. It is often that the people who would do anything to make others happy, do it because they wouldn’t ever want anyone else to feel how they do inside. It doesn’t ever cost anything to check on someone, to be kind and even pass a compliment. Mental health isn’t contagious, so please don’t be like the moon and hide away from those who may need you the most.

I want to make something very clear to you all, mental health doesn’t define who you are, I ask you to be brave and keep fighting as this feeling is not permanent. The storm will pass, we just have to keep going. Be disciplined with yourself; it’s so easy to fall into a rut when you’re feeling all of these emotions, the lack of motivation and exhaustion can be crippling. Make sure that you get up, get dressed www.lancmag.com

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to be loved. This is why we created affordable fashion for women of all different shapes, sizes and backgrounds. We are so aware that not is everyone as lucky as us in life so in December we gave away over £1,100 of clothing away to a charity called SAFE, this charity works tirelessly to help women and children who fall victim to domestic violence. This gave hope and a little bit of light to women who have dealt with unimaginable circumstances and we are forever grateful that we were given the opportunity to be able to help these women.

Zippy Heart Sweat £30

Many of us have been working from home throughout the pandemic, the usual coming home from work and swapping from casual to pjs was scrapped last year and loungewear is the new all day workwear. Our lazy lounge suit has been a massive hit with you all due to its price and ultimate comfort, at just £22 it’s an absolute bargain and we have a range of different colourways to suit every kind of workday you’re having. If you’re feeling a little more professional and want to dress up for lets say a zoom meeting, we have our Zippy Heart Sweat, again coming in a huge range of colours, you can tailor your day to suit how you’re feeling. At only £30 it’s a great price and the big heart emblem is a symbol of spreading the much needed love we feel like we’re missing out on at the moment.

Fitting up to a size 24/26, this garment really is perfect for our curvier ladies.

Now; let’s talk about layering, and bottling up those feelings, many of us take on problems and more issues, we bottle them up, and then feel like we need to erupt. Each layer becomes harder and harder to deal with until bang, we’ve gone off like a bottle of pop. It’s important to talk about those feelings and strip each layer down so that we don’t get overwhelmed by these emotions. The only kind of layering that we like at Ruby and Daisy is layering up our clothes in the cold.

So the next item I’d like to talk about it the Foggia, coming in a small range of colours, this is a perfect layering piece, it can also create a contrasting colour underneath shorter tops, and 180

at only £10 it’d be rude not to have a few different colourways. Layer our cosy Need it Now Nelly Top over the top of the Foggia to create the perfect layered outfit. This understated top comes in at only £10 so with our Foggia you can have two garments for just £20 which is a fantastic price!

I would like to end, my flowerpots by saying, let’s work together to break the stigma of mental health, we always have and always will be more powerful in numbers. We will survive this together and no matter how stormy the days can get, there’s a piece of sunlight waiting at the end of

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the tunnel for you. No matter how long or short that tunnel may be, there’s a fight that you will have to get there, but it doesn’t have to be done alone.

So please, stand up, show up, and speak out.

Lots of love until next time F lowerpots

Keep strong

Love from your Auntie Nelly

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Colour and Style

www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

Our section on Colour and Style with Sarah Harris from ‘Colour Me Beautiful’

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he Joy of colour shone through on the catwalks alongside the classic neutrals, a reflection of our inner aspirations for happiness and stability after the uncertainty of 2020.

Pantones colours Illuminating yellow paired with ultimate grey showed the connection between sunshine, warmth and light hand in hand with practicality, stability and a rock solid neutral.

Fashion reflects life, culture and circumstance and looking at the seasons colours and styles we are seeing many sorbet colours alongside tropical patterns showing our want to travel.

Floral designs, paisley and polka dots.

Sustainability and looking after our environment has really taken front stage this season and has been simmering for some time as we are encouraged to re-use, re-cycle and re-design.

Designers have used clashing pieces to capture this vibe.

Creatives have gone wild with excitement and classics have looked in horror but do not despair clashing can look very chic! Mixing stripes or spots of different sizes can look very tasteful especially if the colours are similar.

Highlights of the Spring/summer 2021 season

I’m Sarah Harris and I’m a Colour and Style Consultant who trained with Colour Me Beautiful the world’s leading Image consultants. My background is in fashion and after leaving school at 16 I travelled to London to work as a Fashion/photographic model, I enjoyed the life and it allowed me to travel the world, during my career I also worked in wholesale/retail within the fashion industry. I learnt all about fabrics, business, international companies and trying all those clothes on – the quality, cut and fabric. I took a break from the business when I married and had our two children. I retrained as an Image consultant with Colour Me Beautiful who have been changing the lives of women and men for over 35 years.

I’d like to inspire you with Colour, Style and skincare tips every month, I’m hoping to give you an interesting read. If there is something that you would like to know about please email me and I will do my best to help.

Email: sarah@sarahharrisstyle.co.uk www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

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romanticising with frills and fringing, making us dream of exotic islands and dancing the night away on a sandy beach with water that’s clear and warm. Sipping a cocktail and watching the sun set. Pure escapism side by side with shoulders that mean business!

This season we are looking at shoulders but not like in the 80’s with shoulder pads this seasons shoulders are sharp, clothes hang from a clear line. Great for anyone with a triangular body shape but avoid if you’re an inverted triangle.

Some key Trends that we will probably have in our wardrobes from past seasons:- Shoulder definition - Pleats - Puff Sleeves - Wide Trousers - Ruffles and Fringing - Denim It seems that designers have been looking through their wardrobes and cleverly building a season of what we already have. Showing us how to revamp the paisley and polka dots by mixing patterns and sizes. Giving us a glimpse and hope of a bright future by adding tropical prints, floral displays and www.lancmag.com

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Pleats have been around for sometime and I’m sure if you look in your wardrobe you will find some but remember your scale and proportions, the Max Mara trousers above would drown a petite frame so less fabric would be better.

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Puff sleeves have been around since Spring 2018 and keep returning season after season. Your style personality and scale will dictate the amount of detail, volume and indeed pattern that you will be drawn to.

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The Romantic Style personalities will love this seasons ultrafeminine ruffles! They were all over the catwalks along with fringe and I know that if you’re a classic style personality you will be running for the scissors!!

You can say good-bye to the low-risers and straight leg trousers as trousers are getting higher, wider and more comfortable - they may be belted, gathered or drawstring!

A key trend is splits in Trousers from tiny ankle cuts to full thigh high!

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Key points to remember

As with trousers jeans are also going high rise this season, at last comfort! Again a trend from the 80’s! Denim is a winner and the choice of styles, shades and fluidity abound. Pockets on the front and back like the Mango and Victoria Beckham jeans, however, don’t forget to empty them before washing!!

If your style personality is Classic don’t worry as the double dip dark denim is very Chic and stylish. There is something for everyone this season.

The key to remember is that patterns are different sizes, some are tiny and some are large and as a personal stylist I show my clients what patterns and shapes look best on them.

Working in the fashion industry I know that everyone is unique and not every size 12 is the same. Every designer has an inhouse model, and every model has their unique size. Clothes shops have a range of sizes from 4-24 sometimes called xs/s/ m/L/xl/xxl, have you ever been in one shop and noticed the sizes are smaller or larger than in another? Whichever brand you purchase from is different to another and therefore size becomes unimportant, it really acts as a starting point. As we know something in one shop may look better in a 12 whereas in another a 10 is much better or even a 14. I tell my clients that size doesn’t matter for this reason and it is only and should only be used as a guide.

Companies have to design around the people in their community and therefore when shopping abroad you will again find different sizing and styles, more suited for the community it is around.

And what about the patterns and fabrics of items, they are also different shapes and sizes and textures, some are fluid and others much stiffer. As a personal stylist this is what I am looking at, if, for example, my client’s scale is petite I need to look at patterns that are suitable for someone with a petite frame. Have you ever bought a dress/top with a big flower print on it and when you look in the mirror it takes over the whole look and you are concentrating on the print? What is the colour like is it overpowering also. These are questions that I am thinking when looking at my clients in clothes.

So when you are purchasing items of clothing or sorting through your wardrobes take the time to look at all these details and it will help you create a wardrobe that suits you.

Enjoy all the joyful colours and styles of the season and remember your wardrobe is already full of inspiration if you are struggling with putting together a capsule wardrobe I can help you.

Look after yourselves and each other.

Warm wishes,

Sarah x

www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

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sarah@sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

www.lancmag.com

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hroughout the turbulence of the past 12 months, many of us have seen fit to do a great deal of soul searching. We’ve had to dig deep to remain positive, focused, motivated and happy and if we’re honest, a lot of us have found it challenging. But this shift in our attention towards how we feel and our inner peace isn’t a phenomenon that started as the result of a global pandemic. In fact, it has been on many radars for the past few years – which was still perhaps a little later than we should have woken up to it.

The effects of poor mental health are becoming increasingly well-publicised (and rightly so), for they can have a truly devastating effect on not only the individual suffering, but the loved ones who surround them too. So it’s high time companies started to spread some hope and positivity and that’s what Stephanie Dunleavy and her partner, Jasper Ibrahim started to do with Soul Analyse.

Launched in 2016, Soul Analyse is not based here in the North West like the other companies we feature, but the message from Soul Analyse is spreading far and wide, and it’s one that should resonate with all of us. We spoke with Stephanie to hear their story, and were impressed with what she had to say…

The dark Sadly, some of the best stories of entrepreneurialism are borne out of difficulty because this is what forces us to re-evaluate everything. From our belief-system, to what is important and also, how we want to live our lives.

And that’s exactly what happened to Stephanie.

Her father unfortunately passed away suddenly, aged just 46, from cancer. The grief she experienced plunged her into a period of darkness as you would expect, and she says of the years that followed; “The two years that followed Dad’s death were a tumultuous whirlwind. I felt like I’d had the rug pulled out from underneath me. Life felt so unstable and uncertain. I couldn’t seem to find peace, and I started spiralling out of control. I was selfsabotaging and not taking care of myself, which led to me feeling very depressed.”

Steph admits she “was at an all-time low” and was really struggling to feel any happiness at all and this was after a hard upbringing too. They had very little money and she lived in an environment which allowed her to develop very self-limiting beliefs as to what she was capable of achieving. Jasper himself had also been through some emotional difficulties but the pair had each other at least. That, coupled with an attitude of wanting to feel better, made all the difference as they worked together to overcome their grief and other issues.

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their life in order to enjoy a more positive mindset.

This is often easier said than done, as they were to find out, but one they stuck at. Stephanie says they both introduced “mindfulness, gratitude and affirmations to our daily habits” and were astounded at how quickly their lives seemed to change once they altered their perspective.

But how did it all come about? One evening, when Steph was struggling particularly badly with her emotions, Jasper introduced her to the talks of the late Louise Hay. Louise is acknowledged to be one of the original founders of the self-help movement and Jasper had started to listen to what she was saying. Given the dark place Steph was in at that time, she initially felt irritated by this noise emanating from Jasper’s laptop and was closed off to the concepts raised. But it wasn’t long before she really started to hear what was being said.

“I remember this feeling of serenity, calm, and possibility coming over me,” Steph says of the start to her awakening. “What Louise was saying felt real, authentic, and really resonated. I stared at the screen in disbelief, because something had just clicked. Hearing that we can all change our lives based on what we think was incredible. Back then, that was a totally new concept for me.”

The words of Louise Hay spoke so deeply to Steph that she started making changes in her daily life almost at once and both her and Jasper began with the use of straightforward affirmations. Before long, her home was adorned with Post-It notes stuck everywhere, allowing her to read positive affirmations wherever she turned. “I wrote phrases such as ‘You can do this. You are strong,’ because I felt so weak at that time. Just seeing that message to myself was the boost I needed,” Steph explained.

The positive changes to both Steph and Jasper’s life were clear. They both acknowledged how successful this simple action of introducing positive affirmations and the power of thought was, and dreamed of starting their own business to help others. The visible affirmations helped them through the tough times and they wanted others to benefit in the same way.

Their voyage of self-discovery wasn’t to end there, however, and the pair decided to go travelling after finding a notebook which advised them to ‘Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air’. Seeing the world and spending time discussing idea after concept after dream, they really considered what might be possible for them. Steph said, “We started to live with purpose.

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received. We’d write in that notebook every day, and flesh out ideas; how we could change our own mindsets to grow something that had meaning, and help others too.” They had also started a blog to help others become more positive, ardent in their belief that your mindset can power your life for the better.

A trip to Vegas showed them that there was a trend on its way in terms of this positive thinking and it reconfirmed everything they already knew.

Upon returning to the UK, Steph and Jasper decided to go for it with their business of selling jewellery (bracelets initially) adorned with positive affirmations. They started selling them via their blog to ensure people always had a positive reminder with them, that they could refer back to repeatedly throughout the day in order to give them whatever boost they needed, whenever they needed it. But it wasn’t all to be plain sailing.

The rough Despite having made serious connections with manufacturers whilst travelling, and having designed many of the pieces already, setting up a business was not to be light work. And the pair certainly liked to make it tough on themselves!

Steph was five months pregnant at the time with their first baby, they were living in Jasper’s mum’s house and they had just £1,000 to their name.

Stephanie looks back on that time saying, “we had just £1,000 in the bank and decided to put our full faith into the jewellery collection. It was an exciting time for us but also extremely difficult; we weren’t able to buy a single item for our baby and relied heavily on hand-me-downs from family and friends.”

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With no money for a marketing budget and a new born to care for, the business started very slowly at first but the one thing they never lost was their faith. She remembers with a certain fondness, “in those early days our passion really kept us going and we found a way to juggle parent/work life.

There were many times where I was feeding the baby with one hand, balancing my laptop on my lap and taking notes with the other hand.” But it’s a story they would never change.

Launched from Jasper’s mum’s front room, Steph admits, “we didn’t have any experience to be honest. We had an idea, we felt it was right, had meaning, and it could help people – and we ran with it.” And that first year continued to be difficult with money always a problem. “It was obvious to others that we were really struggling, and they questioned what we were doing, but we just kept going. Even if we only had one sale a day, we knew we were doing something substantial. We were helping that one person,” Steph said and it was that which kept them going.

The smooth This absolute faith in what they were doing and the dogged determination to keep going in the face of adversity eventually started to reap rewards.

Whilst there had been no money for a marketing budget, the pieces were so striking that they were picked up by celebrities such as Gok Wan and Rebecca Vardy. The pieces were featured in Elle magazine and the WeightWatchers magazine too.

This was the sort of promotion you can’t pay for and is testament to the impact the jewellery has on mindset of the wearer.

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Today, Steph and Jasper are even more grateful than they were at the start. Steph says “I say thank you every day. In the early days, Jasper and I held hands every time we got an order and said thank you, out loud. I’m a big believer that gratitude multiplies blessings, and what you give out comes back. When I think back on those times, I know that they were really hard, but they were also really special.”

Steph and Jasper still take inspiration from the words of Louise Hay but they also listen to other inspirational speakers such as Wayne Dyer. Their daily self-care now centres around this type of positivity and Steph is the first to acknowledge the impact it has had on their ability to create this business. She also ensures she takes the time to read and respond to customers who share their own story with her. Steph says, “being able to listen to their experiences is really powerful. I’ve had many calls where I’ve shared my own stories too, because if I can say something that might help, or let them know they’re not alone, I want to do that. I honestly think that’s why I was called to set up Soul Analyse, and that means the world to me.”

‘I am enough’ and ‘I am loved’ were etched onto beautiful bracelets so the owner could be constantly reminded of their own value, ability and self-worth.

Now, the ranges have broadened to include quotes from iconic people throughout history as well as other inspirational symbols that will empower the wearer. There are even crystals included to encourage positive energy flows.

Bracelets of multiple styles, rings, necklaces, sets and watches are all within the different collections, each striking and wearable in many different ways.

And they are affordable too which only adds to the wide appeal.

The present and the future

So what does the future hold? The business so far has grown from strength to strength and despite the early hardships, Soul Analyse was turning over in excess of £1 million per year in no time at all.

Perhaps world domination is on the horizon? Steph and Jasper are keen to keep true to themselves and their ethos which saw them set up Soul Analyse.

It’s the belief that a positive mindset will have a great benefit to your life and they want to spread that word to as many others who are struggling as possible. It has certainly worked for them and their business so who are we to argue?

The positivity and inspiration which freely flows out of the Soul Analyse enterprise is of course one of the key reasons they have seen so much success over the past few years. But let’s be honest, jewellery needs to be aesthetically pleasing in order to attract customers and pleasing it is. The original ‘I am’ range was centred around just three words in a powerful message. Phrases such as ‘I am strong’,

Visit their website, www.soulanalyse.com to browse the full collection and select your own perfectly positive pieces.

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A couple of summers ago, a family from India came into my shop.

Almost immediately the father came over to me and addressed me by name.

He knew my name because his son had been in a few days earlier and we had chatted for a while.

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nyone that frequents my shop will know that I am a bit of a chatterbox. This is part of the reason I love my job. Every day is different and it is directed by the people that come in, be they customers, visitors, friends or deliveries.

The father started by thanking me for the way I had treated his son. He went on to explain that they had only arrived in the City earlier that week. As his son was going to be left here to study at Lancaster University, he thought he would throw him in at the deep end by telling him that he had to go and explore the University and City by himself.

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proud of being part of Lancaster, an adopted Lancastrian. He waxed lyrically about the City, its businesses and its people. So helpful.

So kind. So welcoming. These were the statements he was making.

He explained that he was a factory owner back home, and as a result of his business, he had travelled to many different countries and to many great City’s. Lancaster was the stand out City for him and he was happy to leave his son here, for what was to be three years.

There can be no greater compliment to a place, or to its people, than to have a stranger entrust their child to you, for safe keeping and nourishment. When our children, as very

Above: The Ashton Memorial sits on one of the two hills overlooking Lancaster. The Castle sits on the other.

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young adults, go off to a strange place, usually knowing no one, this is indeed what we are doing.

Albeit in different contexts, the very same sentiments are offered on a fairly regular basis about Lancaster, and that got me thinking. Lancaster has been welcoming people for a long time.

Lancaster has a two thousand year history. It was a Port even before the Romans arrived, circa 60AD. The Romans set up their Fort where Lancaster Castle now sits proudly overlooking the City. The Romans took our hospitality for around 400 years, calling it ‘Loncastre’. So called, because ‘castre’ is Latin for Fort and ‘Lon’ for Loon, the river Lune as we call it today. Fort on the river Lune.

Above & left: A memorial to captured Africans used in the slave trade in Lancaster

Roman Bath House

‘Loncastre’ was mentioned in the Doomsday Book (interestingly this was written in Latin), a manuscript record of the “Great Survey” of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror, who as you know, conquered in 1066. ‘Loncastre’ became a borough in 1193 under King Richard I.

Lancaster’s status as a Port, as directed by a 1750 Act of Parliament, brought a great deal of wealth, and helped the growth of industry. Mahogany was one of the products imported which was used by Gillows of Lancaster. Gillows & Co later merged with Waring of Liverpool to become the more well known ‘Waring & Gillow’. World famous for their beautiful furniture, panelling and even staircases.

Below: The Judges Lodgings which inside has Waring & Gillows Furniture and Panelling

The Maritime Museum

The House of Lancaster battled with the House of York for control of England in the ‘Wars Of The Roses’, 1455 - 1487. Lancaster and York are still, to this day, represented

by Red and White roses respectively. This is followed by further dark events, namely the trial and hanging of the Pendle Witches, 1612, and Lancaster’s part in the abhorrent ‘slave trade’ years. www.lancmag.com

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Another industrialist, James Williamson also called Lord Ashton, left a lasting legacy in the City. Lord Ashton was the ‘Linoleum King’, manufacturer of the product that is now found ever where, lino. He was one of the City’s major employers and had built many of the City’s finest buildings including Ashton Hall, the Town Hall, Ryelands House and the stunning Folley, Ashton Memorial, nestled proudly in 54 acres of parkland and is visible from anywhere in Lancaster.

Above & left: The stunning Ashton Memorial with its Butterfly House sat in 54 acres of parkland

Right: The majestic Lancaster Castle, Lancaster Priory Church and you can just see the River Lune

Lancaster is often just thought of as a Market Town or a University town. Both is true. Two of the finest Universities nourishing around twenty thousand students a year.

Lancaster gained its first Charter and the right to hold a weekly market and an annual fair, in 1193.

Lancaster has lived through conquests, disease, civil wars, the industrial revolution and two World Wars.

Modern day Lancaster is a Georgian City filled with treasures from its illustrious past. Lancaster Castle is an afternoons viewing in itself. A part of it is still used as a Court, but a tour of what is one of the most complete Castles in Europe, is an absolute must.

Take the cobbled path from the Lancaster Priory (next to Lancaster Castle) past the remains of Roman Baths on to St Georges Quay where the Maritime Museum. Many of the old warehouses are still there, just repurposed. As with any place you visit, you must venture down the side streets and covered yards. Here is where you will often find the heritage buildings like the ‘Music Room’, on Sun Street.

There are a further three museums, The Judges Lodgings, City Museum and Cottage Museum, but the Georgian architecture can be enjoyed by simply walking around the Streets, whilst taking in the amazing shops, bars and eateries.

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Above & left: The ‘Music Room’.

Owned by the Landmark Trust and has been restored to its former glory.

the oldest in the country, dating back to 1782, and has been in near continuous use all of this time. There are countless Events and Festivals to take in, most are free and for all to enjoy. All this history is contained within one square mile.

One of the many things I love about Florence, is how compact it is. Lancaster also has this advantage – no we don’t have the Ponte Vecchio or the Uffize Gallery – but we have far more than many other towns and cities have, but most people have yet to visit us. www.lancmag.com

Lancaster Priory Church

Above: Lancaster Town Hall in Dalton Square

Despite all its heritage and assets, Lancaster has managed to stay compact, and to put that into context, here are the most recent population figures I could quickly find; York 209,900, Chester 118,200, Bath 88,859 and Lancaster 52,234.

As you will appreciate, a day trip will not allow you to take in Lancaster and everything it has to offer. Twenty Twenty-One is very likely to be the year of the ‘Stay-cation’ and to that end, we have no shortage of fantastic accommodation for you to book into. Whether you want City centre, or not, there is such a stunning selection to consider.

We launched our Facebook Group (TotallyLocalLancaster) four months ago and we now have over seven thousand Members.

This prompted us to launch our own website to showcase Lancaster through our eyes, experience our passion for the City.

Although we will continue to further develop the website, it is your guide to all that is Lancaster; The City That Loves To Welcome People……

totallylocallancaster.co.uk Left: City Museum

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Paul Cusimano Joseph Clothing, Lancaster LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 195

Our award-winning style guru, Moo, has worked in television for over 20 years with presenters including Natasha Kaplinsky, Kirsty Young, Kirsty Gallacher and is now a personal stylist to us ‘normal women’ sharing all the inside tricks of the trade. If you’d like any personal styling advice or to see more tips please visit www.moostyle.co.uk ‘Style over substance’ is a phrase oft’ bandied around. Suggesting that these are polar opposites; you have to choose one not only over the other, but instead of the other. It reinforces that valuing ‘style’ is superfluous and could be suggested particularly looks to undermine the more traditionally female values. It’s not that long ago after all that women were told that to be the perfect housewife necessitated running the household as well as looking fabulous with coiffed hair and lipstick. Luckily these days are in the history books. Well, I hope so. The women of 2021 have

already shown though that style and substance are incredible allies.

How you express yourself outwardly, which includes what you’re wearing, assists people in understanding you, your values and what is important to you. We communicate visually as well as audibly. The Royal family have used their clothes for years as a way of expressing themselves, as of course they have to be very careful about what they actually say. ‘A picture is worth more than a thousand words’ is never more prevalent when you know a photo of what you’re wearing will end up

on the front of all the newspapers around the world. Thus when Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge travels the world she often wears clothes from that country’s designers to show how she supports them.

She shows her values by rewearing clothing again and again - that sustainability is important to her and she is like us with her younger children Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis wearing hand-me-downs from Prince George. Catherine, herself, has been photographed wearing the same pair of Penelope Chilvers boots since 2004!

President Biden’s inauguration showed in incredible terms how style can represent values, history and politics. Style is a strong platform to use. The wonderful inaugural poet Amanda Gorman made her presence even larger by wearing her hair in crochet buns piled high on her head. This in itself made a political statement as Black women have frequently been encouraged to eschew their own traditional way of twisting or crocheting their hair to conform to the more accepted Western way of straight hair. Not only did she use this to make herself appear taller, she also drew attention to it with a bright red padded Prada headband (which sold out immediately!) and gold hair jewellery.

This was no shrinking violet move.

Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman at the inauguration ceremony. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., Jan. 20, 2021 196

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Amanda also wore jewellery gifted to her by cough, cough Oprah Winfrey, no less. The ring was a stunning birdcage www.lancmag.com

Jennifer Lopez singing at the inauguration ceremony. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., Jan. 20, 2021 design and surely a symbolic reference to Maya Angelou’s 1969 memoir ‘I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings’.

Maya was a civil right activist and the first female inaugural poet ever at Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration.

She was the first female AND the first African American poet to participate in a recitation for a U.S. president’s inauguration. Oprah also gifted Maya items to wear when she performed in 1993. The statement that just a ring can make shouts volumes – this one highlights history, politics, feminism and friendship. I love that Lady Gaga chose the dove of peace as her jewellery statement. Just a small understated one as we expect from Lady G! As a personal stylist I work on finding out your style personality. Which is how you express yourself via the clothes you are wearing. It’s really fascinating as once you match your external expression to your internal self, you feel happier in the clothes you chose. This not only helps how you feel about yourself but also means www.lancmag.com

you save money and time. How? It means you get the wear from your clothes as you reach for them again and again, and don’t need further expenditure on different ones. It also saves time as you don’t need to keep flicking through your wardrobe to find something that you want to wear. For instance, I definitely do not have a romantic side to my style personality.

So if I bought something that had lots of detail, small print or made with lace it would languish at the back of my wardrobe. But give me something that has a mismatch of colour or an asymmetric hem and I’m all in.

That’s because I have a creative style personality. Don’t worry you can have a few style personalities in your mix and it also may be that you have to be a certain one in your work persona and flip to another at home. If you ever fancy knowing more about this, please do join my Moo Style VIPs on facebook or contact me via my website moostyle.co.uk. I honestly think it’s a real game changer when it comes to feeling happier with your wardrobe and feeling your authentic self.

It’s not only the style you chose that can express your personality and highlight your beliefs but also the colour you chose. Hillary Clinton was well known for her white ‘pants suit’ as they call it in America and Jennifer Lopez looked fabulous in a white Chanel trouser suit at the inauguration. White was part of the suffragettes’ colour scheme that was devised by Emmeline PethickLawrence, the co-editor of Votes for Women. Purple (which represents loyalty) is synonymous with the cause; white was worn to represent purity and green for hope. Even back in the early 1900s women were choosing colours to outwardly reveal their beliefs and commitment to a cause.

Although it is joyful to see women still using those colours in such a prominent position and staging, it’s woeful that they are still needed. It has taken too long to have a woman reach the highest political positions in America and J. Lo was not letting us forget that.

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Vice President, Kamala Harris swears at the Inauguration ceremony. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. , Jan. 20, 2021 Vice-President Kamala Harris looked resplendent in purple. Not only as a nod to female political history but also an incredible bipartisan and unifying move. Purple after all is a mix of blue (Democrats) and red (Republicans).

Her choice of colour therefore was a visual representation of President Biden’s promise that he would be president to all of America, those that voted for him and those that didn’t.

Fortuitously purple as a mix of a warm (red) colour and a cool (blue) colour also suits all colours. So, yes, she also looked amazing in it (as you will too).

Dr. Biden used another mix of warm and cool colours – teal. If you don’t know what colours suit you, then I always recommend purple and teal as these work on all colourings and we call those ‘universal’ colours. Get those colours high up near your face, perhaps as a scarf, and your skin will glow.

Dr. Biden chose white for her second outfit of the day (once again a reference to the suffragette 198

Lady Gaga sings the U.S. National Anthem at the Inauguration ceremony. U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., Jan. 20, 2021

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movement) designed by Uruguayan designer Gabriela Hearst. The designer is known for her support of sustainable fashion and noted on her Instagram posts that the inspiration for the flower-embroidered dress and coat was unity. All the federal flowers from every state and territory of the United States for America were included. Dr. Biden was visually representing her husband’s beliefs and values. She also included a hand embroidered quotation from Benjamin Franklin (one of the American Founding Fathers) inside the coat “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember.

Involve me and I learn.” Let’s not forget Dr. Biden is an amazing educator in her own right and intends to keep on working in education whilst serving as First Lady. So she reminded us that she is her own woman as well.

Amanda Gorman also used colour as a statement. Shining bright like the sun, her yellow coat looked fabulous against the backdrop of the blue carpet. Yellow symbolises such www.lancmag.com

positivity – happiness, energy and optimism. Let’s not forget illuminating yellow is one of Pantone’s colours of 2021. Bang on trend as well as uplifting. Kamala’s choice of purple represents power, peace and dignity.

Those colours were chosen well.

I hope it’s been interesting to interpret one moment in history with what was worn. Let’s not ever consider that style needs to be in place of substance. You can be both. And stronger by using all those tools in your arsenal.

If you need any help or advice, please do contact me via my website moostyle.co.uk or join my facebook group for style tips and shortcuts Moo Style VIPs. If you’d like to find out more about a 1:1 consultation either in person or on zoom then please email me any time moostylist@gmail.com.

Here to help! I can also help with colour & style consultations, wardrobe edits, personal shopping, make up and skincare. I’m in the confidence business and would love to help.

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Aiming Higher

You can donate to Aiming Higher using the following methods Website | www.aiminghighercharity.org.uk/get-involved/donate/ Just Giving & PayPal | Found on Aiming Higher website

Post | Aiming Higher. 231 – 233 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 3PB. Please ring 01253 206447 further information

In September 2020 Aiming Higher for Disabled Children & their Families, the Blackpool based charity that supports hundreds of local children and their families, took over the running of the A-Team.

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hat’s not the classic 1980s TV show but a Youth Group in Blackpool specifically for young people with Autism which has been running for over 15 years.

Autism spectrum disorder or ASD refers to a range of conditions characterised by some degree of impaired social behaviour, communication and language, and a narrow range of interests and activities that are both unique to the individual and carried out repetitively.

Individuals with ASD often present other co-occurring conditions, including epilepsy, depression, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The level of intellectual functioning in individuals with ASDs is extremely variable, extending from profound impairment to superior levels.

Before Covid-19 hit, and hopefully again soon, the group met at The Oracle on St Anne’s Road where they could form friendships, share stories and enjoy activities with others who have more of an understanding of their day to day lives.

During lockdown, like lots of the charities other activities, these sessions have moved online, with the group meeting on Zoom. This hasn’t stopped them from enjoying activities like baking together, quizzes and scavenger hunts and sharing their opinions on things like home-schooling and isolating with their families!

Currently, the group consists of around 25 young people who are accessing the online sessions, while others feel more comfortable waiting for the opportunity for face to face contact when lockdown ends and it is safe to do so. During a recent session, Aiming Higher team members Ella Bicket and Latoya Sykes asked the group what it was they enjoyed about the A-Team and what they thought it gave them: Jake (26) has been attending for 15 years, first at the Boys & Girls Club and other venues before they moved to the Oracle. After so long he says it’s hard to say what he likes in particular but that it has enabled him to make friends and he now acts as a volunteer along with fellow A-Teamer Beth.

A Team member Kayden with cake pops that the group made for Children in Need in November.

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Beth (23) says that the A-team means a lot to her; “It’s virtually the only place I’ve been able to interact with other autistic people like me. I’m understood within the A-Team and that’s important.” She continues “I like meeting people, I’m a people person and I hope we can get back to the Oracle soon because I’ve seen too much of the inside of my house!”

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A team member Keane gives the group the thumbs up

Christmas decorations made by member and volunteer Beth (pictured below on a recent zoom session):

Long term member of the A-team Jake is now a volunteer.

Toby (12) stresses how important the sessions are, especially during lockdown: “it’s important so people can interact together. Loneliness can affect your mental wellbeing. Just speaking to another person outside your family is good for you”.

Keane (13) agrees wholeheartedly with Toby, “Before I joined the A-team I was really an antisocial person. I had no friends. The only people I would speak to were my family members and some times people who would come and visit. When I joined the A-Team I became more confident and started to believe in myself more and I’d like to thank you guys for that.”

Like all charities, Aiming Higher saw fundraising activity decrease in 2020, so if you can support them in any way possible, any assistance will be gratefully received. Please send your ideas to: heatherholt@aiminghighercharity.org.uk www.lancmag.com

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Manchester Funeral Director reflects on a tough year and reveals how lockdown impacted bereaved families across the region

Above: Funeral Director Charlie Webster

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Funeral Director Charlie Webster, from the B Littler Co-op Funeralcare, reveals his experience of supporting families through a difficult year and describes how the funeral sector has had to adapt in the region as a result of Covid-19.

Originally from Derbyshire, Charlie initially worked in administration and management before moving to Staffordshire where he started out his career working behind the scenes in funeral services. Thirteen years ago, he then moved to Manchester and has never looked back since.

From shadowing a fellow Funeral Director, Charlie was inspired to support others and worked hard to complete his training to achieve the position as Funeral Director of the B Littler Co-op Funeralcare Home.

Charlie said: “I love my job. My role is incredibly rewarding, and it has given me comfort to know we can take some of the stress away from families who are suffering a bereavement. We provide as much help as we can to our customers to ensure they never feel alone.”

Funerals were heavily impacted as a result of the first lockdown, and especially so in the

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North West. According to the Office of National Statistics, between March and May 2020, the North West region had the second highest rate of Covid-19 deaths, closely behind London. North West Councils set strict guidelines in March for funerals in the region as only 10 people were allowed to attend burial and crematorium services.

Charlie continued: “As funeral directors our job is to support others at their greatest time of need. During the first lockdown, when the initial restrictions were enforced, it was really difficult to provide the same type of support to families who had lost a loved one. For example, we would have to speak to families over the phone rather than seeing them in person.”

“It was especially heart breaking for families, unable to see their loved ones, who had spent their final days in nursing homes. It was devastating for many families in the region who couldn’t have a regular funeral service for their relative.”

“With the second lockdown, we had a much greater understanding of how we could best support families. With more information available, and carefully considering what we learnt last time round, we could be open and honest with the families and work with them to give their loved one the best send-off possible.”

The current guidance from the Government states that 30 people are now allowed to attend a funeral.

Charlie states, “Unlike the first lockdown, we can now allow families to say goodbye to their loved ones in the chapel of rest, prior to the funeral taking place, which provides great comfort.

“We have an amazing support network within the team, and always call upon each other to discuss how we can fulfil a family’s request.”

Charlie concluded: “The team and I have gone above and beyond to deliver families’ wishes to ensure the funeral is how they had hoped, despite the current limitations that we must adhere to.

Our focus is to support as many families as we can through these unprecedented times to arrange fitting and special send offs for their loved ones.”

For more information about Co-op Funeralcare, please visit: www.coop.co.uk/funeralcare Office of National Statistic Research Study 2020 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/ birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/ deathsinvolvingcovid19bylocalareasanddeprivation/ deathsoccurringbetween1marchand31may2020

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Liverpool Co-op Funeralcare Holds Ceremony to Exhume Ashes from Royal British Legion Site

The Liverpool Pearson Collinson Hunts Cross Co-op Funeralcare assisted in removing the ashes of Liverpool service personnel in a respectful moving ceremony at the Royal British Legion Club on Sunday 13th December.

Over 100 veterans or members of the Royal British Legion had ashes scattered or held a place of remembrance within the grounds. Following its closure, the memorial garden located in Speke had been purchased for a redevelopment, however this was put on hold until a suitable home for the ashes was confirmed. The new place for the memorial was given at the local All Saints Church in Speke.

The ceremony was held at both of the locations, with a procession of funeral vehicles. The funeralcare team at the Co-op Liverpool Pearson Collinson Hunts Cross home provided a poppy hearse and casket for the ashes which lead the way and was closely followed by families and military personnel escorting the remains to the new place of rest and remembrance.

Funeral Service Manager at the Liverpool Pearson Collinson Hunts Cross Co-op Funeralcare, Pauline McAvoy says, “Our Funeral Director Andy Morgan was incredibly proud to lead the procession www.lancmag.com

to the church yard of All Saints Church. Our Funeral Arranger, Bette Dowling also assisted in organising the ceremony. It was lovely to see that there were a lot of forces personnel of very high rank that attended the ceremony.”

Pauline concludes, “It was an amazing day and the community could not have been more grateful. It was a true honour to be a part of.”

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Poet profile - Dean Fraser

Wainwright - The Shaper of Lives

Two Thousand Years In Carlisle

A homage to the great man; his gorgeous guides got me interested in walking in his footsteps many years ago

Telling the story of Carlisle Castle, taking us for a poetic stroll through two millennia of history

I first came across them when a teen Exquisite drawings for to set the scene Fell walking made large through illustration Bringing to life every beauteous location Lakelands crying out to be walked like never before Each book read leaving me feeling I need to see more Descriptions of crag, scree, and the valleys green Following in his footstep to view each scene To the Lakes more tourists his guides did bring Taking his routes most taken, yet here’s the thing Would he have enjoyed all this company upon fell?

Inevitable demand I guess, and his books do still sell Alfred the most unlikely of television personalities Strolling with his pipe, viewing stunning localities His legacy celebrated by media’s next generation Julia following in his footsteps as her vocation

Hunting, gathering living in unity Safety in numbers within a community Mysterious ancestors settled in this place anew Iron age people, eventually a village grew Celtic tribes existing here, living from the land Defensive hill overlooking open moorland Round houses entered through one low door Planting crops to feed, smelting iron ore Trading with their neighbours in the valley Two hundred years living quite happily

On lonely fell or Lakeland view the walk goes on Down through countless generations and the walk goes on Right across this Cumbrian land, forever the walk goes on

An invasion, alien ways, ruled by another hand Roman legions taking over exactly as planned Brutally crushing rebellion in their new home A fort in Luguvalium, is it was now known The people got used eventually to their new existence Living alongside the Romans, but still kept their distance Across the city, the villas and bathhouses appeared Centurions battle readiness universally feared Made the place their own through their time of occupation Leaving their mark on the landscape for future generations Medieval era upon us, peace alien to this city Warlords want a piece of the action without pity A great leader ordered change, William Rufus the man To defend this city easier, we must begin a new plan The landscape he viewed, surveyed, and found it good We’ll build a castle here, using the Roman site we should To defensively thwart the attack of any upstart raiders And from the Scottish border’s fierce invaders The castle stood proud; battalions stationed there Any invading armies stone-built nightmare English Civil War, Jacobite Rebellion, Mary Queen of Scots Carlisle Castle central to history in the making, seen the lot Once fallen in disrepair, no longer considered needed It seems warnings from the past went unheeded 1820’s suddenly the castle in the frame once again Fear of revolution in the air, the military to reclaim Fortifying the castle, now relevant once more Garrison of a new army in readiness for war Ancient site of antiquity upcycled and re-used Once more its strategic importance proved

Earlier in his poetic career Dean travelled extensively performing shows at literary events, festivals and libraries; he still loves performing for live audiences whenever his schedule will alllow. He spent a while as resident poet on a local TV channel. Since 2017 Dean Fraser has hosted his syndicated arts and culture radio show Beyond Poetry, which is heard across the UK via a network of local community radio stations. www.deanfrasercentral.com 204

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Twenty first century Carlisle Castle to remind Two thousand years of military history behind How many lives have been lost near those walls?

Post-notes of invasions and from brutal wars A museum to guide us through the timeline Stories from generations lending us a sign Still dominating the skyline of the city Lit up at night, looking fairy-tale pretty If this building could talk what might it say?

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Work to repair river breach at local nature reserve gets underway

• The Environment Agency have begun work to fix a breached riverbank on the River Alt at Lunt meadows Nature Reserve and flood storage area in the latest phase of response to last month’s floods.

• Significant rainfall during Storm Christoph damaged one of the banks of the River Alt which caused flooding to the Lunt Meadows • Lunt Meadows, which is managed by Lancashire Wildlife Trust, has been designed to act as both a flood storage area and a nature reserve, providing wetland habitats for species, such as water vole, marsh harrier and kingfisher, while also holding excess rain and river water.

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Above: Lunt Meadows repair works

The river burst its bank on 20 January during significant and severe rainfall caused by Storm Christoph

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W

ork to repair an embankment on the River Alt at Lunt meadows Nature Reserve and flood storage area has begun as part of the Environment Agency’s programme of recovery to last month’s floods.

The river burst its bank on 20 January during significant and severe rainfall caused by Storm Christoph which also saw the Environment Agency issue two Severe Flood Warnings in Maghull, covering 439 properties within the flood warning area.

While water levels did rise quickly, the breach allowed the nearby flood storage area at Lunt Meadows to hold the excess flows. Alongside additional pumping, the breach appears to have been key in preventing major problems in nearby Maghull.

Lunt Meadows has been designed to act as both a flood storage area for downstream communities and a nature reserve, providing wetland habitats for species, such as water vole, marsh harrier and kingfisher, while also holding excess rain and river water.

area at Lunt Meadows absorbed the excess flows.

“While our emergency response to this incident has now been stood down, the repair to the damage on one of the River Alt’s embankments is now our top priority. This will allow us to fully restore the protection offered by the flood storage area.

“We fully appreciate the impact incidents like these have on people and we will continue to work alongside our partners to bring these repair works to a positive conclusion. We do encourage members of the community not to try and attend the site while works are taking place as there will be a large amount of heavy plant machinery operation in progress.”

As climate change increases the risk of future flooding events, Maghull must be better protected Below: Excavator at Lunt Meadows

When the flood storage area is full, water is then slowly released back into the River Alt, taking the pressure off the river system and reducing the likelihood of flooding in more built-up, urban areas. During Storm Christoph, the embankment separating Lunt Meadows from the River Alt was badly damaged by the pressure of the water.

The Environment Agency now plan to temporally fill the breach using up to 500 bags of aggregate.

Pumps will also be used to get additional water out the reservoir so the damage can be better assessed.

A helicopter will be used to fly the bags of aggregate and additional pumps over to the breach with the work expecting to take up to six days to fully complete.

Officers from the Environment Agency have undertaken on-site inspections to ensure the repair works do not cause any risk to the local wildlife on the nature reserve.

Andy Brown, Flood and Coastal Risk Manager for Lancashire said: During Storm Christoph we worked successfully with emergency responders and partner organisations including United Utilities, Sefton Council and Lancashire Wildlife Trust, in response to what was forecast to be the heaviest rainfall for decades.

“Thankfully, on this occasion, the flood storage www.lancmag.com

Bill Esterson MP for Sefton Central and Shadow Minister for International Trade said: “Thank you to the Environment Agency for carrying out these vital repairs. As climate change increases the risk of future flooding events, Maghull must be better protected. I will continue to work with the Environment Agency and other agencies to urgently explore further solutions.”

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 207

Your star horoscope

Manish Kumar Arora is a renowned KP Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Reader & Vastu Consultant. He has been rendering professional advice to clients with a reasonable degree of success. He has been conferred with the title of ‘Jyotish Varahamihir’ and ‘Jyotish Aryabhatt.’ He has been writing monthly astrological columns for many international magazines.

Aries: Mar 21 – Apr 19 You are determined to follow through on your own commitments and responsibilities, and you generally do what it takes to achieve your goals. Your charisma sets you apart from others, and you find that others quite easily respect you. The second half of the month brings great passion and sensuality, and so virtually most of the focus will be on communication, dating and contacts. You are in your element, and others tend to be taking note. Pay attention to your gut feelings, which will, more often than not, give you valuable information.

Favourable Dates: April 3, 6, 12, 15, 21, 24 Favourable Colours: Yellow & Red Taurus: Apr 20 – May 20 You’ll be quick and full of initiative. Still, you’d better not rush as you could fail. Strongminded and somewhat wilful, you would also reveal a soft, sensitive, and spiritual side when at ease with the people around you and your surroundings. There can be a lot of activity centring around your home and family, which can be overwhelming at first, but can also be the start of something quite wonderful which ultimately energises you. Overall, it’s good energy period, but you might feel a little swamped at this time.

Favourable Dates: April 2, 3, 11, 12, 20, 21 Favourable Colours: White & Green Gemini: May 21 – Jun 20 Planetary environment promises to bring quite unusual events.

Mostly those will be pleasant surprises that will happen exactly to you. During this period you might disclosure new abilities or you’ll get tremendously lucky in business sphere. Financially, the stake is focused on confidential methods or sources. Favourable events and tendencies and relationships with close people will dominate in your family life during the first two weeks of the month. Romantic and creative matters take centre stage after 21st, and you are likely to receive a lot of attention.

Favourable Dates: April 4, 8, 13, 17, 22, 26 Favourable Colours: Red & Blue Cancer: Jun 21 – Jul 22 This is the time to work on ridding yourself of self-defeating or limiting attitudes. In fact, there is no better time to make lifestyle changes. You will have the chance to improve your relationships with others–and with yourself. A humbly confident approach to life earns you respect. You are especially appealing and charming just by being yourself. You are easily engrossed by special subjects and projects this month, and eagerly throw yourself into learning and producing. At the end of this period you’ll know exactly where you are and you’ll be able to regain control over your relational life.

Favourable Dates: April 3, 4, 12, 13, 21, 22 Favourable Colours: Yellow & Grey

Leo: Jul 23 – Aug 22 A sense of peace regarding work and health routines is with you this month, and your social life tends to take centre stage. You could find that you’re making more concessions than usual and that your agenda takes a back seat to the plans and needs of important people in your life. Attention to your home base is vital in this period, when creativity, romance, children, and pleasure come into focus. The stronger you feel on the inside, the more fun you’ll have during this upcoming cycle.

Favourable Dates: April 1, 6, 10, 15, 19, 24 Favourable Colours: Blue & Grey Virgo: Aug 23 – Sep 22 At first glance, the month may not seem to be as productive as most, but in fact you are building your nest, gathering your resources, and preparing for busier months ahead. For some, it is characterised by increased activity at work and the need to execute much larger volumes of work than before, for others - it is a time needed to reassess their values, plans, and analysis of past mistakes. Take your time with important decision making, as you may not have all the tools at your disposal for clarity.

Favourable Dates: April 5, 6, 14, 15, 23, 24 Favourable Colours: Red & Green Libra: Sep 23 – Oct 22 There may be a need to let go of something or someone at this time, but it’s also a good period for gaining new information that helps you to move forward, including great advice, so stay connected and listen attentively. The last ten days of the month will be more loyal, will have a smooth flow, and most miraculously smooth out any roughness in a relationship and extinguishes any conflict. This is a time of love, family travels and joint holiday with loved ones. If single, a relationship from the past could re-emerge.

Favourable Dates: April 1, 9, 10, 18, 19, 27 Favourable Colours: Yellow & Blue Scorpio: Oct 23 – Nov 21 A sense of peace about your personal finances boosts your overall mood.

Spending on frivolous items may be a lure, and you may need to tame this desire somewhat, but you might also decide that you deserve some pampering. New beginnings in the relationship department are a theme around mid-month, or an event can occur that brings about realisations that something has to change.

A difficult relationship might be put behind you, or you could begin to ask questions about a current or new partnership.

Favourable Dates: April 1, 9, 10, 18, 19, 27 Favourable Colours: Yellow & Blue

Sagittarius: Nov 22 – Dec 21 This is a period of emotional growth.

You might look to expand or change your home life and domestic routines.

Your mind is open to new information, and so is your heart. You have more faith and you are keen on enjoying new experiences. Romance and creativity can blossom this month, even though there are some rough patches to deal with. Fortunately, you’ll be very sensible and you’ll find solutions when in need for some improvement. The focus is on having fun, enjoying hobbies and pleasurable pastimes, children, and love.

Favourable Dates: April 2, 9, 11, 18, 20, 27 Favourable Colours: White & Blue Capricorn: Dec 22 – Jan 19 You need to push forward with important projects, and if it means getting a little help as the cosmos are shining on you. If you have been waiting for word on a new job, a promotion, you may receive the good news. You may feel some discomfort in your relationships. This is due to high intensity of work, total workload of professional life and the lack of time for a beloved one. You need to find a compromise between work and family, and this will ensure there is no risk of conflict in the family.

Favourable Dates: April 7, 9, 16, 18, 25, 27 Favourable Colours: Grey & Blue Aquarius: Jan 20 – Feb 18 Self-improvement is a strong focus this month. Finances, taxes, and intimacy are main themes that you’ll be encountering. Events and realisations this month can get the ball rolling for important changes. Your social life is likely to be animated this month, demanding your attention.

At the same time, your work is blossoming and especially fruitful. Love relationships can reach new depths of understanding. Although routine matters can get boring at times, reworking and reorganising these things can be very satisfying. Recognition for your work could be forthcoming now.

Favourable Dates: April 4, 8, 13, 17, 22, 26 Favourable Colours: Red & Yellow Pisces: Feb 19 – Mar 20 You are likely to establish connections and relationships with people that help forward your own personal growth. Teamwork and camaraderie, as well as meaningful connections, are themes. You feel your life has definite purpose this month. Going over past errors, redoing projects, smoothing over differences on the job–all of these matters occupy your mind and your time this month. A creative project can come to a head, or a love affair can blossom. You’re also busy working with your physical body. Implementing and maintaining an exercise or nutrition program should be a priority.

Favourable Dates: April 4, 5, 13, 14, 22, 23 Favourable Colours: Red & Green

Manish Kumar Arora, 91-9871062000 | K.P. Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Card Reader & Vastu Consultant www.facebook.com/manishastroconsultant | manish@manishastrologer.com

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47 57 29 157 81 2 5 191 47 212 57 191 29 15 157

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